ski camp
training camp was a blast in so many ways. The snow was amazing (there was 3 1/2 feet!), so the skiing was excellent, and we got to train right along side with U.S. Olympic hopefuls.
The accomodations were excellent. We had a little cabin (which nearly got destroyed, but that comes later) which was very cozy and comfortable. Although the TV only got one channel, which happened to be playing James Bond 24/7 for 8 days straight. So that was rather convenient.
Tuesday was alright and pretty uneventful. The 6-hour car ride to Presque Isle was torturous, but then we got to ski at an empty MWSC for 3 hours in beautiful snow, so it was worth it. Afterwords, we ate dinner at this amazing place in PI called The Slopes. The restaurant was huge, and practically empty, and the food was amazing. After dinner we went up to Ft. Kent and settled in.
Wednesday was pretty great. In the morning we went to breakfast in town, which was wicked good. We found great entertainment in listening to people talking in French, or people talk about people they knew, and how they wouldn't mind taking a gun to their head. After breakfast we went skiing at MWSC Ft. Kent, which was amazing, because a)the snow was beautiful, and b)the U.S. olympic hopefuls were all there training, so we got to meet a great many of them. After sking, we went back to the cabin for lunch. During lunch, we began to smell something rather strange. Upon entering the bedroom, we found it to be incredibly smoky. Then simon realized that he had left his plastic glasses case on the furnace. So we removed it, put it outside, and scraped off as much of the melted plastic as we could. the house didn't smell regular again until Friday. We eventually had to disconnect the smoke detector too. Anyway, after that ordeal, we went skiing again, which was uneventful, except that sarah fell and sprained her wrist, so her father, who was also the boys' chaperone, had to take her to a hospital in Presque Isle. So we left, and Zach dropped us off at our cabin, and then we realized that Bill had the key. We spent an hour attempting to break in, and finally, in hardcore nordic fashion, ran (as in ran, not rushed) up the ridiculously long, steep driveway to the main lodge to try to get an extra key. Bill came back just as we were walking out the front door with our spare key.
Thursday was pretty good. Satisfying, at least. Same routine in the morning. the house still smelled like smoke. In the morning we went to watch the biathlon, which was good, but it was raining, so the course was incredibly thick. The women's race was really good. the guys race was good too, although russel currier got disqualified because he took a wrong turn on the course. after the race we went to lunch, which was uneventful. Then in the afternoon we went skiing again, which was disastrous because by that time, everything was ice. We met up with yarmouth and skied next to them because they were going the same way that we were. Somewhere in the course just before we turned off, my ski pole happened to slip on the ice and stab a kid, who had just happened to make fun of me at the previous night's dinner, in the nuts. Anyway, after skiing, we had nothing to do, so we went into Ft. Kent to look around. me, pete, pete, wes, simon, and sam all decided to take a visit across the border. so we checked in with the customs guy and he said it was alright. so we went over THE bridge and took a picture in front of the sign that said "bienvenue au Canada!" and then went back. Later that night we began plotting a prank in which we sam could not get back across the border because he didn't have an ID, and so the coach would have had to get him. we got quite a few laughs in the evening on that subject, modifying it to levels of absurdity, such as pretending he had gotten kidnapped by the mountees.
Friday morning I foreran the race, which is a big deal in skiing terms. MWSC selected 4 boys and 4 girls to go our before the racers and pack down/confirm the course. I was lucky to be one. Anyway, after that i joined the rest of my team in the bleachers to watch the race. At this point, it was no longer raining, but snowing in blizzard magnitude and very windy. i ended up watching most of the race from inside. After the race we got to shoot on the range. The first time i got 4, and then i was loading and accidentally brushed the trigger, causing the gun to fire and the bullet to hit the roof of the structure. it made a really funny noise too. Someone hit a flagpole and caused the swiss flag to go crooked and start sliding down the pole. hehehehe. anyway, the second time i went clean (got all 5). Then we had to endure that 8 hour car ride from Ft. Kent back to yarmouth.
I guess i have some sort of new year's "party" to go to in 6 hours. should be a good time. right now i have nothing to do, so i think i'm going to work on my art project or something.
P.S. I got Queen's "A night at the opera" yesterday. made me very happy.
