Return to Brunswick

The Brunswick Brawl Mountain Bike Race was today, and I once again entered the 3-Hour class. I didn't make the cutoff time for a fourth lap so had to settle for three laps again this year on the 9-mile course, just like the 2012 event. However, I did manage to cut a half-hour off my last year's time and still got a third podium spot (out of five entries with some incredible female riders) including cash payout! Also, the weather and trail were just perfect, so all in all I'd call it a very good day.

Pushing Myself - Just a Little

The weather was lovely for mountain biking today and somehow I managed to scrape up just a tad of courage to try and see if I still remembered how to jump my bike. I'm surprised - and pleased! - to say I still do, at least a little.

Yes, that is air under the wheels of this old lady's bike!

 

I think the most pleasant surprise for me was the fact that I actually felt comfortable doing this little jump. And yes, I know the jump is teency-tiny, but I don't care. I did it, I had fun doing it, and I'm proud of my normally very hesitant self for trying it.

Branching Out

I've been having so much fun drawing and painting with my ever-expanding collection of various art media -- watercolor, Gouache and acrylic paint; graphite and colored pencils; charcoal; and pastel pencils -- I figured why not give pastels a try as well, and decided to go ahead and pick up some small sets of those. After serendipitously finding a very encouraging website authored by Robert Sloan, and then another site he recommended by Karen Margulis,I'm looking forward to putting my new acquisitions to paper this weekend!

Soapbox Time

I think if I hear one more person refer to a mountain bike race - endurance or otherwise - as a "sufferfest", I may just snap and smack somebody across the head.

To those of you who think racing your mountain bike is "suffering", let me explain a few things to you. Having the opportunity to spend a few hours (or a day or two) just riding your bike is not suffering. That is a privilege. It's something you chose (and most likely paid) to do. The simple fact that you are fortunate enough to have the time, money and physical ability to do it is something you should be grateful for, not disparage.

There are plenty of people in this world who truly are suffering (many of whom could only dream of having the chance or ability to spend a whole day, or even an hour, riding a bicycle) and you call something fun like a bike race suffering?

Worse, if you're calling these events "sufferfests" just so you'll seem all badass for doing them, well in my humble opinion, that's a pitifully sad testament to your self-image and I hope in time you'll learn that you're perfect just as you are, and there is no need to thump your chest in false bravado as a feeble attempt to try to impress the rest of us.

Maybe I'm just getting old and senile, but as the years go by, I realize how fortunate I am to still be able to ride and even race a little, and it hurts my heart to think about how much time I wasted in my youth not being grateful for what I had. So I would hope that you'd appreciate the treasure before you when you head out to the trail to ride or race your bike and be thankful for the wondrous gift you've been given and to realize what a remarkable individual you are simply by being you.

Joy

As I had noted in a previous post, my artwork is a very personal thing for me and I paint and draw primarily because it makes me happy. However, I'm honored and humbled to have discovered over the past couple of weeks that apparently my creations bring joy to others as well since I've sold a few pieces! I put the money to very good use by replenishing some of my supplies and I've been happily painting and drawing all week, mixing things up as the mood strikes me with acrylics, soft pastels and pastel pencils, colored pencils, and even a touch of pen.

I cannot offer enough thanks to all the very wonderful experienced and extremely talented artists out there who so generously offer their expertise in a multitude of ways: posting free tutorial videos, kindly responding to questions about their craft, and generating helpful newsletter articles - their advice, inspiration and knowledge have been a veritable treasure trove of knowledge and I am forever in their debt.

6 Hours of Tanglewood

Today was the 6 Hours of Tanglewood mountain bike race. I was originally going to sign up solo since I couldn't find any local ladies interested in partnering up for a duo. However, luckily I found an awesome teammate on the biketriad forum (my teammate's hubby has some amazing photos and video of the race posted there as well). I had never met Laura in person prior to this race, although we had emailed a couple of times over the past year. Turns out I could not have asked for a better female duo partner, and we had a terrific race, taking second place only a lap behind the first place team (who I heard were pros!), and a lap ahead of third and fourth place.

The trails at Tanglewood were a lot of fun - tight and twisty, with some very fast sections, a few log crossings, smatterings of rocks, some offbeat bridges and short steep climbs throughout, with a nice flat finishing stretch.

I had an incredible time, and hopefully Laura and I will be teaming up again soon!

Teamwork

If I do say so myself, Steve and I make a pretty good team. While I've been busy painting, he's been honing his talents at hand-making wood frames (he has also become quite skilled at cutting mats, I might add). He does some very impressive work - taking raw wood and turning it into gorgeous fully finished handcrafted frames. In my humble opinion, his beautiful handiwork gives a delightfully clean and finished look to my canvases and I'm thrilled with the results.

Below is a close-up look at the acrylic-on-canvas Fairytale Forest Series in their new custom handmade wooden frames that Steve built, stained, varnished and attached all backing and hanging hardware himself. How lucky am I to have such a talented husband who makes my works look so nicely finished?!

Fairytale Forest Series Closeup ©2014 Tammy Kaufman

Here they are hanging on the wall:

Fairytale Forest Series ©2014 Tammy Kaufman

I hope to have more of our handiwork posted soon!