Author Archives: thefasteryoupedal

Unknown's avatar

About thefasteryoupedal

Hi! I'm Liz and I am a 38 year old teacher from Las Cruces, New Mexico. I'm also a fan of mountain biking, road biking, running, and traveling. I'm always up to try something new! This blog is for me to share ideas and also to receive new ideas!

32nd Birthday!!

Posted on by
Reply
Since we saited t go to San Diego for our anniversary, I decided to make the best of staying in town and make a list of things to do for my weekend extravaganza! 
On my Friday list, I wanted to go on one last ride at the age of 31.  Mike and I went and rode the jeep road so we could get some good exercise.
 This is a picture of my list and Barney being part of things. 🙂
 Saturday I wanted a date night at St. Claire’s Winery and Bistro.  Loved it!
 Mike got all dressed up and handsome. 
 My mom got me an awesome birthday card!
 And Mike made this gift for me.  So thoughtful!
I had a really fun birthday and I am so glad we got a lot of things done on my list!

Solar Eclipse

Posted on by
Reply

A few Sundays ago, we heard there was going to be a solar eclipse and the western part of the United States was going to have a pretty good show. We were told in Las Cruces that it would only be about 40 percent, but we took our chances anyway and went out to check it out.  Mike rode his bike up to the top of A Mountain while I ran it.  It’s so much harder to run it!



It was cool because the temperature changed so quickly and there was a haze around us. If you look at the picture with Mike, it almost looks like it is dark out.

We found out that the best thing to use besides the elementary school pinhole boxes is believe or not, old welding masks. A couple had some and shared with us and we were able to take a picture through it.

 

What a neat thing to witness! I’m so glad we did it!


Zensah Compression Socks

Posted on by
2

 

I have been talking about these socks for weeks now and I thought about how I really wanted to blog about it because I really, genuinely, actually, beyond doubt recommend these.

My sister and I send each other these digital recorders with random musings about life.  Believe me, one of these days I am going to blog about it and tell you some of the funny things she has to say.  One of the things we do (usually more my sister) is a product review on something we tried.  This made my list.

I bought the calf compressions because that is usually my sorest part when I run and mountain bike.  If I cramp, that is usually the first place I cramp.  I’ve tried these out running as well as mountain biking, and I have had NO cramping.  I’m not saying that you won’t cramp, but I feel like the compression definitely helps the circulation in my legs.

Go to this website or look them up on Amazon:

www.zensah.com

Memorial Day Weekend

Posted on by
Reply

 

Usually on a holiday weekend we will go to Cloudcroft or we just find a way to get all the brothers and family together to go ride something on the Dona Ana’s.  I say “brothers” because usually its me…and then brothers. 🙂  I am happy to say that tomorrow I will officially have a girl family member join me!  My niece Carolyn is coming down and we are going to give it a whirl!

I love to take a picture of the brothers.  I knew the second I took this that Mike’s mom would want a picture.  And she did. 🙂

We took the trail across the mountain behind them on some really rocky parts.  I am really shady on technical and wasn’t in the mood to crash, so I opted to walk it, while EVERY SINGLE one of them rode it.

This is what it looks like.  Can you see why I didn’t ride it?? I have to learn it by September for the local race because I know it’s costing me time!  We ended up cutting it a little bit short after riding the jeep road because of how hot it was!  I drank every drop of water I had with me!

We then went over to Mike’s parents house, which is always a favorite of Barney.  He starts barking out the car window while we drive over.  He gets so excited!

Here he is doing what he does….frisbee retrieving.  It’s like he is a retriever or something.

We ate some smoked ribs….and…the best…part….

….homemade ice cream!

Holidays are always so nice to have an excuse to eat and to meet together as family.  Can’t wait for the 4th of July!

A Special Gift

Posted on by
Reply

   I know my birthday is over, but I do want to share one last part of the extravaganza.  For the whole week now, I have noticed little things disheveled around the house that normally are not even touched.  Hall closet lights are left on.  Boxes moved.  The OCD in me notices things like that.

Finally, Mike had to ask me where my jersey was located that I won for the NMORS season last year.  I felt really bad because he was so close to finding it, but just didn’t look long enough.

Anyway, for a couple of days he would sit in our other bedroom with the door shut and I was under strict rules to not go in there.  I behaved myself and stayed away.  And here is what it was:

Who knew he could be so crafty? I guess he made friends with the people at Hobby Lobby and he is now a VIP or something there. 🙂  I love it!  We have a trophy room with all the posters of all of our races and I’m making room for it as we speak.

