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Hello from Hamlin, NY!! With nearly a foot of snow on the ground and temperatures in the teens, we're having a tough time thinking about riding bikes. Nonetheless we're busy putting final touches on our upcoming tours to sunnier locales. Below you'll find out what's new at Classic Adventures, a favorite recipe from Sarah & Dianne Hart, a word about 2008 exchange rates, and a training tip from Mike Prohaska.
If you're looking for a challenging ride, sunny weather and interesting sites off the beaten path, I cordially invite you to join us on our May 3-14 Island of Crete - Land of Zorba bicycle tour. We still have good availability and we have combined this tour with the Extreme Crete cycling program so that you can pick and choose which ride you want to do each day.
Regards,
Dale Hart
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What's New at Classic Adventures
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New 2008 Madone!!
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New for 2008 - Polar Insulated Water bottles
On every 2008 Classic Adventure you'll receive the new Polar Insulated water bottle. We think you'll agree that drinks that stay colder longer are better!!
Dale & Dianne Hart recently purchased new Trek Madone road bikes. With these new additions, they have spent the last three weeks in the Florida Everglades learning how to ride these machines, and they have been sailing their folding sea kayak.
A tradition in the Hart family is Sunday dinner with the entire family. Occasionally the chef treats us with dishes that incorporate elements from tours, including Greece, Quebec, France and the Finger Lakes of New York. It has proven to be a great way to fight the Winter Blues. Please send us your favorite recipe to test out. We'll feature one submitted selection in the next quarterly newsletter. Email us at info@classicadventures.com. |
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Stuffed vine leaves - Dolmades Yalantz
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30 fresh young vine leaves, 4 or 5 large leaves or some twigs from the vine,
1/2
cup olive oil,
3 large spring onions, sliced (white & thick green parts only),
1 clove garlic, chopped fine (optional), 1/2 cup rice (Carolina or nihaki), washed
and drained, 2 tbsp. parsley, finely
chopped 1 tbsp. dill, finely chopped, 2 tbsp. mint, finely chopped salt and pepper,
1/2
cup hot water.
Rinse the leaves, snipping off any hard stalks, and blanch them in boiling water
for four minutes. Drain and leave to cool.
Saute the onions and garlic, then add the rice, stirring till transparent. Add
the herbs, salt and pepper, and hot water and half-cook, till the water is absorbed.
Allow to cool. (As with other rice dishes, you could parboil the rice in one
cup of water, adding the oil and herbs later.)
To fill, take a leaf in the palm of your hand or lay it on a working surface,
dull side up, and spoon some of the rice mixture into the widest part, turning
in the bottom of the leaf and then the sides, and then rolling it up towards
the tip.
Spread the large leaves or twigs on the oiled bottom of a heavy saucepan and
lay the shiny little parcels, folded side down, into the pan, packing them in
tightly to keep them from unwrapping, and press a plate down on top of them.
Just cover with hot water and the lemon juice, cover, and simmer for about an
hour.
Serve warm with thick egg and lemon sauce or cold as mezes. Vine leaves are also stuffed with minced meat, the quantity of rice reduced by half.
Recipe borrowed from Greek Calendar Cookbook by Anne Yannoulis |
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A Word About Exchange Rates
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The dollar's ups and downs don't matter when you reserve a Classic Adventure. In short, your trip is priced and paid for in US dollars, so your price isn't subject to foreign currency fluctuations. We guarantee our prices despite the weak dollar. We don’t add in extra exchange fees, or surcharges to make up for it. In fact on many of our tours both lunch and dinners are included. Your actual out of pocket expenses on a Classic Adventures tour may be lower than what other tours cost. Shop and compare. |
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Training Tip - Don't be Shiftless
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Multi-speed bicycles enable us humans to propel our weak bodies down the highway in a most efficient manner. Much like a tractor trailer truck, our bodies aren't strong enough to stop, start, go up hills, and maintain road speed without using many different gears. Have you ever driven a stick shift car? If so, you know that you must shift at the proper moment in order to maintain power. If you don't shift a car or truck at the proper time, there is too much stress on the engine. This lugging decreases the capability of the engine and can even cause some damage.
While engine speed is referred to as RPM's, the speed at which we pedal a bicycle
is called "cadence." Most authorities agree that about 70 revolutions
per minute is the minimum cadence that one should keep when riding a bicycle.
Don't worry about going faster than that. Most racers maintain a cadence of over
90 revolutions per minute. Initially, you may think it is inefficient to pedal
that fast on a continual basis, but it isn't. Just like a motor vehicle, you
will expend more energy when you don't maintain the proper cadence. This means
that you must shift your bicycle as you speed up and slow down. After you get
the hang of it, it will become second nature to make the proper shifts. Lastly,
it is important to pedal continuously as opposed to pedaling - coasting, etc. |
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