Again...

Again I was down and out today. It was a long hard weekend with little sleep. Maybe I will take a morning ride tomorrow to look for Benie Brewer. His lawn ornaments have been hidden around the county parks, and state wide, for people to pillage. Prizes hidden inside supposedly. Didn't get much done today. Had to upload my book one more time, ...again. Finally got the format right and had to make some small corrections. That's it for the Kindle version. If I ever get it to print, with professional help, it might be quite different. Waiting for feedback from a former editor I gave a copy to.


Can I get in shape for the Subaru Cup. I have to try. I have to ride ride ride, get my weight down and start racing. My bike is riding smooth after I cleaned and lubed it. I thought the bottom bracket went out again as the bike was clicking. But I was wrong. The springs on the wheel quick release mechanisms were all messed up, caught in the mounts. I fimangled them with some small pliers to put them back in their place. Have to renew my license and WORBA membership. In other attempts to get in shape and stay healthy, I thought this man had great advice. Yes he is no longer here but he lived long and well.

Took a picture of this cardinal in the park a while back. We have rabbits and all kinds of birds in our yard. The Robins built a nest. The mourning doves enjoy our company also. Have to get the garden in. The seeds we have are old so I am just going to plant everything we have open, and choose the biggest and strongest from what comes up.

Hitting the Wall

Has it been over a month since I last posted? Apologies to my readers. Thank goodness I have Alois to cover for me, now happy in California studying English. Though his English was quite fine before. Of course he came across the pond with his bicycle. ...Not by bicycle, he brought it with him on the plane.

Metro Mountain Bikers had two movie nights at a local tavern this Winter and raised a bit of money. But they couldn't compare to what the premiere of "Riding the Divide" brought to the Rosebud. And it was such a great movie. Everyone should see it. If ever you rode a bicycle, you will want to start training again as soon as you see it. The movie has been so popular, this underground, unofficial, unsanctioned, totally self supported race of 2,700 miles has over 100 entrants this year. They are a bit anxious about the attention the numbers might draw. A group will start on the south end this year at the same time. The movie event was so successful they have decided to do another. A mountain bike movie marathon at a theater next off season. A series of movies run through two or three times for a single admission.

Has Easter come and gone since last I posted? It appears so. These Easter bunnies seem to have had greater success in their weight loss efforts. My weight has not changed. For Easter I received a free ticket to a Brewers game and joined a group from church. Great seats! It was a great game. We won. A hawk harassing the teams and spectators seemed to take the majority of news coverage on the game that day.

Though the weather has been unusually cold and a bit wet, there were many good riding days I didn't take advantage of. Shortly after I last posted I had a physical breakdown. Yes, I hit the wall. Something that happened quite more often before I got my CPAP machine for sleep apnea. Headaches, hard to open the eyes or do much of anything. I recovered after a few days, had a couple of great rides, then focused on finishing my next book. That, with the Mother's Day sales, kept me bit worn down.

And yes, the book is completed. Available for Kindle, it is not professionally edited. Excuse the Table of Contents, I just couldn't get the formatting for that part to work. I have no money to self publish a paperback. But I have a couple of odd jobs lined up and we are climbing out of our debt. If you enjoy a bit of saber rattling, a backhanded bromance, love a good man cry, think we should be giving the militaristic Chinese commies a bit of what for, then this book is for you. Only $1.48. You can download Kindle for your PC. Time to start riding again, a lot. My bike is in pieces waiting for a good cleaning. Today?... Then I need to buy tubes, break pads and maybe some new grips. And I could use a new front derailleur.

Hopefully Alois will have much more to post. Kindle is also available in Germany now. So if any of our hundreds of German readers are proficient enough in English to enjoy a good bit of fiction, you can read my books.

Aus der Neuen Welt

Schon seit einigen Jahren hatte ich den Wunsch, einmal die USA zu besuchen. Die Heimat dieses Blogs ist ja ebenfalls die USA. Diesen Wunsch konnte ich jetzt verwirklichen. Ich besuche jetzt einen mehrwöchigen Englisch-Sprachkurs, da mein Englisch noch nicht wirklich gut ist. Mein Reiseziel ist San Luis Obispo in Kalifornien.

Das beste Transportmittel für die Stadt ist natürlich ein Fahrrad. Das Fahrrad (siehe Bild) habe ich hier im CBO (Cambria Bicycle Outfitter http://www.cambriabike.com/) für 400 USD gekauft.



Es ist ideal für diesen Zweck. Der Bicycle Shop ist günstig und sehr empfehlenswert.

Es gibt hier sehr viele, gut markierte Fahrradwege. Die Stadt ist sehr Fahrradfreundlich strukturiert.

Eine große Entäuschung ist das Wetter. Ich habe hier viel Sonne und Wärme erwartet, aber bis jetzt war es ziemlich kalt (abends teilweise nur ca. 4 Grad Celsius) und tagsüber nicht mal 20 Grad Celsius. Außerdem weht ständig ein sehr starker und kalter Polar-Wind vom Pazifik ins Land. Geregnet hat es auch schon mehrmals.



Den Namen hat die Stadt vom Bischof Saint Louis von Toulouse (Frankreich). Dies war ein Grund, diese Stadt auszuwählen, da Louis die französische Form meines Vornamens ist. Das Bild zeigt die Statue von Vater Junipero Serra, der 1772 diese Mission gegründet hat.





