Fixing Government Canyon...

... John a.k.a Austin Bike called a hooky day ride today in San Antonio, at Government Canyon. Small group, with a new to SS rider joining in. What a perfect opportunity to try to ride Government Cheese fixed (That and the rear wheel on the Vassago needs to be trued and the front hub adjusting). The flats & climbs were fine, no issues there. I hung more towards the back and passed when I was able or the trail allowed. The running and exercise are beginning to pay dividends as I had more strength and a stronger core.... until I got to the downhill sections. GC is pretty rocky, and not being able to just coast and let gravity do its thing really show the weak area of scorching (at least for my skill level). I meant to take some pixs with the new camera phone, but there is no direct way to upload from the phone to my PC, I have to text or email the pix and I'm too cheap for a data package... oh well maybe santa will bring me a camera.

Cheers,

GPS/HRM....?....

... so I've been doing a lot of running and getting out more. The guy who's been helping me get in shape suggested I get a HRM. I used to have an old Polar, but it's gone missing or is somewhere that I can't remember at the moment. In any case I started looking and thinking about electronic toys. I'm already way behind the curve and need a new digi cam, but maybe Santa will bring that if I'm good. So now the HRM comes up. I can get a cheap one from a mega-mart type place cheap, but I've also been thinking about a GPS type unit since I'd like to start exploring more of Austin's off road and don't want to constantly rely on others... so what I'd like is a GPS with up loadable maps and a HRM. The Garmin Edge 705 looks like it would fit the bill, but is quite pricey and bulky for off the bike jaunts. The Garmin Forerunner 305 will give me the HRM and down loadable GPS, and will work if I'm lost to get me back to the beginning, but lacks the ability to upload maps. So then I start thinking maybe a GPS and an inexpensive HRM. I like the DeLorme PN-20 (free maps) and since a new model is scheduled to launch any second they can be had used for under $150...

So to those who are GPS/HRM gadget geeks speak up.

The DeLorme PN-20 I'm thinking about

Case of the "Mondays"...

... 6:30 up and out the door. One of my neighbors has taken me under his fitness wing and has me working out 5-6 days a week. Nothing fancy, no expensive equipment, no gyms or computerized this or that. Just old fashioned sit ups, push ups, jumping rope, and dumb bells (the iron/metal kind not just me). We've been at it for a couple of weeks, and it's horrible. My fat lazy body hates getting out of bed early, my lethargic lifestyle groans with each push up and sit up. The neighbor is good spirited and tells me pain is weakness leaving the body... of course he's an ex-Marine, now Army guy so fitness for him is a way of life. This morning was cold for TX 45ish degrees. I was in shorts & a long sleeve with a wool hat... still overheated on our 4.25 mile run. Our time is what most who run would call leisurely 4.25 miles in 40 minutes is not going to win any records, but it's amazing how much better we are now than 3 weeks ago. Tomorrow is a bike day, so it should be a nice recovery. Wednesday has us doing intervals with full on sprints then a slow jog for 1/4 mile then strait to push ups, sit ups, pull ups and so on each 1/4 mile for 2 miles. It's a lot harder than it sounds, but with any consistency will have me in better shape for the spring. This is normally the time of year when I hibernate, eat way too much, drink too much and hate myself in the spring.

In other news, I was in touch with a former colleague who knows of a position back up in the Mid Atlantic. With any luck it will be the right mix of $ and location, and will be a good fit for me to get Kathy over the hump and agree to move. Down shot is that the position is going to be open in a few weeks which may kill the deal as selling our house here is going to be a challenge, and trying to sell it in the dead of winter is going to mean either a loss or letting the girls stay here while I play couch commando over at my sisters. We'll see....

Take that!

.... rode out at Madrone today, got to the first little lip umph after the quick switch back and just couldn't stand looking at the void any longer. I dismounted and got to work. I moved back three very large boulders and filled in between with lots of small rock and dirt. It looks almost like it did, might be a touch harder in honesty then the original, but it will wear in (provided non of the ass clowns dumb it back down). Got to the boat ramp section and to my delight my previous de-sanitizing had not been messed with. This put a smile on my face and I enjoyed the rest of my ride knowing that the challenging lines are surviving. I'll try to get out again during the week to see if I can snap some pix.

In other news, I tanked the interview with the GIS company and got the "Sorry you're a loser" email, frankly I expected it and only wish I had been funny since I knew the ship was sinking. I had an open house on Saturday with an interview in which I feel I would be a great fit, but there was a ton of competition so I won't even classify that one as a hopeful. I think in the short term Kathy may have to take on a job and I'll stay home with Ella until we can figure out the next step. My thought is that we clean up our house and get it on the market in the Jan/Feb time frame. If it sells quickly we can always move into my mom's house, and should I get a J.O.B back east as I'd like, I can crash at my sisters place until the house here sells and we can find a place back east. Plus it's probably not a good idea to try to move east in the winter, it will be too much of a shock to the system and I'm sure Kathy would freak out. On the upshot, since joining the social networking scene Kathy seems much more agreeable to being back there. Linking up with former friends and classmates is fun in the virtual world, and hopefully sustainable in the real world. Me? I'm just ready to be back home, to get in better shape (I've lost all technical and aerobic skill since moving), to experience culture, to have a big city close by, and to have real trees again. After being away for 5+ years I will never take for granted large trees, rainy days, cool weather. Atlanta was a lame city, but the cycling was good and felt like I was still home. Texas has the advantage of warm days during the winter, but it's brutally hot the rest of the year and lacks culture other than Tex/Mex. It's a nice place to visit, and I'll have fond memories, but once we get back, I'll never live here again.

That's about all the rambling I have in me.

A Letter to the Madrone Sanitizer....

... why? Why do you insist on dumbing down the trail to your pathetic level? Why not just stick to the road bike? If you don't challenge yourself, how do you expect to ever get better? The trail is so short in distance, the obstacles are needed, yet you insist on turning a challenging trail into crap. What's next? You should move to Houston, I have a feeling you'd fit right in. Oh, by the way...... if I catch you f#%&ing with the trail, be prepared for a beat down. I've had it with your lame ass cheater lines, removing rock and creating trail damage is my limit. I originally thought you were one of the tri geeks who invades the trail for your off road tri's, but it's happening too often now. I'll be watching....