2009 Amgen Tour of California will stop in Santa Cruz - report from press conference today

Mayor Ryan Coonerty announces Santa Cruz will be a stop on the Amgen Tour of California. Matt Twisselman, right, chairs the Tour's local organizing committee.

Ben Jacques-Maynes is a professional road cyclist who has raced in the Amgen Tour of California. Ben's jacket conceals the brace he is wearing to help heal his broken collarbone. Amazingly for his occupation, it is the first bone he has ever broken.

11 a.m. Santa Cruz, California

City officials, media, bicycling industry members and cycling enthusiasts gathered in Santa Cruz City Hall's courtyard for the press conference to announce the good news:

The Amgen Tour of California professional cycling road race will stop in Santa Cruz in February 2009. The high-profile bike race, styled like the Tour de France, will cover 800 miles in California from February 14-22. It could attract as many as a quarter of a million visitors to Santa Cruz.

"It will be a challenge," said Santa Cruz Mayor Ryan Coonerty, "but we are up to the challenge. We are proud to show off Santa Cruz." He also noted the Tour generates about $160 million dollars in revenue for the state.

The race will include stops in 16 host cities; this is Santa Cruz's first time being included in the race route; officials have spent three years courting the race organizers.

"We launched the effort to become a host city in 2006," said the City of Santa Cruz's Tina Shull, who has worked hard alongside Santa Cruz businessman Matt Twisselman, the lead organizer, and others who have assisted in the effort to attract the tour to Santa Cruz.

Santa Cruz is one of eight new cities selected for this year and the only coastal city. Though the race's exact route through the city has yet to be determined, the date is set: Stage 3, Monday, February 16, 2009 - the race that day will go from Sausalito to Santa Cruz - over the Golden Gate Bridge! The bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic the day of the race.

Approximately 120 riders (17-18) teams participate in this Tour, which will enter its fourth year in 2009.



Avid cyclists Jim Gentes, founder of Giro helmets, and Piet Canin, a founder of Bike Week in Santa Cruz, were on hand at the press conference.

Visiting Boise, Idaho? List of businesses I recommend from my July 2008 visit

What's What in Boise - Karen's List of Referrals for Boise, Idaho

Bicycle Rentals -
I rented a road bike, then a mountain bike (no car!) during my 5-night Boise visit
ID MT Touring - 13th and Main Street
208-336-3854

Other Bike Rental places in Boise:
MCU Sports, 208-342-7734

Boise Restaurants
Mai Thai, 750 West Idaho St., www.maithaigroup.com
Pair, 601 Main Street
Bardenay, 610 Grove Street, Basque district, 208-426-0538

Camera Sales/Supply
Idaho Camera, 1036 Vista Ave., 208-343-8075
For a non-disposable rafting camera, they suggested:
Olympus 1030SW $400, waterproof camera

Massage Therapy
LeeAnn Garton, massage therapist, sculptor
Massage Works
804 W. Boise Ave
208-336-1009

Liz Rosenthal
300 Main Street - between 4th and Main
208-283-9577

Toastmasters
Toastmasters Club 61 meets Tuesday nights at Twin Dragon
Be sure to confirm time/meeting place locally

Yoga
Yoga Center, Rose Hill Road
YMCA, downtown Boise

Bye Bye Boise - End of Montana and Idaho biking and rafting summer camp

More rafting photos and blog report coming soon...

The Boy Scout troops set off on their hike, the kids' soccer teams cleared out, and at last, my Boise, Idaho, hotel — home away from home for the past five nights — is a quiet oasis. Too bad that I leave tomorrow!

I head back home to Santa Cruz after an epic, 21-day summer break in Montana and Idaho. I pedaled through small towns and past snow-capped mountains during a fantastic Cycle Montana road bike tour with the Adventure Cycling Association. Then, I downshifted to a mellower pace - except for the Class III-IV rapids! during my fabulous 5-day whitewater rafting trip on Idaho's Snake River with ROW.

Upon finishing those adventures, I came to Boise to collect my thoughts and photos for upcoming stories (so I WAS working!) Also, on my third trip to Boise in two years, I wanted to scout the city yet again, to see if I want to move here. There is a lot to love about this city (and much more to blog about later). The verdict is still out on my relocating here in the future. I have decided for the time being, I will stay put in Santa Cruz, my home town for the past 15 years.


I joined Mitch, left and Chris, for lunch. They are pictured in front of the Boise capital building.
Special thanks to Sally Grimes, Chris Chesak, Mitch Knothe, Angella and Kevin of Idaho Mt. Touring for making this visit memorable.

I have much more to share about my trips, but it's time to pack for my flight tomorrow.

Incommunicado the first week of July

I will be whitewater rafting the Snake River in Hell's Canyon in Idaho with the company ROW. Due to conditions on the raft, I will not have my cell phone or computer with me again until Saturday, July 5th. Truly unplugged for a week! All forward! (That's a rafting command meaning: paddle now!)

