European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 23, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Cross country is. Downhill skiing it s cheaper easier healthier by Chuck Roberts staff writer to downhill skiers Cross country skiing May seem As exciting As a plate of Brussels sprouts. Cross country enthusiasts know better. Quot it s a Good Way to get away from the Hustle and Bustle Quot said Bruce Davis an american businessman in Frankfurt Germany who Learned to Cross country ski 15 years ago when he was High school Exchange student in Austria. Quot you can be out there for hours and not see anything else Quot Davis said. Quot it s a Good Way to get off the beaten path and see the  it s also cheaper easier healthier safer More accessible and More comfortable than downhill skiing. Quot it is one of the cheapest lowest Cost sports there is Quot said Bernhard Bruckdorfer director of the armed forces recreation Center Winter sports program in Garmisch Germany. Quot you can really enjoy a workout without spending  Cross country shoes bindings skis and poles Are sold for about $120 at cafes sports stores said Julius Sherman a technician with the outdoor recreation Center in Giessen Germany. In contrast a medium Quality downhill set on Sale can run $350. The Cross country skier also saves Money by not having to buy lift tickets which run $20 to $30 a Day at european resorts. And instead of a week of lessons to become marginally successful at mane vering Down a Steep Mountain one lesson can be enough to make Many people a proficient Cross country skier. Downhill skiers have More thrills but they also have More spectacular wipe outs. The Only wiping done by a Cross country skier is when he wipes the sweat off his brow after a healthy workout. The cardiovascular benefits of Cross country skiing make it one of the Best ways to get a workout Bruckdorfer said. Quot it s a fantastic movement sport Quot Bruckdorfer said Quot but the Best reason to do Cross country skiing is for your heart and health although there Are 1,000 other reasons for nordic  the workout involved in Cross country skiing has been compared to jogging. But the smooth continuous motion through the Snow does t include the pounding the Knees get when jogging on hard City streets. The Pace of Cross country skiing also makes it a safer sport than screaming Down a Mountain at High Speed. Collisions and Falls Aren t a problem in Cross country outings. Finding a Good place to Cross country ski in Europe is As simple As finding Countryside covered with Snow. Nearly every Village maintains Cross country trails connecting it to the next town Bruckdorfer said. And finally Cross country skiers can ignore the downhill need to bundle up in layers of clothes that sometimes leave the wearer feeling like the Pillsbury doughboy. Because of the body heat created by the continuous motion of Cross country skiing the Only clothing needed on a typical Day is a pair of thin lightweight pants a Wool sweater and windbreaker and a pair of thin gloves said Pat Kern program director of the Giessen outdoor recreation Center. Americans seeking Cross country experiences have numerous options a arc offers a Cross country ski week in the German towns of Garmisch and Chi Emsee. For $79, the week includes ski instruction equipment clothing it transportation and an awards banquet. Garmisch is known for its downhill skiing on the Zug Spitze the tallest Mountain in Germany. But the area also offers about 170 Miles of trails for Flatland skiers. Quot it s a Good secret Quot Bruckdorfer said. Quot we have a lot of expert Cross country skiers Here but it s becoming known More Here  Bruckdorfer said that Chi Emsee offers about 30 Miles of Beautiful rolling trails but the opportunities Are endless because each Village maintains nordic trails connecting it to the next Village. One could theoretically ski from Garmisch to Chi Emsee if there were sufficient Snow. Although snowfall has been sparse the past five years arc can always find a location with sufficient Snow Bruckdorfer said. After learning the basics of the sport at the ski Lodge in Garmisch ski school students will Load onto the bus and head for the Snow. A the Arber mountains in Bayer sch Eisenstein is an excellent German Winter resort located near the czechoslovakian Border Bruckdorfer said. The resort offers Well groomed trails for both the Cross country and downhill skiers. A the bavarian town of Kaltenbrunne offers some of the Best prepared trails in Germany Bruckdorfer said. The trails Are prepared each Day by a former German Cross country Champion who knows his Job Bruckdorfer said. Kaltenbrunne is known for Good snowfall. A Seefeld is a picturesque town near Garmisch that can provide its own Snow when Mother nature holds out. Seefeld also offers an excellent Choice of trails that have been used for the world championships. Ski rental rates prices vary at . Military outdoor recreation centers a Canadian military base ski shop and at ski shops and Tours in Austria. Ltd get a a / up of it cd of 4 o of it of oct it a downhill skis Day weekend week $3.50 $3.50 $14 $5.50 $10 $15 $4 $8 $20 $6 $5 $7.90 $37.50 downhill or Cross country poles Day weekend week $1 $1 $4 $1.50 $2 $5 $1 $2 $5 $3 $0.85 $1.25 downhill boots Day weekend week $2 $2 $8 $2.50 $5 $12 $2 $4 $10 $6 $2.50 $3.75 $18.75 downhill ski set Day weekend week $6 $6 $24 $8 $14 $25 $7 $14 $35 $15 $51 $5.85 $40.85 $11.65 $50 Cross country skis Day weekend week $3 $3 $12 $3 $5 $10 $2 $4 $10 $6 proc a a of Farad by tha tour proc a Llatas Ara in . Dollars but Cross country boots Day weekend week $1.50 $1.50 $6 $2.50 $3 $7 $1 $2 $5 $6 company ranting Dirac try from Akl tha shop accept Only austrian Achl Llanga. Cross country ski set Day weekend week $4.50 $4.50 $18 $5 $9 $20 $4 $8 $20 $9 $27 Uhopa la Moraux Pansova Onata Raaka Conald Arad Alx Daya. Ski Recks Day weekend week $4 $4 $16 $4 $6 $15 $2 $4 $10 $3 $15 a a. A one week is considered seven Days. A a a Price is in . Dollars but payment must be in Marks. A amps Susan Harris 4 october 23, 1991