"Fun" in Venezuela

Look Mom! No Hands!

Yep, that's right. On Friday May 25th (my sister's official 25th birthday), I won the Pan-Am Championship Time Trail in Venezuela. It is very exciting and the biggest win I have ever had in any sporting career (i.e. ski racing or cycling) I have ever done. Thanks to this accomplishment, in September, I get to race in Stuttgart, at WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS!!

There are certain pros and cons to having a race in Venezuela. Here are some of the highlights of the list:

• Pro- Venezuela is VERY pretty. Mountainous and green.
• Con- You will not get to see any of the pretty-ness because Venezuela is VERY dangerous. It is possible to see a kidnapping on the way to the track. You will be held prisoner in your hotel the entire time (unless you have police escorts with you or are with very strong looking men).
• Pro- The fruit is VERY good.
• Con- You can only eat the fruit that has a skin to peal off, or else sickness may come upon you.
• Con- You may get tear gassed at dinner.
• Pro- When else would you have a chance to experience tear gassing?
• Con- The headache following a tear gas incident SUCKS.
• Con- Only 3 percent of the sewage water is treated. Thus, drinking out of the facet as well as having ice in your drink, and eating anything that might have once had water on it is discouraged (i.e. salad, raw veggies, most stuff that has not been cooked and has to be washed).
• Pro- You get to drink a lot of bottled water.
• Pro- You realize how great we have it here in the USA and can't wait to get home.
• Pro- You get to leave Venezuela.