A few more things happened over the weekend that are worth mentioning. First, we had a great going-away bash on Friday night. The usual suspects were all there, plus a few more who were probably wondering what this crazy lot of people were up to. When food and alcohol get thrown into the mix, you never know what might happen. The dancing and wrestling (yep, that competitive drive goes with us everywhere) weren’t so unusual, but it was when the entire chilly bin (aka cooler) of ice and water was thrown over Ben (who was lying on the floor at the time after being properly pinned by Lisa) did the evening’s events seem to be a bit outrageous. I guess that was Aaron and Blair’s way of saying good-bye, strange as it may seem, but that was just the icing on the cake for a good night. So, we said a few good byes that night, although I don’t think that it all has really sunk in yet.

Then, on Sunday we got to ride our final “coast ride” with our mates. This is a 160km ride that heads south and then swings east toward the coast and then we get to ride north along the coast towards home. It’s a great ride and one that I am surely going to miss. The rolling hills, the blue/green of the ocean water, and camaraderie shared with our friends, I will never forget. I can only assume that the riding in CO is going to be awesome but nothing can replace the ocean. We have lived on the coast for many years now (in California, Denmark and New Zealand) and it is going to be a very strange feeling not seeing the ocean. The sights and sounds of the ocean have been part of “us” for too long to think that there won’t be some sort of emptiness without it. BUT, I love the mountains as well and I can imagine that they will fulfill me in many other ways that I haven’t yet discovered.

The mover is now starting to pack up the kitchen and I better get in there to make sure things are done properly. I guess now that our apartment is beginning to fill with boxes, it is slowly starting to hit me that we are in fact moving.

Meredith