Tornado Alley - 2000
On Memorial Day Weekend DaMom (at the time she was DaWife) and I went to Pennsylvania for a camping trip with a bunch of our friends from college. We had been in the working world for a couple of years and this was the first time we had all gotten together since college. The State Park we were camping at supposedly had a great reputation for quality mountain biking trails which was why we were there.
On Saturday only 3 of the 7 of us decided to go out in search of trails. Apparently I intimidated the others (I don't get it). We stopped by the ranger station first to get a map and ask what were best novice trails (D. and J.W. were afraid I'd leave them in the dust. Again what's with the intimidation). The Ranger pointed us in the direction of the trails on the southern side of the mountain where there were ample service roads to get back out of the woods if needed (or desired). The only indication to the trail conditions was a passing mention of "there are some trees down". Being from New England and understanding that every winter knocks trees down and it take a while to clear them in the woods, it never occurred to me that it would mean more than climbing over a couple of logs with bikes. Not a big deal.
We left the ranger station feeling prepared and ready for a good day of riding. J.W. and I had our Camelbaks on loaded up with gear, food and water. I had my full suspension bike (FSB) and D. had my old FSB both tipping the scales around 30lbs each and J.W. had a lighter hardtail.
We started down a nice twisting, fast, fire road that stopped at a downed tree. We hike over the mammoth timber and continue down some single track for ways. We come to a section of downed trees, climb over them and continue on. Then we come to more downed trees and wondering what the heck is going on. The trees looked as if loggers had come through dropping trees for a new road and never cleaned up the mess. All of the trees had no vegetation and were gray, so I knew this devastation wasn't recent but couldn't understand what happened.
In my life I've seen a lot of local woods be clear cut for the construction of mini-malls, McMansions, and to circumvent a conservation commission ruling that wouldn't allow more than X number of acres to be cleared at one time (he got the ~25 acres clearcut the week before the ruling went into effect and now 20+ years later that parcel still sits vacant). So I naturally thought some bonehead developer started dropping trees and was halted by something; cash flow, the court, or public outcry.
We lost any and all signs of a trail and start hiking the edges of the downed tree line trying to find one. After two horrendous hours of hiking with bikes, we finally found a fire road that is in service. We then start the process of figuring out "where the hell are we" and ride a couple of miles back to the ranger station.
We're all PO'd and want to know why so many trees are down. We walk into the ranger station and ask the same green shirted knucklehead what happened to the forest. His response was one for the record books; "What? Trees down?.............. OH YEAH! We had a tornado come through here last year......... Sorry 'bout that."
Gee thanks!
g
Friday, March 27, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
"honey, come pick me up"...
...she said into the phone....
The following incident took place on:
Wednesday March 25th, 2009.
6:30pm - DaMom leaves for quilting class.
8:50pm - The following phone transcript occurred;
ring
DaGoof - Hello?
DaMom - Hi you need to call my parents have them come over watch the kids and come pick me up.
DG - What happened? (I'm thinking the car died or she was in a wreck)
DM - I cut my finger.
DG - Uh, OK (thinking...you cut your finger and can't drive home? I cut my fingers with a table saw and drove myself to the ER and you...)
DM - The Paramedics are on their way and we'll see what they have to say.
DG - Uh, OK, I'll get a hold of your mother.
9:50pm - I arrive at the hospital and discover that she was on her third set of bandages and still bleeding through the bandage.
10:15 She's wheeled to the "Fast Track" section of the ER and get's cleaned up and re-bandaged by a doctor.
10:30 - She gets X-rays done.
11:00 - We're on our way out of the door.
11:30 - Home.
That's the fastest ER trip ever!!!
Trust me I know...(but that's for another post)
What happened? A rotary cutter slipped and nipped the side of the tip of her left index finger while cutting strips for her quilt.
The next few days ought to be a hoot!
g
The following incident took place on:
Wednesday March 25th, 2009.
6:30pm - DaMom leaves for quilting class.
8:50pm - The following phone transcript occurred;
ring
DaGoof - Hello?
DaMom - Hi you need to call my parents have them come over watch the kids and come pick me up.
DG - What happened? (I'm thinking the car died or she was in a wreck)
DM - I cut my finger.
DG - Uh, OK (thinking...you cut your finger and can't drive home? I cut my fingers with a table saw and drove myself to the ER and you...)
DM - The Paramedics are on their way and we'll see what they have to say.
DG - Uh, OK, I'll get a hold of your mother.
9:50pm - I arrive at the hospital and discover that she was on her third set of bandages and still bleeding through the bandage.
10:15 She's wheeled to the "Fast Track" section of the ER and get's cleaned up and re-bandaged by a doctor.
10:30 - She gets X-rays done.
11:00 - We're on our way out of the door.
11:30 - Home.
That's the fastest ER trip ever!!!
