BLITZ THIS!

Kevin just might end up staying in Switzerland forever... in jail. Today marked his third.... yes count them, 1...2....3.... speeding ticket from a "Blitz Box." Here there isn't really a highway patrol to catch dangerous tourists who speed through towns, instead they have a speed trap set up that takes your picture and catches your plate numbers if speeding. Yesterday on our way home from Luzern, Kev got blitzed twice. I yelled at him and said "I told you to slow down!" Just then... another flash of the camera. What is going on here !!!????? At least in the states you can talk your way out of a ticket. I would opt to be the designated driver from now on (who has a clean record of 11 years by the way) but I'm not on the rental car insurance. Stupid.

Luzern was rainy but great. I got car sick winding up and down the roads to the Alps.... probably due to Kevin's ridiculous driving :) We got really sick of trying to speak German and figure out Swiss restaurant menus and found a "California Burger." We ate good old fashioned American Cheeseburgers and Fries while watching soccer and speaking English! Loved it!
Then we (total nerds) decided to pretend we were on the Amazing Race and looking for the next clue... The Sad Lion, ran through the streets, dodging people and checking the map to make it to the next pit stop of the race!!!! I told you, nerds.

Mark Twain called it "the saddest and most moving piece of rock in the world" Dedicated to the soldiers who died fighting for King Louis XVI in the French Revolution.


City of Luzern


Little ski town in the Alps


Tuesday we walked to the Rhine Falls: Europe's largest water fall. When I said we walked.... we walked. It was my not so bright idea to park and walk about 1 hour each way along the river to get to/from the falls. Whatever, I needed to burn calories ok?

It was spectacular, we didn't take the ferry to the rock in the middle cuz we're broke. This place is almost 10 times a spend-e as the states.


Moose was scared of the loud water... so cute!

Movies that make me LOL

Rice Rocket Slalom... shifting problems included


Corner Skids are my favorite!


Ghetto Start line:


Old School:


Hope they made you happy too :)

SO MUCH BETTER THAN NASCAR! Euro Style

Sunday morning started with an 1.5 hour jog around the town with Moose. While I was out running, Kevin noticed a sound across town. The hum of race cars. We decided to hop in the car and try to find where the sound was coming from... only five minutes later we found the local race track. I spotted a parking attendant who looked like he might know English and sure enough, he was able to tell us all about it!
Kev's favorite car:


My favorite car: (cuz it matches the white swiss army knife I got here:))


I really don't know anything about cars. But I know the Porche had some wicked sweet speed and handled itself better than any other car on in the field, including the Ferrari or Lotus.
EXCEPT on this turn:

ALL BY OURSELVES

Kday and I are on our own this week. Kevin's Sister, Kady and her husband, Matt who have been our tour guides and translators are on a safari in South Africa. Kevin and I have a pocket full of about 5 German phrases, a map, and a car... it's gonna be FUN!
Day one, the Santi Alps and Appenzall. First, I had to rouse Kevin and a Moose out of bed.


After only getting lost 2 times on the way to the snow capped mountains, we arrived at the bottom. I dropped Kevin off to ride his bike the rest of the way up the mountain. I drove up the 12% grade winding road with a Moose in the back of my car.


I took the dog on a walk until Kevin arrived.

PB&J picnic and then followed Kev again on the bike over to Appenzall, about 20km. Window shopping and a bite to eat at Migro's and then took the "scenic route" back to Frauenfeld.

A few run in's with the German speaking locals... who knows what we said. But all in all it was a fabulous day on our own.

SHOPPING, SPIRAL STAIRS, AND SOCCER

Playing Catch-up over the last few days. We're so worn out by the end of the day it's hard to remember to post pics before falling fast asleep. Every day here has been such an adventure and we're so glad to have Mat and Kady to translate German for us and host as tour guides. Wednesday, Kady an I took the train back into Zurich to fulfill our attempt at shopping. I will have to do a post on all the "Euro" items I purchased... so fabulous! Kevin snapped a pic of Kady and I near the middle of the shopping trip as we took a break to climb the bazillion stairs of the spiral stair-case up the Gros-Munster Cathedral.


