By Maggie Thatch, Reno Gazette-Journal

Skiers were greeted with fresh powder and high winds at Mount Rose on Sunday for the second day of the 4A state meet — not the kind of conditions that are ideal for giant slalom racing.

The weather, along with timing clock issues, pushed back the start time about two hours. That made it impossible to have two runs, so skiers had just one shot to make it to the podium.

Despite the obstacles, the South Tahoe boys team remained dominant.

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By Kyle Boelte, Sierra Magazine

My legs start to burn as I hit a hill, but the soft yellows of dawn are filtering through the city streets, and a cool breeze is brushing my cheeks. My mind is clear. At the end of my five-mile bike commute, my blood is flowing, I’m focused, and I’m excited for work. This is how I start my day: fully alive. How many Americans can say the same about their commute? I have a hunch: all the cyclists.

Until recently, bike commuting in the United States was something of a cult, mysterious to outsiders who assume it’s only for the young, the superfit, and the spandex-clad. But that’s rapidly changing, as urban planners are designing streets where bikes are as welcome as cars, and employers are offering bike facilities as a way to attract creative professionals. “Quality of life today is the most important tool of economic development,” says Gil Penalosa, the former parks commissioner of bike-friendly Bogota, Colombia. “People save all year to go on vacation to places that are walkable and bikable. Why not live in a place where it’s walkable and bikable?”

If you already bike to work, consider yourself part of the vanguard that’s pushing the country toward a postcarbon future of high-density, vibrant communities. If you haven’t biked since childhood, it’s not too late to rekindle your passion for that most efficient of human inventions.

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There’s blue sky and fresh snow out there today. Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

By Lisa Dillman, Los Angeles Times

VANCOUVER, British Columbia – Bright sun, snow and plenty of strong Canadian beer was flowing at the Cypress Mountain venue.

And all before noon.

There was little doubt that the newest Winter Olympic sport, ski cross, would prove to be a hit with spectators, TV viewers and competitors as it made its highly awaited debut Sunday.

Ski cross had them at “hello.” Or maybe with the first spectacular crash.

“Some people live for long walks on the beach, and I live to be standing at the top of a ski-cross course getting ready for the final,” said Errol Kerr of Truckee, who represented Jamaica.

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It’s a powder day. A couple inches of snow fell at the lake, so more will be on the slopes. Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

By Matthew Piper, USSA

WHISTLER, British Columbia — It wasn’t another gold, but Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) earned her second Olympic medal with a gutsy bronze in Saturday’s super G. Austria’s Andrea Fischbacher sped down in the day’s fastest time, while Slovenia’s Tina Maze edged out Vonn for the silver.

Vonn, who has already clinched the 2010 World Cup super G discipline title with two races remaining, raced from the 17th spot and cruised to more than a half-second advantage over the field. She lost critical tenths on the bottom section, however, and Fischbacher held onto a more aggressive line two spots later for a .74-second lead.

“When I came down to the finish and saw No. 1 next to my name, I thought ‘Hopefully, this is another gold medal,'” she said. “Obviously, that wasn’t the case, but I did my best, and I’m definitely very, very proud of another Olympic medal.

Vonn, who won gold in the World Championship downhill and super G a year ago, came into Vancouver with hopes for a medal and now has downhill gold and super G bronze.

“I’m a double Olympic medalist, and that’s a pretty cool thing to be able to say, she said. “I obviously would have loved to have a gold medal today, but Olympic medals are never very easy to come by.”

Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) for a while seemed poised to collect her third medal of these Games after storming out of the gate first for a lead that held through 12 skiers until Germany’s Maria Reisch beat her out by .04 seconds.

Mancuso lost time on a tricky corner in the Frog Bank. In Wednesday’s downhill (where she won silver), the banking of the hill carried racers through the turn , and Mancuso brought too much speed into the section.

“It surprised me a lot,” she said. “I thought it would be similar to the downhill, where the bank would take you around. But the bank didn’t take you around, it compressed you so it shot you on your tails.”

