Cool Nike ad...

Not that nike needs me to advertise for them, but they have a pretty sweet ad. Check it out.

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Things that make you go hmmmmmm...

This reminds me of something that could've happened to that guy on Office Space. (Interesting forward, Amy - thanks.)

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Play Time in WV
It was finally time for HPC p/b Altarum team camp last weekend at the Raw Talent Ranch (Lost River Barn) in West Virginia - yay! I was looking forward to this weekend for a while because I've come out here a couple of times before, and I know that life at the barn consists of nothing but loooooong rides, goooood food, and that's it. Perhaps a post ride massage from a team mate if you're lucky. In the pleasure of good company, anything more would have detracted from the experience. J-dub kept us entertained with her crazy adventure tales of what life is like in redneckland (I didn't know that getting bit by a crazed prostitute could hurt worse than getting bit by an crazed dog...now I am wiser.) Bellie and Kristi kept us well fed with their amazing skills in the kitchen (and now I understand why Michelle is starting to get called "Mama" instead of Bellie). Susan kept reminding us to push it HARD on our rides. Jen was fun carpool companion and roomie. Kate kept me "honest" riding hard up all those mountains. And Jay gave me some fine, lung-busting "motor-pacing" on the Saturday ride and is the best tour guide EVER. Because he always tells you that it's much longer to the top of a climg than it actually is. Then you feel like superwoman when you get there sooner than expected, even if it was only because Jay was being generous. It was a gas of a time.


When J-dub (something like 6'3"?) used Bellie's (5'0"?) "woman-specific" (aka - really short) pump, it was highly entertaining. For reference, these black "leg-warmers" that Bellie is sporting, are actually just knee warmers.

The cherry on top of this weekend was finally getting my new team bike, the Specialized Tarmac SL, built up and dialed in in time to test out on the fun, twisty switchback decents in the mountains of WV. Mine is Spanky because she's full of flair. Seriously, she's amazing! I can't believe how fast and tight she corners and how she jumps at just a hint of power. It's like a wild horse just ready to rev. It looks just like any other bike, so I was really surprised that what must be slight changes in the design/geometry could make such an amazing difference in how the bike accelerates and corners. I was a little reluctant to part with riding my trusty old steed, but I'm already over it. I can't wait to try Spanky out in some fast crits!

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I WON THE JACKPOT!!!
I hate to brag, but I got the numbers on my bike computer to match up at 111 watts, 111 bpm (heartrate), and 111 rpm (cadence) ALL at the same exact moment during my ride. It was pretty exciting. I'm still waiting to get teleported to some magical fairly-land, or for a leprochon to show up on my doorstep with a pot of gold. I really must win something for that, right? Well, it's a fun game to play anyway, and I'm sure those numbers at the very least create some good karma.

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Welcome home, Mama & Papa Paquita!
(Below: their last dinner in Cambodia with some friends.)As I write, my parents are just arriving home and unpacking their bags from a 1.5 year service mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. I have been eagerly waiting for their return, yet couldn't be more proud of all they accomplished while they were gone. Their main responsibility was to run an employment center, where they did everything but sing and dance in order to help people build skills and find employment. They taught all sorts of classes, started a computer center, taught English, taught computer skills, helped build resumes, and met with many local businesses to find employment opportunities. While these were their full time responsibilities that they volunteered for, my parents are not satisfied unless they are doing everything possible, and ended up serving in so many other capacities as well. They taught piano lessons, assisted with the completion of a beautiful new church building that is a hub and haven for many people there, brought extra love to an orphanage, and uplifted everyone they had a chance to serve. Rob and I had such a great time visiting them there this summer, and it was easy to see how much those we met loved and appreciated them. I couldn't be more proud of you, Mom and Dad! What a way to start out your retirement. What an adventure! Maybe a few relaxing years with us now? Welcome home!

(Above: Pops with a plate of giant spiders. He was brave enough to try eating a leg, but not the entire body. My mom also ate a bite of a leg. During our trip there, Rob also tried eating a leg, and then complained about it being caught in his throat the rest of the day because he didn't chew it enough before swallowing. Our driver ate the whole thing. He said their were eggs in the massive abdomen. We gave him our leftovers. I was the only true wuss who didn't take a single bite.)

