tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85526152024-03-07T10:21:52.316-08:00 My Leela Lifelife is an experience... changing with each moment... if we get caught up... we miss out on the experience... we lose the present and live in the past; always dreaming of the future ... hence disconnected with ourselves.. the root of all suffering...
welcome to my journey ... my playful lifeRitu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comBlogger175125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-38766066537059408012014-06-20T01:32:00.002-07:002014-06-20T13:12:12.251-07:00ALC 2014 Ride Re-cap<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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It's hard to believe that 2 weeks ago I completed my 4th AIDS LifeCycle ride, 545 miles from SF to LA, to raise funds, awareness, and support of HIV/AIDS. With each year of doing this ride my training and writing has dwindled but the energy around it remains. To be honest there wasn't much writing about my training this year because, well, there wasn't much training to write about. I had grand plans to start fundraising early this year and continue to ride the mountain high and dedicate every weekend to training as I did as a novice cyclist. But life had different plans for me. I managed to get in a few short training rides and a couple of long ones, including the Napa Valley Tour de Cure which left me fearful with only a month left until ALC. Mentally I already knew what to expect and I was prepared to spend hours lost in thought on my bicycle coasting down long roads surround by farms but physically I had no idea how and untrained body (more specifically butt) would respond to 7 days in the saddle. The thought of visiting the "butt clinic" had me petrified more than the ride itself. I decided to invest in a trainer to increase my saddle time. Well... yah... that didn't work out so well either. I tried but I'd much rather climb Mt. Hamilton than spend 30 minutes on one of those, no wonder I couldn't ever get into spin. You pedal and pedal and go NOWHERE.<br />
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Nonetheless I manged to get in a few more hours in the saddle and then left the rest up to the universe. All in all it was another epic ride no matter how many times I have done it, the experience is always a first. I learn so much being on the bicycle for 7 days. And quite honestly I was looking forward to only having to think about getting from point A to point B everyday, that's simplicity in action. My biggest lesson learned? Whether you are afraid to fall or not it will eventually happen, and when it does... get up (as long as there's no broken bones) and keep on riding.<br />
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Here's a quick and dirty recap of the days.<br />
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Day 0: Wow, I can't believe it's here. The safety video makes me laugh and cry at the same time.<br />
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Day 1: The opening ceremony prepares resets my mind for what's to come. I shift from work mode to human mode. Before I know it I'm on my bicycle riding out of SF, this year with my partner in crime Jenny (payback for her convincing me to climb Kiliminjaro). This day is always a hard one for me, partly due to the lack of sleep and partly mental. I was glad to make it to Santa Cruz and greeted by my family, they've come out every year to support and it's priceless! It was my first time joining a team and although I didn't know everyone on the team the team jerseys united us.<br />
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Day 2: The longest day of the ride, 110 miles. I love this day because I've officially left behind work and life and all of me is truly part of the ride. The humming my wheels on stretches of open roads is like a lullaby that puts me into a road trance. I chase yummy breakfast and cookies from the Cookie Lady and before I know it I'm at the end. With one minor detour... a visit to the med tent. Yup, I crashed! I made a left turn into gravel and before I knew it I was on the ground with Randy and Rod making sure I had no broken bones. Luckily, my bones were in tact; my skin not so much. It could have been worse but the arm warmers and leg warmers were my shield. I got up and immediately asked if my bike was okay. Miss Diva looked bad at first sight but she and I both pulled through and rode on. I visited the Med tent everyday after this, to ensure I could continue riding, the thought of not finishing was non existent.<br />
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Day 3: One more quadbuster under the belt and an awesome time hammering with some women power! A delicious bradley burger and inspiration from the community and kids and of course jesus cristo. Before I knew it I was in Paso enjoying a glass of wine and a lovely steak.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxvD-JxADxg9Emfy3ZS5iJvfUaxpc_oOLVVQWENvm9XWF1DAqeLfaBnXK4o3IPY6jpXLK3r8Nvtf5krUSDQituv0KfXdcF4SPgkfqst-HT5wSwlmuTj6OMV2tU183zP-GyDG67w/s1600/IMG_5921.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMxvD-JxADxg9Emfy3ZS5iJvfUaxpc_oOLVVQWENvm9XWF1DAqeLfaBnXK4o3IPY6jpXLK3r8Nvtf5krUSDQituv0KfXdcF4SPgkfqst-HT5wSwlmuTj6OMV2tU183zP-GyDG67w/s1600/IMG_5921.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
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Day 4: My favorite day of the ride. Not only do we hit the Halfway to LA mark but we're surrounded by breathtaking views of the coast riding through Morro Bay, and Pismo Beach. Love love love ocean energy!<br />
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Day 5: Red dress day! Short and sweet sprinkled with fashion appeal! We are 2400 riding as one red ribbon.<br />
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Day 6: It's bittersweet. I feel like we just started and it's already over. Last year this was my day to hammer and get in the top 100. At the beginning of this week I didn't even think about the top 100, with the training I did I was happy just finishing. But after the crash and hours on the bike I felt surprisingly stronger. I decided to go for it. And I did it. Not only did I get in the top 100 I came in faster than last year. Yes, it's a ride not a race but this is the one day where it becomes a race for me. A day to recognize and celebrate how far I've come as a cyclist. All of that is mere fairy dust compared to what this ride is really about. It's about community, support, and unconditional love.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy6Y97d0lUEQaVi42tlhcHfuPaifEwc5gkEs1hqRkTtW2YOfAMMQcDsa45lEu5-NhchDTmobns3o7vn57s_I90z07i1HmaUK7DjgAHNeoNIQZR7ko9pfr81OPHQ7kWnl8wjJBkA/s1600/IMG_6158.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKy6Y97d0lUEQaVi42tlhcHfuPaifEwc5gkEs1hqRkTtW2YOfAMMQcDsa45lEu5-NhchDTmobns3o7vn57s_I90z07i1HmaUK7DjgAHNeoNIQZR7ko9pfr81OPHQ7kWnl8wjJBkA/s1600/IMG_6158.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a><br />
Day 7: The ride comes to an end but the memories and friendships old and new continue to flourish. I'm blessed to be a small speck of red in the beautiful ribbon.<br />
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A big thanks to all my donors and supporters, whether you know it or not you all rode with me with your inspiring words and open hearts.<br />
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Life truly is like riding a bicycle.<br />
Until next year....<br />
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Ritu Riyat<br />
ALC 2014 Rider #3741<br />
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-56418268202243765942014-02-05T00:11:00.000-08:002014-02-05T00:33:25.866-08:00Hakuna Matata<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hakuna Matata</span></i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"> literally means "no worries" in Swahili. It's similar to the English phrase "don't worry, be happy". When I first heard this phrase, minutes after arriving in Tanzania, the Lion King song immediately popped into my brain. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hakuna Matata! What a wonderful phrase</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hakuna Matata! Ain't no passing craze</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">It means no worries for the rest of your days</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">It's our problem-free philosophy</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hakuna Matata!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Hakuna Matata?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Yeah. It's our motto!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">What's a motto?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Nothing. What's a-motto with you?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Those two words will solve all your problems <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">So would these two words really solve my problems? I woke up on day 4 looking forward to the short day that lie ahead today with only a couple of miles to cover. Little did I know the short day meant climbing up a steep 500ft switchback wall called BrrancoWall. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">We started hiking up and quickly the non-technical leisurely walk turned into what I would call a technical, fear invoking climb where I searched for the appropriate hand and foot holes to pull myself over rocks. “I didn’t sign up for this! I signed up for non technical?!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">For the first time in 4 days I felt my mind </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">and body being challenged in ways I didn’t imagine. I could feel the fear </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">inside me screaming “you're going to slip and die” but there was no time to </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">entertain the fear. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">The thoughts would rise and fall as I moved </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">forward trusting the footwork of Jenny, whowas in front of me, and taking help </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">from the guide to get me through some binds. Whenever I made the mistake of l</span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">ooking up, the 500 ft wall seemed never ending, I wouldn’t dare look </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">down. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">As a struggled internally and externally to keep </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">moving forward my anguish was intermittently alleviated by the friendly and </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">playful chats with the porters who zipped by me literally bouncing from one </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">rock to another singing and chanting “Hakuna Matata” </span><i style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">no worries </i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">or “Pole </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Pole </span><i style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">slowly,slowly </i><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">To distract my fear I joined in on the conversations
throwing out every Swahili word I had picked up.<i> </i>The cheering
encouragement was a lifesaver. The end had finally arrived and we are at the
top. Once at the top I finally looked down and appreciated the work I’d done
and the landscape that surrounded us. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">I captured what the wall represented to me in
crow pose on the edge of the wall. Just like with crow pose it takes overcoming
fear and looking forward to find balance and fly so to it took with climbing
