Birkie™ Web Today Episode 10 - December 19, 2010 EPNetwork™

In Episode 10 of Birkie™ Web Today, I interview Dave Mathews, who is a long-time bicyclist and found Nordic skiing as a great winter activity while living in Omaha, Nebraska in 1982. He is an active member of the Kansas City Nordic Ski Club.

Dave Mathews

Dave, who lives in Prairie Village, Kansas which is a suburb of Kansas City, has been bicycling for 35+ years. He has been a long-time member of the Kansas City Bicycle Club, serving as a past club president and chairman of racing. Dave races in several road and cyclo-cross and sometimes mountain biking events each year.


He is a Civil Engineer with the US Army Corps of Engineers and graduated from Iowa State University and the University of California Berkeley with both degrees in civil Engineering. Dave began Nordic skiing while living in Omaha, Nebraska and has completed eight Birkie and two Kortelopet races as well as three City of Lakes Loppett races as a classic skier. He is an active member of the Kansas City Nordic Ski Club.


In the podcast Dave shares his secrets to staying in shape for skiing the Birkie when there is not much on-snow time.  Something many Birkie skiers face.

 Theme Music

Special thanks to fellow Birkie Buddy, Tim Burke for allowing us to use his song, Birkie Strut, as the theme song for the Birkie Web Today Podcast.

Tim Burke

Birkie™ Web Today Episode 9 - February 1, 2010 EPNetwork™

In Episode 9 of Birkie™ Web Today, I interview Louis Muench, Vice President of the Cumberland Area Ski Touring Association, about his experience skiing in the inaugural Birkie Tour. I also check in with fellow Birkie Buddies, Tim Burke and Mike Tarnow, who participated in the Noquemanon Ski Marathon in Marquette, Michigan this past Saturday in the On The Trail section of the podcast.

Louis Muench lives in Cumberland, Wisconsin where he works at Louie's Finer Meats owned by his family. He is the Vice President of the Cumberland Area Ski Touring Association, which maintains the Timberland Hills Ski Trails. Louis is responsible for updating trail conditions on the club’s website and their Facebook page.

In 2001 Louis completed the Kortelopet, but was first signed up for the race in 2000 which was the year it was canceled. In 2002 he completed his first Birkie™ and has participated each year ever since.  Louis also participates in a number of other ski events each year including the Pre-Birkie and Book Across the Bay races.

As part of our On the Trail section of the podcast we will either be  literally out on the Birkie™ Trail or on the scene for interviews.  Today I check in with my fellow Birkie Buddies, Tim Burke and Mike Tarnow, who participated in the Noquemanon Ski Marathon this past Saturday, January 30th in Marquette, Michigan.

Tim Burke

Mike Tarnow

 

Tim and Mike have skied the Noque, as it is called, three times since the race began several years ago.  This year Tim completed the 25K Freestyle event and Mike the 25K Classic race where he placed 4th overall for his age group.

Theme Music

Special thanks to Mark Franzke for allowing us to use his song, Twelve Street Stomp, as the theme song for the Birkie Web Today Podcast.

Mark Franzke

Links:
Banjo Dog
Interview of Mark Franzke on the Kansas Cyclist Podcast

Birkie™ Web Today Episode 8 - January 15, 2010 EPNetwork™

In Episode 8 of Birkie™ Web Today, fellow Birkie Buddy, Mike Tarnow, and I interview Nathan Schultz and Zack Caldwell with Boulder Nordic Sport of Boulder, Colorado and Portland, Maine as well as provide news and information about the American Birkebeiner Ski Race and Nordic skiing.

Boulder Nordic Sport, which started in 2006 is dedicated to bringing world class Nordic services to all skiers.  Their shop in Portland, Maine opened in 2009.

Nathan Schultz began skiing in high school where he finished dead last in every race. His friends’ enthusiasm for the sport was contagious, however, and kept him going long enough to ski at the University of Colorado, where he was a two-time NCAA All-American, Team Captain and 1994 Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Nathan Schultz

He went on to a 15-year professional career with the Subaru Factory and Fischer/Swix Teams, while also building a software consulting business and racing mountain bikes professionally, from 1995-1999.

