106km today

You know, the movie Cast Away comes to mind....  the main character Chuck Nolan unexpectantly ends up on a desserted island.  After many tries of getting off the island, he realizes that this IS his life!

Then, one day...  the wind brings him the 1/2 shell of a portable bathroom.  He realizes that he can use this as a sail and get over the reef that had caused abandonment of all previous attempts off the island....

Well, today, life brought me 1/2 shell of a portable bathroom!

Like Chuck, the simple things that I took for grantid...  I really appreciate now.

When I moved to Vietnam, my cycling life felt lonely and like I was on a desserted island.  Over the months, I came to accept this.  Like Chuck, no choice.... you just have to make the most of what you have.  Cyclign in a group as the rest of the world knows it does NOT exist here for me!  There's the mad dash... scarey ride that I have written endlessly about...  and there's me... alone... riding... and that's what the majority of my cycling life has been.

Alex has been a good friend.  His ability is so much higher then mine, so when we join scarey ride,  he leads the crazy pack, eventually I fall out and that's kinda it...  I don't join for coffee very often.  Typically, I am trying to get home to get the kids off to school, or if it is a Saturday, I want triple digits and not willing to give up my time on the bike for coffee. 

Cycling is not a social activity for me at all.  It has taken pure determination and a tough mind to stay on my bike!  I have difused a LOT of crashes...gotten brushed by stuff on motorcycles, and if I got upset everytime some one made a lude gesture to me... I'd never stop crying.

I train so I can race.

Racing is NOT what it was for me in Taiwan.  Now, racing are oraginzed really cool rides.  It is rediculous to think I can acheive the results of Taiwan elsewhere when the training is as sucky as it is... but I go to the race to have an amazing ride (FAST - 36kph over 94km when ANZA controlled the peloton... a bit more then a ride), but it's okay.

I have adapted.

I have accepted my environment.

Like Chuck, my change in situation was 100% completely out of my control.  Of course, I could leave my husband and move back to the US, but cycling doesn't define me, my family does.  We were given and ultimatum...  vietnam or unemployment...  of course, I asked abuot the severence package.  and then.... guess what... you gotta go in 5 weeks.

blah, blah, blah,... if you kept up with my other blog:  www.wretch.cc/blog/bikermom you read it all to tears...

FINALLY, a new woman moved in the neighborhood!  FINALLY.  She rides a bike.... fast!  She's a very seasoned cyclist who used to ride...  She can hold her own with the boys.

I waited 14 months....

We went to the Industrial Park yesterday and I was talking 1000 words per second.  I told her, "Talking, English, Woman, Cycling"... do you know the last time I used those four words in a sentence, "I am speaking English with a woman on a bike!"????  Well, in Thailand.. yes... 

today, we tried to hook up, but things got all jumbled up, but eventually we finished the last 15km together.  I invited her over... Gj was so thrilled I have a girlfriend on a bike! 

anyhow... like Chuck, I feel unexpectantly, something has come my way that will get me out of this 'acceptable' situation! 

It's good.
I am happy.

NEKO - USA

Riding back in the USA with my Ghetto Bike!  It really is a Ghetto bike, it's very heavy, heavy wheels, wide road tires, not quite 'cross', but not racing tires....  and... the front derailer doesn't work.  If I can't manage the hill on the big chain ring... well... too bad! 

We have a cabin on the Puget Sound in Washington.  We split our time between there and Oregon.  All of our friends, doctors, etc is in Oregon so this year we spent two weeks camping out at our friends house, I had one week in San Francisco working, and the remaining at our cabin, only a 2 minute walk from my mom's house.

Most of my riding was in Washington.  If I was lucky, I rode 2 or 3 times a week.  With the heavy travel, those week, only 1 time but tried to walk a lot. 

This park was a 40km loop for me.  It is the most southern point of the Hood Canal (the part of the Puget Sound we live).  The roads are moderately dangerous with the narrow blind corners, however, given the crap I ride in in HCMC....  its amazing.

The weather on the water is cold.  This year, unseasonably cold.  Above was one of the warmest days for me.  Usually, I wore my 3/4 pants, wool socks, undershirt, jersey, fleece jacket, then my pink riding jacket.  I also wore a fleece hat under my helmet.  And... still cold.  But, the riding was so good, I just had to 'deal'... 

State Park, Potlatch Washington

Back in Vietnam

One very busy and too short summer break!  The kids got out of school on the 11th of June and begin in only two days!  They had exactly 2 months off.  Not quite the 2 1/2 we are used to in Taiwan and the US.  But, that is because they have a few more days off during the school year.

Riding wasn't what I hoped and I did absolutely no racing.  Health concerns kept me off my bike for a week, and running kids back and forth also kept me busy.  I worked for a week in San Fransico then was loaded with work there after!  But, good thing.... we bought a house and steady work means stead income! 

I hope to ride tomorrow, but it will be on the roller followed by trainer.  The rains is fairly unpredictable and with PTA President duties tomorrow... I best keep it at home.  I need to rebuild my nerve to ride in the chaos of HCMC scooter pelotons as well.  Today, on my market bike, I saw two accidents and that was in Phu My Hung, in the quiet suburb.... not even on the road!

