Flat tire in the snow

So Mike and I drove in together yesterday---when there is snow on the ground I don't love sliding down the hill in my VW; I leave complicated tasks like this to Mike. It was a cold snow this time and the steepest part of our commute down hill can be bypassed, by taking the freeway. So, my bright idea was "let's take the freeway". Mike turned left and we headed down Sharlands and as soon as we were merging onto the "fast road", we hear a funny noise.

"What's that?" we said in harmony. "I think we have a flat!" So we pulled off to the "car trouble lane" and sure enough, the front tire was flat. (thanks to a big screw from construction debris we passed while taking my bright idea route to the "fast road"). Instead of hanging out on the freeway, Mike drove slowly over the icy/snowy "car trouble lane" and we back tracked towards an entrance which we used as our exit. It sounds pretty dangerous, but Mike was careful. We teetered and limped into the parking lot of The River church and called USAA roadside assistance.

I actually like my insurance company. When I called them to sign up for car insurance (after living car-free for 10 years), they renewed me under my old plan. For occupation, they asked me, "so are you still a student?" I was still signed up on the plan my Dad signed me up on when I turned 16! Ha! But I digress.

Our little donut spare had about 10lbs of air, and tow-truck companies are no longer allowed to travel with air-compressors. So instead of getting on the freeway, we rolled on the side roads and into a Big-O franchise and bought 4 new tires, windshield wipers and got the oil changed. Better to have this kind of trouble near home than on one of the passes. Sigh.

A few hundred bones and a couple of hours later, we arrived at Sinclair. Heavier Sigh. It could have been worse.

We woke up to more snow dust, but the roads have already melted and with the wind and rising temps, should be ridable in a couple of hours. I snapped some photo's this morning. The blurry one is the moon setting in the West.

Last day of work - 2007!

We had a light dusting of snow in the Reno foothills---a less than light dusting over the passes---and rain in the Bay Area. So our plans for heading home this evening with our bicycles have been tabled until perhaps tomorrow. It will be near 50 degrees here on Saturday---but just a few miles up it'll be cold enough for more snow. And our little car is not weather-equipped for big snowy passes. Top that off with a cold, wet and damp SF Bay area and we might ring in the New Year in Nevada.

Which is really fine. It is beautiful. But Mike and I both like looking at the snow when it first falls and then are ready for it to "be gone!" On Christmas eve we discovered a new sushi place---a little pricier than we are used to paying, but it was such a treat! High class sushi---about 2 miles from where we live! When we came home the moon was full and while it was chilly for sure, it was also such a crisp and clear evening that we went for a moonlight walk with Sydney and enjoyed the fabulously lit white mountains while walking through the canyons. (By the light of the silvery moon!)

I spent Christmas day with an old SGI friend, Mason Woo. It's a long, small world story about how we reconnected, but our neighbor turns out to be a mutual friend and so we spent time catching up. Another treat!

January and February are already turning into BIG travel months. Initially I was heading East---but now I am heading to Chicago, Seattle, Portland, LA and Denver. Sigh. Mike and I will head to Seattle (the first time---I go twice) together. So staying home for New Year's Eve is sounding relaxing, if it turns out this way. But if the weather G-d's are shining, we will be home for New Year's Eve, and if it turns out this way---then a New Year's bike ride up King's or Mt. Hamilton is on MY list!

Happy New Year! Drive safe, stay warm, be healthy and much light and love for 2008!

Northern Nevada Holiday Greetings - 2007

From Boston, Massachusetts to Reno, Nevada----we traveled the Highway 80 corridor once again heading from East to West at the end of March. We stopped at the Sierra Nevada range...just a few miles shy of the California border and have been enjoying living and riding our bikes in the high-desert climate of Northern Nevada all year.

I guess that kind of sums things up for the "Mike and Joni" Taylor's this year---We're really enjoying Reno. Far more than we ever could have imagined. I spent most of the summer months traveling to visit retailer's far and wide, including a trip to Italy to the Campagnolo Factory. Mike has been enjoying success with the Ridley Team Bike Program, and we both had a successful Interbike/Las Vegas trip. While much of this is work related---the gist is that we like what we do, which is a blessing.

Sydney joined us on our trip to Marshall, MN in November. We had a fabulous time with Minnesota Mom & Dad as well as all of our Minnesota "homies". Then we arrived back in Reno just before Thanksgiving and we spent the holiday with California Mom & Dad (and all the Mehler's) in Truckee, California. It was a blast, highlighted by a special bike ride with my nephew Daniel.

As I write this, we have just dug out of a wonderful snow-storm. Yes---the word wonderful and snow storm in the same sentence from this "Sun-girl". This is the snow I know. The roads are clean, the snow
is fluffy snow and I am outside enjoying it without gloves even---crisp but not bone chilling. That might come later.

As I reflect on the year, 2007, I am drawn to what makes it special, and here's what I come up with: Every morning, about 6:18am, the small hound shakes herself awake and climbs over all the pillows and blankets to wake us up to greet the day. I look over at my husband and my dog and I realize I am a very "rich" girl; incredibly optimistic and unbelievably in love! Of course the other thing that makes every year special are my family and friends (i.e YOU!)

The Taylor's wish you a warm and safe holiday season and lots of love for 2008!

