Burn, burn, burn...

Cycling in all it's forms is greatly satisfying.  However, with all the miles comes the slow burn of boredom...  Sebring is a wonderful goal and I am there.  If it were to happen tomorrow, I would be ready.  But, now I have to wait almost 2 months... My mind is slowly burning out;  the same roads and the same dogs chasing me. The drivers caught on camera trying to run me off the road do change, though...

15mph zone.  I'm going a little faster than the speed limit.  Pictures are always forwarded to authorities...

I ditched in time...I tracked this guy to the mall and got this...

Love the camera, but hate having to use it...

I do get fun video as well, though, like Noki chasing my RC Plane:-)

I do have many, many positives and these are the things that make me happy for what is to come. Including...fast 30 mile time trials and just being able to sit back and cruise on the Saturday A rides if I want and just watch with a nice low heart-rate.  And, while I'm not looking forward to the pain of being on the bike for 12 hours at 100mph, I am at the place I need to be to be successful at it. I also discovered my seat was moving way too much and is now rock solid.  I'm surprised I didn't feel it while riding.  
I have maintained the mileage and strength and am now going to enjoy the Christmas season.  I will then amp it up in January for a nice taper in February.  This may be the last I write on it for a while.  The season has been mad.  Working, trying to get in miles, and being a single parent all the while trying to just keep the house clean is a fun adventure to say the least. 

Happy Birthday, Son!!!!

My son turns 11 this weekend!!  Sometimes I can't believe that he was so small and fragile in my hands.  He is such a wonderful young son and does everything he can to help out and be the best he can be.  He rides his bike while I run and is incredibly creative making his

Happy Saturday Morning Warmup:-)

Orange you glad my garden looks good?

Some of the garden is still alive and kicking.  Peppers look good as always and some of the lettuce is growing.  A big surprise was to see some of the oranges start to ripen in the first year!  It's actually quite amazing as I pretty much spend no time on this anymore...

October Miles

Well, this would have to be the month that killed my average...The weather started bad and ended worse.  Plus, a little burn out and sickness and my miles dropped to 842 this month not including the rest of the month and I missed a century.  I realize that being realistic is the best thing to do and rest is important, but I'm still disappointed. I did increase my running miles and ran more days than rode.  The good news is that I seam to be stronger for it.  When riding out into the wind of Hurricane Sandy yesterday, I was able to do surprisingly well for fifty miles.  I wasn't sprinting or pushing too hard and still ended with an average that was good without the wind only slipping below 20 twice the whole ride.  Maybe I should rest more often:-)
I was also able to get the front deck done, including new front step.  I think it looks pretty darn good!!!

One Busy Day...

As a kid growing up with a car enthusiast father, one learns to appreciate cool cars and motorsports history.  It has been thoroughly engrained in me and I miss my old 63' Dodge Dart.  So, it is a wonderful pleasure to go to a big car show once in a while and share some of your knowledge with your own son.
I had just sat down to coffee with Kim and Pat after the finish of the Southgate ride and they had mentioned the Lake Mirror Classic was going on. I was ecstatic and had to go tell my son.  He kind of didn't know what to say.  I told him there would be some cool cars like what he likes to watch on Top Gear.  He said that he had never seen a Ferrari in real life so off we went.  It was going to be a busy day;  92 miles on the bike, a car show, the Florida game and a free jazz concert provided by PSC.
It was fun finding a place to park.  We managed to find a place that I knew wouldn't be too far away from the downtown area and still not too close so we could leave quickly if we needed to.  Jared was

Highlands Bikefest is coming...Update 11/4/12

Update:  A scheduling conflict has come up and I will not be able to go:-(  I am incredibly sad about this but it is for the best.
There is this certain type of euphoria that accompanies me when I ride my bike.  I have yet to figure out exactly how to describe it, but it is just there along for the ride.  Don't get me wrong...the rides can be long, hard, and painful.  But, riding brings me joy not just because it is fun, but because it lowers my stress levels, makes me fit, I am able to meet new people, and it allows me to compete where otherwise I wouldn't be able to.
The improvement is showing as well and there has been a marked improvement in speed and endurance throughout this season.  The rides I would normally fear like the Tuesday night crit rides, I have learned to actually like and enjoy; keeping myself away from danger and trying to stay in the front of some really talented riders.  And, they actually are starting to say "hi" and welcome the strange rider on the strange bike...even so much to offer the tips I need for riding in such a competitive group:-)
But, I haven't been able to get to some of the longer rides away from town due to income so I welcome the thought of the few that are located near me.  The Highlands Bikefest is coming in December and I can't wait to see some old friends and meet some new ones and laugh and not have to worry or be forced to think about the other things.   Here is a picture from last year.  It was nice the first half of the century but the last half of the century on Saturday was rather miserable.  The whole weekend was great, though;-)
 

It is also interesting to see my weight in the picture and know that last year I weighed in at 215 during this ride...yikes!  I am down to 180 now:-)
I am really welcoming the thought of just being in the moment and sharing the fun rides that I have had with some great people.  Bring it on and let the fun begin:-)

