Buon Compleanno

Kid #1 is 12 years old today. That 11yr old year was a pretty good one to lead out the 12th.

Only Chloe's Flight...

...because my flight would have had gas cans filled up from when gas was $2.29/gallon.

Mama went to see Apple Granny for a couple days in Tennessee. Flew in, visited, flew home.

The hiccup was the return flight that had a layover in Houston. Plane lands, probably a transfer involved, and then...a delay. Thursday night, 7pm flight from Houston to Dallas, I think it is reasonable to expect that the people on that flight were planning to be home sooner rather than later.

But nope. Turns out that the plane was out of gas and the plane gas filler up people didn't have the right voucher from Southwest to just pull up to the pump and take care of it. So they had to sit and wait.

Buddy and I (Reanie stayed the night with her cousin Anelise. No, they aren't really cousins, but it was easier to explain to them that they were than to try to explain why they aren't sisters if they are both sisters to Noah. But I digresss.) head out to the airport at 10:00pm instead. Picked up Mama at 11:00 and were still home on Thursday, so it wasn't all that late.

Good to have Mama home. I think the kids were tired of having grits for breakfast and dinner.

Buon Compleano (yesterday)

This is a shot of Reanie at her Princess Birthday Party yesterday. 5 years old!

Most mornings...well, today anyway.

Most mornings I'm up before everyone here. I wander into my office, stoke the LCD fire to glow up the room and sit there all stupid until I hear the coffee machine signal that it is ready.

after a few minutes of clearing cobwebs and pretty much working on autopilot, things come into focus and I start knocking things off of the "to do" list properly. Then one of the pet monkeys will wake up and stand next to me for awhile.

At that point I either stop what I'm doing and have a tickle fight or tell them to crawl into bed with Mama. sometimes Reanie wants to sit in my lap while I work on training plans or answer email. When Buddy does that I usually end up losing the training plan or whatever I've been working on, so he's not allowed to have his fingers within two feet of my keyboard. Otherwise his rear end starts to hurt.

Today has worked out a bit different, as Mama is taking the day off from work, so she took the kids to school this morning instead. No, don't call it school. call it "Kiddie Barn" or Buddy will get upset with you. School. School. School.

This means me and Noah will ride for about an hour, finishing just in time for me to motorpace Christina. After that I'll grab some lunch, work on a training plan, answer an email or six, visit with Lisa for a moment to make sure we are sending Noah to camp with shorts AND udnerwear instead of twice as many shorts as needed and no skivvies, then motorpace Troy, then meet with two clients prior to the KoW ride, then ride the KoW myself if I have any juice left.

Ok, the part about riding twice today isn't like most days at all. But I'll take it.

1000 words

Thank you, Scottie.

Flow Mo

Flow Mo

Add to My Profile | More Videos

numbers

6 days in a row on the bike.
7 days until Reanie's princess birthday party.
6 days after tomorrow until Reanie's princess birthday party.

"How many days after that until my princess birthday party?"
5 days after that, Reanie.

"well, how many days after that until my princess birthday party?"
That would be 4 days, Reanie.

"So it is 4 days until my princess birthday party?"
Yeah, sure.

Thanks

It can still hurt a bit, but the right team makes all the difference.

One day riding

I rode yesterday. Well, I've been on the bike three times since I removed my top tube from my old rig, but the first two didn't go well at all since I clearly wasn't ready to roll yet.

And I'm still not. But I didn't go ride to train so much as I did to just move and get some fresh thoughts blowing into my ears. Dorkballing may just be riding bikes, but I need that fix. What I really need is to race, but riding is part of making that happen. Walk before you run, or something like that.

I'm grumpy, grouchy and no fun to be around when I'm prohibited from sweating in spandex, and this is amplified because I was going pretty well when I dismounted last. It had taken so long to get sorted out, and just as i was...I'm waking up on the ground again.

But I rode yesterday. can't pull up on the bars. can't take a deep breath. and I need Noah to help me change out a flat tube. But I rode yesterday. And I'm going to ride again today. and tomorrow.

The discomfort in the ribal region is not much compared to the brain mush grouchiness frustration darn near panic I feel when I can't get out and just move forward. So, it is a wobbily step, but going forward.

