Birthday [...]]]> It was 6 pm by the time Tim and I had driven the 270 miles north up I15 to Salt Lake.   We pulled into Jimmie and Keri’s driveway next to the Garage Mahal and were greeted by the birthday boy himself.  Jimmie had completed 41 trips around the sun and was ready to celebrate.

Birthday Boarding

He and Tim grabbed their longboards and skated to the Italian restaurant while Keri and I followed by foot beneath the darkening storm clouds.   We feasted on veal, salmon and piles of pasta.  Tim and I had lost a couple lbs from our earlier flu and this weekend we were destined to put it all back on and then some.  Charley and Amanda joined us midway through our meal and we had kicked back with wine and Bud Light (the restaurant’s only beer choice….we love SLC).

Stuffed, we walked across the street to Dick & Dixie’s for obligatory Birthday tequila shots.   By this time, the clouds had opened up and torrents of rain were flooding the streets.  The ladies opted for a car ride home, but Tim and Jimmie stuck with their original commitment and longboarded through 3 inch puddles to get back home.

Lucky!

The next morning, we got an early start.  It was Trish Hauschild’s graduation from the University of Utah Medical School and we knew there would be a fight for seats.  We arrived just in time to join Jimmy H, his mom Anne, sister Janice and brother Mike and nephew Nicholas for the festivities.  3 hours later it was official – a Dr. Hauschild was in the house.  Next up is a surgery residency at the U.   Our friend Jahan is also a new surgical resident, heading to Mass General.  We had a lot to celebrate.

Doctors!

We piled in the car and headed up to Park City for the party.  Somehow the amazing Trish managed to not only graduate, but then put together a huge spread for friends and family.  We ate and toasted and ate and toasted the new docs.

Stuffed…again, we returned to SLC.  Jimmie Shell had an early flight to Virginia the next morning so we finished the night with bike ride around the park (girls biking – towing Tim and Jimmie on their longboards) and a low key bonfire.

Happy Hauschilds

Sunday morning was the first pretty day we’d seen since arriving to Salt Lake on Friday.  We put on our Sunday best and drove Frank to the Grand America Hotel.  Jahan’s family was throwing a huge brunch graduation celebration and we were invited as honorary Hauschilds.   This Salt Lake institution knows how to put on a brunch.  Sushi, lamb, waffles, prime rib, omelets, crepes, crab, shrimp, ceviche were just a few selections on the incredible buffet menu.  Did I mention the 3 foot tall chocolate fondue fountain?

It was a joyous and filling feast.

After our enormous meal and hugs all around, Tim and I said goodbye.  After this whirlwind dining fest in Salt Lake, we were traveling  back down to Gooseberry Mesa on our way to Prescott, AZ.  Before pointing Frank back down I15, we checked in with friends Dirk and Nicole for a quick hello on our way out of town.  Then it was back on the road for another 270 miles and another celebration.

Posted from Salt Lake City, Utah, United States.

Book Cliffs Sportsmobile Jamboree

We settled in for a [...]]]> After 3 days of biking and working at the Book Cliffs, Tim, Lisa and I packed up for a day in town. Jamis had come through and sent a new rear triangle and Tim’s bike was ready. It was time to end his week long pedaling hiatus.

Book Cliffs Sportsmobile Jamboree

We settled in for a work day at the Aspen Street Coffee Shop. While we waited for our first cups of caffeine, I picked up the free local paper.  At the top of page 3 was an promo for the Palisades’ Classic Bike Festival on Saturday. I brought it over to Tim and Lisa.  Bike races, BBQ, winery tours, scavenger hunts and bands popped off the page.  The weather looked good and we decided we shouldn’t miss it. Registration started that afternoon so we did our errands and drove a half an hour east.

Scenic Escapes

Palisades is a small town 10 miles east of Grand Junction at the base of the western slope of the Rockies.  Their motto is “Life Tastes Good Here” and as you drive down the highway you can see its many wineries and orchards.  We hadn’t been there before and weren’t sure what to expect when we drove downtown.  It was 7:oo pm and we arrived just as the opening Festival party was wrapping up at the Twisted Brick Gallery.

We walked in to register and 30 minutes later we felt like we amongst old friends.   The guys of Rapid Creek Cycles showed us as much hospitality as we’d seen on our entire trip across the States.   We chatted about trails and town over Jello shots and snacks.  When they learned we had vans, they invited us to camp overnight in their parking lot so that we wouldn’t have to leave town that night.  We took them up on their offer.  Tim had registered to race in the 34 mile Grand Mesa Grinder at 7:30 am so we knew we’d need an early start.  Lisa and my races started more leisurely at 10 am but breakfast needed to be cooked by 6:30 to get Tim on the trail.

Morning Joe

It was about 11 when the rain started.  By 5 am the next morning, it was obvious there would be no race.  The entire valley was socked in with clouds and cold drizzle.  We went to our computers to reassess.  We scanned weather websites looking for sunshine in the forecast and found it 100 miles away in Moab.   So at 7 am Saturday morning, we packed up again and started driving.  After errands in Grand Junction, we turned south into the sun.  Gradually the clouds and rain broke up and by the time we reached Moab, we were back in the 70’s.

Gemini Bridges Blur

We camped at our favorite spot at Willow Springs and then got on our bikes for a 13 mile ride out to Gemini Bridges.  The sun was hot and the ride was gorgeous, climbing back into the canyons towards Canyonlands.  That night we soaked in the warm night under the stars.  We knew we’d made the right call.

