Awards

Here is a picture of Nate getting his State Championship Jersey last night a the WCA awards banquet. It was nice to see alot of the racers that we had not seen since the last race. It is going to be way different next year as the National Championship race is in Madison and it is Jan 4th so the weather can be a total game breaker and that also means that we are having to train outside till that race for sure. It is going to fun and I can't wait.

Nate and I went to Rays Friday and then stayed after it closed and helped sweep areas so it was ready for the Grand Opening yesterday. It was a blast to be there for the Grand Opening and see all the other riders and racers that came in for the event. It is a nice thing that we live so close but then again living so close has made it to easy to go there all the time. I guess that could be worse, like a few hour drive which would mean that Nate and I would probably not be there to often. Well I guess being there 4 hours on Thursday, 6 hours riding and 3 hours cleaning on Friday, 8 hours on Saturday and then 9 hours today. I think that it enough of riding for a day or 2. AHH maybe not, back to the road bike training and bmx racing and toss in a few visits to Rays to keep it real. Now I need to get some rest and ice cream. Later..

Crazy Drivers

What a difference a day makes. Yesterday the drive to Madison was a nice and easy one. Then this morning there was a little snow and I got on the road at 6:30am for a meeting that started at 9:00am. I picked up Teresa and Lenn and we hit the road. Once we got to Brookfield and it was nuts from there on. Drivers into the walls and ditches every where. It was crazy as when there was one driver off the road there was 2 to 3 more as they must have looked at the first one and then lost it themselves. The drive that takes a little over an hour took a little over 4 hours. We were an hour and a half late for the meeting. At 1 point I thought about turning around and heading back home but we pushed on. We then sat in a meeting that was to be about 4 and a half hours that lasted a little over 2 and a half hours. But the good thing was the drive home was a fast and easy one. Once home Nate and I cleared the snow and got the gear and headed to Rays for some riding. It was another nice night for riding and it was just what I needed to get the legs moving after 3 days of sitting in meetings. I also had to get the legs and body ready for the next 3 days of riding at Rays. See you there. Later..

Meetings

I had a meeting today and now I have another one in Madison tomorrow and Thursday. I don't know how anyone can sit on their ass all day. I did for a good part of the day I was fried and had enough and it has just started. Now I have to drive back and forth to Madison and I am not looking forward to it at all. But it is a day of pay and I have a break from working in the field tossing frozen 50# blocks on scales all day. Then tomorrow is gate practice and then some more training on the road bikes before some time at Rays for the Grand Opening this weekend. Well time to get some laundry started. Later..

BMX'n

Pictures taken by Sam.

Nate and I raced the double point race yesterday in which Nate took a 2nd in open and a 2nd in cruiser, he didn't make the main in class. I took a 4th in cruiser and a 2nd in class. Then we stayed with the Yanke family and thanks again guys for the night as it saves the drive home and back. Then this morning it was back to the barn for some more racing. It was the State Qualifier and Nate took a 3rd in cruiser and class and came unclipped coming out of the gate in the open. I took a 3rd in class and missed making the main in cruiser. Then it was get home for the game in which Nate and I did a roller workout so he can go to Rays tomorrow. Have to get the training in as the road season is coming up fast. It was a blast watching the game while riding making the time fly by. Now we get 2 weeks of Packers this and that before the Super Bowl but that is OK. Well time to get a few things done. Later..

17 years

Yeah it has been 17 years of wedding bliss for us. More to come. Later..

Bling'n Nate's ride

Thanks Len for the hook up on the GOLD for Nate's jumper. It is look'n nice with the new stem, handle bars and pedals. Tomorrow is some racing at the barn and then a night with the Yanke clan and then more racing on Sunday. Later..

Pic's found on line at Rays

Here is Joe hit'n the expert jumps at Rays that Nate found on line. Nice style Joe.

Here is Nate going over the expert jumps at Rays. Julie ( Bubba's better half ) took this picture, thanks Julie.

Racing on 1/16 at the barn

Nate pulling a manual down the 2nd straight.

