Gabrielle in Santa Cruz

FUNNY YOU SHOULD BRING THIS UP....my first day at the gym was at non other than WORLD GYM in Santa Cruz!

I was with Bobby (my dad) and I was 13. He wanted to work out and thought I'd get a kick out it. I remember sitting there in AWE and seeing a lot of guys that looked like brick walls (I think it was Dave). There were a lot of posters on the wall of famous bodybuilders and I remember Bobby introduced me to one of the "brick walls" then said "thats him on that poster". I suddenly lost my voice and couldn't speak.

Then he and my dad asked if I wanted to try the leg press machine. I said "yeah... I'm strong". They loaded it up with some amount of weight they thought I could do and I DID do it, but only because so many big guys were standing around watching me. Afterwards, I got up and told my dad I was going to be outside in the sun. I got to the car and collapsed- I hurt my quads so bad I could barely walk 5 minutes later. By that night I thought I needed to go to the hospital. I couldn't walk - not even to go to the bathroom. My dad's girlfriend at the time had to help me walk every step.

My whole stay with him that time was spent in bed with his dogs and mountain lion licking my hand and nudging me to get up to no avail.

Gabrielle

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