2012 Adventure Calendar Redux

I realized when I put together my adventure calendar, I forgot a few things.  I've also revised some goals and events, based mainly on the fact that I decided I am just not that into running.  Check it out. 
 
COMPLETE! 
January: Walnut Creek YMCA Icebreaker Triathlon--(January 29th) Well, this is coming up more quickly than I imagined, and after reading the blog, I am scared only "real" athletes do this one, but what the heck? 

COMPLETE! 
February: Red Flannel Run--(February 11th) I downloaded an awesome app for my phone to help me train for this one, but then I got sidelined by visitors.  I want to run this one, so it's time to get jogging and working on my outfit.

COMPLETE! 
March: Fight for Air Stair Climb--(March 4) I was sort of nonplussed about this one last year.  The best part was the free adjustment by the hunky chiropractic student.  But, DMACC has a team, the Tiger is a smoker, and the fear of huffing and puffing up all those flights of stairs might help motivate me.

ADDITION!
April: 30 Days of Biking not sure how this will go.

STILL POSSIBLE
I was trying to recruit my pal Pete to go with me, so I wouldn't have to drive alone, but Pete had a bunch of trip requirements, so I am not sure we'd be compatible. 

May: Bryce Canyon Visit--My pal Ranger Dave transferred from the Grand Canyon to Bryce Canyon.  I'd like to visit him, do some hiking, and some backpacking between spring and summer classes.  Plans sort of depend on how the Mighty Mazda is holding up.  


June: Tour de Pepin--(June 2) Lexi's parents moved to Lake Pepin, Minnesota, which is a naturally lake on the Mississippi River.  A group of friends goes to visit for the annual Memorial Day yachting regatta (i.e. riding around on Jamie's sail boat and drinking cheap beer), but this year we wanted something different.  Most of my friends are doing the 35 mile trip, because they want to take the ferry across the lake, but I want to challenge myself to the 72 mile ride all the way around. 

CANCELLED!
Meh, after much soul and pocket book searching, I decided I just don't care enough to train for this triathlon.  But, check out September!
Copper Creek Triathlon--(June 24) Why, why do I have my heart set on a triathlon?  Not sure, but for some reason I got it stuck in my head.  I think that both running and swimming will make me a strong cyclist: lung capacity and endurance, perhaps?  So, this is the one I picked, mostly because, I met a guy who did not look like a triathlete and he was doing it.  If that random stranger can do it, so can I! 


July: Brewery 100--(July 4th weekend) The Mayor wants to turn this into a bonefide event.  Interested in joining us for what might be the flattest, most drunken, and rattlesnake riddled ride in the west? 

RAGBRAI--(July 22-28) Need I say more?

ON HOLD!
Lexi seems really noncommittal.  She came up with a bunch of other suggestions, like taking the train to Utah and doing a trip out there.  I am not so sure.  I think she's got too much on her plate for backpacking, which is a bummer, because I love backpacking and I love the Superior Hiking Trail.  We'll see.

August: Backpacking the Superior Hiking Trail--it's been way too long since I've been backpacking.  My gear is starting to miss me.  I've got to use it before the color-ways go out of fashion.  So, I've made Lexi promise that we can head up to North the Superior Hiking Trail in August before I head back to school.  With luck, we can bring Cousin Amiee, who is now living in Superior, and we can see our pal and beloved hermit, Larry.  I'd love to spend a good 4 nights on the trail.  Finland, here we come!

Urban Assault 2012 (August 12)--(just got cheap, early registration today!) is there a better way to spend a day-before-a-birthday than riding bikes around Des Moines and creating mayhem?  This year, I am going to work on Lexi's bike-handling skills so we can improve our time and get to the free beer more quickly. 

September: TBA--ideas?
ADDITION!
Hy-Vee Triathlon (September 2)--my Olympic qualifying events will finally be realized.  Just kidding.  No, I am not doing the triathlon, but I have been recruited to join with the beautiful and talented Tracy and Mollie.  Both are rock-star fitness ladies who I met in the beaver-gym.  Tracy's going to run.  I'm going to bike, and Mollie is going to swim.  I hope I don't let them down, or get eaten by triathletes. 

