Bigger and Smaller Races

I have to admit, the number of runners in the Santa Monica Classic freaked me out. It was so crowded I almost had a panic attack right before the race started. It got me thinking about how many runners registered or finished each of the races I've already done and the races I have upcoming.

An example of a smaller race is the Corona del Mar Scenic 5k, which has a very hometown feel. The starting line is a simple balloon arch. There are no fireworks.

• CdM Scenic 5k = 1,010
• Men's - 601
• Women's - 409

A few others with a hometown feel I used to do that I really liked were

• Glendale Downtown Dash 5k = 1,033
• Riverside Raincross 5k = 591
• A Run Through Redlands Half = 476
• 10k - 802
• 5k - 1,731

Getting into larger races, you have the three events leading up to the LA Marathon. Together these events make up the Triple 5k Tour of LA / Conquer LA Challenge.

• Santa Monica Classic 5k/10k - 2415 + 3046 = 5,461 (race is in September)
• Rose Bowl Half = 9,207 (race is in January)
• 5k - 1,632
• LA Marathon = 20,475 (race is in March)
• LA Big 5k - 6,545

Students Run LA is a program for students in public schools to train alongside their teachers to run the LA Marathon. The Holiday Half Marathon is part of their race schedule.

• SRLA Strength 10K & 5K (race is in October) in La Puente
• SRLA Endurance 15K & 5K (race is in November) in Woodley Park
• Holiday Half Marathon = 4,147 (race is in December)
• Half open - 916
• Half SRLA - 3231
• 5k - 842
• 10k - 310
• SRLA Friendship Run 30K & 5K (race is in February) around Hansen Dam
• SRLA Spring into Summer 5K (race is in May) in Boyle Heights

Run Riverside County Challenge

• Mission Inn Run = 3,950 (race is in October)
• 5k - 2040
• 10k - 1091
• Half - 819
• Citrus Heritage Run Half = 516 (race is in January)
• 10k - 492
• 5k - 805
• Palm Desert Half = 541 (race is in February)
• 5k - 599

Thinking of other glamorous events that I may want to do in the future:

• La Jolla Half Marathon = 3,568 (race is in May)
• Starts at the Del Mar Fairgrounds - Finishes at La Jolla Cove and this has been on my radar since 2013
• Run Malibu Half = 2,763 (race is in November)
• 5k - 1,509
• Mountains 2 Beach Marathon = 1,689 (race is in April) in Ventura
• Half = 1,544
• 10k = 192
• 5k = 174
• Ventura Marathon = 977 (race is in February)
• Half = 1,691
• Malibu Moves (race is in October)
• Seaside Marathon (race is in May) in Ventura
• 12th annual will be in 2025
• Valencia Half Marathon (race is in June)
• Pride of the Valley 5K (run is in August) in Baldwin Park
• 29th Annual was in 2024
• Mardi Gras Madness 5K/10K in Valencia (run is in February 2025)
• 15th annual will be 2025
• Chinatown Firecracker 5k/10k (race is in February)
• 47th annual in 2025
• Hope the Mission - Drumstick Dash LA (race is on Thanksgiving)

I'll make a special category for trail races, which I think are great for some people but maybe not for me unless someone special talked me into doing it.

• Red Rock Rumble (trail race in June)
• Chesebro Half Marathon in Thousand Oaks (trail race in April)
• Catalina Island Half Marathon & 10k (trail race is in November)
• Moorpark Mammoth Run (trail race is in October)
• 11th Annual in 2024
• Verdugo Mountains 10k (race is in May)
• Griffith Park Trail Marathon Relay (race is in June)

SoCal Triple Crown is a race series in San Diego. I've been wanting to get back down to San Diego and I asked my mother-in-law for recommendations and she suggested the San Diego Half but I'm not sure which one of these she was referring to. She said it was a point-to-point run where you start at Point Loma (a high elevation) and you finish at Balboa Park (a low elevation). 

• GOVX San Diego Half Marathon = 3,355 (race is in March)
• America's Finest City Half Marathon = 3,631 (race is in August)
• This has been on my wish list since 2012
• Carlsbad Marathon = 997 (race is in January)
• Half = 3,411
• 5k = 1,166
• Double Down Challenge is 5k + half (16.2 miles)

Beach Cities Challenge is a race series in Orange County which my nephew recently mentioned that he would like to complete. I've done the OC Half but not any of the other ones.

• Surf City Marathon = 1,544 (race is in February)
• Half = 8,341
• 5k = 3,587
• OC Marathon = 2,916 (race is in May)
• Half = 9,589
• Long Beach Marathon = 2,511 (race is in October)

Then you have runDisney races, which are just on a whole other level. We don't have the Tinkerbell Half marathon weekend (which was a women's empowerment event) anymore but we do have two race weekends here in SoCal now.

• Disneyland Halloween Half Marathon = 11,162 (race is in September)
• 10k = 7,802
• Disneyland Half Marathon = 11,186 (race is in January/February)
• 10k = 6,601

Postpartum Part 9: babywearing

Baby carriers. Which one is best?

Soft Structured Carriers

The first carrier I chose based on which one fit both my husband and I. It is the Lillebaby 6-Position Complete Airflow. Removable lumbar support and padded straps make it comfier-than-most, suitable for long walks and day-long outings. Made of polyester performance mesh. Handles riders from 7 to 45 pounds, no infant insert required, with 6 different carrying positions on the front, back, and hip (including a front-outward carry).

I saw that it was on sale for $41.04 (regular price $124.99) so I took two buses to a Target near UCLA that said it was in stock, but when I got there it was not. So I took a bus and the light rail to a Target in Hollywood and found it. Then I took a light rail and two buses to get back home. I told myself that I would be telling Albert that story when he was big enough to be using that carrier.



