April 27, 2010

Walla Walla: a true team win

by Nic Hamilton

Walla Walla, Washington – has a bit of a ring to it doesn't it? In fact it slides so easily of the lips that I was wondering if the boarder guards would think we simply made the place up. To verify the existence of the southeastern Washington town and to get an idea of where I was headed, I googled (yup, it’s now a verb) Walla Walla WA. Turns out The Offspring (90s punk rock band) wrote a song about Washington State's largest penitentiary (located in Walla Walla) which adopts the cities name for its title. But the town was not founded solely as a place to put law-breakers, but thrived during the gold rush era of American history and was home to the first commercial bank in the northwest, the first college in the region, and has the oldest, continuous symphony west of the Mississippi River. Farming is now the driving economic force, not to mention excellent Washington wineries, such as Charles Smith Vineyards which features some of the most visually appealing wine labels (important because that’s how I choose ‘em) and some really tasty crushed and fermented stuff inside the bottle too!

Before I dive into the anticipated race report, I’d like to explain the relevance of the history lesson above. For me as a cyclist there are many reasons why I do the sport. First and foremost, is my pursuit at ethical physical and mental mastery of my body, but not far down the list are the traveling perks associated with the gig. In my short cycling career, I have traveled to many cities that I would not have know existed if it weren’t for the races that they host. For this reason, I enjoy learning of where I am going and maximizing my experiences along the way!