tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31327571579081343442012-01-20T13:08:56.220-08:00chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.comBlogger2371100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-406210558779588802012-01-20T13:08:00.000-08:002012-01-20T13:08:56.228-08:00

Last week I had a meeting with the new CTO of the company. The meeting was scheduled to be in Santa Clara. So, I put it on my personal calendar to cycle that day and end up at the Santa Clara office. The evening before the meeting, there was a calendar update with a document attached. I opened the document, but didn't pay any mind to anything else about the update. I did a 1 hour ride, arriving

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-79602639220142410922011-02-24T07:51:00.000-08:002011-02-24T07:52:18.444-08:00

I was eager to try out my new steed (the Ellsworth COefficient) for the first time in a race situation. Also, I was curious to see where my fitness was as I have been un-training for the last 6 months - doing whatever strikes my mood. I definitely still push myself, but don't do any structured cycling workouts. So, I signed up for the Beat the Clock time trial. I rolled up just before the

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-72589306330243667302010-11-06T18:50:00.000-07:002010-11-06T19:13:27.053-07:00

We got out around 8:30 in the morning - the journey finally ready to come to an end. Frankly, I was ready, with the flu in full swing. I left a nice note for our hosts in their guest book, we ate and cleaned up the kitchenette, and then we saddled up. The 25 miles back to Rumlang was largely uneventful and the rain held off the whole morning, which made me happy. We only had a couple minor

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-72168309645374335942010-11-06T12:08:00.000-07:002010-11-06T12:08:19.169-07:00

We at breakfast at the home where we stayed over, and then had to leave Hohettengen on account of a 40 person Austrian tour coming to town and absorbing all the accommodations. We headed east to Hachstetten, where we looked for a room. We tried one hotel that did not answer and another that had a "Bett and Bike" sign up. They apologized on account of the weather, but had a family

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-80359413984729085382010-11-06T11:55:00.000-07:002010-11-06T19:17:33.740-07:00

And, then came the schnee. We woke up after a fairly sleepless night (track hack extending - me wanting to blame it on the hotel guest down the hall who was smoking....but knowing the achy feeling with it probably meant the flu...). We looked across from our hotel balcony to see snow/rain mix falling. We decided that riding over some of the high passes in snow wasn't the best plan. So, after

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-2978990416165661372010-11-06T11:24:00.000-07:002010-11-06T19:12:32.497-07:00

We had a nice, served breakfast at the Hotel Adler and hit the road at 8:45 - a new record for getting out in the morning. The route took us west through Triberg to get a glimpse of the "highest waterfall in Germany". We decided to skip the dueling "largest cuckoo clocks". There was a fairly stiff climb out of town and then a crossing of the continental divide separating the Rhine and

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-92227506730574380162010-10-24T12:40:00.000-07:002010-11-06T19:13:03.662-07:00

We woke up and had frustuck as soon as we could and hit the road. Heavy rain was predicted for the afternoon, so we wanted to get some mileage under our belts. We headed straight south out of Fruedenstadt on a small road. We had a 2-3km climb through the forest, then rolled along for about 10km, then a fierce descent into an open meadow and small town. After exiting the town, we had a gradual,

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-31699295498796791462010-10-24T11:34:00.000-07:002010-10-24T11:34:41.009-07:00

We rolled out of Baden-Baden at 9:30 in the morning in light rain. We opted for the climby route instead of continuing on the Tour de Murg - the section we hadn't yet done. The Tour de Murg had been our general route as directed by a bike shop, since we'd wandered off our Rhine maps. We climbed up and then ended up hike-a-biking through the forest and back on to the road just above our

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-39628286484340670522010-10-24T11:02:00.000-07:002010-10-24T11:02:39.025-07:00

We left Ettingen via the rolling route. The next town led us to a wrong turn, and we ended up in the Black Forest headed straight up a paved mountain bike route. It was a solid 10% with pitches of 12%, but was lovely and quiet and smelled nice. We had a wicked descent and then needed to backtrack slightly to get to Baden-Baden. There was a tractor show near Oos, that got us all caught up,

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-52872815272563260282010-10-23T15:33:00.000-07:002010-10-23T15:33:59.791-07:00

We had a very "petit" dejeune at the hotel as we didn't want the upsell breakfast. It was only pan au chocolate, baguette with butter and jam, orange juice and coffee. Rolling north through some small valleys, we finally arrived at the top of our map - Worth am Rhein. We found many restaurants closed, but finally found a Muslim-owned pizzeria open and had some tasty fake-pork

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-7460035572551823952010-10-23T15:13:00.000-07:002010-10-23T15:14:06.337-07:00

Our departure from Kehl took us over a fantastic double-suspension bike/pedestrian bridge to Strausbourg. We made our way through the bicycle-friendly city to the cathedral. Cycling in a European city is completely safe and fluid, however, it takes some getting used to. Also, you will not break any speed records, but you will get around efficiently. We took some photos outside the

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-30023899305669740732010-08-31T07:37:00.000-07:002010-08-31T07:37:52.783-07:00

We awoke to a rainy morning. The good news was that the winds had died down. The ATM was our first stop on the way out of Sasbach. We headed out on the main road, on account of the rain - the dirt paths would be impassable in the weather. Cruising along at 13-15 mph, we spotted a giant stork's nest atop a church steeple and stopped to take some photos. As we left town, we were following what we

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-23158359602462461052010-08-31T07:15:00.000-07:002010-08-31T07:15:47.543-07:00

