Phase Five

I'm Back!

2009-07-18T12:37:00.001-07:00

http://theresnoweinquit.blogspot.com/

...and I have a partner in crime!

Phase Six...

2009-04-05T13:00:00.000-07:00

It's safe to say that after not having posted to my beloved blog in over three months, the time has come to officially close Phase Five.

This chapter - this PHASE - of my life was overflowing with emotions. The excitement of deciding to move to San Francisco. The sadness of leaving behind such great friends on the East Coast. The joy of connecting with new, wonderful people in San Francisco. The determination and stubbornness and anxiety and pride of marathons and triathlons. The adventure of travel to new and faraway lands. (Not to forget the monotony of traveling to Chicago.)

The pain of depression, yes. And the isolation and despair that comes with it. The shame of swallowing a little pink pill and the dread of having to talk about it each week. But also the hope after every 60 minute session, and the eventual happiness of realizing one day what it feels like to be HAPPY. Truly happy. And the gratefulness that comes with having a best friend in AER. For it wasn't until I met her that I really had any clue about what being happy really meant.

But also the warmth of falling in love. For real. (Finally!) The elation of meeting a person who despite all cliches and horrific un-feminist fairy tales, has made a lot of my dreams come true. Yes, they can be classified as somewhat simple dreams - to backpack in Yosemite, to camp alongside a running stream, to snowboard in Colorado, and to cycle... pretty much everywhere. But to be able to do all of these things with someone who after a couple of years still makes me feel like a teenager with butterflies in her chest.

Phase Five has been full of so much love. The kind I read and sang about, yes. But also this amazing kind of love that I never even knew I didn't know about. The kind of love that I have only ever found in JCB. After he's bathed me and helped me go to the bathroom when I had a broken wrist. After he's woken up at 4AM to cheer for me at my races. A love that I have never been able to adequately explain...

And for once, I think my lack for words is a good thing.

My mother has a favorite thing to say about me. She says I have a tendency to walk through shit, but that I also come out smelling like roses. Phase Five has hardly been a walk though shit. Quite the contrary! Phase Five has been so utterly wonderful that I'm not quite sure what I want to do with myself next.

Where will I be in five years? How the hell do I know? I haven't a clue! But I am certain I will be there with TLY (soon to be TLN) from Phase 2. With The Lovelies and The Guy Friend Club from Phase 3. Women like EIW and LEFS who have been with me through too many Phases to count... And AER and JCB who I plan on keeping by my side forever more.

Thank you all for following and being a part of this journey. I wouldn't be proud to be who I am today without you.

And onto Phase Six we go...

Spain Pics: Round 3

2008-12-12T09:44:00.000-08:00

Finally got the rest of the pictures together...

2008.12.06 - Barcelona

2008.12.05 - Valencia

...And I'm already planning our next excursion.

Back to Business

2008-12-12T09:31:00.000-08:00

Well, at least it is already Friday...

JCB and I wrapped up our tour of Spain with two days in Valencia and one more night in Barcelona. Valencia was great - we stuck our feet in the Med and had a good tour of the city, but for the most part, we were pretty tired of all the travel. And since we were cashing in on Hilton points and staying in an Executive Suite with complimentary snacks and beverages in the Executive Lounge, we did just that - stayed. We rested, hung out at the hotel bar, and really just relaxed a bit.

We made it back to Barcelona on Saturday afternoon, toured Gaudi's Park Guell, and re-visited our favorite restaurant in all of Spain , Cerveceria Catalana. It felt great to be back in Barcelona - after all of our sights, we both loved the city the most. Nevertheless, after 18 days on the road, we were ready to go home. I missed Puck and my new apartment. And JCB was really Jones-ing for a burrito from El Castillito.

We made it home on Sunday, late in the afternoon, Pacific Time. We ordered some Thai food - I was really Jones-ing for Asian cuisine - and went to sleep around 7PM. Exhausted. But Rested. And definitely delighted.

Four days later, after a week of work, Asian food, and Burritos, I am ready for another vacation! Where to next?!

Spain Trip - The Quoteboard Top 20

2008-12-07T13:40:00.000-08:00

This post will likely amuse no one but JCB and me. But here we go, in no particular order...

"Yay - dah. Lleida!" - JCB, in reference to anything unexpectedly fun.
"That's OK, I know you love me." - JCB, in reference to his driving.
"This church as a bar!" - Nic, in reference to the cathedral in Lleida.
"This isn't mass. That man is holding a sword." - Nic, in reference to a strange service.
"We're back on track." - JCB, after every wrong turn.
"No more eating at restaurants with signs that have fallen off." - JCB, in refernce to some Lonely Planet dining suggestions in Zaragoza that were BUNK.
"I'm a gracias machine!" - JCB, on his Spanish skills.
"I think I need one of those opium things." - Nic, on the cough drops in Siguenza.
"Margaita pizza, por favor... No, no con jamon. Margarita!" - Nic, on reitterating that a plain pizza without ham is all that we want.
"At least it's not a tapa." - Nic, on the Margarita pizza that came with ham.
"Cordoba - where tortillas are tortillas." - Nic, on the first omellette being an omellette.
"I can't go to sleep yet, I'm not drunk." - Nic, on sober siestas.
"El coche es blanco." - JCB, responding to a taxi driver who asked him if he speaks any Spanish.
"Let's hug it out." - JCB, after each argument about how to drive.
"Adios, coche; hola, el mundo." - JCB, upon returning the rental car in Sevilla.
"Everyone is so Euro here." - JCB, multipe times, in reference to all Spaniards.
"I'm not even Catholic and this shit gets me off." - JCB, in a cathedral. (!?!)
"Oh look, that looks Cathlolic!" - Nic, appealing to JCB's sightseeing interests.
"You look pretty when you're drunk." - JCB to Nic.
"No, I look pretty when YOU'RE drunk." - Nic to JCB.

Spain Pics: Round 2

2008-12-05T01:06:00.001-08:00

Another reliable Internet connection means more pics!

2008.11.26 - Rascafria

2008.11.27 - Segovia

2008.11.28 - Cordoba Day 1

2008.11.29 - Cordoba Day 2

2008.11.29 - Sevilla Day 1

2008.11.30 - Sevilla Day 2

2008.12.01 - Granada

2008.12.03 - Madrid

Miercoles Madness

2008-12-03T23:32:00.000-08:00

We were both a bit apprehensive as our taxi dropped us off at the bus stop in Granada. Planes, trains, automobiles… and now busses. But Lonely Planet did say bus travel in Spain was more economical and often faster than travel by train. But as we boarded our Alsa Supra express connection from Granada to Madrid, our apprehension quickly faded. The bus had an attendant! She greeted us warmly, passed out candies, newspapers, coffees, teas, sandwiches… And we had wifi on the bus, too, slow as it was. Most would even argue that our treatment on Alsa Supra was better than our treatment on our United flight in Economy Plus. JCB and I might be even be two of those people

The trip was a little over four hours, during which JCB played games on his iPhone and I imported pictures from the past few days of our trip. We passed through some beautiful scenery in South Central Spain, but for the most part our trip was uneventful. We arrived in Madrid ready to explore. And of course, to also eat and drink.

My how different Madrid is to me now that I’m here with someone. I gave JCB a brief tour of some places I remembered near our hotel (we stayed in Sol / Cuenca) and we even found a few things I hadn’t before seen. We dined on patatas fritas (French frieds – in vinegar and garlic) as well as pimientos de pardon (fried green peppers) in Plaza Mayor, wandered to Palacio Royal, onto Templo de Judo, then back to Plaza de Espana, where we took in a large statue of Cervantes, Don Quixote, and Sancho. By now it was after 5PM, and Madrid was bustling.

We headed back to our hotel via “Gran Via” but first stopped at Cerveceria de 100 Montaditos for Round 2 of lunch. What a great stop! This bar/sandwich stop features 1 EURO BOCADILLOS EN MIERCOLES. That’s $1.25 Tiny Sandwiches on Wednesdays. Madness! We ordered a round of jars of beer and 4 tiny sandwiches and our bill was only 6 Euros. SIX! And since tiny sandwiches didn’t really fill us up, we had another round of two more bocadillos, this time with jars of sangria. Sangria from a tap. Amazing. Only 10 Euros for one of our favorite meals in all of Spain. No joke. Que bueno!

We unsuccessfully siesta-ed that evening. Not sure why, but neither one of us could sleep. Not sleeping was not boding well for the plans we constructed over Lunch Round 2 to stay out all night in Madrid. If only Spain liked to get the party started around 9PM instead of 1AM! I’m just not a night owl these days.

But at around 10:30 PM, we sat down to dinner at another great Lonely Planet find: La Gloria de Madera. “…oh-so-stylish, oh-so-good, and oh-so-cheap.” Lonely Planet can be pretty annoying some times, and they’re not always spot on with recommendations, but this time was a direct hit. To start, we had tomato soup with fresh mozzarella. JCB had a huge lamb shank with potatoes, while I had salmon with asparagus. For dessert, we basically had ice cream, but it had amazing biscuit-spinkles and syrups and a really long name on the menu that took up two lines. Needless to say, I don’t remember what it was called. Throughout the meal we sipped a crisp Ribera del Duero (red wine). And our entire excellent meal (in Madrid!) cost only 40 Euros. Can I get another, que bueno!?!

Sleepy and satisfied, we strolled back to our hotel, past drunk Spanish college kids and other crazy Madrillenos. I wondered to myself, “When did I get so old?” But before I let it bother me, I also wondered, “When have I ever been so happy?”

And I couldn’t come up with an answer…

Grand Granada

2008-12-02T23:33:00.000-08:00

For the first time without our car, we made our journey to our next town. To Granada, by train. No arguing about how fast one is driving on the highway, about the need to actually slow down so that I can actually read the Spanish signs. And of course, no getting lost. We were only on the clickety clank regional train, but it was glorious.

We arrived in Granada around 2PM and took a taxi through the twisting, narrow streets of Granada to our hostal. Again, we were so glad to not be driving. 5 Euros later we paid our taxi and walked down the narrow alley to Hostal Lima, where we met "La Madre." La Madre was an adorable middle-aged Spanish woman who runs Hostal Lima. She does not speak English. However, she had no trouble getting her messages across to JCB and me.

This little woman carried our bags up two flights of stairs to our quaint room. She schooled us in the use of the heater, and then instructed us to have lunch at Bodega de Antonio. She drew a map, and essentially said, "Now go." By then it was almost 3PM, and Bodega de Antonio was surely closed for siesta. We never ended up finding it. But we did have luck scarfing down a few bocadilllos and beers.

We wandered around town, noting how many snowboarding shops are in Granada. Spain's highest mountain range is pretty close by, so it makes a lot of sense. And yet again, JCB and I looked at each other thinking, "I think I could live here."

Our feelings were only further confirmed after we stopped into a cute bodega for a glass of wine and were served our first FREE tapa. Yes, Granada is the last city in Spain in which the tradition of serving a free tapa with each drink is alive. And it is awesome. We enjoyed our wine and free food, and then headed back back to the hostal for siesta.

We slept well, almost too well. Happy to again be in a double bed instead of two singles pushed together, we found it almost too hard to wake up for dinner when 9:30 PM rolled around. But then we remembered all of the free food that was headed our way, so we got dressed and set out for Plaza Nueva, one of Granada's main squares.

Our first stop, Bodegas Castaneda, was packed with locals yelling for drinks and tapas. We enjoyed a couple of drinks and some basic tapas (tortilla de patata, jamon y pan) before wandering over to Antigua Castaneda. This bar was less crowded, which surprised me, because the food was far superior. In fact, Antigua Castaneda served up the best spinach and garbanzo beans we've had on our entire trip. We stuck around for a couple more drinks, then headed back to Hostal Lima to get a good night's sleep.

The next day, we made our way to the Alhambra. Atop a hill overlooking Granada, the sheer size of this Muslim Castle was impressive. We toured both the Generalife (gardens) as well as the palace and castle. JCB took an audio-guided tour that fed him all the facts about the building and city's history. I opted to simply walk around and take pictures and have JCB fill me in on the good stuff. It's kind of difficult to describe the Alhambra, so I'll just leave it up to the pictures...

After our trip to the Alhambra, we visited a Hammam for an afternoon bath. Baths, actually. We visited an Arab bath house! We spent two hours soaking in different pools of cold, lukewarm, warm, very warm, and hot water. And in between baths, we received massages with aromatherapy. It was a warm relaxing way to end our day.

Free tapas, the Alhambra, and Arab baths? Granada has definitely edged out Sevilla to become our second favorite town of the trip, just behind Barcelona. I wonder what's in store during our quick stop in Madrid followed by two nights in Valencia?!

Sweet Home Sevilla

2008-12-01T01:27:00.000-08:00

Adios, coche! Hola, Sevilla! Upon our arrival in Sevilla, the first order of business was to return the rental car to Hertz at the Train Station. Oh, happy day! We loved the freedom of our car, and our road trip through rural Spain was unbelievable. However, now that we will be spending the rest of our time in larger cities, we have opted to travel by foot/bus/train. JCB and I can go back to being our normal selves. (Meaning, no more arguing over how the other one is driving!)

After returning the car, we made our way back to Barrio Santa Cruz, one of the liveliest neighborhoods of the city. At the recommendation of our taxi driver, we made our first stop in Bar Alfalfa for cerveza and tostada con queso y salmorenjo. Toasty, cheesy, delicious. We decided to continue our bar hopping while heading back to the hotel – it was time for siesta!

After a long afternoon / evening nap – I think we woke up at 9:30 PM – we showered, dressed, and headed out onto the town. JCB had planned several tapas bars for us to visit, and they were all fabulous. By midnight, we were stuffed, but we had a couple more drinks before heading home for good. We really wanted to stay out and see some of the club scene, but the clubs weren’t really going to pick up until 2AM, and there was no way I was going to make it that late. We will make it out super late once. I promise!

Our Sunday was busy, starting with breakfast at a cute, cheap tapas place called La Companara. We then ventured over to El Alcazar, which put all of the other castles we have seen to date to total shame. This castle was gigantic. Elaborate tiling, a beautiful garden, and so much space. I think we wandered throughout for over an hour. And I’m pretty sure we took over one hundred pictures…

After the castle, more tapas. It is so fun to eat in Sevilla – lots of great food, but in small portions. It is fun to be hungry every two hours again! We continued to wander around, next to La Plaza Espana, and just hung out for a while. Watched Spanish toddlers get into trouble, mostly. We’re both intrigued when we hear little Spanish voices. It is frustrating that they can speak better than us!

Last on our agenda, was La Catedral de Sevilla. Another cathedral. I have had my share of cathedrals by now, but this one was pretty cool. It boasts being the largest of the worlds Gothic cathedrals, and also the third largest of all the world’s cathedrals (regardless of architecture). In addition, the cathedral houses two paintings by Goya, as well as the tomb of Christopher Columbus. It also has one of the most elaborate altars I ever seen, with a backdrop of 40+ gold statues and religious scenes telling stories both of Christ and Sevilla. I have never seen anything like it, before.

After a quick climb to the top of the cathedral tower, we realized that 4PM was quickly approaching: time for another round of small plates. We chose a spot not too far from the cathedral, next to some locals, and had gambas a la plancha (grilled shrimp – with heads) and a fried fish of sorts. Very good. During dinner I checked my pedometer and saw that we had walked 14 KM that day. No wonder we were so tired! So we headed back to the hotel for our favorite time of day, siesta.

We loved Sevilla. So much so that we thought we could actually live here. And we think we will probably return again, and hopefully soon. But for now, it is time to get ready for Granada!

Cordoba – The Return of the Tapa

2008-11-29T01:26:00.000-08:00

Our drive from Rascafria to Cordoba was supposed to take about 5 hours – and it did. It’s just that it also took two hours once in Cordoba to find our hostal. Considering both JCB and I were already quite ready to get out of the car, having to drive around a city without street signs trying to figure out where we were going was a strain our already waning patience.

Cordoba, like the other smaller/medium size cities in Spain, has many, very narrow roads. And the only signs that are posted say “Do Not Enter.” Our hostal had posted signs to point us in the right direction, but out of the eleven turns we needed to make to arrive, only 4 had signs – and the last turn, the turn that would have put us right on the street we needed to be on, well no sign for that turn existed.

We stopped several times to ask locals for directions. One very kind man even drew us a map. Still, we managed to mess up again. But luckily, JCB found some landmarks, and after pulling over to let the traffic pass us five or six times, we somehow managed to get back on track. And after only one more wrong turn, we saw THE sign to our hostal. We checked in just in time for a round of tapas...

It’s no secret that JCB and I have been getting just a *tad* sick of tapas. Well, tapas are back! These Andalucians know how to make small plates – especially without ham! Now that we are somewhat closer to the sea, we are seeing a resurgence of fish and other tasty vegetables. Not to mention delicious wines. Our favorite tapa from Cordoba was the salmorenjo – kind of a cold tomato soup with olive oil and a small bit of ham and hard boiled eggs – DELICIOUS.

With the return of great food, we treated ourselves to a great dinner in La Juderia – the Jewish neighborhood in town. Casa Pepe de la Juderia came recommended in Lonely Planet, and it didn’t disappoint us. I had salmon with orange sauce, while JCB ventured out a bit and had ox tail. We enjoyed some sangria, as well. Then the next morning, we continued eating salmorenjo, this time at breakfast with a tortilla de patata. This tortilla was the best yet, probably because our waiter doused it in olive oil and salt before serving it to us. Yes, we are LOVING Andalucia.

After breakfast, we toured Cordoba’s main attraction, La Mezquita. Another Catholic church turned Muslim mosque turned Catholic Cathedral. (La Mezquita is Spanish for mosque.) We were blown away by the beauty of the arches inside. So many entryways upon which JCB gazed... After about an hour of touring La Mezquita, it was time to check out of the hostal and continue our journey onto Sevilla. But Cordoba was a wonderful, if not quick, stop.

Our Spanish-American Day of Thanks

2008-11-28T11:38:00.000-08:00

We slept fabulously in our Sheraton Sweet Sleepr Bed, and woke up early on Thursday - Thanksgiving Day - with intentions to be as American as possible. This Thanksgiving was the first either JCB or I have spent outside the US, and given the plethora of pork around us, we were both sad to be missing out on Thanksgiving feasts.

But I had a great idea, if I do say so myself, to order "El Desayuno Americano" off the room service menu for a delightful American Breakfast in bed to start our day off right. And since we had also picked up a bottle of rose wine - yes, rose, which I now refer to as "breakfast wine" - I thought that adding some chilled wine to our American Breakfast would be a great way for us to get over missing such treats as sweet potatoes, green bean casserole, stuffing, cranberries, and of course, turkey, during our families' Thanksgiving dinners.