September Miles

So many things are going on this month so the time to write about last month's miles has been low. For some strange reason, with all the weather (5.5 inches of rain in Lakeland for September according to the ledger) and the time off the bike, I still managed 1112 miles. This seems funny to me and I had to double check (twice) to make sure the math was correct. It's so cool that I am keeping up with my goal and am now at 32 centuries for the year.  Yes!!!
However, once this month started, the time on the bike has been off.  It has rained almost every day and the last week has brought thunderstorms in in the early afternoon.  Normally this wouldn't stop me, but with money tight, the thoughts of having to replace bearings and a chain or worse kind of puts a kink in my step.  Although the kink doesn't seem to show when I am out running in it.  I managed to up my miles a little over last month running and over the last week, this week, has been big.  My legs are sore:-). And, today, was going to be another century, but I woke up sporting a sore throat. So, I took another day off and will probably do the same tomorrow so I don't get worse.  It's better to take care of myself now than worry about not performing later.
Some bad news from last month are that a couple of friends have left the business that I so readily support with all my energy.  They will be missed and I sincerely hope they are happy where they land!!!
Some good news is that I have managed to obtain three job interviews over the past few weeks.  I didn't get the jobs, but it is nice to know that perhaps the job market may be opening up a little, finally! As much as I like working at my job, I have to support my son as much as possible!  This is also one of the reasons for lack of time.  Job application addiction is a good thing:-)  I am hoping the weather starts to show the sun more and that the job markets shows me the light.
Goals for this month are to maintain bike fitness, get some work done on the decks as the rain stops (stain the back and finish the front), and enjoy my son!  Everyone enjoy the October fun!

What a Beauty!

Yesterday evenings ride was one of the most beautiful on record. There was little to no wind and the speed was nice and easy.  Jared came along and brought his bike.  He did some warm up laps with his proud dad and then took some pictures while we were out.  I liked this one the best.  Enjoy!

The bounder!!

Today, on my run, as I neared the dead end of the road, I looked up to see a set of eyes peering at me over the lower board of the fence.  It was funny, as I got closer, to see the eyes get bigger and then a large black and furry cat jump and run for it.
The miniature goats that were in the field at the time, followed the cat's lead creating a small stampede of goats.  It totally made my day!  I kept laughing the whole way back to the house:-)

Hahahahahahahaha

Jiro Dreams of Sushi

Many of you are like me in that we have come to love the sushi places popping up everywhere.  There are so many cool and tasty things to eat.  Sushi is, indeed, one of my favorite foods...next to Thai...of course. 
So, when I was surfing around on Netflix yesterday after the ride, a nice little documentary plopped in my son and I's lap.  "Jiro Dreams of Sushi" is the name of it.  My son doesn't watch these sorts of shows very often, but he seemed intrigued about the 80+ year old who charges almost 300 dollars per meal at his place in Japan.  As we started watching, popcorn in hand, I couldn't help but think how much I hated the taste of it.
 

Sukiyabashi Jiro

 

This man can make some truly magnificent food with none of the crap that we Americans place on our own sushi.  Jiro is an icon.  He has spent his whole life mastering the art of sushi.  And, to his credit, still thinks he has a long way to go.  Japan has him recognized as a living national treasure.  This documentary is not just about cooking, or the lack of, but about life and what one must do in order to achieve greatness. 
This is, without a doubt, one of the best documentaries I have ever seen.  Give it a try.  You will come away awe-inspired!

August Mileage

This has been another good month mileage wise and I am on track for my yearly goal.  There have been some events last month that I have done well at, but ultimately think they held me back a little with my normal mileage.  I ended up logging in 1034 miles and this includes the low week last week for recovery.  I only ran 51 miles and I need to start back up on that as I generally felt worse on rides after low running weeks.  I don't know why.  It could be nothing, but It really did seem like I rode worse when I had a low running week.
So, this month, I plan on similar mileage on the bike at 250+ a week and I will try to hit 15 miles a week running.  This doesn't seem like a lot, but time is never on my side.  I am also planning to do a double century toward the beginning of October so I will need to watch how I do my workouts. My brother, Joe, is trying to help me plan.  It is difficult, I'm sure:-). Thank you, Joe!!
One more goal that I forgot to mention on write up is that of finishing "Snow Crash" by Neil Stephenson. 

It's tough when you have so many evening things to do with your son. But, going to bed a little early to read is not a bad thing.
So far, so good:-)

YES!!!

The rose that was completely defoliated minus a few leaves a month ago has completely recovered and is blooming like crazy.  Awesome!  That's all there is to say about it...

A Grubby Kind of Lifestyle

For the last couple of days, I have been stuck in my house due to this dumb tropical storm.  And, my legs have been really sore, so the timing was right to rest up and get a few things done around the house.  One of the projects I've had on my plate was to fix my Ubuntu running Netbook.  The last update broke the WiFi connection and I couldn't get it up and running.  So, this post is more or less about the process I went through during the last couple of days to get this thing going.  I will warn you, though, that I do not have a great knowledge of what everything means and luckily my research ability was able to help get me through.  I would NOT try this type of thing at home unless you know what you are doing or you will end up with a brick for a computer.

The first job to do was to go searching for the right Distro...

Polk County Time Trials Finally

This event was the last of a series.  Once again it was time for me to pack up the bike and go to a time trial.  The week had been a long one as far as exercise was concerned and I was sore enough not to be able to walk that well from the idiotic amount of running I had done.  Still, the thought of missing the final time trial was more painful to my brain than the soreness my legs provided.  So, off I went...packing Jared along for the ride to take some pictures.  I asked him he he wanted to go watch his dad race and he shrugged his shoulders.  I then asked if he wanted to use my camera to take pictures and he very willingly changed his mind.  All pictures on this post are taken by him! Enjoy!

