i.rode

i.rode
Is that not catchy or what? I'm gong to start a company called i.rode
I'm not sure what it will be or what it will sale but it will be cool.... i.rode

Awwright, I really did ride tonight! I got down to the river and prepared to ride along just to say howdy to the Jabba legs but just as I was about to start my ride here came the gang. What's a middle aged fat guy to do? Yep, ya get up and dance on the pedals right out of the cage and catch up and ride!! I catch the tail end on the hill and Dr. Shawkitty-I-love-to-leave-you-in-blog-suspense-about-my-Iowa-ride is smoking back up to the group and I'm lucky just to hang there. We catch up with a new rider and lo and behold we set up for a nice little 23mph cruise along the river. Gotta turn and climb Ft Roots to get to the regroup point at the top. Several of us split off after the regroup and take a different route over to Burns Park. The other (much younger, much crazier) riders run over to Valley View (Puke View) for some serious fast climbing. We spot them swinging around the back side of Burns. Several of us ride on around and spot several of the fast gang. One has a bit of a deal with his back wheel. We get everyone back to Cook's either by bike or my sag-a-mobile. Hung out in the parking lot a moment then heading to the house. It was a good ride!

Funny sidebar: I took my old MP3 player that I used before I bought the Ipod. I told Terri to take the Ipod with her to the fitness center tonight. So I get to the ride and I get all wired up and turn on the Mp3 player. Nah, don't want to hear this song... next... no, don't want to hear that one either.. next... no that was the first song I didn't want to hear.... next... well pooey, that's 2 the second I didn't want to hear either... next... oh no... there are only 2 songs loaded on this old thing and I don't like either one! I think I'm renaming my Ipod "Crackpod" I can't do without it anymore! HA!

I had so much tape on my CI tonight it took forever to get it all off. I think I'm just going to wrap my head with a couple rounds of duct tape! You know that manly silver tape that fixes everything.

CI moment: Good lord! I was sitting in the den watching CSI eating my stinkin low carb dinner and the cadedids (sp?) were soooo loud outside (windows and doors closed too) that I had to turn up the TV. Is this Advanced Bionic CI not the coolest gizmo on the face of the earth! I'm telling ya!

I can't wait to get to ECHO next week when all the guys are all messing with their G3's.... I'm going to tell them they are sooo two thousand eight! Then I'll show off my CI and tell them this is the future... get with it.

Remember how I was talking about being a target earlier this week. Person who had me in their scope really apologized today. My response. Don't worry about it, water under the bridge.

I won't bore you but tomorrow's Friday. Get up right now and do your best moon walk dance. Go on... get up! Go on I really double dig dog dare you! It will be really funny... do it... get up where ever you are a dance for a second then sit back down. Live life to the fullest! Have fun!!

Life is good...even when you act like a looney tune!

Thanks DWonn

DWonn is an Ironman... a local guy.. big heart, big smile, everyone loves him.
So why am I thanking him? Because he is a great POSITIVE influence.
He had a little trouble on his last Ironman and I read where someone made a comment something like, "All that training and then this happens. Got to be disappointed." You know what his answer was? "Not at all. I got in great shape and trained with some outstanding people and made a lot of new friends" Ok, it's not a quote but it is the idea and it was something like that. He says, and this is a quote, "All rides are good!"

There is one other piece I picked up from him. He was training and once sent out an email about, "I will not be drafting today. It's an all effort ride." I've used that the passed two Saturday's now. Oh trust me I draft with the best of them and why not but if you are going to train then it needs to be you either doing the pulling for the group or grabbing a solo ride. David has me thinking different these days.

Thanks David... I appreciate you!

I got in a 42 miler today and it was a good ride! I rode the river then out to the farmlands and tried to get lost so I would have to ride until I found my way back. It's a way to make myself ride more miles. Crazy, I know! I didn't stop until I got back around the bike rental shop. It was a continuous effort ride until that. After I stopped for a moment I started heading back to the car at the soccer fields in Burns Park but suddenly I turned and found myself climbing Ft Roots. It wasn't a fast climb or my best by any means but it was a good climb after the farmlands.

By the time I got back to the car it was around 10 and man oh man were there a LOT of people on the trail. Lots of bikes...lots! I waved and said howdy to folks along the way. It's funny how when my friends put on helmets and shades they all look alike.

The rest of the day was spent out in the heat working on my house. My grass is growing! We cut that tree down in the front and the wave petunias have gone insane... growing everywhere and really looking nice. I go over to the lock and dam and get unwashed river sand and pour it lightly in my yard and the grass loves it! Free sand! But don't get it for your kids sandbox like I did years and years ago. It's so fine that you never get it all off the kiddos.