My last race of the season was the Masters District Pursuit at Hellyer. When we rolled up, I was the only one registered in the W35-39 group. It was looking like another default podium for the record books! In any case, I still wanted to do my best. So, I got in a nice, long warmup with a couple efforts. I used the rollers to warm up on my Mondonico. I also used the warmup circle and got in some

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-65519803041505670462010-08-03T08:09:00.000-07:002010-08-03T08:09:23.573-07:00

I've completed two races recently. One was Beat the Clock at the track - a tune up race for Masters' States next week. The other was the Benecia TT. Beat the Clock TT I decided to do the 1km and 2km only this year, so as to really focus on my distance, and not pound my body into the ground too much. So, I showed up a bit late and did my warmup on the trainer. The 1km was up first. I started

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-20715291702297657582010-06-26T17:56:00.000-07:002010-06-26T17:56:29.061-07:00

I was super-excited to find out that Ellsworth was going to sponsor the Velo Bellas. There are two huge reasons I was thrilled to hear the news. 1. I knew they were developing a TT bike. As I have sort of honed in on TT as the thing I like to do most, I was excited about the prospect of owning a proper TT bike. I have been riding on a franken-bike-a-saurus Trek Y-foil that was highly modified to

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-54624621975466748862010-06-22T07:49:00.000-07:002010-06-22T08:02:43.841-07:00

I definitely felt ready for Sattley, the NorCal/Nevada district championship race, this year. I wasn't sure I was going to be ready, as I came back from Germany so sick just about a month ago. But, as I ground into my final tune-up workout on Thursday, I was definitely ready. My intervals were strong and smooth, and my perception of the effort was comfortable. Early Saturday, we got up and did

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-80460608719957128392010-06-08T08:06:00.000-07:002010-06-08T08:13:18.811-07:00

Yeah, you thought I had given up racing, right? It's been so long since anything resembling a race report. I'm afraid that I was a bit distracted by vacation and the protracted flu virus that I came home with. So, I missed out on the Calavares TT. In any case, Sunday morning was the Dunlap TT, which I'd done twice before. It's a 30km (previously 34km) TT, and a good warmup for the longer effort

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-25710154140725012472010-06-06T20:03:00.000-07:002010-06-06T20:14:44.011-07:00

Today we woke up to even colder and more blustery weather than yesterday! We left the Sonnen after an adequate breakfast. It was drizzling when we left. We headed out of town on a bicycle route that dead-ended into a tunnel project - after much cx-ing in mud and gravel. So, we rolled back to Schleingen and headed the general direction we wanted and eventually picked up the cycle route. We braced

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-47948242029724794212010-05-30T17:36:00.000-07:002010-05-30T17:36:18.944-07:00

Today our goal was simply to "get north of Basel". We got through Basel in 1.5 hours with minimal frustration. Skies were clearing following the rain of the prior two days. It was quite cool, however. We had a good breakfast and warm jackets to keep us. Once north of Basel, the bike path along the Rhine was under construction. We did a little cyclocross and then decided to head back over to the

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-69142149262446274102010-05-25T08:59:00.000-07:002010-05-25T08:59:48.937-07:00

I had a long winter's nap from 8:30 pm until 6:30 am. There's nothing like 10 hours sleep to beat the jet lag. We had breakfast at 7:00 - an AMAZING breakfast (it should have been at 25 CHF per person!). I had croissant, danish, apricot preserves, raw honey, orange and passion fruit juice, eggs, yogurt, fresh fruit, muesli and coffee. By 9:00 we were off on the bikes! We thought it might be

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-90140623246166674252010-05-23T12:24:00.000-07:002010-05-23T12:24:51.304-07:00

3:00 am wake up call (half way to resetting our clocks!) 4:00 am departure for SFO. Had boarding passes and got in the short checkin line. No charge for the bike bags...hooray! We had a relatively short flight to Atlanta (~4:30) and had just enough time to grab a quick healthy-like lunch a "Nature's Bounty". I had a half Greek salad/half lentil salad, which seemed good at the time.

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-18868183293692117102010-05-21T08:37:00.000-07:002010-05-21T08:40:42.868-07:00

I've finally emerged a bit from my jet lag and flu - enough to finish up my trip journal and ponder all the cool things we experienced on our trip. Here are a few of my favorite things: 1. "Spargel" season. It was asparagus season in full force while we were there, and every menu featured a section dedicated to the hallowed white asparagus of the region. 2. "Spargeltoast". If you have not had

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-46829226464634429942010-04-04T13:25:00.000-07:002010-04-04T13:25:05.776-07:00

So, yesterday, a few of us decided to race the Altamont TTT. I raced with Marsha, Sue and Katie. We were a combined 3/4 team racing in the 3's category. We had another team with Liz, Erika, Cammie and Andrea in the 1-2s. I didn't have a really good day yesterday. I think I was really fighting the cold. It was around 40 degrees or maybe even a bit cooler, and I never really felt loose - even

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-15709845436425525062010-03-29T08:20:00.000-07:002010-03-29T08:20:23.932-07:00

The fitness is starting to come up now. My recovery is better, and I am stronger. I'm going to race the Altamont TTT with Sue, Katie and Marsha on Saturday. It should be a good test of fitness and teamwork. Then, I get to taper down and work on endurance with a little time in Europe. But, I will also be building power while lugging around bags and such on my bike - got to remember to climb out of

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-82062989661717593812010-02-21T11:03:00.000-08:002010-02-21T11:03:24.549-08:00

