Mountain Road?

A little Gazetteer and Google Maps recon homework in search of some new roads has uncovered some sweet looking dirt and gravel roads within 15 miles of the homestead. A few top off with lakes at the top with dirt paths around them. I got my list of must do's for today done and a set of recycle and barn chores to do tonight, so it's a good time to slip out for an exploratory road ride. Spot activated. Workouts have been and will continue to be short to fit everything in to keep a balance of life/work/chores/hobbies, but I sure am envious of 8ball's 12 hour race camping getaway this weekend. It's going to be a hot one, I recommend some watermelon in your cooler it'll help hydrate and give you energy to keep ticking. A little Leadville secret for you.

Sun Basking

This morning the first sunflower of the Poey planting opened to bask in the morning sun. This one is about 5'10" as the tip is level with the top of my head. The one to the left of it is another 8" or so taller. We should have several more blooms popping out the next few days. Exciting.


The slumlords left us for a few days and the Schemer left us with chores to do. Medicate the dog, doctor the horse, pick up feed, mow the lawn, you know everything she wanted done but didn't want to do. ( :-) ) I got the new acres finished up and was working on clearing a path for the mower to the new field when I decided to run the fence line of the front field to check it out. A couple hours later, the front field is nicely mowed and ready for some jumps. The field is really nice although very bumpy (and chock full of bunnies). I think I concussed some vertebrae. I don't know how Joe can mow so much. I swear my rigid mtb rides smoother.


I also got the fence line cleared around the back field to prevent the high weeds and grass from shorting it out. It also makes a nice 1/3 of a mile loop with some wicked steeps for a little off road riding. I experimented with using another Awesome Strap to hold my mega-ly massive Park wonder tool to see if it would wiggle loose, fall off, or get in the way. It rode perfectly attached. No moving, no noise, no noticing it. It even has several chain links and tire levers with it. No need for the fanny pack of doom.


I got a 10 mile workout within an hour then right to a 2 mile run. Although it's not nearly as humid as it was a week ago, the temps started their climb back up the mercury and I must have sweated 6lbs off by the time I was done. Thankfully I ate about that much in watermelon for lunch, it was so damn good!

Awesome Straps at work.

Dish joining in for a lap.

H. and Ian walking the mow path.

H. and Ian working in the riding "arena" (aka mowed grass)

Good Boy!

Corn, zucchini, squash, tomatoes, and cucumbers all fresh from the farmmune garden. Chicken from the freezer, although after Food, Inc. we might have to grow our own. And maybe a cow named T-bone too.

Should be a fireworks filled stage tomorrow in the tour. First day in the mountains and 4 of the top 5 are Astana riders. Interesting to see how it all plays out and which card Astana decides to play. Squash, zucchini, tomato omelets on the menu for the tour viewing. You in 8ball?

Thoroughbred Racing

Since the 8Ball got called in for court duty before having to wrangle criminal folk the rest of the day, our run/swim plans got canceled. After sneaking up into the slumlords mansion and watching le Tour on their life size screen (not one of those objects are smaller than they appear screens) this morning, I headed off for the dreaded task of emissions testing and license plate tag renewals. $89 and exactly 2 hours later, I was back home. 2 hours, not bad considering it was around lunch time, a Wednesday at the beginning of the month, and there weren't long lines. Success. I didn't even have to lose my temper (no worries, I still know where it is).

When I got back I headed out for a run then wanted to get some time on the mountain bike. H. was tacking up the Govna and about to gallop in the back field. Perfect, a little cross racing with a horse. Most of the racers I go toe to toe with are as strong as a horse (and stubborn as mules), why not just race a horse? Ian got me the first one, but I managed to catch back up and hang on for a few rounds before slowing in the deep grass and steep punchy hills. I'm going to mow a path then take him down later this week. Hear that Govna? Don't you knicker at me.

Awesome Strap

The field racing also allowed me to test out my new Backcountry Research Awesome Strap. I don't use saddle bags due to them typically rubbing holes in my shorts and at $90 a pop, it's not worth it. Plus they are a pain to get stuff out and back into when racing, or if they are muddy, or wet. The Awesome Strap is usually used on the seat post, but I chose to run mine on the seat tube tucked up out of the way from my legs.

This might just replace the fanny pack of doom, which I use in lieu of a saddle bag as it's more convenient than a saddle bag, but the awesome strap holds tight and is quick and easy to get on and off. For events like Dirty Kanza I'll probably run 2-3 more - one on each fork leg and one on the stem - to open up pertinent space in my Epic Designs Frame Bag.

Thanks to Rich from Backcountry Research and to Rich from TeamDicky for getting me the Awesome Strap so quickly. It's just in time too since I have the XTERRA coming up and I wasn't too keen on having to use the fanny pack of doom. I hear there is an Awesome Strap "Back Forty" in the works too, which I'm hoping might cure another issue I run into with on long self supported rides/races. Stay tuned.

Remembering Galesburg

My Uncle Tom has his first book published based on his newspaper column

It's been a while since H. and I made the trek up to my parents' homes and this year was the 3rd year since we'd all been together (sis lives in Boston) 3 years after the previous time. See what I mean about 3's?

Grandma Alice feeding a very attentive Dish a baggie of treats

First stop, as we rolled into town then past it, was the Blue Pearl in Rio, IL (that's Rye-oh) to meet up with the maternal side of the family. After stuffing ourselves (I wish we could get tenderloin sandwiches like they make in the Midwest down here) we headed back to Grandma and Grandpa's house to chat. Only 88 more days before Uncle Jeff retires from the sheriff's office. Here's hoping the parting Glock comes to fruition!