Got a couple of new tunes added to my training Ipod play list... Green Grass and High Tides by the Outlaws. I loved this song in high school and it's still a great tune.

Life is good,,, hey it's the weekend!

Great ride

Just a quick hit... It's Friday!!

Had a great ride after work yesterday. I got over to the sub then headed over and ended up with FGSG group. I really had planned to work on hills as a solo but decided at the last minute to ride on over to their start point. Got to see several of the old school. It was great to see JBar back out there and staying with the fast group even after being off the bike for a few. Jen Shaw was there as well as her fast as lightening husband Chris. Jen leaves today for RAGBAI (not sure if I said that right). It's called "rag-by". It's the big multi day ride across Iowa. It's also a big fundraiser for Liverstrong.

I sat on the back of the group (as usual...ha!) and even wasn't the last one up Ft Roots. After we came down the fast group has already circled the parking lot and was heading out. I broke off at that point and headed back to the car... so I thought. I ended up riding back to Ft Roots to climb some more. I can really tell the difference when I ride with the Ipod going. I really climb better with the music distraction... then the battery died. Bummer! All I could hear after that was my heavy breathing... sounded like an prank phone call.

Yes I am riding early tomorrow. I'm thinking from the house down North Hills then River Trail then the back way buy Camp Robinson to the house. Everyone will be riding early tomorrow due to the heat.

Life is good... even in the heat.

Aww man... a BAD CI moment!

It was a bad CI moment but it wasn't anyone's fault but my own.

I head out to meet the guys and see if I could at least keep up. My warm up ride to the ride was rocking along at 20mph. I felt good and strong.

Got to the ride start point and talked to Yale and Rebecca for a few then over to see how skinny Chris (Ironman) has gotten over th past few weeks. 17 lbs off! Awesome. JMar came up and I was thinking man this guy has dropped a few too. Come to find out he has dropped 25lbs.

We grouped all up and started out and we rolled nice along the way then finally hit the road and the pace picked up. I was in the back but was holding steady with them. We climbed a short hill and I was still there. Then I felt it... on no... come on CI stay in place. The on and off connection can make a CI user go insane. It's like a transmitter buzzing in and out. I reached up and the thing was hanging on my helmet strap. I had to pull out and fix it. Finally got it half good and thought maybe just maybe I can catch the job if some had slowed up a tad. As I was riding along a long lost stranger named Keith Hill came buzzing by and I jumped on his back wheel and we cranked it out at 23mph for a while. Then it happened again. OK, I'm ticked now!

There is a small piece of CI tape that wasn't sticking tonight and because of that I had to abandon. It's really funny how a very small piece of tape can change a man's whole attitude from rider to whinny little pig! HA! I just didn't as much tape these time and I paid for it.

But all in all it was a GREAT ride with the gang. I think there were 35 of us at the start. I got to see lots of friends I've not seen in awhile as well as a lot of people I've never seen before. When you can keep up with those kids, even in the back, then you know you are riding stronger! It was just what I needed!

Oh yeah, before I forget... very very happy anniversary wishes to Chris and Rebecca Irons! I cracked up when Chris said he was going home and having a nutri-shake by candle light tonight. That's the spirit!

Life is good... especially when friends celebrate anniversaries!

Climbing( gasp) up(gasp) Batesville( gasp) Pike (gasp)

OK, I confess, I day dreamed in church. It was just one of those Sundays. Pouring down rain and where I sit in the crows nest the rain is just above my head and good ole CI picks up that sound really well... even turned all the way down! Oh y'all don't act like it's never happened to you. HA!

We grabbed a quick bite at Applebee's then home. Terri is in post-convention mod so that means be quite and don't mess with her nap. I've learned over the years. See wives, can teach husbands a few things. I know I know dear... don't put that stoneware thing-a-ma-gig in the dishwasher... I'm learning.

So after an hour my food seemed settled and I headed out. Batesville Pike here I come! It was Sunday afternoon "we need to go to WalMart" time on the back road but as usual folks were very good to me. As busy as that one stretch is they have always been good drivers.

I tried to save all the energy I could for the climb but I do have a climb to get there as well. But then this is my hood so either to are climbing or coasting... that's the city of Sherwood and North Little Rock. HA!

When I stood to climb my chain slipped a couple of times but I figured the problem and was able to correct while riding. It's always so funny when people pass me climbing back there. If there is a passenger they will almost always turn completely around to see if they really saw someone riding a bike up that hill. I was so glad there was no headwind climbing today. Seems there always is and there have been times it almost made me get off and push.... usually in the early spring. You know, those gusty 25mph winds.