Yesterday, the Boy and I went out for the Berkeley TTT. Really, we signed up just so I could get some "real" race pacing work in. So, the plan was for me to ride the race solo and just make sure he stayed on my wheel for the finish. We finished in 1:06, which was about 8.5 minutes worse than the last time I did it. I'm deciding that I won't let that say anything about my fitness, as there are too

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-67143066981344299292010-02-15T10:26:00.000-08:002010-02-15T10:26:57.438-08:00

I won a pair of knee warmers for registering first...how cool is that? In any case, Beat the Clock was my first fitness test of the season. I didn't use any aero gear, except for the bike. Left the race wheels, helmet, skinsuit and booties at home. Just wanted to work on pacing and position on the bike. I have a theory that if this race was run in the opposite direction, I would race at least 2

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-84364746132949026262010-02-08T08:14:00.000-08:002010-02-08T08:14:21.148-08:00

It's been some time since I've written on le blog. It's not that I've been uninspired. I've had a lot of stuff bobbing around in my head, but not enough time to sit down and commit it to the written word. And, a lot of stuff I've been thinking about is non-cycling-related. One thing I've been thinking about a lot lately is moderation and balance. I had a chat with a good friend this weekend,

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-42092661282978149932009-11-29T16:54:00.000-08:002009-11-29T16:54:33.862-08:00

We spent Thanksgiving weekend as far away from shopping malls and Christmas tree lots as possible this year. Not a single gift has been procured, but that's OK, because how often do you get 4 days to spend undivided time with the one you love? Thursday started out with one of my famous "exploring" rides. This is when we go a general direction into the Los Altos Hills looking for itty-bitty

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-6249223855670360842009-09-25T08:58:00.000-07:002009-09-25T11:26:55.290-07:00

I don't really have time to do a real trip report right now. At some point this will become a full-fledged article. But, for now, a brief synopsis with a few photos. Day 1 - Saturday September 12, 2009 - Shelton, WA to Brinnon, WA - 41-ish Miles Highlights: -Sparkling waters of the Hood Canal -Sliced/blew out my rear tire at mile 20 and had to switch to spare resulting in dirty state champion

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-169232179074582562009-09-11T13:58:00.000-07:002009-09-11T13:58:00.195-07:00

I sit here on the eve of the long-awaited 60th birthday bike tour that we planned for my mom. We are also celebrating my dad's 65th this year. Originally, the plan was for Rick, me and my mom to ride and my dad to drive SAG. That was about 4 years ago when we first cooked up this whole thing. Then, my mom got a recumbent trike, and my dad followed a few months later. Pretty soon, we were thinking

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-12562190251102074912009-09-02T09:33:00.000-07:002009-09-02T09:33:10.829-07:00

Well, I've been just chilling since the end of the season. I've been running and swimming and hiking and generally having a break from the bike. Last week I got back on the bike and started doing some weight training. I have only a short time to get my sit bones adjusted to sitting on the seat again, since I'll soon be escorting my parents soon on their grand tour of the Olympic peninsula in

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-22490178090166340012009-07-21T15:42:00.001-07:002009-07-21T15:49:30.689-07:00

I had two pursuit races at the track to end the season. The first one was a "Beat the Clock for Cancer" event, in which I was trying out the various distances and perfecting my starts. They ran the events over several hours. I did the 500m, 1km, 2km and 3km. Again, my 1km was the best of the 4, comparatively speaking. I think I was 2nd in that event. I was 5th in the 500 and last in the 2km. But,

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-57364894050329755782009-06-28T17:23:00.000-07:002009-06-28T17:35:56.316-07:00

For the last road TT of the season, I decided to try out the new Benicia TT offered by the Taleo racing team. I did not pre-ride the course, but had a good description from my team mate, Marsha. It was a 12 mile out and back course. It was already at least in the 80s F at the start, if not into the 90s. I was sweating like a little piggy on the trainer, but the legs felt good as I warmed up, and

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-57864380386293003622009-06-16T08:44:00.000-07:002009-06-17T10:41:09.856-07:00

Saturday, Rick and I made our first venture out to Sattley for the NorCal/Nevada district championship time trial. I have been looking forward to this race for a while, since I haven't ever done an "official" 40k race (did a couple back in triathlon days, but that is totally different). We over-nighted in Truckee, but headed out Saturday afternoon to the course to check it out. There were

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-19171198525044756182009-06-09T10:35:00.000-07:002009-06-09T10:47:42.339-07:00

I actually have been racing lately. It's been really good and really fun overall. I am having a good season this year. Calavares TTThis was a new TT this year, and I decided to check it out, since it is so close to home. I did not pre-ride the course, but knew the general area. A teammate, Marcia, was kind enough to recon and provide some info. Basically, it was a stair-stepping out-and-back,

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-17853864839498515062009-05-28T10:08:00.000-07:002009-05-28T10:20:32.973-07:00

So, I was riding home last night from the train station and was headed eastbound on Evelyn toward Sunnyvale from Mountain View. As I approached an intersection - I think it was Moorpark, the light was red. I was slowing and coming to a stop. A car pulls up on my left side and starts pacing me. The window was rolled down, and the lady inside says politely, "I'm going to need to turn right here." (

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-86335290236782318122009-05-21T07:54:00.000-07:002009-05-21T08:43:37.546-07:00

I'm not sure why, but I signed up for Kern 2009 after an absolutely miserable Kern 2008. I think it was because it is such a big gathering for the Velo Bellas, and I wanted to be part of that fun energy. And, Rick comforted me with the fact that the average temperature for that weekend in May, in Bakersfield, is 84 degrees. And, I wanted to exorcise the demon of that hill climb that I let

