Track Daddy

OK, 2009 kinda a bust....but not THAT bad!!

2009-11-26T11:03:00.000-08:00

So I didn't lose any weight... maybe even gained 5-10 lbs! Didn't keep the blog updated AT ALL... But I am in my third quarter of the LPN program at Clover Park Tech. I will be done at the end of March 2010 and looking for a hospital job. I have been very regular with updating my FaceBook page and that has pretty much told the story of my life for the past year... I haven't been able to ride my bikes much due to the LPN program being so intense. I do have my sights set on completing the Cascade Cream Puff 100 in 2010 finally! SO this Thanksgiving I am VERY thankful for my family, especially my wife, the kids keep me overjoyed, my church family, and my God. My health and the privilege of being in the LPN program... Look forward to working in 2010 and getting into an LPN to RN bridge program that we can afford!!!

THANK YOU

Heading south

2008-12-22T09:38:00.000-08:00

We are going to attempt to leave tonight for So. Cal.... We have chains for the van and we will be ubber prepared! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. I will start anew in 2009. I plan to blog at least once a week and track the progress of my attempt to lose the 2008 weight (over 20 pounds!!) and prepare for the start of LPN (nursing) school in April!

A few weeks of firsts!!

2008-10-29T09:52:00.000-07:00

Abigael has exploded onto the big girls scene with two new feats of grown-uped-ness. First she has put away the run bike and moved over full time to a pedal bike!! She took to it right off the bat. She still has a bit of trouble mounting, starting off, stopping, and dismounting but once she gets going there is nothing stopping her.

I know she should be wearing her helmet... She usually does and will in the future...

Secondly she has started to be able to write her first name on her own, legibly, with only the G giving her any grief. Her G's look like skinny Q's, but even Abigael recognizes that she needs to work on her G's.

I just love Abigael's little people that she draws. They have such personality. Each person she draws is unique and they all have differences. Some have noses, some hair, some have hands where Abigael has traced her own hand in place of the drawing's hand, and they all have arms and legs sprouting from the drawings head!!

School starts sooner than I thought!!

2008-10-21T13:22:00.000-07:00

I received a phone call from Clover Park Technical College on Thursday offering me the chance to move my school start date from Fall 09 up to the Spring of 2009! This was such an unexpected surprise that it took me a few days to call CPTC say Yes! So now I have to scramble to find funding for not only tuition and books, but also childcare as the LPN program is full-time 5 days a week! Because I already have a B.S. degree I don't qualify for federal financial aid. If anyone would like to sponsor a 35 year old stay-at-home dad through the Licensed Practical Nurse program for one year, four full quarters, for about $10,000 I will bend over backwards for that sponsor! I have even gone so far as to inquire about PLU's ROTC nursing (BSN) program! What am I thinking I am probably to old anyways...

(Late edit: Just got an email stating that I am too old to qualify for the ROTC scholarship so there is not any reason for me to look any further into that option.)

Saturday early Sick Puke 2008

2008-10-12T22:20:00.000-07:00

Start Time Oct 11, 2008 7:12:28 AM Finish Time Oct 11, 2008 6:43:27 PM Total Time (h:m:s) 11:30:59 Distance 47.49 miles Elevation Gain 8,550 ft Motion Based GPS data

SICK PUKE 2008 WEBSITE

So we started off kinda pokin' our way through the woods with a few wrong turns and a chilly wade across a frigid stream! After a couple thousand feet of elevation gain we, the two Brandon's, were warmed up despite abundant frost still on the ground as we rode down the trail. Brandon Corneliusen's feet got VERY cold so I gave him my neoprene shoe covers which warmed up his feet immediately. We took frequent food/rest breaks and kept a steady pace. We bumped into a few riders at Fall Creek and above on Greenline 6. We took our worst wrong turn when we rode/walked UP Greenline 6 at the trail 50 junction! Plus side was that we got to ride DOWN Greenline 6 as a reward for our fruitless efforts! We both started to loose steam while riding up Mt Molly loop to the old Jeep trail. And curses to the Sick Puke and Jim for including the brutal Jeep trail hike-a-bike in the route!! At the top of Capitol Peak we sat down and ate lunch and meet a few motorcyclists, Bob that used to work for Klein and his friend, that were former mountain bikers turned to the dark/easy side of the four stoke Honda. From there I found that the Creastline trail is much easyer to ride in the reverse direction and I was very motivated to get to Wedekin to replenish our water supplies. At Wedekin we hit the water cashe that Mike Scholl left for us earlier in the week. I must say Mike out did himself for us prior to and on Saturday! The trip to the washout on Mima Porter 8 was a blast and is one of my favorite trails in Capitol Forest, even if it is over grown, but thanks to Courtland the downhill sections were clear and FAST!! The wash out on Mima Porter 8 and C-Line road was a challenge! We eventually realized that walking down the actual washed out dirt section is much easyier than the clear cut bramble mess on the sides of the wash out. We linked up to the lower trail and forded the creek onto Greenline 6 again only getting one foot wet out of four between the two of us (my left foot soaked!)!! From there it was clear sailing out of the forest with no mechanicals or crashes!! I did however get a puncture leaving Porter Creek Campground in my BRAND NEW rear tire!! But thanks to trusty Stans and a CO2 it eventually sealed back up and I was able to ride it out!! We met Mike Scholl at the Porter Creek road junction, as he was our ride back to Jim's and he was getting anxious waiting on us. We were about an hour and a half late but he headed back to the Porter General Store to order us up so grub and we rode the road to finish off the ride hating the last few little rises in the road and rejoicing pulling into the General Store as darkness fell. The helmet that I always have my light system attached to was left at home and I borrowed a helmet from Jim so we didn't have any lights if we had been caught out after dark, I know I won't do that again!! At Porter General Store we stuffed our faces with fat bacon cheese burgers and drank a cold beer, thanks again to Mike, and then piled into Mike's car for a chauffeured ride back to the start where warm home baked cookies awaited, thanks Jen!!!!! All in all it was an awesome day on the trail with a good riding partner talking bike geek speak and suffering together. The weather was some of the best I have ever ridden in in Capitol Forest and the view from the Peak was breath taking!! Thanks to Jim, Mike, Brandon C. and all of FOCF for another awesome tough as nails Sick Puke!! Below is a link to the map on Google Maps. I didn't get any pictures because, to be honest with you, I was to tired to pull my camera out of my pack every time we stopped.

Photo: Jim Graham

Google Map of the Route

Nursing school bound...

2008-10-07T20:31:00.001-07:00

This is the licensed practical nursing (LPN) program that I have been admitted to at Clover Park Technical College. I have been accepted to the start of the Fall 2009 class!!

The Practical Nursing Program begins each fall and spring quarter. The program takes 4 quarters to complete. Classroom hours are 8 A.M. to 3:30 P.M. Monday through Friday for the first 2 quarters, with a 5-week clinical experience during the second quarter. During the 3rd and 4th quarters, the student is at a clinical site Tuesday through Friday and in the classroom on Monday. Clinical experiences may be scheduled during day, evening, or weekend hours and may begin as early as 5:45 A.M. or end as late as 11:00 P.M.

Upon completion of the LPN course I can sit for my LPN board exam and find a job working as an LPN at one of the local hospitals. Upon reaching a total of 1500 working hours as an LPN I will be eligible to apply to the LPN to RN bridge program at Clover Park Tech.

The RN Option (LPN to RN bridge) Nursing Program begins each (January) winter quarter. The program takes 3 Quarters to complete. Classroom hours are every week Tuesdays and Wednesdays 4:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M. with clinical assignments every other weekend. The hours of the clinical assignments during the weekend may vary. In the 3rd quarter Capstone Clinical experience students are matched with an RN Preceptor and will be required to work the RN Preceptor’s schedule to fulfill the Capstone Clinical hours required. The Clinical Capstone experience may include 8hr or 12hr shifts and is scheduled during Friday and Saturdays on the evening shift.

Upon completion I will be able to sit for the RN licensing board exam. I hope to be able to obtain my RN license within three years from the start of the program in the fall of 2009. With the objective of eventually working in the Emergency Department at either Tacoma General or Harborview hospital. After gaining enough trauma and emergency experience I have a goal to apply to work as a flight nurse possibly with Airlift Northwest.

Not one to get very political but this must be shared

2008-09-29T14:14:00.000-07:00

Amazing how this will NEVER make the evening news.....

I'm back!!!! And I hope to be a regular contributor again....

2008-09-21T15:00:00.000-07:00

Hey folks long time no write!! I have been busy with life, riding, working, family, travel, and general malaise. Every time I have had time to sit down and make a post I just haven't felt it. I have about three or four half completed or just started blog entries. I have started a post race write up of both of my big 100 mile mountain bike races and have not finished them... One of the main reasons why is the fact that my IBM laptop took a crap and I have been relegated to using Christie's Dell on which I do not have any of my pictures or files... I hope to soon have my computer working again soon and I should get back on track with blogging. So much has happened this summer I just don't know where to begin! I completed for the first time a 100 mile mountain bike race in Aug at the Shenandoah Mountain 100 in the mountains of Virginia! Attempted the Cascade Cream Puff 100 in Oregon and got baked by the sun only completing 53 miles. Finished in the top 5 of my first Expert level mountain bike race both XC and Super D! My son turned ONE and started walking!! My daughter just started pre-school and swim lessons, you can see videos of both the kids in action at The Lockwoods blog. I traded in my Black Sheep hard tail frame bike for a Black Sheep full suspension frame and I love it!! I have been at REI for almost a year now! We went to visit Christie's folks in NC and show off the kids in August. Got to visit with my folks when they came up to Seattle to help our good friends Wendi and Sam Hawley put in a french drain around their house. Wendi gave birth to a beautiful baby boy Ezekiel almost 2 1/2 months early and both mom and baby are healthy and safe! We have been heavily involved in our new church, Center Point Christian Fellowship, and love it and the family it has to offer.

I hope to update again soon, sorry for the awful Monty Python video you all have been subjected to for so long....

Here I come to save the day!!!!

2008-07-10T23:57:00.000-07:00

Off to the sufferfest, I mean Cream Puff...

2008-06-28T08:53:00.000-07:00

Heading down to OR for the Cascade CreamPuff 100 I received my new Black Sheep ST Highlight frame yesterday after quite a debacle, more on that later....
Here she is.... Ta Da!!

Bikes need alone time too!

2008-05-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

Maken' out in the mist...

Getting an itch to do some MT Bike touring!

2008-05-19T06:45:00.000-07:00

I came across a post on MTBR.com that a one, Mike Curiak, mountain biker extraordinaire, posted about lightweight mountain bike touring in the rockies (might need to be logged in to truely appreciate the picture posts?!) where he lives. It has moved me.

(Above pictures courtesy of Mike Curiak via MTBR post)

There are some amazing places here in Washington state that would be ideal for touring on a mountain bike. This picture below is a friend of mine riding along the base of Mt. St. Helens on the Plains of Abraham trail.

I have since come across several links to gear specifically made for lightweight mountain bike touring. One in particular was found on the Surly Blog. It showcases frame and specialty bags from both Epic Designs and Carousel Design Works. I think I might try to put together a trip for a few days this summer over on the Olympic Peninsula along the beach or in the mountains up out of Wennatchee or down around Mt. St. Helens ? Go for two or three days and just try to ride as many miles as possible! Maybe I could even convince one or two of my mountain biking buddies to come along! I think I might REALLY start planning this out and plan for a weekend in July....

Here is a bike, with the same style of suspension design as my new forthcoming Black Sheep will be, loaded down for some touring! It is a Funk Cycles La Ruta 29er.

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY TO MY AWESOME GIRL!!

2008-05-15T13:51:00.000-07:00

HAPPY 4TH BIRTHDAY

ABIGAEL

You are my pride and joy! I wish you the best this coming year as you continue to grow and mature, learn and explore! You are the light of my life and you always keep me guessing and entertained! Whether you are helping me wrench on our bikes, playing with your dolls, accompanying me in the woods on a trail project,or going to "another" bike race/event, you alway make my heart sing and you fill me with pride and joy! I love you and I will always put you on the pedestal you deserve!

Your dad.

For Sale 2005 LenzSport Leviathan 29er $2500

2008-05-14T21:28:00.000-07:00

I am selling my beloved Leviathan.....

Up for sale is my 2005 LenzSport Leviathan 29 x 3.0. Specs here http://www.lenzsport.com/Specifications.html I have since upgraded to an RP23. I am selling to pay for a new Black Sheep project... I have put alot of effort into the bike and I have taken very good care of the bike. I will admit that I did ride this bike like a mountain bike should be ridden, it was not a mantle show piece but it was never trashed, crashed, dented or dinged at all! I am a mechanic and I take very good care of my bicycles!

Frame: Large 2005 LenzSport Leviathan 3.0 (with most decals removed, still has head badge and made in decal) with upgraded Fox RP23 rear shock 2007

Fork: 2007 Reba Race 80mm (no decals can be set at 100mm)

Headset: blue Chris King 1 1/8" (slight rub on lower bearing cup from a front mud fender)

Stem: silver Thomson Elite 25.4 5 deg 100mm

Handle Bar: Surly 1x1 Torsion Bar

Grips: ODI lock on

Shifters: SRAM X-9 trigger 9spd

Brakes: Avid Juicy 7 Carbon 185mm front 160mm rear

Cranks: silver Race Face Deus X-Type

Bottom Bracket: XTR external BB cups

Front Derailleur: XTR M953 trad

Rear Derailleur: SRAM X-9 med cage

Cables: Teflon cable system

Casstette: XT 11-34

Chain: KMC X9

Seat Post: silver Thomson Elite 27.2mm x 330mm straight

Saddle: blue Selle Italia Gel Flow Ti Flite

Wheelset: BRAND NEW WTB Laserdisc 29er never ridden upon!

Tires: front Kenda Nevegal rear Michelin XC AT with Conti tubes

no pedals

Weighed in on my scale at 27.8 pounds and could be lighted with different tires made tubeless amoung other thing but this bike is ready to rip all day all mountain or race to the finish line in any XC race! Just add your pedals! Please help me out my wife is gonna kill me if I don't sell some of my bikes and parts! Email me with any questions. The pictures kind look bad because I had just finished washing it and the water drying looks kinda spotty. The anodizing is a little "worn" in some high rub areas from cables, my thighs and heels but it is purely cosmetic. This frame, new, retails for over $1700, let alone all of the other high-end parts on this sweet rig!! Treat yourself! I have 100% feedback on ebay with 195 transactions as well as many good dealings on www.MTBR.com, so have confidence. If I sell it for my asking price I will pay for shipping if I get a "best offer" buyer pays shipping More pics here

THE REASON FOR SELLING (other than to pay bills etc...)

Similar to this one here....

Thanks Brandon

Man do I need this!

2008-05-03T07:03:00.000-07:00

Gett'n my fix in the saddle! I rode a tad over 10 miles in Black Diamond with the "boys" on Thursday evening!! It was bad ass!!

Photos by Reechard "Knobularlife" Boatman

I rode to my second to last Physical Therapy appointment yesterday morning on my Desalvo fixed gear clocking just over 13 street miles! The family also rode over to our new Pastor's house for a church newcomers BBQ. Abigael rode/walked her Strider bike all the way to the BBQ by herself...

And this morning I get to go ride the South End Thrilla Loop with a few good friends!!! I got a chance to ride with a friend, Julian Diaz, who recently moved down to Tacoma with his family. Thank you Christie for allowing me this chance to get out and ride! My mind, soul, and body need this!! Totaled about 19 miles on my singlespeed!!

Although my ass hurts like hell right now from not sitting on a saddle for over three weeks!!! OUCH!!

The past few weeks...

2008-04-30T15:43:00.000-07:00

Sea Otter Classic

Opening day tradition

2008-04-01T10:25:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I took the family and most importantly, Abigael, to the opening day of Mariner's baseball. I have taken Abigael to Opening Day every day since she was born and now Mason has been ever year since he was born as well. I got tickets on the 300 level section 313 row 24 only one row down from the very top row. On the way into town to attend the game, I was listening to KOMO 1000 new radio for traffic updates and the pre-game info. As I was driving to Christie's work in Kent to pick her up for the game, KOMO announced they had two tickets to the home opener that day in the Commissioner's Box, section 120 row 4, to give away to the tenth caller. I figured what the hell I 'd give'm a call and after about a dozen busy signals the phone rang through! I WON!! I gave my info and they said the tickets would be available in the will call at Safeco Field. We arrived in Seattle around 1pm and met up with Christie's cousin Melissa as she was going to the game with us, as well as our friend Patrick (13) from Tacoma. We took a bus to the SODO and walked to the stadium. I went to Will Call, got the awesome field seat tickets, then met up with Christie and the girls in the true nose bleed seats!! I decided to take Abigael and meet up with Patrick down at the Commissioner's Box seats for the opening ceremonies. Melissa bought Abigael a BUCKET of cotton candy which she insisted on devouring thoughout the course of the game (in other words, within three innings). She was bouncing off the ceiling by the seventh inning stretch! By the sixth inning a lot people had left the seats down on the field so I told everyone to come down and sit there to watch the rest of the game. Abigael got to take a picture with Mariner Moose. The Mariners won the game against the Texas Rangers 5-2!! We had a cold walk to the bus stop and a fun bus ride back to Melissa's place downtown. All in all the day was top notch!! This was Abigael's fourth opening day with what looks to be many more to come!!

Years past 2005, 2006, 2007 no picture or post but we did go and we took Christie ta boot!

Cascade Cream Puff 100 miler

2008-03-27T22:51:00.000-07:00

I am in and I am the 18th rider on the list! This is my one and only major goal for this summer's race season! I want to get my Cascade Cream Puff 100 finishers hat!! I am also looking forward to the Shenandoah Mountain 100 miler in august but this race is a must!!!

Heidi the mountain biker

2008-03-27T22:36:00.000-07:00

A friend in the news... Heidi Grantham, first place All-Mountain open women Capitol Forest race series!!

New South End Thrilla training ride

2008-03-27T08:39:00.000-07:00

Courtland and I have been working on putting a new south-end "Thrilla" ride together for the purpose of training and getting in some decent mountain bike saddle miles without driving for hours out of Tacoma. This is still in the preliminary planning stages but I expect to be able to put together 20 to 25 miles per ride! We look forward to working with a few other Tacoma area rMTB loop in the city which currently sits around 16 or so miles!!

Too long, sorry...!

2008-03-19T22:00:00.000-07:00

So I have started about three or four posts since my last crazy post of fruity bicycle dancer guy. None of those came to fruition, partly due to time constraints and life just getting in the way, partly due to laziness.

Let's see what has happened in the past month and a half....

I am healing ever so slowly, both leg and thumb. I reached TWO AND A HALF YEARS since my accident when I broke my leg.

The kids are getting bigger! Mason is now crawling and putting EVERYTHING in his mouth!!

Christie's cousin Melissa Gautier just moved to Seattle from London, England. We helped her move in and I have been helping to show her around the city. We were able to invite her over to the house for Dinner the weekend Christie's mom was in town. It is good to know we have even more family in the area! Melissa is going to Opening Day for the Mariners with us.

I went to the Bike Expo and volunteered at the MVA booth on the 9th and brought the entire family along. Abigael and Christie walked around and played the clue/bingo game for kids. I got to meet Joe "The Metal Cowboy" Kurmaskie and got his newest book, "Momentum is Your Friend" signed to me by Joe himself. Joe has ridden across the country via bicycle with his 5 and 7 year-old in-tow, as well as across Canada with his wife and three kids via bicycle! Here is a news clip video on "Adventure Dad!"

The weekend of March 15&16th I dragged the whole family down to Capitol Forest for a weekend-long mountain bike race put on by the Friends of Capitol Forest. This was our first attempt at camping with the kids. We set the tent up and I volunteered at the race helping to ride/sweep the courses and time the Super-D race on Sunday. Christie and the kids did ok as it rained on and off all weekend and Mason did not sleep very well in the tent Saturday night. All in all the experience went rather well and we look forward to many camping adventures this summer ! There were plenty of kids Abigael's age for her to play with and even Christie was social with the other moms and kids.

