Ok everyone!!! I got a new phone and it’s up and running.....please call me or mail me with your details... I lost all my data... thank you so much..
09015008251
kareyw@ezweb.ne.jp

What's the most boneheaded move you have ever done?? Bet you can't beat what I did last night....flushed my cell phone down the toilet at the wine bar..... arrggggg!!!!!!!!! So if you are trying to contact me, wait till tomorrow... I should have a new phone and the same number if all goes well with AU today......yes, I am an idoit....lol...

It plopped out of my back pocket as I turned around to flush... and right into the toilet bowl....

I saw my little man that was attached swimming as hard as he could and I tried to rescue him as I plunged my arm in the bowl....but....the current was faster than my arm and bye bye.. gone .......6 years of data...arrggggggggg!!!!!!!!

me in shock after watching it go down... and yes.. I sanitized my hand and arm after the toilet plunge........shite!!!!!!!!
!!

I couldn’t resist catching this amazing cloud formation above our mountains.....

from a different angle...

In sepia....

a panoramic view....

in sepia again......

Mori San on the bridge towards Ikeda

Today I met fellow ski patrol, Mori San for a road ride. It was an early start and very cold on the way to meet him. I was very happy to have arrived 5 minutes early at the 7-11 so I could try and defrost my fingers and toes before the real ride began. Mori-San arrived and off we went... we did the Ikeda, Azumino, Hotaka route and road for exactly 2.15 hr together. It was a great blue sky day and the mountains stunning without any clouds around them....

Check out the sky....

He made me push which was great... I have found a new training partner and am very happy.. thanks Mori San for a great ride...

All smiles for Mori-San

I must mention that it was the first time for me ever to try road shoes and road pedals....in all of my 16 year career, I have only ever worn mtb shoes and pedals on my road bike. So today my new Specialized Shoes and pedals were awesome. Now I know what I have been missing all this time ha ha. Thanks Specialized and to DJ for sending me the shoes!!!!!
My boot covers

My new Specialized S Works Road shoes, especially for Ladies... they rock!!

After our ride we enjoyed some warm coffee and parted on our different routes home!!

(the little lady who ate 41 plates of sushi!!)

So I entered the Achan Sushi the other afternoon and I noticed this girl who had a vast number of sushi plates around her... I sat down and started my meal and kept waiting for her friend or boyfriend to come out of the bathroom....there had to be another person for all those plates....

(Her piles of plates)

Then the sushi chef asked her, “How many plates have you had so far...?” and she replied, “38”.
My jaw dropped as I realized it was only her and all of those plates....and the sushi chef encouraged her to try for 40...so she did and actually ended up having 41 plates of sushi. She was such a small thing, I couldn’t believe where all that sushi had gone... I had to ask her for her picture.... she agreed but wouldn’t give me her name....

(my piles of plates)

Wow, is all I can say... Ha ha!

Weeeee, made it up just in time to catch some friends who were heading out for some powder....
needless to say, had a great Sunday with some beautiful blue sky, warm weather, great friends and some of Hakuba’s finest untouched powder!!! I lead a great life....HAKUBA RULES!!! More photo’s here.....enjoy

Video of Keigo’s powder here...

Video of Craig’s jump here......

and a poem inspired from days like today..... I hope you like it.....

Nature’s gifts.....

Out on a blue sky day
for me there is no other way

feeling the sun shining on my face
for me there is no better place

breathing in the clean mountain air
for me there is so much nature to share

when I climb up to the mountain top
for me the panoramic views never stop

as I stand and take in the scenery
for me in the summer it's outstanding greenery

sitting by the river as the water flows by
for me in the autumn brilliant leaves fly

getting off the chair and seeing snow so white
for me in the winter it's a grandeur delight

when the flowers sprout up all around
for me in the spring there is nothing more profound

it's natures great gift of these glorious seasons
that gives all of us life's mystical reasons...