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-50435983905605871712009-05-07T08:19:00.000-07:002009-05-07T08:41:56.931-07:00

We rendezvoused at 8:00 am the next day for breakfast, with a goal of rolling out about 10:00 am. The hotel had a decent breakfast spread, and we were able to stock up on enough calories to see us through lunch. My husband and I headed over to the local grocery deli to procure four sandwiches for lunch – knowing that it would be too many hours before we could reach a lunch spot. The four of us

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-37125461416464253832009-05-05T07:08:00.000-07:002009-05-05T07:30:06.672-07:00

Just south of Guadalupe are rolling farmlands. We got a strong odor of broccoli harvest and enjoyed the views of the lush, green hills dotted with ancient outbuildings. This is the flattest part of the route, and we were zipping along with almost no vehicular accompaniment. There was a nice highway patrol man who pulled over three vehicles in 10 short miles of riding, and I only think we saw

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-76945391292032772642009-05-02T08:05:00.000-07:002009-05-02T08:28:54.352-07:00

Below is the first part of my article that I wish to submit to Adventure Cyclist. It is a first draft. I'd love input from any aspiring editors!Teaching my Parents to TourA holiday mini-tour of the California central coastMy husband and I are avid bicycle tourists. We fell in love with touring in 2002 on a guided tour in Tuscany. We had already been riding recreationally on the weekends and doing

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-24906079109371537152009-04-26T09:59:00.001-07:002009-04-26T17:26:22.026-07:00

I've been holding off on writing about this, since I fear I will bring some hypocritical bad karma down on myself or something. But, I think it's got to be said. As some of you know, I've recently changed jobs and am now working on the border of Atherton/Menlo Park. In previous years, I've been commuting a bit off the beaten path - riding from north Sunnyvale to Cupertino. I would run into other

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-79335820089677716242009-04-21T09:02:00.000-07:002009-04-21T09:23:02.992-07:00

Next month I will be attending the Kern County Women's Stage Race, which always seems to be the hottest race of the year.Some of my teammates have the "Kern Taper", which I think involves some combination of asceticism (lack of alcohol and sugar) along with a big fitness build and rest right before the race. This year, I am practicing "Kern Acclimation", which involves exerting while being

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-21783779690952821042009-04-07T15:17:00.000-07:002009-04-07T15:44:15.624-07:00

Spring is coming to the Bay Area in fits and starts. Yesterday it was approaching 80 degrees and sunny. Today, it is 55 degrees with sheets of rain falling. I'm longing for Spring to take hold and usher in more predictable days. However, I know that in the end these rainy days will bring nourishment to the earth and other things that we need. I did, however, take full advantage of our days in the

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-6318913042288286422009-03-25T08:56:00.000-07:002009-03-25T09:13:42.690-07:00

Well, I've been pretty silent on the blogosphere. I don't really know why, but I'm a little uninspired lately. Here's what's going on. First Race of the SeasonWell, my first race was supposed to be Bariani - a 30 mile road race. But, I'd had a lousy week starting with barfing. Then, the worst allergies I've had in my life crept up on me - to the point that I could barely breathe on Sunday and was

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-6035913353636003252009-03-02T16:31:00.001-08:002009-03-02T17:10:14.303-08:00

Yep, it's that time of year. The time where I find it really hard to live in the present and really easy to focus on what lies ahead. Normally I love training. However, there have been a few too many rain-soaked rides with flat tires or hours spent on the trainer lately to really be in love with the training. I do occasionally find a bright spot in the routine - the times I get to sneak in a

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-67612482023517515942009-02-18T08:48:00.000-08:002009-02-18T09:08:58.993-08:00

Since Twinkie asked, I will give a little fitness update. I am currently in week 2 of my quest to be less squishy in the upper body....meaning that I should be able to lift something weighing more than a Danish. However, this is possibly at odds with the general cyclist aim of having arms and shoulders that look like those of an emaciated prisoner of war while having legs that look like the dead

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-12126956927837081002009-02-17T11:47:00.000-08:002009-02-17T11:56:33.176-08:00

For the first time ever, I got a TT-specific bike fit. I am focusing my season around TT and pursuit, so it seemed I should have something better than "road bike fit with aero bars slapped on" for my TT setup - especially since I have a bike dedicated to the purpose. I think this will make a massive difference. If nothing else, I should finish races without tweakage in my back, which will be a

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-69794561317102727572009-02-11T09:35:00.000-08:002009-02-11T10:15:01.687-08:00

Well, I finally have a rest week this week. Hooray for that! The great part about that is I don't have much structure and shorter morning rides, so I can go out and explore new ways of connecting Sunnyvale with Menlo Park (really Atherton). Today, I decided to explore the new Mountain View Bike Boulevard. I've been pretty happy with the northern part of the route (Bryant through Palo Alto, over

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-9705860521883926962009-02-09T10:28:00.000-08:002009-02-09T10:34:18.682-08:00

Well, after reading journal after journal, perusing maps and photos and Google Earth, and many phone discussions, we've finally selected a route for Mom's 60th Birthday Tour Extraordinaire. We will be doing the Adventure Cycling "Washington Parks" loop. It is actually a double loop, and we will be doing the smaller one at about 300 miles. The loop encircles the Olympic Peninsula in Washington and

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-56730581081196627152009-01-30T13:38:00.000-08:002009-01-30T13:55:32.063-08:00

