Randall Does Texas

I returned to the place Teenie and I lived for 20 years to spend 5-6 hours a day this week with my Dad, who's health continues to fail.   It is sort of 'death by a thousand cuts'.

Brought a bike to help keep my sanity and even the riding carried many emotional swings.  I cruised by all the homes we had during that period.   The very first one stopped me dead in my tracks.   This was a little non-air conditioned house built in 1932.  We were 32 and 24 respectively when we moved in and still crazy....but we were crazy in love.

I think the idea that half my life has passed since then was overwhelming.   How could that be?  and so fast?

On Tuesday, I rode very early and then in the hammerfest at 6PM.   You don't know how lucky we are to have SCTAC and other opportunities.

This morning I went on a big loop around the town.   I left on Little Flock Rd....not really sure if there were ever any sheep out there?   Names are funny.   Belfalls has no falls.   It is on the county line between Bell and Falls Counties.......Falls Co has no falls either?

I was fighting a 15-20 mph head wind going out.   It was a reminder why Texas riders can climb mountains when they have no mountains on which to train.

Solo, I won all the sprint points.   Several times I was seriously challenged by short legged dogs but I was triumphant.   After about 3.5 hours I returned to my hotel, hot and sweaty (high in the mid 90's today).

I will be glad to be back tomorrow and hugging some SC/NC roads this weekend.

Hope to see ya out there.

Debbie does Leadville: Leadville Part 2: Go Time!: Race day was finally here, and the nerves were gone. I slept ok, no worrying or racing thoughts. We sure did have to get up early though. ...

Reboot the Computer

Above, are the only three words you need to know to hold a six figure IT job in Corporate America.  

I tried today to save Teenie's ride by rebooting here Di2 Electric Shifters but............

Camille, Hoodster, Sam, Teenie and I were headed out for what would be a 5+ hour tour and she didn't get a block.  Her rear derailleur was dead.   We yanked out the battery and put it back in......no good.  We pressed the 'battery check' button and a lll looked charged.   We pressed the 'on/off' (so to speak) button.   Nothing, nada, nicht!!!

Teenie headed to HQ.  She got her back up bike and blitzed to Einstein's to meet us.  We got there and she was on 414 headed our way.......great.  Only not so great.   Teenie had checked everything on the bike including tire pressure but we both forgot that when our daughter was here this weekend, she had brought her shoes with SPD's.  We had installed SPD pedals.   There ought to be laws against using SPD's on road bikes?? Maybe there are?  I'll check.

Needless to say, Teenie's day was over.  The rest of TEAM bravely forged on.

When I returned to HQ only minutes before dark..........to the 5+ hours, on the bike, you have to add 2 coffee stops.   Hey, we didn't start until 9AM.  Ben, at Carolina Tri, had Teenie's bike going.   We needed to hold the 'on/off' (so to speak) button down for 5 seconds until it blinked and then continue to hold until it glowed steady.

This complex rebooting, if introduced to corporate IT systems, could threaten many jobs.   We could lose Ben to a major corporation where all he would do is reboot systems.  Today, I was the only one who failed to reboot!

Next time I will know.

Ah, TECH stuff.   You can live great with it but sometimes it kill ya.
    
Hope to see ya out there.

For our Birthday Boy

It was to be a big birthday fling
and our DS would be the king

As we rode up the grade
a terrible noise was made

His push button shift
left him a little more than miffed

In the big ring he stayed
while John and I played

We laughed at his gear
but DS had no fear

We rolled into TR,
71 miles was not that far

Happy birthday dear Randall,
now go blow out your candle!

Road bike for sale

Kestrel 800RT road bike for sale (Camille's). 49 1/2 cm carbon frame/fork. Full Dura-Ace 7900 group (except cassette and chain). Carbon bars, stem and seat post. Mavic Kysrium wheels. Excellent condition. Great bike for a smaller rider. $1500.

THE NEXT NEXT GENERATION

Chloe (7) was out on the Swamp Rabbit today for her first ride, ever.  She racked up about 3.5 miles in about 40 minutes.

She might have gone longer but she had a mechanical when her left pedal fell off.

Like parts of the Paris Rubaiux, the TEAM car had trouble reaching her but finally got up and made repairs.

She had a great day and wants to 'hit it' again tomorrow.   Not surprising with her genetic make up.   It will be a brick as Teenie has her in swim lessons at 4PM.

Chloe has already set her first cycling goal.....lose the training wheels.   I moved 'em up after the ride so she can better balance the bike.   Her balance beam background should prove helpful.

See ya out there!

Oak Ridge Velo

I recently wrote(again) about being a bike racer.....a competitor vs a rider.   This came after slogging through a cookie ride.

Saturday afternoon in Oak Ridge, I was reminded of one of the many reasons I compete.   Late in the afternoon, 2.5 hours after a grueling road race, I pulled my TT bike up to the line.  It had been pouring for about 20 minutes.  The wind was blowing.  My legs were blown from cramps in the RR.

Only four guys had showed up.  Two were the leaders in the Tennessee Point Series......that's a good reason.  Who knows about me and the other guy??..........everybody else that raced earlier, was back at the hotel, home or Starbucks.

In the next 19 minutes and 35 seconds, I learned more about myself than I could have slogging through a hundred cookie rides.   They don't call it the RACE OF TRUTH for nothing.  Later Saturday night at the hotel, I reflected........ got emotional and sent my thoughts to Teenie and Bird.

Alas, my race season ended this weekend.  I WILL be riding around for fun the next weeks.......not worrying about what I might NOT be learning.   Yoga, running, mountain biking.......lots of stuff.

As we enter the 'off season' soon, maybe you could think about why you compete?   If you are not competing, maybe you could think if it would be of value to you to return to it?  The coming months are a great time to examine your goals for 2013.

Hope to see ya soon at a September TEAM meeting........date out soon.