Where do I begin

May was the most marvelous month 

And I have never had jet-lag so bad in all my life. That's the thing about life, the ups are up and the downs are down. But I am home now and I seriously need to write something on this blog just to get the ball rolling again.

In the month of May I went to the Giro d'Italia, I saw my first Grand Tour team time trial, I visited Northern Ireland for the first time ever (and loved it!), I met all sorts of really cool people, I secured my taste for real draft Guinness beer, and then I came home to see Bradley Wiggins and Mark Cavendish at the Tour of California. I really like Brad and Mark.

All this fun and I haven't written a word on my trusty blog. I could wax poetic and say some things are just too good to share or too hard to put to words, or I could be totally honest and explain - I'm just so tired. Yup, too tired from having so much fun. That's the truth!

Fun and darn jet-lag, which inhibited me from staying up until 2am (as I usually do at stage races) to write up posts, kept me from sharing my incredible journeys with you. I haven't even posted the amazing photos Willie Richenstein (my friend and co-photographer) took at the Amgen Tour of California! Gees.

I should note that I have also been 'speaking with' (via email) a number of individuals, helping them with vacation planning and other questions. I wouldn't trade these interactions for the world, meeting fellow cycling travelers brings me great joy but also takes away from my time posting out into the realms of the www.

I did post some photos on Twitter. Huge accomplishment on my part. Want to see those iphone photos of what I have been doing the past month?  (All photos below by Karen Rakestraw of Pedal Dancer®)

New York City - Colorado - Utah - California - Ireland - California - Utah - Colorado

I started out in Manhattan for 6 days

Manhattan at night

Then I drove from Colorado to Utah to California

The middle of nowhere Utah

Then I got on a plane to Dublin and drove into Northern Ireland where I was blown away by the beauty.

Causeway Coast of Northern Ireland

I drove the route of Stage 2 of the Giro d'Italia where I was so impressed with the community spirit on display.

Cushendall in pink

I visited some tourist sites including Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge, Giant's Causeway, and Bushmills Distillery.

Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge

Even the whiskey ran pink for the Giro. Rule #1 buy OLD whiskey - it's worth the money.

At Bushmills Distillery

I went for a super fun bike ride in Belfast city to tour the route of the Stage 1 Team Time Trial with Belfast City Bike Tours. I loved the guys who ran this tour, and Michael the owner of The Hudson Bar where we had a pint after our ride. Michael tried to spray paint me pink for the Giro.

Michael of The Hudson Bar, me and Gary of Belfast City Bike Tours

I went to the Team Presentation the night before the Giro started in downtown Belfast outside City Hall.

Team Garmin-Sharp enters

I had fun in the team area at the Titanic Quarter (which is a great tourist site btw) before Stage 1.

Cadel Evans arrives before the TTT

I was able to watch the warm-up in the morning near city hall, plus watch the teams start and take the first two corners of the real TTT of the Giro. Here team Garmin-Sharp took the start line shortly before Dan Martin would later crash and end his 2014 Giro.

Team Garmin-Sharp when hopes were still high

Attending the Giro d'Italia in Northern Ireland will stand as one of the all-time favorite races I have ever attended (next to the Tour of Flanders and the Amgen Tour of California in Solvang). Attending the Giro in Ireland was a blast, the people had more fun than I have ever witnessed at a race (a close tie with the Paris-Roubaix).

Everything was pink for the Giro in Northern Ireland!

For Stage 2, I walked 300 meters from my Bed & Breakfast to watch the race go by at a place called the Bla Hole.

Stage 2 of the 2014 Giro d'Italia passes the Bla Hole.

Then I drove down to the city of Armagh (my grandfather Peter is from nearby Newry) to watch the start of Stage 3 of the Giro.

St Patricks Cathedral in Armagh and the 2014 Giro d'Italia

My four days at the Giro Start in Ireland were truly incredible!

Driving on the other side of the road was exciting

But it was time to get serious about some good Irish beer and Irish music!

Gus O'Connors Pub in Doolin, County Clare

Appreciate a real draft Guinness and a good Irish Stew

pure deliciousness

Stay at a lovely Bed & Breakfast

Daly House in Doolin Ireland

And enjoy a relaxing long morning breakfast with fine Irish hospitality.

A peaceful start to the morning

And then a highly recommended 8km walk from Doolin to the Cliff of Moher with Pat Sweeney.

Local guide and farmer Pat Sweeney

A long flight back to San Francisco and LAX then found me once again in Laguna Beach, California waiting for the last three stages of the Amgen Tour of California.

The beautiful beaches of Orange County California

And this guy - Sir Bradley Wiggins. Cool!

Funny and honest

And Mark Cavendish. Did I mention, I like Mark.

This was a tough Stage 6 for him, but he won Stage 8!

And it looks like Bradley and Mark like each other as well.

Brad and Mark at Tour of California 2014

Bradley Wiggins won the 2014 Amgen Tour of California

Classification winners ATOC 2014

And thank goodness this squad of Garmin-Sharp teammates in California had reason to celebrate Best Team.

Celebration

I enjoyed a few more days with family along the beautiful beaches of southern California.

Newport Beach, CA

And drove myself and my labradoodle dog Jack Denny back to Colorado through Utah once again.

Salt Flats, Utah

And that is it for iphone photos from May 2014. Someday I will download my real photos. But for now, what a variety of sights I saw in May 2014, and such beauty. And super great people! I am so very grateful. And so very tired.