Looking back at Cycle Montana and ahead to whitewater rafting Snake River in Idaho

Kooskia, Idaho, Reflections Inn, 10 a.m. Sunday, June 29

The yellow highway sign warned: Winding roads - next 77 miles! Since I skipped a careful map study before my road trip, that came as quite a surprise yesterday during my drive west on Highway 12 from Missoula, Montana, to Kooskia, Idaho. Negotiating the hairpin turns and cruising the short straightaways that follow the bends in the Lochsa River, I had about three hours to think about my Cycle Montana trip and my upcoming whitewater raft trip with ROW as I drove my rental Toyota to my fantastic overnight bed and breakfast, Reflections Inn. I have postd Cycle Montana photos on the photo gallery of my website.

Some superlatives came to mind:

Best Part of Trip: New friends! The trip had a capacity of 120 riders, but only 60 showed up, which turned out to be a great size. Our oldest rider, Ken, was 81, and the youngest, Hannah, was 16. We had cyclists from Hawaii, Florida, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and many more from Western states including California, Washington, Montana and Oregon. Theresa came from Nelson, Canada. We had a father-daughter duo, an engaged couple, two friends who see each other only once a year to ride together on a bike tour, and many retired and active professionals: lawyers, judges, surgeons and accountants. I was the only active journalist - although Ken worked for many years as a reporter at the Sacramento Bee.



Best Town: Philipsburg, Montana. I swear that the free fudge samples at the town's famous candy store did NOT influence my decision! I only tried the chocolate, chocolate-peanut butter and fudge of the week: chocolate-peanut butter caramel. Philipsburg also had a fine ice cream shop, but all I sampled there were the rockin' 50's tunes they played.

Worst Part of Trip: Mosquitoes swarming in buzzing packs in the town of Wisdom. They were so bad that we were given permission to sleep indoors at the local school rather than at the campsite. I left there with bites ALL over. Second worst: a few too many cold showers, but I can live with that.

Number One Thing I would do differently: Pack ligther! Every morning and evening, I wound up shuffling through unneeded clothing and toiletries that had seemed prudent when I was dashing out of Santa Cruz. Why on earth did I think I would need a full tube of tooth paste and large toothbrush as well as a travel size toothbrush and mini tube of toothpaste? No, I did NOT pack two different size tents!



10 More Thoughts on Cycle Montana:
1 - Flat rear tire on the final day came from riding on the highway back to Missoula
2 - The average number of people I rode with on a daily basis
3- The number of nights I spent in Missoula before I started the bike ride on Sunday
4 - The number of meals I ate each day - breakfast, lunch and dinner were all provided by Paige, our fabulous caterer. I would also make an extra sandwich each day to eat around 4 p.m. (Zero - number of pounds I lost).
5 - The number of bike tours I learned about from friends that I want to do - RAW in Washington, RAGBAI in Iowa, Bike Idaho, mt. bike tour with Adventure Cycle and Ride Wyoming.
6 -The number of days we cycled (Sunday-Friday with the biggest mileage day of 75 miles).
7 - The number of mornings when I was practically the last person to leave camp due to sleeping in, reshuffling luggage and general slowness.
8- Times a day I checked to see if I could figure out how to properly use my bike odometer.
9- Every nine minutes, it seems, I stopped to take photos.
10 - This trip definately counts as one of my top 10 trips ever. Very fun and scenic!

Impressions of Missoula after 48 Hours - Wild West mural, pictured below

Too bad I missed Punk Rock Yoga tonight. Of the many forms of yoga I have experienced, that is a new one! Happily, my Friday was filled with other adventures:

* I explored the network of paved bike paths along the Clark Fork River after walking several miles to pick up my road bike which was assembled at Big Sky Cyclery. My week-long trip starts tomorrow!



*I perfected my yoga asanas at a lunchtime class at Down Dog, a small 2-room studio that opened recently downtown.



* Helped stimulate Missoula economy with last-minute purchases at outdoors stores - Trailhead, Missoula Bicycle Works and The Runner's Edge (Spread the l$ve).

* Dropped by the Adventure Cycling Association office again today and met Winona, (pictured below) ACA's media coordinator, and Sarah, a trip logistics specialist. Took photos of their wonderful, bike-filled office.

General Observations after 2 days in Missoula:
* Grass here is glorious emerald green as if front lawns had been color-corrected. No parched California landscapes.
* Compared to Santa Cruz, folks of all ages here appear to:
Smoke a lot more cigarettes (there was a student-led anti-tobacco protest yesterday).
Dress even more casually than in Santa Cruz (who knew it was possible?)
Ride their bicycles in a well-developed bike route system. I wish I saw more riders wearing helmets.
Make eye contact and say hello to strangers - wonderful!

It's 10 p.m. and the sun has FINALLY set. I gave up waiting around the river for the sunset shots tonight - but the mosquitoes were glad for my company. Plus, I did not mind hanging out in one of my favorite spots: Brennan's Wave - a place on the Clark Fork River, right near downtown, where people gather to watch the FINE FORM of surfing. Fitness rules here.
P.S. Kevin, below, has been surfing for ten years. His cap went down the river tonight... maybe it will turn up on the banks.

