June 6 - June 8
Friday Night -- 7 p.m. -- Tip-off, Monarchs vs. Detroit
Friday Night -- 9:30 p.m. -- Monarchs suffer tough loss to Detroit
Friday Night -- 10:30 p.m. -- Team boards bus to Sacramento Airport
Friday Night -- 11:55 p.m. -- Team boards plane to New York
Saturday Morning -- 8:15 a.m. -- Team arrives in New York
Saturday Morning -- 9:30 a.m. -- Team arrives at Hotel
Saturday Afternoon -- 1:30 p.m. -- Team boards bus for practice

This is my first long road trip with the team. I have always been impressed with their game, have always known that it must be difficult to play on the road in front of a hostile crowd, but never really understood until taking this trip how difficult it really is…

After attending the Monarchs vs. Detroit game on Friday night, boarding the red eye to New York with them that same evening, enjoying a five hour flight in the middle of the night next to a two year old who proceeded to kick me the duration of the trip, it made me think…how do they do it? By the time we arrived in New York, I was completely exhausted. I have no idea how these women, just a few hours later, boarded another bus to Rego Park, NY and practiced for nearly two hours. How could they possibly have the energy to play against the rested New York Liberty the following day? I’d soon find out...

Side Note: The Monarchs practiced today at Lost Battalion Hall on Queens Blvd. in Rego Park. Kings forward Ron Artest often works out at this same gym when he is at home for a visit.

Side Note: We made a trip to the NBA Store on 5th Ave. today. Kara Lawson’s jersey was one of the few player jerseys featured in the WNBA section of the store.

The night before a game on the road, Manager of Basketball Operations, Jill Culbertson, organizes the players’ game gear/uniforms. She sends a mass text to the team, and one-by-one, the players make their way up to her room to collect their uniforms.

Harper, Kelly and Franklin picking up their uniforms the night before the Monarchs vs. Liberty game.

June 8
The day started for the team at 10 a.m. They met in a banquet room of their New York hotel for breakfast and to go over game strategy, then got a few hours after the meeting to rest up before boarding the bus for Madison Square Garden.

As most of you know by now, the game was spectacular. Ticha’s game-high 18 points led the Monarchs to their first road victory of the season. Kings forward Ron Artest made the trip with us to New York and was in attendance with his son, JaRon and Goddaughter, Najee. League President Donna Orender was also at the game.

After the win it was all smiles in the locker room. A number of players had friends in New York who were at the game. After post-game media availability, many of them took off with their friends. Only about half of the players were on the bus with us when we returned to the hotel.

Ticha Update – For those of you who were watching the game online last night and saw Ticha grab her ankle in pain during the final seconds of the game…good and bad news. Bad news is it is a mild ankle sprain. Good news is that she finished the game strong and is probable for Wednesday’s game versus the Washington Mystics.

Side Note: Today was the 51st annual Puerto Rican Day Parade on Fifth Avenue. A record two million revelers made the parade a huge success. But given we were staying at a hotel on Sixth Avenue, street traffic was even more busy that normal.

June 9
We are currently on the bus to Washington D.C. We took off at 10 a.m. and were told it was going to be a four hour bus ride. We have been on the road for about an hour and a half and are already way behind schedule. Traffic is an absolute nightmare. We are bussing directly to practice at the Verizon Center, and by the time all is said and done, should arrive at the hotel, if we’re lucky, about 6 p.m. Another long day of travel for the players.

Right now, most of them are listening to their iPODs or napping. A few of them are chatting it up on the back of the bus. Nicole and Adrian are sitting directly behind me. Koz and Krista are to my left and are both reading the paper. Bekky Brunson just made her way to the front of the bus to talk with Coach Boucek. Coach always sits in the first seat on the right. Assistant Coach Monique Ambers is going over game notes.

Side Note: We just endured a classic New York heat wave. It wasn’t pleasant. Never realized how lucky we are to have dry heat in Sacramento. We hear it is even worse in D.C. right now…can’t imagine how it could be worse, but I’m sure I will understand it all too well when we arrive at practice in a few hours.

Adrian Williams-Strong and Scholanda Robinson enjoy their bus ride.

June 9 Continued....
Well, yesterday's four hour bus ride turned into a six hour bus ride. We didn't arrive at the Verizon Center until about 4 p.m., and didn't get to our hotel until after 8 p.m. The team, however, found very creative ways to keep themselves busy during the trip. The veterans got together and informed the rookies that they needed to provide "entertainment" for everyone on the bus. Minutes later, Laura Harper, A'Quonesia Franklin and Crystal Kelly, with bus microphone in hand, broke into a chorus of Aretha Franklin's "Respect," "Anxious" by Genuine, "Joy & Pain" by Rob Base and "I'll Be There" by The Jackson Five. Laura and Crystal danced through the isle while Aqua played DJ for the final song. This was followed by a performance by the veterans in an attempt to "show the rookies how it's done." I think the pictures pretty much speak for themselves. Check out the Day 3 photo gallery.

Laura Harper and Crystal Kelly provide entertainment.
Rebekkah Brunson, Nicole Powell and Ticha Penicheiro sway to the rhythm of the rookies.	Adrian Williams-Strong and Rebekkah Brunson show the rookies how it's done.

June 10
Yesterday we boarded the bus at 10:30 a.m. to head to the University of Maryland (Laura Harper's alma mater) for practice. Laura was waiting for the bus at the practice facility when we arrived. The facilities were beautiful and covered with images of Laura and her teammates winning the 2006 NCAA Women's Basketball Championship. Some of her old teammates and coaches even stopped by to catch some of practice and say hello. We returned from practice just after 3 p.m. and everyone did their own thing for the rest of the evening. A lot of players have personal ties to the area, so they had an opportunity to visit with friends and family -- Kara Lawson is from the D.C. area, Rebekkah Brunson went to Georgetown, and of couse, Laura Harper went to Maryland. Today is my last day with the team. They just finished shootaround and have a few hours to rest before we jump on the bus and head back to the Verizon Center to take on the Mystics. Check out the Day 4 photo gallery.

Laura Harper greets the rest of the Monarchs as they arrive at her alma mater."

June 11
Nicole Powell had 28 points to lead the Monarchs to their second consecutive road victory of the season. Kara Lawson added 22 and two clutch free throws in the final seconds of the game to seal the victory. There wasn't much time to celebrate, though...the team had to be on the bus at 6:45 a.m. this morning to catch a plane for their back-to-back versus Minnesota tonight. The game was one of the most exciting of the season, and the Monarchs had plenty of fans in attendance to cheer them on. About 100 University of Maryland fans were showing their support for Harper, and friends and family of the rest of the players with ties to the area were in abundance. Check out the Day 5 photo gallery.

Laura Harper's mother cheers for the Monarchs.

Crystal and Aqua grabbing a bite to eat after the game.