I really try to keep my politics aside. Even in my own beloved family, personally political views are so diverse and can lead to such extremely intense debates that it is best to keep my opinions to myself and just let it go. It is one of the special things about being an American. You are not only entitled to have your own opinions, voice and act on your own beliefs, but you are encouraged to participate in the outcomes and it is a blessing and gift to be able to live with all perspectives, beliefs and views.
So for the first time in a very long time, I feel hopeful for a healed America. Someone is preaching to my heart about why I love my country and even my non-voting husband is considering joining in on the election. I told him if he was in Belgium, he would be in jail for not voting---as it is a law there that all citizens in the country MUST vote. He said, "that's why I live here, sweetie", just to be a smartie-pants. Sigh.
And on a lighter note, Mike and I are heading for Southern California this week for our last effort before the big "show" in Vegas at the end of the month. These roadshows are much easier together than when I have to go it by myself. I can finally relax after October 13th. Seems like a long way off, but that is the final planned business trip for the year. And even though the last trip will be on the Big Island in Hawaii (Kona-Ironman), I'd much rather be going there surfing or exploring the volcanos with my husband on vacation, then setting up and breaking down in the Ford Ironman Expo for a week leading up to the race with my friend/Belgian colleague. Hopefully all of this will amount to a really successful year---but no matter what, the experiences I have had this year on these trips around the USA (and Italy) have been priceless.
The wind is blowing like crazy today...some cold front vs. hot front kind of scientific combo which results in a major wind day here in the high desert. Nothing like Gustov, so I won't complain---but it sure isn't fun riding in the wind. My brothers are both in town and so we will all go and have an early dinner together tonight.
Anyway---happy Sunday, and Happy Labor Day!
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Travel. Show all posts
Sunday, August 31, 2008
Monday, May 26, 2008
(a) Merchant (in) of Venice
Not Shylock or Portia or any other Shakespearean character. Just seemed like a "catching" title for my upcoming trip to Venice in June. Campagnolo is launching their new Spring/Summer clothing collection on June 20, and I am off to view (and prepare for the USA selections) and, this time, ride with my legendary Italian suppliers. I will only be flying into Venice though, as Campagnolo is in Vicenza, a little over an hour South and West of the Marco Polo Airport. Another LONG flight and another not so LONG trip---though a little longer than last time.
This year the presentation is on a Friday, so I will need to stay the weekend and then spend a day at the factory on Monday, so another weekend in Treviso (quick train ride to Venice), and my hotel claims to have bikes for their guests. And this year I am flying over a few days early so that I can take part in the bike ride in the hills around Vicenza as well, as long as my flight is not a mess like it was a year ago. Whatever it is (mess or no), I am a little better prepared than I was last year.
In a few weeks my life will become air-travel, and land travel across the USA as well. My carbon foot-print will take on a different light. And all the good I do all year in conservation, and green-living will get eaten up in retailer visits. It's a pity that I can't figure out a different way of doing this. Perhaps my BGI friend Wayne has some ideas? In any case, it sounds far more glamorous on paper than it will be in real life. We will begin our launch in Manhattan...NYC! Then Boston, Chicago and Denver. From there I will be on my own for the Pacific Northwest, Southern California and Northern California---but my summer is pretty much shot. If I can squeeze it into my budget, I hope to be in the Southeast as well (So all my HOT-lanta family---stay tuned!)
It has been downright cold this Memorial Day weekend---I don't know why upper 50's feels so cold to me. I was reminded by a lovely Minnesotan yesterday that I was out riding my bike in Marshall in those temps thinking it was balmy in Fall/Spring. I think it is the mountains which make it colder. Going down hill on a bike after you've worked up a sweat going uphill just leads to being cold. Doesn't seem to have the same effect on Mike though. He likes it cold. Still I managed a few hours outside and it really was fabulous, albeit a little chilly. We both arrived home just before the wind picked up.
Happy Memorial Day!
