Let There Be Light!

We've been suffering through our kitchen renovation since April Fools Day. For the most part, it's now done. We have the essentials - a working stove and running water. Just need a few things fixed, finish up the skylight, some tile behind the stove and painting. I still need to finish up my post about the kitchen renovation experience and the lame guys who did it. It just sucks the life out of me to think about it, nevermind write about it.

We do, however, love our carpenters. Yesterday, they put the skylight in the roof and a hole in the kitchen ceiling. Tuesday, they'll enlarge the hole, build the tunnel, etc. But even now with just the temporary, small opening, the light is just SO much better.

Another Event To Add To The List

As I mentioned recently, I keep a list of things I want to do before I die (going to have to add that list to the sidebar here). Today, I found something else to add to the list: L'Etape du Tour. Apparently, they let 8,000 other crazy folks like me ride up the toughest stage of the Tour de France a few days before the real peloton shows up. This year, it's up the Col du Tourmalet. I read about it in a new NYT blog. I don't know whether to admire or pity the guy. Probably a little of both.

Memorial Day Ride

Sometimes it is just SO GOOD to simply go out and ride. No computers, no hrms, no plans, nada. All the travel this spring has pretty much thrown a brick wall into my training and racing. As Randy Pausch has said, brick walls are put there to simply see how badly you want something. And sure, if I really wanted to ride while on traveling on business or vacation, I would have found a way. I've flown my bike to CA before and done some great rides after work at my SJ office.

Lately, instead of trying to tear down that particular brick wall, I've been looking at the opportunities presented by taking the long way around instead. This weekend, instead of going out on a hard, training hammer ride, I opted to ride with S and PFFC. Due to S's knee surgery, I was warned it would be slow, easy and not that far (her max right now is about 45 miles). But, she did promise it would include at least one ice cream stop. :) Hmmmm....hammer ride on my own or doing the ice cream loop with the girls who taught me how to ride. No brainer. Did the ice cream loop and had a awesome time. Spectacular weather, mocha oreo at Great Brook Farm, a stop at "The Bench" in Concord with Dunkin' iced coffee followed by some great new beer from Lucky Kat from Magic Hat once we reached home. Perfect ride, perfect day.

Cow Pies

I've never met a carb I didn't like. Plus, my grandfather was a baker so it's just in my genes to love bread. So when I come across an interesting recipe I usually try it out. While reading one of my fitness mags (Bicycling? NE Runner? Dirt Rag?), I found a recipe for Whole Wheat Walnut Raisin Rolls which would be a nice replacement for the Luna Bars I usually have in my jersey pocket. I decided to make a batch for this weekend's planned rides. As I was throwing the ingredients in my bread maker to churn up the dough (while on a work con-call) I thought to myself, "Huh...that sounds like too much water...." Instead of adding what made sense to me and adding more if it needed it, I just dumped the whole amount in. After all, I was working (sort of) and didn't want to have to monitor things too closely.

Of course, when the dough was done, it was entirely a goopy mess. There was no way I could form rolls out of this stuff and I didn't want to spend the time of mixing more flour in. I briefly considered tossing it all out, I figured, what the hell. Let's bake them and see what happens. So I scooped the mess out with my hands, put it on a cookie sheet and sure enough, they looked more like chocolate chip cookies instead of bread rolls. Baked them on 450 for about 10-15 min and they are actually quite delicious!

When S got home, she saw them cooling on the counter.

"WHAT are those?!?!? Cow pies?!?!?"

Long explanation from me about what I'd done.

She picks one up, takes a bite,........ "They're good!"

"Yeah, but they're supposed to be rolls."

"Better this way - easier to fit in a jersey pocket."

She had a point. I think I'll keep making them that way. :)

Maui Quick Pics

In my Sunday morning reading of the NYT, I came across a new site that I thought would be cool to check out. Tried it out with a few Maui pics. Here's the result. Pretty neat, huh? Check out Animoto for your own stuff.