Bay Area and Back

If I didn't stop to see you---well it was a business trip, but I just returned from a few days in the lovely San Francisco Bay Area. Even in Paradise, there is a flaw---too many people. Top that off with the gas-guzzler I was renting for the trip (room for bikes and other soft-goods) and I felt like all the folks I criticize regularly. My carbon foot-print is doomed for a while---and yet it was a successful trip. (That doesn't make it OK. I am harder on myself than I am on other people---who I can't do anything about anyway---when it comes to being a custodian of the planet---and successful trip or not, I am not going to travel like a glutton again!) I choose a 4x4 as I didn't want to deal with chains on the passes if need be.

But back to "paradise", when I called my Mom & Dad to invite myself over, my Dad mentioned that my Mom's CA19 numbers were up (don't ask---I don't know what it is exactly, but when it goes up everyone is worried). They had a doctor's appointment that afternoon and so by the time I arrived they would have some news.

I was a little worried initially---but as I began the climb over Donner Pass I was distracted by how beautiful it was. Snow covered peaks and baby blue clear skies. It is breath-taking. I put in the Cowboy Junkies and sang loudly. On the descent, the snow disappeared and it was green and lush and fabulous. How could my Mom be sick? I prayed a little---if nothing else, praying makes me feel like whatever "it" is, I will be able to handle it.

When I arrived home, everyone was all smiles. The challenge is that the medical community doesn't know exactly what's up. Not many people with the kind of cancer my mom has, have survived "going on 4 years". She is going in for a CATSCAN---but the doctor's say she needs a break from chemo to let her body heal. And 4 months off of chemo has my Mom grinning from ear to ear. So we shall see. She looks great---she even came out to the track with me while I ran and she walked.

And I got to be a spoiled only child (Daddy's little girl and Mommy's little girl all at once!) for a few days. Top that off with some end of the year successful retailer visits and it was a nice trip to Paradise.

When I got back to Reno, Mike was out riding in the much cooler air. I didn't want to get charged for another day, and when Mike wasn't going to be able to get me for awhile, I walked home. Mike picked me up about 3 miles from home (we're about 11 miles from the airport.) Reno rules!

Happy Sunday!

Before and After

Let it snow! Well there is no "letting" when it comes to things like Mother Nature. But if I think back to my childhood (when I never did anything but visit the snow), this is how I remember snow. Mountain snow is special. Even when it is considered wet, it is light and airy. And in the mountains they measure feet not inches--although we maybe got 5 or 6 inches in our area....but right up the hill they got 2 feet.

I snapped a photo the night before and it was a warm and lovely 50+ degree, riding my bike outside kind of day. Mike even went out a won a local cross-race in the morning before work! Low and behold, we woke up to lots of white icing all over everything. Big snowflakes (the first snow picture shows a big flake!) and white as far as the eye can see. Mike woke up and took the Scrapper out for her morning jaunt---then pulled out our "wedding snow shovel", and put it to good use once again. I never imagined how important a gift this shovel would be.

Mike likes to show-off his Minnesota shoveling skills and shovel cleaner and faster than all the other guys. He brags about how hot he is while doing it, trying to get me to help. I smile and sip my hot cup of Peet's and and tell him when he misses a spot. I mentioned how the older guy across the street was a champ for still being out there shoveling every covered place where a path should be, and he reminds me that he has already finished and that his looks better. He's far more efficient than "our neighbor"!

We live on top of a BIG steep hill and so I called a friend from work and asked him if he could come and get us since he has a BIG 4 wheel drive truck that is far better equipped than our little 4-banger VW. Mike said it would be "no problem" for him to drive---but I wasn't having any of it. Since I am a girl, I can do things like ask for help. Ha!

Believe it or not the roads (which are not salted and made messy by salt and crud like they were in Boston) are clean enough to ride your bike on---even though it's 25 degrees. So Mike is heading out to ride---I will ride my trainer and make chocolate chip cookies today.

I thought the before and after photo's were kind of fun and was glad I took a picture the night before the terrain changed so drastically, Happy Saturday!

Happy December!

Can you believe it is already December, 2007? Amazing. It has really cooled down here in the Sierra's. But we are dry and still riding (easily) outside. I don't ride in the mornings anymore---I wait until the sun warms things up a bit in the afternoon. Mike is enjoying this weather though. He thinks 25 degrees in the morning is a piece of cake. My Minnesota Man.

Yesterday was cold, but today it got up to about 52 degrees. A little windy, but beautiful. I spent the afternoon doing something that I learned with my Minnesota Mom in Marshall---making almond bark pretzels and other holiday goodies! Mine never come out as good as hers do---but it sure was fun. And I also cooked up a crock-pot full of vegan 4-5 bean chili for dinner. YUM!

I haven't really written much since Thanksgiving. The time just flies and I don't know where it goes. Truth is, I'm thankful everyday---and this was a special thanksgiving with all my Mehler's. I got to thinking about some "other" things which may sound kind of strange:

Mike and I grocery shop together every weekend. We each have our own "weekly jobs", but this is one job we both do. In the checkout line, I always read the headlines of the fan magazines. "Angelina, Brad, Britney,etc." How awful it must be to have to worry about who is watching you every minute of every day. I used to think it would be so wonderful to be beautiful and rich and famous. Oh to not have to worry about having enough money to pay for all the things I think I need.

But as we stood around the Thanksgiving table in lovely Truckee, California, I was thankful for many blessings, but also to not have to worry about always being in the limelight. Can you imagine? "Joni just put on 5 lbs..rumor has it there's a baby on the way" or "Joni must be partying too much---she looked like H3LL shopping at Safeway this morning" What a nightmare! Ha!

Perhaps these thoughts are better kept to myself...

Happy December! Happy Birthday Zachary! Happy Birthday Jeff! (Did I miss anyone?)