Mr. Black Died Six Days Ago

I was just thinking about him, just talking about him actually.  I think Hemingway got me thinking about Mr. Black.  Hemingway and Black don't have anything in common,  except maybe the white beard, but there was something someone said about Hemingway that got me thinking about Black.  I don't even remember what it was now.  I was also thinking about Black because I'm reading poetry and fiction more than usual, which over the last few years had been not at all.  It takes a long time for the rigors and mindsets of academia to leave the system.  

Mr. Black taught me about perspective, texture, Dadaism, that colored pencil drawings need to pop and for them to pop you have to put your back into it.  I made one of my favorite pen and ink drawings under his tutelage.  My mother had it framed and it's still hanging on the wall in their back hall.  Mr. Black was one of the old guard and he tended to intimidate most of the students who encountered him.  He still lived in the pre Post Modern world.  His style hearkened back to ads you see in Time Magazines from the 1950's.  He didn't get in on fads.  He rarely gave out A+'s.  He grunted if you had questions.  He positively yelled at those who wasted his time or, worse, were wasting theirs.  He was a grumpy second generation German-American.  He was so much more than that.

He told me I had potential.  I could really create some great things.  But.  But.  I was holding myself back.  I needed to give into the creative side more.  I was too concerned with structure and rules to really realize what I was capable of.  So, he lent me fiction.  It was fiction they didn't have in the school library.  Eduction at that school went only so far and would stop abruptly before it would offend any sensitivities.  I don't think you could even find Hemingway on those shelves.  The books he lent weren't very good by literature standards.  He knew that.  The school would not have been pleased he was loaning them out.  He knew that too.  The point of the books was for inspiration, a tap to access the right brain, to introduce a young artist's mind to images and worlds outside the strict Doric boundaries of a private, religious education system.

Mr. Black was an ally in a soulless place.  He knew the darkness inside those of us who inhabited that school on the fringes.  In his own gruff way he taught some of us that contrary to what we're learning in the other 90 minute sessions, a little darkness is just fine.  They kept him up on the second floor in the back corner where they thought he couldn't cause too much trouble.  He still did, quietly under the radar.  In a realm of black and white rules, with a Victorian sense of morality laced with hypocrisy, with a collective soul as dark and putrid as the world that it judges, there was an art teacher who kept generations of outcasts, teen philosophers, dreamers, and timid artists sane.   He died six days ago.  He lives in countless doodles, sketches, water colors, sculptures, screen prints, oil paintings, and photos created by those generations.

I Found Myself Within A Forest Dark

When I was about fourteen or fifteen I picked a hefty volume off the shelf in my bedroom.  Like all the other books in the classics collection my parents had purchased for me when I was an infant, it was bound in leather with gilt etchings in the cover and golden page edges.  I have no idea why I chose The Divine Comedy over the other classics on the shelf like Wuthering Heights  or Robinson Crusoe, but I did.  For some reason the medieval poetry didn't stop me from reading through Inferno or Purgatorio, but somewhere I faltered in Paradiso, exhausted.  Like Franz Liszt, I suppose, all my energy had been spent trudging through the darker realms of Dante's afterlife and I couldn't put much effort into the final rewarding conclusion.  Sometime later, I returned to Paradise and finished it.  But, it was a disjointed reading.  Well over a decade later, I've returned to that same volume to begin again from the start.  "Midway upon the journey of our life..."

Alighieri's unparalleled work has had quite the influence on the world.  Some say he was greater than Shakespeare.  His original written dialect became modern Italian.  The images of Hell, Purgatory, and Heaven directly created the common held views of those places today.  The Bible itself makes vague mention of the afterlife, so Dante has filled in the blanks for the human imagination.  The Divine Comedy is one of the most significant works of literature and has permeated the Western psyche.  For example, I often refer to visiting the grocery store as a journey through the rings of Hell.

