Maplelag...

I have to honestly say that the only reason I decided to come to the race in Maplelag, MN was because I was going to have to land in Fargo, North Dakota...You Betcha! And to top things off in the Ohare airport waiting for the same flight was Curly Nelson, one of the original Harlem Globe Trotters! How do I know it was him....I was over hearing a conversation that he was having with someone else. Eaves droping...the most valuable trait I acquired from my mother.

I got to stay the night in Fargo at a very posh hotel next to the airport...

Only in Fargo can you get a hotel from with full kitchen and bed for $60 a night. I then headed over to Maplelag the next morning in my kick ass rental car...Dodge Charger! So ghetto you don't even know. I felt like I stuck out like sore thumb in good ole minnesota.

Upon arriving at the Maplelag a resort I was blown away. This place is absolutely beautiful... cabins and coboose cars to sleep in, on a goregeous lake in a nicely wooded area. After a hearty lunch that the lodge fed us my teammate and I headed out pre-ride the course.

The course was amazing...some of the best soil I think I have ever ridin' in, nice and tacky! It had some great power climbs and technical steep descents. So much fun!

I also had the wonderful opportunity of meeting almost the entire family of my teammate Sue! They are a great bunch, almost as sarcastic and smart astic as my family...I felt like I was at home!

This morning we met the rest of the crew for breakfast, they do it family style here and everyone in the lodge eats together for all the meals. It was a very relaxing atmostphere with very few riders here and the scenery being as gorgeous as it was. A heck of alot better than fontucky.

After breakfast I went out to warm-up, did my usual..but the legs just didn't feel that great..lacking power. But I figured they should open up eventually, that or I am about to start my lovely time of the month.

Once I started racing I thought the later must be true, that or I am lacking something in my training. I had a pretty good start especially since there were only 7 of us so I had front row start, but that was all I had. About 20 minutes into the race, my legs pretty much shut down, as well as my head. Once I was in last place I pretty much decided that I was just going to try and enjoy the day, get some points by finishing the race and I even won some money! Money for last place!

This was again not one of my better days, and was concluded with my first drug testing experience! First they attach a guy to you like a nat immediately following the racce, who is instructed to follow you around until you get into the drug testing room. Then they fill out some paper work on you and if you don't have to pee (that being the case) you get to sit around supervised and try and drink as much liquids to get thinks moving, fortunately I wasn't by myself and had some great conversation with Kelli Emmet and another girl who for some reason I can never remember her name. Finally you let them know that you have to pee, they give you a cup and follow you into the bathroom and observe your peeing session, to make sure you don't have any hidden pee in your shorts or shirt. Then they have you put it in the offical bottles and check the pH and the dilution. It's a really weird process, but they try and make it flawless to you can not say that they tainted anything, you inspect the bottles, packaging, all that fun stuff.

Now to try and get a little vacation before I head over to Arkanasa! I can't wait to see Amy and Sammie!