Oh, I'm sure the guys who have been finishing 30th-39th in the races are scared now that I'm getting back at it and moving them down a spot, but I gotta start (again) somewhere.

These days, I feel like the buffalo...


Still standing.

It helps having PALS.

2007 Texas State Road Race Champ 10-12 yrs old

PS-- added to the collection with a State Championship in the criterium today in Lufkin (7/22).

Last race at Nats

A bit delayed in getting the update out here...

Noah's last race at Nationals was the road race. This is the event he has the best mindset to do, but this particular course is so hard with the hills that it might not be best suited for him (yet). That said, he went at it like he does every event-- Full Throttle.

He made the 6-man break that formed on the second of three laps. On the third lap, with about a mile to go, on one of the steepest hills, he lost contact with the group. He said he kept going as hard as he could, but that he knew he was dropped and not coming back with a mile of climbing left. His plan was to keep it full gas and hope that something went wrong up front.

Nothing did, but he did hold on for 6th with 7th and the rest minutes behind. Considering Noah finished 27th or something on the same course in the same race last year, he did a fantastic job.

Because I have access to the files his computer on his bike provides, what I've come to respect the most out of Noah's racing is his ability to go to 100%. People talk about giving "110%" or "150%" or even "200%!" but Noah really does give 100% out there. I never wonder if his placing could have been better if he just tried harder.

He wasn't blessed with bike racing genetics, but he has something that is often better-- heart and guts.

I'm so very proud of you Big Boy.

So close

Buddy was being particularly sweet to Reanie. While Reanie wasn't exactly being ugly, she wasn't really giving Buddy the props he deserved. With both of them in the kitchen together, I looked at Reanie sternly and in my Daddy voice, I told her, "you need to say 'thank you, Buddy'". All the while, Buddy ran around flying his tractor and not paying attention to the exchange between me and Reanie.

As soon as the words left my mouth, Buddy said, "thank you, Buddy."

Road Nationals Update

The first day was the time trials. Noah eeked his way onto the podie with a 5th.










Jordan in the last mile of the TT.

Here's me trying to think of something intelligent to say to Jordan and Austin. This race got sobering real quick. On a straight but very fast downhill about 3 miles into the race, a crash happened. 30 or so riders down. We heard about it over the race radios while waiting for Royce to start in the next race. This was the official race radio reports, so it wasn't rumor, which made me queasy.

Ultimately, 8 ambulances and two Life Flight helicpoters were called in and used. Meanwhile, we waited agonizingly to hear the numbers and names of the riders down, not knowing if ours were involved.

I'm not happy anyone went down, but we were relieved that our riders made it unscathed. Unfortunately, our boys were delayed so long that they were out of it from that point. Both noblely soldiered on and finished. This is one case where I'm glad our guys did just finish, because we weren't sure they could there for awhile.

Hig your kids today, please.

3

Jr Track Nats Day #2

Quick post...

Royce crushed his old best time in the 500m TT (41.3) with a 38.9.
Austin rode a decent kilo.

Noah finished 4th in the 1K scratch. He's still sitting 3rd overall by 1 point. It all comes down to tomorrow!

This is from Noah's 1K Qualifier. He finished 2nd. 1st is already out of frame. 9 or 10 riders behind Noah.

Nationals Day #1

We made it up here to Colorado Springs without too much trouble. It helps a ton that we travelled with Rob and Royce (one of Noah's teammates) to get here. We did run through a nasty hail storm, but even at that we made it from Stella Sola to the hotel in 12hr even. Austin and Hunter showed up a little later with their folks.

Home is the DoubleTree, so it isn't like we are roughing it. We have several restaurants within walking distance, and we've made a WalMart run to take care of the times we don't want to even walk.

On Friday the boys got in a great tune up ride on the track. It is basically the same dimensions as Alkek (Houston), but it is quite a bit smoother.

Last night (Saturday), Hunter and Noah both had 500m TTs, and Austin had the 25K Points Race. Austin rode the best and strongest I've ever seen him ride, and I've seen him do some big things on the bike. I believe he was around 15th. Maybe a bit better. There were 50 or so starters. It was very late when his race was done, so we didn't hang around, as we wanted to get the younger boys to bed.

