Cool Gig Alert!!

This Saturday, May 2nd, 7:30pm, at the Pella Opera house http://www.pellaoperahouse.org/home.asp

I'll be gigging with the Blue Sky Band out of Dubuque, IA. Many years ago I used to gig with Jon(Hawk)Stravers. He calls me up whenever he's near Pella and we JAM! The band is great! Good vocals, good songs, good talent, good writing, and great venue! So get to Pella, sneak in and out before the Tulip Time crowd hits town and enjoy the show!

Here's a pic from a gig we did last summer at the Simon Estes Ampitheatre on the river in Des Moines.

Dodging Menonite Horse Poop in the Rain!!

Six miles into the rain soaked race course, near the Menonite town of Kalona, two riders went down to the right of me as we hit an unforseen mud covered section of the road. It was a miserable day to race a bicycle, but aren't they all in the spring here in Iowa. Thirty-nine miles of open road covered with rain, mud patches, and horse poop. I survived the first thirteen miles only to miss the break. I sprinted like a mad man and caught the breakaway group only to find I'd redlined my heart rate right before a nice climb. I fell back, joined another dropped group and outsprinted them at the finish line. It was a "character" building day at the Iowa City Road Race.

The next day I raced the Old Capitol Criterium in Iowa City. It was, again, wet and rainy. I had a bad start beacause I couldn't get my shoe clipped in the pedal, so I played catch up for two or three laps. Just when things were looking good and I was deep in the pack again, a group of riders went down to the right of me on the "wet", 30mph, down hill right turn. They all came skidding right at me. I had to take the curb to miss them and found myself out of the lead pack draft..aaaaarrrgh! I ended up hanging on with a couple of the other riders and ended up with seventeenth place. But hey, the beer was sure good while I watched the rest of the categories race! Jodi was great, she and others cheered for me the whole time. She took a ton of pics and even got in a little shopping.

Here's some more pics for ya.

This last pic is what happens to you when not enough oxygen gets to your brain!

Track Meets and Cycle Racing

A very busy weekend.

Watched my daughter run the hurdles at the Osky Relays. They had 1st place locked up, but one of her teamates tripped up during the shuttle hurdle relay, they ended up 3rd. (Still in the money!)

Jodi and I headed up to Dubuque for my 1st debut at the Eagle Point Criterium. Not a bad weekend, I guess I'm in better shape than I thought. I ended up hanging on til the end and joining in on the field sprint. Wound up in 7th place.

We ate at an awesome place on main street, the 200 block on a corner. Forgot the name of the place (Brick....something), but good food, good service, and good atmosphere. We'll be back!

Easter Weekend

What a great weekend! Good weather, good bike ride, good track meet, good family dinner, and good birthday!
Cycled apx 45 miles with some of the guys. Started out a little cool, 35 degrees, but ended just right. Ended the ride in Knoxville, where I watched my daughter Megan place 3rd and 4th in her hurdles. Sunday was Easter and my birthday. Jesus and I have something in common this year! We had my whole family over for ham dinner. It was a great celebration of Easter, Leanne- my twin and my birthdays, and a welcome home to Jodi from Europe, and my parents' anniversary. All in all a memorable weekend.

..

The man wants to wander, and he must do so, or he shall die....The world was "all before me" and there was pleasant excitement in plunging single-handed into its chilling depths.
-- Sir Richard Francis Burton

Cycling and Prom

Cycling! Yes! I and three of my teammates rode about 40 miles today. Yep! In this gale force wind we had today! It was one hell of a workout going out the 20 miles into the wind. Man, but when we turned around and came back.........Hell Yes! Heaven on a bicycle! Many times going up the hills, I'd look down at my cyclocomputer and we'd be doing 30mph! That's Uphill people! NICE! Oh yeah, and between 40-45mph downhill and on some of the flats. Sigh.......the return leg of the trip made all the suffering going out worth it.


My son, Alex, went to prom tonight with his girlfriend Alicia. They looked like a great couple. Dressed up very nicely. I took some good video of them. The Opera House was decorated up nicely. It should be a great time for them.


Well....that's all I know today, except I'm missing Jodi alot and can't wait for her return from Europe. I'm counting down the days. I even tried to put a countdown timer on this blog, but it didn't seem to work right. So I'll count down the old fashioned way. In my head. Out for now.





My wife ,Jodi

See ya soon, babe!

Cool Movie Alert: About Wine!

This is a movie I've recently rented. If you are at all curious about the American entrance on the world stage of wine, check it out. It's funny and enlightening.
Following is a review from Montelena's website;

Montelena in the Movies
Bottle Shock Now Available in DVD
During 2006 we celebrated the 30th anniversary of the 1976 Paris Tasting, at which Chateau Montelena's Chardonnay won top honors. Now the independent film Bottle Shock, loosely based on events leading up to that historic day, is available in DVD. Bottle Shock is a fanciful and fictional tale featuring prominent actors: Bill Pullman as Jim Barrett, Chris Pine as Bo Barrett, and Alan Rickman as Steven Spurrier. Meanwhile, for a highly readable account of events as they actually unfolded we recommend The Judgment of Paris by George Taber.Thirty years on, Bottle Shock is generating great buzz yet again about Chateau Montelena wines. They continue to be in short supply. Be sure your cellar is stocked!

Late Night wine

My first ever Blog post! Just sippin' some wine tonight, wishing I was sharing a glass with my wife who is currently on a european adventure. This is a candid shot of us at a local winery, checking out one of our favorite blues bands.

Rode my bike an hour tonight to burn out the acid in my legs.