So, we are in the research phase of planning a cycling tour with the parents. We can do this trip anytime between about June and October. We had originally planned to ride some of the Route Verte in Quebec. But, we've learned that moving their recumbent trikes via airplane or shipping is going to cost about $800 no matter how we slice and dice it. And, it appears there are more unpaved sections

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-57904926041530008112009-01-27T09:44:00.001-08:002009-01-27T09:53:02.766-08:00

If y'all haven't been over to Fat Cyclist to see the 2 part (so far) series on "So you want to be a cyclist", I highly recommend it.Part 1 - Choosing Your EquipmentPart 2 - Lifestyle ChangesSome of my favorite excerpts:"Shoes...If you are a man, you likely have never spent more than $75 on shoes before. Those days are over, my friend. To be a real cyclist, you need cycling-specific shoes. This

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-55586623418762827322009-01-21T16:56:00.000-08:002009-01-22T09:14:57.687-08:00

aka – My first training camp, an historic inauguration, and getting back to work.This week I attended my first training camp ever with the Velo Bellas. They lured me in with promises of quiet roads that I like to ride on the Central Coast, lots of wine and good times. They conveniently omitted the part about the PAIN, but that’s OK, because it was a good kind of pain. Rick and I drove down Friday

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-51826163198533146382009-01-16T14:34:00.000-08:002009-01-16T14:51:59.285-08:00

So far I love the new job. My co-workers are great, and things are hopping a bit more now that the kiddies have returned to campus. They're all pretty cool and it's fun helping them out some between patching laptops and updating the web site. One thing I haven't really adjusted to is the commute. It's still bike-able, which is great. However, I got really spoiled with Yahoo being right down the

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-85727050941357481272009-01-08T17:22:00.000-08:002009-01-09T08:57:43.915-08:00

I'll admit it. I'm really behind on blogging. It's not that I haven't been writing anything...I have. I just haven't gotten around to finishing and posting what I've been writing. So, until I get all that under control, here are some good reads:The Olive Grove, a Palestinian Story, by Deborah Rohan - This is an account of the events in Palestine circa 1920s-1950ish as told by a longtime resident

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-83636226561003740142008-12-09T07:56:00.000-08:002008-12-09T10:41:48.853-08:00

Well, since I've been partly outed, I guess it's time to get on with the rest of the life change confessions. I didn't want to come out last week, since it would seem like a copycat post after Lauren's. So, this week is the week. Librarian SarahYes, it's true. I'm going to become one of those book-worm-ish ladies who wears polyester double-knit skirts and comfortable shoes and my hair in a bun

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-2941601351374354192008-12-08T09:45:00.000-08:002008-12-08T09:52:33.267-08:00

Saturday, I got "all shook up" in the morning, during the Bay Area Women's Group ride. Photos by Sarah Bamberger here. My body hadn't seen zone 4 in a while. But, it was great fun to get out and mingle and meet a lot of ladies I hadn't met before. In the big group photo, I'm the amazon in the back row toward the left - pretty much dwarfing everyone else. :)Then, after ample foodage and nappage,

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-49548545925927056892008-11-24T16:31:00.000-08:002008-11-24T16:38:48.275-08:00

Well, I was going to post this little slide show last week, but then my service provider did the major meltdown on my site. Fortunately, things seem to have stabilized now. Enjoy! I haven't had time to add fancy controls to the slide show, so you'll have to put up with every-three-seconds-rotation:http://www.secadvertising.com/hawaii_2008/

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-519915292186188482008-11-18T12:43:00.000-08:002008-11-18T12:58:15.313-08:00

I was reading over at Bike Snob NYC about a gender analyzer for blog. You can try it out for yourself here:http://www.genderanalyzer.com/And, now to the surprising results:Of course, after running mine through, I had to check cyclistrick's. This was his result:We think http://www.cycle-tours.com/blog is written by a man (79%).And, all this time, I thought he was in touch with his feminine side!

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-86627738549635792762008-11-03T09:37:00.000-08:002008-11-03T09:41:38.930-08:00

Passing by a new Specialties Bakery on the corner of Elis and Fairchild in Mountain View....Rick: I smell cinnamon rolls. Me: No, I think it's vegetables....probably brussel sprouts or beets. Coming back past the bakery on the way home....Me: Now, when you smell the vegetables cooking, think of all the healthy things we are going to eat this week. Sometimes you need a little delusion to get

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-45066782690273778892008-10-29T12:01:00.000-07:002008-10-29T12:23:48.007-07:00

I know, totally off the "Tech and Cycling" topic. But, here goes....This is one for all y'all in SF. One issue some of my friends and I have become involved in over the last few years is the movement against human trafficking (a.k.a "slavery"). There are more than 27 million people held in slavery in the world today - more than any time in history. Check out the "Not for Sale" project for some

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-3826027267873295692008-10-28T10:10:00.000-07:002008-10-31T17:22:55.439-07:00

Yeah, I've been slackardly in my posting of late. I'll admit it. I've been slackardly in many things actually. But, now it's back to the grind. Last Saturday, the 18th, we left for a long-awaited vacation. We'd originally planned to vacation last February in Maui. We were going to ride our bikes up Haleakala and to Hana and a bunch of other cool stuff. But, it got postponed, because the team I

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-35621216195145780882008-10-12T15:35:00.000-07:002008-10-12T15:46:54.879-07:00

OK, a couple folks were asking Rick for the pumpkin bread recipe on Facebook. We were hoping to find the link to it online, but I'll just copy from the printout. This is originally from allrecipes.com circa 2002 and posted by user "v monte" (I hope this mention clears me of any copyright issues :) ). Here goes - this recipe makes 3 loaves. We usually do a 1/3 batch. I'll put the 1/3 quantities in

