Cut yer hair and get a job...

So Jake's preschool teacher not only offers schooling, education and care for our son—she has recently been offering grooming advice.

Yesterday Cari said Teacher ______ said we should give Jake a haircut, cause, you know, it's getting hot.

I don't know how to feel about this one. Being folically challenged, I want my son to hold onto his hair like Sampson. I lost mine so early in life, he should have the opportunity to know what it feels like to have the wind blowing through his hair. Plus, he likes his hair the way it is (he just doesn't like washing it).

It's not like Jake looks like these guys...does he?


Jake: I like snakes, lizards and dirt. I look like a freerider...

Feral Kid: I can throw a knife boomerang like nobody's business


Me Chaka...dinosaur bad.

It's sorta about the bike

Just a quick one...
I haven't been out on the bikes too much lately, we have been working hard in the yard--getting our raised planter boxes built, filled with dirt and planted (can't wait for our own veggies). On top of raking and digging dirt, there is always tree trimming and playing with Jake to fill the days.

One of my newest pleasures/treasures has been to saddle the tag-a-long up to my trusty converted Kestrel town-bike and head out with Jake on some rides around. We've been hitting Partick's Road (just to the base of the first climb) and Stanley lane with Uncle David and Aunt Erin for a treat. It's just quite a feeling to have your 4-1/2 year old so into going for bike rides and looking for lizards...

I should have known the tag-a-long adventures would be beneficial in more ways than one after my mountain bike ride Sunday. After a long weekend working in the yard (Cari and I received and moved 3 yards of topsoil in a day), and after a trip on the tag-a-long with Jake up Particks again (with a stop at the market to enjoy some Odwalla drinks)-it was time to do a little Skyline ride.

Now time is limited, I only had about 1 hour, so I had to drive over to NVC and ride from there. Extra bonus points came from a squeak-free ride thanks to my time spent cleaning and re-lubing the ol' drivetrain and working on my disc brakes.

There was something about the ride, it just felt nice. No sounds from the bike, somehow it just went by. Before I knew it I was past the first painful (for me) climb without noticing really and onto the lake.

Of course, being a paranoid the one thing that did creep into my head for some reason was mountain lion. Being pretty much alone out there only reinforced my delusions, but the only things I saw were turkeys and a sweet baby King Snake.

The ride was just perfect though. Dab free (even upper skyline on the way down) and I just couldn't get over how good I felt.

The thought that entered my mind on the ride (during and after) was how caught up I (we) can get in the parts and weights of the bike. More importantly, I focused on what I was riding and how my goal is to not really think about it when I am riding.
Now don't get me wrong, I love to read about all the new bits, look at pictures and if possible get my good buddy Kirby to buy something new or live vicariously through Steve who always has the newest, lightest gear. But what I started to notice was, damn-my bike's got a lot of old gear on it and it works great!

How old you ask? Let's see:

Shifters-
Shimano 8 Speed XTR that I have been using for 7 years

Rear Derailleur-
Shimano 8 Speed XTR that is also 7 years old

Cranks-
ISIS, Standard ring (46/36/26 I think) Race Face NEXT LP's, bought them 6 years ago to the chagrin of Matt O and Chris K.

Hubs-
Set of King ISO disc I got 5 years ago, just re-lubed

Disc Brakes-
Set I got from Fish at Risse 6 years ago, never re-bled, always squeaking (hmmm....maybe I should fix)

Frame-
2004 Intense Spider, love it

Fork-
2005 F100X (just rebuilt after it blew up), love it


Steve's voice kept creeping into my head on the ride with, "what build kit will you be using on your next bike?"

My answer is exactly what you see above most likely and I'm pretty proud of it too.

Speaks well for dropping more coin on stuff (even if I did get most of it while in the industry)---especially American Made (Chris King, Intense, Thompson).

Overall though, despite the techo-babble, gear BS and all, the most important thing I embraced on the ride (most all of my rides) is just to enjoy the time outdoors and the fact that we do have the opportunity to ride where and how we do.

It's not (all) about the bike fo' sho...

Now, Kirby or Steve, go buy somehting cool so I can lust over it!

Pics to date:
Hiking somewhere in Napa


Jake up a tree


Let's see, pedal, stay on trail, hold camera low, snap pic...well almost!


Lake Marie framed by Intense


Just plain yummy


My "Tam's™" have a long way to go. Can't quite capture the right look...


Baby King Snake...bunny hopped at 15mph saved his life!


Back at the car...

Vous trop lance ?

