No really...

Today is the first day in several days that I actually felt like raising my head off the pillow. Seems a little unfair that on a 5 day weekend, I spent most of it glued to the sofa. But today, I was determined to get some kind of ride in..I go stir crazy if I don't get on my bike.

I should have known something was up when I went out to grab the Single speed...the low airp ressure in the back tire should have been some indication. Instead, I air up the tire, and decide to leave my floor pump at home - not really sure why I did that. I mean - I drive an Element - its not like I have to be efficient with my use of space - but I chose to do it anyway.

Off I go - I arrive at the Alpine Inn with such high hopes for the completion of my singlespeed ride - I get everything ready, pull the bike out - and there it was..the full on flat. Awesome - now I am 30 minutes from home, no floor pump, and one spare tube. I race through options. See, the trick is I have to be home by noon today. I am actually trying to squeeze a ride in during the "off hours" as I call them - namely the hours when the family is a sleep and I don't risk missing a "honey do" item...

I race through my options - I could try to change the tube - I have a spare in my camel back - but a hand pump.hmmm...a possibility. I dig around in my camel back only to find that I have no tire tools. The day is getting better by the minute. "buck up Ren" I think to myself - go home, change the tube, get an hour's ride in..not the greatest, but its better than nothing.



When I got home, things didn't get any better. Still no tire tools, and the seat bag for my road bike (always have tire tools there) seems to have disappeared. I start to laugh ..you know that laugh..the one of complete disbelief? "No really..." I think to myself "what did I do to deserve this this morning"... I have 7 bikes in my garage - 5 of them rideable today - so what's the problem you ask? if you are a cyclist, you know that there were several signs this morning that I was unprepared. Not having tire tools is a SURE fire way to get a flat on a ride. and as much as I love riding, I have tried to learn from my mistakes over the years. So, here I sit, typing on a keyboard, cleaning my office, trying to find tire tools, knowing the bike shop opens in an hour, but too late for me to get the ride in today.

Guess I will try again tomorrow....

....the most important parts of Christmas

....batteries. yep- if there is one thing I have learned over the years, its have batteries on hand. All shapes and sizes - and my mom gets it. Everyone giggled when Mia opened her gifts from my mom and one box was batteries. it was PERFECT! Mia loves to open gifts, and we were gonna need all those batteries.

check out my gift!its awesome...OF course the batteries my mom sent don't fit this - so, at 6am, I am off to the "Open 24hrs a day, 365 days a year" Walgreen's to get the batteries I needed. And now, I am crashing my car into everything. Its amazing how quickly I become a child when given a toy (or a bike) I like...

Not much to write today, except Merry Christmas to all...or at least Happy Holidays. I need to go fight Mia for the Remote to my car!

On to new things....

- I Want a belgian waffle maker...plain and simple - this family needs one.

Tomorrow, Peak Season Cyclocross kicks off, and I am BEYOND excited!!! No- I haven't ever raced it, but from what I hear, this is the closest I will probably ever get to Belgian cross. I am racing as a B tomorrow - time to go on up.

Mia is roaming around the house tonight. Already she has instructed me to get her a podium tomorrow...oh- no pressure there, huh? a 2 1/2 year old saying "just get a podium"..oy - I should never have taught her that...O well - first race as a B - i will be happy to finish.

And in other news - nope there isn't any. Just watching mia run around with my CCCX medal from last week.

cheers!
ren

what a week!!

wow..it sure is nice to be home this Friday afternoon - sipping a well-earned glass of wine. This has been a bizarre week - luckily, its calmed down for me. The majority of the courseware is done, my boss is headed over seas for a few weeks, and next week, Mia gets to see what Santa brought.

But as I sit here, sipping a fine Pinot - playing hooky from my training ride (because I CAN!), I gotta say -President - Elect Mr. Obama - I am mortified by your choice of reverends for your inauguration.

For just a moment- let's set aside that we queers rallied behind you, and took you on your word. Let's forgo - for a moment - the fact that Tif and I aren't really sure if we will remain married (don't roll your eyes ...we all thought "NO on Prop 8" would win, so I don't want to hear it) - For a moment, lets rally behind the call of Unity..reaching out to the other side - I am not sure if Bill White has a facebook page, but maybe you could call him to join the inauguration? I mean - afterall - it is the same, isn't it? Rick Warren says I don't deserve rights in my Constitution..just like Bill feels about you..so how is it different?

