a stratton summer

 Hey hey, fellow cows!

Since Mondays are my rest days and I literally live in the middle of nowhere, I thought, what better thing to do than "excitingly" write a blog post! Just kidding, I'll quit with the attitude since I'm certain that everyone has been patiently waiting to hear what I have been up to. Spoiler Alert: no more quite as exhilarating adventures as the everesting, but no worries, the spirit is still alive! 

The Homestead

Stratton has been treating me quite well, besides the exceptionally wet weather that seemed to have no end in sight up until a week ago. The flooding definitely caught us off guard, but besides the occasional road damage and a route complication to my favorite coffee shop, the Stratton area is up and running again. Now that the sun has finally decided to make an appearance, I have been cherishing every minute, and I mean that, in an attempt to look, tanner than I did at the end of ski season. With that in mind, I have been spending a lot of time outside, rolling and strolling on all types of wheels (and shoes). The roads have witnessed plentiful sweat and laughter as I have been enjoying training with friends and even with a couple members of the herd. 

It has unfortunately come to my attention that I don't have any roller skiing content (lack of fenders might be to blame)

Fin showing off 

A look of agony as a result of all of this rain 

Mandatory coffee stops (don't worry I definitely stopped my watch ;)

A friend along the way 

Getting dropped by Lilly 

On a more exciting note, I tried my hand at some swimming cross-training. Although I don't have any photo evidence, I was convinced by Lilly and Brad to do a one-mile crossing of Dublin Lake, an incredible feat in my book (I have never swam anywhere near that far). Thankfully I survived the feat, although it took me a couple of days to recover!  

Since I have no swimming pics, here is Loofer and I 

At home, I have been getting spoiled with some delicious food by my mom and sisters. Although certain members of my family have me beat at becoming a chef, I have put together some meals myself! 

Who doesn't like a pie?

Poke bowl!

I only ate the things in this pic

Chef Quinn plus sous chef Janne

Although July is coming to an end, there is still plenty on my agenda, before we shall convene back in Billsville! But until then training and life are keeping me busy. Hopefully, the weather will cooperate too, so I can keep my Vitamin D levels satisfied :) 

See yall soon!

-Janne 

Adventures in the Pacific

Given I’ve been meaning to post a study-abroad update for months now (I know, I’ve been procrastinating pretty badly), this summer update will be more of a life update of everything that’s happened since February, so buckle your seatbelts and prepare for a bit of a whirlwind of a post.

I left the US for Dunedin just halfway through the carnival season last winter feeling extremely unsure of whether I had made the right decision, and feeling sad to leave my teammates and the beautiful snowy conditions we had finally gotten on the east coast. Though springing into the beautiful NZ summer was a wonderful start to what would be a fantastic semester.

A side note: If any of you have an interest in mining, learning how to mine, getting rich from mining, or finding mineable economically-viable resources, I’m your girl. This semester has been a somewhat-hilarious at times dabble in some pretty hard-core geology. A truly fascinating experience in a country that’s so proud of its mines and resources. As the townies describe it, “a very practical field of study” - an interesting change from the liberal arts.

However, talking more about my classes would misrepresent how a I spent my time this semester. When I didn’t have class (or even sometimes when I did (shhhh…)), I often found myself driving west towards the beautiful NZ southern alps. The weekends in the mountains meant I probably slept in a tent or hut equally as much as in my own bed on Friday nights. During the week, I spent lots of time rediscovering reading for fun, learning how to cook, and exploring the wonderful running trails around Dunedin and along the ocean.

mt. Cook, mt. Earnslaw, mt. Ben Lomond, Queen Charlotte sound

Queenstown hike, the Kepler track, Jakin and I at mt. Cook, chefing it up in the tent, Arthurs pass and a kea parrot, and a beautiful campsite.

After a tearful farewell to Dunedin, I left New Zealand to spend the next three weeks in Japan. I would be remiss to not mention the generosity of the Interess family. I have been completing my project “An Exploration of Southern Japan Volcanism and its Impact on Culture” under the Lauren Interess Fellowship over the last few weeks. Instead of boring you with the details, I’ll share some photos of the beautiful hiking I did and you can imagine the rest.

Unzen Volcano, hiking around an old volcanic crater, Kaimondake Volcano, demonstrating proper tea drinking technique, Takachiho gorge, and the spectacular rainy-season views.

Anyways, I'm looking forward to unpacking all my suitcases in the comfort of my Currier dorm room this week as I move back to campus and start my thesis in the Geoscience department. And I’m even more excited to reconnect with my friends and teammates this summer/fall who I have missed dearly over the past six months.

My boss said "welcome to the boonies"

Heyo from the northeast kingdom of vt!!

For the past 4 weeks I’ve been living it up in the rural country learning how to “homestead” and actually read when the power goes out (which happens way too often. I ask you: what about a sunny day would obstruct a power line?).

Quincy soakin up the golden hour rays in a wholesome post dinner moment.

A sunset flick from an off-roading adventure on July 4th when the power went out.

