Saturday, September 22, 2007

What happens in Vegas...

...stays in Vegas! Ha! In all the year's that Mike and I have been together and been in the bike biz, we've never made the trip to Interbike together. Hard to believe. This year, we are both going---so the Scrapper is staying with her Grandparents in California for a week. Last week was a hugely successful week in the Bay Area. I hope this is a sign for a really good year for us!

I rode my bike to pick up a rental car at the airport on Monday. How nice is that? I love living in a town that is small enough to ride (my bicycle) right into the airport (without traffic), and yet big enough to have an International airport. I left in the afternoon and when I hit Albany I could see the San Francisco Skyline and Mount Tamapais. It brought tears (literally) to my eyes to see my lovely city by the bay. I can't describe it. Even better was the fact that I was reverse traffic (i.e. no traffic at all) from Reno all the way to the Toll Plaza. The worse traffic was actually in Truckee as they are preparing the roads for winter and all but one lane was closed for about 8 miles.

I spent three days in San Francisco working and it was a great trip! Tomorrow we are going to ride and then head to my Mom and Dad's and then fly out of the San Jose Airport to Las Vegas. It'll be hectic and I will be glad to be through with the trade show. The best part will be seeing everyone. But other than that...it is crazy Vegas.

We have cooled down 20 degrees this past few weeks and my morning rides are already chilly. Fall everywhere is lovely. In the Sierra's you get that crisp air blowing in from elevation, and beautiful sunrises and sunsets! We even got some rain today and some dusting of snow up on Mt. Rose.

Happy Birthday Rick! Happy Yom Kippur! Happy Saturday!

Sunday, September 16, 2007

Special Birthdays...

This weekend has been a perfect riding weekend. So ride we did! Lots of miles, up and down the lovely Sierra's. It is absolutely beautiful. Crisp but not at all cold. I am leaving for the Bay Area tomorrow for a couple of days before we head to Vegas, next weekend. Sigh. I love San Francisco though so it a treat of a trip to have to go there to work. And I get to see my brother and Jason (who just returned from Argentina).

Some extra special things about today? Happy Birthday to Daniel Mehler and Sydney Taylor! Daniel is (oh my gosh!) 14 and Sydney is (oh my gosh again!) 9. Hope you had as lovely a weekend outside as we did!

Have a great week!

Saturday, September 15, 2007

Saturday Inspiration

My friend John Fries, infamously known as "Bicycle John's" (Bicycle John's Serious Cycling) in Los Angeles, set out to run 100 miles today. He and I first became acquainted last year when I was his account rep at Seven Cycles, and now he is one of my favorite accounts in Los Angeles for Sinclair Imports. He's a pretty amazing guy. He just turned 50 years old and apart from running three successful high-end bicycle stores in LA, he's an athlete, tri-athlete, cyclist and runner you-name-it.

In any case, today is the day where he set out to participate in his first 100 mile running race. 100 miles. He said it might take him 30 hours. I can't even imagine it. I told him that I would be at a special place on my bike (at altitude) at a certain time so that we could both be at a high point at the same time. When I arrived at my high-point near a meadow near Mt. Rose, I stopped and thought good thoughts for his day. It's been a while since I did a long ride of over 4 hours. Been traveling too much. Yet each time I felt tired, I just thought of John and smiled and kept riding. Funny how I used him for my inspiration today when if anything he is the one worthy of inspiring thoughts.

I've run a marathon once. And once was enough. After mile 18 I am pretty much done. I can't fathom running three in a day...at altitude. I feel so blessed to have such people in my life. One of the perks of working in this industry is being able to work with folks like John.

When I got home from my ride, Mike was giving the Scrapper a bath after she rolled around in the dirt. Once the Scrapper was clean, Mike and I took ourselves out for "All-you-can-eat" sushi. Now I am stuffed to the gills and ready for a Saturday nap with my husband and my small hound. I love Saturdays!

Wherever you are and whatever you are doing today, think a special thought for my friend Bicycle John who is running 100 miles today! Happy Saturday!!!

Saturday, September 08, 2007

Cycling in the Surf & Sun!

It figures I would be in So Cal during the humid heatwave! Still, time with family and friends was priceless and worth all the humid hot air. But it was "oppressive heat". Felt like I was out East. 10 days away from my husband and hound is about the limit though. I am glad to be home for a while. I love traveling with my reps, and it is fun to visit all the cool bike shops as well. And Alan came up to Reno for the Labor Day weekend and he and Mike had some "guy time" to hang out and ride bikes!

So now I am home and it is my first real day off in a couple of weeks and I am almost too tired to ride. Almost. This morning Mike and I watched the balloon races from our house on the hill. I haven't figured out how it all works, but it is fun watching a sky full of balloons, while sipping on a cup of Peet's with my guy and my dog.

My Mom, Dad and Layne were also visiting in So Cal and were in a car accident while traveling to see my dad's horses. It was the fault of the other driver and no one was "seriously" injured. Still, my Mom broke her wrist, my dad and Layne suffered bruises and whip-lash. It was my Mom's "week-off" from chemo and she had hoped to NOT be in a hospital. Sigh. Most people would be thinking law-suits though and my Mom (always looking on the bright side of things), says she was grateful to be able to find out that her potassium was low. She and Layne also noted that everyone that helped her or who was involved was named Angela or Angelina or some other "angel" name. Even in times of "bad things happening", there is a positive way to look at life.

In between working, I was able to get some nice rides in along the coast and get my feet wet in the surf. I LOVE California. I can't help it (along with millions of other people). There is something about the way I feel being near the Pacific Ocean that makes me feel whole and alive. I joined in on some group rides and was able to keep up! Altitude riding paid off!

Mike's grandma passed away while I was gone. She's in a better place and she lived a long life, but it is still sad. So much happens in a day/week/month/year. Every moment is important. I just talked myself into going for a ride...(-:

Happy Saturday!