... more later...

4th of July

American Style!

Started off with a great hike in the Olympic Mountains in Washington state.  Our cabin is on the Puget Sound and we are just a few short miles form the Olympics and great hiking!

A view of the canal from my mom's deck.

As far as we could go up Mt. Elinor.  We weren't counting on the snow, but glad it was there.  It had been over 6 years since we'd been in snow, and it was AWESOME!

The Haugbro bunch...

My best girlfriend Tandi.  Her family spent the 4th with us in our little, itty, bitty cabin.  We had 11 total.  Gj and I slept in a tent in the yard!!!  It was awesome.

The girls had a swim.  The Canal was so cold (it is salt water) because the weather has been so cold and wet all spring, they had to wear wet suits. 

Later that day, we had a scavenger hunt!  Clues were set throughout the neighborhood.  We had 30 people participating and split into 5 teams... randomly picked.  I ended up on a team with my cousin's daughter's boyfriend...  and over acheiver like me, my cousin simply said, "That team will win"... and you guessed it.... WE WON!  The organizers were shocked at the speed all of us took off at.  We had all ages of people, 3 years to 55 years old.  All of us took off!  The first clue sent our team to my house... we all were wearing flip flops, many of us already had a beer or two in us and some were.... uh...hum... out of shape.  No excuse... 

Some stations you had to perform a task, some just find the missing object by solving the riddle.

We had a golf ball hit, everyone had three chances to hit the golf ball into the boat in the canal.  And for the 3rd year in a row.... no one got it.

Then it was dinner... hamburgers and hot dogs, what else would you have on the 4th of July?

Fireworks...

Then....

dancing the 'electric slide'....  meanwhile boys were in the back singing and playing...

my cousin and I

It was freezing for us.... the temperature is a little cooler in Washington on the water then it is in Oregon, but coming from Vietnam for over 10 months... we were simply FREEZING!

Home Leave - 2010

We only live abroad for 10 months of the year.  Then, we go home!  We typically stop at a few places on the way there and this year is no different:  Cambodia, Krabi Thailand, followed by Bangkok.  Now, we are in Cambodia and we are getting ready to head out to Thailand.

We found a great new restaurant from Trip Advisor.... Touich Restaurant.  Not in the Siem Reap town, but back behind some funky alley the locals live.  The food was amazing and cheap.  It is interesting how many restaurants will talk about 'traditional Khmer' food, but Cambodia is still rebuilding itself after years of civil war followed by the Khmer Rouge genocidal regime.

Tri Training Week 4

Well.... no 'Tri' Training... just a couple of bike rides.

Sunday I finally went out with the set of teachers from the school.  An abosultely LOVELY group of ladies passionate about teaching and getting some things done at school that I am also passionate about (playground equipment, improving the sports programs, etc.). 

I finally rode my mountain bike!

I kinda thought they were joking that they sometimes ride market bikes....  they weren't!  But since I normally do not ride Sunday mornings, and certainly lag the female bicycle bonding... I was extatic!

I think we rode about 35km

Monday:  rest (and got sick)

Tuesday:  too sick to ride with the boys, so I rode by myself:  3 bridge laps, 4 industrial park laps for a total of 60km

Wed - Friday - SICK!  And soooo busy with kids

Saturday:  1 bridge, mad dash w/ boys (stayed w/ the pack, thank you very much) and 5 more bridges.  Alex totally pushed me, I gave him permission to yell at me to make me improve.  Just so long as he doesn't say anything personal that is hurtful, he has carte blanche to 'scream me back to shape'.  I don't have Eugene any longer to yell at me... so I need another voice to piss me off while I am riding!  ha ha...   total of 80km

Swim:  0

Bike:  175km

Run:  0

Feeling better... FINALLY!

Tri Training Week 3

Week three and some milestones to celebrate!

I didn't quit running!
I didn't quit swimming!

I don't hate riding!

Sunday:

We were in Mui Ne.... still high on life with Eirik's 2nd place finish.  I rode by myself (as usual) and out the door at 6:30am.  At times, nearly in tears with how proud I am with my kids.  Eirik so grateful, Emily so supportive!  Feeling pretty lucky!  70km, 460m climbing, not a good average speed, but had a headwind.

Monday:  REST

Tuesday:  Ran 10km!!!  It took me 1:06 (terribly slow, but I did it!).  I needed two walks, no more then 1 minute each.  The heat was pretty intense.

Wednesday:  Rode 55km - two NVL loops solo

Thursday:  30km w/ boys, 1350m swimming in the afternoon.  350m more then prior swim.  All freestyle and no flippers. 

Friday:  5km run

Saturday:  58km ride, 305m climbing, nearly 30kph average. Okay considering traffic.  Speed in peloton was good.  I did one bridge loop prior to meeting the boys, and two afterwards.  Met Alex on the 2nd and he pushed me.... I didn't push on the way back. 

Swim:  1.35km
Bike:  212kim
Run:  15km