I didn't start this blog with any hopes of spreading a philosophical message, promoting anything (other than myself of course) or writing any controversial entries about my stand on health care, global warming or who should host "The Tonight Show." I'll be traveling next week and will probably not have the opportunity to do a blog entry, and even if I did, how many of you want to hear about the finer points of reconfiguring a firewall? I didn't think so. So I going to deviate from my normal topic... just this once.
With everyone talking about the earthquake in Haiti and devastation there I got to thinking. There is a story about a woman who was trapped for 7 days without food or water, and made it out alive. I wondered what was going through her mind during the time that she was trapped. There is a song about the 13 coal miners in West Virginia that were trapped when their mine shaft collapsed. Only one of them survived. The song is by "Trailer Choir" and it is called "What would you say?" Click to listen here
What would you say? by Trailer Choir
What if the moment came
and you knew your life was down to minutes,
a lighters flame was all you had to see.
and you found a pen and a torn up piece of paper
and a note was all you could leave?
13 men fell trapped in a mine in West Virginia
only one made it out alive.
But their love lives on in the words
"I can not wait to see you, on the other side"
What would you say?
What would you say?
In the lines on a page, from the life that you made
could you write it with no regrets?
Would you know in yourself, you gave somebody else
all the love that you had inside
right down to your last breath?
Would you tell your Mom, Thank you for the way you love me,
Daddy don't cry, everythings gonna be OK
would you tell your little boy, you'll be watching him from up in heaven,
You never miss one game
What would you say?
What would you say?
In the lines on a page, from the life that you made
could you write it with no regrets?
Would you know in yourself, you gave somebody else
all the love that you had inside
right down to your last breath?
What if the moment came
and you knew your life was down to minutes...
I love music! It puts into words feelings that I have a hard time articulating. What would I put on piece of paper if I was down to my last breath? It is a question that I like to toss around while I am riding the bike or driving. It not only helps pass the time but, for me, it helps keep me focused on the things that are important in life.
Ok, I apologize if this was a little "heavy" or too "touchy feely" for some of you. Do with it what you will. If nothing else I have introduced you to a GREAT country group whose other hit is called "Rockin' the Beer Gut!" Click here to listen
Thanks for reading.
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Monday, January 18, 2010
Warmer days...
Well, I feel fully recovered from the Tappahannock ride last Saturday. I spent most of Sunday on the couch, watching the Patriots get their butts handed to them by the Ravens. I was glad that I was so tired so I could sleep through the game. It really helped to dull the pain (of the game.)
Monday morning I was back on the bike for a normal 5:45 a.m. ride with the Severna Park Peloton guys. It actually felt good to get back on the bike again. The legs and the toucas were a little sore, but over all, I felt good. Tuesday brought a light dusting of snow (about 1/2 an inch on our driveway) so I did not ride on Tuesday. Wednesday is "Wicked Wednesday" for the 5:45 guys and I almost always pass on Wednesday because riding at breakneck speed in the dark is too much for me. I usually go too slow and end up riding alone. I usually take Wednesday as a recovery day.
Thursday morning, I was back to riding with the 5:45group. I did the hill in Round Bay, and although I was winded at the end... it didn't seem to suck as bad as it usually does. Maybe all the miles I have been logging are paying off?
Typically on Friday morning, there is a group that will ride to City Dock for breakfast, either at Chick and Ruth's or The Hard Bean. Mike, the guy that I rode the Tappahannock 200k with, usually meets a few of his non-cycling friends at City Dock. This particular Friday, Mike was the only cyclist that was continuing on for breakfast. During the early part of the ride, Mike seemed to be lagging behind on some of the rolling hills. I hung back from the main group to stay with Mike as much as I could. After all, I couldn't just leave him, after struggling together less than a week prior. When the group got to the turn around point, Mike headed up Route 2 (a rather busy road that we have to use for a short period of time while snow still covers the trail) and I had a bad feeling about that. I hammered away at the pedals to catch up with the group, and the rest of our ride was uneventful.
Later that day, I was checking emails and there was one from Mike. The subject was "I became a fan of Anne Arundel County FD paramedics." The email went on to detail the unfortunate meeting that his bike had with a car on his way back from breakfast. OK mother, don't freak out... just because I ride a bike, does not mean I am going to get hit by a car. The good news was that Mike was fine. His posterior took the brunt on the impact, and he said that the hood of the car had an impressive imprint of his ass. He was take to the hospital for percautions. Nothing broken, just a sore hind quarter.
It just so happened that Friday evening the SPP was having a Happy Hour (we are a very social group) at a local resteraunt to wrap up some end of the year business. Mike was there and relayed the story as to what happened. He was limping noticably, but at least he was able to walk.
For those of you who know the area, bear with me while I try to describe the road layout for those who are not locals.
As Mike was returning back from City Dock, the normal route would be to take Rt. 450 (a highway with 2 lanes of trafic heading in each direction with a wide median) to Boulter's Way ( a normal 2 lane road) to the Baltimore Annapolis Trail. However, because of the snow and ice on the trail, Mike would have had to walk his bike over the patches of ice, and he made the decision that he did not have time for that. He had to get to work. He proceeded straight on 450 and merged onto Route 2. The merge area is very busy with traffic from Route 450, Route 50 East and Route 50 West merging onto Route 2. Mike navigated this merge area safely and proceeded to the first traffic signal at Arnold Rd.
As you leave the merge area heading to Arnold Rd, you go down a fairly long hill and then have to pedal up a hill to get to the Arnold Rd. traffic light. On the other side if the traffic light, there is a downhill, and at the bottom of that hill, Mike planned to take a left, which meant that he would have to cross 3 lanes of trafic to make it to the left turning lane. As he rode through the light, it had just turned green, so there was a line of traffic that had been sitting at the light. He waited for that traffic to go by as he rode down the hill. Looking back, he saw a break in the traffic and began merging across the lanes. He made it over one lane, then into the next and just as he was getting ready to get into the turning lane, he heard a horn and felt the bike shoot out from under his legs.
The paramedics are less then a mile away, and they were there almost immediately. He was well taken care of. Taken to the hospital, x-ray's were taken and he was released and well enough to make it to Happy Hour. Many things worked in his favor... the car hit him pretty squarly from behind, as opposed to broadsiding him. The driver had enough time to hit the horn, and we all are assuming that she hit the brakes at the same time, so before impact the car had slowed a little bit.Mike will get a copy of the police report, and file a claim with his insurance and go from there.
