So today was another surfing fun adventure day. Our friend showed up at like 830 and we threw our lunches together and hopped in the car and headed to the beach. Pier Surf had excellent board rentals, and decent wetsuit rentals. it was $44 for Kiefer and I to share a board, and rent 2 suits for 2 hours, and $32 for our friend for his suit & board. All in all we did really well. We all caught waves, and Kiefer got more and more comfortable with navigating the waves as the day went on. I'm really proud of how he's come along, because i remember a few months ago he had no interest in surfing. Now I got him to buy a volley ball, so maybe we can give that a try sometime! The real goal is to get him to go snorkeling with me. If we're going to go to New Zealand next year, you can bet I'm going to want to do some snorkeling (there is some to do there right?). Heck, I'd love to snorkel out in Catalina, there is a beautiful dive park there, which is open to snorkelers as well.
He said he is getting more and more comfortable with the ocean, and that really makes me happy, because we live right by it!
Tomorrow we're going to meet up with a local cycling club and go for a beginner ride with them. I am excited to learn the ways of the road, and I just hope there are some people our age there (you know, more friends is always exciting!). We're supposed to meet up with them at 845 for the ride, I think we'll show up a little extra early, just so we can be sure not to miss everyone.
Oh! I forgot to mention, today, I got my feet on the board for the first time! Yes, I stood up! I am super proud of myself, because I'd never done it before, and today I did it! The waves weren't the best, but I caught them again and again. I'm getting a lot better, and it's very encouraging! I just picked waves that would catch me, and I'm finding that I'm less and less afraid they're going to KILL me, and more and more just ready for the ride! That's what I've been waiting for, is that level of acceptance, that the wave is going to do something, and that I KNOW what it's probably going to be, and that now I can get on it. Now to make it a regular thing. Kiefer, our friend and myself (and even my sister!) has agreed that we shall do this again next month. this makes me really happy, because that means that it would be worth my while to get a board of my own! I think wetsuits are first in order, and it will be tough for Kiefer to get one since he's super long and lean.
I'm open to suggestions to good places to find wetsuits for surf, and what brands/styles to get etc!
Yesterday Kiefer took me to see Volbeat at the House of Blues in Anaheim. They were great, played a tribute to the Misfits (a guilty pleasure of mine since the age of 14), and one of the openers did a tribute to Nirvana. We were down in the front, and people kept moshing. I think Kiefer was worried he'd have to drag me out of there to keep myself from being hurt. HAH! I've been the wall of the pit before, you just shove the shovers back 2xs as hard, and they go away. I was expecting it. If there is a pit at a Juliana Theory concert....there could be a pit anywhere. They even did a "wall of death" I held my own, and enjoyed the show a lot. Thank you for the date Kiefer!
I want to hear stories on Monday, about how you got out this weekend!
PS, look for something new next weekend. I plan to start a "Sunday Dinner" weekly post where I post a tasty and healthy recipe for you to try!
2010-08-28
Long Weekend Part 4 - Monday (Last one!)
Monday, August 23, 2010
The ride to work this morning was a lot easier for me to do, and it’s really become part of my morning routine. I get up, throw on workout clothes, and stuff my work clothes in my backpack. Have a nutritious breakfast (some kind of whole grain cereal, some kind of fruit and/or vegetable, and a protein or two of some variety), a cup of hot tea, and brush my teeth, and out the door I go! The ride is always enjoyable for me, and I find my confidence is growing day by day!
When I got HOME I decided I hadn’t had enough torture yet, so I did the whole laundry chore type deal, and then did some more P90X! I followed it with an extended stretching session, since I have been really bad about stretching for the past…oh…year….oops! But I’m naturally flexible, so even without stretching I can put my flat palms on the floor, when others can barely touch their toes. (yes I AM proud of that actually!)
Well, for some reason, we had a huge laundry mix up, but I got it ALL under control, and ultimately folded and put away! AMAZING! Now I was all set for my Netflix movie! I finally got to see Bend it Like Bekham. This movie came out when I was in High School still, I mean COME ON! I really enjoyed the main theme, and I loved the happy ending. Bonus, it was a movie about sports and being active, so YAY! Plus I love Kiera Knightly! Kiefer was saying that in that movie she looks like me in High School. HAHAHA! I wasn’t THAT thin, but I definitely had the whole lerpy/gangly thing going on for sure! It also helps that I LOVE Bollywood films!! Bride and Prejudice, and Monsoon Wedding are two that I highly recommend.
The ride to work this morning was a lot easier for me to do, and it’s really become part of my morning routine. I get up, throw on workout clothes, and stuff my work clothes in my backpack. Have a nutritious breakfast (some kind of whole grain cereal, some kind of fruit and/or vegetable, and a protein or two of some variety), a cup of hot tea, and brush my teeth, and out the door I go! The ride is always enjoyable for me, and I find my confidence is growing day by day!
When I got HOME I decided I hadn’t had enough torture yet, so I did the whole laundry chore type deal, and then did some more P90X! I followed it with an extended stretching session, since I have been really bad about stretching for the past…oh…year….oops! But I’m naturally flexible, so even without stretching I can put my flat palms on the floor, when others can barely touch their toes. (yes I AM proud of that actually!)
Well, for some reason, we had a huge laundry mix up, but I got it ALL under control, and ultimately folded and put away! AMAZING! Now I was all set for my Netflix movie! I finally got to see Bend it Like Bekham. This movie came out when I was in High School still, I mean COME ON! I really enjoyed the main theme, and I loved the happy ending. Bonus, it was a movie about sports and being active, so YAY! Plus I love Kiera Knightly! Kiefer was saying that in that movie she looks like me in High School. HAHAHA! I wasn’t THAT thin, but I definitely had the whole lerpy/gangly thing going on for sure! It also helps that I LOVE Bollywood films!! Bride and Prejudice, and Monsoon Wedding are two that I highly recommend.
2010-08-27
Four day weekend...wait...WHAT?!
So today started as a normal day. I got up, and put my cycling clothes on. I packed my work clothes into my backpack along with my tasty lunch (made by Kiefer). I hopped on my bike and cycled in.
All normal...up until the part where the light was out at the intersection by my office. Huh...strange...
So there were traffic cops (motorcycle cops!) directing traffic. This was odd, but whatever, I figured they had some maintenance thing going on. Whatever, wasn't making me any later for work, but I bet all those people on the cross street were unhappy! There was a really big line! So I pulled into the lot, and the security guard that was standing there (extremely unusual) informed me the building power was out, and was my office located in this building. I said yes, and pointed to my group who waved enthusiastically at me from their safe location in the parking lot.
According to witnesses at the scene (aka my coworkers) there was some kind of noisy fiasco that included loud "BOOM"s, shaking the building, and flickering the lights. Very exciting. Eventually they came around and said we could all go home. Great! right??? RIGHT??? Yah, except I just killed myself (as I do every morning) to get to work. My legs were feeling the burn. I ride that 5 miles like I don't have to ride again for 8 more hours...because that's usually true. Now I have to turn around and ride BACK home 5 more miles! Lucky for me home is the OPPOSITE direction of traffic in the morning, so I booked it....well until my legs started burning then I'd take it easy for a while.
Well I got home, and I decided that I had a mighty need to do P90X's YogaX. WOOH was that intense! Maybe it was that I had just ridden 10 miles pushing myself REAL hard, or that I had just ridden 5 miles last night and followed it up with more P90X...I dont know! All I know is it kicked my butt, and I'm okay with that!
I've been making the most of my impromptu day off by doing some housework. Eventually I'll make dinner for me & Kiefer, since we are going to a concert tonight.
ok, i have to go return the house to it's normal, not being mopped state...all the chairs are up on tables, and the sofa is completely unusable since the ottoman and my fitness ball are piled up on it!
All normal...up until the part where the light was out at the intersection by my office. Huh...strange...
So there were traffic cops (motorcycle cops!) directing traffic. This was odd, but whatever, I figured they had some maintenance thing going on. Whatever, wasn't making me any later for work, but I bet all those people on the cross street were unhappy! There was a really big line! So I pulled into the lot, and the security guard that was standing there (extremely unusual) informed me the building power was out, and was my office located in this building. I said yes, and pointed to my group who waved enthusiastically at me from their safe location in the parking lot.
According to witnesses at the scene (aka my coworkers) there was some kind of noisy fiasco that included loud "BOOM"s, shaking the building, and flickering the lights. Very exciting. Eventually they came around and said we could all go home. Great! right??? RIGHT??? Yah, except I just killed myself (as I do every morning) to get to work. My legs were feeling the burn. I ride that 5 miles like I don't have to ride again for 8 more hours...because that's usually true. Now I have to turn around and ride BACK home 5 more miles! Lucky for me home is the OPPOSITE direction of traffic in the morning, so I booked it....well until my legs started burning then I'd take it easy for a while.
Well I got home, and I decided that I had a mighty need to do P90X's YogaX. WOOH was that intense! Maybe it was that I had just ridden 10 miles pushing myself REAL hard, or that I had just ridden 5 miles last night and followed it up with more P90X...I dont know! All I know is it kicked my butt, and I'm okay with that!
