Tuesday, April 20, 2010

The Top-Ten Leading to 13.1

Top 10 Things I Learned While Training for and Running a Half Marathon



10. Don't wash & dry your mp3 player. They don't do dryers.



9. Running without tunes is actually enjoyable.



8. My preference is running with a friend.



7. Listening to my body is smart.



6. As a runner, the Pacific NW has got to be one of the most beautiful and challenging places to live. I am lucky.



5. Nature calls around mile 6 of a run that is scheduled to be greater than 12 miles.



4. I can take care of business just like bears do.



3. Always carry tissues.



2. If the urge hits while in a race - always take the FIRST opportunity to go!



1. I can run 13.1 miles.

Wenatchee 1/2 Marathon


Wenatchee Half Marathon - Saturday, April 17, 2010

Eyes open.  Clock reads 5:44 a.m.  At first, I close my eyes and think, I have one more minute until the alarm goes off - ni....  OH CRAP.  We are leaving at 5:45.  ARGHHH!  At least I didn't completely oversleep.  Rob says, "you pushed snooze a long time ago."  Thanks dear.  I guess I am not shaving my legs this morning.  So much for a shower.  I check the boys bedroom - no Michelle.  I find her sitting at the kitchen table quietly drinking coffee, eating breakfast and reading a magazine.  At least I set the automatic timer on the coffee pot and set my clothes out the night before - let's roll!

It's 6 a.m. - the morning looked perfect from the view of Plain Valley.  Sun shining through a light layer of hazy clouds, 50 degrees.  A great day for a morning jog.  Wenatchee is a short hour drive from the cabin and one I am used to on Saturday wee-mornings.  Packet pick-up is from between 6:30 - 7:30 a.m. with the race starting at 8. The plan was to be at pick-up at 7, use the restroom, drop our stuff at the car, use the restroom and start the race.  The email correspondence from the 'director' stated that they were expecting a record number of participants estimated at a thousand people. 

We pull into the parking lot next to a series of porta-potties at 7 a.m.  This has got to be close.  How convenient - right next to the restrooms.  Things are looking good!  

But, are we in the right place?  Where are all the people?  Oh - a thousand people for the whole event.  There is a 10K, 1/2 marathon & full marathon.  

I pick up my packet.  This is too easy!  We found that we had plenty of time to walk around, find indoor plumbing (twice), sneak across the bridge for a photo and drop our 'warm' gear at the car prior to the race start.
  
We basically just followed the crowd, knowing that the 1/2 marathon was the first race and as soon as people started filling the street, we followed.  A quick snapshot at the start.  Just another weekend run - I was trying to convince myself.  Up until this point, I had logged just two runs in the double digits and the closest I came to 13.1 miles was just over 11.  I was trying not to think about how many more minutes I would have to run over that 11 mile run and was hoping that race day anxiety and adrenaline would get me through.  Let's go already!

I was feeling really good at the start.  The first two miles flew by, but I was humbled greatly when from behind I heard this alarm go off.  Someone's HR monitor already?  No, no.  It was just the two fellas out for a morning jog.  With a keg.  Yes, they passed me.  The alarm was set so they could switch carriers.  They were going to carry the keg the whole race.  Michelle mentioned to me that she would feel horrible if they finished the race before us.  So Michelle, how do you feel?  (Yes, they kept their pace and finished ahead of us - but it didn't appear they were 'officially' running the race.  No timing chip and no number. Doesn't count right?!)
The course is an out and back along the mighty Columbia River, starting in downtown Wenatchee and heading north along the river.  We cross the bridge into East Wenatchee and head south for about 2 miles turn around and head back.  It was a gorgeous day with little wind and just the right amount of sun (not beating down but not completely hiding behind the clouds).


You can almost see Mission Ridge in the right hand side of the mountains in the photo below.  The views of town from the Ridge are just as spectacular as from the views on race day looking up.  The scenery alone is enough to keep me running.

It is at this point in the race (about mile 6) my stomach begins to cramp.  I know that I need to down some gel soon and I am just not sure how that will go.  Knowing that a water station is also coming up, I want to down some nutrition in order to wash it down with some water.  So, I chugged about a tablespoon of Hammer Gel (apple cinnamon, just in case you are interested) and await the water station. 

