Birthdays, Bush's Spring Chicken 10K, BBQ, Bluebonnets, and Bicycling

March and April were super busy months for celebrating and adventure. I picked up a friend at the Dallas airport on March 20th, his 52nd birthday. I had celebrated my 56th birthday on March 10th.

 Edible arrangement birthday surprise!

To celebrate his arrival, we drove to Waco before stopping for a birthday dinner at Ninfa's, a wonderful Mexican restaurant.

On March 28, we both geared up to run the Bush's Spring Chicken 10K in Temple, Texas. We supported Team RW&B and wore our shirts for the team picture before the race.

Wearing the Eagle

With Ernie's encouragement and with him jogging with me the entire route, I had a personal best for a 10K!

Along the route...

Photo op!

I am also a part of the 2,015 miles in 2015 challenge, and we logged 107 miles during the month of April to include 10 miles done on Good Friday! It's always nice to have someone to encourage and push you toward your goals.

Ernie's friend's brother passed away in a diving incident in the Cayman Islands (it made the local news here since his brother was a native Texan), and we drove down to Conroe to support Paul at the funeral service. It was heart-wrenching and very emotional hearing this man's kids and step-kids say such beautiful things abut him. I wish I had known him while he was living. He definitely knew how to appreciate life while loving and supporting his family.

After the service, we headed over to the little town of Cut and Shoot, Texas, a place I had long wanted to visit because of the cool name.

                             

                           

We stopped at the local motor cycle shop and bought t-shirts to wear with the Cut and Shoot name. 

Afterwards driving home, we came across the most gorgeous field of bluebonnets and stopped to take some pictures.

In April, we had tickets to the MotoGP at the Circuit of the Americas F1 track in Austin. It was an AMAZING weekend, and it was the first time I had ridden two up on my own bike. We got to ride a parade lap around the track on Saturday night, and Ernie's thought was that we would always remember this night and our first ride two up. On that, he is 100% correct. It was incredible.

                                                  Gassing up for the ride to COTA

Two up...and liking it!

                                            Waiting in line for the parade lap to begin......

                                                                    MotoGP at COTA

The lean.....

                                                    Playing around with the GoPro...

                                                      Unsuspecting of hidden camera....

The Finish Line

After the races were over, we went to the Cheap Trick concert on the grounds. I had never seen them in concert before. Great music and good times!

Robin Zander

                               While I was at work, Ernie would take my Triumph out for a spin........

                                                                   Oatmeal, Texas

Lampasas mural.....

We went hiking at Colorado Bend out to Gorman Falls (something we had also done a few years ago), strawberry picking, strolling through Fredericksburg, cycling, and a group motorcycle ride for motorcycle awareness called Do You See Me Now where we also bought shirts to support the cause. 

                                                     Strawberry fields forever....

                           The Auslander...a nice German restaurant in Fredericksburg.....Mmmmmm

Rouladen

Do You See Me Now?

                           

                                       Lining up for the ride from Temple to Copperas Cove...

               Mesmerizing Gorman Falls at Colorado Bend State Park...great hike out and back!

                       ...

Krause Springs....a nice day for sunning on the rocks, cooling off in the springs, or walking the paths

                                                

                                                            Cycling with Team Roadkill

We did so many things here in the Hill Country of Texas, and I enjoyed every moment and every experience. There is so much to be happy about and thankful for, which reminds me.....BBQ!

Some of the finest BBQ in TEXAS....we stopped here after visiting Krause Springs and then reading reviews about BBQ places close by. 

What a spread! Tater Tot casserole, cole slaw, spicy corn, and cobbler. Some of the BEST BBQ to be had, and we ate heartily and still brought leftovers home.

Many changes going on to include a new job opportunity for me and clearing up multiple personal issues for Ernie. It's an ongoing struggle for him.....

                                                                 More to come!!

"We'll always have Paris...."

“I guess it goes to show that you just never know where life will take you. You search for answers. You wonder what it all means. You stumble, and you soar. And, if you’re lucky, you make it to Paris for a while.” 

― Amy Thomas, Paris, My Sweet: A Year in the City of Light

View from the top of the Eiffel Tower, Dec. 31, 2014

                                         
I did make it to Paris and promptly fell in love....I love the way the city seems to wrap itself around you and pull you in for a light embrace. There seems to be a much slower pace of life there, and people linger over glasses of wine and crème brûlée at sidewalk cafes. 

I loved the way it was still dark out each morning around 8 when we would head out to explore, and there would be no one on the streets except us until about 10. 

                                                    The early morning streets of Paris.

I loved the sense of wonder I felt seeing people walking down the streets smoking cigarettes while layered in coats and hats and scarves. I love the dichotomy of elegance and simplicity that hangs in the air.

I loved the beauty of the Eiffel Tower as I watched it light up and sparkle every night from my hotel balcony. 

                                 Eiffel Tower seen from the boat on our Seine River cruise

I loved the display of love on the Bridge of Locks and the story of how the tradition began in Paris.

The history, the people, the accents, the monuments, the museums....yes, I fell in love with it all.

Frozen Hot Chocolate 10K 2014

This 10K in Austin was one of the toughest I have ever done. At the race's 8:15 AM start, it was 78 degrees with 97% humidity, and it went downhill from there.

Friends at the start

Pace guidelines at the start

Pre-race 

I had done the Frozen Hot Chocolate race in Dallas three years ago in March, and at that time, we battled freezing weather: 21 degrees at starting time! Yesterday's Austin race was HOT, very hilly, and a large part of the course was over gravel.

Killer hill at mile 5!

MORE hills!

The race was held at the Circuit of the Americas race track near the airport. I had never been before, so it was very cool to get to see the complex. I met up with friends at the start, and that's always the best part of

doing these events: the camraderie we all feel.

Running along the perimeter of the race track

Motorcycle race in progress as we ran

Overall, this was a good race, but my recommendation is to start the 10K people at 7AM, have more water stops along the way, and let people know ahead of time how hilly the course is going to be given that there was a 15 minute per mile pace restriction.

Chocolate at the end

The SWAG!

Victory!!

Next up for me is the Waco Wild West bicycle ride on Septemeber 27th. I am already looking forward to another great time!