Thursday, July 26, 2012
In case you haven't been paying attention, the 2012 Summer Olympics are about to start. Vermonters are well known for their prowess in the winter games, but not so much for summer. Maybe it's because we refer to summer as "the three months with bad skiing."
All this is changing though. Bike culture is thriving in the Green Mountains and Vermont is proud to send a mountain biker, Lea Davison of Jericho, to London. You can check out Lea's Team USA Bio here.
Sugarbush actually played a part in Lea's story of how she found out that she had made the team.
"I finally couldn't take it anymore and extracted myself from the house to push refresh on my cell phone in a different location. I followed JoJo (Joanna Petterson) and Katie to Sugarbush to wait around while they practiced some downhill runs before their race this Sunday. Sabe (Lea's sister) rode her bike over to meet us. 
Lea practicing on the 2012 Olympic mountain bike course.
Jojo and Katie made me wait the twenty minutes for them to take a downhill run to check, so I would at least be around someone when I found out the news. Those were some of the longest twenty minute segments of my entire life. The entire afternoon passed with no word and we drove over Appalachian Gap to head to a Little Bellas mentor gathering for burger night at a local farm.
The drive over App Gap has spotty service, so we couldn't check. Then, Zeke, a Middlebury Ski Team friend who we haven't talked to in six years sent Sabe a text saying, 'Congraaats!'. I was driving, and Sabe and JoJo started frantically loading pages on their phones. Then, Jojo gasped, smiled, and said, 'Pull the car over.'
In that moment, I knew I had made it. I was wearing a bikini (because we were possibly going to a swimming hole) and I pulled over on the side of the road. This is where the Olympic celebration started. I never pictured myself celebrating my Olympic berth on the side of the road in a bikini (slightly awkward)."
Lea celebrating on the App Gap. How's that for a local hero?
We wish Lea good luck and great riding. Bring home some hardware!
Growing the next generation at Sugarbush MTB Adventure Camp.
Riding one of the new trails at Sugarbush, Wild Turkey.
Sporting colors to support TeamUSA. Check out all the bike clothing
and protective gear at the Farmhouse Gear Shop.
Blueberry Lake trailwork has started. Please support the efforts!
Blueberry Lake is a sweet spot on a nice day.
We got some much needed rain this week, and everything is lush again. The nights have been so comfortable, truly "good sleeping weather." To top it off, the weekend forecast looks pretty solid. Summer's peaking and what better place to watch a Vermonter race for the gold?
We hope to see you soon!
John Atkinson
Chairman, Sugarbush Stoke Exchange
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Follow our own 'John of all Trades' as he explores and documents adventures in and around Sugarbush Resort and the Mad River Valley.
802-583-6534
jatkinson@sugarbush.com
