A 2015 Leadville Trail 100 MTB Experience

As promised, Sam has written up his thoughts on the recently finished 2015 Leadville Trail 100 MTB. It's always an interesting place to be - on the other side of an event like this - as a spectator, having opinions and experiences of my own. But, I've definitely given my side as an observer on events like this in the past, so this will mostly focus on Sam's experience as a racer in the event (though I'm sure I'll put in my two cents occasionally).

I will share though that this is now my second year of silently and (honestly) unintentionally stalking the Hammer (aka Fatty's wife, Lisa) in Leadville. It happens so innocently in such a small community -- really. I just find myself standing at a tent behind her and then I just happen to be standing in front of another display where she is also present. I'll admit, it does sound stalker-ish.

There is slight fear in me that there will be a restraining order filed at some point, which does cause some concern - especially because my quick snaps seem to be getting closer, but maybe one of these days I'll actually try speaking to her instead of just silently observing. Truly, I am harmless though.

This was a three-for: Purple Arrow (hard to make out, so you'll just have to take my word for it): the Queen of Pain herself, Rebecca Rusch; Blue Arrow (even more challenging to identify as he's behind someone): Fatty; Red Arrow: the Hammer

There's just that part of me that doesn't know what to say to someone I admire or look up to; so instead, I just look like some goofball, quietly taking photos (how does one have the reserves to stay calm when a crazy person standing five feet away is giggling and snapping pictures??). I've just never been that person to walk up to someone and disturb what they're doing, and so, instead, I watch and figure maybe somehow being near her will cause her amazingness to rub off on me? Maybe?

But, anyway, it wasn't all Hammer sightings for this trip (I was actually very close to Rebecca Rusch at one point too - so close I could've taken a moment to say something, but I didn't). In fact, we were there for a purpose. Sam was trying to crush his finish time from last year and complete the race for the first time on a single speed. It wasn't going to be easy, but it was worth a shot.

So, without further delay, here is Sam's replay of the happenings on race day in Leadville this year.
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In 2014, who knew where I was headed. It was a dramatic year, quite busy with moving, renovating, and changing jobs - and then coming back to the previously left employment position. I'd also completed the early qualifier for Leadville by racing the Barn Burner in Flagstaff. Which, brings us to the present: the Leadville Trail 100 MTB.

Very early in the year I had decided to do this race on a single speed - 104 miles, one speed, and no suspension. It didn't sound like a bad idea, so I figured, why not?

The weeks leading up to the race itself were highly dramatic and stressful. I swear I had the flu 4 times, then a cold. I had also started a new job the week before the race and had a family member fly in who was supposed to be coming to watch our dogs while we were gone, which ended up blowing up in our faces just hours before we left. [G.E. note: Yes, it was a bit stressful trying to figure out what to do with our pups, but thankfully we have awesome friends who volunteered to help us out.]

August 15: Oddly enough, on the big day I felt pretty damn good.  I had trained like crazy since winter, riding fast, fast, fast road rides, chasing faster riders, lots of single speed, but per usual not much actual mountain biking. [G.E. note: True story. I will attest that Sam did lots of riding this year, but oddly didn't seem to be on the mountain bike much.]

This being my second year riding Leadville, I did not have the same nerves I did last year, so the morning rolled around, and I was pretty calm. The bike was setup well, and I even tarped it the night before so moisture would not collect on the metal bits. [G.E. note: And, because it tends to rain in spurts in the mountains without much notice.]

I had an oddly unbalanced breakfast of half a bagel, some fruit, and a small blueberry muffin. Meh, I wasn't overly concerned because I'd be pounding a GU pack every 30 mins for the next 10+ hours, so who cares?

By 6 am, I was nicely settled next to the containment rail in the orange corral [G.E. note: riders are separated into corrals based on prior series finish times], already needing to pee, but not wanting to break the seal (I would wait at least 30 miles to do that).  G.E. was there, camera in hand, having eaten half a banana, and ready to go. It was oddly warm this year, already in the 40's near start time, so it was looking good (seriously, why was I not nervous?).

Around 6:15, Dave Wiens kid sings the national anthem [G.E. note: Ben Wiens], some rhetoric bellows out of the speakers, then some music, and at 6:30 we are off!  Slowly.

It was highly uneventful at the beginning, as it's a rolling start out of town and it was impossible for me to be too frantic with only one gear. It's probably the most demoralizing thing when everyone initially blows past because you spin out at about 16mph/25kph.  Needless to say, we made it to the base of Saint Kevins (pronounced: key-vins).

