| My father began taking me cross-country skiing with | | | | previously explained, is a common challenge on |
| him when I was quite young, probably about eight | | | | cross-country trails, making the importance of actual |
| years old. I didn't much care for it. I thought it was | | | | cross-country skis all the more important. |
| boring and cold and really hard work. Hey, I was eight | | | | The act of cross-country skiing is like a combination |
| years old, give me a break. Last winter, I went | | | | of skating and running, except that you're holding and |
| cross-country skiing again for the first time in years, | | | | using poles. In essence, one ski is slid along the |
| and it was a totally different experience. I enjoyed | | | | ground and when it reaches its apex, the pole in the |
| the fresh air, the peace and quiet and the wonderful | | | | opposite hand is planted into the ground. That pole is |
| vistas. However, there was one thing that had not | | | | then used to maintain position and balance while the |
| changed. If, while cross-country skiing, you fall over | | | | next ski is slid along, and so on. Hence, poles that do |
| into the deep snow that is usually to the side of the | | | | not sink into the snow beyond their baskets are |
| beaten trail, you have a hard time getting back up | | | | instrumental in allowing the cross-country skier to |
| again. In such a situation, there just isn't anything to | | | | create and maintain good momentum. |
| push against, because your arms just sink into the | | | | An individual will use longer poles for cross-country |
| snow up to your armpits. Fortunately, I remembered | | | | skiing than for downhill. As a general rule, |
| a trick my father had taught me: if you cross your | | | | cross-country ski poles should come about to a |
| ski poles and push against those instead of the snow, | | | | skier's armpit. The additional length of these poles |
| your weight is distributed over the snow and you can | | | | helps the skier in gaining distance with each sliding |
| lever yourself back up. All hail the cross-country ski | | | | step. All ski poles, both downhill and cross-country, |
| pole, savior of the fallen. | | | | have straps on the ends of their grips. These may |
| In all seriousness, and aside from being used as aids | | | | seem rather perfunctory, but they can actually be |
| for the fallen, ski poles play a very important part in | | | | quite helpful while cross-country skiing. When a pole is |
| the activity of cross-country skiing. While the novice | | | | planted and then pushed against to gain forward |
| may think that downhill ski poles can be used for | | | | momentum, a strap around the wrist helps the skier |
| cross-country purposes, this is in fact far from the | | | | maintain his or her trip on the pole with less effort. |
| case. Downhill ski poles have rather small baskets, | | | | Cross-country skiing is an exhilarating and addicting |
| which are the discs around the ends of the poles. | | | | pastime and a wonderful way to get exercise |
| Cross-country poles, on the other hand, have | | | | outdoors. Much to my father's joy, I fully plan to |
| baskets that are several inches in diameter. The size | | | | teach my children how to participate in this winter |
| of the baskets prevents cross-country poles from | | | | hobby. |
| sinking very far into unpacked snow. Such snow, as | | | | |