As I sit here, typing this, I am reading that the YES on PROP 8 folks have entered a motion in the California Supreme Court to have my marriage nullified. Awesome...does that mean I get a refund on the ceremony? The marriage certificate at least? What about me scares them so much?

I am nervous - I don't deny it. There are several pastors that scare me...but I can deal with. Jesse Jackson? he would have been a good one..hell! My mom's baptist preacher would have been ok - he thinks I'm evil, but he hasn't called me the names that Rick has. So..President-Elect What will be the next compromise as you reach across for Unity? Will we continually wait until its a "good time" for you to stand up for our rights? I just want to believe what you told us. I have hope - please don't make me regret it. This isn't some trite issue...this is really serious to me, and my family. This divided our families..there are those of us that lost family members over this vote.


OK..off my soapbox. Glad to see my ankle is healing. I am SO ready for Peak Season this weekend. Thank goodness I am racing my bike this weekend..lets hope I can keep my Form!!!!

Until next time..keep the rubberside down.

Age...

Age is an interesting thing...as Children we do everything we can to get older - as adults we do everything we can to stop the process. its a funny thing to watch with Mia - she ages daily - both in years and in wisdom. Pretty amazing child.

My BODY on the other hand, is not aging so gracefully. one day, Mia wanted to count "menay's boo boos.." all but one scar (well two if you count the one where my brother hit me with a golf club) are all from cycling. Bones drilled, plates screwed in..whatever - when I get a boo boo I make sure its a good one.

I have been fortunate that my knees have always held out. Not really sure why or how they have, but they have - until now. They suddenly have decided to show me that I am in fact getting older. This fascination I have with riding my bikes in less than perfect conditions - hopping off, running and jumping over barriers - not exactly what some might call -oh...smart. but I love it - its intrinsic to my happiness - but not to my knees and their happiness.

This morning as I get ready for my next 'Cross race - my pack regimen made me sit down and write...
helmet - Check
arm warmers - Check
Kit - check
Knee warmers - check
advil - Check
Glucosamine- Check
Naproxin - Check

and I tuck everyting into my mouse back and go about my day. Yes - I am sure I will pay for much of what I have done to my body as I get older. ...older than today. Yet another good reason for marriage - I have someone to help me around the house - and I think she knows it.

Growing old gracefully was not something I ever thought seriously about. Oh- I will do the best I can, but I am going to blow it out on my way there.

..now I gotta go race my bike...

Oh...here I am again...

after almost 3 years...I am starting this thing back up again..Why? well - A few days ago, Tif said - "I wish you would start writing" - I laughed it off - but then I rode my bike today, and it all made sense again.

A few days ago, I bought a single speed...not because they are the "in thing", but because I am trying to move as far away as possible from Road racing. anyway - destiny was in my favor, and Lauren was selling hers. Off I went to pick it up.

This morning, I finally got to ride it. yep - I took it to the most perfect place for a 40 yr old body to take a Single Speed - Arastredero and easy hills. At 7:30, I rolled into the parking lot - frost covering the wooden fences. Geese, flying in formation reminded me where the idea of drafting came from. So I bundled up, hopped on my new trusty steed - and headed out.

As adults, right now, there are so many things going on in the world that take us away from being children. I firmly believe that most of us ride our bike (or at least started again) because of that inherent attachment to childhood - cruising down the street or the hill - not a care in the world -just having a great time. no fear of falling - no fear that tomorrow the recession will over take us..no fear that tomorrow - a constitutional amendment will be enacted to discriminate against us. We want that feeling - we want the escape..and while I often lose myself in my ride - today I was truly taken back to what cycling as a kid was all about.

There were no gears on my first BMX bike - I had a pair of Oakley handlebar grips..yeah - I really did. a red Raleigh Rampar Bike, Kusuki Gooseneck...lord knows what handlebars. Dont' even know what cranks, wheels, or pedals I had. how funny is that? - these days, I read the fine print about everything - Shimano XTR, or SRAM XO? Dura Ace or Red? what wheels? blah blah blah.. Today I remembered what it was like just to go out and ride...instinctually at times my thumb did try to shift - but in general - I just enjoyed being out there with nothing to worry about.

Ah..winter mtn biking...sunny warmth..freezing shade...the things that make childhood come back so quickly - and give me so much to write about... :)

its good to be doing this again.