Are You Game - Road Trip Tracker

MISSION ACCOMPLISHED!

2007-09-27T13:40:03Z

Talk about an adrenaline rush… Laurence and I woke up with with the butterflies to tackle our final Road Trip challenge...SKYDIVING! Neither of us had ever done it before...but we were determined to conquer our fears. We drove to Skydive Las Vegas, signed our lives away and anxiously waited until they called our names. Their slogan is "Why gamble with your money when you can gamble with your life"...not exactly comforting! But once we suited up, we were pumped and ready to go. We piled into the small plane...there was no turning back! When we reached 15,000 feet, the door flew open and Jase, my instructor, flung me out! We were freefalling for about 90 seconds...the most exhilarating 90 seconds of my life! Words can't explain the feeling. The parachute popped up and we floated through the air for about 8 minutes. I felt such a sense of accomplishment from stepping out of my comfort zone and into the drop zone! Be sure to check back in 3 weeks to see the video and photos from the air! THE JOURNEY OF A LIFETIME! The Women's Health Are You Game Road Trip has opened my eyes. I saw our country from the sea to the mountains to the desert and from the air! I’ve become a slightly better surfer, sailor, golfer, zipliner, mountain biker, kayaker, trail runner, hiker, exotic dancer and skydiver. But overall, the Are You Game Road Trip experience has made me appreciate life a little more. Life is too short not to test your limits, challenge yourself, try new things and tackle any fears. I feel truly empowered and will now look at each day as a new adventure. Not only did I do amazing things, but I found out more about myself…driving over 3,500 miles will do that to a girl! BUT all good things must come to an end…my laundry is piled high and I miss my family, friends and boyfriend! I’m ready to get back to city living – but with a refreshed outlook on life. I want to give a huge thank you to all of the Women’s Health readers that participated at the Are You Game Road Trip Adventure Days – it was a pleasure to meet you all! I appreciate all the readers that followed our blog too! Thank you also to our Adventure Partners and Sponsors…Subaru, Back To Nature and AVEENO®...we couldn't have done it without you!

We're Bringing Sexy Back

2007-09-26T15:57:20Z

Jeanette and I arrived in Las Vegas (AKA Sin City) last night, so we had no other choice but to hit the Strip and the blackjack tables. Both of us were winners, so that added to the excitement! We woke up this morning ready to dance! This would be our last Women's Health reader event on the Road Trip and Exotic Dancing in Vegas was a perfect fit! Jeanette and I were joined by fellow Road Tripper, Laurence, for the big event. We threw on our spandex and heels and headed down to Phase 2 of the Palms Pool and Bungalow area of The Palms Hotel & Casino. We had 2 classes teaching The Art of Exotic Dancing for Everyday Women®. The first class was more intimate, so we jumped right on the stage next to the DJ and got down to business! The class was taught by two really fun instructors, Leah and Coralissa. They made us feel at ease, but managed to pump us up at the same time. Check 'em out! We started out learning a seductive walk. Then moved on to different types of hip rolls...easier said than done! By the time the second class rolled around, I felt a lot more comfortable with myself and the movements. This class brought in more Women's Health readers and we were dancing in the moonlight. This class is not as risque as you might think. It has less to do with exotic dancing and more to do with transformation, self-confidence, authentic self-expression, freedom, joy and real personal power. It is a makeover from the inside out. After mastering a few more moves, we crawled on over to the lounge chairs to learn the last few tips! By the end of the class, we all learned a full routine, as well as a strip tease using a men's oversized button down shirt. Laurence was a natural! I had a blast! The Art of Exotic Dancing for Everyday Women® teachers were fun, energetic and very motivating. I felt better every minute and at the end, we felt sexier than ever! Some of our Women's Health readers came to meet new friends, some to try a new form of exercise, some to make their husbands happy, but everyone had a great time! The Art of Exotic Dancing for Everyday Women® offers classes in 60 locations across 25 states. If you are a little shy, you can always buy a DVD and then hit a class. No matter what you choose...get out there and try something new! Tomorrow, Laurence and I will be tackling the Readers' Choice Challenge...skydiving!!!! Call us crazy but jumping out of a plane over Las Vegas should be the ultimate thrill ride! Check back tomorrow to hear how it went!

Take a Hike!

