Sunshine Princess

Bobblehead

2012-02-01T08:37:00.005-05:00

As Winston nears his first birthday, he is celebrating many other firsts.

It started with getting up on all fours and rocking back and forth then actually moving around and crawling. This caused us to run to the Safety Superstore and buy way too much baby proofing stuff. The house is full of gates now and Wiki is not super happy as she seems to keep getting stuck on the wrong side.

Now he is pulling himself up to standing and periodically trying to walk. You can't leave him alone for a second. He looks like one of those bobblehead dolls that is all wobbly. It's pretty funny (I know I shouldn't laugh at my child). He has also started climbing up the stairs- but stops to look behind him and falls backwards. It's amazing how oblivious he is to fear. We have decided we don't need a babysitter but a full time spotter.

As he grows so does his need for food. The little man is an eating machine. I honestly don't know where he puts it all. He will eat at least half a large sweet potato, half an avocado, 3/4 of a chicken breast and more all in one sitting. If one of us is eating and he isn't he starts grunting and fussing until you feed him. His favorite is tourtiere, but he really just likes anything he can hold onto and stuff in his mouth. I'm not sure how I am going to be able to feed all the boys in this house. If he is eating this much now I can't imagine what he will eat when he is a teenager (and riding his bike all the time).

Next up on the developmental milestone checklist is walking..... watch out I think this little man is going to start running first.

Another Snowy Weekend

2012-01-30T08:23:00.006-05:00

Well it was sort of snowy. But for this time of year in Ontario we are seriously lacking in the snow. And yes I'm complaining. It isn't nice enough to ride outside, and there isn't enough snow to do much of anything else. Back country skiing is pretty much out I think for the rest of the winter. I did manage to get out on the groomed ski hills for a few tele turns. It was fun just to be on skis again, but the conditions were less than perfect- read ice, and ice on telemark skis is not fun. I'm considering investing in a new pair of skis just for Ontario ice skiing. Especially since next year I will be skiing with a hula hoop that a little munchkin is holding onto. Yes- Winston will be on skis next year. Yikes!

Despite the lack of winter weather we had a great time up north. We had wonderful guests for the weekend who loved to help with the little man, and spoil Wiki. They brought some wonderful wine, cooked some delicious food, and even helped clean up. Amy and Mark you are welcome back anytime.

When we went to bed on Saturday night is was snowing and we all had full intentions of hitting the slopes bright and early Sunday morning. Well the snow stopped and really was probably less than 1cm and Brad and myself were pretty tired and didn't feel like skiing. Luckily our guests didn't either and we all decided a Sunday brunch was in order. Before we could blink we were off to the the Flying Spatula in Flesherton. They do an amazing breakfast buffet with salads, waffles, pancakes, crispy bacon, chilli, roast beef, ham, omelets, and tons more. I left there not needing to eat again until dinner. Make sure to check it out if you're in the area. You can also get your hair done there.

Then it was back to the city. The little man was getting feisty on the drive so we decided to stop at the Shed Coffee Bar in Belfountain. It was there no more, replaced by a general store. Which did have coffee but no where to sit. Apparently the Shed is opening a new store in Erin. Guess I will have to plan a different cycling route come spring. At least it hasn't disappeared completely.

Skiing and more skiing

2012-01-22T16:05:00.001-05:00

After a few days of recovery from Louisville we headed up to Collingwood to check out the snow. Lucky for us there was some and we put the Chariot to good use. First up was Brad's brilliant idea of combining the Surly Pugsly snow bike and the chariot on skis. I seriously had my doubts but it worked. There was some pushing when the snow wasn't packed down enough, but he was able to ride most of Loree forest. I trailed behind on my skis.

Then we hit up Bruce Wine Bar in Thornburry for a delicious dinner. It it small plate style so you can try at least 5 different items between 2 people. The wine selection was a little limited by the glass, but the bottle selection was excellent. I might have had a little too much- 3x3oz glasses got me tipsy. It's been a long time. Worth checking out this nifty place if you are in the area.

The next day Brad kicked my butt at Nordic Highlands. I'm still not sure how he manages to go so fast even while towing Winston. Oh that's right- he's super human. I have a feeling that me playing catch up with the boys is going to be a big part of my future. Luckily we met up with Kate and Scott to refuel after my humbling skate skiing experience. I slept well that night.

We were feeling a little lazy this morning (Sunday) and decided to check out a new to us breakfast place- The Orchid. This is our new favorite place in the area. It was delicious. We ended the weekend with a quick back country ski with the main purpose of tiring out the dog. It worked- sort of. An hour and a half isn't quite long enough for her. Now it's back to the city for the week.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Master Cyclocross World Champs 2012

2012-01-18T08:49:00.004-05:00

Race weekend has come and gone and a fun time was had by all.

Thursday we went out in search of a local bike shop for some necessities that we had forgotten ( I had forgotten). Turns out this shop carried Cannondale bikes, and just happen to have one in my size and on sale. Same price as I paid for my used one online. Lucky me, I left with a new bike. Now I have the same A and B bikes. And Brad was going to use the Kona as his back up bike. Good day.

Friday was Brad's qualifier and the course was a treacherous mess of frozen ruts. They even delayed the start to de-ice the flyover. The course was so hard you really couldn't go fast. It was all about just staying upright and finishing. Brad had a good race earning him a third row call up for the main event.

Saturday was the big day for the Soigneur Race Services house. I was up first at 10:20am. Luckily the course organizers had moved the tape slightly to create a safer line on one side of the course. You still had to criss cross the frozen ruts because the line changed sides, but at least you could ride it now instead of having to run. My race was packed with super heroes. I lined up beside Lynne Bessett, Betsy Shogren and the top 3 at US cross nats. It was a who's who of cycling. It was amazing. I had a bad start and ended up caught behind at least 4 crashed on the first lap. Then I had my own crash and somehow managed to crack the plastic buckle on my shoe. A stop in the pit, a little electrical tape, and I was back on my way. As the sun kept shinning and the weather warming up, the course was changing every lap. It was getting slicker as the time went on. Managed to pick off a few more riders in the last two laps and took 10th place. As Peter Mogg put it, my brain hurt. I have never had to focus so much in a race before. There was no where to turn off your brain. You had to pay attention at all times. One little mistake and a rut would grab you and you'd be on the ground with no warning. It was great. I loved every minute I was out there.

By the time Brad's race came around, it warmed up considerably and the course was a muddy mess. Good thing he had the back up bike. He was changing bikes every lap, sometimes after half a lap. It was a power course of just survival and strength through the mud. Reminded me of some of the Belgian races I did, or the New Jersey race 2 years ago. For a guy who doesn't train at all, Brad snagged 24th place just eeking into the top 25. Go Brad!

After a great team dinner, and some sleep we were back in the car for the long drive home. Winston handled the drive really well, and was nice enough to let us stop for ice cream. We will be back next year for sure.

Photo credit:Christopher Jones

Driving

2012-01-12T12:10:00.001-05:00

Brad and I are in Louisville Kentucky for the Master World Cyclocross Championships. We had the brilliant idea of driving through the night to get there for pre-riding Wednesday. It worked wonders for the little man as he slept the entire drive. However we were exhausted when we arrived and Win was ready to play. Not sure we thought that through properly.

After a short nap by Brad we went and registered for the race. Brad drew start number 12 for his qualifying heat. Great for him as that means second row and for a 30min race that is key. I somehow drew a second place call up. Happy about that for sure except it makes me a little nervous cause I'm not sure where my fitness is at right now.

Next up was riding. It had been hard all night and day so the course was perfect (for me). There is a long muddy field section, a fly over with the steepest/biggest stairs (they come up to my knees), and a crazy backside of the course that is either a run or run/ride section. If the weather keeps up its a perfect course for Brad and me. But, the sun is supposed to come up so I really have no idea what the course will be like on Saturday. We will just have to wait and see.

To top up a busy day we hit up the local Whole Foods. This was our best idea yet. They have tons of grass fed beef, butter, milk. The grass fed butter is so good, Brad is eating it straight out of the package. We will be stocking a cooler for the drive home for sure. Time to go enjoy my breakfast.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Location:Crossgate Ln,Louisville,United States

New Year New Post

2012-01-09T08:17:00.003-05:00

I wish I could say my new year's resolution is to post more frequently but I know that won't happen. The little man is taking up all my time. Any free moments and I'm either sleeping or working out. I am not complaining cause I am loving the time I get to spend with him. Back to work is creeping up slowly and I know I won't be ready for. It's hard to leave him for a few hours, I can't imagine what an entire day will be like. But until then we have been having tons of fun.

Both Brad and I got to do a few runs at the local ski hill. I went out on the teles with a friend (first time in 2 years). It really wasn't too bad but boy did the legs hurt the next day. While I was skiing Brad hiked with the little one from our place to the ski hill. Then we traded off and Brad got to snowboard for a bit. It was nice having the friend up cause then we didn't have to ski alone. The little man loved watching all the skiers. Next year it will be his turn. In the meantime he is already practicing his wheelie drops thanks to a little help from dad.

I can't believe how nice the weather has been for January. Though I am a winter girl for sure and I am missing the snow, I have still been enjoying these warm days. When we are in the city our weekend usually consists of a trip to the Carrot. This allows the dog to play in the park, Winston to sleep in the stroller and us to stock up on food for the week. This past Saturday we made a pit stop at Off The Hook- a new fish and chips place on Broadview. It's the best I've ever had. We got the normal (which is organic) halibut but you can get cajun or gluten free. There are other types of fish you can choose from and tons of sauces (we opted for the wasabi one). I can't say enough about how delicious it was. And the best part was sitting outside on a sunny January day and enjoying our treat.

Next up will be a post from Louisville Kentucky where Brad and I will be racing the master world cyclocross championships. But first, a ten hour drive with a baby. Wish us luck.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-28T09:57:00.001-05:00

Wow- have we been busy. It's that crazy time of year: Christmas, Hanukkah, and New Years. The holiday season started out for us with a Greek Baptism of Winston's NICU neighbor. It was insane- in a good way. There must have been at least 200 people (mostly relatives). You were greater by shots of Bailey's or Ouzo and never ending food. It was a fun night out.

This year was one of the rare times that Hanukkah and Christmas fell at the same time. This meant many celebrations in a short period of time. Winston got spoiled with presents and really enjoyed opening them- especially his mini piano. He loves banging away on it. Not sure I'm going to like it so much after hours of it.

We hosted Christmas dinner in Collingwood again (thank you grandmother and Auntie H) for helping watch the little one so Brad and I could cook. It was really nice having all the family together. There hasn't been enough snow yet to ski but we have been out and about hiking. We invested in a Deuter Kid Comfort 2 pack and it is getting some good use. Win seems to love being outside. Hopefully the snow will come soon and we can get on the skis.

Brad and I agreed on a budget for gifts for us, and that they had to be stocking stuffers. I might have pushed it a little but he really needed some slippers. Brad stuck to the plan but managed to get me an awesome and very suitable new coffee mug.

Hopefully things are calming down now and I will have time to blog a little more.
I hope everyone reading this had a wonderful Christmas and Hanukkah. Now pray for snow.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Life

2011-12-13T08:08:00.002-05:00

On the morning of my grandfather Poppi's funeral I can't help but think of all the memories I have had with him. He lived to be 102+ years. Not many people can say that. He outlived 2 wives, has 12 grandchildren (not including significant others) and most importantly he got to meet and hold his great grandson Winston. I look forward to the day I can show the little man the pictures of him and his great grandpa. I know I should be sad, and I am, but really I am happy. Happy that I was lucky enough to have a grandfather for 34 years and make all those memories. Now I look forward to Winston making his own memories with his grandparents.

First Winter Weekend

2011-12-05T06:45:00.006-05:00

We decided to head up to Collingwood Thursday night as Brad's truck needs to be stored for the winter. I was nervous of driving alone with the little man due to his last performance on the drive to Ottawa (slept for only 20mins). I guess night driving is the trick as he slept for the entire 2 hour drive. Easy drive, except we weren't giving the memo about all the snow up the north. Luckily we had put the snow tires on a few weeks ago and I made it into the driveway. Because he slept in the car Win's sleep schedule was off, and we all got to sleep in until 9:30am on Friday. I can't tell you the last time I slept past 8am. Beautiful. A great thing about the snow was that it kept our food cold all day Friday until our new fridge arrived on Saturday. The fridge didn't seem as big in the large warehouse. But I know it will hold all the goodies for Christmas dinner and our new years' celebration (taking this year off but it will be back).

Friday was a relaxing day for us- as Brad ran around town getting groceries for our special dinner guest. He also found my favorite beer at the LCBO- La Chouffe (which of course I found when we were in Belgium). The bad- he only bought one. What was he thinking? Brad cooked up a superb Paleo dinner for our guest Uncle Peter. And Winston was super excited when Uncle Pete read him his bedtime story. Peter however seemed to have a few problems reading the word pajama.

Saturday morning Brad and the little man tested out the Chariot with the cross country skis on it. Win was loving it, especially the downhills but Wiki couldn't figure out where to position herself. She likes to be right on the tail of our skis, but found she was getting caught with the long poles. Guess what- Win fell asleep. This seems to be a new trend of his- falling asleep in moving objects. Of course he woke up as soon as they stopped moving. Then it was hiking time. We enjoyed a great snowy hike with some old and new friends. And again Win slept for the whole 2 hours. Poor Brad was lugging him around in our soft baby carrier so we have decided we need yet another baby gadget- a framed baby carrier. I love my Ergo and Beco but they aren't quite suitable for a 2 hour hike in the snow. It was nice that Win slept except then he wouldn't want to nap when we got home like mom and dad did. Later we went to Scott and Kate's for a delicious venison roast and more good company who were nice enough to share their Belgian beer stash with me (thanks Eric and Eden).

Sunday of course was cleaning up and a visit with Grandma and Grandpa Hunter on the way back to the city (Win fell asleep again in the car) It was a fun filled weekend and now I need a rest. Except it's time to get our Christmas tree.....

Busy Bees

2011-11-29T09:59:00.004-05:00

This family has been busy busy busy. Or at least the little man has been keeping me very busy. He has recently decided that he doesn't like to nap during the day for longer than 20 minutes. By the time I get him to sleep he is up and ready to go again. That leaves no time for blog posts. And by the time he goes to sleep at night all I want to do is go to sleep, or take a nice bubble bath with a glass of wine then go to sleep.

Last weekend we went to Ottawa for the provincial cyclocross race. We stayed at the host hotel- though on the pricey side was perfect. There was a swimming pool and hot tub which we took full advantage of, and a delicious restaurant where Brad and I enjoyed a romantic dinner while Winston slept. Perfect. It was a super fun race with a great battle between Lori and myself for a few laps. The course was so-so. Fairly flat with 2 easy sandpits, a few off camber turns, but because it was dry it was basically a grass crit. But it was still fun. A huge congrats to Lori for her well earned win. She is an inspiration to me, especially as to how fast I can be when Winston goes off to college.

On Sunday morning we took off for a little farm just outside of Kingston to visit Brad's friends. It was a great way to break up the return drive. They had a Jolly Jumper which we put the little man in and he loved it. Unfortunately the developmental clinic strongly discourages them for preemies- encourages toe walking, and other problems. It's too bad as he had a blast in it. The little man did love the organic carrots they sent us home with. He couldn't stop shoving it into his mouth.

In there was also World Prematurity (as I'm sure you all noticed from my facebook and twitter posts). It was nice to dress up in purple and show our support. I will leave you with a look into perhaps why we were giving a preemie. (I know it's long but it's worth a read- normally I wouldn't have the patience for it)

How Preemie Moms Are Chosen
by Erma Bombeck

Did you ever wonder how the mothers of premature babies are chosen?

Somehow, I visualize God hovering over Earth, selecting his instruments for propagation with great care and deliberation. As he observes, he instructs his angels to take notes in a giant ledger.

"Armstrong, Beth, son. Patron Saint, Matthew.
Forrest, Marjorie, daughter. Patron Saint, Celia.
Rutledge, Carrie, twins. Patron Saint...give her Gerard. He's used to profanity."

Finally, he passes a name to an angel and smiles. "Give her a preemie."

The angel is curious. "Why this one, God? She's so happy."

"Exactly," smiles God. "Could I give a premature baby a mother who knows no laughter? That would be cruel."

"But does she have the patience?" asks the angel.

"I don't want her to have too much patience, or she'll drown in a sea of self-pity and despair. Once the shock and resentment wear off, she'll handle it. I watched her today. She has that sense of self and independence so rare and so necessary in a mother. You see, the child I'm going to give her has a world of its own. She has to make it live in her world, and that's not going to be easy."

"But Lord, I don't think she even believes in you."

God smiles. "No matter, I can fix that. This one is perfect She has just the right amount of selfishness."

The angel gasps, "Selfishness?! Is that a virtue?"

God nods. "If she can't separate herself from the child occasionally, she will never survive. Yes, here is a woman whom I will bless with a child less than perfect. She doesn't know it yet, but she is to be envied. She will never take for granted a spoken word. She will never consider a step ordinary. When her child says momma for the first time, she will be witness to a miracle and know it. I will permit her to see clearly the things I see-- ignorance, cruelty, prejudice-- and allow her to rise above them. She will never be alone. I will be at her side every minute of every day of her life because she is doing my work as surely as she is here by my side."

"And what about her Patron Saint?" asks the angel, his pen poised in the air.

God smiles. "A mirror will suffice."

Solids

2011-11-14T08:06:00.004-05:00

The Main man is at that age where you can begin to start solid foods. I thought he would have no interest because he loves his milk so much. But boy was I wrong. I have decided to go with a process called Baby Led Weaning The idea is that baby eats all the same foods you would and you don't puree any of the food. I like this concept because I love food- all types and really want Winston to eat a variety of foods.

We started with a few pieces of avocado on his tray and he smothered it all over the tray. He sucked his fingers a little, then tried to eat the mess off the tray. Then started screaming. He didn't stop screaming until I put avocado in his mouth. If I hadn't cut him off I think he would have eaten the whole thing. In the end we are doing a bit of a combination of baby led weaning and my feeding him with my finger (I use a spoon if we are at a restaurant). When I am feeding him he is always helping by holding the spoon or my fingers. I'm not making any purees, just making the food soft enough for him to chew. There have been a few gagging/choking incidents but I managed to stay calm and there were no issues.

