Cascade Chainbreaker - Two years is enough time to forget.

Photo: lasala images

Two years is enough time to forget.

To forget the dust, and the heat, and the fact that the course has no place to rest.

The downhills aren't steep enough to stop pedaling, the uphills aren't long enough to get into a rhythm.
Full gas, all the time.  

I had not done Cascade Chainbreaker, aka Cascade Soul Crusher, in two years.
Two years is also long enough to forget how much fun it is.

The Whiskey 50: A small town race, with a world class field.

Photo: Cycling Dirt

Whiskey 50 talked a big game, and did not disappoint. Held in Prescott, Arizona, the Whiskey 50 is one tough race. Starting on Friday evening with the fat tire crit and concluding on Sunday with the 50 mile cross country race; 50 miles and 7,000 ft of climbing. Ouch.

I had high expectations for this race. I wanted to place in the top ten. Looking at the results from last year, I knew this was possible. Then the start list was released for the 2013 edition. The field was stacked. I would be racing against the best in the world. This race would include the deepest women’s field of any race in the US this year. What an awesome opportunity to test myself against the best. This was a challenge I was thrilled to take on and my goal remained the same, top 10.

Be home before dark.

“Be home before dark”, my mother would say before Kacy and I scurried out the gate, past the garden and the barn, into the field and under the back fence that led to the Skunk Tree.

The sun would be high in the sky, the temperatures in the nineties, the warm breeze doing nothing but blowing around the dust and dry grasses that had been recently mowed.  We weren't really supposed to go to the Skunk Tree, but we did so anyway.  No one would know about it - there were forts to be built and branches to be climbed and rotten-trunk caves to be explored. 

Because it is so true.

When Cassondra sent me the link to this film, I had to watch it.  Cassondra is meaningful in everything she does.

She strives to inform, to inspire, to educate, to love.  If this film was worthy of Cassondra's attention, I knew it would be meaningful.

Knowing absolutely nothing about the film, I clicked the play button.

I was brought to tears.  I was moved. I was empowered and motivated and humbled.

Because it is so true.

Feels like Spring: Quinoa Salad with Apricots & Pistachios

Photo: Cooking Light 

Growing up, my mom would make me this salad - when everyone else was out of the house and it was just the two of us around the dinner table.  We would eat the whole thing; completely devouring each and every delicious cornel of goodness.

As an adult nothing has really changed. I still love this salad.

The other night, Mom asked me for the recipe.  I normally just make this salad from memory, but thought I would see if I could find the original recipe card Mom had given me, for my very own cookbook, when I was about 12 years old.  I found it!

An Oregon Road Trip and Mudslinger - Living Up To It's Name

Last weekend, Ben, Piper and I embarked on a mini-vacation.

It began on Thursday evening. We loaded up the Element and headed all the way to Sisters, for a night at the Five Pine Lodge (thanks Joel!).  We explored the lower Peterson Ridge Trail network on Friday morning, with Piper in tow (she is becoming a pretty good little trail dog) and enjoyed a few sweet treats at Angeline’s. 

Next on the agenda, the Oregon Coast at Pacific City. In true spring time fashion, the weather was sporadic, but lovely (in an Oregon Coast sort of way) and both Ben and I were able to get out and enjoy some fresh coastal air; Ben on his surf board and I on my MTB.  Piper had a hay-day frolicking in the ocean and I couldn't help but smile to see our little family having so much fun together.

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