Friday the Colorado Mountain College booth had gotten all sorted out and no one was trying to figure out where we were supposed to be setting up. Our item of the day was to hand out the Colorado Mountain College stickers that we had which had information about a text raffle on the back. We also had chapstick, ice scrapers, and caribeaners.
Saturday, I spent the day working the CMC booth. We were still trying to get all of the stickers hand out for the raffle taking place this morning. We were also trying to get rid of ice scrapers. We also seemed to have a lot of people interested in the brochures. The weather was really nice and sunny for most of the afternoon. Unfortunately, for about the last 45 minutes it suddenly got colder.
Finals take place today. They start at 10:30 so I'm about to head over to Breckenridge. From what I've been told, you can't take photos or videos of the finals. Maybe I can manage to interview a couple of athletes. We'll just see how things go.
Saturday, December 19, 2009
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Winter Dew Tour: Day 2
Today I was in Breckenridge once again for the Dew Tour. The Colorado Mountain College booth had a bit of a slow start as there were so issues that had to be sorted out as to where exactly our tent would be. We did eventually get set-up though.
Since there ended up being six of us hanging around the tent, we were able to take turns walking around. A couple people walked up to watch part of the halfpipe skiing event. Bobbie, who is one of the bloggers in Steamboat, and I both tried out the mechanical bull at the Jack Links tent and got Andreas Wigg's autograph at Toyota's booth. Nike 6.0 had blaze orange beanies for people who had 3 of a kind on their ticket. Mountain Dew was making custom screen-printed bandanas and applying stickers to snowboards. I did a mock interview in FuelTV's tent and decided that I was much better with interviews when I prepared what I was going to say ahead of time. Food samples were provided by Totino's Pizza, Mountain Dew, and PowerBar. Paul Mitchell also had chocolate to give away.
If you are at the Dew Tour tomorrow, you should come check out CMC's booth has we have a gazillion stickers to give away along with chapstick and caribeaners. We also have class schedules for the Breckenridge campus and brochures for various programs.
Since there ended up being six of us hanging around the tent, we were able to take turns walking around. A couple people walked up to watch part of the halfpipe skiing event. Bobbie, who is one of the bloggers in Steamboat, and I both tried out the mechanical bull at the Jack Links tent and got Andreas Wigg's autograph at Toyota's booth. Nike 6.0 had blaze orange beanies for people who had 3 of a kind on their ticket. Mountain Dew was making custom screen-printed bandanas and applying stickers to snowboards. I did a mock interview in FuelTV's tent and decided that I was much better with interviews when I prepared what I was going to say ahead of time. Food samples were provided by Totino's Pizza, Mountain Dew, and PowerBar. Paul Mitchell also had chocolate to give away.
If you are at the Dew Tour tomorrow, you should come check out CMC's booth has we have a gazillion stickers to give away along with chapstick and caribeaners. We also have class schedules for the Breckenridge campus and brochures for various programs.
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Winter Dew Tour: Day 1
Today I spent the day in Breckenridge for the Winter Dew Tour. For those of you who don't know, the Dew Tour is a freestyle ski and snowboard competition. As part of the Dew Tour, I was given the opportunity to interview a couple of competitors.
The first person I interviewed was Dan Marion who so kindly explained to a Breckenridge employee and myself, why they were painting multiple blue lines on the landing of a jump (it makes it more visible). Dan is a skier whose favorite Disney character is Peter Pan and his favorite ski or snowboard movie this year is Wild Stallions. His typical meal on the mountain is a PB&J and if he were not a skier, he would be a golfer. During the summer he surfs, skateboards, participates in water ramp training, and hikes. His parents got him into the sport of skiing. He skis professionally because he loves to ski. Having fun, progression, and video segments is what motivates him to work hard at the sport. His most memorable moment was getting 5th at the X-Games. He believes that diet definately has an impact on performance and that it's part of being a professional.
