Get it Done, Move On

I am just astounded and amazed by the Olympic athletes.   Mostly, by their drive and focus, to just get it done.  I loved the 2 Americans who won the biathalon ski jumping and cross country skiing event.  Something the US has not had a medal in for 86 years or something.  These 2 guys shattered all that with multiple medals, and finally, gold and silver in their final individual race.  Okay, I was inspired by that.

I am not a figure skating fan.  My only appreciation for it, was getting a break from watching tv over the last two weeks.  Whew, figure skating, I can turn it off.  But, somehow I got caught up in the women's stories this time.  Especially the Canadian, Joannie Rochette.  How tragic, I thought, hearing her mother died suddenly, in Vancouver, coming to see her daughter's life long dream.  Seeing Joannie on the ice, composing herself, blocking everything else out, and just getting it done, was so humbling.  I am in awe.  And last night, you could say she had a couple more days to recover, or a couple more days for reality to set in.  Either way, she absolutely astounded me.  She focused her mind and body, and won a bronze medal.  How courageous.  How inspiring.  Driven.  I can't find words for it.  I feel it in the pit of my stomach.  Proud to be a fellow human, motivated to do more.  Just, wow.

Okay, on another plane, is Kim Yu-na.  She is 19!  She is, by all accounts, the most well known celebrity in South Korea.  For figure skating.  Here is a woman who feels the weight of her entire country's expectations to be the champion.  It has to be gold.  Nothing less will suffice.  Holy smoke!! The pressure.  I compare that to my own goals and aspirations.  I like competing, but squirm with the pressure of other's expectations.  Kim has the eyes of everyone in her entire country staring at her, expecting perfection.  And she gets it done.  And while getting it done, breaks records for the most points ever scored in a skating competition, by a huge margin.  Wow.  Move on, Tim.  Just get it done.

I am also impressed with the 'get back in there' attitude.  Like the ski racers- if they miss their line, don't panic.  Don't go conservative.  Don't get flustered.  The same for the skaters.  When they miss
a jump, get up, and continue.  Live in the moment.  Don't look back.  I watched it in their finishes.  You could see their faces go from disappointment to smiles.  I know it's for the judges, but it gets them to move on too.  I like it!

Jib Jab
The picture is from our trip to Lake Tahoe during the Winter Olympics.  We skied at Squaw Valley, who was celebrating 50 years since the Olympics were there.  It's an awesome mountain, and really awesome to imagine the world's attention right where we were standing...

Asparagas Leek Soup

Okay, just a quick post.  Things to do, soon.  We had a great trip to Lake Tahoe.  Excellent time, skiing, snowboarding, being with family and friends.  Pog is a boarder now....more on that later.

The basis for this recipe is from Epicurious.  We had a bunch of asparagus leftover from our trip, and I was thinking soup, so here's what we came up with.  Epicurious says 5 pounds of asparagus, of which I think I had about half that, so I kind of halved the recipe.

2 bunches of asparagus chopped into 2 inchers
2 leeks chopped (just the good parts)
2-3 Tbsp Olive oil
5 C vegetable stock (I used Trader's, do NOT use hearty)
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh Italian parsley
4 tsp finely grated lemon peel (I used Meyer lemons from my tree)
1 Tbsp fresh tarragon finely chopped (I didn't use this, only because I didn't have any)
1 garlic clove, minced (I didn't use this, because I didn't want to)

Heat oven to 350 deg F.  (Don't use 425, like Epicurious says)
Mix the asparagus, leeks and oil in a bowl.  Salt and pepper and put on 2 cookie sheets.  We have
the high-edge kind, which was handy for this recipe.  Roast in oven until lightly browned.  About 45 mins.  Stir occasionally, as needed, about twice is what I did.

Blender
Once it's cooked, load one cookie sheet worth in the blender, and half the broth.  Blend until smooth.
Poor into large soup pan.  Repeat with remaining cooked vegetables.  Warm soup.  Add more stock if you like it thinner.  I used about 5 C total.  You could maybe get away with a quart box of stock.

Garnish
The remaining ingredients make the garnish, called Gremolata, which is a classic Italian garnish, and it adds a really nice flavor.  Yes, add the tarragon.  I wish I had some.  Just finely chop the Italian parsley, minced garlic, tarragon, and grated lemon peel together, and liberally garnish on top of the reheated soup.  Maybe next time I will add the garlic too.

