Some Sun and Lizzy's First Steps

Lizzy is starting to walk this month and we are excited and scared at the same time. We're proud of her, but wary of the new physical dangers. We've begun baby-proofing the apartment more seriously...
In the last month we enjoyed the Coney Island boardwalk and beach, took a ferry to Governor's Island for a Judy Collins concert-picnic, and visited the Prospect Park Zoo where Lizzy enjoyed feeding all kinds of sheep in the petting farm, as you can see:

Early Summer With Savta Haya

We're making the best of the few nice weather days, but early summer is pretty much a wash-out... It's good to have Savta Haya here taking care of Lizzy and us (meals, domestic upkeep, etc). My dad visited as well and we celebrated his 60th birthday by eating outrageously for a week! Lizzy's been visiting the Bronx Zoo, Coney Island and the Aquarium, and various playgrounds around the house - as you can see:

Tour de Cure: Mission (almost) Accomplished

Well, I tried my best, but I was completely unprepared for the terrain on this course (Tour de Cure, Baskin Ridge, NJ). Although it is described as moderate, there are a few steep hills and one very long ascent. The steep hills are all along the first 30 miles. I completed this portion at a fair pace (~15 miles/hr). At around mile 40, the course begins gaining elevation slowly but surely for a few miles. This is where I lost my company (an older gentleman who was kind enough to push me along the first half of the course). I was on first gear for a long while, before I reached the peak and began a quick - and therefore unsatisfyingly short - descent down to a rest stop where I caught up my buddy only to lose him again right after we started out from there.

I learned a lot about riding in a long-distance tour and toughing it out, but I cramped my right calf on the hill just before the 72-mile finish line turn-off and I felt I had done enough for my first bike tour, so I ducked out to the finish line, claimed my free lunch and collapsed into a chair for 15 minutes. This was 6 hours after starting out, and my final avg speed was ~13 miles/hr.

I managed to raise $250 from friends, family and co-workers (THANK YOU!!!). This was matched by Barclays and I received a nice gift from ADA for my troubles :)

Tour De Cure:Training Ride 2 (last)

I needed to try something close to the 80-mile tour I signed up for that is two weeks away. So today I rode for ~70miles which took the whole day (8 hours). I hope I can do better on the real tour because that time does not allow me to finish the 80 miles in the time allowed. On a more positive note, notice how the loop can circumscribe the entire island of Manhattan...

And on a more random note, I stumbled onto a Major League Eating-sponsored Clam Eating competition... I think you can hear me mumbling WTF in the last five seconds of the clip :)


View Last Training Tour - May 25, 2009 in a larger map

Breaking Out of the House...

I'm still commuting to work twice a week and have been improving my time by ~10-15 mins each way. I can now get in to work in 55 mins flat, but there is still room for further improvement. I hope the heat and humidity doesn't slow me down too much.

Also, since the weather has finally started to warm up we've been going out on all sorts of trips with Elizabeth and her cousins David and Winnie: Botanical gardens, zoo, hiking, aquarium... She seems to be enjoying herself and so are we:



and...

Tour De Cure: Commute To Work

Last week I rode to work and back on Thursday. It is ~12.5 miles each way and it took me about 1.5 hours for one direction. About 30 more minutes than taking the train and I am sure I can improve on that speed, so perhaps a legitimate alternative. I will try to do it again as soon as the rain stops long enough for the roads to dry up. Sunday's wetness stopped me from taking my second scheduled practice tour (45-50 miles), but I intend to make it up by commuting some more this week. Here is a map of the commute route:


View Bike Commute in a larger map

I've also been going to the gym (stretching, yoga, rowing, leg presses/curls/extension). Toying with the idea of taking a spinning class, but would rather just commute every day. Towards that end, I've bought a rack and saddle for the bike and a better lock... I also got a cycling computer (speedometer/odometer) for my birthday (thank you Scott) to help keep me motivated to ride faster!

Tour De Cure: Training Ride 1

I've registered to ride for American Diabetes with my company's team at one of the NJ Tour De Cure bicycle rides. I've elected to attempt the full 80-mile course, which must be completed within 8 hours (7am-3pm). Therefore I have begun training to make sure I don't thoroughly embarrass myself. Last weekend I intended to ride out to Port Washington but the ride did not materialize (and the bicycle required some maintenance, so I did that to make sure I would have no excuses the next time!). So today I rode 40 miles (in 5 hours, need to work on my speed). See ride:


View Route for 4/25/09 - Tour De Cure Training in a larger map