I recently read in Bicycling magazine about an amazing family. Here is a summary from their website:
The four of us (Mom, Dad and twelve-year-old twin boys) are bicycling from Alaska to Argentina. When we reach the southernmost tip of South America, Davy and Daryl will become the new Guinness World Record holders as the youngest people to cycle the Pan-American Highway!
Wow. It makes me think about long bike rides that Paul and I have gone on. Let’s just say that Paul now carries some cheese to go with my whine. Now add 2 kids, whoa. Then doing school on the road–they call it roadschooling, like homeschooling–get it!? HA! Again, I think about nights at the table with Anna and/or Tyler with their homework. Tears flow, voices are raised, frustration abounds. Then add on prep with no supplies except that which you find on the road or carry on your bike?!
Lastly, eating. Paul is a frickin’ saint. Anna won’t even eat turkey on her sandwich anymore. Mayo and an American slice of cheese on bread, with the crusts cut off of course. Tyler can change his mind 3-4 times about liking something within the span on the same dinner. Can you imagine traveling to other countries on a bike (talk about a Very Hungry Caterpillar!) then get off and there is no Harris Teeter to go get skim milk, hormone free chicken or ingredients to even make tortillas (not that they have a kitchen to make stuff in anyhow). Don’t even think about access to McDonald’s, Domino’s, etc.
Surfer Laird Hamilton says he lives his life well by doing something to scare himself every day. Whether you prefer scaring, inspiring, motivating yourself, I think it is a good message. This family is a good example of this.
Well, our past several rides haven’t gone as planned. On Saturday we went riding with our friend Tamara, planning on doing about 65 miles. At around mile 35 we had a dog run out making Tamara and Susan run into each other which made Tamara crash. She scraped her shoulder and elbow and bruised her thigh, but luckily didn’t do any damage to her bike (I know that sounds backwards but bikes are EXPENSIVE to fix). Of course after the dog made her fall he just hung out with us, I guess we are boring when we aren’t moving. After the adrenaline wears off from a crash it usually doesn’t feel all that good to ride so we took the shortest way back home after that which put us at 53 miles total. We ended up making the right decision because she was pretty sore by the time we got done.
On Sunday Susan and I went to Hanging Rock for a ride. About 3/4 of the way up Sauratown Mountain Susan had a asthma attack. Usually when this happens she takes a shot from her inhaler and is fine, but this time she still didn’t feel good after she took it. After she got her breath back we turned around and rode back to Hanging Rock. Knowing how stubborn she is I was expecting a fight when I told her she had to wait at the bottom of the mountain while I went and got the car, but she must have been feeling pretty bad because she just said OK.
Yesterday was my turn for the bad luck. I went out for a short ride after work, and in full lean through a sharp turn I had my front tire blow. I’m still not sure how I was able to keep myself from falling, but somehow I did so I consider myself the lucky one in the group. Since I was only about a mile from home and I was going put a new tire on anyway I decided to walk the rest of the way instead of changing my tube and wasting a CO2 cartridge.
So that is three rides in a row cut short by bad luck. I can’t wait to see if the luck continues for our next ride!
(humming the tune of “hi ho, hi ho, its off to work I go”)…When I go, I roll, I bike to work solo!
This is week 4 of the 2010 Bike to Work Season. My goal is the same as last year—1 round trip per week. So far I have 6 trips in the 4 weeks! I actually save about $5 and burn 1600 calories for each round trip based on the calculator things online and my heart rate monitor. Which is great because I seem to have ripped 5 pair of shorts in the aforementioned 4 weeks. That’s right—FIVE! All in the place where the chamois part is sewn into the shorts and it rubs against the seat. So I clearly need to 1—lighten up on the ole calories and 2—buy new bike shorts. My random thought today while I was riding in is this:
I started cycling lots about 3 years ago when I was training for Ironman Wisconsin therefore, I bought several pair of shorts at once. I cycle my clothes meticulously (I will blog about this another day) so they wear at the same rate. Which is sucky (and expensive) 3 years later when they all blow out at the same time. Luckily, through one of my professional memberships/certifications I get a huge discount on Pearl Izumi gear, which is a fav of ours. We went to the outlet in Utah on our honeymoon and spent more there than we did for the entire rest of the trip (disclaimer: we did use FF miles for 1 plane ticket and had free lodging when camping and at Dub and Betsey’s)! So we will be ordering today. Paul only has 2 pair of bibs (what boys usually wear instead of shorts).
It is funny how life seems to be so hectic, but when I go to list what has been happening, there really isn’t too much.
Anna is playing softball again this spring. She is on a team w a different coach, but a couple girls are the same from last year. Funny thing about softball–the socks. One is purple and one is gold. The purple one went missing (wherever missing socks go) after 1 game. Instead of just wearing regular socks, she wore the gold one and a regular sock. Didn’t want you to think it was a gang sign or anything.
