POWER FLEX

Monday night I got Trail girl out of the house to join me for power flex class. This is a full body weight lifting class to music. High reps and no breaks for a full sixty minutes of pain. Designed to strengthen, tone and improve your endurance.

Trail girl has new responsibilities of a young one and she does not have time to screw around at the gym. I told her about the power flex class, that you can get your work out done in an hour and she was sold! The first time you take the class is a bit challenging to choose your weights appropriately, especially if your an experienced weight lifter. You go in with a big head thinking...I can push a few more pounds until you realize your going to do 60 reps or so, UGH! Then the instructor tells us that the minimum number of push-ups in her class is 100, UGH! UGH! Trail girl and I looked at each other and said, Oh Yeah! I wonder how she is feeling today?

Nice long weekend

This is just what I needed, a nice long weekend to catch up with family and friends and even get in some long, overdue, touch up painting done in the house. Usually, Captain Candy and I spend the day after Thanksgiving in Chicago for Black Friday. We have kept that tradition since we met, but this year we decided to stay home and save. Last year when we spent the weekend, in Chicago after Thanksgiving, oh how I remember... It was a perfect night, the snow started to fall and the streets were lit with beautiful lights and it was so festive. We found this great little Bar at Ralph Lauren on Michigan street and we spent the rest of the evening there drinking martini's.

Thanksgiving this year was at Tulla's and there was no way I was going to make it to the famous Turkey Ride that started at Beno's. Yeah Im a looser and a boozer and I just could not make it. Besides, we had too much fun playing with our new nephew Frankie and time slipped by so quickly.

Friday I decided to finish painting the downstairs bathroom and the dining room molding and living room molding. We had the hardwood floors refinished about 3 years ago, and had to take off the quarter rounds on the base boards prior to the sanding. Well three years later... I got started with the bathroom and finished just before noon and made my way to the dining room, finished that too. Headed downstairs to change paint for the living room. Started to paint the base boards in the living room and realized the paint does not match. I was to use antique white and I think we screwed up the label on the can of paint I was using, because it was stark white, YIKES. Thank god I caught this early. Well by then I was a bit frustrated and decided to call it quits. I started to get stir crazy after this, it was 50 some degrees outside and I had no one to ride with at night. I was driving Captain Candy crazy cause he can't do squat with that busted shoulder. Maybe I should rub some dirt on his shoulder like Rusty said. I can't wait till I get my buddy back.

Well she is back! We got Trail Girl out on the bike on Saturday after almost two years in hibernation. Tony and Ulla planned on riding on Saturday morning and I decide to join in. We met at the Tosa bridge by 11:00 AM. Sanjay came along for the ride too and it was another perfect day for trail riding. We did the Tosa trail, Rusty Bubba trail, Harley trail and some others that I am not familiar with. We stopped for pee breaks along the way and a breather too. I have to say Trail girl still has it in her, all she had to do was shake off a little dust off that bike and they were both as good as new!

Saturday afternoon off to Steins for outdoor decorations and a pit stop to REI. Friends stopped by and I derailed from my painting tasks and had some fun. Our plan was to have a wreath decorating party tomorrow, but that foiled so we decided to get the stuff we needed to decorate the outside of our homes. Of course, shopping with Mari is never to one destination, we had to check out the down filled coats that REI had on sale. In the mean time, her girls Lauren and Emily wanted to show me there ability to climb the walls. I guess they take rock climbing classes with there dad at REI and had to show off there talent. After shopping we headed down to Cathedral Square to check out the nice christmas tree decorations and have dinner at Louise's Trattoria. I even got Emily to eat some calamari for a buck. Next time I'll bet her 20 if she can down a raw oyster. Oh what fun to play!

Tosa Night Ride with the Boys

Tuesday's night ride was a blast and you could not have asked for better weather. I found it quite entertaining to ride behind Duckette for the entire ride. All I heard riding behind Greg, were sounds of Tickle Me Elmo. A video cam would be even more entertaining.

Alterra Nite Ride Nov, 21 6:30 PM Tosa Trails

Date: 11-21-2006
Ride Start Time: 6:30
Meeting Place: bridge in Tosa village
Bike Type: Mountain Bike
Distance: 20-30 miles
Pace: moderate
Message: Okay the Tuesday night riding continues! Normal route through Tosa & the new"Bubba trails". Charge those lights & see you tuesday night.

message posted by Greg Duckette

ALTERRA YEAR END PARTY 2006

CHIPS N SALSA

BEANGINA

PARTY ANIMALS

WHAT???????????