The march had begun and I was feeling good with my 33x17 gearing, my carbon, rigid fork, and custom G.E. painted frame. [G.E. note: The paint job was not great considering the time/tools used, but it was colorful.]  About 100 yards into an early climb, I spotted a fellow rider, frantic on the side with his chain in hand and yelling for help.

Ugh. I stop. I don't want to stop because I know that I need to keep moving, but how could I ignore someone asking for help?

This guy is shaking as he tells me that he "chain sucked," and then proceeded to break a solid link in the chain with his tool instead of using the king link that is there for this exact reason. He is now attempting to re-insert the pin he took out, which is NOT intended for re-insertion.

Sadly, I have done exactly what he was attempting to do in the past myself [G.E. note: Yes, and I was the "benefactor" of that mistake - but that is all in the distant past and a tale for another time and place.], and here I was riding this huge event and knowing that I had to try to help him.

As I started to hold the chain for him, a couple of nice women near the end of the passing riders offered an extra king link they had with them. I was grateful that one of the riders had a link because neither he nor I were prepared for this sort of fix.

It took about 10-15 minutes, but we got him back riding again, despite his concerns that he was now not going to be able to finish the race. He continued to talk about how much training he had done and was quite upset, but I told him he just didn't have the luxury of stopping or screwing around. He would have to ride hard to finish. I wished him luck, and pushed him on his way.

This crew members shirt said it all.

This was a dark moment. A moment of realization. I was now in last place - literally. The sweep crew were on their 4-wheelers, sitting behind me in silence.  I knew the chase was on - just me and my one gear!

I proceeded to hammer up Kevins, and for about one mile I did not see anyone. Then, pay dirt. I started swallowing up riders - one, two, ten, 100 - until we peaked Kevins.  I knew at this point that I would not stop much at all. I no longer had that right to stop, just as I had preached to my broken-chain friend.

After Kevins, I rolled down hill, which for a single speed really is a roll because once in the 20 mph/32 kph range, there's no point in even trying to pedal.  This would also roll me up the Sugarloaf climb a bit.

At this point, I had realized my sweet spot on a single speed seems to be in the range of a 2-4% grade, at which point it's easy to feel like superman compared to other riders. It's just the reality of being on a single speed though - when there's only one gear, I have no choice but to push, so I would pass riders as though they were still.  I hammered up the climb, then carefully flew down the Powerline as best I could without suspension or a reasonable gear to get some speed.

After descending Powerline, the path leads into Pipeline and then Twin Lakes. I saw G.E. at the Pipeline aid station, snapping pics. We had already agreed that I would not stop here unless it was absolutely necessary. She yelled out, asking if I was okay, I nodded and proceeded on through. [G.E. note: Sam was smiling here as he rolled through, but it's always a little interesting as someone waiting. You wait and you look and you hope for your rider to be coming around the bend or over the hill, and then suddenly it's over in a flash.]

Pipeline is its own challenge as it is totally different from other areas of the race.  It's nearly all flat pavement, and jeep road all the way to the dam. Then at the base of the Columbine climb we've hit about mile 40.  Last year I was able to hook up with some other riders and make a small peloton so we could break each other. This time was different because of my gearing. I tried to latch onto a couple of riders, but they were maintaining more in the mid 20mph range, and I could not force myself above 19-20mph, so it was tough all the way to the base of the big climb.

At the bottom of Columbine, I did not stop. I had kept going through the Twin lakes aid station, knowing I had enough food to hit the 52 mile crest on top of Columbine at about 12,500 feet.  To this point, I was physically feeling great compared to last year, and the bike was doing great.

[G.E. note: We had discussed me being at the base of Columbine before Sam went up in case he needed anything. Last year, I'd thought it had taken me so long to get here because I'd been waiting for other crew for another rider; but this year, even after rushing to get there, I still missed him. I've determined that the ride for racers between these two spots is too short and the travel for crew members too long to be able to connect here it seems - at least on the way out. I kept waiting to see Sam coming around the corner, only to soon find that there were no more racers coming - as time had been called at the check point.]

My upcoming struggle became sitting behind people who had the ability to spin at about 2.5 mph. My gear ratio would not allow this, so instead I stood and pedaled in slow motion. There was a lot of this happening the entire Columbine climb, as it isn't always easy to pass.

I was doing better though than last year. I was faster and passed when I needed to and was able. I also didn't get the sick altitude feeling until about three quarters of the way up (which was an improvement from last year).