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-5423695934857872932008-10-06T10:59:00.000-07:002008-10-06T11:09:01.041-07:00

This got sent out to the NCNCA list. But, I know a lot of my recreational friends who have dabbled in racing and are not on that list might want to chime in. So, if y'all have raced in NorCal in the last year, please take a few minutes to give your feedback:http://bawc.questionpro.com/

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-15586416079581636332008-09-29T16:36:00.000-07:002008-09-29T16:40:53.157-07:00

OK, so some other person on Hernando's blog roll posted this. I think it is an interesting hypothesis:http://www.edge.org/3rd_culture/haidt08/haidt08_index.htmlAlso, I read a great book over the weekend: The White Mary, by Kira SalakI found the book to be engrossing from page 2 all the way to the end.

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-30224657466951895882008-09-22T16:34:00.000-07:002008-09-22T17:03:27.129-07:00

The theme of my life for the next year is Simplifying. I'll have more updates along these lines as the next months progress. But, here are some things we're doing and some things I'm thinking about as part of the Simplification Strategy. Of course, when you get done reading this rambling post, you'll wish I'd applied the theme to my writing!1. Clutter reductionNeither cyclistrick nor I is a huge

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-12944284979524846032008-09-12T07:44:00.000-07:002008-09-12T07:56:33.175-07:00

It's that time of year when we try to transition our brains from "Fast! Fast!" all the time to something a bit more measured. However, as I discovered yesterday, going easy also requires a lot of discipline! I was attempting to do a low-intensity, high-cadence workout. And, gosh darnit, there were times on relatively flat ground where I was going 10.9 mph. It was all I could do to swallow my

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-51331997526742481232008-09-08T11:48:00.000-07:002008-09-08T12:09:34.338-07:00

Wow, I've been so busy working and not-so-busy cycling, that I'm a little behind in bloggy-land. I took last week off for some rest and did goofy things like swimming and yoga and walking to work. This week, I'm easing myself back on the bike. I've had this nagging hip problem in the 2nd half of the season (likely related to the tailbone problem) and I've been doing some specific exercises to

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-39986358246753785552008-08-22T12:46:00.000-07:002008-08-22T12:53:03.000-07:00

I went for my usual morning ride on Wednesday. Something was wrong. I couldn't quite put my finger on it. Then, I realized the previously quiet roads of Mountain View and Los Altos were jam-packed to the gills with cars. What was going on? Then, I realized. These were no ordinary cars. No. They were almost entirely SUVs...and minivans...all driven by a particular demographic - white women in

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-82666787144077041862008-08-18T20:14:00.000-07:002008-08-18T20:37:26.761-07:00

Well, I finally got back out and raced. It was a series of time trials at the track run pursuit style. The distances were 500m, 1k, 2k, 3k, 4k. I figured if it was just me and another sprinter on the track at the same time I would only have myself to blame for an injury! I had never done pursuit on the track, so I was looking forward to learning a new style of racing and laying down some

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-79053503270489118232008-08-15T09:48:00.001-07:002008-08-15T10:10:04.659-07:00

I'll admit it. I'm an Olympic junkie. I'll pretty much watch any contest that's on - except for maybe boxing and shooting. However, I'll also admit that after watching 3 weeks of Le Tour back to back with 3 weeks of Olympics, I start having body image issues. Or, maybe just image issues. I want to be ripped and nimble and graceful like the gymnasts. I am none of the above. I'd like to dance

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-85740412087088718912008-08-11T09:53:00.000-07:002008-08-11T10:03:18.674-07:00

So Saturday I got up super-early to meet a good friend who needed to chat for a hike. I decided that rather than driving to the preserve and then hiking and then coming home and changing into bike clothes for a bike ride, I would combine the two. It is about a 45 minute-1 hour ride to the preserve depending which route is taken. Perfect - a 1.5 hour ride and a 1 hour hike. That will be a good day

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-28893008739354832562008-08-06T14:44:00.000-07:002008-08-06T14:56:02.295-07:00

Well, we spent lovely morning on Monday with the x-ray technician and a lovely morning this morning with the orthopedic surgeon. The good news is that the rickster is getting a longer leash! He'll probably still feel a bit too tethered to me, but at least he'll get a chance to make a little mischief. Stationary trainer = YESDriving = YES (if supervised at first and in-town to start)Weaning off

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-33058737555449458612008-07-25T13:00:00.001-07:002008-07-25T13:29:24.704-07:00

Watching Le Tour this last week has reminded me that there are a plethora of products that could enhance my life if I can just part with 3 easy payments of $19.95. Here are some of the choice sponsors for your enjoyment:Enzyte "Male Enhancement"I guess they figure that all the cyclists must be getting impotent from sitting on those tiny, hard seats. Hence, the need for male enhancement. I'm not

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-32755077590931720632008-07-21T10:48:00.000-07:002008-07-21T11:59:12.418-07:00

In addition to chauffeuring, shopping, cooking and gardening on the weekends, I have managed to get out for some cycling adventures. Though, since I am on my own, there are no fun pictures to show :( This weekend, I did a couple of favorite loops in Los Altos Hills. It's a very hilly route, and I worked on climbing accelerations as intervals during my climbs. I was doing great until Moody Rd.

