A field of Dreams

Iowa... even the airport is A field of Dreams...

:)

Upon arrival in Iowa I was so excited about my first stop that I managed to run right past the gift shops. 

First temptation averted. 

My next stop was my beloved Pancheros... 

It was a college staple. Sometimes I would splurge and actually get the chicken quesadilla... with sour cream, but only for special occasions. 

But almost everyday I'd have to walk past the smell of freshly pressed tortillas, especially prominent in the winter months, and have to wipe the drool away... just to head home and eat a bowl of Kix for lunch. The shoestring college budget just didn't allot for eating out everyday, but the smell alone would send my brain a spinning. 

After a few weeks of torment I unconsciously found myself walking inside on a random weekday... I suppose it was bound to happen. 

Standing in the doorway I watched as other kids laughed and ordered their Chicken quesadillas, and sour cream, and even the extra luxury...guacamole...

I wasn't angry, per se... but I wasn't happy. 

(That alone should have been reason enough to graduate and get a good job...)

My eyes were drawn to the woman behind the counter as she pulled out the gooey balls of dough, placed them on the press and then would fling them onto the big grill. Tortilla after tortilla went from dough to delectable right before my eyes....

It finally dawned on me that I rarely followed the process down to the salsa selection. For me, the thrill was in the tortilla. As the lunch crowd grew, I felt awkward just standing in there not placing an order but... an idea had come to me. 

The following day I had class in the afternoon. This time as I approached Pancheros there was no crowd. It was the in-between-lunch-and-dinner-lull and "conditions were perfect". 

(If you haven't seen Flight of the Conchords... I'd recommend it... only if you're up for a laugh) 

As I made my way inside, the pressure was off. One of the workers casually made their way to me. Nervous and yet giddy I asked the woman, quietly, if I could just buy a tortilla? 

She looked at me a little quizzically, and then turned to the others... they shrugged their shoulders indicating - why not? 

It had worked! 

The gooey ball of dough came off the sheet, onto the press, flung onto the grill and a few seconds later it was being wrapped up in foil and slid down the counter towards the cash register. The guy asked me for 50 cents. 

50 Cents!!!

For 50 cents... I could do this... at least twice a week! 

Needless to say, it became my 

in-between-lunch-and-dinner-lull....luxury

I've always said... it's all about the tortilla!

It looks like word has gotten around.

The good news, is of course, food is in! I managed to go to Pancheros three times that trip... twice - in one day! I like to think of it as an anniversary gift to myself for graduating! ha

But the return trip to the airport and the walk past the airport gift shops was still ahead. 

And the taunting foam corn hats...

and ridiculous shirts like this...

Thankfully the camera on my phone has acted as a sort of a way to "have" these items without actually purchasing them. I can wistfully pick up my phone anytime and take a look. It's pretty good really, because when would I actually wear that... ok maybe on RAGBRAI, and on Iowa pride day

 (there is Iowa pride day right??)

Click it... before you Pick it... 

Paying it forward: Transaction Complete!

I've told you a lot about Iowa in previous posts so I won't get into it much more...but the short and sweet is that Iowa is a very hospitable place where people work.

They work for a living, they work at building communities, they work at family and church and just about everything they put their minds to.

But the midwest is also struggling with a few issues like we all do. Not quite as bad as parts of the south, but not great like the state of Colorado, Iowa is dealing with health problems linked to obesity. But the kids don't start out that way. Most kids are energetic and they burn calories easily with their energy so the key to keeping them at that state is to help them maintain a level of movement and more importantly the enjoyment that an active lifestyle provides!

I suppose it should come as no surprise, that Iowa is also part of a HUGE health initiative to make it the healthiest state in the country. They may have slipped in recent years... but their work ethic has them yearning to make it better. And so I was headed to Iowa, to do my very small part in instilling excitement in the younger generation to reach that goal, and keep it there.

As I wandered around the halls of my old high school (with a classmate who now works for the school) I was amazed at how much had changed... He told me how now they download notes online - no more frantically copying notes from a day you missed in your notebook... We laughed at how the football players can't load up on "power" slices of pizza in the lunch line anymore, even the library shrunk because all the information is available on computers instead of in books. It was a walk down memory lane for both of us. And an eye opener for sure.

But some things, can't really be improved upon.