Next I interviewed Brett Esser who is a snowboarder. His favorite Disney character is Miley Cyrus. Black Winter is his favorite ski or snowboard movie this year. A typical meal on the mountain for him is a Pepperjack Chicken burger. He spends his summers skating and at Mt. Hood. If he weren't a snowboarder, he would be a Sushi Chef. When Brett was 7, his older brother got him interested in snowboarding. He snowboards professionally because it's fun, the progression, and the people. Money, sponsors, and babes motivates him to work hard at snowboarding. His most memorable time snowboarding was the first time he ever went snowboarding. He believes diet has an impact on his performance.
Jordi Carlinski's favorite Disney character is Aladin. She is a snowboarder who eats granola bars while on the mountain. During the summer she works and enjoys going outside. If she weren't a skier she would be a full-time student. Her parents got her involved in snowboarding. Fun and competition are her reasons for snowboarding professionally. Enjoyment and progression motivate her to work hard at riding. Iceland was her most memorable snowboarding experience. She believes diet has an impact on her riding performance.
Nils Mindnich's favorite Disney character is the racoon in Pocahontas. Before he thought of the racoon, his favorite character was the dwarf off of Snow White who doesn't talk and whose name is possibly Dopey. He doesn't watch ski and snowboard videos, so he didn't have a favorite. He asked me what my favorite was, but I don't watch them either, so I wasn't able to be of much help. On the mountain he eats french fries and Ramen noodles. During the summer he hikes and skates and he would be a surf rat if he weren't a snowboarder. His parents got him involved in snowboarding. Fun and opportunity are why he snowboards professioanlly. 80's pop music motivates him to work hard. His most memorable snowboarding experience was heli-boarding in New Zealand. He also believes diet has an impact on his performance as a snowboarder.
Fun fact: One of the snowboarders who was competing in the men's halfpipe open qualifier is a Breckenridge local who jogs to the ski area to ride.
I was actually surprised at how friendly the competitors that I talked to were. You hear about professional athletes being jerks, but the ones I talked to weren't like that at all.
Tomorrow I am helping out at the Colorado Mountain College booth. I will also try to do a couple more interviews with competitors, as I realize today's interviews were focused on snowboarders and males (due in part to I was standing in the "holding area" for the men's snowboard halfpipe open qualifiers).
The first person I interviewed was Dan Marion who so kindly explained to a Breckenridge employee and myself, why they were painting multiple blue lines on the landing of a jump (it makes it more visible). Dan is a skier whose favorite Disney character is Peter Pan and his favorite ski or snowboard movie this year is Wild Stallions. His typical meal on the mountain is a PB&J and if he were not a skier, he would be a golfer. During the summer he surfs, skateboards, participates in water ramp training, and hikes. His parents got him into the sport of skiing. He skis professionally because he loves to ski. Having fun, progression, and video segments is what motivates him to work hard at the sport. His most memorable moment was getting 5th at the X-Games. He believes that diet definately has an impact on performance and that it's part of being a professional.
Next I interviewed Brett Esser who is a snowboarder. His favorite Disney character is Miley Cyrus. Black Winter is his favorite ski or snowboard movie this year. A typical meal on the mountain for him is a Pepperjack Chicken burger. He spends his summers skating and at Mt. Hood. If he weren't a snowboarder, he would be a Sushi Chef. When Brett was 7, his older brother got him interested in snowboarding. He snowboards professionally because it's fun, the progression, and the people. Money, sponsors, and babes motivates him to work hard at snowboarding. His most memorable time snowboarding was the first time he ever went snowboarding. He believes diet has an impact on his performance.
Jordi Carlinski's favorite Disney character is Aladin. She is a snowboarder who eats granola bars while on the mountain. During the summer she works and enjoys going outside. If she weren't a skier she would be a full-time student. Her parents got her involved in snowboarding. Fun and competition are her reasons for snowboarding professionally. Enjoyment and progression motivate her to work hard at riding. Iceland was her most memorable snowboarding experience. She believes diet has an impact on her riding performance.
