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Post by brokennock on Jan 16, 2022 8:42:22 GMT -7
My understanding is that it was folks from the Nordic countries that brought log cabin building here.
Did they also bring Nordic, or cross country, skiing with them?
We read of snow shoes, and even ice skates, being used for travel and commuting quite frequently. Any evidence or reference to folks traveling the back country on Nordic skis in colonial times? Roughly looking at Pennsylvania/New York and North of there through New England.
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Joe
City-dweller
Posts: 170
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Post by Joe on Jan 16, 2022 21:12:15 GMT -7
Found this.............
From 1856 to 1876 Snowshoe Thompson made legendary 90-mile treks on skis over snowdrifts up to 50 feet high and through blizzards with up to 80 mile per hour winds, to deliver mail to those living in isolation. He was the sole link between California and the Atlantic states during the long winter months. All attempts by postmen to cross the Sierra on woven Canadian and Native American snowshoes had failed until one day in late 1855, Thompson saw an ad in the Sacramento Union: "People Lost to the World; Uncle Sam Needs a Mail Carrier." Thompson used his homemade 10-foot long, 25 pound oak skis to carry mail over the 7,500 foot mountain passes.
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Post by brokennock on Jan 17, 2022 2:43:05 GMT -7
Wow! 25 pound skis?!
Very cool story. Thank you.
100 years later than my period of focus. But, still very interesting. I appreciate it.
Was out today, without skis or snowshoes (snow isn't deep enough) and had a slip and fall on the hard frozen ground and ice. Not good.
Would have been a very tricky spot with either snowshoes or skis.
Big storm moving through right now, but from the sound of it, mostly ice.
No skiing yet. Not sure I could right now...
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Joe
City-dweller
Posts: 170
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Post by Joe on Jan 17, 2022 9:57:43 GMT -7
He was larger than life, for sure. He made 3 day treks over the mountains in blizzards without blanket or gun.
Johnny Horton wrote a song about him.
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