Antonucci gave a short overview of the many things accomplished in 1960, at Sugar Pine, for XC competition. Then the band of colorfully dressed visitors headed off through the tall trees on the Blue Trail. With the group was Martin Hollay, a local, who worked on the trails from January 1959 until May of 1960. He gave a brief overview of what he did to help create the trails and then remove them after the Olympics. At the time, the land was all privately owned.

Far West, a nonprofit organization, is dedicated to training kids and adults to be better Nordic skiers. It provides coaches and trains those coaches for elementary, middle school, and high school cross-country ski programs. Far West also trains Senior-division skiers (20-29) and Masters (over 30) and sponsors several different race series, including the Sierra Ski Chase and the Fischer Cup Series.

Dave Antonucci discovered the 45-year old trails in the late 1990s. He did research and found that they were not old logging roads, as first suspected, but the 60km of trails actually used by Olympians. After the Olympics the trails were restored to their natural conditions or, in some cases, covered over by subdivisions.

The TRT Association has developed a guided snowshoe program for January, February, and March. Hikes will be led by association staff and trained guides.

Saturday January 28, 2006--Snowshoe Hike

Here are tips on how to minimize risks associated with winter storms in the mountains.
• Do not ski alone. Buddy up with another skier or snowboarder and stay within sight of your partner. This means stopping and watching your partner descend, then proceeding downhill while he or she watches you.
• Ski or board carefully in trees or on un-groomed areas. Stay on terrain that fits your skill level.
• Observe posted closures and warning signs. Out-of-bound areas are out of bounds for solid reasons.

Ahead of me, Tom Telluride boogied more expertly and enthusiastically, "shaking my assets," he bragged out loud. He had been righteously shaking them since the mid-seventies when we both first moved to Lake Tahoe. It all seems so long ago.

Those were the days before snowboards, cell phones, and SUV's, websites, and the X generation humping on MTV. Back then, Tom and I dated girls who did homework, and we skied a ton. Palisades Tahoe's KT-22, the Headwall, and the Bear Pen bar were our favorite hangs.

Take your pick:
• Skiing & Boarding. Check the Tahoetopia Webcams. There is great snow on the higher elevations. Ride up in comfort and carve your way down. Then do it again.

• Ice Skating. Squaw and Northstar have excellent rinks and ambiance. Glide and twirl to your heart's content.

• Walking & Hiking. At lower elevations the streets and most trails are relatively snow free. See your neighborhood and visit local creeks and the Truckee River at any one of a dozen places.

Because of its heritage, yoga has many novel names and descriptions. The word yoga actually means, "to join or yoke together." The goal of yoga is to bring one's body and mind together in harmony. For many western people, yoga is primarily a physical challenge. Across the Pacific, yoga is practiced primarily for overall health and spiritual enlightenment.