Yes, it is summer and it seems like everyone is busy with summer activities: tandem biking, hiking, white water rafting and many other outdoors adventures! It is so wonderful to have all these opportunities for summer fun, even though I could live without the East Coast humidity! So why an article about cross country ski tracks in the snow?
The winter will be here sooner than we might think. Some of us will be lucky enough to get on the tracks in October, gliding smoothly into the Winter Wonderland.
Do we ever give any thought to what happens on the tracks during the spring and summer months? Or do we just assume that Nature takes care of everything? Well, that's what I thought!
Yet, how does it work? What happened to that annoying branch that hit my face when I was too slow ducking last year? Why are these tracks now wider than they were last winter....
There are a number of SFL folks, along with those who work for the parks, who use their weekends to prepare the trails where tracks will be set for us. They cut the brushes, get rid of those otherwise annoying branches which would hit us if not cut off, and they might even have to take down some trees so that it is possible to maintain the tracks. They may also spend time rebuilding and repairing trails so that ski tracks might be re-routed to better accommodate the skiers. And if you think about all that work, it is not that easy or comfortable. Climbing up on a tree with a chain saw to cut off a branch is not that simple; these workers actually put themselves at great risk.
Nonetheless, their work is voluntary, and they go the extra mile for all of us. I suggest that we give them all some thought, and send a big "thank you" their way!