I've previously blogged about my personal race against a mysterious racer who I was un-able to catch early one morning.
Well during our morning ride Wednesday he returned to the scene in much the same way, ahead of us by about 1/2 a mile. This time however we were out numbered him and when I mentioned to Richard (one of my riding partners) that I recognized that rider from the flashing pattern of his tail lights he said "we will catch him". When we entered the beginning of the San Thomas Aquino trail he was approximately the same distance ahead.
Richard and I are pretty good at drafting off of each other so we were gaining on him pretty fast but it still took us the better part of 2 miles to go past. When we finally did he was clearly surprised to see us go by. We passed him coming out of the last underpass along the way. There was approximately another 1/4 mile along the trail before it transitions along another road.
Clearly a bit miffed to be passed the dark racer re-passed us as we pressed down the back stretch of the 3.5 mile run we were repeating. I guess he didn't want to be passed!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Wonderful weekend!
Last weekend we had another fantastic couples weekend visting SeaScape in the Monterey Bay.
We went again with our good friends Jen and Steve and it was amazingly relaxing. We ate nearly every meal outdoors, took at least three long walks on the beach and generally relaxed at every turn.
There was beautiful weather in the bay area this weekend so I don't even remember seeing a cloud. It was fantastic!
Big thanks to Mom for coming and watching the kids while we were away. She reported that they were very good so we were proud of them for listening and giving us peace of mind.
Wow!
We went again with our good friends Jen and Steve and it was amazingly relaxing. We ate nearly every meal outdoors, took at least three long walks on the beach and generally relaxed at every turn.
There was beautiful weather in the bay area this weekend so I don't even remember seeing a cloud. It was fantastic!
Big thanks to Mom for coming and watching the kids while we were away. She reported that they were very good so we were proud of them for listening and giving us peace of mind.
Wow!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sara Boyle - Amazing voice!
A quick post to tell everyone that you should really try to watch this video for a little inspiration!
Sara Boyle is a woman who is on the "Britain's Got Talent" show. She is amazing and wows the crowd.
What do you think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
Sara Boyle is a woman who is on the "Britain's Got Talent" show. She is amazing and wows the crowd.
What do you think?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY
Monday, April 13, 2009
A Glorius Easter Sunday!
We hope everyone had a very happy Easter, we certainly did.
The kids started the day with an Easter egg hunt at our house. The Easter bunny left eggs both inside and outside of the house so they were busy.
We then went to the 9am service at church however Melissa and I were teaching Sunday school so we spent the time with some young minds (4th grade class).
After that we headed out to the beach for a planned trip with our friends Jamie and Amanda and their three kids. We planned to stay the entire afternoon so we brought a grill, food, snacks, umbrella and seemingly tons of other gear.
The kids spent most of the time playing at the waters edge catching sand crabs and we spent most of the time sitting in chairs eating and talking. We had a great time and were there for 4 1/2 hours!
Here are a couple of pictures from the trip.
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Picky Eaters? Not here.
We hear from many parents about picky kid eaters and ours certainly have their own peculiarities. But when it comes to breakfast they are really quite sophisticated in my opinion.
Here is a sample of a recent breakfast selection.
Nicolas - Cheese omelet with crumbled bacon.
Lea - 2 cheese, tomato and spinach omelet with crumbled bacon
Julia - 2 cheese, tomato, onion, spinach and asparagus tips omelet with bacon crumbles.
All items above were served with toast & Jam and orange juice.
Maybe I have spoiled our kids with my willingness to play short-order cook in the morning but it certainly seems like a good thing!
Here is a sample of a recent breakfast selection.
Nicolas - Cheese omelet with crumbled bacon.
Lea - 2 cheese, tomato and spinach omelet with crumbled bacon
Julia - 2 cheese, tomato, onion, spinach and asparagus tips omelet with bacon crumbles.
All items above were served with toast & Jam and orange juice.
Maybe I have spoiled our kids with my willingness to play short-order cook in the morning but it certainly seems like a good thing!
I Fought the Hill and the Hill Won!
