Ya-Chan and I in Holland!! ..... Just kidding, but it felt like it anyway. This tulip garden is on one of our road bike routes and right now it is the perfect time for viewing!!! This week has been filled some great rides!!!! We have been training hard this past week for the upcoming season opening race next weekend in Shiga Prefecture (which is located 4.5 hours away)!! Since it is officially "Golden Week" in Japan, we will leave next Thursday morning and do some "official" holiday camping at the race site. Let's hope the weather holds out. I will race in the DH on Saturday, then with Kouji and Ya-Chan in the XC on Saturday. Pretty insane???? Yes, but I am determined to do both races, wish me luck! More pictures here!!

This is from yesterday's Ikeda rain ride, officially the ride was cancelled early morning due to the rain, then put back on again after it cleared up two hours later. Then, finally upon everyones arrival, it started to rain again, but by this time we were psyched to ride RAIN or SHINE!! So off we went and it turned out to be an epic fun ride!!! The single-track in Ikeda was rad!! Thanks to Randall and his helpers, for the new network of trails and the great trail cleaning!! It was just an overall fantastic ride with some great climbs, and swooping fast banked turns on the way down. To top it all off, Randall's expecting wife (Congratulations!!!) Midori, had whipped up a fantastic lunch which was served upon our return!! Couldn't ask for a better way to end an epic ride!! What a day!!!! View more pictures here.

For those of you who can read Japanese, check out the article about yours truly!!!

Back on the DH again!! Today was the grand opening of the Fujimi Mountain Bike Park, actually, only the lower part was open due to the remaining snow. Passes were only ¥2000 so Kouji, Ya-Chan and I were planning on camping out Saturday night and hanging for the weekend. We rode the old cross country trails to warm up and ended up finding the snow remains of this kicker snowboard/ski jump. Me, being the kid I am, I had to try it, then Ya-Chan and Kouji jumped in as well.

Me

Kouji

Ya-Chan
It was pretty fun and challenging at the same time!! I cleaned it twice yipee! After that, Ya-chan and I did some down-hilling runs. It was her first time on a DH bike. She did great. Then we put our pink wigs on and did some PR for our upcoming Sweet Riders event. We handed out flyers to everyone in the parking lot personally. Hopefully, some of those people will come out!! The weather started to change and we dished the camping idea and headed back to Matsumoto. Just so happened that one of our sponsors was staying in Matsumoto and was heading back as well. We all met for dinner and drinks and had a fun night out on the town!!! We hit club Alec for the first time and Ya-Chan and I were suddenly thrown on the stage of this live performance by this rocking band!!! Geez, forever young..... after dancing our butts off we headed home for a good night's sleep. Sunday saw Kouji and I do a local ride here behind our house. Was a great workout, little by little getting those cross country legs back. Which is all in good faith for my upcoming first double entry race May 5-6th. Yup, going to do both the downhill and cross country events this time. Figure, since I am going to hit the big 40 this year, might as well give it my best this season!!! Hope you had a great weekend as well.....k.

Ya-Chan's downhill debut!!!


She looks the part and I found out she plays the part as well. She did a super job for her first time on the DH machine, even tackled A course, which is the most difficult in Fujimi's DH Resort. Great job girl!!! Maybe I have brought you over to the DH side now....... heh, heh. She did have a wicked smile after our runs and happened to mention how much fun it was.......this is how new DHer's are born!!!

Here it is!! My new baby!! My Cannondale Rush with Sweet Riders colors!!! Doesn't it look good????? Had it's virgin ride last weekend 3 hours up and it climbed like the machine that it is. On the downhill, weeeeeee, was all I could say!!! Looking for a rush when you ride??? This bike is the ticket!!!!!

Today's cherry blossoms at Matsumoto Castle. Was a beautiful day, warm and sunny, perfect for the blossoms. Had a nice chill day walking around and both Kouji and I got hair cuts!! Hope your weekend was good!! More pictures here!!

Here is Ya-Chan after a great ride enjoying the pleasures of Spring!! For more recent shots click here!! Will give a full update after today's Cherry Blossom viewing!! Later....

Randall and Kouji after climbing up one of our favorite mountains, it was tough but soooo worth it, look at this view!!

TEAM SWEET RIDERS ENTER THE TRIMODAL AND WIN TWO CATEGORIES!! Yeahhhhh!! We won best costume and took second place in the team race!! Job well done guys!!! We started out with great weather, with a sudden change just as the race ended. It was great fun, check out the pictures here!! Will write more but have to get off to work now!!!!! Later, K.

Well after today's very tough training ride, we went out for a fitting lunch!! This was our dessert, mmmmmm!! Ya-Chan, Kouji and I slaved up the mountain again and got even more training in. Was a killer day, blue sky and warm so we decided to add to the day with a great pasta lunch!!!

Here we are enjoying our hard earned dessert!!!!! Hanami (Cherry Blossoms are almost out!!) Actually, I have been roped into doing an event this weekend called the Trimodal, put on by Evergreen Outdoors in Happone, Hakuba. It involves three sports, skiing, boarding and tele-marking!! Team Sweet Riders will consist of Sarah M. from Hakuba doing the skiing, me the boarding and Chris Webb from Suwa will be our tele-marker!!! Wish us luck, hopefully we can rake in some great prizes!! Anyone interested, it is not too late to enter!! Check it out here!! Otherwise have a great weekend!!

Ya-Chan, Liza and I together for another night of dancing at Karey Watanabe's disco!! I just have to say that is great to have good friends around!! I have been lucky this past year and have met some great people! I am blessed!

After our first Power Yoga class at the gym Saturday afternoon, (which I have to say was sooooo good!!!) Ya-Chan and I were ready for some good food. We put on a feast, had some great wine, good music, good friends, and cleared the dance floor and away we went!!

Sunday morning we woke up and our guest chef made a mixture from the evening before leftovers, and mmmmm it was nummy! After 17 cups of coffee, we decided that today was going to be a gardening day. I needed a break from training, especially since my body was so stiff from yesterday's power yoga class, and not to mention last nights dance session, so gardening it was. It was so warm outside, I decided to get my spring planting done for the year. I planted lettuce, broccoli, oregano, orange mint, mint, and many different kinds of flowers. Going to try and keep my garden going this year!!!

Spring is in the air, only another week and the cherry blossoms will be blooming!!! Later, K.