S Takes the Plunge and Doesn't Puke

I'm the kind of person who actually keeps a list of things I want to do before I die: learn to fly - check; jump out of a plane - check; learn to snowboard - check; learn to mountain bike - check (kind of). Even though I keep managing to knock stuff off my list, it still keeps growing. Go figure. I guess as I travel or read adventure magazines, I see people doing really cool stuff and think, "OMG! I HAVE TO DO THAT!" Current things on the top of my list: do a triathlon (need to learn to swim better), do a week long surf camp in baja ( I guess better swimming skills could come in handy here as well), do a 24hr MTB race and kayak the Galapagos. I also managed to discover a new sport, put it on the list and cross it off within the week I was in Maui (learn to paddle surf). Awesome, awesome, awesome fun! If I didn't have to deal with the f*&^%% cold Atlantic, I'd buy one. Great work out and really just a blast. We didn't managed to grab any pictures while fooling around on them which is probably just as well. I don't need embarrassing wipe-out pics of me on the web.

But anyway, I digress. Two years ago I decided I really wanted to check off "Learn to sail" on my list. And I did. I never thought I'd like it more than flying but quite honestly, it's way more relaxing and I don't have to wear headphones that wreck my hair. ;-) Alas, for two years, I've never managed to get S to sail with me. Did she think I'd dump her over in Bahstahn Hahbah? Get blown out to Bermuda? Make her clean the head? No - none of that. She trusted me just not her stomach. She gets more seasick than anyone I know. Years ago, on a daysail to Vineyard Haven, I actually saw her turn a vivid shade of green - exactly like Elphaba in Wicked. Fortunately, she's discovered this seasick medication, Sturgeron. The bad news is it isn't available in the US. Regardless, she's managed to stock up due to business travel and it definitely worked wonders. In fact, after sailing to Lahaina on a 48 ft catamaran, I convinced her to try zipping around on the tiny Hobie cat. Video proof below. (And yes, she did drag the video camera through the water off the boat for a bit.)

I Miss Hawaii

These guys were racing our catamaran as we were sailing back from Manele Harbor (Lanai) back to Lahaina. Also got a glimpse of a mom and baby humpback that day. So cool!

Running More Miles Than Biking

For the past THREE weeks I've run more miles than biked. Part of me wants to frantically run down to the local Wailuku bike shop, grab any bike and ride. But then I go for my morning run through Waikea and Makena and I'm ok. Climb two miles and have a great view of the coast. Descend down to Makena Drive, hop on the walking coastal path, and run along one of the most beautiful coastlines in the world. The pic above was from yesterday's run. What you can't see are the fishermen, kayakers, sailors, snorkelers, paddle boarders or as I saw yesterday, two older women greeting the morning with a form of graceful stretching movements on the beach.

Lacing up my running shoes, I've covered gorgeous miles along Sydney harbor, NYC Central Park, under the Golden Gate bridge, through Munich's English Garden, along the mall in DC, through the AZ desert and tons of other places. Being a tourist in running shoes gives you a whole different perspective on your host city. I love it and the past three weeks have reminded me how much I enjoy running.

Back on the plane today and home tomorrow where my bike is waiting. I've missed it but I wouldn't trade the past three weeks for it. ;-)

New Fave Shoes

Picked these up at Hana Highway Surf Shop yesterday in Pa'ia. You can
expect to see these on my feet all summer. Too bad I can't put cleats
on the bottom. ;-) Guess they'll have to do as post-race shoes.
Happiness!

Slackin' Hawaiian Style

Just read a morning's worth of race reports. While my teammates have
been busy tearing up both dirt and asphault, I've had my butt planted
firmly on a boat or beach chair. I'm getting somewhat anxious about it
but then I just roll over to make sure I'm tanning evenly. ;-)
Yesterday, we sailed to Lanai. Saw a late-season mom and baby
humpback. Did some great snorkeling and hiking and were escorted out
of Lanai harbor by a huge (30-40?) pod of spinner dolphins. Oh yeah-
sunset on the water too. With champagne. More pics later.

Mojiti Maui Style

This is why I love the Four Seasons Maui. :-)

Last Night's Sunset

View from our lanai last night. Went well with the bottle of champagne
we picked up in town.

Today- more beach time and maybe zip around for an hour or two in the
hobie cat.