6/24

Boy wonder #1 up to bat! He has really done awesome this season. This pic is from one of our last games. Boy wonder #2 will have a game in another week, so hopefully we will have some pics of him.


A blurry pic of some rather incredible clouds. We were pretty sure there were some rotating clouds.

Whew! the last few days have been a marathon. This past weekend was the Kansas State Time Trial Championships. Our bike shop sponsored this event, needless to say we were busy. Everything went very smoothly, no wrecks or injuries. Because the event started so early in the morning, I was able to get back in time for baseball practice in the afternoon.

Our races involve so much to promote and sponsor. We would not be able to do any of it without the help of volunteers. It takes a pretty strong soul to give up their weekend to help out in the elements (one year the high was 105 degrees) so that our bike racers will be safe. We are so fortunate to have the best help anywhere. Here's to you volunteers. ALRIGHT!! THANK YOU!!

Did not get to ride the day of the race, but have been doing ok otherwise. Saturday rode 17, Monday another 17, today got in 27. I hope that tomorrow is a good ride day. My dream is to get a 50+ ride in once a week. Unfortunately, time is hard to come by. As of yet, a 50 miler is not happening. At any rate, last weeks total miles was 97. Ok, short of my 200 mile a week goal by half. I will have to work harder next week. That would be this week.

6/20

This is going to be a short entry.  One more day of work responsibilities, yea!!  I don't think there is anything else out there for the summer.  After the race on Sunday my work worries will go down quite a bit.  Then maybe, I can get caught up with what I am supposed to be doing.  Maybe if I make schedule and stay on it, I could get stuff done.

Speaking of getting stuff done, I did get 17 miles in on my bike ride.  It was nice to do a northerly route, seems like all I have been doing has been southerly routes.  Generally I like to end my rides with a tailwind.  Although, if I want to go to a specific destination I will ignore the wind and do the bike ride I want.  If figure its good for training.

6/19

Today was varied. Commuted by bike (save $$ and good for my body) to workshop on Curriculum Mapping. Learned quite a bit for a 7 hour day. Will be going back for more tomorrow. After the workshop worked at the bike shop for awhile. I totally need to be down there more, I get so disorganized. Youngster #1 had a baseball game. Both the boys love baseball. This has been the first time that they are so excited about what they are doing that they keep all their equipment organized and ready for the next practice/game. Definitely makes getting ready to go easier.

Even though the weather looked a little threatening and there were some drops of rain, went on a nice ride this evening. One of those lets just get out and do something so we don't get stale kinda rides. While we were on the ride a kitten ran out in the road and chased us down--as only a nine week old, starving, kinda sick one can. I was afraid it would get hit, someone had just dropped it off by the roadside. Very sad. At any rate, I took it home. The poor thing was so desperate for food and company it actually rode the 1.5 miles home sitting on my shoulders and back, purring the whole way. So now we have a new addition to our brood of strays. Hopefully it will stick around to keep us company.

6/18

Today has been one of those days that starts with a bang and ends with I don't know, maybe being so tired you can't sleep. We had tennis lessons in the morning, followed by swim lessons, then doctors appointment (next week is boy scout camp and we needed a physical), baseball practice and then family fun. Relatives from out of state are visiting and the fam got together. It was wonderful to see everyone, and how much they have grown. Listening to their experiences in a culture so different from our own--even though they do live in the states.

I was so happy today, my ride was in excess of 20 miles. I know it is hard to believe. So I got in 25 miles on the Scammon Loop in about 1 hour 20 minutes. The last month I have been able to ride enough that my body is wanting more time in the saddle. If I could get at least one or two rides a week that were over 3 hours long, I would be ecstatic--as would my legs, my heart, and lungs.

The picture is a few years old, but I wanted to put up a mountain bike photo. It is blurry because I was going soo fast! (I wish)

6/17

Today was a running around kinda day.  Swimming lessons in the morning then work for a little bit.  Did finish reading Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.  I would recomend this book to those that are wondering about their spot in life and their relationship with God.  

This evening we had a baseball game.  The boys did a fine job, they are learning so much about playing and focusing their attention on the game.  We missed the first part of the game, it corresponded with the Tuesday night ride.  I have not made it to a single one, and was determined to get on the ride.  So through luck and perseverance I was able to make the ride.   We did the Chicopee Loop from the shop, about 15 miles.  It was so cool to ride with an actual group, there were about 12 riders.  There were new riders and old riders in two senses of the words.  The youngest rider is 7 and the oldest 64 (I believe).  The newest rider as far as experience were riders that started riding this year and one rider started riding about 26 years ago.  When I say started riding I mean riding as a sport and means to stay fit.  Many of us have been riding bikes off and on since we were 5 or 6.  I still remember the bike I learned to ride on without training wheels.  My folks still have that bike.  At one time it was a bright red.  When learning how to ride, I still was not tall enough for the bike so Dad had somehow attached blocks of wood to the pedals so that I could reach them.  

6/16

Today was the husband's birthday, the big 40.  What a great time with friends and family.  Neither of us can believe our age, we still feel like we are in our twenties.  It is totally not possible we are 40.  Oh my.  Oh my, what fun we have had.  Other than having everyone over, we also had an awesome time looking at some of DH early years photos that his mom brought for all of us to enjoy.  

Today's bike ride was short but sweet, a whopping 8 miles.  Whew, I wasn't sure I was going to make it those last few miles.  When I am short on time I usually ride Bill's Loop.  It's perfect when I have 30 or 40 minutes to ride.  This loop is one of two in our county that has a portion that is tree covered for about 100 feet--creating a cool (literally in the summer) tunnel.  I have been sad on this loop because this past winter many of the trees were chopped, taking out much of the tree tunnel.  My hope is that most of it will fill back out.  In the meantime I will be sad.

6/15

Happy Father's Day!  For father's day we went to the range.  It was a gorgeous day, we could not have asked for better weather.  The shoot went well, lots of father's showed and another family.  The boys had a good time also, they even helped with the paper work.  After the ride we had baseball practice and bike ride.

My ride today was a combination of several loops around town.  The weather was starting to look like rain, so I stayed close to town instead of riding out.  I rode Bill's Loop, Pretty Road, and the Chicopee Loop.  I was still able to get just over 20 miles in with a time of 1 hour and 15 minutes.  Body did good and bike did good.  I am looking forward to some longer rides this week.  There are a few races I would like to get to in the next few months.  Two this month, a time trial and a road bike race.  In July, one of my most favorite races in the whole wide world is in the third weekend.  It is the Eureka Springs Fat Tire Festival.  My body is not fit enough, but my mind is ready for the punishment.  I will be riding in the sport class.  The cross country race is nice because it is point to point and starts in historic downtown Eureka Springs, AR.  So cool!  It is twisty, windy streets and way to many hills.  My husband and I lived there for three years, it was pure bliss.  Well, except for living in a town with no flat spots.  We lived at the highest point in town so no matter what road ride we did we would have some massive climb to do to get home.  Needless to say we were pretty fit, it helped to that we were racing almost every weekend.

Starting something new!

I hope that all who visit this blog enjoy themselves and are inspired to get out and have their own adventures.  Each day seems to hold some kind of interesting element, sometimes bad, but most of the time good.  My initial reason for starting this blog was to journal my daily bike rides.  After some thought, it would be an interesting way to talk about some other kinds of adventures I enjoy.