A Weekend on Skis!

We couldn 't wait any longer for the snow to come! Early Saturday morning we left for Great Glen, hoping the conditions would be better than expected. The skiing wasn't actually too bad, considering Mother Nature has been less than generous on their excellent trail system. We tried out the tubing, too, then headed to Jackson for a fun evening at the Shannon Door pub.

Saturday night it snowed. Just a couple of fluffy inches, but enough to provide the perfect topping to the well-groomed trails at the Balsams. The conditions were great, and the skiing was incredibly challenging. I think we're headed back this weekend. I'd still rather be skiing than riding outside in the freezing cold right now. But most of all, I wish I was CROSS RACING!!!! I miss it. Our season is too short. I think I've been a bit depressed since the end of the season, and I've hardly touched the bike. (It's hard to feel supermotivated after an exciting cross season to do 3-4 hour road rides in 20-degree weather.) Anyways, congrats to the amazing performances of Katie Compton (oh! to lose by only 1 second), Jonathan Page, Danny Summerhill, and the whole National Team on their World Cup finshes! Sweet ride for unsung hero Rhonda Mazza in 11th place!!!

Recent Moments of Fame

Aah. Nats. The best minute and a half racing I've ever had. :) Okay, kidding about that, I have had lots of great race moments, but it was really exciting to be up there with Katie and Georgia. I stayed in third until the road section on top, when I realized (thanks to AHM yelling at me) that I would blow up trying to maintain that pace for the whole race. I let the chase group behind me catch, and the rest is history. Thanks for all your cheers and support. It was incredible to hear so many people cheering my name at the races like partners in my suffering.

Check it out!!
I had a great time at the NEBRA banquet last night.
I was honored to receive both the road race champion and cyclocross champion jerseys!
David Manibal, the President of the 2007 Montreal-Boston Tour was on hand to whet our appetites for the new tour! Sounds awesome. I wish I were a man so I could race it! (Let's not read too much into that one, k?)
So, any ideas on how I can get the time off work so I can race the Montreal World Cup this year?? Or Nature Valley?? Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful for July and August. Few people have the flexibility teachers do to race during the summer. But "waaaaaaah!!!" There is so much good racing in June! To redesign my life... to devote to cycling...
oh, I so want to.

Où étions-nous ??

Où étions-nous ??

Nous avons recherché l'hiver et l'avons trouvé au Québec !

We went on a little vacation with Ward's parents the day after Christmas. We stayed just a block from the touristy but still charming Vieux Quebec, had some great meals, and found some snow, too! We cross country skiied at Mont Sainte Anne, where despite a poor snow year so far, the conditions were easily better than mid-season in New Hampshire. I now have the impression that Canadians are all great at skiing and skating! The green-circle "easy" trails at the ski touring center were more difficult than most intermediate trails I've been on in N.E., and there were parents pulling babies and toddlers in trailers skiing faster than I could believe. I guess when you grow up in that climate, you ski and skate from an early age!

I had fun trying to speak French. I could hardly believe that when I used the language I was actually understood. (I kind of assumed my pronunciation would make words indistinguishable.) Unfortunately, I guess I sounded good enough that whoever I spoke to usually responded speaking so fast that I had no hope of understanding! Repetez, s'il-vous plait!!

One true "highlight" from the trip: in a French-Canadian provence, eating in a touristy Italian restaurant called "Parmesan" with everyone around speaking French, and an accordianist singing "La Bamba" with a French accent!

And you thought you might read about cross nats on my blog! Well, you will. I'm sure you've seen all the pics and videos by now, and maybe it's a long-distant memory for you. But I'll soon post a few thoughts and favorite pics, if anyone's still reading!

Thanksgiving

As I was sitting and eating my reheated turkey, candied yams, and brussel sprouts tonight, I realized that I never posted anything about my spectacular Thanksgiving!

Ward and I had been excited about hosting our families for Thanksgiving ever since we first walked through our new empty apartment together in August. Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday, due to the sentiment evoked on the day and naturally, the food. It would be wonderful to share this day together with both our families.

I was nervous about cooking for 12 people, although I've had a little bit of practice cooking for a crew at our Tuesday night "workout-pigout" training nights. This was a bit different, since cooking for friends is one thing, but pleasing two moms simultaneously is truly another. :)

We managed to fit everyone at the table with a borrowed folding table and all the chairs we could gather. IKEA afforded us the possibility of matching tableware and servingware for cheap, and my brother's boss gifted him a 23 lb turkey for the meal!

Ward did a great job stuffing and roasting his first turkey with delicious giblet gravy. I made candied yams, mashed root vegetables with buttermilk and chives, brussel sprouts with lemon-walnut dressing, green beans with toasted hazelnut-butter, gingered cranberry-raspberry relish, and whole wheat rolls. The moms brought homemade pumpkin, apple, and pecan pies, indian pudding, and brownies. Naturally, Dad brought many bottles of wine. Greg brought some beers and sang us some tunes at the end of the night. And a wonderful day was had by all! It may have been the best Thanksgiving ever!
:)