Our Great Urban Race

Taking a small detour from the vacation catchups....

For Terence's birthday this year we decided to run the Great Urban Race in Houston, ON his birthday (how perfect is that timing)!

In case you don't know what the Great Urban Race is... it is similar to the TV show The Amazing Race. Each team is given 12 clues to solve that require you to solve puzzles, perform challenges, and physically run your heart out in the city of your choice.

I made us some team shirts...had to represent Kiddy and Roma with Team Kadlec! Original, I know :-)

The race kicked off at Lucky's Pub in downtown Houston, everyone received their clues at noon and we're off. Our strategy...was to stay there, solve the clues, devise a plan, and figure out how the heck the Houston bus system works. We definitely didn't prepare enough for the race, who would have thought they would have us running all the way out to the Chocolate Bar!

After solving the clues, thank goodness for iPhones, we headed straight for the MetroRail and headed down to Hermann Park. We had to get to the Houston Weather Research Center to make an anemometer as proof of completion. Next we headed to the Lawndale Art Center to meet the Chipotle sponsors. I had to make a paper airplane (Terence coached me while on the Metro), then he had to fly it into a Chipotle target, two free burrito coupons as the reward! Woohoo Chipotle!

Next we knew we needed to get to a mile and half down Richmond, so we started hauling it, but like a mirage in the distance there was a bus. We started sprinting across an abandoned parking lot, holding our hands out to the opposing traffic, running across Richmond and hopped on the bus. We took it all the way out to a music shop where we  had to guess the lyrics to a popular song, then we walked to the Chocolate Shop. Took pictures of us feeding cupcakes to each other and then back down to Ervan Chew Park to learn some belly dancing. Sorry no pics of that!

Next we hiked it back down Richmond to CVS where we met the Houston Food Bank, we donated a few items and were on our way to the Timberline Fitness Center. Terence hopped on a stationary bike and went to the distance of an alegrba solution that we had solved earlier. We took a picture and headed over to St. Dane's bar to shoot some hoops.

After making a basket, we stopped at a Florist for some arts and crafts time. We made a rose out of tissue paper and a pipe cleaner we were off to the House of Dereon Media center. We got to load up on tons of promo CD's (glad we went towards the end of the day) and our last location was at Aerosol Graffitii studio. Terence and I got to spray paint our team name over one of their canvases. We completed all 12 clues with no penalties and we ran it into the finish line, which luckily was at the bar!

Our finish time was 3:39, only an hour after the first place team finished! We placed 31st out of 268 teams! Pretty awesome for our first urban adventure race :-)

6 things that have happened since last blog post...

It has been one of the longest blogging-free periods since my last post on January 23rd...I read it back and saw that I was sick the previous week.  Yup, it's been a while...I can't even remember being sick now!  Ha!

So, with our Europe trip merely a few hours away, I figured I should probably blog some sort of transition blog between our last blog and the mobile blogs we anticipate doing across the pond.  Best way to do it, why not do a bulleted list.  I'll do it as utilitarian as I can, who cares for entertainment value anymore...it's about information!  Ha...well here goes...in no particular order:

1. Debbie's long-delayed shuttle flight finally took off!  Two weeks straight of overnight shifts accompanied the flight.  In that two week span, we didn't get to see each other very much, or talk that much.  When we went out to dinner the first back-to-normal evening, it was like we hadn't seen each other in forever...which it had been!
2. Softball started!  Last summer I started filling in for a team down in Clear Lake, which turned from a part-time role to a full-time role late in the Fall.  This season I've joined a new team and games have kicked off!  We are 4-4 so far, with late games tonight.  The plan was to miss these games with our impending trip tomorrow, but I got all my chores done early and justified accepting to play tonight!  I have homered in my first at bat in the last two games...let's see if I prolong that streak tonight, or go down striking out (because I'll be swinging for the fence)!  Pearland Softball kicks off next week, so two nights a week (once we return) will be filled with my favorite rec activity!
3. Roma's getting into trouble.  Yes, Roma...the blog was on a road to being renamed Roma and Kitty, with Deb and I as mere supporting characters.  Anyways...got word Roma was not behaving with the big dogs at day care.  Apparently she decided she was going to become an adolescent (which our calculations peg her as right now) and she'd start rough housing...the funny thing is, she still knows when she's doing something wrong, as she still listens to her commands.  It's kind of like at home, often times she'll push our patience, especially when her and kitty are playing, until one of us send her to her kennel for timeout.
4. Trip planning...it's been long and tedious...but we are definitely ready.  Aside from a few hiccups that will undoubtedly cause issues in translation, such as, "the credit card these tickets are reserved under was stolen, so this is our new card."  We are ready though, we still have the stolen cards to present.  Cross your fingers on this one...otherwise we might be walking from Munich to Paris!  Ha!
5. Overnight in the hospital...not quite what it sounds like.  I have an ongoing job at a nearby 24/7 hospital/clinic and due to their constraints, we weren't allowed to do our testing during normal business hours.  We set up containment rooms which included plastic sheathing on the floors, walls, and ceilings...it was very Dexter-like.
6. Opening Day is coming!  Houston's opening day is on April 8th...woohoo...going to make this 5 years in a row attending the Astros opening day.  I wish I were able to be in Cleveland this year, it's going to be the year they win it all!  HA.  Hopefully after we get back I have time to put together my sham predictions for the upcoming MLB season.

Prochaine étape à Paris, Bruxelles, Francfort, et plus encore! Au revoir!

(Next stop Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt, and more!  Goodbye!)

Europe Trip Update...

So all is moving forward with our upcoming trip back across the pond.  We are two months out and couldn't be more ready for the trip!

This weekend we finalized the plans, finally.  As a planner and an engineer, we definitely worked through all the kinks and were able to optimize our time.  We even booked the remaining hotels for our trip!  So it now looks like we'll be taking 2 days in Brussesl, Belgium, 4 days through Germany by train and rental car (Frankfurt, Rothenburg, the "Romantic Road", Fussen, and Munich), a day trip to Reutte, Austria, and 2 days in Paris, France.  That'll be 3 new countries for my list...a mere 1 for the more-well-traveled Deb...(this is her 4th trip to Europe...first time to Belgium).

I think the hotel that we've talked about the most is Hotel Gasthof Goldener Greifen in Rothenburg ob der Tauber .  Reason is we keep calling it Gryffindor, thanks of course to Harry Potter.  The funny thing is, I had to look up the name of the hotel because I only know it as Gryffindor. 

Deb got me a good book for Christmas, which is very different from the political thrillers I enjoy most...it's a book on the Eiffel Tower written from the construction, feasibility, etc stand point.  Never knew there was so much controversy behind it, including Parisians not wanting it... I am enjoying it thoroughly and learning much about it's construction.  They started talking engineering and I couldn't help but be intrigued!  I'm sure when we are in Paris in two months I'll be quite ready to start telling Deb how the tower was designed for wind!  Dorky engineer, I know...

Book: Eiffel's Tower by Jill Jonnes

We're Heading Back to Europe!

Well it's official, we are heading back to Europe in 2011!  It's pretty obvious that one of our favorite things to do is travel...whether domestically or internationally...  We took this year off from international travel, but next March, that will change.

From our last Europe trip (in Murano, Italy)

We have planned a 9 day trip departing late on Thursday...all the details are not worked out, but the basic framework of our trip is in place.

We are flying into Paris, then immediately taking the train to Brussels, Belgium.  There we are actually rendezvousing with Debbie's dad!  We are going to let one of the most knowledgeable beer people out there show us around the country known for some of the best beer!  We'll also be all over the Belgian chocolate...

Next we are taking the train to Heidelberg in Germany.  We'll be renting a car while driving from central Germany south...down "Romantic Road" and through smaller historic towns along the way.

We plan on getting into Fussen, Germany (not far from Munich) where we'll use the city as a launching point for a day trip to Reutte, Austria.  

Then we'll be heading to Munich for a day before taking the overnight train back to Paris... Originally we planned on driving into Zurich, but we have become more excited about Paris.  All the staples of Paris are on the preliminary agenda...at first I didn't care to go up the Eiffel tower, but now...I'm excited!