Missoula Downtown Event Thursday Night

I attended a free summer concert featuring a group called Salsa Loca. It was part of Downtown Tonight series in Caras Park, next to the Clark Fork River which runs through downtown Missoula. Nearby, there was a sizable crowd watching about five surfers and kayakers on the river. Each took turns riding a man-made surf spot on the river called Brennan's Wave.





If you visit Missoula, try and schedule a massage with Ania Preuss! I was enticed by the sidewalk sign outside of the Burtello Salon: "Deep Tissue Massage - You Know You Need One! Walk-ins welcome." I wandered inside and turned out Ania had an open appointment. In addition to relaxing my muscles, she provided me with a list of Missoula places I might enjoy (upon my request). Thanks to her, I visited:

* Hob Nob, a health-food lover's paradise on Higgins Street, Missoula's main drag. Had a wonderful sandwich on homemade bread with fresh green salad.

* Good Food Store (Friday). Massive health food store that's been in town for 30 years or so. Built a gigantic salad at the salad bar and dined outside there.

* Down Dog Yoga (Friday)

* Farmer's Markets (Saturday)

Map of Western States and Montana

Courtesy of the US Census Bureau, here is a city map of Montana. Missoula is in the southwest portion of the state.

My Top 10 Favorite Ways to Explore a New City - Watch out, Missoula, here I come!

I left the Mountain Valley Inn at 10 a.m. today with my room key card in one pocket and a small notepad and pen in the other. No laptop, cell phone, or even camera (photos later for better light). I set out on a self-guided Missoula Orientation Day. When I am visiting a city for the first time, here are 10 of my favorite ways to get situated:
At the hotel:
1. Go to the breakfast room and meet other guests. This morning , I met Cindy of Ohio, who was in town to visit her daughter. She had been to Missoula before and told me Miss Zula's is one of her favorite shops here. Her daughter, Erica, works at the Cedar Creek Spa, which might be a nice stop after my bike tour ends next week.
2. Tune into a local radio station. I learned my hotel is at capacity due to the popularity of the professional minor league baseball team. Tonight, the Missoula Osprey play the Billings Hernias. Go, Osprey!
3. Read the daily paper. Headlines on The Missoulian were about the upcoming state Republican convention and the prevalence of transients in downtown Missoula.
4. Read the free weekly. The Missoula Independent printed irate letters from readers about one writer's coverage of the city's proposals to manage space for dogs and their owners (hot topic in Santa Cruz, too). "The young imbecile portrays Missoula as a town that allows scofflaw to flout leash laws.. What a moron."
5. Hang out in a local coffee shop. There was a Starbucks on the corner, of course, but I chose the shop that had the most bicycles parked out front... I made a note to come back later for fresh muffins - and to bring my laptop since everyone else had theirs.
6. Visit City Hall.
7. Explore the path and parks. The Clark Fork River runs through town and a paved, multi-use path looks ideal for an afternoon bike ride.
8. Poke around pawn shops and art stores. I gravitated to the Missoula Artists Shop and spoke to Kiki Renander, a stained glass artist, who told me the store is run as a coop.
9. Check out public transportation options.
10. Get up super early and stay out late. I like to observe the earlybirds and to see the nightlife. As a solo female traveler, I also note the first day (and ask my hotel clerk) where I don't want to be after nightfall.

Other To Do's on my list for Missoula:
Visit the University Campus
Drop into a few bike shops
Return to Adventure Cycling Association (my tour organizer!)
Go to a yoga class
EAT - that's in a class by itself.

First night in Big Sky Country - Midnight Musings about Missoula, Montana

Tonight, I stepped off the plane into the chilly night air and noticed a small sign posted outside the terminal: "Welcome to Missoula - We like it here." I have been here only two hours (11 p.m.-1 a.m.) and I like it so far, too. For starters, there were three surefire ways of knowing I was no longer in Santa Cruz:

1. An 8-foot grizzly bear in the airport terminal. Ferocious-looking even stuffed and in a glass case. The grizzly is the mascot of University of Montana.
2. The full moon perched above snow-capped mountains. Thankfully, I missed the mid-June snowfall by a week. Now temperatures in Missoula are about 45F at night, 81F during the day.
3. Many signs remind people where they can (and can't) smoke. Here in the Big Sky Country, cigarettes are more common than in Santa Cruz.

I have the next two days to explore Missoula before I start my Adventure Cycling Association road bike tour Saturday.

Off to Montana today! Adventure Cycling Association tour starts in Missoula

Farewell for now, Santa Cruz! I head to Missoula today - via a stop in Seattle and will arrive at 11 p.m. at the airport. My bike tour with Adventure Cycling Association starts on Saturday. Here is the trip summary from my tour, Cycle Montana:

Trip Summary
For 2008, spend a week bicycling through the scenic valleys of western and southwestern Montana. We’ll ride some of the same roads that Tour de France competitor and Butte native Levi Leipheimer trained on during his early days as a bike racer.

