space ghost coast to coast
so i spent the last week on the west coast.
i went to ski camp in oregon at mt hood. the camp was in government camp, oregon (weird name eh?) it was awesome. i learned a helluva lot. my coach, erik, helped me learn how to use 180s for gs. i wanted to quit and go back to slalom skis for gs so many times and he wouldnt let me and after a few days i got the hang of it. i contacted the atomic ski rep in NH and he is getting me a good deal on the GS11m, the new model for next year, in a 181. i demoed it while i was out at hood along with the fischers and the rossis. i definitely liked the atomic gs ski the best. so i'm getting that. and we had videos taken of us. that was cool. erik would get our falls and put them in slow motion so we could relive the agony. it was cool. and we got to see our actual technique and like what we can do to improve. i needed to relax a bit, i try to muscle through the course too much. he helped me make my run more fluid and reset myself after each turn instead of just digging into the next one without releasing the edge cleanly. i met some cool kids, but i definitely want to try to get friends of mine on the dover and rpi teams to go out next year, and anyone else who wants to come (you dont have to race, there were some kids there who had never raced before). it was National Alpine Ski Camp (NASC) www.skicamp.com check it out. next year i may go for longer if i can afford it. that shit aint cheap.
we got to demo any of next years equipment that we wanted to for free. that part was really cool. next year i'm going to demo new slalom skis and boots because i'll be due for those soon. always buyin' somethin'.
oh ya. i skied in the summer. who gets to do that? not many of us thats for sure. it was so cool. wearing shorts and going to the warm lake in the afternoon and just hours before being in gs suit and training shorts/vest (no jackets or pants, it was still warm, like 40-50 degrees) and being on snow that was cold. very cool.
on the flight i got offered alcohol. i was like uhhhhhhhh no thanks i dont need to be tipsy when the ski camp picks me up. my dad got me upgraded to first class as a surprise with frequent flyer miles and he got me all vegetarian meals in case the regular meal was red meat. turns out in first class they give you options, like chicken, salmon, or pasta meals. i was sad. and they gave me bean loaf and tibouli for 2 of my meals while i stole gazes at the person sitting next to me's chicken salad or salmon steak. next time, i think i'll take my chances. on the flight back to NH we flew through a thunderstorm. a fucking thunderstorm. i was so scared. the plane was shaking and stuff and i was like oh god i'm going to die and i'm never going to get to see any of my friends or my family or the people i love and who i missed very badly on the trip ever again. but we landed ok. i havent flown since freshman year when i went to england and that was pre 911. suffice it to say i was a little nervous. i liked being in chicago O'hare airport though. that place is huge and there were so many things i could buy for the flight. i was in consumerism heaven. i bought a ray bradbury book hoping to read it. i read like 50 pages of it and then turned to the bodybuilding/fitness magazines i purchased instead. they had like every single restaurant imaginable in a "to go" style.
in portland airport on the last day all of the kids who were leaving hung out because they got us there at like 8 am and our flights all left at 11-12. so we had time to chill. we fooled around with all the electronic gizmos in brookstone and then went to get some food. as i sat down with my food at our table i went to get my nalgene bottle out of backpack and realized i had left it at camp. yes, the red nalgene with the duct tape top and the ski stickers covering every corner of it was left at camp. RIP red nalgene bottle. i actually called NASC the next day and told doug (the director) about how i left my bottle on the table in my lodge. i told him to send it to me and hes sending it paid postage when i get here. ya i know i'm pathetic. when i told him to do it he was like "wow you really care about this nalgene bottle dont you?" and i was like helllll ya its been through a lot. its got mileage. its been to the top of tucks and the top of hood. its been to the top of two huge mountains on both coasts. i cant just let it go. plus i'd have to either buy a new bottle or get this one sent to me. and i get attached to objects, which is bad, but i do, so i sent for it and i dont care how much it costs me. i want it back damnit.
ok thats all for now. wow long post. wrap it up, camp rocked. off to bed.