P.P.S. I didn't use a single ellipsis in this entire disgustingly long-winded, unorganized entry! I'm so proud of myself!
Happy New Year!
The accomodations were excellent. We had a little cabin (which nearly got destroyed, but that comes later) which was very cozy and comfortable. Although the TV only got one channel, which happened to be playing James Bond 24/7 for 8 days straight. So that was rather convenient.
Tuesday was alright and pretty uneventful. The 6-hour car ride to Presque Isle was torturous, but then we got to ski at an empty MWSC for 3 hours in beautiful snow, so it was worth it. Afterwords, we ate dinner at this amazing place in PI called The Slopes. The restaurant was huge, and practically empty, and the food was amazing. After dinner we went up to Ft. Kent and settled in.
Wednesday was pretty great. In the morning we went to breakfast in town, which was wicked good. We found great entertainment in listening to people talking in French, or people talk about people they knew, and how they wouldn't mind taking a gun to their head. After breakfast we went skiing at MWSC Ft. Kent, which was amazing, because a)the snow was beautiful, and b)the U.S. olympic hopefuls were all there training, so we got to meet a great many of them. After sking, we went back to the cabin for lunch. During lunch, we began to smell something rather strange. Upon entering the bedroom, we found it to be incredibly smoky. Then simon realized that he had left his plastic glasses case on the furnace. So we removed it, put it outside, and scraped off as much of the melted plastic as we could. the house didn't smell regular again until Friday. We eventually had to disconnect the smoke detector too. Anyway, after that ordeal, we went skiing again, which was uneventful, except that sarah fell and sprained her wrist, so her father, who was also the boys' chaperone, had to take her to a hospital in Presque Isle. So we left, and Zach dropped us off at our cabin, and then we realized that Bill had the key. We spent an hour attempting to break in, and finally, in hardcore nordic fashion, ran (as in ran, not rushed) up the ridiculously long, steep driveway to the main lodge to try to get an extra key. Bill came back just as we were walking out the front door with our spare key.
Thursday was pretty good. Satisfying, at least. Same routine in the morning. the house still smelled like smoke. In the morning we went to watch the biathlon, which was good, but it was raining, so the course was incredibly thick. The women's race was really good. the guys race was good too, although russel currier got disqualified because he took a wrong turn on the course. after the race we went to lunch, which was uneventful. Then in the afternoon we went skiing again, which was disastrous because by that time, everything was ice. We met up with yarmouth and skied next to them because they were going the same way that we were. Somewhere in the course just before we turned off, my ski pole happened to slip on the ice and stab a kid, who had just happened to make fun of me at the previous night's dinner, in the nuts. Anyway, after skiing, we had nothing to do, so we went into Ft. Kent to look around. me, pete, pete, wes, simon, and sam all decided to take a visit across the border. so we checked in with the customs guy and he said it was alright. so we went over THE bridge and took a picture in front of the sign that said "bienvenue au Canada!" and then went back. Later that night we began plotting a prank in which we sam could not get back across the border because he didn't have an ID, and so the coach would have had to get him. we got quite a few laughs in the evening on that subject, modifying it to levels of absurdity, such as pretending he had gotten kidnapped by the mountees.
Friday morning I foreran the race, which is a big deal in skiing terms. MWSC selected 4 boys and 4 girls to go our before the racers and pack down/confirm the course. I was lucky to be one. Anyway, after that i joined the rest of my team in the bleachers to watch the race. At this point, it was no longer raining, but snowing in blizzard magnitude and very windy. i ended up watching most of the race from inside. After the race we got to shoot on the range. The first time i got 4, and then i was loading and accidentally brushed the trigger, causing the gun to fire and the bullet to hit the roof of the structure. it made a really funny noise too. Someone hit a flagpole and caused the swiss flag to go crooked and start sliding down the pole. hehehehe. anyway, the second time i went clean (got all 5). Then we had to endure that 8 hour car ride from Ft. Kent back to yarmouth.
I guess i have some sort of new year's "party" to go to in 6 hours. should be a good time. right now i have nothing to do, so i think i'm going to work on my art project or something.
P.S. I got Queen's "A night at the opera" yesterday. made me very happy.
P.P.S. I didn't use a single ellipsis in this entire disgustingly long-winded, unorganized entry! I'm so proud of myself!
Happy New Year!