Win's favorite by far is banana but he likes carrot, celery root, pears, sweet potato and butternut squash. He isn't a big fan of plain chicken so I think I'm going to have to spice it up a little. The other day he even had some wild boar and elk tourtiere- it was a big hit. We are attempting broccoli today. All I hope is that he is a multicultural food lover like his mom and dad (and a paleo cavebaby).

If you have been reading my blog you will notice that the last few weekends have seen us head to the Barrie area for races. Last Sunday was the third weekend in a row we headed north. This time for the Hardwood Cross Race. It isn't a bad drive and we don't need to leave the house until about 8:45am so no need to wake a sleeping baby. Brad decided to race as well so we recruited grandmother to help us out with the little man.

The course was pretty fun though I have to admit I was a little disappointed that they didn't throw in any single track sections. There was one run up, a sand pit, and a ride/run up. In pre-riding I was able to get the sand section, however during the race it was actually 50/50- I think I managed it 3 out of 5 laps. Same with the steep hill, if I wasn't near anyone I was able to ride it, but if I was around people I had to get off and run. I was able to stay with Michelle and Lori for most of the race, and then Lori got away with just under 2 to go. On the last lap I took a little breather and grabbed a cupcake hand up from the girls on the side. It was delicious- though very hard to breath after eating it.

Brad also had a stellar race, leading for a while, the battling it out for 2nd. He ended up third and it very happy with his race. It was fun to pre-ride with him and get little tips, and the best part was he didn't lap me this time- almost as I could hear the announcers mentioning his name at the finish. Grandmother and Win also enjoyed the chilly fall day.

There are only 2 races left to the season- or maybe just one as we may skip Ottawa. Traveling with Winston is not the easiest- I think he is the only baby who does not like the car and won't sleep (well he doesn't like sleep at all but that is another post). I feel as though my fitness is finally coming back and I'm looking forward to a winter of xc skiing with the little man in tow.

Overdue Post

2011-10-31T09:41:00.007-04:00

Wow- time to just seems to slip away- especially when the little man is not sleeping well ( I think due to teething). Gotta call the naturopath and see what they recommend for his painfully swollen gums. The longest stretch I'm getting right now is about 2.5 hours. I'm hoping soon we will see a few teeth and all will be better. Until then, I love my naps.

Since the last post I have done the Barrie Baseball Cross race. Now this was a race I made myself pre-register for because I really had no intentions of doing it. I hate flat grassy courses- basically grass crits. I have no power on the flats which I have mentioned before. So I signed myself up to make myself work on this skill. I managed to have a good start and hold it for a while. I jumped on Christianne's wheel and was giving it everything I could to stay with her. She is a power house on the straightaways. I felt bad cause I couldn't take a pull I was just trying to stay with her. We finally bridged up to Lori and I jumped onto her wheel but she kept attacking me and I just couldn't keep up. In the end I am really happy with my race and glad I pushed myself to challenge my weaknesses. I can feel myself getting stronger as the season goes on. And it ended up being a sunhineprincess perfect day. Though I would really really like a nice muddy or snowy race.

During the week I kept busy by organizing a certain grand opening party, reading my book for book club, and doing mommy group activities. Our neighbour is a new mom also with a wonderful golden retriever who is now Wiki's best friend. So we have taken to fun coffee dates at the park with the dogs and the babies. It's nice getting friendly with a few mommy's so I don't feel like I'm overwhelming my non-baby friends with poopy diapers, teething complaints, or rolling over stories.

This past Saturday night we went to a Halloween Party at another mom's house. Brad came up with a great costume for us- The Rubbles/modern day cave family. He scurried about Saturday getting our costumes together, and completely did the little man's costume all by himself. I never knew he was so domesticated. We had such a great time at the party - got a new recipe for cider pulled pork, pushed my limit and had 2 glasses of wine, ate way too much candy and stayed up way past our normal bedtime. Of course then I couldn't sleep cause I had eaten so much sugar and gluten and was wired. Will I ever learn. Then it was a little sleep and Hardwood Cross time. That will be the next post.

photo credit: Peter Kraiker

Hardwood Single Track Challenge

2011-10-20T11:07:00.005-04:00

Last weekend Brad and I decided to skip the Toronto Cross races and do one last mountain bike race as a tag team. I was super excited to get on my Lapierre one more time. But Brad had different plans for me.... my bike was sold Friday night (lucky lady) and I would be racing on my single speed. Which would actually be better in the rain and mud we were prepared for. Lucky for us (and the event) we had a beautiful cool fall day which I am extremely thankful for because the little man did not sleep well the night before and I was bit cranky to start the day off.

Team 2 Riders And A Baby arrived with just enough time to register, change a dirty diaper and line up for the start. I was doing the first lap on Fun. I managed to get a front row position but quickly lost that on the flats leading up to the start climb. Then I gained most of it back (this is where the ss helped) and sat on a train of about 6 riders. I had told Brad that I would be 40mins. Oops- 16 minutes later I was entering the hand off area. Luckily Brad was there with Win and ready to go. The great thing about this race was each lap you did a different trail, and neither of you did the same trail. It was a bit weird not being able to compare notes with Brad. It was 50km of riding with 98% being single track. It was an absolute blast. Win was a great baton and slept for most of the race.

We ended up 2nd overall in the tag team and 1st in the mixed 60+ group. After some yummy chili it was time for the awards and draw prizes. First place scored us some of our favorite chips and salsa by Garden Fresh. This was a perfect snack when we got home with a fall pumpkin ale. It was an event that will be on my calendar next year for sure. But my favorite part of the day was being able to race with Brad again.

Durham Cross

2011-10-15T10:08:00.005-04:00

A last minute change of plans saw my Saturday evening become a baking night. I was on a roll of gluten free, dairy free, sugar free baking hoping to live up to the cookie cross challenge. I made three different batches with only 2 making the cut- dark cocoa cookies, and banana/apple cookies. I personally found them to be very good for no fun cookies, but they did not compare to regular flour and sugar cookies. At least there was beer to wash them down with.

I got in a few laps on the course and was loving it. It reminded me of some of the races I did in Belgium 2 years ago. Sandy, rutted descents, a few run ups, and a good climb. Even the flats at the top were fun as they were spaced out by some trail sections. I got to finally meet Mandy Dreyer who is now racing for Lapierre and was out doing her first cross race. Ten minutes till go time and the little man was unhappy. So there I was walking to the start line nursing Win (thanks to Mr. Marshall for helping us get bike, baby, and stroller to the start). Good thing he is a fast eater and I was ready to go with a few minutes to spare.

I had a descent start and managed to stay with the lead group up until the flats at the top. Then they pulled away, but I made up some good time on the descent. I rode well technical and pushed hard on the climb and on the flats. Again there was a little confusion with the number of laps I was doing. We were told we would finish on the men's lap so when I saw the leader go by I pushed as hard as I could for the rest of the lap. When I got to the finish I was told one more lap and really had nothing left for it. I think it was my slowest lap. It was a fun day and I'm glad we went. Didn't get to stick around and watch the men's race as we had turkey eating in Orangeville.

No cross for me this weekend but I will be out on the old ss for the Hardwood 50km Challenge- weather pending.

Photo from J Safka at www.cyclingphotos.ca

Giving Thanks

2011-10-10T11:37:00.003-04:00

It is Canadian Thanksgiving and this year I have so much to give thanks for that I could probably write 10 more posts, but I won't. The biggest thing I'm thankful for this year is of course the little man.

I am thankful that he is a happy healthy growing baby boy. He is almost 15lbs now and getting chubbier every day. He passed his 4 month developmental follow up at the hospital, he passed his 4 month hearing test, and he is rolling over (from stomach to back) It isn't a pretty sight- he gets his neck all twisted and extended and then gets stuck there for a few seconds and finally gets his legs around. But he is rolling over- and doing it more often now cause he is realizing that it gets him out of tummy time play.

Everyday I think how lucky I am (I should say "we") that so far the little man is thriving and not showing too many signs of being a preemie. And every time I complain about him not sleeping cause he is teething, or wanting to nurse all the time, I just remind myself how lucky I am he is alive and healthy. I am thankful for all the NICU nurses, doctors, family and friends who have helped us get where we are today.

THANK YOU!

A Hillbilly Hustle

2011-10-04T14:00:00.009-04:00

This weekend was full of Hillbilly activity. It started with the wonderful grandparents agreeing to watch the little man so that we could go to a wedding extravaganza. Saturday night saw Scott "Hillbilly" Holmes and Kate "Hillbetty" Sparling become husband and wife. It was an absolutely beautiful wedding and so uniquely theirs. The venue was perfect, the dress perfect, the popcorn salty, and Scott was even able to perform first dance duties with a broken ankle. I was also able to witness miss Sin and Cordy perform some rocking dance moves. It was a perfect night (and I only checked in once- though wanted to do it every 20mins or so). We had to relieve the grandparents so unfortunately I had to take a rain check on the table dancing.

Sunday brought about the annual Hillbilly Hustle Cross race. I was super excited for this race as the course is always fun and we were finally getting real cross weather. After a few warm-up laps I knew right away this was not a good course for me. There was too much flat, twisty, dizzying stuff in the stadium area and the wind was brutal. The singletrack section was fun as was the logs before the run up- which I managed to ride. Riding the run-up paid off for me on the descent as I didn't have to worry about clipping in. I didn't have the best start and never really made up any ground. Knowing I wasn't having a stellar race, I set about trying to use a harder gear than I normally would have. Gotta work on my power on the flats. Despite a hard race it was awesome to have so many people out there cheering, and Brad was running around the course yelling/encouraging me while the grandparents watched a sleeping baby. Thanks to Peter Kraiker for the photo.

I am also really enjoying the cyclocross cookie challenge and Sandra made some delicious ones this week. Hopefully I will have some time before the season is over to bake a batch. It has also led to my brilliant halloween costume idea. Lookout.....

Ellison Park Cross Rochester

2011-09-27T10:38:00.008-04:00

Since my running relay got canceled, Brad and I decided to head down to Rochester NY for 2 days of cross racing. And it was timed perfectly with the arrival of my "new to me" cross bike. Thank you craigslist.

The drive down Friday was uneventful and Saturday morning came quickly with the alarm going off just an hour after Win had already woken me up to eat. Oh sleep how I miss you. At first glance of the course I was very intimidated as it did not suit me at all. It basically went up and up and up with a barrier on the up, followed by a short downhill section and road section for recovery. Brad was off first at 11am and had an amazing race despite being seriously hung over all day Friday and not eating until dinner. I don't know how he pulled off a 5th place. With only about 30mins between our races I had time for 1.5 laps of the course before my start- basically a 15min warmup. I opted to use my tried and true Kona Major Jake as I liked the gearing better and knew how it handled. This time I had a fairly decent start and knew I was in trouble when I was still with the lead group for the first lap (there was a Belgian champ in the mix). From there I steadily went backwards. I had a small shifting issue which I had to get off and fix that cost me 4 places which I was never able to make up. I managed not to get lapped and to have fun. I ended up in 11th and I'm very happy with that result. A good race day was celebrated with dinner at the Tap and Mallet pub which unknown to us, was having a Belgian day. Perfect for post cross race- mussels and frites, bangers and mash, and beer. Delicious!!!

Again Sunday came way too soon. Overnight the gearing on my two bikes miraculously got switched and I was able to try out the new ride. Again the course was up and up with a barrier, on the up but this time you had to remount on an uphill. It was yesterday but backwards with two false flat straights that needed serious power (not my style) Ugh!! Brad wasn't racing today so I actually got in a better warmup than yesterday. Again I had a great start and couldn't hold it (something to work on). But I did manage to sit 3/4 with another girl for most of the race. Then I broke the cardinal rule of switching tactics with 1.5 laps to go. The other woman was coming to a dead stop and remounting at the top of the hill. This seemed way easier to me than my few running steps to get up some speed so I decided to try it. Slipped on pedal, landed on top tube, fumble, fumble.... 3rd place was gone. Oh well. Finished the last lap to come in for 4th. Somehow I felt way better than the day before. I think I am racing myself into shape. At this rate I should be fast by next year.

The race was well put on, well organized, had 2 beer tents which I made use of on Sunday while watching the elite women. All in all it was a great weekend of racing and we will be back next year for sure. We will remember Wikiwiki's bowl for the next trip.

I Love Cross (especially in Niagara)

2011-09-18T11:47:00.007-04:00

Oh how I love cross season. First race was yesterday at Fireman's Park in Niagara. The race was put on by Jeff Moote and he did an amazing job. The course had a little bit of everything from a steep run up, to wicked turns and a fun single track fishing trail that could send you into the pond if you weren't careful.

I wasn't too sure how things were going to go as my last cross race was in Belgium over a year ago- and I was in good shape then. The start came and I went backwards. I had a bad first lap but then things got better- or as good as they could get. I was riding technically well but had nothing on the straights. The highlight came when Brad caught me (on his way to 3rd place) and I was able to stay with him through the 3 corners after the steep climb, then he powered away on the flats. I didn't feel great, but I didn't feel awful. At first I wasn't too happy with my result- it says down 1 lap but I was only lapped by the first 3 men not the women- I hate how they say you are lapped if the men catch you, I did a full 7 laps, and my legs hurt to prove it. Sorry little rant. As I was saying, at first I wasn't too happy with my result but then after some deep thought I am very happy. I have a 7 month old (4 month corrected) baby, spent over 3 months sitting in a hospital all day, I'm lucky if I get 6 hours of sleep, and even luckier if I get on a bike twice a week. In the end I am very happy with how I did, and I'm super excited for the rest of the season. Though I'm not sure anything can top the great day we had... in Niagara

After the race we took full advantage of wine and peach country. We hit up a few wineries (Lailey- one of my new favs thanks to Amy) and enjoyed a delicious brunch at Peller Estates. Little Win even got in on the fun. We hit up the fruit stands and stocked up on peaches and nectarines to freeze and enjoy during the winter.

Check out a great picture going into the steep runup by Jon Safka. And I can't thank Auntie Hannah enough for helping out so that both Brad and I could race (I'm sure the threats of winery visits had nothing to do with her eagerness to help us)

MTB Provincials

2011-09-13T12:08:00.007-04:00

The whole family spent the last 10 days up in Collingwood enjoying an end of summer holiday. It was nice and relaxing but I did miss the big city activities. I did get in some good R&R in prep for cross season, with a little mountain bike riding and racing thrown in for good measure.

I was lucky enough to get out on the Duntroon course Thursday night for a little pre-riding. I did a lap with course builder Scott Holmes which was super fun and hard. Technically I was a mess. Had a giant crash on the rock garden taking some moss off a tree (and I think I really scared Scott). Some good climbing and my legs were burning on the ss, I was praying Brad had an easier gear in the toolbox. The course was great but I really wasn't feeling the urge to race.

Grandmother and Grandfather came up on Friday night to help for the weekend so that Brad and I could both race on Sunday. We took them up the Gondola at Blue on Saturday and decided to walk down. I'm amazed at how well they both did on the trail down. There were some good sized step downs that proved challenging for us shorter folks. Going slowly downhill, in flip flops with 15 pounds on your front does not help prep your legs for bike racing. But it was worth it. It made the Ravenna butter tarts taste even better.

Sunday morning rolled round and I was still not wanting to race. But of course coach Brad threw me in the game (and I couldn't let the grandparents down). Wait- how come Brad got to sit out the race but I had to do it? Even after warming up my legs were feeling like lead. I was dreading the start climb. Well the gun went and off I went. I surprisingly felt ok for the first half of the climb. Something clicked and I was riding like my normal self and feeling pretty good. Half way up the climb the second time round, I felt blown. I backed off a little bit on the climb but still pushed it in the singletrack. I loved the course, was loving the easier gear even more, and actually enjoyed racing (yes Brad was right). It felt good to get the intensity in before cross starts. We didn't stay around to watch any of the other races as brunch at Haisai was calling (Michael Statlander restaurant) It was the perfect way to celebrate the end of summer.

New Toys

2011-09-07T12:18:00.001-04:00

This long weekend saw the arrival of a few fun new toys to our collection.

Since Winston was born I have been doing more running than ever before and have actually started to like it. Did 5kms yesterday and found it easy and enjoyed it. I have also been doing some track sprints and having fun with them. I think since I am running more it is become less painful thus I am enjoying it more. Looking forward to the Island Girl Half Marathon relay coming up in 2.5 weeks.

This extra running means I needed new shoes. Well not really but Brad got a pair of these in Squamish and convinced me I needed them. Of course I'm not one to say no to a pair of shoes. I am now the proud owner of a pair of Vibram Five Finger shoes (or maybe 2 pairs).

I opted for the Komodo Sport and the Trek Sport. One for trail running and one for smooth surfaces. Did the first trail run in them yesterday and so far so good. Nothing sore today. It was neat to feel all the little rocks and roots under my foot. They did surprisingly well on the muddy trail and wet shale. My only complaint would be the little bits of grass or burrs that get stuck between the toes and then I have to stop and pick it out. But overall I loved them and can't wait to run again today.

Then of course we needed something that would allow the little man to have fun with us this fall, this winter, next spring and summer- ok all the time. Enter the Chariot CX. Brad ordered all the perfect accessories from infant sling, to cross country ski adapter (and the bike hitch of course). As the little man is not 6 months corrected yet, he is only allowed on short 30 minute runs on smooth surfaces for now. But he will be 6 months corrected just in time for the snow. With Brad towing Winston I might actually be able to keep up with him this winter. Took it out for a little test run yesterday and all 3 of us are loving it.

Now I'm just patiently waiting for the first cross race in a few weeks then ski season. I love this time of year. Fall is my favorite season. Perfect for enjoying the morning espresso in our new cups (notice the spot for a little biscotti)

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

All Alone

2011-08-28T10:03:00.004-04:00

Tuesday morning saw daddy Brad take off for four fun filled days of mountain biking in Squamish. This left Winston, Wiki and I all alone for 4 days and 4 nights. Yikes! But really I wasn't all alone. I had my mom aka "grandmother" come and help out. She came for a few hours every day which allowed me to get in a little run or ride- if Win was in a good mood.

The hardest hit by Brad's vacation was Wiki. As Winston now goes to sleep around 9pm it's too early for Wiki's last night walk, but I couldn't leave Win alone in the house and walk the dog. Poor Wiki only got to pee across the street at night. And in the morning she had to wait until Win had been fed and I had my coffee until her walk. By the fourth morning we were all in such a good routine that it was actually a bit of a shock when Brad came home. But I am glad he is back. You can see some of the video of his trip here. And here. Cant' wait for the BC Bike Race next year.

