Tram tracks...

I remember them from the last time - Sean reminded me before I left Japan, Richard reminded me the night before...but for some reason, it was my luck to meet them again this trip.

Melbourne streets are covered in tram tracks. And for any cyclist, tram and train tracks can be the death of any good ride...and it was for me too..

Perhaps the pouring down rain should have been an indication that I should stay off the bike...but no...I had to get out there..oh well. I thought I was crossing it straight. I thought my wheel would make it, allas I was wrong...

Its like feeling your front wheel on black ice - the wheel just went out from under me. and in the pouring rain -I went over the top, and landed on my helmet - Damn good and solid. I cracked that magnificently. There I was, laying in the middle of the damn road, thinking to myself "and me knee was just starting to feel better..dammit" - oh well.

so in the end, I have a new really cool cut on my leg from the track, and the usual scuff marks from road rash...

.....sometimes I wonder if I am really cut out for riding a bike...I am not so sure ... :)

and then there are days like today.....

April 29 , 2006, 7:39 am, I am being told "g'day mate and welcome to Australia!"...ahhh back in Oz...

I have made the initial toodle around to my favorite part of Melbourne...Brunswick Street...a place where the Haight -Ashbury meets "my two mommies"...little 5 points but wilder - a haven for Ani fans draped in rainbows.... And, as I wandered down the street, past the bike, S&M and clothing shops, tucked over in the corner..there is was...Volare cafe - home of my favorite flat white on Brunswick - so of course I ordered two - you can always hope a guest might show up at your table :)...or you really like them and don't want to wait....

its fall here, so I really am lucky - i will have two falls this year! not a bad thing for someone who loves the season! I didn't have my camera today -will tonight though..goin out with some friends who were responsible for my debauchery the LAST time I was here...

many trips down memory lane to be had here, and I look forward to them -

And for those of you not living in my head...why is the date and time so important? Well, 2 years ago, as this time passed in Cali, I decided to skip the ride with Thing 1, go solo, and kiss the windshield of the SUV..ah yes...that day...don't worry - I won't post photos from that day...

ITs been an incredible couple of years since then, huh? I promised not to get soft today, so a simple thanks to you all ...not a day goes by where I am not thankful to have been given a second chance. The last year has seen my cycling and my career excel -and if all goes according to my master plan, the next year will be even better....

though not racing this year, my bike and I are back on the road and having a ball. we'll have photos tomorrow!!!

ok..off to have some wine!

Ciao--wait no..sayon--no....how about...
cheers mate!

Heading to Oz in Style...

Ah yes....After a 20 hour work day and now up to 29 hour day...i am ALMOST done packing....I had a a bit of wine left, so I have made my toast to Japan (my 6th glass in my entire visit), packed the bike, packed (and I really suck at packing) for Oz and am trying to make sure I get every single sock outta this place...of course it doesn't really matter - I will be back on May 8...and the ENTIRE hotel is already preparing for my return..not so sure that is a good thing.....

so, Bond is playing on my Mac...and I am still trying to remember where exactly that little passport thingy is...you would think in a room the size of a broom closet (but MUCH better than the broom wagon) - one would not lose such an important piece of documentation...ah to have a Q and get a new one...wait..I have a Q but he can't help me...he's preparing for MOAB baby!!!

Off I go to the land of Victoria Bitters Beer (I dont drink it), DeBortoli(I do drink it), Mr. Potato Head, and Polly's bar..if we can get me back in the place.....

.......and lets see if I can get a match to my Victoria Police uniform shirt I got the last time I was in Oz....

TWO weeks until I see the amazing view from the deck in Glen Ellen, and see Jr..my jeep.. in three GLORIOUS weeks.....VACATION!!! no treo, no laptop, no existence...and if you didn't know it..I really can disappear...and live without any electronics...just watch me. :)


ciao!

food labels...

Having lived abroad in various countries (living = in a country for longer than a month at a time, and no room service) over the last few years, one of the things I have come to appreciate MOST everywhere I visit are the food labels.

When I was in Sweden (my first living experience abroad), I had a flat, and I had a kitchen.. and I wanted to cook..that culinary side of me. but the problem is the cooking instructions on the side of the box are in a different language..temperatures, amounts - those are in arabic numerals, so I could fake it to some degree...but until I learned very basic swedish, it was a challenge.

that challenge continued through my stint in Germany - luckily, Oz was pretty easy(a version of English) - and if there was a question to an amount, I just added a pint of beer.