ADDITION!
Beaverdash! (September 15)--I can't believe I forgot about the Beaverdash.  First, they grease up a beaver.  Then, they release him into the streets of Beaverdale.  The resident who catches him wins the coveted golden beaver.  Okay, just kidding again.  This is a fun 5k in the neighborhood, and as much as I dislike running, I love beaver dashing. 

Still looking for fun events in October, November, and December.  Send me your suggestions. 

How to Take a Break

I know, dear readers, that you must be wondering, how did Rice spend her spring break?  Did she eat right and exercise?  Or not?  Did she fill her glass full of sand, or did she fill it full of golf balls and beer?  The answer: golf balls and beer.

I decided to make spring break a real break.  And, I broke from work responsibilities, from push-ups, from calories, and from even, Iowa.

We left town Friday evening and drove all the way to West Memphis.  The Tiger was at the wheel, I was reading The Hunger Games out loud.  After night fell, I used my cell phone flashlight.  We found a cheap hotel and crashed for a few hours.

In the morning, both the driving and The Hunger Games continued as we rolled through Mississippi.  Every time I looked up, a hundred miles had passed.  We finished the book just in time to hit the bridge crossing Lake Pontchartrain.  

Tiger behind the wheel.

First, we went to Bob's house.  There, we found a turkey. 

Bob's roommate, Richie, is a zookeeper and habitat builder and an animal lover.  Besides a sweet dog named Olive and a cat, they have the cutest tiniest chickens and this enormous turkey, who sometimes wanders into the house.

He's like a feathery wind-up toy.

When he is good, his name is Benjamin.  When he is bad, his name is Goebbels.  He can't stand it when you are not paying attention to him, so he barges into the house and struts around chirping.  He also gobbles when anyone laughs.    

Our first order of business was to walk to the corner store.  We were always walking to the corner store for Big Shot soda, or bacon, or cigarettes (for the Tiger and Tiger-bro, not me).  On the way home from our first visit, we bumped into Bobby's other roommate, Rod, who's nickname is "The King of Not-Okay." 

Not Okay.

Of course, he made an appearance on Mustachtastic.  Though, you can't see his shorts.  Alas, I packed the camera charger, but not the camera.  All photos are via the cell phone. 

We arrived in the middle of a New Orleans celebration sandwich.  See New Orleanians aren't good at Lent.  They are good at celebrating pre-Lent, but they get bored with being good, so they have more parties.

Saturday: St. Patrick's Day, which falls somewhere below Mardi Gras and Halloween in terms of awesomeness.  The parades throw cabbages, and the old Irish guys kiss cute girls.

Piping!

Looking festively bearded.

This parade-going-parent has his priorities right.

These guys have been drinking since dawn.

So has this lonely parade goer. 

The view from Mimi's.

We celebrated St. Patrick's Day until late in the evening.  Then, we crashed until the sound of turkey gobbling and the crowing of the world's littlest rooster woke us up.

Then it was time for Super Sunday.  I don't have the time, energy or knowledge to explain the Mardi Gras Indians to you.  Just look them up or watch Treme or go to New Orleans.  Suffice it to say, they are awesome.  Super Sunday and St. Joseph's Day are the last days that they wear their amazing costumes and parade around their neighborhoods. 

On Super Sunday, they all meet in a park and show off.  In the street, you can eat street meat and buy beer from guys with coolers and see all the fabulous New Orleans black ladies in their finery.  We rode bikes. 

We stopped on the way to see this mini-train made by print-makers. 

Then, we stopped for cheap daiquiris in the Quarter.  No, I am not telling you where they are.  You can pay $15 on Bourbon Street.

Big Chief, lookin' pretty.

Oh, my spy boy.

And your spy boy.

