Finalized

I finished putting all the components on the bike tonight and the bar tape. Here are a few pictures.It was easier than I thought to get all the components on. It is amazing what you can do with the right tools and reading the instructions. Now it is time to ride!

Putting it all together

A few weeks ago, I got an e-mail from the Toyota-United Cycling Team. They were having a fire sale since the team disbanded. For a good price, I was able to pick up a Dura Ace gruppo. I started to put it on the bike tonight. It will take me a few nights to do it but here is the start.The bike in the stand - notice the new carbon handlebars.

Here is the crank - a 53/39 Hollowtech II.
A better look at the handlebars and the front brakes.
All the old parts - I will be installing these on my Trek since they are better than the components on the Trek right now.

I'll be doing a bit more tomorrow night as I put on the derailleurs and the shifters. I'll probably start the cables on Thursday. Fun, fun, fun...

SoCal Riding

After Solvang, I knew my legs feel better the sooner I get out. One of my favorite rides is on the PCH - you can see, feel, smell, and hear the ocean. I was happy that JD was going to ride with me. So Sunday, we said adios to my parents and Solvang and headed to Camarillo. JD and I jumped on the bikes while the families shopped a bit and then met us at the beach. The first couple of miles was just loosening up and getting back into the rhythm of riding. The first 8 miles was into a nice head wind and then we reached the Pt. Magu and the wind disappeared and the ocean opened up. As JD put, "it was a perfect day" to be riding. We just cruised and took it all in. Thanks to JD for the ride - there is a comfort riding with a friend and doing a great ride. After the ride, we just hung out at the beach, enjoying the sea, the sand, and the friendship.

Monday was a tough morning. JD and his family got into their car to go home. It was tough saying good-bye to them. Saying good-bye to good friends reminds me of when I was almost 5, leaving Germany for the first time, having to say good-bye to my friend Alexander. I cried like a baby and couldn't say the words. I did much better this time but each time is difficult.

Tuesday was back on the bike to ride parts of several of my favorite rides near Simi - up Sunset Hills, over Westlake Blvd, out Hidden Valley and up Potrero Canyon, down past Cal State Channel Islands, back through Camarillo and Moorpark, and into Simi. All told, some 55 miles in the saddle. After the ride, we headed to Ramona (near San Diego) to hang with Bob. He has this beautiful home on top of a hill, overlooking the valley below. I really appreciate him letting us hang with him and get some insight into the NCAA tourney - great conversation. After consulting with him and www.mapmyride.com, I got some ideas of doing a ride around Ramona. I could have called the ride several names - Col du Bob because of the several steep short climbs to get up to his house, Vuelta de Ramona because I rode the perimeter and through downtown of Ramona, or Lost because I did get lost on the ride. My riding around Ramona was almost as much elevation gain over the 40 miles as it was if I had ridden Palomar Mountain. I had decided against climbing Palomar for several reasons - wrong cassette, don't know the roads or could talk to someone who does, more excuses, and more excuses. Cassie and I did drive out there on Thursday to take a peak at it. We drove both sides from the CA76. With the right gearing, it is a very manageable climb - much like the Col du Hamilton in San Jose. What amazes me is the speed that the pro cyclists did it in the AToCali. Wow! The average American has no clue about how difficult it is to ride up these climbs. I have an inkling and understand the pain of climbing for extended periods but the speed still eludes me. Next time in SoCal, Palomar will be on my list to climb.

Having rode for 4 out of the 5 days, I started to get a glimpse of what a multi-day stage race is like and why a massage is necessary each day. Tough but fun!

Friday and Saturday was spent in the car, returning to the cold and rain. During the drive, we listened to the tourney on the radio and followed it on the handheld. I missed Milan-San Remo race but saw the finish online. Cav has some incredible speed - even after 298K's.

Time to get back to work and to prepping for the STP... pics to follow...

Solvang

Let me just start this off by saying "Happy Anniversary" to my parents - 42 years. Wow!

I just love this ride. There are many reasons why I love this ride – family, friends, difficulty, motivation, weather – all add to the beauty that is this early season ride in the small Danish town.

