First of all, Reanie got up at 4:00a and though Mama could go back to sleep, Reanie's wiggling and chatting kept me up.
Second of all, it is raining today, so no riding on the track. Not that Noah could go anyway since he's at a sports camp.
Third of all, while the Wal Mart check out chick is waiting for the person in front of me to clear the way, she is cutting her fingernails with clippers!
Fourth of all, as soon as I get home, I find out that there's a race in Austin being scheduled in conjunction with Lance's Ride for the Roses, which is over the top of the two I'm promoting in Denton in October. OK, so I was only planning to promote TWO races in one weekend, but I also had the TXBRA awards banquet thing brewing as well as the TXBRA annual meeting for that weekend. I've been sitting in meetings with the Mayor, the police chief, the Chamber of Commerce, the Main Street Association...since October. *%#$!@#*)(
The high point today is that I'll be getting my road bike back from Sem shortly. I had to mail him an empty box so I could get him to mail it back. I anxious to show everyone my "new" steed.
Wednesday, July 27, 2005
Monday, July 25, 2005
Sunday, July 24, 2005
We're Dancing With Ourselves
Skipped more training lately. Skipped out on racing Friday night too, but that was because Noah was at his swim team banquet for awards.
But this weekend has been a good one. Haven't done much of anything, really, but I got to see everyone dance. It was especially cute to see Reanie and Noah dance together. I also got to sit under a tree and read a book while everyone skinnyslid. Stuff like that.
I had some pangs to race on Friday, but not as much as usual. We're taking Rob's advice to just chill for the season. Don't try to force it. Let's see how the winter plays out. I fully admit, though, that it would be easier to get out to train and race if I had an actual goal to pursue. Just sort of going through the motions until it strikes.
But this weekend has been a good one. Haven't done much of anything, really, but I got to see everyone dance. It was especially cute to see Reanie and Noah dance together. I also got to sit under a tree and read a book while everyone skinnyslid. Stuff like that.
I had some pangs to race on Friday, but not as much as usual. We're taking Rob's advice to just chill for the season. Don't try to force it. Let's see how the winter plays out. I fully admit, though, that it would be easier to get out to train and race if I had an actual goal to pursue. Just sort of going through the motions until it strikes.
Friday, July 15, 2005
Burke and Jodi are coming so I watered the yard and crushed a grape with my chair and made jelly
In weather this morning, it has been three days in a row I was all set to water the yard. Three days in a row there was thunder, lightening, winds, and all the things that tell you to batten down the hatches, so I opted out of watering. Then it won't rain.
Well, I'm going out now to turn on the water. So you can be sure it is going to rain today.
It is some power to be able to control when it rains, and I am somewhat conflicted about using this power today, because Noah and I are to race track tonight, and Burke, Jodi and Keegan are coming up here today. But dang it, it is hard work keeping up with the neighbors and their yard.
In other developments this morning...I was eating grapes at the computer...
This just in. I finished typing the words, "...neighbors and their yard" and went down to turn on the sprinklers. Just as I typed, "...I was eating..." rain drops began hitting my window and lightening struck somewhere near the far pond. It is power I tell you. Power.
So, I was/am eating grapes this morning and happen to drop one. With Kid #2 and #3 around, we don't have the "3-second" rule, but that is mostly because Kid #3 will eat anything, anytime, anyway. I did drop one, though, and I wanted it, so I rolled the chair back so I could get the grape off of the ground. I rolled over the grape with the chair.
In sports this morning, Kid #2 is in flying form on her "bicycle." Her pink (giro, giro, giro) trike is being ridden to its fullest. It was just two weeks ago that she couldn't get over the hump in the driveway, but now she not only gets the thing over the hump, she also gets that thing going at about 120+rpms. She grits and bares her teeth, leans back to get more leverage with her arms, and gets after it. It is very obvious that she is enjoying the speed.
After a meeting this morning, I will pick her up from school and take her motorpacing.
In other sport's news, Kid #1 competed in the Divisional Championships of swimming yesterday. This is a big meet bringing in the top swimmers from around the Metroplex. According to the seeded times Noah had, he was placed in the first or second (of four or five) heats, with the supposed fastest seed/heats being the last.
He was bummed to learn that his times placed him in the bottom 1/3 or bottom 1/4. He responded by setting a PR in freestyle and placing 5th overall. He was DQ'd in the backstroke in a heartbreaker, since he was doing very well until the last stroke, when he turned over to touch the wall. His time was officially good enough to place him 8th overall, but the DQ negated that, of course. The other stroke in which he competed was the breast stroke, and he gave it his all in his small heat of three boys, but it wasn't quite good enough to put him in the top 8. It was a good meet overall, though I think Kid #1 was expecting higher placings based upon his placings at the regular meets throughout the season. But at Divisionals, the kids from the more serious swim programs show up, and that makes a difference. He just learned the meaning of "Big fish, little pond."
In the Strongest Man competition, Kid #3 competed in the tractor push yesterday. The John Deere Pedal Tractor is outfitted with Kid #1, who isn't allowed to pedal. the object is to push the tractor and Kid #1. That's all. Kid #3 did this on the driveway for about 15 minutes, which is a record not only in his age group, but also his size category. In fact, I'm still checking with the officials at the South African headquarters of the World Strongest Man Competition, but I think this is an outright record as well. Especially considering the shows are only 30 minutes long.
When I get back from motorpacing Kid #2, I'm going to take Kid #3 out back and have him push me and my truck across the pasture.
In health and living, Mama made some jalapeno/watermelon jelly. Yes, that's right. We picked the jalapenos from what we have growing here, and we would have used our homegrown watermelons, but they aren't ready yet. But the jelly is indeed 100% homemade even if only 40% homegrown. I've only had a couple sample tastings of this concoction, but my word, I dare say there hasn't even been anything better to spread upon cornbread.
Have a great day!
Well, I'm going out now to turn on the water. So you can be sure it is going to rain today.
It is some power to be able to control when it rains, and I am somewhat conflicted about using this power today, because Noah and I are to race track tonight, and Burke, Jodi and Keegan are coming up here today. But dang it, it is hard work keeping up with the neighbors and their yard.
In other developments this morning...I was eating grapes at the computer...
This just in. I finished typing the words, "...neighbors and their yard" and went down to turn on the sprinklers. Just as I typed, "...I was eating..." rain drops began hitting my window and lightening struck somewhere near the far pond. It is power I tell you. Power.
So, I was/am eating grapes this morning and happen to drop one. With Kid #2 and #3 around, we don't have the "3-second" rule, but that is mostly because Kid #3 will eat anything, anytime, anyway. I did drop one, though, and I wanted it, so I rolled the chair back so I could get the grape off of the ground. I rolled over the grape with the chair.
In sports this morning, Kid #2 is in flying form on her "bicycle." Her pink (giro, giro, giro) trike is being ridden to its fullest. It was just two weeks ago that she couldn't get over the hump in the driveway, but now she not only gets the thing over the hump, she also gets that thing going at about 120+rpms. She grits and bares her teeth, leans back to get more leverage with her arms, and gets after it. It is very obvious that she is enjoying the speed.
After a meeting this morning, I will pick her up from school and take her motorpacing.
In other sport's news, Kid #1 competed in the Divisional Championships of swimming yesterday. This is a big meet bringing in the top swimmers from around the Metroplex. According to the seeded times Noah had, he was placed in the first or second (of four or five) heats, with the supposed fastest seed/heats being the last.
He was bummed to learn that his times placed him in the bottom 1/3 or bottom 1/4. He responded by setting a PR in freestyle and placing 5th overall. He was DQ'd in the backstroke in a heartbreaker, since he was doing very well until the last stroke, when he turned over to touch the wall. His time was officially good enough to place him 8th overall, but the DQ negated that, of course. The other stroke in which he competed was the breast stroke, and he gave it his all in his small heat of three boys, but it wasn't quite good enough to put him in the top 8. It was a good meet overall, though I think Kid #1 was expecting higher placings based upon his placings at the regular meets throughout the season. But at Divisionals, the kids from the more serious swim programs show up, and that makes a difference. He just learned the meaning of "Big fish, little pond."
In the Strongest Man competition, Kid #3 competed in the tractor push yesterday. The John Deere Pedal Tractor is outfitted with Kid #1, who isn't allowed to pedal. the object is to push the tractor and Kid #1. That's all. Kid #3 did this on the driveway for about 15 minutes, which is a record not only in his age group, but also his size category. In fact, I'm still checking with the officials at the South African headquarters of the World Strongest Man Competition, but I think this is an outright record as well. Especially considering the shows are only 30 minutes long.
When I get back from motorpacing Kid #2, I'm going to take Kid #3 out back and have him push me and my truck across the pasture.
In health and living, Mama made some jalapeno/watermelon jelly. Yes, that's right. We picked the jalapenos from what we have growing here, and we would have used our homegrown watermelons, but they aren't ready yet. But the jelly is indeed 100% homemade even if only 40% homegrown. I've only had a couple sample tastings of this concoction, but my word, I dare say there hasn't even been anything better to spread upon cornbread.
