American Birkebeiner

In the early 1970s my friend Jim and I were working hard at being Midwestern ski bums, working at one of the local ski hills. Then it was called Port Mountain now it is known as Mt Ashwabay. This guy shows up one day and takes a bunch of us cross country skiing, all the while talking about this race at Telemark.

We didn’t take it seriously, until the late 1970s when my friend Jim called me and told me all about this race that is growing by leaps and bounds. Somewhere along the line Jim talked me into doing it. In 1981, my fever started.

But here is the REAL KICKER. My friend Jim got married and had kids (one son and two girls.) BUT this gets better. Who was this guy in the beginning that carried the message to us ski bums? Rick Scott, one of the first founders of the Birkie. Who was my friend that caught Birkie Fever with me? Jim Kuzzy, father of Garrott Kuzzy, one of our Olympic cross country skiers who is representing the US at the Vancouver Winter Olympics.

From one of the founders that carried the fever, to father, to son, to the Winter Olympics. Oh how just giving a little away – can carry BIRKIE FEVER.

Me, I will be there on race day trudging my own way, to my happy destiny, skiing up Main Street of Hayward.