♫ It's the holiday season! ♬

[Johnny]

Yep, it's that time of the year already...!

Time to take a break. A time to be thankful. A time to share, a time to pray. Also the time to watch the new Star Wars and rethink your life. And also the time where I ski the least, because I just cannot stand tourists and the sight of Orthovox backpacks on rolling hills. I will probably stay home and read Meher Baba books for a whole week...

For the new year, I promise I will try to stop repeating the same boring stuff about NNN and cables... (Wait, wasn't that my last year's resolution?) I will also *try* to buy less than 25 pairs of skis every year. (Gee I just bought 6 pairs this week only, hey, it's not 2018 yet!) Instead of earning turns, I will try to earn money not only for skis, but also for real food, not just peanut butter and expired leftover free food. Come on Johnny, you're supposed to act like an adult in your 40's. Time to grow up before it's too late...

Speaking of evolution and growing up, the Karhu XCD line of skis will be 40 years old in 2018. In 1978, the exact same year I first started skiing, Karhu’s XCD glided toward a revolution in ski mountaineering that married deep-powder descents with epic cross-country tours. It's so terribly sad that they stopped production not so long ago. I'm sure their new models would have been the coolest on the market. (Imagine the XCD line even lighter and Nordic Rockered...) We should do something special to commemorate this...

What are your resolutions and plans for the holidays?

A very special thanks to all of you for making Telemark Talk the coolest place to hang out...!
Happy Christmas and Merry New Year to all the Nordic Rockers out there!

[Cannatonic]

Happy holidays to you as well! Resolutions? 1) do my PT workout for arthritis 3 times per week, every week 2) Ski every day possible even if conditions suck and 3) avoid watching the new Star Wars movie

[lilcliffy]

Went to see the new Star Wars movie two nights ago- it was truly excellent- mainly because it broke the mold- and because it stayed true to Luke's character- he is not a warrior.

Plans for the holidays- SKI MY ASS OFF. Stride, glide, charge and float. Spend as many hours doing yo-yo laps with my 3 and 5 -year old children as their little legs on Balla Hoks can can carry them. Sit back and watch my 13 and 15-year olds do crazy shit on Eons and Epochs. Watch my darling hard-working wife disappear into the woods on her beloved Eons and Alaskas. Enjoy a brew in the dark- twice a day- with my ladies in the barn. Watch Elf- at least twice.

New Year's resolutions? Accept that my ski equipment budget is shot.

Happy Holidays everyone! Thank you again for all of the great passion and conversation- I truly appreciate it!

Sincerely,
Gareth

[1EyedJack]

WISHING Y'ALL THE MERRIEST AND PLENTY OF SNOW

[lowangle al]

Yep, it's that time of the year already...!



Speaking of evolution and growing up, the Karhu XCD line of skis will be 40 years old in 2018. In 1978, the exact same year I first started skiing, Karhu’s XCD glided toward a revolution in ski mountaineering that married deep-powder descents with epic cross-country tours. It's so terribly sad that they stopped production not so long ago. I'm sure their new models would have been the coolest on the market. (Imagine the XCD line even lighter and Nordic Rockered...) We should do something special to commemorate this...
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I still ski a pair of mid 80's XCD-GTs in a 205 and have a like new pair of 210s. They are the white ones that came out right after the gray ones. Both are before waxless. I have 2 pairs of no-wax from the mid to late 90's that really sucked.

My first pair actually had rocker from either being skied somuch or maybe they got bent. I took them to the shop for a tune up and when the tech squeezed the bases together the tips came apart and he told me they were ruined. Regretably I got rid of them,(this was before the days of rockered skis) they sure turned good.

Happy Holidays guys and gal

[fisheater]

Merry Christmas guys,
I look forward to hearing from so many here, and enjoy new members. This is really a cool place for anybody that can appreciate northern latitude Nordic culture. We are from so many places, with posters from at least 3 continents. Despite all that geography there are still a few guys posting from my home state.
My resolution for the new year is to work hard to always count my blessings today. Sometimes it is hard to see, but I know I am truly blessed, and it seems the more I recognize that fact, the more I am blessed.
It has taken a long time, until gray can be noticed in light brown hair, for me to realize that simple truth.
My resolution for so many years was to not make a resolution, so this year I have another. I resolve to spread peace. I will probably be worse at this than my first, and not really great at either. However the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.
Merry Christmas, Peace, and bountiful snow to you and yours

[Johnny]

I still ski a pair of mid 80's XCD-GTs in a 205 and have a like new pair of 210s.

I sold my GT's... But another very special thanks to Johral for just finding me a pair of 215 single camber Karhu XCD Comps for 20$..!

[Johnny]

My resolution for the new year is to work hard to always count my blessings today.

A very, very good exercise...! And once you realize this, the idea is to share your blessings with others...

I resolve to spread peace. I will probably be worse at this than my first, and not really great at either.

Beautiful, and very humble. Very, very inspiring!

However the journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step.

There is no other way of doing things, no matter how impossible they seem.

The truth is that I have been taking several resolutions since that gray thing affected me too. Every new year, I take several spiritual (???) resolutions and write them down in a book. Half-way through the year, for my birthday in July, I consult the book and check progress so far. And I adjust my life accordingly for the rest of the year. Some of them actually come back every year...

Nature is here to give you experience and ultimately, to liberate you from its bondage. Even if people do not want to be liberated, it educates them gradually so that one day they will come to feel, “I’m tired of the whole thing. I don’t want it anymore. I’ve had enough.” When will you feel this way? Only after you’ve gotten enough kicks and burns. The purpose of Nature is to give you those knocks.

Peace, Love, Telemark and Tofu...