Category: XCFeeds

Hilary Rich, pictured below, sends a report about her freshman fall at Middlebury. Thanks Hilary! a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuRQ7yTqHLI/AAAAAAAABXo/jpRPUmrmqv0/s1600-h/IMG_2369.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuRQ7yTqHLI/AAAAAAAABXo/jpRPUmrmqv0/s400/IMG_2369.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396527241543425202″ //abr /Middlebury has been great so far! I’m taking an economics seminar, a computer science course and a West European politics class, so I am exploring some different interests here. The campus is beautiful, there are great views from just about anywhere you go, and the foliage was gorgeous. I’ve really been enjoying the roller skiing here, and the team is awesome. Andrew Gardner and Patty Ross (our coaches) have been amazing, and are really great at working on technique, and their strength plan is definitely making me sore…br /br /AG and Patty have been keeping us going with a bunch of fun workouts. The other weekend we did some orienteering; my partner Doug and I were one of the first to go out, and by far the last to come in, but we have some good stories to tell! A couple days later, we traveled over to Keene to take a hike and visit with the McClelland family! We’ve had a couple uphill running time trials, which are not exactly my forte, but they have gone relatively well for me. We also had a double pole time trial, and tomorrow is our skate TT with UVM up at Jericho, followed by a classic TT up Brandon Gap on Sunday! Next weekend we’re planning on going to Hanover to run up Moosilauke, which is going to be a rough one, although I think I’ve come to terms with my lack of running skills.br /br /Another fun thing we do is play speedball, which is the Middlebury Ski Team’s favorite game; I can’t say I’ve been contributing on the field a whole lot, but it’s fun to be out there. Overall, I am keeping busy between work, classes and training, but I am definitely loving it. I can’t wait for the season to begin and to be able to line up at the start!div class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4680416899705879324-904178169246039630?l=smsxc.blogspot.com’ alt=” //div

a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Qy8LpbgYOag/SuS5zI0WkMI/AAAAAAAAAQw/FV12I_D7Z08/s1600-h/MtAspiring-small.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 249px;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Qy8LpbgYOag/SuS5zI0WkMI/AAAAAAAAAQw/FV12I_D7Z08/s400/MtAspiring-small.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396642541688230082″ //abr /When the time comes to hang up the racing skis, when my days are no longer driven by the constant pursuit of teasing performance out of talent and desire, when the arc of my career as a professional athlete has passed, I want to be proud that I took the time and seized the opportunity and had a lasting and meaningful impact on a group of America’s youth. br /br / Today this means getting into Mr. Gottschalk’s classroom at Miller Elementary in Bend, Oregon. Mentoring’s most rewarding part comes in getting to know the kids in class at a personal level. In the classroom, I have a whole new crew of kids at a brand new school I’m getting to know. br /br /In two weeks, having an impact on America’s youth means keeping up correspondence with the kids while on the road in Europe as I chase World Cup wins and a place on the U.S Olympic Team. This spring this means getting back to my roots in Mr. Peck’s 5th grade classroom, in my old hometown of Leavenworth, Washington.br /br /I want to watch kids from Bend and Leavenworth to go beyond labels and excuses, to follow their passions and discover what they can do. To help instill the belief that every one of them has the ability to handle whatever the future throws at them, is what I’m after.br /br /I want more kids to steal a pearl of wisdom from Joseph Campbell and follow their bliss. I want them to know that when you do this, you put yourself on a path that has been there cutting through the deep, dark woods all the time, just waiting for you, and the life you ought to be living is the very one you are living. I’ve had this feeling. I’ve lost this feeling. And also found it again.br / br /When I get angry, discouraged or indifferent it helps to remember that I choose this path and their will be trials and tribulations along the way. Just as there were for Jesse Owens or Odysseus. This is all part of the adventure. Just days ago I ran into Dan Jansen, a titan of the speed skating’s yesteryear. I remember the ’88 Olympics, watching Dan slam into the boards, hands overhead, the look of abject loss vividly burned into my memory. I also remember watching the Olympic 1,000 meter final from Lillehammer, when Dan won his Olympic Gold. We chatted for a minute, he signed two pieces of paper, one to Mr.Peck’s 5th grade class, another to Miller Elementary. He left me with these words, “Remember, You are the only one who knows if you have given everything you had. You are your own final measure.” Words to live by. Thanks for the memories Dan, both young and old. br /br /I want to do more than talk about change. I’m getting my hands dirty. I love the wide-eyed excitement I see in the classroom. I can’t wait to get back in there Monday. The students of Miller Elementary are fortunate to have teachers like Mr. Gottschalk, just as I was fortunate to have a teacher like Mr. Peck.br /br /I want to run in the mountains with my young runners this spring. I want to throw heavy objects with my throwers after the ski season. I want to pick wildflowers with fifth graders just as I want to pick the perfect word to describe the scene of my time with America’s youth. br /br /I remember a coach telling me, “If you want it that badly, you’ll find a way.” I want to be that person in the community others look up to and say, “Torin wanted it that badly. He found a way. You can, too,” just as I want to be the coach that instills this same belief in his young troops. For this, as in all things in life, I will be the only one who really knows if I gave everything I had. I will be my final measure. I intend to succeed.br /br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Qy8LpbgYOag/SuS6NgBjPHI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/VYhc35txvbo/s1600-h/College+Speech+Pictures+045.jpg”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 267px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Qy8LpbgYOag/SuS6NgBjPHI/AAAAAAAAAQ4/VYhc35txvbo/s400/College+Speech+Pictures+045.jpg” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5396642994594200690″ //adiv class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/2691525267872963085-9196314562527700046?l=in-the-arena-torin.blogspot.com’ alt=” //div

