Riding Sundance

Ok, last Saturday I went up to Sundance and did some downhill mountain biking with some friends. It was awesome, and if you ask me, the sun really is dancing off of my stellar bike and body!

Top 10 Reasons I love the Tour de France

1. Watching men in spandex sprinting to the finish line.

2. Being shocked when a complete underdog zooms out of nowhere and beats them all!

3. Bikers rounding a corner at 50 mph on a rainy day slip on the road paint, resulting in a pileup of nearly 150 men and bicycles.

4. Watching every rider in the pileup get up and finish the day's stage, only to wake up tomorrow and do the same thing - but this time with 50 stitches in their arms and legs.

5. The ridiculous spectators, wearing nothing but their underwear and waving the French Flag, trying to push their favorite cyclist up a 30 mile, category 1 climb, then getting shooed away by the French police.

6. Calves and thighs of steel.

7. Unpronouncable foreign names - Feillu, Gerolsteiner, Totschnig, Luxembourger, Voigt, to name a few.

8. The countryside is beautiful

9. The cities are beautiful

10. The men are beautiful.

"Amy looks like" fun!

Ok, so apparently Google is more entertaining than I ever imagined. A girl I work with, the lovely Marie, prompted me to type "Amy looks like," quotation marks and all, into the search line. Here are some of the winning phrases, categorized, of course!


Compliments
(Why so few???)

Amy looks like...fun! - that is good to hear!

Amy looks like...a sweet, grand lady! - maybe I would appreciate this more if I was 50.

Amy looks like...she is going to be a wonderful addition to your team! - I like to think so!

Amy looks like...an angel flying through the sky/All the birds and planes pass her by. - okay, angel is nice, but birds are passing me? I must be the slowest angel in heaven...

Famous People

(always an exciting comparison)

Amy looks like...the real Marilyn, and acts like her as well. - ok, the looks were fine, but act? really?

Amy looks like...a peanuts character - You know, I think that is pretty accurate!

Amy looks like...Harry Potter from that angle - ouch.

Amy looks like...a deformed Nicole Kidman - double ouch.

Amy looks like...Janice from "Friends" - triple swirling tornado ouch!

Amy looks like...a really tall Cabbage Patch Kid who holds a little dog - I am trying to picture what this would even look like. I'm drawing a blank.

Amy looks like...the witch from The Wizard of Oz - hmmm...the smashed one or the green one?

ANIMALS

(who doesn't love furry little creatures?)

Amy looks like...she has lived nine lives - obviously referencing a cat. very flattering. I think. Maybe not.

Amy looks like...a hairy, dirty ape. - only sometimes.

Amy looks like...Jay Leno’s sister….or a horse! - I don't really know how I should take this, but it makes me feel a little sorry for poor Jay...

Amy looks like...re-inflated roadkill - wow. I thought about adding a picture, but...well...yeah, this one speaks for itself.

Amy looks like...a manbeast - I want to dedicate this one to my roomie, Ashley. At least the Spawn of Satan only called you a "boy."

PERSONAL ATTACKS

(why so harsh?)

Amy looks like...a blow up doll. I always thought Amy was weird. - this is a little reminiscent of "Lars and the Real Girl." I don't like the thought of that.

Amy looks like...an old hag with blond hair. - suddenly "sweet, grand lady" is very appealing.

Amy looks like...a drag queen. - ok, this is crossing the line!

Amy looks like...some Victorian Spacewoman from the Future. - I secretly wish this were true.

Amy looks like...a Catholic Republican Army Wife into Politics and Religion and Iraq. - this is quite specific, and almost entirely wrong. I like to think of myself as a Mormon Moderate Single Student into Accounting and Biking and Africa.

Amy looks like...a Tesco checkout girl with a drinking problem. - hey, I am working on it! And I work at Maverick, not Tesco! (j/k)

ACTIONS

(these are the funniest)

Amy looks like...she needs to use soap. -it's true. luckily, I do (use soap, I mean).

Amy looks like...she's been eating gravel by the roadside. -I can feel my teeth chip as I read this.

