Virginia’s Blue Ridge TWENTY24 win GC and two stages at Valley of the Sun Stage Race. The squad was directed by Shelley Olds. "It's always inspiring to win the first race of the year, especially a stage race.  But the team didn't just win the overall, they won 2 stages and were 1st and 2nd in GC on the final day. This group of women is one of the strongest, most competitive and professional groups I have ever worked with.  As the Race Director for Valley of the Sun Stage Race in Arizona, I had a dream team to direct. The core group of riders have grown from their experiences together last year and they were able to incorporate and teach the new riders that we have on out on the road.  The team is strong already, but we will only get stronger over the next couple of months.  I can't wait to see what they do in the next race!!" - Shelley Olds

“Valley of the Sun Stage Race was the perfect opener to the race season for me for many reasons....

My sister is a phenomenal chef, gifted with the ability of putting together tables of extraordinary flavors without ever turning to a recipe. Why is that relevant, you may ask? Well, we can all get stuck in a rut sometimes just making our "go-to's" that we can prepare with our eyes closed, right? I'm always inspired after a visit to her house, where we spend time together in the kitchen and I get to play sous chef and take in all kinds of new ideas.

On my recent trip, we prepared a feast for the eyes and taste buds—Yum Bowls! As a means to bring the northwest's Cafe Yumm! goodness home, and a favorite with kids and adults alike—they're a make-your-own-put-everything-in-a-bowl healthy food festival for your belly!

So when I got home, I made it for the crew here and let's just say it's on the keeper list. And what's even better is there are endless possibilities to change it up and keep it fresh from season to season. For this go around, I prepared the following, placed...

A few months ago Kristine McCormick, Outdoors Experience Manager at Virginia's Blue Ridge connected KX3 Co-Founder Nicola Cranmer  with Melisa Ludtke to speak at TEDx Boston. Melissa is an award-winning journalist she reported and wrote for Sports Illustrated and Time and was editor of Nieman Reports at Harvard University.

"Melissa came across the article in the Roanoke Times regarding Rukhsar's journey and how we had connected from afar through cycling. I felt this was a perfect opportunity for Rukhsar to share her story as the plight of Afghanistan becomes eclipsed by other news. The Afghan women's cycling team used the bicycle as a vehicle for social justice, enduring violence and social stigma and were nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize by members of the Italian parliament. 

Thank you John Werner and Melissa and the TEDx Boston team for a wonderfully inspiring and emotional event and for providing these women the opportunity to share experiences". - Nicola

...

---

With race season underway for some and quickly approaching for others, you won’t want to miss this!

 

The next KX3 Haley’s HUB Zoom session with Haley Batten is coming up on Sunday, May 1st at 9:00 a.m. MST! Please register (for free) in advance at the link below, and we look forward to seeing you there! All Juniors, U23s, and parents are welcome!

 

TOPIC:  KX3 Haley's HUB — What does it take to be prepared?

 

DESCRIPTION: When it comes to performance it begins with being prepared. 

During this session, Haley will share:

1. How to create a travel plan and tips for minimizing the negative effects.

2. How to start to learn about your equipment, adjust if for a specific course, and step-by-step of how to better understand your equipment.

3. General race preparation.

 

You are invited to a Zoom meeting. 

When: Sunday, May 1, 2022 09:00 Mountain Time (US and Canada) 

 

Please register in advance for this...

By: Heather Foster, Co-Founder, KX3 Lifestyle + Coaching

The transition from winter to spring means so many things, but most importantly, it means more time on the bike outside and the opportunity to bike commute to work! 

Here in the mountains of Idaho, the mornings are still cold (20's-30's), and the afternoons are starting to warm up a bit (into the 50's-60's on a good day), so there's some prep work that goes into my bike commute and having my pack dialed in is key to making it fun! I've tried several packs over the past few years, and I've finally found the winner for carrying the "stuff" I need and I'm guessing you might too (we'll get to the details shortly). I work in a pretty casual environment, but I'm hopeful that the recommendations here can suit just about anyone with minor adaptations as needed.

First things first—the pack. Any backpack will technically work, but finding one that fits well while you're riding your bike and...

Making BIG, YUMMY salads as a main course is a favorite past time of mine especially as we head into spring/summer, and thanks to True Food Kitchen, this instantly became a favorite when I tried it at one of their restaurants. So I bought their cookbook and it's full of "seasonal, sustainable, simple, and pure" recipes! I'll share more down the road!

Chicken-Farro Salad

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup farro
• 6 ounces (about 9 cups) mixed baby greens
• 1 1/2 cups leftover cooked chicken, cut into strips (if short on time, I buy a roasted chicken at the supermarket and pull all the meat off)
• 1/3 cup unsweetened dried cranberries
• 1/3 cup chopped dates
• 2 ounces Manchego cheese, shaved with a vegetable peeler! 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup Champagne Vinaigrette (see recipe below or substitute your own)
• 1/4 cup chopped Marcona almonds

Directions:

• Cook farro per instructions on package, drain well, and spread on a shallow dish to cool.
• In a salad bowl, combine the greens, chicken, cooled farro,...

One pot and all the yumminess in one of my favorite soups— and it's the perfect, hearty, healthy, warm-your-soul goodness in a bowl! I first tried this recipe at a friend's house and jotted the recipe down from one of her cookbooks, but can't remember which book.

Warm up a crusty loaf of bread to serve on the side after a long outdoor adventure! I always love to bust out my favorite bowls for this one—Bon appetit!

 Ingredients:

• 3 tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 large shallots, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
• 1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 1 tbs. finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 tbs. dried oregano
• 2 carrots, peeled and chopped
• 6 ounces cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 1 red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
• 8 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth (or veggie broth if you prefer)
• 1 28-ounce can peeled whole plum tomatoes, preferably San Marzano, crushed by hand, in juice. Do this in a bowl on the side until pieces...