PETRINA

SEEKING ADVENTURE

2010-09-08T21:51:00.005-05:00

I spent the last week riding my bike in a city that is not known for an exercise adventure, the City of Sin. Darin had a conference in Los Vegas and I joined him for 5 days of riding in the Dessert, part of the lure for us was the beauty of the bike course in a triathlon I had done a few years earlier in Lake Mead National Park. We travel with our bikes almost everywhere we go and have found that every city has a handful of bike routes, a cycling community with open group rides, and beauty unique to the city we are in.

So this trip we found ourselves on the famous Los Vegas Strip, staying in the new Aria Hotel, and driving to the outskirts of the city for some amazing riding in 42+ degree heat. We carried water everywhere we could, in pockets, inside jerseys, and stopped at every opportunity to re-fill our bottles. We rode the beautiful Red Rock Canyon (see the picture of Darin), a bike path through Lake Mead National Park (see the video - it rose up to 50 degrees this day and I ended up calling a cab to cover the last 30 km, too hot for me, but not for Darin), and up to a ski resort where the temperature went from 39 degrees at the bottom to 24 degrees at the top in a beautiful forest that offered completely different scenery than the dessert landscape we had been riding in. Other routes were planned, we just ran out of time and decided to spend our last day at the pool instead of on the bike, a welcome change for me as I felt like I had been frying on the BBQ the last few days.

The beauty of riding in different cities is that it provides a completely different view of the place being visited, a peek into another part of the city’s culture, and a way to stay fit while also giving in to taste bud temptations. Traveling with my bike also keeps me motivated to ride, it’s exciting to explore new places on two wheels, to really see, smell, and experience the location at a slower pace and to venture in to places you wouldn’t do in a car or by foot.

I would encourage everyone to plan a bike trip, doesn’t have to be far from home, even an hour or two from the cities we live in offer new experiences when pedaled. As someone who is happiest exploring new place by bike I would love to hear about places that you have enjoyed riding, so let me know about your favourite hometown route, the most beautiful place you have ridden, a memorable vacation destination, and exotic locale, I am excited to read about your recommendations and become motivated in planning my next vacation. petrinat@hotmail.com.

Running Feels so Good ... Until the Next Day!

2010-08-18T23:04:00.001-05:00

So it's been awhile since I ran last and had this brilliant idea to enter a running race ... well, really what happened is my teammate e-mailed me and said "we should do this race!" My first reaction was "you're nuts", then felt intrigued by the challenge, then said "count me in!" Truth is I crave running as September comes and figured it might be the boost I need to lose the pesky 5 pounds that have set up shop in my mid-section. So my teammate and I met to talk about things, got all excited, and we decided to sign up. Now, normally I would mention which race and the distance and encourage others to join in, but after suffering through my first training run and waking up two days later almost unable to get out of bed, I'm second guessing my decision.

So after a day off I went for another training run, which still feels awkward. It's like my right side and my left side, and my arms and my legs don't communicate with each other. My left foot turns in and tries to trip the right foot, my right elbow points outward and draws figure eights, and my left arm twitches in all directions. Watching me run is not a pretty sight!

I am persistent though, have a plan in place and am looking forward to getting more efficient and comfortable in my running shoes. Wish me luck!

New Routes, Roads, and Roving

2010-07-14T08:15:00.001-05:00

I have been struggling lately to get out and train, I seem to have lost my motivation for getting the heart rate up and pushing my limits. Perhaps it's because there aren't really any races coming up that excite me, I should probably sit down, look at the calendar and really put together a plan, but instead I seem to be drawn to doing new routes, getting out of the monotony of my weekly schedule and go long distances and explore new areas.

One of the things I like best about riding is the distance that you can cover and what you see by bike that you don't see by car. This past Saturday I mapped out a route along roads I had never been on. The goal was to do 130 km; however, due to construction and the slow going on the 10 km of gravel that I found myself on, I ended up completing 107 km in the time I had to ride before getting back to prepare for a dinner party. The wind was blowing on the way out, I wasn't riding very fast, but I enjoyed every second of my ride and would have been quite content to ride all day.

There were no fewer than 5 towns or hamlets that heard my wheels woosh by and saw my pearly whites as I was smiling the entire time. I started in Oakville and rode past a garage sale at the church in Limestone, found myself in Terra Cotta waving at the volunteers for the "Garden Tour", my eyes darted from one cute house to another in Glen Williams and I made a note to return and spend time in the galleries, down Main Street in Georgetown I used all my will power to not stop in the bakery or coffee house where I have spent time enjoying a treat in the past. And the wind was at my back as I headed down the familiar roads on my way home. What a great way to celebrate a Saturday.

Once a month the women's group that I meet on Thursdays meet on Saturday for a long ride. The picture is of the cafe in Glen Williams and the plan is to return on July 31 and stop in to refuel with the gang - I can't wait!

CLEANSE

2010-05-12T22:06:00.002-05:00

I'm thinking of doing a cleanse; anyone out there done a cleanse? I know there are lots of options, the Wild Rose one that clears your system of gluten, the lemon juice and chilly pepper one that seems to last forever and quite frankly sounds scary, the juice cleanse that surprised me by tasting better than expected, and a whole slew of others. The only one I've ever actually followed through on from beginning to end is the Wild Rose one as it doesn't limit calories, follows a lot of the Eat Clean philosophies, and can be quite tasty once you get the hang of the foods you can eat.

This is why I'm thinking of doing a cleanse - energy. I am tired of feeling tired; it might be the grey and rainy days we've been having, it might be the salty snacks I've been eating that are contributing to feeling bloated, but whatever it is, I feel I need to "reboot" and a cleanse is a good way of doing it. I don't believe in them for weight loss, but they do help to cleanse and clear the pallet and help end the bad habits, leading to more focused and smarter eating habits.

So, can anyone recommend a cleanse?

PS: The picture is of me buying Banana Bread in Hawaii last year, not recommended for a cleanse, but it is the only picture I could find on my computer with food in it. I do definitely recommend riding in Maui and a stop at this road side stop for warm, fresh out of the oven Banana Bread. It was very yummy and I carried 3/4 of the loaf in my jersey pocket for over 60 km; may not have looked all that appetizing at the end of the ride, but still tasted great!

CALABOGIE CALABOOGIE

2010-04-20T07:59:00.004-05:00

I had such a great week-end! After not racing seriously for about 5 years, and having not done a road race in 2 seasons, it was really exciting to get back in the saddle, so to speak. Leigh, her boyfriend Jeff, and I drove the 5 hours to Calabogie for a circuit race on a car race track and it was great!

I liked that my first race of the season involved a road trip and an overnight stay as the packing up of clothing and equipment helped me get more focused about the race, it made the event feel special, and having Leigh to share it with was fantastic. The last time I raced in Ontario I was independent, would travel to races alone, and as much as I like my own time, space, and solitude, it was a bit too lonely for me and lacked the excitement and fun that comes with being part of a team. So I am very excited to be part of the Eat Clean Diet Women's Cycling Team.

Race day morning was chilly, but the sun was out, a welcome sight after driving up in the rain. We did our warm-ups, took to the line with about 20 Master Women, a group of Cat 3s and Junior women, and cadet boys. Our group was about 35 to 40 riders, a pretty good size and I was excited to have lots of places to hide from the wind. Leigh and I did our “Hoo-Ha” cheer to commemorate our sponsor and off we went. The women in the group were friendly, rode confidently, and I felt very comfortable in the pack. (If you are interested in ordering the Hoo Ha Ride Glide Chamois cream made for women, 15% of all orders made with the code: EATCLEAN1015 will go back to the team's fund.)

There were several attacks by Junior Rider Florence Laplante-Lamarche who showed early on that she was the strongest in the group, but she wasn’t able to get away as the group worked well together. The course has 23 turns and it was easy to get disoriented as to where you were in relation to the finish line and which side you wanted to be on to get the best shelter from the wind.

One of the things I was most proud of was being able to move around in the pack, make my way to the top six before the “hill” where someone would attack almost every time around, and ride between riders to fill “holes”. In the past I have been a bit nervous riding between people when I didn’t know them, but I completely trusted this group, and it felt great to be back in the mix. This also allowed for maximum protection from the wind and save energy.

The other thing I was proud of was my gear choices. Bad habits are hard to break and riding in too heavy a gear is something that I have been known to do in the past, but I kept the gear easier than I would normally and cadence high, so I could “dance” up the rollers and keep my legs feeling fresh – which I think helped, but with only 2 weeks of riding leading in the race after being away for a month for work without a bike, my legs weren’t as strong as I would like. That said, I felt way better than I thought would.

There was confusion with 2 laps to go and for some reason our race was cut short. So with 2 km to go they announced that this would be our last lap and the pace quickened as riders tried to get in to a good position for the finish. I got caught near the back and just couldn’t make up enough ground, then we made the final turn in to the finishing straight and in to the headwind. My “sprinters” legs have yet to show themselves and I lost a lot of placings in the last few hundred meters, which was disappointing, but watching Leigh kick it in to high gear, pass riders, and continue to sprint forward was inspiring. At the end of the day, Leigh came second in our category and I was 4th – not bad, but there is still a lot of room for improvement and I am looking forward to getting back in to a training routine.

NIGHT RIDER

2010-04-20T07:57:00.003-05:00

I like riding at night. I know that several people are scared of it, not being visible to cars, not being able to see the road clearly, the creepy shadows, but I like it because everything looks different, a route that I have done a thousand times and has become monotonous and routine looks completely different at night. The roads, especially in the suburbs, are quieter too, as most people are home and settled in for the night, so I feel comfortable with the solitude.

The thing is that, I often feel safer riding at night, and more visible. As I mentioned, there aren’t as many cars on the road, I have reflective strips and blinking lights on the back of my bike, which draw attention, and my front light is almost blinding. During the day, drivers are more distractive by the added traffic and depending on the colour of the cyclist’s clothing, they blend in to the surroundings, becoming less visible from a greater distance.

As for front lights, I have two. Once I use when I am riding where there are streetlights and I can see the road clearly, so it is small, light, and very bright to draw attention from divers. The other light I have is brighter than the headlight on my motorbike and allows me to see everything on the road. We used to live in “fox and hound” country, about 45 min. from a major city, surrounded by farms, and no streetlights at all, it was very dark. I would commute to work and the light on my bike was so bright that cars would switch from their high beams before they actually saw me – they would see the glow from the light. It was the most amazing place to ride at night, it would be a busy night if I saw one or two cars, the crickets would be out, and I felt pure joy on my bike.

