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The Ascent of Mount Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii
I spoke to some lovely people in the West Maui Cycle shop here in Lahaina about climbing the volcano, and they said to wait as the winds were strong. I looked at the weather forecast and decided that Sunday would have to be the day. I had really wanted to get it over with sooner, as the apprehension was preventing me from really enjoying myself out here.
Saturday evening and I had a headache from constant tension in my neck and shoulders, but I was determined to ride Sunday, so I loaded the car with my support kit (pump, tubes etc) and food and water, and then went to bed.
Sunday morning and I was up at 6am (7pm UK time) for my Sunday morning ride, which although not a long one at 57km, was going to be tough, as there were over 3,000m of climbing to do in one go. Porridge seemed like a good way to start the day, with some very strong coffee.
My wife and son and I (and the bike) in the car, we headed the 30 miles or so to Paia, the official start of the ride. The weather was looking good with the temperatures not looking so hot yet, and not much wind. As we came round the island, the bulk of Mt Haleakala appeared, with a large bank of cloud on its flanks. It really is a huge lump on the horizon, and I was filled with apprehension again.
I told my wife I was nervous, and she asked "about what?". My reply was that having tried this climb before, and blown out at about 2,000m I knew what sort of discomfort I was in for. I did not tell her that a cycling club colleague had suffered a heart attack last week on a hill in Surrey, but it was preying on my mind. I am older than him, and heavier and slower, and have been slobbing it a bit out here (hey, the beer is excellent and the food too good not to eat and the beach, pool and whale watching are generally more attractive than the gym!).
Anyway, Cranleigh Cycling Club jersey on, I got on my Fondriest TFZero (prepared for me for this very ride) and set off up Baldwin Avenue at about 08:10 – UP being the operative word for the day.
I guess I was feeling quite energised as the first few minutes were great. The bike felt good, I felt good. My plan, such as it was, basically meant me taking it steady the whole way – no mad speed at the beginning. I had to keep my HR under control, as I was expecting the altitude to cause problems higher up.
The road from Paiai to Makawao is really lovely. The sugar cane fields were waving in the breeze and everything was green and lush, albeit there was a fine misty rain in the air. I was quite grateful for this, as it was cooling me in the very humid morning. I am one of those who really sweats for Britain, so I have to keep hydrated when cycling. Humid conditions let you know when you are sweating, as you just stay wet, and I was, but wait till later for more sweat news!
The road climbed at about 5-6%. It was a good smooth surface and wide enough not to have to worry about cars (although so far the experience with motorists had been really good compared to home). Makawao is a nice little village where I think there is a famous bakery, with the best cream puffs, but not today. I saw one of the many downhill cycling support vans, and tapped on the window to check directions (I had previously missed a turn near here). The driver said that yes, I needed to turn right at the rodeo, and that the kick up in front of me was the steepest on the whole climb. Gee thanks I thought. In fact it was quite a kicker, and went up into double figures on the gradient. I spotted the tiny sign to Haleakala, and headed right, where the road was like a roller coaster for a while, with loads of downhillers streaming towards me, and the leader shouting good luck (this was to become a feature of the ride!).
My support crew missed the turning, and waited patiently for me to near them so they could take photos/video and get a drink ready. Hey ho, they eventually realised I was not coming, and looked for the right road. My son had sensibly made up a large container of electrolyte drink for me, and so could quickly refill my bottle when needed (which was frequently). I had also taken the advice of my good friend from Adelaide in Australia who said I needed something savoury to eat on top of the horrendous gels and so on. I had toasted some onion bagels and put cream cheese on them for a change from isogels and bars!
What is a climb in Surrey where I live? Box Hill, Bury Hill, Leith Hill, White Down, Barhatch? How long are they? OK they can be steep, but really not so long. I knew in my mind that a 33+ mile ride climbing over 10k feet would be tough, but when you find a 5% gradient is a relief, you know things are going to be a bit hard.
The scenery on the road is just amazing, but once again, when you are climbing it all gets a bit boring! I cannot believe that riding in this environment can be monotonous, but sadly several hours of climbing can be a bit like that.
There was a small downhill section, which at first I thought was great, until I thought that actually I have to get to a specific height, which means that any downhills would have to be re-climbed.
I went through the lower pastures, through the forests, into the higher pastures towards the scrub and then the desert. I think I was lucky that the cloud was low, such that the moisture was condensing on my arm hairs. The cloud was low such that there were fewer miles to climb in the cloudless altitude. Even so, with a gradient of 5%+ as the lowest, it was hard.
For the first few hours all I did was pedal and refuel. However when I entered the National Park I was clear that I had cycled further then I did before, and therefore had to carry on. The sign said there was another 22 miles to go. At my speed that was several hours of cycling. Luckily the only aim was to finish the ride, not break any records, or rules. I was so pleased to have made it this far and thought to myself that I had it in the bag. Ha! Although I never felt like giving up, it was hard and relentless. I stopped sweating, which is always a bad sign for me. I did feel sick from time to time, and had some bad bouts of cramp, but every now and then I would see my son in the distance with the GoPro ready. He had set it on the road, on a rock, on the car and so on – all managed using the viewfinder on his iPhone (amazing technology eh?).
I used the Garmin Virb to record a few sequences – mostly me going past signs showing the altitude, and me swearing that this was the last time I would try this. Recording the road for 5 hours would have been very boring.
Eventually I could see the observatories ahead of me and I knew that meant the top. A cyclist came down past me and said "nearly there". I was above the clouds, with a clear blue sky above, lava fields all around and a road which for me only went one way. I could see the visitor centre, but my target was a little observation hut at the upper car park. This last stretch was probably no more than half a mile, but it kicked up to 18%+ and my breathing was the fastest and hardest it had been. OK, so I had managed to pace myself just enough.
I hit the highest end of the car park and dismounted – I had done it. I was actually quite emotional at that point, not really believing that I had pushed myself to cycle 10,000ft vertical, or 3,000+m. I had to walk to the very top with the bike, to get the photo at the sign saying 10,023 ft above sea level.
The views were epic too – the crater itself is astonishing, and we could see the 2 big volcanoes on Big Island (Hawaii itself), Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa. One of them had snow on the top.
It was a really hard climb for me, but all the training and support made it happen – thanks to my family mostly, and to those who believed in me and helped make it happen.
9th March - The Journey Begins.
After a fantastic weekend of great weather, great riding and great company, I was still buzzing on Monday. I even had some video footage to show for it, thanks to the loan of the Garmin Virb (still can't understand the logic behind that name!) from Pure Motion Cycles in West Byfleet. Now it was time to make some final preparations before my journey began, including cleaning and packing my bike for its flight to Los Angeles, Kauai, and finally Maui for the ascent to the Sun!
Time was too tight to get out on the road bike this week; there is this little thing called life that tends to get in the way of training – work, scuba refresher courses, collecting from university and visiting relatives in Switzerland all happened to coincide this week. However Dave Lloyd wasn't going to let me get off too lightly. I managed to squeeze in an hour at 100RPM on the trainer on Monday, a session that I've become rather fond of. Leg spinning is a great way to build cadence, and practice really does make perfect as I'm finding it much easier to achieve a higher cadence nowadays.
Meanwhile, the Sarto Seta for Athlete Service arrived this week, an incredibly light and elegant bike that I'm sure will be making the rounds on the club runs soon. Another one is due in while I am away, which is going to one of my friends at Beyond Mountain Bikes. Just in time for peak season!
With just a few days until my trip to Kauai and Maui, I spent some time psyching myself up by reading other blogs about the climb. One guy missed his alarm and forgot gloves, which made me feel better about my own level of preparation. I hadn't really thought about taking warm gear, but when I checked the weather cam on top of Mt Haleakala the other day, there was snow! Hawaii is supposed to be sub-tropical – what the devil is snow doing up there?
I am excited at the prospect of my trip, although most apprehensive about the ride. Taking a bike and everything that goes with it is quite a major undertaking. I've stripped the bike down a lot, let the air out of the tyres, put the pedals in the bag, and added a spare tube. I also need to pack tools (a torque wrench is essential for carbon frames) and a proper pump.
Despite the busy week of travel, work and prep, I did manage to complete a Sufferfest Downward Spiral on Saturday. A relatively short session with a good warm up and cool down, I quite enjoy this workout. Sure, it's uncomfortable, but it's certainly manageable and an efficient way to train.
The final day before my trip flew by, and in between last minute prep and a rather lengthy scuba review I didn't get chance for a 'session.' However I think I'll need all the rest I can get before Hawaii – wish me luck!
2nd March - 2 Weeks To Go!
With just 2 weeks until my departure date, I awoke on Monday feeling sore from my weekend ride but ready for the challenge ahead. I kicked off the week with a 'spin the legs' session, and managed to sustain 90rpm for the whole hour.
My good friends at Pure Motion Cycles in West Byfleet have lent me a Garmin Virb – a handy gadget that records video along with GPS and other telemetry, to provide video playback with a data feed overlay. I'm planning to record some of the Ride to the Sun, although sadly I suspect that the battery life of 3 hours is shorter than the ride time (well, my ride time anyway!).
On Wednesday we hosted a Fondriest demo day at Beyond Mountain Bikes, where two people came to try out a TF3 and a TF4. One lady's initial scepticism about the TF4 was soon dispelled when she gained 5 minutes on her time for the 40k ride, and found climbing much faster and easier. As I told her, the bike can make a serious difference, especially when you compare a modern frame designed for performance with the older and rather entry-level bike she had been riding. Post ride coffees offered a chance to brag and share stories, with one rider claiming an output of 700W when climbing. He is pencil thin, weighs just 67kg, and has thighs that look more like my calves. I'm no hill sprinter, but on the flat into the wind everyone likes me being in the front – strong, steady and making a big hole in the air! I may just have to dream of being 70kg again.
Thursday involved another turbo session at low effort but high cadence, a workout that I'm finally starting to master. It's still pretty tedious on the trainer, but worth it – I've noticed the results. When I was out on the TFZero over the weekend, I found climbing better and pedalled at a fairly high rate a lot of the time. Although the easy gearing may have played a part!
The weekend brought more Fondriest demo riding, and Saturday's cake ride (featuring a lemon drizzle cake with a lovely sugary crisp top) involved 5 Fondriests and a lone Trek. As is usually the case, the newcomers to Fondriest were pleasantly surprised by the performance of the bikes. One chap, who raced a lot in his youth, was overwhelmed by the speed of the TF3 compared to his titanium bike; the guy riding the TF2 was at the front the whole time. A beautiful morning at 17mph is just the way to start the weekend – don't you think?
Fondriest is definitely flavour of the month, because there was yet another tester out on Sunday's club run. He was in a different group, but again was delighted with the improvement in his performance, which was bike-driven. We had a bit of a mechanical when "Gravity Jackson" took a tumble, causing damage to the mech hanger which subsequently transformed his Sunday morning bike ride into a taxi ride to the station to get the train home! Thankfully I had better luck, and managed to get a few more PBs on Strava; onwards and upwards as the main event approaches – or so I hope!
23rd February - The Big Day is Looming!
As the big day looms it seems that I have even less time to train – typical! Family matters took me to Italy early on Monday, and we didn't get back until Wednesday evening.
You know what they say: when in Rome (or Florence as it happened), do as the Romans do. In other words, we made the most of fine Italian food, including a visit to a favourite restaurant of mine near the San Lorenzo market, where they serve the best Trippa alla Fiorentina. We also had some family dinners during our stay, and gorged on lasagne, rabbit, veal, the obligatory pizza and fantastic local ice cream. Who knew that yoghurt and Nutella was such a good mix? Although I didn't touch a single beer, it hardly made up for the food and lack of training.
The trip involved a lot of sorting through 'stuff', in amongst which I found an old Bianchi bike, with the loveliest old Shimano groupset. I have plans for that bike, when I get round to it!
As is always the case when you go away, the next 24 hours involved catching up, meaning that I didn't train on Thursday either. However a dry and sunny Friday gave me the chance to finally take the Fondriest TFZero for a test ride, to see how it suited me. This is the bike I am taking to Maui, and it is a beauty. The frame is 695g, hand-built by Sarto, and I have my lovely Spin Koppenbergs on it, currently with 28mm tyres. I only intended to check it was OK, and wasn't trying to push it or me, but it flew up the local climbs and according to Strava I achieved PBs! Needless to say I was happy.
On my way home I dropped in to Beyond Mountain Bikes, where a friend was having a bike fit for his TT. After a chat, some banter, and a lot of water, I flew home at about 26mph on my magic bike.
I decided to do a gym session on Saturday. Ignoring the wastrels wasting their time with 15kg leg presses, I powered through a warm-up on the rowing machine, leg weights, shoulder weights and back exercises, before returning home for a session on the 'bike' and of course the rugby.
A bright and clear Sunday was the perfect opportunity for a muddy ride. I love riding in the sun - it seems to penetrate the deeper reaches of the brain and just make you feel good. I decided to join the club on a 50-mile route that factored in a few good climbs. The group had a smashing ride, with my Fondriest TF0 once again going up hills faster than usual. My friends were surprised by my newfound performance, but I really think it is the bike rather than the engine! Even so, it puts me in a slightly better position for the big climb than I'd hoped, especially as I don't foresee getting much time on the road before I leave. I guess I will just have to work hard in the gym and on the indoor trainer – every little helps!
16th February - 1 month to go!
With only a month until I leave for Hawaii, time is ticking all too fast! As well as stepping up my training, I have trips to Florence and Geneva on family business, and a bike demo weekend coming up. There really aren't enough hours in the day!
As if there isn't enough pressure on the trip, I'm now certain that my coach – Dave Lloyd – wants me to become a national champion, after he professed that he is an 'old school coach' at heart. I just want to get a bit fitter and conquer a mountain! And having spent Saturday with a bunch of very fit young women, I've become all too aware of my age.
Nevertheless, on Monday I put myself through the paces with a Sufferfest Violator routine – the intervals were pretty brutal, but it's clearly good for the fitness. No pain no gain, right?
Tuesday disappeared, but I managed to get to the gym for the first time in ages on Wednesday to do some weight training. I find that 2000m on the rower is a great warm-up exercise, especially if you focus on driving from your legs and back rather than your arms. Too many people get their technique wrong on the rowing machine, a real bugbear for ex-rowers like myself as I know just how much damage it can do. Anyway, it was good to mix up my routine with a few CV machines, weight machines and free weights as a mid-week workout.
Having spent a lot of time in the car on Thursday, I decided to take the night off so that I could give Dave's prescribed workout 100% on Friday. And it worked – I actually quite enjoyed tackling the programme (5 x 1 mile intervals, then 3 x ¾ mile intervals, then 2 x ½ mile intervals), primarily because I was able to see this one through to the end for once!
I've been picking up Fondriest UK bikes this week for an upcoming demo day I'm hosting at a local shop (Beyond Mountain Bikes). Amongst their impressive collection of demo bikes, was my special Mt Haleakala bike – the Fondriest TFZero (made by Sarto). With a 695g frame, DuraAce chainset and carbon pedals, it's a thing of beauty. I have borrowed a soft bag to take this out to Hawaii with me, and I've customised the bike by adding a 32T 105 cassette and a 105 long rear mech to cope. It will have my Spin Koppenberg 25mm wheels and 23 mm tyres when finished, so I'm looking forward to giving it a test spin.
I've done pretty much all I can to the bike to ensure it gets up the climb, short of adding a motor. Although I'm sure that I haven't trained nearly enough, I always feel like that before a big challenge. Time will tell – the countdown begins!
2nd February - Training and the West End