So, who's fault was it? I have ridden my bike through that intersection, and I have driven my car through that intersection. Without having been there to witness exactly what happened, it is too hard to tell. I know Mike and I just got through riding 129 miles with him. He is not one that takes unnecessary risks on the bicycle. He wears a full vest of reflective material, has headlights, and flashing tail lights on his bike. Depending on how high up on the hill Mike decided to cross traffic, the car may not have seen him as she crested the hill and drove through the intersection. It is possible that she came over the hill and there was Mike, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Mike joined us for breakfast this morning (...he drove his truck) and gave us an update. His butt is feeling better, his bike went into the shop on Saturday. The rear wheel is cracked and needs to be replaced, handle bar tape needs to be replaced and a battery that attaches to his bike frame went into the road and got run over by several cars, and needs to be replaced. We are all happy that it was not any worse than it was.
I know, my mother will tell me 14times the next time I talk to her to be careful. I am very careful and I always assume that the driver will make the worst possible choice, and I plan accordingly. As a driver, I also am careful... assuming that the cyclist will make the worst possible choice, and I plan accordingly. I would ask everyone that reads this to be mindful of the cyclist that they pass, and I know for the fact that not all cyclist are the most courteous or considerate folks on the road, but then again.... neither are the drivers. Please be careful.
Thanks for reading.
Monday morning I was back on the bike for a normal 5:45 a.m. ride with the Severna Park Peloton guys. It actually felt good to get back on the bike again. The legs and the toucas were a little sore, but over all, I felt good. Tuesday brought a light dusting of snow (about 1/2 an inch on our driveway) so I did not ride on Tuesday. Wednesday is "Wicked Wednesday" for the 5:45 guys and I almost always pass on Wednesday because riding at breakneck speed in the dark is too much for me. I usually go too slow and end up riding alone. I usually take Wednesday as a recovery day.
Thursday morning, I was back to riding with the 5:45group. I did the hill in Round Bay, and although I was winded at the end... it didn't seem to suck as bad as it usually does. Maybe all the miles I have been logging are paying off?
Typically on Friday morning, there is a group that will ride to City Dock for breakfast, either at Chick and Ruth's or The Hard Bean. Mike, the guy that I rode the Tappahannock 200k with, usually meets a few of his non-cycling friends at City Dock. This particular Friday, Mike was the only cyclist that was continuing on for breakfast. During the early part of the ride, Mike seemed to be lagging behind on some of the rolling hills. I hung back from the main group to stay with Mike as much as I could. After all, I couldn't just leave him, after struggling together less than a week prior. When the group got to the turn around point, Mike headed up Route 2 (a rather busy road that we have to use for a short period of time while snow still covers the trail) and I had a bad feeling about that. I hammered away at the pedals to catch up with the group, and the rest of our ride was uneventful.
Later that day, I was checking emails and there was one from Mike. The subject was "I became a fan of Anne Arundel County FD paramedics." The email went on to detail the unfortunate meeting that his bike had with a car on his way back from breakfast. OK mother, don't freak out... just because I ride a bike, does not mean I am going to get hit by a car. The good news was that Mike was fine. His posterior took the brunt on the impact, and he said that the hood of the car had an impressive imprint of his ass. He was take to the hospital for percautions. Nothing broken, just a sore hind quarter.
It just so happened that Friday evening the SPP was having a Happy Hour (we are a very social group) at a local resteraunt to wrap up some end of the year business. Mike was there and relayed the story as to what happened. He was limping noticably, but at least he was able to walk.
For those of you who know the area, bear with me while I try to describe the road layout for those who are not locals.
As Mike was returning back from City Dock, the normal route would be to take Rt. 450 (a highway with 2 lanes of trafic heading in each direction with a wide median) to Boulter's Way ( a normal 2 lane road) to the Baltimore Annapolis Trail. However, because of the snow and ice on the trail, Mike would have had to walk his bike over the patches of ice, and he made the decision that he did not have time for that. He had to get to work. He proceeded straight on 450 and merged onto Route 2. The merge area is very busy with traffic from Route 450, Route 50 East and Route 50 West merging onto Route 2. Mike navigated this merge area safely and proceeded to the first traffic signal at Arnold Rd.
As you leave the merge area heading to Arnold Rd, you go down a fairly long hill and then have to pedal up a hill to get to the Arnold Rd. traffic light. On the other side if the traffic light, there is a downhill, and at the bottom of that hill, Mike planned to take a left, which meant that he would have to cross 3 lanes of trafic to make it to the left turning lane. As he rode through the light, it had just turned green, so there was a line of traffic that had been sitting at the light. He waited for that traffic to go by as he rode down the hill. Looking back, he saw a break in the traffic and began merging across the lanes. He made it over one lane, then into the next and just as he was getting ready to get into the turning lane, he heard a horn and felt the bike shoot out from under his legs.
The paramedics are less then a mile away, and they were there almost immediately. He was well taken care of. Taken to the hospital, x-ray's were taken and he was released and well enough to make it to Happy Hour. Many things worked in his favor... the car hit him pretty squarly from behind, as opposed to broadsiding him. The driver had enough time to hit the horn, and we all are assuming that she hit the brakes at the same time, so before impact the car had slowed a little bit.Mike will get a copy of the police report, and file a claim with his insurance and go from there.
So, who's fault was it? I have ridden my bike through that intersection, and I have driven my car through that intersection. Without having been there to witness exactly what happened, it is too hard to tell. I know Mike and I just got through riding 129 miles with him. He is not one that takes unnecessary risks on the bicycle. He wears a full vest of reflective material, has headlights, and flashing tail lights on his bike. Depending on how high up on the hill Mike decided to cross traffic, the car may not have seen him as she crested the hill and drove through the intersection. It is possible that she came over the hill and there was Mike, and there was nothing she could do about it.
Mike joined us for breakfast this morning (...he drove his truck) and gave us an update. His butt is feeling better, his bike went into the shop on Saturday. The rear wheel is cracked and needs to be replaced, handle bar tape needs to be replaced and a battery that attaches to his bike frame went into the road and got run over by several cars, and needs to be replaced. We are all happy that it was not any worse than it was.
