Christmas '08

Well, it was great to get back to MI and be with the family for a bit! That is once I got there...after feeling like I was about ready to have a massive breakdown in the airport...I was seriously ready to have a hissy fit and just lay on my stomach in the middle of the United ticket desks, flail my arms and legs, and scream at the top of my lungs (those of you who have even come close to hearing my loud mouth understand what an impact this may have had). Somehow I stayed fairly composed and remained kind to the people who did eventually get there act together and get me on a plane!

I didn't get as many pictures as I would have liked but I did get a few from the Christmas Day gathering with my mom's side of the family!

Someone promised me they would get me one for Christmas next year! I can't wait!!!


Awww...Quincy and me!


and this is the very cute little Gunner...what a doll!


Oh the love


Cousins


That's more like it!


more love


The Manderfield's


If you know us, you will understand...







The production of getting a dog picture!...pretty funny...







We went to visit Grandma Great...our awesome great grandmother who we all love very much!


Off to the Sledding hill!...




Jess and Karlee...they wanted surf boards but this was the best they could do


my cousin Katie...super stud little athlete


Watch out!


Love you all very much and miss you already!

Camp

After my last post not too much more took place at camp other than more riding and a dinner with some of the girls.

After the day 4 road ride day 5 was back on the track and we did some more efforts and pursuited against each other and followed that with a spin on the road along the canal. Day 6 us "trackies" got to put our drop bars back on!!!! Yahoo! and we did some bunch racing behind the motor...60lap scratch race, 80 lap points race, and 120 lap madison! I was feeling tired but I was able to go and even put in a few good efforts at the start of the Madison but that soon resulted in my wondering if I would be able to finish the last 20 laps...ouch. My legs were so dead and I still had one more day and more more hard effort left to do. Day 7 we hit the track early and did one last team pursuit effort before booking it for the hotel and airport.

After a few minor complications at the airport I finally landed in Detroit late Sunday night and couldn't have been happier to be HOME!

Overall camp was a great time. I enjoyed getting to know all the girls and had a lot of fun with everyone. Plus doing those workouts was a lot more fun with the other girls than to just do them on my own! Many times you have no option but to do it on your own so it was nice to have others there.

Currently...

Quick update...

I'm at Track Camp at the good old ADT event center in Carson, CA and we are about to head out for day 5. Day 1-3 we hit the track pretty hard, then day 4 (yesterday) we had a "day off the track"....and that consisted of a 4hr road ride, 20-30minutes of which was spent chasing Kristen Armstrong and a handful of the best US road riders up a canyon with numerous sections of 17%+ grades...oh, yes totally my cup of tea, haha! At least the decent was fun.

So this is all I've got for pictures at the moment..



There were some pretty amazing views on the ride and of course up the canyon but lets just say it is all a blur in my head and if you are complaining that I didn't capture any of that, than I would suggest you try following those girls up a canyon some day and let me know how much extra time and energy you have to even catch your breath let alone get a camera out, turn it on and hold it steady enough to take a good picture while still moving your bike forward up a wall!...yeah, go ahead and get back to me on that.

Thank goodness we go back to the track today! Phewww!!!

California December '08

Just gonna stick to picture book format for this post.

lets start with this; sometimes you just need a new perspective!


Wednesday I had an easier day of riding so I went to the beach to just hang out for a bit. I have been riding by things rings and I just had to try it out, it looked like such fun. I've been in this area before and seen them as well but never had the opportunity to give it a run so...



I was having such fun, but starting to really feel my hands, they just couldn't hang with the rest of my body. I was going to do it "one last time" and this is what happened

so I glued it back together


After fun time I wondered around Santa Monica a bit


and I found this, which goes out to my Papa!!!


Thursday I went on a long ride up the PCH and found this Canyon. I had not been too interested in most as it is to be assumed that if you take a Canyon you will be doing some significant climbing one way or another! But the start of this one reminded me of my NC territory so I HAD TO!







lots of fish in the sea...or ocean





Friday was another long day and I was planning to hit the PCH again but I was earlier and traffic looked less than pleasant so I headed south bound on the bike path to venture off that way and see if I could find appropriate terrain for the days training. I found some decent road and a few views that weren't so bad either.



After my interval on the way home I got a treat...yeah I probably shouldn't have but it sure was good!


and I countered that with a good dinner


Saturday was a chill day and I even got to meet up with my friend Keyln who took me to dinner at this super cool Caribbean place! Thanks Kelyn! It was great to spend some time with him, catch up on life, and talk about super amazing adventures...he went to Madagascar alone when he was 19...oh yeah, for 2 months!

it's called the treehouse because it is literally built around a tree!

all smiles


Now I'm just rounding things off at my cousin Dana's place and Chris is going to drop me at the Hotel for track camp this evening. I'll be living at the hotel and training with the crew for the next week and then I fly back to MI on the 21st...but I get in so late it might as well be the 22nd. I'm really excited to go home for a bit and be with the family and freinds! I really miss everyone a lot!