Boy was I right. I cannot wait to incorporate more breakfast wines into my life back in SF. We ate our meal, which also included American Coffee (and lots of it - not just a small cup!) and raddled off the things for which we are both thankful. It was a pretty special morning.

After breakfast, JCB and I got showered and dressed for a day in Segovia. And I will admit that for once, JCB was ready to leave before I was. (Something over which I am still amazed, but for which I am nonetheless thankful..) Before getting in the car and heading to Segovia, we walked around our hotel grounds to check out the Monastery of El Paular, the main attraction of Rascafria.

I then took the wheel for our hour-long drive to Segovia, which in itself was amazing. The steep, winding roads took us through forests and over a mountain pass. Neither of us expected to drive through such a beautiful, snow covered mountain range in Spain. Especially not in November. The winding roads were quite scary at times. JCB in the passenger seat practicing Spanish ("Dos libros rojos...") with me bracing the wheel through switchback after switchback. We continued on for quite a while rather peacefully, when all of a sudden, after a rather sharp curve, I screamed.

"There's a BULL in the road!" And out of shear panic - I was SO afraid the bull was going to ram into the car - I sped off, while JCB fumbled for the camera. He was a little pissed, as he (reasonably) had wanted a picture of the bull. But my heart was pounding in fear. That bull was huge. HUGE. But in hindsight, I guess I wish I hadn't been so jumpy. I imagine it is doubtful the bull would have ran into the car. As JCB pointed out - in Spanish, I was so proud - "El coche no es rojo." (The car is not red.) So there is no proof of our run-in with a bull on the country-mountain road of Spain. But we swear, it happened.

We made it to Segovia not long after our run-in with the bull. We found parking outside of the center of town, and began walking in the very brisk November air towards the tourist attractions. Our main goals for the day were to see the Roman Aqueduct ruins, La Catedral de Segovia, y El Alcazar (castle). Each were amazing. It seems that our itinerary of cities is in the perfect order, as the architecture in each city seems to get better and better.

Perhaps it is because we're both engineers, but the aqueducts were our favorite sight of the day. The Romans somehow constructed the aqueduct - which is 2950 feet long and stretches from the Sierra de Guadarrma mountains to the edge of town - without mortar. Just large granite stones placed on top of one another. It just doesn't make sense that this work could have been done 2000 years ago. I also don't understand why the people of Segovia didn't just build their town 2950 feet closer to the mountains, but that is a rather moot point in this day in age.

La Catedral was also impressive, but a rather quick stop for us. I think we've seen our fill of churches by now. So we wandered through town, lunched and shopped, before heading to El Alcazar. This castle is one of the most famous castles in all of Spain, because so many kings have lived there, but also because Walt Disney chose this castle as his model for the castle in Sleeping Beauty. The town eats that factoid up, by the way - there is a bar not far from the castle called Disney Bar. (We didn't stop there...)

After climbing to the top of the tower and taking a few snapshots, JCB and I were ready to head "home" to Rascafria. Segovia was great, but after a few days in very quiet small towns, we were a little taken aback by so many people, not to mention so many Americans. I love how after a week in Spain and four lessons of Rosetta Stone, JCB does not want to hear any English.

Back in Rascafria, we dined on more American food in honor of Thanksgiving. I had a vegetarian sandwich with potato chips, JCB a hamburger with French Fries. Glorious! We relaxed in our room with some more cheap but delicious Spanish wine, watched a couple episodes of "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and drifted off into a peaceful, thankful, Spanish slumber.

Ruta de Don Quixote

2008-11-26T14:59:00.000-08:00

It is strange how we always arrive in towns so happy to be there, and always leave towns so happy to be moving on. Today was no exception. Even after an amazing dinner in Siguenza, we awoke early this morning, eager to get on the road... especially with some American food. We are really at our wits end with some of these tapas places!

We got on the road, and traveled north to Ayllon before heading back South towards Segovia and Rascafria. For some of the drive, we were following the Route of Don Quixote. (Or so the signs said.) It was actually a beautiful drive, with lots of castles and mountains and small towns. We are definitely getting our fill of small town Spain.

For the next two nights, we're staying at a lovely Sheraton in the very small town of Rascafria, about 100 KM outside of Madrid. It is quiet and peaceful and covered in snow. And since JCB and I both have spent so many nights at the Westin in Chicago for work, we are cashing in on points for a very cheap stay. Que bueno!

JCB and I are both fighting colds, so upon arriving, we had lunch and then went back to the hotel to relax and rest. Our Sheraton Sweet Sleeper Bed is amazing. We climbed into the crisp white sheets and fell asleep for a few hours, and woke up around 9PM. For dinner, we ordered room service. Talk about lazy! We split soup and a hamburger. We watched a movie on my computer, Lost in La Mancha, a documentary about Terry Gilliam's efforts at making a film of Don Quixote. And we are ready to turn in for another blissful night of restful sleep.

Tomorrow, we will venture the hour's drive to Segovia for a hefty amount of sightseeing. I have wanted to visit Segovia since I learned about it back in my high school Spanish classes. I am very excited for tomorrow, to say the least. So time for bed - more tomorrow. Adios.

Latest Itinerary

2008-11-25T22:34:00.000-08:00

We've made a few updates to our trip, again. Adding a night in Siguenza and moving Madrid out a few more days. Check out this map of our travels:

View Larger Map

We'll be turning the car in once we hit Sevilla, and training it from there. Nearly a week into our travel and we're having a great time. We're taking off for our another couple of quiet days in Rascafria (free Sheraton nights close to Segovia). More soon...

Spain Pics - Round 1

2008-11-25T12:21:00.000-08:00

My sleepy day in Siguenza made for ample time to compile photos.

2008.11.20 - Barcelona Day 1

2008.11.21 - Barcelona Day 2

2008.11.22 - Lleida

2008.11.23 - Zaragoza Day 1

2008.11.24 - Zaragoza Day 2

2008.11.24 - Siguenza Day 1

2008.11.25 - Siguenza Day 2

Snow and Sleep in Siguenza

2008-11-25T10:59:00.000-08:00

The first few days of our trip were pretty busy. So when we arrived in Siguenza, and realized how cute this place is, we decided again to re-arrange our itinerary and spend an extra night here. Vacations are supposed to be restful, right?

After we unpacked our bags, we headed down the street to Bar Alameda for lunch. Our drive to Siguenza took a bit longer than we had anticipated, due to some tricky sign reading near Medinaceli, so we were very hungry. Inside Bar Alameda, we found a bunch of locals playing cards and dominos. I don't think anyone except the bartenders work in this town. 3PM on a Monday and everyone was drinking and eating and having fun.

We sat down to tortilla de atun (Spanish omellette with tuna), chorizo, bread, and two drinks that I thought were a dark, stout-like beer. However, after a grimmacing first sip, we decided the drinks were less like stouts and more like Spanish Long Island Iced Teas. From a keg. Nasty stuff! One drink and both JCB and I were on our way to siesta time.

We made our way back to the hotel, but stopped at a little store (mercadito) and bought some snacks, including two bottles of Spanish wine. A tempranillo reserve from 1999 (4,90 Euros) and a Rioja reserve from 2000 (3,30 Euros). Both were amazing, and we probably thought they tasted even better because we knew how cheap they were. Sleepy, we siesta-ed all night long. Nothing is open in Siguenza on Monday nights, so "when in Rome."

This morning, we awoke to light snow and brisk 2 degree Celsius temperatures. We bundled up - JCB literally threw his pants on over his pajamas - and took a walk to get breakfast. More tortilla, chorizo, and cafe con leche. Our food was good, the coffe was better. We felt ready to tackle our day.

Except that by noon, we were pretty much done with our day. Siguenza is SMALL. Really small. Although La Catedral is beautiful, we whisked through it in about 20 minutes. And the castle? Well, the castle has been converted into a hotel. Still picturesque, yes, but nothing to really see except the outside. Still, we managed to keep ourself busy by eating every couple of hours.

Yes, every couple of hours. We are hungry! All the time! In fact, I'd say we've been hungry pretty much since we left Lleida. And as we tried to find a place to eat, I started to remember why I previously vowed never to go back to Spain - the food is horrible. Well, let me correct that statement: the food in Madrid is horrible. And maybe all of Castilla? Cured hams. Bacon. Chorizo. Cured hams. Bacon. Chorizo. Cured hams. Bacon. Chorizo. And body parts that I prefer to see on a body rather than in a stew. And everything in oil. Even cheese in oil. Is that necessary? We miss our fish. We miss Barcelona!

When times are tough, though, I think it is always important to reach out to the locals. So we went into the Office of Tourism and picked up some brochures with restaurant recommendations. We sat on the cold steps of La Catedral and found a place that served "migas" - what our Lonely Planet described as an Aragonian treat of breadcrumbs, tomatoes, and olive oil. We had been looking for migas in Zaragoza, per our Lonely Planet's suggestion, but never found it. So, imagine our excitement to find the dish in Siguenza. Regrettably, though, and much to our surprise, when our migas arrived we found them caked in chorizo and chorizo juice and sprinkled - or maybe I should say, showered - in chunks of fat, which I will assume was meant to be bacon, but was really just gristle. Que es esto?! Bummed about our migas, we really only had a few bites. Sadness...

Siguenza came through in the end, though. We found a Chureria and satisfied our lunch craving with churos y chocolate! And we spent the rest of the afternoon lounging around our hotel. We lied in our bed, opened our curtains, and watched the snow fall. Siesta came early today. JCB slept while I watched a movie and compiled our pictures. But now it is time for La Cena, and we're eating at the hotel restaurant downstairs. The menu is impressive - take a look - and since there are many options without ham and bacon, we have faith that el Doncel will restore our faith in Castillan cuisine.

A Night in Zaragoza

2008-11-24T12:27:00.000-08:00

Did I mention that we climbed 238 steep, winding stairs to reach to the top of the Cathedral Tower in Lleida? I don't think I did. That trek did a number on our legs - and thus, we were pretty excited to sit in a car for a couple of hours, driving to Zaragoza.

JCB had an idea NOT to take the freeway, as our trip from Barcelona to Lleida was ridden with tolls. I didn't think there were going to be any more tolls, but since it was his turn to drive, I agreed that we could take the scenic route. New rule of the trip is that the driver gets to (has to!) make decisions, and that after all quibbles, we must kiss and say, "Te amo", which means, I love you. After money and how to raise the kids, I am certain how to drive is #3 on the list of topics over which married people argue.

But back to our drive, it was very scenic, if by scenic you enjoy driving through West Texas: a whole lot of nothing. Considering how many people live in Spain (40.5 million - gracias, World Factbook) and that Spain is roughly twice the size of Oregon (again, gracias World Factbook) and knowing that the population of Oregon is only about 3.7 million (A different factbook), I was not expecting to see so much open space in this country. I was wrong.

The drive wasn't that exciting, so JCB and I went through lessons of Rosetta Stone Spanish. (He is coming along quite well!) By the time we reached our exit for Zaragoza, we were both pretty ready to be out of the car. But we were not ready for the sight that lied before us - La Basilica de Nuestra Senora del Pilar, en La Plaza de Pilar. A mouthful, es verdad (true), and quite deserving of the title.

Says the Lonely Planet, "Brace yourself for the saintly and the sombre in this great baroque cavern of Catholicisim." Lonely Planet has let us down from time to time on this trip, but they were pretty spot on with this description of one of Zaragoza's main attractions. We couldn't take pictures inside, so we loaded up on quite a few outside. (Example, left, taken by JCB at night.)

There are no official tours on Monday, but since I was raised Catholic, I filled JCB in on some of what La Basilica had to offer from a religious perspective. JCB filled me in on the interesting historical facts. La Basilica was erected because on the grounds, on 2 January AD 40, Santiago (St. James the Apostle) saw the Virgin Mary descend atop a marble pilar. This piece of marble - "la pilar" - is enshrined inside La Basilica, and many of the faithful - including popes - have knelt before it and kissed it. In total, La Basilica was beautiful, and I even lit a candle for my grandparents inside.

Our evening in Zaragoza was somewhat tame, as it was Sunday night. But we managed to find a little tapas bar at which we dined on two amazing salads: green tomatoes with pesto and mozzarella (drizzled with balsamic vinegarette and served on a bed of greens) and a unique cold tuna and red peppers with pine nuts (drizzled with a raspberry vinegarette and served on a bed of greens).

We rose Monday morning and had breakfast at the local chureria. Yes, that's right - a churos store. Absolutely nothing healthy about our breakfast, but absolutely nothing wrong with eating deep fried bread drenched in sugar and dipped in chocolate when you are on vacation. After breakfast, we made our way to another church/palace with Muslim and Catholic influences, La Aljaferia.

La Aljaferia boasts beautiful architecture and ornate decor. It is one of the first palaces with Muslim origins through which I have toured while in Spain. And what I have learned from this experience is that I am a sucker for all the detailing in Muslim architecture: the elaborate doorways, the orange tree groves, the water fountains... I simply cannot wait to see La Alhambra in Granada. La Aljaferia certainly did a great job at getting me excited to tour more of the Muslim influences of Spain.

Our tour of La Aljaferia lasted about an hour, and then we strolled back through the winding streets of Zaragoza. Frustrated that so many stores were closed on Monday, we finally found a small place at which we grabbed a more wholesome breakfast of bocadillos (small sandwiches). We checked out of the hotel, loadeded up the car, and were again on the road...

Yay-dah: Lleida

2008-11-23T12:39:00.001-08:00

Due to some unforseen circumstances - JCB's client decided not to pay for our third night at the 5 Star Hotel in Barcelona - we have adjusted our itinerary. A little frustrating, yes; we found out pretty last minute, and by that time, we couldn't go back and see all the things in Barcelona we weren't going to get to see. But challenge is really just more opportunity, right?

So instead of having a crazy night out in Barcelona on Saturday, we packed our bags, rented our car, and started driving to Lleida. That's right, Lleida. We hadn't heard of it before, either. But it was about halfway between Barcelona and Zaragoza, and we were able to score a 4-star hotel room for 64 Euros, so why not?

Well, yay for Lledia. Even though the town was virtually dead on a Saturday night, JCB and I managed to find the one happening restaurant: La Masia. The place resembled the nursing homes at which I used to tap dance as a kid. Carpeted floor, large circular tables, a coat rack on wheels, and a television on a stool in the corner. Add to it that all the tables were flanked by middle-aged Spaniards smoking like chimneys and toasting to life, JCB and I were quite sure we had invaded a family reunion.

But we were received warmly. We're not sure an American had ever set foot in La Masia before. Our waiters spoke Catlan. Our menus were in Catalan. So I was speaking Spanish to the waiter speaking Catalan, but I wasn't even sure what I was saying.

Nevertheless, I found a seafood dish to eat. I settled on it only because the waiter confirmed that none of the fish in the dish would have heads or eyes. JCB settled on a lamb chop. We saw a lot of feet on the menu, but when the waiter said, "Baaaaaaaah" and pointed to his leg, we figured he'd be OK. Not to my surprise, though, the food was fabulous.

Delightfully full, we went back to the hotel, and slept soundly. Finally! We woke early, had some breakfast, and headed to a Catholic Cathedral turned Muslim Mosque turned Fortress turned turist attraction. It was a sight - just see the picture at left. And would you believe it, "This church has a bar!"

We walked around the grounds, both inside and out, and took a lot of pictures. The combination of the Muslim and Catholic influences in the archictecture was what I found to be most interesting. We made our way into a chapel and found a group of people celebrating what I thought was mass. However, we soon realized it wasn't mass, mostly because we noticed that one of the men on the altar was presenting a sword to the congregation. Loco!

After a quick stop at the bar (for coffee, although had we wanted, we could have had a shot of tequila) we were on the road again, headed to Zaragoza. Lleida, our unexpected, delightful surprise excursion, forever in our hearts.

Estamos en Barcelona!

2008-11-20T11:24:00.001-08:00

After about 19 hours of travel, JCB and I have made it to Barcelona. For the past day we have done nothing but sit in airplanes, airports, or taxis. We have also done our fair share of eating. But since we really haven't slept, we are still starving. So we are trying to figure out where to go for la cena...

Our hotel - Hotel Majestic - is right in L'Eixample, so we are very centrally located throughout town. We had an amazing lunch of tapas and wine at a small place down the street. And it looks like we're going to head to another tapas bar - Cerveceria Catalana - for a light dinner before we go back to bed to pass out. Stay tuned for photos tomorrow!

Long Time No Travel

2008-11-18T22:48:00.001-08:00

It has been about a month since my last substantial trip. (Meaning, I went to Europe, of course.) And tonight, I am packing my bags to do it again... Only this time it is for fun!

JCB has a meeting in Barcelona, and I have decided to cash in some vacation time to join him. I'm going to be away from November 19 - December 8, and it is all for fun. So psyched! Here is our itinerary...

Date Destination

19-Nov-08 Flying to London Heathrow and on to Barcelona

20-Nov-08 Barcelona

21-Nov-08 Barcelona

22-Nov-08 Barcelona

23-Nov-08 Zaragoza

24-Nov-08 Siguenza

25-Nov-08 Madrid

26-Nov-08 Rascafria - Segovia

27-Nov-08 Rascafria - Avila

28-Nov-08 Cordoba

29-Nov-08 Sevilla

30-Nov-08 Sevilla

1-Dec-08 Granada

2-Dec-08 Granada

3-Dec-08 Toledo

4-Dec-08 Cuenca

5-Dec-08 Valencia

6-Dec-08 Barcelona

7-Dec-08 Flying back to SFO

Stay tuned for lots of updates on our whereabouts!

Galway and Cliffs of Moher

2008-08-30T13:42:00.000-07:00

And yet again, I learn that I am not meant for group tours...

I woke up this morning at 5AM to do some packing before heading to the train station for my Ireland Railtours trip. I caught a taxi at 6:30 AM, giving me plenty of time to get to Euston Train Station, just 10 minutes away, for my 7:00 AM departure. If only my taxi driver could hear. Because I don't think Euston sounds anything like Connoly. Do you? Right.

I arrive at Connoly station and as I'm about to get out of the taxi, I ask, "This is Euston station?"

"Oh, Euston station! I thought you said Connoly station. Of course, you wouldn't want Connoly station. You would want Euston station!"

I pleaded with him to drive quickly, as my train was going to depart in 20 minutes, and Euston station was about 15 minutes from where we ended up. But alas, I arrived at the station just as my train was departing. 109 Euros down the drain...

But I'm not afraid of independent traveling. Hell, I embrace independent traveling. It was only until this trip to Ireland that I considered taking a tour, mostly because the things I wanted to see were outside of Dublin and I don't *really* know my way around Ireland. So I purchased a ticket to Galway directly, hoping that once I arrived, I'd be able to catch a bus to Cliffs of Moher.

Roundtrip ticket from Dublin - Galway, 30 Euro. Lovely!

It was rainy and chilly on the train, but they served coffee and I was prepared with reading material. I read, snoozed, and took pictures out the window at the green, green, green pastures along which horses, cows, sheaps, donkeys, and goats grazed. But I wasn't all that impressed with the Irish countryside. Yet.

Once in Galway, I found some advertisements for day tours to points of interest along the coast, and sure enough, Cliffs of Moher. Roundtrip ticket on the public bus, 20 Euro. Brilliant! What a fool I was to think I needed to take a freaking tour. I had about a half hour to spare before the bus would depart, so I grabbed some more coffee and tried to wander around Galway a bit. But it was rainy and I wasn't in the mood to deal with it, so I sat at the bus stop waiting for my next departure.

The bus was nicer than I imagined it would be. I took a seat towards the front and had a perfect view of the scenery to come. The rain wore off, the sun actually came out, and the Irish countryside really was splendid. With the ocean in the not too far distant, the small houses, stone fences, and rolling green were beautiful. If only I could have gotten out a bit more to take some good pictures! But, taking snapshots through glass got me across the US back when I made the Cross Country Trek to San Francisco, so I think I'll be able to salvage a few good pictures.

I didn't get to see Limerick, River Shannon, or Bunratty Castle. The trip I ended up taking only covered part of what the tour covered, and it did so in reverse fashion. At one point, I actually saw the coach for Ireland Railtours drive by. But I did ride through the Burren and along Galway Bay prior to reaching the Cliffs of Moher. Lots of small towns with of course, many pubs, and even some bed and breakfasts that seemed to be very relaxing.

The Cliffs themselves are beautiful. Reminded me a lot of Northern California, actually. Only with more green and a little less sun. I was able to get some good pictures, and even met some Americans who were in Ireland on a golfiing trip. (Note to Dad: Golf in Ireland and bring Mom!) I was only there for an hour, because there isn't a whole lot else to do. But all in all, it was worth the 10 hour round trip. And I will keep telling myself that!

We made it back to Galway around 3PM, which gave me some time to wander around more. I found my way to Quay street, lined with pubs and shops and did a little shopping damage. I had a Guinness and some soup and chips, then headed back to the train station to come back to Dublin. Everyone says Galway is a great city for going out at night, but I unfortunately didn't have enough time for that. My flight leaves tomorrow at 6:45 AM!

So lessons learned for Nic: organized tours are not for me. Too expensive and too inflexible. I have learned from LEFS that I don't need to spend a lot of money while traveling to have a good time. And I have learned from my own experience that things never go the way you envision they will while in another country. Sooner or later (I'm hoping later because I am really tired of flying to Europe!) I'll be back in Ireland; and now that I've been here once, I have a better idea of what I want to do next time.

Over and out from Dublin... Cheers!

2008.08.30 - Galway and Cliffs of Moher

Railtour Ireland

2008-08-29T21:07:00.001-07:00

I didn't really go into it last week because it wasn't the point of my trip to Belfast. But I got to Belfast by bus, on a bus tour. Now, Mom always takes bus tours. I don't. I hate bus tours. I hate the guide talking the whole time, I hate... being on a bus. I think it brings back memories of riding the Greyhound from Charlottesville to Durham to visit my boyfriend in college who went to Duke.

I better get back to the point before I sidetrack too much...

So, last weekend I booked a Paddywagon Tour. But when the bus came to pick us up, it ended up being overbooked. And because I was traveling by myself, I was the person who had to get kicked off the tour.

Now, I'm living in Dublin for two weeks, working 14 hour days and pretty much running myself into the ground. I want a freaking day of touristing! I almost started to cry. The travel guide tried to find other tours for me, but everything had already left the city. So he let me get on the bus - he was going to drop me off at the Paddywagon office - when I just asked if I could sit on the floor. He was a cool guy, and he let me, but it kind of sucked. Luckily, some nice men from Bass and France (note - not England, as my Irish tour guide pointed out repeatedly) gave up their seat for me, but seriously!

Sorry, Mom, I tried your preferred method of travel and it didn't work for me. I will go back to taking trains, subways, public transportation busses, and my own two feet.

Saturday, I will take a train. Railtours Ireland will carry me to the mid-western coast. "A day trip to Ireland's rugged and unique mid-western coast, through Limerick on the mighty River Shannon and on then to the imposing Bunratty Castle with its lovely folk park. The stunning Cliffs of Moher, the Burren and Galway Bay. A flavour of Galway City concludes the tour before our return to Dublin."

It should be a great day. Lets hope for some sunshine when I'm at the Cliffs!

Sunday in Belfast

2008-08-24T13:17:00.000-07:00

I traveled from Dublin to Belfast today. Dublin is part of the Republic of Ireland. The currency is the Euro. And the people are Catholic. Belfast is part of the United Kingdom. The currency is Pounds Sterling. And the people are Protestant. And Catholic.

And they don't get along.

Without getting into all of the history, the focus of the touring today was on the relationships between the Protestants (UK Loyalists) and the Catholics (from Republic of Ireland). Belfast is a city divided by religion at its foundation, but also politically. To top it all off, the city is also physically divided with walls to separate the Protestant and Catholic neighborhoods.

I have never seen anything like this.

Our tour guide kept trying to say that Belfast is cosmopolitan, and up and coming, ant that it will very soon be another European powerhouse city. But I didn't see any of that. I saw people who don't interact with one another. Bars and pubs named to show which side they are on, and no mixing of Protestants and Catholics. There is so much history in Belfast, but all that stood out to me was hate.

Coming from San Francisco, a city that to me defines tolerance, it was a lot to take in; and I found myself quite inexplicably crying while taking in a photography exhibit outside of the Belfast City Hall. The exhibit, "1000 Families - Building Unity through Diversity" included photographs of families of all shapes, sizes, colors, and economies from all over the world. I have always been more moved by photography - reality - than by paintings, but I don't recall a picture ever bringing me to tears until today. Standing in front of some beautiful photographs, in the middle of a city that didn't feel united in any way, just made me so sad. I cried. I just felt really sad and terrible to be in a place with so much hate over something as ridiculous as religion.

I took a lot of pictures today. Some more upsetting than others. But in total, I feel privileged to have seen Belfast, and even more to know that I will go home to a city that thrives on diversity and acceptance.

2008.08.24 - Sunday in Belfast

Saturday in Dublin

2008-08-23T13:10:00.000-07:00

After a long night working on Friday, I went to sleep and enjoyed eight miraculous hours of rest. I woke up on Saturday morning to a lot of rain, and very little motivation to leave the apartment. Luckily, LEFS is in West Africa, somewhat on my timezone, and we spent a solid hour or two catching up on Skype.

What would I do without Skype?!

When the rain finally let up a bit, I ventured outside and wandered for a while in South Dublin. I had intentions of making it to the Guinness Storehouse, but was given directions to a very small Guinnes Store, not the Guinness Brewery, so I ended up just walking around Dublin and doing some shopping along Grafton Street.

It was a rather uneventful day, but I kind of needed a day of un-events...

2008.08.23 - Saturday in Dublin

Dubl!n

2008-08-22T13:17:00.000-07:00

I haven't been blogging much lately. Mostly because I really haven't wanted the small amount of free time I've managed to squander at a computer. But alas, when I find myself on the other side of the world, I always seem to also find some spare time - and an itch to blog...

So here I am in Dublin, Ireland for two weeks for work. One week down and I have pretty much spent most waking hours in front of a computer. Kind of stressful, and it's not done yet, but I'm trying to remain positive. I mean, how can you not be positive in Dublin with all this... rain?!

It has rained every day for the past seven days. And probably, the seventy-seven days before that, really. But this city isn't phased. From 11AM - 3AM I find Dubliners drinking and smoking in the streets, laughing. It's rather impressive. Especially when I think back to my drinking days in DC and how the rain was really the only thing that stopped a night of debauchery. Not in Dubl

The city is pretty small - I already have a pretty good sense of direction and can walk almost anywhere. I arrived on Sunday night, worked and did some shopping on Monday, worked and saw Riverdance at the Gaiety theater on Tuesday, worked and worked and worked on Wednesday.

By Thursday, we'd had it with working, so we had a fun night on the town in the Temple Bar section of the city. Temple Bar has an amazing combination of what one considers "Irish" with what one knows is inherently cheesy and touristy. We went to Dougheny's by the office (not so much Temple Bar...) and then headed over to Porterhouse and Ri Ra and had a ridiculous quantity and combination of alcohol. So much so that I didn't make it into the office on Friday until 11:30 AM. But the brilliant thing about our European offices is that 11:30 AM is still 3:30 AM San Francisco time, so no big loss!

Cheers to next week being more relaxed and from a work perspective but packed when it comes to traveling...

Saturday - Dublin, Dublin, Dublin
Sunday - Day Trip to Belfast
Monday -Thursday - Dublin Touring as Schedule Permits
Friday - Guinness Storehouse
Saturday - West Coast Rail Tour - The Cliffs of Moher, Burren and Galway Bay
Sunday - Back to the States!

Check out pics from Thursday night in Temple Bar!

2008.08.16 - Dublin Week 1

Sonoma State Beach - Coastal Camping

2008-07-08T20:06:00.000-07:00

Even with a broken wrist, we still managed to camp this weekend. Yes, we had to let go of the idea of kayaking into our site off of Tomales Bay at Point Reyes and embrace the idea of car camping. I know - CAR CAMPING! But we backpackers were quickly reminded that with Car Camping there is WINE and BEER instead of (in addition to?) Crown Royal and Bushmills. So we were OK with settling. But only until my wrist gets better!!!

2008.07.04 - Sonoma Coast State Beach Camping

Broken Wrist

2008-07-03T08:17:00.000-07:00

I am back from my world travels, and without a doubt, the most frustrating trip I have ever been on.

1) Laptop crashed 20 minutes into my flight from San Francisco to Rome. A business trip on the other side of the world without a computer?

2) Cute new GREEN shirt I bought before my trip? I am positive a maid stole it in Rome. OK, maybe I forgot it somewhere, but I really did check under the bed and I thought I had everything. Seriously!

3) London? I didn't really even see much of London other than the 6 blocks between my hotel and my office.

4) Philly? Well, that was actually fun. Like, really fun. Except for the part at my cousin's wedding when I fell on the dance floor and broke my wrist. Yes, I am 28, and yes, I am wearing a cast on my left arm. It is GREEN.

It is hard to type, but I will update everyone on the rest of my travels soon...

The Rome Top...

2008-06-21T10:45:00.000-07:00

I have no idea how long this list is going to be. But I ducked into a cafe because I just cannot imagine not documenting all of the amazing things I have seen today.

In no particular order...

Palm Trees. In Rome! How come I have never before seen a Palm Tree next to the Colloseum?
Really? I look Italiana? Sono spiacente, sono americana... (I am sorry, I am American!) Please do not talk to me so quickly!
Really? I look that American? The other 51% of this country thinks I am Italian. Please, at least say, buona sera!Siesta. It is effing HOT here. And no one should have to be awake for this nastiness.
Straight men toting Louis Vutton bags.
Straight men toting Prada bags.
Straight men... looking dubiously straight, more or less. They are so in style.
Really? I look Italiana? Sono spiacente, sono americana... (I am sorry, I am American!) Please do not talk to me so quickly!
Really? I look that American? The other 51% of this country thinks I am Italian. Please, at least say, buona sera!
Gelato.
Sweating. I normally HATE sweating. But here, you just sweat, sweat, sweat. Then refer to numero nove, above.
Full women in tight, tight, tight, WHITE pants and shirts.
Full women bringing ME size SMALL in all stores.
Chianti.
Shoes! Why they never took Carrie to Rome for Sex and the City is beyond me...
Montepulciano.
Colorful buildings with lots of windows and large shutters.
Key cards for lights. Sure, it is a little odd, but it is good for the environment and I never lose my hotel key!
Mozzarella. So fresh and so...
Pizza. If it is this good here, I am afraid to go to Napoli!
Wine. Have I mentioned that before? Because really, all the wine, even the white wine (Mom!) is all amazing. And, if drank correctly, it yields no hangover.

It is 8PM now, time for more wine and gelato. Really, I know it is actually time for dinner, but I could not wait any longer. I was starving an hour ago. Round 2 coming up. Ciao!

When in Rome...

2008-06-20T11:11:00.000-07:00

I kind of fell in love with Mountain Man JCB on our first date. I know, I don't believe in Love at First Sight. But I do believe in Love at First Watching of Ace Ventura Pet Detective. When JCB and I said all the words to Ace Ventura Pet Detective, in unison, from start to finish of the entire movie, I knew this was it.

My feelings for the man were only reconfirmed when months later, after a long night of drinking, we woke up and watched Anchorman from start to finish. Again, JCB could not keep quiet and recited every single line of the entire movie. And much to my surprise, every single line of that movie - that movie I had only seen once prior to this viewing - was a line that JCB frequently used. A line that frequently brought me to hysterics, nonetheless. And I had no idea he was being entirely unoriginal all the while!

However, given my inclination to memorizing movies and dropping the lines whenever I can, this only made me love the guy even more.

I love scotch. Scotchy, scotch, scotch. Here it goes down, down into my belly...

For just one night let’s not be Co-workers. Let's be Co-people...

Baxter, you know I don't speak Spanish...

I love lamp...
When in Rome...

So, now that I actually am, IN ROME, I am missing Mountain Man even more than ever. This city is pretty amazing, I have to say. And it would be a lot more fun to eat all this gelato and drink all this wine and do all this wandering around if I weren't all by myself.

But I am, IN ROME, and it is 9PM, so I better go get some gelato...

Romeward Bound

2008-06-15T14:46:00.000-07:00

We are approaching that time, again. That time when I really, really, really have to do laundry. Because I really, really, really have to start packing.

But I'm not going to complain. Because I'm not going to Chicago!

Tomorrow morning at 9:01 AM (flight time confirmed by Mountain Man, so that I don't end up missing my flight!) I will depart for Rome, Italy. I'll be there for almost a week, attending a meeting for work (naturally). But I'll be able to take some time for myself to explore the city...

I will be spending my first three nights at the Rome Marriott Park Hotel outside of the city. Then, after the meeting, I'll head into the Hotel San Carlo, "located in one of Rome 's oldest and most exclusive areas just off the Piazza di Spagna."

I am very much looking forward to a week of gelato and red wine... Stay tuned!

Escape from Alcatraz - The Videos

2008-06-11T22:41:00.001-07:00

I'm normally not someone who tends to spend the day on You Tube watching clips. However this triathlon has done strange, strange things to me.

I spent all day Thursday before the race watching this clip...

And I spent time (more than I care to admit!) since the race watching this clip...

Perhaps it is because I cannot wait to get into the water again...

Time to find another race!

Escape from Alcatraz - The Details

2008-06-11T11:48:00.001-07:00

I barely even heard the alarm, as I was up and out of bed within a mere second of it alarming. It was 4:30 AM, and I was ready. Oh, was I ever so ready.

By 4:45 AM, I was on my bike and riding to the Marina Green. In pitch darkness. Throughout the entire ride, all I could really remember was AER's retelling of her Escape last year, and how amazing the entire day was. I cannot remember ever wanting to race so badly - 10K, Marathon, Relay, or Triathlon. At barely 5:00 AM, I couldn't wait to get in the water!

I set up my transition in about three minutes, wondering the entire time, why the hell this step used to take me so long. I was on the bus by 5:15 AM and headed to Pier 3, where I would wait for a couple of hours before getting on the San Francisco Belle to head to Alcatraz. For the next hour and a half, I had no nerves - I made friends and chatted, sipped coffee and stretched, peed, peed, and peed.

By 7:00 AM, nearly two hours after arriving on the scene of The Escape, we FINALLY felt like we were going somewhere. We boarded the the San Francisco Belle and set out for Alcatraz. I peed six more times. Talk about excitement! We did a loop around the island, and I had a perfect window seat to take it all in.

Finally, after what felt like days, and I'm pretty sure one more trip to the bathroom to pee, the Pros made their way onto the dock. We sang the Star Spangled Banner, and all of a sudden, we were counting backwards from ten. The Pros were climbing over the deck to dive into the water, the rest of us, still inside the boat, were SCREAMING. Excitement!!!

"DUDE, I GOTTA PEE AGAIN!"

But the horn sounded, the pros dived in, and next thing I knew, the race directors were yelling at us to get in the water. I had barely a minute between the horn and my entry into the water. Just enough time to get my goggles in place, but no time at all to second-guess what I was about to do. Alcatraz to my right and San Francisco straight ahead, I jumped into The Bay and started swimming.

The Bay's 55 degree water didn't even feel cold. The people swimming on top of one another didn't feel stifling. That ridiculously strong current? Well, it didn't eat me. I swam pretty well, I think. I didn't really see a kayak, proof that my sighting was right on. If anything, I was a little too conservative with my line. Nearly 15 minutes into the swim, I realized I should probably be heading further to the west. I started to worry that this swim was going to take me a long time. But eventually, I was at the St. Francis Yacht Club.

"HOLY SHIT, I SWAM FROM ALCATRAZ!"

I felt the sand under my feet, and started running. I was kind of afraid to look at my watch, but as soon as I did, I saw that it was only 8:37 AM. Meaning, I had done the swim in about 35 minutes. I have never really enjoyed running after swimming, but on Sunday, I didn't even have to dig that deep! I took off my wetsuit, put on my T1 sneakers, and started running the half mile back to the transition.

I heard Mountain Man and AER while coming out of the water, and I saw my parents on the run back to the transition. Finally at my bike, I started to get ready to bike. But not first before sitting in the grass and peeing. I know, it's EMBARRASSING, but I couldn't pee in the water, and I had to pee before getting on that bike. So, I gave the most powerful powersquat of all time.

And then I started riding. For an 18 mile ride, the bike course for The Escape is brutal. It feels like the entire ride is uphill. And because there is virtually NO wave start to this race - all 1800 athletes enter the water in six minutes - I couldn't really tell how I was doing. I was riding with plenty of men, but hardly any women. My mind started racing...

Was I so slow that all the other 25-29 year old females were ahead of me? Or was I doing so well that I was ahead of them? Where the hell were the women?

Luckily, I had done this ride a few times. I was expecting the 18 miles to take me about an hour and 20 minutes. Up the steep hills into the Presidio. Up the long upgrade to Legion of Honor, and continuing, still climbing, up Clement towards the Pacific Ocean. I finally reached the Great Highway and turned into Golden Gate Park, and before long, I reached the halfway point. I had been on the bike for 35 minutes, meaning my roundtrip would take about an hour and ten minutes, way faster than my expectations.

So, I decided I was racing well. And from that point on, I couldn't stop smiling. Even up the Great Highway Hill by the Cliff House, and those two treacherous little big hills before Clement. I cruised through Sea Cliff, back up into the Presidio, and finally, back down towards Marina Green to the transition. By now, the crowds were really growing. I could see all of my friends lined up to cheer me on, and it felt fabulous.

I made it through T2 in decent time, not pushing myself too much, as I knew I had 8 miles - and lots of hills - ahead of me. I really can't think of a run I hate more than a run that comes after a bike ride, but I have learned I run better if I give myself some time to ease into things. So I started slow. I breezed past my friends and family, who cheered their hearts out for me, and headed out towards the Golden Gate Bridge.

I have never raced a course like this triathlon run before. Trail. Steps. Single-track. Edge of cliffs. Pacific Ocean. TONS of people. Remember, there is no wave start, and this 5 foot 3 inch girl was running with a lot of men. Men who were about six feet tall with long legs. It was a very crowded run, especially for a single-track course (on a cliff, above the Pacific Ocean) that is being used for both the OUT and the BACK.

There were few passing opportunities, but I ducked through all those Daddy Long Legs when I could. I'll be honest, I didn't have many opportunities to pass. And I'll be really honest - it didn't really matter. I think I ran pretty well, even up those never ending hills and stairs. Until we got to Baker Beach. Seriously - they make you run ON THE BEACH. And it's not like there's any packed sand here. The entire beach run - about a half mile or so? - is in loose sand. For the first time in the race, I started to feel miserable.

It wasn't that long of a beach run. But it wasn't over yet. The sand ladder was waiting for me. These race directors are EVIL. All the articles I had read before the race said to not even TRY to run the sand ladder. So I didn't try. Hundreds of steps. Lots of people. SAND. I held the railing and just tried to walk up the steps as quickly as possible. Without dying. It was another portion of the race during which passing people was not an option, but at that point, I didn't care. I just wanted to get out of the sand.

Nearly four minutes later, I reached the top of the sand ladder. Then I had only a little bit more to run before REALLY reaching the top of the hill. And afterwards, it was time to cruise back down to sea level and The Marina Green. So I picked up the pace, knowing that I had barely a 5K left until the Finish Line. It was a long 5K, but with every step, the spectators kept telling me I only had a little further to go.

And soon enough - seriously, it felt soon - I made it off the packed sand and back to the road, only a half mile to go until the Finish Line. I ran past my friends and family, SO HAPPY. For having such wonderful people in my life to support me. For the amazing race that I was about to finish. For that race to be OVER. For the day to be so beautiful.

As I rounded the corner into the finish chute, I saw that the race clock read 3:06. I couldn't believe it. For months, people had been asking me how I thought I would do in this race, and I honestly couldn't answer. I figured my time would be somewhat comparable to my time at Wildflower, but only if I had a really good swim. And a really good bike. And a really, really good run. It was amazing to cross that finish line feeling SO HAPPY. And GRATEFUL. And STRONG.

And now, a couple days later, I sit here wanting to do it all again. The day could not have been more perfect, and it absolutely embodied my favorite outlook on life.

Fear Less. Live More...

And Escape. From. Alcatraz.

Escape from Alcatraz - The Pics

2008-06-10T11:47:00.000-07:00

2008.06.08 - Escape from Alcatraz

Escape from Alcatraz - The Results

2008-06-09T11:31:00.000-07:00

Crazily enough, Escape from Alcatraz is over. And I did it! Successfully! With a smile on my face almost the entire time. (The most important part, right?) So here are the results!

About 1800 people competed, approximately 400 of which were women, and of those 400 women, about 100 were in my age group, Females 25-29. As a reminder, Escape from Alcatraz is not a traditional Olympic Distance Triathlon. (Read more...)
Swim - 1.5 miles
T1 - Includes a .5 mile run
Bike - 18 miles
Run - 8 miles

And now, without further adieu, here's how I did...

Full Course
Time: 3:06:26.120
Overall Rank: 733
Overall Women Rank: 93
F25-29 Rank: 22

Checkpoint Time
Swim In 0:36:47.530
Bike Out 0:45:43.430
Bike Turnaround 1:21:40.400
Bike In 1:51:09.890
Run Out 1:53:18.700
Sand Ladder Start 2:33:11.420
Sand Ladder End 2:36:58.190
Finish Line 3:06:26.120

Swim Time
Time: 0:36:47.530
Pace (Min/Mi): 24:31
Overall Rank: 750
Overall Women Rank: 136
F25-29 Rank: 36

T1
Time: 0:08:55.900
Overall Rank: 826
Overall Women Rank: 130
F25-29 Rank: 35

Bike Time
Time: 1:05:26.460
Pace (MPH): 16.51
Overall Rank: 693
Overall Women Rank: 73
F25-29 Rank: 17

T2
Time: 0:02:08.810
Overall Rank: 706
Overall Women Rank: 133
F25-29 Rank: 31

Sand Ladder
Time: 0:03:46.770
Pace (Min/Mi): 15:09
Overall Rank: 824
Overall Women Rank: 124
F25-29 Rank: 29

Run Time
Time: 1:13:07.420
Pace (Min/Mi): 9:08
Overall Rank: 759
Overall Women Rank: 105
F25-29 Rank: 22

Flip Flop... Flip Flop...

2008-05-24T16:23:00.000-07:00

I'm pretty amazed at my running performance this year. It is anything but consistent. On Tuesday, in the hotel gym, I could barely get through my first mile when I seriously thought I was going to have a heart attack. I slowed down my pace a bit, and struggled through Mile 2, only to start feeling fabulous again.

I somehow ended up rocking out five miles in less than 45 minutes. What?! That includes time walking and limping at the beginning of the workout. How could I barely maintain 10 min/mile pace at first, only to then fly consistently at 8 min/mile pace at the end of the workout?

Yesterday, I felt like crap. I couldn't even get off the couch. And yet this afternoon, I somehow kicked out 10 miles in 90 minutes on a route that was at least 25% uphill. I ran my normal 8 mile route to the Golden Gate Bridge and back, but threw in a loop of hills in the Presidio to really help me prep for the hills during Alcatraz.

14 Days and Counting Down. I seriously hope June 8 is a FLIP day and not a FLOP!

Crazy Talk

2008-05-15T22:09:00.000-07:00

So I had a horrible thought yesterday while swimming in the pool, that I confirmed today while swimming about a mile and a quarter in the bay.

I am now a better swimmer and cyclist than I am a runner.

So, what to do about the fact that my next triathlon includes an eight mile run at the end? Well, I guess I better start by running tomorrow. Also thinking about actually RUNNING the infamous Bay to Breakers. Crazy, I know.

We'll see how tomorrow's eight miler goes...

Suddenly I See

2008-05-13T22:27:00.000-07:00

I first started wearing glasses when I was six years old and in first grade. The teacher found it odd that I kept writing the wrong answers on my Mad Minute Math Tests.

7 + 6 = 1
5 x 5 = 10
etc.

I had a hard time reading the problems, basically, and was confusing the signs. So, we realized I should probably head to the eye doctor, who diagnosed me with myopia and astigmatism. Through the years, the myopia and astigmatism worsened to the point that I was 20/400. I could walk around my apartment without glasses on, but I would definitely bump into things. And I could venture outside of the apartment, but I wouldn't be able to see anything except blobs of color.

All that changed on Friday, when I had PRK surgery on my eyes. It's like LASIK, but is for people whose corneas are too thin for LASIK. Oh, and it hurts like a bitch, whereas LASIK is pretty painless for most people.

I spent the weekend in bed and on the sofa, washing down painkillers with a glass of wine. I think I slept more than I was awake. But today, I went back to the eye doctor for my five day check-up and my vision has improved to 20/25.

SUDDENLY I SEE!

Oh, and yes, I absolutely DID almost cry when I woke up in the middle of the night and I could read the alarm clock.

2008.05.09i - PRK Surgery

Wildflower 2008 - The Pics

2008-05-06T11:05:00.000-07:00

2008.05.04 - Wildflower

Wildflower 2008 - The Story

2008-05-06T10:03:00.000-07:00

There isn't a whole lot to report on Wildflower this year. For the most part, ever since my number was called in the Escape from Alcatraz lottery, I was treating Wildflower as a practice race.

Still, that didn't prevent me from getting both nervous and excited...

I convinced My Guy to join us for the weekend at Wildflower. I figure that he's heard me complain enough about all this training for the past few months, he might as well see it be put to use. It helps that Wildflower involves camping -My Guy cannot resist camping. So on Saturday afternoon, AER (who sadly had to drop out of the Long Course due to knee problems) and her guy, JH (who was also doing the Olympic Course with me) piled into the car to head to Lake San Antonio.

The day was marked by a series of unfortunate events for both JH and myself, including, but not limited to: front derailer issues despite having just been taken into the shop to be fixed (JH) and forgetting a wallet that contained the form of identification needed to pick up one's number for racing (Nic). We finally made it to the park around 6PM. Much later than we had hoped...

AER and JH had opted to stay in a hotel, so they dropped JCB and me off and we found a camp spot. Even though we managed to forget some additional camping necessities (like matches - not sure where our brains were Saturday morning...) we successfully cooked some dinner and crawled into our tent to get a good night's sleep. I love sleeping outside under the stars...

By 6AM, I was wide awake and ready to get moving. JCB took a little more convincing that it was time to get going, but we somehow cleaned up, ate breakfast, and made it into the transition area with plenty of time to spare. I met up with JH, wished him luck, and soon he was off into the water. I had another hour to go before it was my turn, so I stretched and made friends with the people around me.

I was lucky to see AER and JCB right before my wave started, so they wished me luck, and then the horn blew, and I was off into the water. Which was SO FREAKING WARM compared to the Bay which I had been practicing in. I almost wanted to swim slowly so that I could enjoy myself, but since this was a race, I pushed myself along. The swim felt great the entire time - very different from last year. And when I made it back to land, I realized I was coming out of the water pretty early for my age group.

My goal for the swim this year was to improve upon my performance last year - without knowing my time, I already felt successful. Later on, when I realized I had knocked five minutes off of my time, I was overjoyed.

So onto the bike. The Wildlfower bike course is notoriously difficult - lots of rolling hills and very few flats. But since I train in San Francisco, I am used to hills. So I charged when I could, and eased back when possible, trying to recover as much as possible on the downhills. The highlight of the bike is that I reached 43.2 mph while cruising down one of the downhills. I don't know if I have ever gone that fast in my life. It was so much fun!

My goal for the bike this year was also to improve upon my time from last year. With a side goal of not getting a flat tire or having to fix my chain. No flat tire, no chain issues, and a time about a minute faster than last year - I'll take it!

Now, if only triathlons didn't include running. Hard to actually acknowledge myself saying that, considering a couple years ago that marathoning was my favorite sport. But seriously, I just hate running after riding a bike. I decided to start slow, so as not to kill myself, as the Wildflower run is nearly all uphill. But right away, I started noticing so many people were passing me. I DIDN'T CARE. I just wanted to finish the damn race at this point, for all the excitement (Swimming in a warm late! Riding my bike at 43.2 mph!) was over.

I put one foot in front of the other for 10 kilometers, the entire time not able to shake the following two thoughts:

1) I am NEVER doing the Long Course
2) I am screwed - the run for Alcatraz is 8 miles!

I definitely forgot to stay positive during this last part of the race. And my time shows it. I finished the 10K in about 56:33. I don't think I have ever ran a 10K that slowly. I know it is just over 9:00 min/mile pace, and that really, that is a good pace for me on hills after swimming and biking, but it just felt terrible.

When I crossed the finish line in 3:05:44, I was happy. To be finished, yes. And to have marginally improved upon my time from last year, too. 5 minutes better if five minutes better. I'm positioned to break three hours next time around... And let's be honest. Despite all of my complaining about training this year, we all know there will be a next time.

Wildflower 2008 - The Results

2008-05-05T12:23:00.000-07:00

The results are slowly rolling in, but Wildflower 2008 was a success.

My total time of 3:05:44 placed met at 57th in my age group, and 981st overall. However, since the results aren't all posted yet (and the tricalifornia.com website is down!) I have no idea how many people actually competed on Sunday. So I don't really know what those places mean.

But, I did improve upon my time from last year. And I'm really happy about that - considering how much more time I have spent on an airplane this winter and early spring than I did last winter/spring. Anyway, here are the times...

1.5K Swim Time: 0:27:37 (almost an entire 5minutes faster than last year!)
Transition 1: 0:04:07 (almost an entire minute faster than last year!)
25K Bike Time: 1:34:53 (about the same as last year - 8 seconds faster)
Transition 2: 0:02:42 (about the same as last year - 5 seconds faster)
10K Run Time: 0:56:33 (about 2minutes SLOWER than last year... oops!)
Total Time: 3:05:44 (over 5 minutes faster than last year!)

Additional statistics, plus pictures and full report, will follow.

A weekend at Wildflower was just what I needed, though. I'm super pumped for Alcatraz and for the training that I will endure these final five weeks leading into the race. Bring on what was once unimaginable. I am ready.

Legendary California Triathlon

2008-05-03T10:13:00.001-07:00

As if I needed another reason to GET EXCITED...

http://www.riverplaceproductions.com/wildflower_about.html

Our bags are packed, and our wheels are pumped. We are taking off...

See you on the flip side!

Here Comes Wildflower 2008

2008-05-02T13:51:00.000-07:00

I just went on my final run before Wildflower. I think I clocked close to 8 minute miles, too. So for the past few months (OK, it has been more than that) when I haven't been blogging, at least I've been getting my stride back.

It feels pretty good to be staring down the barrel of my second triathlon. I am actually excited to swim in open water, which is entirely unexpected. And I'm eager to see if I can do better this year than I did last year... Here's a recap of last year's results:

1.5K Swim Time: 0:32:21
Transition 1: 0:05:02
25K Bike Time: 1:35:01
Transition 2: 0:02:47
10K Run Time: 0:55:41
Total Time: 3:10:52

I wonder if I can come in under three hours?! Better get back to packing...

Swimming Past the Dock of the Bay

2008-04-09T09:35:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday, I finally worked up the courage to swim in The Bay. Because, if I plan to Escape from Alcatraz, I should probably practice a couple of times.

So I joined a group of swimmers who regularly meet at Aquatic Park for open water swimming sessions. Even though I have some open water experience, I decided to stick with the beginners for my first time out this year. The tides were pretty rough, but we still ventured outside of the Aquatic Park cove - the furthest out I have ever swam from shore in the bay - a little less than a half mile.

It was a little scary at first - reaquainting myself with that cold 48 degree water, the zero visibility swimming, not to mention the feel of the current. But I settled in more quickly than I had hoped, and pretty soon, made it out to our buoy before the rest of the group. I was so elated that I peed my pants (wetsuit)!

Our coaches, on kayaks, lead us a little further out than we were comfortable, but we honestly, it felt pretty good. We did a few drills in the open water, practicing our sighting and how to read the currents. It was challenging, but exciting. And luckily, it was captured on film...

I think it is pretty easy to tell which one I am, despite the caps and goggles... And yes, you can probably infer from that huge grin that I cannot wait to go back and do it again.

P.S. I Love You

2008-03-27T12:30:00.000-07:00

Arms that engulf and calm me.
A shoulder on which I can take a break.
A smile that warms the room.
And eyes that say more than words ever could.

Early morning text messages.
Or lazy Saturday mornings in bed.
Hectic Wednesday evenings at the computer.
Afternoons in the kitchen full of ambition.

Geeky habits and pastimes.
(That I adore.)
Interests and knowledge of which I am envious.
Unbelievably hilarious stories.

Kindness unparalleled.

Boarder Babes

2008-03-16T12:25:00.000-07:00

It took six and a half hours, but we did finally make it to Tahoe Friday night. We climbed into bed around 2:30 AM and because there was a fresh coat of powder six-twelve inches deep on the mountains, we even woke up at 7:00 AM.

And because I am now too brave on a snowboard for my own good, I let them take me down Headwall. It was a sheet of ice, and I hated every minute of it, but I got down. And later on, we went down KT. Chute 75! It’s only like the steepest chute in all of Squaw. (So says AER. Who is not to be argued with while on a snowboard.) And what’s craziest, is that I only face planted once. Once!

Day 2 was pretty windy, so we headed to Northstar, where the wind is often not as bad due to the position of the mountains. We spent the day on the backside, only going down Black Diamonds. In and out of the trees. I hung at the back of the pack for most of the runs, but I did make it down before them once. Twice. I think…

I have always wanted to learn how to snowboard. And more, I have always wanted to be good. I won’t say I’m “good” yet, but I am pretty pleased with myself for keeping up with AER and LV for nearly an entire weekend.

Thank you, AER and LV, for pushing and pulling me down those mountains the past two seasons. There was a point on Sunday, when all four of us were flying down the mountain, when I just couldn’t have been more impressed with your strength and ambition. And to realize I also share those traits with you? Well that was just freaking awe inspiring.

Brick Wall

2008-03-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

I haven't been consistently posting. Or training, for that matter. But I haven't been all that inconsistent, either. (And I cherish those small victories!)

Yesterday I completed my first brick workout of the season. And by the end of it, I felt not so much like a Brick House, but more like a Brick Wall. I completed a 42 mile ride (Paradise Loop) and followed it up with a 4.25 mile run.

The ride was great. I finished Paradise Loop - lots of rolling hills - in 2:40. And I felt fabulous, even climbing those last few annoying hills up Polk Street to get back home. And while the run wasn't terrible, it make me contemplate why I tell everyone I like triathlon so much.

Because yesterday's run felt like barely a jog. A pretty grueling four miles. And throughout all 39 minutes of it, I thought about how I'm a much better swimmer when I don't have to be in open water. A much better biker when it doesn't follow a swim. A much better runner when it doesn't follow a ride.

On the other hand, if I really gained so much pleasure from only doing things that I was good at doing, I probably wouldn't have learned to swim and ride and run in the first place. So, I guess it is time to sack up and bulldoze down this brick wall. I have some triathlons that I don't want to just finish, but finish well. With strength. And smiles.

No Business Like Snow Business

2008-02-24T11:07:00.000-08:00

Here is the VERY short list of things I wanted for my 28th birthday, this year:

1) A vacation day from work (No one should really ever work on their birthday.)
2) A day snowboarding with My Guy (Tahoe, here we come!)
3) Ice cream (Chocolate. Obvi...)
4) MBT Sneakers (thanks, Mom!)
5) Birthday Sex (Stop gasping. If you don't want sex on your birthday, you are LYING.)

We planned to leave the office on Thursday February 21 by 2PM. True to form, we busted out of there at 6:05 PM, and arrived to pick up our rental car too late. So... City Car Share Coming Through it was. We walked to my house, packed my bags, picked up the Corolla, grabbed all of his things, bought falaffel sandwiches on Haight, and were on the road out of the city by 8:30 PM.

So typical of us...

A couple hours into the drive, we reached the snow line, and realized the small storm was turning into a rather large one. But after getting kicked off the highway and made to purchase snow chains - which really irritated My Guy from Colorado who has driven across a 14-er in an Acura, or so the story goes - we finally made it to the cabin.

It was an awesome weekend. Foot up on foot upon foot of fresh powder. Which was difficult for me to navigate at times, but incredibly fun to fall in.

Happy Birthday to me...

2008.02.22 - Birthday Weekend in Tahoe

A Ride with a View

2008-02-16T23:05:00.000-08:00

It's not incredibly difficult to go on a beautiful bike ride in San Francisco...

2008.02.16 - Bike Ride with Jeremy

...but that doesn't meet I ever enjoy them any less.

Fire Drills

2008-02-11T17:44:00.000-08:00

Apparently there was a fire across the street from my office. Not once did I see, hear, or smell a fire anywhere; but the electricity did go out around 1PM. It flickered off and on for about an hour, and then was 100% out by 2PM.

And since all of our back-up power supplies MUST go to the servers that host our systems, we didn't have enough electricity to keep all of our computers on. Which means we couldn't work. We couldn't even work from home, because we need our computers to access our public drives. Nor could we work on our computers to access our email. Which means, we really couldn't work! At all!

-- Power Outtage : Young Professionals :: Snow Storm : School Children --

So I sent myself to the pool. Maybe I couldn't work on my documents, but that doesn't mean I couldn't work on my stroke!

I have been pretty inconsistent with my swimming the past few months. To date this year, I have only made it to the pool twice, clocking a grand total of one hour and ten minutes and a distance of 1.5 miles. So today, given my wide open afternoon and a completely empty pool, I committed to spending an hour in the water.

I had no idea how much mileage I would accrue during the hour. And truth be told, around 40 minutes when I finished my first mile, I was pretty ready to get out of there. But I stuck with it and finished 1.5 miles in 1:02.

I took lots of breaks, sure. My workout had little order, really. My goal was only to stay in the water for sixty minutes. I mostly just tried to remember what it feels like to paddle, kick, and breathe without sinking. But I did a few drills, too. Some catch-up and some 100 repeats every two minutes.

But if I keep up with sessions in the pool like that throughout all of my training, I'll be on fire come Wildflower and Escape from Alcatraz!

The Enemy

2008-02-08T11:22:00.000-08:00

I hate my scale.

He is REALLY such a bastard. I can't even tell you what he said about me today! He said I weighed... like, well... a totally unacceptable number. I gave him a chance to tell me something different - to apologize for perhaps mis-speaking. But he had nothing else to say. Just the same old shit, over and over and over again.

So I laced up my shoes and went outside for a morning 5 mile run. Fuming, I dashed through the fog. And after I settled into a rhythm - meaning, I finally calmed down a bit - I began wondering if perhaps I had taken what he said out of context.

But I got home, and after a run, my scale basically said the exact same thing to me.

SHIT!

Strict training, here I come...

Yes We Can!

2008-02-05T12:29:00.000-08:00

It is always so great to come home. Really. Especially after traveling abroad.

Normally I'm glad to come home to my 24 hour Walgreens, where I can find anything I could ever imagine I might "need." I tend spend too much time in other countries figuring out what store I need to visit in order to purchase something that I all of a sudden REALLY need. (For this trip to UK what I actually REALLY needed was a needle and thread to sew a hole in my pants. I couldn't find them anywhere, so I walked around all week with a hole in my crotch...)

But today is Super Tuesday! So today, like previous days, I am glad to be back in America. But today, perhaps unlike other days, I realize that I am also really happy to be an American.

All over London, I was asked by the locals, "Who do you think will be your next President?" It was kind of crazy to realize how much impact the President of the United States has on people in other countries. If not because of US international policy, at least for conversation's sake. And it was rather insane to see a picture of an Obama rally on the front page of a London newspaper on Monday morning while I rode The Tube to the airport.

(I don't even know how often Obama has made it to the front page of the SF Chronicle! Perhaps I should read the paper more often...)

However, with this sudden re-realization that voting is awesome, I stopped by my local polling place this morning to cast my ballot in the 2008 Presidential Primary election. I proudly selected my Democratic ballot and cast my vote for Barrack Obama.

It is expected that over 8 million California voters will be casting ballots today, breaking the record turnout for a primary election established in 2000 at 7.9 million. I hope the masses get out there to vote. After spending a week abroad, I think it really is important to make the most of my citizenship in a country that can change.

"YES WE CAN!"

London Pictures

2008-02-04T00:06:00.001-08:00

2008.01.31 - London

London Lagging

2008-02-03T14:31:00.000-08:00

It has been nearly a full week in London. Working late at night. Only to wake up early in the morning. Sitting down with clients. Eating out with them afterwards. Drinking, walking, drinking, walking, drinking, walking...

I'm bloody exhausted!

The trip was successful, though. Work went well. Mom arrived safely. And considering the fact that she cried at Buckingham Palace and is now passed out on the sofa next to me, I am pretty sure that she had a good time.

I spent Tuesday - Friday working throughout the day and entertaining throughout the night. Saturday and Sunday I traversed the entire city with my mom by foot and by train, but mostly by foot. We clocked about nine miles on Saturday and another five today. Not sure how many on Thursday, but I bet by the time we make it to our gates tomorrow, we'll hit the 20 mile marker.

In our four days together, we drank fewer than two bottles of wine and only a six pack (dispersed in pints throughout the city!) of beer. Only one dessert, but plenty of chips, though!

Not to mention pics! But they are going to take a while to upload, so... Cheers to a long week in London for business AND pleasure. It is time to go to bed.

The Numbers: January

2008-01-31T10:34:00.000-08:00

I earned too many United Mileage Plus miles. And I didn't spent enough time in the water, on the road, or on a trail. But it was a better showing than what I put up in December!

Swimming: 1 hour, ten minutes - 1.5 miles
Cycling: 1 hour, 40 minutes - 16 miles (City riding, not so much cycling...)
Spinning: 3 hours - 56 miles
Running: 5 hours, 12 minutes - 33 miles
Walking: 12 hours, 45 minutes - 33 miles
Snowboarding: 16 hours
Weight Training: 3 hours

February is now upon us and it is time to get serious...

Back from Buenos Aires

2008-01-27T08:00:00.001-08:00

I am glad to be back from Buenos Aires. Yes, even though I am only sitting at Dulles Airport waiting for my connecting flight back to San Francisco. I had a great time in Argentina, really. The food was great, the people were friendly, and I had a lot of fun exploring the city. But sometimes, and mostly when I'm traveling by myself, I am always eager to go home.

So, before I forget them, here are the highlights and lowlights of my trip...

GOOD: Vegetables. They were always fresh and fantastic.

BAD: Losing an entire day there because of a riot at the airport. Yes, it turns out that the "weather-related" issues I was told were the reason for the delay of my outbound flight had more to do with union-government relations at the Buenos Aires airport than with actual weather.

GOOD: Coffee. They even poured you an American size serving instead of a small shot of espresso.

BAD: Buenos Aires is pretty dirty...

GOOD: Lots of parks! And lots of guys playing soccer.

BAD: I fell asleep at the tango show. Granted, I was exhausted and I probably had one glass too much wine, but seriously. I wasn't very entertained. And I danced for 18 years!

GOOD: Argentine beef. I allowed myself to indulge in a nice steak. I could cut it with a butter knife.

BAD: My ability to communicate in Spanish. Everyone slurred the words differently than I'm used to hearing. I had a hard time understanding anyone unless I specifically requested they speak slowly and clearly. Bummer!

GOOD: We'll end on a high note, here. The wine was AMAZING. I definitely drank too much of it and never once had a hangover. It was like candy!

Here are pictures from my couple of days... Disfrute! (Enjoy)

2008.01.26 - Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires Day 1

2008-01-25T03:38:00.000-08:00

Sadly, I did not leave the hotel yesterday. But I am LOVING Buenos Aires...

I arrived late on Wednesday evening, but still in time to enjoy ONE glass of Malbec at the hotel bar. I woke up early enough on Thursday to hit the gym before breakfast and my meeting. Breakfast was great - lots of fruit, lots of vegetables, and great coffee.

Meeting went well, but I'd really like to focus on lunch. I ate entirely vegetarian. And I didn't go hungry! The buffet lunch included lots of vegetables. Fresh, marinated, roasted, grilled... Peppers, onions, tomatoes, eggplants, green beans, zucchini, squash... AMAZING.

I unfortunately spent the entire afternoon and early evening working. Catching up on all the stuff I have going on back in San Francisco and coming up next week in London. I seriously do not have time to be at this meeting, but I intend to make the most of it.

So after a stressful afternoon, I joined the team for dinner and was again VERY impressed with the spread. More vegetables and some fish this time, and lots and lots and lots of wine. Too much wine. The waiters kept filling my glass and because I have a problem NOT drinking good wine that is poured for me (it can't go to waste!) I drank a lot of it.

However, I still managed to wake up this morning in time to take myself to the gym, so I must not have drank THAT much!

So that about sums up day 1: Lots of annoying, stressful work, spliced with lots of good, healthy food, and wrapped up with lots of fantastic Argentine wine. Let's hope I make it outside tomorrow!

Argentine Identity Crisis

2008-01-23T13:02:00.000-08:00

Flying high above the Amazon en route to Buenos Aires, I am reading my guide book trying to figure out what to do with myself tonight when I finally land. Oh, yes, at the very least I will be sitting at the hotel bar drinking a glass of Malbec Argentine wine.

My tour book states, “Argentines are Italians who speak Spanish, think that they’re French, and act as if they’re English.” On the surface, this “cultural confusion” seems to adequately describe myself, no?

To start, I'm Italian. Although I appear to be 100% Italian (dark & greasy hair, olive and greasy skin, larger than ideal nose, larger than ideal bust with a narrow waist but larger than ideal hips…) I am only half Italian. You would only know this, however, if you saw the freckles on my shoulder. (That is the Irish in me, of course.)

And believe me, my family is VERY proud to be Italian. In fact, my father wears an Italian horn charm – the symbol of virility – around his neck at all times. He also used to wear an “Italian Stallion” charm; luckily, it broke/disappeared recently… At any rate, despite the Italian ancestry, my second language is Spanish. I actually can only speak a few Italian words: Merry Christmas (Buon Natale), Eat Up (Mangia), Do you understand (Gabeesh – jeez I can’t even spell that one), and Hello/Good-bye/What’s up/How ‘ya doin’? (Ciao).

So, I’m an Italian who speaks Spanish. (Although I fully understand any racist remark against Italians, so watch it.)

And in many ways, since I live in San Francisco – the most liberal city in the USA – I guess I can essentially identify with the Argentines who think they’re French. Like the French who cannot imagine living anywhere other than Paris, I can’t understand why anyone would NOT live in San Francisco. I believe our city to be the most beautiful. Our lifestyle to be the healthiest. And our social and political opinions to be the most intelligent. Seriously, I’m an obnoxious French woman, sometimes!

Then there’s that whole English thing. I don't know if I ever really act English. But I am trying replace my coffee habit with tea… And I’ve always had a thing for accents and floppy long hair.

This could be a very interesting trip…

Delayed in Dulles

2008-01-23T03:02:00.000-08:00

The Terrible Travel Fairy has landed on my shoulder again. I am supposed to be three hours from landing in Buenos Aires, and yet, I am sitting by Gate C2 at Washington Dulles airport. Why? Because, of course, my connecting flight to Buenos Aires from Washington is delayed.

And since the Terrible Travel Fairy is on MY effing shoulder - again - my flight is delayed approximately ten hours. TEN. How is that possible? Can't United just get us another effing aircraft? And why is it again that weather in LaGuarida is messing up my flight from Washington to Buenos Aires?

Well, given this terrible travel luck, and the fact that my flight to the other side of the world is now NOT overnight and will be during the daytime, I just upgraded myself for another $654 to first class. Traveling in economy for almost 8000 is inhumane, but I can manage it when I can go to sleep.

One less day for me in Buenos Aires, but at least when I arrive there will actually be able to give my presentation without slurring my words... Bring on the mimosas!

Ready, Set, Snow!

2008-01-21T07:14:00.000-08:00

After the season of non-snow in Tahoe last year, it is so amazing to see weather reports like this...

http://www.weather.com/outlook/recreation/ski/snowreport/916011?from=search_vert

Saturday on the mountain was nothing but sky blue sky and a decent base of packed powder with minimal ice patches. I had a great day, navigating down many new trails at Squaw with very few falls. I tried my hardest to keep up with AER, LV, and AR. And although I never did, the fact that I could still see her ahead of me at times was an accomplishment in itself.

Sunday, only AER and I were brave enough to again head out to Squaw. Maybe brave isn't the right word. It was very cold and windy compared to Saturday. Maybe we just have low standards...

AER and I stuck together for most of the day. We started on the lower mountain at Squaw, hitting up Red Dog and Squaw Creek, mostly. AER can get in three runs for every two of mine at this point, so we'd ride the lifts together when possible and then meet up for bathroom breaks.

I was feeling pretty strong after a couple of hours, despite being hella sore from Saturday, so after a hot cocoa break for lunch, we headed to the upper mountain. I'm super proud to report that I followed AER down Siberia Bowl - my first black diamond - and only suffered a rather tiny wipe out. She was so proud. We did a few more runs before heading over to Shirley Lake, when the snow started to fall.

I have never snowboarded in the falling snow before, and I seriously cannot remember ever being so excited to see snowflakes. The end of the day was awesome. We met up with the gang and celebrated the coming snowfall with a few drinks and eats, then headed home to soak in the hot tub before we all passed out by 10:30 PM.

This is definitely how to spend your time in winter...

Road Warrior III

2008-01-18T09:59:00.000-08:00

Yes, I am again starting up - or actually, in the middle of - another crazy travel schedule. But, I get to cross off a place on Life List 2008 (already!) so I will refrain from excessive complaining...

The Schedule...

Jan 22 – Flight #1: San Francisco to Buenos Aires
Jan 23 – Arrive in Buenos Aires
Jan 24 – Work Meeting
Jan 25 – Work Meeting
Jan 26 – Touristy Stuff followed by Flight #2: Buenos Aires to San Francisco
Jan 27 - Arrive in San Francisco

Jan 28 – Flight #3: San Francisco to London
Jan 29 – Arrive in London plus Work Meetings
Jan 30 – Work Meetings
Jan 31 – Work Meetings plus Mom arrives in London!
Feb 1 – Vacation Day with Mom in London!

Feb 2 – Weekend with Mom in London!
Feb 3 – Weekend with Mom in London!
Feb 4 –Flight #4 London to San Francisco

Feb 5 - Laundry, and lots of it, I'm sure!

Life List 2008

2008-01-15T21:45:00.000-08:00

As I sit on a plane traveling – yet again – to Chicago, I realize that it is time to put all of these frequent flyer miles to a much better use. And so, inspired by the January edition of Backpacker, I am publishing my list of lifetime travel goals. More or less, in no particular order…

Iceland – A few nights touring Reyykjavik and then backpacking and kayaking under the Northern Lights.
Grand Canyon – To backpack as close to the bottom as possible.
Joshua Tree National Park – To backpack along the California Riding-Hiking Trail, and to practice my next sport, climbing.
Hawaii – I have only been to Oahu. Time to see the other islands preferably by backpacking.
Yellowstone National Park
Alaska – Anywhere, but seeing Glacier National Park is a must.
Sun Valley, Idaho
Jackson Hole, Wyoming
Salt Lake City, Utah
Australia – Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, The Great Barrier Reef
New Zealand - I wonder if I could meet The Flight of the Concords guys?
Vancouver, Canada
Whistler, Canada – To snowboard…
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Santiago, Chile
Patagonia – To backpack, camp, climb…
Grand Teton – To summit Grand Teton (13,770 ft)
Shasta, CA – To summit Mt Shasta – (14,162 ft)
Rocky Mountain National Park – To summit Longs Peak (14,259 ft)
Death Valley, CA – To summit Mt. Whitney (14,505 ft)
Egypt – To view the Pyramids.
Switzerland – To snowboard in the Swiss Alps.
Italy – To eat. A lot. In Sicily, Naples, Pisa, Rome, Florence, Venice…
Russia – Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Ireland – To drink a lot of Guinness.
Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine – Just because.
The Badlands
Tokyo, Japan – For amazing sushi, and history. Also to hit golf balls off the top floor of a sky-scraper driving range.
Nashville, Tennessee – To appreciate country music.
St Louis, Missouri – To see more of the city than just the airport. Perhaps the arches.
Mt Rushmore
Amsterdam, The Netherlands - To smoke pot. Legally. Obviously!
Vienna, Austria
Copenhagen, Denmark
France - Paris, Neice, Cannes... To shop and bathe without a top and to be fabulous.
Germany - To drink a really good Heffeweizen!
Norway
Finland
Sweeden
India - Anywhere!
South Africa - Anywhere!
Anartica - To see the penguins!
Santa Barbara, CA - Never been and it's so close!
Santa Cruz, CA - Never been and it's even closer than Santa Barbara!
Bali - Who doesn't want to go there?
U.S. Virgin Islands - To sunbathe.
British Virgin Islands - To sunbathe at a more expensive location.
Acapulco
Bermuda - Because maybe one day I'll be rich enough to hide my money there!

Weekend Warrior 2008

2008-01-14T16:21:00.000-08:00

Monday is here already. Actually, Monday afternoon is here already. Which means, the week is almost over!

