Dude, Where's Our Logo?

Almost one year. Voluntarily no job. What I got to show for it? This is it...

Day in, day out, one thing I'm definitely learning about is appreciation...

T Cindy W for weekly texting
T Mom for talk fri day
T Ocean Jr for talk fri night
T Mrs. Ocean for talk sat night
T Papa V for talk sat night
T Ennui for talk sun morning
T Dynomite for talk/bike/cook/swig sun day and you too Skirtsteak sun evening
Looking forward to talk tomorrow Murtz - (T in advance)

Almost, but not quite

Almost a true BikeRunSwig weekend for me.

Last week was very busy, stressful, tiring. Teenagers definitely contribute to that way of life. Also, looked into the fork on Marie for a possible recall. Did find out that it’s the SL model only, not the CL (mine) or TT. Anyways, by Fri afternoon, wasn’t exactly in the most social mood. I was very tired.

But weather was way too nice. So I hit tennis balls with Ocean Jr. and my weariness began to dissipate.

Then Gerald rolled into town with a few bottles of wine. Cooked my first Chinese chicken stir-fry with noodles, and attempted a thai-beef. Investigated a couple bottles of wine from Whidbey Island. Fun!

Woke up early & cooked some homemade egg mcMuffins for Gerald’s trail marathon. Met my buddy named Omaha. Had a blast hitting golf balls in my living room. (I believe only Omaha & Papa V truly understand my net). Played tennis, contemplated life, and strolled/talked in Big Gulch.

Made 2^nd attempt at chicken stir-fry. This time with more vegetables. Watched biking documentary called Ride the Divide. Will be road crew/support for Dyno if he ever decides to attempt this race. I think he’d be awesome at it.

Missed a couple calls from the Eugene blokes. Papa V & Ennui. I’ve requested Gerald take a photo of Papa V at mile 22 for me for the upcoming Eugene Marathon. Also, would love to get a pic 2 days after the race from View as well. Good luck Papa V, you’re a way fitter/better man than me. My legs cramp up just saying the word marathon!

Sunday woke up and fulfilled my April requirement for the Grapefruit Challenge with Gerald. Short ride to Langley. Finally memorized the W cross-streets from Clinton to Langley. Wrightsman, Winterwood, Wycliff, Whitehorse, Witter, Welcome, Wilkenson Farm, Woodside. All on Wilkenson Road.

I encountered a few physical drawbacks. Cramps in my quads up the Muk ferry hill. (Mrs. Ocean to the rescue)! Also, felt like I was half-asleep pretty much the whole ride!? I did discover something cool on the last big hill on the way back to Clinton. Really hard to explain, but I realized finding the right tempo/pace and some kind of “alignment” within myself, riding can be very enjoyable even through the hardest/most uncomfortable parts? Felt like I found some internal sweet spot in tempo, and that was by far the best part of the ride for me.

Got back home. Mrs. Ocean & Ocean Jr headed out for Jr’s first time on a golf course. Gerald ate some leftovers and took off, while I worked on the case of beer Gerald brought and passed out with NeeshaCat.

Woke up this morning and headed out to Wallace Falls State Park with Mrs. Ocean. Got out in the parking lot, and nearly headed back to town. It was pouring. Until, I realized Mrs. Ocean had her golf clubs in the trunk. Inside, I discovered the world’s largest umbrella! It kept us dry for about half a mile until we reached the cover of the forest. Golf umbrellas are actually amazing. It seriously could have covered another two people. Truly enjoyed the finish line. Silver Lake Burger King.

So Gerald could really call this a true bikerunswig weekend. She ran a trail marathon, biked Whidbey Island, and drank plenty of wine/beer. For me, it was more accurately a bikehiketenniscookswig weekend. No running. I do miss running, but my weight is so heavy right now, I’ve got to cut back on my cook/swig, but after this weekend I’m not sure that I will. I like them too much and this weekend I discovered that as long as I show up and participate in BRS activities, then that’s the most important part for me.

Like while blogging this entry I managed to knock out 260 leg lifts, (did manage horrible cramps in the my calves. Ouch).

Anyways, I’m shooting to pace Gerald on her bell lap on her next 100 miler. That’s 2012 Leschi Food Club weekend. I hope to get up to 8 miles by then.

I figure, keep the status quo, but focus on increasing my BRS activities. That’s what has been inconsistent for me. I just realized that’s the beauty of April’s Ab Awareness. You can’t manage 3,000 ab reps, without spreading it throughout the month. It’s the day in, day out work. So I plan to focus on that. I suspect everything else will naturally take care of itself.

Off to finish cooking my Cuban sandwiches and quinoa now. Also gotta kill the last two Sols.

Rename

When I eat grapefruit, I am happy. They are always delicious. If I do not eat grapefruit, I really do not mind that much. I mean I never feel bad or guilty for not eating a grapefruit.

In Ocean's household, strawberries, apples, pears, and grapes are too common. They are not special. However, grapefruits take a bit more time and work to cut up properly. They require special utensils.

Therefore, BRS' Whidbey Island Challenge will be renamed the Grapefruit Challenge.

Come up with your own biking route. Something special, challenging and fun. See how many consecutive months you can ride your route. Log your notes on the Grapefruit link.

Dyno, maybe Echo Falls? Lake Roesiger? Whidbey Island? Skirtsteak, maybe Snohomish? Everett waterfront? Whidbey Island? Gerald, maybe Seward Park, Whidbey Island? Ennui, maybe Mt. Pisgah? Costco? Papa V, (I know you've got a marathon to run), but afterwards, maybe vineyard ride? River ride?

Point is, two of BRS' majors will revolve around cycling, so this will be a fun & helpful challenge. The Tour de Mukilteo and BRSCI-XIII are not getting any easier.

Just heard on the radio, that the Simpsons' Springfield, is in Springfield, OR. I think BRS did the Eugene Tri there?

In other news, Monday, I scanned the local news for traffic accidents on 405. There were none involving any van pools. So congratulations to Dyno. He is currently a certified van pool driver. Keep up the good work!

Plan to swig the birthday Sol tonight. Also plan to try a new recipe, steak frites, from my new cookbook. (See 1st pic above) The wine is just a bonus. Thanks again all.

I'll need the energy. Got 2,950 damn abs work left to do this month.

Hey Ennui

Woke up this morning and made breakfast. Watched part of Stealing Harvard, then took Ocean Jr. out to Wallace Falls State Park. It was raining, and it must have been at least ten years since I last hiked this trail.

So came across a quote at the trailhead, looked it up online, and found the whole poem. It's pretty fitting, because I figured we'd talk a bit on this walk. Turned out instead of strolling along the river, we just hiked the whole thing. Didn't even talk. Didn't need to. Except at the finish line. The finish line is always a Burger King.

UP! up! my Friend, and quit your books;

Or surely you'll grow double:

Up! up! my Friend, and clear your looks;

Why all this toil and trouble?

The sun, above the mountain's head,

A freshening lustre mellow

Through all the long green fields has spread,

His first sweet evening yellow.

Books! 'tis a dull and endless strife:

Come, hear the woodland linnet,

How sweet his music! on my life,

There's more of wisdom in it.

And hark! how blithe the throstle sings!

He, too, is no mean preacher:

Come forth into the light of things,

Let Nature be your teacher.

(That was the quote at the trailhead)

She has a world of ready wealth,

Our minds and hearts to bless--

Spontaneous wisdom breathed by health,

Truth breathed by cheerfulness.

One impulse from a vernal wood

May teach you more of man,

Of moral evil and of good,

Than all the sages can.

Sweet is the lore which Nature brings;

Our meddling intellect

Mis-shapes the beauteous forms of things:--

We murder to dissect.

Enough of Science and of Art;

Close up those barren leaves;

Come forth, and bring with you a heart

That watches and receives.

1798.

Figure you'll probably know the meaning of this better than me. You were in poetry club if I remember. Looked good on your college applications, right? Wanna know what looks even better?

The state parks & trails & rivers & nature where you live. Get out and enjoy it. That's why we don't live in the Midwest!

2012 Eugene Open

2012 Eugene Open Champions are Papa Ventoux and Ocean Jr. Congratulations! 6-4, 4-6, 6-4.

EO Highlights: Ocean Jr completing his first I-5 Mukilteo to Eugene drive, Ennui showing up for formation early (truly a miracle), after match family dinner, garage talk, and late-night showing of Harsh Times.