PS–the purple sock turned up this past weekend (after about 3 weeks on vacation). It was under our bed. Imagine that–a dirty sock 2 feet from where the clothes got pulled off and dropped. Who would have thunk it??
Anna rounds 3rd on her way home.
Tyler is playing baseball (T ball really). He is the only kid who gets overhand pitched to and he SMACKS it every time. He has a great swing and really crushes it. He gets that from me I am sure. The main thing he has been doing though is GROWING! This past weekend I think he ate and laid around the entire weekend. He even put himself down for a nap (normal for me, NOT for this 6 year old boy).
What do growing 6 year old boys and lazy 77 year old dogs have in common?
A few weekends ago Paul and I went to see Simplified play at the Blind Tiger again. Their songs are great and it is always a good time (made better by the recent legislation banning smoking in bars and restaurants). Turns out the band’s drummer broke his wrist so they had a new kid who did ok. Just a little different vibe since he was new.
We like that band so much that their song, “Home,” was the one that we walked down the aisle to at our wedding. Lyrics:
Never thought I would be the one who,
Found someone to make me feel like you do,
It’s true I dreamed of you,
And you came in right on cue,
At the Simplified concert April 16.
Tyler and I were playing basketball one afternoon (which means I was rebounding for him–I am allowed 1 shot per 1 million Tyler shoots). All of a sudden he stops and runs over to the yard by the fence. He wanted to pick me flowers and insisted that I put them in water right away so they would last. Here is a photo of my gift:
What more could a girl ask for?
I have been reading quite a bit lately (Paul would say “as usual”). I recently finished House Rules by Jodi Picoult. She could make the phone book a best seller. LOVE her writing style. I also finished Walking on Broken Glass. It was ok. I am part way through The Irresistible Henry House. It is quirky so far. Henry House is an orphan who is adopted by a Home Ec Dept of a college in the 40′s so his 6 “mothers” rotate weekly for a semester, then he gets a new batch of mother every 4-5 months. It follows him through life to watch how messed up this makes him. It is supposedly fiction, but I think these programs really did exist. I introduced Paul to Bill Bryson and Dave Berry. That’s right, Paul is STILL reading! He even said his next book will be FICTION. Imagine that!!!
We have been riding a lot more now that the weather has warmed up. We are doing our first mountain ride this weekend. Can’t remember exactly how much climbing, but its a lot. Hopefully the bike Garmin will work to measure climbing feet like it is supposed to. Last weekend there was such a drastic change in pressure w that big storm that it said at one point that the incline we were on was 850% grade! WHOA!
Susan and I are planning on riding the Blue Ridge Parkway this summer, and our training officially began this past weekend. We are planning on riding for 6 day with a total distance of about 469 miles, all in the mountains, so we have plenty of training left to do. Unfortunately the weather wasn’t on our training schedule and we got rained out on Friday.
Saturday was a little cooler than it has been but still not too bad so we were able to get in 38 miles. Susan said that she had a new route that she wanted to try that she had driven the other day. I was feeling adventurous so I said sure. For those of you that don’t know, letting Susan pick a route and having her do it from memory is a BIG risk. She is still convinced that I am taking her new ways when we do our “normal” routes from the house that she has done hundreds of times now. All and all the ride turned out nice. We only spent about 4 miles on a 4 lane highway, and I only had to overrule her turn choice once. When we got on the highway I asked her if she knew this was coming and she said “no, I was listing to NPR on the way and not paying attention” which didn’t give me to much confidence that we would ever make it home. After we got off the highway was when I had to overrule the turn choice. I knew we were east of our house and she wanted to go east. Normally I would have gone with it because we could have gotten home (it would have just been a lot longer) but we didn’t bring food or money so we probably would have starved to death. For those of you that haven’t notices we aren’t exactly spindly little climbers and I proved this when we got home by eating a pizza and a half. Probably not the best way to lose weight before a ride like this but I still have plenty of time .
Sunday morning we went out early to try to beat the rain that was coming in. Of course as soon as we pulled out of the driveway it started raining. We decided to keep going and at least get in a short ride. In the end we made it 12 miles (we were originally planning on about 30), but we felt pretty good about it because 45 degree rain isn’t all that fun to ride in.
Not much to report lately, which is kind of nice really. We have been getting a few requests to update the blog so here are the highlights:
SICK
I stayed home from work Monday and Tuesday of last week (9/28 and 29). At first I thought it was flu, which means automatic 7 days out of work. Luckily (?) it was only a sinus infection. I am finally feeling back to normal today (10/6) 1 week later. It has indeed thrown a wrench in my training and weight loss progress (more later). But as of tonight (great run!) I am back on track. Paul and the kids had gotten the respiratory funk a couple times in earlier weeks. I think we all are on the mend. I got my flu shot and the H1N1 flu vaccine will be at our site in a few weeks at the latest. Because I am a high risk person (asthma) in a high risk job (healthcare), I am near the top of the list. Which I feel mixed about since they are still looking at long term side affects. I did also get a pneumonia vaccine free at work b/c of the high risk thing and the fact that the H1N1 tends to affect respiratory system and turn to pneumonia.
