In the Name of Love

The Things we do for love, Ky is often trying new things in order to spend more time with me and share my interests. So in reciprocation I occasionally will do things that she wants to do, occasionally. This summer I have been attending concerts with her that she is dying to see and I am not. It's not that I don't like the music that she is into, it's just I don't feel like spending a ton of cash on seeing a band that is better on a really good stereo, a lawn chair, a nice sunset, and a beer in the backyard. So last night we went to The Killers and endured three opening acts for 2 hours and 45 minutes to watch the Killers for 75 minutes. Seems a little skewed to me, the good news was that it was easy to be an arms length from the stage with minimal aggravation. A little bit different from the concerts I am more accustomed to attending (See Family Values Tour). The first opening band is so new, it was their first show and they don't have an online presence (nor should they). The second and third bands were much better, but I am yet to decide on how they had anything to do with The Killers such that they would open for them. Maybe you can figure it out, here is last night's line-up. I must warn you, even though the lead singer for the Mariachi band was stone and drunk, I like the music more and more each time I hear it. I think it could be part of next summers soundtrack.



Nervious Wreckords


Mariachi el Bronx


The Killers

Now, off to the fair!

13 Years!

It's been thirteen years (aside from a trip to REI Seattle a couple years ago) since I have stepped into a harness, thrown on small uncomfortable shoes, chalked my hands, and put all four to the wall. So when the Bakers (NoPoGirl, BarkerNews, and Hazel) invited me and my family to come climbing I said absolutely, let me check with Ky.

Fastforward, I loaded Drew and Ky into the car and headed north for a glorious weekend.

As seen above, we were treated to an amaizing view of the South East side of Mt Rainier. It has taken me almost 10 years, but I finally got a photo worthy view of Mt Rainier. You would think a 14,000 ft mountain would be easy to get a photo of, well it's not, it likes to hide in clouds when I have had a camera and an angle. It took 3 years before I even knew that you could see Mt Rainier from I-5 South of Seattle.

Back to the climbing, here is Ky working her way up a nice and hard crack route, I don't care what the raiting was, crack climbs are hard. Especially for your first climb ever. Good work Ky!

Here I am, biting off more than I can chew after recieving enough peer pressure that I had to give it a go. It was a very successful weekend of climbing for me, I wasn't as bad as I thought I would be, but it still kicked my ass. There is a reason why you don't see 200 lb climbers on the cover of Outside Magazine.

Victory, our motley crew stands atop our final climb of the weekend, with wild fires burning the canyon nearby.

More photos available on Flickr

Last PotP Post, I Promise!

Thanks to OBRA race director Kenji Sugahara you too can know what a cyclocross race looks like from outside and inside the action. This video is from later in the day in the master men's B race.

Enjoy!

Race Recap

First off, watch this YouTube clip to set the mood...

Now take a look at these photos...

So what happened? It was Hot, Dry, and Dusty! I got tag teamed from in front and behind by a couple of dudes weighing in at over 200 lbs. I pulled a superman over my bike into the dirt when I hit a rut in the course. I felt like I was going to die for a solid 45mins. I took 3rd place in my category! I won a couple shirts, free coffee drinks, a medal, and a hat.

Good Times at Pain on the Peak!

Tomorrow's Forecast, Pain!

Cyclocross is guaranteed to make you cry, sometimes it is a good cry like a painful race, sometimes it's a cry of a painful fall. Last night the legendary NoPoGirl and her squeeze Barker News both took their turn on the later of the cross cries. With Pain on the Peak coming up tomorrow, I am guaranteed to be in serious pain come 10am west coast time.

So here is a little reminder of what that S.O.B is all about.






Okay now say it with me, No wammy, No Wammy, No Wammy...

Ah the Weekend

Well it's here again and after I blink it will be gone, the weekend. Not much on tap, I have finished another job application for BPA. The only thing longer than writing the suckers is waiting for all of the interns to read them and score you. I am five weeks into the first application without hearing anything, which is kind of a good thing. With BPA you only find out when you are dropped out of the bucket.


It's another rainy day, actually it's supposed to rain all weekend. While that makes me sad to say that my weekend plans are on hold now, I actually wish it would rain all week as well. You may ask why I would like it to rain all week, well that is because Saturday is the first cyclocross day of my year. Last year it was a somewhat dry event (see dust bowl).


Cyclocross should be mud, cowbells, and beer...not dust!


Much better!