I have just recently found out that I meet all of the entrance requirements for the LPN program at Clover Park Technical College. I will be submitting my application within the next two weeks once all of my official transcripts arrive and have been officially evaluated and I gather all of the required items to submit my application. The LPN program is full-time over four quarters (approximately one full school year) and then I will be able to sit for my LPN board exams. Upon completion of the CPTC LPN program, I will be able to start the LPN to RN bridge program which lasts for three quarters (most of one school year) part-time in the evenings, which upon completion, I will be able to sit for my Registered Nurse board exams!!!!! This is a good video profiling men in the nursing field!!!

Mountain biking

2008-02-19T09:13:00.000-08:00

I got a chance to get out on my mountain bike this weekend for an easy light spin! I felt sore but good after the ride. I brought the family out to Phillip Arnold Park in Renton, the home of the Towers of Power and the Tapeworm trail, for Mess Mann's third running of the "Tapeworm Time Trial" fun race. There were twelve racers total with about 20 people total showing up to race and or watch and hangout. Mess Mann had good food, good beverages, and a very well run fun race!! The weather was cold but very beautiful....

Capitol Forest Race weekend!!!

Speechless

2008-02-15T17:03:00.000-08:00

Courtesy of Team Dicky....

Biker Fox Movie Trailer Bicycle Race

Add to My Profile | More Videos

I am truly speechless!!!

New Black Sheep full suspention design...

2008-02-14T21:50:00.000-08:00

Here is James Bleakley the creator and master craftsman behind...>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I will be working with James in the coming months to either modify my existing S&S Highlight to accept the new full suspention design or I may just swap my frame out for this new design...!!!??

Happy Valentines day!!!

2008-02-14T10:16:00.000-08:00

(Not me but damn scary because it looks to much like me!)

North American Handmade Bicycle Show 2008

2008-02-09T08:39:00.000-08:00

Going to the bike porn show today! Will post pictures tonight! Pictures from the show here!

And pictures from Jose "Brujo" Sandoval whose graciousness gave us a place to stay while in Stumptown, thanks Sharon and Jose!!

New Black Sheep Fabrications project in the works as we speak....??!?!?!?!?!!!!!!

Pink

2008-02-05T15:41:00.000-08:00

I feel very secure in my manhood,

OH YEAH!!! only two more weeks to go...

Hand surgery went well and I am now up walking around

2008-01-23T14:37:00.000-08:00

Surgery on my thumb went very well yesterday. It hurts, ALOT! I go back on the first to have my cast placed on my hand, right now I am in just a plaster splint. I am also up walking on my left leg with full weight bearing. While it is sore and I am not got to win any running races at least I don't have to use my crutches!

Thanks for all of the well wishes everyone!

And now the hand...

2008-01-12T12:01:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had an MRI of my right thumb/hand taken. If you remember back on the 23rd during my first ski trip, I caught my thumb on my ski pole as I took a tumble. After the MRI, I went straight to the hand doc to find out the results and develop a plan to treat the pain in my thumb. Originally, when I went to the hand doc last Monday she said it was a partial tear of the UCL(Ulnar Collateral Ligament), also called skier's thumb. The first words out of her mouth were, "I just got the results from the radiologist of your MRI and your thumb has a complete tear of the UCL...." My heart sunk and I knew it would require yet another surgery. The doc immediately started talking about the surgery she had booked for me on the 22nd of January. It will be an outpatient surgery without the general antithetic using only a Bier block on my hand. I will be in a cast for 3 weeks and then a soft splint.... I guess when I play I play hard! Oh well I would rather have it fixed than go around with the pain I have in my thumb and lack of grip strength....

Surgery and a haircut

2008-01-08T17:49:00.000-08:00

I had surgery on the leg again on the 3rd. All went well with about 4 hours under the knife. The doc removed the plate on my Fibula and all of it's associated screws. The nail (rod) was replaced with a slightly larger, 14 mm dia vs the 12 mm that was in my tibia, nail made from titanium (Ti). The doc found some studies that show that Ti resists infection slightly better than the stainless steel that was in my leg.

This is all of the hardware, below, that you see in the x-ray above!

The two screws that are broken below are the two in the bottom of my tibia above.

So overall the surgery went GREAT I had some trouble in the recovery room with pain and dosing of my pain meds. I spent 4 days in the hospital and I had an interesting roommate. Jeremy was a recovering heroin addict that was just a total character. He kept me company and I helped to encourage him as he looked forward to a new life, a clean life. I pray that he gets the help, treatment, and new life that he so desperately needs. On a lighter note he kept calling Christie my "girlfriend" even though we told him we were married and she is my wife. So it became the running joke to not tell my wife that my girlfriend had been there to visit me also. We watched the Seahawks game on Saturday together and hooted and hollered at the TV watching the Seahawks kick the Redskins arse!

When I got home I decided to cut my hair. My grandfather, M.C. Lockwood, always had the craziest wild hair that stuck up all over the place like it had a mind of it's own. Christie had taken to calling my hair "crazy grandpa" hair... So Christie got the scissors and clippers out and let Abigael have a go with the scissors.

They cut my length down and then Christie buzzed me down to a "no guard" length with the clippers. I want to keep my beard for awhile and I like the look of buzzed head and full beard. Christie says I look like the character on the old magnetic face creator, Wooly Willy.

Off topic, I have a meeting set up in early February with the city of Tacoma to start the preliminary planning process for my idea of a multi-use trail system with a mountain bike focus in the Wapato Hills greenspace park. I am also receiving a great deal of donated help from my father's enterprise Trails Unlimited. I have a vision for a true trail system similar to the Tapeworm, the Colonnade, Banner Forest, or Lake sawyer/Henry's Ridge to be built and maintained by local users to allow the citizens of Tacoma to have a unique area to ride mountain bikes in the city!

Late Edit: For those not familiar with WHY I had to have surgery it is to repair a nasty tib-fib fracture I sustained back in August 2005 from getting hit by a car while riding my bicycle. For the full story click here.... and here... and here... and here... and finally my poor destroyed bike!

2008...

2008-01-07T05:51:00.000-08:00

WOW is about all I can muster. 2008 has got to be better than 2007, yet 2007 was a year full of amazingly awesome immensely important events. 2007 was a surgery free year, yeah! We bought a house and moved to Tacoma. My son, Mason Campbell, was born. Abigael grew up so much including being fully potty trained going into 2007, going to "school" for most of the beginning of the year, and getting her first haircut/trim. I fell back in love with my beautiful wife after not quite realizing that I have had it so good for the past ELEVEN years!
Bought a new car, a MINI VAN!! I tried my hand at endurance mountain bike racing (more like riding than actully being competitively racing) , finding my new love on the bike, as well as went fully 29er. I found myself trying, 4 1/2 months out of 6, but not able to complete firefighter recruit school with KCFD 20 due to my not fully healed leg. Starting the EMT class and then not being able to complete it due to the craziness of life. Getting my first "clock in clock out" regular job in over three years with REI. I made some awesome new friends in 2007 and look forward to making many more in 2008! Built and almost finished my very own bike shop in my "garage/shop" with help from friends and mostly family. Made a change in my cycling team and have decided to go back to AVA/Counterbalance in 2008, thanks so much for 2007 Viking Sport!!

So I start out 2008 with a vandalized car and MAJOR leg surgery so it can only get better right? I stayed in the hospital at Harborview from the 3rd till the 6th and everything in surgery went excellent! I just have a deep down feeling that 2008 is going to be an amazingly awesome better year. I plan on taking 2008 to focus on my healing and recovery, my family, our house and new life in Tacoma, training to become a better cyclist and mountain biker, getting ready for nursing school in 2009, working at REI and raising the kids, improving our house and most importantly learning to love my wife all over again...!

New found love of an old sport, SKIING!! and stuff....

2007-12-31T22:32:00.000-08:00

So about a month ago a friend of mine, and avid skier, Patrick gave me a pair of 185cm Salomon Pocket Rocket shape skis. They did not come with bindings so I had to get a new pair, but I had kept my old Dachstein boots that I bought new in Boone over ten years ago so I had boots. I picked up a pair of Look Pivot 12 demo binding super cheap on eBay and had them mounted and the skis tuned at the Tacoma REI. I got some powder baskets for my Leki trekking poles and went skiing on the 23rd with Patrick and Billy up at Crystal Ski Mountain. I had a blast and picked it (skiing) right back up even if it has been almost 10 years since I last skied (my ski bibs still had a lift ticket from Sugar Mountain Ski Resort, NC from 12/26/97!!!). Unfortunately after about the third run down the mountain I took a tumble and felt my right thumb bend almost all the way back after getting caught on my ski pole, OUCH!!! I skied everything Patrick threw at me including Upper Ferks Run and Sunnyside (a black diamond run!) full of steep soft snow. I finished skiing out the day regardless and we went home around 1pm due to the fact that it started to RAIN, ugh! My leg took a beating too but I left with a BIG SHIT EATING GRIN on my face, I was hooked again!!

I came home and fell asleep on the couch and the next morning my thumb was bright red and very swollen. So off to the ER at Tacoma General on Christmas Eve day. After a few X-rays I did not have a fracture but a severe sprain, given a soft thumb/wrist splint, some pain meds, and sent on my way after almost 4 hours! I now have a pretty bruise and it is getting better but is still very sore. I have an appointment to see a hand specialist ortho doc on the 7th. I also got a get out of work free (as do not pass go or collect any income) note from the doc since I can't really build bikes with a bum right thumb, I can't shift or turn a spoke wrench. I am having, what I hope to be the seventh and final, surgery on my leg to replace the nail/rod in my tibia on January 3rd. So since I knew I would be down for the rest of the season I wanted to get one more day on the slopes.

On the the 29th my best friend, Eric Ewing, came over from Spokane with his three boys for the weekend and New Years. On the 30th Eric, his 7 year old son Noah, and Patrick went up to Crystal to go skiing again. This was Eric's first trip to Crystal as well and, well, conditions were great! Crystal had received almost a foot of new pow! It snowed on us the entire drive up and was almost white conditions at times on the mountain. Patrick went off to ski the deep steep and Eric and I skied down the green and some blue runs taking turns skiing with Noah and helping him up when he took a spill. I did not take any falls and I had prepped my left leg with mole skin and a neoprene sleeve to prevent any rubbing on my misshapen bony shin. I actually felt great at the end of the day! The only thing missing was bright blue skies and then it would have been "THE" perfect day of skiing! I am hooked and even though I am out for the rest of the 2007-08 season I will be back for it next season with a private lesson session to hone my skills and I plan of starting Abigael next year as well! Hmmmm, I just need some new boots now.......

