Back 2 Reality

A view from the lake up to the cabin.
Cece can't walk with snow shoes.

A view of the place walking up our drive. My dad buried Maddie as we were snowshoeing.

Nothing like the American flag over the Eagle.
Nate and my Dad looking at the damage from their crash.
My Dad making sure that all the kids got the same amount of money from the egg hunt.
The girls are happy with the Easter gifts my parents got them.
Where were the deer during the hunting season. All doe so I wouldn't have shot any ways.To funny Cece falling on the lake while walking in the snow shoes. Good thing the Boy could pick up butt out of the snow. I had to show it again.

Today was back to work and it sucked. First I go to the lot where my van is parked. I park the truck and walk to my van and as get to the driver side the entire side is smashed in. I think wtf happened to my van. Well I know someone hit it. I look on the ground no pieces form it laying on the ground so what happened did one of the snow plowers take it for a drive or just hit it plowing and not know. Well the lady next to me was waiting for a jump as the idiot who moved her car during the snow left the lights on when he got out. Well the guys pull up and I ask if they know what happened to my van. One guy laughs and says yeah it was me that hit it Friday. He said he was moving snow with a front end loader trying to clear out the snow along the side of it. He said that he was just lazy and didn't feel like moving all the cars. He thought that he cleared it and started to turn as he was backing out and then he just smashed the side. Same idiot left the other ladies lights on. See they hire anyone to work for the city. The door, fender, grill, bumper and lights are gone. He filled out the accident report Friday so I took it to the city body shop and got a loaner. They said it would take about a week. I hope so as that the van is my office on the road. It is just not the same. No kids makes the house nice and silent. Later..

Happy Easter

Today Cece and I are heading back home and the kids are staying up by my parents for the week. They are going to bring them home on Thursday as they have a few things to get done down by us. It will be a nice quite time at home without the 3 punks running all over the place. Heck with Cece off there would have been a house full of their friends over and loud kids every where if they were home. So it is nice that the kids are staying up here with them. My brother heads back home tomorrow as his school has class starting Tuesday. No break for them as they are a farm area and the school gets out early in the summer as our kids are still in school then. Time to load the truck and get ready for the drive home. Have a Happy and Blessed Easter. Later..

Crazy 1

This morning I got on the spin bike and my Dad walks in and gets his boots and coat on. I asked him what he was up to. He said that he was going to get a ladder out and go up on the roof to shovel off the 2 feet of snow still up there. I got off the spin bike and talked to my brother and he took off to make sure that he didn't fall off the roof on us. Nate and Wade got the shovels and did the snow clearing for him.



Also today my Dad and Nate took off on the 4 wheelers as I was walking down the drive. I figured that they were going to get the mail at the end of the road. The ride to the end of the road is about 3/4 of a mile. So I went in and waited of them to get back. I sat there for about 15 minutes and was wondering what they were up to. Well they finally show up and go right to the garage. I head down and the 4 wheeler my Dad was driving was dirty and the windshield was broken. He said Nate made him go fast. I looked at Nate and he said Uhh Uhh Grandpa was going like 30 -35 and the plow hit the snow bank and he went flying off and landed in the middle of the road and I almost ran him over and my 4 wheeler went over the snow bank and flew into the woods. They said it was lucky that Nate didn't run him over and that his reaction was great as he just missed him. They turned my Dad's 4 wheeler back on it's 4 wheels and pulls Nate's out of the woods. We fixed the windshield and then assessed the damage and he has to order new winch switch. All good now.



We then washed the 4 trucks and waxed Wade's this afternoon. Got the inside of my truck vacuumed out from the winter mess. Now we are sitting back and Watching the Wisconsin game and having a few Fat Squirrel's. Hope they win and Marquette can pull it off too. Have safe and Happy Easter. Later.

Oh yeah we are still looking for the snow hoe's.

Do you hear that?

Sitting here at my parents place in the middle of the woods in Rhinelander. You step outside and you don't hear a thing. No cars, sirens, nothing not a thing. Well you hear the kids fighting and yelling at each other every now and then but nothing else. I love it.

