1) GORP (Good Ol' Raisins & Peanuts)Yummmm. I just love this stuff. I'm thinking of replacing some of the peanuts with soy nuts and adding some 'craisins' and/or other dried fruit and putting it in my bento box for my long rides. What would be better is if I could figure out how to bake this into some sort of bar so I could grab bite sized pieces rather than have to scoop up loose stuff. Someone suggested using peanut butter to glue it together and make balls & then roll it in powdered sugar...sounds messy to me.
2) Alternative Energy
Today I signed up to buy 300 KWatts of Wind Engery per month as part of my regular utility service. Wind energy is clean, uses no fossil fuels or water, and generates no waste. I've been looking at replacing my SUV with a Hybrid SUV (I have my eye on something that will be available next fall). With the kind of driving that I do, I could expect to run my car on the rechargeable battery fairly often. I also consider the use of "Lisa-Power" to get myself to work 2 days a week as a positive alternative energy source. I really should cycle more often to do errands.
I do think that our society as a whole needs to be more responsible about non-renewable resources and waste in general. My teenage son questions whether we can make a difference. I believe we *all* make a difference one way or another in the choices we make about recycling, energy sources, water use, etc.
3) Elephant Man.
The bike profile is scaring me. I"m just gonna' do what I can do, but the closer the race gets, the more freaked out I get about the bike portion.
Huge congrats on finishing your half marathon!! Awesome time, I'm jealous! You are motivating me to get out there in the open water to try and conquer my fears.
ReplyDeleteYum, I love the dried craisins (cherry)!
whoops...i accidentally posted from my brother-in-law's account. what i meant to say is maybe try using marshmallows so it hardens like a rice krispie?
ReplyDeletewe call that stuff scroggin LOL
ReplyDeleteI reckon you'll do your best on those bike hills at Elephant Man, and that will be enough!
We do that also (the alternative energy thing) Ever little bit helps, right?
ReplyDeleteI wish I could bike to work every day... 21 miles one way is a bit daunting...
ReplyDeleteI'm off to check out this bike route at Elephant Man... I like challenges..
Probably the only way you can make a bar that actually stays together would be to bake it slightly. I have been looking at recipes too, and one does have soy nuts as the main nut ingredient, then using natural p.butter, and honey or some other sweetener of your choice, mixing it, patting it into a pan, and baking for about 20 min. on a low temp. That way it stays soft but not messy yet doesn't crumble too much either. As for the bike profile, I am starting to worry about my race this weekend! 18 miles of hills again!
ReplyDeleteNow I'm hungry!
ReplyDeleteI'm in denial and refuse to look at the bike profile any more. I've also been eating like a pig the past few days, so don't know how I'm gonna haul it up those hills...must start my positive affirmations :)
I love GORP but I am weird because I don't like the chocolate. LOL I just like the nuts and raisins. It works out great because my kids will pick out the chocolate and I eat what is left.
ReplyDeleteDon't look at the bike profile! You are going to do great! Do your best and the rest will fall into place!
peanuts and chocolate (i saw the m&ms in there!) - there is nothing better than that! i could live on the stuff.
ReplyDeleteGORP is nasty.
ReplyDelete#2... AMEN SISTAH. Nearly 6 years ago I was writing letters to auto manufacturers asking when how I could get a hybrid and was sorely disappointed at the lack of options. I got stuck choosing my vehicle based on plain old fashioned fuel efficiency.
ReplyDeleteNo wind energy around here to purchase. That's great you can do that..
ReplyDeleteDon't worry about the bike, you have done the base mile for it.. You will do fine. Just spin up the hills and you can do it..
Take it easy on the bike and you will be OK. See my course report:
ReplyDeletehttp://swtrigal.blogspot.com/2007/09/my-day-at-butte.html
On your new steed, you should be fine..If I can do it, you can..
I think every little thing we do makes a difference. Kudos for your efforts.
ReplyDeleteWhole Foods sells a honey roasted trail mix bar that is pretty close to what you want. I am still looking for something that is salty, all this sweet stuff makes me nauseous.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how you turn that into a bar, but if you figure it out, please let me know...I'll want to know how you did it for sure.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention the new blog name: Chasing Bunnies. Didn't you know how FAST bunnies can be?? You will get fast chasing bunnies.
ReplyDeleteI love that stuff - we call it trail mix. But when I lived out east it was also called gorp.
ReplyDeleteYes, we can all make a difference!
Last year I traded in my Suburban, and went to the auto show to look at a bunch of hybrids. I brought my bike with me to see which I could fit it into. (few) I lookedg at hybrids anyway, thinking I could just buy one of those on-the-top racks.
I ended up with the smaller Suburban (the Tahoe) since it held the bike, AND because I did a little research and felt equally bad about disposing the hybrid's battery in the landfill. I guess batteries are still pretty hard to dispose of, even for the recycler whom you drop it off with.
I need lots of car space, so I have to do "my part" in other areas.
Good for you that you are suplementing with wind energy... ;-)