A friend gave us an Infantino Flip 4-in-1 convertible carrier. I love it. It's set up in the forward-facing configuration. When Albert gets fussy, I put him in there and wander around the kitchen, garden and garage. He can see what's going on and he doesn't have to be just looking at my chest or shoulder. He can also see himself in the mirror. The only thing I don't like about it is that it kind of rubs the back of my arms. I tend to wear sleeveless shirts these days and I can only wear that carrier for so long before I am in pain.

We were also gifted an Ergobaby Original Bundle of Joy baby carrier. I haven't tried it yet. Allows 3 baby carrying positions: front-inward, hip and back. My aunt suggested wearing him on my back while cooking, but I just don't know how I would check to make sure he's ok, or even how I would get him back there. I do wish the babywearing group was still meeting. I would bring all of these carriers there and get schooled on how to use them. You may think having three soft structured carriers is overkill, but what I've heard is that it's good to have one adjusted for mom and one adjusted for dad and then don't readjust.

Wrap Style Carriers

We registered for a Moby wrap and one of our colleagues bought it for us. The reason we added it to the registry is that we attended a babywearing meetup at a park in Santa Clarita and after trying it on (with help) we realized how comfortable and useful it would be, as well as not difficult to tie. When we tried it on in the store (following the pictures on the box) without a weighted babydoll, it seemed too weird and difficult to tie. Now, I can get it on pretty quickly and leave it on all day even if the baby isn't in there.

   

The Moby is a stretchy wrap. There are also non-stretchy wraps. One that was gifted to us is the brand Didymos. Now they come in many shapes and sizes, and I'm not sure what size I have. I've been following the #MayTheFourthTrimester challenge on So-Cal Babywearers facebook page to learn many different ways of tying the non-stretchy wrap. So far what I really like about it is how secure it feels. As Albert is getting bigger (and heavier) I feel the non-stretchy wrap gives him a more snug fit, whereas the Moby settles over a 45-minute period and the baby ends up dropping lower and lower. He usually takes a nap after a while, but not always.

 

Just measuring the Didymos that I have, it's about 14 feet long and 22 inches wide. It seems like A LOT of fabric but it is extremely versatile and I'm really starting to appreciate it for its simplicity, breathability and beauty. Gardening while baby wearing is a great way to calm Albert down. He's been fussy lately and keeping him interested has been a real task. We have also done lots of dancing while he's in this wrap. Every Friday night, there's online line dancing on YouTube and every Thursday morning, Fit4Mom has a babywearing dance class on Zoom. We even did one session with GroovaRoo on Facebook live.

Mei Tai Carrier

A Mei Tai carrier is soft bodied with four long straps for tying. The one I have is homemade. I love it for how simple it is. Easy to pack and easy to wash. We call his arm hanging out the "temperature probe." It's quick to put on and take off.

  

We've taken this one for a longer walk. It's also convenient to put in the stroller in case baby starts fussing and won't be quiet in his stroller. I also have used it during my babywearing dance class. I sometimes put Albert in there when we're eating.

One thing I have yet to master is having Albert breastfeed while in a carrier. I also haven't mastered the side-laying breastfeeding. I am so grateful when we just do regular breastfeeding, I haven't felt the need to multitask besides scrolling on my phone or eating a snack.

What I would recommend is to check secondhand shops for used carriers. There's no way that you need to buy something new like I did. I was obsessed with having something and if I would have waited just a bit longer, I would have had enough carriers given to me that I wouldn't have had to buy one. But also, it's great to have a variety of styles. And the wraps are easy to throw in the washing machine, so I do appreciate having two especially since Albert seems to spit up a half ounce every hour.

Pregnancy Part 30

This week we have our biophysical profile (BPP) ultrasound. I guess they will be looking at the baby's size and movements. I wonder if they will be able to see where the umbilical cord is and how the placenta looks. The technician will be checking Albert's muscle tone and if there is an adequate amount of amniotic fluid there for him. Also, how his heart rate changes over time.

I feel pretty miserable these days. Like not depression, just physical pain. It's hard to get in and out of chairs and beds. Pretty much all positions are uncomfortable. My wrists hurt. When Albert is active, it causes me to exclaim because he has run out of room. The heartburn is pretty much around the clock. I say that we collaborate on pooping because it feels like he has to help massage the turds out and make room to let them pass. His foot keeps sticking out under my right rib. When I push it back in, he kicks me. Ouch!

During breakfast, I had a bit of a crying session, then I got up and danced a bit to LCD Soundsystem. We reminisced about what was going on in our lives in 2010. It was really great to see how far we've come since those dark days.

When we went to our appointment for the BPP, the whole building had no power so we were told that we would be getting a call from the office to reschedule.  I sat in stunned silence for about 5 minutes before deciding that it probably wasn't a good idea to wait around in an area with poor air circulation with other potentially sick people. We have a NST on Thursday anyway, so I hope they get the power issue sorted out by then.

On a happy note, we went for a 45 minute walk in the park I love by our hospital. Did some birdwatching and enjoyed the hints of spring in wildflower-covered hills and fresh air. Went home and husband caught an afternoon nap while I did a bit more work on baby's quilt. Then dear husband finally agreed to go with me to a restorative yoga class and he admitted that it was nice! I feel so grateful for this day, even though it didn't go as planned.

Over the weekend, we washed the washable parts of the breastpump and the bottles that we have. It was overwhelming getting used to the idea that this new equipment will soon be a large part of daily life, but my sore breasts are a constant reminder that avoidance is a bad idea. Better to just face it and get ready. We had another visit from mother-in-law on Sunday and it was nice to chat and have lunch with them. We broke the news that my mom will be here in less than a week and MIL seemed relieved. I was worried that she would feel like we're pushing her out, but she was happy to "come visit later" and not be the primary person to help me while in labor.