Have a great day!
Sunday, July 10, 2005
Some days I don't have it. Some days I almost do.
Been riding pretty regularly lately. That doesn't really mean much, since it means I regularly ride 15 or so miles per day, three days per week to take the little ones to school.
But I also get out to the track with Noah once a week, and that is starting to be more of a workout. I do some pacing or some sort of set of intervals with him, and as soon as we finish his set, I'll take off on a two lap "flyer" of my own. It is something, I guess.
About two weeks ago I went on the Sunday ride for the first time in months. My goal was to simply make it with the group to Hilltop. For whatever reason, I bridged across to a break just before the hills. The break was brought back, but the effort I made to get there didn't allow me much recovery time as the hills came. But I did make it to Hilltop, and proudly sat up and let the group ride away. I have no idea if I could have stayed with the group.
That's not true. I would have been dropped like Buddy would drop a brussel sprout if Mama brought cookies to the table.
Anyway, I suited up for the Sunday ride again today. No real reason to expect anything more, but I made the goal of getting over Hilltop with the front group today. And that is what I did. Though, I was caught behind some folks who let gaps open up or who were being dropped, so getting over with the group was dang hard. In fact, I spent about half of that hill chasing and just caught the tailings as we crested the top. Then I let it loose on the downhill section to put myself in a more respectable spot.
When we got to the stop sign at the bottom of the hill, I thought about carrying on with the group. I started planning where I could realistically hang on and thinking about where I would realistically have trouble if I kept up with the better end of things.
But a washed out bridge and road construction sent us on a detour. And that detour took in a hill that I wasn't ready to roll over. Oh, I probably would have made it with the group, but Hassan attacked there.
I was faced with two options as I saw it. Both options required me to shift gears. The racer in me wanted to shift to a harder gear and go. The other option required shifting with the left hand (to a much easier gear in the little chainring).
The wuss won out.
I saw Hassan carry on up the road, and the first person to go after him was wearing a Texas Cup Champ jersey.
Lazily over the hill and the rejects started coming by me. Then I started to feel all bad about myself.
Suddenly, I was inspired. I could see the leading group, and if I got after it right then, and if I could enlist some reject help, and if the leading group would let off the gas just a little, I knew I could get back in there with the real racers.
So I got the bike in the big ring, stood up, and made about 10 revolutions of the crank before I went to the little ring and sat back down.
I rolled in with a few folks who talked about how Hilltop didn't seem as hard today. Thanks.
Something ate at me about sitting up (twice), so I tried to guess where to meet up with the group to ride it in and get more "racing" action. I guessed the wrong way and assumed I missed them, so I simply head towards the house (we live just after the "finish" of the "race" part of the ride).
About two miles from the finish, Hassan and a sometime riding buddy, Mad Dog Thompson came flying by. They were off the front of the race group, but none of the four or five people limping in with me believed me. Especially since the pack wasn't in sight at all. A couple minutes later, though, the pack did come by, and they were going twice as fast as the two leaders.
So I took a short cut so I could see my boy win the sprint. He did stay away with Mad Dog, but they rolled across the line holding hands, sharing the "win." No, Hassan is not gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Nobody should get too worked up about some group ride "win," but this is the Sunday Ride, and it is one of the bigger deals of such rides. Maybe it is a Metroplex phenomenon, but the fact is, The Assassin raced well today. No upgrade points, and no cash payout, but it for sure shows that he's been doing his homework.
Our home routine is pretty established. I'm not likely to get away with evening group rides in the near future, if ever, but knowing that Hassan went from training and racing very well to very nearly losing a year of racing, and then coming back again...I'm insprired.
I may have to ride at 5am to get it done, but I want to be back with the front group again. Mostly because I don't want to have to argue with the dropped people about who is in the break.
But I also get out to the track with Noah once a week, and that is starting to be more of a workout. I do some pacing or some sort of set of intervals with him, and as soon as we finish his set, I'll take off on a two lap "flyer" of my own. It is something, I guess.
About two weeks ago I went on the Sunday ride for the first time in months. My goal was to simply make it with the group to Hilltop. For whatever reason, I bridged across to a break just before the hills. The break was brought back, but the effort I made to get there didn't allow me much recovery time as the hills came. But I did make it to Hilltop, and proudly sat up and let the group ride away. I have no idea if I could have stayed with the group.
That's not true. I would have been dropped like Buddy would drop a brussel sprout if Mama brought cookies to the table.
Anyway, I suited up for the Sunday ride again today. No real reason to expect anything more, but I made the goal of getting over Hilltop with the front group today. And that is what I did. Though, I was caught behind some folks who let gaps open up or who were being dropped, so getting over with the group was dang hard. In fact, I spent about half of that hill chasing and just caught the tailings as we crested the top. Then I let it loose on the downhill section to put myself in a more respectable spot.
When we got to the stop sign at the bottom of the hill, I thought about carrying on with the group. I started planning where I could realistically hang on and thinking about where I would realistically have trouble if I kept up with the better end of things.
But a washed out bridge and road construction sent us on a detour. And that detour took in a hill that I wasn't ready to roll over. Oh, I probably would have made it with the group, but Hassan attacked there.
I was faced with two options as I saw it. Both options required me to shift gears. The racer in me wanted to shift to a harder gear and go. The other option required shifting with the left hand (to a much easier gear in the little chainring).
The wuss won out.
I saw Hassan carry on up the road, and the first person to go after him was wearing a Texas Cup Champ jersey.
Lazily over the hill and the rejects started coming by me. Then I started to feel all bad about myself.
Suddenly, I was inspired. I could see the leading group, and if I got after it right then, and if I could enlist some reject help, and if the leading group would let off the gas just a little, I knew I could get back in there with the real racers.
So I got the bike in the big ring, stood up, and made about 10 revolutions of the crank before I went to the little ring and sat back down.
I rolled in with a few folks who talked about how Hilltop didn't seem as hard today. Thanks.
Something ate at me about sitting up (twice), so I tried to guess where to meet up with the group to ride it in and get more "racing" action. I guessed the wrong way and assumed I missed them, so I simply head towards the house (we live just after the "finish" of the "race" part of the ride).
About two miles from the finish, Hassan and a sometime riding buddy, Mad Dog Thompson came flying by. They were off the front of the race group, but none of the four or five people limping in with me believed me. Especially since the pack wasn't in sight at all. A couple minutes later, though, the pack did come by, and they were going twice as fast as the two leaders.
So I took a short cut so I could see my boy win the sprint. He did stay away with Mad Dog, but they rolled across the line holding hands, sharing the "win." No, Hassan is not gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that.
Nobody should get too worked up about some group ride "win," but this is the Sunday Ride, and it is one of the bigger deals of such rides. Maybe it is a Metroplex phenomenon, but the fact is, The Assassin raced well today. No upgrade points, and no cash payout, but it for sure shows that he's been doing his homework.
Our home routine is pretty established. I'm not likely to get away with evening group rides in the near future, if ever, but knowing that Hassan went from training and racing very well to very nearly losing a year of racing, and then coming back again...I'm insprired.
I may have to ride at 5am to get it done, but I want to be back with the front group again. Mostly because I don't want to have to argue with the dropped people about who is in the break.
Friday, July 08, 2005
True.
I'm not one to forward on jokes and such via email, but though this is one I've seen before, I thought it fit in here when I saw it again.
How to know whether or not you are ready to have kids...
MESS TEST: Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.
TOY TEST: Obtain a 55-gallon box of Legos (or you may substitute roofing tacks). Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream because this would wake a child at night.
GROCERY STORE TEST: Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.
DRESSING TEST: Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all the arms stay inside.
FEEDING TEST: Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal into the mouth of the jug, while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.
NIGHT TEST: Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8-12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 3:00 p.m. Begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00 p.m. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 p.m. Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more and sing these too until 4:00 a.m. Set alarm for 5:00 a.m. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years. Look cheerful.
INGENUITY TEST: Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and pot of paint, turn it into an alligator. Now take a toilet paper tube and turn it into an attractive Christmas candle. Use only scotch tape and a piece of foil. Last, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an empty box of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
AUTOMOBILE TEST: Forget the BMW and buy a station wagon. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there. Get a dime. Stick it into the cassette player. Take a family size package of chocolate chip cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car. There, perfect.
PHYSICAL TEST (Women): Obtain a large bean bag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now remove 10 of the beans. And try not to notice your closet full of clothes. You won't be wearing them for a while.
PHYSICAL TEST (Men): Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the head office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT: Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training and child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run wild. Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.
How to know whether or not you are ready to have kids...
MESS TEST: Smear peanut butter on the sofa and curtains. Place a fish stick behind the couch and leave it there all summer.
TOY TEST: Obtain a 55-gallon box of Legos (or you may substitute roofing tacks). Have a friend spread them all over the house. Put on a blindfold. Try to walk to the bathroom or kitchen. Do not scream because this would wake a child at night.
GROCERY STORE TEST: Borrow one or two small animals (goats are best) and take them with you as you shop. Always keep them in sight and pay for anything they eat or damage.
