Pedal pedal pedal

As the days of summer tick away (Is it really almost the end of July?), I've been getting as much time as I can manage on the bike. It's an obsession. Most of you who actually read my scribbles are probably thinking, "yeah, so what's new about this Joni?". But it's different. I used to take days off the bike, knowing that another nice day to ride would be tomorrow....and just about every tomorrow for the rest of the year. But not anymore. I ride in weather (wind) I'd never ride in before.

I can already feel that Fall is approaching. The days are noticeably shorter, the mornings are cooler. I love Fall---it's always been my favorite season. But the Winter that follows Fall, for my entire life, has been maybe a rainier version of Fall---but still an outside, out-of-doors adventure. There's not a single person that I've met here in Marshall who doesn't give me a funny look when I tell them I've never experienced a Minnesota winter before---or a white-out (which is something I thought you used to erase typewriter mistakes), et al.

Hmmmm....It will be interesting to see what I think about "winter"---but right now, I just keep pedaling. It keeps me grounded and helps me to "enjoy the day". It'll be interesting if they actually make those changes they've been talking about in the Wall Street Journal in regards to extending the daylight savings time, in an effort to reduce energy costs. Mike and I would both love it.

I just finished doing a bunch of housework this morning since I don't have to work today. I am working tomorrow and I like Mike to have no-housework left to do on his days off. Now I am off to the field with the small hound and then out on the road with my bicycle. I need to go back to Clarkfield to take back those warm weather pants since the gal who is supposed to be at the store wasn't there and it was closed last time I went (even though the posted hours and the website said it would be open....grrrr)

Just over two weeks and we're off to Grand Marais! Woo hoo!

Happy Friday---California dreaming---literally. I was riding up West Alpine at 6am CST this morning when the Scrapper started licking my arm to wake me up!

a cold front

After weeks of 90 degree temps, we cooled down dramatically after yesterday's onslaught of rain. It dumped and dumped buckets and bowls for hours. I really lucked out with the timing of my ride, as even though I got rained on, it was normal rain...not the bucket-dump variety. I picked Mike up from work as it was raining so hard and since he couldn't ride after work, he cleaned my ridden-in-the-rain bike for me instead. How nice was that? The high for today is in the low 70's. Minnesota Dad will love the forecast. I imagine he'll be taking Taylor fishing or something fun like that.

No rocket science to figure out what my plans are for the day---a long bike ride with arm warmers!! The wind will be blowing from the North...it'll be a nice change...but I still prefer the heat to the cold. Then the Scrapper and I are heading over to Clarkfield, MN to get some winter pants....the cordura variety for being outside in the cold. Mike bought me a pair of bibs in a youth Large and they're a bit small so I need to get a bigger size.

We BBQ'd just "in front" of the garage and watched the rain and "semi-complained" about the brisk air. I'm not allowed to complain about the heat since I like to ride my bike in it---but Mike can complain about both the heat and the cold since he does the yard work when it's hot outside and I just do the indoor housework in the air-conditioned house. (smile)

While we were eating we marveled at how I was able to take care of my driver's license and social security errands in a matter of an hour (or less---including travel time getting to both places). No appointments. No lines. No hassles. No problem. The beauty of a small town. You have to make an appointment weeks (sometimes months) in advance to do the DMV junk in San Francisco---(or Palo Alto)...and I don't even know where the social security offices are there, but just driving to them and finding a parking place would take hours I am sure, and there is definitely not safe bike parking there.

We're supposed to heat back up after today---(whew! I'm not ready for summer to end!). Enjoy!

roll on...

...my wheels keep turning and except for my bike touring days---this is the longest stint I've had without a day off the bike. I told myself on Friday that I'd do easy miles this weekend since I rode so much all week...and the weather was supposed to be hot and windy. I did 100 miles. Not extreme maybe...but too much for "supposed to be" rest days off the bike. All I have to do is think about winter and I panic, and out the door I go. I have no "snap"...not that I was ever very "snappy"....but I guess I have alot of miles...

As I spin away on the county back roads in South Western Minnesota, I marvel at the athletes who ride in the Tour de France. They do more than double my miles at race speed, day in and day out. I'm a cyclist and I don't know how they do it. Actually, maybe I can appreciate it even more since I ride. I don't know. Those guys are not normal.

The final stage was the best final stage I've ever seen in a Tour de France. I love Vino---and even though I like Levi too, I think Vino deserved those points for such an aggressive and fine finish to the race. Wow. Sigh.

