SO CAL

 The annual voyage to So Cal for the run up to Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving itself was its usual amazing this year.  Here is a smattering of shots from the week that was.  

Nothing better than a local beer by the fire place amongst family at the Beach House.  Paradise.

 Out the front doorstep, evening sunset walk.  Yep.

 Probably the only drawback to living in a ski town is being landlocked and far, far away from surfing!  I surfed a ton while down south, I really wish I could do it everyday, its so damn fun. 

 Chels laying a fat arc on my uncle Tim's newest version of the Trikke.

Last rounds of golf until at least April!

 

 Another sunset, different day, same outstandingness.  I just made that word up btw.

 "Grannie De", absolutely rocking at 91 in San Diego.

Already looking forward to the next trip down to SB in April.  That is the commute from the house to the surf.  About 20 steps!

Marco Podiums!!!

So stoked for my brother this past weekend! Against all odds, he killed it and got on the podium for a 3rd place finish in Lake Louise, the first World Cup downhill of the year. He had an amazing run coming from the 42nd start position, check it out...

Here is a link to an awesome article that Sports Illustrated wrote, which kind of explains it all.

Sports Illustrustrated article: Marco Sullivan Back on Track 

And here are Marco's own words about his result on his blog: AmericanDownhiller.com

Congrats bro, so proud of you! Just as we have said all along...MARCO ROCKS!

From jungle to snow

Three days after I got home from my Costa Rica bliss, I agreed to go coach a ski camp down in Loveland, Colorado with the Jackson Hole Ski Team. So off I go, a 9-hour drive away with 45 kids, 7 coaches, and COLD weather for 9 days. The cold was a bit of a shock to the system, but I have to admit it was pretty fun to get back on the snow again!

 There wasn't a ton of snow yet, only on the runs where they blew man-made snow.

 

Back to being bundled up! Missing the jungle already!

 

Every day after skiing we did some dryland training which usually was just a huge game of Capture the Flag or soccer...this was the girls in our condo's "punishment" (some sprints) for leaving all the lights on every time we left the house!

 This is what it looks like having SIXTEEN 12-year-old girl roommates.

Yep, you are pretty jealous, huh?

 Trying not to lose my yoga momentum I would give some impromptu yoga sessions to the girls at night. Really, all they wanted to do was to try the hardest poses and see if they could do them without crashing.

 My brother, Marco, was down at Copper Ski Area (20 minutes away from us) training with the US Ski Team so I was able to arrange a little meet-and-greet for our kids with some of the men's World Cup speed team...they were stoked.

You can barely see the US Ski Team guys in the bright green jackets at the back of this pile-up!

 They all came away from the afternoon with helmets, speed suits and hats full of signatures.

Marco and Travis Ganong posing with some of the Jackson Hole Ski Team kids. 

 

So great to see Marco, it doesn't happen often enough! This was a pic for our mom. Good luck this season Marco!!! To keep posted with him, you can check out his sweet website, americandownhiller.com

It's back.........!

 Old man winter is happening yet again.  Down in the valley its still pretty balmy, but up high on Togwotee Pass, sledding season started today.  Yep, that's right Rena, just when you were overwhelmed with moto pictures, now you have 4 months of sledding pictures to look forward to! 

There certainly is not tons of snow up high, but there is enough to carve turns, be ginger, and swing the leg over the sled once again.  

 My sled bud Tim ripping one.  We found depths that were ok in some meadows to let it rip.  Still really shallow though. 

 Same helmet, different motor sport.  

 Togwotee is the only place within a 4 hour radius that you can ride a sled right now.  It's up high and early season storms tend to hit hard up there.  The upper parking lot was indicative of the "itch" all the slednecks are feeling right now.  

AWESOME to be sledding again.  

Podium Up North.....

 

Well done Mikaela Shiffrin up in Levi, Finland today.  But for a couple of turns on the steep in the second run she would have been on the top step.   Unreal skiing for anyone, much less a 17 year old.  USA! 

Awesome

 My job rules......, I get to work with a myriad of kids that have all kinds of amazing talents.  Semi pro skateboarders, future doctors, ripping skiers, and......artists.  Check out the spray paint "tagging" one of my probation kids did recently.  Super, super talented kid. 

Taking Stock.....

on the extended spring, summer, and fall that was.  I usually think of summer ending the first time I go skiing in November.  Well, I think instead of riding sleds and skiing this weekend like I normally try to do by Vet's day, it's going to be a blizzard fueled fishing mission instead as there probably wont be enough snow to ski/sled on.  Hard to believe, but this summer was my 15th here in Jackson.  I decided to keep track numerically of my favorite pursuits just to see how the numbers stacked up.

Golf- I recommitted myself to my love of the game and played 45 rounds.

Dirtbiking- Wow, how could I have known I would fall so in love 50 times!

Floating/Fishing-Not nearly enough, but still managed 23 days on the river.

Road Biking- I don't really know of any other town in this country that you can leave from your office and hammer amazing bike paths in a National Park!  It's insane.   I rode my road bike 86 times this summer.  

Kayaking-  Chels and I didn't kayak as much up in GTNP as usual, but Slide Lake quite a bit.  7 times on the kayak.

Nights Camping- Perhaps in my mind the best barometer of a great summer.  I slept out under the stars, in Rex, or in a tent 32 nights.  

All and all, a banner summer.  

It doesn't seem to want to go away.  I golfed last weekend in a t shirt in November.  Unheard of.  

Hmmmmm, should I add paragliding to my list of summer time activities?  Every time I am up on the King or out at the Village I see it in action and I think about it.  Ok, settle down......, one thing at a time.