11.25.2007

Scenes from Germanton, NC CX

My posse showed pretty well today: Cara took 1st in the Women's A race, JNK 5th in the Men's B race, Andy a super-impressive 1st in the Masters' and 4th in the Men's A (because 1 race isn't enough!), and yours truly 1st in the Women's B. For those keeping track of my collection of pink prizes for the season, I scored a pair of rather strange yet cute pink sunglasses. The flyer for the race called it a 'Swiss-Style Grass Course' and 'The Potato Patch' (whatever that means) ... here are some photos proving the course was as hilly as I've complained that it was:

11.24.2007

Why I wear boots to Thanksgiving dinner ...

We got a call from a neighbor during Thanksgiving dinner at my Grandmother’s in NW OH that my uncle’s cows had escaped the barn and were wandering free. As the farm is just up the road, we all took a (much needed) break from the feast and caravanned to the farm to heard the cattle. There is really no science to this and these less-than-brilliant animals are not very cooperative. They were, however, quite afraid of me and didn’t dare go into the road that I guarded.

Sister Time


Between trips to eastern PA and central MI, I spent the weekend in northeast OH with my sister Carrie. Yummy Indian food Saturday night, yummy Thai food Monday … I loved the company; we had a great time. Lots of good coffee at my sister’s Starbucks, too! Lucky for me, the weather was unseasonably warm for NE OH and I had a couple of great rides. Oh! And Carrie and I had our inaugural Thanksgiving sister-gift exchange (yes, you read that correctly) – she gave me these must-have-and-can’t-wait-until-Christmas-very cute-striped-espresso-cups and a pound of Christmas Blend … I gave her a Christmas-red Coach wallet.
So Thankful.


11/17 Newark, OH: The CX race that wasn't

Uggh. I had a terrible mechanical on my last warm-up lap on the way to the start line of the Newark, OH CX race last Saturday. A trashed rear derailleur, broken derailleur hanger and many broken spokes on the sweetest race wheels I’ve ever ridden … which I should mention were borrowed wheels (so sorry, JB) … this is why I cannot have nice things. There are few things more anti-climactic than getting so worked-up to race and moments before the start then just not starting.

Photos!


Thanks to Cara and Andy for sending photos from the Sandhills CX race!

11.13.2007

Keeping good company ...


Let me just start this post by saying that I do not claim to be the least bit of a 'car person'.
That being said, last night I was feeling pretty crabby from working late, needing dinner and knowing I still had the daunting task of packing for 13-straight-days of travel. But as I walked out to the parking garage, my mood was lifted when I saw this cool vintage Porsche parked next to my car ... although I'm not a car fanatic, this is one of my favorite Porche models/body styles - and I especially like the hot red racing stripes. It's good to know my car is keeping such good company.

11.12.2007

Southern Pines, NC

Southern Pines was this weekend's NC tour stop - and I must say the area is quite lovely. Much to my father's chagrin, I'm sure, I am not a golf or golf course fan, so that very significant element of the area was completely lost on me. It was a very scenic drive, from what I saw, but then again, I was napping quite a bit in the back seat ...

I did, however, enjoy myself at the cyclocross race held on the Sandhills Community College campus. 'Sandhills' is a very appropriate name as there was a huge sand run-up and some sketchy deep-sand descents and turns. I learned a valuable lesson yesterday -- to give myself the chance to learn to like a course before getting all bent out of shape about it. On my first practice lap, I was absolutely incredulous - downright annoyed, in fact ... hating the deep sandy sections, which happened to account for about 40% of the course. But I forced myself to do a couple more pre-race laps - and with the help of riding them with my oh-so-technically-savvy teammate Cara - found myself loosening up and even having fun (!) in the sand. By the first lap of my race, I wasn't the least bit daunted by the deep sections.

The hill was a completely different story. I don't go up them fast riding, and I certainly don't go up sandy hills fast 'running' (if you can call it that) and carrying my bike (which happens to be rather light for a cx bike). Uggh. For the second time in as many weeks, the hill was my demise and I finished second. I need to: a.) get better fitness, b.) get faster, c.) lose weight ... all intricately intertwined, I know, and I am working diligently.