DRESSING TEST: Obtain one large, unhappy, live octopus. Stuff into a small net bag making sure that all the arms stay inside.
FEEDING TEST: Obtain a large plastic milk jug. Fill halfway with water. Suspend from the ceiling with a cord. Start the jug swinging. Try to insert spoonfuls of soggy cereal into the mouth of the jug, while pretending to be an airplane. Now dump the contents of the jug on the floor.
NIGHT TEST: Prepare by obtaining a small cloth bag and fill it with 8-12 pounds of sand. Soak it thoroughly in water. At 3:00 p.m. Begin to waltz and hum with the bag until 9:00 p.m. Lay down your bag and set your alarm for 10:00 p.m. Get up, pick up your bag, and sing every song you have ever heard. Make up about a dozen more and sing these too until 4:00 a.m. Set alarm for 5:00 a.m. Get up and make breakfast. Keep this up for 5 years. Look cheerful.
INGENUITY TEST: Take an egg carton. Using a pair of scissors and pot of paint, turn it into an alligator. Now take a toilet paper tube and turn it into an attractive Christmas candle. Use only scotch tape and a piece of foil. Last, take a milk carton, a ping-pong ball, and an empty box of Cocoa Puffs. Make an exact replica of the Eiffel Tower.
AUTOMOBILE TEST: Forget the BMW and buy a station wagon. Buy a chocolate ice cream cone and put it in the glove compartment. Leave it there. Get a dime. Stick it into the cassette player. Take a family size package of chocolate chip cookies. Mash them into the back seat. Run a garden rake along both sides of the car. There, perfect.
PHYSICAL TEST (Women): Obtain a large bean bag chair and attach it to the front of your clothes. Leave it there for 9 months. Now remove 10 of the beans. And try not to notice your closet full of clothes. You won't be wearing them for a while.
PHYSICAL TEST (Men): Go to the nearest drug store. Set your wallet on the counter. Ask the clerk to help himself. Now proceed to the nearest food store. Go to the head office and arrange for your paycheck to be directly deposited to the store. Purchase a newspaper. Go home and read it quietly for the last time.
FINAL ASSIGNMENT: Find a couple who already have a small child. Lecture them on how they can improve their discipline, patience, tolerance, toilet training and child's table manners. Suggest many ways they can improve. Emphasize to them that they should never allow their children to run wild. Enjoy this experience. It will be the last time you will have all the answers.
Thursday, July 07, 2005
Not Really Stories, But Gotta Go In There Somewhere
-NRSBGGITS #1-
When Noah and I took the little ride out at Lake Cherokee, we used the lake roads, which are narrow, twisty and kinda hilly. The ride we did was an out and back thing that had a little loop at the end that goes around the pitch and putt, nine hole golf course out there. The total ride is about 14 miles or so.
Anyway, we spent most of that ride side by side. When we got to the golf course part of the ride, Noah was watching someone take a swing when he got his front wheel into my back wheel. For those of you who ride, you know that feeling. He should have crashed. As his wheel and tire were getting all up in my business, I had time to think, "Well, here he goes, his first real road fall. It is going to burn a bit, but we'll get to see what kind of toughness he has." Yes, he was rubbing up against me that long.
But he didn't go down. When I looked at him, his eyes and mouth were wide open. We were prolly going about 17mph or so at the time.
The first thing he said..."I was checking out her swing." Right on.
-NRSBGGITS #2-
On Wednesdays lately, Noah and I have been going out to the track to workout. This past Wednesday, I met him at the pool after his swim practice. He was on his road bike, which he had ridden over to Lisa's the day before. I intended to ride around, meet him there, and ride home with him, but I got caught up with something that must have been important, so I had to hustle and meet him on the scooter.
He asked if he could motorpace home. So that's what we did. 22 mph most of the way. He could have gone faster, but there wasn't any real need. He did go about 20 mph up the McMakin hill, which is something that not just any bike rider can do.
-NRSBGGITS #3-
When we go to the track on a weekday, I load up Moby with bikes and gear, and then Mama takes it to work. I run the kids to school in the trailer, and when Noah and I get ready to go, we take the scooter to Mama's office, then take Moby to the track from there. All silly, I know, but we are having fun trying to figure out how to use the scooter in place of a car.
Anyway, after we finishing ripping laps at the Superdrome, we take Moby back to Mama, and then head home on the scooter. This week, though, Noah wanted to hang out with Mama at the office. And that's what they did.
While riding home, I saw an Indian grocery store. Hadn't noticed it before, so at the next stop light, I break out the cell phone, call Mama, and ask her to stop by to find something new to try for dinner. Felt weird to be riding a scooter talking on the cell phone. Felt stupid, actually. Especially since it isn't an automatic. I didn't mean to ride and talk, but I was blocking traffic when the light turned green.
-NRSBGGITS #4-
I can't remember what the stuff Mama and Noah bought is called, but it was all good. It is always a treat when Mama gets creative in the kitchen.
It sounded like they had fun going in there and not knowing what anything was. This is an authentic place, so even reading the name on the package, reading the ingredients or even looking at the picture wasn't enough to really explain what they were getting into.
-NRSBGGITS #5-
That evening, Noah and Reanie played on the bouncy slide. I don't mean that they just happen to be on it at the same time. They were actually playing together. Singing together. Carrying on conversation. I wish had the skills to write about how amazing it felt to watch them interact like that. I must have spent 15 or 20 minutes watching them through the window.
-NRSBGGITS #6-
I coach a junior named Andrew. He's the real deal, but we have to find all the pieces before we can put his puzzle together. Since his return from Nationals, we're spending more time together. Frankly, I wish I could coach like this with everyone, and now that the magazine is out of my hands, I do have the time to do this better.
Back to Andrew...we've been meeting on Wednesdays at the track (same session with Noah) and then again on Thursdays here for motorpacing. Last week it was very windy to the extent that it made the scheduled workout almost impossible. Since he is a junior, he races on restricted gears, which means at some point, he can't just go to a bigger gear to go faster; he has to simply pedal faster. On the National and International level, since all the juniors have the same highest gear, races often come down to who can pedal that gear the fastest. So, we get him behind the scooter and I take him to speeds that I know aren't easily attained. We got up to 40mph last week, which is something in a 52x14 biggest gear. That's about 135 rpms and holding.
Well, today he comes over for the motorpacing session. And it rains. We wait it out, and after a few hours, the skies clear and the roads dry up (we won't motorpace in the rain). I tell him to get his cycling stuff on, and I go check messages real quick. When I come downstairs, Andrew is sitting by the door wearing his cycling clothes and helmet, and he tells me, "It's raining."
So I stick him on the rollers on the back patio, set up a fan and a radio, and tell him to knock out an hour. It wasn't until he was on the rollers that he told me that this was only his second time to try. But I left him next to the glass door and windows anyway. Maybe I should get him to sign a release or something.
Andrew makes it 59 minutes before he falls off the rollers. That's pretty close to an hour. So good job!
When Noah and I took the little ride out at Lake Cherokee, we used the lake roads, which are narrow, twisty and kinda hilly. The ride we did was an out and back thing that had a little loop at the end that goes around the pitch and putt, nine hole golf course out there. The total ride is about 14 miles or so.
Anyway, we spent most of that ride side by side. When we got to the golf course part of the ride, Noah was watching someone take a swing when he got his front wheel into my back wheel. For those of you who ride, you know that feeling. He should have crashed. As his wheel and tire were getting all up in my business, I had time to think, "Well, here he goes, his first real road fall. It is going to burn a bit, but we'll get to see what kind of toughness he has." Yes, he was rubbing up against me that long.
But he didn't go down. When I looked at him, his eyes and mouth were wide open. We were prolly going about 17mph or so at the time.
The first thing he said..."I was checking out her swing." Right on.
-NRSBGGITS #2-
On Wednesdays lately, Noah and I have been going out to the track to workout. This past Wednesday, I met him at the pool after his swim practice. He was on his road bike, which he had ridden over to Lisa's the day before. I intended to ride around, meet him there, and ride home with him, but I got caught up with something that must have been important, so I had to hustle and meet him on the scooter.
He asked if he could motorpace home. So that's what we did. 22 mph most of the way. He could have gone faster, but there wasn't any real need. He did go about 20 mph up the McMakin hill, which is something that not just any bike rider can do.
-NRSBGGITS #3-
When we go to the track on a weekday, I load up Moby with bikes and gear, and then Mama takes it to work. I run the kids to school in the trailer, and when Noah and I get ready to go, we take the scooter to Mama's office, then take Moby to the track from there. All silly, I know, but we are having fun trying to figure out how to use the scooter in place of a car.
Anyway, after we finishing ripping laps at the Superdrome, we take Moby back to Mama, and then head home on the scooter. This week, though, Noah wanted to hang out with Mama at the office. And that's what they did.
While riding home, I saw an Indian grocery store. Hadn't noticed it before, so at the next stop light, I break out the cell phone, call Mama, and ask her to stop by to find something new to try for dinner. Felt weird to be riding a scooter talking on the cell phone. Felt stupid, actually. Especially since it isn't an automatic. I didn't mean to ride and talk, but I was blocking traffic when the light turned green.
