California 03

Los Angeles, California 

August 21, 2015 

Friday afternoon, LA was on the radar. Around noon, I got an email about the plane delay until 2am. After a movie and dinner, we finally decided at midnight to try going to LA. My argument: we are still young and have very few responsibilities in life. Pedro decided to be nice and we drove to the airport for the next adventure.  At 5am on Saturday, we arrive to the car rental place (after climbing mountains, crawling under tunnels, and jumping over bushes). To my excitement, we got a VW beetle convertible! What better way to experience the west coast than a convertible?!? (Expect, I guess there is pretty low gas mileage and a lot of blind spots). 

We headed straight for the beach, drove along the coast, and enjoyed watching everybody wake up. Tons of cyclists gathered for their morning rides along the coast, surfers tried to catch some waves, and volley ball games started up on the beach.

After hopping back in the car, I found a restaurant nearby for breakfast. The menu there was incredible-- breakfast burritos, vegan pancakes, smoothies....! With a happy belly to wake me up from the smoggy morning daze, we continued driving north (top down) along the pacific coast highway until stumbling upon an inviting beach for an afternoon nap in the sand--resulting in a refreshed body with healthy tan lines. 

The remainder of the day can be summed up with driving, breezy hair, and trail mix. The next morning, we parked at Zuma Beach by Malibu for an early morning dip. The cold water was actually refreshing for my inflamed joints. This trip was everything I needed to start an energized week! 

 

Colorado Ragnar

Colorado Ragnar 

August 7-8, 2015 

In early July, I received a short email asking if I was interested in participating in a Ragnar in Colorado with some half-strangers. That email lifted my spirits for the remainder of the work day and added an exciting activity on the horizon.  I am lucky enough to know Jeff, who knows Richard, who works at a mountain lodge 90 minutes west of downtown Denver. Richard's co-workers needed some extra members on their relay team to participate in the race from Copper Mountain to Snowmass, Colorado.  WEEEE! Pedro and I did a little extra running in preparation just to make sure that our feet and lungs were functional. 

We a caught the Thursday night flight to Denver, met up at Jeff's place and drove to the mountains.  Around midnight, we pulled off the road into a national forest, pitched a little tent, fought for some warmth with the sleeping bag, and tried to get as much rest as possible until the 5am wake-up call. (The morning couldn't come soon enough when we were fighting for warmth between the cold ground and 38-degree air.... as Floridians.) 

Around noon, the entire 12-person team met up at the first major baton exchange (from van 1 to van 2). Van 2 loaded into the van and headed down the road (and up the mountain) to look for our van's first runner. The baton was passed from person to person and when we waited for our next turn, we hung out in the van. Van 2 was lucky to have a guy on the team provide his pride and joy, Gus, to be the machine that drives us, sleeps us, and lets us bond. 

Once night fell, the boogie man came out to haunt the runners. If you can't picture it, imagine running in a haunted movie with blinders blocking your peripheral vision and then add in the adrenaline rush of the unknown of wild animals in the area. One guy got hit in the face by a bat when he had to run through a tunnel, another guy saw spooky eyes staring at him. I was lucky enough to have the pity of a teammate to run with me at night. His rapid speed did not help my already elevated heart rate from the elevation change and my extreme fear of the dark. We reached the last 1.5 miles of the leg running through a town. We saw two deer enjoying the privacy of the late hours. Unfortunately, we got lost in a park (technically it was the race's course markers fault) resulting in an extra 2 miles added to the leg and me catching a ride to the next exchange spot via a race volunteer. Talk about the universe playing games with my fear of the dark!!

Eventually the sun rose and we had one last leg to run per person. Tripp found some cool Native American Adobe ovens, Pedro found an awesome waterfall, Hung ran until he couldn't run anymore, and I saw some cute goats and bunnies in the prairie! We were the first team to cross the finish line!! After some lounging and a large burrito, we packed in the van for a dazed ride back. Viewing the entire completed course backwards, from a van, and in the daylight was pretty cool. Turns out the scary portion of the race from the previous night were actually very beautiful canyon trails next to a flowing river. 

