A weather improvement!!!!

Ahoj there
I just had to take some photos today of my local and favourite park (only 2 minutes bike ride from our apartment) - Divoka Sarka.  The weather has been fantastic the last couple of days.  On Tuesday I was biking in 11 degrees, and by Thursday temperatures had reached 26 degrees!!  Today is just as good, and this warm weather is forecast for another week yet. Bring it on I say!!

Today I went to the park and lay in the sun reading a trashy English magazine (thanks Sandy!).  At one point I glanced up, and spotted a man stark naked, in a stride stance facing the sun reading a book!!  What is it with Europeans and nakedity?!  In a city park???  Like in Zurich, I had no idea where to look, so put my nose back into the magazine!

Last weekend I did my first race in 8 weeks.  I loved being back racing, although it is quite funny being at an event where I can pretty much speak to nobody!  It was a bit of a mission registering, paying my entry fee, getting feed zone passes (there was a fair bit of miming on my part!), and finding out how many laps I actually had to ride.  Then the course was another challenge - there was a sign up above one technical descent that I couldn't read - but saw the word 'elite' and figured since I was in the elite women's grade, then that would be me.  It was very loose and steep to say the least, but I figured I would need to ride it in the race so set off down it on the practise day gritting my teeth and hoping to stay on my bike and not hurt my shoulder again.  What didn't help matters, was a man shouting "ne zeny! ne zeny" repeatedly as I rode down it.  I don't know much Czech at all, but I do know that 'ne' means 'no' and 'zeny' means 'woman'.  I successfully made it to the bottom though and looked at the man, who now just gave me a thumbs up and uttered the word "dobry" (good).  This left me a bit confused as to whether I was supposed to ride it or not, but I luckily came across another girl who spoke a little english, and she told me it was only for the men.

Race day was sunny and a rather mild 16 degrees.  I had an ok race - 8th out of 29 girls (1st, 2nd and 3rd were Slovakian, Polish and Ukrainian, then 4 Cz riders, then me).  It was a bit of a shock to the system racing when I had been off my mtb (apart from 4 rides) in 8 weeks, but it has given me a starting point that I can hopefully improve on.  Lots of fun anyway!

Not much more to report for now.  This weekend we will make the most of this weather - it is awesome!

Oh before I sign off I do have something exciting to report!  The McDonalds up the road at the entrance to the park has just opened a McCafe!!  Too awesome for words really - I love a good hot, large, strong coffee - and I have to say McCafe meets all my requirements!  And it is now pretty much on my doorstep - things really are looking up!

Hope you all enjoyed Anzac day.
Bye for now
J