Overdue update

I went in for a massage on Thursday and Anne said something to the effect of "good thing you have that website.... it's so nice that it's always up to date...."

Yeah, about that.... I've been busy, BUSY!! Moving across the country + training + school.... I don't even have an appropriate adjective. But, luckily for my three blog readers (Hi mom! Hi grandma! Hi dad!) I decided that my several papers and finals due this week warrants RIGHT NOW as a perfect opportunity to sit down and type out a nice, long, catch-up post. Not to mention I'm cozied up to the fire with half a cup of leftover morning coffee.

Let's do this.



So Easter weekend was US World Cup Trials. The weather was really gorgeous and it was great that my mom was there to watch, and take all of the following pictures.


Talking to Stein at the dock after one of my races


Mickle and me paddling in after our k2 500m final



My mom and I went hiking at Hollenbeck Canyon, off the 94. I wish I did more of this kind of thing this spring.




When the weekend was over, it was time to pack like a maniac. I moved out of my apartment and into my Saturn.



My dad arrived the following Sunday and we embarked on another cross-country road trip. We've done a bunch of these together, each time taking a slightly different route. This year's trip we decided to hit up some National Parks in Utah and then take I-80 home.

Bye for now, San Diego!

A lonely Joshua Tree on the road out of Vegas.... actually there were lots further down the highway to keep it company!



From Arizona to Utah




Southern Utah is so gorgeous


We drove into Arches National Park the following afternoon and did some hiking and driving and reveling in geology.

An arch inside an arch!




Perspective. And perspective. And perspective.

After hiking in Arches NP, we spent the night in Grand Junction, Colorado. We didn't drive further because we wanted to drive through the Rockies during the day.

Highway + train + Colorado River

GOOD MORNING, COLORADO, I LOVE YOU

We stopped to play in the snow at the top of the pass. I wasn't really dressed for the high elevation. Bare feet? I shrugged, What the hell? I scrambled up to the top of this big snowbank. No sooner did my dad snap the shot then I sprinted down the snowbank as if I was on fire. (Quite the opposite, actually.)

SO. Freaking. COLD.


Tons of snow in Vail. "Dad, can we stay forever?"



Unfortunately, as soon as we left Denver, the trip went downhill in a hurry (ha, ha!) We drove straight from Colorado to Rochester: 36 hours. During this time, I slept about 4 hours, had my first Red Bull, thought I'd rather die than keep driving, drank a gallon of coffee, narrowly missed running over a raccoon, entertained the idea of gouging my eyes out, and thoroughly enjoyed the road through Ohio. Just kidding about the Ohio part.

We made it home safely. And to my surprise, New York State filled the Erie Canal for me! It's nice paddling on a canal after having been on a lake for 4 months. Maybe like switching to running on a road after having run only on a track for a while.

Anyhow, I'm gonna hit the hay and write some more tomorrow.