Celebrity Travel: Go Away With Kelly Clark
Kelly Clark is a four-time Winter Olympian (2002 through 2014) who has won a gold medal and two bronze medals. The halfpipe specialist has said that if she stays at the top of her game, she would love to represent Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
"There's nothing like the Olympics," says Clark, who is based out of California. "The Salt Lake City Games was such a memorable experience. For me, winning the first gold medal for the United States on U.S. soil was a big moment in my career. There have been some great competitions that stand out. The X Games in Athens was fun, too. And more recently, the U.S. Open in Vail was a really great venue as well."
Fans may follow Clark on Twitter at https://twitter.com/Kellyclarkfdn or check out her website at http://www.kellyclarkfoundation.org.
Q. Do you prefer beach or cold-weather vacations?
A. I go where it's warm! I spend a lot of time where people vacation during the winter, so I have it pretty covered already on the winter side of things. I like to go to the beach. My friends and I take an annual trip to Central America. Costa Rica and Nicaragua are beautiful. We enjoy renting a house together in a more remote place that's a little bit further away from the tourist areas. It's a nice way to experience the culture. When I'm on vacation, I like not being on a schedule where you have to eat between certain hours. I like being able to take a nap whenever I want to. (Laughs)
Q. When you travel, what kind of food do you gravitate toward?
A. I'm actually not an adventurous eater. I was never forced to eat a lot of what I considered weird foods as a kid. So some people might regard me as a boring, safe diner, especially if I'm competing. I never have to worry too much about eating too much, though. The level of activity means that I have to ensure that I actually eat enough. Recovery food is really important to me. I really like smoothies at the snack bars in between workouts.
Q. What was the first trip you took as a child?
A. We had a restaurant in Vermont and lived in Rhode Island for a while on a boat on an island. Every spring we would go to Florida for vacation on Spring Break on a road trip. It was fun. My brother and I sat in the back seat and my mom drove an old Cadillac. We had snacks in an old (Igloo) Playmate cooler. We didn't have a CD player or iPhones to look at. We were told, "Don't bother us," and "No, we're not there yet." Those trips were full of lots of really good memories.
Q. What's the most important thing you've learned from your travels?
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