This is really happening!

So the team met up in New Jersey for a couple of days for some practice and “team-building” activities. First let me just say that I take back everything bad I’ve ever said about New Jersey. Apparently the “stereotypes’” really do exist, but I have yet to see them. Everyone up here has been so overwhelmingly nice and accommodating. I want to give a special thanks to Gus’s family and pony club for all their support! Aside from all the great people we’ve met, the farms we have visited have been incredible. It really is horse heaven up here.

On our first full day we trailered the horses over to Clover Hill Farm for some jumping practice. The practice went well (minus my one premature dismount from Timmy, but that’s all behind us now because we are on to only having good luck!), and all of Gus’s ponies were fabulous. Thank you to the Torsilieris for sharing your horses with us! Also, Clover Hill is an amazing farm.We were so lucky to have the opportunity to practice at such a first-rate facility. Thank you Melinda (my nother-mother for the week!) and the Hartmans for sharing your beautiful farm with us.

Today, our second day, we got up early for some dressage practice over at Briland Farm on the same ponies as yesterday and then took a nice (eventful) hack down the river.

After dressage we headed over to Princeton for some bike tours. This has definitely been a major highlight of the trip for me so far! Princeton is a beautiful town and the campus is amazing. After riding bikes around campus for a while we parked the bikes in town and did a bit of shopping. Also, I can’t leave out the best part of our bike ride… THE TANDEM BIKE! At first this thing was seriously freaking scary, but once we realized it was best to just have one of the guys pilot the bike and the girls hang on for the ride, things went much smoother. In the end everyone got to take it for a spin.

We came back from Princeton to have a wonderful dinner at the Torsilieris’ house (burgers, hot dogs, fresh corn, salad, and homemade cookies), along with some badminton and serious Marco-Polo action in the pool. Yes, pony club has its way of bringing out the kid in us all.

So, tomorrow we are getting up early to run some errands and then it’s off to the airport at 11:30 a.m. so we can fly out at 3:30 for Hong Kong. I can’t believe this is really happening. Just praying right now that we all survive the 16-hour flight.

P.S. -- Check out the bottom for some pictures!

See you all on the other side,

Elizabeth

Beautiful New Jersey country side.

America really is the best country in the world!

International translator? ...Check!

The chapel at Princeton.

Princeton campus.

More campus.

Tandem bike!

Again.

...and again.

Go Alicia!

Group picture under Princeton arches.