Starting November 1st I will stop spending money. I have decided ( inspiration from Sarah and some other friends at home) to not spend money on anything that is not a mandatory item for 4 months. Some people are probably really good at this but I am not. I would do a year and that is my goal but I was told I wouldn’t make it very long so I am doing a 4 month by month approach. What really got me hooked on this is the fact that traveling for me is spending and we use up so many resources just traveling the world skiing and It would be interesting to see how much you can save if you are conscious of it. It also has to do with the fact that I could probably live off my wardrobe till I was 35. This also means that I will be either making or recycling things for the Holidays. So all your presents might be finger paintings with paint I have from when I was about two. I think its going to be great. I have always loved goals and If anything it will just make me a little more aware of my place on earth and hopefully save some money! I hope I can inspire some of you too!
So Sölden is over, bang, out, over, done. I guess it feels good to have the first race over with but I wish I could have another try down that thing because I just know I can kill it. Next year I guess. I am happy that I got to race and I have to remember that it was my first GS race in two years so I need to be patient. There were some good sections. I got out of the start strong and confident and skied the top part well, but then I think I got a little lost half way down the pitch and In my head I was holding back. All in all It was good and I just need to be positive and start working toward the next race!
Traveling home on the other hand was not easy. I was all stoked to be able to jet home for 4 days and winterize my house and pay some bills, sleep in my own bed. You know…. home sweet home. Well checked in perfect, no extra baggage charges, earlier flight to Frankfurt. When I got to Frankfurt they said they over booked the flight by 20 people and were giving out cash to get people off. Well I would have loved to take the cash but If i did that I would not be able to fly till tomorrow and then that would only give me 3 days at home which is not worth it so I was begging and begging and they said no sorry you don’t have a ticket. Finally at the end the man said, ” oh wait you are the young lady we messed up the ticket on and you do have a seat. Its 47 E.” If anyone ever gives you this seat don’t take it. It sucks. 10 hours in between two Germans who have never been to the us and don’t enjoy getting up for an over active bladder. Anyways I was just happy to get home. Had to sprint to make my flight in Denver and my bags are now in SLC waiting for me…… classic. Also I came home to a leaking water tank so Im glad I made it back so I can get this fixed before my house turns into a skating rink. I know everyone has crazy stories from traveling but mine just keep adding up.
Just enjoying some nice weather in Jackson and then back to Europe! I love this crazy life!
So its here, the season in here. We race GS in Sölden tomorrow. Im super super excited to race GS since its been almost two years. Today we had free skiing on the race hill and it was like the first day of school. Saying hi to everyone, checking everyone out. I talked with Nika Fleiss and Niki Hosp. Everyone looks really good. Its good to see old friends and faces. The conditions here are super difficult. I guess they had no snow around here till about a week ago and then it dumped a bunch, then froze and now its raining. So imagine that on top of Glacier ice. It was pretty rough and chattery with sugar on top. Felt good to be out there and be in the race mode. Its going to be really good to race!
I can’t believe it’s race time. I better believe it cause Im going to be throwing myself down the glacier on saturday. Im excited. Always so many thoughts going through my head when the first race comes up. Will I do well, am I ready, scared, nervous, super excited, how do I race…. all normal things. I just can’t wait to get in the gate and click those poles and put them over the wand. My favorite part. No matter what happens I will always have fun and its the start to a new season. I am trying to remind myself of all the energy I have created over the last year and how I have been working for something new, something of my own and I feel like its time to race. Its time to start tapping into that next level. I may need a little more work in GS, but I have time, the time is now and now is the time to race! So bring it on!
Kevin and I were working on a SHRED video and we didn’t use it on the shredoptics.com site so Im sharing it with you! Hope you like it! We are in Soelden now. Just got here late last night. Its so cold, must be the coldest I have ever experienced here. Just laying around drinking way to many cups of coffee resting and getting ready for RACE week. Exciting!
I hear my friends have been shredding rocks at the ghee all week. Im jealous, have fun!!!!!!!!!!!
