Cycling Foodie

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16.1 miles before work; no photos, just cycling.

It’s not too late to sign up for March Mardness!

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!

Share the promo code LUCKY (all caps) for a $17 registration rate! The code ends on March 17. Registration will not be this low again so take advantage of the code!

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Sunrise, March 3, 2014 - a few minutes after peak

Day 3 … 15.3 mile ride. Absolutely glorious sunrise! I altered my regular route just to see it.

Day 4 … might have to be an indoor workout due to rain.

The 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure will be here before we know it! I am now just over halfway to my fundraising goal. If you would like to donate to this great cause please click here.

Want to join me? You can register here.

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I logged only 20.5 March Madness miles this morning. I’ve got lots and lots to day, so there was only time for a short ride. It’s cloudy and breezy out there today, but the air feels clean and delightful! There were a few sprinkles on my ride, but I kind of liked it and it gave me a good excuse to wear my new purple rain jacket.

I’m thinking a pot of Pork & Tomatillo Stew might be in order today. I haven’t made this in a long time and this is perfect weather for it. I’m thinking of ways to lighten it up a bit – it calls for pork shoulder, which has lots of fat. I may try a different cut of pork, something much leaner, or even chicken. Hmm …

Well, I’ve got lots and lots to do today, so I’d better get moving.

Have a great day! I hope you get some cycling in.

 

The 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure will be here before we know it!

Have you registered yet?

Join me – it’s a wonderful ride for a great cause!

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With 15.2 miles, it’s not a very impressive start to my 2014 March Madness, but it is a start. I have so much to do today and the weather is unpredictable, so it had to be a short ride. I got sprinkled on a little (I enjoyed that more than my bike did, I am sure) and it wasn’t too breezy or chilly. I got to try out my new purple rain jacket and I LOVE it.

For information on the Davis Bike Club’s March Madness, click here. It’s a great cause – proceeds go to purchasing helmets for school-aged children.

Happy March Madness, everyone! May you meet your mileage goals!

Setting a mileage goal for March is also a terrific way to prepare for another great cause – my 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure!

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Please remember to always wear a helmet.

Just a quick ride this morning – must get to work. It is perfect cycling weather out there – I hope you get the chance to grab a ride today!

I am so thankful to be able to ride in the mornings before work. Even just little rides like this (10-15 or so miles) are a great way to start a day and will help me to build back up and get ready for my 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure ride! If you would like to make a donation, please click here.

Here’s wishing you a terrific day!

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This weekend was more “cycling” and less “foodie” and very much needed. Aaaah … that felt good. I got about 65 miles yesterday and 56 today. Yesterday I rode with my friend Kat, today was solo. The routes were similar: Davis and Winters, with a little offshoot towards Vacaville on Pleasants Valley Road on Saturday, and a Lake Solano Loop today.

Saturday we rode from Davis to Winters, with a water refresh and snack stop at Steady Eddy’s.

Yogurt & Fruit

Granola Garnish

Sports Beans Belly Flops

Then we headed back out Putah Creek Road, turning left on Pleasants Valley Road and rode out to the bottom of Cantelow Road.

Thinking about Cantelow ...

My bike ... posing.

Next time, but not today.

First return trip to Cantelow will almost certainly be from the other side, not the steep side.

We headed back towards Winters and stopped a couple of times for photos.

For years I have ridden past this horse and never stopped. She was disappointed that I offered her no food, but she was quite friendly nonetheless.

Lake Solano

Lake Solano Dam

My Colnago, striking another pose today.

Sweet, fragrant almond blossoms. Look at that blue sky!

This is such a beautiful time of year, although Spring weather is much too early (again) this year. We really do need rain, but I am so grateful for a weekend like this to get a few training rides in. We are supposed to have rain next Thursday through Sunday, so I wanted to take advantage of this incredible cycling weather this weekend. I have to ride as much as possible in the next few months to get ready for my 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure. 

This is why I ride. Won't you join me?