The trip started Thursday afternoon with a drive to Ashland. Once again, we were able to stay at Bob’s house. (Thanks Bob – your hospitality is always appreciated. We are grateful to you for your generous nature.) Friday started out a bit later than anticipated but we the journey down to Solvang was not difficult. We even stopped in Sacramento and had an In & Out experience. Yes, a double double animal style and a strawberry shake – nothing like a good burger. It was part of the “carb” loading I was doing for the ride. We got to Solvang about 7 and had dinner with my parents. Good food as always. It not only tasty but the essential stuff for a pre-ride meal. (Thanks to OB12OLD and Mom for their graciousness in letting us hang with them and eat their food. It made the ride just that more enjoyable and relaxing.) After dinner, we got our packets and hooked up with some good friends, the Dunford’s. JD was ready to sleep and get on the road. I was happy to have another riding partner and wingman.

We slept in a little later than previous years – something about a change in daylight savings time being in March instead of April this year. We rolled out a little after 8 AM with a few pictures and anxious legs. It always amazes me how at the start, the big question for me is always how is my body going to react today? Have I prepared enough for this ride? The weather was not the usual heavy fog of the last few years. Instead, it was cold and overcast, just like Oregon riding this time of year without the rain. I felt at home. The first 25 miles was fast. We hit the first rest stop, got some food, and hung with the kids and the C for a couple of minutes. Christine and Kristen brought the kids over close to the rest stop and we got to see them for a few minutes. I caught up with OB12 OLD for a few moments and just gabbed a bit. JD came by with a group, groped me and we took off. It was good to just hang with Pops for a few minutes on the road. We didn’t talk to him till after the ride was over.

We cruised all the way over to the 60 mile stop before stopping again. Once again, the family was there plus my Mom hooked me up with a sandwich. Cool! I was good for the rest of the ride. Usually this is where I write about the pain of the last 40 miles. Not this year, the weather was much milder on the coast with very little wind. Plus, it stayed cooler all day long so I didn’t get beat up by the sun. We had planned on stopping around mile 85 before the hills, not this year. I took a quick natural break before the hills and closed out the ride. My fastest 10 miles split was the last 10 miles of the ride. I felt good. The riding had paid off and my body had responded well. I could not have done it without riding with a friend, having great support, and the right food. Thanks to all. I could not have done it without your help.

All in all, I was 22 minutes faster on the bike and about 15 minutes faster overall. All the riding the last year and through the winter has paid dividends – less suffering and more time enjoying the ride and experience.

Friday Night Basketball

After work on Friday night, the C came up with the kids and we got something to eat and just hung out. We were going to to play basketball but that fell through - something about the gym needing the right insurance paperwork - so we decided to head over the high school gym where Newberg was in the second round of the OSAA basketball tourney against my mom's alma mater, Clackamas. On our way into the gym, we ran into a few friends. We sat by some more. It felt like we were part of a community. Then we watched Newberg fight back from a rough first half to win, 57-54, and move on to the Elite 8 of the 6A tourney. The crowd was standing room only and the students were crazy. A couple of times I got caught up in the emotion, as I can do, and made loud comments and yelled, especially after Taylor Braun's (tall player in picture) two-handed throw down. Bam!!! Got to love supporting the home team...

The morning started off early with a stop in back at the high school. This time, not for basketball, but for Cassie's "Solo Ensemble." This is where students play their instruments for judges for grading and insight into how to play better. I was proud of Cassie. She worked hard at preparing and put forth her best effort. The only issue I had was calling the event a "Solo Ensemble." Solos can't be an ensemble. I know that it is a gathering of solos but it is like saying "Lone Rangers." Next.

This was the last Saturday to ride before Solvang. So I headed out into the 40 degree weather with a 50 percent chance of rain for a five hour tour. It ended up being a 4 hour 20 minute tour due to just being cold. There was very little rain but plenty of wind and cold. My legs still are feeling the after effects but I think I am ready for the first ride of the season. It's going to be a hard focusing at work this week. I'll be thinking about getting to SoCal for the ride and a bit of vacation with the family.

We watch this show called "Friday Night Lights." It is a story about a small town in Texas. I just watch it to remind me of Texas. Don't get me wrong, I realize that TV shows are not reality. I don't watch the show and say that's how it is. I watch and remember. I miss San Antonio and my Texas license plate on my truck. I miss the pace and the people - not that Oregon is a bad place to be and I really love my job - it is just not Texas!