Grandma felt badly that Dish had to hang in the car while we ate so she made sure he was filled up on treats. He seemed to know better than to bite the hand that feeds him and he was extra careful taking the treats, as opposed to his typical alligator snap.

The weekend's menu

Around 10PM we made our way over to the Hoffman B&B where more catching up and dog treat giving took place. The weather was in the low 70's and cooling off. Perfect night for a night cap and conversation out in the screened in porch.

See a trend developing?

Saturday greeted us with cold overcast and misting weather. High of 64 for the 4th of July?!! Typically we're looking at high 90's with heat index over 100 and 90+% humidity levels. Miserable. Instead we were treated to near Minnesota lake summer temps. A much welcomed break from the hot sticky South (although we enjoyed a few 80 degree days recently).

That's the high folks.

It's all about H.

Since it's always all about Hilary (H. / one el), I awoke to what I thought was a knocking at the back door. No one was there, but I did find Hillary (H./ two el's) and Papa Ted slaving over the ice cream maker so that H. would have homemade peppermint ice cream for her Belgian Waffle and coffee.

No nutritional yeast was harmed in the devouring of this waffle

The ice cream was so worth their effort and the waffles weren't too bad either. Since the B&B was also filled with AJ and Tara, who were still sleeping, we ate in shifts. Nick, Dad, and I got the fresh hot ones. The rest of the slackers came late to the party.

"The elephant poo was this big" - Tara talks South Africa.

The evening was filled with a nice quiet dinner with the other Grandmothers.

Sunday started off with a visit to Church and to see Nick perform a jazzy solo number during Communion. Nick's a baritone and a damn good crooner at that, though he seems to have inherited the head wobble of his Alto mother, two els. After service we headed down to the coffee/donut social in the basement. I told a kid his tie fighter was cool and then he sent his mother over to tell me that it was ok if I wanted to take a turn playing with it. Maybe there is hope for kids today tomorrow?

If only I'd brought my X-Wing.

A walk over to Innkeepers for some locally roasted coffee with H., Nick, Tara, and AJ before zooming off with Dad over to Dave Klapp's fixit place to clean the injectors on the Mazda3. Dave does so well putting up with me and my car issues. I think he's probably glad I only visit twice a year. After finishing with the car, we raced back home to feast on Taco Pizza (damn I miss that down here) before the party started.

Happy 80th Grandma Fran!

Grandma Frances turned 80 and Dad and Hillary threw her a party at their house with all the family invited. It has been a long time since I've seen most of my cousins, aunts, and uncles and it was the perfect weather and weekend for a get together.

The paparazzi

Since the horse shoe court is long gone, croquet has become the sport of kings and we wasted no time tearing up dad's yard. First me, Andrew, and Nuner. Then me, Uncle Gary, and Nuner. Then Taylor, Davis, Austin, Nuner, and I had a go. Victory for me x 3.

Texas Tay takes a shot

Nicky Nuner strike 2

Davis (aka "Bob")'s amazing success and failure captured simultaneously

Me and my cousin Chad. He's kinda like a Hoffman version of a Cooper.

Me and my brother Andrew

H. and lil cuz David

AJ and Tara in from the land of Boston

Where was it you went to again, AJ?

One of my favorite things in Dad's backyard. The myriad tiger lillies.

Sadly no biking took place over the weekend due to lots of family time, but it was well worth it. It's unfortunate that I didn't even get to all the others I wanted to drop in and see. The bane of living 9 hours away and having a about 60 hours to fit everything and everyone in.

Davis - Did you get that yard mowed yet?

More Clay Pool

The Show at War Memorial was unfugginbelievable. Sushi, Beer, and a Claypool concert are a perfect way to cap off a road trip. Southbound Pachyderm was through the roof. Thanks again for the tix and food Clay.

Mmm Salty.

Pedal Harder

"This is a special bike that's not very good at listening to excuses, so it takes you exactly where you really want to go & if you kick and scream it makes you pedal harder up steeper hills until you're too out of breath to complain

& after a while, if you're lucky, you start to see that it doesn't really matter if you laugh or cry, because it just wants to ride like the wind"

H. got the Life Cycle - StoryPeople print for me for Xmas '07. I often forget about it, only to come across it again and have everything put back into proper perspective.

Pedal harder.

Build Up

I promised H. that I would build her a coup out of the leftover fat tire fest stunts to jump the day after the unload the trailer party. She not only got one built for her, but we managed to construct 2 others and I built her a table top. Ironically, a narrow stunt/jump for a horse is also referred to as a skinny. Apparently narrow makes it spookier for the horse, just as it does for the cyclist.

Double duty: the top will become part of a mega skinny for riding.

stealthy...

Next on the to do list are a corner and snake wall for the girls. Elevated skinnies, a table top jump, and a launch ramp for the bikes to play on whilst the horses go over them. Perhaps not at the same time, but you never know.

The vertical slats were particularly frightening to the Gov.

As expected, H. wasted no time testing out the finish products. She and the Gov'na cleared them all as fast as we could lay them out. Hannah and Aurora played too.

The zoomed photo doesn't do the jump height or slope justice.

A short trip has been planned for this weekend. In anticipation and preparation for said trip, I started to gather and do laundry. The Misfit Psycles jersey is getting washed for it's rural Illinois debut (who needs a week in Colorado living like mooching aged rock stars when you can have a weekend grinding gravel in Illinois with a 35x15 geared Rigor?), which is when I noticed the collar:

Peter's just here to help.

Speaking of jerseys. Word is that Moots has been resupplied with their current crop of cycling gear. Guess I'll have to put in my order for a replacement to my team jersey, eh Reedledeedledeedle?