-NRSBGGITS #4-
I can't remember what the stuff Mama and Noah bought is called, but it was all good. It is always a treat when Mama gets creative in the kitchen.
It sounded like they had fun going in there and not knowing what anything was. This is an authentic place, so even reading the name on the package, reading the ingredients or even looking at the picture wasn't enough to really explain what they were getting into.
-NRSBGGITS #5-
That evening, Noah and Reanie played on the bouncy slide. I don't mean that they just happen to be on it at the same time. They were actually playing together. Singing together. Carrying on conversation. I wish had the skills to write about how amazing it felt to watch them interact like that. I must have spent 15 or 20 minutes watching them through the window.
-NRSBGGITS #6-
I coach a junior named Andrew. He's the real deal, but we have to find all the pieces before we can put his puzzle together. Since his return from Nationals, we're spending more time together. Frankly, I wish I could coach like this with everyone, and now that the magazine is out of my hands, I do have the time to do this better.
Back to Andrew...we've been meeting on Wednesdays at the track (same session with Noah) and then again on Thursdays here for motorpacing. Last week it was very windy to the extent that it made the scheduled workout almost impossible. Since he is a junior, he races on restricted gears, which means at some point, he can't just go to a bigger gear to go faster; he has to simply pedal faster. On the National and International level, since all the juniors have the same highest gear, races often come down to who can pedal that gear the fastest. So, we get him behind the scooter and I take him to speeds that I know aren't easily attained. We got up to 40mph last week, which is something in a 52x14 biggest gear. That's about 135 rpms and holding.
Well, today he comes over for the motorpacing session. And it rains. We wait it out, and after a few hours, the skies clear and the roads dry up (we won't motorpace in the rain). I tell him to get his cycling stuff on, and I go check messages real quick. When I come downstairs, Andrew is sitting by the door wearing his cycling clothes and helmet, and he tells me, "It's raining."
So I stick him on the rollers on the back patio, set up a fan and a radio, and tell him to knock out an hour. It wasn't until he was on the rollers that he told me that this was only his second time to try. But I left him next to the glass door and windows anyway. Maybe I should get him to sign a release or something.
Andrew makes it 59 minutes before he falls off the rollers. That's pretty close to an hour. So good job!
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
Go Jump in the Lake
We had a family reunion this past weekend at the Dixie Star, which is Grandma and GrandBuddy's place on Lake Cherokee. The Williams' came in from Texas, Colorado and Pennsylvania. Good group. Good times.
Getting there almost sent me over the edge, though. We thought we were doing great by leaving Stella around 2:00. It is about 2.5-3 hr to Dixie Star from our place, but at 4:10, we were still sitting at the Dallas Tollway and 635. Insert your favorite cuss here.
We did manage to get there eventually, and to make up for the frustration we went to an all you can eat catfish place. While it was nice to eat french fries, fried catfish and hushpuppies, Kids #2 and #3 were not ready for a sit down dinner, and they took to romping that room. Mama and I were too tired to put up much of a fight. It was funny/sad to watch Aidan get the strong arm from his Mommy and Daddy while we let our little ones run wild. We've been the ones to keep ours prim and proper while hell broke loose around us, so I felt their pain. Not enough to do soemthing about my kids right then, but I still felt it.
The next day was the actual reunion. We set up the bouncy slide, got the waverunner working, blew up a row boat thing, got the paddle boat in the water, put the trampoline float thing in the water, borrowed the neighbor's party boat (GrandBuddy's boat is sick) and got food stuffs out. Visited with cousins, aunts, uncles, inlaws, outlaws and so forth. Like I said, Good group. Good times.
We ate lots of desserts because that is what we do best, but we also had some Bodacious barbeque to keep things proper.
Just before dark, we piled as many Williams's into the party boat as we could, and set out to the middle of the lake. The Lake Cherokee community does an annual fireworks thing, and since it is a lake community, everyone goes out on the lake to watch it. Those of us who didn't squeeze onto the boat enjoyed the show from the yard, since the Dixie Star has one of the best views of the show anyway.
And that was that for Saturday.
Sunday was spent cleaning up a little, being lazy a little, and then riding the waverunner big. Since I couldn't throw off Kid #1, we enlisted the help of some friendly Aggies (Robert and Karen) from across the lake, and they took Cami and Noah out to dump them. Mission accomplished, I believe. We also swam and paddled and pedaled the paddle boat and jumped on the trampoline out in the water. Then we slept soundily. Soundly? Soundily? Whatever.
Monday morning came, and I had to talk Noah into going on a ride, but once we got rolling, he figured out why I made him take his bike. The curvy and hilly roads around the lake are just plain fun to ride. We visited a bit more, then loaded up and head home.
We stopped near Tyler so I could get a DQ Country Fried Steak Sandwich. Sandwhich? Sandwich? Whatever. DQ just happened to be next to a fireworks stand, so we did that too.
Once we finally got home, we put the Bouncy Slide out and played some more just to try to squeeze as much as we possibly could out of the weekend. Once it got dark, we remembered that our house is in the absolute perfect spot for catching firework shows. By sitting at the end of our driveway by the gate to the pasture, we have PERFECT seats for the firework shows from Flower Mound, Grapevine and what was either a Roanoke or Texas Motor Speedway show.
We made a good effort at a show with our own fireworks, but Reanie (Kid #2) wasn't so much into that, so we cut it short. Didn't really feel like a loss though, because we had a very full and long weekend.
Woke up the next morning, piled the kids in the trailer, rode with Noah to swim practice and then rode the little ones to their school. Raced like hell to get home as three people called me in that seven miles to tell me that I was about to be in the middle of a serious storm. I was home about two minutes when it hit. It was a good one, and this is one time I was glad to not be riding in the rain.
I turned on the computer, saw that it was 60 messages, then the power went out, so I took a nap.
Prolly left something out, but I didn't mean to.
Getting there almost sent me over the edge, though. We thought we were doing great by leaving Stella around 2:00. It is about 2.5-3 hr to Dixie Star from our place, but at 4:10, we were still sitting at the Dallas Tollway and 635. Insert your favorite cuss here.
We did manage to get there eventually, and to make up for the frustration we went to an all you can eat catfish place. While it was nice to eat french fries, fried catfish and hushpuppies, Kids #2 and #3 were not ready for a sit down dinner, and they took to romping that room. Mama and I were too tired to put up much of a fight. It was funny/sad to watch Aidan get the strong arm from his Mommy and Daddy while we let our little ones run wild. We've been the ones to keep ours prim and proper while hell broke loose around us, so I felt their pain. Not enough to do soemthing about my kids right then, but I still felt it.
The next day was the actual reunion. We set up the bouncy slide, got the waverunner working, blew up a row boat thing, got the paddle boat in the water, put the trampoline float thing in the water, borrowed the neighbor's party boat (GrandBuddy's boat is sick) and got food stuffs out. Visited with cousins, aunts, uncles, inlaws, outlaws and so forth. Like I said, Good group. Good times.
We ate lots of desserts because that is what we do best, but we also had some Bodacious barbeque to keep things proper.
Just before dark, we piled as many Williams's into the party boat as we could, and set out to the middle of the lake. The Lake Cherokee community does an annual fireworks thing, and since it is a lake community, everyone goes out on the lake to watch it. Those of us who didn't squeeze onto the boat enjoyed the show from the yard, since the Dixie Star has one of the best views of the show anyway.
And that was that for Saturday.
Sunday was spent cleaning up a little, being lazy a little, and then riding the waverunner big. Since I couldn't throw off Kid #1, we enlisted the help of some friendly Aggies (Robert and Karen) from across the lake, and they took Cami and Noah out to dump them. Mission accomplished, I believe. We also swam and paddled and pedaled the paddle boat and jumped on the trampoline out in the water. Then we slept soundily. Soundly? Soundily? Whatever.
Monday morning came, and I had to talk Noah into going on a ride, but once we got rolling, he figured out why I made him take his bike. The curvy and hilly roads around the lake are just plain fun to ride. We visited a bit more, then loaded up and head home.
We stopped near Tyler so I could get a DQ Country Fried Steak Sandwich. Sandwhich? Sandwich? Whatever. DQ just happened to be next to a fireworks stand, so we did that too.
Once we finally got home, we put the Bouncy Slide out and played some more just to try to squeeze as much as we possibly could out of the weekend. Once it got dark, we remembered that our house is in the absolute perfect spot for catching firework shows. By sitting at the end of our driveway by the gate to the pasture, we have PERFECT seats for the firework shows from Flower Mound, Grapevine and what was either a Roanoke or Texas Motor Speedway show.
We made a good effort at a show with our own fireworks, but Reanie (Kid #2) wasn't so much into that, so we cut it short. Didn't really feel like a loss though, because we had a very full and long weekend.
