So nothing really to show but some to tell... I have been in Hamburg, Germany about 48 hours now. Jeff and I left Kitzbuhel at 7:50am Tuesday from the Hahnenkamm train stop. 3 stops and 4 trains later at 5pm we arrived in Hamburg. We had A LOT of shit... well, not shit but stuff... bike wheels, medical kit, clothing, bike stand, bike tools- and it was heavy, and awkward and clumsy. Anyone who has navigated European trains is feeling my pain. So, now I sit in front of Starbucks and unfortunately the internet is no longer free:( I need to get going on my picture taking but have been preoccupied with, well, work... that 4 letter word. Will do better tomorrow and share some sights with all of you.

Changing shoes and snacking.

Our amazing view.

Herman and Jeff.

I wanted to include some pictures from my awesome ride with Herman and Jeff last Tuesday. What an amzing and spectacular ride. Herman, local who owns a restaurant called the Huber Brau, drove us an hour to the town of Krimml (south and then a little west of Kitzbuhel). It was about an hour drive to where we parked, unloaded the bikes and were on our way. I think Krimml's claim to fame is an amazingly large waterfall. So we started up the dirt road which was mostly switch backs, through a long, dark tunnel which opened up to alpine meadows. Once we were at the alpine meadows it was a long winding road that just climbed and climbed and climbed although thankfully, nothing steep. We reached the end of the road, locked up our bikes, changed our shoes and it was hiking time.

Delicious Kasier Fluff. My friend Herman introduced me to this. Thanks Herman, 20 pounds later:)

The Hahnenkamm, World Famous downhill ski run. This run is STEEP!

So I thought I was being smart and because anytime I want to get free internet I have to march down to McDonalds I was typing things up in Word and... sure, easy, I can cut and paste into my blog. Seems foolprrof. Not so much. Anyone have any suggestions. It's now Sunday night and I am once again hanging at McDonalds. Just had a nice dinner with Jarrod and Hayley. Today had an epic ride (well, not that epic as I have done worse or better depending at how you look at it). And did about a 4 hour ride of mostly climbing. Starting at 800m and getting up to 2000m. Perfect weather and wonderful scenery. Here are a few pics...

Alright, so back to almost present day...

The pictures below are from Busan, South Korea in April 2009 with my amazing host Chelsea. Next is the beaches of Huatulco, Mexico and last, Le Tour d'Eiffel at night.

Busan, Korea after the Tongyeong World Championship Series Event. Hanging with Chelsea who was an awesome host and knew the Korean culture quite well. Here we are at a Korea coffee

So I am adding pictures, still have 25% of computer power.

My Continuing Travels

So I have been bad... I have made a promise to myself to start updating all of you on my travels. Since Beijing last August I have had the fortune of making it to Huatulco, Mexico; Gaishorn, Austria; Tongyeong and Busan, Korea; Madrid, Spain and now Kitzbuhel, Austria. Not to forget Washington DC, Des Moines, Iowa and least of all, Cleveland, Ohio:)

So I write from a McDonalds in Kitzbuhel, Austria at noon on a Saturday. It is raining outside and even snowing up on the mountain and it's... well... miserable. I arrived in Austria on July 8th for the Kitzbuhel World Championship Series Event. A very quite town indeed and famed for the downhill ski event called the Hannehkamn. My fellow skiers, you can't even imagine this downhill. Wicked steep. In the summer just a quite little mountain town at 800m (roughly 2400 ft) with some of the close surrounding peaks reaching 2000m. The flatlander athletes feel the altitute but I am invinsible:) Thanks COS. So, the athlets competed last weekend, men on Saturday and women on Sunday. Staff and most athlets headed out Monday back to the states but myself, the bike mechanic and two athletes stayed on for a little training until heading out for another event in Germany the 25th/26th. So I am here with Hayley Peirsol (name familiar- brother is world record holder in the 100 and 200 backstroke) and Jarrod Shoemaker (one of our 2008 Olympic team members). Training has been good although the weather at times uncooperative. My computer is about to die so more to come later...