It's hard to believe, but right away this morning we got out on the golf course in Park City for some sweet early season snow!  It might not last long, but we'll enjoy while we can here.  I think this is the sign of a good winter coming.

Check out the video I just put up chronicling Taylor in his Captain America costume - for the entire trip.  This was his way of paying up for a running bet from last year's ski times against Bill Demong.

On a more serious note: a big thanks to the NNF for helping fund this trip.  Don't forget that the Drive for 25 is still on!

https://www.grouprev.com/loomis

That's it for Oberstdorf and the trip. I'm writing from Amsterdam now, and tomorrow we'll be home.  

We wrapped up the trip with a fun 2-man team event yesterday.  We jumped the big hill and raced a 5 x 1.5km sprint course.  The teams were made off the finishes from our time trial in Predazzo.  Billy and Nick cleaned up, but it was  a good fight for the next few spots (the middle guys always seem to have the strongest teams - and they didn't exactly have great races in Predazzo).  

I raced by myself and with a ghost racer, because my teammate, Brett, wasn't able to race with a sudden flare in shin pain/ compartment syndrome.  So I just used my jump, instead of averaging jumps, and rested between laps for the exact amount of time that my previous lap took.  

Half way to winter jumping today!  They have a refrigerated track here on the inrun in Oberstdorf that they run water on and let ice over to allow a winter feeling as that time nears.  It was pretty sweet to get that smooth sweet feeling of ice!

Who else is getting stoked for winter! 

Sitting here in Predazzo, Italy again, it seems as if the last trip never really ended.  We did, however, have a few quick weeks back home in Park City.

What was I up to while I was home?  A lot training, sorry to be boring.  We flew home from last trip mid-week and started a tough intensity block the next week.  This time of year we really ramp up the speed and hit it hard during the "blocks."  Last block consisted of 2 interval workouts, a day off, and then 5 interval sessions, 3 jumping sessions and 2 time-trials in a week.  It was a beatdown to say the least. 

The following week, last week, the Norwegian A-team came into town and we did just about all our training/jumping with them.  You might remember that they were here in June.  Apparently they like it in PC and we like having them around.

By the way, I haven't only been training.  One of the highlights of the last couple weeks: learning to curl at the PC ice arena.  If I had the time, I might just join a league - or maybe it will be with the whole crew.  I also played baseball the other day - and that's a sport that I know I don't have a career in.  It's actually more fun than I remember though, and infinitely better than watching.

We also endeavored to cook some authentic European food's while at home with friends.  Basically we made complicated Mac and Cheese and gourmet pancakes, but the Austrians would call them Kaisespaetzle and Kaiserschmarrn.  

We flew back overseas Monday and drove right to Predazzo.  We're with the National Training Group guys from Steamboat. It's a blast to see the pals who we don't get to hang out with as much as we used to.     Looks of good jumping and quality sessions are in store for the team.  I'll keep you informed.  Look for a video coming towards the end of the camp!

The Drive for 25 is on!  This is the National Nordic Foundation's biggest fundraiser of the year and it's all about you!  As the next generation of Nordic skiers we need your support today.

Donate $25 any time from now until Nov 15.  Then help us spread the word!

With the NNF we are taking on the challenge of filling the gaps in funding that exist's from the top level on down in Nordic Combined and Cross Country skiing.  We are daring to ask the question: What if our nation's top athletes did not have to pay thousands, sometimes tens of thousands, of dollars to race internationally and represent the Red, White, and Blue? 
 
Nordic athletes competing at the U23 & World Junior Championships must pay their way.

Athletes like myself who are below the A-team are not fully funded.

All of the NNF's funding comes from the Nordic community. 

Here is what we need and ask you to do:

1) Become a NNF Ambassador
2) Donate
3) Spread the message

Get started by clicking the Drive for 25 Button.

Learn more about the National Nordic Foundation's mission here: http://www.nationalnordicfoundation.org/