NORTHVILLE, N.Y. -- Another perfect day in the mountains.
"This has been my dream. The business that I liked, that I enjoyed," said Olavi Hirvonen, owner of Lapland Lake. "It took me all this time, but 36 years and it is now complete."
Showing the vigor of a much younger man, the owner of Lapland Lake still does all the grooming on 30 miles of trails daily, and is always ready to greet customers and get them ready to get out on the snow. It's all in a days work for this former Olympian.
"I was second man on the U.S. team, second best," Olavi said.
"I managed to break my ski in the first 10 kilometers. I was able to get a replacement ski from a spectator, who I had happened to have met before," said Olavi.
In the back of his mind, Olavi knew his life dream would be to build a cross-country ski resort. In 1977, dealing with the loss of his son, Olavi heard of an old summer campground for sale.
"I came by this place like a magnet pulled me to it. It turned out my son had something to do with it, my son had actually been on the property I learned later," said Hirvonen.
For the next 36 years, Olavi carved trails through the woods, built new cabins and a house for him and his wife and now on the eve of his 84th birthday, he says it's time to move on.
http://hudsonvalley.twcnews.com/content/news/795281/retired-olympian-looks-ahead-to-next-chapter-in-life/
"You just need to go at that shit wide open, hang on, and own it." —Camp
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