Woke up the next morning, piled the kids in the trailer, rode with Noah to swim practice and then rode the little ones to their school. Raced like hell to get home as three people called me in that seven miles to tell me that I was about to be in the middle of a serious storm. I was home about two minutes when it hit. It was a good one, and this is one time I was glad to not be riding in the rain.
I turned on the computer, saw that it was 60 messages, then the power went out, so I took a nap.
Prolly left something out, but I didn't mean to.
Friday, July 01, 2005
Wednesday Morning, Thursday Morning.
Wednesday morning started Tuesday night as I loaded up Mama's car with the track bikes and gear. We've been talking about getting a smaller car, but everytime I load up enough gear for me and Kid #1, I wonder how we'll get by with anything smaller (we will, of course, but still...).
We filled and loaded a one gallon water jug as well as a 3 gallon jug. Lots of water. Have you been to the Superdrome at mid-day when it is 99degress outside?
The original plan was to ride road bikes with Noah over to swim practice with Kids #2-3 in the trailer and then on to their school. But we woke up 10 minutes too late to pull that off, so Mama took the little ones to school.
This worked out well for me because we took the scooter to the pool instead, which allowed me to take the laptop and get some "desk" work done while Kid #1 did the swim team thing. By not taking the little ones to school or riding to swim practice, I missed out on 20 or so road miles, but with a solid session planned at the track, I wasn't really worried about it. I was, however, worried about not having time to get some work done. It all worked out just fine.
We scootered home from the pool, ate some breakfast, and Kid #1 took care of a couple of chores while I finished up some work.
Then we took the scooter to where Mama works so we could transfer our bodies to her car with our bikes and head to the track. It would have been fewer transfers if we could have just taken my truck, but it was filled with brush that had yet to be taken to the brush pile...
We got to the track just about the same time Christi (track monitor) showed up, which gave us the maximum amount of time there.
Noah (Kid #1 for those without a program) and I got started quickly with a 20 lap warm up. About half way through this set, Andrew (a hot rod junior client of mine) showed up and got his stuff together. I expected two more clients to show, but Becky was the only one who could make it, and at that, she was running behind because she couldn't take her kids to gymnastics camp until an hour later than she thought.
Having clients out at the track is great because I can easily ride with them without having to chase anyone down too much, and I can watch them all without having to be in multiple places at once.
Andrew needed to do some specific work, as he's preparing for L'Abitbi. Noah was just getting a general workout in, but for him, we have to keep it all in "game" situations to keep it from being work or "training." Though, to be fair, he'd be just fine with whatever and however I threw it out there for him. Becky...Becky is like a 14 year old with a Corvette. She's got a great engine, but she's still learning to drive.
I was just out there to spend as much time as I could with each of them.
As Noah and I wrapped up our warm up, Andrew was hitting the boards for his warm up. I jumped on with him for several laps while Noah wiped down and got a drink.
Once Noah was ready to roll, I dropped off of Andrew and took Noah through a 12 lap thing of sprinting every four (we're in the same gear, and I have to pull all of the time).
We finished that up, and I rolled in, took a drink, and got Andrew going on his workout. For him, though, I was way undergeared, so I just did the best I could. Of course, he's such a hoss that he doesn't need someone to push him or lead him. Just tell him what to do and he'll give it 100%.
So, for the next hour or so, I was bouncing between the two and just working them through their workouts. During the resting periods I tended to a few coaching-related phone calls.
When Becky showed up, I spent some time riding with her, helping her get familiar with the track and riding with company. It worked out that Noah was getting on the track for a set while Becky was riding, and I tried to get us all to ride together, but Noah was getting tired and Becky is super strong...so all I ended up doing was messing up a set for Noah.
We did pull off a few "races" between Noah and Andrew. They'd start on the pursuit lines, and Andrew would have to race 2.5 laps to Noah's 2 laps. Fun for both, it seemed.
After over three hours of baking in the convection oven known as the Superdrome, Noah and I were spent. Andrew rode home. Becky wanted some more, but we were just out of time. And out of water.
Loaded up all the stuff, went to Subway and had one of everything, then took Mama back her car. I rode the scooter home with a quick stop at the grocery store for some stuff to make a dessert for the holiday weekend. Kid #1 went with Mama to go get the munchkins, and we all made it home whupped from the day.
Unloaded all the bikes and got the road bikes ready for an early morning ride before swim practice.
Thursday morning, 5:15am. "Hell, no," I say. We all sleep in a bit longer, Mama ends up taking #2-#3 to school again, and Noah and I knock out 15 or so ending up at swim practice. Pretty darn cool to watch him carry his swim trunks and goggles into the pool while wearing his cycling stuff. I went out for another hour while he swam.
Then we rode home so we could get ready for Andrew's motorpace session.
Just as I got out of the shower, Andrew showed up, and we made quick work of getting ready, since we wanted to minimize our time out there in the upper 90's.
Noah rode with me on the scooter while I paced Andrew through some speedwork out to and at the Texas Motor Speedway. It took Noah about an hour, but he learned that riding on the back of a scooter at 28mph for 2.5hr isn't really all that fun. But he didn't complain. He asked me at one point when he could start motorpacing...
While out at TMS, Noah was riding backwards on the scooter, facing Andrew, and Andrew was all of six inches behind the scooter...and we passed a police car. He waved. He's my second favorite police man ever.
Just as we were all about to crack from the heat, we called it a day.
Smoothies and pasta for lunch. Andrew went home. Noah took off to play with friends, and I got to work on desk stuff.
We filled and loaded a one gallon water jug as well as a 3 gallon jug. Lots of water. Have you been to the Superdrome at mid-day when it is 99degress outside?
The original plan was to ride road bikes with Noah over to swim practice with Kids #2-3 in the trailer and then on to their school. But we woke up 10 minutes too late to pull that off, so Mama took the little ones to school.
This worked out well for me because we took the scooter to the pool instead, which allowed me to take the laptop and get some "desk" work done while Kid #1 did the swim team thing. By not taking the little ones to school or riding to swim practice, I missed out on 20 or so road miles, but with a solid session planned at the track, I wasn't really worried about it. I was, however, worried about not having time to get some work done. It all worked out just fine.
We scootered home from the pool, ate some breakfast, and Kid #1 took care of a couple of chores while I finished up some work.
Then we took the scooter to where Mama works so we could transfer our bodies to her car with our bikes and head to the track. It would have been fewer transfers if we could have just taken my truck, but it was filled with brush that had yet to be taken to the brush pile...
We got to the track just about the same time Christi (track monitor) showed up, which gave us the maximum amount of time there.
Noah (Kid #1 for those without a program) and I got started quickly with a 20 lap warm up. About half way through this set, Andrew (a hot rod junior client of mine) showed up and got his stuff together. I expected two more clients to show, but Becky was the only one who could make it, and at that, she was running behind because she couldn't take her kids to gymnastics camp until an hour later than she thought.
Having clients out at the track is great because I can easily ride with them without having to chase anyone down too much, and I can watch them all without having to be in multiple places at once.
Andrew needed to do some specific work, as he's preparing for L'Abitbi. Noah was just getting a general workout in, but for him, we have to keep it all in "game" situations to keep it from being work or "training." Though, to be fair, he'd be just fine with whatever and however I threw it out there for him. Becky...Becky is like a 14 year old with a Corvette. She's got a great engine, but she's still learning to drive.
I was just out there to spend as much time as I could with each of them.
As Noah and I wrapped up our warm up, Andrew was hitting the boards for his warm up. I jumped on with him for several laps while Noah wiped down and got a drink.
Once Noah was ready to roll, I dropped off of Andrew and took Noah through a 12 lap thing of sprinting every four (we're in the same gear, and I have to pull all of the time).
We finished that up, and I rolled in, took a drink, and got Andrew going on his workout. For him, though, I was way undergeared, so I just did the best I could. Of course, he's such a hoss that he doesn't need someone to push him or lead him. Just tell him what to do and he'll give it 100%.
So, for the next hour or so, I was bouncing between the two and just working them through their workouts. During the resting periods I tended to a few coaching-related phone calls.
When Becky showed up, I spent some time riding with her, helping her get familiar with the track and riding with company. It worked out that Noah was getting on the track for a set while Becky was riding, and I tried to get us all to ride together, but Noah was getting tired and Becky is super strong...so all I ended up doing was messing up a set for Noah.
We did pull off a few "races" between Noah and Andrew. They'd start on the pursuit lines, and Andrew would have to race 2.5 laps to Noah's 2 laps. Fun for both, it seemed.
After over three hours of baking in the convection oven known as the Superdrome, Noah and I were spent. Andrew rode home. Becky wanted some more, but we were just out of time. And out of water.
Loaded up all the stuff, went to Subway and had one of everything, then took Mama back her car. I rode the scooter home with a quick stop at the grocery store for some stuff to make a dessert for the holiday weekend. Kid #1 went with Mama to go get the munchkins, and we all made it home whupped from the day.
Unloaded all the bikes and got the road bikes ready for an early morning ride before swim practice.
