Small break time

After the Giro, I was home for 5 days before heading to Cascade Cycling Classic in Bend, OR - one of my favorite races.  Travel wasn't the greatest on the way out: Durango-Denver-Las Vegas(this is where my bags stayed)-San Francisco-Redmond, OR = long day in airports but Vegas was cool:) I lost $2 in the airport slot machines;)

My bags arrived the next day, no big deal.  We had a couple of days of spinning around town before the race started which means we spend a lot of time heading towards and away from coffee shops.  Bend is such a great town, easy to get around, the people are great, the food is wonderful and the weather has always been perfect.

The race wasn't Optum's best, we had a tough race until the criterium, even though I was proud of Brie and Jade for riding really strong time trials(we are used to being on the podium)! The team did a stellar job delivering me to the line in the criterium and it was a photo finish that I took the victory.  I didn't know I won until we rolled back around to the start/finish and my director, Rachel, had the 'winning' smile on her face.  Good times:) That was on Saturday, on Sunday, Jade took off in a breakaway and came home with second.

After the race, it was time for the World Bicycle Relief fundraiser at Good Life Brewery.  We had a great time and raised some money for a wonderful cause and the beer was pretty dang good to!

Monday - fly home - Thursday - fly to Greensboro, N.C., drive to High Point, N.C.(according to dad, furniture capital of the US), race on Saturday, I'll just skip that part, fly home on Sunday - commence break time!!!!!!

I've been on hikes, seen 2 bands play at the brewery, visited a couple of galleries in Mancos, been to a farm to see turkeys, chickens, horses, calves and then on to an agility dog show and a ranch rodeo and playing the guitar a little bit too! Good break, really good break.

Now, let's refocus, get some quality miles in and get ready for Europe part 3!  Optum is heading over for this last block of racing - France and Italy.

 World Bicycle Relief silent auction.... click on the link - $134 buys a bike for someone.  I bought one and I don't make that much $$..... DO IT:)! Please....

 I'm so happy! HEY!

 What a good teammate;)

 My niece gets excited too!

 This is Jade's packing system - Ziplock bags..... it seems to work for her and she even had spares for her teammates....

 Tobacco(or so I'm told)

 Hiking the San Juan National Forest

 Thank you Michael for playing along and organizing these adventures!

 Side of the road art I had to see....

 Agility dog show, right here in town.  The dogs come next, first the trainers go out to the course and look silly, running around with their hands in the air, mimicking what they would be doing with their dog.  This made me laugh....

 Ranch rodeo! Lots of cool, smart horses!

At our local brewery, bands coming through and playing all summer long - it's really cool! Check out the website: Dolores River Brewery

Reading: A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Watching: the movie 42 - it was pretty good
Eating: breakfast burrito: eggs, spinach, onion, garlic, beans, rice - rolled up in a tortilla
Listening: Skinny Love by Birdy
Website: Bucky eye masks for travel, they cup around your eyes so there is no pressure actually on your eyes - I'm sensitive like that.....