*Love

Finally....after a long day of flying, filled with delays, flat tires, and expensive airport food, I have made it back to my home, Iowa City! Tennessee was interesting, to say the least. My boat didn't do as well as expected. So no hardware to bring home, however, my boat, also named Ms. Christine B. Grant, did place the best out of *every* U of Iowa boat. :) The Grant and its eight motors, a.k.a. rowers, pulled to a place of 11 out of 22 boats! Where as the other boats, 1V8, 2V8, 1V4, and open 4 all placed 13th or higher. As happy as I was to remove the riggers for the very last time, I will be sad next year because it was my very last race. :( I will miss rowing. Or better stated, I will miss some aspects of rowing, friends, toned arms (it's true), and the feeling after you get done with a race and know that you did your absolute best. I won't miss lumberjack hands (disjusting blisters exposing the raw inner layers of skin tissue), 2ks on the erg, seat races, and gross hotel rooms that smell like fermented grandpa's pipe smoke. Yes, rowing has its ups and downs, but so does everything that is enjoyable in life. If it wan't like a roller coaster then where would be the thrill? When would you say, "I think I'm going to die!"?Then you are rescued at the last second and your life takes an unexpected, sudden surge and you continue up the tracks of life and the train keeps clicking away until the next giant drop. Or so I'd like to think:) Pictures coming soon!