U2ing

It has been a crazy week in Oregon. The weather has been up and down - rain, sleet, snow, sun - all happening in one day in some cases. Even with the weather being uncooperative, it didn't slow the pain train down. All told some 6 1/2 hours on the bike with some seriously hard riding. The first two days riding was spinning in the garage, just sweating and suffering for an hour at a time. On Thursday, I got home and Cassie asked me if I was going to ride. I said, "Sure, want to go?" She was all excited to go so we rode on semi-dry roads over my 7.25 mile circuit under the street lights. We did two loops and a bit more in 70 minutes. Part of the circuit is a short steep hill in our old neighborhood. It goes to 9 - 10% over about 1/3 of a mile. I have been using it to get out of the saddle and push as hard as I can to the top. We mixed in 4 hard sprints in the circuits to make it an intense night. Cas liked the work out. The difference was in the morning, I was a bit sore and she was not... Oooh to be young again!

Saturday was at least clear and started out at 42 degrees and cloudy. The roads were dry. After dropping Craig off to go on a day of cross country skiing, I got on the bike and headed to Haag Lake. I forgot to charge the Garmin so I was GPSless. This actually worked to my advantage. I pushed all 200 minutes on the road. On hills, I'd stand and push the bigger gear to the top. I'd pedal down the hills as well. It was 60 hilly, rolling miles that worked my legs so much that going up and down stairs today was tough. In reviewing 2008 to 2009 Solvang prep, I have been able to put up 3 60+ mile rides (I will add another next Saturday) this year to only 1 last year. The total mileage to this point is in the 2008 favor but the time on the bike favors 2009. I have been riding more hills and rolling miles this year than last. I know this will pay off in two weeks in SoCal.

As part of my riding, I started listening to my U2 collection while riding. There are 208 U2 songs on my iPod. I plan on listening to all of them before switching. I am at #45 after this last ride. Got to love Bono, Larry, Adam, and the Edge.

Tonight, we spent time at the Bishop's house, chatting and chewing with new members of the ward at a dinner social. I spent a good deal of time talking to other bike riders, planning for our 12 hour STP ride this summer. The plan is to get a group to ride with the first 100 and save energy and release quickly at the halfway point while minimizing rests in the second half. The 12 hour ride is possible but will take some work. The miles now will aid later. As the data shows, the longer rides on Saturday are part of the plan. After daylight savings kicks in, there will be more daylight hours in the evening to ride and combo up Friday and Saturday for longer rides. Also, at the Bishop's dinner, I got to talk to a visitor from Prinville who was my dad's Scout leader - too cool!

This week has some excitement - meeting at the HS to review options for Cassie, Craig's first band concert, youth group meetings preparing for our summer high adventure, Friday basketball with the Elders, and work in general - all the while trying to get in my hours. Fun!

Only two weeks to vacation and Solvang! I am so happy that the C and the family are coming with me this year. I am in need of some vacation....

Pain and hope

Friday night, the C joined me at the Portland Home and Garden Show to work our booth. She looked great in her Milgard shirt, meeting and greeting folks. Afterwards, we headed to our favorite and cheap Sushi bar in Bridgeport, ate up some raw fish, and headed home.

I had plans to get up and ride early on Saturday morning but I decided to change my plans. Instead, the C and I headed to "The Pancake House" in Portland for some breakfast. They only serve breakfast there and the conversation was better.

After breakfast, I got the car washed and cleaned out. As I cleaned out the car, I realized that it had been a while and I was embarrassed that I had taken a friend out in my car. Time to get back on a schedule. After the car, the boys and I piled in to head to MAC for a basketball game. We only had 7 players, including Craig. We had no big man so I played the middle since I was the tallest. In the end, I ran and jumped a bunch, pushed around a bigger man for an hour, and was tired but had a good time playing. Craig got some PT and played some great defense. I wish one of his shots would have dropped. They were so close.

Since the training schedule called for four hours of riding, I had to get on the bike. There are only a few more Saturdays till Solvang. After basketball, I changed, ate a little bit, and headed out. I knew right away that it would be a long day in the saddle. The first two hours weren't as bad as I thought as I hit North Valley Road to Yamhill to Carlton to MAC and headed out to Amity. On the way back to Dayton, I started having thoughts about going back to MAC to get the C's car and head home. I figured I could make it home if I just put my head down and pedaled. The last hill on North Valley Road before turning onto Chehalem Road was a painful reminder of my day on the court. I got my four hours in and my legs are talking to me today but it was worth it.

