The 3 weeks are over now

I did it. I got back on the bike today and boy did it feel different. Different because I was happy to be there and not on a scheduled training. I rode and looked around at rabbits, birds and even had to dodge a whole family of coons that waddled across the bike trail. They were really cute little things. Probably full of fleas and have rabies but hey, we all have our short comings huh?! HA! The river is still massive flooded. I wish those guys over in Oklahoma would turn off the water a moment.

Lots of folks are started to talk about the next big ride, Hotter'n'hell 100 in Wichta Falls, Tx. I rode it last year and they had record heat. It was a fun trip but I'm passing this year. I try to do different rides every year. Like I did "Ride for the Roses" in Austin then the next year was the Hotter ride. This year I want to ride the Big Dam Bridge ride. I helped put together a fun rest stop for BDB 100 last year. This year I want it to be my event ride. Next year is a Cajun ride in early spring.I'm also going to Jonesboro in ealry October to ride a ride I've done once called "A Ride For A Better Life". It benefits a counseling center outreach program for a Church of Christ there. Read about it here: http://www.betterlife.org/view/28

Since the internet was messed up I didn't get to download many photos from FL but check this out... Little girls grow up! The kiddo's senior year is about to begin in a couple more weeks.

Oh the Wal Mart story: Aww right, so Wal Mart is going to build a new suepercenter about a mile from the house but thank goodness our street is not the main street going to it. It was a Sherwood Good Ole Boys club property deal and boy did it cause an uproar! They have cleared a massive amount of land and were even blasting. A friend from the hopital lives in one of the neighbors that border it and she asked if I had seen the clearing. I had not. We drove by it this afternoon after work... Oh man... it's huge! I don't mean sort of huge but massive huge. Once it's all done it will be nice (I think). Yea, Ryan, I still still love ya man! HA

Speaking of Wal Mart, I scoped out the garden center at the Wal Mart in Navarre Beach last week. Ok Melissa, that was probably the last time I cried! Plants that I pay 30 bucks for here were huge and only 4.50... yep, 4 dollars and 50 cents. Next time I go, I'll leave the kids in the parking lot and load the car with plants and bring them back.

One of my favrite things to do is link off other bloggers sites and read who they know if it looks interesting. One of my favorite links is to the family of Suzanne & Joe. Why, well they are about to have quads. Yes, 4 babies! Ok, let me warn you it's sort of a chick site because you know those mom's to be tell the world all this birthing stuff and show photos of tummys and she is no different but it's been fun watching this with the rest of the world and I do mean the rest of the world. Look at her hit counter... over 200K hits. It was 174K last week. Anyway, she is almost about to have them... here's the link: http://www.thelifeofsuz.blogspot.com/ For those of you who pray, send one up for them... 4 babies at once... I'd move to Cayman!

Well the weekend is almost here... "everybody dance now....!"

Later friends and fam... Geo.

Hacked off!!!

Oh man! It's been a great day and then a sort of frightening one.

I'll do the bad news and get it over with... Our cable modem may have been hacked. I had never heard of this before but my son is IT type smart and the computer said it was connected and the modem said it was connected but we kept getting an error screen when it tried to open the internet. Here's what might have happened.... whenever we would log on someone was getting little bits and pieces of info then got enough to use our modem and block us. I sort of did the puppy-tilting-head-in-wonderment-look... huh?! He looked and ran this test and that test. Said take the box back to Comcast and get another with a different serial number because someone is using your IP for what they want to do...maybe. Ok so are you saying someone out there is going nuts and it's pointing back to my home office desk. Yep, Dad, and I'd watch for SWAT guys to bust through the windows welding uzi's any moment now. Not funny! So I'm running off the air card tonight. I thought firewalls and Mcafee (sp?) was supposed to stop all that.

Ok now for big news! I went to see Dr. D today and he wants to hook me with a cochlear implant! I was giddy! I will be able to hear out of my deaf ear for the first time in 6 years! We talked at length then he sat and looked at me without saying a word. Then he just smiled and noddled his head as a "Yep, let's do this". Here's another cool part. Cochlear implants have been around now for about 15 years and they just had a big breakthrough with a company called Advanced Bionics(http://www.advancedbionics.com/) and their product called Harmony. He said that it is supposed to be great for listening to music. He also gave me a word of caution. Said that when it gets turned on which is about a month after the surgery then I will hate it. Said the sound is nothing like what you hear because the brain will process it in a different matter (gray matter..get it? Cheesey, I know!). Anyway he said it will sound like a bunch of weird electronic buzzes and tones. Said after about 3 months I will start getting used to it then at around 6 months then something will suddenly click and it'll all come together. Said after that happens, I will hate my hearing aid and will want to get a cochlear in the other ear but he won't do it until my good ear goes down which he predicted will happen around 5 years. That's why he wants to go ahead with the deaf ear implant so when the other ear does go down it won't freak me out to get the implant in the left(good) ear. The ball is just started rolling so I hope to have it all done by Thanksgiving. The really nice thing is that while I heal for the surgery I will still have all my regular hearing. No loss of time at the office but a couple of days for the outpt surgery. Now how cool is that?!

It's been a really good day and I've changed some of my thought processes on how I view things. Part of it came from my long walks on the beach. I really had a lot of time to think about a lot of stuff last week. The vacation really couldn't have come at a better time mentally. I was exhausted. I was beating myself up over the "DNF" (Did Not Finish) mark beside my name on the River 2 River ride. Seriously it floored me. I really did finally come to the conclusion that it's OK. I've followed countless folks who have trained for epic events and something goes wrong along the way. I mean look at the Tour de France. A bizillion crashes last week. All the time those guys put into training just to be taken down in the first week. Yep, it stings but you live and life goes on. Get over it.

The other thought process came from a video we saw in our small group setting last night. For those of you that don't know, "Small group" or "community group" is just a breakout group of church friends who met at each others homes and enjoy each others company while doing church sort of stuff. We really enjoy it and it makes for a great way to make some really good close friends. You know those folks who you would call at 3am if something happened and they could call us at 3 as well. It's a security blanket of sorts. Anyway, that video was about thought process and looking at things just a little different. No drastic changes but just a little and see how it goes. Remember those WWJD bracelets? It's sort of like that but without the rubber bracelet.

Well once again...enough of this blah blah blah

Saturday 07.14.07

Nice to be back home. I always like walking into our house after being gone on a trip. You house how peoples homes how certain smells? Ours smells like some sort of candle. Not over powering but it's just a smell that signals "you're home!"

Sadie (the dog went completly nuts to see us as Emily, Sean and I were to see her! Got got all excited when she saw Em then the same with me then she spotted Sean, while she was out in the gargae thank goodness, and peed everywhere. It was funny. Sean seems to be her alpha male. He trained her a lot better than we did. I spoil the crud out of her and don't mind one bit! She protects Em and sleeps on her bed and Em is lost without her as we found out on vacation. This was the first time we had all gone away without her. Tyler stayed at the house and took care of her and thank goodness because we didn't want to put her in the kennel for the week. And it rained everyday so that wouldn't have taken her out to play which is 10 dollars more a day.

Yesp, we had sunny skies everyday while Little Rock had storms every day and boy could I tell it when I got home! The grass in the backyard grew a lot. I even found a wind chime out in the yard. It most have done some blowing too!

The beach was fun but I know I can't spend a week inland anymore. I have to stay on the beach or I'll just stay home. Just too much trouble to load and drive everytime. Some folks get up early and get going (me) and others take until 11 to do anything. I now know that Em can handle about 2 hours on the beach then she'll find some excuse to need to go back to the house. Sean kept getting a werid rash when he would go out in the water but he was a good sport about it and did he's best not to spoil the fun but you could tell it really bothered him. I finally called it on Thursday and we went inland for the afternoon. When you stay on the beach you can come and go as you wish. If we get to have the big family vacation next summer then we'll be right on the water.