Then, we headed back downtown for a crawfish boil.  It was fun and there were a lot of cool people, but there were not enough tables, and if you have ever tried to eat a crawfish, you will agree that it is virtually impossible with a paper plate in one hand and an Abita in the other.  Thankfully, Rosie was tired around midnight so I tagged along with her so I got a good night's sleep.  

 Monday was St. Joseph's Day, like St. Patrick's Day for Italian people. I got up early and had some coffee and a pancake in the fancy coffee shop in Bobby's neighborhood.  Then, we drove to mid-city to get some ice cream and our magic fava bean, which is supposed to bring you money. 

They also make an altar of food.

Then, we got awesome ice cream. 

That night, we went to D.B.A., because Bob was working and saw Glenn David Andrews.  He put on an amazing show, and we hooked up with our friends, the Baileys and crew for some good beer and musical fun. 

Inside DBA.

On Tuesday, we took a long walk around the Garden District, went to an amazing fabric store, then ratted around in the Quarter.  In the evening, we met up with my pal, Carol Gelderman, my former professor at UNO.  She got us into Bullet's to see Kermit Ruffins, star table, of course. 

Up close and Kermit.

Then, we went and got more Mimi's.  Then, we saw Bob at the other bar he works at, Siberia.  Then, we went to bed. 

Wednesday and Thursday were rainy.  The Tiger and I worked on my friend JoAnn's pond project, then we met up with everyone on Thursday night for music at the Ogden Museum.  The Tiger decided to become an artist. 

He also decided his new name is "Excitement." 

The Tiger's birthday was technically on Saturday, but we decided we weren't acknowledging the Leap year, so his birthday was really on Friday.  That meant we started to celebrate it at midnight on Friday morning. 

In New Orleans, on your birthday, people pin dollars to your shirt. 

Apparently, beards are back.

Friday morning, Rosie made us Fleur de lis waffles, aka "Saint's Symbol" waffles.  Amazing. 

Fleur de yum. 

Then, we went to the race track, where I bet on a horse named "Bag of Rocks" because she gave me a look in the paddock. I won 8 dollars and 20 cents. 

Beneath my winnings you can see my New Orleans souvenir beer gut.

But, the rest of our betting was not so victorious. 

A day at the races.

Then, we ate amazing sandwiches, and took a boat to Algiers. 

Boat ride back to NOLA.

Cathedral in the setting sun.

We had some pre-dinner cake.  Rosie made the Black Forest cake.  Amazing.  And gorgeous.  And, we had German food.

Mmm....Germany.

Here's the Tiger with his various wursts. 

Prost!

Then, we tried to see Chris Owen, the woman who drag queens want to be, but she wasn't performing.  Then, we went to Flanigan's and eventually to DBA.  At DBA we ran into a bachelor party, all wearing Jefferson wigs. 

The groom-to-be loved Jefferson. 

Then, we walked some of them out of their wigs, or found them on the ground. 

Bob wasn't happy that the Tiger looked better in his wig.

He gave me his wig, I swear.

Then, we needed a story for why we had the wigs.  It turns out, it was Bach's birthday too.  And, there was a church doing 27-continuous hours of Bach music, called "Bach Around the Clock."  Bob told everyone we had gone to Bach-Around-the-Clock and the first "1000 people got Bach hats." 

Baching out!

Ah, le good beaver.

We went to the Lost Love Lounge and eventually to Mimi's.  There it was all beards and Bach hats when we met up with Richie (zookeeper). 

Beard in the front, Bach in the back.

Birthday mayhem ensued.  Eating, drinking, spanking. 

Here's the Tiger getting a spanking from the cute geologist bartender. 

Richie closes out the spanking. 

You'll notice, above, Bob looking crazy, and the guy in the vest and pants, it turns out, was the bachelor, the guy who loved Jefferson.  Now, this was like 6 hours later when he ran into us.  He was so impressed we were still in the Bach Hats, he bought us like 16 Rolling Rocks. 

Birthday Tiger.