A fun thing happened to me on the way out of MAC - a pickup truck rolled up to me and two girls leaned out and yelled, "You'll never beat Lance", laughed, and rolled away. I just laughed and rolled on. I don't hope to beat Lance - I just wanted to catch a glimpse of what it means to ride and roll up and over large climbs and feel the wind in my face on the descent and all the other things that cycling brings to me. I appreciate and respect what Lance has done for cycling and for the cancer community. He finished in 7th place at the Amgen Tour of California. Nice!

Lastly, a huge shout out to Levi for his 3rd consecutive Amgen ToC win. Today was an incredible stage as Saxo Bank put the pressure on for the 2nd day in a row but couldn't crack the little man from Santa Rosa. Way to go Levi!

(Photo courtesy of www.velonews.com)

Waiting

Solvang is only a few weeks away and I am getting impatient - yearning for the sun and warmth of SoCal. The weather has been cooperating but not stellar. For the most part it has been dry but the rain is coming. Saturday was a nice ride out to Hagg Lake with OB12OLD. Nothing too fast just base miles and higher cadence spinning. Saturday's ride will hopefully be longer than a three hour tour but we'll have to wait and see how the weather holds up. There is only two more Saturday's for me to get in long rides before Solvang. The legs feel solid but is always nice to get in a few long rides to build confidence.

I spent Wednesday at the Portland Expo Center working a booth at a home show. The show has plenty of exhibits, filling three large expo halls but the number of people who came out were minimal. I was surprised to see so few but it is just a sign of the economic times. Our dealers have a great showing at the home show so we'll see how and if this gives our business a bump.

The Amgen Tour of California has been great! The weather has finally started to cooperate. Tomorrow, they ride in Solvang. I have done the time trial route a few times and look forward to some familiar territory. It will only make the waiting more difficult.

I just wanted to send a shout out to JD. He snapped a picture of me out on a fun with a few friends at the AToC. Check it out:

Actually this is a photo from www.velonews.com. Way to go American cycling fans - show that true racing spirit!

SportSaturday

Saturday usually is a bike and play day - play being hanging out with the C and running errands. This Saturday was just a bit busier. The C headed South to check out the girls camp venue for this year since it is a new one. We got up at 6 and I hit the trainer by 6:50 AM while she got ready to go. She took off towards Corvalis at 8 AM and I rode another hour on the trainer. At 9, I stopped and got ready for Craig's basketball game. We got there in time to warm up, shoot free throws, and play the game. We won our third game of the year on some timely free throw shooting and great defense, holding them to 19 total points.

By 11:15 AM, I was back on the bike, riding towards Chehalem mountain. I set a personal best to the top which was a surprise. I was motivated by this younger rider coming around me right after the Bald Peak turnoff. I stayed just off his wheel and pushed to get to the top. I felt winded and the legs were tired at the top but the personal best always feels good. I guess the two hours on the trainer and the stress of the basketball game was starting to take a toll. Down the backside of the Chehalem is always fun - the corners are not tight and it is a four mile cruise. I did push the pace down the back side. The young buck had stopped at the top for some reason. I'd like to think that I pushed him up the hill as he dragged me up the hill and wore him down but if he got back on the bike, I wasn't about to be caught. The next ten miles was just rollers and then I hit the Kruger road climb and up the back side of Gibb cementary. My legs let me know that they were not happy with my ride choice. All told, I rode a little over four hours, right on schedule in my Solvang prep.

I did get home in time to change into my basketball clothes and head out to the Stake Center for Stake basketball. We had only 6 players but the sprinting and cutting was good for me - a change in pace from the riding but my legs were tired. I was still able to score 15 points in our win. On the way home, Craig starts talking smack about taking me on in 21. I couldn't let that go. So after parking the car, we get on the bikes and head to the park. We play another hour and a half of basketball. When I got home, the C had got home, I showered and we hit Chipotle for a fat burrito. The burro hit the spot, filling that void left by all of the sports. Nice!

All told - a little over six hours on the bike, five and a half hours playing/coaching basketball. Solvang (and some vacation) is only four weeks away.

Quote

I was reading Bicycling magazine last night while the C took in "The Bachelor". Obviously you can see why I was reading instead of watching. Anyway, I came across an article "The Best Hard Time" by Michael Barry (p. 60 - 67) and a part really stuck out at me that I'd like to share. Michael wrote about living in Girona, Spain and riding with other professional cyclists in adverse weather.

