As one ages, more opportunities present themselves to that person. I consider my self a very ambitious person who dreams big. One of my favorite quotes really sums me up, "I'm too stupid to know what's impossible. I have ridiculously large dreams, and half the time they come true." By far one of my favorite statements which I follow religiously. I don't let people tell me I can't do something, I just do it. I have always been hardcore into the Olympics, especially the Winter Olympics. My parents, who don't know jack for the most part about winter sports are into to them and have always been. I remember watching skiing with my parents during the 1994 Lillehammer Olympics (yea I was 5).
Anyways lets fast forward, then rewind to 2006. Watching these games I became obsessed with the sport of Skeleton it just looked so cool. The cool designs on helmets the sweet looking speed suits and the rush you could get flying down ice at 80 mph navigating the course. So being me, I googled it and found that there are only two track in America, one in Lake Placid, New York and one in Salt Lake City, Utah. Not exactly close by. Plus lessons were rare and when available, expensive. Not going to let that keep me away I decided to simulate the experience by taking my brothers long board, going to the top of my hill and sliding down on it....good idea? Oh yea, until I slammed face first into my neighbors trashcans. Would this daunting first time experience keep me away? Negative. I quickly realized that my current monetary situation would not allow for me to pay for the long trips, track fees, and lessons that would be vital in this sport. So while payed attention to the sport following it first on SPEED TV and continuing do so on NBC Universal, I just put that one the back burner for a while.
My friend John, check out his blog (www.theanalogkid757.blogspot.com), went on a life changing study abroad trip to London this fall. When he came back he was all gung ho about following dreams and going on road trips. Now, John is one of the very few people who knew early on about my want to do the sport, only a few people knew about this. My brothers and my neighbor Justin are the other two. And when Justin laughed, probably not even for the Skeleton reason because he has supported me in pretty much everything, I threw a hockey puck at his face (He knew it was all in good humor). So over Christmas break, John and I are having one of our famous drunk talks when John keeps telling me to go do it go do go do it.
Fast forward a few months, and I am sitting in, "Fall of the Roman Empire" drinking a Red Bull trying to pay attention and learn about Constantine's defeat of Maxentius, when I just start planning a trip to Lake Placid. I rush back to my apartment go on the internet and with in an hour my trip was planned! Even though John, who watched Skeleton with me for the first time last Friday, isn't even into the sport like I am is going to Lake Placid with me for some support. But this trip is more about Skeleton is also an adventure. With me being a newly turned 21 year old and John who looks like he's 25 the bars will be open to us and and our adventure can come full circle.
I will be attending the, "Skeleton Experience" which is a tutorial that will eventually certify me as a member of the USBSF which will enable me to compete in tournaments, or more importantly qualify me for "Driving School", which I hope to attend next year. If you are one of the top sliders at "Driving School" you may earn a place on the National Development team. It's a long way away but I am taking the first step. Most Skeleton athletes don't even get started til their mid to late twenties, so I'm getting a head start go me!
So off to Lake Placid I go March 19th, what will happen? We shall see!
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