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-17505118872458479632008-07-11T21:51:00.000-07:002008-07-11T22:01:06.250-07:00

Well, we went down to the Hellyerdrome to watch the Friday night races tonight. I guess we were hoping to bring back some of those formerly happy track feelings aided by Hefeweizen and Velo Bella cheer. All was going splendidly until about half way through the women's points race when 4 riders went down. All riders were conscious and talking, but Sabine and Donna went to the hospital with some

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-57129747798074642782008-07-10T16:45:00.000-07:002008-07-10T16:48:16.158-07:00

Well, Rick really stole my thunder with the whole hip thing. Now, my tailbone incident seems quite silly, really. Anyway, a new harder seat was put on the bike a few weeks ago with no change in fit. It seemed better, but I got my first real test last weekend when I did a 3+ hour ride with some steep climbs. My sit bones were a little tender when I returned, but the tailbone was just fine. Yay!

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-19956139886556672882008-07-07T17:03:00.000-07:002008-07-07T17:36:01.326-07:00

Well, it's been a wild and crazy few weeks. I have been really busy playing "Sarah Nightengale" and not riding my bike as much as I should. But, I've pretty much written off the rest of the season anyway. I may make a swan song at San Ardo if everything aligns for that. But, I've been giving some thought to the whole cycling thing - not sure where to go next in that aspect of my life. I like the

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-45258104423927326362008-06-30T11:45:00.001-07:002008-06-30T11:52:30.609-07:00

Well, we finally followed up with the surgeon today. She is pleased with his progress and says that these things tend to go better for athletes. She also indicated that she cycles some. Then, we talked about his injury and surgery. She said it was a "very serious" injury and that his bone was basically shattered in a "high energy" impact. There was apparently traction and a whole box full of

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-75999792151323745672008-06-25T16:34:00.001-07:002008-06-25T16:39:55.012-07:00

Well, one of Rick's dreams has finally come true. He now has massive quads - well at least one massive quad. I bet he is in the 60cm club. Now, nevermind that this measurement comes in large part due to swelling and that it has the definition of a tree trunk....it is quite impressive. Our new hobby is eating the two dozen cookies that were sent to us by some of our cycling buddies (you know who

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-33398328692418126842008-06-21T15:04:00.000-07:002008-06-21T15:11:22.590-07:00

Wow, at 10:30 this morning, I was busily trying to cram in some work on a big presentation I have to give on Thursday. The phone rang, and it was Rick saying he was going to be discharged. I said I'd plan to be there around noon. Then, at 11, he called back to say they wanted me to come get him. Well, we got him in the car (no small feat) and into the house (another not-small feat). I fed him

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-76088602540239666032008-06-20T16:40:00.001-07:002008-06-20T16:43:13.036-07:00

This morning, they had Rick up bright and early with the physical and occupational therapists. He spent about 2 minutes on the walker and asked to be "upgraded" to crutches. He then did the full length of the hall and back and showed them he could get up and down from the toilet and in and out of bed. The therapists were giddy at his ability to get around. We're hoping he can come home tomorrow

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-61195807285413382072008-06-19T16:40:00.001-07:002008-06-19T16:45:51.355-07:00

Hi all. I just came home for a brief moment from le hospital. Rick had a crash at the track last night, as some of you may have heard. By about 12:30 am he was cleared of all head/neck/spine trauma. Good news. Bad news is a femur fracture, just below the thingy magigs that hold the hip into the socket. He had surgery starting about 12:00 pm today and emerged by 2:30. He's had a couple brief

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-75665580375429491382008-06-16T09:59:00.000-07:002008-06-16T10:23:09.250-07:00

So, I've got this new injury/problem related to cycling, and it is a huge bummer. Ever since Kern when I ride my racing bike, I end up with pain around my coccyx (aka tailbone). Sometimes it is a mildly irritating pain that is gone the next day. Sometimes it lasts several days. When I ride my other bikes it is OK. And, it kind of depends on the length and muscular intensity of the ride. I broke

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-79096238294324100012008-06-04T17:02:00.000-07:002008-06-04T17:12:08.605-07:00

*OK, so upgrade points were mostly obtained due to some attrition in last Friday's track ominum when some of the ladies preferred beer drinking to racing another Chariot race. Apologies to all for the lack of posting. I've had some unexpected circumstances arise in my non-cycling life that have led to many hours of focus away from blogging and cycling. More on that later!Anyway, the Velo Girls

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-49656851561110751122008-05-24T20:21:00.000-07:002008-05-24T20:31:05.249-07:00

and I don't mean out on the bike, which I'm pretty used to these days. Time has come for me to update my mad programming skillz, yo. Turns out my skillz are pretty old skool and I need to get some modernization. You know, I've spent every weekend racing lately and prior to that studying for 3 years while doing the same 'ol, same 'ol at work (on a business to business site). So, no time for

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-73430996154487862562008-05-19T13:33:00.000-07:002008-05-19T15:30:48.455-07:00

Wow! What can I say? This race was an epic, hard, hot, amazing, supportive, redemptive, all-around learning experience. I think I loved it (especially now that it is over)! Thanks to Velopromo for putting on this beast of an event. Thursday 5/15 - arrive in Bakersfield and pre-ride TT courseWe arrived on Thursday afternoon to temps at 101 F and got settled in our hotel. Rick and I lowered the

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-9369981973208835652008-05-15T08:34:00.001-07:002008-05-15T08:36:44.052-07:00

Thanks, Dad, for sending these photos! This was my first 'real' bike - a Schwinn Stingray - best Christmas present ever! It was white with pink chain guard and a sparkly banana seat. Also, note the yellow blanket, which is my secret weapon!