I've been making the most of my impromptu day off by doing some housework. Eventually I'll make dinner for me & Kiefer, since we are going to a concert tonight.
ok, i have to go return the house to it's normal, not being mopped state...all the chairs are up on tables, and the sofa is completely unusable since the ottoman and my fitness ball are piled up on it!
Busy Weekend Part 3 - Sunday
So this year I am sending my daughter to summer camp up in the mountains for the first time. I went every summer (it's only one week!) from the time I was her age, and I loved it every year! I even came back after i graduated high school to be a counselor a couple of times. I wish I had enough PTO to be a camp counselor again. Maybe next year!
Of course we left all camp packing for the absolute last. Luckily I’m pretty good about doing laundry so there were enough clothes to make her bag complete. Gotta make sure the kid is all set to Get Out! for a WHOLE WEEK!! Being an experienced camper, I know all the things she needs, so she ended up with 2 swimsuits.
Plus we had to make sure we had all of our swimming gear, as Kiefer’s mom invited us over for swimming. Finally, we got everything packed, and left the house by 9:42 AM! Only 15 min later than planned…..except my daughter forgot her glasses, so we had to go back. Kids, what can you do right?
So we FINALLY got BACK on the road, and headed for Orange County for some pool time, swimming yay! I always have a hard time enjoying recreational swimming, since to me the water is a workout tool (especially in the pool form). But I had fun playing with my daughter. She was so funny, saying things like "OMG I forgot out to swim," so I took her to the middle of the pool and let go….lo and behold ye: she swam to the side! Not gracefully, or efficiently, but she did it. The girl needs to spend more time in a pool!
Meanwhile Kiefer had a project to do. Kiefer’s mom was donating and old, unused bike to a guy at her support group. The guy lives on the streets (but keeps himself clean ), and uses a bike to get around. Well someone decided they needed it more than him, so they took it. In turn Kiefer’s mom is going to give him one. Well that bike needed some work. One of the tubes was completely fried, and the other one was mystery tube. Plus the cables were looking rusty. We know the guy isn't looking for speed or performance, but it would be nice if we could provide the guy with a RELIABLE bike. So Kiefer his sister and I meandered over to the bike store.
This bike store was great, it’s like an excuse for a group of cyclists to sit around and play with bikes all day. Probably half of the bikes on the floor were actually people’s rides, they had mud on them, or wear, and no price tags. There was a den section with sofas surrounding a TV and coffee table (under which were strewn countless pairs of well worn cycling shoes). The selection was definitely sparse all around, they had like 2 of everything….really. Though I’m almost willing to bet they can order anything, but probably only stock the stuff that they like to buy!
Well tubes are easy enough to change, no tools required....but to do the cables you definitely need some tools, so logically this leads to the “where are the tools”. Well apparently someone decided they needed Kiefer’s mom’s tools more than she did…so they walked into the garage and walked off with them. Le sigh. So with the claim funds she’s going to get herself a new bike. Fantastic!
In other news, Kiefer and I have been looking into building up a single speed/fixie flip-flop for someone as a surprise. I think it will be an awesome gift. Plus then they can come ride with us! WHEEEE!
Finally, after the police were called to take a report of the stolen merchandise, we left for Big Bear, and summer camp. We got there fine (only 1 u-turn!) and got my daughter settled into her bunk (right on top of Baba, that’s my mom)…only to discover……(drumroll please)……my daughter’s shoes are too small. So Kiefer and I had an adventure and drove in to Big Bear City to visit the local Payless. My daughter was very pleased with the results, so that was that!
On our way home we stopped at the A&W along route 38, YUM! I had a plethora of horrible fried things, all washed down with a root beer float (made with some sort of ice cream-like substance). Onion Rings, Fried Zucchini and a Fried Fish Sandwich. The Zucchini was REALLY good actually! Hey, I eat healthy most of the time, I can indulge once in a while!
When we finally got home and I declared we needed to work out, so we busted out the P90X (thanks to inspiration from one of the Blogs I follow, it’s all your fault you know!) and I made poor skinny Kiefer roll around on the floor with me doing Superman Banana and the like for an hour. Sorry Kiefer, I’ll get you a nice thick yoga mat for next time I promise! We finished our workout and then snuggled in for a GREAT French action film called District B-13. The main actor is the inventor of Parkour, which is a form of free-stunting, or free-running.. He does all of his own stunts, and there are no guide wires, or safety lines, so everything has an excellent REAL feel to it. Not an activity for me, but inspiring to watch since everyone there is highly active.
Of course we left all camp packing for the absolute last. Luckily I’m pretty good about doing laundry so there were enough clothes to make her bag complete. Gotta make sure the kid is all set to Get Out! for a WHOLE WEEK!! Being an experienced camper, I know all the things she needs, so she ended up with 2 swimsuits.
Plus we had to make sure we had all of our swimming gear, as Kiefer’s mom invited us over for swimming. Finally, we got everything packed, and left the house by 9:42 AM! Only 15 min later than planned…..except my daughter forgot her glasses, so we had to go back. Kids, what can you do right?
So we FINALLY got BACK on the road, and headed for Orange County for some pool time, swimming yay! I always have a hard time enjoying recreational swimming, since to me the water is a workout tool (especially in the pool form). But I had fun playing with my daughter. She was so funny, saying things like "OMG I forgot out to swim," so I took her to the middle of the pool and let go….lo and behold ye: she swam to the side! Not gracefully, or efficiently, but she did it. The girl needs to spend more time in a pool!
Meanwhile Kiefer had a project to do. Kiefer’s mom was donating and old, unused bike to a guy at her support group. The guy lives on the streets (but keeps himself clean ), and uses a bike to get around. Well someone decided they needed it more than him, so they took it. In turn Kiefer’s mom is going to give him one. Well that bike needed some work. One of the tubes was completely fried, and the other one was mystery tube. Plus the cables were looking rusty. We know the guy isn't looking for speed or performance, but it would be nice if we could provide the guy with a RELIABLE bike. So Kiefer his sister and I meandered over to the bike store.
This bike store was great, it’s like an excuse for a group of cyclists to sit around and play with bikes all day. Probably half of the bikes on the floor were actually people’s rides, they had mud on them, or wear, and no price tags. There was a den section with sofas surrounding a TV and coffee table (under which were strewn countless pairs of well worn cycling shoes). The selection was definitely sparse all around, they had like 2 of everything….really. Though I’m almost willing to bet they can order anything, but probably only stock the stuff that they like to buy!
Well tubes are easy enough to change, no tools required....but to do the cables you definitely need some tools, so logically this leads to the “where are the tools”. Well apparently someone decided they needed Kiefer’s mom’s tools more than she did…so they walked into the garage and walked off with them. Le sigh. So with the claim funds she’s going to get herself a new bike. Fantastic!
In other news, Kiefer and I have been looking into building up a single speed/fixie flip-flop for someone as a surprise. I think it will be an awesome gift. Plus then they can come ride with us! WHEEEE!
Finally, after the police were called to take a report of the stolen merchandise, we left for Big Bear, and summer camp. We got there fine (only 1 u-turn!) and got my daughter settled into her bunk (right on top of Baba, that’s my mom)…only to discover……(drumroll please)……my daughter’s shoes are too small. So Kiefer and I had an adventure and drove in to Big Bear City to visit the local Payless. My daughter was very pleased with the results, so that was that!
On our way home we stopped at the A&W along route 38, YUM! I had a plethora of horrible fried things, all washed down with a root beer float (made with some sort of ice cream-like substance). Onion Rings, Fried Zucchini and a Fried Fish Sandwich. The Zucchini was REALLY good actually! Hey, I eat healthy most of the time, I can indulge once in a while!
When we finally got home and I declared we needed to work out, so we busted out the P90X (thanks to inspiration from one of the Blogs I follow, it’s all your fault you know!) and I made poor skinny Kiefer roll around on the floor with me doing Superman Banana and the like for an hour. Sorry Kiefer, I’ll get you a nice thick yoga mat for next time I promise! We finished our workout and then snuggled in for a GREAT French action film called District B-13. The main actor is the inventor of Parkour, which is a form of free-stunting, or free-running.. He does all of his own stunts, and there are no guide wires, or safety lines, so everything has an excellent REAL feel to it. Not an activity for me, but inspiring to watch since everyone there is highly active.
2010-08-26
Not running very well today.
So yesterday, since I arrived home a little late, we opted to go for a run following a much needed trip to the market. Kiefer has been working on timed miles, and got down to the 7min range. Good job Kiefer (maybe he will write a post about it)!!
Myself, meanwhile, has been suffering from an acute case of ankle blister since last week's dancing the night away. So I started out running fine....got down the whole block before my asthma even kicked in, so that was definitely an improvement. Eventually, though it did kick in (for some reason running is the #1 aggravator) so I had to go back to run/walking. As much as I love interval training, you would think that after running off and on for 2 years I would be able to run better/longer than this. Even when i ran very very regularly I couldn't keep running for an entire mile without feeling like I was breathing through a straw.
