Septemeber Update

Hi All,

I just came back from California from my Jam-packed 6 days trip and I am pasting here what I had written Rick to save time for an entire trip over-view.

Just to summerize, I didnt bring my wetsuit to SB bc I assumed and had heard the water was in the 70's a few weeks back, only to find that when I had arrived, the water temp dropped down to 55'! So I had to spend the xtra 50 bux on a friggin wetsuit, but it was well worth it. The bike was VERY hilly so my PA day w rick came in handy training on all those damn hills, was well worth the pain. Had the 2nd fastest bike split...

The run was half up hill for 5 miles which I sux at but then, the last 5 was entirely down hill! :D so it was way way cool! Loved the race, but was def a toughy, actually 1 of the toughest Ive done to date. At least I didnt have the heat to deal with at all which was nice and because of that factor I was able to finish the run strong with out the feeling of passing out.

Here is my California review in its entirety and I just wanted to say that this trip and all the driving I had done within 2 days of it was an extra confirmation to me, that this is the place I am meant to be, to live, and to call my home ASAP. LOVE it miss, it, own it, live it! :

So to sum up my trip, santa b was freezing, ab freezing, thought it was gonna be breezy not jaket/long sleeve cold. The 2nd day seemed warmer than the first however. Finding dinner was a struggle as although I don't mind traveling alone, going to a sit down resturant alone is awkward.Had mexican first night, Itilian before race, chinese 3rd night, 4th night I missed dinner bc I drove to my friends for 6 hrs + only stopped once for gas+bathrm, not best feeling, 5th night I had dinner w fam + my friend,) last night (last night) had sandwich @ airport.

Hotel in sb very nice, they always make it soo much larger online, kinda funny. So many ritzy, smichy pp paying 500 a night there lol or more. Only stayed there for 2 nights, first day and day before the triathlon.The triathlon: water temp was org supposed to be 70', it was 55'! Didn't bring wetsuit bc of that factor + I just hate wearing 1 bc my takin it off in T1 time is rediculous slow, I just can't get it off my ankles.. (Very frustrating) so I had to pay an extra 50 bux for a rental. (Which was worth it bc it was freezing!)

Bike store did a wonderful job puttin my bike back together. Xcept in the race I was pushin myself at pts +not going anywear in a big gear, so I must of been crossing gears a lot... But there were also pts where I was flying + felt strong on the bike.This girl in my ag that I was convinced I would beat killed me in the swim, I came back + beat her on bike, but she ran faster than me. Despite that factor, if I would of been a total of 5 mins faster in both t1 + t2 + ran a bit faster by 2mins first half of run (which was up hill) then I would of timed a 356 only 3 mins behind the 2nd pl.Its ok though 3rd was nice, got a nice ceremanic tile so when I finally move to california ( after this trip I'm so sure by nxt year now) I will eventually put it in the floor of my house :) yrs from now of course....

Swim was freezin + choppy, bike was hilly + not closed to traffic, + run was halfway up half way down which the last half was fun to rly fly w my pace and end last 3 miles on a super straight away on a path along the ocean.The rental car was a mess, they nvr told me that they were gonna put an 'authorization' charge on me before I would pay for it. + the hotel did the same after I had pre-paid in full. My 'max chargin' limit got screwed up, + ended up havin to pay for the car via debit card.@ least I don't hav to worry about 500 bux sittin on my card now but hav less money in account to pay bill 15th... :/

The car itself, wow it was a white volvo s7 or something like that. The car had umph. Fast fast! The drive to santa cruz was a rough 1, was already xhuated from tri that same morn, then had to take car of dropping off bike, showerin in xtra room @ hotel (bc I had already checked out) + gettin myself back to the airport to get the car.Funny enough, it was sat afternoon, hit no traffic bc I was going north, + when the 101 got real rural, I swear I was the only 1 one the freeway ! Lol kinda cool tho, I loved te scenic changes.I got there around 930 but my legs were too sore + I already ate dinner @ some shopping center.

So I was way to drained to even wlk down block to see the sc boardwlk which I kinda regret now since its famous. Should dragged myself there.Where I stayed in sc was very trashy, but it was fine for 1 night. I went ziplining nxt mornin the redwood trees, not the fastest course, but def most unique.Those trees were tall as hell! I allowed myself plenty of time to get there, yet could not find address in navagtor as the location was up in the 'mountains' in felton pa + not mt hermon as org thought lol. I had to control my own breakin too which was kinda scary bc I was worried about my fingers getting caught in the zip, which is why we would apply pressure on rope from behind vs in front.

After zip lining grabbed lunch + made my way down to see + stay w my friend veronica who's my friend from reebok. She's rly nice, always tellin me that I hav an open invite to come stay w her.It took me even longer bc this time I was driving further past santa barb to orange county + hit sun la traffic in 3 sections. I only stopped once bc I was anxious to get there + was eating power bars entire trip, which I guess u can say was my dinner.Was sup to hav dinner w my friend but it got too late since I hit traffic. Got to my friends round 930ish, left @ 1230. However, I stopped @ mj's for 2 hrs which wa sout of the way. The nverland ranch was cool, but the org infamous gates were sold after he had died. (oddly enough, sun was his bday)

Mon we were up @ 4am, had to return the car and get it over w. Forgot to that a legit photo nxt to convertable + only rmr @ car drop off garage + flash didn't go off so the photo I do hav is blurry, but u can tell its still me. Surprisingly bc its policy to get car on full tank only spent 80 bux on gas! For a total of 10 hrs of drivin in 2 days.Only prob is now bc I'm tryin 2 do 2 trips back 2 back my cards not going thro bc of my limit.... :/ uh need more than 1 card.... Hopefully I will be close to payin bill off by 15th right b4 I leave....

Its makin me nervous tho that while in mex my card may not go thro. So after we returned the car we were tryin to beat the la traffic rush we bas did since we were going north. We made our first stop @ thousand oaks wildwood park to go for this 3 mi hike which ended up being shorten to thid beautiful waterfall.I was only halfway jokin when I told my friend that there 'might' be mountain lions there. We get there + there r warnings of not only mountain lions, but cayotes + rattle snakes! My friend was already freaked so she made me jog w these random girls bc she felt more safe lol... Then we saw the waterfalls + then mountain lion crap + she got freaked right when a rattle snake comes out of a rock!! :oShe didn't see it but I did so we lit ran outta there!

Lol then we drove to six flags, no traffic I treated her, plus she has coupons for only 30 bux each, the price of 1!! Perfect 75' weather not too hot lik usual amusment park days, + NO lines! Lol we got to go on 12 roller coasters in our 4 hour time bugit. (As we were meeting my cousins for dinner at 730pmWe drove back, hit a little traffic, but not bad. The res were org 715 so we were 15 mins late. Uh the feelin to see my ca cousins, can even tell u, so great, they are so funny + I'm so close to them. Esp my aunt dot who is hilarous, I consider her my gma.

Bought my cousin brooke a good luck for hs/xc + track varsity lucky charm. She's seemed to like it. Spent the last day @ the beach as my friend veronica had to work + my fam was busy w plans.So I made a surprise appearence to see my aunt dot again in middle of beach day to see my cousin donna + her kids who didn't make it to dinner bc she had to work. Such a sad feeling to leave, oh yea, friend volunteraly offered me her car the day she was workin bc she has 3 cars which was sooo nice of her!She told me she wouldn't lend it to anyone so its a nice feeling she confides in me so much.