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-47369111924784121652008-05-14T21:20:00.000-07:002008-05-14T21:36:40.857-07:00

in more ways than one. I think Kern will be my biggest fitness challenge since the half Ironman way too many years ago. I hope my sitting at the desk 12 hours a day and eating takeout training plan will serve me well! OK, time for some positive self-talk:I love heat. I'm so glad summer is finally here. I can't wait to race my bike in the hundred degree weather. I will reward myself with a nice

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-85177535702011330942008-05-13T13:35:00.000-07:002008-05-13T13:41:25.776-07:00

...yep, I incurred bicycle commuting hazard #2 today. Doh!The good news is that our little commuting challenge team is in 19th place in Santa Clara County - out of about 100 teams, and we've been in the top 10 a good portion of the time.

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-40856511291045895042008-05-12T11:57:00.000-07:002008-05-12T14:41:01.388-07:00

I'm getting a little extra recovery this week, because I refused to listen to my body over the last month and pushed myself into over-trained land. I'm trying to nurse myself to Kern and then will probably try a little rebuild after that. So, since I've been pretty good at lazing around this week, here is my list of stuff to do while recovering.Grooming - Me, the house, and the carGetting a hair

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-63925371108087716992008-05-05T11:04:00.000-07:002008-05-05T11:31:13.299-07:00

So, I could attend graduation ceremonies on May 17th, but I'd rather be at Kern. So, instead, I decided to hook myself up with some primo regalia. That chrome is for the summa cum laude, baby! I finally caved, because I keep making my back sore racing bikes that don't fit me at the track. A sore back is not helpful for my training in general, so I'm adding yet another bike to the stable....OK, so

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-67411752296502582262008-04-30T09:38:00.000-07:002008-04-30T10:07:48.015-07:00

I haven't been writing, because I had my crappiest race of the season on Sunday, and was struggling to come up with positive thoughts. But, I'm happy to report that we went to the track last night, and things are once again right with the world. So, back to Sunday. The Wente Crit. It should have been a good race, as I was coming off my first build period and had been in a recovery week. So,

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-64930154891225284332008-04-21T11:14:00.000-07:002008-04-21T11:29:42.857-07:00

OK, I know I lured you over here with the salacious headline. Velo Girls is still my real team. But, I've joined team #46 of the Team Bike Challenge for Bike to Work Month - the "C&C Cool Commuters". I'm writing to encourage you to take up bike commuting in the month of May, or at least give it a try. I know - you already ride like 200 miles a week, and the commuting will just be "junk" miles. It

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-33742945449424601152008-04-14T14:07:00.000-07:002008-04-14T14:35:11.618-07:00

Well, after 5 hours in my comfortable, air-conditioned office with plenty of cool water and temperatures outside hovering 20 degrees lower than yesterday, I have finally come back alive. The oppressive heat of Madera was sitting heavy on my brain, and it just lifted like a stiff, velvet curtain. Ahhhh. My 2nd trip to Madera had an entirely different focus than my first. Last year, I just wanted

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-78847815244203490982008-04-11T08:52:00.001-07:002008-04-11T09:20:46.718-07:00

So, I've been wiling away time on this lazy morning perusing the Rivendell Reader. Normally, I find Grant's ramblings entertaining, sometimes perplexing and often "not for me". Though, I have drunk the Rivvy juice in terms of riding with a higher handlebar. I really don't care if I look like a Phred on my racing bike. All of you who think zero-rise stems are the only way to go, well, I don't care

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-4442679584608167332008-04-07T16:38:00.000-07:002008-04-07T17:07:43.862-07:00

Yep, it's the start of the stage race season for us uuber amateur, masterette fatties - the Madera Stage Race. This year promises to be a good 20 degrees cooler than last year, which should make it oh-so-much-more pleasant out there. However, it will be less of a test of how things will fare at the almost-guaranteed-to-be-super-hot Kern County Women's Stage Race. Looks like the W4 is shaping up

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-87140250878484926982008-04-04T10:21:00.001-07:002008-04-04T10:25:15.355-07:00

While my teammates are all doing this:I will be doing some of this:And some of this:And then getting my hair cut and then going to a baby's 1st B-day party:Yeah, that will be enough for one day!

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-30159783927023365262008-04-02T10:20:00.000-07:002008-04-02T10:37:20.754-07:00

If there was a Category G at the track, that is what I would race. It might also be called the Slow and Lazy category. Fortunately, I got to make my track racing debut with a bike that somewhat fit, since CyclistRick was sitting out with broken thumb. I did about 40 minutes warmup on my own. Then, we had the official 20 minute warmup, which was the first reasonable warmup I've had out there in a

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-47782689548797037812008-03-26T16:07:00.000-07:002008-03-26T16:25:13.398-07:00

Well, the Boy and I headed out the Hellyerdrome again last night for some suffervals with the Nolanator. Next week, we get to full-on racing. This was the last week of mock racing. Again, lots of chicas showed up. That was great! Also, the Jacques-Mayne brothers rolled out for the event along with a good showing from Team Specialized and Morgan Stanley/Spine. So, this time there were 3 groups.

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3132757157908134344.post-86481394416204407922008-03-21T16:03:00.000-07:002008-03-21T16:23:15.316-07:00

We had an office off-site this week. We went bowling. I reluctantly played along. But, I did have some spitfire trash talk in me aimed at the team on the next lane, which included our VP. We split into 6 teams of 5 to bowl two games. Keep in mind we are a bunch of geeks. So, the level of competition was like if cycling had a Cat 9. But, at least I had my months of weight training fresh in my body

chatterboxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03863147093732489120noreply@blogger.com10