Nils Mindnich's favorite Disney character is the racoon in Pocahontas. Before he thought of the racoon, his favorite character was the dwarf off of Snow White who doesn't talk and whose name is possibly Dopey. He doesn't watch ski and snowboard videos, so he didn't have a favorite. He asked me what my favorite was, but I don't watch them either, so I wasn't able to be of much help. On the mountain he eats french fries and Ramen noodles. During the summer he hikes and skates and he would be a surf rat if he weren't a snowboarder. His parents got him involved in snowboarding. Fun and opportunity are why he snowboards professioanlly. 80's pop music motivates him to work hard. His most memorable snowboarding experience was heli-boarding in New Zealand. He also believes diet has an impact on his performance as a snowboarder.
Fun fact: One of the snowboarders who was competing in the men's halfpipe open qualifier is a Breckenridge local who jogs to the ski area to ride.
I was actually surprised at how friendly the competitors that I talked to were. You hear about professional athletes being jerks, but the ones I talked to weren't like that at all.
Tomorrow I am helping out at the Colorado Mountain College booth. I will also try to do a couple more interviews with competitors, as I realize today's interviews were focused on snowboarders and males (due in part to I was standing in the "holding area" for the men's snowboard halfpipe open qualifiers).
Saturday, December 12, 2009
Winter Activities in Leadville
Tonight I headed over to the Lake County Ice Rink which is really a basketball court that they flood with water. Someone had told me earlier in the day that they had free hot dogs this evening since it was their opening day. Turns out that they also had free skating and skate rentals. I am definately not much of an ice skater, but it was fun for the short time that I partook in it. If you don't mind dodging small children wearing ski helmets and holding onto miniture chairs for dear life, middle schoolers congregating in large crowds, couples holding hands, and a hockey game that you didn't realize you had skated into the midst of, the ice rink was the place to be.
Dutch Henri sledding hill is currently closed, but once it does open, sledding is free if you provide your own sled. Tube rental is available on Saturdays and Sundays for $5/hour.
Another free activity in Leadville is corss country skiing or snowshoeing on the Mineral Belt Trail.
Ice skating is $4.25 for admission plus skate rental. Monday nights from 6-9pm is drop in hockey.
On Monday and Wednesday nights, from 6-9pm, the Lake County Middle School Gym is open for those that are 18 and over. Admission is $2.
Thursday evenings there is half-price swimming for adults from 7-9pm.
There is also downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and dog sledding.
Click here for more information about recreation in Lake County.
Don't forget about the Winter Dew Tour in Breckenridge next weekend. Hope to see you there!
Dutch Henri sledding hill is currently closed, but once it does open, sledding is free if you provide your own sled. Tube rental is available on Saturdays and Sundays for $5/hour.
Another free activity in Leadville is corss country skiing or snowshoeing on the Mineral Belt Trail.
Ice skating is $4.25 for admission plus skate rental. Monday nights from 6-9pm is drop in hockey.
On Monday and Wednesday nights, from 6-9pm, the Lake County Middle School Gym is open for those that are 18 and over. Admission is $2.
Thursday evenings there is half-price swimming for adults from 7-9pm.
There is also downhill skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, ice fishing, and dog sledding.
Click here for more information about recreation in Lake County.
Don't forget about the Winter Dew Tour in Breckenridge next weekend. Hope to see you there!
Friday, December 11, 2009
Finals Week
This past week was finals week. I only had one final since all of my Ski Area Operations classes ended at Halloween. My one final was in Principles of Accounting and I felt like it took FOREVER, but we were able to take it home and work on it, so it wasn't that bad.
I finally got my "Drive Up From Denver" video uploaded earlier today.
Earlier this week we finally got the snow that everyone had been waiting for. Ski Cooper has on-snow instructor training this weekend and is hopefully opening for the season next weekend.
The first stop on the Winter Dew Tour is the Totino's Open, which will be held at Breckenridge Ski Resort, in Breckenridge, Colorado. It takes place from December 17th-21st.
