Life Beyond Death

I am finally taking the time to update everything. Life has been crazy since mom died. And on that note for those that don't know, my mom died only 20 minutes after getting her home on Labor Day.

After I made that post about her coming home (Sept 7) it was an insane day preparing for just that. I cleaned her house, contemplated where to put the hospice bed that was being delivered that day, waited for the oxygen delivery, went to the hospital to pick up the Comfort Care Kit which is just basically prescriptions for morphine and such to be filled. It was that part that scared me most because the nurse gave me the run down on what I was supposed to do and it was as though I became an instant doctor with 6 medications to give mom. But of course they all had directions like give this one for that and not this one if that and don't over do this one and only this many for that one. Oh my goodness as if my head wasn't spinning enough already and I had to administer all of these to mom as well once she got home?!!!! Ok then. I was left to administer morphine to my mom by myself which doesn't seem right. My brother and I had no help on any of this. No one to guide us through.

That was the other thing, hospice couldn't come in on Labor Day (the day mom was coming home) and my brother and I were left to our own devices on how to care for mom and figure out how to do things on our own if need be. That was not cool in any sense of the word. Hospice left us high and dry. We were actually lucky to even get mom home at all on that particular day. We had to fight in the nice sense of the word to get her home. They didn't seem to understand that when you say someone has 2-3 days at the most left to live, that was for an average "healthy" person, not someone at 68 lbs who is already half in the bag when considered "healthy". She wanted to be home - she begged us to get her there and that is what we wanted to do for her. It was her right.

Thank heavens my brother DEMANDED nicely she get home that day knowing time was ticking and wanting to respect moms ONLY wish to die at home. Some of the hospice nurses didn't even return our phone calls that weekend regarding all of this which we found astoundingly unprofessional. It was not a good situation and I am sure they must have learned from this scenario, (at least I hope they did) because they dropped the ball big time.

On another note, hospice WAS able to coordinate the bed and oxygen to be delivered which was great. Unfortunately the bed came with NO sheets, pillows, blankets, or anything. That meant that we had to go sheet shopping among everything else while trying to actually BE HOME for moms delivery by the ambulance. What a mess!

When the oxygen delivery came I also got to become the new oxygen expert in the house learning how to turn things on and off, make sure it was the right flow, make sure the mask was working, all the parts in order. OMG I was overwhelmed with one huge tank, another mobile tank and then the other automatic tank that was just a plug in. My head was whirling on trying to absorb all the info all by myself knowing that know one else was going to be there to help me.

Getting moms prescriptions (the Comfort Care Kit) from the pharmacy that day was also an interesting adventure. All they cared about was figuring out who was going to pay for it! Hospice did in the end (good on them) but I almost missed moms return home because of the "who is going to pay for it" scenario. I had even allowed ample time to pick them up in case there was a snag! Thank heavens I had moms purse with her drivers license, medical insurance card and social security card in it because without that I would have been left high and dry with NO prescriptions for mom at home and no advocate to help me!!! You know......because it was Labor Day and all. Need I remind everyone that death doesn't care about holidays.

But I did get home about 15 minutes before the ambulance showed up. They transported mom from the hospital she was in back home. That ambulance showed up at 5:06pm. When they took mom out she was sound asleep, breathing heavy and the breathing was in between long pauses. That was just how she looked during the day when I went to the hospital to pick up the prescription sheet from the nurse.

As she was being wheeled from the ambulance to the house my brother leaned down and slightly woke her up when he said loudly "Mom, you are home!". She opened her eye up just ever so slightly and shut it again going back into her deep slumber. I did not see any of this as I was in the house.

I asked the paramedics how she was doing and they gave me her vitals which were already worse than what they were at the hospital when I was there early afternoon. Her heart rate was up and her blood pressure was falling. Two signs that her time is near. Plus they said her vitals had already changed for the worse in the 45 minutes or so that they had her. She was going fast my poor dear mom.

They then took mom from the gurney to the hospice bed that was surrounded by sentimental trinkets, pictures, a rosary and things mom loved. It was my niece who thought it would be a great idea to set up everything like that and it was. The paramedics then hooked her up to the oxygen that had been delivered earlier in the day and said sorry and left. Man they have a tough job!

My brother, myself, Karen the caregiver/good friend of the family, my brothers wife and daughter were all there next to mom. We sat for the first time that day and just stared at mom while taking a moment to rest. Mom was so sound sound sound asleep and breathing incredibly heavy. She hadn't woken up through any of this process except when my brother woke her up with his voice. I even wondered at one point if she may be in a coma.

