Jake & I---Santa Rosa Bike Path

Jake & I---Santa Rosa Bike Path
Originally uploaded by babageik

Headed to SR on MLK day to ride bikes on bike path with Lucie and Violet (and I thought Crizzler as well-but he was stuck working under the tyrannical hand of Jeremy Sycip)...

14 miles
No cars
Ice Cream and Cocoa in Sebastopol
Jake and Violet did whole ride

Good times...

Looking down at shadow of Jake and I on way home brought tears of joy to my eyes...I love that little guy!

NAHBS Bike

Retrotec road frame
Originally uploaded by babageik

So Curtis approached me the other day-asking if I wanted to do some design/trading for the deal-o-the-century...a Retrotec Half road bike with new super hidden rear brake that he is making to take to the Handbuilt Show...

I had to think about it for like, ohhh .0000000000000000000001 seconds...

Maybe the IF is going up for sale as I'll be robbing all of it's parts for this sweet rig.

Oh Nine!

New Year, new beginnings, new...well new things.

08 had some crazy highs and lows. 

Divorce seemed to be that ever present "sting". Navigation of the stages of grief, while in the beginning seemed insurmountable, by 12/08 had reached a pace in which all I wanted was some closure an end... I still find myself reflecting almost daily on my personal failure in this two-party affair. Mistakes made, lessons learned too late. Daily, I also find myself stumbling upon the fact that I am a "part-time" dad. My son is, for the rest of his pre-adult life, only going to be around "part-time". Totally trips me out as that never fit into my loosely , help, and poorly maintained "plan"... Regardless, I embrace my time with him and cherish it for all it is worth.

08 brought about a slow change in "me" as well. Sure, it took my reaction to an event, but it opened, slowly and gradually, a door to me and seeing exactly what I wanted for myself in this thing called life. I'm a very non-confrontational, routine person-almost to a fault. Settling into routine, settling in general defined a lot of my life and decisions. With each experience, both good and bad last year, I personally took it upon myself to try and recognize the part I played in it unfolding and to understand and learn (no matter how small) from it...This is going to be a huge work in progress as I have a lot to learn not only about myself, but also my son, my relationship with his mother, my family, and future partners. Expectations and more come into play. I've already seen it play out in a few instances and it was less than optimal. Granted, I learned enough to see my mistake(s) early and thereby recognized that the situation was not what I really wanted, but it was a tough pill to swallow...but it gets easier as I learn more about me. Anyway, suffice it to say, I will continue to grow, to learn to get along better with myself as well as others and to definitely not settle for immediate-anything. I realize that I am worth so much more, now more than ever-in personal relationships, my job and life in general...

08 opened my eyes to a competitive side of myself in regards to bike racing. I attended and participated in more racing events last year alone than anytime in my life. And I loved it! I met tons of really great folks, became closer friends with some of them and most importantly found something that I really enjoy for so many reasons. I'm not in these races to finish first-hell, I am happy to just "finish", but the camaraderie, positive atmosphere, physical challenge and sheer joy I get drives me to do even better in 09 and beyond. Racing and riding are my church, my sanity-inducing items and important elements of "me".

08 is in the books and 09 is on the way. I have personal goals outlined I won't share here, but suffice it to say I am excited to grow and be even better as a human from this point on... Some things take longer than others and my evolution will continue until I die...but it will continue...

Here's a little song I was listening to the other day, somehow it just grabbed me on so many levels...it just seems to be applicable to so many instances, people and experiences I had to share it... in reality, it outlines  my toughest pill to swallow, that I am only responsible for myself, for "me"--no one else. I can only be me... "me" being everything good, bad, mistakes, victories...everything... Anyway I liked it and it helps out....