Trust me I know...(but that's for another post)
What happened? A rotary cutter slipped and nipped the side of the tip of her left index finger while cutting strips for her quilt.
g
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
my fase iz nub
What was I thinking?
Mr. Weatherman told me it was going to be cold and windy this morning but why would I believe him?
When I got to work the weather station on the roof said 27°F with wind gusts as high as 12mph.
That's a crock o' bull.
The 10 foot flag next door is straight out.
I think I can feel my face again.
g
Mr. Weatherman told me it was going to be cold and windy this morning but why would I believe him?
When I got to work the weather station on the roof said 27°F with wind gusts as high as 12mph.
That's a crock o' bull.
The 10 foot flag next door is straight out.
I think I can feel my face again.
g
Monday, March 23, 2009
My Best Bike Stories - Part 2 - The Nectar Debacle
I've wrecked a lot. My friends wrecked a lot. Whether it was youthful indiscretion or the lack of fear, we found ourselves on the wrong side of the pedals countless times. We did a lot of fun and stupid things on bikes. In this mini-series I will try to describe our most notable adventures, they aren't all fairy tales but they're not all gruesome either, some are even hilarious.
The Nectar Debacle ~1988-1990
As youths we were addicted to sugar. It didn't matter what it was but if it had high fructose corn syrup in it we were all over it. After school we'd stop at our local market, pick up our junk food and speed off to a place to scarf it down.
On this particular day there were three of us heading over to a another friends house. I was on my 12 speed road bike (and obviously in the road) with J and Jo on their mountain bikes in the sidewalk. (Yeah yeah yeah they shouldn't have been on the sidewalk in the first place but then there would be no story). We were in the old section of town and by old I'm mean most houses were built between 1700 and 1900. There were large trees and large hedge rows dividing the front yards and the sidewalk. The sidewalk was concrete, narrow and very bumpy.
So there we were, buzzing down this well traveled street with our sugar loot and screwing around as per usual. J and I were side by side (he on the sidewalk, me on the street, remember?) and Jo lagging behind on the sidewalk. J had bought a 2 liter of cola ("nectar of the gods" as my wife calls it) and was carrying it on his left arm like a football. His right arm was on the handlebar.
Next thing I hear is "OH SH......." I look to my right and J is gone. I look over my right shoulder and he's still no where to be found. I jack up on the brakes and turn around to see Jo doubled over on his bike. I ride up to hear Jo laughing uncontrollably and pointing towards the hedge row.
At first I'm taken aback by what I saw but then had to laugh once I processed the image in my head. There was J stuck in the hedge still on the bike just like he was riding it but his rear wheel was a foot or so off the ground. He was still clutching the soda bottle like a running back. "I saved it" he said glancing down toward the bottle. The image of him stuck in the hedges matched the last image I had of him riding down the street perfectly only with the rear wheel off the ground and him being stationary.
Then he said "help".
Naturally I took the bottle from him and threatened to leave him there. Eventually I did help him out and pull the needles off of him but we sure weren't going to let that one go for a while (20 years later and I'm still writing about it!).
Apparently he had veered into rock at the end of a driveway and was launched into the hedge. He and the bike were unharmed except for the blow to the ego and we continued on our way.
g
The Nectar Debacle ~1988-1990
As youths we were addicted to sugar. It didn't matter what it was but if it had high fructose corn syrup in it we were all over it. After school we'd stop at our local market, pick up our junk food and speed off to a place to scarf it down.
On this particular day there were three of us heading over to a another friends house. I was on my 12 speed road bike (and obviously in the road) with J and Jo on their mountain bikes in the sidewalk. (Yeah yeah yeah they shouldn't have been on the sidewalk in the first place but then there would be no story). We were in the old section of town and by old I'm mean most houses were built between 1700 and 1900. There were large trees and large hedge rows dividing the front yards and the sidewalk. The sidewalk was concrete, narrow and very bumpy.
So there we were, buzzing down this well traveled street with our sugar loot and screwing around as per usual. J and I were side by side (he on the sidewalk, me on the street, remember?) and Jo lagging behind on the sidewalk. J had bought a 2 liter of cola ("nectar of the gods" as my wife calls it) and was carrying it on his left arm like a football. His right arm was on the handlebar.
Next thing I hear is "OH SH......." I look to my right and J is gone. I look over my right shoulder and he's still no where to be found. I jack up on the brakes and turn around to see Jo doubled over on his bike. I ride up to hear Jo laughing uncontrollably and pointing towards the hedge row.
At first I'm taken aback by what I saw but then had to laugh once I processed the image in my head. There was J stuck in the hedge still on the bike just like he was riding it but his rear wheel was a foot or so off the ground. He was still clutching the soda bottle like a running back. "I saved it" he said glancing down toward the bottle. The image of him stuck in the hedges matched the last image I had of him riding down the street perfectly only with the rear wheel off the ground and him being stationary.
Then he said "help".
