The Really, Really Unofficial Volunteer's Website
Quite possibly the only volunteer website
Updated November 25, 2008
INFO FROM THE CREW CHIEF'S POW-WOW:
The piste is in good shape right now, and the weather is cooperating.
Inside the fences, the snow is looking good, and nets 2,3,4,9 are in, the TV
towers are built, TV and timing cables are in. At the Tuffshed, the tent
floor is built and the tools are staged. Snowmaking is going well-
Basically, they are making huge whales of gooey snow (think re-frozen
slurpee), which they squish and stomp with the cats, then push, then forward
till, then reverse till, then open the hydrants and spray fresh water on
top. Fluffy! Probably a good idea to have sharp skis.
We also are looking very good for volunteers- about 225 total with many of
our days over 100. For those of you who signed up for 4 days, we'd love to
see you stay for a few more so we can give you more stuff.
Last night, we got a glimpse of the Halti jackets- very nice. Sort of a
Cordura-like outer shell with a quilted liner. They have a shoulder pocket,
exterior breast pocket, and interior pocket. This is the first coat in a few
years that I won't be trading away at some race in Yerp. Please make sure
you wear them and support our sponsors.
We also got some nifty socks with colorful skulls and a nice beanie. For a
mere $50, you can also get Tom to carry them home for you. They will be
available Saturday at uniform pick-up in the village, or at Vollyworld if
you miss it.
Office: It looks like my office will move to McCoy's bar, as they have $2
beers for us from 4-6PM. Cool. Also, Beaver Creek Sports will be giving us a
20% discount when we show our credentials in the store at the bottom of the
escalator. Snowell will be tuning for us, you get 2 tunes during race week
(nothing for the first weekend, so bring them sharp). Snowell will have the
skis ready by 6AM.
Note from Tunes: Safety, Safety, Safety. Hugs, kisses. Safety.
Shuttle buses will start at 5AM from the east lot and will run every 10-15
minutes. They will NOT run from the west lot, so don't park there. Chair 6
will start at 7AM for the first weekend, then 6AM on Monday.
2008 Schedule:
Friday, Nov 28-Sunday, Nov. 30: Coursework, Baby. Expect to meet at Spruce
Saddle at 8:30am.
Friday & Saturday Crews- your credentials will be at the bottom of
Centennial lift from 7:00-8:15am.
Sunday, Nov. 30: Beer and Brats at 5pm
Monday, Dec 1: Meet at Spruce Saddle at 6:45am for the rest of the
week.
Tuesday, Dec. 2-Wednesday, Dec. 3: DH Training (Forerunner at
10:53am)
Tuesday night: Minturn Saloon Party- Friends welcome. More info and tickets
at morning meetings.
Thursday, Dec. 4: Super Combined (Forerunner at 10:53am, 2nd run 2:23pm)
Friday, Dec. 5: Downhill (Forerunner at 10:53am)
Saturday, Dec. 6: Super-G (Forerunner at 10:53am)
Sunday, Dec. 7: Giant Slalom (Forerunner at 9:38am, 2nd run at 12:38pm)
Start & finish crews meet at assigned areas at 9:30am; 8:30 on Sunday, Dec
7.
Timing Crews meet at 9:30am (8:30 Sunday) at the timing building.
Parking
Please park in the East Lot (Elk Lot) on Highway 6, just west of
the roundabout. Shuttle buses run every 5-10 minutes and take about 10-12
minutes to get to Beaver Creek (plenty of time to put your boots on).
Uniform Pickup:
You can pick up your uniform at the new Volunteer Headquarters in
the Townsend Room in the Hyatt in Beaver Creek, next to the Race Secretary.
Look for the signs. The Volly HQ will be open Saturday, Nov 29 from 4pm-6pm
for uniform pickup. Normal hours (In case you miss Saturday) are 6:00am-
10:00am and 2:00pm-6:00pm daily.
New Stuff for 2008:
First, there will be a Volunteer HQ room, located in the Hyatt,
next to the Race Secretary. It will be open 6am-10am, then again from
2pm-6pm.
Second, the party on Sunday the 7th will be at the Vail
Valley Golf Course Happy valley Grill at 6pm.
Third, the coats are a Halti shell, black, with a zip-off hood. This is the
same brand used by FIS for all their gear, and is owned by Finnish World Cup
racers Kalle Pallender and Tanja Poutianen, who spent all summer sewing them
up just for you. They are apparently a medium weight shell, so plan on some
base layers.
