Thanks for the ride guys!

What a day it was! An early 5 a.m. wake up call came and the race was on. Up, shower, shave, down stairs to meet the rest of the guys. Coffee and a biscuit and sausage. Good to go. Nervous energy! Outside is dark, cloudy and windy. We load the van and head over the bridge to Oklahoma. This time I went over the bridge on purpose! We unload, air up tires and put on warm riding gear and have a prayer. It was a very moving heartfelt prayer by John (JVP). Amen and over he bridge we go into Arkansas on our bikes.

We ride through downtown Ft Smith and head toward Van Buren. The wind is blowing and but the daylight is appearing over the hill. I think it'll be a good day for riding. As we go over the river into Van Buren there are these releif girders on the bridge that you have to ride over. I've always been spooked by them a little and that one was open more than any I've gone over before. Rob was leading the line, I'm second with JVP and Paul behind me. Rob bunny hops the girder, no problem. I hop and back tire hits and tube pops. Man, I was bummed. This is way to early in a ride with a new group to have something like this happen. So I look down and sure enough, flat. I tell the guys to go on over and I'll walk the bike (otherwise the rim and tire will ruin) to the other side. That was one long bridge to walk a bike over. Paul stayed back and we got the tube changed and off we go again.

We meet up with Rob and JVP and get going again. Through a beautiful part of Van Buren downtown. Then on out to Alma. We actually stopped at the same light Vince and I stopped at before we turned to head up into the moutains back in the summer. I sat there at the light looking towards the mountains and saying yet another prayer of thanks for that ride in July.

We head on down the road a ways and the rain is light and seems to be off and on. Next stop is Goose Creek at a little mom and pop grocery store. What a great little place! The lady running the store was very friendly and the produce section was really nice for a little store. I say this because the restroom waiting line was close to it. They even had carmel apples as well as apples grown in the area. There was a retired couple that came in and bought some apples and then the lady running the store and the couple went out to a tent on the corner of the lot and came out with 2 watermelons! The tent was the local produce section and those were the last two watermelons of the season. If I'm ever in that area again I'll stop there. Just a warm friendly place on a cool wet autum morning.

We load up on gels, fig newtons and water out at the van in the parking lot and get going again. Psssssss, Paul's turn with a flat. We make a quick change of tubes on the side of the road and off we go. We look to be feeling warmed up and ready for milage.

We get out into the quiteness of the country and get to draft behind the van for a little bit! What a vacation! I could feel the warmth of the van and the draft was the best. We make sure JVP is drafting. Got to take care of the leader man. I could see the five of us working together as a team. I could sense the desire to help make this first leg of the trip as painless as possible for JVP. We all wanted him to get to the other river! Here's what I observed: Rob and Paul were the main pullers. Yes, I did pull but Rob and Paul seriously went the extra mile when it came to pulls (being on the front of the line and cutting through the wind). We kept JVP in the middle as much as we could. The guy rides so incredibly strong at times he would pull us to get the speed back up. I sat on the back end with my screaming lime green wind shirt with a neon orange and yellow safety vest over it. Between that and blinky lights, I was a little hard to miss. Although I was the slowest of the group and the oldest, I felt good being in the back and feeling the job of protector. It was really setting up like a team dynamics of a pro team. Sure, we were far from it, at least I was, but it was looking very organized.

We started climbing a few long hills and I go into my "zone out, don't look up at the top of the hill, just pedal" mode. One thing I learned this summer was that I can ride hills just fine as long as I just watch the road directly in front of me and pedal. Steady good climbs. Not the fastest but conservative climbing. I noticed too a few times that I had to remind myself that our goal was to get JVP to his destination. We weren't touring as in sight seeing. Yes, this was basically a race against time. I wanted to ask him to slow down and notice what is around you. Look out over the valley, notice the birds, just enjoy the ride but it's not really my place so I tell myself to ride as a race not as a tour. And so I do. I did however mention to Rob that I was worried a little about JVP and the speeds we were going. What I wasn't expecting was that he was going to be able to hold level all the way to Cook's Landing. And he does!

