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| LIVING TO TELL THE TALE. John Conley survived his first competition on the K48 in Lake Placid (and many more). |
JOHN CONLEY
Lebanon, Outing Club
Barrington, RI
As best as I can remember the year was 1988 or 89. I had been
diagnosed with a large malignant melanoma, and was advised to get my affairs in
order. At the same time, my mother had colon cancer that had made it to her
liver. I set out to prove to myself that I was invincible. Diving in the Cape Cod
Canal, at night, alone. Swimming through 6 foot seas, again at night, by
myself. Flying a plane. Racing the masters downhill, a real downhill, at 70 miles
an hour, which brings me to my story.
I am in Lake Placid for a masters downhill at Whiteface. I come upon a brochure for some events in LP. One of those events was ski jumping. Hmmm, my next big adventure? I managed to get the phone number for the jump complex, and reached Larry Stone, “Sure, come on up” was his reply. I head up to Lake Placid with my girlfriend and some other friends. They were betting on which bones I would break first. From the moment I left home, I was determined to jump the K48, which at the time was still being called a 40. I drive to the hill, find Larry, who tells me the boots are over there, some jump skis over there and so on. Day 1, 7 or 8 jumps on the k18. All goes well. Day 2 I head over to the 40. At the time, there was a second jump with its own trestle, attached to the 40, referred to as a 30. Not being a complete idiot, I try to ride the 30. I go to the top and find myself saying
I do believe in spooks, I do, I do. Down the inrun, land on the 13 meter mark, and down the hill. Still alive. Let’s get the hell out of here.
I was living in New Jersey at the time, which was 7 hours away, so I never thought that I would jump again. Then I moved to Rhode Island. That’s part 2.
I am in Lake Placid for a masters downhill at Whiteface. I come upon a brochure for some events in LP. One of those events was ski jumping. Hmmm, my next big adventure? I managed to get the phone number for the jump complex, and reached Larry Stone, “Sure, come on up” was his reply. I head up to Lake Placid with my girlfriend and some other friends. They were betting on which bones I would break first. From the moment I left home, I was determined to jump the K48, which at the time was still being called a 40. I drive to the hill, find Larry, who tells me the boots are over there, some jump skis over there and so on. Day 1, 7 or 8 jumps on the k18. All goes well. Day 2 I head over to the 40. At the time, there was a second jump with its own trestle, attached to the 40, referred to as a 30. Not being a complete idiot, I try to ride the 30. I go to the top and find myself saying
I do believe in spooks, I do, I do. Down the inrun, land on the 13 meter mark, and down the hill. Still alive. Let’s get the hell out of here.
I was living in New Jersey at the time, which was 7 hours away, so I never thought that I would jump again. Then I moved to Rhode Island. That’s part 2.
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| BUSTING A MOVE. John Conley in the early days. |
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| Photo from John- this was the emergency room x-ray after he told his girl-friend he wanted to try ski jumping. |
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| Photo from John- this was the reaction from the daughter of one of the judges when she saw John jump in his first competition in Lake Placid. |
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| WORTH IT IN THE END- John Conley (R and 3rd place) with fellow masters, Jon Farnham (L and 2nd place) and Dan Brown (center and victor) on the podium at the 2013 National Masters Championships on the Lebanon NH K25. |
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