My intention was to compete in American Vasaloppet in Mora, Minnesota.
The winter was poor in snow but I managed to have decent skiing in few parks in Minneapolis.
On Thursday, 3 days before the race, I heard on the radio, that the race has been cancelled due to the lack of snow.
On Thursday, 3 days before the race, I heard on the radio, that the race has been cancelled due to the lack of snow.
It was a shock!
Next morning I rang the race office. They confirmed the bad news - sorry, the race is cancelled.
- That's impossible! I came here all the way from Australia! It cannot be!
- We are very sorry, but it is cancelled.
- But there is quite good snow in parks in Minneapolis...
- We also have good snow in the forest. But the race is run in the open area and there is no snow there.
- So shift it to the forest!
- That's impossible, we have around 4,000 participants, we cannot squeeze them on narrow tracks. Anyway, the decision is FINAL, there is NO RACE!
I tried the last chance - please connect me with the club secretary.
I had Valerie Brown at the other end of the wire and I laid down my proposal:
I understand that you are unable to run the regular race. But on the other hand there is still quite good snow in the forest. And on another hand, I came here all the long way from Australia.
Why not to put these two hands together and let me do a solo race in the forest?
There was a moment of silence and then ....come to Mora, we'll see what we can do for you. I could hear smile in Valerie's Brown voice.
I came to Mora on Saturday morning.
The big red Dalarna Horse reminded me my race in Sweden 3 years earlier.
Next morning I rang the race office. They confirmed the bad news - sorry, the race is cancelled.
- That's impossible! I came here all the way from Australia! It cannot be!
- We are very sorry, but it is cancelled.
- But there is quite good snow in parks in Minneapolis...
- We also have good snow in the forest. But the race is run in the open area and there is no snow there.
- So shift it to the forest!
- That's impossible, we have around 4,000 participants, we cannot squeeze them on narrow tracks. Anyway, the decision is FINAL, there is NO RACE!
I tried the last chance - please connect me with the club secretary.
I had Valerie Brown at the other end of the wire and I laid down my proposal:
I understand that you are unable to run the regular race. But on the other hand there is still quite good snow in the forest. And on another hand, I came here all the long way from Australia.
Why not to put these two hands together and let me do a solo race in the forest?
There was a moment of silence and then ....come to Mora, we'll see what we can do for you. I could hear smile in Valerie's Brown voice.
I came to Mora on Saturday morning.
The big red Dalarna Horse reminded me my race in Sweden 3 years earlier.
It was the saddest place in the world. Thousands of race bags and bunches of medals for finishers.
I took one of them in my hand.... Valentine Day..
Yes, of course! It will be Valentine Day tomorrow! A heart, two skiers inside, Love to ski .
- What are you going to do with them?
- They all will be scrapped.
- O, no! You must let me to race for this medal!
We studied maps of ski trails in the forest. Valerie showed me ones where the snow should be OK.
I did simple arithmetic...
- Valerie, so if I will ski around these loops until I clock over 58 km, will you give me such a medal?
- Find his racing bag - she said.
9 o'clock Sunday morning, blue skies, light frost, no wind.
In the Log Cabin I left a bag with warm clothes and some food and drinks.
I put on my red racing suit with kangaroos on the back and on the leg. I put on my race number 503...
In the Log Cabin I left a bag with warm clothes and some food and drinks.
I put on my red racing suit with kangaroos on the back and on the leg. I put on my race number 503...
START!!!
For a long time I was the only person on the trails.
Later some people arrived, whole families for a relaxing session of skiing in the sun.
Some of them were quite shocked when out of sudden a crazy racer appeared...
- Go away from the track - shouted parents to the children - thousand skiers will be here in a moment!
- But they said , that the race is cancelled.
I left them in such puzzled state and skied on and on...
5 times around The Point Trail, 4 times Beaver Dam Trail and every possible trail between and around. Eventually my log showed more than 60 km, it was almost 3 pm.
I skied back to the Log Cabin where some local ski club members waited for me with the medal of my dreams.
Later some people arrived, whole families for a relaxing session of skiing in the sun.
Some of them were quite shocked when out of sudden a crazy racer appeared...
- Go away from the track - shouted parents to the children - thousand skiers will be here in a moment!
- But they said , that the race is cancelled.
I left them in such puzzled state and skied on and on...
5 times around The Point Trail, 4 times Beaver Dam Trail and every possible trail between and around. Eventually my log showed more than 60 km, it was almost 3 pm.
I skied back to the Log Cabin where some local ski club members waited for me with the medal of my dreams.
Back from home, I wrote a detailed report of my effort, it showed almost 65km.
What a surprise it was when few weeks later I received mail from Valerie Brown.
She sent me a special diploma...
What a surprise it was when few weeks later I received mail from Valerie Brown.
She sent me a special diploma...
... and another medal.
... and there is only ONE such medal in the world!
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