pretty funny

WHAT DID WE DO TO DESERVE THIS!

Three feet does make Mt Ogden look nice.

My new snowblower.

Here is comes again!

It is about to cover the house.

The pile is taller than I am.

With my snowblower in for repairs with a back ordered part, I have had to go back to the manual snowblower. It wouldn't be so bad, but I do mine, neighbors, mother-in-laws, office and rental home. This week we got dumped on here in Ogden, about 16inches at my home. I got to do two passes at the whole bunch. It wasn't that light fluffy either. My back is never going to be the same. I was not happy with the repair place so I called again and they said they can't get the part. I got the part number and had it ordered online in about 5 minutes. So I will be repaired about the time we don't get any more snow. It has been good for an upper body work out, just what we bikers need. Hopefully there will be some outside riding soon. Off to another spin class. Ride safe

As good as it gets

There is a great movie that was out a few years ago called As Good As It Gets. It is a comedy about Jack Nickolson, who is OCD, and his interactions with others. Nickolson fit the part really well. He has to lock the door three times before leaving or entering, he can't step on a crack. The funny thing is is that we all have our own OCD. While some are not as obsessive as Jack's. Mine - I have to ride my bike. It is hard for me to take any time off the bike. I would be a lot worse if I had a more lenient schedule. I could easily fall into tracking every work out, diet, and working on off season training reports. But time will not permit me to do so.

But my knee is not getting any better, and it has been since September. This week I vowed to not ride once, and I am proud to say that I have not ridden my bike all week, the first time in many years. I feel pretty lazy, but my knee has started to feel a little better. Along with taking it off I have been trying not to walk on it as much, especially at work, I am taking 600 mg of Ibuprofen twice a day, and icing every night. I will be going on a test ride tomorrow to see how it feels. I have some races coming up in the first of April (all races are on Sunday up to that point) and I want to be ready for them and be fully healed.

Go Levi! It is cool to see all the energy and hype for the Tour of California. Long live the American Tour!

Michael update

What a nice little broken leg with broken heel. Mike did quite the number. Metal posts and loading jacks don't mix.

This is with the rod and swrews in place.

See all the small insisions to position the rod and reduce the fractures.

This where they inserted the two foot rod.

Nice foot shot.

Nice heel, two screws and alot of fat pad missing.

Just a quick Michael update. I took him in last week to get his staples out and took some pictures. It is a mess, and they hope his heel will be able to take the force of day to day living. Kim and I and a friend from work, Rick did our 50 mile route. We flew through south weber as the wind was howling. Chase Lane didn't get any less steep over the winter. We are all getting excited about racing in St. George next month. Hope you are well and riding safely. I just about got run over the other day, I will have a picture update soon, as I am going back to the scene and take a picture of the near miss. Ride safe.

So close

I blame Doug (he wasn't able to make it to the game today)!! No love for the championship game? I thought the team would be OK because my mom came (the team was 6-0 with Marilyn in the stands). Doug came to last weeks playoff game and my team had one of the greatest comebacks I've ever coached for an great win. So in the championship game we came up a few points short 45-38, and it couldn't have been my coaching job so I blame Doug (because it can't be me and Marilyn was at the game). It was a great season (8-3) and I'm done coaching for the year (no baseball this year). It's going to be odd not helping with baseball, but I'm hoping to get my butt in the saddle and my homework done on time for once.

California anybody?

I just looked at the roasters for the Tour de California starting next week and I wish I could go watch. The field is world class. I know I will never make it across the pond to watch the Tour de France, but maybe next year we should schedule a trip to go watch the tour de California(especially if the field is anything close to this year). I thought it was cool watching the Tour de Utah and Rock Racing, but I would love to watch Lance and the Astana boys or Saxo Bank and the Schlecks, and all the others I don't have time to write about.

Is anybody recording the Tour de California? I get highlights online, but I would love to watch the whole race even if it is a week or two after the fact (great stuff to watch on the spinn bike).

Are We Having and Fun Yet?

Hard to believe this is Ryan. He torqued out of his borrowed ski's.

I hate trainers. So I have been spending some quality time in spin classes. I've been doing two a day with some outside riding when the weather permits and I can't stand the cold, I want warm.

This is what my office looks like now. After 25 years it is weird.

This is one scary mogal run. The World Cuppers raced on this Sunday night. There was no soft in this run. Steep, hard, icey mogals, I don't know how they do it.

Ryan thought he could have done these a few years ago. Pretty freaky.

T has become an excellent skier, and more importantly an excellent biker. His wide body skis weren't so happy with the steep icey conditions

Daren making some great turns!

It looks so soft and nice, Not! Daren's boss Greg. Lucky Greg is off to hele ski next week.

We had a great day skiing and being together at Deer Valley on Sat. It was a beautiful day, but the hard icey conditions made our knees and backs a little worse for the wear.

It seems like there isn't much to blog about these days, but things are looking up. It's hard to get too excited when you are riding bikes that don't tip over! We had a great father, son, brother, cousin ski outting Sat. at Deer Valley. The place seems alot different with snow. You can go down those steep climbs of the summer in no time. My old back isn't enjoying the hard mogals today. I just finished watching the world championships of cyclocross and those boys and gals can ride fast. The course was hard and fast and it looked like a crit race, team tactics included. I have been doing some looking for the Sutt's and we should be able to get so lbs off the tandem. We don't want to make the climbs to easy for Sut. I for one am looking forward to some warmer weather and some great rides. Think about riding safe. Doug

Frame or Upgrades

I'm now thinking of keeping the black beast going, but changing the wheels (upgrade) and other components to make the beast a bit lighter and faster (cheaper). We (Mindy) isn't sure she wants to pay that much money on a new frame when we already have one, but we will put some money into the tandem either way (Components/ wheels or frame). I'm good either way and I'm starting to lean towards upgrades and wheels (decisions, decisions, decisions).

Doug I might need some help trying to figure out which wheels and other components will work with the black beast. I'll give ya a call.