I tri!

This morning I competed in my first triathlon as an adult. Dunte and I drove to Midland after I got off work last night, we arrived around 11:30. A big thanks to the Shahan family for hosting us.

So here is the story:

Dunte and I settled in to go to sleep and I was gittery and excited and couldn't go to sleep. To pass the time I was bothering Dunte, which he wasn't thrilled about. To settle down I decided to visualize the race. I imagined jumping in the pool and swimming a smooth relaxed 500 yards, then I imagined getting out of the water and going... where? I didn't know. And then it hit me that I didn't know the setup at all. I didn't know the bike course, I didn't know the run course. This didn't help me nerves but I finished a general visualization and fell asleep.

5:30 came early, but I got right up and was excited, sort of. Dunte and I ate and chatted with Patrick and his dad. Before I knew it we were in the car, and my nerves weren't too bad yet. I was as prepared as I could be, now it was time to do it. We get there, and setting up was more rushed then I thought, and then we waited forever!!

They had a staggered start because it was a pool swim, so with 172 competitors, starting every 30 seconds: it was time to hurry up and wait. Waiting in line I had butterflies, but when I got up to the front I took a couple deep breaths and was ready to start.

Ready. Set. Go.

I jumped in the pool and was ready. I love swimming, I was relaxed and taking it easy. A couple people passed me (which happened a lot throughout the morning) but I was okay with that. 500 meters and 10 minutes, 10 seconds later I jumped out of the pool feeling really good.

I jogged to the bike and put my got all of my stuff, I wasn't terribly disoriented. I spent 2:03 in transition and then was on the bike for a good ride. It was a steady pace, with a steady cross-wind. The landscape was as flat as a crepe, you know those little thin pancakes (hehe). I kicked it into the big ring and stayed there the whole time. Several very encouraging competitors passed me, and I loved all of the support. It really helped, and if I ever pass someone I will be sure to shout my own variation of, "Looking good! Keep it up!" My favorite cheerleader passed me going almost twice as fast as the others and from behind shouted, "Looking good babe!" Before I could even question who this over-friendly stranger was, Dunte flew by me. Check out his story (after the weekend because he is racing tomorrow) at www.thefitlife.me He kicked some serious tail. I down shifted and spun to loosen up my legs before the run, after 54 minutes 54 seconds on the bike this was necessary.

Getting off the bike I felt pretty good, tired for sure. I wasn't completely out of it, but I was wishing I had invested in some bike shorts. I only spent 1 minute 27 seconds in the second transition. Now was the run... the dreaded run.

I got started and things were going well. I ran for 3 or 4 minutes feeling good, and then I found the big ugly wall again. It smacked me right in the face. The run took me 43 minutes and 47 seconds, which is a really long time. I walked a lot, especially in the last mile. I really wanted to run across the finish line, and I didn't think that was going to happen if I ran too much in that last mile. I almost puked, but I didn't.

I did finish, I did run across the finish line and I did finish in under 2 hours. The final time was 1 hour 52 minutes and 22 seconds. I really enjoyed it, Dunte ran with me for the very last part of the run and I enjoyed running with him right before I finished. I wouldn't have done this if it wasn't for his craziness, I am in better shape for it, and I really loved it.

Side note:
You should do a triathlon! You can do them in teams, so find a friend or two and pick the least of the  three evils (for you personally) and do it! It is really rewarding, and not a bad way to spend a couple hours on a Saturday morning.

I want to climb mountains.

Dunte and I just finished watching the movie '180 Degrees South' it is about the founders of the company Patagonia, and their awesome adventures. I highly recommend it, the scenery alone is beautiful and the message is icing on the cake (or ice on the peak).

Now I am itching to climb mountains, RIGHT NOW! This is a major problem because we live in Lubbock, Texas, which I am convinced is as far away from a mountain as any place in the world. We also are short on disposable income, so long trips are not reasonable. Finally, we have a 14 month old. While Tori can walk she isn't quite ready for climbing anything but stairs.

My thirst for adventure sent me to internet, so I could plan future adventures and read in envy about other people's adventures. This search lead me to a great website: the site has every mountain in Colorado above 14,000 feet. The site seems to have everything you could want to know about each peak: maps, pictures, tips, and personal accounts from climbers.

When our Zugspitze climb fell through my dad suggested we climb Pikes Peak when they move to Colorado next year. This peaked my interest (haha) and then I learned that there are 52 peaks in Colorado over 14,000 feet, aka 14ers. I want to climb them all. I have no deadline, I just want to climb them all.

Pikes Peak-- The first of many 14er ascents?

Finding a job in Colorado after graduation is looking more and more appealing, because I want to climb mountains.

