Since then, which was way back when, I have been all over the US of A and am on my way over the Salty Waters to race all over yander. I can’t even remember when I last talked about this and that… oh yes, when I was in Washington DC. So since then I have managed to avoid melting in Philly (although I am pretty sure it was a close call), sliding out in Minnesota, only to go over the top of someone the next day (thank goodness my bike is so tough and took most of the crash). Then I was off to Austin were I went to the swimming hole as many times as possible, hung out with Kate, Brenda, and Laura, then traveled around in circles with Martina, Taitt, and Hannah. Next and finally I flew home to Bend where I got to hang out with Phil for the week!!

Now as I speak I am in the airport waiting for my plane to take me up and over the salty sea to Europe. After running around all day trying to get everything done I have managed to make it to the airport with some time to spare and food already on my shirt. It was bound to happen sooner or later so I figured to just get it over with. And thank goodness I have my new, used to be white shrit on cause you can really see it.

So first I will be in Italy for a few days where I will get to see Phil race his Mountain Bike Marathon Worlds up north, then get ready to race in Russia where I have never been before. Next we (being Kat, Carmen, Alison, me and I think Lauren and maybe someone else) head to France, then finally to Germany.

Hopefully I will have lots of cool pictures to put up because I don’t have any right now.

Until then have fun doing this and that, that and this

:)Chrissy 

What better way to round out the week then at the CSC crit here in Washington DC. Since we are in Washington DC I figured the president would be there… I mean who would miss an event like this, let alone the president. Anyways, there was a lot of cheering so I am pretty sure he wasn’t there. Now I am not saying he is a bad guy if you like him, I am just saying I think everyone was cheering for the women and men in spandix.

So back to the race where the fastest spandix individual rounding left won. Now I am not sure about you, but I was wishing my bike had a softer seat on it… I mean really the roads. Now I guess it is true… You know how they say the mountain bike races are very technical out in theses parts with all the roots and stuff… well the criteriums course seems to follow suit. They are more technical then many of the western course I have done with the man holes and endless pot holes. Its true you can really see what your bikes made of cause after 50 laps of that, we know we have strong blue bikes… yep

Alright so what really happened in the race… well Catharine (Cheerwine) won, our own LARA (VALUEACT CAPITAL ) was 2nd, and Andrea (Colivita) was 3rd here at the CSC circular race…  

It was a fast race from the start, finishing even faster. Some teams had two individuals, some had four (us), and some had what seemed like a lot more then that. So after only about 15 minutes the break of three went up the road of many holes. After that it was pretty chill, oh but I have to brag for a second cause I think this is the first time this has happened in all 29 years I have been living… I won a preme. Now I am pretty sure I was the only one going for it. 

But if you would like Bontrager Race Lite 700 Clincher Black Wheels Retail Valued at 400.00 for 399.99 + shipping unless you live here or in Philly cause that is the next place we are going or heck even somewhere near the Nature Vally Grand Prix Race, then you get shipping free. I know sweet deal. No, but for real if you do want some wheels for whatever price I am guessing someone out the four of us (Martina, Hannah, Lara, or me… although probably not me) decide let me know…

And Hannah won a pair of oakley five Rtb/Gold Irid sunglasses valued at 80.00 too (see above, other then the 399.99 of course unless you want them for that and we will definitely pay the shipping as long as you live in the US and Canada, maybe Italy cause I will be back to Europe in July or I can even send them back with Phil who will has cleared custumes and is in the US of A as we speak, yeah )

Cool, so we are about to eat dinner and I don’t have any pictures so it is time to go get ready… keys to find, shoes to locate, and I am sure there is something else too.

Cheers for cheering,

:)Chrissy

ps… we did see the George W. Bush Intelligence Center sign, I am wondering if I can get one of those for my house… I mean when I own a house. Chrissy M. Ruiter Intelligence Center next right. I wonder who makes them and how much they cost…

Oui, Oui (sounds like we we, means yes, yes) we are here in France where Alison had a smokin’ fast short TT where she is in 3rd place and the climbing jersey. We rounded corners and flew through round-a-bouts and 3.9km later we were through the finish line.

Here are a few pictures from yesterday… they are tiny, but if you click on them you can make them bigger. I will figure out how to make them bigger, but for now you may need your magnifier glasses to see what is what, who is who…

 This is Alison on the podium in the climbing jersey…

 Amber Rais, Alison, Brooke, and Kat after the time trial…

 And the podium where….

