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Our friends went to Sochi and all we got were these lousy rainbow gloves
Photograph by Alexander Mak/Shutterstock.com
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The 2014 Winter Games are taking place this very second in the coastal town of Sochi, Russia. And since you’re reading this, you’re probably still tucked away in the good old U.S. of A., safe from Sochi’s squad of professional hackers. (God bless a working Internet connection.) Not that you’d ever consider leaving, of course, what with all the winter sports the Hudson Valley has to offer.
If you couldn’t make it to Sochi — but you’re still itching to get your game on — grab your closest, most competitive pals and host your own Olympics right here at home. Let the games begin!
Cross-Country Skiing
Let’s kick things off with one of the most boring winter sports in the history of winter sports. (Oh stop, we’re kidding.) Cross-country is fun! We’re just mad that we crossed our blades and toppled over within five minutes of hitting the field in gym class… 18 years ago.
» Go cross-country
» Find groomed and ungroomed trails
Freestyle Skiing & Snowboarding
Now this is more like it. For you downhill-at-88-miles-per-second thrill seekers, there are plenty of places to go for the gold while showing off your sweet moves to the snow bunnies.
» Go skiing and snowboarding
» 10 reasons to ski locally this season (as if hosting your own Olympic Games isn’t enough of a reason)
» What to land on: the Big Air Bag
Snow Tubing
Luge, schmooge. Snow tubing is not only more exciting — you’re bouncing down a hill on a big air bubble, for crying out loud — but it’s a tad more comfortable when said air bubble knocks over one of the neighborhood kids (by accident, we swear).
» Go snow tubing
Extreme Sledding
While Sochi brings Skeleton back, you’re bringing sexy back… on your sled. You can take on the bunny slopes with the gentle breeze blowing through your hair, or you can kick it up a notch like Rensselaer County’s own Sled Baron, Tim Irwin.
» Watch the video
Snowshoeing
Too extreme? That’s cool. For you slow-paced Olympians (hey, endurance means everything!), perhaps snowshoeing is more your style.
» Go snowshoeing
Ice Skating
Ah, the quintessential winter sport. While this year’s Olympians slice the ice at the Iceberg Skating Palace, we Valleyites take our pick from a variety of outdoor parks, indoor rinks, mountain resorts, and local ponds and lakes (Parks and Recreation-approved, of course).
» Go ice skating
Ice Boating
Sochi might be a coastal town, but when it comes to boating, the Valley’s got it beat.
» Go ice boating
Ice Fishing
Punching holes in ice and hooking some yummy trout is definitely our new favorite sport. ’Cause, you know, we’re down for anything that combines fun with food.
» Go fishing
Hot Chocolating
Speaking of food… fine, this isn’t an Olympic event, but it should be. Here are just a few of our favorite places to relax and sip hot cocoa — and show off your (unofficial) Olympic medals — after a long day of playing in the snow.
» Where to unwind with a mug of hot chocolate
For the full schedule of XXII Olympic Winter Games at Sochi, visit the official Web site at Sochi2014.com/en.
