This cache is placed in honor of my nephew, nicknamed D3 - I call him "my boy of winter." For almost as long as he has been alive (17 years as of this geocache hide), D3 has loved 2 winter sports: hockey and skiing.
D3, who lives in Illinois, has played in a USA Hockey program since he was age 4. His skating skill is truly outstanding, and he has been a member of the local community travel USA Hockey team for a decade. For several summers, he annually visited me and participated in MSU's summer hockey camps, and he had some really wonderful experiences.
D3 is a high school senior and will graduate in May 2016. He has begun his final year with his organized community USA Hockey team, and I am sure this last year will be a bittersweet season-long goodbye to a beloved team and sport. This cache honors D3's commitment to and love of hockey. Go QC Blues! Go #22! HE SHOOTS, HE SCORES!!!
The only thing that D3 will like about the end of his personal hockey career is the fact that he will then have so much more weekend time for his other winter sports love: skiing!
D3 is a natural gifted athlete, with a sense of balance that is truly remarkable and a love of speed that is truly scary! He has been skiing black diamond (most challenging) runs since he was 10 years old and seems to enjoy ice even more than powder!
D3 has developed a deep interest and talent in the ski specialty of "trick skiing" or, more formally, "free-skiing" ("slope-style" in the Olympics). Free-skiing involves skiers who make atmospheric (it seems) jumps while completing twists and turns during the jump, and then they land back down on the snow, skiing downhill, often deliberately backwards! They also will ski through obstacle course-like paths, which require runs, jumps, twists, and turns on metal, plastic, and wood barriers, as well as jumps. At his local home ski resort, D3 has won the annual free-ski competition's coveted first place "King of the Hill" award for his hard-won free-ski skill.
While competitive team hockey will end for D3 in spring 2016, skiing never will (if the Good Lord's willing and the creek don't rise). I am glad because, truth be told, I think skiing is his true love. Park City, Squaw Valley, Telluride, Aspen, Vail, and Jackson Hole - look out! - D3 is on his way!
This cache is located across the street from a campus sporting venue that D3 loves to visit when he comes to East Lansing to see me. Stealth is an absolute MUST as there are muggles absolutely EVERYWHERE in this area, especially on weekends. The original swag and occasional additional owner swag is a nod to a basic H2O formation that makes up snow and ice. I hope this cache will be winter-friendly - seems like it should be considering its subject matter - but we'll have to see how and if the snow and ice pile up this season!
Congratulations, lwnam91, on FTF!