Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-02-27
WINTER IN NORWAY.
some Facts Ahout thc Swift ana
Tricky Ski.
Gadminton Magazine)


sing the prospects of winter sport
Skiobning and aking are as important 10
them as football and cricket TO the
Pritisher. and more necessary to their
enjoyment of life than grouse or phea-
SAINTS TO the sportsman. Snowshoes ana
toboggans are absolute necessities
in Norway during the winter, while al
the same time they form two OF the
most exciting and, one might add most
dangerous. sports in the world. NJ
though many people know what SKI are
a great many more have not the slightest
idea. and insist on calling them SKY
\ man can easily rcctify this mistake by
thinking Of she" ana as he sees IN
his minds eye some beautiful maideh'
he will be framing the word correctly
for ''she" is the pronunciation.
Ski lure the uninitated astray' IN
the ignominy of II. only pair OF wood
en- shoes. and yet how Wiiiul.
\ sudden and UNEXPECTED start, a spien-
did hying glide. which sends thriii
of delight through every nerve, ana
then when all is going well, the
speed suddenly Increases, ana then' on
horror. The ski get unmanagedble' the
shoes rush off unexpectedly, hrst 10 one
side and then to another. the 1eet De
come poweTless TO steer. the poie IN tie
hands of a novice refuses TO bite the
snow. and over one goes, detected
sprawling, a hopeless mass OF uhpro-
dciency. into an unknown world OF snow.
For the benefit Of those who would
really Ike to know something of the
shape ard make OF these wonderouS
snowshoes. on which practiced men can
iunD nearly ninety feet, / Will describe
their appearanCe They are made or
every possible kind Of wood, but generally
ash is found most useiul-pine Is some
times used. because II is light, or oak.
because il is strong. but then. it IS heavy.
Ash remains the favorite and ii is very
pliable and easily polished, for SHINY
tread Is necessary for speed. Indeed, II
the snow be at all sticky, the bottoms OF
the ski are well candle-greased TO make
them slide more easily, and 10 prevent
the snow from balling.
Ski are quite unlike Canadian snow
shoes, which are short ana bat-like IN
shape, and are used for walking. The
Norwegian shoes are required for very
billy country and to glide over great
depth OF snow
An ordinary-sized mans ski are eight
or nine feet long. They are only about
four and a half inches wide, and an inch
at the thickest part-that is 10 say, I'M
mediately under the foot; but toward
either end they taper to half this thick
ness. As a rule, they are both the same
length, ana pointed upward at the toes. but
in some of the Norwegian valleys, and in
Finland. one ski is much longer than
the other. that one being usually quite
fiat.
I'm the middle of this plank-like piece
of wood, which is split with the grain 10
stand the great strain often imposed upon
It. and never sawn at all, the toes are
fastened by a leather strap. Another
strap goes around the heel in a sort Of
loop fashion, securing the foot. but at
the same time giving the heel fun play.
4 special Ski boot Is worn over enor-
mously thick horse hair stockings. 1t
has no hard sole at all and, instead OF
being sewn al the sides, the large piece
of thick leather which goes under the
toto is brought over the top and secured
To what might ordinarily be called a leath-
er tongue At the back Of the boot is a
small strap. which IS used TO fastcn the
ski securely TO the boot. once fixed on
the ski the foot Is so secure no fa!l
can loosen it, and the only way to ex-
tricate the foot IS 70 undo the three
STRAPS Outside these huge. ungainiy
hair stockings, and strangely uncom-
Portable boots. very thick CATERS are
worn. u is very necessary to keep the
feet and legs warm in such a cold land
as Norway. where the mercury freezes
ofttilqes in the thermometers and frOSt-
bite is common. Snow six or eight feet
deep covers the land sometimes for
months. such a cold sounds appalling.
but 10 is quite the reverse. The air Is
absolutely dry. and there is seldom any
wind while the sun shines forth In all
It's. glory. and therefore II does not appear
nearly so chilly rs England on an ordi-
nary damp winter day.
The winter is the time 10 see Norway
at It's bcst-then 1t Is a poets dream, a
true fairyllnd
Every one goes on ski in Norway. They
are even more universal IN the winter
months than the bicycle promises 10 be-
come i'm this country. Why? Simply
because about Christmas the snow be-
gins TO fall. and until March 1t falls
continually until the land from end to
end is cloaked In a mantle OF snow. How
could the peasants move without their
ski? How could the postman deliver
his letters? How could the children go
10 school? How could the foresters get
tie timber TO the nearest waterway
ready TO be conveyed free OF charge
to the coast with the thaws OF spring,
were II not for their ski? Impossible
From end to end Of Norway the folk
would be showed up and starved; their
homes as completely cut off from their
nelghbors as though they We're on a
desert island; while, with the ski. they are
80 Independent they can cross the high
est mountains or pass over the deep
est snow-drifts, snap their fingers at
Jack Frost, and accomplish twice the
IL IL ttser
planks they can do on their legs In the
summer months.
MARVELLOUS.