Check back in at this location as the summer moves on, and I have the time to make web updates. Starting June 18, I packed up the Honda Abacus and headed North. Below are the stories.

Updated August 9, 2008

Perfect Your Slalom Technique by Unpacking the Abacus

   

Nebraska... The Good Life

If you ever find yourself in Denver, and you're trying to get to Nebraska, you should take note that the interstate highway system splits and takes a somewhat undefined turn towards the south. Staying on Interstate 70 (which you've been riding since Utah) will Not in fact, bring you to Nebraska. That would lead you straight to Wichita Kansas, a town that is clearly an onimonipea for a tornado. Yippy.

Once you get that figured out and start zig-zagging towards the north east again, you're in for a treat of undivided single lane roads through the amazing country side that is Kansas and / or Nebraska.

But seriously, there's not too much to gripe about Nebraska. For instance, it is the home of a really great ski lake. One of the deeper private ski lakes, at about 8-10 feet deep, makes this place ski awesome. The water was warm, right around 80 degrees, and felt just like the waters of SkiTek in Orlando -- at the right time of year, when the water isn't too hot, or too cold.

Utah Water Ski Club

Continuing to connect the dots across the US, Scot Chipman from the Utah Water Ski Club was able to organize a day of coaching at their Mud Lake site. With the water quickly dropping and the reeds rising fast, this narrow site is definitely more challenging than most. In places the turn buoys are only a few feet from the reeds, making skiing wide a certain challenge.

Ofcourse, no drive through Utah would be complete without stopping through at the mountain-bike mecca of Moab. With temperatures running rampant during the summer, there wasn't a chance for a bike ride here. A stop in town at the Moab Brewery and a drive through the Arches park was about all the time we had to spare.

Sun Valley Idaho

   

The McKenzie River Trail

Upon receiving suggestions for noteable singletrack in the North West, "Go To Bend and ride the McKenzie River Trail" came in at No. 1. The unfortunate thing about receiving suggestions like this is that you invariably have to take them. As it turns out, the only downside of the trip was an excessively long distance to travel on the bike, about 26 miles. With a 4-hour actual ride time, plus a break for lunch, the clock hasn't been our friend for the last day. Moving East means that we keep shedding hours off the clock... a ride that started at 830AM got done by 3PM, and as soon as we got in the car for Idaho, it turned into 4PM. Atleast there's some scenery to be had on this epic ride that mixes all types of riding, from technical lava flows to screaming downhills and flowy race track.

       

Mint Lake Farms

Why would you call your private ski club Mint Lake? Maybe it's because you built the lake over a mint farm? Or maybe it's because of the pristine conditions? Or perhaps it's because of a level of accuracy that borders on anal retentiveness. With the club's old gas pump reading 49 cents on the gallon -- and no space for the dollar figure, things certainly slow down and seem simpler at this ski lake.

After some great coaching sessions with the local club, we went right into the Mint Lake Open, the club's seasonal tournament. With great conditions, the stage was set for great performances all weekend. If and when the Western Regional tournament makes it to this site, be sure to put it on your hit-list if you're from the area.

A bonus head-to-head event on Sunday was a great way to keep the crowd into the event, and to showcase some of the young rippers the area is producing. With overall-NOPS-points qualifying in place for the head-to-head, and a 4th-pass below your never-made pass starting speed, a level playing field for all offered the best chance for all abilities to compete for the win.

Badlands, Mountains, Rivers

       

Beware of Bird Flu

July 5th thru 7th

A US customs official who chose to remain anonymous found it entirely necessary to discipline me after I snapped this picture from the jet way after my arrival in our great country. She proceeded to order me to delete the picture and communicated that I was indeed in "Big Trouble" for using my camera in this area of the airport.

Taking this sign to an entirely new level, I decided to do my part by helping to control the surplus starling population in North Dakota.

Best Pizza in Kozanhi, Greece

June 28th thru the 4th of July

Perhaps the next time you find yourself in Greece, you'll be somewhere near Kozanhi, in the northern region of the country. The local electric company created this lake in the 1970s as water supply for their hydro-electric and coal power plants. In fact, they even relocated the locals whose town is now under water to a new improved location, hilltop 200m above the lake.

Once you drive in to town, you'll find approximately 10 local restaurants open for business. 6 of them sell pizza, and 3 sell coffee. The last one sells both.

Hook Pizza, which clearly has the best in town, has the distinct advantage of being the first establishment once you enter the hilltop village -- and it also has this amazing overlooking view of the slalom course and jump ramp.

Ancient Athens and Empty Irrigation Canals

After a quick flight across the Atlantic and a 14 hour nap, the first thing you should do is go and see the Acropolis. About 10 minutes there and it's time to head to the lake for some water-skiing!

This irrigation canal skied so slow and easy, it's a real pity that the site is done for the summer. A few days after skiing it, the farmers used the last of the water to irrigate their crops and to rinse the cars of passers-by. In 100 degree heat, the irrigation of crops, roads, cars, and small animals occurs at high noon, when the water is sure to mostly evaporate in the dry heat before it hits the corn stalks.