I know, my mother will tell me 14times the next time I talk to her to be careful. I am very careful and I always assume that the driver will make the worst possible choice, and I plan accordingly. As a driver, I also am careful... assuming that the cyclist will make the worst possible choice, and I plan accordingly. I would ask everyone that reads this to be mindful of the cyclist that they pass, and I know for the fact that not all cyclist are the most courteous or considerate folks on the road, but then again.... neither are the drivers. Please be careful.
Thanks for reading.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Tappahannock 200k - 01/09/2010
Saturday morning came early and after gearing up, checking out of the hotel and breakfast at the local Waffle House we were off to the start of the ride. No one wanted to verbalize what the temperature actually was, but I later found out that it was 15 degree at 0700, which was start time. There were 33 riders at the start which included 15 from Severna Park Peloton. It was nice to have a bunch of familiar faces around for my first brevet. When the clock struck 0700, everyone was off. We headed down Rte 54 in Ashland as a massive train of bicycles and flashing red tail lights. Only 129 miles to go.
In hind sight, if I had to put my finger on one thing that made the brevet a success for me, it would be my decision to ride with a buddy. Mike Binnix and I had decided before the event that we would stick together throughout the ride. For me, this proved to be critical throughout the entire day. So, as the group began to break up, Mike and I set out towards the first control. Prior to reaching the first control we had to make a quick stop at an Exxon Station to put hot water into our frozen water bottles. The caps full of bourbon that we put in them prior to the start did not keep them from freezing like we had hoped. We walked into the gas station and there were couches and a fire in the fireplace... I could have very easily stayed right there for the rest of the day. We didn't. Hot water in the bottles and it was back on the road.
On the road again, headed to control # 2 at Java Jacks in Tappahannock, VA. This was only a 27.4 mile leg in the journey, but it proved to be a very trying leg. A couple miles out from the first control, we discovered that the wind was no longer at our backs. Mike and I took turns riding in front to cut through the wind just enough to give the other person just enough of a break to recover so that they could take their turn in the front. In addition to the wind, we encountered many sections of the road that still had ice and snow on them. For the most part, if we were careful we could coast over them. It seemed that these patches were mostly on the downward side of the rolling hills, so what little reprise we would garner from the downhills was thwarted by having to slow down considerable to navigate the ice and snow patches. I am happy to report that neither of us fell off our bikes. A few miles before the second control, I began feeling the first signs of physical pain. It was in my shoulders and at the base of my neck, from supporting the weight of my upper body for so many miles. I moved my hands from the top off the handlebars, to the brake hoods and into the drops, but could not find much relief. I made it to Java Jacks ready for a break.
Lunch at Java Jacks was good. Turkey Rueben with fries and a mocha latte. The service was a little slow, and we spent more time at that control than I think anyone would have liked. Janet, Bill, Gardner and Theresa had just sat down and ordered, so we sat at a table next to them. Java Jacks is an old house converted into a coffee house/restaurant. They have tables set up in the different "rooms" of the house. There were 4 table in the room we were in. Mike and I were at one and the other 4 bikers were at another. The 2 other tables were filled with Tappahannock towns folk. As they were leaving they told us that we needed to get scooters or something. If it was under 70 degrees it was too cold to be outside riding a bike. They then wished us well on our ride and they were gone... probably wondering in the back of their minds "...what is wrong with these people?"
While at Java Jacks I texted the 3 girls to give them a progress report on where I was and how I was doing. I was surprised to get replies from all 3 of them and the words of encouragement really did help me through the last part of the ride. Thanks girls!
Before leaving Java Jacks, I did a conscious 'self' check to try and identify anything that I could do to make the remaining 57 more miles any more comfortable. My glove liners were keeping the moisture off my hands, my layers of Under Armour were keeping my dry and warm, my toes were not cold, my full hood was pretty wet and I knew it would be cold putting that back on, so I put on my spare, dry hood. We were ready to go, and the 6 of us decided to leave together top help battle the winds as a group. After fixing a flat on Bill's bike in the parking lot, we were on our way. We all stayed in loose contact to the next control. On this leg of the ride, my neck and shoulder pain increased. I was also beginning to doubt my lunch choice. I knew that I needed to eat (take in calories) to compensate for the calories I was expending, but while riding after eating such a big lunch, the thought of eating anything was now repulsive. (I know, can you believe I said that?) I was doing my best to drink the water in my water bottles, but I knew I wasn't drinking enough of that either.
Mile 98, and we were at Sparta Fastmart, the third control. Janet was there first, and was walking out as we were walking in. She asked if anyone wanted a fig-newtons. That sounded really good to me, so I set off into the Fast Mart to find a package of fig-newtons. To save my life, I couldn't find the damn figs. The woman at the Fast Mart was so helpful...she was on the phone... deep in conversation... and when I asked her where the fig-newtons were she pointed in the general direction of the entire store and promptly continued her phone conversation. No figs in my future. I settled for peanut butter crackers. I ate one as we were leaving the third control. It tasted horrible and I am not sure if it was because after 98 miles of riding ANYTHING would have tasted horrible, or if it was because I REALLY wanted Fig-newtons.
Headed to Control #4. 16.3 miles ahead. My neck is still hurting and I need to eat and drink. By the time we reach the 4th control it is dark, and as previously agreed upon, we were not going to linger at ALL at this control. Get the card signed, and move on. I managed to eat another peanut butter cracker and drink some water, and we were on our way.
Next stop... Ashland Tea and Coffee shop... aka The End. We were 14 miles from the finish. As I was leaving Control #4, in my mind I was thinking... 14 miles is not so bad. That's what we normally do on our 5:45 rides. WRONG! Remember when I told you that 'easy' is a relative term? after 114 miles, 14 MORE miles is not so 'easy'. With the sun down, I was starting to get a little cold and I struggled with my neck and shoulders the rest of the way. I was trying every conceivable position that I could to try and get comfortable for just a few minutes. I was more restless during the last 14 miles than a 2 year old in church on a Sunday morning.
As we approached the metropolis of Ashland (the center of the universe) we could hear the train whistles blowing, and we could see a couple of traffic signals ahead. The end was in sight. We rode through the intersections, and just as we were about to arrive at Ashland Tea and Coffee shop, the railroad crossing lights start blinking and the crossing arms go across the road. We can literally see the end, but we are forced to wait another 5 minutes while the Amtrak takes on and discharges passengers. Finally, the arms go up, and we pull into the Coffee shop parking lot. We made it. 128.8 miles, 11 hours and 57 minutes.
We entered the coffee shop to a round of applause from our Severna Park Peloton friends as well as other randonneurs that were still there. I signed and turned in my control sheet and was congratulated by several people... at this point I can't really remember who they all were. I was done... on so many levels.
It was very emotional for me when I finished. One year ago, I couldn't climb the stairs at home without being out of breath, yet here I was cycling 129 miles in one day. I think that's pretty good improvement.
After we changed into dry, normal clothes the 9 remaining SPP folks headed out for pizza and beer. A great ending to a great day. Check out Clint's photos of the entire event.
I am STILL analyzing the good and bad of this ride. What would I do differently, what would I keep the same etc. That list is not complete yet, but I have come up with a few things that I am quite sure of.
1. The buddy system is a great way to go.
2. Solid foods... not so much on the rides. I might even have to try the Gu food (sorry Emily)
3. I am not ready to start an R-12 (one brevet a months for 12 consecutive months), but I do know that this was not my last brevet.
Thanks for checking out my blog. Keep coming back.
Monday, January 4, 2010
HAPPY NEW YEAR
I apologize for taking so long between posts. It has been a busy week. Christmas was wonderful, as usual, and I am one year older than I was when I last posted. Emily was with us for a week and we are now into 2010. WOW.
On Christmas morning Tiffany joined us to open gifts. In the past, we have waited until Emily came up and we'd open our gifts together, but with Tiffany trying to juggle time with her Dad and his family, her boyfriend and his family and her Mom and her family we have learned to be flexible. I think she does a great job of making sure that all the bases are covered and no one feels slighted.
After opening gifts with Tiffany, Bev and I were off to Tappahannock to pick up Emily and see Amanda and Destini. Tappahannock is the halfway point between us in Maryland and Emily in Virginia Beach. Emily's mother is kind enough to meet us halfway on Christmas day to help minimize the amount of driving. She usually brings Amanda and Destini with her and we have our own little red neck gift exchange in the Sheetz station parking lot. Destini had a very Tinkerbell Christmas. She was very tired, and with all of the attention on her she was a handful. As is always the case, it was nice to see her and Amanda, even if it was only for a short period of time.
When we returned home, Emily opened her presents. Her favorite gifts were her record player (yup, you read that correctly, vinyl...LP's...45's...) and her Harvard hoodie (direct from the Harvard bookstore in Cambridge). To cap off a wonderful Christmas, we headed over to Bev's Mom's house for some ham and fixin's, apple cake, coffee and warm conversation.
The following day, as you all should know, was my birthday. Bev does a fantastic job of making sure that my birthday celebration is completely separate from Christmas. She makes sure that my birthday gifts are all wrapped in birthday paper... not Christmas paper or even holiday neutral paper. I got lots of great gifts for my birthday. Mostly gift cards from my favorite places (Starbucks, The Olive Garden and The Bike Doctor) as well as tickets to see Terri Clarke. She will be at Ram's Head on Stage in Annapolis on Feb 21st. It is an acoustic performance of just her and her guitar. She is one of my favorite country singers and she puts on an awesome show. So, with the concert being in Feb, I am able to stretch my birthday week out just a little bit further.
This New Years eve we all actually stayed awake and watched the ball drop...because we were babysitting! Eddie and Tracie, the couple that Tiffany babysits for on a regular basis needed someone to babysit their 3 kids (one 3 year old and a set of twins about a year and a half old). Tiffany had plans with Josh and friends, so Tracie called Bev and we ended up hanging out at their house until the wee hours of the morning. They also have 2 dogs, so Emily was having a great time "doggie sitting" while Bev was baby sitting. I was pretty much... just... sitting.
That brings us into 2010. As far as resolutions go, I resolved a few years ago to not make any more resolutions... and I have stuck to that. Looking forward, I am optimistic that 2010 will afford me the opportunity to continue those good things that I started in 2009.
For those interested, next weekend is the Tappahannock 200k brevet. I have just about everything that I need, with the exception of a few small items like tubes, and air cartridges in the event of a flat. Sunday I rode (see my 2010 Training Log link) in the cold (18 degree with a wind chill of 2) to see how my 'layered' approach to warmth and wind was going to work. I have to say that I was warm throughout the entire ride, with the exception of the little spot on my forehead that was exposed. I also used the ride on Sunday practice eating while riding the bike. I know, it sounds pretty simple, but with big gloves on, trying to unwrap chewy granola bars and ride a bike... not so simple. I think I came up with a system that will work. I'll let you know. The ride on Sunday also taught me that 'chewy' granola bars, when exposed to 20 degree temps do not stay 'chewy'.
I will do another entry probably on Thursday or Friday to let you all know where I am at physically and mentally for the brevet on Saturday. I am cautiously optimistic that I will be fine, after all... it's only 129 miles.
On Christmas morning Tiffany joined us to open gifts. In the past, we have waited until Emily came up and we'd open our gifts together, but with Tiffany trying to juggle time with her Dad and his family, her boyfriend and his family and her Mom and her family we have learned to be flexible. I think she does a great job of making sure that all the bases are covered and no one feels slighted.
After opening gifts with Tiffany, Bev and I were off to Tappahannock to pick up Emily and see Amanda and Destini. Tappahannock is the halfway point between us in Maryland and Emily in Virginia Beach. Emily's mother is kind enough to meet us halfway on Christmas day to help minimize the amount of driving. She usually brings Amanda and Destini with her and we have our own little red neck gift exchange in the Sheetz station parking lot. Destini had a very Tinkerbell Christmas. She was very tired, and with all of the attention on her she was a handful. As is always the case, it was nice to see her and Amanda, even if it was only for a short period of time.
The following day, as you all should know, was my birthday. Bev does a fantastic job of making sure that my birthday celebration is completely separate from Christmas. She makes sure that my birthday gifts are all wrapped in birthday paper... not Christmas paper or even holiday neutral paper. I got lots of great gifts for my birthday. Mostly gift cards from my favorite places (Starbucks, The Olive Garden and The Bike Doctor) as well as tickets to see Terri Clarke. She will be at Ram's Head on Stage in Annapolis on Feb 21st. It is an acoustic performance of just her and her guitar. She is one of my favorite country singers and she puts on an awesome show. So, with the concert being in Feb, I am able to stretch my birthday week out just a little bit further.