img src=”http://7.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ks1yjfdoN11qzt3xbo1_500.jpg”/br/br/p“Everybody there felt part of something bigger.  Not just another nerdy nordic race.” More at

This morning our enrichment class was about the environment. Everyone saw a short movie and our Environmental Science teacher, Tyne Pike-Sprenger, talked about energy conservation. The students then wrote 350 recycled post cards to Governor Douglas encouraging him to make VT greener.br /After the class, we headed to our campus trails for some tough hill intervals. It was one of our harder workouts of the fall, with 10 60-80 second intervals raced head to head. Skyler and Heather were king and queen of the mountain and collected their prizes during our video review after lunch.br /We finished the day with a good strength workout and we’re all looking forward to a very easy day tomorrow!div class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4680416899705879324-8731299770202789289?l=smsxc.blogspot.com’ alt=” //div

Karmen Whitham is at NMU this year. Here is her update along with a picture of her taken in Germany on our spring trip last year. Thanks Karmen! (PS…I’m not sure why the format is mixed up…sorry Karmen).a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuIs5nYySHI/AAAAAAAABXg/8NP07pNdaSE/s1600-h/100_2028.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuIs5nYySHI/AAAAAAAABXg/8NP07pNdaSE/s320/100_2028.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395924671880382578″ //abr /NMU is great. I cannot believe I have been here for two months already!br /I am currently running on the cross country running team, meaning I hopbr /in the races every so often. I have been running pretty well and madebr /the Conference team. People who do well at the Conference then move onbr /to Regionals and then from there is Nationals which is the bigbr /NCAA race with all the top college runners in the country. Otherwisebr /it’s ski training. We usually go out for something oyo in the morningsbr /and then meet up in the afternoon for a group workout. These are bomb.br /Never in my life have I actually been pumped up, excited and happy tobr /do intervals, however these days I just love them. It doesn’t matterbr /where I am in the pack, as long as I’m feeling like I’m doing it rightbr /things are awesome. Technique work is a never ending process but I feelbr /like working on technique is more like playing a video game-it’sbr /addicting and super satisfying once you actually ingrain how to dobr /it-just like a video game-and video games are fun. Keep on keeping onbr /ski world, and feel free to email me!!!div class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4680416899705879324-4616273438051685829?l=smsxc.blogspot.com’ alt=” //div

