The Prospect Miracle Returns!

It's an unbelievable winter wonderland at Prospect RIGHT NOW! The team is enjoying some outstanding early season training and we are all loving the snow:)

Franklin skiing under some snow-laden
branches

No pole technique work
Notice the new jackets!

All smiles.....Where's Jenae?

Found her all smiles "powder" exploring!

Feeling really great and very grateful

This past Thanksgiving camp at Craftsbury was too amazing for words so I'll mostly just leave you with some photos. (Many thanks to our team photographers, Sonya and Maggie.)

Most snow in 20 years?

Some midders taking on the east

Freshmen Marika and Jenae living it up

Clearly no fun was had at all this camp

Huddling for warmth whether it's 0˚ or 35˚

Following Evan Carr wherever we go

Mt. Craftsbury (no piners sighted yet)

As a special treat, Marika and her parents invited the team over to their house in Craftsbury for some scrumptious pumpkin and cherry pies. Yum! 

Marika and her ode to skiing that is lovingly hung on the fridge in the Massey-Bierman residence

We also managed to FaceTime in all of the juniors who are currently studying away in a Thanksgiving miracle. Hearts were feeling very full during the call. Reportedly some eyes were watering. Can't wait to have this crew back together as one in less than 5 weeks (not that we're counting).

Women's team all together!! (sort of)

Sarah and Elowyn (class of 2018) got in on the FaceTime action too

On Sunday morning, Williams, UNH, Harvard, and some high school teams got together for a little skate TT in the rain. Once around the 5k loop for the women and twice for the men. Purple cows looked good and skied fast, taking the win in both of the races!!

Braden advertising the new onesie cow suit on his way to victory (photo from Marika's dad)

Maggie exemplifying the face of a champion (photo from Marika's dad)

Last but not least, a huge thank you from the entire team to all who made this fab camp possible, including our lovely coaches Jay and Gary, the Craftsbury staff, our dear families, and the snow gods. These ephs are feeling as grateful as klister is sticky.

Craftsbury Thanksgiving

We are here at Craftsbury for our annual Thanksgiving training camp. Normally we're skiing on a 1-1.5K loop with hundreds of other skiers. This year we have 30+K of perfectly groomed conditions and plenty of elbow room. Race skis at Thanksgiving camp? Yes! We're having an excellent time so far and have an abundance of things to be thankful for. Happy Thanksgiving to all! Coach Jay

The team getting ready for an
afternoon skate in the POWDER

THANKSGIVING DINNER!

Prospect Opens with More Snow than Davos, Switzerland

It's only November 21st but it already feels like the middle of winter! We all couldn't wait to get on snow, especially Marika, who wins the prize for first ski of the year:

Marika skiing in Frosh Quad on Thursday, only a few hours after the snow started falling

The rest of us managed to contain our excitement until Friday, when we headed up to Prospect for the first proper ski of the season, which was lots and lots of fun.

Jenae, so overcome with joy over the snow she could no longer stand upright

Unfortunately, Prospect also claimed its first victim during our skate ski on Sunday:

A disappointed Siri and her slightly mangled ski after a crash on the S-turns

As much as I miss the mountains at home, I do have to admit that the east coast is the place to be right now. Davos's 4km of snow farming can't quite compare to the fresh snow at Prospect this fall and especially not to the 28km open at Crafstbury right now!

The top of Sertig valley in Davos, Switzerland, looking a little bit bare

Very thankful to be in Craftsbury with all of this amazing snow and skiing for Thanksgiving!

Night Skiing and Haircuts

First Day on Snow!!!

                                         

 Night skiing at Prospect Mountain 

 Isaac (Freshman) didn't make it down in one piece. 

It was time for a haircut. Nick Gardener gave three cuts that day to some very grateful teammates. Henry Mcgrew's first haircut of the year!

This was his second haircut after a very controversial first cut. Emil came in to save the day. 

Emil also had to do some damage control on Isaac. 

Speaking of Emil. Here he is getting ready for a big dance. 

Alternative Training Fun and Spotlight on Siri!