Dash and Splash

4 miles running, 400 yards swimming. I have been nervous about it all week because I was completely unprepared. I have never ran four continuous miles before and I have never practiced swimming after running. So here is the story:

We woke up around 4:45 so I could take Becca to the airport. She has been visiting since Tuesday and we had a great week catching up. I got back from the airport around 5:50, ate breakfast, made some muffins for later and got everything ready.

Tori and I left the house at 6:35. I was anxious but not rushed, I had a good breakfast and was feeling pretty good. I dropped Tori off at Mia's house and took a relaxed bike ride to the rec. It was a really nice morning and the bike ride was a good warm up. I got to the rec, parked my bike and checked in. A girl from the fit-well staff wrote the number 45 on my arm and I went to set up my transition area. I chatted with a few competitors as they were coming in, then we all headed over to the pre-race meeting.

As I was looking around I noticed some major differences between this Dash and Splash and the 5K I ran at the beginning of summer. There were no power walkers, no strollers being pushed, uh oh these people are serious. As I noticed this and was starting to get a little nervous, it was time to go. And go we did, the pace was FAST. Everyone took off and the main group was out of sight within six minutes. I was focusing on not getting too excited and running faster than I could maintain. During my training runs I would run for six minutes and and walk for two or three. Today I ran for 13 minutes before I took a break and then I walked for a 1.5 minutes. My left calf and ankle get very sore when I run from the blood clot I had when I was pregnant. The pain creeps in when I rest, so I was determined to never rest long enough to let that pain get too bad. Throughout the 40 minutes it took for me to finish the 4 miles I walked about five times each for two minutes or less.

I got to the two-mile point feeling great! I got there in 16:30 and I was really proud of that. I kept running and was really doing well until about the 22 minute mark. My right foot went completely numb, below the knee all I could feel was pins and needles. It was very strange and, believe me, it is difficult to run with an appendage you can't feel.

I ran through the numbness and thankfully it went away after about eight minutes. Around the 33 minute mark I hit a giant ugly wall, it was right around the 3.5 mile point and I was tired! I wanted to walk, I wanted some water and I wanted to sit the heck down. I pushed through, and made it to the finish. I wasn't in a terrible hurry in the transition area, and I was confused and went the wrong way trying to find the pool. I jumped into the water around 44 minutes and all was right in the world.

I started swimming and it felt so, so amazing! I know how things work in the water, I know what I can do and I know how it will feel. I swam the first 100 yards freestyle and the rest breaststroke, it made breathing easier and I didn't lose too much speed. I had the pleasure of passing a couple people in the water and finished my 400 yards feeling pretty accomplished. I got out the water and my time was 55:10. I finished, and I wasn't even last. If it had just been the run I would have hated it, but the swim made it so fun. I really enjoyed it, and will be having similar adventures soon. We are working on the logistics for a sprint triathlon this weekend.

Dunte I stretched and relaxed in the hot tub then rode back to Mia's to pick up Tori. I took an awesome nap and then made myself a feast. When I woke up I felt... hungover. My brain wasn't working, cooking took twice as long as it should have because I was so groggy. I didn't realize until after I ate that my shirt had been on backwards for an hour. I think my brain was just making sure I knew how hard my body worked that morning.

I learned that four miles is a long way. I was reminded how much I love to swim. I was also reminded how intoxicating competition can be.

For a more athletic perspective from the winner of the men's 18-24 age group, keep an eye on Dunte's blog.

I am 21!!!

July 5th was my 21st birthday. I spent the night celebrating with friends in Austin, Texas and I can't imagine a better way to kick off my 21st year. I have been blessed to never really had a bad birthday and have had some truly amazing ones. This is a story I wrote a couple of years ago about my 9th birthday, which is still my favorite birthday and one of my favorite memories. I hope you enjoy the story. Love you Dad!

My awesome dad being the best Opa ever.

Redoubt #6

July 5, 1999 was my ninth birthday and my dad and I were celebrating at Redoubt #6, the best place to see the fireworks; which I still like to think are just for my birthday. Redoubt #6 is a place, not well known, but loved by the few who are acquainted with it. I have been there countless times, and from August of 1998 to August of 2000 it was my retreat. To get there, I would walk out the back door onto the wooden porch, down the stairs and into the back yard. As I made my way to the back gate I would be sure to avoid the piles left by the dog, Hudson. We adopted him from the animal shelter when my family and I moved to West Point, New York. My youngest brother, Will, was fascinated with the Hudson River. It could be seen from several parts of the small Army base. When the dog came home, Will decided to name him Hudson, because the German shepherd-pit bull mix was the same color as the muddy river.

