Low Budget

I just returned from a very solid two weeks of training in Victoria and managed the most riding for this time of year in the history of my cycling career as well as the lowest budget trip in recent memory. Despite some challenging weather conditions the first week well over 30 hours was logged and the tone has been set for what should be a very exciting year in 2007.
Total cost of training camp with all applicable taxes, $500. This amount includes return direct airfare on Air Canada Jazz, travel to and from the airport, food, accommodation, 10 coffee stops, a shopping cart "rental", ferry ride to Salt Spring Island and back, and even some parts at MEC. I did have to make some sacrifices to get the trip this cheap including missing a day of school and traveling on Christmas day. My bike box scamming technique was also employed as well as some hiking from an airporter bus drop off spot (thus the rental of the shopping card at $0.25). I must have been a sorry sight wheeling a shopping cart with a bike box in it through the street late on Christmas day. I have to admit I felt a little lonely as I glanced in dining room windows of houses I past with families gathered for festive meals in the soft glow of candle light. You have to do what you have to do I suppose, sometimes you just have to make things happen. Creative menu choices were also employed, but my training or quality of food intake didn't suffer too much because of it. When you can make a well balanced, satisfactory dinner meal for around $3.00 you can afford to splurge occasionally on items such as Fairway Market's famed "honey buns".
At the moment I am trying to fit my class schedule optimally around training. With only two more semesters remaining in my university career this is becoming increasingly difficult as I am finding myself with some lack of class choice due to some final degree requirements.
Look for a product review plus a new video in the near future.