10/30

We did a night ride on Friday and was haaaauuuullliiing along with a few miss directions here and there. We were going along decided to ride up to Bubba's woods and on the ride up there Randy gets a nail in the back tire of his steed. We stop and after waiting for about 20 minutes for him to try to change the tube a few of us rode on and the rest waited and rode back to Russell's. We went back and the shit was flying at Russell's and the PBR's were flowing. We finished all of Russell's food in his house ( Chips and pretzels ) and headed home at 1 in the morning.

We went the WORS banquet on Sat night and it was a fun time. It is hard to believe that another season is in the books. We had a fun time and sat by the team Wisconsin guys and the Darcy team and Jesse Lalonde. We all went up to get the awards and Maddie won a bag of Cliff bars and a new helmet. Barb won the new Gary Fischer bike and I will have look and see if Jerry has it on Ebay yet. After the awards the set up a kareoke machine and Ray, Nate and Miles were up the singing songs. It was really cool to watch. They gave pries and Ray kept getting his Name called and was letting Nate pick prizes. Nate kept picking and giving them to others and not keeping one for himself. When we were leaving Toni gave Nate a hat because he kept giving the others away. That was cool of her. We got home at about 1:3am with the time change. So that was 2 late night's for Nate. But he seems fine today.

Today was a cross race and all the costumes were out at the race. There was a couple of real good ones. Nate took second today in the 14 and under. He looked good and was fading in the last of the race but was ok as for he had 2 late night's. Pat won the C's race for his first ever 1st in a bike race, way to goo Pat. Russell took 20th and Danny was some where right after that. Ron took a 9th in the A's on a fixie. The guy is nut's. Matt was jumping the barriers and that was fun to watch as he also won 2 races today. There was a lot of other racers and they were all looking tired during the race. Anyhow good job to all who raced. Oh most of all thanks Russell for the PBR's again.

Gomez update:
The poor little guy has to thinks his room mates friends are nuts as he was out of his cage quite a bit Friday. I think he was macking on Jamie as he was trying to climb in her shirt. After Jamie pulled him away he shit on her arm, I think pay back for not scoring. He was in his wheel all night and he must have been going 20mph. I think that if he was on a bike he would be haaaauuullliiinnnng and Randy would be of the back asap. Good thing he is not on the night rides as for Randy may be dropped. I think Gomez is going to have a talk with Russell and put end to the late parties in the crib. More good things to come but can not spill the pot all at once.

10/28

Haven't been doing anything lately. Just have been a bum. I'm going to do a night ride tonight with Russell and the gang. It is going to be a late one as it is starting at 8:30pm. I guess Russell wants to get a fish fry before he rides. Not something I would do but Russell is a clyde and a pro eater. I'm bringing Nate along even though it will be a long night. He loves the night rides and he can sleep in tomorrow before the banquet.

I think I hooked myself up with a new bmx cruiser frame and I'm going to build up a new race bike. It's a GT with box stays. It is polished aluminum and Russell had it at the shop. I'm going to add some nice stuff to it and have a primo race bike. The bike won't be ready by next week when bmx starts but it won't be long after that. I will look through the parts catalog's and order the part's and get it going. I'm looking forward to getting it ready and riding and race the new bike.

See you at the ride tonight or at the banquet. Later..

Important update.

I have important stuff happening that I have to post. Well not really. Jim has said that I haven't been doing anything. He is right I haven't. I have been spinning on the rollers in the basement because the weather is crappy. I just ride for a hour spinning to keep the legs in the motion as bmx is coming up. So I'm just trying to keep a little ahead of the game.

Cece is doing something tonight so I couldn't do a night ride with Russell and a few others. I did drop Nate off at the shop and he is riding with Russell. Russell said he would bring Nate home after the ride so Nate went. I had to stay home with the girls as there was no one to watch them. We are going to do a night ride tomorrow so call Russell if you want to go.

Nothing happening that is worth the time on the blog. Going to the banquet this weekend. Nate doing a cross race on Sunday. So if anything good comes along I'll give it to you. I'll get the update on Gomez on the night ride and post the humor for you. Later..

10/24

I did the social ride on Saturday. There was 11 of us at the start and we hit the trails after having a beer that Marty provided. We weren't even 2 minutes into the ride and John Baruan falls off the bridge in the creek below. After we laughed at him the other John comes across the bridge and also falls off into the creek. So 9 hours of riding and drinking and 2 are wet from the start. We start riding and the rain is steady and it rains for pretty much the entire ride. We hit some cool single track and with the rain and wet leaves my slicks on the single speed weren't hooking up the way I was hoping. I wet down a few times and once down a hill and slid for about 25 yards into the edge of the woods. After drinking and trying to ride single track it is not as easy as it looks. The bike handling is way off and now I know how Randy feels in the single track. We hit some nice bars off the beaten path and had a good time. Need to do more of these rides but have to hope it's not raining and 45 degree's out side.

