Second Ride

After my first beautiful day of riding my new bike, I wanted to go out and do it again.
I have to admit that I am very timid, when it comes to cornering, breaking, riding over rough stuff and such but again, I am a total newby on the road. So I saddle up my Roadie and out on the Keystone. I am really lucky to have this trail almost outside my front door, so I don't have to fear the traffic too much.
I made it up to the movie theater at Twin Creeks, when I notice the black clouds. One phone call to Martin (and a look at the radar) later, I head on south on the Keystone.
I make it to 25th Street when the first rain hits me:( I wait it out and turn around.
This time, again back at the movie theater, Martin calls me to ask where I am at and to tell me to rush home. As soon as we hand up it starts raining.
I end up rushing over to Culvers and Martin had to come to get me. I saved me from pouring rain, hail and lighting...WOW!
OK, the picture was NOT taken today, but when I hear "hail", that is what I am thinking off...

First Ride

Snowdrops (Galanthus)

Spring

Spring is here

Omaha, Nebraksa

One of my troopers at home:)

Yes, I am back home in Omaha. I had a wonderful time in Germany, but for right now, I am just glad to be back. As you can see on the above posts, did I go on my daily garden walk to see what has "poked" its had out while I was gone.
The one flower, the snowdrop, needs some explaining. I know it from Germany and it normally grows in groups. I planted them last year, so hopefully, by next year, it will come back stronger and it bigger numbers. It is called Snowdrop or Galanthus, because it is usually the first flowers that shows itself after the winter, often still amongst the last bit of snow.
I love them, because they are the first sign if spring in Germany when everything else is still cold and grey. I have to dig out this other picture that I took in Germany if them last year...

London Heathrow, England

Cheers from London Heathrow.

I am waiting for my connecting flight to Chicago right now. I will never complain again about any airports in the US. This one is by all means the most painful!
You are only allowed ONE bag, so your purse does not count and has to be stuffed into your carry on...tell that someone like me that loves big purses....

But, now I am sitting here and can use the Internet for the first time on over a week. I can live without a cell phone but I think, I am addicted to the Internet...is there something like an AIA?

Don't tell my Mom but she packed me sandwiches and I lost them, trying to merge my bags:(
Now, I am hungry and sad. It's been a long time since my Mom made a sandwich for me, plus she put some German chocolate easter eggs in it...

Well, if everything works well (and I do hope so), I should be back in the Heartland this evening.

I am looking forward to seeing you all:))
I miss y'll

Guten Tag aus Stuttgart

Meeting my brother tonight gives me the chance to use his computer to write a few lines. My parents have no computer and no internet access....that is different to say the least. I miss it more than my cell phone.

I took the train on Wednesday to go to my parents´house. We celebrated my Mom´s 71st birthday. It is good to be home. Good food and some time to recover from the long days at the CeBIT.
The weather sucks. It snowed today and my only work-out was snow-removel....not my favorite past time, but it helps to work off German cake.

I am planning on doing some more chores around my parents´house. They are getting to the point, where they need help and I am glad to be able to give it to them.

Like I said, tonight, I am having dinner with my brother Stephan and a friend. That has become a tradition and I am looking forward to it.

I love it here but I miss all of you back home. Especially, Mr. M and Mr. W.
I feel bad, because, I haven´t worked out in a while and my next race will be a disaster...

My last day at CeBIT

I am done. For me the CeBIT 2007 is over and I can jump and the train tomorrow and head down to see my parents.

This last week was quite the experience. So many people, so many hours of work, so much food, being soo tired and having countless blisters on my feet...

Took more pictures but once I get to the hotel, I am so tired that I just go to bed. I am hoping to find some WiFi, while I am at my parent's house, so I can write some more about my visit here in Germany.

I read y'all blogs and I miss you guys. I feel bad, because I haven't worked out in a while, but I guess earning money and possibly working on a career can't be underestimated:)

Well, I gotta go to sleep so I can haul my suitcases to the train station tomorrow.

I am double and tripple excited: I am in Germany, I will see my parents and my brother, it will be my Mom's birthday tomorrow and it's SPRING!!!

CeBIT, day 4

Greetings from Germany. Today is day four at the Computer show and I am tired!
The size of this show is hard to describe. We are one of 6000 from 77 counties. We are in hall 9. There are 26, or was is 36? I don't know. You find everything. From e-voting, to GPS system, to...
The shows is open every day from 9 am to 6 pm and after that we go out to dinner and make sure that the German beer is still meeting the quality requirements. So far it is, but one has to keep working on it...

