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Strider Gliders is our signature youth program. It’s a unique offering for local youth to play outside on the snow. Tim Hauserman has been involved with it for the past 22 years. You can barely say ‘Strider Gliders’ without simultaneously thinking of outrageously fun hats, playful energy, and local stewardship, as this program runs mostly from volunteer coaches and simply cross-country ski passion. Tim has been at the helm as the Strider Gliders Program Director for the past 20 years. As Tim moves on, we must acknowledge his efforts. Tim, you will be missed, you mad hatter, you.

With the ski season at Tahoe XC now closed, us cross-country skiing addicts go through a bit of a mourning period. Eventually we rip off those black arm bands and start fantasizing about getting back out onto the trails we love on a mountain bike. But when it comes to riding the trails, it’s time to whoa nellie, and put those dirt fantasies on hold for a few weeks. There is still a lot of snow and water out there, and riding on muddy trails and through puddles creates eroded and rutted trails.

When I heard it through the grapevine that the new course for The Great Ski Race was going to be groomed on Tuesday night, I decided I needed to get up early and ski it. After doing so, I can say that while you still have to ski that bugger of a 12k uphill to the Soup Station, after that, I promise, the skiing is absolutely wonderful.