I accidentally grab the sports drink - ick. But, apparently my sports drink mix up wasn't the only mishap here - my wardrobe malfunction just adds more humor - now.    My stomach is already in a knot and now it is cringing.  I can't do sports drinks and I think I need to go to the bathroom.  This isn't looking good.


So I plug along.  My pace is slower than a snail at this point, but I am still jogging.  I see a porta-pottie.  Oh, I'll be fine.  I am sure there is another one not much further along - heck, they've had them just about every other mile up until this point.  This feeling HAS to pass.  Michelle confirms my thoughts - you'll be able to make it she says.

"Hi Sam's mom!"  I hear.  Huh?!  I have a Sam.  Oh!  You mean me!  Who is that?  I don't recongnize that person.  Sam -preschool & snowboarding are his thing - who would be here that would know him and not me?  I couldn't think of anyone from Sam's preschool class that would be here.  Must be someone from snowboarding.

At the turn around they hand out GU (and quite the variety I must add).  I politely take one and put it in my pocket (it's 'free'!)- I have absolutely no desire to put anything else into my body.  I was mapping out the distance to those porta-potties - how far was that last one from the turn around again?   If there isn't a line, I'll go. 

Hah!  Two porta-potties, right next to a water stop.  There are people around.  NO WAY!  I am not going there - too public.  (Love, love, love my pottie phobia).  I know that on the other side of the bridge there are bathrooms ever mile or so.  They are permanent structures and much more 'private'.  I'll go there if I need to.

Thinking back on it - I was ridiculous.  I was running, but using all my energy on the downhills (where I can actually 'recover' a bit) making sure everything stayed put, on the inside.  It got to the point where I was playing out scenerios in my head about which group of sagebrush was big enough to hide behind. 


Somewhere around mile 10 - I find relief.  Hallalujah! 

Now it's time for the side stitch to take over and my numb toes to cause me grief. 

It's ALL in my head.
 MIND OVER MATTER!
Push through - you can do it.

AND I DID! 
(Note the huge sigh of relief here!)
I FINISH 2:12:01! 
Right on.

Thanks Michelle for 'running' with me.  I say that because for Michelle - this was a slow jog.   Had it not been for the fact that Michelle is rehabbing an injury, there is NO way I would have asked her to run the race WITH me.  But because she is under doc orders to run only short 4 milers a couple times a week I took advantage of the opportunity.  I am happy that I did - her report on Monday was that she felt great.  Had she run 'her' race the outcome would not have been so joyful  or so that's the story I'm sticking to. 

 Of course, she heads right to the results posting and checks her age group.  Her response, "I could have totally won my age group" reminds me that she is a strong competitor and I was a lucky girl to have such a wonderful friend to give that up!

My goal was to RUN the whole race.  Check. 
My target finish time was 2:09, based on my PR 5K time.  I am very happy with the outcome and am still laughing at the fact that ANYTHING can happen on race day!

NW Adventure Chics - postrace.
The mystery greeter! a.k.a.  Miss Amy - Sam's preschool teacher!!  What a surprise.
Michelle, Samantha Cox & I.  While running the 'home stretch' Michelle & I both see this girl walking a dog and cheering on the runners and as we got closer we realize we know her.  Sam, a lifeguard at the North Kitap pool and a hopeful triathlete recruit - ran the 10K and finished SECOND in her age group!  Way to go Sam!

A great first half. 
Now when is the second?!



Monday, April 12, 2010

Full Tilt: Poulsbo to Arizona with Three Kids and a Minivan


I'm reading a fantastic book entitled Full Tilt: Ireland to India With a Bicycle by Dervla Murphy. Traveling alone with her bicycle in the early 1960's, it's an amazing account of the myriad adventures she had along the way. I highly recommend it!
While not quite on par with her undertaking, our spring break trip was definitely jam packed with adventure. And yes, we drove, which we wanted to do because it allowed us to explore more places along the way, plus (the real reason) it's cheaper. Our, well, my goal (which everyone else, read-my husband, agreed sounded like a good plan), was to hit the coastal Redwood Forest, San Francisco, Disneyland, Santa Monica and Venice Beach, Grandma and Grandpa's in the greater Phoenix area, Las Vegas, then bee-line it home. Our goal was to do all of that with $1000. Yes, ambitious plans all around, but that's how we roll. My husband and kids mostly enjoy these activity packed adventures and probably wouldn't be surprised if I told them I had signed us all up for sky diving lessons along the way, so they know to ask lots of questions about what exactly I'm getting them into these days. Our time frame was 9 days, 10 if we needed it, but our hope was to be waking up in our own beds on Easter morning, which would have been the tenth day.