Photo Ops

Biking under Blue Skies

Moab Views

Sunday morning was even more perfect.  We cooked up an enormous Cowboy Omelet and planned our day’s ride.  We decided to go back to Porcupine Rim.  Tim dropped Lisa and I at the trailhead and drove the 10 miles back to town to start his ride.

Lisa's Bike Shop

Porcupine Rim was an entirely different ride than my last try 3 weeks earlier.  With Lisa leading the way, the rocks seemed smaller, the steeps seemed less steep and we had a blast.   Though Tim was 10 miles behind us, he still caught us ¾ of the way through the downhill and we all rode out together.   The day was hot and we celebrated with ice cream malts and burgers under the shady oak at Milt’s Diner in Moab.

Porcupine Rim - Starts with a Smile

Tired and well fed, we said good bye to Lisa and prepared to get back on the road.  Lisa was heading east again to pick up BJ from the airport in Grand Junction, while Tim and I were heading west to meet Dan and Rebecca on Gooseberry Mesa.

6 hours later, very early Monday morning, we pulled into camp.   We received a big Staebler greeting under the stars and settled in for a short sleep.   Next morning we woke up to the familiar view of Zion’s towers in the distance.  Life is Always good on the Mesa.

Is that a Clown?

This was the start of the annual Fruita 18 Hour Bike Race. At 12:00 am Saturday morning, riders sprinted to their bikes and [...]]]> It was dark and cold at midnight. Fires dotted the camps. And down by the lake, 87 bikers prepared for a very long night.

Is that a Clown?

This was the start of the annual Fruita 18 Hour Bike Race. At 12:00 am Saturday morning, riders sprinted to their bikes and muscled each other out over the single track to be the first around Highline Lake. It’s two wheeled mayhem. By the third lap, the riders had distanced themselves from each other enough to create some welcome breathing room.

Built for Feed

Support

More Support

This year we had 4 teams racing. Tim and Geoff raced as duo Men – alternating each lap for 18 hours straight. Each lap was about 35-40 minutes so downtime was minimal. I was part of one of two ladies foursomes from Jackson. We had a much longer break. We each started with two laps during the night and then went to one each during the day. It never seemed like much of a rest, but we had far more than the guys. Our friends Derek and Lisa from Denver were racing Co-ed duo. They each raced 2 or 4 laps a piece before they kicked their feet up.

Pre Race Prep

Mary Lynn on the Climb

Lisa R on the Switchbacks

Martha heads up

Quigley Climbs

More Clown

Mareike with Beaver Tail

With so many strategies, you never knew who’d be in camp, but the constant coming and going of racers added a lot of excitement. It was a great time. Sarah, Geoff’s girlfriend, supported the guys while BJ, Barry and Sam aided the girls. Part of the guys support was performing duties in full costume. BJ wore his clown suit until he had to catch a flight early in the morning for Mexico. He passed the clown wig to Sam who complemented it with a full length gown for the duration of the race. We couldn’t have asked for a more spirited band of cheerleaders.

Rest Break

Round and round we all went with only one spill. It wasn’t until about 15 hours into the day that we suffered a serious casualty. As I was getting ready to ride, Marieka rode into the race gates. “Tim broke his bike!” she shouted.

End of Tim's Race

Sam jumped into action. He grabbed his bike and rode it – fully gowned – to where Tim sat on the track. Tim then traded bikes, finished his lap and called it quits. A support on his aluminum frame had cracked completely in half. The Jamis had served him well for 5 years but had had enough.

Malt Liquor Stop

He then joined the guys and cheered the ladies on for their last laps. Final standings ended up with Tim and Geoff at 9th of 15 (though they were 6th before the great bike breakage), Ladies finishing 3rd and 4th of 5 teams (we comfort ourselves knowing that 1 and 2 were both pro teams) and Derek & Lisa winning the Co-ed duo. We celebrated the victory with tequila, tacos and camp fires.

Champions!

Third!

Taco Line

Next day, Tim and I were off to town to see what could be done with his bike, while everyone else did some riding. Good news from Jamis: they lifetime warranty their frames so now we wait for the new piece to arrive. Meanwhile Tim borrowed Derek’s 29er for the day and they pedaled up and down the Book Cliffs.

Now 2 days later all the riders and supporters have headed home. It’s back to Tim, Lisa R and me. We’ll stick around until BJ, Lisa’s boyfriend, flies back to Grand Junction from his 6 day bachelor party in Mexico. From there we’re westward bound. We’ll squeeze as much sunshine as we can out of the days until we head back to snowy JH in 3 weeks!

Highline Lake – 18 Hours Of Fruita (End)

Total Distance: 11.47 km (7.1 mi) Total Time: 51:37 Moving Time: 44:50 Average Speed: 13.62 km/h (8.5 mi/h) Average Moving Speed: 15.35 km/h (9.5 mi/h) Max Speed: 37.41 km/h (23.2 mi/h) Min Elevation: [...]]]> Two hours until our midnight start and then 18 hours worth of laps. A pre-ride of the course yielded this map!

