And just when I thought I had the ice finally figured out …
Lake Simcoe. When it freezes over, it becomes 722 square kilometers of harsh “northern wilderness.” I like to explore its vastness on my skis powered only by wind and kite. There is actually a lot to see on a flat surface of nothingness. The lateral pressure in the ice causes cracking, heaving, buckling, growling – I find those forces and formations fascinating. This week, I ventured out there twice. First, for a 200km-long exploration. I zigzagged the whole lake, checked the ice and snow conditions, and had a lot of fun. It made me wonder, though, if I could reach a distance of 300-kilometers in one day. So, I went back there yesterday, and I did it. 300 kilometers on skis – wind powered! Non-stop riding for 12 hours except for two snack breaks. It was a huge grind but it felt great to push my own limits. Mind over body.
Towards the end of the day, when I thought I had the ice finally figured out, I was fooled by a very thin ice layer on top of a pool of water. Splash! And I rode the last 40km rather wet.
Pressure ridges can be sometimes pretty hard to cross. Open water, unstable ice. The video below shows two crossings: one fairly straight forward, and the second one required some navigation …
I kited 200km in very light winds 5-10kts! Sometimes I wondered if I were ever going to make it back to the car. But when the wind blew close to 10 knots, my 13m Sonic2 kite pulled me quite fast on a nearly bare ice.
On my first day when I kited 200 kilometers, I had a lot of fun. I explored the lake, tested the ice, and visited many locations I know from regular summer days of kiteboarding. The 300km-day, on the other hand, was rough. There was not much exploring. I found about 50 square kilometers with the best surface conditions with a bit of snow on the ice to cushion my knees, and I stayed there. I shredded the same lines over and over and over. It was hard mentally and physically. But I loved the pain. It was all well worth it. Just think about it: 300 kilometers on skis – wind powered! It’s like skiing from Calgary to Edmonton, or from Detroit to Toronto, or from Boston to New York, or from Paris to Brussels! 🤠😎💪👊👌
_______________________________________________________________ TRIP INTERACTIVE MAP AND DETAILED STATISTICS 200km trip: Garmin Fenix 6X 300km trip: Garmin Fenix 6X _______________________________________________________________