Going to the Symphony on a Pair of Skis . . .

Downhill skiing is like going to a Kiss concert. It's big, flashy, you're on the edge of your seat, and there's a chance of serious injury.

Cross-Country Skiing, on the other hand, is like going to the symphony. There is technical precision, grace, and about halfway through, you realize the seats are a lot less comfortable than you thought they'd be.

I first fell in love with Nordic skiing the winter of '73. I had an old pair of wooden alpine skis from the '30s - about 4 inches wide with learther bindings and bamboo poles. My own version of backcountry skis! I would glide through the corn fields and out into the woods - often with my young son slung on my back in a makeshift *pack* designed just for him. I loved the quiet and solitude this mode of transportation provided. Those old skis now hang in the backroom - a silent reminder of a past life.

The following year I ordered a sleek set of skis from the Telemark area of Norway. Thin, long with step-in bindings and a matching pair of leather skiing *shoes*. My winters would never be the same.

Next to snowshoeing there is no better way to enjoy the outdoor beauty and serenity of a winter's day -catching glimpses of deer, fox, coyote, rabbits and a variety of birds who call Drummond Island their home.

These days I ski on wax-free wonders from Rossignol and one of my favorite gliding grounds is the Rainbow Trail system - created by the Drummond Island Cross Country Club in 2002. Views of one of Drummond’s inland lakes can be found here along with signs of otters, fishers, and bobcat. The trail is named in honor of a rainbow that appeared over the trailhead immediately following its completion. Since that time, the unusually high number of rainbows appearing at different parts of the trail leaves you with a sense of wonder and awe.

There is a privacy about it which no other season gives you.... In spring, summer and fall people sort of have an open season on each other; only in the winter, in the country, can you have longer, quiet stretches when you can savor belonging to yourself. ~Ruth Stout

For more information on the Rainbow Trail system go to http://www.dixcc.com/

Let me know when you go - I'll join you!