So the other night I went for a ride at 7:00, later than I wanted as I had to work late, put on my lights, Giro Atmos Helmet, warm clothing, and my Sepcialized Arc-X sunglasses with Adaptalite Technologie. These glasses are great because they really protect from the wind, and since I wear contacts the wind can be an issue. Plus, they are a great shape so that when I shoulder check the frame doesn’t impede my visions. Better still, which I learned on my rider the other night when it was bright when I left and dark when I got home, is the transitional aspect. I kept my glasses on for the whole ride and could see just fine, even in the dark – it was awesome.

Hopefully I’ll see on the road, day or night!

VINYL CAFE

2010-04-11T23:50:00.000-05:00

Riding with a group is a great way to get faster, improve skills, and enjoy the social aspect of cycling; however, there are times when it is nice to ride on your own. After spending the better part of the past two months off the bike due to travel for work and some beach time I am getting back in to a training schedule, so on Saturday I squeezed in to my tighter than normal fitting bike shorts (did I mention the time away from the bike?), slipped on a jersey and jacket, fastened my helmet, tightened my shoes, put in my ear buds and placed my iPhone in my pocket. I don’t condone exercising with headphones and am well aware of the safety concerns; however, I like the entertainment and am sure to have the volume at a level where I can still hear the cars … plus, for reasons I’ll go on to explain, it motivates me to get out riding.

A few months ago I was with the National Track Cycling team before they went to the World Cup in Beijing and we got to talking about what they listen to before they race. Some answers were expected, elektronica and rap, but some were surprising, Tina Turner’s “We Don’t Need Another Hero”, Pointer Sisters “Jump”, and “Holding Out for a Hero” from Footloose, plus some other great 80’s hits made up the playlists of this group of 20 year olds. I will admit to having some cheesy songs on my pre-race playlist with “I’m so excited” by the Pointer Sisters at the top of the list, but when I am out for a long endurance ride I don’t listen to music at all.

I have several podcasts on my iPhone and have been known to listen to the news or other informative shows while riding, but more often than not, I listen to Comedy. I like CBC’s “Laugh Out Loud”, but my ultimate favourite, and the one that gets me out the door on days I don’t feel like riding is Stuart McLean’s Vinyl Café. For those not familiar with this Canadian Gem, he is a humourist, story teller, author, and CBC radio personality. He travels the country, visiting small towns, putting on “concerts”, and entertaining and educating us on the history, character, and personality of these towns that make up our Canadian Identity; but what he is better known for are his tales about “Dave and Morley”.

So on Saturday, I was all kitted up, pressed play on the podcast and started riding. I often wonder what others think of me as they see me riding down the street, huge grin on my face and quite often laughing out loud – Stuart McLean is funny, and better yet, his stories of Dave, Morley and the kids are hysterical. After being away for work the last month, I was excited to catch up on the Vinyl Café episodes I had missed and the first one that came to life was the episode from March 27th about Dave’s friend Ted, the cyclist. It is pretty funny, and I think anyone interested in the sport will also find it funny, you can find the Vinyl Café on iTunes Podcasts, or here is the link from CBC if you are interested: http://www.cbc.ca/vinylcafe/listen.php?vLocale=podcast

As I get ready to race next week-end I will be creating a playlist to get me motivated, and help me dig deep as I know the race will hurt. I have not done the preparation that I would have in the past, it is tough to stay on schedule with all the traveling I’ve been doing, but hopefully I’ll get back in to the swing of things and as the season progresses the results will improve. So let me know what you like listening to, maybe there’s a song on your playlist that will do me well!

HARIBO!

2010-04-08T08:24:00.001-05:00

It has been a busy and chaotic year as I have now completed the first year at my current job as the Track Coordinator with the Canadian Cycling Association and I can honestly say that it has combined the skills of all of my previous jobs and schooling – and there have been many – as well as my passion and excitement for the sport. There have been many challenges along the way and as the National Track Team prepares for the 2012 Olympics the challenges will keep on coming – those games are coming up fast, and like all Canadian sports, we don’t have the funds that we need to really help the athletes reach their potential, so I will need to tap in to my creative side and see how well I can make a dollar stretch.

One thing that I have not had difficulty stretching this year is the waistband in my pants! Having a job that I love means that I put in a lot of hours that I don’t get paid for and working from home means that the fridge and “party drawer” are just steps away. I am a stress eater, if things aren’t going well I eat, if I get stumped while working on a project I eat, if I get 200 e-mails in 20 minutes and just can’t keep up I eat. This may not be the recommended way to deal with daily stress, but I also know that I am not the only one!

The funny thing is that the more I exercise, the less I crave bad stuff, I stop hearing the cookies in the “party drawer” calling my name and the silky smooth voice of the ice cream becomes muffled. As my body starts to take back control from my head, the no-nutrient items that my spouse just has to buy because “they were selling 6 bags of potato chips for $1.99 each” are left to go stale on the shelf. I have a theory, if you listen to your stomach, and feed it what it wants and craves, you are going to make smart choices. If you listen to your mouth and what it wants to taste, you may be in a spot of bother, the mouth is not your friend. If your stomach and your mouth agree, then chances are you have been living with smart choices.

So how tight are my pants now? Well, I’ve been away for work for the past month and normally will come back lighter as I am so busy that I don’t snack and will often miss meals simply because I forget to eat (I don’t recommend this practice either); however, on this trip to Holland and Denmark I discovered Haribo. Before I go any further I would like to point out that in the picture, Two Time World Champion Tara Whitten is riding past the sign for a sponsor, Haribo, on the velodrome in Ballerup – and I like to do my part to support the athletes. Well, do my part I did! Haribo is a candy manufacturer and they make licorice wheels and gummie bears and wine gums and delicious sugar of all shapes, sizes, textures, and flavours. The choices that they have are so numerous that I failed in my attempt to try all of them, though I did try a new one every day.

So this is where I stand, I’m not going to feel guilty for my indulgence, it happened and it happened with the support and encouragement of my roommate during the month I was away, and I wanted to feel like part of the group who are also Haribo supporters. What’s done is done, and sometimes it’s okay to break away from the monotonous schedule. Now that I am back though, and don’t see much travel in the next few months, it’s about getting back in to routine, cooking the foods that nourish me and please both my stomach and my mouth. The weather is getting nicer and the race season has begun, which I am super excited about, not only for the physical effects, but also the social ones. And I am looking forward to feeling less of a “stretch” on my waistband – time to refocus and get back on track!

Everybody Wants to be Canadian .... don't they?

2010-01-22T20:21:00.000-05:00

THE TOUR IS COMING!

2009-06-15T05:56:00.004-05:00

One of these days I will remember to bring a camera with me and post pictures of things that are going on in my life. Things have been good, busy and good. I have been traveling to Ottawa once a month and saw not only my first ground hog, but my first 500! They are everywhere in our capital! I left a bike in my office and have been enjoying exploring all the bike paths, they are beautiful and next time I am there I will be sure to take some pictures. Anyone in Ottawa the last week of July?

We are still waiting for the warm weather to come, seems to be taking awhile this year, but I have been getting excited about a few cycling tours. The first is the Second Annual Great Waterfront Trail Adventure. I was involved in organizing this event last year and needless to say, June 2008 was crazy busy. So when the beginning of June arrived this year I started getting excited and antsy and had to figure out a way that I could take part in this years Adventure! So I'll be going to out Niagara-on-the-Lake on July 3rd for the pre-event concert and party - which is open to everyone, and then riding the first day. Best part is I will be joined by 2 girlfriends and my mom and day. It will be a great week-end! Check out details of the Adventure on their website. www.waterfronttrail.org

The second tour that I am excited about is the Tour de France, scheduled to start on the same day, July 4th. This year's Tour will be something special as anything can happen. There are big names on the same team, old favourites, and of course there is always an underdog. This year's Tour also has at least 2 Canadians starting, Michael Barry for Team Columbia and Svein (Swayne) Tuft for Garmin/Slipstream, my personal favourite team, so it will be fun to cheer them on. Levi Leipheimer posted this video on twitter and I thought it was hysterical. Hope you enjoy it too!

CYCLING TIPS

2009-06-03T07:34:00.004-05:00

My Friend Wade, who had the good fortune to move from Calgary to Melbourne created a blog called http://www.cyclingtipsblog.com/ with great pictures, cycling advice, and motivating stories. He updates it regularly and is worth checking out!

CYCLE BALL IS A BALL!

2009-05-12T06:21:00.005-05:00

I was playing around on youtube, a regular occurrence since there is some really neat stuff and it is always good for a giggle and a laugh. In my cycling searches I came across the sport of Cycle Ball! I have played soccer on bikes, and I know that Toronto has a Bike Polo league, but Soccer Ball I had never heard of. It looks like fun - might have to look into setting up some matches, anyone game?

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If you want to see some more impressive bike sports, check out Artistic Cycling, or Bicycle Ballet as well - now this I just might have to try! The video is relatively long, and the second half is more impressive it you're short on time.

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Let me know if you find other impressive skills on bikes.

PAST MEMORIES, POM POMS, AND PLAYOFFS

2009-04-14T07:21:00.002-05:00

Those who know me well know that I don't keep a lot of stuff, I'm not a pack rat; but I do have a small box of keepsakes. Inside this box are items that may be found in your memory safe as well - a love note from a special relationship, a picture from a happy memory, souvenirs that were chosen to help us remember special moments, to freeze time, or to act as a time machine to take us back to relive the emotions from times gone by - seashells, rocks, pressed flowers.

One of the prized items in my memory box is a mixed tape, which many of you may have as well; but instead of sappy love songs put together by a previous boyfriend, my mix tape was created by me and contains songs from 1986 and 1989, remakes of songs actually. My mix tape is a tribute of Flames playoff songs, my favourite being the "Flaming C Arena". Tapes and tape players are more or less obsolete now, but they have been replaced with something even better - You Tube. Now, not only can we listen to these tribute songs, but the amateur artists have created videos as well - fantastic! My mom sent me this Flames song via the Calgary Herald, hope you enjoy. GO FLAMES GO!

2009-04-02T22:09:00.003-05:00

I am now in Scottsdale, enjoying warmth and sun, or at least that was the plan; but the mornings have been chilly. Turns out my suitcase full of tank tops turned in to an excuse to go shopping!

