Is anyone ever ready for an early season ski race? Ready or not, members of the Ohio Nordic Ski Team gauged their early season conditioning in a pair of races in Ontario Dec. 21-22.

Tom Cook, (Ohio Nordic president), John Reade (our web guy), Martha Brennan (pippy longstocking) and me (Greg Rudl) made the trek to Highlands Nordic (http://www.highlandsnordic.on.ca) in Duntroon, which lies about one hour and a half northwest of Toronto.

Tom Cook gets the tag-off

Saturday's pursuit event, called Yuletide Blast, consisted of two races: a 4k classic in the morning and 4k skate in the afternoon. Your start in the afternoon was determined by your placing in the morning. Heavy snowfall before the races made for slow conditions and difficult kick wax selection. All of us agreed that although the races were short, the morning classic felt much longer because of long, gradual inclines.

The race on Sunday took place at the Sawmill Ski Trails near Owen Sound, a town on the Georgian Bay. This three-person team event featured individuals skiing around a 1.5 k loop and tagging off to their teammates. Each team had to have a female. Tom, John, and Megan (a local racer) successfully completed 21 laps in the two hour time period finishing 3rd of 4. My team included a 13-year-old local boy and Martha. We completed 18 laps, finishing 4th. The conditions were thin with bare ground showing through on a course that featured only a few small hills. Martha thought that it was more fun than Saturday's race. She said that you had to keep on your toes to anticipate the next skier. Yours truly took a face plant in front of everyone in an effort to give a push-off to the next skier who was distracted counting down the time. All in all, it was a great pre-season training opportunity and we had a blast.

All of us on the front porch  of the Doorknob Inn

While in Ontario, we stayed at the Door Knob Inn, a charming bed and breakfast about an hour north of Toronto and a little off the beaten path. Breakfasts at the Doorknob were nothing short of gourmet. How does broiled grapefruit with pomegranate seeds in a homemade fruit syrup sound? I shouldn't leave out the smoked bacon and sausage from a nearby Mennonite community. Did I forget the French Toast casserole or home made biscuits with Saskatoon Berry preserves. Martha liked that the owner insisted that we take the quiche, muffins, and cookies we didn't consume at breakfast with us for fuel during the day.

John Reade sits down to breakfast

The season has started. Rock on Ohio Nordics!

Look for the Ohio Nordics this year in Michigan Cup events. We have twenty people on the roster, from teenagers to 70 year-olds.

[See the Ohio Nordics new web site at http://www.ohionordic.org/]