But Japan?? No..that is WAY different...forget numbers...they are in Kanji..The japanese are adament about calorie counts, so I can usually find that out fairly easily..but as far as ingredients? uh no...my nightly food is a rice cake, or rice ball..on my ride Saturday, I got a rice ball stuffed with a fried egg and.....ketchup..blech! Tonight, (well at 4:30am), I picked up what looked to be my normal rice ball...until I bit into it and found that it was a rice ball surrounding god awful fish paste...the label looked the same to me...

So..enjoy your food labels today...its the little things about home that you take for granted when abroad.....we'll talk about the wine situation another time...

Ciao!

Oh the things you see....

Now, even in California this is just not something you see...these little gems started popping up over the weekend, after our last little shake...and what is with the catfish?? like that is going to help with the warning? I have learned here in Japan that the worse the news, the cuter the character...

wow, its been a month! time has flown - I ca'nt believe its almost over...I was thinking today about how I prayed for time to go by while I was in Spain..and here, it has simply flown. by the end of the week, I will have 1000K on my road bike...pure, unadulterated Bliss!

So, Saturday, I ran into this guy, and he was kind enough to pull me for about 10 miles. There is something to be said for being a chick on a bike...cept I wonder if he heard me coasting behind him... I tried to pull, but he would signal me behind him..kinda like Sean in morocco. but in this case, I just sat back and drafted.

When we came to this street sign, he pointed to it, like I was supposed to know where to go...and don't even ask...my map was at home....


and now I am in my last week before I am off to Australia! Ahh yes, a week in Oz~ and even the same hotel I was in 6 years ago..and that is a good thing! Muscle memory should bring me home after a night on the piss. Ahh the memories of Australia... should be fun!! :)

OK..this one shook me a bit

Since I have been here, rumblings, shakes, whatever, have become a weekly occurance. Earthquakes actually happen quite a bit. But tonight, sitting on the 8th floor of my office, Sean and I stared at each other as we counted until the shaking stopped. I suddenly realised that his face could be the last I see before my guardian angel. ....and that scared the hell outta me.

Funny the things and people you think about when you're not sure what the next thing will be...Spending eternity in Hell with Sean, and the fact that I would miss my next flight to Germany, and damn..I didn't ride my bike today......

so...here is the link to what "rocked my world" tonight..
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsww/Quakes/usltay.php

OK..off to the fish market after work to watch the tuna auction...I hear its better than macy's the day after Thanksgiving! ...and of course now there will be a bike ride today..

Oh..and will someone please tell me where I can put in for my guardian angel to get a raise?
ciao!

NIRVANA

...Need I say more?? Oh yeah Baby!! Mexican...well sorta..the chips were grand, but they are very protective of the salsa... And the fajitas arrived on a 5inch dish..3 slices of chicken and 3 of beef...I wanted to ask if this was just the "prep" for the main course...but they didnt speak English or Spanish, and my japanese is still on par with my German (actually I may know more German), so it was pointless...BUT it was nice to have a taste.. :)

and the metric century milestone has been passed enough to say that my legs will be ready for a realy century in June...If I can ever stay home long enough!!!

Ciao!

Ode to the Little Prince....

It is no wonder he ended up in so many places ....I guess if you spend your journey pondering the true matters of consequence, your journey ends up taking you to different destinations....

(....that is a really philosphical way of saying that I wasn't paying attention today and have NO idea where I was....)

I have a new way of riding...I find ONE road I can get to (usually either the one in front of my hotel, or the one in front of Starbucks) and I just go - turning down random streets along the way..and now, I am getting better about knowing the various city names around, so when I end up lost, I can usually head in the right direction...

As I rode home today, and the sun was setting, I thought to myself "self, it doesn't matter if I get back after dark! You were smart and put the lamp on the bike!"....and then I rode over the train tracks and watched as the lamp came crashing down on the pavement. Brilliant. Luckily, I did know where I was....but it was dark when I got home...thank goodness I had my tail light... :)

Tomorrow is a ride down to the big open air market to see what I can find for Ian...

And....since I have NO idea about what is going on with western religions over here...I know there are four day holidays in Europe starting with "good Friday" - probably means Peter Cottontail is on his way, so

HAPPY EASTER from Japan!

cravings have now started

Years ago when SiD and I would ride, we always knew when the ride was getting half way because the conversation started going in the direction of where we were going to eat on the way home, prior to stopping at Whole Foods to get food for dinner....one thing SiD and I could do was eat....

