Birdman lived in Aspen and Telluride ski resorts for years, and worked on the ski patrol and in the land sales business. During his time from 1970 to 2012 he had many revealing experiences with many famous people.
Stein Erikson was the head of the ski school in Aspen for many years in the 70's before he moved to Deer Valley Utah, where he became director of skiing at the resort. Birdman was standing by the Sams Knob lift at Snowmass during the winter of 1971. There was two feet of fresh powder snow, and the Big Burn powder paradise, was calling him to the slopes. All of a sudden he spotted Stein, flying and dancing down the mountain in a perfect powder form, with snow blowing over his head. Birdman had never seen such an amazing display of perfection and grace before or since. Stein looked like he was dancing the mambo, at a very high speed. Birdman thought that Stein was blessed by the Norwegian Gods of skiing, he had never seen anything like it, and never would again, until he saw Chongo on the Telluride Ski Patol, a few years later, in perfect powder form, dancing in rhythm over the moguls, with two feet of fresh snow, on the Mammoth Slide.
Stein Erikson is currently married and has 5 children. He is 85 years young, and still has that famous head of hair. They say that he is a humble man. He is quoted as saying "Be tough, be confident, but you will never be a whole and happy person if you aren't humble." In 1997 Erikson was honored by the King of Norway. He was Knighted with the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit for his contribution to Norway, the highest honor that the Norwegian government can give to people living outside Norway. It is said that Erikson was skiings "first superstar" since he was handsome, stylish, and charismatic.
Norman Schwarzkopf walked on the treadmill in the summer at the Peaks Hotel, almost evey day, where Birdman worked out. Birdman thought, I wonder how many miles the general walked while he was in the military. Norman was a large man, but walked with a smooth motion, never losing his stride.
Stormin Norman, "The Bear" was loved by the locals in Telluride and marched with the soldiers in the local Memorial Day parade each year. Birdman recently heard that the vets in Telluride, came out of hiding, and proudly marched with Norman. Before they were afraid to let people know they had fought in Vietnam, because of the anti-war sentiment in town, and the abundance of peaceniks.
Norman loved to trout fish and hunt pheasants, and went to pheasant country with some local bird hunters. He was a remarkable pheasant marksman, which is an upland game bird that often causes humiliation. He fly fished the San Miguel river, and loved it. One night he returned home, to discover a black bear in his kitchen, who had an arm load of ice cream, and a look of joy, like a child, caught with too much candy in his fists. Norman got mad, chased the bear out into the Ski Ranch night, and fired several rounds of his shotgun into the sky. Now he would have to drive 6 miles to Telluride to replenish his favorite ice cream.
Norman has a series of medals for his duties as a soldier. The number of metals is astounding including three Silver Stars for Bravery. He also was honored in France as an honorary First-Class Private in the French Foreign Legion.
Norman had crawled on his belly in a mine field in Vietnam, to rescue a wounded soldier, and led an entire group through his tracks out of danger. He received a special medal, his third Silver Star for bravery for that brave action. He has an Elementary School named after him in Lutz Florida.
Stormin Norman brought the Kuwait ground war to a close in just four days, a record in the history of warfare.
In Vietnam he implemented strict rules for his soldiers. He told his men later, "When you get on that plane to go home, if the last thing you think about is "I hate that son of a bitch", then that is fine because you are going home alive."
Madonna paid a special tribute to the General, during the 1990 Oscars ceremony. When she performed the Academy Award winning song "Sooner or Later, I Always Get My Man" from the movie Dick Tracy, she added the line, "Talk to me General Schwarzkopf, tell me all about it." Her performance was homage to Marilyn Monroe and saluting the general was reminiscent of the 1950's when Marilyn Monroe paid her respects to General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
General Norman Schwarzkopf was an amazing soldier, and a true and real human being. The folks in Telluride were lucky to have him there, chasing off ice cream eating bears and honoring the local vets. He is truly and in real life "The Bear", the legend, the General.
