update and getting ready to pick up the new wing

As mentioned in the January blog, we changed my training to more gym sessions. Penny wants me to build up strength. My program is primarily leg work and some upper body work. She got me mostly on the Bosu Balance Trainer. Thanks Penny, your program already shows quite an improvement when hiking up Mt.Swansea through the snow with my toboggan (Rodel). Other then that, I ice skate 15km loops, ski (with the kids) and fly every weekend at www.PanoramaResort.com. The picture below is from the Panorama Summit take off site looking North west.

Speaking of skiing, I received a package from www.Superfeet.com with new SuperFeet insoles. These insoles are a must. I am using them now for years in all my shoes and they certainly do their work. Nick also sent me their newest "Cold Weather Insoles". I am using them in my ski boots right now and they are fantastic. Thanks www.Superfeet.com for sponsoring me with your great product.

Last week I got slowed down with bronchitis and my doctor put me on rest and antibiotics. To be sick is not fun, but the break from the intense training was serving me quite well.

To keep it all interesting, Penny had the romantic idea to have a toboggan race for Valentines Day. What a blast it was, we had 24 competitors, ages from 8 to 66, plus over 20 little kids doing races on the bottom of Mt.Swansea. So we raced 700 meters in elevation up the snow covered gravel road and then down on our toboggans. Thanks Brad for turning the snowed in road into a toboggan race track. We are hiking and tobogganing Mt. Swansea quite often during the winter, but it is way more fun sharing it with others. Specially when you combined it with a big potluck party.

I also like to mention that everyone should check out Tom Payne's blog. He has a great blog and he is sharing a lot of interesting information about the x-alps statistics and the route. His blog is at twpayne.blogspot.com. Thanks Tom I do appreciate your comments a lot, keep up the good work. I am really looking forward meeting you in Salzburg. By the way, Tom's supporter is our Canadian fellow Alex Raymond.

Now it is getting time to get ready for Slovenia. I will be leaving Wed (Feb 18th) to Calgary and then to Munich. In Munich I will be picked up by Mik (Team Nova Pilot) and then we are on our way to the annual Nova team meeting in Nova Gorica, Slovenia. Besides the meeting, we will have a chance to try all the new wings from Nova. I also will have the opportunity to meet a lot of great x-country pilots in person who are already helping me with the route planning. And to top it all off, I will receive my light Triton I will use for the x-alps. Thanks a lot guys I am very excited and can't wait to meet you all.
By the way, it was Penny's idea that I should join the Nova Pilots meet. Thanks Penny, I am very lucky to have you as my supporter, trainer, future wife and mother of my kids. You rock.