Tagged

When you get tagged by this guy, who got tagged by this guy, you can't refuse.

Here goes:

What was I doing 10 years ago?
Umm, living in the same place, and doing roughly the same job. OK, not exactly the same place. We remodeled the crap out of the main floor 10 years ago, and we did the same to the lower level this year, but it's still the same address. OK, not exactly the same job either. I've got 20 people working for me now. 10 years ago I was one of those people.

I did weigh 260 pounds and was a smoking couch slug 10 years ago. So that's a good thing to have behind me.

What are 5 non-work things on my to-do list today?

1. With a little luck I'll have lunch at Tasty Taco in DM.
2. Go ride mountain bikes with Jubil after work.
3. Drink a couple of cold ones in my garage with Jubil after #2.
4. Finish some painting in the basement (or maybe not after #3).
5. Melt into a lazy boy after #4.

Snacks I enjoy
Umm, pretty much anything I can get my hands on. Fruit, chocolate, ice cream, even chips lately (ugh). As long as I ride enough I can get away with it. If I stop riding, I gotta be more careful. Is beer a snack? Then I gotta say Boulevard Pale Ale and Goose Island IPA (I'm a hop head).

Things I would do if I was a billionaire
I'd stop working and join my wife in the semi-retired state. I doubt we would move, cause nearly every one I know lives here. I'd ride my bike a bunch, and we'd also travel a bunch, and we'd give a bunch away. BTW, my electrician came real close to finding out recently. He got 4 out of 5 numbers and also got the Powerball on a lottery ticket It would been worth $54 million had he hit all 5 numbers. Sad that you can win $10,000 and be disappointed about it.


Places I have lived
This one's gonna be a little boring. Other that a 9 month stint in Riverside, California when I was a year old, I've lived within 8 miles of where I am sitting right this moment. I guess I like it here. Either that or I don't know any different. Plus, like I said, nearly everyone I know is here.

Jobs I've had
Dishwasher
Pizza Delivery
Pizza Cook
Pizza Waiter (see a trend)
Software Developer
IT Manager

That's it. Bruce and Chris, you are it.

Boone 24

Another Boone 24 in the books. To read the official account check out the MOB Racing blog. Here are some "unofficial" photos.



Taylor looking tough



I teamed up with OP in the two man 12 hour race. We were in it to have fun. He had fun riding his bike. I had fun drinking beer and hanging out with my buds. I managed to get in a couple of laps. OP kept us respectable by doing 4.



The guys that put in eighteen laps didn't really care for the infield routing, but it was very spectator friendly. It took about six minutes to get through it. On the parade lap you could see the whole field all at once.




Our mascot made the trip again this year. She was looking a little worse for wear.




Maharry came out to join in the fun. He was dressed for changing the oil in my truck.




We were having fun by this point. We had lined the course on both sides of the MOB Racing camp, and the racer heckling was in full swing.




Christy came out for the fun! She acted as team Den Mother, and did a great job.




Here Christy puts herself in a dangerous position, between Kyle and Taylor. Kyle looks like he's about to experience Christy's "High Kick".


Someone got the bright idea to lay down on the couse and have racers bunny hop (bunny hope?) over them. Note that Kyle is lying face down this time. It didn't start out that way.



Next morning chilling in the Carney Camp. I swear Andrew gained weight during the race as much as he ate during each stop.




Even in the light of day there was no common sense. More bunny hopping nonsense.




Andy tells us how he's going to have fun next year.




Jubil and Matt tell Andy that you can have fun, and win. Go figure.


Only 363 days until the next Boone 24!

Preride at Mob the 'quab

I went south tonight to pre-ride this weekend's mountain bike race course at Lake Ahquabi in Indianola. This race is being put on by teammate Bruce Brown, so I wanted to help however I could.



Race Director Bruce leads the way.



Followed by his Dentist, "Chainsaw Al". That is one cool knickname. And Al is a pretty cool guy.


This is the way like to roll - Having fun watching the other guys do the work.




Apparently its contagious.
I'm just kidding. Bruce has put in a ton of work to get this race to happen.



This is the best way to end a ride. This is what mountain biking is all about!

Boone Flat Tire Festival

I raced at the Boone Flat Tire Festival last weekend, or at least I tried to.

