Goodbye USA

So yesterday was our last practice on the beautiful Lake Lillinonah in New Milford, CT. The next time the four of us will be in a boat together will be in a rented boat from Europe on the championship race course in the Czech Republic. We're all very stoked and excited to race over there. The only thing in the way of Mike and I arriving in the Czech Republic is a 6 and a half hour flight from JFK airport to Zurich, Switzerland, followed by a 4 hour layover and 1 and a half hour flight from there to Prague. We'll be decked out with some of our gear for the first time with our new Team USA polo shirt and jacket. We love the new gear and we all love the fact that we represent Team USA. Somehow the red, white, and blue rowing crest on the polo shirt brings out the color of my eyes (at least that's what I tell myself).

Luckily I am not a huge fan of airline food because I have to be very cognizant of what I eat and how much I eat in order to prepare for our first weigh-in for U23 Worlds on Thursday. I am expected to weigh-in around 71.2 kg (about 157 lbs.) and my travel buddy, Mike, has to weigh about 67.5 kg (about 149 lbs.). Don't ask me why Mike weighs so little because he's only about 2 inches shorter and has a wider waist than me. Don't worry though because we still like to give him a hard time for having a rather large backside. For whatever reason he's just naturally light which helps me out, so everyone is happy.

Well, time for one last workout in the USA on the erg (indoor stationary rowing machine) before Mike and his dad pick me up on their way to the airport. The next you hear from us will be from Eastern Europe!