Jib Jab
The soup was good, and super easy to make.  Yes, turn down the heat.  I used 425 and it went way too fast, and a little too brown on the leeks.  I think it would have been sweeter, at a lower temp.  The garnish is awesome.  I need to get the tarragon next time.  Picture to follow.

Yes, you can double this one.  I want to make it again at this size to perfect it, first.  Every now and then, it had a tiny-too-bitter flavor.  I think it could have been roasted too dark, and possibly the asparagas itself, even though we broke off the woody part, before cooking.  Maybe just a little more salt would have helped too.

Get In, Go Back and Forth

Yesterday was just another day at the pool.  Sometimes the easiest things seem hard.  Sometimes I am just not up for anything.  So, as much as I wanted to just recover, relax and take it easy, I showed up.  I rationalized, okay, take it easy, stretch out, lay low.  But no, Mike put me in the fast lane, with two fast-ies, and no where to hide.  So, I just closed my eyes, and went as fast as I could.  Each time, falling further and further behind.  Afterward, I told my lane-mate, thanks, you really pushed me.  She surprised me, saying, "I wouldn't have done it myself, without you in the lane."

When I first got to the pool, I ran into an old friend.  It was great to see him, and then I found out he just lost his job.  "Let's have coffee, okay?"  Not even a minute later, I see another friend, much younger, I hadn't seen for a while, Kent.

Whenever I see him, he reminds me of when he pushed me to my ultimate capacity and beyond.  He just gives me energy.  I talked him into swimming instead of the weight room.  He seemed really hesitant, and most of the work out, he was hanging on the wall.  I thought about what he does for me, and after seeing him hanging, I shouted, GO!  He was still on the wall.  After a couple more laps I said, come on,  you're in, now just go back and forth!!   He did swim a few laps.  He's fighting cancer, and doesn't have the strength he had, when he played water polo.  He said it's been hard lately.  I think it's the first I have heard him say it's hard.

As I was leaving, I didn't realize all that was going on behind the scenes in my mind, and there was Bob.  My longest running swim buddy.  He missed the workout, and was just showing up.  He said he was visiting his mom.  He told me before, she was sleeping a lot.  Listening to him, it finally dawned on me.  She's 92.  She's not interested in eating.  She doesn't like to get up.  She can't really hold a conversation.  He said the nurse told him, there's not much more we can do.

I could see Bob's eyes welling up, which shocked me.  See, Rob is John Wayne*.  Same size.  Same personality.  Same age.  Solid, stable, always sees things in perspective.  Always positive.  *Okay, with one exception - Bob loves to talk.  Almost as much as me.  That said, somehow I didn't know what to say.

So?

Mike, my coach, knows everyone.  The friendliest guy on the planet, says hi, and doesn't foist himself on you.  Knows everyone's name, and their stories.  He has doubled the size of our team, in his quiet attractive way.   I used to think I wanted a coach who told me exactly where I could improve, what I was doing wrong, and how I could get better.  I love Mike, but never really totally appreciated Mike's coaching style.  His tips for me, are the same as for everyone else.

Get in, go back and forth.

I can add, as long I you can.   It's important for me, and as much as I need others, they need me.

Tim Abby Mike Bailey's Tap Room, Portland

timabbymike, originally uploaded by timmerbrew.

It was so much fun to see Abby and Mike in Portland. Such great people, and so nice to come into town to take me around, and share their fine city and some of it's great establishments with me! This was one of the highlights. Bailey's tap room.

Top of Willow Camp, Stinson Beach Below

IMG_0865, originally uploaded by timmerbrew.

Matt is my buddy from middle school, and Chris is my new friend, the firefighter. We are getting ready to head down Willow Camp, after the grueling climb up from the Java Hut, in Fairfax.  This was the Sunday ride, after a weekend in Stinson.  The same ride I did with Gary, on Friday, after he got off work.  If I remember, about 3 hours up and over.

IMG_0868, originally uploaded by timmerbrew.

IMG_0875, originally uploaded by timmerbrew.
  
Below is the view off to the right, you can see Bolinas lagoon, and some of the far end of Stinson beach before it turns west, and into Bolinas.

IMG_0870, originally uploaded by timmerbrew.

Tim and Gary on top of Willow Camp trail

Tim and Gary on top of Willow Camp trail, originally uploaded by timmerbrew.