At some point, I wanted to text my friend Pete and tell him how much James Brown was happening in New Orleans, and I realized it was 4:30 in the morning.  No wonder I was sleepy.  We made it home at 6am, when we ate more cake and went to bed. 

We had to drive home on Saturday, but I let the Tiger sleep in.  I bought some beer to take home and some pralines for my boss.  We had one last meal of fried chicken, then headed north.  Lots of other stuff happened, but I didn't take pictures, so you won't be as amused. 

That my friends is how you take a break.  By the time we got home, I was a broken, dehydrated, and totally satisfied little beaver, ready and willing to hit the gym, eat my vegetables, and behave myself.  I got it out of my system, at least, until this weekend.  

This is Why Kells Bells is Our Driver!

This morning, whilst I was laying on the floor, feeling like death after 2 rounds of Jane Fonda death aerobics, I thought to myself, "Rice, you control your thoughts, your attitude, your perception.  If you want to be worried, they worry, but if you want to have fun on your trip to New Orleans, then, it's your job to make it happen."  

Then, I got to work and read this email.  It's from Kells-Bells (we are working on nicknames for our driver), our first annual Team Beaver RAGBRAI driver and sometimes puppy-sitter.  Also, the man brave enough to employ my sister.

Normally, I shy away from email forwards (Often because they are full of neo-con nonsense from my extended family), but this one was pretty cute.  I thought it was pretty apt, as: 

a) I am a professor.

b) I love mayonnaise.

c) I love beer.  And, I love that beer is capitalized throughout. 

 I read your blog this a.m.   Please get away, relax, and enjoy your trip.   You spend too much time worrying about the little stuff.   Please have fun and get back to the grind later!!!!!

A little something to ponder………………………

>> The Mayonnaise Jar and 2 Beers

> >>
> >> When things in your life seem almost too much to handle, when 24 hours in
> >> a day are not enough, remember the mayonnaise
> >> jar and the 2 Beers.
> >>
> >> A professor stood before his philosophy class and had some items in front
> >> of him. When the class began, he wordlessly
> >> picked up a very large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill it
> >> with golf balls. He then asked the students if
> >> the jar was full. They agreed that it was. The professor then picked up a
> >> box of pebbles and poured them into the jar He
> >> shook the jar lightly. The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the
> >> golf balls. He then asked the students again
> >> if the jar was full. They agreed it
> >> was.
> >>
> >> The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured it into the jar. Of
> >> course, the sand filled up everything else.
> >> He asked once more if the jar was full. The students responded with an
> >> unanimous 'yes.' The professor then produced two
> >> Beers from under the table and poured the entire contents into the jar
> >> effectively filling the empty space between the
> >> sand. The students laughed.
> >>
> >> 'Now,' said the professor as the laughter subsided, 'I want you to
> >> recognize that this jar represents your life. The
> >> golf balls are the important things---your family, your children, your
> >> health, your friends and your favorite
> >> passions---and if everything else was lost and only they remained, your
> >> life would still be full.
> >>
> >> The pebbles are the other things that matter like your job, your house and
> >> your car.
> >>
> >> The sand is everything else---the small stuff. 'If you put the sand into
> >> the jar first,' he continued, 'there is no
> >> room for the pebbles or the golf balls. The same goes for life. If you
> >> spend all your time and energy on the small stuff
> >> you will never have room for the things that are important to you.'
> >>
> >> 'Pay attention to the things that are critical to your happiness.
> >>
> >> Spend time with your parents. Visit with grandparents. Take time to get
> >> medical checkups. Take your spouse out to
> >> dinner. Play another 18. There will always be time to clean the house and
> >> fix the disposal. Take care of the golf
> >> balls first---the things that really matter. Set your priorities. The rest
> >> is just sand.'
> >>
> >> One of the students raised her hand and inquired what the Beer
> >> represented. The professor smiled and said, 'I'm glad you
> >> asked.'
> >>
> >> The Beer just shows you that no matter how full your life may seem,
> >> there's always room for a couple of Beers with a
> >> friend.'
> >>
> >> Please share this with someone you care about... I JUST DID
> >

I think this kind of wisdom shows that Kells Bells has got his priorities right, and he is going to be an outstanding chauffer and scout come July.  