Naturally I took the bottle from him and threatened to leave him there. Eventually I did help him out and pull the needles off of him but we sure weren't going to let that one go for a while (20 years later and I'm still writing about it!).
Apparently he had veered into rock at the end of a driveway and was launched into the hedge. He and the bike were unharmed except for the blow to the ego and we continued on our way.
g
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Old Ironsides
I had a revelation the other day while staring at my bike on the front of the bus:
Old Ironsides, my trusty steed of a commuter bike, is old.
Which is strange. Old in a disposable society is not the norm. It is certainly not the norm in biking circles around here as every Lycra clad rider is on the latest carbon fiber speed machine. By contrast the college students seem to buy the $50 specials and dump them at the end of the semester. So yeah, they ride old bikes but they don't keep them.
It's not bad that it's old and there are certainly older bikes still in regular service, but I've been the owner of this bike for all of it's years. I don't think of myself as being old enough to posses a bike with such a claim. Having beaten it into submission numerous times and it still gets me around with little complaint:
I've changed it's attitude with the addition of fenders, rack, and lights.
All hail the Giant!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!!
g
Old Ironsides, my trusty steed of a commuter bike, is old.
Which is strange. Old in a disposable society is not the norm. It is certainly not the norm in biking circles around here as every Lycra clad rider is on the latest carbon fiber speed machine. By contrast the college students seem to buy the $50 specials and dump them at the end of the semester. So yeah, they ride old bikes but they don't keep them.
It's not bad that it's old and there are certainly older bikes still in regular service, but I've been the owner of this bike for all of it's years. I don't think of myself as being old enough to posses a bike with such a claim. Having beaten it into submission numerous times and it still gets me around with little complaint:
- I've ridden it down ski slopes and staircases.
- I've thrashed it down bad city streets and hard into curbs.
- I've performed countless balancing tricks on it.
- I've crashed more times than I care to count on it.
- I wooed my then future girlfriend (now wife) on it.
- I cruised the local beaches in my youth regularly on it.
- It is older than the two interns we have at work.
- It is old enough to vote.
- The first Gulf War was about to start when I got it.
I've changed it's attitude with the addition of fenders, rack, and lights.
All hail the Giant!!! Hip Hip Hooray!!!
g
Friday, March 20, 2009
Oh New England
March 25, 1998.
The date I picked up my brandy new Exploder from the dealership.
March 20, 2009.
The date I tapped the rocker panel with my foot and most of it flaked to the ground.
It looks even worse underneath
Last year I had to take the running boards off because they were starting to wobble. That's when I first saw the cancer. I figured I could stretch a few more years out of it but the inevitable is approaching rapidly. My truck is dying.
So now I'd like to offer my special thanks to:
And after 5 years of owning it, guess who's finally coming out for summer chores?
g
The date I picked up my brandy new Exploder from the dealership.
March 20, 2009.
The date I tapped the rocker panel with my foot and most of it flaked to the ground.
It looks even worse underneathSo now I'd like to offer my special thanks to:
- The plastic covers that both caused and hid the rust (it has gotten so far out of hand it can't be fixed).
- The New England states and towns that find it necessary to dump caustic, rust inducing chemicals on the road at the slightest sign of ice because people are to stupid to slow down in inclement weather.
- Stupid people who insist aforementioned product be spread on the ground so they may continue speeding.
And after 5 years of owning it, guess who's finally coming out for summer chores?
g
How Do You Know When...
...Someone spends too much time with Kids?
When they are absolutely giddy to receive a Jury Duty summons!!!
DaMom keeps reading and re-reading the literature they sent and is more excited than I've seen her in a while about an out of house activity.
Of course the last time she had Jury duty, she sat in on a horse thieving case. She gets the good ones!
g
When they are absolutely giddy to receive a Jury Duty summons!!!
DaMom keeps reading and re-reading the literature they sent and is more excited than I've seen her in a while about an out of house activity.
Of course the last time she had Jury duty, she sat in on a horse thieving case. She gets the good ones!
g
My Best Bike Stories - Part 1 - My Big Wreck
I've wrecked a lot. My friends wrecked a lot. Whether it was youthful indiscretion or the lack of fear, we found ourselves on the wrong side of the pedals countless times. We did a lot of fun and stupid things on bikes. In this mini-series I will try to describe our most notable adventures, they aren't all fairy tales but they're not all gruesome either, some are even hilarious.
My Big Wreck ~1990
It was summer. It was dusk. I was late. I was wearing sunglasses. I was wearing headphones. I was not smart.
I was traveling home from a day at the beach with friends so the attire was minimal: ripped, cut-off jeans, a T-shirt cut into a muscle shirt, and aviator sunglasses the size of a bus windshield. (hey stop snickering, it was 1990!) There was no safety equipment in sight with Creedence Clearwater Revival blasting in my ears .
