Got up early yesterday (Tuesday) to fly out of BWI…but, first, I had to say goodbye to my Roo Roo.  Poor girl.  She’ll be fine.  She’s at dog camp at grandpa’s, but it still was sad to leave her for 10 whole days.  Yikes!

It was cold when we left and I’m usually freezing in public places (like airports), so I wore jeans and had a jacket on.  Because of the jackets, Ryan and I didn’t realize that we were the matchy matchy twins.  We both had on our Eagleman 70.3 t-shirt from 2010 (best t-shirt ever) and looked like dorks for the rest of the day.  Too bad we didn’t have matching leisure pants.  Schmucktastic.  One interesting note about travel, about a dozen people asked Ryan if he was racing.  No one asked me.  The sport still needs to advance a little on the women’s front.

The flights went really smooth, long, but smooth.  We flew out of BWI at 7am, flew to Phoenix (which looks beautiful from the airport), then to Honolulu (which looks like a dump from the airport) and then finally to Kona at 11pm EST (5pm Hawaii).  All of our flights were early and we got all of our luggage.  Score! 

 

The site from the airport in Kona was already ridiculous.  First of all, the view as you’re landing is stunning.  Gorgeous black lava fields spilling into the ocean.  Just breath-taking.  Unlike anything I have ever seen before.  Then, as we got off of the plane onto the air strip, it hit me-wind, and lots of it.  Wow, all this talk about the wind here might have been true!

As I was waiting for Ryan to pick up the rental car (I had order an economy), I watched in the distance as cyclists rode down the Queen K.  Holy Cow.  We’re actually here!  Ryan came out smiling and jumped into a jeep.  Seriously?  A man can not be away from his Jeep for a day, apparently.  While I had been waiting I had asked a guy what are some must do’s in Hawaii.  He mentioned a short-cut, off-road option to get to the north-east sites of the Big Island.  Enter Ryan with a Jeep.  I have a feeling there will be some off-roading in Hawaii in our future.

The airport is adjacent to the famed Energy Lab, so it was amazing to get to see that.

What was funny was that as we were driving around town, I felt like I knew where I was going.  There aren’t that many roads in Hawaii and I have been obsessing over maps of Kona for the last several weeks.  Ryan was driving and I was directing him like I lived here.  I already feel at home.

Our condo is really nice- thankfully on the first floor.  That will come in handy later in the week.  The lanai (Hawaiian for patio) is gorgeous.  We sat out there and ate dinner last night.  It was perfect.

We drove through downtown Kona on our way to the grocery store and it was a zoo.  The expo is on both sides of Ali’i Drive.  One one side was Macca and Crowie (two of the male professionals) at the Specialized tent having a big christening of Crowie’s new Shiv.  On the other side of the road Andreas Raelert was giving a talk.  There were people everywhere.  Lights flashing.  Music blaring.  It was a scene.  Ryan asked if I wanted to jump out.  Usually, I HATE missing things, but I had been up for almost a full 24 hours at this point and I was cooked.  My brain felt like oatmeal.  There will be plenty of opportunity to do and see here.  I needed sleep. 

Even despite being super tired, I didn’t sleep all that well.  I woke up at 2am (8am EST) ready to rumble.  I finally slept a few more hours, but I’m ready to get the adventure going.

This morning (it’s 5:50am as I write this), we’re off to Dig Me Beach to go for our first swim on the course.  I’m actually excited.  I don’t feel any fear right now.  It’s all euphoria right now.  You know that scene from Mary Poppins where they all jump into the chalk drawing?  That is how I feel now.  I’m getting to go to places and see things that I’ve seen in pictures and read about for years.  It’s really, really freaking cool.  I’m also trying to give myself a pep talk to not be the dork that goes all pro frenzy at the beach when I start seeing them. 

There is an 8am autograph session with Terrenzo Bozzone and Macca.  Terrenzo is Ryan’s ultimate male crush.  Ryan might swoon.  If I see Terrenzo get hit in the face with a flying pair of boxers, it’s time to take Ryan away.

Gotta run and get ready.  Should have spray tanned, btw.  I look like a freaking ghost.

I’ll post pics later today.

Ma-holla!