Also, a note to Team Beaver West, apologies for sending The Boss's sexy new Team Beaver tshirt to your neighbors.  I hope you got that property line skirmish resolved peacefully. 

Spring Break Blues

So, the Tiger and I are going to New Orleans for spring break!  Whoo-hoo!  And, I am so excited. 

At least, I should be excited.  Instead, I am kind of worried. 

I've been doing such a good job hitting the Beav-X gym.  Since I recommitted myself at the end of January, I haven't missed a single beaver-workout (okay, I've missed some Saturdays, but that's yoga).  How do I explain the super-human ability to get up every day at 5am?  Plain and simple habit. 

Alas, there's no beaver gym in New Orleans and I will be breaking my habit. 

Eww.

Now, I know, I know, a little R&R is good, but I worry about losing my hard-earned fitness (though, I eager to give my weight-lifting callouses a break.)

What if I get out of my habit?  What if I can't make the magic happen again come March 27th? 

I am going to try to workout in NOLA, though that is hard for so many reasons.

1. Beaver-gym is magic because it forces me to work hard.  I know I wouldn't do so many freaking "hang clean squats" or "renegade rows" without my beaver-support system.  Nola = alone.  (Tracy, do you want to stow-away in the Nissan?)

2. Where do I workout?  I could try to find a gym near where we are staying?  Or go to UNO and see if I can get a week pass.  Or I could try to, dare I say it, run, gulp and workout without a facility. 

3. Our NOLA schedule is not conducive to exercise.  I feel bad if the Tiger is cooling his heels while I pick em up and put em down.  And, also, the Tiger's brother, Bobby, is a New Orleans bartender.  So, we go out during the day with our daylight friends and at night we stay up all night with our night time friends.  In New Orleans, you can do that.  The bars never close.  Suffice to say, it's hard to keep a disciplined schedule.

4.  I am on vacation.  It's hard to workout on vacation.

Here are my other worries.  The weather in Iowa just turned amazing and all the happy cyclists are hitting the streets for taco-rides, gravel-taco rides, gravel races, taco races, gravel-taco-races, and I am reluctant to leave.  I hate leaving my new bike all alone and un-ridden for a whole week!

Ugh, Iowa is finally getting fun again, and I am leaving.  Why couldn't spring break come when I was bored and cold and didn't have a fancy new bike?!?

I had so much fun at my first VeloRosa practice, where we learned double pace lines and echelons and got to ride really fast, whoo-hoo! That I am kind of bummed I have to miss two Monday night practices.  What if I miss something really important, like the night we work on not crashing?  (By the way, the practice was great.  I had so much fun, and I only got dropped a bit.  I don't think I shamed myself, and I met some cool ladies). 

And, one of the blogs I read is starting a weight loss competition, today!  I can't justify signing up for a weight loss competition when I know Coop's fried chicken and Camila Grill fried pie is in my future.  The competition is only a month long.  (So, if you need to lose weight, check out the Fat Cyclist's new contest.)

In other non-worried news: I read this article from the New York Times which made me feel a little better about my fatness versus fitness dilemma.  I love that the Gray Lady discussed fitness versus fatness. 

And, Team Beaver has successfully located homestays or good camping sites in Lake View, Marshalltown, Cedar Rapids, and Anamosa. 

We still need Sioux Center, Cherokee, and Webster City.  If you know anyone, or you want to ride with the Beavers, let me know! 

T-Rex Arms Flexin'

Maybe it was the Tarzan-pull-ups on Monday, but I've got a case of the dreaded T-Rex arms.  You know, when you can't straighten your arms out.  You just hold them up and close to your body, like Mr. Burns?

Or like The Creep?

Also, today I had to do a little unscheduled "active recovery," a.k.a. kind of suck at the gym.  I am just beat down from not enough sleep (night class + Tiger elbows + puppy's nocturnal wandering) and hard workouts.