I knew the route well, I'd traveled it almost daily to get to my friends houses. It was a bike path along my street and there was a small downhill that we would try go as fast as possible down. OK, we tried to go as fast as possible everywhere, we were testosterone laden teens (wait, don't I still ride that way?). Any how, I remember checking my speed, 25mph, and then going ass over teakettle.
What the hell happened I asked myself as I was sliding, rolling, and bouncing down the street. When I came to a stop all I could think of was "where's my bike?" All I could hear was a kid screaming. When I spun around and found the bike it was bouncing end for end down the street. It stopped at least 50 feet away in the middle of the road and now my focus was on "I have to get it out of the road before someone runs it over". Yes my priorities were a little off.
I got up and tried to run to the bike. Something wasn't right. I wasn't in much pain but I could hardly walk let alone run. I hobbled to the bike and tried to roll it. It wouldn't roll. "What happened to my bike" I thought. A lot was racing through my head if you couldn't tell.
The scream soundtrack that I had been hearing since the moment of impact was from a 3-4 year old boy whose 7-8 year old brother I'd just hit. Once their mother calmed down the younger boy, the older boy unleashed a tongue lashing on me that only a sailor could give. He's was blaming me for intentionally hitting him. Hitting someone or something on a bike is not something one does intentionally.
Here's the rundown, so to speak; As I was coming down the hill, I checked the speedometer and veered to the left slightly. Just beyond a wooded section these kids were coming up out of a hollow out of their driveway. I never saw them or heard them.
Their mom saw how bad I was looking and figured her kids were OK and she took me home. Once at the hospital they X-Rays showed the tendon on my big toe had parted ways with the bone. Doctors recommendation: Don't try to move your toe for 4-6 weeks! Gee thanks.
Aside from the toe (which effectively prevented me from walking without crutches) I was a hurting unit. My palms, elbows, knees, and shoulders all had bad road rash. My hip was bruised from the walkman and the CCR tape was ground down after the door to the walkman was chewed off. The tape still plays by the way.
The bike was battered; potato chip like wheels, bent fork, ripped seat and bar tape, and scratched all over.
So what's the moral to the story? Always wear a helmet, gloves, appropriate eye wear for the conditions and never, EVER wear headphones on a bike.
g
My Big Wreck ~1990
It was summer. It was dusk. I was late. I was wearing sunglasses. I was wearing headphones. I was not smart.
I was traveling home from a day at the beach with friends so the attire was minimal: ripped, cut-off jeans, a T-shirt cut into a muscle shirt, and aviator sunglasses the size of a bus windshield. (hey stop snickering, it was 1990!) There was no safety equipment in sight with Creedence Clearwater Revival blasting in my ears .
I knew the route well, I'd traveled it almost daily to get to my friends houses. It was a bike path along my street and there was a small downhill that we would try go as fast as possible down. OK, we tried to go as fast as possible everywhere, we were testosterone laden teens (wait, don't I still ride that way?). Any how, I remember checking my speed, 25mph, and then going ass over teakettle.
What the hell happened I asked myself as I was sliding, rolling, and bouncing down the street. When I came to a stop all I could think of was "where's my bike?" All I could hear was a kid screaming. When I spun around and found the bike it was bouncing end for end down the street. It stopped at least 50 feet away in the middle of the road and now my focus was on "I have to get it out of the road before someone runs it over". Yes my priorities were a little off.
I got up and tried to run to the bike. Something wasn't right. I wasn't in much pain but I could hardly walk let alone run. I hobbled to the bike and tried to roll it. It wouldn't roll. "What happened to my bike" I thought. A lot was racing through my head if you couldn't tell.
The scream soundtrack that I had been hearing since the moment of impact was from a 3-4 year old boy whose 7-8 year old brother I'd just hit. Once their mother calmed down the younger boy, the older boy unleashed a tongue lashing on me that only a sailor could give. He's was blaming me for intentionally hitting him. Hitting someone or something on a bike is not something one does intentionally.
Here's the rundown, so to speak; As I was coming down the hill, I checked the speedometer and veered to the left slightly. Just beyond a wooded section these kids were coming up out of a hollow out of their driveway. I never saw them or heard them.
Their mom saw how bad I was looking and figured her kids were OK and she took me home. Once at the hospital they X-Rays showed the tendon on my big toe had parted ways with the bone. Doctors recommendation: Don't try to move your toe for 4-6 weeks! Gee thanks.
Aside from the toe (which effectively prevented me from walking without crutches) I was a hurting unit. My palms, elbows, knees, and shoulders all had bad road rash. My hip was bruised from the walkman and the CCR tape was ground down after the door to the walkman was chewed off. The tape still plays by the way.
The bike was battered; potato chip like wheels, bent fork, ripped seat and bar tape, and scratched all over.
So what's the moral to the story? Always wear a helmet, gloves, appropriate eye wear for the conditions and never, EVER wear headphones on a bike.
g
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
Oh Me, Oh My...