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Music (a request)

So Lorena is off at a team training camp in West Virginia. I am chilling at home, watching the Dog Whisperer. Cesar sure is amazing. I can already tell that this is going to be a lively weekend! Although, with any luck, my soccer team will get our first win of the season tomorrow (we are 0-2 right now.) Anyway, because the Dog Whisperer has my rapt attention, I decided to update the music on the blog. And while I was searching for songs to put on, I realized that I am starting to become a lame adult because I don't know any cool new bands. Back in the day, when I was hanging with Peter at BC, he would always have great recommendations for bands I had never heard of (Promise Ring is still one of my all time favorites.) Lately, if I ever find new music I like it is because it is usually from a band I already knew who put out a new album, or my buddy Vince hooks me up with some good recommendations. Since Vince is now spending all of his time being a big shot lawyer in San Francisco, he has been slacking on the recommendations (although this is in no way an attempt to call him out!).

So, this post is a request, for you the loyal reader of the lorenanadrob blog:
A. I need some musical recommendations; (and you can use my play list as a good clue as to what I would like, i.e. if you recommend Creed, or someone from American Idol, I will disavow any apparent friendship we may or may not have had.)
And I guess there is only an "A", so I probably didn't need to denote it as such, but I will decline going back and erasing the "A".

In conclusion, please post some recommendations in the comments. Thank you. And yes, Huey Lewis and the News are still the greatest of all time (with Jimmy Buffet being a close second. What am I saying, they are both tied for first.)

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And Robert Kennedy Jr.

Yes, that's right, I heart DC. I probably haven't given this place enough credit over the past year and a half since Rob and I made our coast to coast journey. But yesterday, I went riding my bike along the Mt. Vernon trail to Haines Pt. (a couple miles long island in the Potomac river, a popular place for cyclists to escape city traffic, and right next to some of our nation's most famous monuments), the cherry trees were popping blossoms, the weeping willows were green, the Potomac river at least had the appearance of blue, and tourists from all over the world were out and about to spectate the same monuments I ride past routinely. And I realized I really haven't given this place enough credit. It's a pretty cool place to be. (photo from www.rnha.org/convention.htm)

Then today, we had a pretty amazing guest speaker at the Potomac School. Last week I saw that Robert Kennedy was scheduled to speak at our school assembly today. Being the history buff that I am, I concluded that it couldn't really be RFK. So I was resigned to this being similar to the time when we had "John Smith" and "Pocahantas" come speak to us. Which made me briefly consider playing hooky. Good thing the better half of my brain reconsidered, because it turned out to be the actual, living Robert Kennedy Jr.. He was brilliant! This is a major perk of living in DC. It was really cool to listen to Bill Clinton speak to us last year, but I left from listening to Robert Kennedy Jr. with my brain abuzz with enlightenment. He was named one of Time's "Heros of the Planet" for his environmental legal work, and has done quite a bit as a "defender of the environment". What spoke to me was his practical way of looking at our personal, economical, and polital ties with the environment, and his convincing argument that what is best for us personally and economically is what is best for the environment. Building our economy and preserving our environment are not conflicting goals. I know this isn't exactly a new idea, but there are so many arguments to the contrary. And I have never heard those arguments shut down in such a convincing fashion. It was so beautiful it gave me goosebumps. I was so moved that I even had the audacity to go right up and tell him so afterwards. It was cool.
I came away feeling totally inspired by Robert Kennedy Jr. on another level as well. He has a vocal disorder known as spasmodic dysphonia (I researched him to find out). You know when you are about to cry or something, and you're "feeling a little verklempt" or slightly strangled? Well, he sounds like that all the time. It was hard to listen to at first. I thought something was wrong. Surely, this great man couldn't possibly sound like that ALL the time. Well, he does. A Great speaker with a serious vocal disorder? Very inspiring. It makes me rethink the things that I allow to hold myself back.

