Day 7- :-(

Well, this is the last day of camp.

I have eaten breakfast and my bags are packed. The only thing left for me is to make it back to Chicago, which is something that does not excite me.

As I write this, I think I will swing by downtown Solvang for a bit to buy a few snacks for the looooooonnnngggggggg wait in the airport.

I cannot help but think of all that I have learned while doing this camp:

- how to dress for rides
- how to pace myself during hard efforts
- nutrition and hydration
- race strategies

My threshold for pain has definitely moved up a bit and I think my training will improve thanks to my newfound toughness.

Also, the idea of "getting away" from it all is something that everyone should consider. I have not had such a carefree week in a long time and because of it, I feel terrific coming in to the week.

Ok, I need to clean up and visit downtown Solvang one more time until I come back next year :-)

Thanks for reading. I hope to have the final batch of pictures up later this week - Justin

Day 6 - The Final Race

Today was the day that I put it all together.

A 78 mile day (25 out, 28 race, 25 in) to cap off an amazing week.

The race itself wasn't so bad. I finished in the upper third out of 65 racers, so that was cool. There are a lot of strong people here and I was glad to leave everything out on the road against them.

The winds made things a bit tricky, especially on the decents.

The scenery was absolutely amazing. We road from Solvang to the Pacific Ocean. Mountains, water, sand: all awesome.

On a sour note, a really nice guy got in to a gnarly crash towards the turnaround. There have been entirely too many crashes this week and some people had to go to the hospital. I am lucky to leave this beautiful place alive and healthy.

I have an awkward tan, my legs feel strong and I had an amazing time. The only crappy thing is that I have to leave tomorrow.

I hope to have more pics up soon - Justin