But as I began my second reading another parallel struck me.  In a day or so we will be hosting some family members from the US.  We've had many visitors come and go from our house since our relocation, but this case is unique in that these visitors will be experiencing their first ever trip outside of the United States.  This is a huge life moment for all of them, and I can imagine in many ways it feels a lot like standing in the middle of a dark forest wondering where to go.  Of course, here the parallel abruptly ends.  In no way can I compare a brief tour through the region to traveling through any part of the afterlife, let alone Hell.  But, thinking back to the first time I ever left home for some place more exotic than Niagara Falls, I do remember a sense of great trepidation, even fear.

There is nothing like one's first trip.  It's an experience that can never be repeated or compared to.  Everything, from going through customs to encountering "foreign" bed linens is a new and exciting experience.  While you feel like a fish out of water, you can't help but look forward to what's around the bend.  It's a rush, and at the end of the journey, brief or long, you find yourself a different person.  For many of us who keep planning trips, we're after that feeling of another scary thrill and the rewarding feeling at the end.  We never find the same one we had the first time we set foot off the plane.  But, the beautiful thing about travel is, it always provides that sought after new experience.  No matter how it goes down, we always come back a little more enlightened than before.

I have to admit, I'm very excited to be apart of someone's first step down the unlit path.  While we're certainly no Virgil, it is an honor so serve as guides.  It will be our first time serving that capacity to virgin travelers.  I expect that to be an experience in and of itself.  Hopefully, no one's journey over the next 10 days is anything like a Canto from The Divine Comedy, unless it is from Paradiso, of course.  My desire is for everyone to have a trip for which they are grateful to have taken when they "walked out once more beneath the stars."

No matter what happens, I'm sure to have a list of do's and don'ts to share with those who may be playing Virgil in the future.

Dungeons, Dragons, & Handmade Soaps

Summer time in this part of the world means it's also Medieval Fest season.  They range from small affairs to enormous festivals that draw people from all over the region.  These are popular events to bring children to so they can see jousting, hear some music, and watch all sorts of demonstrations from blacksmiths to falconry.  The adults like them because they're usually cheap, have plenty of food and drink, and they sport the best people watching this side of the Rhine.

Besides all the obvious reasons to check out a medieval faire, there is one other reason I try to get to at least one a year.  Believe it or not, these festivals are a great place to pick up some fantastic handmade goods.  Carpenters, potters, cobblers, soap makers, basket weavers, bookbinders, leather craftsmen, blacksmiths, and purveyors of home raised & crafted foods all have their wares for sale at medieval fairs.  Basically, these events are kinda like farmer's markets, except with choreographed violence and elaborate costumes.

At a recent fair, I picked up this leather book cover which the
book binder custom made while I waited.  The leather is local
and tanned with historic processes.  He also had bound books
with handmade paper and parchment.

Many of the vendors travel from fair to fair so they are used to speaking with tourists from all over.  Most of them are happy to discuss how they produce their goods and some (depending on what it is) can make custom products while you wait.  The prices are usually quite reasonable, and are a higher quality than anything you would find at a souvenir boutique.  Many of these items are also made in the historical traditions of the period and the vendors are quite proud that their products are authentic.

So, if you're looking for something different to do or are in the market for a unique gift or story, seek out one these medieval fairs.  There are even a few with a Roman theme, if you prefer gladiators and pickled olives with wine instead of knights and camembert sausage with ale.  One thing is for sure; you will definitely get a show.

The Essentials of Travel

We are often asked for travel tricks and tips by those preparing to spend some time in Europe.  Many ask, "What do I need to know that may not be in the guidebooks?"  Others need some help packing.  International travel (and packing for it) can be an intimidating process if experience is limited.  But, like everything else, the more you do it the easier it is.  Of course, even if you travel frequently in the United States and have the logistical end of things well mastered, the game is a little different for international travel.  So, what should you know/do/pack if you're coming over to Europe?  Here are some things we've picked up over the last year and a half that you may find useful.

