4DaBoyz

Facebook

2010-08-08T16:11:00.001-05:00

I am primarily on Facebook these days since it takes far less time to post and I am staying connected with many old friends that way. Join if you haven't already!

Fun in the Snow

2009-12-30T13:04:00.005-06:00

We spent the morning playing in the snow. After 12" of snow last week there was more falling today. The boys loved their first trip to a "hill" to sled.

When we returned home we shoveled the driveway and then made a giant snowman. He started off around 7 feet tall, but was quickly melting with the temperatures above freezing.

Christmas Blizzard 2009

2009-12-28T11:17:00.001-06:00

Doesn't look like there will be any bike commuting in the near future.

Halloween Fun

2009-11-02T12:01:00.010-06:00

We had a full week of Halloween fun. The boys love to go checking out and trying on masks and wigs at all of the Halloween stores. We had a large Spirit shop close to us this year, in addition to Party City, which is always full of fun accessories.

I guess the boys are just the right age because we ended up with 6 nights of parties and trick-or-treating this year. I think the fact Halloween was on Saturday helped to extend it all. Also, nothing conflicted with anything else so we were able to hit every party in town. By Saturday night we were actually ready to just lay low and take it easy. I watch the K-State game and handed out candy while Sharla took the boys around the neighborhood for awhile.

Below are a few pictures from my work party. We had a lot of participation this year. My team decorated our room as the demented circus. Other rooms were The Nightmare Before Christmas, Studio 54, Bug World and Where the Wild Things Are.

Brady's Pumpkin Patch Field Trip

2009-10-13T14:49:00.006-05:00

Last Thursday Brady's kindergarten class went on a field trip to the pumpkin patch. They had a cold, wet day but seemed to enjoy getting out of the classroom anyway. Brady was proud to find a big white pumpkin that he plans to turn into a ghost.

Pumpkin Patch Photos

2009-10-07T13:42:00.007-05:00

Wednesday Brett and I went on a field trip with his school to Johnson Farms...

Colbert Hills

2009-09-25T12:55:00.007-05:00

Yesterday we drove to Manhattan, KS for "All You Can Golf Day" at Colbert Hills. The weather was great and we managed to squeeze in 43 holes after our 2 hour drive. Good times.

Reno

2009-09-18T18:51:00.008-05:00

My coworker Ryan and I traveled to Reno, Nevada Wednesday for meetings with the city. That evening we rented full suspension mountain bikes from our hotel/ casino and rode north to the nearest trail. It was an interesting experience climbing a rocking trail up a desert mountain.

The Walgreens below was just south of University of Nevada's campus. Looks similar to Kemper Arena with the exterior truss holding up the roof. Hope it has more people inside than Kemper.

Tour of Missouri- Kansas City, MO

2009-09-13T20:27:00.005-05:00

I had an excellent weekend at the Tour of Missouri. Today we headed downtown to the Power and Light District to have some lunch before the race started. After Sharla and the boys took in the start of the race they headed home for naps and I took my bike around to check out different parts of the course. KCP&L was pretty fun because they had a stage with an announcer commentating as they rolled by, and I could watch football AND the race on the TVs in between the live action.

Summit Street on the west side of downtown was the most unique area because of all the neighbors out to support the race and cheer riders up the largest hill on the course.

It was my first year watching the race after just getting into cycling over one year ago. While I ride nearly everyday now, my mileage totals to and from work and no comparison to what these guys put up in a week. It was pretty amazing to see how fast they move, especially after having ridden one hundred miles over the course of 4-5 hours.

Tour of Missouri- St. Joseph, MO

2009-09-12T22:00:00.007-05:00

Today Brett and I headed to St. Joe while Sharla and Brady stuck around KC for a birthday party. The Tour of Missouri professional cycling race was going from Chillicothe to St. Joseph, and we were camped at the finish line to watch them speed in. I was surprised by the entire thing, but specifically by the number of tents set up and the speed of the peloton as they came steaming down the street toward the finish. It was definitely an exciting experience. They averaged around 32 mph for the 4 hours (110 miles) they were out on the road. I can't wait to check out the final stage tomorrow in KC!

1000 Miles

2009-09-10T07:50:00.003-05:00

It has been a down week for bike commuting, but I went over 1000 miles on the year today. Looking forward to watching the Tour of Missouri bike race this weekend.

House Painting

2009-08-24T12:45:00.002-05:00

We're not done, but certainly making progress. We focused on the front over the weekend to give the finished appearance from the street. Certainly a big improvement over the bright yellow we've been living with the past 7 years.

Kindergarten

2009-08-18T10:13:00.007-05:00

Today is unofficially Brady's first day of kindergarten. We went with him for about an hour this morning and he stays until noon. Mom requested a photo shoot before we left for school...

Weekend Warrior

2009-08-17T07:39:00.004-05:00

Sharla and I spent each night last week painting the house while the boys were in Lebo with the grandparents. I have been wanting to paint the house for a couple of years now, so it was nice to have a block of time to get a good start on it. The yellow with white trim was never either of our favorites, but we lived with it long enough.

The first night was spent priming the gutters and garage door to accept our paint. The second night we were able to roll out a coat on the back and both sides, pretty good progress for one night. The second and third nights were spent brushing the front. After two coats on most of the front it was starting to look better.

Adding the sample can of trim color really improved the looks. We're starting to see what it can actually look at when it is done, but rain has delayed a lot of work and washed away some, so now the boys are back and we'll be trying to figure out how to squeeze an hour or two of painting in an evening between entertaining them and dinner and bed time.

With the boys in Lebo all week I was able to ride my bike to work all 5 days and my truck didn't even leave the garage since we were spending the evenings painting. Unfortunately, on my way home Friday I busted my rear derailleur trying to get the chain to hop back on after it tangled up on the back. Luckily, I hadn't made it more than a block from the office so I walked it back and called for a ride.

Sharla's parents brought the boys up Friday so we could all go to an Ice Cream Social at Brady's new school. He start kindergarten tomorrow and we are all very excited for him. Brett is starting preschool this morning, although he went for 3 days with Brady before we went on vacation. It is a big week and we hope it goes off without a hitch.

While Sharla took the boys back to Lebo for a party Saturday night I stayed around and painted. I got quite a bit done Saturday afternoon and evening before the rains came. Unfortunately, half of what I did was washed away Saturday night/ Sunday morning. I was also supposed to go on a nice long bike ride Sunday morning which also got washed away. Anyway, I was about to find some dry trim to start painting Sunday when David called and wanted to go golfing. His baseball game had been rained out and it seemed like the perfect excuse for us both to go golfing.

We ended up at Tiffany Greens and enjoyed a beautiful day of golf. It may be too wet to paint or play baseball, but rarely is it too wet to play golf!

CARS-R-COFFINS

2009-08-13T12:19:00.003-05:00

TODAY I SURPASS 900 MILES ON THE BIKE FOR 2009 AND 1500 MILES SINCE I BEGAN RIDING LAST AUGUST. IT IS A GOOD WEEK FOR RIDING SINCE THE BOYS ARE SPENDING THE WEEK AT GRANDMA'S. WITH NO KIDS TO PICK UP FROM SCHOOL MY TRUCK HASN'T BEEN DRIVEN SINCE WE DROPPED THEM OFF SUNDAY. ZERO CO2 EMISSIONS ALL WEEK! AND TO GO ALONG WITH MY NEW CARS-R-COFFINS WATER BOTTLE I THOUGHT I WOULD JUST LEAVE MY CAPS LOCK ON TO BE EXTRA ANNOYING. HAVE A NICE DAY!

Portland Vacation

2009-08-07T22:56:00.024-05:00

We had a busy and exciting week in and around the Portland, Oregon area last week. We left Thursday afternoon headed through Oakland en route to Portland. The boys were very excited to fly through the clouds. They were well behaved for such a long flight and were excited to get to the hotel.

Day 1- Maltnomah Falls

We headed east on highway 84 to the Scenic Highway were tons of waterfalls coming from the Mt. Hood National Forest make their way to the Columbia River Gorge. We were ultimately headed for Maltnomah Falls, the largest of the bunch, but stopped at the first one we saw- Wahkeena Falls. It was so full of life with all the water spraying around the hills. We made our way up the trail to get a view from the bridge in front of the falls and ended up continuing a mile or two up to an overlook with spectacular views of the river and Washington State on the other side.

Hiking up these trails is no small feat, and we were probably lucky we chose this one with a nice paved trail to climb. Later in the day we encountered some unpaved trails which were too much for an exhausted Mom and Dad (Brady could have climbed all day).

Below is Maltnomah Falls, the second highest continuously running falls in the US at 620 ft. It had spectacular views, but was a bit more of a tourist trap than the others we went to. There were tons of people and a gift shop/ restaurant.

It was recommended to us that we drive further down the road and make a 3 mile hike to see a series of 4 waterfalls in one area. We made the first two, Horsetail and Ponytail, and decided to head back down in lieu of another 2 mile hike up the mountain.

As you can see, the one being carried most of the way was tired so you can imagine how the carrier felt in her sandals. It was a great day at the waterfalls though, even though we didn't get to see the attractions on the Columbia River Gorge.

Day 2 & 3- Downtown and Sauvie Island

I must have taken all the pictures downtown on my phone, but surprisingly it was probably one of our less memorable days in Portland. We went to the Saturday Market, which was very eclectic as you can imagine. We walked down the river to a fountain the boys played in, then bought a pass for the train so we could make our way around downtown. Sharla wanted to hit Powell's Books, which was a huge bookstore and I found Nike Town, although was a bit disappointed to see it was about the same as the others- nothing special for the one closest to their world headquarters. There were lots of interesting people on interesting bikes riding around downtown and in the Hawthorne District, which we bussed over to see.