"At each event there are a total of six competitions amongst men's and women's snowboarding and freeskiing in superpipe and slopestyle."
A couple of us bloggers are helping out at the Colorado Mountain College booth, which will be at the village at the base of Peak 8. We will be around Thursday-Sunday to hand out freebies and talk about our experiences at CMC. We also have the opportunity to interview a couple of Dew Tour athletes on Wednesday, which I think is pretty awesome.
Monday night was "Night Breakfast" in the cafeteria and on Wednesday there was karaoke in the cafeteria. I was asleep before Night Breakfast started and I didn't stay for much of the karaoke, but the part I did see was entertaining.
As for what's in store for the next couple of weeks...
This coming Wednesday and Thursday I'll be in Breckenridge for the Dew Tour. I should have some interviews, photos, and videos to post afterwards.
After that it is teaching snowboarding at Ski Cooper for my SAO internship.
The dorms open back up on January 6th and classes start on the 11th.
Enjoy your Christmas break! :)
I finally got my "Drive Up From Denver" video uploaded earlier today.
Earlier this week we finally got the snow that everyone had been waiting for. Ski Cooper has on-snow instructor training this weekend and is hopefully opening for the season next weekend.
The first stop on the Winter Dew Tour is the Totino's Open, which will be held at Breckenridge Ski Resort, in Breckenridge, Colorado. It takes place from December 17th-21st.
"At each event there are a total of six competitions amongst men's and women's snowboarding and freeskiing in superpipe and slopestyle."
A couple of us bloggers are helping out at the Colorado Mountain College booth, which will be at the village at the base of Peak 8. We will be around Thursday-Sunday to hand out freebies and talk about our experiences at CMC. We also have the opportunity to interview a couple of Dew Tour athletes on Wednesday, which I think is pretty awesome.
Monday night was "Night Breakfast" in the cafeteria and on Wednesday there was karaoke in the cafeteria. I was asleep before Night Breakfast started and I didn't stay for much of the karaoke, but the part I did see was entertaining.
As for what's in store for the next couple of weeks...
This coming Wednesday and Thursday I'll be in Breckenridge for the Dew Tour. I should have some interviews, photos, and videos to post afterwards.
After that it is teaching snowboarding at Ski Cooper for my SAO internship.
The dorms open back up on January 6th and classes start on the 11th.
Enjoy your Christmas break! :)
Friday, December 4, 2009
The Drive Up From Denver
The video does not actually start in Denver. It starts more in the Sterling area on I-76. Denver sounded like a more identifiable location than Sterling though for people who are not familiar with Colorado.
When I started filming, I could see the mountains in the distance, but apparently the camera could not.
However, as you can see, the mountains appear soon enough.
The 5th "clip" (the one where there are all kinds of cars on the other side of the interstate) is the outskirts of Denver, still on I-76. I really did not get any filming done as I went through Denver as I value my car staying in one piece and Denver has more traffic than I am used to.
The 7th and 8th "clips" are on I-70.
The 9th "clip" is on the way into Silverthorne. You can see Dillon Dam on the in the distance. It starts off on the left but due to the road and my filming ends up more towards the right, and then goes back to the left before disappearing.
The clip after that is after taking the Copper Mountain exit. Note to my concerned parents: I was looking where I was going and the light was red and there weren't any cars in front of me
I think the sun on the last clip looks pretty cool.
And that is it. The drive from I-76 somewhere past Sterling, through Denver, onto I-70, and then onto Hwy 91.
Adventures At Home
Last Friday my aunt and I went to the mall in Sioux Falls for the Black Friday sales. My mom however, was going to have no part in this- she hates the mall, and shopping, and crowds. Although the mall opened at 5AM, we really did not feel the need to be there that early. Arriving at 9:30 worked just fine for us. Aside from the mass of people that filled Younkers and the line at Old Navy that went from the front of the store all the way to the back of the store, we did not find any crowds. JCPenney's had all kinds of employees around to help you and I found a $20 robe for my brother for Christmas that was originally $84. Macy's was handing out Craisins to "give you energy to shop". We also stopped into Naturalizer where my aunt was able to find a pair of shoes. After that, my aunt had a cup of coffee and I had a pretzel while waiting to get my hair cut. Then we left the mall, made a quick stop at the grocery store, and headed home.