Trip Dates: Saturday, June 21 - Friday, June 27
Start - End Locations: Missoula - Missoula
Days: 7 Rest Days: 0 Level of Support: Event
Miles: 326 Average Miles Per Day: 54
Surface: Road
Riders: 60
Type: Supported
Meals: Catered meals Accommodations: Camping
Physical Difficulty: Intermediate
Technical Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Elevation: up to 7400'

Woohoo!

The joy of mountain biking trails at Wilder State Park in Santa Cruz

Last Saturday, on a group ride with the Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz, I finally conquered a technical part of a trail that I had attempted for years. Thanks to Mark Woodhead for capturing it on film (on a small camera with hi def video) and thanks also for recommending good gearing for that tough uphill cornering. The video clip contains two portions of my typically enthusiastic - and vocal - riding style. It's the second ascent that was my triumph! Too bad it is hard to tell what a steep turn this is and how big, thick roots jut out making in extremely difficult not to dismount.

Fire in Santa Cruz

Yesterday, I feared my Honda Civic had mysteriously developed a bad case of dandruff - the entire red car was coated in white flakes. When I touched the flakes, they left a sooty, grey smudge on my fingers. Then I realized my car was covered in ashes that the wind had carried from the latest fire in Santa Cruz. Thankfully, no one died, but homes were destroyed. Two good friends from my writers' group, Reyna and Judy, feared they might lose their homes in Bonny Doon, but they were spared.

Chelsea George, also a dear friend from my writers' group, took this photo, above, on Wednesday, just as the fire started in the hills of Bonny Doon, a mountain community near UC Santa Cruz.

As of June 15, 2008, at 7 a.m., the Sentinel newspaper reports that the Martin Fire (named for a road in Bonny Doon)
Cause: Under Investigation

Acres Burned: 520 acres

Containment 90 percent containment - 520 acres

Structures Destroyed: 3 residences and 8 outbuildings have been destroyed.

Injuries: 1

Total Fire Personnel: 901 (541 CAL FIRE)

Fire crews: 29 (17 CAL FIRE)

Engines: 67 (41 CAL FIRE)

Airtankers: 2

Helicopters: 3 (1 CAL FIRE)

Dozers: 5 (All CAL FIRE)

Water tenders: 19

Costs to date: $3.2 million

Six Degrees of Separation between me and Olympic athlete Jill Kintner, BMX racer

In April, at the Sea Otter Classic bicycling festival in Monterey, California, I attended a women's mountain bike skills clinic taught by Jill Kintner (pictured, left). A four-time national champion and three-time world champion in the downhill bicycling event known as mountain-cross, Jill set her sights on qualifying for the Olympics in a bike discipline known as BMX. (The sport makes its Olympic debut this summer in Beijing.)

Now Jill, of Seattle, Washington, has made the cut for the Summer Games - by just one point! Plus, she is the one and only woman representing the United States in the BMX competition. In a bittersweet twist, she beat out her closest rival - and dear friend - Arielle Martin - to secure this coveted spot.

Here is the scoop from Jill's blog, on www.jillkintner.com:
Taiyuan, China
After one of the longest, hottest, windiest days ever, I made the main event and finished 6th in the World for Elite BMX. Crazy part is this finish also secured my position as the only American girl who will represent BMX in the 2008 Olympic Games!!!!

Here is an Associated Press story with more on Jill.

Go, Jill, go!

Adventures in June - meetings, movies and parades

Happy June 1!
I have had a fun few days - details here:
Friday - Adventure Travel Trade Association's meeting in Berkeley at REI store. Photo above, taken by Cyndra of Cyndra Robbins Photography.
Friday - Opening Night of Sex and the City movie with friends Donna and Mari.
Saturday - Ride singletrack trails with Mountain Bikers of Santa Cruz at Wilder State Park
Sunday - Santa Cruz's Gay Pride Parade is a warm community event.

Poison Oak Attacks Woman's Face - Change of Course for Memorial Day Weekend Plans

Here I apply the homeopathic remedy, Green Gunk, to poison oak on my legs. The next day, I resorted to the anti-inflammatory medicine, Prednisone. Sorry, no gruesome face pictures! Photo credit: Leslie Kefauver, aka, Mom.

"Karen, where are you?" my friend called.

"Over here," I said, laughing at the ridiculous predicament I was in - stuck in a bush.

On a group mountain bike ride this past Tuesday evening, I made a classic cycling error: I looked precisely where I did not want to go. In this case, I was rounding a sharp corner of a narrow, dirt trail. As I entered the turn, I panicked seeing a steep drop-off. Sure enough, I started to steer off the trail. At the last second, I realized the impending disaster and leaped off my bike. My bike fell onto the trail, but the momentum from the turn propelled me right over the edge of the cliff. I rolled several feet down the hill until I was stuck, up to my neck, in a big thicket of brambles. The rider ahead of me, Jec, heard me yell as I fell. She rode back to check on me

"Where are you?" she called from the trail above. "Oh, wait! I can see your red helmet sticking out of the top of the bush," Jec said. "Let me give you a hand."

She reached down the steep slope and helped haul back onto the trail. When she confirmed I was ok, we shared a laugh about it.

