Uncategorized – Page 34

July 11, 2014July 11, 2014

Stage 7: Never Give Up

Oh my spirits flagged midday. I had a successful shopping excursion to get warmer clothes for the Alps. Just as I gave up on France having sunshine it popped out for bit this afternoon. Since I packed for the weather I experienced in Europe last July, I have plenty of sundresses and not enough long pants and layers. Thanks to a big sale at Go Sports I have a ski jacket and a hideous pink turtleneck (both will go to Goodwill in Paris before I fly home). I also received kind help from a couple from Perth in the pharmacy who recommended the Strepsil for my throat and shared their around the world travel plans.

When I got to the train station I learned that I had 2 trains and a bus to get to Nancy. I took a deep breath and dove in and it all worked like clockwork. I checked into a better hotel and turned on the television for my daily ritual of “how many kilometers to go?” I waivered for a bit in my room. I could not figure out what day it was, what stage. I looked out the window and wondered, “Why am I doing this?” And then I started out and I met a lovely couple from South Africa also staying at my hotel and walking to the Tour finish line.

With about 3 hours to wait, there was already 2-4 people deep along the barricades before and after the finish. I picked a spot just 20 feet after the finish with only 2 people deep. I set up my REI chair and did some knitting. Now that I have seen the caravan a few times it is easy to just relax and enjoy the atmosphere and not stress over catching stuff. Interestingly they do not toss swag near the finish line. I guess even though there is an hour or more before the racers arrive, they do not want to have any hazards on the course.

I love being small and slipping through the crowd to get to the finish in the first place, and then my height is a disadvantage. Once the crowd starts to squeeze in I wish I were as tall as my brother Dean (+12″) and as broad shouldered so I could hold my ground. Ah well, crowd behavior is similar the world over. The finish was so close everyone around me called it for Peter Sagan. He is a favorite with fans and even has his own hard core fan club. (In fact they were so noisy with the air horns during the awards presentations that the gendarmes hustled them out of the VIP section.)

Even the actual winner Matteo Trentin thought Sagan must have won. Until the officials told him he won. The photo finish is my inspiration for today. Never give up.

I stopped for a bite to eat on my way back to the hotel and I realized that whatever day it is, tomorrow I am headed to Mulhouse and will see Harriet and Brian and Grace and Nora. I am loved and they are adored. I am getting my second wind. Life is great.

Watch this video for one of the most thrilling 1 kilometer of the Tour 2014: http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x21awbk_en-the-flamme-rouge-the-last-kilometre-stage-7-epernay-nancy_sport

July 8, 2014July 8, 2014

Absolutely Fabulous Stage 3 in London

When I met my Trek Travel team in the hotel lobby I was so excited that I was shaking. We were about to ride from the Olympic Village to the finish line on the Tour de France route. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to ride through London without traffic.

We set off from the Olympic Park in Stratford and only made it a short distance before we had to pause because the streets were not closed on time. It is the largest annual sporting event in the world and it is a logistical marvel, but nothing is perfect. I learned a “traffic leak” is when traffic is stopped and a car gets through.

Trek Travel arranged it so we could ride the last 25 kilometers of the race. Guide Gabe followed us in the van with rock classics blaring. We were a moving party and the spectators and volunteers cheered us on. We stopped several times for photos and marveled again and again at “pinch me” moments. We rode through the Limelight Tunnel, past Tower of London, along the Thames, then under the shadow of parliament and Big Ben with no traffic.

When we turned the corner and saw the Queen Victoria War Memorial my heart skipped a beat. It is so beautiful and iconic and here we were on our bicycles. In addition, the crowds began cheering and beating the boards on the barriers. It was beyond thrilling. We all had silly grins on our faces and felt like rock stars.

When we arrived at the finish line we stopped for a brief photo op on the podium. Then it was a quick commute back to the hotel, lunch, and then off to the finish line with our VIP credentials. My orange bracelet gave me access to a viewing bus. I hopped up to the top (3 stories) and could see the finish line about 100 yards away. I scored two more autographs: Alexander Vinokourov (rode with Lance and with Astana) and the announcer Paul Sherwen.

Marcel Kittel won the sprint to the finish. It was fun to watch from my birds nest perch. Will not likely have that opportunity again. My favorite moment was a few minutes after the Peloton crossed the finish. A racer from Tinkoff-Saxo came straggling in and stopped on the side of the route and handed his water bottle to a 4 year old little boy. The boys face lit up and beamed as he cradled the water bottle in amazement. It was the sweetest moment.