 Once I exited the back gate, I made my way to the fence that stopped baseballs, big wheels and children from toppling down the “rock cages”, as the neighborhood children called them.  I would climb the fence, taking special care not to fall. The first time I climbed the fence, I fell over and cut my ankle on the rock cage. That emergency room trip resulted in five stitches and was the beginning of a very close relationship with the West Point Emergency Room technicians. After climbing down the rock cages, the first landmark was in clear sight.

This landmark was known as the Big Rock. It was about 15 feet tall, perfect for climbing on. On the top curve of the rock there was an indent perfect for sitting. I would go to this rock to read or write or think among the trees. I would write silly songs and plays, and then force them on my neighborhood friends. Heading northeast from the Big Rock would take you through the fairly thick woods to a small stream. A fallen tree was my bridge to the second part of the hike. A large hill on the other side of the stream took me to a narrow road, used by military RVs and marching cadets.  Cadets are college students attending West Point. There are always 4,000 of them and they crowd the small base like deer. Once on the road, a left turn took me up the steep hill. This was the most difficult part of the hike; I walked with care as I leaned into gravity and the weight of my backpack.

Near the top of the road there is a rusted gate on the right hand side. The gate no longer opened but there was a place where the fence sagged low, making it easy to walk over. My dad always crossed the fence first, and then he would hold out his hand to help me over. Being an independent young woman of 9, I would give him the, “I can do it myself Dad” indignant face and confidently walk over alone. Beyond the fence was a narrow dirt road with extremely thick forest on either side. No matter what time of day, no matter what time of year, this road was always dark and wet. West Point is a fairly rainy place and the trees blocked the sun from reaching the ground. Walking down this narrow corridor was my favorite part of the 2-mile hike. It was the part of the walk where I left all concerns and thoughts. I don’t know what made those 30 yards so relaxing. But I know that every time I emerged from the trees to see the entire town, the river, and the surrounding mountains I only thought of the beautiful view and how glad I was to be there. It was like waking up after a long, restful sleep.

To the uninformed eye Redoubt #6 was just a small clearing that looked over the entire base, surrounded by trees, and protected by a 3-foot wall. However, I knew that cannons were aimed over that wall during the Revolutionary War. Redoubt #6 observes the bend in the Hudson that the American rebels planned on using if British warships attempted to sail up the Hudson.  The bend would make them shift their sails, and slow down enough to be hit with cannon fire from the shore. . I knew that the pole near the tree line was a flagpole, and a beacon of hope for those defending it. I came to understand and respect my father’s profession and knowledge during the trips we made to Redoubt #6. During our two-year stay in West Point he was teaching political science to West Point cadets in their second and third year. Before we moved there we lived in Chicago while my dad was going getting his second master’s degree at the University of Chicago. He was home for six straight years, and those years of presence allowed me to meet my dad.

There is nothing particularly striking about his 5’10” 160 pound frame, except possible his extremely blue eyes. He wears the same jeans that he wore the day he graduated from college in1988, but they don’t look as if they have been worn for 21 years. He has spent most of his days in assigned attire. His tucked in polo and hiking shoes aren’t new and shiny, or old and ragged. His teeth are yellowing from too much coffee. Coffee is one of the few things in excess in his life, except maybe love and war.

The love in his life is his high school sweetheart and wife of 20 years, Jeri, and the four children that she gave him. The war in his life is the Gulf, the conflict in Bosnia, security in Korea, and Operation Iraqi freedom I, III, and VI. The only personal item that has traveled with him to all the parts of the world is a Bible bound in black leather. This Bible, unlike his jeans, is worn thin. The pages are yellowing and turned up. The gold that once lined the edges of the well-known pages is now gone.

We hiked up to the redoubt the afternoon of the Fourth; we would very carefully clear the space near (but not to near) the fire pit. There could be no sticks or rocks or anthills underneath the tent. The tent that we slept in was a faded royal blue. It was a very simple tent that could sleep three comfortably. We had lost and replaced stakes over the years, and we always forgot a mallet so there were small dents on the top of the stakes from the rock that drove them into the ground. Assembling the tent was a familiar dance for my dad and I. We had practiced it so many times that we went through the steps gracefully and effortlessly. After the tent was set up and we had arranged everything inside the tent it was time start the second part of the dance: gathering firewood. 

Gathering firewood is much more complicated than it sounds. First, there is the kindling, which are small sticks and twigs to feed the starting fire. Next, my dad and I would search for medium firewood. These are medium sized sticks that will be stacked to make a teepee shape to house the fire. Finally, we would look for large logs that would sustain the fire. All of these sticks and logs had to be completely dry. After these are all gathered and stacked by the fire pit. I would take the newspaper out of the front pocket of my dad’s extremely large backpack, crinkle it, and place it in the middle of the pit. Around the newspaper, the kindling must be stacked (like a teepee). Then the medium sized firewood would be stacked like a teepee, touching only at the tips. Lighting the fire was the culmination of our long search. My dad always did the honors for safety’s sake. He would put newspaper on the end of a medium sized stick, then light the newspaper and, slide it between the carefully balanced stick teepee and light the bit of newspaper that was purposefully sticking out of the kindling.