Amy looks like...she has lost weight. Amy's fat. - way to DESTROY all those years I spent building self-esteem, but I guess it is comforting to know that it looks like I am losing, not gaining.

Amy looks like...she is supposed to be fighting a stale crumpet. - I will admit it - before this post I did not even know for sure what a crumpet is. For future reference, it is an English Muffin, and I have no desire to fight a stale one of those suckers.

Amy looks like...she's about to sneeze. -I just did.

Amy looks like...she's trying too hard, like always. - probably true, but who isn't trying too hard?

Amy looks like...still looks like a good girl while striking the rude girl pose. -I laugh out loud at this one! It is just too accurate!

Amy looks like...she has a bruise, but I suppose a skin disease is better than having been, perhaps, punched in the face. -this reminds me of the time I got a black eye playing racquetball. Personally, I think a black eye is better than a skin disease. eewww!

Amy looks like...she had the dress made to match her wallpaper. - this makes me hum songs from "The Sound of Music," but I guess Maria used drapes, not wallpaper, right?

Amy looks like...she’s in mid-eyeroll . . . and when Amy rolls her eyes at you for being grating, then you got problems. -my favorite description.

Amy looks like...she's a hair away from some really terrifying pictures as she engages in battle with her shoe. - what does this mean?

Amy looks like...she's about two rhinestones away from a wardrobe malfunction. -Note to self - NEVER Google "rhinestones."

And, of Course, a couple of profound favorites...

Amy looks like...Ruth looks like Amy looks just like Ruth… - Wow! How cool is that! I think we probably do look alike...

And the ultimate...Amy would be an embarrassment to the Bond series. - ok, I know it doesn't start with "Amy looks like," but it came up on the search, and I was stunned!

PS - it is not true. I would be the best Bond girl there ever was...

Tour de France, 2008

July 5, 2008
marks the 95th annual
Tour de France!

But first, lets talk a little bit about Team Discovery Channel.



Team Discovery Channel is famous, of course, for Lance Armstrong and his spectacular seven tour wins! Lance has since retired, and so has the sponsor; but our favorite team rides on, now as Team Astana.



Unfortunately, in light of all the blood doping issues with last year's tour, the Amaury Sport Organization (ASO) has banned Team Astana from riding! This turn of events is completely outrageous, but with only three days left to the start of the race, the decision is very, very final.

So, before the 2008 tour, I would like to honor my two favorite riders (and, I might add, the favorites to win the tour that they have been unjustly banned from).


LEVI LEIPHEIMER



The Man of all Men
Levi Leipheimer dragged both Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador up mountains and across plains, in pouring rain and blistering heat. Both Armstrong and Contador owe a portion of their victories to Levi. It is greatly due to his effort and skill that Team USPS/Discovery Channel/Astana has come so far in the cycling world.

Oh yeah, he also kicked trash in the final '07 time trial, beating out everyone by more than 2 minutes! (Most time trial leaders are within seconds of eachother)

Levi stood in third place on the podium in '07.
If he had the chance to race this year, I believe he would take the yellow jersey.


ALBERTO CONTADOR



The Rookie of the Year
This Spainiard took the cycling world by storm last year. With Team Discovery Channel, Contador beat out many of the world's top riders in the '07 Tour de France, winning both the white and the yellow jersey.

And he is only getting stronger.

Boys, you deserve to ride.
Knock their balls of in '09.



Now, on to the 2008 tour...

Running from Saturday July 5 to Sunday July 27, the 95^th Tour de France will be made up of 21 stages and will cover a total distance of 3,500 kilometers.
(Click on the map for more detailed info on each individaul stage)



Two words: Saddle Sore.


With Leipheimer, Contador, and all of Team Astana out of the picture, I have been forced to look into other potential winners.

My top choice:
Cadel Evans with Team Silence-Lotto



Team Silence-Lotto is based in Belgium. They have been riding the Tour ever since I have been following it, and they have always had a very strong team. The red and black spandex is pretty intimidating, I think. Not to mention the hats.