Spotlight on Siri!

this is siri ^^^

she is a sad frog in the big pond this year. 🐸 I asked her some questions about how life is going as an Eph.

Where are you from?

Afton, MN (aka where Jessie Diggins is from)

What is your favorite letter of the alphabet?

Z

What is your favorite type of wax?

Rhode multigrade 

OR

Toko yellow 

What is the funnest thing you’ve done since coming to campus? 

MOUNTAIN DAY

What’s the best food you’ve had at Driscoll? 

Squashhhh

If you had to make a meme for the 

Facebook page what would you make it about?

We have a Facebook page?

Given your recent success in writing limericks for chem 153, what artistic endeavors do you visualize yourself getting involved with next?

Perhaps a haiku

Skate vs classic 

It’s a tie 

Special talents 

Skiing faster than Maggie on the downhills 

and now, for Part Two!

❄️The Alternative Training Sk(i)wad❄️

Bike to Mohawk Trail last Sunday! (occasionally members of the indoor squad venture outside to get much needed vitamin D)

But other times we are still confined to the spacious wooden floors and loud basketball noises of Upper Lasell

Some speeds whilst listening to a jammin playlist ft. Ingrid's speaker (thanks friend!)

Emil has been spotted! Just in time for an interview

Emil 

What is the best part/most helpful optimistic part of training indoors? 

I have complete control over what I can do on a daily basis and there are lots of good ways to get fit inside. Also, the indoor company is excellent !! ( I gotchu...)

Which is your favorite erg and why?

It’s the perfect distance from the mirror, and it's set high enough (higher than the other side!!)

What is your favorite song to listen to when doing intervals ? 

I don’t care...if there’s any music I’m happy but I also don’t really listen to it so I can’t say I have a favorite.

Favorite indoor workout:

30/30s on ercolina 

Where is the best bathroom on campus ?

Marhop 4c obviously!! 

A note: Siri is also a temporary member of the indoor skiwad, however she is not pictured. Shout out to my gal however for some fun 30/30s on the erg last week tho 💪

Romantic Sunsets + Weird Tiny Spotted Animals

Greetings from beautiful, sunny and warm Williamstown.

PSYCH! Winter is coming and as the temperatures drop our big ski hearts start to beat faster. I'm hoping that my next post has some snow in it so here is my last hurrah from Fall.

Siri is the bomb because she likes to bomb down hills (almost) as fast as me.

I was hesitant to post this. If you are a model- recruiter and see this... hands off. She belongs to us. And yes I know Sonya is fabulous. 

Proof Isaac and Woody have absolutely mad hopps 

Isabel and Jenae happened upon some odd lookin spotted beings. Please comment your thoughts on what these peculiar creatures are.

Think snow! 

Mags

Assorted Fall Photos

Fall is going fast here in the purple valley. Here is a scattered photographic overview of the year so far.

Unfortunately, my summer "research" (see earlier post on summer training) was cut short when one of my experiments ended with an abrupt encounter with a soccer goal post. While I have no footage of the event, I did get to do some fun medical imaging after the fact:

"Perfectly Normal"

Andy and I got to spend a few days in Lake Placid with Henry before school started and we discovered a few interesting things about our young friend. Clearly he's always been a well-dressed, handsome young lad:

Young Grub

Also of note are the facts that he has a twin sister and that his bitcoin miners heat the house to 90 degrees year round.

Huge thanks to the Carr family for letting the men's team and some alums spend the weekend on Long Lake.

Nice View

Next we skip ahead to some fun running on the track:

               Some fast 3k times were run

I've been getting out for a lot of nice solo ODs in the "mountains":

There was no snow in the snow hole any of the times I made it up there

Ok, it's pretty nice here

Last weekend was the "Big Splash," our second big run of the year as a team:

Seniors (and Jordan), excited for their last Big Splash

Freshman (minus Marika) (and Jordan), excited for their first Big Splash

Clearly Jordan was having a good day

We're all looking forward to being on snow in a few weeks!

Rock the cow!