As it happens, my flight landed the day before the Elton John and Billy Joel concert, imagine that! So I convinced mom to get on eBay and secure tickets as an early birthday present. I have always wanted to see Elton John live and was ecstatic to go. We started with popcorn and 22 oz of beer for dinner, and then the lights dimmed, two pianos appeared on the stage, and the stars came out - what a start!

It was a great show with all the songs I wanted them to play, and although I prefer the Elton John songs, Billy Joel was a more entertaining entertainer. The concert was so much fun!

Other than the concert and some shopping, I've had a pretty lazy week. I've gotten some ridding in and I'm finally starting to feel stronger. Hawaii knocked me on my ass, I hadn't done the work leading up to that trip to do the hills and distance that I did and it has taken me a few weeks to feel "normal" again; but think I'm on a good track.

Darin and his parents arrive tomorrow, so we'll start doing more exciting activities. I'll keep you posted.

iPee

2009-03-31T15:22:00.008-05:00

I have always wanted to be able to pee while standing. I don't think it's fair that a guy can so quickly pull it out and relieve himself, anytime, anywhere, with little effort, and no one noticing. We were once in London and I saw a guy in a beautiful business suit, relieving himself on a building on a very busy and public street. A girl could never get away with that, not even if she was commando and wearing a skirt. As a Canadian though, I think I am most jealous of the fact that guys can write their names in the snow, girls just don't have that much control over their hydrated streams.

Here are some solutions to having to go when there is no washroom in sight, or saving time during a road trip by bypassing the rest stops, or being able to avoid the disgusting gas station and/or outhouse alternatives, or saving yourself the effort of cutting a hole in your floor boards, or trying to position yourself to go out a window.

I don't know, these are all a little weird!

www.ipee.com
www.shewee.com
http://www.p-mate.com/eng/intro.html
http://whizbiz.com.au/

FUNNY ANIMALS

2009-03-31T11:04:00.040-05:00

I love to laugh and there aren't too many things funnier than animals! Check out these videos.

COAST TO COAST

2009-03-30T23:13:00.006-05:00

The last few weeks have been busy! Darin's new job has him traveling across Canada and I thought it would be fun to join him on some of his trips - or at least get as many trips in before I start my new, full time job in mid-April. So a few days after getting home from Hawaii we headed to Victoria.

It was a lot of fun visiting the city with Darin. He spent 4 years living there over a decade ago and loved it. We rented a car and he took me all over the area, including Goldstream Park which is beautiful. The hiking and mountain biking must be awesome. Darin claims he used to ride his bike to the park, run up the "mountain", and then ride home. I really like Victoria, how can you not when they have flowers growing in February. I ran past a house that had vegetables growing in their front yard, including enough lettuce to make a weeks worth of salads - in February! It just doesn't seem right that Victoria is a Canadian City.

From Victoria, I went home while Darin went to Calgary and Edmonton. A week later I was off to Montreal, my favourite Canadian city, though Victoria is giving it a run for its money! I love the architecture and history of the city, the bilingual and fashionable people, and the boulangeries. I discovered Olive eh Gourmand the first morning and went back for breakfast every day I was there - best fruit salad ever and the croissants and scones and lattes and the liter of water they leave on every table helps keep you hydrated. Loved this place, it's cute on the inside too and great for people watching.

Our hotel was across from the Bell Centre and Brittany Spears was in town for a concert - lots of eye candy for Darin. The weather was chilly and I found I could have used a warmer sweater under my winter jacket, but the girls going to the concert were dressed in mini-skirts, tank tops, and FMe boots - they must have been freezing! The next night the Habs were hosting the Leafs and the parade of people going to the arena were the complete opposite of the Brittany fans, males, jeans, jersey, and sneakers, and instead of being skin and bone they could have BBQ and eaten a Brittany fan for dinner!

I spent two days exploring the Museums, Galleries, and Shops while Darin went on to St. Johns, Nfld. The Montreal Museum of Archeology and History is neat with interactive displays. They have video of actors playing Montreal residents from different eras of the city's history and you can ask them questions about what their life was like back in the 14th and 15th centuries. I have been to Montreal in the dead of winter, pre-Spring, and Summer and think Summer is the best time to go when the streets are bustling with people, street vendors, and buskers; but it was nice feeling like I had the old city almost to myself. Darin and I spent a day coffee shop hopping and enjoying some down time before heading home.

I am now in Arizona and soaking up the sun while it snows in Alberta and rains in Ontario. Darin and his parents will be joining us on Friday.

Celebrity viewings to date: We saw Ken Hoang from Survivor in Hawaii, Cobie Smuthers from How I Met Your Mother in Maui (Darin believes it was her, I didn't have the guts to go over and ask her), and Gerry Dee from Last Comic Standing, Rogers Commercials, and a car commercial on the plane to Victoria.

SUNSETS AND CYCLING IN HAWAII

2009-03-10T20:09:00.021-05:00

Darin and I were lucky to be invited to Hawaii by his company as he had another successful year, and I jumped at the chance. Since Darin and I have met, he has gone on at lengths about how amazing the riding is in Maui, and since I need a kick in the butt to get riding more I thought this trip would be a great catalyst.

We started our trip on the big Island in Kona at a resort that is on the Hawaii Ironman course and I was excited to see the Queen K Highway in person with it's lava rocks and names of past participants lining the road. I have watched the Hawaii Ironman on TV since I was about 7 and it was quite motivating to see the road that past heroes have ridden on. I wish I could say that my first ride was full of strength and speed, that I could feel the energy from the history of the road push me on a fun, fast, and effortless journey, but holy crap was it windy! I started in to the headwind on the highway and turned to ride up a hill thinking the winds may not be as strong, but the crosswinds were insane, it had to have been blowing at 70 km/hr and I was struggling to stay on the road. Soon after I almost hit a car I decided to turn around and had so much fun riding down the hill with a strong tail wind at 75 km/hr. It took me 90 min. to ride up and 25 min. to ride down - awesome. I wanted to keep riding so I turned back on to the highway that has these amazingly large shoulders, into the headwind, and rode until the wind broke me down - but the ride back was hoot.

The only picture I took on this ride was this one of a pretty residential road that goes down toward the water and the wind almost knocked me on my ass as I was standing taking the picture. It ends in a dead end, but was a pretty side trip.

DAY TWO

The second morning we woke up to more gusting winds and unlike day #1 when the trees were bending over at 45 degree angles, this morning the tops of the trees were almost touching the ground - so I was too scared to ride. Darin also decided to get the flu and spent the day resting, while I did my best to look after him I also took the time to get in to book #2. I read "Water For Elephants" on the plane ride to Hawaii and absolutely loved it! The second book was called "Miles From Nowhere" by Barbara Savage about a married couple who decided, in 1980, to take two years away from work to ride around the world. It was a great book too and has me now thinking about riding from New Delhi to Everest - 800 km, one week, anyone want to join me?

So far, one of the best parts about Kona are the sunsets!

DAY THREE

We woke on day three to a relatively calm day and I was excited to ride back up the hill that I started on day one, mainly so that I could enjoy the ride back down. The hill isn't all that steep, I'm guessing 6-8% up Kawaihae Road, 2,500 feet over 23 km, and the ride down was worth the ride up. I added distance along Queen K, not all that exciting. So far the landscape has been pretty barren and not at all what I thought Hawaii would be like - I had pictured rain forests. If you look closely at this picture you can even see snow; who would have thought you would see snow in Hawaii, but atop the 13,000 foot volcano sits the wintery white stuff.

DAY FOUR

Looking at a map I thought the loop in to Hawi would be fun to ride and would be around 100 km (I've learned that nobody knows distances in Hawaii, they all tell distance via driving time). Unfortunately, I didn't factor in wind time or elevation gain, in fact, I hadn't put any thought in to any hills that I might have to ride up. So after a nice lazy morning I headed out after lunch to the end of the Queen K Highway and turned on to route 270 which I was told was one of the best drives in the world due to it's ocean views. I felt the wind along the way too and thought I would have a great tail wind for the ride home.

I really started to enjoy the ride though when I went through Hawi, a cute town, and turned on to route 250, or rather up 250. Turns out you climb over 3,000 feet with a headwind and end up so far away from the water that you can't even see the ocean, and I was enjoying every minute of it - until I started to realize how long it was taking me to ride the route. We had dinner plans and I was starting to think that not only would I be arriving back at the resort late, but that I may not beat the sun and would be riding in the dark with no lights, not something I enjoy doing. After riding 80 km with a headwind, I was ready for a downhill and had a blast for the last 30 km which was all downhill with a tail wind - which helped me get back to the hotel just before the sun was gone, but I was late for dinner, oops.

Our last night on the Big Island was a group dinner with Darin's coworkers from around the world. The entertainment part of the dinner was a series of songs and dance that influenced the Hawain culture and during one performance they asked volunteers from the audience, aka Darin's coworkers, to join them - enjoy.

DAY FIVE

Our fifth day in Hawaii we took a "puddle jumper" from Kona to Maui and I have to say I have never experienced anything like this. Our taxi drops us off at this "shack" where there is a building with a roof and two walls, about 10 chairs, and a phone on top of a desk. We were told to pick up the phone, dial a number, let the operator know that we were there, and that the pilot would come get us when it was time to board. You read right, the pilot would come get us. So we wait outside in the sun, and when it is time to board this 16 year looking guy in a pilots uniform calls our names, asks our weight, weighs our checked luggage (I had to take out 17 pounds from my bike box), then we follow him, while wheeling our luggage, to the plane where the pilot loads the luggage, that's right, the pilot loaded the luggage.

We get on the plane with the other 9 passengers and I had so much fun on the plane. The small plane has huge windows and you can see everything, plus the turbulance is like riding a roller coaster, it was great!

We rented a convertible Jeep and headed to our rented condo in Napili, and along the way we saw whales! We could see the spray from the Whales in Kona, but just outside of Lahaina we could see the Whales and their tales, so cool!

DAY SIX

Day six was the day that I headed out on the West Maui Loop, the ride that I have heard Darin talk about for the last seven years almost. It is a stunning ride with thick vegetation, amazing views of the ocean, curving roads and great short hills, absolutely stunning. Leading up to this trip I was reading Simon Whitfield, Lauren Groves, and Adam Van Koeverden's blogs who were riding in Maui a few weeks before we arrived and one of the highlights of their training rides was Julia's Banana Bread stand - she serves it still warm and is worth stopping for. I put a whole loaf in my pocket and rode with it for 75 km to share with Darin.

