Author Archives

by

Support Your Local……..

Frick Park winter ride with Jeff Chetlin. 

Tired of the limited ski terrain due to terrible weather, and the huge “EPIC” crowds at our local ski resorts for the Holidays, our posse called an audible and met our pal Jeff and his wife Julie for a winter ride in Frick Park in the city of Pittsburgh. We included what I call the Tour de Death through Homewood Cemetery and it was a truly pleasant outing in the city with very little mud. We like to support our friend Jeff who has made nothing short of a miraculous recovery from a stroke. In fact, he bought a new E-Bike and re-assumed his role at the front of the pack, smiling like a butcher’s dog.( Thanks Mike Lange) He has appreciated the support while he has been recovering and is now fully on his way to living his life the way he wants to live it with his ever- energetic wife Julie. The key is support of friends. He would do the same for all of us and it was truly our pleasure to see him relish in the support of all his “outdoor type” friends. 

Bob K up and over the roller in Frick Park. Yes- literally an old cement roller that the local “Slagforce” installed for all of our enjoyment. 

Jeff always says that the mountain bike crowd is the most friendly and supportive group of people whom he knows. That is saying something seeing that he is a skier, mountain biker, snowmobiler, and avid, all -around outdoor sportsman. I would tend to agree. 

Thinking about support, especially locally, our favorite ski area of Laurel Mountain has had a rough start with the weather as well as some mechanical issues due to a power surge which damaged the chair lift motor and the snowmaking pump motors. Not to mention that during a recent storm, RT 30 was closed due to an accident and nobody could get to the resort. Our crowd has made it a mission to support Laurel during this time and show up even if all the terrain is not open. The folks on the staff there work extra hard to make Laurel a viable option during the winter, and it is a shame that they have been dealt a tough hand of cards in this early season. But again, our ski crowd,( many of whom are also in the mountain bike crowd), actively support what is going on in our local little ski area. We want to see it thrive and therefore show up even when conditions are not optimal. Happy to report that Laurel got a nice snowfall New Years Eve. Things are looking up. 

Hoping Laurel Mountain looks like this again soon. 

I think a lot about the slogan- ” Support Your Local…….” Every time I see a police officer, I thank them for their service. They have a tough job “protecting and serving” all of us in these tumultuous times. I thank anyone who has or is currently serving all of us in the military. Lots of local people who selflessly serve all of us. I support our local church as being part of a community of believers is important to me. John Guest, the famous evangelist, always says that you need not go far to support someone in need. The elderly in your neighborhood, local charities, a friend who is down. John says you don’t have to be a missionary overseas. Just look around your local neighborhood, workplace, school, and you will see opportunities to ” support your local…….” Give the local store support instead of spending your money in some big box store. Support the local businesses as they are trying hard to make it in this world today. There are so many opportunities to ” support your local……” I listened to the latest Rich Roll Podcast and his guest, Simon Hill, ( noted Australian health and fitness expert), said a very interesting thing. He was talking about service and serving others and said that one of the number one ways to lower stress and reduce blood pressure markers is to be of service to others. It has been clinically proven in testing individuals for health markers ,( cholesterol, blood pressure, VO2 max, etc.) that lifestyle changes like service can actually improve a number of markers in individuals who are looking to improve their health.

Darrell Porter and Ozanam helping us support Ronald McDonald House Charities. 

As we move towards 2024, Janet and I are trying to make more of an effort to support worthy local causes. Not that the big ones are not important, but keeping it local among business support, church support, charity support, is critical to keeping in touch with the local community. We are all in this together. 

Gretl Dupre restored Camp Soles. An outdoor camp for kids. Locally in our Laurel Highlands. 
The always smiling Gretl at her beloved Camp Soles. A wonderful opportunity for local kids to experience the great outdoors. 

Think about supporting your local friend, neighbor, family member, business, ski area, camp, and so many other opportunities in 2024. My mother always said…..” Happiness is like a perfume that you can’t sprinkle on others without getting a little on yourself.” So true mom. Happy New Years to all and enjoy the outdoors. Thanks for reading. 

Be a follower of the blog on Word Press. www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com Thanks

by

Shine Your Light

You know this time of year, you notice a lot of pine trees which turn into Christmas trees. Take the beautiful one that made its way from the Monongahela National Forest to the White House. An amazing journey and a fitting tribute to the season once it was erected in Washington, D.C. I think a lot about our Christmas tree. We have it adorned with ornaments that my mother and dad collected over all the years. They had the foresight to collect two each year from the Danbury Mint and Lennox China. One each for me and my sister Molly. We have them still today and the gold and the china ornaments look absolutely radiant on our tree each year- again, thanks to the thoughtful actions of my parents over all the years. 

I think a lot about those gold and china ornaments and how they shine when we turn on the lights for the tree. I think about how we are like those trees that we erect in our homes. The ornaments that signify memories from the past, the good years, the not so good years, the tough years, the absolutely joyful years, and times that have molded our personalities and character. We are building a display of that each year we get older. Life as a kid, school, sports, marriage, family, all contribute to the fabric of our lives and in many ways- those experiences are like the ornaments on our tree. 

But what highlights those ornaments? Light!! When we turn on the lights to the trees, the gold ornaments shine and reflect the light from all of the little white bulbs. Kind of like the Christmas story and how it lights up our lives. Imagine the darkness of the night in Bethlehem for the shepherds and all of a sudden- brilliant light when the angel Gabriel brought the good news. The bible refers to the heavenly light as Shekinah glory. A light that we cannot imagine here on earth. Part of that light was shown that night in Bethlehem and we are called to shine a light of our own when we interact with friends, strangers, and family this Christmas season. Jesus came to show us all how to shine our light and be the best version of ourselves – not only at Christmas but at all times of the year. We stop and pause to think about the significance of the Christmas story. The love and light that was shown to us so that we in kind might show that love and light to others. When we turn on our light, we illuminate our lives, experiences, and our hopes, dreams and faith for others to enjoy.

So this Christmas season, when we remember the birth of Christ and the significance of his life, death and resurrection for us ,we can be grateful. We can think about how we can make a difference for others throughout the New Year coming our way. Whatever you celebrate this season, the message is still the same. Be the light for others. Thanks for reading. 

” Therefore the Lord Himself will show you a sign. Behold a virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and he shall be called Emmanuel- God with us.”  Isaiah 7-14. 

by

The Drive South

Snow in them thar hills. 

You know, it might seem counter intuitive, in a slow starting local season, to drive south to ski. But that is exactly what my pal Porter Scott and I did to try to break the seal on the new ski season- at least here in the mid-Atlantic. Tucker County, West Virginia is higher than our local Laurel Highlands and Timberline Mountain is roughly 4500 feet in elevation. Snowshoe is a little higher but for the most part, this elevation difference makes for more natural snow conditions, and good snowmaking where maybe locally we may be a little shy for the moment.  

Porter and yours truly. 

I had not skied Timberline in the past, and my only experience there was riding in the 24 Hours of Canaan mountain bike race back in the mid-90s. At that time, Timberline seemed a little tired and in need of a serious upgrade. Enter the Perfect North company who are from the mid-west and own several areas there. The Perfect family has invested over 15 million in Timberline and in short, have made it, well, perfect as a local ski option for the tri- state area. The installation of a new 6 pack ,high speed, chairlift and upgraded state of the art snowmaking, have made this a great option for anyone who wants to drive to Davis, West Virginia and experience what Tucker County has to offer. Another selling point to this place is the fact that most of the runs are over 1000 vertical feet as opposed to the 700 + vertical at local Pa resorts. That little bit of extra vert is certainly welcomed, especially in the early season when you are anxious to get out and ski. Porter and I rallied 21,000 vertical there, and the conditions could not have been better. Good natural snow, good machine made snow, and excellent grooming with their fleet of Pisten-Bully groomers. 

Nice to see snow at this time of year. 

Ok- enough of the statistics. Let me tell you why we decided to go. Porter and I are avid skiers. We have skied together for over 50 years and we always talk skiing and make opportunities to ski together whenever we can. He is enthusiastic about skiing, like I am, and the thought of a day trip to West Virginia was appealing. Even though it is three hours driving time down and three hours back. We anticipated good skiing this time of year, coupled with the fact that both of us really like the Mountain State. He went to school down there, and I always have enjoyed my time there mountain biking. I have skied Snowshoe, but had never skied Timberline and I always get this warm feeling whenever I see the sign for Wild, Wonderful, West Virginia when we cross the border. Probably best to stay over a night or two instead of the drive all in one day. But really the conversation with Porter up and back made the time go quickly. People in Davis are friendly and the folks at Timberline could not have been more customer service oriented and just plain nice. Everyone says hello, has a smile on their face, and to hear a southern twang in a ski lift line is kind of amusing. Most people would not associate the south with skiing, but there are great options in West Virginia, Virginia, and North Carolina. The elevation helps and it seems like the people of Davis really like their outdoor opportunities and love their local Timberline Mountain. 

“Perfect” grooming and nice views of the Canaan Valley. 

The day was “perfectly” sunny, and Porter and I ripped off a lot of runs. We were so happy to be skiing, and I picked up right where I left off at Mammoth Mountain, California, in May. Working on some technique changes that were suggested by my friend from Tahoe when we skied together, along with associated thoughts by the legendary Harald Harb who I have been following on You Tube. Look him up. Great tips from a great coach. In any event, it was great to get a good start to hone my technique and feel pretty good on a pair of skis again. But then again, what about West Virginia? 

Great Views from the Salamander Trail- a long cruiser. The south’s longest run. Lots of beautiful homes being built along this trail. 
The friendly and very capable staff at the base of their new 6 pack chairlift. 

I guess the experience is best described when you stop after skiing and have a cold beer in one of Davis’s breweries like Stumptown Ales, followed by an always enjoyable Italian meal at Sirriani’s right in the middle of town. Happy people, talking skiing and mountain biking, and in general, just enjoying the vibe of a little town dedicated to health, exercise, and good friends with an outdoor oriented community. West Virginia is great, and the town of Davis personifies the vibe of the Mountain State. I am so happy my friend Chris Huffman suggested that we try Timberline. We will be going back for sure. I love riding my mountain bike down there and now have another ski option a little closer to home. Thanks Chris and thanks to Timberline for a really enjoyable experience. Think snow, go ski Timberline, and thanks for reading. 

Please help me by signing up for my blog on Word Press. All you do it go to my blog page, enter your email into the white box to the left of my page or scroll down on your phone to the white box at the bottom. You will get a notice of when I post with no ads or muss or fuss. Just trying to grow the blog on Word Press a little bit. Thanks again. www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com 

by

The Drive North

Back in the day, at this time of the year, I always packed my skis, boots and bags in my vehicle and headed north to New England. Not only because I usually wanted to get a jump on the season down here in the Mid Atlantic, but because I always liked the whole atmosphere of winter in New England. I would sign up for a PSIA clinic and get some additional training as well as see some old friends in Vermont. Back in those days, I think I was more proud of achieving my (Full Certified- now Level III) ski instructor certification at Killington than I was graduating from Allegheny College. I remember telling my dad that I wanted to take my certification and he said, ” fine- just don’t make a career out of it.” That was right after I spent the winter after graduation in Sugarloaf, Maine teaching skiing. I made a lot of friends up there and continued to travel to New England in the early winters.

There was something special to me about loading up the vehicle, turning on the Christmas music on the radio, and making the long drive up Interstate 79, to Interstate 90 in New York, to I-87 North and over to Vermont and points north. I loved driving in the winter seeing the quaint little villages with their Christmas lights twinkling. I couldn’t help thinking that I would love to live and work up there, and enjoy life in the outdoors. It really was right up my alley and I looked forward to my trips. Never made the jump, but always took time out to take the long drive in all kinds of weather to take in what Vermont, New Hampshire, upstate New York, and Maine had to offer. I really was not fully accepting of my role in my family business and would think a lot about how life could be so different. But one thing led to another, and I ended up making a lot of trips instead of making the move permanently. And that’s ok because life has been good to me.

Giving you a chance to peek under my hood for a moment, I never really was a career guy. I worked so I could enjoy life. I might have been able to perhaps achieve more, but looking back, I am happy that I enjoyed things like driving through a Vermont village, in a softly falling snow, looking at decorated Christmas trees, and thinking about skiing in a place where skiing is important. The thing I like about New Englanders is their passion for skiing, hiking and all things outdoors. It is really part of the fabric up there and the Currier and Ives atmosphere only enhances the feeling I get when I visit.

I have skied in 111 different areas in my life and a good many of those areas are in New England. PSIA clinics, skiing with my friends Eric, Helen, Hutch, and Mike Smith, and racking up the vertical all those years coupled with thousands of miles of driving, fueled my love for the Green and White Mountains and the Adirondacks. I feel ,somehow, that I am connected to that area of the country. I like the west, but I have always had a soft spot for places like the Beast, Stowe, Sugarloaf, and even a lot of the smaller, more quaint family run areas. Loved the early season runs on Cascade at Killington, on bullet proof conditions with the snowmaking guns making me look like a glazed donut. I always loved towns like Middlebury, Vermont, North Conway, New Hampshire, Waitsfield, Vermont and my always enjoyable times in summer and winter with the Durfees in Bethel, Vermont. Always had a liking for Lake Placid in the Adirondacks too, skiing in the pouring rain on the Summit Chair at Whiteface. For someone who lives in the Mid-Atlantic, I have racked up a lot of time in those mountains and towns. Closing the hood now, yes, maybe I could have been more career minded, but the time spent enjoying my life and times in the outdoors will never take a back seat to what could have been had I pursued a professional career. I have been blessed with good opportunities to earn a living, but had I done something else, I may not have had the time to jam my vehicles with my toys and head north.

Thinking about those days at this time of year, with the harrowing drives on the New York State Thruway, I-87 and the sometimes, blinding miles on RT 7 in Vermont, it always was worth the hazard. After a while, I never even looked at a map because I knew the routes in my head. Have not been up north in a couple of years. But am looking forward to taking Janet someday up to my old stomping grounds. She has had some experience up there, with me, but the weather was not kind to her. LOL!! But she is a gamer, and she will make that New England road trip sometime soon. Think snow and thanks for reading.

by

The Rope Tow

The diabolical surface lift of all time- the rope tow.

I posted about the poma lift back in January of 2022 and gave everyone some funny stories of that iconic surface lift for skiing. Check out my archives for that story. This post will feature what I call the diabolical demon of surface lifts- the rope tow. Now before I start my rant, I wanted to tell you a bit of trivia. For those who don’t ski, or those who have never had the pleasure of ripping your gloves apart on a rope tow, this lift is historical. In fact, the grandfather of my friend in Tahoe, donated the first rope to Clinton Gilbert who installed the first rope tow in this country on his farm in Vermont in 1934. Powered by a Model T engine. Interestingly of local note, Adolph Dupre, the original owner of Seven Springs Farm( now Mountain Resort) created his first rope tow in 1935. Skiing was becoming very popular in the 30s and lifts were springing up all over the country. But, Clinton Gilbert was the first in Vermont and Eric Durfee’s grandpap was part of the historical lore of the first tow in America.

Photo courtesy of Eric Durfee- originally of Bethel, Vermont

So what is the deal on the rope tow? Well- when you are a kid learning to ski, this is the first major obstacle besides stopping that you have to overcome if you want to keep skiing. There are only so many times you are going to walk up the hill tripping over your skis until you get the bright idea that it is time to take a ride to the top. When I was a kid learning at 7 years old, I ventured over to a red tractor in the “beginner bowl” that powered a fast moving rope that you had to grab to tow you up the hill. Most rope tows are powered by automobile engines or tractors and the red tractor at Seven Springs was the first time I had seen a rope tow.(For those of you who don’t know- this was before the hotel was built and it was in that general area.) I studied it for a while, watched the other kids have success, or no success or somewhere in between, and eventually grabbed the rope and went for a ride. I was amazed at the car wheel pulleys that were used to stabilize the rope where it returned back to the engine. One big continuous loop of speedy, thick, glove burning rope.

Rope tows move fast and when you finally get into place with your skis, muster up enough courage to slowly let the rope move through your hands, and then take the eventual grab, you either were successful or you basically exploded out of your boots and went ass over tincups off to the side of the hill. Lots of laughs were had by fellow kids learning, and we all had our turn embarrassing ourselves by grabbing the powerful, fast- moving rope too quickly. We also learned that you must never have loose fitting scarves, jackets, or other bits of clothing that might get caught in the rope. That was pure unvarnished danger and there were signs everywhere warning you of the impending doom of that kind of mistake.

As kids, we also learned that it was fun to grab the rope, swing out to the side, and see if we could knock our fellow riders out of the track. The lift attendants always took a dim view of that and chastised us when we got to the top, threatening to take our passes. But nonetheless, we became experts at riding the fast- moving surface lift of doom. We all figured out ways to make it fun going up.

The result of riding the rope tows, was the fact that your gloves took a major beating with the grabbing of the fast- moving rope. We all tried leather glove liners, thicker gloves, mittens, and everything we could think of to keep the burning rope from destroying our gloves. But usually to no avail and it was those times where we graduated to the poma lifts, or to the chair lifts. But as kids, we had our fun on the rope tows and fond memories of dragging each other in and out of the snow tracks, will always be in my mind.

Today- a lot of smaller, family run areas still have rope tows and even the larger areas use them to get from one major lift to another across a flat area. But for the most part, modernization with slower moving chair lifts, and surface lifts like the magic carpets, have replaced the rope tows. Everytime I grab a rope tow to make my way to another lift, I think of all the fun times I had as a kid. I mean, we lived on those rope tows even when we were night skiing. In the early days, we would kill ourselves trying to get back up if we had fallen in the track, looking like we had been in a blizzard covered with snow, and making our way into the lodge for a hot chocolate and a warm -up by the fire- only to go back out and have at it again. The rope tow never stopped except when it was shut off for the ski session by an attendant. It just kept running and running, killing our gloves, punishing us if we grabbed too hard, and in general showing us who was boss. 62 years later, I still give some pause any time I have to use one and make sure that I gradually grab the rope. Exploding out of my boots at my age could be catastrophic and my experience from long ago serves me well when I approach these mechanical devices. Hopefully everyone will have an opportunity sometime in their skiing lives to use a rope tow, poma lift, or t-bar. They are becoming more and more extinct with maybe the exception of the t-bar in Europe. But for the most part, surface lifts can be as much fun going up as skiing is going down. Especially as a kid, or in my case, a kid in my own mind. Thanks for reading and think snow.

Please be a follower of the blog on Word Press. Easy to do, just enter your email in the white box on my page or scroll all the way down on your smart phone and enter it in the white box there. You will get an email once a week when I post. No fuss, no muss, and it will help me with expanding the blog a bit.

http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com

by

The Skiing is Good to Excellent

Kinda looks like this in early season.

This cartoon always cracks me up because in a lot of ways, it describes early season skiing anywhere, but particularly here in the Mid -Atlantic. The title line above is what I heard from the former Director of Skiing at Seven Springs Mountain Resort- Lars Skylling, when I would call the ski report incessantly as a kid. ” The skiing is good to excellent with a few izzzzzzzzzy spots.” This time of year, I still look at the ski reports and hope for the best to get an early start around here. People ask me all the time why I ski locally when I get the opportunity to take several trips out west during the season. I tell them that I live and work in the Mid-Atlantic, and if I only skied out west, I would only have a few weeks a year to make turns. Maybe someday I will spend more of the season out west, but for the time being, I ski here and look forward to our trips.

Yours truly at Seven Springs Mountain Resort as a kid. Wooden skis, cable bindings, and leather, lace, boots with the old ski lodge in the background.