One thing that intimidated me when I moved to DC was the fact that I have never followed politics, and am still trying to find my political identity. I also have a pretty meager education in history, mostly from high school coaches who would rather show movies every day and tell us to read the book, so that they could spend their time thinking up basketball plays, sleeping at their desk, or doing who-knows-what. I didn't mind too much back then, but now sometimes I'm a little embarrassed living in our nation's capital by how little I know about the details of it's history and politics. But people haven't been too hard on me, and now I am finding that there is no better place to learn!

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Lorena's on a roll!

I don't know if Lorena will write a race report about her two races this weekend, and I only saw one of them, but I will write up a quick report about how Lorena, aka Lowrider, aka Diesel, aka Loretta, won her race on Saturday and got second in her race today. Her team, HPC powered by Altarum, was rocking it today. They were up front, riding hard, and covering a bunch of moves. Fellow HPC teammate Jenette Williams, fighting a cold but still riding strong, powered through and won the field sprint, with Lorena taking second in a photo finish. Unfortunately, I do not have that photo, so there are no photos accompanying this post. Anyway, the whole team rode exceptionally well - I was very impressed. In Saturday's race (which I did not see), Lorena's teammate Chris Kelly (of the infamous Chris Kelly ride) went on a crazy solo break and was crushing everyone. On the last lap, two girls (from which team, I know not) decided to bridge up. They gave Lorena a free ride up to her teammate, and then the two of them pulled away in the sprint between the four, with Lorena taking first and Chris taking second. So, if you are scoring at home, HPC went 1-2, 1-2, on Saturday and Sunday. GOOD JOB LADIES OF HPC!!!

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The Jefferson Cup - Yay!

Below: Kate and I after the race. Kate had a fantastic race, riding in a good position throughout and putting in a great final sprint for a podium finish, and I managed to jump at the right time to come around in the final 250 m for the win. Two HPC powered by Altarum podiums. Go team!

Since I recently wrote all about how I pooped the bed at the Sequoia Classic Crit (thanks to Anna, I can no longer think of another way to describe a bad race) just a couple weekends ago, I feel fully entitled to now report that I won the Jeff Cup race last weekend. Yay! I had "that day" where everything went smooth as silk mile after mile. Feeling great was a pleasant suprise after getting my lungs ripped out only two weeks ago. Some races I suffer so much that I find myself considering putting a nail through my own tire so that I get to drop out. Nor did the opposite scenario happen, where I've felt fab but then got a flat (like happened to teammate Lesley) or tangled up in a crash. So hooray for good karma last weekend! With a lot of strong & talented ladies out at the race, it was a little like winning the lottery. Fitness, tactics, good positioning, and racing smarts buy you tickets, but that doesn't ever guarentee that your number will be called. Plenty others have a lot of tickets too. It's very multi-dimensional. That is what I love so much about the road racing. Keeps you humble when you win, and hopeful when you don't. There are so many factors that the winning move can be different every time and every race unique. There is no formula. It's both science and art.

From Jim Wilson Images, a picture of some HPC teammates before the race:

Cool pic of Anna cornering (Jim Wilson Images).
My favorite moment of the race was a comment another racer made to me after we passed Rob for the third time around and he was cheering like crazy. She asked me if that was my husband, commented on his awesomeness (with 10 miles per lap of a 40 mile race, it takes a lot of love to watch, especially on a wet/rainy/cold day), and then added "he looks like a high school boy". Ha!

Since there are already so many reports about Jeff Cup out there, I think I'll end here.

Anna's Jeff Cup report - (also see Anna's blog if you have a foot fetish, are interested in buying "well-worn" socks, or just want some good laughs)

