There’s an interesting sort of dichotomy about living life on the road. The assumed grandeur of traveling to unseen places with magnificent beauty seems to take precedent over the forgotten and monotonous logistics of nomadic life.
The long van rides through endless and undistinguished windy roads. The stale hotel decor that is familiar and underwhelming all at the same time.
The excitement of new foods and the gamble of whether you’re going to find a delicious breakfast spread when you wake up or a soggy bowl of muesli.
Not needing to waste unnecessary brain power on what to bring, as you travel with a single duffel bag of clothing everywhere you go. But wishing you didn’t have to wear the same outfits for three months straight.
I used to get more caught up in wondering about this contrast of emotion and how to interpret it. Does one focus on the novelty or the wariness that accompanies that?
These days, it seems to me that my experience is totally self determined. I have the choice to chose what to focus on. What a nice thing to realize.
Lately my focus has been totally encompassed by the positives: the awe-inspiring mountains and places I get to travel to, the new friends I am introduced to and stumble into along the way, the cultures and perspectives I am exposed to that challenge my own views.
I think this realization came in part due to my full commitment to the WC Speed Circuit this year. Downhill skiing is beautiful in that each track ultimately ends up following the flow of the mountain, the gates are simply guidance. I have been re-listening to one of my favorite books, Barbarian Days and thought this quote summed up pretty much how I’ve felt the last World Cup speed races: “Being adjacent to that much beauty — more than adjacent; immersed in, pierced by it — was the point. The physical risks were footnotes.”
As I start the final leg of my season in North America for Nor-Am Finals and Nationals in Sugarloaf, I am extremely happy to be back in the US, but also very thankful for the amazing travels I have had so far this season. Here are some photos to attempt to share the beauty with you :)
Thank you everyone for continuing to read and follow along. Since my last blog, I flew home from Europe with all 11 of my extremely overweight bags (and only had to pay $250 for bags), unpack, repack, and visit Holimont to meet all the U14 State and Kandahar rippers during my 36 hours in Buffalo. Then I drove to Collingwood with my teammate Stef, after figuring out how to get a new bigger rental car to fit all our stuff and her dad who joined us for Canadian Nationals. We are now headed to Sugarloaf Maine! Im working on a couple blogs currently, including a video montage of all my World Cup runs this season, but as always please let me know if you would like to read about anything in particular. Wishing everyone a happy spring and lots of sunshine!
Had to check definitions on some the words you used....if the reading challenges me I really enjoy it. Good luck this year!!
Thanks for coming to Taos! Wonderful photos and writing about your travels here too. It’s great to see a WNY skier out there living that dream, you are an inspiration for sure. We look forward to seeing you move up. Go Holimont!