You know how I talk about when my heart rate is up and I seem to hear better? Boy, was I hearing on that ride! Whoa!

I've got to fine something that will keep the sweat out of my eyes!! I don't really want to wear a headband but I may have to.

I read my emails late this afternoon and found out I missed the "Plan B" for the PoP ride that was scheduled this morning. I could have rode with my buds and ate afterwards. I'm missing the guy pretty bad this days. But I keep telling myself, I'm training good on these hills and it will help me to ride much better when I do get to ride with those juvenile delinquents. Oh heck yeah, they are all younger than me. Serious I think there are only a couple that are older.

Training my wheels off!

Now that life has settled down a moment for me I got in some good riding! I headed out July 4th morning and had a great ride. Well after I stopped acting a fool and fixed my bike while riding. I do the dumbest things sometime. My front brake was a tad too tight so it was like riding with my brake on for 7 miles. Actually, it was good that I did that since it made for a more intense training session and man after I release the brake I was moving along good. It was like turned from headwind to a strong tailwind.

On the way back I just was having too good of a time and turned opposite from where my car was and took one like hill. I rode the backside of Burn's. I was not attacking the hill at all and had my tunes playing in one ear and listening for cars in the other. I kept thinking I was hearing a clicking noise. Sure enough a couple of Carve riders smoked my tuna on the climb. I busted out laughing when they passed. Now here's the nice part... I caught up with them at the top of the hill and it was one of the guys who work at the crit races, Chris S. He has something to do with video but I've never asked him what he does or who he works for. He is a really nice guy. Always friendly. Super rider. As I got to the top of the hill I saw a group down a little way but never saw them catch up. I'm sure they had been hammering it out there and were taking it easy. These guys don't know what slow means!

Back over to the river and it was wall to wall people. Everyone out having a good time for the 4th.

This morning I headed out about 7:30 and enjoyed another great ride. Legs were not tight like I expected so I give them a run at it. I did some repeats of Ft Roots and some sprint drills. My first climb up Roots was pathetic! I was gasping for air at a stinking 6mph in places. Wha?! The next 2 climbs were much better! I got a thumbs up from a rider who I passed going down as he was climbing then as he was coming down I was climbing back up again and it was a nice little perk.

I wanted to head out west and ride but I'm being a real snot with my gas these days. That's sad.

Well, I'm excited to have time tomorrow to go out and ride yet again! I keep thinking... farmlands! But then I feel like I need the climbing work to get my legs back.

I'm doing better on my eating, thanks to Chris! You are an inspiration my man! A real inspiration! Terri did pick up some homemade cookies from the Farmers Market today by the Amish. We found them last year. I did eat one so I have to work that nasty thing off tomorrow.

Hey the Tour de France started today! Oh yeah! I whole month of bike racing on TV everyday!

Life is good... even with a cookie in my mouth!

Training 06.15.08

Oh yeah, it was nice training this morning. Riding along the beautiful beach homes of Destin! Yep, I'm training in Florida. (Note to Wes: Hey man, I thought I you while I was going 10mph through the Mobile tunnel on the way here). We got checked in Saturday afternoon and crashed out and just enjoyed the beach. But this morning I woke with a passion to go ride hard. I headed out about 7 and rode along the beach. It was very quite car wise but man, I've never seen so many folks out running. It was a massive amount. I rode down Old 98 until I got to Silver Sands outlat mall and there is a group ride that was to start at 7:30 and they announced that they would be riding 98 for 30 miles. I never saw them but as I was about to ride a bit along 98 I noticed glass everywhere. No thanks! I'm not a flat fixer sort of guy. I'm always amazed at the rate of speed some folks can change a flat. Anyway, I crossed over 98 and cruised the Silver Sands outlets checking out places I wouldn't mind hitting this week. Then I had had enough tinkering around and started heading back. I told myself I needed to really punch the number and ride hard on the way back. It was looking good then I saw the dreaded water sprinklers soaking the road. Ugh! Slowed down and didn't bust my butt. It sort of got me out of the groove for a moment there. Once back in tune I opened it up. It was so fun blowing down the road. Sweat was pouring, legs moving.... life in sync!

Did I say there were a lot of runners here? Well there are a lot of runners here!

I made it back to the condo and was really happy to see a good average speed. It really was a good ride and I plan to get out and repeat tomorrow!

The rest of the day was spent in a beach chair entertaining my great niece and nephew! These little kids are a hoot!