1.  Get some good luggage.  Now, I don't mean buy a full set at the department store.  If you only have two bags to schlep through the airport, on the train, the bus, and up those twisty hotel steps, getting from point A to B is going to much easier on you and your back.  I bring two bags- a backpack and a small carry-on sized suitcase with wheels.  The backpack keeps my hands free to manage doors and the suitcase is lightweight and maneuverable.  Once I'm at my destination the backpack takes over as my camera bag & day bag.  Purses really aren't practical for sightseeing trips unless you can carry yours over your shoulder.  If you're sightseeing you will want a bag that can take a beating and keep on trucking.  I highly recommend one that has a built in rain cover.  You may laugh, but we'll see who's laughing after that afternoon flash storm in Barcelona.  If you plan on bringing photo equipment, see about getting a bag that can carry it safely and also has room for other things you want during the day.  Having to carry a separate bag for the camera is a pain.

2.  The most important skill to master for traveling whether you're going abroad or a few states over is how to pack light.  How do you pack light?  Seriously look at your travel plans before you start packing.  Are you walking a lot for sightseeing?  Will you be solo?  Meeting people?  Attending a nice dinner with a group?  Unless there is a reason on your schedule to bring a specific outfit, ie. athletic clothing, evening wear, etc., leave that stuff at home.  But what if something comes up?  Then have things that you can make work.  Focus on versatile attire.  For example, slacks that can go casual or business casual.  Remember, trousers are heavy, but good ones can work for many days.  Only bring a couple pairs (including the ones you wear on the plane).  Shoes can be a big hang up for people.  My tip:  Leave your cute wedges that go with that one skirt at home.  Pack one (maybe two) pairs of shoes that will go with everything in your suitcase.  Make sure that everything you pack is comfortable.  But, avoid throwing items in that scream "tourist" like your Disney World t-shirt and your bright white New Balance sneakers.  Think about it this way, would you wear that if you weren't traveling?  If not ask yourself why you think you need it.  Do you?  Really?  A safari hat in Rome?  We'll get to avoiding tourist behavior later.  As for toiletries, except for items that you personally need such as cosmetics, medication, or allergy free products, you don't have to bring everything with you.  Hotels usually have shampoos, soaps, and hairdryers.  You can pick up other items as needed once you're there.

3.  Here are the essential things I always carry in my day bag.
- Tissues.  Besides having them on hand for their intended purpose, they will you save from the inevitable "the bathroom doesn't have toilet paper" situation.  It happens more often then you would think.
- Hand sanitizer.  Some people think it's lame, but seriously you will find soap even less than you find toilet paper (yes, even in Paris).  Additionally, not everyone has the hygiene standards you do.  You don't want to take home a souvenir virus or worse have one strike in the middle of your trip.  Pro tip: If you're squeamish, pay public restrooms are much cleaner than ones in restaurants and cafes.  You get what you pay for.
- Pocket Knife.  You may need to slice your takeaway pizza in half, open a stubborn package, or do some minor repairs on clothing.  A trusty, simple pocket knife can solve many problems.  Now, keep in mind that there are more knife laws in Europe than the United States.  Traditional pocket knives are OK, just make sure the blade isn't spring loaded, double edged, or long.  Need a guideline?  A traditional Swiss Army knife is a good standard.
- Corkscrew/Bottle Opener.  I can't tell you how much time we've wasted looking for something to pop a cap off with before we finally started carrying a bottle opener on us.  Go for the corkscrew/church key combo so you can tackle any beverage container challenge.
- First Aid Kit.  A small bag with some Band Aids, pain killers, and antibiotic cream can take care of minor needs (careful with that pocket knife!) so you don't have to go on a pharmacy hunt.  Pro Tip:  24 Hour pharmacies are rarities and few are open on Sundays.  Carry the basics and avoid the hassle.  Over-the-Counter medication isn't common on the Continent, even aspirin can cost quite a bit and must be purchased from a pharmacist.
- Hard copies.  Even in the age of smart phones and tablets, it's still best to have a paper backup for your hotel/flight/train information, a map, and a phrasebook.  Don't expect WiFi and 3G to be as available or reliable as it is in the States.  Even if you don't end up needing it, play it safe.  Pro Tip:  If you end up losing your Passport, a photocopy can go a long way in the replacement process at the Embassy.

Some other essentials: An electric converter to charge electronics, a coin purse, and travel journal to stash mementos
and jot down some thoughts.

