Favorites February 2018 and the Birkie

 

It was a stunningly beautiful day on Saturday, the hoar frost lining every branch and twig and the sun shining brightly as thousands of people skied from Cable to Hayward, Wisconsin during the 44th American Birkebeiner Ski Marathon.  For me it was a good excuse to hang out in the woods (and be grateful I wasn’t racing).

 

 

 

 

Volunteers!

Over two thousand people volunteer during the 3 days of Birkie events in Hayward.  Nothing could happen without these people generously giving their time—everything from help with registration and bib pick-up, parking attendants, kids race attendants, and the feed station crews that stand out in the sometimes bitter cold to hand drinks and fuel to the skiers as they make their long trek southward.  Volunteers are the unsung heroes of all events.

 

 

I love the new bridge that temporarily spans four lanes of Highway 63 during Birkie week.  They used to close the highway for the race day and line it with snow so skiers could cross and head to the finish line, but now the skiers must ask ask their weary legs to climb one final hill before heading up Main Street, giving spectators a great view as they come over and down the bridge.  What an enormous amount of work and logistical planning—we thank the Birkie for their work, and the town of Hayward for their patience during the mayhem of this week.

 

 

Our home boy coming up to the finish line, technique still intact after 51 kilometers!

 

 

Later that day… 

 

 

 

Favorites February 2018

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Girls Auto Clinic

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This book looks mighty interesting

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Scandinavian Turnshoe video and instructions

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Wintergatan!

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My new favorite game (thanks to the Langs): Word Wheels, and more

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Another beauty

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A little plug for gratitude and positivity

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A few of our favorite implements that get us through the days…

 

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The winner of this year’s Most Valuable Tool in our balance and rehab toolbox…the Slack Block.  It mimics the feeling of standing on a slack line and we lost count of how many times a wobble on skis that might have turned into a biff was SAVED, thanks to practicing the controlled wobble on the Slack Block.  Great for balance training, ankle strength, awakening proprioceptors, and fun to do while talking on the phone.

 



4 thoughts on “Favorites February 2018 and the Birkie”

  • So much fun watching the live stream! I spent 3 hours sitting on my fanny to catch a brief glance of the homeboy finishing. Almost felt like I was there in person!

  • Ruth, Thank you; you make the next best opportunity to being there in person. Can you send me all the photos including Coleen’s of YOU so I can download and treasure them. My life is as crazy as yours as you will learn. Tomorrow I head for St. Andrews unless the blizzard there cancels all flights!

    Norma

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