Dreaming of a Life Less Ordinary

  Training with Dragons 150 miles ridden since June 14, 2022 and training for Tour de Fuzz is underway for sure.  I am really proud of what I have done so far, we have a long way to go, but we are progressing.  That is a 150 miles ridden post getting Covid for the first time while being back in Indiana.     I have ridden as little as 13.9 miles and as many as 31.5 miles so far.  However, I have to admit the 90 minutes I did today were by far the hardest and for the first time since being back on the bike after a 10 year absence my legs are saying "Really man, what the fuck!"     They were good sports after the first 134 miles.  Perhaps the kicking drills yesterday at Master Swim might have them a little out of sorts.  It could also be putting in 31.5 miles on Monday.   However, in my opinion it was the climbing that really made them unhappy with me.     I did four climbs today.  Each one progressively a little steeper and higher.  I know for most riders these thin

  The White Whale Do you ever go out and find something you were looking for, but you didn’t actually know you were looking for it? That happened to me today when I was out driving my Kona around.   After I work out and Kona has gone on walk 1 of her Saturday morning.  Kona is a very special girl and she get three walks each Saturday and Sunday.  One by me and two by Mr. Ross.  She has a lot of energy. After our walk and weight lifting I’ll put the girl in the car and we will got to McDonald’s and I’ll get coffee one of the day.  A decaf two creams and 4 equals.  I’ll get Kona a sausage patty, although she won’t touch it till we get home.   Often on these morning excursions I’ll take a drive to some place that I want to cycle.  To sort of give it a dry run and see if I think I can do it or not.  To see if it has hills, are they steep, are they long, even worse are they steep and long?   For the better part of the last year I’d drive anyone who would ride with me down Greenville Road to

  Go to any Arkansas Razorback game and you will hear the chant “Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie! Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie! Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie! Razorbacks!”  I myself have never been to a Razorback game and never heard it myself, but I grew up in a house that supported ISU basketball and during the magical Sycamore season that led to the NCAA finals with Larry Bird my Mom did.  So my whole life I heard about the “Hog Call”  “Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie! Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie! Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie! Razorbacks!” After signing up for my next endurance event though it is firmly logged into my mind.  “Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie! Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie! Woooooooo. Pig. Sooie! Razorbacks!”  That is because on September 3, 2022 I signed up for the Tour de Fuzz in Santa Rosa.  Fuzz is slang for police.  Police is what the ride supports and while the police even make fun of themselves and have adopted a really cool Hog as the mascot for the race.  Look at him up there with his tusks gleaming and his cool cycle kit. 

  The Rise and Fall and Rise of Operation 309 June 11:  Today begins Operation 309!  I have posted 6 index cards around my house reading Operation 309 as a reminder of my current goal and where I want to get by August 1, 2022. What is Operation 309? It’s really rather simple.  It is getting my weight to or below 309 pounds.   Why 309? It’s 309 pounds bc the weight loss clinic wanted me to be at 310 and I want to be better than that? Why August 1, 2022? It will be almost 2  years since I started my path.  My Doctor and RD said that is where the statistics say I should be after 1 year.  I want to get there and beyond ahead of schedule.    Why do you need this goal and these reminders? Honestly, because I need to be constantly reminded of where I want to go.  I want to post these reminders in places I will see them when I am in a position to do things not in my path.  Whether it be grab a fudge bar, or some protein sticks when I am bored and not hungry.  Or if I’m in the car going for a c