So we set off at 6:30 in the morning (sacraficing our one late start day for skiing) in the bus drived by the U32 coach (we always travel with U32). Things are a little cold on the bus, but going well... Until we hear a beeping. So, we pull over and it turns out there wasn't any coolant (sp?). So the coaches collect our water bottles (I'll admit I secretly held onto mine, my water was in an old coke bottle so it looked really trashy compared to the fancy-shmancy nalgenes being passed forward). They poured the water in and we set off again to the Elmore store. Once there Greg discovered they had no anti-freeze (by the way, everyone on the bus was taking this as a message from God that we really shouldn't race). So Greg worked a little magic with some duct tape to fix some tube and we set off again. Then we drove to the bus barn which is where we got the bus I guess (we passed it twice before we actually got there). I don't think anything was actually accomplished there, but it was another promising sign that we just shouldn't race (we would only have missed the boys race if we had missed any at all). So we leave there in our broken bus, which breaks down again a little later. Some U32 parents drove the boys the rest of the way so that they could make their race (it took a little convincing to get two certain boys off the bus and to the race, Montpelier boys of course, it's just our nature). Eventually we made it to Jay Peak, where we find out they postponed the race just for us, how nice.
So the race consisted of two laps. It was 6k in all and half up hill, half down hill, really. Very, very brief periods of flat. At the end of the first lap, it was a little confusing where to turn, because one direction took you to the finish and the other direction took you to your second lap (the confusion of that turn led to another classic ski team moment when one member was DQ'd for only doing one lap by accident). Anyways, while I was having a heart attack going up the hill on my first lap I was planning out in my head what I would do at the end of my first lap: I'd zoom down the hill, find Greg and say "Nope, I can't do it, I quit, sorry!" Which wouldn't have made that much of a difference as I am admittedly the slowest skier on the team (not that much slower than some others, but yes, the slowest I believe). But as I zoomed down the turn after the long, long downhill that allowed for a nice recovery, I found I was already headed back up the hill for my second lap before I even realized it. The second lap wasn't quite as bad because I was a little warmed up and a little less concerned with keeping up, as the end was sort of in sight. Eventually I got to the downhill and cruised casually into the finish. Overall, I came in 53rd out of 57, which is much better than I had anticipated. And just to give you some perspective, there were some other Montpelier skiers that came in pretty close to me (before me, but close). So I thought it was successful. And I believe Ruthie came in first out of the Montpelier girls, which is no surprise as she is a fabulous skier.
The relays followed, which required 4 girls for the girls team and 4 boys for the boys team. Kate showed up for that one which made the girls team, Kate, Ruthie, Emma and Erica. They did the same loop, but only once, and a little bit was cut off. They did a very impressive job (beat U32 in an exciting finish). Ruthie and Kate also have their picture in the Times Argus (courtesy of Steve Sease) which you should check out if you have one available.
My ride home was much less chaotic thanks to Steve. Alex, Pat and I jumped at the chance to ride with Kate and Steve, which was very nice. So all in all it was a wonderful day! And good luck to ski team next week at the skating states. Now it's time to get ready for vacation, fun! And my last day of school before vacation won't be too challenging. I think we're watching a movie in one class, we're doing yoga in another (yay Ms. Smerka!) and the rest doesn't matter, fun! Except I have to work after school.... But that will eventually lead to getting a paycheck, which is fun too.
Posted by lib at February 23, 2006 05:40 PM