Wow. I'm behind in my blogging life. Let's do a highlight wrap-up of the last eight months.
1. Tour of Anchorage - The now infamous moosing, resulted in a total restart of the women's race halfway through Spencer, and some really slow overall times. I guess that makes for a good excuse. I was still pleased with my sixth place, and with hanging with the leaders (despite having my pole yanked off by a master blaster at 12k) until almost Westchester.
Coming off of Spencer Loop early in the race.
2. Oosik - Love this race! The weather was glorious, the trails were amazing, and it's hard to argue about a one lap 50km classic race. I have never been so trashed after a race in my life, but it was a satisfying kind of destroyed. Talkeetna is a great little town as well. I will be doing this race again next year.
I really am having fun
!
49.7km down, almost home, and not a second too soon.
3. School - I have cranked through two terms since I last posted. They were a mixed bag to put it mildly. I had a professor in the spring that I just loved. He was the kind of educator that made me want to get my PhD in education research and work towards improving systems. But before I do that, I think I'll have to figure out the systems in the ASD with my feet on the ground.
4. Bike Racing - I have been doing a smattering of races, when my school and work schedule allows. I got a Niner Air9 this year, and I love mountain biking! I have a ways to go in terms of my technical riding, but it's a blast. In addition to quite a bit of mountain racing, I raced one triathlon (more on the schedule for next summer), several road races, and soon it will be cross season.
Finishing the Gold Nugget Triathlon, 21st place this year
Cranking away in the Fireweed.
This mountain biking business is dirty.
5. Dimond - I started my practicum and internship at Dimond High School two weeks ago. Right now I'm in the stage where I don't know what the heck I'm doing, but I'm so happy to finally be working and seeing what it is all about.
6. Sailing - I got the opportunity to do a couple of trips in the last few weeks, and they have helped to just rejuvenate my spirit. I know that smacks of hippy mumbo-jumbo, but sometimes you just need the wide open space of the water and the fresh air. We spent a long weekend with Aunt Patti and Leslie, getting in a little fishing, beach walking, sun, torrential rain, and some farkeling. Then I got to help Randy and Judy break in their new Catalina 36, Xena, which had to have been one of the most glorious weekends of the year. We tandemed a bit with my parents on Raven, who had jettisoned me from their boat, as it was full of Biczyskos & Johnsons (seven people and princess Nellie = a full boat). Last week Dad and I took a mid-week jaunt to Seward. The two days were perfectly sunny, and the wind was always at our back everywhere we went.
Whale blubber, Xena, and Raven at Sunny Cove.
Randy grilling at Bulldog-- it doesn't get much better than this!
Hiking to the overlook to Eldorado Narrows at Halibut Cove on Fox Island.
A perfect day.
I'm the captain now!!!
7. Zachary - Last, but certainly not least, I became an Aunt on June 21st. Zachary Chen Gardner was born to Maggie and Andrew in Taipei, weighing in at a whopping 9.0 lbs. He's wonderfully healthy and has a full head of black hair that tends to stand straight up. I can't wait to meet him.
Look at all that hair
!
Cutest nephew ever.
