Oh, and apparently while we were at Lake Hope last week with Shelly in her kayak on the lake, a black bear decided to take a swim too. Exciting.
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| Courier photo by Ed Shrider, copyright 2012 |
Friday, June 22, 2012
What a bear.
As quickly as the miles came, they have left. Over a 130 miles last week, 0 thus far this week. Oh well, thus is the life.
Oh, and apparently while we were at Lake Hope last week with Shelly in her kayak on the lake, a black bear decided to take a swim too. Exciting.
Oh, and apparently while we were at Lake Hope last week with Shelly in her kayak on the lake, a black bear decided to take a swim too. Exciting.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Vacation!
Finally got some vacation. Has been a long time since I have been able to get any amount of time off. Didn't go anywhere, too scared to travel with Brock, Ethan was in WV camping with Shelly's folks, etc. Just stayed close to home, biked, ate, watched soccer, and didn't work. Ended up riding more miles in a week than I did the entire month of May.
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| Heading to Lake Hope for kayaking (Shelly) and MTB (me). |
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| On the trail. |
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| The lake, the weather, and the patrons were all looking good. |
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| Post ride lunch at Jackie O's to watch some UEFA Eruo '12. |
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| Road ride, brand new asphalt on Ohio 325. |
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| Dinner at Purple Chop Stix |
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| Mmmm, Tom Yum Sourp |
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| Everyone's favorite dairy farm. |
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| Father's day supper: grilled pizza with fresh spinach, roma tomatoes, olives, and fresh mozzarella. |
Tuesday, June 5, 2012
Snake and Peacock
Too good not to share.
The evening started with watching a chicken kill a small snake and subsequently slurp it down like a piece of spaghetti. I figure it must have been the chicken that was attacked by a black snake last year. Then, I am standing at the kitchen sink while washing up a dish only to look outside to see a hen peacock walking up my driveway. She spent the evening strolling around with the chickens and went to roost right behind the coop after the chickens roosted. It was again strolling around with them this morning.
The evening started with watching a chicken kill a small snake and subsequently slurp it down like a piece of spaghetti. I figure it must have been the chicken that was attacked by a black snake last year. Then, I am standing at the kitchen sink while washing up a dish only to look outside to see a hen peacock walking up my driveway. She spent the evening strolling around with the chickens and went to roost right behind the coop after the chickens roosted. It was again strolling around with them this morning.
Monday, June 4, 2012
Recovery
Had the opportunity for a short ride on Sunday. Hit it at a moderate pace keeping my HR low. How? Well, my Garmin Forerunner suddenly came back to life. I also managed to straighten my my chain (with tools). Can't tell it was ever bent and the 14 mile afternoon ride went great.
Had the chance to take a good look at the car too. Damage to the driver's door, back door, and rear quarter panel. Broken mirror, drivers window won't roll up, and the weather strip is no longer attached to the back door. Probably going to need a set of junkyard doors and I will have to see if a friend can bang out the quarter panel. Yay.
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| Twisted link after I fixed it by hand on the road. Can't tell it was ever bent now. |
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| Deer damage. |
Sunday, June 3, 2012
Carpenter bees, three counties, twisted link, coyote, mowing, and deer.
What a Saturday.
Since we live in a log home, one of the joys I experience each year is fighting off carpenter bees. Besides smacking them with a badminton racket, I have to go around and seal up the few holes they make with urethane caulking. This year, one decided to make a large pile of sawdust far out of reach. The day started with about 3 hours worth of work to get out ladders and roof jacks just to get up to the soffit to spray and seal one bee hole.
After getting off the roof, Shelly and the boys headed down 143 for the annual yard sales and Snowville Creamery farm tour. I decided to head south (to avoid 143) with the Masi. Grabbed my gear to find that my Garmin Forerunner 305 was completely dead. Wont charge, wont turn on, nothing. This has been about 22 months of problems with this GPS watch. Must have gotten a bad one as I know of other units that have years of trouble free service. This one has been plagued with GPS chipset failures and now complete failure. No HR or cadence for this ride, just tracked it with my Strava Android app. Down 689 to 160, to 325, to 124, back to CR1 and home. The first half of the ride was pleasant. Passed more Amish buggies than cars. The temperature was super nice, in the upper 60's. Passed a small carnival setup in Vinton as I turned down 325. About 10 miles later I down shifted as I started a climb and dropped the chain off the front chainring. A few minutes (and black hands) latter I was ready to roll. After a couple of pedal strokes, I soon realized something was very wrong. Dropping the chain has literally twisted one of the links about 30 degrees. Great, 14 miles from home, no cell service, in the middle ok nowhere, along the Meigs and Gallia county border. I spent the next 10 minutes bending the link back straight with my hands, enough to ride home. It still complained especially with climbing, but it stayed in gear and I got to finish the ride. Four miles up the road I had an adult coyote jump out in front of me. Not sure who was more startled, but thankfully he turned tail and bolted.