We also booked our hotel for the summer trip to Nebraska. We found a "king suite" at a La Quinta that has an outdoor pool. I think it will be an ideal base of operations for us to host guests and relax. It felt strange to be planning for something that is only 3 months away because in my mind it's like the timeline of my whole life is on hold until the baby is born. Dear husband keeps reminding me that one way or another, this baby will be born soon, there's no way around it. Our regular OB is out of town this week, so Thursday's appointment is with a different doc. Hoping it goes smoothly!

I really thought I couldn't track one more thing. I never expected to be this number-obsessed during pregnancy. I count and track so many damn things. How many hours of sleep, steps in a day, days per week of exercise, calories per day eaten & burned, grams of protein, mg of calcium, is baby kicking, when did I eat last, when will I eat next, what to buy at the store, how much salt have I eaten, how many glasses of water have I drank, when is next doctor appt, when is next birth class, what is my blood pressure, what is baby's heart rate, what is my fundal height, am I gaining weight at the appropriate rate... I was looking forward to stopping all this tracking nonsense when baby is born, but maybe it will continue to escalate. There are apps and devices for tracking baby's breastfeeding and sleeping habits. And also, it will be important to have good nutrition to sustain my milk supply. My expectation was a blissful pregnancy. my reality has been a blur of numbers. and a constant fear of "doing it wrong." But I must admit, having a blood pressure cuff at home has put my mind at ease.

At 38 weeks + 5 days (based on LMP) I feel like cooking in the kitchen just isn't going to happen. I'm so tired. I have a few things I would like to make, but when I weigh the pros and cons of it, it's really hard to motivate myself to do it. It's tiring being on my feet and with this pain in my wrists, it's hard to chop veggies and to lift heavy bowls and pots and pans. I feel like I'm kind of giving up on my diet plan, and I also feel like that's kind of OK at this point. I've been following it for 27 weeks now (6.2 months) and I would say it "worked." My Fitbit says I've gained 27.3 pounds. The suggestion for healthy women is to gain 25 to 35 pounds during pregnancy, while women who start off as obese should aim for 15 to 25 pounds. So overall I feel pretty good about this. It's not like I'm about to start gorging myself on anything I want, I'm still logging macros in MyFitnessPal, but as it's getting harder to eat due to constant heartburn, I'm kind of going back to my first trimester habits of just doing what I can even if it doesn't perfectly follow the diet plan.

Week 12 - 49%
Week 13 - 26% (one fast food)

Second Trimester
Week 14 - 28% (four fast food)
Week 15 - 28% (four fast food)

Week 16 - 26% (three fast food)

Week 17 - 31% (three fast food)
Week 18 - 37% (three fast food)

Week 19 - 31% (seven fast food)
Week 20 - 43% (four fast food)
Week 21 - 37% (five fast food)
Week 22 - 46% (five fast food)

Week 23 - 34% (seven fast food)

Week 24 - 40% (five fast food)
Week 25 - 34% (two fast food)
Week 26 - 29% (six fast food)

Third Trimester

Week 27 - 26% (seven fast food)
Week 28 - 51% (four fast food)
Week 29 - 37% (four fast food)

Week 30 - 54% (three fast food)
Week 31 - 60% (three fast food)
Week 32 - 54% (six fast food)

Week 33 - 50% (five fast food)
Week 34 - 43% (five fast food)
Week 35 - 63% (three fast food)
Week 36 - 43% (six fast food)
Week 37 - 69% (four fast food)
Week 38 - 51% (three fast food)

Fertility Part 11

Today, Monday, is the beginning of another two-week cleanse (our fourth cycle). Two weeks ago we attended my aunt's wedding in Stinson Beach (Bay Area, Northern California), which I have written about in Fertility Part 10. One week ago, I attended my grandmother's funeral in Lincoln, Nebraska. 

For fitness, I've been trying to walk, bike and swim more than usual. At Stinson Beach, I tried boogie boarding for the first time. It was totally fun! I attended the Ride of Silence, honoring those who lost their lives due to cycling in the past year. I also participated in Bike to Work Day, even though I live really close to where I work. Normally, we participate in watching a stage of the Amgen Tour de California, but we just have too many other things going on right now. I haven't been doing much rollerskating, but maybe I'll go to Skateland for Adult Skate Practice tomorrow (10:30am).

It was a joy to be a part of these two important family events (wedding & funeral). I had not even unpacked from the wedding so it was no problem to pack very quickly and hop a flight to Nebraska for the funeral. It was tempting to eat in the airport restaurants, but I brought lots of food with me. On the way there, I had chicken and zucchini pesto and hard-boiled eggs. The hungover party animals in the Las Vegas airport were mystified when I pulled those out of my bag. On the way back, I had lentils and roasted root vegetables. I also had some dried peas and beef jerky.

It was hard to keep to the diet in the times of joy and sorrow, but we managed to celebrate Mother's Day with the most diverse and delicious buffet. My sister, Karly, made pulled pork and brought cocktail shrimp. My mom made a pear salad, Brussels sprouts and a celery salad. I brought a green arugula salad, lentils, roasted root vegetables. We had cole slaw and buns for people to eat the pulled pork as sandwiches and there were potato chips that nobody ate. For dessert, we ate sliced strawberries and yogurt with protein powder (for me) or Cool Whip (for everyone else) My sister, Steph, had just moved into a new house so it was good for her to just be there and enjoy the food and company. Cooking and baking are things we all learned from our mother and grandmother. 💓

Every day I was in Nebraska I had a smoothie, since my family was at one time on a NutriBullet kick, they each have one. I even thumbed through the NutriBullet recipe book for future reference. Lots of the smoothies on The IVF Diet follow the formula outlined in the NutriBullet nutrition plan. That's 50% greens, 50% fruit, some water, and a boost. The boosts include nuts, seeds and dried berries (superfood). I am so grateful to my family for taking this IVF diet seriously and making sure I had access to grocery stores and the tools and time to make what I needed to eat.

