All Things Rowdy

Actually my friends when I reported that I was going to be 3rd overall in the season for Super D in my class with Rim Nordic I was wrong. I ended up earning 2nd! This was such a hard race for me. I dropped 20 seconds of my time from last race. I wretched after the race from my level of exertion. I finished the race itself in 3rd but for the season I was 2nd. As usual, here are some pictures: Thankfully I didn't have to drive on the way up, so I could rest Ahhhhh, cool mountain air. Can you hear the wheels turning?? Why do you have to look like either a dork or a stormtrooper wearing bicycle racing clothes? Spent. Tired. Almost finished. If I just hadn't missed one race.... Improving, that's what matters. I do like to smile. The day's "take". Tasty.

Or Rowdy when he first woke up this morning....

Fuel-Learn what your body likes for whatever activity you are in. By this I mean you need to know what to eat, how much of it and when. I have found I do better on a day of competition if I eat less and drink more. Practice-I heard the adage once, 'practice perfect' meaning that if you are at the point in practice where you are being sloppy, you should probably switch to doing something different. Anything we do physically or mentally has some sort of skill set that needs to be learned. When you are practicing these things, make sure you practice doing them as perfectly as you can. I have found this means either slowing down or paying more attention to what is happening. Cross Training-I think you should cross train in whatever helps your weakness in the primary activity. In jiu jitsu I needed more power and ability to move quickly. My cross training then became plyometric exercises and drills. In mountain biking it was my ability to climb hills. I picked a different bike and ...

Irony: When an executive for the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) leaves his dog in his locked car on a warm summer day and kills it. Exhaustion: When I ride my mountain bike for 3 hours in record heat and then later do two hours of brazilian jiu jitsu training the same day.

When you are a child, your parents normally teach you to do the right thing, from whatever belief system they followed and tried to instill in you. Mine happens to hold Sunday as a day of reverence and dedication to Christ. Sunday is a sabbath day, as its been called. Part of my observances on this day include going to my house of worship for services, taking a sacramental bread and water, studying holy scripture, resting and praying. A day devoted to rest, reflection, worship. A day separate from most "worldly" things. It is important to me. I left at the time a secure job I had for almost 8 years due to never getting time for Sunday and was eventually blessed with a good hospital based job where I rarely worked Sunday. My fairly open employment over the years in San Diego has still allowed me to do that. Heck, I even made it to church when I worked in Iraq! (Just physically being "in church" is only worth so much. If you are there and not trying to live it, be it,...

I know someone who walks in the ocean like this........ You know who you are!!!

I have obviously been busy. Busier than normal I guess.... I've been reading a book at night about Joseph Conrad. (And yes, I have read everything, not the little novella Heart of Darkness everyone reads in most colleges or AP lit in high school) Anyways... the chapter on Conradian narrative is soooo deep and written for the academic reader or serious student of Conrad it is hard for me to follow it sometime.. Since I will just be writing as I'm thinking this might be hard to follow as well. Just a warning. Driving through Lake Elsinore on Saturday night I was behind a car with the plate "HELCNOR". It took me a while to think of what it meant, and I think they were trying to say "Hellsinore", like Lake E. is hell. Now I have heard of Hell Ay to describe LA, but this is a new one to me. Even if that isn't what they meant I am glad to see someone pull something over on DMV. If you want lunch in St George on a Sunday, good luck! Almost everything was closed...

Off to his first day of work at the bike shop!! (only slightly nervous...) Oh, and I am of course wearing jeans and a t-shirt! (with shorts in my backpack)

^^^^^^^^i am abandoning one trail i wanted to build and starting in another place. pics from the recon runs today ^^^^^^^^^^^

excuse the crappy cell pics... it doesn't capture motion well

For my birthday DD gave me a book titled '101 Things to Do Before You Die'. Since who knows when I will die, I thought I should check them off now, just in case. Well, after sitting down with the book, a pen and a honest assessment of my life, I have done 43 out of the 101 things!! What? That doesn't sound impressive to you? Well almost 20 things are virtually impossible, so to have done as many as I have is quite good. I've lived a very full and exciting life and this book reminded me of it. Whether I've only done 43 things on its list or not. BONUS PICTURE!! wooo hoooo! It's Happy Cat!!! And it looks like he's got a job at a gelato shop working the cash register.

Peep the new header photo! That's what a real photog can get ya! Thanks jeweled malicious Barbie!

you know that feeling where your throat swells up, you get kinda teary and you are warm all over? when you get that feeling, pay attention!

Let's just say I left some on the table. To explain..... The bike As you know, I messed up a landing jumping last week and broke the front wheel of my bike. The shop said they would have it fixed for me in time for the race, but they weren't even close. (not the shop I will be working for, a different one) So my back up was to ride Super D's bike in a Super D race. Sounds like a perfect match right? Well.... the brakes aren't set up how I like, the tires are a little skinny, the suspension is 3 or 4" travel at best AND IT IS PINK. I did a bit of riding around and a few adjustments and was just ready to run with it. At this stage the killer racer instinct in me just hadn't kicked in. I was turning in my registration and staged on the Girl Bike having already braved much teasing for my choice of mount. (let it be said this is a great cross country mountain bike, but not a gravity racing bike) RH asked me, "is that what you're riding? Go to Rick, hey Rick...

the usual goodness that is! bonfire, marshmallows, ocean, fireworks, family.

Sr Thumb Acorn Ranger says, "Be careful out there because of..." "the rattlesnakes" "the lightning strikes" "and the mountain lions." Jr Pinky Acorn Scout says, "Remember the 'no's' of hiking here," "No bikes." "No dogs either." Enough silliness.... Or not!