Skiing Uphill

A couple weeks ago, after my wife and I got back from visiting my sister-in-law, my wife turned on the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in PyeongChang, South Korea.  As my spouse occasionally glanced at the television, she said, "look, they're skiing uphill!"  I responded, "that is called cross country skiing, to which my wife, always a quick thinker, made one of the most understated responses and quick retorts in the history of our marriage;  in a despondent tone she said,"I know.  You made me do it." Those seven words seem simple enough, but I lack the writing skill, if even possible, to properly describe her tone of voice.  I said her response reminded me our youngest son in fourth grade, when asked what causes him stress, he said "piano lessons."  Cross country skiing was to my wife like piano lessons were at younger age to our youngest son.

US Sprint Skiing

The US Women's sprint cross country team unexpectedly claimed a gold medal in a magnificent show not only of racing but of pure guts, last week Wednesday.  Close to, a photo finish, the last few seconds of the call may be one of the best in recent American sport history (view here), although it does not beat out the infamous Al Michaels' "Do you believe in miracles" comment about the 1980 US Men's hockey team beating the Soviet Union.  This is the first US gold in cross country skiing, and the first medal since Billy Koch took the silver in 1976 in a 30 km race.  One can easily understand the excitement of the color commentator when he realizes that for the first time in 42 years the US will win a medal, ,and gold at that in a cross country ski event. 

I recall watching the Winter Olympic games in 1976 and seeing Koch earn that medal.  That is what got me into cross country skiing.  My first trip was on rented skis that February, and after I entered college that fall I bought my pair of cross country skis.  I used to ski quite a bit.  I broke one of my nice wooden skis while skiing with my brother Joe near Conover.  It was a Friday, and so to not spoil our skiing weekend we made a trip to Eagle River where I purchased another pair of skis.  I have loaned those skis, with my original boots, wax, and poles to my oldest son who has now learned to ski.  Unfortunately, one of my old bamboo poles recently splintered. 

US Sprint Cross Country Skier Crossing finish line

It was near Eagle River where my wife recalls her trials with cross country skiing.  I did not know it was a sore spot with her until that Sunday evening.  She had skied downhill, parachuted out of an airplane, and scuba dived, but for some reason never really took to cross country skiing.  She blames it in part on me.  Yes me, for having her start out on non-groomed trails, going uphill.  Many years distant I guess one could say it was like throwing someone who does not swim off the boat and telling them to swim to shore. 

I always enjoyed cross country skiing on self-made made trails. Mine was the old style two track skiing, not the skate skiing that is now so prevalent.  Perhaps my best cross country ski memory was up north near Conover, well before I even met my wife and maybe on the same trip when my ski broke.  My brother Joe and I set out early one very cold morning with light wind to break our own trails through snow many many inches deep. It was at a time, I guess when you could more or less count on snow for the winter.  During this long excursion we found ourselves atop a cliff with a small stream a good distance below, a beautiful scene which made the breaking your own trail well worth the effort.  As we stood atop the cliff to enjoy the scenery, we saw  two bald eagles fly above us and dive down to the stream.  There are advantages to having been off the beaten path.

Three members of US Men's Curling team: (l to r)
John Landsteiner Skip John Shuster, 
Matt (aka "Mario") Hamilton of' McFarland, WI

I have not skied for many years.  My feet have grown at least one size larger than they were when I purchased my cross country gear in 1976, so the shoes would no longer fit. The last time I skied I feel down and three days later was in such severe back pain I could barely operate the clutch of my car.  Time is now quite distant from the day my wife had her cross country ski experience, apparently one of the worst days involving athletic activity of her life, from what she made it sound.  It took about 27 years or more to find out she really did not like cross country skiing.  It also makes me wonder what other activities she has been involved at my urging that she did not like.

US Men's Curling team on the medal podium
In a big oops, four of the five were awarded medals
for the women's team event

At this point, I cannot let a moment pass on the US Men's curling team.  While the Women's Sprint Cross Country ski team took gold, so too did the US Men's curling team.  It was a team that was not supposed to be in the Olympics at all.  After a last place showing in 2014 at Sochi, the US team re-calibrated and formed a high performance team.  None of the four men, or the alternate, on the 2018 gold medal team were invited to to the high performance team.  As they themselves have said, the gold medal team was made of rejects.  With that rejection John Shuster decided to form his own team, and after they beat the high performance team they now had to be taken seriously.  Not only that, after having lost four of six in round robin play they really should never have made it to the medal round.  They needed a sweep of the remaining matches to win gold.  The were able to beat Canada twice, and Canada had won three consecutive golds and before that two consecutive silvers in the Olympics.  Until Saturday in Korea the only medal won by US curling was  a bronze by the men in 2006, a team on which John Shuster played.  Congratulations to skip John Shuster of Superior, WI, Matt Hamilton of McFarland, WI, John Landsteiner and Tyler George and alternate Joe Polo.  Sweden, thought to be the best team in the world, were gracious in defeat, and conceded near the end, with two throws remaining.  To win the US team did something in gold medal play that occurred only once before--scoring five in one end (think inning) of play.  That gave them an insurmountable five point lead.  As my brother Steve had imprinted on the front of his Uncle's Mini-Camp t-shirts:  "It's the size of the heart that matters."  In coming back from such long odds, the US Men's team embodies that statement.