Sunday, December 28, 2008

Happy New Year!

Hi All,

I hope you all had a great holiday!

The race team braved the conditions this weekend to take on Windham Mountain and tackle all that Mother Nature could give us! It wasn't exactly the prettiest weekend, but we need to learn how to ski different types of terrain.

I skied a half day Friday, all day Saturday, and a half day Sunday and saw the mountain melt away before my eyes. While it was very sad to witness this, I realize that the snowmaking staff of Windham Mountain has committed to make snow on Monday night and a big storm is expected Friday night. I am extremely optimistic!

The snow actually was not too bad either! I got a lot of mileage this weekend and feel extremely confident in my skiing! I think this is the best I have ever skied!

Now that I am back home, my eyes are set on Pasadena and the Rose Bowl. I am heading out to California on New Years Eve and am looking forward to attending the big game! I really hope Penn State beats USC and puts on a great show while doing so!

Have a great New Years and LET IT SNOW, please!

- Tracker

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""I wonder if people realize the restraints that I am freed from when I ski? There is no other time that I can move with such speed and agility than when I am skiing." - Kirsty Digger

Monday, December 22, 2008

What a Weekend!

Hi All,

The snow was absolutely amazing this weekend! I believe it redefined the term "Powder Day" on the East Coast! Windham got over a foot and a half of snow - something everyone is definitely happy about going into the Winter Break!

On Saturday, there were only seven racers and we had a "fun day" while we worked on our short radius turns. This was definitely beneficial as the powder is thick and harder to turn on. We all mastered the short radius turn by the end of the day, though!

On Sunday, we had our first race of the season - The Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge! Everyone did well in it and the ASF Race Team won five medals! After the race everyone decided to call it an early day and head home since it was snowing hard and everyone had a long drive ahead of them!

Overall, it was an amazing weekend and I cannot wait for the next one!

Have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy Kwanzaa!

LET IT SNOW!

- Tracker
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"Winter is the time for comfort, for good food and warmth, for the touch of a friendly hand and for a talk beside the fire: it is the time for home. " ~Edith Sitwell

Friday, December 19, 2008

Finals Over + Powder Alert = Happy Me

Hi All,

As I sit here and look out at the Winter Wonderland that has become my backyard, I realize that I have to pack for a weekend (or more) of skiing, so this will be a quick post! I finished my finals on Tuesday morning and have a full semester at Happy Valley under my belt. I can't believe it! I received all my grades already and am very happy - I made the Dean's List!

When I arrived back in NY and watched the news, all I heard was "snow, snow, and more snow" - I am ready to go tear up the slopes!

I will write up a post about skiing this weekend early next week!

Have a great weekend!

Let it snow! (Yes, let it snow even more!)

- Tracker
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"Skiing is a dance, the mountain always leads." - Anonymous

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Finals Week

Hi All,

I have just six more days left here in Happy Valley before I head back home to NY! I'm very lucky in that I only have three finals (one this Friday, another on Monday, and the last on Tuesday), so I can go home before a lot of my friends that have finals on Friday night! I finished all of my actual classwork, so I've been studying since Sunday night.

I can't wait to go skiing in 10 days! We have a race in 11 days - the Mountain Dew Vertical Challenge. That should be exciting!

Well, I am going to go finish studying for my final exams, but I will continue to pray for snow so I will have a lot waiting for me when I get back home!

Let it snow!

-Tracker

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"They can because they think they can." - Virgil

Wednesday, December 3, 2008

First Tracks

Hi All,

What a weekend! I got my first tracks of the season in on the Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving! The conditions were phenomenal - it was like it was mid-February. I skied with my father and brother, Matthew. We did everything from White Way and What's Next (our beginner trails) to Upper Whistler and Lower Wolverine (our intermediate trails). As the day went on the trails began to get a bit icy and skied off, so we called it a day rather early both days. We were not in midseason form and did not feel it would be smart to stay out without building up our endurance.

I could not believe how nice the snow was! Windham Mountain definitely made a lot of improvements in its snowmaking capabilities. Now, I am already looking forward to finishing my finals so I can hit the slopes once again in mid-December. I figured I would share some of the pictures I took over the course of the weekend with you as well:













One of the views from the top of D-Lift.














Another view from the top of D-Lift.














It was such a nice background for a picture. I couldn't resist!


I would like to take the time to wish everybody who is planning on attending the Disabled Ski Spectacular in Breckenridge a great trip. I would like to congratulate Staci, one of my teammates, who received a scholarship to attend a race camp during the event! Her guide, Ally, is also going, as well as the head coach of the race team, Mary Bozzone. I am also aware that Kim, Tom, and Adam will be making the trip out there. I wish the aforementioned people along with everyone else from ASF who is going out there has a safe trip! Have a ball!

I hope you all have a great week!

Let it snow!

- Tracker

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"Winter, a lingering season, is a time to gather golden moments, embark upon a sentimental journey, and enjoy every idle hour. "- John Boswell