I think my wife is trying to either kill me, or make not so subtle hints that I'm getting fat.  Since the kids started school, she has decided that free time is sweat time.

Yesterday we did a 10 km bike ride.  It may not sound like much, but we had almost 450m elevation change in that 10k.  It seemed to me that we went straight up......then a long slow winding gradual descent down, then straight up again.  We started the ride by heading up to the top of the ridge that we live below here.  At the top we have this amazing panoramic view of the ocean on both sides of the ridge, plus a great view of the mountain range right behind us.  It was pretty stunning.  We then started the long slow downhill.  A couple detours because of impassible roads, cliffs, bee-hives or gates, but we found this trail that leads through some type of orchard/ olive farm.  At the bottom, there was a locked gate, which we had to scamper around, but nothing too terrible.  We got to the highway, which I figured would be a great first day ride, because we still had to make our way back up the hill to the house.  The highway sits at about 150m elevation, and our house is right at 300m.  It's a real good climb on bikes from the road to the house.  Kristin decided that we should bike DOWN to the the beach and watch the waves (we didn't have our suits, but that really doesn't matter at the beach....all you need is a towel, which we also didn't have).  I think she just wanted to see what the ride up the hill would be like.  The ride starts with a gentle 27% grade for about 300-350 meters, then levels out to between 15-20%.  I think a couple more rides to and from the beach will either kill me, or make me ready for anything.

Today, we dropped the kids off at school, and then decided we should have a leisurely stroll through town.  I think I might have mentioned, nothing is flat here, if you leave the beach area.  Again, up, up, up, then down.  We walked for about 90 minutes, then went for a 60 minute paddle.  Just as we got the boat loaded and ready to go, the wind started to pick up.  We though we were heading into the wind, which would put the wind at our backs for the paddle home, but 2 km into the paddle, the wind shifted direction, blowing into our bow on the trek home.  We did see a giant Turtle though.

After the paddle, Kristin wanted to go climbing down by our beach, as there is a spot we want to try cliff jumping.  There is a cave we snorkeled in just around the point, and it looks like a fantastic cliff jumping point.  The water looks to be about 20 meters deeps, and the cliff is shear enough that you could climb almost any height before you jump in.  I decided that we will save this for another day, as I was exhausted.

Add this to the nightly sessions of Yoga, Pilate's, or Ab blasting workouts we have been doing, makes for an intense lifestyle.

We have had some incredible winds blowing off the sea for the last 3 days, making it a little difficult to play in the ocean, but the forecast is calling for a lessening of the winds and temperatures in the high 20's.  Should be a great weekend.

Till next time.

CIAO
Shane