Deb has been to Paris, Heidelberg, and Munich, but we'll be doing a lot of new things for her as well.  Plus, I see her previous trips to Germany and France as ways for me to skip the "fluff" and get the cliff notes version of the cities.

SO...we're excited, the planning has begun, but one things for sure...there's a LOT to plan!  Anyone have any advice, tips, or things we must do???

(FYI, we're such big fans of Rick Steves travel books, we've already purchased 3 for this trip!)

Krna's Wedding

Two weeks ago we went to Krna's wedding in Outer Banks, North Carolina. Terence and I were excited as neither of us had been before and were looking forward to relaxing a bit by the beach. 

We got there just in time for the rehearsal and to check out Krna and Tim's beach house, which was amazing! It had the sweetest movie room I have ever seen, we will definitely be looking to vacation there sometime! It was really nice to get to see Mama Krna and get to know some more of Krna's friends and family in Virginia.

Next day was the wedding on the beach and everyone looked amazing. Terence was in charge of pictures and I have to give him props, because it looks like he did a pretty good job! 

I also have to say that I have never seen such a calm bride, Krna really looked amazing!

Beautifully handwritten vows...

The smooch!

Thumbs up!

Next day we all woke up early and headed to breakfast at a local shop and took our time driving up the coast. We of course stopped for frozen custard and one of the many Christmas shops, then it was back to Houston. Pup was glad we were home, I think she started to miss us after all our traveling!

I am going to miss my Krna, I mean Campbell-licious just doesn't have the same ring to it! 


Congrats Tim and Krna! 

A Fan's Dream, MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown!

First off, Congratulations to Megan and Helen!  Their wedding was awesome and we had a wonderful time.  We wish them many years of happiness to come!  It was a great weekend in upstate New York!

An obvious highlight (taking nothing from the wedding, of course) was the MLB Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.  When Debbie and I were discussing our Fall plans and the numerous weddings, travels, and holidays, we figured our time was all booked up.  I should have been more aware of the proximity of Cooperstown to Albany and Syracuse (where we flew into, and were the wedding was)...but I give all the credit to Deb for suggesting "why don't we go to Cooperstown?"  WOW, what a wife!  And we made it happen...

Cheryl and Calvin joined us for the day, which made it fun!

It was baseball immortality there, seeing how the game came to be, how it has evolved, the historic artifacts, photos, memorabilia, etc etc etc.  It was baseball overload, and it was awesome!!

Read the caption...wouldn't be okay now!

I'll admit, there was a lot of Yankees stuff there, which I was not too fond of...but I have to remember, there have been some amazing players in history that have been Yankees.  I admire their careers and their accomplishments, but I still consider myself a Yankee-hater!  Sorry folks.

I liked this display with Ted Williams hitting zones, that he put together, I was actually fascinated with this...Red is where he hit the best, blue not as well...

The women in baseball section was there, just like in A League of Their Own, including giveaways in Cleveland (!!!) from years back...aprons!

The movie debate was guys versus girls...The guys say Major League was the best, girls said A League of Their Own.  Granted both were good movies, you have to defer to the Indians winning it all in the ML movie!

The plaque room was awesome...seeing all the history there and realizing how many have played the game with such honor was amazing.

We even saw current memorabilia from historic moments this year...perfect games, no hitters, and more.  Plus we saw Barry Bonds' "asterik" baseball from his record-breaking home run.

Debbie's Cardinals...a locker full of modern-day memorabilia...

Greatest team ever, the Indians!  WOOHOO!  We will win again soon, 1948 was a looooong time ago!

It was a great great day!  Can't wait to go back with the little Kadlec's...after they are born and of course get older!  Haha.

Baseball Rules!!!

Syracuse and Apple Picking

Terence and I went to Syracuse over Labor Day weekend for Megan Helen's wedding. It was so great to get to see everyone! AND to enjoy the cold weather!!

We decided to go apple picking the morning of the wedding while everyone was getting ready. So Leslie, Calvin, Terence, and I decided to head to Beak and Skiff which also has a winery and a vodka distillery.