During these few days, I also managed to lock myself out of the house. And Winston wasn't too happy about it. Lucky for me, I have a locksmith friend on speed dial (thank you Adam) and he walked me through the break in. Though it was pretty scary how easy it was to break into the house. It might me time for a lock change. After spending these days alone (though not really) I can't imagine being a single mom, without any support from family. I truly admire single moms now. Kudos to all the single moms out there... you have my respect.

Tiny Immune Systems

2011-08-19T10:57:00.001-04:00

I never understood the need to want to touch a baby. I was never really a baby person and would never dream of touching a strangers baby, let alone holding a child unless it was offered. So I really cannot understand why strangers want to grab my little man's hands or feet. You don't know him, so stay away. But most of all, I don't understand why someone who is sick (cold, flu, pneumonia, allergies) would even think it is ok to touch a newborn. They have tiny weak immune systems and even worse if they are a preemie.

"Infants born prematurely have low levels of antibodies, substances in the bloodstream that help protect against infection. In the later part of pregnancy, antibodies cross the placenta from the mother to the fetus. When a baby is born prematurely they miss out on this immune system boost of protective antibodies and therefore, their risk for developing infections is higher......The immune system of a premature baby will continue to be immature for the first few months of life and not function as well as that of a term newborn and therefore places them at greater risk for contracting infections, especially viral ones. Protecting your preemie while in the NICU and after discharge is very important. Hand washing and the use of hand sanitizer are two very important things you can do and encourage others who will be visiting or around your preemie to do the same. Limit the amount of visitors and keep those away who have signs of a cold, cough or infection. Simple sicknesses in older kids and adults can be serious and even deadly to a premature baby." Peekabooicu website

Being an athlete I never want to get sick as that would interfere with training or racing. Plus being sick just sucks. I always take my Coldfx for all travel, echinacea, emergency C, manuka honey, anything that helped boost my immune system. I avoided sick people and opened doors with my elbow or tissues. But I also avoided hand sanitizer as I believe it helps spur on super bugs (makes bacteria change and become resistant to the sanitizer). So I was a little bit ocd where germs were concerned. Then Winston came along.... and the mean rude germ mommy was unleashed.

Now I am completely ocd when it comes to germs. I avoid crowded places, I cross the street if someone is smoking or kids are coming (little kids are full of germs), I use my feet to open doors, my hands are raw from washing them all the time, and I use sanitizer at least 100 times/day. Nobody is allowed to touch the main man unless they have sanitized their hands, only a select few are allowed to hold him, and nobody, and I mean nobody is allowed to kiss him except mom and dad. If you are sick you are not allowed any where near my son or my house. You may think I am over reacting or obsessive, but a little life is at stake here, and I am not about to spend more time in a hospital.

So please don't take it personally when I don't let you touch the little man, I am just doing my job as a mother by keeping him safe.

East Coast Open

2011-08-16T10:04:00.006-04:00

2011 East Coast Open: Intro from Free Form Media on Vimeo.

This past weekend Brad and I went to the East Coast Open in Collingwood (it helped that we were planning on being up at our place anyways). Pete Appleton and Sirbikealot Racing put on a wickedly fun event. There were some little kinks that need fixing, but for a first year event it was well run, and well done. The xc course sent you right up the escarpment at Blue Mountain. It was a lung buster from the gun. I went for the hole shot just to see how long I could hold an all out effort (practice for cross). I also really wanted to be first into the singletrack climb so I could set the pace. The race was short but hard due to all the climbing. I was stocked to be racing my awesome Lapierre xcontrol for one last race this season. The WildBetty's had a great showing with quite a few podium spots earned. Brad had a good race as well and wowed the crowd with his wheelie off the start line. (Photo Mark Landry)

Sunday we got to pre-ride the provincials course at Duntroon. Well Brad got to ride it, and I did half a lap. The little man was in a feisty mood and only mom could calm him down, so my ride was cut short. But the Hillbilly's have done a fantastic job on the course and I'm loving all the rock drops and little technical bits. I think it will be awesome on race day. Can't wait.

Other than that we just hung out at our place, enjoyed some good food and maybe a beer or two. And 4 days of Winston sleeping 8 hours straight. It was too good to last though. Hopefully soon.

August Rain and Cyclocross

2011-08-09T11:16:00.007-04:00

It's pouring rain on this lovely early August day... and it brings me back to thoughts of cyclocross. Which have really been on my mind for the last month or so. To race or not to race that is the big question-and what category.

The decision has been made- well actually it was made for me. I was out riding with Velogirl and Brad the other day, and said I wasn't sure if I was racing. To which Brad promptly replied that I better be racing because he just ordered me 2 new Redline bikes. Um ok! Guess it's time to get back into shape. I am still undecided on the category.

Usually I set some sort of goal for myself for the season but not this year. Ok, well my goal is to use the cross races to get myself back into training and ready for next summer. As for a training plan- ride when I can and race when I can. It all depends on the availability of grandmother, auntie or Brad to watch Winston so I can train. I will be doing more running and crossfit style workouts than actually riding. It is much quicker to do that than actually get out for a ride. Time is key here. The main man likes to eat at least every 3 hours. The other factor in my training is sleep- if Winston sleeps well I train, if not, sleep wins out over training.

Speaking of running- I have signed up for The Island Girl half-marathon relay. My wicked running partner will be Lisa and I can't wait until race day. We are joining the sister pair of Amy and Sara and can't wait for the fun day. On the look out for island gear to run in. To be honest I hate running but having this race on the calendar is making it a lot easier especially since Lisa will be relying on me to complete my half. Stay tuned for my running aches and pains.

Whose who?

2011-08-04T13:23:00.008-04:00

At my parent's house the other day, my mom pulled out the baby album. It was so much fun looking at all the pictures of my adorable self. But really the purpose was to answer the lingering question: who does Winston look like? I think he looks like me as a baby but more like Brad right now (especially since he has baby blues like Brad right now). But he is changing every day and we won't know I'm sure until he way into his teens. I just hope he gets Brad height and my hair. Time will tell.

This Little Piggy

2011-08-01T10:44:00.003-04:00

Got that manicure/pedicure on Saturday morning and it was amazing. So nice to just sit and be pampered for an hour. I wish it was longer. And it was great to catch up with a good friend while doing it. She even convinced me to go with electric neon pink. I think I am actually pulling it off.

Grandmother and grandfather (on my side) offered up their Sunday morning and watched the little man for 2 hours while Brad and I got to go for a quick Don ride. It was fun to get out with Brad and I managed to ride 2 parts of the trail that had been giving me problems previously. I really enjoy riding with him cause I trust him to tell me what I can and can't ride. His skills are amazing and I am always learning something new with each and every ride.

Besides playing with Winston, the grandparents even treated us to lunch and did our dishes. I could get used to this. I think Winston could also.

Smile Time

2011-07-29T09:05:00.007-04:00

A few days since the last post but spent some time up at our place in Collingwood. Hadn't been up there in a while, especially with the heat wave since we don't have AC. But now we do.... thank you Amy and Mark for generously lending us your room unit. It made the place livable. We put it in the main room and it lowered the temp to 23C. If we didn't have Winston I wouldn't really complain but since babies like it around 17-20C and overheating can lead to SIDS and we wouldn't want that, AC it was. Usually Collingwood is pretty nice cause we get a nice breeze but this past weekend there was no wind at all and the AC saved us.

My sister came up for the weekend and Brad taught her how to ride clipless pedals. She did really well considering the shoes were too big for her. She only fell over once when stopping. Next up we try to get her out on a trail. But speaking of sisters and trails... she was a gift for us and watched Winston for 4 hours while Brad and I did some wicked downhill runs with Marisa, Ben, Pete and Gary. It was an absolute blast. Just got to learn to trust my armour and take more risks. Next time....

Smiles were had all weekend long by everyone. And new smiles were had by the Main Man. He finally did his first smile where it wasn't gas or just by mistake. Milestones are being reached. Yippee! And mom got a little trail run in with the Wikiwiki. But it was so exhausting for everyone that an afternoon nap was needed by all.

Back in the city for the long weekend trying to avoid the crowds up north, and I'm getting my first pedicure/manicure of the summer. Used to get those every 2 weeks. Oh my new life. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

Summer Fun

2011-07-20T11:56:00.004-04:00

Besides getting back into riding my bike (well once a week) I have been kept busy with lots of other adventures. And looking forward to more.

I am fortunate to have parents with a wonderful salt water pool and Winston and I have been spending a fair bit of time there. He has taken to swimming like sleeping and eating. I thought he would since he loves his bath time, and really the pool is just a large bathtub. We just hold his head up and he floats away. He even kicks until he gets too tired. I am trying to get him there at least twice a week so he gets used to it. We haven't dunked him yet, but I'm sure that will come soon.

Brad has been hard at work on finishing up the backyard so we might be able to have a bbq this summer. Along with that has come our new pullup bar. We have both been busy doing weighted pullups. I also find that squats, lunges and dips are great at putting Winston to sleep. Though the heat right now is putting a damper on things. The little man does not like it very much.

Last weekend we went to the Trailblazer MTB festival (ok this one is biking related). It was a great event with lots of potential to become an annual thing. Brad was helping out with the Lapierre and Poc tent and got a cool pair of Poc sunglasses in exchange. I think they have officially become Winston's glasses though. He would open his eyes when wearing them and close them when you took them off. I see rock star potential

100 to 0

2011-07-15T10:04:00.004-04:00

Compared to many people out there I am very fortunate that I was able to know all four of my grandparents, and one extra grandma. And now Winston has been lucky enough to meet 2 of his great grandparents. It's amazing how life brings you in a full circle. Both Poppi (great grandpa) and Winston are actually quite similar. Though one is almost 102 and the other is pretty much zero they are more than alike in many ways. And if you look at the photo closely you can see the interaction between them. Winston was actually fascinated by Poppi for quite a while, and Poppi seemed very intrigued by the little man as well.

And it just so happened that my parents stopped by at the same time. It was just such an amazing feeling to have four generations of family in one spot at the same time. I have been feeling so lucky to have Winston, and now I feel even luckier that he has such loving grandparents and great grandparents.

Buckwallow Ocup

2011-07-11T09:49:00.001-04:00

We ventured on another camping trip with the little man Winston. This time to Buckwallow for Ocup 5. We couldn't pass this up as it was the Hillbilly's 10th birthday and some of the best trails in Ontario.

We left Friday 2 hours later than planned, drove 10 minutes, then had to pull over for a diaper explosion. Of course then he wouldn't settle and we had to stop just before Barrie for a feeding. Then it was clear sailing to our home away from home- KOA Bracebridge and we even had time for a lap of the course.

Saturday it was pre-riding as usual. I got gutsy and left Winston with mama Michelle (now known as the baby whisperer) so Brad and I could actually ride together. It was fun riding with my hubby and of course having him show me some of the stealth lines. Saturday night saw the birthday bash with delicious cupcakes courtesy of Michelle Cordy and loot bags from Michelle Berger.

In true hillbilly fashion we had a cherry seed spitting contest to end the night.

Sunday morning was race day and saw the return of Brad and I to the dark side. I was racing my awesome single speed and Brad was racing his single speed Surly Pugsly with the giant tires.

The race itself went ok. My warmup was walking Winston to the start to hand him off to Michelle for the race.

Then my gearing was way off. It was perfect for easy pre-riding but soon as I took it to the next level it was just too easy. I was beyond spun out on the double track and slightly spun out in the single track. But it was still a blast. And of course since there was only 2 of us, I made the podium.

Brad finished a respectable 8th and angered a few boys by beating them on his 35lbs giant tired winter bike.

Then it was back to the campsite for some beers and a nap. It was a great weekend for all.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Summer Solstice 24 Hours

2011-07-04T09:13:00.005-04:00

Or better known as pain.

On a moments notice Brad and I decided to join the Hillbilly Cycling team at the 24 hours race at Albion put on by Chico Racing. There were 2 ten man teams competing against each other (and a bunch of other teams, but really the rivalry was inter-club). As we were driving there I was so excited to be on a 10 person team with no competition, no pressure, just lots of beer, great people and good times. It was the first time I had been on a 10 person team and I'm not sure I want to go back to a 5 person one ever again. 2 laps is plenty. And no night laps was even better- though I was up twice during the night for feeding sessions. I just wasn't ready to leave the little man alone at night yet. But Brad got one in.

My first lap was around 6:30pm- I was the last out to not need lights. My goal was to try and make it under 1 hour. I managed just under an hour, but boy did it hurt. I felt strong-power wise, but the lungs were killing. I was pinning it from the start without a good warm-up and eventually the legs started to burn. The 40 minute mark was when the hurt really kicked in. But somehow I didn't notice it too much and slowing down was not an option. I had a team that needed a fast time, but more importantly I had a 6 week old son who needed my back at the campsite. He didn't really need me, but my mind was telling me he did and it was great motivation.

Second lap was around 8am. It hurt even more- if that is possible. Mostly because my legs were tired this time and hurt from the start. Again, no warm-up but I took it a little slower off the start this time. Again I wanted under an hour, which I managed thanks to my nerves about leaving the little man. I was less than 2 minutes slower, but still rode well. I felt pretty slow and out of shape out there, but I am happy with how I rode and had a great time.

The good thing is my technical skills haven't been lost. I had a blast speeding through the single track and taking all the hard lines. The best moment was when I "chicked" 3 guys who had gone the easy way and I flew by them on the hard line. Of course they then proceeded to drop me on the double track but hey- to me mountain biking is about the single track and technical riding. The weekend reinforced my desire to only race courses that I like. Fun technical races, and if they are 3+ days even better. BC bike race is on the plan for next year as well as going back to the TSE. Can't believe I'm already planning for next year.

From Campground to Cathedral

2011-06-27T11:05:00.004-04:00

We did something very daring this weekend (at least it was in my mind). We packed up our 6 week old son (corrected age) and headed to Albion Hills for the Chico 24 Hour Summer Solstice only to have to be at my cousin's wedding by noon on Sunday. I have never packed so much stuff for a weekend before. Winston had a suitcase bigger than mine. He had all his toys- bouncy chair, sling, pack n play, Raffi the Giraffe. We left nothing in the house.

Now if you know me at all you know I am not a camper. Camping is not lodging. I will only camp when there is no other option available. Camping in a tent should only be done when there is no bed or toilet nearby. Luckily we didn't have to stay in a tent.

Since our NZ trip we had been contemplating getting a pop-up tent trailer. Lo and behold a customer trying to sell his trailer just happened to enter into Brad's store. Next thing I knew we were the proud owners of a 2005 Rockwood Roo 233. It's a 23 foot long house. It isn't a pop-up trailer, but a hybrid trailer. This means that the main living area always stays upright and the 3 (yes I said 3) queen size beds pop out from the sides and look just like tents. There is a hot shower, and a toilet (that Brad let me use this time round- see what a hungry baby does). The fridge is almost full size, there is a dining area, and a bbq that attaches to the outside. A huge awning that kept us dry and even a 3 burner stove. It's really like a small house. Pretty easy to set up and tear down. We got from Albion to the wedding in 1.5 hours. Not bad if you ask me.

The weekend was a success. There was a very tired Winston at the end of the day, and some very exhausted parents. (More to come on the actual race part). I will be camping again someday soon (but only in the trailer).

Conclusions

2011-06-21T16:36:00.005-04:00

Over the past 2 weeks I have come to a few conclusions: I tried for 10 but my brain stopped working at 7.

1. I can trust Brad alone with Winston. This is key for my sanity.

2. Winston does not want to sleep in a crib or a cradle. We have both and he only wants to either sleep on our stomach, or in our king size bed. Smart kid.

3. A baby with reflux means changing your shirt at least 3 times a day if not more. I am doing laundry every day, and at least 2 loads.

4. Clothes diapers with snaps are dangerous with a kicking and crying baby.

5. A house keeper is our saving grace. Once a week you can eat off the floors. Which is very important for tummy time play.

6. DO NOT FORGET THE DOG- went for a lovely ride with Scott, Kate, Danielle, Amanda and others on Sunday and Brad was hiking with Humpy and Winston. We were so worried about Winston we forgot all about Wiki and left her in the car. Luckily it wasn't too hot out.

7. Sleep is over rated.

8. A white noise giraffe is the best invention ever

Can You Guess Where We are?

2011-06-11T10:01:00.003-04:00

The big day has come and gone. Monday night we were released from the hospital. It was very exciting as it was a day early. I didn't want to post anything until we were actually home as I was so afraid the day would never come. You have to be 7 days spell free and O2 free before they let you go, and I was so nervous he would spell. Those 7 days were the most nerve wracking. But Monday night came and we loaded up the stroller and walked home. I think we are the only ones to have actually walked home from the hospital.

It has been wonderful having him home for almost a week now. The time has flown by. Especially since I sleep most of the day and I'm up most of the night. Winston doesn't know day from night yet as in the NICU there was no day or night either. We are working on this and trying to keep him up longer during the day. The last 2 nights we have gotten 5 hours of sleep. Not bad for a newborn. Except I really prefer 8 hours or so. Guess it is what he prefers from now on.

He is really liking being outside which is great for me. We go for nice long walks now. Wiki has adapted well to having him around. When he cries she comes over and checks in on him, and she likes to lay at my feet when I'm feeding Winston. And of course we all like hanging out on our new deck.

Now to find time for a ride.....

Couch Potato

2011-06-01T10:03:00.001-04:00

As you know I love to ride my bike, I love to ski, to do CrossFit, I don't really like running, but love being outside. Over the last 3 months I have been confined to a beige windowless hospital and barely doing anything physical, let alone going outside. Before this I could never understand how people could just sit on the couch all day and watch TV and do nothing. But now I do. The longer you sit still the less motivation you have to get up and do something. Your body just gets used to sitting still and that is all it wants to do. This what has happened to me. I do try and get outside everyday but it is really just to sit and eat my lunch. Yesterday I decided to go for a run and it took a bit of an effort to get out the door- especially timing it properly between feedings. Once on the move I was loving it, I was actually enjoying running. If I was not an athletic person naturally, I can definitely see how the couch and TV would lure you in. I think I finally understand how the majority of America lives. Scary!

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Overdue Post

2011-05-22T09:09:00.001-04:00

Wow, I just looked back and realized it has been a month since my last post. But life has been a little busy. The little man is still in the hospital. He is setting his own schedule as to when he wants to come home. He has developed extreme reflux issues (common in preemies) and his oxygen sats drop to the 60s after feeding. This is called a "spell". And this all due to him trying to stop his reflux but holding his breath too long while doing it. Apparently he will outgrow it. I am lacking the patience for him to outgrow it though. He also doesn't want to let get of his low flow oxygen yet. He is hanging on tight. They are going to try him off it again next week and see what happens. Fingers crossed the third times a charm. Until then here's a look into 24 hours of my routine.