Sunday we headed north to Sauvie Island to pick blackberries and blueberries on U-Pick farms. The island is lush with all kinds of fruit and vegetable farms and the boys enjoyed walking the rows picking their own berries.

A little Orange Soda washed the berries down and refreshed the boys until we got back to the hotel to swim and rest for our busy Monday.

Day 4- Mt. Hood and Ski Bowl Adventure Park

Monday was probably my most memorable day, all were good but this one was pretty unique. We had quite a drive out to Mt. Hood, but once we got there it was well worth it. We started at Ski Bowl Adventure Park, where we bought a half day pass for the family. The first adventure was a giant slide down the mountain. We rode the ski lift up (a first for us all) and rode sleds down a packed track back to the bottom. It was a pretty fun ride and seeing the top of Mt. Hood off in the distance was pretty cool too.

The Adventure Park was split into two separate parks, so after 4-5 rides on the slide we drove to the East Park and enjoyed go carts, trampolines, canoes and miniature golf. Below are Brady and Brett's first time on the go carts, quite an adventure.

The trampolines were a hit. They always see these in the mall and think it looks fun, but have never been brave enough to try them. I think we're in trouble next time we hit the mall.

After having lunch in town we drove up the mountain to the highest point, which was Timberline Lodge. From there you could see the top of Mt. Hood pretty well and the snow was too enticing to Brady. After stopping for pictures he was on his way to find the snow. He really wanted to make it to the top but I convinced him it would take all day and he settled for throwing a few snowballs about a mile up.

Sharla eventually decided to join us carrying Brett. Good thing she wore her tennis shoes today!

Any bug or special rock is facinating to our little 5 year old. The boy can collect anything.

We even found another waterfall on our way back down the mountain, although it was only about 30 seconds after we got in the car that Brett was asleep.

Day 5 & 6- The Oregon Coast

Tuesday we headed to Seaside, Oregon to enjoy our last two days on the beach. Although Portland was having a record heatwave (6 days in a row in the 90's) the coast was 15-20 degrees cooler with a stiff breeze off the ocean. We were all excited to step barefoot on the sand and test the water temperature. It was cold!

Seaside has a cool aquarium with seals, crabs, rays, an octopus, starfish and amoeba, shrimp and even a gray whale skeleton. Brady loved holding the various crabs and we all got drenched by the seals slapping the water in an attempt to get fish.

After lunch we made our way to Haystack Rock near Astoria, Oregon. There are lots of big rocks near the shore in this area, but this is the big one. After posting a few pictures on Facebook I learned that this area is the setting for the movie The Goonies, so we had to rent that when we got home from our vacation to see it all over again.

We rented a condo for the night in Seaside and had a great view off our balcony. Wednesday we woke up and walked down the beach checking out every crab, starfish and amoeba that had washed ashore the night before. It was amazing how many crabs were on the beach, and the seagulls were surprisingly good hunters of them.

Another favorite moment was off our balcony, where we watch an Orca fishing Tuesday night and a Humpback Whale Wednesday morning. We originally planned to spend our last day driving south 1.5 hours to take a whale watching charter, but decided to relax on the beach instead after enjoying two whales swimming in the ocean right outside our room.

We had a fantastic trip and will have many memories to enjoy for years and years. After getting used to a schedule where we work most of the day and spend only precisous few hours each evening with our boys, it was pretty special to do and share so many things with them the past week.

Great Reads

2009-08-07T22:00:00.003-05:00

I spend too much time reading these two blogs (and many of their links)...

CNNSI's Hot Clicks

Bike Snob NYC

Great stuff, IMHO.

Musings

2009-07-27T17:20:00.002-05:00

After 3 weeks of indulging in the Tour de France I am at a bit of a loss now that it has ended. The entertainment has not stopped though with Lance Armstrong starting his own team and little digs still going back and forth between he and Alberto Contador. It should make for an exciting Tour next year and the lead up to it.

Today was Brett's first day of preschool. I think he is going to come out of his shell more now. He's been pretty interested to go to Brady's school, and seemed to have a good day today. The big change is how much more active they are there, and he is already crashing on the couch tonight.

We are preparing for our trip to Portland later this week. We have lots of things on our to do list, so I think we'll all have a really good time. We're staying most of the trip in a hotel suite near Nike's world headquarters. We'll spend the last couple of days out on the coast before heading back for the airport.

Grandma's Lake House

2009-07-22T07:02:00.004-05:00

Saturday morning we loaded up and drove to the Lake of the Ozarks to spend the weekend with Papa and Grandma Jones. It is always nice to go down for a weekend in the summer to enjoy some swimming, fishing and boat riding. The weather was wonderful all weekend, which contributed to nice long naps also.

Above is the sailfish that hangs in the cabin. The boys talk about the lake house all the time and enjoy every trip down there. Below is one of a few pictures we took of bugs while at the lake. Brady has been talking a lot about bugs at school and Ms. Deja asked him to take some pictures of bugs to bring to school (so he wouldn't bring the real thing back). We also rounded up a turtle to observe until our attention spans dwindled, then he was off to the races when we turned our backs.

Thanks for the wonderful weekend Grandpa and Grandma Jones!!!

Midnight Cave Ride and Milestones

2009-07-12T10:59:00.009-05:00

Saturday night I headed off on my bike to meet up with my coworker Ryan at Merriam Farmer's Market for a midnight ride. I debated about which bike to ride, but went with my trusty commuter which can handle lots of weight and is decked out in reflective stickers.

We rode down Merriam Drive to Southwest Boulevard and up 31st Street to caves that serve as offices and storage for some local businesses. I had been down to a photographer in one of these spaces years ago.

Going down the ramp was a little slick for some of the bikes. There were two or three wipe outs, but everyone seemed to survive.

The weather couldn't have been better. We took it pretty slow and easy, which was fine with such a large group. This was actually my first group ride, other than being in the hundreds of people out riding in the KCCC triathlon last month.

In all I think there were about 30 people on the ride. I went a total of 16 miles from my home, through the ride and back home. That actually put me over 800 miles for the year and 1400 miles since I started commuting on my bike last August. Good times!

Colbert Hills

2009-07-05T21:55:00.004-05:00

Friday we enjoyed our July 3rd holiday at Colbert Hills Golf Course in Manhattan, KS. This is a favorite of mine, being completed shortly after I graduated from K-State. We hit Manhattan for some golf 2-3 times each summer. The forecast did not look great, but the rain stayed away and we made our way around a windy course. It was an inconsistent round, but better than work for sure.

Independence Weekend

2009-07-05T21:38:00.004-05:00

We had a good weekend in Lebo. The boys wore themselves out with all of the activities. Saturday we managed to get them down for naps and I headed to the farm with all 4 dogs. The grass was high so we didn't venture too far, but made it to the creek for a swim and back to the truck.

KCCC Wrap Up

2009-06-30T07:27:00.003-05:00

Well, Kansas City Corporate Challenge (KCCC) has finally wrapped up. I skipped the final event (tug-of-war) in favor of Brady's baseball game, knowing we had a comfortable lead on the second place team in our division. I competed in 9 events this year: walk, volleyball, bike race, softball, table tennis, track, team triathlon, basketball and swimming. It gets busy at times and is definitely a relieved feeling when it is finally over. This was BRR's 4th year winning our division and keeping the trophy here in our office. Now the summer must go on.

We are looking forward to relaxing this weekend and watching the kids play and enjoy fireworks. I am golfing at Colbert Hills with my dad Friday, then spending the rest of the weekend in Sharla's hometown of Lebo. Hopefully I can catch up on all of these magazine subscriptions I received for my birthday and maybe get to the lake a couple of time. The less I do this weekend the better.

Wicked Storms

2009-06-25T07:08:00.004-05:00

The past few days have been a whirlwind of wicked storms rolling through our area. Tuesday evening we came home from the swimming pool and were sitting down for dinner when one started. It looked like a little shower at first, but then the trees started blowing every different direction and our grill shot across the deck. We decided that was a good sign to hit the basement.

After spending half an hour in the basement it cleared. Watching the radar on my computer we saw that there were just two small little storms passing through, but they were very powerful. The news that night said we had a microburst with wind speeds up to 70 mph.

The clouds were very interesting afterward. Our trash was thrown two houses down the street and neighbors lost some big tree limbs, but nothing serious that I saw.

Again last night when we arrived home from the pool there had been a big storm. There was a group of about 10 neighbors helping clear a big tree from the street. The side of our yard was a pool. I was too scared to look in the basement to see if water had come in or not. I have been working to make sure all the slopes over there were keeping it away, but with this amount of water it was about impossible. Next week they are saying mild and sunny. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

700, 1300 and Silver Medal

2009-06-15T07:22:00.005-05:00

I surpassed 700 miles for 2009 and 1300 miles since I began commuting on my last ride to work Thursday. I never imagined I would take onto riding so much when I gave commuting a shot that one day last summer. Hopefully I can keep it up because I don't imagine I will ever get my exercise from running.

This weekend was sort of a last hurrah for Corporate Challenge 2009. I have a couple of final events, but no more tournaments or long, drawn out events. It was very frustrating for me trying to manage 8 guys for a 3-on-3 tournament, but we got the silver medal for the second year in a row so we are doing well even if it isn't making everyone happy. I think I will pass the coaching duties onto someone else next year.

