In the plane and on the runway to return to Europe. What a chill, tasty and fun week. The eight people big or small TopScore crew created an excellent retreat, and survived a 5.2 earthquake with an épicentre only some 20 miles away. Time to join family and spend a week of holidays at the cottage and the country. A developer-only retreat in Poland with Mike and Wojtek is approaching fast and going to bring back TopScore vibes soon.

In the US. California. San Diego, or more precisely: La Mesa. Not exactly where Dennis Hopper grew up, but almost. TopScore’s 20th retreat is on (my 7th), and so I flew on Friday morning from Paris over London to San Diego. I almost didn’t make it since some random surprise second ID check at boarding in Paris held me back, I only had my passport on me which was not enough. Luckily Mathilde picked up the phone when I called, she just got up and managed to take a picture of my Personalausweis, which satisfied the British Airways staff who already closed the gate and almost gave up on me. Insane, my retreat was almost over before having started. Once in London queuing for my second flight I bumped into Wojtek, we happened to be on the same plane and didn’t realize it before. Die elfeinhalb Stunden vergingen wie im Fluge, and once customs have been passed we walked to a nearby brewery on the shore to wait for the others to join. Now some several burritos, a walk through Balboa park, a quick and free visit to the San Diego Zoo, a Padres baseball game, a team hike and an insane WholeFoods grocery shopping later, I’m in our huge house castle enjoying some Pacifico (soon in the hot tub). More to come, and it’s going to be fun.

Back to some outdoor activities other than running on flat grounds always straight on by myself: last weekend I joined a bunch of former Iznogood friends for France’s Beach Grandmasters World championships squad try-out in Royan on the Atlantic. Outstanding weather and intense running on the sand, followed by a couple of days of struggle to move (sending me back to the days after my first beach ultimate tournaments, when my body wasn’t yet used to chasing plastic on sand). And yesterday I returned to CSP’s Saturday ride after a nine-month break, which was preceded by yet another nine-months-break! Only two group rides in 18 months, I will be aiming at doing better during the next 18 months. Now chilling through my Sunday being totally chilled, with good fatigue everywhere while watching De Ronde. Way to go rest!

It’s finally Spring. Sun everywhere, on my cycling commutes just like in our apartment. And I’m expecting to get even more sun during TopScore’s San Diego retreat in two weeks time, can’t wait for this significant change to routine. Effi is getting is now big enough to re-subscribe us to long-abandoned Netflix all by herself, which probably explains her still frequent wake-up cries during the night. Max is getting faster: his second road race with the ESGL crew on Sunday was much fun to attend. And summer is getting closer with family holidays being basically fully planned: one week in and around the Toulourenc river just north of mont Ventoux (including this year’s Tour de France stage), and a second week on the île de Porquerolles.

More work in progress.