There are a couple of sections during which, for regular folk like me, we walk. I walked them just like the rest of the riders around me. When I rolled into the turn around at the top of the climb, I spent one minute getting water refilled, and grabbed all the GU that people were handing out.  I was on my way home!

I love seeing all the different types of bikes and riders during races. These "chicken helmet" tandem riders seemed to be smiling a lot during the race.

The descent was pretty fast for me, but I'm a really, really bad descender. Compounded with that is my rigid front fork, which began to destroy my hands as the day was wearing on and I continued to drop down the mountain.  It went as smooth and as fast as I could have imagined, and I had caught and passed two other single speeders that I had briefly spoke to on the way up.  My goal at that point was to keep them behind me, by continually moving.

[G.E. note: At this point, Sam's mom had been emailing me nearly constantly, asking if I'd seen him. Then, she said that she saw he had just crossed Pipeline via a Twitter update. I was so confused because I hadn't seen Sam come off of Columbine yet and I knew he didn't have any GU left. Eventually, we figured out that she was receiving late notifications and that it had been from his first pass through on the outbound trip. Argh.]

At the end of the Columbine descent, I met up with G.E., who was standing across from a Specialized tent. The guys were there, offering quick fixes for anyone in need. G.E. hooked me up with my second half of the GU ration, more water, and some very quick photos. [G.E. note: It is not easy to be single-person crew and single-person photographer for the same rider, I have to say. Thank goodness for the help of the Specialized guy across the way!]

The Specialized guy pulled trash from my back pocket and tried to help G.E. who was a bit flustered in the moment. I told G.E. that I had lost one of my water bottles going up Columbine.  I'm so damn short that my frame won't allow two water bottles inside the diamond, but I do have a lower mount beneath my down tube which allows me to carry two. When I had pulled the bottom bottle at one point, I skimmed my hand on the front tire, and  dropped it, so I was now down to only one bottle.

Sam's send off from Columbine. I thanked this guy again and again as he was super helpful in my moment of trying to figure out what I was supposed to be doing for Sam.

A quick push off from the Specialized tent guy and I was moving again. [G.E. note: I feel badly that I didn't get his name. All three of the guys here were fantastic though!]  I had all the food I would need for the rest of the miles, so I was back on my way quickly.

I continued my travel back toward "home." All those road miles - something some wouldn't expect for a mountain bike race. This time it was different. Once again, I was doing a bit better and I came up on the back side of a large 30 person peloton and took refuge. About three minutes in, I could see the front guy trying to signal someone to come up and lead, but nobody would take it.  I lurched to the front with my one gear rolling at about 15mph, and decided I would lead.

Sadly, I was pulling away from this group, but I couldn't slow for them and many seemed to be dropping back. Another guy hooked up with me who was a self-professed terrible climber.  We worked together until we reached the single track area.

The single track became a track of frustration.  Once I reached this point, I got stuck behind some more Sunday pedalers, drifting along at their own fantastically slow pace, and I was nearly riding up them the whole way.  Somehow I still PR'ed this whole section, so I must have been really slow last year.

At the inbound/return to Pipeline. I could see Sam was getting tired, but he looked much better than last year at this same spot in the race.

Even though they aren't far apart from each other, G.E. managed to meet me back at Pipeline before I would head back up to Powerline. This would be our last meet up at about mile 72. She hooked me up with a water refill, and I had picked up a new water bottle from one of the aid people handing out GU/Roctane liquid about 100 ft. before I saw her. She is my "crew." One person crews don't get any credit. There is actually quite a bit of hiking in some spots and carrying lots of stuff around, sometimes worrying, and other times some photography. Sometimes I think it might be as challenging as the ride. [G.E. note: Um, I don't think crewing is anywhere near as challenging as the ride, but there's a decent amount of hauling stuff and walking for sure - especially when moving around to different locations.]

At this point, I'm now headed to Powerline.  I walked it last year, and I surely knew I would this year with no spinning gear to power me up it. It's a long, hot, frigging walk up to mile 80.

There wasn't much eventful to tell here. It's hard, hot walking, super dusty, and a few brave folks trying to ride very slowly up it, but it was generally failure.  I continued to walk, and walk some more.  Finally we crest and can get the hell out of there. With somewhere around 24 miles left to ride, I'm beat. When I hit the mid-70 mile marker, all the good feeling had gone out of me. The cramping had begun in my quads from the extreme single speed mashing effort, I was tired, full of GU, and all I wanted was water and to finish the race.