This was an awesome weekend back in June. Gary and I rode from Fairfax, over Mt Tam, to Stinson. It's a heck of a climb to this point, and then, it's such an awesome view, down to the ocean, and a steep decent down Willow Camp into Stinson. June 26th ride.

Below, is the view from the top. Crazy steep on the way into the beach. Such a reward, after the climb up.

IMG_0844, originally uploaded by timmerbrew.

Marin, around Lucas Valley

IMG_0562, timmerbrew.

IMG_0579, originally uploaded by timmerbrew.

Here you can see the weather, as well as the terrain. If I look close, I can see some of the trail. There's a couple other photos, if you click on this one.  It was misty, rainy, on and off the whole ride.  Of course, after the ride, the sun came out for the next two days.  We climbed, nearly to the top of this ridge, and then back down the way we came.  All said, about a 2 hour ride.

Jib Jab
I went out with some new friends this ride.  I met Steve a couple weeks earlier on another ride.  And just met Warren this ride.  It was a good riding with Steve, so when he sent out an email getting this ride together, I was interested.

It's been raining pretty good for a bunch of days before, and the forecast is rain for the whole weekend.  I call the guys I knew, who might be going, and every one of them has bailed.  Too rainy, too wet, whatever.  So, I call Steve, and after some initial jib jab, he says, I am going, rain or shine.  That's what I needed to hear.

I drive up from the peninsula, across the Golden Gate bridge, to Marin, a good hour drive, so I can't do the, well, let's see how the weather is.  It's just a mist at my house, which in general, is better weather here than there, but so be it.  Load up the bike, and off I go.  No sooner do i get on the freeway, and it's coming like down cats and dogs...  and I start wondering if I have enough layers...hahahaaa.

It's an area I haven't ridden before, and finally arrive out at the designated spot, and there's Steve, already on his bike, out at the edge of the neighborhood...dang, ready to go!  Let's get a roll on...! I park, start throwing on my gear, and realize...wait.  These are my..., oh shitakes.  These are my ROAD BIKE shoes!! They will NOT WORK on my bike!!!  Panic.  Looking around.  Calmly I tell Steve, hey, tiny issue here...  So, Steve, as patient as can be, says, hmm, I might have something in my garage...so, we head over to his house, a couple blocks, the drizzle is coming down pretty good....and he finds some old, shall I say, throw-away peddles?  The kind that come with the bike, and come off as soon as you get some?  No straps, no nothing, just big flat pads.  I am thinking...hmmm dang....okay, let's do it.  So, we take mine off, put the new ones on, with some fuss, then, I try using my road shoes....no can do....sliding like ice skates on them.  I drove up in my Teva sandles, so, I'm thinking, yes, I am not sitting in the car the whole way home without a ride...so, pop on what seems like my house slippers, and away we ride!

You know, sometimes you just gotta go do it, or, as Nike says, without the jib jab, just do it.  There's always a multitude of reasons why not.  I know, I have used most of them before.   Yes, I had to get up early.  Yes, I had to find all my gear.  Yes, I had a bit of a drive, and it was raining.  I know.  I know.  So, the whole ride was FANTASTIC!!  Geez, I loved every bit of it!!  Meeting Steve, Warren, Steve's wife, seeing all his seeing eye dogs at his house, riding out through his neighborhood, thinking, wow, what an awesome place to live.  Immediately out of the 'hood, we are in some awesome two lane, nearly empty road heading out into Marin hills.

So, first thing we do is jump off our bikes.  There's a 12-inch-high board we need to climb over, to get to the trail.  Actually, the board seems to be redirecting a torrent of runoff, right over the trail.  Here I am in my bedslippers...tip-toeing through the water and mud.  My tires immediately sinking beyond the rims...oh yeah...it's gonna be sloppy!!  It's raining and drizzling, so we are riding through the ruts from the runoff.  A little treacherous here and there, but all in all, really really fun.  Pretty steep climb in places, but I am learning how to use my new peddle set-up...feeling a little more comfortable it's all gonna work out...  and how could it not?!  Nuff said.  Another great day.

Jib Jab extreme
If you are still with me, click through the pictures.  The last few, you can see how nice the weather got,  crossing the Golden Gate and peering over at Alcatraz...I look down, and think, yeah, I swam across that....!  I stopped at my sister's, and we went out for lunch.  That's where we came across the trees in blossom.  On her street.  And the cappuccino...dang, isn't that a thing of beauty?  And as good to drink as it looked.