Athletic-Minded Traveler

Here at Athletic-Minded Traveler, we fully support the pursuit of hot, sweaty yoga as a means to enhance your overall wellbeing.  As Bikram Yoga enthusiasts we measure our efforts not in numbers or with medals, but with how much sweat we can wring from our towels at the end of class. The bigger the puddle, the greater our efforts. And as Erin recently blogged, No Pain, No Gain.

There’s only one problem: all of that sweat is now on your mat. And as most of us roll it up and toss it in the car for a few hours, that thing is bound to get pretty funky (i.e., STINKY). Here’s a quick biology lesson: moisture + warm temperatures = bacteria. You need to clean your mat regularly with something that will kill the bacteria in order to eliminate the smell and prolong the life your mat.

We’ve conducted a little research on our own mats to find the best products to de-funk your most important yoga tool. Here are some of our favorites: 

Jo-sha Wipes: These handy, individually wrapped wipes are perfect for traveling yogis. Made from biodegradable materials and pure essential oils, these wipes can also be used to clean off hands and feet, or freshen up before class. Choose from 4 delicious scents such as lavender or eucalyptus for a little aromatherapy every time you unroll your mat.

Vermont Soap Mat Spray: A mild cleaning agent made of natural castile soap to help wash away the residue and build up found on mats. Just spray, and wipe away! The 2oz. spray bottle is carry-on friendly and fits easily in your gym bag, while the larger size is perfect for cleaning your mat at home.

Tea Tree Oil: If you’re not one for fancy products and prefer to “do it yourself,” then try mixing a few drops of pure tea tree oil with water in a spray bottle. Just spray it on and wipe it off! You can find it at most grocery stores, usually in the “natural foods” aisle for about $8, depending on the size.

Other Mat Maintenance Tricks:

If you really want a non-smelly mat, you’re going to have to clean your mat after every use (yes, EVERY USE) and let it air dry on a clothes rack or shower rod with plenty of air flow. In fact, we recommend having two mats and alternating, so each can really dry out.

We also suggest hand wiping a brand new mat before use since it may often has a residue on it, which causes slippage. And, don’t even think about putting your mat in the washing machine! It may seem like an easy way to disinfect, but it breaks down the fibers and opens the porous surfaces, allowing bacteria to have more places to hide.

Keep your most prized yoga possession looking like new and free from the funk. If not for your own enjoyment, then please consider your classmates (as they scurry to find a new spot every time you unroll your mat.)

Namaste!

We participate in a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture). Every other week my daughter and I walk 3 blocks and pick up our box of farm-fresh, locally grown produce. It’s pretty amazing and has definitely broadened my fruit and veggie horizons. (Click here to read more about buying local etc.)

The box offers what is in season and, unfortunately for me, carrots have been in season a lot. There are very few vegetables that I don’t care for and carrots are one of them along with beets and acorn squash. I give the beets away, because Jim doesn’t like them either, and so far there haven’t been any acorn squash.

But the carrots… I refuse to waste them or give them away (at least all of the time). I’ve found a few ways to make use of the orange critters such as carrot muffins, shredded carrot salad, carrot cake, even bbq’ed carrots! I have yet to give this a try?

Anyway, the following recipe is the real winner. It’s healthy, easy and tastes good. It even gets better over a few days.

The original recipe comes from “Conscious Cuisine” by Cary Neff, Executive Chef of the Miraval Resort and Spa. However, I have made a few tweaks.

Carrot Ginger Apple Soup

Ingredients:

1/4 tsp olive oil
4C chopped carrots (or whatever you have!)
1C chopped yellow onion (about 1 large)
1 tsp minced garlic (or use two squares of the frozen crushed garlic from Trader Joe’s)
1-2 tsp minced FRESH ginger (don’t skimp here–use fresh)
1 1/2C chopped and peeled Granny Smith apples (I prefer Pink Ladies or a combo of Granny and Fuji)
32 oz vegetable broth (original recipe calls for 5 cups)
1/2C oats (I use the old fashioned ones, NOT quickie oats)
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper

Directions:

Heat a medium stockpot over medium high heat. Add olive oil to lightly coat bottom. Add carrots, onion, garlic, ginger, and appes. Cook until onion has softened, about 5 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce and simmer utnil carrots are soft (20-30 minutes).

Now, here is where I totally ignore the original recipe. Forget ladling into a blender and processing and then straining to remove the pulp. No way. I simply use my cuisinart hand blender directly in the pot to puree away. So easy and quick.

Taste and adjust with additional salt and pepper. If you like a less thick soup, add more stock or water.

Nutrition (From the original recipe — It’ll be super close)
1 Cup = 150 calories, 5g Protein, 1.5g fat, 33g carbs, 8g dietary fiber and 300mg sodium

I think there is truth to this saying.

Of course, how one defines “pain” is the determining factor. In terms of exercise, I think the “pain” is a good thing. It’s the burn, struggle, high, and/or sweat equity of the workout. It’s what you come for.

If it doesn’t hurt a little, what’s the point? You suffer a little (or even a lot) and feel awesome afterward. And it doesn’t matter too much what you do, swim, bike, run, yoga, weight lifting, aerobics…

Bikram Yoga is my workout of choice and it perfectly illustrates my point.

Our studio in Old Town is “known” for its heat. I can attest to its heat factor from my experiences at other studios across the country and from the comments I’ve heard from others. And this studio does GREAT business, despite the fact that its students often whine “it’s too hot.” I usually complain when it’s not hot enough!

But, these same students come back. And soon they too complain if the heat isn’t up to par.

Why? Because the heat takes this yoga practice to a new level. With no heat, there is little struggle. It’s too easy. (Keep in mind that Bikram is for beginners.) And while we all like easy (or think we do), most of us won’t pay for it.

My brother recently began practicing Bikram yoga in Bend, Oregon, and he still says he hates it. But, he goes back 3+ times a week. In fact, he just completed 21 days in a row! He goes back because it’s hard; it works; and he sees results. (Read his story here.) And it’s the combination of the 26 poses over 90 minutes with heat that produces results.

The Bend studio is a good one. The heat is decent and the instruction is top-notch. I can’t say the same for some of the other studios I have practiced in. I’ve been in classes where at the slightest sign of any student becoming fatigued, the teacher opens a window or door or turns the heat down. I’ve even heard where one teacher said “we don’t want to risk anything.” Risk what? I’m still shaking my head at this nonsense. No pain, No gain. Try it.

I would wager that these same studios are not doing as well as they could financially. If I want to be coddled and have a nice glisten, I sure as heck don’t need to pony up $10-$15/class. I can perform some nice and easy stretches on my own for free. Okay, I admit, the Bikram sequence is quite genius, but for loyalists, it is ALSO the heat that keeps us coming back for more.

The Old Town San Diego studio is huge by comparison to others and the class numbers have increased significantly over the last year. Sure yoga is becoming more and more mainstream, but I have another explanation for the surge. I call it the Starbucks Effect.

Other burgeoning studios (such at CorePower) offer “hot yoga” or a Bikram knock-off as one of many class options. Undoubtedly there is a population that discovers hot yoga this way and then realizes that the genuine article can be had elsewhere, e.g., at a Bikram studio where there is more pain and gain.

Sbux popularized coffee drinking and MANY independent coffee houses benefitted from the free advertising. And while Bikram Choudhury (the inventor of Bikram Yoga), is certainly right to be disgruntled over his namesake being used without permission, I think it has helped some studios such as mine.

So, why do you exercise? And what is exercise really? Hmmm. If you want to stay active and fit wherever you go, check us out!

What drives product and/or brand loyalty?

Is there a product or brand that you are super passionate about? So “in love” with in fact that you think you would be the ideal commercial spokesperson? (I confess right now, that Barbara’s Bakery would do very well to hire me at their pitch woman for Peanut Butter Puffins, my all-time favorite food for the last 8 years!)

Performance is definitely at the top of our list. But how much does customer service impact loyalty? And will a customer overlook weaknesses in one area due to clear superiority in another? Clearly any franchise, chain, or manufacturer that seeks a repeat buy is hoping they do well on performance AND service.

As a travel focused enterprise, we are constantly critiquing travel service providers (hotels, airlines, fitness clubs, gyms, eateries, etc.) and one really bad experience can easily pollute any previous goodwill. But if the provider makes amends in a tangible way, this customer service can compensate for the bad performance. And we’ll come back.

What about consumer product manufacturers? Recently I’ve experienced some super customer service, so exceptional in fact, that I want to tell others about it!

First, Capresso. This coffee maker has done right by me three times. Now, sure, there’s obviously a little bit of a performance issue if I need the customer service. This is true. So here’s a quick summary:

When I purchased a new drip coffeemaker from Capresso, the water container smelled terribly of plastic–a chemical like smell. I called the company and they suggested a few remedial actions. The smell persisted. They then sent me a new replacement container, which did not smell. But after using it in my maker, the smell returned. They finally sent me a new machine. This did the trick. They were responsive, helpful, and didn’t waste time. And I didn’t have to sit on hold for 20 minutes, page through a multitude of automated responses and could communicate by email!

