False Alarm

Today's turnaround time entertainment? Snow angels and woos :)

The standard from Jack: rolling snow angels.
Rudy the wildcard. It's either angels or woos from him at turnaround time.
Today was woos. Silly kids!

We were out early this morning to avoid busy Saturday crowds. We started in the backcountry but found the conditions hard packed and slick. So, we rerouted ourselves to the safer trails at Gold Run Nordic Center instead. We were thrilled to find that the groomer had been out early too! The upper (Preston) loop was freshly groomed and nobody else had been on the trail yet. First tracks fun!

We are in the shade of a mountain behind us, so the morning sun has not
come over yet. Thus, it's kind of hard to tell, but we are first tracks on
the freshly groomed trail!

We ended up doing the upper loop 2.5 times (2 complete loops and then we redid the top arch of the loop back & forth once too). Here we come on pass 2. Note that Jack & Rudy have swapped positions as they always to when we repeat a trail (it's different to run each side you know :) 

Pass #2 and now sun has started to light the trail more.

Back to pass #1. Look at the following photo. What is that on the trail? Well, I first thought it was moose droppings. Given the trail had recently been groomed and these objects were atop the groomed trail, that would have meant the moose was here VERY recently and most likely still very close (this area is known moose territory). I was about to slam on the brakes to check for moose when we got close enough to see these were little pinecones not droppings. Phew! False alarm, but, boy, did my heart skip a beat! How did all the pinecones get here, you wonder? Well, most likely the roof of the groomer cab hit a tree limb as it was going by.

False alarm, just pinecones :)

Come along for the video counterpart to the prior photo. About 25 seconds into this clip and we come around a corner and I see what looks like moose droppings on the trail from a distance. Then I realize they are just pinecones. Phew, safe from moose, so we continue on skijoring fast, fast, fast. Top speed in this clip? 25 MPH. Zoom!

[watch on youtube if no video loads below]

Then, done with our 2.5 times around the upper loop and time to drop out of the forest and onto the main trail back to the trailhead. What to do on this sunny trail? How about catch some air? Wheeee!

The hover huskies at it again :)

What a zooming fun day with a little false alarm excitement to keep it interesting, right guys?

"Actually, we were hoping for moose!" declares the silly but happy kids.

Zooming on the groomies: 10.1 miles traveled with 700 feet of elevation climbed and a top speed of 25 MPH.

2022/2023 Season to Date: 95 days on the trails covering 835.9 miles with 77,000 feet of elevation climbed.