I’ve been exploring the world of press this summer working as a reporter for the local newspaper. I'm learning that not everyone likes nosy journalists! but it’s been a fun opportunity to explore the area and be more in touch with what’s going on/know the ins and outs of local life. A few highlights have been interviewing the Vermont State Senator and Rep, covering the big Antiques & Uniques anniversary event, and driving/walking around trying to find the worst destruction from the floods this week for photojournalism. That last one was more me being like: “Yes!! Me!! I can totally do that!” and then me and Quincy got to go on detours and rubber neck the wreckage.

I drove to do an interview at someone's business and ended up at a homestead (vermont for ya). peep the ducks in the background.

Checking out our coach's road. Guess he's not driving to practice (yikes).

I have never seen asphalt crumble before (this is at the bottom of our hill).

We lost power for a full day after the first storm and had no running water (and not very much food!) but Jack's Big Truck Borris got us through the river roads and to the Genny.

Borris

Last weekend, the eastern ephs united for a Burly get together and run/hike at Mt. Mansfield. It was so fun to get with the squad again after 2 long months apart and explore some caves (?!) while we were at it!

The look on Lilly's face when she descends into cave #1 (photo: Rikz).

Mountainside shenanigans ft Keelan and Tzevi (photo: Henry).

Back in the Craftsbury area, I’ve been training with the Craftsbury U23 group (with Tzevi) and doing work hours at the Outdoor Center. I’m becoming buddies with the kitchen staff and have found the best places around the Center to pick black raspberries (which I didn't know was an actual fruit...).

Getting a post ski shooting lesson from Emma.

I’m living in Rikz’s house in Greensboro with her sister Quincy and Q’s Midd nordie teammate Jack. It’s been lots of fun getting to know them and learning how to cook (there have been a few epic fails which they were nice enough about), tend an actual garden, and make the trek to the library to pick out our next movie.

Exploring mediterranean cuisine with Jack. I can say that I contributed the tzatziki!

Garden + sunset in the backyard.

And that’s a wrap on where I’m at, see you nerds in another 2 :-)

- Fran

The Jury has reached a decision. New Zealand is crack up.

 I know that this is supposed to be a summer update, but my summer only started a few weeks ago because, you know, everything is backwards in the upside-down lands, so I'm going to unapologetically only talk about New Zealand.  

After milking every single second out of the ski season before I left (I had to choose between cheering on the ladies at the Williams Carnival or showering before my flight. I chose cheering obviously #cheercaptain), I hoisted off on to Dunedin, New Zealand for the spring semester, along with our very own Kennedy Lange. The motto for the semester consisted of 3 words. Surf, Surf, and Surf. 

"Jakin," you might ask. "Could you surf when you landed in New Zealand on that fine summers morn?" 

"Of course not silly" I would reply. "I couldn't surf a lick. Does it look like I can surf in Williamstown?"

"Well then you must have gotten a long, easy cruiser board and started with a lesson right?"

"Um no. Boring. I bought a shortboard because it looked way cooler when I carried it on the beach."

"Well then but didn't you look stupid in the water when you couldn't even get out past the breaking waves?"

"But doesn't it look so cool when I carry it?"

Here is the aforementioned short, snazzy, and way-to-good-for-Jakin board. I named her Jolene. 

From the moment I landed in that mythical country of hobbits and kiwi birds, myself, the famous ski team groupie Peter Miles, and our Middlebury friend Abe (Babe) Hoffman surfed every possible waking moment. We got thrashed by waves, smashed on rocks, attacked by seals (yes seals not sharks are the bane of the ocean. All my homies hate the seals), and generally exhausted ourselves trying to 'get pitted.' And after months and months of watching literal 10-year-olds catch thirty waves in the time it took us to catch one, we maybe, just maybe got a tiny bit good at it. And we even convinced Kennedy to join us once or twice. 

On rare occasions we dragged ourselves away from the waves to the mountains, and they were kind cool too. And like yeah we did classes but whatever. 

There are simply too many photos, and nary a single one does this incredible country justice, but thus follows my best attempt at a representative photo dump, in no particular order.

Liverpool hut

Routeburn Track

Southern Lights!

The boys 

Surf Surf Surf

Running running running

Pose in the air like you just don't care

Hiking hiking hiking

Narnia trees

Cathedral caves

Just a nice lake

Peter and Abe stole all my clothing except my suit, blindfolded me, and took me ice skating.

Big mountains

Grilling in the surf poncho

yup

surf ponchos are the only acceptable waterfall attire

Found a hunter. He gave us coffee and a boat ride.

glacier glacier glacier

whole lotta stars

the car was worth its weight in gold

The Williams squad. Kennedy found some sick shades.

A giant marble

Just another day in Dunedin

when bungee jumping...

Funniest man alive Andy F admiring the view

Why ride in the car?

Tunnel Beach

Pete doing some solid JMC advertising. 

 yeehaw!

Ok I'll stop now. But yeah. NZ is cool. 

I really thought I'd escaped the Williams Nordic-Geosciences nexus by selecting the stats major, but this summer I find myself in the Constantine lab wading around in rivers with the legend himself Jordan Fields, so there really is no escape. 

Can't wait to see you all in the fall!