I looped around at Wailuku and had a blast with the downhill and tail wind, unlike the rides in Kona, this route had a tail wind in all directions. When I started heading back to Lahaina on the busiest road of the loop (not the one pictured), it turned out there was an accident that shut down the highway. The cops let me go and I had the whole two lane highway to myself with the stunning views of the ocean, it was awesome! What a great ride.

DAY SEVEN

Our seventh day in Hawaii was the day I decided to ride up Mount Haleakala. It is a 10,000 foot volcano with a paved road all the way from sea level. It's an interesting ride as it is 60 km from the bottom to the top and the grade is steady the entire ride at about 6%. At this point in the trip I was tired, a little sore, and the ride started as a slug fest and just never got better. Every cyclist needs to ride this ride, it's beautiful, it's challenging, and it's rewarding when you get to the top. After reading previous posts you may think that I was looking forward to riding down the volcano, but I was actually not looking forward to it - not because of the fast speed, the tight corners, the drop offs, or the fact that the sun was going down, but because I knew it would be cold and when I put on all of the clothes that I had brought at the 8,000 foot elevation mark on the way up, I knew I was in trouble when it was time to go down.

I made it about 15 km down the hill, at 50 km/hr without pedaling, when I started to feel like I was losing control of my bike from all of my shivering. I stopped, warmed up, got back on the bike, made it another 10 km, then decided to pull over and wait for Darin to come pick me up - I have never been so cold!

DAY EIGHT

You're probably thinking about what Darin was doing while I was riding; since he has an injury he's not able to ride with me, so he was learning how to use his new fancy camera. He got an SLR digital camera just before our trip and had a great time taking pictures of surfers, wake boarders, kite surfers, sunsets, etc. He has some amazing shots and I'll work on putting together a video of his work.

This shot I took of him from the deck of our condo about 30 steps away. He's taking pictures of a few local kids were playing around with their wake boards, they were incredibly skilled.

We had an 11:30 pm flight from Maui to Los Angeles to somewhere else to home. So before our flight we had a lazy morning and then headed out to Paia. I started a ride towards Hana while Darin took pictures of kite surfers. I have to admit, I was tired and sore from all the riding I'd done, especially Haleakala who kicked my butt, so I rode at a leisurely pace, and really enjoyed the views, vegetation, the curving road, waterfalls, the downhills, et all. I would love to return to Maui to ride all the way to Hana; guess that only means one thing - we'll just have to go back!

CHRISTMAS 2008

2009-02-24T15:19:00.004-05:00

This May it will be 3 years since we've been in our house and we had never had all of Darin's family over, I don't think we've had more than 2 people over for dinner in the winter as our house is tiny. In the summertime it's a different story as we built a deck that is the same size as our kitchen, dining room, and Darin's office combined, but when it comes to entertaining indoors we have been apprehensive - Darin has been apprehensive. So since Darin and I were in Calgary for Christmas we decided to have his family over for dinner, and like I've been telling Darin "of course they will all fit in our house, all 11 of us!"

MONKEYING AROUND

2009-01-26T22:06:00.011-05:00

Work was a little slow today so we were perusing youtube and came across some pretty funny videos. If you get bored, search youtube videos for "monkey pee" - in the meantime enjoy this one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54dSDFyk76w

LANDLORD

2009-01-26T22:04:00.007-05:00

It was recently brought to my attention that not everyone has seen the "Landlord". it is too funny, everyone has to see it!

The Landlord from Will Ferrell

Christmas Lights

2008-12-17T09:16:00.002-05:00

Our house is looking pretty bah humbug this year, quite sad really. We were away for the first half of November and when we got back it was getting cold, or at least too chilly for me to want to get out and put up our Christmas lights. I've decided though that next year I'm going to try and out-do the house in this video.

Silly Fun

2008-12-17T08:08:00.005-05:00

This video just makes me smile, I love it - even though it makes me want to run away and become a full time traveler. It also shows how infectious silly can be, and I love silly!

Where the Hell is Matt? (2008) from Matthew Harding on Vimeo.">

Book Giveaway

2008-02-18T16:37:00.002-05:00

I love to read, but generally don't read the same book twice and give them away; so I thought this time I would like to offer up some of the books that were taking up space in our bookshelf. If you are interested in any of the books listed below send me an e-mail at petrinat@hotmail.com or give me a shout and I'll mail it out to you. If you would like to send a book that you enjoyed in return that would be great too!

See No Evil - non-fiction
By Isabel Vincent
*The Strange case of Christine Lamont and David Spencer, two Canadians held hostage in Brazil.

White Circus - non-fiction
By Ken Read with Matthew Fisher
*A skiing life with the Crazy Canucks

The Adventurist - non-fiction
By Robert Young Pelton
* Author of the Worlds Most Dangerous Places writes about world travel off the beaten path.

Angles and Demons - fiction
By Dan Brown
* The Prequel to The Da Vinci Code

The Hotel New Hampshire - fiction
By John Irving

A Writer's World - non-fiction
By Jan Morris
* A travel writers articles from 1950 to 2000

Citizen Girl - fiction
By Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus
* Authors of the Nanny Diaries write about a women in the corporate world.

Out of Noosphere - non-fiction
By Outside Magazine
* Features adventure articles that were published in Outside Magazine.

Nothing to Fall Back On - non-fiction
By Betsy Carter
* Humorous book about a journalist who claims to be a perpetual optimist.

Women Travel - non-ficiton
* First hand accounts from more than 60 countries.

Dreams From My Father - non-fiction
By Barack Obama
* Biography of his childhood through graduation from University (has a bit of water damage).

The Dirt - non-fiction
By Motley Crue with Neil Strauss
* Biography of the band.

The Memory Keeper's Daughter - fiction
By Kim Edwards
* Tale of regret and redemption.

Un lit de tenebres - fiction
Par William Styron

Le tour du monde en famille - non-fiction
Par Santiago Gonzalez Zunzundegui

Les adventures d'Adriean Mole 15 ans - fiction
Par Sue Townsend

ABLAZE, ASHEN, AND ANEW

2007-10-30T08:49:00.000-05:00

I find forest fires fascinating. Living in Calgary, it always amazed me that you could see the haze and smell the smoke from fires burning on the other side of the mountains in BC. There was a summer when I was working the front desk at the Four Points Sheraton in Canmore and a guest came running through the lobby carrying her camera. I thought for sure she had seen a bear from the window of her room and followed her outside to see if I'd have to call 911. Instead, I was greeted by the most amazing sunset I have ever seen. The sky was burning red, more intense than you can even imagine, and with the mountains framing the crimson heavens it was truly spectacular and made you want to believe in everything good and magical.

The pictures from the fires in California, like pictures from other mass fires in suburban areas, have once again sparked my wonder and raised the question, why does one house and it's property burn to the ground, but its next door neighbour's house is untouched? The house looks new, the grass is still green, the trees are healthy and standing tall, then the next house has become a pile of ash. Someone claimed it was due to the type of shingles on the house, but how does that account for the green grass and lush trees? The picture on the right was taken from the current California fires by Saul Loeb and was posted on the Globe and Mail website.

Have you seen the planes that drop water and anti-fire chemicals on the fire? They look huge when you see them on the runway and the mass amounts of fluid they can carry sound larger than can be comprehended. But then you see them in relation to the forest fire and they look so small, and the water they release to fight the fire looks like a droplet into an ocean, leaving me thinking, how can that really make a difference?

I wish the best for everyone who is affected by fire and hope that their lives will be able to return to normal quickly.

COCHRANE MURAL

2007-10-16T08:05:00.000-05:00

I was sent this link for the Cochrane mural and it is absolutely amazing. Each tile is one foot square and painted by a different artist to make up the overall mural. When you are on the web-site you can click on each tile and see how different each individual one looks on its own versus in the mosaic, click on the horse's eye to see what I'm talking about. Check it out at:
www.muralmosaic.com/Cochrane.html or click on the question mark.

TICK, TICKLE, TOCK

2007-09-26T07:27:00.000-05:00

I am always amazed at just how fast time flies by. We organized a conference last week that saw me working long days, late nights, and early mornings - and loving every minute of it. Needless to say, my personal computer time was next to nil and was catching up on my e-mails today, realizing just how long it has been since I've touched base with friends.

Pictures and more details of the ride I organized last week will be posted in a few days, but as I was cleaning up my "inbox" I came across this link: http://www.poodwaddle.com/worldclock.swf. Thought you might find it interesting to see just how fast the world is changing.

STEP ON A CRACK

2007-09-03T20:24:00.000-05:00

My commute to work often finds me day dreaming, usually about shoes. I work in a small office, with 3 other casually dressed people, but when I take the train in to Toronto I have a 30 min walk through the financial district in amongst good looking men in very nice suits and women who know a thing or two about fashion. Since I don't want to look out of place on my walk to the office, I dress up in my "professional" clothes and a great pair of heels, and although I wish I owned a sexy pair of Christian Louboutin cork pumps, I make due with what my budget allows. Walking in heels downtown does have it's challenges though, but I'm starting to look more pro, more J.Lo., as I maneuver the cobble stones, pot holes. trolley tracks, man hole covers, subway grates, and my favourite, the stair you must descend to get off the train.

In any case, there have been a few times when the heel has gotten stuck in something and once it went through the floor in the hallway leading to our office, we're on the third floor of an old factory - I now walk close to the walls, but all in all I'm getting pretty competent with my high heel skills, which I give partial credit to a childhood nursery rhyme. When I was younger I took "step on a crack, break your mother's back" very seriously and made sure not to step on any cracks, a habit that has served me well as I've moved in to the grown up world of impractical footwear. I spent 30 min. thinking about how that "story" finally makes sense, you learn not to step on cracks so that when you get older and are wearing stilettos you won't get your heel stuck in a crack, so maybe the other nursery rhymes have a purpose too. Hansel and Gretel taught us not to eat houses, or maybe the moral was not to take candy from a stranger. Rapunzel taught us to never cut our hair, or always carry a rope, not sure which, or even how she ended up in the tower, but whatever.

And to tie this all together, Cinderella taught us it's not worth cramming your foot into a shoe like the wicked step sisters, it will only cause you pain and there are comfortable ones out there. Cinderella also taught us that shoes define you as a person, and you can never put a price on a shoe that makes you feel like a princess. So again I bring up the Louboutin red cork pump, my limited budget, and the fact that Christmas is less than 4 months away - is Santa really out there?