We Love Baseball

2009-06-12T07:47:00.003-05:00

Brady is about 5 games into his Daredevil Dog's baseball season and loving it. He is doing great considering he is with boys that are all a year older than he is. Attention spans are lacking in the field, but with so many out there the chances of actually getting a ball are slim.

He got to suit up and play catcher for an inning. I think he liked the experience, but the shin guards were bothering him so I doubt that is his favorite position.

Grandma Jones made it out to the game and watched Brady get 3 hits! The bats are still a tad heavy, but he doesn't miss too many.

After the game parents line up and make a tunnel for all the kids to run through.

Then there are snacks and drinks. So far, so good. He takes his baseball glove everywhere we go now and plays catch with me in the living room every chance he gets. With the College World Series coming up, we'll definitely be watching and playing a lot of baseball!

KCCC Triathlon

2009-06-07T19:04:00.002-05:00

I woke up at 5:00 am this morning to torture myself with an 18 mile bike race. Actually, I was the bike portion of a team triathlon for KC Corporate Challenge.

I got my choice of bike parking when I arrived, but spots filled up quickly in the transition area. There was space for 600 participants, but 700 had signed up.

This has never really been my thing, but since taking up cycling I have enjoyed these new KCCC events this year. I am considering the duathlon next year, but not sure I am up for the torture. At least I enjoy cycling, running not so much- unless there is a sport involved.

I was impressed with the number of fit people at this event. It is pretty inspiring watching all these people give it everything after months of training.

I do not know the results from the meet yet, but we should be in pretty good shape with 5 individual participants and our 3 person tri team.

KCCC Softball

2009-06-03T08:18:00.005-05:00

This past weekend was a long one. KCCC softball tournament usually drags out most of Saturday afternoon/ evening and Sunday morning/ afternoon. I wasn't sure we were going to have it in us to make it through this year, but I was wrong.

We ended up playing 3 games Saturday and 4 Sunday, losing in the 3rd place game. We were up 6-0 but lost our marbles and that was it. Anyway, we still earned the bronze medal. In 7 years of competing in the Corporate Challenge, that was the first bronze medal I have received. All the others are gold or silver.

We have had some good photographers out for the events this year, which is why I have been able to post so many pictures. Sunday evening Sharla and the boys joined me to head over to the doubles table tennis tournament. This month-long period of the year gets a little stressful with something going on every night, but I think it is worth it.

By the time it is over it is warm enough to hit the pool and enjoy the summer. Next up is track and team triathlon. I have gotten myself into some new events, which I am enjoying. Hopefully BRR will pull out another first place trophy this year!

KCCC Volleyball

2009-05-28T15:37:00.007-05:00

We are in the midst of the Kansas City Corporate Challenge. This is the 7th year our company has entered, and we have won our division the past 3 or 4 years. This year is going to be tough, but we got off to a good start winning the gold medal in Men's Volleyball.

Bike Race

2009-05-27T21:48:00.008-05:00

Yesterday I took my first crack at the KC Corporate Challenge bike race. I have been commuting for nearly a year now, so I felt like I was in shape enough for this 2.5 mile sprint. The team triathlon I am riding in two weeks from now I am not as confident in.

The race is held at the Kansas Speedway's outer road. It is scored on age groups divided into 5 year groups. I was happy to get first in my age group for my division, and also nudged out our resident BRR cycler by 4 seconds.

Above is my coworker Holly, who usually takes the reigns with this Corporate Challenge fiasco each year. She also manages to compete in nearly every event they have.

I started out well and was feeling pretty good through the first half, but ran into a headwind on a hill and dropped a lot of speed. I had enough left to regain it through the finish. Next year I will have a better game plan.

Rebuilding

2009-05-27T21:35:00.003-05:00

We have been happy to see our neighbors rebuilding their house that burned down last winter. It has gone up quickly after they cleaned out the remains of the old one. It appears this one is going to be pretty similar to the previous one. Today they were placing roof joists when I came home for lunch.

This afternoon I received an additional wide screen monitor at work, so now I can increase my dysfunctional multitasking. Hope it works!

Happy Birthday Babe!

2009-05-22T08:02:00.004-05:00

Today is Sharla's 32nd birthday. We have a big weekend planned with her family at the lake. Hopefully the rain stays away for the most part. Looking forward to one last leisurely weekend before the real stress of my next project kicks in. Happy Birthday Sharla!!!

Royals Game

2009-05-21T07:29:00.003-05:00

It has been a crazy week, but we had tickets Tuesday night for the Royals vs. Indians game. It was a perfect night and we got there early to get free Royals shirts. It worked out well with all the new activities they have beyond left field. The boys played games and rode rides for over an hour until the game started, then we got dinner and sat down to take in the game. It was a pretty uneventful game while we were there, but after we got home and put the boys in bed we saw that they pulled it out with a 4 run 9th inning. There was so much to do at the "New K" that we didn't even make it around to see it all. There is a pretty cool bar in right field that looked like fun. I'll have to get a hold of the office tickets later this year and sit a little closer to the action next time.

1200 Miles

2009-05-19T12:13:00.003-05:00

What a beautiful day! It is looking like this could be the nicest week of the year. I rode in early this morning and back home at lunch to get things ready to take the family to the Royals game tonight. On the way back I hit 600 miles for the year and 1200 miles since I began commuting last August. There is only about a week before the bike race and a couple more until the team triathlon I am riding in. Hoping I am in shape for both!

Bike to Work Week- Wrap up

2009-05-16T07:05:00.007-05:00

I commuted 4 of 5 days this week. Wednesday I had to take the boys to school in the morning so Sharla could go in early for a meeting. I missed most of the bad weather this week. Friday was a windy ride which made it tough on the way in and quick on the way home.

Today begins a busy month-long stretch with Kansas City Corporate Challenge (KCCC) starting. While it does get hectic, it is fun and over fairly quick to allow us to enjoy summer. Volleyball is our first competition, starting tonight. If we win our pool we'll play in the championship tournament Wednesday night. Tomorrow we have a golf-off within our company to determine who will play in the KCCC golf tournament. I am the organizer of 3 events, and this year they all happen to fall on the exact same day. Most likely I will be playing basketball and just helping determine who plays golf and does the mountain bike race.

I now stand at 1190 miles on my bike since I began commuting to work last August. It looks like I will end up pretty close to 1500 miles for my first year commuting. I have really enjoyed my rides to and from work and the occasional pleasure ride in between. I have fallen 3 times, but luckily they were all relatively low speed accidents. In two weeks I will be riding in the KCCC bike race. I am really looking forward to seeing how I stack up, knowing that I won't be at the top without a $10K bike. I should have a shot at the winning time in my division and age group, so we'll see how it goes. It is only a 2.5 mile race so that shouldn't be too painful. Early next month I am taking part in a team triathlon as part of KCCC. I will be doing the bike portion, which is 18 miles. That will be a little more difficult so I need to get out on as many long rides as I can before then.

Bike to Work Week

2009-05-11T12:46:00.004-05:00

Today kicks off Bike to Work Week. I encourage everyone that is a reasonable distance from their workplace to give it a shot one day. That's all I did and I was hooked. Cycling is a great form of exercise that is easy on the joints and great for our environment. CNN is posting I-Reports on their website. Check it out.

Happy Mother's Day!!!

2009-05-10T17:17:00.006-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to my mom, my wife and all other mother's out there that may read this. You do far more for our families than you ever get credit for.

Daredevil Dogs

2009-05-10T16:29:00.010-05:00

Brady's first coach pitch game was today. He had two good hits and stood around a lot at shortstop and left field. I think he had fun and was happy to play on a real field with lots of fans in the stands.

A Good Weekend

2009-05-03T22:03:00.003-05:00

My mechanical skills are lacking, but I am happy that I was able to fix my rear wheel Saturday. It has had two broken spokes in the past two weeks. The first time I had it repaired, this time I gave it a shot myself. I am not holding out hope this for this wheel, but I was able to go for an hour long ride Saturday after I finished fixing and cleaning the wheel.

We picked up black baseball pants in preparation for Brady's first coach pitch baseball game next Sunday. He is really enjoying practices and was excited to try on his uniform for the first time.

4Runner

2009-05-01T10:13:00.003-05:00

Today wraps up (hopefully) 2 weeks of repairs to Sharla's 3 year old 4Runner. First it was the accident,which luckily turned out in our favor. The bumper was repaired which led to a catalytic converter (warranty) replacement at Toyota. In that process they blew out the left front tire and replaced it with a new one. We had the spare put on the right front so there are two new treaded tires on the front wheels. Today the glass man was out to repair the cracked windshield. It is as good as new now, so hopefully things turn and it can enjoy a long and happy life.

Pictures

2009-04-29T07:13:00.003-05:00

I haven't been doing good keeping up with the blog, but I'm not giving it up. I'll get motivated again soon. Below are the pictures that have been adding up on my camera.

Above are pictures from my trip last week to Washington and Oregon. I flew Tuesday to Spokane, WA and drove down to Pullman for a meeting, then went back to Spokane that afternoon and flew to Portland, OR. From there I drove down to Eugene, OR and spent the night. The pictures above are from my 2.5 hour drive from Eugene down to Medford. It was very scenic with several mountain passes. Below is Mount Something-or-Other off in the distance.

Friday I found a frog when I was mowing. Brady loves any animal he can carry around and observe. Brett enjoyed watching it hop off too.

