FAST GRRRLZ

Happy July! How about this Tour???

Summer is blazin’ by! Quick updates since my last post:

-I’m living in D.C. for the summer and interning with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. DC has great museums and restaurants, and some great bike infrastructure/riding opportunities.

-I’m looking for a job. Demoralizng stuff for those of us who are overly educated and under- employed. If you know anyone who needs a preservationist, send them my way!

-Season goal accomplished: I’m officially a Cat. 2 racer! Thank you thank you thank you to my awesome teammates for laying it all out there for me. Couldn't have done it without them.

-Had some fun traveling in Northern NJ for to haz the stage racing. Get this…there are MOUNTAINS up there. It’s not all strip malls and jug handles. Baffling, I know.

-Raced on the track with Zee Hunny Badger. Oh man oh man it is so fun. I could really really see myself getting into track. So fast! So simple! So fun! And I met World Champion and OlympianLiz Reap Carlson and have a major totally-hetero-biker-girl crush. Talk about a FAST GRRRL!

-Rode with some hard core junior girls from Rock Creek Velo cycling. These girls are FAST! It’s only a matter of time before they’re kicking my butt…

-Got 2^nd Place for the third time now in a State Championship. Let me tell you, I’ve never ever been so happy with 2^nd before. We sent a squad of 5 up and I was fully ready to flog myself for Sarah and Leah, our NJ residents. Powered by my breakfast of champions (Mountain Dew, S'more poptarts, ice coffee and a $1 egg and cheese wrap from Dunkin Donuts) we sent attack after attack. Finally, one of the contenders for NJ title countered, and as she began to sit up, I countered with Sarah on my wheel and the two of us hammered off the front for the next twenty-ish miles. I cramped, ran out of gatorade, drank half of Sarah’s, couldn't swallow my Gu, and somehow we grew an 8 second gap into more than a minute and a half by the finish.

Mad props to the CHOPPAH for winning the damn thing, and for talking me off the edge (of lactate acid O-D, that is) and to The Princess, GRIZZ and Ramba who blocked things up in the peloton.

If I’ve learned anything this summer, it’s that cycling is a team sport. Fitness, handling, and equipment is great and all, but being on a team with girls that that you can trust to put it all out there is electrifying. ZAP!

I'm so lucky to have Wasabi Warriors.

This weekend the pillaging continues in PA. We're sending a squad of nine. Bring it on.