Most of my English professors might be shocked to know that one of my favourite books is “Oh the Places You’ll Go” by Dr. Seuss. After six years of formally exploring literature, there it sits on my shelf next to Woolfe, Defoe, Morrison, Walker, Chaucer, Nobokov, Shakespeare, Homer. I have always loved children’s literature. I remember panicking on the first day of a graduate studies seminar when the professor asked us to recite opening lines from famous novels. The whole class easily obliged quoting “Ulysses,” “Pride and Prejudice,” “Jane Eyre” and the like, while all I could think of was the first few lines of the children’s poem “Jabberwocky” that appears in Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass, and What Alice Found There.”
As much as I have learned to appreciate the “Great Works of the Literary Canon,” I just marvel at the simplicity and relevance of children’s literature and no one does it better than Seuss. Perhaps, it might not be fair to compare famous novels to a recent children’s book, but I have no doubt “Oh the Places You’ll Go” is a piece of literature that will stand the test of time. Then again, maybe I’m just a kid at heart.
Speaking of childlike pursuits, I love riding my bike. It is a passion that has rewarded me over and over, not just with health, but with opportunities to travel, meet extraordinary people and experience new things, all of which I aim to share in hopes of inspiring others. Cycling was also the reason I became obsessed with healthy cooking. I love making nutritious, adventurous and fresh food to fuel my training. I never really stick to recipes so most of my recipes are forgiving and easy. I use basic equipment, simple techniques, and readily available ingredients. My food philosophy, a la Dr Sues, is to keep it simple.
So, I will be sharing all things cycling and all things food that inspire me and hopefully they will be things that spark your imagination and inspire you too. As the opening line “Oh the Place You’ll Go” states:
