He’s an Irondequoitan runner-turned-diehard-nordic-skier who chose cross-country over ski jumping, won back-to-back Rochester Cups, and skied his way into the Alfred State Hall of Fame.  He has dined with Olympians in Alaska, and was literally at the cutting edge of the rise of skating in cross-country skiing.  You might read his posts from Durand Eastman, where he finds good skiing when you thought the ground was bare.  If you’ve huffed your way up Bristol’s Race to the Summit, you’ve done it next to him.  And if you cross ski tracks with a bearded guy with sunglasses and a gregarious laugh who’s skating fast on classic skis with the tips sawn off, hop in the track next to him and talk skiing.  You’ll be bound to learn something cool about the history of the sport in Western NY, and stories to remind you that in an ever-more-complicated world, cross-country skiing can still be simple, practical, and addictingly fun.

RXCSF is working to revise the current trail maps, create new maps for the groomed Nordic ski trails, and install new signs that clearly indicate trail names and difficulty. RXCSF believes this work will provide improved trail information and guidance for Nordic skiers that visit Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area (HHSSRA) and Mendon Ponds Park (MPP).

Snow has already fallen in some of the higher elevations in the Western New York region. It’s snow time! The RXCSF Board is still busy finalizing our preparations for the season. Darren is making some modifications to our sleds to include flashing beacon lights to comply with safety guidelines. Anna, Stina and I have been finalizing the signage plan for Harriet Hollister Spencer State Recreation Area and Mendon Ponds Park. We have decided to focus on these two parks this year and if the changes are well received then we will develop plans for the remaining parks next year. We are happy to introduce in this month’s newsletter a new feature called “Skier Spotlight”. Matt Bellizzi interviewed Mark Paprocki for this month. Matt and Mark did a great job, and we plan to continue this feature going forward. I think everyone will find this interesting. Jason Hettenbaugh provides some waxing tips – this month’s topic is liquid glide wax. Jackie has started the official RXCSF Instagram account and Bob has cleaned up the Facebook page a bit. More information including links and the upcoming HFL Ski Swap can be found below.

One update I want to share with you is that RXCSF is no longer affiliated with grooming at Barker Road Middle School in Pittsford and therefore, our supporters are unable to ski there since it is private property. Unfortunately, the Pittsford Central School District never really allowed the public or RXCSF supporters on their trails from the beginning of our involvement therefore, it was not in RXCSF’s best interest to continue our affiliation.

Please consider renewing your support for RXCSF in the coming weeks. Thank you to all who support RXCSF every year. I am looking forward to seeing everyone out on the trails soon.

Jim Pippin
President

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer. The RXCSF Board has been busy preparing for another Nordic season which will be here before you know it. Darren Leach has serviced all our sleds and grooming equipment, so we will be ready to go once the snow flies. Jackie Masci has been busy coordinating with our contributors in preparing this newsletter for you. As I mentioned in our May newsletter, we have started a signage initiative that we hope to implement this fall at all venues where RXCSF grooms.  Thanks to Anna Gorbold and Stina Bridgeman for leading this effort. Jason Hettenbaugh, through his Rochester Nordic Racing organization has been busy all summer leading youth development programs for the Nordic youth skiers in the region. Bob Kuehl, Donna Hickling and I have been busy addressing legal items, insurance coverages and organizational matters – not very fun summer work but essential none the less for the success of our organization. I also met with Monroe County Parks staff at Mendon Ponds Park about some of the feedback from our supporter survey earlier this spring but, also to get their input on our signage initiative.

Thank you to all who support RXCSF every year. We would not exist without you. I would also like to thank our sponsors. I encourage all our RXCSF supporters to patronize these local businesses.

Enjoy the rest of your summer everyone,

Jim Pippin
President

This past season we welcomed Darren Leach to the RXCSF Board as our Grooming Coordinator. Darren has already provided valuable expertise to help us maintain and coordinate our grooming equipment, ensuring our machines are ready when the snow flies. We greatly appreciate Darren’s efforts and look forward to continuing to work with him in the seasons to come. Please read a brief bio about Darren below. 

Can’t link arms for blob tag during a pandemic?  No problem, let’s whack each other (from a distance) with foam noodles instead!   RXCSF youth skiers found plenty of ways to have fun in the snow this winter while adapting to COVID rules.  75 kids, with volunteer help from several high-school skiing program alums, explored new techniques and terrain in small groups through activities like a skiing playground at Mendon Ponds (jumps! bumps! Slalom! snowmen!), Ski Bingo at Bristol, and a photo scavenger hunt at Cumming Nature Center.

Thank you to everyone who participated in our post-season survey! The survey was sent to current and past RXCSF supporters on our contact list and 340 of you responded. Here are some of the key takeaways: