What a miraculous two weeks it has been, this is going to be a quick update in-between making dinner (tonights menu is a glass of gin and raspberry lemonade, barbecue tofu and homemade mashed potatoes. Yup, classy to the max!) and packing for our XC ski trip (told you this was happening) to Mt. Bachelor.
On training: I've consistently hit my progressive weekly goals of 10hrs, 12hrs, and as of this afternoon 13hrs. Now for 2 days off followed by 14hrs and then dropping back to 10 again.
I've been putting in some 4 and 5 hr rides in, back to back if I can, which has been nice to go out and explore the Salem area. There are surprisingly good roads, if you know where to find them. Since I'm not riding with power anymore and trying to get back to basics, it's been an unusual experience to come back from a 4-5 hr ride and not be completely and utterly exhausted. I'm eating better, sleeping better and life seems to be on the upswing. In a nutshell, I ride my bike and eat a llot (ta-da!).
On training: I've consistently hit my progressive weekly goals of 10hrs, 12hrs, and as of this afternoon 13hrs. Now for 2 days off followed by 14hrs and then dropping back to 10 again.
I've been putting in some 4 and 5 hr rides in, back to back if I can, which has been nice to go out and explore the Salem area. There are surprisingly good roads, if you know where to find them. Since I'm not riding with power anymore and trying to get back to basics, it's been an unusual experience to come back from a 4-5 hr ride and not be completely and utterly exhausted. I'm eating better, sleeping better and life seems to be on the upswing. In a nutshell, I ride my bike and eat a llot (ta-da!).
I do, however, need to share this moment of cycling nirvana with you. Allow me to set the scene:
Steady climbing on a backcountry farm road before it turns to gravel towards the summit.
It's in the 50's, your gloves are off and those pearly white hands are being gently kissed by the sunshine as you steadily climb amongst open crop fields. Your heart rate is a steady 170bpm and your iPod is playing the 1988 Olympic theme song and you're already feeling like a badass, then what happens?!? A red-tailed hawk launches off a nearby tree, screeching and flying parallel to you riding on the road. Yup, this ACTUALLY happened, I could not have scripted something better unless I was watching a Rocky Balboa movie. Complete and utter cycling nirvana, achieved. I have attached two YouTube videos to play simultaneously in an attempt for you to recreate this scenario. First go run around the block five times so you're mildly sweaty and then turn this up to FULL VOLUME! enjoy.
Steady climbing on a backcountry farm road before it turns to gravel towards the summit.
It's in the 50's, your gloves are off and those pearly white hands are being gently kissed by the sunshine as you steadily climb amongst open crop fields. Your heart rate is a steady 170bpm and your iPod is playing the 1988 Olympic theme song and you're already feeling like a badass, then what happens?!? A red-tailed hawk launches off a nearby tree, screeching and flying parallel to you riding on the road. Yup, this ACTUALLY happened, I could not have scripted something better unless I was watching a Rocky Balboa movie. Complete and utter cycling nirvana, achieved. I have attached two YouTube videos to play simultaneously in an attempt for you to recreate this scenario. First go run around the block five times so you're mildly sweaty and then turn this up to FULL VOLUME! enjoy.
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Ok, now that's taken care of, onward to new and exciting things. My last post was about our amazing new custom English frames from the incredibly talented and wonderful Rob English. This man continues to surprise by posting on his website a lovely write up and some stunning photos of our bicycles by Tina Buescher. Check them out here: Andrew & Lauren's road frames. He's doing a small show of his super cool two wheeled machines this Sunday in Eugene. If you're around it would be worth it to stop by the Oregon Bicycle Adventure Summit.
Well folks, the laundry needs changing, the tofu is about done, gin needs drinking and I need to use some of my Chilean spices to season this dinner. (By the way: Paula if you're reading this, perhaps Chile 2017 is in the works…stay tuned).
I'll post again with some XC ski photos and some other indulgence after we return. In the meantime, capitalize on what snippets of nice weather we get and get outside dammit!
Until next time, (sorry again for the late post, believe it or not, I'm only human).
Cheers,
-Andrew-
Until next time, (sorry again for the late post, believe it or not, I'm only human).
Cheers,
-Andrew-