Tuesday, July 21, 2009

Summertime


A busy few weeks for the Theesfeld's. We can't really remember what we did the weekend of the 11th (though we do remember date night at Anthony's restaurant in Metuchen...thanks Nanny T) This weekend saw us down the shore again. Kira loaded the whole crew (minus me) into the car on thursday night and drove down to Brigantine to see Sarah, Frank and Shadow Kern. Friday was a day for the girls in Ocean City, NJ, visiting Svena and Sam and the rest of the Johnson crew. I rolled on down (literally) later on Friday. I pulled another long ride off on Friday (it was Kira's idea, I swear)...145 miles from Westfield to Ocean City. It probably should've been about 135, but I took a few wrong turns around Ft. Dix and added some time and miles to the day (At that point, what's the difference between 135 and 145, right?) I linked up pieces of the Jay's LBI ride and the CLBC longest day ride to spend a lot of time on some great roads with hardly any traffic. The old raritan canal road to Princeton, the bike lanes though the Pine Barrens and the cranberry bogs (and corn and peach and sod farms), and the crazy seabreeze headwinds when I finally turned east for the coast at mile 125. The only real problem was the redneck in the pickup who thought it would be funny to throw a gatorade bottle at me at 40 mph between Egg Harbor and Mays Landing (they're always in pickup trucks). Other than that, a nice way to get down the shore.
The rest of the weekend was nice and easy...the way summer is supposed to be. A nap for Abbie Ray on the beach...running, riding, and rollerblading around the island of Brigantine...hanging out at the pool on the bay (Abigail is DEFINITELY loving the water)...watching the tour and explaining all things bike racing to anyone who will listen...playing with Sarah's new puppy...and trying to always be mindful of how blessed we are to enjoy such glorious days. I do love hanging out with my girls.

Sunday, July 05, 2009

Rolling with my girl


Summer showed up this weekend, just in time for the 4th of July. We didn't have any big plans this weekend...we're still settling back in to the routine after our week down the shore...so we planned on a ride together if the weather held up (let's face it, with the way the weather has been this summer, I wouldn't have been surprised if it was snowing on the morning of the 4th). Morning greeted us with beautiful blue skies and temps in the 60's, Nanny T drove out for some Abbie Time, and were rolling.
As usual, the ride out of town was uneventful..we headed out thru Plainfield to avoid the ridge, decided to take part in the 4th of July Parade, and found our way into the Great Swamp, rolled into Harding, marvelled at some of the homes on Bailey's Mill, tried to find a place to grab something to eat in Basking ridge and Bernardsville (no easy task, apparently, on the 4th of July) and rolled back home.
Kira rolled thru the day with style, steady pace, smiling wide, enjoying the day. It's so much fun to spend time with her on the bike, we've had so many great days together on the roads...from Mt. Ventoux and Provence... to the Jersey shore and the Gunks...I couldn't have hoped for a better riding partner.
Hope everyone had a great 4th...

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Down the Shore


Our first trip down the shore with Abigail, the annual Filachione Clan in Ocean City, NJ extravaganza, has come and gone with lots of smiles and sand and Mack and Manco's and rigatoni and meatballs...a rather unhealthy amount of fried seafood and beer and wine (but what else are you supposed to eat when you're down the shore...and speaking of down the shore, does anyone else say that, or is it just a Jersey thing? Do people in California say down the shore? Unlikely, I say) A fair amount of rain and clouds but enough sun to make everyone happy (and it's not like the kids cared whether it was sunny or rainy or cloudy...I think fire and brimstone could fall from the sky and they'd be happy because they're at the beach) Lots of naps for Abbie, staying up late and sleeping in, living the good life...and a bit of a much needed and well deserved reality check for Kira and me. Because at the end of the day, all of the stress, the worry, the crazy commutes, wondering why it's all so hard sometimes...all that really matters is enjoying our days. Special thanks to Mom Mom...we're already looking forward to next summer