Hi !!

Lets see, I've been riding my bike, running, lifting weights, taking care of me, carting kids off to activities, carting myself off to activities, eating, sleeping when I can, being a mom, being a wife, being me.

So, that in all has left little time to blogging.  I will be on the beach of mallorca in two weeks, and it will be a nice break from the busy-ness of this life.  We have had so much going on, and we paid for this trip months ago, so it will be something to look forward to.  There has been craziness too in life, but nothing that we cant handle, just have to be postive through everything.  It really does make a difference on your whole outlook on life.

I went through, and actually told people how I was never going to race again, and that it's just not for me anymore.  As I was running Sunday morning on the hills around our village, I realized what a stupid thing to say.  I dont even know how Im going to feel next week, how would I know if I would ever race again??...silly girl..I was just kinda bummed out over the winter, but bike love has hit me again.  I've been racing for 10 years, and it was a part of my life, training was, all through winter, rain or snow, well not this year, the truth is, well, I loooove riding my bike and that is the simplest part of the whole deal.  So Im just gonna keep it simple this season and see what happens....

Spring has come early to our region of Germany, so I have been taking advantage, because you never know if the next week is going to be snow.  Anyway, I've been having so much fun.  There are endless road routes, but there is fun singletrack not far and in the Pflatz.  So I have a lot of exploring to do.  Im really excited for my my husband, he has been training hard for his xterra's and an ironman this summer, he's integrated the biking, swimming and running into his lifestyle, and my lifestyle and the fact that we dont have to compete for training time/family/sanity time has been a plus.  Maybe next year I will race again, who knows, maybe I will get the itch this summer, but for now, I am just enjoying flying around on two wheels, pulling the 4yr old when she's not at school, which is at least 50lbs including the bike trailer, hanging with the G man (my 9yr old) and running.  I really love running!!  I try to get up early before everyone is awake, its the best!!  and the views here where I live are simply stunning!,,,,need to grab that camera sometime : )

Anyway, that's my life in a very condensed, unchaotic version, but it's pretty close to the heart of it : ))

Beautiful Strasbourg

My husband decided to suprise me with a weekend trip to Strasbourg, France for our 10th anniversary weekend.  He had booked hotel and planned the trip all himself.  It was the sweetest thing.  He also bought me an addition the my platinum wedding ring, an anniversary band and it was all the much sweeter that he thought enough to do such a grand and sweet thing.

I have been so happy in the years I've been with him and I cant believe we have been married for 10, been together 12.  It seems like yesterday that we met, in San Diego, our beach trips, our rockclimbing trips all over California, seeing Chris LeDoux, lots of times spent on the bike, at races together, planned a family, now parents to some pretty neat kids.  We've had a good run of it, havent we senor!!  We have had so many adventures, and it seems like the fun never stops, but we've had our share of craziness, and he has stuck with me through it.  I've sadly to say put him through some hell at times, but thankyou, that is all I can say.

Anyway...back to Strasbourg.  It is not far, we decided to drive over from Saarbrucken and drive the toll road through France.  We could've driven down through Germany, but decided to see the French Alsace countryside.  It was a relaxing drive, no probs, then headed into the city of Strasbourg.  Our hotel was right in the old part of the city.  Very romantic place.  We headed to the main square, found a cute cafe and had lunch, flammkuchen, fries for the kids, and of course some wine and beer.  Walked a lot that weekend, was nice at night to walk through the cobblestreets of the old city.  Enjoyed a nice night of reminicing over a bottle of french red and just enjoyed a wonderful weekend with my favorite guy and two little monkeys.

The old french part of Strasbourg, little France I think it is called was so nice to walk on Sunday morning.  It was so quiet and the river running through the city was calm and made for nice scenery along with the very old quarters.

I would love to go back in the summer time.  It was cold , but we enjoyed ourselves nonetheless.

The church is beautiful.  I have been through so many cathedrals living here in Europe, but I was most impressed with the cathedral here.  It is magnificent as you walk through the square and it just is like Bam!  Magnificent is a good word.  The cathedral was beautiful inside, we were there after dark, so the candles lit all throughout sent out a beautiful ambiance.

Great city!  Au Revoir, Angie

I'm still alive

It has been awhile, but yes, Im not dead.  We were lucky to spend the holidays back in the States and took some day trips and weekend trips into France and around here.  Things are kinda slowing down, but in a week or so, it will be craziness for most of the month of Feb, and March hopefully being calm, April travels in order to a warm destination and then then making it towards the finish line for school to end (all in one breath!) Pheww!!
Home:

In my last post I was unsure as to what my future prospects in the cycling world would be and I still pretty much feel that way, except that I at least know for sure I want to ride my bike ALOT!!  Not just for training but for fun.  This is the first time I have really taken a long break from the bike, well more from training, and I have to say that maybe it was a good thing because it only made me miss it more (i miss racing, but racing back home).

It has been a really cold and snowy winter here in Germany.  After we got back from the States, we came back to a lot of snow, but then miraculously, the clouds parted, the sun came out and melted all the snow, it was "warm" out, 50's is warm, trust me, but it was wonderful.  Of course a good thing like that cant last too long, so now we are back to frigid temps and the occasional snow shower.  Oh, Spring, how I cant wait for you to come back again!!
snowman makin' time:

My husband has ventured into the world of XTERRA and triathlons and so I think this summer I will be his groupie and just cheer him on from the sidelines and offer support.  I think maybe I need a good season off.  I might do a race or two, but not training hardcore for anything at the current moment.  Who knows, maybe I will be inspired by my husband to tri a tri (ha!).  I've done a few in college, but no ironman distances and I enjoy 'tagging' along with him on his runs or to the pool, with me poorly swimming along or running along, but its fun.  Man, he's gotten strong, especially with the swim.  What a difference a year and consistent swimming will do for someone that was not the best swimmer (sorry honey) and with zero percent body fat, he just sorta sunk in the water.  The boy is buoyant now!!  And he has an amazing body from all the swimming, those arms and shoulders are in true Micheal Phelps fashion!!  Except my guy is waaaay cuter.  Anyway, enough of the gushing, seriously though, have you watched someone train for an Ironman?!  Its a part time freaking job unto itself, so I am going to sit back and enjoy the view for now.

 Also, I miss singletrack so, so, so bad.  It could be the reason for my lack of motivation.  I love being here, but there is little to no real long singletrack and when you race its 90% jeep road.  I did find a cool place to ride around this castle area, but as far as my intense love for the mountain bike, a lot of that love is based on what Im riding.  Singletrack, sketch, gnar, all that, i miss.  I miss the excitement of cleaning shit that I was scared to attempt or just the feeling of being out on the trails and being excited about the trail.  It sorta sux in that way, but life is what you make it, so gonna try and be more positive on that front...

Im still very much amateur'd out and excited about photography.  About what little I know.  I have been looking at software and stuff.  I have some wonderful ideas and hope to get some great sport shots, hope to see some of the spring classics, maybe le tour as well.  I also love taking pics of my kids and just the area around here and our travels.  We have some traveling coming up in the future, but I wont give it away until we go or come back.  In this day and age, one should be a little less flamboyant with what she's doing and where and when she is going somewhere....

Anyway, I appreciate anyone for taking the time to read, hope somewhere in the world someone is enjoying the sunshine..

angie