Saturday evening, we drove back to Denver with Jeff. He unfolded his bikes and we rode to downtown-- through cute neighborhoods, past a nice park, and alongside a little creek.  We ended up at a brewery with a blue grass band playing outside. We sampled some various beers and went on a quick walking tour of the area. One of the neighboring bars felt like a museum inside with quirky decorations and overflowing plants. Then, we hopped back on the bicycles and road along the trial 7 miles back to Jeff's place. The mixture of beer, fresh air, cycling, and a lovely environment led to a ride home that was more exciting than anything Disney World could ever offer! The last 20 minutes of the ride, we had to peddle as hard as possible in order to catch shelter before the looming thunderstorm decided to finally strike. 

Well, we rated this weekend trip as a success. I was able to expose Pedro to the love of Ragnar. We hope to participate in another and are currently looking for team mates to participate in Virginia Trail Ragnar. 

Miami Summer

Weekends in Miami

June 27, 2015

For two weekends, I had the privilege of experiencing South Florida as a tourist. Early Saturday morning, we packed sandwiches, fruit salad, chips and water into a cooler and headed 1 hour south to John Pennekamp State Park for a glass bottom boat tour to a nearby coral reef. After a slow cruise out to the ocean, the speed picked up enhancing the excitement with wind blowing in through the hair. We hovered over the reef for a sneak peek at the sea plants and crazy cool fish. About 45 minutes later, we returned back to shore eager to jump in the water.

From my experience, the beach at John Pennikamp is far from the best beach in South Florida. Instead of sand, the shore and water bottoms are completely covered in rocks. Additionally, even though this is a place known for snorkeling, the waters near the beach were completely dark making any snorkel sights difficult. The one up-side of this beach was that we saw a group of tarpon swimming periodically flashing their fins out of the water!

Next, we went to the well-known Tiki Bar in Islamorada—a restaurant/bar right on the water with iguanas running around, cool swinging tables, and the perfect view for a sunset.

The following day, we drove 20 minutes north to Hallendale Beach. This turned into a well-kept secret with free parking, people-ready beaches, white sand, and blue water. Unfortunately, the day was cut short once we heard sirens and saw the black clouds approaching with only a five minute warning. This was my first thunder storm of the season!!

July 3

I love holiday weekends—no work and something to celebrate. This weekend was different than my other Independence Day celebrations. (In 2011, I was in France for July 4^th, so celebrations were non-existent. The French national holiday is the week after the American national holiday, but my experience wasn’t filled with national colors, red/white/blue foods, or unusual cheer—just wine, cheese, and a walk in the woods. Still pretty cool, looking back, but that was the year I realized that 4^th of July is a cherished holiday! ) Last year, my brother and I went on an awesome road trip along the Pacific Coast Highway. This year, I was with a group of Peruvians who somehow are very patriotic even though the USA is not their motherland.

Friday morning started out with one of my favorite Florida activities—snorkeling!! We rode a catamaran out from Key Largo to Mosquito Reef for one hour of snorkeling. The day had a blue sky, few clouds, brilliant sun, and calm waters! I got to see some pretty cool underwater life, but I was sad when we got back to land. (If anybody wants to go snorkeling, let me know!!)

After snorkeling, we drove 5 minutes down the road to Hobo’s Café.  I remember coming to this restaurant as a kid when we visited the Keys. As expected, the fish sandwich was great, but a looming storm hurried the meal.

 

Refreshed and satisfied (but still salty and sweaty), we packed into the car en route to Coral Castle. Built in Florida City in 1920 by Edward Leedskalnin, this small castle is made completely of coral using simple tools. The tour was great! The creator was 5 feet tall and weighed 100 pounds, so his carved reading chair fit me perfectly! Since the thermometer read 97-degrees, it made sense for my deep craving to jump in a swimming pool. Luckily, Tony has a little oasis in his back yard to feel like a secret lagoon. J

Saturday, we took a boat ride through the back waterways of extremely wealthy people’s homes. We passed the houses of Marc Anthony, J. Lo, P Diddy, and some others. In the evening, we laid out blankets on the lawn of Peacock Park and ate sandwiches and chips until the night time fireworks show.

Sunday, we attempted another beach day back at Hallendale Beach. This time, we were blessed with a beautiful day and awesome waves but challenged with massive amounts of seaweed. By the end of the weekend, my skin was bronzed and satisfied from the sunshine. 

Denver Spartan Beast Race

Denver, Colorado

June 13, 2015

After staying in Jeff’s cozy basement, Denver started out on a rainy and chilly June morning with the comfort of free coffee in a packed breakfast house. After a full belly from a breakfast burrito, we drove the car past parks and fancy shopping centers to a highway with mountains on the horizon. 