This is MORE frustrating, because I can push myself REALLY hard in the pool and it won't bother me, or REALLY hard on a bike, and still no issues, but as soon as I go to run I feel like I'm going to die.
Well, despite that, I'm used to dealing with it, so I powered on...until my foot started hurting. See my blister was bothering me, so I started placing my foot funny when I ran (toe striking), and the bottom of my foot was telling me "oh HEEEEEEEEEECK NO!" So ultimately I ended up walking the majority of the mile. I know, I'll get there eventually.
No P90X last night or the night before, but tonight it's back on! Then afterwards a nice quiet dinner with my kitty men, and some reading. Gotta exercise the brain!
Myself, meanwhile, has been suffering from an acute case of ankle blister since last week's dancing the night away. So I started out running fine....got down the whole block before my asthma even kicked in, so that was definitely an improvement. Eventually, though it did kick in (for some reason running is the #1 aggravator) so I had to go back to run/walking. As much as I love interval training, you would think that after running off and on for 2 years I would be able to run better/longer than this. Even when i ran very very regularly I couldn't keep running for an entire mile without feeling like I was breathing through a straw.
This is MORE frustrating, because I can push myself REALLY hard in the pool and it won't bother me, or REALLY hard on a bike, and still no issues, but as soon as I go to run I feel like I'm going to die.
Well, despite that, I'm used to dealing with it, so I powered on...until my foot started hurting. See my blister was bothering me, so I started placing my foot funny when I ran (toe striking), and the bottom of my foot was telling me "oh HEEEEEEEEEECK NO!" So ultimately I ended up walking the majority of the mile. I know, I'll get there eventually.
No P90X last night or the night before, but tonight it's back on! Then afterwards a nice quiet dinner with my kitty men, and some reading. Gotta exercise the brain!
Busy Weekend Part 2 - Saturday
So our friend invited us to go see Flugtag in Long Beach this past weekend. I figured my daughter would find that amusing so I had her look up some of the airplane designs on her laptop (yes, Santa brought my 6 year old daughter a laptop....). Finally we got on our way after a morning of /lazy.
Now I was already put off because the Red Bull Flugtag website didn't really say anything about where to park, or where exactly to go or anything....which is not helpful. I figured Long Beach would have lots of street markings to tell us where to go...I figured wrong! There was one sign on freeway said get off at 6th street, and one sign on 6th street said go straight, no more sinage….lucky me I used to work around there, so I found our way to some $8 parking.
Eventually we meandered our way down to the pier area and WOW...it was completely packed. Finally we found a good viewing spot after a few tries. We stood there in the beating sun and watched about 6 launches, it was pretty fun, my daughter REALLY enjoyed it. The three of us were starting to melt a little in the sun though, and it was getting really hot, so we decided to go get a beer at Yard House. Unfortunately we were not the only people with that idea, and there was a line out the door and down the handicap ramp.
Kiefer declared he didn't want to wait in line, so we ended up walking up Pier Ave to try to find some place else. All of the restaurants on pier had really long lines, after walking around and being passed by no less than 5 different paramedics (on their way to assist people suffering from heat exhaustion no doubt) finally decided to go someplace further away for lunch.
King Taco is this GREAT taco place located all over Southern California. I am a fan of the Long Beach location. So we finally got there, after cooling off in the super max A/C in my truck, and making a loop around the block to get in to the parking. Now, we go to this place, that specializes in tacos and...no one actually ordered tacos /facepalm. My burrito was really good, daughter devoured her quesadilla, and Kiefer enjoyed his burrito. Additionally, their salsa is very good. Long slow, but intense burn, and makes you sweat!
Sadly I discovered, much to my dismay, that the Sweet Tamale is made with lard, and that violates my pescatarian philosophy of food. Un/fortunately I discovered that about 3/4 of the way through eating it, so I decided I may as well finish it and enjoy it.
After lunch we headed home (right around the time we expected to get home anyway....it was more like an early dinner than a late lunch). Everyone was tired so I continued my Buffy/Angel binge. Kate played on her computer, everyone had showers, and then we vegged.
Of course, despite several reminders, I had totally forgotten that my sister said she was coming over to stay the night. She had something to do Saturday, and then something again Sunday. She did call to remind me that she was coming, but with the heat of the day, I totally forgot, so she was knocking on the door and I’m like wth who is knocking on our door at this late late hour?!?! Well it was just my sister! She had a really bad sun burn on the tops of her feet....in the shape of her loafers...eep! But she was also just in time for dinner! We had some (veggie) burgers and beer, and chatted about the day.
After dinner we sat down to watch a movie, but couldn’t make up our minds what to watch. Finally we chose the “documentary” walking with dinosaurs. It was really an enlightening and refreshing view on the mystery of dinosaurs, and it’s REALLY well done, so my daughter totally bought into it. I had to be really careful not to break the magic of it. Sometimes it’s boring being an adult and having to deal with reality.
The girls started falling asleep on the sofa, so we all decided to go to bed and finish it up in the morning.
To be continued...
Now I was already put off because the Red Bull Flugtag website didn't really say anything about where to park, or where exactly to go or anything....which is not helpful. I figured Long Beach would have lots of street markings to tell us where to go...I figured wrong! There was one sign on freeway said get off at 6th street, and one sign on 6th street said go straight, no more sinage….lucky me I used to work around there, so I found our way to some $8 parking.
Eventually we meandered our way down to the pier area and WOW...it was completely packed. Finally we found a good viewing spot after a few tries. We stood there in the beating sun and watched about 6 launches, it was pretty fun, my daughter REALLY enjoyed it. The three of us were starting to melt a little in the sun though, and it was getting really hot, so we decided to go get a beer at Yard House. Unfortunately we were not the only people with that idea, and there was a line out the door and down the handicap ramp.
Kiefer declared he didn't want to wait in line, so we ended up walking up Pier Ave to try to find some place else. All of the restaurants on pier had really long lines, after walking around and being passed by no less than 5 different paramedics (on their way to assist people suffering from heat exhaustion no doubt) finally decided to go someplace further away for lunch.
King Taco is this GREAT taco place located all over Southern California. I am a fan of the Long Beach location. So we finally got there, after cooling off in the super max A/C in my truck, and making a loop around the block to get in to the parking. Now, we go to this place, that specializes in tacos and...no one actually ordered tacos /facepalm. My burrito was really good, daughter devoured her quesadilla, and Kiefer enjoyed his burrito. Additionally, their salsa is very good. Long slow, but intense burn, and makes you sweat!
Sadly I discovered, much to my dismay, that the Sweet Tamale is made with lard, and that violates my pescatarian philosophy of food. Un/fortunately I discovered that about 3/4 of the way through eating it, so I decided I may as well finish it and enjoy it.
After lunch we headed home (right around the time we expected to get home anyway....it was more like an early dinner than a late lunch). Everyone was tired so I continued my Buffy/Angel binge. Kate played on her computer, everyone had showers, and then we vegged.
Of course, despite several reminders, I had totally forgotten that my sister said she was coming over to stay the night. She had something to do Saturday, and then something again Sunday. She did call to remind me that she was coming, but with the heat of the day, I totally forgot, so she was knocking on the door and I’m like wth who is knocking on our door at this late late hour?!?! Well it was just my sister! She had a really bad sun burn on the tops of her feet....in the shape of her loafers...eep! But she was also just in time for dinner! We had some (veggie) burgers and beer, and chatted about the day.
After dinner we sat down to watch a movie, but couldn’t make up our minds what to watch. Finally we chose the “documentary” walking with dinosaurs. It was really an enlightening and refreshing view on the mystery of dinosaurs, and it’s REALLY well done, so my daughter totally bought into it. I had to be really careful not to break the magic of it. Sometimes it’s boring being an adult and having to deal with reality.
The girls started falling asleep on the sofa, so we all decided to go to bed and finish it up in the morning.
To be continued...
2010-08-25
Are you playing Games with me?
Kiefer and I at game night last night. We played a game of Othello, I lost by a mere 2! Then we played a game of Werewolf. These were both immense fun, and I got to win at Werewolf by being the evil Werewolf Mayor!
The most exciting thing of the evening, however, was that I rode the motorcycle with a passenger for the first time last night. Kiefer volunteered to be my first...er...victim. Unfortunately he does not know how to be a passenger, and yes, you actually do have to know what to do. Sometimes you lean in, know when to hold on to stop, and hold on to go. when to adjust yourself, and when to just hold still! Well He didn't know! So he wiggled when he should have sat still, put his foot down (cardinal rule of being a passenger is you never put your foot down!), and couldn't make up his mind whether he was going to hold on to me or not.
Of course I have horrible braking and throttle control, and my corners are kindof....WIDE, and when he put his foot down it was because I jammed the brakes because there were people jumping in front of my right hand turn. It doesn't help that i'm an inexperienced motorcyclist to start with, and that riding with a passenger makes EVERYTHING feel really strange (accelleration, turning, stopping, sitting at a stop light!). To top it all off I'm used to riding a 2 wheel vehicle that's about 1/10th the weight at most!