I got the bike rack for my roof figured out so that will work out better for me taking it with us on walks and riding home. I was a little worried about things getting stolen off my bike while we were gone for a walk with it hanging off my hitch carrier.

One of our favorite places...

2009-04-19T16:21:00.003-05:00

Saturday was a beautiful day. After it rained in the morning I worked in the yard. When the boys woke from their naps we headed to Shawnee Mission Park. It was too muddy for the dog park, but there are plenty of paved trails to enjoy too. We should probably be looking for a house as close to the park as we can get when the time comes, since most of the driving we do is in that direction.

Friday I took a long ride home from work since it was so nice. I ended up in Mission Hills enjoying looking at the houses as I cruised along. Unfortunately, I heard a pop about 3/4 the way through and look down to see a wobbly rear wheel. I broke a spoke, but thankfully was able to ride it on home without too many problems. We dropped it off at the local bike shop Saturday morning. $1 for a new spoke, $30 for them to put it on and true the wheel. I think I'll give it a shot myself next time.

Pictures

2009-04-16T21:48:00.005-05:00

I took a break from riding today to drive to Brady's school for parent/ teacher conferences. Hoping to get lots of miles in tomorrow and this weekend. Rain rain stay away!

Below are some pictures that have been sitting on my camera for a few days.

Future George Winston's

Money in the pocket

Easter Sunday

Rainbow this morning

Flowers in bloom

Tanner lounging on a rainy day

Trevor resting after cleaning up scraps under the table

Salt Lake City trip

2009-04-14T22:16:00.003-05:00

Things have been hectic. I was thrilled for some warmer weather today. Below are pictures from my SLC trip last week. Looks like I will be heading to Washington and possibly Oregon also next week.

Amazing Phil

2009-04-04T21:38:00.003-05:00

Phil Keoghan, host of The Amazing Race, is riding across America for MS. I have been following his daily video blog on his website since he began last week. At this point in my biking career I cannot imagine riding 100 miles in one day. Phil is riding 100 miles every day for about 42 days in his journey from LA to New York. It is an amazing trip and I am thoroughly enjoying keeping up with how it is going. Tonight I signed up to ride with Phil April 18 in Omaha, NE. I can't wait!

Crazy Weather

2009-04-03T21:15:00.003-05:00

We are enjoying each and every day that allows us to get out for some fresh air. Saturday is supposed to be nearly 70, so a full day is planned outside. Sunday snow is again in the forecast. Hope they're wrong!

Harvester's

2009-03-31T19:00:00.005-05:00

Today a group of BRR employees spent the afternoon at Harvester's volunteering our time. I was surprised to see how nice their facilities were when we pulled up.

We were given a tour through the facility. I was amazed to see the amount of space they have for the storage of donated food and necessities.

We managed to produce 1153 weekend snack packs for children to take home on the weekends. I don't know if that was a record, but we worked pretty solid for 2 1/2 hours straight.

Our assembly line was rolling like a well oiled machine.

I was at the end of the line, putting together boxes and supplying the guys that were sealing up the packs. I got a little exercise out of it since I transported the ~225 boxes onto the pallets.

It was a rewarding day doing something good for people in need. We should all do a lot more of these kind of things. They mentioned they host birthday parties for groups wanting to volunteer their time. That might be what I ask for this year...

Weekends Are Too Short

2009-03-29T21:45:00.003-05:00

The boys were itching to get out and enjoy some final time in the snow this morning. It was melting quickly, but made for good snowman making. At noon we hit the theater for Monsters vs. Aliens. It was pretty entertaining, although the previews seem to go on forever before they finally get the the movie you are actually there to see- very annoying. By afternoon it was above 50 degrees and there was not much snow left. That should allow me to ride without too many complications tomorrow. It is going to be a busy week, but I am hoping for 3 days of bike commuting this week.

This is not SPRING

2009-03-28T21:37:00.002-05:00

I get very frustrated when it turns to spring and we miss out on the beautiful weather that should accompany the season. It is still early, but we got about 6 inches of snow today. We are hearing horror stories of my Aunt Connie being stuck in Pratt, KS (on their way to AZ) with 28 inches of snow. I think the most depressing part of it for me is that the 10 day forecast doesn't show it warming up much.

Consequently, we spent most of the day inside. We did drive up to see Grandma Jones, but then stayed inside all afternoon and evening. Brady was exhausted once again and slept through his nap and into the night. Hopefully he will be in better shape tomorrow. Brett took part in his favorite pass time - lining up cars. Tomorrow we hope to see Monsters vs. Aliens!

1000 miles!!!

2009-03-26T19:17:00.004-05:00

I am excited to have hit 1000 miles on my bike(s) in the past 8 months. I have been itching to ride this week but had to take Brady to the doctor at lunch today. The next few days are supposed to be pretty miserable with cold weather and rain/ snow. I am still dreaming of a few nice spring days to ride before it gets scorching hot this summer.

I have been thinking a lot lately about what we as a society are going to do to reverse the tremendously negative impact we have on our environment. I just finished the book Collapse, which discussed the successes and failures of past societies. Most that have failed have done so because they destroyed their environment/ resources. I feel good about the few changes I have made in my life over the past few months, but know there is so much more that has to be done by all of us.

I also was pointed to http://www.worldcommute.com/ today. It is a very good site for bike commuters, or any person that is finding alternatives to automobiles. I look forward to digging into this site a little more this weekend.

New Life

2009-03-25T21:47:00.002-05:00

The signs of spring are all around. The trees are blooming and the baseball fields are full.

We picked up a can crusher at the hardware store a couple of weeks ago. Brady's new chore is to smash empty cans and throw them in the recycling bin. He seems to be enjoying it so far. I just finished a book titled Collapse, which discussed the successes and failures of civilizations. There will be no more important issue in his lifetime than our environment. Hopefully we can all make a difference.

Spring Training

2009-03-23T22:13:00.002-05:00

It would have been a beautiful morning to ride if not for the 30+ mph wind gusts and threatening thunderstorms in the afternoon. It is not looking like a strong week for bike commuting, but I am hoping to squeeze out a couple of days at least.

Brady is working on breaking in his new baseball glove in preparation for his first baseball practice Thursday. He is jumping up to coach pitch so we will definitely have to work a lot on hitting and fielding.

Brett was a bit under the weather today. I picked him up early from daycare and brought him home to relax. He had too much energy to lay still for long, but seemed to be doing better. Hopefully he is back to normal tomorrow.

First Weekend of Spring

2009-03-22T22:00:00.005-05:00

It has been a full weekend of basketball. Friday night we hit Municipal Auditorium for the NAIA National Championship Tournament. There were good games with local teams, which is a first in the 7+ years I've been going down there. Columbia College and Mid-America Nazarene both pulled out their games. Missouri and Kansas are both headed to the Sweet 16 too, so that should be interesting.

Saturday we watch the house that burned get demolished. Hopefully a new one pops back up soon. I feel for the family that has had their lives turned upside down by this mess.

Today I went for a ride while the boys napped. I didn't really have a plan when I set out, but was considering riding to Shawnee Mission Park to hop on their trails and then back. That would have been a long long ride, but with 25 mph winds in my face for the first half of the ride there I just decided to keep close and make a smaller loop. I ended up riding 16 miles but after filling in my mileage wish I would have got it up to 1000. Anyway, the temperature was great so it was nice to get some fresh air.

March Madness

2009-03-20T13:14:00.004-05:00

I am enjoying a couple of afternoons off to engulf myself in the NCAA basketball tournament.

NCAA Tournament

2009-03-18T22:13:00.004-05:00

Tonight we went downtown to Sprint Center to catch the practices of the teams playing in KC during the first weekend of the NCAA tournament. We caught the last half of Oklahoma, all of Michigan and the first half of Morgan State.

I'm looking forward to lots of good basketball this weekend. This has got to be the best time of the year.

Picnic

2009-03-15T22:06:00.003-05:00

We picked up a picnic table this weekend in hopes to use it early and often this spring. We love to get outside and now that the boys are both big enough to sit and eat without booster seats a picnic table was the perfect thing. It was basically assembled the way we bought it, so in five minutes we had it together and ready to stain. I had some stain in the basement that I went ahead and used to prolong the life of the table. We were even able to use the table for dinner tonight and with 70's the next few days we'll likely get to use it one or two more times this week.

We got plenty of fresh air this weekend. The boys love exploring the backyard. Brett plays in the sandbox and Brady climbs on the dog house. They keep saying they want a tree house. I'm not sure we have an ideal spot, but we'll have to keep it in mind. It would be a fun little project.

Back to the Future

2009-03-14T21:45:00.003-05:00

We had a parade roll down the street this afternoon. Apparently the local artist decided to continue the St. Pat's Parade around Merriam. He has been on city council for the past few years and is running for mayor this year. I'm not sure of his mayoral qualification or political beliefs, but he is certainly entertaining. Below is a short, grainy clip of the band on his float.

Trains and Bicycles

2009-03-12T21:12:00.003-05:00

Only two days commuting this week, but it really wasn't a great week for the weather with rain the first two days and 9 degree wind chills the other mornings. Tomorrow is all about golf and I haven't figured out how to get my bag onto my bike yet.

I have been surprised how dark it really is when I step out in the morning, even with the full moon we have had. This morning I was stopped by a passing train. It has been awhile since that has happened. I was ready for the brief rest this morning anyway.