Hike in White River Nat'l Forest

By noon, we reached Silverthorne, Colorado—a town of outlet stores designed in an earthy way that makes you feel good about consumerism and shopping :-p. Here, we purchased last minute items in preparation for Saturday’s race AND we browsed the Perl Izumi store (a big treat for two lovers of cycling & sports)!

After shopping, we checked into the hotel and brought a small pack for a little outdoor adventure in order to prepare our bodies for the high altitude. I’m not sure how long it takes to adjust the body to running in 10,000 feet altitude, but I assume that it requires more than 24 hours!

Breckenridge, CO

Post-hike, Pedro made sure to find the “Spartan Race” sign in Breckenridge. During the downtown exploration, we found the highest running store in the USA, windows full of real-estate opportunities, and a neat downtown next to a flowing river. Back in Frisco, we went to Whole Foods for a late-night snack of fresh juice. Even the Whole Foods was super cool with tulip decorations outside, a cooler full of local kombucha, and a ski lift car available to dine in.

Up until the morning of the race, we drank water beyond our personal abilities to drink water (advice from a local wooden statue salesman). The race started at 60 degrees at the bottom of a ski lodge, with a wicked one mile up-hill climb followed by crossing waist-deep through two heavy-flow almost-freezing creeks. (Thank goodness for my well-draining shoes and dry fit, thermal pants!) About 5 miles into the race, we crawled up a snow-covered mountain. The next 5 miles was a series of inclines and declines (more up-hills than down-hills) with a nice pause at the summit of 11,000 feet. Needless to say, we were pretty pooped by the end of the 12.5 mile race!

Post-race resulted in a rewarding hot tub soak followed by awesome burritos. Sadly, my body had no energy or desire to continue to explore the amazing nature outside for the remainder of the day.

Sunday, we visited downtown Vail and then drove back to Denver. At City Park, energy was in the air—a live jazz show was about to start for everybody on the lawn, food trucks lined the nearby street, and about 10 soccer/volleyball/Frisbee/other random sports were playing around on the other lawn. Everybody walked by with either a bicycle, a dog, and/or a picnic basket…. Talk about my dream park!!

Sunday night was one of the most memorable food experiences I’ve had. We visited one of the best vegan restaurants in downtown Denver—City o City. I had the special of the day—a burrito turned into a fluffy waffle with black beans, vegan meat, some creamy stuff…!! Without a doubt, I was one happy camper on the flight home. :)

We ran into snow!

Hippies, Hills, and Hugs

May 29, 2015

Ohio, USA 

Cleveland started out on the wrong beat with (1) a lady in the plane accusing somebody's 4 year old son for touching her butt and being a pervert (2) a lady in the car rental line continuously answering her excessively ringing phone and yelling at the person on the other end and (3) two women conversing in detail about their cats’ diets. What is in the water here?!?

Friday evening, we went to dinner with the Krause family to Tree Hugger's Cafe. The experience lived up to the summary of what we should expect-- extremely slow service, fresh ingredients, tasty food, and casual hippies. Besides the lengthy wait, I was satisfied! My 8-hour hibernation in the wonderfully chilly and cozy basement was preceded with drinks made by JFK’s famous grape kombucha. (Even Pedro was a fan!!)

Saturday morning, we stopped by Nanny & Grandpa Basford's house for a quick visit before driving 2 hours south to the Spartan race in Cumberland, Ohio. On the way to the race, we passed a place called "The Wilds" where rhinos, bison, and other animals roamed the vast farm land.

After driving down long, endless roads we arrived to the race site. At the 12:45 starting wave, my shoes were tied and my muscles were forced to prepare quickly. Within 30 seconds of starting the race, we got completely muddy and were faced with never-ending hills—neither the incline nor the decline were easy. This race wasn’t a bloody one (compared to Las Vegas); however, Pedro suffocated the entire time from allergies and I had a small crisis that I twisted my ankle (the ankle is fine!). We finished the race together to put the third piece of the puzzle together.

 

After the race, we drove for 2 hours through winding, curvy roads through the countryside past historic churches, old European style farm houses, and farm equipment billboards. By nightfall, we arrived to Wooster for a nice (but short) visit with Aunt Beaulah and Uncle Dick.

