I shouldn't be blogging right now. There are many other blog posts which have been written but I haven't felt like publishing to the general public. Forgive me for wanting to take the blog in a direction other than a what-am-I-up-to blog...and then finding that everything goes right back to what I'm thinking or doing so I choose not to publish the article. It's the trick of making a semi-personal journal online instead of taking pen to paper like the good ol' days.
Because I can't sleep and I have a whole bunch of other things to get done, I will write, again about racing. Because I'm not publishing the posts previously mentioned, here's a quick summary of what they are all about:
1 - Current Progress of the Great Test Riding. After taking a bunch of bikes out for test rides, I have determined that titanium is the sweetest material known to man for a bike frame. The other half of this is I'd like my dream ti Seven bike, but figuring out if it should be painted or remain unpainted is holding me back from making a decision.
2 - There are numerous posts about how I've been searching for a good project. It was really starting to bug me that I wasn't getting my hands dirty with anything. Well, somehow it came to be - I found it in the form of a whole new life focus & job change, more details forthcoming once it's in place.
3 - Visit with my aunt, uncle and cousins in upstate NY a few weekends ago. Just the absolutely best time with everyone and a true vacation. Was so neat to drive to NY in just a few short hours and magically be there. Still used to things being so far away, but here, everything is always closer than they appear.
4 - Raced weekend before last with the A/B (combined fields) men, 60 total racers, two other women. Took home a $30 prime and a serious race-high from being able to hang with the average 27 mph field, as well as attempting to get in a break, causing the bike to go 35-40 mph for 3/4 of a lap. Fastest race of my life. Finished in the top 1/3rd and enjoyed meeting guy teammates, too. Racing with the men is far more to my liking than the women, even though the women here are very nice from what I've seen so far.
5 - Birthday weekend this past week with uncle and bro. Seriously good time, a little of everything to give them both a great sample of life here near Boston.
6 - Raced tonight with a solid group of fast women. Due to very challenging work/sleep/other schedule lately, decided there would be no way to do the race, but would be best to just watch the men's race. Somehow got talked into it and was very happy to be out there. It's Wed, so did the 6 am training ride this morning for two hours. Also, got to the race with just enough time to change out cassette to proper race wheels. Long story short, it was a fun race where I tried playing near the front while staying safe most of the race and I came in 9th...basically, racing is so much more fun than I ever remember it being in the past, though I'd tell you in the past that it was fun (how could it have been? I was always in the back of the pack suffering like a dog.)
That's all folks!
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Race Report
There are two words I didn't know I'd ever put together again: race report! I hardly feel the race last Sunday is something giving the blow-by-blow on, but the fact that last Sunday happened is what is significant.
Last week was full of fear-facing. I stared it in the face and saw who flinched. Not I. Er, well, outwardly I didn't. Inside was a different story, as it always is. Facing fears doesn't mean not being afraid, but getting through it and, hopefully, feeling less the next time.
Last summer of racing Italian Gran Fondos never felt quite the same as racing an American criterium. They were so much fun, but there wasn't much fear of getting dropped or of not doing well as neither of those two things could ever happen. If that's confusing, I'll explain offline, but it's true.
Racing a men's criterium (cat 3/4 men, mostly) is a whole other scenario. I used to train really hard to feel ready to take on such a race. Granted, training hard often meant resting well. I didn't train too hard, but how many intervals were there when I used to train for real? Last weekend, I went into the race with the prep of many fun rides with friends. Maybe it's all of the rollers here that are what added up to be good training, who knows. But it's been ages since I've done a real training ride or a set of intervals.
It's compelling to write this only because I've found it really fun to go back to the earliest entries in this blog and read them. My experiences from racing and training (this includes the fun rides!) have added so much to my life throughout the years, it's nice to capture the moments and how I'm thinking about them as they're happening. Memory does change the story somewhat.
The long and short of the race is this: my goal going into the race was to not get dropped. When I'm scared of getting dropped, I ride like a maniac to stay up front so my position was pretty good most of the race. They called a women's prime (meaning only women could contend to win it) and I used that as drag-race-sprint practice. Too bad there was a girl on my wheel who was able to pull around me. But at that point, we were way off the front of the field. So I kept going. Yeah, I know that wasn't smart, I wasn't trying to race smart. I will attempt that when there are real prizes at stake (more than a muffin, though they looked tasty). If there's one thing my coach taught me that has served well is that when it's not an "A" race, experiment. An attack group came up after a lap and, digging deep, I caught onto their train. We weren't away too long and the field caught up. Around and around we went, each lap was short with only a small rise in the road and hardly a corner to worry about. There were attacks and at times I would catch onto a small break. Even went to the front and pulled. (I know that's not smart racing, but the guys were yelling at the people at the front to pull, so I thought it would be amusing to play along with their request).
The race ended (1 hr long, avg 24 mph) with staying safe and finishing in the first third to half (have no idea where, exactly). The point was, I am back racing and it feels very good to be back, though this time, I am committed to keeping a much better balance. Balance: some racing, lots of fun rides with friends, time in street clothes doing good things in work and life. This is what I need and it just so also happens to be my definition of happiness.
Last week was full of fear-facing. I stared it in the face and saw who flinched. Not I. Er, well, outwardly I didn't. Inside was a different story, as it always is. Facing fears doesn't mean not being afraid, but getting through it and, hopefully, feeling less the next time.
Last summer of racing Italian Gran Fondos never felt quite the same as racing an American criterium. They were so much fun, but there wasn't much fear of getting dropped or of not doing well as neither of those two things could ever happen. If that's confusing, I'll explain offline, but it's true.
Racing a men's criterium (cat 3/4 men, mostly) is a whole other scenario. I used to train really hard to feel ready to take on such a race. Granted, training hard often meant resting well. I didn't train too hard, but how many intervals were there when I used to train for real? Last weekend, I went into the race with the prep of many fun rides with friends. Maybe it's all of the rollers here that are what added up to be good training, who knows. But it's been ages since I've done a real training ride or a set of intervals.
It's compelling to write this only because I've found it really fun to go back to the earliest entries in this blog and read them. My experiences from racing and training (this includes the fun rides!) have added so much to my life throughout the years, it's nice to capture the moments and how I'm thinking about them as they're happening. Memory does change the story somewhat.
The long and short of the race is this: my goal going into the race was to not get dropped. When I'm scared of getting dropped, I ride like a maniac to stay up front so my position was pretty good most of the race. They called a women's prime (meaning only women could contend to win it) and I used that as drag-race-sprint practice. Too bad there was a girl on my wheel who was able to pull around me. But at that point, we were way off the front of the field. So I kept going. Yeah, I know that wasn't smart, I wasn't trying to race smart. I will attempt that when there are real prizes at stake (more than a muffin, though they looked tasty). If there's one thing my coach taught me that has served well is that when it's not an "A" race, experiment. An attack group came up after a lap and, digging deep, I caught onto their train. We weren't away too long and the field caught up. Around and around we went, each lap was short with only a small rise in the road and hardly a corner to worry about. There were attacks and at times I would catch onto a small break. Even went to the front and pulled. (I know that's not smart racing, but the guys were yelling at the people at the front to pull, so I thought it would be amusing to play along with their request).
The race ended (1 hr long, avg 24 mph) with staying safe and finishing in the first third to half (have no idea where, exactly). The point was, I am back racing and it feels very good to be back, though this time, I am committed to keeping a much better balance. Balance: some racing, lots of fun rides with friends, time in street clothes doing good things in work and life. This is what I need and it just so also happens to be my definition of happiness.
Saturday, July 09, 2011
Race Report #2
I was nervous going into the race with the men last week (finally just posted that race report). The goal of that race was to finish with the pack. If that was nerve-wracking, today (Saturday) was far, far more so.
Today was my inaugural get-to-know the women racers of New England race in Attleboro, MA. Of course, it's a new place to me as it is, seemingly, every time I go anywhere even slightly out of the routine.
Why was I so nervous? Because of expectations. Racing with men is easy. There are no expectations for an unknown woman who enters a men's race. If you get dropped, no biggie. If you hang in, wow, good for you. However, racing with cat 1-4 women of whom I have no idea of anyone's strength is intimidating. Which wheels are good? Which are sketchy? I have experience, but I haven't trained to race in a loooong time. I've been riding for the sheer pleasure of riding a bike with friends, that is all. This means that I haven't done any intervals, no sprint practices, nada. And, funny enough, I've really been having fun every time I go out on the bike. I refuse to burn out on something that is so important to me.