I finagled my way to the side of the podium to see the Stage 3 jersey presentations. I spent quite a bit of time wandering around “behind the curtain” photographing the electricians, journalists and others who make the Tour go. (Look for blog on rest day.) Then I returned to the hotel to shower and change for dinner.

Our team went to Rowley’s in St James for dinner. We had a splendid meal and some good laughs. The night continued at the Hard Rock Cafe and the hotel bar. It was a late night especially as I have not been training for partying any more than I have for climbing hills! Good times.

If you have ever considered taking a Trek Tour bike adventure and were a little taken aback at the price, it is worth every cent because of the fabulous guides who make so much magic happen for our team. Thank you Gabe, Ilona and Sam. I will miss you in France.

June 30, 2014June 27, 2014

Honoring Uncle Frank: Anniversary of World War I

The 101st edition of the Tour de France is passing through many of the towns that I know better as battlefields from World War I. This is the 100th anniversary of the beginning of the War to End All Wars. (If only.) As I will be following the Tour de France from Leeds to Paris, I am taking this opportunity to learn more about my great Uncle Frank Estel Denham.

My uncle Frank Denham of Santa Rosa, California

In the last few months I have learned a great deal about him.

Frank was being groomed for working the family farm alongside his dad. Been reading about Germany’s machinations to distract the US from joining the Allies by ginning up conflicts with Mexico and Japan or both together in Barbara Tuchman’s The Zimmerman Telegram (non-fiction that reads like a great spy novel). This explains why after Uncle Frank was drafted he was first sent to Mexico and then to Britain and ultimately to the front in France.

Private Frank Denham sent these postcards to his family from England. — Private Frank Denham sent this photo postcards to his family from England.

I learned from staff at the Oddfellows/Santa Rosa Cemetery that Frank was not buried until July 1921, a full three years after his death in France. They surmise that he was buried in a temporary mass grave until they could eventually ship him home. He was the first of the fallen sons of Santa Rosa to be returned. The article in the Press Democrat mentioned city flags would fly at half-mast, businesses would close and full military honors would be presented at his funeral. I hope it brought some comfort to my great grandparents and sisters at the time.

We determined that he was in England on July 12, 1918 and died July 29, 1918 somewhere in France. His gravestone reads “Co K 109, Inf. A.E.F.” From reading various texts it is most likely that he was part of the Second Battle of the Marne and may have fallen near Chateau-Thierry.

If possible, I will go and pay my respects when I am on my way to Reims. If that proves too difficult, I will light a candle at the Cathedral in Reims.

You can read more about Frank E. Denham and what his loss meant to my family at http://redesigning49.com.

June 22, 2014

Ag & Art in Yolo County

Needing to learn some basics about photography I called my friend Bill Reid to give me some pointers. He invited me to the Yolo County Art and Ag Project. We left Davis early on Saturday morning and made our way to Chowdown Farm near Esparto.

Bill Reid taking a photo of the classic barn at Chowdown Farm.

After the frustration of watching the video tutorial for the Canon Rebel T5i (narration so quick it may as well as been in Spanish), getting a private coaching session with Bill empowered me to take lots of photos and try different camera settings.

The farm had handsome Dorper sheep, a hardy breed from South Africa, interesting trees and outbuildings including a classic barn.

It was very kind of the farmer Brian to open up the property to painters and photographers through the Art and Ag Project.

My camera is sufficient quality to challenge me for a very long time. Fortunately it also has an automatic setting that takes super pictures without any effort.

When we returned to Davis I downloaded my photos and I was very satisfied. We also watched a video from YouTube (YEAH for YouTube videos!).

I bought this camera to be able to supply better pictures for this blog. Hopefully with the “burst” feature (taking several photos a second) and the lenses I will be able to bring you the color of le Tour de France.

June 8, 2014

Magnificent Yosemite National Park

How easy it is to take for granted the treasures in our own backyard. How wonderful when we show a guest the place and see it as if for the first time through their eyes. Such is my recent experience exploring Yosemite with my friend UK Sarah. She was stopping over on her way home from UK to Auckland. We left Sacramento on Wednesday afternoon. Driving down Highway 99, we turned off in Merced and through Mariposa. We were aiming for Fish Camp and we missed the Google Map direction to turn off on Highway 49, so we went into Yosemite National Park through the Stone Arch Gate, then through Wawona, and into Fish Camp from the eastern side. I bought the yearly pass that gives me unlimited access to all national parks for a mere $80. A real bargain.

Along the way we saw practically tame mule deer along the road.

Plus we stopped at the vista point for the wonderful view just before the tunnel.