I’ve since upgraded machines to a high-end fully automatic coffee center. And I went straight to Capresso for my purchase. I chose the Impressa F9, which retails for nearly $1800. BUT, I purchased a re-manufactured machine for half of that! Anyway, for coffee geeks, you simply push a button and voila, espresso or coffee! It’s lovely. However, I’ve had two small problems since my purchase. On both occasions, I called the customer service number, had only to push one number (meaning I did NOT have to cycle through some ridiculous long menu) and was talking to a live person, who exactly understood my problem and walked me through the solution. It was amazing. I felt like I had my own personal coffee concierge!

NOTE: For those thinking of purchasing this machine, there is a BIG downside. The coffee is just not very hot. It pales in comparison to a cup from Peet’s. I don’t get this. I actually do the coffee unthinkable and nuke it! Help!

But, back to the performance versus service tradeoff: I’m not too bitter about the temp thing, because I like Capresso. I like Capresso, because they’ve treated me very well and, expect for the temperature thing, the product is wonderful. I am loyal.

My SECOND customer service “love-in” is with Bugaboo, the maker of high-end strollers.

What is different here, is that this product was purchased for utility versus pleasure. I savor my coffee. I look forward to it. Not so with the stroller. We had a baby; we needed a stroller. I was in search of a model that would hold up to a lot of outdoor use and that was travel friendly. The bugaboo is pricey (about $900) and as a result I expect high performance. And while we have had two fairly major mishaps over the last two years, this product is great. About 6 months after purchase, one of the tires suddenly blew up. About 3 months ago the front wheel broke off. In both instances, I emailed Bugaboo and within a few days received a response and then a part replacement. Just like that. They asked for the model number and a few other things, but that was it. Done. End of story. No hassle, waiting, etc. They delivered. I was totally impressed.

The Wall Street Journal recently reviewed the book “The Best Service is No Service” by Bill Price and David Jaffe. It’s a book about customer service. It’s not easy for companies to get it right and they posit that it’s all about management. I have no idea who owns, runs, manages or is in charge at Capresso or Bugaboo. What I do know, is that I’ll buy from these companies again.

And back to the cereal thing…I did have a positive customer service experience with Barbara’s too, but because I love those peanut butter puffins so much, it probably would not affect my buying decision. This is a clear example of valuing “performance” over service, but I think this is rare. There are too many competitor products out there for any company to think that service is not important.

Athletic-Minded Traveler primarily serves business travelers and other adults who want to stay active, healthy and fit when away from home, so the term “kid friendly” isn’t part of our daily lexicon.

We sometimes note if restaurants and cafes have a kids’ menu in the EAT WELL section of the site, and as parents a few of our past posts have come from this perspective. How Triathlon Training Helps with Parenting, Getting Kids More Healthy and our Deli Meat and Nitrate posts were all kid inspired.

Until very recently my definition of kid friendly went something like this: Anyplace you can bring your kid without getting a dirty look. And those places that are specifically designed for kids (e.g., coffee bars with a big play area) don’t count. These are kid places that are also parent friendly. Not the same thing.

What changed? I stumbled upon a few truly kid friendly businesses in the Bird Rock neighborhood of San Diego. At the local coffee shop, there are kids books, toys and food items for the little guys/girls…just down the street, at a very hip clothing boutique, the same set-up, a big basket full of toys and a building block type thing. LOVE it. Not only do these businesses not get annoyed at the extra noise, busyness, and mess potential of a kid, they welcome it.

This is what I call kid friendly.

I’m often asked this question by cyclists and triathletes about to purchase a new bike. (Note: A step back for non-riders—unlike the bikes sold at Toys R Us, REI, Sports Authority, and other general sporting goods stores, specialty bike shops allow for picking/choosing various parts and accessories to add to the bike frame. The most important decision relates to the gearing/shifting/drive-train mechanisms as these parts along with human power make the bike go (and stop). “Dura Ace” is the Japanese manufacturer Shimano’s top-of-the-line group. “Ultegra” is considered a notch down in quality…but is it? Typically the conversation goes something like this:

Q: So I’m looking at dropping $1500 to $3000 on a new bike and I’m wondering whether to save some money and go with a Shimano Ultegra group or spend the extra $800 and go all out on Dura Ace?

A: Obviously, if cost is not an issue for you, then go with Dura Ace. It is a better product. But, if cost isn’t an issue why aren’t you looking at a $10,000 Pinarello, Colnago, or BMC? $800 (DA runs about $1700 and Ultegra $900) is a lot of money to most riders – especially when there are always other cool bike accessories to spend cash on: Better wheels, aerobars, sadde…or even plane and hotel fare for your next event.

