Updates

I have nothing. I got my Kona Coilair out last night and was going to attempt to ride it on my rollers. It's too big. Wouldn't work. So then I decided to grab my old Novara to ride. It would work, but i can't get enough pressure in the tires for it to roll. The knobby tires really throw a hitch in things too.

So, I was going to get up this morning and ride the Novara outside. I couldn't do it. I was even up at 5am and I couldn't roll myself out of bed to actually do it. I don't know why I've become so lazy. It's annoying.

My Coilair isn't real responsive in the cold weather. The shocks are very sticky, which makes perfect sense.

I'd really like to get a Karate Monkey to make as a commuter/road/everything bike. If anyone has one and wants a Kona Dawg frame, I'd trade. I will even kick in some extra money.

I need some good lights too. Rear and front. I have a couple front lights that will work, but no back light.

Have a happy thanksgiving.

Web site

I have updated the South Dakota Bicycling Coalition Web site. I am in need of content for the site. If you have any... let me know. It will provide a wealth of information regarding the movement towards a bicycle friendly state.

No Ride

Well, it's Tuesday and I didn't get to ride today. It's such a nice day too! I'll wait until Thursday. Such is life. Heck, maybe I'll get a ride in the dark tonight. Wait, I don't have any lights. Flashlight I guess.

I want to test bicycle products then report on my findings. Yep, that's what I want to do. If there are any bicycle light manufacturers out there who want me to test a few things, I would be more than happy. This blog probably gets a good 3 or 4 site visits a day. That is astronomical.

I need and will finish the http://www.southdakotabicyclecoalition.org website soon. I'm going to change it up a bit because what is there, is total crap. I don't like it at all, not the software used, not the layout and certainly not the usability. I said it before, and I'll say it again, IT"S CRAP

Training Continues

I haven't done any sort of training or exercising in over a week. See, a week ago Thursday, we had a large snow storm that kept us house bound, then we also didn't come to work Friday. So, that means I didn't work those two days which also means that I didn't get paid for those two days. So, I spent my lunch hours working last week to make up at least a few hours. Now, my training resumes this week.

I think I might change it up a bit though. I am going to start doing more endurance type training with a little weight lifting. More running and riding and less lifting. I'll still go to the gym, but it's time I start building a good base for when my serious training starts in February for the endurance bike races I'm planning. 1 being the Leadville 100 and the other Laramie Enduro and of course the usual Dakota 5-0.

I need to look up a good cycling lifting plan. I also need to start spending some time outside on my bike. With the wife's approval, I should ride my bike to work on Tuesday and Thursday since I lift on MW&F. We ride together everyday to work since we work at the same place and we drive Oli to daycare. I like seeing him off for the day. Spending time, although limited, on the bike would be very good for me.

I need to write an article for the Safe Routes to School newsletter. It's short, 175-225 words, but I seem to have writer's block. I know what I want to write about, I just can't seem to get words on the paper. Ugh!

It's a new day, smile, be happy and do something for someone!

Inspiration

I'm not sure why, but recently I seem to have had a revelation on why I love design. See, I am in the education pseudo Web design industry and lately it seems I've fallen into a bit of a slump. However, the last couple days have been quite inspiring for me. Accidentally, I stumbled upon some really good Web sites with amazing design that lead to other sites with the same qualities. These things are really what I needed at this point.

My slump has been looming around me for a couple months. Feelings of creative nothingness have lingered to the point where I want to quit and become a poet (not true). Thank goodness for yesterday. Somehow, a new sense of freedom and passion has found its place back in my heart where I can once again enjoy the profession of design.

Sometimes it's not even the profession itself, but more importantly, the willingness to put myself out there. Every time I design anything, I feel that it's a piece of me. Somedays are better than others and some days lead to days that I dwell on for months. They are just plain crappy. Like many designers, I need constant inspiration to continue to be inspired. That might sound repetitive, but it's true, without inspiration, we, as designers, are left to explore our own thoughts which more often than not, lead to emptiness or places you don't want to go.

So, all in all, I'm glad that I've had the last couple days to revive my passion for my profession. I'm still not entirely happy because I feel there is a change that needs to happen, but I am convinced that my current choice will lead me where I need to go. At this point, I'm not sure where that is, but I do think it is somewhere creative and it is somewhere that has been in my heart since I was drawing my first stick figure on a napkin. It needs to be someplace where creativity flows much more habitually than it does now.

Insulation

We need to put some insulation in our attic to reduce the amount of heat loss. I know we need it because the home inspector told us so a year and a half ago. We haven't done anything about it yet. I really need to get that going.

It would actually be quite nifty to make it into another room. It's a huge space and it would be absolutely amazing to utilize that space. I'm really not sure how though. We have an old house and to put stairs in to get to the attic would be very tight and cramped. So, we'll probably just insulate and call it good. Maybe some this weekend. Who knows.

Monday night I talked about going for a ride or a run. I didn't. Instead, I opened a bottle of gin and some tonic and had a couple drinks. It was almost like working out.

Tonight Angie works late so it's just Oli and I. We probably won't do anything too crazy. Eat supper and that's about it.

Typical Day.

It's chilly outside today. I think I enjoy it. I say "think" because other than at 7:30 this morning, I haven't been outside. Since the storm cut short last week's work, I decided to make up for it by not taking a lunch. No lunch makes for an incredibly long day. I'm pretty sure I'm going to go for a short bike ride or a run after work.

The weekend was standard usual. Nothing exciting or special.

Snow!

This is day two of not having to go to work due to bad weather. We had a ripper of a storm roll through here yesterday. Work was closed, and it's closed again today. I think in the entire Black Hills area, there is only 1 road open, everything else... closed.

Angie decided she wanted to give shoveling a go once the snow quit. She shoveled for about an hour, then I went out to finish it up. I shoveled for 2 hours and there is still more that could be done. I'm not sure if I'll do it.

I received this picture from a co-worker yesterday. It'll give you a pretty good idea of what we're looking at.



Our house isn't quite that bad, but I assure you that we have more than our share of "drift". The weather said we only got about 9 inches of snow in Rapid, but there are drifts as high as 12 feet. 78 mile an hour winds tend to push things around a bit.

I might even try and get out on one of my bikes for a short ride today. None of them are very snow capable, but they'll work.

Stay warm!

It is over.

I'm glad the election is over. I was/am tired of the ads and signs up everywhere.

I'm still undecided on the duathlon this weekend. I really want to do it because I've spent very little time on my bike in the last month... which by all means, go do a race. I'm stupid... I would also like to spend time with my family as well though. The race only will last for 2 hours at the most. Starts at 9, done at 11 and I could easily be out to the in-laws for lunch by 12. It might work out. We'll see.

Since I've ridden very little, I should do it on my single speed. That would be a sight.

We're in a blizzard warning. Rapid could get anywhere from 12-24 inches of snow. Maybe we won't have work tomorrow. Now that would be a blessing.

My birthday is in 10 days. If you want, feel free to send me any shimano saint component and or a marzocchi 44 fork. That would make me happy.

Couple things

Go vote today!

I still am undecided on who I'm going to vote for, it's going to be a last minute decision.

I took the dog for a run this morning. I assume I went 4ish miles. 50 minutes at a pretty slow pace.

There is a buzzard's roost dirt duathlon this weekend (Sunday). 5 miles West of Rapid City on Hwy 44. I really want to do it, but I can't be certain. I need to spend some time with the family.

Um, I went deer hunting down my Custer on Saturday/Sunday morning. I didn't get anything.

My hamstring hurts.

Coffee is good.

Vote 'r' die

Peace