Hunter took 1.5 sec (HUGE) off of his best 500m time.

Noah finished 3rd in his age group, earning his first medal at a National Championships.

Since I'm coaching here, I didn't bring the camera, but Steve (Hunter and Austin's Dad) is taking lots of shots, and I hope to get those up here soon.


Qualifiers this morning for Hunter and Noah. Austin and Royce race tonight. Hopefully Noah and Hunter will be as well.

Go White Boy

Dr. Bruce Dickinson

First thing this morning, Reanie said, "Daddy, I have the fever."
So I told her, of course, "The only prescription is 'more cowbell.'"

graduated a year early and everything

Jordan brings in a book from outside. He shows it to me and says, "I've read this before. I didn't like it. Too many characters and no plot." Then he sat it down on the table and walked away.

went down to Austin for a bike race on Saturday

Mama and the POSS2 watching the race.











Noah and Hunter, cross the line together finishing 1-2.

TENZING IN THE HOUSE!


Noah and some hardware.

In case you were wondering

The purple of my sister, Cami's, hair and that of my love handle do not exactly match. I'll do better next time, though, I think it might be easier for her to match me. I couldn't get all of the "blonde" out.

Grumpy sound

Why does the day after the day after hurt so much more?

zigged when I should have zagged

Daddy had a good day at the office

Texas State Road Race Championships

1st Andrew Dahlehim Pro, 1,2
1st Christina Smith Women Cat 3 (Team Lone Star Works)
2nd Tammy Sporleder Women Cat 3 (Team Lone Star Works)
7th Cassandra Criswell Women Cat 3 (Team Lone Star Works)
2nd Kim Jennings Women Cat 4 (Team Lone Star Works)
6th Bibi Martinez Women Cat 4 (Team Lone Star Works)
3rd Darwin Darr Men Cat 4
4th Ken Maclean Men Cat 4
5th Mark Kuithe Men Cat 4
9th Frank Everly Men Cat 4

Oh, there's definitely gonna be a party!

Finger snap, gah-roovay

This makes me want to get back in the classroom. Good thing it is summer, so it'll wear off by the time school starts.

It's been a nice day

Kid #1 and I went on a easy ride this morning. We rode into Old Town Lewisville, which is the opposite direction of 101% of the rides around here since it goes in to towne (have to use the "e" on the end).

It was fun to hit different roads and see and hear the morning sounds of the town coming to life. It wasn't all that long ago that Lewisville was a town of 10,000 or so people that was primarly farmers, ranchers and folks who wanted to live near the lake. The mascot at Lewisville High School (where I taught for awhile) is the Fighting Farmer.

We rolled into Old Town and came upon the famer's market. I peeled off an Abe Lincoln for Kid #1 because I roll big like that and told him to go grab something like fruit that we can eat before heading back home.

There was a pastry and coffee table, several vegetable and fruit stands, a pasta (?) table, a couple crafts tables and so forth. #1 clickity clacked past all the Saturday morning folks while wearing his cycling leotard and shoes. It looks cool when he does it. It looks silly when I do it.

He asked for a couple peaches and apples, but they sold him a basket of each anyway. We ate until we were full and packed the rest for the POSS2.

While dribbling fresh peach juice down our chins we saw #1's great-gradnmother there picking out some fresh veggies. We visited a bit. It was--and I mean this sincerely--nice.

His great-grandmother has been a Lewisville/Flower Mound resident probably as long or longer than anyone alive. They lived there before there were neighborhoods and strip centers and all that. And there we were in the old town on Main St at the farmer's market eating fresh fruit and visiting a great-grandparent.

So I slipped Norman Rockwell, who was painting caricatures in a booth, another big $5 I had (because I roll like that) and made our way home.

And then I got to go on a lunch date with #2 to Sneaky Pete's (I know it is called Little Pete's now, but to me it will always be Sneaky Pete's) for lunch. We watched the people come in and out on their boats, we fed the ducks and we had pizza "because it rhymes with 'Pete'".

It was all so real and Dr Seuss at the same time

Noah, Jordan and I rolled up to the house following the Wednesday night ride. We were feeling pretty good about ourselves, and it was getting better because we could smell dinner on the grill from about 1/4 mile away.