As I made my way down the hallway where I spent so many early mornings, dreading that cold water, making my way past the kids I could relate to so well, and into the room where I went from an average kid with an above average amount of energy into an average kid with a focused amount of energy. It was a welcomed sight to see... it was just as I left it.  

I didn't even know how to swim when my mom recommended I stick to individual sports :)

I had to ask how far a length of the pool was, and... IM? No clue. ha

And although every year I was sick of eau de chlorine, and couldn't wait to sleep in... every fall I found myself back in that pool eager to give it another whirl, see if I could finally qualify for state.

I never did... :) I got over it.

After some reminiscing with my old coach, a tall and slightly shy, young lady with blonde hair and blue eyes (a lot of scandinavian heritages in Iowa) meekly approached us.

I was told she was a wonderful representation of what the future of Iowa's active generation looks like. To help encourage her continued involvement not only in triathlon, but any active endeavors she pursues we gifted her with a triathlon "outfit" known as a "kit".

Thank you SOAS and GOTRIbal

Because triathlon isn't a sport supported by most high schools, this young lady had to find a group outside of school to pursue her passion. She also runs on her high school cross country team, and this year, as a freshman, qualified to run at the State Cross Country meet.

We'll have to keep our eyes open... Maybe one day I'll be talking about her on TriCenter... but at the very least, I hope I'll be seeing her as fit and active as she is right now, throughout her entire life :)

To Iowa, with Love :)

I just returned to California after a few weeks spent in the Midwest.

I know I'm biased, but Iowa really is an anomaly nowadays.

Amidst the fields of soybeans and corn... sprout major business headquarters like Pella windows, Maytag and Amana appliances (and of course our beloved Pancheros)

Next to old pickup trucks down at the only cafe in a town of 500... park Royal Prevost double sided coaches bearing the names of the newest Presidential hopefuls eagerly trying to sway one of the most influential and coveted voters.

Along the roadside of the the longest, largest and oldest bicycle touring ride in the world... beckon signs proclaiming pie after pie after homemade pie...

or in this case... free cake!

And although goofy looking school buses abound, albeit for one week of the year... the students in the state are attending some of the best schools in the nation, not to mention holding doors for people, initiating conversation with adults and saying please and thank you... regularly.

To many people, Iowa, is one of those backwards states. The last ones to know the latest fashion, to hear the newest hits, to still make things for dinner from "scratch". Talk about a blessing...

Imagine if there were no US Weekly, People, and well I guess there is no more "News of the World" (although I wasn't keen on that one anyway :)

Every year, backstage at Fashion Week I would ask designers what their 'inspiration' was. Their answer was inevitably a time since passed. So they're recycling? right? Isn't that what we all do??

Now, the new thing is mixing and matching the generations styles, adding your own spin and calling it "chic". So what you're saying is, whatever I want to wear is cool - as long as the powers that be approve?

I'm pretty sure I saw somewhere that denim on denim, formerly made fun of and nicknamed the Canadian Tuxedo, is now REVERED! Who decided that? And why do we all listen? Why is it that just because one group gives their blessing... all the sheep quickly do a 180?

One of the most important people of our lifetime, in our history is an inventor named Dean Kamen. You've probably heard of him... because of me. I'm slightly obsessed. He invented the first diabetic insulin pump, the mobile dialysis machine, the ibot wheelchair, the Segway, and now a water purification system that can be powered by dung.

He's been wearing denim on denim for decades. If you ask him, "it's functional". Well good news Dean, you're now a fashion icon as well as one of the most revered and influential peeople in the world. Like he cares. He flies his own jet, and helicopter, forgets to eat because he's too busy inventing, and almost never spends the night in his beautiful home because the worlds problems beckon him to offer what he can.

He's my hero...

I don't care that Kim Kardashian is getting married, or that she wants 5 kids, and I'm sure she doesn't care about me or my dreams either, or else she'd call more often.

I don't lose sleep wondering if Rachel Zoe approves my outfit made of swim caps... she has no idea the looks of confusion, wonder and sheer delight I see on the faces of the people who look at me like I'm an absolute lunatic...

People ask me where I'm from... I like to make sure it's clear that although the home where I receive (the most) mail is in California, make no bones about it... I'm from that random state in the middle where the seasons come and go in equal proportion.

