Had a very special visitor last weekend. My teammate and all around awesome person, Leigh “The Machete” Valletti flew out from Atlanta for the 3 day to hangout with us on the left coast.

We crammed as much stuff into 3 nights and 2 days as two girls (legally) can. Dinner the first night at VK happy hour HQ, Fonda.
4 hr ride in Marin the next day complete with photo stops at all the touristy spots. As Leigh put it, it was like being on our honeymoon! Sweet! (No mom, I don’t have anything to tell you, just a joke!)

We had a fantastic home cooked meal that night in Berkeley at Dave and Jennie’s, after that we bundled up and headed to my favorite beer heaven, The Trappist. Mmmmmmmm, beer…. *drool*

3 hr ride out to Danville on Sunday AM and then sushi at Sushi Groove with Mark and Flavia closed out the visit. It went by as fast as any weekend should be allowed and before I knew it I was dropping LeiLei off at the San Fran airport in the pouring rain. *sniff*

She’ll be back in a month for camp, I’ll be counting down the days!

Hindsight is 20/20, so they say and as true as that may be, I am glad to have the opportunity to live each day as it comes and bask in the excitement of what the next may bring.

2007 has been a year of progress in my life and I owe so much to a few people that have motivated me and allowed me to live my dream. Cycling is a huge part of that dream but certainly not the only part. For me, waking up happy and living every day with the enthusiasm of a child is the overall picture; the components that fit inside this are just pieces to the puzzle. Yes, some pieces are much larger (cycling) than others (beer) but they all fit together to bring to life a picture of a happy Liz.

If I think back to 2 years ago on this exact date my life was a whole different story. I had just ended a 5 year relationship and was in a serious rut. Leaving was necessary for survival in the truest sense of the word but those first few months were bleak. Feeling helpless and sorry for yourself only comforts you for so long however, and luckily I have an amazing pair of parents who helped “pull me up by the bootstraps” and get my ass in gear.

2 years ago- I would wake up most mornings wishing I hadn’t or praying for the moment I could get back in bed and go to sleep again.

Now- Some nights I can’t wait to go to bed so I can get up and live the next day. Other nights still I’m too excited to sleep!

Bringing me to my point.

I have been overwhelmingly blessed to meet a few special people this year who I would like to publicly thank. They are the reason I get to take this “dream life” and run with it. They are the reason I get to wake up and ride my bike on a daily basis representing and amazing company with a huge heart.

First, I want to thank Dave Verrecchia for finding me in the first place and then not laughing at me when I ask him if Vanderkitten would be interested in sponsoring me. Dave, you are a real one of a kind guy, you make me laugh when I feel like doing anything but. Thanks also to his kick ass wife and the inspiration behind Vanderkitten, Jennie Vanderlaag for being the wonderful person that she is.

Mark Zefeldt, you are the best roomie I’ve ever had, thanks for opening your home to me and Ludo. You’re been my shoulder to lean on and ear to yap in (yeah, I know there’s not a lot of talking sometimes but when I’ve needed it you’ve been there). I owe you for numerous trips to the airport to go race, watching my brat dog while at said races, sushi, 30 Rock, coffee, the fact that you now read cycling magazines even though you really don’t have an interest in cycling EXCEPT that you now own a women’s cycling team(whew!), INTERBIKE, the big framed poster of Pam Anderson that hangs in our hallway, Mother’s Iced Animal Cookies(damn you!), beer, the Christmas party on the boat where I almost threw up, letting me drive your Yaris(awesomely fun), motorpacing me(starts soon, don’t forget), INTERBIKE, and a ton of other things! THANKS FOR BEING YOU, MARK!

To my teammate, Leigh “The Machete” Valletti. I can’t believe that a year ago when we first met I kept asking you an million questions about how you got into cycling and how I should go about getting on a team… Amazing that we get to do it together! Thanks for all the hours of work you put into Vanderkitten and thanks for the hours of “chatting to me” (not with) about who knows what. You are a jewel, chickadee!

If I really sat down and wrote out a list of all the people I should thank I’d never finish this blog but I have just a few more people that deserve special mention.

Len Basobas, you have been so on board with Vanderkitten Racing and shown us a ton of support on Triple Crankset. I also deeply appreciate the attention and respect you’ve given to female athletes in cycling by presenting us as multi-dimensional people who have something to say rather than just images to look at for personal enjoyment.

Kurt Harvey- Man, I CANNOT tell you how awesome you are! I think back to Patterson Pass and you yelling encouragement to me even though I was dying due to my own sheer stupidity and impatience(yes, breaking away on the first lap of that race was idiotic, but I’ll make it up to ya). The gift you gave me in Las Vegas at InterBike is priceless to me. To have a book of photos that you personally took and created to document my first season with Vanderkitten is something I will never forget. My mom and dad are holding it safely for me. They thank you as well. We are all so glad to have you in the Vanderkitten family, Kurt!

My last person is a friend, plain and simple. Bob Cullinan, I know you doubted me a bit at first but I’m glad you did because it forced us to get to know one another. You are too much, Bobo! I get a kick out of you! (Hello, Sinatra!) Just don’t buy another Trek, ok???

Yep, A year to be thankful for. I have a feeling that my list for 2008 will be doubly as long…

Happy New Year to you all!

Pep rallies.
Growing up in Texas meant numerous trips to the gym before “the big game” to get pumped up for our team, in my case, the Leander Lions. Bleachers would fill with rows of students sectioned off according to popularity levels, looking like crayons in a box. Some of us a little disheveled yet still colorful.

I always dreaded pep rallies, I didn’t fit into any particular group and most of my friends were home schooled. In my entire student career, I never went to a single dance or football game so the cheering was lost on me. Normally I would read a book or try to sneak out early and walk home. School spirit? Not me!

Until now. No, Vanderkitten isn’t a school per se, although I have learned more about myself in
the past year than I have in most of my life. I’ve had 2 amazing teachers in Dave and Mark and really learned some big lessons about myself and life. Things that will serve me well and I will carry with me for the rest of my time on earth.

So why am I feeling the team spirit now? Because of this-

My first contract with an Elite team.

It’s so much more than that though. Vanderkitten is a family to me, it’s tangible evidence of the hard work that Dave, Mark and I have put into this dream. I’ve been racing for two seasons now, without any teammates and have posted some pretty good results. The total belief in me that the guys have shown, enough that they decided to sponsor a pro team, is pretty overwhelming and I intend to repay them in kind.

In the past few months we’ve been extremely lucky to find two people who also believe in the dream of Vanderkitten as much as we do, my favorite girl on a bike, Leigh Valletti and Scott Gross, our new Director Sportif. Leigh and I met a year ago through our mutual friend Eric Murphy and immediately got on like a house on fire. She’s tough, strong, funny, smart and not to mention a hottie! I can’t wait to have her yelling at me during races, I know I’ll learn so much from her. Scott is a legend in his own right, he’s been involved with cycling for years, worked with 7-11 back in the day and will bring so much experience and knowledge to the team that I may have to start calling him “Yoda.” They have both been an integral part of putting this team together, pounding the proverbial pavement to pull in sponsors and search for the extraordinary talent that will make the team one of the best in the country.

Speaking of talent, we’ve signed some awesome women, but I’ll leave that announcement up to Scott and the team press releases. Let’s just say I’m thrilled to wear the Vanderkitten colors with these girls! Keep your eyes open for the 2008 roster along with some big time sponsor announcements in the next few weeks. Big things are happening!

Team spirit? Hell yes! This is a team I can be proud of.

See you at the races!

Lizzer