Even if we give Shimano the benefit of the doubt that the drivetrain shifts a bit smoother than Ultegra, I simply disagree that the upgrade to DA is worth $800 for those on a budget. A half-pound of weight is miniscule on a percentage basis when considering the overall weight of the bike and even smaller still when including the rider’s weight. A rider of 130 lbs. plus a bike that weighs 15 lbs. means that the half-pound of added weight comprises only a third of a percent (i.e., less than one percent) weight differential. Obviously, the weight differential decreases even more for heavier riders—in both cases, an insignificant and unnoticeable amount.

Q: But what about DA’s functionality - won’t it shift easier and help me go faster?

A: I continue to ride bikes with both set ups and it’s very difficult for me to appreciate the difference when I shift, brake, pedal, etc. I’m sure there is a slight difference, but while riding, the hundredths-of-seconds while shifting and the ease of pedaling is imperceptible to me. I don’t believe you’ll notice a difference either. And look at it this way, if you beat your buddies to the top of a climb, you can always rub it in a little more by exclaiming that you did it with “inferior” components!

Do you know when your apple was harvested? I don’t. We favor Grannies and Pink Ladies. We buy them at Trader Joe’s, the farmers’ market, Whole Foods or our nearby Von’s.

And since I don’t know the harvesting details (meaning fresh picked versus coming out of “controlled atmosphere storage”), I ALWAYS put them in the refrigerator. WHY?

1. Stored in the fridge, apples can last 5x as long as when left out on the counter
2. Apples coming out of storage ripen 8x faster than those that are fresh picked
3. I favor a cool and crisp apple. Nothing is worse than a mealy apple! Well maybe a mealy peach.

Other Apple factoids:

Most apples can last 2 weeks in the fridge. Put them in a plastic bag so they don’t speed up ripening of other produce
Grannies and Fujis can last longer than 2 weeks
Apples are good for you. A medium apple with skin offers 4 grams of fiber, 10% of the RDA of Vitamin C, and an cancer fighting antioxidant punch via “flavonoids.”

Want more facts about apples? Check out this list

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Now that Paris has gone live on AMT, we’re excited to share some of the athletic-minded opportunities we discovered.

In July 2007, Paris began a public bike rental program (”Velib”) that makes cruiser bikes available to anyone wanting to ride (see our photos). More than 20,000 bikes and 1,450 self-service stations are spread across the city.

Rental is easy and if you get your bike back into another rack (or the same) within the first 30 minutes, there’s no charge!! To start, users must first take out a subscription, which provides an unlimited number of rentals. You may purchase a day, week, or year, subscription for 1, 5, or 29 Euros, respectively. Use your credit card for the subscription and subsequent billing, if any. After the first 30 minutes, costs are as follows:

1 hour - 1 Euro

90 minutes - 3 Euro

2 hours - 7 Euro

5 hours - 31 Euro

10 hours - 71 Euro

20 hours - 151 Euro

You can see how the price jumps significantly as more hours pass–this is to encourage short term commutes and the return of the bikes.

These aren’t Tour de France quality bikes, but still they’re a great way to see The City of Lights while simultaneously getting some heart pumping exercise.

Note: Helmets are not required, but watch out for opening car doors, pedestrians stepping off curbs, and of course auto traffic–having so many cyclists in downtown Paris is a new phenomenon for the locals and they’re still not used to watching out for those on two wheels!!

Would be great to see major U.S. cities develop a similar program — especially during the gasoline crisis.

We’re proud to announce that our Paris content has gone live! Maintaining a healthy and athletic-minded lifestyle is difficult enough throughout North America–in Europe it can be impossible.

As with other cities, our first hand tours revealed: Paris hotels with splendid gyms; the best health clubs, lap pools and run routes; healthy restaurants (including vegetarian options); outdoor activities and more! Also, it is important to note that we did not limit our coverage only to the most popular Champs Elysees area. Additionally, we toured quaint Montparnasse and business-focused La Defense as well.

Please let us know if we overlooked any Paris landmarks (athletic-minded, of course) that you believe deserve a recommendation.

Next up…Amsterdam…and we might make it another “Free Tour” destination.

Bon Voyage!

Skyrocketing gas prices should help motivate you to participate in this year’s Bike to Work Day–Friday, May 16th.

I know it’s not practical for some folks to bike to work, but then make a point to use your bike on Friday for something. Leave the car in the garage and instead ride two wheels to the market…to your yoga class…to your health club…to your kid’s baseball game…somewhere.

Recreational cycling is certainly on the rise in this country. Commuting on two wheels is the next step. If only our cities’ bike racks looked like Amsterdam’s:

But don’t get too carried away on your commute — ride safe:

And, don’t be afraid to wear biz attire: