While we were going about our business...

Carrie and Malora are STILL hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. They were in Idyllwild over Cinco de Mayo, and now they have reached Oregon. By foot.

Hello Everyone,

This will have to be short and sweet because I only have 5 minutes on the computer.

Malora and I successfully made it to Oregon about a week and a half ago. It was an amazing feeling to cross that border. But of course in true Oregon style about 3 days after the border we had 3 days of rain and thunderstorms.

Enough cold and wet weather to make us realize how truly miserable it can be when the sun is gone. Wet socks, shoes, pants, sleeping bags. And with all of this wind and rain the mosquitos were still thriving.

Currently we are in Bend, OR. Just off Santiam Pass where we reached mile 2000.9. We will stay at Big Lake Youth Camp tonight and hit the trail in the morning. Nice and early. We are doing 25 miles with ease now. And 30 if we don't have too many hot drinks in the morning. We still love our food, thanks Sandy. But honestly it is a chore to eat 4000-5000 calories a day. We love the food but are sick of eating.

We should hit Washington this week in about 6 days or so. Then finish in Canada hopefully in the 3rd week of september. After this weeks rain the idea of slacking until the autumn chill arrives doesn't sound that appealing. There is already a bite in the air. It keeps us moving. With all this beautiful scenery around we are thankful to be out of smoke filled skies that gave us the blues through Northern Cali. Off to a burger joint in Sisters, OR to down some calories and then a hitch to camp and off to bed.

What's funner...

Playing Laser Tag with the coworkers:

(i am really not that huge)

Watching the coworkers do karaoke:
Or racing my bike?:
Monday night 25 of my coworkers and i loaded the school bus and headed to Chino (i don't even know where that is) to play Laser Tag. we were all bugged to go, but once we got there, it was like we were in 8th grade again. I haven't laughed that hard in a very long time. Those girls are brutal, and had no qualms about tag-teaming me and killing me repeatedly. Maybe it was because my code name was Miffy.

But i would probably have to say racing my bike was more fun. Things fell into place for me and i had a good day with only two crashes and one small mechanical. It was awesome to have Christie and Carolyn back at a venue. I have been lonely without them!! It was cool to share the podium with them.

In other news, and this is very sad, i had to put Shelli on probation after sundays race for breaking Team Protocol. She flatted on lap 2 right near the feed zone and decided to abandon the race. To her credit, she has fixed approximately 25 flats in the last 2 weeks because her tires are so horrible. But still, we made a pact years ago that the only way we would quit a race was if there was severe blood loss or bone protruding from the skin. Nothing else. Don't worry Shelli, new tires are on the way. (Which they have been for 5 weeks...)

Actually, i take it all back. The funniest thing was people trash talking in the feed zone. Do they not know that like half of us either car-pooled there or had lunch together the next day? what goes down in the feeds usually never stays there. Rumor has it that i am as fast as i will ever be and I am done. Pfff. Its just begun.

that's all i got. Word has it school will be filled with children tomorrow. i gotta go put my game face on.

The will to Yack

I would totally puke on the bike. If i had to. At like the national championships or something of that nature. But, would i at the Tuesday Night Championships? Mmmm, well no.

For some reason, i felt awful last night. My legs were dialed, but not much else was. I felt like i was racing red-lined at altitude, yet i was chasing anoynymous Health Net riders down. I was so close to puking, i didn't know if i could actually stop my bike when it happened and wondered if i would just get it all over myself, or how many guys i could get it on. I was over it. When i sat up, i could probably have walked faster. But no big thing.

Of course i stayed out of the way of the "racers" but one came by super close, so i just ducked into the dirt to the side of the road. No big thing. She YELLED at me, as loud as she could "IT'S NOT A MOUNTAIN BIKE" Um. Ok. Funny thing coming from one of the only other females out there, who i met mountain biking.

It would have been so much cooler if i had puked just then.

It was fun last weekend, so why not go for round 2

Big Bear Lift Runs #2
This weekend was Carolyn's birthday! (second from right!) She is well, fast. Put it this way. at the National races, she beats me by about 15 minutes. And birthdays are fun, so we do fun or epic things on birthdays!Jesse took the pic, of course. Matt and Trevor, well, they are trying to stay true to their purest ways, rode their one-speeds with one shock and did some horrid ride back to Redlands through the woods.



Us gals and Jesse, on the other hand, did over 10 runs!!