Next stop is Altus for a quick lunch of sandwiches. Of course they were the best I'd ever eaten and served by Mike on a platter (ok, maybe it was a top of a cooler but the Food Network would have been proud of the presentation! HA!). Still raining but we are doing good.

As we get close to Clarksville there has been a wreck. A log truck has lost his load on a tilted curve. The truck cab was still upright but the trailer had gone over. My first thought was maybe those flat tires we had had been a blessing of protection? What if we had been on schedule. Where would we had been when the logs came crashing down across the lane we would have been in? Sometimes I really wonder about how events fall in place.

We arrive in Knoxville (Yes, Arkansas not TN) and the air seemed so cold when we stopped. I walked into the c-store and it was warm! Now I usually don't talk about the men's room but this was really nice! It was the work of a local artist that must have sent a couple of days in there. Serious, it was really pretty. The walls had that scrubbed looking faux look or whatever they call it and there were some of the words to the national anthem painted on the walls as well as an American flag. It got my vote for best cared for public men's restroom. HA! There was a guy at the store that was walking to DC with an armed forces agenda. I think he was a vet that had something to say about the war so he was making his point by walking to DC. The others changed clothes and it crossed my mind but my shoes were wet and dry socks would have gotten wet but I was so cold. Onward we go. Feeling good to move again and the rain has stopped! Wind still blowing cross but it's livable.

Next stopp is Russellville. We stop at a Burger King for a moment and then got moving again. I wanted some fries really bad but I knew better! We're riding good once we warm up and continue on to ...

Morrilton. As we were riding along I keep thinking I had been here before and then I saw three green arrows painted on the road. I had been here on my bike before just a month or so ago! It was part of the route for Tour de Oink as part of the Great Arkansas Pig Out Festival. A fun ride. Seeing that gave me comfort.

As we get going our next stop will be Conway. As we are riding along I begin to feel a little tired but that was to be expected. The bad part was that I would ride good then slow down. Catch up and then slow down. I didn't fall back enough to be considered dropped but back enough to make myself start having the mental games happen. I finally heard someone say the word "bonk" and then I knew. As much as I told myself no, I knew I was about to go down. Bonk is what happens when you run out of fuel. It's only happened to me one other time in my riding and it's now happening at the worst possible time. Paul rode up beside the van and called him over. I loaded, feeling completed defeated and we continued. Mike made me feel good about myself and the Pepsi and Snicker Marathon bar restored my energy stores. I was just down from the turn off to Conway.

We stopped in Conway for Rob's wife to pick him up since he had a final exam. He would go to Jacksonville, take his test and return to the ride on the other side of Little Rock. We loaded his bike into the van and go out to find JVP and Paul.

We stopped in Mayflower at the Sonic for a few moments. I played the role of team support this stop refilling Paul's bottles and checking on him. He was sitting on the parking lot with his shoe off. I got out of my comfort zone and asked him if he wanted me to rub the stiffness out of his foot for a moment. There comes a time when you have to do stuff like that for the team. It's just part of it. Paul's toes would not bend at all. I knew he must have been hurting. We fianlly got them moving again and he felt better. Onward...

Funny story: Just before getting to Maumelle there is a line of cars behind us and this car comes on around and honking. I told Mike that the driver better not yell the the riders. He laughed and said, "That was my wife." It was a funny moment!

Mike and I went on up the road a bit and I got out and starting riding with them again. We go through Maumelle and as we got to the road to Cook's Landing I moved out of the pulling position to give it to John to allow him to take the leadership entrance since it was his ride and his church would be waiting. They were happy to see him!

We moved things around and took a few photos and then my Thursday night buds (Yale, Chris, Wayne come riding up finishing their ride. We talk for a few and then we head to Gator's were Terri is waiting to pick me up.