Nate did a few cross races this weekend. On Sat he took a 3rd place in the 14 and under and on Sun in chi town he took a 7th in the 18 and under. He enjoyed the races and I thank Russell and Pat for taking him to the races. Nate will do the next cross race at Washington Park in Milwaukee and that will be his last one. He now has 2 weeks and bmx starts.

This weekend is the WORS banquet and we are looking forward to going. We are going up and coming down the same day as the riding is closed for hunting and it costs money to ride your bike there. I don't mind paying to ride but after paying to stay and all why pay more. May ride in the morning. It will be a ride around the house or the Sat morning group ride. Will have to see. I think Cece was talking about stopping in Johnson Creek on the way there. What ever I'll ride early and head there. See you all at the banquet.

It looks loke the single speeders hogged the podium at the Big Ring race this weekend. Good job you guys and the Icce man is the last racce so these guys have some time to go yet. Have fun training stay warm. Later..

Killin Pumpkins

I just killed 7 pumpkins with the kids. It is always a fun time stabbing a few pumpkins and cutting them up. Jessica was fun to watch as she was up to her shoulders digging the guts out. She gave up after awhile and I had to finish hers. Then Nate, Maddie and I cleaned the others. We carved some pretty cool faces and now the seeds are roasting in the oven. The kids are in the living room with the lights out and candles in the pumpkins they look great.

Tomorrow is the cross race that Nate is going with Russell and Pat. I hope that the rain holds out until after they race. Also I'm doing the pub crawl so I hope that the rain holds out until after we ride. Then on Sunday Russell is taking Nate to the cross race in hi-town. I'm going to get things done around the house and help Cece do some school paper correcting and what ever else she has for me since I'm doing the pub crawl. Well time to get Nate's stuff ready. Later..

Poor Gomez

We did another night ride last night. We had a group of about 12 of us. The pace isn't real fast with a group that size but that is ok because we are done with the hard efforts. Nate came on the ride again and his is just loving the night rides. We ended waiting a few times and lost a few for awhile. Nate dropped the single speeders on the road back to the bar. I know it won't be long and he will drop me to. I can't wait for that day. I have to thank Marty for the beer after the ride. I tasted great. Nate had a few root beers. I live for night rides.

Nate is going to go to the cross races with Russell this weekend. He wants to do the races and I have plans so Russ said he would take him to the race in Verona and in Chi town. He wants to race I'll pay and get him there some how. The kid loves to race a bike. I don't have the ability to do the cross races but he wants to do it so I can't say no.

I have a request to update a story of Russell's room mate the hampster known as Gomez. Well on the ride Russ said he had Gomez out for awhile in the back yard. I didn't ask if it was his back yard or the back yard, well you get what I mean. And I stopped by the shop and Russell told me that he was cleaning Gomez's crib so put the little guy on the top of the cabinet while he cleaned the crib. Well he turned his back for a few seconds and Gomez took a short walk off the end of the cabinet and hit the deck. He said it sounded like a hacky sack hitting the floor. He picked Gomez up and looked at him and said what the hell do I do now? Do I flush him or put him in the trash. Well all of a sudden Gomez shakes and wakes up. He finishes cleaning the crib and put Gomez back in and he hit the wheel and ran all night again. Good thing Russell doesn't have any kids with him all to often man he is just a dangerous guy. Hey wait I'm letting him take Nate to the races, oh yea Nate will probably take care of Russell.

Well tonight or tomorrow we are going to carve the pumpkins and roast the seeds. Have to go and eat. No ride tonight and a social ride on Sat so that is why Russ is taking Nate. Later..

Pumpkin farm

I will do anything to take a day off at work. Today I went to the pumpkin farm with Jessica's 4 year old kindergarten class. It was a fun time to watch the kids feed the animals and go through the hay wagon ride. They got to pick a pumpkin and Jessica picked a rather large one but that was cool as I could carry it out for her. I get to go to the pumpkin farm for another 5 years with her class so that is cool.

Tonight going to do a night ride and Nate is going to come again. He had a large school project to get done before Friday and has been working on it like 3 or 4 hours a night so he could do the night ride. I'm glad that he is enjoying the rides as it won't be long and he will be pulling my ass around on training rides. I can't wait for that to happen, until then it's pull him and enjoy every minute of it.

