Cycling Foodie

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This year I registered for my first Davis Bike Club March Madness. Registration is open to everyone, not just DBC members. It’s a great cause – proceeds go towards purchasing cycling helmets for school aged children. Check it out:  http://www.davisbikeclub.org/annual_events/club_challenges/march_madness

I’ve pledged to ride 750 miles in March. That probably doesn’t really seem like a lot to many of you, but being my first time, I don’t want to over-pledge. If you can’t get out on your bike, you can include up to 1,000 miles of indoor riding (stationary bike, spin class, your trainer).

If you would like to register, or make a donation to support this great cause, you can do so here:  http://2013marchmadness.eventbrite.com/#

This will also be GREAT training for my Napa Valley Tour de Cure!

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I am cooking up a bowl of steel cut oats with walnuts and dried cherries to warm and fuel me on this chilly morning. I am very, very hopeful that the wind won’t kick up again today or the rest of this week. There weren’t many cyclists out and about in Davis this weekend, so I know I wasn’t the only one who didn’t ride due to the crazy wind.

I’ve got just over two months to gear up for my 5th Napa Valley Tour de Cure and am going to take full advantage of this week off. I hope the weather cooperates!

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I got a ride in this morning, from Davis to Winters and almost out to Woodland and back home to Davis. It didn’t seem so windy when I started out in the morning, but the wind started to kick up when I got to Winters. I made a quick stop at Steady Eddie’s for a snack and water refill. There are lots of flags in the park in Winters today … and they started a’waving a LOT in the wind while I was there. The wind was strong, but worked in my favor for more of the ride than I thought and I enjoyed a wonderful tailwind on Road 95, from Russell to Road 27. Then, I turned on Road 27 and had a strong side wind until I got to Road 102 (Pole Line). Oh, dear. The headwind was brutal. I was getting blown around on my bike and there were a few gusts that almost blew me right out of the bike lane. I really did not enjoy that part of my ride today. I made it home safely today and was very thankful for that. I really appreciated that one driver who was pulling out onto Pole Line who cut me a break in letting me cross so I could get out of the headwind. Whew!

I was pretty hungry when I got home, so …

Ooops ... just made way too much fruit salad.

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It was a weekend full of surprises and adventures.

Yikes. Really hoping that Trek will cover this under warranty. I bought my Trek 5000 in 2009, so I am within the 5-year warranty period. The Trek shop in Davis (Freewheeler) is going to submit a claim on my behalf.

Just a little roll on some Davis country roads on Saturday afternoon. A lovely day! Wish I had been up for more.

Saturday ... A little dough experimentation ... Whole Wheat & Rye Piadine Dough with fresh thyme and fennel seeds.

Fennel seeds have lots of health benefits, one of them being they are soothing to the belly. Just enjoy it in small amounts.

Sunday … got a longer ride in, but no photos. Then, home and baked a batch of bread to share as a thank you gift. This is another variation of the Tassajara whole wheat bread recipe I’ve used for years. This one has whole wheat, pumpernickel, millet, rye, and a bit of polenta. It made for wonderful toast this morning!

Sunday ... Whole Wheat, Pumpernickel, Millet, and Oat.

The weather was incredible this weekend for cycling – not too cold, not too warm, not too windy. All in all … if I could do it over again, I would! I’ll just have to wait 5 days. I’m super busy at work … they’ll go fast.

Speaking of going fast … training time for the 2013 Napa Valley Tour de Cure sure is flying by! Just 3 months to go!!! Please support me in this ride – you can make a donation here:  http://tour.diabetes.org/site/TR?pg=pfind&fr_id=6830

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Tonight we’re making Wild Mushroom Lasagna with organic shiitake, oyster, Royal Trumpet, and maitake mushrooms from Solano Mushroom Farm; that recipe will have to be posted by a guest blogger. I can tell you, though, that it will have smoked mozzarella and fresh thyme.

I’m in charge of appetizers, salad, and dessert. For appetizers, a little cheese and bread … I made a goat cheese with fresh lemon and thyme spread. For salad, some lovely fresh greens lightly dressed with balsamic vinegar and extra virgin olive oil, maybe some fresh tomatoes, whatever looks good. Yesterday at the Davis Farmers’ Market I picked up 3 absolutely stunning baskets of berries (strawberries, blueberries, and blackberries) and restocked on fresh lemons, so for dessert, I’m making a low fat lemom curd tart with fresh berries.

Well, I’d better run! Got lots to do to get ready for company tonight! Gotta’ shop! Gotta’ clean! Gotta’ ride! Gotta’ cook and bake and play with some fabulous food!

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The wind is an excellent training tool.
The wind is an excellent training tool.
The wind is an excellent training tool.

I felt like I needed to click together ruby cycling shoes as I repeated this to myself …

We rode from Davis towards Dixon, then towards Vacaville. English Hills. Steiger Road. Gibson Canyon. Into town, lunch at Nugget, then wound our way back from Vacaville to Dixon to Davis. The entire way out we were pounded mercilessly with wind.

OK. So maybe I’m a little melodramatic about the wind, but it was a lot stronger than it was supposed to be today and I really did not like it. Not one bit at all!

Honestly, I did not much enjoy the ride out, but I kept myself going thinking about the potential tailwind we would have on the way back. It took a really long time to get from Davis to Vacaville today; much longer than normal. Some days the wind really zaps me and today was one of those days. We weren’t sure we would make it back home to Davis before dark, but the tailwind was in our favor and we got home just in time.We rode just over 65 miles today.

This is the BEST ride and for a great cause!

I’ve got just about three months to get ready for the 2013 Napa Valley Tour de Cure. I’ve had a few setbacks in the past few months, and I’ve really got to get moving on my training.

If you want to join me at the Tour de Cure, you can register here:  www.diabetes.org/napavalleytourdecure

If you want to donate to my ride, you can here:  http://tour.diabetes.org/site/TR?pg=pfind&fr_id=6830

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Ah, my good friend Friday … finally you are here again! And with you, my friend, you bring the promise of beautiful cycling weather this weekend.

With just over 4 months left to train for the 2013 Napa Valley Tour de Cure, it’s time to do some serious cycling! Come ride with me!

http://tour.diabetes.org/site/PageServer?pagename=TC_homepage

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Take the ride of your life!