Finally, I reach the Sugarloaf downhill before climbing up the back side of Kevins. There's still some hike-a-bike here and there, but we are moving well, and I'm seeing a ton of my group that I had seen most of this half of the day. The climb was not too terrible, and we were finally starting to get out of there.

The last twelve miles includes the decent of Kevins. It is rocky, but as a rider, you simply don't care anymore. I went as fast as I could and got clear out into the plains, which lead me to the 100 mile mark (will this ever end?), then to a road crossing, where the route puts racers through one more single mile climb in the dirt.

This last dirt climb puts riders out onto the pavement for a couple of miles, after which we turn a few times and make that final right turn onto the boulevard. It's such a great feeling to be here, but it also inflicts one last CLIMB to the finish for a half mile. [G.E. note: Why does every race do this? It's as though you haven't been punished enough during the ride, so the organizers put that last climb right at the end, just for good measure.]

Sam approaches the finish line, after passing a couple of other racers.

I was determined to pass everyone in that last section on my pathetic single speed, and I did. [G.E. note: Waiting at the finish line is the most painful part of this race to me. Not only are crew tired themselves from the length of the day, but Sam had wanted to finish the race in sub-10 hours this year (last year, he finished just under 11 hours). It seemed a lofty goal, especially given that he was geared last year and went single this year, but I had high hopes too. As time kept ticking and we closed in on that 10 hour mark at the finish line, I still hadn't spotted him. It was almost as though I could feel the disappointment for him. However, I also realized that he may well have given up his sub:10 hour finish by stopping to help a racer in need. Honestly, I couldn't have been more proud that he chose to help a stranded rider and give up his own goal, rather than achieving his own objective and knowing he'd left someone who needed assistance.]

With a finishing time of 10:29 and some change, I was about 24 minutes faster than last year, and feeling a bit better all around. It leaves room for improvement too, so I suppose I can't be too disappointed in that.

Some additional notes that have no specific place within the tale of the ride itself:
- The bike was flawless, which is fantastic.
- Every other comment was about the frame paint job (kudos to G.E.!) [G.E. note: You asked for late 80s-early 90s inspired paint, and you got it. :O)]
- Most other comments were, "Single speed - Go single speed!"
- There were several mutterings of "Look at that little guy."
- I never saw my confused, broken chain friend again, but I hope he finished.
- No possible way that I could have done this without G.E.'s support, both throughout the year and during this event. [G.E. note: I'm not sure I actually did all that much this year. It's amazing how inept and entirely un-useful I started to feel toward the end.]

An aside:
We were discussing the let down in the aftermath of such a big event like this.  After coming home, we both felt as though everything is more dull. I think the reality is that we haven't really gone anywhere in a long while, and this was an exciting, stressful and fun 2 days of pseudo vacation for us. I honestly plan on going to this race forever if I can, and convincing G.E. to compete in the women's single speed (there was only 1 this year). [G.E. note: Good luck with that plan. I have to get over my terror of rocks first, then we can talk.] Will I do single speed again? I'm not sure.

Thank god I took Monday off!
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Many thanks to Sam for sharing his experience again this year. It was easy to see as an observer both years that he was far better off physically this year than last. Even at the finish he was still smiling, when last year I knew he couldn't wait to just get over the finish line. I was aware that he was tired, but it was nice to see that he wasn't completely dead at the end.

One of my personal goals after this race is to try to figure out a way to get photos of riders I end up with on my camera to those who would appreciate them. I take so many as tests and to make sure I have a decent spot (usually this fails me anyway and I end up with horrible photos at the end), but I'd love to be able to share extra shots with the people who were racing and with their friends/family. I'm not entirely sure how I plan to do this, but the idea wheels are turning.

I think it's also important that crew members take care of themselves during the race. This is something I have not yet been successful doing. I get entirely focused on the rider and then realize toward the end of the day that I've not had water or food myself. Somehow, my half of a banana did not sustain me well through the late afternoon hours, and being at higher altitude, water is an important component too. One of these years, I'll have it all down. At least this year I remembered both sunblock and mosquito repellent.

As always, we enjoyed our time in Leadville and it was entirely too short, but we look forward to the possibility of going again to future races.

A Disgruntled Would-Be Trip

About a week and a half ago, I was supposed to be off on a trip to visit with some of my family in California. Because Sam was unable to get time off from work, the plan was to take one of the dogs and drive out on my own. Our weather patterns have been very typical of spring in Colorado and I wanted to make a dash in between storm fronts because heading through the mountains with hail and rain is not something I enjoy. I had packed up the necessities for both myself and the pup, and put one of the bikes on the back of the car as I prepared to head out. Throughout the planning phase of this trip, I could feel that I wasn't completely on board with the trip, but I assumed once I was on my way, everything would resolve itself.

