Diving into the off-season (and Lake Michigan)

And.... It's a wrap on what's been a long, but fruitful bike racing season. That statement feels odd to write, but when I think back to our team training camp, it feels appropriate.

Although my season ended a week earlier than I wanted, I'm happy to be eating french fries, taking trips without having to fit workouts in, enjoying the Fall, and - of course - planning on how I'm going to be better next season. A big congratulations goes out to Josh Tostado on his 3rd consecutive solo 24 hour national championship. This man is an incredible athlete and one of the good guys of the sport. I know what I would have had to put myself through to compete against him last weekend and although that scared me during the run-up to nationals, I was looking forward to the rematch! Falling ill before your big event is never easy to swallow, but that's life. Next season...

I just had the best 4 days of Fall that you could probably have by spending them in Traverse City, MI. Having never been, I hit the ground running via the perfect local (and once local) contingent of new friends.

I could go on and on about how beautiful it is up there, but it won't do it justice. Instead, I'll post a very small slice of the photo pie here with the bullet-points of what we did.

The Bruski-Sturtz home-town reception. Wine tour. Movies and baseball at home. Great food. Swimming in Lake Michigan (in October?!). Gallivanting around town. Beautiful Fall colors. And most of all... I spent four days with great people.