With a weekend off from World Cup racing the team has decided to re-group here in Valadalen Sweden for a short training camp.  I returned to Europe last Monday after a long travel day back from Korea, flying from Seoul to Ostersund Sweden.  Ostersund is home to a lot of Swedish National team skiers including our good friend Emil Jonsson so it was a perfect chance to catch up with him and also avoid staying in a hotel for two nights. After months on the road it’s hard to describe how great it is to spend a few nights in a real house rather than a hotel.

We spent two days skiing around Ostersund before driving the 1.5 hours to Valadalen to start our training camp. The best way to describe Valadalen is that it’s kind of like the Swedish equivalent to the Craftsbury training center.  Lots of different buildings with hotel style rooms, and a main lodge with awesome food, and pretty far out in the middle of nowhere. It kind of has an isolated feel out here but the accommodations are perfect with a full gymnasium and training center and perfect ski trails right out the door.  Not to mention beautiful mountains and scenery.