We took my Dad to Crab Trap for Fathers day. He had a good day.

Oh by the way... I got a tattoo! It's an "A" with a Razorback. Of course when I'm 80 it will look like a camel probably! HA! Yes, I'll post a photo before long. I almost got Sponge Bob but Emmy screamed OH MY GOD DAD NO!!!!

I spotted a new jersey tonight. After we finished eating Terri, Em and I went looking for Robin's Cycle and Fitness. I knew it was close but kept missing it. We spotted it this evening and it is one very nice bike shop! When I looked through the window what did I see? A Destin bike jersey! They carry Cannondale and a lot of Orbea's. This is the group who ride every morning at 7:30 (except for Monday's).

Hey you Kansas 1/2 Ironman folks... hope you did great!

Well, life is good... on the bike... on the beach!

Home based training

I have always thought it was sort of funny to drive some place to ride my bike. If you've been a reader then you know my hood is nothing but hills. Well duh, isn't that what I need to be training on to become stronger? So last evening I did a loop that I rode before. I actually looped it 4 times. The first was the hardest because there is no flat riding before you go up or down. The 3rd time was the easiest because I was in the groove.

Sooo I think with the gas prices I'll train in the hood and only ride the river on the weekends... but then I'll have to ride to the river to ride the river. Ya know?

I had a bet with some friends that Emily would hit the new Wal-Mart Supercenter which opened this morning by noon and sure enough she texted me a few moments ago and was there.

Chenal 9 is awesome!

We caught the 4:20 showing of Indiana Jones at the new Chenal 9 Imax. Although Indy wasn't the Imax movie it was still an awesome theater. I had pre-ordered tickets last Thursday and I dropped the girls off and parked the car. There was supposed to be a self service booth but I guess they didn't have it ready yet. Anyway I gave Terri the debut card because you have to use the same card you order your tickets with. I walked up and tried to find the booth thinking Terri and Em would be there but they were in line at the window. Of course they couldn't find the tickets in the system at the window but they thought and it was on the print out sheet. Guess it was just new business tweaking that needed to be done. We walked in 20 minutes before showtime and the only seats left were the front two rolls. I thought, oh crud! But I LOVED it up there! It was so loud! There was one explosion that really shook the seats.

I enjoyed the movie. Has all the usual Indy stuff.

Well, I think lunch has digested so out to ride!

Life is good... even with explosions and snakes in a dark theater!!

Training ride 06 05 08

Wooo weee that was some wind. Got over to the starting point and taped the CI to my head with that invisible wig tape. That puppy stayed put tonight! HA! I used the CI as my hearing instrument and the hearing aid as my tunes. Since I was training solo I really enjoy having a soundtrack to ride to.

The route was almost the same as Monday night. Bike Rental shop to Burns Park. Loop the back road then over to the Big Bridge then all the way back into the headwind. I was loving the ride on the way out because it was 24mph easy with that tail wind. On the way back I spotted myself at 14mph a couple of times. Each time I pushed myself back to 16. Train Geo Train! Focus!

My legs are really feeling better and stronger each ride. I so glad to be back out there.

Ok you folks help me out here. I need to start coming up with a name for my next ride. It's 24 hours on the river and the money goes to Audiology for kids hearing aids or whatever the gurus need. I want to have the river trail but I want to play off of sound. I keep thinking Roar on the River. I don't know... y'all help me out here. Either leave a comment our send me an email to cobbgeo@gmail.com

Weekend is coming up and what I thought would be a laid back as far as scheduling is concerned is booked now. Races on Saturday morning, get a ride in right after, run home and clean up, head over to a new theatre to see Indiana Jones with Terri and Em. Go upstairs and drag down the luggage carrier and be sure it works on the van. Then Sunday will be church, then a training ride, then small group. Hope that I can knock out a Monday and Tuesday training ride then Wednesday the races move to evenings so I'll be working out there. Thursday is pack and pack the car night. Friday is hit the road jack!!! Saturday is sand in my swim trunks and loving it! Destin! I'm so stinkin' excited.

Want to see some AWESOME photos? look over to the right at Blogs I read and go down to "Melissa". She is my niece and is going to take our family photo while we are there! I'm beyond psyched!

Life is sooooo good these days! Oh yeah!

River Trail video

This make a take a moment to load... sort of long.

Enjoy a little sample of the River Trail
I'm not sure what this section of forest is called.
I've always called it the Emerald Forest due to the Emerald Trail coming off of it.

Full winter gear today

No one around today

Got the tunes, got the bike... happy camper!