Dark Mornings

2009-03-11T07:19:00.006-05:00

It was a cold and dark morning to ride in, but the ground was dry which is better than I can say for the past few days. I have heard a lot of people complaining about the recent switch to daylight savings time, but I just don't get it. I guess I am used to getting up and going to work in the dark. I would take more sun in the evening over sun in the morning any day. Anyway, it was 9 degrees windchill this morning. I was well prepared for it though so wasn't too bad, but certainly not as enjoyable as some of the 70 degree rides I have had home the past few weeks.

It is funny that instead of watching the sun rise at work I am really watching to moon set most days, looking to the west out of my office window. It is kind of a glass half full thing watching the sun rise or the moon set. I have always considered myself more of a positive person, but I can see the beauty in both I guess.

Alvin, Simon, Theodore

2009-03-10T08:34:00.002-05:00

Over the weekend we spotted a chipmunk running about the backyard. It turns out he is living in our sandbox, which should give it a good use since the boys never play in it.

I have been falling behind on my posts, but I have gotten my laptop at home back up and running so I should be able to resume regular posts now. This week I am planning to hit the driving range in preparation for a St. Pat's Golf Tournament Friday. We're keeping our fingers crossed that the weather will cooperate. Last year we won $650 when David holed out for an eagle, which ended up being the only skin for the entire tournament. Fat chance we'll be so lucky this year, but we'll always want to play in this particular tournament hoping to win big again.

Next week I am all about basketball. I am not too busy at work right now, but a hectic schedule looms so I need to enjoy as much personal time as I can before then. I am taking off part (if not all) of the day Thursday and Friday to soak up all of the games. Thursday afternoon I am making my way downtown to watch the NAIA tournament with my high school friend Jeremy. I think we have been doing this about every year since I moved to KC, so it is becoming tradition. Friday I will probably head home late morning to set up in front of my new HDTV and enjoy the NCAA tournament. Can't wait!

900 Miles!!!

2009-03-06T06:08:00.007-06:00

It has been a crazy week to say the least. We began the week with 6" of snow and hit 80 degrees on Thursday. Today I went over 900 miles on my bike(s) and 300 miles for 2009. My computer at home is jacked, so hopefully some calls this weekend will get that straightened out. I got a new monster computer at work that I am excited to get up and going. Hoping to get a lot done around the house this weekend.

Mark Miller- Sawyer Brown

2009-02-28T21:52:00.006-06:00

Friday night we enjoyed another Sawyer Brown concert, this time in St. Joseph. They are always thoroughly entertaining. We got to meet Mark and the band for the first time, which was a pleasure.

I tried to remember all the times we have been to seen Sawyer Brown in concert. The first time was 1999 when I went with Sharla and her parents to the Kansas State Fair. I have never been a big country fan, but was surprised by the entertaining show they put on. Since then we have seen them several times at both Kansas and Missouri State Fairs, American Royal several times, Country Stampede twice, Harrah's, Independence Sports Lodge, Atchison, Las Vegas and St. Joseph.

Mark and the guys are on their 27th year in 2009 and set to release a new album soon. If you haven't been to see them, you need to get out more. :-)

Shawnee Mission Park

2009-02-25T21:24:00.003-06:00

With 70 degree weather and Sharla off to New York I rounded up the boys and headed to Shawnee Mission Dog Park this evening. It is actually staying light long enough for us to get a walk in after work, which is nice. The boys love exploring the woods on the trail and the dogs have a chance to run down to the lake for a dip (no matter what the temperature). We have many great memories from Shawnee Mission Park and are grateful to have it close to home.

Leaving the park at sunset is quite an amazing sight, given that hundreds of deer wander out to feed. You really have to be careful as you drive because they are anywhere and everywhere in the park. All the trapped city deer in one place. Tomahawk Golf Course is right next to the park, so it isn't uncommon to see them all over that course too. At least they have some refuge, but they are definitely getting over populated and I believe they are having some bow hunts to thin out the herds.

Sawyer Brown

2009-02-24T21:59:00.007-06:00

It looks like tomorrow will be my last day to bike commute to work for the month. My pace slowed in the second month of the year, but I am still on track to reach my goal of 1500 miles for the year. I have been enjoying the ride home with mild afternoons lately. Today it was almost 60 on my return trip. It is amazing how refreshing a nice ride with fewer clothes can be. Tomorrow is supposed to be almost 70 so maybe I will be able to slip away to take the long route home from work. I have been enjoying keeping up with Lance Armstrong on Twitter the past week. He rode the Tour of California last week and is back in Austin now. If you haven't been on Twitter, check it out.

Tonight we watched President Obama address Congress. I continue to feel inspired by our new President. Regardless of politics, I believe it is refreshing to have such a lively and well spoken person leading our country. I hold out hope he can reverse the tides and get us back on track. He has a big job ahead of him though.

Tomorrow Sharla heads back to New York until Friday. We are headed to St. Joseph Friday evening for a Sawyer Brown concert. We are officially in the fan club now, so we're hoping to get back stage for their meet and greet before the concert. Our tickets are on the second row, so we'll have our annual fill of Mark Miller before heading home to enjoy the weekend.

Snoop

2009-02-22T09:09:00.006-06:00

Below is a long lost Snoop Dogg shirt from back in the day. I finished cleaning out my closet this morning and headed upstairs to clean my clothes out of the closet in Brady's room. It turned out there were a lot of old clothes up there that fit again, although some were severely out of style. I had started cleaning out the closets awhile ago, but as part of our Project Change event this month we are doing a clothing drive. I rounded up two more bags of clothes to add to the 3 bags I took earlier this week. My closets are officially clean, for now.

While the boys napped I headed to Dick's Sporting Goods with the gift card Sharla gave me for Valentine's Day. I have had my eyes on a Giro Livestrong helmet for awhile now. In addition to the helmet I was able to pick up a jersey to ride in when it warms up. I can't wait- thanks honey!

Updates

2009-02-19T12:10:00.005-06:00

It was an early morning heading to work today to get a jump on things. Yesterday I did ride to work in full morning light though, which was nice. I got a call about 7:50 am this morning from Brady saying his tooth was about out. After I chatted with him and Brett I overheard the commotion of him losing his first tooth while I talked to Sharla. He is sure to have an exciting day showing everyone at school the missing tooth and thinking about the Tooth Fairy visiting tonight.

Also, Lance Armstrong's time trial bike has been located in time for his race tomorrow.

Worst Week...

2009-02-18T21:21:00.006-06:00

The name of a new show I have been enjoying, but also the way I am feeling after a flurry of negative things this week. It all started with my truck on Monday. I am realizing after doing some research that I'm overdue on having my timing belt changed. The mechanic recommended a flurry of other items that also needed to be done. Somehow we're going to have to compromise. So, between the economy and all the added expenses we have had lately I am feeling more than stressed. To top it off, after I got layered up to ride home this afternoon I take off and find out my rear tire was completely flat on my bike. Back up to my desk I went to call Sharla to round up the boys. Today definitely was not my day. I am driving tomorrow so I can take my turn hauling everyone to 24 Hour Fitness over lunch. I'll be hoping things take a turn for the better soon.

Pet Fox

2009-02-17T22:34:00.004-06:00

I surpassed 600 miles on the yellow Giant today. At lunch we hit 24 Hour Fitness for a little more riding. The two times we have done this we have got a great workout. Today we tried the recumbent bikes, which were much more comfortable for a long period of riding. I rode over 16 miles in 30 minutes and was dripping with sweat by the end. I am a little surprised more people don't bike for exercise, but I understand it isn't the most comfortable thing in the world. Compared to running though, the bike is heaven on my knees.

This evening we rushed to the park to enjoy a nice evening before the cold front blew in. Tomorrow is supposed to be 20 degrees cooler. Brett is a swing-aholic, he would never stop if you sat there and pushed him. Brady is a collector. I think he get this from his mother. Tonight he was rounding up pine cones and walnut shells. He had his hands and pockets full. Not sure what he thinks he'll do with all of this stuff, but he feels good carrying it around anyway.

While I worked on the fence Sunday I had company. The boyz were going crazy in the back yard, which usually means someone or something is back there in the pasture. This time is was our friendly fox. I think he must live in this abandon barn, we see him from time to time, but not really regularly. I guess Sunday was a nice day for him to sun himself.

Livestrong

2009-02-16T21:43:00.007-06:00

I hit 200 miles for the year on my way to work after dropping my truck off at the shop this morning. It was having trouble getting going last week and shockingly, needed a new starter. $400 later I have a functioning vehicle again. I swear if I didn't have to shuttle kids around all the time I would get rid of one vehicle and we would be a single vehicle family...maybe one of these days. The owner of the shop says I need $1200 worth of work done now since it has surpassed the 90K mile mark. Guess we'll see if the money fairy hits me in the head anytime soon.

I still have 100 miles to go on the month to keep the pace I started January. It isn't looking good after a lackluster past two weeks. I should be good to go the next two, but doubtful that I will get that many miles in unless I go for a long fun ride. I am over 800 miles total, which I am happy with, but seems kind of silly considering Lance Armstrong is on a week long race which covers 750 miles across California. He does make millions doing it though so I suppose if it were my living I could muster a few more miles a day. If you haven't heard, he got his $10k+ time trial bike stolen Sunday morning. At night I dream of having a bike like this.

D-Fence

2009-02-15T19:35:00.006-06:00

Our side fence bit the dust this week. The posts have rotted through at the base. With the muddy conditions and the dogs jumping up on the fence it has begun to fall over. I placed some wire fence along the inside to keep the dogs back a little, but it is just a goner. The funny thing is that even with the gate open and the wire fence falling over, they never once tried to get out. They could have just walked out, but they are pretty timid around this wire fence so luckily we didn't have to conduct a city-wide dog hunt like my coworker did last week.

