Living up in the hills of Holmenkollen, I am treated to a vast array of wildlife: birds, squirrels, spiders, slugs; the list is endless! But one species you may not be familiar with is the lesser-spotted roller skier.
In winter they are known as the “cross-country skier” and are seen in great numbers on trails all across the Kingdom. They live off pølser (rather low quality hot-dog sausages), waffles, Kvikk Lunsj and lashings of red hot coffee.
In the summer, most disappear off on cheap flights to the Mediterranean or to their summer homes in Sweden for months at a time. All except a few. This curious sub-breed is known as the roller-skier.
To find a roller-skier you must be patient. I'd advise heading to the Holmenkollen ski arena of Oslo, where the tarmac tracks are a known habitat for them. When one finally arrives you'll be able to spot it quite easily – their arachnid-like movement is unmistakable. They also have strange contraptions strapped to both feet, a form of elongated skate with wheels at both ends.
Be careful you don't get them mixed up with the extreme skateboarders, known to frequent Holmenkollveien on a Saturday afternoon. These too are an interesting species, seemingly bred purely to piss off drivers and pedestrians alike.
The first significant snowfall could still be a few months away, so take your chance to spot one of these incredible creatures while you can!
Haha! Mad they are, can’t get enough of skiing. I bet many of the roller-skiers wish they lived in eternal winter.
Oh yes – eternal winter sounds good. Unfortunately, in the UK the only snow we see on a regular basis is that portrayed on Christmas cards!!! Even though roller skiing was originally created for people to continue to practice their XC skills in non-winter months – in the UK – roller skis are used all year round!
PS. Have been roller skiing (skate style) for 3 years – indeed, I am Jersey’s first and still only roller skier : )