How much fun and relaxation can you have in 30 hours away from your kids? We tested that question this weekend at Devil's Thumb Ranch. Located just 10 miles outside of Winter Park, Devil's Thumb sits on 5000 pristine acres and offers couples and families a great list of things to do in winter. Since we were visiting without the kiddos, we took advantage of many adult paced activities: a long lunch on the Saturday afternoon when we arrived, cards by our cozy cabin fire, a sunset swim and hot tub, a late dinner at the ranch's upscale restaurant and a group skate skiing lesson the following morning before our late check out.
The first thing you notice driving up to the ranch are the exceptionally flat, groomed nordic trails that seem to ribbon in every direction and, as you get closer, the great number of fit folks gliding along those trails on either classic or skate skis. It's a beautiful site and gives the ranch its faraway from everything feeling. Since I had already tried classic skiing many years ago, I was eager to give skate skiing a try. The difference is primarily one of movement: classic skis are designed to go back and forth on a track while skate skiing involves shifting your weight from one ski to the other, making a "v" stride, ideally on a groomed course.
Well, I am happy to report that it was far easier than some people had warned and the equipment is the absolute opposite of my downhill gear: light and comfortable. After a one hour lesson, we were on the trails and feeling quite competent on the flat terrain (hills are hard). One caveat: the three in our party who had ice skated as kids had a much easier time than our one non-ice skater (Grant). He was a bit frustrated by the quick lesson and expended double the energy getting around. While I can understand the skate skiing isn't for everyone, the hot tub and pool are strategically located above the trails with the same pristine views of the countryside.
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