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.

YUCK!!

I smell yucky.

It's not that bad, because i am sitting at the computer. by myself. but i was just sitting at the bank.

I think the reason i swell weird is two-fold. I went up to Idyllwild today to ride my MTB with 13 year old kids at summer camp. I perspired, because it was hot, and then put my street clothes back on and sat in a hot cafeteria for lunch. then drove home in a hot car.

From their, i decided to be green for the rest of the day. Because one of the 13 year olds said this "What are you rich? you drove up here today, are going back, and coming back tomorrow?" um, no, and very good point. i am poor.

So the green theme began when i rode the city bike to the credit union. Funny thing, neighbor Leo pulled out of his driveway precisely at the same time as i did. He was in his SUV. Even funnier thing, he was parked at the curb of the Credit Union. He beat me. But i beat him on green points.

From there i went to Bank of America, because my debit card is pretty wacked. I wanted to order a new one. I had to sit in a waiting area. people looked at me weird. maybe i smelled then. or just looked unkempt. But then they tell me a new card was ordered yesterday. by who? from where? awkward!!

Then i rode the city bike home. it takes like forever on that thing.

But i have committed to riding to the Red Asphalt Ride tomorrow night. and to social security on Monday and the DMV on Tuesday. I think it will help me fit in better, burn some kcal's and save like $3.67 on gas.

I'm gonna jump in the pool.

Yes, it is true.

I pulled a Foist and i threw my bike.

I have felt bad all day about this. But it took awhile for me to start feeling bad about it. I wanted to find the guy who made me crash and see if passing me at said extrememly inappropriate time led to his success in the race. The fact that i never saw him afterwards leads me to believe that well, he did pretty poorly.

I guess i need to fess up and admit that from time to time, i actually do write up race reports. but none of the hum-drum stuff. something great, or superemely lame, has to happen.
(Example of being lame)
WHAT: California State Race - Rim Nordic (Running Springs CA)
WHEN: Today
WHY: Because i need points. And because i race my bike.

This course is a bit of a cluster boasting more single track than any other Cal State race. Problem is, there are a ton of racers on it which means you will be dealing with traffic the entire time.

Today there was Ca$h money to be had (flash back to Idylwild and cash was there too....this could only be bad) and there were only 3 pro wmn, but like a thousand experts. Now i like these girls just fine, but if there is money on the line, i better cross it before they do.

The charge began, another pro Heather and i took the bait and led the group out, with an expert ringing her bell (serious) on our tails. I would like to find her bike and take her bell. just out of principle. Bells are for spectators or Single Speeders. Not the rest of the field.

I was feeling some ailments, but also felt like you know what, i could win my first pro race today. or at least be second. so much better than 35th and 20 minutes, or 30minutes behind the winners.

Then of course i got a flat and was passed by about 8 women. No biggy. Fixed. Ride. Catch all but 3 that had passed me. Come to start finish. The expert men were waiting stage right for their start. Sport men were STOPPING stage straight ahead because they were, well, done. But they stopped and blocked the entire course. I had to get off my bike and yell, "Hey, lets move it" a bit of a skuttle and i was off. Lame. I could see #3 up ahead, about 100 feet. I had a master plan of picking her off on the climb and never seeing her again.

BUT... those expert men started. Some are nice, some are not. Coming into some tight single track, washed out left hand corner, three of them ahead of me, three behind, i can see my Shark Bait about 100 ft ahead. One decides, hey, since this is a really bad place to pass, im gonna do it. He hooks my left handle bar and he falls, stage left, taking me with him. I basically flip over him, hitting my BURN really hard, skinning my arm and knee. If it had been a decent, i would have grabbed my rotor and burned him too. He was under his bike, which was under my bike. So after a "word exchange" i picked my bike up. And i threw it. So 12 year old! Being that it is carbon, it went way farther than i thought. I just stood there staring at him. ARE YOU KIDDING ME. REALLY!!?!??!?!?!? The girl i was stalking was gone, and so was my mojo.
(Massive abrasion. could hardly plod on. but it was the the actions behind the menace...much like the one in Aspen last year)

Peddle, peddle. what to do. I was having fun again, riding with Lisa and Heidi V, started making up some time, then something totally AWESOME happened!! I GOT ANOTHER FLAT!!! No tubes or CO2 left. I started running (you know that is a dark day). I stopped to talk to the girl in the water-feed. She said she runs at high school. I proptly ran away. (Literally) I was completely committed to a DNF. But i just wanted to get out of the sun and heat.

