How cool are Snow Cats?

Just before Christmas, Coach Adam and I headed up to Lake Louise early, very early (actually 5:30 am is too early in my books!) to build the start section on which we will train for our Christmas Training Camp prior to the full course being ready for us in the New Year. With the help of a friendly and talented Cat Driver we managed to build a mound to put the start gate on, a small wu-tang and a couple of rollers. It was a pretty amazing experience being up on the hill in the dark watching the Cat move snow so quickly and effortlessly to create features. Here are some photos...

Adam chatting about the possible things we could construct.

Snow!

Temple mountain in the back ground as the Sun comes up...

"I'm going to eat you...." watching a Cat come towards you is a little frightening!

As you can see the views were pretty spectacular with the sun rising over those crazy Rocky Mountains! It was definitely a unique experience to be standing on the wu tang as the cat pushed more snow up. The accuracy of the Cat Driver was amazing. 

This experience also gave me a new appreciation of what it must take to build a full course for us to race on. The hours of Cat time, digging and planning that go into each course must be immense. At times as racers we can be quick to judge a course; complaining that it doesn't flow or the features are too small, too big, too rough etc. etc. However, I'm sure at each of those courses there were factors, including the amount and type of snow, the natural shape of the terrain, the amount of money and time available, that came to play and the builders did their best to create a challenging and manageable course. We racers should perhaps learn how to better deal with these different issues rather than determining that it was the course that was the problem. 

After a couple of test runs down the features prior to a final grooming we were satisfied that it would work for training & we headed off for some early lunch to fill the bellies after a cold morning out on the hill. Now I just can't wait to spend some time out there perfecting my starts and getting the legs moving!

Bring on the 27th of December & training camp Day 1!

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from Canmore in Alberta! I hope that I find everyone who reads this blog enjoying some good times with friends and family.

I tried to go ice skating today (Christmas Eve) and failed due to a shortage of skates in Canmore, playing Boot-Hockey was still fun! Though it is these times of the year that seem to be the hardest to be away from home. I'm definitely glad that modern technology will allow me to skype with the Family that remains in Australia & see their happy, suntanned faces!

Stay tuned for some photos and a blog about a recent experience building the start section of a boardercross course for us to train on at the post-Christmas training camp! It was pretty amazing watching the Cat work.

Eat up & be Jolly!

Walking in Canmore - a reminder why being away from family so worth it... It's so beautiful!

Sending well wishes for the "Holidays" from Canmore.

What we do when we are not snowboarding

Friday is official activities day in Canmore. After completing our final workout of the week it is time to have some fun & enjoy the fact that Saturday is solely for free-riding, sleeping, eating or whatever we please!

We start the "weekend" with team recovery in the form of cupcakes at a local cafe that bakes delicious gluten-free chocolate cupcakes with green tea icing.

Feeling a little guilty about the poor post work out recovery but enjoying the treat!

Friday afternoon is then for cooking, cleaning clothes (I have constructed a temporary clothesline in my room at the hostel) and cruising the shops. This past Friday I managed to get a uniform consisting of dress pants and a black shirt for my new job at the Thrift Store for $7.63!! I was pretty excited.

After all this down-time it is time for some fun-time. The Canmore Legion, the local Veterans Club/RSL, hosts a bingo night every Friday night. There are lots of corny jokes, decent cash prizes and $11.25 pitcher/jugs of beer - what more do you need to have a good time? After getting a handle on the bingo lingo, what a "dabber" is and all the crazy shapes that you need to get a "BINGO" I managed to pocket $7 with a little win with one line of the sandwich - don't ask me now what that is...!

Me with my winning card!!

Saturday is always a pretty mellow day riding at one of the hills and recovering from all the friday night frivolity!

My aforementioned job, at a restaurant in a hotel across the road from the hostel, may cut in to these fun times as I'm going to be working Friday and Saturday nights at least until mid January. However having some income is pretty important and I am looking forward to making a whole new group of acquaintances. I'm sure I will find some time to fit in extra-curricular activities. There are so many post snowboarding options - hot springs in Banff, bakery in Lake Louise and even skating on the town pod. if I can find some for a bargain around town. It is important to make sure that training is balanced out with some light entertainment. It is too easy to get really caught up in progress on the snow such that training becomes unproductive. Luckily I have great team mates and friends at the hostel to enjoy all the other things that the area has to offer.

Sending shouts of BINGO from Canmore.

November Powder Shred

Hi all,

Just thought I would post a few photos from training last week taken by team mate Gen.

Technical training was called off with over 60cm in a few days and the 'rock boards' were strapped on to our feet. Although there was a lot of fresh snow, these early snowfalls really demonstrate why these mountains are called the "Rockies". I hit a few big rocks and had a memorable cartwheel through a fairly decent rock garden. This resulted in bruises on my back and yet another reason why I should organise myself to get a back protector. All in all it was a great week training - lots of fresh pockets to be had & a few glory turns under the chairlift that evinced yelps from the viewers riding up!

Fun times...

Hiking up for some late morning fresh turns off the gondola. Unfortunately due to avalanche danger the back bowls at Louise weren't quite open - the snow is unusually wet and sliding to the ground at the moment.

From the right: Coach Mike, Josh and Myself getting ready to take some turns.

"Aussie Powder Turn" - generally involves commando rolling yourself in as much snow as possible at speed. Mike has perfected it - here I failed by not landing back on my feet but enjoyed the sweet taste of powder!