After placing a more sturdy temporary fence I pushed over the old fence pretty easily. I was actually surprised to find that all of the posts were placed in concrete; they had just rotted at the base of the concrete. I had to dig pretty large holes to get all of the old concrete out, so the new posts will have a solid base holding them in. Hopefully we are long gone next time these need to be dug up.

I placed the first post, which was up against the basement wall, so I didn't leave a big hole next to the foundation for an undetermined amount of time. I got the rest of the posts placed Saturday afternoon and covered them at night to help insulate the concrete a bit overnight. Sunday afternoon everything seemed pretty sturdy so I mounted the gate and cut down the posts before putting up the 2x4 rails and then the pickets. I chose to reuse the gate we had since it was still in good shape and it doesn't take long for the cedar pickets to weather and all take on the same appearance.

I'm pleased with the weekend's work. The temporary fence is still up to keep the boyz from jumping on it for a few more days. I'll have some regrading work to do to make sure everything is flowing away from the house, but that is for another day.

Valentine's Day

2009-02-14T21:46:00.004-06:00

We had a terrific family day today in celebration of Valentine's Day. After opening up presents and having a little breakfast we headed to the Plaza Library for another Jim Cosgrove (Mr. Stinky Feet) concert. The boys are always a little strange at these concerts, a bit shy or scared it seems. Anyway, it was great entertainment for a Saturday morning.

This afternoon Sharla headed off to scrapbook and I went back to work on the fence. I was able to place the other 3 posts so once the concrete is sufficiently set I will be able to get the fence and gate on. I was hoping to finish tomorrow, but we'll see how things go. I have to get into the office while the boys nap to make up time I was short while Sharla was in New York.

Brady skipped his nap this afternoon and played in the yard while I worked on the fence. It was fairly nice out, so he enjoyed playing with the dogs in the back yard. Tanner decided to join him on top of the dog house and torment Trevor, who is too fat to jump up there.

BK Flame

2009-02-14T08:50:00.005-06:00

Today is a great day. For V-Day Sharla tracked down something I have been wanting since the day it came out. I can't wait to wow everyone today with my new cologne: Burger King FLAME! "The scent of seduction with a hint of flame broiled meat." Watch our ladies. :-)

FIRE MEETS DESIRE

Exhaustion

2009-02-12T22:01:00.007-06:00

I lay here in exhaustion tonight after a long and full day. We started the morning with my truck acting up. After debating what to do with the day, it started and we went ahead as planned. Brett's daycare was closed so he went with me to drop Brady off at preschool. Afterward we hit the grocery store for more Valentine's goodies and Home Depot for fence supplies.

Our side fence posts have rotted so this has been moved up my priority list. I have around 11 feet of fence along with gate. I will reuse the gate and turn the new portion of fence into cedar picket. I will have to post the entire process when it is complete (hopefully this weekend), but below are a couple of pictures from today.

At lunch Brett and I picked up my coworker Ryan to deliver Project Change fliers around the neighborhoods near our office. We are having a clothing drive at our office for the Shawnee Community Center and are going to be collecting from the neighbors later this month. Brett did great and we delivered to the entire area in one hour.

Tonight I took the boys to play and eat at McDonald's before going to Jamie's for haircuts. They did great and have fresh cuts to show off to their girlfriends tomorrow at their Valentine's parties. When we got home I had to chop up fruit for a tray Brady is taking to school tomorrow. The grapes, bananas and strawberries were easy enough, but cutting up cantaloupe and pineapple were more than I felt like doing after a long day. It is done now though and I am just hoping I don't forget anything on the way out the door tomorrow morning.

Below is a sign I noticed while sitting at a light on 75th Street this afternoon (across from Shawnee Mission Medical Center).

Boys Night In

2009-02-11T21:47:00.004-06:00

Brady is going to lose his first tooth any day now. It is his favorite conversation these days, and rightfully so. He is very excited about the exchange of his tooth for money via the Tooth Fairy.

Since the boys are both in booster seats now they don't have a good place to rest their head on long rides. Sharla found some neck pillows that they have been enjoying, although we haven't been on a ride longer than 10 minutes since she bought them.

We worked on Valentine's tonight. Sharla found these trucks to make and got a few knocked out before heading to New York. We made 21 more tonight so we should be set for Brady's party Friday. We're going to have to reload on candy to get Brett's done tomorrow.

No riding today. I may get a ride in Friday, but that's up in the air right now. I am having some problem with my truck starting so I may take it to the shop Friday after I drop the boys off and then ride my bike from the shop to work. If not I will probably be going to the gym at lunch to ride. I'm anxious to give the recumbent bike a try and see how many miles I can rack up in a lunch hour.

Moonset

2009-02-10T20:21:00.004-06:00

Brady has coined the term "moonset" for the setting moon that we occasionally see early in the morning. There was a moonset this morning on my way to work. Today was my only day of the week to bike commute. Sharla is off to New York for the rest of the week so I have double duty with the boys. We'll be happy for her to be back Friday evening. I went over 800 total miles today and am nearly to 200 miles for 2009. I haven't been doing great the past couple of weeks, but I'm still on a good pace. It was 70 degrees on my way home this afternoon and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I am thrilled at the thought of regular spring and summer rides in shorts and a t-shirt. So much easier and more enjoyable than layering up to ride through a freezing headwind.

Brady

2009-02-09T21:51:00.004-06:00

I decided to avoid the threatening thunderstorm today and drive into work. Not surprisingly the forecasters were off and it only rained briefly mid-morning. It would have been a nice day to ride. I would have had a challenging head wind on the way in, but probably would have had a new record on the way home with a 40 mph wind at my back. Anyway, Ryan and I hit 24 Hour Fitness at lunch and decided to ride the bikes there for some exercise rather than play one on one. We rode for about 40 minutes and 14.5 miles. I really enjoyed the exercise (much better than running), but I am not sure Ryan did so much. Anyway, I debated and decided that the miles should count to my total bike miles I am tracking off to the right. It won't be long before I am over 200 miles for the year and 800 miles since I started bike commuting.

Tonight Brady informed us one of his bottom teeth is loose. We have a book that we've read about loosing your teeth, so he is pretty excited about that actually starting to happen and the prospects of the Tooth Fairy visiting our house. I teased him about tying it up to the doorknob, but apparently he isn't quite that anxious for it to happen. He went with me to volleyball and sat there by himself watching and occasionally practicing a little dribbling. I am sometimes shocked and amazed how big he seems. It is exciting to watch him grow up, but sad at the same time. Fortunately right now we have more of the ornery little boy and not as much of the reflective growing boy, but we see glimpses now and then.

Horsing Around

2009-02-08T22:04:00.004-06:00

I'm feeling a bit tired from a long weekend, even though I got plenty of sleep. We were happy to enjoy the weather in Lebo Friday and Saturday.

The boys got a little ride around the arena on Levi Saturday afternoon.

Today we took it easy. After lounging and watching Sunday Morning we made our way to the dog park. I worked on taxes while the boys napped. Comparing what I did to what our trusty accountant has done the past few years I am convinced he is worth the money.

We have a busy week in store with Sharla heading to New York Wednesday. The boys and I will try to find a way to survive for a couple of days until mom comes back. Hopefully we can keep the house in some kind of order until then.

Reduce Reuse Recycle

2009-02-07T21:49:00.003-06:00

Around Christmas I bought two recycling kits for the boys. I was hoping to give it to them and show them/ learn what fun recycling can be. These have sat in our closet since then. I decided it was time to give it a try today so we tore up some scrap paper I brought home from work and let it soak for 2 hours.

After making a few white stars and hearts we decided to add some food coloring and make something we can give out for Valentine's Day. The pieces that have already dried have turned out well. We're hoping for the best for the pink creations below.

I didn't really plan on this being a holiday craft. I wanted to focus on the recycling aspects, but the boys enjoyed the process of ripping up paper and creating something new out of the old. Brady has had some interest in the recycling bin we keep in the garage, so maybe this will get his mind going a little more about things we can do that are good for our planet.

Setting Sun

2009-02-06T20:03:00.005-06:00

We are in Lebo, Kansas this weekend for the funeral of Sharla's grandmother, Jackie Rowley. She lived a long life, passing away Tuesday evening at the age of 88. I did not know enough about her, but I know she is happy tonight looking down over us with her husband Fred. Rest in Peace Jackie.

Cold Stone

2009-02-04T20:19:00.002-06:00

Tonight we headed to Cold Stone for a little birthday ice cream before Brady's coupon expired. It was a cold night for ice cream, but our minds were on the tropical weather heading our way the next few days. Brady chose the chocolate peppermint and Brett went for berry yogurt.

Jack Johnson

2009-02-03T21:43:00.006-06:00

Today I picked up a couple new Jack Johnson cd's. I have enjoyed the three I have now so much I had to hear more. We first picked up the Curious George soundtrack for the boys a couple of years ago. We were so impressed with the music and the messages that we bought his newest cd, Sleep Through the Static. A few months ago I bought another and have been jamming to all 3 lately. I can't wait to put on the headphones and delve into some of the older stuff. If you haven't heard any of his music, definitely give it a try.

Superbowl Sunday

2009-02-01T19:14:00.006-06:00

After spending some time cleaning up the house this morning I headed to work to straighten things out in preparation for the upcoming week. The ice had to be pretty thick to have survived the 65+ degree temperatures yesterday. It should be getting back into form again this week.