Barranco wall. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">The hardest part of Day 4 was behind us, an hour later at noon, we were at Karanga camp with a whole day to rest and relax. We spent the day inside the food tent playing card games, drinking tea, and enjoying the rest. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZDrSRU5vS3M1Z66ABZc6AZI0NSltvasyruK8pz5IgnJCbiPL4npG3I6qXIK4YLP1pRftOBbtb6N2u7FAKwJHPBaqU_sk_jsXReCf60q7Zx7ruu6peB-95DOAXBd_avBFHMauSQ/s1600/2013-12-30+19.20.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijZDrSRU5vS3M1Z66ABZc6AZI0NSltvasyruK8pz5IgnJCbiPL4npG3I6qXIK4YLP1pRftOBbtb6N2u7FAKwJHPBaqU_sk_jsXReCf60q7Zx7ruu6peB-95DOAXBd_avBFHMauSQ/s1600/2013-12-30+19.20.28.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">Before turning in for the night we gathered our entire crew to pop some champagne and </span><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;">make a toast to say goodbye to 2013 and welcome the New Year!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 13.5pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-23175558858446784502014-01-18T08:27:00.000-08:002014-01-18T08:27:00.400-08:00Poa kichizi kama ndizi!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<i>Poa kichizi kama ndizi </i>means "cool like a banana" in swahili. I entertained myself on the mountain by practicing the few swahili words I had picked up so far, which at this point consisted of <i>mambo </i>and <i>poa. </i>The first time I heard "poa kichizi kama ndizi" in response to my "mambo" greeting, I was stumped. Poa que who?! Soon enough this common phrase was added to my vocabulary although I still don't fully understand the banana reference I like the way it sounds. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhWKIy21t2Wc8HShU1_rZ2ghdBipFOl7rv-DVcNoE5m_qfTFXljynAnMhGXPOHM8sMpLoSyYsq_ascQ1RPBQNCKoaOHjKwbf5xc6znktNlJ8ea0vgebSDap7TI8oiqCsTtaJPbQ/s1600/2013-12-30+09.42.03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQhWKIy21t2Wc8HShU1_rZ2ghdBipFOl7rv-DVcNoE5m_qfTFXljynAnMhGXPOHM8sMpLoSyYsq_ascQ1RPBQNCKoaOHjKwbf5xc6znktNlJ8ea0vgebSDap7TI8oiqCsTtaJPbQ/s1600/2013-12-30+09.42.03.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Starting the day off with style</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Today felt like test day. We’d be hiking 5.6 miles and
reaching 15,000 feet of elevation at Lava Tower to test how our bodies respond
to the elevation as part of the acclimatization process. The trek out the
camp was a steep incline, seeming harder now that the air was thinner and my legs had 2 days of hiking on them. We hiked on one step at a time amusing ourselves with stories both real and sci-fi; thin
air and high desert climate makes for a creative imagination. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XpSclGYULPVJ3ILmCRN4wMXzU2G3w2ZISZMqSe3jErMn16DCbOtlfw13HfJXNpNfgwzx7coNmHmpXqpy_1maLJl6ieeKXqHFuvttW4Iycdd2ebVs38oqNeglfIW5UhpmeA9vsQ/s1600/2013-12-30+10.20.49.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9XpSclGYULPVJ3ILmCRN4wMXzU2G3w2ZISZMqSe3jErMn16DCbOtlfw13HfJXNpNfgwzx7coNmHmpXqpy_1maLJl6ieeKXqHFuvttW4Iycdd2ebVs38oqNeglfIW5UhpmeA9vsQ/s1600/2013-12-30+10.20.49.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lunchtime break</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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After a few hours
of hiking and a few bars later I was hungry for real food, we had lunch boxes
packed in our bags and intended to eat them at Lava Tower which although was
only a few hundred feet away, seemed too far at this point. We stopped at a nearby rock
formation to eat lunch and take a break. I settled down with my lunch of
fried chicken, hard boiled egg, juice, bread (of course) and fruit; and before I could dig
into any one of the items it started raining. </div>
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We should have been used to the elements having their own agenda and schedule. In a matter of seconds we were caught in a complete
downpour! We tossed our half eaten lunches back in our
pack and quickly took the shelter of our ponchos and hiked on to Lava Tower. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHdCNxyHSWcWQ-AUPfWBJ_3uWqqEuRamkhLQvkD57iAHiYASZSVSyTgphnRmo9mtQ_dF66IEe_s0HoNmF6mThcpUlli7f8cC9U9kvbiRyycRIRBsL2Q6cNhDIZDRuNOju7QELxQ/s1600/2013-12-29+14.32.42.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpHdCNxyHSWcWQ-AUPfWBJ_3uWqqEuRamkhLQvkD57iAHiYASZSVSyTgphnRmo9mtQ_dF66IEe_s0HoNmF6mThcpUlli7f8cC9U9kvbiRyycRIRBsL2Q6cNhDIZDRuNOju7QELxQ/s1600/2013-12-29+14.32.42.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made it to Lava Tower! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCC0z00B4lWBYQBn8M6xQPHDR3NjENB8dxxngfEEGdIP_AsPhR3SGuq9m3ebevk-lKXM7QFfxhlPQs9jnuP2cqQFMRP4XINyocWzpMMQEqfi_qsT4PXKjiBchKEKbDRrxbBqAvA/s1600/2013-12-29+14.37.10.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitCC0z00B4lWBYQBn8M6xQPHDR3NjENB8dxxngfEEGdIP_AsPhR3SGuq9m3ebevk-lKXM7QFfxhlPQs9jnuP2cqQFMRP4XINyocWzpMMQEqfi_qsT4PXKjiBchKEKbDRrxbBqAvA/s1600/2013-12-29+14.37.10.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
15,000 feet felt surprisingly good, it was cold and rainy at
Lava Tower but I was still breathing. The air comfortably traveling in and out
of my lungs made me feel a bit more confident in summiting this mountain
although a lot could happen in the 4300 feet still remaining to the top but in
this moment I felt good. We spent only a few minutes at Lava Tower and then
made our descent to 13,000 feet where we would camp for the night. </div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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<br /></div>
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It was a
beautiful descent with colorful rocks and waterfalls, even in the
greyness the shiny rocks shimmered and caught my eye. I followed the group
walking down at a much faster pace than we had taken coming up. Eventually we
made it to Barranco camp, the rains had a cleared up and camp was dry. It was
time to perform the evening rituals and call it a night. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9neODx2ZgAmeQdJheO_zyLCuwcm8hpNoag-nNTp9nhxaMeJqABbe9GroDK0-U6fpZbcBFWBbojUCKnslYEdt-0v4gEMaa4bAT6Jua4n7EYqgckxjnwTqEg6AJ6OWSH0yVYKUYw/s1600/2013-12-30+14.59.27.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhO9neODx2ZgAmeQdJheO_zyLCuwcm8hpNoag-nNTp9nhxaMeJqABbe9GroDK0-U6fpZbcBFWBbojUCKnslYEdt-0v4gEMaa4bAT6Jua4n7EYqgckxjnwTqEg6AJ6OWSH0yVYKUYw/s1600/2013-12-30+14.59.27.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">No soup for you</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-46598090063758777232014-01-17T07:40:00.000-08:002014-01-17T07:45:47.886-08:00Pole Pole <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Pole, Pole </i>means
“slowly, slowly” in Swahili. It was the mountain mantra recited by guides and porters reminding us to move
slowly so we can acclimate. It also became reminder to slow down and enjoy the moment taking in the breathtaking views we encountered. It wasn't until I was in Zanzibar days later that I'd realize the mantra was more
than safety advice it was a lifestyle. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqd64oIOcUHX7EYigpcOo056IWSEa4IG4uuL_I3vYNg3Uuxjdk7H_7G-7uwkTDOtVUBOQ9czY4Uq4gsVtAz8FImhg79qRsZNkQE2WFVgh6ZRCO3Pny7WJRHPNy-57rcH84nxgJTg/s1600/2013-12-28+19.27.13.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqd64oIOcUHX7EYigpcOo056IWSEa4IG4uuL_I3vYNg3Uuxjdk7H_7G-7uwkTDOtVUBOQ9czY4Uq4gsVtAz8FImhg79qRsZNkQE2WFVgh6ZRCO3Pny7WJRHPNy-57rcH84nxgJTg/s1600/2013-12-28+19.27.13.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">views from Shira camp</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Day 2 -<br />
I woke up well before the 6:30am wake up time and laid in my
sleeping bag taking a deep breath into my body noticing the aches and pains
from the previous days work. My hips and shoulders felt tender from my pack and
from tossing and turning on the ground all night. The best way to sleep in a
sleeping bag is on the back, however it’s also the COLDEST way. I wanted to
curl up in a ball to prevent the chilling air from getting to me. I didn’t hadn’t
slept well but because I had 9-10 hours of tossing and turning time, I felt
rested. All in all I felt pretty good… which I took to be a positive sign. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We awakened to the same ritual as the evening before Regnad,
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>our friendly waiter, knocked on our
tent, greeting us with a big smile as he squatted down to prepare our morning
tea (black tea, sugar, and milk powder) the warmth of which was comforting and
energizing. Teatime was followed by a hot water bath, then a quick change of
clothes and packing our beds back into the 30kg dry bags that the porters would
carry atop their head to the next camp (I admired the strength, agility, and
friendliness of these guys).<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FDPsQPgM6UDRWSNFdedsUWhTuYbXgXOIqemst-9gKSptkod99oqgix4N4K0aaDSdnR_kS7c4gW39jFFr7fuNIaifMfx0YBn8C9IJoaLVHYuZAIQdf-SvphYAPOLVFKCAryS4Ow/s1600/2013-12-29+10.41.39.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6FDPsQPgM6UDRWSNFdedsUWhTuYbXgXOIqemst-9gKSptkod99oqgix4N4K0aaDSdnR_kS7c4gW39jFFr7fuNIaifMfx0YBn8C9IJoaLVHYuZAIQdf-SvphYAPOLVFKCAryS4Ow/s1600/2013-12-29+10.41.39.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
We regrouped with our small hiking family in the food tent
and enjoyed some fried eggs, fruit, millet porridge and meat sausages that (thanks
to Jen’s taste buds) would be refereed to as eyeball sausages for the rest of
the week and become the catalyst for jokes and laughter. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br />
Back on the trail, the hike was long but pleasant. My body was adjusting to the weight on my back and my feet cooperating with continuous movement they were being asked to perform. Day 2 would take us to 12,480 feet to
Shira Camp bringing us deeper into the moorland climate where there’s visibly
less greenery and hints of the desert climate that awaited us.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Hiding out in a cave to eat lunch</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It was here that I caught my first glimpse of Kiliminjaro in
all its might (and fright) towering behind our camp miles high and covered with
snow. When we arrived at camp that afternoon Kili was hiding behind clouds, it
wasn’t until I stepped out of my tent for a nature break in the middle of the
night that I looked up at first mesmerized by the millions of stars covering
the dark sky, I then gazed over to my right and nearly stopped what I was doing
(mid stream) at the sight of Kili. I felt the panic setting into my body but at
the same time I couldn’t take my eyes of it. The mountain top looked
magnificient and peaceful and then I thought “this is REALLY happening!” as if
it wasn’t already happening. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">Kiliminjaro in the camp background</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I crawled back into my tent and laid in my sleeping bag,
panic stricken and heart racing. “Mind over matter. Mind over matter. Mind over
matter. “ I thought to myself as I practiced some deep breathing exercises and
fell asleep. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="font-size: 13px;">dancing on day 2</td></tr>
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-62594925060694798502014-01-13T02:39:00.000-08:002014-01-16T08:04:27.889-08:00Mambo Kilimanjaro <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<i>Mambo </i>means "hello" or "whats up" in Swahili and is commonly responded with <i>poa </i>meaning "cool". Everyone and I mean EVERYONE says hello to you in Tanzania and especially on the mountain. It was nice to hear the small talk Swahili chatter amidst the hard work and gasps for air.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn09ZSY4cf95ptGWxTaAc_-o0hyeeBE1kL0qOo_rMagIERnOQ7M34JpKLZuzu3n5ajvmuzn-2dH_LJRv1BfinBvkWQzN4LN8A7wvIWC9BGQ0CZhCeEo2qdg2x3fLEn2ikr7uuRbQ/s1600/2013-12-27+16.00.35.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhn09ZSY4cf95ptGWxTaAc_-o0hyeeBE1kL0qOo_rMagIERnOQ7M34JpKLZuzu3n5ajvmuzn-2dH_LJRv1BfinBvkWQzN4LN8A7wvIWC9BGQ0CZhCeEo2qdg2x3fLEn2ikr7uuRbQ/s1600/2013-12-27+16.00.35.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a><br />
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We were officially on the mountain and en route to the summit.
