WHEN: Mondays 6:00 pm, Wednesdays 1:00 pm
WHERE: Birch Hill cross country ski center
WHO: LOL is a women’s group of cross -country skiers. The members are women with different nationalities, varying fitness levels, different careers and are between the ages of 19-76+.
WHAT: The LOL group encourages women to get more out of winter. We’re opposed
to cursing the season, minimal activity, gaining weight, feeling sick
and falling into the winter blues. The LOL celebrate winter with fun,
fitness, and friendship. LOL allows women to lead a more active,
healthy, and productive life.
The group skis at a relaxed pace, is non-competitive, and offers a supportive environment all while having a blast. Beginners as well as advanced skiers are most welcome. Faster and stronger skiers are encouraged to double-pole or no-pole so they can ski with a group, still get a workout, and socialize.
WHY: The LOL philosophy is: Fun, Fitness, Friendship, and Food. Knowing it can be hard to keep a balance of work, family and fitness, the LOL provides a constant during the long winter season. It gives women a vacation from their regular lives, and provides an opportunity to enjoy the beauty and peace that comes from a combination of physical exercise, splendid surroundings and companionship.
The LOL encourages and supports women to push themselves a little beyond their individual expectations, try new things, ski new trails, improve their ski skills, and meet other women skiers.
A golden LOL rule is: No one skis alone. Women don’t come to a group ski to ski alone. This fosters social interaction and allows women to ski with others of similar abilities. The group always starts together while deciding trails and ski groups. The ski typically lasts 90 minutes. After skiing, the group gets together for hot drinks, snacks, and gab.
There are 5 criteria for being in the LOL ski group:
1. You must be a current NSCF member. Register online at Nordic Ski Club.
2. You must make a TRAIL USER Donation to NSCF. The Nordic Ski Club of Fairbanks needs to raise $35,000 in funds to pay the costs of trail construction, year-round trail maintenance and GROOMING. Your donations make it possible to continue to provide the high quality trails we ski on. Trail donations are tax deductible (NSCF 501(c)(3) Tax ID # 92-0096061. (Membership dues are not tax deductible).
3. You must know how to stop on skis. (Don’t know how? Let one of us teach you: You know we’d love to).
4. You must show up and ski with the LOL group. If you don’t, the dreaded happens ….you get deleted from the email list. However, you only have to show up and ski to get back on.
5. You must ski with someone. One doesn’t show up at a group ski to ski alone.
The cut-off temperature for LOL cancelation is -16 at Birch Hill, 2 hours prior to start. Check the Birch Hill Weather website. It can be 15-20 degrees warmer up at Birch Hill. Another weather station to check that reads close to Birch Hill temperature is Weather Underground. Or download the free Birch Hill Temperature and trail conditions app from iTunes.
The NSC Trails link can keep you informed of which trails have been recently groomed.
WEEKLY LOL NOTE- I try to send out a weekly LOL SKI HAPPENINGS note. Sort of a, “ what happened” and “what is happening.”
Hope to see you Monday on the snow ready to go at 6pm. Or Wednesday’s at 1:00. Drop your bag upstairs by the tables first. We meet at the top of the Stadium Hill approx.1:10 Wed. or 6:10, Mon. You may or may not have time to ski around Relay Loop for a warm-up. Bring a mug and join us after the ski for hot drinks, gab and snack.
Feel free to email Chris with any concerns or questions at lolskibike@gmail.com