I haven't been working out, because, I am on my feet all day long, standing or walking and once I am done, I am BEAT!!

I wish, I could have a bike to get around here. I do look forward to going to see my parents this Wednesday and do NOTHING for few days:))

Gotta go for right now. My latte machiato arrived. Miss you guys!!

two days of CeBit are over...

This is Ellie Ono, a good friend of mine who works normally our of Texas.

...two day of meet and greet with M A N Y folks. Quite a fiew of them are popotetial buyers and that youd be great. We aslo had the Debuty to the American Embassador at our stand.

(Pic, will follow)

Later in the afternoon, I felt the urge to bond with my people from Baden-Wuerttember and snactch up a nice pen and a key ring holder. So I go over there and walkright up, waht looks like a baar, since I see I jar of the object's of my desire. Well, Just around tat wery corner is a podium set up with a microphone and in the back it announces the MinisterPresisdedaent von Baden-Wuerttember (which would be a Governer in the US). He walks up. Holds a short speech, turns around and get a beer offered. Takes one and then sees me, offers me one, (YES), walked around towards me and we "cling" the bottles. ( a guy working at my stand said that Herr Dr. Oettinger had only eyes for me:) Another reporter wants us to say prost and so we do it again. I am sure, i will Show up somewhere tonight or tomorrow in the German press media...

After 6 pm, we are invited for free food and wine from the State of CA, beats baying for dinner:)

And I got home early tonight, to have a bubble batch, it is actually a yacuccy bath and it feels great on aching bones.

I am in Germany

Hi guys,

It's really late here. I had a good trip and made it safely to Hannover.
Set up for the CeBIT today. This show will be ENORMOUS!!!!

I will take some pictures!!

Gotta go to sleep so I can shine tomorrow:)

Take care,

CC

Ready for take off...

Wearing my favorite hat says it all where I am heading....HOME, even though I won't take it since I expect the weather to be too warm. But German weather is unpredictable. Well, in the worst case, I would have to buy a hat...



This is my beloved Mom in our home's living room in Germany













A shot of our yard, I believe in last November. Still pretty green. They have a big yard.













This pictures Martin took in a little town along the Mosel a very pretty river valley, famous for their wines and tourism.










This church is actually is in Austria, but cut have been also found in Bavaria. Typical catholic architecture. Great shot with the sun going down behind. A warm day in the end of November...







Well, I have more pictures but I will take more in the next couple of weeks.
I am flying out tomorrow to go to Hannover, Germany, to go to a Computer Show. It should be interesting and it is a GREAT shop opportunity for me. Cross all your fingers for me.
Once I am done there. I will head down south to Stuttgart to visit with my parents for a week.
The only wish I have would be to be able to take Mr. M and Mr W. along but they have to stay her and hold the Fort down...
I will take my lap top and hope to keep my blog updated, so please keep in touch:)

Having FUN in WP, CO

We got back at 2 am this morning. The drive was no fun. Foggy and dark but we took turns and made it safely to our Fisher House.
Since I couldn't upload pictures on the road, did I pick a few of my fav' to get you started.
I am trying to set up a Flickr account, so you can see them all.
As most of you know by now, did Martin and I spent six days in Winter Park, Colorado.
We have been there before over Labor Day weekend to go MT biking but this was our first ski trip. And what a trip it was:
The start for me kinda sucked, since I got snowed in here in Omaha on Thursday and couldn't fly out to Denver until Friday. Martin was already there and picked me up at the airport.
Friday, the weather up over the Berthoud Pass was horrible. It snowed and the temps were around 0 degrees F...brrrr! So actually, we didn't miss that Friday as a ski day at all.
We checked in the hotel. Rented skis and got some snacks and settled in for the day.
And, as you can see on this first pic, I bought a hat.
My closest friends know this:

I COLLECT HATS AND BASEBALL CAPS:))) Wherever I go, I try to find a cool one. Drives Martin nuts, but what can you do...(so if you ever find a cool had and think, VeloCC might like it, think off me:)

Well, next morning, we have blue skis and we head out to hit the slopes. It is a bit chilly and I am glad, I never actually looked at a thermometer that day: the high was a whopping 8 F!!
No wonder, that I started getting cold feet and had to put some toe warmers in my boots. We had to cover our faces.Good thing was (not) that I had left my ski mask in my suitcase...
But I had a windstopper scull cap and a windstopper neckgator and I have some down mittens and with a few stops for hot tea or coffee, we made it through that day.
It just made for weird and slow snow conditions. The cold snow actually slows the skis down...something physical.