the Granderkitten's recap

and many more on Gam Jams

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The Happiest Place On Earth
Okay, sorry if my odes to CA have become tiresome. I just had to post a few last pictures of my trip, and I can't help it with the Disneyland analogy anytime I ride my bike down the twists and turns of the Santa Monica Mtns, especially Latigo Road.
Here's a pic with a couple of my friends, Ralph and Heidi. Each time I come back to ride with my old riding buddies, thinking maybe I will impress them with my new fitness, all I find is that they have all gotten faster and stronger too! It's funny how deep a friendship we form on the basis of trying to rip each other's legs off. Dave Young is especially good at this, and like the strange relationship of someone who loves their abuser, we all love for Dave for his ability to make us suffer on our rides together. After the fast group ride, I couldn't help but go on a second ride. I had to ride this canyon solo so that I could soak it all up. This is the climb up the valley side of Mulholland Hwy.
Here is part of the roller-coasteresque descent down Latigo Road. It goes on like this for miles and miles. I still can't believe this is technically part of Los Angeles.
Still on Latigo Road, just closer to the bottom where it ends at the Pacific Ocean.
My bike is very happy, and decided to smile for this picture. (See the smiley cloud?)
The Pacific Ocean: the reward at the bottom of the mountain, right before the loooong climb back up.
Dena (fitness instructor and mtn biking stud) and daughter Peri, my hosts for my "cycling camp".
You know you live in a cool place when wild peacocks come roam around in your yard. But wild is a misnomer - they'll eat right out of your hand. (Dena and Rodd's ranch house is on the market - I wish I could buy it!)
Stay #2 was at the Roach Motel in San Clemente. (Rachelle's nickname has been Roach ever since we were kids and my parents insisted we stop calling her "Rachelle, the smell, the diaper pail" because it made her cry. I guess she figured Roach was a step up, and it has been a term of endearment ever since.)
My sister Rachelle, husband Adam, and my super-cute neice Tori. I am in love with this little girl! (Sorry Roach for stealing this pic from your blog...I forgot to take pics!)
Stay #3 was with Sunshine and Becca at Seal Beach. Becca looked over the couch and saw our husbands talking like this in the dining area. I'm not sure what this means, but the only time I remembered to whip out my camera for the last week of my trip, was when Becca and I spotted an opportunity to poke fun of our men. "Awww...look, they're having a slumber party!"

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Mapmyride.com
I just discovered this website that is perfect for mapping rides and race courses. It's a lot like Google maps, but it can give you the elevation profile (YAY!) for a route - perfect for getting to know an unfamiliar race course or new route. I love knowing elevation profiles. It also allows you to create the route just by clicking on points on the map.
For those racing this weekend, here is the map I made for Jeff Cup. If the elevation profile doesn't show up initially, there should be an option for it in the left tool bar.

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Parental Advisory!
Meaning, if you are my mom, do not watch this video I am linking.
On one of the few bright sides for me at the Sequoia Classic Criterium race last weekend, I was dropped before this nasty crash happened at the finish line. iBN sports broadcast the whole race, but were nice enough to make the shorter video-clip (linked above) for those of us who just like to watch the shots of carnage. There were 80-something women to start, and only 42 crossed the finish. Many didn't get hurt too bad and got back up to cross the finish line. Others were worse off, and plenty others, like me, were only victims of the brutal speed.

I've never really considered myself as a downhill racer, but this weekend at the Sequoia Classic Criterium I had a top notch "downhill" race. I somehow finagled the best starting position I've had yet at an NRC race, and yet it turned into one of my worst races. I started on the front line - right behind all the important people who got call ups - but standing there on the start line would be the only time I would be anywhere near the race leaders' wheels. Things went completely downhill from there. Being my first race of the season, against some world class cyclists (Ina-Yoko Teutenberg of team High Road won) with full squads, I knew clearly what I was up against. Yet I didn't fully appreciate it until the gun went off and it was like a finish line sprint right from the start. Not clipping into my pedals well at the gun and rusty cornering skills at speed took me quickly from the front to middle to rear in just several short laps (7 corners on a short 0.7 mile circuit - cornering and position are crucial!). I finally figured out my cornering, but by then I was riding toward the back of a large field, meaning that I was forced to sprint after every turn. My power data shows absolutely NO middle ground between 0 watts (around the corners) and full throttle efforts of 500 - 700 watts coming out of the corners. That was just to stay with the field; efforts to move back up to the front were futile. My power graph looks like a seismograph chart. It wore me down and eventually I got dropped. My lungs and insides hurt so bad, I was almost positive someone switched out my sports drink with a bottle of Drain-O. Pure acid. Or like someone scrubbed my throat and lungs with a bottle-bristle-brush. The first race of the season always feel brutal. But I am still hopeful that my fitness and skills will come around in the next month or two, I'll take what I learned from this race, and I'll have that zen-like race I'm always searching for. Until then, just keeping it real.