Well, it is. Tuesday I fly to Chicago, and Wednesday I work in Chicago. Wednesday night I fly back from Chicago, which means my flight will be delayed until some terrible hour that doesn't allow me to really get home and into my bed until sometime very early on Thursday morning. Hence, I will not be waking up to take myself to work at a *decent* time, because I played that work all day travel all night work all day game in 2007 and it effing sucked. Therefore, I will arrive at work just in time to break for lunch, and Thursday, will obviously fly by. And then it will be Friday and Friday is the weekend more or less, so the week is almost over. Already!

If only I could figure out a way to make my workouts fly by this quickly...

Stalled

2008-01-09T06:51:00.000-08:00

Since my trip to Tahoe for New Years, I have been physically active every day of the week. Snowboarding, cycling, running, swimming, walking, weight training. Yes, the “New Year, New You” fever has bit me, and I’m pretty motivated to redeem myself – and my body – from the past few months of long flights, meetings, and buffet meals 0% in whole grains.

If only January came every month!

Of course today, the "New Year, New Flu-Cold-Cough" fever has hit me. Yes, just in time for a flight to Atlanta. (Because breathing re-circulated air for 6 hours two days in a row does a body with flu-cold-cough sypmptoms good.) I'm back to barely being able to walk without getting winded. How am I going to be able to swim, bike, run, and snowboard?

I am sitting in a meeting surrounded by doctors who are researching better anti-hypertension drugs. Like we really need another anti-hypertensive drug?

What I need is an efficacious cold pill. Pharmas, get started on your trials!

Movin’ On Up (Again)

2008-01-07T19:04:00.000-08:00

Nothing says Happy New Year like an email from your landlord that states, effective February 1, I’m going to charge you 10% more for the exactly what you got when you paid 10% less.

So… I am moving. AGAIN. Into what will be my THIRD apartment in the city. I don’t want to move. For the first time in my life, I actually don’t want to move. I don’t want to try something new just because I can. I am settled here.

But another 10% increase in rent? I already broke my un-written rent ceiling when I signed the lease to this place. So another 10% increase is just making my stomach churn.

On the other hand, I am excited for the change in scenery. Yes, even despite the fact that my current scenery – the billboard outside my bedroom window which is currently displaying Anderson Cooper on it – is rather fabulous. I’m excited for a new neighborhood. A new corner store and a new coffee shop. I’m excited for a new commute to work. And better access to public transportation. (It shouldn’t be this hard to take a bus to work during a torrential downpour!)

This apartment really has been Heaven for us the past 18 months. It started as a refuge from old habits and lifestyles that needed to be fixed. And it served us well while we figured out who we wanted to be and how we wanted to live our lives. This apartment and all that it houses has become our home. More so than any other place I have ever tried to call home. When I travel, I honestly do miss the place; and I miss the people inside it. We are our own little family…

So we will clean out the closets again. Donate what we don’t need and pack what we can’t leave behind. But we will take so much more with us than just furniture and clothes and bikes and wetsuits and golf clubs and snowboards. We will take with us memories of the 18 months during which we finally grew into the people we both want to be.

The Sweet Escape

2008-01-03T11:43:00.000-08:00

Back in 2006, I admired AER's performance at the Treasure Island Triathlon so much that I faced my fears of open-water swimming and road cycling and I signed up for the Wildflower Triathlon. And on May 6, 2007 I completed the Wildflower Olympic Course in 3:10.

Then and there, I got hooked on triathlon.

But a month later, when I woke up at 3:00 AM to put her hair in double French braids and to see her off before her Escape from Alcatraz swim, cycle, and run, I became entirely envious of how amazing of a triathlete AER is. And as she came out of the water from her swim in the San Francisco Bay, I realized that I *REALLY* wanted to do THAT one day.

So I put my name in the lottery drawing a few months back. And on December 8, they picked my name. Yes..

"[I am] one of the lucky triathletes that have been selected as a winner the December 15, 2007 random drawing for a slot in the Escape from Alcatraz Triathlon to be held in San Francisco on June 8, 2008...

SHIT! I didn't mean I wanted to do THAT one day so soon!!!!

But a few days ago, I finally overcame my fear of this amazing race just enough to pay my registration fee. Which means, of course, that...

"...On June 8th, [I] will get to jump off a perfectly good boat into the frigid water of the San Francisco Bay, swim with 1800 of your best friends from Alcatraz to Little Marina Green. [I] will climb out of the water and run (with or without shoes) one half mile to the transition area, jump on [my] bike and ride 18 miles (most people say that it is all up hill) and then run 8 miles (under the Golden Gate Bridge, through the sands of baker beach, up the infamous sand ladder and back to Marina Green to the finish line. What a great way to spend [my] life."

So now it is time to re-focus and get back to training. With a lot of work, it WILL be pretty sweet...

In With the Old

2008-01-02T21:40:00.000-08:00

I regret that just like last year, I start 2008 with...

Some junk in my trunk from all those Christmas cookies.
A lower balance in my savings account than would be ideal.
A higher balance on my credit card than I am comfortable.
A burning desire for my end of year bonus.
Sore muscles from a weekend of snowboarding.
Excitement for an entire season in Tahoe.
Anticipation for Wildflower 2008.
Disbelief that I will ever be able to swim a mile non-stop.
Determination to train, train, train...
Awe of my upcoming travel schedule for work.
A commitment to reading more great books.
A promise to spend less time in front of the television.
A passion for my life in San Francisco.
A strong desire to better myself both inside and out.
Disbelief that another year is gone.
And hope that 2008 will be the best year yet.

Come to think of it, perhaps there is nothing wrong with a little old in this new year.

You Live, You Learn

2007-12-31T18:48:00.000-08:00

Don't get me wrong. It has been an exciting, amazing year.

I learned how to snowboard. This past year, in North Lake Tahoe, I learned how to navigate a mountain with both feet buckled into a board that is 144 cm in length. And I even learned how to stop!

I also learned how to swim in open water. In a wet suit. And I learned - all over again - how to ride a bike. And I'll tell you, it is nothing like it was when I was a kid. I also learned how hard running a 10K can be. Especially after you have already swam a mile and cycled 25 before running it. So, yes, I more or less learned how to triathlon this past year.

I learned how to backpack. To trek for miles and miles up and down mountains with 30 pounds strapped to my back. I learned how to pitch a tent and how to purify water for drinking. I learned how good campsite coffee tastes, and even more important, how good a campsite swig of Crown Royal can be.

This year, I learned how important - to me - it is to always try new things. No matter how scar they may seem. In 2007, I learned to take a deep breath and go for it. No matter what. Because - and perhaps this is the most important lesson I learned this past year - it always feels pretty amazing to do something I never thought I could do.

I learned how to love again, this year. I re-learned how happy a big hug and a forehead kiss can make me. And I re-learned how wonderful a night on the couch listening to music and talking really is. I almost forgot how nice it is to love and be loved...

2007. A year of no limits, learning, and love. Happy New Year.

"I Only Send Good Forwards"

2007-12-23T10:00:00.000-08:00

TLY sent me this forward, prefacing it by saying, "I only send good forwards." TLY never lies, and I had to post this one to the blog for all of you and so that I never lose it.

----------------------------------------------------------

Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year- old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife, Lisa, and their little boy, Shane, were all very attached to Belker.

I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.

As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience.

The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on.

Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away.

The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, "I know why."

Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation.

He said, "People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life--like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?" The six-year-old continued, "Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long."

Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly.

Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like:

When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.

Take naps. Stretch before rising. Run, romp, and play daily.

Thrive on attention and let people touch you. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do.

On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree.

When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Eat with gusto and enthusiasm. Stop when you have had enough.

Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it.

When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by and nuzzle them gently.

Be always grateful for each new day

California International Marathon

2007-12-02T17:24:00.000-08:00

We did it. We ran 26.2 miles. We didn't die. And we got chocolate milkshakes from Burger King afterwards!
Congrats to AER on finishing her first marathon! Not to mention for finishing it in the fabulous first marathon time of 4:13. Go AER!

Congrats to Nic for finishing her fifth marathon, in her worst time ever, 4:23. And extra congrats for not getting upset by it.

Some seasons, we spend hours and hours on trails training. Some seasons, we spend hours and hours on airplaines. Not training. All that matters is that we get out there, time after time, appreciating our courage and determination.

Pictures of Budapest

2007-11-25T10:05:00.000-08:00

2007.10.05 - Budapest Hungary

They were taken with a disposable Hungarian camera. So the quality is not on the same level as my Canon Digital Eleph. But, they are pictures of Budapest. FINALLY. Enjoy!

Five Alive

2007-11-24T11:08:00.001-08:00

At least I'm still amongst the living.

Sadly, I could not rid my mind of that pathetic thought during the end of today's run. I have one week until a MARATHON in Sacramento. And although it is nearly 100% downhill, I don't know how I am going to run it when I can barely get through five flat miles in San Francisco.

That respiratory infection last week has quite literally left me breathless. And while I don't want to quit - because I have been a little too eager to do that lately - I don't want to suffer through 26.2 miles of marathon. I've suffered through ten miles of marathon before and that was bad enough.

We'll see how tomorrow's loooooooonnnnnnnnnggggggggggg run goes. I'm hoping to be able to run for at least two hours. No point in tapering when you spent your entire training season buckled to an airplane seat and/or hiding under covers with a fever.

Ah, yes, but I am still alive. For now...

Thank you, thank you...

2007-11-23T14:27:00.000-08:00

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving.

We slept in. We drank coffee and watched a movie on the couch. We cooked an eighteen pound turkey. Mashed sweet potatoes. Peeled apples and scooped pumpkin to fill our homemade pies and breads.

We lied around and talked...

We drank great wine - and not so great wine - and we sat outside to eat Thanksgiving dinner with 25 friends who compose our San Francisco family.

And we were thankful for our health. Our lives. And each other.

Admiring the Consistency

2007-11-15T22:26:00.000-08:00

Unbelievable. Wasn't it this time last year that I got so run down I had to miss a marathon? Maybe the fall ISN'T my favorite time of year. Because again, this time in 2007, I find myself unable to get off of the couch without wanting to collapse.

True, last year the lethargy was due to a severely underactive thyroid. And this year, the lethargy was most likely brought on after flying across the country and sometimes an ocean almost twice a week around for nearly two months. Not to mention the pesky bout of bronchitis I have managed to contract from that lovely re-circulated airplane air.

But, like clockwork, I am about to pull out of another fall marathon. This time, the California International Marathon, which I am scheduled to run in another three weeks. Maybe there will be time to get better, but I doubt it. I had to take a nap after making my bed this morning I felt so weak.

But maybe the fall just isn't the best time of year for me, anymore. Or maybe my body is just trying to tell me it is no longer a fan of the marathon! At any rate, my body's rejection of this 26.2 mile race is starting to work like clockwork...

Odd yes, but at least the signal is consistent!

Paradise

2007-11-03T21:09:00.001-07:00

Today, The Guy and I rode bikes for 45 miles out of San Francisco, through Sausalito, and into Tiburon taking the Paradise Drive loop.

Atop my bike, riding farther than I have in months, feeling the breeze of the San Francisco Bay, being with him... For a few hours nothing else mattered. No wonder they call it Paradise Drive.

Tipping Point

2007-11-01T20:38:00.000-07:00

October 2007. The month I racked up close to 30,000 frequent flyer miles flying back and forth from Europe to Philadelphia to San Francisco to Philadelphia to San Francisco to Chicago to San Francisco. I lived in a hotel for four weeks. I never knew what time it was. And I didn't sleep much.
October 2007. I arrived in Philadelphia to find my grandmother in the hospital. At her side, my mother - the strongest woman I know. Ten days later, I watched my grandmother take her last breath. And I cried harder than I have in a long, long time. I cried that type of cry that forbids you to breathe. I hugged my mom a lot in October.

October 2007. I regularly pulled fourteen hour days. I once left a meeting to take a nap. And I officially dropped every possible ball there was to drop. I dug deep. Sometimes I apologized and sometimes I pointed fingers. I cracked, but I am picking up the pieces and putting them back together.

October 2007. I consumed most meals while standing up, in a rental car, or at an airport. The other meals I inhaled at odd hours of the day and charged to an expense account. I didn't eat vegetables or anything else that was remotely healthy. I drank a lot of coffee. And wine. I didn't run more than 5 times. Nor did I bike at all. I swam once. And I gained six pounds.

October 2007. I put everthing else first. Family. Clients. Colleagues. Projects.

I have again reached a tipping point. It seems to happen each October, doesn't it? A personal realization that I need to focus on my OWN personal priorities. That I need to dedicate time to myself. To my own well being.

To sleeping eight hours a night.
To eating avocado and tofu and fish and lentils.
To swimming, and riding, and running.
To getting outside and enjoying San Francisco.
To staring at my ceiling.
To reading my book of the month.
To watching as many episodes of The Office as I want.
To late night conversations with AER.
To hugs...

Yes, it happens every October. Which means that November is my new favorite month...

Budafest!

2007-10-07T00:03:00.001-07:00

So that last post? It's amazing that it worked, as I navigated the entire Blogger site in Hungarian. I do continue to impress myself sometimes...

And now, after four days in Budapest, it is time to go. I am sitting on the floor of the Budapest airport. Sipping a Cafe Americano that is sure to give me the shits in 5 minutes it is so strong. But where was I? Oh right - how effing much I loved Budapest!

After the meeting on Friday, the event planners arranged for all of us to go on an evening bus tour of the city. Budapest absolutely must be seen at night. So we boarded "the coach" just around 6:30 PM and looped around the Pest side of the city. Pest is more "downtown", more "urban", and more flat than the Buda side of the city, which is more residential and hilly. We drove through neighborhoods and stopped at a beautiful lookout point where we could see the entire city lit up.

After the bus tour, we headed to a famous restaurant, Gundel for the Gala Dinner. Due to rain, our cocktail reception hour had to be moved indoors, but we were treated to traditional Hungarian dance performances which were, um, AWESOME. Lots of clapping and stomping and spinning. I cannot remember a time I was more entertained by a dance performance... And coming from me, I think that is saying a lot.

After the dancing, we of course, ate more delicious food and drank more delicious wine. Wine I had hoped to bring back to the USA but due to liquid restrictions, I cannot. (I will find a way to order it online, though - it was that good. Hungarian wine is definitely my new favorite.)

Saturday, was finally MY day. After a short morning meeting, I switched hotels to the Hilton Budapest WestEnd, where I enjoyed a free night's stay. One of the perks of living in hotels as much as your own apartment is the ability to pick up a free night here and there. My room was again, AWESOME. A strawberry smoothie was waiting for me when I checked in, just the lift I needed to set out on a day of sightseeing.

And so I began walking. Down to the Danube River, along the river's edge. It was an absolutely gorgeous day. I didn't really have enough time to go into any of the museums or castles, but I did take plenty of pictures of the buildings from the outside. Down the river's edge all the way to the Chain Bridge and then up through the shopping district again along Andrassy Ut, I stopped at Ring Cafe for a glass of wine and some more Hungarian beef, before heading back to my hotel to nap.

Did I mention that I went shopping at a Hungarian mall? Like everything else, it was AWESOME. I seriously have not been so excited to be in a mall since my mom let me walk all the way down to The Gap when she was at JC Penney back in 1993. So cool. I didn't purchase much, but walking around a Hungarian mall with Hungarian teenagers shopping for new Pumas was sensory overload, for sure. So fun.

Amazingly enough, I did get in a few more runs, and of course, there was a fabulous dinner to be eaten on Sunday night. Compliments of my client, we dined at a very nice Hungarian restaurant. Again, delicious wine, again amazing goat cheese, this time over beets and oranges in the best salad ever, followed by pork roulade over pumpkin-peach-cherry couscous.

And now, as I said, I am again at the airport, getting ready to fly through Frankfurt to Philadelphia for a few days... More on THAT later, but for now, I am going to board the plane and doze happily while remembering the fabulous time I had in Budapest.

Pics to come soon...

Always Hungry in Hungary

2007-10-05T17:00:00.000-07:00

It has been a hell of a week.

It started with a Sunday trapped in the Charlotte airport. (After a beautiful weekend in Asheville, NC for the wedding of LGA turned LGAK.) It turned into an extra evening at one of Charlotte's most QUALITY INN's (compliments of United Airlines) and a very late arrival to a very stressful work situation on Monday.

And after another tough morning at the office on Tuesday, I boarded another plane, this time headed to Hungary. I honestly have never sat on a plane - or anywhere - for as long as I did on Tuesday. So long that my butt truly did ache, despite glasses of wine and Tylenol PMs.

Come Wednesday afternoon, Central European Time, when I did finally arrive in Budapest, and only an hour later to the Hotel Grand Royal, did it sink in. I am in Hungary!

And although I felt like I really hadn't slept since last Wednesday, the night before my Thursday night red-eye to NC for the wedding festivities, I forced myself to run 8K on the hotel treadmill. It wasn't too bad. Mainly because I really didn't have the brainpower to convert my km/hour pace to miles/hour, and I therefore had no idea how slowly I was running, therefore removing any frustration with myself. Also, it wasn't too bad because I was able to watch a Russian sports channel that was showcasing a gymnastics meet between Central and Eastern Europe teams while running. If only ESPN showcased more gymanstics!

After an amazing shower - European hotels really do have the most amazing bathrooms - I set out to do a little exploring of Budapest. And so I walked down Erzsébet körút and turned left down Andrassy ut into Jozsef Attila utca, got a little lost, but finally stumbled on DIÓ Restaurant & Bar.

What a find! Perhaps the waitstaff - all very handsome - felt bad for me. I was eating by myself - the horror! But the service was amazing. The wine was amazing. The salad? With goat cheese and cherries and walnuts - again, amazing. And my entree? Wild boar medallions served with a strawberry chutney over polenta with melted goat cheese.

A lactose intolerant non-vegetarian can eat very well in Budapest. Provided they like goat cheese...

After my lovely meal, I headed back to the hotel where I spent the majority of the past two days. Trapped inside a ballroom with 100 others for a conference. My presentation went well, though, and it is time to explore some more.

We are off on a bus tour with the group and onto what I expect will be another lovely dinner. Amazingly enough, despite all the good food, I am still hungry. But perhaps that is just how things work, here in Hungary...

Quarantined

2007-09-15T12:13:00.000-07:00

When I was a kid, I always wanted to get pink eye. To me, conjunctivitis was the BEST form of sickness. Why? Because overally, you feel fine, except for a red eye. And yet you're highly contagious so you can't go to school. Nothing to do for a few days except sit on the couch and watch a lot of television.