As I got out on the road, I realized I had no desire to be making the trip. As we were driving, a radio announcer had spoke about a road closure on the pass I was heading over and I pulled off at the next exit. Was it even worth the effort to try to get across? I called Sam and after some back and forth, I decided to come back home. Since that day, I have been trying to convince myself that I need to just go - that everything will be fine once I'm on my way, but I just cannot seem to want to make it happen. I don't sleep well or it seems another storm will be rolling through and I find a reason not to go. Even as I sit typing, my stuff is packed and ready, but I find excuses not to get on my way. I pondered the idea of flying, which would make things a little easier and reduce time spent away, but it would mean leaving both dog and bike behind, and I'm honestly not a great flier either, so I'd rather have someone along for a flight to distract me.

What I have come to understand over the passing days is that I do look forward to some time away and to seeing family and friends; however, I have no desire to be inside a car for so many hours. The thought of being in a vehicle for 20+ hours is so unappealing that I can't seem to get passed it in order to get where I am supposed to be going. I recall very much enjoying road trips not so long ago. I would look forward to taking off on extended (or even short) road trips to see where it would take me. But, something seems to have changed and morphed over the years. Instead, I find alternate activities or destinations to avoid the motorized travel - or perhaps things have become more simple and I realize that needless trips in a car aren't doing anything for me? I seem to be able to tolerate a relatively short stint in a vehicle, but it exhausts me to even think about driving hour after hour... after hour.

This weekend's ride was beautiful. Spring definitely abounds and it is apparent that summer is on its way quickly as the lighter lavender hues die out and a different color palette begins to take over.

At first, I believed I was dreading this particular trip because the journey to the end is not horribly exciting and is one I've traveled far too many times to count. In reality, I think I would rather be on a bicycle, or at minimum, not burdened with the what would be in front of me driving alone. All I seem to be capable of is thinking that once I arrive to the destination, I will then have to repeat the trip back and it will be the same number of hours trapped in a car - again. Instead, I could stay here and enjoy bike rides and beautiful days such as over this past weekend above.

I am well aware of the fact that I can ride my bike in California, and in truth would likely get in even more ride time because I would have no responsibilities during my time there (other than my dog, of course), and as exciting as that sounds at the moment, the drudgery of the drive is making the trip sound completely unappealing. We have discussed the possibility of waiting until late in the summer and making the trip as a family time away, but that trip would be extremely short because of other obligations and limitations, making the drive seem even more pointless.

In the current moment, I am attempting to resolve whether this trip is going to take place or not, but I am also curious if anyone else goes through these periods of time in which the idea of travel is simply not motivating or interesting. This is a completely new experience for me because I have always enjoyed those often too-rare opportunities to get out and see things. I am not certain if my hesitation is based more on traveling without someone to talk to, the length of the trip, or something else entirely. While I am grateful to have the flexibility to choose a different time to go, I am amazed that I seem to have no desire to actually move forward with the trip. If you have thoughts on the matter, or have had your own moments like this, I welcome your experience(s).

Losing Weight on Vacation

Our intended two week vacation turned into a much shorter round than anticipated, and we ended up being gone a total of 7 days. I was actually pleased to be returning earlier than we'd thought because I knew it would allow me to get back in to my routine of working out multiple times a day and eating better. Oh, the eating! Why does everyone seem to want to feed us on vacation? Every stop we make seems to include a meal, and rarely does it include options that offer anything remotely low in calories.

What I cannot seem to figure out is that every time I go on vacation, I lose weight. It's perplexing to say the least because on most vacations, I don't work out (or, it's extremely limited), and I'm eating high sodium, high calorie items for most meals, and very seldom getting the water intake that I need, yet somehow, weight comes off. This has happened for years, regardless of how well I was eating before leaving on a trip. I've tried to factor in that there is usually a bit of walking around to touristy sorts of locations, but surely it's not burning as many calories as intense cardio/weight workouts?