Katie is in the leader in yellow after a really smokin’ fast short TT…

Alright, day two which has a gigantic climb followed by a shorter climb and a big desent is about to began so I am off to pack my bag and eat some lunch…

Also Leah won the Hood TT at Mount Hood Stage Race… Time Trials of all sorts were going on all over the place, Geeze! Yesterday must have been a good day for time trialing cause there were a lot of them or at least two.

Congrads. to Leah! They also have a big climbing day as you may or may not know…   

Until next time, Have a good time

:)Chrissy

So here we are in the southern part of France about to leave to practice for out TTT in a couple of days… But before any of this we (being Kat, Brooke, Alison, John, and I) traveled from Italy yesterday where we passed our truck with our bikes…

 This saves room in the truck for our waterbottles, bike boxes, and gels…

So yep, after a slow start where Brooke was checking to see if we could jump the curb and get around the mess of cars we were off, off and away…

 the traffic at a stand still…

 Brooke checking to see if we can get down this street to the right, but lucky for us a hole opened and we were able to squeeze through…

So, it is time to get ready for our TTT practice… hopefully we will have internet at the next place…

:)Chrissy

ps… If you would like to see the courses we are doing so you can add them onto your computrainer here is a link http://www.tour-aude-cycliste-feminin.com/page1.html

cheers to training on a trainer… just kidding

That is how most of us live… on our way, Now I am not just talking about on our way to a bike race… really you could be on your way to almost anything: riding, eating, singing, dancing, getting a drink, heck even on your way to being tired or awake for that matter. I am on my way to Europe in a few minutes, being more like hours, but I am hanging out at the airport right now…

I have my usual computer bag and my brown paper bag full of food for the trip, which I hope makes it a bit further then the last time… the brown paper bag, not the food. In fact, the faster the food goes the lighter my bag will be and the less likely it will break in 10 minutes. This happened last time I was flying and I had to wonder around to find a store that would give me another one…

Anyways, I am off to Italy for one day where I will get to see Phil for one day… and then we (being Katharine, Alison, Brooke, Amber Rias, and Amber Neban) will either travel together or meet up in France to race the Tour D’Lude a 10 day race with a lot, and I mean a lot of hills. And most of those hill are probably mountains…

But before any of this I was in Bend, enjoying a week of not to much where I hung out a lot with Mattie and Braxton… This of course is at the airport because my camera is MIA so I was unable to take pictures all week cause this camera needed bateries and what would a trip be without waiting until the last minute to get bateries…

So we have… 

 Mattie looking at Braxton, not at me and this is the best I could do after a 100 trys…

 Then Mattie trying to get off her chain so she can go chase an airplane down the runway…

  Braxton wondering and hoping we leave her (being Mattie) there… no, he likes her (sometimes) Usually when she is sleeping, not jumping all over him

  And finally Mattie’s new favorite thing… to hang her head out the window.

Alright, it looks like it is time for me to head through security, I just heard an announcement to enter the boarding area or you (being possibly me) will be left behind…

Time to be on my way, I hope you have fun on your way to something fun

:)Chrissy

Today was day two of the Gila Monster Race here in Silver City where the winds were blowing 800+ mph and the tumble weeds were not tumbling because it was to windy for them. They, if there were any, were probably flying at these great speeds.

And in these great wind speeds Anne (Cheerwine), Alison (Aarons), and Amber (Tibco) attacked the field after the gigantic climb up to thin thin air and stayed away until the finish line. At this point we all joined them about two or so minutes later… we being everyone else and a tuckered me as in I… So before this happened Amber took the win, Alison was 2nd, and Anne was 3rd.

But even cooler news, I mean that was cool news don’t get me wrong, was the Leah is in the leader jersey. Not a yellow leader jersey, but a pink jersey. It is one nice jersey for sure.

Tomorrow is the time trial where we will be traveling at mock speeds, some at faster speeds then others… Obviously, I agree

So it looks like I will have pictures tomorrow from Brian our great mechanice!!! or you can look at Emily’s blog and she will probably have some up tonight…

Alright time for me to go find my sweet skinsuit I love wearing so much…

:)Chrissy

ps… just kidding about the skinsuit. In my opinion suits are for swimming and maybe now airports

Now the frog is jumping a bit higher today. It is true we are in Silver City and at a high high altitude, but that is not why. Leah won the first stage of the Gila Monster Race!!! WAHOO Not only that but Marni was in the break of two where she did a tone of pulling and more pulling. Not only that but Emily was off the front more times then I can count, mainly because I am typing and can’t use all ten of my fingers. And not only that but Sharon was tenth up the gigantic moutain.