But I am not laughing now. As a result of that tumble, I have poison oak on my face for the first time! I look like a sci-fi character with my crusty lips, bright red nose, and spotted neck. Ick. Not to mention my arms, legs, torso also sport big patches of this miserable stuff - which is caused by my skin coming in contact with the oil in the leaf.. With my itchy, oozing blisters, I decided not to go out of town to Paso Robles for the Great Western Bike Rally.

I am confident that if there were a video of my mountain bike crash this past Tuesday, it would soar to the top of You Tube's most-watched list.

Another reason to skip the road trip: the raging wildfires in Santa Cruz County! Governor Terminator was here earlier this week and declared it an emergency zone. Another good reason to stay home - a lot of smoke in the air! Luckily, no bodily injuries have been reported, though homes have been lost.

Memorial Day weekend - reflections on Santa Cruz and plans for Great Western Bike Rally 2008

Memorial Day weekend 2008 marks my 15-year anniversary living in Santa Cruz, California. I never expected to make this my long-term home: as a native of Washington, D.C., I always imagined I would migrate to a bigger city, like San Francisco.

After a solo tour of the Pacific coast from San Deigo in southern California to Skagway, Alaska, the northern-most ferry stop in the Southwest Passage, I arrived in Santa Cruz in May 1993. I stayed at the local youth hostel, located a few blocks from the beach. During my stay, I walked along scenic West Cliff Drive and watched the surfers and seagulls play in the Monterey Bay. I fell in love with the independent bookstore called Bookshop Santa Cruz and had also had a fun night on the town at a live music club called the Catalyst. After one week at the youth hostel, I took my sleeping bag and backpack and signed a lease for a room in a 6-bedroom house on Grant Street. I did not know a soul in Santa Cruz, but I was an optimistic 23-year-old and had a good feeling about the town.

Through the years here, most of my 20s and 30s, I have established deep roots in my community personally and profesionally and treasure my enduring frienships. I love the size of this coastal city with its majestic redwoods and university atop the hill (UC Santa Cruz).

For this upcoming Memorial Day weekend, my plans are to attend the Great Western Bike Rally in Paso Robles! Should be fun. It will be road riding!

And in June, I will go on an organized bike tour in Montana with the Adventure Cycling Assocation - more road riding!

I have plans for mountain biking in Peru in the fall.

National Dance Week 2008 Kick-off in Santa Cruz, Thursday, May 1

Tru School Hip Hop, above, and Raizes do Brazil demonstrate capoeira. 

National Dance Week Santa Cruz -

was off to a brilliant start on Thursday, May 1, with free performances at three outdoor locations on Pacific Avenue in downtown Santa Cruz. I attended four solid hours of shows (5 p.m.-9 p.m.) and was amazed by the caliber of dancing and captivated by the topnotch choreography. SLIDESHOW! I saw a sampling of dance from:

• Gravity Girls
• Marsea Marquis and Tropicalismo
• Contact Improvisation
• John and Nancy Lingemann
• Tru School Hip Hop
• Mir & A Company

Here are free dances classes May 1-8!

The events are sponsored by the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz.

Nocturnal Sunshine Fire Performance Troupe, above, and Te Hau Nui Dance.

Visit my PHOTO GALLERY for more dance photos from this event.

Women's Yoga Retreat at Mount Madonna, Watsonville, CA - April 25-27

I arrived Friday afternoon at Mount Madonna Center, apprehensive about camping - even in the glorious redwoods - because I was so fatigued. But two nights and six yoga classes later, I returned to Santa Cruz refreshed and relaxed on Sunday afternoon. The powerful combination of yoga asanas, a glorious sunny hilltop setting, and wonderful Santa Cruz-based teachers, Laurie Broderick Burr and Kelly Blaser was just the rejuvenation I needed. I shared some very special times with many of the 25 other women on the retreat. Namaste!

Thank you, Kelly Blaser, for the photo above.

Cycle Montana with Adventure Cycling Association this June

I took the plunge today and signed up for Cycle Montana, a week-long road bike tour starting in Missoula, Montana. The trip is a guided tour organized by the Adventure Cycling Association,

Here is the trip summary and a photo from their website:

Trip Dates: Jun 21 - Jun 27
Start and End Locations: Missoula
Days: 7 Rest Days: 0
Miles: 326
Average Miles Per Day: 54
Surface: Road
Riders: 120
Type: Supported
Meals: Catered meals
Physical Difficulty: Intermediate
Technical Difficulty: Easy to moderate
Elevation: up to 7400'

Sea Otter Classic 2008 in Monterey, California - The highlight for me was BMX Olympic hopeful Jill Kintner's Women's Skills Clinic

Sunday, April 20 - I was thrilled to attend a 2-hour mountain bike skills clinic taught by Jill Kintner, a top Olympic hopeful for competing in BMX bike racing in Beijing this August. The 26-year-old from Seattle, Washington, is a member of the GT Bicycles Team and is living and preparing for the Summer Games at the Olympic training center in southern California. She has two more major races this spring, in Denmark and China, to determine if she will have enough points to represent the United States in BMX. Thanks to Beverly Garrity, founder of SLaB, who organized this clinic.

