ROY PITZ, YOU COMPLETE US!

We are happy to announce that Chambersburg officially has a brewer, Roy Pitz Brewery, with awesome beer. Best of all is that it is within a fifteen minute walk. We purchased a growler and fill it up about once a week, by simply taking a little stroll from our house. This warms my soul. Just knowing that it exists helps me get through our stint here in Chambersburg. They had an Octoberfest celebration a few weeks ago, and even had a good band playing. WOW, I never would have imagined this!

LOOK WHO'S ONE TODAY

Gilbert turned one today! In the morning we headed to the YMCA to keep with our regular routine. The wonderful ladies there had a little birthday party for him with presents, birthday hats, and cupcakes. It was pretty cute, but I don't think Gilbert knew what was going on. I have him a pumpkin cupcake with a dollop of frosting. As soon as he got the frosting on his hands he became upset. Oh well, later in the evening he made up for it by downing bites of his three variety cupcakes: spice, pumpkin and bran. Yum! Happy Birthday Little Boy Blue!

ADVENTURE RACE #1

This past weekend I had my first ever adventure race. The local YMCA puts one on up in Caladonia State Park. It is a sprint distance, so is expected to last anywhere from three to six hours. I was on a team of four women, my friends Trish and Cathy, plus a new friend Jane. Three of us went out the weekend before to check out the venue and to test out gear. It was a bit cold, but the team dynamics seemed to be in order.

It rained all day on Saturday, but luckily it was all blue skies come Sunday morning. So Sunday morning we, Four "Dirty" Girls, met up at the park along with 33 other teams to take on the challenge. The best part of an adventure race is that you don't know the course or what they are going to throw your way. In the end we ended up doing about twenty miles of mountain/road biking, seven miles of running/bush wacking, an hour of boating on a lake, crossing a river on a cargo net, two team challenges (puzzles), and about a quarter mile on thigh deep river walk which half was done while carrying your bikes. In the end it took us exactly 4:30 and we were about ninth overall and first in the women's division. We were pretty happy with that, as the race was pretty smooth thanks to good communication and the great team dynamics. We all had a really good time and I think that Trish is already planning for next year.

GLORY MOMENT: Our boat of four ladies passing a boat of four men. :)

EPIC ROAD TRIP....GREAT RACING

Michael and I decided to head to Gloucester, MA to do my first and Michael's second UCI (National Level) Cyclocross race of the season. There was also one in Ohio, but since New England is a possible forever place for us we decided to head NE. Sorry Ohio, but we really aren't mid-west people. So we left early on a Friday for the 8.5 hour trip...which with heading through New York and Boston turned into an 11 hour trip. Ouch! Luckily Gilbert travels well.

We were lucky to have a host family in Gloucester. Michael and Marsha had dinner ready for us when we arrived and even set up a pack & play in our guest room. They were awesome: active, healthy, grandchild Gilbert's age, hospitable, and inspiring. We could not have asked for a better host family. They even came to support us and take pictures at the race. The attached racing photos are from them.

Day one of racing was pretty good. Since I am new to the circuit and did day of race registration I had to start at the very back of a pack of 75 women. I was so far back that my race number didn't even correspond with all the others. I suck at sprinting so that didn't help my start either. Then off to the narrow course. Michael told me the places to use as rest and heart rate recovery. But when you start in 75th place there is no time for rest, it pretty much consists of one big effort. I ust had to hope that the other ladies were doing a little recovery at that time. But I picked them off one by one and managed to "out sprint myself" for a 14th place finish.

Michael did well himself. He also was a little slow off the start line and therefore missed the lead pack. But he worked through and was able to get back up and finish....I think in 13th place.

Day two was the exact same story for me, with the exception of crawling my way up to a 9th place finish. I look forward to the day I get to start more in the front because I think I could really open up a can of whoop ass.

For Michael he had a different story for day two. he had a great start in the top ten, but on lap two he wasn't coming around again. Turned out he got a flat at the beginning of the course, forcing him to have to run two thirds of the course with his bike on his back to the pit to switch bikes. Well that put him in about 40th place. Ouch! But I was proud of him because he got back in it and rode his heart out to end up finishing in 28th. I really have a lot of respect for people that do that, since it would be easy to give up. It says a lot about someone who is able to push through when the outlook doesn't look to be in your favor. I think you know what I mean in more ways than one. :) Plus doesn't he look so hot in the above photo? How did I get so lucky!?!?

