Loving Wilderness Trails, As Well

Talk about getting set up for Winter. We have all of our Alpine ski equipment together and have been hitting the slopes, and are almost complete in terms of our Nordic gear except for N’s boots. He’s outgrown them. I bought them two years ago and in typical frugal fashion got bought them big.

We had been wanting XC ski equipment, but weren’t sure about the best way to acquire it. I, of course, hoped to find some used stuff, but getting used XC ski equipment, more so than downhill stuff for kids is difficult, if not impossible. People want to unload their old 3-pin stuff, which is pretty much useless, but tend to hold onto their newer stuff, as they should.

Either way, one day I happened upon a huge sale at LL Bean (I love that place) and they were selling all sorts of brand new XC ski equipment at nearly 70% off. Amazing, I was in hog heaven. We were all set, and used the equipment sparingly, though R used it more often because she really loves to XC ski. It is, for the record, a great way to keep in shape over the Winter.

I knew at some point, however, that the kids would outgrow theirs, and sure enough, N’s boots no longer fit. A can still wear hers, but I needed to get a pair for him Their skis will still work, though they are a little on the short side. However, they’re good enough, considering that we do not XC ski that often, but it is nice to have the skis on hand for those spontaneous moments when we decide to go for a “stroll” as a family.

Thus began my neurotic odyssey to get N some boots. I found some online, and they were not that expensive brand new, but the ideal would have been to found some used and then somehow make use of the old boots, which are still in perfect condition. I should have made my way to the Ford Sayre ski swap, which I’ve never been to but am betting has some great deals from the good folks in Hanover. Somehow, we just never manage to make it over there.

XC skiing is complicated by the fact that the bindings and boots are specific to one another. With downhill skiing, you can match any boot to any binding, making it much simpler. But those darn XC ski people had to go and make it that much harder. We had Rossignol bindings, and thus had to get Rossignol boots, though I’d been told that Alpina was compatible Rossignol.

I’d been scouring the thrift stores, and you can find loads of stuff, but most of it is so thrashed that I even I, master of the foolishly frugal and cheap, would not buy it, and again, I had to get equipment specific to our gear. So I employed my favorite approach and sat and waited. There was no snow, so we weren’t going anywhere anytime soon.

When the snow finally did hit, we realized we had to take action. The problem is that he would have been the only one who did not have the equipment, and that’s a bummer when you’re the one left out of the equation. Sure, I’m projecting my own neurosis, but he’s got my genes and must surely share in some of my thought process. Plus, I just didn’t want him to feel left out, which he surely would have.

Well, on our way to the ski hill, I stopped by Wilderness Trails by the Quechee Inn and spoke with our good buddy MB, a great guy BTW, and an outdoorsman extraordinaire. He runs an outdoor adventure outfit and rents XC skis and skates and anything you’d want to play in the snow. Now and then he sells off his old equipment, and I was hoping he could help me out, and sure enough, he came through.

He had a pair of boots that fit N, and he said he’d go for a direct swap. He even let me take the boots on the spot and told me just to bring the old ones by when I had a chance. Wow, good fortune shines on us again.

It’s funny, I hesitated at first because N’s old boots are in perfect condition, and the boots we were getting in exchange were much more weathered. However, I realized the folly in my thinking immediately, because when you really get down to it, what good are pristine boots that nobody can use? Also, MB was essentially doing me a favor as a friend and neighbor (he lives in our town and his wife is heavily involved in the local farmer’s market), so how could I be ungrateful?

Now we’re once again ready to hit the trails. Who knows? We may even ring in the New Year with a quick jaunt. I rather like that idea. That is, of course, if we get some more snow.

Until the next time, thanks for reading.