Ski Vacation Style. . .

A few photographs from our recent weekend skiing getaway to Northern Michigan. Amazing conditions. And amazing cold. -17 degrees Fahrenheit one morning. But cross-country skiing warms you up fast and keeps you comfortable all day long.

On Day #1, we skied at Cross Country Ski Headquarters outside of Roscommon, Michigan, just about five minutes from the charming little house we rented. Beautiful groomed trails and rolling terrain through the woods. Excellent for kids and people new to the sport although we saw our share of hard cases with their waxing benches set up in the parking area, applying appropriate glide and grip waxes for the day's snow conditions.

We use universal glide wax on so called "waxless skis" (a misnomer), with a fishscale grip pattern in the kick zone of the bases. The Grand Duchess, bless her, also has a pair of new skate skis (a recent Christmas gift from yours truly), which have no kick zone given the different technique used to propel oneself forward.

Day #2 and Day #3 saw us at the more challenging and extensive Forbush Corners Nordic Ski Center just north of Grayling, Michigan. Top notch conditions, more varied terrain, and, on some trails, pretty technical skiing .

Best of all, The Young Master can now tackle advanced hills, so there was almost nothing we could not do during our three days of skiing followed by comfort food for our evening meals -- tuna casserole, macaroni and cheese, and pizza -- and evenings by the fireplace with coffee, hot chocolate, wine that featured the most delightful conversations with my wife. I cannot recall when I have felt so relaxed and at ease. It has been a long, long time.

We had such a nice time, that we have booked a second VRBO rental in the same general area for a weekend in mid-February. This time, we'll explore the Hanson Hills Recreation Area, another extensive network of groomed trails outside of Grayling, and return to Forbush Corners (Yes, it's that good!). Looking very forward to our next ski getaway in February!

-- Heinz-Ulrich

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