12:30am - pump
3:30am- pump
6:30am -pump and coffee (yes I'm allowed coffee)
7:15-8:00am- running around getting ready to go for the day and trying to clean
8:30am-10pm- feed Winston, pump, feed mom. He likes to eat every 2-3 hours and it takes almost an hour for the whole process (have to keep him upright for some time to help the reflux)
10:30pm- get home, get to bed until I have to wake up again to pump.
Didn't I mention I have barely seen the light of day in over a month?

Car seat practice

Don't get me wrong I'm not complaining and I love being able to spend my day with the little man, I'm just ready for it to be at home or at the park. Though these rainy days are making it easier for me to be inside. And I'm loving all the cuddle time I get with him.

Nap time with dad

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The LIfe of a 36 weeker

2011-04-22T08:41:00.003-04:00

Step 1: Wake up and yawn

Step 2: Squirm

Step 3: Comfortable

The little man is doing well and has been upgraded to the Level 2 NICU. Monday he will be a term baby 37 weeks. He has 2 different ages right now- actual (2 months) and adjusted (37 weeks). His adjusted age is what is used to determine milestones like sitting up and walking. His actual age is basically just his birthday until he turns 2 adjusted. I'm still confused.

As home time is very near we have been told to let Wiki smell all the sheets and clothes we bring home. Every time dirty laundry comes home I hold it up to her nose and she proceeds to try and eat it. Is this a sign as to what is to come? Wiki is going to think that every baby toy or blanket is a Wiki toy or blanket. And keeping baby toys away will be hard as we all know that Brad and I are not the most organized people ever. Let's hope Winston didn't inherit this trait.

Making Weight

2011-04-10T16:09:00.007-04:00

To many people 2 kilograms seems like nothing, but to us, it is a huge milestone for the little man. This was his fighting weight last night. This means he graduates to a big boys bed- though this one seems a little too big for him - but I guess it is what they use. He also gets to wear super cute baby clothes now. Time for some retail therapy. It's a bit scary as he is no longer in the safe environment of his aquarium. He is entering the world now.

Winston has also graduated from Biphasic Cpap to regular Cpap and he is on high flow O2 for feeding twice a day. Yes that is right, he is learning how to breastfeed now. But more importantly I am learning how to feed him. This next step will take a while as he gets exhausted after just 5minutes. Good thing he still has his feeding tube so he doesn't starve and he can keep gaining weight. Hopefully in the next few weeks we will loose the Cpap and O2 support all together.

It's amazing how time has flown by. In two weeks he will be 37 weeks which is considered term. That means home time is coming soon. And Brad and I have been working hard on getting his room ready. The crib is in place, and so is the bike. Yes, Brad has already built up the little man's first run bike. Notice the custom name and racing stripes. I think the little bees weren't hard core enough. He may not use it for a while but it sure does make for good decoration. If all goes well he will be ready for his first race in say 10 years.

Don't Be Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf

2011-03-29T10:09:00.005-04:00

Saturday saw Amy, Lisa, Brad and I attend the Robb Wolf seminar in Toronto. It was a birthday present for Brad a few weeks back. And it was well worth the time and money.

If you don't know about Robb he is the author of the Paleo Solution (which I talk about in one of my past posts). The day covered the book and more, in depth. He delved deep into the science of nutrition, hormones, receptors, etc... which I really liked (I'm a bit of a closet science geek). He also went over some exercise stuff, basic application of the diet, and answered everyone's questions.

Here are a few things that I took away from the day.

1. Don't waste time on people who don't want to be helped- there are a thousand people lined up behind who want help.

2. Don't get obsessive- consider if it is good for you personally not if it is "paleo"

3. The bad effects of fructose- fruit. Fructose makes us hungry and decreases our metabolic output. (impairs leptin sensitivity). A low glycemic index food is usually high in fructose (agave)

4. Skins and shells, and seeds are made to help the plant resist predators. Therefor not good to eat as they can contain toxic compounds

5. Exercise is crucial to a healthy life but must be taken in moderation.

Last but not least- somebody asked a question about exercising when pregnant. His answer was:

"It is funny how there are lots of warnings about exercise when pregnant but no sign on a couch warning of it's dangers"

Welcome To The World

2011-03-20T10:17:00.007-04:00

What have I been up to the last 4 weeks?

One week of bed rest and 3 weeks of being a mom.

A month ago I went to the doctor cause I hadn't felt the little bub move in a while. Luckily everything was fine and bub was moving like crazy, but I was having contractions. Which I didn't know. I didn't feel anything until they pointed them out. So I was given some steroids to help bub's lungs and put on hospital bed rest at Mount Sinai. I also had an ultrasound that showed a thinned cervix. After a week in the hospital they were going to let me go home as I hadn't had any contractions and baby was doing great as long as a second ultrasound showed no change. Well it had changed, my cervix was continuing to thin out. Now I was put on strict bed rest- toilet privileges only. Ugh! Luckily that was short lived.

I went into labor that night around 9pm. Impatient just like mom and dad, little man Winston Dean entered the world. A little early at 28 weeks and 4 days (with a preemie days are very important) he was excited to be here. Off they took him to the NICU to get him settled in his little isolette or aquarium as I like to call it. He is over 3 weeks now and doing well. Has some of the normal preemie issues, but is taking it all in stride. As for when he will get to come home- sometime around his due date of May 15.

3 days old

Now my days are filled with hospital visits, pumping, sleeping and eating. The visits are what I look forward to as that is when I get to change his diaper, do kangaroo care (hold him), bath him, and take his temperature. I'm finally recovered enough and feel like exercising but when I have free time all I want to do is take a nap. Going from 9+ hours of sleep a night to waking up every 3 hours is really hard but worth it.

2 weeks old with a chin strap to keep his mouth closed.

Everyone in the NICU has been fantastic. The nurses and doctors are always keeping you up to date and you can visit or call anytime. He is already a ladies man as he has snagged not 1, not 2 but 3 primary nurses Angela, Arleen, and Cindy who are amazing. They are open 24 hours. Melissa from the Nesting Place was our doula and helped get me through labor and the first few weeks after. She has been so helpful as Brad and I were not really prepared for an early arrival. Of course Brad has just been the perfect husband (despite raking leaves across the street instead of doing dishes). He managed to stay upright during the birth and has been taking care of everything around the house. But most importantly he is the best Dad.

Baby Mamma's Diet

2011-02-25T09:50:00.001-05:00

This is probably going to be a boring post for some, unless you are really into nutrition. It was inspired by Peter - www.trainwithpeter.com as he wanted to know what I was eating. So here goes.

Pre-pregnancy I loosely followed a "zone"/"Paleo" diet. I never ate much bread, pasta, rice, or any grains for that matter. I ate either slow cooked oatmeal or granola for breakfast a few times a week. The big thing I did indulge in was cheese and crackers (always gourmet cheese not Kraft singles). It was always an easy go to snack for me.

Then I found out I was pregnant and tada- only unpasteurized cheeses allowed. Out went the cheese and crackers. Then we went to New Zealand. Here I strayed from my normal eating habits slightly. Tons of meat pies and more baked goods and Tim Tams. But otherwise we really cooked similar to home with lots of fresh veggies, salad and meat or fish. It was actually better than at home as everything is so fresh there and all the meat grass fed/pastured.

Upon returning home and starting the second trimester both Brad and I got on the Paleo wagon. It started cause we were doing the sugar free challenge at the gym so we decided to do strict Paleo as well. Now I was a little more lenient than Brad. I was having more root veggies/tubers and fruit than him. Luckily my pregnancy cravings have been fruit- weird I know. I had read some studies that pregnant women have a harder time processing protein because of changes in their liver so I was sure to eat a more starchy vegetable at almost every meal. I have perfected the home made chip recipe in the last few months.

My favorite gain from this has been coconut milk. Paleo suggests you give up dairy so I gave up the milk in my latte (and all other dairy). This poses a bit of a problem when you get a coffee from somewhere other than home- but being pregnant I'm only allowed one a day so no issue for me. Anyway, I replaced the organic milk with coconut milk. I use either the light version, or the regular kind and just water it down. It doesn't froth as well as milk but it still works well. And I think it tastes much better. I highly recommend you heat it up a little before mixing with your coffee or it gets that curdled milk texture- even though it isn't. It just doesn't mix well. If you are one of those people who can't give up the milk, Paleo suggests using whole cream instead- and this would solve your Starbucks problem.

All in all I really don't find that I miss anything, and if I do really want it, I just have it. I do the best I can to eat Paleo but I don't stress out about it if I can't. And if I'm going out for dinner and want the grilled cheese and bacon sandwich at the HOP, then I'm getting it and who cares. I will admit that being pregnant has actually helped me eat better since there is lots you can't eat. But mainly because if I think it is bad, it is probably even worse for the growing bub.

I plan on raising bub Paleo and have found a few websites that are very useful.

http://everydaypaleo.com/

http://www.growinguppaleo.com/

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20 Plus

2011-02-23T07:59:00.001-05:00

I have officially gained over 20lbs. It has all settled around my belly and of course the chest. Well a little lopsided to the left and up as you can see bub's behind sticking out. All this weight seems to be around my middle though I think I've gained a little in the behind.

Maybe not gained but gotten a small "booty". Though Brad is very smart and will not admit this cause with the raging hormones I'm sure I wouldn't take it lightly. It's probably all just due to my altered posture now. I'm doing my best to support it all but the aches and pains have started.

Now here I am lugging around an extra 20 pounds with a back that is getting sore, legs that get tired standing around, joints that are starting to ache and more. It's hard to go upstairs without getting out of breath, hard to bend down, hard to sit at a table, basically everyday activities are so much harder. Not to mention I can't do an unassisted pull up anymore, box jumps are out of the question, and push ups suck. But this has only really happened in the last few weeks, and is only temporary and for the joy of another little life. But what if it wasn't?

I imagine this is similar to what an overweight person might be feeling. Tired all the time, in constant mild pain, never comfortable, with everyday tasks just being that much harder. I can't seem to wrap my head around why someone would not to try to fix this. I can only think that unless they have always been overweight they must not know what it is like to feel great on a daily basis. How can someone be ok living like this all the time? All the medical and psychological problems that could potentially be eliminated if people just made a few simple changes in their lifestyle. Stats Canada reports that 23% of the population is obese and 36% overweight. That means that over 50% of the Canadian population has a weight problem and I'm sure it is more than 20 pounds. It's easy to strap on some extra weight and see what it is like to be heavy for a day, but I wish there was a way everyone else could feel good for day. That might kick them in the butt to make a change.

I know until food guides change, healthy food becomes cheaper, pharmaceuticals stop paying doctors, and exercise becomes mandatory at work nothing will change. At least I can look out for myself, my family and friends.

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Hammer Time

2011-02-14T07:41:00.003-05:00

Well folks, it is 3 months and counting until the big day. Bit scary to be honest. So Brad and I thought it best to begin the little projects we need to do on the house before this day. Bub is going to be getting what is currently the guest bedroom. When we bought the house the room was a nice yellow so we have just left it at that. Yippee no real painting to do. But then we needed to find a guest bedroom. Thus the den is becoming the guest bedroom. Only problem is the small opening that overlooks the living room and entry into the house. So up I sent Brad on the ladder to fill in the whole. Only problem is how high up it is. The ladder barely reached it, and he couldn't reach the top of it at all. And I just sat there biting my nails hoping he didn't fall. Job accomplished. Now we just need a guy to mud it, then we paint and tada- a guest bedroom.

Back to bub's room- it is almost ready to go. Soon as Brad empties it of all his stuff and we move the bed out it will be ready. We ordered our furniture just after Christmas as it takes up to 16 weeks to get the stuff. Who knew? We only did it cause they had a no tax sale going on. We went for Tulip as it seemed to be the most "green" option for us. I will be sure to post pics when we have it all set up.

Other than home repairs and organizing I had a nice brunch with friends, saw The Secret Garden ( go go go.... ), played some fetch at the park and had some relaxing couch time. Now for the week ahead....

Women's JoyRide Weekend

2011-02-07T07:06:00.006-05:00

I was lucky enough (and Brad also) to participate in the wicked women's weekend at Joy ride 150 There was over 100 women who showed up for Friday night and Saturday morning. It was an absolutely amazing weekend. I can't thank Kim and Tanya enough for organizing it. Thanks! I even convinced Amy that she needed to come out for the weekend and practice her mad skills. I secretly think she is hooked.

While Brad was over helping out on the sport skinnies, Amanda and I were helping out with the basic skills. We got mostly beginners out to the group, but also some experienced riders. I believe you can never skimp on your basic skills. They are something you should practice all the time. For instance if you like to descend with your left foot forward, try working on it with your right forward. It will feel very awkward at first for sure. But back to the weekend. I personally love working with beginners because the progression is quick and very rewarding. One lady with a triathlon background went from not wanting to touch any piece of wood or knowing how to stand on her bike to being able to turn around the wooden square, do the pump track and more. It was amazing to see this progression in just 3 hours. Alana also made it out for her return to mountain biking- which was super exciting to see.

It was my first time on a bike in a while. Well I have been riding the trainer but not much outside- the commute with all the snow started to make mom-to be a little nervous as my balance and reaction times are a little off so I put away the Humu until spring. But we got the Lapierre all dialed in with a huge riser stem and I was good to go. No Peter I did not sit around all day- I actually rode some sport skinnies, the pump track and a few laps on the xc loop- and it was not a social faux-pas. Though everything took just a little more effort than before, a little more focus, as my growing belly is slowly getting in the way and throwing my sense of balance out the window. But luckily I was fueled by some delicious treats thanks to the lovely Sarah Caylor- the chia cherry ones were by far my fave.

But really the weekend was all about amazing women riding and having fun together. Thanks to everyone for making it so great!!! Thanks Rick Meloff for the photos. Can't wait until next year.

Crack Baby Crack Baby

2011-02-03T06:57:00.005-05:00

At my last prenatal exam the doctor told me I would be doing the oral glucose test for gestational diabetes. This test involves drinking 100g of a high fructose corn syrup solution and have your blood tested an hour later (that is like eating 5 gels all at once) Well this did not sound like a good idea to me. After further research I also found out that many people following a Paleo or grain free diet have false results and are labeled with gestational diabetes for no reason. I am lucky enough to have an awesome doctor who has agreed to let me do a fasting blood sugar test. Results to come. But this leads me to my next dietary decision.

Crossfit Toronto was doing a 30 day sugar free challenge and Brad and I joined in. For every cheat during the month you had to do 10 burpees- and no it wasn't eat a cookie do 10 burpees. You had to keep track of all your cheats and then do all the burpees at once. I accumulated 70 burpees over the month- mainly from being in Europe for a week. I should get those done tomorrow or Saturday or sometime in the near future. But even with my cheats in Europe it was primarily dessert, or an amazing french pain au chocolat for breakfast. I never actually ate anything that was 100% high fructose corn syrup or entirely made up of sugar.

Monday was the end of the challenge and cheat I did. I went to a show for work and they had placed little cups full of candy on the table. I thought why not and ate half the cup before I felt like puking. Feeling sick to my stomach was not the only problem nor the biggest. I felt extremely dizzy, jittery, and anxious. I could feel my heart beating super fast almost like it was going to pop out of my chest. It was a very scary feeling lasting about 45mins. Brad was also wired on the sugar and had trouble falling asleep.

Sugar is officially staying out of my diet. Not that I ate that much of it before, but I am going to be more conscious of it from now on. The 30 day challenge made me realize that sugar is in virtually everything we eat- just in different forms that one may not recognize as sugar.

Bubs' First European Vacation

2011-01-25T05:54:00.005-05:00

This little bub is a world traveler with out even knowing it. Or maybe it does notice it. Brad and I spent the last week in London with a stopover in Paris. It was Brad's first time in London so on top of the shows we saw, we played tourist extraordinaire. I think we walked at least 3 -4 hours everyday if not more. We did all the usuals- Hyde Park, the palace, Covent Garden and more. Plus we hit up some great galleries. The Tate Modern had filled their main hall with millions of hand painted ceramic sunflower seeds. It was pretty neat. Of course with all the walking and culture we needed to refresh our brains with amazing food. We enjoyed a shwarma at Harrod's, an amazing meal at the Ivy (which I think is at least 50 years old) and wicked indian food at Cinnamon Tree. And of course we had to reminisce about our Belgian trip last year and had mussels at Belgo- where they had my favorite beer La Chouffe. Of course a few sips was not the same as a few pints though it left more for Brad to enjoy. Only 3.5 more months. After our four days in London it was off to Paris for a day before catching our flight home.

As we had been to Paris last year we visited a few galleries and just enjoyed the nice weather walking around. And of course I bought some cute little french books and Sophie the Giraffe for bub. Went into a few baby stores but the prices were ridiculous for something that would only fit for a month or two. Not in our budget. We did indulge in a few croque monsieurs, lots of cafe au lait, and tons of amazing croissants and pain aux raisins. We also found an amazing restaurant, actually a beer cave and bistro called Les Papilles. It is a set menu so not for picky eaters cause you don't have a choice. When you first arrive they tell you the menu, and then you pick your bottle of wine off the shelf yourself (recommendations provided). We were treated to cauliflower soup, slow cooked beef cheek, blue cheese, and clementine caramel cream dessert. It was one of the best meals I have had. Very traditional french cooking. They choose the menu daily based on what is available at the market. You must go if you are ever in France. The hardest part of the trip though was not eating the amazing french cheeses- as pasteurized cheese seemed to be very rare in Paris.

Now we are back in freezing Toronto and I am plagued by jet lag. I did sleep an extra 30mins this morning compared to yesterday so I view that as progress. I really just want to make it past 6am.

Let's Talk About Sex Baby

2011-01-07T07:07:00.002-05:00

Brad and I watched "The Other Guys" where one of the characters is continuously referencing Salt n Peppa without realizing it. Hence the title of this blog. Pretty entertaining movie. Also watched Eat Pray Love- (other guys was better) and it didnt' really float my boat. But I didn't like the book too much either. Speaking of books finally reading the Giller Prize nominees. 3 down, 2 to go. Then I will post my thoughts. Back to the title of this blog- sex

We had our 20 week ultrasound- known as the anatomical one and takes almost an hour. But better known as the sex one. We are choosing to keep the sex a surprise. Either it is a boy or girl (could be both but we hope for one or the other). When the ultrasound lady was looking at the legs we had turn away so as not to see anything. It is weird to think that she knows but we don't. I don't even think the doctor knows. It was a cool ultrasound- got to see ribs, eyes, liver, heart, spine, all that nerdy medical stuff I love. And the cute little feet- all ten toes. Nice little heart as well. But yet again it wouldn't sit still. Go figure. And I am finally beginning to feel little kicks- and yes, it won't sit still. Bub is moving all the time. I think Brad and I are in for it.