This morning I went for my first serious hill bike ride with my training partners and sadly the hill won. It turns out that somewhat unbeknown to us we selected a particularly challenging first ride in Sierra rd in San Jose. Sierra rd rises up from the valley floor straight into the foothills in the east and apparently this is one of the toughest rides in the east bay.
It has an average grade of 10% over the course of a couple of miles. At some stages it touches a 20% grade which is hard to walk up let alone bike up!! We climed 1100 vertical ft in around 2 miles so the math confirms the grade. (1100ft/10560ft = 10.4% for those that are wondering)
Now I breath deeply when I run but was sucking in huge gulps of air as I tried to climb the monster. So much so that I think my lungs (or the muscles around them) will be sore tomorrow.
We rode up for about 50 minutes and that still did not take us to the top. While my other training partners fared better than me no one was without pain and suffering.
Here is a link to Sierra rd in Google maps. If you use the terrain view you can see we basically climbed straight from the start near Piedmont rd.
http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4GFRG_enUS214US214&q=map+sierra+rd+san+jose+ca&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=us&ei=8dfgSfrCMJm6sgPgjZmsCQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1
our goal is to be able to ride over to that hill from our house and THEN ride the hill. We all agreed that this would have to be an end of summer goal.
Until then I need to find some easier hill rides!
p.s. and was I able to ride the entire way? No, had to walk a few portions near the top as my legs simply didn't have more go.
It has an average grade of 10% over the course of a couple of miles. At some stages it touches a 20% grade which is hard to walk up let alone bike up!! We climed 1100 vertical ft in around 2 miles so the math confirms the grade. (1100ft/10560ft = 10.4% for those that are wondering)
Now I breath deeply when I run but was sucking in huge gulps of air as I tried to climb the monster. So much so that I think my lungs (or the muscles around them) will be sore tomorrow.
We rode up for about 50 minutes and that still did not take us to the top. While my other training partners fared better than me no one was without pain and suffering.
Here is a link to Sierra rd in Google maps. If you use the terrain view you can see we basically climbed straight from the start near Piedmont rd.
http://maps.google.com/maps?sourceid=navclient&rlz=1T4GFRG_enUS214US214&q=map+sierra+rd+san+jose+ca&um=1&ie=UTF-8&split=0&gl=us&ei=8dfgSfrCMJm6sgPgjZmsCQ&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&ct=image&resnum=1
our goal is to be able to ride over to that hill from our house and THEN ride the hill. We all agreed that this would have to be an end of summer goal.
Until then I need to find some easier hill rides!
p.s. and was I able to ride the entire way? No, had to walk a few portions near the top as my legs simply didn't have more go.
Monday, April 6, 2009
Happy Birthday Nicolas!!!
No matter how you refer to him, Nick, Nicky (a sisterly favorite), NicNak, Ruff ruff (also from the sisters), little man, NicolaPicola, Neek-co-las, or just Nicolas, today was a great day for us 5 years ago. Yes 5 years ago!
He is the last but certainly never the least (and if he keeps growing like he is we will just refer to him as "the beast").
Unfortunately I am traveling today but that hasn't kept him out of my mind all day and it seems a little apropos that I am traveling out of the country (to Montreal) on the day that our only child born IN the country was brought into the world. He makes all of our lives better and brings a smile to our faces even when he is a bad mood. I will have a toast for him tonight.
As always we remember his birth story.
Nicolas Aidan Kreisa
April 6th, 2004 -- 1:16 PM (8 lbs, 6 oz) Los Gatos California, USA
Nicolas (French): Patron saint of children, virgins, sailors and thieves Aidan (Irish): "Little Fire"
10:30 AM Julia and Lea at home with Gramma and Baba (Mel's parents). They are playing Candyland as we go. It is a beautiful, sunny day. Perfect blue sky, no clouds. Maybe 66 degrees...
11:00 AM (Room 202, Los Gatos Community Hospital)
Here we go again! We are sitting quietly in a birthing suite, waiting our instructions. It took us a long while to park, but we made it on time. Mel is on the bed in her gown. It is wrinkled. This would never have happened in Paris! =)
11:20 Nurse comes in to put on the baby monitor. Now we can watch and hear the heartbeat.