Highline Lake – 18 Hours Of Fruita (End)

Total Distance: 11.47 km (7.1 mi)
Total Time: 51:37
Moving Time: 44:50
Average Speed: 13.62 km/h (8.5 mi/h)
Average Moving Speed: 15.35 km/h (9.5 mi/h)
Max Speed: 37.41 km/h (23.2 mi/h)
Min Elevation: 1413 m (4635 ft)
Max Elevation: 1465 m (4808 ft)
Elevation Gain: 151 m (494 ft)
Max Grade: 3 %
Min Grade: -8 %
Recorded: Fri May 07 17:21:46 MDT 2010
Activity type: mountain biking

View Highline Lake – 18 Hours Of Fruita in a larger map

Sizing up the Cacti

First we dropped in on Tucson where we spent a day with my [...]]]> Tim and I wanted HOT and after 3 months of travel through semitropical climes, we finally found it in Arizona.   With temperatures in the low to mid 80′s every day, we are staying put for a while.

Sizing up the Cacti

First we dropped in on Tucson where we spent a day with my brother Brett and his wife Peg.  We barbecued (delicious high point), watched the WVU Mountaineers suffer a crushing defeat in the hands of Duke in the Final Four (ugly, hair tearing out, gnashing of teeth low point), and then bounced back with a late night sharing baby pictures, new music and great stories (much redeeming high point).  After an Easter Cowboy Omelet the next morning, Tim and I continued on to Scottsdale to see Ann and Scott.

Full Size

We always look forward to our visits with Ann and Scott and whenever we get together it’s like no time has passed.   They have rented a beautiful house in Scottsdale and Tim and I easily settled into a routine of working, breakfast all together catching up, more work (preferably in the sunshine by the pool), a bike ride exploring the miles of desert trails just a mile out the door, and then a yummy family dinner.   After so much travel, it is like coming home.

Endless Desert

After a week relaxing, we decided to explore the nearby McDowell Mountain Regional Park.   Just on the other side of the mountains from Scottsdale, McDowell is a beautiful, even lush, desert environment.  Twenty foot cactuses dot the hills and this spring, the flowers are in full bloom.  We were unprepared for the exotic pollen that hung in the air and our allergies let us know.  But regardless of our runny noses, we managed to enjoy every moment of the miles of single track bike trails that wind up and down over desert washes.

Watch for Snakes!

Known for it’s sweet singletrack biking and unusually large population of Diamond Back Rattlesnakes, McDowell is place to both enjoy and be very vigilant.  So far we’ve seen 3 rattlesnakes of various shapes and sizes.  When I asked the Park Ranger if there was any chance that the 3 foot long tan snake I’d seen sunning in front of the ladies restroom door wasn’t poisonous, she assured me that it probably was.

“great…” I said.

“It’s okay”, she said, “we have very low incidents of snake bites despite being one of the largest pockets of rattlesnakes in America.  And the good news,” she added cheerfully, “is that we have very few scorpions!”

Thank goodness for small favors…

So we ride and work and ride and make sure the doors are shut at night.  It’s good living here in gorgeous AZ.

View Rattlesnake Road in a larger map

Rattle Snake Road – 2 Snakes 1 Ride

Live [...]]]> With those 3 B’s you can’t go wrong. Thursday we drove to the airport to pick up Jimmie Shell, Keri Schwab and Jimmy Hauschild, all in from Salt Lake to see some music and celebrate Tim’s 40th Birthday. We immediately went downtown to get everyone acclimated to the nuttiness that is Austin during SXSW.

Live Music Capital of the World

Even at 2 pm, music poured out onto the street from the 80 bars that showcase new talent. We had been concerned that we may not get into venues if we didn’t have SXSW Music Badges, but we quickly learned that we’d been wise to save our money. Rarely did we ever pay a cover, much less be blocked from the shows.    The 5 of us started the afternoon walking Austin’s famed 6th Street and then retired for the NCAA opening round in Champions Sports Bar. We called the day early, knowing that the weekend would be busy.

Gettin' Wild in TX

Friday morning we relaxed with several fine Austin Lone Star RV Park Breakfast Tacos and then bussed downtown mid afternoon.  It would be our first full night of music and we couldn’t get enough. The night was warm and open aired bars played until 2 am. We visited the bikini clad waitresses at….well, you guessed it…Bikinis, we went to Maggie Maes where 4 stages all play different genres, but really enjoyed the scene at the Blind Pig Pub. Here we saw one of our hightlights, Citizen Icon. Keri, Jimmy and I danced while Jimmie and Tim watched the many upsets of the Tourney in the back. The bar is the second floor with just a sheet of canvas overhead and you are dancing under the stars.

Birthday Crew at The Pig

As the night grew later we saw great bluegrass at Dublins, and then wound up at the LOUD and raucous Emos. By 2:30 am we were standing on the corner curb vying with 2,000 others for cabs. Jimmie came through by flagging down a gypsy cab, who whisked us back to the RV Park in her private car. It was actually a much more pleasant ride than your standard cab.

New Arrivals

Though Sunday was the official Birthday Day, the celebration began Saturday afternoon as we eagerly awaited Kevin Frazier and Mark Weiser’s arrival for their 24 hours in Austin. With the power of geomapping we could watch their travels towards Austin on a minute by minute basis. By 3:00 we were all together. The weather had turned and things had gotten chilly, but bundled up in our down we were back on the town. We proceeded to go BACK to Bikinis, perhaps not a surprise, and then make our way bar by bar to Stubbs BBQ for Tim’s birthday dinner. Stubbs was a madhouse. After an hour wait we finally made it into the dining room. There we had a the most amazingly rude waitress and watched as her manager asked a table to leave because they’d taken so long. The food was delicious, but the service was atrocious and when it was time for the bill we couldn’t believe we’d been autograted 18%.