They had tractors to take everyone out to the apple orchard and handed out bags and ladders for everyone to get their own apples. We were able to pick JonaMac apples (and get all the flavors we wanted back at the general store).

After picking our apples we headed back and picked up some apple cider (delicious) and the best apple cider donuts ever! Afterwards we headed to the apple winery and the apple vodka distillery....and then we were apple'd out!

The wedding took place later that night, it was a beautiful outdoor ceremony and a nice lodge setting for the reception.

Congrats to the happy couple!

The next day we headed down to Cooperstown for the Baseball Hall of Fame...I'll let Terence talk about that cause I was just the photographer! 

Next up...Outer Banks, North Carolina for Krna's wedding! 

More Maui...Old Lahaina Luau...(plus video!)

Deb did wonderfully selecting the luau...she and Christine had been to other luau's on the island on previous visits, but this was my first, as well as Christy's.  Reviews dictated the Old Lahaina Luau was the best, and it surely was.  We were pleased with the gorgeous view and sunset on the Lahaina coastline...

We also watched them dig up our dinner, PIG!  They call it "Kalua Pua'a."  It's roasted in the underground oven called a "imu'."

 Additionally, they had all sorts of Hawaiian favorites to eat...and drinks kept flowing.  Here's the menu if you are curious...menu link.  I had no shame drinking the Pina Colada's, the Lava Flows, and Mai Tai's.  I love tropical drinks with rum, they definitely are something you can drink in Hawaii without much judgement.  I know I won't order them here in Houston while out with friends...I don't need to lob that one in for jokes!

After we were done with our amazing food, we had entertainment.  I don't know exactly what entertainment you typically expect during a luau, but it was great.  They told a story about Hawaii, the history, the culture...all through song and dance.

I kept thinking of the "hips swing" song...

I highly recommend the Old Lahaina Luau...

Makena Beach & Golf Resort (Maui) - Pictures & Course Review

You can read the "live" update from our trip in Maui at the following link: MAKENA...

But if you want details and quality photos (not from my iPhone), read on...

I loved the course. I can't say this enough. I did my research and found that it was a beautiful course in addition to being challenging. The book that Deb's uncle was reading, Maui Revealed, called it an "ego bruiser" so I had my concerns the night before.

I played with two ex-teachers (Doug and Frank) from Colorado, and they made for a great day on the course. Doug gave me a tip midway through the round that improved my game and made me conscious for future rounds...more on that to come...

Hole 1 was a straight par 4...nothing much of a challenge...drive off the tee sailed right, ended up with an 8. I had that thought, "oh crap, first time I play in front of Deb and I'm playing like this!"

Holes 2, 3, and 4...I was fortunate to bogey the three...granted this by no means is a confidence builder, but I at least got the doubt out of my head and control of my game. I won't mention that hole 4 was a par 3, where I made a big "no no," by three-putting!

I shot a par on holes 5, 7 and 8...and closed the front 9 with a 45 (on 36 par). It was hole 6 (I believe) that Doug noticed I wasn't bringing my hips through the swing, and wasn't turning post-swing...technically, I can't really speak to what I mean, but it helped... On hole 9, my drive was 300+ yards, setting me up for a feel-good back 9.

To sum up the back 9, it was awesome...I shot par on holes 11, 13, 14, 17 and 18. I had solid drives, solid irons, and sand shots...my putting was "so so." Shot a 40, on a 36 par.

Holes 14 and 15...WOW. These were by far the most unique holes that I've ever played on. As we were playing, we were slowly inclining up the side of the volcano. It was on these two holes that we came back down the most. I asked in the club house and they said the drops were over 200 feet! My drive on hole 14 was awesome...it was long and straight...straight over the fairway! Luckily, it hit a tree and ricocheted out into the rough...playable! Great holes, quite memorable.

Overall, it was an awesome day...much thanks goes to my lovely wife and personal photographer, Deb. I joked that she was my lucky charm...outside of the first hole, the day was impressive...it was the only hole I was beyond a bogey. It has been a long, long time since I shot an 85...and definitely was not expecting it on vacation, while using rental clubs, all while being distracted with views of the Hawaiian islands!