Ski School

The Bemidji Cross Country Ski Club offers ski school for people of all ages, abilities and xc ski styles (classic and skate). They also supplyall of the needed equipment and snacks. The teachers (who are volunteers) are awesome and all of the kids seem to be having a great time even when it's freezing cold (the parents on-the-other-hand, whine constantly about how cold it is. And it is really esp. when you're just standing around in the cold watching your child ski).On this particular day, they were learning to go down hills. The hill, which is more like a ditch was easy to go down, it's the getting up part that can prove to be too much work for little ones. Can you believe that I didn't hear one cry or whine or complaint out of any of the kids? They were so awesome.

The little kids practice without poles, because at this age they are more of a hindrance than a help. They are mostly working on gliding instead of shuffling, turning and how to stand up after they fall. This is the "hill" by the way.

Here is Eli side-stepping back up the "hill". I'm not sure when they learn to v-walk up or stomp up, but this seems to be the easiest method at this age.Last week it was a balmy 10 degrees at ski school. The kids spent an hour and a half outside without a grumble. However, after we got in Eli and Sadie had their very first toes-are-so-cold-that-they're-on-fire experience. Man, I so remember that pain as a kid after hours of skating. I felt so bad for their cold, red toes. I promptly went and bought them each some new, fat, warm wool socks so that they can enjoy their outdoor experiences a little more! Here's hoping that the toes are toasty next week.