Leave Out All The Rest (Linkin Park)

I dreamed I was missing
You were so scared
But no one would listen
Cause no one else cared

After my dreaming
I woke with this fear
What am I leaving
When I'm done here

So if you're asking me
I want you to know

[Chorus]
When my time comes
Forget the wrong that I've done
Help me leave behind some
Reasons to be missed

And don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory

Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest
[End Chorus]

Don't be afraid
I've taken my beating
I've shared what I made

I'm strong on the surface
Not all the way through
I've never been perfect
But neither have you

So if you're asking me
I want you to know

[Chorus]
When my time comes
Forget the wrong that ive done
Help me leave behind some
Reasons to be missed

Don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory

Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest
[End Chorus]

Forgetting
All the hurt inside
You've learned to hide so well

Pretending
Someone else can come and save me from myself
I can't be who you are

[Chorus]
When my time comes
Forget the wrong that ive done
Help me leave behind some
Reasons to be missed

Don't resent me
And when you're feeling empty
Keep me in your memory

Leave out all the rest
Leave out all the rest

Forgetting
All the hurt inside
You've learned to hide so well

Pretending
Someone else can come and save me from myself
I can't be who you are
I can't be who you are

De Young Visit

De Young Tower
Originally uploaded by babageik

Headed to SF today in an attempt to re-visit Academy of Sciences...hella™ long lines led us to visit DeYoung instead...

Good times.

Finished with Dinner with Jefé...

The bump that broke my wrist

The bump that broke my wrist
Originally uploaded by babageik

So there it is, in all of its glory, right there to the left of my faithful scale assistant-Jake.

Wow.

Do I really know how to ride a bike?

Brace yourself

Originally, I felt like I was Roy Munson, what with my huge splint and swollen hand...

So I've been "Munsoned"...first the bulky original splint and now I'm more like  Ernie McCracken (Bill Murray in "kingpin") with a sweet wrist brace for the next 4 weeks...at least I can wear sweaters again...

Now I am more like Ernie McCracken (sans hair) with a much sweeter wrist brace...

Year Ending

This weekend has been both chill and hectic. It's an awesome time as it's my 2 days with Jake. Saturday opened up with him flying up to the door and raring to build Legos. I obliged of course and we spent 2 hours constructing some more planes and trucks for his army. I am amazed each time with his creativity and skill. We work very well together on Legos, rummaging through the bins, the crushing sound of Lego's swishing as Jake calls out/requests a "flat 2-er", or a "fat 4-er"... I search for him and he searches for me and in the end he gets a sweet armada!

Saturday around noon, we joined Curtis, Sean Whalling from Soulcraft and Jake's bud (and Curtis' neighbor) Jeffrey on a trip to Sacramento to attend a benefit/raffle for frame builder Steve Rex who was recently pretty badly hurt on a ride (broken femur and shoulder). Steve builds incredible frames and has a bike shop in Sac. It was really amazing to see the level of support Steve garnered...they offered $10 raffle tickets, had hoped to pull in $2500, and when all was said and done, $30,000 was donated to his medical bills/family...it brought tears to a lot of people's eyes...Jake was totally stoked as his raffle ticket number was called-he won a pair of Voler leg warmers!

Saturday night, Jake wanted to stay up "all night" so we tried. Let's see more lego'ing, kick back and watch Clone Wars, sip some hot cocoa and marshmallows and spend 2 hours reading an incredible book from my childhood, "Where the Red Fern Grows". Surprisingly, Jake made it to midnight!

Sunday brought a later wake-up and rain. We settled into Legos (surprise) and the headed ou to First Squeeze for some breakfast. From there it was marathon time...Hit the Loose Caboose for some "Racing Orange" Spray paint to start a 1964 Ford Stock car model Curtis and Mitzi gave Jake for Christmas.

 Let's see, picked up a new pair of sweet black and white checkered slip on Vans for Jake-mo...

...did some christmas shopping for cousins Kaya and Kaleb, some grocery shopping, then back home for...Lego Building!

Papa and YaYa stopped by so we did Mexican food with them and then back home to finish the Lego fleet, shoot some digi-pics of it, hit up bath-time and a little more reading before shut-eye time.

Whew!

As a single Dad, it's bittersweet, I see my son only 40% of the time (soon to be 50%), so when he's here, it's all I can do to cram as much time doing "stuff" as possible---the other days of the week, no matter how "fun" I try to make them, just aren't the same...anyway, I am super-excited to give him my gifts, as there are some incredible surprises coming!