coming up soon…

That’s right folks. Sonya Looney actually went out to the bars. I know it’s a miracle, but it happens…about 4-5 times a year. Read it and weep! I have been trying to be really good about being as healthy and responsible as I can for bike racing. Alcohol usually does not imply either one of those, so you can see why I have been avoiding it…. which also means my already low tolerance has faded to basically nothing. Last summer I had bloodwork done and the doc commented on how low my liver enzyme count was and that I must never drink. haha, that explains it all.

Friday night:

Pool party with BOTH roomies and their friends, and then off to the bars to drink some much needed margaritas. mmmm. Then I met up with Thurein (and various other engineering pals from when I worked int he Power Electronics Lab).

Liz’s normal reaction to Brent.

Me and Thurein eating sushi (and Montu in the background). We went and played darts later. The boys were very alarmed with the force that I use when I throw the darts. I know you’re supposed to just use your forearm. But I am an endurance athlete. I like to go hard. So I use my whole body complete with the shoulder turn. C’mon, I used to be a tennis player after all, you gotta use the core and shoulders.

The roommates and Sonya after 2 margs. Looks like my alter-ego was coming out. The Looney (and sometimes Son-yat) When riding home, I was saying to strangers, “Very nice! How much?”

Bri. Blah blah blah. This pic is fun

Saturday:
Monique’s bday. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to go out, but Brian and I peeled ourselves off the couch after being in a cookie coma to hit the town.

Monique and I…double trouble.

AHH, it’s the cookie monster!

Some of my favorite things. My Powerbook, my SCOTT BIKES (hot hot hot!!!) and my world-famous cookies. Ask anyone, they are the best!! Come over if you want one!

Me and my sweetie. That’s niiice!

Brent Milla practicing his self-photography skills. Ranno and Josh look like they are having fun in the background!

More pics of my fav. boys. They are the best too.

Brown ale, straight up. I missed my dark beer.

Ok, after FRS and ibuprofen, time to go ride off this hangover!!!

Wed. Short Track #4. My first thought was, “Where IS everyone?” Drinking, bbqing, or firecracker 50-ing. There’s not much to say about my race. I’m still feeling super tired. I was going as hard as my legs would go. Unfortunately, that speed was a speed where I was NOT breathing hard. I looked like I was doing a recovery ride and was chatting with Brian and Collin as I went by. I wanted to go harder and be tasting iron from my lungs, but my body took charge saying, “no, no no!!” I still got 2nd with not a lot of effort which makes me happy, but dangit, I shoulda won it.

I used my new camera to take photos of Brian (and the pro men’s) STXC. Brian has a broken rib right now. As I was walking up the hill to watch the race, I heard four guys say, “OOOOO.” That meant a crash. I looked at the field. No Brian, no Josh. I guess Josh went down right in front of Brian. Brian flew through the air and WWF styled kneed Josh in the back by accident. Both of them were okay, just minutes back by the time they got going again. They amazingly got back up there and Brian got FOURTH after all that. I am sure he would have won it had he not gone down. He’s riding really strong right now and will be heading to the NC Norba soon. I will be heading to Telluride that weekend to rip my own legs off.

La photographia:

Flat irons and racing. yeye

Me and Monique. She just moved to boulder

Josh asking for MORE laps as he went by. What a sick, sick man.

My OTHER boyz. ryan lynch and the one and only chris jung

Brian laying the smack down, the gnashing of the teeth. That is a suffer face if I do say so myself!

suh suh suh singletrack!!!!!

4th o’ July means I get a whole day off just to do what I want to do! And what do I want to do, you may ponder (or maybe you already know). I headed to Evergreen, home of sweet trails and hilly road rides. I met Steve Ruckhaus, the Cannondale rep, and we headed out to 3 Sisters so he could show me what Evergreen has to offer. Don’t tell anyone, but the trails are really fun and the scenery is beeeautiiful. The trails were pretty crowded and I was happy to see that mountain biking is not dead. In fact, it’s very alive. So alive, that my roommate, Liz, when mountain biking for her first time last Sunday and LOVED it! I told her it’s like hiking, except you get to go faster. Anyway, coming back into town, Steve and I heard a marching band with bagpipes that took me back almost a decade (ugh, getting old) to my freshman/sophomore years of high school where we had pipes in our marching band show. I had a great time and Steve was absolutely hilarious. Then I came home and tinkered with my guitar for awhile…and now I’m about to hop back on the bike to show the suffer face at the short track. I’m very distraught because I lost one of my short track socks…maybe I’ll just wear one. I will be sorry later for sipping on this GoFast at 5 PM. I have just been so dang tired lately.
Me and Steve on our Scott and Cannondale, my two favorite bike brands.