Nate and Payton going next to each other into turn 2.

Me dropping into turn 1.

Me going down the 3rd straight.

Nate and I raced at the barn yesterday and as always had a great time with the friends and then racing. Nate took a 3rd in the open and then a 2nd in cruiser. I took a 4th in cruiser and then a 5th in the 20 inch class. After racing we cruised home and Cece had a great lasagna waiting and we ate a early dinner and headed to Rays for a few more hours of riding. It was a good day to say the least. Today I have off and now I am getting ready to lift weights, run a few errands and then get to Rays at noon. Another good day in order. Later.

Rays on 7/16

Here is a video of Nate doing a black flip into the foam pit at Rays yesterday. More bmx racing today and then back to Rays tonight. Later..

Pic's from Gate practice

Here are a few great pictures that Sam took of Nate and I at gate practice tonight. Thanks again Sam for the great pictures. Gate practice was a good time and I bumped my gear up on the 20 inch as I was spun out and had to play catch up in the turns int he races. I felt better so I hope it works out this weekend. Nate looked good as always. Later..

Snow Globe

I guess with the snow that is falling I could say this is what I would be doing but it is not. I am on the bubble of going to Rays tonight. There is a Metro Mtn Bike meeting tonight, a what maybe a good football game on TV and well a warm house to relax in. Just have to see what plays out and go with the flow. Cece is spoiling us again with some home made Reuben sandwiches for dinner. If I don't feel to stuffed Nate and I will head to Rays for a little spin.

The snow today was nice as it always makes the city look nice even in the bad areas where not much can help. It at least hides all the trash on the ground and messy yards. But it does make for some interesting driving too. I must have seen at least 5 accidents on the north side today. Just poor driving habits and with all fancy wheels and piss poor cars you can never trust any of the drivers. So I just drive slow and I know it pisses them off but I am getting paid and I don't care. Well time to eat and get to Rays I guess. Later..

Racing in the barn

Well we took a day off from Rays tonight as Nate had some homework to finish to. But in the racing today Nate took a 4th place in the open and then a 2nd in the cruiser class and then a 3rd in the 2o inch class in class. Nate and a rough day though as he hit the dirt 2 times. I have to say that he has been riding so good and all the time he races I never think that he is going to crash. But today he did and still had good results in the end. I had a decent day and took a 4th in the cruiser class and then a 4th on the 20 inch to. But in the end it is all for fun and that is what Nate and I said we did today.

So for something funny Cece asked me today if Nate and I were going to go to day care again tonight? I knew what see meant as for all the time we have been spending at Rays she is calling it day care for Nate and I. I think that she was hoping that we were so the house would be quiet and we wouldn't make a mess of her clean house. But not tonight with the homework and the fact that Nate put in 40 hours last week. We do need to put a few days on the road bikes to as the road season starts in less then 6 weeks. Boy do we have some work to do. Oh well Nate will be fine. Later..

Long 1

It was a long day today. Nate and I headed to Madison for the bike swap. Got a few needed things and a then it was back home to eat something quick and go to Rays for some riding. Nate was on the jumps for a good part of the day and then he was riding the mtn bike skills area for a while as he said he was getting tired after being there for 8 plus hours yesterday and another 7 hours today. Now we are relaxing before a day of racing at the barn. Oh the house is do nice and quite as Cece is at a play with some of her girl friends and the girls are with a family friend. See you at the races. Later..

Nate went to Rays again.

Tonight I had a retirement party for a lucky coworker that retired to go to and Nate went to Rays again. Here is a video of Nate the other night. I lost him at the end for some dumb reason. But it is a good video at the start. Tomorrow Nate and I are going to the swap meet in Madison and then to Rays in the afternoon. But for now it is time to watch more 1000 Ways to Die with the girls. Later..