First thing this much-too-early morning, I saw Sara-Jane, a friend and wife of one of the guys I ride with. She was nervous about officiating her first race ever and I was nervous about racing. It helped calm me to know I wasn't the only one jumping in head-first. Huge kudos to Sara-Jane and all of the officials out there (Jay, etc...) We wouldn't have racing without you out there.
8 am was simply too early to start racing for my tired legs. A four-day work week meant having to squeeze 5 days worth of things in 4 days. Not complaining, last weekend was a good holiday weekend. Can't remember, though, the last time I got to sleep in. This is the way I like it.
Tomorrow is going to be a mellow start, but I do want to get this up before any more time transpires. Previous race reports have meant a lot to have in the archives, so this needs to go there, too.
Turns out, the women in the field are pretty cool here. I had no issues with anyone in the race, I saw a lot of camaraderie between racers on different teams and it wasn't a problem being totally new out there. After the race, everyone was friendly and I got to meet a lot of the ladies I'd just raced with. On a side note: the cat 3 and 4 women seemed satisfied with the race, too. Many were proud of how they raced and I didn't hear anything negative.
Will tell the rest of the story in pics:
After the race, the girls I had warmed up with were cooling down happily. They both raced great and were so fun to have out there. We will be training and racing more together. Now I've just got to not get sucked into cyclocross (they're really into it, the CX racing here is all the buzz right now...I think lots of people race on the road just to get ready for the dirt).
Was able to get in a break with these two girls, but it didn't last very long. We needed to commit a bit more and I think it would have stuck. I bet the other two are known out there as girls to not let get away. It was so interesting to race as a completely unknown entity.
I spent most of the race riding at the front just trying to stay safe and ride smart. Finally - FINALLY - I figured out how to go into a sprint on other people's wheels and ride around to cross the line first. Yes, it was like breaking some impossible barrier: won two primes, the first time to win a prime since I raced in teeny-tiny cat 4 fields 5ish years ago. One was $10 cash and the other prime is for embroidering a race jersey so that the safety pins don't ruin the jersey. So as soon as my Ride Studio Cafe jersey comes in, I will want to take advantage of it. A nice wool Rapha jersey needs to not be destroyed by safety pins!
The final result: 2nd place in my cat and a whole lot of relief to have that over with.
Afterwards was a fun ride on a gorgeous bike path in Rhode Island (hello, Rhode Island, my you're close to Mass. and I can't believe we just met for the first time today!) Lunch of seafood, ravioli and fabulous veggie burger (very green, all that much better) was enjoyed over the water and then there was still time to get home, read, relax and get a few other things done.
In New England style, the day ended with ice cream. This is ridiculous...can you even tell what it is?
That's right, it comes in a cardboard box because it's guaranteed to drip everywhere. Banana split with a single banana but pints of ice cream and whipped cream....it is not humanly possible for four people to eat something this size!
With that, it is definitely time to sign off. Tomorrow is a day I have been looking forward to quite some time...going to test ride a Seven bicycle (full titanium)!!! Can't wait to see how it feels as compared with my steel steed. Considering that my steel Serotta bike is doing great keeping me happy in the saddle for loooong 150-mile rides and it's hanging in there for the crits (and I haven't forgotten the carbon bikes that I've ridden recently--TCR-0 Giant and Trek Madone), this is going to be interesting to add a whole new dimension of bicycle in the mix to those I've experienced up to now.
Today was my inaugural get-to-know the women racers of New England race in Attleboro, MA. Of course, it's a new place to me as it is, seemingly, every time I go anywhere even slightly out of the routine.
Why was I so nervous? Because of expectations. Racing with men is easy. There are no expectations for an unknown woman who enters a men's race. If you get dropped, no biggie. If you hang in, wow, good for you. However, racing with cat 1-4 women of whom I have no idea of anyone's strength is intimidating. Which wheels are good? Which are sketchy? I have experience, but I haven't trained to race in a loooong time. I've been riding for the sheer pleasure of riding a bike with friends, that is all. This means that I haven't done any intervals, no sprint practices, nada. And, funny enough, I've really been having fun every time I go out on the bike. I refuse to burn out on something that is so important to me.
First thing this much-too-early morning, I saw Sara-Jane, a friend and wife of one of the guys I ride with. She was nervous about officiating her first race ever and I was nervous about racing. It helped calm me to know I wasn't the only one jumping in head-first. Huge kudos to Sara-Jane and all of the officials out there (Jay, etc...) We wouldn't have racing without you out there.
Tomorrow is going to be a mellow start, but I do want to get this up before any more time transpires. Previous race reports have meant a lot to have in the archives, so this needs to go there, too.
Turns out, the women in the field are pretty cool here. I had no issues with anyone in the race, I saw a lot of camaraderie between racers on different teams and it wasn't a problem being totally new out there. After the race, everyone was friendly and I got to meet a lot of the ladies I'd just raced with. On a side note: the cat 3 and 4 women seemed satisfied with the race, too. Many were proud of how they raced and I didn't hear anything negative.
Will tell the rest of the story in pics:
Here's the starting field...~30 women total, not bad! Combined 3/4 race, 30+ and 45+. Interesting, huh? Very different from Colorado. It wasn't timed, either, just a set number of laps from the gun!
Afterwards was a fun ride on a gorgeous bike path in Rhode Island (hello, Rhode Island, my you're close to Mass. and I can't believe we just met for the first time today!) Lunch of seafood, ravioli and fabulous veggie burger (very green, all that much better) was enjoyed over the water and then there was still time to get home, read, relax and get a few other things done.
In New England style, the day ended with ice cream. This is ridiculous...can you even tell what it is?
With that, it is definitely time to sign off. Tomorrow is a day I have been looking forward to quite some time...going to test ride a Seven bicycle (full titanium)!!! Can't wait to see how it feels as compared with my steel steed. Considering that my steel Serotta bike is doing great keeping me happy in the saddle for loooong 150-mile rides and it's hanging in there for the crits (and I haven't forgotten the carbon bikes that I've ridden recently--TCR-0 Giant and Trek Madone), this is going to be interesting to add a whole new dimension of bicycle in the mix to those I've experienced up to now.
Wednesday, June 08, 2011
Some things never change...
I've been writing a lot lately, but nothing that is publishable. Someday I'll piece all of these bits and pieces together, as I'm sure they'll fit together eventually but at the moment they don't.
Here's an attempt to capture some images and thoughts from the past couple of weeks. Gotta do this fast--I feel my immune system has been a bit compromised and with an upcoming trip and a go-go-go schedule, there's no way I can fall victim to this.
Will work backwards here. Last night was a big bike block party in Davis Square. I was skeptical when I first arrived, but then, by the end of the evening, it was clear that it was a good party as it was totally packed and it wasn't just the young hipster population--there were people of all ages and backgrounds. I found some friends to hang out with and it was a work event, too, so there was always the comfort zone of the table and tent.
This past weekend were good rides, Sunday was a particularly great one. It ranks in the top 5 of fun rides of my life...yes, that's pretty high considering there have been lots of terrific rides. It was a good composite group of people that pushed a decent pace the whole distance - to Mt. Wachusett and back to Concord: 102 miles, average speed of 17 mph.
The morning of the ride started particularly well. The bike was happy as was I (read: clean & tuned bike).
Breakfast was carb-rich and excellent to keep me satisfied for the better part of the ride.
The Ciclismo crew came out and partook in portions of the day. Turned out we had 3 guides on the ride.
Into the ride, we were rolling along...
Everyone was all smiles just after we hit the 100 mark. Really, we should have kept on going! No, no...the point of this was to train for a 148 miler coming up soon. Wouldn't want to be too toast after a training ride. 2 weeks and counting down...
I still want to post about the Burlington trip over Memorial Day weekend, it was really cool to go there and spend most of it being rained on. Meeting up with friends for a marathon that they were participating in was relaxing and good.
Also had a BBQ at my place, it was super fun to entertain and hang out with friends in street clothes. Entertaining is something that has been a bit of a challenge for me for....hmmm....now that I think about it, my entire life. I've never actually been in a situation where I could entertain very well. (Now I do remember packing in bodies in my wee-little loft for a couple of gatherings, but to be able to sit outside and fire up a grill...doesn't get better than that.) Pics and stories will have to wait for another day.
To complete the post, a couple of interesting things to mention before I forget. The first is that I met a really nice woman who's been reading my blog ever since I did the Gelato Diet flick. She read the stories of my life, packing up and moving to Italy & everything that ensued there. It was wild to meet her yesterday & she knew me from those stories. I wonder what kind of image she had in mind, as she's learned who I am from what I've written. Cool, eh? Thanks to her and you all for reading. And I know these posts are long, I know I need to cut down on the length significantly. And I'd like to shift the focus. There are some cool things to be writing about and my day-to-day stuff can take a back seat. Really, though, I will say this: it is really eye-opening to go back and read old entries. I suggest everyone keep a journal or blog of some kind. I really surprised myself at some of the things I said YEARS ago that, if it weren't dated, could have been said last week.
I might have changed my situation by moving, doing the Italy thing, etc, etc, but I didn't change who I am. Nor was I trying to do that. Yes, I wanted to learn and discover more outside of my world, but I wasn't looking to turn into someone else.
Here's an excerpt that I found from the last post of 2008.
I guess I could say almost the same today as I did back then. Of course, I'd change a few items: get rid of the racing part and the Europe part can go away, too. Looks like I'll likely be guiding in Italy this fall, but if that were to fall through for some reason, I would be happy to stay right where I am. There are too many days I've had here when I wish time would stand still because I don't need anything more than what I already have. Sure, there are still unfulfilled goals that I yearn to reach...those will be completed in proper time. Finally, though, I think I'm coming to find here what I've been looking for my entire life.
Here's an attempt to capture some images and thoughts from the past couple of weeks. Gotta do this fast--I feel my immune system has been a bit compromised and with an upcoming trip and a go-go-go schedule, there's no way I can fall victim to this.
Will work backwards here. Last night was a big bike block party in Davis Square. I was skeptical when I first arrived, but then, by the end of the evening, it was clear that it was a good party as it was totally packed and it wasn't just the young hipster population--there were people of all ages and backgrounds. I found some friends to hang out with and it was a work event, too, so there was always the comfort zone of the table and tent.
This past weekend were good rides, Sunday was a particularly great one. It ranks in the top 5 of fun rides of my life...yes, that's pretty high considering there have been lots of terrific rides. It was a good composite group of people that pushed a decent pace the whole distance - to Mt. Wachusett and back to Concord: 102 miles, average speed of 17 mph.
Breakfast was carb-rich and excellent to keep me satisfied for the better part of the ride.
Into the ride, we were rolling along...
And we finally made it to the 2,000 ft climb to Mt. Wachusett--a bit steeper than Colorado mountains...ouch! I will never, ever be a climber. (Not complaining, there are rollers all over here and I like those.)
Everyone was all smiles just after we hit the 100 mark. Really, we should have kept on going! No, no...the point of this was to train for a 148 miler coming up soon. Wouldn't want to be too toast after a training ride. 2 weeks and counting down...
I still want to post about the Burlington trip over Memorial Day weekend, it was really cool to go there and spend most of it being rained on. Meeting up with friends for a marathon that they were participating in was relaxing and good.
Also had a BBQ at my place, it was super fun to entertain and hang out with friends in street clothes. Entertaining is something that has been a bit of a challenge for me for....hmmm....now that I think about it, my entire life. I've never actually been in a situation where I could entertain very well. (Now I do remember packing in bodies in my wee-little loft for a couple of gatherings, but to be able to sit outside and fire up a grill...doesn't get better than that.) Pics and stories will have to wait for another day.
To complete the post, a couple of interesting things to mention before I forget. The first is that I met a really nice woman who's been reading my blog ever since I did the Gelato Diet flick. She read the stories of my life, packing up and moving to Italy & everything that ensued there. It was wild to meet her yesterday & she knew me from those stories. I wonder what kind of image she had in mind, as she's learned who I am from what I've written. Cool, eh? Thanks to her and you all for reading. And I know these posts are long, I know I need to cut down on the length significantly. And I'd like to shift the focus. There are some cool things to be writing about and my day-to-day stuff can take a back seat. Really, though, I will say this: it is really eye-opening to go back and read old entries. I suggest everyone keep a journal or blog of some kind. I really surprised myself at some of the things I said YEARS ago that, if it weren't dated, could have been said last week.
I might have changed my situation by moving, doing the Italy thing, etc, etc, but I didn't change who I am. Nor was I trying to do that. Yes, I wanted to learn and discover more outside of my world, but I wasn't looking to turn into someone else.
Here's an excerpt that I found from the last post of 2008.
What's up for 2009? Once again, I can't foresee the future and that's okay. I'm comfortable not knowing what surprises are in store. If this year is anything like the last four, it will be anything but boring...I hope to race a lot more, help the company I work for thrive, have many adventures in Colorado and abroad with my friends, (finally) travel to Europe, squander time less and make every moment matter more, stay positive and optimistic and have fun every day.
I guess I could say almost the same today as I did back then. Of course, I'd change a few items: get rid of the racing part and the Europe part can go away, too. Looks like I'll likely be guiding in Italy this fall, but if that were to fall through for some reason, I would be happy to stay right where I am. There are too many days I've had here when I wish time would stand still because I don't need anything more than what I already have. Sure, there are still unfulfilled goals that I yearn to reach...those will be completed in proper time. Finally, though, I think I'm coming to find here what I've been looking for my entire life.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Just a little time off...
Nice to have a little time to step back during the week. After a red-eye back from the Tour of California, it is time to finally post some pics (yeah, sleep, too, but not quite yet). I put together a photo album full of the past six months, but that'll have to be completed before posting. Here are a few from California. Will attempt to say more with pics and less with words this time!
Yesterday was a day of visiting bike shops and seeing who I could find in the SoCal area. Shockingly enough, I met a lot more people than expected, considering the day started with me believing that all the good shops were closed on Mondays.
But before doing anything, it was necessary to take a stroll along the beach! Okay, so this shot was meant to be a play on the whole Bay Watch thing, me in my Ciclismo Classico shirt and all.
I'd previously been freaked out about driving around California. Turns out it's a whole lot easier than driving in Italy or Boston, so that was a very pleasant surprise, but trying to change over 7 lanes of traffic at a time can be quite intimidating. The drivers do seem to be a bit more relaxed, however, maybe it's out of necessity for health and personal welfare reasons.
Lunch was here (above), a bike-friendly craft brew pub in Santa Monica. The woman I was sitting next to (randomly) has a brother who lives really near here and works for a nearby bike shop. That was small world story #1. I found out all this about her when I overheard her talking about cyclocross racing. Of course, I had to interject at that point in her conversation and see if she's a racer.
After lunch, this lovely gentleman made an absolutely delicious & creamy smoothie...he'd be rich if he imported his business into this community.
Then it was off to find all of the shops in LA. What a trip! Cool feeling to be making "sales" calls. Not that it was totally salesy, but close enough. Everyone was nice to talk and I have a lot of data points to consider. This was reminiscent of the work dad did for work, and there's a certain pride I felt in being able to try my hand at the same kind of thing.
Small world story #2: I was chatting with the guys in one Santa Monica bike shop when suddenly appeared a couple who I'd met a couple of days prior (they're clients) and they were there for a bike fitting. It's shocking in a place the size of L.A. to see familiar faces!
This is me with Nancy and Nate Loyal, bike fitting & coaching guru. She was so happy to feel the significant difference of a pro bike fit. (Note: If there's one thing that everyone should put $ into, it's doing a proper bike fitting...I say this as someone who cares about your knees, back & general well-being, it's super important!)
There were many other bike shop visits, but nothing in particular to report from those. Oh yeah, maybe one thing: have you ever heard of the Wonderful Pistachios Pro Team? Me neither before yesterday, but they race in Europe as well as the U.S. They have green/black kits. Their website will make you want to eat pistachios. One of the guys at an L.A. shop is affiliated with them. Just a random piece of trivia to share. I was chuckling at the mascot for the team: an over-sized pistachio.
Being at the Tour of Cali Sunday for the final stage of this HUGE U.S. Pro race was awesome, of course. Thousand Oaks was a very supportive town of the race & racers. I noticed quite a few people who were very unlikely cyclists but out there cheering like mad. That's a good sign, in my opinion, for the sport, in general.
Here are a few pics from the day:
Chris Horner is in the midst of the crowd.
Sooo many people!
Now it's getting time to wrap this blog up. As you may or may not know, I use this more as a personal journal so I don't forget some of life's highlights (without the nitty-gritty personal stuff). If it happens to motivate you to travel, do something cool or have a good day, cool!
Here's the most beautiful image from last weekend's riding. This is Hidden Valley in SoCal. Home to lots of famous people & people who are really into very well-bred horses.
On Saturday, we rode with the Old Kranks, a group of people who are anything but old cranks!
Here's the group shot mid-ride:
What else to say about the weekend?
It was delicious and yet another wonderful set of experiences had thanks to bikes and the terrific people who are into them. [Note, this was written yesterday, a couple of extra pics added today.]
Yesterday was a day of visiting bike shops and seeing who I could find in the SoCal area. Shockingly enough, I met a lot more people than expected, considering the day started with me believing that all the good shops were closed on Mondays.
But before doing anything, it was necessary to take a stroll along the beach! Okay, so this shot was meant to be a play on the whole Bay Watch thing, me in my Ciclismo Classico shirt and all.
Then it was off to find all of the shops in LA. What a trip! Cool feeling to be making "sales" calls. Not that it was totally salesy, but close enough. Everyone was nice to talk and I have a lot of data points to consider. This was reminiscent of the work dad did for work, and there's a certain pride I felt in being able to try my hand at the same kind of thing.
Small world story #2: I was chatting with the guys in one Santa Monica bike shop when suddenly appeared a couple who I'd met a couple of days prior (they're clients) and they were there for a bike fitting. It's shocking in a place the size of L.A. to see familiar faces!
There were many other bike shop visits, but nothing in particular to report from those. Oh yeah, maybe one thing: have you ever heard of the Wonderful Pistachios Pro Team? Me neither before yesterday, but they race in Europe as well as the U.S. They have green/black kits. Their website will make you want to eat pistachios. One of the guys at an L.A. shop is affiliated with them. Just a random piece of trivia to share. I was chuckling at the mascot for the team: an over-sized pistachio.
Being at the Tour of Cali Sunday for the final stage of this HUGE U.S. Pro race was awesome, of course. Thousand Oaks was a very supportive town of the race & racers. I noticed quite a few people who were very unlikely cyclists but out there cheering like mad. That's a good sign, in my opinion, for the sport, in general.
Here are a few pics from the day:
Yes, I was close to Levi & all of the winning cyclists, got a lucky spot behind the podium during the final awards ceremony. I've been a fan of Chris Horner for a long time, so I enjoyed seeing him take the yellow jersey.
Chris Horner is in the midst of the crowd.
Here's the most beautiful image from last weekend's riding. This is Hidden Valley in SoCal. Home to lots of famous people & people who are really into very well-bred horses.
Here's the group shot mid-ride:
What else to say about the weekend?
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Feeling Inspired
Now that I write a lot for my job, writing for personal reasons has gone way down on my fun-things-to-do list. Most of what I write for work is awesome: it's cool to talk to a guide and hear all about where he's from, his family, stories from tours, etc. and then write about it for the world to read. Other assignments involve researching a destination, again, talking to a guide about it, then putting words and visuals together to make the place come alive. There are newsletters, events, Facebook, Twitter, and a million little random things that keep it interesting. I like variety and this is definitely that. A lot is fun, but it's still work. There are deadlines and responsibility--the point is for people to have a dreamy travel experience that's right for them. When you add the biking part to the mix, that complicates everything significantly. It's nice to get it all just right and, of course, always avoid any discussion of the weather since that's so impossible to know. Heck, the weather could be great and a volcano could explode, you never know in this business.
Life in Massachusetts has gone well beyond my expectations. Boston was never on my list of cool cities (Montreal is at the top with NY, San Fran and Denver not far behind). Every day I'm here, I'm warming to it (I'm referring to the city itself). The town I live in, I adore. It didn't take much before I was in love with this community. Technically, I shouldn't like it all that much. I live in a place where most everyone is married with kids and anyone my age is, minimally, married. But I guess I'm enjoying everyone's company enough not to care a whole lot. Everything takes care of itself, so as long as I don't go live in the wilderness, Mr. Wonderful is bound to jump out from behind the rock he's been hiding behind someday. Everyone has an interesting story here and it's a friendly population. Whatever reputation Bostonians have earned, I think those people must be just in the city, because those on the periphery are very warm, good people.
This area is not all that different from where I lived in upstate NY. It has many of the same nice qualities of a good community without the craziness...but it's not all that far from a city of some size. Note that when I was in upstate NY, gas prices weren't a concern so it was nothing to jump in the car and drive for 3 hours to NYC or far less than that to get to the mountains (big hills for you Coloradoans), lakes, skiing, etc. I'm very happy to be here and it seems to have the best of the things I liked about Italy and the U.S. It was also quite helpful to have my mom drive out here with me to get me all set up & see her enjoy the area. I guess I needed that, mom's approval has a lot of weight, still, and possibly more than ever. The time with her was the best time I've ever had with her and it was not too different from a two-week long slumber party. We (and she, in particular) had so much fun. I had to work much of the time she was here, but we still had solid time to spend together.
After a very long winter of traveling and not touching the bike (it was good for me, the break, though it killed my fitness, was healthy and, simply, had to be done to manage the traveling, visiting and living situations I found myself in). Now, I'm absolutely thrilled to be back on the bike, loving the nice, comfy ride of steel and not missing the jarring of the light race bike. I just want to ride long, fun miles with people who are interested in conversing during the long ride. I'm absolutely done (ummm, at least for a year) with training rides where I have to worry about my cadence, heart rate, etc. every moment of it. Right now my thing is to train for a long almost 150 mile ride coming up in June. Good excuse to get long miles, explore the area and work towards something tangible. It's a brewery-to-brewery ride, so you can imagine what edible tangibles there will be at the end of that long day in the saddle.
There's pretty much the coolest bike shop/coffee shop combo in the world (as far as I'm concerned), in the area. It's my happy place, where I go to start rides, have a really tasty cup of coffee after rides (Italians would be impressed), hang out and chat with other cyclists, and simply be with nice people. Every time I go in there, I know at least one person, if not more. For being new to an area, that's an awfully good feeling. I likely speak for a lot of cyclists--that it is the dream of a cyclist to have a shop where they can go and simply spend time without feeling like a shop rat. This place invites you to stay awhile. So I do.
It dawned on me today that I really need to get out a bit more socially--you know, in Saturday night clothes. It's easy to not go out when my social life is at work (I am fortunate to like my co-workers a lot) and through bike riding. I have a few other things that I've managed to find to do and if only I'd start going to Toastmasters, my life would closely resemble life in Denver...though, of course, Denver & other friends, you will never be replaced...just added to. :) It's impossible to keep up with everyone and there is so little time. Tonight I got lucky and had to do something for work near home so I got home well before dark. Few evenings are like this one.
Well, on that note, it's time to sign off. After starting the day with a very hard road ride, my metabolism is going crazy and I'm hungry. Will go pet a very cute kitty that I'm pet sitting and get it all together for tomorrow. I know I owe you/the blog pictures. Will try to make that the next post...one with waaaay fewer works and many more pics. Ah, there's the kitty now, nudging and purrrring, gotta go! Hope this finds you all well!!!
Life in Massachusetts has gone well beyond my expectations. Boston was never on my list of cool cities (Montreal is at the top with NY, San Fran and Denver not far behind). Every day I'm here, I'm warming to it (I'm referring to the city itself). The town I live in, I adore. It didn't take much before I was in love with this community. Technically, I shouldn't like it all that much. I live in a place where most everyone is married with kids and anyone my age is, minimally, married. But I guess I'm enjoying everyone's company enough not to care a whole lot. Everything takes care of itself, so as long as I don't go live in the wilderness, Mr. Wonderful is bound to jump out from behind the rock he's been hiding behind someday. Everyone has an interesting story here and it's a friendly population. Whatever reputation Bostonians have earned, I think those people must be just in the city, because those on the periphery are very warm, good people.
