Road Trip!

It was time to get out of town. My head was already spinning, not only from work, but from the sinus & chest congestion I'm been suffering from for the last 4 months. One week before my June race I just in the ocean for a nice ocean swim and come out with a nasty sinus infection. Yet another one. I called my local doc, Dr John Martinez of Coastal Sports & Wellness on a Sunday. I felt like a bug that had been lodged on the front of a Mac truck grill. Looking ahead I had a huge work week, 2 travel days with significant client meetings, 2 days training out in the field with corporate and a dinner meeting with 20 of my favorite clients. And I felt like absolute poo.

Hi ho, hi ho.. it's off to more antibiotics I go.... however sucky it may be to race on antibiotics, Doc John reassured me, my sinus infection would make me feel far worse than the meds. But I could go ahead and race, it wouldn't make me any worse.

I traveled. I worked. I suffered. And didn't workout if an effort to let my body recover as fast as possible. By Friday I was toast and more or less decided I wouldn't race. Saturday, felt better. Sunday? Ok, I'll race... it's not about winning, it's about the journey. I just wish the journey didn't involve a cough.

So I did. And it sucked. I swam open water with a nose plug. Nuff said. And that was the best part of the day. I certainly wouldn't have been in any shape to win even if I was healthy, but I was looking for a sub-2 hr race. I came in at 2:02. (Bike & swim are slightly short for an Olympic distance) Fellow Bella, Stacy Schockler raced well, ran herself silly and placed 3rd (a 43 min 10K!!!). Wicked cool! Go Stacy! Stacy also trains with ever peppy pro racer Lesley Paterson (aka Scottish Devil).

Now, time for a little vakay, rest & relaxation. Dave & I hopped in the car and drove to Sedona, AZ.

With a stop at the sand dunes in Yuma.

And lunch at the Saloon somewhere next to Horse Thief Canyon and a cactus.

A quick stop at Montezuma's Castle. (complete misnomer btw, but fascinating nonetheless)

and Ahhhh. Sedona the Beautiful.

Then Dave took me mountain biking. I think it's been years since I last went mountain biking. And concluded, I haven't gotten any better. It turned out to be a 3+ hr bike-hike. I was re-assured by the Bike & Bean that on a scale of 1-10, 10 being expert barely rideable, the ride we went on was an 8. Perhaps next time I should take the skull & cross bones on the trail map a little more seriously!

I should have know better than to ride on something called "Chicken Point".

Special note - they have a unique way of making sure you stay on the trail!

But alas... we made it to Chicken Point!

And the view en route wasn't too bad either.

After an amazing dinner at Elote Cafe (best southwest food I've ever had.) and a few days in Sedona we packed up and drove up to the Grand Canyon. Dave hadn't yet been there, and I have to say, even for me having been there before, it is magnificent.

Check out our lodging at the grand canyon! Our little adobe room on the left.. canyon on the right!

The next day we woke up for the sunrise (view is much better if you're on the north rim) and hopped on the Grand Canyon Airlines for a sky tour. We snaked across the canyon for ideal viewing from any spot on the plane.

Next we hopped in a Navajo jeep, toured the river beds until we got to a precious little narrow called Antelope Slot Canyon. The photo says it all. Unbelievable. I could spend a day there getting lost!

Next we hopped into a raft and smooth water rafted down the Colorado River through Glen Canyon.

Finally we wrapped up our canyon trip and headed down to La Posada, a uniquely special train lodge designed by Jane Colter. On the way a quick stop at a rather large hole in the ground.... Meteor Crater, how alien!

A wonderful dinner with my parents, whom we met there as they were on their way north to Ann Arbor, MI.

A fabulous trip, great sights, too much great food, and back to work!

In the meantime, I'm trying to get rested, now cleared to get back to workouts... so let's see what happens!

Happy Riding!

Raja