My Cousin Dwight and i have been lifting in the mornings. It's been a tough transition for me, and Dwight can vouch for that by my missed days. We have been going over to lift at one of our work buildings to their strength training center. It's tough but it had gains. Dwight has been running and just this morning he said that the lifting has helped him with the running he's been doing.
For me the lifting is a little bitter sweet. I like that i get it done early but the tiredness i carry around with me the rest of the day is a reminder of the sacrifice i've made.
Tim started Amanda's Galway this week. He predicted a front triangle to be complete by the end of today, Sunday Jan. 24. This is pretty impressive. I think i've noticed about a 10 day or less turn around for Tim's frames (not including painting and shipping and all. In fact, now that he's been completing some painting in-house i bet that saves some shipping cost and eliminates some scheduling conflicts for a quicker overall turn around.
Weather---
Dang we're getting the shaft down here in Columbus. Raining like crazy. I think we'll still be headed out for a ride considering it's going to be about the warmest it's been in months at 53 F.
Our 2010 bikes are absolutely beautiful. Tim just shot us over a few pictures of the first finished product. I could hardly post the pictures quick enough to ease the frustration I felt with sharing this art work. We are certainly going to be on rolling art, from the details of the frame to the matching paint schemes.
I can't wait to ride it! The pictures can say more than me.....
As you can see below Amanda is over with her mom working on some dress details that have left me to my own devices. It is unfortunate, i know, but i have a full time job. This, and the often times very time consuming nature of cycling brings me to this entry. It probably isn't very specific to cycling, i mean people order dinner in when they're busy with all sorts of things, work, drinking, being lazy. I like eating dinner on the bike because it does two things for me. It teaches me to be prepared and think ahead, and it reminds me to relax on the bike. You can't digest/eat food very well if you're working too hard and this time of year i don't think you need to be going gang buster out there anyway unless you're cold, mainly because it's dark, there's potholes, and animals (i almost hit 2 opossums , a skunk, and a raccoon). I ended up getting in about 3 hours. Pretty good for a week day, in the cold, in the dark.
FYI i got to about here:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=3422343
which is actually getting into Shelbyville traffic?? huh.
People are all standing around me, trying to influence me to buy a wedding dress, vail, and all the accessories that come along with the dress, meanwhile all I can think about is a thousand other ways I would rather spend the money.
I had no idea how difficult and stressful this wedding planning stuff all is.
All the sordid details keep posing more challenges for a couple people that just want to ride our bikes and spend time together.
There are so many crazy details I hadn't even thought of. I guess I can check the dress and tailoring off the list because that is FINISHED.
Sure I would have rather bought some Dugasts with that money (and could have). People better enjoy this wedding damn-it!
------ On another note, this made me smile------- A great e-mail from Tim.
He say's, " I have been calling in and doing favors left and right. I will just say that there are people working bus stations and truck stops that are less of a whore than me. But, it washes off and it is for a good cause: you crazy kids. "
Pre-wedding, during the wedding * If Jakes Dad gets his way* and after the wedding we will be riding some beautiful bikes!
Oh Boy. Some interesting things are going on around the homestead. With Amanda and I in full swing wedding planning my Boss, John said he had a buffet he wanted to get rid of because of some remodeling with his wife Lisa. We gladly accepted such a wonderful addition to our very bare dining room.
Let me reflect on this a little...
This is a big step, and clearly the most presentable piece of furniture I would have had to date. A couple months ago I would have declined the buffet and opted for a nice cordless Passload framing nail gun (clearly much more functional). Now in the throws of a becoming household this fits right in. Also interesting is the resounding evidence of transitions associated with this type of item, I see three. First is that of John and what was clearly a very big step taken in a previous life to purchase such an item. I see great sacrifice there and am also seeing how it relates to the transition in my life toward being a better household now. The third transition is that of John and Lisa starting something new at their house. Out with the old, in with the new. For that i wish them well and lots of success and happiness.
Thanks to John for making this transition for me very painless and in this case, very welcome.
i think the thing i like the most about riding in the winter is that it is pure unadulterated life coming at you full speed. A lot of people spend their time indoors in the winter and don't end up having a lot to show for it. Living through their favorite TV shows, not being very productive in general. (it's mostly the tv watching that i despise) I find that trivial events mean so much more when you have to work for them; full moons, eyes in the night, crazy sounds. So, in the events of real-life-jacob, Amanda and i went out for a ride in the very cold (in the teens) ride and i was bit by a very large basset hound. Not all that crazy of an event for a bike rider, but it was very funny the way it happened. The dog ran up with a young boy in full camouflage yelling at it to stop, and most dogs will run up and just run besides you, which is what i thought this one was going to do but before i knew it this one latched down on my ankle. What was more surprising was the first thought that went through my mind when i realized what a soft bite he had. I thought that basset hound must have been part bird dog cause it was really gentle with my leg, felt like more of a gumming than a bite.
In other news, we tapped Amanda's Christmas present and we are enjoying it one liter at a time. Here's a pic.
It is a tradition for me to get out and ride the first day of the new year. It is the perfect way to set the precedent for the rest of the year. James Billiter, Jake and I (Amanda) met out at England-Idlewild, Ky.
We were all a bit slow to get out there after an evening of celebrating at Palominos in Cincinnati, Ohio. We watched Travis Prastrana jump a bay onto a barge, enjoyed some fireworks, a new years kiss then headed home. So far 2010 is shaping up to be a great year.
The trails stayed frozen throughout the ride and fortunatly we did not. I am looking forward to a lot of great riding with friends this year!
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