Today I worked early and there were storms in the forecast, but when I got off work, it was dry out and so I got on the bike and returned home just before the deluge! DUMPing rain. I took advantage of the wet afternoon by finally getting my new driver's license followed by a trip to the social security office for my new card. Sydney was such a good girl waiting in the car while I did these errands, that I rewarded the small hound with a rainy trip to the field so she could get some exercise.

My friends who are riding in RAGBRAI have their work cut out for them as they are getting hammered with storms. I was feeling pretty bummed that I wasn't going too, but now I just am hoping they enjoy themselves, despite the foul weather. The funny thing is, I still managed about 40 miles today---with no rain until the end of the ride. It was scary when I saw the lightening....but the rain felt good at the end of my ride.

Not much else happening here on the prairie today! Go Mary, Phyllis, Rachel and Mike at RAGBRAI!!!

sunshine

We've been sharing in on the nationwide heat wave these last few weeks, (she says with a HUGE grin on her face!) Sure, the heat and sun can be something to complain about. But for a cyclist who doesn't race---but enjoys riding everyday, well, this kind of weather is great.

People just enjoy complaining---not just here, but everywhere. I remember riding my bike up and down the various climbs (Tunitas Creek, West Alpine, Kings, Old La Honda, etc) during the few really HOT (95+) days we'd get in the Bay Area. Everyone would be complaining about the heat then too----in California. Can you imagine? I mean there it at least cools down nicely in the evenings and if you live in San Francisco, nobody has air-conditioning cause you just don't need it. I always think of my friend Sue Kayser (Alan's lovely lady) on hot days like that. Everyone else might be complaining, but I'd run into Sue on those days on top of one climb or another and we'd be out riding in our sleeveless jerseys and just LOVING life. Sigh...

In Marshall, we have air-conditioning. I have to remind Mike that we have it so we can use it. We aren't using it at night though as we've been lucky with a naturally cool basement and we sleep there in order to conserve as much as possible. It's the same when it's cold. Mike likes to conserve the heat then. We sit down to eat dinner with coats and hats on inside the house. It isn't because he's such a "green" guy wanting to save the planet or anything. It's because he likes to save money. Either way, the planet wins---regardless of his reasons though.

My legs are very tired with no days off the bike in 4 weeks now. My days off have been 30 mile rides. I keep thinking about the days I won't be able to ride though and out I go. I am loving summer this year more than I ever have before. Summer in San Francisco is the coldest and windiest time of year. Summer in Minnesota is too windy for my liking, but it's warm and rideable and I am taking advantage of every possible outside day I can. I'll deal with tired legs soon enough.

Winter will be my big challenge. Mostly because I hate exercising. You might find this contradictory since I put over 300 miles a week (closer to 350+ these days) on my bike. I like being outside and exploring....but I'm not one to go to the gym. Mike says we'll take up swimming. All my swimsuits are for sun-bathing---as in bikini. I suppose I'll need one of those fancy speedo suits come wintertime. (smile...)

Enjoy the day---the day looks hot and great and no signs of winter to worry this sunshine gal today at least. The Scrapper enjoyed a run at the field already before the corn heated things up too much for her liking.

Have a great weekend! (See not a word about the Tour! What a great race it's been though---eh?)

wind, wind and more wind!

The ever-shifting-direction wind drama! Two days ago it was blowing from the West...nearly knocking me over in the cross-wind sections of my ride. Then yesterday it was a full on South wind. We're talking 20-25 MPH wind with gusts near 35! I can't believe I ride in it...but I do. Sigh.

Yesterday I was plugging away, trying to focus and get into a good rhythm when I came upon a group of baby raccoons. They sounded like a group of pigs the way the were carrying on. Suddenly I hear a BIG hiss! It must have been the mama, as she was almost as big as a small lab.

Then, as I turned onto County Road 4, heading towards Russell, I see the black dog who ALWAYS chases me and barks like mad plastered on the window (inside the house!) wishing he could chase me down, no doubt. Whew! I can't out pedal some of the beasts when there's such a headwind. As I pedaled up one of the rollers I had my head down, just looking at the road and trying to listen to my wheels whirring in all the wind...I look up for a moment and right directly in my path was a baby white tailed deer (fawn). We were almost nose to nose.

Lately I've been doing the same ride route---regardless of the wind. My favorite is usually a South wind, as it comes at the end of my ride and I can fly home---but regardless, I keep riding the same way. Creature of habit to the "nth" degree.

