Pre-Winter X Games

It has been four years since I last covered the Winter X Games and I not ashamed to say that I never care if I cover another one.  There are way too many people jammed into a small venue.  The event is made for television, so still photographers are the last people on organizers minds.  It's not easy to get from one event to another.  The list goes on, but I don't want to sound like a whiner.

This year Wes Selby, a local snowmobiler is participating in the snocross event at Winter X 15.  He was supposed to compete a few years ago, but was injured during training prior to the event and had to withdraw.  Wes has been training outside of Grand Lake along with the leading contender for the gold medal in snocross, Tucker Hibbert from Minnesota.

It was amazing pulling up to their training course and seeing at what level these guys are competing at.  Tucker has a hauler much like a NASCAR driver, room for at least four sleds, extra parts, living quarters, etc.

This is Tucker during training:

Good luck to both of them and all of the athletes in Aspen this weekend.  You won't see me there, but I'm sure I'll be checking out the action on television.

goo, goo g'joob

What a year it was!

I was hoping to have this completed before the end of 2010, but it took me longer to pull together than I expected.

Looking back on 2010 and reflecting on what transpired during the preceding 12 months, I realize what an amazing year it has been for me both professionally and personally.  My year began with getting myself ready to go the Winter Olympics in February and preparing to see my son, Erik, enter the Army in April.

The rest of the year was filled an assortment of assignments ranging from the mundane and average, to interesting, spectacular, entertaining, thrilling and gut-wrenching.

Here are ten of my favorite shots from 2010, not necessarily my best, but my favorites for one reason or another:

Jan 13, 2010; Whistler, BC, CANADA;   Albert Demtschenko (RUS) competes
during the first run of the mens luge at the Whistler Sliding Centre during the
2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. 

Feb 23, 2010; Whistler, BC, CANADA; Todd Lodwick (USA) celebrates after receiving the silver
medal during the medal ceremony for the team nordic combined event at Whistler Medals Plaza
 during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics.

Members of Grand County Emergency Medical Services, the East Grand Fire Department
and Grand Park Community Recreation Center staff treat simulated patients during training
exercises in the foam pit at the recreation center on April 13 in Fraser.  

Gymnasts warm-up prior to the gymnastics meet hosted by Alpine Aerials
Gymnastics on May 1 at the Grand Park Community Recreation Center in Fraser.

Rudy Garcia, right, assists with the bean bag toss during kid's games put on by the
Kremmling Volunteer Fire Department on June 19 as part of Kremmling Days festivities.

A merganser takes off from Lake Granby on Oct. 14. 

Dave Stiefvater performs during the MBS Mountainboard 
demonstration on July 31 at Hideaway Park in Winter Park.

Guitarists Joel Hoekstra, left, and Brad Gillis of Night Ranger perform
during the Winter Park Music Festival on Aug. 7 at Hideaway Park in Winter Park.

Peggy Smith, the mother of Spencer Nelson, speaks at the
candlelight gathering of family and friends on Thursday evening
at the Rendezvous Fire Pit in Fraser to share stories about the
20-year-old killed in a fall while hiking on Aug. 14.

Firefighters working the Onahu fire in Rocky Mountain National Park
look for hot spots while walking down Trail Ridge Road where the fire
crossed the highway late on Sept. 18.

And one last bonus shot.  I couldn't have been more proud when my son, Erik, graduated from basic training at Fort Benning, Georgia, in July and was then assigned to the 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum, New York.

Who knows what 2011 will hold?  It's going to be hard to top 2010, but whatever it has in store, I wish you health and happiness in the coming year.

goo, goo g'joob