As I said before ski lessons will be on demand by agreement between  individual members and one of our instructors.  Here’s an over view of how it will work.
  • As a member there are 4 options for skiing.  The most prevalent one is item number 1 below.  I suspect 2 and 3 will  be less prevalent.  3 and 4 may be rare.
  • Lessons are free.
  • As an instructor you respond to email lesson requests, post them on "Whos_Skiing.  You may also offer your own lessons if you wish
  1. I want a lesson:  You send an email to the instructor email list (we have 5 main instructors and 2 part timers).  You suggest a date, time and location (any location) for how you would like to ski.  Very important that the snow conditions,  weather and location are convenient and good so instructors are willing.  You wait for a response and possibly do some negotiating.  The agreeing instructor will post the lesson on our “Who’s_Skiing” web page for documentation and will send an email announcing a new lesson session to the member list
  2. I see a posted lesson and I want to join:  You can join any lesson that has fewer than 5 students by filling out a form on the “Who’s_Skiing” web page.  Then you also notify the instructor via email that you have joined
  3. I am going to ski (or something else) and I’d enjoy some company:  (Totally optional) You post your “ski only” session just like a lesson on the “Who’s_Skiing” web page.  Keep in mind good conditions if you want company.  No lesson implied, but you never know, an instructor might show up.  No requirement to do this.  Elaborate in the comments section especially if this is a non-typical event
  4. I see a posted ski only session and I want to join:  You join a “ski only” session just like joining a lesson above but there’s no limit to the head count.  An instructor might join you.  Also use "Join" to add comments, time change or even cancellation of an event you posted or joined

Sample email requesting a lesson

Hello Instructors:

I consider myself an intermediate skater.  I see good conditions at Lake Elmo next Wednesday.  I'd like a general review of all my techniques.  I feel like I'm not getting any better.  I propose 6:30pm under the lights.  Exact time is negotiable.

 

Note to members 11/16/22  (It begins)

Remember lessons this season are about good snow and good weather.  So be sure to pick your times and places to elicit the best response from our instructors.  There’s no guarantee that an instructor will respond to your request.  Below is the list of our instructors and their preferences.  These are by no means limitations on their offerings, just suggestions.  Note: you do not request a specific instructor.  Your request goes out to all of them.
 
Classic or skate daytime or evenings and weekends (any level)
Steve Thatcher:  Lake Elmo, Pine Point, William O, Browns Creek
Kurt Ware:  Elm Creek, Lake Elmo, Tamarack, Maybe Battle Creek    Prefer afternoons
Marla Husnik: TBD

 

Classic or skate evenings and weekends (any level)
Hank Carbone:   Lake Elmo, Pine Point, William O, Battle Creek, Como
Pete Thurmes:   Battle Creek, Hyland, Elm Creek,  Specialty: Advanced
Pete Dahlberg:   Battle Creek, Lake Elmo, Wirth  Specialty: Race Training
 
Classic beginner daytime or evenings and weekends (part time)
Jyneen Thatcher:  Pine Point, Lake Elmo, William O, Prefer daytimes
Carol Fitzgerald:  Lake Elmo, Battle Creek, Pine Point, Prefer daytime and weekends.  Beginner skate if necessary
 
Send your lesson request email by clicking on the Skier or Bike image at the top of the center frame on our website.  A pre-populated email window will appear where you can compose your request.  If this window doesn’t pop up let me know.  It may depend on what kind of email you use.
www.rideandglide.org  (You can test it by clicking on it to see if it works.  The email will not go out unless you do a send)
 
 
That is how you do your lesson requests.  If an instructor responds to your request, you/they may negotiate the details of the lesson.  Then the instructor will post the lesson on “Whos_Skiing” and your name will be listed as the student.  The instructor will send out an email to the entire member list announcing the lesson.  Then other’s may join the lesson (Up to a total of 5) by using the “Join” feature of “Whos_Skiing”.
 
You can also post your own ski/bike/hike outings if for instance you’d like some company or if you think others might like to know what you are doing.  Again you do this by using “Whos_Skiing” where you can enter a ski outing or any “Other” activity you might be doing of interest.
 
It is very important that you use “Whos_Skiing” all the time. It’s the tool that makes all of this work.  Look at it before you request a lesson.  Maybe there’s already one that fits your needs.  Don’t just show up, we need to know you are joining.  Check it often to see what is going on.  You can leave notes later by using the “Join” feature again.   Be sure to put your long descriptions in the comments section.  Don’t use the date, or time, or location fields.  They have limited space.  Use the word “open” for location or time if appropriate
 
There is no “delete feature” in “Whos_Skiing”  if you need to really remove something let me know and I will fix it

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Note to members 11/18/22

With the advent of all this new snow we’ll be skiing soon.  The trick is how do you find a place to ski that has good conditions.  First hand inspection works, but the go to resource for skiing in the Midwest is Skinnyski.com.  Skiers post their experiences(good and bad) on this website for the benefit of others.  It’s a daily read if not more often for me to see what’s happening on the cross country ski scene.
 
If you don’t regularly use this site you need to, as this year I will not be deciding where you ski.  It will be up to you to figure out when and where to ski and get your lessons.  You will determine what you get out of the club this year.
 
Be sure to check out the main page. 
www.skinnyski.com  (It has a link to the Trail Reports)
 
The direct link to the report page is
www.skinnyski.com/trails/reports.asp  You can post your own experiences, good or bad, on the site as well
 
Use this resource or whatever else you can find to select a good place to ski and start thinking about your requests for lessons and be sure to watch what other members are doing by looking at “Whos_Skiing”. 
 
Also please check out the “Paid” option to see if you’ve paid.  There’s a link to PayPal on our  home page. (right side, below events calendar)  If it’s wrong let me know, I may have missed you
 
www.rideandglide.org/cgi-bin/form_input2.pl
 
www.rideandglide.org