Well what do you know...

I have been riding my cross bike.



Kris went through the photos that were still on the camera and lookie there I'm riding my cross bike!

Holy Schmoly...

I can't believe the last post was August 25th! Sorry.

Well let's see where to start...

I have not ridden any of my bikes since the trip to Delaware in the last post. It is not like I haven't had the opportunity to ride, I just haven't felt like it? Even though cross is coming, I just don't feel it as much this year. I guess "life" is catching up? I still plan on "racing" a few times this year. That is/was until my shoulder decided to stop functioning properly! Doctor says it is probably tendinitis in my rotator cuff. Great! She said to treat it with advil and ice. Right now I have two "boo-boo buddies" wrapped around my shoulder. Fantastic!

Over Labor Day weekend I finally finished the patio. This is one of the reasons I have not posted anything... I've been waiting to get a photo of it!
*patio photo to go here*
It actually turned out pretty nice for a amateur hack! There are some pavers that stick up and some that are low. I blame it on the inconsistent thickness of the pavers from lowes.

Found out that the data on our old hard drive is "unrecoverable". There goes two years worth of photos! Makes me sick just thinking about it! We also lost all the email addresses from our outlook. So, if you used our "dk" account, we lost your email address, please be so kind as to shoot us a quick email. Thanks.

I started a new class at Temple, Sustainable Design and Development.
"Explores the theory, practice, and social value created when development occurs in a sustainable manner. Planning and design of ecologically sensitive projects are addressed in a lecture/discussion format. Case studies are used extensively in concert with guest lecturers to provide the student with a comprehensive overview of sustainable development. Case studies include: technologically innovative economic development, cultural and social development, ecological architectural design, landscape architecture and green spaces, and transportation systems. Economic and design comparisons are drawn between sustainable and non-sustainable models of development. Based on the premise that sustainable community design and development fulfills the basic needs of people and extends opportunities for economic development without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." Sounds like fun huh? The class is good so far. It is certainly not as hard as the last one.

Went to NYC this past weekend for Krissy's birthday. A night away without the kids in NYC! We stayed in my parents time share. It was sweet! Went to a nice italian restaurant a few blocks away. Boy was that yummy! I was really looking forward to waking up in the city and going out to breakfast and a stroll in the morning. I had the best corned beef hash! Thanks Mom and Dad for the place to stay! Can't wait to do it again!

What can I say Eagles suck so far. It looks like it might be a long season! At least the stinkin' Giants suck too! Maybe the Eagles can at least beat those losers!

I've been futzing around with some logos:



Found a CBGB font and thought I see what it looked like:



Well as Tigger says, "TTFN"

Delaware for a Ride.

My parents were up this past weekend so I could do the Iron Hill race. But then I started thinking... start time at 2:00? $25 or $30 entry fee? Nah.

Called up Brent, Terry and emailed Rick to see if they wanted to ride Saturday. We intended to meet at 10:30. Turns out I-95 south was closed. Yep, closed! They routed everyone onto an offramp and then right back on, but what a mess! Needless to say I didn't make it there until 11:00. Good thing for cell phones!

I jumped out of the car as they were all waiting for me. Hopped on the bike and down the "church climb" and ZAP! Stung by a bee or a wasp or a yellow jacket! Oh great this is going to be fun! I wonder how much this is going to slow me down. It is already going to be tough enough keeping up with Brent and Slick Rick! They really fly through the trails at Middle Run and White Clay! I was giving it everything and using every inch of the trail, and then some, just to try and keep up!

We took a break at one point and as we were rolling out, Terry takes a tumble. One of those dumb little wrecks, but those seem to be the worst for damage. Right Schnerbs, or should I say wheelie-boy? Terry toughed it out to a point he could turn off and get to the car. Turns out Terry fractured his wrist! We continued on to some amazing new trails in Middle Run, really, really fun stuff!

Afterwards, we went to El Jefe for some mexican food. Man I miss the mexican food down there! Stopped at the shop to pick up a few things and fix a few more. Great to see Andrew and Vince. I ended up walking out of there with out a penny in my pocket! And I could have easily spent more money!

All in all a great day. Thanks Mom and Dad for watching the kids!

COMPUTER DOWN!!!!!!

Yep, my hard drive crashed right before I went on vacation. Lots, and lots of fun getting running again!

