Crazy week

So this weekend felt like a total loss and one that went by way too quickly. I am moving this weekend -- just across town -- but still, it's a pain to move ANYWHERE. I hate packing. I hate even thinking about packing. UGH.
On top of moving, I am trying to get back up to speed with my tri training. I was on vacation 2 weeks ago and then last week, a couple of days were thrown off due to orientation for my new job up in Raleigh. I planned to get back into it full force this week, but due to packing and moving, I have a feeling I need to lower expectations.

For those of you who read this blog, pray that I can get packed a little at a time this week. I don't have to be out until July 8th, but I'd like to get settled in at the new place this weekend so I can just come back and clean after that.

Oh and the new job is going well. It's fun to be back at a law firm. I know it's going to be a challenge, but I'm up to it. I just pray I can do a good job and that they will be glad they hired me!

Beachness

Here are some photos from my time here on Hilton Head Island. This is our last day so I plan to take a bunch of photos today!

Getting dropped

So most of you know that i'm training for a Triathlon Sprint in September. I'm on vacation with my friend the Finks and the Metzls in lovely Hilton Head Island for the week. It's been a challenge to maintain the level of activity and I've definitely felt a bit guilty about this.

The other day while out on a ride (because I did bring my bike with me), I stopped in a bike shop and inquired as to whether they had any group rides. The guy informed me that there are rides every Tuesday and Thursday from the shop. I missed Tuesday but showed up this evening. At first I thought it was going to be me and these two older guys, but we rode a couple miles to a park. We chit chatted a bit and then this flock of cyclists headed our way. There were easily 25 cyclists. I have never ridden in a pack this large, but I was excited to ride.

At the outset, I was hanging with the pack. I thought it was a good pace, but honestly I wanted to ride a bit harder. Oh naievete. It bites you in the ass. We turned down this one road and the pack took off! I wasn't in the far back, but this woman informed me from behind that we were getting ready to get dropped. It took a second to realize that, hmmm, I don't know where I'm riding TO and I'm not entirely sure how to get back!

I see this woman up ahead and I'm gaining on her. Because I'm friendly and I see this as an opportunity to meet new people, I ride up next to her and ask her what the pace is (assuming she has a flight deck of some sort). Well, apparently this woman had a hard time talking and riding at the same time. She loses concentration and heads off the road. I am freaking out at this point. Is she going to fall of her bike or just come to a screeching stop? Have I just put this woman in great peril by asking a stupid question? Is she going to.....?

Well, I look back and call out to ask "are you okay?" but I admit, I don't stick around to find out the answer. I knew she was fine, but I thought she would be pissed. So, I ride hard and I ride fast. I'm not sure I did the right thing, but I had no idea where I was going and I also feared getting cussed out. I realize while I'm typing this that I might, in fact, be a horrible person, but it all happened so fast.

Like I was writing before, I rode hard and fast and found some cyclist riding ahead of me and asked him where I should go. Thankfully he was nice and informed me where the pack had taken off to. I eventually caught up with a few riders and asked how to get back to the shop. This guy wearing an NC State jersey just told me to follow them. So I did follow them. At one point, I felt like they were trying to lose me. I felt like saying, "hello. did i not just tell you that I do NOT know my way around here?" I repeat, "I am NOT from HIlton Head." Jerks. Anyway, after a couple of miles we end up at a bike shop....just not THE bike shop that I started out riding from! UGH. I asked them to kindly point me in the direction of the main road and so they did and I was on my way back to the resort. And I did make it back safe and sound.

I look forward to getting back to the group rides in Charlotte. They seem a lot less dramatic and a lot more fun. Bring the fun, Charlotte. Bring the fun.

UGH

So I was reading someone's blog this morning and they said how they turn to music when things in life aren't going exactly right. I find I do the same thing. Music seems to transport me out of the current disappointing moments to a place of happiness and where things seem to be all right. My friend Luke, my constant source of all musical goodness turned me on to this group, Minipop. It is sheer pop heaven. I encourage you all to listen. Here's a vid from youtube so you can have just a taste. They're bad ass -- a female drummer AND lead singer. (By the way, a flock of geese just flew overhead -- barely above the treeline and "honked" at me. What does that mean?

And it's almost 7am and I'm supposed to be in the shower getting ready for work, but I'm sitting on my front stoop blogging. Go figure. Oh and it's going to be a hot one today, Charlotte folks. Bloody hot.