Final Telemark Race League Night

Team Poutine and X-tra Gravy wrapped up our Thursday Night Telemark Race season last Thursday in fine fashion. The league was a lot of fun and it was something I looked forward to every week for the past month and a half. We had a great group of people to hang out with, make knee-bending turns beside, and laugh at the same sarcastic jokes. It was probably a good thing that we were all there to have a great time and not too focused about breaking any speed records. Don’t get me wrong: we have some very fast people on our teams. However, the race leagues are notoriously a “circus,” not getting the correct times, confusing people, and not starting/ending on time and this year was no exception.

Members of Team Poutine and X-tra Gravy basking in the glow of cajun cheese curds and sausage gravy topping fries in all their golden glory.

The final race is a solo event (not head-to-head) and is similar to the Sprint Classic event held last Saturday. But in honor of the last race, everyone comes decked-out in costume, attempting to win the team contest. So we raced last week with people in tuxes, Trekkies, aliens, and of course Kokopouteles! That’s right: our two teams were Kokopelli-Poutine-Telemarkers. Remember that poutine is fries covered in gravy and cheese curds (Yum!). We didn’t get on the podium of the costume contest but should have won the Most Obnoxious award. Several of us had whistles, others had vuvuselas from the soccer Sorld Cup in South Africa, and one guy even brought a make-shift digeridoo. And we used them all in excess. Dodging gates went well and the after-party was a lot of fun: hanging out, eating poutine, and winning race schwag. 

More team members sporting costumes and enjoying the fellowship inducing Poutine.

All in all a great experience for me. I feel like I’ve become a better telemark skier from running icy, rutted out courses through colored gates. I had a great time hanging out with my Dad and his social circle on Thursday nights, making cool connections and building fun relationships. And what’s becoming apparent to me is that’s what life is all about.

Me, obviously enjoying myself. Notice the detail and artistic work of my costume: the dashing kokopelli telemarker, fries on the helmet, whistle around the neck, and flute hanging from my chin strap.