I then went over to where the prescriptions were to try and remember what I was supposed to do or not do and give or not give. While going through the instructions for everything I saw a pamphlet that was full of phone numbers to call in case you need 24 hour live in care. I took one look at it and thought to myself that there was NO WAY we would need it; mom was going fast. I threw it out and just as I did my brother yelled "Kathy Kathy!" My first thought was that mom was awake and we could say a quick good bye to her but it was just the opposite, mom had stopped breathing.

I got over to my mom immediately to watch her final breaths. It was a surprisingly a very very peaceful moment.

Because we were at home we all got a chance to say our good byes one by one without being rushed. It was actually nice hanging out with her and talking to her - she just looked like she was sleeping. I didn't want her body to leave the house but we finally called 911 and told them that it was an expected death (which we had been instructed to do). They sent over the fireman with the defib kit and I thought you have got to be kidding me....you aren't going to try and revive her are you? We started rushing around trying to find the DNR (which was at the hospital!) orders and it was a stressful moment that was for not. They weren't going to try and revive her. That would have been ghastly and we were freaking out there for a while indeed.

Then next up was the police and then the medical examiners that had to come by and treat everything like a crime scene. That was just the icing on the cake for the day. I guess they had to make sure that we didn't do something to edge mom out of this world faster. That was a bit horrifying as well watching as they took photos of her and stuff. That was lame.

By the time the coroners came about 4 hours after her death we had seen all that we wanted to see, we had said our good byes and we were ready for her body to be taken. That would be the last time we saw her because she was being cremated.

Death at home is the way to go for the surviving family that is for sure. We got all the time that we wanted with mom. It was amazing.

I didn't get to talk to mom at all that day, only the day before on Sunday very briefly when she was still in the hospital. You never know when you are going to utter your last words to someone do you? I think for mom to me her last words were her just trying to get me to leave the hospital room because she was tired. I have to chuckle at that. She knew what she wanted at least!

She also knew that she wanted to die at home and once she knew she was there, she did. It was as though she crossed her own finish line. Good for her!

The next day, Tuesday, Chris and I went out for a breakfast before we got to work with the estate and I must say that people surprise you in so many ways. The waitress, once she found out my mom died not even 24 hours before, hugged me repeatedly, teared up and even sat down with me. She then gave me my breakfast for free. Wow. People can be amazing and understanding can't they?

But on that note, I am amazed at the disconnect some people have regarding death. We ran into some very interesting situations where people (not family mind you) felt that we were not taking the right steps or not taking the steps quick enough and were very quick to judge. We were even called disrespectful children at one point by a non family member. Wow thanks, that is just what I needed to hear right now.

But yeah.....the next day. My brother, myself and Chris all met at moms house and just kind of sat at the kitchen table going: what do we do now? Like seriously. What do we do?!!! I think it is at that moment that you realize you are completely overwhelmed with SO MANY things that you need to do that you really feel like you have no idea WHAT to do...or more so where to start.

The whole next week was chalk full of moving mom out of her assisted living apartment, changing address, discontinuing services, thinking about the obituary, making tons and tons of calls to family and friends. Mom even had a list of people she wanted called upon her death! Miss organized I tell you.

We also had to go to the funeral home to discuss the arrangements that mom had done ONE MONTH earlier. She was such the planner. She had already even paid for it all - a GREAT gift to the family on that one.

The visit at the funeral home took 3 hours because they mixed up the plot for her ashes that she bought!!! The guy who helped her pick it at the funeral home remembered her picking one spot but he wrote down another and was confused by what he wrote. So we had to go look at the area and guess where she had wanted, then make a few phone calls to my aunt and uncle who happened to by with mom on the day she chose the spot and finally got it nailed down. What a cluster but it was very good of this guy to fess up and let us know what was going on because he certainly didn't have to!

The other thing we decided we needed to do was tell dad what happened to mom. We thought he had to right to know since they have been married 56 years so we marched into his Memory Care unit to do just that and the nurses stopped us. We ended up having a panel discussion with the nurses as to WHY we would not tell dad the news and they made some extremely good points. One of those points was that a person with dementia can for years relive bad news on a daily basis as if it were a new thing. That isn't good and we don't need to add to dads suffering.