Unfortunately I do not have any pictures due to my camera finally taking a dump. One to many trips to a wet Capitol Forest finally did it in... RIP.

On an awesome note I did build up and give to Christie a new used Specialized Epic mountain bike, her first ever!, for Christmas. It is a medium silver 2003 Epic comp that I stripped down and rebuilt with discs and pretty nice components. I put a 50mm stem and straight Thomson seatpost on it so that it would fit her. She has expressed interest in taking a mountain bike boot camp/skills class in the spring to learn the necessary skills to be able to go riding with me at some point next year.... Christie and her parents got me a new pack for Christmas, a Wingnut Hyper 2.5! I can't wait to try it out! I also will be getting the last bit of wood to wall in the last of the shop! I will be getting some help from my dad and Trails Unlimited to help design and plan a multi use/mountain bike park trails proposal/plan for a local area called Wapato Hills Park not far from my house. I have received a few responses from the proper people to start the planning process!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2008 WILL BE A BETTER YEAR!!!!

Late edit 1/1/08: Woke up this morning to find the hatchback window in our Subaru busted out and vandalized!!!
(What happened to 2008 being a better year???)

Busy being a dad....

2007-12-18T08:29:00.000-08:00

Christie went back to work a little over two weeks ago and I've had my hands full with two kids, work and other news in our lives.... Christie seems to be doing "OK" with going back to work but she did not go back easily! She reluctantly went back to work kicking and screaming after almost 3 months off! I don't blame her but we have a mortgage and a new car payment now and we have no other choice.... I on the other hand have been enjoying working swing shift building bicycles for REI (working a modified schedule now, in at 5pm instead of 2:30pm) but the strain of the extra drive time for Christie to dive to my work to meet me and pick up the kids then drive home is going to be a challenge.

I have not been able to get out on my bike as much as I would like due to helping take care of the kids but I am working it in when I can. I have been able to steal away the past two Saturdays to the Super Secret trails close by our house for about a 2 hour ride.

In the past two weeks I/we have been dealing with some sad news. A very good friend of ours miscarried, three former messenger co-workers and good friends went missing in the backcountry of Crystal mountain snowboarding presumed dead, and Christie's Grandfather passed away. I also found out that two of my closest friends that have been in the process with me trying to get hired on as a paid professional firefighter just got the good news from Seattle Fire Department that they will be starting in the next recruit class in February, while I am overjoyed form them and their families it is just another reminder that I tried and failed to become a firefighter...

Night mountain bike riding is so much fun!! Cyclocross not so much...

2007-11-28T09:58:00.000-08:00

This picture came out the best of all, Mike stylin!

"All I want is frickin' sharks with frickin' laser beams attached to their heads!!"

Courtland with no front brake!

Lately I have been doing most of my riding at night with a pretty awesome group of friends. During our "Full Moon night ride at Lake Sawyer" last Saturday Mike took some pretty cool pictures with his new camera. It almost makes it look like I have laser beams shooting from my head. The ride was great the rain halted just for us. We never did actually see the full moon due to the cloud cover but thanks the that cover the temps were above freezing!

Summary Data
Total Time (h:m:s)	2:19:47	15:15 pace
Moving Time (h:m:s)	1:43:03	11:14 pace
Distance (mi )	9.16
Moving Speed (mph)	5.3 avg.	17.4 max.
Elevation Gain (ft)	+1,104 / -1,093

Avg. Heart Rate	129 bpm	Zone 3.0

Temperature (°F)	42.8°F avg.	42.8°F high
Wind Speed ( mph)	N 0.0 avg.	N 0.0 max.

Then on Sunday I brutalized myself in the cyclocross race at South Seatac. 60 minutes of pure pain.

Summary Data
Total Time (h:m:s)	0:54:37	5:35 pace
Moving Time (h:m:s)	0:54:29	5:34 pace
Distance (mi )	9.76
Moving Speed (mph)	10.8 avg.	27.5 max.
Elevation Gain (ft)	+1,204 / -1,145

Avg. Heart Rate	167 bpm	Zone 5.0

Temperature (°F)	45.8°F avg.	46.4°F high
Wind Speed ( mph)	SE 9.2 avg.	SE 10.4 max.

OUCH Zone 5 for an hour!!!!!

The picture of pain!!

Abigael feeding Meatball a Cheeto (note the Pavlov drool!)

The rest of Christie's awesome photos are here

Start training them when they are young...

2007-11-19T12:28:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I wanted to go help my friend Courtland do some trail maintenance work out at the Super Secret trail network, but Christie was not in the mood to deal with both kids alone. So I volunteered to take my exceptionally awesome daughter with me out into the woods so she could run and let loose some of her pent up winter energy! The only "problem" was that in order to get to the section of trail that needed clearing we had to ride a few miles into the woods via mountain bike.

Best team around dad and daughter. photo by Mike

Snacks with dad on the trail.

SO BEFORE ANY PARENTS (OR GRANDPARENTS FOR THAT MATTER...) FREAK OUT ALL WAS SAFE AND I WOULD DO IT AGAIN IN A HEARTBEAT!!

I have ridden with Abigael in my messenger bag before around the neighborhood back in Seattle so she knows how to be still and be safe while riding. But this was the first time I have ever taken her riding in the bag off-road mountain biking on trails. In a word, she did AWESOME!! We had so much fun!! She wore her helmet the entire time without complaint! When I rounded the corner to meet up with Courtland and Mike their jaws dropped and they started laughing with amazement!

Mike whipped out his camera and snapped some shots and Courtland insisted on getting in the pic with the coolest dad/daughter trail work team in Washington State!! We rode out to the work site with ease and spent about an hour and a half clearing out a section of trail of blow downs and overgrown brush and even walked out some new sections of trail. Abigael ran up and down the trail while we worked and had a BLAST to the point that when it was time to go home she did not want to leave! I can't wait until she can ride behind me on a trail-a-long bike.... And then ride with me on our various mountain bike adventures!!!

Clearing the trail with Mike, Courtland and Abigael.

The littlest trail gnome!

Needless to say I got to get out and help with the trail maintenance and Christie got a break form the 3 1/2 year old hell on wheels!

Tuesday evening SUPER secret night rides...

2007-11-12T10:28:00.000-08:00

For the past couple of weeks I have been riding with a local group of riders on Tuesday evenings. The trails are maintained by my friend Courtland and a few others. The trail system is fun, fast, and twisty. We typically ride about an hour and a half or so and cover about 8 to 9 miles of pure singletrack. We stopped last Tuesday night about half way through for a Cliff Bar break and Mike took so pictures of the group.

We had FIVE hardcore "Betty's" riding in the group with a total of twelve riders.

The group ranges in size from about 8 up to 15 people all by word of mouth. We typically meet around 6:15 and are out in the trails for about 2 hours total. For me it has been a great chance to get some extra weekday riding in and test out my new light system. I have since turned at least two other people onto my Ay Up! LED lighting system. I hope to be able to convert more people to Ay Up! as in my opinion it is the best system around! I am even working Wednesday - Friday so I can have Monday night with the family and ride Tuesday night.

PS yes I know I have crazy helmet hair!!

Riding and working my a$$ off!!

2007-11-05T11:07:00.000-08:00

Saturday I packed the whole family up and we drove down to Capitol Forrest to take part in the monthly Saturday volunteer trail work party with the "Friends of Capitol Forest". I brought the whole family because I knew we would be working on improving the parking area at the "Y" and not out on some trail somewhere in the forest. I was glad I brought my little chainsaw as I ended up running it almost non-stop helping to build the fence around the parking area. Abigael dug in the dirt and played in the mud. Christie walked around carrying Mason and took pictures to help document the work. There was a good amount of people that showed up and we got almost all of the fence up and would have finished it if 50 of our posts had not been stolen the night before!!

Sunday I got a 'kitchen pass" from the wife to go ride. Courtland and I drove down to Olympia and met up with his friend Brian to go mountain biking even further south just outside of Longview, WA. We linked up with a bunch of local guys and they guided us on their amazing trail system in and around Growler's Gultch! We rode over 14 miles and did some impressive climbing and super fast, super fun descending. Four of the local guys were riding 29er full suspention moutain bikes and one guy, Bob aka Red-haze.com, was kicking ass on his fully rigid singlespeed!!

I got my ass handed to me a few times, bailed a few times on some steep technical terrain features (TTF's), nailed some more TTF's on the money, and ended up with a good sized bruise on my left quad, ouch!

Photo courtesy red-haze.com

Thanks to the local guys for showing us their kick arse trail system and inviting us back anytime we want! I have decided to make it mandatory that I ride at least one day a week on the mountain bike as it is good for my soul and my health!! I can't wait to be able to take Abigael along with me and eventually Mason as well!! By then I will have to be riding 5 or 6 days a week just to stay in shape enough to keep up with the kids!!

Photo courtesy red-haze.com

On the home front all is well. We had a great time trick-or-treating on Wednesday and last week I started working at REI. working swing shift has taken some getting used to, and not just by me, as Christie now has to put the girl to bed and deal with them both in the evening when they are cranky and tired. I am scheduled 3 days a week now and have the option for more or less depending how hard I work and how many hours I want to work. So far the job is pretty easy and "fun". I will work until I can go back to school and finish my nursing degree!! When Christie goes back to work I will adjust my schedule to go in at 5pm instead of 2:30 and we will meet and swap kids in the parking lot at work. I hope to be able to get the shop walls painted in the man cave this week so I can start hanging and organizing my tools and get the clutter cleaned up!

Christie turns 20 fifteen on Wednesday. Unfortunately I have to work but we will do something nice for her....

New happenings in the Lockwood household....