We stopped at the Wawona Hotel to eat dinner at the dining room, but the wait was 30 minutes–the same amount of time to drive to Fish Camp–so we pressed on to eat at the Narrow Gauge Inn. We checked into our room and dashed to the Narrow Gauge Inn dining room for a delicious dinner. The service was terrific and we met Lucy who makes the “puddings” so we had to try dessert. The carrot cake was divine.

Narrow Gauge Inn, Fish Camp near Yosemite

The next day we set off early for the Yosemite Valley. It was fun to witness Sarah’s reaction to El Capitan, the puzzle bark on Ponderosa Pines, the birds and other wildlife.

We parked by Yosemite Village store and visited the main visitor’s center before taking the bus to the Mirror Lake trail. I remember when the Mirror Lake was much larger; eventually it will be a meadow. This year in the drought it is not much wider than a small river. We hiked the horse trail side and enjoyed seeing woodpeckers, butterflies and trout. Surrounded by the grandeur of the granite walls and blue, blue sky, we delighted in our walk. We continued on to look at the Merced River tumbling over boulders near Happy Isles. Quite refreshing on a hot June day.

By this time we had finished our water and were ready for a cool drink on the patio of the Ahwahnee Hotel. I kept reassuring Sarah that we would get a good look at the Royal Arches once we were at the hotel. And we did. We paused long enough to read a little and enjoy a truffle from the gift shop.

After collecting the car, we stopped and walked to the base of lower Yosemite Falls before heading back to Fish Camp. So much beauty in one day!

May 28, 2014May 28, 2014

Powell’s Books Box Arrived Today

It is like Christmas. Or the day the Scholastic book order arrived in my classroom! I forgot some of the books I bought: some great used books on cycling and World War I. In among the treasures lay a book called Antarctic Antics: A Book of Penguin Poems by Judy Sierra. Enjoy the poem below while you watch the video from YouTube.

Penguins First Swim by Judy Sierra

Ten little penguins all in a line–

One jumps in, and now there are nine.

Nine little penguins, how they hesitate–

One tumbles in, and now there are eight.

Eight little penguins pushin’ and shovin’–

One slides in, and now there are seven.

Seven little penguins, scarcely more than chicks–

One slips in, and now there are six.

Six little penguins can’t decide to dive–

One falls i, and now there are five.

Five little penguins huddle on the shore–

One flops in, and now there are four.

Four little penguins fidget fearfully–

One hops in, and now there are three.

Three little penguins wonder what to do–

One rolls in, and now there are two…

Two little penguins missing all the fun–

They both leap in, and now there are…

Ten little penguins, brave as they can be,

Splashing in the waves of the salty southern sea.

May 21, 2014May 21, 2014

24 Hours in Portland

Recently spent 24 eventful hours in Portland for my friend Lisa’s birthday party. I flew in on Saturday morning in time to meet friends Dale and Erik for brunch. We texted back and forth while I was riding the MAX red line in from the airport. We settled on Mother’s Bistro and Bar. We enjoyed a delicious brunch and a great catch-up conversation. We walked to Powell’s for a book shopping expedition. (Hooray for Powell’s shipping service!) Then split up to go our separate shopping ways.

I promised other friends, Jen and Leslie, I would meet them at their hotel for a drink before the birthday party. I had a couple of hours to walk a couple of miles with my shoulder bag to my hotel in NW Portland. I was about 2/3 of the way to my destination and feeling a little foot sore when I spied a tea house in the middle of “nowhere.”

I entered the tea room and my spirit was immediately refreshed. After consultation with the barrista, I selected Kandy, a black tea described as “fragrant and intense, yet light in liquor, named for one of the sweetest towns in Sri Lanka.” My pot of tea was refreshing and I did a bit of tea shopping in anticipation of UK Sarah’s upcoming visit.

I continued hoofing it to my hotel (wishing I had brought my Brompton bike afterall). My hotel, the Silver Cloud Inn, was worth the effort: great price, spacious room, and good amenities.

I took a Radio Cab to the Sentinel Hotel and met my friends in the majestic lobby and lush bar. The cheese platter was the perfect amount for three to nosh on.

Lisa Goren is a very talented health care speaker, super smart, and wickedly funny friend. Over 50 of her lovely, funny friends gathered to celebrate her birthday. The food, the talent show, and the Ruby Jewel ice cream made an evening to remember.

The next morning some of us gathered at Clyde Common restaurant for a late breakfast. So much good food! The restaurant is next door to the super hip Ace Hotel. After a good long visit I caught a ride to the airport and was on my way to back to Sacramento.

