Month in Review: August

Is this thing on??

Over the last couple of weeks, I have been contemplating to shut this blog down. Then on the other hand, I really enjoyed it at times and like to look back over my monthly reviews and race reports. So at least for those, I will keep it up and maybe I even feel like writing about other stuff again soon enough.

Let's recap August then:

At the beginning of August, I finally got my groove back on the bike, after being off the wheels for two weeks in July due to vacation. I felt like I got a good block in the first two weeks, but because of the business trip to Germany in the last two weeks of August, I still didn't clock a bunch of bike or swim miles. At least I was able to keep up my running and even did a little bit of yoga in the hotel room while gone. While in Germany, my parents came to visit (my home town is around 4 hours by car away from where I was for work) and we got quite some hiking in.

On Saturday, we drove to the Bavarian Forest and did around 4 solid hours of hiking. The weather forecast didn't look great for the day, but we never got rained on. We hiked to the "Landshuter Haus" the long way and had lunch there before taking a shorter route back to the car.

Pauli dragging a stick around while hiking in the Bavarian Forest.

Arrrrgh... I am going to defeat you silly stick!

Trying to figure out our route back to the car.

German and Bavarian flag at the "Landshuter Haus".

On Sunday, we stayed close by in Landshut before my parents took off back home. Even though we basically hiked in town, we still got two hours in by hiking around the castle grounds and from there down to town and back up again.

View of Landshut from Trausnitz Castle.

Sculpture Museum in Landshut.

Art on the Isar River.

Pauli having a drink.

Trausnitz Castle

Worn out doggy.

 

Another view over Landshut.

Finally bought a dirndl! ;-)

The trip to Germany was great, but between work, trying to get my workouts in and trying to meet friends that I haven't seen in years, I really have been burning the candle on both ends.

I am struggling to readjust and the last two days of workouts were very discouraging. The heat and humidity that we still have in SC sure don't help either. I am just so glad that we have a holiday today and hopefully I will soon feel like myself again.

Month in Review: July

What a month!

Obviously, the numbers look much different than regular months due to our two week trip out west.

Leading up to our vacation, I really struggled with training, the early mornings, the volume. Something just felt very much off and any other week, I would have taken it easy for a couple of days. But with the time off coming up, I just kept telling myself to just push through it a couple more days. Sure enough, the day before we left for Vegas, I woke up with a sore throat and had a miserable ride.

I started popping the supplements as soon as I got home, but the damage was done... I ignored every sign of over-training and got a hefty sinus infection, that kept me company for most of the the trip. Of course it didn't help, that our vacation wasn't exactly the relaxing/ recharging kind.

Since getting back from vacation, I tried to get back into a routine, but it hasn't been easy. That's probably why the blog has been so silent too... I just have trouble motivating myself for anything beyond the absolute necessities. The hot temps and high humidity sure don't help either, since every workout just feels like a fight.

That's also the reason, why I decided to drop to the Sprint distance for the Paris Mtn Tri this coming Saturday. Ever since I rode the course a couple of weeks ago, I didn't feel this race and the four weeks training and non-training didn't help. Now that I dropped, I feel better.

August is probably going to look very similar to July, since I'll be in Germany for two weeks on a business trip. No cycling during this time, but I am hoping to be able to at least keep up the running and swimming.

Trip Thoughts

I am typing this, while waiting to be able to check our bags at the Las Vegas airport. Yay for free wireless, I just hope that my battery is holding up.

Grand Canyon

It's Sunday and it's the last day of our trip. We are wasting time here between penny slots and airport shops because that's how the travel schedule worked out. Between my parents flying out of Vegas much earlier than we do and us having to return the rental already to avoid an additional day of charges, we started reflecting on our adventure.

Monument Valley

We all agree, that this was quite a trip. We saw a lot and we saw a ton of great stuff, that we probably won't forget anytime soon. While going through the highlights over lunch, my mind already started wandering towards, what I would have done differently, knowing in the planning stages, what I know now. It's not a whole bunch, but I would definitely plan this trip a little different. My mind is also busy with planning future trips, that might just concentrate on one or two National Parks and really spending time there instead of just skimming the surface. I don't regret not having been able to do the closer look on this trip, I am glad we got so much to see.