2007-10-31T00:32:00.000-07:00

So we finally went out and took the plunge and bought a new vehicle!!! We bought a MINIVAN!!!! Yesterday we finally decided on a 2006 Kia Sedona LX minivan it is light blue with a light gray interior. It is a used 2006 with 22,660 miles and it is in immaculate condition. We get the remainder of the 5 year 60,000 mile bumper to bumper warranty and we purchased an extended 109 month (9year) 100,000 mile bumper to bumper (include wear and tear!!) warranty. The dealership threw in a factory installed 2 inch class 3 tow hitch as well! I am actually quite excited about owning a minivan and do not dread the stigma attached to owning a "minivan". We got our loan for 60 months at 4.94% and we are paying less than $400 a month!!!

On another note I worked my first shift at my new job with REI as a bicycle production specialist at the REI national distribution center!! I actually clocked in and out for a complete 8 hour shift!!! I get today off so I can take Abigael and Mason out about in the neighborhood to go Trick-or-Treating and experience our first Halloween holiday in eleven years of being married in a neighborhood where we might actually get kid knocking on the door asking for candy. We have two pumpkins that picked at a local pumpkin patch and we have carved on the front porch. As well as a few decorations ta boot! Abigael is dressing up as a "scary" witch for Halloween and I think I may go dressed as a "roadie" cyclist??? Pictures to come....

Puke part Deux

2007-10-28T19:05:00.000-07:00

Group shot before the start of the ride.

I rode the Sick Puke again on Saturday. The weather was PHENOMENAL!!! I rode with about 10 other people including Daniel Meyers an old friend from my cross country racing days. I think I have my Garmin Edge 305 figured out now and I have a link to the data from the ride HERE. I took a few more pictures as well and posted them on my Flickr account HERE. After the ride we met at Jim's house for a feast of a meal prepare by him and his wife. I also rode Friday night out at Lake Sawyer on a BBTC ride led by Courtland call the Sawyer Full Moon ride for about 2 hours under a cloudless full moon night sky!! This week I have ridden almost 65 miles of singletrack alone AND I LOVE IT!!!!
I got the job working at REI as a Bicycle Assembly Technician at the Sumner distribution center. My first day at work other than last Thursday spent filling out paper work will be this Tuesday, wish me luck! Christie's mom and grandmother have been here this weekend for a visit and it has been very fun to watch Abigael play with them both as they pine after the new baby boy....

A view from one of the clearcuts, quite beautiful!

A bit more mud than last week!!!

A video from last weekends ride in the wet....
(this was taken while riding with one hand on the handlebars and the other holding the camera!)

Sick Puke 2007 Challenge

2007-10-21T13:04:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I gathered with a dozen or so other mountain bikers to take on the 2007 Sick Puke Challenge in Capitol Forest. My friend Courtland picked me up a little after 8am and we carpooled down to Capitol Forest just south of Olympia, WA. When we got to the "Y" everyone was ready to go and waiting on us to get ready. I brought coffee and banana nut bread for the morning start but with not enough time before we left the ride organizer, Jim, took it with him to the mid way point. The rain was coming down in a steady drizzle as we set off down the road and onto the trail. Shortly after we started riding on the single track three of us took a wrong turn and quickly learned the lesson of waiting at trail intersections for others to come along. This was my first time riding in Capitol Forest as well and Ben, from Minnesota. Soon Courtland, Ben, and myself fell into a nice rhythm and started riding as a small group. At the Fall Creek trail head the Sun threated to poke it's head out and was a nice change! The trail had been, and would continue to be, full of 6 inch plus deep mud puddles and wet over growth that proceeded to soak us to the bone! We all took a nip off of my flask of Crown for "warmth" and headed back out onto the trail before we got cold. At the mid way point at Wedekind area we met up with a couple of the guy's girlfriends in their car. We replenished our water from the cache that Jim left on Friday for the group. As people started to get cold we all set out again. soon there after it started to HAIL on us!!! When we popped out onto the road somewhere?? Jim met us with the by-then lukewarm coffee and delicious banana nut bread!! What a godsend!!! We picked up the other Brandon into our group. Brandon C. had been suffering pretty bad from cramps in his quad and hamstring, OUCH!! He proceeded to man-up and push on, way to go!! We soon crested Capitol Peak and the radio towers where, with out shelter, it was horribly cold and windy. On the way up to the peak it started hailing on us again and we all heard a singular VERY LOUD thunder clap!!! On the back side of the peak we had to do so route finding and made and extra trip up to the top of Larch mountain before finding the route and continuing on the trail. The rest of the trail continued to be wet, muddy, slick, and full of rocks, roots and ruts left by the motos. We finished the Sick Puke in a total time of 8 hours 30 minutes around 37 miles +/- and few. I GPS'ed the route with my new Garmin Edge 305 but it is new technology to me and I think between heavy forest canopy, clouds and my inexperience I lost some of the route...? Back at the "Y" we met up with Jim and some of the rest of the riders that either did or did not finish and Jim gave us our coveted Sick Puke 2007 t-shirts!! Courtland and I toasted with a cold beer (Fat Tire ta boot!!) and soon after we got on the road home. The ride was one of THE best mountain bike rides I have ever ridden and will go down in infamy as I continue to try to push the limits of my mountain biking endurance and skill!! I was also told by Jim that I was the first 29er to complete a Sick Puke in it's six years runn'n!! I also tried to take as many pictures as I could although my camera took kind of a beating and some of the pictures didn't turn out very well due to the wet weather... Post on the MTBR.com 29er forum

Getting out to ride

2007-10-12T17:03:00.000-07:00

Tiger Mnt Preston trail entrance

I have finally been able to get out to ride some mountain bike miles in the past few weeks. In the past three weeks I have put in about 20 to 30 miles a week on my mountain bike on single track! I rode with Bob on the Tolt pipline 25 miles, Tiger mountain before flatting and having to push out 6.5 miles, rode with the Sawyer Gut Buster weekly ride 9 miles, I got to ride at Banner Forest with the west side crew last night almost 12 miles, and I found a local place to ride that is only 6 miles form our house!! I forgot how much fun it is to just ride a mountain bike without being in some sort of race. I may try to take on the Capitol Forest "Sick Puke Challenge '07" ride?? I have been trying to sign up for as many BBTC rides as I can/the wife and family obligations will allow. I have not taken very many pictures but I plan to in the near future. I want to get as much riding in before I may have to have surgery number 7 to finalize the healing of my leg!?!?!

Mt. Rainer from Orangegate park only 6 miles form the house!!

Speaking of sacks....

2007-10-11T11:16:00.000-07:00

My good friend and fellow blogger/mountain biker extraordinare, Rich Dillen, just recently had a new messenger bag made for himself. It is in true Dicky fashion and looks like a sweet sack! I had to make a post about custom bags because I don't think I ever made mention of my new bag... While I am no longer a working messenger I still ride my bike around town and need a bag to carry all of my sh!t. Last year I was lucky enough to have the owner, and good friend, of RE Load Messenger bags, Ellie Lum, in my algebra class. We talked about doing a two strap, backpack style, bag to help me carry my school books. I submitted my design in the fall 06 quarter and in the middle of winter quarter 07 I was presented with my new messenger/book bag! It was absolutely amazing turning out even better than I anticipated, Thanks Ellie & crew!

I used a picture taken by Amara Boursaw, of Wheels in Focus fame, at the 2005 Elite National Qualifier at Alpenrose Velodrome in Portland, OR. I was racing in the match sprints and did not finish last!

To custom made bags, salute!

The month of September "lost"....

2007-10-04T10:28:00.000-07:00

I realize I have not made a post since after Mason was just born. That means I did not make a single post in the month of September, WOW! I have been busy with taking care of Mason, Christie, and of course Abigael. I finally decided to try to put some words down and try to get back in the swing of blogging.

Life has been chaotic around our household. Christie's folks were in town staying with us for two weeks after Mason was born. It was a lovely visit and I look forward to Pat and Myrtle coming out at the end of October to visit and see the new young'n. We finally emptied our house and had a few weeks to ourselves as a family. Currently my mom is in town fawning over her new grandson for a week. It has been really fun having Christie home on maternity leave. We have been able to goto the park, go to Dr.s appt., and just hang out around the house. Mason is adjusting to his new environment and so is the rest of the family to him. Abigael has completely embraced her brother! She just loves and adores him. She likes to pick him up and carry him around, under the watchful eyes of the parental units, of course. Christie has completely switched off her work brain and is loving it!! I hope she will be able to turn it back on when she needs to... I was offered a position working for REI in their Sumner warehouse as a bicycle assembler on swing shift from 2:30 till 11pm. Unfortunately due to my EMT class obligation on Tuesday nights from 7-10pm (until Nov. 20th) they could not work around my schedule and I did not get the job, OH WELL next time.

Speaking of EMT class I am almost half way through with our mid-term practical finals this weekend. I will be a patient for the morning student and I will test in the afternoon. I am also waiting to hear back from Seattle Fire Dept. I had an awesome interview on September 7th and passed my CPAT with flying colors 8 mins 12 secs no faults!! I should know if I move on in the hiring process by October 15th.

I have been getting my ASS handed to me in all of the cyclocross races I have raced in last month. I raced in the Labor Day race, Copper Cross (where I lost my clothes before crossing the finish line, opps!), and the Steilacoom GP. I have been racing in the singlespeed class with a bunch of ringers. But mostly it is due to me being completely out of shape! I vow to lose the added pounds and get back into fighting shape again. I have put on almost 10 or 15 pounds since the beginning of summer, OUCH!! I have also made the decision to go back to my old cycling team AVA/Counterbalance. I have "kissed" and made up with the few people I had issues with and I look forward to having good friends to ride and race with this coming year. I will continue to race cyclocross season with Viking Sport and Erik totally understands my reasoning for wanting to go back to AVA/CBB. I have also stated that when I come back to the AVA/CBB team it will only be as a racer as I want nothing to do with team politics or leadership. I will help out when needed but I have my hands full with family and now live 35 minutes away from most of the team.