i went to ski camp in oregon at mt hood. the camp was in government camp, oregon (weird name eh?) it was awesome. i learned a helluva lot. my coach, erik, helped me learn how to use 180s for gs. i wanted to quit and go back to slalom skis for gs so many times and he wouldnt let me and after a few days i got the hang of it. i contacted the atomic ski rep in NH and he is getting me a good deal on the GS11m, the new model for next year, in a 181. i demoed it while i was out at hood along with the fischers and the rossis. i definitely liked the atomic gs ski the best. so i'm getting that. and we had videos taken of us. that was cool. erik would get our falls and put them in slow motion so we could relive the agony. it was cool. and we got to see our actual technique and like what we can do to improve. i needed to relax a bit, i try to muscle through the course too much. he helped me make my run more fluid and reset myself after each turn instead of just digging into the next one without releasing the edge cleanly. i met some cool kids, but i definitely want to try to get friends of mine on the dover and rpi teams to go out next year, and anyone else who wants to come (you dont have to race, there were some kids there who had never raced before). it was National Alpine Ski Camp (NASC) www.skicamp.com check it out. next year i may go for longer if i can afford it. that shit aint cheap.
we got to demo any of next years equipment that we wanted to for free. that part was really cool. next year i'm going to demo new slalom skis and boots because i'll be due for those soon. always buyin' somethin'.
oh ya. i skied in the summer. who gets to do that? not many of us thats for sure. it was so cool. wearing shorts and going to the warm lake in the afternoon and just hours before being in gs suit and training shorts/vest (no jackets or pants, it was still warm, like 40-50 degrees) and being on snow that was cold. very cool.
on the flight i got offered alcohol. i was like uhhhhhhhh no thanks i dont need to be tipsy when the ski camp picks me up. my dad got me upgraded to first class as a surprise with frequent flyer miles and he got me all vegetarian meals in case the regular meal was red meat. turns out in first class they give you options, like chicken, salmon, or pasta meals. i was sad. and they gave me bean loaf and tibouli for 2 of my meals while i stole gazes at the person sitting next to me's chicken salad or salmon steak. next time, i think i'll take my chances. on the flight back to NH we flew through a thunderstorm. a fucking thunderstorm. i was so scared. the plane was shaking and stuff and i was like oh god i'm going to die and i'm never going to get to see any of my friends or my family or the people i love and who i missed very badly on the trip ever again. but we landed ok. i havent flown since freshman year when i went to england and that was pre 911. suffice it to say i was a little nervous. i liked being in chicago O'hare airport though. that place is huge and there were so many things i could buy for the flight. i was in consumerism heaven. i bought a ray bradbury book hoping to read it. i read like 50 pages of it and then turned to the bodybuilding/fitness magazines i purchased instead. they had like every single restaurant imaginable in a "to go" style.
in portland airport on the last day all of the kids who were leaving hung out because they got us there at like 8 am and our flights all left at 11-12. so we had time to chill. we fooled around with all the electronic gizmos in brookstone and then went to get some food. as i sat down with my food at our table i went to get my nalgene bottle out of backpack and realized i had left it at camp. yes, the red nalgene with the duct tape top and the ski stickers covering every corner of it was left at camp. RIP red nalgene bottle. i actually called NASC the next day and told doug (the director) about how i left my bottle on the table in my lodge. i told him to send it to me and hes sending it paid postage when i get here. ya i know i'm pathetic. when i told him to do it he was like "wow you really care about this nalgene bottle dont you?" and i was like helllll ya its been through a lot. its got mileage. its been to the top of tucks and the top of hood. its been to the top of two huge mountains on both coasts. i cant just let it go. plus i'd have to either buy a new bottle or get this one sent to me. and i get attached to objects, which is bad, but i do, so i sent for it and i dont care how much it costs me. i want it back damnit.
ok thats all for now. wow long post. wrap it up, camp rocked. off to bed.