SPEED DEMON

2007-07-29T11:48:00.001-05:00

MOSPORT

2007-07-29T11:35:00.000-05:00

Darin's birthday was on July 27th, and unlike his birthdays in the past, this one didn't suck! I got him an afternoon of track driving in an F2000 car. He was quickly moved in to the fast group, a smile spread the full width of his face, and adrenaline pumping through his veins. Today his back has a big lump on it and his butt bones are bruised from the unpadded seats and rough suspension, but I think he had an amazing experience and will be back to do it again.

GUILD

2007-07-29T11:28:00.000-05:00

I have such a great job doing promotions for the Waterfront Trail, a signed 900km route from Niagara to Quebec. There are several beautiful sections along the way, and although I haven't ridden all of it yet, I do plan on covering every section before the snow falls. There is currently a gap in Scarborough, a section in Toronto, that we are working on having signed by September. We will be riding this section as part of our conference in September and I rode it a few weeks ago and the Guildwood Inn and park lie along this section. It is such a neat park, with remnants of old buildings that have been torn down, beautiful gardens, and it is extremely peaceful. Definitely recommend a visit.

POT O GOLD!

2007-07-15T00:12:00.000-05:00

We've had a water ban on the last few weeks, but finally got some rain. We had a torrential downpour for about 30 min when I was in Niagara and when I came home it passed over our house, and Darin, who was out on a ride, got hit with the wind, rain, and hail. At the end of it, we were rewarded, not only with a drink for our lawn, but with this beautiful rainbow. The plus side is that our house is at the end of the rainbow - jackpot!

NIAGARA

2007-07-14T23:51:00.000-05:00

What a great week! I may have a ton of work to do, and may be working on Sunday, but spent last Thursday in Niagara. Justin has initiated the Bike Train which will be having its inaugural run on the week-end of July 21. Basically, it will be a Via train that runs between Toronto and Niagara and has a luggage car with bike racks, so you can travel to and from Niagara by bike. Since I work for the Waterfront Trail, a signed route from Niagara to Quebec, I am hoping that most people take the train one way and ride the other, and it sounds like that is what many are doing.

In any case, Justin wanted to ride some of the suggested bike routes in Niagara and I tagged along for the opportunity to ride in the area and explore more of the Waterfront Trail since it starts in Niagara-on-the-Lake. We had a beautiful day and what a great place to ride, I definitely recommend the trip to everyone, no matter how often you ride a bike. Niagara-on-the-Lake is such a charming town, I just love it, and it has lots of wineries within riding distance; but we didn't have the chance to stop in for tastings. The picture is of Justin riding the Waterfront Trail near Butler's Barracks, about 2km from the official start of the trail. Check out www.waterfrontrail.org and www.biketrain.ca.

READY, SET...

2007-07-05T21:06:00.000-05:00

We went back to Killbear Provincial Park after Canada Day, and this time Zach came with us - had to have someone to axe the watermelon! I stayed for one night while the boys stayed for two, and it's amazing how relaxing it is to be in the middle of nowhere with no cell phones, computers, televisions, or anything to remind you of the city and work. Darin and I have both been busy with work, so it was great to get out and take a break. It is so beautiful out there. I'll be posting the rest of our pictures on www.myworldmypics.com, so stay posted.

FASTER THAN THE SPEED OF LIGHT!

2007-07-05T20:30:00.000-05:00

Darin and I have had the pleasure of having our friend Zach stay with us as he passes through our neck of the woods for some bike races. We went down to watch the Rochester Twilight Crit which was a pretty exciting race. People were going around collecting money for a crowd prime and managed to accumulate $1300, so when the bell rang with 7 laps to go the next person across the line was going to win the pot, and what an exciting sprint it was! Zach came second, narrowly missing the prize. We asked for a refund for the $20 we had put in the hat, but he made us dinner instead.

The following race was the Chin Picnic Crit in Toronto, 35 laps with points every 5 laps, and this time Zach didn't disappoint, he won every sprint that he contested and came first overall. Zach is on the right hand side of the picture winning a sprint.

BUCKING BRONCO

2007-07-05T20:18:00.000-05:00

I spent a very quick week-end in Calgary to return my Mom's dog. It was raining when I landed, rained that night, then rained, rained, rained, and I thought I was never going to see the mountains, but the day I was leaving they miraculously appeared. I was really only in the city for a few days, but did meet up with some family and a few friends, but forgot to take a picture until I was in the airport leaving - hence the Stampede scene on the window, with the city skyline and mountains behind it ... don't think I'll win any awards for this one. Happy Stampeding everyone!

KILLBEAR

2007-07-05T19:59:00.000-05:00

Darin and I ventured out to Killbear for our first week-end of camping this season the week-end after the May two-four week-end (eastern talk for May long week-end). Though the water may not have been warm enough to swim in yet the sun was out and we had a great time. Since we were looking after my Mom's normally pampered dog, he came with us on his first camping trip where he got dirty, cold, and proved that he apparently lacked raccoon radar. The little, or make that rather large bugger, came right up onto our picnic table, about 3 feet from us, and stole our bag of marshmallows. Darin chased the 'Coon, but the awkward, slow moving beast out ran my ManDarin - good thing he's fast on the bike! The raccoons had gotten into our food stuff earlier in the day when we had left the sealed tupperware container out, and they came back after we went to bed in search of a party, but this time, after rummaging through our stove, our wood, and site, they found nothing - this time fooled!

BACON

2007-07-05T19:51:00.000-05:00

Nikki didn't have it too bad while camping, though I'm sure he would have liked the temperature to be a bit warmer, and the smoke from the campfire to stay out of his face, he did get to play lots of ball - and the bacon that was left on the plate in the picture, well, it didn't go to the raccoons.

LYNSKEY

2007-07-05T19:34:00.000-05:00

Darin and I ventured down to Scottsdale at Easter to get in some good rides. Darin and my Dad had ordered new Lynskey bikes and we had the perfect weather to break them in. Although I helped my Dad pick the parts for his bike and stay in his budget, he kept eyeing up and drooling over Darin's Fulcrum Racing Zero wheels - they are Ferrari red after all. It was impressive how much faster both guys were on their new toys. We rode with two of Dad's riding buddies on a long ride to Bartlett Lake one day and was impressed at how fast these guys are - though I suppose they are only in their 60s. Scottsdale is growing on me, must be the fact that is is almost always sunny and warm, unlike Toronto in the winter and spring.

TRASH TO TREASURES

2007-03-28T21:51:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure if other communities do this, I know that the first time I encountered it was here in Oakville, and I find it very bizarre. The three days before Mar. 24 saw trucks scouring the streets in our neighbourhood; you could hear the rattling of the treasures they carried, the metal roof of a shed, a battery charger, rain gutters. I saw mini-vans and cars with furniture strapped to their roofs.

On Mar. 23, I moved our junk pile from behind our house to the front curb, it contained very broken plastic garden chairs, some eaves, and mostly the remnants of the itty bitty deck that we had before we built our summer family/dining room (aka: huge patio). To my surprise, an hour later the wood and metal were all gone, picked up by someone who wanted it - and even more surprising, someone later took the chairs (did I mention they were split in half?). So the "garbage" that took up 3/4 of my front curb was whittled down to a bucket and a few pieces of drywall. If you ask me, this "bulk collection" that happens once a year is a pretty good way to re-use and recycle . Now if we could only get the green box program going!

The picture is from alpharat.blogspot.com

SPRING IS IN THE AIR

2007-02-20T20:12:00.000-05:00

Those who know me know that it doesn't take much to make me happy. I go into Toronto on Monday and Thursday to work, so I'm out of the house by 7:15 and back at 6:30 - and have to say that I actually enjoy my commute! The GO Train is a great opportunity to read and the walk is a great time to get some fresh air, or when in the inside PATH system, to window shop! Since I started my new job a month ago, it has been dark when I leave the house, and dark by the time I get off the train and into my car to drive home - until yesterday! It was quite exciting to go to work in the light and come home in the light, it means that Spring is just around the corner, which means that Summer is on the way, which means that I will soon be able to ride outside and put the woolies in storage, yeah! Today showed more signs of Spring too, there were lots of birds, the mercury rose above freezing, the streets were wet, and I was outside without a jacket - life is looking up! Hope Spring arrives soon for everyone.

TWIGGY

2007-02-04T12:39:00.000-05:00

One of my daily rituals, after I've done the Sudoku, jigsaw, and word games on philly.com, and after I've played the prairie scramble on cornergas.com, and after I've read the news and messages via e-mail, and after I've checked in to my friends blogs, I log on to theglobeandmail.com and scroll through the daily pictures.

Yesterday I came across Twiggy, a water skiing squirrel who was performing at the Tulsa Boat, Sport, and Travel show in Oklahoma. It was too amusing not to share. The picture was taken by Stephen Pingry.

LA PAZ, MEXICO

2007-02-04T11:56:00.000-05:00

Well, I finally downloaded our pictures from our trip to Mexico back in October. Mom, Dad, Darin and I went to La Paz, on the Baja Peninsula, and enjoyed the sun and warm weather. La Paz was a lot bigger than I thought it was going to be, feeling a lot like a city instead of a town, so we rented a car and explored some of the peninsula. One of the places we went to explore was Todos Santos, home of the famous Hotel California, believed to be the subject of the Eagles famous song, but not. It is a beautiful town with lots of art, jewelry, and pretty buildings. We had lunch off the beaten path at a place that, although they had menus, only served fish soup.

The chef at the Hotel California happened to be a Calgarian formerly of Teatros who used to teach cooking classes, of which my parents had been students, so we said hi to Dany Lamot and headed to the beach that he told us about. We started on the highway and then made a 90 degree turn onto a dirt road that you'd miss if you weren't looking for it. It felt like we were driving through a rain forest, parked our car and then walked through a pretty cool forest as we made our way to the surfers beach. There were only a few other people on the beach and we enjoyed the solitude. On the way back we came across a huge rattle snack that we had to throw things at so we didn't have to drive over it. We would definitely go back to Todos Santos.

ESPIRITO SANTO

2007-02-04T11:15:00.000-05:00

La Paz is known as THE destination during whale migrating season - unfortunately that's not in October, or November. During these months there are seals though, and every penny spent on this vacation was worth it for the day that we went swimming with the seals.