I have been trying to get out and ride my mountain bike as much as possible lately.
I recently picked up, by selling some of my parts and a bike, a new full suspension mountain bike frame. I realized after the Cascade CreamPuff 100 that I needed some squish in the rear as I get older and more brittle. The frame I got for a steal off of eBay is a Lenz Sport Leviathan 3.0 29er!! I used all of the "geared" part from my Black Sheep to build it up. It weighs in right around 27 pounds ready to rip! It has 3 inches of rear wheel travel and due to the Fox RP3 ProPedal shock it doesn't bob a bit when pedaling uphill or out of the saddle! I had the travel in my RS Reba fork changed from 80mm to 100mm so I now have 4 inches in the front and 3 in the rear. I really enjoy riding it unfortunately we have now entered the crazy rainy season here in the great Pacific Northwest so I try to get out when and where I can... I am going to try to find a local group of mnt bikers to start riding with down here in the "south end" on a regular basis, so far my two options are both on Thursdays at either Lake Swayer (Sawyer Gut Buster ride) or Banner Forest (B.F. night ride). I made my Black Sheep into a fully rigid singlespeed mtb and it weighs in right around 19 or 20 pounds!!

The Lockwood legacy will continue on! Introducing Mason Campbell Lockwood.....

2007-08-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

Christie gave birth Friday night to Mason Campbell Lockwood. Mason was 6 lbs 14.5 oz, 19 inches long, and 100% healthy!! Christie is doing well albeit sore. She gave birth without any drugs in less than FOUR hours from the time her water broke, 6:30pm, at the house till Mason came into this world at 10:23pm! Christie was Sooo strong and made me the proudest husband and daddy, EVER! We spent all day Saturday and Sunday till 2pm in the hospital. Mason passed all of his tests with flying colors. Mason latched immediately to Christie and started nursing with minutes of being born! He has been nursing and sleeping very well so far! The doctor let me help "catch"/deliver Mason. I stayed by Christie's side the entire time helping to coach and encourage her through the labor and delivery. Then at the last moment a third nurse came in and took my place at Christie's side and I gloved up and came around to the Doctor's side. She told me she would deliver the head and the shoulders and I could "do the rest". As Mason's head came out she suctioned his mouth and then positioned my hands around his head while applying an upward pulling pressure. The doc delivered Mason's shoulders and I helped bring him the rest of the way into this world and up onto Christie's waiting chest. Christie and I did not know the sex of our baby until he popped out and it was an amazing surprise to see that he was a boy! Abigael and Christie's dad, Tom, were out in the waiting room and when we were ready I went out and got them and brought them in to see their new brother and grandson. Tom lit up like a Christmas tree and Abigael was in total awe and wonderment. Both got a chance to hold Mason before I sent them home around 2am to get some sleep and wait till Pat arrived the next day. We had a few visitors Saturday afternoon, Wayne and Mary Lockwood and Sam and Wendi Hawley.

We are home know and trying to find some kind of a rhythm and schedule. Last night was our first in the house with Mason and it was kind of rough. Thankfully Christie's parents are here and they are doing a WONDERFUL job of helping out with Abigael and taking care of all of the little stuff. Tom was here all last week and Pat arrived Saturday afternoon. Thank you to all that have sent congratulations and well wishes!! I have posted some pictures on my flickr account and more will come I am sure....

The Man Cave is coming together!!

2007-08-04T20:37:00.000-07:00

This past week has been spent working on "Brandon' Man Cave". The shop has been a HUGE work in progress as it started as a dirty little storage shed. It has been transformed into an amazing work ans "man" space!! I owe it all to the exceptional experience of my dad, Cam, as well as my uncle Wayne. He has worked tirelessly this past week to help me install electricity out to the shop and garage, build a work bench, install a sink, clean-up the back yard, refill the "trench", rebuild the foundation to the shop building, and various other small jobs around the house. The Man Cave is still a work in progress but is coming together nicely. I will eventually post some pictures but it is a nice refuge from babies, screaming 3 year olds and my lovely wife.... I'M JUST KEEDDING!!!

Digging up the yard.... My first project as a home owner!

2007-07-26T15:21:00.000-07:00

My new sanctuary, the shop, on the right behind the apple tree

and the corner of the garage on the left

When we bought our house it was known that one of our two outbuildings was going to be my shop/sanctuary. But it was also known that one of the outbuilding was not wired with electricity making it more of a shed than a shop. Since the other building actually has a garage door I figured I would not take it over as my shop and instead conquer the shed as my oasis!
But doing so necessitated under taking my first major improvement project as a home owner, wiring the shop. I went down to the Tacoma Public Utilities office and obtained a permit, $60, and was impressed how easy it was to obtain. Then I consulted my dad as to how to go about the job. I knew he would be up here in WA state next week as he gets home from his annual Alaska job.

Under the house against the back wall.

According to the code books that Tacoma PUD gave me that I would have to dig a trench. Ok I said I can dig a ditch no problem. Acording to the book it said the trench needed to be 30 inches deep and 12 inches wide. Well the two out building are about 40 feet from the back of the house and they are about 20 feet apart from one another. So that meant 60 feet of digging! I should have gone an rented a Ditch Witch but I decided to beat myself up and dig it by hand. It took me about three days and two shovel later I had a 60 foot, total length, "T" dug and a back yard in shambles. The book called for the bottom 6 inches to be sand , in which, the conduit or UF (Underground Feeder) cable should be buried.

The start of the trench against the back wall of the house.

Well today I went back to the permit office to ask some questions. When I pulled out the book and my detailed drawing to show the inspector and ask questions about the trench I dug he kinda laughed and said, "Your trench only had to be 18 inches deep." WTF?!?! Everybody got a quick laugh at my expense and then the inspector said, "That book is not for you it is for contractors and the specs that you dug your trench for are for laying cable to underground secondary service boxes (SSB)" Oh well better to have dug deeper than not deep enough.... He also said I did not need to line the bottom of the trench with sand and if I didn't want to I did not have to lay conduit that I could bury the wire directly in the ground. We are going to use conduit because it is much cheaper running individual strands of wire vs. bundled romex for the length we have to lay wires, roughly 100 ft, and individual wires must be contained inside conduit (pipe).

The trench, 40 feet of it, 30 inches deep and 12 inches wide!
Bottom corners of the garage on the left and shop on the right.

When I was digging I encountered a pipe next to the garage which I have since determined to be out water main line. It is 18 inches deep and 12 inches from the garage. The inpector said the not only would it not be an issue but that if I wanted too I could lay plumbing pipes in the same trench with the conduit. So I am thinking that I might plumb off the main to run water out to the shop and eventually put in a utility wash tub sink?! I still need to get a plumbing permit if I intend to do so.

Existing wiring into the garage, think it's to code?
And the water main pipe to the house.

So as soon as my dad gets back from Alaska, on Sunday, we will get started with the wiring. We are going to run four 6 gauge 30 amp 220 volt wire strands out of our main 200 amp breaker panel into a 30 amp sub panel inside the shop and then run another set of the same wires into the garage into another 30 amp sub panel box. We will then do the rough in wiring of the shop pulling all of the wires for all of the receptacles, switch, and light fixtures. I also plan to rebuild the work bench inside the shop so that I can place all of the power outlet receptacles in just the right places to be useful in a shop.

Under some concrete walkways and into the shop!!
I will hold off on showing the inside of the shop until it is done,
then I will show before and after pictures in a future post!

Going back to Emergency Medical Technician - Basic school

2007-07-18T16:51:00.000-07:00

I just got a phone call from Seattle Fire Department inviting me to the Emergency Medical Technician - Basic, or EMT-B, course they we be hosting this fall!!!

I have a pretty extensive background in emergency medicine. I first received my EMT-B certification in North Carolina back in 1998. I then became a volunteer with the Watauga County Rescue Squad (WCRS) based in Boone, NC. While I was volunteering with the WCRS I went through the NC EMT - Intermediate course and became a certified EMT-I which allowed me to start IV's and administer some medicines. EMT-I can be a bit more agressive with their field interventions under the direct supervision of the area Medical Director. I worked part and full-time for the county EMS service, Watauga Medics, Inc. During this time starting in 2000 I started the NC EMT-Paramedic course of study. The Paramedic course was a year and a half long and pretty intense. I also complete a wilderness medicine course through SOLO Wilderness Medicine and ASU Outdoor Programs. I continued to volunteer with WCRS conducting search and rescues and EMS service through out the county. I also did my college internship as an Outdoor Trip Leader requiring Wilderness First-Aid training.

In the spring of 2001 I applied to the US Forest Service to become a wildland firefighter, or a Hotshot. I was hired on to the Baker River Hotshot crew based out of Concrete, WA in May 2001 for the 2001 fire season. I was one of the few crew medics and I used my medical knowledge at least a half a dozen times to help save peoples lives. I completed my Paramedic course final exam, sent through the mail, during the first few training weeks with Baker River in May 2001. I never did receive my EMT-Paramedic certification due in part to King counties rules of who can be certified as a Paramedic, only firefighters. Thus started my quest to become a paid firefighter in Washington state. I reciprocated my NC EMT-I to a WA EMT-B and started working for Tri-Med Ambulance but after working primary 911 ALS response working secondary BLS transport just did not cut it.

My WA EMT-B certification expired in December 2004 and I have been waiting ever since for a chance to renew!!! Here is my chance and I WILL make the most of it! I also plan to go back to KCFD #20 and I will be able to keep my EMT certification updated through them until I either get hired as a firefighter or complete nursing school and get my RN license.

Wednesday Night World Championship mountain bike races

2007-07-12T10:06:00.000-07:00

I have been going, on and off, to the weekly Wednesday Night World Championship race series since it started this year. It has been my main source of training this year as I have struggled to find time to ride I figure if I just race like a bat out of hell every few Wednesday nights it will work. Running up to the 24 hour race back in May I raced almost every Wednesday night. Then my Achilles tendon started to flare up and with all of the big races I had planned this summer I did not want to further injure myself so I stopped going. I race in the Sport category and usually I get passed, towards the end of the race, by the expert/pro racers that use Wednesday night as a training race. I have only finished one race this summer in which I did not get passed by the faster expert racers. I flatted out in one race convincing me to "go tubeless" and typically come in mid pack in the Sports. Well this week I raced FLAT OUT and gave it everything I had. I had swapped my Black Sheep over from a front suspension geared mountain bike that I used in all of my long endurance races to it's fully rigid singlespeed configuration.

