My New Bike!

I got a great gift this afternoon! A new bike ... much lighter than even the expensive carbon ones out there on the Tour de France :-)


A few people have asked to see pictures of my old bike, so here it is. Sad, huh.


The fork completely broke off because of the drain in the ditch which I hit.

Post-Wire Menu

I've never been one to prepare meals based on a weekly menu. I know it makes for more efficent and cost-effective shopping, but how can you prepare pot roast or spaghetti for dinner when you feel like eating enchilladas or sushi?! Anyway, I am sooo missing my meals.

I have a friend, Lucas, for whom food is nothing more than a source of nutrients. Every meal is just a plate of numbers for him. For me ~ I love everything about food. I don't have a food addiction or anything. I just love the visual presentation and the aromas that fill the room of a beautifully plated dish. I love the way the textures and bold flavors make my taste buds dance. And I love the little dance the palate engages in going from appetizer to salad to entre to desert. This one course soup stuff just isn't cutting it for me, but I have at least one more week to go.

Here's what I'm looking forward to once these darn wires come off (not in any particular order) ...

Chicken Katsu and Rice from L & L Hawaiian BBQ
Shrimp Gamberi from Pasta Pomodoro
Carne Asada Fries from Baldos
Pasta e Fagioli Soup, Salad, and Breadsticks from Olive Garden
My mom's Kare Kare
Melting Albacore Sushi and Vegetable Tempura from Sushi King
Mongolian Beef from Happy Garden
Stuffed Eggplant from Jay's Garden

I'm sure I'll be adding more items to my menu as the week progresses :-p

My mouth is watering ...

Extreme Makeover

I took off the bandage from my chin today!

The doctor said to keep the dressing on for 5 days, and with the surgery done on Monday, today is the day! I was chatting about it online with my sister-in-law, Darlene, last night. I was so excited. I told her how I've been cleaning my face everyday trying to take off as much "gunk" as i can with out irritating the areas that are still raw. You know, road rash scabs, dried neosporin, etc. It doesn't look like there'll be very much scarring.

In trying to make light of the situation, she said, "Don't worry, you'll look like a FOX when it's all over!" "A 'fox' I thought ... what year did THAT word come from?!" She said when she saw me with the bandage on my chin after the surgery, I looked like one of those people on Extreme Makeover. You know ~ they look all swollen and black and blue after the procedure, but after the recovery process, they look like a million buck$? She said they fixed my chin, and with my liquid diet, I'll probably lose alot of weight. And then I commented, "Ya, and I get new teeth too!" We had a good laugh.

Extreme Makeover - I've caught glimpses of it on TV but would always change the channel, because I could never sit through the show without getting queasy. And that's exactly how I felt while taking off my bandages. I was all weak in the knees, breathing all uneasy, feeling slightly faint ... only to discover the incision site to be less than an inch!

I find it odd that I can be strong falling off my bike at 36 mph, hitting the ground first with my chin, I can be okay at home for 4 days waiting to have my broken jaw fixed, I can endure surgery, soups, and smoothies ... but be a total baby taking a bandage off my face!!

You'll never see me on one of those Extreme Makeover shows. I don't have the stomach for it. Besides, personally, FOXY is over rated.

(Two of my mentors ~ Ruth and the Proverbs 31 woman.)

Life is Not ...

"Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming - WOW - What a ride!!!" ~ Unknown

While I will not be able to ride in Marin or Honolulu, I do plan to resume my training with TNT for November’s 100-mile ride at El Tour de Tucson in Arizona (once I get clearance from my doctors of course).

What I’ve gone through is minimal compared to what those brave souls that I’m riding in honor of endure everyday, waiting for a cure.

Warm Regards ~ Tessa

Valle vs. Veeder

Veeder -1 Valle -0
Rematch in 4-6 weeks

Jun and I attacked Mt. Veeder on Thursday, July 5th.

The first part was tough but familiar, the Dry Creek timed trial route.