2007-09-25T00:44:29Z

Jeanette and I woke up at 5:30am to be ready for our 7am hike with Women's Health readers and our guides, Anna and Sandy from Red Mountain Spa. We headed to Snow Canyon State Park in Ivins, Utah. Snow Canyon is located at 3100 feet above sea level and the hiking terrain can be very uneven and rocky in spots. It was definitely challenging at times, but we were up for it!. The landscape surrounding us was striking and extremely picturesque. It was like nothing Jeanette or I had ever seen...like being on another planet! We were definitely game! At times, we were wondering what the heck we got ourselves into…staring at these huge mountains! But the more we hiked, the more comfortable we felt on the beautiful red and white Navajo sandstone. The Women's Health readers, Sarah and Kalli, were a lot of fun to hike with...proving it's easier to workout with a friend. The air was very dry, so we made a pit stop to moisturize with AVEENO(R) lotion. We refueled with Back to Nature bars at the end of the hike. After the hike, we gave our new friends their gift bags. Jeanette and I would love to hike again sometime soon...we'll definitely check out some hiking spots close to Manhattan! Red Mountain Spa was a fabulous stop on the Women's Health Are You Game Road Trip. We really enjoyed our 2-day stay and wish we had more time! In addition to hiking, Red Mountian offers so many outdoor adventure activities such as mountain biking, kayaking and mountain climbing. We are already making plans to come back! We're in the home stretch now and we had to leave Red Mountain this afternoon to head to our final location...LAS VEGAS! Be sure to check back tomorrow to see us exotic dance with Women's Health readers poolside at The Palms...You're not going to want to miss this one kids!

Feelin' Zen

2007-09-24T04:51:24Z

Jeanette and I arrived at Red Mountain Spa in Ivins, UT at 10pm last night...we drove in the dark, so we had no idea what was surrounding us. We woke up early to magnificent red mountain views! There was something extremely calming about waking up here. Red Mountain: "Between a Rock and a Soft Place" Jeanette and I had a fun-filled day planned...we started with a delicious, spa-cuisine breakfast, courtesy of Red Mountain, and then onto a private Pilates reformer class. Pilates consists of strength-training movements developed in Germany by Dr. Joseph Pilates. Our instructor, Stephanie Weibel, was a terrific trainer. Doing The Hundred. Jeanette doing the Long Stretch. After warming up, I tried The Hinge. T-Pull. At Red Mountain Spa, fitness is a serious business. The vast selection of exercise options are impressive. There are over 50 classes weekly...the perfect way to work out and get pumped! After Pilates, we strolled over to the Sagestone Spa...eager for our afternoon of relaxation. Our view from the spa waiting room...not too shabby! I began with a 75-minute Canyon Sage Warm Stone Massage. As if that wasn't luxurious enough, I had a Desert Pearl Facial afterwards. The treatments were phenomenal! After the spa, Jeanette and I headed toward the Labryinth, located behind the hotel. A Labryinth is a maze, generally constructed on the ground so it can be walked along from entry point to center and back again. They have been used in rituals and meditation. I relaxed on a hammock to cap off my amazingly serene day! We're staying the night at Red Mountain and taking some of our readers on a morning hike. Check back tomorrow to hear all about it!

Grand Indeed!

2007-09-23T14:57:15Z

Jeanette and I woke up early to get one last look at Sedona...and the adorable shops (and cowboys) in town! After a nice 2-day stay in Sedona, Jeanette and I were psyched to get back on the road and make our way to the Grand Canyon...so excited that we grabbed breakfast on-the-go...Back to Nature bars! It was about a 2 1/2 hour drive to the South Rim from Sedona. We headed toward the Grand Canyon….this was an unforgettable ride. Having been in some truly beautiful areas in our country thus far, the trip to the Canyon took the cake! Out of nowhere, it appeared….awe-inspiring, to say the least. The South Rim is the best section of the Canyon to get the views from your car. This was our Thelma and Louise moment…minus the Caddy convertible and the running from the law! The pictures below speak for themselves….there are no words to describe this natural wonder. The Grand Canyon is a deep gorge created by the Colorado River over 6 million years ago. There's simply no other place in the world that looks quite like it. The park includes over a million acres of land. The Grand Canyon is one of Earth’s most powerful, inspiring landscapes. There is an abundance of wildlife here….we spotted a mule deer right next to our Subaru! Sadly, we had to leave the Grand Canyon to start our 6-hour drive north to Red Mountain Spa in Utah. We put on our comfy clothes for the ride and took one last pic. During our trip to Ivins, we hit the 3,000 mile mark on our odometer! The desert landscapes were stunning. We finally spotted the exit for Ivins…we are living for our much-needed spa day tomorrow at Red Mountain. See you then!

Sedona Rocks!