Where we pride ourselves in showing up to the prom in a John Deere 9630 tractor that costs twice as much as your Maserati, in a dress we sewed ourselves. That's "couture" right Ms. Zoe? :)

It's also that place where a thank you card is accompanied by a homemade loaf of banana bread because not only did our parents instill manners and values they also taught us how to use those appliances in the house, not just how they match the shabby chic decor. (and because despite what everyone says about eating raw dough... licking the beaters, the bowls, and the spatula... is fine)

Iowa is the reason I am who I am... California is the reason I appreciate it.

Going home was a good reminder of how buying nothing new for a year, isn't really so much about sacrifice, as it is about reassessing.

Oh did I tell you about the solar powered stereo I got to play with all during RAGBRAI?? I'm too sleepy right now... but I promise tomorrow.

Pop!

Someone sent me this cartoon before I left... and boy was it pertinent.

 It was very hot.

I meant that as in the sound corn makes when it gets hot and turns into popcorn. But for those of you who aren't from the midwest... it's also what we call that flavored fizzy drink that comes in a can. Pop :) One of the many reasons I love coming home - to see signs on the road advertising Pop, and glad I'm not the only one wondering if they have Mello Yellow. (it's back you know...)

I made a rule that the bike could not stop moving until it was in the shade. Rule #2 was that when I started getting mad because I was too hot I was required to find a frozen snickers :) Needless to say I contributed my fair share to the Mars brand... until I came across my beloved Schwan's man... oh how I've missed the Shwans man and his Schwan's truck. They used to drive around your neighborhood selling frozen food, but the only thing we ever got was a box of ice cream sandwiches once in a blue moon.

The last day of RAGBRAI my butt was in a lot of pain, I was tired and hot and the end was in sight, which is actually not a good thing. Needless to say I demanded that the semi pull over if only for the memories...

I've found a lot of things from my childhood are not nearly as impressive as they were when I was a kid. You know that house down the street that seemed like a mansion, only when you drove by last summer just to check it paled in comparison to your recollection. Or... I had a teacher who I thought was absolutely beautiful when I was in elementary school. Years later I asked my parents if she really was the most beautiful woman in the world and they looked at me rather puzzled because although she wore Exclamation perfume... there wasn't much else to exclaim about... (the slogan for the perfume was "make a statement...without saying a word!" ha I think you can still buy it at Wal-Mart!

Well I can tell you that although I've had a lot of other kinds of ice cream sandwiches that may actually have more pizzazz, more girth, and a lot more calories... the reminiscing that overcame me while that ice cream sandwich melted in my hands made up for it.
But... I would like to say that although a few things haven't held up as well as my memories may have recalled... The movie Goonies, The Boy Who Could Fly, and pop from a big glass bottle have stood the test of time.

I can't find The Boy Could Fly, but Luckily Goonies is on tv for free all the time and pop counts as food...  so do ice cream sandwiches :)

toiletries strung from here to RAGBRAI

So I'm headed to Iowa to ride my bicycle across the state for  a week, camping in people's yards, eating pie in small towns along the way, pulling off to slide down a makeshift slip 'n slide in a ditch, listening to music pumping from the most amazing devices you've seen strapped to the back of bikes.

Surprisingly enough, I'm not alone. 30,000 people do this every year, including Lance Armstrong. Not sure if you've heard of him but he's a really big deal... and he likes to drink beer on RAGBRAI.

Hope that's a Michelob Ultra! ha


As we speak I'm halfway there. I arrived at Peters parents house late last night after some trial and error on the landing by our pilot. The good news is that my toiletry hoarding has proved itself with one redeeming quality as of now. Under the sink was an almost full bottle of Proactiv and my very favorite Aveeno body lotion (which they don't make anymore).

Thankfully... because in packing ahead of time for a weekend triathlon in Seattle, a week of bike riding and camping in Iowa and then a road trip back to California, I managed to NOT pack my Proactiv. And yet... here it is, like a message from the heavens that stressing about toiletries really isn't necessary. This year will work out. At least that's how I'm interpreting it.

I'm lucky if you're still reading this. probably stopped up top when i told you we were riding our bikes across iowa, in july, with Lance.

Hey Lance, Juan Pelota, lucky 7, whatever, we're Team THOR and we know you have one of those extra long school buses for your LIVESTRONG team, but if you wanna come by and check out some custom seating inside a short bus with a wheelchair lift... that'd be cool.