The ride is done for my part. As Mike, JVP and Parick head out into the night to ride across the fields toward Memphis, I say a silent prayer for their safety and well being.

I got home, showered and had Backyard Burger that Terri had picked up for me. Still thinking and praying for the guys. Wondering if Rob had met back up with them.

Later, as I'm laying in bed I'm still in prayer. Please get them there. Zzzzzzz......

3:25 a.m. wide awake and wishing I knew what was going on out there. Wishing I could load up and go help take them to the end. Wishing I had never stopped and came home. Praying for them. Why is there something that seems out of balance? I worry too much!

4:50 a.m.: They are due to finish at 5. JVP is a driven man. Praying he is where he wants to be.

6:35 a.m.: Wake up on the sofa and get up for the day. Still praying and wondering. I realize I don't have anyone's cell phone numbers...

I realize JVP should be at the river.

In less than 24 hours

In less than 24 hours I will be in the middle of riding at least 150 miles. Ft Smith to Cook's Landing in North Little Rock. We start at 6:30 a.m. and should be at Cook's about 5 p.m. I hope that I feel great and want to continue to ride on to Memphis under the cover of the night.

John Van Pay is the leader of this group and an outstanding rider. He is the Student Minister at the North Little Rock Assembly of God church. Yep, the big glass one over by McCain Mall. Emily loves to go over there on Wednesday night to a program called Reality. There are tons of teens that go over there and they are from a lot of different schools so it's a great expereince for her. Anyway, here's our schedule.
Wednesday
3 pm – Addison and JVP load vehicles
5 pm - Rob Carr, Paul Britt, George Cobb take the white van to the Hampton Inn, Fort Smith
9 pm – Brian Lee, JVP, and one more volunteer driver will leave the church to the Hampton Inn, Fort Smith

Thursday
5:30 am – wake up/breakfast
6:15 am – leave the hotel to the Oklahoma/Arkansas border
- temp will be in low 60’s with a 30% chance of rain; it clears up by 9 a.m. to be in the upper 60’s and sunny.
6:30 am – start the ultimate ride, Brian Lee will be driving the support van
5:00 pm – meet up with the rest of the team of riders at Cook’s Landing on the river trail
-Take 430 south from highway 40 and take the Maumelle exit, go back over the freeway. Go through the red light and take your first right on road. It may be called North Shoreline road. Take another immediate right going down hill and it will take you to the Cook’s Landing parking lot. This is on the river trail by the IH 430 dam. The easiest way to get there by car is to take the Maumelle Highway (100) across Highway 430
-Brian Lee brings the white van back to the church
5:30 pm – meet up with Michael Winslow and Mike Mitchell at the Gator’s parking lot on the river trail.
6:00 pm – Steph picks up the white van up at the church and follows the group
-temp drops to upper 40’s so dress warm and bring all lights you have access to
9:30 pm – Shelby takes over for Steph and she drives his vehicle back to the church
5:00 am – Ultimate ride is finished.

Phil and Shelby, Patrick will email you your mileage after the offering on Wednesday
John Knott (George Cobb will also be riding for your class so you only have to ride 6 miles)

Keep reading for tales of the ultimate ride...

I rode with the big dogs when I should've stayed on the porch!

I had to work at a job fair this morning over at the hospital so I missed getting to ride the Tour de Cure for Diabetes. I thought about it off and on and the weather was outstanding for a morning century! Guess I'll try again next year. I missed the MS 150, the Arky (due to hurricane Rita), Tour de Cure (due to job fair).

I did ride with Van Pay and friends (the Big Dogs) yesterday. Get this, the email he sent said something like it would be a non-agressive tapering off ride. It wasn't! These Carve guys just flat out smoke the bike tires on every ride. Van Pay is a very strong rider and will be doing the River to River ride on thursday. Myself and 3 others are riding along. 300 miles in one day. Across the state of Arkansas. From Oklahoma (Arkansas River in Ft Smith) to the Mississippi River in Memphis! I'm going along for support and to tell them to slow down and not attack hills. I'll be a long adventurous day! The ride is a fund raiser for the First Assembly of God in North Little Rock. They are raising money for a missionary in China to buy him a van.