The starting time was changed in order to be able to warm up in the light and I wish we had gotten there a little sooner as it started at 7:30 and we arrived with only 10 minutes of warm up time remaining before the start. 

The Good Life?

What is the definition of a good life?  In my own personal view this definition changes depending on who you talk to during the course of a day.  During the course of my day, yesterday, I had a vision of what it was like to have a good life.  Work was, by all intent and purpose, decent and I was able to get home at a good enough hour to jump on the bike for about a 50 mile ride.  During the ride, something clicked.  I was rolling along and didn't notice anything.  It wasn't a chore.  I wasn't thinking about how many miles I'd done or how many were left.  Or, thinking about how I am going to pay my bills with the lousy job I have. Water was in the bottles and I was along for the ride.  It was really enjoyable.  And, I was comfortable in my own skin for the first time in months.  Bicycling has saved my butt during a divorce and a devastating end to a beautiful relationship.  And, it has helped me overcome a debilitating injury.

I am still having neck issues and will never be able to just openly not worry about how much I lift, but I am strengthening it and the rest of my body every day and have gotten to the point where I can go about the day without most worries. 

Beat the Heat!!

There was a day not so long ago when my dad would, not so much refuse, as just kind of go along with the thought of riding a recumbent.  He was good enough on his Trek to do rides like The Death Ride in Markleyville, CA and America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride.  He loved to ride.  He came down to Florida about 4 years ago to do an MS 150 with me and we had a great time!  At the end of the ride, I let him ride my Newly purchased Corsa and he smiled, but wouldn't quite give in.
Fast forward to 3 months ago and he comes out for another visit.  He didn't want to bring his bike, but wanted to ride with me.  I still had the same Corsa, but had since moved into a larger framed one to better fit my body.  I set him up and we did a short ride from the house.  He would swerve a little, but not bad.  Then we went and did a bicycle safety awareness ride around the local lake.  He was hooked, I think, after that ride.  He was still wobbly, but enjoyed the view and the stress free ride it gave him.  No more pain in his wrists, shoulders, neck, back, butt...well, you get the picture.  Anyway, he purchased the bike and had it shipped out to his house.
He has steadily been riding and improving and going so far as to ride and pick up coffee and then ride to work while drinking it...LOL!
This weekend he did his first sprint triathlon on it.  He did a fantastic job!  He even made it into the local paper as the oldest competitor.  Here is the pic.  Thank you Keith Trout for taking it.  Good photo.  Also, of note in the photo, is my old high school football and track coach, Scott Lommori (no helmet..grrr).  Incidentally, my dad was Scott's track coach in high school.  Dad is pulling him around pretty good and smiling!  Great job, Dad!  Love you and keep up the great work!!  Just make sure you keep your eyes on the road and not on the airplanes:-)

Great job, Dad!!  Picture taken by Keith Trout of RGJ

Caterpillar Invasion:-(

 

Swallowtail Caterpillar eating Parsley

Ok, first let me preface this post with the fact that I love butterflies!  Now on to the other stuff...as many of you know, I have a garden that has been doing well for a while.  And while the heat has taken it's toll on some plants, others are still doing quite well.  Enter the Swallowtail Butterfly.  I first noticed them on one of my roses.

I tend to do a walk around of my plants every couple of days and this particular yellow rose was doing well.  2 days later, the whole thing was defoliated minus 4 or 5 leaves.  When my son and I went to inspect, we turned the leaves over only to find them brimming with caterpillars.  We killed them in despair.  I hated it, but hated to see my rose suffer.  Luckily, it is just now starting to come back.

Just now coming back...

Rides and a Race Pace

What a great weekend.  It all started out with a wonderful "medium" speed ride for 60 miles with members of the Faith Runners Club.  These are some of the same people I do my time trials with and they are all nice.  The pace was nice and the people were the same.  We chatted about the Trail to Trail race Sunday (Many of them were doing it, as well) and I made a comment that I would probably just save my energy and not ride a century Saturday before the race.  But, with Kent riding his bike out from Tampa the words didn't last.  I drove home and jumped on the bike again and set out to meet him west of Plant City.  The ride went well and I met up with him as planned. Heading into the city, he asked if I’d had lunch and I said no so we pulled over and we checked the GPS for something close settling on Mexican food as the other wasn't in the place it was listed.  The food was great and it was interesting watching the families watch the soccer match on TV in Spanish. After we ate, it was off again and back to the house where we diagnosed issues with my front wheel and headed back out to drive the race course for the Sunday Trail to Trail race.  After we got back, we cooked venison tacos and I had a couple beers while we watched a movie.  I ended up with 90 miles for the day and Kent ended with 100.

The next day, we were up at 6:30 and checking equipment, packing fuel and bottles and heading out the door for a ride to the race.  It was a nice pace down the road and we stopped for a stretch to counteract the nasty feeling lethargic legs:-)   By the time we rode into the park and did some warm up laps, we were a little over 9 miles.  Then we sat...It was a long setup.  Thanks goes to LeRoy's Bikeworks for the Jerseys and the opportunity to race for you!!

Enjoying the relaxing morning before the winds kicked up.

The race is a multiple bike race.  There is a mountain bike leg of about 8 miles,

July Mileage

I did the mileage add up for the month and came up with 1,159 miles.  That is more than my truck:-) I am somewhat impressed with that considering.  I also ran 73 miles.  Actually, I'm more impressed with that as it seems much harder to run and I always seem to run directly after a ride adding to the difficulty.
Riding has really helped me these past few months with my weight and the complexities of life.  Life is a struggle and the more I ride, the more I am able to enjoy some of it.  My son is a given, but other things seem tough to ride out without riding and reviewing my thought processes.
The fun part of riding is being able to meet new friends and experiencing the thrill of the ride with others to share it with.

Adding some more decking...more to come.

I have been able to do a little work on the house recently as the rains aren't as bad in the afternoon's. Some more of the front deck is being replaced and I was able to hang some of my planes under the ceiling.  One of my friends has begged me for a couple years to put them there and now that they are there, they look good. Good choice!!  Maybe a little too bachelor pad type, but good all the same.

Easier to store up off the ground...

Of course, on my ride this afternoon, the rain would decide to pick back up.  I thought I would be able to hold up under the overpass, but after waiting for a while and checking the radar, it was decided to bolt home as it was a rather unsafe storm.  I cranked out the last 10 miles of my ride in no time and was able to walk my bike down the road and walk in the door just in time for it to start.
So...what kind of mileage will I get this month?  Can I do well at my first big race this weekend? We'll see:-)

Polk County Time Trial Series 4 of 5

There were actually 6 races scheduled but one was rained out.  Today's time trial was originally scheduled for last monday, but it was rained out as well and we were tired of losing out to the rain.  So...
Let me preface this race with the fact that I do NOT like time trials.  Maybe if they were shorter...7 miles maybe, but 10 is a beast of a not so good time.  Man, I wish I had the energy to yell at the course with my tongue hanging out and the blank stare I get as my legs and lungs have nothing left at mile 8:-)
This was a morning ride.  I actually thought this was a great idea as the heat is incredible in the afternoons, even with the rain.  It was to start at 7.  No sweat as I was up at 3:-)  So, I spent a few hours applying for a few jobs and it was off to the races.  I managed to pull out without my cooler of ice and water...darn.  So, back I went.  This was going to actually be a long day as after the time trial, the coach was going to have us do a few more for "fun" and mix it up a little for 60 total miles.  I would then come home and put in another 40 and have my century for the week.
I ended up arriving a little late and was only able to put in 5 miles of warm up.  Not bad, but no time to fool with stuff even if I wanted.  My number was given to me with me running 14 and Jason running last.  I had run up against Jason twice before.  He had put in good times and had beaten me twice on his time trial bike.  He then told me that he had a triathlon tomorrow so was worried about his time.  I thought he was sandbagging:-)  He looked good except for his shoes.  He was wearing running shoes...ha ha!!!  Sure enough, his wife came ripping in with just enough time for him to put them on and slot into place.
It was my time.  The guy in front of me was incredibly quick off the line and as much as I wanted to keep it real, it fired me up.  I was off like a shot, increasing my speed to 29 before settling in for the long haul.  There was about a 3 mile per hour headwind so not that bad.  I really wanted the 26mph average I had been working on and I was going to do it or bust trying.  The guy in front of me was hard to catch, but once past there were many riders to pass along the way.  Luckily traffic wasn't that bad.  I made it down to the turn around holding a 27 average and hoping I could keep it.  After ramping up again, the riders began to group up.  Not so much together as this isn't allowed, but almost like they were pacing with one another.  There were two times when I had to wait far another rider to pass so I could pass safely.  I was having doubts on my 27 average at the 8 mile mark.  It was starting to drop and I could hardly think straight.  All I could see was my knees and all I could feel was pain.  The good news was the finish was close.  I remember thinking only 1.5 miles left and looking again and not much had changed.  Then I saw the last rider in the group.  I had managed to catch and pass all the riders but one.  But, at that point, I had nothing left.  In fact, I actually stopped peddling across the line and this isn't like me at all.  I usually finish strong.  I, indeed, had nothing left.  The funny part is that I hit the rumble strips at the end of the road and my chain jumped off and I was able to fix it with my foot while moving.  I think my tension is off as this has been happening a few time the last month in high speed bounces.
I knew I had to keep peddling so I turned around and headed back out for a bit.  When I returned, the numbers were posted and I asked what my time was...22:51...YES!!  This is 40+ seconds faster than my previous time and gives me the record for the course.  For how long, is nobody's guess.  I am proud, though, of something I did and that is what matters. 
Jason did take it easy running a 24 something.  Still not bad, but a far cry from what he is capable of, I am sure.  I will soon find out as we are teamed up together in the Trail to Trail race next weekend.  This is going to be a fun event!  I am taking the 31 mile rod leg and Jason is taking the mountain bike portion.  Kent is even riding out for the night and paring up with a top junior woman rider for the coed race!  Go Bacchetta!!!
Then, off we went for a team time trial and some other fun stuff.  Thank you to Rebecca for the free coaching I received today!  It is always nice to ride with the people you would normally compete against and find out they are really good people.  The guy who sprinted off in front of me used to weigh 310 lbs 10 months ago and is now 205 and a powerful rocket.  So powerful that he broke his Zipp 303 rear out at the base of the hub at the end of the first time trial.  The carbon actually broke!  I hope he can get a new one. 
After I returned home, I jumped on the bike and out I went for another slower 40 miles.  My legs are done:-)

That's not mowing, that's farming!