I never had pink eye as a kid, though. Maybe only once.

By the time I got to college, though, I got pink eye on five different occasions, always during finals. Apparently my eyes just couldn't stand up to the stress of final exams and the germs of all UVA students at Clemmons Library. Pink eye, as it turns out, does not mean sitting on the couch and watching a lot of television when there are final exams to be taken.

I have no idea how, but again this week, I contracted pink eye. Or some other strange eye infection - the doctor isn't quite sure. Pink eye, it seems, never comes at a good time. I had a system to launch this week, and I had to do it all from my prison cell bedroom with one eye.

PINK EYE SUCKS.

Four days have passed. My eye is no longer a second runny nose on my face. But I am tired. And I have missed a week of working out because I couldn't leave my room. So today's run should be interesting... But at least I'm no longer QUARANTINED!

Chase to the Finish

2007-09-05T22:07:00.000-07:00

I have found my newest obsession. And in all seriousness, it should come as no surprise that my latest obsession is electronic. Manufactured by Apple, and related to my iPod. I mean, I am obviously obsessed with all things Apple.

But the fact that it also incorporates music and running? Well, that's just pure genius. I'm a little late on the bandwagon to buy one, yes. (But it didn't hurt those who waited to buy the iPhone! Sticker price is down $200 today!!! I digress...)

Yes, my new obsession is the $30 Nike+. And in all honesty, my new obsession is the Challenge feature. Maybe when I was younger (ha!) or less stressed (sounds more like it...) I could self-motivate to push beyond my personal limits. Well, right now, I'm tired. And it seems that I only run when I'm being chased...

Challenge #1 is "40 Days to 30 Years." Yes, My Guy is turning 30 soon. So to celebrate, he's planning on doing a triathlon and I'm going to help him with his training. Little does he realize how much he'll be helping me with my own!

California International Marathon Training Program 2007

2007-09-03T08:50:00.000-07:00

Here she is... The training plan for the California International Marathon.

I found it on Runner's World, and I think it's a pretty good start for me given where I am right now. Running hasn't been my focus for a while, and to be honest, I don't know how this is going to go!

Mondays and Fridays are rest days, so I'll hopefully be able to get in some weight training then to stay toned. We'll see how the first week goes, but I'm expecting to replace many of the 3 or 5 mile runs with rides and swims. I can't believe I'm going to say this, but I just don't think I can run this much without spending any time on the bike or in the water!

Ready to run...

Week	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Saturday	Sunday	Total
09/03	2 miles GP 4x1 mile T (1:00) 2 miles GP	3 miles 5x100 S	70-minute run, including 5:00–6:00 TUT	5 miles	10 miles	35–39 miles
09/10	4x1,200 C	3 miles 4x100 S	70-minute run, including 5:00–6:00 TUT	5-K race	12 miles	28–30 miles
09/17	2 miles GP 2x2 miles T 3 miles GP	3 miles 6x100 S	80-minute run, including 6:00–8:00 TUT	5 miles	15 miles	39–43 miles
09/24	2 miles GP 2x2 miles T 3 miles GP	3 miles 6x100 S	80-minute run, including 6:00–8:00 TUT	5 miles	16 miles	39–43 miles
10/01	2 miles GP 3x2 miles T (2:00) 3 miles GP	3 miles 6x100 S	4x1 mile	5 miles	16 miles	44–47 miles
10/08	2 miles GP 3x2 miles T (2:00) 3 miles GP	3 miles 6x100 S	4x1 mile	5 miles	17 miles	44–47 miles
10/15	1-hour run, including 2x1,200 C 2x400 SI	4 miles	4x800 S 6x100 S	10-K race	6-8 miles	32–34 miles
10/22	2 miles GP 4x2 miles T (2:00) 3 miles GP	3 miles 6x100 S	90-minute run, including 8:00–10:00 TUT	4 miles	18 miles	45–51 miles
10/29	2 miles GP 4x2 miles T (2:00) 3 miles GP	3 miles 6x100 S	90-minute run, including 8:00–10:00 TUT	4 miles	19 miles	45–51 miles
11/05	3x1 mile C 3x800 SI	3 miles 6x100 S	75-minute run, including 6:00–8:00 TUT	4 miles	20 miles	46 miles
11/12	3x1 mile C 3x 800 SI	3 miles 6x100 S	75-minute run, including 6:00–8:00 TUT	4 miles	13 miles	45 miles
11/19	2 miles GP 4 miles T	3 miles 6x100 S	1-hour run, including 6x400 SI	Rest	1-hour run	27–29 miles
11/26	4x400 SI	Rest	3 miles 6x100 S	2-mile jog	Marathon

T = Tempo = 8:00 (mile). Recovery is slow jogging for the number of minutes in parentheses.
C = Cruise Intervals = 7:30 (1600) and 3:40 (800). Recovery is half the distance of the repetition.
SI = Speed Intervals = 3:30 (800) and 2:00 (400). Recovery is equal distance.
TUT = Total Uphill Time = The total number of minutes you spend running semi-vigorously up inclines.
S = Strides = Gradual, smooth accelerations over 100 meters (straightaway on a track), running fast and controlled over the middle third--but NEVER SPRINTING--then just as gradually decelerating. Walk to full recovery after each.

What You Waiting For?

2007-09-02T14:12:00.000-07:00

Labor Day in San Francisco - The summer has finally STARTED!

It has been a gorgeous weekend here in The City. A Friday night swim followed by a relaxing night with my book... A bike / BART ride over to Oakland on Saturday to see the A's Game followed by an evening in North Beach with new and old friends... A homemade Sunday brunch with My Guy followed by a long run out to The Bridge and back.

For the past several months I have been pulled in many directions, mostly towards my cubicle and all of the work that constitutes "The Busy Season" for a software company who consults to pharmaceutical companies and biotechs. However, now that summer in San Francisco is FINALLY here, there is only one thing to do - get out there and enjoy it.

With swims, and rides, and runs...

I haven't been able to find a triathlon that I can do this fall. I'm heading to Budapest, Hungary and Paris, France in the next couple of months for work. And though I would love to tell them that I have triathlons those weeks, I can't really resist a free trip - let alone TWO FREE TRIPS - to Europe.

So the only thing left to do is gear up for another marathon.

So to celebrate two years living in California, I am going to run the California International Marathon this year. There is no backing out - I can't let 2007 be the first year since graduating from college when I didn't run my favorite distance race - 26.2. The countdown to Sunday, December 2, 2007 @ 7:00 AM is on...

Beautiful Mess

2007-08-22T20:09:00.000-07:00

The 6:00 a.m. wake-up calls have gone a little smoother this week. And I've actually been more productive at work than I normally am. It's easier to leave the office on-time... (Whatever time that is.) Easier to force myself to go to the gym, to read my books, to spend time with The Cat.

I've cleaned the bathroom. Read my mail and paid my bills. I've done the laundry; and I've even folded my clothes and put them away instead of letting them sit crumpled in the clothes basket. The hallway closet is organized, and the bikes are racked. Shit - I've even watched television and painted my nails.

Seriously. I've been incredibly productive this week. The To Do List at work has whittled. And the only items left on my personal Google Task List are things I will never get around to doing. (Purchase frame for UVA Diploma?) My iTunes library reflects the latest Spoon and Beck, my new favorite band The Evens, as well as some more embarrassing tunes to round out my latest running mix. (Pitbull - Fuego? Anyone?)

But still, I'd rather be incredibly disorganized and disheveled and pudgy and listening to all of my old music. If it meant that you were here.

Instead, I find myself emailing you while listening to this country song...

Breakthrough

2007-08-19T21:01:00.000-07:00

We headed out the door around noon. My first serious ride in a very long time. After a weekend of debauchery and broken New Years resolutions from 2004, it felt good to do something good for myself.

It was warm in Russian Hill. An atypical San Francisco summer morning. We cruised down Polk Street and into the Marina giggling over the weekend's antics. It was great to be back on my bike again with AER.

But as we approached the Marina Green and what is normally our first glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge, the fog swallowed us whole, our beautiful summer day fading... Honestly, since I was in a somewhat weakened state, I thought about turning back. So thick was the fog that there was no way to know if it was just cloud cover over The Bay itself or if all of Marin was shaded and cold.

However, turning back is rarely an option for us, so we continued on. Across the bridge with little visibility, we let our instincts guide us. And up the torturous hill that is Mt. Tamalpais, we persevered. We pressed despite the pain - OK, the agony - that pierced us from time to time. Despite the fear that the hurt would never end and that we really had no idea what we were doing.

Because sometimes you just have to take that plunge. Despite knowing that difficulty is in store and that pain will be unavoidable. Because after that uncomfortable feeling of the unknown reaches its peak, a new opportunity always descends. Exciting and empowering, we live for these breakthroughs.

And so we ride them out... re-invigorated and ready for whatever comes with the next foggy crossing.

--------------------------------------------
Mt. Tamalpais
42 miles (with lots of climbing!)
3:13:41*
* Includes some stops to take in the view...

Drink It In

2007-07-10T20:13:00.000-07:00

The trees. The rocks. Meadows and mountains, with picket pins, chipmunks and lizards. Climbing up mountains and descending into valleys. Stopping to smell “the roses.”

The fresh air. The mosquitoes and flies and birds. Sunlight streaming and shining and warming your days.

The lakes. Streams, rapids, and of course, the waterfalls! Full of fish and frogs… Ice cold swimming holes that double as bathtubs.

Drinking iodine water. And of course, the Crown Royal. Eating Cliff Bars, Beef Jerky and Gorp. Cooking coffee and oatmeal and couscous and lentils.

Five days in the back-country. North Country, Yosemite. Away from the chaos and submersed in the simple. Finding happiness in how much burden can be released by carrying a 30 lb. backpack over 30 miles across rugged and miserable, smooth and joyful, exciting and peaceful terrain.

Getting to know him. His patience and kindness. His humor and sincerity. Getting to know myself. My passions and delights. Strenghts, weaknesses, and through it all, perseverance.

Getting to know – and love – us. And especially our backpacking trips. With long conversations on trails. Joking and singing. Campfire meals and late night laughter. Falling asleep while we stare at the stars.

We drink it in. Yosemite. Each other. Life. And it feels fabulous.

2007.07.04 - Yosemite Backpacking Trip

Recharged

2007-06-28T20:21:00.000-07:00

My poison oak is everywhere. My skin is screaming, and I cannot seem to divert my attention elsewhere. I cannot shave my legs! I am hairy, and I am miserable.

My Inbox is overflowing. And the message light on my telephone is steadily blinking. All the time… I can no longer find the white of my whiteboard. And there are papers everywhere. I am tired, and I am stressed.

My running shoes have become more of a decoration than a utility. And my stomach is a little mushy. My pants felt looser a few weeks and months ago. I feel gross.

Until you look at me. Or until you kiss my forehead. Then I am no longer cranky. I am no longer defeated or exhausted.

I smile, and I happily sigh. I am excited again. About everything. Despite hairy legs and a mushy stomach and a never-ending job.

I am recharged. Because of your smile, your warmth, your sincerity. Because of you.

Staggering Genius

2007-06-25T20:14:00.000-07:00

It has been over two years now. Two years since I decided to pack up everything I knew and loved. To set out for San Francisco. Two years since I cleaned out the closets. Since I started the Craigslist search for an apartment, a job, a new life.

I don’t think about it that much – how ridiculously wonderful it has all worked out. Despite the rough patches. Because no matter how far away you go, you never really can just run away from your past. Eventually, you have to stare it down and tell it to go to hell.

It has been a year now. A year since I met AER. And Puck. Since we found our apartment. Since we made OUR new life. Our life with morning runs and afternoon swims. Thursday night spins and weekend bike rides. Regina Spektor On The Radio and Entourage on the television. A roommate, as well as a sister.

I think about it all the time – how this place is so much better than it was when I started. How much my life, my outlook, my PERSON, has changed since I met her. About how much easier it is to believe in yourself when you have someone there cheering for you.

“Can you see this motherfucking sky? Have you ever fucking BEEN to California?

Atop our bikes, climbing Highway 1. The blue sky above and the blue ocean below. We pushed. We pulled. We floated. We laughed. We sang. We quoted.

So fucking glad, despite all of the heartbreak and staggering, to be in California.

New Shoes

2007-06-22T11:37:00.001-07:00

Nothing says fresh start like a new paif of shoes. But since I really do have enough shoes - well, almost enough shoes - why not a new a hair color? And sunglasses! Big ones.

I am such a wannabe badass...

Pico Blanco

2007-06-18T22:23:00.000-07:00

It is Spanish for "White Peak" and it is NOT an easy mountain to climb. Especially when wearing a 30 lb pack on your back! But we surrvived. The 18 miles of hiking over three days. The up and down over uneven terrain from Bottchers Gap (east of Bixby Mountain) to the Pico Blanco campsite. Stopping at Little Sur River a on the way out and again on the way back.

Yes, we survived. And we didn't kill each other. In fact, we're all planning our next excursion already. Check out the pics and you'll see why we're all EXCITED to do it again!

2007.06.15 - Pico Blanco Backpacking Trip

New Beginnings

2007-06-18T22:13:00.000-07:00

I just can't seem to keep up, anymore.

With a training schedule every morning.
With all my projects at work during the day.
With television shows at night.
With family and friends on the East Coast.
Not to mention a blog that I so often neglect...

Lately, there is so much life to live and hardly any time to write about it. Yet unlike before, as in last year and especially throughout last fall, I am not overwhelmed by all that life presents.

I am excited. Optimistic. And dare I say it, HAPPY. To be honest, I am happier than I have ever been in my life. My entire life. Ever.

And we are only just getting started...

Wildflower 2007 - An Amazing Race

2007-05-07T21:19:00.000-07:00

The alarm sounded at 5:15 AM, but I was already awake. The rest of the crew - Team Russian Hill, which included AER and LP - woke up shortly thereafter. We started hydrating, pounding the Gatorades, Vitamin Waters, and Smart Waters. It was going to be a hot day, and we had a Triathlon!

We had about an hour's drive from our hotel to the site of the race, so we filled it with good tunes to pump us up. It was exciting to see so many cars on the road with bikes on the roof. So many pretty bikes! And by the time we pulled into the park, I was ready for this race. But I wasn't ready for the scene. I've done some pretty large marathons and half marathons by now, so I'm used to seeing hordes of athletes, but I have seriously NEVER seen anything like Wildflower. So many people! So many SUVs and bike racks. So much gear! So... SO MANY SMOKIN' HOT MEN! All so far away and in the middle of nowhere! Seriously! It's an unbelievable sight, with an amazing energy, beckoning you to get out there and give it all you have.

So we un-racked our bikes and pulled together our gear, then started on the trek down to the transition area. (It was quite a trek.) And although I've stood in the corrals at some really humongous races, there is nothing quite like the transition area of a triathlon. Wetsuits, towels, bikes, helmets, cycling shoes, running shoes, Cliff Bars, Cytomax, Gu... I laughed to myself as I set up my transition area, remembering how the only "gear" I brought to my first marathon was A PLASTIC TRASH BAG I used to shield me from the cold November Philly winds. Memories...

AER and I were in the same row, pretty close by, so we set-up our transitions and made preliminary trips to the Port-O-Potties. Then we got marked and decided to sit down by The Start to watch the first few waves of men take to the water. Watching the men get started was pretty nerve racking, not going to lie. I started to doubt my abilities when I saw the first man come out of the water after only 18 minutes. 18 minutes! I think AER noticed I was starting to get nervous, though, because she suggested we head back to our transitions to get ready. Good idea.

We coated ourselves in Body Glide and applied a little olive oil on our joints, soon finding that we were snug in our wetsuits. Time to head to the Start Line. I said good-bye to my bike, on some level wondering if I'd ever see her again. Standing behind the start, I could feel was my heart pound. That water looked choppy. And it was cold! But it was soon our turn to enter the water to warm-up. So AER gave my hand a final squeeze. She headed to the front of the crowd, while I headed to the back. I took a deep breath. When the girl to my left looked at me and said she'd be pretty happy when this part of the race was over, I realized I wasn't in this thing by myself. Hardly anyone was psyched to swim!

The horn sounded - it was time to enter the water. I hated every second of the first few minutes in the water. Splashing, vying for a spot to swim. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't figure out where to go. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't figure out where to go. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't... (Are you noticing a pattern?) I pretty much spent the first couple hundred yards debating whether or not I should just float on my back and wait for one of the rescue swimmers on a surfboard to come pick me up. However I soon calmed down when I remembered and again realized that pretty much everyone was as frustrated as I was. And then I saw a clearing (albeit VERY small) and decided I'd try to swim through it.

So I put my head in the watter and started to paddle. And a couple of strokes later, I had pulled away from the initial clump of swimmers. A couple of more strokes later, and my heart stopped racing. And pretty soon, I was able to actually swim. Breathing every few strokes, stopping to sight/catch my breath when I needed to. It wasn't fun, nor was it easy, but I eventually made it to the turn around at the half-mile point. The trip back "home" was much better. I found my rhythm, I avoided the other swimmers, and I actually started to have FUN. Swimming. While wearing a wetsuit. In Lake San Antonio. At Wildflower!

32 minutes later, I exited the water and headed for the transition. I had swallowed a bit of lake water during the swim, so I was coughing a bit during my run back to the transition. Snot was also dripping out of my nose, and I'm pretty sure the event photographers snapped a VERY FLATTERING picture of me taking off my wetsuit with boogers flying everywhere. (That'll be one for the mantle, won't it?) I was feeling pretty dizzy as I took off the wetsuit, so I inhaled some Sport Beans and gulped some water. I stood there for a minute before unracking my bike to make sure I could stand up straight. I definitely lost some time here, but I think it was important for me to regain my balance and confidence, so it was a minute well spent.

As I exited the transition, I hopped on my bike and began the climb up Lynch Hill. It was a little obnoxious, really, putting such a steep hill so early in the race. But I live in San Francisco - I'm not afraid of hills! So I started to climb. And when I got to the top of the hill, I cruised down its back side. Only to reach the bottom to start climbing again. Another pattern! It was a course full of rolling hills, and I pushed as hard as I could on every uphill, knowing that a downhill reward wasn't too far off.

I have to admit - I really LOVED every moment on the bike. Yes, even that moment when my right eye got so dry from all the wind that my contact lens just flew out of my eye. And that moment when my chain fell off of my bike with only 3 more miles to go, well I loved that moment, too. Even though it cost me a few minutes, well, I just wasn't that pissed off at the time. I was still having so much fun.