The fireworks started around 9:30 and lasted until about 11. We would sit on the small rock wall; I would swing my feet in a melodic mesmerized motion. Beyond the rock wall was a steep hill that some campers used as a dumping ground for toilet paper and liquor bottles. The fireworks were launched from the far side of the Reservoir, which was on the edge of the base, right beside the West Point football stadium. Redoubt 6 was so far above the rest of the base that we were looking down on the fireworks and their reflection off of the river and the bottles.

After the fireworks my dad and I would return to our fire that had been slowly growing in the background. We would stay up until midnight to ring in my birthday. Sitting on the logs that surrounded the fire pit to talk was my favorite part of the night. The fire lit up the small clearing; the outline of the tent, the rock wall, and the tree line could all be seen. The smoke from the fireworks hung as a gray haze in the sky while we talked. For some reason, I cannot remember what we talked about. I looked up occasionally to see the stars fighting to shine through the haze. When the time finally came we would count down the last 10 seconds of Independence Day. With five seconds left we would stand, “Four, three,” the anticipation begins grow on my face. “Two, one. HAPPY BIRTHDAY KATE.” We would run around the fire and scream to trees and the stars and the final wisps of haze. He would give me a big hug and kiss the top of my head. Now staying up until midnight doesn’t sound like a difficult task. Most people do it on a regular basis, but my dad’s internal clock is like the Big Ben. He goes to bed at 10 o’clock sharp, and can’t sleep in later than 6am. He is famous for falling asleep during movies, or while lying on the living room floor.

By the time my dad and I had greeted my birthday morning we were both ready for bed. Almost immediately after our brief birthday celebration we would put the fire out with dirt and go to sleep. My dad would wake up around 6, only able to sleep this late because of his delayed bed time, and let me sleep for about an hour. I always sleep so well outside, and waking up early was not a problem.  We would roll up our sleeping pads and bags, then do the tent dance and hike in reverse. When we got home we were greeted by Hudson and my younger brother, A.J.. The rest of the family was asleep and Aj’s seven-year-old mind sat captured by cartoons.

First thing after our camping trip is breakfast. My dad always stands in the kitchen over the omelet, French toast, or pancakes and says, “I show love through food.”  On my ninth birthday my dad made omelets, we sat down in the dining room to eat them and he said once again, “Happy Birthday, Kate.”

Skydiving-- Celebrity Post by Maria Mastracchio

Okay, today is the day. Just breathe. It’s July 3^rd, 2011 the day before my 21^st birthday and I wake up to my mom throwing Oliver, my almost one year old black and white cat, on my bed. “You ready for today?” she said with excitement filled throughout her voice.

Oh, God. Am I ready for today?

In T-minus 4 hours I will be jumping out of an airplane from 10,560 feet. Who on earth talked my into this?

An hour later we’re in the car and begin the two hour car ride down to San Marcos, Texas where our final destination is “Skydive San Marcos.” These are a long two hour and an emotional roller coaster to say the least.

I can do this! I am going to do this! In 1 hour and 45 minutes I will be jumping out of a plane. I am so cool. My life has been so blessed and I am so lucky to have a Mom like mine. Dear Lord, please keep my Mom and I in your sight today and help us make it safely back to the ground….What if we don’t make it back to the ground?  I want Tori to have my frog stuffed animal. I want Katie to have first pick at my clothes then everyone else can join in. Everyone needs to know how much I love them. Wait, I didn’t write this down anywhere. How are people going to know how much I care about them if I don’t make it back? Breathe, breathe again, keep breathing. I can do this!

My two hours are up. I see a plane crashed engine first on the ground. Then a sign, “There is no such thing as a perfectly good airplane. LEARN TO SKYDIVE!” Then another sign “1-800 Skydive, Skydive San Marcos.”  

We pull into the parking lot and I wish I could have stomached more than just a banana this morning. I’m hungry but nervous and my stomach is spinning and knotting every chance it gets. There are tons of cars here, I wonder how many of these are instructors and how many are students. Is this something that a lot of people do often? My stomach slowly begins to unwind as we walk into the building and head to the front desk. We read through paper work, sign and initial a few times giving up every right we have to sue them if anything unexpected happens.

