Snow-Shoeing v. Cross-Country Skiing

I have something to look forward to-which is really helping me gear up for finals. In just a few weeks I am going to go on a trip up north, which will feel like three trips in one.  The first leg of the trip is all about the snow in Tahoe! I don't ski.  One of these days I am going to commit to learning, but as of now I don't have it down. My exposure to skiing has been a day or two on the bunny slopes-practicing, falling, learning- separated by a year or two without any skiing at all. By the time I am on the slopes again, I have forgotten the little I have learned and I have to start all over again.

Well, not this year.  We are only going to spend 2 full days Tahoe so I am not going to try downhill skiing again. Instead, I am going to go for cross-country skiing! I have done it before and I remember it being fun.  It is not the same kind of exilirating fun that downhill skiing is, I am sure, but it is fun nonetheless.  I hope that it will be as easy as I remember it being. I'd really like to go off and have a peaceful afternoon, seeing birds and enjoying the scenery and getting a good workout all the while.

Or, I might try snow-shoeing for the first time.  I can have my peaceful trek out into nature that way too. I'm a little nervous about it for some reason- I know it is just walking, but it seems like it might be harder than it looks. Anyone ever done it before? I'd love to know how much of a challenge it is.  

Either way, I am really looking forward to a couple of days out in the snow and a couple of nights bundled up in a cabin with friends- which is the really fun part for me.  I am getting happy just thinking about it!

snow shoe tracks

Cross-country ski tracks