Greetings nordic skiers and nordic ski enthusiasts' too! Welcome to another fascinating story from the Nordic Dave Adventure Series.  Back in the day long ago, before Torbjorn Karlsen was the U.S. Ski Team Coach, he had a team called Team Jeremy. Jeremy Ranch  was set to be a sprawling complex of golf courses and homes on a scale that was years ahead of it's time. It had ski trails that were unlike  anything Utah had seen or has seen since. It was a place that made it's rival of the day, Giant's Ridge, look small in scale.

The JR project went bankrupt and large chunks of land were sold off at bargain prices far below what we are experiencing as a real estate

crash today. A friend of mine Dave B. (rumored to have been known to his high school mates as "Mad Dog")  bought 10,000 acres of some of the prettiest private property I have ever seen. With it went some of the best ski trails ever designed. The trails are still there starting about a mile from my house and haven't been groomed for skiing in over 20 years. Running these trails on summer evenings is incredible. You're running along trails wide enough for a piston bully in a wilderness full of trophy sized elk, moose and yup I ran into two mtn lions there once.

That was truly a "holy batcrap robin" moment as we stared each other down. Never mind the wildlife, if ol' Dave B catches you on his property  there is hell to pay as he patrol's his land of trophy elk, armed and packing. Nordic Dave being a kindred spirit to "Mad Dog" got permission to roam his land years ago. How'd ya do it ND? Well Old ND simply went up to his door a few decades back knocked on it and asked. To this day ND is about the only person alive to freely roam this property keeping an eye out for people of low character trespassing and or poaching. 

The trails are not runnable this spring due to a record snowpack that has accumulated this year. Old Nordic picked his last day of his training year (April 30th) to finish his training where ND started skiing about 30 years

ago. As he crested the pass at coincidently 700 hours of training for the year he stopped and gave a moment of thanks for having simple pleasures  to enjoy and staying healthy. Btw, are there any coincidences' in life ? ND doesn't think so. A ski tour was a fitting way to reflect on things to yourself, self did I get it right? What worked well this year and what didn't?

 
Next year starts all over again for many nordic skiers on May 1st. The summer training is always tough putting in volume and intensity along with the heat, bugs and the dirt. As my 90 year dad likes to say..."the beatings will continue until the morale improves"....ah the beatings! Yup winter is a perfect description of heaven, i.e. clean and pure.

As my friend Don Becker likes to say...."you'll be younger next year...."

See you then! Cheers,

Nordic Dave 

The Bend Endurance Academy is seeking collegiate skiers and older juniors ages 18-23 who have an interest in spending 3-4 months in Bend, Oregon training with professional coaches and a highly motivated Nordic team. The Academy offers a mix of morning and afternoon practices focusing on strength and agility training, skate and classic rollerskiing, hiking, running and exploring in the Deschutes National Forest. On snow skiing opportunities are available. Practices run Tuesdays-Saturdays from May 31 to August 15th. 

The Academy relies on innovative training methods to maximize individual summer training plans and help participants reach their individual fitness and technique goals. The summer Nordic program is designed for individuals looking to succeed at NCAAs, USCSAs, US Nationals, Supertours, Junior Nationals, World Junior/U23s or other individual ski racing goals.  The Academy also offers three 5-day camps throughout the summer in various Northwest locations including the very popular Trout Lake Nordic Camp scheduled for July 20-24. Academy camps connect PNSA, Far West, Mid Atlantic, and New England skiers and include current and former J1/World Junior/U23 team members and coaching staff.

Academy staff will do their best to help participants find summer jobs or internships as well as assist with home stay or housing arrangements. Central Oregon Community College offers a range of summer classes. Oregon State University classes are available as well through the Cascades Campus. This is a unique opportunity to catch up on a class, or get ahead for next year.

Contact Ben Husaby with questions: ben@bendenduranceacademy.org or 541-678-3864. Enroll online at www.BendEnduranceAcademy.org

The Bend Endurance Academy is dedicated to "building endurance athletes who are able to accomplish their individual athletic goals while being committed to personal growth, teamwork and community responsibility." The Academy is a 501 c 3 nonprofit organization providing Nordic skiing, Cycling and Multisport development programs in the Deschutes National Forest under a Special Use Permit from the US Forest Service.