The first couple of hours passed quickly with playful conversations as we
continued to get to know the small group that would become our vital support
system over the next week. </div>
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As the hours went on I could feel the weight that
was settling in on my back. 3 liters of waters gets heavy after a while. I
hadn’t ever backpacked before, unless carrying my backpack with my computer to
work every day somehow counts. I had no idea what it meant to carry 3-4 liters
of water plus food and extra clothes on my back for 1 day let alone 7 days. </div>
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My
shoulders started getting tired and my neck stiffening on one side. I tried readjusting
my pack while walking only to make matters worse. I left it alone hoping my
body would eventually adjust to the added weight or go numb in the appropriate
areas. I think a little of both happened in the days that followed.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We would be gaining 5000 feet of elevation today and camping
at about 10,600 feet, our first step at acclimating to altitude. For some
reason 10,600 feet didn’t seem intimidating to me. In my head I equated it to
being in Tahoe and since I did the death ride (the hardest ride I’ve ever done)
I should be able to handle 10,600 feet. As we gained elevation I noticed my
breathing getting shallower and my mind questioning how I’m feeling and making
me second-guess if I could actually breathe. The monkey mind was already
getting riled up… <o:p></o:p></div>
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The mind is extremely interesting and clever. It has the
ability to create feelings, emotions, and experiences that never existed. The
mind creates fear and fear begets fear. However, when controlled the mind also
creates power and power begets power. My goal was the latter. <o:p></o:p></div>
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A couple hours into the hike and we entered the rain forest
with no signs of rain… at first. Soon enough I felt sprinkles on my body and
before I could finish my thought “it’s starting to rain” we were caught in a
complete downpour. This was my first real meeting with the elements on a trail
in the middle of the rain forest there’s no place to escape the elements, you have
to embrace them and move on. <o:p></o:p></div>
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We grabbed our ponchos (an absolute must) and threw them on
as quickly as possible, covering our head, body, and pack. The only thing worse
than hiking in the rain with elevation is doing it in the dark. The day quickly
turned to night as we approached Macheme Camp. Excited voices filled the air, we
had survived day 1 of the climb. It was time to rest. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgeG8WCeXdyySPyPEa6VxwIeTylivpf3m5Npr06kZU2SD1A4R3Zc7pj8toyEGDKN0hubtHKgeXFZeNWGseCpzOy_7uFcORDNohdH0jmC8U0QfFyXwpPxpxi4gdQK_x0BShivnWg/s1600/2013-12-28+13.23.24.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFgeG8WCeXdyySPyPEa6VxwIeTylivpf3m5Npr06kZU2SD1A4R3Zc7pj8toyEGDKN0hubtHKgeXFZeNWGseCpzOy_7uFcORDNohdH0jmC8U0QfFyXwpPxpxi4gdQK_x0BShivnWg/s1600/2013-12-28+13.23.24.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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Our tents were next to trees, mud and the outhouse – a
lovely aromatic combination as you can imagine. Jenny and I kicked off our
shoes and crawled into the tent to settle in for our first night. I’ve gone
camping only once and have never shared a tent with anyone, the idea of two
people in a small-enclosed space was not appealing but in this case I
appreciated the extra body generating heat in the small space. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Soon after we got into the tent the waiter (yes there was a
waiter) came by announcing he had brought a hot water bath. The bath became a
ritual I looked forward to daily. It consisted of a small bowl with hot water used
for “bathing”. I first washed my face, the warmth of the water soothing my
tired skin and slowly bringing me back to life. Then I soaked a bath wipe
(imagine a wet napkin with soap on it) and wiped my arms, neck, and legs with
it. Finally it was foot soak time (jenny’s fabulous idea) I took of my socks
and placed my tired feet into the hot water, it was heavenly! I laughed at our rudimentary
ritual, so simple yet so soothing. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Bathed, changed, and dry we headed out for dinner and by
heading out I mean crawling out of our tent and placing our feet back into our
dirty hiking boots and walking a few feet to the food tent. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<!--EndFragment--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Before getting on the trail the guide asked about any
allergies. I wanted to say “I’m paleo” but I didn’t think it would fly so
instead I said I’m allergic gluten and can manage as long as there is meat and
veggies provided.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuP2W501vasmt15WY6BV4vRKwTAcws7bqO-l87sHQpCt9hFIiyrCEvmxvMyZVn-pxUXW8jts33oEwA-3yVLdR_INL4T_V02SSOWcWYXkragXKPwFktyawHjB5kIMnItwrx_5xaw/s1600/2013-12-30+09.00.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpuP2W501vasmt15WY6BV4vRKwTAcws7bqO-l87sHQpCt9hFIiyrCEvmxvMyZVn-pxUXW8jts33oEwA-3yVLdR_INL4T_V02SSOWcWYXkragXKPwFktyawHjB5kIMnItwrx_5xaw/s1600/2013-12-30+09.00.14.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUwFrR1rnB7GR41PnBtMDBRSVv2nFESGtEo6TBYpMkHhblfyT_U3XCAbqSMjKTXY5FdeuFeB-I9L36b7mMrp5D1qO_nK8fH2Y3qvB4pinY2zMNWqY-r4nrhhjmaZMmjgMIKAJjg/s1600/2013-12-30+09.06.30.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzUwFrR1rnB7GR41PnBtMDBRSVv2nFESGtEo6TBYpMkHhblfyT_U3XCAbqSMjKTXY5FdeuFeB-I9L36b7mMrp5D1qO_nK8fH2Y3qvB4pinY2zMNWqY-r4nrhhjmaZMmjgMIKAJjg/s1600/2013-12-30+09.06.30.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Africa is
big on bread, I learned this on the climb and on safari. The first couple of
days I avoided the bread and ate the soup, meat, rice and veggies that were
served. Eventually I broke down from depleted calories and hunger and had the
bread and pasta that were being served but it wasn’t without consequences of
night time heart burn and belly bloat… thankfully I had Pepcid. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All in all the
meals far exceeded my expectations of dehydrated food and protein bars. We had
a cook that prepared all the meals and a waiter that served us with a big
smile. Given how exhausted we were daily, the food was a delicious gift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to hit the sleeping bag and rest
up for another long day. </div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Right when I
was cozy in my bag fully clothed complete with socks, jacket and beanie… nature
called. I tried to ignore my bladders request for relief to avoid leaving my
nylon shelter. Eventually my bladder was screaming at me and I gave in to the
urge and crawled out of my tent and into my shoes with my headlamp on. I walked
behind a tree and squatted down holding on to a tree branch for balance and at
inspecting my surroundings for any critters, lucky for me there were none. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I
glanced up and was mesmerized by the blanket of stars that twinkled above. I
felt small very small on this gigantic mountain. <o:p></o:p><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ceQL7cg7DQFeczwMc7ztQpDDYRBhkNSWlc8jYCgJPwdxlxNAsgNx-Js18wafWDT1LXAKAlPZWlOIy2iZum_o2AbMcY5301m1cUZkRf64HKDHWi8teKvPpLLwhyaIoYYYE9lGzw/s1600/2013-12-28+09.53.00.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2ceQL7cg7DQFeczwMc7ztQpDDYRBhkNSWlc8jYCgJPwdxlxNAsgNx-Js18wafWDT1LXAKAlPZWlOIy2iZum_o2AbMcY5301m1cUZkRf64HKDHWi8teKvPpLLwhyaIoYYYE9lGzw/s1600/2013-12-28+09.53.00.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
</div>
Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-76860111559997067162014-01-12T07:57:00.000-08:002014-01-17T07:40:57.538-08:00Shiva Shakti<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Now that bag drama had finally ended I could move on to thinking about and obsessing over other things like “what the hell am I doing climbing a 19,340 foot mountain!” Albeit the thought should have crossed my mind prior to being a couple miles from the gate but I was a bit preoccupied. At the foot of the mountain it looked peaceful yet intimidating, I couldn’t see the snow at the top, hell I couldn’t even see the top. All I saw were foreigners from everywhere gathered at the gate with their tour operators. Some were outfitted in the best of best trekking gear and others in lululemon tanks and groove pants. </div>
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There were people of all shapes and sizes and probably of all fitness levels all here to summit this mountain and make it to Uhuru Peak, the highest point on this mountain named after the Swahili word meaning “freedom”. I liked the sound of standing on top of Freedom Peak.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Some of the bloggers I had started following suggested bringing something to leave at the peak. I brought a small yet powerful Shiva statue with the intention of placing Shiva on top of the highest peak in Africa. What I didn’t know then was that Shiva statue had the intention of also placing ME on the tallest peak in Africa.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Shiva is a Hindu deity typically characterized by dreadlocks and blue coloring, sitting on tiger skin in peace and rage. He was the deity that I’d grown fond of as a kid when my dad told me that by reciting Shiva’s name “Om Namah Shivaya” 7 times, all my fears would go away. I never stopped reciting this mantra and developed a strong connection to this powerfully chaotic and deeply passionate deity. I don’t know if it was the cold weather, the malaria meds, or the altitude but whenever I had doubt in my head if I could get to the top there was a voice that spoke back invoking in me an unknown confidence and faith to keep moving forward, I had a job to complete and that was to get Shiva to the top of the mountain.<br />
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-54193894191489848562014-01-11T02:33:00.001-08:002014-01-16T07:46:19.234-08:00Reunited at last! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Climbing Kilimanjaro may not have been on my bucket list but visiting Africa certainly was. The animals, tribal culture, slave trade history intrigued me with its profound harsh history and primal mysticism. I was looking forward to a new language and new conversations with the local people which meant getting out of big city Dar Es Salam ASAP. I planned to be there one night and then planned to catch a flight to Arusha but of course the thing about plans is they don’t always follow the plan.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The trip was already off to rocky start with my luggage getting lost and the hassle of communicating with Swiss Airlines in three different countries (Zurich, Tanzania, and Istanbul). I spent the night in DAR but unrested and unhappy. I still took the flight to Arusha and now that I was so close to the mountain I dreaded the thought of NOT being able to climb saddened me. You’d think I’d take it as a sign or a free pass to not climb with my lost luggage excuse, but by this time I really wanted to do it. Although I didn’t have any idea what the experience would be like I knew it sparked in me a type of energy that fired up my nerves and made my stomach turn. Some would call this “fear” I call it “living life”. The very reason that made me want to run away is what made me run towards it. I was climbing this mountain no matter what.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6jM3gKJ3WeXuE1Bh9-MbrlxRbZP_Ntpaeuf7aN61jtYkOEGYA1taFABEQKHLuUTkGQRQCo7sorRtoNhwrryIN9GUy__p23fW0-ExNNPZpt-cLqMweW2c-IVSO_E7BhtL385Kvw/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc6jM3gKJ3WeXuE1Bh9-MbrlxRbZP_Ntpaeuf7aN61jtYkOEGYA1taFABEQKHLuUTkGQRQCo7sorRtoNhwrryIN9GUy__p23fW0-ExNNPZpt-cLqMweW2c-IVSO_E7BhtL385Kvw/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My bag travelled around the world before I got it</td></tr>
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The Climb Kili local team reassured me of this (note: having an awesome tour operator is a MUST) by letting me know my options: 1. I could rent everything I needed to climb 2. If my luggage arrived they would send up what I needed. 3. My luggage might arrive en route to Kilimanjaro. Of course option 3 sounded the best to me but I was glad to hear there were options.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The night before the climb I was staying at SG Resort where most foreigners stayed who were doing climbs and safaris. The group that would be on my climb met with our lead guide for orientation. We were a total of 5, the three of us SF girls (myself, jenny, and Ling) and 2 guys (Dan and Shree) – one from NYC and one from Kansas (I think). After some quick introductions and a briefing of the mountain we went back to our rooms to rest up for the big day.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Saturday aka “Climb Kili day 1” was finally here. I was still bag less so I scrapped together a hiking outfit borrowing clothes from the girls (thank god for friends!), packed my backpack and went downstairs to meet the group for breakfast. Omelets, tea and a plate of fresh fruit later we were ready to hit the road.<o:p></o:p><br />
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I walked to the main lobby to meet Lillian the tour operator and ask the same question I’d been asking for days “any word on my bag?!” by now I had prepped myself for the standard answer of “it’s en route, they will let us know when it arrives” I looked at Lillian as she spoke and the words coming out of her mouth were different, I made them out to mean “you’re bag has arrived to Kilimanjaro airport and it’s on a shuttle to meet us half way” I looked at her in disbelief… and responded “my bag is here?! Wait, are you sure? Are you serious?” Looking for confirmation before getting excited. She confirmed that both my bag and Shree’s bag had arrived. I thanked her with a huge hug and couldn’t wait to hit the road and reunite with my bag.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The 5 of us piled into a land cruiser along with our guide, the driver and 2 assistant guides. It was a full car with a mixture of aromas and languages. But we had one thing in common, for the next 7 days we would be one happy family camping on a mountain and working towards the summit. To get acquainted with one another the common questions were being asked, “Why’d you decide to climb Kili?” “Have you been training for this?” “Have you climbed other mountains?” I was surprised and relieved to hear that we ALL had different backgrounds ranging from summiting other mountains to being a hiking virgin. I fell somewhere in the middle. I’d had a few California hikes under my belt and a baseline fitness level with yoga, crossfit, cycling and running but I hadn’t climbed anything remotely close to a mountain let alone a 19,340 ft mountain while camping for 7 days.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The climb kili packet stated that this was NOT a technical climb meaning my feet would stay on the ground and I wouldn’t have to use any fancy foot or handwork to keep moving. Basically I’d be hiking… and hiking is like walking… and I walk everywhere, heck I even run… So of course I can hike! But hiking with a backpack after sleeping in a tent made my hiking experience seem like a short walk in a park.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Somewhere in the conversations I zoned out and the reality of what I was about to do hit me like a ton of bricks. I tried to ward of my emerging panic attack by taking deep breaths and chiming back into the conversation with what seemed to be an appropriate comment “guess we’ll be taking some water shots to ring in the New Year” turns out the topic of alcohol was the perfect icebreaker for our group. Stories of past drunk new years were shared and then it was agreed we would pick up a bottle of something to take a shot of at the top of the mountain (at the time it was a brilliant idea).<o:p></o:p></div>
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We made a quick stop at the supermarket to stock up on water for the first day, the other days water would be boiled for us to restock the 3-4 liters required in our pack daily. I headed to the liquor aisle joining the rest of the group. We agreed that one small bottle would be enough and somehow we ended up at the register with a bottle of whiskey (can’t go wrong with good ol Jack Daniels), a bottle of African rum (Jen swore this was delicious), and a bottle of champagne (the guide insisted we needed it for NYE). Guess we’ll be having one heck of a party on the mountain.<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjRQ51f0ogiFksjPuwy-OIBWBx0LasyTnUEX2Nax9_gS14IHTmrcV7uAfyHEVi753bgreYZ9H4qpN4GMOcqRxwgkRbZmEzLaLOZ9doj0ZBGChADHGKvhsMz_n3_gJ98KgYSTl9g/s1600/unnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjRQ51f0ogiFksjPuwy-OIBWBx0LasyTnUEX2Nax9_gS14IHTmrcV7uAfyHEVi753bgreYZ9H4qpN4GMOcqRxwgkRbZmEzLaLOZ9doj0ZBGChADHGKvhsMz_n3_gJ98KgYSTl9g/s1600/unnamed.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Climb Kili Day 1 </td></tr>
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I hadn’t thought of my MIA bag for the first time in 3 days, now that I knew it was en route. We made another stop where we waited 20 minutes for the bag driver to show up. He opened the trunk and eagerly pierced inside… hmm… my bag was not in sight. Shree picked up his bags while I asked the driver if there was another bag, he looked around and shook his head No. I could feel the emotions rising within me… false hope is worse than blatant rejection, I prefer the latter.<o:p></o:p></div>
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The guide called Lillian, who called Swissport, and then called the guide back to confirm my bag was still at the airport. Note: Losing a bag in a foreign country prior to attempting a mountain climb is a complete nightmare… I don’t recommend it.<o:p></o:p></div>
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We piled back into the car and headed for the airport. It was now close to 11am and we were already a few hours behind schedule.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I had my fingers crossed when we arrived to the airport, it was the last stop and I knew I’d be climbing this mountain with our without my bag however I preferred with. I went with the guide inside the airport and waited patiently while he asked the lost and found information booth about my bag in Swahili. I saw her shake her head as if to say she had no clue what he was talking about. I headed to the swissport office demanding my bag. The guy looked at the piece of paper with my bag information and also had a clueless look. I went on to describe my bag with hand gestures and somewhere between him thinking and me talking something clicked. He took me to the room next door full of bags, and there it was straight ahead, my very large, very full, REI bag with a blue bandana. Reunited at last!<o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicz_aQ0lcdSte6efY-SECec0GnjSq0Noe9XepnBVxWuAFJtkKOr3rBXorzoGq_9j2wiTOIthyRPkl8W_fBcOPeWkOfXw0bYGeYQ3Z9w0BqSLukH1cLnzG9ocsqmQqDaiyYBQdghw/s1600/unnamed-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicz_aQ0lcdSte6efY-SECec0GnjSq0Noe9XepnBVxWuAFJtkKOr3rBXorzoGq_9j2wiTOIthyRPkl8W_fBcOPeWkOfXw0bYGeYQ3Z9w0BqSLukH1cLnzG9ocsqmQqDaiyYBQdghw/s1600/unnamed-1.jpg" height="320" width="239" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">reunited and very happy!</td></tr>
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-30261609189672080962014-01-11T02:24:00.001-08:002014-01-16T07:40:38.074-08:00Climbing Kilimanjaro... This is REALLY happening! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Kilimanjaro, the name literally means <b>“difficult to climb”</b>.