4.  Bring a camera that you know how to use.  Even if all you have is a smartphone, that'll do.  You will want to have pictures of your trip and loved ones will want to see them.  Don't run out to the camera shop and buy the best one on the shelf without knowing how to take pictures with it.  I can't tell you how many people I see with high end cameras that they have set to Auto.  If you want to take a camera but you're not into photography, just go with a point and shoot and save some space and money.  Pro tip:  Never, ever, and I mean ever, use your Tablet as a camera.  Ever.  No excuses.

5.  Find balance.  No, I don't mean start off every day meditating in your hotel room (unless you want to).  Balance your plans for the trip.  If every day is packed with sightseeing and tours, you're going to burn out, you will get bored, and you'll get cranky.  Have days for sightseeing focusing on stuff that you want to see and do, not what the guidebooks say you have to see and do (personally, I found the Mona Lisa to be overrated).  Schedule in relaxing pursuits.  Even plan on sleeping in one or two days.  You'll thank yourself for the breaks.  Even if you love cities, still make sure you get out into the countryside so you can see more traditional culture, the natural beauty of Europe,  and be in a more relaxing environment for a little down time.

6.  Be a tourist without being one.  Don't be the ugly American.  Travelers that have fully embraced the tourist look are targets for pickpockets and they are incredibly annoying for the rest of us.  There's more to this than what you wear.  Body language and public behavior are just as important.  Besides leaving your safari hat and Hawaiian shirt at home, pay attention to what you are doing when you're out and about.  Watch where you are walking.  Take a note of how locals cross streets and interact in public.  If you need to consult a map, don't suddenly stop without warning to do so in the middle of the crowded town square.  A confused group of people turning round and round pointing at stuff is a dead giveaway.  It's OK to be confused, just don't make it obvious that you are.  Also, match your speaking volume to those around you.  This is a courtesy thing.  We Americans can be be pretty loud, especially at meal times.  While that is fine at Applebee's, it is extremely inappropriate in just about every European restaurant.  Pro Tip:  While they may not always admit it, many Europeans can understand English.  So, while you may not be able to understand their conversations, there's a good chance they can understand yours.  Don't be a jerk.

7.  Shop outside the box.  Whether you're picking up something for yourself or a gift for someone back home, look for things that are locally made and representative of the place.  Even better, look for something you can use back home so every time you do you can remember your trip.  Boutiques, art districts, and markets are the places to go for these items.  If you're lucky you can talk to the craftsman and get a more personal take on your purchase.

8.  Rent houses or apartments instead of staying in hotels.  Believe it or not, in most cases short term rentals will be significantly cheaper than a hotel for the same amount of time.  With a rental you can get more space and more options.  Many of them have kitchens so you can save a ton of money (and have more fun) by going to the local market and cooking up some regional products a couple evenings during your stay.  Most landlords are also locals and if you can communicate (many speak English), they can answer questions and give ideas that a concierge may not know.  Plus, your money isn't going to a big hotel chain, but right into the local economy.  With websites like HomeAway you can set all sorts of criteria in your search from pet friendly to internet access.

9.  Take the roads less traveled.  Public transportation systems in most Europe are lightyears beyond those in the States and it can usually be figured out easily.  But, if you do plan on getting a car for a more flexible travel schedule, get a GPS and don't be afraid to set it to "Avoid Highways."  Highway congestion, especially in summer, is as bad as morning rush hour but it lasts all day (and no, not just around Brussels).  By jumping off the highway you usually add very little travel time and you get to see the countryside and cool little spots you would never have come across.  Sometimes these little adventures are the best part of the trip!

10.  Attitude is everything.  If you step off the plane terrified of where you're headed, you aren't going to have a lot of fun.  If you go by cultural stereotypes you are going to miss out on meeting a lot of cool people.  Sure, there are jerks out there, but remember there are jerks in your hometown too.  Learn a few words of the language; the big ones- Please, thank you, hello, and goodbye.  Showing respect goes a long way with everyone.  Smile when you interact with people.  If they're not used to talking in your language, they are probably a little uncomfortable too.  If you start everyday with a good attitude and ready for a little adventure, you will have a well-rounded experience and you'll have a blast.

