Braves!!

Take me out to the ball game!!!

Actually, it was Monkey's first game, ever!

Long story, but Mom & Dad were supposed to be here this weekend so I bought tickets for PopPop, Monkey and myself...short part of the story is that they couldn't be here due to a medical issue w/ my uncle and since I couldn't get the tickets sold (whole other story there!) RAB, Monkey and I went...Here are the pics to prove it!!!

More bug info soon!!!!!

Monday "Dub-Date"

Engine was going back together today when I stopped by...All the tin was on; heat exchangers & exhaust looked to be in good shape.The doghouse/alternator went on as I was leaving...things are progressing nicely!

Part III

Heads came back looking real good...new exhaust valves and guides. Rockers installed...they look good too.

87mm pistons and cylinders installed.

Talked to Joey at All Around Restorations today and he tells me should be finished late next week.

dub pt. 2

Pics of the engine tin and hard parts in the paint booth waiting for spray and of the crack in the spark plug hole on the #3 cyl head (look carefully, its fuzzy).


Hope to have the heads back tomorrow so the engine can go together Wed/Thurs and the new tank painted and ready to go in by Thurs.
Carb should be rebuilt already.
Might be on the road by Friday (fingers crossed)

Race update...
6 hour race on Sat. didn't go as well as the last two...
I did the first 3 hours wheel to wheel w/ 4 of the top 5 guys...
I bonked about hour 3.5 and slowed down alot...apparently so did the others!
Ended up finishing 6th but was only 13 minutes off of the podium after almost 7 hours of racing.....
I'm currently in 2nd overall in the 3 race series, so all isn't lost.
.......that's racing.........

V-Dub

The bug is on the path to being back on the road...took a few pics today...

The "BIG POST" Day!!

Two big things on this post....

Thing #1...I'm most excited about this one!!

Monkey on his first ride w/o the trainging wheels!!!!!

<--------------Looking at me like, "what are YOU looking at?".....

thing # 2.......

The Tour de Georgia rolled into town today....since they dismissed school at 1pm to accomodate all the road closures, RAB, Monkey and I all headed over to watch.

Super fast sprint finish...one of the fastest I've ever seen...downhill towards City Park (the football stadium area, at the cabin where we had Monkeys birthday party).

Afterwards I hunted down one of the US riders I've paid close attention to for years...Bobby Julich.

Then I found the team cars and got a pic of one of his bikes on the car and then.........

I hunted HIM down!!!

some people have a problem

The folks promoting the Bakers Dozen race sure were nice......but I think they have a drinking problem.
BEFORE the race they give everyone one of these shot glasses....
AFTER the race was over they gave me the pint glass...

Short story goes like this...
I lead the entire race until the last 3 minutes when they 2nd place guy behind me asks to lead going up the climb we're approaching...I let him and as we go through the start/finish they call it due to HEAVY RAIN.
Bottom line he wins the event even though I led the whole race up until the last few minutes.
Lesson learned (again) ...never, ever, ever let anyone around you for any reason...it's called a RACE for a reason.
Good news... my fitness seems to have recovered pretty well following "the crap".
Bad news... RAB seems to have aquired "the crap" now :(





Here's me at the beginning of the event following the LeMans style start.
I know this is the beginning because I don't look like a big brown mud-hole on legs yet....
I did a few hours later!

It's on!

Looks like the race is on for tomorrow...currently no more than a 50% chance of rain through tomorrow night. I'll post later @ results, although with all my ailments of the past 2 wks, I'm not expecting much...just hoping to finish w/o too much pain :)

Mom and Dad - I got the card; taking the $ to the race w/ us this weekend. Maybe I can buy some luck w/ it!
KEB & TheJellyMan...the box showed up yesterday; the good stuff...yeah! Gonna take some w/ us for coffee in the AM before the race!
RAB and Monkey - made burgers and such for my b-day and Big-J stayed to eat w/ us; Monkey gave me a card that played "Rock & Roll all Night" when you opened it up...good times.

Thanks to all for a good day!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Yeah...today makes 39.

Started w/ Mom & Dad calling me at 7am w/ the HBD song.

Went to Nimblewill area to do some forest service road riding on the Vassago w/ Big-J who was on his new KHS Solo-One SE 29'er.

Rode about 2.5 hrs and feeling like I'm recovering from that bug last week.

Hoping for no rain this weekend so we can race.

Doing house work the next few days...new water heater, fix driveway, yard-work, fix gutters, etc.

Happy B-Day to me!

yeah, this one is me ^^^^^^^^^^

patience...

...pays.
I'll be brief...I got home Friday bummed we weren't going to SC for the race and found an email from the race promoter: "race rained out, moved to next weekend."
Called the campground and they were able to move our reservation to next weekend w/ no $$ lost and if I'm healed up we'll go give it a shot!
I'm still weak and haven't ridden in a week, but should be able to ride vs. race the event.
Also went to the Dr. last night...he thinks I'm getting over a virus, so I should be feeling much better by next weekend!
Patience pays...

best laid plans

10pm on Thurs night and we just pulled the plug on this weekends race/camping trip..........

• Monkey and I are still coughing like crazy and I feel poor, at best

• the forecast for Sat is 90% chance of thunderstorms

• fuel cost (driving truck w/ camper in tow)
  

Even though we'll lose our $$ from the park reservation as well as my pre-paid race entry fee, it just doesn't add up, so, it's a no-go. This was a second-tier race (lower priority) for me but it still bums me out not to get to do it just for the training.