This area is not all that different from where I lived in upstate NY. It has many of the same nice qualities of a good community without the craziness...but it's not all that far from a city of some size. Note that when I was in upstate NY, gas prices weren't a concern so it was nothing to jump in the car and drive for 3 hours to NYC or far less than that to get to the mountains (big hills for you Coloradoans), lakes, skiing, etc. I'm very happy to be here and it seems to have the best of the things I liked about Italy and the U.S. It was also quite helpful to have my mom drive out here with me to get me all set up & see her enjoy the area. I guess I needed that, mom's approval has a lot of weight, still, and possibly more than ever. The time with her was the best time I've ever had with her and it was not too different from a two-week long slumber party. We (and she, in particular) had so much fun. I had to work much of the time she was here, but we still had solid time to spend together.
After a very long winter of traveling and not touching the bike (it was good for me, the break, though it killed my fitness, was healthy and, simply, had to be done to manage the traveling, visiting and living situations I found myself in). Now, I'm absolutely thrilled to be back on the bike, loving the nice, comfy ride of steel and not missing the jarring of the light race bike. I just want to ride long, fun miles with people who are interested in conversing during the long ride. I'm absolutely done (ummm, at least for a year) with training rides where I have to worry about my cadence, heart rate, etc. every moment of it. Right now my thing is to train for a long almost 150 mile ride coming up in June. Good excuse to get long miles, explore the area and work towards something tangible. It's a brewery-to-brewery ride, so you can imagine what edible tangibles there will be at the end of that long day in the saddle.
There's pretty much the coolest bike shop/coffee shop combo in the world (as far as I'm concerned), in the area. It's my happy place, where I go to start rides, have a really tasty cup of coffee after rides (Italians would be impressed), hang out and chat with other cyclists, and simply be with nice people. Every time I go in there, I know at least one person, if not more. For being new to an area, that's an awfully good feeling. I likely speak for a lot of cyclists--that it is the dream of a cyclist to have a shop where they can go and simply spend time without feeling like a shop rat. This place invites you to stay awhile. So I do.
It dawned on me today that I really need to get out a bit more socially--you know, in Saturday night clothes. It's easy to not go out when my social life is at work (I am fortunate to like my co-workers a lot) and through bike riding. I have a few other things that I've managed to find to do and if only I'd start going to Toastmasters, my life would closely resemble life in Denver...though, of course, Denver & other friends, you will never be replaced...just added to. :) It's impossible to keep up with everyone and there is so little time. Tonight I got lucky and had to do something for work near home so I got home well before dark. Few evenings are like this one.
Well, on that note, it's time to sign off. After starting the day with a very hard road ride, my metabolism is going crazy and I'm hungry. Will go pet a very cute kitty that I'm pet sitting and get it all together for tomorrow. I know I owe you/the blog pictures. Will try to make that the next post...one with waaaay fewer works and many more pics. Ah, there's the kitty now, nudging and purrrring, gotta go! Hope this finds you all well!!!
Wednesday, March 09, 2011
One Year, 365 Full Days Living out of a Suitcase ... An Essay
Last year on this day, I stepped foot on an airplane that took me to Italy. It served as a symbolic gesture as it was a total dedication to leaving my comfort zone, leaving my job, family, friends and everything that I held dear (except my bike and computer). The trip to Italy was a chance of a lifetime to step back from normal life. It turned out to be a lot more than that.
I went almost on a whim when I found out that logistically, it's not that hard or expensive to live in Italy and take language classes for a period of time. The logic at the time was that I had family to meet in Italy who I had never known, it would be fun (and good for my brain) to learn a foreign language and when else in life would I be that single, that easily able to put a bow around my U.S. life and live overseas?
That's all it was supposed to be. Taking a step out of the working world was a real education. I got the chance to turn back time. Living a fully immersed life in Italian before I knew the language was being turned into a 2-year-old. How does that feel? Truthfully, at first, everything was fabulous. Everything was a discovery. Each interaction at every store, every new vista, every new person who welcomed me into their home with open arms. I was no different than a child seeing the world for the first time. Things that would be commonplace and nothing to notice in the US was wildly interesting there. Had that conversation happened in English, I wouldn't have noticed or remembered. And at that point, it was okay I didn't know Italian.
As this toddler grew up, it became harder. The reality of life came into view. Understanding more of the language, it was possible to understand more of the political realities and truths of what appeared to be the perfect place proving it's not. It also became more challenging not being able to speak. Understanding comes long before being able to speak a language and to me, both were difficult because my ear hadn't ever been exposed to another language. There are sounds that need to be heard that we don't listen for in English, there are sounds we need to make with our mouths that are really tricky if the mouth has never had to make those sounds before.
The highs were high--all of the time I had great experiences with the bike team that I was on. The long story of that can be found in this blog. Being on the team and making friends in the biking community was key for living the immersed life. No one spoke English so I had to learn Italian. And I also had to train and race. I had mixed emotions on that. When I quit racing three years ago, I had only reluctantly raced a few times since then. Training and racing is all-consuming. It is a lifestyle and doesn't leave much room for much of anything else. As long as one's friends ride or race, at least there is a great social aspect.
My desire to do one Gran Fondo race turned into something like 8 Gran Fondo races and uncountable training rides. The memories I brought back with me are from those days on the bike. There were so many great rides through the heart of Italy. Then there were the days when riding the bike was all I could do, trying to speak and comprehend a new language is initially very exhausting. Typically it was okay, but it's hard to feel that stupid when you know you're not. The Gran Fondos are super fun races. If you've been following along, you've read some of my stories.
If I were in Italy, I would continue to race. I was looking forward to racing this season (which, in Italy, started at the end of February). Racing with the men, doing long courses that are always gorgeous and continuously interesting on the terrain and having pasta parties after each are the main highlights of Gran Fondo racing that I miss in the races here in the U.S.
Mixing the great language, Italian bike racing and the adrenaline of racing made it good to go back to. It was where I was comfortable and happiest. Not having much competition with women wasn't bad, either. I'm just going to say it: I loved standing on the podium and winning things. I don't know how strong I was last season compared with my how strong my Colorado competition is, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be winning races here. It stayed fun and the pressure to do well wasn't there.
At around month 4 (July), I was starting to speak in simple sentences that would flow somewhat. July was so hot, it felt good to bask in the sun and get a tan. There was a pool that I got to go to a few times and it was high on a hill in the countryside. The landscape surrounding it was stunning.
Backing up a bit, the language class for the first three months was cool. I've discussed my classmates here before, but it's really important to reiterate it. I ate the best Chinese food I've ever tasted, made by the housewife from China who was taking Italian. I never quite understood why, but she and my other Chinese classmates were really sweet to include me in their circle.
The conflicts in Egypt and Libia have all new meaning to me. Every day I think about my Libian friends who I got to know in Italy and I think of their families. Of course, we all know that all people are the same and good people have compassion for all humans, but yet there's something different about knowing someone and realizing that this could be them in those pictures, they could be part of the fight. Likely, they are very affected by the current events of today. The world is a very small place and everyone is a neighbor.
How many countries mean more to me now? Every single one where I met someone and now, every time I hear the name of a country, the next thing I wonder is who is from that country? What is it like there? The public school system did its best to bore me out of ever caring about the rest of the world. I had a lot of good teachers, but unfortunately, every social studies class and every geography class was awful. I really detested maps. They were always associated with incredibly boring coursework. Now I love maps. Geography is incredibly interesting. How anyone teaches it so badly is beyond me. But, in a way I have them to thank. I never cared to travel the world, seemed silly and only for people who had lots of extra cash and no need to have a summer job. So I didn't travel until I was old enough to have enough life experiences to appreciate seeing the world through the eyes of one who had experienced being an adult for awhile. The stories I've heard of people who have gone away for a semester or more are cool. So many people formed who they were as adults based on what they learned while they were away.
The experience certainly offers book knowledge, that's obvious. There are so many other things that it teaches that no one can ever put on paper or describe. For as long as I live, I have the memories and lessons influencing every decision and every interaction. It's nothing that can ever be learned in school (quite the contrary) and certainly nothing that has a price.
Living out of a suitcase is a liberating feeling. I've been accused of being a vagabond more than once and I'm trying to figure out why it's such a bad thing. Being alone and traveling makes a person have to have complete confidence in oneself. You have to have everything you need inside yourself to enjoy traveling alone. Anyone who suspects a vagabond like myself of being one who is a wanderer, who doesn't know where they're going in life is one who simply doesn't understand. To do what I did meant that I had confidence that though every step was into unknown territory, I would be okay. My faith kept me strong when everything seemed too overwhelming and the future could absolutely not be seen.