So, those are my ten big tips for traveling in Europe, and, I guess, traveling in general.  Hope they help you on your trips.  The important thing is being willing to ditch the all-inclusive resorts, the theme parks, and the cruise ships and get out there.  Traveling abroad will change your life.  Enjoy the journey!

The One About Chocolate

We all love chocolate.  OK, some of you out there don't, which I find very perplexing.  Anyway, most of us out there love chocolate.  Some of us, including myself, have rather strong feelings about it.  Except for special exceptions, dessert isn't dessert if there is no chocolate involved.  Now, in the quest for a more healthy lifestyle, the love of chocolate can be a bit of a hang up.  Tragically, one must pass on the delicious ice creams (sometime let me tell you about the glory of Mövenpick), in favor of healthier desserts.  Thankfully, chocolate can still make an appearance in the dessert bowls of those who love it dearly.

Chocolate, and when I say chocolate I mean Dark Chocolate, is known for its health benefits.  According to the Cleveland Clinic, consumption of dark chocolate that has not been overly refined in the production process can help lower bad cholesterol (LDL) and lower blood pressure, which increases blood flow throughout the body- which decreases the chance of heart attacks and strokes.  Dark chocolate is also rich in antioxidants which combat inflammation and it helps to raise insulin sensitivity in the blood, which helps your body process carbohydrates with more efficiency. For those leading an athletic lifestyle these benefits are particularly attractive.  Of course, you can't stuff yourself with it either.  The Cleveland Clinic recommends eating just an ounce (28g) a couple times a week. You also need to keep an eye on the label.  Sixty to seventy percent dark is where you want to start, if you can tolerate a stronger percentage that's even better.  Go any lower than 60% and you're mostly just getting other additives and not the ingredients you're after.  Don't even bother with Milk or White chocolates. Thankfully, several high end chocolate manufactures produce bars within these requirements.

One widely available brand, Lindt from Switzerland, produces a range of bars under the Excellence label that begin in 70% level and go all the way up to the 99% cocoa level.  Lindt is my personal go to choice because I can usually find it everywhere I go, from the American Midwest to Alpine Villages to the coast of Spain.  Other brands, such as Green & Black's, aren't as widely available.

http://www.lindtusa.com/index-exec/

The Excellence line can be found in nearly every grocery store in the United States and Europe.  Of course, this line also includes a wide variety of flavored bars- everything from wasabi paste to strawberry.  These flavored bars have a reduced percentage of cocoa, so they don't have the same level of healthy ingredients as the pure bars.  However, with many of the flavors coming from natural, non-sugary sources, I don't have a problem enjoying them from time to time too.  Sea Salt, Chili, and Mint are my personal favorites.  The flavors come from including the natural ingredient directly into the chocolate, instead of using synthetic syrups.  For example, the Intense Orange bar contains dried orange bits.

The Lindt Excellence line can take care or your chocolate fix in it's preferred, healthful form.  Two squares are 20 grams, your recommended serving.  So, if you love chocolate and want to make it apart of your diet in a healthy way, I recommend keeping an eye out for Lindt's Excellence.  No doubt you'll find something to relish amongst the selection.

How My Bike Is Saving My Life

The 100th Tour de France begins tomorrow.  For cycling fans this is what the year comes down to.  For the rest of the world, this is the only professional race they have heard of.  Rightly so.  It's a doozy.  While I waited along with you for the Tour of Tours to begin, I've spent a lot of time over the last few days thinking not so much about this upcoming competition or even the professional level of road racing.  Instead, I've been thinking about my personal relationship with the bicycle.  As the great race begins, we all enter into the second half of 2013.  Halfway through the year seems like a good time to assess how far we've come, with an eye to where we're headed.  The bicycle and I have come a long way together and I'm not just talking the kilometers we've travelled.  Like any journey, the past six months have been about more than distance covered.

