Thursday, September 15, 2011
Saturday, August 27, 2011
Alaska Glacier Camp and Camping Trip
There are so many pictures from our camp, I can't possibly post them all, but I need to start somewhere. Below are some pictures from our week at Eagle Glacier and Chandra and my post Glacier camping trip in Seward. We had an awesome camp, the first Women's Training Camp I have ever been a part of, and the skiing on the glacier was great. Thanks to the USST Coaches who were a part of making this happen and to APU and Eric Flora for hosting it! More photos coming, but here is installment #1.
It's a girls camp, so yeah, we got along pretty well!
Skiing on the glacier was incredible. The grooming was bomber every day thanks to the endless work of Casey and Mike.
HELICOPTER!!!! Thats the beauty that flew us up to the glacier. Keith and Deb, the owners of Alpine Air and their employees are so friendly and are an incredibly amazing group of people. Chandra and I actually got stranded in Girdwood, AK on our way back from camping in Seward the following week and ended up spending a night in the hangar! So cool! Keith even took us out to Sushi! Talk about hospitality!
Corey and I really enjoying our first helicopter ride!!!
And Sadie, really enjoying some chocolate bread pudding!
Hard not to smile on a sunny day up here. It is really, really beautiful.
Dance party lead by Jessie Digging and Chandra Crawford. Kikkan won the award for most into it, though, I'd have to say. I mean, look at that party outfit you see all the way at the end of the line! DAMN GIRL!
Chandra and Matt putting on a little sing-a-long for us non musicians.
A bit hard to see, but the glacier is pretty big. There are about 8K of trails with good climbs and fun downhills.
After the glacier, most of the group headed down the next night to camp on a gravel bar at the bottom of a glacier in Seward. We checked out Mt. Marathon with the champion from this year, our very own Kikkan Randall, and oh how I wish I had pictures to show you all. It was the craziest uphill scramble I have ever been on and an even crazier decent. I would try to describe it, but I will have to just post a video when I get one, because you wont understand the amount of crazy you have to be to race this race. No offense Kik, but seriously. After a great night of camping with the team and checking out the glacier in the morning, Chandra and I headed out on a rainy run called Lost Lake. It was beautiful, despite the cold drizzle and at times downpour, and we even made it back a minute before the gym showers closed!!! YES!!!
Chandra and I stayed a night at a place called Kayakers Cove, which was a 45 minute ferry ride off the coast of Seward. It was one of the most relaxing days I have spent anywhere in a long time. We arrived in the pouring rain to these cute little cabins and after meeting the other guests and caretakers, decided a short lay down would be good. We ended up taking a 2 hour nap, which is basically unheard of from me, but rain on a tin roof is the ticket to relaxation, for sure. When we woke, we decided to fire up the wood fired sauna with the caretakers and ran back and forth from the ocean to the sauna for the better part of an hour. It was amazing.
We did a cool Kayak tour of the shoreline the next morning, and it actually stopped raining for most of the time we were out, which was a nice bonus. Such beautiful sights, the water was tropical blue colored and the cliff walls were enormous, not to mention the waterfalls. I'd come back here in a heartbeat, but next time with a fishing pole, as our caretaker showed us how easy it was to catch a salmon from her kayak!
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Fly Like an Eagle
A little off-roading adventure on our OD ski the other day!
We were planning on heading to Eagle Glacier mid-day tomorrow, but as the weather looks like it is going to get pretty nasty starting later tonight, we are going to take advantage of the opportunity to get up and get settled on the glacier this evening. We will be up there until next Sunday and will have limited access to the outside world, but I will be posting updates on my Facebook page, to keep you all updated as often as possible. I am really excited as I have never been in a helicopter, so I am looking forward to experiencing that tonight. Stay tuned, but tune into Facebook, not this page for the next week. We have had a great week of dry-land this last week here in Alaska, with killer weather and a great training group, so hopefully the weather will keep rocking for another week, but either way our training group will. We finished our dry-land week with a classic time trial this morning, with Jessie Diggins leading the charge and setting a new record for the course!! Yeah Jess! Heading off to do a run and strength now and then hitting the road to Girdwood to board a helicopter. Into it. Also, keep checking in on the USST Facebook page, as we will be posting a request for a vote on the best women's training group video. We chose our top 5 from 21 that were sent in and now it is up to you guys to chose our winners. Thanks a ton to all the girls who motivated and sent in awesome videos. We had a blast watching all of them and I stayed up until midnight last night trying to pick my top 10. It was extremely hard to chose my favorites. Anyway, more to come soon, but until then, keep keeping on.
