It's been a while

I've had many great blog ideas lately but just haven't got around to writing. I need about 3 more hours in the day. I've also forgotten my great ideas. Most of them come in the night while I'm not sleeping (something I do very well). However, since I'm old, I don't remember them in the morning. In another ten years, I'll be lucky to find my way home on rides. I'll need a GPS system with a homing mode to ever make it back.

So instead of something witty and insightful, you'll get some random thoughts and pictures.

I've pretty much decided to become a backcountry skier next season. I've already resisted buying some bike stuff to save money. I've been spending lots of time looking at the mountains for skiable lines. I have a spotting scope for bowhunting that gets more use on my front porch looking for tracks and avalanches. (The spotting scope's for sale, by the way. Should pay for bindings.) The good news is I have months to accumulate gear. The bad news is I have months to wait to use it.

I sat out DVM tonight. I have bit of a cold and I wanted to save whatever I have for East Canyon Saturday (unfortunately, there's not much to save). I must admit, watching is much more relaxing than racing. I didn't get crosseyed once and didn't want to throw up when it finished. A new experience at DMV for me. Glen's magical bike powers were on display once again (he's in this picture). In the parking lot on the last lap, Glen was in position to put the 45 year old's hurt on the main field of A's when someone slid out and went down in the South East corner. This guy took Nick, Sam and a couple others down. Glen was in the middle of it but somehow managed to unclip, step off the bike as it went down, run a couple steps into the grass and safely roll. He's got Chuck Norris like skills. It was worth the price of admission just to see that save.

Speaking of East Canyon, what's up with 70 + and sunny all week then cold and wet on Saturday? If it's really bad, I'm turning around on top of the first hill and heading back to the car. It's one thing to get cold and wet on a cross bike in December. That's somehow acceptable if not down right desirable. In April on a road bike, not so much.

Made it out to Draper with Tanner, AJ, Chrispy, Zane and Greg last night. A good time for sure. We rode Ghost Falls, Jacob's Ladder and some of Shoreline. As usual, I have the pain face on at the top of a climb. However, ripping the down (with some caution due to the number of folks on the trail) was well worth it. So much more fun than riding circles at RMR. Memo to self: more MTB, less RMR.

Here's Dave winning at DMV tonight. The guy is a machine. The last couple of years, I bet he's won more than half of the DMV's he's raced. Last year he won 6 or 7 in a row at one point. I know some people discount DMV because of small fields. However, DMV is HARD every week and you have to give it up to him for his domination.

Here's Tanner mixing it up at DMV tonight. He was aggressive and on the front a bunch. He just faded a bit the last 10 minutes to finish in the pack. Last year, he'd get dropped early, so this was a big improvement. He's be challenging for wins at DMV soon enough.

In other news, I'm no longer a fugitive. We live in a subdivision with a homeowners association and covenants. One such covenant is your Christmas lights must be off your house no later than March 31st. I was making a stand and refused to take mine down. However, fear of arrest and torture got the best of me and I took them down Saturday. (If you saw my neighbor the "Enforcer", you'd understand my fear of torture was real.) Who knows where my life of crime would have led. I'm sure shoplifting, gambling, ponzy schemes and of course drug abuse were not far away. With EPO, HGH and anything else I could get my hands on, Brad, Bob and Darrell would have been in serious trouble. However, they can continue to work me over on any hill with more than a 1% grade.

Yard work is finally calling my name. I managed to get in 2 hours the other night. Another 10 or so and I'll have the basic spring maintenance complete. Too bad it will be fall by the time I get it done. I just call it being efficient. This way I can completely skip over the summer and fall work. I'm beginning to lean heavily to zeroscaping the front. I hate my grass. It's ugly, uneven, takes too much water and is a weekly pain to mow. The weeds are far more determined than me. However, I do have to get my vegatable garden planted. I can't live without some fresh goodies in the summer and fall. Maybe I'll just make the entire back yard into a garden like Doug.

So much for a short post.