5th Mohican MTB 100 - 1st 100 miles

Congratulations to my hubby Aaron who participated in the 100 miles race this year and finished in 13 hours flat!  Our good friends Mikey and Dave, and the rest of the Ohio Fat Tires biking crew all raced this year too.  I'm so glad Aaron had a great time and that I was able to make it to see him cross the finish line.  I'm so proud of him!

Number 11

Ready, Set, Go!

Michael, Bud, Aaron and Mikey

Tina and Mikey

Dave, Jen, Fiona and Annabel

Aaron at the finish line with his Great Lakes Brewery Mohican 100 growler

Surprise!  Look who made it to see him finish!

Aaron with his partner-in-race, Bud

Mikey and Aaron grinding after the race

Bud and Aaron crossing the finish line - view 1

Bud and Aaron crossing the finish line - view 2

Mohican 100 2014 video

My awesome Seniors!

I finally did it!  I put up a Senior decoration!!  I've been wanting to do this for several years now.  I got the idea to do a "The Brady Bunch" design, coordinated everyone's interacting photos and printed them out.  Our last 3 Halloweens were fun and pretty popular with our library patrons -- Harry Potter, the Hunger Games and the Game of Thrones.  It's going to be hard to top this!

My Seniors were awesome!  I'm going to miss them a lot!

Jennifer "Thin Mints"

Pearl "Cinnamon Roll" 

Dyeemah "Dyn-o-mite"

Max "Maxaroni"

Joelle "Songo"

 Lee "Charizard"

Elizabeth "Force Field"

 

 

 

2014 PLAYA DEL CARMEN: Day 1 CLE-CAN

May 19, 2014

Aaron and I caught an early flight into Chicago before heading to Cancun, Mexico.  I'm one body of hurt!  My legs are killing me from jumping up and down in my heels last night and my back is aching because I stayed up sitting all night.  Thank goodness we are usually passed out before the planes take off.

Since we slept most of the way it didn't seem like a long trip over.  It took an hour to get to Chicago with a 2 hour layover, then under 4 hour flight to Cancun.  We are definitely not in Ohio anymore!  The temperature is warm and humid in Mexico!

We went through immigration and customs easy enough.  It took longer to get out of the airport to find our shuttle.  Cancun is tourist crazy!!  Here we thought we had to stand in line for assistance but they all ended up being tour companies trying to get you to sign up for extra excursions.  It wasted some of our precious sun time today.

Our shuttle company Lomas offered 2 cerveza for US$5 on the drive to our hotel.  Aaron is a happy boy.  It was a 45-minute ride from the airport to Playa del Carmen along the Maya Riviera.  Not very scenic since it's one long road and the roadsides were dry and littered with rubbish.  All the resorts had long driveways down to the coast so you couldn't see them.  At least we had a party van that played cool 80's music.

We finally made it to our resort The Grand Riviera Princess All-inclusive Resort and Spa.  More long lines and pushy resort sales representatives.

We just want to get to our room, change, eat and relax at the beach!!  Where's the trolley?

2014 PLAYA DEL CARMEN: The Junior Suite

Finally!! We found our room.  It's nice and spacious.  It's closer to the beach and farther from the main building.  I was hoping to get one of those suites that had the pool attached to the room but oh well.

A jacuzzi tub!  My aching legs could use a soak.

 

The rain shower is calling my name!  I have to eat something first.  We are starving.

2014 PLAYA DEL CARMEN: Evening 1

May 19, 2014

Once we changed into cooler attire, Aaron and I took a little walk around the beach area to find food.  We ended up waiting almost 2 hours for the buffet dinner to open because the sales rep kept us from catching the lunch period.  The only snack hut was closed today.

We got food, yay!  We caught the trolley back to the main pavilion and sampled the buffet.  Not gourmet but good enough, and a lot of it. Tonight was Spanish inspired food with a little Mexican on the side.

I was still aching from last night and all the walking we did at the airport and resort.  I also got a headache so I asked Aaron if we could go to the room, shower and take a nap.  I slept right through the night!  I think Aaron hung out on our patio and read his book until the sun went down.

2014 PLAYA DEL CARMEN: Day 2

May 20, 2014

With all that's going on, I forgot today is Aaron's birthday.  Happy birthday Babe!  We started off the day with breakfast at the buffet that was located in the building next to our suite.

Aaron's choice is classic french toast, pancakes with sausage, and a side of tamales, beans and rice.

We got ready and spent the rest of the morning at the beach for adults only.  I am so happy that the weather is perfect.  The weather channels were expecting thunderstorms.

After 2 hours of morning sun we decided to go workout before lunch.  We walked through the grounds and took in the sights.  This is the courtyard outside of our room, 6005.

 

Oh this pool attached to rooms look so inviting.  Perhaps we should visit here later.

Gym time!  Aaron did straight up biking.  I did some biking, light weights and floor exercises.  A nice, clean space. And awesome music to workout to.

Now time to eat.  The lunch buffet was across from the gym.  Guacamole!!  I also like their stew meats and rice.

We went to our room and changed again to go to the inviting pool.  It felt so good!  I hung out in the jacuzzi while Aaron slept in the sun.

A cool dip in the pool!  After just 2 hours of more sun, we were fried.  Literally!  Even me.  Aaron said I'm a gringo now.  My chest and shoulders are so itchy!