Group before the ride

We Did It! Matt and I biked to Oxford, Ohio and back this weekend, and we reached the metric century mark on the way.  For those you who don’t know, and I didn’t until Matt told me, a metric century is 62 miles.  We actually did 67 miles total, and it was quite an experience.  Five of us set off from Mark’s house at 7:30 Saturday morning, and we reached the Oxford Farmer’s Market at 10:30am.  After a tour of the farmer’s market, a nice lunch, and a visit to the Oxford bike shop, we got back on the bikes around 12:30pm and rode back to Richmond.  Matt and I got home around 4:00pm.

Our overall stats for the trip were 67 miles (including riding to and from Mark’s house),  5.5 hours riding time, and an average speed of 12mph. Coming home we were up against a steady 10mph headwind, so that brought our average speed down.

View from the Stoker's seat

We took a different route for each leg of the trip, and each had its merits and short comings.  On the trip down, we took a windy route that took us along some narrow and rarely traveled country roads that included some “enhanced fitness benefits” (hills).  On the trip back, we took a more direct and flat route that took us past row after row of corn and soybeans. We weren’t really able to compare which route was faster, because on the way to Oxford we had a tailwind and on the way back we had a strong headwind, which slowed us down a lot.

It was a good experience, but the ride home was definitely one of the tougher things I have done physically and at times mentally. 67 miles was about 27 miles more than Matt and I had ever ridden in one day, and we definitely felt it on the way home.  Both of us were saddle-sore, worn out, and sun burned when we got home. Luckily, Mark and Kent, who biked with us, were gracious enough go at our slow pace on the way home and were great company.  There most certainly would have been a lot more arguing and complaining on the McKimmy bicycle had we been on our own.

Bikes at the farmer's market

Overall, I am really glad we took the trip and plan to continue looking for more opportunities for rides like this.  Yes we were tired and sore, but we also got to experience the amazing sense of accomplishment that comes from reaching a big goal.  Not to mention the covered bridge, Clydesdales, butterflies, free yellow peppers, country churches, hawks, and great company that we got to enjoy along the way.

You can see all the photos I took from the back of the tandem on Flickr

Related posts

• Biking to Oxford (1)
• LGRAB Summer Games – Social Cycling (1)
• Bike Bag By Basil (0)
• World Carfree Day (0)
• New Bike! (3)

Over the past two weeks, for no good reason, I have started baking things:

• A from-scratch yellow cake with homemade chocolate frosting
• Mint  chocolate chip cookies
• From-scratch blueberry muffins
• Chocolate granola bars

I have actually enjoyed it so much that I want to do more baking. A lot more baking.

After looking through the mountain of Cooks Illustrated magazines we have, I realized how many wonderful things there were that I wanted to make. So I’ve decided that as long as my interest in baking remains I want to do something to encourage it.

Which leads me to my newest adventure.  I am going to bake my way through some of those Cooks Illustrated magazines we have.  They have an amazing number of yummy recipes that are easy to follow and result in good food.  My thought is that I will try and bake one recipe a week.  There may be some weeks I don’t make anything at all or weeks when I make some other dessert, like mousse, that doesn’t count as baking. And I don’t know how long this will hold my interest (I tend to quickly get bored with cooking.)  But for now, I am excited to get started.

I also plan to blog about my adventures as I go. Any of you who read this blog with  regularity know  my cooking or baking usually results in lessons learned or humorous anecdotes about what NOT to do in the kitchen.  I assume my new endeavor will result in no less.

As an inaugural dish I am making Peach Cake from the July/August 2011 magazine.  It is currently baking away in the oven while I write this post and it smells amazing!  Being that it is midnight as I write this, I won’t get to sample it tonight, so I will post tomorrow about how the baking process went and how the cake turned out.  Stay Tuned!

Related posts

• Pound Cake Perfection (1)
• Peach Cake (2)
• Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies (3)
• Butter Bomb (0)
• Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies (2)

Photo Copyright Jim Hair

Our tally of donated goods for the first half of 2011 is:

Baby Hats: 33
Kids Hats: 23
Adult Hats: 15
Baby Blankets: 19
Chemo Caps: 7
Washcloths: 10
Mittens:3
Baby Sweater: 1
Scarfs: 9
Booties: 7
Slippers: 1
Shaw : 1

A big thank you is in order to all the people who show up every week to knit or crochet, all the people who don’t attend but donate completed items, all the people who donate yarn and needles, and especially Unwind Yarn Shop for hosting us each week.

I can’t wait to see how much stuff we create in the rest of 2011.

Related posts

• Loops of Love (2)
• The knitting gods smiled on me (4)
• Technology Today: Ravelry (3)
• Projects I’ve Completed (0)
• Mission Accomplished (4)

I went shopping while Matt was at Community of Song practice and found a pair of shorts I loved that were only available in a size 6.  I figured it would be a long shot, but I tried them on.  And…They Fit!  I couldn’t believe it.  I was in a size 10 a year ago, and while there is still a part of me that believes as soon as I publish this post that I will instantly and magically return to my previous size, I wanted to share my joy!