For more Jill Kintner clinic photos and shots of trials rider Ryan Leech, visit my photo gallery.




Making its debut at the Olympics, BMX, stands for bicycle moto-cross (an "X' denotes the "cross.") No motorcycle invovled - just modified bicycles that allow racers to achieve top speeds racing over and down uneven terrain on special courses.







Here I feel the love from the Sea Otter mascot. I have been coming to Sea Otter Classic for nearly 15 years.




Here is a BIO of Jill I received in advance of the clinic:

Jill Kintner
Date of Birth: October 24, 1981
Hometown: Seattle, WA

When you are the best at what you do, what do you do next?
This is a dilemma that GT team rider and top female Olympic hopeful Jill
Kintner knows well. After literally growing up on the BMX track her
father owned in Washington State, it seemed Jill was destined for 20
inch greatness. Pushed by a neighborhood full of boys as well as her
brother, pro Freestyle BMX rider Paul, Jill rapidly developed into a
fierce competitor. Beginning at the age of 14, Jill dominated race
after race until she presided over an empire that included more than
70 race wins, the NBL National Series pro title and the 2002 ABA
World Championship crown.

At the height of her BMX dominance, however, Jill discovered the
sport of Mountaincross and abruptly abandoned BMX to race mountain
bikes, a move that was anything but safe. But after a brief
acclimation process, Jill was back to a familiar spot: on top. She
signed to GT in 2005 on her way to three consecutive UCI 4X World
Championship titles. With nothing but green pastures in front of her,
Jill made another risky decision upon learning that the Olympic
Committee had approved BMX Race for the 2008 Games in Beijing – she
switched back to BMX.

Jill is now living and training at the Olympic Training Center in
Chula Vista, California and is currently the frontrunner for a place
on the Olympic team. Having just captured the 2008 USA Cycling BMX
National Championship title it seems almost certain that Jill will be
representing the US in Beijing.

A win in Beijing will have special significance for Jill as she is
racing for the memory of her father who passed away before she made
the switch back to BMX.

Karen's April-May '08 Event Schedule - Sea Otter Classic, Yoga and more biking!

FUN STUFF COMING UP:

Sat.-Sun. April 19-20
Sea Otter Classic, Monterey, CA
Held Thursday, April 17- Sunday, April 20 at Laguna Seca Recreation Area in Monterey, California (an hour's drive south from Santa Cruz), the Sea Otter Classic is the ultimate festival of bicycles - for road, mountain bike and BMX riders. I am going Saturday to ride a recreational, cross-country mountain bike event - not ready for racing at the moment.
Sunday at Sea Otter, I will attend a women's mountain bike skills clinic and ride hosted by Olympic BMX hopeful Jill Kintner.

Fri.-Sun., April 25-27
Women's Yoga Retreat - Mount Madonna Center, Watsonville, CA
Led by Laurie Broderick-Burr and Kelly Blaser, retreat highlights inclue: Asana classes and group meditation, delicious vegetarian food, and gorgeous vistas from the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Sat.-Sun., May 3-4
Mountain bike clinic: Dirt Series presented by Rocky Mountain Bicycles
In April, North America's premier traveling mountain bike skills instruction program takes to the road for its eighth season. This year, the Dirt Series by Rocky Mountain Bicycles offers an
unprecedented 19 women's-only and co-ed mountain bike camps in destinations like Sun Valley, Southern California, Park City, North Vancouver, and the Dirt Series home base of Whistler.

Memorial Day Weekend: Fri.-Mon. May 23-26:
Great Western Bike Rally
Paso Robles, CA
From their website:
The Great Western Bicycle Rally is a large, friendly, family-oriented bike event extravaganza dedicated to recreational cycling that transforms the Paso Robles fairgrounds and the surrounding countryside into a pedaler's paradise.

Though I did not make it downtown to the Mall in Washington, D.C. to see the National Cherry Blossom Festival, I joined my mom for a bike ride in Kenwood, Maryland, where the cherry blossoms were gorgeous.

My train trip to Morocco, I mean Philadelphia, via Trenton, New Jersey

I had a rude awakening on my Amtrak train ride from Union Station in Washington, D.C. to Philadelphia on Monday. I was dozing on the train (a two-hour trip) when someone tapped my shoulder.

"Where are you going?" asked the train conductor.
"To Philly," I replied.
"You just missed your stop," he said.
I bolted upright.
"In 28 minutes you'll be at the Trenton, New Jersey, station. You can get off there and come back."

I was annoyed with myself, but mostly, I was embarrassed to tell my cousins why I was running late for dinner.

I watched the scenery slowly roll by, knowing I was headed the wrong direction. Twenty-eight minutes have never felt so long. I arrived in Trenton, waited half an hour, then got back on the train to Philly - again. This time I did not turn on my iPod or computer.

Moments before the train left, the young woman seated in front of me flipped open her cell phone to take a call. I noticed the elaborate henna design on her right hand.

"Hi Dad.... Yes, I'm on the train, on my way home...The best part was riding the camels through the red sands of the Sahara with our guide."