"Constantly seeking new rides, over time we've come to intimately know roads and climbs most locals never see. On narrow dirt lanes up and over the mountains we seem to be seeking something beyond the physical reward - something found in the rhythm of the pedal stroke, in a cleansing breath, in the tranquility of the moment - that makes riding in bad weather nearly spiritual."

Oooh to be a professional cyclist....

Six!

Congratulations to the Steelers!!

Winners of Super Bowl XLIII

It was a great game with many ups and downs. I should have known, after watching a bunch of Steelers games this season, it would come down to a late drive in order for them to win. I feel for the Cardinals. They are my Madden team and played with a lot of heart. They earned the respect of the league with their ramp through the playoffs and tonight, showed the heart of a champion. My hat is off to Kurt and Larry. Thanks for a great game!

My Steelers showed tonight the impact of playing the league's toughest schedule. This battle tested team put all that experience to use as Ben and Santonio played pitch and catch to the end zone for the win. My heart was pounding like a climb up the Col du Hamilton the last five minutes of the game. As Ben took the knee, the house erupted in excitement and the Steelers took their sixth title as a franchise.

Thanks to both teams for a great game. This was an instant classic.

Freezing

After a few weeks of diminished riding at the end of December and beginning of January, I have started to work again in preparation for Solvang in six weeks. There are only five more Saturdays to get in the necessary miles to be prepared for the Solvang century. The last few Saturdays have been spent sitting on the bike for hours in near freezing temperature. I started with 2 hours and increased the ride time by 30 minutes each Saturday for the last 4 Saturdays, hitting 3.5 hours this last Saturday. The legs are feeling better as the miles go up. The task starting this week is to get back to the weekly miles, adding in interval work. The good news is that I am able to build upon a good year of riding from last year to improve this year. My weight has stayed down so far this winter, meaning I start at a lower weight than I started at last year.

I am excited for the Solvang ride. It was a good test of my fitness last year and I look forward to the test again this year. I can feel the warm sun on my back already, the wind from the coast in my face, and the hills in my legs. The best part of the ride will be the opportunity to be with family and friends.

The basketball team has been doing well. We are learning to play the game and be aggressive. A few games ago we were struggling getting rebounds and scoring points. Those two items have been a focus of our practices. We have been working on boxing out and getting to the ball. The boys have responded with more rebounds and being more aggressive. The points have also gone up along with the rebounds. This week we will focus on spacing, rebounds, and running the offense to specific options. Only two more games to go, we still have plenty to work on.

Super Bowl XLIII is underway... Let's go Steelers!

Shift

My 2009 cycling season training kicked off on Saturday morning in foggy 34 degree weather. I rode out North Valley, by Tillikum which was on the season finale of the Amazing Race, down Laughlin road, back on the 240 over the hill, and back to North Valley road to Newberg. The rolling hills was a good early season work out - right at 2 hours of riding. I hadn't been on the bike in almost two weeks and hadn't ridden outside for seveal more. It felt good to be out. Something about riding out through the farm land, the hills, the ponds and streams, and everything else renews me.

Last year I focused on the miles. This is the year of my paradigm shift. I have always got carried away with mileage and miles per hour as a measurement of my fitness and how to determine my work outs. This year I will go to the LA method of determining distance - time. As many professional cyclists proclaim, it is about time on the bike. If any of you have lived in the LA area, you know that you don't talk about miles to get somewhere, it is always a distance as measured in time.

"How long to get to Disney Land?"

"About an hour to an hour and a half from Simi Valley."

I believe by taking this approach, I will be able to improve my time on the bike before the STP rather than just focusing on the miles in order to take that step to the 12 hour total time ride. July will tell if my approach is sound.

Focus

2008 was a good year for me on the bike. I met the two goals I set for myself and really enjoyed the riding and fitness that was a result. In looking at 2009, I really only have one goals - 12 total hours for the STP. I believe that simplicity will add to my focus. This definitely is a stretch for me but attainable. Last year I finished around 13 hours but reviewing the ride, 12 hours was there if I didn't take as long at the rest stops. I will get my plan more finalized as I get closer to the date but a few ideas that I have right now is get more longer rides on Saturday with some longer Friday night rides. Keep up the intensity on the weekday rides, especially when I start riding to work again. Get to the hills and add to the leg strength. Do one hour time trials to keep the speed up. I am excited for the year of riding.

