It was a spooky weekend down in Massachusetts for the Mt Greylock rollerski race. This is an annual event that is a few years old, but we’ve never given it a try until now. It was a fun trip and something we’d do again, for sure!
The drive down Rt 7 was scenic and the weather was pretty balmy…right on par for this fall, it seems. 3.5 hours is a long journey, but we had an AirBnB rental so the Junior squad for this trip made a weekend of it.
The only problem with our house? There were some serious signs it was haunted.
You see, we try to keep things relatively cheap for trips like this. Nordic skiing is an expensive sport, so when you get the opportunity to stay in a large house for a small amount of money, why not take it? Who cares if this rental was a former homeless shelter? Who cares if there are holes in the back of the closets that lead to torn-apart sections of the building, disconnected showers, and lit up hallways despite no occupancy…
It was all pretty fitting, though, given Halloween was only a few days prior. And it had been some years since I’d cooked any “room pasta” which is a throwback to when we would bring a hotplate and make Eastern Cup dinners on the hotel bathroom countertop (this former homeless shelter did not have a traditional kitchen, as you might guess from such an establishment).
Out for a Saturday run in the Pittsfield State Forest
So, we certainly had some interesting accommodations. Other than that, the weekend was very standard for a ski race trip. We looked up some nearby trails to do a pre-race run at, and woke up early to oatmeal and eggs for an uphill classic race. There were many NENSA teams and friends in attendance, and frost at the top of the mountain. Many were in their winter race suits, which gave a good preview of the season ahead.
Astrid took the win in the short course women’s race, with Jorgen in 2nd place for the men. Liam also completed the short course even with a bit of sleep-deprivation, having gotten up at 4:30AM to make the start. In the long course, Jonah and Lorenzo duked it out in waves with many familiar skiers from EMXC, GMVS, SMS, and more. Seven had an epic race, chasing down skiers and battling through racers one after another.
We had some Masters in attendance, too! Peter Vile and Michael Dillon both raced, with Michael taking a Masters podium in 2nd!
Women’s podium ft. Astrid
Best of all, you don’t have to rely on just photos and stories…Seven made an excellent vlog of the trip 🙂
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