Now Wick, of Stiff Wick Productions, the master-mind behind the WNWC races puts on a fun race at a place that can tend to offer the same boring terrain all of the time. Wick mixes up and changes the course, to include direction, area of the park, and terrain features, every week. Sometimes it is a fast some what flat fast course other times it can be long and hilly. Each race typically lasts about an hour long, ranges from 5 to 9 laps, and varies in distance between 8 to 12 miles long. I typically run in the RED from the get go averaging about 170 to 180 beats per minute and maxing out my heart rate in the high 190's or so. I really need to be able to race at this same intensity, but with my heart rate staying down in "zone 2" or about 146 to 157 bpm.

I am telling you all of this because last Wednesday night on THE hottest day of the year, 97 deg F in Seattle in record setting!!, I actually was able to out last and out race all of the other Sport class racers to win my category!!! This was a first for me and I truly felt like I was redlining the entire time I averaged 180 bpm maxed at 193 bpm rode 10 miles in 50 minutes! I did get passed by the experts on my second to last lap but it as a flat fast rough course and I knew they would catch me. What made the race "win" even sweeter was the fact I was racing on my singlespeed!! The race series does not count for anything and is just for "fun" but it has been fun to watch my progress and rejuvenate my interest in mountain bike racing all over again.

If the weather is nice out, not cold or rainy, I like to invite Christie and Abigael along to watch and play in the dirt outside for a change. The race regularly snakes through the "spectator" area / parking area. This allows the family and spectators to catch a glimpse of the racers and give Abigael a chance to say "Go Daddy Go!!" as I ride through huffing and puffing.

Over the next year I plan to put so more focus on my training and actually do some! I just recently had a full Metabolic Test done at Real Rehab PT. This will give me a good base line to gauge my fitness as I work on my fitness over the next year. The test measured my max heart rate 186 bpm, max power output in watts (425 watts after 13 minutes which I held for about 3.5 minutes!!), set up my 5 heart rate zones, my VO2 Max 54 ml/kg/min, my fat/carb kcal usage and most importantly my lactic acid threshold heart rate 177 bpm. I am meeting with Erik Moen, Corpore Sano, in a few weeks to setup a training/coaching plan, incorporating this info, that I can use to get my butt back in shape since my leg injury and to accomplish/smash my goals for 2008!! I plan to, no I WILL, finish the CCP100 next year if that is the only thing I do in 2008!!

I also found out that I DO have a small tear in the Labrum cartilage in my right shoulder, also know as a SLAP tear, that is what has been causing me pain. SLAP is short for Superior Labrum from Anterior to Posterior. The tear is small in the 12 o'clock position in the Labrum cartilage. I should be able to rehab it through PT but, surgery is an option down the road... I have also been given a prescription for some massage therapy, SWEET!!

Cascade Cream Puff (73 miles out of a) 100 miler

2007-07-08T21:33:00.000-07:00

WARNING VERY LONG POST: but totally worth reading!! Sorry this took so long!!

Pictures to be added soon!! link at bottom of post...

This weekend I traveled down to Westfir/Oakridge, OR for the Cascade Cream Puff 100 mile mountain bike race. I left Tacoma Saturday at 11:30 and arrived rather quickly at 4pm. I set about picking up my registration packet and setting up my gear before the mandatory 6pom riders meeting. I ended up bumping into Mike Ripley and Carl from Corvallis, OR and set up camp next to them. Mike hosted the Test of Endurance 50 back in early June. Around 6pm all of the racers, about 120 plus family and volunteers, gathered in the Westfir School cafeteria to eat an amazing meal and then talk about race particulars. Around 8pm we finally started drawing for raffle prizes. Amazingly enough my number was picked shortly after starting the raffle, winning a sweet pair of Ergon grips! I was able to slip out and finish getting my race stuff situated due to the race starting at 5:15 am Sunday morning!!!

I slept "OK" in the rental tent. Due to the move I could not find our tent in the many boxes we have yet to unpack. I slept pretty close to the port-a-potty and people kept letting the door slam shut all night, next time pack ear plugs!! I was awake when my alarm went off at 3:45 am, giving me enough time to get dressed and go eat breakfast between 4 and 4:45. Let me tell you it was WAY too early! We had to roll out of camp for the 2 mile ride to the start line by no later than 5 am.

Once we got to the red cover bridge we had to check-in by race number and name in order to officially start the race. Running a few minutes behind we were off on a neutral roll out at 5:20 am down the paved road until we hit the base of the dirt fire road climb and the race was ON! Well at least it was for the fast racers, for me I started at the back of the pack just so 121 riders would not have to pass me by as I set in on my snails pace. I rode the climb with about 10 or 12 of the same people all the way up to Aid station #2. It was 11.2 miles from the red covered bridge to Aid #2 and we gained about 4000 feet of elevation! I spent about 15 or 20 minutes catching my breath and replenishing my liquid food supply, Hammer Nutrition MMmm good, stocking up on energy bars, and stripping off the early morning layers. I had an ice chest brought up to Aid #2 within it I had most of my water bottles pre-prepped. I also had some extra clothes and essentials should I need them. It was then that I realized that my gel flask full up mixed up Perpetuem paste had completely emptied out into the bottom of the ice chest! YUCK! What a mess, luckily my extra clothes were in a plastic bag and everything else was mostly unaffected. It still took extra time to wash some of the goop off and refill my hydration pack. As I was leaving Aid #2 I heard someone yell out "Bacon on the right" in response to all of the volunteers yelling "Water, gel, food, and sports drink on your left!". I said something to the effect of "I love bacon!!" and the next thing I knew I had my picture taken with a strip of bacon hanging out. I was soon back on the bike, munching away on my bacon strip, and pedaling my way up to Aid #3, more uphill fireroad. I got to a high point and called Christie around 7 am, waking her up, to say hi since I did not get any signal down in the campground. I told her I would call again later when I got a good signal.

I finally got to Aid #3 and plowed on through into my first taste of singletrack! I was riding with two other riders, an older dad 57 yo!, Frank, his 26 yo son was also racing and a former pro/team manager, Brent, that had not been on the bike in over three years! Both of these guys were kinda hurt'n so it was nice to just ride along with out feeling pressured to push the envelope. In hind sight I may have kept my heart rate down where it needed to be but I slowly, with out realizing, ate up my time to finish the full 100 miles. Before leaving Aid #3 the volunteers stopped me to gawk over the Black Sheep, they said it was the best looking bike present at the race (THANKS!!), and ask a few questions. I got to talking about my leg and the accident and pretty soon I off down the trail to hoots of "Go Black Sheep Go!!" After the amazing ride through the Jedi trail post Aid #3 I swung through Aid #2 on my way down to Aid #1 and finishing lap 1. I was determined, with as slow as I was riding, to take as many pictures as I could during the ride. I got some amazing shots but it too worked to slow me down overall. As Brent and I started the downhill singletrack neither one of us really realized how much downhill we were in for!! By the time we hit the half way point our brakes were smoking and our triceps where on fire!!

When we both hit Aid #1 around 10 am and Brent called it quits and DNF'ed. I checked in and continued down the trail that bordered the river all alone. They said it was chock full of poison oak but I didn't see much because I was moving trying to make up some time on my own for the first time since the start of the race. Soon enough I was climbing the steep fireroad. At least the first 3 miles, which were the steepest, were some what shaded. Beyond the mid way oasis it was nothing but mean, hot sun beating you about the head and shoulders. I slowed down alot up this part of the climb. My back really started to tighten up and ache, partly due to the 4.5 hour drive the day before and partly due to "sleeping" on a foam mattress in a tent the night prior. I got off and walked a bit just to stretch out my back and when I remounted I moved my hydration pack from my back to my front, fastening my sternum and waist straps behind me to keep it on. Boy let me tell you it was like taking a weight off my back!! I popped into Aid #2 again before I knew it! My legs felt GREAT I had not had a single twinge of a cramp all day so far, but I was very close to over heating!! Let me tell you how amazing this race was run! EVERY time I came into an aid station, especially Aid #2, I was overwhelmed with volunteers trying to help me out! A cold water spray bottle was in my face immediately and the cold water towel on my neck did the job of cooling me down!! I replenished my Hammer Nutrion bottles and water supply and set out for Aid #3. I gave Christie a call and talked for a few minutes on the way. I was also passed by the top two riders as I came into Aid #3. on their third lap! I was warm when I got to Aid #3 but I had them douse the towel on my neck and all was right in my world. When I came back into Aid #3 after the short loop we only had to do on Laps 1 and 2 they made me sit down and take a rest. I was coming up on 2pm and they told me the time cut-off for being able to leave Aid #3 to finish Lap #3 was 6:15pm. That gave four and a quarter hours to basically do a lap form Aid #3 and back. Four and a quarter was totally do able! I set out with a renewed since of purpose, I damn well wanted to finish all 104 miles and get my hat!

Well that started to wane as I road from Aid #3 to Aid #2. I hit Aid #2 around 3 pm and came to the realization that I still had over 10 0r 12 miles of serious downhill singletrack, then the three roller coaster miles along the river, and then the brutal 9 mile climb to Aid #2 and another 5 miles to Aid #3 BEFORE 6:15pm!!! As I rolled into Aid #2 I knew it just wasn't going to happen for me this year. I sure as hell did NOT want to ride all the way back up to Aid #3 just to get told that I could not go on and I was being pulled. So I walked over to the "Team Bacon Strip / Vulture Cycles flock" and ordered up a sweet,and rich dark homebrew beer and grabbed a few real food Subway sandwiches from the stacks of food the volunteers had for us, sat down and didn't move for about an hour! Around 4pm I decided I had better start my decent back down to Aid #1 to finish lap 2 and officially DNF (Did Not Finish). I could tell that my bike handling skillz had rapidly diminished and it turned into more of a hang on for dear life ballz out run downhill!!

When I crossed the finish line I was disappointed with my performance. I rode straight through without stopping, just want to get back to the campground and take a shower. Scott, the organizer, ran over to get my number and hand me a finisher's hat and I sadly snapped "I DNF'ed only got two laps, my number is M33!!" Scott said sorry and probably something else but I was already turned around and cranking out the final two miles back to camp. I am soooo sorry for snapping at you Scott! I was mad at myself for dinking around on the course and eating up my time to finish. My legs felt great and I had plenty of energy left, I just flat ran out of time. I crossed the line at Aid #1 at 5:06pm with almost 12 hours on course, here are the overall results for the race.

