Volume Week and Canada

Hello family, friends, and anyone who wants to know what a post graduate is doing! This week was, just like every other week, very exciting and filled with new adventures. This week I have lots of pictures, just warning you.

This week Austin Huneck came back from his trip out west that included climbing Mt. Hood and Mt. Rainier. Also we had a guest, Nate Moreau, who skis for Bates College. He came up to the county for a change in training from southern Maine. Once everyone got settled in, I preformed the duty of grill master and cooked up some hamburgers.

Thanks for the grill Grandma!

(photo: Austin Huneck)

Wednesday was another event filled day. Austin and I had to go see Lance because Austin left lunch meat in his fridge (another story). As usual, hanging out with Lance always ends with an adventure and on this day it ended with rebuilding his zip line in his back yard. It had been a couple years since this zip line was used so it took a little work but we eventually got it to work.

Action shot

(photo: Austin Huneck)

On the way back to the house Austin and I saw a cluster of food vendors in a parking lot just off of Main St. Through some investigating, we found out that it was the beginning of the Potato Blossom Festival. I am still unclear why there is a festival for this but it turned out to be awesome later in the week. Since it was a potato festival we though that we could buy potatoes in bulk for cooking. Unfortunately that was  not the case. We asked the locals we could buy bulk potatoes and we were directed to Goughan's Farm.  Again we were disappointed no to find what we were looking for but we did find mini golf!! Even better it only cost $3.50!

Austin and I decided it was a no-brainer and played 9 holes of mini golf behind a farm stand.

Taking the first shot

(photo: Austin Huneck)

The 9 holes were really nicely laid out

We found a goose

On Friday night Mrs. Bartley, junior skier Jason and Max Bartley's mom, had us over for a dinner of pulled pork sandwiches. It was absolutely delicious, thank you Mrs. Bartley! There was a dance where the food court was earlier in the week. They blocked off a part of Main St. and had a band playing. It felt like we were at a county fair in the midwest, except we were in northern Maine. 

The band played out of a tractor trailer 

Saturday we had intervals and speeds when a group of bikers went by.

Saturday afternoon we left for Kamouraska, Quebec. This was a trip for post graduates and Olympic Development Team members.

Kamouraska was amazing, It was so nice to be back at the ocean again. I had forgotten how much I missed it. It's a very unique place also. All around is farm land except for small ridges that ran parallel to the St. Lawrence. The ridges were only about 500 to 1000 yards long. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before.

On Sunday one group went for a 5 hour road bike and another group went for a run/hike. I was a hiker and we set out to climb the ridges and make our way back to the campsite. What ended up happening was we bushwhacked for 2 hours along a "trail". This trail was marked but that's about it. It was still uncut so it made a rough going, but it was an excellent hike. 

Near the end of the hike

(L to R: Bates skier and runner Gabby Naranja, me, Bates skier Nate Moreau, Casey Smith MWSC ODT biathlete)

Slack lining

On Monday, 7 of us went rock climbing. I haven't gone in a while but it was a beautiful day and many of my teammates were really good at it.

Kelsey Dickinson scaling up the face

Another incredible day 

On they way back from Canada Austin and I decided to take a dip in Lake Madawaska. It felt amazing.

One last thing. Shout out to my teammate Austin Huneck recently got sponsored by the skiing company Alpina. He's worked really hard and definitely deserves it.