Oh me, oh my they grow up so fast.
Tonight is quilting night for DaMom and as per usual on these nights it's all up to me to get DaKids into bed. Tonight was normal enough, DaBoy yelling at me as I take him out of the tub and DaGirl splashing about soaking everything in sight.
Something strange happened when I finished dressing DaBoy (who was still yelling by the way) DaGirl asked to get out of the tub! She stood up, looked at me, said "all done" and had already pulled the plug.
WOW
Next we went upstairs for story time. DaGirl wasn't interested her evening snack but cuddled up to me on the floor as I read "One Fish, Two Fish...." during DaBoys siren song. Daboy was rolling around her room and genuinely disgruntled by my lack of attention to him (did I mention his yelling?).
I went downstairs to get him a bottle and when I came back she was quietly looking over her animal flashcards. Great, she's keeping herself busy without getting undressed or demolishing her room. I take DaBoy into his room and feed him.
All is quiet, too quiet. I'm nervous and I think by the content on this blog so far I have every right to be. I get DaBoy almost asleep and try to hurry him into his crib. This doesn't work and he's yelling again but I have to see what she's doing.
I peer around the corner and where is she? What is she doing? She's lying in bed!!! Still awake, but in bed!!! Where's my kid?
I go back to DaBoy, quiet him again, get him to sleep for real and check back on her before going downstairs. She's asleep. It's before 8pm and both are down for the night!!! WOW
Of course this means tomorrow night will be hell but tonight WOOOHOOO!!!
g
Tonight is quilting night for DaMom and as per usual on these nights it's all up to me to get DaKids into bed. Tonight was normal enough, DaBoy yelling at me as I take him out of the tub and DaGirl splashing about soaking everything in sight.
Something strange happened when I finished dressing DaBoy (who was still yelling by the way) DaGirl asked to get out of the tub! She stood up, looked at me, said "all done" and had already pulled the plug.
WOW
Next we went upstairs for story time. DaGirl wasn't interested her evening snack but cuddled up to me on the floor as I read "One Fish, Two Fish...." during DaBoys siren song. Daboy was rolling around her room and genuinely disgruntled by my lack of attention to him (did I mention his yelling?).
I went downstairs to get him a bottle and when I came back she was quietly looking over her animal flashcards. Great, she's keeping herself busy without getting undressed or demolishing her room. I take DaBoy into his room and feed him.
All is quiet, too quiet. I'm nervous and I think by the content on this blog so far I have every right to be. I get DaBoy almost asleep and try to hurry him into his crib. This doesn't work and he's yelling again but I have to see what she's doing.
I peer around the corner and where is she? What is she doing? She's lying in bed!!! Still awake, but in bed!!! Where's my kid?
I go back to DaBoy, quiet him again, get him to sleep for real and check back on her before going downstairs. She's asleep. It's before 8pm and both are down for the night!!! WOW
Of course this means tomorrow night will be hell but tonight WOOOHOOO!!!
g
First Ride 2009 Part 2
Yup
Rode home.
The whole thing.
Up and over the Notch.
My back isn't letting me forget it.
Ouch.
g
Rode home.
The whole thing.
Up and over the Notch.
My back isn't letting me forget it.
Ouch.
g
First Ride 2009
OK, so I cheated a little.
1.1 miles to the bus stop.
Let the bus do the hard part over the mountain.
3.0 miles from one of the colleges to work.
4.1 miles total.
Hey, I am nursing a cold here.
Since it's Spring Break week the buses are on a limited schedule and I will have to ride more to get home in time for DaMom to go quilting.
It did feel good to get on it, or was that the numbness from the temperature?
g
1.1 miles to the bus stop.
Let the bus do the hard part over the mountain.
3.0 miles from one of the colleges to work.
4.1 miles total.
Hey, I am nursing a cold here.
Since it's Spring Break week the buses are on a limited schedule and I will have to ride more to get home in time for DaMom to go quilting.
It did feel good to get on it, or was that the numbness from the temperature?
g
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
WDID? - SHDR
My end of the SHDR is complete!!! After two long days out in Boston last week the mechanical aspects are done.
The height detecting radar under the canopy.
The two radars side by side and Boston in the distance.
The height detecting radar under the canopy.The two radars side by side and Boston in the distance.
Time to ride
Now I need people to start bugging me about riding to work.
I haven't been very good about exercising this winter and now I need some motivation.
Go on make some "nasty" comments and "encourage" me!
g
I haven't been very good about exercising this winter and now I need some motivation.
Go on make some "nasty" comments and "encourage" me!
g
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Biking Statistics 2008
The following is too keep a record of my cycling and get my butt motivated to ride.
In 2008 I rode a total of 1210.7 miles between 20Apr and 18Nov (32 weeks).
