December 25, 2013

Merry Christmas!

These are the different designs I came up with for this year's Christmas cards. I had fun making them for family and friends and am glad to share them here!

December 16, 2013

Three Skin Essentials for Winter Rides


My skin care routine changes a bit in the winter to deal with the cold, dry air. In the summer, I'm more concerned with sun-protection and my skin needs less added moisture due to humidity. These days, I'm pretty much drenching my skin in lotion!

Here are the products I use in the winter to keep my skin soft and protected:

1. A high-quality facial moisturizer is your skin's first defense against the wind. Even with exposure to freezing winds, my face never gets dried out. I apply my lotion before heading out in the morning and it lasts through my bike rides to and from work.

2. Even with layers and the warmth generated by biking, dry winter air begets dry skin. I use my favorite body lotion after every shower.

3. I keep this small tube of hand cream in my bag and use it multiple times throughout the day. I like to use it before putting on my gloves and heading out for a ride, after washing my hands, and especially after a climbing session at the gym.

December 11, 2013

Potsdam Bike Trip

The bicycle tour we took while in Germany was a day trip to the City of Potsdam. We started on the northern edge of Grunewald, a forest on the western edge of Berlin, and biked through the fall colors along Lake Wannsee about 12 miles to the City of Potsdam. The terrain was a bit hilly, which was a change from the completely flat topography in Berlin. As many people on road and touring bikes powered up the hills pass us, we had a tinge of homesickness for our touring bikes.
We had a bite to eat and walked around Sanssouci Park, the site of summer palaces that once belonged to Prussian royalty, before we took our bikes on the train back to Berlin.  

December 4, 2013

Berlin Biking Families

For many Berliners, everyday cycling is a family affair. The most common methods are either carrying the kids in a bike seat or staying on the sidewalks with the kids riding or striding along on their own little bike. Unlike in Madison, trailers are a rarity.