She somehow stayed on her feet through a sweeping left turn in the backseat, but Mancuso got sucked low and lost time. Still, despite that mistake, flat light, and a challenging start position, she finished just 0.62 seconds out of the medals.

“I felt my run was strong,” Mancuso said. “It was that mistake. Without that mistake, I think I would have been in there, even without the light.

“When I watched Maria’s run and she beat me by four-hundredths, I was bummed. But she beat me by a second in the section I made my mistake.”

Nonetheless, Mancuso owns the most medals ever by a U.S. woman after adding silvers in downhill and super combined to her giant slalom gold in Torino.

“I have nothing to lose,” she said. “I’m really, really proud of my Olympic career so far – a gold and two silvers. I’m not going into the GS ranked the best, but I’ve been training well and skiing really well. And I’m excited to go in there and give my best.”

Leanne Smith (Conway, NH) was 18th for a solid finish in her first Olympic super G, while Chelsea Marshall’s (Pittsfield, VT) Games debut ended suddenly when she took out a gate in the challenging Frog Bank and did not finish.

Mancuso and Vonn will try to add to the U.S. Alpine Ski Team’s medal count when they take back to Franz’s Run for the giant slalom on Wednesday.

“I don’t have any regrets on any of my races here,” Vonn said. “I definitely gave it everything I had every day. Especially on super G, it’s difficult. If you look back, you can always find places where you could have made up time, but having only one inspection and no training runs, it’s difficult to always know how aggressive you can ski and how the line is going to run and what the speed is going to be. Given the circumstances – a lot of girls had trouble today – and given everything, I think today was a really solid result.”

2010 Winter Olympic Games, Feb. 20, Women’s Super G

Gold — Andrea Fischbacher, Austria, 1:20.14

Silver — Tina Maze, Slovenia, 1:20.63

Bronze — Lindsey Vonn, Vail, CO, 1:20.88

4. Johanna Schnarf, Italy, 1:20.99

5. Elisabeth Goergl, Austria, 1:21.14

–

9. Julia Mancuso, Olympic Valley, CA, 1:21.50

18. Leanne Smith, Conway, NH, 1:23.05

DNF — Chelsea Marshall, Pittsfield, VT

Winter may be returning to Lake Tahoe for the next couple of days. Here is the ski report from Curtis Fong, the Guy from Tahoe.

Join the Tahoe Rim Trail Association for the 10th Annual Through Hike on the 165-mile Tahoe Rim Trail.

This 15-day backpacking trip will begin July 24 or 25 and end Aug. 7 or 8.

There will be two groups of 15 people, and each group will have two or three experienced guides.

One thing that sets this backpacking trip apart from others is the support. Your support comes from “Trail Angels” who appear every one to three days with food, fuel and water. Trail Angels also reward you with cold beer, warm pizza and lots of other scrumptious treats along the way.

This event is also the TRTA’s largest fundraising effort, and the $1,750 from each participant directly contributes to the education, outreach and programs that are offered each year.

Space is limited. Registration is now available here. For more information or questions, call Emily Williams at (775) 298.0231 or email emilyw@tahoerimtrail.org.

Drop-in Kayak Roll sessions run March 19-May 7 from 6:30-8pm at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation & Swim Pool Complex.

Enjoy the 80 degree water while you improve your rolling and paddling.

Cost is $5 per boater per date; you need your own kayak. Lifeguard is on the deck.

Program is co-sponsored by Kayak Tahoe, (530) 544.2011. Call Kayak Tahoe in advance for instruction and availability of rentals.

If there is an interest, we will try to offer a one evening Introduction to Kayak Rolling class (date and cost TBD upon interest and instructor availability). Students must provide own kayak. Class emphasizes: equipment, paddling, bracing, rolling and rescues. Space limited.

For more info on Kayak Rolling and other activities at the South Lake Tahoe Recreation & Swim Pool Complex, drop by 1180 Rufus Allen Blvd. South Lake Tahoe, call (530) 542.6056, or click here.

Marco Sullivan of Squaw Valley finished 23rd in the super G on Feb. 19 at the Winter Olympics.

For all the results, click here.