Then super teammate Shelli rolled by, and began dropping the contents of her pocket on the fire road. Here's your tube. 100 yards later, here's your CO2. UGH!!! now i HAVE to finish!!! But you know that is pretty cool when someone is willing to empty their pockets for you with another 10 miles to go. ACtually, come to think of it, i think she yelled over her shoulder "if i flat, i will blame you." Rude!

(We both are complete winners. We both came in third. but Shelli was not last. you can tell a lot about or personalities by the way we wear our vests. i am all zipped up - pretty kosher and rigid. Shelli is pretty unzipped....

also - this is STILL an aside - i am getting a hair cut on Wednesday. this is 2 months of growth. and helmet hair. but should i go super short again>!>!>)

I lesuirly made it to the feed zone, where i stopped to talk politics with my parents and unload the useless contents of my pockets. I asked another feeder of the whereabouts of some other experts. I was getting bored and needed friends. Come to find out, they were having about the same level of high quality race as i was.

Although 2 experts pocketed 2 of the 3 money prizes (BTW...Bear Valley bikes added $25 to each of the MENS prizes, going 5 deep. The women went 3 deep. Maxed out at $50. Men maxed at $125. LAME!!!!) it was a good day after all.

Why, was i on crack? no.

But, Ma and Pa were there
I got to see ALL my homies
And this gradual sifting and serging within the race categories makes it so i can get to know a ton of people. I like people.

Also, the sport men were FANTASTIC about allowing us to pass and the pro/semi-pro men were completely gracious when they made their passes.

Sometimes, you just have a big target on your back. and things just do not work out.

Oh yes, people really like my burn. it is looking horrid and causes quite the stir.
(Don't worry. i know i am also covered with dirt and sweat. i may shower. before i go anywhere. tomorrow.)

Dude, is that a Magura?

i run these pretty sweet brakes on my MTB. This is what they look like on my bike.

This here is what they look like on skin.


Yes, in fact, that is a Magura rotor. Burned into my right calf.

There are many ways this conversation can go. one being the first aid technician telling someone on the other end of the radio that they were treating a burn. Silence. Then a "what?" they must have thought i was working the BBQ grill at one of the food vendors.

we could also discuss the fact that this could be on my calf for well, ever. the blister is getting larger and larger, and will continue to do so. if i let it pop (yuck) it will get real bad (ouch) so i need to wrap it when i sleep and ride. done.

Ah, how did i do such a stupid thing?? first off, i must use my brakes. a lot.
Secondly, i was probably off my bike when i should not have been.
And yes this leads to some sort of crash or flailing about.

Where: USA MTB National Championships, Mount Snow Vermont
When: Today, lap one of three.
HOW: this course is riddled with fantastic, technical, rooty, rocky, descending single track. For the first time in 3 years i rode the whole thing and had an absolute blast. The course was lined with spectators with cowbells, horns and whistles. Pretty cool experience.

But of course, all the space i made up on the climbs, i began to lose in the descents. one girl passed me and I bobbled on a root which shot me into a tree, then onto the back of my saddle and onto the ground. All that happened was that my seat looked like a BMX seat, pointing to the starts. So i went around the bike the try and push the nose back and down when OUCH!!!! I hit the rotor and when i looked down there was SMOKE!!!! No lie!!!

By the 3rd lap i was thinking ouch some more and wondering what i had actually done. by then i was covered in mud so at the end of the race i went to the bike wash to asses my issue. The race folk said to hit up first aid, where i got bandages and what not.

the race was great, not sure where i finished but a really fun day!

i don't take photos. other people do.

today i am in Albany New York at staring out the window and sometimes onto the computer screen to do some work. But since it is Shelli's computer, i have looked at a few photos on her desktop and tra-la-la, i have found myself in a few. imagine that! so we will go on a brief photo tour of Shelli's and my history of cycling with Team Jose Ole. It started a few years back, like 2004 as freaked out beginners, and has brought me all the way to New York in '08 as a freaked out Pro. I know, i should have stellar course photos, race updates of positions lost and descents fumbled, but instead, lets take a gander at the great times that have come before. or that i just found on this computer...


It may have been November, i can not really remember now, but Shelli, Cody and I did what some of my compatriots have labled a "disease ride" better known as the MS 150, Waves to Wine


I got to ride down a hill in some of the most prestine riding roads in the north


We all got to ride through some bridges, by some vineyards, and up HWY 1


We have one guy, that well, if it wasn't for him, i wouldnt be updating my blog tonight. This is Jesse. he's the man, well, he is Shelli's man, and great guy. he has sat through, walked around, and taken some killer photos of countless MTB races. And the disease ride.