My parents even tried a high-protein pasta made with edamame. I thought it was good. It was definitely relaxing to be back in Nebraska. It was so much quieter than out here in California. I got lots of sleep (even though my FitBit died). I tried not to worry so much about losing weight and instead focused on spending quality time with family. In this time of hopefulness about the "AA" embryo, it is so wonderful to know that my family is 110% behind me and ready to help and support this fertility journey.

It also felt good to get back to California. It did take a few days to re-adjust. I got back on Wednesday. Immediately I went out for lunch with some of my female colleagues. It was nice to have some time to decompress and gossip a bit. Thursday I pretty much binge-watched Pose on Netflix. In the evening, we attended the candidate forum for LA city council district 12 at CSUN. Friday, we helped with the Chemistry & Biochemistry department graduation party. Saturday, my sister, Steph, came into town so we spent the day cooking and cleaning. I tried to finish my grading before she arrived so that I could go on some hiking and camping adventures with her and her boyfriend, Jeff. Unfortunately, it was not possible.

After sending Steph & Jeff on their hiking and camping adventure, we went to the Farmer's Market on Sunday morning. We found lots of great things including a European Sea Bass (Branzino). I had a bit of trouble removing the fins, but once baked it was pretty tasty. This morning I made another batch of Tumeric Seeded Bread. I decided that the one appliance we're missing (See Fertility Part 7 for the list) is a food dehydrator. I've been making kale chips and sweet potato chips in the oven, but they end up getting burned.

In conclusion, the IVF diet is working for me. My weight this morning was 195.5 pounds. I know that is still heavy, but sometimes when you get heavy, you start to think that there's no hope and nothing will work. I was tracking my calories with MyFitnessPal and attending HIIT workouts for a year and not losing weight. It was discouraging. But I am having success now that I've been following the IVF diet (loosely). I will admit I modify the diet plan to ensure that I am not getting more than 40% of my calories from carbohydrates and that I am getting more than 25% of my calories from protein.

Dear husband has come up with a system for pre-cutting the fruits and veggies. He finds this modular arrangement in the fridge to be less overwhelming. Another thing we have started doing is saving the containers from the commercial produce and refilling them with the loose items we get at the Farmer's Market. Hello Life Hack! And now, we wait for the next menstrual cycle to begin another round of hormones! As I stated in a previous post, my goal is to lose another 4 pounds before the embryo transfer (about 2 weeks from now).

Fertility Part 10

We have come through a full cycle from when we started The IVF Diet. We have done the two week cleanse entirely twice. I have had my second period after egg retrieval. Last weekend we attended a wedding in Marin County, north of San Francisco, on the coast. I thought it would be challenging to stick to the diet, but it was actually okay.

Sausalito, CA with Sister and Husband

Our hotel, the Fairfax Inn, was near a coffee shop, Coffee Roastery, which offered terrific smells as well as smoothies with an available protein boost. This was our breakfast on Saturday and Sunday. I felt that this was a good sign and that it would be good to trust the universe that the rest of the trip would be just as easy. Through this process, I am learning to let go, trust more, and worry less.

I brought with us some gluten-free baked goods, Nutella protein cookies (which we baked accidentally), sun-dried tomato oat crackers, turmeric seeded bread, and granola. On the drive up (6.5 hours) we had a super green flapjack bar, dried peas, almonds, hard boiled eggs, and beef jerky. I packed at least 3 liters of water, so we did stop about three times for bathroom breaks.

The first night was a BBQ, and I had a (bunless) turkey burger and a bratwurst. The second day, I had an open turkey sandwich on oat crackers. The second evening, I had a salmon salad with asparagus. I did eat a slice of wedding cake, but even doing so, my calories did not exceed 40% carbs. That day was very adventurous with lots of activity (wakeboarding, hiking, and dancing) which burned 3000 calories over 7.8 miles and 20,000 steps.

I read that the first period after egg retrieval is very painful, which it was for me, and the second period after egg retrieval comes very late. This was true for me also. My typical cycle length is 27 days but this past cycle (between the first and second period after egg retrieval) was 35 days. I had read that this is normal, not from my doctor, but probably on reddit, so I wasn't worried.

This post is for me to check in with myself. I feel sad because I have lost a bit of weight, but I am worried it will not be enough. A goal would be to get down to 191 pounds, to have a BMI less than 35. Hopefully, my sister will kick my butt into gear with her hiking adventures IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS and I can drop a few more pounds. Okay, 10 pounds is the goal.

We had a great tour of the Marin Museum of Bicycling and Mountain Bike Hall of Fame. It was a fun and educational way to celebrate bike month. We also had a good time on the Blumenfield bike ride, which was on April 28th.

From what I read, again on reddit, the third period after egg retrieval is also late. So that may push things back a bit further. I am not really looking forward to hormone injections again. I am definitely afraid about the embryo transfer not working. But fear does not solve anything, so I am trying to stay focused on what I can do in the meantime (diet, exercise, weight loss) to create the best possible environment for success.

Amtrak Empire Builder (Portland to Fargo)

This summer I am taking two long-distance trips on Amtrak: Empire Builder and Southwest Chief. I took a plane from Los Angeles to Portland and the Amtrak from Portland to Fargo. My sister sold her house there and I spent a week with her, helping her move.

Enjoying this #junegloom @wunderground @Metrolink Thanks for the ride to @fly_BUR just $5.50 from #Northridge station on Ventura County line train 104. Clouds this morning will give way to generally sunny skies for the afternoon. High 83F. 🌤 pic.twitter.com/1CQ8O1Blho

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 19, 2018

It was fantastic to take the Metrolink from Northridge to Burbank Airport. Starting the trip with a train ride put me in a good mood.