I am typically pretty generous but I had to speak up. I went to the manager and asked her to remove the tip.  She did, and in the meantime told me their tale. Stubbs is one of the most popular BBQ joints in downtown Austin. They had a line out the door for hours and meanwhile Bill Murray sat in the bar waiting for a table.  So she’d gone from table to table trying to uproot them to seat the famous comedian.  She was afraid for her job if she didn’t get him his table.  Meanwhile Bill left, most the patrons were angry and she was at her wit’s end.  By the time she’d finished I ended up leaving 20%.  Yes, I am a sucker, but that is a downright bad night. This is SXSW.

Michael Monroe

Meanwhile our night had just gotten started. Tim and I had briefly lost everyone and had no cell power left. We walked the 4 blocks back to the van in order to plug in and find out where everyone had gone. I guess we all had the same idea. 5 minutes later we were all reunited at the van, got on more warm clothes and went back out to the party. Bands led to more bands and we ended the night with Michael Monroe, an androgenous long haired heavy metal saxophone player who bounded from the top of the bar, back to the stage, to the top of the 6 foot tall speakers with vigor. Surrounded by great friends, there was no better way to ring in Tim’s 40th.

And More Michael Monroe

The next morning we were all pretty beat. We rousted each other out of bed and made our way downtown to Moonshiners. Here for $16 you can get everything from Belgian waffles to green chile cheddar grits to corn flake fried chicken to egg taco casserole. Even Weis who is not a breakfast eater found plenty to fill his plate. After brunch and a $3.00 Bloody Mary, we started to feel human again.

Weis says Go Heels...

Tim’s birthday was then spent doing what he likes best, watching basketball in fun sports bars followed by a whole mess of burgers at one of Austin’s finest burger joints.  Though our picks are a disaster following the games, it was an amazing day.

Cowboy Impersonator

But a Real Sheriff

Monday we reluctantly said goodbye to everyone.  Tim and I then drove out to McKinney State Park to quiet the ringing in our ears. With the exception of getting some new leaf springs on Frank and a terrific lunch with Laura Hancock, we’ve stayed holed up in our peaceful campground.  As fun as it is to party like a 20 year old…40 ain’t so bad either!

Austin City Limits

We started our week at McKinney Falls State Park where we camped for 3 days prior to the start of the [...]]]> We arrived to Austin 10 days ago and have only now taken a breathe.  Classes, speakers and nonstop music, parties and nightlife are the name of the game during SXSW.

Austin City Limits

We started our week at McKinney Falls State Park where we camped for 3 days prior to the start of the festivities.  Even 3 days before, the town was starting to amp up for SXSW, a huge 25,000 person conference that brings together geeks, musicians, record labels, film producers and actors in an surprisingly cohesive intersection of Interactive Media.

A Break Between Sessions

Dan from Vertical Media arrived on Friday just in time for the kick off.  Our next days began  at 9 for the first conference session and lasted until 2 am when the last bands were wrapping up. We didn’t want to miss anything. Each morning the three of us would discuss our strategy in order to see as many of the sessions as we could. We heard about what’s hot – Twitter, Twitter, Twitter; what’s new – Location Specific Advertising – your phone knows where you are and now Google, 4 Square and Gowalla do too; and what’s next – Neuroscience and Technology are combining in Orwellian ways – measuring your thoughts, motivations and intentions by tracking the brain’s electrical activity. 60 minutes also put together a fascinating piece for more info.

BBQ that is Worth the Wait

In between the fascinating, we also learned about more relevant topics such as web design, funding a new company, driving conversion, and remote company management. For 5 days, we all felt like we’d been drinking out of a fire hose.

Tim's Dedication to his Droid Scares Dan and I...That Name is No Coincidence

When the session doors closed at 6 pm, it was time to see the city. Google, Microsoft, Rackspace, Digg, Adobe and AOL all tried to outdo each other with free beer, food, music and “swag” (Tim won a $200 HD Zune for the cleverest Tweet about Yammer Enterprise Microblogging….Three years ago that sentence would have been complete jibberish – we’ve come  a long way).  Saturday was BBQ and bar hopping at Stubbs and 6th Street. Sunday we ate the hottest tacos in our entire lives: Austin’s famed Nuclear Taco, a flaming toxic concoction of habaneros and ground beef. Monday night as we bounced from stage to stage at the huge Maggie Mae’s, Tim’s Droid lit up.  Quinton Tarantino had arrived, Twitter tweeted.  We never saw him of course, but it was still cool to be at the same party.

Enough Said

After 5 nights of socializing, St. Patty’s Day, turned out to be relatively quiet.  The Interactive and Film portions of SXSW are done and now Austin is rocking from dawn to dawn with 1500 bands. We laid low in the campground for the day and were treated to a free banquet of corned beef and cabbage put on by the campground staff. After stuffing ourselves on Irish staples, I sent Tim and Dan to hit the town while I caught up on the blog.  Tomorrow Jimmy, Jimmie and Keri arrive to continue the celebration.  Austin ain’t seen nothing yet.