These rides have a purpose you know. Cody rode the whole thing with this sign on his helmet for his dad. The gusty wind, especially along the coast, had a great time flopping his head around.


Obviously Shelli races bikes too. This is her shredding some one track in Santa Ynez. It was hot. very hot. She also likes to Scuba dive, wakeboard, and next weekend she and Jesse will hike Half Dome. what an over achiever!



Ah, Sea Otter. Contrary to popular belief, i raced there once. Shelli and i both got podiums there. In beginner class. She passed on the last climb, i was "coming apart" as only beginners can, and she beat me. We were mad at each other. just for a little bit. We have yelled at each other on the course before too. Now we laugh about it. But once i remember being very "upset" that she beat my by like a handful of seconds. Somewhere.

Please note, i still wear my pink Baby G watch. every day. and i have a lance bracelet. but i think it is a different one than the one i had in 2004. I also have about 15 inches less hair. man, that was A LOT of hair!!

Those were the good old days for sure. but i have a premonition - word of the week, i have had a few of them already - that we have many more to come.

National Championships next weekend. there could be mud, roots, rock drops, and fast girls. something that so cal is not the best at prepping you for.

one...week...closer....to .....fitness....? i can only hope!

Whack

It is summer, so i squander my time. big time. I find myself rushing to get a ride in by 8PM and wondering where all the time went to fix my hair. Which had not been fixed. then spending that valuable time trying to see what in fact i have accomplished. not much.

But i am on the road to productivity. i am planning on completely revamping my Geography Curriculum for the fall - this will take me about 13 minutes, and finally completing my PE toy inventory.

I also bought a book today, and my plan of productivity is to have it read in under 2weeks. i know, i know, aim for the stars. it is 203 pages long and it is about bikes. So this could become a reality.

This is the book: ROADIE: The misunderstood world of a bike racer

If you ride bikes and have someone in your life you love, used to love, or would like to have love you, make them read this book. it will give them a better appreciation of why you are the way you are so when they run away, they have solid proof of your life-wasting antics.

The WHACKS are for all the extremely annoying people you run into while wasting daylight. If i could, i would kick them square in the neck. But i am a bike racer, so my hip flexors are pretty much seized up.

*The guy driving REALLY fast in ANY parking lot - Vons, Barnes and Noble - who gets super annoyed that you would even think of crossing the cross walk at the legal spot.

*Cars that honk at you just because you are on a bike, on the right side of the white line, single file.

*the rest of them would go for myself, but as i stated already, i can't reach there.

Things like looking for my storage unit keys for 4 days and finding them in the first place i looked on the first day.

Or doing the same thing with the locker keys for school

Or putting in my rear brake pads wrong and thinking it was broken, or something

Thinking that a drip line on plants means that water actually gets there. but if it is not hooked up to a water source... you get my drift

Now to pack a bike for the east side. Much staring, turning, jumping the box lid to get it closed and head scratching is in order.

WHACK!

Not Everyone Thinks Short Hair is Lame

Sister Julene sporting her new Mom cut. She's a mom, i ride bikes. Both are quite taxing and time consuming, thus the option for short hair is just too great to pass up.

Julene and Rouru just celebrated their 5th wedding anniversary! Eesh! Although i haven't seen Sister since October 2006, i still think she is pretty cool. But i am very jealous of her homies that get to play with her kids, deal with her, i mean the kids, tirades, and well just be part of their every day life.

Maybe a trip to NZ is in store. No racing next year, no new bikes, just a plane ticket to southern hemisphere. maybe i will never come back!

She finally created a blog, so you should check it out!!

BUY MY BIKE!!!

WHAT: 2008 TREK 69ER (big in the front, small in the back)
SIZE: MEDIUM
PRICE: $1,200ish

I bought this bike in November to train on and used it through January. This could be bad, since that is winter, but i live in So Cal. It got "muddy" once because i wasn't watching where i was going and rode through the only puddle within miles.

Of course it is in pristine condition and it is a ton of fun to ride!!

If you or anyone you know of is interested, contact me!! (only about the bike, come on...)

I am way more logical than most people think

I get to fly to SLC tomorrow for a little mountain bike event. I am flying the reputable DELTA Airlines which sees a bicycle in a box, as well, something extremely heavy and cumbersome, charging $150 each way to transport my toy.

