Cold mornings and night, dark afternoons, and hunting season has put safety even more on the forefront than usual. Oh, and some recently published material from the US Ski Team on road safety! In this post I’ll share some safety tips for fall training; things we have been implementing recently, as well as tried-and-true methods for keeping yourself visible, warm, and protected whether you’re on the road or trail.
1. Hi-viz, the gold standard
When I was in high school and college, rollerskiing in a bright shirt was very faux-pas. Then, during the summer before my sophomore year of college, a skier named Willie Neal (who was my age and set to ski for Middlebury in the coming seasons) was killed by a driver while rollerskiing in Maine.
All of a sudden, the culture shifted. It wasn’t as fast a shift as it should have been, but college teams began to produce their team training shirts in bright colors rather than grey or black. Many teams, including MNC, carry a bag of vests with them so that skiers showing up without and bright shirt can put a vest on to add reflective elements.
In 2019, it’s now a faux-pas to NOT be wearing hi-viz while rollerksiing on the roads. For the most part, people do not complain or protest about the bright colors. People protest about the vests, but it’s just more incentive to wear your bright clothes.
Be seen out there!
2. Blinking Light: take it up a notch
Many bikers already wear blinking lights. It turns out it’s easy to implement on a helmet too, and relatively cost effective (under $10, many with rechargeable batteries). While this is seen as “more nerdy” than just a bright shirt, the difference is noticeable if you’re a driver. As someone who is often driving the van or riding a bike behind rollerskiers on a road, I can tell you that even 2 or 3 blinking lights among the group really adds to the visibility of everything.
Check out Skirack for some really high-quality options for personal lights. Or if you want to stay really cheap but still safe, check out Wal-Mart or Amazon.
This little lights goes a long way, and once it’s on your head you forget it’s even there
3. Blaze Orange is in SZN
This is the time of year when you need to be wearing bright colors on the trails as well as the road. Hunting season is upon us! Keep an eye on trail closures and lands where hunters may be allowed…for example, did you know that hunting is allowed on the MTB trails at Saxon Hill? If you’re curious, visit this hunting seasons page and do a quick bit of research. And wear some bright stuff! Be extra careful on trails in early morning or late afternoon.
In the woods, orange is what you want
4. Dress for the elements
We had our first rollerski in below-40 and pouring rain this week. Those kind of days are only going to get more prevalent! Be prepared with lots of clothes. Keep spare shirts in your car, and stuff your training bag with socks and some sweatpants and a sweatshirt. The most invaluable gear is often a lightweight shell. Many companies make these “ultra-light” shells that seem like nothing but a thin plastic bag in the shape of a coat. It seems insane to pay $40-80 (sometimes more) for something like this. But about 4 years ago I got one and it’s by far the most versatile and used piece of gear I own. Anyone who knows me can tell you I practically live in this jacket, and I bring it everywhere.
Adam and Jenny both rocking some ultralight jackets on Mt Washington…in July!
The most functional part about these types of jackets are their pack-ability and versatility. They all basically crumple down to the size of a fist, meaning they can fit in a waterbelt with ease. They aren’t usually waterproof, but they stop the wind and have at least some moisture management. They also dry out very quickly, and weigh virtually nothing. 100% worth the investment.
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