Mugging at Minnewaska
All focus/no play, is a bit more work/less fun, for this non-professional athlete. Saturdays are long endurance aerobic days coated in sugar for me. Having a spouse working while I am out playing is not as selfish as it might appear. I return recharged and healthy. Staying injury-free has to be part of the process as much as having fun with friends.
Your aerobic engine does not care what the driving force is as long as it has a demand, fuel and oxygen. Cross country skiers traditionally have the highest VO2 max ratings of all sports. Add the upper body component to a full, lower body commitment and you are getting a 100% return on your investment. Whether classic or skating, or both, this low impact sport falls somewhere between running and riding a bicycle. The rhythm and "feel" feed back to enhance these technique driven sports. There is a learning curve, but it isn't terribly steep. And you can get a lot out of it even at lower ability levels. Should you have the time and inclination, the self-motivated individual can easily excel at these activities.
In the last few years, the New York regional season for cross country skiing has been less than stellar. I believe last year was the first that I can remember where I didn't get out once; not Central Park after a large snowfall or to outlying venues. Perhaps timing was an issue for me, perhaps we just never got enough snow. Ideally, new, or relatively new snow, with a track for classic, or rolled for skating, over a firm base is what you are looking for to experience the best x-country can offer. This is not to say you cannot have a wonderful day exploring while breaking your own track in the back country, but you lose the element of rhythm.
Taking the subway to Central or Van Cortlandt Park, dressed in tights and carrying skis is a rite of passage in NYC. The price of the activity is low and access is easy. On the other end of the spectrum are places like Mohonk/Minnewaska west of New Paltz in the "Gunks." 90 miles away, not accessible by public transportation, 1000 - 2000' in elevation, esthetically provocative with dedicated, maintained trails. Work on your skills, do your homework and you will find yourself thinking like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz when she says to Toto that she doesn't think she is in Kansas anymore. This is your counterpoint to the heat of July.
Photo op on snow, by rock and ice, Minnewaska State Park, February 13, 2010
The smiles are all you need to know
