Each fall, something happens inside the mind of a Nordic skier. Maybe it’s in the air, the air is crisp. Leaves are falling, days getting shorter. Snow levels are dropping, mountain passes advise chains. This season has already seen skiing at some elevations, and the parts of the upper midwest have seen snow. Skiers everywhere are digging out their skis, looking for the right grind, and hoping that the first day on snow happens soon.

In Portland, it’s a little different. (more…)