By the end of the trip, we were all ready to go home as well. There is just so much you can take in, so many nights in hotels and only so many meals eaten in restaurants. I am ready to abandon my newly acquired diet of pancakes for breakfast, Oreos and/or chips for lunch and burgers for dinner.

Capitol Reef

Getting back to Las Vegas after 1.5 weeks in the middle of nowhere, felt like a lifetime had passed since we left the city.

Spending time with my parents was good. Seeing that they are both still so physically fit and healthy makes me happy. I really hope, that Terry and I will be as fit as they are, when we are in their age group. The goodbyes were hard as ever. That part just never gets easier.

Road Trip

 I am baaaaaack! The last two weeks, we were on vacation in the Wild Wild West. My parents flew in from Germany and we met up in Las Vegas. We did a ton of stuff, so consider this the cliff note version of our trip before I go into the nitty gritty of it.

The oncoming cold that I mentioned in my last post ended up being a sinus infection that kept me company for most of my trip. There was also a little cough going on. In the two weeks, I did not swim, bike or run... We did a bunch of hiking and just really enjoyed this vast country. Now that I got a little break, I am also looking forward to training again.

With that being said, let's look at a couple of pictures!!!

Day 1: Travel to Las Vegas

Day 2: Las Vegas & La Reve

Day 3: Hoover Dam

Day 4: 4th of July Parade & Firework

Day 5: Valley of Fire State Park

Day 6: Zion National Park

Day 7: Grand Canyon National Park - North Rim

Day 8: Travel to Page AZ

Day 9: Rainbow Bridge & Antelope Canyon

Day 10: Monument Valley & Four Corners Monument

Day 11: Arches National Park

Day 12: Canyonlands National Park - Island in the Sky

Day 13: Capitol Reef National Park

Day 14: Bryce Canyon National Park

Day 15: Going Home!!!

From the Ocean to the Mountains

"If you're lucky enough to live in the mountains, you're lucky enough."

Last weekend was spend close to the ocean and this weekend, we decided to mix it up a bit an head to the mountains instead. Actually, we bought a LivingSocial deal for 2 nights at the Mountain Harbour Bed & Breakfast  in Roan Mountain TN.

Mountain Harbour B&B, Roan Mountain TN

Crossing a little creek to get to the B&B

We struck gold with that B&B. The setting is beautiful, the owner are super nice, the breakfast is seriously to die for and the homes a pretty and clean. The bonus of the place is, that it's popular with hikers, because it's so close to the Appalachian Trail and they also offer hostel accommodation. On both morning, we didn't only get really good food, but also great conversations with people hiking on the trail for a weekend trip or a several week long trip.

Since we were so close to the trail, we thought it was about time to finally hike a fraction of the trail.

Carvers Gap to Yellow Mountain Gap and back (10 mile round trip)

Start Point: Carvers Gap

From here to the B&B (US 19E) would have been just a little longer.

First unobstructed views were a little cloudy.

Trail is framed by rhododendron. In bloom in June.

First speck of sunlight on the mountain.

Hey there.

View from the turnaround point.

Quick break at the turnaround.

The day started out overcast and fairly cold. We decided to just hike out for 2.5 hours and then turn around. The picture above is at our turn around point, right after Yellow Mountain Gap. After that, the sun came out to play and warm us up. On top of it, the way back was more uphill and the way out, so that way we had to work a little harder too.

Sun came out to play after all.

Jane Bald

Trail snaking along the Grassy Ridge.

 Especially the views from "Jane Bald" and "Round Bald" were great on our way back, once the clouds had cleared a little.

We were really surprised by the amount of people on the trail. Sure, it was a weekend and the weather was nice and it's high season for through hikers right now, but I still just didn't expect so much traffic.

It was so much fun to discover a little of the A.T. and hopefully we'll be back to see some more soon.

The next morning, I headed out for a little out and back run from the B&B... To offset the breakfast, I was planning on eating! ;-)

After the run and the breakfast, we packed up and headed home... We still had one more item on tap.

Open Water Swim Time!!

Somebody looks excited! ;-)

Ready to head out.

The weather was beautiful and what better thing to do than cap of the weekend with a good open water swim?

I thought, I will just cruise along for a little swim, but my training buddy Stacy gave me a run for my money. I actually had to work. Stacy is doing her first Ironman in three weeks and girl got STRONG! Can't wait for her to put it all together on race day... She will do great.