Had I done a bit of research to discover this PRIOR to signing up I may have
backed out. I had the good fortune of learning this meaning on day 4 of the
climb, a little too late too back out now. <o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxfN7ZDS_5V2lg6CsBuVM12izk7Nn26Bi9HXHYr0dnybGd9YTdyqSt8-dZGb-WsZriuXh71Ax-azoZs_KQd06H9klmodM3Syzdjfcbc68kNI4cEjk3gBK_XYL0Ll268-7DYeghA/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwxfN7ZDS_5V2lg6CsBuVM12izk7Nn26Bi9HXHYr0dnybGd9YTdyqSt8-dZGb-WsZriuXh71Ax-azoZs_KQd06H9klmodM3Syzdjfcbc68kNI4cEjk3gBK_XYL0Ll268-7DYeghA/s1600/photo.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting clouded in at camp on day 4</td></tr>
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I can’t tell you what exactly made me sign up for this
challenge. I’m not a mountaineer. I don’t really hike nor do I camp and I can’t
stand being really really cold, all things I would encounter during the 7-day
climb to the summit. But back in August when my friend Jenny (an experienced
climber and thrill seeker) first mentioned she was climbing Kilimanjaro my gut
response was “I’m in!” I think my brain was still trying to process what she
had said and how I had responded as the words left my month. Of course she
didn’t believe me heck I didn’t even believe me. A few weeks later I paid my
$300 deposit to <a href="http://www.climbkili.com/" target="_blank">Climb Kili</a>, the tour company we’d be using. The deposit didn’t
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The weeks
and months following my rash decision, before I had purchased my ticket, I
started telling co workers, friends, and family I was going to Africa in
December to climb Kilimanjaro (it sounded cool even though I had no idea what
exactly it meant and I don’t they did either). The more I said it the more real
it became. I finally purchased my ticket in September; <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">this is really happening</i> I thought to myself as I clicked on
“purchase ticket”. Holy shit this is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">REALLY </i></b>happening. My next thought
was <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">maybe I should start training</i>. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
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For me training meant more yoga, crossfit, runs, and
meditation (my recipe for success) … although I should have been thinking more hikes. When the Climb Kili orientation packet arrived, I opened it
up, took a picture of the beanie and other swag that was included and then put
the papers to the side not returning to them for another few weeks. By now it
was mid October and in 2 months I’d be boarding a plane to Africa to climb a
mountain I knew nothing about surrounded by unfamiliar elements but somehow I
was not a nervous wreck. Perhaps I was already channeling in the Swahili phrase
“hakuna matata” which means <i>no worries</i> and would come to be my mountain mantra.</div>
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Like most of my great travelling adventures there’s little
planning and lots of exploration involved. This one was not an exception
except when I realized I had to start planning appx 3 weeks before leaving. Turns out you can't really "wing it" when it comes to climbing a mountain. Jenny and I
decided to do a training hike in Tahoe, carrying our packs with 3 liters of
water and experiencing some altitude. I put on my only pair of hiking boots
purchased 5 years back and some lululemon pants and a tank top and we were on
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On the drive I quickly learned that my hiking boots were actually
hiking “shoes” and probably wouldn’t do the job. As we switched off driving I
read our Climb Kili guide out loud and we both learned that the different
terrains we’d go through, the weather conditions (0-15 degrees Celsius) the
packing list, and the total daily elevations gains and hiking times. Basically
we were going to be really really cold and really short of breath. The
conversation also put some fire under my butt to get my shots and meds (malaria,
altitude meds, rabies shots, hepatitis shots, and more). As for the Tahoe
training turns out it snows in Tahoe in October, oops... we briefly hiked around in the
snow and then resorted to the hotel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WWY9QAbFshmHZZ_WNeX6SI0lbVknom-wxqKTh31tdNJSB1nsm4Ff8JLpiDHZJ8PRT9_FgK_7q0dNzIpzw7bxzrbOy-r_zkOMgHbxF-UQCVTYfeDoUbkCMEJRpOnRwduFv-klig/s1600/photo+3-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1WWY9QAbFshmHZZ_WNeX6SI0lbVknom-wxqKTh31tdNJSB1nsm4Ff8JLpiDHZJ8PRT9_FgK_7q0dNzIpzw7bxzrbOy-r_zkOMgHbxF-UQCVTYfeDoUbkCMEJRpOnRwduFv-klig/s1600/photo+3-1.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">New boots ready to be broken in</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XbJLop-LL3VnjC5zY017UiTgxCNL4r59h0FEfAfECaqfWWKn2HtiGlF9QTj-PtMLQ-Cmijl6MWsf3pAydd-dSpL4KURgwrPdzXEvryG6zuukN_0yigQiYMFwpmW3FUpbAQYOqg/s1600/photo+1-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0XbJLop-LL3VnjC5zY017UiTgxCNL4r59h0FEfAfECaqfWWKn2HtiGlF9QTj-PtMLQ-Cmijl6MWsf3pAydd-dSpL4KURgwrPdzXEvryG6zuukN_0yigQiYMFwpmW3FUpbAQYOqg/s1600/photo+1-1.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Packed and ready to go!</td></tr>
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By the time I had to board my flight on Christmas Eve I felt as prepared as I
could be with hand warmers, foot warmers, lots of wool socks, newly broken in
hiking boots, down jackets, hand and body wipes and all the meds I needed to
survive anything on a mountain along with some airborne and lemon ginger throat
drops just in case. <o:p></o:p><br />
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Cheers<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0auZTGYR6_FZTPTQ5wCpD0YdIuB0rdo0exq_KF-QJgu2u1rApMQHPa4ccnbuAmuh4VM6K0Xe1Q6RZifcK_F1d6W4XH3ltx1dL8kbEME5PsSxmrMhPHIIjHXZQUBClrTuRC5B1w/s1600/photo+2-1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib0auZTGYR6_FZTPTQ5wCpD0YdIuB0rdo0exq_KF-QJgu2u1rApMQHPa4ccnbuAmuh4VM6K0Xe1Q6RZifcK_F1d6W4XH3ltx1dL8kbEME5PsSxmrMhPHIIjHXZQUBClrTuRC5B1w/s1600/photo+2-1.JPG" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Upgraded service on swiss airlines</td></tr>
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-75618552721403347412013-12-27T02:07:00.000-08:002014-01-16T07:39:40.880-08:00Africa I have arrived! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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I was so tired that I managed to sleep for most of the
flight, before I knew it I had landed in Dar es Salam. The minute I walked off
the plane it finally hit me…the muggy warm, moist air… OMG! I’m in Africa! I
proceeded through the visa queue where you basically pay $100 to some man who
takes your passport and you patiently wait for your name to be called. Once
done its on to baggage claim. My biggest fear was of leaving the airport, the
thought of taxi drivers waiting to prey on a tired foreigner and overcharge
them made me anxious. It’s funny how some fears are made bigger than others. I
made sure to have the hotel send me a driver. </div>
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Little did I know there was
another that never even crossed my mind… my luggage not arriving.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I watched the bags come out and get carried away
by their owners. I watched and waited until the last bag came out. I walked
over to the pile of bags and searched for mine, it was no where to be found. I
walked over to the counter and saw my name on a paper thinking that the driver
was nearby and had written my name to serve as a sign. The paper certainly
served as a sign but not a good one. The Swiss port rep let me know that my bag
did NOT make on the plane and is still in Zurich, it will be on the next flight
her arriving on 12/27 at 9pm. I watched her lips move and felt the fear wash
over me. </div>
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I didn’t have 2 days to wait for my bag; I have a mountain to climb!!!