We've booked our honeymoon for August! I found us a romantic little cabin on Lake Superior in Grand Marais. It's complete with a full kitchen and is located right along the 120 mile bike route. We'll bring our mountain and road bikes and there's also kayaking. Last night Mike said he "can't wait to be on vacation". He's working hard. Grand Marais sounds very cool...it's an artist's community as well, and the place where we are staying specializes in quilting.

I've even been working more at the bike shop. There's some crazy sale in town on Thursday---it's even called "crazy days". Mike's said they've been having this sale his whole life.

That's about the gist of the news from the prairie....(see, I didn't even mention the Tour de France!!)

Oh yeah, on my ride yesterday I saw these two cyclists' riding with bob-trailers. They were all kitted out in team clothing and were real fit and skinny (you don't see very many of that kind of cyclist out our way---so I took notice and caught up to them). They were training for that Border to Border triathalon...

Hincapie and the Queen...

...of stages. Who'd a thunk? Yesterday's Tour stage will go down in my memory as one of the finest ever! So many American's excelling in European cycling does the heart good, eh? Anyway...after a few too many (too good to last) days with light winds, Sunday kicked in with a GUSTo! I rode despite the breezy conditions. Longer than I planned to as it was cooler and thus didn't seem so bad. Maybe I'm just getting used to it, if that's even possible. I used to hate climbing up hills too, and I not only got used to it but I came to love the climbs and actually sought them out on my daily jaunts on the bike. I can't imagine that I'll be seeking out the wind though. Sigh.

We went out for Mexican food and margaritas with Rick and Kim Olson on Saturday night---then came home to watch the extended coverage of the race. The Mexican restaurant in town is pretty good----it's expensive though. Isn't that a kick? Mike and I used to get Mexican food (bigger portions than here) for two for a whopping $7.80 in San Francisco. It's at least double---closer to three times more expensive here, (of course we have a margarita here so it's probably more like double). Weird, huh? There's a pretty good chinese restaurant too. But not a single Italian place that I know of. I wonder why?

And as if Minnesota Mom read my mind, we talked last night about where we would eat before the Willie Nelson concert we're going to at the end of August, and she mentioned an Italian place. "I know just the place!" The concert is in Sioux Falls, and when my family was here for the wedding and I was driving back and forth to the airport, my brother Steve mentioned the place that they stayed when they arrived. It's called Joey Carrino's (or something like that). Great food---

Last night we ate with the "other" Taylor's in town. But in Marshall you have to distinguish yourself as being related to the "Teacher Taylor's"---not the "other guy's". We had fresh walleye, sweet corn, squash and homemade, very delicious peach/blueberry pie made with a real lard crust!! (Minnesota Mom keeps out doing herself!!)

There's a cool bikerace coming through Marshall (from Luverne and headed North to the Boundary Waters near Canada) at the end of the month. This is a different kind of race though and when they get to the Canadian Border, they will board canoe's...I'm intrigued and will get all the details. It sounds cool. I may try and follow them to Granite Falls (but the wind may deter me if it's blowing too hard).

Anyway, I'm off for a ride and then will start planning and making arrangements for our "honeymoon" in Grand Marais. We're enjoying a brief respite from the heat today...and the wind is blowing from the NW so it's not humid. I can't complain too much though---especially not about the heat. Which is a good thing since it's forecasted to warm up again after tomorrow.

Happy Monday!

Wipe out!

After enjoying a long ride in the warm sunshine without much wind yesterday, I ended up sharing some skin with the not-so-friendly broken up pavement on my way in to work. A semi truck had made too wide a turn right next to me, forcing me into this darn-on-going construction site and I flew over the bike and skidded on the gravel. My bike's ok---or I think it is.

The palm of my right hand is two layers thinner though...and my elbow and my knee. I'm sure I looked like superman flying over my bike...the whole front of my white t-shirt was brown from skidding along the pavement. I looked like hell, and was a bit shaken up...but other than that I'm fine. I ought to write a letter to the city as this on-going construction zone is dangerous...but I don't have the energy to fight this one---

Sigh. I look at those guys who crash in the Tour ---going at high-speed and if they can tough it out---I can tough it out.

The wind has shifted to the South today, but it's still pretty calm. A fine day to ride---even if it is supposed to be 90 degrees later on. Anyway, I just thought I'd say "Good morning"!

Mountain Passes...