Haven't been doing anything lately as I had a school board meeting last night and did things around the house. This weekend is the fall social ride and going to do that as the racing is done for me until the bmx season starts. I'm just enjoying the rides with no pressure to train. The body needs a break and the cross races don't give you a break. Plus to travel and race the cross races and finish in the back half of the pack is not worth the time and money. Plus for Nate to race older kids isn't worth the time either. He has bmx coming up so that is what he is looking forward to anyhow. We can get good training in on the weekends for no money and time spent. When Nate gets older then we will reconsider if cross is something to do. There really isn't any thing in it to do the races anyhow. With the small fields and all I'll let Nate decide if he wants to do them.

Time to go rake the leaves and cut the grass. Then I'm going to lift weights and get the kids. I could get used to this no working stuff but with my hobbies and family it won't work. Later..

10/16

Friday Russell asked me if I wanted to do a night ride as the weather has been so nice. What are you to say? Hell yea I'm there. So I got the lights and the boy and we did a night ride with about 10 of us. Nate did his first night ride and he did real well. We rode for 2 1/2 hours on the river trails in Tosa. Nate got a thorn in his tire so we had to stop and do a quick tube change and then the tube I put in had been in my seat bag for a while and had a rub hole in it. Russell gave me a new tube and we fixed again and headed off again. Nate loved the ride and wants to go on the rest of the rides when we do more of them.

On Sat Nate and I did the group ride from Hales Corners and he was a little tired after the night ride and it showed. The wind was strong and there was about 15 of us and we tired to keep Nate and Magan out of the wind as much as possible. They made the ride about 36 miles and a average of almost 17 mph. We had to push Nate a few times up some hills and keep him on wheels for the ride but he has taken the last couple of weeks easy because bmx training and racing starts. We will do a few more of the Sat rides until the bmx starts.

Easy ride maybe today but I have to get a few things done around here. I washed and waxed the car and truck yesterday but have to clean the insides out today. I may cut down the old junk in the gardens and do what ever else Cece has for me to do. I will try to sneak a ride in some time though. I passed on the cross race as Nate rode a lot the last couple of days and like I said bmx starts and he didn't feel like driving and all to the race. Plus I wouldn't race it anyhow as my running with my leg isn't worth it. I'll have to try to find out from Russell how everyone did later. The weather was perfect for racing but also perfect for just riding. So I hope everyone enjoyed and did well at the races. Later..

Friday

It is great to see that some of the gang have got the call up to do the Ice Man. I hope that they all have a good showing at the race. I hope that it will be snowing and cold as hell for them. I think last year that the race was kind of messed up because they got like 6 or 8 inches of snow the night before. That would be cool if it happened again. Good Luck.

The weather has been great and can't wait to get out for a ride after work today. I'm liking the extended summer this year but I have a feeling that this winter we may be paying with extra snow. But now is the time to get the extra rides in and enjoy the warm weather.

I'm thinking that mabe a night ride tomorrow night with Nate might be in order. Just a easy one so he can get a ride with lights on his bike. Tomorrow Nate and I are going to do the group ride in the morning as the cross race is to far to do and he isn't going to do them all because the bmx race season starts in Nov. Plus they group the little guys with the big little guys.

Tomorrow is Sweetest day so I have to come up with a gift for Cece. I have some ideas and will have to see if I get close to one of the places and get the gift tomorrow. As much as I think that Sweetest Day is a foolish celebration I hate to forget it as if I do I get a little hassle and just a small token saves alot of grief. Enjoy the warm weather and get alittle something for the sweet heart. Later..

10/12

We did another night ride and Russell didn't find a new friend on the ride. I asked Russell how his hampster which he named Gomez was doing. He said Gomez was fine and that he spent like $35.00 dollars on the little guy to put him up real pimp style. That is way more then he spent on the old lady when he took her out on a date. Go figure what a friend that doesn't yell at you or tell you what to do will get you. Hint hint ladies and look at what you could get.

The ride was a good ride. We had 12 riders and it was moving good when we where rolling and not waiting. But at this time of year it is time to enjoy the bike not just hammer away. We stopped as Russell put his spare light on Jamie's bike and we pointed our lights on Russell's bike and he then rode it into the dark and as it does glow in the dark it was real cool to watch. It looked like the frame was dancing in the air as Russell was riding it. Have to get a picture and figure how to post it. We rode for almost 3 hours and at the end we got caught in the rain so it may be awhile before a off rode ride if the sun doesn't come out to dry it out. Maybe a road ride with Russell this weekend if the family doesn't have plans for the day. May go by Dave's house Sunday night and play soccer with him and shawn.

Good luck to Jerry, the Goat and Amy for the Iceman race. And Bdog you my want to try and post a want ad and find a good feed person. Although Barb is one of if not the best feed person out there. So for a small fee she may pass you your bottles. And I know she will not hit the sauce while on the clock with your juice. I'm glad that everyone liked our skin suits we wore at the race. I know that they looked great and could be seen from a mile away. Maybe if it was a short sleeve I would wear it at all the races. Time to go and make dinner. later..