I had to show you the meal we had for my birthday just because I do like food and blogging about food.  My mom makes the best grilled chicken.  She grills it and then puts BBQ sauce and hot sauce together in a mug and adds it the last five minutes to give it a kick.  So in honor of her (because if I was in Vegas I would make her make this for me), I made her chicken with a side of Caesar and watermelon.  Isn’t summer awesome? I am so glad I have a summer birthday!

P.S. I loved this card from my mom:

Birthday Weekend Extravaganza

Posted on by
1

I think everyone likes to milk their birthday for all its worth.  When I am with my family, I try to make a week out of it.  Since we are going to San Diego soon, I narrowed my birthday down to a weekend event and made a to-do list of only three days.

I love how proper Barney is in this picture.  He always thinks he has to be part of things. 

One of my Friday list items was to go on my last 31 year old ride.  We chose the “jeep road”, which is a good workout.  We had to take a candid shot before we took off.

It starts off on some technical and then its time to go miles up a long, winding, steep road.

Love sporting the pink socks from www.zensah.com . Mike said he could see me coming from a mile away.

Saturday, my only goal was to get my hair done, and go to dinner.  I know it doesn’t seem like a lot but it had been MONTHS since I had my hair done and I was long overdue.  Also, everyone was booked including my normal hair girl, so I chanced it and went to a new salon.  She did great.

That night we went to St. Claire’s Winery and Bistro.  Excellent choice.  We were able to eat outside since it was so nice out, and we listened to a live band.

We ordered some house salads to start.  I usually take my tomatoes and push them to the side, but I actually ate them this time!  So good!

Mike ordered some meatballs for an appetizer and the marinara sauce was quite tasty.

His entree was a prime rib.  He always has to get his horseradish raw with it because he says its “intense”.  Here is what I have to witness:

He says its like a “drug”. Sicko.

I ordered the chicken with Hatch Chile (in honor of New Mexico).  It was very spicy, which I loved.  I highly recommend this place for anyone visiting Mesilla, NM.

 

Instagram

Posted on by
Reply

I am really loving Instagram.  I already take enough pictures every day (a little too much) and its nice to have an instant update to Twitter and Facebook.  The other night I was trail running and I took this picture of Mike:

Mike loved it! He said it made him look really fast.  Boys.

Solar Eclipse of The Heart

Posted on by
Reply

This is a few days late, but better late than never!

Last Sunday, we heard there was going to be a solar eclipse and the western part of the United States was going to have a pretty good show.  We were told in Las Cruces that it would only be about 40 percent, but we took our chances anyway and went out to check it out.

Mike rode his bike to the top of a local mountain (called A Mountain).  It’s about a mile high and it looks over the city.  I decided I was going to run it since I am training for a half next month.  We weren’t the only ones with the idea.

It was cool because the temperature changed so quickly and there was a haze around us.  If you look at the picture with Mike, it almost looks like it is dark out.

We found out that the best thing to use besides the elementary school pinhole boxes is believe or not, old welding masks.  A couple had some and shared with us and we were able to take a picture through it.

This is what it looked like partially through it. 

What a neat thing to witness! I’m so glad we did it!

 

The Carrot Trick

Posted on by
Reply

I love carrots.  In fact, I have eaten so many carrots at one time that my hands actually turned orange.  This happened while I was teaching and it was a little bit embarrassing to speak in front of my kids knowing I looked that way.  I guess I went a little bit overboard, but I guess thats what happens when you drink carrot juice straight up, eat carrots at the same time, and you also put carrots in your smoothie that morning.

So I bought a package of carrots for some eating and the husband wanted in on the tastiness.  He was asking me if when I was little, did I ever eat carrots around the edge and then leave the core?  I thought about it and I did! 

Of course, the dog wanted in on it.

Halfway done.  Looks kind of funny.

Finished product.

Have you guys ever done this before as a kid or even as an adult?

Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Posted on by
Reply

                       This was the easiest recipe ever!  I’ve been looking for crock pot recipes for Sundays while we are at church for a few hours.  I’ve been looking online a lot for recipes. 

                     I didn’t get married until I was 29, and up until then I depended a lot on my mom’s cooking and quick fix meals.  It’s been really fun to get advice from others on recipes they have tried out.

This is what I found.  Buy a pork roast.  Buy a can of beef broth.  Put both in a crock pot.  Set on low for about six hours….and you get pulled pork.  Add some barbeque sauce and you have BBQ pulled pork.  It tasted just like a BBQ restaurant.