Cross-Country Ski Getaways: A Guide to Great Resorts, Lodges and Groomed Trails in North America by Jonathan Wiesel, crosscountryski fun.com, 102 pages, E-book $9.95
Self-published and available only as a downloadable pdf, Cross-Country Ski Getaways is actually the third edition of Wiesel’s guide (previously published as Cross-Country Ski Vacations in book form). The new format, which is clean and easy to read on a computer screen, allows for quicker updating, the author said.
Wiesel offers up one-page descriptions of ski destinations throughout North America (in 19 states and four Canadian provinces), including four sites in Michigan, six in Minnesota, four in Wisconsin and three in Ontario, Canada.
According to his bio, Wiesel is the founder of Nordic Group International, a recreational trails planning firm. As such, “he knows what quality means for cross-country skiers, whether it’s trails, grooming, instruction, staff or setting. He also understands that hot tubs, lodging, great meals, snowshoeing, sledding and making snow angels can be just as important as skiing.”
Wilderness Pleasures: A Practical Guide to Camping Bliss by Kevin Callan, bostonmillspress.com, 238 pages, $24.95
The author of several must-have titles for Ontario canoeists, including A Paddler’s Guide to Quetico and Beyond, returns to the less geographical and more general theme he laid out in The Happy Camper: An Essential Guide to Life Outdoors. Here again he focuses less on the discomforts of camping and more on pleasant discoveries – “why we really go out there to begin with.”
In this book, Callan’s sense of humor is as evident as his experience. He starts with his top 10 songs to listen to before heading out the door (example, “Early Morning Rain” by Gordon Lightfoot) as well as a top 10 ten not to listen to “or you’ll have them in your head the entire trip.” Same for movies (good: “Meatballs.” Bad, of course: “Deliverance”).
The author relishes the perfect bush martini and advises readers (his wife, less successfully) on how to make love in a canoe. The accompanying photos are G-rated and capture much of the fun Callan & Co. have had and that awaits each of us out there.
Girls on the Rocks: A Woman’s Guide to Climbing with Strength, Grace and Courage by Katie Brown, falcon.com, 147 pages, $19.95
Professional and competitive climber Katie Brown wrote this book for women intrigued by, but scared of, rock climbing and looking for a nonpatriarchal intro. All the lingo, technique and gear is explained and a state-by-state list of climbing gyms provided. Inspiring Q&As with other female climbers and great photos get the blood pumping.
Run Less Run Faster by Bill Pierce, Scott Murr and Ray Moss, rodalestore.com, 289 pages, $16.95
This reviewer ran a Boston Mara-thon qualifying time and PR (3:12) by following a program in this book, proving that running just three days a week and cross-training two more days can prevent injury and produce results. It’s quality mileage over quantity, for sure. The authors argue sub-3-hour marathons are possible using their approach, too.
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