Looking to find out more info about the Eastern Cups this year?
Curious how things will look from the MNC side of things?
Trying to navigate which licenses and memberships to get?
Want to sign up for the food table and contribute tasty snacks on race day?
All of this and more can be found in the 2023/2024 MNC Eastern Cup Primer! It’s time to get excited for race season!
Trying out new ski equipment at Sleepy Hollow.
It is starting to feel like winter and we are looking forward to the start of practices.
BKL Parent Meeting Tuesday, November 28th at 7pm
Our annual Parent Meeting is virtual and everyone is encouraged to join. In case you missed the meeting here is a link to the presentation.
Sub Groups
Please fill out this form to help place your child in a fitting sub-group. Groups are flexible, but it’s nice to get an idea of your child’s experience before we start. One for each child. Skiers in the Racers and Devos groups don’t need to fill out this form. Link to BKL Sub Groups Form
Start Date
Racers will start with a practice on snow December 2, 10am-11:30am at Craftsbury skate technique.
Devos are also practicing on snow December 2 at Craftsbury with Coach Kristen.
All other groups start on Tuesday, December 5. Location is TBD, depending on snow. Tuesday/Thursday Practices are from 3:45pm-5:15pm
In years past, November was nearly a full month of grueling workouts in cold rain and sleet. Bounding in a snowstorm, rollerskiing in full winter gear, and training inside when the outdoors were too slippery…part of the reason New England skiers were tougher than the competition was a November full of challenges.
Don’t get me wrong, we are still absolutely the toughest skiers out there (personal opinion)! But a combination of global warming and snowmaking seems to have shortened our window of really brutal workouts. The temps stay manageable deeper into the fall season, making for comfortable (and safe) running and rollerskiing. Is this good for our planet in the big picture? Certainly not. But it has made a noticeable change to training as I think back to years (and decades) past.
To counteract the drought of early snowfall, ski areas have gotten more and more advanced with snowmaking or snow-saving techniques. With their big pit of last year’s snow stored over the summer, it’s pretty much a given that there will be SOME sort of skiing during the week of Thanksgiving at Craftsbury.
So instead of slugging along in the sleet and snow on rollerskis or on foot, we’ve been granted a reprieve from the worst of November for a few seasons in a row now. The training stays comfortable for longer, and yet we also have more security of early snow to ski on. Is that really the best thing? Are we losing something quintessentially “New England” that builds character and hardiness? Probably. But even more concerning is the fact that this weather seems to be only trending warmer. The current “window” of November is in a sweet spot for the dryland-to-on-snow transition, but there is a limit to everything. Even now, snowmaking opportunities with cold air are scattered throughout warmer and rainier days.
Is there a call to action here? Well for one thing, we live in a part of the world with lots of awareness of rising temperatures and ways to get involved. It’s easier to motivate for nearly anything when you are directly affected.
To zoom in much closer, we should all be very grateful and thankful to the hardworking ski areas, grooming staff, and snowmakers who are always working harder than they need to in order to give us more snow than nature is providing. Be sure to let them know how much you appreciate their work! Donate a little extra to a ski area when you buy your season pass, bake some cookies or buy a cup of coffee for these folks, and if nothing else give a wave and a big “thank you” when you see them!
Here’s a short video from our first ski of the winter. Thanks to Sleepy Hollow for creating a pretty sweet 120m loop of groomed snow!
Thanks to everyone that came out to our Fun Fall Fridays this year. Over the past three weeks we have enjoyed exploring Cochran’s Ski Area and Mills Riverside Park. This year our favorite game was Everyone is it Tag. On our weekly trail adventures we ran, hiked, skipped, galloped, practiced ski walking, and ran fast downhill. It was fun to meet new skiers and families and reconnect with winter friends.
Fun with friends at Mills Riverside Park for our third and last Fun Fall Friday.
As we transition from fall to winter flexibility is the name of the game in December. In recent years, there has not been enough snow to ski at the Range until later December. If there is no snow, we will do Dryland activities at Mill Riverside Park in Jericho and possibly Tomasi Meadow in Underhill.
Sub Groups: We are getting close to the start of our BKL program- please fill out this form to help me place your child in a fitting sub-group. One form for each child. Groups are flexible, but it’s nice to get an idea of your child’s experience before we start. Thanks! Link to BKL Sub Groups Form
MNC Apparel for Youth and Adults- Orders due online by November 24th 11:59pm Great for BKL skiers, parents and all MNC Club Members. This order includes sweatshirts, sweatpants, shirts and hats. Some items have fun bright colors. Our goal is to have orders distributed before the December school break. Order Here We are also planning a second order in January, so stay tuned for that.
BKL T-Shirts: We have some exciting news! We are getting MNC t-shirts for all skiers in BKL this year (thanks to a donation by some friends of the program). If you haven’t already please fill out this form and let us know your child’s size. For your reference this is a link to t-shirt size chart
BKL Parent Meeting Save the Date: Our annual Parent Meeting is Tuesday, November 28th at 7pm. The meeting will be virtual and everyone is encouraged to join. I will send out a link and post on the MNC website (on the BKL Training Schedule under BKL) after Thanksgiving.
More Info on Ski Equipment : We have a new BKL Equipment 101 page on the MNC website. Lots of information there and links to the BKL Equipment Swap Spreadsheet, Season Lease for no-wax skis/boots/poles and details about the equipment needed for each of our BKL ski groups.
Join us for the last Fun Fall Friday this week!
We have one more Fun Fall Friday this week and we are going to be at Mills Riverside Park in Jericho from 3:45pm-4:45pm. We’ll meet across the bridge on the fields and start with a few games to get warmed up, then hike and run to explore the trails. Bring headlamps and wear bright clothes.
It’s a great chance to meet coaches, other skiers and parents. These days are for parents and kids- everyone is encouraged to join the groups! (Don’t worry if you can’t make it, Fall Fridays are just an extra.) Fun Fall Fridays are FREE!
BKL T-Shirts
We are getting MNC t-shirts for all skiers in BKL this year. Please fill out this form and let us know your child’s size. For your reference this is a link to t-shirt size chart
BKL Parent Meeting Save the Date
Our annual Parent Meeting is Tuesday, November 28th at 7pm. The meeting will be virtual and everyone is encouraged to join. I will send out a link and post on this page of the MNC website next week.
More Info on Ski Equipment
There are several new listings on the BKL Equipment Swap Spreadsheet- check it out if you have things to sell, loan or are looking for equipment. BKL Equipment 101
Skirack still has some season lease equipment available for skate and classic. They are also having some sales coming up in-store only at 20% off of full priced gear from 11/22-11/27 for Black Friday. And don’t forget that MNC members always get 15% off of full-priced Nordic hardgoods, clothing and accessories.
Click through to check snow conditions at Tomasi Meadow (Underhill) and the Range (Jericho). These conditions are submitted by on-the-ground reports and are as current as possible. Read More about “Snow Conditions”…
Join us on Sunday, December 15th at Craftsbury for our Masters Mini Camp. We’ll work on both skate and classic, gather for lunch, and review video and talk technique! Read More about “Masters Mini Camp @ Craftsbury”…
Masters athletes…are you looking to build strength and train with friends and teammates? Join us at the Mansfield Nordic Community Center on Wednesday nights! Read More about “Masters Strength @ The MNCC”…