I got up this morning and it was quite around the house. I made coffee and had bagel I bought yesterday at the Panera Bread in Spanish Fort. Someday maybe Little Rock will get one of those, and I'll be broke! We took Tyler's request and brought him back a bag full. He worked at Panera when he first went out to Denver for college. Now we are all hooked on them.

For the first time since the R2R ride I thought about going for a ride. I cleaned the bike up really good about mid morning and decided about 2 I would head out. Instead of the neighborhood I thought I'd go down to the river and see how the legs felts after a 2 week bike vacation. As I was heading over it began to rain, harder and harder. I keep it positive and told myself it was a pop up shower but it was raining at the bike trail and looks like it had been raining a while. Then I turned the corner to the parking lot I normally park in and whoa baby... everything is really flooded! There was a lane that went to the soccer fields but the bike trail was all underwater. Parts on down the way have been under for over a month now! All the rain from Oklahoma hits the Arkansas River plus all the local rain and that is a major over flow. I was really surprised it was that much. I'll be a week before it all goes back down then it will be slick mud for a few days and then stink of dried dead fish. I sighed and turned around and came back home.

Since I had me chores done I rent the Aztec Mel Gibson movie Apoli-something. I really liked it. Yes, it's hard to watch and it's bloody but it's good.

Also I got to see the Tour de France last night and the live stage this morning. Terri's folks have Dish so they don't get the VS channel. Today's stage was great! Love it love it love it!

Well enough blah blah blah... just catchin' ya up.

I'll try and ride somewhere tomorrow maybe.

Have a good weekend out there!
Geo.

Thank goodness for island time

Ahhh just another beautiful day on the gulf coast. We headed over to Destin this morning and spent the morning at the Silver Sands Outlet Mall. I was supposed to pick up some Dooney bags for folks but the ones they wanted were sold out. It was some purse that was ust inside the door to the left and it was 107 marked down from 375. Gone! I did load up on he 9.99 polo shirts! I walked out of Harry and David with a sack so full the clerk put it in a plastic bag then a thick bag sack. I wanted he Moose Mnch but it would have melted in the car. Oh well, all he more reason to go to Branson!

we did get to se Terri's brother's house which is down the first road to the left when you go over the Destin bridge. Yep, the back door opens to the sound. Really pretty! Sad thing was the wave runner stuff fell through so me and the kids went to the beach when we get back.

There were some black blobs in the water and Sean went out and took a small net and they were snails! Thousands of snails. I've never seen anything like that before. The water was sort of murky today anyway so glad we didn't plan a full day out there. We will be out there tomorrow. By the way, not sure I'm a fan of Destin as much anymore. It's gotten unreal crowded and the cowd is different. Seems southern manners have gone out the door. Nah, I would probably have loved it if I was actually staying in the town.

As we were leaving the beach late this afternoon they were setting up for a wedding. Beach weddings are the thing this year. I would love to see some of the photos! Here the bride and groom are standing and in the background is a middle aged woman with a dixie flag bikini and a hairy beer bellied guy! Oh yeah! HA!!! Note to Melissa: Yep, that's what will happen to Adam on Labor day! Y'all enjoy the laugh because ain't nothin' you can do 'bout it! HA!!!!

Well the sun is setting making the shadows of the palms long across the yard and southern breezes caress the leaves. The parrot calls from the top of the chair and Jimmy Buffett is singing. Yeah, life is good!

Monday 07.09.07

Woke this morning and headed down to the beach. A storm cloud was on the horizon and the water was murky from the breakers to the shoreline. Not too bad really. Em, Sean and I walked along the beach looking for shells and general goofing off. Not missing work for sure! HA! I did get an email that said they were have a really bad storm in LR though.

We came back to the house and had breakfast and waited around for everyone to get ready and finally got out the door heading to Ft Walton arund 11. Lord, they are slow pokes! We hung out at the mall and then over to touristy Fudpuckers for late lunch. 70 bucks for lunch! Yes, I was puckered alright!

Afterwards we went down the road to the Nautlus http://nautiluscondominium.com/ Condo's to check out some units that my sister had recommended for a huge family gathering next June 14-21. We looked at 3 different ones and all were nice. I hope it works out where the whole family can go down. We did it several years ago and it was a lot of fun. Our family is so big now, who knows.

We came back and heading down to the beach for the late afternoon. I did exactly what I said I was going to do before the trip and that as hit the beach, good book in hand and read. Terri and the kids found a million nice shells. Don't ask what we are going to do with all of them.

Tomorrow the kids are supposed to go over to Destin since Terri's brother Toby is off and he lives there. They are supposed to go ride wave runners. I'll probably go over and tinker around for several hours and then pick them up. Who knows. The plans change around here by the minute! HA!

The Moving House story

We were on our way to Florida and anyone who travels on 98 through Semme, AL knows it's a traffic nightmare on Saturday! All the folks heading into FL and all the folks leaving FL heading back to AR, OK, TN, MS, TX all go this way.

We had just rolled into Semme, which is just before you get to Mobile, and traffic stops. We are at the bottom of a small hill and you can't see what's on the other side. We notice several cars turning around at the top of the hill and coming back so I was preparing myself to sit a while. About 10 minutes pass and we see a police car coming over the hill and everyone is having to move off the run. What on earth is it? A race? The president? Nah man, it's a house! Yep. the busiest day of the year for that road with 4th of July travelers and everyone else and they block the road for a moving house.

Well, after we pass the house... actually, after the house passes us, we rolled on. We started counting the line of cars behind the house. Y'all ready for this??? 618 cars backed up and rolling at 5mph. Oh I bet there was some carrying on going on. Tired from the trip and ready to get home and it's sort of like a big flight delay. Just puts your panies in a wad!

Saturday 07.07.07

Welcome to Florida!

I'm not sure what this looks like on a regular cable upload but I just loaded this with dial up.

We left LR at 3:30 and at 4:15 I turned on he windshield wipers. They stayed on until almost 8. We went through some real rain and I was none to happy when it was over. From outside of Vicksbg on was a nice drive. Lots of Arkies, and Texas folks heading that way.

We stopped in Hattiesburg and stayed over night. The Super 8 was recommended and it was fine, just basic. It worked for what we needed.

Left about 8 and headed on down. Got to Mobile and holy smoke! These guys were driving really fast! I got in a groupo and looked down to see us pushing a tad over 90 mph!!! Everyone was going that fast. (Note to Wes: Do y'all really drive like that?)

Spent the afternoon on the beach. Came back to the inlaws house and had shrimp and fish dinner. Now we are going back for the sunset.

The water was like swimming pool clear!

More later... you have to hear the "moving the house down the road" story...

Thursday 07.05.07

Well howdy out there!
We have suitcases everywhere, plans and plots being made, packing and unpacking and repacking going on! Ahh, ya just gotta love the night before vacation starts! Tyler's going to watch the house and babysit the pup!

Here's the live cam to where I'll be!
www.navarrebeachlife.com

We will leave out and drive to Hattiesburg, MS tomorrow night and get there about 10 then drive on down to Terri's folks and I plan to get out of the car, drop the suitcase and park the butt on the beach for the next 6 days. I'll come in and eat and sleep. Don't call us, we'll call you! HA!

We had planned to not go until Saturday and drive all the we through but if it was up to Terri and Em we'd be throwing stuff in the car and leaving now! HA! I tried to find a hotel in MS but all were really high and only king bed room left. I needed a double and my buddy Gary was just there last week and told me the Super 8 was actually good. I'm a Country Inn and Suites sort of guy but if Gary says it's good then it's good. I was booking the room and just as I pushed the reserve button a screen came up and it said they would take 30 dollars off if I would chat live. I just laughed and started to click the red "no" X but thought oh way not. Sure enough I was asked a few questions and then was told a mail in rebait was coming. I didn't have to give any private info that would have raised a red flag. Just simple, "was the online reservation system is to use?" Questions like that. I got a room for 51 bucks! That made my day!

