Tri Venezuela

Training for triathlon in Venezuela is pretty cool - especially after two years on the flat, dry, beige-colored deserts of Qatar.  Not only are Venezuelans really into training, they have beautiful places in which to swim, bike, and run.

This is the 25 meter outdoor pool at school/work.  Master swim club meets twice a night, each night of the week - and there are some GOOD swimmers!

Luca & Wilder were braver than me when it came to battling these waves at Boca de Uchire recently.  On the day we were leaving there was a swell and the two sets of waves got pretty big.  My friend Leah and I went out for a morning swim and totally panicked and had to swim back to shore.  I thought I had overcome my fear of open water, but it returned with a vengance.  Between the cloudy water and the big waves, I realized I've been spoiled by open water swims that look more like...

this.  Amazing, clear water and hardly any waves.  One day I ran the trail on the right to all seven beaches of Siete Mares.  What a place!

This is where I bike - the Cota Mil, right at the base of the 9000-foot Avila mountain.  One lap = 26 miles and about 300 meters in elevation gain. For those of you at home, imagine if I-70 from Edwards to Eagle, Colorado was closed every Sunday morning from 6:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. People run, bike, skateboard, walk their dogs...some days it's pretty dangerous. Today I saw six young boys going downhill on BMX bikes with no brakes heading into oncoming bike traffic.  "Derecha, derecha!" was all I could think to yell while waving them over to the right - but I had to catch them first. They were flying!  I think people know that the road is closed to traffic so they turn off their brains. 

 

Innes took this picture while trying to spot me during a recent race.  This was the racecourse - open to all traffic.  From Las Mercedes (the neighborhood where we live) through city streets to to top of a volcano 17 miles away.  So cool.  I won a turkey.  Had a hard time fitting that in my pocket for the ride back home.

This is along one of my regular running courses, across the street from my house, up this big hill past a few soccer fields and an awesome driving range.  However, one day I looked out my living room window as eight guys on four motorcycles got pulled over by the police.  Never really figured out what was going on, but one of the police took every one of their bikes apart looking for something and then let them all go.

This photo doesn't really do it justice, but this is the beginning of a huge hill that goes two miles nearly straight up and past the US Embassy.  The "four-way" stop just out of the photo on the left is more like an 8-way stop, and no one really stops.  Interesting to run through during rush hour.  However, people are very generous about letting runners/cyclists get by in the city.

 

There are a couple of differences about triathlon in Venezuela that I would like to mention in closing...The women down here wear the most amazing workout tights - even when they are not working out!  Wilder and I are dying to get some.  Every color and pattern imaginable on every body type imaginable.  It's a whole blog post unto itself. 

 

 

And here are the last two differences...yes, even the triathletes um...get their nails done.

darn good weekend

It was a darn good weekend. Most of the teachers were at a conference and as Lisa had to attend as well I stayed back in Caracas to mind the children. After work we walked down to Yogurtlandia- which is quite a nice way to start of a weekend.

On our way back from Yogurtlandia we stopped by micelandia and well you know... the next day we had been talked into adding new mammals to the Isom clan: reepicheep and peanut.

it appears Luca has already lost his.

LUSH

Sunday was another hike in the Avila and true to form you just never know what might turn up. After leaving the main path to follow a little side trail we came upon a small (taller than me) solid gold statue! If I can just figure out how to get this thing onto my pack I will have retirement settled.

 A very nice man offered to take this shot but was clearly an amateur with such things as face lighting and son shadowing. Or maybe we just look funny and he was trying to help. We did have a funny exchange with one man that shows how far we still have to go to blend in:
Us: "Bueno dia"
Him: "Bueno dia"
Us: "Como estas?"
Him: "very good"

 This guy was playing J-lo, coldplay, and Enrique Iglesias songs on the accordion- needless to say I tipped big.

After our hike we stopped at Tarzilandia for lunch- they had turtle pie on the menu but we opted for a big plate of meat- cool old school spot to check out.

 

To cap off the weekend I went over to Paul's house for the Bronco game- this has to be the absolute best deck for kicking back, having a beer, and watching football in Caracas... and of course the Broncos won and are heading to the Superbowl- darn good weekend.

Tai Chi- Venezuela style

Tai Chi- Venezuela style... and other random things. This past weekend we wandered over to Parc del Oeste for a stroll around and some good people watching. We were greeted by a glorious spectacle. I had heard others describe a huge zumba like gathering but this was something you had to see to appreciate. It was like those videos I have seen of elderly people in China doing Tai Chi with everyone moving in complete synchronicity. The only small difference being that these people were not old or moving slow- they were booty shaking! Awesome to see live.

Walking around aimlessly is always great and today was no exception- just fun stuff to look at and do.

