Cycling Foodie

Follow

Well, what started out as a recovery ride turned into 50 miles in the wind. I’m in serious need of a refreshing recovery snack.

Strawberry Banana Buttermilk Smoothie

Strawberry Banana Buttermilk Smoothie

1 large banana
1 cup sliced strawberries, frozen
1 cup buttermilk
1 scoop whey protein
6 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender. Blend until smooth.

Makes enough to share with your cycling partner.

Vegan? Use almond milk and a vegan protein powder.

Enjoy!

My goal this week is to ride most mornings before work and evenings after work. Tomorrow morning will be my recovery ride.

Follow

The Napa Valley Tour de Cure is just 3 weeks from today!

I’ve got brand new Continental Grand Prix Four Season tires and a nice tune-up on my Colnago, so my bike is all set to go. I got a good training ride in yesterday with 85 miles from Davis, Winters, Vacaville, Dixon, and back to Davis. Just a couple of rolling hills in there, so I’ve still got some hill work to feel ready. Next weekend! Today’s ride will be a nice couple of hours spinning recovery ride.

After the ride I made a big batch of brown rice penne pasta with marinara, ground turkey breast, mushrooms, artichoke hearts, spinach, argula, toasted fennel seeds, and herbs. It tasted good, but it was not a very pretty sauce, so no photos. It was just about the perfect post-ride dinner, though.

It’s a bit breezy here this weekend, so that will add to the training benefit, right?!

Follow

The Napa Valley Tour de Cure still needs several more volunteers to help set-up on May 3 and on Sunday, May 4. If you (and friends or family members) are not riding – please consider volunteering for this amazing event. For information and to register to volunteer: www.diabetes.org/napatourvolunteer.

Follow

Good Morning and Happy Friday!

I’m heading out right now for a quick ride. The Napa Valley Tour de Cure is just a month away – I’ve still got lots of training to do to feel ready for that century ride! It’s a bit chilly out this morning, so I’m already looking forward to that post-ride cup of coffee (Davis’ own locally roasted and delivered by bike Pepper Peddler, of course!).

Here’s hoping you get a nice ride in today before the rains start. I’ll take rain today over rain tomorrow – I’ll be outside for UC Davis Freshman Decision Day all day tomorrow, so please let it be nice tomorrow!

Follow

It is gloriously beautiful in Davis this morning. The recent rains have left the air fresh, moist, and cool. It’s also left the roads a bit slippery, so do be careful if you’re out there riding this morning. Tomorrow looks like it’s also going to be a nice day for cycling – cool, partly cloudy, little or no chance of rain, light winds. We’re looking at rain again on Friday, but we’re really hoping for nice weather on Saturday for UC Davis’ Decision Day!

Last night I reached my goal to become a Champion in the fight against diabetes! Thank you to everyone who has donated!! It’s not too late to make a donation, so if you’d like to, please click here. The ride is less than 5 weeks away – I’ve got lots and lots of miles to ride to feel ready.

Here’s hoping you get some nice cycling in today!

Follow

I am at 98% of my goal for March Madness.

I am at 82.4% of my goal to become a Champion in the fight against diabetes!

I’ve been traveling for work this week and am trying to do a little work catch up today, so I’ll finish my March Madness miles this weekend. I stuck with it through my trip, though, and rode at least 1 hour daily on a stationary bike. I didn’t get a chance to ride yesterday, due to traveling. I’m hoping to wrap up here soon and get out of the road before noon today.

True Food Kitchen, San Diego

I’m hoping to do some blog catching up this weekend, too. I got to travel with some awesome colleagues, and meet amazing prospective students and their parents. I got to see some very interesting scenery and to try some really good food on my trip. I especially look forward to telling you all about my lunch at True Food Kitchen in San Diego, California. Oh, my goodness, it was wonderful! Rumor has it they’ll be opening one in Walnut Creek later this year. It will be worth the drive.

Follow

Beautiful evening for a ride!

Time for early evening rides is here!

Thank goodness – I might actually meet my meager March Madness goal this year.

Speaking of goals … the 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure is Sunday, May 4th. I am close to my goal – please help me to raise $1,000 for my ride.

We’re also looking for volunteers. Interested? Click here to sign up!

Follow

It is a ridiculously beautiful morning out there and I wish I could spend all of it on my bike. No time for photos … sorry! I logged just over 12 miles, but now I have to go to work. I’m hoping for a post-work ride later, too.