It's been a busy week.  Jared and I have spent a tremendous amount of time together which is fantastic! And, along with other things like bike riding, running, and job searching, the week has been hectic.
We showed up for the time trial and it wouldn't stop raining.  It probably would have been fine except for the lightning, and the fact it was on an open course with cars and low visibility.  So...it has been moved to tomorrow.  This is fine.  Jared will be at his mom's for the day and I can finish a century on my own after the workout.
I guess the most fun part of the week has been Jared.  We have done so much together.  He is getting to the age where he can do everything on his own, but with you.  I don't have to sacrifice for his pleasure.  Even mowing was a blast.  He just jumped right on the mower and wouldn't get off.  It was great!!!  I need to find him some better ear plugs so he doesn't suffer. 

"That's not mowing, that's farming!" ADuhm

One of the fun things that we did together was work out.  He doesn't really like to run unless I force him so he took to the bike.  This is great as it allows me to run at a decent pace and he doesn't have to worry about getting left behind.  In fact it's the other way around with me telling him to slow down:-)  It fantastic that he can get some exercise and get away from the constant load of video games and Netflix.  He does read like crazy!  I came home from work two mornings this week with him reading in the chair after playing with the dog outside.  Fantastic!  I have a great son!

Jared "sneaking" up on his old man during my 6 mile run.

Won't the real Nobody please stand up?

This week was a busy one as I knew it would be; riding and running and parenting and dog fun all rolled into one week.  The bad part was the rain. It never seemed to let up! Almost every ride I went on the rain would soak me.  It was kind of miserable, but I knew if I didn't work out my mind would go crazy. So...that's what I did.  The last few weeks I've averaged about 300 miles on the bike and some good running miles.  And, this was no different. 264 miles and 15 running.  There really wasn't anything of note except the flat tires I received as I rolled 3500 miles on my rear tire.  So...off with the tire:-)
Noki was a snuggling fool this week and it was fun until I realized on one occasion he had rolled in some poo...I'll let your mind explore what was said in my head.  Jared thought it was immensely funny!

Full of Poo!!!

Jared is a funny kid.  He even started a Facebook page with my help, of course, for security issues. He has amassed a few friends and has posted some good pictures of his creations. Now to just get him on his bike more...
Yesterday (Saturday) was awesome!  I had made arrangements to go out to Largo and ride with Kent, again. We used to ride a lot together, but such is life...Anyway, this was going to be fun!  I arrived at the house early so we could make our way down to the St. Pete ride on time.  Off we went, making the first 10 miles along the trail in 20 minutes!  While we waited for other riders, we deduced I would need more grease or new bearings in my front wheel with all the squeaking it was doing...darn it.  I guess the rain takes its toll.

Getting Those RAAM Legs Working Again

The meeting group showed and we rolled down 1st Ave to the ride.  Large group...I had forgotten how large the Saturday rides were out of the park.  We had discussed going with the 24+ group if there was one. They called one out and then immediately called out the 20+.  Off we went all realizing there were two groups and at some point we would have to split up.  As we made the turn to the beach, Kent waved me up and we discussed breaking off if nobody wanted to go more than the 22 we were going.  As we made our way past the first toll booth, the faster riders started to lay it down. Kent and I rolled right onto the front and we pulled at about thirty to the stop light to turn left.  Kent asked if the speed was okay and the guy said it felt good.  Off we went with a group of about 5 df riders.  I took the first pull and then Kent took one.  The speed seemed fine until my next pull and after about a minute, The Df biker behind me asked if I could slow down.  I apologized and slowed to 26. He then said to slow more as we dropped everyone...oops.  I looked back only to see Kent behind him. It's funny how we are not in the "everybody" equation.  As we caught and pulled this same guy to the last light before Kent asked if the speed was good, He mentioned "no one" catching him to his DF buddies.  Funny how recumbent riders are not included...I actually DO think it's funny now.  It used to bother me. Or, maybe, it's a person's name?  Won't the real Nobody please stand up?
Anyway...I slowed to 24 and we rotated to the flag pole.  "Nobody" didn't catch us and Kent and I were looking for miles so we took a lap in the park while the other guy waited at the pole.  A ranger was nice enough to let me in the station for some cold water which was nice!
On our way back, Kent and I rotated pulls and chatted it up.  We rolled into St. Pete with enough time to chat it up with riders at the coffee shop.  Good Times!  Then, back we went.  We stopped at the house and agreed to meet Judy and her sister Pat for breakfast in Clearwater.  They asked if they could order for us. We said sure.  It was funny to pull up at the same time and having Kent ask if we could order for them:-)

Judy is loving the bike Kent built up for her for her birthday!!!

 After breakfast, we rolled back to the house and rode with Judy on her bike for about 7 or so miles. This gave Kent and I about 101 miles for the day.  After a nice shower and some fruit. Noki and I were off back home.  Noki had been visiting his girlfriend Mya and they had a great time. When it came time to leave, Mya wasn't going to let Noki leave on his own and Kent had to hold her while we left (I think they had it all planned out secretly to elope to Vegas together) and Noki gave a harrumph in the truck and wouldn't look at me on the way home.  As we got home, he quickly jumped in his bed and wouldn't snuggle.  Why does it seem funny when dogs are heart broken,  but not when we are?:-)

The Love Birds

So, it was a good week and I am looking forward to picking Jared up today and riding in the Polk County Time Trial series, Monday.  Be looking for a write up sometime during the week.  One of the top Time Trial riders in the state will be there.

Hands (paws) against the wall, please...

