Fast week

It was a busy week and then weekend after our trip to Canada.  It was a great time there and a experience that we won't soon forget.  Once we did the 19 hour drive home it was off to work to relax.  Tuesday was a trip to the track for some racing which was a fun night for sure.  Nate was still in his Jr gear from 2 years ago so maybe I will have to look at that and put him in a gear that lets him sprint better then spin out.  Plus his legs were a little tired after racing 700km the week before.  We may head there again this week but we will just have to wait and see what turns up.  Then it was some easy riding on Wednesday and finally doing the Thursday group ride which we have missed for the summer with all of Nate's racing and training.  It was a fun night and we will have to do more for sure, or I will for sure once Nate leaves for college in 2 weeks.  Then it was Nate loading up again and heading to Grand Rapids for some crit racing.  They got there and Max and Garrett raced the cat 3/4 race in which Max won and then Garrett took a 5th place.  After that race it was Nate, Peter, Max and Garrett racing the cat 1,2,3 race.  From the update's I got it was fast and alot of crashing.  Nate and Peter were in a crash right away and got up and got back in the race to get caught in or behind another one at the end of the race.  Just how racing goes sometimes.  Saturday was Cece's birthday and I was willing to cook or take her out but some teacher friends wanted to take her out so I was off the hook.  That was OK as Maddie had to work and I had to take to and from work and it worked out good that we were at home anyhow.  Then yesterday after my ride I did cook some meat on the grill and we had the family over for Cece's birthday.  SO in the end it all worked out.  I got 3 plus hours of riding in both Saturday and Sunday so that was nice and now we have to get Nate ready to go to college in 2 weeks.  Boy that time went fast.  I tell you though I go to work to relax as home life just flies by.  Later..

Some Pictures of the Rouyn-Noranda area that we have.

We really enjoyed the city of Rouyn-Noranda that was the host city for the race this year.  It was a town of about 40,000 people with a lot of the people working for the mining company.  They mined gold and different metals that are in the area.  We stayed in a nice hotel right on the main street and it made it easy to walk to everything and enjoy the people that were moving around all day long.  It was nice to see alot of the people from the city either walking or riding which is a big difference from the states for sure.

One of cool things that happened was while we ate breakfast in the morning at the hotel a elderly women came in every morning and sat at the table next to us and talked about the world travels she has done and how she grew up in the area.  She spoke English rather well and that was a nice thing as she was able to tell us about the area and where the races would be.  She had learned English as a young girl from the soap operas and that her family owned a restaurant and the tourist form the US would teach it to her.  She was a fun person to talk every morning and she made sure she got there to eat by us and talk to us.  She said she was going to miss us and that she loved Maddie and Jess, thanks for the good times in the morning Claire.  

Other then that Cece and Dexie were able to walk around the lake every morning as the paved trail around it was a real nice and about 5 miles.  Also with our room key we were able to go to a health club down the block for free so we all used that everyday which also helped pass the time in between the races.  Also when it was raining it was something to do.  It was real nice to that we could walk to all the places to eat and there were some awesome places to choose from.  Wish we had more time as there was a ton of them that looked nice but we never had a chance to get there after the the races were over.  But other then that we walked around the city alot and took in as much as we could while we were there.  Now it is back to the real world and work.  Later..

Life as a racer

I guess Nate has earned his racer strips this summer as he went to Nationals and got crashed out in the crit and road race ending a long trip with some disappointment.  Then he was racing in Canada and was in the top 30 in all the road races and had a decent tt before the last day and was sitting nicely near the front to stay safe and then he got a flat tire and after getting a new rear wheel he was not able to close the gap that had formed.  That was to bad as he was sitting 39th and would have had a solid finish in the end.  After the flat he tried to catch but knew it was not to be and then finished and in the end had a what if feeling the flat did not happen how it could have unfolded.  But in bike racing that happens and you move on and just put it on the back burner.  I am so proud of how he handles so many situations that would just make me and others just ready to walk away and have a fit. Great job Nate.

Now it is time for the last few races in the area and then in 2 weeks move Nate to college. Where did the time go?  After Nate is gone I will be lost as my riding buddy will be gone.  I have been going through so many things that we have to get ready and then getting Nate there and driving away hoping he is prepared and ready for the next chapter in his life.  I know he will do well but there is still that outside factor that always pops up and I hope he makes the right decisions and continues to succeed in life and on the bike.   Well time to get some work done.  Later..

Timiskaming First Nation - Lorrainville

It was another good day on the road for the ISCorp jr's.  Kaleb won the mayors cup sprint in the race and got 250.00 for his effort and will be looking to try to get a few of the ones that are left today to tomorrow.  In the end it was Nate 22nd, Peter 32nd, Max 48th, Kaleb 62nd and Joe 106th.  Nate and Peter were in a few breaks that were out there for a while but were realed back in.  They will try a few more times each race and see what they can do.  Today is another long one as they go 115.7km and then tomorrow a 97km to wrap it up.  Later..

Catch up time

It has been a busy few days here so here is a brief report.  Nate finished 29th in the road race on Wednesday night and then on Thursday he did the time trial and was about 47th I think and then last night in the road race he was 17th.  Today we are off to a race about 1 hour south of here.  Later..