Thursday morning, 5:15am. "Hell, no," I say. We all sleep in a bit longer, Mama ends up taking #2-#3 to school again, and Noah and I knock out 15 or so ending up at swim practice. Pretty darn cool to watch him carry his swim trunks and goggles into the pool while wearing his cycling stuff. I went out for another hour while he swam.
Then we rode home so we could get ready for Andrew's motorpace session.
Just as I got out of the shower, Andrew showed up, and we made quick work of getting ready, since we wanted to minimize our time out there in the upper 90's.
Noah rode with me on the scooter while I paced Andrew through some speedwork out to and at the Texas Motor Speedway. It took Noah about an hour, but he learned that riding on the back of a scooter at 28mph for 2.5hr isn't really all that fun. But he didn't complain. He asked me at one point when he could start motorpacing...
While out at TMS, Noah was riding backwards on the scooter, facing Andrew, and Andrew was all of six inches behind the scooter...and we passed a police car. He waved. He's my second favorite police man ever.
Just as we were all about to crack from the heat, we called it a day.
Smoothies and pasta for lunch. Andrew went home. Noah took off to play with friends, and I got to work on desk stuff.
Monday, June 27, 2005
Pretty dang good, thank you
Budreaux, when asked, got me Reanie's shoes as I was getting her ready this morning.
They teamed up for breakfast. Reanie gave him the stuff she didn't want to eat, and he gave her the stuff off of his plate to share.
Reanie helped Budreaux get in the trailer for the ride to school.
Noah missed warm ups for the swim meet today because I couldn't find something as small as a country club. But he dgot to work anyway and picked up two firsts and a third. I know he set at least one PR (freestyle) today.
So, how was YOUR day?
They teamed up for breakfast. Reanie gave him the stuff she didn't want to eat, and he gave her the stuff off of his plate to share.
Reanie helped Budreaux get in the trailer for the ride to school.
Noah missed warm ups for the swim meet today because I couldn't find something as small as a country club. But he dgot to work anyway and picked up two firsts and a third. I know he set at least one PR (freestyle) today.
So, how was YOUR day?
Saturday, June 25, 2005
Going on a ride with Barbie
Here's an advance look at the column I wrote for the next issue of the magazine.
I was going to kick Barbie’s ass.
We’ve been having such good family time in the evenings lately that I’ve sworn off late afternoon—evening training rides for the time being. How noble of me to give up riding when the pavement is melting. Anything for the kids. Riding, instead, comes in the form of the morning commute with the kids to their respective places of business.
Kid #1, who started racing this year, has swim practice in the mornings about three miles away. Too close for loading up the car, too far to walk, and he needs to ride anyway, so we make it a part of the “training” ride each day.
Mama now has to be at work at 7am, which means she is leaving just as kids #2 and #3 are getting bright eyed and bushy tailed. I thought that I could grab a couple more miles in the morning with the kids in the trailer and let Mama get to work without having to rush.
So, Kid #1 and I can ride to the pool, and Kids #2 through #3 can ride with me to their school. These aren’t 100 mile endurance days or anything, but I’ll take what I can get. Besides, by using the bike as our transportation we are saving the planet and letting our kids breathe Metroplex fresh air. Or something like that.
Today we got everyone up and like a clock; we had the cogs turning and working together. Mama is putting fresh drawers on one kid while I finishing clothing the other. Kid #1 is getting his swim stuff together, the tires aired up and the bottles filled. Mama jumps into her car as I’m stuffing food and kids into the trailer. And just as I look down at the clock on my bike’s computer and think, “we’re going to make it,” Kid #2 makes it very clear that for this trip to be pleasant for all parties, it will require Barbie as a companion.
We organize a search party to find Barbie. This task is complete with instructions from a two-year old about the current location of Barbie. I ask, “Where’s Barbie?”
Kid #2 responds, “Yes.”
I change it up a bit, “I’ll get Barbie. Where is she?”
Kid #2 responds, “Barbie wants her super suit.” That’s code for swim suit around here, and it makes much more sense if you’ve seen the movie The Incredibles.
Getting a little stressed, Kid #1 goes on the hunt, finds the Barbie, and we all manage to get rolling in such a way that if we lift our pace just slightly, everyone will make it to their place on time.
Kid #1 tucks in behind the trailer and drafts our rig, and we make record time to the pool. I give him instructions to be ready to go directly after practice because we have a full day planned, which will culminate with track racing. That’s good news to him, and he’s off to his thing.
Kids #2, #3 and I get on with the tougher part of the commute through the hills to their school. Along the way I get a few smiles and thumbs up for having the kids in tow, but I also get a motorist with a cell phone shaking her head and hand at me. “Sorry, didn’t mean to slow you down for three seconds. Nice Navigator, by the way.”
Along the way, there is some disruption in the trailer, but they manage to sort it out among themselves. Though, when I saw it resolved, one kid had two sippy cups and the other two bagels. Hey, if they are OK with it, I am too.
At about the half way point, Kid #2 lets it be known that she is upset that Barbie’s leg came off and that Kid #1 is chewing on it. We didn’t have to bring in arbitrators or ex-presidents, but we did negotiate terms and make the situation livable for all in close quarters.
There is a stretch on this commute of about 300 yards where we have to get on a fairly busy highway. The shoulder big enough for a bike, but not big enough for a trailer, so we have to get on the road a bit. Unnerving somewhat, but nothing kicking it up a few watts (and trust me, I can only kick it up a few) can’t manage.
About 200 yards past that 300 yard section is where I heard Kid #3 say, “Barbie uh oh.” Then Kid #2 beckoned, “D-A-D-D-Y!”
How Barbie got pitched out of the trailer I will never know, but sure as Ken has a schizophrenic girlfriend, Barbie was in the lane of traffic right in the middle of the lane where there isn’t much shoulder.
We wait for a break in traffic, I make the u-turn, we haul it to a point about 50 yards past Barbie, make another u-turn, get the thing rolling again, and we are blessed that at that moment there are no cars coming, and during all that Barbie had managed to dodge becoming Mrs. Macadam. Demonstrating a talent that is utterly useless in competitive cycling, I reached down while riding, scooped up Barbie from the highway, and tossed her into the trailer. Kid #2 even made a decent catch of it. Yippee yahoo, let’s go to school.
The rest of that leg of the trip is uneventful, though we did have to sort out that Barbie was staying in the trailer and not going to school today.
I, dressed in cycling togs including my new Atmos helmet, take the kids to their classrooms. This is when I’m told that today is “Splash Day” and, “did you bring their swimsuits?”
It must have been a funny sight to see someone time trialing all out with that trailer, especially since I didn’t care if it was missing the edge of the road or the potholes, and even more especially since I was taking the highway to pick up Kid #1. We were in a hurry because “Splash Day” was going to happen in 45 minutes, and I needed to ride seven miles to get Kid #1, and then the three miles back to the house, get the swimsuits for Kids #2 and #3, and then get to the school in time for them to get dressed.
And that is exactly what we did.
Originally, this was going to be a pleasant commute. Get in a few miles, save the planet, enjoy some fresh air. It turned out to be one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done.
Looking forward to doing it again on Monday. However, Barbie is gonna just stay in the road next time.
I was going to kick Barbie’s ass.
We’ve been having such good family time in the evenings lately that I’ve sworn off late afternoon—evening training rides for the time being. How noble of me to give up riding when the pavement is melting. Anything for the kids. Riding, instead, comes in the form of the morning commute with the kids to their respective places of business.
Kid #1, who started racing this year, has swim practice in the mornings about three miles away. Too close for loading up the car, too far to walk, and he needs to ride anyway, so we make it a part of the “training” ride each day.
Mama now has to be at work at 7am, which means she is leaving just as kids #2 and #3 are getting bright eyed and bushy tailed. I thought that I could grab a couple more miles in the morning with the kids in the trailer and let Mama get to work without having to rush.
So, Kid #1 and I can ride to the pool, and Kids #2 through #3 can ride with me to their school. These aren’t 100 mile endurance days or anything, but I’ll take what I can get. Besides, by using the bike as our transportation we are saving the planet and letting our kids breathe Metroplex fresh air. Or something like that.
Today we got everyone up and like a clock; we had the cogs turning and working together. Mama is putting fresh drawers on one kid while I finishing clothing the other. Kid #1 is getting his swim stuff together, the tires aired up and the bottles filled. Mama jumps into her car as I’m stuffing food and kids into the trailer. And just as I look down at the clock on my bike’s computer and think, “we’re going to make it,” Kid #2 makes it very clear that for this trip to be pleasant for all parties, it will require Barbie as a companion.
We organize a search party to find Barbie. This task is complete with instructions from a two-year old about the current location of Barbie. I ask, “Where’s Barbie?”
Kid #2 responds, “Yes.”
I change it up a bit, “I’ll get Barbie. Where is she?”
Kid #2 responds, “Barbie wants her super suit.” That’s code for swim suit around here, and it makes much more sense if you’ve seen the movie The Incredibles.
Getting a little stressed, Kid #1 goes on the hunt, finds the Barbie, and we all manage to get rolling in such a way that if we lift our pace just slightly, everyone will make it to their place on time.