CADEL EVANS



Evans is a powerhouse of cycling energy. He is a mountain trails man, a city streets man, and an everything-in-between man. Last year he managed to beat out Levi Leipheimer, taking second place on the podium. Several credible sources have picked Evans as the favorite for the '08 tour. Still, Evans is gonna have a time trying to smash the other superstars, like Alejandro Valverde, Carlos Sastre and Denis Menchov.
(Click on the link to "other superstars" for more info on the other contendors)


I guess, in closing, I would just like to say good luck to all the riders.



May the best man win!

Dedicated to a Friend

The more years I have under my belt, the more I realize that growing up is a real process. It is very bittersweet sometimes, but the best part about it is the people you meet along the way.

My Freshman year in college I moved all the way from California to live with six girls I knew nothing about! I never expected my life to change the way it did.

I moved in with Ruth, and the first thing we discovered was our deep love of singing Moulin Rouge with curling irons on top of tables. I knew we would be friends.

Ruth and I shared many adventures, including crazy hair, music videos, and a very, very eventful trip to Las Vegas. Though we had our ups and downs, After freshman year we weren't just friends, we were Best Friends.

Well, freshman year came and went, and we moved out of the dorms. Spring term brought new adventures, but we always took them on together. I am forever grateful to have had Ruth with me that term. I could never repay her for all that she did for me.

Just before Sophomore year, Ruth and I took a little trip to Chicago. Acting like 4-year-olds, as always, we rode the metal bull, explored the amphitheater, and splashed around in the public fountain.

Sophomore year reality set in. Both of us as were working on pre-reqs for our majors. We spent late, late, nights in the library studying accounting together. Still, we laughed and cried through it all, and managed to have some good times in between exams.

Winter semester brought "the pursuer," and before I knew it, my constant friend for years was engaged to one of the best guys I have ever met. I have never been happier in my life. I can't wait to watch her grow through her marriage. I know she will be happy with him, forever and ever.

I know people change and grow, but I will always remember Ruth as Moulin Rouge, and Vegas, and Chicago. She has touched my life, and I only hope I have let her know how much she means to me, and that I love her.

Ruth, thanks for being my friend.

PROM NIGHT - DON'T SEE THIS MOVIE!!!!!

As my family and friends will tell you, I LOVE horror movies. I am always looking for something new to scare me, so last night I went and saw the movie "Prom Night" with some of my friends.

I would never, EVER suggest this movie to anybody. It is rated "PG-13," but I definitely feel like it should have been rated "R" because of violence.

Every other character in this movie gets brutally stabbed several times, and it is absolutely sickening to watch. I wasn't scared so much as I was shocked and disgusted.

The scariest thing about this movie is that the people in the theater that were laughing at the stabbings! That is totally sick, twisted, and completely inappropriate, even if it is "just a movie." I almost threw up after the first 10 minutes.

So, I guess I just wanted to tell all of my friends and family that they should NOT go see this movie. It is disgusting and disturbing. I think I will just stick to the psychological thrillers from now on.

I Have a A New Bike!

So I have been doing a lot, Lot, LOT of research lately about bikes. I miss my Raleigh every day, and I decided it is time to admit that it is gone for good. I have been debating with myself for weeks whether getting a new bike is a good idea, and I finally decided it is! This is the bike I have chosen! It is the 2008 Myka Sport by Specialized.

Just a little after thought, the great bike debate has been weighing so much on my mind lately that I had a dream about it the other day. I dreamed that I before I bought it went back to the bike shop and that they had already sold every single bike that I was interested in. It was devastating. Good thing it was just a dream...

Intramural Champion!

Hey everyone! I just won the Racquetball singles tournament! Thought you should all know that you are friends/relatives of a CHAMPION!

The Best Dad in the World

This is a shout out to the WHOLE WORLD! I just wanted you to know that I have the Best Dad Ever!

My dad is the buisest man in the world, but he always has time for me. I love him more than I can say, and I thank God to have a great man like him in my life. He is a great example, and I couldn't ask for a better father.

The top 20 things I learned in my first 20 years of earthly existance

For the big 2-0 I thought I would brag about how much I have learned while living through two decades (Wow! That is a long time!) Here it goes:

1. Blonds really do have more fun!
And brunettes really are jealous.




2. Laughter - it's the Best Medicine.
or so Reader's Digest tells me.

So here is a good one for you:
Why do witches ride on brooms?