I said I wasn't going to take the bike but boy it sure is wanting to go! If I ride I'll have to do it at first light or it gets too hot and muggy going inland down there. By the way, yes, I feel fine.

We spent yesterday at my sisters house. She lives out on the Arkansas River and all the rain that they've had in OK and northwest Arkansas is coming down the river. An island floated by and all sorts of trees went by. We kept joking about dead bodies floating by. It's really moving fast and it has been for abut a month now. Sort of feel sorry for all the summer boaters that like to habg out on the big sand bar just off the bike trail. We've not seen it in a long time. There are always a lot of boats parked all the way around it and cookouts and beach volleyball going on.

Plan to see Transformers while I'm in FL. Maybe Sean and Em will let me go with them! Daddy on a date with the teens! Oh joy! HA!

I downloaded beach tunes for the gift card Tyler gave me from the ITune store. Endless Summer was a must! Love that music! I ran across Duran Duran's Rio and grabbed it too. I know... old school. That reminds me... I need a few more tunes! Gotta run!

Yep, I'll be broadcasting from the beach and even plan to load up some photos. I always say crap like that then something happens where I don't get to.

Later folks!
Geo.

Tuesday 07.03.07 Part II

I thought I would update at lunch but went out with Jason and Allison. Always a hoot with those two.

It's been a very nice week so far. I feel great and just kicking back. Serious, I can't really remember the last time I took a bike break. I know there was a time back in the winter a couple of years ago when I had a bad sinus infection but other than that... If the weather is bad I can spin. In fact, I'll be heading back to the fitness center at lunch a few days a week fro spin classes and core training.... after the beach next week.

Oh yeah, a correction from River 2 River stuff. I've been told it was Yale that had his hand on my back pushing me at the end and Jenn was on the other side. I know I said Jo and Keith and I'm sure they were right there as well. Yep, I guess I was really flipped out.

Y'all would not believe how many folks have now told me stories about a cousin or uncle who had a heat stroke and how many died. Awwright, I get the point! I'll be a lot more careful out there and I love y'all too!

Big Firecracker 5K in town tomorrow. My VP is running and she was joking this afternoon that she should do a lot better in this race because she got to move up to the next age group. Rance, the director of the Fitness Center is running it too. I'm sure there are a lot of others from ACH running it. We have a big runner group there.

Hey, race news... Rock and Republic won their race the other day! Rahsaan and the guys are really kickin' it out this year! Keep it up guys! Hey RB and Austin... y'all need to just go ahead an smoke 5 Star and put 'em in their place. Check out the story: http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=11295

Tuesday 07.03.07

Is this what OK and TX have been going through? Oh man, we got the rain. Actually very small in compared to those guys. We got a shot of rain about 5 yesterday then just as we were heading into rush hour the cloud bottomed out. Several local flooding places.

oops, got to run to work... more later...

Sunday 07.01.07

This is actually copied from my River 2 River blog. I'll be posting here again...

We did what we set out to do and that was raise money and awareness for kids with hearing disabilities. We got the word out that this area of a child's life needs attention. There are over 16 million folks like me called Baby Boomers who have a hearing loss. Some are born with it and others got it from rocking out to their Kiss and Fleetwood Mac 8-tracks. Some, like myself are probably both. Technology is really just kicking in on hearing aids because so many of us are striving to live regular ole daily lives but we get tired of not being able to hear so we pester the companies who make hearing aids and we pester out Audiologist. It's called being an advocate! Find a passion, a cause, a charity and be an advocate! Make a difference. Sometimes making a difference is as simple as a hello to someone and sometimes it's pushing your body until it breaks.

Saturday night our friends and my team mates Rebecca and Chris Irons stopped by our house to pick up a couple of things that had been in the team van. Em was off on a date and Terri and I were about to grill out. We talked them into staying and eating, which wasn't real hard to do! HA! After dinner the 4 of us drove over to Shakey's for "ice cream". It was then Chris and Rebecca unfolded the events that surrounded my struggle to get from Cook's Landing to the hospital. It was really hard to believe they were talking about me. Some things I remember in a foggy sort of way and some are clear, all were tough. I do remember someone pushing me as we climbed the BDB. I do remember a group of guys passing right through the group on the right (you know who you are). I remember the hill by Dillards Corp office that I knew I had to get over. I remember the kids by the hospital on their bikes. I remember a lot of faces from the stop. I remember Keith Moore and Jo Spencer being right beside me talking me through it. Those gave me strength!

The fog: I heard that I ran a red light, that I rode off from Cook's Landing with only Blake riding along while everyone was getting their water refilled. I heard I was tilted to the right. I heard I was almost expected to pass out and there were folks on each side in case I did. I rode the wrong way coming in and rode through a barricade with very little room. I remember Lori taking me to the ER. I remember the nurse was named Emily and always was smiling. I remember Yale being there in the restroom after I barfed.

I also have some very good memories!
There was no rain at the start in Ft Smith! It was 80% chance!
The guy that owns a very respectable bike shop (Champion Cycling) in NW Ark was there to lead us out of Ft Smith.
The funny stuff my family and teammates said on the way to Ft Smith.
Getting cracked up watching Yale taking photo after photo after photo.
The police escort in Ozark.
Talking to Kevin on the Point 94.1 while riding in Ozark. Finding out he played it on the radio.
People telling my teammates they were crazy to do this ride with me.
Friends telling me that if I had called them at 1 a.m. and said I was about to ride the rest, they would have come back out. Now that is true friendship at it's highest level.
People telling me that 1/2 the ride was a major deal.
Telling the team who jumped on outside of Russellville that they smelled good and listening to them laugh. The Ft Smith group was stanking by then! HA!
Hearing Jenn giving some long drawn out excuse why she wasn't allowed to bring her honking horn.
Hearing the same Jenn ask a camero at a stop light in Russellville if he wantd to race and when the light turned green it sounded like he lost his muffler. Brain laughed so hard I thought he's fall off his bike.
Seeing Tom (SoundStart) standing on the side of the road in Conway.
Seeing Erik and the Ride bike shop guys waiting for us in Conway.
Having Rob from Conway pull us into the headwind from Conway to Maumelle.

You see the good memories list is much much longer than the struggling memories.

So what happens now? That's the question a lot of folks want to know. I do know that I'll take a little break from the bike just because. Remember all the day after emails? Well, almost all the ones from riders say, "You've got to get back up on your bike." Oh friends, I plan to do that!

Are you going to ride it again? I don't know about the whole 300 but I will finish the ride. Riding from Burn's Park to Forrest City is only 103 miles. I think I can make it the next 37 to West Memphis. I'm pretty sure a group of us will put our jerseys on and head out some fall morning and knock it out. There are so many scheduled rides for everyone between now and fall that I doubt we could work it in before then. Who knows, we wanted to ride this ride so bad we could be crazy enough to try it again but we'll do it under the radar.

I wanted to leave you with some most awesome news that has come from doing this ride...
On June 28th there was a program named the "George Cobb Amplification Assistance Program"!!! It's a loaner program for kids who need hearing aids and FM devices to succeed in school and in life! So you see my friends, the ride was a success right where it was always meant to be.... all for the kids!

Ft Smith -- the night before

We made it to Ft Smith and the Holiday Inn City Center is pretty nice. It's really clean.

We had dinnar at a really good place called Varsity.

Everyone is really ready to go! Excitment building.

