ugh, rain go away!

No mnr for me this week. Sicker than a dog all day. No wnr this week, too muddy. No race Sat, gotta work... I see a pattern forming here...

Went out tonight and mowed sense i couldn't ride. I have to return the monster weed eater sat, so i figured i'd make a go of it. Someone was shooting off fireworks on the south hill so i headed up there to check it. Someone pulled all the flags off the dirt hill re-routes. Found them tossed off the trail, so i put them back up. Headed over to check out the mega berm. It was trashed. My guess is someone tried to use it backwards as a jump and ended up rolling over the top and messing it all up. Got it all back in order in time to hear some more fireworks go off and a group of kids running towards the apartment. Let them be and headed home to mow my own yard.

Pretty exciting week so far...

Had some fun today playing in the blue section. Got it all trimmed up and happy...


Finished phase 2 of super berm. Hopefully we get some rain to get it packed in. Phase 3 will have to wait till i can get our friend with the skid loader out on the hill. Dummy me used dirt from behind the berm area and i have reached the point where i can't back build anymore without going into the holes i dug. The hopeful plan is to get a few loads of dirt from the loader to fill the holes and then continue building from there. Dunno, it may be big enough now...




So, i'm surfing craigslist last night and see an ad for 2 hardrock kids bikes. Hmmm, my ex's twins need bikes, I have a lil bit of commuter fund left. I can either go blow money at the bike shop or get 2 little girls some new wheels... Ya, they got new bikes today. They are stoked. Thanks craigslist dude! You made some lil girls happy campers today. They spent the whole afternoon learning how to use the brakes and how to ride big kid bikes. They said they are going to practice so they can race @ tranq with thier big sister.... Sweeet...

Out of smokes, 1 lb of nuts almost gone. Ugh, this sucks. Need another project tomorrow.....

Went out for stage 2 of the big berm on the techie section. Yapped with Joe for a bit about things. He said he was just out with the skidloader a bit ago...doh! That would have helped alot. Needs to rain to get the new top rideable. The weather radar got me again. It rained all around tranq but not on the trail...

Funny of the day...Joe's kid is learning to drive a stick using the roads at tranq. Someone called the cops on him for being out there after hours and "tearing up the place". Of course, opd was there in minutes with lights flashing to take care of these reckless villains. After a short chat, all was good and the police headed off. You know as well as i do, if it had been anything real, opd would have showed up hours later if at all.

The grassy area between parking lots is going to get mowed this week. If the lots are full, please park there before using the hill by the farm.

Depending on weather, i may go finish the berm tomorrow. Then again, i might head to L&C. Do a lil' trimming and try and bag a lap or 2. Anyone wanna go tomorrow afternoon, leave a comment or give me a call and we can set something up...

3 smokes so far today. 3 left in the pack. 2lbs of pistachios waiting for me to get the urge....

This weekend is my official smoke out. I'll not be around the mass that smokes at work and should have plenty to do to keep me busy. If i can go 3 days without, i should be good for the long haul. Hope i can do this time. Tried patches, gum, hypnosis and acupuncture in the past. Getting poked with needles worked the best but i still fell off the wagon after a couple days. I think i am ready. I wanna get faster, feel better, not get dirty looks at stoplights and on the trail. Also looking into moving and a few places i talked to add $400+ non-refundable deposit on smokers. Yup, time to give it up...

So, if ya see me puffing on the trail...gimmie some crap about it. It always helps to get some back up from others. Man, i am gonna be a crabby mofo for awhile...

gigo = garbage in/garbage out. One of those lovely programmer sayings that is true in many ways. As much as i'd like to blame my pre-ride meal of a little debbie cake for my stellar performance at l&c, it was probably a bit more of too much tranq, not enough hills.

Rolled out the first lap learning the race loop. It was pretty funky. Rode with Dale and Dave? Crap. i am so bad with names. He did really well for his first time there and i hope he comes out to ride it again with us. It is a tough place unless you know it pretty well. I don't anymore, so it takes a bit before you can dive into the turns. It was also pretty overgrown. Might head out Sunday for some trimming. Also ran into the bike way guys, the tailgater crew and several others out trying to learn the race loop. It was pretty fun. Lap number 2 started with exploring the unused section of trail then jumping back in to ride the lap. Started to unravel about 1/2 way through but still made it up neverrest. i've never cleared it on an SS, got it twice last night. I am happy...