So back to local skiing. Typically, whenever anything is open at our local resorts, I will make the trip up to ski. I am a turnpike pounder and could drive that in my sleep. Generally speaking, it has been a good 7-8 months since I have last made a turn and I miss the feeling. Last season, I finished in May at Mammoth, so my time off skis is a little less. But as soon as anything is open, I will go and make some turns. Yes- with the popularity of season passes by Epic and Ikon, a lot of areas look like the cartoon in early season. But I try to get out locally, really early, and when the throngs come crashing in, I leave and wolf down a sandwich on the way home. If it rains, and the cover is good at the areas, I will don the Gore Tex and ski in the rain. Around here, if you don’t ski in foul weather, you don’t ski much. My western friends laugh at me when I say I ski in the rain, but I do what I have to do to get my limited days in during the season. I have really good foul weather skiing and MTB clothing. I ride in the winter too. This is my 62nd year of skiing and my protocol has not changed much at all.

One of my oldest skiing buddies- Dixon Rich. We are still skiing Laurel Mountain together after all these years.
Jan and I on a nice day at Laurel Mountain.

Like mountain biking, I have my local crowd and we all look forward to the season opener. The camaraderie and the nice feeling of seeing your posse for another ski season is always gratifying. Sure, in the beginning of the season, you tend to ski on limited terrain with big crowds. You head is on a swivel as you make endless laps on only a couple of slopes and trails. When it becomes unbearable, the best thing is to leave so you don’t get creamed by an out- of -control yahoo. People get a little crazy at the beginning of the year- new equipment, frenzy to get out, and oftentimes out of control. Janet will only ski during the week, so we will take some days locally to get her ready for the west, but during the week, you pretty much have the areas to yourself. The weekend crowds are the killer- but again, get out early and make those early season turns, and then make like a tree and leave. Once you get your turn fix, you are good. Even if you are there for only a short time.

Dixon, Melissa and Jaime- the Laurel regulars
Tina, Shark and John. Mountain bike and ski pals
Porter and Hiller at Holimont. Have skied with these guys for years and we always make the treks to Western New York to ski the Lake Erie Fluff. Especially when it is not quite ready around here.

You know, the older I get, the more I appreciate the camaraderie of the local crowd at ski season time. It is great to see everybody again especially if you have not seen them all summer. Yes- climate change and global warming is a real thing. We don’t have the snow around here like we had as kids, but we all make the best of it. The skiing may be limited, but the apres’ is never limited with a beverage or two to celebrate the day. I talk about skiing year- round- even on mountain bike rides. You either are hooked or you are not. I have been hooked since I was seven years old and hammering the phone for the ski report. I couldn’t wait for Mr. Rose to call and tell me he was picking me up for the weekend. What a great way to grow up. On the floor of the Rich’s cabin, in sleeping bags, every weekend. I have always felt so fortunate to be able to ski and at least have some local options. People bad mouth local skiing but what the heck, it is better than sitting on the couch moaning about the weather. Ski local, ski in the shitty weather, and when you are finished, you will be glad you made the effort. Skiing is social also, so if nothing else, it is cool to hang with your buds and talk…………..skiing.

So, here we are. Anxiously awaiting another season. Hoping that the crowds are not as bad as the cartoon above, but so what!! I will be there – rain or shine, head on a swivel, happy to once again make those arcs in the snow. Thanks for reading and think snow.

Lets Goooooooooo!!!!!!!!

Please be a follower of the blog at Word Press. Enter your email address in the white box on http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com or scroll to the bottom of your smart phone and enter it there. Then you will get an email notice of any new posts. No hassle, no ads, just once a week or every two weeks a message from the blog. It will help me continue to do this thing. Thanks

by

“A Common Field One Day, A Field of Honor Forever”

The Tower of Voices

One of the first things you notice as you drive into the entrance of the Flight 93 National Memorial is a large tower on the left called the Tower of Voices. As Janet and I parked the car and got out to inspect the monument, we learned that there are 40 wind chimes in the tower representing the 40 passengers and crew that were lost on that fateful day of September 11, 2001. The chimes only ring with a 15 mile an hour wind and when we visited this weekend, it was sunny and beautiful with virtually no wind or breeze. So, we could not hear the chimes. But the silence was a way for us to begin our tour of very sacred ground near Shanksville, Pa.

We don’t have many National Parks near us and even though Janet and I have visited many of them, to have one so close to home is a real blessing. This one has a special feel and was developed in 2002. The Memorial Plaza and the Wall of Names opened to the public on September 11, 2011. The Visitor Center complex was completed 4 years later, and the Tower of Voices completed the memorial design on September 20,2020.

The Wall of Names

As with a lot of the National Parks, the scenery is spectacular, and the layout of this particular memorial park is so well done. You can walk along the Memorial Plaza following the boundary of the crash site to see the Wall of Names which are individually marked sections with each of the passengers and crew’s names. Seeing this from a distance, it looks like a single wall. The park rangers told us that was by design to show the unified action of the passengers and crew that day. A 17 ton sandstone boulder shows the visitor the exact site of the crash. The debris field is still the final resting place for the crew and passengers that day. The impact was so great that there was hardly anything left, save for some surviving items and pieces of the plane that were recovered in the weeks that followed the crash.

