Snow, Egypt, Racing, and Pole talk.

We are having the best snow year in Vermont in a long while. It is only December 20th and many of the downhill ski mountains have already had 100 inches of snow so far! I distinctly remember going out for a classic roller-ski the second weekend of December last year. This year I was doing a double ski race weekend - 10k skate race in Lake Placid and Craftsbury. Lake Placid wasn't so good - it was a mass start and as usual I got pretty tangled up with people on the first hill. I felt "off" the whole race and skied almost 5 minutes back from the winner. Crafstbury was an individual start and a course that I'm much more familiar with and I really enjoy the race. I placed about the same (low 20's) but I think it was a deeper field so I was happier with that for now.

Then, last weekend I raced the 5k skate race that my sister put on at Bolton Valley. I thought I'd be feeling tip-top and ready to go from the two 10k's the weekend before. It was 3 laps on a short course that had some sweeping turns. Well I had a nice quick first lap (maybe a little two quick) and then in the second lap as I came off the sharpest turn on the course I lost my balance. Well, before I knew it I was down on my keister. I can't remember when I last dumped in a skate ski race (I did take 2 spectacular falls in last years Icebods Revenge race, a 10k classis at Sleepy Hollow). Ooops. That put a fork in my race. I got up and tried my best to get my rythm going again and ski it in. I ended up 6th.

I've gotten some new ski poles this week from Madshus. Thanks Charlie! They are the Carbon Race 100HM. I skied with them today for the first time and I have to say, I'm pretty impressed. The shaft is pretty standard for a rediculously high-end pole - really light and really stiff - but the handle and strap seem to be well thought out. They fit great and they seemed to help my skiing immediately. I've been using Swix poles for the last couple years and still have them (and like them) but if I had to choose I'd take this strap over the Swix strap (something I never thought I'd say) . All that being said - I am still pretty intregued by the Force 10 pole from Swix. We've been selling them at the Skirack and it definitely seems to me like that's where high-end pole shaft technology will be heading. I know a lot of the WC skiers are choosing to use the Swix Star instead (old-school preferences) but I you'll see other companies doing things like that Force 10 shaft for Vancoover (the next Olympics).

My sister gave me an early christmas present - some rechargeable AA batteries for my digital camera. So, its official - but blog is going green - so hot right now. Renewable resource - ecofriendly - climate change - carbon neutral. Wait, no - I love carbon fiber!

And now its time for the lightning round!!!!!
(the round for dropping knowledge, info, and names)

-Former CCB rider Tim Johnson dominates in Kansas and wins the National Cyclocross champs
-For my birthday this year (January 7th) I'll be embarking from Cairo on a 7am flight to Sharm el Sheikh and will be walking through a remote desert on 3-day Camel trek in the Sinai Peninsula by 11am.
-My dark horse pick for the U23 national cyclocross championships, teammate Will Dugan, was not able to race as hill elbow is still messed up, but Burlingtonian Jamie Driscoll got 2nd (in a tight sprint) and won the college title for the second year running.
-I think I've been drinking too much coffee lately. Oh well.
-Those two CVU boys who I had a picture of a couple entries ago have been dominating the high school ski races thus far this season. John Dixon and Adam Terko - taking care of business.
-I think I've been eating too much chocolate lately. Oh well.
-A US skier won a cross-country ski World Cup race this past weekend for the first time since 1983. Kikkan Randall lit it up in the women's sprint final and showed everybody who's boss. Killer stuff.
-I got a voice-mail from CCB-West SuperMaster's racer and all around good guy John McKone today. He was looking for Mike Cody's phone number. Classic.
-Kim Loeffler was in the Skirack the other day checking out dimensions on the Cervelo bikes. I guess we may be helping her get a P3 to zip around on next season.
-The Great Pyramid of Giza covers 13 acres - stew on that.