UPDATE: I will post a photo of my cute new shorts later this week!

Related posts

• Six Items or Less Challenge Again! (0)
• Mystery Solved (0)
• Mission Accomplished (4)
• March of Dimes’ March for Babies (0)
• I’m back, and I’m almost 30 (2)

I know what you are thinking, why on earth is Becky doing this?  And honestly I am not 100% sure what the whole answer to that question is.  Partly it is because I am bored with my clothes and want to spice things up.  All those clothes I am tired of wearing are going to seem super-exciting after 30 days of wearing the same six items.  Partly it is to help me weed out the clothes I don’t need any more.  I have clothing that I have owned for no less that 8 years and rarely wear but cannot seem to get rid of.  (I mean when was the last time I needed an X-Large tie-dyed Grateful Dead shirt, really?) Partly it is because I love a good challenge.  And last but not least, it is partly because I am curious. Maybe I really do have too many clothes. Maybe I can get by with less items that I truly love instead of a closet bursting with clothes I am tired of wearing. Maybe I will go totally crazy and give up after two weeks.  I can’t wait to find out!

So here is what I am going to do:  while Six Items or Less.com does sponsor official challenges, they do not seem to have one going on right now, so I am going do my own.  On March 1, 2011, I will begin my very own Six Items or Less challenge. Per a request from friends, I will post a photo of my outfits to a public Facebook album and blog about the experience here.  That way anyone who is interested can follow along or give me outfit suggestions.

Here are the rules:

1. Select six items of clothing and wear those and only those items for 30 days
2. The six items do not have to be selected on the first day, but if you wear an item it becomes part of your six
3. The following items do NOT count towards the six:
   • underclothing (underwear, bras, undershirts, camisoles, thermals, etc)
   • socks
   • workout clothes (only when you are working out)
   • work uniform
   • outerwear (jacket, scarves, hats, gloves, etc)
   • shoes
   • accessories (jewelry, scarves, headbands, ties)
   • sleepwear
   • swimwear
   • in-home lounge wear (If you are having people over, you are no longer lounging around the house)
4. Multiples of the same item are legal for laundry purposes, but different colors count as separate items.
5. If something gets worn out or no longer fits to the point where you wouldn’t continue to wear it outside of the challenge, trade it out for another item. The point of this challenge is not torture yourself or be overly restrictive.

Sound like fun? Then join me.  It will be more fun with friends! You don’t have to commit to posting a photo of your outfit everyday or even blogging about it regularly.  Just pick six pieces of clothing and play along.

I will post photos of the six items I have selected soon.

Related posts

• Six Items or Less Challenge Again! (0)
• I am a quitter (3)
• Clothing Challenge: What comes next (1)
• Clothing Challenge: One third of the way through (0)
• Clothing Challenge: Half Way There (0)

My little sister who,  by virtue of me being her BIG sister, I feel the need to harass, help, direct, give unsolicited advice to, support, and protect. So two years ago when I found out she has Lupus it was quite upsetting.  Lupus is a chronic, autoimmune disease that can damage any part of the body.  Basically it causes your immune system to attack various parts of your body.  In Megan’s case, it is currently manifesting itself in joint pain and extreme fatigue, but it can vary from person to person and even from year to year. Unfortunately, there is no known cure for Lupus only treatments to keep the symptoms under control.

However, this May, Megan is participating in a walk to raise money for the Lupus Foundation of America.  The money she and other walkers raise will go to support research for a cure and help provide programs and treatments for people suffering from Lupus, along with supporting their friends and families. I would love to be able to join her team and walk with her in May; however, the walk is taking place in North Carolina, and I am in Indiana.  So in order to still participate and support my little sister, I am trying to help her raise as much money as possible.

Her team has set $1,000 as their goal, and they are on their way.  But, they could use your help getting to that goal.  You can donate online at Megan’s website or by giving me check or cash.  I will be sending her all the cash donations I round up before the walk.

I know everyone is probably already inundated with request to support various causes or groups, and I am sorry to pile on.  But this is something extra close to me and my family, and I want to do anything I can to support my little sister.

Thank you for your help!

Related posts

• March of Dimes’ March for Babies (0)
• Loops of Love 2011 (3)
• Loops of Love (2)
• Giving Lent Another Try (4)
• Beautiful PSA (1)

A lot has gone on in the past seven months, and rather than try and recap that time, I want to focus on the exciting things coming in my future.  In two months and three days, I turn 30.  I am actually quite excited about this.  I know a lot of people are very upset when they turn 30, but I am excited about marking a big milestone in my life.  I will finally feel like a “real” adult.