As Borat would say, “Very nice!”

Dang it, why does every single place I go this summer have orange barrels, cones, and flaggers. NO MORE CONSTRUCTION!

In other news, my digital camera finally died (why my blog has been lacking photos that I took). I got a new one last night that is really cool. I can even take videos with this one, AND I have a 2 gig card on the way. Fun for you, fun for me. Last night I had to take photos with my new toy…

Me and Bri. I think this pic is funny. Don’t worry, brian doesn’t always rock the “mexi-stash” as he calls it. haha

Brian, Liz, and Allison. We were going to hit up the pool, but it actually rained pretty hard here. It’s been super hot (100!!! with NO AC…)

Me and Lizzle sipping on crys. oh wait, sangria.

Uhh… Sangria… it just put me in a cataonic state where all I could do is laugh hysterically at Zoolander. Good times!

Sort of. Wah, I miss the fam. I do have the coolest family ever, but at least I will see everyone (even my cousin!!) in Hawaii next month. WOOOO HOOO. I CANNOT wait.

This is the first weekend I have spent at home since mid April. It’s nice although it is 100 out right now. I rode this morning with Caitlyn up at Ned. My legs are super tired and I’m not sleeping well again… just like in April when I got really overtrained. I am proceeding with caution this week.

caitlyn, showing me who is boss.

I love the Ned trails….

Brian, Liz, and I were going to camp on friday, but we were all too tired. Instead we drank wine and Brian took videos of Liz and I playing duets (viola/flute). We are so psyched that we went to the store to get more duet books. Finally, a reason to practice my flute. After hearing the videos, I am ashamed of myself for being so lazy and must play more often! At least I have someone to play with now. Liz has all the pics/videos on her camera. I may add some later. (They are on her blog too)

I think Liz has had a little too much preschool time….

Me impersonating Liz’s viola

Liz and I having fun. The slapping sound is a slap wrap bracelet I got at the toy store the other day. Remember those?

I have been spending the afternoon with the curtains drawn and the fan on to get away from the heat. That’s right people, Boulder doesn’t believe in AC. awww, now I’m caught up on the blogging too.

Liz and I had to sit in construction on the way to Silverton. It was very annoying so we were excited to finally make it there after literally not moving for 30 minutes, and getting stuck behind huge trucks going super slow on a two lane highway. The rest of the photos are compliments of Liz and my grandpa. My camera has been temperamental and can’t hold many photos anyway(I haven’t gotten a memory card).

South Mineral Campground is my favorite place on earth, especially when my favorite people on earth are there! We spent time in Silverton, celebrated my mom’s bday, went hiking, had fires and s’mores, relaxed, saw an 8′x8′ piece of ice fall off this huge waterfall, grilled, drank good beer(my dad’s homebrews!), and just had a gosh darn good old time!! I won’t go into too many details, but I will post pics. YOu can also check out Liz’s blog too which I posted the address and password a few entries ago.

My poor door. Yeah, that’s a gaping hole where the lock cylinder used to go.

Who could ask for a better pal than Liz???? pretty amazing.

I love this waterfall…I have seen it many times!

Liz made me put my feet in the ice cold river. I don’t mind cold water (obviously from my ice baths), but I HATE getting my feet wet when I have shoes on.

8 bucks…I shoulda bought it

This was on our hike…halfway up!

awww, my dad is so cute.

Hiking photozzzz

Liz realizes she is “Looney-ized.” Hmmm…maybe not a happy camper?? Or maybe she is in shock that she is watching a marching band.

My brother doing his thing!

Ok, enough photos.. I know you’ve had enough. Another note about the trip. it took me NINE AND A HALF hours to get home driving solo. Liz told me there was construction on I-70, so I had a great shortcut planned out which turned into a total nightmare. Sketchy dirt roads, having to turn around after many miles of sketchy dirt road b/c it turned into 4 wheel drive 2 miles away from where I needed to be, and a VERY unhappy Sonya (yes, the drive was solo)