Next day: more sunshine, better wax on the skis, warmer temps and and even broader smileon my face...what else can I say:)
We went down mogul craters that sometimes ate you up

















We skied through deep powder, trees, ungroomed slopes, through moguls on steep slopes (dobble black diamonds) that were so high, that they reached my waist as you can see in the pictures. That is real work to get down those hills, trust me.








This picture stands for its self. It isn't very easy to stop in the deep

powder and so it come that you get to hug a tree:)

Driving around to explore the area, we saw this moose resting just on the side of the road.It got up, when we got out of the car.

I takethist as a GOOD sign, since we found out favorite place in Fraser Valley. It is still a dirt road in the woods, but they started to sell land and there are a few house built. The Road is called Moose Run Lane and we fell in love with it.
Might me a dream for a while but if I land this job, I know what I will invest in. I piece of land on Moose Run Lane. You van all bring your MTB. The trails go right through our yard. And Mr. Whiskers can hunt some Moose:))

Die Bergziege in her element

Epic Ski Day

Don't have any pictures yet for the blog and I am too tired to write
too much but we had an epic ski day.
5 hrs of skiing
all kinds of different kinds of slopes:
blue
green
black-blues
and then,we started to ski in the trees, in the deeper snow,
crossing from one slope to the other.
Big fun, high adrenalin kick, since you
cannot stop as easily, there are TREES and
lots of fluffy snow to stop you dead and suck you up,
oh and you can't turn, at least, I can't...
BIG FUN
UNTIL...
You come out on a BLACK slope (and black is an understatement),
STEEP
and with MOGULS that you can hide in between...
well, it is like Downhill MTB and it is a great work out.
By the way Marc, even though my HRM didn't work today, this was not a Zone 1 or 2 work out. I will show you the pictures. You will see
Later we went on to ski an area that can't be groomed.
It goes down trough trees, stumps, rocks, etc.
(the latter are mostly covered in snow)
Martin decided that I need a ski helmet for next year.
I didn't know those kind of runs existed until today,
not that I would ever ski them...

R&R& Exploring the Area on Monday

We decided to take the day off from skiing, to rest our burning leg muscles and to explore some more of the area around the Grand Country beyond Winter Park (WP).
Martin let me sleep in a bit longer, which helped me "digest" my cocktails from last nite... We also did some laundry, actually, Martin did the laundry.
He found this place about 40 mile from WP, called Hot Sulphur Springs, Co and it has, like the name indicates: a Hot Sulphur Spring Resort and Spa.
I didn't want to go at first but then I thought, hey, lying in some hot water, might not only relax my sore muscles but also clear my head and so we went.
And it was wonderful.They have 13 pools with different temperatures, all fed by naturals (stinky) sulfur, but oh so relaxing. We soaked for about for two hours until we fetl like prunes and almosll asleep...
Time to get out and going.
Next, my wish came true to drive to Grand Lake. It is a small resort town on a Lake, that is supposed to be Colorado's largest natural lake. Besides being a cute little town, it is also the new home of a friend of mine, Sarah, who used to work at the Trek Store in Omaha. She met this guy, who owns a bike shop at Grand Lake and moved out there and I do not blame her at all.

Bummer was, that Monday's is her day off, so we missed her, but we went into the store next door, since they were selling dog supplies, so I could get a souvenir for you-know-who and being in a small town they knew Sarah and promised to tell her we said hello.



On the way back to WP, we took a detour into our favorite part of this area. It is called the Fraser Valley. Fraser is the next town over from WP and we went there the last few times mountain biking, because you can drive into the woods, park the car and start out flat, before you have to climb up the "hills"(mountains). It is densely wooded with pine trees. There are a few houses but mainly open land and lots of property for sale. Driving through there brings tears to my eyes. It literally feels like: THIS IS IT!!! OH MY LORD... It is beyond words and I can't describe the feeling that I get being out there other than: I feel, I belong there.

On the way back into Fraser, we "caught" a Moose sleeping, just a few yards beside the road.

Well, everybody has to cross their fingers and if you are religious, please pray for me, so I can get this job with ES&S. That way, I will have some money to invest; invest in some real estate in Fraser Valley Colorado.

You will be ALL invited! We will have MTB trails starting right at our front door and lots of other activities....

