I’ve finally chilled out a bit and have some more time to sit down and write/show pictures about the World Cup so far. It’s been super busy with a lot of racing and school that has kept me from doing much else besides that. School was good though! Kinda tough sometimes but I’m going to graduate in the spring so I’ve been really stoked about that!

It felt like a really long first period of racing, I ended up doing every race (10 total) and I’ll be honest I was getting tired at the end! It had to be one of the best starts to the season I remember from the US team though, so that made it fun a lot of the way. Sometimes it’s tough when other people are killing it, and you maybe aren’t finding your stride, but most of the time it’s just cool to be around positive energy and a team that’s confident in themselves and each other. (Also! bear with me a little bit on this one, because the blog writing part of my brain feels kinda turned off. I feel like I should write some big thoughts about period 1 because it was really huge, especially for our men’s team, but I feel like I can’t formulate my thoughts on it very well right now, so I’m not gonna bite into that topic too much) Back to the tried and true tons-of-pictures-with-captions-to-hopefully-tell-a-story.

Where we are now: Trying to fire up the hot tub in Klosters, Switzerland

Where we started: northern lights in Ruka, Finland in late November

Actual first stop of the season: Muonio Finland. Farthest north I’ve ever been! Was a nice, cold, snowy spot for our little pre-camp.

First dose of the deep winter pastel skies

Pretty cool trails here, with smaller climbs than in Ruka, which was really chill for getting our feet under us after travel.

When you’re driving 5 hr southeast TO Ruka you know you’re really up there.

Lunchtime with the boys. We get little apartments in Ruka which is super nice because it keeps you from sitting on your bed all day

Classic Ruka moguls/aerials site. probably around 4-5pm

First pre-race workout of the year! I got this sprint start because Michael Earnhart and WIll Koch decided not to come to Ruka.

We were all pretty damn nervous for the first race, which is pretty normal, because you don’t really know where you’re at, and want to do well. It’s easy to say you don’t care how the first races go, but we all want them to be at least ok. It’s really tough when they go badly, because then if you’re not careful that can be how you start to think of yourself as a skier. But you just gotta believe and be patient.

It was also cold as hell for the 20k, so I tried some new under-the-suit taping strategy. Worked pretty well for the ripping (~50mph) downhill.

Another big bus ride to a different arctic circle place! Gallivare, SWE

It was a cold month up there! The bright side is then my peach fuzz actually becomes visible.

Pre-race puppy love on the day of the 10k skate

Santa spotting at the podium ceremony for Jessie’s first win of the year

clown bowling shoes on the last night in gallivare

Lots of the athletes got to fly this one, but finally going below the arctic circle

We gained like 2-2.5 hr of daylight with that one simple maneuver. Ostersund, SWE

10% of free time on the world cup is spent bag-rummaging to find clothes

got a little tour of klaebo’s hair product office, including a trim

It’s been suuuuch a nice reset. Really great to have a chill time in a house with the Ogdens, enjoying a little slower life. Stoked to fire it up again with the first race of the Tour de Ski on Saturday in Toblach, Italy. Skate sprint!