I realize that as soon as she doesn't want to hold hands anymore that I will have to wait until she is 30 to get to do it again- love it.

 

as we walked I kept noticing these L shaped poles everywhere that looked like mini gallows or places to hang and quarter your elk. It wasn't until I walked by the birthday party that I understood how important a properly hung pinata is in this country.

This guy just sort of strolled on by, reminded me of Nate's old lizard "Iggy"

Got to hit a few more from the local driving range so I thought I would showcase the Isom golf skillz.

check out Luca, he is either hitting with his eyes closed or singing to himself.

As a Coloradan who spends a bit of time out in the woods using a variety of things as "toilet paper au naturale" I have heard many of the "don't use ______ to wipe with" jokes that are out there. This plant however caught me quite off guard... and no joke people- Don't use this plant to...

 

One of our first dinners this year. My sister gave us the idea of writing down the fun stuff we did on little pieces of paper and putting them in a good times jar. It was great to read back through all of the stuff we have done. Travel is fun and seeing new places always interesting but the slips of paper that made me smile the biggest all had to do with people. The friends we have and have been making will always be the most incredible part of this little adventure of ours. Here's to more good times in 2014- We sure are glad that you're our friends!

Colorado Rocky Mountain High

It has been 2 years since the Isoms have played in the snow so we were incredibly excited about having a white christmas back in the home state. Many Coloradans had getting high on their minds with a recent vote to legalize starting on January 1st but for us it meant moving in to a little cabin at 10,500 feet elevation. Didn't see nearly enough friends but had so much fun skiing, sledding, and sippin that cocoa. Here are a few shots of what we were up to.

We began with a stop in North Carolina to see Grandma Eula. We had missed her big 100 year birthday party last January and it was so nice to visit.

We even got to play some cards, by the end of the night I was $300 down to G'ma, she can still play!

 We were lucky to stay in our neighborhood in a small cabin just up the hill from our house. It was great and aside from the spectacle of us lugging our wheeled luggage and groceries up the hill we couldn't drive our gutless rental car we looked like true mountain people once again

Hey Luca, your in my spot!

Elmo got to come and stay with us too- I hope I can be a mellow old dog like him someday.

Great to see the Mortons as always- and lucky me- I got to join in on a trip up to the Polar Star to "help" Mort with some hut jobs. Only took 3.5 hours of chugging to get there but as always the powder turns the next day made it well worth it

Being home is always interesting as it makes you notice and compare the little things. For example I just couldn't help myself the first time in the store- it is always tough to get milk and toilet paper in Caracas- you Americans don't know how lucky you are. Then we had our first trip to the gas pumps. 44$ for gas!?! that would have cost me 44 cents in Caracas. You Venezuelans don't know how lucky you are.

so hard not to hoard.

Makes you miss that sweet subsidized fuel

 What we were all really looking forward to was making turns at Ski Cooper our little neighborhood hill. Never crowded always fun and with the Tennessee Pass Nordic Center at the bottom we were 4 happy Isoms.






Great days and the Nights? Good times- especially when there is a neighborhood Winter Solstice bonfire. Anytime you get to watch Brian pour fuel on a large open fire it is a good night.

7:35pm

7:35pm and 2 seconds

We got to see family too and it was so nice to all those cousins!

faster Anna faster!

Luca, Wilder, and Tali

Luca and William

I haven't heard the kids lately, what do you think they are up to? Luca, Axel, Angus, and Wilder

Long pajamas for all the cousins! Luca doesn't look very excited- he just hasn't discovered that they have a dropseat in the rear.

 FAT BIKES! the nordic center rents em and let me tell you: nothing is easier than riding a bike up a snowy hill at 10,000 feet. At least the downhills are a kick.

Gord playing on the Fat bike

Grandad Esteban

 So a great time was had- sorry to inundate you all with so many photos- its just that we had such fun we don't want to forget it all. Here are a few more random shots.

Queen of the gingerbread house

recipe for fun: snow + flexible flyer + kids

I'll give you this finger warmer for those two toe warmers and a drink of your hot cocoa.

yeah yeah we know: "nerdtown is calling they want their mayor and his wife back"

these are so cool- makes me want to learn to knit and then go hunting.

If you don't know Daniel, you should. This is one cool kid, cooler than popeye even.

I don't often eat vegetables, but when I do I sneak the majority to small guinea pigs.

A man in love.

Since I moved to Venezuela Dale's Pale Ale started making extra large cans. Well played Dale well played.

My all time favorite view.

We got to go here twice. Seriously good stuffed sopapias.

Wilder, look up! well actually... don't.
Luca: all hail the king of the lizards.

 So there you go- we were dreaming of a white christmas and boy o boy did we get it. Filled our hearts for the new year and the new adventures ahead. We love you all- happy trails.