Nuclear Tacos: This Can't be a Good Idea

During our blogging hiatus we missed several important occasions over the past several days:  Happy Birthday to BJ, Leroy and Ross, and a particularly HUGE congratulations to Tim and Betsy!  Yesterday after many long hours of labor, the world was finally introduced to Nicasio Cabradilla. Mom, Dad and new gorgeous baby are all doing great!

Tuesday night Tim and I got a treat of a lifetime.  For Christmas, Leroy and Sylvia gave us a night’s stay at Nottoway Plantation, the largest remaining antibellum mansion in the southern United States.   The Bradshaws have a unique connection to this home in White Castle, LA.

The original owner, John Hampden [...]]]>

Nottoway Plantation

Tuesday night Tim and I got a treat of a lifetime.  For Christmas, Leroy and Sylvia gave us a night’s stay at Nottoway Plantation, the largest remaining antibellum mansion in the southern United States.   The Bradshaws have a unique connection to this home in White Castle, LA.

The original owner, John Hampden Randolph, was born in Nottoway County, VA, near Blackstone Virginia in 1813.  He left his beloved Nottoway to grow sugarcane in Louisiana.  When he arrived, the parcel of land on the banks of the Mississippi  that he hoped to buy was not for sale.  So instead he settled miles from the river and began purchasing parcels of land one acre at a time.  Over the next 17 years he owned  not only the parcel he originally hoped for but a total of 7000 acres.  Now as a very successful farmer, he built a home that befitted his station.

A Grand Entrance

8 years and 80,000 dollars later, Nottoway Plantation was born on the banks of the Mississippi, named for Randolph’s  birthplace in Virginia.   The majestic house survived the Civil War with only a single cannon shot lodged in a pillar.  When Union Soldiers arrived to the area, they visited the plantation with a white flag in hand.  A ranking Union officer had known Randolph’s son in college and had even spent a night in their home prior to the war.  He promised to keep the Plantation safe – and it was never harmed.

Only 4 people have owned the house since.  Today it is owned by Sir Paul Ramsey, an Aussie, who purchased the property in 1985 for $4 million dollars.  Since then he put in an additional $10 million to refurbish the property and repair the damage from Hurricane Gustav in 2008.

Beautiful Breakfast

Today the property and people are incredible.  Tim and I drank Mint Julips in the Coachman Bar followed by Etoufee and Red Snapper in the new dining room.   We slept in the Plantation’s oldest building, the luxurious Overseer’s Cabin, and ate breakfast under the ancient Live Oaks.  We learned about the symbolism within the ornate carved crown mouldings that decorate the mansion and worked using the fastest internet we’ve had on our entire trip.  No detail was overlooked.

Thank you so much to Leroy and Sylvia for this amazing experience!

Our Newest "Beach" Front Address

Today finds us deep in the bayou at Sam Houston Jones State Park.  On our way here, we stopped at Mulate’s in Beaux Bridge, where a cajun band plays every night and you can find all the fried frog legs that you can eat.  We stayed for the band and the Maryland/Duke Game.  The manager was a born and bred Creole Duke fan, a rare combination.  We traded good natured jabs and watched what ended up being an excellent game, cajun style!

Friday [...]]]> Today we find ourselves in Central Standard Time for the first time in 6 months. It’s hard to believe we’ve spent an entire half year on the East Coast. Today we’ve landed at Grayton Beach, recommended by Mel V…it’s a beautiful spot in the Florida Panhandle. But I have to confess, getting here was tough.

Friday morning, Tim and I woke up in Fort Myers with few plans. We knew 3 things for sure: 1. we needed to get on the move if we were ever going to make it to New Orleans to meet Casey in 2 weeks 2. we wanted to stay warm 3. one of these two goals would have to be sacrificed. It was no contest…so we packed up and headed north.  But before we got too far along, we turned West towards Sanibel Island for an unexpected reunion.

Shelling on Sanibel

Just a few days earlier, Tim had gotten an email from our Jackson friends, Steve and Heather, asking if we were still in Florida.  Tim responded yes, that we were in Fort Myers and Steve told him that they were just 10 miles away on Sanibel. It was a great coincidence. We drove over the bridge and spent a fabulous afternoon catching up with Steve, Heather and their incredibly charming 10 month old son Asa.

A Lucky Reunion

After getting the news from home and sharing some laughs, we piled back into Frank and drove about halfway up the state to Alafia River State Park.  We were no where near a beach which was new for us, but Alafia River has a different draw. It is known as some of the best “mountain” biking in Florida.  Tim and I were snootishly skeptical when we started our first ride. “Come on,” we said, “how tough can it be? Florida’s highest point is all of 345 feet above sea level.”

Florida Off Road Biking

2 hours later when Tim tumbled down a 15 foot hill face first into a 3 foot mucky swamp and I was pushing my bike over my 10th hill, we were humbled.  This is without a doubt the most fun (even covered in swamp water) that we’d had on a bike on the entire east coast. From the Gator’s Back to the River Loop, Alafia is fabulous riding. In 24 hours, we did 3 rides and were bumped, bruised and giggling.

The Gator Back...scarier than the real thing...