If we go on the premise that in order to lose 1 pound an individual must restrict/burn 3,500 calories, I would have had to have burned 7,000 extra calories in the 7 days away in order to drop the two pounds I lost. I have to admit that I was not great about logging calories while on vacation simply because I have no idea what is in many of the foods, how they are cooked, how much oil, etc is being used, but I can take a good guess that calories are definitely more than I would normally eat, and most certainly consist of foods that I consider to be once-in-a-great-while type of items. When I punch in my guesses for the foods and their preparation, this is how calories show:

Day 1: 2,199 calories
Day 2: 2,891 calories
Day 3: 2,044 calories
Day 4: 1,773 calories
Day 5: 1,742 calories
Day 6: 2,134 calories
Day 7: 2,204 calories
Total for week: 14,987
Average daily: 2,141

I should mention that we did specifically set out to work out a few times while we were gone. On Monday, Wednesday and Friday (days 2, 4, 6), we did a 30-40 minute circuit work out to attempt to counter act some of the food madness that was taking place. Although the calories consumed don't seem that outrageous considering I ate very few meals in a controlled environment, it's still more than I would consume normally when I am working out daily...about 400 calories more on average a day. This may not seem like much, but considering the drop in working out, it is significant. I also felt incredibly bloated upon return, so despite the fact that I lost weight, I was not feeling tops about myself.

Trying to determine why I lost at all, leaves me scratching my head. First of all, I did, oh, about 1/8 of the normal work outs I would get in during a typical week (not even including riding my bike). I did attempt to make some reasonable choices much of the time, but even when choosing a gardenburger over some meat alternative (which I would normally do anyway since I'm not a cow-eater), I still ate french fries, potato chips, or onion rings with it, only adding to the fat/calories.

I do have theories though as to how/why this happened.
1) This is all a fluke. The fact that it is only a 1 week time period makes it difficult to say certainly what happens during this short time away. Perhaps if I continued to eat like this, I would ultimately end up gaining.
2) My body really does need more calories in order to lose weight - even more than what I thought initially. I was working out far less than normal and eating more, yet somehow I dropped 2 lbs (for the record, this loss was not just restricted to me, as Sam also dropped 1.5 lbs).
3) I'm burning more calories than I think on vacation. The fact that while on vacation we tend to walk around and see things more than we would at home could be helping to keep the extra calories from adding up to extra pounds.
4) Like many other times when I seem to randomly drop pounds, there is some mysterious combination of activity and food taking place.
5) Lacking the normal stresses of everyday life, my body finally relaxes and just does what it needs to do. I wasn't focused on or stressed about what or when I was going to eat, it just happened organically.

My problem with this being a complete fluke is that it happens every time we go on vacation. I joke about it when we're getting ready to leave by stating that I'm excited to go because I know I will eat poorly and lose weight. While it is a joke, it does happen every...single... time. Insanity, I know. I also don't think I'm burning more calories while on vacation because while we do walk around to see things, it is leisurely and typically isn't all day long. This leaves three options, but while I do think it's all quite mysterious, I don't actually believe that there is something magical or mysterious happening - I just don't happen to understand what it is that's going on.

Now down to two options (I need more calories, and vacation gets rid of excess stress), I actually think it's a combination of these two remaining theories. One of the things that benefits me while on vacation is that I'm not a snacker, so every time others want to stop and get a nibble of something, I decline (not because I think I'm being holier than anyone else, but I genuinely am not a snacker and never have been). This is potentially eliminating several unnecessary calories. In addition, if I am offered dessert, I take it politely, but I eat just a few bites. I also try not to eat unless I'm genuinely hungry. Sometimes, this means skipping a meal (which I would normally recommend against), but because I know I'm consuming more than normal, it seems like a bad idea to eat when I'm not hungry. I also don't think about or obsess over what I'm eating. If I can make a smarter choice, I will (because I want this to be a life change, not a temporary change), but I also don't want to deprive myself of something I'd like to try because I don't know how many calories are in it. I have been there and done that in the past and it doesn't help. Ultimately, I will give in and it will be far worse than just having a single meal or a few bites of something "bad."

Although I still don't seem to completely understand what takes place during vacation that causes weight loss, I am going to accept it and get back to the normal routine because even though I was fortunate to not come home to a weight gain, I very much missed my regular workouts and feeling good.

Back from Holiday

Our whirlwind vacation came to an end today. Our plans changed last minute and pretty much everything we intended was changed in some manner. Long story short, we didn't drive (both a blessing and a curse), but rather purchased last minute plane tickets (we actually paid less last minute than if we'd purchased them ahead of time, oddly). This meant leaving the pups at home (as well as the bicycles), and the trip was shortened by a week to be able to get back in time for our dog sitter to go on vacation. It also meant arriving in San Francisco at 1:30a.m., only to immediately hop in a rental to drive for about four hours. Ugh. By the time we arrived, the sun was preparing to pop over the horizon, and the craziness to see everyone began. The return trip wasn't much smoother, but we were happy to be able to spend a few days visiting with family and celebrating the 4th of July holiday, just as we hope you all were able to do.