Commute route: 13.3 miles one way (through center of town)
Bike/Bus/Bike: 11.8 miles per day (once established)
Road bike: 709.8 miles
Commuter Bike: 505.3 miles
Mtn Bike: 20.6 miles
For fun: 37.2 miles
Between the end of May and early August I barely rode (7 outings in 12 weeks) due to the arrival of DaBoy.
I hope to break 2000 miles in 2009. Now if I could just get on the bike...
g
In 2008 I rode a total of 1210.7 miles between 20Apr and 18Nov (32 weeks).
Commute route: 13.3 miles one way (through center of town)
Bike/Bus/Bike: 11.8 miles per day (once established)
Road bike: 709.8 miles
Commuter Bike: 505.3 miles
Mtn Bike: 20.6 miles
For fun: 37.2 miles
Between the end of May and early August I barely rode (7 outings in 12 weeks) due to the arrival of DaBoy.
I hope to break 2000 miles in 2009. Now if I could just get on the bike...
g
Biking Statistics 2007
The following is only too keep a record of my cycling.
In 2007 I rode a total of 321 miles between 15Apr and 8Jul (14 weeks).
Commute route: 14.3 miles one way (bridge done)
Road bike: 311 miles
Mtn Bike: 10 miles
For fun: 64 Miles (amazingly similar to 2006)
g
In 2007 I rode a total of 321 miles between 15Apr and 8Jul (14 weeks).
Commute route: 14.3 miles one way (bridge done)
Road bike: 311 miles
Mtn Bike: 10 miles
For fun: 64 Miles (amazingly similar to 2006)
g
Biking Statistics 2006
The following is only too keep a record of my cycling.
In 2006 I rode a total of 395 miles between 9Apr and 17Aug (19 weeks).
Commute route: 15.3 miles one way (changed due to bridge construction)
Road bike: 355 miles
Mtn Bike: 40 miles
For fun: 62 Miles
g
In 2006 I rode a total of 395 miles between 9Apr and 17Aug (19 weeks).
Commute route: 15.3 miles one way (changed due to bridge construction)
Road bike: 355 miles
Mtn Bike: 40 miles
For fun: 62 Miles
g
Biking Statistics 2005
The following is only too keep a record of my cycling.
In 2005 I rode a total of 405 miles between 4Sep and 7Oct (5 weeks). This is when I bought the road bike and began the occasional bike commute to work.
Commute route: 14.3 miles one way
Road bike: 401 miles
Mtn Bike: 4 miles
For fun: 28.5 Miles
g
In 2005 I rode a total of 405 miles between 4Sep and 7Oct (5 weeks). This is when I bought the road bike and began the occasional bike commute to work.
Commute route: 14.3 miles one way
Road bike: 401 miles
Mtn Bike: 4 miles
For fun: 28.5 Miles
g
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Mayhem and Destruction...
...Just one more quality service offered by DaKids, Inc.
The following telephone exchange took place on the 4th of March at 4:30 Eastern Standard Time:
DaMom: She's all yours when you get home.
DaGoof: What did she do now?
DM: I can't say. You just have to see it to believe it.
DG: Any hints?
DM: We have to clean out the greenhouse window.
DG: Yeah we've had to clean that out for a long time now, so?
DM: Apparently there was a bag of shredded paper....
DG: Say no more. I don't want to hear it.
DM: (to DaGirl in the other room) leave Scrappy alone. he's not happy with you right now.
DG: Noooo, not on the dog!
DM: You just have to see this. (chuckles) It's either I laugh or cry, and right now this is the funniest thing. I don't know where to start.
At 4:44pm the perpetrator was caught in the act.
At 5:30 I came home to this in our entryway:
Where does one even begin to clean this up? And yes DaGirl dumped some on the dog and they both tracked it through the house.
One saving grace is that there is incriminating video of this act in progress for future extortion.
Here's to a fun night of cleanup!
g
The following telephone exchange took place on the 4th of March at 4:30 Eastern Standard Time:
DaMom: She's all yours when you get home.
DaGoof: What did she do now?
DM: I can't say. You just have to see it to believe it.
DG: Any hints?
DM: We have to clean out the greenhouse window.
DG: Yeah we've had to clean that out for a long time now, so?
DM: Apparently there was a bag of shredded paper....
DG: Say no more. I don't want to hear it.
DM: (to DaGirl in the other room) leave Scrappy alone. he's not happy with you right now.
DG: Noooo, not on the dog!
DM: You just have to see this. (chuckles) It's either I laugh or cry, and right now this is the funniest thing. I don't know where to start.
At 4:44pm the perpetrator was caught in the act.
At 5:30 I came home to this in our entryway:
Where does one even begin to clean this up? And yes DaGirl dumped some on the dog and they both tracked it through the house.
One saving grace is that there is incriminating video of this act in progress for future extortion.
Here's to a fun night of cleanup!
g
Cut and a Shave
Valuable lesson learned:
Never drastically alter your appearance when you have young kids.