So, while everyone else was doing their bear walks and walking lunges with weights, I just did them with body weight.  I figure that I am already using "nature's dumbbell," i.e. my booty.

Here's the bear walk demo.  Speaking of walks.  My friend Holly is a capoeira ninja.  She does a whole workout of walks: bear walk, giraffe walk, zebra walk, monkey walk.

Reader Challenge: Invent a "walk."  I will master said walk and make a youtube video to share, just as soon as my T-Rex arms relax.

Encouragement!

The yoga instructor, in the hit film Couples Retreat, named Salvatore, played by Carlos Ponce, might be the most well-developed character of our generation.  Three reasons.

First: he is the originator of the phrase "boom." Boom.

Second: he wears a Speedo, casually.

Third: he is incredibly encouraging, and he gives people friendly pats on the bottom and says, "encouragement." 

 

Encouragement.  Well, everything but the punching at the end.  I don't encourage punching.

I do encourage encouragement.  And, this week, I have been the recipient of some encouraging words. 

Thursday, March 8, Newton: Brad Patty, my co-worker Patty's husband, helped me fit my bike.  He's a racer, and a Leadville-er, and he has a little company that helps fit people.  We didn't use the lasers, but we did put my bike on the trainer and dial in the fit.  Mostly, we re-arranged the cleats on my shoes. 

As I was pedaling and Brad was watching me pedal.  Then, he said something like, "you know how to ride a bike."  I laughed. Then, he said, "you know, there are some people that know how to ride a bike, like efficiently, and some people who don't." 

Efficiency. Boom.

He knows how to ride a bike!

Friday, March 9, Beaver-Gym: We were supposed to do pull-ups.  I dream of doing pull-ups.  I have strong shoulders and an increasingly stronger core, but I have a lot of ka-dunk-a-dunk to pull up, if you know what I mean. 

Anyway, standard procedure for pull-ups at Beav-X-Gym is to get a partner and put your feet on their thighs/hands to get a little boost.  That way, you can use your legs to pull-up.  Jenny, from the block, was available, but I was worried about her helping me.  I didn't want to crush her under my massive ka-dunk-a-dunk. 

She encouraged me, anyway, and as I was pulling up, and thankfully, not crushing her, she said, "oh, your legs are so strong, you are like all muscle."

Boom!

You might not be able to see my muscle, but you can feel it, anytime you want to help me do a pull-up.

Side note: doing a pull-up is on my fitness-list. 

Monday, March 12, Cyber-Space: Tonight, I am going to sack up and ride with the VeloRosa ladies for their practice, despite several reservations.

1. I have never done a group ride.

2. Those ladies look fit and are fast.  I look chunky and am slow. 

3. I don't really know them, and I fear social awkwardness.  Like maybe I shouldn't be there?

4. I don't fear getting dropped.  I am resolved, but I do fear being the slow one that everyone has to wait for and is really annoyed with.  

5. New bike jitters.  What if I forget to shift?  Or need a granny gear? 

Anyway, I pride myself on knowing just which of my very smart friends to seek out when I need certain things.  When I need problem solving: Lexi.  When I need tough love: Steven.  Etc. 

Today, I needed bike-related encouragement, so I sought the Mayor. 

After some g-chatting, the Mayor wrote: "they respect you because you ride a bike, and you're brave enough to give it a try." 

Boom. 

I do ride a bike.  And, I am brave enough (FEARLESS 2012) to try. 

What's the worst that could happen? 

Dropped?  Meh, I can find my way home. 

Embarrassed?  I can't be that worried about embarrassment.  On many, many occasions, I have done karaoke. 

If it's the worst thing ever, then I don't have to do it again.  If it isn't, well, then, it will probably help. 

Encouragement! 

Readers: What words encourage you? 

The Week(s) in Review

Problem: I have a presentation on Wednesday and Thursday morning that I have been stressing about.  I've been trying to focus and not do fun stuff like blog or bike-ride until I get this presentation done.