Since my dad had to work on Friday, my uncle and brother just hunted on our land, but they didn't get anything.
Saturday my mom, aunt, and I headed to Mitchell, SD to go to Cabela's to look at winter coats. Unfortunately, their selection of winter coats was rather slim. While standing under the "Women's Outerwear" sign we found 2 coats. Being rather disappointed with the selection, we went to the hunting section, found my dad what he told us to get, and went through the checkout. We then put our stuff in the car and my mom suggested we eat at the restaurant inside. So, we head back inside and find a couple more women's winter coats along with the UnderArmour that was on sale that my mom saw in the ad and we then forgot about. We then discovered that the restaurant was no more. It was now a fudge shop with miscellaneous other items. We each got a free sample of fudge though. We then ate at Culvers for lunch which was packed- as in if you wanted to sit down to eat you basically needed to wait for someone else to vacate their table. Then it was back onto the interstate to go to Scheels in Sioux Falls which had a lot more selection and a salesman who was determined to not let me use the big hook that is used to get down coats that are too high to reach. Not allowing me to use the big hook was probably in the best interest of the rest of the store, as I had no clue how to use it.
Then it was another quick trip to the grocery store before we headed home, where my dad, uncle, and brother were hunting after my dad and uncle had not had luck finding pheasants elsewhere.
Sunday my aunt, uncle, and their 2 dogs left. Then I cut my brother's hair since he doesn't trust my mom to do it. I think his original plan was "Cut it short so that mom won't try to cut it before the end of February when we are coming to visit you". However, my mom says it's short enough now that it won't need to get cut until my graduation at the end of April. Words of wisdom: Don't assume that your 17-year-old brother knows what blade should be used to cut his hair. Then, while my mom and brother went to church I attempted to finish drying some sheets that I was planning to taking back to Colorado with me that afternoon. My dad and I headed into Sioux Falls a little later and met my mom at a snowboard shop where I was hoping to get boots, but that didn't happen because apparently I'm too picky about how the boot fits. Then we went to Perkins where my mom had to have her usual debate of whether she wanted to eat breakfast or lunch before my dad went to the auto parts store to get some fluids to put in my car and my mom and I went to the cell phone store and the mall before picking my brother up from a movie. A little while after getting home, my mom and I had to go back into town to get an additive for a fluid that my dad was putting into my car. Then it was an attempt at going to bed early since I was getting up at 2AM (1AM Colorado time) to drive back. I made a video of the drive up from Denver and I will be posting it in another post, as I'm not totally sure how to upload a video and I wish to have as few things as possible to make disappear, re-arrange, or otherwise mess up.
Monday morning I was not exactly raring to go when my alarm went off and the fact that I tried to make hot chocolate with only hot water is a sign of that. I woke up soon enough though and enjoyed the wonderful 14-hour drive back to Colorado. At the Student Government meeting we didn't have enough people to vote on anything and since this coming Monday will be finals week, we don't have a meeting again until next semester.
Tuesday in Accounting we were told we'd basically have a take-home final. She is posting it this weekend and then we can come in on Tuesday to work on it, otherwise we can do it on our own. While Accounting was an enjoyable class this semester for the most part, I don't think I will be taking "Part 2" next semester as it has yet to "click" and so it results in more frustration than anything.
To say that it has been chilly in Leadville lately is an understatement. Yesterday morning it was -15. Yes, negative. Today it was a balmy -12 when I got up. It's now -2. At least it is sunny though. One of my friends was joking this morning that a heat wave must have come in overnight. Many of us are getting impatient with the negative temperatures. It would be one thing if there were snow on the ground or if it were currently snowing. But it's not. It's just ridiculously cold. Those of us working at Ski Cooper this winter are really wishing for snow about now. Hopefully we'll get a bunch of snow this weekend, as they announce on Monday whether or not they are opening for the coming weekend.