KKPT POINT 94.1 interview

Here's the photo's from the Point 94.1 Interviw with my buddy Kevin Clay. Kevin is an all around good guy and what you hear on the radio is really what he is like in real life. Just as happy with life as sweet tea on the front porch!

Video link to news report

We made the news last night! KTHV did a spot on the ride!
Here's the link if you want to watch it:
http://www.todaysthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=47973

KTHV have always been huge supporters of ACH and we thank them!

Thoughts on video...

Photo Sharing - Upload Video - Video Sharing - Share Photos

WELCOME TO RIVER 2 RIVER WEEK!!!!

WELCOME TO

RIVER 2 RIVER

WEEK!!!!

Shout out to Jeff who rode with me this afternoon. I really was just going to take it easy today but I was bored out of my skull. So I rode...

Terri did make it in from her convention complete with stories of Ft Smith happenings. Let's see there was a sprinkler system rupture around midnight and it released who some said was about 5,000 of water on the 3 floor which made a waterfall down to the indoor courtyard of the hotel. It rained almost every day in Ft Smith last week. But she was in good spirits and even wanted to go out to dinner last night.

Got up and went to church this morning and there is a senior couple that sit in front of us. She is going a little slower these days and he is her biggest fan. Mr. and Mrs. Sherril are a huge inspiration to everyone around them.... they always have been. If you know a senior person or couple that's an inspiration to you, why not let them know? Tell them or send them a card. It will brighten their day!

Had lunch over at Olive Garden (Yes, I did have a take home order of ter-a-mah-sue! HA!) Y'all know I don't do Itilian without the stuff... yep, I know too that a serving equals about 1300 calories... and your point is? HA!

I had planned to hang around the hut today but just like Giligan, I got bored! So I loaded the hot rod into the Explorer and headed down to the river for a flat ride. Just moved the legs a little was all I planned to do. Say hello to my friend the wind! She was sort of messy today and a pest at that. As I was riding along I rolled past another rider and mentioned the wind. Next thing I know me and another Sherwood homeboy have rolled along to the BDB. He was doing a recovery ride from yesterday's Hotter'n'Hell training ride (70 miles). It will be his first one. He was smart and made his reservations last year for this year's event. If he is already riding at 70 miles with a couple months still to go then he'll have not trouble at all with the 100 there (unless Mother Nature sends the fireballs to Witcha Falls again like last year). Shout out to Jeff... it was great meeting you and getting to ride along this afternoon. I am finding out more and more folks who live in Sherwood are riders.

Well, heading over to the valley to hang with friends and have dinner!

Thanks for reading!
Geo.

Saturday afternoon 06.23.07

Before and after the clippers! Coworkers said, "Geo, you look like a little boy." Sort of looks like a dog that just got a big haircut if you ask me! I love it though! I could feel the wind on my head all morning long and by did it feel great!

Had a great ride this morning. Had planned to "sleep in" but sure as the sun will rise, I woke up at 5:30 something and I wanted to go ride. That is a good sign for me! I took my time this morning and did a couple things around the hut then headed out to the river. It was a nice morning. Funny story: When I had just started and maybe two miles in I felt a drop of water run down the side of my head. I thought I was sweating already but had forgotten that I washed my sunglasses before I left and didn't get them all dry.

I buzzed along North Hills Blvd in North Little Rock and over the bridge as the traffic of I-40 went under me. Not a lot of traffic this morning. I noticed a car was behind me and I was ready the bike lane and then looked up to see my buddy Charile Hight go by. He was on his way out to Cook's for the ABC ride. I spotted them later. I'm looking forward to returning to some of those rides later this summer. They rode out to Scott and loaded up on fresh fruit at their break. They are blogging about how great the plums were.

Rolled along the river and came up on a transition area for a race. I went on but got lucky on the return when most of the racers were coming through the transition. Man, that's fun to watch. There's a half Ironman in Arkedelpha in August that some folks are going to do. I hope to go down and cheer them on. Someday I plan to go see a full blown Ironman event.

Spotted several groups this morning out for rides and I got behind one guy who reminded me so much of myself when I first started riding. He was looking around at the trees and really enjoying the ride. Oh, I still do that but just not as much. I always seem to be in the training zone these days. Nothing wrong with that either. I spotted several of our club coming back in from their screaming fast ride in the country. These are the guys that pace about 23-25. there was talk of their ride last Tuesday night going over 30mph at times. Crazy stuff!

I wonder sometimes what the racers of the Ironman think the week of their race? I'm doing my best to stay focused and positive. There's that nervous energy that is sort of there. I have no doubts that I can and will do great on this ride. I have awesome support and I really enjoy riding with the folks that I'll be in this event with. The only thing that's in the back of my mind that I'm wrestling with is getting to the hospital by 4. There are a lot of factors involved like rain, wind, rider conditions, bike conditions. I have it in my mind that if we are delayed, well then we are delayed. If we are delayed at lot then we'll ride right on through because no one is expected to hang out for hours waiting on us. But all in all... I think it's gonna be AWESOME!!! I'm sitting here thinking, ya know, this time next week this will be over. WHA???!!!

Em and I went over to Firehouse subs for lunch and by Academy Sports for gels, cliff bars and I even bought a couple of 6 buck headlights. I know what you are thinking but they could come in handy. Energizer is sending cases of batteries to power us along the ride. Those guys are awesome!

Terri arrives home around dinner time from her convention. This is one happy guy here but she will be exhausted to no end! It's at the same hotel we will be staying at Wednesday night and here's the weird thing. It's been raining in that one section of the state all week. We did have a nice storm come through here just minutes ago but it's broken up and the sun is returning. Oh boy, an Arkansas streamer!

Have I mentioned that my son, Tyler is going to be with us as support in the team car?!! I'm really excited about that in a huge way! I remember the 'round the state ride I did and he was in Denver at college. I remember him saying, "Dad, I missed your biggest day." No, kiddo, this will be my biggest day... you'll be there along with Terri and Emmy! What more could a dad ask for?!

I'll leave you with a couple of photos I took along the ride this morning....

Aren't these flowers beautiful? And they had a rose smell that was out of this world! The leaves are shining and healthy. It's just one of those plants you just have to notice.

But back up the frame and look at the whole picture! Can you believe this beauty is the ONLY thing living at this old boarded up house? The grass has been killed, there is a beer bottle discarded out in the yard. Windows busted out and boarded up. I have thought about this house almost every morning for months now. It's on the way to my office. I think it's very symbolic of life. Here everything around it is gone yet it thrives and grows like it's in one of the finest kept gardens around. You know what else I think? I think of a child who can't hear and how they would do the same if given the chance. They would grow and their beauty explode to capture the world around them. Please, donation to the River 2 River ride today and help us get the equipment needed to help a child hear!




If you would like to donate on line please go to http://www.archildrens.org/ and click on the Donate Now button. It is secure and tax deductible.

If you would rather send in a check, please send it to:
Arkansas Children's Hospital Foundation
ATT: Geo's Ride
800 Marshall St
Little Rock, AR 72202


Thanks for reading!
Geo.

Thursday 6.21.07

What a fast and crazy week this has been. I posted a time or to over on the River 2 River blog (www.river2river.blogspot.com).

This is taper weekend so not going to be doing a lot of riding. I've spent every free minute working details and going over details and plans and redoing, etc etc... I've got the equipment I need for the most part for the night section of the ride thanks to my buds! I have to make another list this weekend and start a pile somewhere of the stuff that will be going.

Terri is in Ft Smith right now and even staying in the same hotel we are going to. She is the convention director/planner for their associations summer convention. The weird thing is that it has been raining in Ft Smith most of the week but nice pretty much everywhere else. A sprinkler broke next to the secretary's room on the 3rd floor and flooded her room. Bet Terri will be ready to get home and crash a minute or two. I miss her.