Friday ramblings and weekend thoughts

Beautiful! I mean really beautiful! I love for these type fall days! The temp is in the low 70's, nice breeze and low humidity!

I ran into one of the VPs that run marathons and she was telling me how hard it was for her to come back to the office after lunch. I couldn't agree more! For anyone in sports and fitness, this is the weekend to get out!

Will I'm thinking about a mid week adventure next week. A friend, John Van Pay is a Student Minister for the First Assembly of God in NLR. It's a huge church. He is a great cyclist and has been working on a fund raisier. They are funding a ministry in China for a new van. The price tag is 31 thousand and they are getting there! How awesome is that? Anyway, John and a crew will start in Fort Smith on Thursday morning at 6 a.m. and ride across the state to Memphis! Cool huh? Insane huh? Just like Geo huh?!!! Have a great weekend!

Fayetteville, I still love you!

Fayetteville, I still love you! I was lucky enough to get to travel to Fayetteville this week for a recruiting event. Man, I love that town! Tuesday night I got to stay at Ryan and Melissa (my neice) house. We had the best steak I have ever eaten! Mister B's in Rogers. Cost a lot but it was sin!

The Career Fair was good and the kids dressed up and asked a lot of questions. I was glad we were there.

I was supposed to ride with Vicne and some other Faytetteville folks but a huge storm came that afternoon. TV reported spare change size hail and up to 70 mph gusty wind. So we went to Cafe New Orleans and had killer cajun food. Service was slow but the food made up for it.

Back in the office and swamped...

No ridin' this ride

Got up at 5:30 and looked out on the deck...rain. Then I turned on the tv with no sound and watched the weather and the rain looks to be pulling off. Maybe we get to ride after all. 7AM, I'm in the car heading to the ride and it's pouring. Common sense kicks in and I turn off the road and go to my office and wait a little longer. 2 hours later, still in my office, rain is still coming down. I head to the house. Bummer. Now I've got to find something to keep me busy. I think Terri felt a little bad for me so she made breakfast. It was worth being home for. Still dark and light rain at 11:30 a.m. Maybe it will clear off a little this afternoon and I can get a short ride in.

The wind was pushing and I was pulling

Meant Rance at the river at 7:30 this morning and rode and easy 45 miles. We keep the speed down since I might be riding the Joe Weber 100 tomorrow morning. But right now there are 4 counties under tornado warnings as the tropical storm Rita moves through the state. The wind has been going all day and the rain started about 3:00 this afternoon. Saying very heavy rain and strong winds tomorrow. Hope not!

I have overloaded on my carbs for this ride. Now I've got to burn them off. I might head to the fitness center tomorrow and throw on some headphones and ride a spin bike and burn some of this back off. Weather after this leaves is going to be awesome! Low 70's for highs and low 60's for lows!

Sylvan Hills lost again last night in West Memphis but not to bad. The hogs lost to Alabama this afternoon. Oh well.....

The weekend (and Hurricane Rita) is upon us

The weekend post here is supposed to be light hearted and fun but I feel for the folks in Texas and now I just got a CNN breaking news release and seems the levee in New Orleans is busting again. My inlaws said the waves were 12 feet at Destin yesterday and close to 20 in the Mobile, AL area. I'm just glad we moved back to Little Rock off the coast, even as beautiful as it is there.

I get to go on a recruiting trip next week to Fayetteville! I'm excited! I plan to stay with Ryan and Melissa one night and in a hotel the other due to the other recruiters coming up. Should be a lot of fun. Yep, the bike is going with me!

Rance and I are heading out for a short 36 miler tomorrow. Just an easy ride since I'll be riding the Arky 100 on Sunday...rain or shine.

