Houffalize, Belgium

So here I sit, with four others, Sandra Walter, MC Super, Adam Morka and team Canada mechanic Scott Kelly, out front the local Nadrin pharmacy, in a steamed up van poaching the only internet signal we can find in the area... hehe.

I'll keep this short so I don't loose my signal. It wouldn't be Belgium without rain...yesterday was a nice cold 2 and a half hour ride in the rain, today was a day off, thank fully because it once again raining...as is the forcast for most of the week. Yeah, I'm a little grumpy..hehe..after the last two weekends we were definitely getting spoiled with the nice California and German weather......knew I packed my winter riding gear for a reason :)

Come up Mical, toughen up!!!!

Offenburg, Germany

First race of the season done and over with. Sea Otter always promises to be a mentally and physically challenging event, and this year was no exception, if anything it was even more so. With the short track on Sat, I was really hoping that I'd managed to flush all the winter gunk out of my legs, but 20 mins inthe the cross country race (which they shortened from 2 to 1 laps due to the heat...thank goodness), I new there was still lots of gunk left. I managed a great start, felt good and was in a good position through the long descent, but once we started climbing, I had to scale it waaaaaay back and enter survival mode. Never good when you hit that mode only 20 mins in, but when I started seeing vultures circling overhead, just waiting for me to drop, I knew it was all I could do. Managed to get a little bit of a second wind on the final 20 min climb out to the finish and pick up a couple of spots, but still only managed to finish 24th... :( On a very positive note, it can only get better from there and it's a long season again this summer.

So with reports of snow and miserable weather in Calgary, I am super excited that I decided to make the trip over to the European World Cups... the weather in Offenburg has been ideal all week. It's an extremely beautiful place to begin with, but with sun and blue skies everyday, even better.

Had a pretty good crash on my first ride of the course when my front tire stretched off my rim on the first technical downhill of the season, that's always really good for confidence, missing part of my elbow and my shin is pretty scraped up... guys dig scars right?? .. hehe .. I hope so or else I'm doomed ;-)

Just finished up my last pre-ride of the course, same as last year but dry so it's in amazing condition and really fast. And I've managed to nail the technical drops to the point that I'm comfortable my front tire will stay on the rim. With plate number 64 out of 103 (yeah, big field), it's not going to be a great call up, but then again some of the top pros that didn't go to the first World Cup are only 10 spots a head of me. I'm actaully feeling pretty good too, so I'm really excited to race..which is always a good sign.

Just wanted to send out a huge thanks to Dan and Scott for the great job they are doing with the Canadian project!!! They are doing an amazing job.

World Cup Number One

Yeeeeeeawzzers

Okay, I probably spelt that wrong, but that's how I sound out my short track pain. Not sure what the call up was based on, definitely not last years series because I ended up in the back row...okay, stop complaining Mical. It was a great way to wake up the system and shake out the winter cobwebs for the long race tomorrow and the rest of the sesaon. I ended up getting finishing 12th, getting pulled with 2 laps to go but I felt it was a solid ride all around. Yes, I'm dissappointed, you always want something wild and wonderful even your not expecting anything......but realistically, it was a good day and I'm excited for tomorrow.

Huge congrats to team mate Emily Batty who rocked it and took her first ever US Cup short track win!!!

Calllliiiiiforrrrrniaaaa Sunshine

So here I am sitting on my butt, yet again cruising the internet, trying to keep my nerves at bay, relaxing and resting up for the first race tomorrow. Yeah baby, definitely got the pre-race gitters, and I still have 24 hours to go....yikes, do these things ever stop. Tomorrow, sat at 2ish is the pro-womens short track race, followed by the pro-mens........and the seasons off and running :)

Here's a couple of pic's of the past couple days

On the road again........

Home sweet Home.....

the only thing that kept me from blowing again that night was the thick layer of ice that coated my tent.

Big Tree

Which way to theh beach????

Ocean View Blvd riding :)

Ciao

I woke up to the sound of the ocean this morning

After a long drive yesteray and a very windy, frosty night along the coast (but the stars were amazing)....I've finally made it to beautiful Monterey area for the Sea Otter Classic weekend.

Did a lap of the course, similar to past years, but a lot more sand then usual..makes for some interesting corners..

I do have to say......I am really nervous....should be fun though :)

The New Rig

Beautiful....the new Top Fuel...

complete with my name on it :)

One Week....

to go, until the first race of the year......oh my goodnessssssss

Great News

Yessum, finally I have a mountain bike....but oh my goodness, what an ordeal it was. After getting stuck at the boarder for a couple of days, it finally arrives in Abuquerque 5 days after the scheduled delievery with a bill of $716....WHAT!!!!! I am just about in tears as the UPS guy drives off with my bike that I've been waiting for for almost 2 weeks because I won't pay the tax. After some frantic calling, some more paper work, quick drive to find an expensive fax machine, $2.50 a page..yikes...I finally get a call saying that they've been able to reduce the charges to only $43 USD. I'm still trying to understand why I'm being charged a fee by UPS on top of the fee already paid to send the bike here....but I'm at the point that "I JUST WANT MY BIKE", so I agree to pay.

The next day, the same UPS guy shows up with my bike again :) But they only take check or money order...WHAT!!!!! Who doesn't take cash...geeeezzzz. I'm just about in tears again as he drives away with my bike for a second day. I quickly hope in my car and speed down to the nearest gas station and get a money...did you know there is a fee for a money order...crazy. Money order in hand I'm driving frantically around the area that the UPS guy said he'd be....finally my stalking pays off and I find him..yippee.

He tries desperately to shove the box into my car....for anyone who doesn't know I drive a 2 door Sunfire...and the trunk is full of gear, so he's trying to shove it in the back seat of my car...right. It takes a little begging..no, I'm not above begging whent he time is right, and he finally agrees to bring the box back to my brothers.

Yes, if you could see me I have a huge *&^% eating grin on my face. Last night my brother put my bike together, spend this morning tweaking a few things and took it out for it maiden voyage. Oh my goodness, I love it....don't worry, I'll post pic's...but it rides absolutely amazing...it's definitely a hot looking bike too.

Off now to make tacos for my brothers big 25 b-day. Ciao

Change of plans

That's right, after Sea Otter I'm going to Europe..yippee...with the Canadian Team..yyiiipppeeee. There are two World Cup races, first one in Offenburg, Germany and the second in Houffalize, Belgium. Offenburg is a great course for me, not a whole lot of climbing and technical. Houffalize however, I have some demons that I must face with that course, lots of climbing and wet tecnical desents...what better way then face on.

Still no bike though :(