We are also are VERY aware that of course the nurses don't want us to tell him because it can change everything (his blood pressure, routine, heart rate, attitude, can make him combative etc) and there is some interest on their part for us not to tell him - we get that. But more importantly we don't know what dads comprehension level is, if he can even hear us well, understand a whole sentence vs. only getting half of it before shifting to la la land. Too many factors and bottom line is we want dad to have the best care possible and want him to be happy.

For that matter we don't even know if dad can distinguish hours from days/months/years so just because mom isn't visiting him anymore may not mean a thing.

But what dad DOES have left is the ability to pick up on his surrounding, our body language, our facial expressions and simply just knowing us (his kids) and how we operate and I am sure that him seeing Chris there suddenly, then my brothers wife too, and my niece ......but no mom.... may have raised some red flags in his mind. Never mind the fact that I completely broke down in front of him which I did not want to do for the fact that he may pick up on it.

So we did not tell him and we may not but what an ethical dilemma! Yet another thing to figure out for us kids. Yikes.

On a side note, I also kind of feel like moms last act of parenting was dieing on the day and week she did. Chris, my husband happened to have the next 10 days off and he was able to fly in the night she died and was able to get me through things and help with everything too. The timing couldn't have been better and knowing how my mom planned things, I am sure she planned it this way the best that she could.

Her last act of parenting was to make sure the kids were ok and taking care of in every way. She was worried about me I know because one day the week before she died while in her hospital bed she looked at my brother and said "you take care of her!" I also know that she knew how scared out of my mind I was to take her home. I was so scared and knowing her, she didn't want to put anyone out so the faster she went once she got home the better in her mind. She was something else I tell you! A strong willed women.

The timing of things being as it was, we rented a moving truck later in the week, went through and split everything up 50/50 with no problems (it is just STUFF, no sense arguing about junk you can't take with you into the next life) and packed for 6-8 hours a day until we were ready to leave 6 days later for Utah. We could not have done this process without Chris who was so awesome loading up the truck. The timing was seriously amazing that we were able to get all this done.

My brother and I split things up even as for the duties that lye ahead. We are in charge of everything because dad cannot handle anything. So brother is doing the bills, attorney stuff, dealing with accounts, cars, insurance and I am doing the more fluffier things like obituary's, calling moms friends, writing thank you letters, handling moms active email account, getting items to people that are requesting them (yes people do this!!!), planning an estate sale, dealing with cemetery stuff and most importantly planning the Celebration of Life party which will be held in November.

My friends and family members have been such pillars of strength for me through all of this and without everyone, I wouldn't be where I am now. Thanks for your kindness, generosity, your understanding and your willingness to listen. You are all amazing people and I am so lucky to be surrounded by people that love me the way you guys do. Thank you!

Your Wish is Our Command

The doctors have all agreed that mom's body is shutting down. Every time they do something to help, she has some sort of reaction to it. They have tried everything too.

It is time and mom agrees. We are now done with pills, doctors and IV's and mom was VERY capable of making that decision on her own yesterday about this. It was a very difficult conversation to have with her. We have to be grateful for her knowing exactly what she wants right now.

She has clearly stated she wants to go home so with the support of hospice and my brother we will see mom through what looks like will be her last days on this planet. She will get home today. It is where she wants and deserves to be.

I am scared.

WA Update

I am still up in WA and this past week has been a bear. We finally got the bone marrow biopsy results yesterday and mom has a chronic marrow disease that will be left untreated. Untreated only because her body cannot handle any more. She is so sick of all the poking and prodding and doing more of that at this point may cause more problems since she is so weak. That said, she is still in the hospital. I have been able to be her advocate in there on a daily basis which has been a super good thing. This disease will not cause any more pain but will likely cause her to have her life end due to an infection.

I do feel like a stone wall that is crumbling on the inside. This is all so hard. My worst days were last weekend when I realized what is happening with mom and what her desires were. Since then I have kept it together pretty well. I attribute that to all of you too. Without all your support and just letting me know you are there for me has been a god send. Just know that you can't say the wrong thing to me right now and don't be scared to give me a thumbs up. I need that right now. I am glad to be able to know what I need in these times and to be able to tell you. I have had friends go through these things and I was scared to say or do anything to acknowledge the hell they were going through because I didn't want to make them cry or say something wrong. These are hard situations but I am happy to have all your support everyone!! Thanks! And, the second I stop talking to doctors, nurses, cna's, lpn's, nutritionists, chaplains, social workers, etc. I may actually return your phone calls and such. : )

Today we are to decide what is next for mom. She cannot be alone at all anymore which means a change of life for her and possibly for my brother and I. I talked to the social worker at the hospital yesterday about options for about 3 hours. Needless to say my head was spinning all day and night. So much emotional stress, tons of thinking/contemplating and being pulled in in all directions!

