Sun, Fun and Gymnastics in Cancun: Day One
12/30/2008 12:00:00 AM | Women's Gymnastics
Everyone on the Michigan women's gymnastics team had been looking forward to December 30 for a long time. The date had been marked on calendars, circled in red, put into planners and posted on notes all over apartments and houses in Ann Arbor. The Wolverines were heading to Cancun where they will open the season on Friday.
December 30 -- Leave for Cancun
Bathing suit sales rose slightly in the Ann Arbor area and holiday gifts trended towards travel items and money for the trip ahead. For some, it would be their first trip outside of the country and for all of them it would be a welcome trip to a sunny beach and a warm towel. Gymnastics was on everyone's mind with the tough LSU Tigers, Boise State Broncos and North Carolina Tar Heels set to compete against the Wolverines on January 2. But there would be time for fun before the work, and the team intended to take full advantage of that.
The team left for Mexico on Tuesday morning, arriving in sunny Cancun in the afternoon. A pair of lucky gymnasts, Taylor and Maureen, had their bags searched at the airport, but the trip was smooth and without incident. Trashy magazines were purchased, naps were had and DVDs watched. It was hard to believe that after such a short flight you could be somewhere that looked so different than Detroit Metro. With the competition still days away, the team decided to make the most of the climate change, doing everything they could on the beach; tanning, eating, talking, reading, thinking, breathing, dreaming. All on the beach. The water was crystal blue and the temperatures perfect after a cold December. The food was great and the company better. What a great way to end 2008 and ring in a brand new year.
Michigan can get used to the Cancun life.