Often I believe that by surrounding oneself with familiar people and objects, it's easy to create a very safe comfort zone. Staying within that place is certainly not bad, but it's the vagabond who is tested daily of whether or not they have what it takes inside to survive.
There are the more practical sides of living out of a suitcase, of course. It's a lot less to worry about, it's a lot less to lose if something were to happen. The value of stuff changes a lot. It's easy to realize that if it's possible to take a whole house full of stuff and whittle it down to a single suitcase of what's necessary for a year of living, none of it was really ever that important. My computer & camera were the two most valued possessions followed closely by comfortable shoes.
The best part of traveling light was that it allowed me to live much more flexibly. I learned to really value hostels. Shared spaces mean shared conversations. I remember the guy who I can't remember his name, but I remember that he was from Japan and traveling alone in Barcelona. We went out to dinner and had really good Catalan food, ordering the sampler dish that could only be served to two. It was a great dinner that I won't forget and nor will I forget when we were walking back to the hostel and there was a piano on the street available for anyone to play. The guys playing it let my new friend sit down and have a go at a tune. He ripped out an amazing piano concerto. The guys standing around loved it as did I. Had I stayed in a more expensive motel that night, I might have grabbed a quick bite at a take-out place and watched tv.
I am still living out of a suitcase and am walking around with a big hole in my jeans. This pair has literally worn out. It's a great feeling to know I got the full useful life out of something. The next new pair of jeans I buy will be a real treat to put on. There are so many other examples of simple things having a greater meaning. I remember when I had to learn how to drive stick shift. How would I find a car to practice with, how to rent a car even? I remember the jealousy - yes, jealousy - that I felt when I watched someone driving by. I couldn't believe how powerless I felt and to have feelings so foreign than those I have in the U.S. Of course, I would feel similar feelings when I heard an American speak good Italian. How easy we have it in our own country doing the things we're familiar with. Nothing will ever seem as hard as it did before going away.
I didn't have any explicit thoughts about what I'd do for a living when I'd get back to the States. It was a trip based on faith and allowing the future to create itself since it's impossible to engineer it as I'd tried to do in the past.
It's official that in the last year, not only was it a journey of another land--the land of my Italian ancestors, but also a chance to really clean the slate and allow things to fall into place without my interference.
Where does this leave me? Interestingly, in the Boston area, someplace I'd never thought about living. Heavy technical work is finally behind me and has been replaced with sales and marketing--creative jobs that I really enjoy. I've thrived on creative projects forever and have always known I wanted something that would allow me to be creative, but was wrong to think I'd find that by becoming an engineer. If I had to do it all again I would do exactly what I did, though, because it has been the enabler for the very interesting and rich life I've had so far.
What's next? There are a lot of other discoveries I've made concerning living with others and being part of a family. The decision to be here means being away from family, but considering there will be lots of chances to visit and over the past year, I've spent more consecutive time with them than I ever would have had I been living nearby during this period, everything just has to be looked at in the right perspective. Maybe I'll live there again, who knows. I have found a community and a place to live. If that place becomes a home, I will be happy. There's no way to know until time passes. I have a mad desire to be part of a family or something that looks like a family, but I am fine if that family isn't one of my own creation. The last two months of living with a family has been good to illustrate this. Just the local bike shop ride and hanging out with my co-workers during work fulfills so much of what I need in the way of community and family.
It was important to me to reflect on the past year. There are so many other highlights and low lights that I could share, but this is a good taste of almost everything. Thank you for everyone who made the last year possible, everyone who lent a smile or a hand, family for supporting from afar and those who are part of my new, extended family. I hope to have not just done all of this for myself, but it is for you, too. I'd keep this post in my private journal if it were mine to keep to myself.
It's my wish that everyone do something to force this sort of introspection, to really experience the world in whatever way works best. When is the last time you took a true, running leap into the unknown? Would you land right back to where you are or not? Doesn't take an international travel experience to do it. I also wish for you to think differently about the things you take for granted. Think a little harder about the people who are in the midst of crises in the world. Stop worrying about the stupid little things. And remember that almost everything is a little thing. When you jump in your car to run an errand, think about how different it would feel if you hadn't driven for a year. Stop to smell the roses, but do try to do it with someone else and the experience will be that much richer.
Take a moment to really think about how it would be that if, for the next year, you were to live somewhere else far from home all on your own.
What would you pack in your suitcase?
I went almost on a whim when I found out that logistically, it's not that hard or expensive to live in Italy and take language classes for a period of time. The logic at the time was that I had family to meet in Italy who I had never known, it would be fun (and good for my brain) to learn a foreign language and when else in life would I be that single, that easily able to put a bow around my U.S. life and live overseas?
That's all it was supposed to be. Taking a step out of the working world was a real education. I got the chance to turn back time. Living a fully immersed life in Italian before I knew the language was being turned into a 2-year-old. How does that feel? Truthfully, at first, everything was fabulous. Everything was a discovery. Each interaction at every store, every new vista, every new person who welcomed me into their home with open arms. I was no different than a child seeing the world for the first time. Things that would be commonplace and nothing to notice in the US was wildly interesting there. Had that conversation happened in English, I wouldn't have noticed or remembered. And at that point, it was okay I didn't know Italian.
As this toddler grew up, it became harder. The reality of life came into view. Understanding more of the language, it was possible to understand more of the political realities and truths of what appeared to be the perfect place proving it's not. It also became more challenging not being able to speak. Understanding comes long before being able to speak a language and to me, both were difficult because my ear hadn't ever been exposed to another language. There are sounds that need to be heard that we don't listen for in English, there are sounds we need to make with our mouths that are really tricky if the mouth has never had to make those sounds before.
The highs were high--all of the time I had great experiences with the bike team that I was on. The long story of that can be found in this blog. Being on the team and making friends in the biking community was key for living the immersed life. No one spoke English so I had to learn Italian. And I also had to train and race. I had mixed emotions on that. When I quit racing three years ago, I had only reluctantly raced a few times since then. Training and racing is all-consuming. It is a lifestyle and doesn't leave much room for much of anything else. As long as one's friends ride or race, at least there is a great social aspect.
My desire to do one Gran Fondo race turned into something like 8 Gran Fondo races and uncountable training rides. The memories I brought back with me are from those days on the bike. There were so many great rides through the heart of Italy. Then there were the days when riding the bike was all I could do, trying to speak and comprehend a new language is initially very exhausting. Typically it was okay, but it's hard to feel that stupid when you know you're not. The Gran Fondos are super fun races. If you've been following along, you've read some of my stories.
If I were in Italy, I would continue to race. I was looking forward to racing this season (which, in Italy, started at the end of February). Racing with the men, doing long courses that are always gorgeous and continuously interesting on the terrain and having pasta parties after each are the main highlights of Gran Fondo racing that I miss in the races here in the U.S.
Mixing the great language, Italian bike racing and the adrenaline of racing made it good to go back to. It was where I was comfortable and happiest. Not having much competition with women wasn't bad, either. I'm just going to say it: I loved standing on the podium and winning things. I don't know how strong I was last season compared with my how strong my Colorado competition is, but I'm pretty sure I wouldn't be winning races here. It stayed fun and the pressure to do well wasn't there.
At around month 4 (July), I was starting to speak in simple sentences that would flow somewhat. July was so hot, it felt good to bask in the sun and get a tan. There was a pool that I got to go to a few times and it was high on a hill in the countryside. The landscape surrounding it was stunning.
Backing up a bit, the language class for the first three months was cool. I've discussed my classmates here before, but it's really important to reiterate it. I ate the best Chinese food I've ever tasted, made by the housewife from China who was taking Italian. I never quite understood why, but she and my other Chinese classmates were really sweet to include me in their circle.
The conflicts in Egypt and Libia have all new meaning to me. Every day I think about my Libian friends who I got to know in Italy and I think of their families. Of course, we all know that all people are the same and good people have compassion for all humans, but yet there's something different about knowing someone and realizing that this could be them in those pictures, they could be part of the fight. Likely, they are very affected by the current events of today. The world is a very small place and everyone is a neighbor.
