Thursday, November 27, 2008

Back together again

Finally, I get to pick up Bonnie and Finn this morning. Their trip was extended by a couple of days because Finn was sick. We've been getting rain since Tuesday night so my training has been spent on the trainer watching old triathlons, and Iditarods. The girls like the dog sled races almost as much as I do.

Today we were supposed to spend Thanksgiving with some good friends that host a Thanksgiving bash every year. Anywhere from 40 to 60 friends and family descend on their Palm Springs home to celebrate life. We all sit down together to eat dinner. After eating we all mingle and linger throughout the house and yard. Before you know it guitars, and drums are coming out. Time for the entertainment. It's a blast. It would have been a cool first Thanksgiving for Finn. I'm just thankful to be picking up Bonnie and Finn today. It will be good to spend Thanksgiving with just the family. Turkey, football, a little spinning this morning and each other...what more could a guy ask for?

Ride on!

Saturday, November 22, 2008

Fun Across the Street

This morning a good friend of mine and I enjoyed a hike on the other side of the 10, across the street from our mountain. We hiked up San Gorgonio. It tops out at just a pinch more than 11,500' making it the highest point in SoCal. We started up around 6:15 and got back to the car about 6.5 hours later. We were thinking it would be a 14 mile round trip effort, it ended up being a little better than 18. It was fun checking out a new trail and catching up with a good friend. I remembered to bring my camera some here are a few shots of the fun. I gotta tell you it never looks as good in a picture as it does in real life.


We had to kick Rip Van Winkle out to get this shot.



A view of a ridge line on the way up.

Hey look who made it to the top! In the distance that's our San Jacinto mt. It's about 700' lower than San Gorgonio.


Tonight I'm looking forward to hanging out, maybe spinning, probably not and going to bed early.

Ride on!

Friday, November 21, 2008

It's a dog's life

Usually these guys are outside wrestling around on the deck. Last night this was my view from the trainer.I guess that run up and down scenic trail worked.

Ride on!

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Simple man

I took Bonnie and Finn to the airport yesterday. It looked like it would be just me and the girls for a few days, kind of an empty house. Then I got an email. Mary and Brendan are busy this weekend with a Wedding so Dave their dog is going to keep an eye on me and the girls. Full house again, how cool!

It seems very strange without Bonnie and Finn around. I keep thinking I need to be somewhere, or doing something so I can get home or over to the sitters to pick up Finn. Last night I was spinning in the living room watching some old cycling coverage. I kept thinking I needed to turn down the volume because it would wake Finn. Weird I know.

As one could probably guess training has picked up in Bonnie and Finn's absence. I ran the girls last night when I got home then spun for a couple of hours. This morning I got up and first thing I did was spend some time on the trainer. Then took the girls and Dave for a run. I also got in a quick run to work. Tonight I'll run home and put in a couple more hours on the trainer. Tomorrow will be more of the same.

So Bonnie if your reading this, you're not missing much...you have a very simple husband.

Ride on!

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

How to spend a weekend

What a great weekend. Finn got up early on Saturday so I was able to spend some time with him before I headed down to Temecula for the last race of the 12 Hour series. This event has really grown up over the past couple of years. This is a shot looking down the solo pits. I got to do the first lap, which was a lot of fun. The only time I really wanted more gears was on the easy flats where I would just spin out. My goals for this lap were to come in with a decent time and to clean everything. I did not want to have to clip out. I could have done it had I listened to Brendan. Before the race he told me to do a 'shake down' ride. But time was tight and I never got one in, so my first lap became my 'shake down' ride. Well about 7 miles a bolt on the sliding drop out can loose which caused the rear wheel to tip and rub against the chain stay. I couldn't get it back in so I soft pedaled the last three miles. No big deal and an easy fix.


Now came time to just hang out. Down time between laps was spent catching up with fellow racers and pitting for Mary and Ian who were both racing solo. Mary was there for some good training and just to see how she was feeling after a season like none other. Ian was there doing his first endurance event. They both put in some serious efforts. It was cool watch Ian go places he's never been. Here he is taking a much needed, and well deserved break.
Being on a four man team is pretty fun. If I was a faster racer I think I could get used to it. My second lap I really learned what it was like to be on a team. I was never passed and each rider I saw in the distance ahead of me I because my next target. I had to work Saturday night at school so after only two laps I needed to head out.

