Stiiiill Got It!

I planned to spend this week at the Dartmouth Skiway, meeting up with old friends from the racing circuit, speaking with the athletes about what, if anything, they felt needed to be addressed at the USSA Board of Directors meeting in May, and having an all around good time. Instead, Friday travel plans were a total bust, Nemo knocked out the power to the chairlifts at the Skiway, and the races were ultimately cancelled.

This would typically make for a blown weekend. As it turned out, it was anything but: Saturday proved to be a great day for flying into Lebanon, I saw plenty of skiers (just because the races were cancelled didn't mean the surrounding events were), and I got in a truly memorable day of skiing up at Burke under bluebird conditions.

Apart from getting the first opportunity this season to really charge on my GS skis, the USST women's Europa Cup team happened to be training in the morning and the coaches asked me to set the track for their course. This, easily, made my day. I certainly was not planning to jump back into gates on the trip, but this was too good of an opportunity to pass up.

If I'm being honest, my first run left a lot to be desired. My timing was more than a little off, and before I knew it I was setting a track that definitely should not have been followed. However, I cycled back around, begged forgiveness, and ultimately skied a much better run. And if I'm being REALLY honest I was timing, and maybe did a few fist pumps afterwards when I saw that I didn't get "chicked"...it's a long road back to the top, but you've got to start somewhere!! Thanks a bunch to Seth, Prado, Chief, and the gracious USST ladies for letting me grab a couple turns in their course. My arms are sore as hell from taking on GS gates without any gear, my knee is a little angry at me right now after an entire day of skiing (an anomaly as a ski racer), but I wouldn't have it any other way.