Guilt

Man, it's cold outside and we're about to get the first snowfall of the year and yet guilt at not training is eating me up inside. The crazy part is that it's not like I was being lazy and bumming around, I was laid up for a week with some "stomach" troubles (read into that what you will).

December is fast approaching but I can't wait for the winter to be done and some racing to get under way. Where are we going next year I wonder? Japan again? Maybe, it depends on how they feel about our racing there last season. Europe again, like in '02? That would be something. The team's trip there that season was one of the best and will be something remembered for the rest of my life.

The success of that campaign went beyond the results that we earned along the way, although our couple of stage wins were pretty amazing. What was really amazing was the bond that we built as a team, which was only strengthened by our winning. Thoughts of '02 are always a great motivator.

I guess that's why I feel guilty about having missed out on training. I don't want to let anybody down. Not myself and most of all not the team.


JOE G /SPRING 02/ MONTENEGRO ITALY