All in all, after about a mile of our 5 mile ride Kiefer got more comfortable, and I got a little smoother, and we now have a MUCH greater appreciation for eachother's positions on the bike when we ride together. I will say this though, being a passenger on the motorcycle is a HUGE exercise in trust, because you have to trust that your driver is going to know how to ride with a passenger.
The most exciting thing of the evening, however, was that I rode the motorcycle with a passenger for the first time last night. Kiefer volunteered to be my first...er...victim. Unfortunately he does not know how to be a passenger, and yes, you actually do have to know what to do. Sometimes you lean in, know when to hold on to stop, and hold on to go. when to adjust yourself, and when to just hold still! Well He didn't know! So he wiggled when he should have sat still, put his foot down (cardinal rule of being a passenger is you never put your foot down!), and couldn't make up his mind whether he was going to hold on to me or not.
Of course I have horrible braking and throttle control, and my corners are kindof....WIDE, and when he put his foot down it was because I jammed the brakes because there were people jumping in front of my right hand turn. It doesn't help that i'm an inexperienced motorcyclist to start with, and that riding with a passenger makes EVERYTHING feel really strange (accelleration, turning, stopping, sitting at a stop light!). To top it all off I'm used to riding a 2 wheel vehicle that's about 1/10th the weight at most!
All in all, after about a mile of our 5 mile ride Kiefer got more comfortable, and I got a little smoother, and we now have a MUCH greater appreciation for eachother's positions on the bike when we ride together. I will say this though, being a passenger on the motorcycle is a HUGE exercise in trust, because you have to trust that your driver is going to know how to ride with a passenger.
Busy Weekend Part 1 - Friday
Okay, so this past weekend was SO crazy, I had to actually make an outline for my blog posts. Then I decided it was WAAAAAY too much for one entry, so it's going to be broken out into parts.
We start with Friday August 20th, 2010 a.k.a. Caturday.
Originally I had planned to go on a bike ride, but I was really tired from going out with friends Thursday night. Luckily for my I have a 9/80 schedule, where I get every other Friday off. We call this Caturday. I had to pick up my daughter after 1pm anyway decided to do whatever the cats were doing, which is mostly laying around all day. The kitty men thought this was an amazing idea, and decided to join me.
The activity of the day was decided by the Ryzzie dictatorship to be watching Buffy and Angel. I'm a big fan of Joss Whedon's work, and especially love the Buffy/Angel universe. It WAS around for 7 seasons afterall!I'm still trying to power through this series. I’m on Buffy season 5, angel season 2 now (finally). I ended up watching like 6 episodes of each (that’s 12 episodes total…makes for slow story progression!)
The only bum thing about the day was Loki had an…..issue a couple of times, so needless to say he got his feet and back side washed. He was not amused, but I did notice that putting him in standing water seems to work better than spraying him. Next time he gets a bath it will be in the tub, not with the shower head! I need to brush him every day so he stays mat free and doesn’t shed so much. Fluffy kitties are fluffy!
We start with Friday August 20th, 2010 a.k.a. Caturday.
Originally I had planned to go on a bike ride, but I was really tired from going out with friends Thursday night. Luckily for my I have a 9/80 schedule, where I get every other Friday off. We call this Caturday. I had to pick up my daughter after 1pm anyway decided to do whatever the cats were doing, which is mostly laying around all day. The kitty men thought this was an amazing idea, and decided to join me.
The activity of the day was decided by the Ryzzie dictatorship to be watching Buffy and Angel. I'm a big fan of Joss Whedon's work, and especially love the Buffy/Angel universe. It WAS around for 7 seasons afterall!I'm still trying to power through this series. I’m on Buffy season 5, angel season 2 now (finally). I ended up watching like 6 episodes of each (that’s 12 episodes total…makes for slow story progression!)
The only bum thing about the day was Loki had an…..issue a couple of times, so needless to say he got his feet and back side washed. He was not amused, but I did notice that putting him in standing water seems to work better than spraying him. Next time he gets a bath it will be in the tub, not with the shower head! I need to brush him every day so he stays mat free and doesn’t shed so much. Fluffy kitties are fluffy!
2010-08-24
Yesterday......oh I believe in yesterday......
From 8/13/2010
Yesterday was a stay in and recoup day for sure. I rode my bike to work, so I still did SOMETHING, but I needed a crazy cat lady evening (in which I eat dinner sitting on the sofa with Loki and Crookshanks). I took my truck to Target, and after not driving all week it was an odd feeling to have so much cushy seating under my bum!
I had a light, but nutrition packed dinner of Vanilla flavored Greek yogurt, mixed nuts, granola and blueberries. All light but very filling foods =). Oh and a glass of wine, then I watched some Japanese soap opera (gotta love good ole' channel 18.2) with the kitty men Eventually it was very late, and I headed to bed (darn it I could have watched Buffy).
Today is going to be a get out and see stuff day. Kiefer is taking me on a date to see Lewis Black live. I'm not really familiar with his work, but those I know that have heard it insist that he's very funny. Besides I always look forward to Kiefer dates! I forgot until I got halfway to work that today is a short day, and I still could have taken the bike today, and gotten back in time to get freshened up for this evening. Now I'm all antsy because I didn't get my morning physical activity!
Tomorrow we are going for a mountain bike ride. I'll admit I'm not exactly a fan of riding my mountain bike. See Kiefer has a bike much like this:
Yesterday was a stay in and recoup day for sure. I rode my bike to work, so I still did SOMETHING, but I needed a crazy cat lady evening (in which I eat dinner sitting on the sofa with Loki and Crookshanks). I took my truck to Target, and after not driving all week it was an odd feeling to have so much cushy seating under my bum!
I had a light, but nutrition packed dinner of Vanilla flavored Greek yogurt, mixed nuts, granola and blueberries. All light but very filling foods =). Oh and a glass of wine, then I watched some Japanese soap opera (gotta love good ole' channel 18.2) with the kitty men Eventually it was very late, and I headed to bed (darn it I could have watched Buffy).
Today is going to be a get out and see stuff day. Kiefer is taking me on a date to see Lewis Black live. I'm not really familiar with his work, but those I know that have heard it insist that he's very funny. Besides I always look forward to Kiefer dates! I forgot until I got halfway to work that today is a short day, and I still could have taken the bike today, and gotten back in time to get freshened up for this evening. Now I'm all antsy because I didn't get my morning physical activity!
Tomorrow we are going for a mountain bike ride. I'll admit I'm not exactly a fan of riding my mountain bike. See Kiefer has a bike much like this:
2010-08-20
Dancing the night away
Got to go out again last night. Still riding my bike to work, which is working nicely. Went to some nightclub in Hollywood. Spent a few hours there with friends, danced a lot, which is always fun, and tiring and sweaty!!! Hey but sweaty means I'm using my body, and excercising my heart. Dance to your health!
So this weekend has some exciting things planned, going to check out the Flugtag, and then taking my kiddo to summer camp for the week. I'm sure gonna miss her, but I always had so much fun at camp! Perfect that it's right before school starts too, leave her with some good experiences to share at school.
I was going to go for a ride this morning, but decided to stay home and practice cat chi. Much like Tai Chi, but you follow what the cats are doing. So this morning has been mainly laying around.
I think when Kiefer gets home we might go for a family bike ride. that would be nice!
So this weekend has some exciting things planned, going to check out the Flugtag, and then taking my kiddo to summer camp for the week. I'm sure gonna miss her, but I always had so much fun at camp! Perfect that it's right before school starts too, leave her with some good experiences to share at school.
I was going to go for a ride this morning, but decided to stay home and practice cat chi. Much like Tai Chi, but you follow what the cats are doing. So this morning has been mainly laying around.
I think when Kiefer gets home we might go for a family bike ride. that would be nice!
2010-08-18
Dental Adventures
So today I got to try out a new experimental (kindof-sortof) technology that can supposedly REVERSE the early signs of tooth decay! It was really quick to apply, but tasted AWFUL!!! The only catch is that since it's new, dental insurance will not pay for it. Lucky for me I have an FSA through my work, that I've been looking to spend. So sweet.
No cavities though, aren't you proud mama?? (My mum has been a Dental Hygenist for...well....as long as I've been around!)
Tonight is water night, time to get back in the pool and stretch! No biking to work today, as that would be completely absurd with the dental appointment. I'd have to cross the airport to get there, which means, on the bike, going around, and either around is AWEFUL. So therefore, I sadly left my bike in the barn (garage) with all of his friends.
I'm really surprised my reddit post about my revalation did SO well. It's really encouraging to see so many people (especially people in Los Angeles, like me!) that have shorter commutes by bike than in the car. Next I'd like to get kate to ride her bike to school.
Step one for me on that one is to inquire as to the status of their bike storage facilities on campus next week when I go to pick up start of school packets. I'd really like to get the parents into this, since our drive-through drop off area can be quite crowded. I would totally head up a bike bus one or two days per week (Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are perfect for me and Kate!) to help people get to school safely!
Maybe I can host after school cycling lessons for free or something for the kids. "How to ride without training wheels!" Kiefer even said he would gladly volunteer his time to help install a bike rack at the school if they don't already have one. I'm sure we could create a beautiful and interesting art piece out of some recycled stuff that will also serve as a bike rack.
