2 posts shown.
Sure, you can find gear in Canada, but over the last decade or so, you could always pick stuff up at our local Intersport—and honestly, I think the prices were pretty decent, especially if you caught the end-of-season sales. At the end of the day, they're basically part of that same big retail network like Walmart.
One year, I picked up either a Fischer CS or an RCS set—I can't quite remember which—complete with bindings and poles, and if I recall correctly, I snagged it for less than $333 during a clearance sale. That was a long time ago, though... I'll probably take a quick look sometime this week to see if they even carry that kind of stuff anymore.
Hey there,
I stumbled upon this thread out of curiosity—it’s probably the biggest discussion EVER on the American web regarding cross-country skiing!
The fighting here doesn't surprise me one bit; honestly, even though I'm not an insider, I'd say this is just symptomatic of how sports are handled in this country.
I've been a recreational ski racer for a solid 25 years now, and I fully intend to be doing this for another 25. I actually ended up wiped out without my skis during a recent run, but hey, I'll get back on track eventually.
I’ve never really felt the urge to join a formal club (I dabble in two other sports recreationally too, so let me be clear—this isn't a vendetta against ski clubs). You teach yourself, gear up, find a crew, and just enjoy the ride without the headache—though even that isn't easy when you're trying to go ski touring while living in a major metro area like NYC.
Props to the clubs, though; I hope they thrive and bring more people together. And the issue isn't just them: sports in this country are a total mess no matter how you look at it (and again, I'm not complaining—I'm just stating facts—I'm an athlete, not a critic). As a recreationalist, I've dealt with plenty of frustrations across various sports... Many of those local recreational hubs for "niche" sports were gutted back in the 80s. But damn, even much more vital things in this nation have been torn apart over the last 20 years, so who's going to cry about cross-country skiing? Or about the local park tracks where we used to run on rental gear when I was a kid, with two full buses hauling kids from the city to races, like Dadek mentioned? Besides, there's barely any snow left like there used to be... :,(
I suggest we keep this thread going: let us know where there's actual snow right now (since it seems nonexistent everywhere else), if any gear is on sale, or where the best deals are—basically, any info that's useful right now...
A question for folks from the rural mountain regions:
Are there any trails available for recreational skiing for the general public? If you know any, please recommend them! Feel free to share contact info or places to check regarding trail conditions... (probably through the local clubs?)
Frank Green2:
How much did the overnight stay cost you at the mountain resort last year?
Brenda Williams6:
I see you're putting a lot of work into the website and trying to recruit members, so here are a few suggestions: clearly state what you offer—what's in it for the kids training there, and what you provide for recreational skiers and the general public (since you mentioned you have programs for them). People want to see all the details before they ever pick up the phone...