ANYWAY
So myself, Kelly B., Andrea D., Janel H., Kristin S. and Cath C, along with Rachel H(director) and Adrian(mechanic extrodinaire) all headed to Anniston, AL this past weekend for the NRC Sunny King criterium and Foothills road race on Sunday. Arriving at the airport and all of us meeting up, it was good to see the crew again, even though it had only been 4 days-these gals and guy are funny and a blast to be around and with.
We all piled into the van and headed to the wonderful host house and a couple of us went for an easy spin around to check out the back roads and get the travel out of the legs.....Anniston is beautiful!
Saturday morning, I wake up around 8ish and head downstairs looking for coffee and Frank(the host dad) offered up a morning tidy-bloody mary.....hahaha, that's funny Frank-nope he was serious. Then I realized it was Saturday morning and hey, if Frank wants a bloody mary by golly, he's gonna drink one. I opted out and enjoyed coffee instead and sitting around the table with everyone and scarfing down some of Frank's wonderful breakfast buffet items. He cooked every meal for us and it was yum a tum! Love southern hospitality!
After a nice pleasant morning, it was time to get in another ride, go check out the course and do some face time with the fans. The venue was only a couple of miles from the house, which was perfect and when we arrived there were already races taking place. I saw my family and some friends from the area and we visited for a bit before myself and the other girls got on the course to take a lap and then off-or so I thought. Next thing I know, we are coming around the start/finish line and the 3/4 women are lined up and we are lined up behind them. Then the announcer says, "Thank you Colavita women for volunteering to race with these 3/4 women and give them some pointers while on course".....WHAT? Wait, what are we doing???
So, Kelly, the awesome trooper she is, goes to the front and gets right in the middle of em. I play it safe with some of the others in the back, thinking I may offer a draft, a couple of pointers and then pull out after a couple of laps. About the time I decide to pull out on the NEXT lap, sure enough, a crash!!! Thank goodness no one was hurt and none of us were involved, all the girls got up and if their bike was ok, finished the race. That was our cue to head back to the house and get some lunch before the evening's events.
The race was awesome, we had a game plan to be aggressive and we were from lap 2!!! Janel won, Kelly was 3rd and the rest of us finished in the group. Winner winner chicken dinner!
Sunday's race was EARLY-9am-to us anyway;) Especially after finishing the crit at 8pm, then watching the men's race, then podium, then home for shower and try to go to bed around 11ish...so yeah, 9 was early.
Again, we wanted to be aggressive and from the gun we were. Cath and Andrea created a break with one other and they were gone! Cath won and Andrea took 3rd, back in the field is was a bit more chaotic because we would get neutralized by the men coming around but all in all it was a great day on the bike. :)
Afterwards I said goodbye to the family, we loaded up the van, back to host housing to clean up and pack up and off to Atlanta airport we went. From there, Rachel, Adrian and Cath went on to Asheville and myself, Janel, Kelly, Andrea and Kristin had an awesome Thai dinner, then watched the reruns of Paris-Roubaix on Versus at the airport hotel! That was a wonderful way to finish the weekend. Miss the team family already......
Next up for me is the Southeast crits after Easter....
You are into some fabulous stuff!!! Keep it coming... always love to hear from you!
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