 “Maria and JoeAnna Mastracchio? Right this way please.” We are in a room, lined with equipment for skydiving. Suits, chutes, harnesses and a couple of other people who I assume are heading up in the same plane as us. This man with black and yellow camouflage pants, a blonde beard like Lionitius and a huge grin walks up to me. “Hi Maria, my name is Smiley, I’ll be your instructor and tandem jumper today.” Even though this man reeks of smoke and looks insane, I’m put at ease and the nervous feelings that have been building up are overpowered by my itch for adventure.

Smiley instructs me into a neon green jumper suit, puts on my harness and walks me through the process for the first time. It’s more request than I expected there to be but I listened intently until “We’re squatting at the door of the plane, I want your chin up and I’ll start swaying you. Swaying is the sign of the countdown, one…two...three… then we’ll jump!”

I can’t believe I’m doing this, jumping out of a perfectly good plane, how stupid! We’re instructed to keep ourselves busy until the plane arrives. We wait for our names to be called watching videos of people who had gone earlier that day. Instantly my fear dissolves and my adventuring spirit takes over. I was ready, let’s do this. Why are they making us wait so long?

 All of a sudden a video camera is in my face, “Hey Maria, so what’s going on today?” says Nick who was shortly after introduced as my camera man. I am taken off guard and nervously reply, “Uhhh, I’m skydiving…” We have a short interview on the ground then we’re heading back to the room with all the equipment. Smiley shortly takes me through the in flight process again. We’re walking outside, random employees keep making jokes about how many people Smiley has lost. He mentions if I get detached to remember that he is the one with the parachute and I need to make my way back to him. Ha. Ha. Ha. None of their ploys were working. I am ready, no longer nervous, no longer scared. Just excited and ready.

We duck into the plane and slide back on a bench, Smiley begins connecting our two harnesses while shooting off an endless amount of ridiculous jokes.

“What does a fish say when it hits a wall?....Dam”
“What’s the hardest thing about skydiving?....the ground”
“How does a blind skydiver know he’s close to the ground?... the leash goes limp.”

These continued and then all of a sudden I look out the window and we are in the air. When did that happen? We climb in altitude for about 20 minutes until we are 2 miles up. Nick shines the camera once more in my face for a pre jump interview. I watch one jumper go. Then another. Then a camera man. Then my Mom. It’s my turn. We waddle to the back of the plane attached by the harnesses. Squatting once we reach the edge we face the front of the plane so half my body is inside and half my body is outside. I tilt my head up and arch my back. One sway...two sway…three sway! 

We’re out, free falling heading straight to the ground. The wind is so loud but it doesn’t stop me from screaming at the top of my lungs. Nick comes into view and Smiley grabs onto his feet. The three of us are falling and falling and falling. I can’t stop smiling. Immediately I think no wonder this guy’s name is Smiley, he gets to do this anywhere from 15-20 times a day. We’re falling for about 30-60 seconds. Smiley taps my shoulder and crosses his fingers in hope that our chute will open. I realize instantly that we cannot fall forever and try to enjoy the last few seconds. With a few loud forceful sounds from the chute breaking free from its tiny pack and my body twisting in ways I never thought it could, the wind stops.

We’re sitting in the air looking over central Texas on a beautiful cloud free day, slowly making our way to the ground. Smiley shows me how to maneuver the parachute and all of a sudden we are turning left. Then right. Facing up and facing down. “Do you want to spin?” he asked me to which I responded “Hell yes!” All of a sudden we’re moving in circles like a tornado and I can’t get enough. We straighten out and then we go again. Smiley instructs me on what to do during landing and then says he has one last thing to tell me. Instantly I think it’s some sort of pun about landing, or how he has never landed correctly. He surprises me when he says “Now you can understand why the birds sing” and I did.

We land and Nick rushes up to me getting my final reaction caught on tape.

“So you just jumped out of a plane two miles high, how do you feel?”

“Like I could do it again right now!”

“It’s addicting isn’t it?”

“Completely.” 

We all exchange a few hugs and thanks, my smile still plastered on my face. We made it, we are alive and I can’t wait to do it again. Now.

Thank you Mom for the amazing birthday present and thanks to Skydive San Marcos for really putting me at ease and helping me enjoy and get the most out of my experience.

If anybody is interested you can call them at 1-800-SKYDIVE or visit their website www.skydivesanmarcos.com

**Thank you Mia being brave enough to skydive and to share your adventure.** 

Last Day in Germany

Today is our last day in Wonderland. There haven't been any posts the past few days because we have spent them doing everyday things in an extraordinary place. On Saturday we took a very long hike to a brand new hut. We followed a river the entire time and just enjoyed the mountains around us. On Saturday evening we went to a restaurant in Erwald to watch St. Martin's Fires. Volunteers from different towns light fires in the mountains in different shapes. It is very cool to see because every mountain in the area had a different symbol illuminated on it. It involved a lot of waiting but we passed the time by playing Apples to Apples.