I’ve got a ways to go for both March Madness and my 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure.

Here’s hoping you get a chance to ride today!

Follow

Day 8 … 81 miles – Davis, Winters, Vacaville, Winters, Davis.

Day 9 … 21.1 miles – an easy loop from Davis to Woodland and back.

Saturday, March 8th

I rode pretty hard, enjoying the rollers between Winters and Vacaville on Pleasants Valley Road. I really need to build up to hills again, so this is great practice. I love cycling Pleasants Valley Road – it’s beautiful, rolling hills, and usually it’s pretty well protected from wind when it gets very breezy. Yesterday the weather was perfect for cycling – not too cool, not too warm, not too breezy, not too sunny, not too cloudy. It was just about perfect.

I had a couple of quick rest stops at Steady Eddy’s in Winters. My first stop was just for water and a couple of Sports Beans, then I headed back out on Putah Creek Road with the intent of doing just my Lake Solano loop, but I was feeling so good when I got to turn, that I headed out Pleasants Valley towards Vacaville. Traffic was light (always nice when you’re cycling!) and there were quite a few other cyclists out (also very nice when you’re cycling) enjoying the day. I road out to Vaca Valley Road, then turned around to head back. I hadn’t really planned on this long of a ride and got kind of a late start in the morning, so I didn’t want to risk not getting back at a decent time. I was focused on cycling, so I didn’t stop to take any photos, but it was glorious out there!

Oat Cake - this will get you through a few miles

On my way back through Winters, I stopped again at Steady Eddy’s for a snack. I am quite happy to report that they do still have oat cakes. I filled up on water, half the oat cake, and headed back out. I chatted briefly with a group who was also headed back towards Davis. They were from Davis and Sacramento. I took off a few moments before they did, but they caught up quickly and then invited to to join them. They pulled me all the way down Putah Creek Road. It was nice! It was work to keep up, but it was worth it. I’m not sure what the correct cycling lingo is, but they were steady riders and rode in a straight line, not wambling all over the place, so I felt safe trying to draft off them.

By the time I got home, I had hit 75 miles. I needed some more water and was hungry again, so I filled up with water at home and snacked on the rest of my oat cake. I wanted to do a few more miles and my legs were feeling a bit tight, so I did a little loop just to spin and loosen up my legs. My total for the day was 81 miles. I made some good progress on my March Madness and training for my 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure. I felt good about that.

I was pretty hungry last night, and must confess to having a total “guy” dinner.

Steak and baked potato.

Steak

Potato

Of course, my steak was a lean cut and my potato had a little light Havarti cheese & fat free Greek yogurt, so it was really not too bad. Lots of protein and that’s what I needed. My eyes were bigger than my stomach, though. I had about half the potato and about 2/3 of the steak. I was going to have salad, but I was too full.

Sunday, March 9th

This morning a gentle recovery ride was in order. It was a beautiful morning for cycling – the air was deliciously clean and cool, very little breeze, with a nice cloud cover. I headed out towards Woodland, Road 102 to Road 25, then looped back Road 103, and back towards Davis.

Looking towards Sacramento

Looking towards Winters

I have spent the rest of the day …

Hanging with Tiger

Admiring my lavender.

Smelling the roses.

Checking other blooms

... and more blooms ...

Checking for a 4-leaf clover

Making a few new friends …

Luck be a lady tonight!

These ladies were very active ...

... exploring ...

... trying to hide ...

Camera shy?

Very happy for these visitors.

Oh, yeah, and a bunch of chores in there, too, not just play. I should probably get back to a few of those things that really need to get done today.

The rains are supposed to start again tomorrow, so I’ll pack up for the gym in the morning just in case. But if it’s nice … I’ll be … oh wait … time change … sunrise at 7:26 am? I’ll be at the gym in the morning, but maybe I’ll get to ride tomorrow after work!

Follow

Sunshine abounds!

A lovely and breezy morning for a pre-work ride. 15.7 miles. I am chipping away at my meager March Madness goal of 500 miles in the month of March.

I’ve got a ways to go, but am making good progress toward my goal. March Madness is a GREAT training opportunity to get ready for a special ride like the 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure! Join me on May 4th – come ride the beautiful Napa Valley and help raise money for a great cause!

Click your heels together and join me in a little morning cycling meditation …

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