Have Media Will Travel

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Life and Leadership

The Day Pink Power Ranger Skied 50 Miles

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I recently returned from West Yellowstone, Montana, where some girlfriends and I dressed up in super girl costumes and skied. For a very long time.

This is me, the Pink Power Ranger.

The occasion? The Equinox Ski Challenge. This annual event, which is named for the time the sun crosses the plane of the earth’s equator, making night and day of approximately equal length all over the earth, is awesome.

It’s basically a supported ski-a-thon on some of West Yellowstone’s world-famous (read: awesome) ski trails. Categories include: 24-minute kids’ race, 3-hour, 6-hour, 12-hour and 24-hour. Skiers can enter solo or as a team. A small team can have 2-4 members, or a big team has 5-8 members. We each entered “solo,” in the 12-hour, figuring that would give us all day to ski and take it easy in our base camp. We had set up chairs and a cooler and bags full of sustenance that included mountains of energy bars and waters, plus some more tasty items, as well as a bunch of Hotties, and additional layers of clothes.

Logging laps in falling (wet) snow.

The weather forecast for the day of the event was not favorable. It was to be warm — as in 44 degrees warm — with a good chance for snow, which could very likely be rain. (Yuck.) However, we were pleasantly surprised by a partly sunny sky when we arrived at the event.

Each lap measured 8.7 kilometers. However, for some reason (I always round up?) I got it in my mind that each lap was 9k. I had a personal goal to ski 50 miles — or, about 9 laps.

As readers of this blog know, I like to be outside working hard for a long period of time. Plus, I am in training for an epic (54+ mile) “day” hike from north to south of Zion National Park in May. So I figured 50 miles on skis would be great training.

So I skied, and skied, and skied. All of us did. Around and around and around.

The first two laps included great trail conditions and some sunshine. It was looking to be a great day. It was taking me about 39-40 minutes to ski a lap and I was having fun. My skis were gliding and everything. Yeehaw! So far, so good.

Stocking up at the aid station and getting ready to start yet another lap.

Originally my plan was to ski three laps, then take off my skis, go to the restroom and “lounge around” in my comfy little chair, and eat some food and drink some water, then repeat, several times over the course of 12 hours. But like often is the case during an adventure, things didn’t go as planned.

As my third lap started, and so did the falling snow, and the wind. Conditions were rough for the rest of the day, at least for the rest of the 12-hour window. I don’t have the greatest technique, or very much experience, so it was more work than skiing. Sort of like hiking or snowshoeing but with skinny skis on my feet and thankfully, poles in my hands. It was a wet snow, so I was not only getting worked over, I was pretty soaked. Somehow, I still very much enjoyed the experience.

I did change my plans. As the weather and conditions took a turn for the worse, I knew if I stopped, it would be harder to get going again. So, despite the worsening conditions, I kept at it, pretty relentlessly. I resorted to listening to my iPod midway through my fourth lap, and thanks in large part to the Heartless Bastards and the Dirty Heads, it was still a pretty good day and I was able to keep skiing around and around.

The scenery was beautiful and I was able to enjoy a lot of solitude, which was from time to time supported by friendly, cheering people and an aid station stocked full of beverages and yummy, energetic treats. (I love Tram bars.)

There was no shortage of camaraderie, and it seemed the worse conditions got, the more supportive everyone was. We were all in it together, kindred spirits. You could feel this and it really made the event a special one for me. It did not feel like a race, although there were many kick-ass skiers out there logging laps at a high rate of speed.

I can’t help but mention two awesome women skiers who were set up next to our “station:” Becky Wheeler, of Casper, and Jen Ziegler, of Jackson. These two women were entered as a team in the 24-hour category. Their goal was to ski 300k, and looking at the results, I see they did 314k. Now that’s some skiing. With numbers that big I needed a calculator to compute that they skied almost 195 miles! Both women were really supportive and enthusiastic, even as they made the skiing look effortless.

I stopped skiing just past eight hours, after what I figured to be 81 kilometers, which meant I had met (surpassed) by goal of 50 miles.

Wind River Super Girls.

But wait! Upon my return, I was on Facebook and the Equinox folks posted the results on their fan page. I learned that I did 78.3k, which is — gasp — just short of 50 miles. On the upside, I got second place. Yeehaw. But really, this was not a race, but a super fun challenge to ski far with support. And that it was. Plus, I figured my short ski trips to the bathroom and back may have put me just at 50 miles. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. 🙂

Some people call the Equinox a “race,” and to a few people it may be that. But for most, it’s not a race, buta personal challenge. The event’s mission, which is stated on its website and influenced me to sign up, is: To hold a nordic ski event that brings benefit to our communities, encourages compassion and camaraderie amongst participants, and provides an exceptional opportunity for personal challenge.