Season over

Well we did all the races this year. All 4 of us in the family were able make them all. I don't want even figure how much entry fee's, gas, and all costed. But that doesn't matter if everyone was having fun and we are able to do it as a family. Can't wait until next year to start.

We the race was fun and perfect weather for a race. Maddie started it off and she was riding well and made all the hill climbs and rode down the hill to the log jump but she did ride around it. She finished 2nd on the day and 3rd overall for the year. She got better as the year went on and said she really enjoyed racing this year. I'm glad because if she didn't I would not make her race but she would have to go out for a sport at school.

Cece raced well and said she didn't have it in her today to go any harder in the race. Well if she would train alittle not just ride her bike on the days the races are she could do better. She took 3rd at the race and 2nd overall for the year. I'm going to get her to ride some this winter and get into a little better shape for racing next year.

Nate had a good race and he finished 6th. I seen him in the race and had to tell him that he needed to spin more as he was pushing a big gear. He finished first in his age group for cit youth 11-12 and did well in a few of the cit races winning one and taking a second in the other. Not bad for a 11 year old. Bmx starts in a few weeks and he will do a few cross races yet so he will be ready for next year.

For my race it started off good as I got the hole shot and got the 20 bones. I sat up and rode the most part of the first lap in first place. I was feeling real good and didn't mind any pace that was beening set for the race. On the second lap we caught some riders and some idiot tries to take the little gravel jump inbetween a few of us and goes down and I lock up my legs and they started cramping for the rest of the race. I loose contact with the leaders on the hill and try to chase them down but no go. One more racers passes me as I limp up the hill for the last time and I don't feel like sprinting him for 3rd I roll in a second or 2 behind him. I finished 2nd overall for the season.

Well next is the awards banquet and everyone is getting a season overall in the top 3 so that should be a great night. I heard that there are a few changes in line for next year so we will have to wait and see. I will drive 6 hours for the fat tire 40 but not to race up a ski hill in Minn. so the WORS head may not be repeated. Have to wait and see. Great job to all who raced and had good years in the overalls. Have to make the training plans and get the stuff in order to try to do alittle better next year. See you all at the banquet and at training rides this fall and spring. Later..

Riding in the dark

Last night we went for a night ride along the river. It was nice to ride with helmet light and a bar light. The trails were easy to see and the ride went great. Of all things while we were riding Russell yells out look at that white mouse. It wasn't moving like a field muose. I told him pick it up, he did. It was a hampster. We put it in his back jersey pocket but that lated for a mile or so. We emptied a water bottle and put in there and rode on. We stopped by Bubba's crib and gave it to them to bring to Russell's crib later. Russell now has a new room mate.

Just one more race and the WORS season is done. I'm kind of bummin but then the indoor bmx goes on and that is alot of fun. So at least there is something to do all winter not just sit on the trainer and all. See you all at the last race and good luck. Later..

Fog alert gone

The fog has lifted from the head. I actually feel almost back to normal. I now know why I don't drink that much anymore. Plus most the guys are married now with kids and that gets in the way with trying to act single. But there are a few of the times that require to much liquor.

I haven't had the time to do any riding since the ride on Saturday but that should be ok. I'll get on the trainer if I have in the next couple of day to keep the legs loose for the race this weekend. I'm looking forward to the race as it is one of the better ones. Going to the banquet and then coming home so we can make it to the cross race. Then the first week of Nov BMX racing starts. Nothing is going on just chillin and getting the chores done. See you at the race. Later..

Sunday

Well after the ride yesterday and all the alcohol there was no racing for me today. Took Nate to the race and he did good and enjoyed the race. I think he took like 4th or something in the jr's race. They group all the kids 18 and under in the race. So he did alright and wasn't that far back from the leaders. Pat and Russell raced the c's and Pat got 6th and Russ got 30th. I saw Ron out there and he was racing the race in the fixed gear state. Russ said Ron got 3rd wow racing the fixie he is a freak. I don't know how Jerry finished but that was cool the he was racing the cross bike again. Will have to check the web site and all the results later.

Only one more WORS race and then it's bmx time. Going to take it easy this week and have fun at the last race. Going to try to get a night ride in this week and try the new light for the helmet. It will be nice because the stadium is great but it's always nice to have some light for the eyes. It was always hard to get one that was as bright as the stadium but I picked up a HID that has a 4 hour battery so it should be nice for the long rides. I really can't wait to use it.

Have to get my butt to the couch and get this foggy feeling behind the eyes to go away. Needless to say no ride today as the beer is still leaking from the pores. Later..