Pepper

Now that 2005 is over, I'm glad to say it is gone. I would have said it to its face, but 2005 kicked my ass in so many ways that I just didn't want another beating.

The year did, however, show that when there are thorns, there are usually flowers. Since I didn't ride but a 1000 or so miles this year, I was around the house more. Well, in a few instances, I couldn't have left the house anyway, but whatever.

Getting tore up by the thorns did expose some friendships and strengthen some others. I grew even tighter with my immediate family and those friends we consider as such. And though I'm glad the year has passed, I would go through that tough stuff again if I knew that these relationships would turn out as they have.

At awards shows, the recepients of awards typcially thank a list of people. The risk in that is inadvertently leaving someone out who deserves recognition, which is seemingly worse than not mentioning anyone at all.

So, at the risk of almost certainly leaving someone off the list, I want to take the opportunity to thank some folks...

David, thank you for the talks. Thanks for the nudge when I needed a nudge and letting me roll when I needed to roll.
Burke, thank you for being ready at any time.
Becky, thank you for nutter butters, the "talks," the stories, and for being the littlest "big sister" I could imagine.
I want to thank my Mom for being here to help when we needed the kids to be watched.
Dad, thanks for the support in all forms. Lonnie, that goes for you too.
Lisa and Scott, thank you for allowing our families to intertwine so well. It is worth it for shock value alone when talking about it at parties.
Troy, Byrd, and the GSTz freak show, thank you for bringing me back in at just the right speed, in just the right way. Good to be home.
Glen, thanks for sweating it out.
Rob, thanks so much for being you. I still scored more Texas Cup points than you in 2005.
Andrew and Stephanie, thanks for your help, offer to help, and for reminding us how cool parents can be.
To all of my LSWorkers, thank you for giving me the best gig I could imagine. I felt like I was at "work" only a few days last year. Graeme, thank you for the confidence.
Tony Blair...thank you for being shoved on 6th St. That made me feel good about myself, because you went further from that shove than I did by being hit by a car.
Peter, we're very glad to have you in our family.
Andrew D, 2006 is going to be a blast! Thanks for bringing me along for the ride.

So, about the picture...
We went out to Terlingua just after Christmas. We hadn't been out there in awhile since we were cranking out babies for a bit, and that place ain't exactly baby proof. Now that our kids are big enough to learn from running into a cactus, we were ready to get out there.

Aside from the ranch and area itself, I was looking forward to start training again. It has been an on again off again affair for me, but I was finally at a place where I could start clicking off miles on what is going to be a long, long road back. Whatever "back" is going to mean.

It's about a 12 hr drive from our place, with kids, to La Leonna. Long story short, in the mindnumbing, hypnotic drive out there, I jaked up my knee by putting the car on cruise and not changing my position for the next three hours. It's my blog, and I'm not hiding anything.

Stupid.

So I didn't ride when we got out there. In fact, I just cussed a lot when I saw my bike on the car or on the porch. But at some point, I said screw it, and I went to climb Leon Mountain. Though it isn't a particularly tall mtn (3062ft), it is still a tough climb due to the rocks, boulders and cacti. And I did it with Reanie on my shoulders.

In terms of the Parent of the Year competition, I will lose massive points for taking the risk, but I gained a lot, most of which I can't really put into words. While climbing that mtn, Reanie sang me songs and we talked about stuff that is important to a 3 yr old ballerina. She wiped sweat off of my face and said, "Don't cry Daddy. Don't be sad. It will be ok. You're a tough girl."

We stopped a few times to eat a banana and to get a drink and to let her walk around (this picure shows how much space she had to walk around--it is a very rocky climb). Plus, it just felt good to move up somewhere, to work hard, to sweat, and to be out there in nowhere. Of course I hit a cactus that exploded thousands of 2mm red needles all over me, but that is part of the charm. I guess.

Reanie and I climbed the mountain (most of the way, anyway), and Buddy played in 50something degree water in the creek. Noah rode the trainer. I love my kids.

Amo la mia moglie

Pepper
Butthole Surfers
(Electriclarryland)
Marky got with Sharon
And Sharon got Sharice
She was sharing Sharon's outlook
On the topic of disease
Mikey had a facial scar
And Bobby was a racist
They were all in love with dyin
'They were doing it in Texas
Tommy played piano
Like a kid out in the rain
Then he lost his leg in Dallas
He was dancing with a train
They were all in love with dyin'
They were drinking from a fountain
That was pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain
I don't mind the sun sometimes
The images it shows
I can taste you on my lips
And smell you in my clothes
Cinnamon and sugary
And softly spoken lies
You never know just how you look
Through other people's eyes
Some will die in hot pursuit
In fiery auto crashes
Some will die in hot pursuit
While sifting through my ashes
Some will fall in love with life
And drink it from a fountain
That is pouring like an avalanche
Coming down the mountain