Mary McConneloug (Image credit: Mike Broderick & Mary McConneloug)
Mike and I returned to Martha's Vineyard after a two week trip to Canada for the fourth and fifth rounds of the UCI World Cup. This was an action packed 1,500 mile road trip to the Quebec province where we visited some familiar places, explored new ones, met new friends and had the chance to catch up with some old ones. We returned with some great memories along with a few new scars to help make sure we never forget.
This was our first big road trip in our "new" van and although it is a big improvement from other vehicles we have owned, it felt kind of limited without the luxury conveniences that we have become accustomed to while traveling in our rented Euro RV. We split the eight hour drive north to Mont Sainte Anne into two days, stopping to pitch our tent along the way in a quiet campground. Luckily, the sweet Canadian summer weather held out for the night and though it wasn't the best night sleep ever, I can say that we were both rejuvenated by the overall experience.
It was a luxury to have a few supporters around to lend us a hand and especially to have Mike's mom, Emily, join us for a part of our Canadian travels. It is amazing how much a set of extra hands can help on race day, and it was especially nice to have some friends and family around to help celebrate my 36th birthday.