Because Vacuum cleaners are too heavy!
(this one gets me every time! one of those original Popsicle-stick jokes)

3. In-n-Out Burger has the best burgers in the world - hands down.
But only Californians understand



4. You get what you pay for.
So if you care about it, spend money on it!
Especially when it comes to bike locks. >:(

5. Fruit is an irreplaceable daily necessity.




6. Responsibility, what's that?
Super important, that's what! Being reliable is a "grown-up" thing, but I guess I am a grown-up now, so lets shun MxPx and get to work!

7. The Bee's are the BEST advice!
With the passing of President Gordon B. Hinckley, I have realized how valuable his life and lessons truly are. I am re-committing to take good advice to heart, especially the "Bees!"



8. Is it in you?
Yes! It is in me! In fact, it's in everyone!

Find a sport you are passionate for. It makes staying fit easier, and life more enjoyable!
Me? I love mountain biking!



9. Believe in yourself!
You can do so much if you just believe!

10. Don't Believe in yourself too much...
You are not invincible, so don't do dumb things.


(Alright, I stole those last two from a book, but both really are important life lessons, and I did learn them!)

11. Some knots are impossible to untie.



It is easier to avoid tangling your life altogether than to try and get yourself out of an unnecessary mess!
Make the right decision in the first place - CTR!

12. You can direct your own life, so don't leave it up to chance!



Anyone can get behind a wheel and hit the gas, but only those with a plan get where they want to go. Don't let life run you into a ditch! Set goals and be an active navigator!

13. There is always someone better than you.
But who cares?

14. True friends never go out of style.



I thank God every day for my friends. They have blessed my life in more ways than I can possibly describe.

15. Quality time is worth more than money
The more I live life, the more I realize that money doesn't buy you friends or happiness. Time buys you friends, love buys you happiness. Spend time with those around you. As you come to know and love them, your life will be blessed. Money may be able to buy you a new Audi, but the Audi will never love you like a real person can!

16. Anything you do with sisters is cool.



and matching pink Pj's are the ULTIMATE COOL!

17. Two is better than one
especially when you are a twin.



This year has been very, very hard because Eric is on his mission. I am so proud to have him as a brother, but dang I miss that boy!



18. Parents in general are DA BOMB!
but mine are #1



I can honestly say that I could not have picked better parents. You know how people talk about the day they learned their parents were "just human, like the rest of us?" That day hasn't come for me, and I doubt it ever will.

19. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is Restored!



The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has the true and restored gospel of Christ. Joseph Smith saw God the Father and Jesus Christ, and they directed him to build this church. The book of Mormon contains the fullness of the gospel, and the Bible is the word of God. President Monson is God's prophet on the earth today. Christ died for me, and he is waiting to hold me in his arms again. Most of all, I know that God loves me.

20. Trust in the Lord
with all thine heart
and lean not unto thine own understanding
In all thy ways, acknowledge Him
and he shall direct thy paths.
(Proverbs 3:5-6)

Mountain Biking, Rock Climbing, and Everything Nice!

As promised, here are some more pictures from Moab!

Group Picture on the Gemini Bridges

Me on the Gemini Bridges

This first one is up at Gemini Bridges. We mountain biked there, which was awesome. When we got there, I discovered my extreme fear of heights. I sat right down in the middle of the bridge, just to make sure I would not tumble over the edge. ;)

Tommy and Bruce on The Rock

This is Tommy rock climbing, with a little help from Bruce. If you ask me, it might be a little too much help...

Kami, Me, Lisa, Tommy, and Jeremiah

For a service project, we painted this barn. I like to think we are ready to become pro painters.

The Mountain Bike Rack

I just think that this is the coolest picture of the Mountain Bikes!

So these next two pictures are not in Moab, they are in Alpine. I went mountian biking with my friend Ivan Ho. He is also an awesome photographer, so we got some amazing shots up in the mountains! I love mountian biking!

Ivan Ho Popping a Wheelie

Me on an Uphill Climb