Pretty stoked that it is only November!!!! January is looking like it could be quite fun with this base that has been building up. We went up to Sunshine yesterday and it was fun to get back to hitting the little drops & jumps around the Standish lift. There was at times train rag-dolling due to a lack of skill at stomping jumps & lots of laughing at the attempts. Mike managed to show us all up yet again really sending a couple of hits a few times. It is pretty awesome riding with someone who is so talented every day, I feel like I'm learning so much!

Praying for more snow in Canmore.

Hitting the Ground Running

I have been in Canmore for 9 nights now and life has been hectic to say the least. I have already completed 6 on snow training sessions and 7 dry-land workouts. I have appeared on the snow report "picture of the day" for Lake Louise (see previous post) and been to Canadain Tire TWICE [this is like Wallmart on steroids... enjoyable!]. In addition, getting to know my new team mates, hostel friends and searching for work in town means that there has been little time to sit around and enjoy the scenery. Which is still gorgeous.

The new look team has started off well with lots of laughter and some pretty epic sessions to be had. Josh, arrived on Sunday from Cold Lake, Alberta and was vomitting on our first team stair sprints session this morning. He won props for destroying himself the best! Gen and I have begun a mission to tell numerous fairly average jokes per day. If anyone has any suggestions for Chair-Lift jokes please post below. Allie, who picked me up from the airport, and I are having fun trying new drills, that inevitably involve a million squats and much leg burn as set by our program coach Mike.

Mike, Coach Adam's brother, has been great in his new role as our program coach, whilst Adam has taken up a more administrative position. Mike won the silver medal at the Vancouver Olympic Games and just riding with him is so helpful. We are constantly getting him to demo to perfection different skills, and his very athlete specific explanations for why certain things are important have helped me a lot in these two weeks. I'm really pleased where I am at for this time of year and I think that Adam and Mike are both stoked for me also. I'm riding so much better than last year and am so much stronger in the gym. It's only up from here!!

I am staying at the Hostel Bear - which has proved more enjoyable, quieter and cleaner than expected. I think I will stay here for the moment, save some money on household things and enjoy the opportunity to meet so many new people. I like coming home from a days training and not having to talk about boardercross. Most of the people here don't know what it is, and that suits me just fine!

Finding work is proving a little tricky. Although I was offered a job serving, they only wanted to hire someone full time which is not possible for me. Trying to find someone that can provide hours that fit with my schedule may be a little tricky but I'm sure something will work out. Hopefully as Christmas gets closer more positions will open up. It would just be nice to be earning some money, so I can occasionally go out for dinner or what not rather than being in extreme saving mode all the time. What will be will be I guess!

I hope that the sun is coming out over there and that you are all finished with exams or enjoying Christmas party season as applies. It is puking snow here so all is looking good for training tomorrow - Mike is scheduling mandatory powder turns this season!

A sample joke to get you laughing:
What happened to the cat who swallowed a ball of yarn?
It had mittens...!!

Sending you giggles from Canmore.

Lake Louise Ski Report

After my second day of on snow training I was amused to be told by Coach Adam that I had "made the ski report". Pretty sure we were meant to be doing technical carving training at the time, sorry Adam! My new Anakie Outerwear certainly stands out on the hill! Unfortunately they caught me in a particularly awkward moment doing my new trick which I call the semi-board slide, aided immeasurably by the fact that I'm on a race board!

Check out the link for the current snow report at http://skilouise.com/conditions/snow-report.php.

Life is great, cold, but great - it is fun playing "spot the difference" about town compared to last year.

Stay tuned for a more detailed report on my first week of the North American winter in a few days.

Smile for the Camera.

Bring on the end of Exams!

Guess how many sleeps until I'm back in the Rockies???????

Getting so excited now to pack my bags just trying to get through the rest of my University work. For. Ever. Wow. 

Have you ever heard that John Denver song Rocky Mountain High? I know you have - makes me excited!

Rocky Mountain High

He was born in the summer of his 27th year

Comin' home to a place he'd never been before

He left yesterday behind him, you might say he was born again

You might say he found a key for every door

When he first came to the mountains his life was far away

On the road and hangin' by a song

But the string's already broken and he doesn't really care

It keeps changin' fast and it don't last for long

But the Colorado rocky mountain high

I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky

The shadow from the starlight is softer than a lullabye

Rocky mountain high

He climbed cathedral mountains, he saw silver clouds below

He saw everything as far as you can see

And they say that he got crazy once and he tried to touch the sun

And he lost a friend but kept his memory

Now he walks in quiet solitude the forest and the streams

Seeking grace in every step he takes

His sight has turned inside himself to try and understand

The serenity of a clear blue mountain lake

And the Colorado rocky mountain high

I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky

You can talk to God and listen to the casual reply

Rocky mountain high

Now his life is full of wonder but his heart still knows some fear

Of a simple thing he cannot comprehend

Why they try to tear the mountains down to bring in a couple more

More people, more scars upon the land

And the Colorado rocky mountain high

I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky

I know he'd be a poorer man if he never saw an eagle fly

Rocky mountain high

It's Colorado rocky mountain high

I've seen it rainin' fire in the sky

Friends around the campfire and everybody's high

Rocky mountain high 

It's been stuck in my head for weeks now and just keeps getting louder! I can't wait to get my Rocky Mountain High, albeit in Canada not Colorado!