*Image found here
A scene quite familiar to many socal residents... reminds me why I love bicycles, too.

A few hiccups along the way - delayed flights both ways, issues with the rental car, etc - but we are back home and happy to return to the normalcy of every day life. Exhaustion has taken over, so the rest of the day is all about catching up on some needed z's, but I can say this... I will be very happy to be back on a bicycle, rather than in the madness that is California traffic.

Happy weekend!

Happy Independence Day

Sam and I are on our southern California portion of the trip at this point, and we are fortunate to be staying at his parents' home, who just so happen to have some pretty incredible views of the Pacific Ocean from the back deck. I have repeated more than once, "I could live like this." I am perfectly content to sit in the mid-70s weather, take in the views and absorb the sun in sub-triple digit temperatures. Alas, vacation is vacation because we get to visit places like this, not because we live in such locations... or so the theory goes.

Wind spinner found here

We will celebrate our country's independence in a beautiful spot, surrounded by family and friends, and I feel very fortunate to be here. Wherever you happen to find yourself (for those in the U.S.), I wish you a very happy Independence Day. Enjoy, and be safe out there.

The Addiction of Kickboxing

I'm having a little bit of anxiety. We are prepping to leave for "vacation" (I keep using air quotes when referring to this trip because when it's under the obligation to see family, I'm not sure it's really a vacation - though I'm still looking forward to getting out of here for a bit) in a little over a day, and I'm kind of freaking out about not having kickboxing. It's as though it's become some sort of weird addiction, and I need a daily fix. What am I going to do for two weeks without it? I know it sounds insane, and I'm sure many look forward to their time away, but I can feel myself panicking, trying to figure out what I'm going to do as a replacement.

We did purchase a couple of hand block/punching bag sort of thingies to get some punching/kicking in and a tension band to do a few things with, and I know we're taking out bicycles and we'll still get workouts in, but it's just not the same as going to class and having someone push me. It's to the point now that I almost don't even want to go on vacation because I don't want to miss the class. What is wrong with me? Seriously. I've never not wanted to get out and just go.  Honestly, I've never been one for routine, and normally I'd be burned out on this by now and only going a couple of times a week, but  with 6-8 classes a week, something is going to be missing from my life.

I am well aware that I need to just get over it and enjoy the time away, but I find it interesting that I'm experiencing true anxiety about not having that constant in my life. I suppose I'll just have to look forward to the return home and the excitement of not only kickboxing, but my bootcamp classes as well! Bring on the punishment.

Vacation Time and Cali Cycling Route Suggestions

Sam and I are headed out on our somewhat annual visit to California in the next week-ish. I think we both have a love/hate relationship with this trip. We love that we get to leave home for a bit and see something different than the every day, avoid work, and of course we enjoy seeing our families, but we also find that the "obligation" of visiting makes it difficult to go anywhere other than to visit family for a vacation, and we're not horribly fond of being in a car travelling for many hours either. I'm sure there are others who can identify. We could make it a shorter trip and take a separate vacation somewhere we'd like to explore, but it's challenging because we have 3 dogs to drag along on the road trip (which means frequent bathroom/water breaks for anyone who hasn't attempted this), and several stops to make ranging from southern to northern Cali. If we rush through, inevitably someone feels neglected and as if we didn't really want to come and visit... which is only partially true (I kid!).

One of my favorite stops is to see my in-laws (and their pups - who happen to enjoy suitcases)

This year, we are also taking our bicycles along for the ride. We attempted this last year, but had a last minute hiccup with the bike trailer hitch and ended up not only without our regular bicycles, but actually purchasing new two-wheeled friends while visiting relatives (which wasn't necessarily a bad thing - but probably could've been avoided had we had our bikes). We wised up this year and will make sure everything is set to go the day before so as to not panic in the few minutes right before departure. The debate has ensued regarding which bikes to bring, but I think we've both settled on road bikes in case we attempt any longer distance jaunts, and honestly they are probably preferable as most places we'll be visiting are fairly hilly.

Speaking of possible bicycle jaunts, we are looking for suggestions for cycling routes to try while out that way. Even though we both grew up in California, Sam spent most of his time mountain biking, and I pretty much just rode around the neighborhood, so we're hoping to find some interesting spots to check out. If you have thoughts for the southern Orange County area or for the northern San Luis Obispo county area, we'd love to hear your ideas. I would prefer the less-hilly rides if possible, but I'm willing to try out anything with a great view. It's also possible (slim, but possible) we could end up in the Portland, Oregon area, so if you have suggestions for that area, please chime in as well.