From then on, I was hooked. As the train pulled out of the Trenton station, I listened shamelessly to her conversation because I wanted to learn more about the Berber nomads she had encountered. I felt an instant kinship with this fellow adventure traveler and curiosity about what inspired her to go to Morocco. At times, I strained to hear her over the noise of the train. I had so many questions: How long was she there? Was it an organized trip? What did she think of Casablanca? Soon she said goodbye to her father and was quickly dialing again. I had to make a move fast.

I leaned forward and said, "Excuse me. I could not help but overhear your cell phone conversation about your trip to Africa. Would you mind telling me about it?"

She paused, a little surprised.
Perhaps I should not have overstepped this cell phone social convention?

Then she smiled and told me all about Casablanca, riding camels in the Sahara and the fun of traveling with three other women who spontaneously agreed to spend 10 days together in Africa. Girlfriends getaway in Morocco! I also learned she is a chemical engineer, a recent college grad and grew up in Eugene, Oregon. Most important, I discovered a young woman who was passionate about exploring the world: she had studied abroad for a year in South Africa and spent several months in a mountain town in Peru volunteering at a medical clinic. Her next trip will be to Chile and after that, perhaps New Zealand.

By the time the train arrived in Philly, I felt as if I too had been on a wonderful adventure. Whether it's riding a camel in the desert or asking a stranger to tell you her story, taking a risk can be very rewarding - even on a commuter train for just 28 minutes.

Karen Kefauver
Freelance writer and content provider
karen@karenkefauver.com
http://www.karenkefauver.com

Highlights from Adventures in Travel Expo in Washington, D.C. Day 2: Sunday, March 30

Check out my fantastic feather headdress! I felt very glamorous, but only for a few minutes, because I had to return it to a beautiful dancer from Aruba. She had invited me to try it on - potentially the first step in getting me to visit Aruba. I was surprised that it was lighter than it looked, though difficult to balance.
For expo pictures from Saturday and Sunday, visit PHOTO GALLERY.
I also enjoyed presentations from world travelers Marybeth Bond, author of Best Girlfriends Getaways Worldwide and Patricia Schultz, author of 1,000 Places to See Before You Die. Bond, an animated speaker, packed her talk with amusing anecdotes and great tips for women traveling together in groups or pairs. Schultz, more softspoken, detailed her journeys to special places she believes men and women should visit during their lifetime.

On the Expo floor, I visited business associates who have become friends through our membership in the Adventure Travel Trade Association. Washington, D.C.-based Tonya and Ian Fitzpatrick are founders and hosts of Travel'n On Radio. On Saturday, they broadcasted live from their ATE booth. One of their three segments featured Andrew Zimmern of the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods of the World. He was one of my favorite speakers this weekend. Very funny and down-to-earth. Travel'n On Radio's next major event is a live broadcast from the French Quarter Festival, April 11-13 in New Orleans.

My last stop of the day was at the Expo was the Da Vinci White booth. I asked how teeth whitening was related to adventure travel. I learned that this cosmetic procedure using hydrogen peroxide (but not strips) is becoming a popular service on certain cruise ship lines! No dentist necessary but to receive the treatment, customers do sit in a dental chair equipped with technical-looking apparatus in their mouths. Apparently, whiter teeth can result after a 15-minute session.

Overall, the ATE was well worth my trip from Santa Cruz, CA. Tomorrow, I head to Philly for two days before returning to the West Coast Thursday morning.

Highlights from Adventures in Travel Expo in Washington, D.C. Day 1: Saturday, March 29

The Adventures in Travel Expo, March 29-30, at the Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. was a fun blend of guest speakers, international exhibitors, live performances and interactive activities. Highlights for me from Day 1 included a talk by charismatic Andrew Zimmern, host of the Travel Channel's Bizarre Foods, the joyous bellydancers from the Sahara Dancers (video clip above) a test ride on a Segway and learning about Fitpacking. If you are not currently off on an adventure, I hope my online photo gallery from the Expo will inspire you to book a trip soon. I will report on Day 2 at the Expo tomorrow!

For the Adventure Travel Trade Association's meeting today, I visited Alexander Graham Bell's office ...

which happens to be at the National Geographic Society's headquarters in Washington, D.C. I learned that the inventor of the telephone also succeeded his father-in-law as president of the National Geographic Society in 1898. (Thus, he had an office there).

I was at the the sprawling NGS headquarters to attend a regional meeting hosted by the Adventure Travel Trade Association. Since attending the association's world summits in Whistler, Canada, in 2007 and in Seattle in 2006, I have found their events educational, fun and valuable for business networking. Today's gathering was no exception. I am now inspired to go to the Adventure Travel Trade Association's Brazil Summit in September and perhaps the Norway Summit in October.
For meeting photos, visit my photo gallery. It's linked to my website, www.karenkefauver.com.