I have officially "popped" and nothing fits anymore. My beloved belly band no longer works to keep my old jeans in place. Thankfully my mom took me to Kick Maternity on Eglinton and I got a pair of Citizen jeans with an elastic waist. I am so lucky that my favorite non maternity jeans come in a maternity style. Thank you Mom!!!! Pick them up from the seamstress today.

Off for some good xc skiing this weekend. Hope the snow has returned.

Happy New Year

2011-01-02T09:33:00.001-05:00

Brad and I hosted the second annual Collingwood new year extravaganza. We had a good group of almost 20 people. Thanks to those who slept on the floor. Mags from Australia was visiting which made it even more special. We got her out on xc skis for a short lived adventure. At least she gave it a shot. Sorry for the bruises.

Our meals were perfectly organized and delicious thanks to Amy's mad spreadsheet skills. Ribs, butter chicken, samosas, shrimp ring and hot dip, lots of veggies, bacon wrapped dates and more. Maybe way too much food as the chocolate fondu dessert never made an appearance. We chatted, played Apples to Apples, Taboo, and of course danced with MJ on the Wii.

New years day brought rain and melting snow yet we still managed to get out for an awesome hike. Some good cliff jumping and river crossings made for a fun morning. Wiki even got to let her inner hunt out by chasing a hare. I'm looking forward to the upcoming year and the excitement and adventures it is going to bring.

As for new years resolutions, I haven't made any and neither has Brad. I have never made any - though I make resolutions throughout the whole year so I think this makes up for it. I did like one way of making resolutions that Alana had- one for work, one personal and one random. Straight to the point. Have you made any good resolutions?

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Christmas Cooking

2010-12-27T10:08:00.001-05:00

Got up nice and early in order to get a short ski in -both for my sanity and to tire out Wiki. But the Turkey had to be in the oven by 11am at the latest or else we wouldn't be eating until late. Altogether it was a full 6+hours of cooking. A long hard day. I think with a little bub next year we might be eating Chinese food.

I was trying to do a good Paleo meal but of course there were some exceptions like dessert - a real bouche de Noel that my dad brought direct from Paris.

It was delicious. And some yummy baked treats from Brad's mom. But now the meal.
Apps included homemade hummus and onion dip with veggies, wild boar bacon wrapped dates, and a selection of cheeses. The main meal was of course turkey, green bean casserole, roasted root vegetables (beets, Jerusalem artichokes, rutabaga, carrots, etc...), an orange jello dish that is apparently Brad's favorite, a curry fruit bake (thanks to Alana's mom for the recipe), and my new Paleo stuffing recipe (portabello shrooms, apples, walnuts, shallots and celery). It was delicious. And now we are eating leftovers for the next week.

I also got us a puzzle for entertainment. I thought it would be really easy cause it had all these different dogs on it. I couldn't have been more wrong- it was one of the hardest puzzles I've ever done. I will happily lend it out.

Luckily we got out for a nice 2 hour ski the next day on some still untracked snow. And now the dog is sleeping peacefully. I think we have finally exhausted her. Might be time for a nap myself.

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Winter TIme

2010-12-20T08:02:00.006-05:00

It's finally winter- well not really in the city but up north it is for sure. Brad and I finally made it up to Collingwood after about a month of not going. Too many shindigs to attend in the city. I was really excited to get out and ski. I will only be cross country skiing this year. And no not because I don't trust my abilities, but because I am more afraid of someone else running me over. So back country xc skiing it is. Which is still tons of fun. And I will get out on the skate skis as well. Now back to the weekend.

We arrived late Thursday afternoon to a ton of snow. Our front porch was completely covered and Brad had to push his way through our side entrance to get into the garage and get a shovel. I haven't seen snow like this in years. Wiki was pretty excited also, we couldn't get her into the house. The only issue was a little malfunction with the heating system so it was 5C in the house. Wore my nice poofy down jacket for a few hours until we got it warmed up again. Having the oven on helped also. Luckily it stayed warm for the rest of the weekend and the "man" is coming to fix it today.

Friday and Saturday was work on the house (finishing the trim, installing new lights) and a few skis. Getting ready to ski was a nice awakening for me. I tried on all 3 of my ski pants and nothing fit. Well it isn't that they didn't fit, cause I could get them on easily just not zip them up. Luckily I have a loving husband who is lending me his winter clothes. We did about 1.5 hours on Friday and 2 on Saturday. Not a single track in the snow. It was absolutely beautiful. There was at least 4 feet of snow in many places. It was amazing for this time of year. I hope it holds off for our New Years' festivities. The snow was so soft and fluffy. Wiki was loving it and so were we. And she has been exhausted ever since. I love a tired dog.

We don't need more snow, but I hope it comes. Can't wait to get back up there on Friday.

Christmas and Hannukah

2010-12-12T10:17:00.007-05:00

Lucky me I now get to celebrate both Hannukah and Christmas. The best of both worlds. And of course I am beginning to nest so I took on the task of cooking and baking. I made a delicious Challah (egg bread), some macaroons, and of course some potato latkes (with sweet potatoes). And I am also making Christmas dinner for our families. We ordered an 18lb turkey and I hope it will turn out ok. Or else we are doing what I normally do on Dec. 25th- Chinese food.

Every year Honest Ed's gives out free turkeys to people for Christmas. They come and line up the night before and spend hours in line waiting for their turkey. Brad got to join me this year for the joy of handing out turkeys. I think that this is one of my favorite days of the year. It just feels so good to do something so special for someone else.

Along with Christmas comes a tree. I got my very first tree yesterday. It was so much fun to go pick it out (no time to go cut it myself though), tie it to the roof, and bring it home. After moving it around many times we found it a nice little spot next to the tv. Then of course we light a fire and went to town with the decorations. I was just missing the hot chocolate and Bailey's.

New Car

2010-12-03T08:17:00.006-05:00

It is official, I have a new car. Ok we have a new car- I really just don't want to share it cause it is so awesome.

Right before I left for NZ I turned in Gunter to the VW mob. He was a wonderful car and served me well. 4 years later and a few speeding tickets it was time for a new car. Gunter wasn't fully equipped to handle a dog as Wiki had to sit in the back so it was always a little dirty there. And of course he wasn't fully prepared for a dog, a baby, a stroller and bikes. But I was sad to see him go.
Then a few weeks ago we picked up the replacement. A 2011 VW Touareg TDI. Yes an suv. But before you bite my head off, let me explain that it is a diesel. We did look at hybrid cars, and non suv cars, but for the mileage and our use it was the best option. Hybrids use the engine after 80km/h and are really only good for city driving- which we don't do much of. Most of our driving is to or from Collingwood or Brad commuting to work. So a diesel Touareg was the best option.

And it rocks! It has the full navigation system (which I still don't know how to use), bluetooth for the iphone, iphone audio player, sunroof, a huge trunk for Wiki and heated seats. I will admit heated seats were the one thing I had to have. It is still really fast but you feel it now, and it handles more like a truck than a car. I love it and Brad and I are still fighting over who gets to drive it. However we are having a problem choosing a suitable name. Any suggestions are welcome- must be German- and it is a girl car.

Missmash

2010-11-25T07:49:00.004-05:00

I guess I must do the Movember post. I was watching the news a few days ago and down came Brad with a lovely surprise for me. I can't seem to stop laughing every time I look at him, which is a lot.

On the other end of the facial hair, I got to see Brad all dressed up in a tuxedo. We got invited to the Giller Awards- which is an amazing event. I'm in the middle of reading the finalists, then I will read the winner. But the point is we got to get all gussied up for the night. And I got to wear the pink shoes again.

Brad also got 2 new gifts this week. He bought himself a nice new patagucci coat. It is this off black charcoal gray color. Very stylish. Then I got him a wicked new gift for the new car (separate post about that). Iphone 4. It has the built in bluetooth for talking while he commutes to the Ville every day. And for making sure he doesn't miss that call on the big day. And yes, I am jealous of his phone. I still have the original Iphone (not even 3GS). At least he appreciates it- since he sits at the kitchen table with coat on talking on the phone.

And one more random note. On my ride the other day by Ashbridges Bay I noticed that they have put up a little gym. There are elliptical machines, rowers, and more. But nobody using them on a beautiful 14C day. At least they are trying.

14 weeks

2010-11-20T09:41:00.003-05:00

So I am officially 14 weeks along with this thing called pregnancy. And I won't lie, there are definitely good days and bad days. The last week being a couple of bad days- had a cold in da nose. I didn't realize how much I rely on cold medicine to get me through when I am sick. Nyquil is usually my best friend and allows me to get a full nights sleep. Being pregnant you aren't allowed to take any of that stuff, even some natural remedies are off limits. Needless to say I had a few days of not so perfect sleep which made for a very grumpy Rachael. Luckily Brad was very understanding. And I found a new love for eucalyptus.

Let's do a brief recap of the last 3 months. Being in NZ was actually a good thing as I didn't have to cover up not drinking. And no I'm not an alcoholic, but it has been really hard to give up my vino and my beer. But I have been lucky and can't complain as honestly I had no morning sickness, no food aversions, nothing. I was a little more tired than normal- no problem sleeping 10-12 hours but that was it. Also started noticing that while running or riding it was becoming more difficult to breath. But otherwise no problems.

We had our first ultra sound a few weeks ago and the little bub was waving but wouldn't stop moving around. It was bouncing up and down and giving the sonographer a hard time. That doesn't sound like anyone I know..... I have no gut feeling on the sex right now and Brad and I have decided that we don't want to know.

Nothing too exciting so far, I feel it is all just starting to begin now. Especially as it is starting to sink in that this is really happening. People keeping saying I must be so excited but I'm not sure that is the right word. It is more like happy, apprehensive, nervous, curious, and the list goes on. This is going to be the biggest adventure I have been on so far.

I promise to try and not make every blog post about pregnancy.

Off to crossfit now...... yes I'm still riding, running, crossfitting, and will be xc skiing.

Secrets

2010-11-18T11:15:00.004-05:00

By now most of you know, and those who I haven't been able to tell in person I'm sorry. I have been keeping a secret from the blogging world for almost 4 months now. There is a reason I haven't been on the cross scene this year (though I am in withdrawal for sure). And I wasn't really sure if I wanted to even put it on the blog. But there is so much going on and so much I am going through that I think can help other people, and others can help me. So here it is:

Caught Up

2010-11-08T07:43:00.004-05:00

Well I have finally unpacked, done laundry, cleaned house, and I am up to date on my work duties. It has only take almost 2 weeks. Yikes! But there has been a ton going on- especially catching up with all the friends I missed while we were away.

Our first night back brought the Priscilla opening night. It was the perfect way to spend our first night back in Toronto. The show was amazing so I had no problem keeping my eyes open. Even got pulled up on the stage for the little country dance. I was afraid of falling on my face as I was wearing some rather high heels. But the actor was very nice and promised not to let me fall. Then we hit up the after party where we saw some stunning drag queens. Brad let loose on the dance floor with one of my co-workers, it was quite a funny sight.

Halloween weekend saw the Anti-race and the hillbilly hustle cross race. The anti-race was a blast and I can't wait till next year. It was super fun to ride with all the misfit guys and gals, and even Wiki and the infamous Andrew Watson came along for the ride. Brad won a little prize for being a wimp (or girly) and riding on his cross bike -some kinder eggs and a little rocking horse. We even managed to stay out and hit the bar on Saturday night. Good times!

Sunday was the hillbilly cross race and it brought the first snow fall of the year. Which was a good thing for Brad since it let him take 1st place in the master 3 (sorry he only had a one day license) Check out cyclingphotos.ca for some awesome photos of the snowy day.

Then of course a busy work week with lots of lunch dates with the girls.

And this past weekend was the Cyclocross National Championships right in Toronto. What a great day of racing. I had my camera with me but didn't take a single picture as I was too busy running around cheering people on. Congrats to Wendy Simms (who is now really motivating me that you can make a come back) and to Mike G who really deserved 1st place despite his small tire issue. Oh and to Pete M for making it 3 in a row. And of course to everyone else out there who raced their hearts out and left everything on the course. It was very hard to be on the sidelines watching, but I still had an amazing time, and lost my voice a little.

Check out the article in the Toronto Star if you want more info.

Back in the USA

2010-10-25T21:33:00.001-04:00

Sitting in the LA airport trying to pass the time until our final flight home. We left Auckland at 10:30pm on Monday Oct 24 and arrived in LA at 2:30pm the same day . It feels very odd to have arrived here before we even left NZ. Guess crossing the date line does that.

A little recap of SSWC Rotorua. Saturday turned out to be the nicest weather of the entire 5 weeks. We couldn't have asked for more. They had all 900 people form a circle and ride around for 5 minutes or so until everyone was moving. Then they opened the gate and off you went. I think I was somewhere in the top 601 but not really concerned.

The first hill was all walking, and even some of the descent if the person in front dabbed. Basically the first half of the course was a mixture of riding and traffic jams. But it was super fun as everyone was really chatty and in a good mood. Only a few people were actually in race mode and trying to make some moves. There was two beer shortcuts on the course and they both cut off a significant amount of time. I finished my lap just in time to see the men finish. It came down to a beer chugging contest between the local Garth and US man Ross.

It was nice to see a local win the race. Then I went and waited for Brad to come through and snapped some good pics of the costumes. There were some great outfits, and some scary ones. The party that night was pretty fun, but not as crazy as I thought it would be. I think the fact that it was in a big tent outside deterred from the party mode a little bit. But none the less everyone had a great time dancing the night away. And for those not in the know - Ireland will be the host in 2011. We will be there. Will you?

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Single Speed Worlds Pre-Race Fun

2010-10-21T17:59:00.001-04:00

We have been hanging out in Rotorua for a few days now and it has been super fun. Tuesday we went out and did a lap of the course. There is a cool connector trail to the mtb park that goes through some of the thermal areas.

It took us about 3.5 hours going really slow and working on some of the technical sections. It starts out with a crazy steep climb to hopefully spread everybody out. The course is fairly straightforward with lots of steep ups and some fun downs. It will be twice around the 21km loop. But after a full lap on the course both Brad and I decided we need an easier gear. Brad is now running a 34x20 and I'm on a 34x22.

Wednesday we went for a little spin on some different trails and the went to watch the World 16" dual slalom race. Brad made it through one round and the second was a very close call. It was a fun event. Then we headed to the Pig and Whistle pub to register, have some beers, and socialize. It was a fun evening.

Thursday we tested out the new gearing with another lap on the course. Way better. I was able to climb everything. They have split certain parts of the course to a hard and fast line or a nana and slow line. But here is the kicker-sometimes slow is faster and sometimes harder is faster. And it is hard to remember which one is which. But the hard line is more fun so I'm opting for that line each time.

There is one cool one down a little flight of wooden stairs. Also ran into some old friends from back in the day at CU when we all raced together.

Then we spent the afternoon running around finalizing the details of our costumes. We are all ready to go and very excited about tomorrow. Brad is actually going to give it a go and race and I'm opting for the fun ride. I'm debating just doing one lap so I can see the finish and actually just watch some of the race.

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Maori Hangi

2010-10-20T21:30:00.001-04:00

Brad and I played full on tourist the other day. We spent the afternoon at the Polynesian Spa thermal pools-very relaxing but smelled like rotten eggs.

Then we went to a Maori village and partook in their rituals and a traditional meal(hangi).

A bus took us out to the village. We had a to elect a chief on the bus and he had to be a male rugby player. Lucky for us we had an Aussie on board. At the village the Maori chief greeted the chiefs and gave a peace offering. Then we had a chance to walk around the village and learn about their cultures.

All children were trained for war by using different agility movements to strengthen their body. It was very common for the women to go to war/battle along side the men. We got to the see the food being pulled out of the pit, and see a show which of course included e famous Haka (song/chant with drums that prepared the warriors for battle). After a delicious meal of a fancy green kiwi cocktail, lamb, chicken, stuffing, potatoes, steam pudding, pavlova and more we headed home overly stuffed. It was just like a thanksgiving or Christmas where you over eat and then can't sleep.

Touristy as it was, it was entertaining and educational, and of course fun.

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Cooking Up A Storm

2010-10-19T16:55:00.001-04:00

Now that Brad and I have a big apartment for the week we decided to practice our cooking skills. We had bought a Surfers Cookbook which has recipes from famous surfers and we were ready to use it. And since we were in NZ we went with lamb. We made a delicious roast leg of lamb with garlic and Rosemary and 3 types of roasted potatoes. If only we had time to cook like this at home. It was surprisingly delicious. And even good the next day in pre-ride sandwiches. It was worth the 4 hours in the oven.

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McDonalds and McCafe

2010-10-19T16:15:00.001-04:00

Some of the McDonalds here in New Zealand have what is called a McCafe inside them. A separate area just for coffee and treats. Like a little cafe/bakery within the big McDonalds. I didn't actually try it but it doesn't look too bad. And I'm sure the coffee is good as kiwis love their coffee. They don't do drip coffee at all. At home it is French press or stove top espresso and anywhere else only espresso. Are favorite has been the flat white- sort of like a cafe au lait. And they always come with a design on top and sometimes a little treat (the one below is from Zippy's in Rotorua).

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Wicked Fun

2010-10-19T16:01:00.001-04:00

This post is a little out of order cause the original got deleted by blogpress when I uploaded it and I only had enough Internet time to upload my posts. So this is what we did Saturday before going to Rotorua and racing the Whaka.

Woodhill MTB park about 30 minutes outside of Auckland, is awesome. When we got there the parking lot was crazy full so we thought it would be really crowded. But the trail network is so vast that we barely saw anyone. The place is similar to Hardwood hills but way cooler. They have a pro shop made out of a container, a coffee shop, and a pie truck for post ride snacks.

You can ride anytime even if nobody is manning the pay centre as they have an honesty box. The trail map is great and gives you different ride options that link some of the best trails. And all the trails perfectly marked. We had such a blast riding around. In the photos it doesn't look too steep but if you look closely you can see my saddle is in my stomach.

