Today I decided to test the Fates that control #50 and skated from P16 to Renaud Cabin - I wished that I had gone classic instead. The classic tracks looked to be in great shape - with the exception of the occasional place where debris had been pulled up into the track. The skating track was better than it was last weekend; however, it still had a lot of ridges and valleys that worked against a flat ski glide. The new snow was also slow - I found that it was a challenge getting up the hills. It was my intent to go through to Taylor Lake but by the time that I got to Renaud I had enough.

About 12:30 I passed a mid-size tracksetter beside Lac Philippe- it was putting down a great classic track but made the skating track more difficult by breaking it up into two levels. It seemed to be doing the Wakefield triangle. I checked out #52 and the classic tracks looked great.

The little amount of #55 that I did was good and covered but the base is thin.

The day was fatiguing but even more it was humiliating. A group of the Chelsea Ski Club were out. A boy of 9 kept passing me with flawless technique - he was with a girl of about 12 who was equally impressive. I don’t know what Chelsea is trying to achieve - to produce a farm team of future racers for XC Ottawa or to humiliate vieux bonhommes. Either way they seem to be succeeding in spades.

Tomorrow will be a classic day.