Author Archive | Liz Hollenbach

Thanks to everyone that rented equipment from MNC this season.

Race Suit Rental Return:

If you are done racing for the season, please return your washed suit to Coach Liz at practice on 3/5 or 3/7. Please put it in a bag and write your name on the outside so we know who returned the suit.

If you are hoping to race some late season races, please keep your suit and return by March 30th. Email Coach Liz to make a drop-off plan – bkl@mansfieldnordic.org

Ski Equipment Rental Return:

If you are done skiing for the season please return your skis at practice on either 3/5 (penguins) or 3/7 (all other groups). If you can’t make it to practice this week or want to try and ski a few more times this season please return skis by March 30. Email Coach Liz to make a drop-off plan – bkl@mansfieldnordic.org

It’s February vacation week and for those vacationing in Vermont we have a couple fun BKL ski options this week. (We don’t have regular Tues/Thurs BKL during February Break, but practice resumes March 5th.) We’ll do some field trips and both Sleepy Hollow and Craftsbury have snow making, so conditions should be good even if the snow melts in town.

Please RSVP and let coaches know that you are coming (There is a tab for each of these events on the spreadsheet)

Sunday,February 25th 10:45am-1pm- Ski Games Day with the UVM Ski Team at Sleepy Hollow

Everyone is invited. We’ll play games on skis and have fun with the UVM Ski Team.

Meeting Time: 10:45am at the Pavilion at Sleepy Hollow. Eat a big snack before you come and bring a water bottle. If you arrive late get your skis on and meet us up in Molly’s Meadow (this is where the Skiathlon start and finish were a couple weeks ago). Sleepy Hollow Website

Ending Time: We’ll ski until about 12:00pm, then head back to the Pavilion for hot chocolate and snacks. UVM is also going to bring stickers, posters and shwag!!

Technique: We will skate ski. Bring rock skis if you have them. Penguins classic.

Tickets: Everyone needs a Sleepy Hollow ticket or season pass. We’ve organized $5 Sleepy Hollow tickets for this event. Please purchase your ticket inside the lodge when you arrive.

UVM Ski Team and MNC BKL having fun doing a games day at Bolton in 2010!

Wednesday, February 28th 10am- Craftsbury Ski Day
Join us for our traditional MNC BKL ski adventure day at Craftsbury.

This is a family event! Parents are encouraged to ski with us. We’ll have all different abilities and speeds and only a few coaches.  If you have never been to Craftsbury, you are in for a treat! Impeccable grooming and beautiful trails at and it’s very affordable.  Craftsbury Outdoor Center Website

Getting There:  In google maps or your map app, enter: Craftsbury Outdoor Center, Craftsbury Common, VT

Meeting Time: 10:00am in the upper field, just outside the Nordic Center Lodge (bring a water bottle and holder)

Ending Time: It’s a little fluid. We will ski from 10 to about 12, have lunch and then play some games and do some relays, probably ending about 2. You are welcome to stay as long as you want!

Technique: We will skate ski. Penguins classic. And any parents that wants to join, but don’t skate ski, can classic too.

Lunch: Bring lunch! There is also a food option in the Nordic Center. Front Seat Coffee (of Hardwick) has an outpost at Craftsbury and they serve m-f 10-4 with sandwiches, baked goods, drinks and coffee.

Tickets: Everyone who skis needs a day pass or membership. Purchase them online HERE.  It’s $5 for kids and $10 for adults.

Conditions: Craftsbury Trail Conditions

Margo and Daisy give two thumbs up for Craftsbury Ski Day last year!

Tuesday we are going to Classic at Tomasi Meadow for a mid winter ski! Tomasi has great powder snow right now and is groomed. (but the trail from the Underhill Central Parking Lot to Tomasi is a skied in track) Please note that our practice time is 4:00-5:15, to give everyone time to get there.

Tuesday 2/20: Penguins, Jack Rabbits, Arctic Foxes & Racers    4:00-5:15
Location: Tomasi Meadow, Underhill Center
Details: Classic for ALL – Devos can choose to come to Tomasi or go to the Range with the Juniors  (see training doc)

Practice Time: 4:00-5:15pm (hopefully this will give everyone time to get there)

Reminder: There is no inside space at Tomasi or bathrooms (go before heading over)

Penguins Park at the P and all other groups at Underhill Central School (UCS)

Parking: Penguins can park at the lower Tomasi parking lot (P on the map) and meet coaches right at the parking lot. There is space for about a dozen cars, so please park tight or carpool if you can.  To get to Tomasi Lower Lot- coming from the four way stop in Underhill Center go out Pleasant Valley Road, past the Underhill Central School and the Tomasi Lower lot will be on your right about a 1/4 mile past the school.