My last hair cut had been some time before November. Maybe in October, but it could have been September. Anyhow, my hair was long. I had grown a beard to deal with the wind and cold while working outside as well.
I was hairy. Not quite Wolf Boy but certainly not my normal "shorter than everyone likes" length. People like my hair longer. I grow it out and they tell me to get it cut. Go figure.
DaMom got clipped on Friday before dinner and I got sheared after dinner. After 30 minutes of jokes about possible future styles (the faux hawk, the comb over, the flop, stooges bowl, etc.) my locks lay on the floor ready to be scooped up and turned into wool. Never heard of DaGoof Wool? Much like Merino Wool it only comes from one place, ME.
When I got home I wanted the junk off my face. It had been warm last week and my inner Wookie was ready to let the outer Yeti be free so out came the trimmer. Off went the face fur.
This was a dumb move on my part.
Two year olds are sensitive to appearances.
I had lots of hair before dinner and now I looked like a sheared yak.
She had no idea who I was.
She hid in the corner.
That sucked.
When she finally warmed up to me a little and realized who I was, she wouldn't take her eyes off of me. Even during Goodnight Moon. She loves to point things out to me in that book but stared at me like I was some impostor through the whole thing.
I wish I had the camera because her expression was priceless.
On Saturday all was right with the world and I was accepted as daddy again.
So remember:
Never drastically alter your appearance when you have young kids.
g
Never drastically alter your appearance when you have young kids.
My last hair cut had been some time before November. Maybe in October, but it could have been September. Anyhow, my hair was long. I had grown a beard to deal with the wind and cold while working outside as well.
I was hairy. Not quite Wolf Boy but certainly not my normal "shorter than everyone likes" length. People like my hair longer. I grow it out and they tell me to get it cut. Go figure.
DaMom got clipped on Friday before dinner and I got sheared after dinner. After 30 minutes of jokes about possible future styles (the faux hawk, the comb over, the flop, stooges bowl, etc.) my locks lay on the floor ready to be scooped up and turned into wool. Never heard of DaGoof Wool? Much like Merino Wool it only comes from one place, ME.
When I got home I wanted the junk off my face. It had been warm last week and my inner Wookie was ready to let the outer Yeti be free so out came the trimmer. Off went the face fur.
This was a dumb move on my part.
Two year olds are sensitive to appearances.
I had lots of hair before dinner and now I looked like a sheared yak.
She had no idea who I was.
She hid in the corner.
That sucked.
When she finally warmed up to me a little and realized who I was, she wouldn't take her eyes off of me. Even during Goodnight Moon. She loves to point things out to me in that book but stared at me like I was some impostor through the whole thing.
I wish I had the camera because her expression was priceless.
On Saturday all was right with the world and I was accepted as daddy again.
So remember:
Never drastically alter your appearance when you have young kids.
g
Tuesday, March 3, 2009
Groundhog Day... A Month Late
Apparently this isn't sweeps week at the house and the Nielsen Ratings folks aren't calling for our picks at the house. We're well into rerun season.
Some shows I can watch over and over in reruns or on DVD and still enjoy them like it was the first time. Of course one of these shows is Law and Order and there's sooooo many episodes out that by the time you get through all of them, repeats are new to you again.
Other shows I tolerate the first time and sure don't want to waste any more time watching them again.
What am I getting at? How about some clues in near musical titles....
"Poops I did it again!" by Bratney Skewers
"Up all night!" by Not Her
"Dumpin' " by The Grateful Head
Yup. You guessed it, DaGirl was standing at the gate in her doorway with no diaper, a pile of poop on the floor, smile on her face and dumping her toys out onto the floor.
Fortunately she didn't pick up the brown pile this time as she was more interested in getting our attention.
Now here's the rundown. She pooped before we came upstairs. She peed after we read stories. Then presented us with this timeless tale after I came downstairs. Total elapsed time between excrement breaks; 45 minutes tops.
I then had go upstairs 3 more times to tend to her running around the room, throwing toys on the floor, spreading books all over, yelling down to us, and shaking the gate like a prisoner at Alcatraz.
How DaBoy managed to sleep through all of it I'm not sure.
g
Some shows I can watch over and over in reruns or on DVD and still enjoy them like it was the first time. Of course one of these shows is Law and Order and there's sooooo many episodes out that by the time you get through all of them, repeats are new to you again.
Other shows I tolerate the first time and sure don't want to waste any more time watching them again.
What am I getting at? How about some clues in near musical titles....
"Poops I did it again!" by Bratney Skewers
"Up all night!" by Not Her
"Dumpin' " by The Grateful Head
Yup. You guessed it, DaGirl was standing at the gate in her doorway with no diaper, a pile of poop on the floor, smile on her face and dumping her toys out onto the floor.
Fortunately she didn't pick up the brown pile this time as she was more interested in getting our attention.