Spanish Moss at Sunset

North Creek at Alafia

Over the Swamp

It was only Tim’s broken pivot screw that convinced us we needed to leave on Sunday morning. We did a quick Jamis (Tim’s Mountain Bike Creator) search and drove into nearby Tampa.  On the way we got another humility check.   Just outside of Alafia, we’d stopped into a gas station for some diesel. While we sat by the gas pumps, in drove an enormous, shiny black 6 doored Ford F750. Yes I said 750. I’ve never seen a truck with more attitude.  Frank is typically perceived as a pretty large vehicle, but compared to this machine, Frank looked like a Mini Cooper. Out climbed a very large, very fit, very intimidating man.  We immediately knew he was famous. After some googling and putting together the clues (the baseball and #52 on the mudflaps helped) we knew we’d seen Jose Contreras, a pitcher for the Philly’s, down on Spring training.

We drove away further humbled.

Long Boarding Tampa

In Tampa, we stopped at the local Jamis dealer.  We had about a 1/2 hour to wait for him to return so Tim pulled out his long board to cruise the streets.  This is a very cool town.  Within 10 minutes of him riding, 2 separate guys had stopped (one in mid traffic) to tell him about the local skate park to try his skills.  We liked this place immediately.

Tampa Vista

A few hours later we were back on the road heading towards the Florida Panhandle.  It was a solid 7 hour drive and we are now officially out of the subtropics.  Despite that, we are very glad we’re here.  Grayton Beach is charming and we already feel like it’s home. Tonight we celebrate National Margarita Day with our favorite cocktail and look forward to another beautiful day on the beach tomorrow.

Strengthening the Core

Here is [...]]]> Having escaped the heavenly, yet extremely sedate, lifestyle of the Keys, Tim and I are refocused and motivated again. We arrived at Fort Myers Beach on Monday and established an exercise regime after our long hiatus. Tuesday morning we woke up and pedaled from the Mainland to Estero Island.

Strengthening the Core

Here is the beach town of Fort Myers Beach, a perfect place for some interesting road riding. We rode past the many beach houses, seafood houses and tshirt shops with the Gulf Coast Beach peeking between the hotels.  After 6 miles, we reached Lovers Key, where you turn off the road and take to the sand. Hard packed yet highly challenging beach riding drains the last bit of energy from the legs.

After our ride, we got comfortable at the San Carlos RV Park where we had prime camping along the San Carlos Canal. With strong wifi, a fridge full of fresh seafood and riding opportunities out our front door, Tim and I were set for the week.

Crab Cakes bring in a Crowd

Each morning we started with a ride, followed by yoga and strength training by the water.  We then put in our work day and wrapped up the evening with dinner.  This white heron seemed particularly interested in our homemade crab cakes on Mardi Gras Night. While the routine may seem dull, it was just what we needed to get back on track after our Lazy Key Dayz.

The Everglades

Well we wish they did…

This weekend, Florida is once again awash in an atypical cold front.  With lows in the 40′s and highs barely hitting 60, [...]]]> For Valentine’s Day, Tim and I celebrated amongst all the romance of the Florida Everglades.  Alligators, Spiders, Crocodiles and Mosquitos all add to this special day.

The Everglades

Well we wish they did…

This weekend, Florida is once again awash in an atypical cold front.  With lows in the 40′s and highs barely hitting 60, even the mosquitos don’t bother to show up.  The result is a very unusual Everglades experience.  Bundled up our wool and sweatshirts, we’ve explored the mangrove coves, 3 foot deep manatee filled Florida Bay and gator holes.  We’ve found out some surprising misconceptions about this amazing place:

1. The Everglades are not a Swamp.  All the water that trickles through this wetland is on a constant move.  Nothing is stagnant or still.

Ingredients of the Everglades

2. You come to the Everglades to see the Alligators.  Nope.  Gators are here for sure (we counted 206 in one day), but most of the travelers are here for the birds.  Pink, White, Green, Blue, Tall, Small, the wading birds that feast on the fish, shrimp and bugs are vibrant, plentiful and gorgeous.

3. You’ll see Flamingos in Flamingo.  Wrong again.  Apparently Flamingos are tasty eating in addition to being that lovely pink color.  They used to stop at Flamingo Florida, site of the current camping area in the Everglades, on their migratory path north.  When Plume Hunters (bird poachers) discovered this in the early 20th century, they decimated the flocks.   Flamingos aren’t dumb.  They just stopped coming here, choosing safer routes.   Every once in a while a Flamingo will appear here, but it’s very rare.

4. Everglades are infested with spiders, beetles, snakes and mosquitos.  We’re told that this is actually true.  But based on our experience (in the chilly air), it’s quite pleasant.

Our factoids were easy to gather with our various tour guides of the weekend.   Ah but I’m getting ahead of myself.  Let’s start at the beginning.

Camping on Picture Perfect Long Key

Thursday afternoon, Tim and I made a decision.  It was time to leave the Keys.   We’d spent an amazing 3 days at our favorite camp spot on Long Key.  Here we had beach front camping, ocean breezes and warm weather.   We could have stayed longer but we’d delayed our plans for too long already.  Friday morning as we got packed up, the Camp Host swung by to ask if we were staying.  “There’s high winds predicted tonight,” she said.  We told her that we were leaving and she responded “Good timing.”  That seemed like our cue.

We drove up through Key Largo and settled into Homestead, our reluctant basecamp throughout the last few months.  Arriving at the large local Starbucks, we got comfortable for the work day.