So i drove it to Fullerton instead. 50 miles in the car. One hour, gridlock style, drive time. I met Vanessa in a pseudo-vacant parking lot to exchange the goods. The drop off was clean and we even headed out for a ride! the ride lasted longer than the ride out there, thus negating the hour of drive time back home.

Vanessa approaching something, we never quite figured out what it was


i am afraid of man-made obsticles. This one was no different than any other


It was fun, urban riding and i even took two pictures! but duh, my cord is at work! So now the bikes are tucked away, awaiting their departure tomorrow morning. i feel a bit funny, like i sent my kid with the neighbors the long route to vacation. I hope they remember to feed him.

Racing in Park City is one of my favorite things to do in the summer. One of my favorite events is riding the bike path through the rolling hills and tall grasses back to the condos. Or eating family style with the 9 people we cram into our weekend house, which is a close second to the twisty and clean single track.

This is the first time I will race this event not living at altitude, so i wonder if that will bother me? This is also my first time racing it as a pro, i don't think that will bother me though. I know what to expect.

One weekend closer to fitness, coming up!!

Do Work

I have seen this moto on some t-shirts. I like it.

I have been chastised for being so lame about my blog. i dont care.

Two weeks ago, i did my 2nd road race of the year. Pescadero Classic way up by San Jose.

Here are some stats:

around 70+ women in the starting group of Cat 3/4 and masters
7 hour drive there and back
47 miles of racing
I was in at least 5 chase groups, all of which ended with this phrase spoken by a true roadie: "Let's sit up." WHAT!!! are you mad! They are like 30 seconds up! Those gals we have dropped 4 times are a minute back. What's the problem!

Since i am a bull headed MTB racer, i pulled, 40 women, for a really long time.
I ended up 15th
We were shivering, uncontrollably, at the start line socked-in with fog. Its been a long time since i experienced that one.

At the start, the head marshal told us the rules, blah blah blah. She said we could not work with dropped Cat 5 men. And they could not work with us. Then some lonely racer piped up "What if they are hot?" the answer was to exchange contact info along side them then be on your way. Then from the back, another more well -learned girl states "Why would you want to hook up with a dropped Cat 5?" everyone laughed. A lot. Sorry boys. Keep doing work, and you can be a dropped Cat 4.

Road racing, well, maybe next year. AS for now, i am too busy riding my bike. I think i am too dumb for it anyways. Way too much thinking.

Another form of work took place in an un-air conditioned gym 3 miles from my house, working at a basketball camp for kids 9-15 years old. We had 73 of them. The weather hovered above 100 each day.

Quote of the camp: "Can i guard the brown boy?" um, no. We don't say that.

I did get ice cream every day and a nice check that will get me to the east coast to race my bike. My mountain bike that is.

Sometimes, i work through the night

So last night i went to the most unhappy place on earth (disney) with 44 High School seniors, who graduated sunday, so now i look at them as the new Freshman Pleebs. 80% of them will get their butt kicked in college.

Although i have a HUGE laundry list of the funny, inappropriate, and horrid things i saw between the hours of 11pm and 6am in Disneyland, i will just share my favorites. In no specific order or greatness.

1.) While using the girl's room, the cleaning lady was talking to one of the girls (that was weird in and of itself) "Good thing ya'll came today. I heard Comptons coming tomorrow.

2.) While using the girl's room, the cleaning lady was talking to one of the girls (that was weird in and of itself) "ya'll better not puke in my bathroom tonight."

3.) While trying to exit the Matterhorn ride i had to say over and over again: "Excuse me while you make out, but may i get through?"

4.) We had a long walk of shame to the entrance. A sponsor from another school reeked of alcohol and she was sharing a flask with her students.

5.) The haunted house wasn't scary at all. But it did stop halfway through and turn the lights on. One smarty pants yelled "I see strings, i see strings!!!"

6.) At precisely 3am i was drinking coffee and eating a giant cookie.

7.) The Safari ride thing was not funny at all.

8.) My kids were so out of it, i was able to successfully walk 7" behind them for roughly 10 minutes without them knowing i was there, thus hearing everything they said. Or did not say.

9.) I went to Staters to buy some food to refuel. the bagger and the checker didn't even talk to me. And the bagger neglected to inquire whether or not i wanted plastic or paper. I started to listen to their conversation. They were talking smack about his girlfriend. The last thing the checker said before i walked away was "well you can't break up with her. She has to break up with you since she is pregnant." I am glad he has a job to support his family.

That's all i can remember....

