Santa Barbara

After Sea Otter we finally got some time to hang with our great host, surfer, cyclist, tennis guru and local native to the area, Michael. He took us on a nice leg flushing ride in the Pacific Grove area. It was beautiful.



Chris and Michael


It was great to spin the legs out. They hadn't seen a double race weekend since August and needed some serious TLC!


Then it was promptly off to the land of Santa Barbara to stay with our awesome friends, Eric and Kristin until the next race in Idyllwild, CA.

I really started feeling like I was getting my life back some too. Just being away from the big move in Utah and getting away with the hubby for the first time since his big injury last year (at this exact time) really helped. It is a good feeling to feel almost normal again!

Our friends have orange, lemon, and mexican guava trees going off right now. It is so awesome to pick the best orange of your life right in your own front yard!

Mexican Guava's taste like a pear and a guava wrap into one. Yummy!


I was getting plenty of training on the nearby 3500 foot hill and ran into longboard skaters more than a few times. They go down the same twisty, turny, blind cornered, steep graded hill that I do except ON THEIR SKATEBOARDS.

Read as.....NO brakes!!!!!!!


They have this rig to pick them up at the bottom and bring them back up to the top to do it all over again too! It is quite cool to watch.....along with insane!



I got a chance to talk to them and it sounds like they have a team and competitions and the whole nine yards. And to stop or slow down they drag a foot or stand up on the board from a near squatting position. Holy Moly. They were super nice to talk to and very informative as well! It is cool to learn about other sports and what it takes.

Next up is the Idyllwild Spring Challenge just outside of Palm Springs, CA.