So, yep the frog is jumping a bit higher. Now it isn’t jumping really really high because it is still getting used to the altitude. But if it could it sure would.

Tomorrow is another big day where the wind is sure to be blowing 800 miles/hr again. Probably at our sides again, which means a line-up in the gutter. For a second I thought I was in Holland, but then I saw a hill in the distance and felt my lungs burning so knew this wasn’t in fact true. Not because my lungs were burning, but because there was a hill in the distance followed by a moutain.

We are now at a internet cafe in downtown Silver City. It is getting late and time to head soon so I should check my two emails and pack up. Actually if I don’t check it for a week or so, sometimes I have five or six and it becomes hard to get through them all. That is mainly why I came down. No I am just kidding I got three today.

Oh yes, the swimsuits. I agree we should put them on and see what happens. I am just not sure if I want someone patting me down in it if I get one of those SSS on my ticket.

K, time to go

Have a good night,

:)Chrissy

 It has been a while, a long long long time in fact… but it is in fact true. I got a computer yesterday Wahoo!!! And now I am hanging out in Texas waiting for my oh so late plane to get here so we, being everyone waiting, can head to El Paso.

Now it hasn’t been a long time since I have been in an airport… and when I think I have managed to limit the things I bring with me on the plane I realize there is just no hope.  Then I have to convince the airport security person that everything will fit into two bags as soon as I put all my clothes back on, lotions in my bags, computer back in its bag, everything around my computer back in the same bag, belt on, and shoes on my toes.

I actually wonder what they (being the security peeps, as in people…) would say if someone showed up in their swimsuit and flip flops. It sure would sure make the security line a lot easier. I would do this, but then I wouldn’t have an excuss for all my scattered things on the belt…

So after riding through hail so hard I couldn’t see to warm wonderful weather all while in Bend for a little over a week, I am off to race the Tour of Gila where the oxygen is limited and the moutains are big (yes, I would say mountains not hills) with Emily, Marni, Leah, and Sharon.

Alright so the good news is I have a computer, but the bad new is… Now my camera is MIA (missing in action). So instead of using everyones computer according to message schedule I will have to use my teammates cameras and put pictures up accordingly.

Alright I should head to my gate and make sure it didn’t decide to show up on time and leave. I am sitting by the yogurt stand so I can get one of those first…. yum yum

See you where the oxygen is limited if you are going to be there,

If not, have fun breathing

Cheers,

:)Chrissy

Oh my word, the drummers have finally left and I can’t tell you how excited I am… actually I think a few cymbals were mixed in there too.

Yes in fact this started along with the fever, aching, and just down right sickness what seems like a month ago, but really has been close to two weeks. I can’t even remember the last time I have been this sick… The worst part was the pounding head which felt like everything and I mean everything was going to explode. I am not even joking about this part.

I am in Lucca, Italy right now with the national team, who is off racing all over Europe, while I am hanging out inside mostly on a couch watching a lot of sword fighting, water polo, even pool, and when I am lucky a bike race will be on. Other then that I just sleep and sleep some more, that is now. A week ago at this time I couldn’t even sleep because I felt so bad… This only meant one thing. Phil wasn’t sleeping either. Thank goodness he is here… I am not sure what I would have done without him in a foreign country feeling like eight hippos ran over the top of me…

It has been a crazy couple of weeks… I can’t even remember the last time I went to the hospital and I have visited it two times and been to the Doctor’s once in the last week or so. And let me tell you… Each time has been an adventure. They, being the Doctors, are all super nice but we don’t really understand each other so the visits mostly consist of a lot of finger pointing. Lucky for me they let me use my cell phone in the Italy hospitals so I am able to call Phil (he was gone for all the hospital adventures) to translate.