I tried to explain to her that it’s not possible… the worst thing about being
in trouble in a foreign country is not being able to communicate (my phone was
roaming, there was no Wi-Fi, and my English wasn’t being fully understood). I
NEED MY BAG! I tried not yelling at the girl, it wasn’t her fault. My love of
Swiss Airlines quickly turned into hate. The lady at Zurich lied to me; did she
even check my bag?! I was annoyed and frustrated, tired and hopeless. I
completed the forms, and walked away fuming with anger and filled with
disappointment. <o:p></o:p></div>
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The driver was really nice and tried to offer support and
solutions. Upon checking in my disappointment turned into sadness and tears
flowed down my face… I couldn’t believe this was happening. I tried hard to
repeat in my head “everything happens for a reason” but it’s an uphill battle
sometimes and this was one those times.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s
the thing about adventures they are not all positive, it’s the highs and lows
that make them an adventure. I checked into my room and immediately went online
to message my brother. Thankful for technology and apple, between face time and
speakerphone we managed to get a hold of Swiss Airlines in Zurich who were not
extremely helpful. Why is it that airlines make it so difficult to resolve
issues? I hate that about travelling, I pay a lot for an airline ticket and
when shit goes bad they are hands off. I was adamant with the rep that I needed
my bag by 12/27 and she kept saying its not possible. NOT POSSIBLE?! The only
thing not possible is her saying it’s not possible. It’s quite simple actually,
Swiss Air you forgot to transfer my bag, I need my bag, there a number of flights
leaving from Zurich on varying airlines, which arrive on 1/26, do what you have
to do and get my bag on one of those flights. MAKE IT POSSIBLE. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Between the technology set up, different accents, and my
anger I don’t know if my message got through completely but it did get her to
look at other airlines. And then the phone hung up, I don’t know if she hung up
on me or it disconnected on her end but she was no longer on the call and no
longer reachable at that number. Talk about customer service! The one person I
could get a hold of from Swiss was at a call center in South Africa and he
could not help with my issue. He told me to call back at 7am. After multiple
efforts of reaching out to Swiss via phone, email, and social media I threw in
the towel, took a shower and headed to bed. <o:p></o:p></div>
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5 hours later I was up and online (way to start a vacation)
and trying to connect with Swiss. It was an hour before I could talk to the
same lady I had talked to last night. No apology for the call getting
disconnected and no sympathy. We finally found a flight on Turkish Airlines
that would get my bag to Kilimanjaro by 2am on 12/27 giving me one day to
prepare for the climb. The flight was leaving in 5 hours, I asked her to get my
bag on that flight and her response was “I’ll try” try… after all this I get an
“I’ll try” that’s the worst answer. I hung up and resolved to cross my fingers
and hope for the best. </div>
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I fly to arusha in a couple hours hoping to get my back
and climb a mountain… <o:p></o:p></div>
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-29383537141791166312013-12-27T01:43:00.001-08:002014-01-16T07:39:22.064-08:00The adventure begins...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXBYz1IBge_kDhbY5DOAh3hsunxKYJeKLaAfoXc19v4_VC14MpdGvPXwqjQl3hSJICBM4Tk0JED2RMYuaB401xFNYHBNv1hYQZC6aGKxuQHeLBfAlIsMYigKL9vY5x7AAayQ-hQ/s1600/african+safari.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglXBYz1IBge_kDhbY5DOAh3hsunxKYJeKLaAfoXc19v4_VC14MpdGvPXwqjQl3hSJICBM4Tk0JED2RMYuaB401xFNYHBNv1hYQZC6aGKxuQHeLBfAlIsMYigKL9vY5x7AAayQ-hQ/s320/african+safari.jpg" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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After months of preparing (physically and mentally) lots of
trips to REI, and of course SF airport traffic on Christmas eve I had finally
settled into my 5 hour United Airlines flight nestled between two bigger
passengers (yup I had a middle seat). The adventure had begun. I still don’t
understand how people sleep on flights let alone in a middle seat. I always
walk off of my red eye flights… well RED EYED and far from bushy tailed. The
guy sitting next to me on the other hand had NO problem passing out for the
entire flight. I thought about how to nicely wake him up so I could get out to
go to the bathroom. Turns out there is no nice way. His tray table was out,
legs fully extended, and snores galore… I couldn’t even jump over him. So I
waited patiently for the lights to turn on so he’d wake up and I’d have bladder
relief. Thank goddess for TV entertainment; I watched the Steve Jobs movie (the
movie doesn’t do him justice, the book is much better). <o:p></o:p></div>
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12 hours in NYC on Christmas Eve. I was desperately in need
of food, a mani/pedi (something had to fall off the last minute list) and a
nap… preferably all at once. Surprisingly although the city stays awake all
night the airport doesn’t. At 6:30 am there were only a couple of places open,
I found one that had eggs and coffee. The thought of leaving the airport in
search of a spending time at a luxurious spa relaxing with cucumber water and a
steam room sounded delightful. The act of it sounded exhausting. So I settled
for the Xpress Spa at the airport. There was no cucumber water but there was an
amazing massage chair that reclined all the way back into a bed… I had found
heaven. 3 hours later I felt refreshed from my massage chair power nap (free of
charge) and no pleasantly surprised by my new manicure. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Time to leave the airport, it was 1pm and I still had 5
hours to kill. I grabbed a taxi and head out to East Village to meet an old
friend for coffee. According to Google maps I was only 30 minutes away,
according to NYC traffic I was an hour and 15 minutes away. Traffic on
Christmas eve?! Shouldn’t these people be at home enjoying dinner with the
family… ugh! I walked up to the café and was greeted by a big “closed” sign… I
couldn’t help but laugh. We walked down the street to another place and sat
down with a cup of coffee to catch up. It was a nice break from airline food
and passenger seats. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
6pm and I’m back at the airport looking forward to another 6
hour flight, this was one was international which means one very important
thing… free wine! My second thought was hmm… the wine would be so much better
in business class… I wonder if I can upgrade. For those that know me know my
motto “it never hurts to ask, the worst they can say is NO”. So I walked over
to the counter and kindly asked the Swiss rep if there was any more
availability in business class. He took my passport and boarding pass and asked
me not to board until he called my name. Yes sir.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When my name was called I was handed a
business class boarding pass, yes my friends it was a free upgrade! I had my
fully reclinable seat (with massage) between to table rests vs. two people.
Before I could wipe the smile on my face for the luxuriously upgraded ambience
I was handed a glass of champagne… could this get any better?! I was given a
menu to order breakfast (it was only 6pm at night) and then later asked what I
wanted for dinner (options included steak, sea bass, or chicken) and lastly
what I wanted to drink (wine options included: Swiss wine, Australian wine, or
a Boudreaux). Needless to say I was a happy flier… I love you Swiss airlines! <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Zurich arrived quicker than I’d have liked, I was still
enjoying my luxury seat. We arrived early and the Zurich airport was even more
desolate than the NYC airport. It was a quick 2-hour lay over. I thought I’d
try my luck again and ask for an upgrade. The Swiss were not so accommodating;
the exchange went something like this: <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: “Hi, I was able to get upgraded to business class on my
previous flight, do you have any business class seats available?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Swiss Air: “Yes, we have seats available. It will cost
$1000. Shall I upgrade you?” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Me: “1,000 dollars?! That’s
half my flight cost. No thank you. Can I get moved to an aisle seat at least?” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Swiss Air: “ No. We don’t have any. But I see that your
luggage tag is not yet on the plane. Give me your tag so I can confirm your
luggage”<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: Oh, that would be much appreciated. Please make sure my
luggage gets on the plane” <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Swiss Air: Okay, you’re all set <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Me: So my luggage was transferred, correct?<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Swiss Air: Yes.<o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
At least something good came out of that exchange. My bag
didn’t get left behind. But I still wanted an aisle seat for this long flight.
I thought I’d ask the other lady (who by the way happily upgraded a party of
4). She said there were no upgrades available but kindly moved me to an aisle
seat. Why the other lady didn’t do that, I have no idea but I chalk it up to
poor customer service and laziness! <o:p></o:p></div>
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From business class to economy class… talk about disparity!
It occurred to me that the class system so heavily prevalent in society exists
on a very similar level on the plane and it boiled down to choice. My seat was
tiny with barely any legroom and I was shoulder to shoulder with the man next
to me. There were no choices. If you’re rich you are offered lots of choices
but if you’re not you take what you can get. IT contradicts our human nature to
seek out autonomy and have choice. No wonder people are so grumpy coming off of
planes. For 8 hours they are confined to their seat at the mercy of the airhostess.
Okay, I admit I might be being a bit over dramatic here but that’s what happens
when you have had no sleep and are on malaria medicine. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To be continued... </div>
</div>
Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-81807529984123661002013-12-27T01:33:00.003-08:002013-12-27T01:34:44.697-08:00Being. Fearless.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
They say that tears are droplets of universal love, the
nectar of mother earth. If that’s the case then I sure I have a lot of nectar.
As I sit here on the plane en route to the other side of the world I can’t help
but reflect on my years of life. The what, the how, the why, the why
not? Questions and for the most part no answers. I don’t know what I’m sure of
or not sure of. The way life has unraveled thus far makes my smile and cry. The
soul men that walked across my path leaving a footprint on my heart, I wonder
why. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why do we get angry with those we love the most. Why do we
hate when love doesn’t go our way. Why do we, humans, tear our souls apart? <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I don’t where my journey will take me. I am
re-exploring those innocent and inquisitive thoughts that everything happens
for a reason and everyone you cross paths with adds a puzzle piece to unfold
your own personal story. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Life isn’t easy. Life isn’t long. Life is precious. It is to
be respected. Cherished. Handled with compassion. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If everyone did this, we would hurt less and love more. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Did I ever imagine in my wildest dreams that I’d be in this
place at 35? No. Did I imagine I’d be taking an epic trip to Tanzania to physically
conquer the mountain that is in my way? Heck no! Life is about taking chances.
It’s about being in love with yourself. It’s about being… fearless. <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-86958374038704718602013-06-02T22:08:00.000-07:002014-08-27T22:09:10.387-07:00The ride is bigger than me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">It’s
here…. Day 0 aka ALC 2013 orientation. My nerves were kicking all day today
from excitement and nervousness of the journey. Although I’ve done the ride for
the past 2 years, it’s always a “different” ride. A part of me misses the
curiosity, wonder, and unknown of year 1 and a part of me looks forward to
sitting back and enjoying the view as a veteran rider knowing that the I will
eventually get to the destination.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">A
big part of Day 0 is watching the 40 minute mandatory safety video with
undivided attention (cell phones off, eyes up). For me this video strengthens
the spark that brought me to ALC in the first place… to support the fight
against HIV/AIDS. Seeing the statistics scroll across the screen and hearing
from infected riders who at one point lost hope and with the help of SF
AIDS Foundation and others like it, were given a second chance – is what
inspires me to ride. It’s a reminder of all the people and programs I’ve
worked with over the last 14 years in the fight against AIDS and I ride to honor
the work being done all over the world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">545 miles is no joke,
I’ll be sore, exhausted, and even emotionally drained and delerious… it’s at
these moments that my mantra will keep me going “the ride is bigger than me”
it’s a movement, it’s a mission, it’s life for someone out there.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I am so grateful for
all the generous donations and kind works over the last few months, you are all
riding with me in spirit!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">51 weeks out of the
year I’m a wellness program manager…. this week I’m a force against HIV/AIDS!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Let’s ride….<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I’ll try to post
updates on my blog and on twitter @rituriyat #alc2013<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">in gratitude<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">ritu<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-2952419231913485372013-05-26T22:05:00.000-07:002014-08-27T22:06:46.150-07:00I can't on repeat<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-family: 'Coming Soon', cursive; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 23.799999237060547px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://rituriyat.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/images.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: indianred; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="images" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-442" height="398" scale="0" src="http://rituriyat.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/images.jpg" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; display: block; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; height: auto; margin: 0px auto; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></a></div>
<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-family: 'Coming Soon', cursive; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 23.799999237060547px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">One
of my cycling buddies and ALC donor kindly pointed out that I hadn’t posted any
updates on my training and experience with ALC this year. I looked at my blog
and he was right, in fact I hadn’t posted much of anything since the start of
this year. I wish I could say I’ve been busy writing on my wellness blog but
unfortunately that would be a lie since I haven’t posted much on there as well.
I have a long list of great blog titles followed by white space. I haven’t been
able to pinpoint it to lack of motivation, busyness, or writer’s fatigue.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Digging a little
deeper I realized that’s kind of how training has been for me this season. As
you may remember I did my first ALC ride, 3 years ago. I was a complete nube,
hence the novice cyclist series, and with the help of some amazing ride
leaders, supportive family and friends, and an internal drive I not only did
ALC but I did every effin inch of ALC and LOVED IT! The ALC high brought me
back for year 2, which wasn’t as amazing as year 1 but I chalk that up to
“first timers effect”. The ride was intense last year and I had almost decided
it was my last year until I finished and that “high” flushed over me… again!