Training is Saas Fee has been pretty good. We started out strong and then had two weather days where we couldn’t train because it was the wind was so strong the Tram couldn’t open so we ended up having a dryland camp for a few days. During the two days off I managed to get a pretty good head cold going on which sucks so badly. I have not been sick in a very long time and it just wipes you out. Started with a sore throat and now its just like nails in my skull. Its starting to get better….. but my energy is so low on the hill. It can get you down a bit because we are training for race season now and only a week away from our first race so I am trying not to panic. I have to trust myself and be patient. I also need rest. I came down from the hill today early to try and sleep for a few more hours and drink more tea and honey! HOpefully my body will just kick up a notch and Ill be over this soon. I want to race so bad but at times I feel like Im not ready but I can always hold off till Levi. But I want it so bad so I might just go for it. See how this week goes. I really only need two more days on hard snow with GS skis and I think Ill feel more confident. Trust yourself is what I keep telling myself!
Well we had a little storm come through and it has sidelined our training for a couple days. I am ready to go but the weather here is keeping us off the mountain. Anyhow, thought you might enjoy some shots of the beautiful Saas Fee.
Its AMAZING what ski racers will do to ski these days. Amazing. My dad would crack up and be in disbelief at how crazy we are now a days. There is no snow in Europe! No Snow. We are apparently at the best place to ski at the moment with the most snow available. Its a two tram and a train away glacier that is way up in the Swiss mountains and super beautiful. LIttle kids everywhere, I guess they don’t go to school over here in Europe and they start training seriously at age 9. I didn’t even know what the world cup was at 10 and these kids are carving and have shin guards on and everything. Its nuts. Its also difficult because there are only three T-bars and they move very slow and to many people in one place at one time so its a fight. All day long, running over each others skis and yelling and pushing. Kids are not scared here to take you out at the knees. But I guess we have to be stoked we have better snow then anyone else. We are training with the men too, so that is always inspiring! Im excited for exploration of the mountain trails around here, its straight up from Saas Fee village, a no driving village where they have little golf carts ripping around. Oh and a roller coaster Im going to go check out!
I have been enjoying such a fun time traveling. From Chile to Germany and France, I am just all over the place and loving it. We had a great camp in Chile, very difficult but much needed. I was in desperate need of some serious boot camp training, being off the snow for so long and not having long courses in my bag of tricks so it was great. Then a quick trip home where I enjoyed some good dinners with friends and family and got the house ready for winter and spent a few days with my pops hiking and just laughing away…….. Now I am on a crazy adventure with Kevin. I started in Sylt, Germany which is this Island north of Hamburg where he has Windsurfing finals. It is always so cold but a fun place, kinda like the Hamptons of Germany. We had one day in Hamburg and explored it up and down. Very clean and hip. The architecture is super cool some very modern mixed in with old WW11 area buildings and gorgeous water fronts and canals. It was not what I expected and loved it. We are now in Marseille France staying with Kevins windsurfing buddy, Cedrics, very lovely family in such a cute French villa and cooking up big dinners with 8 people at a time sitting around laughing away and yes complete with the stinky cheese that they dig out at the end….. I am going to gain loads of weight before our first race… he he bring on the ski race! I have been so into cooking and especially with a spicy flare so I cooked everyone curry tonight and they are all crying or downing rice and cashews to chill off the effect!
I am so in love with this european peacefulness. For me total chaos is always peaceful. We have a big house full of French, Argentinean , English and American craziness laughter, love, happiness and a sweet little dog named Nala. I love the the family feeling, running around in my moccasins and getting this feeling so far from home is very pleasant. It is a perfect break before we head to Saas Fee Switzerland for our last prep camp. Its so exciting that we are going to be racing in less than two weeks. Crazy, I am so happy for this. Gotta keep the head on straight though and keep plugging away and being safe. We have a good little power block before we head to Soelden and rock the world right!!!!!
Till then Ill be diving head first into the ocean to cleanse the body before skiing is full on!
Its October 1st and what a perfect way to start off the month with the first snow. Not just a sprinkle but a few inches that stuck on the deck and trees making it a winter wonderland! I am in love, I love snow. I was saying about a week ago that if it was nice and warm at home all the time I would not mind it, since I barely get to ski here but let me tell you there is nothing like the smell of snow the silence of snow and the beauty it brings. Sad I must leave it right away but I might go make a snow angle!
Headed to Europe, the season is almost underway. Only three weeks till our first world cup. Oh man it just came right up. Im excited and nervous and so many different emotions but it feels very good!