HEALTHY
So Paul and I have been in a weight loss contest of sorts w each other for a couple months now. My goal is 11 pounds, Paul’s is 7 (I think). So we weigh in every Wed morning and if we have dropped weight we get a certain amount of money we chose put towards the kayaks that we want (but cannot afford). If we did not lose, but we did our workouts for the week (training for the 1/2 marathon in Dec), we put 1/2 the money back. So far I have lost about 6 1/2 pounds. This means that I am under the cut off for what our life insurance company thinks is high risk. So once I can stay there, I will get re-tested and save us some money!
KIDS
Tyler had a hard time w getting used to school and its routine/restriction/discipline, but he has been doing much better recently. He lost his 2nd tooth yesterday. I woke up in the middle of the night (ok, 10:30) and heard him rolling around, then nothing, then…”yessss!!!!” He had found his quarter from the tooth fairy.
Tyler's first lost tooth
Anna is kicking butt in school. She has her dad’s spelling prowess so we have been working on that, but she has aced her test each of the last 2 weeks. She is very much into mermaids right now.
Both kids love riding their bikes, Tyler prefers trails and Anna the road. Tyler wants to play hoops this winter. Anna changes her mind daily, but did decide she wanted to do a craft from a book she got from Miss Sallie, one of the triathletes I coached through Team in Training this season. Sallie works at Edward McKay, a local used bookstore we LOVE LOVE LOVE. Anna got to go a couple weeks ago and pick some books ($3 worth) b/c she got to 10 on her reward chart (for following the rules at school and home).
FUN
Paul read one of my books about Michael Jordan–its about his retirement and (first) comeback. I recently read 2 books my mom brought me: Never Change (Elizabeth Berg) and Garden Spells (Sarah Addison Allen). Now I am reading Seven Summits–it is about the first 2 guys who climbed the highest mountain on each of the 7 continents. Next comes 2 books I got in Wilmington at one of my favorite little shops, Two Sisters Bookery. My choices are Why the Devil Chose New England for His Work (Jason Brown) or Breakfast with Buddha (Roland Merullo). The weekend of Sept 20th (our anniversary!!) Paul and I went to Wilmington for the race that my TNT peeps did.
L to R: Tom, Sallie, Kathy, me
The weekend after that my parents came down and we had lots of fun, especially at the zoo w Paul’s mom, sis and her kids.
Mom, Dad, Susan, Paul at lunch at Fishbones
Tyler stylin' in my cap while he fixes my hair (at the zoo).
Girl time at the zoo!
Then last weekend Paul and I went to see B.B. King in Myrtle Beach’s House of Blues. It was SO KICK ASS! I will let him tell the rest. No new real house projects in progress. Saturday will be an easy weekend at home so we will have chore day (shhh–Paul and the kids don’t know yet).
Anna has been getting more and more into riding bikes lately but her bike was too small for her. About a month ago I took her up to Paceline to look at new ones but told her we were just going to look. She found a bike that she fell in love with and I told her that if she showed us she would ride it she could get it. We took her back up there tonight and told her that she was just going to look again (we knew we were going to get it for her tonight though). When we told her she could get it she was so excited. When we got home we went out for a ride and she kept saying “I love my bike”. Unfortunately a storm came in so we didn’t get to ride as long as we wanted, but she still had a great time.
Option 3! The dark horse out of nowhere takes it!!! Salmon was on sale so it inspired me. Then we got the expensive kind instead. Paul made a fantastic cream sauce. We also had cous cous from the farmers market and spinach salad a dressing Paul made. Not sure what happened but I woke up 4 hours later and barfed it. It was not as nice the 2nd time.
Top of Pilot Mountain--half way done!
Something similar could be said about the ride too. Last summer I tried it and got half way up Pilot Mtn and bonked and cried. This time I was determined (see post from last week). Well, I cried again (twice), but I did finish. This was the hardest physical accomplishment of my life. Harder than the Ironman Triathlon. On the way up the last mtn, literally the last mile of the ride my legs cramped. First it was just my quads, but then my calves cramped trying to clip out as I weaved to the side to not crash. I made a small move to stretch and my hamstrings cramped. Paul rubbed out my thighs and I just stood there looking up the switchbacks that seemed to reach into the clouds like Jack and the Beanstalk. You know Paul is a man of few words… “zig zag,” he said. So I did. And I made it.
