I have spent almost two weeks every month in Cable, WI this summer. I have to say that staying at Telemark Lodge is a bit like living in a hotel (well I guess it is a hotel) but with my husband and husky there with me it felt more like a second home. With so much time at the Lodge I got to know the staff and crew he keep the place running and clean pretty well. That's why when I met JD I thought he looked a little out of place.
JD is 12 years old. I often saw him riding his bike on the access road to the lodge. He wore a baggy sweatshirt over his head and didn't really seem like talking. So when I began talking to him last week he looked at me as though he was confused. I introduced myself and asked what he was doing hanging out at Telemark? He had a disappointing look as though he had lost something. "Not much," he said. It was like pulling teeth to get him to talk. I asked if his parents worked there and he said "no". I then changed the subject and asked him if he wanted to pet my husky (named Lahti)? JD's eyes lit up and he suddenly noticed Lahti and asked what kind of dog he was. Lahti was happy to get the attention and began wagging his tail. Suddenly JD started talking!
He told me that he lived down the street and that he biked to the lodge to swim when he was bored. He said he was in the seventh grade at Drummond High School. I asked if he had ever been XC skiing and he said "only a few times, I snowboard." He noticed my shirt and asked if I was in the Olympics. I said yes and I have never seen someone react like JD did. "Really?" "Really Really?" "Wow!" He then asked for my autograph and began asking all kinds of questions about XC Skiing and the Olympics. He then asked me a question that changed his whole life. "Would you come to my school and be my show and tell?" "Sure," I said!
JD was speechless and we called his PE teacher right then. Mrs. Fry was psyched and I had a visit the next day!
On Thursday morning I trained for a few hours and then drove over to the Drummond, WI Highschool to meet JD and Mrs. Fry. Here are some photos from the visit...
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| Question and Answer Time! |
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| Let's Get Moving!!! |
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| Everyone loved the stretches |
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| Especially Me! |
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| Mrs. Fry, JD, Me and Jacob (These guys had their serious guy smiles on!) |
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| I signed autographs and the kids signed a Drummond T-Shirt for me! |
I had such a blast at the Drummond High School and I cannot wait to get back there again this winter. I am also going to be keeping in touch with JD throughout the year and hopefully get him out skiing!!! Thanks Mrs. Fry and your entire Seventh Grade PE Class for letting me come and teach you about being an Olympic Athlete and Goal Setting!!!
