So anyway, it's FALL, the BEST SEASON EVER, and I have a few things to talk about.
First off, let's discuss "pumpkin spice". I have some qualms with this phrase, and what is has come to represent.
Pumpkin: Festive orange gourd. Pure unadulterated bliss. Cut in half, scrape out seeds, bake, eat w/ a fork w/ some butter and/or maple syrup drizzle - or make puree for baking treats like muffins. Make a pasta sauce out of it, nom noms.
Spices that are typically used in pumpkin dishes: Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger etc. Delicious in baked goods. If used to make a "pumpkin spice" beverage, you will actually end up with a delicious Chai type concoction, but it won't be reminiscent of pumpkin.
"Pumpkin Spice": A chemical additive which contains neither pumpkin nor spices. Can be found in Starbucks lattes and such. Typical components are sabinene, eugenol, cinnamic aldehyde, terpenes, vanillin etc. These chemicals are totally approved by the FDA and safe in the quantities used, but have no actual pumpkin or spices and only hit 5 % of the "top notes" to trick our brains, which works quite well.
Eat/drink whatever you want, but I'm sticking to the real stuff. Science lesson for the day, over.
Here is something else that I find amusing about Fall. I am SUFFERING here, and this guy is catching Pokemon or looking at his Instagram account or some such. I am probably guilty of this at races too, but it's quite a funny juxtaposition so I'm posting it so you get a chuckle:
Now that all of that is out of the way, I bring you to my real reason for this post.
The King Challenge is coming up soon! Really, wicked soon! Like two weeks from yesterday....it's held on Sat Oct 15th, and I want you all to ride, volunteer or donate, if you can!
Why?
This ride supports the Krempels Center, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with brain injury from trauma, tumor or stroke. They are a local organization out of Portsmouth, NH. Of all the charity rides I could do, I'm happiest to support something close to home. Not only that, but myself and many friends have had personal experience with TBIs (traumatic brain injuries - the acronym is not as commonly known, I'm finding, unless you end up getting one). Even with a mild TBI it took me a year to get back to "normal" and 5 months to be cleared from my vestibular therapy and fix my vision/focus.
From a recent e-mail (excuse the copy/paste, but I can't say it any better):
Krempels Center is committed to providing services to all brain injury survivors in need – crucial for the many who are unable to return to work after their injury. We will never turn anyone away due to their inability to pay. Eighty-five percent of our brain injury survivors receive scholarships to attend Krempels Center. The success of the King Challenge and your fundraising helps us provide services to many survivors, regardless of their financial status.
So, I am on board as a King Challenge Ambassador this year, skipping Day One of the Craft Grand Prix of Gloucester to do this ride instead. If you know how nutty I am about cyclocross racing, and also understand that Craft is one of my team sponsors, then you'll appreciate that this is a big deal. I figured, Craft GP Gloucester would be just fine without me for a day, but I could make a difference in getting others excited & raise funds for the King Challenge.
BESIDES all that, this event is put on by +Arlon Chaffee / Loco Cycling. Arlon puts on some great local events for us, and promises you won't go hungry or thirsty with all of the excellent sponsors on board. Support these rides!!
Oh yeah, and then there are perks like getting to ride and hang out with +Ted King and all the pros and celebs he brings to the party. This year's line-up includes:
• Timmy Duggan (Road)
• Tim Johnson (Cyclocross)
• Sarah True (Tri)
• Ben True (Running)
• Sean McDonald (WMUR NH Chronicle)
• Bill Strickland (Bicycling Magazine)
• Mike Richter (Hockey)
There are SRAM / Mavic cars and motos, raffles, fluffernutters, beer tent, autographs, pics w/ pros & celebs, kids skills course (with bikes/helmets to borrow!) put on by Seacoast Velokids and more. Autographs, beer tents, kickin' fall foliage at it's PEAK typically...
I have been running some +Cycliq cams to try to advertise with some cheeseballs ads, and will post more later, but this blog post more thoroughly captures all my thoughts. I'll be running these cams when I ride the King Challenge on Oct 15th and would be happy to pull out some vid clips & rad on-bike still shots of anyone who rides near me. Think of how cool you'll look with a shot like that on your mugbook profile!
Last year we had a huge group from +gusbikeshop and this year we'll have the same - also adding a She Rides Seacoast team to show our support from the local women's cycling community here!
I'm also calling out any cyclocross racers I know who are racing Gloucester - it would mean a lot if you could join as a virtual rider, and add the hashtag #kingchallenge to your Strava track Sat Oct 15th! There are no reg fees, no minimum fundraising (donate your coffee money to yourself for a week - it adds up fast!) and you can even join teams like She Rides, Gus' or add your team to the mix!
I'm calling out the Cycling Fun Facebook community here too - would any of you consider joining us as virtual riders? Maybe starting a "Cycling Fun" team? Remember - no fees or minimums to sign up and you could hashtag #KingChallenge on your Strava track whenever you do you "virtual ride"!
King Challenge. Saturday October 15th. http://www.kingchallenge.org to sign up or donate today!
Here is a link to my personal fundraising page & story: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/jennifer-murphy-6/2016KOTRC
Here is a link to the She Rides Seacoast team. Do you like the free events we put on and wished you could say thanks somehow? A $5 or $10 donation to our team page would really mean a lot to us!! You can find our donation page here: https://www.firstgiving.com/team/334549
Ok, that's about it. I am in need of some snacks and a nap. Thanks for reading!