This year the presentation is on a Friday, so I will need to stay the weekend and then spend a day at the factory on Monday, so another weekend in Treviso (quick train ride to Venice), and my hotel claims to have bikes for their guests. And this year I am flying over a few days early so that I can take part in the bike ride in the hills around Vicenza as well, as long as my flight is not a mess like it was a year ago. Whatever it is (mess or no), I am a little better prepared than I was last year.
In a few weeks my life will become air-travel, and land travel across the USA as well. My carbon foot-print will take on a different light. And all the good I do all year in conservation, and green-living will get eaten up in retailer visits. It's a pity that I can't figure out a different way of doing this. Perhaps my BGI friend Wayne has some ideas? In any case, it sounds far more glamorous on paper than it will be in real life. We will begin our launch in Manhattan...NYC! Then Boston, Chicago and Denver. From there I will be on my own for the Pacific Northwest, Southern California and Northern California---but my summer is pretty much shot. If I can squeeze it into my budget, I hope to be in the Southeast as well (So all my HOT-lanta family---stay tuned!)
It has been downright cold this Memorial Day weekend---I don't know why upper 50's feels so cold to me. I was reminded by a lovely Minnesotan yesterday that I was out riding my bike in Marshall in those temps thinking it was balmy in Fall/Spring. I think it is the mountains which make it colder. Going down hill on a bike after you've worked up a sweat going uphill just leads to being cold. Doesn't seem to have the same effect on Mike though. He likes it cold. Still I managed a few hours outside and it really was fabulous, albeit a little chilly. We both arrived home just before the wind picked up.
Happy Memorial Day!
Thursday, February 07, 2008
More "heart-ing" LA
When you have spent the last week in snow-storms (Chicago) and constant cold rain (even if the PacNW is beautiful, and it is indeed, it is very rainy in Jan/Feb), packing up and hanging back up an entire collection of cycling gear (+90 pieces)over and over again, combined with early mornings and later than I am used to evenings and driving around and getting lost in unknown cities albeit, familiar airports--(not complaining---it was a fun adventure, but exhausting), arriving to sunny blue skies, and ocean views and warmer weather was a real big treat. Pretty much we had not seen sunshine (except for maybe 5 minutes here and there in Portland) in over a week.
And my friend who runs the Marriott in Marina Del Rey "styled" us in a big way with lovely suites and VIP service---all unexpected, all very welcome indeed! After we arrived, Paola went and explored Venice Beach by foot and I went for a 4 mile run...in the warm LA sunshine. We treated ourselves to an Ahi Tuna dinner and some local Simi Valley Cabernet and toasted the first week of presentations on the road and in the air.
Sunday, once again we were rained out but not down. Paola wanted to go to the "exotic" Abercrombie & Fitch (only in the UK in Europe), and I went for another 5 mile run in the fitness center downstairs and then walked to the beach and watched the waves and got grounded while the rest of the town was in a super bowl frenzie. Even a relaxing weekend in LA can feel tiring when you are entertaining someone from another country, but Paola is a very independent Italian woman---so it was fine.
Monday and Tuesday were filled with bike shops and traffic and LA sunshine---from Laguna Hills to Santa Monica to Seal Beach and Pasadena and Fullerton and all around the LA bowl. It was a successful but tiring trip. We arrived at LAX for our flight to Reno to meet with a client from Colorado Springs the next day.
Mike and the Scrapper were a sight for sore eyes indeed. Just what this girl needed after a Tour de Force of the last 11 days! Home sweet home for at least a week before I hit the ground again! I am very very tired! If you are heading to Portland for the Handmade Bike Show, enjoy! I love it there even if it rains. Really a lovely place!
And my friend who runs the Marriott in Marina Del Rey "styled" us in a big way with lovely suites and VIP service---all unexpected, all very welcome indeed! After we arrived, Paola went and explored Venice Beach by foot and I went for a 4 mile run...in the warm LA sunshine. We treated ourselves to an Ahi Tuna dinner and some local Simi Valley Cabernet and toasted the first week of presentations on the road and in the air.