Last week, my husband and I traveled home to Akron, Ohio.  We had been looking forward to this trip for quite a long time, probably about 6 months actually.  A year had passed since we had been home.  A lot had happened in that year.  We experienced things and saw places we'd only ever read about.  It had been, without a doubt, an incredible 365 days.  But, despite all that, we were really looking forward to visiting the familiar again.  We couldn't wait to see friends and family.  We looked forward to all sorts of things about home, not the least of which being all the edible delights.  Of course, we were looking forward to shopping too.  I was going to go to Walgreens for Band-Aids at midnight, just because I could.  But, one of the things I was most looking forward to was my annual checkup with my general practitioner.  Yeah, I know that sounds really bizarre.  It's true, though.  I couldn't wait to sit down with my doctor and chat about how my health had changed since the big move to Lux.

Never thought this rather lifeless view of the old hometown would warm the cockles of my heart.

The past six months have been, well, all about the bike.  I was determined to be at or very darned near a place physically where I could ride all day, every day.  I wanted to become a cyclist.  Really.  Through that process I wanted to get in the best shape of my life.  Ever.  Why?

I don't want to jostle for position in a crit or suffer through a stage race.  While I love to watch the competition, to me participating in such an event is about as desirable as a root canal.  I don't even want a QOM on Strava.  Heck, when I was a kid I'd intentionally misspell words in spelling B's so I wouldn't have to go head to head with my friends in front of the school.  The way I see it, we have enough conflict with others in life without purposefully inducing it.  But that's just the way I feel.  I have complete respect for healthy competition and those who participate in it, especially in sport.  But competition is not why I climb on the bike every day.  So, why am I here?

I don't want to wake up one morning wondering how I let things go so far.  I don't want to be popping pills for conditions I could have avoided by just living a healthy lifestyle.  I don't want to be held back from things I want to do whenever I want to do them.  I don't want to look back on my life at some point and regret a wasted youth.  In short, I want to live.  I want to live my life until the moment I finally clock out of here.

I'd made some mistakes that if continued could derail those hopes.  I knew from experience that the bicycle was going to be my ticket to correcting those mistakes.  We all have something, some sort of physical activity that we can do and love doing.  We just need to figure out what it is and then run with it.  For some it's team sports, for others it's solo sports.  For some it's the joy of competing against our peers, for other's it's the joy of competing against ourselves that keeps us coming back.  I never had a doubt about which sport was my thing.  It has always been the bike.  Figuring out exactly how the bike would become my thing has been a longer decision.  The bicycle isn't really like any other piece of sports equipment out there.  It can be used in so many different ways and in so many different disciplines that sometimes finding the one that fits takes a while.  I started on the bike with an interest in transportation that branched into recreation.  Being in Lux simplified things significantly.  I've had the means to discover a real love for road cycling.  So, road cycling is what the bicycle has become for me.  Sure, I'll still take the FX to the store, but when I think of cycling it's me alone (or with my husband), crouched over the drops, on a road somewhere, pushing myself.  Pushing myself to live.

The process started on January 1st, like all good resolutions do, and despite travel and illness it has
continued (miraculously) right up to today.  So, I was pretty excited to see how things stacked up with my doctor's records from the end of 2011.  When the first thing she said to me was, "Whatever you're doing, keep on doing it," I knew things looked good.  Blood pressure, heart rate, and cholesterol numbers have dropped and are exactly (and in some cases better than) where she wants them to be.  But the big story here is weight.  I've lost 40 lbs since I saw her in December 2011.  Thirty of them were lost since January of this year.  That's a big deal.

Everything has its specific place
in my diet.  In espresso's case, it's pre or mid-ride.