Short update:
- Jeb is great on the airplane
- Sophie not so much, she likes to poop on the plane... (Kris is a champ at changing dirty diapers in the airplane bathroom)
- vacation in South Carolina was rather "swamp-like"
- good thing there was a pool!
- dragging two kids in a bike trailer on a cruiser in the "swamp -like" conditions is ...TOUGH!!!!
- great time with the in-laws!
- Rook is a fun game, right Pete?
- I start school next week.
- Cross season is approaching fast... I need to start riding!
- more kids on the way in our UD circle, and they're not ours. Congrats Speedie & Farf (twins...YIKES), and Coyle & Andrea!
- been working on some cross related "artwork"... stay tuned.

life is good!

Interesting Article

Sorry I have not been updating lately. Lots of excuses but thought this article was worth posting a link to.

"Americans can be hypocrites in the performance-enhancers debate"

4th o july...

Yikes! It's been a while...

We flew down to NC to visit family over the 4th. First time with the kids on a plane. Once we got loaded up everyting was fine. Prior to that I was a bit of a mess... never realized how much extra stuff the kids need, pack and play, car seats and such...
No real events at the airport, unless Sophie poopy counts as an event?

Jeb was great on the plane. I'm not sure if it was the lollipops we gave him for his ears, or the Backyardigans episode I loaded on my ipod, regardless he did great.

(airplane picture goes here)

We got to my cousin April's in time for the bbq. Aunt Ruthie was there, Uncle John was in STL, Grandpa Smith was there from STL, my parents and Johnny were there straight from a trip to the the four corners with "the boys".

It was a great weekend. Flying with the kids was no big deal. In fact, we're doing it again in a couple of weeks!

Sorry for the lack of updates...

Another rookie mistake...

We had a nice family weekend. I think the first weekend Kristen had off in about a month. So, we did some family things during the day. I cooked breakfast, french toast and bacon, yummy! Saturday morning we went to the pool at Nockamixon, fun but it was a little chilly and breezy, a great day to be outside, but a little on the cold side for hanging around a pool. The kids had fun, nobody got really wet, except when Kris went under the dunk bucket things...

Saturday night Brent and Alice came up for some dinner. We had margaritas, Jon G's recipe, and ribs, chef jeff's recipe. Jeb help me with the dry rub, the garlic powder came out a little fast, but hey its garlic! It was really nice to hang out with B&A, we haven't hung out properly in a few years. Thanks for coming up.

Sunday morning after pancakes and sausage, Kris went to the gym. After lunch I had a 2 hour window in which to ride. I can do the two hour loop I did, well tried to do, last week. The ride was going really well, not sure if my fitness is coming around or more likely it was the new 105 cranks (Thanks Henry's!). I didn't even make a single wrong turn. I was setting a good time, I was due to be back under two hours until... Flat! No big deal, stop and change the tube... what the?!? Crap a short valved tube!??! Oh man I hope I can get the pump on it... Nope! Now what? Maybe if I use the old valve as a sort of valve extender??? First I need to rip the old tube open to get to the valve. Dang it, nothing sharp... I can just stretch it to break it... good idea! Until...WHACK! The tube smacks my hand, OW! Get the makeshift valve extender on... Dang it, no air going into the tube!! If I only took my cell phone when I had my hand on it before I left!! So, there I am about 5 miles from home with a flat tire. Guess I'll ride it home! It was surprisingly pretty smooth for riding a flat... Now I wonder how much damage I did to the rim?!?!?! Next time: long valve tube, pump, food, cell phone, large water bottles and money. Be prepared right?

For dinner we had a picnic at Stover and the kids got to play on the playground:

Fugawee Indians

Sunday my parents came over to help with the kids and I got to sneak out for a ride. I decided I'd do my two hour loop. I figured it wouldn't hurt too bad and I could still function the rest of the day. Two hour ride? two small bottles should cover it, I'll bring this FRS chew just in case, thinking ahead right? 9:30 and I'm out the door.

The first hour or so was going great, I did miss a turn and had to go back to get back on track at one point. Next thing I know, well I didn't really know, I was on roads I have never been on, Buckwampum Road? Hmm? Keep on going... detour? road closed ahead? Aw, I'm on a bike I can make it. At this point, I'm hurting and figure unless the road is closed due to a major washout I'm crossing, even if I have to repel and swim across the thing. The entire road was gone, they were doing some sort of water main crossing or something. I crossed on a 3 foot wide precipice of rip-rap about twenty feet down on either side in road shoes! Finally, back en route and I was reminded of the Fugawee Indians. They were know for their navigational skills and often heard saying, "Where the fug-aw-wee?" Yep I was lost.

I got to the end of the road at a T-junction and I had no idea which way to go. I went left. Huh? water up ahead? Gee, I hope it is Lake Nockamixon. WHAT!?!?!? The Delaware River!?!? OH CRAP! I'm almost out of water! Oh man, I'm up near Rieglesville? Yikes! 212 all the way home! After an hour of rationing water and seriously thinking of stopping somewhere to beg for a Coke... at that point a nice cold Coke wold have been the best thing in the world! I made it home.

I inhaled, a Coke, granola bar, bowl of cereal, two bottles of water, took a shower and crashed for two hours! So much for being able to get anything accomplished.

After I recuperated I made Paella and sangria for father's day dinner... Yummy!

Happy Father's Day to all you fellow fathers!

New trails...

We bathed and put the kids down before Kris and I ate tonight. Delmonico steaks with caramelized onions and blue cheese, grilled potatoes, and Renwood Zinfandel. YUMMY! Yeah, I forgot the vegetable, shh... don't tell the dietitian ;-)

Last night (Thursday) I was able to get a ride in after work. After much deliberation the night before I decided I'd ride La Bala Blanca (my mountain bike). I wasn't really excited about riding Allamuchy again, same old stuff, even though this year I added an extra loop Derek showed me on our last hooky day.

After work I get to Allamuchy (Deer Park Rd {yeah DEER PARK}) I park next to two cars backed in next to each other. Funny how after years of going to state and county parks to ride mountain bikes you can see the "signs." Guy and a girl talking and giggling listening to music in their car on a beautiful Thursday evening...anyway? I start to unload la bala and remember I had to pump up the front tire because it had a slow leak. Pump it up and DOH! Valve rips out of the tube. Man, I should just go home. No, the family won't be home until 8:00 I need to ride tonight! Dang it! No tube in my bag... I should go home... No, I need to ride... OK I take the tube in my saddle bag and use it. That means I have to do the rest of the ride with no tube, if I flat I'll have a long walk out of the woods. Finally, I'm off.

Start the climb of the usual loop, huh? where's that trail go?
It goes up and down and around and over logs, over rocks, down exposed rock, over exposed rock, switch backs... THIS TRAIL ROCKS! Man it felt good to ride a new trail and a sweet one to boot! Eventually, I run into a guy with his son. He gives me the low down on the trail, it is new as of this year. He says that the other trails got ruined after the race they had there... (12 O' Muchy?) I end up back on the main trail and finish the loop and decide I should ride the new trail the opposite way I came, downhill! Get on the trail, cruising along... cross a log... oh look there's the trail that gees back to the parking lot... WHAM! ENDO! Dang it! I crashed! Ouch, that's going to leave a mark. I hit my knee on a rock. Maybe I should take that as a sign to take the trail back to the parking lot? Nah! Onward! The trail seemed a lot shorter this way, I guess when you're going down instead of up?

Back to the car, load up... Man my knee hurts. Maybe I should stop and get some frozen peas for my knee. Crap! I only have $2 on me... Two cheeseburgers or frozen peas for my knee? Yeah, cheeseburgers. Once I got home I could hardly walk. I immediately went to the freezer to get the kids "boo-boo buddy".

I had to do field work today with a bum knee. Fun stuff! I wonder how I'll do with my planned cover bridge ride Sunday?

Last minute ride

7:30 last night Jeb and I are sitting on the couch reading books and Kris comes down after putting Sophie to bed.

She says, "Why don't you go for a ride?"

Dumbfounded I say, "huh? Now? It is 7:30."

Reassuringly, "You'll make it back before dark."

"Jeb, can mommy finish Reading your books and put you to bed, so, daddy can go for a ride?" I ask.

Jeb says, "The sun is going down, you need to bring your lights."

"OK Jeb, I'll bring my tail-light the headlight needs to be charged." with that I'm off.

I made it out the door in record time! Cruising through town some ruffians say "Go Lance!" It took me a good ten minutes down the road to come up with this witty response, "Thanks, but my name's Dave." zing!

I'm cruising along, feeling great, legs are churning, flying...

until WHAM! BUG IN THE EYE!!!

Kinda like Mater in this Cars trailer (Link to you tube)

I couldn't see a thing. In twenty years of riding I've never had a bug hit my eye like that one. I could barely keep my other eye open. I had to pull off to the shoulder and get the thing out of my eye. After a few minutes I finally get it out and look up.



Yeah a bunch of llamas staring at me. They seemed concerned.

"I'm OK now, I just had a bug in my eye."


"Thanks for your concern, but I think I'm ok."


"Yeah, that little bug really got me good."


"Alright, I'll see you guys later. Thanks again."



My eye has been pretty oozy all day... I may actually have it looked at...