Question:
If most of your competion is doping, your support team is/was doping, does that mean you were doping?


Doper...Primary competition...


"Attempted Doper"...Primary competition...


Speechless...


Doper...wingman...


Doper...wingman...

I've given up on all of the above...don't fail me Lance-a-lot...

W.W.J.D.

May 16, 2007 -
"I believe that global warming is a myth. And so, therefore, I have no conscience problems at all and I'm going to buy a Suburban next time."-Jerry Falwell

Should have bought a Prius, maybe the afterlife will enlighten ol' Jerry.

Silence of the Lotion

We were joking around about the Silence of the Lambs scene where Buffalo Bill says, " It rubs the lotion on its skin..." today.
I looked for the clip on YouTube and found this beauty instead.

Kinda reminds me of living in Redding with Grady.


It puts the lotion...

Tour De Nancy

So, where to begin? Cari and I were signed up to do the 100 mile portion of the Tour De Cure this year. We raised money (thanks to all who donated), we didn't train, we were ready. Last night we were ready. Alarm clocks set for 6:00AM ready. Woke up, looked outside, saw the trees practically leaning sideways from the wind, and I knew we weren't ready. Maybe ready wasn't the right word---more like unwilling to brave teh wind. And that is the story of how we began our ride 50 mile ride in this year's Tour De Cure.

50's better anyway. Cari had new cranks, hadn't ridden in a few weeks and I just was not about to brave Napa's infamous BOTH direction (going and returning usually) headwind for 100 miles. Funny thing, when you mentally prepare for 100 miles all the way up top the last minute, then switch to a ride half as long, it hella™ easy!

Cari cruising through Yountville at 8:30AM...

So there we were at the last rest stop (free sport beans were the draw) with Cari all antsy to get back on the road and finish the last 12 miles. we hop onto Silverado Trail and a whole group of Gold's Gym jersey wearing riders are blocking the bike lane. Now this is typical maneuvers for these group rides, your life is in your hand when it come to some of teh pace lines, passing and riding I have seen (and luckily avoided). But this was different. As Cari was dropping the hammer as we passed, I noticed a yellow jersey in amoungst the group and a very recognizable face-Greg Lemond!

I screamed like a little bitch (the only way I know how) to Cari to stop! Greg Lemond was back there. We pulled over about 100 yards away and waited. Should we go back? Maybe we can ride with him on the way back? Let's wait...OK- let's roll, we'll see him at the finish. See him we did too!

As we rounded the uphill in the Veteren's Home, I caught sight of him again, heading for his car. Only 2 cyclists stood in our way and I was damn sure gonna get a picture with him. We rolled up as he was signing one of their bikes and stood there like a couple of grinning idiots. Before we could ask, Greg politely said thanks for everything and he was sorry he couldn't stay, but he had to get to Stanford ASAP. We respected his urgency and still stood there like a couple of grinning idiots, jaws agape. Needless to say I had Cari capture my look of "Greg-ness" and I took a picture of hers and tonight I photoshopped (In the worst way possible) what we might have looked like in photos with the man.

Here's how I looked while we waited to find something to say to Greg Lemond...

Here's how Cari looked...

Here's an artist rendition of what Greg and I might have looked like if we had our photo taken...


Later on, Jake wanted to ride his bike at Alston, so hell yeah we went. I was a little worried about the dirt, seeing as Jake is a bit unsteady on the ultra skinny/smooth tires of the Redline. But the boy took to dirt like a duck to water! Shot a little video as we rolled along. My eyes popped out of my head on a little downhill though. I was behind him and he started to pick up speed and was not using his hand brake to slow down. I'm pedalling to catch him telling him "Grab the brake!", "Slow Down", to which he replied , "I can't". This left no other option but abail out. I told him to point into the tall grass and bail and he did! He flew off his bike and tumbled into the grass landing facing up and with a smile (almost). Then the tears came (mostly out of being overwhelmed and a bit from hitting the jewels on the top tube in mid-bail) but soon went as we laughed about his bail and I re-affirmed to him the need for control and brakes...



Jake and Cari take in the trails at Alston...

Overall it was a great weekend and we look forward to many more!

KITT, Come In KITT...

Wait, are you saying it's wrong to get drunk and eat your hamburger while loungin' on the floor?

First Airwolf, now Knight Rider...who's my next childhood hero to turn drunkard? I hope ol' BJ and the Bear aren't boozin' it up!


David Hasslehoff strikes a pose only I thought I could pull off...