Storms

As promised, by 5 pm the winds picked up.  Suddenly the doors of the Starbucks were banging open and shut and an uprooted palm tree flew down the street.  Sirens started blaring up and down Route 1 and we were glad we’d hunkered down.  While we sipped on coffee and watched chaos outside, Sylvia called with some news.  She and Leroy were at the Celebration of the Century of UNC Tarheels Basketball.    We wish we could have been there to share the fun!

The storm blew through quickly and 2 hours later, we emerged from Starbucks, ready to tackle our “big city” errands.  We grocery shopped, cleaned up Frank and finished the last of our Cracker Barrel Xmas Gift Certificates from Ann and Scott.   We also learned that Cracker Barrel is happy to shelter traveling RV’s so we parked Frank for the night.

Next morning we finished our errands with a trip to the Homestead Mrs. Kleen’s Koin Laundromat.  Clean and restocked, we drove 15 miles west past Key Lime pie stands and alligator farms to the entrance of the Everglades National Park.

Manatees in Florida Bay

This 1.5 million acre area is totally unique from any ecosystem in the US.   We took a backcountry boat tour through the floating mangrove forests with Captain Frank.   Here we saw mahogany trees,  endangered manatees, pineapple-like airplants and the deadly manicheel tree.   Calusa Indians used this toxic tree’s sap for their poison arrows that killed Ponce De Leon.  A favorite torture was to leave unfortunate captured Spaniards tied to the tree.  “Don’t eat the apples,” Captain Frank deadpanned.

Air Plants

Captain Frank was quite the character.  70 years old and still sporting an earring, he had stories of the Everglades from the early days.   “We’d come out here, kill a wild pig and barbeque it with pineapple and swamp cabbage (hearts of palm)”, he’d reminisce affectionately.  He also loved to pepper his stories with cliffhangers.   He’d tell us, “Next,  I’ll tell you about the one thing that gives life to all else here in the Everglades…Things could get interesting,”  and kick the boat into overdrive for 10 minutes of silence.  We were a captive audience waiting for the next installment.

Aboard the Pelican

Off the boat, we set up camp at Flamingo Campground.  As promised, there were no flamingos.  But we were surrounded a dozen exuberant kids that were equally entertaining.

Sunday we woke up to another chilly and blissfully mosquito free day.  We decided it was finally time for a bike ride and we pedaled 4 miles up the road to Snake Bight Trail.  A bight is a bay within a bay, but as we pedaled through the dense mangroves we appreciated the cleverness of the name.  A few degrees warmer and I could imagine a  Burmese Python dropping on us from the dense canopy overhead.   Yep, Burmese Pythons are the newest local of the Everglades after multiple Floridians decided this was the best place to dump their unwanted exotic snakes.

Emerging from the forest, we reached a platform over Florida Bay.  Ahead of us showy Roseate Spoonbills, snowy Great White Egrets and frisky Ibus feasted on the shrimp embedded in the mud exposed by the low tide.   It was one of the most peaceful places Tim and I have seen on our trip.

River of Grass

We pedaled back to the campsite in time for a gorgeous pink Valentine’s Day sunset.

Monday we decided it was time to see some alligators.  We drove to Anhinga Trailhead after hearing we may see some wildlife.  That was an understatement.  We walked around the side of the ranger station and saw alligators sunning themselves, anhinga peppering the trees and hundreds of herons, egrets, ibuses and ducks.   It was hard to stop taking pictures of the locals.

The Anhinga

The Great Blue Heron

Ibus and the Roseate Spoonbill

On the Prowl

The Gators are no Threat...it's the Vultures!

After a delightful hour we then packed up again and drove out of the Everglades around the perimeter of the Park and back in at Shark Valley.   On our bikes, we pedaled the 14 mile loop out to Shark Tower, a 60 foot tall observatory.  Here we found the Everglades we expected.  Pedaling down the path you would look over and there was a 12 foot alligator 2 feet away.   It was a little unnerving….fortunately they were far more interested in getting some warm sun than Tim or I.

Riding through the Everglades

Gator Pecking Order

After the bike ride we made our way up to Fort Myers Beach which will be our home for the next week.  We’re steadily heading north up the Gulf Coast of the Florida, even if the weather isn’t cooperating.  We’ve got a date with Austin in March and we don’t want to be late!

Wednesday began the journey of 8 people from all corners of the East Coast to gather in Utah for the Fifth Annual 429 – a – palooza Ski/Superbowl Weekend.  Tim and I started our trek from Miami.  We took the day off from work and drove to South Beach to [...]]]>

Superbowl Comes to South Beach

Wednesday began the journey of 8 people from all corners of the East Coast to gather in Utah for the Fifth Annual 429 – a – palooza Ski/Superbowl Weekend.  Tim and I started our trek from Miami.  We took the day off from work and drove to South Beach to absorb the Superbowl Mayhem.

Miami Beach Time

We tanned in front of the ESPN announcers and walked past Kid Rock to get our coffee.   Miami overflowed with all things Saints and Colts.  We chuckled at the irony as we boarded the plane in Miami to fly 2000 miles watch the Superbowl in Park City.

The Best Parallel Parking Job of All Time

As we came up from the South, Chico and Mel escaped the 3 feet of snow in DC the same night.  We all landed in SLC at about the same time and drove to Park City for Night One of 429-a-palooza.  Having arrived after midnight, the party was decidedly tame.  We popped in at the Hauschild Park City Villa to say hello to Jimmy and then headed to bed.

