JailBreak

This weekend was the Huntsville Jailbreak. I was able to get MOAT out with 3 teams this year. Shaun and I would race 2 person Male. Leslie and Ric would race 2 person co-ed. Magan and Bonnie would race 2 person Female.
We took 3 teams that 'could' win each division.
Shaun and my race went great. Besides me nav'ing a little off course in the first orienteer leg, we ended up in Transition area in 2nd. We left in 1st, and had a 10 minute lead in the first paddle section. Until we hit CP(Check Point) 6. We went to where it was, and didn't see it. So we went further, again didn't see it. Shaun checked the map and we fiddled around with where it should be. We see 4 teams barreling towards us....they haven't seen it either! We look around. Finally we determine it is not there, so we leave.
Our lead is only 4 or 5 minutes at this time and we get to the next O section(orienteer section). We hit the first one, of 4, easy. Then we go for the next. We can't see it! So we go back to the first one....Shaun takes a heading on his compass, and we were just to the left of where we went first. Again, no CP. As we head back, other teams catch up to us, and THEN we see it. Shaun's asmuth was set to Georgia still(everything would be too far right). And the next two went the same...we were too far right.
We get back on the boats and have 4 other teams with us here. But it's Shaun and I, arguablly the best paddlers on MOAT right now. Well, at least better than last years winners! We get a minute gap at CP 11, and start for 12....where we apparently opened up a bigger gap.
The next leg was biking. We plotted the points, and headed off.
We rode kinda fast, enough to keep our lead, and ended up winning in 3:19. 2nd place was a Co-ed team, 9 minutes back, and 3rd was co-ed 2 minutes behind 2nd.
Ric and Leslie started the race great, they were in 1st and hit the trail 1st. They were the fastest team there. But running around the lake(7 miles) while everyone stays on the correct side of the lake, really hurts their chances. They made up lots of time, but that extra hour run really put the hurt on their overall time!
Magan and Bonnie SMOKED it! It was cool to see them as they were paddleing and biking, making up the time and taking a SWEET 2nd place. After getting 2nd, Bonnie was super tired from being up ALL day working, and Magan was happy to finish her first race! They said afterwards, that they could've gone faster on the first section, where they lost 20 minutes!!! It's awesome to see them do well.

Sunday was supposed to be the Dirty Du. I opted out because I didn't want to get up at 3 in the morning. So I went for a ride with Randy Hickl and Devon(his soon to be brother in law) and Magan. The ride was to the State Park and do a lap, then return. Just under 30 miles.
I ended up towing Magan, as her legs and back were hurting. And poor Devon has never ridden so far. While doing the loop, I was leading Randy and ?Matt?, and came around a corner, a bit tooo slow, and knocked a stick in my front wheel.
I proceeded to fly over the bar and do an abrupt endo! I cracked my neck, hurt my fingers on my left hand(somehow) and hit my sternum REALLY hard, knocking the air out of me. I was really nervous, as I just thought about Dave and his sternum. I toughened up and finished the ride, but with a sore chest the rest of the day. The ride back home was GREAT, Devon went to his friends house by this time, So it was just Magan, Randy and I. I towed Magan in a downhillish, tailwind for 6 miles. So much easier than a headwind, uphillish ride!

This week is Thanksgiving, so have a great one to all that read, and especially if you are in IRAQ!
The day after T day, Mark will be in town with Kelsey, so we plan to hit the Ren Faire(renaisance festival). Do a 10k run on Saturday, with some extra training afterward. Hopefully a good ride on Sunday, and start prepairing for the Texas Dare on the 13th of December. I might hit a few cross races the weenend before to get in extra fit shape.

USARA Nationals

Quick story. We pulled out at 13hrs because of a rear flat that would not keep air in it. Well, not just one flat, we had 4 flats! Go figure it was my bike. Shaun was pressured into doing ALL the nav, even on the bike. Which is where Dave normally did it. We paddled like MOAT does, making up big time. Even the cold river couldn't stop my blistered hands from holding the freezing paddle. I HTFU and did it. Now getting out and carrying the boat had some pains shoot in my back as the team switched off lugging the 80 pound boat on land.
Dart/nuun did a great race and won. They told us they kept looking behing on the boat and bike legs because they KNEW we were coming.
After getting warm and sleeping all night, we woke up Saturday not knowing what to do. Leslie and Shaun decided that staying for the awards and handing out congratulations was the right thing to do. SO we sat. And waited. Finally we decide enough of this and went out for a hike and some Nav practice. I did get us lost, but I still don't understand how completely!
We show back to the hotel,and find out that we're late to the awards. So for us we are on time. The awards was outside, at night and I can't tell you how cold it was with 4 thick layers on my top. We talked to HillCountry Bicycle shop and ate some pretty decent food. Cheered on all those that did the race, as they suffered for the good part of a full 24 hours.
Troy Farrar invited us over to watch the Tech vs Oklahoma game and Leslie was more inclined to go when she heard their would be liquid drinks available. The game was good, with Tech winning, and everyone watching was from Austin, was against it, wanting Texas Longhorns to be higher in the rankings.
We then discussed some rules and what if's with Hartley and Patrick. Then watched some funny youtube videos. What you are about to watch are some of those videos.

Thanks Chance: http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/154bc4bd1b/drunk-history-vol-25-featuring-jack-black-from-drunk-history-jack-black-and-derekwaters

My halloween costume was brought up and this video was shown: http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoID=819185764

And Leslie was enjoying all the Flight of the Conchords.....business time, if thats what you're into, the most beautiful girl.