Fun with Apple Photo Booth on American Airlines

Air travel can be a lot of fun when you happen to sit next to a creative seatmate. On my flight from San Francisco to New York City, Thursday, March 27, I met Christian Hansen of Seattle, Washington. After we discussed his recent travels in India and I told him I was headed to the Adventures in Travel Trade Expo in Washington, D.C., we opened up my Apple laptop for more entertainment. Christian, 20, a filmmaker and photographer, showed me how to create some wild effects in Photo Booth. Thanks, Christian!

Mexico: Zihuatanejo, Troncones, 12/07

On my most recent trip to Mexico, in December '07, I fell in love with the small town of Barra de Potosí (population, 500). I had initially planned to stay only a night or two in this fishing village, 30 minutes south of Zihuatenejo on the Pacific Coast. However, my visit stretched to five nights and I could have stayed longer!

Perhaps falling in love with Barra de Potosi is how Laura Kelly, the owner of my lodging, Casa de Encanto, wound up becoming an American expat. A former private investigator in California, Kelly reinvented her life by opeing Casa del Encanto (House of Enchantment), more than a decade ago. Now, she is an important part of the small community.

I spontaneously decided to visit Patzcuaro, a mountain town at 7500-feet. So from Barra de Potosi, we took three buses and two taxis and arrived at sunset. It was so cold that I piled on all my layers of beach clothes. We spent three days exploring the local markets and sights.

To wrap up our vacation with some real rest and relaxation at the beach, we swam in the ocean, went surfing and ate many fresh fish tacos in Troncones, a popular resort area an hour north of Zihuatenejo.

Before our flight home on Christmas Eve, we explored the city of Zihuatenejo.

In April 2008, I will have a more detailed story and photo gallery of my travels posted on Away.com. Stay tuned for URL.

Wayne Kelly's tips for being on the radio

In advance of my being a guest on the Travel'n On Radio Show, hosted by Ian and Tonya Fitzpatrick on 630 WMAL, I reviewed the fantastic set of tips from professional radio broadcaster, Wayne Kelly, whose website, www.onairpublicity.com is devoted to useful public relations resources.

From Wayne's Kelly's online tutorial:
SUCCEEDING “ON-AIR” WITH THE CHEAT SHEET

Use these preparation hints for any interview. With this checklist you will remind yourself of the things you have to do to be a great guest.

1. Remember: Radio is about telling stories.

• The best storytellers are expressive. They can be serious, funny, angry or sad.
• The best stories are simple. Avoid statistics and numbers unless you really need them to illustrate a point.
• The best storytellers talk about people and emotions by describing thoughts and emotions.
• They do not regurgitate boring facts.

2. When preparing for any interview, ask yourself the following questions:

• What is my message?
• Does every detail pass the “So what?” Test? You have to share with listeners why they should care about your topic.
• What are the key points I want to express? (Up to four.)
• Do I have interesting ways of telling my story? Remember that failure stories are as inspirational as success stories. It makes you human, and listeners like that.

3. Remind yourself of these points:

• Tell the truth.
• Avoid a yes or no response unless you are asked for one.
• Ums and ahs kill a great story. Try avoiding them as much as you can.
• Avoid reading from prepared statements. Throw away the long notes and give the interview from the heart. It works every time.

4. When being interviewed:

• Keep your answers simple and brief.
• Be sincere.
• Find a way to get your message out.
• Be nice. Do not get angry with a poor interviewer.
• Always attempt an answer. Do not leave the host hanging.
• Be funny when it is appropriate.
• Use the host’s name if you get a chance.


5. Mechanics (if you’re in the studio):

• Do not rock or swivel in your chair.
• Match the host’s energy level.
• Speak closely to the microphone but avoid popping your Ps by avoiding direct contact with the microphone.
• If you are holding a pen, do not click it throughout the interview. (It is amazing what nerves make us do)

6. Mechanics (if you’re on the phone):

• Speak clearly into the mouthpiece (This may sound silly but many people hold the mouthpiece under their chin)
• Do not use speaker phone as the quality is terrible
• Do not use a cell phone as the drops and delays can sometimes make it sound very weird and nothing sounds worse than you constatntly saying “Pardon?” because you couldn’t hear the host.
• Stay out of the bathroom…there is too much echo. (Don't laugh...people have done it)

Wayne Kelly
© 2004 - 2007 On-Air Publicity.com. All rights reserved.

A trip to Farragut North is a journey back in time as well as foundation for the future

When I was in high school, each summer I worked at a Washington, D.C., law firm headquartered across the street from the Farragut North metro station. As a teenager, it was thrilling to dress up (think early 80's styles), take the subway downtown from Bethesda and go to work in the nation's capital. Emerging from the subway, I loved joining the flow of hustling business people packing the sidewalks on Connecticut Avenue.

Today, I got to enjoy Farragut North again, but with a new twist: I met with two National Geographic travel editors to discuss book proposals. Larry Porges and Barbara Noe (pictured right) and I discussed ideas over lunch at the Tabard Inn. Of course, I can't tell you the top secret ideas, but I will happily point to the NGS books they have published thus far to give you an idea of their titles.

Coming up soon - details so you can tune into the Travel'n On Radio Show this Saturday, Dec. I will be one of the featured guests on the topics of travel, fitness and travel writing.