Hopefully, I'll be able to share some photos as the trip takes place, but if things seem slow from the beginning to mid-July time frame, there is a good reason for it. Happy Friday!

Gone Fishin' {well... sort of}

The E.V.L. household (dogs and all!) has been on vacation for the last week.... and it has been fabulous!

My in-laws dog making himself comfy.

Though vacations are very rarely vacations for us (they usually consist of visiting family), this time away has been wonderful. We're actually still in California as I type, but we've moved to a different area than we've been visiting for most of the trip thus far. Though both Sam and I grew up in southern California, we have found ourselves realizing how many things we took for granted while living here. Things like the smell of the ocean, or even how the fruit aisle in the grocery store smells. I literally stood for a minute just inhaling the smell of plums, nectarines, and so on - something we just don't seem to experience in Colorado.

I think the pictures really tell the story of the sights we've been taking in, so I'll let them do my job for me.

Though fairly cloudy during much of our visit, the sites are still gorgeous!

Beautiful vegetation abounds!

Getting close to the ocean (and even in the water).

Awesome ocean views from my in-laws home!

Though Sam will be flying home in a few days to return to work, the dogs and I are staying to hang out with my side of the family a bit longer. This afternoon we had the opportunity to visit Morro Bay and walk around. It's such an interesting town and one that I frequented as a child and teenager. What I hadn't realized is that there's actually a reseller of Public Bicycles in Morro Bay. The shop is called Pedals and Paddles, and the owner is absolutely fabulous!

He was so friendly and helpful when Sam and I walked in, and let us take a couple of different models out for a spin. I have to say, those Public Bikes are pretty impressive (but more on that in another post at another time). If you're in the SLO area (San Luis Obispo for those non-locals), I'd highly recommend paying the shop a visit. They also rent/sell kayaks (perfect for Morro), and rent bicycles (non-Public brand) for people to see the area the way it should be seen.

Overall, the trip has been excellent so far, and we've enjoyed relaxing with the pooches and not having any responsibilities for the time being.

'Grandma's' Departure

Yesterday, mom left to go back home after her three week visit (note the spiffy new cut that she got while she was visiting here in Colorful Colorado).

In part she was here to watch the four-legged kiddos while Sam and I adventured for a few days through the Midwest, and in part she came just to get away for a bit. It's always a little bitter sweet, however, when it's time to leave. Though we were definitely ready to have the house back to ourselves and return to a semi-normal life (whatever that may be), it's always sad when a family member or friend who's visiting has to go home. It makes me miss living closer to everyone and then I start missing home (even though I'm still not sure where home is anymore). Little Gandolf ran up this morning, expecting to find 'grandma' in bed, but she wasn't there. It was kind of sad to see his little face, but, I think he's recovering from all the fawning and coddling that grandma provides with relative ease.

As for me, the last few weeks have brought about some additional thoughts on my future, and while I still would really love to be able to have a creative job, I just can't stand the idea of not having the possibility of repaying school loans when I'm done with this third ride through college life. I've decided to change majors and use all of my fine art studies as a minor, thus providing me an opportunity to hopefully be employable in the future. While the idea of going back into the workforce doesn't thrill me (its 8-5 schedule, the never-ending politics, the bore of the routine), I realize that I will have a lot of debt to repay and I should probably have something that is, at very minimum, a broad-based degree that would allow me to work in a variety of fields. So, the fall is bringing about a change in my focus, and I'm hopeful that all will go well and I'll still be able to wrap up school in close to the same amount of time, or at very minimum, only needing to add on one semester. For the first time in a very long time I feel as though I have some focus (let's face it, I'm never entirely focused on anything), so I believe that it will bring positive results.

I'm also still longing for Wisconsin. I believe in time it will leave my consciousness and life will return to normal. I think that I just need to have more focus on more pressing goals, and leave any sort of moving until an appropriate time. It's easier said than done, however, and I can't help but long for a nice long bicycle ride through Madison, around one of the lakes, etc.

Who wouldn't want to live there? It's so green and there are bicycle paths everywhere it seemed. Plus, Sam looks so cute there on the bike path. I know they have winters that are rougher, so I suppose I should focus on that and not the beauty that we saw in the middle of summer.

We now return to regularly scheduled life. I have the added bonus of a lovely sore throat that arrived just as mom was leaving, but hopefully it won't hang on long and I can continue enjoying the last few weeks of the summer break.