One Last Weekend

Here we are, headed into the final weekend before sliding starts. I stopped by the track today to see how the icing of the track was going. Ive never seen it look so good so early. The track easilly has an inch to an inch and a half of ice and looked mostly bump free. It was beautiful being up on Mt Van Hoevenberg, with millions of different shades of yellow, red and orange that coat the mountain side this time of year. I was feeling the excitement of a child as I walked up and down the track. I am going to spend this weekend reflecting, preparing the final equipment changes that I need, and getting some rest before the 3 week marathon of sliding hits us on Monday. Ill keep you posted as soon as we get on ice. I am going to enjoy a few glasses of wine this weekend as well. I have a 2004 Turley Moore Vineyard Zinfandel on tap for this weekend as well as a Vajra Moscato d'Asti. Ill post on those when I have them. Ciao!

An Unplanned Personal Best

Today I woke up with no intention of testing my cleans, but it was just one of those days where I felt good. I had 6 sets of 2 reps in clean on the program. I came in at 120kgs, did 3 sets at 120 then went 122.5, 125, 130. After the 5th set I looked at Jason and said im going for it. I felt good, had some good motivation and let it fly. I nailed 140 kg on my 14th rep over 120 kg's. which means my real max is probably 142.5-145 if I was fresher. Either way its a huge personal best and thats why we work so hard. Its all about making yourself the best you can be. Im excited for sliding. Ive prepared myself as best I can, now all I have to do is let it happen! P.S. Snow in Lake Placid today!

This weekend was truly special. I flew out to Joe's with Duncan, Delphine and Cornelia Winter for the final wine hurrah of the summer. Before we took off on Saturday morning I attended my godson and nephews baptism. Hes so cute! Following the baptism I met Duncan at the Lake Clear airport where I waited patiently for his piper to drop down onto the runway from the clouds. I have never been in a small plane before and before I knew it I was in the copilot position. I actually flew for a good hour and half between the two days. As we shot down the runway in Lake Clear duncan surprised me by telling me to pull back on the yoke and before I knew it I had the plane in the air. As we gained altitude I looked down on the mountains I grew up in, it was a truly new, peaceful and exciting experience. It was as if I was being taken back to childhood, when a new experience fills you with so much wonder and excitement that you barely can contain yourself. I really seemed to forget about all my problems when I was behind the controls. It was liberating, peaceful and enlightening. I asked a couple hundred questions of Duncan about the controls and their purposes. I learned alot about flying and now I understand what the addiction is all about! I would love to own a small private plane in the future. AMAZING.

The legendary hospitality of Joe Gallo came through once again. Dinner was amazing, calamari with a plum sauce and filets over grilled portabella, roasted red peppers, seared sea scallops and a blue cheese and herb sauce. The wines were even more amazing. 1990 pichon longueville baron, 2004 Richebourg, and 1999 la Mouline to name a few. Between the Richebourg and the Mouline, I sat entranced in my wine glasses for the entire evening. These wines commanded respect and were truly rare experiences. I have never seen a wine change so much over the course of the night as the Richebourg did. The scents were so haunting, ethereal and primal. It was a beautiful experience. I scored the wine 98 pts. The Mouline was out of this world. I maintain that the LaLa wines made bu guigal in cote rotie are the greatest wines in the world. The Mouline was so graceful and elegant compared to the Landonne which I have had in the past and tends to be more brooding. One common thread between the two was the way the wines carry themselves. They are some of the most intensely flavored wines I have come across but they carry themselves with such amazing balance that they almost come off as weightless. They are truly special and I count myself lucky to have experienced the Mouline and Landonne. I scored the Mouline 99pts and scored the 1998 Landonne 100 pts when I had it last christmas. La Turque is the only one of the LaLa's I have yet to try.

Back at it tomorrow. Things are really gearing up and the season is upon us. I will keep you all posted in the weeks to come as sliding and team selection races continue.