Amanda Carey: The Week in Photos

Here's a photo summary of the last week..or two.

The Kenda team went to the Dexter Middle School after Iceman and spent the day with the kids, teaching them about bike safety, muscle function and what it's like to be a pro. This is me, having the kids drop raw eggs onto the floor, then into a box filled with foam packing peanuts, showing them how helmets will save their egg yolks (brains).

Andy hooked the kids up to his e-stim machine and make their muscles twitch. They loved it. They especially loved him. Andy signed lots of his trading cards after class. Mostly for the girls.

If Andy ever quits mountain biking, he
could probably get a job coaching basketball.

After a week in Colorado Springs, we went to Boulder to visit Tim and Chellie. We ate great Italian food at a trendy Boulder joint and I was reminded that if I ever move to Boulder, I will have to work on my wardrobe and my Boulderificness. This is TK killing it at Boulder Cross #4. I did not kill it. In fact, I think I just sent the head cold I had straight into my chest. This race sent me deep into the pain cave. I'm glad I raced, but after a week of base miles, traveling and being sick, it wasn't by greatest performance of the year....moving on.

We went to Kremmling for the weekend to visit my my sister, Alyson, hubby Dave and new baby Asher. Alyson and I took advantage of the nice weather and baby-care combination, left the baby with the boys for the afternoon and hit the trails

We pedaled out to the top of the Kremmling mesa above her house. We both had the brilliant idea to call Nate and Dave so they could look out the window and wave to us, but we both left our cell phones at home. We are so alike.

Alyson was psyched. She let me ride her steel Surly 1x1 and she got to ride my Racer-X all day. It was my first single speed experience and I loved it. As an ex-pro downhiller, she could school me on a tricycle on the downhills, so putting her on my Racer-X left me in chase mode all day. She claimed my bike was the nicest bicycle she had ever ridden and immediately started angling to have me give it to her for Christmas.

On Monday, I went out for my favorite road ride in Colorado, from Kremmling out to Toponas via Gore Pass. I think I saw a total of 10 cars in 50 miles.

A perfect 5-7% climbing grade with incredible views.

Yes, I made it to the top. Twice.

The highlight of the trip was meeting my nephew, Asher, for the first time. He's 3 months old and is one of the happiest babies I have ever met. It must be the parents.