The Impact Site

As we walked along the path, I remarked that it is amazing to see how much open land is in the park and how providential it was for the flight to go down and not kill any residents of the area. But the real somber moments are when you walk into the Visitor’s Center and see the films playing the events of that fateful day- the two buildings in New York, the Pentagon and the open field in Shanksville, Pa. The final actions and the bravery of those passengers and crew most likely saved the Capitol building in Washington, DC which was 20 minutes flying time away and the intentional target of the terrorists. Walking through the center, you can see the video presentations, and hear the conversations from the flight deck. You see the crew and passengers and take in the enormous bravery it took for them to overtake the hijackers and crash the plane instead of having it be the intended weapon bound for our nation’s capital.

Time has a way of numbing or even erasing the horrific events of that day. It has been 22 years and sometimes we tend to get complacent or even forget those fiery moments when our country was attacked. As you exit the Visitor’s Center and make your way along the path, the silence of those walking, together with Janet and I not talking much, indicated the reverence for that place. When the events are brought back into your eyesight and you remember that day, it is a feeling that you will never forget once you are reminded again with a visit to the Flight 93 Memorial. Busloads of kids started to show up as we were exiting and talking with the park rangers, they say this is a common occurrence. This is history and we thought it was so great that the young people today not only are educated on those events, but have the opportunity to visit a beautiful park dedicated to extraordinary bravery. Jan and I both remarked how hopeless and frightening it must have been for that crew and passengers to be herded into the back of the plane knowing without a doubt this would be their final minutes on this earth. But the heroism of several of the passengers, not wanting the hijacking to be successful, was unthinkable. When you see their faces and know what they did to save others, you get a sense of what it takes to be a true hero. Those passengers that day were all true heroes and the individual panels dedicated to each of them on the Wall of Names, is a fitting tribute that will stand the test of time.

As Jan and I exited the park, the mood in the Jeep was definitely somber. A visit to the park will not only be visually stimulating,, but when you see all the events brought back to you with the videos and displays at the Visitor’s Center, you will once again remember the horrible set of events that took place that day- 22 years ago. It seems like yesterday.

Congress designated the crash site as a national memorial in 2002. Paul Murdoch Architects and Nelson Byrd Woltz Landscape Architects won the international design competition in 2005. The memorial has been created through a public private partnership including the Families of Flight 93, Friends of Flight 93, National Park Foundation, and the National Park Service. To learn more about how you can support the memorial visit http://www.flight93friends.org

We love the National Parks. This is one that everyone in the country should visit in their lifetime. Never forget, be vigilant, and thanks for reading.

Be a follower of the blog on Word Press. Just enter your email in the white box on my page or scroll down on your phone to the white box. Enter the email and get my post once per week. No ads. No charge. No hassle. Thanks. http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com

The Wall of Names.
Memorial Beam shown on anniversary of 9/11- Courtesy of Tim Chappell. From his deck.
by

The Solden Kickoff

Laura Gut Behrami from Switzerland wins the first Women’s World Cup GS on the Rettenbach Glacier

One of the cool things about watching ski racing on TV, especially the kickoff in Solden, Austria, is it gets you excited for the upcoming ski season. Now I don’t need much encouragement to get excited for ski season, but watching the races on TV definitely gets your amp meter up and running. However, the interesting thing about the coverage is that there is technically so much going on that enables you to see the turns in slow motion as well as from above with the new drone photography. The coverage has become so much better with the advances in broadcasting at race venues.

Drone photography of Mikaela Shiffrin’s run.

I like to watch the turns to see exactly how the World Cup racers do it. The slow motion definitely helps the visual but the new drone coverage from above the skier on the way down the course enables to you see their body position as well as the bending of both skis in the turn. Drone photography has been such an improvement. This fall, I spoke to the drone engineers at the World Cup Mountain Bike races in Snowshoe, West Virginia and they had some interesting things to say. First of all, they told me that they programmed the course GPS coordinates in the drone logic so that the drone has a definite path on the way down the course. It is also locked into the rider and the GPS course lock enables those great shots down the course in the middle of the woods. A little easier with skiing because the racecourse is open and the drone can fly unobstructed. They might not need the GPS technology but then again, they might. In any event, it has been a really good enhancement to the ski coverage.

Petra Vlhova from Slovakia in slow motion action

Peacock, the streaming platform for NBC, is contracted to broadcast all Austrian races as well as the World Cup races in the US. The women’s races at Killington are next on the docket Thanksgiving weekend. All other races are able to be viewed on www. skiandsnowboard.live This is a subscription based streaming platform which is not very expensive and enables the enthusiast to see basically all the other races. Kind of a shame that the mainstream sports broadcasting does not jump on board seeing that the winningest ski racer of all time is in her prime right now and is an American- Mikaela Shiffrin. But, I will log into Peacock and the subscription based platform because I am a fan.

Leader board is so tight.