Allowing someone else to set you a training programme is a great way to enrich your routine with variety and new challenges, so Dave Lloyd kindly sent one over for the week ahead. However, it didn't get off to a great start on Monday when I opened the wrong one. Instead of a testing 1.25 hours at 100RPM to 120RPM, I embarked on a gentle recovery ride. Probably for the best - I can just about manage a prolonged 110TPM, but Dave's prescribed speed and duration was a tall order…
I hardly redeemed myself as the week went on - adhering to the plan proved to be difficult! Instead of putting myself through the paces with 12 x ½ mile flat-out intervals on Tuesday, I enjoyed a rather less strenuous two intervals at The Book of Mormon on the West End. Definitely worth a visit though, I might add. Wednesday's excuses were a little more valid, as a day jam-packed with errands soon disappeared, leaving me no time to get on the trainer.
Dave had warned that Thursday would be a 'hard day today,' and had prescribed 3 x 20 minutes lower Zone 5 (25mile TT pace - whatever the hell that is!), with 5 minutes recovery between each session. Unlike training outdoors, getting my HR to 158bpm on the turbo really pushes me to my limits. It seems to require so much more effort than the road bike, but with the frosty conditions outside I'd much prefer to train indoors. Eventually I bailed, although I did make up for it with a difficult Downward Spiral. You know you've been working hard when you finish feeling spaced out!
I thought that the Wales v England match on Friday would be good motivation to get my training done and dusted as soon as possible. Dave's plan called for 2x2 miles flat out, with 5 minute recovery; 3x1 mile intervals with 3 minute recoveries; 4x½ mile intervals with 3 minute recovery, then 5x30 second "all out" sprints with 1 minute recoveries. However a few early hiccups with the computer and measurements meant it soon went to pot, though I did put in an hour of fairly hard work before I replaced the trainer with the telly!
The weekend provides some welcome time on the clock for outdoor training, so on Saturday I decided to do some hills. I managed to tackle Box Hill 5 times in a row before cycling home feeling pretty happy with my performance. I'll have to do it again soon to compare my stats.
Sunday was a club day, but after a week of training my legs felt leaden. We managed 40 or so miles at a respectable speed, but despite lovely sunshine the cold and wind made it rather less pleasant than it should have been. Funny how the weather can make such a difference to your training - hopefully spring is on it's way soon so I can spend more time outdoors…
26th January - The Bike Place Show
After a busy weekend setting up at Silverstone, the effects of my wonderful massage had worn off by Monday. That said, regular sports massages are a godsend for cyclists – working at Bike Shows takes its toll too! Even with our relatively modest display, set up always takes longer than you think, especially when there is one lift available for everyone to use. Still, waiting for a lift beats tackling 11 flights of stairs.
If you haven't been to The Bike Place show, you're missing out. It's getting bigger every year as more and more people realise what a good venue and show Silverstone is. And without meaning to brag, we definitely had the best road bikes there – Sarto and Fondriest stole the show looking their finest.
Our display showcased almost the entire Fondriest range, including the new TFDisc with Shimano hydraulic disc brakes; Sarto included the Dinamica (made for Impact Cycles), the Seta, the Asola, the Lampo, and the special Campagnolo liveried bike made to order. In the middle was the Fondriest TF0, which I now plan to ride on my ascent of Mount Haleakala in March.
I've touched on the challenges of maintaining the diet during shows before, but this time we were quite abstemious. 'Quite' because Brian and I had brought some of our home brews to sample and compare; Brian's "Awesomestow Ale" went down very well, whilst my Belgian-inspired brew certainly marked high on strength if nothing else.
As shows fall on the weekend, they also impact training and much-needed downtime. Nevertheless, it was great to catch up with SpinMeister Drew Gill from Spin Industries, who arrived on Tuesday with some lovely home baked cookies. He's provided great wheels for many of our bikes – I'm particularly pleased with my Spin Koppenbergs, nice light alloy wheels. The Velosport Pasta Montegrappa ladies racing team will also be sporting his wheels, on Fondriest TF3s.
Wednesday was spent recuperating from the Show, and a recovery session on the turbo was a welcome re-introduction to training, giving the legs a steady spin. Philippa gave me some stretches to practice to keep me supple, so I incorporated them into my training too.
Feeling well rested, I decided to do a Sufferfest Downward Spiral on Thursday. This is a bit of a pig, but I quite like the structure of the reverse pyramid – 2 minutes hard, 2 minutes recovery then 1 minute 45 hard and 1 minute 45 recovery etc. You work your way down to 15 seconds flat out and then have a 5-minute rest before embarking on the process again. I managed it pretty well – at the very least it was good to get it out of the way.
On Friday we went up to Cambridge to see my son, who's in his 2nd year studying Natural Sciences. We combined the visit with a night at the Corn Exchange to see the hilarious Omid Djalili – well worth the trip and a day off the exercise. Or two as it happened, because we got home so late that it wrote off a Saturday morning ride!
I was delighted to wake up to a warm and bright Sunday morning, so spent most of the day outside working in the garden and on the bike. I did 3 reps up Staple Lane, a 10-minute climb that's perfect for days when you're a little time poor. It's always good to get out on a real bike and do some real roads instead of the turbo, even if it's a short session.
However at the end of a week that gave limited opportunity for training, I still think the big climb is going to be very tough.
19th January - Training and Recovery
Now that I've shaken off my cold, it's back to work with a vengeance. I can feel the hand of time on me as the trip to Hawaii looms, and I have some serious catching up to do. That said, I am really looking forward to going away – I'm just worried I won't be fit enough to get up that mountain!
The good news is that I'm losing weight. Although I don't subscribe to 'Dry January' motives, alcohol is incredibly fattening, so I cut it out of my diet after New Year. Like everyone else, I love wine and beer – I've even made my own home brew – but I've resisted the temptation of draining the delicious beers my boys gave me for Christmas. Alongside cutting wheat, caffeine and dairy from my diet, the results have been fast and effective.
Before you praise my will power, I hate feeling hungry. However even I have been able to stick to this diet, as you can eat as much as you want, so long as it's structured. Whilst I started out rather sceptical about the Fast Metabolism diet, it does seem to work. You're given certain food groups to eat on certain days, to wash down with about 3 litres of water daily. Having lost 2kg in 2 ½ weeks, that weight can't just be water. There's a long way to go but so far so good, although it may be hard to maintain the diet when I'm away from home.
This week, I started out with a steady state turbo session on Monday, maintaining Z3 for about an hour at 90+rpm. Listening to the radio and watching TV is a great way to pass the time, although I was well aware that my fitness was lacking – my muscles felt tight and uncomfortable, not a good sign!
On Tuesday I made my way around the country collecting some brilliant bikes, including a lovely blue and yellow Fondriest TF3, a Sarto Seta, as well as a set of stunning Spin 50mm carbon wheels. My diet had a momentary lapse when I met my son for dinner – the Maximus burger at Bath Brew House has to be seen to be believed. However I managed to resist sampling the delights of the microbrewery, which on a normal day would have been heaven. I'll have to return when I'm not training…
Wednesday was a combination of cleaning and turbo work. As well as preparing bikes for the Silverstone show, I attempted 1 mile intervals on the turbo with poor results. Slow on the intervals, a sluggish heart rate, burning legs and difficult breathing were yet another reminder that my fitness needs improving, although I did manage over an hour to make up for my lack of performance.
Needless to say a sports massage couldn't have come soon enough, so on Thursday morning I visited the lovely Philippa Long at the Guildford Sports Clinic. She works in the basement of the local running shop, FitStuff. However any illusions of a gentle massage were soon dispelled, as my tight muscles proved problematic. I tore my left calf muscle a few years ago, and could feel a definite lump in it as she deftly applied her strong hands to my limbs. It was a great experience, and afterwards I was definitely in a relaxed, almost spaced-out state, but boy did my legs hurt!
Hopefully I'll fare better next week as I get back into the swing of things. I do hope so because time is ticking!
12th January - 9 Weeks to go!
Nearly halfway through January and another week began with a clogged chest and achy sinuses. However training doesn't do itself, so on Monday night I powered through an hour on the turbo trainer to ease myself back into the routine. Whilst I was never going to smash my personal best at a gentle 110 bpm, it felt good to get the legs turning and have a long stretch afterwards.
With 9 or so weeks until I leave for the Pacific, the health blip has left me a little nervous – not to mention weak and tired. But then again, when you're as old as me a bad cold really takes it out of you. Things started to look up on Tuesday though, and if anything the bad times only fill you with determination to come back stronger.
On Wednesday I'd arranged to visit Dr D, the man also known as "the bike whisperer". Seeing that the poor guy had come down with a nasty cold too, I felt a little less sorry for myself. He was in his pyjamas when I turned up to collect the Sarto Asola from him, and was heading straight back to bed after I left. Hope he gets better soon - I think everyone's immune systems have been feeling the strain after Christmas!
Did anyone else read Road.cc's "Top Upgrades for Your Bike in 2015"? I was delighted to see my choice of hoops was so highly regarded, whilst the groupset I use (Shimano Ultegra 6800) also got a mention! All that was missing from their list was my frame, but hey, they have yet to learn!
Once the frost and ice had melted away on Saturday I took the opportunity for an afternoon ride. It was great to get out in the sun and fresh air on a beautiful winter's day, but my heart rate was still too elevated for the speed I was doing. The body is a fragile thing really, and it was a reminder that I'm not back to 100% just yet.
The cold spell lasted through Sunday morning, so rather than risk the roads I chose a turbo session – the Sufferfest Downward Spiral! Although this is an interval session I really quite enjoy it if I'm honest - possibly because it has structure. Having worked at what I thought was a reasonable pace, I was disappointed when my HR trace told me it was mostly Z3-4. How annoying to have lost performance so quickly – I thought I was working much harder!
After a pretty poor week of training, there's nothing like talking to the younger generation to boost the confidence levels; my son generously reminded me that at my age my body is degrading at a faster rate than I can upgrade it! But age is just a number, right?
Christmas and New Year
There's something nice about the familiar – especially over Christmas when routine gets turned on its head! A Monday evening would not be the same without a gentle leg rotate on the turbo torturer, and this week was no exception.
However never wanting to miss an opportunity to get on my bike, Tuesday's turbo session was replaced with a ride to the garden centre. I had to get something for my sister, and why take the car!? Taking a detour home, I voluntarily did a couple of hills and felt good for the blast out. The roads were pretty empty (apart from a pretty hairy moment where some cretin overtook me on a narrow stretch) and relatively dry. Getting out on the bike beats sitting on the indoor trainer hands down every time – it always puts me in a great mood.
Christmas Eve soon disappeared with plenty of last-minute things to do, although I did manage to squeeze in a nice afternoon beer with a cycling chum. We chewed the fat and put the world to rights. If you can't do it at Christmas when can you!
The big day arrived and thankfully I was spared the task of cooking with an invite to my parents' house for lunch. I mustered the motivation to cycle there on the basis that it was (a) a good thing to do before a big meal and (b) the last change I'd have to ride for a while with my ski trip looming! My Christmas Day morning ride proved to be great fun; with very little traffic to speak of I covered the 22.5 miles in an hour and a quarter, with an average speed of 17.7mph. Whilst I was pretty pleased with my effort, I ruined it with a huge quantity of rich food, washed down with fine wine.
In the wake of too much turkey and red wine, skiing in Austria was a perfect escape. It was lovely out there – the hotel was great as was the skiing – however cold outdoor weather combined with roasting indoor temperatures provided to be ideal conditions for whatever virus I managed to catch! 2015 started with a sneeze and a cough, rendering me useless for training. Even going upstairs leaves me out of breath – how inconvenient!
That said, I still have a couple of months before the big hill climb, so I can afford a few days off. After weeks of weighing up what to do with the bike situation, the balance is swinging in favour of taking my own rather than renting. That way I can practice on some of the roads in Maui before heading out for the 'big one'. I am actually quite excited by the prospect of exploring parts of Maui by bike.
With a New Year comes the traditional resolutions, and in a bid to lose a few kilos before March I've embarked on a new diet. But don't worry, I'm not talking about any fad diet – this one is great because I get to eat every few hours. However I have cut out alcohol, dairy and caffeine and replaced it with 3 litres of water a day. My kidneys don't know what's hit them!
15th December – Winter Base Continues
Christmas is a busy time in the social calendar, and another family party was a great end to the weekend before a very wintery week of cycling.
On a side note, I read a rather interesting bike review recently that offers some food for thought. The magazine was awash with reviewers raving about a fantastic new carbon bike made in the UK. They loved the bike, the way it rode and the fact that it was produced on home soil. Intrigued about the product, I did a little digging of my own and found that they had all been duped – the bike was made in Italy.
Can you really trust reviews when the writers simply recycle the information given by the supplier without checking it? Do you do extra research when reading up on new bikes and accessories?
Anyway, back to my winter base week! Monday got off to a great start with a lovely meditative recovery (from overindulgence!) on the turbo. 60 minutes at over 100rpm got the juices well and truly flowing again, leaving me in high spirits. However that session proved to be the calm before the storm, as on the agenda for Tuesday was 45 minutes at the sweet spot. Whilst this is relatively easy on the bike, it's much tougher – not to mention a little boring – on the trainer. That said, I felt good for it afterwards, especially knowing that Wednesday was a Zone 2 ride.
Bright winter sun greeted me on Friday, making it an easy decision to forego the turbo and get outside for some fresh air and psyche healing. Besides, the evening turbo session had already been ruled out, as a ticket to see Lucy Punch perform in 'Great Britain' was too good to miss. We had
a lovely evening, and London at Christmas never ceases to amaze with its magic - the Shard had special lighting to appear like a firework, and the whole scene was incredibly festive.
I was prepared for an ass-kicking on Saturday morning when I met Kerry - a young, fit, personal trainer – for a ride. Thankfully she took pity on my sluggish speed and was gentle with me, so it turned out to be a great blast out in the sun. The icing on the cake (literally) had to the freshly baked cake awaiting us when we returned!
Sunday marked the last Club run before Christmas, and a rather jolly one at that. The local pub laid on coffee and mince pies before the ride, followed by a far more leisurely stroll on the bikes than usual. The perfect way to wind down the weekend with only a few days until Santa arrives!
8th December week – Power Base
A family knees-up is a worthy excuse to forego training. Yesterday, good food naturally took the place of my bike to celebrate my uncle's 25th wedding anniversary, although as designated driver I stayed sober as a saint. On the other hand there was a very good cake – say no more!
The start of the week flew by in a flash, and a late Monday working in London followed by a day trip to France on Tuesday meant there was no time to focus on my training. So I dare say I was looking forward to getting back on the turbo trainer when Wednesday arrived. Whilst I'm a firm believer that training outdoors soothes the soul, the blustery December weather makes the turbo a much safer and drier option.
A good base hour on the bike is a great way to ease yourself back into the routine after a few days off, and it certainly got my legs moving and the sweat flowing. However I must say that the term 'sweet spot' – riding at about 95% of your threshold HR – is something of a misnomer when applied to the turbo. Although 30 minutes riding at that pace through the countryside is actually quite satisfying, I find it much harder to get my heart rate up with 10 minute reps indoors. Who's with me on this one?
My point was proven on Saturday, when I finally met up with my BeforeTheTour pal (fixed chain intact!) and a club friend for a blast in the great outdoors. Cold as it was, we worked up quite a speed for the first hour, which reassured me that I wasn't losing my touch. However Nic and I politely passed on the 100 mile target that our friend was hoping to cover. After all, it was a Saturday afternoon.
I'm currently weighing up whether to take my own hand built bike to Haleakala, or to rent a standard sized bike on Maui. Of course I'd rather take my own, but this could be tricky not to mention expensive… Oh the joys of being a cyclist!