Emily got to get checked out of school early today to get to go over to the high school football game in West Memphis. Cristy and her husband are shuttling a group of kids over and they are going to visit Memphis before the game in West Memphis. Yep, Boles and Melissa are going too. Big fun! Terri and I are missing this game and it almost feels wrong.

Tyler made it through another quarter and he will start his LAST quarter in a week! After that he will be finished with college!! He had a great quarter and we are very proud of him.

Have a great weekend!

They say we're gonna ride

Sunday is the Joe Weber Arky 100 and they say we ride come a Katrina or a Rita. I'm set to knock out the 100 mile course and since I was on tour and rode in Hurricane Dennis back in July, I figured, hey, I 've got experience on my resume already for those rides. Not they riding in the rain is a lot of fun to me. I have to take my hearing aid out and stash it in a baggie other wise I'd fry my ear (ok, maybe not...).

Just curious what gas prices are going to do this week?

We broke a heat record. 102 yesterday and planning to do it again today. They say next week we will see temps in the 80's during the day and 50's at night! Yipeee! Finally a fall-ish sort of forcast.

Arkansas is getting the evacuees from Houston due to another hurricane coming. It's a sad time for the south.

There's God in them clouds!

I rode my bike to work this morning in the dark. I have lights on the front, flashing red lights on the back and wear light clothes with a reflective safety vest. Not exactly the road bike rider attire but it works and keeps me safe! The mornings are having a later sunrise so this morning it was start sort of dark at 6:30 then I just happened to tuen and look at the clouds and wham!!!! The clouds exlpoded in oranges. light blues and pinks and had sun streaks shining through! Good morning God! Thanks for the reminder!

I got the honor of leading our small group last night and it was fun. When everyone got there that asked who was supposed to lead since Lee was out. I said not me and everyone was looking at each other then Susan started laughing and pointed at me. Was a great way to get started. Donnie, Susan's husband had said something about me preaching. One thing you will find is that I don't like to just talk to a crowd. It's got to be a whole group thing. We had a good lesson and laughed a lot! We did talk about why we don't talk about hell much and that was interesting to hear the different views.

Tyler is in the middle of finals this week. Sounds like he's in great shape for them and it's very hard to believe that he will be graduating college in 3 months!

Ok, the Hogs lost really really bad but we love 'em anyway. There ours, we're stuck with 'em. We'll just have to make it work.

I get to head to Fayetteville next week for a recruiting trip! I'm going up a day early to set up and will be there 2 nights. One night I'll be at Melissa and Ryan's in Bentonville and the other in Fayetteville. I emailed Vince and hope we get to ride a little. I'm taking my bike!! Wo-Hoo!!!

Bears and Bikes

What a great day! Got up and heading over to Cook's Landing to ride at 7 with some friends and made some new ones. We got in 80 miles in close to 4 hours. Not a bad ride at all. I took my turns at the front pulling the club and we hit some headwind in the process. I tried to stay sitting straight up to block it and give the guys a break and keeping it at 20-21mph but the wind was kicking my tail. I had to drop down on the bars but I still pulled.

One of the guys riding was very knowledgable about cotton and I really learned a lot! I didn't know they sprayed the cotton to de-folage it. The fields are FULL of beautiful plump cotton ready for the picker to come.

The hogs game is on the tube tonight at 9. Yes I know USC is picked for over 31 points but hey our very own Sylvan Hills Bears were supposed to get kicked to kingdom come last night but they held their own until the last 6 minutes of the game. It was a great game! Exciting! One of those "gee, my throat sure is sore" after the game sort of games!

Oh yeah, when we were heading out this morning on our ride a half dozen folks coming from the other direction yelled to me and I yelled back! what a greqat feeling to know so many folks out on a Saturday morning taking time to training and take care of themselves!

We love our Hogs!

