July 4th, 2008
I know people hate inside jokes when they’re on the outside, but I thought maybe this title would attract more attention to the post…thats just my logic. It was also a residing theme throughout the camp.
To Sam’s disliking, it took me almost a week to write this…I guess you will find out why as I share my summer. (I don’t know who cares but I hear the new thing is to tell everyone what you’ve been up to.)
We left for Sweden about a week and a half after Burke’s graduation so with SAT’s and trying to get into summer mode, it was hard to just pack up and leave again. Our crew started in Newark, was met by Annalies Cook in Stockholm, and continued on to Ostersund. Like zombies, we marched through the woods in
Solleftea to Bengt Stattin’s cabin and crashed wherever we could find flat ground. Most slept outdoors and could be found on moss, the porch, or in a tent. The whimps (cough cough Patrick) hogged the bunk bed. Without a bug net or some kind of shield from the swarms of damned insects, or experience sleeping in daylight, I wouldn’t consider it a beauty sleep. (Maybe Patrick was the smart one.)
After a few days of cabin life and prime weather for rollerskiing on Solleftea’s track, we met the crew of Swedish kids and moved into our new hotel for the Summer Ski Camp. I will be honest, when I spotted Charlotte Kalla, I felt like a little teeny-bopper would as they spotted someone like Paris Hilton for the first
time. That’s embarrassing.
Charlotte, as well as Emil Johnson, Robin Bryntesson, and Brita Norgren were part of the coaching staff at the Camp. (Charlotte has a SKIDA hat! ) >> 
I shared a room with three 15-year-old Swedish girls, which was a fun experience. There is definately a different in styles as many of you know, and I figured out their secret to beautiful hair. Almost everyone of them each had a hair dryer, straightener, and a giant can of hairspray. No joke! I couldn’t imagine bringing that stuff on a 5 day ski camp … besides the hair dryer.
I am glad that the Swedes were 15 at the oldest, if they were any older and faster, I would have had a lot of trouble keeping up. The five day camp consisted of several roller skiing sessions as well as strength, ski walking, and running. The schedule also threw in an afternoon of biathlon practice and as well as an orienteering competition.
During the camp, we did the Hell Test - I mean Hallsta Test. It’s roughly mile run up the Alpine Ski area and it takes about 10-12 minutes. Death. It wasn’t that bad, it goes by fast. Not very often do you get to have Charlotte Kalla watch you do what she does best. It was a cool experience. Good job to Mitch who was our fastest boy, and Adele, our fastest girl, as well as everyone else!
We said farewell to Sweden the morning after a fun BBQ at Bengt’s house and one last night in the cabin as we left Solleftea and Ostersund. Erik Nilsson from Ostersund joined the wagon train as we continued to Norway. We stayed two night in Bruksvallarna at Erik’s cabin to split up the long haul to Sognefjell. I wouldn’t quite consider it a cabin, as there was running water and a sauna inside. Also, almost everyone had a bed - it was deluxe! 
With tons of trails for hiking or running, and a rollerski track within walking distance, there was plenty to do.
We drove on to Sognefjell after two nights at Erik’s cabin in Bruksvallarna. Turtagro, our hotel in Sognefjell, was unanimously agreed to have the best food of the trip - by far! We even awarded the chef with a signed T-Shirt of Lucy’s that said (written in Sharpie) “Thanks to the World’s BEST CHEF!” I also donated a Burke ski hat to the present. He was happy to say the least…its too bad we gave it to him after our last meal, maybe he 
would have whipped out some special gourmet meal that we would all die over. But then again, that was pretty much our reaction to each and every meal of the week. The views from this area were as good as the food!
The week spent here in Sognefjell was spent mostly up on snow at the Glacier. A few people got out on rollerskis for a bit and did the Uphill time trial (Erik, Adele, Cooper, Annelies, Lucy, and Hans). This TT was relocated from last year’s and instead was held on 5k’s of a toll road that started about a kilometer from our hotel.
<The view from our hotel<
Our last few days of skiing on the glacier were spectacular! the weather was incredible - it was so warm that almost everyone was skiing shirtless. The blue skies and warm weather made every ski go by so fast so that two hours felt like just 20 minutes. Some days we took some detours up a snowy face and attempted to rock some tele-turns…too bad we weren’t wearing shirts!
To close the eventful week, we left behind Patrick and the Halvorsens with their parents and headed back to Ostersund. After about three days of travel, Mitch and I met Margie/Mom in Newark and drove some more to York, PA.
Above: Cooper and Adele during the TT
The drive to the Glacier
Warm, sunny glacier skiing-Lucy, Cooper, and Hans
tele-skiing?? Kristin and Me
boys?? Hans, Cooper, Pat
Thanks Pete for a great trip!!!!!
July 4th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
it’s not often patrick is accused of being the smart one.
July 5th, 2008 at 10:51 am
I second that ! thanks PETE ! thanks also to Daniel Fakt and his large macarone on his eye..if it were not for him we would have to have subtracted many many hours of hilarity … and im sure he really is a good person…and his english is probably pretty good too!
July 7th, 2008 at 7:40 am
it’s not often evan is accused of being a nice guy.