He launched Boulder Nordic Sport in October, 2006.

Nathan lives with his wife and daughter in Boulder, Colorado

Zach Caldwell graduated from Middlebury College in 1994 where he was twice captain of the Nordic Team.  He began work for the fledgling New England Nordic Ski Association and grew the association for six years, working on regional development programs and coaches education tools.

In 2001 he left to start Engineered Tuning – an elite Nordic grinding service that has evolved through time and has now been wholly absorbed by Boulder Nordic Sports.  Zach spent the last two years testing grinds at the Callaghan Valley Olympic venue for the US Ski Team as part of their Olympic Development program.  In addition to working with skis, Zach works as a personal coach with a small number of high level American and Canadian athletes including Kris Freeman.

Zach Caldwell

Zach is leading Bolder Nordic Sports efforts in ski selection, grind development and waxing.

Zach lives with his wife and their son in Boulder, Co.

Theme Music

Special thanks to Mark Franzke for allowing us to use his song, Twelve Street Stomp, as the theme song for the Birkie Web Today Podcast.

Mark Franzke

Links:
Banjo Dog
Interview of Mark Franzke on the Kansas Cyclist Podcast

Birkie™ Web Today Episode 7 - November 23, 2009 EPNetwork™

In Episode 7 of Birkie™ Web Today, I interview Cherie Morgan, Media Coordinator and Former Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Foundation and Joel Harrison, Co-Owner of the New Moon Ski Shop in Hayward, Wisconsin. In the podcast I talk to Cherie about the new Birkie Web Site and with Joel about roller ski training and the New Moon Ski Shop.

Cherie Morgan

Joel Harrison

American Birkebeiner
New Moon Ski & Bike Shop

  Theme Music
Special thanks to Mark Franzke for allowing us to use his song, Twelve Street Stomp, as the theme song for the Birkie Web Today Podcast.

Mark Franzke

Links:
Banjo Dog
Interview of Mark Franzke on the Kansas Cyclist Podcast

Birkie™ Web Today Episode 6 - April 7, 2009 EPNetwork™

In Episode 6 of Birkie™ Web Today, I interview Cherie Morgan, Media Coordinator and Former Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Foundation. In the podcast we talk about happenings at the foundation since the Birkie in February.

Cherie Morgan

Birkie™ Web Today Episode 5 - February 20, 2009 EPNetwork™

In Episode 5 of Birkie™ Web Today, fellow Birkie Buddies, Tim Burke and Mike Tarnow join me from our cabin on Lake Namekagon the day before the American Birkebeiner Ski Race to talk about weather and wax.

Tim Burke, Mike Tarnow, and Edward Eroe

Birkie™ Web Today Episode 4 - February 16, 2009 EPNetwork™

In Episode 4 of Birkie™ Web Today, fellow Birkie Buddy, Tim Burke and I interview Ned Zuelsdorf, Executive Director of the American Birkebeiner Foundation. Ned talks about the race and the development of the Birkie Classic Trail.

Ned Zuelsdorf

Birkie™ Web Today Episode 3 - February 10, 2009 EPNetwork™

In Episode 3 of Birkie™ Web Today, I interview, Pete LaPlaca and Mike Tarnow, President and Vice President of the North American VASA Ski Race in Traverse City, Michigan. They talk about preparations for the VASA race this year.

Pete LaPlaca

Mike Tarnow

Birkie™ Web Today Episode 2 - February 6, 2009 EPNetwork™

In Episode 2 of Birkie™Web Today, I interview, the Birchleggings Club Founder and Birkie Founder, John Kotar. In the interview we learn about John's background, how he came to participate in the first American Birkebeiner Ski Race in 1973, and the founding of the Birchleggings Club, which is for skiers that have skied twenty or more Birkie ski races.

John Kotar

Birkie™ Web Today Episode 1 - February 1, 2009 EPNetwork™

In Episode 1 of Birkie™Web Today, I interview fellow Birkie Buddy, Tim Burke regarding his participation in The Race of the Methow in Winthrop, Washington in January. The race is Methow Valley Nordic's premier race. Tim joined Mike Tarnow and his son Aaron Tarnow at the race.

Tim Burke