Adventures of the Northwest

FSA Grand Prix – Sweetness at the Track! Sailing on the Sound and Weddings all around.

I started my Friday morning off with a short, easy spin around my neighborhood. Then I got ready to go down to the velodrome for the FSA Grand Prix. I helped setup and do registration starting at 10:45. I was able to help another teammate with all the registration and then we were just quietly sitting, talking and listening to how the riders were doing with their Time Trial events. I got to watch a few of the Time Trial riders and a few of the pursuit teams. I took many pictures. I was able to hang with a few people like Sile, Jane and Cole. It was awesome to watch the team pursuits and even the individual pursuits just to see the time differences, the strength, the speed yet semi-boring at the same time. Then Cole stopped by with the Tsunami bicycle that he was going to let me test ride to see if I want to purchase. When the time trials were done, prior to the Friday night racing, I was able to take it out for a short spin. It felt good. The feedback I got from many of the riders was that this bike looks like it fits better for me then my Fuji bike. They stated my hip placement looks more aligned and my back looked more flat. It felt good to be on it despite me trying to still figure out the balance of it and the feeling of my legs being like dead weights getting pedaled around the track.

Cole and I then went out for dinner and had fun talking. I ordered my usual northwest garden salad – entrée – and I just couldn’t finish it. I don’t know why as I thought I was really hungry. *shrug* We had a great conversation and then he drove us back to the track. We watched, from the beer garden, as he talked to some (former) teammates and I got to talk to Sile, Yitka, Jill and some others. As he was saying good-bye, I ran into another guy I vaguely know and we talked a bit. It was his first time at the track and he was really excited to see the racing. His neighbor – who started to race – was there and was introduced to me. Afterwards, Kevin was in the beer garden. He did awesome on his racing for the day – pursuit and team pursuit – as well as the Friday night racing with some great sprints! We discussed his recovery after the race and I offered him a recovery drink since he didn’t have anything and was racing the following day. We then talked for quite a bit about all kinds of things – road racing, coaching and so forth. It was great to hear his experiences, get his knowledge and support regarding where I’m at and where I’d like to be. He's a really sweet guy and real easy to talk with. I've really enjoyed our conversations since we've kind of been hanging for the last few weeks.

Saturday morning started out the same. I got up to do a short, easy spin around my neighborhood. I finished packing up to go to the FSA Grand Prix to see many riders take on their races for the day. I also had to be ready for one of my cousin’s weddings later that day. I went to the track and got to talk to many people, enjoy the music, enjoy the racing and take tons of pics. I connected up with my birthday twin again – Glenn Barr from Canada. He gave me his email address so I could send pics and keep in touch regarding their velodrome activities over winter. I was able to also talk to Kenny, with Jane, regarding having him coach us over this next year. He seems like he’ll be very good for us based on what I heard. I think I’ll really enjoy it and now I’m really looking forward to winter training. It was fun talking to people, cheering them on and taking lots of pics. I enjoyed more conversations with Kevin and discussing with him different coaches, styles, my goals and needs and so forth. It was fun to hear how everyone felt they did and to watch them give all that they could for their particular races or time trials. It is fun to see how people are progressing. I really wish I could have been out there and hope to be out there next year. Next year I hope for a lot of improvement, a lot of changes, a lot more strength, speed, better recovery and so forth.

Also, Jane made it to a sprint match. Her first sprint was against Jennie Reed – National/Olympic champion. We took tons of pics for Jane with her going against Jennie. Jennie is a high class competitor that gave Jane a run for her money but did not rub her face into beating her at the line. Jane later called me – as I was at the wedding reception – that she actually made it to the finals! She kicked butt, took 4th place and won $60. She said some of the girls underestimated her and she surprised attacked them with her top speed she hit. I wish I could have been there for her!!!! Dang! Wish I could have seen her kick butt!!! I was so proud of her that the next day I brought her a dozen roses. She, Randall and I went out for breakfast and she decided she wanted to treat us. We all then went out on Randall’s new sailboat. IT was a BLAST! We got to learn more about sailing and had a relaxing, fun time! WOW! It was really fun and peaceful to be on the water. We started at Shilshole Bay Marina and we tacked back and forth to Bainbridge Island up towards Edmonds and then back to Shilshole. It was a long and fun day and I definitely felt the muscles the next day that I was able to give a good workout while tacking as well as just sitting on the boat – like abs, legs, etc.

The wedding was very spectacular. The bride was gorgeous, the groom (my cousin) was handsome. They had a very nice wedding which after the ceremony had a bag pipe player outside the church. Then my sister’s yellow skylark convertible for them to drive away to the reception in. This is typical for the weddings since my sister has moved out here with both the yellow and red cars.  Then we went to the Fircrest Golf Course for the reception. It was very elegant, quaint and peaceful. For once our family members didn’t have to run around crazy for getting all the food, decorations and all that done. It was nice. Fully catered, nice music, nice setup with the bar, chairs/seats and so forth. They had a wine glass for each person with their name and the date etched on it. It was very nice. They had a great video that showed their lives growing up. They are both twins so they played that a lot in the video – past, present and so forth. It was sad when they showed pictures of our grandparents that have passed away. Many of us were crying and yet very happy to see the pictures. Her family created the video and will give us copies which is really cool.

She threw the bouquet – of course – and I had to take my great niece up there. I accidentally stepped on her foot on the way up there so she was screaming. OY! I felt so bad… but when she caught the bouquet all her pain went away! YEAH! She was gorgeous with her dress outfit and the flowers were gorgeous. She got pictures with the bride and her flowers which was very sweet. Then she ran up to her grandpa and told him she could marry him now as she got her flowers. She was too cute.  That was sweet!!! She also cried and cried and cried when she couldn’t dance with the bride longer than was possible. We had to take her out and away from people. Chances are she was getting over stimulated and tired. I think with her fantasy of ‘weddings’ and ‘princesses’ and seeing the bride she just so desperately wanted to be a part of it all. My sister took her home to get her calmed down and out of the situation.

posted by Seattlebiker @ 1:50 PM