Anyone else know of some good ideas to get cycling introduced in schools?
I have gotten heckled on my bike before, here are some more great stories!
No cavities though, aren't you proud mama?? (My mum has been a Dental Hygenist for...well....as long as I've been around!)
Tonight is water night, time to get back in the pool and stretch! No biking to work today, as that would be completely absurd with the dental appointment. I'd have to cross the airport to get there, which means, on the bike, going around, and either around is AWEFUL. So therefore, I sadly left my bike in the barn (garage) with all of his friends.
I'm really surprised my reddit post about my revalation did SO well. It's really encouraging to see so many people (especially people in Los Angeles, like me!) that have shorter commutes by bike than in the car. Next I'd like to get kate to ride her bike to school.
Step one for me on that one is to inquire as to the status of their bike storage facilities on campus next week when I go to pick up start of school packets. I'd really like to get the parents into this, since our drive-through drop off area can be quite crowded. I would totally head up a bike bus one or two days per week (Tuesday and Wednesday mornings are perfect for me and Kate!) to help people get to school safely!
Maybe I can host after school cycling lessons for free or something for the kids. "How to ride without training wheels!" Kiefer even said he would gladly volunteer his time to help install a bike rack at the school if they don't already have one. I'm sure we could create a beautiful and interesting art piece out of some recycled stuff that will also serve as a bike rack.
Anyone else know of some good ideas to get cycling introduced in schools?
I have gotten heckled on my bike before, here are some more great stories!
2010-08-16
I just had to post this mind blowing fact....
I found it extremely interesting that the math works out this way. I thought about figuring out what my typical breakfast/lunch was calorie-wise, and then determining from there how much it cost on average per calorie....but I'm too lazy. No need though, because I have FUN riding my bike, whereas I get stressed out when driving! go figure! Plus that way I get most of my 1 hour workout per day, though I suspect as I get better I will get faster, and then I'm going to have to supplement! Oh dear!!!
Just found out I don't need to drive all the way to camp to pick up the munchkin, so I even got on the top of Bicycling reddit with my revalation! YAY ME!
EDIT: Here is a link to the thread on Reddit.
And a link to an article about our lovely mayor of Los Angeles. Apparently he got hit by a cab while riding his bike, so now he cares a lot more about bike safety within the city! GO FIGURE!
Getting out for the weekend!
So this weekend was EXTREMELY packed with fun adventures. So much so that I didn't get one spare minute (at least not one in which I wasn't feeling like a sleepy zombie) to tell you about it! Friday directly after work Kiefer took me to see Lewis Black (great show!), which of course lasted until about 11 (my bedtime is 10pm max, I'm a grouchy old lady under all this young person skin, mostly because I wake up at 6:30 every morning, weekend or not due to our translucent blinds, and my inability to sleep in anything but complete and total blackness. yes I've used a sleeping mask, I take it off in my sleep every night.). Then we were supposed to be up and ready to go by 7am to go mountain biking. I was already off to a grouchy start at having to be up so early, after only 7 of my required 9.5 hours of beauty sleep.
Eventually our friend, the Crab, showed up, and we EVENTUALLY hauled our asses out the door. I must say we were quite a bit less organized than usual due to the fact that we had to run out the door Friday night. I'll let Kiefer fill you in on the details of that, but I emerged unscathed! Though I was bout ready to rip into some rude Sierra Club member. I've got to join this club, so I can rightfully tell those people off for treating people the way they do. It's very frustrating.... lesson learned: Just because every day you have to tell someone that they need to obey the signs, doesn't mean that everyone you tell has been told every day. Assume it's the first time ever someone has been told something. Be polite, and treat others with respect, the same way you expect to be treated. Otherwise, what is their motivation to respect you, if you don't have the decency to respect them in the first place??
We dined at the fantastic Good Stuff in El Segundo, yum yum yum! Then went home to hang out for a little while before heading to a party at a roller rink in Orange Countay. I havn't been rollerskating since elemetary, maybe middle school. AWESOME FUN!! I'm sure Kiefer will not agree with me here, but I had an absolute blast! I worked muscles I havn't used in years, and you know what I always say about that....if it hurts, then that means I don't do it enough!
Sunday morning we had a bit of a lazy morning, which was nice. Eventually we rode our bikes to the Wahoo's Fish Tacos by the beach, and enjoyed tasty burritos there. Then we walked around the strand some (I usually blast by on my bike, never took the time to walk), and after that ride (hills!) and a beer, I needed to walk a little!! Beautiful houses, and the sun even made it's appearance finally as we strolled along inspecting the gorgeous multi-million dollar beach front homes. We got home and spent the rest of the day like cats, napping on the sofa and watching TV. My two kitty men thought this was a fantastic way to spend the afternoon, and were laying on/with us constantly.
Eventually our friend, the Crab, showed up, and we EVENTUALLY hauled our asses out the door. I must say we were quite a bit less organized than usual due to the fact that we had to run out the door Friday night. I'll let Kiefer fill you in on the details of that, but I emerged unscathed! Though I was bout ready to rip into some rude Sierra Club member. I've got to join this club, so I can rightfully tell those people off for treating people the way they do. It's very frustrating.... lesson learned: Just because every day you have to tell someone that they need to obey the signs, doesn't mean that everyone you tell has been told every day. Assume it's the first time ever someone has been told something. Be polite, and treat others with respect, the same way you expect to be treated. Otherwise, what is their motivation to respect you, if you don't have the decency to respect them in the first place??
We dined at the fantastic Good Stuff in El Segundo, yum yum yum! Then went home to hang out for a little while before heading to a party at a roller rink in Orange Countay. I havn't been rollerskating since elemetary, maybe middle school. AWESOME FUN!! I'm sure Kiefer will not agree with me here, but I had an absolute blast! I worked muscles I havn't used in years, and you know what I always say about that....if it hurts, then that means I don't do it enough!
Sunday morning we had a bit of a lazy morning, which was nice. Eventually we rode our bikes to the Wahoo's Fish Tacos by the beach, and enjoyed tasty burritos there. Then we walked around the strand some (I usually blast by on my bike, never took the time to walk), and after that ride (hills!) and a beer, I needed to walk a little!! Beautiful houses, and the sun even made it's appearance finally as we strolled along inspecting the gorgeous multi-million dollar beach front homes. We got home and spent the rest of the day like cats, napping on the sofa and watching TV. My two kitty men thought this was a fantastic way to spend the afternoon, and were laying on/with us constantly.
2010-08-12
I, no WE did it!
As some of you know, I was recruited to the Roc n Rollers team for the Multiple Sclerosis ride in October of this year. At first I was really hesitant since I have never been required to fundraise for a ride. Reluctantly, I agreed and signed up. I am happy to say that with the help of great friends who are great people, I was able to exceed the minimum fundraising goal of $400 in about 2 days. If any of you out there would like to help with a contribution, please visit http://tinyurl.com/garytran and make a donation. Penny by penny, dollar by dollar and mile by mile, we can all make a difference!
GT
GT
Doing swimmingly, thanks for asking!
Yesterday was a very wet day. I returned from my bike ride, and had a shower. Made a tasty stir-fry dinner (yum!), then decided Loki needed a bath. He smelled kinda funky...as he does sometimes, so he and I got to have a shower together (after he got a manicure and pedicure, to ensure I didn't get a new design on my face).
Kiefer and I finally sat down to have a relaxing evening and I remembered: Wednesday is lane swimming day for us! OOPS! So I noticed it was only 8:30, and lap swimming hours start at 8:45, so I announced that we need to go and we both jumped up off the sofa and started throwing everything together. We got there by 8:50!
Now, some of you may already know this, because I like to talk about it a lot, but in high school I played water polo and swam competitively. I "retired" when I went to college since they had neither a water polo team nor a swim team /sadpanda. In hindsight, I wish I had taken some classes at the local community college and joined their team with my classmates, but hindsight is always 20-20. So now that I am into triathlons I get to kick everyones butt in the swim portion (I usually come out in the first 1/2 to 1/3 of women out of the water) because most triathletes start as runners or cyclists. I blast past them, literally swimming over people sometimes, even though I'd never gotten into the water between races. Imagine how much I could improve if I actually practiced!!! So I'm hitting the lanes in order to perfect my technique, and re-build my awesome swimmy endurance & speed. My specialties were breaststroke and freestyle, and I always loved being the anchor for the relay!
Kiefer is there to learn how to swim 300m without stopping. I have never instructed anyone on swimming technique before, so teaching him has been a learning experience for both of us. It takes a lot of quick thinking to 1) determine what the problem is, 2) figure out how I would fix it if it was my problem, 3) figure out what someone ELSE needs to do to do the same thing, 4) determine how to TELL THEM what you mean in a way that will make sense, and finally 5) get them to do what you're telling them while remaining patient. In the end it is extremely rewarding to see everything click into place!
Then I got to go home and have another shower to get the chlorine out. I don't know what they treat the public pool with, but it's very salty in there! By the way, if you like to get yucky stuff out of your hair after a trapse in the pool, I highly reccomend the Swim & Sport Kid's Shampoo by L'Oreal.