We started on main street in La Paz, the provincial capital, where we got onto a boat and made our way to Espirito Santo. Along the way our guide took us beside the shoreline of rocky islands, into and through some caves, and along the way we were approached by a pod of dolphins. It is one of the coolest things I have ever experienced. They came so close to us that if my arms were longer I could have touched them. They were beautiful, swimming in unison, surfacing, diving, they were stunning. Finally we made our way toward a pile of rocks about 2km long, covered in what looked like icing sugar, but was bird crap; and so we found ourselves at Espirito Santo.

We put on our snorkels, fell into the water and observed the fish underneath and the birds overhead. As we swam toward the island and got closer to the seals I could feel my heart start racing. Before I knew it there was a baby seal staring into my eyes. My arms were stretched out in front of me and I wasn't sure what to do, he was about a foot in front of me and I was a little scared of this furry little pup. He nipped my hand and then swum off. I looked around for Darin to tell him of my cool experience and saw that he was swimming and playing with another baby seal. So I found my seal and started diving and doing somersaults; we swam toward each other and away from each other, we played tag and did tricks. When I would surface to get some air and clean out my snorkel, he would pop his head up too and wait patiently for me, looking at me with his adorable brown dog eyes.

Every once in awhile a huge, mega, adult seal would swim by and I would freeze, thinking that if I didn't move he couldn't see me and therefore wouldn't attack - not that I would give him a reason to attack me, but the guys are massive - massively huge! We ended a perfect day on a beach with the best tuna salad sandwich ever made!

DORADO

2007-02-04T10:44:00.000-05:00

On the last day of out trip Mom and I went shopping while Darin and my Dad went deep sea fishing - and the stories of what happened on their trip just keep on coming. At this point, the only person that really knows what happened is the guy who took them fishing. It was a really windy and choppy day which made it hard for the guys to keep their balance, so the story goes that Dad was on his knees as he kept falling over when he tried to stand up, while Darin had to use the "pussy" (some sort of equipment that helps the "fisherman" reel in the fish) to help him catch the fish.

Dad says Darin let most of the fish get away, while Darin says Dad let most of the fish get away - and the debate is still up in the air as to who caught the biggest fish. One story I believe to be true is this one: Darin and Dad had both caught a fish and Darin was examining them closely, trying to decide which one was bigger. When he returned to where Dad was sitting, who had been watching Darin out of the corner of his eye, and didn't say anything, Dad knew that his fish was the bigger of the two. Darin would say that they were the same size, and the debate rages on.

We all enjoyed the fish, very tasty! We bought a cooler and ice so that we could take it home with us and after a night in the freezer we packed it up and went to the airport, only to be told by airport officials that we weren't allowed to take ice on the plane, who knew? Luckily the fish stayed frozen and we enjoyed more great meals during our week in Scottsdale.

AQUA FORMULA ONE

2007-01-11T11:29:00.000-05:00

How much fun would this be! It would be like flying, diving, rolly polly fun. I have had the pleasure to swim with the dolphins, get pulled while hanging on to their fins, and being lifted out of the water as they pushed my feet with their noses, but being able to jump and dive and gain some real speed would be a whole other experience.

This Seabreacher, or Dolphin Boat, is made from recycled canopies from fighter jets so that it can withstand the force of entering the water and goes to a depth of 2 feet. As a Canadian, the first thing I thought of was how brilliant it was for someone to come up with a way of playing in our glacial, hypothermic waters without having to get our toes wet. Apparently it takes strength and stamina to control, but two people fit in the "cockpit" and are secured with the same safety harness as rally car drivers.

To read a full article log on to http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/technology/technology.html?in_article_id=425833&in_page_id=1965

OSCAR SHOE IN

2007-01-08T16:25:00.000-05:00

I was flipping through the channels during my "lunch break" today and came across the movie Legends of the Fall. The scenery is stunning in this movie and made me crave a hike in my native Rockies, but it also got me to thinking about other movies that have been filmed in Kananaskis Country. Off the top of my head I came up with Dances with Wolves, Unforgiven, and most recently Broke Back Mountain - all of which show amazing panoramas AND have won Academy Awards. Since I couldn't think of any other movies that show off the Rocky Mountains I came to the conclusion that if you make a movie that showcases the stunning beauty of Calgary's backyard, you are guaranteed an Oscar! Just a hint for all you filmmakers.

If you can think of other movies that have been shot in Kananaskis/Bragg Creek/Canmore/Banff, let me know. Also, if you have pictures of the mountains please forward them on, they help remind me of home. The picture here is from www.larry-bolch.com and is in Kananaskis.

SPECIALIZED CHRISTMAS CARD

2006-12-08T11:42:00.000-05:00

Specialized has a very cool Christmas card that can be viewed at specialized.com. All the sounds are made from bicycle parts, it's pretty cool. The picture is from bigfoto.com and is a reminder that winter is here. We had our first snow fall a few days ago and the weather has just started dipping under the freezing mark. Happy winter!!

GLOBAL WARMING

2006-11-30T12:00:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot of talk in the media about global warming, even Hollywood stars have jumped on board, so you know it must be important! In any case, I was out for a run the other day and got to thinking about what we can do to help protect our planet. Now, I will admit, as a Canadian who is a non-skiing, non-skating, non-toboganing, non-snowfort builder, non-heavy down parka owner, non-dog sled owner, the idea of global warming is somewhat appealing; there are very few things less enjoyable than opening the door of my cozy home to have my lungs freeze and stop functioning. However, global warming, according to “they”, has numerous down sides. So here is what I figure we could do to help decrease the emissions of carbon dioxide which help lead to global warming – drive faster. Now hear me out.

The way I see it, if everyone drove faster, cars would be used less as we would get to our destinations faster. Instead of having maximum speed limits, we should have minimum speed limits – what used to be a maximum of 110 km/hr is now a minimum of 190km/hr. For those who have driven in Toronto you know that the roads can handle these speeds. The other bonus is that by raising the speed minimum people will have more fun driving, it will release endorphins and adrenaline and all those hormones that make you feel happy and high which is a pretty cool side benefit – not only will we be decreasing harmful emissions, but we will be decreasing road rage as well. I also figure that by raising the speed minimum, people will want to spend more money on their cars, they will want fast cars, sports cars if you will, which will increase demand for Ferraris, Porches, BMWs and the like which will decrease their retail sales tag. Plus, people will love their cars more and not want them to get scratched, bumped, or wrecked, and therefore will drive them less. It’s a win, win, win solution!

By driving faster we can also help decrease obesity. The Calgary Sun recently reported that Calgarians are fat and lazy (the full article may be read at: http://cnews.canoe.ca/CNEWS/Canada/2006/11/29/2545841-sun.html), and I’m sure they’re not the only city who could stand to beef up. If everyone increased their speeds on the road they would be commuting less and giving themselves more time to exercise and grocery shop, plus the attentiveness needed to drive at high speeds would help burn more calories. And I just thought of this, if we also set speed minimums in fast food drive throughs it would make it harder to order, and therefore eat, a greasy, fatty meal – what do you think, should we make it a minimum of 50km/hr with no stopping?

Now, I’m no expert, but I think I may be on to something here – either that or I should go back to thinking about cookies while I run. Let me know if there are any other global issues I should try to solve.

ENJOYING THE DECK

2006-10-05T08:47:00.000-05:00

enjoying the deck
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

My mom and dad came to visit us in September, and to build us a deck! Our house was built in 1972 and was only owned by one family, yet they hadn't built a deck or done any landscaping. Fortunately my parents donated their time to come out and build us this fabulous patio! Can't wait to flowerize it next year.

The weather has started to cool down here, but we are still getting some beautiful days in which to enjoy the patio and putz around in the yard. Bulbs will be going in the ground today as our night time low is going to be around 2, so frost is on the horizon, bummer. On the positive side, Halloween is just around the corner and that means the supermarkets are full of little mini chocolate bars - yum, yum!

JACKIE

2006-10-03T11:47:00.000-05:00

Jackie
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

This summer saw several visitors which was very exciting. My friend Ginny, who had moved from Guelph to Exton, PA (she lives within walking distance of a Target, the lucky girl) came to Ontario to visit friends and I was blessed with her company for a few days in July. We went for a great bike ride and a drive through the neighbourhood where she grew up, not far from where we currently live. It was actually pretty exciting to hear the stories of her youth and we even got a tour of the house she grew up in!

Our next visitor was Zach, a professional cyclist that Darin and I had met in Calgary before he was fast and famous. It was great to catch up on how much his life has changed over the past few years, the adventures he’s been on and his future plans. We wish you the best with your Olympic bid Zach.

One of the most exciting calls that I got this summer was from Jackie saying that she had a ticket that she had to use up and could she come visit – Hell Ya! She spent the long weekend in September with us where we ate, shopped, and caught up. Jackie is training for the Chicago Marathon in October and after her 29 km long run we went for a pedicure, played some bridge, where I came from behind to win, and I just really enjoyed spending time with a great friend. According to our guests we have a great spare bed and our doors are always open, everyone is welcome!

KIARA AND MAIJA

2006-10-03T11:44:00.000-05:00

Kiara and Maija
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Our friends Maija and Rastko, whom I’d gone to university with, and who were a large part in why we settled in West Chester to begin with, were pregnant with the their second baby as we were getting ready to move to Ontario. Maija’s due date was almost the same as my leaving date and I was begging her to give birth before we moved. Even though I kept trying to get her to eat really spicy foods and have lots of sex she just refused to go into labour until a few days after I had arrived in ON. So Jadine, who lives in Toronto and used to be Rastko’s roommate, and I decided we needed to go on a road trip and visit Kiara, the new arrival. Though our trip was short, only a few days, we had a great time playing with Luka, the two year and old, catching up with Maija and Rastko, and introducing ourselves to the baby. It was also fun to drive along the roads that I used to cycle on and do a drive by of our old townhouse. Pennsylvania really is a gorgeous state, and one that I think is often overlooked; but I highly recommend it as a travel destination.