Ok, they (Arkansas Razorbacks) lost last week. Give 'em a minute and we see 'em light the fire. Season is young still! Lost in the final minutes...ouch, those hurt!

Ok, they (Sylvan Hills Bears) lost last week. Give 'em a minute and we see 'em light the fire. Season is young still! Lost before the second half. This Friday night it's the big rival against NLR. Put us on your prayer list!

Terri and I are heading to the game for our Friday night date. With today's temps getting to only 83 then tonight might actually have a football feel to it! Since we are driving, I told Emily we could take 2 people. I make them all buckle up! Otherwise there would be a 1/2 dozen kids piled in. Last Friday night we had kids over at the house until 1:30am. It's because Cody, a guy that graduated last year, got a tatoo on his shoulder of the Superman logo. He had to wait 3 hours to remove the bandage. So the kids wanted to see it. I told Em that our house closes at midnight on Friday nights.

I'll be heading out tomorrow for an 84 mile bike ride to get ready for the Joe Weber Arky 100 next Sunday! Will be riding with good friends so it'll be a blast.

I'm going to be selling tickets for the next time my nephew's Jim and Ryan come together in the same room. It will be the event of the year! Jim, as you know, has moved to TX and is acting all big dog and "just stating facts" on his blog about our beloved Hogs. Well, Ryan lives smack in the middle of Hog country in northwest Arkansas where the university is.

Speaking of "smack". My pal Kevin lead the closing prayer at church last Sunday and asked the Lord to give us a "spiritual smack" when we needed it. I almost busted out laughing during the prayer! Kevin is one of the funniest folks you'd ever meet! We were talking after church and he said no one talks like some of the folks that get up there (Oh thee and thou...) so he just said the prayer like he would normally talk since God's used to that when he says his daily prayers!

Blind Elvis the Barber, 500 miles and other ramblings

Sorry friends but I took a break from the computer over the weekend so just now up dating.

My mom and sister had surgery and both are doing fine.

Funny stories from being around my family yesterday. I think the drugs had worn off but after you read this, I'm not really sure!

Sherry was telling me about my brother in law has been using the same barber for years. I remembered the barber shop in a guys house from when I was a kid but didn't realize he was still cutting hair. Sherry said he was blind!!!! A blind barber?!!! And he wears his hair dyed jet black and cut like Elvis!! The she told us that he massaged my brother in laws shoulders. I laughed and told he it might look that way but he was probably trying to find the start of the hair line! The it got wilder because I starting thinking about this.... Maybe he was really cutting one of those Elvis lightening bolts with the TLC on my brother in laws back hair! We all laughed so hard there were tears!

Then my dad was asking me if I ever knew he was the 4th grade spelling champion. I didn't know that!!! He was telling me that it was boys vs. girls and the girl had to spell "foot" and she did. Then it was dad's turn and he was supposed to spell "put" but he got messed up and put the "P" in the word "foot" so he spelled "Put" like "Poot"!!!!!! Once again the laughter train got going!!

Then he told me about a lady that was going to commit suicide and she was told if she stuck the gun to her breast and pulled the trigger it would kill her but she was an older lady and she ended up shooting her foot!! (saggy boob).

The whole day was like that plus throw in the fact the me and dad both are hard of hearing so I would think he said one thing and he said something different. Like asking me if I had cable...no a table...now what did you ask me? It would have made a good TV show!

I rode to work this morning! It was dark so I had to use lights for the first time since spring. It was a great ride and I walked in to the Fitness Center and Rance started laughing. Caught him off guard!

I've got so many 100 mile rides between now and November 1st. Oh man!
Sept 25 - Joe Weber Arky 100
Oct 1 - Tour de Cure
Oct 8 - Ride the Ridge (Jonesboro)
Oct 15 - Ride for a Better Life Center fundraiser (Jonesboro)
Oct 23 - Ride for the Roses (Lance Armstrong, Austin Texas)

Ok, let's talk about my nephew Jim... Sherry's son as well as the son of the brother in law that gets his hair cut by blind Elvis... Ok, so Jim moves to Tx and starts this Longhorn mess! Now starts "mentioning facts" about Houston Nutt and pressure. Keep it up Jim ... just keep it up. I told him to be careful they next time he gets to the Arkansas border. This is really all in good fun, unless you ask Ryan and Melissa(his sister who lives in NW Arkansas -- Hawg Country!)