Headed out to tranq to finish the trim. 3ft tall sticker bushes make for a long mow. Used the push weedeater and got the inner loop climb to the gravel road all done. 2 tanks of gas and 3 stops to re-string got me out of there in an hour n a 1/2. Not too shabby.

Have the weekend off, kids are out of school. The big kids are going job hunting tomorrow, hope they find something close to home. It is nice for them to have their own spending money. Helps me out quite a bit. Also have one wanting to practice driving more so he can his license. The other is wanting her permit so she can do the same. Teaching 2 at once is going to be interesting. So weird, i don't remember anyone teaching me how to drive. With all the motorcycles, bikes, odessey, etc we rode as kids, it just came naturally...

Bacon ride starts Sunday. Not sure if i'll make the first one or not. I'd kinda like to sleep in for once. I do realize now that i need to ride hills atleast once a week if i'm going to get stronger. The spread out there would definetly make it worth the ride...

Pic stolen from Dale. Thanks! People always ask why i'm never in the pics. This is why...

MNR was sweet! Good group for the ride. Lots of people out enjoying the trails last night. I played the silly big gear game again last night and came apart on the last time up the inner loop climb. 2 laps 36/13 for the majority of the lap isn't too bad. Only popped it into the 15 for the inner loop and rode most of the time in the 12. I've been riding with out the sportlegs/heed/endurox that i usually use to fight cramps. So far, so good. Maybe there is something to this drinking water stuff. Last 2 rides have been powered by strawberry kool-aid! Woohooo!!

WNR is at manawa this week but i think i will probably head to l&c for some recon laps. All are welcome that want to come along. Meet at the monument at 6 and roll on out. Good time to ride before the hammerheads start doing hot laps to prep for the race. I'll be a good boy, my legs are shelled from last night...

Tranq haircut is complete! Thanks to Dale, Paul and Marc for all the hard work today. Trail will be super sweet for the MNR. Hoping to make it out myself. Gotta get some rides in while the weather is good and the legs are feeling good.

School ends this week, i guess it is time to go sweet talk my way into a commuter. All the money i had saved went to bills, so i will have to try and talk my way into payments i guess... Not sure if it is worth it. Got 4 weeks of summer school to haul kiddies to, along with back and forth to their jobs, etc. Gonna be another long summer...

MNR was a blast, going to have to make this more often. I missed the main group and headed out with a few folks. Stopped part way in to close a section off that someone had re-opened on their own. Really wish people would stop doing that...

Caught up with the BM crew at the end of lap one. Rode with them for another lap. Felt really strong last night. Good snap in the legs and the body was liking rolling a big gear. First time i've been able to ride and climb in 36/12. Rocked that from the top of the south hill all the way to the inner loop. Might actually get to put the 38 on the front like was originally planned.

Trail day tonight, wnr tomorrow. I'm liking all this riding...

Little riding but fun stuff today. Built some moto inspired stuff up on the blue section. That's aboot all i'm saying till i get some pics of it. that or someone destroys it...

Got to chat with many people today. Had a nice couple that had just bought bikes at Bike Masters trying out the trail. There were really gung ho and having fun. Had a group of guys out for a hot lap. Must have been 10 in the group. Even got to chat with OPD bike cops out on the trail. they were doing some training in full gear. Wild to see them packing heat on the trail. Might scare off the vandals tho...

Got a half lap in before the rain started. I was pooped anyway. Gonna save it up for the MNR tomorrow if i can get the kiddo to go for the Chica Ride.

Ever have one of those days where you just know you should have gone back to bed? I think today might qualify as 2 of those days....

Woke up to someone smearing a burrito or something from taco hell all over the front storm door. Gotta love having teens in the house, right? Got that all cleaned up and breezed into work a few minutes late. Work actually went ok. A little slow but not too bad.

