I ran across an 80 year old man in a bright red North Face, XC Skiing in these Appalachians. He caught up to me and as he zipped by I asked him “What’s the hurry old man?” He replied as he traversed the wicked downhill, “Death! Death’s right behind me and I’ll be damned if I am gonna let that sucker catch up to me! Seeeeeeeeeee yaaaaaaaa,” he glissaded outta sight. So’s I yelled at him, louds’ I could, knowing I’d never catch him, “What you got on, old man!” “BLUE WAX! BLUE WAX,” he replied.
Author’s Note: Farty years ago, Cross-Country skied across Michigan, from Lake Michigan to Tawas on Lake Huron. It never got above zero degrees Fahrenheit. Me Lou Tornatsky, Tom Jackson and Anthony Thompson made the trek together. It was memorable. Woke up one morning to -25 degrees down in Jaxon Creek, Michigan to a herd of deer and the clanking of antlers in camp. An experience I’ll never forget. We made it to Spike’s in Grayling, Michigan and treated ourselves to five cheeseburgers each and I lost count of the pitchers of beer. You will find the whole Trek and Jackson’s frozen toe in “My Wrinkle in Time: My Memoirs” to be published in 2022.
Every chance I git, I try to get on my Toppen Turlett wooden skis and get a few miles in. Although the miles are getting shorter now, I ain’t quitting. They’ll find me in a snow bank come this Spring😂