Skip to main content

Watch out for the good guys


Back from the great beyond- all parts, California. I got a little bit of everything in: a stop at Polly's for coffee on a couple occasions, wine tasting in Napa, celebrity treatment at a top-notch French restaurant, and some excellent scenery and running. I spent the first couple days in Long Beach and got a solid 20 miler in running from my uncle's house all the way down to Huntington Beach and Bolsa Chica. Next up was a stay in Escalon just north of Modesto, which is serious orchard country with trails in every direction and fresh fruit stands all over the road. From there we headed to Napa


to stay with my dad's old UCLA roommate. He took us to 2 really nice wineries set in amazingly lush hills. We then had dinner Chez Jeanty which offered traditional French fare. It was a great experience as we were treated by the owner to several dishes and desserts in addition to what we ordered. I had Coq Au Vin, but also sampled sweet breads,

escargot, pate', and crepe suzette to name a few. Next, we went to Rio Nido by way of Bodega Bay which is the setting of Hitchcock's The Birds. Rio Nido is a quiet little place set right on the Russian River, another big wine region. We visited with my mom's cousins here who have these great houses precariously situated on the top of hils with amazing views. I really liked this area because it was more rural then Napa but also had more character then Modesto, with alot of counter culture types and less of the yuppy appeal. Apparently, my mom's cousin is a member of Levi Leipheimer's gym and I also saw a guy who was decked out in full Slipstream attire so I presume he was a real team member. So, just a quick run down of the last 2 weeks. Alot of exciting travels and some harrowing driving through the Central Valley in high winds.
As far as giving a head's up to a local eatery, the fact that I haven't been in town makes no difference. It's been far too long since I've taken the short jaunt north on Sooner Rd. to Royal Bavaria.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Just to the Right

That would be the theme for last night's outing to OKC with der boys. The trend of feeling off continues to overwhelm and I can't help but chalk it up to the "smorgasboard effect." Contemporary wisdom tells us that fusion is all the rage and who am I to blow against the wind? At some point however, I think that can lead to an assemblage frought with gastronomic peril and, worse, something that gives little Scotty D a tummy ache. Cue the scene, we had put down a few stouts and pale ales prior to departure from Stu's. I, of course, was lauded for my incredible driving ability over the perhaps 2 mile route to Cheever's. Upon arrival we ordered a couple bottles of vino and some apps. I think this is where the trouble began. The first combo would be the Malbec/Hummus/Fried Calamari/Pinot combo only to be outdone by the proceeding Merlot/Nacho/Pecan, Chocolate,& Ice Cream Ball conglomeration. Stu knew something was up and opted for a jog back to the house where ...

blog, blog, blog

I'm spreading the gospel in a few other forums. Firstly, I'm going to be remarking to the appeal of Okie fitness advocates, hopefully including crossfitters, at okathletes.com . Additionally, I'm keeping a training log at Fast Running Blog , where there are a few other Oklahomans, namely Jason Butler and Jake Buhler along with some other salty characters. I needed somewhere to tally the training miles so right now it will be this place, although I'm well aware there are probably better online training logs. I'm back to logging some miles, feeling fitter and having good company from Asher, I think his secret is recovering well, utilizing the most comfortable places to sleep and plenty of strides chasing squirrels.

some ups and downs

I ran the Little Rock Marathon last weekend, finishing in 2:28:30ish. The race director took good care of all the elite runners, giving both the 1/2 and fullers the option of staying in the race hotel 2 nights prior to the race. I will note that their standards seem fairly relaxed and yet they gave us some nice little perks, with staging areas before and after and dinner before and whatnot. I again have to tip my hat because this is clearly not the norm in today's race circuit and if it is offered, there is often a very limited number of allowed elite spots. I had contacted the Woodlands marathon for instance and was not going to be offered any more than a comped entry, even though the marathon field was very limited. I have a number of issues surrounding this phenomenon but will just make note of the races that make an effort to help someone like myself. The course at Little Rock is quite winding and undulating for about 18 miles but then smoothes out and allows for a steady fin...