Turning onto Mt. Veeder, things got from tougher to greuling. It seemed like every turn in the road became steeper and steeper. I had to stop several times, but remember laughing at several things:
~ there was this fly that would just not leave me alone; i could have sworn he was taunting me!
~ speaking of swearing, it used to be a really bad habit of mine ... the toughness of this hill was bringing it out again ... I prayed hard to not let the words that were forming in my mind slip outta my mouth
~ ackwardly trying to clip back in on an incline, i had to learn to go back down the hill a bit and then turn around to go back up
~ oddly, I was feeling stronger after each climb

At the crest of Mt. Veeder, I remember Jun calling out, "I think this is it!" Being a ways behind him, I remember punching up my pedaling after hearing him say that. But I'd pushed too hard, passed him up, and started on the descent faster than I'd anticipated.

The rest is a blur as it happened so fast ... it was so steep, I was picking up speed, the turns seemed so sharp, I just did everything I could to stay on the road. I remember having a tough time with the brakes on the hoods - my hands were getting fatigued. So I went into my drops. Tho' the brakes were easier to apply, it was also more abrupt and I felt myself almost fly forward a couple times. But I remember NOT being in a panic.

Coming out of a sharp right, I couldn't veer left in time. The next thing I saw was a ditch that I knew I was going to hit ... and then nothing ... I don't remember the impact ... I just remember opening my eyes to a lady holding my head and my telling Jun I lost some teeth. I remember asking him in between moans if he'd called Andrew. And I remember agonizing over not being able to ride on Saturday or go to youth camp with the girls next week.

I was brought by ambulance to Queen of the Valley Hospital where they determined I broke my chin and the left and right side of my jaw. I was then admitted to Kaiser Oakland where they cleaned me up, pulled some pebbles out of my face, and kept me for the night. I go in for surgery on Monday where they'll repair my chin and jaw. My mouth will be wired shut for 2-4 weeks, the doctor says.

The display of love has been overwhelming - from family, friends, church family, and TNT family. Thank you all so much. I know I am well supported. At first, I didn't want anyone to see me, as my face is pretty banged up. But though things don't look so good on the outside, I'm feeling strong on the inside ... and that's what I want others to see ... to be reassured that I'm going to be okay.

Of course i think the occasional, "If only I had ... or I should have ..." But then I think how much worse things "could have ..." And so I'm reminded to have peace in what just is. And to be thankful that I can get back in the saddle again.

I Raced The Sun And Won

I had to get an easy ride in before what I know will be a tough one on Thursday, so I did my Lake Herman route this evening. It's still odd to me that I now call that 16.5 miles an easy ride, because I clearly recall the first time I did it. I WANTED to turn around at mile 7, certain I wouldn't be able to make it home if I went any further. But Jean wouldn't go for it ... and I did make it up the hill and back home ... I thanked her at the end for not letting me quit half way.

So tonight I went out at 7 pm determined to make it home before sunset.

Lots of headwinds, but I finished the short ride strong in 1 hr 17 mins ... AND WITHOUT MY GRANNY GEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME !!

Thanks for Deer Park and Howell Mountain, Jun. Whatcha got in store this week?!

"This is so much more stressful than biking!"

I golfed with Andrew and a friend Sunday afternoon. Thought it's the least I could do, since I've been pre-occupied with biking. I've also flaked on a couple of his golf dates, so I knew it was high time I got my swing on.

Golfing used to be mine and Andrew's "thing." There was a time when we'd get out there together on the course at least once a month. Up at the crack of dawn, loading up the car with all our gear, and riding the golf cart in the cool, crisp air, untouched dew still on the fairways. I love that he loves my getting out there with him.

What I don't love is how exasperating golf can be! (Now, I didn't say Andrew's exasperating, I said GOLF is.) Head down, light grip, knees bent, coil at the waist, pull back, nice easy swing, follow through ... oh my gosh ... I actually gave up golf for a year, because I was so frustrated with my lack of progress. I picked it up again vowing not to keep score.

I have a nice swing, I've been told, and I do hit an occasional "nice shot" every now and then. What gets me is that there isn't that noticeable and consistent improvement like there is with biking. I used to only be able to bike 2 miles. The week after that, I biked 4. Then after that I did 8. Now I'm up to 47.5 miles! There isn't that consistent sense of improving with golf; at least for me there isn't. And then there's those three other people standing there watching you swing and following your ball, whever it decides to go (usually in the rough).

What I try and remember is that for Andrew - it's not a matter of how well I do or don't do. It's just the two of us getting out there and doing something together that he enjoys.

As Andrew would say, "Hey - at least the ball's moving forward!"