The moment you have all been waiting for…Birthday Week 2009!! Some of you know…I am struggling with turning 35. I am aging up into another checkbox demographic, when you round up I am now 40. My mom and dad still seem the same age–parent age. But they have an almost 40 year old…OMG–that’s ME!!!! But I am also parent age b/c I am a parent. When did this happen? I don’t even have my braces off yet, do I? Aren’t I still that geek in the suspenders?
You know some of the fun that has been had already. This week the fun ratchets up a notch!
Thursday: Paul bought tickets to the taping of NPR’s “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” in NC. I am a HUGE fan. Being a contestant on this news quiz show is on my bucket list. Paul downloads the radio show for my iPod and let me tell you–it has gotten me through MANY miles of running. Oh, and we are going to dinner before that. Not sure where. Oh, and we are leaving work early.
Friday: Since this is such a big b-day for me (see above), I want to do a significant physical event. I used to do bike a mile, a situp and a push up for each year of my life. But then I did an Ironman Triathlon and a 35 mile bike ride does not seem such a big deal. So this year is the Triple Hump of Death Birthday Victory Bike Ride: The ride that will spank me 35 times…and one to grow on. (all trademarks apply to that name) We will be riding on Friday. It will only be 95 degrees, bummer. Then we have our first Team in Training bike-run workout. Then Paul is going to Bryan’s house to play guitar so I can hang out at home by myself (this is a wonderful thing!).
Saturday, The Day: If Elli cooperates, I become an Auntie!!!! But, being the older sister, she will probably deny me my only wish in life. I plan to SLEEP IN. Then Tyler has his last Tball game. We are a little unsure of events on The Day. Option 1: stay home and finish some house projects (put cages on the ‘mater plants, paint the trim, touch up some walls), and for My Meal we talked about a growler of Red Oak beer and a bag of Doritos. Option 2: Training swim in the lake and 1618 for a fancy dinner. We will see.
Sunday. etc.: Not sure, but on June 26 My Sister’s Keeper (the movie) comes out. I am hoping to talk some of my girlfriends into going w me to cry through, I mean see, it.
Representative Daniel Lipinski is currently circulating a “Dear Colleague” letter proposing that the upcoming Transportation Bill, which is currently being drafted by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, promotes and funds alternate transportation options. He is askinghis colleagues in the House of Representatives to increase federal funding for bicycling and pedestrian programs. Everyone reading this is either a cyclist, is related to a cyclist, or is friends with a cyclist, or else you wouldn’t be reading our blog , so take a couple of minutes to let you representative know that you support making things safer for us.
The League of American Bicyclists has set up a place on their site where you can very easily send a letter. It will even find your Representative for you so you don’t have to know who it is. You can get to it here.
Below is a copy of the letter being circulated:
May 14, 2009
Dear Colleague:
I invite you to join me in sending a letter to Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman
Jim Oberstar, Ranking Member John Mica, Highway and Transit Subcommittee
Chairman Pete DeFazio and Ranking Member Jimmy Duncan urging increased support
for bicycling in the upcoming surface transportation authorization bill.
There is growing national interest in bicycling, and there is a wide array of public
benefits that are derived from non-motorized transportation. Increased bicycling
opportunities can reduce congestion, improve mobility, enhance quality of life and
livable communities, and promote recreational and healthy activities. While federal
support and program integration for bicycling has improved greatly since 1991 -
increasing above one-percent of funding in recent years – the new authorization of the
surface transportation program provides an opportunity to build upon this progress.
The letter I am sending makes four specific policy requests. First, the letter urges
inclusion of a Complete Streets policy in the reauthorization. This would ensure that the
planning and development of new transportation infrastructure projects with federal funds
includes and integrates safe, measurable and enabling opportunities for non-motorized
transit options. Second, the letter requests better physical integration of roads, sidewalks,
bike paths and transit systems in order to create seamless networks that are safe,
accessible and effectively link communities together for all transportation users. This
would enable more trips – for pleasure, to work or school, for shopping, etc. – to be safely
made by bicycle. Third, there is a need to better distribute highway safety funds in
proportion to fatalities. Bicyclists and pedestrians comprise 13 percent of roadway
fatalities, but less than one percent of highway safety funds are allocated are targeted to
these modes of transportation. Shifting funds to programs that support bicycling safety,
education and infrastructure improvements can reduce non-motorized roadway accidents,
and will make these forms of transportation safer and more viable. Finally, it requests
increased funding for the Safe Routes to School program, as well as some program
improvements, that will enable safer and expanded bicycling opportunities for student
travel between home and school.
I appreciate your consideration of joining me in promoting bicycling in the surface
transportation reauthorization bill. In order to sign on to this letter, or if you have any
questions, please contact Eric Lausten of my office at 5-5701, or via email at
eric.lausten@mail.house.gov.
.
