Day 7 ... The Road goes on forever and the party never ends
I woke up really really early on this morning... 0245 to be precise. I think I woke up because the room was too hot so I got up, opened a window and turned down the heating. I logged onto facebook to have a quick catch up and with sadness learned of the passing of someone who I had met just the once, but who had made an impression on me. He was also friends with many of my friends from the states as he had been involved in the first Everest basecamp trek with LHS.
Dan had fought against Cancer with courage and a spirit that was an inspiration to many. The title of this blog were his words on his last fb post. R.I.P Dan and LHS to all those mourning his loss. It was a privilege to meet you.
I finally got back to sleep to be woken by my Alarm clock to the start of my final whole day in Venabu.
I had decided that I didn't want to join the tour today but instead ski at my own pace and try and practice some of the new things I had learnt. Stefan also wanted to avoid the tour and the slightly pressured environment that comes with trying to keep up and not fall over too much. As Miriam wanted to snowshoe instead of ski, we decided to pair up for a go at the Trimloype and then once that loop was completed, to ski up to Spidbergseter and the cafe at the hotel there.
So we pulled on several layers to cope with the -10 degree weather and headed out... choosing to walk down the initial slope rather than make fools of ourselves right at the beginning... that and we had to take off the skis to cross the road so it was just easier to walk to to the start.
With just 2 of us, there wasn't the cacophony of noise that accompanies a large group and it was very peaceful... snowflakes silently drifting down, the tree branches layered with snow so that they looked like reindeer antlers. The rhythm of the skis and the poles takes over between each signpost and its very easy to lose yourself in the peace and beauty of the surroundings.
As we were going at a slightly slower pace it was easier to keep the head up and look around, although too long and a slip or stumble brought you back to reality.
Whenever we reached a steeper descent, we tried to give enough space between us... however on one occasion I was gliding along, then changed to the stride and glide pattern, only to hear a shout behind me as Stefan was gliding faster than I was striding and it ended up in the inevitable snow pile.
At one point I was trundling down a slope with Stefan leaving a decent gap behind when something white and furry flashed across the tracks into the trees on the other side.... a hare! Given that Ingrid, one of the instructors, had said that she only saw 4 or 5 a season, I was very chuffed at being allowed a glimpse. Unfortunately it moved too fast for Stefan to see it.
We managed to negotiate the downhills and the sharper corners with few incidents and I thoroughly enjoyed the loop... then we headed over to the cafe, a nice easy flattish ski... to find Miriam and Liz having coffee there, having snowshoed up.
Hot Choc with cream was the order of the day, and a quick browse round the shop before setting back off to the hotel. By now my heels were hurting quite a bit, it felt like all the plasters on them had been rubbed away and the boots were once again rubbing on the area which was already skin depleted. Having no other choice, I gritted my teeth and tried to keep up. I was also pretty knackered from all the exertions of the week. Because it was just one week I had been determined to make the most of it and therefore had gone out every afternoon, rather than chill out.
The snow was still falling as we got back and it had been a very good last run out. Lunch and then will the body out one more time.
Since trying the skating technique, I had wanted one more stab at it before leaving, so borrowed the different skis and boots and walked to the nursery area. There I strapped on the skis and began to go up and down, trying V1 and V2, but all the new powdered snow made it quite hard and it wasn't packed down. So I thought, what the hell, and waded across a field if snow (on the skis) to the tracks. Once on the tracks, which had been pressed in the last day or so, it was a bit easier to get going.... but man was it hard work!!!! The slight slopes and my lack of glide on each foot meant I naturally segwayed into V1, just to keep moving forward a lot of the time. On the stretch of flat or slight downhill, I tried to improve my V2 technique so that I was gliding for longer but it was harder than classic for sure! That said I managed a 'whopping' 1.6 miles and could have done no more... whacked out... totally done in!!!
I crawled back to the hotel, dinner and bed in quick succession.
So that brings me to going home day... day 8
The journey home was long, with a bus ride to Oslo where I felt like I was dying from overheating... unusual for me.
on the way, we saw mini frozen waterfalls off the rocks at the side of the road, people ice fishing in the middle of the lakes, and once again marvelled at how this country keeps moving when there is a few feet of snow. Bulldozers were common sites and it seems like many houses had their own mini diggers.
Once on the plane, there was a delay as the runway had to be de-iced and we sag there watching a convoy of plowers and snow shooter machines speed up and down the runway, lights flashing furiously. I was pretty glad of the delay as I'd rather an ice free runway for take-off!!
The plane then trundled to another area and was sprayed with what I presumed was a liquid de-icer before we took off and left the magical land of ice and snow behind.
I loved Norway, loved cross country and will almost certainly go back. It is like you imagine Narnia to be, a true fairytale winter wonderland.
The people I met throughout this trip made me feel welcome and helped make this holiday a great experience.