This New Years eve we all actually stayed awake and watched the ball drop...because we were babysitting! Eddie and Tracie, the couple that Tiffany babysits for on a regular basis needed someone to babysit their 3 kids (one 3 year old and a set of twins about a year and a half old). Tiffany had plans with Josh and friends, so Tracie called Bev and we ended up hanging out at their house until the wee hours of the morning. They also have 2 dogs, so Emily was having a great time "doggie sitting" while Bev was baby sitting. I was pretty much... just... sitting.
That brings us into 2010. As far as resolutions go, I resolved a few years ago to not make any more resolutions... and I have stuck to that. Looking forward, I am optimistic that 2010 will afford me the opportunity to continue those good things that I started in 2009.
For those interested, next weekend is the Tappahannock 200k brevet. I have just about everything that I need, with the exception of a few small items like tubes, and air cartridges in the event of a flat. Sunday I rode (see my 2010 Training Log link) in the cold (18 degree with a wind chill of 2) to see how my 'layered' approach to warmth and wind was going to work. I have to say that I was warm throughout the entire ride, with the exception of the little spot on my forehead that was exposed. I also used the ride on Sunday practice eating while riding the bike. I know, it sounds pretty simple, but with big gloves on, trying to unwrap chewy granola bars and ride a bike... not so simple. I think I came up with a system that will work. I'll let you know. The ride on Sunday also taught me that 'chewy' granola bars, when exposed to 20 degree temps do not stay 'chewy'.
I will do another entry probably on Thursday or Friday to let you all know where I am at physically and mentally for the brevet on Saturday. I am cautiously optimistic that I will be fine, after all... it's only 129 miles.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Merry Christmas !!!
Christmas 2009 is almost here. In Maryland, we will be having a white Christmas for the first time in quite a while. It is a little 'too' white for me. 1 or 2 inches on Christmas eve, staying on the ground for Christmas Day and melting away on my birthday (that's December 26th... there is still time to get those gifts in the mail.). 20 inches of snow is, like I said, a little too white.
Cycling in this much snow is nearly impossible. The 5:45 group got our last ride in on Friday morning with a trip to The Hard Bean at City Dock. We all knew that if we got the amounts of snow that were being forecast, it would be a while before we would be riding again. On the ride back, plans were made to move the Christmas Party from Saturday to Sunday because of the forecast. This turned out to be a very prudent decision. This past week emails have been flying about how 'itchy' every one is to get out and ride. I rode the trainer this morning... it's just not the same.
On Saturday morning, I looked outside to see what amounted to about six (6) inches of snow on the ground. I thought "This isn't so bad, we must have missed the blunt of the storm." ... I was WRONG. We had not gotten to the worst of the storm yet, and the computer models had Annapolis directly in the path of the worst of it. I waited a couple of hours until 'some' of the neighbors would be awake before I ventured out to begin making a dent in the snow. I was not worried about getting the snow moved, after all, I do have a John Deere lawn tractor with a snow blade on it. As long as I don't let the snow get too deep, I should be just fine, right?. WRONG again. For those of you who have never seen our driveway, it is about 35 yards long, wide enough for 4 cars and the top and funnels downhill to a single lane at the bottom. Not a HUGE driveway, but lets just say, I was happy to spend the couple hundred dollars for the snow blade so I wouldn't have to shovel it any more.
I did have the foresight to bring the John Deere down from the shed and parked it in the garage, plow facing out. When I opened the garage door, I noticed that the couple hours that I had waited (or wasted) had turned the six (6) inches on the ground to nine (9) inches with snow still falling. I fired up the John Deere, lowered the plow and pushed the first load of snow down the hill. I pushed as much as I could before the wheels started spinning. I tried to back up to get to the top of the driveway, but my wheels were spinning in that direction as well. I was not able to get any traction on the hill. I had plowed this driveway before with only minimal problems with traction. What was going on here? Maybe I went too straight down the hill. Now that I have one strip of the driveway partially cleared with my first push, if I could get back up the hill, I would plow side to side across the hill, instead of up and down it. This did not seem to work either. I was not able to get traction at all in the driveway. Then it hit me... the last time I plowed this driveway, I had an extra 100 pounds of traction. I was certainly missing that traction now. I managed to get about one third of the driveway done. Any neighbors looking out their windows must have gotten a good laugh watching me plow. What I did was attach a long rope to the bumper of my 4-Runner in the garage. I would hold on to the rope while I was plowing, and when I got stuck, I would put the rope over my shoulder, lean back as far as I could towards the garage, grab the rope and pull forward like I was doing a sit up . I am the only person who can get a good ab workout while plowing a driveway on a John Deere tractor. Once I had reached the end of my rope, both literally and figuratively, I put the John Deere back in the garage, shut the door and went inside to warm up. I was defeated.
Sunday came and I had resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to actually use a shovel to dig out a path down the center of the driveway so that I could get the John Deere through and just 'nibble' off a little snow at a time from either side of the main path. I started shoveling and shoveling... and shoveling and I was surprised at the progress that I was making. I was also surprised at how good I was feeling doing it. I was breathing heavy, and sweating a bit, but my back was not killing me and I didn't feel like I was going to die right there in the snow. SO, the 100 pounds of traction that I was missing on the tractor, I was certainly not missing while I was shoveling. It felt good, and since I couldn't ride my bike I could get a work out by doing this.
After shoveling for a few hours (which would have been impossible a year ago) Bev brought me a cup of coffee. Just as I sat down in the garage to enjoy it, I saw my neighbor, Tom, at the bottom of the driveway with his snow blower. I honestly think I heard the "William Tell Overture" (for those of you who don't know... Google it). The only other time that I have heard that in my head was when I saw our friend Charlie show up with his bobcat when we were trying to spread topsoil. Words cannot describe how happy I was to see him. He cut a path up the driveway like a hot knife through butter. I got the measuring tape and measured 17 inches of snow in our driveway. The snow blower gobbled up and spit out the snow in record time. Good neighbors are SUCH a blessing.
Because we were all dug out, we were able to attend the Severna Park Peloton Christmas party at Clint and Sherri's house. That was a GREAT time and Bev got a chance to meet the crazy guys that get up and ride at 5:45 in the morning, and their spouses. We got to see a video of Clint and John's America by Bicycle trip, talk about the epic brevet in the snow that some of the members did a couple of weeks ago and generally laugh and enjoy a great time with a bunch of great people. I think Bev enjoyed herself, I know that I did. Clint and Sherri were wonderful hosts.
