I am always an advocate of driving only as far as you need to to ski, and today, even though it's early in the year we found all the snow we needed at the Big Springs Sno-Park. I say we, as my good friends John Stolting and Ken Ash accompanied me today. This is getting to be an annual thing with us because we seem to find ourselves together each year scouting out the first snows. I told them today we should probably name our trio the Trail Breakers, as we seem to always be the first out breaking trail on the cross-country routes. My, how I do ramble on----.

Anyway, I always get real excited about the first cross-country ski trip of the year. This year as it is every year on the night before, I had trouble sleeping. The anticipation of the day's trip races through my mind and I toss and turn waiting for the new day. I might have been extra excited last night as I have spent the last week making maps in particular for the lakes that I recommend as appropriate for cross-country ski trips. You can check these out by going back to the 'Trailhead' and clicking on the 'trip planner'. Then simply check the box on 'cross-country ski' and press 'search'. The resulting list will be all the lakes that I recommend for cross-country skiing destinations. Look through them, make a choice, and get out there.

Jim