What have I been up to?

Mhhh, after getting back from Germany, I got to play in the snow in Flagstaff. My friend Pam took me Backcountry skiing. FUN. I am so glad she takes me on all those crazy adventures like hiking into the Grand Canyon for 4 days, going to swim behind a waterfall (Fossil Creek), or like this time hiking up a hill with skis and then skiing down. Sounds fun, right? Here is how it went-Pam putting on "skins" on the skis:

Then we started hiking up the hill on skis. It is so much fun, because you don't slide back a bit. Here I am with Sunset Crater in the back. By the way the thing sticking out under my shirt is an Avalache beeper-I also learned how to use that and let me tell you, it really makes you feel safer if you are in the middle of nowhere.

The view towards the Grand Canyon on the way up:

The view towards the San Francisco Peaks. I asked multiple times where all the animals are and I had to find out that Mountain Lions don't sleep through the winter. I wonder if they are hungry...

We made it. 2.5 hrs of hiking up, let me tell you, it is exhausting but GREAT!!! Lunchbreak in the snow. Once we unclipped from the skis and took our first step we realized that the snow was VERY deep...My leg disappeared...and then I fell over...:-)

The way down was awesome but went by way too fast. It took 2.5 hrs to go up and 20 min to go down. If you have the chance to try it out go for it. What a great feeling to go somewhere on skis where noone has been before you that day!!!

After we got home we got ready to celebrate the end of 2009 and the start 2010. We went downtown to watch the "Pinecone drop" (it actually just lowers and it also went down a minute too early)-and before we knew it it was 2010!!!

2010 so far:

I went down to Phoenix to pick up my sweet new ride, my new CEEPO TT Bike, which got put together at Tribe. I also got to see my CEEPO Roadbike which I will be picking up this Saturday!!! Yippie!!! While I was at Tribe, JR called to tell me Jack, our puppy is not doing too good. He had thrown up. We thought maybe he ate something wrong. I left Tribe with my bike, received some gear from CEEPO and Sailfish, and I was on my way home. On the 2 hr drive JR called to tell me they went to the vet. Result: Jack has parvovirus, which can be deadly for puppies. Jack has all his immunizations, even the ones for parvo, but I guess he still got it somehow.

Day 2: Jack doesn't feel too hot. Throwing up, no food, no water, antibiotics and IV's.

Day 3: Jack is doing better in the morning. We go to the animal hospital twice a day for IV's. He didn't throw up for 8 hrs now!!! Yippie. If he makes 24 hrs, he is probably winning the fight. A little bit over 8 hrs...Jack throws up. He spends the rest of the day on the couch, can barely walk, because he is weak. We decided to put him in the hospital over night, so he can get the IV every second.

Day 4: We visit the little one...man he looks so sad in the isolation parvo room. Noone to play, but his tail goes crazy when he sees us.

Day 5: Jack is back!!! We took him back last night an he is now doing great. Here is Jack jumping on JR at home, he is so happy:

See his cool looking tape? Blue army tape:-)

He kept his "special-diet food down" which is great!!! Parvo is very hard to kill so we had to bleach our entire house and even our garden!!!

We are so happy that Jack made it, but it will take a while before he can run with me again :-(

Friday is my birthday, but I will be spending half of it going down to Phoenix. I am attending a 2 day bike clinic in Phoenix, put on by TRIBE!!! It will be a great clinic with lots of riding, testing and learning!!!

I can't believe I might be riding in shorts!!!

Oh, this is Jack right now...stretching and sleeping at the same time...smart puppy!!!