Loving how @ridetrimet app includes bicycles

A post shared by bikecar101 (@bikecar101) on Jun 19, 2018 at 1:40pm PDT

When I arrived at Portland airport, I boarded the light rail there to get to the Amtrak station. The light rail (MAX) in Portland was easy to navigate.

Arrived @biketownpdx and ready for @amtrak

A post shared by bikecar101 (@bikecar101) on Jun 19, 2018 at 2:46pm PDT

The Portland Amtrak station is totally cute! There are bikeshare bikes there (and probably in most major cities by now) but the Portland bikeshare bikes are branded with a Nike swoosh.

Onward from #PDX to Washington (state), Idaho and Montana @Amtrak #EmpireBuilder ❤ 🚅 🛤 ⛰ pic.twitter.com/K5sgHZsjDv

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 19, 2018

Empire Builder simultaneously originates in Seattle, WA and Portland, OR in the late afternoon. The individual trains merge in Spokane, WA in the middle of the night. Fresh air stops like this allow you to disembark and stretch your legs. Have a coke, smoke and a joke as my art teacher used to say.

Crossed the Willamette and Columbia rivers 🏞 🚅 🛤 #PacificNorthwest #EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/8HuYN3do3S

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 20, 2018

There's a dining car, which is kind of like a restaurant on wheels. There's a cafe car, which is kind of like a coffee shop on wheels. Above the cafe is the observation car, which has floor to ceiling windows. When people gawk at how much time it takes to get somewhere by train, I show them this.

Columbia River Gorge at White Salmon, WA #EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/squuM7qiBa

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 20, 2018

The next fresh air stop is Whitefish, MT which is the following morning. From there, expect breathtaking views of Glacier National Park. I saw lots of people white water rafting and I have to say the smells of the people boarding the train here were more fresh & clean than any detergent.

Good morning Montana! #EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/Ar8MYkoSQH

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 20, 2018

I met a white water rafting guide who talked me through some of the sights. He pointed out tiny waterfalls and docks where native people fish for salmon using traditional fishing poles made of wood. You get to have great conversations with strangers on Amtrak trips.

#EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/cQOwpYRV2O

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 20, 2018

Abruptly, you are in a flat part of Montana. Two fresh air stops, Shelby and Havre, may be cut short if the train is running behind schedule. Havre has an antique steam engine at its station, which is an impressive display, particularly popular with train enthusiasts.

Grab those handrails when moving through the train. We will be traveling at 79 mph along the Highline through eastern Montana and across North Dakota. #EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/hnVUzFa8rZ

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 20, 2018

In my experience, the dining car is first-come first-served. If you want to be served a sit-down meal in a formal setting, you need to get there right when the meal begins and let them know you will be 'dining' and they will schedule you a time to come back and be seated.

Goodbye #Montana hello #NorthDakota #MissouriRiver #EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/JIng84x40H

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 21, 2018

I would not expect the staff to ask you if you want a seated meal, there were a few unhappy 'sleeper car' passengers that missed out on a seated meal because they thought their porter would assist in making their reservation. Nonetheless, they got a hot meal from the cafe car.

#EmpireBuilder pic.twitter.com/5XfJ3mjHqN

— bikecar101 (@bikecar101) June 21, 2018

As for myself, I brought a variety of items listed below so that I didn't have to partake of the dining car on this particular trip. I highly recommend taking Empire Builder if you get a chance. I saw a couple with loaded touring bikes at the Glacier Park station, and I thought 'I would like to try that.'

This is what I brought in a cooler
*2 bags (florets) broccoli
*1 bag (8oz) mushrooms
*8 C honeydew melon
*1 bag (2C) mixed nuts
*1 bag (30) dried apricots
*1 bag (8) small pancakes
*1 bag (4oz) beef jerky
*1 flat cake (900g) banana bread
*3 medium yellow nectarines
*Empty ziploc for ice
*Cooler bag
*Empty water bottle

This is what I purchased at the station or on the train
*2 cans soda
*1 bag each: combos, gardettos
*2 cups coffee: $2 each
*1 tuna sandwich on wheat
*1 Greek yogurt cup: $2.50

What is Tyvek?

In the summer of 2012 (definitely 6 years ago) we purchased a season pass for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway. The pass came with an envelope made of Tyvek. I have been using that for a wallet ever since.

January 2018

Before this I was using a plastic Ziploc bag, so I felt this Tyvek thingy was an upgrade. People told me that was weird until I went to a stagette party in 2011 and one of the other bridesmaids was also using a Ziploc bag for a wallet. No surprise because she was also a fitness queen.

Yes, the logo is definitely faded and there are holes forming in the corners, but can you tell me another material that would hold up this well and be so lightweight and compact? We were at the movie theater January 2018 to see the movie 'The Post' and in the lobby they were selling wallets made of Tyvek.

January 2018

These wallets cost $15.00 each which kind of seemed like a lot to me, especially considering the one I've been using was given to me. ProTip: Tyvek envelopes can be ordered from USPS.com in packs of 10 for free.

If you want to make your own "Mighty Wallet" out of a Tyvek envelope, the owner of DynoMighty has posted an instructable here: http://www.instructables.com/id/Express-Mail-Envelope-tyvek-Wallet/

I was so curious, as a chemist, about what kind of material would hold up so well and it turns out that it is a form of plastic. Plastic is derived from hydrocarbons (petroleum) and this type of plastic is high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This is a common plastic in the home, one major use is milk jugs.

What makes Tyvek so strong is that the long chains are not branched. The polymer is formed into thin sheets of parallel fibers. More about the manufacturing process can be seen here.

Last year, DuPont celebrated 50 years of Tyvek and it has found many uses. If you are done with the Tyvek product, you can recycle it at any location where you drop off plastic shopping bags.

