Vertical Man Goes Vertical

Great weekend in Steamboat Springs, CO. Visited some favorite dining spots, hiked up to the gondola's top to work it all off. Perfect weather - warm days, cool nights. Right now my view is looking west, high over the Yampa Valley as the sun turns everything golden. Home tomorrow, work Tuesday.

While I'm at it, the Dems' new narrative is that it's a "Tea Party Downgrade." Ummm, OK. Not a "Wasteful Bail-Out Downgrade?" Not an "Expensive, Health Plan Downgrade?" Or a "Two Endless Wars Downgrade?" Right, it's an "Our taxes are too low downgrade!"

How silly of me and so nice of the usual, useful idiots to enlighten me.

Happy (Cough) New Year (Cough, Cough!)

Flying home from Steamboat last week, I had the good fortune to be seated in front of what sounded like refugees from either a phlegm depository or a tuberculosis sanitarium. I cursed the capricious Airline Gods for their seating arrangement, tried to hold my breath for 2 hours, failed, and fell back on the hope that clean living, good food, constant handwashing and hot tea would confer immunity.

Silly me.

Benefits Of Altitude

I'm spending the week in Steamboat Springs, CO with Tri-Brother and (now) Tri-Sister. If this week had a theme song it'd be "Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!" What a great place. And next time you're here, check out Bistro C.V. for dinner. Worth the trip even if you're not a skier.

Anyway, today I ran across Matt Fitzgerald's counter-intuitive article on high-altitude training.

"Boulder’s mile-high elevation is one of the worst possible environments for endurance athletes to make their homes in. It’s not high enough to significantly change blood chemistry in most people, yet it’s also just high enough to significantly reduce performance in high-intensity workouts, so that athletes get a little less benefit from each quality session."

As he says, don't shoot me, I'm just the messenger!

Triathlon Training In Tuscany

Google's AdSense program splatters ads all over this blog and I know I'm not supposed to click on 'em myself. Something about messing up the Googlemeister's calculations on whether to pay me a minifarthing or a micropenny when an ad is clicked.

Still, I couldn't resist the little two-liner referencing triathlon training in Tuscany. I've really gotta do that someday. Hey, I'm not only this blog's owner, I'm also a customer!

(Photo courtesy of Italianvisits.com)

The Sears Tower Glass Skydeck

I'm AA, Fly Me!

OK, I'm becoming a regular on American Airlines' ORD to DFW route (for me, "regular" means every other week or so.) So far, EVERY flight has (a) departed on time, (b) arrived early and (c) at the CORRECT DESTINATION!

Yikes. I better see if Hell has frozen over. Of course, now that I've said that I'm thrice-jinxed and, next time, should count on being (a) late departing, (b) late arriving and (c) diverted to some one-horse s**t-hole like BugTussle, Arkansas or Omaha or something.

At least if it's Omaha, I know a great little bistro...

If It's Thursday, It Must Be Texas!

La Misha Bistro, McKinney, TX. Worth the trip.

Yes, It Is Thursday and It Is Texas

McKinney, TX. Anybody know a good tri club around here? I saw a Lifetime Fitness, of which I'll soon be a member.

My crappy photography skills make it difficult to tell, but AWAAAAAAY across the valley, at the end of a long, hilly driveway, sit three derelict VW Micro-buses. Now I know where all the hippies migrated as Haight-Ashbury turned yuppie.

I Envy San Diego Triathletes

Dunno what it says about the economy, but every flight this past weekend was COMPLETELY full, as were airport departure lounges, shuttles, hotels and restaurants. Someone's going somewhere and they're all on my flights, dammit.

Maybe, like me, the winter-weary fled the Great Suburban Outback's April flurries in favor of San Diego's beaches and sunshine. Can't blame 'em.

What's So Restful About Vacation?

In San Diego for a weekend of celebrating Mom's 80th birthday. Tri-Brother wants to "...do 2 hours on the bike trainer, go for a run and THEN a swim in the bay." Holy crap. I need a beer.

No Reservations!

Hey, someone cool is advertising on Life Is A Tri.  And he's going to Venice.  Very cool!

The Book Cliffs, outside of Grand Junction, CO, home of Tri-Mom. Photo taken from The Flying Lunchbox on my way home to the Great Suburban Outback, a drive of 1,300 miles.

Ahhhhh! Just under that red canopy, an end-of-day libation awaits. I need it. Maybe a double.

Afterglow in the Alpenglow

End of a great day on the slopes...but aren't they all? Tri-Daughter #3 just hove into sight. She's the one on a snowboard. See?

Steamboat Dreamin'

The chicken with lemon and rosemary is merrily roasting away, accompanied by 5 baked potatoes.  Fresh carrots are nestled in the roasting pan, caramelizing as we speak.  On the stove-top: wild mushrooms sauteing in butter and wine, and some crisp, fresh green beans.  A green salad dressed with a Tuscan vinaigrette. Several cheeses, sausages, crackers, fresh veggies for appetizers.  Fresh fruit. Really good black coffee.  And about 3 bottles of wine...or more if need be.

Later, we're walking down to the store to buy some Irish whiskey, Drambuie and a few other libations cuz IT'S REALLY FREAKIN' COLD HERE!

OK, well, the photo kinda sucks but it's better in person.

I'll bet this is NOT your view as you exit the grocery store!  Too bad, cuz it's mine! Hahahahahahahah!  Merry Christmas from Steamboat Springs, CO.

The sun setting above the gondola.  Pic taken from our terrace, looking west down the Yampa Valley.

Light blogging over the next few days.  I'm in the Flying Lunchbox, dodging white-out blizzards, treacherous ice storms and the occasional road-crossing deer.  Destination: Steamboat Springs for a week of high-altitude training, skiing, hot-tubbing and vino-tasting. Then over to casa de Mom in Grand Junction for a few days of recuperating before the long drive home.

Tri-Brother, Tri-Sister, Tri-Daughters #3 and #4, assorted friends and relatives are coming along for the ride.  Bring on the powder, baby!