a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDrH-Qe86I/AAAAAAAABXI/1oIEZBU0UJ4/s1600-h/100_5478.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDrH-Qe86I/AAAAAAAABXI/1oIEZBU0UJ4/s320/100_5478.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395570875793601442″ //abr /Yesterday we did an easy OD skate on the back roads near school. They are replacing a bridge and the road is closed to all but local traffic so it was great for skating (no traffic).a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDqCWa2BLI/AAAAAAAABXA/0P0eI5c3hRc/s1600-h/100_5474.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDqCWa2BLI/AAAAAAAABXA/0P0eI5c3hRc/s320/100_5474.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395569679688664242″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDpJ7hZvgI/AAAAAAAABW4/Xdnmqoz53Ys/s1600-h/100_5472.JPG”img style=”float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDpJ7hZvgI/AAAAAAAABW4/Xdnmqoz53Ys/s320/100_5472.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395568710395739650″ //aclick on any picture to enlarge.br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDoYSbACNI/AAAAAAAABWw/nqPRTdttDZY/s1600-h/100_5469.JPG”img style=”float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDoYSbACNI/AAAAAAAABWw/nqPRTdttDZY/s320/100_5469.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395567857549445330″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDmEiyeNsI/AAAAAAAABWo/VL0hwSmWPbc/s1600-h/100_5480.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 190px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDmEiyeNsI/AAAAAAAABWo/VL0hwSmWPbc/s320/100_5480.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395565319322220226″ //abr /Today we did one of our favorite workouts, classic skiing the 3 hills of Weston. Each hill is 3-4 kms long and each is seperated by 3-5 kms of flat terrain. We use the flat terrain to warm up and/or flush things out and we ski the hills L3/L4 . Everyone looked good today and it was nice to see some pretty good hammering at the top of the last climb. Alums Cameron and Sophie joined us again so we had quite a good crew!br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDlviMfTEI/AAAAAAAABWg/RFscXo-_X6A/s1600-h/100_5487.JPG”img style=”float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 159px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDlviMfTEI/AAAAAAAABWg/RFscXo-_X6A/s320/100_5487.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395564958385654850″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDlaaNV9jI/AAAAAAAABWY/9Qtpjk0qFDs/s1600-h/100_5490.JPG”img style=”float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 138px;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDlaaNV9jI/AAAAAAAABWY/9Qtpjk0qFDs/s320/100_5490.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395564595464500786″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDlE419X1I/AAAAAAAABWQ/kffwH8-ytxA/s1600-h/100_5505.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDlE419X1I/AAAAAAAABWQ/kffwH8-ytxA/s320/100_5505.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395564225730797394″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDklGEfGdI/AAAAAAAABWI/vO0Vgpa8Hjw/s1600-h/100_5506.JPG”img style=”float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 128px; height: 200px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDklGEfGdI/AAAAAAAABWI/vO0Vgpa8Hjw/s200/100_5506.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395563679525575122″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDkVGHigCI/AAAAAAAABWA/yvtxcZtFpuo/s1600-h/100_5508.JPG”img style=”float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 152px; height: 200px;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuDkVGHigCI/AAAAAAAABWA/yvtxcZtFpuo/s200/100_5508.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395563404660473890″ //abr /Here are Cameron and Austin on the 3rd hill. Days are getting shorter and you can see why we ask the SMS kids to wear their yellow shirts.div class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4680416899705879324-3116947037333325843?l=smsxc.blogspot.com’ alt=” //div

a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEAP37FSAI/AAAAAAAAC2Y/3nmiDGv_n7A/s1600-h/IMG_0012.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEAP37FSAI/AAAAAAAAC2Y/3nmiDGv_n7A/s400/IMG_0012.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395594101276362754″ //adiv style=”text-align: center;”Big Mountain Mission Accomplished/diva onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEAPWA96aI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/PK6HL-vFy6Y/s1600-h/IMG_0007_2.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEAPWA96aI/AAAAAAAAC2Q/PK6HL-vFy6Y/s400/IMG_0007_2.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395594092174240162″ //adiv style=”text-align: center;”Heading Up Big Mountain/diva onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEAO-mX36I/AAAAAAAAC2I/zkg7C6tkttg/s1600-h/IMG_0010.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEAO-mX36I/AAAAAAAAC2I/zkg7C6tkttg/s400/IMG_0010.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395594085888679842″ //aIt is about getting together with great people going out and doing what you love. After having a couple of frustrating days on the course and range at Soldier Hollow… fortunately was saved. Was able to meet up with “Nordic Dave” and was introduced to one of his stomping grounds. We started out in Salt Lake City went up some canyon ending up on Little Mountain Pass after doing both sides of this climb we again descended went down to the bottom of the valley then turned around and finished on Big Mountain. All things considered it was an amazing workout in great company and majestic scenery.div /divbr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEDLomiCqI/AAAAAAAAC2w/JO13GPNy7YI/s1600-h/IMG_0020.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEDLomiCqI/AAAAAAAAC2w/JO13GPNy7YI/s400/IMG_0020.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395597326979041954″ //adiv style=”text-align: center;”In Utah Do Not Enter Means :/diva onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEDK28IYCI/AAAAAAAAC2o/aR6KlSQIxBo/s1600-h/IMG_0019.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEDK28IYCI/AAAAAAAAC2o/aR6KlSQIxBo/s400/IMG_0019.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395597313647861794″ //adiv style=”text-align: center;”Do Not Enter/divdiv style=”text-align: center;”br //divdiv style=”text-align: center;”Barn Before Soldier Hollow Venue/diva onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEDKZmygLI/AAAAAAAAC2g/xha2ves7nDU/s1600-h/IMG_0004.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_n7a3IKFYbqU/SuEDKZmygLI/AAAAAAAAC2g/xha2ves7nDU/s400/IMG_0004.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395597305773719730″ //adiv class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/6647112093689702615-5982296565396311958?l=www.jackedupoldman.com’ alt=” //div

object width=”400″ height=”336″param name=”movie” value=”http://www.youtube.com/v/6SpmO9xXO8Yrel=0egm=0showinfo=0fs=1″/paramparam name=”wmode” value=”transparent”/paramparam name=”allowFullScreen” value=”true”/paramembed src=”http://www.youtube.com/v/6SpmO9xXO8Yrel=0egm=0showinfo=0fs=1″ type=”application/x-shockwave-flash” width=”400″ height=”336″ allowFullScreen=”true” wmode=”transparent”/embed/objectbr/br/pI don’t know what this means.  But it is awesome.  (via Stinson)/p

img src=”http://5.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_krwyy7GjqV1qzt3xbo1_400.jpg”/br/br/pOne more.  If you’re not caught up click