I need a break!  OK, but only for a day:-)  I've been on the go non stop for a while and I think it's starting to mess with my health a little.  How long can a person go on little sleep and a surplus of exercise and not come up short somewhere?  Between the hundreds of miles biking a week or the running or working and working on the house...I have realized that I am tired.  So...today is a break day.  I am going to watch a movie at home and stay at the house.  Cleaning will be inevitable, but what can I say...at least I'm relaxing, right?
There is a busy week ahead including more miles on the bike with a trip to ride with Kent on Saturday and exchange stories.  I also have a TT coming up next Monday so stay tuned to a write up.  I have only run twice this week and feel like I may have to start doing that again if I'm going to stay in running shape. Plus, the advantages of running and learning pain management are greater than biking.  This will help set me up for better riding in the future.  It is also easier to control my weight when running. 
I was able to get down to about 185 the last three weeks, but noticed a slight gain after only running a few times this week even with all the biking...
Anyway...break day!  Maybe I'll even see if I can catch up on the almost non existent sleep I get with a long nap.  I did want to leave you with this picture that I found incredibly amusing as I have one of these dogs and they are big time trouble makers...in a good way, of course:-)

I'm currently accepting captions in the comments section and will add the best one:-)

Nice Rides and Some Wine

Saturday couldn't come fast enough. I have been wanting to start building my mileage soon and what better way than to actually have some time to ride without worry. I was hesitant at how I was going to do it. I wanted to get a little speed out of the deal and don't really like riding the whole time alone, so I contacted another local recumbent guy, Allan Duhm, to see what he was up to.
He recommended the Bartow group out of the Bartow civic center on Saturdays. I showed up and was greeted by a great group of guys.  Allan showed up, but forgot his seat pad, so would try to meet us out on the ride.  The ride started out great.  My goal was miles and I wanted to try my best to not drop anyone and to work on nutrition.  We sat right near a 21 average for the first half of the ride and everyone did well taking turns pulling and rotating through. I was the worst as I had to be reminded of my speed and I thanked everyone for the reminder.  Great guys! We stopped a couple of times. The second, at a place called The Market somewhere out in BFE.  I was actually surprised that we received cell service.

At The Market

The funny part came when I went to pay for my Gatorade and used my card.  I wanted debit and everything went well.  I thought I could here the receipt print so I said thank you and the nice couple waved me out.  When I was outside, grabbing my bottles, the man said that it didn't take debit, but credit was needed.  I followed him inside to see a huge line of angry customers waiting for me to sign the receipt.  I apologized for keeping them waiting and the woman behind me gave a growl.  She had two big steaks she wanted to grill.  I told them I was 63 miles into a 100 mile ride and I was delirious and didn't know what I was doing.  They were all cool with that answer.

Enjoying the garbage smell!

Some of the group enjoying the milk cartons and the "Mountain" ice.

 After we refueled and enjoyed the nice little milk carton chairs, we proceeded on our way constantly checking in on Allan.  It didn't seem like he would make it.  By this time the temperature was getting hot and we were hot.  We pulled into the finish with a 20.6 average for 80 miles.  I asked if anyone wanted to go back out with me and the answer was a unanimous, "you're crazy".  Off I went.  The ride went fast and I finished with 102 for the day feeling good and accomplishing my goals.
After I drove home and showered, I was back off to my friend Tim's house to meet his family and caravan to the blueberry wine factory for some live music, dancing, and self catered food.

The best beer I've tasted!!

This turned out to be a great place to go.  The music was great and the people were really nice. Many danced and I enjoyed the beer and wine and the food we brought.  I think I enjoyed the beer and wine too much as I woke up with a huge headache and felt generally crappy. But, I knew a nice ride would make me feel better. So, off I went to meet the Publix 540A riders.  I was hoping for a nice 60 miles, but 75 was agreed upon.  This was a faster ride and I was feeling crabby.  At about the half way point, my body started to feel better and I was able to start making some break away chances.   Allan remembered his seat pad and was looking good.  He would make a break a couple of times only to be reeled in on the hills.  I took advantage of this on a nice roller and grabbed his wheel. A nice local young woman df rider jumped on mine and we bolted down the long downhill.  As we started back up and Allan started to slow, she made her move and I jumped on her wheel.  I passed her and then proceeded to pull at a strong pace. She looked tired so I asked what she wanted to do and she said that she only had enough for the one attack.  I said I would slow and let the group catch.  I then saw a local df guy who had openly cut me off twice during the ride, try to make the move to jump on us. I told her I was going and she could slow so ramped it up and watched him fall off.  I then saw Jason and another friend making the gap.  They looked stronger than the other guy and caught up.  We worked together, gaining speed and distance.  They kept up almost to Homeland where Jason yelled out he was stopping. He looked spent. I stopped just long enough to grab some water out of the hose and watch the others start coming into the station.  Allan didn't stop so I jumped on and we rode together till the hills into Lakeland where I pulled away and he went his own way back to the house.  I finished about two minutes ahead of the group and felt great about it.
I went home and showered and drove back over to Tim's to see the movie Battleship at the Mugs and Movies with his brother and niece.  It was actually pretty good!  Then it was time for me to finally go home and play catch with the dog and enjoy the time to clean and do laundry...big weekend!

Love This Dog!!!

 One thing is for sure and that is I'm glad no one will see me naked as after 300+ cycling miles this week, the tan lines I have developed are NOT attractive...even my hands...YIKES!!!

What a Race!

