No words, just riding

Although the last month I have not been active in writing on the blog does not mean that I have not been active on the bike. In fact, I have been on the bike at least four days a week. The only lacking has been the long Saturday rides that I have been used to for the last two years. Between moving and well, moving, I have been traveling every weekend for the last six weeks it seems. That is okay. We move into our house tomorrow and it will be back to being normal and I can prepare for Solvang with a big bang! Only six weeks till the first century of the year. The Hogg, OB1-2OLD, and I will hit the 4000+ of vertical gain that the Solvang claims. It should prove to be a fun warm-up. This also tells me that I need to ride the Mt. Hood climb a few times to get my climbing legs back. I have spotted several hills around our new neighborhood to do the same. Sometimes you must do what sucks because, well, it sucks - cold weather, hill climbing, power sprints, hours on the saddle - all suck but you got to do them.

One last shout out, to Yoda! Way to go boooyyyyyy on the bounce out of Bates. May you live long and proper in a real J-O-B!

Portland

It has been a busy and long first week. So busy and long that I have not been on the bike at all. March 10th is approaching and I need to start preparing. No worries, this next week I will start getting into the mix better and have found more time. With two months, I need to be spending time on the bike to prepare.

This first week in Portland can be described as information overload. The first two days in the office I didn't leave till 8:30 PM each day. It would have been the same yesterday except for my parents came down so I only worked till 5:45 PM. Without Christine and the kids, I have no reason to sit in the apartment and do nothing, maybe I could have been riding, but work got done and it is making it easier to transition by getting more done and up to speed on Portland. The time invested and the guidance I received from the Simi Valley team has been a huge benefit to me here. They really treated me well.

Other than that, the only downside has been the 13 hour drive here and not having the right lockbox code to get the key out after I got here. Sure, drive 13 hours to get to an apartment and not be able to get in. At least they were available by phone to get the right code.

Christine and the kids will be here on 1/26. We have identified an area and a home to rent for the first six months. I am grateful that Christine is handling the arrangements for the move. She makes it so easy and I appreaciate here support. Fun, fun, fun in the, well, kind of sun.