I was trying to pack "low key". What that really meant was that I neglected to pack a spare tube. Oops. At the staring line I was telling Kyle about my predicament, but that I was not worried, because I had never had a flat in a race . . . hisssss.

Holy Crap. I have come to realize that I have supernatural powers from time to time. I can predict one thing, and know that the opposite will come true in a short amount of time. But this was the shortest time that I remember between a boastful proclamation, and fate's inevitable smackdown. I swear, my tire started going flat as I was uttering the words.

At Kyle's urging, I followed the Expert start to my truck to fill my rear tire. I made it back in time for the Sport start. However, my tube would onlt last until halfway down the first decline. Good thing I had on my walking shoes!

BTW, this was my first ever DNF.

Now, some pictures.

There were a couple of friendly rodents at the race . . . a badger and a squirrel.

The Nebraska crew was well represented.

As was the Iowa City crew

Kyle puts on a great low-key race.

If Kyle was there, Taylor can't be far behind. Hey Taylor, "Nice Bike". She used to be mine.

Team mate Bruce Brown held up will in the heat, thorns, and other challenges.

Team mate Scotty looked much better at this race then he did the last time I saw him (RAGBY).

Shortly after I took this picture, I gave Greg a ride home. He didn't want to do it, but his tire wouldn't hold air either.

This guy should win some kind of Iorn Man award. He came though on the first lap riding on a flat rear tire. He finished the second lap with NO front tire. I don't get it. I really don't. Try riding a lap at Boone on just a rim some time. I REALLY don't get it.

That's all for now. Thanks for reading.

RAGBRAI Update Part 2

Here are some more of my favorite pictures from RAGBRAI.


Brother-in-law Bill and sister Kirsten posing with Abe. How cool is that?


Bill and Kirsten on the road. Note how they are working up a sweat keeping up with me.


This is what a typical pass though town looks like. Its more like a walk through town. As the week wore on I realized that side streets were the way to go if I didn't want to stop.


Not sure what this was about, but a local won a belly flop contest at a beer garden in the last pass through town. Apparently he is into a little S&M.


Someone thought it was funny that my gear bag exploded on the front yard of our host each night. They used my camera to show me how funny it was.



Good thing I brought rain glasses. I used them on Thursday.



This is what I felt like after riding into a headwind all day on Thursday.



The local entertainment in North Liberty. It was much cooler than it looks.


I caught Cousin Natalie cleaning her bike after the rain on Thursday. We had to have a talk about how bikes are happier when they are dirty.




Typical morning RAGBRAI traffic. It was maddening, and unending.



She had some nice really nice melons. The fruit was good also.



If you rode fast enough, this was the reward.




And then you run into guys like this. Too bad I couldn't hang on longer. I tried.




When was the last time you had coffee served to you by a trooper in uniform, without the requisite handcuffs? I did on Friday. He's a cousin of a cousin.

I'll do a day by day writeup sometime soon.

RAGBRAI Update Part 1

No time for a lot of details. Suffice to say that I'm having a boatload of fun! Probably more fun that this 48 year old body can handle, but we'll work that out later. For now I feel great.

In the meantime, here are a few pictures to tide you over . . .


My Team Varnum crew.


This one is for Hansen. He's got some like minded folk out there.


RAGBRAI has everything, incuding a Vega Elvis.



I ran into Titties, and his little brother "A-Cup".


I was about 6:30 AM when Hansen came looking for a cold one.


I did the Hundy on Monday because of the Farrell brothers. They dragged my sorry ass up and down each one of those hundred hills.



I ran into Scott Sumpter, seriously messed up, with a seriously messed up koozie.


I kept teeling thses guys that it flattened out after Coon Rapids, due to glacial scouring. Did they believe me. Nope.



Jeff and Brian did a great job of keeping the Team Varnum bkes in shape.




On Tuesday, we started drinking beer in the first town (Grand Junction).



We stuck around for way longer than we should have.


Hooter girls were sevring beers as Fergy's. That prolly had somthing to do with it.


Later on I met up with Hansen, Kristen, and Rob on the Boone Hill. It was a blast.


It got a little rough on the hill.


It was about as close to L'Alpe d'Huez as you can get in Iowa.



Kristin is pretty cool.



I also met up with Bruce and Kristin on the hill.


Later we went to HyVee for food and drink


Write this one down. Hansen says "no" to a beer.

Thats all for now. Will write more later when I feel like it.