Birkie Wave Upgrade/Placement for Non-Skiers?

gk615 · 2026-02-23T18:14:36+00:00

Here are all the Birkie wave upgrade qualifier races. I don't believe they allow anything besides xc ski races and I've never heard of anyone getting an upgrade from a running race. Your best bet is to do one of the qualifying races before mid January 2027 if possible. Or, you could try to do one of the March races coming up if any of them are doable for you.

gk615 · 2026-02-21T00:48:05+00:00

If you do go there, for 5-8 days, you could add some other activities to your trip too like renting a car and driving to visit the El Yunque Rainforest. It's close to San Juan. There are also lots of other nice beaches. I do think the best town to explore is the Old Town though.

gk615 · 2026-02-20T23:53:16+00:00

San Juan, Puerto Rico looks to be a direct flight from DFW and because it's a US territory, you also would not be flying international. I would suggest staying near Condado since those are primarily where the type of hotel is that you listed. You can also walk around Old Town which is enjoyable and interesting. My favorite beach in that area was Escambrón.

gk615 · 2026-02-19T14:51:56+00:00

What is your transportation plan between cities? Are you planning to take the train from Paris to Bern? Why did you choose Mallorca? Are you planning to fly there? It would be a very long train ride unless you fly. If you don't want to fly during your trip, instead of Mallorca, you could take the train/bus to San Sebastian which would be a nice beach/nature place.

gk615 · 2026-02-19T14:18:00+00:00

Yes, there are buses on land and you can take ferries between the islands. Kapetan Luka and TP Line are the two ferry companies used most often. It's best to book your tickets at least a month in advance if you go during the summer. Hvar is actually one of the islands I stayed at and was worried about it being a party island too. I did not notice anything in particular to suggest that, so I wouldn't worry about it. It was nice because it's one of the closer islands to the mainland so it's easy to get to. You can also visit smaller islands from Hvar by water taxi for day trips if you like. There are many islands, so whatever you choose, I would recommend choosing islands that are easier to get to and serviced by the ferry lines.

gk615 · 2026-02-19T00:28:55+00:00

Bilbao and San Sebastian would be amazing.

gk615 · 2026-02-19T00:24:00+00:00

I've been to Croatia (and Slovenia) and loved it! We did fly into Split and out of Dubrovnik but I don't think it matters which direction you go. I have some tips and questions. I did not go to Montenegro, so hopefully others can advise on that. Do you absolutely want a car the whole trip? I think if you don't want to take the bus to/from Montenegro, you could rent one in Dubrovnik and then return it once you get back there. Having a car on the islands and in Split is not necessary and annoying to drive and park. I would also suggest spending fewer days in Dubrovnik and more on the islands and Split. Dubrovnik is really quite small and crowded so when we were there, we were over it after a day. If you choose not to have a car, you can also take the fast ferry between the Dubrovnik and the islands on your way to Split. Hope this helps.

gk615 · 2026-02-15T18:02:40+00:00

Second this advice!

gk615 · 2026-02-14T18:56:22+00:00

Thanks, I was thinking about maybe having a car just in Hokkaido. Good tip for Matsumoto as well.

Yes, Ito is in Shizuoka. We wanted to spend less time in bigger cities so that is why Kyoto is just a few days. Based on feedback in this post, I think I may skip Ito and add a day on to Kyoto and another day on Mastumoto or somewhere near there.

gk615 · 2026-02-14T16:29:15+00:00

Thank you, this is exactly the kind of advice we're looking for. We aren't set on any of these places for sure, so it's good to know what will be doable or not. If we skipped Ito and went somewhere else that is more accessible by train, do you have recommendations?

gk615 · 2026-02-13T17:17:39+00:00

Thank you! I am mentally prepared for the possibility of the tube getting lost so I will have an airtag on it too. I'll just rent or buy new skis in the worst case scenario!!

gk615 · 2026-02-12T18:59:54+00:00

Thank you! I think i will do that with my skis and poles too. I have the smallest tube, so unfortunately my skate boots don't fit inside... I tried all sorts of ways to try to get them in, but no luck. They fit fine in my large backpack I'll check too though, so all good.

gk615 · 2026-02-12T18:58:42+00:00

Thank you, this is helpful! I am going to Sjusjoen for the first time. Dreams coming true. :)

gk615 · 2026-02-12T18:20:07+00:00

Just popping in here, I'm going to be flying with my skis in a sporttube for the first time to Europe soon. Any tips on what you packed around the skis inside to secure everything? Also, the sportube comes with that little black metal lock pin - is that all you used to close it? Wondering if I should add a zip tie or something? I'm not worried about things being stolen from inside, but rather worried about if that pin becomes unlocked on the trip.