Sylvan Hills football... oh man, they got whipped so bad last Friday night. Not like the Bears we know and love. Come on Bears, let's roll!!!

Oh deer!

Last night was one of those great rides! I met a couple of guys at Cook's Landing and we rode to the LR side and back. I had parked at the submarine and had 7.5 miles under my belt when I met up with them then we rode 20 miles then I rode back to the sub where my car was...in the dark. I sang all the way to spook any deer that might have been standing in the path. No deer but then I got through the forrest and out to the fields and there were tons of deer all sitting and watching the river and me. I slowed way down in case they got the urge to run. It was like something from a movie. A pasture of deer and all is peaceful.

The hardest interview

We began to interview folks for job here at the hospital. First interview of the morning was a lady from New Orleans that had lost everything. She was a professional down there and now is bascially on square one again. She cried several times during the interview and it broke my heart. She was lucky enough to have an aunt drive down and pick them up after the storm.
This is going to take a long long time.

Got to love those short weeks!

I'm finished up working for the week and taking Friday and Tuesday off so I have a 5 day weekend. How cool is that? Planning to get a little riding in, clean the garage and all sorts of around the house stuff.

We have our Bike Advocacy meeting in a little bit and I have to present the bike tour I had. I even did a powerpoint slide show. It will go fast. Tried to make it comical. No one wants to watch a slide show of someones vacation.

I've not watched the news except for this morning a bit and it was too depressing. It will conintue for a long time. I continue to pray for them.

I just got back from the bank and all the cars at a hotel I passed have LA license plates.

I had my physical this morning. Resting heart rate close to Lance Armstrong's. Now that made my day! Me and my doctor, who's a marathon runner, had a good laugh this morning. He had to do the middle aged guy physical. I told him I wanted a smoke after he was finished. HA! As embarassing as it was, I got the clean bill of health.

Some will say I'm wrong for that thought

Looting stuff they don't need? Animals.

Looting for food to take care of their families when help is no where near? Basic human survival instinct and I'd do it for Terri and the kids too.

But I can't understand taking TV's and shirts from the Gap. And buddy don't think that the owners of those stores haven't seen the video and know you faces.
I know, I know, that's not politically correct thinking.

I had to stop watching the news stories. I did this during 9/11 too. It was just too much and we need to be strong and normal as the pilgrams/refugees/evavcuatees begin to arrive. Our choppers have been making trips down to take supplies and returning with kids. I'm so proud of our Transport Team. Very proud to be their recruiter.

I invited a serviceman stationed at Camp Robinson to come along and bike with the club last night. Oh man, he was a pro! Derek can smoke everyone! Nice guy, loves to ride. The club wanted to know who invited him. I laughed! I won't be able to ride with the club Thursday since it's the monthly BACA meeting and I am presenting my state border tour.

I'm taking a couple of extra days off for the Labor Day holiday so I can work around the house and get some good riding in.

And all hell breaks loose and breaks our hearts

There are times in my life when I just sit and wonder "why?". I'm having one of those moments today. Oh our weather is great today! I've got a job, house, food, water, lights, blah blah blah and yet I wonder why? I wonder almost in tears why the hurricane had to happen. Why did the wind and the waters come? Why so many deaths with so many more to come? Questions I will never understand...

This morning we had our regular Tursday morning staff meeting and before we started we had a moment of silence. Ok, we had a prayer. We've never done this before among our politically correct team. And how sad it is that it takes a Katrina or a 9-11 or a war to make it happen.