Head for home and as soon as i walk in the door get greeted with "the laundry room door fell off." Ummm, no. Door don't fall off by themselves. Especially when the screws are pulled out of the door jamb.

Screw it, gotta meet Franco in a few to get some equipment for the trail day on Tues. Bail out, pick up the monster weedkiller and signpost installer and roll over to petco for birdy food. Not really a bad thing but i used to pay $40 for a 25lb bag of parrot food from a feed dealer. I could get 3 macaws, a conure and 2 meyers parrots fed for a month on that. They closed down and now it is that much for 8lbs of food and barely lasts a week for 2 birds. Ugh, i need wholesale macaw chow.

Swing by to get my haircut on the way home. Gal butchered it so bad, i just told her to grab the clippers. Ya, i'll be wearing the hat alot so my dome doesn't get burnt. Go ahead and laugh, i still am. Shoulda known better...

Get home, feed the kids and fire up the dishwasher. 30 sec later i hear "dad, it's raining in the downstairs bathroom". Greeeat. Look in the upstairs bathroom, toilet is clogged and backing up into the tub. Pull the toilet, grab the snake. Whatever it is, i can't reach it. Call Mr Rooter. I am number 60 in line. Mention that i have a contract, he will see me in an hour. Well, things are looking up. He rolls up 20 min later and is happy he doesn't have to pull the stool. This is only going to cost me $270 sense he doesn't have to do it. Less than a minute later, he is done. Damn, i wanna make 300 bucks a minute. Grumble grumble, write the check...

The bad luck seems to have left along with most of my paycheck. Easy come, easy go. I was gonna go for a ride tonight but i think i knew better. At least all the bathrooms are clean now. Just need the landlord to come fix the pipe that leaks into the lower bathroom everytime the plumbing backs up...

Sounds like Platte was fun. Wonder if the bro went. Think i will play a bit with some things tomorrow then ride in the afternoon. Anyone wanna ride with the timebomb?

Woohoo, got to ride again. It was really shocking to find tranq bone dry and dusty after a day of on and off rain showers. Did a little trimming and got out for a lap and half with Dale, Josh and Bob. Felt pretty good. Endurance is getting better, recovery is much better. Still looking foreward to commuting this summer to try and help things along. Kiddo has summer school so not sure how that is going to work out the first month of summer for riding to work.

Still saving my pennies for a bike. Not sure what to do there. The langster has track bars and cross brakes. I like riding on the hoods. I suppose i just need to ride it and see how i like it and change up as needed. I also like the steamroller and it already has regular road bars and hoods but it is a little out of the current budget. The thought of doing a monocog 29er with skinny tires was also a thought but i'd like to get a road bike to get some more milage on the weekends.

Oh well, more awards stuff for D tonight. the kid is so involved in everything. Wish the girlies would get more into it. It really looks good come college time...

Who ya callin a turkey?!? Our turkey family has been very active in the creek and nursery areas this weekend. There were a mess of feathers on one spot of the trail. Hope no one nailed one of our buddies...



Inner loop bypass and re-route are in. Still need to buzz the bypass to dirt. Had some ladies out on path bikes this weekend and they were having a hard time thru the grass. The nettles are also out in full force. Time for a little hair cut for the trail to keep the pokey things at bay.

A note from the city: Do not ride the gravel road between the inner loop entrance/exit! Signage will be up soon to let everyone know. Please use the bypass if not climbing the inner loop.


The south hill descent is open and rolling pretty well. Need to tweak the exit of the wall ride a bit. It shoots you to the very outside of the trail. I might just open up that section a bit.



Got out to Swanson to watch the race. No pics, my camera jammed up on me. Maybe i'll poach some from the bro when he put some up. Amazing day, very fast field. Great to chat with everyone. Great job to all the racers that participated. I probably won't race till Norfolk. I'm just not that into it again this year.

Got in a nice solo ride Sunday and will probably be riding Platte wed if the weather holds out.

Much kiddies stuff to do as the school year winds down. I never knew there were so many award ceremonies. Had 1 last week and 3 this week. Ugh...