ESPN on South Beach

Next day we all gathered back at the Hauschild’s where we found Kevin Frazier in from Maryland and ready to ski.  Chico, Mel and Frazier left for a sunny day on the slopes at the Canyons while Tim, Jimmy, Trish and I all went to our respective “offices”.

Dinner at the Red Iguana

After a productive work and ski day we all piled into our brand new (17 miles on the odometer) rental Suburban to go back to Salt Lake.  We picked up Jimmie and Keri from their house and parked at the Red Iguana, home to the finest mole north of El Paso.   Here we met Rick, a friend of Mel’s who very generously allows us to stay in his Park City condo each year.  Many tortilla chips and margaritas later our Designated Driver, Jimmie Hauschild drove us to the airport to gather the last of our straggling travelers, Mark and Casey Weiser.

Finally 429 was reunited again.  We all went home to our respective beds with visions of Alta dancing in our heads.  Friday morning started with the traditional Einstein’s Bagel pickup and a trip up Cottonwood Canyon to Alta Ski Resort.  It was on the car ride that we were all first introduced to The Commander.   Also known as Jeff, The Commander had become intrigued with Mark’s tales of the legendary 429-a-palooza  one night at a party in Arlington.   He promptly booked his airline ticket.   As a Naval Commander/Flight Surgeon and all around great guy with a terrific sense of humor, he fit right in.

My Office at the Goldminer's Daughter

Chico and The Commander

Though Friday was a work day for me, I got a taste of the mountain by setting up shop at Alta’s Goldminer’s Daughter while everyone else rode the lifts up.  The snow was good and inspired Tim, Frazier, Chico and The Commander to ski Alta’s steep chutes.   The Commander started his ski vacation right with an unexpected 10 foot air that he never saw coming.   It was an impressive beginning.

Mel and Kevin after a good day at Alta

We gathered again at the base for Happy Hour and then drove back to Park City to meet Trish for pizza and Margaritas at the Hauschilds.   The hot tub filled up immediately and the tequila flowed.  3 hours later, a quiet night at the house had turned into a raucous dance party where shirtless guys hung from the mantle and danced on the tables.  While the party raged, The Commander watched amazed, looking as if he may have had second thoughts about his decision to come to Utah.

429-a-Palooza at Its Finest

It was late when we all fell asleep and Saturday morning came very early the next day.  Tim and I woke up to knock on our bedroom door.  Jimmy Shell had driven  up from Salt Lake City for a day of skiing and wasn’t going to be deterred by our sluggishness.  We rallied everyone together, revived ourselves with more bagels, hydrated with coffee and got back into the Suburban to head to the Canyons.   By this time our group was 12 strong.  We piled onto lifts and headed up the mountain.  The snow was soft, with a few new inches on top.

Frazier and Tim's self portrait

It was the Terrain Park that got the most attention from our crowd.  Jimmy Hauschild started the day with a spectacular yard sale crash off a roller.   The mountain echoed from the sound of multiple helmets banging off the tabletop rail.  It was my first day on skis all year  after no strenuous exercise during my month in the Keys.   After 3 runs I was back at the base of the hill, renting a snowboard.  Much better.

Steaks on the Grill

We wrapped up the day early in order to head to the store to shop for dinner.  Traditionally we always go out for a big dinner in Park City, but this year we decided to cook our feast at home.  The menu began with Casey’s delicious bean dip, Tim and my bacon wrapped stuffed jalepinos, and Trish’s legendary cheese fondue.  Next we grilled filet mignon, munched on Caesar salad, and devoured Mel’s twice baked mashed potatoes all washed down with Margaritas.   Jose Cuervo once more made his appearance.

Who Dat?

By the end of the night Dance Party 2 was in full force.  Tim and The Commander got in a Pushup Contest.  It wasn’t even close.  Tim did 10 pushups, which the Commander topped with his own 10 pushups.  The only difference between the two sets was that the Commander completed his 10 with Mel standing – yes standing – on his back.  Sorry Tim…no contest.

Clean Up

The party finally died down when The Hangover came on the television.  There couldn’t have been a more fitting movie for the day.

When Superbowl Sunday dawned, Tim and I collectively decided to take the day off from the slopes.  Frazier, Casey, Weis, Chico, Mel and the Commander made their way up to Deer Valley, while Jimmie, Trish, Johan, Tim and I puttered around the house getting ready for the annual Superbowl Bash.

Thin Miami Blood

Jimmie Shell and Keri drove up from Salt Lake just in time to place some bets before the game.   In addition to who would win (the Saints of course) we also had to put some money down on how many times the cameras would show Kim Kardashian in the crowd and how often the newscasters referenced Hurricane Katrina among other ridiculous wagers.   Vegas will place odds on anything.

The Ladies

The crowd was definitely biased towards the Saints and everybody was in a very good mood when the 4th Quarter came to a close.  Kim K hadn’t made it to the game so we lost that bet, but the important ones worked out.   We then wrapped up the night with our slideshow of the weekend’s greatest moments.  Tim whipped it together during the second half, picking through 10 hours of video and hundreds of photos, finding the very best.   It’s a great way to end a fabulous weekend.

Tonight we are back on the Keys in our favorite campground on Long Key.  Casey, Weiser, Chico, Mel, Frazier and The Commander survived the blizzard and multiple delays to make it safely back to DC.  Another successful 429 – a – palooza has come and gone.  Only 360 days until 6.0!