Since Sunday we have had beautiful warm weather. So we took advantage by going to the Farchant pool Sunday afternoon. Germans do pools right, they are no small square pools where the deepest end is only 8 feet. They all have slides and several diving boards. This one had 4 different pools, plus a sand volleyball court. I swam a few laps in the 50 meter pool and as I turned my head for a breath I looked straight up into the German Alps. It was breathtaking, which is a small problem I am more than willing to deal with when trying to swim. Monday Mia and I went to see Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangua castles. This is an iconic German tourist attraction for good reason, they are beautiful and who doesn't love a royal scandal, secret doorways, and princes? We also hiked up to St. Mary's Bridge, which provided an amazing view of Neuschwanstein and whet our appetite for hiking in the area. There were a ton of para-gliders taking advantage of the clear day. At one point there were 12 in the sky, all gliding over the castles and landing in a nearby field.

Once again I have had an amazing time in Germany, I know it is time to go home but it is so hard to leave! I am ready to see Dunte but not ready to see the flat dusty Lubbock landscape. My dad and I were taking a walk last summer and he said to me, "My worst days bottom out at excellent." I feel like I took advantage of my time here, in the place where everything is excellent or better. There were only a few down days but we still didn't get to do everything I had hoped. I think the lesson is, try to fit a TON into your vacations. Some things will fall through, but what you accomplish is excellent.

Today we are packing and trying to mentally prepare for the travel ahead. As long as it is better than the six days it took us to get here, I will call it improvement. Thank you to those of you who have been reading so far. You might be thinking things would slow down now that we are leaving Germany, but think again my friend. More great adventures are soon to come: my 21st birthday, working, school, wedding planning and other real life adventures are coming soon to a blog near you. I will also try and back track a little and share my pre-blog Germany and Rome adventures.

A Beer (or two), a Band and a Brother

Last night AJ and I went to see The Jeremy Graham Band at the Edelweiss Hotel. We were just planning to go, have a couple of drinks and enjoy some music. It turned out to be so much fun! We had several drinks, including a 3 liter tower of Helles. The band was amazing, the guitar player was very impressive and the vocals were amazing. It was a really fun mix of country and rock. They covered several popular country songs and had five or six of their own songs. By the end AJ and I were dancing at the front. Afterwards I flirted (innocently) with band members and AJ got to play their guitars. In honor of all the fun I had with AJ last night I thought I would share a short story I wrote about the two of us a while ago. It is called Kinder Eggs, I wrote it for a class freshman year. Enjoy!

AJ has always enjoyed ruining our pictures with silly faces

Kinder Eggs

The first thing I remember tasting is a small chocolate egg, more fondly known as kinder eggs. My dad was stationed in Aschaffenburg, Germany as a young army officer and kinder eggs are a bonus that comes with the station.

            My brother, AJ, and I would sit in small plastic rocking chairs after lunch and we were each allowed one kinder egg and one “Juice box.” I always had an orange Kapri-Sun. Thinking back now the combination doesn’t sound particularly appetizing.

            The eggs were wrapped in foil, and it was very important to not break their fragile bodies prior to eating them. The outside of the egg is smooth milk chocolate and the inside layer is white. I don’t know if it is white chocolate or some other sweet treat. However, I do know that there is no comparable chocolate in the States.  Possibly the best part of the whole experience is the yellow plastic capsule inside each egg. Each yellow capsule holds a small toy. These small trinkets were normally wind up animals, or a man with a funny hat. My brother and I would spend hours, or what seemed like hours in my 5 year old mind, assembling these tiny toys (without success). Mom would eventually come and assist us but I remember being fascinated by the German instructions. The written instructions were on one side of the small piece of paper included with the toy. But I focused on following the intricate picture instructions, to no avail.

            On the second floor of my parents house now is a small brown display case that hangs on the outside of the bathroom with particularly interesting Kinder egg toys kept over the years. Those toys have been moved five times since their release from the tiny yellow capsules. I see them as a reminder of when AJ and I officially became comrades. We are 3 years apart, and he was barely 2 when we first began our rocking chair-Kinder egg ritual; we have been silently close ever since.

This is not to say that I haven’t preformed my sisterly duty of torturing him on occasion. When our mom would leave us in the car for 5 minutes to run an errand I reveled in the opportunity to tell AJ that the police had taken her away and she was never coming back. His giant blue eyes would tear up and he would scream, until Mom returned, reprimanded me and all was forgotten (until next time). 

AJ is now 16 years old and 6’2”, and we are still close. I am in college, and we talk less often then what feels natural. But whenever I go home he stands outside the bathroom late at night when everyone else is in bed and we chat as I wash my face and brush my teeth. This nightly routine has replaced our old afternoon ritual of eating and assembling but it serves the same purpose.

