Check this video out from Portillo: http://skiracing.com/?q=node/245

I’ve been hanging out at home in Bozeman and Big Sky lately and it has been exactly what I need before the season begins.  Mostly spending time with my family and enjoying the last bit of free time I’ll have before the ski season begins. I had a superb Halloween dressed in my dad’s 80’s ski gear. All I can say was I wore a whole lot of neon!

Hanging out at the Big Sky Ski Swap

Sunday slacklining in Lindley Park

 Next place I’ll be: Copper Mountain, CO starting November 5th.

Wheels

Recently I just finished up my camp in Piztal, Austria. I’ve been coming to Piztal for seven years now and every year I’ve stayed at Hotel Christoph’s. The family that owns Hotel Christoph has always taken such great care of the U.S. Ski Team. I am very thankful for the fact that whenever we come to Piztal Christoph makes us feel at home.

Maria und Christoph owner’s at the Christoph Hotel

The girls with Rita our German teacher and friend at Christoph’s!

The training went well besides the snowstorm that graced us with its presence half way through the camp. When we first got to Piztal I thought the glacier was going to melt from how warm it was. The weather changed so fast and all of a sudden it was below freezing and storming.

I am happy to be resting at home in Montana now. I leave for Colorado on November 5th and then my first race in Lake Louise is right around the corner. Exciting!

Danke fur ales Christoph und Maria! Hotel Christoph ist die beste!

This year was the first annual Shelley Glover Century ride. I participated along with other athletes from the U.S. Ski team. Friends and coaches were on hand to celebrate the ride and raise money for the Shelley Glover Foundation founded by the Glover family after Shelley passed away in 2004 from a skiing accident. Shelley was a very dear teammate and friend to me and I felt privileged to ride 100 miles for her and her foundation. Actually Liz Stephen, Bonnie Glover and I ended up riding 125 miles due to a wrong turn, but nonetheless it was a great day of riding in the Wisconsin Dells. Stever Bartlett, former U.S. Ski Team coach and now Middleberry Ski Team coach, was also on hand to give a great talk during the banquet. He talked about how sports development in young kids can lead to success in life goals. It was a wonderful first annual event that I hope will lead to more participation in the future. http://www.shelleygloverfoundation.org/

Portillo welcomed the U.S. Ski Team with hurricane force winds and a downfall of snow. I’ve been here for three days and hadn’t seen anything but a blizzard. I started to feel like I was in the movie, “The Shinning”. All that was needed to complete the picture was Jack Nicholson running around with an ax yelling “Here’s Johnny!” Thankfully the sun came out and no one went crazy. I woke up this morning to echoing blasts coming from the mountains. The patrol were out early bombing the snow that had graced us with it’s presence over the last three days. We were on the lifts by nine and skied our legs out of their airplane slumber. Finally! We got to ski! It was a perfect way to start our camp. It looks like our forcast will be sunny for the coming two weeks. But at least today we got to ski powder in Septmeber! I am ready to rip some downhill now! I’ll let you know how it goes.
Keely

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I’m back in Montana for two weeks. I had a blast in New Zealand. I actually felt really sad when I left. I think I could move there. The people are so laid back and friendly. And the country has everything I could ever want. I’ve only been on the south island; but, being there I found so much to do and so many adventures to experience. I really want to bring my family there one of these years…  Plus the snow was fantastic and Coronet Peak did a great job hosting all the teams that invaded their snow.

Now I am training a bit, relaxing some more, and enjoying home a lot! The jet lag from New Zealand felt pretty brutal on my body this year. The Kiwis are a day and a half ahead of the U.S. I’ve been randomly sleeping in the middle of the day and then I’m so wired at night. It’s all a part of the lifestyle I lead and I welcome it!!! I can’t wait to get on the road again. Next on the plate is some Chilean food. My wheels will be turning down in South America for another two weeks on snow. I can’t wait to get some wind in my hair. It’s a downhill camp!

Enjoy the pictures,
Wheels

Well it has been quite the 25th birthday for me! I went bungy jumping today as a treat to myself for making it in this world for twenty-five years. I went with a great group of people: Tim Cafe (Tim’s on the NZ ski team and coincidentally has the same birthday as me! So we Bungy Birthday jumped together!) Laurenne Ross, Leanne Smith and Tague Thorsen who  came along as the photographer. I couldn’t think of better people to experience bungy jumping with.

The whole morning I was feeling nervous but when I got out there and actually had the guy that strapped me into the harness count down, it felt quite easy. You know, just jump off the side of this tram and fall 143 meters. No biggy! Falling was actually one of the more peaceful feelings I’ve ever had. It’s a six and and a half second freefall, so your brain has time to process how crazy you are. It’s an incredible feeling and as soon as it was all over I wanted to do it again. Laurenne, Leanne and myself were the only girls out there today jumping in the rain, which made us feel like badasses. All in all a great time and I suggest any of you reading this to some day get over any fears you have and huck yourself off something big. Cheers!

Keels
“Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one’s courage.” — Anais Nin

Goodbye summer! Hello frosty winter! It’s cold down here in NZ! We already had two days of powder skiing. We got here and it was snowing pretty hard. I got my fix of freshies the first runs of every day and then it was down to work. A lot of drills and basic skiing to get our feet under us. Seems boring but it’s essential to get balance and a good position back after four months off snow.  I am feeling the aches and pains from skiing already; but it’s a good kind of sore. Just trying to ski myself into shape everyday.  I love skiing in NZ because the people are so friendly and Cornet Peak has some fun terrain and good snow. I’m not flowing very well with my writing right now. I sound a bit like a 3rd grader, maybe it’s all the driving backwards down here.  Needless to say, it’s our seventh day on snow. We are skiing injected slalom. Today I felt like Bambi on ice, slippin’ around like a uncoordinated deer is never the way to ski. But I look at skiing like this like this, it’s August and I’m spring cleaning right now. You know, getting the useless junk out of my system now, making it easier to tear it up this season. I’m having a fun time with all the girls on my team again. I’ve missed them over the summer. When we all get together it’s a little intense for the people around us. We can’t be missed in our bright pink plaid jackets and boisterous laughter. When we aren’t ripping we’re laughing and adventuring around Queenstown.Check for more updates as the camp goes on! I think I’m going to jump off a big bridge in a few days, bungie!!!Keels on Wheels

Please send all your love and good vibes in the world towards Cody Marshall. Cody had a major head injury and we are all pulling and praying for him and his family. To learn more please go to www.thinkcody.com.  Thank you! All my love and good healing vibes go out to you Cody and Family! Keely