I began cross-country skiing in 1974. At the time I was living in Iowa and not many people there had ever seen anyone doing this "strange" form of skiing without mountains. Back then I used bamboo poles and wood skis with pine tar bottoms to hold the ski wax. Gradually the sport became more widely known and the equipment and style of skiing changed dramatically. Now, like most skiers, I use composite skis and instead of using the classic technique, I use the skating technique, which is similar in form to ice skating.
I participated in the 32-mile American Birkebeiner ski race in 1981, 1982, and 1983 (Cable, WI) and in the Finlandia in 1983 (Bemidji, MN). I've also skied in several other shorter and smaller ski races over the years, including the Heinerbeiner (Newburg, WI) and the Sons of Norway Classic (Cedar Rapids, IA).
Here are video clips taken on the ski trails of Pike Lake State Park, Feb. 2, 2002
I volunteered as a course monitor for the Aurora Health Care Challenge Ski Race, held at the Greenbush ski area near Plymouth, WI on Jan. 20, 2002. I shot some MPG video clips and stills with my digital still camera and threw it together as a video file in about 8 minutes using Windows Movie Maker. The resolution is not the greatest, but if you have never participated in or watched a cross-county ski race, this will give you a glimpse of what it looks like out in the woods.