We have asked our recent alums to give us updates on their first year after SMS. Doug Amos is spending a year in Sweden before attending UVM. Here is a picture of him at our summer Moosilauke camp and his update. Thanks Doug!br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/St-R_6bdbDI/AAAAAAAABV4/FLYMCRf_yLQ/s1600-h/100_3085.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/St-R_6bdbDI/AAAAAAAABV4/FLYMCRf_yLQ/s400/100_3085.JPG” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395191405815360562″ //abr /Hej Från Sverige!br / Hello peeps! (hmmm… it sounded so cool when Newell used it… now it just sounds silly.) Anyway, After one and something months, 110ish hours of training, multiple coaches comments on my ilog saying “where’s my blog!?”… You get the idea. br / I decided to come to Sweden about five minutes after reading my rejection letter from Dartmouth and so far, it has been the best plan I have ever come up with… in five minutes. I am living in central Sweden, in a town called Sveg (which is the shortest name for a town I have seen so far. Usually it’s something like: Lilhärsårgarsgatansvälla:-) and am going to the regional ski school here. I have done a great many things! including but not limited to: training 30 hours in six days the week after I got here, skiing in September at the Torsby ski tunnel, coming to grips with a language that when I first got here sounded like someone trying to speak German who had a wicked hangover, skiing on the same trails as the Swedish A team, and Euroing around in general. br / A couple weekends ago my friends Tobbe, Jonas and I drove about 3:30 south to a town called Torsby which has a combined national and local ski school. We stayed at the school in some dorms for 100 Swedish Kroner a day which is about 14 dollars so… I would have done Sverre proud for being so cheap. I trained 9:10 in the tunnel over the weekend and it never got old. It smelled a lot like an ice rink when I walked in and about as cold. It took about two steps and I remembered how to ski again. Talk about easy to transition from rollerskis to the real stuff. The tracks were so well maintained that it still felt like road. Nothing like early skiing in Vermont where there are all those little bumps and undulations that happen when there isn´t quite enough cover. br / Every weekend brings a new escapade to try to find some more snow to ski on. Last weekend, my three friends Jonas, Tobias, Victor, and myself drove about 2 hours north and stayed at Victor’s cabin. It was a low volume weekend. So only 8:15 over two days instead of 9:10 🙂 To sum up the weekend, I got to see the Swedish A team ski by looking as awkward as I did (it was pretty tough snow to ski on) and… well, let’s just say I have now been photographed with my shirt sort of on, sort of off in an appealing way in another country. br / But all is not forgotten of home, there are times when all of a sudden something will jog my memory and I will have a revelation. For instance, I was taking receipts out of my wallet a few weeks ago, and I found a receipt for gas from this summer. I then suddenly remembered the warm summer mornings of driving up to SMS and training with the gang. br / Bye for now. But remember, you are only safe until Christmas. I’m back the 15th!br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuGQD-Z_M1I/AAAAAAAABXQ/QzzHHwpC0K4/s1600-h/1029-20091015-3631.jpg”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/SuGQD-Z_M1I/AAAAAAAABXQ/QzzHHwpC0K4/s320/1029-20091015-3631.jpg” border=”0″ alt=””id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5395752226532569938″ //abr /Doug just sent this picture of himself in Sweden.div class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4680416899705879324-5486281688446976679?l=smsxc.blogspot.com’ alt=” //div

img src=”http://1.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_krvixj8kEB1qzt3xbo1_500.jpg”/br/br/pThe lengths people are going for ski selection is ridiculous./p

img src=”http://13.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_krviuisUzn1qzt3xbo1_500.jpg”/br/br/pSpace aged ski selection./p

img src=”http://12.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_krvit7J1t01qzt3xbo1_400.jpg”/br/br/pFunniest ski selection ever./p

img src=”http://2.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_krviryQqxk1qzt3xbo1_500.jpg”/br/br/pAttention seeking ski selection./p

img src=”http://20.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_krvirbbNUW1qzt3xbo1_500.jpg”/br/br/pHope./p