Well after the Beat Down ride Nate and I got home showered. We loaded the truck and then we were on the road in less then 40 minutes as Cece and the girls had everything else ready. I was a uneventful drive up as we wanted to out run the snow. I managed to keep the red and blue lights off my tail by keeping the speed to a nice 5 over and the fools that didn't caught the attention of the State Patrol. I have driven late may times and never seen as many State Patrol out from 10pm till 1am in all the years of travel. I seen at least 8 from Milwaukee to Wausau with 6 of them pulling someone over that just flew past me Why drive faster as I would have only gotten there what 10 minutes sooner maybe? Or get a ticket and get there 30 minutes later and 180.00 poorer and 4 points less and higher insurance premium. I elect the 5 to 7 over and just enjoy the fact that each kid has a Ipod and personal DVD to keep them silent. We got here about 12:45am and unloaded the truck and then sat around and talked for about and hour and went to bed.

Now just sitting here and getting ready to go outside and shovel some snow off the ice for a place for the kids to skate. They may also snow hoe as there is still about 2 feet of snow in the woods. We may try to get the snowmobiles out if time allows also. Time to get out and clear the ice. I hope that we don't get to much snow at home as Nate's friend Kyle is going to clear it for us as we won't be home. If it is over 10 inches I will have to double the pay for him clearing my walks. Have fun shoveling. Later..

Upnorth bound

Nate and I went on the Beat Down and now the truck is loaded and off to Rhinelander. Later..

So Soon

One more day of work and then up to my parents for Easter. This is a picture from Christmas a year ago. I hope that there is not as much snow but some would be nice so the kids can snowmobile, snow shoe and maybe ice skate.

It has been nice this week as I have been able to test gas pumps. That always makes the days at work go faster. I did notice a couple of gas stations that had unleaded for $3.21 today so that is a good thing with the trip to Rhinelander in the truck.

No BMX practice tomorrow means that the Thursday beat down is now on. We will be starting the ride at 5:30 for the first couple of weeks and doing the short route till we get more light. It looks the weather should hold out tomorrow so see you at Hales corners Wheel and Sprocket for the ride. Later..

Double flat

So I get up early this morning as I had a meeting that I had to go to. It meant that I started an hour early and got done an hour early. I like this meeting stuff as it lets me have the chance to get a training ride in early and be done sooner. After picking up the punks from school we got home and Nate and I got on the rollers for a pyramid cadence workout. Into the first pyramid I noticed that the rear tire was going flat. Got off and put on the spare wheel and then got back on. Again we are pushing along and then the front starts to go flat. I got off the bike again and then got the spare front wheel and put it on. We finished the workout with no more issues. Then Maddie got on the spin bike and did her workout as I changed the flat tires. I noticed as I changed the flats I noticed that the rim strip had moved over on a few eyelets causing the tubes to get small pin holes. I realigned the rim strip and I hope it stays put this time. Now I'm sitting her eating a big bowl of Extra Cheesy Gold Fish. Later..

Short week

I have off this Friday for Good Friday the first paid holiday since January. I took a few days off 2 weeks ago to volunteer for the kids school trip to Trees for Tomorrow but man I'm looking forward to a long weekend. Plus after this weekend it will be racing every weekend with either Nate's road races or our mountain bike races ( WORS, WEMS NORBA Nationals and 24-9 ). Oh yeah there will also be some track racing, bmx racing, cross races in the fall. That means racing every weekend and and races 2-3 times a week starting in May. So hello to the last long weekend in a long time.

I hope that there is still a little snow up north in Rhinelander as the kids are staying for the week after Easter with my parents. The way it looks right now is it may just be ice skating as the snow may be gone. Who knows maybe that may not happen if the snow on top of the ice ruins that. My parents get home tonight from their 2 month winter stay in Florida and I will get the update tomorrow about the snow and ice. They are supposed to get some snow tonight and Friday as I drive up. Just my luck. Time to get the punks ready for bed. Later..

