What I’m Doing – Cycling Petal & Pedal

So two years ago I participated on a triathlon team and loved it. I was highly motivated to not suck as a team member and did a good job at training. Last year I really missed the motivation of having an event to train for so this year I told Jeff we should sign up for some rides this summer so we would train.  Our first ride was the Worst Day of The Year ride back in Feb. We didn’t train for that because well it’s Feb in the NW and not exactly my kind of weather to ride in. It wasn’t very long and the weather was actually pretty nice. So it was a great experience.

Petal & Pedal- June 22

Our next ride was the Petal & Pedal. There were 30, 50, 70 and 100 mile rides. Since 50 miles is considered by us as a long ride we chose the 50 miles. We committed by paying our registration and blocking off the calendar. Then life happened in a big way. Jeff didn’t get on his bike at all and I only had a few 30 mile rides here or there. In other words my big plan of being motivated to train went out the window. 

However, we had paid and we had the date saved so this last Saturday morning we were driving to Silverton at 7am for our ride. We joked about how crazy we were and how much this would hurt busting out 50 miles without any training. It wasn’t a race and it had several rest stops along the way with food.  So how bad could it be? Bonus…. the route we had signed up for was described as “flat” so we had no real worries.

We should have trained –

Once we arrived and were unloading I went to check in. Jeff had a brief conversation with someone in the parking lot who had done the 50 mile route before and he said it was a great ride, but there was one pretty big climb at the front end.  This little conversation would play a key role in what happens next….

We headed out on our bikes. The weather was perfect, dry,  and cool…with no wind. Within 4 or 5 miles we encounter the first rest area which I thought was weird, after a quick conversation we decided not to stop and blew right by it.  As soon as we passed it we began to climb. Not ideal for me. I prefer to ride at least 10 miles before I climb but I just geared down and began climbing.  We knew to expect a climb at the beginning and assumed that this was it. 

We missed our turn –

We saw many bikers going the opposite way, flying down the hill we were climbing. The hill just kept going, and going. Jeff and I were going SLOW and no one was passing us. Also, we weren’t passing anyone else and everyone was going the other direction. Finally, after 2 miles of uphill I pulled over and said “WHAT THE HELL! I THOUGHT THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE FLAT!!!” To which my calm husband replied “I’m sure we are almost at the top”. So we kept going. Variations of that conversation happened two more times. Each time with just a bit more emotion on my part. Jeff would  scrutinized the map but I was no help because I’m blind without my glasses so I had to trust him.  🙄 

Finally, after our 3rd stop, and not 10 miles into the ride, which had taken us an hour to do, I said “I can’t do it. If this entire ride is climbing I’m out!!!” Jeff once again pulled out the map and finally decided that yes we probably were going the wrong way. We should have turned at the rest stop we blew by.

He should have listened to me!

So to sum up. We went 11 miles out of our way and climbed 1500 feet that wasn’t on the route!!! As a result our 50 mile ride with 1,500 feet of climbing turned into a 61 mile ride with 3,000 ft of climbing with no training….

We figure (with training and staying on course) we can cut a good 2 hours off our time next year!!! 🙂 

What I’m Photographing – Class of 2020

I had the opportunity to photograph my first Senior from the upcoming Class of 2020.  Katelyn and her mom met with me twice before her session. Her 3 looks were well thought out and very much her. She had an Aunt who did a fabulous job on her hair and went to Blush Beauty Bar http://blushbeautybar.com/pagesY/get-a-service-done/book-your-service.html to get her makeup done. When I arrived she was camera ready.

Katelyn lives in a beautiful setting which allowed for 3 locations which were ideal for her 3 looks! She was so natural in front of the camera and was game for anything, which contributed to fun shoot.  

Yes, those  are elf ears you see peeking out of that gorgeous hair! Katelyn is serious about ASL and has a nickname associated with those ears, making the inclusion during her session very meaningful and fun!

Goal Check – Quick Turn Around

One of the things I strive for is to give SFP clients the best experience from start to finish. What that means is easy and fast communication. A well planned shoot that has your tastes in mind while choosing locations, props and looks.  And of course a fun, laid back experience during the shoot. But it does not end there. If at all possible (and it usually is) I will post sneak peeks the day of your session. I am an impatient person and I LOVE having the opportunity to give my clients some immediate feedback on what they just experienced during the session.  But it doesn’t stop there either. I also strive to get the fully edited photos back to my clients as quickly as possible. 

My {Current} Favorite Thing – Variety

I’m thankful for a life that is full and varied. I get bored easily and love the opportunity to try or visit somewhere, something new. Summer offers up lots of opportunities for the kind of explorations and experiences that just makes my heart sing. That could be as simple as trying a new restaurant, turning down a road I have never traveled on, or a physical challenge that pushes me past my comfort zone. 

When did you last try something new? I would love to hear about it!

What I’m Reading – “The Guest Book” by Sarah Blake”

I am already hooked!!!! I’m loving the time period, I’m loving the setting and I’m loving the history of a family and how one generation can live in the shadow of a former generation and not even fully understand what that means or how it has shaped them. It is still early on.  I’m only in chapter 7 and I have no idea where this is headed but I can’t wait to find out!

The book does hop from time period to time period. So this early on I am finding it challenging remembering who is who. The author does a good job of drawing you in so you can catch back up to whichever character you have just jumped to. If you have read Kate Morton you know her books do this as well. I find that over time those transitions will get smoother so I just trust the process. 

I hope this week is a good one for you! 

Shelly