Finally As a closing note, check out this other blog that Kiefer discovered! It looks like this guy is getting out too!
Kiefer and I finally sat down to have a relaxing evening and I remembered: Wednesday is lane swimming day for us! OOPS! So I noticed it was only 8:30, and lap swimming hours start at 8:45, so I announced that we need to go and we both jumped up off the sofa and started throwing everything together. We got there by 8:50!
Now, some of you may already know this, because I like to talk about it a lot, but in high school I played water polo and swam competitively. I "retired" when I went to college since they had neither a water polo team nor a swim team /sadpanda. In hindsight, I wish I had taken some classes at the local community college and joined their team with my classmates, but hindsight is always 20-20. So now that I am into triathlons I get to kick everyones butt in the swim portion (I usually come out in the first 1/2 to 1/3 of women out of the water) because most triathletes start as runners or cyclists. I blast past them, literally swimming over people sometimes, even though I'd never gotten into the water between races. Imagine how much I could improve if I actually practiced!!! So I'm hitting the lanes in order to perfect my technique, and re-build my awesome swimmy endurance & speed. My specialties were breaststroke and freestyle, and I always loved being the anchor for the relay!
Kiefer is there to learn how to swim 300m without stopping. I have never instructed anyone on swimming technique before, so teaching him has been a learning experience for both of us. It takes a lot of quick thinking to 1) determine what the problem is, 2) figure out how I would fix it if it was my problem, 3) figure out what someone ELSE needs to do to do the same thing, 4) determine how to TELL THEM what you mean in a way that will make sense, and finally 5) get them to do what you're telling them while remaining patient. In the end it is extremely rewarding to see everything click into place!
Then I got to go home and have another shower to get the chlorine out. I don't know what they treat the public pool with, but it's very salty in there! By the way, if you like to get yucky stuff out of your hair after a trapse in the pool, I highly reccomend the Swim & Sport Kid's Shampoo by L'Oreal.
Finally As a closing note, check out this other blog that Kiefer discovered! It looks like this guy is getting out too!
Time Trialing
After riding an unsupported century on Monday, my friend Steve detected weakness and submitted a challenge: 5 laps of the Rosebowl. No drafting, no help just you, the road, pedestrian obstacles and the mighty UCLA styled Cervelo P3.
Never one to back away from a challenge, I took him up on the offer. After a lap and a half of warm up, my front wheel hit the agreed upon starting point I hit the start button on my Garmin and went for it.
Mind you, the Rosebowl loop has two main sections: (1) a constant 1-2% climb that peaks at 3% in some sections and (2) a constant -1% descent. Compared to Steve, I have the climbing advantage being lighter and more aerodynamic, but on the downhills he easily had 1-1.5 mph on me due to his gravitational advantage. Because of this, my first lap was rather deflating. I was able to gap Steve on the climb, but midway through the descent he was right behind me. Given that scenario, I didn't think I was going to be able to break his time.
After lap one, my legs were already burning. Time trialing after the century was proving to be a VERY bad idea on the list of bad ideas I typically have, but as the miles added up and the laps counted higher, a new determination took over me. With laps 2, 3, 4 and 5 I got faster and faster. Steve was no longer on my rear wheel and my glances back showed no signs of him. With half a lap left, the climbing section, and 2 minutes that would give me bragging rights or a sense of shame I kept it in a tall gear and went for it.....41:46, Steve's best from his prior TT 42:42
That's right folks, I am Champion of my little world!
Next time trial fun is schedule for the first week of next month. Come on out and enjoy the friendly competition!
GT
Never one to back away from a challenge, I took him up on the offer. After a lap and a half of warm up, my front wheel hit the agreed upon starting point I hit the start button on my Garmin and went for it.
Mind you, the Rosebowl loop has two main sections: (1) a constant 1-2% climb that peaks at 3% in some sections and (2) a constant -1% descent. Compared to Steve, I have the climbing advantage being lighter and more aerodynamic, but on the downhills he easily had 1-1.5 mph on me due to his gravitational advantage. Because of this, my first lap was rather deflating. I was able to gap Steve on the climb, but midway through the descent he was right behind me. Given that scenario, I didn't think I was going to be able to break his time.
After lap one, my legs were already burning. Time trialing after the century was proving to be a VERY bad idea on the list of bad ideas I typically have, but as the miles added up and the laps counted higher, a new determination took over me. With laps 2, 3, 4 and 5 I got faster and faster. Steve was no longer on my rear wheel and my glances back showed no signs of him. With half a lap left, the climbing section, and 2 minutes that would give me bragging rights or a sense of shame I kept it in a tall gear and went for it.....41:46, Steve's best from his prior TT 42:42
That's right folks, I am Champion of my little world!
Next time trial fun is schedule for the first week of next month. Come on out and enjoy the friendly competition!
GT
2010-08-11
Upcoming activities!
I've got quite a few events coming up on the bicycling schedule.
Thursday (8/12) - Getting together with George to have a few beers and plan a bike ride. I'll need to build his confidence that we can do a long ride. I'm thinking Irvine or the beach.
Saturday (8/14) - Heading out to Rancho Palos Verdes with Sean (and possibly Chris W.) to try out the Portuguese Bend trail. Here's hoping I don't get bitten by a rattlesnake or Sean's quads explode.
Sunday (8/15) - I had invited Marty from work to bike through Santiago Canyon to Cook's Corner today, but unfortunately he cannot make it. However I plan on subjecting Ryzzie to this challenging but beautiful ride!
Thursday (8/12) - Getting together with George to have a few beers and plan a bike ride. I'll need to build his confidence that we can do a long ride. I'm thinking Irvine or the beach.
Saturday (8/14) - Heading out to Rancho Palos Verdes with Sean (and possibly Chris W.) to try out the Portuguese Bend trail. Here's hoping I don't get bitten by a rattlesnake or Sean's quads explode.
Sunday (8/15) - I had invited Marty from work to bike through Santiago Canyon to Cook's Corner today, but unfortunately he cannot make it. However I plan on subjecting Ryzzie to this challenging but beautiful ride!
2010-08-10
Hanging out
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Morning
So a big part of getting out is just simply getting off the sofa and doing something. Well getting out includes hanging out with friends, and that's exactly what I plan to do tonight. One of my friends has a weekly board gaming thing, and I typically don't go because it lands on the one day of the week that I have to myself with my daughter, and we usually do mother-daughter things. This week she is at my mother's house since it's summer break, and Kiefer will be out at his mom's house for his weekly dinner, what a good son!
That leaves me! So I'm going to head over there after I get home, freshen up(I rode my bike to work again!) and have some healthy/tasty dinner. I'll post more later when I've completed my experience.
Also, I know that SOMEDAY Kiefer and our other poster will actually post something up here. Kiefer went Mountain biking on Saturday with a friend, and our other (yet handle-less poster) did a century bike ride yesterday. He has had some exciting life experiences (and some really scary ones) that I'm hoping he will share with us.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Afternoon
Ok, so I've decided to bike there directly from work. I feel like it's incredibly crazy, because my friend lives halfway up a VERY steep hill, but I'm going to try to come in from the top, and glide down to his house, then glide down (theoretically) back to the main drag. This will entail riding home at night, but I have lights, and light colored clothing.
Chipotle for dinner! I'm not particularly THRILLED about buying dinner, seeing as my bank account got nearly bottomed out (hey I used it to pay off the balance of my student loan!), but I gotta fuel my bike somehow!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Evening
Well I ended up getting there really quickly, 5 min tops? My front derailleur is still acting funky (as it always has) and popped the chain off trying to go up the last 10 yards to my friend's driveway. Played a couple really fun games with everyone, and a WHOLE bunch of people started showing up! WOW! I left by 8pm so I could get most of my ride done before pitch dark. Ride home was fairly uneventful, but a pleasure nonetheless. Kiefer wasn't home when I got there, so I took my time freshening up, starting laundry (my cycling sweatshirt needed a wash!), having a snack and sitting with the kitties to read some manga (Ruroni Kenshin vol 2). Later Kiefer came home and we watched Layer cake. Pretty good, but the ending annoyed me (though it was more realistic). I like Snatch better.
All in all a busy lovely day!
So a big part of getting out is just simply getting off the sofa and doing something. Well getting out includes hanging out with friends, and that's exactly what I plan to do tonight. One of my friends has a weekly board gaming thing, and I typically don't go because it lands on the one day of the week that I have to myself with my daughter, and we usually do mother-daughter things. This week she is at my mother's house since it's summer break, and Kiefer will be out at his mom's house for his weekly dinner, what a good son!
That leaves me! So I'm going to head over there after I get home, freshen up(I rode my bike to work again!) and have some healthy/tasty dinner. I'll post more later when I've completed my experience.
Also, I know that SOMEDAY Kiefer and our other poster will actually post something up here. Kiefer went Mountain biking on Saturday with a friend, and our other (yet handle-less poster) did a century bike ride yesterday. He has had some exciting life experiences (and some really scary ones) that I'm hoping he will share with us.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Afternoon
Ok, so I've decided to bike there directly from work. I feel like it's incredibly crazy, because my friend lives halfway up a VERY steep hill, but I'm going to try to come in from the top, and glide down to his house, then glide down (theoretically) back to the main drag. This will entail riding home at night, but I have lights, and light colored clothing.