Well....this morning I woke up to cravings, and they only got worse on my bike ride. Green grapes are out of season now, so they are running about 11.00 a lb now...if I can find them. So..in Japan, here are some of the things I would really like to get my hands on...non of which I want the "healthy version of"
Peanut butter...the good stuff - Adams....
Pancakes - Stacks and the garden cafe...
oatmeal
cookie dough
Sonoma Wine
Sugar corn pops

BURRITOS
margs
tacos
...oh that list could go on.....

now I have found a mexican restaurant that I will brave this weekend...Kinda curious what Jap-Mex tastes like..should be interesting. And though I love Japanese breafasts...seaweed and soba do get to be a little much for even me...

I did get a ride in today. No rain,..but humid! lordy - thought I was in Atlanta....

rambling done...

ok...since a few of you have asked

No- I don't typically end up in photos I am taking...in fact, I do my best not to show up in any photos...however..since some of you have asked... here is a photo of me ..and NO its not Japan...

..............................MOAB BABY!!!.......................

Finally...I made it to the destination!

Granted the destination was pretty broad - I just went to visit buddhist temples and shinto shrines around Tokyo...well, and to play in traffic. I am sure this is a leftover from childhood. whenever I was a bit much for mom, she sent me out to play in traffic...

So - -I have put the photos out where you can view them all. I am not going to go through all of them here. they are located at:

moabrulz.shutterfly.com/action/?a=0BYtmjdo3YsXLg

Oh..but I have to share this one...I can't get away from Spain...

Sucker hole....

In cycling, a well known atmospheric phenomena that produces a "nirvana-eque" blue sky and sun...until the furthest point in the cyclist's journey, at which time the "hole" closes up, and torential downpour ensues....yep..that sums up my day...70KM in - ya'd think I woulda gotten a clue with the typhoon type winds. Everyone else is walking their bikes across the river bridges, oh..but not Ren..no..let's build those triceps the HARD way...





See, you go from what looks to be a sunny day to wondering where the mountains disappeared to, and why suddenly you are having as much trouble controlling your bike as Hincapie in the Roubaix this year...anyway... his was a steerer tube..mine was 27mph winds

And when its time to come off the bridge? ahh..you take the stairs...with a little ramp down the center for your bike...:)

Japan also has another phenomenom that I have found...even with a map, "lost" is a constant. I am fairly certain that the rain washes away route #s. Riding along, following the map...suddenly *poof* numbers are gone..no where to be found. and the way I thought I came? pointless. all the streets and the buildings look the same.

I did get lost again today...no Hakone thanks to the rain. But I was able to see some amazing areas....I even saw the hills...again, a clue should have been the forboding darkness that over took the hills...I thought it was smog..on a Saturday. Wow, even writing that admission is painful.

So..Photos are of various locations along the ride. It really is like El Camino or Peachtree Industrial..even at 50K, (about 31 miles), I am still going between the sidewalk and traffic.

The sidewalk is more dangerous than the street for me...I was overtaken by a GANG of 8-10 yr old boys...it felt like 50 (I think it was 12), who didn't move as I tried to pass them on the sidewalk..the wall kept me upright as I rammed into it...and tore my Saturn thermal. :(

152Km today...little ego in that one..I had told someone I would make 200 today. oops.


And finally...along the way, a little reminder of my buddy Finn. Don't have many Jack Russell's here, but Corgy's and Dachsunds abound.

my poor tattoos...

So, as some of you might remember from last year (my maiden voyage to Japan), I was told to cover my tattoos if I wanted to work out..because "if you have them, which a woman should not, they should be covered". Ahh the drama, you probably thought..does Ren ever do anything normal?

Check the photo..yeah..that part where it says "no tattoos"? This is the flyer I got for the local gym so I could join. I was ALL about it - a swimming pool, free weights..the whole bit! and I got home, started doing the math - then read the damn fine print...NO TATTOOS....oy. I thought I could swing the free weights - just wear longer sleeved short sleeve shirts.. but swimming? nahhh..the little prince waves at everyone when I am swimming.. - scratch the healthclub idea.. .

And in other news - Sean and I will head to Beijing for a weekend while he is in town. Sean was my escort to Morocco. For some reason, I enjoy going to countries where I need a male escort - and some how I have to pull a visa off....hmmmmm

I am off to Hakone tomorrow - its 200K round trip and through some hills. The goal is a round trip ride..I will settle for an overnight.