Emily showed interest in the bike races last night when she came to get me. She even wants to go back when we return from FL. I think that's cool that she has an interest in it. I think the guys coming up to register liked having her sitting at the table too. HA!

So what's the plan for the weekend?? Well tomorrow night I get a buzz haircut. It might be the shortest I've ever had. Shock and awe for the ride! HA! Then I head over to American Pie for a club get together. Saturday morning I'm taking my time getting started. I might not go out to ride until 8 or 9. Just a big circle from the house to the river and back. Then I'll work around the house/yard and Terri should get back around dinner time so I'll unload the stuff at her office if that's the plan and then she'll crash. When she returns from a convention she usually crashes hard and fast.

Oh I get the air card for the laptop so I'll try and do some video and photo uploading with the card. Should be really cool.

The jerseys are selling like wildfire! Everyone is saying they are the coolest jersey they've ever seen. That means a lot to me.

I'll write more this weekend and put some video and photos in for your viewing pleasure.

If you want to donate to the ride you can donation on line at www.archildrens.org.
Or if you want to mail a check:
Arkansas Children's Hospital Foundation
ATTN: Geo's Ride
800 Marshall Street
Little Rock, AR 72202

Thanks and have a great Friday!!
Geo.

Monday 6.18.07

Nothing like getting a text message form the kiddo letting me know I had a package from FRS today! Yeah baby, the nice folks at FRS sent me a little swag to get me started. Uh huh, I'm not only an FRS snot but an offical FRS poster child now too! Me and Lance Armstrong sponsored by the same group. Oh yeah baby! HA!

Well no testing tonight for the adjustments to see if I can figure out what the deal is with the knee. We've got those summer rain showers tht started about 3 this afternoon. Man, one time it was raining so hard it looked like a thick fog. Maybe it's a good thing so my leg will recover a tad more. I'll be out there with the club tomorrow night and I'll get all sorts of input I'm sure but hey I welcome it.

Shout out to my doc buds Brain Hardin and Brent Sprinkle! Both gave me excellent advice on the knee. Brain runs our Sports Med group at ACH. Super nice guy and always goes out of his way for folks. Thanks bud! And Brent is an awesome, strong rider that I've gotten to ride with quite a few times. He was the one who sent me the "chocolate milk after a ride for recovery article." And yes, I drink a juice glass of chocolate milk after almost every long distance ride. Brent is one of those doctors that after they tell you something you sort of think, "Dang man, this guy knows his stuff!" Thanks Brent!

This photo is for my bud Wes. How's this for clean? I know it's out of focus but you get the idea. But of course it's raining this evening so no riding.

12 days until the big ride! I'm excited! I'm ready!

Sunday 06.17.07

It's Father's Day and we went down to see my folks and took them to lunch at a catfish place they like called Whippet. Serious. I'm not a catfish eater but it was pretty good. It was in a small town called Prattsville.

It's also Tyler's 23 birthday today. Happy birthday kiddo! My son was born on Father's day and Terri was 23 years old when she had him. Today, he is 23.

No riding today but I did clean the bike up. She's looks really good right now!

Not really much...
Geo.

Saturday 06.16.07

An Arkansas summer with miles of green fields.

I flew past this sign then realized it was one of my sponsors signs

so I turned around and came back to shoot it. Thanks Delta Grow!!!

This is a lawn statue at a store in Keo.
Again, I went right past it but then the
light came on that it was the little girl from
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil.
I'm not ashamed to say that's one of my favorite all time movies
and I don't have a clue why but when I watch it I laugh til I cry!

The day on the bike started at 7 and the plan was to ride to the river then out to Keo and back, evaluate the legs then repeat the course. As I was riding to the river I spotted a couple of neighbors with their bikes loaded on the car/trucks and heading the same way. Got the "howdy beep" from them as they passed. Both were a big part of the Carti group I've been riding with and then it dawned on me that there was one more Carti ride, a post event ride. It was announced before we took off that Carti's Tour de Rock brought in about $50,000. That's so awesome! Jennifer and the crew put on a first rate event!

Paul Bentley and I rode together a bit then we broke off at the top of the heights. He had to be somewhere at 10:30 and I was riding way to hard to make it go all day like I needed to. We made our way back to the boat ramp at Burn's and bidded each other farewell. I was going to start my Keo training ride. While we were talking JohnEEE came up he was going to ride some intervals this morning. We rode along at a social pace and he is an awesome rider and all around good guy. I was asking him if he had ever had knee issues and after explaining were the pain was (Yes, it's back again today already!). Sounds like I need to drop the seat a tad. Plan to do that and ride maybe Tuesday night easy and see what happens. It goes away really quick after I stop riding but today by the time I rolled back in it hurt so bad I was on the border line of barfing. Yes, serious, the pain was that bad. I was so glad I took the MP3 player because when I listened to the tunes my knee was secondary. Funny part was that by the time I rolled in, I hated the tunes I had loaded. I wanted to pop Ted Nugent up the side of the head. Stop screaming at me!! HA!!! I told Terri later about this and she smiled then I told her what I really wanted to hear was some nice soft jazz... you know the kind of music that reminds you of your momma pressing you up against her bossom so tight you can't breath and she rubs your head and tells you everything will be awwwright. I thought Terri was going to spit tea! Ya jest never know what's gonna come outta my mouth do ya?! Well, it makes life a lot funner!

Oh yeah, I saw my first live and moving snake on the road today. I rolled right by him and lo and behold the monster started moving!! He was a big un! Looked blackish with a pattern.

I played with the video upload last night and it works but I didn't think y'all wanted to see a video of me chasing Sadie, our dog, around the house. Good video's will probably be posted tomorrow.

Thumbs up to the JB Hunt crew again today and thumbs up to Oakely Trucking of North Little Rock! Both trucking companies gave me lots of room. I was lucky to have a wide shoulder for most of the ride.

Terri and I are heading down to Bosco's for dinner with Chris and Rebecca tonight! Mouth is watering already! Chris and several others will be riding the time trials tomorrow. Good luck everyone on your race! Rock the race!!

Finished the day with a sad 74.41 miles at 16.6 mph average. It's tapper down time for the next couple of weeks. I can not believe the ride is almost here!!

Thanks for reading!

Geo.

Movin' over for a moment...

Alright folks, life is about to get really insane for a month so I'm just going to keep one blog going rather than this one and the River 2 River one.

Just jump over to: http://river2river.blogspot.com/ and keep reading 'cause it's gonna be really good!

Hey, while you are there, click on my awesome sponsor links! They rock the river!

Wednesday lunchtime quick hit

Lunch almost over and I'm riding to the house after work if no rain. Plan to get some miles in and maybe ride tomorrow too. In-laws coming in from FL (They live there) so plans may change.

Oh hey Phonak will be here tomorrow with test gear! Oh yeah!!!

Funds are coming in for the kids and we are 5 days from the 1 month count down. I have one more large batch of letters that need to go out and will work those over the long weekend.

Fast 24

Not much really. I got a fast 24 miler in after the storm past. John was coming in fom his ride as I was starting. Spotted the FGSG tri folks out doing their bricks (run after a ride).

Here's the weekend ride plans:
Saturday: Ride from home to Carti training ride and back home
Sunday: Easy ride
Monday: Thinking Russellville to Little Rock. That's part of my River 2 River ride course.

I'm in pro race weekend withdrawal --- all the pros are gone until next year.

But hey, crit series starts in a couple of weeks...

Mt Nebo (knee-blow)

Several of the Fast Girls (Brian, the guy in the bike journal jersey is one too but he lives in the country and boys can't wear pink!) Oh and yes we do have a Shimano truck that follows us around now to be sure we get service! HA!

One of the Toyota-United guys hanging on to his spot.