As part of my celebration and looking over the past 30 years of my life, I have set a goal for myself to reach by my birthday in April.  I would like to be back to the weight I was when I moved to Indiana: 130.  Over the past 5 years, I gained 20 pounds and was up to 150.  Since July, I have been working hard to make a lifestyle change, and I have already lost 15 of the 20 pounds.  Now I am down to 135, and it would be really meaningful for me to be able to loose the last 5 pounds before I turn 30.

While I am sure 15 pounds doesn’t sound like a monumental accomplishment in seven months, I am trying to avoid fad diets, starving myself, or cutting out food I enjoy.  Because, let’s be honest, I LOVE food.  Instead, I have taken the long, but hopefully sustainable, route of making what feel like major and permanent life changes.

I started with slowly weaning myself off of soda.  I had gotten to the point where I was drinking at least 3 sodas a day, which I am sure added to my weight gain.  Now it has been over a month since I have had a soda of any kind.  Matt and I have also really thrown ourselves in to eating locally and eating FOOD as opposed to over processed food products.  This has included cutting out high fructose corn syrup almost entirely and pretty much any item with ingredients I can’t pronounce. Having access to a CSA and the Clear Creek Co-op has really made that process easy.

On top of all the food and eating changes,  I have also added a significant amount of exercise to my life.  When the weather was warm, I biked to work about 3 or 4 days a week and took multiple fun rides on top of that.  Matt and I have also started working out nearly every morning.  We have a gym membership so we have been using the weight room, playing racquetball, walking on the track, and now taking a tai chi class.  Overall, it has been a fun but tough experience, especially the part where we get up at 6:30 in the morning to go to the gym.

So my plan is to continue eating healthy and exercising and hope that the last 5 pounds is gone by April.  I am sure I will struggle with motivation or the desire for a Snickers bar between now and then. So if you see me being lazy or eating junk food, don’t be surprised.  Instead send a little motivation my way!

Related posts

• How not to change my mind (1)
• Yes, America, I can cook! (1)
• Technology Today — From Bits to Bites & Windshields to Worship (1)
• Quick Cinnamon Buns with Buttermilk Icing (1)
• Pound Cake Perfection (1)

Since my husband was a preemie, and I have a lot of friends who have had to deal with sick or early babies, this is something that I feel connected to and I am excited to raise money for. Soooo, I am aiming high and hoping to raise $1,000 by the time of the walk.

This is where I am hoping for your help.  Please make a donate to support baby health.  You can make a donation online at my personal site or by cash or check.  Every cent is a step in the right direction!

Related posts

• Fight against Lupus (1)
• World Carfree Day (0)
• Technology Today: Ravelry (3)
• Loops of Love 2011 (3)
• Loops of Love (2)

We are quite pleased with the outcome and have gotten lots of complements on the look.  We have even been able to eat the first herbs from the herb garden portion. Through the process we learned a lot, and I thought I would share a quick rundown of some of the things we learned in our first landscaping attempt:

1. No matter how many bags of rocks you think you need… you really need at least twice as many. (We made 4 trips to Lowe’s to buy more and more rocks).
2. Just because a plant says it is a perennial, doesn’t mean that it is a perennial in your growing zone.
3. It takes the patience of a saint or my mother-in-law to correctly use landscaping paper.
4. Hostas grow to twice the size they appear when first breaking the ground and should be spaced accordingly.
5. It is very very important to wait until tulips are done blooming to try to transplant them.
6. The cost of plants, rocks, and landscaping paper add up deceptively fast.

Now what I know you have all been waiting for: Here are photos of the landscaping in progress and completed. Enjoy!

Related posts

• A different type of garden (1)
• A Different Type of Garden Part 2: The Plan (1)
• Community Supported Dinner (1)

The options were:
* Go on a group ride
* Leave a nice note on a bike, or say hi to a cyclist at a red light
* Schedule a bike date with a friend or partner — dress up!
* Recruit a non-biking friend for a ride
* Ride with your family
We chose to do a Ride with your family and also ended up doing an impromptu group ride.

For the Ride with your family, Matt (my husband) and I biked to church. It is pretty common for us to do so, but it was the first time I got to bike to church on my new bike. I am still loving not having to try so hard to keep up with Matt.

Here we are in our church clothes after returning home.

Our Group Ride turned out to be impromptu.  We were heading to buy some gas cards for a friend moving out of state after church, and one of our other biking friends biked with his.  We were quite a bunch. I rode my recumbent, my husband rode his converted mountain bike/commuter bike, and our friend, Kurt, rode a home-built long-tail cargo bike.  It was a lot of fun and made biking up the hills seem less difficult.

Matt took pictures and video while biking behind us.

I am really enjoying participating and can’t wait to take on some of the items in the next category.

Related posts

• New Bike! (3)
• Metric Century (0)
• Let’s Go Ride a Bike (0)
• Hauling groceries on my new bike (1)
• Biking to Oxford (1)