Everyone's lives are affected by this storm and it's ruthless slam. Everyone knows someone who lives in LA or MS. I mean afterall, they are our neighboring states. Andree', my VP has family in NO and other parts of LA and MS. Jason, my buddy in Employee Health, has a sister in LA, my inlaws preacher is from NO and has lots of family there...

Our transport team is making flights to LA to bring kids here to the hospital. They will be a long way from home and their families will be frightened just as much.

I could write more but today I think it's best to just end it here and ask God to have mercy.

Doin' tha frydee dance!

Oh yes! The end of the week is upon us!

I'm heading out of town after work to ride the Jonesboro section of the ride again as well as some of Crowley's Ridge. Rance and I are camping out at some girl's house that has gone to Texas to ride in the massive (10K plus riders) "Hotter than Hell 100" bicycle ride.

Seems a lot of folks for AR head over to TX to ride. I logged into the Wichita Falls TX paper and there are a couple of articles about it. One is that several hotels have changed since last year. In fact, sounds like one changed a couple of weeks ago and they are expecting mass confusion with the hotels. All I can say to them is don't tick off an Arkie after they've driven hours and hours to ride a bike. I hope the AR crew all have a great time and have a easy check in.

I read on my nephew's blog that the new town (Marble Falls, TX) that they moved to has the football opener tonight. Jim is a huge high school football fan and all the towns he's lived in the football teams have made it to the playoffs. Well, the Marble Falls Mustangs will go this year .. even though they have only won one game in 3 years. Jim went to CAC and they were the Mustangs. Maybe this is a sign.

Oh and get this ... he bet the teens at the church he preaches for that if they got to 100 teens for some function they are having they he'll shave his head! Now this is gonna be fun!

I'm not your dinner!

I started off have "senior" moments before I ever got on my bike after work. I forget this and that, had to find my keys, unlock the car, get that, blah blah blah ... finally out of the ride with Rance (my trainer). He was dragging his tail. If I got in front he'd fall way back. If I got behind him he would speed up. Amazing that this is the guy that can teach a spin class that can make you think you are raining from sweating so much. I tried to get him to dance on the pedals in a halfway point sprint. Nah, wouldn't do it.

So the sun is setting and a beautiful pink and light blue sunset. Postcard worthy! We are coming to the ball fields and Rance has and flat...then I have a flat within seconds of his. We pull over to fix right quick and everything goes out the window! Problems getting my wheel off. I missed up the valve stem so I couldn't fill the tube all the way up and then I get fixed up and back on the bike...what is happening to me???? My hands start to sting like nothing I've ever felt before. This feels like that pink installation itch but a hundred times worse! Getting more painful by the second. Now my ankles. Whatever is happening is hurting bad. It becomes so bad that I hold my hand up to my mouth and literally rip my riding glove off my hand. I tore the thing off. I look down and I'm riding 4 mph. I see Rance off and on. Then he says something about ants. Oh man, fire ants! Lucky for me the sprinklers were going at Alltel Corportate Park so I stopped and held my arms in the sprinklers. I slowly rode back to Rance's and got in the car and home. You know when you are sick and you drive and it seems like time goes into slo-mo? That was the drive home last night. Today I feel drained and there are spots that itch and are swollen. I know I'm not supposed to hate but I HATE fire ants.

Poor Tyler, out in Denver and they have the big weather flip flop change and he gets a bad cold everytime.

Emily is doing well in school. She has all A's right now ... of course she hasn't had any test yet. HA! She is taking a different approach this year. I think we'll see some great grades.

I can't believe how her and Tyler have grown up. Just weird seeing photo's of them as little kids. Someday maybe we'll be blessed with grandkids and I can spoil them.

My friends in Employee Health came off a 3 day diet so I've been good this week not to eat out but I knew they would be today so I went to pay respects to the ATM machine and ate out today! Everyone is talking about getting a block of seats for the Rolling Stones concert at Alltel. They are pricey but the show would be a lot of fun.