The Good, The Bad, and The Smelly

Howdy, herd! 

Coming attcha' from my home in Mazama, WA where I've been all summer and couldn't be happier! I've been kicking it with the familia and enjoying all the wild west has to offer. As for participation in our market economy, I've been working at the Mazama General Store (or "The Store" as it is the only store in town) and been doing an internship with the Methow Valley Citizen's Council doing data organization and communications. 

My co-worker Jenni mass-producing cinnamon rolls

When I'm not slinging pastries or struggling to use Excel I've been hitting the trails and open roads of the Methow Valley. If I'm lucky, I'll even remember my watch for intervals/uphill time trials (and I am not a lucky woman). 

Here at home, I'm getting a little sweatier, a little stinkier, and maybe even a little bit stronger everyday.

I've also been enjoying myself exploring the Methow's endlessly expansive backyard: the North Cascades! 

My buds, Mike and Ginger, getting high (the kind that D.A.R.E approves of)

This summer I've been cross-training with some climbing in the beautiful alpine with friends, chasing views and excuses to eat my body weight in gummies. 

Nomming some summit pizza

Unfortunately, my shoulders couldn't handle the rapid onset of muscle mass I've been putting on in the gym and I'm now (temporarily) out of commission with a rotator cuff over-use injury. But I've been spending my downtime productively: armless-swimming, picking berries in Rhode Island with a fellow Eph (of the ball sport variety) and harassing Henry J. for advice on linocut (my new favorite past-time).

Spoils of the narp life

My brother, Conrad, and former suitemate, Claire, going for a dip

Hope to be up and running (literally and figuratively) soon!

Till next time, keep rocking the cow!

- Greta

 

When Cows Fly

 Writing a blog post? Sounds a lot like summer homework to me... but just this once I'll make an exception.

However, like everything else I do, it's gonna be a couple minutes behind Jenae's schedule.

Life moves pretty fast here in Lake Placid, where I've been spending the summer so far. With newly-renovated jumps, two (2!!) roller ski tracks, the High Peaks, and beautiful lakes, I and my nordic combined teammates Tate Frantz and Evan Nichols have been living the Good Life. 

A flying cow!

Training has been lots of fun, with progress made on the jump, some quality interval sessions, and some good hours in the mountains. 

The view from Algonquin Peak!

In between sessions, we're entrepreneurs. After emails, meetings, phone calls, and a damn good Google Slides presentation, the three of us were approved by the NY Olympic Regional Development Authority to work as tour guides at the jumps. Officially, we're Athlete Ambassadors-- Olympic hopefuls offering the public an exclusive insight into the training, mindset, and thrill of life as a professional athlete. If there's one thing Williams has taught me, it's how to bullish*t.

Each day from 12-2pm, two of us give visitors a complementary guided tour of the Jumping Complex-- culminating in the third Teammate (Evan, Tate and I switch off) performing a jump in front of the crowd. Visitors are extremely curious about the sport, and are genuinely psyched to get to know us and follow our careers. Watching visitors get excited about ski jumping and nordic combined makes the work really enjoyable! Meeting an athlete and getting to see them fly by moments later never fails to awe spectators, and the amazement they feel seems to move them to tip generously. 

Come check it out! And bring your wallet!

Hustlers hard at work.

While we don't get health care with our job, we do get free rides down the bobsled track. A good trade? You tell me.

When we're not training or working (or working/training), you can find us kicking back at the lake. 

Boats...

...and hoes!

My time in Lake Placid has been wonderful! I'll be enjoying this last week of Adirondack life before heading to Norway for August! Will I see any other Ephs there? Stay tuned!

Henry

Summer in Williamstown Starter Pack

Hello, avid blog readers! 

I want to take a moment to acknowledge that, though we did neglect you for a couple of years, we honestly did not forget about you. Over this hiatus, "the blog" came up in conversation at least once weekly. We frequently discussed favorite posts, explained to confused underclassmen what the blog is, and just generally took moments to hold you all in our thoughts and sit with the guilt and shame that came with abandoning this strong Blogspot community. I am so sorry. 

With that off my chest, it's time for a quick summer update! I've put off writing this post in the hopes that something truly wild will happen to me and impel me to get writing, but alas, you're stuck with hearing about my pretty humdrum life on campus. 

The most exciting thing about the present moment is that it is 95 degrees outside (hit 100 yesterday). Here's the view from where I am writing this (new Wachenheim Science Center!!). Don't be fooled by the nice scenery, I am in here because my room is unTHINKably tropical—as in, I cannot think thoughts let alone write words in there due to the extreme temperatures. Dorm living, can't beat it!

This week aside, summer here in Williamstown has been lovely! Over the years, I have come to really love this place and all the beautiful surrounding areas. So this spring, I figured: why leave?? and got a job working in the Alumni Office as a summer assistant. I started in May so I actually got my wish and didn't leave after the semester ended. It's been a cool experience to learn about a new aspect of college operations and relations! 

The college has been making up every reunion and graduation that was missed due to covid, so I've also gotten to work at those events as part of my job which has been super fun! Pictured above: having a moment with Ephelia. 

Another reason I wanted to be here this summer was to have the ability to travel around the east on weekends to visit friends and go on adventures! Here are a few highlights: 

Bar Harbor, Maine

Fourth of July in Warren, VT 

Lyme, NH area explored by bike with old pals!

I have of course also been doing alllll your typical Summer in Williamstown activities: museum trips, swimming holes, Theatre Festival shows, river floats, dog sitting, snow-hole visits, sunsets, finding the perfect window fan position, ice cream at Lickety 7+ times a week, etc, etc... See below:

There are so many students on campus this summer and it's been so fun to have the time to hang out with my friends off the team that I don't get to see as much during the year!

mirror art? we love Mass Moca.

The face of someone who is THRILLED to be holding snow on a 90-degree July day.

My homie Holly who I lived with for 11 days in June while her fam was out of town! 

Here we have the one person who is more passionate about Lickety than I am: Meet Liam Sullivan! or maybe take him out to ice cream if it's his friendship you're after...

Broad Brook dunk towards the end of my favorite trail run from campus! (14-mile Valhalla loop on the AT and Long Trail)

At this point in the summer, I am starting to really miss all my teammates who I haven't been lucky enough to see :/  I'm getting so stoked to all be back together and to get to know the new herd members come the fall, but for now, I know summer still has some epic adventures in store for all of us! 

So, stay tuned, stay stoked, and stay cool!

– Lilly B. :)

Colorado Cow Update

Greetings cow community! As Hadassah mentioned in her earlier post, I can be found ranging free at home in Vail, Colorado, and enjoying some wide open spaces.

This summer has gifted me with a lot of time to explore some more mountains around the valley, and sometimes there is even a trail involved! I always come prepared with long socks and sour gummy bears to fuel myself and whoever is along for the journey. Luckily, Hadassah has made the journey up from Boulder a few times to keep me in check and supplied with all the right goods. Her visits up to the Blakslee household are always a highlight! 

 

Happening upon Mystic Lake after scampering down a ridgeline during a light thunderstorm with the home club nordic team. And pictured on said ridgeline, is my newest endeavor to rehabilitate the Haribou gummy bear population to the wild after an inspiring show of gummy bear support in the Williams women's ski room.

Some quality time harvesting radishes from the garden with Lucy. Unfortunately, the only vegetables the deer left untouched.

Absolutely scrumptious dinner in the making at the base of Mount Belford, featuring not one, but TWO Ephs in the west (left). Summit of Mt. Belford, which, upon arriving at the trail was revealed to be among the 14,000 ft summit population, and quite a trek up (we crushed it).

In the meantime I have been enjoying grazing on some wild berries, painting in my downtime, and working odd jobs here and there and everywhere (if anyone is ever in need of a gardener/server/golf-cart chauffeur/dog-brusher, I know someone).

I think the best way to sum up this life update is with a snippet from an extremely influential piece of work I’ve been digesting this summer: 

Eloquently put, Calvin and Hobbes. On a completely unrelated note, currently taking any good book recommendations.

Sure enough, it’s hard to believe it's already mid-July. I have a lot more nothing to accomplish this summer! I am thoroughly enjoying my time hanging at home, soaking up the sun, and getting caught in the rain (and hail, but hopefully not lightning). That's all for now:) Keep on keepin' on, cows!

Joyfully,

Molly

The White Mountains and the Italian Dolomites

 

    Hello nordic ephs + the nordic eph fan club 😄  

I am so happy the blog is up again much to popular demand! I cannot wait to hear about all yall's summer adventures. 

Lilly and I went hiking in the White Mountains in October mid-June. We were planning on hiking/running the entire ~20mi presidential traverse but it was 30F and snowing on the top of Mt Washington with 100mi wind gusts so we decided to improvise and hike some of the Carter Range instead.

We hiked with two of my MIT friends Einat and Gillian. Luckily they were donning purple (Williams colors) or else we may not have allowed them to tag along on our adventure! The weather ended up being in the mid 40s with strong wind gusts (maybe 40-60mph) above the tree line. Luckily we were dressed appropriately and mostly in the trees. We were bummed about the weather for mid June but we made the best of it! 

I am now in the Italian Alps (the Dolomite Mountains) doing a three week geology field camp with some students from George Mason University, University of Washington, and University of Pittsburgh. Here is the Refugio where we are staying:

Rollerskiers and bikers have been zooming by our hotel because we are located out of an epic mountain pass! This high school skier is from the Czech Republic. She was very friendly and was skiing with her brother (not pictured). We have seen many rollerskiers around nearby Val di Fiemme. 

I've been going on some fast, short, and hilly runs around the Dolomites, and I found this motivating message up a steep incline (SHAMELESS STRAVA PLUG). It made me go faster! 

I am doing the trip with classmate and fellow geosciences major Nick Ambeliotis (pictured above). We are very close to the site of Jessie and Kikkan's landmark team sprint WIN at the 2013 World Champs in Val di Fiemme, Italy. 

Here is a view from a gondola of the ski jumps where the 2026 Milan/Cortino Winter Olympic Games will be held. Val di Fiemme is where the Nordic races will be I believe.

Now I will not bore you with too much geology, but what I will say is that the Dolomite region has a large amount of varying geological structures and rock types due to the rapid uplift of the colliding Eurasian and African plates. 

Here is professor Marco from University of Trieste, Italy, standing on a red sandstone outcrop. He is our local tour guide and Italian sedimentologist. 

That little stand-alone dolomitic limestone outcrop is called the "Torre di Pisa."

A beautiful ammonoid fossil that's roughly 240 million years old!

Marco pointing out an ash deposit layer embedded amongst the various limestone stratigraphic layers. The ash allows geochemists to date the age of formation of the outcrops and therefore understand how these mountains came to be (hint: it's volcanism + plate tectonics)!

My sun protection is on point for a day outside at 6000-8000 ft above sea level!

Flying into the Venice, Italy, airport I saw a cool estuary. I'll leave y'all with that for now 🥳

Happy summer y'all!

Jacob

Just a lil Cow on a Big farm

Well maybe its not a big farm, but this cow is reporting in from Spring Creek Farm in Palmer, Alaska! I have been getting to know the farm life as a summer intern here. 

Where is Palmer that you ask? Well, it's just about an hour north of Anchorage! Right next door to the actual boonies and also some beautiful mountains. 

Spring Creek is a two acre farm supported by a csa! I came up here thinking Alaska could only grow hearty root veggies, but using some creative farming they have pretty much everything an herbivore could dream of! 

The early harvests have been lots of quick growing salad greens, greenhouse started kale and other brassica family plants (eg. Kohlrabi, and Broccoliraab), and we also had scallions and parsnips that they planted last fall and "over wintered" so they would be ready in the early summer. 

Some pretty veggies

Even prettier veggies!

Day to day farm work looks like planting new things, pruning and trellising plants, and weeding, lots of weeding. Our farm does not use herbicide so there is a constant battle agains the weeds. Other than that we harvest each week for the CSA and spend every Wednesday at our little farmers market.

Working in the lettuce rows

A small mountain of turnips on the wash station

Cheesing with the parsnips :)

Outside of farm work (see image above for proof of farm work) I have been frantically trying to cook with all of the veggies we harvest each week. When i'm not cooking, baking or on the farm I have been going on long bike adventures around Palmer! There are some fun trails nearby so there has been a lot to explore! Follow along on strava if you want a front row seat for my adventures (shameless plug).

This was an urgent ice cream stop

A view of pioneer peek!

Hanging out over the Kink river

Thats all for now! Check back with the farm soon

<3 Jennoodle