Got home thinking I would get the yard mowed. The riding mower has two flats (and one will not hold air) and a dead battery. I pulled out the Troy-Bilt walk behind only to have it throw the belt before I could even start. I put the mowers away.
Loaded up Shelly's kayak in the truck so she could get away for a while. The older two boys left for Shelly's parent's house where they would be spending the night as Brock and I headed outside to play. A few minutes pass and the phone rings. Michael hit a deer with the car a half mile from the house. Let me correct that, "a deer ran into the car". Broke the mirror off, dented the drivers door badly enough the window will not roll up.
At least Shelly had a nice time on the water.
Since we live in a log home, one of the joys I experience each year is fighting off carpenter bees. Besides smacking them with a badminton racket, I have to go around and seal up the few holes they make with urethane caulking. This year, one decided to make a large pile of sawdust far out of reach. The day started with about 3 hours worth of work to get out ladders and roof jacks just to get up to the soffit to spray and seal one bee hole.
After getting off the roof, Shelly and the boys headed down 143 for the annual yard sales and Snowville Creamery farm tour. I decided to head south (to avoid 143) with the Masi. Grabbed my gear to find that my Garmin Forerunner 305 was completely dead. Wont charge, wont turn on, nothing. This has been about 22 months of problems with this GPS watch. Must have gotten a bad one as I know of other units that have years of trouble free service. This one has been plagued with GPS chipset failures and now complete failure. No HR or cadence for this ride, just tracked it with my Strava Android app. Down 689 to 160, to 325, to 124, back to CR1 and home. The first half of the ride was pleasant. Passed more Amish buggies than cars. The temperature was super nice, in the upper 60's. Passed a small carnival setup in Vinton as I turned down 325. About 10 miles later I down shifted as I started a climb and dropped the chain off the front chainring. A few minutes (and black hands) latter I was ready to roll. After a couple of pedal strokes, I soon realized something was very wrong. Dropping the chain has literally twisted one of the links about 30 degrees. Great, 14 miles from home, no cell service, in the middle ok nowhere, along the Meigs and Gallia county border. I spent the next 10 minutes bending the link back straight with my hands, enough to ride home. It still complained especially with climbing, but it stayed in gear and I got to finish the ride. Four miles up the road I had an adult coyote jump out in front of me. Not sure who was more startled, but thankfully he turned tail and bolted.
Got home thinking I would get the yard mowed. The riding mower has two flats (and one will not hold air) and a dead battery. I pulled out the Troy-Bilt walk behind only to have it throw the belt before I could even start. I put the mowers away.
Loaded up Shelly's kayak in the truck so she could get away for a while. The older two boys left for Shelly's parent's house where they would be spending the night as Brock and I headed outside to play. A few minutes pass and the phone rings. Michael hit a deer with the car a half mile from the house. Let me correct that, "a deer ran into the car". Broke the mirror off, dented the drivers door badly enough the window will not roll up.
At least Shelly had a nice time on the water.
Friday, June 1, 2012
Intentions
Realizing that i was going to get out of the office early (and by early, I really mean almost on time), I shot Shelly a text saying I was hoping to get a ride in after work and then take her and Brock out to dinner since the other two boys were at my folk's. Got home and decided to ride back to my office so I could shower and Shelly could meet me there (and save 30 minutes from the evening). The ride went great. 25+ miles, 1800 feet, and I was putting down a fairly high level of excretion. Pulled in to the office right on time, showered, and jumped in the car.
We decided to go somewhere to sit outside since it was 75F outside. Apparently so did everyone else. Choice 2 was pizza only to arrive at Grinders to find they were closing early for a private party. Eatery choices are limited when you have Brock along. Tried to order a pizza from Papa John's to just take to the park only to be placed on hold forever. By this time, I am getting real hungry, Shelly is beyond hungry, and we are getting grumpy. After letting Brock play in the park for a while, we drove back uptown and got a table at Broney's. Only issue with eating late, in uptown Athens, at a bar/grill is the place is slammed with students drinking. It was loud, busy, and slow service. Brock was literally climbing on the table. Finally ate, changed Brock into PJs and headed for home.
I really did have good intentions, but it was good to just get home, get Brock to bed, and crash. Yep.
We decided to go somewhere to sit outside since it was 75F outside. Apparently so did everyone else. Choice 2 was pizza only to arrive at Grinders to find they were closing early for a private party. Eatery choices are limited when you have Brock along. Tried to order a pizza from Papa John's to just take to the park only to be placed on hold forever. By this time, I am getting real hungry, Shelly is beyond hungry, and we are getting grumpy. After letting Brock play in the park for a while, we drove back uptown and got a table at Broney's. Only issue with eating late, in uptown Athens, at a bar/grill is the place is slammed with students drinking. It was loud, busy, and slow service. Brock was literally climbing on the table. Finally ate, changed Brock into PJs and headed for home.
I really did have good intentions, but it was good to just get home, get Brock to bed, and crash. Yep.
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