My father has once again received orders to go to Germany. For the next 3 to 5 years Garmisch, Germany will be home to my parents, AJ, Megan, and Will.  I will be visiting for two weeks before school starts, and AJ and I will be joined by our younger siblings: Megan and Will in the familiar ritual of sitting and eating our Kinder egg, then assembling and playing with the trinket inside.

**Since this story was written 2 years ago some of the facts are off. AJ is 18, my family will live in Germany for another year, and obviously I won't be visiting my family in 2 weeks since I am here now.**

Lost on the Alpspitze, Fun at Weiskirche, and Zugspitze Tragedy

Lost on the Alpspitze

Yesterday was an amazing clear day in Garmish-Partenkirchen, so I was determined to make the most of it. I'm pretty sure wasting a day without rain in Bavaria is actually a punishable offense. After morning errands and a quick lunch, Will, Mia, Tori, Dixie (the dog) and I all got ready for an easy walk on the Alpspitze. The Alpspitze is the second highest mountain in the area, standing at 2600 meters. We took the cable car up to the top and visited the AlpspiX, which is two walkways that extend off the edge of a cliff and look down the Alpspitze. It is very nerve racking, you find yourself fighting with the nearest tourist, hiker or nun for a piece of the railing. The 42-foot-long X sways when the wind blows and has a grated bottom so you can see straight down about 100 meters. Despite being a little unsettling, the X has an amazing view of Garmish and of the surrounding mountains.

Our plan was to take the Hochalm cable car down and then walk about a kilometer over to the Kreuzeckbahn. I thought the Hochalm was a short walk downhill from the Alpspitze, when really it was right beside the Alpspitze. We were very skeptical as we were walking down the hill, I have done this before and nothing look familiar. We soldiered on, thinking we would run into the Hochalm any second. This hike was pretty steep and rocky, I was nervous about falling with Victoria on my back. I was pretty sure we had gone a different route when we came through a passageway and saw an entire face of the Alpspitze. This huge mountain was towering above us, we could see ridges and caves and there is still some fairly fresh snow. 




We were still skeptical of how our hike was going, until we saw a sure fire sign of wrong we were. We turned a corner and saw the Hochalmhutte, the one we were supposed to ride to. It was 3:40 and we still had the kilometer that we were originally planning to walk. We started really moving quick, I was getting tired and sore from carrying Tori but thankfully we made it in time. I am actually glad we got a little lost and took a longer walk, I just wish we had been a little more prepared. We had 1 liter of water and a banana for the 4 of us. This is fine for a 20 minute, 1 K stroll; not so good for the approximately 10 K we did in 2 hours. But alls well that ends well, I really enjoyed the longer walk and am very, very glad we made it in time and didn't have to hike all the way down the mountain.

Fun at Weiskirche

Weiskirch means white church and the lovely literal Germans hit it right on the money. Today we visited this white church on top of a hilly meadow for a quick tourist stop. Mia and I picked up Megan from school, baby in tow, and made the curvy drive through several small Bavarian towns. We arrived and it was pleasantly not crowded. I have visited this church before but the bright colors and extreme decorations were still surprising. Today's visit had an extra special treat: a harpist was preforming when we arrived. She played several songs, and the music resonated through the old church beautifully. After the harpist finished, we looked around at the amazing paintings. There are surprises everywhere. The paintings had a different more mystical feeling than the extremely lifelike ones we saw in Rome.
 

According to my best touring friend, aka the creator of the back door tourism philosophy Rick Steve's, the Wieskirche is Germany's best Rococo-style church. I just think the colors are pretty. I can't imagine going to an actual service in that church, I would be constantly distracted by all the painted scenes on the ceiling. I think the best part of the day was the fun we had in the car. Tori was well behaved and Mia, Megan and I had fun chatting and laughing about silly things. Baby poop and  funny German pronunciation were the hilarious focus.

Zugspitze Tragedy 

Well it isn't really a tragedy, just a huge bummer. I really wanted to climb the Zugspitze while I was here this trip. In my mind all the hikes we have been doing so far have been preparation for the Zugspitze. We talked to Martha McSally, who has done a several great things in her life including climbing Mount Kilimanjaro. She has climbed the Zugspitze twice this month and she gave us great instructions and gear. We were ready, we thought we made reservations, but they hut didn't check the online reservations and the phone number wasn't working until the evening. It was really frustrating, but I guess it just isn't in the cards. Maybe that is an adventure for later in life, but as a replacement when my family moves to Colorado we have pledged to climb Pikes Peak.

Maybe by then Tori will be up to climbing with us.

Hollental Hike

Happy Father's Day!