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Home Insurance 101
Home Insurance Fayetteville NC – We work, raise a family, buy a home, and make memories. Protecting that lifestyle is important. Suggs Agency knows that. Therefore we take pride in knowing everything we need to about Home Insurance. Our team does the research. We work with multiple carriers so that when the time comes to cover your most valuable investment, we are ready.
Homeowners Coverage may protect you in the event of:
- Burglary and Theft
- Water and Pipe Damage
- Liability Suits
- Destruction from natural disasters or fallen trees
Home Insurance is comprised of many coverage types.
Coverage A
The Dwelling – This includes the actual structure of the home and attached structures. Some examples are an attached garage.
Coverage B
Other Structures – This includes any structures not attached to the home. One example is a storage building, gazebo, etc.
Coverage C
Personal Property or Contents – This includes anything not permanently affixed to the home. IE. Clothing, furniture, electronic equipment, etc.
Coverage D
Loss of Use – If you need a hotel room while repairs are being made to the home, this area covers that expense.
Coverage E
Personal Liability – If a non family member injures themselves on the property, this covers loss of wages and other personal liabilities.
Coverage F
Medical Payment – This covers any medical expenses to injured parties other than family members.
There are also limits that are required by the state. Don't get stuck having to foot the bill for repairs or personal injuries. Make sure you carry at least 80% coinsurance on your home insurance policy. Total Insurance Center has all the details. Check with your agent to find out more. You can also reference handy guides like the Consumer Guide to Home Insurance.