2007-09-22T13:40:44Z

Jeanette and I drove 4 hours from Tucson into Red Rock country, otherwise known as Sedona. Jeanette and I felt rejuvenated the minute we arrived! Sedona has long been known as a spiritual mecca, due to the vortexes of subtle energy located in the area. People come from all over the world to experience them. The rocks are red in color, due to the large amount of iron found in them. They are truly mesmerizing. With Sedona's breathtaking scenery, we figured a horseback ride in the mountains would be the perfect thing to do here! It would be our first time riding horses, but we were game, so we woke up early, ready to do some riding! Krazy Koyote booked us a 2-hour horseback ride and we drove 30 minutes to M Diamond Ranch. Unfortunately we were greeted by large storm clouds...almost surreal to see in the desert. M Diamond Ranch is a 44,000-acre working cattle ranch, with over 180 horses. Jeanette and I took a little tour around... We were ready to saddle up! I had Criss Cross and Jeanette had Red...they were sweet horses...thank goodness! We were joined by 12 other riders and had real cowboys as our guides. We galloped through the desert, and although the rain came down hard at times, we made it through the 6-mile trail. We were so glad we did it! Sedona is wildly wonderful! Sadly, Jeanette and I are leaving tomorrow but we're hitting the Grand Canyon...another first for us! Be sure to come back and check it out.

Trekkin' in Tucson

2007-09-22T04:00:00Z

Sarah and I woke up at 5am so we could be at Colossal Cave Mountain Ranch in Tucson by 6am for the trail run. We were so happy to meet our fellow Road Tripper Jeanette there, as well! We were running the Arizona Trail, which runs from Utah to Mexico...thankfully we were only doing some of it! Southwest Trekking put the 5.6-mile trail run together for us, flagging the trail the night before with pink flags, so no one would lose their way. We met up with the enthusiastic readers and we all started by 7am! We were told that rattlesnakes could pay us a visit on the trail...not exactly something we were excited about! Even though running is usually a solo mission, Sarah and I stuck together for 5.6 miles! Sarah definitely slowed it down for me! The terrain was ever-changing, so you had to be mindful of what lay ahead. You couldn't help stopping every so often to take a gander at the captivating landscape. The readers that joined us today were so game for this adventure and were smiling from start to finish! Sarah and I finished in about 1 hour and by 8am - the heat was on! We met our readers at the finish line and exchanged stories...One reader saw a gila monster - a venomous lizard - on the trail (Glad I missed that!) Thankfully, no rattlesnakes were spotted. Our readers were happy to receive their gift bags - and proud to have finished the Trail Run! Jeanette and I will be continuing on to Sedona, but I had to say goodbye to Sarah, who is heading back to New York. So sad to see Sarah go:( Make sure to come back tomorrow when Jeanette and I go Horseback Riding in Sedona!

Up, Up and Away

2007-09-21T00:13:09Z

…Was the plan for today but unfortunately it didn't happen that way! Sarah and I woke up at 5am with excitement to go on our sunrise hot air balloon ride. We drove in the dark from our hotel to the launching ground and saw the Rainbow Ryders trucks. We jumped out of the car only to be told that we were surrounded by storms and it was unsafe to launch the balloons today. It’s ironic, because Albuquerque boasts sunshine 310 days out of the year! We were bummed, and the opportunity to wait it out was not an option, as we had a 7-hour drive to Tucson, Arizona awaiting us. We were told the next best thing was the Sandia Peak Tramway – the world’s longest tram. The weather still wasn’t too great and we were told that the views wouldn’t be as clear and it may be windy, but we were game anyway. We caught the first tram up the mountain and were off – climbing 10,378 feet. It only took about 15 minutes to get to the top, but we were definitely nervous on the way (sky-diving should be interesting for me!). The views of the mountains were obstructed by storm clouds, fog and rain. When we finally reached the top, we exited the tram and realized it was not only pouring, but it was 38 degrees! We were chilled to the bone – especially after yesterday’s 110 degree weather. Our tram trip was a quick one and we had to stop delaying the inevitable trip to Tucson. On the way, we ran into heavy rains and the drive was slowed down - it became more like a 9-hour drive. With the rain coming down like cats and dogs, I was forced to go back to my driver’s ed days and drive with my hands on the wheel at 10 and 2. We saw some interesting things on our way… When we finally arrived in Tucson, Sarah and I headed straight to the pool and took a dip to unwind!!! Thank goodness Tucson is dry, ‘cause doing a 5-mile trail run in the rain would not be fun! The trail run starts at 6am tomorrow morning, so check us out manana to hear all about it…