CLIFFS AT KILLBEAR

2006-10-03T11:41:00.000-05:00

Cliff Jumping in mid-air
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

It seems like everyone in the GTA has a cottage in “cottage country”, or knows someone, or rents a cottage in “cottage country”. Darin’s family has a place near Midland on Georgian Bay, but as a high school student, Darin spent his summers at a campground in a Provincial Park named Killbear on the other side of Georgian Bay. Every time Darin spoke of his summers his eyes would light up and he would get all excited, like a kid on Christmas morning. We took a few days to venture up to Killbear and I too fell in love with the place. The water was super warm, clean, and clear; the campground was full of beautiful trees; there were cliffs to jump off of, and we could roast marshmallows – it was really like a slice of heaven. Darin chickened out of jumping from the cliffs that were higher than 15 feet, while I lept from the 30 footer called “Insanity” (pictured where the girl in the turquoise bikini is) and watched the teens hurtle themselves from the more dangerous “Suicide”. It was so much fun and the sunsets were spectacular. One visitor would come out at dusk and as the sun would set and play his trumpet, it was very surreal and romantic. There’s a reason that cottage country and the Muskokas are well known, it really is a stunning part of our country.

Our View of Toronto

2006-10-03T11:37:00.000-05:00

CN Tower
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

One of the best things about being in the Toronto area is the multiculturalism. The restaurant choices are endless, the food and shopping are amazing, and during the Soccer World Cup the energy was contagious. We were always aware of the victor of a game as a convoy of cars with huge flags flying out of every car window paraded down the street. During the final game, Darin, Mark and I went for a bike ride into Toronto. It was like a ghost town, no one was out, everyone but us was watching the game; it was like Philadelphia when the Eagles were playing. Once the game was over the streets were full of honking cars with Italian flags flapping in the wind, it was crazy! Aside from the bad traffic, Toronto is a pretty cool city.

Helen and Len

2006-10-03T11:33:00.000-05:00

Helen and Len
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Darin and I lived with his parents for two and a half months and it was a great experience. It gave us a chance to get to know each other better and Helen and Len made us feel very comfortable, almost too comfortable! We got possession of our house in May and spent a week painting the basement, renovating a bathroom and having new carpet put in. Our house was built in 1972 and except for the basement the house has been updated and is in great condition. We have settled in, though it was an adjustment in moving from 2600 square feet to 1200!

Mom at Dean and Deluca

2006-10-03T11:31:00.000-05:00

bread and mom
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Wow, it really is amazing how fast time flies! After returning from Mexico our house was listed, there had been a realtor open house, and we were having several showings. The day before Darin moved to Ontario to start his new job he had a nasty case of stomach flu, hadn’t packed yet, and we had a day of showings, including one with an hour notice. All Darin wanted to do was sleep, but it was a good thing that we agreed to the showing as it was the one that resulted in an offer – our house was sold! We had six weeks to get everything settled and moved.

One of the things I wanted to do was see more of New York, so my mom flew out and we spent a few days shopping and enjoying the Big Apple sites, including Dean and Deluca, yummy! The highlight for me was seeing the Lion King, what an amazing musical! The costumes are spectacular and the actors amazing; if you have a chance to see the production I highly recommend you go! We had a great girls trip that I’m hoping will result in a yearly tradition.

Since both of our vehicles were leased, they were returned to the dealerships and mom and I rented a car to drive to Ontario. We thought it would be easier than flying with my paranoid and loudly verbal cat Molly. The trip went really well, Molly howled for about an hour and then relaxed a bit and was quiet for most of the rest of the trip – including an overnight stay in a hotel in Niagra. We crossed the border with no hassle and moved in with my in-laws in Oshawa.

MANANA

2006-01-11T23:01:00.000-05:00

MANANA
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Darin was such a doll and bought us a trip to Isla Mujeres for New Years as an anniversary present. Hard to believe we've been married a year! If you've never been to Isla, a small island 30 min. from Cancun, Mexico by ferry, then you should definitely plan a trip.

Manana was a coffee house/used bookstore that we frequented quite regularly. Not only could they make a great cup of coffee, but by selling books, it meant Darin's copy of "Dirt" was saved from me reading it as I finished "The Sex Lives of Cannibals" the first day we were there (it is a very entertaining read). Fortunately the island wasn't severely damaged from hurricane Wilma, though they suffered through the storm for three days.

TAQUERIA

2006-01-11T22:59:00.000-05:00

TAQUERIA
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

One of the best parts about traveling are the people you meet. This picture is of Jennifer (from Ottawa), and Tim and Tom from Toronto. We never would have met these great people who have become friends were it not for a gal from Manhattan who was on the island to re-evaluate her life. One night when I left Darin alone in our room to get the best massage ever (highly recommend Susanna), he opened the door of our hotel room to head out on a walk and found "the New Yorker" standing there. She ended up checking in to our hotel the next night after spending one night at her original accommodation, where she met Tim and Tom, and we kept running in to her everywhere! On the plus side, she introduced us to some great people, who introduced us to the best Tacos on the planet!

GETTING A TAN - MAYBE

2006-01-11T22:58:00.000-05:00

GETTING A TAN - MAYBE
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Spending a few hours on the beach is a great way to spend a day! Have to say, we really didn't do much aside from tanning, playing in the water, throwing a frisbee, and eating, eating, and drinking. I really love Mexico!! Maybe ya'll can join us next year!

HOUSE FOR SALE

2006-01-08T22:31:00.000-05:00

kitchen
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Well, after almost 2 years of living just outside of Philadelphia in a suburb named West Chester we are going to be moving just outside of Toronto in a suburb named ... well, yet to be decided. Darin's office will be in Mississauga, so if anyone has suggestions on where we should house hunt, let us know.

GRAND CANYON

2006-01-08T22:21:00.000-05:00

Hiking into the Grand Canyon
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Darin and I were very lucky to be treated to a trip to the Grand Canyon by my parents as our Christmas present, so at the end of October we found ourselves on the trail to the Native Village of Havasupai. I'd been to the South Rim before, but have to say that if you have the chance you should visit Havasupai. There is lush hiking, stream crossings, water falls to swim in and rock climb and jump off of. We spent the first day hiking in, not as hard, or vertical as I thought it would be. The second day we went on a long hike that included a tricky descent down a waterfall that I am very proud of my Mom for conquering, and a jump off a waterfall that I have always wanted to do.

MOONY FALLS

2006-01-08T22:09:00.000-05:00

Grand Canyon
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

We had such a great time in the Grand Canyon. This picture was taken at the bottom of Moony Falls - from left to right, Ron (guide), Darin, Lucy, Hansi (guide), Morgan, Mom, Me, Dad. We highly recommend Arizona Outback Adventures, the guides were great and the food was excellent!

BELLAGIO FOUNTAINS

2006-01-08T22:08:00.000-05:00

Bellagio
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

After the Grand Canyon we went to Vegas for a few days - one extreme to the other! Vegas was loads of fun, and although Darin broke even, I think, I definitely lost all his winnings, and then sum, I mean some. I'll have to take some roulette lessons before our next visit. We saw Zumanity and We Will Rock You, which were a lot of fun and VERY entertaining. We also enjoyed walking through the hotels, and I could have watched the fountains in front of the Bellagio all day!!

STORM PHOTOS

2005-11-12T09:11:00.000-05:00

If you scroll down a bit on this web-site you will find storm photos. It was recently brought to my attention where these pictures came from, and as it turns out they were not in fact from Alberta - in fact, these pictures have shown up all over the world with claims of being all kinds of different storms, including Katrina. To find out more about where these pics came from and where they have appeared log on to http://www.extremeinstability.com/storms.htm.

BUNNY ON TOP

2005-09-21T08:44:00.000-05:00

from_plane.thumb
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

An artist collective, by the name of Gelatin, has created a large stuffed bunny on top of a mountain in Italy. Apparently they plan on leaving it there until 2025, so that leaves lots of time for us to schedule a trip to Artesina, near Turin.

PINK BUNNY

2005-09-21T08:41:00.000-05:00

mountainview.thumb
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Apparently the stuffed bunny was knit by dozens of grannies with pink wool. Not sure just how long it took to make this, or how heavy it is, but it definitely stands out!

CLIMBING THE RABBIT

2005-09-21T08:38:00.000-05:00

leg_sleep.thumb
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

I don't know about you, but it sure looks like fun! The artists encourage people to climb the 20 foot bunny.

More info and pictures can be found at:
http://www.gelitin.net/mambo/content/view/31/71/

SINGING IN THE RAIN

2005-07-17T21:41:00.000-05:00

Singing in the Rain
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

It has been so humid here, over 90% and in the 90s - I think that's high 20s or 30s in Canadian. Today I went into the Wawa (native for Canadian Goose, but more importantly there are Wawas on every corner, they are like a suped up convenience store, but I digress), when I came out of the store my glasses fogged up!! It finally rained around dinner time, so Darin and I braved the elements and walked over to the Wawa near our house for a Tasty Cake. I splashed and jumped in the puddles the whole way. When we left our house the water was over my ankle. When we came back soaked 20 minutes later, there was no more water on the road.

HAND ART

2005-07-17T21:15:00.000-05:00

image008
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

My friend Jackie sent an e-mail with all kinds of really cool hands painted to look like animals. I think it was for an ad campaign for Schroders - a global asset management company (www.schroders.com). In any case, they look really cool. I've only included 2 of about 8.

2005-07-17T21:11:00.000-05:00

image005
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

PATIO SEASON

2005-07-17T21:03:00.000-05:00

IMGP0810.JPG
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

We have really been enjoying our patio - though we may have gone overboard on the flowers! It is so nice to live where the growing season is so long, everything grows and flourishes and the hanging baskets only cost $20! I have been having a bit of a problem with June Beatles though.

TOMATOES OR SPROUTS?

2005-07-17T21:00:00.000-05:00

IMGP0792.JPG
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

I cut through a tomato the other day and found what looked to be bean sprouts growing inside. Has anyone else ever experienced this?

DISCOVERY LEADS UP THE CLIMB

2005-07-17T20:56:00.000-05:00

Discovery Team leadi#14C8A6
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Darin and I met our friend Uli at Valley Forge and we rode in to Manayunk to watch the USPRO championships, it took about an hour. I think this may be Ryder Hesjedal attacking the group up the infamous "Wall". The climb is around a mile long and is a 17% grade in the middle; I wouldn't be surprised if the average grade was 10%. The racers do several laps, and with the temperatures in the high 30s riders were being shattered in the men's and women's races - and on the sidelines - we drank so much water, and never used the porta-potty!

DARIN AND ULI

2005-07-17T20:41:00.000-05:00

Darin and Uli on "The Wall"
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Darin and Uli were all smiles on "The Wall" as we were given cans of cold beer from guys at a house party along the infamous climb. Every house within a block radius of the course gets in on the party atmosphere, some places have bands playing on the roof, and everyone is partying. It has a feel of the University parties of old!! So much fun.