Good LUCK to everyone at Sea Otter!
Ciao!

and for my friends in Northern California

as you all build your ARKs, and have the rafts ready~ my tan lines are coming along JUST fabulously, thanks to my four hour ride today.... :)

During my trip to Spain, one of my bosses commented that the problems I was having helped to build character. On my bike ride today, it became apparent that character was being built again...more like the characters of "Lost in Space"... how is it that I can get SOOOOO lost SOOOO easily. ....oh..yeah...probably had something to do with leaving my map in the hotel again. what started out as a 40 K ride ended up a 60K ride..did that once in Glen Ellen, and when I got home I asked Giana - "so..was sebastapol on my route?" she just shook her head, and asked "forgot your map again, huh?" -seems to be a common theme...

Anyway - about the roads here ...suffice to say I will be ready for Market, El Camino, OR Peachtree industrial when I get back....

no pics..just rambling as I wait for equipment to reboot....

Beware BAZILLION year old guys on bikes!

yep...I think the 150 yr old woman I passed on the bike the other day had her homies out for me! 6:15 this morning, I am cruising along when a guy on a cruiser (circa 1950) tboned my back wheel! but-thanks to those incredible EB crits, and having Hardcore and Sno lean on me- I was able to compensate and keep going! the ninja attack did not work today, but now I know - the street is safer than the sidewalk!

would you believe I made this trip with NO (and I mean NO) Bond movies...but I did make it with the LWORD and the 2004 tour de France...now..which one do you think I am watching?? Silly kid...I am watching the tour!

that is all to report from SUNNY - but windy Tokyo today. I start the 9pm -6am shift tonight...

ciao!

It really IS this good!

6 years ago, one Sunday, I went for a ride around Melbourne,Australia and it went down in memory as my most fun ride since chasing my brother on BMX bikes....that was - until today.

Today was one of those days that I just didn't want to stop riding. It held off from raining until I got home, but I was on my bike and around Tokyo for 5 hours on and off. I got lost and somehow found the Equestrian park, where I took in some show jumping. With all the time up in Sonoma and at the barn, it was interesting to see the Japanese jumpers. The riders were no where near as graceful as the jumpers in the US...and the horses where no where near the size. But it reminded me of home.


I ran into a Japanese / Korean festival where I ate a "Mexican" taco - well, that's what they called it -doesn't qualify as anything near tex-mex..but it had guac on it. A rice flour tortilla is not the same..

yeah, and in general, I was just out playing on my bike. I thought about Spain today and wondered if I would have felt differently with my bike...yeah, I am sure of it. But here, the bike is everywhere, so drivers know how to deal with it. As Sean said (the guy who traveled to Morrocco with me and kept me in line) - if I had tried to ride in Madrid, my wheels would have been stolen off the bike WHILE I was riding.

OK..so I am going to stop this now..there is a MAGNIFICENT lightening storm going on - with the skyscrapers around me, its pretty amazing -

Until next time~

Off on the first Adventure!

Wow...So today was my first day here on Tokyo just to play - well, it wouldn't have been, but for some reason, the hand scanner at the office didn't like my hand and I couldn't get into the office at 4 this morning. TOO BAD... :) Now lets compare Spain to Tokyo (in terms of work) - Spain, spy phone, constant wireless access, no badge needed for building during installation. Tokyo - NO spy phone, no access to corporate email, and (evidently) the wrong hand..NICE!



I went out on my first pure cycling, with no timelimit, adventure. And since I wasn't at the office, it started at 6:30 am. You can ride on sidewalks and streets here, but no highways - and they are literally highways (up above the rest of traffic). I was heading out of town when I ran into a guy from Orange county, on his way out to Saitama - he offered to show me the way, and I took him up on the pull. (that's Mark out in front of me)









the cherry blossoms are simply stunning and so graceful. Its amazing to see the entire culture taken in by this - not just adults, or just children, but everyone in between. this is the Tamagawa river that has a bike path on each side... BTW, ALWAYS have a bell - I learned that - I yelled at people to move, tried to make noises, but to no avail....until I got a bell. then is was like the parting of the red sea.

After Mark and I parted ways, I did what I do best...got lost. And in a place where I have yet to find an English map, I was off on an adventure. Along the streets you will find shrines like this one - no apparent reason for it...its just there.







and in the middle of residential areas, you find temples like this.

My morning escapade ended with lunch and a jaunt to the bike shop (I needed a light for some night riding). the bike shop is called Joker Maniac - kinda think that's funny and suits a Jester like me well.

Finally a walk around another park...At first, I thought i was at Pride in Piedmont Park, but no, its the cherry blossom festival.