Maybe it was the great snow and mild temps, and maybe it was people making New Year's resolutions to get out and become more active. But in any case, I had a big turnout for my annual Maine Outdoor Adventure Club trip to Sunday River Cross Country Ski Center in Newry.

Members of the Maine Outdoor Adventure Club pose in front of the 1872 Artist Covered Bridge yesterday at Sunday River Cross Country Ski Center in Newry.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Many of the members were longtime friends who have been on other cross-country ski trips with me over the years. Plus there were a surprising number of new faces -- people who had just joined the club. And we had at least a couple of prospective members who probably will join.

Cherie Perkins of Standish was trying out her new skis for the first time, and appeared to do nicely with them. Cherie's longtime friend, Nadya Pearson of Portland, was on a nicely preserved pair of wooden skis that date back to the mid-1970s.

Cherie Perkins was on her new pair of cross-country skis.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Nadya Pearson poses with her trusty old wooden skis, which date from the 1970s.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Two longtime friends, Cherie Perkins and Nadya Pearson, share a smile with the Ski Bum/photographer along the trail yesterday at Sunday River Cross Country Ski Center.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Per my usual custom, we took a short ski in the morning and returned to the lodge for lunch. Then suitably fortified and refreshed, we headed out on a trip to the 1872 Artist Covered Bridge, the western-most limit of the trail system.

Maine Outdoor Adventure Club skiers pause and pose along the trail yesterday at Sunday River Cross Country Ski Center.
SCOTT ANDREWS PHOTO

Four of us had waxable skis, while the rest skied on waxless. With temps rising through the day, we all had a bit of trouble either with clumping or grip.

I heard a number of upbeat comments regarding the excellent grooming of the trails -- generally one classical track plus a skating lane with occasional sections of dual tracks plus skating.

All in all, we covered about nine miles total, including ascending the steepest pitch on the trail system. We had two very tired skiers when we returned to the lodge late in the afternoon. And the rest of us felt that we'd had a big workout.

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