Rock and Republic ahead on the right.

More Rock and Republic

Climbing to the finish. One more turn.

View from the top of Mtn. Knee-blow

Yep, I did it... several times!

Just before the roll out.

This is what's so cool about being a cycle race fan. You can get right up to the racers.

These guys (Rock and Republic) have the wickest stuff!

I love it!

Well alright! here's how it went... 7 am met up with Jenn and Chris at Cook's. Jenn and I head on up. Chris stayed behind and sold their house, maybe.

When we pulled up it was a strange sight because there were only Toyota-United in the corner on the lot. Come to find out, all the teams were in the back of the building. We saw Jelly Belly, Healthnet, Carve, Waste Management (don't even think about laughing... they are good!) and then I spotted the Rock and Republic team car. Oh man, this is awesome! I'm standing there looking at the coolest road cycling kits I've seen and the team cars... Cadillac! Black with the red Rock and Republic logo with a cool Rock Racing logo. Hello! Rock and Roll comes to tiny town Arkansas!

We spotted Rubicon and made our way over to say hello and wish them well. It was deathly quite. The guys were zoned out and focusing on getting the pre-race jitters down. We didn't stay long. Walked over to Toyota-United and talked with the chase car guy a bit. Super fan friendly. We were joking about where he parked the team car. It was right under a school sign that said, "Congrats Lady Lizards!" If I could have gotten a good angle for a photo it would have been a hoot!

We walked around and waited the the guys to get ready for the roll out. Just seconds before the start the official gave them a last chance pee break and the next thing you know there are a dozen guys taking a whiz at the end of the schools tennis courts. Then a funny thing happened... they started and some were still whizzing! There were some choice words yelled as guys tried to get back in the pack. I laughed!

We headed over to WalMart to load up on chalk to text message the mountain. Usually I just buy a bucket of kids sidewalk chalk but I spotted this new 4 pack with chalk sticks the size of spray paint cans! Perfect!! I bought a couple boxes and Jenn bought a honking kiddie bike horn. She honked at everything. It was funny.

Met up with Jbar, Yale, Jenny, Brian, and Razz just after the rollout. Hung out for a few at the McDonalds parking lot then headed for the mountain. They rode up the monster.

We started chalked the snot out of the road and did as promised and used the orange for Rubicon, the hot pink was for Figy, our Cat 4 racer, and then I started putting messages for Rock and Republic. They just sort of took over and I was having a blast drawing huge skull and crossbones all the way up the mountain. We had a few other messages such as "Top = 5 miles ahead" when is was probably a mile.

While we were chalking Figy came riding up and we yelled as much as we could then Jenn took off and yelled right beside him like you watch on the Euro races. It was a hoot. We were proud of our own! Really proud... especially since he crossed the finish line on a flat tire.

I spotted Vince (race official and buddy) and he gave me grief about liking Rock and Republic. Hey if you can look cool/edgy/wicked and race good too... I'm all for you man!

We got up to the top and the riders were said to be about 20 minutes out. It didn't seem like 10 and the state trooper car came around the curve signaling the crowd. There was a nice crowd at the top and everyone cheered the riders.

It was just a good day at the races.

Brought the bike to work and plan to ride home and get those legs ready for the River 2 River ride.

Here's the weeks plans:
Ride a while then take it home after work today.
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: maybe the same but they are calling for those afternoon pop up showers.
Saturday: Carti training ride at 8
Sunday: Easy spin
Monday (Memorial Day): Long endurance ride (100 plus miles on the R2R route).

If you want to donate to River 2 River (323 miles -- One day -- across the state of Arkansas) for kids with hearing impairments, log on to http://www.archildrens.org/. It's tax deductible!

Later folks!
Geo.

Saturday ride

Woke to a crisp 48 degree sunrise this morning. Not sure why I woke so early but was glad a did. I had time to eat and let it digest before riding. I rolled out at 7:20 and met the Carti riders for an 8am ride leaving Burns Park and heading out to the farmlands and Scott community.

It is a training ride and some of the riders are new so there is a little antsy feeling going on in the middle of the group. Everyone was having a good time and the morning was just beautiful. I took off my wind shirt when I got to Burns because it warmed up pretty fast on the ride in.

We kept it at about 17-18mph on the way out until a couple of guys took off. I was in mid-pack and couldn't seem to get a break long enough to chase. The front group got about 50 yards ahead and stayed there until the first rest stop for regrouping.

After the break we headed towards Scott and I was right behind JBar and Keith H for the lead out. Next thing I know a dude on a bike with areo bars came flying by and of course that set the stage. We go! There is a breakaway group and I'm a few behind and I thought areo-bar-man was going to keep it going but he blew. 24, 23, 22, 21, 20, 19, 18, 17 Ok, I gotta pick up a bit so I go out and around and me and a doc from the hospital cruise on out at 22. I pulled and pulled and pulled and then I couldn't figure out if they turned and they didn't but when I slowed down doc thought I was blown and whizzed around and I jumped behind to cruise on in to regroup area #2.

On the way back we caught a little head wind but not bad since we got to turn and then had great tailwind pushing us along. I rode with Dan H for a bit and we talked about his trip (cruise) he had just taken. One of the stops was Jamacia. I asked him if he liked it and he said no. I was surprised because all the commercials they run on the tube make it look great. Said the people aren't friendly. Ok, I'll mark Jamacia off the list as places I want to go.

I headed on to try and jump on the front group but was back to far and the wind was acting a fool! Paul B and I got us a little train going on and cruise at 23 on into NLR. Paul is a great guy to be around and I always enjoy my rides with him. Same with Dan H. Just good guys.

After the ride we all stood around sharing stories of wind, attacks, some car that flipped off the front group, etc. Then I headed on to Sherwood to the house. Rolled in at a little after 11.

Ended the morning with 55.43 and a 17.6 average speed. Should have been higher but had headwind and a big hill on the way home. All in all it was a most excellent day mate!

RUBICON ROCKS!!!

JBar in the Yellow with the black crow on it, Jo in the pink and myself in the yellow

The ride coming through Riverfront Park in North Little Rock

Cops telling us not to pop wheelies.

Zipping down Ft Roots

Mayor Hayes speakes. Yes, our mayor rides!

All the photos above were taken by Diane. Thanks for letting me use them!

Yes, this is the Fast Girls.

Poor Jenn caught so much slack about this shoulder touching photo.

Everyone had a great time and we thank Rubicon for coming out and letting us hang with them.


My new favorite pro team! These guys are awesome! They came to the hospital and spent the afternoon with the kids. They led a bike ride for everyone that evening and blended into the crowd. Aaron beat our Healthnet and Totota-United for the first stage of Tri-Peaks races an hour north of here! I'll go see them climb Mount Nebo (referred to as Knee-blow by certain cyclist!) We will text message the road in bright organe for there team color.

Wanna read about them? http://www.trubicon.org/node/15

Another dime??!!!!

Gas has gone from 2.97 to 3.15 and now to 3.25 in 48 hours. Got a bike? Know how to ride it? Ya better!

I know I know...

I know I know... I've gone into blog-slackerville! I'll update this afternoon... I hope.

It was an awesome training day! I left the house and rode down to the river then out to the farmlands. I rode through England then planned to ride even further out but it was getting sort of like it was trying to build those spotty rain showers again so I headed back to North Little Rock. The corn was knee high, the wheat was ready and the rice was just starting and the snakes were everywhere. I've never seen anything like it. All kinds and sizes. All dead in the road. There was a swamp that I passed and I'm not sure what the splash was but it was a big animal. I kept thinking it might have been one of the alligators the Game and Fish have been talking about. we have them so bad now that there will be a first ever alligator hunting season this fall. But the air was filled with Magnolia, honeysuckle and several other smells that just made me so glad to be alive and able to enjoy the ride. Funny story: while I was out on the farmlands I could hear something and glanced over my shoulder to what I thought was a oncoming car but it was a whole herd of Carve riders ou for their training ride. They had a huge group. Always a bunch of friendly guys. They turned on Honey Road and I went straight to head on out to England.