Different Dimensions on How others Live

This is an excerpt from an email Maureen Kunz sent out. She is a fellow rookie MTB Pro and completely tearing it up! She has taken some time to go work in Rwanda, and here is a bit of what she is up to: (She is the one in BLUE)



Hi friends!
I am writing to say hello from Rwanda! I came here a week ago to help with Project Rwanda and the Coffee Bike Project. Coffee is Rwandaʼs only true export, and independent coffee farmers are helping to turn this countryʼs economy around in the aftermath of the genocide.

The goal of the Coffee Bike Project is to help Rwanda by helping its farmers. Mountain bike legend Tom Ritchey designed special coffee bikes made to carry extremely large loads of raw coffee beans to the washing stations. The bikes offer faster means to transport fresh coffee cherries to buyers, allowing the farmers to generate a much larger profit. The bikes are distributed among the independent farmers through a micro-loan system.

I am here with five others from UC-Berkeley. We've been building up donated bikes, visiting bike shops, and teaching Rwandans how to maintain their new bikes. We have also had some time to travel the country and see its beauty. We went on a safari and saw zebras, baboons, hippos, an elephant, and lots of cool birds. We also traveled to the volcanoes in the western part of the country, along with the massive Lake Kivu. We spend most of our time in Kigali, the capital. It has a lot of people, cars, motorbikes and black exhaust that stinks.

Check her groups Blog here:
The Bears in Rwanda Blog
Check out her teams blog here:
Team Lost Coast Brewery

Some things have been going down

If you need a new outfit or two, stop by my school. This is our collection of lost and found items. Although i personally have lost many items this year, i did not find any of them here. It has probably already been sold on ebay.



This is from the first 6 minutes of the Firestone National MTB race. Check out the level of dirt already caked on our skin! And that haze of dust NEVER left...


It was so hot, i wanted to de-kit and Patti took her gloves off. And this was still lap one.


At last weeks Cal State race i ended up on the podium and i just think it is funny that although i am rarely on the top block any more, i am still just as big as the girl 5 inches higher than I.

Last Chance Workout

I am a quitter.

But i am just following in the steps of the MANY of have come to class once or twenty times and now are nowhere to be found. 4 years of this is enough.

Tomorrow morning, 5:45am will be the last spin class i will ever teach. in my life. And thank goodness for that!

I am tired. I am bored with it. I really suck at making CD's and I don't want to drop another penny on iTunes.

I have several ideas of what i will do with my "free-time" now, if you can even call it that. 4:30-7:00am doesn't really fall into that catagory. But i think i might sleep in, thats a thought. Or do a ton of abs, or shockingly, ride my bike.

But i am pretty excited about it.

The Way others Live: update from the PCT

Periodically I receive an email from Malora and Carrie, chronicalling their travels on the Pacific Crest Trail. So far they have made it through 100+ degree weather, and here is a brief account of their run in with last weeks storm:

Hiked out of Wrightwood Friday morning with 3 other hikers. Summited Mt. Baden-Powell (named after the man who founded the Boy Scouts) at 9,300 ft. - the highest point in the Southern California section of the PCT. The climb was intense but a lot of fun. We lost the trail a few times but we proved to be decent hikers afterall. Camped at 7,500 ft. and woke up to 6 inches of fresh snow and it was still coming down.

In only two days we went from temps over 100 degrees to below freezing. Long story short: about 20 hikers were caught by the storm and due to our 3 season gear weren't quite prepared. The locals came to the rescue...Mt. Waterman Ski Area shuttled 12 soaking, shivering hikers up to their lodge by snowcat. It was like being on a skiing trip with all of our friends. The fire was blazing when we arrived, 6 inch floor mats to sleep on, space to dry all of our stuff, snowboards and boots out of the rental shop, and snowmobile rides...it was surreal and so much fun!!


The community of hikers is turning out to be an incredible, outstanding group of people. We are surrounded by generous and genuine people-this was a part of the trail we didn't expect.

Today we arrived at the Saufley's-also known as Hiker Haven. Donna Saufley takes a month off of work to house up to 50 hikers a night. She personally does your laundry. Real clothes are provided to wear. Showers. Internet. 2 vehicles are provided for hikers. Bed, cots, kitchen, unbelievable.

First Encounters

I MET MY OTHER TITLE SPONSOR on the way to Firestone, NMBS #3. we didn't talk and frankly the driver gave me a pretty nasty look when i took this photo. But what do you expect from a Truck Driver!The company does a lot for my team and well my ability to wear a stellar Onsie to the races.