As we hit the driveway, out from behind the dense grapevine on the front fence comes Mama on the lawn tractor. She's wearing the skirt and blouse she wore to work that day. In her lap is a naked Buddy. Also in her lap is Reanie dressed in a black ballet outfit, complete with hot pink tutu. At the end of the driveway is a big bouncy slide fully inflated.

Buddy rules II

We're the all of us, including Jordan, riding in the car to Denton for some not-Mama-made pizza. In the course of discussion, Noah explains some problem he solved that did earn a polite nod of acknowledgment from me. Buddy, with perfect timing says, "That's good thinking, Noah".

Buddy rules

Buddy and I were watching the last bit of the Giro stage today. While sitting in my lap, he pointed to the screen and asked, "Is that you, Daddy?"

"No, Buddy. But thanks."

Then he belts out, "LOOK, IT'S NOAH!" Ok, so it was Simoni, but that Buddy was certain Noah was in the race was pretty dang cool.

The thing about 4WD is...

...that you can go about 50yd further than 2WD before you get stuck.

Happy Birthday!

Catherine Elise Owens just put Troy in the #3 seat of hierarchy at his house.

stuff has been happening

so much that blogging has taken a back seat. and the camera isn't in a pleasant mood, so I can't even cheat by posting pics.

Will be catching up with a diddy about Noah racing at Ft Davis, Troy and Roxanne bringing baby Cate into this world, having Buddy with me during the day now, eggs over easy with cream cheese and honey, and other things that make me feel good.

Some pictures of Noah at Ft Davis

Fair warning

This is fair warning. I'm gonna write about Noah's race at Fort Davis soon, and if you don't like hearing some Dad gush about how his kid did...Nobody is Making You Read This.

1922-2007

I want to stay as close to the edge as I can without going over. Out on the edge you see all kinds of things you can't see from the center.
--Kurt Vonnegut

He could also get you a pretty good deal on a Saab.

Castaway II

This just amazes me, and I reckon this means I'm easily amazed, but still...
My buddy Riner is sending me some goodies, and he provided me the tracking number since these are special goodies. I get a kick out of seeing what that package was doing yesterday and last night:

Apr 11, 2007
4:12 AM On FedEx vehicle for delivery IRVING, TX
2:49 AM At local FedEx facility IRVING, TX
2:24 AM Departed FedEx location HUTCHINS, TX
1:04 AM Arrived at FedEx location HUTCHINS, TX

Apr 10, 2007
8:36 PM Left origin WICHITA FALLS, TX
6:29 PM Arrived at FedEx location WICHITA FALLS, TX
4:39 PM Picked up WICHITA FALLS, TX
3:11 PM Package data transmitted to FedEx Wichita Falls, TX


If I had a tracking #...
April 11, 2007
11:07 AM Tracking the FedEx tracking #
10:34 AM Ate some more breakfast
9:29 AM Ate breakfast
8:51 AM Took kids to school
7:20 AM Got up for real
6:00 AM Turned off Chloe's alarm
4:47 AM Kicked Buddy since he kicked me
3:21 AM Took Reanie back to bed
2:55 AM Took Buddy back to bed
1:17 AM Took Reanie back to bed

April 10, 2007
11:21 PM Took Reanie back to bed
11:07 PM High 5
11:06 PM Private time with Mama
9:33 PM Get kids in bed
9:21 PM Get kids out of tub
9:09 PM Eat some take out dinner
9:01 PM Unload bikes and stuff
7:56 PM Put on street clothes and head home
7:21 PM Get dropped
7:03 PM Attack
7:00 PM Race


Sten, send me a danish or something so we can track that one!

Stevie Wonder Driving School

We're rolling down FM 407 getting the little ones to school. Buddy is in the back, and Reanie up front. We're having as serious a discussion as can be with a 3 and 4 yr old as co-pilots. Suddenly, just as I'm coming up to cars and a stop light, Buddy covers my eyes with his hands from behind my seat, and he says, "Where's Daddy?"

Teaching him how to unbuckle his own seat belt doesn't seem such a wise thing now.

Good morning!