All other groups please park at Underhill Central School (UCS on the map). We will meet at UCS and ski over with our sub groups. It’s about a 1/3 mile ski from UCS to Tomasi. It will be helpful to have some parents skiing along with sub groups and helping kids cross the road when we get to Tomasi Meadow.

Practice Waxing Info: Clean all the old kick wax off your skis. If you can wax at home that would be good. Conditions will be powder and temps in the mid 20s and will most likely be extra blue or something similar. We’ll have a wax bench setup in the Underhill Central School parking lot.

Thursday 2/22: Jack Rabbits, Arctic Foxes, Racers & Devos
Location: The Range
Details:  Skate

Looking ahead: Let Coaches Know you are Coming
Ski with the UVM Ski Team– Sunday, Feb 25 at Sleepy Hollow. Meet at 10:45am at the Pavilion. Everyone is invited to play games on skis and have fun with the UVM Ski Team. We’ll end with hot chocolate. ($5 Sleepy tickets  for this event)
Craftsbury Ski Day– Wednesday, Feb 28 at 10am. Join us at Craftsbury for our traditional MNC BKL ski adventure.
BKL Festival – March 2 + 3 at Rikert in Ripton, VT. Nordic Adventure and Racing options available. Check out our Fest FAQs post for more info

We had an amazing day at the BKL mini marathon today. When we added up the total laps skied and calculated the distance, it came out to 214 miles or 344km. This just happens to be the exact distance between Jericho, VT and Quebec City, Quebec.

Why is that significant? Because Quebec City was the site of the last North American FIS Nordic World Cup event prior to this season and this weekend the World Cup races are coming to Minneapolis, MN. Today at our Mini Marathon we cheered for fellow MNC Ski Ava Thurston, who is racing her first World Cup this weekend. GO AVA!

Link here to find out how to watch the races in MN this weekend.

That’s a long way to ski!

Good Luck Ava!

Go Ava!

Fingers crossed we get some more snow this week and in the meantime we are glad to have the snowmaking loops at the Range. This Thursday is our Mini-Marathon – it’s a fun way for everyone to ski with friends and see how many laps they can ski!

We had a great time at the MNC Skiathlon last weekend at Sleepy Hollow– Check out the Race Report and Photos Here

Just a reminder that we have a BKL Equipment Swap – it could be a good chance to pass on some outgrown equipment or find something for next season. The BKL Swap link lives under the BKL Kids heading and Equipment 101 page on our website.

Tuesday 2/13: Penguins, Jack Rabbits, Arctic Foxes & Racers
Location: The Range
Details: Classic for ALL – Devos check out the Junior training doc

Penguins are going to do some special Valentine’s ski activities and end practice with hot chocolate.

Practice Waxing Info: If you raced this past weekend at Sleepy you can ski on your classic race wax one more time. Forecast is for low 30s and will most likely be klister. You can also wax at home ahead of time or come early and we’ll have a wax bench setup inside the Walker Building.

Thursday 2/15: Jack Rabbits, Arctic Foxes, Racers & Devos
Location: The Range
Details:  Skate for Mini Marathon Day!

It’s time for our annual Mini-Marathon! How many laps (or KM’s) can you ski in one hour? We will do a little warm-up and all start together at 4 pm.  Kids will ski as much as they can on the designated loops with friends and coaches. The snack table opens at 4:30 and they can stop to grab water, fuel up and record their number of laps. We try to keep this event FUN and somewhat informal despite how the name sounds.

Parents:  Volunteer + Snacks Sign-Up
1. Every kid should bring a filled water bottle labeled with their name and leave it on the table near the snack table down by the trail. Kids will get thirsty. (We will bring a big water jug for refilling bottles. Remember that Range water is non-potable.)
2. We need parents to bring some healthy snacks for the snack table. Valentine’s treats are OK too. See the sign-up link above. We will also bring all the extra cookies from the Skiathlon. If you bring snacks, please deliver them to the snack table located next to trail out in front of the Walker Building.
3. We need 2-3 parents to help with the snack table and to help kids record their laps. We’d also love it if someone can take some photographs. See the sign-up link above.

Saturday 2/17: Racers weekend practice at Craftsbury at 11am-12:30pm, Skate. Meet Coach Liz outside the lodge in the upper field for a distance skate ski. Please let us know if you plan to come – bkl@mansfieldnordic.org (This will be our last weekend practice of the season.)

Looking ahead:
Ski with the UVM Ski Team– Sunday, Feb 25 at Sleepy Hollow. Everyone is invited to play games and on skis and have fun with the UVM Ski Team. We’ll end with hot chocolate. ($5 Sleepy tickets  for this event)
Craftsbury Ski Day– Wednesday, Feb 28 at 10am. Join us at Craftsbury for our traditional MNC BKL ski adventure.
BKL Festival – March 2 + 3 at Rikert in Ripton, VT. Nordic Adventure and Racing options available. Check out our Fest FAQs post for more info