subset: commoncrawl


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Sooner or later, most likely sooner, you'll come across a trail where it'll seem like the animal levitated across that stretch of ground … And even though you know the tracks have to be there you feel like you can't see any.
Never give up (unless that works) … There are ways …
This page contains video clips exploring those ways … To use when you hit that particular wall.
Concept Illustrated: Finding the Next Track…
The idea: The focus of this illustration is reading the current track for clues about where to look for the next track.
Reading the current track to tell where the foot was headed will point you towards the next track … A skill guaranteed to be useful. One way to begin learning this skill is to find or create a track that is a change in direction of forward motion and study it. Watching the formation of some of the larger track structures that indicate that change will give one a starting place from which to begin that study.
In this clip a human right foot is used to give some idea of how the foot and sand interact when the foot serves as a push point to move the body gently to the left, and what signs of this push are left in the track.
This clip does not show all the indicators of a turn … One big and obvious indicator was intentionally left out (that's a clue)!
Ways to find the next track … Or predict where it will be found…
(This is not a complete list)
The Tracking Stick: Ancient technology … Multiple uses … It works. How can you use it to find the next track … While standing?
Reading the current track: Can tell you how much energy was used, where the energy was going, how they used the foot, and which direction they moved.
Feel Tracking: Another method for finding tracks … Requiring one to sense the track (this is no joke).
The author heard about this in an introductory class taught by Tom Brown, Jr.. After some skepticism the author tried it and discovered that Tom was right, it really does work!
The author has used this method several times, the last time he felt a warm spot in the palm of his hand while it was held over an easily visible track, and by using this method he was able to find a series of tracks that were only faint flattenings, slight scuffs, a pebble nudged out of its bed, or faint depressions.
The trail meandered, passing through a shaded area on a dirt road of hard-packed damp sandy/stony topsoil that had been rained on the night before.
This shaded hard-packed area is where Feel Tracking came in handy. (On this local soil rain acts to make the soil settled, rigid and packed, and the fine dust gets washed back in among the stones and sand grains.)
Feel tracking is especially useful in spots where substrate movements as a track is being made are minimal or where the natural lighting isn't bringing out details.
How to do it:
Start with the track just before the animal levitated. Hold your hand about an inch or two above that track (palm down works for the author) and avoid touching the track if you can. Now slowly move your hand back and forth or sideways above the track, far enough that your hand clears the track an is above undisturbed ground.
When your hand is above the track, or partially that way, you may notice a sensation; warmth on the palm, or back of the hand, or a tingle in the shoulder muscle, or something unique to you.
This sensation is the indicator that your hand is above or very near a track. Since it may be different for you … Experiment. Learning to tune into this sensation may take some time so don't give up easily.
Now move your hand slowly in the direction of travel and pay attention to the same location on your body where you first noticed the sensation. Sometimes a series of short arcs across the area works also. When you get that sensation again examine the area under your palm closely, looking for the track, it may be faint so look carefully.
To follow a trail of hard to see tracks you may need to repeat this process, marking the location of each track, until you find one that is obvious.
Another experiment: What are the limits for this sense? An inch…A yard…A mile? What happens if, after you've sensed one of these tracks, you aim your palm up the trail?
(Human foot mesh modified from MakeHuman.org)
——————– ——————— —————————————–
Concept Illustrated: Adjusting Lighting to Increase Visibility of Tracks
The Idea: This illustration demonstrates a valuable technique for using a light source, here a flashlight, to reveal and control which details you see in a track.
Shadows make tracks visible and bring out the details. At night, in heavy shade, and even during the day when clouds or angle of the sun reduce the amount of shadow, tracks and details may not be visible.
During the day and even in full sun you can bring out more detail by using some object to cast shade around and across the track and then reflecting sunlight into the shaded area.
——————– ——————— —————————————–
Concept Illustrated: Track on 'Bare' Rock (Red Fox Front Foot)
The idea: Some tracks can be found even on "bare" rock and this is only a hint at the obvious version.
Concept Illustrated: Using Stone Rolls to Find Tracks
The idea: Searching for disturbances of stones embedded in soil is another way to find tracks when they aren't obvious … Illustrate this concept using a small-ish stone rolled by a deer foot …
Well, ok, that photo to the left might be a slight exaggeration … Just a little. Yet it does demonstrate the main idea.
Soil conditions, and the way those affect soil response to a foot, are constantly changing. When tracks are created in some soil conditions it's easy to find them, in other conditions not so much.
For example: In this area while it is raining faint tracks can wash away, and deep tracks slump. When the rain ends this soil drains quickly, but can stay damp and packed for quite a while, even a day or more. So packed and settled that the hoof of a deer walking after the rain sometimes leaves only the faintest of tracks.
When soil conditions hold only faint tracks … Dullings, scuffs, slight depressions, etc. … It can take much longer to read or follow even a section of a trail.
Sometimes it is useful to minimize the time it takes to find the tracks you need to see. How? There are several strategies. One is to search for stone rolls, and this is especially easy on open ground after a soaking rain when everything has settled into a fresh, undisturbed surface.
What happens to the soil when it rains? Ever watch? That's a good place to start. In this area the rain carries soil into and seals the gaps where embedded stones and soil surface meet, and rounds the edges of holes already in the soil … And the surface will weather from this state unless something has disturbed it.
The least sign left when someone does disturb this surface can be kinda faint. As little is a tiny open crack at what was the rain-sealed boundary of soil and stone, a faint dulling or a slight depression.
More obvious sign can include stones knocked completely out of their beds, leaving a patchy trail of disturbed stones that can be easily seen with a little practice.
Like most other track features there are large stone rolls and tiny … Old stone rolls and fresh … Stones just slightly rocked in their beds, or pushed deeper … And stones so large they don't seem to notice they were stepped on, fortunately there is dust everywhere.
Concept Illustrated: Lifts and Drops as Track Features and Indicators of Direction of Foot Movement
The idea: "Lifts" … things stick to the foot surface as the track is made and are moved along with the foot until they fall, or are knocked off. The holes or imprints left can be all or part of the track, the material stuck on the foot can also distort the next track.
And … "Drops" … things fall away from or are knocked off the moving foot … These can sometimes indicate direction of travel for the foot.
The idea here is to illustrate the process of a lift and the subsequent drops, also the ways they may give clues about direction of foot travel.
Soil conditions are constantly varying. Lifts can happen in almost any soil when conditions favor. In the photo at left it is 7:40 a.m. on April 28 at about 9,000 feet. The sun rose at about 6 a.m. but only reached this spot recently enough to thaw a thin layer of the hard-packed damp sand still frozen from a long cold winter, while also melting a shallow layer of snow from the previous evening. It's an interesting example for reading the age of a track.
When the author was a kid he learned to avoid certain places, clay-rich ground for example, where walking became progressively more difficult as the mud built on his shoes (and slippery? Ever try greasy clay mud skating?) … Once back on dryer ground an obvious trail of mud grew as bits fell off with every step.
The next track … There always is one, but seeing it is sometimes a serious challenge. Reading the clues in the last track found … those about where that foot went … is a valuable tool for finding the hard to see track.
Do you think there might be more than one kind of useful information in the trail of soil particles and surface debris lifted away and dropped from the foot as it leaves contact with the earth … Some falling away as the foot travels back to the ground … some carried into the next track or even further?
Lifts can range from a single sand grain up to an area as large as everything else stuck on the bottom and sides of the foot, and can carry useful information from the track where they originated clear into the next several tracks. Or even back home … Might Sherlock Holmes have deduced where the shoes had been from the kind of mud freshly caked on parts of a shoe?
——————- ——————- ———————
The links below will take you to the rest of the illustrations.
Page: The Concepts of Tracking…
Testing Sand
The Translucent Foot
Whole Track: Red Fox – One Forward Step
Page: Foot Movements …
Canine Claw Tip Leaves Track in Fine Sand
Page: How To Read Tracks …
Dust Compressions (Dull on Shiny by Canine Toe Pad)
Simple Tire Track and Direction of Travel
True Track (Canine Toe Pad)
Page: Species …
Deer Foot – One Walking Step
Red Fox Front and Rear Feet – Side Trot
Page: Track Features …
Pressure Against the Track Wall (Canine Toe Pad)
Simple ? Wave
The Layer of Sand in Contact With The Foot
The Ridge Between Canine Front Toes
Page: Trails …
The Human Trail
Following a Trail