You probably noticed that Disneyland was on the list and are thinking, "Hmmm, just one day at the happiest place on earth is going to eat up about half their budget already." And you would be right, except.....except we jumped on the "Give a Day, Get a Day" bandwagon and volunteered at the local Habitat For Humanity in Bremerton, thus earning ourselves one day vouchers for the park. Also, I would like to note that I spent our usual weekly amount on groceries and packed them with us; I did not count this as an additional trip expense as we would have to eat whether at home or on the road. Our first two dinners were microwavable items that I had prepared in advance and frozen, knowing that we would have access to a microwave at the hotels we would be staying at. Lunches were sandwiches, etc. that we made daily out of the back of our van, using our cooler as a kitchen counter at rest stops, or making them in the a.m. before checking out of our hotel. As for the rest, here's how it played out:

Day #1 (Friday):
  • 12:30 p.m. Depart Poulsbo w/ full tank of gas ($55.00)
  • Stopped in Silverdale to pick up goodies from my Mom (Grandma Jane)
  • 1:30 p.m. Paid $4.00 toll at Tacoma Narrows Bridge
  • 6:00-ish Stopped at Oregon University Campus in Eugene to stretch our legs and check the famous Hayward Field (if you're a runner, you know)
  • Gassed up in Myrtle Creek, OR $49.00 Oh, yeah. They pump it for you in good ole' Orygun.
  • 8:30 p.m. Arrive @ La Quinta Inn, Grants Pass, OR $113.40/nt (Two queens plus a rollaway for our bonus child)
  • Kids swam in the indoor pool; adults soaked in hot tub, ahh....*I got the best rate by calling the hotel directly, whadaya know?
TOTAL MILES: 447     TOTAL COST DAY 1: $221.40

DAY #2 (Saturday): Redwood Highway
  • Breakfast at the hotel - waffles, cereal, fruit, muffins, juice, etc....it was a good spread and included with our stay; made sandwiches for the road.
  • 9:45 a.m. Stopped to hike the Stout Grove Trail in the Jedediah Smith Redwood National Park - A one mile out and back to a beautiful stand of old growth Redwoods near the Oregon/California border, just off the Redwood Highway. As we approached the quaint old covered bridge that leads to Howland Hill Road, we spotted runners registering for a race. Ralph Hirt of the Six Rivers Running Club was putting on a trail race that morning, with options of 15k or 5k. Oh, so tempting! But the race did not start until 11:00 a.m. and we were set on a short hike with the kids, then on to Crescent Beach to chase the waves and get our feet in the sand. So that is what we did.



Above: Sloan at Stout Grove; Family Photo, Stout Grove; Crescent Beach pit stop, above and right.

Time? Short detour off of Highway 101 to the Klamath Overlook. We hiked down the trail to the lower overlook (about 1 mile roundtrip). Grey whales and harbor seals were hanging about, on the beach (seals) and below the cliffs (whales). The California sun was out and despite the breeze off the ocean, we were feeling the heat on the hike back up to the car.
  • Veered off Hwy 101 onto the Newton B. Drury Scenic Parkway and stopped at the Big Tree Wayside
  • Kuchel Visitor Center - Interactive exhibits on marine life, Redwood Forest, Yurok Indian history and culture. Spent $4.00 on trinkets. "Okay, Mom, when are we going to be there?!"  "Be where, I ask, as our journey is our destination." I had a hard time explaining that idea to three kids tired of piling in and out of the car already!
  • Gas in Laytonville, CA (288 miles into our day) $53.82
  • 6:30 p.m. Arrive @ Embassy Suites, San Rafael, CA $129.10/nt for 1 bedroom suite (2 double beds + fold-out couch in living room)
  • Complimentary Happy Hour drinks and snacks for kids and adults, yeah! It pays to arrive before 7 p.m. at this hotel. :) Dinner was microwaved burritos in our room, however.
  • 9:00 p.m. Kids swim, adults soak in hot tub. It was a very busy pool, lots of kids....10:00 p.m. pool closes for kids. Yes, I would recommend this hotel.
TOTAL COST DAY 2: $186.92       MILES/DAY: 428.7 miles

Sloan at Kuchel Visitor Center near Orick, CA  

Covered bridge on Howland Hill Road (unpaved scenic byway). Runners are registering for the 2010 Redwood Wild River Run 15k and 5k.



Rainey, Mikhaela, Sloan and Shawn hiking up from the lower lookout at Klamath River Overlook near Requa, CA. We spotted a cluster of harbor seals nestled together down on the beach at the river's mouth with the aid of a volunteer ranger's scope, as well as brief glimpses of the grey whales hanging out below the cliffs as they surfaced to breath.

DAY #3 (Sunday): Sausalito and San Francisco
  • Complimentary all you can eat, made to order breakfast smorgasbord at the hotel. Yum.
  • Strolled through Sausalito and as cyclist after cyclist after groups of cyclists sped past I wished we were all doing the Blazing Saddles rental bike tour of the Bay Area that morning. Maybe next time.

The Sausalito Ferry is a foot ferry from Sausalito to Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. It was tempting to hop on the boat and really get a chance to soak in the views, although the views of San Francisco and the Bay Bridge were amazing just from the shore in little Sausalito. The kids were most interested in Alcatraz though; being frequent ferry riders at home the ferry didn't seem to draw much interest from them. Unfortunately, we didn't manage to make it over for a tour of the mysterious prison from the past. It's incentive to spend more time in San Francisco again soon. After driving through the pretty neighborhoods and hills above Sausalito, we crossed the famed Golden Gate Bridge, only to realize that neither Shawn nor myself had the $6.00 cash needed to pay the toll! Mikhaela offered that she had some cash, but it was tucked away in her suitcase up in the rooftop carrier. Shawn put the car in park, scrambled out, unlocked the Yakima Carrier, fished Mikhaela's purse out of her suitcase, tossed it in to Mikhaela, who then produced the cash for the toll booth collector. The line behind us wasn't too long... My husband (almost) never carries cash, but I (almost) always do, so I guess it was my bad.
Anyway, we parked by the YMCA at the Presidio and enjoyed a lovely stroll from there, past the Monument to the Arts, down the boardwalk along the marina, through the park and Aquatic Park, then on to Fisherman's Wharf where we bought fish-n-chips for lunch ($40, and not even close to as good as Ivar's back home), plus some salt water taffy and a few souveniers for the kids ($20). It was a 5 1/2 mile jaunt by the time we got back to the car. Along the way we saw so many people running, cycling and swimming (triathletes wearing wetsuits in Aquatic Park) that my 11 year old daughter, Rainey, commented "Mom, it seems like everybody in San Francisco is into exercising!" Well, it was a particularly beautiful day, so everyone was out taking advantage of the sunshine and warm weather, so
it did seem to be the case.

We saw hundreds of cyclists in Sausalito and very few cars early Sunday morning.

Golden Gate Bridge (above)
Aquatic Park, San Francisco, CA (below)

Sloan enjoying fish and chips at Fisherman's Wharf (above left): Monument to the Arts (above right)

 After making it back to our car we drove through the Presidio, and followed part of the 49 Mile Scenic Drive as far as we could along the ocean beach side of San Fran, where Mikhaela kept pleading with us to let them out to play in the surf. People with surfboards were everywhere. By that time it was almost 3:30 in the afternoon and we still had to make it down to Anaheim, so after a loop through Golden Gate Park we managed to get headed out of town in the right direction, following Hwy 101 to Hwy 152 to I-5, stopping for gas in Jayne, CA ($57). We arrived finally at The Holiday Inn in Anaheim at 10:30 p.m. Needless to say we were a tired crew, but the promise of heading to Disneyland in the morning kept everyone's spirits up.

  • The Holiday Inn, Anaheim $124.00/night for 2 rooms adjoining (each with 2 dbl beds). I booked this before we left on Hotwire and it was a great deal. The hotel had an outdoor pool which we never had time to utilize, but it looked like an inviting place to hang out if we had been doing a multiple day park experience, like so many people do these days.  Having two bathrooms for two nights was a major bonus for the five of us, so I was glad I booked two rooms here. Everyone crawled right in to their respective beds and fell quickly to sleep that night, dreaming of castles and Mickey Mouse.
TOTAL COST DAY 3: $247.00      MILES/DAY: 457

DAY #4: Monday, Disneyland

We woke early, filled the backpack up with snacks, sandwiches, refillable water jug, sunscreen and hats, and headed out to Disneyland in our minivan. It wasn't far and we could have opted to take the shuttle or walk, but decided to save our legs for the park and liked the idea of having easy access to our car, so we drove. We arrived at the Chip n' Dale Parking Lot at 7:45 a.m. with vouchers in hand. The park opened up at 8:00 a.m.; we walked through the gates at 8:05 in morning and didn't walk back out until 10:30 that night.

It was a lot more fun than I thought it was going to be, I'll say that. I had a temporary set back in mood after losing my favorite hat and brand new Smith Pivlock sunglasses on Splash Mountain; it didn't help that I was completely soaked and received zero sympathy from the ride attendant. Oh well, move on Michelle, they're just glasses. The fireworks with Tinkerbell flying over the castle really capped off the magical feeling of the day.

 
Rainey in Toon Town

 Shawn and Sloan on It's A Small World

Mikhaela and Rainey exiting Mr. Toad's Wild Ride - our first ride of the day, and Rainey's favorite.


Got to pose with Goofy! 

I got to participate in an impromptu jam session (moonlighting as a drummer) inside Innoventions

  • Batteries for Camera $13.00
  • 1 latte, 2 smoothies, 1 soda $16.00 (We refilled our large water bottle at the fountains all day and by the end of the day I'd say that that one sports bottle was worth at least $60!)
  • Cotton Candy $3.50
  • Parking $14.00
  • Souveniers $50.00
  • Mexican Dinner in Frontierland $49.00
  • Holiday Inn Anaheim $124.00
TOTAL COST DAY 4: $269.50       MILES/DAY: 9

DAY #5: Tuesday, Huntington Beach and Arizona

We had breakfast at the Holiday Inn, where kids eat free, then headed to Huntington Beach, a.k.a. "Surf City", to soak up a different aspect of Southern California living. While the kids dug in the sand and Shawn went for a short run down toward the pier, I dipped my feet in the waves and was surprised by a pod of porpoise (dolphins?) right in front of me. I watched them make their way up the beach past the few kids out surfing that morning and up toward the pier. We could have stayed here the whole day, but were determined to get to my Dad's place by dinner time so Shawn whipped together some sandwiches after his run and we headed off to Arizona.

Our travel time to my parents' place in Sun City West was about six hours and except for the fact that our air conditioning was out of commission, the ride was pleasant, and a great ham dinner was awaiting us upon arrival.


Mikhaela, Huntington Beach, CA

Breakfast @ Holiday Inn $22.00 Parking @ Huntington Beach $15.00 Gas near Palm Springs, CA $47.00 Coffee $1.00   TOTAL COST DAY 5: $85.00       MILES/DAY: 393

DAY #6 (Wednesday): Grandma and Grandpa's, AZ
My sister Susan had flown down to visit, and my Grandma Cox (my Dad's mom) had come over from Scottsdale to visit while we were there as well, so it was a full house. My Dad and I headed out for a bike ride with his riding group in the morning; Susan and Shawn drove out to the White Tank Regional Park for a trail run and the kids stayed with Grandma Lynn and Great Grandma Cox to enjoy the pool in the backyard. Sloan picked fruit from Gr. and Gr.'s lemon, orange and grapefruit trees and made fresh juice with grandma. There was a dove with two eggs in her nest in one of the trees, so we were careful to tread quietly around it.

Cost for Day: $6.00 park entrance fee @ White Tank

Enjoying their own personal pool, working on puzzles with Grandma Lynn, and baking occupied the kids for the two days we were visiting

                    
Great Grandma Cox (age 92) with Sloan (age 9)


Sloan juicing grapefruit with Grandma Lynn


DAY #7(Thursday): Grandma and Grandpa's, AZ

  • White Tank Mountain Regional Park - Ran for two hours with Susan and Shawn on the trails there. We saw a rattlesnake, but luckily it was on the road while we were driving, and it was dead. We all forgot our cameras and found out just how crappy the pictures taken with our cell phones are. Bummer. It's a beautiful park, with saguaro cactus in abundance.

  • World Wildlife Zoo and Aquarium- Shawn, Susan, Sloan and myself  ($60)

  • Gas in Sun City West, AZ $53.06
TOTAL COST DAY 7: $102.06             MILES/DAY 6 and 7: 119




Aunt Susan and Sloan make like flamingos




Sloan feeds the 3 and 4 year old giraffes

DAY #8 (Friday): Homeward Bound

  • Hoover Dam - Wow. The dam, the Colorado River, the sculptures. The new bridge is almost done too.

  • Las Vegas - Costco for lunch $15/Gas $34

  • Walked down Las Vegas Boulevard (The Strip) - It's definitely not like Disneyland. The kids didn't like it and wanted to get out of town. They just didn't know what to make of the whole place and sights such as the replica of the statue of David at Caesars Palace and the amazing siren that graces the ship at Treasure Island elicited comments like, "Ew" and "Gross". I had a crazy urge to get (re)married in one of the chapels, with our kids as attendants. Maybe if we had stayed the night we could have pulled it off. Ah, well, it was fun thinking about it anyway.

  • Gas in Ely, NV $30 The towns on our path through Nevada were few and far between so we filled up our tank whenever we got the chance, just in case.

  • After leaving Ely, night fell, and a snowstorm swooped down on us, so it was a bit of a nail biter gettting to Wells on the two lane highway. I happened to be the driver at that point and the snowglobe affect made me a bit dizzy, but there was nowhere to pull over, as there was no shoulder to speak of, and for all we knew it was going to snow all night, so my only choice was to keep driving. At one point my son asked, "Mom, how can you see where you are going?!" I really didn't have a good answer for him. I tried to keep the tail lights of the car in front of me within sight, which helped but required me to travel at about 40 mph, which made my husband very nervous in the passenger seat. Needless to say, we were all relieved to arrive at the motel in Wells where, aside from the sticky rug, disgusting couch and holes in the sheets, we had a clean room. And anyhow, it was better than sleeping in the van on the roadside in the middle of an April snowstorm. 

  • Rest Inn Suites Motel, Wells, NV $68.15 (2 queens +rollaway)

  •  Indignant quote of the day:  "Mom, these sheets have holes from cigarettes in them!" - Mikhaela, 13

TOTAL COST DAY 8: $146.67         MILES/DAY: 660
Hoover Dam and the nearly completed bridge above


Rainey and Mikhaela get mock kisses from a street artist in Vegas
    Venezio, Las Vegas, Nevada
    DAY 9 (Saturday): Home through the Snow: Nevada, Idaho, Oregon, Washington
  • We awoke to about 3 inches of snow, our van frozen shut and a "Continental Breakfast" consisting of miniature muffins (bran or blueberry) and coffee. I started off driving again, encountering compact snow and ice on the highway through Jackpot, NV.  The sun was out and the surrounding countryside was freshly dusted with snow.  On the downside, the windshield cleaner was frozen and so I had no way to clean the muddy sludge that every passing car and truck spewed onto our windshield. We stopped once and Windexed the window off, but it was soon coated with grime again and so I had to get creative in order to see through the windshield. I found that if I timed my windshield wipers to go off just as a large truck passed (and blasted us with muddy slush) then I could get the window fairly clean and as long as I turned them off after only two or three swipes the window wouldn't get smeared with dirt again, at least for a stretch. Shawn refilled the cleaner fluid in Jackpot when we stopped for gas, and after another 20 miles or so it finally defrosted and I could enjoy the beautiful snowy fields and mountains all around us. Hooray! We had snow all the way through Idaho and in Oregon as far as Pendleton.
  • Gas in Jackpot, NV $27 +windshield cleaner (their most popular item that morning) $3.29
  • Stopped at a rest stop in Ontario, Oregon to stretch our legs and make sandwiches for lunch
  • Gas in Pendleton, OR $51.22
  • Rest Stop near Cle Ellum, WA for bathroom break and to make sandwiches (not again, Mom!) for our dinner. We had lots of other good snacks along with us, too. We each had a reusable sports bottle that we filled each day at hotels and rest stops, plus some juice boxes and such.
  • 9:00 p.m. Ferry from Seattle to Bainbridge Island $35.41
  • Home!!!!! at 10:00 p.m.
  • The next day I noticed my 11 year old daughter, Rainey, had written this on the white board in her room:
Hola! (Ha Ha)
Washington
Oregon
California
Anaheim
Arizona
San Fran!
I'm home. And I'm tired.

TOTAL COST DAY #9: $117.13     TOTAL MILES/DAY: 810

Okay, we went over our $1,000 budget, but overall we did pretty well for 5 people over a busy nine days. Our total damage for the trip was $1411.68 and it was worth every penny. Our total miles covered were 3,324 miles. Now that is what I call a road trip. And although it was tiring, my mind is already wandering to another family adventure. We've never been to Alaska. Hmmm....