With just 24 hours you can still literally get a taste of Portland and have Portlandia type experiences. Case in point, one of my cab drivers engaged me in conversation and shared his 2 pager on what’s wrong with the world’s economy. I would go back to Portland in a heartbeat.

Whole wheat pancakes with strawberries throughout makes for yummy goodness.

IFragrant and intense, yet light in liquor, this blend is named for one of the sweetest cities in Sri Lanka.

May 17, 2014May 12, 2014

Amazing Mac&Cheese at Homeroom

We arrived by bike and the sheer effort to get there created an appetite worthy of the Homeroom’s famous macaroni and cheese. We signed in because even at 2:00 p.m. on a Saturday there was a line. We waited about 20 minutes during which we drooled over (at a safe distance) the outside diners’ food. Mulitple friends had insisted that Austin try Homeroom with raves about the mac&cheese so we waited with much anticipation.

We decided to split an order of mac&cheese so we could also enjoy fresh asparagus in balsamic vinegar and save room for dessert. There are many variations to choose from and we went for the Macximus–a Greek inspired recipe with artichokes, spinach, feta cheese and we added chicken. Both the asparagus and the mac&cheese were delicious. We may not have had a lot of room for dessert and yet we were anxious to continue the dining experience. We ordered banana cream pie (in a mason jar) and a brownie sundae with caramel sauce. Both were incredibly satisfying. Now we were full.

The food is reasonably priced and makes an affordable urban dining spot. The service was excellent, and the decor in keeping with the theme of the schoolroom. The food may be inspired by the idea of food we loved in school, but I do not remember any of my cafeteria meals tasting this good!

4OO 4Oth Street, Oakland, CA 946O9 • (p) 51O.597.O4OO • hours: Sun-Sat 11am-1Opm, Closed Monday

May 12, 2014

Tour of California Time Trial in Folsom

I pedaled my Brompton across town and then jumped onto the train from Davis at 9:24 a.m. I asked the Amtrak conductor for a free transfer onto Light Rail once in Sacramento. Then I rode those rails to the end of the line in Folsom. All in pursuit of a day being a bike racing fan at the Amgen Tour of California. Today’s stage was the 12.5 mile time trial with a start and finish in old town Folsom. I arrived at 11:00 a.m. and spent time in the fan zone checking out the booths and picking up free samples of Jelly Bellys, and an Amgen TOC lanyard. I also bought a “Adios Jens” t-shirt at the Trek Racing Team booth. I also wandered around to get an idea of my viewing options.

At about 95 degrees, not a great day to be the California Bear mascot!

Amgen Tour of California inspired sugar cookie from Karen's Bakery — Amgen Tour of California inspired sugar cookie from Karen’s Bakery

The start ramp was on Sutter Street right in the heart of old town Folsom. The finish had a challenging 90 degree turn onto Leidesdorff Street 150 meters from the finish. I decided I would stake out a spot along the barrier after I grabbed lunch at Karen’s Bakery. The Bakery is a popular spot for cyclists and the finish was right in front of the outdoor dining space. Karen rented sold out the space at $200 a seat, all you can eat. That is a good deal, however, I prefer being right on the rails.

I used my REI portable chair and enjoyed almost an hour of time knitting before the race began. The couple next to me went to the race in Sacramento on Sunday. It was fun learning more of the details about that stage. A large television screen across the road began broadcasting the race at 2:00 p.m. The first rider left the gate at 1:05 and it took over 26 minutes to finish. Thus began the ritual of cheering 128 riders approximately every minute or so.

The last time I watched an Amgen TOC time trial was in Sacramento. I was able to download the order of riders and take a printed copy so I could track our progress. I went to the Amgen welcome center and got a program. They said the order of riders is on the “Tour Tracker” application. I had downloaded the app the day before, so I found the list, only it did not include the rider’s numbers and when they left the gate the disappeared from the list, so it wasn’t helpful for knowing when your favorite riders would be riding to the finish. Nonetheless, our fan group at about 125 meters enjoyed ourselves. We especially enjoyed competing to see who could catch the riders with our cameras.

As the afternoon wore on the riders finished in faster and faster times. 24:02 was the time to beat until Bradley Wiggins started his time trial. This is only the second stage and the first stage ended in a bunch sprint, so Mark Cavendish was wearing the yellow jersey and was last to ride. Of the general classification riders, the favorites are Bradley Wiggins and Taylor Phinney. The winner of the Olympic Gold Medal and the Tour de France 2012 decides to make a statement and he blistered the course. I am surprised I caught him on film. He finished in 23:18. Taylor Phinney rode well and placed third in the time trial but is now chasing Wiggins by 52 seconds.

