I get my inspiration from everyone when I need it and how I need it. My brother and Lauren are very close with me and they are in Sun Valley, so sometimes I need to go there and feel their presence. And there are times I need to see my bro' alone. There are times everyone needs to be together for me and we all just work together; making sure that my energy is good and right when I go do what I'm going to do. That means the family needs to spend time together.

There are people that I call and talk on the phone to that inspire me in different ways. Other athletes, other female athletes like Gabbi Reece who is a big inspiration for me. She was my idol and now she is a friend of mine, so I had to go through that whole transition of learning to accept her as a friend not so much look up to her, although I still do. But I can call her and say, listen I've got this deal what do you think about it, and get her advice on it. We help each other competitively-wise, talk about strategies and how things work out for the two of us, where our training is, gain perspective. How her relationship with her agent is, compare notes. That is something that has been cool… Monica Seles, same thing with her, Janet Evans, Amy Van Dyken. It's kind of fun.

Do you think your own competitive spirit has been the main thing driving you to get back out there?

Oh yeah, it hasn't even been a question of whether or not I would do it or how hard I would push, I would just go. It is deep inside. It is an everlasting desire to make my dreams come true. And it's getting to the point now where it's like, come on I want my dreams to come true so that I can get on with the rest of my life. Sometimes I think about the rest of my life when I'm done.

I remember you and Alberto Tomba very clearly during the '94 Winter Olympics. The media loved you two because of your outgoing personalities.
Alberto was the first one to call me the female Alberto Tomba. We have faxed back and forth since my injury and he's going in and out of injury. He's lingering in the middle - not healthy but not too hurt to race, so I give him the other side of the spectrum. He doesn't want to be hurt because he's kind of a wimp, not in a bad sense, he just doesn't want to be hurt which is why he doesn't race speed events. His mom doesn't want anything happening to him. His love for the sport has definitely diminished a bit. It's sad but it's just the way it is. A lot of people don't know how long he's been skiing and how long he's been good.

I've read about past problems you've experienced internally on the women's ski team. What do you think about women as competitors? Do you think they are a savvy at being competitive as men are or are they more petty?

I think women are petty, pushy and they hold grudges. I think that our emotions are a rollercoaster and it tends to lend to catfights and fighting over stupid things. A lot of women don't know how to vent and deal with emotions.

Every woman has them (emotions) and they try to deny them like, oh no, I'm not an emotional woman. It's like, hey, wait, you have them and you need to deal with them. They don't know that crying is a way of venting and getting rid of unnecessary energy and tension. They think, oh god, I'm being feeble and emotional and I don't want to cry, so they push it away. When really, they should just cry and get it out. Then they could bring a much more peaceful being to the show.

I've had to do that all my life because my energy is way, way overwhelming.

What about your plans to raise $1 mil. For underprivileged kids with NIKE?

I do stuff with NIKE, with their PLAY foundation. I donate money to the existing foundation that funds the US Ski Team kids. I have a fund-raiser that I do every Christmas in Sun Valley to raise money. One of my dreams in life is to do fund-raising for the youth.

You moved to Portland?
Moved here in September of 1995.

How do you like it?
I love it, I love it at night, very pretty, cool. Something about the river going right by the city and the lights. I can kind of hide out here and people don't know who I am unless I slap my credit card down or say my name out loud too loud. Then people jump on it, but other than that people don't pick up on it. The beach is an hour and a half away and the mountains are too. The airport is 20 minutes away so I can go anywhere.

How about the social scene, are you seeing anyone or do you have a boyfriend?
No.

Do you find that men are intimidated by you?
Yeah, they are intimidated by me or I think they are either not interested because they don't want to deal with the challenge of a woman who's already established financially and socially. And then there's the guys who like it and see the challenge but think I don't need them or I've already got someone.

The whole image thing gets in the way. Then there are the guys that it excites them and it's what draws them to me. But I don't know whether they would care for me if I didn't have this image. It's hard, it's a fine line of are they starstruck or do they really care for who I am? And in a way, they kind of have to be both. Which is really kind of hard to find. I don't spend a lot of time looking, put it that way.

I'm social and I meet people and talk to people but I'm not looking for the ideal person to fit my mold and to raise my family with yet. I'm just kind of doing my thing and learning from the people I'm around and who I cross paths with.

How is the team make-up looking for the '98 Olympics?

The men's team will be strong if they can get healthy. Super G and Downhill has a lot of potential on both sides. If Hillary sticks around, we'll really be stoked. If not, it will be left for Megan and I to hold up the bag and you never know how that show will go. Downhill we could dominate.

Is the Olympics your biggest drive right now?

I'm looking for dominance in the World Cup (97) but I'm definitely looking for a gold medal in Japan. That is really what is driving me more than anything.

I'm looking for that sensation of just flying down the hill and setting my edges in and just biting them into the snow and just arcing a fat rail, feeling the wind blow in my face and feeling my skis bite into those edges and just going shwooooo down the hill. That fat speed that I love, that sensation, that's what I want. I'm looking forward to free skiing the most. Just groomers, big wide groomers making nice big turns.

So not even the race, not even the competition?

No, just getting back out there and feeling that sensation, like that 10 year old. It is a one-of-a-kind sensation, it's genuine.

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