If you have been following my blog, you would have noted my intent to run the midnight run in Dunedin the morning of the 4th.  I have run this event one other time and remembered the event fondly.  There are a lot of people that run this and it is very well organized. Although, we did have to stay a very long time as my mom and I both won plaques that year.
As the time came to leave the house, I was having second thoughts. I have only been running for about three months and I'm not doing it to be competitive. It is more of a therapy type of thing and a cross training tool for my biking.  But, I knew that if I didn't leave, I would regret it. So, out the door, I went. As I arrived, I remembered how many people liked the event as I had to park in the parking lot the farthest away from the event in an unlit area.  This actually turned out to be a great thing as it forced me to walk a ways and keep warm as arriving an hour and a half early was advised.  I walked and retrieved the shirt and number and walked back and then walked to drink some water about a half hour before the race started.
There are two other events scheduled and the mile run is first up at about 11pm.  Watching these runners tackle this event brought back memories of my younger years running track in high school and I was glad they were running it and not me.  The 5k was next up and I started running 10 minutes before start time and stretching.  I stopped paying attention to the start and should have as it filled up and I was only able to fight my way up to the first third of the pack right behind a gracious woman with a flag who let me in front of her at the last minute. Bang!
We were off. Or should I say, we were slowly mingling.  It took me at least twenty seconds to get free and find a way out across the start and then run back and forth across the street to clear running. Once on my mark I picked a few people and just ran at there pace.  The first mile was pretty quick at 6:40 from the timing judge. This gave me a 6:20 or so first mile. I was doing okay, but knew from my own experience that I tend to go out too fast in these events so decided to slow a click. There was a really tall guy and a young woman in her mid twenties with a nice pace so I stayed with them for the next mile before he died and she picked it up.
I knew then that I would just have to run my own race and it felt good to finally be clear of the thousands of people and really cool to see so many on the return leg cheering me on as they ran their own race. I returned the cheers several times and loved it. Nearing the last bridge, I was overtaken by two really strong 10-12 year olds and felt somewhat old.  But new It was their time and they looked great challenging each other. Over the bridge we went and another teenager popped up. He looked ragged and when the water hand out came he lept at the chance, although a bad idea and it was funny he echoed my thoughts as he started to drink it and faded back choking.
The race was almost over and the last 200 yards were coming up. I kicked it up a little and noted 22:00 as I crossed the line.  This gave me about a low seven minute mile and I was very happy with that.  It was a zoo at the finish so I walked and stretched on the way back to the truck as a cool down and changed my shirt for the long drive home.  On the way, I enjoyed a banana and some water.
As I sit and reflect on the race this early morning, I am most happy with two things: That I did it and that I was able to do it where I had enjoyed so many good memories. It's a great run and I highly recommend it to anyone young and old.

Positives and Negatives

This last week has proven itself to be full of positives and the opposite.  The rain stopped, finally, Wednesday. And, I was finally able to get my bike out for a long ride.  My brother came out for the weekend and we rode everyday together except Sunday so we could spend his last day with Jared before he left.

Joe trying to convince Jared that the powdered water is over by the milk...

 I ended up doing 40 miles after he left as the chocolate bar I found hiding in the jar put me in the deficit for the week.  I hate finding those things...:-(
Joe and I managed to pull some honey from the hive and all seemed fine with the bees except the dearth was slowing them down a little so I removed the top super.
Today, before mowing the yard,I noticed no movement near the hive. I checked only to find no bees anywhere near the hive. I opened it up and found hardly anything...not even a dead one anywhere and only a few bees scrounging for leftover honey.   I just seem to be having the worst trouble with bees (damn females) and won't peruse the possibility of another nuc.  They are just too expensive to continue with no product to show for it.  I had almost forty lbs of it before the heat and it is almost all gone.

Only a few bees hanging around looking for the rest of the honey:-(

 The good news is that I put in a pretty good week riding and running.  180+ miles on the bike and just under 20 running for a 5 day period.  I'm looking forward to the midnight run in Dunedin, tonight.  Hopefully it will be all good news.  I am hoping to run and finish and make the hour drive home tired.  I haven't been timing myself at all when I run and feel all the better for it.  So, tonight, it's up in the air on how my time will be as I have no idea.  Wish me luck:-)

Caged Mouse

Tropical storm Debby is upon us and I am feeling caged and wanting to get out!  I have just spent 8 or so days keeping up with the hardest race on the planet and now the rain is upon us and I'm still locked in the house!  Yes, I have some things to do, but the plants are growing without me and the bees are making honey without me.  I want to bike, but high winds and rain would not make good bed fellows to my bike and would probably put me in a bed permanently if bad visibility put me in front of a driver that couldn't see properly.  Even my favorite suffer-fest, the Polk County TT was canceled for today due to the yuck.

I guess I'll have to take a chance and go for a run later and soak my shoes to the bone with muddy water and sweat.  While I've been running the past few months, I decided to go for it and sign up for that midnight run!  I placed third in my age group the last time I ran it years ago and it has always been a source of good memories for me; running over a metal bridge in the moonlight and only really seeing directly in front of you and only hearing footsteps and breathing...

Nothing a few more boards and a level can't fix right?

At least I managed to replace some of the front deck and steps before it rained so I don't fall on my arss on the old slick surface that was the old decking.  I still need to do the rest, but at least it's a start and inch by inch it's a cinch, right?  Some of the old loose tiles in the kitchen have also been replaced and I am looking forward to putting some grout on them before they loosen up again. 
So, after all these years, I'm learning that I need to be outside more than in and riding my bike makes the world go round more than being locked up like a mouse in a cage in the rain.