IN NEED OF A PUSH

2005-07-17T20:32:00.000-05:00

Webcor rider needing#14C8A7
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

The final time up "The Wall" everyone looked shattered, especially those offf the back. There were three Webcore guys, significantly behind the leaders, peloton, and grupetto limping up the climb. We were standing on the 17% grade part of the mile long uphill when they passed us, one teammate physically pushing the other up the climb, while this guy rode near the barricade motioning for the fans to push him up, which they did - it looked like hell!

PHILLY

2005-07-17T20:26:00.000-05:00

View of Philly downt#14C8A8
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

The Philly Art Museum has some of the best views of the city, including this one from the finish line of the USPRO Championships.

ALBERTA FLOODING

2005-07-17T20:09:00.000-05:00

Okotoks-Sheep13
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

It was crazy to hear about all the flooding in Southern Alberta. This picture is from my cousin and was taken in Okotoks. Moisture is just one of the big differences between Calgary and Philly. When it rains here, it pores cats and dogs - and cows and elephants, it's unreal. A "monsoon" will come through, but a few hours later the roads will be dry, the puddles will be gone. It sounds like the rain fall did a load of damage in Calgary and area though - hope everyone's homes are OK.

TORNADO WARNING

2005-07-17T19:59:00.000-05:00

i000766_big
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Apparently there were tornadoe warnings in Calgary back in May, I think. In any case, my aunt sent some amazing pictures. Sorry I don't know who to credit for them, but this one was particularly stunning.

BOBBY JULICH AND MARK McCORMACK

2005-07-17T19:49:00.000-05:00

Bobby Julich and Mar#14C8FA
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Every year for the last 20 years or so, Philadelphia hosts the USPRO Championships. It is the finale to the Wachovia Cycling Series which also contains races in Lancaster, 45 min. West of our house, and Trenton, 45 min. East of our house. We made it out to Trenton on June 2, caught up with Ryan McKenzie who races for Subway, and whom I've known since he was 16 in Calgary, then enjoyed the races. We were in the right spot at the right time to see Bobby Julich attack the field and stay out front with Mark McCormack for most of the race.

CHASING PACK

2005-07-17T19:33:00.000-05:00

The Chasing Pack
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Bobby and Mark stayed off the front until less than a lap to go. It's pretty impressive seeing teams organize at the front to reel in a breakaway. It's also interesting to see all the different people and the bikes they are riding. While waiting at the finish line we got talking to a guy who looked like a Hells Angel member, handlebar mustach, beard, greasy pony tail and gut. He asked our opinion on who would win, we said Gord Fraser of course, he was hoping for Fast Freddy Rodriguez, but went on to explain other sprinters who could win. This guy truly followed North American Cycling, he knew everyone's results from the year - it was crazy! There were lots of HOT guys at this race too!!!!

WINNER GORD FRASER

2005-07-17T19:10:00.000-05:00

Gord Fraser after winning
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

It was a pretty exciting finish with Gordie coming through first, we were pretty stoked. It is amazing, too, how close you can get to the riders after the race. After congratulating the 2004 Canadian National Champion we wandered through the team cars and said hi to Bobby Julich - he's such a nice guy - and he's been spotted riding near our house!

BIG RED

2005-07-17T17:42:00.000-05:00

IMGP0679
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Darin and I bought a new truck. We call her Big Red, she's a Ford Ranger, and she's fun to drive. After having a sportier car that lies low, it's nice to be able to drive a truck and not have to worry about the huge pot holes! Darin has taken a liking to driving through the large puddles that we get after rainstorms. Big Red hasn't been driven much lately though as we finally got the motorbike lowered and I've been driving "Bambi" every day - she's sooooo much fun to ride! When I get my leathers I'll post a picture.

FIRST SNOW OF THE YEAR

2005-02-24T18:21:00.000-05:00

Snow on Deck 1
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

We had our first snow storm of the year on Jan. 24, 2005, and boy did it dump. Apparently there aren't that many snow storms here, but when the white stuff falls it really falls! Schools close, businesses have snow days, and it wreaks havoc on the whole area. I was laughing about the turmoil the Philadelphia area goes into when it snows, as back in Calgary we wouldn't even blink at the snow. Then I realized that the roads are twisty, curvy, and hilly here, and they only get a few dumps of snow per winter, and from what I can gather, when it snows, they get 1/2 a foot or more! Poor Darin is really feeling the effects of snow as his flights have been delayed and cancelled. The saddest part is that when there is a tiny bit of ice, we are unable to make it up our driveway in our car!

SNOW ANGELS

2005-02-24T18:20:00.000-05:00

Snow Angel 1
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Even though it wasn't all that cold, Darin got dressed up in his warmest Gortex and played in the snow. I don't even own a pair of boots, haven't since 1988, but I doned polar fleece and tredged over to the video store; it was a great day to watch movies!

CALIFORNIA SUNSET

2005-02-24T18:14:00.000-05:00

California Sunset 1
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Darin had a conference in San Diego, so I tagged along and met up with an old friend who now lives in La Jolla. While Darin was working, Andrea and I went out on great road rides and had a fabulous time catching up! We only spent a few days in California before heading off in the sunset towards Arizona.

DARIN

2005-02-24T14:20:00.000-05:00

Darin Riding 1
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Darin was just so happy to be riding! Though the weather wasn't as warm as we were expecting, it was much better than the snow we escaped back east.

BARRIER LAKE

2005-02-24T14:17:00.000-05:00

Barrier Lake
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

We spent 5 days with my mom and dad in Scottsdale, Arizona and had a great time riding in the area. Unfortunately they have been getting a lot of rain and it hasn't been all that sunny, but luckily we didn't get caught in a downpour. My parents live near Cave Creek and Barrier Lake, and they really have great riding from their front step. We didn't make it up Mount Humbolt this trip, though if you are ever in the area there are great views from it's top.

PARTY TALK

2005-02-22T15:41:00.000-05:00

In case you find yourself at a party in want of some interesting stories, well look no further, following are bits and bites that you may find of use!

I have not yet figured out how to post an active link (if anyone knows and can pass it on, that would be great), so in the mean time, you will have to copy and paste the link for it to work should you want more information about a story.

MUSICAL CONTRACEPTION

2005-02-22T15:39:00.000-05:00

A Ukranian scientist has invented a musical condom that gets louder as the sex gets more vigorous. Apparently, different positions determine what tune is played, while also functioning as a normal contraceptive.
http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,2-2005072264,00.html

SPOON SHAPED EGG

2005-02-22T15:38:00.000-05:00

EGG
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

A Chinese hen has produced an egg shaped like a spoon, measuring 8.5 centimeters long!
www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1265583.html?menu=news.quirkies.animaltales

DUMB PA LAWS

2005-02-22T15:35:00.000-05:00

Since we moved to this foreign land called Pennsylvania I thought I better become familiar with the law. The following are all illegal acts
• It is illegal to sleep on top of a refrigerator outdoors.
• Any motorist driving along a country road at night must stop every mile and send up a rocket signal, wait 10 minutes
for the road to be cleared of livestock and continue – anyone know where one may procure rockets?
• You may not sing in the bathtub, good thing I’ve only been singing in the shower.
• Fireworks stores may not sell fireworks to Pennsylvania residents, which explains why I haven’t seen any fireworks
stores.
http://www.dumblaws.com/laws.php?site=laws&cid=184®ion=38

KITT COMES TO LIFE

2005-02-22T15:33:00.000-05:00

Kitt Car
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Swiss engineers have unveiled an interactive concept car known as the Senso. Like Kitt from the TV show Knight Rider, it interacts with the driver. It reacts to the driverâs mood, heart rate, and can even detect signs of sleepiness!
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1293591.html

BLOW IT OUT YOUR EAR

2005-02-22T15:32:00.000-05:00

BALLOON
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

A 55 year old Chinese man can blow up balloons and blow out candles with his ears. Now that is a party trick!!
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_1288378.html

Cruisin in Amish country

2005-01-20T12:57:00.000-05:00

Cruisin
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Darin and Rastko made a trip out to Lancaster, PA to visit the outlet malls. Lancaster is Amish country and it's not uncommon to see a horse and buggy on the highway or flying down a side street. It is beautiful farming country with many Amish stores and farms. They use animals versus machinery in tending to their farms and fields which is neat, and like taking a step back in history. After the guys came home with their arms full of packages, I decided I needed to visit the outlet malls too! They have almost every store you could think of, Calvin Klein, Nine West, Nike, Banana Republic ... unfortunately I came home empty handed.

Parking Sign

2005-01-20T12:53:00.000-05:00

Parking Sign
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

We came across this parking spot and tied up horse and buggy outside the Sony store. We thought it was pretty cool that there were specific parking spots for the Amish. On the way home we passed a buggy with 4 people inside and 3 guys on roller blades hanging on to the outside. Felt sorry for the horse who was pulling the buggy and 7 people, but it was cool to see.

Taking a drink

2005-01-20T12:50:00.000-05:00

Taking a drink
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Molly has discovered that she enjoys water out of a people glass versus her cat bowl, maybe it's because her bowl has dog bones on it. She will actually sit on the coffee table staring at you until you bring her a glass of water which she not only drinks out of, but also uses to clean her paws. Darin has started using water bottles as Molly will help herself to anyone's drink.

Darin and I on Main St Canmore

2005-01-20T12:47:00.000-05:00

Darin and I on Main St
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Christmas this year was fabulous. All the Tulissi's were in Calgary, so we had a great time catching up and visiting. Time went by very quickly and unfortunately I didn't have a chance to see everyone I would have liked to, but I hope everyone had a great holiday!

Mom, Dad and I

2005-01-20T12:42:00.000-05:00

Mom, Dad and I
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

My parents and I before the wedding ceremony on October 9th, 2004.

Photo by Dermot Cleary - www.dermotcleary.com

2005-01-20T12:26:00.000-05:00

wedding photo taken b#F7128
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

Well, I finally got around to posting a wedding photo. Jadine's husband Dermot, a professional photographer, was kind enough to send us some pictures. The Royal York in Toronto, where we got married, is behind us.

Sunset in November

2004-11-19T14:46:00.000-05:00

Sunset in November
Originally uploaded by petrinat.

We have some amazing sunsets, though they still don't compare to the Rockies during forest fire season! This picture was taken from the deck off our kitchen.