One thing that you do notice when looking at the leader board is how close the races are. I mean, Federica Brignone of Italy lost the race by .02 seconds to Laura Gut Behrami. This was over two runs. It shows you that the slightest slip or loss of concentration can put you out of the win or out of the top ten. Technique is so important and for that matter, a little luck never hurts either. The men’s race was cancelled due to a winter storm that made it impossible to race. But watching the women is great because their technique is solid and their fitness is apparent.

Paula Moltzan of the US in slow motion.

You know, it is never too late to teach an old dog new tricks. My friend Eric has been working with me on lowering my stance and using both skis in the turn. He wants me to ski a little wider, but I have to stand where it is comfortable and try to work both skis from a comfortable stance without the old “A Frame” technique. Tough to change after so many years of skiing “old school.” But watching the races and seeing the new technique, enabled by equipment that gives you a fighting chance……well, just maybe I can change. I won’t be able to do it like the World Cuppers, but I can at least improve my 62 year old technique. Yes- that is how long I have been skiing. Yikes! Thanks for reading and watch Paula and Mikaela. You will learn something.

by

Norm!!!!!

Norm Dick on the right in yellow ball cap. The Armada Supply Chain Solutions Colorado Relay Team

Back in the day, I was manager of the customer service department and the field service department and traveled a lot with my job for Armada Supply Chain Solutions. I am in my 25th year with Armada but in a different capacity now with very little traveling. But going back a few years, I was on the road working with suppliers and distribution centers. I always had my toys with me and either took some time to ride my road bike or mountain bike or ski in a lot of the areas where I traveled. When that was not possible, I always went for a run. But I always made it my business to do something fun and enjoy the places where I went for work. Business first, but always enjoyed something outdoors in the local area.

Crystal Mountain, Washington – one of my favorite ski areas to visit when visiting the Portland, Oregon, and Sumner, Washington DCs.
My old pals from the neighborhood- the Nicolette brothers. My guests at a Chipotle outing at A Basin, Colorado.

For two years, I was assigned to travel with our VP Norm Dick. I wasn’t too sure what to think because I had been pretty much on my own in my travels for the company. But Norm and I started to communicate, and it didn’t take too long to see that he and I were very compatible. Norm knew everyone in the McDonald’s system and introduced me to the real players in the world of the red headed clown. I, in turn, introduced him to my friends in the DCs and we got along just fine. You see, Norm liked to have a good time- business first, but have a good time for sure while traveling. He would take me to Ronald McDonald House golf outings as he was an excellent golfer and me……..not so much. I took my clubs one time to an outing in California and brought my father in law’s old golf shoes that I found in his basement. Norm took one look at them and threw them out the window on I-5 and said………” we need to get you new shoes.” My father- in- law asked where the shoes were, and I sheepishly replied, on my return, that they were on the freeway in California.

Norm and I went to Deer Valley to ski with our pal Chris Snelten who is the GM of the Salt Lake DC. We actually made our presentation in our ski gear and then hustled up to Deer Valley to ski with Chris who said that from now on, we need to do these presentations on the chair lift. Save some time. We all laughed. Norm made fun of my duct taped ski pants and said you can’t ski at Deer Valley with duct taped pants. I told Norm that I have skied in 111 different ski areas in my life and never got a blink on my clothes. We all laughed at that one too. I may not have been a good golfer, but I can ski, and Norm and I had a great time on the slopes as well as in the DCs making the pitch for managed freight and other customer related issues.

Scheming another trip with Norm.

When we had a team in the Colorado Relay, which was a 24- Hour trail running race to benefit Outward Bound, Norm was our driver and manager. He made sure we all were on time for our legs and if that meant kicking us in our sleeping bags on the lawn of a school, he did it. Wake up dummies. He met me at a bar in Copper Mountain at the end of one of my legs. He looked at me and said…..” you look like shit.” I laughed and said ” no kidding- I just ran 8 miles basically uphill at altitude” We ran those races as a benefit for RMHC and Norm loved it. He and Chrissy Mullen – our other manager and van driver kept us on track and in line. Chrissy ended up running it herself one year.

Norm and I traveled everywhere and there were a lot of laughs along the way. In what I thought was going to be a tough stint traveling with our VP, turned out to be one of the more educational experiences of my life. In more ways than one. I remember one time when we were visiting with a DC and a McDonald’s regional manager, Norm was confronted by the DC GM who said” what do we need Armada for?” ” You guys are just middle- men.” Norm looked at him and said ” fine- order direct and see the walls of your DC just explode out into the street.” He shut the guy up and the McDonald’s guy looked at me and I whispered to him…….” don’t mess with Norm.” Norm knew his stuff and if needed, he would say so forcefully. But always, Norm was well known and respected in the system. And he was hilarious. I could write a book on our travels and adventures but safe to say……. we got our work done and had a good time doing it.

Pat Heffernan – GM at Martin-Brower Cleveland and Pittsburgh DCs, with fellow cyclist and Armada VP of Supply Chain Engineering, JR Ellis. Ray’s – indoor cycling facility- Cleveland. We found all the cyclists and skiers in the McDonald’s system.

