Friday, March 28, 2008

Less Than Five Days Away

Election day is coming in less than five days. I've done a bit of political blogging (there's a link here somewhere) and when commenting on others' blogs found it is important to read things carefully. I'm often accused of saying things I never said. But the words are there for all to see.

If you haven't noticed I started a you/tube page; link in the sidebar. Basically MTB but my GO clips seem to be more popular. Sometimes I'm astonished at what I find on you/tube. One clip I found shows a young man falling off a cliff from his mountain bike. I was literally horrified.

Here's the footage.

Could I find something even more terrifying and distasteful on you/tube? Here is a group of mountain bikers traversing a submerged ledge that looks like high tide on an inlet on the pacific coast. I would never ride my bike through salt water. Watch for a killer whale to surge out of the water and grab the last biker in red.

Here's the bite.

Don't forget to vote.

Thursday, March 27, 2008

Twenty-one Years

It has been twenty-one years today since I first met my wife. A couple more years and I will have known my wife longer than having not known her. My wife and I were matched by Reverend Moon and afterwards we went out to KFC with some of her friends for dinner. Today we went out to lunch at Applebee's and then went shopping for a bridal shower gift for more youngest brother's fiance'e. Two other of my five brothers are already married and all three were matched by computers.
God loves a cheerful giver. My parents got us this 2002 ford cargo van. Rode my road bike out to their house to pick it up. No more excuses for not getting to the gym. Could probably fit a half dozen bicycles in the back with gear. Most likely strap two bikes to one wall leaving plenty of room for the dogs.

Eagerly awaiting the Hoyt Park trails to dry out. They usually dry out very quickly. Wonder how the Bike Expo went with the massive snowfall. Wanted to stop by myself but was too busy shoveling.

Moved my writing station, my laptop isolated from the Internet, upstairs. The dogs really like it there so thought it might be a better place to write. Some kind of feng shui thing maybe.

Sunday, March 23, 2008

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to all! Or Passover or Spring or just plain life! The grass looked to be turning green the day before this picture was taken.

Watched "The Face" on PBS in the early morning hours. A show on the images of Jesus over the centuries. Went to Church and stopped by my parents house after giving them a call.

Was thinking of busting out the grill a few days ago. Fortunate to get a long ride in on Thursday before the snow. They were putting up the tennis court nets at Hart Park. Maybe could have waited a week. Swan Blvd flood detention ponds near done and it looks like they are about ready to lay that 'fancy trail' after it dries out. Should be some good cycling loops and oodles of opportunity for some off road trail work in the surrounding forest.

I've been fleeced! As I am sure half the city already knows if not the entire world. Yes, my wife finally cut my hair. A nice peach fuzz. It's colder but with the decreased wind resistance it could bring me some medals this year.

Friday, March 14, 2008

Television

This was to be my view for a good part of the winter, from a trainer I never received for Christmas. But with the writers strike peddling in place still would have been a near unbearable bore. The first and only TV (used) we ever bought until recently.
With all the snow and car troubles it was not easy to get to the gym much either. Bally on Hawley Road invested in some new equipment recently; mostly free weights but a few stationary bikes also. Bikes I could actually ride in comfort. Working the stationary bike with the heart monitor is good to relate breathing with heart rate. I can recall one hill where I really should have dismounted much earlier and caught my breath. My legs shout, "more!", and my lungs scream, "nooooo!" Of course warming up sufficiently also makes those hills easier.

Yes, the WORS Handbook is out and I've been so excited I've forgotten to post for awhile. Looking to get a new front tire and found some good tips on the message board.
Mongolia appears to be becoming a mountain bikers destination. Added some you/tube clips to my "God's Good Earth" links.

So my wife came to me and said, "The TV stopped working." That would be the TV in our living room; an old TV my parents replaced.
I called my brothers and found an old TV one of them wasn't using.
"I can go pick up a TV from my brother tomorrow," I said.
"I want a new TV." she said.
"We don't have any money" I said, "and my brother has a 22 inch TV he isn't using."
"You already called him!?" she said and gave me one of those looks without looking at me.

We got a new flat panel and bought a demo sound system they were getting rid of cheap so we could get to $1,000 for the 24 month financing and pretend we aren't paying for it.
Now she can read the subtitles on those Korean dramas she likes so much. My wife loves it and if she's happy.....
So does a 37" flat panel make one feel good about oneself? (with a surround sound system)
Well, my wife told me she was at Sam' Club watching people look at flat panel televisions and thought, "ha ha ha, I already have one."