Mom is definitely at the point where she is having more bad days than good. She is on the other side of the bell curve now unfortunately. All she wants to do is sleep as there is someone in her room every 2 hours AT LEAST doing things for her (bringing food, taking blood pressure, checking up, getting warm blankets, physical therapists, etc). That is what you call good care but it continues all night for her and rest is nearly impossible which contributes to how tired she already is. Poor thing.

The nice news is that when I went to see dad, he seemed to recognize me. It took him about 30 minutes to do so but once he figured out who that chick was sitting in front of him, he cupped my hand in his two hands and shook it vigorously as if to say good to see you. He then tried to form words and sentences to let me know he was happy to see me. Apparently it has been a LOOOOOOOONG time since he has tried to talk. He got a few unrecognizable words out that sounded like "happy" and "here". So he is happy to see me and glad I am here! That is what I am going with and I am sticking to it!! : ) Actually, that what he would always say to me when I came home for a visit so I wouldn't doubt that he was trying to say it again.

Since the stroke took his ability to speak, read, write and communicate away, dad is left to his actions to let us know if he is happy or not and let me tell you, he is a man that still knows what he wants!!! You start pushing the wheel chair one way and if that isn't the way he wants to go, out those feet come out as breaks. It is pretty funny...well as funny as not being able to communicate at all is. Ugh.

The other good news is that I have been able to squeeze in a nice long bike ride each day!! It has been just what I need to cap off extremely busy days at the hospital, nursing home and running errands for mom in between. And the weather has been cooperating too on that one!

Here is a picture of the old sandpits from the 1800's that are next to the bike path.

And the Narrows Bridge of course!

Thanks again for all your support!

Done with the Fight

If you are in a good mood, then don’t read this.

After being home now for just over 24 hours I can tell you that I am clearly embarking on what is going to be the hardest journey of my life so far.

As some may know my mom fell last weekend while visiting my dad in his nursing home. The door in the unit he is in has a 15 second timer and that was too short for my 79 year old mom to get through the door in time with her walker.

This put her in the hospital on Tuesday of this week. Things looked to be going well with no broken bones, a clean MRI and all other signs pointing towards her getting released by Friday. Seemed to be just another day at the hospital.

That was until we got her blood test results back. They came back with low red blood cells, low platelets and more importantly a fatally low white blood cell count. So low that her choice was to either die or get a transfusion right away. My mom refused the transfusion for a few days until the doctor, myself and my brother who lives here in WA talked her into it.

In addition to a transfusion on Friday they also decided to do a bone marrow biopsy to see why her marrow is not producing the white blood cells the way it ought to be. This requires a needle being injected all the way into the bone marrow in order to get a sample and to give you an idea of how much pain mom is already in (from what we think is caused by her Rheumatoid Arthritis) she said that the biopsy didn’t hurt a bit.

There could be many reasons her white blood cells are low, to include her Rheumatoid Arthritis to prescription pills she is taking to Leukemia. We are waiting for the results.

I am pretty sure though that the results don’t matter to her anymore. Mom has taken her own destiny into her own hands. She is ready to let go. The excruciating pain, the way of life and probably the fact that dad is in hospice are all wearing on her.

When I saw her yesterday afternoon for the first time in 6 months she looked like a skeleton at no more than 70 lbs. Her upper arm is as small as my wrist which took me aback on first glance. She is not eating due to many reasons right now. One, food seems to make her ill, two, she says it all tastes metallic, and three, it requires moving which because she is in so much pain she doesn’t want to do for a bunch of food that doesn’t taste good and will make her nauseous.

Makes sense to me and I am now ready to stop the nagging her to try and get her to eat. Why? Because I have done it for almost a year now from near and far and have gotten nowhere with it. Ok, maybe she actually took 3 tiny bites of a piece of toast instead of 2 because of me nagging but I am fighting her on it every step of the way. That vibe is good for neither her nor me.