11:30 Mel giving blood, looking nervous.
11:45 Nurse brings in some kind of nasty tasting antacid and a whole bunch of paperwork. Mel not too happy.
12:15 Get coffee in lobby and put on the blue-man suit. A bit on the tight side! Gotta go to the waiting area while Mel goes in for the Spinal.
12:40 Still in the waiting area! Have they forgotten the husband? We bet on weight. JK -- 7lbs 7oz, Mel -- 7lbs 6oz. Will see soon!
12:58 Polly is here! (wonderful friend who is a doctor at Los Gatos).
1:00 Finally called in. Mel is all laid out with tubes, her belly behind a curtain. Polly comes in and holds Mel's other hand.
In the operating room: Dr. Totman (Mel's Doc), Dr. Gravin (assisting), Dr. Pearlman (pediatrician), Dr. Holly (anesthesiologist) and two surgical nurses. Medical team is behind the curtain. JK in a chair next to Mel. Polly kind of straddling the curtain -- able to give support to Mel but also watching the operation. (JK not looking!)
Takes a long time for the doctors to "get in" because two previous c-sections left a lot of scar tissue. Doctors gabbing away to each other about their vacations. Kind of strange. Mel keeps asking them if they are "in yet"... Doc finally says, "I see another blondey". Mel feels pressure. Doc says, "I see shoulders". Polly says docs are pushing down very hard on Mel. Baby is stuck.
They all say it is a big baby... Doc says, "it is a boy!"
Tears everywhere! Seconds go by, seems like hours... hear him cry. Sounds like a "boy cry"!
Nurse takes baby to the cleanup area. Mel asks JK to go see him. JK says he thinks he looks a bit like Julia. Says he thinks he is a "Nicolas. Mel says she wants to see him before agreeing. He wails. Mel says he sounds like a "Nicolas". Nurse brings him over. Kind of lay him across Mel's neck. Wow!! Yeah, he is Nicolas!
Polly, JK, Dr. Graven, the nurse and the pediatrician leave with baby. Mel gets sewn up. "Landslide"by Stevie Nicks playing in background. Seems like everyone starts quietly singing...
Oh, mirror in the sky -- what is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changes... ocean tides. Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Welcome to the world baby Nicolas!
He is the last but certainly never the least (and if he keeps growing like he is we will just refer to him as "the beast").
Unfortunately I am traveling today but that hasn't kept him out of my mind all day and it seems a little apropos that I am traveling out of the country (to Montreal) on the day that our only child born IN the country was brought into the world. He makes all of our lives better and brings a smile to our faces even when he is a bad mood. I will have a toast for him tonight.
As always we remember his birth story.
Nicolas Aidan Kreisa
April 6th, 2004 -- 1:16 PM (8 lbs, 6 oz) Los Gatos California, USA
Nicolas (French): Patron saint of children, virgins, sailors and thieves Aidan (Irish): "Little Fire"
10:30 AM Julia and Lea at home with Gramma and Baba (Mel's parents). They are playing Candyland as we go. It is a beautiful, sunny day. Perfect blue sky, no clouds. Maybe 66 degrees...
11:00 AM (Room 202, Los Gatos Community Hospital)
Here we go again! We are sitting quietly in a birthing suite, waiting our instructions. It took us a long while to park, but we made it on time. Mel is on the bed in her gown. It is wrinkled. This would never have happened in Paris! =)
11:20 Nurse comes in to put on the baby monitor. Now we can watch and hear the heartbeat.
11:30 Mel giving blood, looking nervous.
11:45 Nurse brings in some kind of nasty tasting antacid and a whole bunch of paperwork. Mel not too happy.
12:15 Get coffee in lobby and put on the blue-man suit. A bit on the tight side! Gotta go to the waiting area while Mel goes in for the Spinal.
12:40 Still in the waiting area! Have they forgotten the husband? We bet on weight. JK -- 7lbs 7oz, Mel -- 7lbs 6oz. Will see soon!