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A Sappy Love Song
I'd like to dedicate this love song to California.
I could stay awake,
just to eeeeeeeeeeat your tacos.
Watch the ocean while you are sleeping,
bask in your sun while I am dreaming.
I could spend my life in this sweet surrender,
I could cycle on your roads forever,
Even mariachi music is a sound that I treasure.

Reason #1 that I love CA: my wonderful friends.
This was a surprise engagement party for Chris, one of my best friends in high school.
It has been four years since we last saw each other.
It was also great to see Heather and Chris M., two more of my closest teenage friends.

Okay, so I guess you could say that I am enjoying my spring break here in California. I have a bit of a love affair with this place, especially around Malibu where Rob and I lived for three years while he attended Pepperdine. I think that every single day I walked out my front door, looked over the beautiful green hill and out over the blue coast, I quite conscientiously cherished the moment - knowing that other great adventures would lie ahead in life for Rob and I, but that we would be hard pressed to find another place as beautiful to live them out. DC is a great place and we are very happy in our new home out east, but there is nothing like coming home. I've gone to bed with a tension headache every night since I've arrived, from smiling so much throughout the day.
Things I miss the most about CA:
Taco shops and roach coaches all over the place
The beach
In and Out
Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream (this has been my favorite treat since I was about 5 yrs old. Little did I know then that it is only sold in CA)
Rides with "On Your Left"
Canyon roads
Pacific Coast Hwy
KROQ
Mariachi music
Palm trees
Warm weather year round
Wearing flip flops everywhere (yes, even work and church on occasion)
The Santa Monica Mountains

Random side note: I am a very unaware person. Everyone who knows me knows this. I could easily write several essays filled with funny/dumb/scary/insulting/you-name-it things that have happened as a result.
I forgot my shampoo, so I grabbed what was sitting on the bathtub to use. I noticed it said "Antibacterial Deodorizing Shampoo" and thought that was kind of funny and wondered why Dena would choose that style over, say, anything that didn't imply you smelled like a dog. But my conscience mind didn't pick up that I was, in fact, looking straight at a very large picture of a dog right there on the bottle. My hair wasn't so nice and silky afterwards, but I'm happy to report that my scalp is bacteria-free!
I think Buddy smelled his shampoo on me, because he decided to retaliate later that day. Or maybe he just sniffed out the bagel hiding inside my backpack. Too bad he doesn't know how to just work a zipper.

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My Utah Trip

So I went out to Utah over leap day weekend to go to Brian Haynie's wedding. While I was out there, Mike was kind enough to take me to the Jazz-Pistons game. I was also able to go snowboard a few times at Brighton (hence the faint signs of goggle tan on my face. Unfortunately, they have since subsided.) Sorry, no pictures from the Jazz game or snowboarding. Anyway, then Brian got hitched on leap day so he only has to remember his anniversary once every four years. For those who aren't "in the know," Brian is a good friend from High School (HHS - represent) and freshman year at Ricks. Although we don't see each other very often now (he is making mucho dinero selling home security, although I still don't know how that works...) I was stoked I could go out to his wedding.

Me, Turk, Brian, Jake, Jared


Craig, Me

The day after the wedding Jake and I were going to go ride up at Brighton again, but the weather was looking kind of sketchy, so we decided to go shoot out in the west desert. And when I say out in the west desert, I mean almost to Nevada. My Dad went with us, and kindly offered to drive (he didn't know what he was getting his Maxima into.)

Jake, looking like a Jihadi - he claimed this is what Afghanistan looks like. Fun.

Me and my Pops.
On Saturday night some of my friends came over to my parents house and we had a mini-pre-birthday party for me. Although no one brought gifts...cheapskates.
All-in-all it was a fun trip and it was nice to be able to hang out at my house, see my family, and see some old friends. Besides the sports coming on way too late, the other thing I dislike about DC is being far away from family and friends. Good thing we are moving to Stockholm, then people will be even closer...

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I made some changes to the blog today because I was bored. Lorena is out in CA for spring break, I played soccer for two hours, and then went and swam for an hour, and now I am stuck on the couch. I will try to add more links that I like and more music that I find cool in the future. Enjoy.

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