And yes, i usually look like i am having the most fun. I probably am having the most fun.
Here's the proof that i hung up the hardtail for the adventure. Riding this thing make my bike feel like a pin-ball machine. Healing, yup. Over 3 weeks into scar control, and here we have it.

I also laced up the sneakers for the first time since June.

I am back to work!!

Way to ride it out Bro'

um. i'm a girl.

But thanks for the props.

I was about a millimeter away from my first road wreck tonight and somehow, while bobbling and bouncing, half clipped in, i pulled it out.

I ended up with a nice bruise to my right calf. Rude.

And the most severe chain-suck i have ever seen. Two grown men (who called me "mam" - what is that) both pulled and pushed and kicked it to no avail. One of them crashed when he stopped to help me. the other one crashed when he left me. i was not within 20 feet of either of them. i felt super bad.

At least Carolyn was in town on my MTB so we got to kick it for a lap and finish off with some pizza with Josh, Trevor, Jamie and Joey. But they just make fun of me.

New Leaves

This week was supposed to be a rest week. I think what that means is that the bikes should stay in the garage, and me inside the house or in the pool or in bed. I got confused somewhere along the way and broke all the rules.

FRIDAY: Adam (Crash Adam) and I hit up Idyllwild

point of the mission: Succesfully take 10 13 year old boys into Hurkey Creek park to ride some single track.

We had some hurldes: 10 REALLY DIRTY Trek 4300 mountain bikes. word is they have not been cleaned for 8 weeks. and they have been ridden multiple times a day. suspect, very suspect. We took some tools, rags, and a bike stand. Here is Adam, busy at work.

I like to get my protein from Egg Whites. Paige, and well Christie and Shelli and Matt and Trevor all FREAK OUT because i will fry my eggs and eat them 30 minutes to 5 hours later. This here is 4 egg whites that I kept in my cooler. YUM.

The beginning of the ride

The middle of the ride - lessons on Chain Suck
Before lunch. We had a long talk about this one. Very long...



NEW LEAF: I had a Camelbak and Baggy shorts on. Have never ever worn baggies and all my camelbaks are in storage and probably rotten. this was a loaner. You gotta be prepared in the wilderness with children!!
Waiting for the shuttle back to camp. the kid in the ALL BLACK,...said during lunch "THIS IS THE BEST DAY OF MY SUMMER."

Adam and I opted out of the shuttle and hit the 3 mile road climb back to camp. The day had been really long, lots of exposure and at moderate altitude. It was hot!! About halfway to the top, mid-sentence, i stopped, put my bike down and shed the stupid baggies. If i didn't love the environment, i would have thrown them in the woods. Don't worry, i kept the other half of the shorts on!!

Needless to say, i continued my green assault friday afternoon, because i went NOWHERE!! I was exhausted!!

Saturday morning brought new trails and new companions. Shelli, Joey, Willie Stewart (you HAVE to check this guy out! He and Adam are heading to Colorado for the Leadville 100 this weekend!!) Adam and myself hit up Loch Leven and Santa Ana River Trail for some quality time. Which ended with a big, long nap at home.

SUNDAY: i almost called in sick. but Shelli had rallied some troops and the target was big bear.

New Leaf: I RENTED a 6" travel bike from Derek at Bear Valley Bikes and we bought lift tickets and rode up the lift and railed down the mountain.

I told several friends of my evil plan and they thought i was jocking. but this plan is part of an even larger plan of well, getting faster, so i had to stick to it.

I would have to say, this was the most fun i have had on a bike in months. Ely came over from Apple Valley and was in rare form. He makes huge air and nasty drops look like no big thing. He took us on trails i never even knew existed. There was a time that i pulled up to him completely freaked out, you could see my hands shaking on the handle bars! But i loved it!!!

Quote of the day: Shelli behind me on a nasty rock drop: "Joy, get off your bike. get off your bike. Get off your bike" I rode it. She said it looked horrible and really thought i would die. Pfff. Please.

She and i decided to part with the group and head back to the bike shop to get there before closing. When we split i offered my map to the others and she said JOY NO!!! Some of you know that the two of us once got lost for almost 8 hours in the San Bernardino mountains without water, maps and what-have you. we took the map, and here is the proof!! (that's for Greg and Edward!!!)

Three trail systems

Over 20 different ride partners

In 3 days

I am pretty sure, i now need a rest week.