12:58 Polly is here! (wonderful friend who is a doctor at Los Gatos).
1:00 Finally called in. Mel is all laid out with tubes, her belly behind a curtain. Polly comes in and holds Mel's other hand.
In the operating room: Dr. Totman (Mel's Doc), Dr. Gravin (assisting), Dr. Pearlman (pediatrician), Dr. Holly (anesthesiologist) and two surgical nurses. Medical team is behind the curtain. JK in a chair next to Mel. Polly kind of straddling the curtain -- able to give support to Mel but also watching the operation. (JK not looking!)
Takes a long time for the doctors to "get in" because two previous c-sections left a lot of scar tissue. Doctors gabbing away to each other about their vacations. Kind of strange. Mel keeps asking them if they are "in yet"... Doc finally says, "I see another blondey". Mel feels pressure. Doc says, "I see shoulders". Polly says docs are pushing down very hard on Mel. Baby is stuck.
They all say it is a big baby... Doc says, "it is a boy!"
Tears everywhere! Seconds go by, seems like hours... hear him cry. Sounds like a "boy cry"!
Nurse takes baby to the cleanup area. Mel asks JK to go see him. JK says he thinks he looks a bit like Julia. Says he thinks he is a "Nicolas. Mel says she wants to see him before agreeing. He wails. Mel says he sounds like a "Nicolas". Nurse brings him over. Kind of lay him across Mel's neck. Wow!! Yeah, he is Nicolas!
Polly, JK, Dr. Graven, the nurse and the pediatrician leave with baby. Mel gets sewn up. "Landslide"by Stevie Nicks playing in background. Seems like everyone starts quietly singing...
Oh, mirror in the sky -- what is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changes... ocean tides. Can I handle the seasons of my life?
Welcome to the world baby Nicolas!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
B2E for Nicolas
That's "Best Birthday Ever" according to Nicolas!
We just got back from a ride on the Niles Canyon Historic Railroad as part of his birthday weekend. This day was all about him (just like the anniversary was all about us and Lea's B-ball game was all about her and Julia's Borders adventure was all about her). This season the Niles Canyon Railway is running a double headed steam train up and down the narrow canyon and it is quite the experience!
They had about 5 historic cars running behind the steam engines and Nicolas wanted to spend his time in one of the open cars where he could hear the train and feel the wind on his face. We leaned out and watch the train bend around the turns and chug across the historic bridges.
The train was belching smoke and steam and you could feel the spray as the engines blew of extra steam. The whistle seemed to be extra loud as we went through a few grade crossings which included a few historic wigwag signals.
The train ran between Niles and Sonol in the east bay and takes about 25 minutes each way.
We caught the train in Sonol and rode down to Niles.
On the return trip we rode right behind the engines in an open car and you could smell the smoke and feel the steam and spray. Nicolas leaned out the side and watch as the engineers guided the train up the canyon.
What an amazing experience and one I highly recommend to anyone looking for a local adventure!
We just got back from a ride on the Niles Canyon Historic Railroad as part of his birthday weekend. This day was all about him (just like the anniversary was all about us and Lea's B-ball game was all about her and Julia's Borders adventure was all about her). This season the Niles Canyon Railway is running a double headed steam train up and down the narrow canyon and it is quite the experience!
They had about 5 historic cars running behind the steam engines and Nicolas wanted to spend his time in one of the open cars where he could hear the train and feel the wind on his face. We leaned out and watch the train bend around the turns and chug across the historic bridges.
The train was belching smoke and steam and you could feel the spray as the engines blew of extra steam. The whistle seemed to be extra loud as we went through a few grade crossings which included a few historic wigwag signals.
The train ran between Niles and Sonol in the east bay and takes about 25 minutes each way.
We caught the train in Sonol and rode down to Niles.
On the return trip we rode right behind the engines in an open car and you could smell the smoke and feel the steam and spray. Nicolas leaned out the side and watch as the engineers guided the train up the canyon.
What an amazing experience and one I highly recommend to anyone looking for a local adventure!
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