Page 9 - Jan_14
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W
henthe temperatures drop
toward freezing, Bob Dill of
Burlington begins looking
forward to getting back out on the ice
again. A Nordic skater, Dill welcomes
the extreme cold, which creates ideal
long-distance skating conditions.
“You really have to go out and
look,” he says. “Or else you risk miss-
ing what could have been a really great
day.”
No stranger to ice, Dill also enjoys
ice fishing, skating in hockey skates,
and ice sailing. But Nordic skating al-
lows him to skate farther, away from
the crowds. He has been using Nordic Ideal conditions and technique
skates for about 15 years and skates
Large bodies of water such as
with a group of friends for distances of Lake Champlain, Lake Morey in Fair-
up to 20 miles in a day, traveling from lee (which features a four-mile tour),
Shelburne Pond to points as far south as and Lake Memphremagog in Newport
the Lake Champlain Bridge at Chimney
Point. The conditions in January and are all popular centers for wintertime
skating. The ice may be good, but clear
February are usually favorable—thick ice is best, so skaters use snowblowers,
ice with little snow cover. Even with shovels, and brooms to remove snow
good conditions, Dill and others remain for a suitable skating surface. Though
wary of hazards. When he’s out skating,
Dill carries ice claws and a throw rope the ice doesn’t have to be perfectly clear
to be skateable. The specially designed
and wears a dry suit, helmet, joint-pro- skates handle imperfections in the ice
tecting pads, and a life jacket.
surface much easier than any other va- how to go
“I go out by myself more often riety of skate. Nordic skates have longer
than I should, so I make sure I take that
extra precaution,” he says. “The water blades than conventional figure or hock- Freezing temperatures guarantee of Nordic skates provided by Jamie
ey skates and attach to the bottom of a quality ice on many of Vermont’s Hess of nordicskater.com.
is freezing this time of year. It’s terrify- cross-country ski boot like any pair of ponds and lakes, including some of the The Lake Morey Ice Skating
ing if you fall through.”
cross-country skis. The blades curve up largest open bodies of water like Lake Trail is 4.5 miles long and is located
Jamie Hess, 59, of Norwich, dis- Champlain and Lake Memphremagog. just off Interstate 91 in Fairlee. When
covered Nordic skating in 1999 while at the tip, allowing the skater to cruise
on a trip to Sweden. Today, his entire through less-than-ideal ice with confi- This winter, Kingdom Games is heading conditions permit its full operation, the
dence.
an effort to keep The Memphremagog trail is the longest ice trail in the United
family Nordic skates, and he has since Hess says the technique is similar Nordic Skating Trail on the US side States. The trail is open to the public
helped establish nordicskater.com, an to cross-country skate skiing, but Nor- of the border open. The trail starts at and can be accessed via Lake Morey
online retail and organizational site for The East Side Restaurant, heads to Resort’s lakefront. Parking is available
ice reports, tips, and safety for Vermont dic skating is faster.
Prouty Beach in Newport Bay, then at the resort as well as at the state boat
and New Hampshire. Most of the lo- “It’s much more efficient,” says out around The Bluffs into Derby Bay launch.
Hess. “The comparison between Nordic before turning north toward Province Current ice trail conditions can
cal interest in the sport revolves around skating and skate skiing is like road bik-
recreation, though nordicskater.com has ing versus mountain biking. They’re the Island. Maps of trails are available at be found at lakemoreyresort.com/
held races.
trailfinder.com. During this month, The activities-iceskating.
“The races had a positive turn same technique, except when you road Great Outdoors will be offering rentals
out,” says Hess. “But people seem more bike, you go at least twice as fast for the
same amount of effort.”
interested in recreational skating.”
FEbruary/March 2014
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