Hittin' the Big A

2007-09-19T05:02:04Z

Were not talking the Big Apple...we're here in Albuquerque, New Mexico - the hot-air ballooning capital of the world! After a busy couple of days, Sarah and I finally had some down time. Keeping with the theme of the trip, we motivated and started our day with an early morning workout of our own. Our dogs were barking from our adventures over the past week, so we treated ourselves to a mani / pedi. It was great to get pampered and feel girly! After a nice brunch, we attempted to find Nob Hill, an area we were told had good shopping. During that trip, we were lured by the hoards of cars on their way to the New Mexico State Fair. We ventured on in and definitely got a good taste of Albuquerque. We took full advantage of everything the fair had to offer. We even got our fortunes told... We were exhausted from the 110-degree heat and wanted to head back - easier said than done without a car! We walked around aimlessly looking for our Subaru... We were so happy to finally find the car and head back to Old Town, where our hotel was located. On our way, we passed the infamous Route 66! We stopped to look at native turquoise jewelry - we were in our glory! After our long day, I realized I wasn't going to get through the next 9 days without doing some laundry. We headed to the nearest laundromat... Sarah and I nestled into a great meal and some vino before our early bedtime. Our wake-up call will be ringing at 5:30am for our sunrise hot-air balloon ride. Goodnight for now!

Gettin' Wet n' Wild...

2007-09-19T00:40:30Z

…on the Legendary Rio Grande Gorge! After waking up in the quaint town of Taos, Sarah and I indulged in a delicious authentic breakfast. Afterwards, we were ready to get out there! We drove 18 miles from Taos to Pilar, New Mexico and met up with our river runner crew and readers. We were given a quick tour of our course from Allegra, who works for Los Rios River Runners. We hopped on a good ole yellow bus and made our way to our starting place on the river. We strapped on our helmets and life vests and got ready to paddle our little hearts out. We were taking funyaks, also known as duckies - they are inflatable one-person kayaks. Our guide, Adrienne, provided Sarah and I with some knowledge of the sport and the river, that was new to us. We got in our inflatable funyaks and were ready to brave the Rio Grande River. The rapid we faced was The Racecourse, which was a class 3 rapid. The ride started out smoothly and then the rapids picked up – along with the size of the rocks! You had no one to blame but yourself if you got stuck on a rock, or worse, flipped your funyak - noggin first! Our reader, Michelle, said it best; "I'm stably unstable going down!" There were a few rapids where some members of the group flipped, but everyone handled it like a champ and got right back in their funyaks for more. Certain areas along the river were absolutely stunning. You could sit back and relax, every so often, and take in the sights. We were told the Red Willows along the river’s edge had medicinal purposes and their root is what aspirin is made from. Sarah chills in funyak with Red Willows behind her! Towards the end of the course, we approached “Big Rock” – the most difficult and most anticipated area of the course. There were huge rocks to both sides of us and a strong undercurrent if you didn’t go down the correct way. Adrienne was a great team leader and we all made it down with ease – no problemo! We made a quick photo-op pitstop, so I could get a good shot of the river gang. I jumped out of my funyak and trekked up the river bank. However, with my wet shoes, it proved difficult. I slipped to avoid falling back into the river and jammed my foot...I will be sure to get a pedicure at our next stop! Sarah and I had a great time down on the beautiful Rio Grande Gorge...although, our arms are aching from paddling the 5 miles! Thank goodness our drive is just a friendly 2 hours to the neighboring town of Albuquerque, New Mexico! We'll see you guys tomorrow as we explore Albuquerque!