I am also excited for the year in Professional Cycling - Lance is back, Astana is stacked, and we have two strong US pro teams in Garmin-Chipotle and Columbia. A lot of good cycling to follow and watch this year. Let's get riding.

I know it may seem short sighted to just focus on the STP but my building to ride the STP starts right after it ends. All the miles I put on the bike the rest of the year only help me to get the job done in July. Plus, August will be a busy month for me with all of the C activities that she has and my own obligations with the church youth program. We have a high adventure planned to do some hiking around Mt. St. Helens for 4 days in August. I will still bike but I will still have other fitness activities to keep me going.

The biking has been slim this week. We spent New Year's with my brothers and parents in Tacoma. It was good fun to eat and visit with all of them. On Beecher Street, there is a nice picture of the entire family at Josefina's restaurant on New Year's Day. The other part is that I had a massive stomach bug. The pain meter was at an 8. I was down and out till this morning where I still feel the lingering effects. Yesterday, I spent about 6 hours at the clinic getting poked, proded, and lying about. Not good for the bike but this coming week, I will get back into it. It just irritates me to be sick when I am off of work. Not fun for me or for my family. As I am driving home from the clinic, I notice that the roads are dry and it is partly cloudy with some sun. This only adds to my frustration. I am not only sick while I am off of work but the weather is great for winter Oregon to ride in and I don't get to hang with the C. Triple Whammy!!!

Anyway, 2009 has begun. Let the goals be achieved and the fun begin...

Tale of the GPS

I rode my last ride of 2008 last night - a 45 minute spin in the garage to keep the legs loose. I thought I'd just post my stats from 2008. By far, this has been the most miles I have ridden in any year and it felt good.

Total rides: 183
Total miles: 5,351.1
Longest ride: 204.3 (STP)
Average ride: 29.24
Shortest ride: 5.5 miles (Racing Craig around the block)
Average miles per week: 102.91
Miles before STP: 3231.61
Miles after STP: 2119.49
Total hours on the bike: 319.95
Average hours per week: 6 hours 9 minutes
Average time per ride: 1 hour 45 minutes

Almost 40% of my rides were between 10 and 20 miles - these are those one hour or so highly intense training sessions on the trainer or around Newberg. The weekly graph clearly shows that I ride for the STP. Much like Lance and the TdF, I focus on doing well that second Saturday in July.

Here is a graph of my miles by week:

Here is a histogram of my miles by ride:
I really enjoyed all of the riding this year. The best part was seeing new places and riding with new and old friends. I hope I can do more of both in 2009!

Proof

Here is proof that I actually work while at work. This was fun to drive but took a bit getting used to the snow. The problem was that there was no heater so it got cold quickly.

Closed

The plan was to be open for business today. Mother Nature was not cooperating, dumping more snow than expected. As the supervisors and I roamed around the parking lot when we closed the plant, I took a few pictures as we pulled and pushed employees to get unstuck and on the road. The snow was angry that day my friend! As the employees came into the parking lot, the just left their cars where they got stuck.

Using the "Bobcat" to pull employees out of the parking lot so they could go home.

Notice the visitior parking sign. The top of it is about 30". The snow had drited this much over the weekend. Also, see the ribbons of ice from the roof. This is from the freezing rain and the slow thaw. The ice is in ribbon because of the ridges on the roof.

We are going to be closed tomorrow due to the weather and us trying to get the parking lot cleared.

Snowed

The snow just keeps falling. The week started with snow and has ended with snow, with snow in between. You could say we've been snowed over this week. The kids didn't mind at all - school was canceled all week. Christmas break came a week early. It just means they have to make it up later in the year. With school canceled, everything else at the schools is canceled as well to include basketball. We had no practices and no games. So other than work this week, I just rode three hours in the garage and did little else.

Today, snow started early and fell all day. I really didn't want to stay at home all day so after choir practice, the C and I headed out. We hit Franklin Covey for next year's pages, Honey Baked Ham for our Christmas ham, Sushi bar for my weekly raw fish fix, Border's for "Breaking Away"and Peaches, and finally home. Half-way through our travels, I broke out the chains. Traction had deteriorated so I needed help. I was glad I did. Over 6" worth of snow has fallen with more on the way. After getting home, we headed over the church and played basketball for 90 minutes. It was good to be active after sitting in the car for so long.