I took a detour on the way home to drop books off at the library. I cruised by the new "Merriam Village" strip center to check out the Circuit City that was built but never occupied before they went under. Hopefully they find a new anchor as there are no other tenants coming in until they get someone major in there. They are working on some sort of waterfall across the road which will dump into an area behind the Merriam City Pool.

When I got home I loaded Da Boyz into the truck and headed to the dog park. It was not nearly as nice today and the attendance was back to normal levels, which was nice. They have shredded all of the Christmas trees and dumped them on the trails. Trevor loves to roll in the pine needles, which is a vast improvement over the things he normally rolls in.

They found a liquid pit to mud themselves in. It will be awhile before they make their way inside the house again. Lucky for them they have a nice spot with lots of dog beds in the garage. They have had their fill of exercise this weekend. Looks like we could be in for another beautiful weekend next week too. We'll keep our fingers crossed.

REDRUM

2009-01-31T20:44:00.005-06:00

Today I was on my own after suffering through the flu last night. I have been wanting to change the oil on my old Rock Shox since they have been having trouble rebounding on my rides to work. I hit up a few bike shops to see what they had and to pick up some Rock Shox oil. I found the juice and headed home for some lunch- I hadn't eaten since the Dinosaur Restaurant Thursday night. After lunch I was feeling a bit drained and laid down for a nap. I will probably be sleeping good tonight in an effort to fully recover from this bug that hit me. I could have slept the rest of the day today, but I pulled myself up to get the boys to the dog park.

It was unbelievable how many people were at Shawnee Mission Park today. I have seriously never seen so many people out there. I can understand everyone wanting to get out after some of the harsh winter days we have had, but it was still pretty muddy and the lake was completely frozen. Regardless, cars were parked as far up and down the street outside of the dog park as I have ever seen. Our dogs were a little frazzled by all the people as they kept getting lost. Trevor is bad about turning and running when he thinks he is lost. Consequently, I was yelling at him often so he could figure out which way he needed to be going. I don't know if it is them getting old or the fact I was dressed pretty plainly in dark clothing. Anyway, it was definitely an interesting experience for the three of us. Hopefully more warm days are in our future and fewer cold ones.

Below is the work I did on the Rock Shox this afternoon. After picking up some special Rock Shox REDRUM oil, I partially disassembled the shocks to change the oil.

After reading through the service manual online I could have completely taken apart the shocks, but given my maintenance ability I chose not to. It isn't that I can't fix things, but more often than not it seems that I stumble on some simple little part and spend way too much time trying to get things back to working order.

After letting the air out of the shocks and taking off the cap I dumped the old oil into a cup. It didn't appear the oil was in bad condition, but I am hoping the amount or type of oil was the problem with the rebound of the shocks. It could be the cold temperatures or not enough air, but with unseasonably warm temperatures today it was impossibly to tell by comparison.

I poured approximately 35 ml of REDRUM oil into each side and put the caps back on. This time I aired each side up to 50 psi to help the rebound. Being 195 lbs I think the 40 psi I had in there before was probably too little. I actually used the race configuration for people over 180 lbs, as shown in the Rock Shox Mag 21 Service Manual. I'll be interested to test it to see how it works tomorrow.

The Flu

2009-01-31T08:03:00.002-06:00

We had plans to go to Sharla's hometown for one final birthday party Friday evening. Unfortunately, I did not make it past noon at work and rode home to fall into bed. I got hit pretty hard by a flu bug. I made it home okay and ended up sleeping most of the afternoon. I crawled out of bed to round up the boys from school, then back home to lay down. Sharla went ahead and took the boys and I stayed home so I wouldn't make everyone sick. I was really looking forward to watching some basketball games and not working. Now I am home by myself thinking about what I will do with my weekend. Luckily the flu passed quickly, I must have slept 16-17 hours from yesterday afternoon until this morning. Anyway, I am glad to be able to enjoy the 65 degree day we are about to have, even if it won't be with my family.

Browsing some bike shops is on my list of things to do today. I printed a list of shops off Google Maps and there are about 7 shops between downtown and Westport, so that should occupy some of my time this morning. This afternoon I'll definitely have to get Da Boyz out to the dog park to run. It has been awhile since we have been able to go for a really good walk, so they'll enjoy that. A big fresh salad is sounding wonderful, so I might hit up Hen House at lunch to indulge. Tomorrow I suppose I will ride into work to wrap up everything I left undone yesterday. Then I'll have some time to figure out a few healthy snacks we can have for the Superbowl.

I end the month at 152 miles, which is a great pace considering this will hopefully be the coldest month of the year. It will be so nice when I can just throw on my shorts to ride and not have to spend so much time layering up. If I can keep this up and get in some fun rides on the weekends I may be looking at closer to 2000 miles than my goal of 1500.

Celebration of Life

2009-01-29T21:56:00.006-06:00

Today was a very special day in our lives. Brady turned 5 today. It is going to be a very exciting year full of transitions. This morning at Brady's school Sharla and I attended his Celebration of Life. You can read more about this and see all the pictures on Sharla's blog. Brady really enjoyed them focusing on his special day and having us there with him.

After school we opened a few presents at home and then headed to the T-Rex Dinosaur Restaurant. It is always fun for the boys, even if they don't have the greatest food. Here's wishing Brady a Happy Birthday!

Incredible Hulk

2009-01-28T21:43:00.004-06:00

Brady has been testing out all of the toys he got at his birthday parties last weekend. These Hulk gloves are a big hit, although they get put up regularly when things get out of control. We got him this Hulk costume for Christmas, so now he has the full outfit. I have been surprised they haven't dressed up more with all the costumes they got for Christmas, but I am sure one day they'll start enjoying them.

Both boys have been loving the horse cupcakes that Grandma Jones made last weekend. I think they may have eaten the last two tonight. Those definitely were a big hit.

Tomorrow will be Brady's 5th birthday. I can remember everything about the day he was born. Time goes way too fast when you are raising little ones. His school has a Celebration of Life, which Sharla and I will be attending in the morning. He is really excited for his big day. We'll probably hit T-Rex Dinosaur Restaurant in the evening since it has become a birthday tradition of ours.

This morning I rode by the house that burned down last night. They had it roped off and one truck was still out there watching the property. The website http://www.kansascity.com/ says they couldn't investigate the cause of the fire today because the house was too unstable. It is such a sad thing to happen to a family. Hopefully they can find strength to make it through these tough times.

Fire Strikes

2009-01-27T22:17:00.008-06:00

It was a somber evening as a raging fire swept through a neighbors home. Brady first noticed the fire and trucks out the front window around 6:30 pm and smoke it still pouring out of the roof as I sit here at 10:30 pm.

The news tonight said the people smelled smoke early in the evening and eventually checked the garage to find a fire blazing there. This house is just around the corner from our house. You can see their backyard from our driveway. Many weekends during Chiefs or KU games we could hear them cheering on their deck.

When I first walked down the street there were two fire trucks, but there ended up being 6 trucks along with a number of police and other responder vehicles. It appeared they were getting it under control quickly, but I think they were fighting a losing battle as it was already shooting out the roof when we saw it the first time.

Thankfully, it sounds like everyone escaped safely. The house is completely destroyed. The last time I walked down there they were shooting water through the front facade into the attack space. I can see that they have sprayed through a large portion of the roof also. These times make you step back and think about how precious our daily lives are. Homes can be replaced though, lives cannot. We will keep this family in our prayers and hope they can rebuild their home soon.

Exercise

2009-01-26T21:33:00.003-06:00

A couple of weeks ago we had a screening in our office to tell us what we could do to improve our health. Several of the guys had low HDL cholesterol levels and our insurance provider said the only way we could raise it was to exercise more. That seems to be contrary to what most places on the internet say, but we have taken heed and begun to exercise "more". Note that I have been riding my bike around 40 miles a week for the past 6 months. Everything else seemed to be great, but my HDL was 27 and needed to be above 40. So in addition to riding to work I went with 3 guys from the office to 24 Hour Fitness over the lunch hour for some basketball. We have agreed to Monday, Wednesday and Friday games for at least the rest of the winter. I do not currently have a membership, but our office actually pays for the membership if we go at least 3 times each week so I should probably take advantage of it. I usually try to get my exercise out in the fresh air when I can though. Anyway, today went well and I also had a volleyball game tonight which made a full day of exercise. We'll see if I can up my levels, but as many different stories as I have been told about HDL at this point I am wondering if it is more of a hereditary thing.

After a fun weekend celebrating Brady upcoming birthday he had a pretty bad day back to school today. We had a little talk when I picked him up from school and he had to stay home from volleyball tonight, which was painful since it is one of the highlights of his week. We are having a hard time getting through to him, so the next step was to start taking things away. Hopefully tomorrow will go better as his birthday is coming up quickly and we would like be back to normal by then. Every day seems to be an adventure trying to figure out how the handle situations and raise these boys to have good manners and values. I don't suppose it will ever end, but hopefully some day we can look back and feel good about what we have done.

Hot Wheels

2009-01-25T19:44:00.006-06:00

I rode into work this afternoon to make up time for staying home with Brady when he was sick last week. I was debating riding in the snow, but finally decided to bust out the Specialized since it has treaded tires. It wasn't too warm today so I was layered up and wearing the ski goggles. Below is my cubicle at work- getting full.

I was held up on the way home by trains in each direction crossing 67th street. Since I got my new camera I have been waiting for a train so I could shoot it screaming by in the dark. I used to catch one almost every morning, but it has been a long while since I have been stopped by one. Anyway, this one wasn't in the dark, but it was screaming by.

