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With twin girls, skiing becomes a Chariot race

Posted by Tom Held on Feb. 19, 2012

fitness

Just in time for a trip to the U.P., Katrina and I received our most momentous delivery since the twins arrived in June.

Our Chariot Cougar CX2 isn’t just a kid carrier. As I read in the owner's manual, it’s a child transport system, versatile enough to “meet all of your child transportation needs.”

I can’t say that we devoted months of exhaustive research to find the best child carrier for our twins. When I saw Dan Dehlin, the ultra runner from Marquette, Mich., pushing his twin boys in a Chariot up the Noquemanon Ski Trail, on snowshoes, I was convinced that our search for a carrier was over.

In addition to the Chariot chassis, we picked up wheels, skis and the bike attachment, so I’ll have the option to cart Eleanor and Evelyn to daycare by bike, foot or ski.

Given my lack of assembly skills, I relied on a few friends to tackle the ski attachment installation for a test pull on the Wolverine Trails, outside Ironwood, Mich.

In hindsight, I probably could have done it myself. The ski frame slid easily into the wheel axle and locked into place, and the tubular arms were equally simple to attach.

The girls seemed content strapped into the double carrier, which has a sunscreen, an all-weather cover and a number of ventilation options.

Katrina Hull tests the Chariot carrier. Photo by Tom Hel

The first few strides on my classic skis seemed awkward, and it took a few hundred meters to find a smooth pace that moderated the jerking on the waste belt. Sliding down the novice trail, the Chariot tracked beautifully and stayed stable even crossing in and out of the parallel tracks.

Climbing uphill was easier than I had anticipated. The Chariot is lighter than it looks.

The girls responded the same way they have in the stroller. They napped, looked around, squawked occasionally and ignored the propulsion system.