The final rider is one of my favorites: Mark Cavendish, aka the Manx Missile. I only caught the beginning of his bike, though in this shot you can see the television screen and the barriers more clearly. No one expected Cavendish to stay in the yellow jersey but there is something about being the leader and as often happens he rode the best time trial of his career.

At this point I had to decide whether to stay and watch the awards or head to the Bike Valet and pick up my Brompton and catch the Light Rail back to the Sacramento Valley Train Station. After all of the sun, I was ready to head home. Great day and a great reminder of why I love watching cycling live.

May 10, 2014May 11, 2014

Urban Bicycling in Oakland, California

Needing to stage a trial run for my Le Tour adventure I arranged to meet my friend Austin for a day of cycling, eating, shopping and fun in Oakland. I barely made it to the Davis station before the train’s departure. The station manager helped me purchase my ticket and directed me to the right car. I pushed my Brompton onto the train and folded Black Beauty and stowed her on the luggage rack. I was a little nervous about leaving her on her own as I climbed the stairs to my seat.

Riding the train is so much more fun than driving. 1. No traffic. 2. I can use the time to finish my book, or stare out the window; either way it is very relaxing. 3. My round trip ticket cost $54 for an adult fare. If you compare to the mileage ($0.56 per mile equals $72.80) plus bridge toll ($5.00) plus potential parking fees.

Austin and I exchanged emails earlier to share ideas about places to go and things to see. I have been collecting Oakland travel articles from Sunset Magazine and other publications. It was 9:30 a.m. and we set off on our bikes to Temescal Alley, featured in two magazines. Have you noticed how some places get all kinds of attention and then you go and wonder what the fuss?

We parked our bikes and stepped into Doughnut Dolly for a creme filled donut. Dolly has a focused approach to doughnuts–you select either raised doughnut with granular sugar or powdered sugar, then select a filling and they inject them and they are ready to go. It’s an interesting idea and we munched our doughnuts on a bench outside. We compared our Yelp rating systems and I like Austin’s. One or two stars neither of us bother to review. Three stars we would go back if friends all wanted to go there. Four stars is awarded to a great place we would return to if we were in the neighborhood and five stars for a fabulous place that we would go out of our way to visit again and again. Doughnut Dolly was a 3 for me and a 3.5 to 4 stars for Austin.

We took off on our bikes to Telegraph Avenue towards downtown Oakland. We made a U-turn to stop at the Bee Healthy Honey store. We both love bees and are fascinated with beekeeping. It is a lovely shop and smelled like hamsters (pine shavings from the newly constructed hives reminded us of a clean hamster cage).

Continuing on our way we took a slightly circuitous route to the Oakland Museum. I have been meaning to go to this museum for years. We looked at the current exhibits and decided we really wanted to see the Giant Robot exhibit. My Crocker Museum membership includes a North American reciprocal benefit so I did not have to pay the $15 entrance fee. The “SuperAwesome: Art and Giant Robot” exhibit was super awesome.

And when did museums step up their quality of their cafe dining? I bought a bowl of sweet potato pistachio soup at the museum’s Blue Oak Cafe and it was delicious. Note to self, bring protein to eat with donuts to avoid bonking from sugar rush and plummet.

Next we rode around Lake Merritt. The trails around the lake are not exactly bike friendly. We stopped at one point for a march organized to keep attention to the plight of the kidnapped girls in Nigeria. By this time we were feeling peckish so we began riding our bikes to Homeroom, a highly recommended eatery in another part of Oakland. (Review to follow in next post). We departed from the recommended route on Google Maps and discovered that Google Maps bicycle routes had probably been saving us from big hills. Black Beauty’s brakes work. I also discovered Oakland has not paved some of their streets for decades (think cobblestones) and the Brompton is a comfortable ride. By the time we got to the restaurant we were ready for a good long lunch break.

We had one more stop: a yarn store called A Verb for Keeping Warm at 6328 San Pablo Avenue. The yarn and fabric store is terrific and we enjoyed a good browse and a little shopping.

At this point we were close to the Emeryville train station and we pedaled there. The return train trip was very relaxing and just as easy to travel with my bike. The day made a successful test drive.

I have to figure out a lightweight option for locking the Brompton. And my bike repair classmates feel I should always keep my Brooks bike saddle with me. I am also very interested in the foldable helmet that my friend Hetta brought to my attention.