Back home….After nearly 7 weeks I arrived in Austria. I have a lot to work through the impressions. Many things and many moments happened which I will never regret and never forget.
The last year I was on tour too. It was such an adventure (NewZealand). I was alone, didn’t know somebody and had no idea about the country. This time I travelled around Europe, but I knew a lot of people so it was easy to organise. Organise is maybe the wrong word because to sum it up my plan was to have no plan.
I came home with the expectations something has changed, like everytime but like everytime I am realizing, with my first step in my house, that nothing has changed. The same people are waiting for you, (I mean good to know that someone is waiting for you) you here the same stories from the same people, you have to do the same things…
I have to realize again that nothing has changed. It doesn’t matter how long you are away, it is always the same. I don’t want to say that it is positive or negativ.
At the moment I am very tired. I think I have to take it easy. I can’t do everything at one day. One friend told me one day “ gotta get the most important things done first”.

See you LENE

The last days were nice so nice. Totally different to the other days, weeks. No racing just playing with the bike, going out, enjoy the city live…  I spend some days in Genova with Alberto Accettulli, an ex Kona rider. He lives there. I wanted to visit him on the way to Italy but I couldn’t make it so I made it on homeward journey. Genova is a very interesting city. You can find everyting there you just have to keep your eyes Y-open. From the rich and beautiful to the gangster drug dealer neighborhood. Narrow alleys, old buildings, lots of small groceries, thousands of shoe stores, a church on every corner, thousands of lively moped rider…. and a crazy italien car driving style… I was overstrained when I wanted to cross the road by foot - by bike it was good but by foot uiuiuiui perilous. But I had a knight in shining armor how held my hand.

One day we went for street riding on the other in the skater park. I was the second girl who has ever ridden there. I think for the Italien Skater and rider i was an alien. A typical italien girl doesn’t make any sport and especially not riding a bike. The main goal is to be beautiful and get a sun tan and find the newest shopping trend that’s all what they are doing. The last day we went in a bike shop. Alberto’s rear hub broke down and I fixed it for him. The owner of the shop didn’t say hi or good bye or looked at me nothing it was like I didn’t exist. But he wasn’t the only one. BIKE and GIRL no way…

The last afternoon I spend with Alberto on the beach. Lying on a stone and listening to the waves. It was so hot and I got a sun tan- yeah now I was like an italien girl…I was so lazy and I enjoyed it after this very exciting 6 weeks travelling across europe.

see you LENE

YEAAHH at the moment I’m in Monaco. Visiting my friends from Kona…
I stayed one night in Auch with Gonzalo and after lunch I left Auch… I drove about 5 hours to St.Tropez-Les Issambre. There are living friends of my parents who fortunately went on holiday these weeks and so I had a place to stay for 2 nights.
Yesterday I was in St.Maxime for a second time. I really like the track so that’s why i came back. The weather was fine and the track was dry. Bastien, a local rider, was with me and his friend (THANKS!!! a lot) drove us up the whole day.
In the evening, I will drive to Sospel to visit other Austrians riders. And tomorrow - hmm - I hope I can go for a ride. At the weekend I will go to Pay or Torino or to Switzerland….

I will see

LENE

I am on the way to Auch with Gonzalo. My car is still at Fabien’s place.. at least I hope so.

The weekend was a little bite disorganised… Maybe disorganised isn’t the right word. I think I just not used the Spanish way of living. To sum it up in one word “SLOW”. Instead of leaving Valencia at 14 o’clock we were on the road at 17:30. The others ate late and went late to “bed”. All 7 persons slept in Gonzalos van. You could open the roof so 3 person slept up and 4 down. Every person had about 50 centimeter space to sleep (more or less) It depended on your sleeping style. Hmm and then snorring people too.. I don’t have to mention that I didn’t sleep very well. BUT the training day was very good and very funny. I liked the track a lot. It was totally different to the track in Vall d’Uxo. No rocks and not dry as it rained and was muddy. Not too much but enough that your clothes and protection were wet until the next morning. We cooked in the evening and took a shower, ate a friend’s place somewhere in St. Andreu. Not knowing, that the 3 other riders, who slept last night up in the car, had decided to sleep in the friend’s place, we stayed in the middle of St. Andreu with the car. It was loud and I could not sleep. In the morning the three others didn’t tell anything and went back to Torrelles… We didn’t know the way back very well and so Gonzalo and I missed the training in the morning…we weren’t in time. Perfect —- I was sooooo angry about everything and everybody. What a crappy day. My first run was horrible I didn’t find my rhythm and I was so cold. The weather conditions were worst than the day before and it was much colder.

I was not very happy about my run and in my final run I tried to do it better. I ended up 2^nd but I was still not satisfied with run. I did some mistakes. I have to forget about this weekend.

I need a warm bed, more than 8 hours sleep an early dinner and a training run in the morning to ride well.

See you miss DH