New Year, New Beginnings

Well, I know we're already 3 weeks in...

But, still. It's 2010, and all sorts o' new and happy things are clicking for the McApplegate family.

Firstly, I passed that last CPA exam I took in November. No more tests, yippee! I don't have the certificate in hand, just yet... but soon.

Next, well... too many other things to keep on listing. Andy's new job, mine (okay, been there a year, but every day it's new), new goals (Leadville!), new social groups (french club!), and even a new team.

Yup, after six seasons in the smurfy blue of bmw-bianchi... My goals no longer remotely fell in line with the team's. So, once my stable was almost entirely composed of (really dialed in) bianchi bikes... And almost every stitch of cycling clothing I own has the distiguished rondele on it... Snif. I had to move on. I was, and still am, very sad about it...

But it is natural that nothing ever stays the same, so how could I expect anything different? So, onward and upward. :-)

After making my decision, I wasn't looking for another team... my plan was to be stealth girl. But the vibrant whirlwind of life that is Evie swooped and swirled around me... And so I will be spending my 2010 season racing with the lovely ladies of the Spokeswomen Syndicate, aka Team Performance.

I have a long way to go to fitness... But the most awesome thing right now is that all I have to focus on right now is fitness and work, and I have an excellent support system that is going to help me make my goals a reality.

First race of the year: was on January 2, in 20 degree weather, on the mountain bike tandem.

Race # 2 is this weekend... again, mountain bike tandem. Southern Cross. Do you sense a theme?

Happy Birthday, Andy!

Today is Andy's birthday and being the big boy that he is he couldn't wait until after work to get his prezzie.
I wrapped it expertly in a banker's box.

You can see a little bit of it as he flipped the lid off.

Yes, a new monster. El Monstero! Andy's design, my construction.

Cara & Andy's Leadville Discussion

Andy and I are en route to his hometown in NJ at present. 2010 season
goals have been a big talking point on this drive. Now we're going to
do a he sYs she says session on going to race the leadville 100
mountain bike race on the tandem in August.

C: that's 100 miles off road, at altitude? Me no likey.

A: 90% of it is fireroads & pavement, which you like.

C: i'm over weight and out of shape.

A: do you plan to be over weight and out of shape in august?

C: I need help.

A: what better help than to have a new and different race goal?

C: how long do you think it will take us?

A: I think we can do it in 10 hours.

C: thT's a lot of chamois time.

A: that's a lot of time you'll be staring at my butt.

C: are you still trying to sell me on this?

My biggest beef about this is that I would miss my annual trip to MI
to do the Ore to Shore (although Andy has already researched another
race weekend in the marquette area, theoretically removing my
objection on that point)..

C: I've done an awful lot of races in an awful lot of places, but
never Leadville.

A: it's going to be crazy off the hook this year.

C: I guess if we can make it happen, let's do it!

Sent from my iPhone

When life snows you under....

When life snows you under, make a snowman!

I hate white fluffy stuff. But this was fun!

Too Many

Do you know what this is?

Three tandems.

In our living room.

We own them all.

I'm not even riding anymore! What is the boy thinking? :-)

We welcome to our family, the Black Fandango. Ginormous (29er), a cajillion pounds, born on 12/15/2009 to Cara & Andy at MTBTandems.com.

ABCs of Cycling

I can hardly believe it has been two weeks since my exam!

I knew taking the last two within five weeks of each other was going to suck, but man am I glad I did it that way. I am finally starting to feel like I'm moving out of the haze I've been in for the last 6 mos or so. Whew!

Anyway, the day after my exam, I brought my bike to work, intending to take advantage of the sunny skies and not crazy cold weather during my lunch hour.

I made myself a bottle of gatorade, kitted up and yanked my bike out of the car without a second thought. It had been working fine on the trainer so I didn't think to check any of its mechanics.

Cyclocross jump onto the bike and away we go down the hill, whee! ....... Holy crap no brakes no brakes no brakes! Fred Fllintstone style braking followed by a sharp uturn up the hill and whew, I'm safe. No big deal, I'll fix the brakes and be on my way... but fate and my patience were against me, and I quickly and accidentally dismantled my brakes instead of repaired them. grrr. So I went back to the office and did what any not-so-rational girl would do, cry and blame my mechanic.

Next day: I'm back on the trainer because it's pouring rain. Internally I'm a little relieved as it means it doesn't matter if my brakes don't work (but Andy fixed them in 2 minutes anyway). I'm flipping channels, and stumble across public programming that shows two people standing in a driveway, talking about bike riding. "Before you ride, always remember your ABCs," the commuter instructor says. "A = Air" (yes, i usually check that) "B = Brakes" (d'oh!) and "C = Cranks/Chain" (nope, don't usually check that.)

So, the moral of this silly story: remember your ABCs. You never know when dragging your feet on the ground won't be enough.

Andy's life dream has been fulfilled

Andy LOVES the wienermobile. On several occasions over the many years
we've been together we have been driving and he has excitedly reacted
to seeing the bright yellow & orange dream car traveling the opposite
direction.

Today, we know we were fated to go to our last race of the year,
though, for when we pulled into the shopping plaza fir breakfast, what
did we see?