Maplelag Weekend/ Lotvola Cup

Last week I invited myself up to the Richards place to do the race and stay a few nights. They gladly accepted my invite!

I arrived on friday night just in time for dinner. After that Jon took me for a night ski. We had headlamps. Tracks were perfectly glazed over after a warm day making for some of the fastest conditions. I kept gapping Jon on the downhills because he was using waxless.

Jay put me up in the Jewlery Store. If you were at max capacity, four people could probally sleep in there, but I had it to myself. Perfect little house. Being into construction and building I really liked all of the wooden cabins and especially the dovetail log cabins.

Good thing I was ready to go saturday. First we went to rainbow resort so Jake and Jon could get their WIN on. Jake took the 10k skate and Jon killed the 6k skate field with his hockey player technique. I took a couple pics instead of racing.

When we got back, Jake and I did some trail poaching on our mountain bikes. We thought the ski trails were going to be firmer than they were. Not so much. Wooops. Sorry Jay!

Next was off to Jakes jump to Jib. Sauna and lake jump follwed. I wasn’t going to do it at first, but Jake kept calling me a “city boy” so I had to give. We all got adjusted by a chriopracter from canda named Robert. He was awesome. He said my pelvic area needs some adjustments so he took care of that.

After dinner we waxed. I recruited Jon to help me wax. I took my eye off him for one second and next thing I know he is brushing my bindered kick zone into the rest of my ski. Showed him where to stop and then he did awesome.

Watching Step Bros, Jake and I both were out within minutes.

Race day, we woke up to more warm temps. A couple degress colder and it would have been a difference of fifteen minutes faster in the race Jay said. The race was like nothing I have ever experienced. Crazy awesome start follwed by mass chaos on the first hill. Once people realized leading the race out was not beneficial, a group of 10-15 formed for the rest of the race until 1k to go. The pace was talkable L2 maybe until about half a K to go when Jake and Dylan took off and no one could follow. I hung in there for third which was cool. Jumping in the lake followed our 51 minute 12K.  Instead of a traditional ski warm up for the ski race, we rode our bikes around a bit. Matt lee from bemidji had the fortune of his ski flying down suicide without him otherwise I might have gotten 4th. Race Results.

Jake and I went on a nice mtb/ cross spin for about an hour forty five. Great training that didnt feel like training.

Asked Jay if I could stay one more night, and he said yes. We skied a few K this AM then I headed out.

What a weekend, I just woke up from a nap. I love what the richards are doing up at Maplelag, it is such a cool place to hang out. Who even needs TV when you have the richards gang to entertain you. Not me.

Pack meat

Jon getting his suffer on. good job number 1

Maplelag cooks. Carlene and Debbie out watching the race. Its cool they know my name after only a couple days.

Finishing Order: Jake, Dylan, Jack

This is my kind of Jewelry Store. Right off of the ski trail, ten second walk away from the lodge.