Reanie staggers into our room this morning. Tells me she needs to go potty. Right on. I tell her that she knows where it is. She comes out a little bit later more awake. I asked her, "Did you go big job?"

She said, "No, I'm all out of big job."

And I thought that's where it would end. But, no.

Then she bends over, sans skivvies, and says, "See?"

Enak Bor is my inspiration

There was a time, back when I was the only bike racer in the family, that we could load up half the Expedition with my stuff, and the other half was for the rest of the family. We seemed to be fine with that. Mama, #1, and eventually #2 could pack whatever they needed to make a day in the ditch palatable, and I brought everything I've ever needed or thought I might need for a bike race. And we packed Moby to the gills (i know...i know...poetic license, please).

A few years ago, I bunked up with a good buddy and his wife for a stage race. At that gig, I brought two bags and one bike (it was a stage race). I thought I was traveling light and being all respectful. Enak, though, came with one bike and a back pack for the entire weekend. He mocked me, and he did so at a time I was feeling all good about myself.

Well, we're about to head out for what I think is my first stage race since that one, and I got all my street and cycling clothes, and all the race food, bottles, etc for me and #1 (since he now races too), and we're taking all of #1's stuff for a race, his bike, my bike, and all the stuff for Mama, #2, and #3, AND we're putting it all in a car (Wallace) that is half the size that Moby was (well, I guess still is, but it ain't ours anymore).

Enak, I'm getting there. You are my inspiration.

table manners and acting like a lady

What with Reanie going to a private school and all, we get to enjoy the fact that she has learned to burp on purpose. It works so much better, too, when she is in her school uniform. That's money well spent, NiMYRT customers.

So, since she's learned her new trick, she likes to demonstrate and practice her proficiency lots. Buddy's trick is a little more pleasant to endure since it is somersaulting. But he doesn't do this at the table. Reanie does burp at the table.

I'll say something about it being rude. Mama says something about it not being lady-like. Buddy says, "More chicken," and we pass him the fish.

At dinner tonight, Reanie roars a burp and says "excuse me". Same ol', same ol'. I, predictably, say something like, "It is rude to burp like that. especially on purpose. Stop." Mama says, "Reanie, be a lady at the table."

A few minutes later, Reanie burps again while scratching her butt (we're still at the table). I say, "REANIE! Stop scratching your butt at the table!"

So Reanie asks Mama, "Is scratching your butt being a lady?"

3 or 6 min of your life you won't get back

I watched the POSSx2 play like this for ten minutes or so before thinking to grab the camera. They'd wound down by then, but it was still fun for me (but prolly not for many of you blog readers). Can't remember how much we paid for this playset, but it was worth it. I'm trying to figure out a way to bottle up these laughs. for now, we have the videos.

No animals were harmed in the filming of this video clip.

Part I

Part II

Some pictures from the Lago Vista weekend

Some Thoughts

-thinking about #3, one would think "speech impediment" would be easier to say. I wouldn't want to be the first person to make fun of it him once he's aware he has trouble with R's. And W's. And "Th". And "S". And "V". And "B". And...

-thinking about #1, I'd reconsider the tactic of crashing him out to get rid of him. Might work that one day, but if you have to race again the next day...hang on. I can't remember the saying, but there is something about one's character that is proven when they are faced with adversity.

-thinking about #2, one of the highlights of my life has been to notice that #2 has favorite songs on the radio, and catching her singing full throttle along with Unwritten by Natasha Beddingfield...if she new, I'd go buy her anything she wanted right then and there.

Observation of the day

Helicopters make donkeys run fast.

What we have here is a failure to communicate.

Reanie: I can't hear you. You have to say "No" louder.

Good Game

One of the fun things about these things is the numbers.

26 Deviled ("evil") Eggs

30 potions Cheese tray and bread

40 pieces prociutto and melon

30 pieces brucetta

lots of olives

24 servings Polenta and sausage

20 servings garlic scallops over linguini

60 pieces bacon shrimp over bed of spinach

36 pieces baked clams

40 portions fried rice balls

20 potions caponata

20 portions spiedini

20 portions Chicken Tikka, pita and hummus

30 portions caprese

24 potions baked pears

20 portions banana pudding

50 pieces chocolates

14.5 bottles of wine