Sunday, once again we were rained out but not down. Paola wanted to go to the "exotic" Abercrombie & Fitch (only in the UK in Europe), and I went for another 5 mile run in the fitness center downstairs and then walked to the beach and watched the waves and got grounded while the rest of the town was in a super bowl frenzie. Even a relaxing weekend in LA can feel tiring when you are entertaining someone from another country, but Paola is a very independent Italian woman---so it was fine.
Monday and Tuesday were filled with bike shops and traffic and LA sunshine---from Laguna Hills to Santa Monica to Seal Beach and Pasadena and Fullerton and all around the LA bowl. It was a successful but tiring trip. We arrived at LAX for our flight to Reno to meet with a client from Colorado Springs the next day.
Mike and the Scrapper were a sight for sore eyes indeed. Just what this girl needed after a Tour de Force of the last 11 days! Home sweet home for at least a week before I hit the ground again! I am very very tired! If you are heading to Portland for the Handmade Bike Show, enjoy! I love it there even if it rains. Really a lovely place!
Wednesday, February 06, 2008
Chicago-Seattle-Portland
What a week! First my plane out of Reno was delayed for 4.5 hours leaving Reno, so what I had hoped would be a nice evening in Chicago, turned into a midnight arrival in the windy city. It was the day before the weather change and so it was actually warmer in Chicago (no snow on the ground) than it was in Reno. The airlines tried to blame it on the weather---but it was lovely in Reno AND Chicago, so I have a hard time believing this!
Of course, true to this part of the Mid-West, the weather was soon to change. Our original flight was canceled at 4pm (even though the snow had yet to fall) and was post-poned until 9pm). And right as the snow was now coming down and blowing all over the place, our plane left around 9PM and headed West for Seattle, and the weather was bad in both places---yet the plane still flew. Paola and I had hoped to spend the evening sightseeing in Seattle, but of course by the time we arrived it was once again near midnight. Sigh.
After a day of appointments in the cold rain, we had some local wine-tasting in Issaqua (Walla Walla Valley!)--and decided to head to the downtown, Pike Street Fish market to celebrate Paola's birthday. We found a lovely quiet little place and ate some wild salmon and then headed back to our room for an early flight to Portland.
Did I mention the rain? OK. So we left a rainy Seattle and arrived in a rainy Portland. At least our first stop was River City Bicycles, one of the most fabulous bikeshops in the USA. If you are ever in Portland, this shop is worth a visit. More rain...more visits and then we headed to our room for a good nights sleep for the first time in days.
We woke up well-rested---and to more rain before heading to Hillsboro and then ended the day with Thai food with A friend and his wife. Another early morning in the rain before heading to some California sunshine and a weekend to rejuvenate in lovely Marina Del Rey, California!
Of course, true to this part of the Mid-West, the weather was soon to change. Our original flight was canceled at 4pm (even though the snow had yet to fall) and was post-poned until 9pm). And right as the snow was now coming down and blowing all over the place, our plane left around 9PM and headed West for Seattle, and the weather was bad in both places---yet the plane still flew. Paola and I had hoped to spend the evening sightseeing in Seattle, but of course by the time we arrived it was once again near midnight. Sigh.
After a day of appointments in the cold rain, we had some local wine-tasting in Issaqua (Walla Walla Valley!)--and decided to head to the downtown, Pike Street Fish market to celebrate Paola's birthday. We found a lovely quiet little place and ate some wild salmon and then headed back to our room for an early flight to Portland.
Did I mention the rain? OK. So we left a rainy Seattle and arrived in a rainy Portland. At least our first stop was River City Bicycles, one of the most fabulous bikeshops in the USA. If you are ever in Portland, this shop is worth a visit. More rain...more visits and then we headed to our room for a good nights sleep for the first time in days.
We woke up well-rested---and to more rain before heading to Hillsboro and then ended the day with Thai food with A friend and his wife. Another early morning in the rain before heading to some California sunshine and a weekend to rejuvenate in lovely Marina Del Rey, California!
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