Obviously, it isn't just riding my bike that has gotten me to this point.  I wanted to redesign my life around the bike, not just make the bike a part of my life.  To do that I had to change the way I approached what I put in my body and how I helped it recover.  I totally changed the way I ate, from something that usually was the highlight of my day to something that helped me with what was now the highlight of the day- my ride.  High fat, high cholesterol foods weren't going to do me many favors on the bike, so they got reduced on the roster in favor of lean proteins, healthy carbs and other foods that are more efficient fuels.  Cheese, for example, while being one of my most appreciated foods had to be approached differently.  I wasn't going to cut it out all together (no need to be crazy), but I made it something I could enjoy more by giving it a different status in my diet- a special treat to be savored and appreciated, not tossed down without a second thought.  Beer had to be approached differently too.  Once again, I wasn't going to stop drinking it.  I was going to drink it differently.  Instead of going for a local pilsner, I only have beer when there's something available I haven't tried yet or I really like.  If a place doesn't have anything that meets my standards, I'll go for the water instead.  I'd rather wait for something more interesting.  Beer, in fact, is an excellent recovery drink.  So, after some of my more long and hot (there was a week here of proper summer temps) Womens 100 training rides, I'd reward myself with a small beer as a recovery aid.  Truth be told, I didn't cut anything out of my diet completely.  I didn't go vegetarian, paleo, carb free, or sugar free.  I didn't hold back on vacations either.  I use foods for how they can benefit me in my goal to be a cyclist.  Pretty much all foods can help in that process as long as they're used correctly, even bacon can have a role.

Recovery became extremely important too.  I made sure not to go overboard with the cycling, which can be hard to do when you really love it.  I listened to my body.  If something was hurting, I'd back off, do what needed to be done so it could heal, then figure out how to avoid the pain coming back in the future.  I made sure to get plenty of sleep.  I'd shape my meals around fuel and recovery, by eating things before my ride that will help my ride and eating certain things afterwards to help my muscles recover and heal.

I also started noticing some unexpected side-effects.  Cycling has given what could easily become a disjointed purposeless existence as an unemployed expat a focus.  Sure, I have my other interests and hobbies, but skipping out on photography for a few weeks isn't going to have a major negative impact on my health.  The bike keeps me on track.  It gets me up on time and in bed at a decent hour at night.  Additionally, there are mental health benefits to pedaling every day.  Something that they don't tell you in the expat brochure is that a majority of Americans struggle with being in Luxembourg for a long period of time.  Many end up on anti-depressants.  Why?  Well, it's probably for a number of reasons.  Luxembourg is not like the States.  I'm not saying it's a bad place, it's just very different and getting used to it can be hard to deal with.  The weather itself is no doubt a huge factor.  Thankfully, we come from a place in Northeast Ohio that's almost as overcast, but even the endless days of grey rain begin to take their toll on us.  Of course, it probably just comes down to living somewhere far from home, living a completely different lifestyle, and having to handle things you've never dealt with before.  You get lonely.  You get low.  But, at least for me, getting on the bike everyday has thus far combated that low feeling.  It's not just the known mental health benefits of daily exercise that have been there.  I think it has more to do with getting me out in this beautiful country.  During every ride there is a moment when I look up and say, "Wow, I can't believe I get to do this today.  Here.  I'm so incredibly blessed."  After those ride rides that totally kick my butt and then kick me when I'm down I can't help but think, "Europe is beating that crap out of me.  That's still pretty cool."

Have I met my goal of becoming a cyclist?  Yeah, I think so.  I certainly have the tan lines.  But, I have further to go.  That's the really cool thing about cycling.  There's always something else to look forward to.  The Womens 100 ride is next weekend.  When that's over, I'd like to keep up that level of riding to the winter.  When next year comes around, perhaps the goal will be doing 100 Miles instead of 100K.  Someday I want to get to a place with climbing that doesn't feel completely excruciating.   I'd like to look at almost any road, shrug, swing the leg over, clip in, and begin cranking those pedals with more excitement than trepidation.  But, I'd like a road to be out there somewhere that still holds a little dread.
 
Cuz, ya know, that's living.

Do Not Let These Roads Deceive You

We all have those rides that are just perfect.  From the moment we clip in to the final dismount, every moment is a joy.  Perfect rides are uncommon things.  We treasure every single one.

Just one of the views from the roads of the Belgian Ardennes.