How could a mountain stage of the Tour de France---over on the other side of the pond and nowhere close to the San Francisco Bay area make me so homesick? It makes no sense. I'm closer to France now than I was when I was in San Francisco. But I am not homesick for France---The mountain stages of the Tour, which have been televised in great splendor, make me think of my own little category climbs in the Santa Cruz mountain ranges along the coast. Sigh.

I'm more a creature of habit than I thought I was. I have celebrated every day of the tour with my own "version" of a stage for the last 5 or 6 years when broadcasts were made available in the USA (first on ESPN---now on OLN). And this year has been no different. Except this year there are no mountains in my personal version of the tour. I'm not feeling too sorry for myself. I mean I get out on the bike for 2-4 hours everyday, to Mike's chagrin. I have nothing to complain about really.

But I miss the enthusiasm and camaraderie and community of the Bay Area cyclists' at all levels of the sport---and the ability to blend into a crowd of other cycling fanatics, as opposed to standing out like a sore thumb --- that "crazy redheaded gal on a bike from California". If I wasn't married to a respectable "Taylor" in the community, I'd be quite the misfit! So I guess I'm lucky on that note.

Today's stage includes some climbs I've done (Col du Madeline and Col du Galibier)---Of course I didn't do them both on the same day---but I did them.

Today is actually quite lovely on the Prairie---with winds at or below 15mph (which here is not blowing at all!). I probably need a day off the bike...but who can take one with such a nice day? And who can complain with such a nice day? Not me...

Last night we had a little Tour de France party with Rick & Kim Olson and Pete Johnson---Pete's gonna take me flying (Pete and Rick are both pilots and both friends of Mike's since grade school). Mike told me that when he was in grade school, he went to a birthday party at Pete's and Pete's Dad took him flying---maybe for the first time. Cool, huh?

"Dreaming of a long mountain pass, and wondering if I could even get up it anymore", Joni

Le Tour...

...I feel like I am certainly having an affair with Phil and Paul (Liggit and Sherwin) and now to throw Al & Bob (Trautwig and Roll) into the mix and it gets a little weird. I wake up and fall asleep to the sound of their voices watching OLN. It's been a great bike race though. Maybe it's due to the fact that I've seen so few "live" races this year or something (I even miss the Libold races---velopromo sounds cool to me)...but I've been enjoying every re-run of the daily tour coverage...

My own cycling feats are far less exciting. No mountain passes, no ocean views, and (almost) no other cyclist's to wave at on the road. Oh well...there's no traffic either which is a plus. Yesterday I hammered away into the hot headwinds in a sleeveless jersey. I had a regular jersey on initially and so I had sunscreen on half my arms. Then I went outside and it was HOT so I changed into a sleeveless get-up and forgot to arm my arms with more sunscreen and so I got sunburned. Sigh.

We had a thunderstorm last night so Mike finally got a rest-day. Today looks good for another hot day of riding though. It's way cooler in the San Francisco Bay area. It's really summer here. I'm making the most out of every rideable day though. Even when it's windy. Normally, if it were this windy back home, I'd skip riding. Now if it's dry---I'm out---even when the gusts are 30 MPH---it's better than the trainer.

Who needs to pay to ride in a wind-tunnel when you can just ride out here on the wind blown plains?

hot n' windy

We've been enjoying two weeks of married life on the hot n' windy prairie. Folks out here keep complaining about how muggy it is---and perhaps it is a bit on the muggy side (though the days leading up to our wedding day were way more humid than it's been lately). I guess all the time I've spent in the Southeast, namely Alabama and Georgia, gives me a different perspective on muggy. For riding a bicycle---I love this weather. Granted, for doing other stuff---it is a bit hot---but I love riding in the heat.

I keep telling myself that it is time for a rest-day. As in a day off-the-bike. My rest days have equaled about 30 mile spins. It isn't like I am training for anything---but I keep thinking about all those cold winter days when I won't be able to get outside and pedal, and I head straight for my biking shoes and out I go. I'm sure it is fine, but I do notice that my legs feel a bit worked. Oh well---I can't seem to talk myself out of it---and I don't go "hard" anyway so until it rains---I guess I will keep on keeping on!

The corn in the cornfields has grown to such heights in the last couple of weeks. It's all taller than me for sure! Even the soybean fields look full and lush. My favorite thing to spot are last season's cornstalks that appear at random in a sea of soybean plants. You'll see miles and miles of green soybeans and in the middle of it all, a lone corn stalk towering over the plants. Remnants of last years crop? Or maybe some wind-blown misplaced seeds?