Chipotle for dinner! I'm not particularly THRILLED about buying dinner, seeing as my bank account got nearly bottomed out (hey I used it to pay off the balance of my student loan!), but I gotta fuel my bike somehow!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------Evening
Well I ended up getting there really quickly, 5 min tops? My front derailleur is still acting funky (as it always has) and popped the chain off trying to go up the last 10 yards to my friend's driveway. Played a couple really fun games with everyone, and a WHOLE bunch of people started showing up! WOW! I left by 8pm so I could get most of my ride done before pitch dark. Ride home was fairly uneventful, but a pleasure nonetheless. Kiefer wasn't home when I got there, so I took my time freshening up, starting laundry (my cycling sweatshirt needed a wash!), having a snack and sitting with the kitties to read some manga (Ruroni Kenshin vol 2). Later Kiefer came home and we watched Layer cake. Pretty good, but the ending annoyed me (though it was more realistic). I like Snatch better.
All in all a busy lovely day!
2010-08-09
Biking to work
I am fortunate enough to live within 10 miles of my office, so occasionally I choose to bike to work. What made me do it today? Several things: it's a beautiful day (not too hot morning and evening), I always have my best focus when I've worked out in the morning, and finally I'm almost out of gas, and payday is Thursday. I don't want to fill that guzzler up on credit!
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE having my Frontier, but 14 mpg city leaves something to be desired for sure. Yah I don't have to drive that far, but it seems a shame to waste a perfectly good opportunity to Get Out on driving in a car! Now if it rains, or it's really windy, then yah, I'm going to drive. That offshore wind can be very chilly, and pushes me all over the road on that road bike.
Here are some tips on biking to work, so you can Get Out too:
1. Get a decent bike - Road bike you say? Isn't that kindof expensive? It can be, some pro-grade bikes can cost as much as $10,000!! Mine is no pro bike, but what's important is that it fits me pretty well, and the components are decent. You can always upgrade later. Oh and my bike was under $500. The hell you say?!?! It's true! Just check out Bikes Direct. (No, I'm not getting paid ANYTHING to mention them either). you can choose from a selection of small time or big time frame makers, outfitted with name brand components. It comes in a nice box, and you can take it to your local bike shop for a small fee (usually like $50) and they will assemble and tune it for you so it's all set to ride.
I was fortunate enough to have some experienced cyclists to help me put mine together, and I'm rather mechanically inclined so I tinker with it on my own with the help of my cyclist friends/family as well as the Google. Plus since I saved so much on the bike, I was able to go out and get a great deal on some speedplay pedals/cleats, and some triathlon shoes that were last year's model (but still REALLY nice...made my cyclist friend drool) for $200. All in all I geared up for $700.
If you've got a cyclist friend, ask if they will help you get creative. You can find a decent frame from an older bike, and put some REALLY nice components on it. There's all sorts of mix and match out there. You can even get fun colored tires, and bar tape. Get creative, and make it your own.
2. Plan your route - Planning your route is another important step to getting to work safely. Use google maps, and then DRIVE by your route. Make sure the way it tells you to go is ACTUALLY safe. Ride your route on a weekend day when it's not busy to check how long it takes you, and be sure to leave extra time in the morning.
What's that you say? You've got kids? I usually take my daughter to school a little early (their library is open for early drop-off one hour before school starts), then go back home and hop on my bike. You can even get your kids on a bike and bike them to school, then bike on from there. What a great way to teach your kids the importance of getting out and being active!
Also, be sure to scope out your office. Where will you keep your bike? I store mine in my cube, spices up the decor a little. Maybe you have a private office, or there is a bike rack/lockup outside where you can keep it? Get yourself a nice lock for your nice bike. Be sure it is long enough to get the frame and the front tire bare minimum. U-locks are the SAFEST, but I use a cable lock with a combo when I tie my ride up outside.
3. BE SEEN - I cannot stress this enough. Okay so violent yellow isn't really my color, but black, blue and red aren't really either. When you ride consider yourself invisible. Autos won't see you, or they'll get mad at you for being there. Have a headlight and a tail light on your bike. I run mine no matter what (day or night) so I get that extra visibility.
Wear light colored clothing. Stuff with reflective strips is EVEN BETTER. I wear a light colored sweatshirt over whatever I'm wearing, and shorts with reflective strips. My shoes also have reflective strips on them. It may not be dark when you leave in the morning, but it might be when you leave to go home!
4. BE SAFE - please, please, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE wear a helmet. They come in many different styles, colors, shapes and sizes so PLEASE wear one. Don't give me any it messes up my hair, or puts marks on my forehead. SO WHAT! I know several people who have had their noggins saved by wearing a helmet. If you are not sure how to adjust it, take it to ANY bike shop, and the employees will generally be happy to show you how, and help you get it on right. Lance Armstrong wears a helmet, and you should too!
5. Get Out!!!
Don't forget your water, and don't wear your work clothes if you're going to get all sweaty, bring them in a backpack. You'll figure it out!
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE having my Frontier, but 14 mpg city leaves something to be desired for sure. Yah I don't have to drive that far, but it seems a shame to waste a perfectly good opportunity to Get Out on driving in a car! Now if it rains, or it's really windy, then yah, I'm going to drive. That offshore wind can be very chilly, and pushes me all over the road on that road bike.
Here are some tips on biking to work, so you can Get Out too:
1. Get a decent bike - Road bike you say? Isn't that kindof expensive? It can be, some pro-grade bikes can cost as much as $10,000!! Mine is no pro bike, but what's important is that it fits me pretty well, and the components are decent. You can always upgrade later. Oh and my bike was under $500. The hell you say?!?! It's true! Just check out Bikes Direct. (No, I'm not getting paid ANYTHING to mention them either). you can choose from a selection of small time or big time frame makers, outfitted with name brand components. It comes in a nice box, and you can take it to your local bike shop for a small fee (usually like $50) and they will assemble and tune it for you so it's all set to ride.
I was fortunate enough to have some experienced cyclists to help me put mine together, and I'm rather mechanically inclined so I tinker with it on my own with the help of my cyclist friends/family as well as the Google. Plus since I saved so much on the bike, I was able to go out and get a great deal on some speedplay pedals/cleats, and some triathlon shoes that were last year's model (but still REALLY nice...made my cyclist friend drool) for $200. All in all I geared up for $700.
If you've got a cyclist friend, ask if they will help you get creative. You can find a decent frame from an older bike, and put some REALLY nice components on it. There's all sorts of mix and match out there. You can even get fun colored tires, and bar tape. Get creative, and make it your own.
2. Plan your route - Planning your route is another important step to getting to work safely. Use google maps, and then DRIVE by your route. Make sure the way it tells you to go is ACTUALLY safe. Ride your route on a weekend day when it's not busy to check how long it takes you, and be sure to leave extra time in the morning.
What's that you say? You've got kids? I usually take my daughter to school a little early (their library is open for early drop-off one hour before school starts), then go back home and hop on my bike. You can even get your kids on a bike and bike them to school, then bike on from there. What a great way to teach your kids the importance of getting out and being active!
Also, be sure to scope out your office. Where will you keep your bike? I store mine in my cube, spices up the decor a little. Maybe you have a private office, or there is a bike rack/lockup outside where you can keep it? Get yourself a nice lock for your nice bike. Be sure it is long enough to get the frame and the front tire bare minimum. U-locks are the SAFEST, but I use a cable lock with a combo when I tie my ride up outside.
3. BE SEEN - I cannot stress this enough. Okay so violent yellow isn't really my color, but black, blue and red aren't really either. When you ride consider yourself invisible. Autos won't see you, or they'll get mad at you for being there. Have a headlight and a tail light on your bike. I run mine no matter what (day or night) so I get that extra visibility.
Wear light colored clothing. Stuff with reflective strips is EVEN BETTER. I wear a light colored sweatshirt over whatever I'm wearing, and shorts with reflective strips. My shoes also have reflective strips on them. It may not be dark when you leave in the morning, but it might be when you leave to go home!
4. BE SAFE - please, please, PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE wear a helmet. They come in many different styles, colors, shapes and sizes so PLEASE wear one. Don't give me any it messes up my hair, or puts marks on my forehead. SO WHAT! I know several people who have had their noggins saved by wearing a helmet. If you are not sure how to adjust it, take it to ANY bike shop, and the employees will generally be happy to show you how, and help you get it on right. Lance Armstrong wears a helmet, and you should too!
5. Get Out!!!
Don't forget your water, and don't wear your work clothes if you're going to get all sweaty, bring them in a backpack. You'll figure it out!
2010-08-08
Beaching myself again!
Kiefer and I got out again today! We took my sister, my daughter and our out of town guest to get some Wahoo's Fish Tacos today, so she could have the full California experience. I think that was a great idea, since my sister and our guest REALLY loved the fish tacos. Wahoo's is such a great place, with a great "little beach town" feel to it, so it fits in to Manhattan Beach PERFECTLY. Afterwards we visited the Roundhouse Aquarium on the end of Manhattan Beach Pier. Everyone enjoyed touching starfish and sea cucumbers.