After church this morning Dad, Aj, Will, Mia and I set out for a hike up the Hollental (Hell's Valley in German). We went out overly prepared after watching 127 Hours last night (I carried 3 liters of water). It was a little chilly and sprinkling on and off. The nice thing about the Hollental is, rain or no rain, you leave the gorge soaked.

The hike up was brisk and nice, the beginning of the trail follows the rushing waters melting off the Zugspitze. The water is freezing cold and crystal clear, in the rare spots where the water isn't white with movement you can see straight to the bottom. My brand-spankin new hiking boots tromped over the rocks and through the puddles perfectly.


After about an hour climb up we reached the entrance to the gorge. There is a small fee and you walk through the turn styles, about 20 feet ahead the "rains" begin. Water was pouring off the mountain onto our heads. We had all our gear on and anything not covered was soaking wet. It was slippery and freezing, but we were sweating from climbing up. It kept switching back and forth between walking through caves and walking along the edge of the gorge (thankfully with a cable railing). I loved walking through, the noise of the water drowning out all other sounds, humming the worships songs stuck in my head from church.


We popped out of the gorge into a sunny area where we sat and snacked. From there we could see the tip of the Zugspitze and Alpsitze, the two of the highest mountains in Germany. Sitting down slightly damp really let the cold sink in. Before we started the trek back down we re-layered and needing every jacket we packed. The best part of any German hike is the well deserved beer at a hut along the way. Nothing hits the spots like a Helles und pommes surrounded by exciting locals thrilled to share stories. Today's beer-stop character was the father of our waitress. He said to us, "Speak English to her so she can practice." He continued in perfect English then when he heard I was from Texas, smoothly switched to Spanish. I was so shocked all I could muster was a confused sounding, "Si."It was impressive to say the least.

Our fast pace without too much exertion had us feeling confident and brave, so talk of a Zugspitze climb began. We are exploring our options for this particular adventure, which would be a doosey. The 3000 meter mountain is the highest peak in Germany and not for the faint of heart. With my fancy new boots, I feel I can do anything.

Hiking with my dad was a great way to spend Father's Day. Only 10 days left in Germany, I can't wait to make the most of it.

Germany so Far

My goal since I got here has been to make sure I make the most of my time in Germany. I have been so blessed to come visit my family in this amazing place 5 times. There is so much to do and I am determined to fit as much as I can into this trip. I will give a quick list and overview of what we have done in the 2 weeks since we have been here.

Flight Disasters
We arrived in Germany six days later than expected, but the airline extended our trip 7 days. A huge thanks to Brittany Gonsalves for letting us stay with her in Dallas.

Hiking
We jumped right into the hiking with a few small trips in the first week and a big climb up the Kramer on our first weekend. The 10 hour round trip was brutal but completely rewarding. I have never sweat so much or been so tired and I would do it again in a heartbeat.

  From left: Aj, me, Tim, Mia

Rome
The next week Monday 6th-Friday 10th was spent in Rome, which I will do my best to condense into one post later. It was an amazing four days of baby-free sightseeing, eating, drinking, and being merry.

Biking
Some very nice bike rides have been spaced throughout our visit. The only long one so far has been my dad and I going into Austria on a 21-mile round trip beauty. Up hill most of the way there to an amazing waterfall, then a fast and fun trip back down. Tori has taken a few short bike trips in her infant seat, which she loves. Mia is gaining confidence on the bike, so more on that later also.

Family Fun
Among all these adventures, I am so enjoying the time with my family. The day before the Kramer climb we had a dance party! Mia emerged as the Kinet Dance Central Champion, and we all had a great time.

 
From left: Aj, Victoria Sears (Aj's girlfriend), Will, Dad, Mom, Me, Mia, Megan

Aj graduated from high school. I have had some great talks with Megan. Yesterday we all went to Kletterwald and worked together on some obstacle courses.

The past two weeks have been full of amazing adventures and we have just a little shy of two weeks left. I can't wait to see what happens.

 

Why now?

I have been toying with the idea of starting a blog for several reasons. As a public relations student it is expected and useful, and since I am currently on vacation in Germany I have a few interesting things to share.

I will backtrack a little bit first and share my time in Rome and some stories I have written, feel free to browse. But looking forward I will share what is going on in my life and the lives of my wonderful daughter, Tori, and my fiance, Dunte.

The blog will continue when I return from the wonderland that is Bavaria. In the next year Dunte and I will both graduate, and hopefully find jobs. We will get married, and Tori will conquer many baby obstacles as she grows. There is bound to be some excitement along the way, so stay tuned for the adventure.

**Disclaimer: You should know that I am setting this up in Germany, and the entire page is in German. Expect some confusion and glitches until I return**