Dave and Lexi's Adventures
Canadian Ski Marathon
February 13-14, 2010
On a bizarrely short bus ride from the Chateau Montebello to the start just north of town.
Skiing into dawn on section 1.
At the checkpoint, everyone is fueling up for the 22K Section 3.
Skiing on the Kenauk Preserve summer use roads was pleasant and fast.
The 22K section down, the 23K one next. Time for cookies!
My Coureur de Bois Gold pack.
A sampling of checkpoint vittles.
Crossing Lake Papineau. There were two tracks set, though the snow was thin over the lake ice, and a skating lane.
A six year old on the 23K section takes the lead down a section of "Mauvais Etat". "Unskiable Area, Must Remove Skis"
Gold Camp at 1:57PM. 20 skiers have arrived (out of perhaps 275).
There's no kindling here, just a lot of propane. Usually the blowtorch is wielded by a slightly spastic Boy Scout.
Standard Gold Camp activities: ski waxing using unconventional methods, eating, drying ski boots, screwing around with the campfire, sitting on your bale of hay, drinking, and building a nifty personal wooden footrest.
Gold Camp at 4:14PM.
Zero precipitation and blue wax temperatures make for a mellow Gold Camp experience. Most folks bring newspaper to stuff in damp boots, but you might as well read it first.
Ferd tucked in and ready for snacks.
Claude Belanger (seated), host of Gold Camp at his dairy farm for 22 years, and terminally ill with cancer, is presented with a giant placard signed by all CdB Gold skiers. Gold Camp was ceremoniously renamed Claude Belanger Gold Camp.
A tricked out two-person bivy setup.
Camp rituals continue past dark. My bedtime is 8:15.
Wake up at 4:15, in preparation for a 6AM start. Skiers are lined up, ready to boogie.
Coming out of a particularly squirrely section.
Beginning the crossing of Lake Papineau.
CdB Gold skiers load up on snacks and drinks at checkpoint #8.
MEC folks waxing skis at the last checkpoint.
Ready to begin the last 12K.
The sucker finish: most folks get to go left and finish promptly. CdB Gold skiers go right and ski another 7K.
Finishing at the Sedbergh School at 2:36PM.