So, of course, I signed up.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">And here I am a week
away from “take off” and feeling like that nube from 2 years ago who wore
panties underneath her bike shorts. Albeit I believe the old sang, “Once you
learn how to ride a bike you never forget” and although my brain and body
haven’t forgotten my sit bones certainly have! Needless to say I went from
training 3 days a week in year 1 to 3 days a month in year 3. It’s going to
make for an interesting and adventurous ride.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Last week “taper
down” training ride was a mere 67 miles and 5,000 feet of climbing, my brain
translated that to 167 miles and 15,000 feet of climbing and immediately began
blasting the “I can’t ” story… ON REPEAT! I have heard this story before in
Crossfit or on a long run but it had been a while since I heard it on the bike.
I spent the first 20 miles trying to shut down the obnoxious voice in my head
that kept saying “it’s too hard, let’s go home, I’m tired, I shouldn’t be doing
this right now, I don’t feel well” somewhere on the climb the story lost steam
or maybe my muscles needed more fuel and decided to shut down the auto repeat
cd player in my head. FINALLY. I could see the colors around me; smell the
fresh air and smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Meditation and Yoga
teaches me that moment is a new moment. Who I was when I started writing this
post is not “exactly” who I am right now and who I will be at the end of this
post. Subtle shifts are constantly occurring and our intelligent beings adapt
and keep moving forward. I realized that each time I get on my bicycle and ride
a part of me IS still a nube but another part of me is experienced and knows
how to keep moving forward. One stroke at a time. Therefore each ride will be
unique and filled with its own challenges and triumphs. Am I ready to take on
the challenge this year? I don’t know. But I know I will embrace it and keep
moving forward.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The
journey continues…Stay tuned…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">mettaLv<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Ritu Riyat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">p.s. donations are
still being accepted, please visit www.tofighthiv.org/goto/ibike<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-73906220089938007132013-01-26T22:01:00.000-08:002014-08-27T22:02:43.961-07:00One Bicycle. 545 Miles. 7 Days. Take 3!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-family: 'Coming Soon', cursive; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 23.799999237060547px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<strong style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><a href="http://www.tofighthiv.org/goto/ibike" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; color: indianred; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><img alt="545 miles. ALC 12" class="alignnone size-full wp-image-439" height="187" scale="0" src="http://rituriyat.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/545-Miles.gif" style="background: transparent; border: 0px; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="573" /></a> </strong></div>
<div style="background: rgb(255, 255, 255); border: 0px; font-family: 'Coming Soon', cursive; font-size: 14.399999618530273px; line-height: 23.799999237060547px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px 0px 1em; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Yup.
We meet again. For my 3rd year in a row I will be riding 545 miles over the
course of 7 days in the fight against AIDS. My first year doing ALC was new,
exciting, challenging, all in all a blast so naturally I signed up for more.
And more I got. Last year’s ride was also new, and exciting, and challenging in
its own way. As the days went on the thought of it being my last year riding
got me through to day 7. But the gratitude I met at the finish line is what
brings me back again…<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">SO… here we go again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">For those that read
my story last year and followed along on my ALC journey could vouch that I
started off a complete beginner, finding myself at my first training ride in
bike pants that were slightly big, a yoga top with no pockets, and an open and
anxious mind. By the end of that ride, strangers became friends and the story
began. I grew mentally and physically through the challenges each ride and
route had to offer. Learning the basics of turning, stopping, shifting,
fitting, and ofcourse styling! I couldn’t have done it without the most
important people – my fellow riders and training ride leaders.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This year I am back.
I am back to support a cause that I believe so strongly about. To support
people everywhere across all borders, colors, races and religions that
are at risk to be infected with HIV/AIDS. Which basically means everyone! I’m
back to break the barriers of stigma that prevent people from realizing the
severity and impact of this disease. I’m back not only as a fellow rider
but also as a training ride leader. Why? Because I want to pay it forward and
help out some other newbie who shows up to the first training ride wearing
underwear under her bike shorts, riding on an old craigslist bike and
determined to do this ride (true story). With all these reasons how could I NOT
come back!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I look forward to a
new year and experience of ALC, an opportunity to grow, to serve, and to unite
with an amazing community of people!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I</span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 17.85pt;"> hope you will ride
with me this year, if not physically then with your support. Last year, ALC
raised 13 million dollars to support two fabulous organizations. I hope we beat
it this year. Remember every penny counts, and every message of love is just as
meaningful. To place a kind donation visit www.tofighthiv.org/goto/ibike</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="outline: 0px;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; padding: 0in;">Fact:</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In 2009 About 2
million adults were newly infected with HIV/AIDS<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="outline: 0px;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></strong></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="outline: 0px;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; padding: 0in;">Fact:</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In 2009 women
accounted for just over half of all adults living with HIV/AIDS
worldwide.children<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="outline: 0px;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></strong></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="outline: 0px;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; padding: 0in;">Fact:</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">People of color are
infected at disproportionate rates<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="outline: 0px;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></strong></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<strong style="outline: 0px;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin; padding: 0in;">Fact:</span></strong><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="outline: 0px;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; padding: 0in;">One person CAN change the world!</span></span><span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">So here I am taking
on this challenge again, and hopefully alongg the way help another person go
from novice rider to ALC rider and support a cause that impacts everyone,
everywhere. There are no coincidences, everything happens for a reason
and I truly believe that is true for me and my involvement with HIV/AIDS
awareness.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I have set a goal to
raise $5,0000 dollars that will go towards the SF AIDS Foundation. I am
asking for your support to help me meet this goal. So take a moment, a deep breath,
and if you feel compelled to please donate whatever you can. The suggested
donation is $50. Remember to check with your company matching program to cause
a ripple effect with your every dollar. To place a donation visit
www.tofighthiv.org/goto/ibike<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I’ll keep you posted
on my training with blog updates so check back to hear the latest and greatest
from my bicycle diaries!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Thank you with
love and gratitude<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; line-height: 17.85pt; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: auto; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Ritu Riyat<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-8115019241351835372012-12-18T21:56:00.000-08:002014-08-27T21:57:13.020-07:00Maui. Here I come! <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<img alt="Private: Maui Here I Come" height="320" scale="0" src="http://rituriyat.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/12/maui-beaches.jpg" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border: 0px; font-size: 13.63636302947998px; height: auto; margin: 0px; max-width: 100%; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;" width="400" /></div>
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<span style="background: white; color: black; font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">In just a few days my journey will take me on an
exploration of Maui. I’ve been craving some ocean energy for months now and
finally I said “eff it” and booked a flight to Maui. It’ll be my first
time visiting this playful paradise. I hear great things about the island.
Apparently there is fantastic sushi, excellent fish tacos, and lots of sun and
beach. I’m planning on spending my days…being… in playful… motion.</span><span style="font-family: Calibri; font-size: 13.5pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-46732474171289730942012-11-26T00:33:00.002-08:002013-12-27T01:36:20.843-08:00Restless<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
It's about that time, the holiday season is setting in and along with that comes my annual restlessness.</div>
Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-6982853095962920222012-06-16T12:00:00.000-07:002013-12-27T01:36:45.273-08:00Novice Cyclist Series: Ride recap ALC 11<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KxmdyCXx15PU-87OWXbzrMFYBgPwTvYwZkO7Ja2dlH06P7UQt1vaqvIR7TtbzMi__WBiwZwjW4V4UTm47jEP3Btt1SCQZ-v1gAtKShZqg-FP7Z7-cMbmsz-bgP-8nIsdAFEFVA/s1600/IMG_1600.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9KxmdyCXx15PU-87OWXbzrMFYBgPwTvYwZkO7Ja2dlH06P7UQt1vaqvIR7TtbzMi__WBiwZwjW4V4UTm47jEP3Btt1SCQZ-v1gAtKShZqg-FP7Z7-cMbmsz-bgP-8nIsdAFEFVA/s400/IMG_1600.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
Now that I am 80% recovered from a week of riding it's time to recap another year of an amazing and successful event. Two years participating in ALC and riding a bicycle 545 miles was a distant goal, 1 year ago that goal was reached after completing my first ALC event and raising over 5,000 dollars towards the SF AIDS Foundation. ALC 10 was a huge accomplishment and a grueling journey during which I learned the basics of a bicycle, adopted a new ALC family, and fell in love with a new sport. Did I think I was going to do the ride again, even when I signed up to do it again on Day 6 last year, my answer was no I didn't think I would do it again. But less than a week after last years event I was already on the bike ready to ride again.<br />
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So here I am a year later having finished yet another ALC event and once again it was nothing short of AMAZING. I came back stronger, more experienced, and better equipped but to answer the question "was it easier?" quite honestly there is nothing easy about spending hours on end in the saddle and riding 545 miles. The reality is no matter how prepared you are there is always room for uncertainty, who knew we would have the most amazing weather on day 1 and then be fighting a storm on day 2, have the best ride on day 3 into Paso, head winds on day 4, a hot and sweaty day 5, a super fast descent on day 6 and painful butt sores on day 7. Phew... what a week! But riding into the finish line with people cheering and expressing their appreciation, getting off the bike with a sense of accomplishment and gratitude to give back in this way makes every tear, sweat, and "f*&$ this sux" WORTH IT! </div>
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So what does 7 days, 36 hours in the saddle, 21,000 feet of climbing, 545 miles and 19,700 calories look like? Pictures say 1,000 words so here's a recap of my week on the ride. </div>
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Day 0: 0 miles, lots of nerves and preparations</div>
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Since I wasn't the new kid on the block anymore I figured the nerves would remain silent and the packing would be a breeze. WRONG! The safety speech stuck with me this year especially the part about drink water and pee often (do you need to pee? i do!) After spending a 4 hours at the Cow Palace taking care of pre ride errands I found myself at home standing about a ginormous travel bag (that was empty) and feeling my nerves vibrate beneath my skin. Holy Crap, I'm heading out on the road in 10 hours! I managed to over pack and under sleep, just what the body needs for successful day 1, right? Luckily I had my new helmet and shades to keep me excited :)</div>
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Day 1: 87 miles from San Francisco to Santa Cruz </div>
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I couldn't help but compare each day on the ride to last year (my only other experience). The whole season had been different, less people, and less energy. Maybe starting my ALC career on their 10t anniversary ride gave me a skewed perspective. Nonetheless, almost 2200 riders filled the cow palace on Sunday June 3rd wearing spandex and helmets and ready to ride. We hit the road crawling as 2200 riders tried to make their way out of the cow palace and through the busy streets of SF over a few hills and finally into open lands. I quickly lost my riding buddies after breaking the cardinal rule (never stop at rest stop 1! it's too crowded) but I had to pee (this became a common theme for the week). I was losing momentum fast, must have been the lack of sleep and lack of coffee. My parents were planning to meet me at the top of 92 which got me through the first big climb only to get to the top to NOT see my parents :( They thought it was a different stop, following that phone call I recieved a text from my #1 riding buddy that he broke his bike WTF and the tears started rolling down my cheek. It finally hit home, I'm on the ride. I took a deep breath and carried on to rest stop 2, got me some bananas and water and a phone call from my parents they were at the rest stop! A couple of hugs and strawberries later I was re energized. The broken bike was fixed and we were off on the road to San Gregorian beach for lunch. Last year it was cold and gloomy here, this year the sun was shining and the ocean majestic, I didn't want to leave! My friend, Jenny and her pup met me there for another boost plus a caffeine drop...the power of love and friendship is undoubtedly apparent when you are physically exhausted, I'm lucky to have had some awesome support. 40 miles later I was in Santa Cruz picking up my bag and making my way to the hotel. YUP HOTEL! Okay so my plan was to half princess (stay in hotels) and half camp. So what had happened was... yah I'll save the camp for day 2.</div>
