Wow!

It's been a coupla months already! Fall is here, I can feel it, even though it's still unofficial.

My oldest daughter is a senior in high school. This is both exciting and bittersweet. She thinks she'll be moving out when she goes to college (12 miles from our house) next year, but I pretty much know better. Anyone who says they don't like "camping" (in a fully furnished condo with more amenities than we have at home) will not be successful at living on her own for some time. She doesn't read my blog, so it's ok for me to mention how happy this makes me. I just want her to stay home for a little while longer.

My youngest started 8th grade this year and is finally liking school! This also makes me incredibly happy. AND I have no worries about her moving out...EVER. She's made that abundantly clear.

I went to Leadville last month and rode over 3 mountains in some really horrible weather. I rode those mountains outbound. The nice race officials at Twin Lakes had some words to say to me while I was inbound...specifically "Stop, you can't continue. You missed the cut-off." By about 6 minutes. Whatever. I'll be back next year and I'll show you people that I can ride those mountains in reverse.

I'm racing tomorrow for 6 hours or more. I think it will probably be the "more." The Tall Oak Challenge at Binder Lake in Jefferson City, Missouri. Part of the Midwest Fat Tire Series. If my bike cooperates like it should and I remember to fuel properly, I'll do nicely. My family is staying home for this one, so I'll be left to ring my own cowbell when I finish a lap :(

Is it really almost the 4th of July????

I'm starting to have Leadville nightmares and anxiety attacks on a daily basis. We're leaving for Colorado in approximately 1 month and I can't believe how fast the last 8 months have just flown by!

This spring has been very wet and made riding off-road virtually impossible in my neck of the woods, so I spent alot of time on the trainer and much more recently on my road bike. The past month has seen consistent 200+ mile weeks and that makes me feel pretty good about life. Of course, my family has practically forgotten who I am, but it will all come together when we're on vacation.

I've decided to punt the Eureka Springs Fat Tire Festival this year, where I had high hopes of winning the women's downhill, to instead race in Breckenridge. Thank goodness the Breck 100 has a sister-68-mile race! So we're headed to Breckenridge on July 16th to race on the 18th and return home on the 19th. That will be a fast, exhausting trip, but will give me some idea what to expect out of riding at altitude. The 800 feet I ride at currently just isn't cutting the mustard for altitude training.

So that being said, my wish is for everyone to have a safe and happy 4th of July. Just think, Christmas is less than 6 months away!

9 Weeks and Counting!

My blog has all but died and I've been busy training for Leadville (and stalking Facebook).

Vacation plans have been made, confirmed, paid for and we're ready to roll. I have 9 good weeks left for training. I feel like I have a pretty good base already... a couple of "almost centuries" and a century on the road bike and quite a few good enduro rides on the mountain bike (though not near enough). I'm struggling with the weight not coming off like I thought it would and that's fairly depressing. Hopefully, over the next 9 weeks, the rides will intensify and the weight will take care of itself.

With that being said, I'm going to the grocery store...

Facebook has killed my blog!

That's definitely an understatement. Most of my activities are posted (frequently) on Facebook. It's just so much easier. Although, I do tweet on occasion and it will update here also on the sidebar, but it's not the same :(

I've been busy upgrading things on my bike...new brakes, shifters, cassette. She rides like new. The plan was to have an entirely NEW bike (frame and all)...and it is still a definite possibility (see "Bike Porn" post), but right now at this very moment I have to really put my priorities into perspective. I have 2 teenage daughters and we are a decidedly middle-class family. That $5,000 could go along way towards college tuition, drum lessons, band stuff, FOOD, a roof over our heads...blah blah blah. So for the time being, the Siren is on the back burner :( BUT, the Salsa is shaping up rather spicely! (yes, I know spicely is not a real word...but it is now because I say so and it goes well with "Salsa").

The kids are gearing up for school's year end and I can't wait for the easy laid back days of summer when they have time to clean the house while I ride my bike!

Vote Earth!

Update: I did not do the Spa City 6 Hour, which by now, anyone who is on FB knows. I was bummed, but was forced chose, instead to buy my daughter's boyfriend a new windshield. Fun times.

Anyway...




Do this!