A portion of the money raised from the race is donated to the West Yellowstone Ski Education Foundation, which race creator Sam Newbury believes promotes support and health for youth in the community. Funds are also donated to the Livingston-based Manaia Youth Programs.

I love to skate ski. I love being out in nature. I love being around other people who love the outdoors and skiing. I love camaraderie. The Equinox delivered all of these things. I love the Equinox Ski Challenge. Oh, and did I mention we got to dress up in costumes for the event? I was the Pink Power Ranger, and my cohorts dressed up as Padme and Elasta-Girl. I am sure that everyone felt protected and safer as a result of our presence.

Kathy, me and Holly, or, Wind River Super Girls for the weekend.

Finally, the Equinox Ski Challenge provided an excuse to take a trip with some of my closest girlfriends, Holly Copeland and Kathy Browning. Which meant we sang really loud, ate too much chocolate and drank some wine. In addition to the skiing… 🙂

Thanks so my mom for lending me her Pink Power Ranger costume, and to friend Shannon Kaminsky’s daughter for loaning me the mask!

Living and Working on the Frontier, Part 2

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In 1994, we founded a business in Wyoming called Yellowstone Journal Corporation. For 15 years we innovated and expanded. It was hard work. It was never easy. Yet it was extremely fulfilling — similar to climbing a mountain. It’s almost all work, but the rewards at the top are worth it. We sold the business to Active Interest Media, the publisher of Backpacker Magazine, Yoga Journal, Climbing, American Cowboy, and other niche magazines, in September 2008.

Now, I’m starting up a new mountain, developing a new business. Here’s that part of the story (Part 2, published in Wyoming Entrepreneur.)

(And, if interested, here is Part 1).

Living and Working on the Frontier

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I started and operated a business on the frontier of Wyoming for 15 years. It was hard work – similar to exploring the frontier. It was a journey of discovery and promise that at times was harsh and full of hazards. It was epic.

Click here: Part One, published in Wyoming Entrepreneur.

Creating Fun in Your Life – Just Do It

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Since selling our business in September 2008, some people think I’m retired, or semi-retired. While I’ve certainly gained more personal time and freedom, I’m not retired and don’t plan on retiring anytime soon — if ever.

Family fun in our backyard, Sinks Canyon.

In fact, in addition to doing my best to be a good mother to our three sons and a good wife, this past week I worked at least 40 hours a week, coaching clients, working on consulting projects and developing my new business.

Like most people — and other parents — it’s easy to come up with excuses for not having enough time for many important things, such as exercising, making time for relationships that are dear to us, and having fun.

Although I’ve always been pretty good at having fun, at times it takes effort even for me to do so. This past Sunday we went to church, and I had loads of laundry to catch up on and some consulting and coaching work to do. We helped our middle son on a big solar system project, bird-dogged homework, and so on. By 3:30 pm on Sunday, Jerry, I and our three sons had each/all had a very busy day. We were tired and feeling pretty lazy. It was tempting, and certainly justified, for us to just settle in, lounge, and call it a day.

At the same time, upon looking outside, I spied a cloudless, blue sky, a bright sun, mild (30-degree) temperatures, and sparkly white snow everywhere. We should go out and do something fun, I thought. But frankly, I wasn’t feeling particularly motivated to do so.

So I forced it. I “notified” the family to get their snow gear on, we were headed to Sinks Canyon for some sledding. Jerry, my wonderful husband, went along with it and helped me rally our sons and puppy for the sudden adventure.

We had a blast.

It would have been easier to not do anything. It’s work to get out the door with kiddos and pets and winter clothing and sleds. But one of the things I want to help my life coaching clients do is to create more fun in their own lives. I need to practice what I preach, right? And I knew from past experience that we’re always better as a result of such adventures.

So, to see what happened next, watch the following video. And to think we almost missed out on this! The moral of the story is to create fun. Don’t think about it, just do it. It can happen in five minutes time and doesn’t have to be an elaborate, or outdoor adventure. It just has to cause smiles and/or laughter, even if for a very brief time.

Of course, the house is a mess. But that’s okay. (Just please don’t stop by unannounced!) I have a feeling I won’t regret that I didn’t keep a super neat and tidy house. I would, however, regret it if I didn’t take time to create fun with my family.