Ice Crash

It has been twenty days or so now and I am still having issues sitting down. Well the sitting down itself is ok, for brief periods, but the process of getting in and out of a seated position is unpleasant. It is not quite so bad as it was, but having to struggle with it does make you appreciate the simple things in life.

My self diagnosis is a bruised coccyx – and the cause is one or more of my spectacular crashes whilst cross country skiing in Hallingdal, Norway.

Early February in Scotland my downhill skiing had progressed to the point where I had more speed than skill and crashed a lot. Apparently this is quite a natural stage to get to. I hurtle past people, trying my best not to go too fast and hoping to hold on until the bottom, and invariably end up in a laughing tangle of skis, legs and poles trying to get myself upright again. It is fun at the start of the day and exhausting by the end.

Until we went to Norway at the end of February I had never done any cross country skiing.

Cross country skis are much lighter than downhill and you are only attached by your toes, with your heels loose to allow... well the crossing of country.

On-Piste there are ski sized grooves cut out for you by nifty plough type machines and the theory is that you coast along them smoothly on the flat, glide down on minor slopes, snow plough on more serious inclines and fishtail walk uphill. That's the theory. Like the theory of how you stay in control downhill the reality is a little tougher.

On Piste - Hallingdal

When I said we were going to Norway in late February the main question was why. And when the temperature at the start of February was minus 20-25 I had to wonder myself.

So it was a relief to have relatively warm conditions and sunny days- but it was bad as well because by the end of our week the nice fluffy snow I was quite happy to crash into had turned to ice and the experience of hurtling along out of control and then crashing spectacularly got a little scary, the results have left me just a little sore.

Traditional Norwegian mountain Hytte

You might think that sauna, roll in the snow, sauna (repeat until dinner is ready) therapy would help, and it did for some of our injuries, but not my very bruised bottom. 

Luckily as well as that rather unfortunate souvenir I came home from Norway with some lovely Norwegian wool to knit myself a balaclava- and it is all knitted up and set for the next adventure.

Norwegian wool balaclava at use on Glen Feshie walk, Scotland.