First 2008 Race for Nate

Today was the first race for Nate in Kenosha. Sorry I forgot the camera to catch a few shots of the boys racing. There was 17 kids that towed the line for their race. It went off and Nate and Gage were boxed in and a kid got off the front and Nate tried to pull it back but then 2 took off and bridged to the kid that got away. Then after a few laps Gage and Nate took off when one of the stronger kids pulled in to the wind and dropped him and then a group of about 5 then tried to work together to pull in the other 3. It didn't work and then for the field sprint Gage ended up in 5th and Nate in 6th and then I think Mitch rolled in 9th. Zoe did her first race ever and looked great. She finsihed 4th and was just a 1/2 of a bike length from finishing 3rd. She will be killing the others real soon. It was a windy cold for the kids but they did well. I hope it gets warmer soon as the kids next race will be the WCA Sheboygan race. That gives us a few weeks to get some hard training in for Nate as the bmx has been full time for the winter. He will be ready as will the other kids. After the kids races Jeremey, Jerry, Danny, Jeff, Matt and myself went for a nice spin in the country roads around Kenosha. Then we watched the 1/2's race and headed home. Now time to read the paper and relax. Later..

First group ride

Did the first group ride from wheel today. Had a good group of about 15 of us. As always Joe was nice to go to the front and pull for most of the ride making the first ride much easier. Had a bunch of new faces on the ride which is nice to see. Just one incident on the ride as Jeff crossed a wheel when he turned to look back after Joe pulled off the front and he hit the pavement. I think he may have separated his shoulder. I guess that is better then breaking anything. Again the group from wheel in Hales Corners leaves at 5:30 on Thursdays and 9:30 on Sat. Tonight is the auction for some fun buying crap you don't need. Tomorrow is the Kenosha race for Nate and then a ride with the Goat, Jerry and Danny after his race. Later..

2 gears and 2 riders

Nate in front pulling me along.

Picture of my shadow on the ride.
This may be on of the last rides on Nate's single speed as he is out growing it. The seat post is at the limit and beyond now. I may have to buy him a new frame and franken bike a new single speed for him.
Here I'm dropping the punk. Not really he was riding no handed most of the ride and I looked back and made him chase for doing that.
He is some of the County of Milwaukee job security. The plow guy destroys the curb and then the guy who makes the curb replaces the curb. Money well spent.
He is a great picture of the centuries old seminary main building along the lake front.

Today was a great ride outside for the first time since Russell's New Years ride. How time flies when you aren't riding. Well see you at the Wheel ride tomorrow. It leaves at 9:30 am. Later..

Last Gate Practice

Nate and I loaded the bikes in the car and hit the last gate practice. I can't believe that the Thursday gate practices are over for the year. They went fast this year again. There is only 2 more races at the barn this year. Since Nate skipped a bunch of the races in the fall to do the cross races and the Grands we are not in the running for the Track champion coats. The last 2 years we have gotten coats for making all the races and then a coat for being in the top 10 in season points. Last year I was 10th overall and Nate was 2nd overall. So this Sunday it looks like Nate and I are heading to the Kenosha races. Again tonight we got to the practice early to get extra gate and then just got so many gates in that we were both toast at the end. Also with the warmer weather it was hot in the barn. Joe was there n his new Kauwahara and looked faster then ever. Maybe we can get him to race this summer at the Milwaukee track.

So next Thursday it looks like the Wheel ride needs to start. So if you are interested the ride will be rolling out at 5:30 till we get a little more light and we will do the short loop. See you at the Wheel ride. Later..

Compass and Maps

Nate walked off his steps and ended up on a snow bank.
They then walked their steps back and should have ended up in the same spot. Many did not even get close to the starting spot.
Now in the woods using their compass and maps to locate marking on trees. They found all of theirs in our group.
Here the 2 students that are picked to march off their steps lead the group.
Here is one of the students starting his paces as the teacher reads the direction to go. I had not done this since I was in Boy Scouts 30 years ago. It never hurts to know how to use a compass and map if you ever get lost. Later..

More Trees 4 Tomorrow

Some of the kids playing games in front of the fire.
The boys playing soccer out in the snow.
Marko and Stephine are the compost King and Queen. Different ones picked for every meal.
The kids learning how to use a compass and map.
The kids are figuring the amount of feet that they cover in each step so when they are in the woods they get to the right spot on the map. I will post more pictures as there isn't anything exciting going on here. Later..

Back to the daily grind

Back to work today and I think I would rather have still been with the 22 crazy screaming kids. The time with Nate and Maddie and their classmates was fun and maybe I will go again if they ask. Of course the kids likes my Dad as he went last year with them. If he is in Rhinelander next year maybe he will go again and who knows maybe both of us will attend. That would be fun if we both went.

