Click on pictures to enlarge them.a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WvJh_iUUI/AAAAAAAAB-A/RWxZj_iDLIs/s1600-h/IMG_2341.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WvJh_iUUI/AAAAAAAAB-A/RWxZj_iDLIs/s400/IMG_2341.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428437504143544642″ //aWe took our first ski at the race course today. Half of the kids skated and half classic skied. We went with hard wax and it wore a little, but it worked well. The weather was/is perfect…sunny and low 20’s. We are one of the first teams to arrive so it is pretty mellow, but things will heat up by this weekend!divThe race site is perched on a hill. There won’t be any parking up here so it will be interesting once everyone arrives. We will have to park below and walk or ski up 1/2 a km to the race site. Our hotel is a little closer to the venue than most of the other teams, but it is still about a 25 minute drive.br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WuY5rctVI/AAAAAAAAB94/PmjaUdThChw/s1600-h/IMG_2343.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WuY5rctVI/AAAAAAAAB94/PmjaUdThChw/s400/IMG_2343.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428436668688151890″ //aThe trails are really wide. There are 4 classic tracks on the right and then just as much room for skating on the left.divThe races will be very spectator friendly, there are three main loops, 2.5, 3.3 and 3.75 km long. There will be plenty of action around the stadium.br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WuHO5SVqI/AAAAAAAAB9w/2qOuoRtQR0w/s1600-h/IMG_2344.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WuHO5SVqI/AAAAAAAAB9w/2qOuoRtQR0w/s400/IMG_2344.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428436365145691810″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WtqDo_-nI/AAAAAAAAB9o/yfDLCNwtMzY/s1600-h/IMG_2348.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WtqDo_-nI/AAAAAAAAB9o/yfDLCNwtMzY/s400/IMG_2348.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428435863908383346″ //aThis one is for Mabel. Dad is fine, but he misses you!br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WtLoJ-KmI/AAAAAAAAB9g/mQu0tyWSXHM/s1600-h/IMG_2351.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WtLoJ-KmI/AAAAAAAAB9g/mQu0tyWSXHM/s400/IMG_2351.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428435341134408290″ //aThe boys soaking in the rays./divdiv “It’s not quite this bright in Fairbanks”.div”huh…reminds me of the Met-How”.br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1Ws7f7O2hI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/ELkzWo1ZP_Q/s1600-h/IMG_2353.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1Ws7f7O2hI/AAAAAAAAB9Y/ELkzWo1ZP_Q/s400/IMG_2353.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428435064047196690″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WsOAXmN_I/AAAAAAAAB9Q/qkqyR6C4hGY/s1600-h/IMG_2362.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 289px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WsOAXmN_I/AAAAAAAAB9Q/qkqyR6C4hGY/s400/IMG_2362.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428434282482120690″ //aFor those of you who have not been to this area before, this is quite typical. 6 km (and 6 hairpin turns) UP the road there is great skiing. Down here, the grass is green.br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WsBIiE_iI/AAAAAAAAB9I/SVBXuYzP2Mo/s1600-h/IMG_2367.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WsBIiE_iI/AAAAAAAAB9I/SVBXuYzP2Mo/s400/IMG_2367.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428434061335264802″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WrzbELn-I/AAAAAAAAB9A/8Lxjc7cNCqQ/s1600-h/IMG_2368.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 200px;” src=”http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WrzbELn-I/AAAAAAAAB9A/8Lxjc7cNCqQ/s400/IMG_2368.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428433825791975394″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WrhpK8ipI/AAAAAAAAB84/yahbILFxQOI/s1600-h/IMG_2372.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WrhpK8ipI/AAAAAAAAB84/yahbILFxQOI/s400/IMG_2372.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428433520340798098″ //aGerman engineering.br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WrRMmN3RI/AAAAAAAAB8w/L6daGNZpIrQ/s1600-h/IMG_2374.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 316px;” src=”http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WrRMmN3RI/AAAAAAAAB8w/L6daGNZpIrQ/s400/IMG_2374.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428433237792644370″ //abr /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WqT6O7v5I/AAAAAAAAB8o/-eSAkCd0_yo/s1600-h/IMG_2381.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 300px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WqT6O7v5I/AAAAAAAAB8o/-eSAkCd0_yo/s400/IMG_2381.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428432184891129746″ //aThe bridge is for the trains that chug past our hotel. We plan to take the train ride down through the valley and into Freiberg on Thursday.br /a onblur=”try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}” href=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WptVwptJI/AAAAAAAAB8g/TQVf70JUsQo/s1600-h/IMG_2379.JPG”img style=”display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 400px; height: 291px;” src=”http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_H2SCM3lmKm8/S1WptVwptJI/AAAAAAAAB8g/TQVf70JUsQo/s400/IMG_2379.JPG” border=”0″ alt=”” id=”BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428431522265412754″ //aHere’s our hotel. More later. Most kids are going into town this afternoon. Pete Kling and I are going to scope out the tracks a little closer to us for off site training./div/div/divdiv class=”blogger-post-footer”img width=’1′ height=’1′ src=’https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/tracker/4680416899705879324-5197266722496018685?l=smsxc.blogspot.com’ alt=” //div