One more thing about Norm- he was an amazing driver. He could look at you and be making a point driving the Dan Ryan in Chicago at 80 MPH in the rain. I kept hinting to him to look ahead- but he was making a point to me. We always arrived in one piece. He never let me drive- I drive too slow. He said to me, ” how come you ski so fast and drive so slow?” One time in Atlanta ,he rear ended a pickup truck and complained that the rental car brakes were bad. He said he was going to report that when he returned the car. LOL!!! The guy we hit looked like he didn’t want to have any police nearby and didn’t want any part of the accident. He looked at Norm and looked at the cars and shook his head and quickly headed from the scene.

Norm is now retired in Chicago and also at his new winter place near Scottsdale. We keep in touch but there was nothing like traveling with Norm. We even got the wives in on it as Norm would refer to it as a “boondoggle.” He always asked about Janet Lee, and I always asked about Janet Marie. We had some good times on the west coast.

It is not often that people have good experiences traveling with their boss or a top brass in the company. Norm was the exception. Everywhere we went, people would give him the Cheers greeting…….”Norm!!!!!!!!!” I would laugh. Good times and always wish the best for Norm. Thanks for reading.

Don’t forget to be a follower of the blog on Word Press. http://www.chroniclesofmccloskey.com No subscription fee- just an email once a week telling you that I have a new post. Thank you.

by

The Crystal Ball

So, the leaves are falling, the temperatures are getting cooler, and my neighbor asks me what kind of ski season do I think we are going to have this year? I have seen the NOAA forecast, the Weather Channel forecast, and of course the Old Farmer’s Almanac ,and they all seem to say different things. I hear about another El Nino season and whatever that means is up for debate. So, when my neighbor asks me…….I simply say- ” let me consult my crystal ball and find out.” We both laugh at that one and move on.

Big snows at Mammoth last season.

I can tell you one thing aside from the weather. The ski seasons are changing and not all due to climate change or global warming or fickle weather systems. They are changing financially. Skiing is big corporate business now with day tickets looking to be a thing of the past. Who wants to pay $300.00 per day to ski at Deer Valley? You have to think ahead, figure out where you will ski and buy the appropriate season pass. Personally, I have an EPIC pass for skiing locally and two IKON passes for Janet and me when we go out west. You have to sign up early and get in on the early season rates. Also – the corporations who run the ski areas now want their money up front for budgeting purposes and they are willing to part with a small bit of profit to make the passes palatable in the early season. Definitely the way to go but skiing is changing. The large areas are managed locally but the steam behind them are large financial corporations who could care less about skiing culture and more about the bottom line. Just the way it is. They are responsible to shareholders who in many cases may not be skiers. We are also going to be charged for parking in a lot of areas. It is becoming more and more expensive, and you really need to manage your position in the ski world today and plan ahead. Just heard that Black Mountain up in New Hampshire will not be opening this season due to costs. Another family run ski area who struggled but lost with rising costs to run a ski area. More and more it is the big, deep pockets of corporate America who have the money to pump into the ski areas and make things happen.

Costs more and more to ski Stein’s Way at Deer Valley

You even have to plan ahead to ski at our local areas. Vail Associates are running the show now with the EPIC passes and the corporate culture is creeping into the operations. The family feel of the old days is gone and you can see decisions being made in Broomfield, Colorado that affect things here in the Laurel Highlands. I can tell you one thing, no new equipment or clothing for me this year. The skis are waxed and sharpened and ready to go. The clothing is clean and I am going to save some cash by using what I have for this coming season. Sure, I will ski locally in the rain because in the Mid- Atlantic- that’s the cards we are usually dealt. But I will continue to ski west and that planning took place in April. The big corporations know up front what the McCloskeys will be doing. And with the current scanning systems, they will also know what runs we like to ski, how many times we ski them and what our total vertical feet is at each area where we use the passes. The corporations are data geeks and love all of this information which translates to marketing- specifically aimed at Janet and me. Just the way it is folks.

Stay dry- the skiing is nice in the rain. No crowds, soft consistent snow. Just a mindset.
Aerial view of Laurel Mountain, Pa.

So, if you are new to skiing, don’t let me discourage you. Life changes and we all have to adapt to the fact that most things are getting way more expensive. If you want to ski or like to ski, you make sacrifices to do so. You make it work. Because as I always say…..” you could get hit by a bus tomorrow.” There are no guarantees in life and really- we all should take advantage of anything that we can. Life is short. Enjoy it. Just plan ahead. The crystal ball looks a little cloudy today, but I satisfied my neighbor with my ability to be non- commital. I really don’t know what to expect. I have suggested some things to Vail Mangement and received a nice email in turn telling me that everything is on the table. They are looking at their first year and have been trying to see what the plan ahead is for the three areas that they manage and own locally. But I do know that those decisions will not be finalized by anyone here in Pa. Those decisions will be made by corporate and their think tank is a long way from Western Pa. For that matter it is a long way from most of the areas that we ski. The family run ski area and the locally managed ski areas are a thing of the past. But ………… Think snow and thanks for reading.