Sunday.... is Mother's day....

I write this as Amanda "mommy" is giving Annelise a bath. What a lucky father, husband we/I am for having a wife so dedictated to our family, specifically Rylan and Annelise. She's made many sacrifices and I love her for it and I think our childern are the better for it.

She's giving fireball, Annelise, a bath right now as I right this...and the conversation is funny, but I want to post this before she finishes.


Honey, I/we love you, and I/we appreciate each day that you've made being a mommy number 1. Whatever it is that the future holds for us and our beautiful famly, it's the love we and you especially have that will make our future that much brighter and the better.

Happy Mother's day Amanda "Mommy," we LOVE YOU!

Rylan, Annelise, and a grateful daddy!

And it's a wrap! No more 24 solo's for me...

In my 7th 24hr solo and on my 7th lap, a moment of finality struck me...I was done...not so much physically as mentally. I no longer have the desire to do these races. I've made my "mark" if you want to call it that with some pretty good success the last four years. Whether it's the training involved, the highs and lows of the race, or just the idea I have nothing left to prove to myself in doing these events....I know I'm done now. And I'm very happy with that, as is my wife and my parents. Unfortunately, my end came during the race rather than after it was over, but sometimes that's how things work out. Oh well.

Still excited about riding and competing, but the extended planning, training, and suffering I will not miss.

Now to find that next personal challenge....hmmm, that Western States...thing sounds interesting!?!??!?! LOL.

Bye for now....

1 day to Coolest

Pack and prep day today. Plan is to load up my gear and stake out a pit in the solo area at around noon. Might take the Yellow bike and ride half the course too.

Top of the charge on my Dinotte light system and do a once over on the bikes.

Yesterday was interesting. Rylan was being four and decided to be a stinker and dug up several of Amanda's plants. As you'd expect Amanda nor I were happy, especially when he blamed it on our poor dog. Kids!!!! ;o) He didn't like being grounded to his room yesterday though, hopefully, he'll learn....yeah right! I'm sure I or Amanda did something similar at the same age.

Pizza tonight, lots of fluids, and lots of rest. Frank is helping out with course set up today and will be crashing here at our place tonight. We'll carpool over tomorrow probably at around 9:30. And then it's go time at noon.

You can never tell really how these things go, but I feel good, no blah feeling in the mental category either. So maybe the planets will line up and a little luck will follow. 24hrs is a long time and anything can happen, hopefully I'll reach my goal of a top five overall and similar placing in the SS cat.

Stay tuned for a post race follow up.

hasta