Franz Klammer

On Sunday I took my nephew, Jared, skiing for the first time. I don't know that I should be the one teaching him to ski, since I'm not the greatest of skiers. I am a strong believer in the "Better Off Dead" philosophy of skiing, "Go down this way as fast as you can, and if something gets in your way....turn." Jared started out on the bunny hill for a while, but eventually we got on the main hill and he did fine. I kept telling Jared what I have always heard "If you aren't falling down, then you aren't skiing hard enough." Here is Jared on his skis.Jared said he had a good time, and I hope he means it and plans to hit the slopes again. Speaking of hitting the slopes, Wednesday night, weather permitting I am headed out to Utah for some skiing. I am staying with Russ and Amanda, and Krum, Goob and Jen are all coming on the trip too. I am really excited, it has been almost 2 years since I have skied out west.

All of this talk about skiing got me thinking of another top 7 list. How about my top 7 skiing partners.

7. Krum. Krum comes in at number 7 not because of his skiing but because of the therapy sessions that go on while on the chair lift. Krum will spill of of his life problems while waiting to get to that top of that hill. Incredibly entertaining.

6. Haus jumps on to the list even though I haven't skied with him in a long time, but he is the one who got me started skiing.

5. Marty. Sure, I will throw the Moose on the list, if for no other reason than the Moose is such a great guy. I real skiing with him once at Copper Mountain and we got split up. It had been about 2 or 3 runs since we had seen each other and I knew the easiest way to find him was to take a break under the chair lift. His version of the story was that he got on the lift with some strangers and asked them "Hey, you haven't seen a gorilla anywhere have you?" The other three people on the lift looked at him like he was crazy. But a couple of riblets later, on of the strangers said "I don't believe it, but I think that is your gorilla sitting right there."

4. Eric. The thing about Eric is that he will talk me into doing some of the dumbest things you have seen on the ski hill. In Lake Tahoe, I took some of the most ridiculous jumps just because Eric said that he thought I could do it. Secretly he knew that I wouldn't land those jumps but he just wanted to watch the show.

3. Nate. At least old Nate. If there is one thing about Nate and I, it is that we thoroughly enjoy one upping each other. So if Nate jumps off of something, I have no choice but to do the same.

2. Tree. Tree and I can drawn a lot of attention because he is so big and I am dressed up. Also because he have been known to throw down and wrestle in the middle of the lift line before. We always have a great time engaging strangers in conversation on the chair lift, especially if they are high schoolers.

1. This one is a no brainer, it has to be Russ. Russ has taken me skiing more than any other person. We have gone all over Colorado and now we are working on Utah. Plus now I have Russ wearing either the chicken or gorilla suit with me.