The trip was short but, nevertheless, a dreamy one. I hope to return for a visit to all of the llama farms we passed on the side of the road, a barefoot walk in the grass, and a glass of iced tea in the back yard. 

A dam, a desert, and a drink

18 April, 2015

Las Vegas, Nevada

The trip to Vegas has been planned for a while with the focused activity of racing in the desert. The trip had a brief detour to Chicago for some late night sandwiches and an overnight visit with some friends. 

Friday afternoon, we arrived to Vegas and were greeted by friendly people, a clear blue sky, and absolutely zero humidity. Packed into the little rental car, we maneuvered through the highway and down the scarce, brown roads to a small airport in order to squeeze in a helicopter for the one hour ride over the Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, and Grand Canyon. The views were incredible. We saw Arizona, California, Nevada, and Utah all at the same time because of the clear day. 

Hoover Dam/ Grand Canyon

Saturday morning, we woke up bright and early for the Spartan race, applied sun screen, and filled ice water in the camel pack. The 45 minute drive south to Jean, Nevada revealed the true images and feeling of a desert. The air was so dry and sandy that I couldn't control my coughing and my skin tensed up like a lizard preparing to die. Luckily, the temperature was a nice 75 degrees at the moment, so I didn't fear for the worst (but still didn't know what to expect). The 10 mile course started with at least a mile up a small, rocky mountain. By mile two, my knee was bleeding. By mile four, I realized the high value of the water packed on my back. At mile seven, I had tripped from a cramped leg (adding more cuts and bruises). At mile nine, I was wet with mud. The last obstacle of the race ended poorly for me (but successfully for Pedro) with a rope swing across a mud pit. Two bananas and a beer later, we were back in the car to return to the hotel. 

The final hours of the trip were spent by the hotel pool drinking excessively large cups of mojito and cucumber soda while people watching the stereotypical guests enjoy their afternoon.  

The Amazing Amazon

23 April, 2015

Iquitos, Peru 

The adventure started Wednesday afternoon with Pedro and Kelly. We caught a 5 hr flight to Lima, Peru-- which started off with a picnic of freshly (self-)made gourmet sandwiches, fried plantains, and mixed drinks. After a brief night in Lima, we jumped on a morning flight to Iquitos. Within minutes of landing in the jungle, Pedro found a guide with a plan for the weekend.

Thursday, we visited an animal refuge (Amazon Rescue Center), where we got to play with spider monkeys, manatees, and parrots. The second stop was a zoo with hundreds of different animals-- varying from monkeys, hogs, pink Dolphins, electric eels, ants, etc.

 

The third stop was Belen. We took a boat ride to see the flooded neighborhood (it is completely flooded about half of the year) and walked through the market learning about all the medicinal herbs, and new fruits and spices they had to offer.   

Belen (Iquitos, Peru)

The last stop of the day was dinner. Multiple restaurants recommended this restaurant on the water, "Al Frío y Al Fuego." . This was an amazing experience! The 5-star experience match the 3-star prices in Miami. 

Al Frio y Al Fuego

Friday started at 9am with a mototaxi ride through the busy streets to the port. Near the port, the streets were lined on both sides with blue tents made of tarp about 70 squared-feet large. The government has helped out the people who were affected by the flood. Families were hanging out in the hammocks, grilling food, or just people watching. Once at the port, we walked on makeshift bridges made of logs and table tops to the boats. The guide had a man waiting with his boat to drive us to the various destinations. The first stop was Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm. The place started as a butterfly garden but has expanded to an animal refuge and orphanage. When waiting for the tour to start, we were innocently sitting on a bench watching the monkeys play. Unfortunately, one monkey was too hormonal and pounced on me from behind. Once the excitement calmed, the tour started and we saw a variety of cool animals. 

Pilpintuwasi Butterfly Farm

The second stop was a native tribe that lives two hours up the river. Upon entering, the painted our faces and performed a song and dance. Immediately after, we were swarmed by all the tribe members to buy their crafts.

 

Stop number three was an animal center with cages built on a platform over the water. We got to hold Toucans, monkeys, a tortoise, an alligator, a sloth, and an anaconda. Talk about fear and thrill! 

Stop number four was lunch on the boat in the middle of the river. Stop number five had a tall look out over the enclosed pond with lily pads about two feet in diameter. We fed the fierce pirañas, strategic alligator, and massive paiche. After learning about all the scary things that live in the Amazon river, we all declined the opportunity to jump in.