Just as I get back to the river the BUZZ BBQ was in full swing! Oh man did it smell good! I rode a bit longer then stopped by my office and dined on Cheese Peanut butter crackers and an oatmeal cream pie. At first I thought the Little Debbie snack was going to make me ill because my tummy kicked a few seconds afterwards buy I strectched out for a few moments and was was well. I got back on the bike and headed out. 82 miles, not bad. I was in the office 17 minutes but it seemed like a lot longer.

I headed back over the Broadway bridge and over to the soccer fields to met up with friends for the CARTI training ride. I was feeling really refreshed and ready for more riding which was a big confidence booster! There are 2 groups and my buds talked me into going with them. When we hit 20-22 mph I thought this was a bad idea. I told Shawdawg and Shawkitty (yep, they are married) than if they dropped me not to wait. Dawg gave me the smile and said they weren't planning on waiting! We laughed and I told him I'd put a garage sale sign in their yard! They just put there house up for sell about an hour before they came. I hope it sells fast for them!
Any way we had a great ride and even went through a bust rain shower that lasted about a minue and a half but it was fairly hard. I stopped under a tree to drop my hearing aid into a zip lock. Nope, not getting that thing wet!

I rolled over 104 miles by the time I was home. I felt good all day. I mean ready good! When I got home and cleaned up I was feeling the love. I had a juice glass of Java Chocolate milk which set a little off with the tummy. Guess I ought to cool off a tad before drinking that stuff. But once I showered I felt good. I wasn't expecting that at all. I didn't feel any where near this good last Saturday after the ride.

Here's a few things I did different. I kept my gears in the small ring on the front most of the day. This was a coach trick and I think it worked. I love the big ring but it seemed to tire me out a lot faster. I drank FRS as my supplement drink. Yes, I really believe in the stuff. I rode solo all morning and kept it around 17 except for a short stretch on the farmlands where the wind was beating up on me and dropped to 14 at times. Wind is wind and if your solo riding it's going to slow you down. I rode with friends in the afternoon which seemed to help build up my confidence as well as allowed for a draft and get my speed up a notch. Jenn, Chris, Yale, Keith, Marvin and Razz... thanks friends!!

We headed down to see my folks who had just come in from FL today. They had a perfect trip thanks to Cathy and Doug and perfect weather and water. Both seemed rested and happy. My sister Sherry came over and brought mom the biggest mothers day card I've EVER seen. It was poster board sized! She's a third plotter!!! (Family joke). It was just really nice to hang out with the folks and Sherry and my little bratty sister Barbie and her husband Tim. Never a dull moment.

Ya'll call your momma or think of all the good things about your momma!

Quick hit...

Ok blog-o-nites and blog-o-nettes here we go with the weekend... Starts in 20 minutes!

Eat out with the wife for dinner. Go to Home Depot and maybe to Barney Nobels.
Home and check over bike. If eat and then home then I'll mow the yard then tell the neighborhood he needs to mow his. He he he.

Goal for the night: Stay away from the sweets!

Check over the bike. Bottles in the freezer. Put gear in the office so I don't wake anyone up in the morning.

On bike around 7 to Cook's, then out around the Cartin training loop or maybe longer. Back to the river. Stop by Murray Park to say howdt to BACA folks I've not seen in a year. Now that's really sad huh?! Over to the office if needed to break a moment and eat lunch if it's time. Back to river and ride until start of CARTI training ride (it's on Saturday at 2 this week). Then just ride out the time until stopping at 10 hours.

Then I have to head to the house and go to Benton to see my mom if they are home from Florida. I saw a couple of live cameras from down there this week and the beach was perfect! The water looked like a pool! Super clear!

Let the weekend begin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOHOOOO!!!
Have an awesome weekend friends!
Geee-oh!

It turned out to be one of those pishhhhh showers. You know they kind this sort of like you turn the shower at home of for a few seconds. Rained at the hospital but not at the house. Awww ya gotta love those summer showers.

So I geared up and headed out to ride. The womens running club was out and there most have been a 100 women running.The river is way up and flooding a little. I was wondering if it was going to be over one of the smaller bike path bridges but everything was clear.

I did spot a small group of riders that it looked to be the Fast Girls Slow Guys club ride. They are now going so insanely fast that most folks can't really ride with them anymore. They are a racing club through and through. There is nothing at all wrong with that but they are way to fast for me and many of the riders from last year. I did see quite a few of last years riders out tonight.

I had been telling folks about all the duckings or gooselings or whatever you call baby geese. They are everywhere. I also saw a goose that looked as if it had been tangled in fishing line for a long time. It was limping pretty bad and I tried to get closed but it hopped away. I thought about calling my niece with the Game and Fish and ask them to see if they can retain it for a moment and just cut the line off. Just sort of pains me to see an animal in pain like that when it would be so easy to correct.

I rode down and back and down at a comfortable pace. I plan to get an early start on Saturday morning and ride all day. I'm taking stuff to my office so I will have a place to stop and eat and take a short recovery. I'm looking forward to the training. Plan calls for 10 hours riding on Saturday for training. Well, saddle up kids!

Tomorrow is Friday and not a moment too soon!

Later y'all
Geo.

Notta gain!!

Rain is moving in again for a lovely afternoon thunderstorm.

Looks like it might be a night of TV on the spin bike.

Afternoon riding washed out...

Another afternoon of training washed out by thunderstorms. Bummer!

Land of the hearing -- Day 2

This morning a funny thing happened. I almost walked out the door without my hearing. Hey, it is a habit ya know! I've had it on all day and people will walk by my office silly funny stuff and I'm responding and we all laugh. They seemed to all have gotten used to me being deaf. It's taking a minute for everyone get back to a "hearing" Geo.

I was fun hearing the TV last night. It was fun hearing Terri talking in he car on the way home from work. It was fun hearing the kids. I heard Sadie bark too! Now thinking back you have no idea how comical it was to watch Sadie bark but not hear it. Ok, it's funny now but not then.

Well, it's Wednesday afternoon which means it's the other side of the week and heading toward the weekend. I told Terri this morning that I have GOT to find time to ride more or I'm going to be in trouble come June 28th. She said, "Well why don't you take you're bike to work and ride home?" Why did she marry me? Smart marries dumb (She marries me). I really thought about heading out to the house and bringing the bike back and riding home. I'll just bring it with me tomorrow. As I look out of the office window the afternoon pop up storms are already building. Those guys didn't waste any time today.

Tomorrow is the big hospital ice cream party for hospital appreciation week. Semi's with ice cream come in and we get to build these giant sundaes and they give out hospital wear like polo shirts and such. There is usually music blasting and someone will always start dancing. Usually someone who can't dance. Hey, it's a large office party, what can I say. All the elements of a TV sitcom. Oh well, everyone seems to always have fun.

Weekend ride this weekend is a 10 hour training ride! That's something like 7am to 5pm will be spent on the bike training. this time I'm planning a little different. I think I'll ride from home and go to the farmlands, which by the way they are building a shopping center out that way. Ride the farmlands for a while, come back and ride along the river, Maumelle, back to river, to my office and eat and break a moment (20-30 minutes at the very most). Then start riding along the river some more then maybe the CARTI training ride route, which is heading out to the farmlands again but not as far. Then I'm not sure. Since I have my hearing back I can go out on long rides away from normal spots and not worry.