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- Notorious bandit Pocky Zhang is the Robin Hood of 1920s China. He and his gang steal from the wealthy and have genuine concern for the poor. When they try to rob a train, they discover that the Governor traveling inside is a fraud. He conned his way into his position and is now preying on small villages and collecting illegal taxes from those who have never seen the real official. Zhang decides to team up with this conman and try the clever scam in a the next town down the line. Once they arrive, however, they must battle the equally Machiavellian Master Huang, the local godfather who has beaten them to the punch and already holds the town in his tyrannical grip.
*Note: In chinese with English subtitles.


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Archive for the 'What I Drank This Week' Category
What I Drank Last Month (Nov 2013) Part 1
by Nikki Lincoln
I had a very crazy November and although I didn't have time to write, I definitely made sure to taste lots of amazing wines. I hadn't realized just how many of the wines I had last month were truly spectacular until I had to back up all of my pictures on the eve of getting a new cell phone. I had to make sure all of my tasting notes were saved somewhere in case they didn't transfer to the new phone and in the process I realized that I better get writing so I can share all of these things with you!
Once I got everything down, I realized it would be better for me to split this post into two so you can look forward to the second half next week!
Kivelstadt 2011 Father's Watch Red Blend
I tried my first Kivelstadt wine a few months ago at Hotel Biron. It was an amazing Rose of Mouvedre and I was excited to see that the winery made several other Rhone varietals. I was able to get some samples and was very excited to start trying them. The first of the bunch was the Father's Watch Red Blend, a blend of Syrah, Carignan, Mouvedre, and Grenache. The wine had lovely pomegranate, earth, and leather flavors. It had a great balance of all of the varietals (which are some of my favorites on their own as well). The wine was quite light for a predominantly Syrah blend and was very enjoyable both on its own and with food. The Kivelstadt wines continue to impress me and I'm excited to crack into more of the samples.
Price: $26
Alamos 2012 Torrontes
The Alamos Torrontes is another wine I received as a sample. I had been very impressed with the Malbec when I had tried it a few months ago and was looking forward to trying more of their Argentinian style wines. When I decided to have a creamy soup for dinner one night, I knew I wanted to grab a bright, acidic wine to help cut the heaviness of the dish. The pear and green apple of this wine really had the crisp flavor that I was looking for and it paired wonderfully with what would have otherwise been a very heavy dinner.
Price: $13
Fenestra 2012 Alvarelhão
I came across Fenestra at the TAPAS Tempranillo tasting and was happy to see that their wines included many Portuguese varietals in addition to Tempranillo. I had never heard of Alvarelhão and fell in love with it as soon as I tasted it. I bought a few bottles and after looking up their wines for this post, am really happy that I did. It seems as though they do not always sell the wine. If you happen across it, I would strongly suggest buying some.
The wine has a beautiful ruby color with tastes of blueberry, raspberry, plum, and cherry. The flavor intensifies with each taste, and truly is an amazing wine. I would really like to get out to Livermore and track down a few more bottles of this interesting varietal.
Price: $19.50
William Hill 2010 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
I'm a sucker for traditions, no matter how small they might be. The rule is, if you've done it twice, it's a tradition. One of my most persistent traditions is watching V for Vendetta every November 5th. Sometimes the date sneaks up on me and I have to push the movie back a day or two but luckily there are usually plenty of Facebook reminders to make sure I don't miss it all together.
I decided to pair this bold movie with an equally robust wine and went with a sample of the William Hill Cabernet Sauvignon. The wine had a bright red fruit flavor with dark cherry and blackberry as well. I also picked up a lot of the oak flavor from the barrel which added a nice spice touch. The wine felt very appropriate for fall and was perfect for my movie watching.
Price: $40
What I Drank The Last Few Weeks (Sept 23-Oct 27)
by Nikki Lincoln
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Here's another post with my recent wine reviews for your enjoyment! I've been trying to get some notes together on a few tasting nights I had recently had but for now, here's my usual post of the interesting wines I've gotten to try recently.
Townley 2008 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, The Shizzle, Napa Valley
I had a lot to celebrate a few weeks ago when I learned that I passed my WSET Level 2 Exam with Merit. The test was harder than expected so I was very happy to hear that I had one of the highest scores and I knew I needed to open something special. Last post, I wrote about the Townley Pinot. Since I loved that one so much, I thought I would open the Townley Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon which is appropriately named "The Shizzzle." The wine is very tannic with deep blackberry flavors. It's definitely a BIG wine and felt appropriate for a big accomplishment. I paired it with a little bit of a lamb stew and it just felt like an appropriate fall meal. The wine was still very good the next day and maintained much of its big, bold flavor. If you love bold reds, this is a great wine for you.
Price: $75
Red Rock® 2012 Menoza Malbec
One of the routines I've been really wanting to set up is a good workout pattern. After a couple of weeks at the new job, I made semi-weekly rock climbing dates with a couple of friends. Now that I've gotten my work and commute routine set more and my personal life is steady, I've also been adding in extra workout routines and it's been great. Every Wednesday I go climbing with a friend and as such, I tried to leave work on time so I could meet my friend in time. Somehow I managed to get on the wrong train not once, not twice, but three times. Eventually I made it to the gym to meet my friend for our climb and we stayed after and did a leg workout. Needless to say, when I got home I was ready for a big glass of wine and healthy dinner. I was happy that I had some leftover steak w/mushrooms, kale w/ bacon, and mashed sweet potatoes. I thought a nice, hearty red would go well with my dinner and decided to open a sample wine that I had recieved: the Red Rock 2012 Malbec.
The wine had a bold, tart cherry flavor with some prune as well as earthy notes. I also picked up some boysenberry. It paired beautifully with my food and the berry flavors complemented the red meat wonderfully. I like to consume as many different colors as possible in a meal and the bold red really helped round out my dinner. It was a wonderful way to relax after a long commute and a strenuous workout
Price: $13.99
Bonny Doon 2012 Vin Gris de Cigare
William introduced me to some Bonny Doon wines as part of my Jedi Wine training and as such, I get really excited when I see them on wine lists or in wine shops. On my last trip to LA, this was no exception. I went out to James Beach in Venice Beach with some coworkers for some famous fish tacos and was happy to learn that a number of the wines were half off for a bottle. This brought them down to their retail level and was a steal. Since my co-workers know about my wine adventures, I was tasked with picking a bottle and once I saw the Bonny Doon 2012 Vin Gris, I knew what I was getting.
The Grenache, Mourvedre, Roussanne, Grenache Blanc, Cinsault blend had freshfreshing grapefruit, blood orange, strawberry, and cranberry notes. It was a lovely wine for a warm Venice night and the pale salmon color looked great against the beach sunset.
Price: $16
Copolla Sofia Blanc de Blanc Mini
Last Friday was Champagne day and, of course, I didn't realize it until day of. I sadly didn't have any champagne at home and there was none at the Halloween party I stopped by at. On any other day, I probably could have justified running to the store for a bottle but I was running a race the next day and I didn't want to tempt myself with drinking the whole bottle. I've messed up many a race by having more than "just one drink" the night before so I decided to open up one of my Sofia mini's – single servings of the Coppola sparkling wine. Although it wasn't true champagne, I still had fun drinking my little can of sparkling wine in solidarity and I didn't drink so much that I had a hard time with my race the next day. I actually really love these little cans of wine. They're easy to throw into a purse and people always get a kick out of them. As someone who doesn't really drink beer, they make a nice alternative if you feel that your alcoholic beverage needs to come out of a can.
Price: $5 each or $20 for a box of 4
Campovida 2007 Fairbairn Ranch Syrah
Last Saturday, I participated in the NorCal Warrior Dash. I have a bit of an athletic side that I don't show here too much. That athletic side, however, does not encompass running. I try to sign up for races sometimes that have other obstacles and things (which as a climber, I really enjoy) to encourage me to run more. So after a long morning of uphill running, obstacles, and wading through mud, I was excited to go to a Halloween party and bring a really nice bottle of wine.
I was lucky enough to be invited to a beautiful wedding at the beautiful Campovida Vineyard a couple of months ago. I had several glasses of the Syrah and was excited to go back the next day and pick up a bottle of that and the rosé that was so popular at the rosé tasting this summer. While browsing through my collection, I really wanted to open a nice bottle of wine and as soon as my eyes landed on the Syrah, I knew what I was grabbing. The wine had a lovely dark berry flavor with hints of oak and smoke. It was the perfect way to celebrate post race and was very popular at the party as well.
Price: Not listed but I believe it was in the $35 range
Las Rocas 2012 Rosé
I knew my Sunday would be spent relaxing my legs after all of that running. I spent most of the day at a bottomless mimosa brunch and in the evening, I decided to continue my relaxation with a bottle of Las Rocas Rosé that I'd had chilling.
The super light cranberry, lemon, and raspberry notes were a great end to my weekend. For an inexpensive Rosé, this wine was dry and had a great, light flavor. It is definitely something I would buy again.
Price: $10
And with that… Happy Halloween everyone! Is there a particularly frightening wine you plan on enjoying tonight?
What I Drank the Last Few Weeks (August 15 – September 22)
By Nikki Lincoln
The last few weeks of wine fun have been kind of a blur. With my WSET studies, a lot of my wine tasting was in a more formal set up rather than the one offs that I prefer for this series so I realized that even though I skipped a few weeks, I still had about the same amount to write about. It was an exciting and delicious month of wine drinking though and I'm excited to share some of that with all of you.
Two Sheperds 2011 Pastoral Blanc 375 mL
2009 Viandante del Cielo Pinot Noir Skywalker Ranch
Turkovich Family Wines 2011 Grenache
Alamos 2011 Mendoza Selección Malbec
All in all, the month was filled with some wonderful wines and the reviews practically wrote themselves. I'm also happy that I have other varietals on hand from each of those winemakers (except Skywalker…) and you'll be seeing more about them in future reviews.