But before I came up here to WA I came to terms with the fact that this (not eating) is her way of letting go of her life whether subconscious or conscious. As hard as that is for me, I am ready to be at peace with her decision and to accept it and to enjoy my final times with her vs. yipping the heck out of her all day. We can enjoy thoughts and memories together and maybe I can even get to know her a little better too while I am at it. That is way better than nagging her and trying to force an issue that she clearly does not want forced any more.

Yesterday in the hospital I asked her if she understood that by not eating she will not be here by Christmas time. My hunches were confirmed when she said yes and then went on to say that she is ready to start the journey of her next life.

Do you have any idea how hard that was to hear?! It was probably my saddest single moment in my lifetime. I asked her how I am supposed to do this and mom told me to just think of her happy that she is with her mom again in the heavens above. She is clearly ready to go and it makes me sick. I am so scared. More scared than I have ever been in my whole life.

As hard as that is, I am happy that she is clear headed enough to make these big decisions. She has a fully functioning brain and is very with it despite her rapidly deteriorating body. We know that she is speaking up about something she knows she wants.

She wants this and OMG it is so hard to accept but I will support her decision and enjoy what little time I have left with her at her hospital bedside. Could be days, could be months.

Got to admit though, knowing she will leave this world soon is unbelievable in the worst way of the word. I kind of wasn’t expecting it to go down like this in the end for her. Granted something great and crazy could happen to change things around but if it doesn’t, she will be gone extremely soon which is what she wants and is choosing.

I am going to respect the decision but it cuts like a knife if more ways than I have ever experienced. My emotions are out of control in every way.

Funny thing is mom has ALWAYS only thought of others her entire life and I am very proud of her for finally thinking of herself first. It is sad that she is choosing this for herself but she is done with the fight that it has been for almost a year now. She is weak, she is tired and she is ready to not be in any more pain.

I am SO frightened and scared out of my mind. I cannot imagine how much water loss out my eyes I have had yesterday, all night and already today. This is so hard.

I am now looking at loosing 2 parents at the same time!


I would love to hear from any of you out there - Please send your thoughts, comments, prayers galore, suggestions, ideas and experiences – I really do need to hear from you right now. I am so wrapped up in my emotions of all this that I feel so vulnerable.

The fear is overwhelming and the denial is even bigger.

Now We Are Talking!!! Nice!

Tour of Utah Stage 5-Park City to Snowbird

Chris and I decided to watch the riders descend down 32 from Kamas and cross US 40 as they ripped toward the feed zone that was by the Dutch Hollow Trail system in Heber.

Here are the leaders.



Last year they were all in a massive group and the speed at which they went through the intersection was beyond nuts. That also allowed for the cars that were being forced to stop and wait to go through the light to not have to wait that long.

Not this year though. There was a 3 minute gap to the leaders. This is the chase.


And some cars started honking because they were having to wait this whole time on US 40. Clearly they did not understand that there were about 100 more riders that still had to cross the intersection and that the race wasn't over just because 2 tiny groups already went through. Aye-yie yie.

The peloton rolls through.



More people were certainly out this year to watch the race in Heber which was cool to see it catching on. Met Tom Zirbel's aunt who was out from WY to watch him win yesterdays stage. Talked to some other people too who had no idea what a feed zone was which I always laugh at because that is everyday terminology for us silly cyclists. But.......NO...they don't all sit down and have brunch in the feed zone for an hour. I love it!!! Too funny.



After everyone whizzed by, Chris and I made a bee line in our car to make it over to the other tippy end of the valley to watch the riders make their way down Provo Canyon. And they were flying so fast that we barely barely barely made it in time, even knowing all the back roads short cuts!! Amazing.

And following those guys was the caravan......

For some reason I just love the caravan and took shot

after shot


after shot

of silly team cars going by.

I think I must be a sucker for all the bright colors. Go figure.

Pro XCT Short Track - Windham, NY

(Zephanie, Heather, some chick)



And yet another day where my head was faster than my legs. What do I mean? I know where I should be in the pack and have total confidence when I am there BUT with my emotional beat downs all seasons long, my fitness just isn't quite there to make that happen. What a weird problem to have eh? Usually it is the other way around where you have the ability to be up front but freak out when you are up there. Man, this year has been a bear for me!!

I actually had a really super great start and lasted a few laps at the leaders pace but after that it was off the back for me. It was as though I hit a wall. And when I hit that wall, I couldn't help but notice the thick humid air that was pounding down on my back while trying to survive the rest of the 20 minute race. It really took everything I had to will the thoughts away of how dang hot and humid it was at that time!