If you are interested in the Summer Pass for the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, the cost is $80 for Adults and they go on sale May 1st. You get unlimited rides up Mt. San Jacinto until Labor Day.

January 2018

BTW I also bought a neon yellow "trucker hat" in summer 2013 and I still wear it almost every day. I think my mother-in-law was horrified because she offered to buy me ANY hat at the gift shop and I chose this one over all the other cute frilly girly styles. 

Even though "trucker hats" are cheap, they are durable and functional. With a plastic mesh back and a large, nearly vertical foam front, this "trucker hat" keeps me cool and I love wearing it while walking or biking because I feel safer because it's "safety yellow." Look out, I'm walking here!

August 2013

What I love about my Tyvek wallet is that I can put it in my fanny pack and hit the roller rink, I can slide it into my sports bra and go for a run, I can fit it into my seatpost bag on my road bike, I can zip it into the side pocket of my yoga pants. It goes where I go and it's slim and durable.

Also, Tyvek is water-resistant and the plastic driver's license, credit card and insurance card inside together with the emergency $20 bill aren't harmed by a little teeny bit of perspiration. So go ahead and get your sweat on! Tyvek is a durable material that can handle whatever you are into.  

Unless you're into finely dispersed iron oxide or zirconium oxide solid superacid catalysts above 700 degrees Farhenheit, in which case your Tyvek wallet could be melted down to a wax.

Shabtai, Xiao and Zmierczak. "Depolymerization-Liquefaction of Plastics and Rubbers. 1. Polyethylene, Polypropylene, and Polybutadiene." Energy & Fuels 1997, 11, 76-87.

 

behind the curtain

This month was an adventure! We headed to Catalina Island for dear husband's birthday, then to Northern California for Christmas.

Catalina Island was full of Smart Cars. This came as a surprise. Upon returning home, I found that a smart car classifies as an "autoette." There are only 1,000 parking spaces in Avalon, so there is a long waiting list to import a car (if you move there, expect to wait 14 years or so). Since the island is space-limited, the Smart Car is very popular. Given that Catalina is known for its eco-mindedness, it is a surprise to me that electric cars are not mandated. The noise of the golf carts alone really disturbed the peaceful retreat atmosphere, not to mention to pollution left behind.

what seems like paradise

The birthday adventure included driving 300 miles in automobiles, 80 miles on a ferry, and 12 miles in a golf cart. Tickets on the Catalina Express are $37.75, unless it's your birthday (which is free).  Best case, gas is $3/gal and we get 40 mpg, so that cost $22.50 in gas (7.5 gal).  Worst case, gas is $4/gal and the inlaws' car gets 20 mpg, so that cost $60 in gas (15 gal).  The boat burned 160 gal of diesel fuel. For the golf carts, estimates range between 10-30 mpg, using a price of $4/gal that would mean we spent $2.40 on gas, but $90 for a 2 hour rental period.

3584 lbs carbon dioxide from the boat
    44 lbs CO2-equivalent GHG emissions from the steak dinner
    30 lbs carbon dioxide from the car
    12 lbs carbon dioxide from the golf cart
3670 lbs carbon dioxide from the weekend (1.66 metric tons)

Weather Disasters are costing us Billions... and devastating events are increasing in frequency!

A carbon offset is a credit that is purchased to negate carbon emissions. One carbon credit is equal to 1 metric ton of carbon emissions. It costs $10 per ton to purchase carbon offset from the Arbor Day Foundation.  I'm thinking about all this because at Thanksgiving, my dear sister-in-law told her recurring story/joke that our low-car lifestyle offsets their carbon-hungry lifestyle.  All the bicycling we do is negated by their dry-cleaning.  And they laugh about this.

$150.00 in ferry tickets (for 4 people)
$300.00 in beef (for 8 people)
$ 60.00 in gas for the car & golf cart (for 4 people)
$ 90.00 in rental fee (for 4 people)
$600.00 total cost

Not only that, but we ate steak for dinner.  It's interesting how eating that steak seems so luxurious.  Well, that's because of what it takes to produce the meat. It was disgusting driving up to Nor Cal and seeing (smelling) feedlots. I'm not sure, but I think it was Harris Ranch, which supplies I-N-Out Burger among others. The smell was so bad, and stretched for miles, I almost vomited. If you're considering a New Year's Resolution, consider that substituting one beef-based meal a week for beans, you can avoid releasing 331 kilograms (730 pounds) of carbon dioxide every year. One quarter-pound of beef results in 5.5 pounds of CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

behind the curtain you find this

One mature tree absorbs carbon dioxide at a rate of 48 pounds per year.  This means it would take 76 trees a whole year to consume the carbon dioxide we generated in one weekend.  I'm concerned about this in light of stories I'm hearing about Nebraska farmers cutting down mature trees to plant a few more rows of crops. This is alarming coming from the birthplace of Arbor Day.  So if you want to do me a birthday present, purchase carbon credits and let's stay home and go for a walk.  And I've purchased a pressure-cooker to cook my beans in 1/3 of the time.

While in Riverside, we stopped at our old favorite Winco Foods to buy bulk grains and dried beans.  Then we stopped at IKEA Burbank to get some reusable storage containers for said grains and beans.  Then we visited the $10 Bookstore to find a used cookbook that is all about using whole grains.

$100 at IKEA
$177 at Winco
$  27 at Best Buy (rice cooker)
$  20 at Bed Bath & Beyond (pressure cooker)
$    6 at Bookstore (whole grains cookbook)
$330 for home-cooking

I really hope 2018 is a year of home-cooking and bike riding and car-free travel. Let's make it happen. FYI the 2nd Annual Women's March in Los Angeles is happening on Saturday, January 20, 2018.  Let's remind Donald Trump that we disagree with him.

TRUMP: We’re going to win another four years for a lot of reasons...they basically have to let me win. 

