CSU Ski camp

The CSU Ski camp just wrapped up, in Winchendon MA. This is the third year we've been there, and we're still super psyched to have this perfect location for camp. There's a pool on campus, dorm rooms, good rollerskiing, hills, and a great view.

The dining services apparently have a new manager now, with some different tastes than what nordies tend to eat during training camps, but we've learned our lesson there, and we'll be calling ahead to request some "special" meals of pasta before next year. Who knew that pasta was a special meal.

After two weeks of ski coaching, I'm feeling a little on the tired side. Mostly from rollerskiing; I haven't rolled this much since last fall, but the good news is that my elbow hasn't fallen apart yet. Other bits of my body seem to be cracking off, but that's just par for the course. Who really needs achilles tendons, anyway?

My favorite day of camp is the long hike along the Wapack trail. Here's a classic Alex-selfie, with the heads cut off of Hannah and Zoe.

One of the reasons I love this hike is for the blueberries. It's a mandatory stop along the ridge to stuff our faces with them. So good.

We had a lot of obligatory fun at camp, including tie-dying, minigolf, ice cream, ultimate frisbee, and orienteering. With five junior counselors to whom we could delegate tasks, it was actually almost relaxing for the so called "grown up" staff. That's in quotes because I count as one of them, and god knows I'm not a grownup yet. Anyway, Hannah organized the tie dying, and got headbands for everyone. I learned an important lesson about rinsing out your headband before wearing it on a long hike... check out the blue forehead!

The orienteering was a 30-minute score course, and the skiers were paired off. Different controls were worth different amounts of points, and there was only one team that got all the controls in the time limit. Two more got all the controls, but were over the limit. More importantly, everyone seemed to enjoy themselves.


Handing out the maps.

After the orienteering, I had set up a 20-station circuit, that we ran through twice. That's a bit on the large size for a circuit, but, with 40 groups of 2, you needed that many stations. Rob couldn't handle the supermans, and demonstrates his best gopher face, which we've since determined is the face he makes any time he's really concentrating. Jamie snapped this photo just before I totally lost it convulsing with laughter.

Overall, it was a really fun camp. Great team spirit, and a great work ethic by all the kids. I'm ready to not do any more 6:45am morning runs, though... or any more rollerskiing, for that matter.

This is usually how I feel by the end of ski camps... it's hard work, no matter how much you delegate!

(Any photo with me in it is courtesy of Jamie Doucett)