Jen and I out for a snowshoe this afternoon......had a bit of an episode last night when I came home to find the upstairs sink water pipe leaking....and huge puddles of water dripping everywhere.... so that was a bit to clean up and get fixed... thanks Kouji.. so this morning was a late start but turned out to be a great day!!!

We had a bit of an adventure...Jen almost fell in the river at the crossing......and I did a massive faceplant on a downhill... super fun and what a way to have a girls chat and get a good work out!!!!! More photo’s here...enjoy!!!

They arrived!! My new Specialized S works road shoes... my very first pair of road shoes ever.. I usually use mountain bike shoes on my road bike, but now I got these babies!!!!! Can’t wait to try them out next week... have to go to Matsumoto since there is so much snow here in Hakuba... should be great, will give you the full report next week...wow I am excited... I actually feel a little like a roady..... lol!!!

This morning I woke up with some swollen eyes... let me recommend this mask!!! It does the trick.. just put it in the freezer for 15 minutes, then walla.... on to the face until it cools down.... lol.......does the trick..!!

Last week brought me to Tokyo to check out the new 2010 Fall and Winter Collection.. some great glasses, goggles and wear coming out for 2010!!!! Stay tuned......

I was also able to head out to Fussa city where Nakazawa Gym bike shop is located. A very quick trip but we are planning to do some joint events together.... so this will be announced also very soon......

Tokyo was chilly, but a totally different world....no snow... compared to Hakuba........so hope to get some riding in the non-winter zone soon!!!!

I started assistant ski patrol again this weekend. I liked it so much last year that I went back...and my first day saw three good injuries....a snowboarder collision that ended up with a snow board slicing the others back with a nice gash.....then two broken arms....ouch, big day today!

That night Ya-Chan and I had a girls night, stayed home, drank some wine, had a nice dinner and did girl things like doing each other’s make-up, chatting and dancing around in the kitchen. We completed the night by sleeping in the next morning.. it was heaven. We then had a great breakfast and head outside for a walk. Our destination was 7-11and our mission ice cream!!!!! Was a beautiful day and a great walk. Finally, we relaxed and watched a movie.. It’s complicated with Merryl Streep and Alex Baldwin... was a fun movie....

So I hoped you enjoyed your weekend.....now it’s back to work today.. signing off until later... Karey!!!!

Sweet Riders in the Snow!!!

Welcome to snowy Hakuba!!!! Once again it is back to the Hakuba we know and love. Last year saw the worst season in 42 years according to the locals here.... but this year....we are off to a great start....so much snow and more forecasted to come this week!!!! More pictures here...

After arriving back from Canada last Tuesday evening, I was surprised to see how much more snow had fallen.....right the next day it was snowing and I had to get my butt up there... twas a great way to get over the jet-lag....enjoy the snow pics....

I was so lucky to be able to go to Canada for the winter holidays. I got to spend Christmas with my family and New Years with Sarah, Brian and new baby Cora. My 2 weeks were filled with great visits and being reunited with old and new friends. My good friend Ross, who I haven’t seen since my wedding, dropped into Edmonton since he has recently moved back to Canada from Singapore. I got to meet his new lovely family! Cheers Ross...

Also got reunited with my friend who I have know since before Kindergarten. Linda and I have kept in touch over the years and this time I could finally get in a quality visit.. thanks Linda and family!

Of course my immediate family as well, was so great to see everyone and spend some time catching up!!

Thanks to all, I hope you enjoy the photo’s....Xmas here, New Years’s here....

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!! MAY THE NEW YEAR BRING PEACE, LOVE AND HAPPINESS TO EVERYONE AND LOTS OF SWEET RIDES ALL OVER THE EARTH!!!!!

p.s. my new year’s resolution is to update this site as much as possible, so stay tuned for Sweet Riders 2010 new schedule of events and tours.....it is going to be a great year!!!!!!

Just before the new year I finally finished all of the Peru trip photos, click here for access to all of the albums, 1-11.....It was a fantastic trip and I truly recommend it to all mountain bikers...the tour I used was called check it out!!