I mentioned in an earlier post that the Christmas party was really a recruiting party for the Ashland brevet. Well, it's on. I have committed to riding on January 9th. One of the other members of SPP who just began riding seriously this past year sent me an email asking if we could ride together. This is fine with me, because some of the people who ride these are doing them to set course records... I am just trying to finish in the allotted 13 hours and 30 minutes. So, to have someone that will ride with me will be help to keep us both motivated. There are currently 13 SPP riders signed up for this brevet. It is my understanding that the brevets usually only have about 30 riders anyway, so it will be nice to have nearly 50% of them be people I know. I have also found out that the people who do NOT ride in the brevet wait anxiously on pins and needles to read the ride reports that the riders do after the brevet. I will make sure that I post a painfully honest report of what it feels like to ride 125 miles in one day.
Tuesday was weigh in day (right before Christmas... good planning) and I lost 3 pounds. I was pleased with that considering what I ate at the party Sunday night and without riding since Friday morning. The total is 103 pounds, because I had to re-lose the two pounds I gained last weigh in. I am thrilled with those results and I am motivated to keep moving forward. I took a couple days off from eating my 'normal' foods. Tuesday after the weigh in I brought in Cream of Crab soup (made with half and half) to share with everyone in the office. Other people brought in bread and butter, cookies and chocolates. Then Tuesday night Bev brought me to fado' for dinner to celebrate my birthday. (My birthday is not until Dec 26th, but I have 2 daughters and a step daughter and a fiance, they get to have birthday "weeks" so now it is MY turn to extend my birthday celebration) I enjoyed my dinner and dessert but them I realized that my body was not enjoying the stuff that I was feeding it. My stomach did not feel good at all Tuesday night or most of the day yesterday. I am back to eating my 'normal' foods today.
Tomorrow is Christmas, I hope everyone who reads this, and their families, have a VERY Merry Christmas. I will post again soon.
Cycling in this much snow is nearly impossible. The 5:45 group got our last ride in on Friday morning with a trip to The Hard Bean at City Dock. We all knew that if we got the amounts of snow that were being forecast, it would be a while before we would be riding again. On the ride back, plans were made to move the Christmas Party from Saturday to Sunday because of the forecast. This turned out to be a very prudent decision. This past week emails have been flying about how 'itchy' every one is to get out and ride. I rode the trainer this morning... it's just not the same.
I did have the foresight to bring the John Deere down from the shed and parked it in the garage, plow facing out. When I opened the garage door, I noticed that the couple hours that I had waited (or wasted) had turned the six (6) inches on the ground to nine (9) inches with snow still falling. I fired up the John Deere, lowered the plow and pushed the first load of snow down the hill. I pushed as much as I could before the wheels started spinning. I tried to back up to get to the top of the driveway, but my wheels were spinning in that direction as well. I was not able to get any traction on the hill. I had plowed this driveway before with only minimal problems with traction. What was going on here? Maybe I went too straight down the hill. Now that I have one strip of the driveway partially cleared with my first push, if I could get back up the hill, I would plow side to side across the hill, instead of up and down it. This did not seem to work either. I was not able to get traction at all in the driveway. Then it hit me... the last time I plowed this driveway, I had an extra 100 pounds of traction. I was certainly missing that traction now. I managed to get about one third of the driveway done. Any neighbors looking out their windows must have gotten a good laugh watching me plow. What I did was attach a long rope to the bumper of my 4-Runner in the garage. I would hold on to the rope while I was plowing, and when I got stuck, I would put the rope over my shoulder, lean back as far as I could towards the garage, grab the rope and pull forward like I was doing a sit up . I am the only person who can get a good ab workout while plowing a driveway on a John Deere tractor. Once I had reached the end of my rope, both literally and figuratively, I put the John Deere back in the garage, shut the door and went inside to warm up. I was defeated.
Sunday came and I had resigned myself to the fact that I was going to have to actually use a shovel to dig out a path down the center of the driveway so that I could get the John Deere through and just 'nibble' off a little snow at a time from either side of the main path. I started shoveling and shoveling... and shoveling and I was surprised at the progress that I was making. I was also surprised at how good I was feeling doing it. I was breathing heavy, and sweating a bit, but my back was not killing me and I didn't feel like I was going to die right there in the snow. SO, the 100 pounds of traction that I was missing on the tractor, I was certainly not missing while I was shoveling. It felt good, and since I couldn't ride my bike I could get a work out by doing this.
After shoveling for a few hours (which would have been impossible a year ago) Bev brought me a cup of coffee. Just as I sat down in the garage to enjoy it, I saw my neighbor, Tom, at the bottom of the driveway with his snow blower. I honestly think I heard the "William Tell Overture" (for those of you who don't know... Google it). The only other time that I have heard that in my head was when I saw our friend Charlie show up with his bobcat when we were trying to spread topsoil. Words cannot describe how happy I was to see him. He cut a path up the driveway like a hot knife through butter. I got the measuring tape and measured 17 inches of snow in our driveway. The snow blower gobbled up and spit out the snow in record time. Good neighbors are SUCH a blessing.
Because we were all dug out, we were able to attend the Severna Park Peloton Christmas party at Clint and Sherri's house. That was a GREAT time and Bev got a chance to meet the crazy guys that get up and ride at 5:45 in the morning, and their spouses. We got to see a video of Clint and John's America by Bicycle trip, talk about the epic brevet in the snow that some of the members did a couple of weeks ago and generally laugh and enjoy a great time with a bunch of great people. I think Bev enjoyed herself, I know that I did. Clint and Sherri were wonderful hosts.
I mentioned in an earlier post that the Christmas party was really a recruiting party for the Ashland brevet. Well, it's on. I have committed to riding on January 9th. One of the other members of SPP who just began riding seriously this past year sent me an email asking if we could ride together. This is fine with me, because some of the people who ride these are doing them to set course records... I am just trying to finish in the allotted 13 hours and 30 minutes. So, to have someone that will ride with me will be help to keep us both motivated. There are currently 13 SPP riders signed up for this brevet. It is my understanding that the brevets usually only have about 30 riders anyway, so it will be nice to have nearly 50% of them be people I know. I have also found out that the people who do NOT ride in the brevet wait anxiously on pins and needles to read the ride reports that the riders do after the brevet. I will make sure that I post a painfully honest report of what it feels like to ride 125 miles in one day.