 

Join me – this is an awesome ride for a great cause. Together we can make a difference!

To register for the 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure, click here.

To make a donation, please click here.

 

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Dinner ... what's on your plate?

We had another gorgeous morning in Davis for a pre-work ride. Tomorrow and Sunday both look promising for some great cycling weather, too!

I’ve been super hungry all day after my morning ride, but I want to eat a little lighter right now because I feel like there has been too much foodie and not enough cycling lately. It’s time to reverse that trend and get back on track training for my 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure.

Are you hungry, but want a low-calorie and healthy dinner entree? Try this – it’s a generous portion, about 20 grams of protein, and only about 260 calories.

Sautéed Greens, Shiitake Mushrooms, and Chicken Apple Sausage
~ One serving ~

1 teaspoon avocado oil
3.5 ounces shiitake mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
1 3-ounce smoked chicken apple sausage, sliced into about 1/8-inch thick slices
5 ounces cooking greens (spinach, kale, chard), cleaned and spun dry

1. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers.
2. Add sliced mushrooms and saute, browning slightly.
3. Add sausage and cook to heat through.
4. Add greens, cover, reduce heat to medium-low and allow to steam until the greens are wilted and tender.
5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

This has about 260 calories:
Oil = 40
Mushrooms = 35
Sausage = 140
Greens = 45

Enjoy! Here’s hoping you get some great cycling in this weekend!

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First pre-work ride of 2014 season

I logged only 12 miles this morning, but this was an important milestone for the training year – the first pre-work ride of the season!

It started out a little chilly, but I quickly warmed up. A beautiful bank of clouds to the East created a lovely sunrise. This is such a beautiful start to any day … I wish I could start every day like this.

It was just as beautiful at lunchtime, though a little breezier … I enjoyed a nice walk on the Arboretum.

I would have to say that today was an exceptionally beautiful and good day!

Afternoon Walk on the Arboretum

Afternoon Walk on the Arboretum

Afternoon Walk on the Arboretum

Afternoon Walk on the Arboretum

I hope you had a beautiful day!

I am looking forward to many more rides this season. I have lots and lots of training to do to get ready for the 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure, which will be here before you know it! This will be my 6th Napa Valley Tour de Cure – if you would like to donate to my ride, please click here. I am far from reaching my goal this year, so please consider making a donation. It’s a great cause and every bit helps!

Be safe and enjoy!

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It was another lovely day here in Davis. I logged just over 40 miles and it felt pretty good to ride 3 days in a row. I’ve got a long way to go before I feel ready for my 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure ride in just 11 weeks! Here’s hoping for rain during the work weeks to catch up on rain this year and clear weekend weather to catch up on cycling training. That sounds reasonable, don’t you think?

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I rode with my friend Kat this morning. We had a nice dinner and some wine last night, so it was extra important to ride today! The dinner was pretty healthy – smoked chicken apple sausages cooked with shiitake mushrooms and greens served over a blend of short grain brown & “Forbidden” rices. We had the wholesome whole grain, veggies, and lean protein. A little cheese (low fat) and crackers while dinner was cooking, but all in all, not too bad.

We rode from Davis to Winters and then explored a little on Pleasants Valley Road before we had to head back. It was just over 50 miles total. It is absolutely gorgeous out there today. A sneaky little breeze … you can’t really see it in the trees or fields, but we sure could feel it.

A neighbor's dogwood tree is in full bloom. It's looking like Spring out there already!

We desperately need more rain, but it sure was nice to ride in beautiful weather today. Here’s hoping for another nice day tomorrow, then it can start raining Tuesday. That’s fair, right?

Oh, the highlight of my ride today … I passed one of the DBC Race Team dudes.

OK, so it was at a traffic light and it changed right before I got there, but, I rarely have the opportunity to pass the “real” cyclists, so it’s always a little fun when I get to. Sometimes it really is nice to be so easily amused.

I do hope to get lots of training rides in over the next few months because the 2014 Napa Valley Tour de Cure will be here before you know it!