Link to New York Times Interactive

Zion NP Packing List

Outerwear

Coat (heavy)

Jacket (windbreaker)

Hat (stocking)

Scarf

Gloves (ski/waterproof)

Underwear

Tights

Long Underwear

Undershirt (camisole, t-shirt)

Performance shirt (long sleeve)

Boxers (briefs or panties)


Tops

Sweatshirt

Fleece (zip up)

Backpack + water bladder

Sunglasses

Sun hat


Bottoms

Thermal socks

Performance socks (2 pair)

Hiking pants

Hiking boots

Flip-flop (sandals, thongs)


Other

Swimsuit

Snacks (Clif bars)

Bike Racks

We got our Smart Car in August 2011.  Since then, we've taken it on many trips.  We've had to do little things to maintain the car in the last year, such as brakes ($427.69) and new tires ($647.35). These we have had done at Boulevard Auto Repair in Van Nuys.  We get regular service (e.g. oil changes) here at Glendale Lube Center.

Photo credit: Anne Hamersky (January 2012)

In academic years 2011-2012 and 2012-2013, I was driving 80 miles per weekday!  I'm so glad I don't have to do that anymore.  We got rid of our 2nd car in February of 2015 and thank goodness for that.  I overheard two people discussing the Public Transit Subsidy Program at CSUN, specifically in regards to Metrolink.

CSUN employees who opt to use the bus, rail, or train to campus may be eligible for a discount of up to 60% off the cost of the monthly transit pass. The total monthly discount will not exceed $100.

One person was explaining to the other that the discount really starts to pay off when you become a single-car family.  Now we drive when we have to (or want to) but if we don't want to drive, we take the Metrolink train with our bicycles.

April 2015 we got the rack, June 2015 we got the bike (Fuji)

Free2Go Bike Rack (#FREE2GO) $109.00 + $15.00 via Flat Rate USA = $124.00

Becoming a single-car household wasn't without its challenges.  We had a bike rack for our old 4-door Honda Civic, but we needed a way to transport at least one bicycle in the case of an emergency. The first rack we purchased is the Free2Go.  As long as your bike weighs less than 45 pounds, this rack will work.  In fact, it's even my preferred rack for transporting our beach cruiser bike, due to the shape of its frame.  At around 2 pounds, the Free2Go bike rack can even be slipped into your messenger bag or backpack if you are driving a rented SmartCar.  The car-sharing company car2go operates in 9 US cities, including San Diego, but not yet in Los Angeles.

October 2015 we got the bike (Fix-D), October 2016 we got the rack

Thule Helium Aero 3 Bike $399.95 + $189.95 Hitch (U-Haul) + $60 Installation + Tax? = $697.10

Fix-D 700C Road Bike - Silver/Red (28") = $98.09

This year, we upgraded our carrying capacity with a 3-bike rack, which is kind of ironic since we have a 2-passenger car.  It was pretty expensive to get the hitch installed, but we finally got the car paid off so it seemed like the right time to start making modifications (spending the money we would have put into a car payment).  We're considering where to take this rack.  So far, we've used it to go out to Riverside and over to the LA River Bike Path with out-of-town guests.  At 20 pounds, the Thule rack can be installed by one female (me) solo.  It has a load-capacity of 110 pounds.

I'm not wild about the Los Angeles car culture, but there are still some remote areas that are not well-served by public transportation (e.g. Point Mugu) where we would like to camp and bring our bicycles.  I'm still not totally sure what we're doing over the winter break, but it will most likely involve our new bike rack.  Even though we have a really tiny house, we both fantasize about the next bicycles we want to buy.

Hike the Verdugos

My favorite part of hiking is "sun on pine." It's my favorite smell in the world.

The picture here is from May 2013 when we hiked the Verdugos as part of an organized event. Since then, we've taken many out-of-town guests and Glendale residents up there.  It's never a disappointment.

We most recently hiked with Walk Bike Glendale and Glendale Parks and Open Space Foundation We met at the Doctor's House and as the sun peeked over the mountains, it hit the plants and the most amazing aroma hit my nose.  It was like a $40 aromatherapy treatment at a spa.  Except it was completely outdoors and completely free.

As you can see from the color-coded elevation profile, it's pretty steady as far as the grade.  The official event page describes it as a 10% grade, and the data from my Garmin watch says that the grade ranges from 7% to 13% so that's a good description.

Here's a photo of all the families that gathered for the hike last weekend.

Here's a view looking down from the top.
You can see the trail we came up snaking downward (in the left of the photo).

Here are the happy hikers at the summit (about 2600').

I love hiking at different times of the year, and different times of the day.  The hike goes up high enough in elevation that you see the flora and fauna changing as you gain in elevation.  I hope our next collaborative event will be Deukmejian Wilderness Park.  Maybe it's because the name contains the word "Wild" but I've been afraid to go up there until now.  Having met the board members of Glendale Parks and Open Space Foundation, I know I have friends to show me the way.

Griffith Park Traffic Plan Presentation

The presentation hinged on four points:

1) public safety
2) shuttle
3) Hollywood sign
4) media campaign

The intersection of Vermont and Western Canyon was heavily impacted during Spring Break.  They propose one-way traffic on Vermont and two-way traffic on Western.  A shuttle would stop at Traveltown, the LA Zoo, connecting to the Metro Red Line at the Sunset & Vermont station.

There will be free parking at the Greek Theater and Section 9.  East & West Observatory Road will have angled parking (metered).  The goal is to redirect tourists who wish to view the Hollywood sign from the neighborhoods to the park.

The shuttle route would be from the Greek Theater to the Obsevatory.  Another shuttle would run from the Greek Theater to a Hollywood sign viewpoint.  A third shuttle would run through the tunnel and back.  Shuttle service would run every 15-20 minutes.

