Team Camp 2012

I am recovering today from Treehouse Racing Team Camp 2012. I have barely been able to keep my eyes open today. We left Nashville Friday morning for Chattanooga. I realized that on the way that I completely forgot both pair of bike shorts I had hanging to dry in the bathroom. Luckily, Marsha (my fab riding buddy) had an extra pair that no one had bought. When we got to Chatty, it was starting to rain and the wind was rough. We changed in the parking lot and immediately began to climb Signal Mountain. We fought the wind gusts the entire ride. We climbed Signal and Suck Creek, which weren't too bad thanks to the help of my teammates. However, the descents were brutal because of the wind. When we were going down Signal, the wind gusts were blowing us all over the road. I was so nervous, and I thought the road was never going to flatten out. After a lot of prayer on the way down, I made it through, and it was one of the toughest rides I have ever done. We stayed at the Crash Pad in Chattanooga, which is a spiffy little hostel where our team basically took over. It is a great place to stay if you are going to ride for the weekend. You don't have to feel bad about bringing your bike into an elevator of a hotel.

Saturday was the main team ride. We started out together and headed for the River Gorge Race route. The girls split off and had a great ride in the sunshine. We climbed the "Stairsteps" and Raccoon Mountain. The wind wasn't nearly as bad as it had been on Friday. I was pumped when I got to the top of Raccoon (as you can see from my goofy smile below). I can feel myself getting mentally tougher with each hard ride. Saturday night was fun as we bonded over ziti and chili and watched some hilarious videos. Check out my fave here. Sunday, we made a big breakfast and parted ways. Marsha, Heather, Rick, and I went back to Raccoon Mountain to conquer the mountain bike trail. There were some pretty tough climbs, GIANT boulders, and long fast downhills. There was also a crazy rock ledge that freaked me out and some places that we were sure the trail had just stopped. Our legs were pretty tired from all of the climbing, but we were still able to make it through and enjoy the new terrain. I love riding new trails, and I only crashed hard once. All in all, it was a great ride. I could barely walk last night when I got home. Icy-hot strips and my comfy bed were exactly what I needed. I am really excited for the new race season. My first race is in two weeks, and I know that its going to be a great year with some pretty awesome teammates!

And in staying with my forgetful theme, I left my favorite jacket at the hostel and my bra in a teammate's car. How do I even remember my own name?

Hello Saturday! I needed you to get here faster, but I am very glad you are here now. This is the day that I get to forget about my crazy job and enjoy life. Ahhh, the weekend. I know you feel the same way, don't you? It going to be warm (50s) and sunny, so the husband and I are going to load up the mountain bikes and ride a good long while today. We have sold our house, and the appraiser is coming this morning. My coffee and I are need to get this house cleaned up, but procrastination has set in. I thought I would share a few things that I am thankful for to help me get going.

One: MY NEW BIKE!! Yes, it finally came in and it is AWESOME! The old gold one was sold as soon as the new one came in. I have ridden the new one three times now. The first time was pretty awkward because the bars were probably around three feet long--hit a tree with them really quickly. I was also getting used to the 29er wheels which turn differently than 26s. I could tell a difference climbing, especially considering there is a 10 lb weight difference from my other bike. I also have a double instead of a triple on my new bike, so I am still getting used to the gearing. The second time I road it, we had cut the bars down and had it fit to me. I felt all crazy on it and rode like a completely spastic person. I was scared on downhills and turns especially, because I finally have brakes that work properly and apparently I didn't know what to do with them. The third time I rode it, I finally felt like this was MY bike. I really enjoyed the way I could maneuver it through the trees. I sure hope today will be the same. It will definitely be a stress relieving ride.
Two: Sweet Friends. I have been blessed to have wonderful friends all my life. In the last couple of years, I have had the privelege to make new friends where I work. I truly believe that God has put them in my life for a reason. Its a wonderful thing to have people who know what your stresses are because they have the same ones. I can always count on those wonderful ladies to know when I am upset or frustrated, and they always cheer me up. I was able to spend some time with a fantastic "old" friend. She is a wonderful girl that I grew up with and it's amazing how easy it is to still spend time with her. There is never a quiet moment when we get together. I feel so thankful to have precious people all around me. Old and new. This is super silly, but back in Girl Scouts we sang a song that has stuck with me. "Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other's gold. The circle's round and never ends. That's how long I want to be your friend." Perfect for 9 year olds, huh? Even so, it really shows how special friendship is.

Three: Long hair. Ok, enough sap and profoundness. Now back to being a silly girl. I LOVE MY LONG HAIR. Did you get that? I can do so much with it! I can french braid it, braid it to the side, french braid it to the side, do a topknot, do a messy high bun, do a sock bun, scrunch it, twist it, straighten it, pull it into a pony tail, fishtail braid it, and the list goes on. Not to mention that I can skip washing it in the morning and do one of those things to it. It takes no time and I get to sleep later. And who doesn't want more sleep? My husband should probably refrain from reading this post, because he hates my hair long. He is always complaining about the long blond hairs that are found all over the house. The other day, he was putting his bike on the car and one of my hairs was stuck to it. Oh well, its the price he has to pay so that his wife can sleep a few more minutes in the morning. :)

Wordless Wednesday