Stein Erikson was the head of the ski school in Aspen for many years in the 70's before he moved to Deer Valley Utah, where he became director of skiing at the resort. Birdman was standing by the Sams Knob lift at Snowmass during the winter of 1971. There was two feet of fresh powder snow, and the Big Burn powder paradise, was calling him to the slopes. All of a sudden he spotted Stein, flying and dancing down the mountain in a perfect powder form, with snow blowing over his head. Birdman had never seen such an amazing display of perfection and grace before or since. Stein looked like he was dancing the mambo, at a very high speed. Birdman thought that Stein was blessed by the Norwegian Gods of skiing, he had never seen anything like it, and never would again, until he saw Chongo on the Telluride Ski Patol, a few years later, in perfect powder form, dancing in rhythm over the moguls, with two feet of fresh snow, on the Mammoth Slide.
Stein Erikson is currently married and has 5 children. He is 85 years young, and still has that famous head of hair. They say that he is a humble man. He is quoted as saying "Be tough, be confident, but you will never be a whole and happy person if you aren't humble." In 1997 Erikson was honored by the King of Norway. He was Knighted with the Royal Norwegian Order of Merit for his contribution to Norway, the highest honor that the Norwegian government can give to people living outside Norway. It is said that Erikson was skiings "first superstar" since he was handsome, stylish, and charismatic.
Norman Schwarzkopf walked on the treadmill in the summer at the Peaks Hotel, almost evey day, where Birdman worked out. Birdman thought, I wonder how many miles the general walked while he was in the military. Norman was a large man, but walked with a smooth motion, never losing his stride.
Stormin Norman, "The Bear" was loved by the locals in Telluride and marched with the soldiers in the local Memorial Day parade each year. Birdman recently heard that the vets in Telluride, came out of hiding, and proudly marched with Norman. Before they were afraid to let people know they had fought in Vietnam, because of the anti-war sentiment in town, and the abundance of peaceniks.
Norman loved to trout fish and hunt pheasants, and went to pheasant country with some local bird hunters. He was a remarkable pheasant marksman, which is an upland game bird that often causes humiliation. He fly fished the San Miguel river, and loved it. One night he returned home, to discover a black bear in his kitchen, who had an arm load of ice cream, and a look of joy, like a child, caught with too much candy in his fists. Norman got mad, chased the bear out into the Ski Ranch night, and fired several rounds of his shotgun into the sky. Now he would have to drive 6 miles to Telluride to replenish his favorite ice cream.
Norman has a series of medals for his duties as a soldier. The number of metals is astounding including three Silver Stars for Bravery. He also was honored in France as an honorary First-Class Private in the French Foreign Legion.
Norman had crawled on his belly in a mine field in Vietnam, to rescue a wounded soldier, and led an entire group through his tracks out of danger. He received a special medal, his third Silver Star for bravery for that brave action. He has an Elementary School named after him in Lutz Florida.
Stormin Norman brought the Kuwait ground war to a close in just four days, a record in the history of warfare.
In Vietnam he implemented strict rules for his soldiers. He told his men later, "When you get on that plane to go home, if the last thing you think about is "I hate that son of a bitch", then that is fine because you are going home alive."
Madonna paid a special tribute to the General, during the 1990 Oscars ceremony. When she performed the Academy Award winning song "Sooner or Later, I Always Get My Man" from the movie Dick Tracy, she added the line, "Talk to me General Schwarzkopf, tell me all about it." Her performance was homage to Marilyn Monroe and saluting the general was reminiscent of the 1950's when Marilyn Monroe paid her respects to General Dwight D. Eisenhower.
General Norman Schwarzkopf was an amazing soldier, and a true and real human being. The folks in Telluride were lucky to have him there, chasing off ice cream eating bears and honoring the local vets. He is truly and in real life "The Bear", the legend, the General.
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