In fact after the second visit and the pain meds had kicked in I was able to use my skype phone while I waited to get an MRI on my head. I am pretty sure they were worried my brain was so big and powerful (hence the pain), but I might have lost some of the words in translation so can’t be 100% sure that is what they were worried about. Mostly I heard “???? Amercano ?????” , the question marks noting what I did not understand, followed by the one word I did understand, followed by more words I did not understand…

Needless to say without Phil I am not sure what would have come of me. Jim and the girls have been super nice too! Lauren and Carmen adventured with me to the hospital for the first visit. This was very nice considering they were leaving for Belgium the next day…

In fact if you haven’t heard, which I am sure you have, Kristin Armstrong is kicking butt over here. She won a race last weekend and got 2nd in Flanders. Also, Lauren got 6th in the 1.1 race yesterday. Carmen, Alison, Brooke (who had the stomach bug), and Megan have been racing strong too! And Emily, who raced with the girls last weekend, is racing now in France with Melissa I am sure kicking butt.

And before any of this happened…

Phil and I were living in the Fanni castle here in Lucca. In fact I have been looking for the dragon that must live in the castle but have not been able to find him. A touch bummed because it would be great if he could warm up our room on the chilly mornings. However, we have replaced out propane heater with and electrical heater and all is good now… Like him, being the dragon, I would be sleeping right now while it is still raining and a touch chilly out.

On Tuesday I am off to the states to make sure I am all better and get ready for the rest of the season. I am a little bummed, but I know it is something I should really do. So I will be in Bend until I adventure back across the Atlantic to race L’Aude in the middle of May. Then I am back to the US for Philly, Nature Valley, and the Austin Crit. After that I will be back to Europe for some more racing.

Well, now I should go see if more sword fighting is on TV. Living in a castle you never know who you may have to fight off and like I said I haven’t seen any dragon so someones got to be ready.

:)Chrissy

ps… I am all cooped up, but lucky for me in a nice place. We have been staying at the SRM place which has been nice. But I have not really been outside in a long time. Soon though, soon. I am just happy the drummers have departed from my head and I am starting to feel better.

If you are a biker, or actually even a jogger; and for that matter, heck even if you are a driver you already know there are many different types of honks while out yonder eating or not eating gus… (not a human Gus… I guess that gus is a gue)

Although, I can’t say gus or gues, which ever it is, capitalized or not, would be my choice of food in the car… I mean really if I am bonking while driving I mine as well eat something good and use my knees to direct my car… in fact if I could figure out how to do this while riding, I would quit eating gues on the bike…

Which really quickly brings me to my first thought… If I really wanted to spell all my words correctly I would probably use spell check, and then everyone that likes fonicks would be screwed…

In fact, Let me see if I can find this email sent to me…

Dang, I deleted it… but anyways (which is like anyhow… probably also not a word … yet closely related to anyway, but more then one way) if I spelled everything exactly right, then you (being someone) couldn’t write me a note…

which is why most of you probably are as confused as I am at this point and are really wondering the real question… am I in school right now??

So on to more important news…

How can I figure out how to ride my bike with my knees so I could eat way better food on the bike without worrying about a wind gust or in fact one of those turtles (not the animal turtle… the plastic, usually white thing)

(trust me I saw in happen in Azzie (usually not spelled that way) by rider RG… I won’t mention any names, but that is who hit a turtle and hit the deck)…

yep, if she had been using her knees this would have never happened…

So I am still in Santa Rosa where I went golfing with Helen and Bob (who I am staying with) yesterday and almost pulled my tricep trying to hit the ball as hard as I could… and that is when I hit the ball so I am kinda wondering why I am so sore

Well, mainly because it didn’t happen that often… hitting the ball (but fun to go hit the few balls I did hit out yonder into the wild green grass)

That will be my first invention… a bigger ball (easier to hit and see after you hit it) although if you are on a driving rang then if your ball is easier to see you can’t claim that you hit the ball the person next to you hit way down the driving rang, so never mind…

But before any of this, first I was going to talk about honks, but got way off track… really you know what kind of honk you are getting while out biking(usually called cycling), jogging, running, walking, gardening, or driving because it (being the honk) is either followed by a wave of five fingers or one finger making it easy to figure out…

Well, it is time for me to go practice my singing of Happy Birthday for this weekend…

:)risychs

ps…
let me see if I can find my warning at mock speeds from a long time ago, heck it might even be on my bio…

Warning: I am not a state of the art genious… although close. There may in fact be a few spelling and grammar errors (if you sound out most words you can figure out what I am saying (thanks)