Hopefully I will have lost a couple of kilos and pushed my fitness levels up a notch or two in the path to Ecuador.
Now to keep it up.... next up London to Paris by bike in May!!
Dan had fought against Cancer with courage and a spirit that was an inspiration to many. The title of this blog were his words on his last fb post. R.I.P Dan and LHS to all those mourning his loss. It was a privilege to meet you.
I finally got back to sleep to be woken by my Alarm clock to the start of my final whole day in Venabu.
I had decided that I didn't want to join the tour today but instead ski at my own pace and try and practice some of the new things I had learnt. Stefan also wanted to avoid the tour and the slightly pressured environment that comes with trying to keep up and not fall over too much. As Miriam wanted to snowshoe instead of ski, we decided to pair up for a go at the Trimloype and then once that loop was completed, to ski up to Spidbergseter and the cafe at the hotel there.
So we pulled on several layers to cope with the -10 degree weather and headed out... choosing to walk down the initial slope rather than make fools of ourselves right at the beginning... that and we had to take off the skis to cross the road so it was just easier to walk to to the start.
With just 2 of us, there wasn't the cacophony of noise that accompanies a large group and it was very peaceful... snowflakes silently drifting down, the tree branches layered with snow so that they looked like reindeer antlers. The rhythm of the skis and the poles takes over between each signpost and its very easy to lose yourself in the peace and beauty of the surroundings.
As we were going at a slightly slower pace it was easier to keep the head up and look around, although too long and a slip or stumble brought you back to reality.
Whenever we reached a steeper descent, we tried to give enough space between us... however on one occasion I was gliding along, then changed to the stride and glide pattern, only to hear a shout behind me as Stefan was gliding faster than I was striding and it ended up in the inevitable snow pile.
At one point I was trundling down a slope with Stefan leaving a decent gap behind when something white and furry flashed across the tracks into the trees on the other side.... a hare! Given that Ingrid, one of the instructors, had said that she only saw 4 or 5 a season, I was very chuffed at being allowed a glimpse. Unfortunately it moved too fast for Stefan to see it.
We managed to negotiate the downhills and the sharper corners with few incidents and I thoroughly enjoyed the loop... then we headed over to the cafe, a nice easy flattish ski... to find Miriam and Liz having coffee there, having snowshoed up.
Hot Choc with cream was the order of the day, and a quick browse round the shop before setting back off to the hotel. By now my heels were hurting quite a bit, it felt like all the plasters on them had been rubbed away and the boots were once again rubbing on the area which was already skin depleted. Having no other choice, I gritted my teeth and tried to keep up. I was also pretty knackered from all the exertions of the week. Because it was just one week I had been determined to make the most of it and therefore had gone out every afternoon, rather than chill out.
The snow was still falling as we got back and it had been a very good last run out. Lunch and then will the body out one more time.
Since trying the skating technique, I had wanted one more stab at it before leaving, so borrowed the different skis and boots and walked to the nursery area. There I strapped on the skis and began to go up and down, trying V1 and V2, but all the new powdered snow made it quite hard and it wasn't packed down. So I thought, what the hell, and waded across a field if snow (on the skis) to the tracks. Once on the tracks, which had been pressed in the last day or so, it was a bit easier to get going.... but man was it hard work!!!! The slight slopes and my lack of glide on each foot meant I naturally segwayed into V1, just to keep moving forward a lot of the time. On the stretch of flat or slight downhill, I tried to improve my V2 technique so that I was gliding for longer but it was harder than classic for sure! That said I managed a 'whopping' 1.6 miles and could have done no more... whacked out... totally done in!!!
I crawled back to the hotel, dinner and bed in quick succession.
So that brings me to going home day... day 8
The journey home was long, with a bus ride to Oslo where I felt like I was dying from overheating... unusual for me.
on the way, we saw mini frozen waterfalls off the rocks at the side of the road, people ice fishing in the middle of the lakes, and once again marvelled at how this country keeps moving when there is a few feet of snow. Bulldozers were common sites and it seems like many houses had their own mini diggers.
Once on the plane, there was a delay as the runway had to be de-iced and we sag there watching a convoy of plowers and snow shooter machines speed up and down the runway, lights flashing furiously. I was pretty glad of the delay as I'd rather an ice free runway for take-off!!
The plane then trundled to another area and was sprayed with what I presumed was a liquid de-icer before we took off and left the magical land of ice and snow behind.
I loved Norway, loved cross country and will almost certainly go back. It is like you imagine Narnia to be, a true fairytale winter wonderland.
The people I met throughout this trip made me feel welcome and helped make this holiday a great experience.
Hopefully I will have lost a couple of kilos and pushed my fitness levels up a notch or two in the path to Ecuador.
Now to keep it up.... next up London to Paris by bike in May!!
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