It was a good day. I had the whole river trail to myself except for 2 other bikes and a hand full of folks training for the upcoming Little Rock Marathon.

It was freezing rain yesterday and caused complete chaos on the roadways. So bad just outside of my hometown that they had to detour I-30 traffic. I think when it started sleeting and lots of folks freaked and took off for home and grid locked traffic. If you waited until about 3 the road crews had had a chance to work the roads and I drove home like it was just a normal rainy day.

I got out to ride today and it was supposed to be sunny and 48 but it was just breaking through the clouds as I was finishing up this afternoon. I had a great ride for this early in the year and coming back from slack-o-rama. I was surprised to see a 17.3 average for 24.67 miles.

There was a huge soccer game going on so I stopped for a moment to watch towards the end of my ride but I got cold and rode on in.

I used my hearing aid for tunes and the CI for hearing. It worked out great!

I really liked this shot due to the reflection on the water

Hell's Gate opens at 5:30 tomorrow

That's right, you heard me! Hell's Gate opens at 5:30pm tomorrow.
I return to the fitness center for training. All that slacking has come to an end. The demons will greet me at the entrance tomorrow holding billy clubs and whips. They will roll their eyes if I even mention pain or shake. They are evil but I love them and they make me a better man. I will sweat so bad that I'll fry my hearing aid and CI... and then I'll smile because I have coverage!

I've got that Coldplay song "Clocks" stuck in my head again... goes right along with the feeling of the night before training starts...
Lights go out and I can't be saved
Tides that I tried to swim against
You've put me down upon my knees
Oh I beg, I beg and plead (singing)
Come out of things unsaid, shoot an apple off my head (and a)
Trouble that can't be named, a tiger's waiting to be tamed (singing)
You are, you are

First order of business is a spin class at 5:30 tomorrow. Those will be Monday and Wednesday afternoons. Tuesday and Thurs and maybe Fridays will be core training. I will be told to walk around with a bottle of water and cut the crap food. You know that stuff I've been eating for the past 3 months. I will be the first to admit I did not train as I should have last year for my cycling. Don't get me wrong at all here... I had an awesome coach (Mark)last year and he pushed me but I should have stayed on the core training as I did when I looped the state tour. Man, I wish I had time to pull another one off those tours.

Saturday may find me heading back to the farmlands for a building base miles ride. Temps are going to nose dive then come back to normal by the weekend. Of course Friday they are using that "freezing rain" word. In my mind, I tell myself to use the word "commitment" again and again and again.

Big news.... Arkansas Children's Hospital made the Forbes TOP 100 Employers in the US to work for! As a recruiter that's like the gold card! By the way, we had almost 10K applicants apply last year. Gee after this I wonder how much that will jump?

Life is good... r.e.a.l good

I thinking I'm having an affair... again!

That's right folks. I thinking I am getting dangerously close to falling in love again. She's one fast chick. Yep, I rode my bike again today! It was one of those Arkansas sort of days where you didn't know what to wear on the ride. You don't want to dress to warm but then I'm not one to ride if I'm too cold. Today was one of those rare days I got it just right and I enjoyed the ride along the river like none other. I knocked off a tad over 25 miles of pure enjoyment. Saw a couple of folks and said howdy. If all goes well I'll get to go back out there tomorrow afternoon and see a bunch of the gang. There is a ride at 1 tomorrow. Of course they will drop my lard butt but just riding with the Fast Girls Slow Guys for a few will be fun.

Thanks to everyone for the comments and the emails regarding Dad. He is doing a lot better and will more than likely be moved to rehab tomorrow. Last year he was in rehab and it did him wonders. He was able to walk a lot better with his walker and he just had a better quality of life. I'm hoping for that again.

Tomorrow starts my month back in the media control tower at church. I'm looking forward to being back. I put the program together but stayed out of the controls except for one evening while I was getting used to the implant. It's going so much better than I ever expected! I kept hearing this "3 to 6 months". If it's that much better in 3-6 months then man oh man... Jordan told me that some folks are making progress up to two years. I will say I had a CI Moment today while riding. I kept hearing something buzzing and kept thinking it was a car far off but none around. Come to find out it was the golf cart on the course I was riding by. I love hearing the gears clicking and he whiz of the tires on the road. Love it love it love it!! Also hear a funny CI story the other day. Man was on his front porch and he realized his CI wasn't working and then realized it was gone!! He and his wife were sitting on the front porch and come to find out when he sat down he got too close to a wind chime and the magnet jumped and stuck the the chimes!!! I laughed when I heard that.

Well, I'm done with this computer today... by y'all