Hog Loppet highlight: colorful capes and shot-ski
By Steve Godfrey
Feb. 28, 2011
Photo by Steve Godfrey
They point to the sky in anticipation of the next super hero arrival.
Photo by Steve Godfrey
The ski lifts, and the shot goes down. "To the Hog!"
Photo by Steve Godfrey
These non-cape skiers joined in on the shot-ski action.
Photo by Steve Godfrey
The shot-ski is a toast to the Hog Loppet - a tradition of this group every year.
The Hog Loppet is an opportunity for cross country ski enthusiasts to gather once a year toward the end of the season and test their mettle. Some do it for time, some for the challenge; others do it simply to have fun. A group of 10 friends, most of whom reside on the west side of the Cascades, clearly do it for the latter reason.
“We decided this year to make capes, so everyone went out and bought different fabrics,” said one member of the group as I skied alongside of her. Her cape was covered with brightly colored Dachshund dogs. “The capes tend to slow us down a bit, but we just like to have fun.”
As I passed another cape-wearing skier on the well-groomed trail, he said, “Join us at the next aid station and we’ll show you our Hog Loppet tradition – the shot-ski.” Sounded intriguing.
I made it to Aid Station 3 and quickly downed two bowls of hot (and very delicious) tomato bisque soup with pasta, then a hotdog slathered with mustard. It was getting well past lunch time, and I had just skied 12 tough miles, so I didn’t stop there. I plowed through a chocolate chip cookie, then moved on to a brownie, and washed it all down with two cups of sports drink. The calories were needed to fuel the engine for the final 8 miles.
By that time I noticed lots of capes had arrived at the aid station, so I asked them to line up for a photo. They happily obliged, and a few minutes later, one member of the group produced the shot-ski.
He had taken 4 plastic shot glasses, attached them to straps, and strapped them, equally spaced, to a ski. He filled them with Jagermeister ("Of course!" he said), then four members of his group lined up. Taking the ski into their hands, and on the count of three, they lifted the ski to their mouths, pitched back their heads, and downed the shot.
This went on until everyone in the group partook. Some non-capers even got into the act. One young lady brought over a bottle of whiskey, and after recruiting other skiers, tilted the shot-ski. Another had a bottle of brandy and the scene repeated.
For this group of fun-seeking skiers, the shot-ski is a Hog Loppet tradition that they have been doing for years.
Long live the shot-ski!