text:
The Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources is continuing its support of the Northwest School of Exploration & Mining pilot program based at Northwest Community College's School of Exploration & Mining through renewed funding in the amount of $300,000. Offered in partnership with the Smithers Exploration Group (SEG), the pilot program delivers basic exploration skills training programs to local and First Nations communities in the northwest region of the province. 2005 marked the first year of its operation which resulted in seven separate offerings of the 6-day Basic Mining Exploration Skills program and a Driller's Helper Program. The program provided graduates with the necessary pre-employment skills to obtain employment with exploration companies and was offered onsite in base camps located throughout the northwest. "Working with SEG the College has been able to play a significant role in the economic resurgence of the northwest. With this continued support from Government, we can continue to build capacity in the northwest and provide a job ready workforce for this burgeoning industry," states NWCC President, Stephanie Forsyth. "The School has already proved it can respond quickly to industry training needs," says Gary Thompson President of SEG. "This second grant will help us to continue providing job ready employees to the 2006 field season." Exploration spending in northwest BC topped $100 million in 2005 and is expected to be higher this year. The funding is part of the government's initiative to expand training for youth from rural and Aboriginal communities to enable them to pursue careers in BC's mining and mineral exploration industry. The Northwest School of Exploration & Mining pilot program has set the standard for delivery from which the government will expand educational offerings throughout the province. "This is a real affirmation of the power of industry/education partnerships to deliver employment-ready graduates. The minerals sector is offering both good pay and great employment opportunities in our rural and Aboriginal communities, and we want to show them we've got exactly the kind of skilled workforce they need. It's important that we track employers' satisfaction with our graduates, and modify programs based on their input," comments Margo Van der Touw, Dean of Continuing and International Education at NWCC. NWCC's School of Exploration and Mining is headquartered in Smithers which will be the launch site of the Ministry's "Mining Rocks - Job and Career Opportunities Tour 2006." The School will be featured at the job and career fair which kicks off on February 22nd. This year will see an expansion of the School's program offerings. The new Mining Exploration Field Assistant program will be showcased at this year's Minerals North conference being held in Mackenzie from April 27 - 28. The program is an offshoot of the successful Basic Mining Explorations Skills program. Based on follow up research with employers and students in 2005, the School will be extending the length of the program, increasing the focus on safety training. The program will be running in Mackenzie during the conference and participants will be able to tour the program's base camp and experience first hand the educational setting and training area. "The industry is telling us they like the fact we offer practical training under real conditions, with instruction by industry experts. We're working with the industry on a new range of offerings for Exploration and Mining as we speak," continues Van der Touw. For more information on the program offerings of NWCC's School of Exploration & Mining contact Tracy Moore at 250-847-4461 ext 5822 or toll-free 1-877-277-2288.
News release
July 13, 2017
Northwest Community...


text:
Choose from Three Options
- $36 for one gel or shellac manicure and one signature pedicure (a $75 total value)
- $17 for one gel or shellac manicure (a $35 value)
- $19 for one signature pedicure (a $40 value)
Signature pedicures replace traditional soak with hot, steamed towels before feet are exfoliated and massaged. Fingernails and toenails are then shaped and polished, and cuticles treated. Gel and Shellac manicures provide a sturdier, more protective layer over natural nails. To ensure customer's wellbeing and safety, all implements used are sterilized or thrown away after each use.
Meli Nail Spa
Nail technician Demi gives her full attention to each client settled in her private, one manicure station suite. Here, she carefully examines digits, determining their level of health, before beautifying them with coats of polish or, for an additional fee, nail art. Demi also fosters healthy nails with no-soak pedicures, which replace traditional foot soaks with sterilized, hot towels that soften the skin with steam.


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Twiggy Rare Signed Contract AgreementTwiggy Rare Signed Contract Agreement - Signed contract agreement, December 1977, two pages, in which Twiggy agrees to host the television show "The Music That Will Never Stop" for A.L.A. Productions of London. Signed "Twiggy" at the conclusion of the second page in black ink. Fine. Est. 100-150
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There are total 14 letters in Overspecialize, Starting with O and ending with E.
Total 1383 words created by multiple letters combination of Overspecialize in English Dictionary.
Overspecialize is a scrabble word? Yes (30 Points)
Overspecialize has worth 30 Scrabble points. Each letter point as below.
Words that starting with Overspecialize
Words that containing Overspecialize
Words that ending with Overspecialize


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Doctor insights on:
Upper Thigh Swelling
What would cause upper inner thigh swelling. I am 3 yrs post hip-orif, still in pain walking with 2 canes.
See your surgeon: 3 years post-op orif hip fx. W/ persistent pain and swelling warrants an evaluation by your surgeon.Infection, blood clot , painful hardare or non-union of the fracture could al explain this.Would help to know what u have:tfn, cannulated screws, bipolar, etc?See your ors for an evaluation. ...Read more
Swelling (Definition)
Swelling is the enlargement of organs, skin, or other body parts. It is caused by a buildup of fluid in the tissues. The extra fluid can lead to a rapid increase in weight over a short period of time (days to weeks). Swelling can occur all over the body (generalized) or only in one part ...Read more
Burning on legs & feet..just the front of the legs..now spreading to upper thighs. No swelling;not painful, just burning. Veins ok Vitamin deficiency?
Burning on legs: Did you recently get a vaccination. Could be vitamin like B12 or from diabetes, or neuropathy from smoking ,HTN , or deficiency like calcium, magnesium potassium so would check all. Could be from disc disease,lyme, UTI or Guillan Barre if recent vaccination, rare MS. Since it is ascending would check it out ASAP. at urgent care/ doctor ...Read more
I injured my right knee and now I have swelling in my right upper thigh, what do I do?
Best have it seen to: By your pcp. You could have pulled a muscle in upper thigh or it could just be a hematoma (collection of blood), which will resolve by itself over 7-10 days time. You could apply an icepack, take pain meds and rest the knee would all help. After an examination the correct treatment could be initiated depending on your diagnosis. Good luck. ...Read more
Hi doctor
My daughter 5 months has swelling on her upper thigh no fiver no pain she is normal ?
Needs exam: There are many causes for the swelling, it could be be as simple as an immunization reaction. She needs a good exam to look at her leg and a good hip exam to ensure her hip is properly placed.. Your doctor may need to order imaging to look at the swelling and her hip. This can range from an Ultrasound, to regular Xrs to an MRI. Because 5 month olds do not walk, pain is difficult to assess. ...Read more
Sharp hot pain on upper thigh parallel to public vine. Loss of all feeling in area. Slight swelling. Pain causes me to jump and jerk runs down leg?
U may have an: Inguinal hernia.This would require an exam to diagnose.See your doctor. ...Read more
My pants are getting tighter around my left upper thigh (labral tear location). It isn't very muscular & a bit fatty. Is this just fat or swelling?
Leg swelling: 18 year old lady w/ swelling of the left upper thigh when compared with the right leg. Leg swelling that is unilateral should be evaluated for DVT, vascular problems including May-Thurner syndrome, cellulitis, ruptured Baker's cyst, fracture, compartment syndrome, and one of the most dangerous causes: bleeding. If you had significant trauma to your l leg see MD emergently. Otherwise see promptly. ...Read more
Painful/swollen knee - pain/swelling now spreading to upper thigh also starting to affect other knee no injury-what could this be from?For months now
See below: It really could be any number of things from inflammatory (arthritis) to a ligamentous injury. I would start by seeing my pcp. ...Read moreSee 1 more doctor answer
Aching pain in left inside upper thigh and groin area. Sometimes radiates to left lower back area. No swelling.
Groin pain: Causes of groin pain include hernia, hip arthritis, tendonitis, nerve pain from spinal nerve impingement, inflamed lymph node, trauma, or pelvic organ inflammation. If it is radiating as you describe, you should have an exam by your doctor. ...Read more
My wife has burning pain sensation in her left upper inner thigh groin and swelling very painful constant pain and to the touch. Diagnosis ?
Thigh sprain!: This sounds like a pulled muscle. Try gentle stretching, light activity, heat, and anti-inflammatories. Don't get discooutraged, this may take a while. If it gets worse, doesn't improve, radiates down the leg, or is accompanied by weakness or numbness, she should be seen. ...Read more


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Sundance Flim Festival: Day 2 - Embarassing Video Journals
Hey guys we have completed are 2nd full day at the Sundance Film Festival and things have been crazy. We have put together for you folks a series of little experiences we had that we have posted as short video journals. Just so you know, this is GeekTyrant raw, uncensored and incredibly geeky. We have no time edit these things so you get what you get. We are just up here having a fun time and watching as many movies as we possibly can. Since this is our first year it is pretty much a learning process as we go along because like I said before we have very limited knowledge about what we are doing. Don't expect to see anything cool or hip, it is something for you all to laugh at I guess. There are a lot of chin and up the nose shots because I am not used to the camera we are using, so sorry. You'll notice I have a freckle on my nose. Enjoy!
Video Journal #1
There is a big crowed gathering around a building and in the street so we go to investigate what is going on.
Video Journal #2
This is where we try to do something funny with that big crowd but nobody cares.
Video Journal #3
Here we are sitting in Squatters Pub ranting about our failed technology and and other randomness.
Video Journal #4
Here we take you for a short walk down Park City main street.


text: Yes, uh-huh, of course I know there will be a new Spider-Man movie this summer, as well as the latest Transformers, Cars, Planet of the Apes and Pirates of the Caribbean sequels.All of which will be critically dealt with in the weeks ahead. But this here column is all about me, and hopefully at least a little bit about you.It's my annual list of the 10 summer movies I'm most looking forward to.That's not to be confused with my list of the best movies of 2017, which I'll deliver at year's end. I suspect most of the titles below won't be on it.These are the 10 pictures that look to get my mojo going as a movie lover, not necessarily as a movie critic. I've only seen one of them so far, so my optimism may prove unfounded. (Let's not talk about my unwarranted advance excitement in 2015 for The Man From U.N.C.L.E., OK?)Article Continued BelowLet's get the summer tires on and roll into my hoped-for thrills of the 2017 season of fun, listed in order of scheduled release:Rocket and Baby Groot steal scenes in Guardians of the Galaxy: Vol. 2. (Disney-Marvel Studios) Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (May 5):Bitter experience has taught me that ensemble comedy sequels rarely reach the hilarity highs of their predecessors (The Hangover 2, anyone?) Undaunted, I'm confident there's still juice in the jet packs of Star-Lord (Chris Pratt), Gamora (Zoe Saldana), Rocket Raccoon (Bradley Cooper), Drax (Dave Bautista) and Baby Groot (Vin Diesel). I crack up watching the trailer gag where Rocket tries to stop Groot from launching an atomic bomb. Quebec actor Patrick Huard, left, and Ontario actor Colm Feore give details of their new film Bon Cop Bad Cop 2, sequel to their buddy cop hit of a decade ago in which Francophone and Anglophones cops have to team up and cross provincial borders to solve a crime. (Peter Howell / Toronto Star)


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The Village at the Woodlands Waterway
2323 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77380
2323 Lake Robbins Drive, The Woodlands, TX 77380
3.5 out of 5.0
It is an attractive property, in a great location. However, the management and quality of care given residents is very poor. The caregivers and Med Techs in Assisted Living and Memory Care were poorly trained. In Memory Care the ratio of caregiver to residents was 1 to 15. Although promised, there was no "memory care program". The nurse who works only eight hours per day, said The Village is not licensed to have a defibrillator. There were only a few CNAs among the caregivers. The food was tolerable, but not a healthy diet for residents who have high cholesterol, are diabetic, or require any dietary restrictions. The one plus is the transportation amenities.
2 people found this helpful. Was this helpful?
I liked The Village at the Woodlands Waterway. It felt more open and airy. I was very disappointed that the staff member we had an appointment with did not tell me upfront that she had another meeting with a client, but I was really impressed with the person who did tour us. They gave us a little goody bag and thanked us for visiting. The dining room was beautiful. They had transportation for the people.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for providing us with your feedback! We were excited to learn you had such a positive overall experience, and would like to apologize for any confusion on the visit schedule. We would appreciate the opportunity to learn more about your experience, and invite you to reach out to our Executive Director through our community phone number.
The Village was very beautiful and looked like a resort. They were very friendly and had an opening for my mother-in-law, so they were really trying to sell the place. They had lots of activities, even more than where she's living now. In this place, it seemed you could do whatever you could dream of. It was very nice, but you had to have money for that. The staff was very nice and very friendly. As a matter of fact, I just popped in because I emailed them, but they gave me a tour and everything.
Was this helpful?
Wow, this location is perfect! Village at the Woodlands Waterway is absolutely beautiful. When I walked in it felt like I was on vacation at a fabulous resort. This community is peaceful, relaxing, and reminds me of a nice getaway spot. Once inside you are welcomed by relaxing sitting areas and for someone like me who loves to read, this is like heaven. The staff seemed very personable and caring. The food smelled wonderful and tasted just as good. All of the living spaces that I saw were clean, neat, and organized.
Was this helpful?
Thank you for taking the time to comment upon our community. We are delighted that you enjoyed your experience at The Village and will work diligently to retain and improve upon our amenities and services. Our ultimate goal is to provide the best in-class service to our residents.
The Village at The Woodlands Waterway is located just steps away from the beautiful Woodland Lakes, and is convenient to a large variety of superb shopping and dining destinations. Each resident receives a personalized care plan that maximizes independence while still providing the ideal level of service.
The Village at the Woodlands Waterway is one of many retirement apartments owned by the Senior Lifestyle Corporation. We pride ourselves on creating senior living communities that enable seniors to live healthy and fulfilling lives, and our Wellness Everyday™ program offered at every community is praised by the International Council on Active Aging.
To ensure that our residents enjoy full days packed with activities, we offer a wide range of events including trips and outings, educational opportunities through our Brain Health University programming and live entertainment. A key part of enjoying optimal health is staying physically fit, which is why we provide our residents with access to fitness classes and a regular schedule of supervised programs.
Eating well is also an important part of staying healthy. Here at The Village at The Woodlands Waterway, we offer a choice of menu options, all of which are specially created by our chefs to satisfy the range of tastes and preferences of our residents. Healthy snacks are also available throughout the day.
Our professional staff are on site 24 hours a day and are happy to assist residents with everything from dressing to bathing to grooming. Residents also never need to worry about chores, as our staff handle weekly housekeeping and the laundering of linens.
To make sure that residents receive the very best in assistance and services, each senior is provided with a personally customized package of services to meet their individual needs and preferences. Families also appreciate that we can provide assisted living serivces and memory care, which means their loved ones won't have to leave our community.
By offering a wealth of amenities and services, The Village at The Woodlands Waterway is an ideal choice for seniors ready to transition into a retirement community.


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Compulocks Brands Maclocks Rokku 360 Kiosk Mounting kit - Stand Base, Enclosure, For Tablet, Lockable, Aluminum, For screen size 9.7", Mounting Interface 100 x 100 mm, White - (303W260ROKW)Item#: 40050892 | Model#: 303W260ROKW
- Price:
- $186.99
$3.99 Shipping
- Shipping:
- In Stock. Usually ships same business day. (Details)
Compulocks Maclocks Mounting kit - 303W260ROKW Product Details
The Compulocks Brands Maclocks Rokku 360 Kiosk Mounting kit
Compulocks Rokku 360 Kiosk Mounting Kits represents design of iPad enclosure with a high security lock and a rock solid frame. The Rokku design includes a high security lock and recessed frame for a full tamper proof enclosure. Access to the On/Off and volume buttons are blocked while still allowing for charging and limited audio port access. Constructed of high grade aluminum makes the Rokku iPad enclosure extremely lightweight and durable at the same time. With soft edges and rounded corners the aesthetic of this enclosure is very appealing and fits all display environments. Order Compulocks Rokku 360 Kiosk Mounting Kits today!
Related Items
Manufactured by: Compulocks Brands
UPC No: 0048231291934
Mfg Part No: 303W260ROKW
Box Size:
( Length:0, Width:0, Depth:0)
Shipping Weight: 5.0000 pound(s)
Click here for full warranty and support information
- Compulocks Brands logos are registered trademarks of Compulocks Brands. All others trademarks and copyrights mentioned herein are the property of their respective owners.


text: I was on a Business Trip to NBO & stayed in this hotel, the reason for choosing was primarily "the location". Very close to the places we had most of our work. Arrival & check-in was OK. We had pre-booked through a local agent in Ahmedabad, India and the rooms allotted were probably the worst. may be that is how... More


