Local Tourathon 2014

Starting as an early teen and extending into adulthood I have enjoyed ski marathons.  The first one was the 35-mile Chautauqua Overland that originated in Westfield by a guy named Jack Volker.  It died out after a few consecutive winters without enough snow so later I tried the Tug Hill Tourathon but didn't really like it as much as the route wasn't very challenging or interesting.  A couple skiing friends from the Ithaca area, Regis Carver and Rob Licht, gave a marathon a go in Hammond Hill State Forest which was fun but was too tough to catch on and get the necessary momentum.

This winter, after skiing consistently enough in December and January to get the urge for a marathon I looked into one near Watertown but it didn't sound too interesting since it was four laps around a course for a total of 30 miles.  I decided to take advantage of the frozen creeks downtown to form a route that would provide at least 30 miles of trail.  It wouldn't be the most interesting places to ski but the concept made up for some of the short comings; leaving from home and heading down Six Mile Creek to the Inlet which would link to both the Black Diamond Trail and Buttermilk State Park.  In the end I only made it 25 miles, but on two long uphill sections and one long flat one I had to break trail in snow deep enough to bury the tips of my skis.  It was nine hours of fine skiing in a light snowfall and ten minutes in a heavy squall.

Local Tourathon 2014

I tried to get Welch's to sponsor me like they did in my heyday during the Chautauqua Overland Ski Marathon but I guess they don't see any money in it anymore.  I'm glad they did back in the late 70's/early 80's or I might not have gotten into skiing.

Local Tourathon 2014

For my first break I stopped to visit some friends using the road Cayuga Medical Center has down to the Black Diamond Trail.  Theo is uncertain who his parents are associating with, but I left and headed back out for a nice downhill run back to town.

Local Tourathon 2014

I've probably skied to Buttermilk Falls State Park four or five times with the intention of going up to the upper section of the park to Lake Treman.  And every time I forget that you can't get from the camping area (loop roads top right) to the service road that goes down between the two gorges.  The gorge on the right doesn't have a flowing stream these days, but it's spectacular to view the chasm from the rim which is exactly what I was doing as I broke trail in knee-deep snow to get around it and continue past the Pavilion and up to the lake.

Local Tourathon 2014

A convenient lunch location, home.  Changed into dry clothes while Gail made me lunch, then a couple moments for some music.

Local Tourathon 2014

A couple scenes I skied past in Six Mile Creek.  File photos as they say in the papers.

Local Tourathon 2014

Top: looking downstream and the first tracks laid of the day with a fellow Cayuga Nordic Club member.  Bottom: The final tracks to finish at the same place as the start.  Considered a dip in the open water, but there was a family down at the creek and I didn't have a suit on.

Local Tourathon 2014

Heading out after lunch for the last leg in the woods near and on Six Mile Creek.  But not on my last legs or the last marathon.