Some years ago, Larry and I talked about skiing together during a Ski For Light event. 2018 looked like a good year to make that happen. The event was held at Tahoe-Donner Cross Country Ski Area known for its predictable snow, crisp cold air, and perfect grooming of cross country ski trails.
While all those things were true this year, the timing of the arrival of actual snow had everyone concerned. Monday and Tuesday we skied on barely an inch of snow. It was not ideal and we had our doubts about the rest of the week. Larry had an issue with his ankle and gave it a rest on Wednesday while I played “pick up guide” for another skier whose assigned guide had taken a side trip to another ski area in search of snow. But good news — it SNOWED at Tahoe Donner that night. The area received a full 15 inches of snow and the groomers worked their magic through the night.
Larry was determined to do a 10K race so we used Thursday to practice on real snow in well set tracks. Sadly, that didn’t work out too well. Larry’s ankle issue wasn’t up to the 10K task yet, so we diverted to the lodge. Reluctantly but wisely, he decided to do the 5K rally instead of the 10K race. He filed the paperwork with the rally officials for what I thought was an aggressive 1 hour and 10 minutes but it was his call. (I’m just the guide. I have nothing to do with the skier’s time other than ensuring they stay in the tracks and out of the trees!)
Rally day arrived and this is a summary of how it looked:
Before the rally:
During:
After:
Since it was a rally, we were not allowed any timing devices. Pacing one’s self with a timing device (watch or smart phone) is cheating.
We didn’t know how long it took us to complete the course. Larry said he did some calculations in his head based on the timing officials chatter as we crossed the finish line. He thought he was “near” his predicted time.
At the banquet:
As the event winners were announced from third place to first place, I was listening politely but still very interested in dessert and coffee. When everyone at our table erupted with screams and cheers, I looked up and saw Larry getting to his feet to receive his first place trophy.
Larry came within 2 minutes and 36 seconds of his predicted time. Nobody else was as close to their predicted time as Larry in his category and, therefore, he took first place for Partially sighted, Male, 55 and below. This year’s prize for first place was an embroidered ski hat. The SFL logo is distinctive and the hat is a very practical trophy.
While this year’s event was held at Tahoe-Donner Cross Country Ski Area in California, we stayed at a hotel in Reno, Nevada. There are no hotels near Tahoe that can accommodate the 300 people that show up for this event. The bus ride was 45 minutes on a good day. (Ugh.) But the snow conditions improved through the week, Larry managed a good rally pace, and he won his category. So no complaints from us! Overall, it was an excellent experience on skis for everybody.
You can learn more about Ski For Light (SFL) at their website. Click the link to get the full story on the SFL program. sfl.org. We always have openings for guides. No experience necessary. SFL guide trainers will get you in the groove (or tracks).