Vehicle traffic invading Vermont and Ferndale would be alleviated.  Hollywood & Western may be designated as the official Hollywood sign viewing point from the Metro system.  There will be shuttle stops outside the park.

Q & A session:

Q. Will Western Canyon eventually become a one-way street?
A. Eventually, but not in phase 1.  Phase 1 will roll out in Fall 2016.

Q. Can you give us more details about the shuttles?
A. They will hold 21 passengers.  There will be 4-5 shuttles total.

Q. What about the sharrows along Obsevatory Road?  Sharrows do not work to improve public safety.  Impatient motorists passing cyclists can cause problems.
SEE: http://bikinginla.com/2013/07/24/embarrassing-video-shows-sheriffs-deputy-doesnt-know-what-a-sharrow-means/

Q. What about the environmental impact of the shuttles?
A. The mitigated negative declaration tells how much emissions the shuttles will generate annually.  The document is available on LAparks.org.

Q. How does the neighborhood traffic exit Commonwealth Canyon Drive?  Residents cannot get to their houses, nor can emergency vehicles access those residents.

Q. Why can't Griffith Park be closed to all cars like Central Park in NYC?
A. We are reaching saturation of cars within the park, so this may be a long-term solution.

Q. Has a bike lane been introduced to the one-way plan?

Q. Can revenue generated by parking fees be used to repave Mt. Hollywood Dr. and keep it closed for pedestrians and cyclists?

Parting thoughts:

The shuttle in Zion National Park is a buzzkill for pedestrians and cyclists.  The selfie culture is dominating wilderness access.

Griffith Park is my Backyard, Too (Mapped on 12/21/2015)

After thoughts:

During public comment, I spoke about how I was among the dreaded Spring Breakers, although it was 15 years ago.  At that time, websites were sparse.  Back then, I found information about the Youth Hostels we stayed at on a webpage, but most of our information was found in travel books and magazines.

As a tourist, I would not have had the sophistocation to take public transportation back in 2001.  Coming from Nebraska, I had no idea how to navigate the Metro light rail system.  I have lived in California for more than 10 years now, and I am just now figuring it out.

This is a scan of the actual scrapbook.

In order to take our photos in front of the Hollywood sign, we drove around the area until we found some neighborhood to park in and hike up a bit.  Some nice locals even took our picture.  I want to say that our "tourist dollars" poured into California, but the truth was that we didn't actually go inside Legoland or Disneyland.  We did a lot of walking in areas that were free.

What I didn't realize at the time is that I was already imagining what it would be like to live in Southern California.  I love the sunshine and recreational opportunities that come with it.  Speaking with a former running buddy, I describe how the streets of Glendale are a dangerous place to go running, but Griffith Park is considered a safe space.  Also, the climbing offered by Griffith Park, in particular Mt. Hollywood Dr. (currently not open to cars), is a great way to train for other longer rides that involve hills.  If I only ride out to CSUN and back, it's too flat to prepare for hills.  

Having a safe space to climb on a bike is EXTREMELY important to those who train for the long multi-day rides such as Aids/Lifecycle, the Climate Ride, and Ride2Recovery California Challenge.

With all the negativity (on the part of cyclists) about sharrows, I did a bit of reading.  It turns out that sharrows are meant to show cyclists the safest place to ride.  I had been confused when there are sharrows in the middle of the lane, I ride in the middle of the lane.  I thought there were no sharrows in Glendale painted to the right of the lane, but here's one example.

Watch this video here.

When a sharrow is painted in the center of the lane, it means that riding to the right side of the lane is not safe, due to parked cars (creating a door zone) for example.

SEE: https://ladotbikeblog.wordpress.com/sharrows/

If you really want to read the entire report regarding "Griffith Park Action Plan" as it is called, see here:

https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/davidryucc/pages/121/attachments/original/1452819495/Draft_IS-MND_GriffithPark_1-7-16_2015.pdf?1452819495

If I, as a cyclist, had to do 2 hours worth of research and reading to really understand a "sharrow" it's unlikely that people will use them as intended.

SF to Salinas Century (May 2015)

The other thing, that I think is related to these issues, is a discussion of requiring cyclists to have safety flags and wear a certain amount of square inches of fluorescent fabric.

SEE: http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/why-the-missouri-bicycle-flag-bill-is-not-as-funny-as-you-think

I have no problem wearing fluorescent colors and reflectors and I have a flag for my bicycle that I use when I'm volunteering as a ride marshal or when I ride recreationally along the Pacific Coast Highway.  I wonder if the Park Action Planners realize that opening Mt. Hollywood Dr. to cars will force cyclists like me to start worrying about my safety.  I already worry enough as it is, can't we just have one car-free space to train?  

When I ride among cars, I will wear a safety vest and if on a particularly busy highway, I will fly my flag.  I don't want to have to do all that to ride in my "backyard," aka Griffith Park.

I understand that a helmet is expensive. The safety vest I wear was $15.  I think we paid $12-15 for our flag at a bike shop, but you can buy a 6' flag online for $7. Some helmets cost $60-120 and some are as cheap as $7 (see Burbank Bike Angels).  I have heard that a mandatory helmet law for cyclists is not supported by bicycle advocates due to the cost burden for low-income individuals that rely on a bicycle as their primary means of transportation.  What about the requirements for reflectors ($8)?  Are they not cost-prohibitive?   The lights I use are in a state of constant flux, but $26 was just for a USB-rechargable taillight.  A set of front and rear lights was $39 (in 2013).  Half of our fleet of bicycles is missing the pedal reflectors ($5).  So just to meet the current laws would cost just over $50.  Adding requirements for a helmet, vest, and flag would bloat the cost for the casual cyclist, commuter, or competitive athlete.

The bottom line for me, that I didn't get to articulate in my 1 minute public comment, is that Griffith Park should NOT be open to shuttles or car traffic. #keepgriffithwild