That Familiar Burn: It's all over

the ski season that is. The relay did not go quite as planned. It was about 6 or so km, 2 legs classic one skate. The weather was not nice to us, and it snowed, and snowed. By the time our race started there was a good 2 inches (in about 2 hours). We tested lots of kick wax, and put on the glide wax that should have been right. All I have to say is the skis had good kick, when it had been perfect the 10 minutes before.
Anyways, the race was off, Jim started for us. about 20 min later he came into the stadium down about 2 minutes from the leader, who had really good skis. The tag off to me was done and I went out hard and picked it up. On the backside of the course (about 4.5 km) which is all uphill I had destroyed the lead of the first place team. I was not more than 15 seconds back, but alas, the downhill was to come. In the km of downhill the kid put 45 seconds on me. I have no idea how it was so much. But I was unhappy. Eventually I made it to the line and tagged Nels who went out on really really slow skate skis.
The wax we used was crap, it must have been old since it was exactly the right wax (labeled) but it just plain sucked in real life. But what can ya do. Anyways we ended up finishing 4th because of the skis.
After the races we had the awards banquet, there was good ribs, chicken, corn, and the works there. I ate a whole lot, partly because it was good, and partly because I was planning ahead. Planning ahead because I figured that I would not eat anything from that point until at least breakfast, maybe later. That plan worked out great, from dinner which finished about 8 last night until 2 this afternoon I ate only half an apple. I had no food, and no money with which to buy food. I have no idea how I was functioning this morning. I am actually still baffled as to how I am now...
Anyways after the banquet we socialized with the other nordic teams until the early hours of the morning. It just so happened that it was daylight savings time, which made going to sleep useless since we had to leave Winter Park for Denver at 4 A.M. We also got lucky because it kept on snowing, and we had to go over a mountain pass, with switchbacks and steep roads and all. It was really cool, but yet really spooky at the same time. I sat shotgun and kept Jens company the whole time, so no sleep in the car, and only a bit on the plane. So if my writing is not very clear, that is the reason, I have been up for 35 or the last 36 hours. Then I had to come back to school and use my brain. Blah.
But it was a good week. In the end I finished 4th overall, with Nels 1 point behind me in 5th. Out of the top 5, 4 hail from MN. Out of those 4, 2 are from Duluth. Pretty funny...
Anyways, here are a few photos I did not get many on my camera, I am sure Ill put more up eventually, but it might be a few days...