On Sunday night we headed up to Dover, NH to visit my friend Gretchen whom I met in Portland. She moved back to the East Coast just over a year ago. Just a few weeks ago she moved in with her man Alex into a farm house. We were their first guests. The place is awesome, so historic. A little rustic with fresh modern touches. Plus with all the fall leaves blowing off the trees it was a real warm fuzzy.

Monday morning we took the scenic drive back and caught the glory of the fall colors. Very beautiful....but with a little traffic and a few road closures it ended up being an 11 hour trip. Thanks you Gilbert for being the great baby that you are.

A FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING

This weekend was my first double header for cyclocross racing. Well, okay it was my first time ever racing cyclocross. Michael and I took the bike he built up for me out to the park on Thursday so that I could practice getting off and on the bike while in motion. Fun! The getting off actually came pretty easy but the getting back on is going to need some serious work.

So with my newly learned skill, we headed to the Hagerstown cyclocross race just thirty minutes from our house. The course was fairly dry and fast. A 1.3 mile loop through a local park, with steep hills, sand pits, two barriers, off camber sections, and a whole lot of bumpy terrain. Luckily I got in three warm up laps before my race. Upon approaching the sand pit for the first time I freaked, got off, and ran across. The guys watching said it was rideable, but I let them know it was my first time. This proceeded to an impromptu coaching session and me making it through with some ease. But it was time for the ladies to line up and the race was on. Literally out of the 20 ladies I was at the very back of the pack...not a very good start. But I started to get my groove and was picking off ladies one by one. I knew I was getting closer to the front, and by the fourth lap it was down to me and the leader. Luckily I am a strong climber and once we approached the steep climb I know I could take her. So I dug deep, passed her on the steep hill with just under two laps to go. I never saw her again and by the time I hit the finish I was almost a minute ahead of her. I was a little amazed and pretty happy about that. During my cool down I thought to myself, Michael and I really are meant to be together....not that I ever doubted it.

Michael was up next to race and was in the top three the entire time, with the national mountain bike champion Jeremiah Bishop at the lead. When Michael knew he wasn't going to place in the top two he decided to drift back to help out his teammate in a pack of three a bit behind him. This didn't turn out to be the best idea because one the guys was a national level sprinter and took Michael's third place spot with a sprint at the finish. But he did finish in fourth which was good enough for a podium spot.

The next day was another cyclocross race about 45 minutes from our house. We arrived and immediately saw our friends Joel and Nate. Nate called me over and I instantly discovered that he had broken his collar bone on the course. I soon found out from the chatter that this course was one of the most difficult many of the racers had ever done. Yikes, I was terrified. During a break I headed out to check out the course and ran right into an unrideable uphill, then halfway through the course there was another unrideable downhill into a ravine and up a small muddy section. When I say unrideable I mean for me. I have no mountain bike skills and this course was geared towards mountain bikers. But luckily there were two long uphill sections where I knew I could gain time. So the race was off and there I was in the back of the pack again. But as with last time I crawled my way to the front and on the second to last lap was in second. But the girl in first held strong from the start and I was not gaining on her. So I ended up in second, which I was very pleased with considering the course.

With a 10 minute hand off of Gilbert, Michael was out on the course and getting ready to line up for his race. We wanted to do this to see and feel how it would be with no assistance from anyone. Without a warm up the race was on. Starting a little back in the pack but within a few laps Michael was in third place where he held steady and looked strong. He held third for the entire race. So once again ending with a podium finish.

So two races and four podiums for the Gallagher's! It looks as though the C3-Sollay team is going to gain another lady to their squad.

There was even an article on the first race that mentioned both of us. Too cool, and funny!

Next weekend we are off to Gloucester, MA to another double header. This weekend is labeled by many as the East Coast Championships and the rumor is Lance Armstrong. will be attending. hum....Keep you posted. Followed with a quick visit to Dover, NH to visit my friend Gretchen and her man.

DON'T LOOK TOO CLOSE

Yep that is a shot of my butt.


One of my strollercise moms gave me these photos. Her husband took them last weekend at the local sprint triathlon. I ended up getting third overall. Not too far behind the first place woman, um, but still not in front of the first place woman. Catch my drift? We'll it looks like we will have to stay in Chambersburg for one more year so I can redeem myself.

Oh, I did pass that girl. Can you tell I am a little competitive? :) I love to race!