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Day 2: 109 miles from Santa Cruz to King City </div>
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The longest day on the ride which means the earliest start on the ride. Last year I was stuck in Santa Cruz for 2 hours due to car and bike traffic. This year I passed on eating breakfast and lined up with the other smart people at 5:45 am. I couldn't help take a photo of all the bikes parked in peace, the calm before the storm. Little did I know the truth of this statement. We were on the road at 6:15am, 10 miles out and escaping all signs of traffic, we stopped for breakfast and coffee - tripple shot Americano please! I am still trying to ween myself off of this. Within 20 miles the clouds grew greyer and the roads wet, slight chance of rain was a reality. We rode faster to get in front of the storm, a little challenging when crosswinds are blowing you all over the road. When the coast was clear I figured a quick stop for fried artichokes couldn't hurt... umm.... yah it could. The storm we worked so hard to escape was on our tail again. It was the worst nature game EVER... Race against the storm! By the time we reached lunch it was cold which meant frozen muscles, so within 5 minutes we were back on the bike riding. It was by far the hardest most painful riding day! Hours later I rolled into the bright and sunny King City camp only to find 50 some bikes in parking, turns out the route was shut at lunch and only 800 some riders completed the day. Do I take that as oooo... glad I finished or Oh shit I could have died out there! Either way the day was done, a sports med treatment was in need and then a hot shower at the hotel.... see what had happened was.... I'll camp on day 3. </div>
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Day 3: 66 miles from King City to Central Wine Country... I mean Paso Robles</div>
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Ahhhh.... a breath fresh air after yesterday's crazy ride. Today was short, sweet, and had two appealing rewards at the end- Gelato and Wine! Quadbuster did exactly that bust my quads but the descent made up for it a fun free falling 43 mph down hill rush! With an avg speed of about 17mph I enjoyed a yummy Bradley (veggie) burger and was in camp after 3.5 hours of riding. Gelato never tasted so good! Afterwards I rolled out, showered and pitched my tent (yup, today was camp day!) but first some play time in Paso with a delicious glass of wine and yummy food! So how was my first night in camp, well what happened was... I got back to camp took down my pitched tent and headed to the hotel. Finally I get it, this is NOT a camping trip it's a bike ride and I am officially a Princess.... I will NOT camp on day 4.</div>
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Day 4: 98 miles from Paso Robles to Santa Maria </div>
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Back to the grind with another long ride, this one had two hill climbs (evil twins) bringing us to the halfway to LA mark. It feels fast but there's still half a ride to go! Slow and steady wins the race. The descent from the evil twins is breathtaking especially for a novice like me who recently embraced the "descent". Once again we find ourselves along the coast with views through San Luis Obispo, Cayucos and Morro Bay where we stopped for a quick bite and of course a triple americano to get me through the day. Red dress day tomorrow!</div>
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Short movie break, enjoy!<br />
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Day 5: 52 miles from Santa Maria to Lompoc<br />
Another short and relatively easy day and unlike last year this year graced with beautiful weather making red dress day even more fun... anything goes as long as its red! The energy of the ride is heightened today with fun funky costumes, and the visual expression of unity between the riders and the cause. Together as a red ribbon we climb up yet another hill and make our way to Lompoc. The day is short and sweet bringing us into town around 2pm and leaving enough time to relax and enjoy the evening, too bad there is NOTHING in Lompoc. Dinner was mediocre but the company was great.<br />
Tomorrow is day 6 and the end is nearing.<br />
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Day 6: 78 miles from Lompoc to Ventura<br />
I was hoping for this day to be less emotional and challenging than last year but no such luck. Its the bittersweet feeling of the end approaching that heightens today add in there fatigue and mental exhaustion and you'll understand why a "breakdown" is warranted. Today was all about sticking with other riders to get through the head winds and take advantage of flat lands. We rode 40+ miles straight skipping the lunch stop to get to the infamous fish taco restaurant, and once there it was well worth it. A few miles later we coasted through Santa Barbara and into "Paradise Pit" an ice cream extravaganza put on by the locals of Santa Barbara (lots of love and support from them), an ice cream scoop or two later and its back on the bike and into Ventura. The night closes with a candlelight beach vigil in memory of those lost to HIV/AIDS, thoughts and prayers from over 2200 people creates a powerful moment. Time to sleep, only one more day left.<br />
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Day 7: 60 miles from Ventura to Santa Monica<br />
Its the last day, my ass hurts and I can't wait to be done but still it's sad, even writing about it gets me choked up. It was smooth sailing today with ocean views and a traditional lunch in Malibu to celebrate the end of another successful year. The 8 mile ride into to Santa Monica was lined with supporters cheering us on and thanking us for riding. Riding in, the VA center and the many friends, family and supporters accepted us with cheers. While on the road it's easy to forget that this is an accomplishment, they remind us of that. Woo too, we did it! WOW, I can't believe it's over! I'll admit, a day ago the thought of signing up again was nowhere in my mind, today I found myself at the registration booth filling out my form for ALC 12. What can I say, it's addictive! Until next year...<br />
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Time for some much needed R and R!<br />
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Life after ALC... Day 8,9,10,11...<br />
The days immediately following ALC are miserable, more than waking up at 5am and putting on spandex to ride over hills... why? Because you realize you spent a week being completely engaged in LIFE, voluntarily doing hard hard work and on some sick warped level truly enjoying this hard work. For me the thrill was in playing the "cadence game" and working to keep a certain cadence regardless of the topography. Or hearing the hummm of the tires when my body, mind, and bike were connected and operating as one. <br />
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Being on a bicycle is like being naked, completely sensitive to your surroundings, the wind moves you, the rain wets you, the sun scorches you, and the ocean takes your breath away. No matter what you do in your life the other 51 weeks, for this one 1 week as a rider, you feel your place in this vast universe. You are small piece of the puzzle with the potential of making big impact but to do so you have to "go with the flow" rather than resisting the wind, go with it. Fight to overcome obstacles and throughly enjoy the rewards on the downhill knowing that another battle lies ahead. This is life. If it was all flat and long, we'd be BORED! The ups and downs make life engaging but its up to us to do the work.<br />
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So maybe I'm not riding a bicycle day in and day out but I can certainly do my part in staying engaged and living life... breathe in and breathe out... enjoy the simple things.<br />
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What's next for the novice cyclist??? I figure why not up the challenge a bit and attempt the Death Ride. In 30 days I will attempt to ride 129 miles and climb 15,000 feet in Tahoe. Week's rest is over... time to train! I'll let you know how it goes.<br />
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Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-2689998622031908092012-05-27T22:34:00.000-07:002013-12-27T01:37:29.418-08:00Novice Cyclist Series: Helping Hands<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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Today marked the grand finale of the South Bay training series and what better way to do it than with a Century ride. The group has worked hard over the last 6 months starting with a mere 25 miles and slowly working themselves up to 100 miles and for some it was their first century, for others like myself it was just another training ride. I find it surreal to feel or say such a thing, just last year I was completing my first century and experiencing the flood of emotions and feelings that come along with the accomplishment, after doing 10 more after that the novelty has worn off.<br />
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To be honest my goal for this century ride was to get done quick, I had scheduled a flight later in the evening and was on a pretty tight schedule. The universe, however, had a different plan in mind.<br />
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Riders new and old gathered at the meet point and prepared to ride out. While crossing over the Dumbarton Bridge I met Jim, a first time ALCer, he asked if we could stop and take a picture of him on the bridge, he hadn't ever crossed it before. Right then I realized today's ride was going to be different. In taking Jim's picture I realized how many times I had crossed over that same bridge oblivious to my surroundings and never once having taken a picture to capture the moment. So of course a picture was warranted, but along with that a quick look around to take in the surroundings. So often we speed by overlooking some of the most beautiful, picturesque glimpses of nature.<br />
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The ride continued and the heat poured in. By rest stop 3 I was tired and it was hot! A couple of the other newbies decided to sag so it was just me, another TRL and Jim left at the tail end to take it home with 40 miles to go. It was Jim's first Century ride, he had started riding this year and was a fairly strong rider. With a few tips and techniques tricks he became even stronger. By the last 20 miles the fatigue was setting in... the end was near but not close enough and there was still work to do. Initially I was anxious riding with a slower rider, I had a flight to catch! When I let go of that ego, I settled into a space of compassion and committment. I was committed to Jim finishing this ride. Encouragement, a few laughs, and some coaching got him to the end.<br />
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While turning into the parking lot we congratulated Jim for his accomplishment, he experienced the reaction that most of us have experienced after our first century, a rush of emotion and overwhelming joy. He expressed a heart felt gratitude and thanked us for helping him make it to the end, he sincerely stated he couldn't have done it without us. In that moment, nothing else mattered. I had been questioning why I had become a TRL, initially it was to help out another newbie and coach them to transcend from novice to intermediate, but after almost 6 months of training I gave up on that idea and decided I wouldn't TRL next year. Working with Jim today made TRL'ing worth it, his dedication and determination is the reason why I am out there wearing the TRL jersey, to him I made a difference.<br />
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2 more weeks until the ride!<br />
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metta<br />
ritu</div>
Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-892323957305064342012-01-28T18:49:00.000-08:002012-01-28T18:49:13.642-08:00Novice Cyclist Series: Let the training begin...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
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<div class="MsoNormal">Weekend 1 was 2 weeks ago and consisted of 40 miles on Saturday and 25 on Sunday.A little crazy you say?! YES, I concur. I admit ego played a role. I had been looking forward to training again and although I wasn't consistent about being on my bike every week since ALC 10, I got some rides and felt pretty good about diving right in. Plus this year training is not for one but two challenges, I was crazy enough to sign up for the Death Ride! Anyways, I survived weekend 1 with minor aches and pains. It was also the first weekend of me riding as an ALC TRL. I highly respected the TRL's that helped me evolve as a cyclist last year and therefore decided to give back and help another. After my first ride on "TRL duty" I have a new found respect for these folks. TRL's on the ride are selfless beings who put their own "ride" to the side for the sake of supporting and helping another rider. They stop when they don't want to, slow down when they'd rather go fast, and crawl up brutal hills in order push another rider. It is no easy feat. As a newbie TRL I was a little intimidated... do I know enough to help someone else? Why would they listen to me? I don't want to police people! These were some of the thoughts that went through my brain... I found myself feeling like a newbie all over again. It wasn't until towards the end of the ride when I was riding with another rider that my TRL voice came out... try shifting up a gear so you can use your energy more efficiently... she did and it worked. "Way to go!" As we mosied along the road I found myself encouraging and encouraged by this rider..it was selflessly selfish, I was teaching and learning at the same time. We finished the ride. I learned that just as it took practice and patience to grow as a cyclist it takes the same to evolve as a TRL. I look forward to the journey. <o:p></o:p></div></div>Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-71286370267519259642012-01-22T18:30:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:30:15.928-08:00Novice Cyclist Series: Introducing Miss Diva<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbmiTXGtrG51QdvabIe8I0uRVkh9pIt3LNuU9r0ickXAlsq79CjxxKOmAxrmG4XrqC6rvuu1N7Ys9uf9vbiPcbznWH9eVDI_dnWHqQmBUFmpsqmJrNa8Y98LccHTUhsTIBTjupA/s1600/foil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="246" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzbmiTXGtrG51QdvabIe8I0uRVkh9pIt3LNuU9r0ickXAlsq79CjxxKOmAxrmG4XrqC6rvuu1N7Ys9uf9vbiPcbznWH9eVDI_dnWHqQmBUFmpsqmJrNa8Y98LccHTUhsTIBTjupA/s400/foil.