Since my dad had to work on Friday, my uncle and brother just hunted on our land, but they didn't get anything.
Saturday my mom, aunt, and I headed to Mitchell, SD to go to Cabela's to look at winter coats. Unfortunately, their selection of winter coats was rather slim. While standing under the "Women's Outerwear" sign we found 2 coats. Being rather disappointed with the selection, we went to the hunting section, found my dad what he told us to get, and went through the checkout. We then put our stuff in the car and my mom suggested we eat at the restaurant inside. So, we head back inside and find a couple more women's winter coats along with the UnderArmour that was on sale that my mom saw in the ad and we then forgot about. We then discovered that the restaurant was no more. It was now a fudge shop with miscellaneous other items. We each got a free sample of fudge though. We then ate at Culvers for lunch which was packed- as in if you wanted to sit down to eat you basically needed to wait for someone else to vacate their table. Then it was back onto the interstate to go to Scheels in Sioux Falls which had a lot more selection and a salesman who was determined to not let me use the big hook that is used to get down coats that are too high to reach. Not allowing me to use the big hook was probably in the best interest of the rest of the store, as I had no clue how to use it.
Then it was another quick trip to the grocery store before we headed home, where my dad, uncle, and brother were hunting after my dad and uncle had not had luck finding pheasants elsewhere.
Sunday my aunt, uncle, and their 2 dogs left. Then I cut my brother's hair since he doesn't trust my mom to do it. I think his original plan was "Cut it short so that mom won't try to cut it before the end of February when we are coming to visit you". However, my mom says it's short enough now that it won't need to get cut until my graduation at the end of April. Words of wisdom: Don't assume that your 17-year-old brother knows what blade should be used to cut his hair. Then, while my mom and brother went to church I attempted to finish drying some sheets that I was planning to taking back to Colorado with me that afternoon. My dad and I headed into Sioux Falls a little later and met my mom at a snowboard shop where I was hoping to get boots, but that didn't happen because apparently I'm too picky about how the boot fits. Then we went to Perkins where my mom had to have her usual debate of whether she wanted to eat breakfast or lunch before my dad went to the auto parts store to get some fluids to put in my car and my mom and I went to the cell phone store and the mall before picking my brother up from a movie. A little while after getting home, my mom and I had to go back into town to get an additive for a fluid that my dad was putting into my car. Then it was an attempt at going to bed early since I was getting up at 2AM (1AM Colorado time) to drive back. I made a video of the drive up from Denver and I will be posting it in another post, as I'm not totally sure how to upload a video and I wish to have as few things as possible to make disappear, re-arrange, or otherwise mess up.
Monday morning I was not exactly raring to go when my alarm went off and the fact that I tried to make hot chocolate with only hot water is a sign of that. I woke up soon enough though and enjoyed the wonderful 14-hour drive back to Colorado. At the Student Government meeting we didn't have enough people to vote on anything and since this coming Monday will be finals week, we don't have a meeting again until next semester.
Tuesday in Accounting we were told we'd basically have a take-home final. She is posting it this weekend and then we can come in on Tuesday to work on it, otherwise we can do it on our own. While Accounting was an enjoyable class this semester for the most part, I don't think I will be taking "Part 2" next semester as it has yet to "click" and so it results in more frustration than anything.
To say that it has been chilly in Leadville lately is an understatement. Yesterday morning it was -15. Yes, negative. Today it was a balmy -12 when I got up. It's now -2. At least it is sunny though. One of my friends was joking this morning that a heat wave must have come in overnight. Many of us are getting impatient with the negative temperatures. It would be one thing if there were snow on the ground or if it were currently snowing. But it's not. It's just ridiculously cold. Those of us working at Ski Cooper this winter are really wishing for snow about now. Hopefully we'll get a bunch of snow this weekend, as they announce on Monday whether or not they are opening for the coming weekend.
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