We will have a revised course manual in a few weeks, it will be posted here. There will be a new section on personal gear and what you should carry on the hill.
General Info for 2008:
We want to add volunteers! Please try to recruit as many people as possible;
we want to add 50 people per day to the crew. 4 days minimum are required
for the uniform and swag package. Contact
Dick Pownall (970-476-5418) or
Kerry Donovan (970-390-7113) for more info. If you recruit 10 people or
more, meet me in my office at the Coyote for a pitcher of beer, my treat.
Please also help us go paperless by emailing all your info to Dick.
Needed: 3 more interval timers. Please contact Dick.
Lodging 2008:
The following sites have lodging packages available:
The Charter at Beaver Creek:
$165/night Lodge Room (King/Double), $225/night 1 bedroom apartment,
$290/night 2 bedroom apartment. Promo Code: VVF 800-525-6660
Christie Lodge: $99/night 1 bedroom suites. Promo Code VVF
Volunteer. 888-325-6343
Beaver Creek West Condos:
25% off for 4 night stay; 10% off for 2-3 nights. 800-222-4840
Ridgepoint
Townhomes: 3 bed/2bath+ loft $205/night; 3 bed/3 bath + loft
$225/night; 3 bed/3.5 bath + loft $245/night. Units have King/Queen or 2
twins, 2 twins loft. Most units have sleeper sofas (sounds like you could
sleep 6 people or so). 866-627-1235. Group ID: 135971
Creekside at Beaver
Creek: 2 bedroom condo $275/night. 800-910-3240
Vail/Beaver Creek Resort Properties 30% off rack rate. Many locations
available. Promo Code GB7GVVF or GB7GWC. 877-620-7669
New and Exciting! The 2007 Courseworker's Manual is
here. Print it, read it,
digest it, be it.
I stopped reading after page 3 because I like picture books, but I bet you
can finish it.
Talon Crew 101
Equipment:
- Get a professional ski tune prior to going on the hill. Bring a
file, stone, and guide and know how to use them or get your skis
re-sharpened during the week.
-Bring spares of everything: gloves, hat, goggles, sunblock, chapstick,
baseball hat for sunny days.
-Dress in layers and bring spares.
-Bring a water bottle or CamelBak;
-Helmets are recommended.
-Hydrate! Start drinking heavily at least a
week before the work starts. Make sure you get some water, too--If your pack
weighs less than 40lbs, you’re slacking.
-Bring a thermos for coffee or soup. Most of the time you won’t need it but
when you do, it’s good to have.
-Bring a ballcap or sun hat for those days that are too
warm for a hat but too cool to go without anything.
-Snacks: Keep nibbling throughout the day. The cold weather means you
need more calories to maintain body heat.
-Use SnoSeal on all your leather stuff. Cook it into the leather in the oven
at 200* for 5-10 minutes max. Don’t use the microwave or the dryer.
-Wash the pads in your helmet so they don’t smell like Spring Skiing
Sweat ™.
- Overnight, put your
credential inside your skiboot. If you don’t have your boots, it won’t
matter if you don’t have your credential.
-If you have to get dressed in the dark so you don’t wake everyone
else, lay out your clothes in order so you can put them on without fumbling
around.
Protocol:
-Stay hydrated (start drinking a week before the event) and eat high-energy
foods.
-Pace yourself physically each day.
-No turning on the race hill- stay in a sideslip.
-If you get separated from your chief or crew, return to the Tuff Shed and
check in with Tunes.
-Always keep an eye uphill, you can't get hurt from below.
- After each race run there is work to be done. Return to the Tuff Shed to
see what projects need to happen.
-Stay away from winch cat cables unless you are with your crew chief and/or
a section chief. They will ask the cat to stop to allow you to pass safely.
Wengen 2007 Photos
Lauberhornrennen
2006 Photos
Silliness
Art Department
Jan-X Files
Silly pictures from 2005 are still below.
Handy links:
VVF
Volunteer Blog
Weasels
Helmets: Plan on them becoming required pretty soon. During the slalom, we received a subtle message from a Big German Guy with a certain degree of influence. I had mine in my pack all week, probably should have put it on. This too was pointed out by the Big German Guy, who noted that in my pack, it does not even cover my ass,.
Gunter Hujara, King of all he surveys. Note the helmet.