Sunday morning started with the usual. Get up play with Finn, grab some breakfast, get over to school for running and biking clubs. We had a good turn out for both. Then the plan was to get back home, drop the girls and the truck off and head down to meet Gray and Anna at the ranch. Instead Bonnie and Finn came along as well, which was great as I was kind of missing them. I hadn't spent any real time with either of them since Friday night. We all send the early part of the afternoon hiking in Garner Valley. Me and Bonnie on foot Gray and Anna on horseback, Finn on parentback. About an hour in Bonnie and Finn turned around and headed back as planned. The rest of us hiked on for about another couple of hours.

Sunday evening Brendan and Mary came over for some dinner. They have had us over to there place a bunch of times and we've never managed to have them over. What is our deal? It was good to hang out with good friends.

So short story long...I couldn't have asked for a better weekend.

Ride on!

Friday, November 14, 2008

Race prep

This week I've been able to get some good spinning and running in. Finn and I got out for a night run after dinner a couple of days ago. Bonnie had a meeting so Finn and I thought it might be fun to go for a moon lit run. I'm not sure when the full moon is but we've got to be close. We didn't even need a light, except with the exception of when the occasional car passed by. We also got out for a morning hike with a good friend. She lives in Alaska full time and has a second home down here. She decided it was time to get away so she come down for some r and r. She also finally got to meet Finn.

Tomorrow I'm racing at the 12 Hours of Temecula. Think I mentioned in an earlier post that I'll be racing on a four man single speed team. We're looking to have fun with the last race of the season. I'll racing on this Siren Song full 29. Brendan got it set up for me yesterday, I'll be running 32X20. He'll be running the same.
I think it will be fun to race on a team instead of solo. It will give me a chance to watching some racing. Mary is racing solo so I'll get to help her in the pits as well. Unfortunately I have to be back to school by 6:00 so I will not be able to be there for the end of the race. I think the plan is to have me put in so extra mileage before I have to duck out.

If your at the race stop by and say howdy, but more importantly don't laugh at me when I'm walking the uphills.

Ride on!

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Do you think we need more firewood?

Winter moved in this weekend. We got our first snow in the high country on Saturday. As the day went on the weather just deteriorated. Finn and I got out for about a 45 minute run. We needed some things at the grocery store so I put him in the baby carrier and we walked to town and got what we needed. Then since it's mostly up hill on the way back we took the scenic rout and ran. On the down hills he bounces around a bit too much so we walk those. When we got home Finn took a nap and I got to spin and watch the Penn State - Iowa game. What an upset.

Sunday the weather was still cruddy but I still and running and biking clubs. When I got home we watched the Packers and worked some more on grades as the end of the quarter has come. We kind of just hung out and got things done. Here is a shot of Bonnie and Finn hoping for a Packer win.

Friday, November 7, 2008

Results, Invites, and memories

I went to the Dr. this morning to get the results from my blood work and pulmonary study. The Dr. said my numbers were 'prefect', and only a mild case of asthma. It's considered mild because it only shows up after many hours of riding in cold dusty conditions. But when I'm in those situations it can be very debilitating. Hopefully the inhaler will help with that.



On another note I've been invited to ride on a four man team at 12 Hours of Temecula next weekend. We are in a single speed category, something I've never done. I think it will be a lot of fun, and who knows maybe I'll be bite by the SS bug? Brendan is going to hook me up with a single speed Song from the Siren demo fleet, should be fast, I hope I am.



I think most posts are best when coupled with images. So here is a shot from Owens Valley on the East side of the Sierras. We were up there a few weeks back to just get away and have some fun with friends. Aahhh good times!

Thursday, November 6, 2008

'And we're off'...but just by a little

Well this marks the first week of being back on the bike. Nothing too serious, in fact most of he time has been spent on the trainer. I'm still doing a lot of running and hiking as well. Early in the week I had to return some rented lighting equipment to San Diego so I brought the girls along for a run on the beach.







O.k. so they did more wrestling and swimming than running. All fun just the same, and a good way to start off training for the 2009 season. I'm really looking forward to racing in '09. There are some things in the works that I'll talk about as they pan out. If all goes as planned it promises to be an outstanding season.


Ride on!