-Michelle







Thursday, April 8, 2010

Crestview Bicycle Club Group Ride

Sun City West, AZ - Spring Break - When we knew for sure we would be driving down to visit my parents near Phoenix during our kids' spring break, I e-mailed my Dad and asked if it would be possible for him to round up a bike for me to ride. I wanted to join him and his cycling club on a group ride while there. Got to get my miles in where I can, right? Could my Dad find me a bike? Well of course he could! This is my Dad we are talking about after all, he is the gear guy, and I am one of his three daughters. I have to be careful about mentioning any skiing/running/cycling/camping/hiking/climbing gear needs or wants around him, because whatever I mention usually ends up on my doorstep shortly thereafter. Yep, I'm spoiled. So, of course there was a pristine bike and shoes awaiting me upon arrival in Sun City West. Thanks to my Dad's countless connections, this time in the form of a fellow club rider by the name of Alice Wohlgemuth. She was out having surgery and graciously allowed me to ride her Scattante Elite. A nice bike I might add, which gave me the itch to upgrade. It was a much smoother ride than mine, guess all that jazz about carbon really is true. The bike rode very comfortably and the compact gearing shifted nicely, although I didn't need to do much shifting; the only "hill"  on our ride being the overpass above Loop 303 Highway. But, like I always say, the bike I like riding most is the one I'm pedaling and so I'm still quite fond of my new-ish Trek 1200.

I must confess, I didn't really give much thought to whether I might be able to keep up with the group on our outing. I'm a confident rider and these are seniors, as in senior citizens. On previous visits I have headed down to Sun City West's metered track and felt gloriously youthful. My normal track workouts are at the local high school, where the abundance of teenagers make me feel my age acutely. So, yeah, running down in AZ is a morale boost and I figured riding would pretty much feel the same. Larry Curran and Jim Panek, plus my own Daddy-O set me straight right out of the gate. I was enjoying the scenery and thinking of striking up a conversation when I realized I was getting dropped by the speedier club members. The group was breaking up into three distinct sub-groups and my Dad was up ahead waving me forward. Okay, go.

I haven't had much paceline practice and the guys helped me out and they all took turns leading while I got a free ride the whole way. In my defense, I had no idea where we were going or how to get back. But I still had to make sure to hang on to the rider in front. It was a new type of riding for me and I thoroughly enjoyed it. If I fell more than a foot back I was waved forward and I was able to get into the rythm of the paceline fairly well.  Below are Jim Panek, Larry Curran and Greg Cox (a.k.a. "Dad"). These guys are my new idols. I want to be like them when I grow up. Actually, the whole group is an inspiration to me and I hope in my senior years I will be as healthy and vibrant as they are.
Jim Panek, Greg Cox, Larry Curran @ "Our usual nose blowing stop".
Fay Fray and Al Horn arriving back at the Echo Mesa Golf Club...they took a diffferent route.

Above: Fay Fraye, Greg Cox (my Dad), Al Horn, Ron Van Camp, Larry Curran, Donna Harlow, Ron Neesham
Unfortunately, several riders had already headed home when I got this picture at the usual group chat after the ride. Some are year round residents of Sun City West, while others, like Donna Harlow, are snowbirds from New York. Ron Neesham flies in yearly from Midlands, England! I was informed that the annual dues for membership are a whopping $3.00, but that members are afforded a $3.00 discount for the annual Christmas Social. Hah! I took a strong liking to the group upon hearing this bit of news. And why do they call themselves the Crestview Bicycle Club anyway? Well, apparently they used to meet a the Crestview Shopping Center in Sun City West, but it has since been renamed or replaced. There was talk of renaming the group to the more apt "Sun City West Bicycle Club".  At any rate they can be found at http://www.scwclubs.com/. If you are in the area go out for a spin with them. They meet almost daily at 8:00 a.m. and generally go for 15-20 miles.

Ahhh, sunny, warm and flat Arizona.....at least in the Phoenix area; it's hard to come home to cold, windy and wet weather, with hills that have names to boot. It was a great vacation outing, thanks Dad, and thanks Alice, as I wouldn't have been able to keep up on a beach cruiser (that was my other bicycle option). Happy riding!

-Michelle