On the afternoon of November 22, 2013 I was going to attend my first bobsled and skeleton races at the North American Cup in Park City, Utah, but things did not work out that way. I am normally early for everything, but for some strange reason I missed my flight out of Raleigh/Durham Airport. I arrived at about 5:00 p.m. instead of 12:55 p.m. in Salt Lake City. Oh well, things happen and plans change. On the drive to Park City the scenery was breathtaking. I have been to the Blue Ridge Mountains here in North Carolina, but our mountains have lots of trees on them. My Google was just a tad off and it had me turning on the wrong street to get to my lodge, but I asked directions (yes, I asked directions)  and found the lodge.

I arrived at Utah Olympic Park at around 9 a.m. the next morning. I parked my car near a group of people standing in the parking lot. As I was getting my coat out of the car a young lady said, "Hello, Deborah!  How are you, my name is Blair Tomten." Blair welcomed me and told me where all the best places to watch the races were. Thanks, Blair! 

Clapp, Harrison and Day at the start

I stood on the balcony overlooking the staging area for the sleds and was watching all the athletes and just taking it all in for the first time. Looks a lot like organized chaos with snow and ice thrown in for good measure! Then I heard my named called and I looked down. It was Gracie Clapp! I went downstairs to say hello and she introduced me to Veronica Day. It is very nice to travel over 2,000 miles to a place where you do not personally know anyone, but thanks to social media you're not among strangers. Gracie and Veronica showed me where the U.S. athletes were and I could come in out of the cold when I needed too. I also met Madi Charney, a Canadian slider, and she is a very nice young lady.

I watched the first few sleds from the balcony before I decided to go down to the start and watch from there instead. That was the best spot! I was able to see the athletes prep to slide. The quickness, agility and flexibility of the skeleton athletes cannot fully be appreciated until you see it up close. I truly loved it. This was a dream come true to see the races in person. While watching skeleton I met Austin McCrary and his brothers and hung out with their parents and learned even more about skeleton. We were joined by bobsled brakeman Dakarai Kongela. Dak is someone that I feel as though I have known forever! Also met chiseled like Superman Jesse Beckom III.

Jones, Williams, Eberling, Azevedo, Harrison and Meyers

After saying goodbye to the skeleton athletes, they cleared out. The bobsled teams arrived and I watched the sleds being unloaded and saw that organized chaos start all over again. While some athletes worked on preparing the sleds, I saw others exercising. I went down to get a closer look at all that was going on and that is when I had a chance to meet some of the bobsled team members.  I was fangirling big time but I tried to play it off. Most of them recognized me because of Facebook and Twitter. Come on, any fan of bobsled would be in awe to meet Olympians and future Olympians! Though Elana Meyers, Katie Eberling, Emily Azevedo, Lolo Jones, Lauryn Williams and Tracey Stewart did not race on this day, I did meet them and took a picture with some of the ladies! I received a bonus treat because I saw Jamie Greubel/Aja Evans, Bree Schaaf/Cherrelle Garrett and Jazmine Fenlator/Kristi Koplin sweep the podium! Also saw Nicole Vogt, Valerie Smith, Brittany Reinbolt and Sineaid Marion push as forerunners.

Bobsled is amazing to watch! You have two very powerful athletes pushing a sled that weighs almost 400 lbs down an icy track as hard and fast as they can for 50-meters and then jumping in. Now that was exciting. I saw athletes from so many different countries all with the same goal...To push hard and slide faster than the others. While I did not walk down to the other curves during the bobsled runs, I did go to curve 6 to watch a few skeleton runs.  All I can say is wow! They come through so fast and you are so close to them it's like you can just reach out and touch them as they slide along the track.

There were two other highlights to this great day. I met some of brakeman Kristi Koplin's family. I had a ball watching the race with them and laughing about some of our Facebook conversations! No, Kristi, I don't think I really made any headway on getting your mom to give you a kitten, but I will not give up! While we were watching the race, someone looked up on the mountainside behind us and said there was a moose and calf. I got a kick out of watching them just grazing. I have only seen moose on television, and though it was from a distance it was a treat to see them. 

Though I only got to see one day of races, I really enjoyed it. I had the chance to meet some really great people and see a sport that I love. I've had some good vacations in my lifetime, but I have never had a good vacation with a great adventure too. I hope the next time I attend a bobsled/skeleton race that it will be in Lake Placid, New York, but if not there, I know my way to Park City, Utah!

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