Primal screeeeeeaaaaaam!!

Much has happened inVan One since we checked in last. It seems as though far more than a day has passed since we last blogged.

So, after picking up a few calories and some down time yesterday afternoon, we headed up to the van exchange point, located in a wireless dead spot next to a cheese factory. We toured the cheese factory, sampling its wares, and then we settled in to enjoy a few hours in the van, getting acquainted. Mostly we played "name that tune" and made pointless but entertaining observations about strangers and consumed empty calories. It was quite enjoyable.

Finally, it was time to run. The hot topic was what to wear; we saw lots of people returning in shorts and short-sleeves, and they looked comfortable, but we'd been freezing out in the hurricane winds for several hours and were more inclined to layer up. I layered up and regretted it; the weather was quite pleasant, once I got moving. My second leg had significant uphill, and I was definitely off my target pace.

After our legs,we each returned to the van to get what sleep we could. I am never more grateful for my short stature than during a relay. I found a nice spot of the van floor, curled up in my bivy, and caught a few hours of sleep. When I awoke, it was time to pound a cup of coffee and get ready to run.

My third leg was exactly what I love: perfect sports bra weather and lots of kills. Thanks to a couple of ill-timed red lights, I just missed my target time, but I collected enough kills to earn a safe lead among my van-mates.

Texasbuckeye, noels71, and I somehow came up with the idea of ending our last legs by emitting a primal scream as we entered the excahnge. This proved very entertaining, and an excellent way to finish our part of this mad adventure.

Our team finished our rotation high in the mountains and let the other team take over. Our work was finished. We descended a terrifying one-lane road to Santa Cruz, where we devoured beer and pizza and are now chilling out in the van waiting for the big finish.

My gosh, this has been fun! We're already thinking about next year. I can't wait.