). These are two-wheel skis that simulate classic skiing (the front wheels only roll forwards), and the solid wheels are fairly wide. The one (or two) repairs they have needed was due to welds breaking between the wheel assembly and the ski; the current design is for the wheel assembly to be bolted to the ski; bolts can be easily replaced (and I have broken bolts). The boots are currently use are my regular track-skiing boots Rossignol Tour X-3 boots. Previously, I used Rossignol X-5 combi boots, both NNN-3. The poles I use are typically 40% carbon fiberglass/carbon composite poles with roller skiing (carbide) tips. I have broken the tips off poles once or twice a year due to the poles catching in cracks between segments of paved trails. Sometimes, I can reglue the tips, but a set of new poles per season is not unusual.The trail I ski on most of the time is a round-trip on an asphalt-paved 2 1/2 mile (one way) Corps of Engineers trail along Mill Creek (a concrete flood-control channel) in Walla Walla, starting at Eastgate Lions Park and ending at Rooks Park (see map) . The elevation gain is about 200 ft. going east (and 200 ft. down going west). One is double poling much of the westbound part of the route. No speed reducers are required for a 2% grade, and I got rid of the ones that original came with my skis. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Mill+ ... 118.277301.
On early weekend mornings where there is sufficient light, I will ski directly on streets. I like to finish by 8:30 to avoid traffic, which compared to most places, is still pretty light around here.