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Fler idéer från Olle
Wooden toys are aesthetic and environmentally friendly
For the greenhorn's starting to wrench this is a good chart to study.
Log Tote Plans - Woodworking Plans and Projects | WoodArchivist.com
There are lots of beneficial suggestions regarding your wood working ventures found at http://www.woodesigner.net
Wooden door knobs & latches
Logeerbed verstopt
Keep your favorite tools at the ready
Fractions of an inch to MM. Always handy. Might be handy to print off and keep around actually
Clear ducting for dust collection system. - brilliant


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Category Archives: Speakers
Speaker Spotlight : Puneet Sahalot
Puneet Sahalot is a freelance developer, engineer, travel freak, loves long drives, bike rides, photography. Student of life. That's it!
Speaker Spotlight : Rohit Langde
Rohit Langde is a Founder of a leading Technology Blog from India, Blogsolute. Blogging is his Hobby turned Profession. Writes about Applications and Solutions which YOU should USE to make computing easy, effective and efficient.
Speaker Spotlight : Jaydip Parikh
Jaydip, Founder of Tej SolPro and DIIM. A person who loves to DREAM, works hard to finish his dreams by oversleeping. 😉 He is an Entrepreneur, Blogger, Speaker & Trainer, Digital Marketing Consultant, SEO-Social Media Adviser.
Speaker Spotlight : King Sidharth
King Sidharth is a Co-founder at Web Mutiny – an Entrepreneur, Designer, Artist, and a Public Speaker. His friends call him a madly optmisitc retard and a social outcast even among social outcasts. Solving design problems and giving free-gyaan on … Continue reading Speaker Spotlight : King Sidharth
Speaker Spotlight : Pratik Nikam
Pratik Nikam is a 22 year old Computer Engineering student and also owner at TechInsect which is a Web Solution firm based in Nashik. He fell in love with computer at a very early stage of life. Writing is his passion and … Continue reading Speaker Spotlight : Pratik Nikam
Speaker Spotlight : Harneet Bhalla
Harneet Bhalla, a 22 year young blogger & internet marketer from a very small town: New Delhi 😉 Struggling in most of the subjects in school & college days, finally with god's sake he graduated in commerce. As all normal … Continue reading Speaker Spotlight : Harneet Bhalla
Speaker Spotlight : Sathish Nagarajan
Sathish runs a web consulting firm SNR Technologies. Primarily use WordPress to build web applications and content rich websites. He's a web developer and have been working with WordPress for over 5 years. He has been involved in over 400 … Continue reading Speaker Spotlight : Sathish Nagarajan
Speaker Spotlight : Shashank Chinchli
Shashank Chinchli works with TATA Consultancy Services, Mumbai. He has been working with WordPress and other CMSes like Drupal. Till date, he hasn't rolled out any plugins or developed a theme, but likes to fork, leverage and utilise the existing ones … Continue reading Speaker Spotlight : Shashank Chinchli
Speaker Spotlight : Paresh Mayani
Paresh Mayani, a mobile application developer at Digicoprp Information syustems Pvt. Ltd. and head of Google Developers Group, Ahmedabad. In his spare time he writes technical articles on TechnoTalkative.com. Most of the time you find Paresh talks about Android stuffs. … Continue reading Speaker Spotlight : Paresh Mayani
Speaker Spotlight : Arnav Sonara
Arnav Sonara, a 21 Year old Computer Engineering student in Pune. Open source enthusiast and contributor to various FOSS projects. Involved mainly in volunteering for Wikipedia and sister projects.


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I was researching Brad Mehldau shows on bradmehldau.com and discovered the jazz pianist's writings on Beethoven and Coltrane. How fascinating! In his first installment, Mehldau mentions that scholars categorize an artist's corpus into periods of artistic development: early, middle, late. This analytical procedure has advantages and disadvantages, but one problem concerns the evaluative criteria by which periods become discrete contexts–parts separate from the whole–because individual units disrupt an overview of totality. As a result, we often neglect to figure the continuity of an artist's development while apprehending continguous parcels of ideas. Temporal frameworks differentiate periods of creativity. The late style of Beethoven. The late Wittgenstein. The later Yeats. More mature, evenly-tempered, substantial. Less youthful, inchoate, rebellious. Typically, the later work flows, evolves, progresses, and breaks free from earlier ways of thinking. Later periods advance or revise–construct or deconstruct–earlier productivity. In many respects, the critical manipulation of creative work into periods is underhanded violence.
But really, are the early and late periods in Wittgenstein's life so very different? How does the late Wittgenstein loop back to concerns in the early works? Perhaps the "looping back" is a necesary recursive aspect of the creative process–writing, rewriting, re-envisioning.
In commenting on Beethoven's "looping back," Mehldau says:
To the extent that we are telling a story about creativity, one great recurring theme will be mortality. Every time that a musician can create, he escapes, momentarily, his mortality. The much-feared drying up of creative juices is a metaphor for one's demise. The passage of time is central to the narrative here because creativity is not endlessly doled out from above; on the contrary, it is often cruelly finite. Musicians, artists and the like are given gifts along the way – most commonly earlier in their output – but as time passes, the gods are more fickle. Something truly creative must increasingly be coaxed out; it does not flow freely.
The narrative of Beethoven's creative output, with its exalted third period, has an Odyssean hue. Through ruthless cunning and sheer will, Odysseus vanquishes his foes, and survives to return home as victor. He has completed his circular journey and is once again home, but now he possesses a great amount of knowledge and wisdom that he gained during his adventures.
The ideas no longer flow like they used to. The artist returns to former themes, searching for new motifs, new twists and turns, and new tonal expressions. Part of the creative enterprise is a boldness borne of earlier attempts–former failures and successes–and a willingness to take risks. This is the challenge. It's hard to risk one's neck in the process of sticking it out. Perhaps one is less willing to do it early on in his career.
Tentatively, we can say that looping back to take risks with previous material is the "unoriginal genius," borrowing Marjorie Perloff's phrase, of the composing process. We loop back not to destroy but to rebuild by redoing. As Mehldau says,
The music is deconstructive, not destructive – he is not doing away with the rules of tonality or turning them outright upside down; he is asking us to look at something that we always see in a different way.
Maybe that's the pith and pull of categorizing an artist's works into periods. In so doing, we participate in the revision process–"always seeing in a different way"–but not necesarily envisioning work that is new and improved.


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To save resources and reduce the costs of extracting ore or minerals from dead rock, efficient sorting after digging is essential. When visible vision systems reach their limits, integrating HELIOS into your sorting line will enable you to detect the full spectrum of the objects: classification and sorting according to the invisible chemical properties will enable unequalled sorting results.
The software package included is the ideal tool for adjusting the sorting criteria to the varying chemical properties of minerals.


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How to create an Uber successful digital product visionRecommended By Josh Guest
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To Helena Melo and Pupils BB1/JI de Santa Luzia Av. D. Sancho Manuel 7350-098 Elvas PORTUGAL
El Toboso, 26th September 2012
Dear friends:
I am Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, a very famous writer in Spain. People think that I was born in Alcalรก de Henares, a very beautiful village of Madrid, in the middle of Spain, on the 29 th of September, in 1547.
University of Alcalรก de Henares
My father was Rodrigo de Cervantes. He was a doctor, a surgeon. He was deaf. And I was his interpreter a lot of times. My mother was Leonor de Cortinas. I have got four brothers, Andr茅s, Andrea, Magdalena, Rodrigo, Luisa and Juan. I lived in Valladolid, C贸rdoba, Sevilla and Madrid.
Madrid, Capital City of Spain
I was a Spanish soldier, a novelist, a poet and a dramatist. I am considered a genius of the Spanish Literacy. I am well known all over the world by my novel "Don Quixote of La Mancha". Some Literacy Critic, describe the novel as the first modern novel and one of the best books of the Universal Literacy. People call me "The prince of the talent".
The king Felipe II, arrested me in 1569 because I fight a duel with Antonio Sigura. Then I had to go to Italy, to Rome. There I fight in the "Lepanto Battle" and I was hurt in my left hand. This is the reason why people know me as "The onehanded of Lepanto".
When I came back to Spain from Napoles, a Turkish fleet arrested me and my brother Rodrigo on the 26 th of September in 1575. I was captive in Argel during five years and I was sold as a slave to a Greek man, Dali Mamí. I was rescued on the 19th of September in 1580 by Spanish Trinitarian monks. They paid 500 escudos for me. Finally, on the 24th of October I come back to Spain. In the 1580s, I fell in love with Ana VillaFranca de Rojas, the wife of the barowner Alonso Rodríguez. We had a daughter, Isabel de Saavedra. On the 12th of December, in 1584 I got married with Catalina de Salazar y Palacios. But my marriage wasn't happy. And I split up two years later.
From 1587, I worked in different jobs for the Spanish Crown. Ten years later, I was arrested again for irregularities in my accounts as a tax collector. And it was there, in prison, when I first thought in Don Quixote, my most important work. In 1606, I settled in Madrid, where I remained till my death on 23rd of April of 1616. It is said, it was the same day W. Shakespeare died and to honor this fact, UNESCO established the date as the "International Day of the Book�.
Cell where Don Miguel de Cervantes was captive and started to write Don Quixote, Argamasilla de Alba, Ciudad Real (Spain).
This is my first trip, and I visit your school because I love travelling and I want to meet new people. May you, children, show me your town and your country? I would like to visit the capital city too. Children from my school, in El Toboso (Spain) are waiting for another genius too. And they hope I teach them what I learn here, so you must help me to write my logbook on the twispace and on the google site specially created for us. I will stay here for three weeks. After that time, you must send me to the other country. Don´t forget sent this letter too. And add on it some information about my stay here. Then my second trip will start
Lots of Love, Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra
Published on Oct 28, 2012
This is a letter to introduce Miguel de Cervantes. I tis written by pupils from el Toboso, Toledo.