Another home for the holidays....

The Holiday season has passed in a flash until the last couple days! It started with the hectic trip to Providence, RI for my first collegiate CX national event (fun by the way). Upon arrival I was lucky enough to only have one of my bags left in Chicago for United to call me in the middle of the night wanting to deliver. I say not...wait til the AM!

I can also say I was lucky to even be able to fly back in b/c two days after I returned CO was hit by "The Blizzard of 06." I went for a nice jog in the flurries the morning of Wednesday the 20th and I could tell the wind blowing in my face was a bit more brisk than I remembered, but by 9 AM at the OTC, we had a mass e-mail closing the place down at 10 AM. Before I knew it I was getting reports from family across all the way across the country that CO was in a state of emergency putting up shelters for those stranded at work, etc due to the closing of many major highways, like I-25 being closed from WY to NM. I didn't realize that Denver was being hit so bad unitl I flew out of Denver International Airport on Christmas day and had to practically drive my car over a snowplow bank to park (which ultimately means it is stuck and hopefully the snow melts by the time we fly back).

Anyways, Heather and I are lucky to be in Penn Yan, NY now visiting her family post-Christmas for the holidays b/c for one, finding flights here was one hassle and two the 4 thousand stranded people in DIA due to the snow during last week. Spending time in Penn Yan and with the Eno's is really nice! It really lets me get away from the traffic, hustle, and ultimately the city for a bit. I really miss having the calm country life that I grew up with sometimes. Oh well I can see the city being temporary while I continue with USA Cycling and while Heather finishes her professional degree. Maybe I can talk USAC into allowing me to work from a home office in a nearby mtn town and come in when needed. Yeah that would be nice!!!

It is going to be tough to leave, especially since we had our minds set on taking a prize pup back with us to CO and we couldn't get a cargo flight back for the dog b/c of the extreme colds on both ends of the trip. Oh well, we'll find a way to get Buck back with us in the coming months. Luckily Heather and I took him hiking down to Keuka Lake yesterday checking out some waterfalls and such on her parents land. And I found out this morning that Buck will be a great running partner as he trotted along about 20 yards ahead of me for a 3 miler and I only had to leash him on the main road just to make sure he didn't get into the non-existent traffic.

Well hopefully this will post since I am on dial-up that takes forrrrrevvvvvver!