Heather had a solid weekend.


The start of the last race of my mtb season.


Cmag (team mechanic/manager) making sure all is well with me before the start. Cmag is so great!



Zephanie had a great day today!

After the race we did a little of this.

Zeph's bike box is pretty much ready to be recycled as it is barely held together with tape.

And Heather and Colin did a little of that.

You are never too old for floaty toys!

Then to celebrate we went to the local Salami Shop as we were calling it and got cheese, prosciutto, some flat bread, wine and fresh local veggies.

Chris opted for a fresh jar of honey.

And with that the mountain bike season is DONE. Onto racing cyclocross next..........after some much much needed rest and emotional recovery time for me that is.

Pro XC Tour #6 - Windham, NY

Dang It!

Cycling Videos on CyclingDirt

Race Tomorrow

Today was nice out, down right hot actually. The course is drying up but is getting chopped up too. Some rocks that were laying down flat before are now pointing upwards making the wooded sections pretty interesting!

The biggest obstacle tomorrow will be going at a good clip from a bright sunlit non technical open ski run to getting things under control as you enter the technical, rocky, rooty and wetter woods all while being anaerobic. Ah yes....good ole mtn bike racing!

I am up for the challenge!

Windham, NY

Woke up this morning to drizzle. Notta shocker. But the real shocker was it all clearing out by noon making for a really super nice day to explore.

Thought I was lost about 30 times though since googlemaps didn't quite have all the roads in it.

This ride was crazy because you started in the dense trees and then suddenly plummeted down down down down to all the open farmland.

It was beautiful and pleasant ride. Something I need more of!

Windham, NY Pre-Ride

I would have to say that things are pretty dry around here by east coast standards (not Utah standards at all!!). It is kind of funny because most the course is "dry" and then you hit the one mud bog that is totally unavoidable and you are suddenly covered with mud and hay. I came back from pre-riding and my team asked how it was and I said dry and they just looked at me weird because I was covered in mud but reallyit is dry!!

I am going to have to remember this swinging chairlift during the race as it sits right off the course. A girl could use a little rest in the middle of the race!!

The course certainly doesn't climb as high as it did last year but it does have just as many fun sections with man made bridges and rock gardens and really darn good singletrack. This is a place you would want to ride for fun indeed.

So the big thing for me today was seeking out the place I broke my hand and I think I found it. This is the section I am pretty sure. It looks like straight singletrack there but the entrance to it is steep and rough and makes a turn right before it straightens. I washed out there and stuck my hand out to catch myself in the gap on the left.

These rocks are the reason my hand exploded. I told everyone that I heard a snap and I was pretty sure there were no sticks around!!! I was right!

So instead of being intimidated by this section, I decided to show it who is boss by marking my territory. That is right. I am in charge here! : )

Hanging at the House

This place is great with pool, hot tub, horse shoes, games, swings, tons of videos and all kinds of random stuff we can do after our rides.

Here is Colin chatting on the phone on the swing. Cmag will have one of those doll houses in the background when he arrives from Baltimore on Thursday.



That will be his own little pad next to our pad!

VT to NY

After doing a muddy team ride on some of the local kick a** singletrack trails in Vermont we loaded up the van chalk full of all of the teams junk and drove on over to Windham, NY. Bout a 3.5 hour drive maybe.



The drive was nice (no rain!!) and we even got Heather Holmes to a Gluten Free Bakery in Albany, NY. Ever see a kid in a candy store?



Hanging in Windham until next Monday.

Pro XC Tour #5 - Mount Snow, VT STXC

Wow short track sure does hurt when you haven't been doing high end training. How fast you lose it!! I was lucky to have finished 12th today I think. But once again I felt good today despite lack of fitness, had a good start and suffered like a dog throughout the race. The climb was longer than normal (see a trend here?), the day was a little more humid but things were dry for the most part. It was a solid day but I am capable of way more and look forward to being able to produce the results again as my fitness comes along from the time off I took a few weeks ago.


There to watch the sufferfest and to cheer for me was Laura Wesson. She used to work at Deer Valley in the kitchen forever and ever. She lives in Vermont now and came down to watch the carnage and catch up.





She is one of the sweetest people I know and she and I have a lot of very similar things going on in our lives with sick parents. We had A LOT to talk about.

That evening the team had a nice dinner at home made by Andy and Sam Schultz, cooks extraordinaire.




Off to Windham, NY tomorrow.