The annoying thing in all the beautiful outdoors is the---bugs. Namely the mosquito's. All those "I told you so's" can be kept to yourself---Mike and I sit underneath our garage door in the evenings, sipping beer, juice, or something cool, surrounded by citronella candles and playing ball with the Scrapper...the candles do keep the annoying biting pest's away for the most part. But our yard is so lovely, it would be nice to be able to enjoy it without getting "all chewed up" by the flying biting bugs!

Oh well---another supposed-to-be rest day is sidelined for a 45 mile spin out West. The Tour de France is resting today---but their version of rest is active recovery---and if I put it in perspective, every day is a rest day on the bike for this gal!!

Happy Monday!

A bit o' California from Colin!

Yesterday was about the closest thing to a "California-like" ride I've done. It was nice a brisk in the morning with a very slight 5-10mph northwest wind. I tried but couldn't peel myself away from the Team Time Trial until the live coverage finished and so it was later than I'd hoped to get on the road for a ride. I hammered out 40 miles or so and made it home just in time to grab the small hound and head to Sioux Falls, SD to pick up Colin.

I've known Colin for almost as long as I've been riding bikes. He built up my very first version of a road bike (it was an XO-1 and I wasn't clued in yet about 700c wheels for a small rider. Heck back then, there just weren't any!) He was like 18 or 19 and he thought my Bridgestone was as cool as can be. And I thought he was the "bee's knee's"! Anyway---fast forward 10+ years and he is a teammate and dear friend of this "Taylor" twosome.

True to form (Colin has this "good karma" touch about him), he arrived with some temperate California sunshine and 2 lbs of Major Dickensen's Peet's coffee! One of the cool presents we got for our wedding (or actually two of them) was this very cool auto-bean-grinder that can ground up a lb. of beans (from Chris Insinger) and then...to make the coffee we got a swanky new coffee maker (from David and Cindy K.) So I ground up some beans and made a fresh pot, while Colin put his bike together just in time for Mike to ride home from a "day at the office".

I showered and got dinner planned, while Mike and Colin (and the two Dave's) went for a ride in the amazing California like dry and sunny but not hot weather. Then we BBQ'd and enjoyed the evening edition of the Tour de France. Rick and Kim Olsen came by for the show and it was a very fun evening.

Colin left this morning to get on the road to Wisconsin for the Superweek extravaganza. And...it's feeling like a warming trend of back to normal hot/humid weather is on the way. He probably took it with him. I rode early though and it was lovely---but it's sure HOT now!

Hopefully Colin will stop off after the racing ends and take us up on some R&R before he heads back to California.

July 5th, 2005

I started feeling almost normal by Friday (as normal as I ever feel). Mike and I spent the weekend sleeping, riding, eating and playing with the small hound. And of course, OD'ing on the Tour de France coverage on OLN! The weather was great. Mike probably put in over 200 miles on his bike and I did about 150. We also started opening our wedding gifts and are both amazed at all the lovely things bestowed upon us. Personal thank you's are certainly forthcoming.

Today, our friend (and Mike's racing team mate) is flying in to pick up the team van to head out for Superweek. I will be picking Colin up in Sioux Falls and we'll have burgers (and brats) and sweet corn for dinner after an evening ride.

We are also planning our honeymoon. The location keeps changing, but it looks like the Taylor's are heading up to Grand Marais for some R&R in the middle of August. Near the boundary waters. Look on the map---it's almost to the Candian border---and the area is more blue than green...meaning more water than land. There is a 116 mile bicycle loop that is beckoning us...Neither of us has ever been there and it is one of the first places I thought I'd like to visit when I first got the bicycle touring bug over a decade ago.

Anyway---not too wordy today...like I said, I am "almost" normal! I hope the 4th of July was safe and fun...Happy happy Tuesday!

(Photo captions...photo's not posted here)

"The beginning of the 3 day weekend began with margaritas at home in our new margarita glasses from Mae"

"Sydney and Mike on a canoe ride at Brawner Lake / Camden. I was at the "bow" and the gal sitting on the dock said that that was the place for the "power" person. Mike was the steering guy."

"Sydney was kicking it in some shade--!"

"We took Sydney swimming at a local water hole for the 4th of July"

"Go Scrapper!"

"Syd never got tired. I think she swam for her ball for over a mile!"