9.3.08

Last night I slept 8 hours. Something that hasn't happened it a while.
Switching sleep schedule this dramatically has taken alot out of me. I've struggled
to make every training ride and team meeting, awake.

I must say that what I've seen of the race venues and the Paralympic village -
-kind a blows me away- The natural environment is green and lush different than Colo. Springs.
The Host Country has spared no expense in impressing it's guests. The landscaping and artistic structures show how important these games are to this country.

From what I hear the Village is the best that some staff can remember. The cycling, swimming and track & Field live in a 6 story condo in heart of the village. We are located a few minute walk from the food & internet cafe. Everywhere I walk I see displays of Chinese Art work.

The velodrome is one the best I've ridden in the world. It's a wooden 250 meter indoor track with 45-48 degree banks. The surrounding building has cabins to accommodate each nation.
The track is located 40 minutes away from the village.

The road course starts and ends on a damn and loops around a beautiful valley lake.
The area is surrounded by low lying mountains which reveal ancient chinese buildings.
The course it'self has one steady climb of just a kilometer and a few other short bumps that can
be powered over. The race will either break up on the climb or in the technical section that winds around the damn.

Overall I'm very impressed by what I've seen. But my physical surroundings are nothing to
the people I've met and the feeling I get when I think that I'm at the 2008 Beijing Summer Games.