RAAM

The next couple of weeks, I may not be writing much on my blog as I have been happily wrangled into providing coverage of Team Bacchetta RAAM for their blog on their quest for a four man mixed record crossing of the great United States of America on their Bacchetta CA 2.0s.  This is a grueling race and we have a few amateur RAAM racers and a couple veterans.  The crew is great and hopefully will be able to keep up with these very fast riders.  So, follow along at the provided link and enjoy the race!

Pic of the X-day

I took this a while ago and a conversion yesterday brought it back to my memory. It was taken during the beginning of winter and yet it has been so hot these past two days as to make it feel like the rays were burning the leaves off the trees.

Wanna screw?

The private deck has been a thorn in my side for a long time. It's always been on the list of things to get done, but everyone knows how that goes...
So, when my dad came out to visit this week, we worked together and got it done.  The underside was still in good shape so luckily that didn't need to be done. Also, the back sealed in porch was built on part of the deck so we would have to patch the new deck into parts of the old.

The work went pretty fast when my dad and I weren't "discussing" how to do it right.
Jared even worked both full days as the nail puller and did a great job stacking lumber by the road.

And, the dogs even stepped in for little inspections once it started to become safe for them to walk on it.

It will still need the railing pressure washed and painted and the decking will have to be sealed. But, all in all, it went together pretty well. It was kinda fun to have it mostly done and just run the drills with dad and get it all screwed:-)  It will look great with some plants and furniture.
And, like all hard working days, there must be a reward at the end right?

My view...

     When I ride, this is the view I have.  This view has provided me the mental clarity to deal with many things.  This is one of the reasons for which I have always come back to biking as a form of constructive exercise.  There is something about it which sets my mind at ease and lets me focus on the road ahead.  

     If everyone had one of these views, whatever it may be, the world would be a much calmer and quieter place.  So...enjoy the pic of my view today.  I hope you can find the view that you need to sort out the things in life that are holding you back so you can go forward with a big giant smile!

    

What? Me busy?! A life?!!

     Yes, it's true!  I work, I ride, I run, I work, I work, I parent; I am constantly on the go anymore.  With this in mind, it was great to have a break from the madness the last two evenings.  My life or lack there of, depending on who is reading, comes with a price.  The price is that you never get to associate with many friends and speak to others as if you are a normal human so your ability to communicate goes somewhat downhill:-)
     So, when the offer to go out the last couple of days became available, I took it!  Friday:  Dinner and drinks, and then a late movie!  Saturday:  Movie on the cheap and dinner.  Hell, Friday I even managed to stay out until the vampires were running the streets.  They are a strange crew, let me tell you.  I didn't even arrive home until 3 hours before my normal up time (OK, maybe not. Insomnia is my latest incarnation).  Yesterday was a little different as it was just a matinee and dinner was at a friends so at least I didn't risk a bite.
     All this fun has me thinking that I have a normal life.  What's next?  I sit here at the computer in the wee hours of the morning contemplating my next life altering experience.  Maybe today I'll run before I ride.  Maybe I'll call a friend and go flying for the first time in months.  Maybe I'll take the dog to the dog park and watch the drool happen.  Or, maybe I'll take a chance at something new.  Maybe I'll register for the fourth of July midnight run I did a few years ago.  Whatever is decided, I at least know that I can still make and keep friends that somehow think I am still sane.  And, that my life is hard and fun and filled with whatever you can behold; in other words...normal:-)   

Something orange!

     Yesterday was a busy day!  One of the best things about the day was finally getting around to potting two trees (a Calamondin Orange and a Persian Lime) and repotting another orange that had a rough winter.  There is something just pleasing about planting things and having them grow that seems to stimulate me somehow.  I know it sounds corny, but eating out of ones own garden is really rewarding!
     I had picked up four nice bags of soil from The Home Depot that were on special and brought them home.  I didn't realize this, but I only needed one as the roots of the plants were fairly significant. The older tree will have to be repotted again in the near future.  I don't know what I was thinking as I had the pot already and should have just planted it in the right pot to begin with, but such is life:-)

      One thing is for sure...the Calamondin tree looks exquisite!  It is in full bloom and I am hoping I can get some fruit from it this year.  The other two will need some time and I will have to look out this winter for all of them as frost is evil!

     Perhaps the most intriguing part of the process was moving the large pot and having a bright orange corn snake pop out from underneath it.  I think I accidentally hurt it moving the pot as it was a little aggressive.  They aren't usually like that.  I did manage to transport him with my arm, as he was biting my fingers, to the small rose bush for a photo op:-)

Back in the Saddle...

      For almost a week, riding my bike has been put on the back burner.  The weather was the main culprit and getting out for a quick run between showers was easier than having to get rained on on the bike.   The other reason is that it was my weekend for my son to stay over and I even managed to swipe him from his mom for the holiday.   We still managed to keep very busy exercising and he is starting to like running...OK...not really, but he does it even if it is just to please his dad:-) 
     Anyway, when the time came today to jump on the bike, I jumped!  I raced home from work, changed, aired up the tires, mounted the camera, and off I went.  Nothing was stopping me.  It's amazing how work on the bike feels so good.  I was grinning most of the way despite the strong head winds on the way out.  I managed a quick 20 miles and jumped into the shorts and ran 3.  Not bad for a start of the week.  OK...not the start, but for me?...I'll say yes!  Then, it was gangbusters to clean and rush down to the school. 
     My son had lost his ID card and can't get on the bus anymore without it.  So I picked him up and headed home.  Now to get into planting the trees into the pots with the new soil:-)