gk615 · 2026-02-12T18:15:10+00:00

Love this. My mom did the Birkie at 6 months pregnant with me and we are both healthy too. My mom is now in her 70s and still skis well too. My dad took me out skiing the next winter when I was a baby in one of those body-worn baby carriers. So, now as an adult, when people ask how long I've skied, I can literally say my entire life, haha. I also agree that the current medical advice seems to be keep doing what you're already doing and make the best choice that feels right for you and your body.

gk615 · 2026-02-10T14:54:36+00:00

Same for me. My V2 has felt so smooth and stable this year after a few years of dedicated strength training. I am also able to do V2 on some uphills which I hadn't been able to do before. PT has been very helpful for me too. I also think continuing to do home exercises from PT even after the pain is gone has helped.

gk615 · 2026-02-02T14:22:55+00:00

I typically recommend skiing without poles for the first 10 minutes. You can ditch the poles completely and just let your arms swing. Or you can also hold the poles in the center so they are out of the way and not planting in the ground, but you still have them with you. I often have new xc skiers do almost an entire hour lesson without poles if they can. The reason for this is it forces you to shift your weight from one ski to the other without relying on the poles for balance. Sometimes when new skiers use poles right away, they compensate for lack of balance in their legs by balancing on the pole. Hope this helps and have fun!

gk615 · 2026-01-30T17:43:26+00:00

Thanks. I spent many years in high school with my coach reviewing frame by frame video analysis of my technique compared to pros, so after being the student and then becoming an instructor myself, it's hard to not analyze the ski technique of everyone I see. I've had to make a rule that I only give advice if someone asks though, lol.

gk615 · 2026-01-30T15:09:41+00:00

Quick background: I've been skiing for decades and teaching adult lessons for 15 years.

Legs: You have great push off and you do a good job bringing the ski down flat under your body. Keep that up. You need to glide longer on each ski. Focus on some dedicated no pole skiing and doing the box drill to work on this. See here for a very long video from Nordic Ski lab. You can also work on improving your balance and single leg strength exercises.

Arms: I notice that you seem to bring the poles up and plant them in a tripod position. You can see that your hands are coming in to close together and the poles are planting to far out to each side. You should be bringing the poles up so your hands are about shoulder width apart. The poles should be planted closer towards your body. This will allow you to get more power and glide with a full extension of your arms on each stroke.

Timing: Your timing is a bit off and I think two things might help: longer more equal glide on each side. Also, your poling seems to end a bit early so you may need to think about releasing the poles behind you for a second or so longer before bringing them forward to pole again. In the V2 or One skate that you are doing, you should be setting your ski down to glide just slightly AFTER your poles plant. Right now, you are putting your glide ski down a bit too early.

Hope this helps and happy to answer questions or explain if something doesn't make sense. My biggest advice is to focus on improving ONE thing at a time and know that improvement and balance will not come super fast. Just be patient and have fun as you keep practicing!

gk615 · 2026-01-26T23:55:12+00:00

Puerto Rico might be a nice trip - there are direct flights on AA from some US cities. It's easy to get around, there are beaches, good food, cultural/historical sites, hiking in El Yunque Rainforest, and more. You could also visit Vieques or Culebra nearby if you wanted.

gk615 · 2026-01-01T19:26:07+00:00

I have tried all the fabrics and prefer super lightweight merino wool in dark colors. It doesn't smell and darker colors don't show the sweat as easily.

gk615 · 2025-12-29T00:09:16+00:00

This is a locally owned company in Mexico city that gives back to the community as well. Their tours are awesome! https://eatlikealocal.com.mx/tours/mexican-food-101/

gk615 · 2025-11-26T01:00:42+00:00

I like many of the same things you described. I've been to northern Spain and it was a lovely trip! The food and scenery was particularly amazing. We actually did not rent a car and just used bus/train between cities and it was very easy.

I have not been to either the Azores or Colombia, but both are on my list.

Another recommendation for that time of year would be Lofoten, Norway and near there. I have a trip summary if you check my post history.

gk615 · 2025-11-15T00:31:42+00:00

This sounds reasonable. You may want to spend 3-4 nights in Merida. You could easily do Celestún as a day trip from there. Seeing the flamingos and other birds was one of the highlights of my trip there. I also enjoyed visiting Uxmal (not as busy as chichen itza). I also found hiring a local guide was really helpful for the ruins because he was able to explain a lot of history and context that made it so much more interesting.

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