Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday (so far...)

Monday evening had a late baseball game for Ian so he made the 13hwy drive and watched his crew play the #1 team in the league to an exciting 14-10 loss. With Ian's group was short two players (vacation) the boys played out of their heads to keep it close, but ran out of innings. My mom and dad and Jim, Alexandra, and Ashton all showed up which was way cool. Andy's on the way home made losing a little easier to take.


Tuesday was a pretty routine day as Dale and I loaded up the mtb's and hit Sac for a couple hours and pre-rode Sunday's course again. We cruised steady the first loop then I dropped into race pace for two 15 minute efforts on the second loop and then headed over to Ritter Springs to finish out 2hrs. I don't know if it is the good trail conditions, my fitness, or the new route, but riding Sac the past couple times has been absolutely fun and some of my better mtb riding (not saying a lot as I tend to ram through obstacles instead of flowing around them). I am hoping for decent weather Sunday (and yes, I am a pansie for not riding in hot temps; I have absolutely no problem admitting it).


Snuck out this morning at 5:30am for 1:30hr easy spin cross ride. Ran a couple of the SBU loops and found a couple 'add-ons' (more grass and less pavement stretches) and hit the YMCA ball fields where Dale and I created a sweet technical loop at the end of last cross season. Swung by Jake's morning run group and chatted it up with his coach for a couple minutes.


Speaking of Jake's morning runs, they are getting near 30 kids running every morning. Jake's mileage is progressing nicely as yesterday he hit his longest of this summer (11 miles - last year he knocked out a couple 16 milers). Coach Bandy monitors their mileage/time running to a T and has a good mix during the week to ensure they don't over train. He is a student of West Plains' Coach Joe Bill Dixon; speaking of which, Jake and Coach Bandy (speaker at the camp) leave for the Wilderness XC camp this Sunday.

Ian has his last baseball this evening (missing the year end tournament with our trip to SA) and he is a little bummed as he had such a great time this year. I am not sure what (sport) is next or if we will simply take some breathing time (which is good for everyone).

Jake and I still contest our death chess matches (similar to Harry Potter) on a daily basis and he is still keeping it close (much closer then I prefer).

We have started a routine harvest from the garden as onion, tomato's, bell peppers, and cucumbers are plentiful. The blackberries (all 29 of them) are coming along and next year the crop will be good; same with the strawberries. I am anxiously waiting the zucchini; the two plants are enormous and just short of taking over (I am trimming them back daily). One of the tomato plants has 'blite' and the lower leaves are yellowing/dying although the tomato's themselves are still growing.





Fitness: Tuesday - 2hr mtb with two 15min efforts Wednesday - 1:30 easy spin on cross bike

Just watched my (used to be 'my') C'dale loaded up on Jim's truck and away it goes... (sigh). Always a goofy feeling when one leaves (don't really care for it). Luckily it won't be near as tough watching Jake drive off to college.