Special shout out to my blogging buddy WES -- Congrats on your first Tri! And you've signed up for how many more already?! HA! You sound like some of these guys around here! Hooks you more than Meth!

Well, lunch is over... sigh...

...and we have a lift off!

Oh this is so good! But y’all everything is sort of loud in the world of the hearing folks!

Yep, today Dr. D checked the ear and poked around and even shot purple dye down into my ear canal and then said, “Do you want to put your hearing aid on?” I did and he was standing there with Dr. Smith and started talking and I jumped. Hold everything!! I haven’t even turned up the aid yet and it’s too loud?!! WHA??!!! Oh my gosh, is there going to be this big of a difference? There were smiles all around the room then he gave me the pep talk and the caution talk as well.

I then went across the hall to Mary Martha’s office and she made a new ear impression for a new ear mold. I’ll have a new one with the air vent so I can let the heat and moisture out when I’m training. That was the caution part. I’m still really in the infection zone right now so I have to continue the drops every night and clean with alcohol. That’s doable.

I told Mary Martha that I didn’t realize her office was so loud. She has an air vent and a return in her office and it sounds like you are sitting in a jet. She was telling me that it’s hard for people with hearing impairment to hear in there because of that.

The rest of the afternoon was spent much like the first day I got my new hearing aid learning sounds. When a coworker in the next office coughed this afternoon it sounded as though it was in my ear! No, I didn’t have it turned up.

I was really hoping to get out and test sound on the bike this afternoon but once again the afternoon pop up thunderstorms are rolling through. I can hear thunder so I’m not going out. Instead I’ll work on donor letters tonight.

Ok, so what did I learn from this experience? I learned that I’m not as strong in the fact of sickness as I thought I was. I wondered if it would have been something that was going to be permanent if I would have handled it different? I didn’t have to learn sign language even though I think I will now. I saw the world in a different way. No one meant to but it is a world of isolation sometimes. Many people have no idea how exhausting it was to sit through a simple meeting. People naturally turn their heads while they talk but when you are forced to read lips it can wreck you. Some people don’t move their mouths very much so it’s hard to follow there speech. Nothing wrong with that, it’s just hard to keep up.

So it makes me think really hard about this ride and what it means. I wondered if after the recovery period if I’ll have a different outlook on the ride and how I can help those kids that can’t hear … oh boy, you have no idea how it has changed me! No idea!

All for the kids!
Geo.

Weekend recap -- Part 2 (Sunday ride)

I always forget the beauty of sunsets while riding. I waited today to ride after 6pm. It was crowded with walkers, runners and family bikes. Everyone having fun and wrapping up the weekend.

I kept a brisk pace of 17-18 and knocked down 27 miles quickly. The sunset was awesome! I really wanted to ride up on the BDB and lean on the rail and watch.

Legs felt good.

Plan for the week is to get a good ride in Tuesday. An easy ride one other evening and another long distance on Saturday. I think I add another hour this week which would be 10 hours of riding. But hey I'll be plugged in and can hear so I'll ride to who knows where!

I get to plug in tomorrow a little after 1pm and it's like waiting on Santa. Actually it's more like having the present you always wanted under the tree and you've started to lift the corner of the wrapping paper but then didn't. that's exactly what I did today! I started to lift the wrapping paper. I am so excited that this morning I got out my hearing aid and put it in the nice case and brought it to work. About mid morning I look over and there it is sitting on the corner of my desk. I simply couldn't stand it any longer and I opened the case, put a battery in and put it up to my ear. I needed to push it on in and as I was doing it, something just didn't feel right and I stopped and closed everything back up. It will be fine I told myself. it's just the odd feeling of not having worn a hearing aid in weeks. OK, I'm under 24 hours to being a hearing person again. You have NO idea how exciting this is...

Weekend recap -- Saturday

Oh where to start???

How about opening the garage door?

Yep, that ‘s a good place… Ok, so it’s Saturday morning and I plan to meet Brandon in the bowling alley parking lot about 5 minute downhill ride from the house. I open the garage door and what do I feel? Sprinkles and the road is damp. Oh no no no! Mr. Weather guy said a nice day was on tap. I walk back in and flip the tube on and no rain around. Says it’s high fog and will burn off about midmorning.

I met up with Brandon and we head toward the river. I was feeling good. We ride the river and meet up with Keith on the bridge and head down the LR side.

1st stop was Central High. (http://www.nps.gov/chsc/) for an insiders look. Brandon’s folks work there so he gave us some cool facts. I felt excited and ashamed at the same time. Excited that I was seeing it close up for the first time and ashamed that this was my first time to visit this historic place. It’s huge! My goal this week is to find out what the 4 statues are on the front of the building. Who are they and what do they mean?

There is a Mobil gas station that is a museum and then across the street is a memorial time line. As I was looking at the photo on the timeline, I was looking at the Mobil station and then as I looked up I was looking straight at it in real life and it’s exactly as the photo from 1957.

Afterwards we rode over to the hospital expecting the Miracle Walk to be coming around but they were still over at the capitol doing the rah-rah stuff so we rode over there. We got to the start point and over to the side and off they go. I was a walk and not a race but the kids at the front were running to keep up with the pace car who slowed way down when he saw this.

Next was a ride through the heart of downtown and over to the Heifer Project. Keith told us about the building and I didn’t pick up all of the conversation but the put I did was really neat. I plan to get him back over there sometime when I can hear so I can get all the details.

Ok, play was over and it was really past time to get some long riding time in. We rode back to the BDB and Keith pulled out to ride home. He had already been running that morning. JMar had jumped in and rode with us a while. Then we headed over the BDB and he jumped out at Cook’s where his car was. He had already been on a farmlands ride (a fast one at that!).

Brandon and I rode out to Maumelle and at the turnaround I told Brandon I was going to get a little cash out of the ATM. So here I am doing that and not really watching what Brandon’s doing. It’s a Saturday and even though there were no cars going through the bank was open but he didn’t know that. He’s over there pushing the buttons and the canister goes flying up the tube then the voice comes on to ask if he needed help! HA!!
We take a back road back through Maumelle and it’s great because the wind has picked up and it would have been some stiff headwind coming back but it wasn’t bad since we were hidden in the trees.

The rest of the day was ride, ride, and ride. Brandon rode on home about mid afternoon and I rode the river some more. It was nice and then it was not nice. I enjoyed having folks riding with me and when Brandon left I sort of didn’t know what to do with myself. What I mean is that while he was riding I didn’t have to worry about being a deaf rider because he knew where my phone was, he knows Terri, he could talk to other riders or let me know if cars were in the area. It made for a semi-stress-less ride with him around. Brandon, if you read this, thanks for riding most of the day!

I finally rode over to my office and waited for Terri to pick me up. I was tired but felt a lot better just stopping in a cool place for a little bit.

When I got home I got cleaned up, ate and rested a bit then went out to the garage to check over the bike. I had been having computer problems on the bike and knew that I had 6 miles more than Brandon when he left off. I added and subtracted and then just sat there. Oh man, 99.7 miles! UGH!!!

I still really enjoyed the ride and getting to learn about places around my own city. Thanks guys!

Saturday long ride

Met Brandon little after 7 and rode until a little before 3. More later.
You're not going to believe this... I stopped and got off my bike without looking... milage was 99.7.... so close to 100. We picked up riders here and there and saw some sites such as the Miracle Walk, Central High (No, I've never been there until yesterday), and the Heifer Project. If you go to the Heifer Project, get Keith Moore to saw you around. He knew a lot about the architure of the building and made it really interesting! Brandon's parents work for Central as the accountant and the coach so he knew all this cool inside stuff about Central High and the upcoming 50th anniversary.

If you are a reader unfamliar with Central High. Google: Central High School, Little Rock Arkansas 1957. What happened here is..well... no words can explain.

More story and photos to come.