Home in Colorado

Last Sunday I went to a local bike race and took even more photographs which I have yet to edit and post, and this weekend is the Colorado Master Criterium Championships which I plan to attend. I think I will just carry my camera and not take any photos because god knows when I will get around to posting those as well.

This was my favorite photo from last week. A superman by Michael Gibson.

Don't try this at home.   Photo by Karen Rakestraw

Send me some good vibes to get going again because now that I have returned to Colorado and it is fully summer, all I really want to do is ride my own bike outside in the sunshine.

Don't we all.

Tip of the Day: Bruges and Brews

Continuing Education and photos from Belgium

For local Denver cyclists who enjoy travel, art and beer - I discovered this course titled Bruges and Brews at our local Denver University. It will be offered 4 nights - January 28, February 4th, 11th, 18th, including 3 in-class sessions, plus 1 session at a local restaurant for tasting. The class is presented by a associate professor of Art History through the University College at University of Denver (DU) non-credit enrichment program, $175 (including the beer and food tasting dinner at the last class). Thirty (or more) students total, with only 12 seats available as of tonight (Update: sold out). read more

I like Belgium, it is truly a cycling mecca with the best beer in the world. I think it enjoyable to continue learning about a place, even after visiting. There is much more to be learned beyond a 2-week fly-by vacation which seems to only wet the whistle. As much as I scour the internet, read guide books, learn maps and investigate before any trip, I never have a sense of a place until I have been there, until I have walked the streets. Very true about a trip to Belgium.

I was in Bruges last spring, it was my 3rd visit to Belgium, every visit being completely different. I was just 21-years old upon my first visit with my Mother, we took in the arts. I was 31 upon my next visit to Bruges with my husband, we took in the arts, food, beer, and visited friends. Last year I returned to chase bike races (Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix) and learn more about Belgian beer, bergs and countryside.

I completely missed the arts during my last visit, although I more than covered the bergs and brews. I thought this course could fill in some of the gaps and continue my education, prepping me for my next travel vacation to Belgium. At $44 a night for 2 hours of entertainment, it is a bit steep, but far cheaper than the thousands of dollars (for Americans, hundreds for Europeans and Brits) spent on airfare, car, hotel, and buying more guidebooks!

This course description caught my attention: "From its historic Trappist monastic breweries to its array of splendid art and architecture, Flanders boasts preeminence in many artistic fields, though perhaps none more divergent than the odd couple of fine brewing and oil painting. We invite you to explore the rich cultural heritage of this region by combining into one course Belgium’s artistic richness, beer-brewing superiority and tasty culinary traditions." That's university level lingo for Let's drink beer!

I'm in! Each night I can be reminded of my recent travels and relive the adventures, while learning even more about Belgium. Traveling in Belgium was the highlight of my year in 2012. I say why not travel cheap by searching for continuing education language, art and travel classes in your own city.

Read some Pedal Dancer posts from visiting Belgium in 2012:

• Beers in Belgium 
• Stories from Belgium 
• The Mur de Grammont 
• Hanging with the teams 
• Big Day tomorrow 
• A day on the Kwaremont 
• Day 5 in Flanders 
• A day of pave in France and Belgium 
• A side trip to Italy 
• Images from Paris-Roubaix 
• I was a fan at the Paris-Roubaix 
• BMC solid through 2016
• The Sky was blue 

More from 2012

• You too can race the cobbles 
• Flags of the cobbles
• Word of the Day: duinen

Enjoy some photos of Bruges, Belgium - in search of friets, beer, and waffles (all photos by Karen at PedalDancer.com) click any image to enlarge :

The endless choice of delicious beers in Belgium.

Beers at De Garre in Bruges, tucked away down an alley. Fun!

More beers at 't Brugs Beertje in Bruges

So many options for beer tasting in Brugge

food and drink at Brasserie Cambrinus in Bruges

Grand Cru Rodenbach

Walking the streets of Bruges with frites en (Andalouse) mayo

Beautiful architecture in Bruges

Boats in Bruges

Witloof (Belgian Endive) in the market

Mini hot waffles from the morning market in Bruges

Sculpture and Pond at t'Zand square Bruges

Enjoy some other photos of Belgium (all photos by Karen at PedalDancer.com) click any image to enlarge :

België

Lion of Flanders

Mur de Grammont

The Manneken Pis in Geraardsbergen thought to be the oldest

Is this art? Bike Sculpture on a roundabout in Brakel, Belgium

The start of the Paterberg climb and typical countryside in Belgium

This is Tour of Flanders country (Ronde van Vlaanderen)

Expecting crowds on the Koppenberg, two days before the big race

Such beautiful country to pedal through

I learned it's best not to say "I'll eat anything" while in Belgium

Chances are you'll see some world champion cyclists. Team BMC in Kortrijk.

Bernhard Eisel, Matthew Hayman, Edvald Boasson Hagen of Team Sky before a training ride

Yum, pies and torts in Belgium

Cheeses in a storefront window in Ghent, Belgium

Belgian Easter chocolates

Strolling the streets of Gent

Trappistes Beer

When a bike race takes over the city of Bruges. Start of Tour of Flanders.

Belgians love cyclists almost as much as their beer

Or is it beer as much as cyclists? Cycling fans

Watching the Tour of Flanders on the Kwaremont

Tom Boonen, the winner of both the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix in 2012

The Menin Gate in Ypres

Tyne Cot, British war memorial cemetary

The rough cobbles of Carrefour de L'Arbre (Paris-Roubaix race, France)

Beautiful scenery along a bike ride in Belgium near Kerkhove

Mmmm, oh the memories of walking with a fresh hot waffle to go