Christmas Camp

Let's get our ride on!

Christmas Camp 2007

December 22,

Camp begins today.

I have set my alarm for o400. Tim and I will be trying to leave before the peleton catches us. We don't want to get stuck behind traffic in LA. We want to get to northern California and get our ride on. The car ride is fun. Tim drives and I click away with my knitting needles. I haven't sat down for this long or sat this still for this long in a very long time. Well since my eye surgery and then I was drugged. We listen to the audio version of "The Nanny Diaries" We enjoy this immensely and will enjoy quoting the book and making fun of Mrs. X for the rest of the trip and beyond.
We arrive and visit with Tim's folks briefly before heading out for a ride. The Neuschwander household is bustling with Christmas spirit. Cindy is making all kinds of traditional Christmas cookies and poticta (I know I spelled this bread wrong) bread ....It looks like art work and we are going to eat it. We better do some pedaling to make room for some cookies. We enjoy a short 40ish mile ride then follow up with a run before we settle down by the fireplace to enjoy watching the model train. My favorite Christmas decoration is the model gondola. What could be cooler than that.

Riley needing to rethink his commitment

December 23th.

Day 2 of Christmas Camp.

Today my coach has said it should be my priority to go for a long run (8 miles) . At Thanksgiving I could only run a mile because I had IT band syndrome and it hurt. Lately nothing can slow me down. I'm running so fast and so far I'm wearing holes in my shoes. I'm not sure if an 8 mile run is on the agenda for Christmas Camp. It is Sunday morning, Tim's folk go to church with Seth and Val. They will double dip and attend service with Tim and I in the evening. Seth has received a new road bike from Santa. Personaly I think Oprah should have bought him the bike as he spent Thanksigiving protecting her estate. The bike is just like my road bike minus the pink and the flames. We plan to ride after church. While the rest of the family is at church Tim and I contribute the the Christmas delights. Tim makes choco crunch ( his grandmothers invention) I make molasses cookies, my mom's recipe. I rush them and don't let the dough chill long enough. They turn out flat and I feel a little flat looking at them. I prepare more dough. They are baked after I leave and I'm told they turn out like little balls of "crack" (I do use black strap molasses). Mmmm. Anyway after much procrastination Tim and I decide to do the run. We run 9 miles at the Pleasanton ridge. Riley comes with us. He goes zipping off in the beginning running so fast, then by the end he slacks off and almost refuses to descend the last two miles. Tim and I quote Nanny Diaries at Riley. We say in a very serious tone"Riley, you really need to rethink your commitment to this family and training regime"This is hysterical for some reason. Anyway, when we finally trick Riley into finishing the run and arrive back to Casa Neuschwander the rest of the gang is ready to roll on bikes. I snorkle down a piece of pizza and off we go. At first the ride is very difficult for me. I am cramping after the run and my body hasn't processed the pizza yet. After a while, things settle for me. I enjoy the ride very much. Unfortunately Bruce can not join us for the entire ride, but I enjoy riding with Cindy, Tim and Seth. It is really fun to see Seth enjoy his first ride on his new bike. He goes zipping off very, very fast. My legs hurt to watch, knowing how much power that would take. Ouch, ugg. Just before we get home Seth declares he can't make it. He says he bonked. I say "thank goodness". We spin home saving a little in our legs for tomorrows altitude training. Kirkwood. We are going skiing.