Della and Kari
The Irrepressible Della drove an old pickup truck over from Casper and someone said there was a strand of purple feathers and rattlesnake rattlers hanging from her rear-view mirror.
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Fluid and Agile
Ole Skinner.
I know 20 year old's that don't have that form.
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Wyoming Senior Winter Games 2018
Pinedale
by Terry Allen
February 12, 2018
There are about 195 national flags flying in Pyeongchang, Korea for the 2018 Winter Olympics, and Courtney Skinner may have had close to that number flying in Sublette County, Wyoming on February 8, 9, and 10 for our Wyoming Senior Winter Games. I can’t imagine what our various events would be like without Courtney voluntarily decorating them like he has done all these years.
The Objectives of the Wyoming Senior Olympics are:
To promote ideals of health and wellness of adults through a more active lifestyle.
To erase myths that life is over after 50, by the philosophy that "you don’t stop playing because you grow old; you grow old because you stop playing."
To promote the socialization and educational aspects of the senior games by emphasizing recreational participation and proper training.
To promote opportunities for team spirit.
To promote the concept of adult athletics.
To encourage inter-community, state-wide, nation-wide and world-wide associations for participants.
To provide a showcase event that will be of interest to persons of all ages.
To educate and train participants and spectators in the areas of adult athletics and exercise.
To promote sportsmanship, volunteerism and camaraderie among individuals of all age levels and affiliation.
About 78 athletes from around the state, plus Montana, Colorado, and Nevada came to Pinedale to compete in Snowshoe, Nordic skiing, Swimming, Pickleball, Alpine Skiing, Speed skating, Racquetball, Rock climbing and Walking.
Della Works came over from Casper. "I’ve only missed one of nine Senior Games," she said. "The time I missed, I had to take my grandson to Torino in 2006. Btw, I carried the torch in Salt Lake City in 2002." I overheard Della and Cork Kelly discover they were both age 82 and each had 14 grandchildren.
Before the Nordic Classic, John Houser was waxing his Nordic skis on his tailgate with red wax and Jamie Anderson came over and exclaimed that she was using violet wax on her skis. I had seen her stick a temperature probe in a snowbank earlier, so I knew she planned to go fast.
JJ Huntley was in a huddle of skiers when she saw me and said that the icy wind must be blowing thru my levis, and then she launched into a story about a guy who took a load of NOLS (National Outdoor Leadership School) kids into the wintery woods for three weeks. One kid showed up in Levis and the instructor told him he had to get warmer pants. Well, part way into a snowy bus ride the instructor noticed the kid wearing the Levis. He stopped the bus, made the kid take off his pants and the instructor threw them up into a pine tree. They picked them back out of the tree at the end of the three weeks. I wasn't sure what JJ's intentions in telling the story were, so I beat a hasty retreat.
Over at the PAC (Pinedale Aquatic Center) pool, young Tyce Walker was lowering a clipboard on a rope out a window down to poolside. Poolside scorers would then clip on time sheets instead of running up three flights of stairs to give them to Tyce’s mom Kirby, to record in the computer.
I was curious what kind of hurdles some of the athletes had to get over in order to participate. Doc Foster age 58, said he had his knee replaced in October. Ole Skinner age 77, had his spine fused. Jack Hegardt age 82, who is still employed as a stone mason, told me he had carotid artery surgery recently. Cork Kelly was wearing a pink bathing cap in honor of women who have gotten cancer. I only asked four people. I bet this list would be a lot longer if I had asked others. I do happen to know of some near death stories, but I don't have permission to share them.
I decided I don't have much of an excuse for slacking of any kind and I've started going over the sport list to see if I might be able to survive snowshoe or walking next year.
Finally, please remember to thank the volunteers that made this event possible. I know it means the world when someone takes the time to appreciate their efforts and say thank you. I know it's very nice to be surprised by a gift of a burger or a beer when you are freezing cold manning a post and haven't had time to catch your breath for two days.
All the results aren't ready yet, but Amber Robbins tells me they will be posted as soon as they get them done.
www.wyseniorolympics.com Wyoming Senior Olympics
A big thanks to Dawn Ballou of Pinedale Online for sponsoring this photo story.
You may all share these online photos among yourselves for personal use. I do sell high resolution images if you want them.
Terry Allen: txpartisan@gmail.com
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