We arrived at Copper Mountain at around 1:30 p.m. Wednesday. This is where the U.S. ski team is holding its camp until the end of the month before they get knee deep into their World Cup season leading up to the Olympic Games in Vancouver.

In the next few months, photojournalist John Drilling and myself will be chasing down the local Minnesota athletes as they get ready for the upcoming Games in Vancouver.

I've been to Vancouver a couple times. My visits were in 2003 when the Wild took on the Canucks in the NHL's Western Conference playoffs. Minnesota won the series in 7 thrilling games