Dune

Considering that we're from Alaska, it seems a little strange that we spend so much of our time on sand dunes.  It's not really what you might expect when joining this team. Nevertheless, we had another dune day today.  We've taken care of our business in Red River and crossed the border into Colorado, where we're now holed up in Avon, preparing for this weekend's RMISA Championships in Minturn on Friday and Saturday. On our way across the San Luis Valley, we dropped in for some running in Great Sand Dunes National Park.

The training never stops

Mario. Walking on the moon.

The Von in a moment of quiet repose.

Von Halen and Skippy

The Golden Horde

Leaving Red River

Our last day in Red River.  Andrew and I went up the hill to help the alpine team with their slalom training. I really enjoy being a part of their world every once in a while.

I spent the entire day here, on this snow gun tower, running the video camera.

The view from my perch.

Maria and Queso between runs.

And we're on the road again...

In Ranchera Country

We're out on another road trip. Time flies when you're having fun. Here are pictures.

On the climb out of Anchorage.  Harriman Fjord in Prince William Sound. Flights in and out of town are good for scouting new backcountry ski lines.

We're in Red River New Mexico.  "Stand your ground" territory, apparently...

...and after shopping for your personal protection supplies, you can pick up some Jesus Stuff.

We raced yesterday and today, but I didn't make it out to yesterday's race.  Alix wrenched her knee running slalom the day before. Spent the afternoon at the local hospital. There's no more skiing for Alix for this winter, so no point in sticking around here. She's off to see the orthopedic docs back home in Anchorage.  I gave her a lift back to the Denver airport so she could get home and get started on her recovery.  Dr. Sean, Dr. Chuck, and Dr. Bella have preliminarily diagnosed it as a torn medial collateral ligament. We'll see if they get concurrence from the docs with actual medical degrees. We're all hoping for a quick recovery for Alix. She's going to be badly missed both in the team van and on the result list. When this photo was taken, Alix was well into the Oxycodone. I'd passed her off to the airport wheelchair driver, who desperately wanted to not be in the picture, but my shutter finger was way to quick for him.  Alix probably doesn't remember any of this...

Etienne

Luca

Dr. Von Nostrand

Mario

Womens’ pre-race meeting. (add your own caption here)

Mack

Pati

Skippy

Hanna

Sadie


Bella


In the afternoon, we had good slacklining weather.  Here's Martins.

Maria Gudmundsdottir

Bucky taking it to a whole 'nother level.

We went up to the alpine hill to catch the alpiners’ second run.  Here’s Coach Sparky

Hughey

As the drama unfolds. Etienne, Mario, Von Morrison, Uncle Tom, Chuck, Pati. 

Hughey again

Typisk Hanna

Cedric

Andrew and Sara

Ced


This morning, Bucky and Martins joined us for a little Nordic training.


Probably just about the most athletically talented guy I've ever met - it took Martins about ten seconds to master the sport. He managed to hang on to the training pace for a solid hour and a half.  And he owned every downhill out there.

Viktor

Former UAA Seawolf Viktor Brännmark continues to progress toward his goal of becoming a regular on the World Cup circuit, wearing the blue and yellow of Sweden's national team. He raced the first world cup races of his young career last weekend at Falun's skidspelen.  Hopefully it'll be the first of many more. You can read all about his experience - and his results - at his website. 

Viktor's website

Homework

The team's been hard at work.  They went off to Fairbanks for some racing last weekend.  I wasn't able to make it to that one.  I heard reports of improvements in our racing form and some encouraging results. This week we continue our work toward finding championship form - NCAA's is less than a month away.

Here's Andrew and Skippy at Kincaid

Etienne in our glide-out trial to test downhill skills

Sadie

Anchorage is on track to have our worst winter in history.  We're glad there's snowmaking at Kincaid.

In Alaska

When I go on the road with the team, it means that when I get back to Alaska I need to go on the road some more - to catch up with my responsibilities around here. So while the team has been getting some training and some schoolwork done, I haven't been able to see much of them because I've been spending most of my time flying around Alaska.

I did make it to one day of training.  We did some sprints at Kincaid.

More Kincaid sprints

We skied at Turnagain Pass over the weekend. The Girdwood Nordic Ski Club had groomed a 3km skating trail, and everybody was there.  Thanks Deb, Pete, and the rest of the Girdwood Nordic Ski Club!

The crust skiing came a little early this year.

Usually we don't get crust skiing at Turnagain until April or May.

Most of my time this past week has been spent in airplanes over Alaska...

...and in places like St. Paul Island, in the Bering Sea.

At larger airports, the de-icing process involves a large tanker truck that hoses down the plane with anti-freeze...

...but on St. Paul Island, it's done with a push broom...

...and a little hand-pump spray bottle.

It takes a long time.  This process took about an hour, and by the time it was over, the job needed to be re-done because it had taken too long and the de-icer was no longer effective. After a couple hours of de-icing, we made it out.  Almost had to stay for the night in St. Paul and wait for better weather to try again.  Actually, I think this is the first time I have NOT gotten stuck in bad weather in St. Paul.

This weekend, the team goes to Fairbanks for some racing (Besh Cup) while I go to California for a few days of alpine skiing.