I could have continued on that ride for another couple of hours. However there was a 10K to run in order to finish this race. So I cruised down the final mile of the bike - back down Lynch Hill, with an amazing view out onto the lake - and into the transition after about an hour and a half of riding. I racked my bike, I changed my shoes, I threw on my cap, and I headed out for the run.

I didn't wear a watch during the race, and there weren't any clocks set-up at the mile markers throughout the bike or the run. I'm glad I didn't have a constant reminder of how long I had been on the course, because the run was pretty grueling. Hot. And hilly! But unlike the bike, it didn't have a lot of downhills. I felt like I had been running for 20 minutes when I passed the first mile marker. However, I did know I wasn't running 20 minute miles. In fact, I was running mostly with men. Men who had started the race 10 and 15 minutes before me. And I didn't see many women at all during the run course (because I smoked them on the bike!) so I knew I was actually doing pretty well. It was a nice little consolation thought to help me through that damn run.

Mile 2, Mile 3... They passed very slowly, but at least they passed. I walked through the water stops to suck in every drop of water I could find, and took a Gu around Mile 3.5 to get me through those last couple of miles. My butt was BURNING up those hills, but I refused to walk. And finally, around Mile 4.5, the crowds started to yell that we only had one more hill to go. I felt a huge sense of accomplishment at that point, realizing that my first triathlon finish was within reach.

So I started to RUN. My legs felt lighter, and I started to smile. I was feeling pretty good, by then, in fact. But when I heard a loud, "GO NIC!" from my friend JG, I really started to beam and feel great. My friend JG and some of her friends from the SF Tri Club had come to cheer on some friends competing in the race. And as I ran by, JG yelled to the crowd that Wildflower was my first triathlon. Everyone on the sidelines started to clap and cheer for me. How can you NOT pick up your speed and start to feel stronger when an entire mob is cheering you on? So I trucked up the hill and made a turn around the corner and sprinted as fast as I could that last mile, back down Lynch Hill and into the finishers chute.

I didn't see the clock right away, being half blind from losing a contact lens on the bike. But with a little less than that final 0.2 miles to go, I saw that the clock read 4:24. At this point, I started to sprint, smiling, and feeling so great. So happy, because I realized I was going to finish the race at 4:25 clock time, a 3:10 race time for me. 3:10! I didn't really have any time goals for this race, but a 3:10 looked pretty awesome.

I crossed The Finish feeling good. Tired, but not in pain. I headed over to grab a towel and water, only to see AER and LP hanging out doing the same thing, just a few yards from The Finish. AER saw me and started to scream - I don't think she was expecting to see me so soon. When I told her I crossed the finish in 3:10 she gave me the biggest hug. AER had finished the race in 2:57, so I was only thirteen minutes behind her. Holy shit! And LP finished in 3:30, another awesome time for the course. What an amazing race!

And now I'm hooked on triathlon...

But I wouldn't have been able to do any of it without AER, who is one of the most inspiring people I have ever met. I started to swim and cycle in January because of AER's encouragement; and I stuck with it because of her constant support. Thank you SO much, AER, for getting me involved in triathlon. For sticking by my side when I was scared. For believing in me when I doubted myself. For teaching me to be bold and daring and adventurous. And for reminding me that I can do anything, if only I tri.

Wildflower 2007 - The Pics

2007-05-07T21:18:00.000-07:00

2007.05.06 - Wildflower

Wildflower 2007 - The Results

2007-05-07T07:21:00.000-07:00

I finished! And I didn't die in the lake, despite the multiple nightmares I had last week! Including one in which my wetsuit was too big; it let in all the lake water and I drowned. Yes, I was a little nervous about Wildflower! But no need to be nervous anymore - I "pummelled" my first triathlon!

270 women completed the Olympic Course within the Female 25-29 division. And I placed 63rd!!!!! Here are the stats...

Total Time: 3:10:52

1.5K Swim Time: 0:32:21
Transition 1: 0:05:02
25K Bike Time: 1:35:01
Transition 2: 0:02:47
10K Run Time: 0:55:41

Overall, out of 2589 athletes who finished the race, I placed 958. I don't think you can ask for much more from your first triathlon. Especially when your first triathlon is the grueling, hilly course at Wildflower. There is a lot of room for improvement, but a lot of confidence to be gained from getting through my first race.

And of course, there are more stories to come. A narrative always accompanies a race, and my first triathlon - which includes losing a contact lens on the bike - is no different. But I gotta go to work, so that'll come tonight.

In the meantime, thanks for all the good luck messages. And special thanks to AER, my best friend and the most amazing triathlete. Thank you for getting me to tri this sport. I love it.

Old Aunt Nic

2007-05-03T21:48:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that she is finally here, but on May 1, my NIECE entered this world.

Welcome, HLY!!!! I cannot wait to meet you.

A Starting Point

2007-05-01T20:26:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to pretend that the REAL reason I haven't done much swimming in open water is because I've just been SOOOOOO busy.

Because although I have - SERIOUSLY, been SOOOOOO busy - I've also just been SOOOOOO petrified of the open water. Of the lack of walls. And the lack of a bottom I can see. Not to mention, touch. And since the only open water I can get to without a car is the San Francisco Bay, I can't deny that I've also been SOOOOOO afraid of how freaking COOOOOOLD that water would be.

But she made me promise. And on Tuesday, after work, we decided to go. I packed my bag: wetsuit, towel, Body Glide, flip flops, cap and goggles. I said good-bye to The Cat. I told him I loved him. And that if he ever had any desire to scratch me in the eyes, now was his chance. That if he did it now, I wouldn't get mad at him.

Naturally, he didn't pay any attention to me.

So we headed to the water, to Aquatic Park. I could feel my heart thumping the entire way there. It pounded so forcefully, I seriously wondered if an accelerated heart rate ever caused a hair-line fracture in one's sternum. We parked the car, got into our wetsuits, and headed to the beach. AER, who is seriously the most WONDERFUL human being in the entire universe, tried her best to keep me calm and laughing.

She did look pretty silly in her wetsuit and cap...

We entered the water, and my worst fear was realized. That water is miserable. But wetsuits work. After taking a pee - perhaps the best thing about triathlons is not having to wait in the line for port-o-potties - we swam out to the bouyies to start our swim.

But I didn't do that well. My heart was pounding. And I couldn't catch my breath. I started to swim and the water was just SO COLD on my face, my hands, and my feet. I hated not being able to see. I hated the water tossing me off of my course. And I hated how hard it was to breathe.

I started to have trouble breathing. And I started to really panic. But AER never left my side. We swam, then stopped and floated. She talked me down when I became too wound up in the intensity of the cold water, of the overwhelming nature of swimming in The San Francisco Bay.

I only made it a half mile before I just couldn't deal with it anymore. So we swam to shore. And when we made it to the sand, AER hugged me. I started balling. One of those short but sweet wails of exhaustion, embarrassment, sadness, and on some level, a tiny bit of happiness.

My first swim in the San Francisco Bay is behind me. It can't get much worse than that.

Lost and Found

2007-04-30T21:24:00.000-07:00

All that I had left to give just wasn't enough. And so it got sluggish. It staggered, until it stopped.

And although I haven't really been spending much time in San Francisco anyway, I had to get out of the city. Again. Away from laundry and cleaning and errands. Away from messages to return and phone calls to make. Away from the professional stress. And the personal drama.

We headed to Tahoe. Some people - well, MOST people - backed out at the last minute. But that only made the trip that much better. Just us. And our bikes. Plus running shoes and gloves and a baseball. We forgot CDs, and the iPod transmitter didn't really work, so for three hours in the car, we only had each other.

It was a long drive, but still, I think it ended too soon. Tired, we went to sleep immediately after our arrival. But we woke up to gorgeous sunlight. And a beautiful day in the mountains, that of course, begged us to ride. So we set out, and 45 miles later, we returned home. Exhausted and happy.

I threw on my Asics for a post cycling run, Wildlfower only one more week away. It was painful, at first, but it got better. How can it NOT get better when you're running next to that gorgeouos lake? And those beautiful snow-capped mountains! Yes, running at altitude makes it's hard to breathe; but when running at altitude, every breath feels so much more worth it...

Afternoon naps. And dinner, with good food, good wine, and good friends. New friends. Someone you never knew you needed to meet. Who makes you smile. And feel good. Healthy, both physically and emotionally. And yet who makes you want to be better. On the bike. On the job, and on that road of life. Every minute, of every hour, of every day.

I always want to feel this happy. This tired, and yet this energized. This excited, and yet this calm. Lost in the middle of nowhere, atop a bike and a mountain, I found exactly what I've been missing. What I've been needing.

I never want to let go.

Trying to Tri

2007-04-16T17:42:00.000-07:00

I woke up early on Sunday morning, determined to REALLY train for the upcoming Wildflower Triathlon that is only a few short weeks away. Seriously, I’m SO under-trained for this event. Compared to how much time and energy I invested in my past marathons and half marathons, I’m probably only ready for a 10K. Which is a total shame considering that prior to running a 10K on May 5 I’m also going to have to swim a mile and cycle through 25.

So Sunday I woke up and headed to the pool.

(That’s right, the pool. Because I still have yet to purchase the wet suit I was going to purchase before my trip to Morocco. Because my week was rearranged when I had to go to Chicago for work. And after being “back” in San Francisco, I’m again in Chicago. So ridiculous… Anyway, I’m hoping to buy that wetsuit this week, and once I do, I’ll take her for a swim in The Bay ASAP. But I digress…)

I walked the mile and a half to the pool on Sunday morning, swam a pretty decent mile and then walked a mile and a half back home. I traded my tight Speedo bathing suit for some sausage sucking cycling shorts and hopped onto my bicycle for a spin over the Golden Gate Bridge, up to the top of Marin Headlands, and then down into Sausalito before turning around and heading back home.

For the first time EVER, I really felt like I dominated my bike ride. There were no falls. No mishaps with my pedals. I was only passed by some cyclists who truly looked bad ass, despite climbing some of the most challenging hills. Sure, I panted and chugged water and felt like I was totally out of shape at the crest of each hill, but I managed to regain control of my breathing as soon as the road flattened… just in time to start climbing again, most of the time!

And I have to admit, both my swimming and cycling really are getting better. It’s just that I don’t have a whole lot of time left before Wildflower! And I’ve yet to do a full practice triathlon. I had every intention of lacing up the Asics for a quick lap around the neighborhood after my ride yesterday, but I caught a glimpse of my couch when I returned my bike to my apartment and the urge to sit down and just stare at the ceiling was too strong to deny.

All of this activity plus travel is pretty tiring. Not a surprise, however.

So, I unfortunately ONLY completed a 1 mile swim and 30 mile ride yesterday. I know this workout was still substantial, and, well, decent. And I know that I still have quite a few opportunities to fit in additional training sessions before the race. All hope is not totally lost. And I am in respectable enough shape to confidently attempt to finish Wildflower. I just hope I don’t have to travel AGAIN the week before the race!

Oh, Triathlon Training. You are much more fun than Marathon Training. And I swear, I really am TRYING to Tri. Tri Training just doesn’t travel well! If only I could cram my bike and my pool into my suitcase the way I can always squeeze in my running shoes...

Just Keep Swimming

2007-04-14T13:02:00.000-07:00

I obviously didn't do a whole lot of swimming in Marrakech... So this week, after nearly 10 days out of the pool, I tried to get back into the swimming groove.

Sadly, I have lost my rhythm.

Today wasn't as terrible as the past couple of days, though. I managed to swim a mile in 27 minutes, my normal time, and I only felt like throwing in the proverbial towell to drown twice. I think the only way I got through the workout was by humming to myself the famous lines of Dori from Finding Nemo: "Just keep swimming! Just keep swimming!"

I said those words to myself so many times that like Dori, I forgot where I was and what I was doing. And eventually, I had swam an entire mile, and I was finished. Success!

Swimming, despite its difficult nature, manages to clear my head. Sure, it clogs my ears, but a half hour underwater with nothing but my mantra really does help to drown out all of life's other noise...

So, if I can offer any other struggling swimmer any advice, it would be to "Just Keep Swimming."

Pics by Nic - London

2007-04-10T22:21:00.000-07:00

Check out my pics from London!

2007.04.07 - London

London Calling

2007-04-09T22:20:00.000-07:00

I had only been in the UK a few moments when I realized that I absolutely must live here at some point. The feeling mirrors that which I felt about San Francisco prior to my settlement there. I can’t really justify it with tangible examples or experiences – it is a feeling. A feeling that I cannot shake. I must live in London!

I arrived in London Saturday afternoon, traveling via The Underground to my hotel in Mayfair, near Green Park. My hotel was perfectly situated between all the touristy things one must see on their first visit to London. I arrived at my hotel and immediately crashed on my TWIN bed for an hour before showering (hot water!) and STYLING my hair (hair dryer!) and then hitting the town.

My hotel was right off of Picadilly Street, so I took a stroll towards Picadilly Circus to get a feel of the neighborhood. I held back my urge to take too many pictures during this walk, as it was getting dark, and because I hadn’t really eaten all day. It was time to eat!

By the time I found a pub, it was 9:45 PM. And by the time I actually got up to the bar to order my food, the bartender told me the kitchen was closed. I pleaded that I would eat anything they had left in the kitchen, as I was STARVING, and she pulled some strings to get me a platter of fish and chips. While waiting to place my order, I had started talking to two American men, who bought me my dinner and a pint of Stella Artois. LOVELY.

They asked me if I grew up in New Jersey, which I immediately scolded them for doing. To make it up to me, they bought me another pint of Stella. LOVELY! (London is expensive, so I’m not going to get all feminist about a couple of men buying me drinks.) It was fun to hang out and talk to people, too. After several more pints, they walked me home to my hotel, which was just around the corner, and I passed out in my twin bed. Kind of college style, really. Because the last time I got so drunk off of beer and then passed out in a twin bed has to have been sometime in 1999.

I woke up on Sunday with a killer hangover. Always nice to start Easter with a hangover, isn’t it? After breakfast at the hotel, I set out on my journey to see London. ALL of London. Buckingham Palace, Big Ben, 10 Downing Street, etc. I walked all the way down to London Bridge, past Shakespeare’s Globe Theater, and then back to the neighborhood of Kensignton. Unfortunately, I did not get to go shopping at Harrod’s, as it was closed for Easter, but I did pop into a few boutiques, so my London shopping was successful.

Approximately 35,000 steps on my pedometer later, the equivalent to 15 miles, I took myself back to my hotel, where I again collapsed on my twin bed for a few hours. A light dinner a couple of hours later and back to my hotel, as I was completely exhausted from my day of sightseeing.

However, I am still certain – I will live in London. At some point… For now, though, I find solace in the fact that my next three projects for work will require some travel to Europe. I'm not really ready to go back to work after this amazing vacation, but at least I have London Calling in the not so distant future.

Pics by Nic - Marrakech and Essaouira!

2007-04-08T22:26:00.000-07:00

Check out my pics from Marrakech and Essaouira!

2007.03.30 - Marrakech and Essauoira

Essaouira

2007-04-07T21:53:00.000-07:00

I didn't get a lot of sleep in Marrakech. That is an understatement, actually. I didn't get any sleep in Marrakech, especially the night of the wedding.

So when we woke up on Thursday morning - EARLY - to head out to Essaouira, I was exhausted. And at the time, I didn't feel like piling into a van to make the trip. (If you've never heard of Essaouira, check out this posting from LEF herself.) However, the journey, which we were worried wouldn't happen at quite a few times Thursday morning, was well worth it, despite exhaustion, anxiety, and a long car ride.

Around 9:00 AM, 10 ladies exited Riad al Tainam lugging all of their luggage through the streets of Marrakech, almost a mile to Riad Blanc, where we were meeting the rest of the wedding guests. I've described the streets of Marrakech before - they are a little hectic - and 10 ladies pulling suitcases and lugging large bags full of purchases from the souks must have been an interesting sight for the locals.

My favorite cat-calls for the entire week are definitely, "Hello, Flower..." and "Fish and Chips!" both of which we heard quite often, as white women traveling alone DO stand out a bit in Marrakech. But ten white women dragging luggage almost a mile throughout the winding streets of the Medina DEFINITELY draw attention. I guess we looked Brittish, hence the calls of, "Fish and Chips!" Really, it was too funny.

After a brief meeting at Riad Blanc, we again lugged suitcases and bags a few blocks to where our vans were waiting for us. Getting our luggage into the vans was not an easy task, and getting our drivers to agree to drive us to Essaouira - three and a half hours away - proved more difficult than we had expected, given that reservations/plans had been made in advance. One van of 10 people had to unload all of their belongings after sitting in the van for about an hour because the driver decided - at the last minute - that he didn't really feel like driving to Essaouira, anymore.

(If only I didn't have to go to work because I didn't "feel like it" anymore...)

After a few negotiations, and likely the exchange of additional dhiram, we did get the transit situation settled. And after a quiet three and a half hours through the Moroccan country-side, which amazingly enough resembles I-10 along New Mexico and Arizona, we arrived in Essaouira.

I had been sleeping when we pulled into this beautiful, quaint beach town. When I opened my eyes the first sight I noticed was the sparkling Atlantic Ocean. Now, I've seen the Atlantic hundreds of times in my 27 years, but mostly from places like Ocean City, NJ or Myrtle Beach, SC. Until that moment, I had never seen the ocean from Africa; I must say, it gives a view of the Pacific from California a run for its money.

Essaouira, like Marrakech, is a city with winding narrow streets. However the chaos and intensity of Marrakech are replaced with peace and tranquility in Essaouira. There are cafes at which people sit sipping coffee for hours. The shopping is not quite as intense. In general, the town is relaxing. After an hour there I was already sad I was eventually going to have to leave.

We spent the day wandering the city, shopping, and getting lunch. We went to a fantastic restaurant for dinner, where I dined on Patiste aux Fruits de Mer. Basically a Moroccan chicken pot pie with seafood, only a bit more elegant, and definitely more delectable. The waiter kept the wine coming; the band, the music flowing. And after a dinner lasting nearly four and a half hours, we headed back to our riad.

Staying up all night talking. Making new friends. Tightening the bond with people I have already shared so many memories. It was an amazing night, a night that no one wanted to end. Because in the morning, I had to pack my bags and return to Marrakech so that I could catch a flight to London...

This trip to Morocco was made possible by life-long friendship and eternal love. In Marrakech and Essaouira, we both celebrated and again discovered these feelings. It was truly, an amazing journey and a perfect destination.