Tuesday was weigh in day (right before Christmas... good planning) and I lost 3 pounds. I was pleased with that considering what I ate at the party Sunday night and without riding since Friday morning. The total is 103 pounds, because I had to re-lose the two pounds I gained last weigh in. I am thrilled with those results and I am motivated to keep moving forward. I took a couple days off from eating my 'normal' foods. Tuesday after the weigh in I brought in Cream of Crab soup (made with half and half) to share with everyone in the office. Other people brought in bread and butter, cookies and chocolates. Then Tuesday night Bev brought me to fado' for dinner to celebrate my birthday. (My birthday is not until Dec 26th, but I have 2 daughters and a step daughter and a fiance, they get to have birthday "weeks" so now it is MY turn to extend my birthday celebration) I enjoyed my dinner and dessert but them I realized that my body was not enjoying the stuff that I was feeding it. My stomach did not feel good at all Tuesday night or most of the day yesterday. I am back to eating my 'normal' foods today.
Tomorrow is Christmas, I hope everyone who reads this, and their families, have a VERY Merry Christmas. I will post again soon.
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
Just chuggin' along
It has been a week since my last post, so I wanted to get another post up here so you didn't think that I had lost so much weight that I withered away to nothing and got swept up by the wind. I was going to post on Sunday, but Bev and I spontaneously went to see The Rovers perform at a breast cancer charity event. As always... The Rover ROCKED! Thanks Eddie for my pink santa hat. I will post a picture of me wearing it soon.
It has been a pretty crazy week. I had jury duty on Wednesday. This involved going to the courthouse and sitting there in the prospective jury area until the judge decides that you are no longer needed. They give you your $15, pat you on the head and say "Thanks for coming." Then you have to call back after 5:00 pm the rest of the week to see if they need you to repeat the process. Fortunately, I only had to report one day. Christmas must be the slow season for the courts.
As far as riding, please check out my training log (see the link) to get an idea of how much and how hard I have been riding. I have taken a few days off during the week and I have found that my legs have responded to that quite well. Yesterday's ride was GREAT. During the ride a couple of the guys saw a meteor shoot across the sky. I didn't see it, and I am not sure that I have ever seen a meteor before. I have seen shooting stars and maybe they are the same thing... I don't know. In any event, 2 of the guys said WOW at the same time, so I don't doubt that they saw it. We also saw the crescent moon through the fog, which was a pretty awesome sight. Now, I have seen shooting stars before and I have seen a crescent moon before, but there was just something different about seeing them from the saddle of a bike at 5:45 in the morning.
Each of the past couple mornings, there has been a LOT of chatter (and recruitment) about "randonneuring" and "brevet's". (I will let you wiki or google the two terms). Basically, randonneuring is long distance, unsupported endurance cycling. Focus is not on competition, but on self sufficiency. The distance of the events (called a brevet) vary from 200 K (125 miles) to 1200 K (750 miles). Each distance has a time limit in which the rider must finish. For the 200 K you must finish within 13 hours and 30 minutes, for the 1200 K you get 90 hours. The time limits do not seem to bad... 125 miles in 13 hours 30 minutes, just under 10 minutes per hour. Keep in mind that the clock runs constantly once the event begins. You are given a card that has certain control points on them, and each control point must validate your card to prove that you were there. So the time that it takes to get your card stamped at the control points counts against your riding time, as does time to get a cup of coffee, something to eat, go to the bathroom and so on. It is about friendly camaraderie and not competition.
The big recruitment push in the mornings is to get as many SPP riders as possible to ride the brevet that is coming up on January 9th. It is a 200K brevet that begins in Ashland, VA and rides out to Tapahannock, VA and back to Ashland. It has rolling hills, but no steep climbs (or so they say), so it is very tempting. It will certainly be a great gauge for where I am fitness-wise for the New England classic in July. As the weather gets better, I want to be riding as much as possible.. Even though the brevets are not supported rides,(meaning no support vehicles if you break down, no predetermined 'rest' stop, no free coffee, bananas and bagels etc.) they are with a group of people that I know and enjoy riding with. I have found that it is so much easier and more fun to ride in a group as opposed to riding alone. SO, barring any scheduling conflict that can't be resolved, I am hoping to do the Tapahannock brevet. Stay tuned for a full report.
This past week I have also been busy trying to organize and compile materials for my upcoming fundraising effort for the New England classic. I am sure that you will all be hearing about that more as the time gets closer. I have a personal web page on the America Diabetes Association website that I will link from here once I have it set up. Donations can be made online at that website. If any of you have any creative fund raising ideas please leave them in the comments section below.. I am willing to do just about anything (as long as it is legal and doesn't involve painting) to raise these funds. Thanks for your support.
Thanks for reading my blog. I have found out that it is not only my Mom, Bev and Emily that read this blog. (Emily only reads it because I pay her to.) I appreciate you all taking the time to check it out. Thanks.
It has been a pretty crazy week. I had jury duty on Wednesday. This involved going to the courthouse and sitting there in the prospective jury area until the judge decides that you are no longer needed. They give you your $15, pat you on the head and say "Thanks for coming." Then you have to call back after 5:00 pm the rest of the week to see if they need you to repeat the process. Fortunately, I only had to report one day. Christmas must be the slow season for the courts.
As far as riding, please check out my training log (see the link) to get an idea of how much and how hard I have been riding. I have taken a few days off during the week and I have found that my legs have responded to that quite well. Yesterday's ride was GREAT. During the ride a couple of the guys saw a meteor shoot across the sky. I didn't see it, and I am not sure that I have ever seen a meteor before. I have seen shooting stars and maybe they are the same thing... I don't know. In any event, 2 of the guys said WOW at the same time, so I don't doubt that they saw it. We also saw the crescent moon through the fog, which was a pretty awesome sight. Now, I have seen shooting stars before and I have seen a crescent moon before, but there was just something different about seeing them from the saddle of a bike at 5:45 in the morning.
Each of the past couple mornings, there has been a LOT of chatter (and recruitment) about "randonneuring" and "brevet's". (I will let you wiki or google the two terms). Basically, randonneuring is long distance, unsupported endurance cycling. Focus is not on competition, but on self sufficiency. The distance of the events (called a brevet) vary from 200 K (125 miles) to 1200 K (750 miles). Each distance has a time limit in which the rider must finish. For the 200 K you must finish within 13 hours and 30 minutes, for the 1200 K you get 90 hours. The time limits do not seem to bad... 125 miles in 13 hours 30 minutes, just under 10 minutes per hour. Keep in mind that the clock runs constantly once the event begins. You are given a card that has certain control points on them, and each control point must validate your card to prove that you were there. So the time that it takes to get your card stamped at the control points counts against your riding time, as does time to get a cup of coffee, something to eat, go to the bathroom and so on. It is about friendly camaraderie and not competition.
