As small business owners, we don't get time off for the holidays. Karel has been extremely busy with bike fits and I have had several nutrition consults. Alongside coaching, we have been rather busy lately.
But we have been able to carve out a bit of playtime out in nature.
On Friday, we drove to Dupont and parked at Fawn Lake access area. For my first official mountain bike ride, Karel took me on several trails and I had so much fun. With each trail, my skills improved. And if I struggled or found myself scared and unclipping, I would go back and practice again. Karel would stop and help me find the best line to take around/on limbs and rocks and he would also show me how to execute certain skills. It was so much fun and I really enjoyed myself out in nature, on my mountain bike (well, Karel's old mountain bike).
We rode for around 2:40, covered 19 miles and accumulated over 2400 feet elevation gain. I really loved being in the forest and having to navigate through water crossings, over/down limbs and rocks and tight turns. After the ride we went for a ~2 mile off-road run. I could not stop smiling as I had so much fun for almost 3 hours.
After our morning adventure, Karel finished up the cooking for our traditional Czech Xmas dinner on the 24th. The staples include potato salad made w/ shredded celery root, parsnips and carrots, along with peas and topped with hard boiled eggs. Instead of carp (fish) soup, Karel uses Tilapia and fries it. He made tofu for me (fried). We also had Vánočka (Christmas bread) which is similar to Challah bread. Karel made the dough (with almonds and raisins) and I braided it. Karel also made gingerbread cookies and caraway and cheese "breadsticks." Everything turned out so delicious!
On Saturday, Karel and I went for a late morning run at Furman (the weather was amazingly warm!) and then we drove to Saluda to meet up with our friends Don and Kathleen who were visiting. We hiked the Little Bradley Falls Trail.
The trail was a little less than 2 miles round trip and it included several water crossings. It was a beautiful day but with it being Christmas, the trail wasn't too busy. Although Campy is not as agile as he used to be, he did great on the hike. Karel carried him over the water crossings. We enjoyed a beautiful waterfall at the end of the trail. Campy is getting older so we try to make as many memories with him as we can.
After the hike, we drove to Lake Lure and had a wonderful dinner prepared by Kathleen. She made spicy carrot soup, mushroom wellington and asparagus w/ couscous. It was all so good. It was great to enjoy some time together as they were vacationing and it had been a few months since we all hung out.
On Sunday, the weather could not have been more perfect for a bike ride. 70-degrees meant short sleeves and shorts for a 3-hour, 50-mile ride. We rode with the GVL WBL (Greenville Winter Bike League) group for the unofficial Christmas ride. It was an absolutely beautiful route and I enjoyed riding on new roads that I had never seen before! It's crazy that after 7 years living here, we still discover new cycling routes! The ride was a very easy/chill pace which was nice to be able to socialize and just enjoy the scenery. After the ride, I couldn't resist a run off the bike as the sun was so warm and I wasn't ready to stop my workout. It's incredible how much the weather can boost the mood. These warm days make all the struggles during the cold days worth it!
We hope that you enjoyed your holiday. Don't forget to make time for yourself. You deserve to "play" in nature.
We hope that you enjoyed your holiday. Don't forget to make time for yourself. You deserve to "play" in nature.
