Day One Building Race Course

I'm writing for the official Talon Crew (Race Course builders and workers) website as well. Here's a link to a blog I wrote for them about
"watering" up on the race course. Just click this link: Hoses & Water and No Fire!

Gearing Up for The World Championships

Took me a minute to realize why there was a Japanese flag on my name tag. I forgot they had asked us what languages we could speak last January when we filled out applications to work the Worlds.

The holiday tourists are gone, nice to have some room to move on the mountain. But the Vail Valley now is now one week away from the 2015 World Ski Championships. With 70 countries and over 700 athletes entered, we're basically reproducing the skiing part of the Olympics with a full 2 weeks with both men and women and all the alpine disciplines: Downhill, Giant Slalom, Super G, Combined and Slalom. The FIS (International Ski Federation) World Championships are held every other year and  have been held 43 times. This will be the 6th time on US soil. But proudly it is the 3rd time here in the Vail Valley. No ski resort besides us has ever hosted it more than one time! It was here in '89 and '99.  You can even download a "2015" app that will give realtime race results, maps and schedules of events and since I finally traded my old flip phone in for an IPhone I'm enjoying those features.

I've been to 2 security/anti terrorist training sessions recently as will over 2000 other volunteers. My job will be similar to what I did for World Cup which is part of the world renowned Talon Crew(really, it gets huge kudos from the FIS for the race courses here) building and maintaining the race course. And these courses are considered among the best in the World.

My "uniform" pieces and parts.

Today I picked up my red white and blue uniform & I feel like I just made the Olympic team! Two jackets, an under layer, ski pants, and hat,  goggles, & Talon Crew bib.  Other swag included name tag, 15er pin, water bottle and eating utensils and of course my security credentials. They hope to reduce waste by not using disposable silverware for the volunteers that's why they gave us our own utensils to stick in our packs.This for committing at least 6 days of work during the Championships. I will get a text the night before a scheduled work day telling me what time to load the lift to head up onto the course to rake, shovel and install safety fencing. This coming pre event week I have committed Mon, Fri and Sat to help course building before the event actually starts on Feb 2 after which I will work on some of the event days.

I will expect security to be "Olympic like" and much tighter than "just" the World Cup weekend I worked in December.  Whenever we are up working on the course we'll be expected to wear our supplied uniform as well as a credential with photo and scan code. Part of getting on the team included a background check early last year. Our credentials are scanned "in" the morning and "out" again in the afternoon.

With Lindsay Vonn recently proving that "she's baaaaaack" and earning her 63rd win on the World Cup to be named number one female of all time on that circuit the excitement is heating up around town. This is home turf for not only Vonn but for 19 year old 2014 Olympic golden girl Mikaela Shiffrin who has also made the podium in GS on the ladies course here last year.  Personally I'm holding out for Bode Miller to heal from his back surgery and show up here, win the downhill and grant me an autograph and photo.  I've yet to see him ski and he's probably getting near hanging up his racing boards. Tedd Liggity just plain does well whenever he skis here and won the World Cup giant slalom on this course just a few weeks ago.

Come the 2nd of February we'll enjoy 2 weeks of ski racing, events, concerts and beer--all of it for free! Stay tuned I'm sure I'll have lots to tell.

The Red Coats are Coming

I mentioned earlier I was changing it up this year at Vail. I hung up my full time market research blue uniform for a volunteer one day a week "red coat" as we are nicknamed--officially a National Ski Patrol Mountain Ski host.

The change up was for several reasons. First, I skied too many days last year working full time on skis doing guest surveys on the lift and then coming back to "play" on the challenging terrain I wanted to free ski on on my days off. With over 130 days on skis and nearly 2 million vertical feet my knees needed a change from quantity to some quality ski days. At one point last January I was 47 straight days on skis, fun yes,  but not realistic for 56 year old knees that have seen many a mile, running, hiking, climbing, cycling and an ACL rebuild. Second, I met a great group of people to play with, that being Vail Club 50. and working full time was cramping my fun.  Third, I decided I didn't need full time work to make ends meet and I'm doing a little subbing for Eagle County schools that earns a much better hourly rate than working for Vail. Subbing gives me the luxury of picking and choosing my work days when the skiing isn't as good.  Last year I got to know many of the ski host crew including the leaders and decided it would be a great group to get involved with and many are snow loving retirees from around the country. It gets me my ski pass, locker, food discounts, camaraderie and an enjoyable way to be of service Vail and its guests.


Mountain host locker room.

When we report to the locker room in the morning we pick up a lanyard with a laminated card showing the day's assignments and a radio and get geared up. My uniform has more pockets than I can count and is organized with special location map we use, cue/route cards in case I'm leading a tour, trail maps for guests, some basic medical supplies (bandages, gauze, gloves), ice scraper for bottoms of ski boots, a pocket knife, pens, hot cocoa cards, and a booklet of vouchers I can use to help solve guest frustrations and my own personal supply of handwarmers, sunscreen, lip balm, phone, radio, ski pass and wallet.


Those tubes are boot dryers. When we get done we stick a pair in our boots.
They come on in the morning on a timer so when we get in our boots
are dry and comfy. Because ski boots are hard plastic shells in the
cold with our warm feet there is a lot of condensation that occurs
daily.

My day is Monday and after coffee, conversation and an 8:00 a.m. briefing at a base restaurant about a dozen of us on a given day fan out across the 3 bases that span 7 miles, 31 lifts and over 5200 acres of slopes on National Forest land. I might be at a base for a 45 minute segment greeting guests, answering questions and handing out grooming reports. When I have time to ski, my card gives a specific area of the mountain and several lifts to ride. I ski easier runs and slower than I'd usually ski, patrolling for guests who I might be able to offer assistance too. Then I'll have a 45 minute assignment in front of  large trail map sign at a key area where I'll help guests figure out routes suitable for where they want to head and their skiing ability. Some days I'm assigned to give a couple hour mountain tour. I had a fun Australian family with two energetic little girls that went with me on a tour last week. I've enjoyed the training materials that have familiarized me with the unique history of the mountain and its trails.


Another ski rack room. There are a lot of ski instructor lockers
in this basement.

Besides CPR/first aid we are also trained in radio protocol. Everyone on the mountain monitors the same ski patrol channel. That's an interesting part of the job and thank god the radios are clear enough for my hearing issues. I was nervous about that coming in. The upside is I get to hear all day what is going on all over the mountain--injuries, lift issues, terrain openings, lost kids, etc. The challenge is when I make a radio call, because EVERYONE-- is listening sooooooooo if I screw up the protocol or my location likely someone will give me a hard time but hopefully in a good natured manner. Last year it was easier, I wasn't on a radio I just called ski patrol on my cell phone so it was just me and a patrol dispatcher without everyone listening in.  The second challenging part of the job is knowing pretty precisely where I am on a 5289 acre mountain when I'm skiing in case I encounter a guest who needs a call to ski patrol. Last year I simply zipped around skiing from lift to lift to get my surveys conducted on the ride up. Now I have to think more about what the name of the run or cat track I'm on while or what the number of an old emergency locator phone is I might be near. We don't use those old phones any more because of cell phones and radios but the 4 digit numbering system is part  of knowing location.  The end of the day often involves coaching a tired beginner safely back to the base.

I guess it fits that I share my April 18th birthday with the anniversary of Paul Revere's famous "the red coats are coming" cry across the New England or maybe it is just time to be the "lady in red."