Echo Red-to-Red

Don told me the Trek EX 9.8 would change my life.  Considering I have fallen in love with mountain bike riding, I have to tell him he was right.

Saturday I joined the herd of folks rolling out through Echo for the second running of the Red-to-Red.  All the Pro, Cat 1 and Singlespeed men and women started together.  Strange feeling to start a race and have no idea who you are racing against.  The Women’s field was swallowed up by the Men’s field.  There could have been 100 women starting that race or just 3.  Turns out there were 16.  I saw only one of them the entire 29-mile race. 

Endless ribbons of single track wound itself up the rolling Eastern Oregon landscape, a couple of steep climbs, a few slat bridges and a load of sunshine.  There was nothing I would have rather been doing on Saturday afternoon.

The race unfolded pretty close to my expectations.  I got passed on the descents and preceded to pass the same guys on the climbs.  My confidence grew stronger as the race progressed and by the end, I felt like I was actually attacking the corners instead of letting them attack me.  I have a lot of technical improvement to do, but the season is young, I have teammates who specialize in Super D and I have a new bike that I absolutely love riding.

When the results were posted, Sunnyside claimed 6 podium spots!  Not a bad way to start off the season.  I placed 1^st in the Cat 1 category, shared the podium with my stellar teammate Julie, and took home a bottle of wine and a sweet medal (which will be swiftly added to my nephew’s growing collection).

 

Now, off to pack and purchase books for my upcoming Spain adventure. 

Did I mention I was going to Spain? 

Did I mention how excited I am?

And So It Begins

Saturday marks the start of my 2010 racing season.  Instead of driving to the valley to race skinny tires on snow-covered asphalt, I am heading east, to the little known town of Echo; Echo Red-to-Red.   

28 miles of single track along the Umatilla River; it’s supposed to be beautiful. 

Hopefully I can remember how to race a mountain bike.  

Or better put; hopefully I can figure out how to race a mountain bike.  

I have never before raced a mountain bike wearing the colors of Sunnyside.  (This should give you an indication of my extensive MTB background.) 

And with the start of racing season comes, you guessed it, RACE REPORTS!  Fun to write, boring to read – but I am committed as ever to attempt to entertain with the ramblings and finer details of my 2010 racing season.

And in other news: I am heading to Spain!

Stay tuned for daily reports and photos from the island of Mallorca.

Although I can’t promise Spanish Boots made of Spain Leather; let me know of any special requests (leave a comment below) and I will do my best to smuggle a few extra kilos of coffee and olive oil into my suitcase.  

Bend Backcountry Alliance Film Festival

The Bend Backcountry Alliance will host the 2nd annual Backcountry Film Festival Friday, March 5th at McMenamins Old St. Francis School.  


Doors open at 7:00 pm.
Show starts at 7:30pm.
Admission is just $5.00 and tickets can be purchased at the door. 
Come early to secure your seats as seating is limited and last year’s festival did sell out. 

The Backcountry Film Festival is organized by our friends at the Winter Wildlands Alliance. This year, festival attendees will vicariously surf the snow with a Japanese calligrapher, test extreme snow conditions in Vermont and ski a brief but majestic winter in Australia.

Once again, there will be a raffle with really fantastic stuff donated by some big brands and local businesses.   


Check them out!
Fleet Feet / Pandora’s Backpack
Nau
Osprey Packs
Off-Piste Magazine
Pine Mountain Sports
Thump Coffee

Hope to see you there. And as always, think snow!

Emotions Run High - A Day of Inspiration and Battles

“I always think about what I want to share, what I want to give.”

I finish reading, She’s the One, The Source Weekly’s introduction of Cassondra Schindler as Bend’s Women of the Year.

I close the unbleached pages and look up; across the table.  Ben is thumbing through The Bulletin, having a hard time finding an article that will genuinely grip his interest.  He feels my gaze, looks up and our eyes meet.  Mine fill with tears.

Cassondra is one of the most sincere, authentic people I have ever met.  Her smile is contagious and her sense of style is one few can compete with. 

Cassondra is a good person, doing good for her community and sharing her passions for art and culture and playing nice with the rest of us.  

And she is getting credit for it.

How incredible is this place we call home; a place that recognizes the good in others, their honest contribution to the larger community, and celebrates their accomplishments?

How fortunate am I to be sharing community with so many incredible individuals?

My mind turns over and over; excited, moved, inspired.  I am once more encouraged to leap outside the box, to grasp for goals far out of reach, to set sights on destinations that lay far beyond the horizon.  We only get one shot at this, right? 

Still reeling from the overwhelming emotion Cassondra has provoked, I check my email.

My thoughts turn quickly to another fabulous, strong, talented woman. 

F#*%king Cancer.  Damn. 

Talk about overwhelming.

The tears run down my face, completely out of my control.  This time it is Ben who looks across the table.  I can’t look at him. 

“She’s so damn tough.”  I mutter under my breath.

My emotions change from sorrow to fear to battle.

This is one fight Cancer will not win. 

A battle with this girl is a f*%king waste of time; she is the toughest, most determine woman I know. 

If this fight goes anything like a bike race, which I am confident it will, Cancer will get its f#@%king legs ripped off.

So FU Cancer. 

Don’t mess with this girl.  She is strong, beautiful and has an army of supporters.  

She will destroy you.  

You will suffer.

So FU Cancer, you don’t have a shot.

Recipes from America's Small Farms - Dinner Frittata

The perfect "breakfast for dinner" recipe, this frittata takes not more that 20 minutes to prepare, is an excellent source of protein and the perfect way to use up all the veggies hanging out in the the refrigerator drawer.

There aren't many rules to the Frittata - follow the basics and experiment.

Using a cast iron skillet, saute the following until tender:

2 Small Onions
Loads of Garlic
And Veggies (You Pick):
     Potatoes
     Red, Yellow and Green Peppers
     Mushrooms
     Broccoli
     Squash or Zucchini
     Spinach

Meanwhile, whisk together 6 eggs, 1/4 cup cheese (sharp cheddar is fantastic), salt and pepper.

When the veggies are tender turn the heat down to very low and quickly stir the egg mixture into the veggie mixture, right in the skillet.

Cover and cook until the top surface has set, about 8-10 minutes.  Place the skillet in broiler for a couple of minutes, until the top of the frittata browns.

Cut and serve, straight from the pan.

Serve with whole wheat toast and avocado.

Some Monday Morning Sappy-Sap; Friends and Community.

It is only recently that I have learned the value of community.  

Community.

community |kəˈmyoōnitē| 

noun ( pl. -ties)

a feeling of fellowship with others, as a result of sharing common attitudes, interests, and goals : the sense of community that organized religion can provide.

A group of individuals continually making me a better person, challenging me, lifting me up and putting me in my place.  Friends I can call upon anytime of day, for any reason.

Friends.

friend |frend|

noun

a person whom one knows and with whom one has a bond of mutual affection.

Bend has been my home for the last three and a half years, but the feeling of community, a group of friends, people with whom to share stories and meals and trails, has come more recently.  

As a kindergartner, it is easy to make friends.  No one knows better.  You laugh and play and hug each other because that is what you do with new friends, people you first laid eyes on moment before.

As we grow older, the whole “making new friends” grows difficult.  

We become more self-conscious and less care-free.  The need for acceptance is often overshadowed with hesitation and timidness.  

But perhaps “we” isn’t the correct pro-noun.  Perhaps “I” would be more appropriate.

As an adult, I have struggled with making friends.  I have been timid and shy and reluctant to reach out to others, in fear of rejection.  I shoved off the idea and the importance of community; until I fell in love with Mr. Community himself.

Lighting him and and drawing out the best in him, Ben loves to surround himself with good friends; comrades in the journey of life, souls that force him to challenge himself. 

I am a slow learner; a reluctant student in the course of community.  Ben has been patient.  After five years of observation and study, I finally figured it out. A simple realization that is still coming to fruition, but strengthening with each passing day. 

Just be yourself and love the people around you.  (Sounds pretty cliché, doesn't it?)  

Allowing the insecurities and expectations melt around me, the walls of defense crumble.  The sun shines upon my face, warming my heart and bringing forth a smile.  I see the people who surround me; my friends, my community.  Faces of love and support, excitement and motivation, encouragement and inspiration.   

Not only do I live the most fabulous place, I also have the most fabulous friends.  You know who you are and I hope you realize how much I cherish you.

Sorry for all the sappy-sap, but sometimes if is important to reflect on what makes you tick, what makes you whole and what makes you smile.  

And the Road Racing Season Begins. But not for me!

Saturday is the first day of the Oregon road racing reason.  The Cherry Pie Road Race.

One year ago Saturday I stepped up to the starting line of my first ever road race.  I had no idea what I was doing.  I pulled the group around, I wasted way too much energy, I was just learning to draft, I all but stopped when I heard the sound of carbon hitting pavement in the group behind me.  365 days doesn’t seem like very long, but in the young life of my cycling career, it feels like forever.

This Saturday I will not be racing. 

It is still the winter.  Cyclocross Nationals was only 8 weeks ago.  My mind and body aren’t quite ready to focus and suffer the way I would expect them to if I jumped off the line at Cherry Pie.

Last year I did every race I could.  I traveled to the west side 7 out of 8 weekends.  I road in the rain, in the snow, and when the race was cancelled due to weather, I road the course anyway.

Last year, I didn’t consider myself a cyclist.  I had to become a cyclist.  I had to prove (if only to myself) I could ride.  

I had to give up a 15-year relationship with my running shoes and instead, break-in a thin leather saddle.  I learned the definition (and purpose) of Chamois Cream and embrocation.  

I learned that the strongest member of the peleton doesn’t necessary (if ever) win the race.  

I learned that aero-helmets actually serve a purpose (even if they do look a little funny).  

I learned about watts and power and RECOVERY. 

I road my bike a lot in 2009.  I am not sure how many hours I spend in the saddle, on the asphalt, on the trails; but it was a lot.  I kept a trailing log, religiously, for the first time in my life and downloaded workouts onto my computer.  

I did 20-minute tests (aka suffer-fests) for the soul purposed of evaluating my own progress.  

I fell in love with my bike (or should I say bikes).  I also got engaged, to Ben (which is another fabulous story I will write in another blog entry – It deserves special attention).

2010 will be different.  A friend sent me an email the other day, a wise friend who always has the right thing to say, at just the right time.

“Racing is special. You are good, you should race to win, not just because you are addicted to it. Those are strong words maybe too strong. You do not need to race or even think about racing so much. It is winter and it is ski season. What I am trying to say you are no beginner anymore, you are an accomplished racer who should choose the races with purpose and stick to that purpose.”

At 1pm on Saturday when the Women’s 1/2/3 field rolls off the line, I will not be among them.  I will be skiing, gliding along the pure white snow on my super skinny skis.  I will be smiling. 

Racing is Special.  And in 2010 I will race to win.  I will race because I am ready, mentally and physically.  And I will race because it makes me happy.  I will race because I am strong and I am made strong by the support of my family, my friends, my team, and above all else, Benjamin.