Office Cats

If they're not chasing the resident office mouse or sleeping in the swatch of sunlight streaming across the carpet, they're watching over me. Making sure I answer all the emails, update the website correctly, and pay the bills on-time. Pumpkin and Audrey -- they're the best bosses a woman could have.

Thinking back on the Cross Country Southern Tier Tour

I was out on a short bicycle ride today thinking back on the Cross Country tour and the ride I had last week with Barb Jarmosky. The road was smoothly paved and completely flat. The day was cool and the sky was clear. Best of all, we had a strong tailwind and we found ourselves flying through the miles effortlessly.

I turned to Barb and said, “Everyone should feel this.” When she replied, “Yeah, there’d be peace on earth,” I knew we were feeling the same thing.

If they could all feel as we felt -- the sheer joy of riding a bike at 20 mph with the wind at their backs -- they’d all forget their anger, their hatred, their sorrow. They’d forget their road rage and put down their arms. They’d be thankful for every moment of living and of loving.

If only we could put everyone on a bike, on a quiet road somewhere in California, in spring, with a tailwind, the world would be a much better place.

On the Road with the Cross Country Southern Tier Tour

Just got back from the beginning of our cross country tour. You never know what you'll see up ahead on a tour like this. Barb and I nearly tripped over our bikes to stop at this avocado stand. We tried hard to think of things we could do with 15 avocados. At a price like this, how could anyone pass them up?


And here is Johanna before the aptly named Chocolate Mountains. We feared the road would never turn and we'd have to go directly over them. She was getting ready.

I'm back home now and the women have all crossed California into Arizona by now. One time zone down -- two more to go. I miss them - and the road - already.

Dipping

The Southern Tier Cross Country Tour started with our first ride out of San Diego today. We always start together, ride to Dog Beach together and dip our tires in the Pacific Ocean together. Here we are waiting to leave the hotel....



And waiting to hike to Dog Beach....



And hiking to Dog Beach....



And finally dipping at Dog Beach... with the dogs!



There are 25 of us, ranging in age from 39 to 72. The average is 60. Pretty awesome!

On the Road in Arizona

We had a big group on our Arizona tour last week and I was there to guide it. I'm not in the photo because I had to shoot it. Why am I always the one to miss out? This photo was taken in Gloria's new living room. Gloria (bottom row, far left,) is the founder of WomanTours. She just designed and built herself a beautiful contemporary southwestern home south of Tucson and we all had dinner there one night during the tour. Chef extraordinaire Claudia (top row, right) cooked us a feast of sauteed shrimp in a white wine sauce, pork with braised apples and raisins, steamed broccoli, potato latkes and a ginger cabbage cole slaw. None of us went hungry!

We got to experience Arizona during the longest drought in history. There were no wildflowers in bloom, but the blue skies and warm weather were perfect for many of us northeasterners. We had a wonderful tour and many of them have taken advantage of our 10% discount for 2 tours in a year and registered for another tour this year. Looks like a lot of us will be together again on the Natchez Trace in Mississippi this fall! More sunny skies and great food....