THE END

SEDONA VISTA 2007

The decision is final, our 3rd annual trip to Sedona is set for April 2007 and I cant wait!


Here is a recap of the festivities from last year.

The Food Network

One of my favorite pass times is cooking, I really enjoy exploring new tasty dishes like the one I made the night before captain candies surgery, Tyler Florence Ultimate Beef Stew. The recipe called for an entire bottle of good red wine and the gravy was out of this world. I made enough for a dinner party, so next time I'll have to invite everyone over to join us. Tonight I am making butternut squash soup, I can't wait to see how this turns out, it looks so yummy in the picture.

JUST WHAT THE DOCTOR ORDERED

Last night was almost a call to 911. Captain Candy needed desperately to take a shower and get that dam bandage off his shoulder. The doctor told him not to remove the bandage for three days nor shower, YEW! So I thought we would let him shower last night and it would make him feel a bit better. Never mix beer, percocets and a nice hot shower, this is a perfect combination to vasodilate those arteries and look out! I helped Captain Candy out of the shower to dry off and a few seconds later he was feeling a bit nauseas and the next thing you know, he turned white as a ghost and a bit ashen to the lips. We quickly got him to lie on the floor and I put some cold compress on his neck and chest to cool him off. I thought he was a goner there for a second. Slowly, he started to regain blood flow and he said to me, "felt like I was passing through the Gates of Hell." No more Lakefront for the boy, I think he should stick to Hersheys.

THAT WAS EASY

Ty's rotator cuff surgery was a success, and the Dr said he will start therapy on the 17th. So far, Ty is feeling pretty good since he got a nerve block to his right shoulder before they put him out. This block should last 12 to 24 hours before the "real" pain begins. The Dr gave him some good drugs to kill the pain and I can't believe this stuff only cost $5, it's cheaper than alcohol. We have to put ice packs on his shoulder every hour for 20 minutes for now and keep a schedule with the pain meds. So far Ty is pretty much comfortable but the block is starting to wear off so we are in for a ride.

RUSTY BUBBA TRAILS

Captain candy and I set out for a moon light ride on the Tosa Trails last night, including the new added section of the Bubba Trail. For those of you who want to know how to get to the new section, just after you turn around and go over the bridge on HYW 100 heading south, you turn left into the single track down that little hill off the bridge. Instead of going straight, take a HARD RIGHT just after the little down hill dip, immediately off the bridge. This new section is tight and twisty and quite the challenge. I can't believe for once I was able to make some of this off camber stuff better in the dark, I think if I did not have a brain I could really rock the course. It is amazing how much your head can play with your psyche while riding. While we were blazing down the trails we ran into a few friends, Butt Crack and a little varmint. There is even a nice little bridge to test your technical ability to balance which is placed strategically off a corner. If you have not tried the Tosa trails, you are missing a really fun time.

ICEMAN HEADLINES

What's New?

The only thing that I am excited about is my new Nite Rider HID night lights for my mountain bike. Thanks to Vince at BENS'S and Captain Candy for setting me up with this sweet light set. I decided to drop some cash on a good set, since I am an inexperienced night rider and will need all the help I can get, especially in the dark single track. I was a bit hesitant about buying the lights because I thought I would like to put together an in expensive Cross Bike. One of the Polska guy's has a sweet cross frame for sale, just my size and it was sure tempting. After thinking about how well I did not do, at my first cross race last weekend at Washington Park, I decided Mountain biking is way more fun then spinning in circles for 36 minutes. Last weeks race made me realize how much I LOVE the sport of Mountain Biking and racing, and that I want to do it more and more and can't seem to get enough. I guess if I can get a cross bike for free this season I will use it for what ever other races I decide to do, but in the mean time...I seem to be more excited riding trails,now that race season is over with and I have time to actually enjoy riding without the thought of training. Although, it would be nice to see how I would finish in a cross race with skinny tires. I am out for relaxation and fun at this point and the thought of competition right now is no fun.
I was able to test out my new gadget on the North Kettle trails with MTB GIRL and some of her pals and we had a blast.

Lance to Run NY Marathon this Sunday