Jackson to opelousas and then on to beaumont- finally across the mississippi

1,108 miles so car. A short 70 mile day yesterday balanced out todays 136.5 miler. Wonderful stays in Jackson and Opelousas with Perry and Sarah. Rode the new bridge across the mississippi into new roads, a town that could use some stimulus. Continued my burger king trend on the last day of the cheap smoothie special. From there a long ride through sugar cane, rice and cotton growing on floodplains. 4 mile bridge crossing with no shoulders and a gnarly curb over the achalfalaya floodway. Jarring ride on louisiana side streets through opelousas.
Leaving opelousas chased by hippie dogs and a few big trucks. After a long ride on us 190 the road turned to us 12 and then texas 12 and then I 10. More rice fields, agriculture, oil fields then back to gulf fishing and resorts.
Perry and leps rescued house

Audubon bridge

crust skiing

Today I went crust skiing at Rainbow Ridge with FXC (shout out to alum Peter Leonard!). Not your typical skiing destination because this isn't around Anchorage.

Not Bend Oregon, but still not a bad sight for the end of May.

Eternal sun: It is around 6am at this point.

Unfortunately it wasn't sunny. Here's a big cornice that some of us tried to hit as a wind lip.

EDIT: Couple more pictures from facebook, courtesy of Ian Wilkinson

a bowl

6:30 am and before the clouds rolled in: really not a bad sight

-Vanya

New Hampshire

 It's pretty sweet.
 

A gift from Madison, FL

AK Summer

I am back in Alaska where there is still an impressive amount of snow.  Yesterday I went hiking up a mountain that was still about two thirds covered in snow and this morning I went for a ski at Hatcher's Pass.  It was a little too mushy for good crust skiing, but it felt pretty cool to be back on skis in late May.

End-of-the-year BBQ and Recognition

Last Friday the team got together to celebrate the end of the ski season, recognize the seniors, and hand out awards.  It was a mild evening in the quiet of the Greylock Quad, and the grill was kept busy for several hours to meet the appetites of 40 hungry skiers.  When it came time for Coaches Ed Grees (alpine) and Bud Fisher to hand out awards, summarize the season, and recognize the seniors there were as many big laughs as heartfelt speeches, with a smattering of tears on the side. . . .

BBQing in the Greylock Quad on a warm spring evening

the jokesters

Coach Fisher hands out academic awards

Coaches Grees (alpine) and Fisher hand out awards

Senior Erik Anderson

Senior Hannah Hausman

Senior Holly Whitney

Senior Dimitri Luthi

Dimitri receives a plaque and a trophy for the Ralph J. Townsend Award

The Team