I'm sending all my good wishes, thoughts, and prayers to the people of Norway. I hope you can feel the World's support with you during this awful tragedy.
On a happier note, though, WELCOME PETER STEPHEN!!!! Here is the newest member of my family! My cousin, Josh, and his awesome wife Kate had their baby last week and thought I would share a couple photos with you all to put a smile on your faces.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Alaska Women's Camp
Here are some pictures/394 to be precise from the last few workouts at our Women's Camp in AK. It's been really awesome to see Alaska in the summer and having such an awesome training group each day is unbeatable.
Being a Girl v. being a Boy Factor...
So my really, really great friends at the Snowfarm sent me a video that made me want to be a girl this week during our girl camp in Alaska, and a boy next week when they head to New Zealand for 3 weeks. God? Could you hook me up? Thanks for making me feel really loved you all, and not to mention making me long for a loop on the perfectly groomed tracks. WOW!
Enjoy the video below!
Thanks Guys!
Monday, July 18, 2011
Quick Catch Up
On my way back to Park City from Sweden a month ago, (not sure how a month has already passed by, but it has) I stopped to visit Vermont for a few days. It was nice to have some time there in the summer, as I usually miss out completely on this time of year in Vermont. My parent's garden was just getting into the swing of things, so we were pulling asparagus, lettuce and plenty of herbs for dinner each night, which is living the dream for me for sure. These pictures are extremely out of order, so prepare to get confused now!
My Cousin Josh and his beautiful wife Kate, who braved pregnancy and just gave birth yesterday to a 7 pound baby boy named Peter. So excited to meet him!!!
Alex Shaffer, Cory Wubbles and my Mom last week in Park City. My mom came out for a visit at the tail end of my big training week which was super awesome. We got to spend some really good time together and had a few BBQ's with really good friends, like the ones above.
Matt enjoying the company of a really cute dog named Lulu, on a really beautiful evening in Park City.
My Mom and I met at the top of The Canyons Ski Resort after ski motored to the top of the gondola and I ran on the mid-mountain trail from town. We ate lunch at a fancy restaurant at the top and then enjoyed a free gondola ride down!
I received a surprise package from good friends last week which contained a bunch of delicious Vermont goodies and a tie dyed T-shirt that says "Peace, Love and Cows" on it. So, as you would guess, they pretty much nailed it in terms of what I'm in to!! Thanks Andrea and Theo!!!
I participated in a mud run with a bunch of the USSA staff the other week which benefitted gynecological cancer research. There were some serious costumes as you may be able to imagine, what with all the feminine products out there and a bunch of women let loose to support a cause. One of my favorite moments was when a male supporter of one of the teams ran by in a tampon necklace. You definitely don't see that kind of commitment every day!
We were at the race to support a USSA staff member and her fight against Ovarian cancer, so this was one of the posters on our decorated van.
I did a rollerski clinic when I was home for a newly started group called the Lebanon Summer Ski Program. A lot of the kids were experiencing their first go round on the rollerskis, which is a challenging day for all, so Kudos for all of you who braved that first day! They were a really great group of athletes and they are all working together all summer to get a bit better for this year's season. Training with a group of fun people is the fastest and definitely most fun way to improve, so find a club or a buddy and go for a run!
Our first two moose in Alaska. These guys blocked Grover into his apartment within 10 minutes of him arriving!
Every trip home I try to hit up the local creemie stand (which is what soft serve frozen yogurt is called in central to northern Vermont, and really no where else). Today's flavor choice: blackberry with chocolate sprinkles. Yummmmmm.
My brother, Andy, recently got really into mountaineering and rock climbing. This is him at the top of either Mt. Baker or Mt. Hood, not positive which.
I believe this is a shot from the top of Mt. Baker, but it could be Mt. Hood too. It's one of the most beautiful pictures I have ever seen, so I wanted to make sure you all got to see it too. I have seen some amazing places in my life, but it seems my brother is getting to see even more spectacular places and in unfamiliar times of day for most of us.
My brother continuing his badass streak. So proud....wow.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
NENSA REG CAMP GIRLS VIDEO!!!!!!
We have received our first entry for our Women's XC Summer Training Camp Videos. PSYCHED because it rules. Really hoping to get some more! Come on girls! I know there are a ton of training groups out there. Watch NENSA's, get some motivation and make your own. It does not take long and the process is a fun one.
Check out the US Women's Ski Team one here:
ENJOY!!!
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