Ich hoffe, das Wetter wird bald wärmer, damit ich mir die Fotos von den vielen Palmen nicht in meinem Zimmer anschauen muß.

The Robin, The State Bird

Spring is here finally. Though it has been tempting to get out for some long rides I spent some time starting back up on house repairs. I also got some work done in the yard. I was lubing my chain and filling my tires to go out for a ride when this tough guy came around. My presence unable to deter him from his desires, he began to feast from our lawn. Paying me no never mind. I even got up and came back with the camera. He thought it curious my pointing the little box at him. I never recall seeing the Robins with such powerful colors as this year; very black crown and vibrant breast. And I have never seen so many as I have this year.

Then I got out for a good ride. These are the first flowers I saw this year, along the river near the Hoyt trails. Have no idea what they are called. The trails at Hoyt were soft. The Kettle Moraine Trails are open, or so I heard at the monthly Metro Mountain Bike meeting tonight. This Saturday will be river clean up day. There will also be a Tea Party rally in Madison. The weight is moving down ever so slightly.

"Ride the Divide" is one focus expressed at the meeting. The location for its Milwaukee premier has changed; now at the Rosebud. We'll see if it doesn't change again. The race most attractive to myself, I have a list of links to big races in the sidebar, would be the MTB Challenge.

They are rebuilding the swimming pool at Hoyt Park. With temperatures reaching 80 the other day it is about time to turn off the furnace and turn on the air conditioner.

We went to the Bike Expo at the last minute. Misao reminded me Saturday that we were there last year taking a break from fretting many days over our dog in the hospital. A couple days later she died; poisoned. She was a very good dog. So Misao took the enthusiasm out of my sails, but we made it there Sunday evening. They sold a lot of bikes. Their best event ever I heard.

Someone commented on my last post, but I didn't confirm it. It was an anti-Amway plug with corresponding link. What put me off the most is that it appeared instantly as I posted. We all have our own horror stories about salesmen, no matter what they are selling. I just question the intentions and integrity of any who would obsess so against another. Those a kin to the spitter's guild. Stirring up in the hearts of men that they can do things to some that they would never consider doing to another (or allowing anyone else to do to another), like poisoning their dog.

Bad weather will return, ensuring that the first formal draft of my next book will be completed by Monday. If you read the brief excerpts I put, will put, on my writers blog you may form certain impressions about my next book. I can insure you they will all be wrong. I may have it available for Kindle soon.

I Give, and I Give, and I Give

Yes, as the bicycle season ramps up I must support the cause. Time for promoting the work and well being of others with no compensation for myself. First and foremost, we have the Wheel and Sprocket, the State's largest bicycle retailer, part owned by a cousin of a very good friend of mine, Bike Expo at State Fair Park this weekend. But some other great bicycle enthusiasts of Olympic fame will not let the event go unchallenged. Emery's is also having their big spring sale. With gas prices so high you might not want to drive all the way to the city, two great locations. Not to forget your local bike shops, I have to mention Ben's (even though they don't want me in their store) a great supporter of Metro Mountain Bikers and great lovers of cycling.

And to add a bit of color, pictures so important to a good blog, don't forget that Ray's MTB is still open.

I also received an e-mail some time back asking me to promote this bike website, Biking.com. I may add it to the sidebar, and no I received no compensation. And someone friended me through our you/tube page. Another entrepreneur looking to fulfill the American dream. See their video clip below. Yes an Amway, or Quixtar, or just Nutrilite promotion, whatever you want to call it, it is a catchy tune. I have to get me one of those T-shirts. I am no longer part of Amway, as I couldn't make any money. Though I really enjoy their XS line of energy drinks. I will have to find someone to buy them through.

Medical issues and meeting with a lawyer have kept me from getting to the gym. The weather has kept me from riding much. Not to mention trying to finish up my next book. The first draft is the story, the writing comes after that. Sometimes I editing a string of sentences I wrote and have to ask myself, is that English? Having written a book it makes me more self conscious of how I write on my blogs, making even that task take more time.

Mix It Up - Full Version

Election Day

It is hard to believe just two days ago we got this hail storm. Pea sized, some bigger, some smaller, all ice. Frozen orbs smacking little bits off the trees. The most unusual part of the storm was how much we got. Some claimed three inches where they lived. It felt funny in ones hands. To walk on it took more energy. Good thing it was above freezing or we would be plagued with black ice, the hail all crushed down into the pavement.

But today was a wonderfully beautiful day, sun shining bright. Election day when the silent majority will make a powerful statement to the liberals here and across the country. After voting this afternoon I was out in the yard in short sleeves, checking out the new growth and making some minor house repairs. But mostly I was writing, as I was yesterday. Taking a break now to write here.

Yes, I should be riding, it is so beautiful out, but I need to finish. I hope to have the book completed by tomorrow, and the last two chapters edited, gone through a couple times by myself, by the end of the week. I added a tiny bit to the preview on my writers blog but will add more over the weekend. An English gentleman, a man I knew briefly overseas, to whom I sent my first book enjoyed it and said I had talent. They say you will never get good feedback from anyone who knows you too well.

Not sure if I will publish as an e-book unless they can guarantee they wont be giving it away for free. No money to pay for a professional editor.

Between our two businesses, house repairs, exercise, and writing I hope to reach a goal of 60 hours a week to start with. Unless I can finally get another job.