I'll definitely post some photos if/when I come across any (yours truly forgot about a digital camera's battery to need charging and hasn't bothered to do so for weeks) ... would love to document that crazy run-up and the very technical 180-degree-off-camber-turn-with-two-barriers-around-a-tree section. You'll be pleased to know that the camera is up and running again for future posts!

Congratulations to co-traveller and fellow Charlottean Ben Miller for winning the Men's B race (and thanks for the yummy mexican lunch!) and to teammy Cara for winning the Women's A's (a double-winner for the weekend!) - Cheers!

11.10.2007

Good Morning

This morning I woke up with Elliott Smith on my mind.

I've really been taken by the postumously-released album From a Basement on the Hill; the entire album is delightfully rich ... just melancholy enough - without being too heavy. So I had a listen first thing while having coffee and a small breakfast and getting dressed for an early ride. Here are some of my favorite tracks:

Coast to Coast * Let's Get Lost * Pretty (Ugly Before) * Don't Go Down * A Fond Farewell * King's Crossing * Twilight * A Passing Feeling * The Last Hour

11.09.2007

I Love Starbucks ...

My little sister Carrie is awesome! She sent me this great package of Starbucks - complete with a travel french press pot - perfect for packing in my suitcase for trips! The Arabian Mocha Sanani Extra Bold is the bomb. But above all, how cute is that red coffee scoop?? I love the star cut-out.
Thanks Carebear!

About the journey ...

“Too often we are so preoccupied with the destination, we forget the journey”
“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end”
“The soul of a journey is liberty, perfect liberty, to think, feel, do just as one pleases”

Cocktail Party season has begun ... matchy-matchy? ... and toasting to Beth (again!)

I love going to fundraising events - especially with a group of friends. Beth and I scored the 4 Keith Corp sponsor tickets (Thanks, Mr. Keith!) to a cocktail party/fundraiser (more details later) last night at the very nice Quail Hollow Country Club, with guests JNK and Andy (it was great to meet you, Andy!).

Beth & I did not plan to be matchy-matchy (promise!) - but found it absolutely hilarious when we spotted each other at the event. I am more than slightly embarrassed for the wrinkles in my scarf! Alas, I only had 30min to get ready after working out ... priorities, you know, and yesterday ironing just wasn't one of them.

Great food -- lucky for us, M:5 Modern Mediteranean (I loved their yummy braised lamb w/gnocchi) and Morton's Steak House (juicy beef tenderloin) catered the event.

AND it was a great time to toast congratulations to Beth for Closing on her condo yesterday! Cheers!


11.06.2007

Goodbye, Beth!

BETH is one of my very favorite co-workers and neighbors -- tonight we got together at Dean & Deluca for a pre-farewell .... Beth is leaving 'the resort' and moving into her new, very swank, high-rise luxury condo in uptown (so jealous!). She assured me that she'd be back to hang out poolside with me again in the Spring .... but I'm thinking her rooftop pool might be much more fun! Beth, congrats on your new place - you're gonna love the uptown life!

D E T E R M I N A T I O N

It's nearly winter and another item on my 'things to find upon moving to Charlotte' list is a workout facility. It's actually a huge pain to find a gym that's a good fit - location, membership fees, volume of members - lots to consider. For me, finding a gym that's more body-building vs. look-good-on-the-elliptical-machine-at-all-costs, not too busy and within riding distance is key. So, I narrowed my search down to 3 finalists. In the end, I settled for the one with the most mirrors and classiest artwork:

11.05.2007

Lenoir, NC

I have to give it up for Evie, the winner of the Women's B cyclocross race yesterday, for a great race. She definitely exhibited far superior trail riding skills and fitness than I and was neither as slow up the dreadful climb nor as chicken on the gravel-switchbacky descent as I ... a well-deserved win.

I finished second with a bag full of cool schwag (like sassy pink arm-warmers & socks from DeFeet and a big bottle of Duvel!) and a head full of what-if-I-would've and if-only-I-could've's ... Hmmm. At the end of the day, 2nd just isn't as fun as 1st ... but it was a gorgeous day and I was ultimately gratefully to have the time on my bike.

Here are some photos from the day ... first corner out of the start, the same corner on the second lap, and then post-race fun with 3rd-place womens-A finisher and very cool teammate Cara.

