Tales from Off the Beaten Trail

2011-04-19T22:38:00.000-07:00

The adventure continues...I was encouraged by the H2O Patagonia crew, especially, my new, dear friend, Pete, to run, yes run across the Chile/Agentina border...so, I did! The immigration/emigration officers thought it was rather strange to say the least, but as the rest of the trip proved: "Adventure is the cure". Chaba laba chala!!! As the sign says, we've inherited this land from our grandparents and are borrowing it from our children. Let's do what we can to conserve...please.

2011-04-19T22:29:00.001-07:00

Photographs courtesy of Cuan Coetzee

Ahh...Patagonia. Truly a heaven on Earth. Words won't do her beauty justice. Rafting on the mighty Futaleufu River, kayaking the Espelon, rock climbing and repelling her canyons, mountain biking her relentless terrain...Patagonia is an outdoors (wo)man's dream. Paradise found. Staying in true rustic luxury at H2O Patagonia was a treat beyond expectations, way above and beyond anyone's dream of capturing the essence of Patagonia. The guides, chefs, accommodations, safety, adventurous spirit, smiling faces, hot tub soaks, pisco sours cruising down the rivers after a day of inconceivable fun, gourmet 5 star cuisine for every meal paired with exquisite wine...and the chocolate treats! Three of us went down for a vacation into the wilderness and drank the essence of what nature has to offer. Literally. The water was so clean we could drink it straight from the river...and it was hard to avoid it as a ball of white water lurked above as we plunged to the depths of the class V rapids!! Our steersman, Brian, was completely in control on an ever changing terrain. Our safety kayak and cataraft were adeptly handled by Pilado and Nate. Cuan soared down the river ahead and photographed our amazing venture. Capturing our excursions on film and our hearts with his wit and charm, Cuan is a first rate photographer with and uncanny sense of artistic flare! Fabio, thank you for always accommodating our tastes and for introducing a cuisine all of its own, a gem, a masterpiece at every meal. The H2O Patagonia experience was Truly a dream come true for the adventurous spirit with a side of swank!

2010-12-03T22:30:00.001-08:00

Gateway to Olympieion...Chills pervade me even writing those words.
The Temple of the Olympian Zeus. It felt as though the ground was
pulsating with energy, representing an utmost respect for the best of
the best athletes.

2010-12-03T22:18:00.001-08:00

Layers of Life...
What I found most intriguing in Athens, Greece was the dichotomy of
the ancient and modern living harmoniously. The ancient structures
stand among modern apartments and hustle and bustle. Seeing through
the history...to give us the present-literally and figuratively.
Although many people travel to these parts, I felt the need to share
for those who have not seen some of the oldest, most beautiful and
meaningful pieces of architecture in the history of well, the world!

The underground discoveries were particularly fascinating... the
baths beneath the Acropolis Museum!

I was stunned when I caught a glimpse of the Acropolis from afar.
When I could move, I hiked my way up the steps to the theaters and of
course to the Parthenon and Temple of Athena. Marvelous. Majestic.
Breathtaking. Modern buildings are crumbling, and even warfare
couldn't fully take down the Acropolis. Brilliant!

2010-12-02T22:10:00.000-08:00

So...this is where it all began. The marathon craze...490 BC, the
ancient site of the Battle of Marathon, where the Greeks defeated the
Persians, giving us the democratic societies of new. I ran the
Athens Classic Marathon October 31, 2010. I have done a lot of
memorable things in my life and I must say this is on the list of the
most amazing sporting events. Will I remember that the course is
uphill for the middle 20 miles? Probably. Will I remember the crowd
cheering? Probably. Will I forget the deep feeling of amazement when
I ran into the ancient Olympic Stadium with the ancient Olympic Rings
staring me in the face? Couldn't if I tried. That feeling is going
with me into several lives to come! I cried tears of joy, alongside
every other person beside me at the finish line. One man was
bowing. It was the 2500th anniversary of the original running.
Chills pervade every ounce of my body just thinking about it! A
truly momentous race with 13,000 people joining the locals on the
streets from Marathon to Athens on a glorious day of honor...

2010-11-19T19:11:00.001-08:00

I really really had to pee...

About two hours after a breakfast with copious amount of water to rehydrate after an eight mile jog and a cup of hot Vietnamese tea, I really really had to pee. The problem was, I was on a small wooden boat motoring on a small tributary of the Mekong Delta. I was accompanied by a darling of a man who was taking me mountain biking along the delta, a trip I arranged through Phat Tire Ventures. Under normal circumstances, a 'pit stop' would have seemed ludicrous. However, at this point I was thinking with my bladder versus my brain. I politely asked if there was anywhere to stop and to my surprise, indeed there was! We pulled up to a dock in front of a bright blue house along the tributary, and parked under a gorgeous array of fruit trees. A young girl promptly waved us hello under her pink sun umbrella and was soon joined by her most accommodating mother--accommodating me to the use of a bathroom (in the blue house)! Relief at last! To my further delight, the young girl and her mother shared their fruit and gave me a tour of a local home. Warmth exuded from every corner of the yard and home...reminded me of the time I was running with x-country teammates in high school, had to pee, stopped at a woman's home and asked to her use her facilities. We were all treated to apple pie before leaving...