Nate at Rays again

While I was at work yesterday Jon was nice enough to get a picture of Nate on the jumps. Thanks for the cool picture Jon. It was awesome to see so many faces and get to ride with them so new into the new year. Usually it is the first race of the year and now we can ride year round. Tonight it was gate practice instead of Rays which was a nice change of pace. But on the way home it was a little slippery I guess as a lady spun out right next to us and almost t-boned us. We went back to make sure that she didn't flip and we were glad to she that she didn't. We got her and her 2 little kids that were laughing at her out and went on our way. Now we are relaxing and Nate and Maddie are getting ready to go back to school tomorrow. See you at Rays over the weekend. Later..

Last day of vacation

Here is a video of Nate at Rays last night.

I don't think will work any more.

So today was my last day of vacation and it was a wild one. I had to get up early and would have liked to sleep in and enjoy it but other thing needed to be taken care of. First I got up to take Jessie to school and the fun started right there. She was not happy going to school this morning and part of it was that Nate and Maddie are still off for 2 more days. But we got it rolling and she was in the car. On the way there a truck pulled a illegal u-turn and I had to hit the brakes with both feet and the picture above it what happened instead o hitting the truck. My rotor snapped from the mount. But the good thing is I didn't hit anything and Jessie got to school on time. Once I got the car home I pulled the wheel off and found out that I was doing a brake job this morning. I decided to replace both side and not the Volvo has shinny new rotor's. After that it was off to Rays again for a few hours for Nate and I before we had to pick Jessie up from school. Once we got her it was off to the orthodontist for Nate to get the braces tightened again before we came home and did our indoor training ride. It felt a little different to ride the road bike after spending about 26 hours on the bmx, jumping bikes and mtn bike over the last 4 days. that puts about 28 hours total and my legs and butt are feeling it. But it is all fun and puts a smile on my face. Now tomorrow takes that smile away as I go back to work and that is a big bummer but I really don't mind my job so that makes it a lot better. Well time to watch the Orange Bowl. Later..

Racing and riding

We did some of this in the morning.

Then we did more of this in the evening.

Today Nate and I loaded the bmx bikes in the car and headed out to the barn for some bmx racing. Nate raced the pro-am open and took a 4th place out of the 21 who entered the race. He raced real well and surprised a few of the others as well as me. Then he took a 3rd in the cruiser class racing the 21-26 year olds and then he took a 3rd in the 20 inch class. I took a 3rd in the cruiser class and then a 5th in the 20 inch class. After the racing we loaded the bikes and raced home for a early dinner that Cece had waiting for us so we could then reload the other bikes for another night at Rays. We only spent 3 hours there as we were getting pretty tired and needed to just cut it short for some recovery. You know why? Nate and I going back tomorrow as we both have the day off, so hell why not ride at Rays. Now I need a pint of raspberry custard to relax. Later..

Another Day at Rays

Nate trying to catch his breath after jumping around for a few hours.

Dan loving his new play ground.

Aris all happy he has a playmate to jump around with.

Nate giving Chris the finer lines on the expert jumps.

Today was another day at Rays for some riding and jumping. It was only a 6 hour day today as Cece called and asked when we were coming home and I thought after 6 hours we better pull the plug. Plus we have some bmx racing to attend to tomorrow and to much fun can hurt you. It was nice to see so many familiar faces today at the Schmidt's, Kauppila ( Mitch and Jamie, Jim and Mitch's brothers ), Marty and Fred, Tammy and Bernie Yanke stopping in to check it out. There is bmx racing tomorrow and with Nate and Myself off on Monday we are thinking that we are going to go to Rays afterwards to jump around as it closes at 10pm. Plus it is a discount for the night at it being only $12.00 after 4pm and it is called bmx night so come on out. A season pass it $200.00 and then half off for each member after that. So the second family member is 100.00, 3rd 50.00, 4th 25.00 and so on. So check it out. Plus if the kids are 12 and under it is half of everything. But enough on that as the park is fun for jumpers and for old farts like me to fine tune my mtn bike skills that need some help after trying to ride the stuff that they have set up. But now I need to go over the bmx race bikes so we are ready for tomorrow. See you at the races or later in the night at Rays. Now I need some ice cream. Later..