Kid #1 tucks in behind the trailer and drafts our rig, and we make record time to the pool. I give him instructions to be ready to go directly after practice because we have a full day planned, which will culminate with track racing. That’s good news to him, and he’s off to his thing.
Kids #2, #3 and I get on with the tougher part of the commute through the hills to their school. Along the way I get a few smiles and thumbs up for having the kids in tow, but I also get a motorist with a cell phone shaking her head and hand at me. “Sorry, didn’t mean to slow you down for three seconds. Nice Navigator, by the way.”
Along the way, there is some disruption in the trailer, but they manage to sort it out among themselves. Though, when I saw it resolved, one kid had two sippy cups and the other two bagels. Hey, if they are OK with it, I am too.
At about the half way point, Kid #2 lets it be known that she is upset that Barbie’s leg came off and that Kid #1 is chewing on it. We didn’t have to bring in arbitrators or ex-presidents, but we did negotiate terms and make the situation livable for all in close quarters.
There is a stretch on this commute of about 300 yards where we have to get on a fairly busy highway. The shoulder big enough for a bike, but not big enough for a trailer, so we have to get on the road a bit. Unnerving somewhat, but nothing kicking it up a few watts (and trust me, I can only kick it up a few) can’t manage.
About 200 yards past that 300 yard section is where I heard Kid #3 say, “Barbie uh oh.” Then Kid #2 beckoned, “D-A-D-D-Y!”
How Barbie got pitched out of the trailer I will never know, but sure as Ken has a schizophrenic girlfriend, Barbie was in the lane of traffic right in the middle of the lane where there isn’t much shoulder.
We wait for a break in traffic, I make the u-turn, we haul it to a point about 50 yards past Barbie, make another u-turn, get the thing rolling again, and we are blessed that at that moment there are no cars coming, and during all that Barbie had managed to dodge becoming Mrs. Macadam. Demonstrating a talent that is utterly useless in competitive cycling, I reached down while riding, scooped up Barbie from the highway, and tossed her into the trailer. Kid #2 even made a decent catch of it. Yippee yahoo, let’s go to school.
The rest of that leg of the trip is uneventful, though we did have to sort out that Barbie was staying in the trailer and not going to school today.
I, dressed in cycling togs including my new Atmos helmet, take the kids to their classrooms. This is when I’m told that today is “Splash Day” and, “did you bring their swimsuits?”
It must have been a funny sight to see someone time trialing all out with that trailer, especially since I didn’t care if it was missing the edge of the road or the potholes, and even more especially since I was taking the highway to pick up Kid #1. We were in a hurry because “Splash Day” was going to happen in 45 minutes, and I needed to ride seven miles to get Kid #1, and then the three miles back to the house, get the swimsuits for Kids #2 and #3, and then get to the school in time for them to get dressed.
And that is exactly what we did.
Originally, this was going to be a pleasant commute. Get in a few miles, save the planet, enjoy some fresh air. It turned out to be one of the hardest workouts I’ve ever done.
Looking forward to doing it again on Monday. However, Barbie is gonna just stay in the road next time.
Sunday, June 19, 2005
Bad Blog
Friday--I was planning to race the sprints at Master's Regional Track Championships, but when it came time to pack up and leave, I was just getting home from what ended up being an all day affair of buying our new scooter. I'll have pics of her (we're narrowing down her name) soon.
See, we were about to buy a new car. We'd done some research, mostly avoided arguing about it, test drove a ride or two, and even haggled with a salesman about a Mazda3. But the whole ordeal of shopping, financing (we like to buy things outright), and figuring out needs vs. wants and trying to predict what would work best for us in the next year or so...we said "screw it" and spent the down payment on a red, 150cc, 4-speed, hot rod.
I was sunburned and tired from being outside all day, and I nearly melted when I saw a bank sign say the temp outside was 109, but I was riding a scooter through Dallas and down 121 and passing trucks at 60mph.
Yeah, we got a scooter. We're that much further away from being cool, but we're having more fun. Especially on me and Chloe's first ride together.
Saturday--Woke up early, ran over to get Noah from his Mom's, and we went to the second session of Master's Regionals. The events of the day were the Kilo and the Pursuit. I had no business racing a bicycle at all, but I figured I'd make my donation of an entry fee, run a few laps, and call it a day.
I picked the kilo because it was the shortest event on offer, thus leaving me on the track for the least amount of time to be embarassed. There were only five people in the 35-39 category, but my bronze medal is forever.
We motored home and got to work on the garage. We emptied that thing out, cleaned the floors, filled up the truck with trash, got all of the TRP stuff out...and then put everything but the trash back in the garage because it looked like it was going to rain. The garage is clean and organized now, complete with weights set up, a place for the scooter, bike crap organized...
We'll see how long it lasts. But I do think it will stay tidier now that we don't have team stuff and TRP stuff in there. Well, the TRP stuff will be out completely this week.
Sunday--For Having Sex With My Wife Day, my kids gave me this cool plate that has their hand prints on it. The handprints are made into fish. Cutesy, but they're my kids, so I think it is cool.
Mama took me to Lowes and we got a workbench and some stuff to organize the bike tools and such. We also got some long-needed florescent lighting. Good times.
Noah and I went for a ride this evening, and we chose to hit the hills, complete with an assault on Hilltop the short and steep way. Now, we didn't go up it fast, but we got up it just fine.
Mama made a wonderful sauce for some pasta tonight. Made it with some fresh tomatoes from our next door neighbor. But we have our own tomatoes growing just fine. Because we are farmers and all.
Stuff that doesn't fit into a particular day--We came across a copy of The Muppet Movie on DVD. It is the favorite move around here lately. As long as we ignore Fozzy's "Wakka wakka," which annoys everyone, especially Buddy.
Reanie doesn't wear a swim suit. She wears her "super suit." This makes more sense if you've seen The Incredibles.
We wore out the bouncy slide. But we are taking it back to get another. You'd think they'd make those things kid-proof.
I've been sick with some chest/head thing for a week. Probably should have gone to the doctor for it, but I'm tired of going to the doctor lately.
I love my kids.
See, we were about to buy a new car. We'd done some research, mostly avoided arguing about it, test drove a ride or two, and even haggled with a salesman about a Mazda3. But the whole ordeal of shopping, financing (we like to buy things outright), and figuring out needs vs. wants and trying to predict what would work best for us in the next year or so...we said "screw it" and spent the down payment on a red, 150cc, 4-speed, hot rod.
I was sunburned and tired from being outside all day, and I nearly melted when I saw a bank sign say the temp outside was 109, but I was riding a scooter through Dallas and down 121 and passing trucks at 60mph.
Yeah, we got a scooter. We're that much further away from being cool, but we're having more fun. Especially on me and Chloe's first ride together.
Saturday--Woke up early, ran over to get Noah from his Mom's, and we went to the second session of Master's Regionals. The events of the day were the Kilo and the Pursuit. I had no business racing a bicycle at all, but I figured I'd make my donation of an entry fee, run a few laps, and call it a day.
I picked the kilo because it was the shortest event on offer, thus leaving me on the track for the least amount of time to be embarassed. There were only five people in the 35-39 category, but my bronze medal is forever.
We motored home and got to work on the garage. We emptied that thing out, cleaned the floors, filled up the truck with trash, got all of the TRP stuff out...and then put everything but the trash back in the garage because it looked like it was going to rain. The garage is clean and organized now, complete with weights set up, a place for the scooter, bike crap organized...
We'll see how long it lasts. But I do think it will stay tidier now that we don't have team stuff and TRP stuff in there. Well, the TRP stuff will be out completely this week.
Sunday--For Having Sex With My Wife Day, my kids gave me this cool plate that has their hand prints on it. The handprints are made into fish. Cutesy, but they're my kids, so I think it is cool.
Mama took me to Lowes and we got a workbench and some stuff to organize the bike tools and such. We also got some long-needed florescent lighting. Good times.
Noah and I went for a ride this evening, and we chose to hit the hills, complete with an assault on Hilltop the short and steep way. Now, we didn't go up it fast, but we got up it just fine.
Mama made a wonderful sauce for some pasta tonight. Made it with some fresh tomatoes from our next door neighbor. But we have our own tomatoes growing just fine. Because we are farmers and all.
Stuff that doesn't fit into a particular day--We came across a copy of The Muppet Movie on DVD. It is the favorite move around here lately. As long as we ignore Fozzy's "Wakka wakka," which annoys everyone, especially Buddy.
Reanie doesn't wear a swim suit. She wears her "super suit." This makes more sense if you've seen The Incredibles.
We wore out the bouncy slide. But we are taking it back to get another. You'd think they'd make those things kid-proof.
I've been sick with some chest/head thing for a week. Probably should have gone to the doctor for it, but I'm tired of going to the doctor lately.
I love my kids.
Friday, June 10, 2005
Pause for Dramatic Effect
Reanie took off downstairs after I put clean drawers on her. It was quiet for a bit. Then she came upstairs (my office is upstairs) wearing her swimsuit.