It was no surprise to us that one of these rides would happen in Belgium.  I'm not going to tell you the specific route, except that it was around Bastogne.  The roads were devoid of all types of traffic and, well, I'd like to keep it that way.  There's something sweet about clicking into the big ring, getting down in the drops and just going, going for kilometer after kilometer without a care in the world.  We had that for 50kms.  When we weren't in the big ring, we were climbing.  Those climbs were steep and choppy, but clear to attack from whatever angle and pace that worked.  The only other traffic we encountered besides fellow cyclists was a tractor at the bottom of a descent and a tethered horse chilling on the MPU at the end of the ride.  They weren't your common obstacles, but at least they were few.  While it had been threatening rain and thunderstorms, we had hours of sunny bliss.  The storm finally arrived after we returned to our house in Ettelbruck, cleaned up, and had cold Belgian beers in hand.  We couldn't have asked for a better day.

The Bastogne region is a special place.  Cycling fans know it because it is host to La Doyenne, the old Liège-Bastogne-Liège race.  Those who are familiar with a little WWII history know it for being the center of the action during the Battle of the Bulge.  Nearly seventy years later, The War is still a raw memory in these parts.  Even where we live, further to the southeast, the memorials to resistance fighters and liberators dot the landscape.  The church in our town still bears the scars of mortars and bullets.  Plaques are on every corner.  The old synagogue behind our house no longer serves its original purpose.  It is now rented out for meetings and special occasions.  It doesn't take a history expert to figure out why.  There's a picture in the museum a few streets over that shows our street in 1944.  All it shows is one building and a pile of rubble.  Ettelbruck likes to be known as Patton Town, in honor of the famous General who coordinated its liberation on Christmas Day 1944.  There's a big statue erected in his honor just outside the city limits.  All along the line, towns like Ettelbruck were hit hard during Hitler's last attempt to push back against the Allies moving towards Berlin.  There doesn't seem to be any desire to forget that, nor the sacrifices made by allied soldiers and local resistance fighters.

The situation in Bastogne during Christmas 1944.

Bastogne in particular is remembered for being a town under siege.  From December 20-27, 1944 members of the 82nd and 101st Airborne along with the 10th Armored Division became encircled around the town by the Nazis.  They didn't have enough supplies or ammunition because supply drops were stalled due to snow and thick fog.  Despite heavy barrages and hand to hand combat within Bastogne, it never fell to Hitler's forces.  Eventually, with the arrival of Patton's Third Army Bastogne was officially liberated.  It is probably one of the most famous battles in military history and is definitely one of the most significant of World War II.  From that moment on, Hitler didn't have a chance.

The massive Mardasson Memorial above Bastogne commemorates the besieged defenders
who held the town despite heavy Nazi offense during Christmas 1944.

The main historic site, the Mardasson Memorial Visitor Center, is currently closed for remodeling.  The Memorial itself is still open for viewing.  However, down in Bastogne itself there is a small but professionally designed exhibit called "I Was 20 in '45" presenting the perspectives of not just the combatants, but also of the civilians.  The footage from the battle and aftermath is horrific.  The recorded interviews of survivors are just as moving.  I remember in particular an interview of an old woman siting in front of her house in a blue flowered dress, thick framed glasses are perched on her nose.  She looks like just another Belgian grandmother.  In a calm voice she is telling her memories of Christmas 1944.  Her husband had gone off in the woods outside the town with his fellow resistance fighters.  He was shot and killed somewhere along the way.  Their house had been completely destroyed during one of the artillery attacks.  So, she took her newborn and hid in the woods, without food or proper clothing.  She hid there for days, almost completely frozen.  Her child didn't survive.

As we were riding along the roads and trails, past the massive monument that towered above us on the hill, I couldn't help but think that the peaceful woods which we rolled through are still pockmarked with foxholes and bomb craters.  Those pasture lands still hold battle debris and the personal effects of soldiers and civilians.  It seems like a perfect place now, but there is still blood in this landscape.  All along the way are street signs pointing to places like Noville, Bourcy, and Foy.  There'd be a marker here, a fluttering American flag there, unexploded ordinance turned monument a few kilometers later.

I realized that 70 years really isn't that long and that this route we planned wasn't so perfect after all.