The view of Zurich was well worth the bazillion stair climbing :)

Me acting like a fool in the room of the Crypts... Spooky


Thursday we headed to Matt's past residence, Bern. Translation: Bear. At the entrance to the town they have a bear pit with a VERY large grizzly bear that was quite shy and didn't show his face until we were leaving Bern. This town is famous for it's fountains up and down the main street. There is plenty more shopping to do here as well as eating some delicious food. Kevin almost died trying to run up the spiral stairs and catch footage of the bells of the Muenster Cathedral ringing at high noon. But he survived long enough to catch a glimpse of the Bern clock.


The beautiful, famous streets of Bern.


Almost forgot, Kevin got a chance to visit FIFA.... something to do with soccer. See his blog for more info.

The top of Europe- Jungfrau

Yesterday was a nice leisure day spend shopping the streets of Germany and climbing the stairs of this church.



A quick train ride over to Zurich for some sort of parade to celebrate the beginning of Summer. Kady and I were hoping to get some shopping in on one of the most expensive streets in the world, but the shops were closed for the events.




Today we drove to Interaken and took the Cog-Wheel train up to the top of the Jungfrau... otherwise known as "The top of Europe." Had we arrived a few weeks earlier in the season we would have love to hit up the slopes for some sweet powder skiing. It's spring weather now and the only skiing to be done is with some serious backcountry mountaineering to access it.
Here's where we started, looking up at the Eiger


Europe's largest glacier and amazing views


Group Shot at Jungfaujoch... it was a bit chilly

ICH SPRECHE KEIN DEUTSCH

I don't speak German. But I'm trying really hard to learn a few key phrases. I tried to say Hello "Gruetze" and accidentally said Gruerten, a mix between Hello and thanks. It's would have been like saying "Hanks!" in English to an American... smooth Shan.

We are trying really hard to recover from the jet lag and finally feeling much better. It's 10:30 pm here in Frauenfeld and we're wrapping up the day. Here's a few pics:

Kady, Shan, Kev enjoying the fabulous weather.


Explored a little town in the Alps near Flims ski resort


Matt and Kady's Apartment.... love love love it! Want to move into the open apartment above them and just have everything we own shipped over! If our adoption plans don't work out we are SO moving here!


The trail I plan to run on tomorrow AM before we head off to Zurich and Constance.


I've loved every second of our time here. Everything is so beautiful and clean. More pics and info on Kday's blog.

JET LAGGED

TOO JET LAGGED TO POST PICS TONIGHT. ABOUT 4-5 HOURS OF SLEEP EACH NIGHT THIS WEEK, 2 HOURS ON THURSDAY NIGHT. FLIGHT TO ZURICH AT 4:30 AM FRIDAY, STILL AWAKE AT 8PM SWITZ TIME... NOON SATURDAY UTAH TIME. For more info on our first day in Frauenfeld Switzerland click HERE>

ANOTHER BORING COUNTDOWN

SWITZERLAND TRIP: 8 days, 18 hours
FIRST TRIATHLON: 79 days, 10 hours
TX4 EVENT: 93 days
FIRST 1/2 MARATHON: 4 months
FIRST TOURNAMENT TENNIS MATCH SINCE COLLEGE: dunno, USTA is LAME and can't find their heads from their....... tennis ball?

LOVE LOVE LOVE THIS episode#2

Love the music, love the simplicity, love it!

4 MILES AND COUNTING

Today I re-tapped into my disciplined self. After having a total melt down last night and eating my way through half a batch of brownies, and after almost 4 months off of running on a daily basis... I gave in! I fought off temptation to give up and I went for a 4 mile run, in the snow, with a fast running friend. Simply put, it felt SOOOOOO good to be back. The difference between 220 lb. Sday and the improved 149 lb Sday? I don't give up anymore. No more self loathing and pity. Stand up and start over when I trip. The finish line isn't any further away... I just tripped. So this morning I ran myself sick and loved every second of it!

CURRENT COUNT DOWNS:
Switzerland: 13 days, 2 hours
First Triathlon: 83 days, 16 hours
First 1/2 Marathon: 4.5 months
First tournament tennis match since college tennis: When the USTA will complete my rating appeal. TBA

Post Script: I know that most normal women wouldn't dare post their weight online for an entire universe to see.... but I'm dang proud of that number because I worked my tail off to get it... and it's only going to get lower!