How many countries mean more to me now? Every single one where I met someone and now, every time I hear the name of a country, the next thing I wonder is who is from that country? What is it like there? The public school system did its best to bore me out of ever caring about the rest of the world. I had a lot of good teachers, but unfortunately, every social studies class and every geography class was awful. I really detested maps. They were always associated with incredibly boring coursework. Now I love maps. Geography is incredibly interesting. How anyone teaches it so badly is beyond me. But, in a way I have them to thank. I never cared to travel the world, seemed silly and only for people who had lots of extra cash and no need to have a summer job. So I didn't travel until I was old enough to have enough life experiences to appreciate seeing the world through the eyes of one who had experienced being an adult for awhile. The stories I've heard of people who have gone away for a semester or more are cool. So many people formed who they were as adults based on what they learned while they were away.
The experience certainly offers book knowledge, that's obvious. There are so many other things that it teaches that no one can ever put on paper or describe. For as long as I live, I have the memories and lessons influencing every decision and every interaction. It's nothing that can ever be learned in school (quite the contrary) and certainly nothing that has a price.
Living out of a suitcase is a liberating feeling. I've been accused of being a vagabond more than once and I'm trying to figure out why it's such a bad thing. Being alone and traveling makes a person have to have complete confidence in oneself. You have to have everything you need inside yourself to enjoy traveling alone. Anyone who suspects a vagabond like myself of being one who is a wanderer, who doesn't know where they're going in life is one who simply doesn't understand. To do what I did meant that I had confidence that though every step was into unknown territory, I would be okay. My faith kept me strong when everything seemed too overwhelming and the future could absolutely not be seen.
Often I believe that by surrounding oneself with familiar people and objects, it's easy to create a very safe comfort zone. Staying within that place is certainly not bad, but it's the vagabond who is tested daily of whether or not they have what it takes inside to survive.
There are the more practical sides of living out of a suitcase, of course. It's a lot less to worry about, it's a lot less to lose if something were to happen. The value of stuff changes a lot. It's easy to realize that if it's possible to take a whole house full of stuff and whittle it down to a single suitcase of what's necessary for a year of living, none of it was really ever that important. My computer & camera were the two most valued possessions followed closely by comfortable shoes.
The best part of traveling light was that it allowed me to live much more flexibly. I learned to really value hostels. Shared spaces mean shared conversations. I remember the guy who I can't remember his name, but I remember that he was from Japan and traveling alone in Barcelona. We went out to dinner and had really good Catalan food, ordering the sampler dish that could only be served to two. It was a great dinner that I won't forget and nor will I forget when we were walking back to the hostel and there was a piano on the street available for anyone to play. The guys playing it let my new friend sit down and have a go at a tune. He ripped out an amazing piano concerto. The guys standing around loved it as did I. Had I stayed in a more expensive motel that night, I might have grabbed a quick bite at a take-out place and watched tv.
I am still living out of a suitcase and am walking around with a big hole in my jeans. This pair has literally worn out. It's a great feeling to know I got the full useful life out of something. The next new pair of jeans I buy will be a real treat to put on. There are so many other examples of simple things having a greater meaning. I remember when I had to learn how to drive stick shift. How would I find a car to practice with, how to rent a car even? I remember the jealousy - yes, jealousy - that I felt when I watched someone driving by. I couldn't believe how powerless I felt and to have feelings so foreign than those I have in the U.S. Of course, I would feel similar feelings when I heard an American speak good Italian. How easy we have it in our own country doing the things we're familiar with. Nothing will ever seem as hard as it did before going away.
I didn't have any explicit thoughts about what I'd do for a living when I'd get back to the States. It was a trip based on faith and allowing the future to create itself since it's impossible to engineer it as I'd tried to do in the past.
It's official that in the last year, not only was it a journey of another land--the land of my Italian ancestors, but also a chance to really clean the slate and allow things to fall into place without my interference.
Where does this leave me? Interestingly, in the Boston area, someplace I'd never thought about living. Heavy technical work is finally behind me and has been replaced with sales and marketing--creative jobs that I really enjoy. I've thrived on creative projects forever and have always known I wanted something that would allow me to be creative, but was wrong to think I'd find that by becoming an engineer. If I had to do it all again I would do exactly what I did, though, because it has been the enabler for the very interesting and rich life I've had so far.
What's next? There are a lot of other discoveries I've made concerning living with others and being part of a family. The decision to be here means being away from family, but considering there will be lots of chances to visit and over the past year, I've spent more consecutive time with them than I ever would have had I been living nearby during this period, everything just has to be looked at in the right perspective. Maybe I'll live there again, who knows. I have found a community and a place to live. If that place becomes a home, I will be happy. There's no way to know until time passes. I have a mad desire to be part of a family or something that looks like a family, but I am fine if that family isn't one of my own creation. The last two months of living with a family has been good to illustrate this. Just the local bike shop ride and hanging out with my co-workers during work fulfills so much of what I need in the way of community and family.
It was important to me to reflect on the past year. There are so many other highlights and low lights that I could share, but this is a good taste of almost everything. Thank you for everyone who made the last year possible, everyone who lent a smile or a hand, family for supporting from afar and those who are part of my new, extended family. I hope to have not just done all of this for myself, but it is for you, too. I'd keep this post in my private journal if it were mine to keep to myself.
It's my wish that everyone do something to force this sort of introspection, to really experience the world in whatever way works best. When is the last time you took a true, running leap into the unknown? Would you land right back to where you are or not? Doesn't take an international travel experience to do it. I also wish for you to think differently about the things you take for granted. Think a little harder about the people who are in the midst of crises in the world. Stop worrying about the stupid little things. And remember that almost everything is a little thing. When you jump in your car to run an errand, think about how different it would feel if you hadn't driven for a year. Stop to smell the roses, but do try to do it with someone else and the experience will be that much richer.
Take a moment to really think about how it would be that if, for the next year, you were to live somewhere else far from home all on your own.
What would you pack in your suitcase?
Thursday, February 03, 2011
The Joy of Working from Home
I miss the days of not posting a story daily from my Italian life, but I have learned a few things from getting in the habit of always thinking: "What will I be blogging about today? How will I word this little experience?" So now I think more consciously about everything that happens on a daily basis. I find myself having simple interactions with locals in Boston and realizing that if I had had the exact same experience in Italy with an Italian, I would have blogged about it. So here goes.
My Boston Life
People here are friendly and I see strangers striking up conversation on the bus all of the time. It makes the commute a bit more worth it, expecting pleasant people to always be on my bus...if the bus comes and goes where it's supposed to go. Nearly daily I have an interesting story of how the bus system is completely not about transporting people. Yesterday morning, it took 2 hours to get to work. I was pretty sure it would take 6 hrs to get home based on the weather and worse weather conditions when it was time to leave...and it turned out to be the fastest ride home ever! Give credit where credit is due, eh?
Today, saving the hours of commute time by staying home, I had a chance to get work done and then do some research. It's refreshing working in an industry where it's possible to do a lot of research...and have fun doing it.
Research Results
Getting back up on Twitter, Flickr, digging around a bit more on Facebook has yielded some neat stuff. It also is giving me a chance to blog-stalk like I once did religiously...to find out who's racing what, who's training where, what are the latest thoughts on sports nutrition and training philosophies. This is now somewhat job-related. Actually, very job-related (not that I'm spending work time on this), but it does make one a whole lot more effective if one knows what current events in the industry are. In my case, active travel is at a beautiful cross-section of bicycling, racing, traveling and Italy.
One thing I learned today of particular interest: Taylor Phinney (son of Davis Phinney & Connie Carpenter) is living and training in Lucca, Italy.
He mentioned possibly doing the Giro di Sardegna as his knee is keeping him out of the Tour of Qatar. I didn't know about the Giro di Sardegna...but considering how amazing Sardegna sounds, that has got to be a good course (Sardegna is an island off the west coast of Italy & is part of Italy, quite loved by Italians).
It's interesting that it is time now to be thinking of planning for the summer. Of course, that makes sense, but in my personal life I'm unable to plan more than a month ahead based on everything that depends on everything else. I had to get used to not knowing much when I moved to Italy last spring, now I'm eerily completely okay with it.
That's a wrap...tomorrow will be a YakTrax day because of all of the ice. I had forgotten ice rain of the east coast and ice-coated trees. But aside from that, the snow is so big, fluffy and exactly what most kids beg for every winter. I hear the kids around here are starting to miss school there have been so many snow days!