We didn't do a lot today. Mainly recover from a busy Saturday. The boys got new helmets so they'll be ready to go when it warms up. We got the Hot Wheels track set up and going. It is good for hours of entertainment. We also broke open 3 news boxes of cars Brady got for his birthday. Luckily we have three car cases to store all these Hot Wheels and Matchbox cars in. I have pledged to myself that when they outgrow all of these cars I will put them in a safe place. These things seem a bit like a road hazard laying around our floor right now, but 20 years from now they might be a little more special.

Party Number Two

2009-01-25T08:58:00.006-06:00

Saturday evening was a second party for Brady's 5th birthday. This time we stayed home and toned it down a bit. The boys played with cousins and we made dinner for everyone.
We must be in a car phase right now. While we have owned a lot of cars since Brady was born, it is only recently that they are constantly lined up in parking lots along our living room floor. Brett loves them and Brady has been drawn into playing along.
For cake this time Brady requested a Baskin Robins ice cream cake with little ice cream cones on top. This is the same cake he wanted last year and it was just as big of a hit this time around.

Party Number One

2009-01-25T07:52:00.004-06:00

Saturday began the "Week of Brady". His fifth birthday is next week, so Sharla planned a snowman party for all of his friends. We rented the Hocker Grove room at the Merriam Community Center for some games and pizza.
Sharla has spent a lot of time planning and preparing for this party. As always, the cheapest part of the party was the biggest hit- balloons. After gobbling up some pizza there were several games and a pinata. I was surprised that everyone got a shot at the pinata and eventually they got it cracked. They all rushed in as soon as a few pieces dropped and we pulled the rest apart so they could fill their bags with goodies.
Sharla made two snowmen cakes that were a big hit. Reese's peanut butter cup eyes, M&M nose and a Twix mouth added to the sugar delight.
The overwhelming part about having a big party like this is all the presents. I never think about the fact that each person that comes is bringing a present which will go into our home. We carted home 15 bags of presents that are being integrated into the already full home we own. I guess it will be time to sift through the old stuff and find some other children interested in these things we have outgrown.

MASH

2009-01-23T13:44:00.001-06:00

RIDE

2009-01-23T12:57:00.002-06:00

Birthday Party Planning

2009-01-23T07:18:00.005-06:00

Early glimpses of the sunrise Thursday morning. It was another one of those 60 degree days that help us get through the winters. I rode 4 of 5 days again this week and will probably be riding in again on Sunday to play catch up at work. I haven't been very motivated in the mornings, but I keep plugging away. I'm not sure what has been lost, but hopefully I can find some motivation soon. This dreary winter dragging on always gets me down. Having to take the time to bundle up each time I ride doesn't help so perhaps when it starts warming up I'll be refreshed.

It was cold Thursday as I rode in, but quickly warmed up when the sun came up. I was planning to duck out around 3:00 to go for a little cruise through Mission Hills before heading home. Unfortunately, I was swamped with work and couldn't pull myself away. No doubt I will be wishing I had when the temperatures plummet again. It ended up being about 63 degrees I believe. We did get to the park with the boys and da boyz so all could enjoy the weather.

Brady is getting very excited for his birthday party Saturday. He is keeping track of all his friends that are going to be there and is helping in every step of the selection process. We went to Party City in search of balloons and a pinata. Somehow he decided he needed a pinata, but we still haven't found the right one. That will probably be my task Friday at lunch. Saturday is going to be a very busy day, but both boys will have a great time.

He Got JACKED UP!!!

2009-01-21T22:01:00.005-06:00

I was on the bike and off to work shortly after 5:00 am this morning. Riding in the pitch dark used to be a little creepy, but it is just normal now. It was still pretty chilly this morning so I made sure I was well bundled. I had an extra load this morning with a tube of drawings I worked on yesterday afternoon while Brady napped. The tube and bike didn't work out great, but I think I have some ideas to make it a little smoother next time. I went over 100 miles for the month today, so I am off to a good start for 2009. I keep dreaming of the day when I can throw on some shorts and cruise in the nice warm sun. That will have to wait, but tomorrow is supposed to be a bit of a break from the cold.

We stayed in again tonight and played. Brett is great about playing with cars, looking at books, etc. Brady is usually getting in trouble for messing with Brett or Mom. We have been "jacking" each other up lately, which is a term used by the guys on Monday Night Football. The boys love to wrestle around and fight, until someone gets hurt. Usually it is some fake crying and right back at it after a little consoling from Sharla.

President Barack Obama

2009-01-20T22:02:00.004-06:00

No riding today as I had a lunch date with a former coworker. It turned out rather well since the weather sucked and I ended up being summoned early in the afternoon to pick up my sick child. He gets to stay home again tomorrow which means I will be going to the office extra early so I can get 6 hours in by noon. Anyway, it was nice to be home and see history on television.

Today was a very special day for me and many Americans and people all over the world. Whether or not you like our new President, you have to be interested in what the future holds for our country. Barack Obama faces a tough challenge with the situation he has been handed, but I have been very impressed with his composure and organization. Obviously he is a very intelligent man, but he will need to surround himself with strong people to really succeed. We as Americans need to step up to the plate to do what we can to turn our own situations around too. I have a feeling the next couple of weeks will be very interesting with the new administration implementing their policies. May God bless our President and our country.

Seven Hundred Miles

2009-01-19T21:59:00.006-06:00

I took a long route home at lunch today so that I could surpass 700 miles riding since August 2008. I figured the post would be better for today since more important things loom tomorrow. Sharla and the boys got to stay home today for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. I met them at home for lunch shortly after noon. With all the green things I have been looking into I am amazed how many things used to be done out of common sense. Somewhere along the way we lost that common sense and became wasteful and self indulgent. I have been saving a large pickle jar the past few days to drop off at a local charity. Sharla took the time to drop it off this morning and was impressed with all they are doing at this center for the less fortunate people in our area. We should all make the effort to reach out to our fellow man and do whatever we can. There is nothing more rewarding than helping someone in need.

Back to my 700 mile mark. I was really pleased to surpass this one. I stalled around 600 miles in December when the streets got bad and work was hectic. I have been on a good pace since the start of the new year though and am starting to feel in shape once again. I can pretty much sprint all out from home to work now, which gives me a great little workout doing something I have to do anyway (go to work). If I can keep up the pace I've been on since August, I will reach my 2009 goal of 1500 miles. I may have shot low considering the January pace I have going, but getting to that number won't stop me from seeing how far I can go. If I can ride in the temperatures we have had lately, it should make the spring days in April and May terrific. Also, I am keeping my eyes open for a road bike at a good price that I can ride recreationally on the weekends. Considering some of these bikes weigh as little as 12 pounds, it would make my 30+ pound commuter feel like a semi. Maybe that isn't a good thing, I don't know. Anyway, I plan on a lot of riding in 2009 and am thinking my new Corporate Challenge event will be the bike race.

Sunset

2009-01-18T19:18:00.005-06:00

There was a spectacular sunset on my way home from the office this afternoon. Unfortunately, I am still trying to figure out the settings on my camera, so the photo above is the only decent one I got.

I worked for a couple of hours this afternoon while the boys napped. So much to do, so little time. It was a great day to get out and ride anyway- after last week's frigid temperatures. I am getting close to 700 miles since I started this bike commuting. I'm not sure I ever would have guessed I would still be going after the first day I rode to work. I made a lot of excuses why it wouldn't work for me before I actually gave it a try. Now I hope I never give it up. It is too good of a thing to be doing with the exercise I am getting combined with the environmental impact not driving my vehicle all those miles brings.

Tonight we are relaxing around the house. I think we are all a little beat. The football playoffs are on; Brett is entrenched in his cars; Brady is playing with his Leapster; Sharla is painting cabinets in the upstairs bathroom. They are off tomorrow, I am working. We have the task of family pictures tomorrow evening, which will be very interesting given the fact we'll be bringing the dogs along (to the mall).

Union Station

2009-01-17T21:52:00.004-06:00

We hit Union Station Saturday evening to check out Canstruction. My company entered in the competition, where local architecture/ design firms build structures from cans and other food goods which eventually go to Harvesters. Below are some of the entries from this year.

Afterward we watched our Wildcats get embarrassed by Nebraska while dining at the 810 Zone on the Plaza. Right around the corner is Barnes and Noble so we grabbed some books and a comfy seat to wind down the evening. The boys are really into books so I think this will be one of our fun things to do in the future.

Let it Snow

2009-01-16T06:50:00.008-06:00

I am a little down about not making it a full week bike commuting. I decided last night that there was just too much going on today to ride. Brady has a kindergarten introduction at the elementary school this afternoon and I have a meeting over lunch, so I gave in. I will be riding into work one, if not both days this weekend too, so that will keep the numbers to the right climbing. I am actually enjoying watching them grow and changing them daily. Anyway, today would have been an adventure on the bike as I woke up to probably half an inch of snow and it was still coming down pretty quickly on my way into the office. It has been one of the colder weeks I can remember. I am sure winter is not over, but the forecast is for temperatures to rise and mainly be in the 40's next week.

Above is a Turkey Creek waterfall just off Merriam Drive. It is very cool to see when it freezes over on exteremly cold weeks like this one. It was still dark when I took this on my way to the office, but the snow covering the ice was nice.

Below is sunrise across the Lee building yesterday. I guess there could be worse things to look at out my office window everyday. It is a somewhat soothing building, but my view over the roof isn't the ideal vantage point.