Welcome back to real-life-post-vacation! Hope you all had a wonderful holiday and managed to get in some skiing.
We are CANCELING PRACTICE FOR TOMORROW! Dartmouth is not grooming either location and while we have spent many hours trying to find another interesting venue, it just isn’t going to happen in a way that would be safe. We encourage all of you to get outside in some capacity, keep up the good early-season mojo and maybe take a snowshoe with poles in the woods. Better than nothing!
We have a few logistics listed below and then don’t miss the piece written by Noah Phipps, Ford Sayre 6th grader, describing the trip made by 17 Ford Sayre families to Mont Sainte Anne this vacation. This was our club’s first time heading north as a group. Huge thanks to Emily Silver for her fantastic organization! The trip was an enormous success.
Notes:
- Clothing/gear: don’t forget to check the FS Gear Exchange for used/new items that folks want to sell. There are some great items there. If you ended up with the wrong sizes in clothing for one reason or another, this is a great place to “trade”. Go here.
- This Friday is our first Friday practice for 3-Day Skiers! Woohoo! Dorcas Wonsavage will be leading the charge. Get psyched! 3Day skiers will receive emails regarding location…cross your fingers!
- The Ford Sayre Nordic Committee is meeting this Thursday night at 7:00 in the Rotary Room at the Howe Library. All are welcome.
- Our first FS supported race, the Bogburn, will take place (hopefully) this Saturday, January 10. It is a classic style race. For details and to register go to the NENSA Calendar here. PLEASE NOTE, snow conditions are unpredictable, so check the NENSA site in case of cancellation.
- General racing information: Each season Ford Sayre “supports” a certain group of races. This means that we commit to having coaches present to work with each grade level group. For classic races, we also have a wax team that helps apply the appropriate kick wax if families need help. You can find the list of supported races on the “racing”tab on the site. FAMILIES ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR REGISTERING THEIR CHILDREN FOR EACH RACE. We will always remind you at the beginning of the week of the race, but you must go to the NENSA site and register your kids. Later this week we will be posting organizational details for kids who want to race this weekend. It will be on the website under the “Racing” tab. This is where you will be able to find out which coaches will be at the race, what time age groups will warm up, etc. Please email us if you have questions! We are here to help. Carpooling is encouraged, so reach out to friends and drive together.
Mont Sainte-Anne 2014
by Noah Phipps
The Ford Sayre cross-country ski trip to Mont Sainte-Anne surely created many fond memories of skiing and being with friends. Mont Sainte-Anne has plenty of paths ranging from easy Green Circles to steep Black Diamonds, and at least 100 k. (60 m.) of groomed and tracked trails. In the morning, it was common for the Ford Sayre group to congregate at the lodge (a leisurely 10am start to allow it to warm up a bit) and organize into groups to ski together. After lunch at the lodge, Chateau Saint-Julien, families then skied by themselves or with friends. Chateau Saint-Julien provides a snack bar, a fireplace, multiple bathrooms, two lounges, ski shop (the hats were extremely popular!), and a waxing room (“Le salle de fartage”) with over 20 waxing benches.
Pouring rain and warm temperatures in the Upper Valley made people nervous about the conditions but luckily an email from a Ford Sayre parent on the 26th shared “For everyone coming in the next day or so, you are in for a real treat. Conditions are great, and don’t be deceived by what it looks like on the drive up. More opening up tomorrow so it could be back over 100K.” The trails at Mont Sainte-Anne proved to be well groomed, maintained and simply beautiful.
Kids had fun skiing with friends who might not be in their regular ski group at practice. The ski groups were based on speed and distance and everyone was in great spirits. It was fun trying to speak French, and hearing Canadians talk flawlessly in French. Camaraderie in the waxing room was built upon trading waxing tips and even lending wax and other waxing equipment among FS and other ski clubs. The supportiveness, friendships and amazing skiing made this trip a special time. A new tradition is born.