Spices that are typically used in pumpkin dishes: Cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger etc. Delicious in baked goods. If used to make a "pumpkin spice" beverage, you will actually end up with a delicious Chai type concoction, but it won't be reminiscent of pumpkin.
"Pumpkin Spice": A chemical additive which contains neither pumpkin nor spices. Can be found in Starbucks lattes and such. Typical components are sabinene, eugenol, cinnamic aldehyde, terpenes, vanillin etc. These chemicals are totally approved by the FDA and safe in the quantities used, but have no actual pumpkin or spices and only hit 5 % of the "top notes" to trick our brains, which works quite well.
Eat/drink whatever you want, but I'm sticking to the real stuff. Science lesson for the day, over.
Here is something else that I find amusing about Fall. I am SUFFERING here, and this guy is catching Pokemon or looking at his Instagram account or some such. I am probably guilty of this at races too, but it's quite a funny juxtaposition so I'm posting it so you get a chuckle:
Now that all of that is out of the way, I bring you to my real reason for this post.
The King Challenge is coming up soon! Really, wicked soon! Like two weeks from yesterday....it's held on Sat Oct 15th, and I want you all to ride, volunteer or donate, if you can!
Why?
This ride supports the Krempels Center, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the lives of people living with brain injury from trauma, tumor or stroke. They are a local organization out of Portsmouth, NH. Of all the charity rides I could do, I'm happiest to support something close to home. Not only that, but myself and many friends have had personal experience with TBIs (traumatic brain injuries - the acronym is not as commonly known, I'm finding, unless you end up getting one). Even with a mild TBI it took me a year to get back to "normal" and 5 months to be cleared from my vestibular therapy and fix my vision/focus.
From a recent e-mail (excuse the copy/paste, but I can't say it any better):
Krempels Center is committed to providing services to all brain injury survivors in need – crucial for the many who are unable to return to work after their injury. We will never turn anyone away due to their inability to pay. Eighty-five percent of our brain injury survivors receive scholarships to attend Krempels Center. The success of the King Challenge and your fundraising helps us provide services to many survivors, regardless of their financial status.
So, I am on board as a King Challenge Ambassador this year, skipping Day One of the Craft Grand Prix of Gloucester to do this ride instead. If you know how nutty I am about cyclocross racing, and also understand that Craft is one of my team sponsors, then you'll appreciate that this is a big deal. I figured, Craft GP Gloucester would be just fine without me for a day, but I could make a difference in getting others excited & raise funds for the King Challenge.
BESIDES all that, this event is put on by +Arlon Chaffee / Loco Cycling. Arlon puts on some great local events for us, and promises you won't go hungry or thirsty with all of the excellent sponsors on board. Support these rides!!
Oh yeah, and then there are perks like getting to ride and hang out with +Ted King and all the pros and celebs he brings to the party. This year's line-up includes:
• Timmy Duggan (Road)
• Tim Johnson (Cyclocross)
• Sarah True (Tri)
• Ben True (Running)
• Sean McDonald (WMUR NH Chronicle)
• Bill Strickland (Bicycling Magazine)
• Mike Richter (Hockey)
There are SRAM / Mavic cars and motos, raffles, fluffernutters, beer tent, autographs, pics w/ pros & celebs, kids skills course (with bikes/helmets to borrow!) put on by Seacoast Velokids and more. Autographs, beer tents, kickin' fall foliage at it's PEAK typically...
I have been running some +Cycliq cams to try to advertise with some cheeseballs ads, and will post more later, but this blog post more thoroughly captures all my thoughts. I'll be running these cams when I ride the King Challenge on Oct 15th and would be happy to pull out some vid clips & rad on-bike still shots of anyone who rides near me. Think of how cool you'll look with a shot like that on your mugbook profile!
Last year we had a huge group from +gusbikeshop and this year we'll have the same - also adding a She Rides Seacoast team to show our support from the local women's cycling community here!
I'm also calling out any cyclocross racers I know who are racing Gloucester - it would mean a lot if you could join as a virtual rider, and add the hashtag #kingchallenge to your Strava track Sat Oct 15th! There are no reg fees, no minimum fundraising (donate your coffee money to yourself for a week - it adds up fast!) and you can even join teams like She Rides, Gus' or add your team to the mix!
I'm calling out the Cycling Fun Facebook community here too - would any of you consider joining us as virtual riders? Maybe starting a "Cycling Fun" team? Remember - no fees or minimums to sign up and you could hashtag #KingChallenge on your Strava track whenever you do you "virtual ride"!
King Challenge. Saturday October 15th. http://www.kingchallenge.org to sign up or donate today!
Here is a link to my personal fundraising page & story: http://www.firstgiving.com/fundraiser/jennifer-murphy-6/2016KOTRC
Here is a link to the She Rides Seacoast team. Do you like the free events we put on and wished you could say thanks somehow? A $5 or $10 donation to our team page would really mean a lot to us!! You can find our donation page here: https://www.firstgiving.com/team/334549
Ok, that's about it. I am in need of some snacks and a nap. Thanks for reading!
