Runaway Truck Ramp

Laying fresh tracks as we zoooom around a corner on the trails yesterday morning!

Zorro laying freshies in 1-2 inches of fresh powder atop the fast trails at
Breckenridge Nordic Center. Zoom!

If you are from Colorado (or other mountainous areas) then you probably know what a "runaway truck ramp" is. For those who do not... Well, highways that have long stretches of steep downhill grade always contain runaway truck ramps. These are side roads cut from the main highway that are either flat or uphill in grade and filled with sand. Typically they are placed on curves of the steep downhill so that a runaway truck (a truck who has lost its brakes) can exit the highway curve by going straight into the runaway truck ramp. The sand plus flat/uphill grade work to bring the runaway truck to a stop.

Back to yesterday morning's skijor. Zorro and I have a runaway truck ramp (or a runaway skijor ramp :) we love to use on the fast trails of Breckenridge Nordic Center. The nordic center has one long stretch of fast and mostly downhill trail; but this stretch ends at a hard 90 degree left turn. Now, consider that cross country skis are not designed for making 90 degree turns and they certainly cannot take such a turn when skijoring 20+ MPH. So, Zorro and I love to approach this hard left like a runaway truck and fly off the trail into deep powder to stop us (e.g., the "runaway skijor ramp") before backing up and turning left to continue.

Come along and watch as today's video has us finishing the skijor along this fast section of trail until we come upon the 90 degree turn and use the straightaway (off trail) deep powder to stop us. Just like a runaway truck :)

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

More fun shots from the day's fast skijor. Wouldn't this be fun:

Dancing elks ahead?!?! We wish. But I always get a chuckle when we fly by this sign
stating we have been on the "Elk Dance" nordic trail.

Nearing the end of the day's run and hooking up little Jack for his 50 yard dash:

All smiles, all fun! Wheeee!

And, finally, fun day, right Zorro?

"Oh yes! Fun indeed! I love being a runaway truck!" says happy, happy Zorro.

Fun day laying fresh tracks in 1-2 inches of new snow on the fast trails at Breckenridge Nordic Center: 9.2 miles traveled with 800 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 22 MPH.

2017/2018 Season to Date: 37 days on the trails covering 272.5 miles with 24,300 feet of elevation climbed.

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