Now here's the rundown. She pooped before we came upstairs. She peed after we read stories. Then presented us with this timeless tale after I came downstairs. Total elapsed time between excrement breaks; 45 minutes tops.
I then had go upstairs 3 more times to tend to her running around the room, throwing toys on the floor, spreading books all over, yelling down to us, and shaking the gate like a prisoner at Alcatraz.
How DaBoy managed to sleep through all of it I'm not sure.
g
Monday, March 2, 2009
What are we being groomed for?
I'm not superstitious but I do believe that everything we have experienced in the past will help us in some situation in the future. Basically, the definition of learning.
Reacting to an extreme situation is much less shocking to someone who has experienced other extreme situations. You learn to accept the situation and quickly adapt to form the proper response.
Case in point 1: My brother-in-law (A) is a paramedic/firefighter and doesn't flinch at the sight of blood and gore. He follows a programmed response he's learned and tends to the situation at hand.
Case in point 2: Our dog has seizures. He started having them when he was about 2 1/2, roughly 6 months after we adopted him. When they first began it scared the hell out of us. We never knew when they would happen and in the beginning it was hard to sleep at night for fear of waking up to his thrashing. Now, we just make sure he's not on a carpet and keep his head from hitting anything hard and time the event. Prior conditioning has enabled us to handle an awful situation like it's normal.
All of the stories on this blog about DaKids so far are a fraction of the total events that have occurred in the last 2 years. I realized just how selective my memory can be after the birth of DaBoy. So many things happened with DaGirl that we both forgot about and were rudely reminded of with DaBoy. That's the reason for starting this in the first place, to record those stories.
So, if ones history will help one deal with their future, what on earth are DaKids preparing us for with all of their antics?
A career in the sanitation department perhaps?
g
Reacting to an extreme situation is much less shocking to someone who has experienced other extreme situations. You learn to accept the situation and quickly adapt to form the proper response.
Case in point 1: My brother-in-law (A) is a paramedic/firefighter and doesn't flinch at the sight of blood and gore. He follows a programmed response he's learned and tends to the situation at hand.
Case in point 2: Our dog has seizures. He started having them when he was about 2 1/2, roughly 6 months after we adopted him. When they first began it scared the hell out of us. We never knew when they would happen and in the beginning it was hard to sleep at night for fear of waking up to his thrashing. Now, we just make sure he's not on a carpet and keep his head from hitting anything hard and time the event. Prior conditioning has enabled us to handle an awful situation like it's normal.
All of the stories on this blog about DaKids so far are a fraction of the total events that have occurred in the last 2 years. I realized just how selective my memory can be after the birth of DaBoy. So many things happened with DaGirl that we both forgot about and were rudely reminded of with DaBoy. That's the reason for starting this in the first place, to record those stories.
So, if ones history will help one deal with their future, what on earth are DaKids preparing us for with all of their antics?
A career in the sanitation department perhaps?
g
Too good to be true
Yesterday we went to my brother-in-laws' girlfriends' house for their birthdays (they are 3 days apart). This meant a two hour drive out and two hours back, some of which was in snow. We timed the drive out perfectly, both kids slept the whole way.
We were at the party for a few hours and left when DaKids started looking sleepy. Another perfectly timed trip, they both slept the whole way back.
We had dinner and DaMom was tired so she went take a nap while I bathed DaKids. Again, everything seemed to be going perfectly. I got both of them ready for bed and DaBoy up to DaMom for his last feeding and read a few stories to DaGirl. When she was ready for the lights to go out, I made sure she didn't need the potty and went to rock DaBoy to sleep who was now screaming at DaMom.
DaGirl was quiet, DaMom went downstairs, and I rocked DaBoy who was overly squirmy. It took me a while to get him asleep enough to put into his crib. I could hear DaGirl was up but figured she was looking out the window.
NOPE
Again, she was standing in the middle of the floor with no PJs or diaper on. Only this time her hands were covered with the "stuff". She was smooshing it like play doh.
Needless to say, she got another bath.
I knew the day went too easily.
g
We were at the party for a few hours and left when DaKids started looking sleepy. Another perfectly timed trip, they both slept the whole way back.
We had dinner and DaMom was tired so she went take a nap while I bathed DaKids. Again, everything seemed to be going perfectly. I got both of them ready for bed and DaBoy up to DaMom for his last feeding and read a few stories to DaGirl. When she was ready for the lights to go out, I made sure she didn't need the potty and went to rock DaBoy to sleep who was now screaming at DaMom.
DaGirl was quiet, DaMom went downstairs, and I rocked DaBoy who was overly squirmy. It took me a while to get him asleep enough to put into his crib. I could hear DaGirl was up but figured she was looking out the window.
NOPE
Again, she was standing in the middle of the floor with no PJs or diaper on. Only this time her hands were covered with the "stuff". She was smooshing it like play doh.
Needless to say, she got another bath.
I knew the day went too easily.
g
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