Davos Life

Wow, where did another two weeks go?  Already three World Cup weekends gone and tomorrow I drive to the 4th location of Asiago, Italy and then its Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas we just had an early one here in Davos, Switzerland.  My parents and aunt and uncle arrived last week to watch Kikk in the World Cups here and get in an early Christmas.  We won't make it home this year.  Mother nature was kind and held blue sky in place until this morning, the morning I put the family on the train to Zurich.  If all went well - and they managed to make the two train transfers with suitcases in tow - they are now somewhere over the Atlantic.  Great visit.  I think I will let the pictures tell the full story. Even if they are out of order.

                                                             The Ellis' at Sertig.

                            A little fondue never hurt anyone....but did make for some full bellies!

                                  This one is for you Paul.  Never too much wood on the walls.

                                                             Love the old rustic look.  

                                     Driving to the alps from Munich.  Speed to be kept secret.

                               My train stop from three weeks earlier from the other direction.

      US Ski team enjoying the beautiful Davos sunshine after three weeks in Northern Scandinavia

                         Raw wood cuts on the ceiling in our apartment in Davos...again for you Paul

 Nice view from Anna & Emil's apartment towards the World Cup stadium.  The new one is worth 5 million euro.

                                  Wax trucks have arrived. Love the artwork.  Canada is behind the road sign

                 Family pic in front of the "Golden Egg" hotel.  Almost open.  Can't guess at a room price.

                             Finish line view before Saturday's World Cup.  Sunshin is coming.

          Hockey night in Davos.  Most beautiful rink I have ever been in.  And an entertaining fan.

 Fastest hockey I have watched.  Clean and skilled.  With the atmosphere of a Euro soccer match.

                            Just after Kikk and Marit Bjorgen when to the line in a photo finish.

                                                   "....did you hear about the time when...."

                       Alpine day with the family.  Taking the train up the mountain to the top.

                                                Looking back down to Davos from the train.

                                   Our lunch destination above the clouds...if there were clouds.

                          Coming back down to town at the end of the day. Can just see the "egg" to the left.

                 Looky looky what arrived in the mail.  Beauty ride around the town lake.  Lot's of looks!

Lillehammer...Week 3

There is no good reason why it takes me more than a week to post some update photo's. Now I know why the athletes we request interviews from in email form take two weeks to reply. I am now in Lillehammer, Norway. The site of the 1994 Winter Olympic Games. It's incredible to think that a town of 40,000 people were able to host an Olympic Games when you see the magnitude of what the Olympics has become today. It's been quite special here as Vegard Ulvang and Silvio Fauner are both present. For those that don't know one of (if not the greatest) biggest upsets in cross-country ski racing occurred here at the 1994 Games. When the legend Bjorn Daehlie of Norway was out sprinted on homestretch in front of over 100,000 Norwegian fans by a young Silvio Fauner of Italy in the men's 4 x 10km relay. It wasn't even a race that was suppose to be close. NBC did a special on it years later called the Great Race. So now I am here with both Vegard who skied the second leg for the Norwegians and Silvio who shocked and silenced a nation. I will get a picture tomorrow with Silvio, Vegard and Bjorn. Great history for the sport. But after a great week in Kuusamo, Finland I have been here in Norway now for 5 days. When I arrived on Monday it was green grass everywhere and only man-made snow on the race courses. Yesterday a storm brought 15-20 cm of snow so it looks again like winter.

More pictures to come.  Off to Davos, Switzerland on Monday where we will have an apartment for one month.  The World Cup stops there in one week, and family arrives next Thursday.  Nice to set my bags down and do some laundry!

With the end of November...so ended Movember

View from my desk at Ruka stadium in Finland

View from my desk in Lillehammer.  Before the snow.

View during the snowstorm

Dinner with the Italian team....of course they bring their own wine.

Yep a real reindeer in the cabin in Finland.  

Always a pleasure to meet Mr and Mrs Claus.  Especially in Lapland.

Beautiful run down from stadium to hotel in Lillehammer.

Also on the run down. No snow but a frozen waterfall.  Looks like northern Ontario

Classic lounge room in the hotel in Norway.  The rat pack would have liked it. I will have a beer here before we leave!

Over two weeks on the road and it's laundry time in the bathroom sink.  Laundromats are a foreign concept in many of these countries. 

Back in Europe.

Wow it feels good to be back in Europe. It doesn't feel like 8 months has past since I was last here in my role with FIS. The World Cup season starts in just 3 days and that means the competition countdown to the Olympic Games in Sochi also begins. You can really feel the energy and interest in an Olympic year. I am now in Kuusamo, Finland. Went for a great 90 minute ski this morning. Skiing in "Lapland" really feels like skiing in the home of cross-country skiing. My favourite place in that regard. I have been in Europe for one week and been in 4 countries, but everything slows down now to a country a week for most of the rest of the season... *My apologies as I can seem to get my comments per picture to align. Hope its not too confusing. Headed out on my morning ski in the new FIS Adidas uniform. With the moustache I have been told I look like a 1970's East Germany bobsledder. My plane from Seattle to London..Big plane! 30% full. Had an entire row to myself. Norwegians love skiing so much that Eirik Brandsdal's fan club even wear their rollerski vests to the bar. At the factory outlet shop at Adidas. Couldn't resist a pic in those hats. Great to be back in the land of Weissbeer. (no the proper spelling but how it sounds) Beautfil sunset at 2 pm in the afternoon in Rovaniemi, Finland. Waiting for the train to Zurich...well my first of three trains....I still really hate getting on a train with a ski bag and roller bag. In the background in the Hotel Kulm where I spent one night, and less than 24 hrs in Davos to film the Canadian ski team. I got off the train at this stop 18 hrs earlier. I felt like I was on Google's campus at the head office of Adidas. The walkways crossing the building were impressive. Kind of a big deal... At the Adidas HQ they actually have gardeners pruning the indoor grass.

Skookum Glacier crust biking on FATBACKS

Just a picture post of maybe the best day on a bike to date.