I figured Noah helped her put it on and that they were going to to play on the bouncy slide thing. But Noah was nowhere to be found. Hmmm....
After calling for him a few times, I went looking out the windows to see if he was outside somewheres. Sure enough, he's teaching himself how to rollerblade out in the driveway.
I'm not getting any work done, but the kids are loading up the cute points.
And I got my coffee mug with that action shot of Noah (posted a few days ago) today.
Bad day for work. Crummy day cuz I'm illin'. GREAT day because 2/3's of the kids are here being cute.
I figured Noah helped her put it on and that they were going to to play on the bouncy slide thing. But Noah was nowhere to be found. Hmmm....
After calling for him a few times, I went looking out the windows to see if he was outside somewheres. Sure enough, he's teaching himself how to rollerblade out in the driveway.
I'm not getting any work done, but the kids are loading up the cute points.
And I got my coffee mug with that action shot of Noah (posted a few days ago) today.
Bad day for work. Crummy day cuz I'm illin'. GREAT day because 2/3's of the kids are here being cute.
160,000 rolled pennies per month
I love my kids. Really, I do. But we send them to this school so they can learn a bit and be social a bit. But this school, to which we pay a healthy sum for the opportunity to send our kids there daily, has made it a habit of calling me to come pick them up on a weekly basis. And I don't mean when it is time to pick them up; I mean like in the middle of the day because Buddy coughed or Reanie had a runny nose.
This week, I've had one or the other child here for three days. It would be one thing to just have them here from when we wake up until we put them to bed, but what this is has to do with dropping them off at school, coming back home to work, only to have the phone ring just as I fire up the computer. "Mr. Williams, this is Joanne from the Merryhill School, and Reanie/Buddy has...you need to come pick him/her up and take them to the doctor."
See, at this school, when they tell you to come pick up the kid, you have to have a doctors note for them to return. So, you lose the time that you had to go pick them up, the time you were going to work now that you have them at home, AND the time it takes to take them to the doctor.
So, I've been sick the last two days--sore throat, coughing up oysters and whatnot. This morning, we had to get everyone rolling earlier than normal because Mama had to be at work earlier than normal. My truck is in the shop, so we are down to one vehicle, and that means everyone piles in. But me. I get to stay home and be sick and be working. Fine. Cool.
25 minutes after everyone leaves, the phone rings. Mama says I need to take the kid's swimsuits and towels up to the school because it is "Splash Day." Hokey dokey. I'll ride my bike and take them up there. The car shop is very close, and I can go pick up the truck while I'm at it.
Took me 20 minutes to find their swimsuits.
Then Mama called and said she left a folder on her desk that she needs for work, "please bring that to me this morning." No problem. Forgetting things happens (right, Noah?)
Just as I'm stuffing everything into a backpack, Noah's Mom calls and says she's on 407 (a main road around here and the same road in which the car shop and the kid's school is located) and asks if I could meet her to get the Big Boy. "Sure," I tell her, but you'll have to meet me at the car shop, since I'm on my bike and have to pick up my truck..."
Just as I stuff my phone in my jersey pocket, it rings. This time it is the school. Reanie seems to have a "rash" and is "scrathing a lot." "Please pick her up and take her to the doctor."
I ride to the shop, pay the guy $200 for a hose, which isn't much of a stretch to create the metophor--I got hosed. Noah jumps out of his Mom's car, helps me load my bike and stuff, and we drive over to the school to give them Buddy's swimsuit and pick up Reanie. Both kids are soaking wet, by the way. They tell me that, "We tried to keep her dry."
I grab the soaking Reanie and hand over the now pointless swim suit for Buddy, and we pile in the truck to take Mama's notebook to her.
Now that we are home, Reanie wants to show me every picture she is drawing, and she wants banana and apricot. Hearing two year old girls say "apricot" is enough to make you stop what you are doing and get it just because it is cute. But she's on apricot #4.
Ain't no work getting done today, and Mama leaves for NYC on Sunday.
[ Oh, and a special note (read: inside joke) for Rob, Burke and JR: ... ]
Reanie's ailment? The tag on her shirt was rubbing her back.
Mama and I get to argue tonight about keeping the kids in this school. She loves it, and I think it is a decent school but a huge pain in the ass. I get more done here having the kids underfoot than I do by dropping them off only to turn around and pick them up and take them to the doctor 2 hours later. And then wait the 24 hours that the school says they must wait if they are ever picked up early due to itchy tags and whatnot.
This week, I've had one or the other child here for three days. It would be one thing to just have them here from when we wake up until we put them to bed, but what this is has to do with dropping them off at school, coming back home to work, only to have the phone ring just as I fire up the computer. "Mr. Williams, this is Joanne from the Merryhill School, and Reanie/Buddy has...you need to come pick him/her up and take them to the doctor."
See, at this school, when they tell you to come pick up the kid, you have to have a doctors note for them to return. So, you lose the time that you had to go pick them up, the time you were going to work now that you have them at home, AND the time it takes to take them to the doctor.
So, I've been sick the last two days--sore throat, coughing up oysters and whatnot. This morning, we had to get everyone rolling earlier than normal because Mama had to be at work earlier than normal. My truck is in the shop, so we are down to one vehicle, and that means everyone piles in. But me. I get to stay home and be sick and be working. Fine. Cool.
25 minutes after everyone leaves, the phone rings. Mama says I need to take the kid's swimsuits and towels up to the school because it is "Splash Day." Hokey dokey. I'll ride my bike and take them up there. The car shop is very close, and I can go pick up the truck while I'm at it.
Took me 20 minutes to find their swimsuits.
Then Mama called and said she left a folder on her desk that she needs for work, "please bring that to me this morning." No problem. Forgetting things happens (right, Noah?)
Just as I'm stuffing everything into a backpack, Noah's Mom calls and says she's on 407 (a main road around here and the same road in which the car shop and the kid's school is located) and asks if I could meet her to get the Big Boy. "Sure," I tell her, but you'll have to meet me at the car shop, since I'm on my bike and have to pick up my truck..."
Just as I stuff my phone in my jersey pocket, it rings. This time it is the school. Reanie seems to have a "rash" and is "scrathing a lot." "Please pick her up and take her to the doctor."
I ride to the shop, pay the guy $200 for a hose, which isn't much of a stretch to create the metophor--I got hosed. Noah jumps out of his Mom's car, helps me load my bike and stuff, and we drive over to the school to give them Buddy's swimsuit and pick up Reanie. Both kids are soaking wet, by the way. They tell me that, "We tried to keep her dry."
I grab the soaking Reanie and hand over the now pointless swim suit for Buddy, and we pile in the truck to take Mama's notebook to her.
Now that we are home, Reanie wants to show me every picture she is drawing, and she wants banana and apricot. Hearing two year old girls say "apricot" is enough to make you stop what you are doing and get it just because it is cute. But she's on apricot #4.
Ain't no work getting done today, and Mama leaves for NYC on Sunday.
[ Oh, and a special note (read: inside joke) for Rob, Burke and JR: ... ]
Reanie's ailment? The tag on her shirt was rubbing her back.
Mama and I get to argue tonight about keeping the kids in this school. She loves it, and I think it is a decent school but a huge pain in the ass. I get more done here having the kids underfoot than I do by dropping them off only to turn around and pick them up and take them to the doctor 2 hours later. And then wait the 24 hours that the school says they must wait if they are ever picked up early due to itchy tags and whatnot.
Thursday, June 09, 2005
New Team Bike
Here's my new sled. Instead of new wheels, we got the bouncy house/slide/climbing thing pictured below. Very good choice.
For those with an eye for it, this is one gorked out bike. Compact frame with 140mm negative rise stem with Biomax, shallow drop bars. I jacked up the chain on installation, but Robbie sorted it out so that it is rideable until time for the next chain replacement (which will be 2008 if I keep up this training schedule). I left the pump on there for the picture because it is my blog. I also put the bike in the big ring for dramatic affect.
Actually, I've ridden for three of the last four days. We would have grabbed another day in there, but just about the time we got to the track, Noah realzied he forgot his shoes. I wanted to ride with Noah, so I skipped the ride out of sympathy. I mean, I've forgotten to take cycling shorts to a race on two occasions, so I don't have much room to give him grief about it.
Let the good times roll
Here's Reanie on Nonno's motorcycle.
Nonno stopped by Sola Stella for a night on his way up to Canada. He had a couple things to do, and one of those was to ride from one end of Canada to the other. The other was to get engaged. He did both real good.
Reanie is all about Nonno's motorcycle.
Slip and slidSlide on Steroids
We've been doing some crosstraining lately. I'm gonna suck at bike racing for awhile longer, but I can do a somersault at the top and still land sliding into the pool at the bottom. Next trick is to make it a 1-1/2.
Buddy likes to slide, but it takes him a trip or two to remember. Reanie climbs up this thing all on her own, and she throws herself down the thing. Noah, I'm convinced, becomes obsessed and completely spaz's out with this thing in a good way. Mama ain't shy about giving it a run either. Heck, even Grammy slid down the thing once or twice.
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