--Monkey handled the news pretty well for a 5 year old...probably better than I would have.
We told him that we will try to go later in the week since it's spring break.
--RAB has been shopping all week to get "stuff" ready for us.
--I've been wanting to do this race for the past 2 years only to have conflicts w/ the HS band spring trip...finally works out schedule wise, and now this.
--Made arrangements for someone to cover for me at church this Sunday....

Lots of stuff screwed up because of some freakin' little bug..................

"crap" update

Slept ok last night...ok enough to oversleep!
Temp was 97.6...about normal for me in the AM.
Drugs are good...
I still feel poor/weak/achey.
WEDNESDAY....
I slept good...temp at 97.6 again this AM...this is good.
Drugs are starting to build up in my system and make me feel a little "loopy". Hope to start coming off of them some tomorrow to clean the system out before the weekend is here. Still hoping to race....If I can breathe.
Talked w/ school systems head nurse/band parent this AM and she said that there has been a respriatory virus getting around and sounds like that may be what I have.
I guess it doesn't matter how hard you try to stay healthy when all those damn little bugs are floating around in the air! Maybe I just won't breathe while at work anymore.........................

The Crap

The wife was sick a few weeks ago...bad. Monkey's been coughing for a week now. I've been being anal about the hand washing, not getting in kids faces or touching slobbery horns, etc.....can't afford to get sick w/ the beginning of the race season here, you know.
It's been for nothing, apparently...
Started feeling less than great yesterday w/ the higher HR and took the day off. Figured that would help the body recovery from the heavy training last week.
Yesterday evening started feeling nauseous and had a bad headache this AM (unusual for me).
Went for a short ride today and felt worse as I went.
Got home and took a shower so we could take Monkey to see sheep getting sheared (see FarmhouseStyle for more) and it just kept feeling worse.
Finally took my temp tonight after laying on the couch all PM and it was 99.5 which is about 2 degrees above normal for me. Got a nasty, raspy cough and the body aches to go w/ it all to boot.
So I guess it's official....I've got The Crap!
Worse part is, that unless it passes VERY QUICKLY, I won't be able to do the 13 hr race we are booked to go camping for next weekend...... :(
UPDATE #1 - Woke up Mon AM after sleeping poorly and felt bad but temp was down to 97.9, which is still high, but better.
UPDATE #2 - Went to work all day...not fun...still feel like crap, but not my normal sinus/sore throat stuff...this is the all-over the body aches. Temp was 98.2 most of this PM.
I'm drugged up and going to bed now...night-night everyone.
PS- heard Sherry has the crap too...sorrrrry :(

Rest...

Up until today I've ridden 7 of the last 8 days w/ 3 in a row at 5 hrs! Whew, I'm tired...

Woke up this AM to an elevated HR and the sound of rain...perfect reason to sleep in...it felt good.

After some home-made biscuits w/ bacon and fresh eggs, Monkey and I loaded up and drove over to Addictive Cycles to swap out some extra parts from the Vassago build-up and to pick up some spare brake pads for next weeks 13 hr race in Augusta. I hope the weather holds up well since it is going to not only be a race for me but a mini vacation for the 3 of us at the beginning of Spring Break.

We'll be taking the pop-up on it's family maiden voyage...I used it by myself at the 6 hr race a few weeks ago, but this will be our first venture out together in it. I'm really hoping Monkey will enjoy the actual camping part...not just the "idea" of it. Hopefully this will be the first of many family trips/adventures together in it!

you gotta be kidding me

I should have known it was going to be an interesting day when I saw this 45 min into my ride today.......

So, let me tell you about my Monday...

I'm doing a 5 day block of training with the intent being 5 days of 5 hours each day....been going good so far.
Today was supposed to be two loops of Winding Stair in the Blue Ridge Wildlife Management Area above Dahlonega. Mostly fire roads w/ lots of climbing at about 5 hours long. Started the ride w/ temps in the mid-30's hoping for low 50's by the end of the ride......HA!!

This picture is of a guy I came upon about half way around on my first loop. He was sitting trying to stay dry/warm as the snow was blowing sideways!!! Argh....it snowed/sleeted on me for the next 30 minutes to the point that the front of me & my bike were covered in snow. Kept going and it slowly started to die off.



After the first 2.5 hours I looped back to where I had stashed a couple of water bottles in the woods...loaded up on more fluids and dropped off my empties. Took off for more pain (and suffering) on the second lap.

Well, sure enough, when I got to the top of Cooper Gap (near the Ranger Camp) it was blowing snow still!

Ended up w/ just shy of 5 hours for the day...mission accomplished.

Two more pics from the day...one speaks for itself and the other....well, we are in north GA!

NEW!

Well, since this blog is new, I thought I'd make my first post about something new to me....
I've been slowly buying the parts for my new single-speed...took almost 4 months to get them all.
On Thursday, Cody from Addictive Cycles (my team sponsor) called and told me that the frame I've been waiting 3 months for had just arrived....a JabberWocky by Vassago in Snuffleupagus Orange w/ a non-matching rigid black fork. It's a 29'er (big wheels) steel frame.....yeah baby!!

I bolted that afternoon from school (Forbes can verify this) over to the shop and took possession immediately. I felt like a little kid :)
When I got home, Monkey & I went to the barn and got it pieced together. I went back over to the shop on Friday and finished getting it together............ and then promptly took it to Chicoppee for its maiden voyage.
I'll report back later after I've been able to tweak the fit a little bit, but I was impressed w/ its lack of big-bike-syndrome (that's a good thing)!
Later....VC