Wednesday, March 4, 2009

Colombia

Well, I'm packed and ready to go. Early flight to Miami to spend the night there, and then meeting some friends tomorrow and we are all flying in to Cartagena together.

You can rent the movie "Romancing the Stone" and check out some of the sites in the city of Cartagena.

Looking forward to this trip and maybe finding some rock climbing or some good runs through a few portions of the jungle, without going too far off the beaten path.

:D

Will take loads of photos, and post up when I get back.

Hwy 1 (PCH)

We've been having rain around the bay area lately, so when the sun came out for a few days last week, we went for a quick ride up to Alice's restaurant on Skyline blvd and then down to the coast. Dave was out on his Triumph Street Triple, and Linda was pulling rear duty on her DR650. Alice's is a common spot for motorcyclists to stop at, along with hot rodds and all kinds of motor vehicled clubs. It's been around for a long time and we usually stop in for lunch while riding the hills. Here was a nice shot to all my friends who were working hard on this day, while I was out in the hills playing on the motorcycle in the sun. :D

Apparently a lot of people were playing hooky, as I've never seen this many motorcycles up here on a weekday at this time.

We rode down 84 to the coast, and then south on Hwy 1 to Pescadero rd. and stopped for a quick photo and to enjoy the location.
Dave, Linda and myself. I think Linda is standing inside a large hole.

Dave reflecting and wondering why he'd never ridden down to the coast when he lives right here in the bay area.
Linda making herself happy, I think. haha

On our way back to the house, we figured we'd take Dave down the front side of Hwy 9. Local favorite for motorcycle play time. Also it claims a lot of lives and metal with guys going too fast for the conditions on this road. It is fun as hell riding up and down it. This photo is at "four corners" another popular spot to meet up with friends and bullshit, while riding the motos in the hills.
Last shot of me on the coast. Fun as hell day.

Sun is out today, might go for a spin.

Pay attention Steph...

haha, this one is for you. I had been telling the roommates that I would cook some food up, and wasn't sure of what to make, but finally decided, some flautas would be a good start.

Nothing major, it's similar to enchiladas, but it's fried tortillas as opposed to baked.
What to start with:
1-rotisserie chicken
habanero peppers
Canola oil
Avocado
Canned Salsa Verde
Bush's best Pinto beans
Corn tortillas
Sour Cream
Queso Fresco
Garlic cloves (2)
I made the Green sauce first. Pretty quick recipe for some good sauce, and also can be a dipping sauce, or just eat it with some nacho chips or what not.

1-Avocado
2- cans of "salsa verde" (found in the Mexican food section)
2- cloves of garlic
1- habanero pepper (add more if you like it really spicy, but I got roomates)
1- big spoonful of sour cream.
(might have to add some water to this, maybe half a cup to loosen it up a bit)
chucked it all in the blender and liquefied it. Voila, green sauce, nice and thick, and ready to pour after being heated up.

Pulled all the meat off the chicken bones, and then chopped up a good cup's worth of chicken. (The left over chicken is great for chicken salad sandwiches)

Next, it's time to make the flautas. (flautas = flutes)
1-whole rotisserie chicken (overkill really, but plenty of meat for leftovers)
corn tortillas (I have an issue with this, as they always seem to break when being rolled, so you have to heat them up a bit first) as you can see from the one on the far left.

I bought some canola oil (don't use olive oil), so there wouldn't be an off taste to it.

After heating up the canola oil, and heating up the tortillas separately, you take some chicken, roll it up in a tortilla, and then put a toothpick through it, and keep it rolled up.
I made 5 of them, and then you place them in the hot canola oil, and watch them, turning them as the tortillas are fried into a crisp light brown color.

I usually pull them and put them on a paper towel to drain as much oil as possible, pull the toothpick, and you are done with the flautas.
For the best, and most authentic style refried beans (I got this from my grandma) without having to cook them from scratch, buy some Bush's best Pinto beans, throw them in the pan, heat them up to a boil, lower the heat to about a low to medium, and then use the potato masher to crush them.


For serving and presentation (as I'm told by my friend Va. that I must) , I took some real thin slices of iceberg lettuce, and laid it out on the plate, then placed the flautas on top of that, heated up the green sauce, and poured it on top of the flautas.
Refried beans on the side, and I added something I hadn't found in a long time, and that's "Queso Fresco" which I got at the local Carniceria (Mexican meat market) and you crumble some of it on top of the beans and also the green sauce.

a few things: I was very surprised at how well the green sauce turned out. No need to reduce it, as I thought I would have too. It was spicy. Very spicy, but perfect. Like I said, add more Habaneros to make it even better. I might even have to add a bit of water to loosen it up a bit more. Seemed really thick.

Enjoy.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Sequoia 50k - check

Just scored tickets to see Queensryche at the fillmore in June. :D awesome.

On Friday at 4:20pm tickets went on sale for Cypress Hill at the Fillmore, and I got 2. Concert is on 4/20 (April 20th, of course)

On another note, I'm sitting here sore as fuck, and loving it. Completed my first Ultra Marathon yesterday (albeit a wee one) but still...fuck yo marathon distance! hahahahaha

I'll write up a full story later, as I'm just chilling today.

Race started at 0830 yesterday.

distance: 50k (30miles)
Time: 8 hours 18 min (super slow, yes, I know)
Location: Oakland Hills
Elevation gain: 5,030ft
Place: DFL

The course was laid out decently with colored ribbon marking the course.
There were 4 races that day (50k, 30k, 20k and 10k) The 50k would run a 20k loop, with a 10k spur added to it (with a mondo drop into the valley and then a climb out), and then drop bags at the finish (30k into the race) and then we went out for a second 20k loop to complete the 50k.

I am torn about that. I kind of like the unknown factor of one giant loop out, and it can be demoralizing sometimes to know what you are about to get into, for a 2nd time with the same loop. Oh well, not too bad. Pushed it, and didn't stop moving forward. I think from now on, I will do these with friends, hashers and the likes. I'm glad to have done it solely on my own, but don't want it to be a chore. Would rather have fun with other hashers and shit.
Got lots of positive feedback on my hash shirt that said "Math is hard, drinking is easy" :D

I'm signed up for the Big Horns 50k, but will see about maybe a half marathon in Santa Cruz that is coming up in a month or so. Will go for a 1-2 mile walk tomorrow.

At the finish, the organizers were very cool, and my "coaster" had "First Ultramarathon" on it. hahaha cool
MMMMMMMMM, PBR at the finish. Always satisfying.