But, my way of dealing with stress is procrastination.

Solution: blog post.

Here's what's been going on, briefly enough that I don't feel too guilty for procrastinating.  

Fight for Air Stair Climb, March 4, 64 flights of stairs.
Team Beaver represented by me, Easy-E, E's pal Megan, and Little Buddy, "Austin Bailey," hit the stairs in downtown DSM.  We raised nearly 1-g for lung and air health stuff.  Most of that was Little Buddy.

Steppin' to the Beav

E after coffee, but before the stairs.  She perked up when she saw the firemen.

Little Buddy doing a military-style warm-up.

I did it last year too, but to make it more interesting, I didn't train this year.  (Procrastination) It was harder, but I was like 7 seconds faster.  Guess we all know what that means for next year.  (Please, some one remind me of the exercise-induced asthma I am grappling with today when 2013 rolls around).

So many steps.

I Got a New Bike!!!
I haven't ridden it yet.  Once I do, I will give it the full-on blog post it deserves, but for now, here is the blog-o-sphere introduction of my new bike: Trek Madone 4.6 2012!  Pretty, right?

Love!

This week, I hope to get the computer installed and get a professional fit.  Then, we'll take her out for a spin.  For now, I am a little scared.  She's so new and precious and lovely.

Before the Original G, Steve.

 Also, much love to my reader, the Original G, Steve L. at Bike World  for putting her together.  I like that the wheels are on the bottom of my brand new carpet fibre bike!

New Team Beaver T-Shirts

New Shirts.

Yeah, we ordered more t-shirts, and some of them came!  Whoo-hoo!  Check out Megan and Little Buddy.  Notice the sexy V-neck and the slightly smaller type.  They are also a polyester-blend so they are more stretchy.

Didn't get a new t-shirt?  No worries.  We'll start a list for the next round.

I Joined a Cycling Team
And, I am scared.  But, then I remembered, "fearlessness."  So, I sent some emails, including one that said something along the lines of "I am interested in the development team and getting faster, but, I am fat."

Dave Mable, of Iowa Momentum, is the coach of the VeloRosa team. I asked about group rides and whether I would embarrass myself when I get dropped like it's hot.

Sweet. :) 

Monday night is designed to teach and practice group riding skills -not go hard - you won't have to worry about 'haning' with anyone - I expect people will get dropped off the back now and again -but we'll then wait and regroup. Sometimes it will be you getting dropped - sometimes it will be you doing the waiting. You'll see how the dynamics work as we ride together.

Wednesday is a little different - it's a training ride, not practice. (of course, you will get practice at the skills you learn on Mondays!) - but people will get dropped, and groups will form. 

I always tell the new kids that show up on a 'drop' ride to have your goal be to get further each week until you get dropped. It can be discouraging to watch your group go rolling up the road ahead of you as you're gasping for breath and pedaling squares but A) we've ALL been there time and time again!!! and B) when that happens, look behind you, there may be people who popped off before you, so wait, form a group and get a good ride in together. 

As far as the development team - my expectations are that you come on Monday nights and commit to participating in Race Like A Girl (a monthly Thursday night training race in DSM) and/or Elkhart Time Trial series (same gig, but a time trial). If you are a member of Velorosa - you are welcome to any of our training/practice rides - but there are no expectations. 

Clear as mud??? :) 

Isn't that nice?  So, next Monday, I might will be going on my first ever "group ride."  Wish me luck.

BeavX is Kicking my Ass, Still 

But, I did my first "half-pull up."  Ed held my legs and I pushed against him, but I still cranked out three.  Whew.  I think my goal is going to be to be able to do one push-up.

I still think I need more cardio, but I perhaps the group rides will take care of that. 

Lots more news, including Disney World (maybe) and running a 5k with my mom (also maybe).  And, maybe a little of conference presentation + fitness + healthy eating ennui last week.  But, we'll get to all that when I come up on the other side of this presentation.  

Boom.