Pushin' the Pedal to the Metal

2007-09-18T03:05:32Z

After the 5-hour drive from Park City, Sarah and I realized that neither of us had ever been mountain biking – that's when the anxiety set in! Mountain biking in New York City is a helluva lot different here in Fruita, Colorado! We arrived at Over the Edge bike shop at 8am and met our ready-to-ride readers. These women were psyched and pumped to get on the trails. We were also lucky enough to have a group of local gals and professional mountain biker and coach, Gene Hamilton guiding us. After getting fitted for our bikes and helmets... We packed it up and headed to the start of Rustler's Loop trail. We split up into two groups: experienced and a lil’ less than experienced. Sarah and I fell into the latter. We got a quick tutorial from Gene on the basic do’s and don’t of mountain biking. He explained the importance of peripheral vision, staying focused and looking ahead. Priceless advice, as it kept us all on the trail (which, mind you, was the width of a bike tire – no joke) and off our bums. Gene taught us that practice doesn’t make perfect, but perfect practice is what makes you a better rider! His words gave us the confidence to brave the elements and perfect our ride! Our anxiety turned into pure adrenaline, as Sarah and I took in the breathtaking views of Rustler's Loop. We took occasional stops to soak in the mind-blowing mountainous desert of Fruita. We definitely encountered difficult terrain – terrain that I never thought I could've tackled. As challenging as it was for two city girls, we realized 90% of it is mind over matter. Our 3-hour tour was absolutely amazing! We had a few cuts and scrapes and were covered in mud, but it may have been the most intense, yet invigorating, workout I’ve ever had. There really is something to be said about testing your limits and stepping outside – way outside – of your comfort zone!! After the ride we noshed on Back To Nature bars to refuel, regroup and give our adventurous bikers their gift bags. We had such a sense of accomplishment as we got back in the Subaru to begin our 7-hour haul to Taos, NM. A few hours into the drive, our muscles began to ache. We still had a long way to go, so we reached for our AVEENO® Stress Relief Moisturizing Lotion. It was just what we needed! Despite our aching bodies, we’re psyched to learn yet another new adventurous sport when we go funyaking down the Rio Grande. Be sure to pay us a visit tomorrow…it should be interesting!

Zip Sliding Away…

2007-09-16T03:50:48Z

We find ourselves in Park City, Utah – the home of Sundance Film Festival, the 2002 Winter Olympic Games and stop # 5 on the Women’s Health Are You Game Road Trip. Sarah, our fellow road tripper, met Melanie and I in Park City for our Reader Adventure day at Utah Olympic Park. We met with our excited readers at 11am to enter Olympic Park. We were lucky to catch some of the athletes in training. Who knew you could do ski jumping in the summer! We were impressed. That got us pumped to test our own limits on the Alpine Slide. In order to get to the slide, we had to take the chairlift to the top of the mountain… This European-style alpine slide is the first of its kind in North America. It is a state-of-the-art steel track and will allow riders to weave down a narrow course that concludes at the base of the K-64 ski jump. Our next challenge was the Zipline. The Zipline at Olympic Park is the steepest zipline in the entire world. You can imagine the nervous energy we had up the chairlift towards the start. All of our readers were so enthusiastic and eagar to join the fun – it was great to have such an excited group. We hoisted ourselves into the harnesses… And at speeds of 50 miles per hour, away we were… All of our readers, including the three of us, had a blast. We met back at the Subaru to say goodbye and give our readers their gift bags. Sarah and I geared up for our 6-hour drive to Fruita, CO. Unfortunately we had to say farewell to Mel – there’s something about a 10-hour drive that will bond two girls. Be sure to track us tomorrow after we’ve pedaled through Fruita! http://www.olyparks.com/uop/uop_home.asp

Route 6 Road Warriors

2007-09-15T23:06:25Z

Melanie and I woke up bright and early to start our 10-hour drive to Park City, Utah – home of Olympic Park. We had a cup of joe and took one last look at our surroundings and bid Mammoth Lakes adieu. We were happy to have our sporty Subaru with its all-wheel drive standard for improved handling. The major lesson of the day was that on a road trip – without good music – WE ARE LOST! Thankfully, we had 3 jammed packed iPods and a satellite radio to make our ride to Park City a fun one! (Check out the Top 10 Tunes for Travel list below.) In order to pass the time, Melanie and I came up with the Things to Remember for a Road Trip list, so you guys never have to learn these lessons the hard way… 1. Fuel up any and every chance you get. Nothing like getting stuck without gas in a one-horse town! The one gas station on barren Route 6 2. Have your camera ready in case of random wildlife, amazing scenery shots and impromptu silliness… 3. Make sure you have a GPS – and actually charge it. 4. Wake up early and drive during daylight hours to avoid ‘dark desert highways’. 5. Be friendly to the locals – they may just tell you where to get the best milkshakes in town. 6. Plan at least one stop at a car wash – it’s amazing how many bugs, flies, and who knows what hit the windshield! 7. Bring yoga mats! Nothing gets the blood flowin’ like some downward dog on the side of the road. (Safely out of the way of the oncoming traffic, of course) We stopped along the way, rolled out our yoga mats and did a little Ashtanga to improve our minds and bodies for the pending road trip! There is something to be said for doing a workout in the great outdoors and not in a gym. Doing a few sun salutations, especially in the am, can keep you calm and centered all day! 8. If you are the driver, try to stay focused on the road – America’s landscapes are beautiful, but you’ll get your turn in the passenger seat – safety first! 9. Always travel with a fun friend – good conversation always makes the ride go quicker! 10. Limit your liquid intake...stopping every 5 minutes isn't fun! Three hours into our trip we saw a sign indicating “man with flag”... Sure enough, there he was straight ahead, standing in the middle of the road, with a stop sign. He told us we had to wait about 1 hour because of the road construction ahead. We had to pull over to the side of the road and wait in the middle of the desert – nothing around but the mountains and the man! This would never happen in New York The hardest thing about this long drive was keeping myself from doing mindless munching…thank goodness we had our Back To Nature bars to curb our hunger and provide a great, filling snack! Top 10 driving tunes ever in the history of driving (according to Mel & Sue) 10. Bon Jovi “Wanted Dead or Alive” 9. Police “Every Little Thing She Does Is Magic” 8. Pearl Jam “Better Man” 7. Modest Mouse "Float On" 7. Lynryd Skynrd "Sweet Home Alabama" 6. The Doors "Blood in the Streets" 5. Madonna “Like a Prayer” 4. U2 “Pride” 3. Michael Jackson “Man In the Mirror” 2. Johnny Cash “Folsom Prison Blues” 1. Ike & Tina Turner “Proud Mary” Check us out manana when we go to Olympic Park in Park City, Utah for some zip-linin' and alpine slidin'!