They had tons of stunts from crazy gaps to awesome bridges (I even rode one with a teeter on it).

We rode for 3 hours an neither one of wanted to leave but we figured we better since we had decided last minute to race on Sunday.

The best part of the ride though was the little kid on a run bike who beat Brad in a race. He was cruising around in his wellies (rubber boots) at Mach speeds. He would follow his dad onto the bridges and then his dad had to come and stop him before he crashed. This kid will be force when he gets on a big bike.

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Whaka 100,50,25

2010-10-18T16:55:00.001-04:00

Last minute decision to race on Sunday proved to be a good choice. We rolled into Rotorua with 5 minutes to spare for registration. Brad changed his mind and went for the 50km race and I did the 25km race.

Lucky for us the place we had booked for the week starting Sunday could take us a day early and we had a nice place to stay for the night. And a garage to convert our bikes from1x9 into SS. But of course nothing went smoothly and the morning of the race we (Brad) was running around fixing the bikes- as we didn't travel with many tools so had to borrow from the shop. The guys at Bike Vegas were awesome and totally hooked us up.

Brad took off at 10am and I went at 10:30. I had a great time. I loved ripping around the unknown forest at high speeds. The climbs were all manageable with my gearing and I loved being on my single speed again. How I have missed it. Ended up second but I wasn't even really trying but just having a blast. Finished and grabbed a burger while I waited for Brad. Who didn't have the best of luck.

We had been informed there was water on the course, and yes there was. But it was from a tap in the middle of the bush and it spurted straight up. You also had to know where it was. Brad also put his granola bar, tool, and heed packet in his seat bag. The tool proceeded to break everything and he hit the lowest of lows on the course- eating out of his saddle bag. Poor Brad had a bit of a bonk out there with no water or food. But he pulled through and still enjoyed the trails.

After a hot shower we went to the pub for the awards ceremony. We won some free passes to the Polynesian Spa (Mondays plan) and enjoyed some good beer and company. By chance we ended up sitting with some NZ racers who had been to Kelso and raced at Mt St Anne for worlds. They knew Scott and Kate. I found that very freaky that of all the people there we sat down at their table. The race organizer had a Meridia bike to give away and donned his special Mario hat to pick the winner.

You had to be there to win the bike, except the guy was still finishing off the 100km course so everybody decided he should still get the bike. So nice and well deserved.

Then it was an amazing Thai meal and a good nights sleep.

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A Little Rain

2010-10-18T16:25:00.001-04:00

We had a few days to spare before needing to be in Rotorua for the Single Speed World Championships so we headed to the Northland- the northern most part of the north island.
We hit up Whangarei with great hopes of hitting some good single track. Unfortunately the rain was not our friend. It rained the 2 days we were there. The rain did let us enjoy an awesome wood fired pizza and some beer while keeping dry in Fuzzy.

The next day we headed to the Kauri museum- the large NZ tree that is on the verge of extinction.

The sap, or gum, is made into a resin or becomes amber. At first we were the only people under 60 in the museum but then another young couple appeared. It's too bad not more people our age stop here as it was actually pretty cool and interesting.

Back on the road we found this deliciously weird but maybe cool organic cafe. We only happened upon it because it was next to the Dutch store we were stopping at. The cafe was odd, from the outside it looked like a ship, and inside it was little booths and a big tented courtyard. But the food was great.

Then we were off to find a place to camp for the night near Woodhill MTB Park- which is supposedly better after it rains. We came upon Muriwani beach

and found a spot almost right on the beach. I think it is the beach from the opening scene of the movie Piano. Regardless it was stunning. My eyes are sore from all the amazing views here. And don't worry, we have been staying in shape by taking evening strolls on the beach and adding in some crossfit.
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2010-10-17T17:39:00.001-04:00

Did the Northland. Rode at Woodhill just outside of Auckland.

We are now in Rotorua partaking in SS events. Did the Whaka 100 (brad did 50km I did 25km) on our SS. Will be a fun week. Full blog post tomorrow. Actually quite a few posts to come but need Internet.

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Surf's Up

2010-10-14T02:56:00.001-04:00

We finally found surf in Raglan. And big surf. It was breaking double over head which means really big. When I lived in Hawaii, 6ft was the biggest I would go out in, only at certain spots where I knew it really well. So double overhead meant no famous Manu Bay for us. But problem, there was a good beach break in Raglan. Also surfing means water so I only have some pre photos.

Stopped and got some Bear surfboards from Raglan Longboards, shaped by Mickey T himself in Raglan. I had my wetsuit but we needed one for Brad. Then off we went to Ngaranui beach. The perfect beginner spot of whitewater. I can't say I had a great time but I did have a good time. There was no channel to paddle out in so it was hard and tiring to get out passed the whitewater. It did not compare the perfect waves of my favorite breaks in Hawaii. Can you guess where our next trip will be?

Brad on the other hand was having a blast. He would come out, warmup and go back in again. He even managed to get a few good rides in (he was not on a soft top board). He was rocking it.

For safe keeping Brad gave me his ring to hold onto which quickly proceeded to slip off my finger. After an hour of combing the sand we were about to give up. But somehow I found it. That was a close one.

He then went in for one last surf and came out freezing saying his wetsuit was puffing up with water. When he turned around it was unzipped. No wonder he was frozen. Amazing how warm a little bit of rubber can keep you (did I mention you don't need a wetsuit in Hawaii).

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Searching For Surf

2010-10-12T15:01:00.001-04:00

After taking the ferry back the North Island we worked our way up the west coast along the infamous Surf Highway to New Plymouth. However there was lots of wind, rain and a big lack of surf. We did however have an amazing breakfast by the fireplace at this little place Infusion in a town called Wanganui.

I had black pudding and Welsh rarebit- in normal words that is blood sausage and grilled cheese. Brad had a delicious corn fritter with ham and other tasting fillings. Fritters here aren't fried balls like back home, they are more pancake like. After a good sleep right on the beach we kept heading north in search of waves.

On our drive north we learned that sheep maintain the golf courses here (look closely at the picture and you will see sheep near the putting green).

Sheep and cows also seem to have the best life as it appears that they have access to over 80% of the land, and we humans get the other 20%. But they are what make NZ, and my Icebreaker clothing, so be it.

We finally found our whitebait fritter in a little town called Mokau. Though I'm not sure it was really a town as it only had a butcher, a cafe, and public toilets. Whitebait is considered a huge delicacy here and can go for $150/kg. The season is only from mid September to end of November. So of course we had to try one.

What showed up on our plate was not quite what we expected and hard to look at. It was basically an omelet with tiny little fish in it. Besides it looking odd, it did taste pretty good. Though I think this might be a one time taste test.

Slowly but surely we are making our way to Raglan where there is bound to be cold surf. Right?

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Queen Charlotte Track

2010-10-10T00:22:00.001-04:00

Brad and I spent the last 3 days mountain biking the Queen Charlotte Track in the Marlborough sounds area- top of South Island. When booking this trip we went all for the full support and no camping option. We used the company Cougar Lines and they were flawless. They transported our bags for us from the starting point of Picton, to our B&B the first night, hotel the second night and home on the third. It was perfect as all we had to do was ride.

Wednesday morning we woke up and caught the 8 am water taxi to Resolution Bay where we began the biking part of the trip. We were lucky enough to see dolphins playing in the water.

But of all the photos I took I only managed to get one of the dogs on the boat going crazy over the dolphins. Ten plus photos and not one dolphin showed up. Maybe I didn't really see them? This first day was fairly easy with a little climbing but mostly rolling up and down along the coast. There was a cool swing bridge you had to cross but it wasn't rideable as it moved too much and your bars would get caught in the wire.

We arrived at Mahana Homestead a few hours later. It was absolutely gorgeous. The guests stay in a lodge over looking the water. You have your own room and bathroom and share a common kitchen area. John, the owner, made us a fabulous dinner that night with veggies from the garden and local wines and beers. We also got to see our first glowworms. In the dark we trekked up to the little cave like area and lo and behold a little group of glowworms. It was so cool to see the walls glowing. They are so small that you can only see them in the dark when they glow. The perfect way to end day 1.

Thursday morning started with a cup of coffee watching the magnificent view from our room while eating the free range eggs from the hens we met the day before. I think that is the first time I have actually seen the animal my food came from.

Then we headed out on the trail. Long 40min uphill brought us to the ridge and for the rest of the day we road up and down the ridge

until descending down into Portage Bay for our next nights stay. This was more of a resort like place with a nice pool, bar and restaurant. Our room even had tv which I don't think we have watched since we got here.

Friday morning we took it easy and left as late as possible as we didn't want to get to the end and be waiting for 5 hours for the water taxi. The day started out with some serious climbing and lots of hike a bike. This was mostly due to us not having a granny gear (we have a 1x9) and some of the sections being very loose. Today was the best day trail wise.

After all the climbing you were awarded with some awesome switchbacks that were tight and rutted out. It made it a challenge and super fun to ride. Then you dropped down the water level and rode along there for a bit. One more little climb, a 5km descent, a few rollers and we sadly hit the end of the trail.

Even trying to go slow we still got there with 2 hours to spare before the pick up. Brad went for a little spin (10+kms) and found us some pies to tie us over. I was frozen by the time he got back and the warmth of the frozen microwaved pie was the best. And the pie itself didn't taste too bad. Lucky for us the rain took a 3 day break and only started back up just as the boat came for us.

It was our little holiday within our vacation and one of the best parts so far. Now we are headed back to the north island to try and find some surf on the west coast.

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Nelson NZ

2010-10-08T15:55:00.001-04:00

I have had huge problems uploading photos with the post. It won't work. If anyone has any tips on how to post photos using iPad or blogpress app let me know. Otherwise no photos for now. Sorry.

Nelson has by far been our favorite spot. Funny how we seem to like towns with the name Nelson. We love Nelson BC and now Nelson NZ. The town is quaint with modern conveniences and shops, but it also has tons of little craft and arts stores, and some great museums. And just outside of town are lots of wineries, galleries, and mountain biking.

There is also tons of mountain biking in town as well. Bike lanes and paths link the entire town and the suburbs. The first night there we got into town late so we went out for dinner at the local beach bar. Lucky for us it was $10 roast night. Yummy, mash, roast beef, kumara (sweet potato), corn, carrots, and other veg all for $10NZ this is $8 CDN. You also got tea and it came with a timer and chocolate covered Swedish fish. This might replace my dearly loved chocolate covered ju-jubes as my new favorite treat.

Perfect to fuel us for a day of mountain biking.

The next morning- well it was actually early afternoon by the time we finished walking around town to digest our breakfast, we headed to Kaiteriteri MTB park. We decided not to buy a map and spent a few hours exploring all the trails, sometimes even twice. They were pretty fun and it was a great afternoon. We also hit up Toad Hall Cafe in Motueke and where we had a venison pie and a flat white.

Now this pie is on par with the steak and cheese one from a few days back. It was delicious. I could have eaten ten of them. If you are ever in Motueka be sure to hit up this place.

We stayed in Nelson one more night as we wanted to hit up the WOW (World of Wearable Art) and car museum. I found out that Brad is a closest car buff. He stole the camera and went to town.

He seemed to know almost every car without having to look at the little tag. Who knew!
The WOW museum was full of costumes made out of all different materials from aluminum to wood to grass (no photos allowed) It was pretty amazing. The actual show was going on in Wellington when we were there but it was sold out. Bummer. We made a lunch stop at Founders Brewery, an organic brewery in Nelson. It is inside this little area where they moved all the old buildings from town to preserve them. Of course we did some beer tasting.

Then it was off to Picton where we are taking a boat to Resolution Bay for a 3 day mountain bike trip through the Marlborough sound region.

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When You Gotta Go

2010-10-05T03:47:00.001-04:00

As many of you know I'm not a big fan of camping when used as lodging. I don't mind canoe trips or maybe a little car camping for a few days but camping in a tent when there is a perfectly nice bed nearby - no thanks. But Fuzzy, the camper van, and I are getting along swell. There is only one real problem and that is Brad's fault not Fuzzy's. Eventhough Fuzzy has a toilet Brad won't let me use it because he doesn't want to have to empty it. And I sure won't touch it (ok maybe my fault also). So I am resorting to public restrooms, but in New Zealand they are awesome and very clean. Usually free but sometimes cost 20-40cents.

You open the door, walk in and close the door. Then it begins to talk to you. It tells you to push the button to lock the door, then it says you have ten minutes until the door unlocks. Then you have to push a button for the TP to come out. The sink is a 3 in 1 experience as well. You start at the far left and get the soap, then wash in the middle, and of course dry on the right.

Then you push the unlock button, toilet flushes and door opens. But the best part- there is music playing the entire time. Why can't we have public restrooms like this back home?

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Awe Struck

2010-10-04T16:01:00.001-04:00

Saturday morning saw Brad and I eagerly get up in anticipation of our Fox Glacier hike. On our way to the guiding office we stopped for a breakfast snack of a flat white (cafe au lait) and the best cinnamon roll I have ever had.
Good fuel for the 3 hour journey. When we signed up for the tour there were 2 options- hike into the glacier over a rock bed for a few hours or fly in a helicopter to the glacier. Now who doesn't love a heli ride especially when then drop inside a waterfall and scare you? Heli-hike it was. And it was worth it.

Words cannot describe what an amazing experience this was, and the pictures don't do it justice. The Fox Glacier is just over 12km long and you can't see the top part called the Neve.

The Neve moves at a speed of 5m per day and the lower part at 1m per day. It is pretty neat to realize you are standing on something that is moving underneath you but you can't feel it. Upon landing on the glacier we we were given our crampons and hiking stick. We had to tuck our pants into our socks and I felt like someone out of those really old photos.

Then we hiked up as high as possible before needing to be roped in. There are these big rolling features that are steep ups with steep drops on the other side and huge crevasses. Back down on the lower part we got to play around in some ice caves and small crevasses.

The blue color of the ice was so pretty but it is hard to see in the pictures. Brad got to be Spiderman for a bit climbing around on the ice and in the crevasses.

Our guide Dan was a walking encyclopedia (yes I know he is trained) who knew the answers to all our questions. It would be pretty cool to be a guide here as nothing is ever the same. All the features are continuously breaking down and reforming. What was there one day is gone the next but something new is just around the corner. The experience was over too soon but absolutely incredible and almost unreal.

After a good nights sleep we started making our way along the west coast. We made a stop at Pancake Rocks. These cool rock spires that look like stacks of pancakes.

The rock itself is made from lichen and old skeletons. The tectonic plate movement caused them to surge out of the water and become these giant pillars and form tons of caves and blow holes. Just another awe inspiring natural wonder of the world.

Somehow I even managed a nap in the car while Brad was driving the crazy windy and twisty roads of the west coast.

We are now in Nelson going to do some mountain biking and of course some winery tours.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

A long one

2010-10-01T04:22:00.001-04:00

The last few days have kept Brad and I very busy (and that included a lack of Internet access). We have travelled from the north island to the south island in just a few days.

Starting where we left off - Hawkes Bay. All I can say is that mountain biking and wineries go hand in hand. We hit up Pan Pac Eskdale Mtb Park near Napier. An amazing network of over 70kms of fully marked trails. A $7 permit gets you 3 weeks of riding. I would have paid that just for one hour. Some nice ups, some flowy stuff, some technical stuff, some rollers, a bit of everything.

After working up a nice appetite we headed to the Mission Estate Winery. The first winery in the region and originally opened by French missionaries. I had a poor little lamb and Brad had a NZ type of grouper. I also had an asparagus starter with almonds and chorizo that I will try and recreate at home. It is so weird to have asparagus be in season in October.

But a lot of things are weird here. For instance- the bill is never brought to your table (even at said fancy winery), when you are ready to leave you just get up and go to the bar and pay. I personally like it as you never feel rushed. Moving on.

We got up the next morning and headed to Wellington. It took us all day to drive there over and under the mountains and making a few stops along the way. One of those stops was at the Tui Brewery.

Great place in the middle of nowhere. Spent the night just outside of town. Then the following morning we headed into the big city. We had a ferry at 8am the next day to go to the south island so Brad agreed to staying in a hotel near the ferry port. We found the Museum Hotel - with a hippo theme. We spent about 4 hours at Te Papa - the NZ museum , where we especially liked the giant squid.

Then we wandered around and shopped a bit. I picked up a long sleeve wool cycling jersey and Brad found some cheap jeans that fit his super gigantic powerful quads. Then we headed back to the hotel for high tea

and a nap before the best Indian dinner. Then it was to sleep in a comfy large bed. Can I tell you how nice it was to not have to put on a coat and shoes to go the bathroom in the middle of the night.

A loud alarm clock and 3 hour ferry ride later and we were on the south island. Of course you are in Marlborough county the moment you get off the boat. Which meant more wineries. We hit up a few but my favorite by far was Montana. We purchased a bottle and hope it will make it home. Then we continued along the coast seal spotting

until we got to Christchurch. A night there and a little sightseeing then it was over Arthur's Pass to the west coast. Brad also got on board with all the gambling here and won Wiki a little pink dog to chew apart upon our return.

Despite the earthquake in Christchurch it was hard to see much damage (or we just didn't go to the right areas). But it sounds like people are really pitching in to help fix any damages.

Arthur's Pass was amazing. Driving through the snow covered mountain peaks, seeing the Kea parrot,

lime rock formations, and being seriously scared driving along the new viaduct stretch ( the pictures don't do the drop off justice). It was one of the most beautiful places I have seen.

Now we are at Franz Joseph Park and I'm ready for bed as I need my beauty sleep to conquer the glacier hike tomorrow.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Confessions

2010-09-27T16:24:00.001-04:00

I have a confession to make. Brad and I have a new friend -Fuzzy. After a few days of riding around in the wind and rain we had had enough. Also, the hills here are nuts, and we were lucky to cover 50kms in a day. This meant we wouldn't get a chance to see very much. Also, all the mountain bike parks, and touristy sights seemed to be far away from every B&B or hotel. So without hesitation we adopted Fuzzy into our family. And he is our new best friend. He only drinks a little diesel and comes with a stove, a fridge, a shower and a toilet. Who could ask for more.

This new addition has allowed us to do some super fun mtb rides.
First one was in Taupo at this amazing park. All trails are in what they call mountain bike parks. Basically a gigantic forest with trails just for mtb. The trails are well marked and it is hard to get lost. And sometimes you run into cows around a corner. The next day we did an out and back trail from Whaipato to Kenlock- it is called the W2k trail. Basically about an hour of climbing then 20 mins of rolling/descending and you hit the town. Where we stopped and had the best steak and cheese pie(this will not be the last you hear about pies). Of course Brad had to order a sweet apricot piece of cake. And I had a flat white - sort of like a latte. Luckily the way back was easier, otherwise I think we would have been in serious trouble.