A first encounter that did NOT go down as planned: Meeting Wendy Simms. Whatever. I'm over it. we even drove into the venue behind a van with British Columbia plates and a KONA in the back. I knew it wasn't her bike, but i just hoped it was tucked in behind it. No dice.

Here in the IE it is 99 degrees today. Not the ideal set up for PE, so i took the girl into a class room for a little DVD aerobic action. Since i strive to be a wonderful role model, i had to partake in the punishment as well.


KICK BOXING. The girls whine and complain and say its not fair because i am in shape. Well, that may be a fact, but i am NOT inshape for such torture. My hip flexors will probably take a week to recover. oops. And i began to sweat in my school clothes. i HATE that.

Oh yes. i raced my bike this weekend because that's what i do to squander my time, money, and calories. As i say another grand weekend closer to my goals and closer to fitness.

The Fun Factory was in rare form, rolling into Los Olivos with Sarah Kaufman - new addition to our very select club, Christie, Matt, Trevor, Romolo, Carolyn, Shelli and Jesse. Jesse was an integral part of all of our success this weekend. He took pictures which will make us famous and did more walking around that course than i would ever desire to or willing complete on my own. (I am trying to get the rest of them to start blogs too.) Maybe next time, you too can stay with us. it will make everything that much cheaper.

Between random illness, loud hotel guests, scortching heat and lack of sleep, we all seemed to come out alive, happy, and still friends. And thats all that counts!

I must say that i did find the ticket to hydration. Be sick. if you can't breath out of your nose and you can't hear anything because your sinus system is completely plugged, you will inevitably breath out of your mouth causing a severe case of parched throat and mouth. I drank twice as much as usual thus avoiding the perils of heat exhaustion.

i saw girls walking backwards on the course to find shade. I passed girls i have never been near in a race and when i asked them if they were ok the answer was always "NO."

Hopefully everyone is recovered and feeling more normal today!!

I did find these photos on the net which really reminded me of the conditions we were in this weekend:
The DUST


The parched ground


This, coupled with the make-shift shower out by the trees, conviced me that this venue was in fact better, than Fontana.

I have arrived

1.) Junior High kids run from me because i am "so scary and mean." this is great news.

2.) After my ride sunday, (unfortunately) i hear rumblings that some kids are going to ride some bikes.



3.) And here they are. 5 students of mine, rolling the hills behind our house. They had so much fun, they planned another ride for Tuesday! We got to do flat fixes, seat adjustments, and Greg was in rare form slingin' shwag and showing them the ropes!



4.) Five years of yelling during PE and making them run the mile has finally paid off!!

Outside the Box

I think I am a pretty simple person. I feel like my posessions are at an all-time minimum and my spending completely OCD, and my personal-care regimen has been pretty low key.

But then Malora and Carrie came into town. They are hiking home, to Bellingham Washington, via the Pacific Crest Trail. they began in Campo, CA right at the border of Mexico.

Between insane laughing and feeling like i was stuck in an episode of The Office, they lectured me on my abundant showering and water waste. Then they dug into my excessive spending on things like pedicures and dozens of pairs of socks and explained in depth why organic lettuce costs $7.00 a head.

They have spent the last year working on organic farms in Hawaii and Italy where their tasks included picking coffee beans and pulling slugs off of lettuce leafs. Pretty much, i feel like a bad person.

They convinced me to only take one shower on Sunday and to forgo shaving for one day. Thats all i could handle.

Today i had to drop them off in Cabazon, CA at exit 110. The day looked like this. Windy, cold, and sprinkling rain. Carrie asked me to stop using the windshield wipers, it just made her feel better about heading out on the trail.



They are headed towards Big Bear, they should get there by Thursday or Friday. I offered to drive them up there, its like an hour away. that idea got shot down real quick.


They average 20 miles a day at 2mph pace. They are usually out on the trail for a total of 12 hours a day including stops and snack time. You should have seen the blisters on Malora's feet!! They stayed an extra day with me to get them to dry out just a little bit more.



Their packs weigh 20 pounds, depending on how much water they need to carry with them. Everything they have is ultra light and every item specifically selected. I tried to sneak in some candy, but it was quickly rejected due to its weight and being so cumbersom.

It was the oddest feeling watching them walk off into the mist under the "Wind Farm" of wind mills. The wind was so strong, i could hardly close the car door and they had to use their walking sticks on flat land.

One of the dozen things i learned from them this weekend is that if you think you need it, you probably don't. Just walk around the store with it for a few minutes, then put it back on the rack.


A few of their necessities they sent forward to me so they could have the necessary tools for the Sierra's.