Hello from Heber

I’m in Utah’s Heber Valley at biathlon national team camp for a couple weeks.  I was a little said to leave VT in peak foliage season.  Tim commented about how awesome the fall smells in the east, and I am missing that right now, but the west has it’s own special smells.  All the oaks and aspens are changing color here, and when it rains, the smell of sage permeates the air.

On Wednesday, we lucked out with nice weather and climbed most of the way up Mt. Timpanogos, Utah’s 2nd highest peak.  Mt. Timpanogos towers over Soldier Hollow, the 2002 Olympic venue where we are training, and I’d been dreaming about climbing that mountain for years.

When the thunderstorms aren’t too bad, we’ve been spending a lot of time at the range.  Between the gusty winds and cold rain, the shooting has been extremely challenging.  The coaches call it “toughness training.”

High up on Mt. Timpanogos

Mr. Mountain Goat refusing to move off the trail

Zach and Sara (biathlon national team members) captured a pet on our front door step and now she lives in an empty orange juice container in our kitchen. She is black, has 8 legs, eats flies, and has a red hourglass on her belly.

I thought I was leaving the rain at home...

Soldier Hollow shooting range. It took 15 clicks to zero my rifle in these conditions.