From the Inside Out

I admit it.

I’ve been cheating.

My loyalties are split.

I have neglected the old one to pay attention to a newer, more attractive one.

It was bound to happen after so many years.

Yes, after years of being loyal to this blog, I have strayed. I have started another blog. Shocking…yes, I know! But those of you who are still here enjoying my infrequent updates shouldn’t worry. I’m not leaving you. I still plan to update this blog regularly with my personal updates, stories, and thoughts. I can’t guarantee that I’ll ever go back to daily updates. Once the spell was broken, it was difficult to regain the zest for updating it daily. However, I hope to post updates weekly — at a minimum — and possibly more if it’s a good week.

Now for the brand new shiny object, my new blog is focused on journaling my cycling adventures. I’ll chronicle my participation in charity rides, group bike tours, and training rides.

I’ll also share tips that I learn along the way, and point out things from a unique perspective, that of a female rider struggling to keep up with the guys. Stay tuned for product reviews, helpful tools, and insights on where to find the best cycling gear and jerseys.

If you are interested in following along, subscribe or bookmark the site at: www.cyclinginsideout.com. If you are on Twitter, you can also follow me @cycleinsideout.

On July 23, I will be cycling in the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure fundraising event at Texas Motor Speedway. More than 23.6 million Americans — including some of my own family members and friends — suffer from diabetes. During this event, I’ll be joining with riders from across North Texas to help ride for a cure.

Gary and I will be cycling the course with the Cisco corporate team, and I need sponsors to help me reach my fundraising goal of $150. All proceeds benefit the American Diabetes Association and will help us make a difference in the fight against diabetes.

If you’d like to sponsor me, click here to visit my personal site and make a donation.

Together, we can all make a difference!

I’ve been back at work for two days now, and I think I’m suffering from the post-vacation blues. Yes, that’s it exactly. I’m easing back into real life, but wishing for additional carefree vacation days. That’s the downside of a perfectly pristine vacation. It leaves you wanting more, and more and more.

I know I shouldn’t feel this way. I’m lucky to have the opportunity to travel and experience these amazing adventures, so I should be thankful. I shouldn’t be sad. At that same time, I think it’s typical for people to feel a little blue when they have to go back to work and deal with reality. It’s impossible for real life to compete with vacation life. The comparison isn’t fair.

The good news is that Friday is only two days away. I’ll snap back into the grind soon. For now, I comfort myself with happy memories of the last two weeks and remind myself of a saying from the wise Dr. Seuss, “Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.”

Our last day in Prague started in the spa at the Augustine Hotel. Getting a massage was a relaxing way to wind down an adventurous trip, and the spa at the Augustine was divine. My sore body was thanking me for giving it a little pampering.

In the afternoon, we ventured out for more exploring, and here’s what we found.

Old Town Square palaces and church

Contortionist and sword swallower performing in the square

Park in the middle of the river

Paddle boats and rowboats galore

Great view for dinner

Free marionette show on Charles Bridge

After cycling from Salzburg to Prague, we decided to sleep late and take a much needed break before venturing outside to explore the city. It felt great to not set an alarm for 6:40 am! In fact, we didn’t set any alarm. We got up when we felt like it. Now, that’s a vacation!

After noon, we made our way to the famous Prague Castle, which according to the Guinness Book of World Records, is the largest coherent castle complex in the world with an area of almost 70,000 m. I definitely believe Guinness because it’s huge! We toured through the most compelling areas of the castle before descending the hill back into the city area where we booked a river boat tour. The boat tour takes you through the heart of Prague on the Vltava River. It was a nice break after walking all over the city, and it afforded us some fantastic views of the sights.

We later crossed the river and went into the Old Town area which is packed with shops, restaurants, and tons of tourists. After spending the last 8-9 days away from the busyness of a large city packed with annoying tourists, it made me long for one of those nice, quiet Austrian villages. Don’t get me wrong. Prague is awesome! I just wish there were fewer tourists roaming the city. I guess that’s what you get when you travel in the Summer, though. We usually travel later in the year…but now back to Prague. We explored the crowded streets and wandered through some of the tourist shops before finding our way to the Hard Rock Cafe for a familiar dinner featuring American food. Oh, how I’ve missed American food, and don’t get me started on how much I’m craving some Mexican food right now. It will be my first meal when I get home.

After dinner, we explored a bit more before calling it quits. Our legs were still sore and after all of the walking we did today, we were tired so we enjoyed the rest of the night relaxing in our hotel.

We have one more day in Prague before flying home. I’m not sure what exciting things we’ll find tomorrow, but we’ll make the most of our last day.

Here are the highlights from today’s adventures.

St. Vitus Cathedral in the Prague Castle

Side view of the cathedral

View looking down on the city from the palace terrace

Palace buildings in the castle

View of Charles Bridge from the river boat tour

Looking towards the National Theatre Building in the middle with gold roof

Hard Rock Cafe Prague

For more pictures, check out the Austria II and Czech Republic pictures in the photo section of the blog.