Yestersay's recap March 3rd

Yesterday's entry got jeopardized by too much skiing, not enough eating and Happy Hour at the bar across the street...upsi! Two Cranberry-Vodkas later (dobble shots, due to the Happy Hour) put me "out-of-order" :)
So, here is the recap today. We had our skis re-waxed in the morning. For all non-skiers, I should explain the importance of the wax on the bottom of the skis. It makes for the glide of the ski in the snow. There are all kinds of different kinds of waxes out for all kinds of different kinds of snow: cold, fresh powder, ice, warm, slush, etc; it's a science.
Anyway, we got new wax and all of a sudden we had skis that actually ran down the hill:)) Heavenly!
After studying the Trail Map we decided to check out some new trails. The weather was "warmer" but still in the 20ies. Sunny, no wind and perfect snow: no ice, no slush and enough fresh snow and room to play on the slopes....ahhhhhhhhh. And when you stop and look up, all you see is more mountains, trees, trails, snow caps, blue sky....
The skis that I rented turned out to be the perfect match for me. When "summoning" all my skills, I could really rip up some of the slopes, what a great feeling. It is almost like flying.
Martin, even teased me to go off-piste, into deep powder, to make some fresh trails between some trees. I had never done that and I did two LOG-CROSSINGS:). No jumping so BUT so much fun. Martin took a picture of me that I have to add later. You can tell, by the smile on my face: total bliss.

Ski Heaven

Winter Park

Epic and COLD Ski day

Well we got our first ski day in and even though the weather was gorgeous, it was also freaking cold (arschkalt) and we didn't want to pull out the camera too often. That is, why I looked for some "snowy" pictures online, but nothing does it justice compared to what we saw today.
I know a few of you have been here and know the are. It is beautiful beyond words to start with. Today, after the fresh snow they had yesterday and all week, all the trees and everything was covered in snow and it was the kind of powder that they call champagne powder here, light and fluffy. It was sunny all day and clear.
The only Problem we had today was, that it was arschkalt, like I said earlier. It was so cold, that you had to cover your face and it made the snow slow. I know that rhymes, but it actually sucked as well. Someone, we met on one of the lifts explained it to us. The cold temps, made snow crystals "stand up" and act like sand paper. They actually slowed your skis down...weirdest thing I have ever skied on, plus the wrong wax. It's like having super knobby tires on a bike and you have to pedal to go down hill.
My skis, K2 Performance Carving skis, sometimes just stopped, if I didn't point them downhill enough. Which is hard to do in a mogul field... Tomorrow it is supposed to be warmer and we get a new wax job done. I can't wait. Other than the stopping part they felt really good and I got some got carving in...
The slopes up here are wide open and there weren't many people out today. Maybe it was too cold for them.
Well, time for me to sleep.

Winter Park, Colorado

We made it to Winter Park!
The reasons, why I am so excited about it, are multiple. For once, my scheduled flight yesterday from Omaha to Denver got canceled. So, making it here today made it even more special. Martin was already in Colorado Springs for a meeting and picked me up at the Denver air-port.
Second, because I love Winter Park and third, we have SNOW. We will have fresh powder tomorrow and the forecast promises sunshine:)
When we got in today it was kind of frosty: -4 degrees.
We rented some cool demo skis. I got some last years K2 ladies skies. Very cool! Can't wait to try them out...will let you know how they ride tomorrow:)
SKI ON!!

Having a DOG moment....

This is/was Chelsea, my very first dog: a short legged Jack Russell Terrier that I saw first when she was six weeks old. I took her home after nine weeks and after that, we were only known as the C-Team. She and I went everywhere together. She was so much more than a dog and she helped me through so many tough times in my life.
I can also say, and everybody that knew her would agree, that I made her life as wonderful as possible for her, since she was the love of my life...
Playing stick was one her favorite things to do and she could drive you nuts with her endless (JR) energy. She outplayed every other dog and every human that ever played with her, BUT, I could take her to school with me. Back in Germany she went everywhere with me, shopping, to restaurants, traveling on the train, etc. and she was always well behaved

Last Spring she started to slow down and in May she got really sick. We took her to the Vet and they found out that her little kidneys weren't working anymore. They tried everything but they had to give up and we had to make the hardest decision and let her go....
I am still crying writing this. There was this special bond between her and I and I felt that day a piece of me died, but I am sure every pet owner feels the same.
So all week, I have been looking at Kit and how sad her family must be right now and all my pain came back.

But, then there is this sigh underneath the table and it reminds me that Mr. Whiskers is sleeping at my feet. He actually joint us before Chelsea got sick, so I wouldn't have to find a "replacement" (as if that would ever be possible) and over this last year, he snack in my heart and he makes it really hard not to love him.
Life goes on and the ones that passed on are still alive in our hearts and memories...


And how can you resist a face like that:))