After getting home after playing basketball, we played in the snow for a while. It was cold, especially in shorts but fun. Now it is just sit and watch BYU - AZ. Go Cougs! Right now, they need to pull their head out and play.

On the bike, the garage continues to test me as I push and practice cadence. I try to keep it high and crank up the pain. It helps to have a TV and ipod to keep my mind off of stopping. Only a few more months till I can get back outside and on the hills.

Sun & Solvang - March 14, 2009.

Intensity

We had our second game of the season on Saturday. I'd sum the whole game up with one word - intensity. The first half was a close one as we end the half only up by one, 15-14. They had two good players and we had managed to stay in front of them for most of the half. We got lost on defense a few times and they made us pay with easy baskets. Our players also got caught up with worrying about the referee rather than playing basketball. At half time, I gave them the "referee's don't win basketball games, players do" speech as well as let's pick up the defensive intensity. Matt, our post player, and Craig went to work on their best players. Matt frustrated the other player so much with his defense that he started pushing and fouling Matt. Craig simply shut the other player down, not letting him get by him or to the basket the entire second half. We held them to 3 points for the half and ended up winning 28-18. I'd like to think that the team is a reflection of the coach and they have picked up on my intensity and passion for defense. I was very proud of how they played.

Craig hit a pair of jumpers - really nice shots, good form, nice follow through, good arc on the shot, nothing but net. No threes this game but that is okay. His defensive effort was impressive. He is so quick. Most of the time players can catch up to a player dribbling up the court, not with Craig. He can get down the court just as fast as the other players running. He just needs to work on his lay ups and he will be extremely dangerous. Just another item for practice.

The cycling was more of an escape this week rather than exercise. I rode for 4 hours total, one hour on four different days. I needed the escape as we were downsizing this week and letting some really good people go. For the year, I went over 5200 miles, meaning my weekly average will be above 100 miles per week for the year. Nice! The work I am doing now on the bike is focusing on leg strength and cadence. I sit and get my cadence to 85-95 RPM and cycle up the gears at descending intervals. I start with 15 minutes on the easiest to warm up, click down, 10 minutes, and then 5 minutes for the next 5 clicks down, finishing with 10 minutes of cool down with 5 at halfway back up and the last 5 where I started. At the highest gear, it is painful to keep up the cadence but it does the body good. The hour just flies by when I do this. With all the inclimate weather, I will be spending a lot more time in the garage. It is all good. This is how this year started out. The legs feel good and I need the time on the bike. March is not so far away.

Coaching

A few weeks ago, I started to coach Craig's basketball team. It has been quite interesting and fun to work with the boys, teaching them a bit about basketball and teamwork. There is a talent difference on the team. We have polar extremes on the team - from those that play frequently and watch basketball to several boys without a clue and less talent. Practices go between drills that require a high level of skill and those that are basic. We do quite a bit of coaching in both types of drills. We run suicides and full courts sprints at the end. I remember how much I hated running suicides at the end of practice. I see that same dislike in the eyes of the players but they still work hard and run for me. I even will run with them at times.

We had our first game Saturday morning. We lost 27-26 but learned a lot about how the players respond in a game. Craig had 6 points, 2 assists, and 6 steals. He even hit a "in your face" three pointer. We have talked quite a bit about shot selection and how the closer to the basket you are, usually the higher percentage. We have even proven this out on the court by having him shoot threes and then free throws. Each time, the higher percentage shot was the 15 foot free throw. In the game, he takes the inbound pass, turns, shoots, and banks in the shot. It sparked the team. We had a shot at the end to win but couldn't get the shot off. I learned something as a coach as well. I need to stay out of the moment of the game and think - players play and coaches coach. The C was up early and performed scorekeeping duties for the team. I appreciate her helping out.

The week of riding was good as the weather held til this morning. Solvang is right at three months away and I want to be ready to ride. I will be challenged with coaching basketball, youth activities, riding, working, and doing all of my other duties.

The Steelers are struggling again at home right now. They just need to play all their games on the road. They play so much better on the road as proven the last few weeks. Before the game and all day at church the day, various Cowboys fans called me and talked to me about the game. It could be a painful Monday morning.