11.03.2007

6 hours later ...

This is what 6 hours on the mountain bike looks like. Fun, huh?
Race finish temp: 70 degrees. MUCH better.
Delicious wassail and cider doughnuts at the Windy Hil Orchard!

The clock is ticking ...


40 degrees. That is the race-start temperature. (Let me just take this opportunity to mention that when considering my move to NC, I weighed heavily the fact that the SE is noticibly warmer than the midwest ... as such, I certainly hope that my expectations are not found to be misfounded by temperatures much colder than this throughout the winter. But enough about me.) The morning started early with rich espressos and a pot of stick-to-your-ribs steel-cut oats doctored-up with brown sugar, peanut butter and walnuts. I packed up the race waterbottles and food -- which included JNK's preference of what he terms 'the belgian powerbar', or ham sandwich. I am not kidding. So I made these little 3-4 bite sandwiches with imported proscutto (pretty fancy for a bike race, I know - but its the only ham that was already in the fridge) on wheat pita. They're packaged nicely for the musette (a cycling feed bag) handup which will also include a plain waterbottle, and energy drink and a GU. We'll see when and if JNK accepts any of the goodies.

The race was started Lemans-style (the bikes were staged in a neutral location and the riders ran from the start to find and mount their bikes) ... truely mayhem, see photo. Also - check out JNK's spiffy new bike - he's finally upgraded from the 14-yr-old fully-rigid Klein.

11.02.2007

It's only 6 hours ...


Here are some photos of JNK at his last cyclocross race. He is infinitely more photogenic on the bike than I. Another difference? He does 6-hour races, I do 30-minute races. I did do a 6-hour road bike ride a couple of years ago - it was one of those I'm-only-supposed-to-be-out-for-4.5-hrs-training rides ... but I was bamboozled by the group I was with and endured the trauma of being 15-degrees under-dressed, under-nourished and riding with others far my superior. It took me weeks to get myself back together. I am not exaggerating.

So tomorrow JNK is doing the 'Tree Shaker' 6-hour Mountain Bike Race in Fort Mill, SC (only about 20 min south of Charlotte). I've agreed to go and give him 'support'. This includes, but is not limited to, the occasional cheering and handing up food and waterbottles, as needed (I will not be in cheerleading garb, however). The really funny thing to me about this is that JNK is notorious for never eating or drinking on the bike - regardless of intensity or duration. We'll see if he accepts any offerings tomorrow... I will be on standby, just in case. I've been considering, though, what to entertain myself with between laps ... here are some options I've come up with:
- document the event for a blogpost (duh!)
- respond to about a million emails that I've been terribly negligent with
- meet new people!
- plan my next work trip
- read a bit from my current book allotment
- manage my itunes library/make playlists
- write notes to a few friends with significant recent events
- get a training ride in
- plan a yummy Sunday night dinner menu
Hopefully there will be time left in the day (and willingness!) to swing by the Windy Hill Orchard and Cider Mill nearby for a mug of cider and, if I have a super-good training ride, a hot apple cider doughnut ... mmmm ....

11.01.2007

On the road again ...

I love the travel component of my work – it’s such a great way to see and experience new places I otherwise wouldn’t encounter. Throughout eastern PA, I find the small towns, topography and Americana so enjoyable … and this time of year it is absolutely gorgeous.
Yesterday I ordered my lunch to-go and took it to this National Historic site in Pike County.

I love historical landmarks – I can really get caught up in them, as they are often so amusingly random and obscure. This whole idea that there is a registry of national landmarks boggles my mind – I mean, they are ubiquitous and the criteria seems awfully broad based on some of the things that I see. I often wonder what sites, if any, are ‘denied’ by the ‘National Historic Registry Committee’ - or whatever it must be – a process and authoritative body that is equally as intriguing to me (can’t you just imagine those riveting roundtable debates?).

So here are some photos of Gifford Pinchot’s ‘Grey Towers’. He was apparently quite a conservationist – with beautifully planted grounds to prove it. His house is quite impressive, too – nevermind the obvious ‘how many more trees might he have planted had he not lived so lavishly …’. All cynicism aside, though, it is a marvelous home with incredible views, remarkable tree-lined lanes and really great outdoor living spaces – all very favorite things of mine.