On May 10, 2004, I started a diet. My goal was to reduce portion sizes, focus on balanced nutrition, and evaluate my progress after one year. Silly as it may sound, the source of inspiration for the will power I needed for the diet was the historical reenactment of the Lewis & Clark Expedition. I figured if the men and women of the Discovery Expedition of St. Charles could voluntarily commit to three years of sacrifice for the sake of their interest in history, I could at least make some small daily sacrifices for the same period. In a year's time, there would have to be something worth celebrating, right?

So now several years later, the reenactors have returned from the Pacific coast, and I have dropped several dress sizes. I feel much better and am enjoying exercise for the first time in years. For 2006, my goal was to complete the bicycle ride across Iowa, RAGBRAI (the Register's Annual Great Bicycle Ride Across Iowa), which I managed with the support and encouragement from my husband, co-workers, and family members. It was so much fun that I did it again in 2007. (Here are links to my photos from RAGBRAI 2007. Okay, I won't kid myself -- RAGBRAI is really all about food!) In 2008, my husband and I joined our friend Carla and took a bicycling trip to France (more photos.)

I created this website to share some of my favorite internet resources with others and to put my favorite internet tools about fitness, biking and nutrition within easy reach.

June 2004 - with my close friend, Sean Connery	June 2006