The Dyson Airblade

Totally better than the Xlerator

My 38th Year

Alpine Adventures, Zip line, North Conway, Woodstock Inn, Pemi Cabins, Bolt Bus, Pablove...Otto, Ceres, Pumking, People watching, Parks...Running, Rollers, Bikram...Nostalgia, Key In, Waenern, Style Fusion...Ride it out...iPhone, The Night Sky, Coin Flip...Sufferfest, Supersix, Schuylkill River Trail...FTP, 224 Watts, Over/Under, Hammer Hills, The Pyramid...Valley Forge, Valley Green, Lambertville, Stockton...Hammer Nutrition, Honey Stinger, Shot Bloks...You can never have enough water bottles...Vitamix, Compression socks, I liked Vibram Five Fingers before it was cool...French Press, Sweet Potato Brownies...DT on the AT: MD, VA, NH, NY, NJ...3AM, 4:03, 11:44...The road twice traveled...The road, alone...Ronde Van Mullica, AtlantiCare, Tegaderm, Epsom Salt, Arnica, Salve, Cherry Blossom, Rothman Institute...Readington TT, Tour of Colts Neck, Honey Badger...Watermelon Criterium, NJ State ITT...Zeppelin Criterium, Innervation, H and C$...Giro Del Cielo, Unicorns, Oreos...Chesco Road Race, Pawling Mountain Road Race, NJ State Road Race, Freedom Tour, Podium, Prime...Blueberry TT...Brigantine, Spring Lake, Wildwood, Margate, Follow your bliss...Sweet Annie, Fearless, Little Victories, Keep Your Eyes Open, Never Stop, Falls On Me...70 East...Bon Iver, Band Of Horses, Gotye, Fun., Florence + The Machine...Glacier National Park, Siyeh Pass, Ptarmigan Tunnel, Pie for Strength, Iceberg Lake, Grinnell Glacier, Waterfalls! Avalanche Lake...Strava, Cyclocross, CAADX, Camouflage...Hiding, Seeking, Finding, Letting go...I’m right where I need to be.

The Tumbleweave Diaries

Went for an evening walk to find some geocaches...found some tumbleweave too!

reflections from the road

The Blueberry Time Trial on July 28th marked the official end of my first season of road racing. Last week I had a meeting with my coach. We talked about the season and where things go from here. Right now, I am content with riding just for fun. My focus has shifted to running, hiking and doing more yoga. These are things that had taken a back seat during the months I spent training and racing. 

This was definitely the most difficult athletic endeavor I have undertaken. Collegiate rowing was a challenge, but the preparation was not nearly as intense nor was the season as long. 

I started to realize that it’s not just hours of training that can take a toll on you (mentally and physically) it’s traveling to races, getting up early on weekends, preparing your bike and packing a bag the night before, making sure you have clothes for any type of weather...and that’s not even mentioning the intensity of race day. 

A few weeks ago I was playing “The Book of Questions” game and was asked...If you were to die this evening with no opportunity to communicate with anyone, what would you most regret not having told someone? Why haven’t you told them yet? Without hesitation, I responded...I would tell Anne that I never realized the sacrifices she made for me...it wasn’t because I didn’t appreciate her...it was because I didn’t understand. 

Until you walk a mile in their shoes...

I still have a TON of things to learn about cycling. From the experiences I’ve had has grown and immense amount of respect for the dedication of those who are passionate about the sport.

feels like...

Last weekend I was at the Delaware Water Gap to hike Mt. Tammany, then on to Sunfish Pond. It has become an annual event. This year was a little different because I had company on the trail. 

It has been an oddly pleasant (and at times unpleasant) transition for me over the past few months. I have become so accustomed to doing everything on my own that my independence (some people call it stubbornness) feels threatened at times by even the smallest gestures (like offering to help carry a bag). 

I lost more than I could ever imagine being able to sustain. It hurt for a long time. It still hurts. Out of everything I lost came a renewed sense of self. The place where I stand today has been two years in the making. My biggest fear is sharing that with someone who might only be in my life temporarily.

Partnerships involve compromise. At some point I’ll need to accept a helping hand. I just need to figure out how to do that without feeling like my independence is being threatened.

changes

The days are getting shorter and the air is getting cooler. Over the weekend, I noticed the early signs of foliage at the Delaware Water Gap. Fall will be here in less than two weeks and already; most of us are embracing the change of season. 

Change is a funny thing...or, should I say that OUR REACTION to change is a funny thing. When it is in our best interest it seems to be the most welcomed, whether we have control over it or not.

thought for food

There was a segment on the local news the other night about organic food. The premise of the piece was to convey the message that organic food is no more nutritious than non-organic food. It only took me a few seconds to blurt out loud “Wow, this is really stupid.” I don’t think that was ever a selling point for organic foods. Personally, I eat organic produce for the things it doesn’t contain. 

The other day I had breakfast with a friend who ordered a side of scrapple. Later that evening we were talking and I asked her if she knows where scrapple comes from. My thought was that if she knew where her food came from that she might think differently about eating it. 

What I took away from the conversation was that she understood what she was putting into her body, yet opted not to think about it. And, I couldn’t help but think that if people turn a blind eye to the things they are putting into their bodies, what else are they choosing to ignore?

The Tumbleweave Diaries

Phillies win AND a tumbleweave sighting...