Now it is off to Hawkes Bay for some winery tours. And maybe a meal at one.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

New Zealand Photos

2010-09-26T15:03:00.003-04:00

Santa Monica Pier with April and Ed. It was awesome. They had these really cool adult playgrounds- crossfit style. Rings, ropes, tightropes, parallel bars. It was fun to take a break between flights.

The Kodak Theatre in LA. Saw all the stars on the ground.

Menu from the local Microbrewery Mac's in Auckland. Good beer.

I had the roasted chicken and Brad had the pie. We were starving after only eating plane food for a day.

The secluded beach we stayed at one night.

I just want run up to the little lambs and cuddle them. And I can't get the rhyme Mary Had A Little Lamb out of my head.

Haere Mai

2010-09-24T15:44:00.003-04:00

Brad and I are safe and sound in New Zealand. It was a long flight from Toronto to LA to Auckland. But we did get to visit with April and Ed in LA. Went to Malibu, Santa Monica and good old LA. It was the perfect way to spend our layover. The Internet in NZ is hard to come by so my posts might be few and far between.

Upon landing in NZ we went to our hostel, built our bikes and went exploring the big city. And we got out as quickly as possible. We woke up to crazy winds and pouring rain. The roof came off the place we were staying at. So we changed our plans and decided to head with the wind instead of against it. Good idea no? Go for a bike ride with high wind warnings. It was a wonderfully scenic 100kms with lots of cows, sheep, and Billy goats. We got hailed on, rained on and blown off the road. We had to walk a few climbs cause they were so steep. Somehow we made it to a town called Miranda with a hot spring pool. Just what we needed. A good burger, a few beers and we were asleep by 9pm.

Next up- the Coromandel area. Absolutely stunning. And windy. Apparently this weather is very uncommon. We are at a Holiday Park ( trailer park) in Tauranga now and we were going to stay a day or two and mtb but the trails are supper wet and it is raining again. And there is no surf. So off we go to Hawkes Bay/Napier where the sun is supposedly shinning. And there is mountain biking. And if it too wet to ride the trails, it is a wine region. So I will happily ride from winery to winery until I can no longer go in a straight line.

Despite the weather and cold ( I am so glad the puffy down jacket fit in my pannier) we are having an amazing time.
Will try and post some pics soon.

Up Up And Away

2010-09-18T12:18:00.004-04:00

I am a frantic mess running around packing for our New Zealand trip. Well not really. Just a little stressed because my dear Brad seems to be taking his time getting organized. The bikes aren't packed, he isn't packed, and that is what is stressing me out. We have dinner at my parent's tonight so everything needs to be done by 4pm. Brad is going to teach them how to ride their new Devinci lifestyle bikes. And I am going to make dinner. Wiki is getting ready for her vacation away from us. She knows something is up and is acting up a little. I hope she is good for the pet sitters. Well better get back to packing and cleaning house for our Wiki sitters.

Next post will be from New Zealand.

2 in a week

2010-09-13T09:21:00.005-04:00

Well I haven't done a century (100miles) since leaving Colorado over 8 years ago and here I am completing 2 in one week. There was of course the Shenandoah 100 last Sunday and then yesterday Brad and I did the Ride For Karen. This wasn't a race it was a charity ride and tons of fun. It took 5hours 22mins and that includes the stops we took for amazing home made cookies. If you are debating between charity rides, I highly recommend this one. All the proceeds go to the charity- as everything is done by volunteers (including lunch). It is well organized, and the people are all great. It was fun getting to meet different people and hear why they were supporting this cause. At the end of the ride I met one man- Sebastian who wasn't even sure he would be able to finish. However he exceeded all his hopes and even hung on when Matt P and Brad decided to attack each other on the climbs. And he was still there when Dave and Prisca (on the tandem) went to the front with 10km to go and hammered it. Awesome day. And thank you so much to everyone who sponsored us for this event. It is really appreciated.

Now you wonder how I do all this riding in one week? The tip- I didn't touch my bike once during the week (except riding to work). And I fueled myself well by celebrating the end of Ramadan- better known as Eid with co-workers. It was delicious. And today- an end of summer dim sum celebration.

Julie Prepping Our Meal

A Proud Julie- Thank you it was the perfect Friday Lunch

Big Ring Matt P enjoying his wrap and getting ready to trash talk Brad

Brad stretching in anticipation of Matt's attacks. Somehow the last 30km turned into a bit of a race.

Shenandoah 100 Part 2

2010-09-10T10:08:00.003-04:00

The Race.
Children beware there might be some (&()*^&*^%*&%*

5:00am wake up call was way too early. It found us scurrying around in the dark trying to get everything together. 6:30am and Brad and I roll from the car to the start just in time. Being late was actually perfect because it meant we didn't stand around in the dark and the cold. It was a bunch of rollers until aid station #1 where I had not had anything to drink yet because it was so cold. My little toes were numb even with wool socks on. Time to start drinking.

Now from here on I am going to break the race down into aid stations. This is how I got myself to the finish and how I will tell the story- and in point form or you will be reading forever.

Aid Station #1-#2: Miles 11-31
- amazing singletrack climb
- why is everyone walking? Rider coming through.
-where did Brad go? oh well. He will catch me.
-it was actually harder for me to keep up walking than ride my bike
-sweet flowy downhill with some technical sections
-happy!

Aid Station #2-#3: Miles 31-45
-long doubletrack climb
-Brad is hurting so I let him set the pace on the climb
-Did I mention Brad is hurting?
-Brad has to draft me so I sit up as tall as possible to give him the best draft
-fun descent again with a few drops and whoops
-still happy

Aid Station #3-#4: Miles 45-57
-re-apply chamois cream at aid station
-stuff pockets with gummies and pretzels
-starts out with a nice 7mile road section which I was actually very happy to see- we got on a train with a few people and spun along
-cool singletrack off camber loop around a pond
-steep loose up with some walking. I don't like walking with my bike
-oh shit I am too far to the right of the trail- trail gives way. Rachael Down.
- bloody knee but nothing to stop me from finishing.

Aid Station #4-#5: Miles 57-75
Better known as the Death March
- starting to feel a little tired but it is nice gradual road climb
-wallet on the ground so Brad stops to pick it up then catches back up
-said wallet was on fishing line to man in truck - at least it made for a good laugh
- mile 70 This fucking sucks!!!
-hill turns to gravel and gets steeper
-whose idea was this?
-Brad says" you are rocking it dude" Rachael says" shut up!"
Brad terms me the angry gopher in my hole
-Rachael "can I walk?" Brad says No and I actually listen
-I hate this race
-aid station- Pizza!!!!!

Aid Station #5-#6 Miles 75-88
-did I mention the pizza at the aid station? best thing ever
- more fucking climbing until mile 80
-why is Brad feeling so fucking good. I hate him. This is so unfair. He doesn't train. (this is my inside voice speaking)
-mile 80 gut did not think pizza was the best thing ever. bush stop!
-mile 80-88 loose shale descent with some steeps and drops
-can't see straight so tired, Brad suggests taking my glasses off. That was not the problem.
-had to stop a few times and shake my arms out they were so sore
-is this downhill ever going to end?
- some pretty views

Aid Station #6 to End
-starting to feel better
-pick up the pace
-more climbing but can manage it
-get into race mode and pass a few girls
-more hills
-one more tricep killing descent and we cross the finish line

12 hours 11mins on the bike. Unreal.

By far the hardest thing I have ever done.
There was good, there was bad, there was ugly, and there was great.
I will do it again for sure.

Shenandoah 100 Report Part 1

2010-09-09T07:52:00.008-04:00

I cannot do this race justice unless I break it down into pre-race and race. And maybe even 2 sections on the race itself.

How the weekend started: we are rolling out of town, 3 bikes on the roof, at 5:30am on Saturday and a base thumping sports car pulls up besides. We tentatively roll the window down- Guy in car asks: "is the Gov open for dancing? Where can I go dancing?" I'm not sure where he got the idea that we were going dancing. And that is how the uneventful 9 hour drive to Virginia started.

Upon arrival at Stokesville Campground we proceeded to try and find Crash Caylor while not bottoming out the car on the crazy camp roads. We then quickly realized how ill prepared we were for 2 nights of camping. No water, no stove to make coffee, not enough warm clothing, and all of it sitting at home in our basement. I didn't think that it was going to be real camping. I thought it was glorified camping. And that there would be electricity. Now we know for next year. Luckily Sarah was my go to for the morning caffeine jolt of good old Kicking Horse coffee. Thank you!

Off for a little spin, and to buy a few jugs of water and some guns from the local store and then it was dinner time. Surprisingly my legs were feeling pretty good for 10 hours on the road. Then it was off to registration. You found your name on an alphabetical list of 600+ people, then found your number and went to that line. There you got a cool personalized number plate, a shirt, and a gel flask with your favorite flavor. Ran into tons of people from the TSE. So awesome to see everyone again (and congrats to Liz for a PR in this race). Saw Dicky who was a little upset about some small problem with his car. Personally I think he was over reacting. Pasta and 2 meatballs later dinner was done. Then a little wine, some star gazing and I was ready for bed. Plus since I didn't bring any warm clothing I was too cold to sit outside. My sleeping bag kept me very very warm that night.

Sleep came easily and the blaring moto horn came way too fast.

Next post: race itself.

Coming Together

2010-09-02T07:26:00.001-04:00

I have started, ok we have started working on our New Zealand itinerary. The big problem is I want to plan things out, and Brad wants to just wing it. So we are compromising (step 1 to a good marriage-I have been told). We are planning out our route and booking lodging for the first week, and a few major stops and the rest will be up in the air. We have realized that there is so much we want to see and do that we will are going to have to cut some things off our list. We are planning to hit the North Island and then the top half of the South Island. We will have to come back for the bottom of the South Island.

We are starting in Auckland and will spend a day there getting bikes built and a little sightseeing. Then it is off to Raglan where we will surf the longest left and spend a few days. Then we will go down the coast towards New Plymouth stopping at the Waitomo caves for some black water rafting. Of course we will be traveling along the coast and surfing anywhere we can. (note to self- make sure wet suit fits in pack). From there it is onto Wellington then across on the ferry to the Nelson area. This is where we will do the Marlborough Track- a 2-3 day mtb trail ride along the coastal ridge. The best part about this is that there are companies that transport your gear to each B&B so it is waiting for you when you get there. And of course Marlborough area has some great wineries. We will be drinking as much wine as possible and consuming a large amount of seafood.

The bikes are ready to go, Kona Explosif, and the trailer is ready to go. I got a new pack for the trip and hopefully all my stuff will fit into it. I think Brad will make a good Sherpa. And Miss Maggie herself might even meet us in Rotorua. And we get to spend a day with Miss April in LA while we wait for our flight to NZ. The departure day is fast approaching and I feel like there is so much to do. I know I won't be able to sleep the days leading up to it. I can't wait.

2 Weeks

2010-08-26T17:51:00.004-04:00

What can happen in 2 weeks? Lots, especially while doing nothing.

Since the Kelso Ocup I have had a little R&R on the bike. I was still riding, about 90mins/day but without any intensity, or even really a heart rate monitor. I used my legs to tell me what felt easy and what felt hard. And with the extra time, I sat on the patio, read, and tested out different wines. It has been a great 2 weeks. It was challenging not to ride a ton, but relaxing at the same time. I also got a few massages to help mend the legs. Was the 2 week break worth it? For sure.

The Woodnewton Ocup was last Sunday and I managed to redeem myself after the disastrous Kelso race. Instead of being over 10mins down I was closer to 2.5mins and actually less than that until the last half lap when I cramped up. The cramping was my own fault cause I wasn't really taking the race seriously. It was pouring rain when I woke up so I didn't really want to race to begin with. So I made some coffee -4 shots of espresso, loaded up the car, and off we went. I drank a little water on the way and half a bottle warming up. Not really enough to hydrate me. Back to the race: I had a good start and jumped on the train of riders. I just paced myself until the first climb and then tested the legs. The legs passed the test. I was riding strong on the hills and carefully in the muddy singletrack. Although my tire selection was less than ideal I still managed to stay upright. Brad even raced and was just off the podium in 4th place in the sport men (he only had a 1 day license). Coming through the feed zones I was actually more concerned about how he was doing than my own race.

The course was amazing and super fun. But best of all I accomplished my goal of being on track for the Shenandoah 100. Of course we went to the House for prime rib Sunday and a few pints of Orangepeel ale. Great day.

Non-Riding Fun

2010-08-23T08:48:00.005-04:00

Over the last few days I have had some serious non-riding fun.

My good friend Lisa had her "Dirty 30" party. The rule was you had to wear a shirt with some sort of dirty saying on it. This was a great learning experience for me. I made both mine and Brad's shirts- yes, I became and art and crafts person for the day. I went out and bought the t-shirt printer paper from Staples and 2 shirts and I was ready to go. The hardest part was figuring out how to set up my printer to print a mirror image of our quotes so that when you flipped it onto the shirt you could actually read it. Then I got to use my iron (I have had it for 3 years with no use). Our shirts were pretty good, but others had some amazing sayings on theirs. That night I also discovered a new drink- blueberry vodka and soda. Delicious!!!

That same weekend I also was a domestic goddess. Our "office/spare room" had become quite a mess. We, ok mostly I, put everything in that room when I am cleaning the main living area and kitchen. Stuff just gets thrown onto the floor of the office when I want a clean house, and all I have to do is shut the door. So I spent a few hours cleaning and organizing the room, just so Wiki could have another bit of carpet to lay on.

Last little bit of domestication was salsa making. My in-laws have an amazing vegetable garden and thanks to them we had an enormous amount of tomatoes. I was starting to see red. I decided to make salsa with all the tomatoes cause there was no way we would finish them all without them going bad first. Luckily my co-worker had also given me some chili peppers so I added that to the salsa. A few minutes in the food processor and I had a deliciously hot salsa. I will have to make this again for sure. For those who are interested I used the recipe from the Paleo For Athletes book.

Diva Dog

2010-08-20T08:42:00.003-04:00

The Wikiwiki makes the news yet again. Tuesday night at the Riverdale Farmer's Market chatty Brad had a conversation with Featherstone Delivery. A bicycle delivery company. He was promoting the new Kona electric bike, and well Wiki was just hamming it up.

Check out this blog link

http://twowheelsgreendelivery.com/blog/

What Am I Thinking?

2010-08-18T07:36:00.003-04:00

Since the cross season is taking on a different focus for me this year, I have added one last mountain bike race to the calendar before our New Zealand trip. I had really wanted to do the Breck Epic but just don't have the cash or ability to take a week off since we are heading to NZ. So instead I picked The Shenandoah 100: a 100 mile mountain bike race. I'm not sure how I decided on this. After the Transylvannia Epic I was sure I never wanted to do a 100miler. And now here I am doing this one. My goal: finish. I am not setting a time goal as this is my first one and don't know what to expect. At least Brad is doing it with me and can bring me back from the deep dark hole that I will be in. I know this sounds pessimistic, but every stage race I have done there is undoubtedly a time when I hit a very low moment on the bike. I always make it through, but there are still those few hours where you just want to sit down and not move. But keep moving I must even if it slower than a turtle- maybe that is why I have a turtle tattoo......

Back to the race itself. I have never done this one before but from what I have read it sounds amazing. For your entry fee you get- lodging on Saturday and Sunday night, all your meals, full support at all the aid stations with Hammer product, 2 personal drop bags at the aid stations, and beer (after the race)!!!!! It also seems that is a very good mix of double track and singletrack. That most of the climbs are on doubletrack and the descents are on singletrack. Very excited but very nervous. Feel free to send any tips my way.

SUP

2010-08-13T10:42:00.004-04:00

Stand Up Paddle boarding. And this is just what Brad and I did last week. It was a little surprise for Brad and we both had a blast. I contacted Mike at Surf Ontario and set up a meeting at Cherry Beach. We started off by kneeling on the board and learning the different paddle strokes. Brad and I both picked it up fairly quickly so we progressed into standing up. We got the hang of that quickly as well. So off we went for a paddle on Lake Ontario heading towards the city. At this point Mike taught us a few ways to do 180s. This is where things got a little challenging for me and I ended up in the water a few times. But I eventually got the hang of it. Of course Brad stayed upright and never fell in. He even managed to do headstands on the board. Show off. And I found out that there is surf on Lake Ontario and will be breaking out my surfboard soon. All of this was really just to wet our feet before taking on the real waves of New Zealand and perhaps to add something else to our ever growing gear collection.

Kelso Fail

2010-08-12T08:28:00.002-04:00

Sunday was Ocup #6 at Kelso. And a big fail. I hadn't done a race since Squamish in June so I was thinking the race would be fairly hard but that I might be in ok shape. I misjudged that- it was painfully brutal. I was really only racing because I wanted to get one race in on the carbon Lapierre this season.
Saturday night Brad said if it was raining we weren't going. Ok. Sunday morning it was pouring rain in the city. Brad said- well it isn't a thunderstorm so we are going. What? you can't change the rules like that. But he did. We loaded up the truck with bikes, towels and a dog and off we went. It all started to go wrong when there was no food in the fridge and I had to eat Tim Horton's BELT for breakfast. Yuck! And it wasn't raining in Milton- which for most is a good thing but for me I love racing in the rain. Maybe that is why I love cyclocross. Ok back to the race.

Did an ok warmup and was not feeling great. Got to the start ready to go. Go, everybody goes, Rachael stays. I was off the back from the first second of the race. Not worried yet as I figured I would pass some people on the climb as they blew up. Wrong. I was last at the top of the climb. Oh well. Keep going, people will slow down eventually. Nobody slowed down. And that is the way the race went. I got passed by more and more girls and kept going backwards. My heart rate was fine but the legs had nothing. I could barely turn the pedals. I gave up after 2 laps and just finished the race at an easier pace.

It was not a technical course. I didn't pre-ride and had to jump off at one spot on my first lap cause I messed up the line, but after that I easily rode the whole course. In fact I actually got fairly bored. But luckily I put my new jumping skills to work and was launching myself at every possible opportunity. That seemed to add some excitement to the course. I had fun despite my poor performance and it was great to catch up with people I hadn't seen in a while.