It was a nice easy day at work as I did a few scales and then went to the WRA food show. I ate a ton of fried and greasy food and now it is all fighting it's way back out. Man I feel like I weigh like 160 pounds now. I think I have to go on a diet now.

Cece stayed home from school today as Jessica was tossing was puking all night. The funny thing was as she has a bunch of times at the dinner table, she goes I don't feel good when she tries to get out of eating something. Well I told her she had to eat her dinner and made her sit there until she did. I thought she was just pulling the same old crap as she had in the past. I would believe her if she wouldn't say that feels bad so often. After she finished and then went to bed she then proceeded to throw up on herself and the bed. Cece then got her cleaned up and she went back to bed and then puked this morning so no school for either one. Cece did have to go for parent teacher conferences tonight though and she just walked in. Just another day at our house. Later..

Trees

Up at Trees for Tomorrow with the kids class we learned a lot about how the trees are used for lumber and paper. The kids also learned how to use a GPS, compass, maps, snow shoe and about how animals adapt to the winter weather. It was a fun time and the kids learned a lot. I'm having a bunch of problems loading the pictures so I will try again tomorrow.

Today at the bmx races Nate took a 5th in cruiser and class. I missed making the mains. We could tell we missed the last couple of races as our results showed. Next time I think it will be back to normal. Later..

My New Toy

I finally got the bike together. I couldn't get the drive side BB cup off even with a long bar for leverage. So instead of the Saint cranks I will run the ones that came on the bike. I plan on trying to get Nate's cranks off his cruiser and I guess he will be running the Saints. Kind of nice for the Punk but I don't want them to just sit there. I'm also looking at a few carbon cranks for his 20 inch bike. Just looking right now, but later I would like to pick a set for him. I'm also looking at getting a Answer fork for my bike and dropping the Bombshell forks and put them on the spare Felt cruiser I'm keeping around. I can't wait to race the bike on Sunday.

Tomorrow I'm going on the field trip with Nate and Maddie's class to Trees for Tomorrow. I should be a fun time. I hope the kids that don't get out int he cold a lot have the proper clothes to keep them warm as a lot of the time will be outside. Well out for now. Later..

Short week

This week is going to be a short work week for me. I'm going to be going up to the Eagle River area as a chaperon for Nate and Maddie's class at a conservation camp. Last year I couldn't swing the time off so my Dad filled in. All of Nate and Maddie's classmates loved him. But this year my parents are spending part of the winter in Florida and won't be back in time so I'm going. I know the classmates will be bummed that I'm filling in as my Dad was a lot of fun from what I heard. I hope that I have as much fun that he did last year with a bunch of screaming kids. We head up on Wednesday morning and then spend time learning about logging trees and then replanting the harvested trees to have for later use. The kids are also going to snow shoe and do a bunch of other outdoor learning classes during the week we are there. We are heading home Saturday afternoon and should be home by dinner time. Then Sunday it will be the State qualifier at the bmx races for Nte and I. Even though I will have to spend 4 days with 22 kids it will be a better time then 3 days of work. Later..

Living the dream

Today was just a nice day getting a lot of work done. First I slept in a then got up at 8am and Cece was downstairs on the spin bike already. I just got the paper and started reading that. Then Cece got done about 9 and I went down and got on the rollers and did my Workout. I warmed up for 10 minutes and then stood up for a minute with a minute recovery in between for 50 minutes then a nice cool down. Then it was shower time and then off to church. When we got home from church I got the hose out and washed the car and truck. Man they were filthy. I had just enough time to then get the roof rake out and pull a bunch of snow off the garage and clean that up. I then got Nate's bike in the truck and we were off to Crank Daddy's for a computrainer workout. The Kids did a nice workout in and are getting the itch to get outside on the road. We got home and Cece had a nice ham in the oven and we just finished eating a great dinner. Now I'm sitting and watching NASCAR. It doesn't any better. Just living the dream. Later..

New Baby

Got a new addition to the herd and getting it all dressed up with some Saint's and Carbon. I will post some pictures when I get it done. Going to a different bike should be no problem as the new one is nice and light just like the Felt. I'm not going to get rid of the Felt cruiser as I'm keeping it for a spare and a bike if some one just wants to come out and try he bmx scene they can ride that one. Time to get back to the project. Later..