300 Days of Sunshine

Last year I considered giving up on triathlons.  I couldn't get my breathing under control in the swims, even when the swim portion was the last event, and I thought maybe this just wasn't for me after all.  This year I decided to give it another go, and on Saturday competed in the City of Lakes sprint triathlon in Santa Rosa, NM.  The weather was cool and the sky was overcast on Saturday morning, which was a relief.  We stayed in Santa Rosa the night before, but it was still an early morning to pack, check in for the race, and set up our transition zone before the 7:30 am race start.  It was a little crowded and hectic, and my adrenaline was pumping.  I was nervous to find out that the race would not be wet suit legal, because I need all the help I can get in the water! While the first waves of racers started, I decided to get in the water for a swim warmup.  The water was freezing (and incredibly smelly...) but swimming for a few minutes before...

Backpacking has been on my bucket list since moving to Santa Fe almost four years ago.  I have the gear and the desire, but it has always been a challenge to find the time during busy summers of triathlons, vacations and summer parties.  This past weekend we finally made our plans a reality and set out into the Santa Fe National Forest with a couple of friends and our dogs!  I've been camping a handful of times since moving to New Mexico, but carrying everything on your back, forcing you to minimize and get by with less, and truly escaping from any semblance of civilization or cell phone service was a meaningful experience (even if it was only for one night). After a good breakfast and a final glance through our packing list, we started out early on Saturday morning.  Our hike began on the Winsor trail near the Santa Fe Ski basin, beginning at 10,250 feet elevation.  It was a beautiful morning, and already warm.  We were thankful to escape in...

Those three words.  Gooey.  Butter.  Cake.  Need I say more?  This recipe is amazing, and even greater that the sum of its parts. Gooey butter cake is a St. Louis tradition dating back to the 1930s. It's a dense, moist, rich cake, with butter (of course) and flour, often with powdered sugar on top.   There are a variety of different recipes for this glorious deliciousness, and this is the second recipe I tried.  I made this for a birthday celebration for my coworker from St. Louis.  I love the addition of cream cheese in this particular recipe, and the golden baked powdered sugar is the best part.   Enjoy!!  Getting ingredients together Spreading the cream cheese mixture onto the cake Done! Can't wait to eat! St. Louis Gooey Butter Cake Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter 1 box yellow cake mix 3 eggs 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, cut into quarters 1/2 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract 4 cups powdered sug...

When we bought our house a few months ago, I inherited a garden that was basically still a mystery under the idle snow and lifelessness of late winter.  Then the sun started to shine and we got a lot of rain this spring, and my yard has transformed into something lush, lively and green, which I never expected in Santa Fe.  As a very "non-gardener," I get excited whenever something new blooms, especially since I didn't even have to plant it myself!  All the spring rain and late snow have also brought beautiful wildflowers to the hiking trails.  It's as if they were just waiting all winter to bloom and show their beauty. I look forward to discovering what other surprises my yard has in store for me this summer, and what kind of fruit is growing on my backyard tree!  Wildflowers (and people): I find myself surrounded By beautiful wildflowers So many different shapes, colors And styles All in their own way a  Unique...

May was a busy month for races, and I closed out the month with my first ever road biking time trial: Contre-la-Montre Feminin, a women's only event hosted by The Spokettes racing team.  It was a 10 mile out-and-back course, and different from a regular race in that each participant started individually.  Honestly I didn't do a lot of training or preparation since I just did a 50 mile ride a couple weeks ago and thought that a 10 miler would be a piece of cake, but the race was FAST and chicks were competitive!  There were quite a few very serious bikers at the event, jerseys with sponsors listed, and some helmets that probably cost more than my bike. I pushed myself hard and had a great ride!  There were a few hills and a moderate headwind on the way back, and I finished in 31 minutes, which put me pretty much in the middle for my category.  I was really glad I did it!  When I was contemplating cutting back on races this year, my friend and men...