The big recruitment push in the mornings is to get as many SPP riders as possible to ride the brevet that is coming up on January 9th. It is a 200K brevet that begins in Ashland, VA and rides out to Tapahannock, VA and back to Ashland. It has rolling hills, but no steep climbs (or so they say), so it is very tempting. It will certainly be a great gauge for where I am fitness-wise for the New England classic in July. As the weather gets better, I want to be riding as much as possible.. Even though the brevets are not supported rides,(meaning no support vehicles if you break down, no predetermined 'rest' stop, no free coffee, bananas and bagels etc.) they are with a group of people that I know and enjoy riding with. I have found that it is so much easier and more fun to ride in a group as opposed to riding alone. SO, barring any scheduling conflict that can't be resolved, I am hoping to do the Tapahannock brevet. Stay tuned for a full report.
This past week I have also been busy trying to organize and compile materials for my upcoming fundraising effort for the New England classic. I am sure that you will all be hearing about that more as the time gets closer. I have a personal web page on the America Diabetes Association website that I will link from here once I have it set up. Donations can be made online at that website. If any of you have any creative fund raising ideas please leave them in the comments section below.. I am willing to do just about anything (as long as it is legal and doesn't involve painting) to raise these funds. Thanks for your support.
Thanks for reading my blog. I have found out that it is not only my Mom, Bev and Emily that read this blog. (Emily only reads it because I pay her to.) I appreciate you all taking the time to check it out. Thanks.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
A metaphor for life...
This past October, Emily and I rode in the Tour du Port, which is a 40 mile bike ride in Downtown Baltimore. As the cyclist gathered at the starting area, Emily and I overheard another rider saying that he has ridden this course before and it is flat... there are no hills in Baltimore. Later on that day, Emily and I were BOTH looking for that rider, hoping to run him into a ditch. If anyone tells you that Baltimore has no hill I will refer you to Emily, who will tell you differently.
As we were riding together Emily and I started talking about how cycling is pretty much a metaphor for life. At the start area there were people of all shapes and sizes, riding bikes of all different makes and models. Not an entirely inclusive representation of the human race, but you get the point. As we started the ride (which offered 12, 24, 40 and 50 mile routes) some cyclist sprinted away and opened a sizable lead on the group, while others stayed back and waited for the group to get ahead so that they could move along at their own pace without the pressure of either keeping up, or keeping ahead of the group. Very representative of the varied personalities of people we come across everyday. As Emily and I got further into the ride I mentioned to her that I was looking forward to the pizza that they were having at the end of the ride (the pictures from last years ride showed boxes and boxes of pizza). I had been eating healthy over the summer and the thought of having a piece of pizza sounded really good. Emily and I used that as motivation to help us pedal over the hills, knowing that even though it is harder to pedal over this hill, if I can keep pedaling and make it to the top I will be that much closer to my goal... PIZZA! Just like in life when weset a goal, there are usually at least a couple of hills that have to crested before you reach your goal. Granted, these were not the Alps or the Pyrenees that we were trying to cross, but they were hills that stood between us and our pizza. The importnat part was that we continued to pedal up and over the hills. (By the way, Emily made it up all the hill and finished the 40 mile ride. We were disappointed that they didn't have pizza at the end, but we did get pizza at the airport before she flew home. We deserved it!)
The reason that I told you that story is because my ride on this weight loss trip has been relatively flat, with very few hills. However, with Thanksgiving (two of them) and fado' for more calories, my 100 pound crab cake celebration and just the warm fuzzy feeling that "if I am exercising I don't have to watch what I am eating so closely" has brought me to the first incline in my trip. I gained 2 pounds over the past two weeks. Now, I am not going to lie and say that I am happy about that, but I am not devastated either. I know what caused it to happen and I can control those things by paying more attention to what I eat. I will do a better job over the next two weeks. I am determined to keep pedaling over the hill. I am still down 100 pounds, and I took a couple weeks to enjoy that accomplishment. Now, I have more of the journey ahead of me.
Thanks for everyone's support and for checking out my blog. Check back soon.
As we were riding together Emily and I started talking about how cycling is pretty much a metaphor for life. At the start area there were people of all shapes and sizes, riding bikes of all different makes and models. Not an entirely inclusive representation of the human race, but you get the point. As we started the ride (which offered 12, 24, 40 and 50 mile routes) some cyclist sprinted away and opened a sizable lead on the group, while others stayed back and waited for the group to get ahead so that they could move along at their own pace without the pressure of either keeping up, or keeping ahead of the group. Very representative of the varied personalities of people we come across everyday. As Emily and I got further into the ride I mentioned to her that I was looking forward to the pizza that they were having at the end of the ride (the pictures from last years ride showed boxes and boxes of pizza). I had been eating healthy over the summer and the thought of having a piece of pizza sounded really good. Emily and I used that as motivation to help us pedal over the hills, knowing that even though it is harder to pedal over this hill, if I can keep pedaling and make it to the top I will be that much closer to my goal... PIZZA! Just like in life when weset a goal, there are usually at least a couple of hills that have to crested before you reach your goal. Granted, these were not the Alps or the Pyrenees that we were trying to cross, but they were hills that stood between us and our pizza. The importnat part was that we continued to pedal up and over the hills. (By the way, Emily made it up all the hill and finished the 40 mile ride. We were disappointed that they didn't have pizza at the end, but we did get pizza at the airport before she flew home. We deserved it!)
The reason that I told you that story is because my ride on this weight loss trip has been relatively flat, with very few hills. However, with Thanksgiving (two of them) and fado' for more calories, my 100 pound crab cake celebration and just the warm fuzzy feeling that "if I am exercising I don't have to watch what I am eating so closely" has brought me to the first incline in my trip. I gained 2 pounds over the past two weeks. Now, I am not going to lie and say that I am happy about that, but I am not devastated either. I know what caused it to happen and I can control those things by paying more attention to what I eat. I will do a better job over the next two weeks. I am determined to keep pedaling over the hill. I am still down 100 pounds, and I took a couple weeks to enjoy that accomplishment. Now, I have more of the journey ahead of me.
Thanks for everyone's support and for checking out my blog. Check back soon.
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