My Boston Life
People here are friendly and I see strangers striking up conversation on the bus all of the time. It makes the commute a bit more worth it, expecting pleasant people to always be on my bus...if the bus comes and goes where it's supposed to go. Nearly daily I have an interesting story of how the bus system is completely not about transporting people. Yesterday morning, it took 2 hours to get to work. I was pretty sure it would take 6 hrs to get home based on the weather and worse weather conditions when it was time to leave...and it turned out to be the fastest ride home ever! Give credit where credit is due, eh?
Today, saving the hours of commute time by staying home, I had a chance to get work done and then do some research. It's refreshing working in an industry where it's possible to do a lot of research...and have fun doing it.
Research Results
Getting back up on Twitter, Flickr, digging around a bit more on Facebook has yielded some neat stuff. It also is giving me a chance to blog-stalk like I once did religiously...to find out who's racing what, who's training where, what are the latest thoughts on sports nutrition and training philosophies. This is now somewhat job-related. Actually, very job-related (not that I'm spending work time on this), but it does make one a whole lot more effective if one knows what current events in the industry are. In my case, active travel is at a beautiful cross-section of bicycling, racing, traveling and Italy.
One thing I learned today of particular interest: Taylor Phinney (son of Davis Phinney & Connie Carpenter) is living and training in Lucca, Italy.
He mentioned possibly doing the Giro di Sardegna as his knee is keeping him out of the Tour of Qatar. I didn't know about the Giro di Sardegna...but considering how amazing Sardegna sounds, that has got to be a good course (Sardegna is an island off the west coast of Italy & is part of Italy, quite loved by Italians).
It's interesting that it is time now to be thinking of planning for the summer. Of course, that makes sense, but in my personal life I'm unable to plan more than a month ahead based on everything that depends on everything else. I had to get used to not knowing much when I moved to Italy last spring, now I'm eerily completely okay with it.
That's a wrap...tomorrow will be a YakTrax day because of all of the ice. I had forgotten ice rain of the east coast and ice-coated trees. But aside from that, the snow is so big, fluffy and exactly what most kids beg for every winter. I hear the kids around here are starting to miss school there have been so many snow days!
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
The New New Thing
There's so much to say and report from my short time thus far in Boston. But, lucky you, I'm going to save the stories of the bus system for some other day. I will say, though, it's my only gripe (and a small one at that). This is a very cool town with a lot going on...and there is a lot of good energy all around. It might snow a lot here, but the sun shines like it does in Colorado, can't complain.
The best part of the whole thing is that I'm working and thrilled to do it every day at Ciclismo Classico. I wasn't sure how I'd feel going back to work after so long of not being in an office...except for the bike tours that I led in Italy (which were each fabulous experiences--the most fulfilling work I'd done in a very, very long time). I could be doing CRM work like I was doing before I took off for Italy (they're still hiring like mad in that area); but I love my job, this company in particular, and am very happy to be in the active travel industry.
Part of my job is marketing, the other part is sales. I don't have experience in either one, but I plan to prove that if one has the passion, it's possible to be successful and have a heck of a lot of fun in the process. I've gotten familiar with the itineraries and the amazing places we go...the learning curve is a different kind of animal in an industry such as this one! The opportunities to be creative are numerous (yeeeesss!) And in sales: I feel great when I sell a trip. I know what cool memories people are buying; they last a lifetime and never get rusty or lose their value. Each is a true investment in happiness, health and in relationships--old and new.
I'll be generating a lot of content (writing, yea!) for the Ciclismo site, but I will try to do better about posting here, too. I'm still not doing a great job at keeping in touch with my friends or family as much as I should (sorry guys!) but now that I found something that keeps me up at night with excitement, I want to take advantage of the momentum.
Let's just take a moment to remember what started everything...my original trip with Ciclismo as a guest to Italy. Aaaaahhhh...how sweet it is to reminisce!
Hope this finds you well. Ci vediamo presto qui! (See you here soon!)
The best part of the whole thing is that I'm working and thrilled to do it every day at Ciclismo Classico. I wasn't sure how I'd feel going back to work after so long of not being in an office...except for the bike tours that I led in Italy (which were each fabulous experiences--the most fulfilling work I'd done in a very, very long time). I could be doing CRM work like I was doing before I took off for Italy (they're still hiring like mad in that area); but I love my job, this company in particular, and am very happy to be in the active travel industry.
Part of my job is marketing, the other part is sales. I don't have experience in either one, but I plan to prove that if one has the passion, it's possible to be successful and have a heck of a lot of fun in the process. I've gotten familiar with the itineraries and the amazing places we go...the learning curve is a different kind of animal in an industry such as this one! The opportunities to be creative are numerous (yeeeesss!) And in sales: I feel great when I sell a trip. I know what cool memories people are buying; they last a lifetime and never get rusty or lose their value. Each is a true investment in happiness, health and in relationships--old and new.
I'll be generating a lot of content (writing, yea!) for the Ciclismo site, but I will try to do better about posting here, too. I'm still not doing a great job at keeping in touch with my friends or family as much as I should (sorry guys!) but now that I found something that keeps me up at night with excitement, I want to take advantage of the momentum.
Let's just take a moment to remember what started everything...my original trip with Ciclismo as a guest to Italy. Aaaaahhhh...how sweet it is to reminisce!
Hope this finds you well. Ci vediamo presto qui! (See you here soon!)
Friday, January 07, 2011
Italy Wrap-Up, Christmas, Beantown
There have been a million things that have happened since the last blog post and there's no way, if I hope to get to bed at a reasonable hour tonight, to mention even a fraction of everything. To make a long story short, I returned from Italy just before Christmas, enjoyed a few days of pre-Christmas jet lag and Christmas light gawking (homes in Italy might have a couple of Christmas decorations, nothing like it is in the States). I did get to see the huge Gubbio Christmas tree in all of its splendor before leaving Italy, that was pretty cool and I have yet to see a picture that does the sight justice.
The last three to four weeks in Italy were difficult emotionally. I was missing home (my US home and family) a lot, but those emotions were mixed in with the impending melancholy of leaving the new "family" and friends who had become very much a part of my life while still trying to enjoy every last moment there. It's impossible to describe, and there were definitely good times during that period, but it allowed me to see a new side of myself and look at everyone in my life in a different light.
Christmas was wonderful and fun...Christmas eve was celebrated by eating cannoli first thing in the morning and attending evening mass. Being able to celebrate Christmas with my family almost altogether was wonderful, it was a huge table filled with great food--and much of the food had been brought over from Italy. We even had a Christmas prosciutto which was a particularly special gift...that was the first time for the family to have a ham adorn the table. The day after Christmas, I was greeted by a full-on cold that kept me from doing anything for a few more days. Then I tried squeezing in all of the visiting I could (I missed people I really wish I hadn't and I feel bad about that), but it was all of the time that I had and it was time to pack and begin 2011 in a whole new way. Stories from Boston, yes BOSTON! will be here shortly.
What's most interesting about this is I can draw many parallels to moving out here (since I don't know much about it) to when I arrived in Italy. And, when there's more time, maybe I'll expound on that a bit more. Time to finally get back to speaking Italian.
Cheers to a happy, healthy and successful 2011 for all!
The last three to four weeks in Italy were difficult emotionally. I was missing home (my US home and family) a lot, but those emotions were mixed in with the impending melancholy of leaving the new "family" and friends who had become very much a part of my life while still trying to enjoy every last moment there. It's impossible to describe, and there were definitely good times during that period, but it allowed me to see a new side of myself and look at everyone in my life in a different light.
Christmas was wonderful and fun...Christmas eve was celebrated by eating cannoli first thing in the morning and attending evening mass. Being able to celebrate Christmas with my family almost altogether was wonderful, it was a huge table filled with great food--and much of the food had been brought over from Italy. We even had a Christmas prosciutto which was a particularly special gift...that was the first time for the family to have a ham adorn the table. The day after Christmas, I was greeted by a full-on cold that kept me from doing anything for a few more days. Then I tried squeezing in all of the visiting I could (I missed people I really wish I hadn't and I feel bad about that), but it was all of the time that I had and it was time to pack and begin 2011 in a whole new way. Stories from Boston, yes BOSTON! will be here shortly.
What's most interesting about this is I can draw many parallels to moving out here (since I don't know much about it) to when I arrived in Italy. And, when there's more time, maybe I'll expound on that a bit more. Time to finally get back to speaking Italian.
Cheers to a happy, healthy and successful 2011 for all!
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