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I came back in the next day to do a final test of the BMC and the Scott. It was going to be a tuff call; they are both amazing bikes and both extremely light. </span><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I got on the BMC and went for a spin. It was responsive but it was also a little twitchy. It wasn’t “the one”. It could have been the wheels, it could have been the size or the fit, but I was in decision mode and at that moment THAT bike didn’t hit the spot. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I got on the Scott and within moments I knew my decision. This bike was the perfect fit. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Although the sticker would have been fun, the bike shop relationship was more important. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">That evening, I took home my new bicycle, she's a black Diva and I am looking forward to riding her! My quest to find “the one” has finally ended… but my journey as a novice cyclist continues...</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Now that I have a bike shop and a bike time to move on to shoes and helmet and bar tape and wheels and colors and…. I heart cycling! </span></div></div>Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-32000719435854601692012-01-22T18:27:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:33:07.209-08:00Novice Cyclist Series: Bike shopping- "The One"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVe1F0i7KpA4HtywZRW8Dg3IoheMgcU9h0sHo3DKcJvIKo5m9ncx97ql-i-ghkygQQ7Mad-FAyVTcAXqe8c3gzJxgTGfe78dXaBSy4DnH6Ow_ieSh_UAKnHBc9Wk8kZ0tCo16itA/s1600/cycle-pros-logo_website-1-166x89.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="214" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjVe1F0i7KpA4HtywZRW8Dg3IoheMgcU9h0sHo3DKcJvIKo5m9ncx97ql-i-ghkygQQ7Mad-FAyVTcAXqe8c3gzJxgTGfe78dXaBSy4DnH6Ow_ieSh_UAKnHBc9Wk8kZ0tCo16itA/s400/cycle-pros-logo_website-1-166x89.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">When I think of “my” bike shop, I imagine a place that I could drop by any time and ask a question, a place that is friendly and knowledgeable, a place that is eager to help and support me as a growing cyclist and a place that goes above and beyond to make their customers happy. That being said I called up <a href="http://www.thecyclepros.com/">The CyclePros</a> and told them about my interest in the Scott Foil R2. They didn’t have it in stock but ordered one and in a short week it was at the shop. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Thrilled at their level of service (and the beer that they gave me the first time) I knew it was MY bike shop. I stopped by a Friday evening to check out the bike. It looked like the R2, it felt like the R2, it moved like the R2 … but it didn’t say R2, instead it was a Foil 20. WTF?! I called up the other bike shop to clear up the confusion. Turns out Scott changed the name after its initial release in order to be consistent with all their products. Well, that’s a bummer. Then the question was asked “Does a sticker really matter?” … <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
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</span></div></div>Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-43116613480870730882012-01-22T18:19:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:19:34.160-08:00Novice Cyclist Series: Bike shopping - The R2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDY3t7G8bDkMqZRXBmB2Z46olN1aYXGhJz5q2dNkgpICW1CD7O9P09xCWoFjt_l6z5Sd085_2UqxIk-3VynTkAz4kjkNHNR5Gd1SDHCASme2yTYLhbmUwnje4Xwotw0wkIPqYNQ/s1600/R2D2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYDY3t7G8bDkMqZRXBmB2Z46olN1aYXGhJz5q2dNkgpICW1CD7O9P09xCWoFjt_l6z5Sd085_2UqxIk-3VynTkAz4kjkNHNR5Gd1SDHCASme2yTYLhbmUwnje4Xwotw0wkIPqYNQ/s400/R2D2.JPG" width="251" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Let me introduce myself, my name is Ritu Riyat aka Rsquared aka R2 of course followed by the D2. I grew up with a lot of nicknames (apparently the 4 letters in my name were too long). Thanks to Star Wars the name that stuck was R2D2. I fought it in the beginning and soon succumbed to my new nickname, and I accepted the reality that as along as Star Wars will be around, so too will my robotic counterpart and namesake. I don’t mind much, I kinda like the little robot. What does this have to do with my bike shopping?</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
My next stop took me to a high end bicycle shop. Because I wasn’t planning on trying out bikes I didn’t have my gear but after browsing their selection I was tempted to get on a couple. The first bike handed to me was a Pinarello, a bike I had wanted to try mostly because it sounds fancy AND one of my best friends has it. I went on a short ride on the bike patch, and nearly crashed as I tried to figure out how to ride a bike without clip less pedals and shoes. Ha-ha. 2 years ago, I was crashing for the opposite reason. Anyhow, I turned to go up a hill and nearly stopped in my tracks, scrambling to gear down. I made it up half way and was ready to go back. Shouldn’t my new bike make the hills EASIER?! Not the bike for me. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Next up was the Scott R2, a sexy black and white frame featuring the name “R2” on the bottom tube. I’m a sucker for signs so my first reaction was, OMG it has my name… its meant to be! I took it out hoping that I would fall in love. I came back 15 minutes later with mixed feelings. I really liked it but I couldn’t make a clear judgment without the proper gear. So I decided to come back another day to finish up my testing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">2 days later I was back, fitted from head to toe with my cycling gear, and ready to find my new bike. Since I already tried the Scott and Pinarello I wanted to try something else. I was given a Willier. My friend gave me a brief history of the bike company and this particular bike, it’s a great bike. 20 minutes later, it was a great bike BUT it wasn’t the one. Nothing in particular turned me off from it but nothing attracted me either. “The one” will stand out! <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I tried two Pinarellos and didn’t seem to fall in love with either. They were a little heavy for my taste. The hill climb wasn’t any easier even with the appropriate gear.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">My friend suggested that I ride the Scott Foil R2 again… I did. I fell in love. It responded to my pedal stroke and the slightest hip movement. It floated over the bumps and cracks in the ground but still felt grounded. Can it climb, is the question. I turned to go up the hill, still in my top chain ring, my strokes slowed slightly but I was still moving and a few strokes later I was up the hill, STILL in my top chain ring. This bike is a DIVA! I love her. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I came back to the store and expressed my interest in the bike. Now comes the twist in my bike shopping journey… the bike shop is just as important as the bike. If you have spent a significant amount of cash on anything before, you know that customer service seals the deal. Bottom line I want attention. AND a little price break too. Neither was happening that day. I practiced a well learned yoga lesson; let it sit with you, if it continues to come up then it’s meant to be. I left the bike shop with a pair of socks and a new bike in the running. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
It boiled down to the Scott Foil and the BMC Team Machine. Which one is it going to be???? <o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-65973917665447540572011-12-22T18:04:00.000-08:002012-01-22T18:32:00.412-08:00Novice Cyclist Series: Bike shopping continues "second date"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bPrHRAkz16I3vaM7P8v8-zvqwLRM_2568ihb6z8B1qPNbVYk6DM7PVVSR9IflR_qpv33M1DONPx_anC9iWWwLhcgSJ50UFuiC1yBoFgsJE-mAhpaAmo9Unh6lv2GJTjiemTy1A/s1600/bicycle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2bPrHRAkz16I3vaM7P8v8-zvqwLRM_2568ihb6z8B1qPNbVYk6DM7PVVSR9IflR_qpv33M1DONPx_anC9iWWwLhcgSJ50UFuiC1yBoFgsJE-mAhpaAmo9Unh6lv2GJTjiemTy1A/s640/bicycle.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Before really committing to the Team Machine, I needed to take her out for a longer ride and see if we “connect”. I went on a ride with The Cycle Pros the following weekend. It also happened to be a really windy Saturday morning. Really really WINDY! What was supposed to be a leisurely 40 miles quickly transformed into a challenging and emotional experience, let me put it this way… I was on the verge of tears as I fought the wind going 2 miles an hour trying to climb up the hill. Part of the challenge was the lightness of the bike, I had been used to my aluminum clunker that stayed steady and grounded in the winds, and this bike was so light that I had to work to keep it on the ground. My initial reaction was, maybe this isn’t “the one” but I gave it the benefit of the doubt and pedaled through it eventually reaching the turn on the hill. The lightness of the bike became its asset as I coasted down the hill at close to 40mph with the wind on my back. This one’s definitely got potential! BUT is it “the one”??? </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I wasn’t ready to make that decision today… there were still some bikes remaining on the list. But the BMC team machine is definitely in the running. <o:p></o:p></span></div><br />
</div>Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-13359370356593597232011-12-19T18:39:00.001-08:002011-12-19T18:42:26.872-08:00Vipassana Part 6: The journey continues...<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><b>Scroll down and start reading at Part 1. </b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hE-qmofMyf-pSKHQ0JiFcnPqlDxjgd029fh1XbYrVUwyecpbRuCEo1Xup9FuUD3K9xbRwZkdScnSPevx4l6Z08CxbEgBVA6Dj67AQO-F2lBx1r5sMPq_jTB3z5bYIUVp19hrYQ/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0hE-qmofMyf-pSKHQ0JiFcnPqlDxjgd029fh1XbYrVUwyecpbRuCEo1Xup9FuUD3K9xbRwZkdScnSPevx4l6Z08CxbEgBVA6Dj67AQO-F2lBx1r5sMPq_jTB3z5bYIUVp19hrYQ/s400/photo+2.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
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<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I left the grounds knowing I will be back again; it’s a special place and experience that one should not be without. Challenging, yes. Fun, Nah. A holiday, absolutely NOT. So why would one spend their hard earned vacation time sitting in a room full of people that you can’t talk to, eating only a couple of meals a day, and having to deal with the chaos of the mind…. Well that’s for you to find out. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">For me, I know why. It’s an opportunity to step outside of the box… that place is a little scary and the ground might be uneven but once you overcome that fear its quite extraordinary. Let me put it this way, I contemplated things that I would have never thought twice about before like giving up WINE… wow I can’t believe I even wrote that down. Or waking up at 4:30 am every day! I can already feel the anxiety coming on… like I said it’s a process. For now I’ll take it one day at a time… baby steps. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">And as far as the silence goes, I enjoy speaking but there is value in silence. I began to appreciate and respect- the relevance of relationships (past and present, pleasant and unpleasant) the love that exists around me in all forms. Gratitude for a supportive family and some cool friends. Everyone may not all get what I did or why I did it but they certainly support it and will even read what I have to say about it ;) And in silence I met some of the most amazing people that I can call soul sistas and friends. I can say with some certainty that these relationships will be ever changing and growing. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">It takes 21 days to create a habit. So I’m going to put it to the test … <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">“There is great wisdom in silence….” Anicca. Anicca. Anicca. Change. Change. Change. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">mettaLOVE<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Ritu Riyat <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div></div>Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8552615.post-29272154109279872322011-12-19T18:39:00.000-08:002011-12-19T19:49:43.936-08:00Vipassana Part 5: Noble Speech<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lMpfSpn1z0XRAS0wNzgQUCCWZTkM9nP8cNkUSaDWVQOWgfuGdqY4a4ryLUlfU_7hUCFOGYzTvI-ESEbzeMuzBJJ-EBEJp-w7l3xmQ5sCh3Z9-6wVz_JpJ8tn0BpKctv8qa44Dg/s1600/walking.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="264" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lMpfSpn1z0XRAS0wNzgQUCCWZTkM9nP8cNkUSaDWVQOWgfuGdqY4a4ryLUlfU_7hUCFOGYzTvI-ESEbzeMuzBJJ-EBEJp-w7l3xmQ5sCh3Z9-6wVz_JpJ8tn0BpKctv8qa44Dg/s400/walking.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;">Day 3...Already?! But I just got started. The short course was coming to an end today; it seemed even shorter now that I was at this point. But really it was just the beginning. I came into the 10 day course 2 years ago curious about meditation and my mind, I left engaged in the practice and with a desire to continue the journey. I stopped meditating after 1 week. This time it was different. I am no meditation expert (is there even such thing?) but I can certainly say that I get it now… I get it a little more. During one of the meditations today I took a few minutes to plan out my routine. So, I’ll get up at 4:30am and meditate and then workout, then eat breakfast, then go to work, then… then…</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 18px;">back to reality. It sounded like a great plan but the one thing I learned is that there is NO plan… there is only change. And to stay grounded through the change IS the plan.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I walked out of the hall and read the sign board for new instructions. Noble silence has ended, please practice noble speech. In my head I said “Woo hoo, we can talk!” I looked around at the people next to me and then walked away to go on a brief hike. I missed talking this time around, there were some people that I definitely connected with and wanted to get to know. But for just one more moment I wanted silence. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Read more...</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;">Vipassana Part 6: </span><a href="http://rituriyat.blogspot.com/2011/12/vipassana-part-6-journey-continues.html" style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 17px;">The journey continues…</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><o:p></o:p></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">mettaLOVE</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">ritu riyat</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><br />
</div></div>Ritu Riyathttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10718072127489371291noreply@blogger.com