Following some surfer spotting we headed back to the car, and down to Hermosa Beach for a dip in the sea. I swam around a bit (it was nice and quiet!) before dragging my daughter KICKING AND SCREAMING into the waves with me. It took her a couple of minutes, but then she started having fun bouncing in the waves and diving under them with me. It's so important for kids to learn how to deal with the ocean and the waves at a young age so they are not scared of it as adults. Next year she will be old enough for Surf Camp, and I think it would be really good for her to go.
I'm sore from my surfing adventure yesterday. I always like to think of that sore feeling from working out as a GOOD kind of sore. It means I was using my body. Do you know what else it means to me? It means that I need to get out and do whatever it was that made me sore some more so it doesn't make me sore anymore! Time to head to Costco and get the $99 special!
Sunday afternoon/evening is a great way to unwind from your weekend, and relax before heading back to your grey building, to your grey cubicle with your grey desk. At least computers aren't grey anymore....now they're BLACK!!! Wow! I've got my feet up, with a nice cup of tea, and Loki, my fluffy white Raggamuffin (as opposed to my fluffy cream & white Raggamuffin) curled up next to me while Kiefer is playing a game.
Don't forget to pack a healthy lunch for tomorrow, part of getting out is taking care of your body! You wont' get very far if you are unhealthy. I like to include 3 servings of vegetables, and one serving of fruit in my lunch box as snacks in addition to my main meal. Snacking is important to maintain healthy blood sugar levels throughout the day, and avoid crashing.
We are going to take a walk tonight.
How are you going to Get Out next weekend? Start planning now!
Following some surfer spotting we headed back to the car, and down to Hermosa Beach for a dip in the sea. I swam around a bit (it was nice and quiet!) before dragging my daughter KICKING AND SCREAMING into the waves with me. It took her a couple of minutes, but then she started having fun bouncing in the waves and diving under them with me. It's so important for kids to learn how to deal with the ocean and the waves at a young age so they are not scared of it as adults. Next year she will be old enough for Surf Camp, and I think it would be really good for her to go.
I'm sore from my surfing adventure yesterday. I always like to think of that sore feeling from working out as a GOOD kind of sore. It means I was using my body. Do you know what else it means to me? It means that I need to get out and do whatever it was that made me sore some more so it doesn't make me sore anymore! Time to head to Costco and get the $99 special!
Sunday afternoon/evening is a great way to unwind from your weekend, and relax before heading back to your grey building, to your grey cubicle with your grey desk. At least computers aren't grey anymore....now they're BLACK!!! Wow! I've got my feet up, with a nice cup of tea, and Loki, my fluffy white Raggamuffin (as opposed to my fluffy cream & white Raggamuffin) curled up next to me while Kiefer is playing a game.
Don't forget to pack a healthy lunch for tomorrow, part of getting out is taking care of your body! You wont' get very far if you are unhealthy. I like to include 3 servings of vegetables, and one serving of fruit in my lunch box as snacks in addition to my main meal. Snacking is important to maintain healthy blood sugar levels throughout the day, and avoid crashing.
We are going to take a walk tonight.
How are you going to Get Out next weekend? Start planning now!
Surfing 101
Living within 2 miles of the beach for the last four years, you would think, according to Southern California stereotypes, that I'd be going surfing every morning. I don't even own my own board (or corresponding wetsuit for the chilly California coastal waters)!
I'm always excited to try new sports, and Surfing is no exception. Sure I've rented a board before and tried on my own, I've been out with friends that have boards and tried and tried again. At least I'm persistent right?? Do I at least get an A for effort?
When I learned that our friend from England was sending her daughter to visit for a couple of weeks, I felt that was the PERFECT opportunity to get in on a surfing lesson, so at the last minute on Friday I called around to a few places, and found Learn to Surf LA which does group lessons for $75 per person including board and wetsuit rental for the lesson (nearly 2 full hours!). I managed to round up a few more friends (one a fellow blogger on Get Out!) who were excited about learning to surf.
After leaving the South Bay area an hour before our 2:15 lesson was to start.....we finally arrived at Santa Monica guard tower 18.....at 2:30 PM. It was a miserable drive up the 1, you'd think I would know better than to try to drive up PCH to get anywhere......at all......after all this time!
The four of us poured into our wetsuits, the process of which takes the "pants dance" to a whole 'nutha level, as quickly as we could. I helped our guest and one of my friends into their suits after securing mine on me. My suit fit really nice, a little big in the bum and legs though, as is typical of mens suits....oh well. We did the whole pushup-pop-up routine on the beach, and finally the instructor declared we were ready to get in the water. The guys got up right away, but never got up again. We all caught a few waves, I think we even all got up on our knees!
After 2 hours of being tossed around on the waves Kiefer Coleslaw joined us (after a 20 mile bike ride up the strand!) to meander around 3rd Street. We walked through in a daze, and finally ended up getting Pizza for dinner. We briskly walked through the newly rennovated Santa Monica Mall before returning to our car. Then the 6 of us crammed into my frontier (eep!) and headed home. After unloading the truck of beach gear and a road bike Kiefer and our other poster (yet without a handle) tinkered with my road bike (which is currently havign trouble handling the triple front chainrings.....it really wants there to only be 2).
Finally to round out the evening we headed to Menchie's to fill up on fro-yo, YUM! The bonus is they charge by weight, so i can get very little yogurt, and some toppings, and Kiefer can FILL his yogurt bowl to over flowing!
All in all a great adventure. I love trying new things, what did you try this weekend?
I'm always excited to try new sports, and Surfing is no exception. Sure I've rented a board before and tried on my own, I've been out with friends that have boards and tried and tried again. At least I'm persistent right?? Do I at least get an A for effort?
When I learned that our friend from England was sending her daughter to visit for a couple of weeks, I felt that was the PERFECT opportunity to get in on a surfing lesson, so at the last minute on Friday I called around to a few places, and found Learn to Surf LA which does group lessons for $75 per person including board and wetsuit rental for the lesson (nearly 2 full hours!). I managed to round up a few more friends (one a fellow blogger on Get Out!) who were excited about learning to surf.
After leaving the South Bay area an hour before our 2:15 lesson was to start.....we finally arrived at Santa Monica guard tower 18.....at 2:30 PM. It was a miserable drive up the 1, you'd think I would know better than to try to drive up PCH to get anywhere......at all......after all this time!
The four of us poured into our wetsuits, the process of which takes the "pants dance" to a whole 'nutha level, as quickly as we could. I helped our guest and one of my friends into their suits after securing mine on me. My suit fit really nice, a little big in the bum and legs though, as is typical of mens suits....oh well. We did the whole pushup-pop-up routine on the beach, and finally the instructor declared we were ready to get in the water. The guys got up right away, but never got up again. We all caught a few waves, I think we even all got up on our knees!
After 2 hours of being tossed around on the waves Kiefer Coleslaw joined us (after a 20 mile bike ride up the strand!) to meander around 3rd Street. We walked through in a daze, and finally ended up getting Pizza for dinner. We briskly walked through the newly rennovated Santa Monica Mall before returning to our car. Then the 6 of us crammed into my frontier (eep!) and headed home. After unloading the truck of beach gear and a road bike Kiefer and our other poster (yet without a handle) tinkered with my road bike (which is currently havign trouble handling the triple front chainrings.....it really wants there to only be 2).
Finally to round out the evening we headed to Menchie's to fill up on fro-yo, YUM! The bonus is they charge by weight, so i can get very little yogurt, and some toppings, and Kiefer can FILL his yogurt bowl to over flowing!
All in all a great adventure. I love trying new things, what did you try this weekend?
2010-08-06
Get up and get out!
Every day is a new day (very cliche I know), so I try to get something out of every day.
I am starting this blog, not in the hopes to be some famous intarweb blogger, but in the interest of motivating those around me to live life. I do not want to spend my life in a grey cube in a grey office, and grow old and say I never did anything. I want to get out and see the wonders in the world, and yes the world is a wonderous place. I want to get my hands dirty, and I want to do it everywhere. I want to make things grow, and not just in my own yard. I want to be healthy, and happy, and I want to see it as not only the right choice, but the easier choice. I want to scale mountains, ride waves, run trails, feel sunshine warm on my shoulders, and be bathed in moonlight.
I want to do all of these things, and I want you to come with me.
I am starting this blog, not in the hopes to be some famous intarweb blogger, but in the interest of motivating those around me to live life. I do not want to spend my life in a grey cube in a grey office, and grow old and say I never did anything. I want to get out and see the wonders in the world, and yes the world is a wonderous place. I want to get my hands dirty, and I want to do it everywhere. I want to make things grow, and not just in my own yard. I want to be healthy, and happy, and I want to see it as not only the right choice, but the easier choice. I want to scale mountains, ride waves, run trails, feel sunshine warm on my shoulders, and be bathed in moonlight.
I want to do all of these things, and I want you to come with me.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)