Look Out Tiger...

2007-09-15T03:23:07Z

Melanie and I started the day with a great breakfast, while admiring the mountainous views, here at Mammoth Lakes. We were excited not only because it was a beautiful day - crisp, clean air, not a cloud in the sky, and abundant sunshine...but we were going to take golf lessons. We jumped in our Subaru, drove to Sierra Star Golf Club and were ready to hit the green! Sierra Star is California's highest 18-hole course, at 8,000 feet. (No wonder all of my make-up exploded!) We met Dave Schacht, who is the PGA Head Golf Professional at Sierra, and our instructor for the day. He had the patience of a saint and many a kind word for the novice golfers. He taught us about G.A.P.S. (Grip, Alignment, Posture & Stance) and how they are the basic fundamentals of golfing. From there, I picked up Mel in the golf cart and we headed to the putting green, where Dave taught us the art of putting. After mastering the putting green, Dave felt that we graduated, so we headed on down to drive some balls. The views were spectacular, but nothing could compare to the feeling we felt when our club connected with the ball and it soared. Next, it was time to get down and dirty...Dave pitted us against each other for a mini golf tournament. Melanie and I were getting along so well....until now!!!! I'm sure you're all dying to know who won; and the winner is... We had so much fun today and have Dave to thank! We're both eager to get back out on the golf course as soon as we get home. We were told by everyone at Sierra Golf that before we left town, we had to check out the Mammoth Lakes Basin area. Boy - was it worth it! Sitting on the dock of the bay See you tomorrow when Suzanne and Mel's journey continues with a 10-hour drive to Park City, Utah!

All Aboard the Jenny Lane

2007-09-14T05:12:27Z

After waking up to a gorgeous morning in scenic Santa Barbara with the view of the harbor outside our window, Melanie and I could not have been more excited to learn how to sail. We made our way to Santa Barbara Sailing School and met the Director of the Sailing School, Ian, and our sailing instructor, Claudia. We hopped aboard the Jenny Lane and set sail on the beautiful blue Pacific! Claudia didn't waste any time putting us to work within minutes... Ahoy Mates! We sailed straight out with Claudia educating us about the bow, stern, port and starboard sides of the boat...that's front, back, left and right for you non-sailors! Claudia started telling us about the jib and how it works when we looked at the buoy to the port side of the boat and saw a posse of sea lions. After figuring out which way the winds were blowing, we used the winch (not "wench") to adjust the direction of the sails...let me tell you, it's hard work! The swells were getting larger and larger and Mel was turning greener and greener - but luckily, Claudia was able to remedy it with a wrist pressure point trick. It was time to head in. The wind was dying down, the swells were growing and it was time for us to hit the road. We used our skills to dock the boat back at Santa Barbara Sailing School and took one last photo on the bow of the Jenny Lane. We gassed up our Subaru, programmed the GPS for the 365 miles journey to Mammoth Mountain. Along the way, we passed Red Rock Canyons and couldn't help but snap a pic... Come back tomorrow as we give Tiger a run for his money at Sierra Star Golf Course of Mammoth Mountain.