2010-11-19T18:42:00.000-08:00

2010-11-18T23:12:00.001-08:00

More on Madagascar...my second time through, I treated myself to the Colbert Hotel, pricey, but worth every penny due to finally feeling safe! Then I met a man named Bruno who showed me several of the inhabitants of Madagascar. Bruno was quite the gentleman, and transformed my trip into a pleasant holiday! He was a guide for one of the parks, with a nominal fee. I tipped him triple his fee and he almost fainted. I told him he saved my holiday :)

2010-11-16T23:19:00.000-08:00

Only in Madagascar...some wonderful creatures. The lemurs and
lizards, and "upside down"
trees left me bedazzled!!
Difficult to travel alone as a woman it was in Madagascar. I came
through twice. My plane nearly crashed, as we were descending nose
down at mach speed, and that was not the worst part. I was hassled
and haggled, disrespected...until I started swatting! Yes, physically
swatting people away. Then, and only then, did the police/security
guards take me seriously. No one touched me after that!!!

2010-11-16T23:13:00.001-08:00

On my adventure thought Vietnam, just before stopping off to
pee...see an older post!

2010-11-16T23:04:00.000-08:00

So, I took a break from kitesurfing and surfing the pristine waters
of Mauritius back in June of 2008 and stumbled upon this gem of a
hike! Tamarin falls. I surfed the famous (and somewhat infamous)
Tamarin Bay with a swell on the rise--got a peak to myself! I kited
Belle Mare and Le Mourne...world class waves and wind. I must say
the hiking is also world class. No one in sight! Got to spend some
time in a cave behind a waterfall. Ahh. So relaxing...

2010-11-16T22:49:00.000-08:00

Never short change the power of an encounter with a stranger...I was
having a lovely, impromptu dinner at a cafe in Istanbul, enjoying
conversation with the host, a very knowledgeable young man with
mutual interests in history and archaeology. He somehow knew I was
looking for the vegetarian dishes and that I had a sense of
adventure...upon eye contact :) After dinner, he pointed me to the
back of the restaurant where he stumbled upon this gem of an
find...an underground ancient palace dating to 324 BC. The remains
of the palace discovered ~ 2 years ago during the expansion of the
eatery. Amazing find...

Unfortunately the plaque's photo is blurry, as I had a hard time
adjusting to the light with my digital camera...however, I think the
words are legible enough to tell the tale of the underground palace!

2010-11-16T22:48:00.001-08:00

Volume Training Take 2---Here is a shot of some of the hills, at
3000-6000 feet above sea level. Hills training?? You cannot get away
from them here in Goreme, Cappadocia. Don't forget your camera. You
can take a photo between intervals :D If you do tire and can't make
it back to your hotel up in the caves, I am sure a friendly local
will give you a lift...in tow!

2010-11-06T11:00:00.000-07:00

If you are looking for a good area to volume train for cycling, Cappadocia is your place!! Today I rode my Surly Traveler's Check (cyclocross) with its knobby tires for almost 3 hours, on and off road and I went downhill maybe 15 minutes! Hills galore. The route I took had 10% grades going down cobblestone streets, hence the quick downhill sections! Here are some sites along my way...
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Goreme, Cappadocia, Turkey. November, 2010

2010-11-06T02:37:00.001-07:00

I am now in what has to be one of the most unusual, breathtaking, awe-strikingly beautiful places on Earth! Goreme in the region of Cappadocia, Turkey. Photos and words cannot do it justice.

Goreme is a microcosm set in stone. Literally. I feel like Wilma Flintstone or Betty Rubble. Or, better yet, a Mesopotamian (although I don't think Mesopotamia stretched this far, perhaps only the southeastern corner of Turkey.) It is a hiker's, off-road biker's, and trail runner's dream. The people are so friendly--friendly like the Fijians and Mauritians, ok, and the Kiwis, Trev M8! I am being treated like a princess. :)

Today I ran and biked on trails through several valleys with "stone dunes" everywhere!! They definitely have hills! Here's a tip: trail riding and taking pictures don't mix. Yes, I ate it! On the ground with both feet still clipped in!

Made a new friend who has a bike shop a stone's throw away from my cave hotel-the Kelebek Hotel-my new favorite. Needed a couple of new screws for my brakes, et voila. There appears Ahdem! Quite frankly I've met so many wonderful people here. Adhem, though, made me feel secure biking down hills:)

The bike is attracting quite a bit of attention, and is striking up quite a bit of conversation with the locals. "Come, sit, have some tea...and tell me about your bike..."

Good time to be in Turkey as the Kurdish Government Party has declared an 8-month cessation of terrorism to further the "discussions" of their woes. This came after this past Sunday's suicide bomber's attack in a popular square in Istanbul. (The square was full of tourists, but they were aiming for the police--phew!)

My boutique hotel has an amazing Turkish bath. That's where I'm heading...

I think I am in heaven.

Gule gule,
Jo

Loving Goreme

2010-11-06T02:32:00.000-07:00

2010-10-21T03:00:00.000-07:00

Back in Action, Inc. Physical Therapy and Rehabilitation, Kailua, HI

While on the topic of biking in Vietnam...

2010-10-17T02:29:00.000-07:00

First of all, if you go to Vietnam, contact Phat Tire Ventures for an unforgettable biking trip through villages out of reach by an average tourist. Low-five little kids while dodging chickens crossing the road, pedal up bridges a foot wide and so steep you cannot see the local man on coming up the other side...on a moped...

Biking from the jungles of Dalat to the coast at Mui Ne was beautiful, breathtaking, and quite adventurous. Off the trail and onto the road, however, the real adrenaline rushes began. Try driving around a rotary or round about with about a hundred mopeds speeding in every direction but yours...I was laughing the whole time in complete awe of the organized chaos! Next up, I found myself biking alongside a local 60-ish year old man on his moped. He extended a hand to shake and and a warm, friendly smile--at least I thought! No, as I shook his hand, he tightened his grip like a vice, and his warm smile was just a precursor to his laughter as he pulled me at what felt like 100 mph! I had to take my feet off the pedals we were going so fast! I finally shook my hand free and took note of my guide laughing so hysterically he almost fell off his bike...touche!