The question of the day: why was I so slow? Muscular fatigue. Why? One possible reason is I have been having too much fun on my heavy free-ride bike. If you think about it, almost every ride I have done over the last 2.5months has been on a bike that is 30% of my body weight thus requiring extra power (watts) for me to pedal it around. And it has had heavy downhill tires on it as well for the last month. Another possible reason for being so tired- riding with Brad all the time. Granted my technical skills have gone through the roof, but the efforts I have been putting in to ride the technical stuff has probably been harder than I realize. Nothing a little R&R and road riding can't solve.

Massage time!!!!

2 Thirds Done

2010-08-09T08:35:00.004-04:00

I am viewing our backyard deck/patio redo in thirds. The first third was getting the hole filled in. Done. Second was getting the patio laid down. And this was done on Wednesday with the finishing touches on Saturday afternoon. And it looks great. We even set the muskoka chairs out and spent the afternoon reading. There are even future plans for a hammock between the two trees. Thanks to Scott Holmes for organizing and helping us get this done. Now step 3 is getting the deck itself done. And at this rate I'm sure it will be done by October. But I am going to stop complaining because it is getting done, and all of our friends are being incredible and donating their time and effort. Be prepared for an amazing time next year in our new yard.

Saturday morning saw Brad and I meeting up with Amy and heading to the Brickworks farmers market. I had heard so much about it and finally I got the chance to check it out. The selection was incredible with tons of stuff I have never heard of. First off was breakfast with a true Belgian waffle (whip cream included) and apple beignets. Brad and I got some golden beets (the greens were delicious), a Georgian bay trout and lots of fresh peaches and berries (time to start freezing). We also picked up a bag of mixed mustard greens which added a kick to our usual dinner salad. There was so much to choose from but only so much room in our panniers. If you are around on a Saturday morning I recommend a visit for sure. And ride your bike- the parking lot was a mess.

The rest of the afternoon was spent at the beach with the dog where Wiki made some good friends. I have finally finished the Dragon Tattoo series so will return to normal sleeping hours and get things done around the house. But now what to read....

Absorbed in books

2010-08-05T08:03:00.004-04:00

No blog post for a week because I have been too busy reading and reading and reading. The other night I stayed up until 1am just trying to finish the book. And now I am onto book 3 and can't stop reading that one either. It has the best start compared to the other 2. What have I been reading?
The Stieg Larsson series of Lisbeth Salander and the Girl With The Dragon Tattoo. Absolutely amazing books. A must read for everyone. Though a bit graphic in some spots and tough to swallow it is well worth the time and money to get these books. I also tested out reading them on my new Ipad. Not bad at all. I thought my eyes and head (given that I am prone to migraines) might not like the bright lights. But it was really no problem at all.

In between reading sessions we had Mark and Amy up to our place in Collingwood for the long weekend. We got them both out on mountain bikes and took them for a short loop around 3 Stage. Well it was supposed to be short but we tried some new trails and got a little lost so it was a 3 hour ride. Thanks to the Garmin we found our way home. Mark was ripping it up and even did the rock feature. Amy quickly got the hang of it as well and was rocking the logs and technical sections. She had that natural instinct of what to do when- when to lift, when to stand, etc.. It was such a great ride to see how they both took to it. Sorry for adding another sport to your growing list.

The next day we did a short -this time short- loop at Lorree forest. Brad even managed to find a little field mouse that Wiki seemed to have a keen interest in. Then it was bag to the city for our Monday soccer game.

Fun Weekend

2010-07-26T07:44:00.004-04:00

Headed up to Collingwood this weekend for some riding and relaxing. Really just needed to get out of the city to some quiet. On Saturday I was super looking forward to a nice relaxing breakfast at my favourite place. But of course I never pick up the tourist guides or anything like that for Cwood and lo and behold Saturday morning we entered a whole new world.

The main street was lined with cars right out of the 50s and hundreds of people. Women were wearing crazy outfits- poofy hair, poofy skirts, big sunglasses and bedazzled purses. But best of all were the men. They all had black hair with a big poof a the front and were wearing white polyester suits with "bling bling" all over it. A quiet breakfast we were not going to have. It was Elvis weekend in Collingwood. Needless to say we grabbed our groceries as quick as possible and hurried back to our peaceful cottage.

Met up with Marissa and Ben for a great ride at Kolapore. Thanks to Ben for showing us some awesome new trails and how not to get lost. We usually avoid a certain area because we tend to get lost and always come back to this special intersection. I always feared seeing this particular snowman as that meant we would be lost, but not today. He has now become my friend. And of course nothing better than cheese, beer and chips to end the day.

Sunday saw Brad and I hitting up 3 stage for a short little loop. Dropped down to the bottom and then had to hike up a little as the trail was still a little muddy from yesterday. And I was pretty tired as I forgot my xc wheels and was riding dh wheels all weekend. Apparently I was pushing around about 37lbs. But it was still fun. Rode a cool little rock feature as well- only took a gazillion attempts to overcome the brain. But it is conquered and was easy- yeah after the fact.

A fun weekend it was. Can't wait for the long weekend now. Is it Friday yet?

Tough Decisions- well not really.

2010-07-19T07:41:00.004-04:00

As many of you know I love the cyclocross season. I spent a month last year in Belgium racing and had the time of my life. So needless to say I was super eager to return again this year. Back in April, Brad and I booked our tickets to the first two world cups (Switzerland and Czech Republic), rented our motor home and we were ready to go. We were also planning on going back to Belgium for the month of December again for more cross racing. Well over many beers and laying out the pros and cons, some big decisions were made. Getting to Europe is quick and easy, cyclocross will always exist there, and, I still have many many years of racing and riding ahead of me. So we canceled our trip and made a new one...........

Now of course this trip is still bike related. We are loading up the Kona Explosif as 1x9 with touring gear and heading to New Zealand for 5 weeks. Throw in a little surfing and end with the Single Speed World Championships in Rotorua and you have the best trip ever.

The biggest question and problem is how do I fit all my stuff in the little panniers?

Bad Luck

2010-07-16T09:37:00.003-04:00

A lot of bad going on right now.

Wednesday I get out of crossfit only to find I have a flat tire on the car. Ugh! And I will be late to meet Amy and see her wedding dress. No time to call CAA so I run up to Queen street, hit an ATM and pay service fees as I don't have time to find my bank, jump in a cab. Make it just in time- though a little sweaty. Then I call the wonderful Brad to enlist his help in fixing the flat.

But the day gets worse. Hit up the local pub for dinner, order an Orange Peel Ale, and of course, they only have enough for one, and since I am a nice person, I let the bride to be have it. No beer for me. To some this might not be so bad, but I really just wanted a beer. Oh well.

Yesterday out I go to do my training. 30mins in, I hear a huge bang. Flat. Go figure! But not just a flat, a ripped sidewall on my road tire. So I get to fixing it only to realize I don't have duct tape or anything on me, all I had was the ziploc bag holding my cell phone. Ziploc in the tire, tube pumped up, and off I went home. Amazingly it held the tube in. Get home and grab Brad's wheel and still luckily still manage to get my intervals in. And to top it off, at least 30 cycling commuters passed me while I was fixing my flat and not one person asked if I was ok.

I hope my bad luck with flats is over now.

Bad Me

2010-07-14T07:11:00.005-04:00

Well I think I have won the worst blog updater award. But really I have just been too busy and the weather has been too good to sit in front of the computer. So here is a photo journal of what I have been up to. Not much bike related as it has all been on the road bike in Toronto as of late.

Brad heat molding my new *pink* Bont mtb shoes

New dim sum restaurant found Rol San on Spadina. New favourite dish- spicy eggplant and ground pork.

Eclipse Party included Edward and Jacob in the trees

Another amazing cake by Jas

A real cool fence at the Flying Chestnut restaurant in Eugenia

Amazing prime rib family style Sunday dinner at above restaurant

Humpy not sure he has room for dessert

7 yards of gravel that made it into our backyard- thanks to Brad, dad Hunter and Finch

The much needed swim after moving gravel all day

Wiki playing shark

Happy Canada Day

2010-07-02T11:34:00.002-04:00

Had the perfect day today! Minus having to set an alarm clock.

Went to visit my grandpa who is 100- will be 101 in August. He was a little tired but pretty feisty for his age. He confused Brad for my uncle and my mom for me. Sad to see him not all there anymore, but it makes for interesting conversation.

Then we headed to mom and dad's B&B for a yummy breakfast with tons of fresh Ontario cherries. It was a crowded holiday morning a the casa as my sis has moved home, and my aunt and uncle stopped by. But always good to see family.

Next up was grandma. She has apparently taken a liking to some sport on TV where they use their heads, and their feet, and it is very exciting. She has never been one for sports and always cheers for both sides. So I am very excited that she has decided she likes football and is watching it everyday. I am going to try and watch at least one game with her before the World Cup is over (go Netherlands!!!)

Brad and I then headed over to our friend's rooftop patio for a great birthday bbq. Some great sangria, amazing potato salad, and of course our homemade onion dip. The TFC game was up next. It was tons of fun and had an annoying guy behind us, but a really entertaining one to my right. He even shared his peanuts. The game was pretty boring for the first half, but then things picked up and a mini fight even broke out.

Wow- after writing this I realize I think I need another day off. I never got a rest yesterday, but that's ok, I had a great day.

Happy Birthday Canada.

Squamish Trip Photos

2010-06-26T11:23:00.004-04:00

At long last the pictures from our trip out west.

The Rental Van

The Chief- apparently people climb this.

The Test Pre-Party Kids Park. Too cute!

The best cheese and beer soup from the local Howe Sound Brewery

Robot made out of bike parts in Whistler

The boys think they know about cars.

The car cucumber.

Sirloin and Ravioli -amazing from The Nest- a must

We found the new Half Nelson trail- absolutely perfect trail work.

They really like bridges out west.

The Test

2010-06-22T11:40:00.003-04:00

The Test of Metal was Saturday and I do have to say it did not go as well as I had planned. I passed but barely. All was good for the first half and I was on track to make my goal time but then we started 9 mile hill. I was riding the Kona Abra Cadabra which I love but it was a little overkill for the race. 110lbs Rachael had a very very hard time pushing 31lbs bike + camelback full of water uphill. The bike was great on the plunge and I rode more than I thought possible, it was also perfect in the single track. But the climb, oh the climb - it killed me. Also riding for 4 hours the day before might not have helped. Other than my poor performance, the race was fantastic and a must do. The volunteers were so nice, the organization perfect, and the community rallied and cheered all over the course. It was a great day topped off with a perfect night at the Howe Sound Brewery.

Sunday we did an awesome ride near Alice Lake in Squamish. I'm beginning to get the feel of this huge bike and starting to ride some bigger drops and steeper steeps. I'm going to be very sad to leave here. I even rode my first long, high log. No photos as Brad was running beside me to catch me in case I fell off. Though I'm not sure it would have worked but mentally it helped. I'm not lacking the skills just the "kahunas". Thanks Kris for recommending the Credit Line trail - awesome.

Yesterday was spent at Whistler riding the chair. I bought a pair of baggies, and a short stem, and lowered my seat all the way. A pro downhiller I had become. Well not really as I didn't venture past the blue trails which equal the blacks at Blue Mountain or harder. I did ride at a level I never thought possible. Whistler likes wood and drops. I managed to slowly conquer my fear of bridges and ride them, and even turn on them. I also perfected my launching skills in the stunt area and did some serious drops and rocks.

Today is our last day and we are headed out for an epic adventure. And the plans for a return visit are already in the works.

I'm in Squamish

2010-06-19T10:50:00.003-04:00

There will be no photos for a bit as I got a new ipad but they were sold out of the camera adapters so I can't upload photos.

We arrived in Vancouver early Thursday morning. I got the bags while Brad got the rental car. He showed up with a huge cargo van- the type you use when moving. It holds our bikes with plenty of left over room for a couch and a bed and well you get the point. Although I am beginning to like it more and more especially since it only costs $40/day.

We headed to Kona headquarters to build up our bikes, and visit the infamous MattS. A few hours later we were on our way to Squamish. Short stop for a scenic view at Cypress and picking up a fellow cyclist we were back on the road. The drive was beautiful and Squamish is gorgeous.

Yesterday we rode part of the Test Of Metal course. Basically the climb and the crazy downhill called "Powerhouse Plunge". I am 50/50 at best on this trail. We had to session many parts and by the end my nerves were shot. It is the most technical riding I think I have done. It is like the rocks in PA but with giant roots all on a steep descent. I was definitely getting slightly frustrated at times and developing a love hate relationship with the trail. Though I did ride tons of stuff I never thought I could and I wimped out on some stuff. At least I was reassured when Brad told me this am that he actually had to focus and pay attention on some stuff. That really makes me feel better cause riding with someone who is so good can be a bit demoralizing at times. Then to make things better I lost my rear brake-guess it could have been the front which would have been even worse. Thanks to Peanut at Tantalus bike shop for fixing it.

Some local brews from the Howe Sound pub and cheese soup made up for it all and I'm ready to go and conquer the plunge today.

New Name

2010-06-15T08:33:00.004-04:00

I'm thinking I should rename this blog. Or at least give it a subtitle. Food and bikes- or something like that. It seems that a lot of my posts revolve around either riding bikes or food. I guess because those are 2 of my favourites things.

Saturday night Brad and I went to dinner with my folks at one of their favourite Pho restaurants on Spadina. I told Brad we were just having Pho= soup so he had a little snack before hand. Boy was I wrong. My mom and I had soup and then about 10 other dishes arrived on the table. If it wasn't for my dad and Brad I think we could have fed a small country. But somehow they finished off everything on the table. Brad had ordered this curry crab dish and out came a very large crab. Not what was expected. Then we went to the pastry shop and I bought a salted egg bun thinking it had salty egg custard in the middle. Wrong again- it had a hard boiled salty egg yolk in the middle. Green bin.

Sunday morning I tried to make some Paleo sweet potato pancakes. I sort of combined 3 different recipes to make mine. Used canned sweet potato (nothing but potato), eggs, honey, vanilla, nutmeg, cinnamon and Tigernut flour. They were actually really really good, just a little gooey so I baked them in the oven for 10minutes and then they were perfect. Yummy! Then of course it was grilled burgers for a late lunch and Ed's ice cream for dessert- I think a new weekly ritual. But I might have found my new favourite- banana gelato. Yummy!!!

Super D=Super Fun

2010-06-13T08:51:00.005-04:00

Saturday I went to Kelso and did my first Super D race. It was a blast. Especially riding the chairlift up. It was my first real day out on the new Kona Abra Cadabra and I was a little tentative at first. I'm not used to a full squish bike and how it handles. Brad and I did a few warm up runs and sessioned a few sections (especially the drop and sharp right hand turn). I never managed to make the turn without dabbing. Oh well. The race was fairly straight forward with a few challenging technical sections and some good pedaling sections.

The race was a LeMans start where you had to place your bike around a corner and run to it. Then you had to run with your bike for a few feet then hop on. I got the hole shot off the front (thank you cyclocross) but one of the other girls got by me on the flats (she had a lighter bike). She would get a way on the flats and I would bring her back in the singletrack. Which is not normal for me. When we got to the technical turny part I sort of just followed her into it (wasn't in full on race mode was just having fun). She crashed and I had to get off and get around. However she got back on her bike before me so got by again. At that point there was no passing to the finish and she won by 3 or 4 seconds. Looking back on it, I should have taken her on the inside going into the corner but hey, I was just having fun. And second place was quite fine by me.

Brad and I then rode at Kelso for another 2 hours. The bike was handling amazingly and I was really starting to understand that with this bike you need a little more speed and it will just float over things. It also climbed really well. I am loving it. Also tried out Kim's 29er Misfit and I might see one in my near future. I really want to try out a 29er.

Hopefully I will get out to the last Super D of the season. Fun Fun Fun!!!!

TSE Day 7

2010-06-07T19:12:00.008-04:00

Day 7: The End
A fun stage to end the week. Susan, Laura and I rode together for the entire stage and it was fun to chat and ride with the girls I had been racing all week. I even heard there were some beers consumed on course.

The banquet dinner served by the scouts in uniform was superb. Shrimp, steak, potatoes and asparagus fed our bellies and some delicious wines quenched our thirst (and maybe a few beers were had as well). Everyone who completed all 3 stages got a medal, a pack, and an amazing photo as keepsakes. There was even a contest for a Misfit SS thanks to Peter. After the goodbyes were said to those leaving early, the rest of went on to celebrate the evening in style.

Now unfortunately I cannot reveal what happened in PA as it is just like Vegas in the sense that what happened there stays there. Brad may know a few details but he is sworn to secrecy. But I will say that many a beverages consumed and a great time had by all.

But best of all, on my arrival home I was greeted by the dog, Brad and his gift to me for completing the race........

Ice cream!!!! and a new ride for the Test Of Metal. I better do more stage races.

Sunshine Princess

Bobblehead

Another Snowy Weekend

Skiing and more skiing

Master Cyclocross World Champs 2012

Driving

New Year New Post

Happy Holidays

Life

First Winter Weekend

Busy Bees

Solids

Trending

Overdue Post

Hardwood Single Track Challenge

Durham Cross

Giving Thanks

A Hillbilly Hustle

Ellison Park Cross Rochester

I Love Cross (especially in Niagara)

MTB Provincials

New Toys

All Alone

Tiny Immune Systems

East Coast Open

August Rain and Cyclocross

Whose who?

This Little Piggy

Smile Time

Summer Fun

100 to 0

Buckwallow Ocup

Summer Solstice 24 Hours

From Campground to Cathedral

Conclusions

Can You Guess Where We are?

Couch Potato

Overdue Post

The LIfe of a 36 weeker

Making Weight

Don't Be Afraid Of The Big Bad Wolf

Welcome To The World

Baby Mamma's Diet

20 Plus

Hammer Time

Women's JoyRide Weekend

Crack Baby Crack Baby

Bubs' First European Vacation

Let's Talk About Sex Baby

Happy New Year

Christmas Cooking

Winter TIme

Christmas and Hannukah

New Car

Missmash

14 weeks

Secrets

Caught Up

Back in the USA

Single Speed Worlds Pre-Race Fun

Maori Hangi

Cooking Up A Storm

McDonalds and McCafe

Wicked Fun

Whaka 100,50,25

A Little Rain

Surf's Up

Searching For Surf

Queen Charlotte Track

Nelson NZ

When You Gotta Go

Awe Struck

A long one

Confessions

New Zealand Photos

Haere Mai

Up Up And Away

2 in a week

Shenandoah 100 Part 2

Shenandoah 100 Report Part 1