Sarnia-Lambton residents looking to get into cross-country skiing this winter season may be out of luck.
Blackwell Cycle-Wawanosh Watercraft Co-owner James Grant said their cross-country skis have been flying off the shelf.
"We're sold out of certain skis, which is more the classic cross-country skiing skis. And basically, some are trickling in that we can still get, but after that, they're gone."
Grant said the shortage is because of a lack of supply and increased demand for skis.
"It's more the industry couldn't keep up with the demand, and with manufacturing going down, things just disappeared, so you're looking at August before we can get more skis."
Grant said they're having to turn away a lot of people looking for both skis and bikes, adding that a number of bikes for 2021 and some for 2022 are already pre-sold-out.
President of the Bluewater Ski Club in Sarnia-Lambton, Janet Bradley, said if you can get your hands on a pair of cross-country skis, the sport makes for a great lockdown activity.
"Cross-country skiing is easy enough to stay socially distanced and you can always wear a mask too on a cold day. It's a great way to see southwestern Ontario -- we have great parks, including the Pinery, which often grooms trails."
Bradley said there are a few good spots for cross-country skiing in Sarnia, including the Howard Watson Nature Trail and Canatara Park.
She said the ski club also takes some cross-country skiing trips.
"But it's usually just spur-of-the-moment, weather permitting. We have a Facebook page, so it might be on the Facebook that, you know, 'we're going Sunday to Pinery at such-and-such time,' but we haven't planned anything this year, of course, with the weather."
Bradley said the group is always looking for new members.
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