When I got back to camp I immediately showered in the School gym with Technu. Scott actually brought Technu on board as a sponsor! I then received my 20 minute professional massage form one of about 6 or 7 masseuses. Then dinner spread was great! I ate dinner and talked with Scott's wife Donna who massively helped with the race organization!!

Overall this was HANDS DOWN the best hosted, most well run race I have EVER attended!! Yes, the entry fee is steep, $222, but well worth EVERY penny!! I do plan to be back next year, as I can now pre-register as a veteran racer! Not a single person I talked to had any complaints. I may not have walked away with the ultimate finisher hat but I got a t-shirt, socks, three or four good quality water bottles, an awsome race, useable raffle schwag, free camping with showers and porcelain! Amazing singletrack, views to die for on course, a professional post-race massage, enough food to choke a horse, total support out on the course, and a feeling of having accomplished something (or at least most of) that only a handful of people get to do each year!!

I crashed out in my tent that night and woke up late the next morning!! Sorer than I have been in a long time!! My poor prostrate took one hell of a beating!! I went into Oakridge to have breakfast with the few people left in town. It was nice to just chat and throw ideas at Scott. I apologized for snapping at the finish and he said no prob like water off a ducks back.... I also learned that the folks that feed me bacon on my first lap were from AZ and the have a team called, "Team Bacon Strip"!!! Go figure!

This is the MTBR.com post for the 2007 CCP100 it has some great post race reviews of the
race!!
Most of my pictures are on my Flickr here!

We have a new cyclist in the family!!!

2007-07-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

Abigael is just rocking the pink bike ever since she has had a flat level place to ride regularly!!! It won't be to far off before she is out at the track racing against me!!! I really hope that she enjoys riding her bike as much as I do!! I pray it will be something that we can share together!! The video is about 5 minutes long but well worth the watch....

(And yes Abigael ended up with my temper, sorry folks! I will try to work with her to improve that!)

The Move...

2007-06-23T22:56:00.000-07:00

Today we moved the BULK of our stuff into the new blue house.... and we will be moving in for the rest of 2007 and 2008 it seems!! We had the help of very good friends, THANK YOU GOES OUT TO ALL THAT HELPED!!! Boxes boxes boxes everywhere.......

GRADES!!!

2007-06-20T22:11:00.000-07:00

SO here are my final grades for the entire year!!! The last two, Spring quarter, are this quarters grades...

TERM     COURSE ID         -------- TITLE --------       GRADE      CREDITS  
FA 06    ANP   213         ANATOMY & PHYSIO I             3.4          5.0   
        MAT   085         ALGEBRA II                     4.0          5.0   
        NTR   150         HUMAN NUTRITION                2.3          5.0   
                                                                            
Qtrly:     Gpa Cr  15.0  Cr Earn  15.0  P/S Cr   0.0  Grpts   48.5  GPA 3.23 
                                                                            
WTR07    ANP   214         HUMAN ANAT & PHYSIO II         2.8          5.0   
        CHE   101         FUND OF INORGANIC CHEM         3.7          5.0   
        MAT   098         INTER ALGEBRA                  3.9          5.0   
                                                                            
Qtrly:     Gpa Cr  15.0  Cr Earn  15.0  P/S Cr   0.0  Grpts   52.0  GPA 3.47 
                                                                            
SPR07    BIO   280         MICROBIOLOGY                   3.4          5.0   
        PSY   206         S-DEVELOPMENTAL PSYCH          4.0          5.0   
                                                                            
Qtrly:     Gpa Cr  10.0  Cr Earn  10.0  P/S Cr   0.0  Grpts   37.0  GPA 3.70   
                                                                            
Cum:       Gpa Cr  40.0  Cr Earn  40.0  P/S Cr   0.0  Grpts  137.5  GPA 3.44 
Clvl:      Gpa Cr  30.0  Cr Earn  30.0  P/S Cr   0.0  Grpts   98.0  GPA 3.27

Not to shabby, huh!! How do ya like them apples?? I am now officially done with all of my nursing prerequisites. I still have a few classes I can take that are needed for most nursing programs like a higher math class, organic chemistry, and/or a sociology course. But I can now apply to nursing programs. Since we are now moving down to Tacoma that kinda takes Shoreline Community College out of the running and puts Seattle Central Community College at quite a commute. Tacoma Community College has what looks to be a quality Nursing Program! TCC is not to far from the house about 5.5 miles about the same distance that SCCC was from our apartment in Magnolia. The unique thing that TCC has to offer with their Nursing program is a part-time program that spreads the usual 6 quarter at 12 hours a quarter out to 12 quarters and 6 hour per quarter! This may allow me to get started while I raise the new baby and Abigael. I plan to take the next year to year and a half off so I can stay at home with the kids and give the baby the same quality of attention that Abigael was able to have of me as a baby. When the baby reaches the age of 18 months I will be able to sign him or her up for the school run day care at TCC similar to what Abigael has been attending for the past three quarters at SCCC. I will then be able to turn my focus of Nursing full time and hopefully I will be able to attend the full time program and get my RN inside 2 years!!!

I also got the Seattle Fire Department application in the mail. There is a chance I might be able to retake the EMT class this fall so I can renew my certification! I placed 72 on the list this go-round of testing. I will go through the motions and we'll see what happens??

Home Owners!!!

2007-06-19T19:04:00.000-07:00

We now have keys in hand and we are officially home owners now!!! We are in debt up to our ears for the rest of our lives!! Many thanks go out to our realtor, Debra Truelove with Coldwell Banker Bain and our loan officer, Mike Manthey with Landover Mortgage. We would also would like to thank our Parents, Todd with Immaculate Home Inspection Inc, USAA, the seller, and everyone that is going to help us move next weekend!! Ha! We will be moving into the "Blue House", as Abigael calls it, over the weekend!

On another note I went to a sports medicine Doctor today, Dr. Christian Peterson. I had x-rays taken of my left leg and ankle and of my right shoulder. Most people would ask why my shoulder?? Well when I was down in San Jose back in March with Julian I made a little trip over the handlebars while out on the trail. I landed with my right arm above my head while I augered into the ground with my elbow. After my O.T.B. experience I ended up with an extremely sore right shoulder and arm that I couldn't even raise over my head! I toughed it out and slowly my shoulder got a little better, but it still ached and became very sore when I rode my mountain bike for any length of time. The Doc determined that I might have a tear in my connective tissue. So to help with the pain in my left Achilles tendon and my right shoulder he gave my a cortisone shot in my ass! I am going to have an MRI done of my shoulder on Friday to find any damage in my shoulder.

South Junett Street

2007-06-13T13:33:00.000-07:00

Our appraisal went through!! The house appraised at $230,000!! We are set to sign paperwork on Friday and we close escrow on Tuesday by 9pm!! We will start moving next week and our goal is to be free and clear of the apartment by the end of the month!!! WOW what an awesome step in our lives!! Tacoma here we come!!! Thanks to all that have helped us out through this process! More to come as we move.....

50 miles of MUD!!!!

2007-06-11T06:53:00.000-07:00

My Results:

Sport 19-39 Men
11th Brandon Lockwood Viking Sport Seattle 7:14:07
Overall
106th Brandon Lockwood Viking Sport Seattle 7:14:07

I found some photos of me on the oregonvelo.com site
I would like to maybe get some prints, which pics should I get??
Pic 1 Pic 2 Pic 3 or Pic 4

This weekend I drove down to Blodgett,OR just west of Corvallis for the Test of Endurance 50 mountain bike race. I arrived Sat. at 5pm just in time to pick up my registration packet. I met Mike Ripley, the race promoter and all around nice guy, and then followed him up to Blodgett school where the race was going to start from Sunday morning at 9am. The camping was a little further up the road at Blodgett Cafe. The had some food specials for the races which included a lasagna dinner with salad and hot marrionberry pie with ice cream!! I ate dinner with Doug Walsh and his Trans Rockies partner Brett Foster both from the Seattle area. Nat Pellman and his girlfriend also came down from Seattle. A bunch of out of town racers camped out in the Cafe's grassed field, THANKS! Mike had a bluegrass band perform and a keg of Mirror Pond beer! I spent a fitful night's sleep in the back of the Subaru waking up with the sunrise at 6:00am. The Cafe had a wonderful all you can eat breakfast of eggs, pancakes, fruit, cereal, and coffee for only $5!!! I then started getting my stuff prepped for the race, fill the hydration pack and mix the water bottles with Hammer Heed and Perpetuem. Then I drove over to the school for the start of the race and was greeted by a couple hundred people. They were buzzing around getting ready for the 8:45 start for the Singlespeeders and the 9am start for the geared racers!! There were about 30 singlespeed racers and around a 100 geared racers.

When the race started Mike Ripley rolled everyone out pacing the first mile in one big mass rolling start and then he pulled off and the race was on!! I quickly slipped to the back of the pack as the trail started to climb right out of the gate. I prefer to ride alone or with as few people as possible and I knew if I was closer to the front I would get caught up in racer mode and blow-up very fast. I had 50 miles to ride and I did not want to wither out in the first ten or so. I felt strong, my legs felt good and my Achilles was not bothering me. As the race progressed the rain came down and the course got muddy. As more and more racers crossed trough the new freshly cut singletrack it started to become mush. After 130 or so bikes ride the single track it is not single track anymore. The mud was slick and plentiful. It was mostly clay and very sticky!! I looked forward to the fire road for a chance to spin the mud off of my bike. Very fast I packed on an extra ten pounds of mud upon my bike and person. It coated my water bottles and globed up my tires. I must speak VERY highly of the Michelin AT XC 29 tire I was running in the rear. It shed mud like crazy!! It may have had small knobs but they cleared the mud so fast that the tire was able to find purchase in all but the thickest of the mud. I was able to ride up and through most section that other people could not ride. I was running a Kenda Nevegal in the front and was greatful for it width and corning knobs! The only down side was that it did not shed the mud as easily and it did a hell of a job packing mud up into the fork cross brace. I never washed out and endo'ed I did wash out a few times but was able to keep myself from going down. Towards the end of the first 25 mile lap I was following a racer down a crazy red clay muddy down hill when his front wheel washed out and over the bars he went smashing his hip into a rock and instantly cramping up. I stopped to help as well as about 5 other riders that I had been riding with on again off again. I helped the guy work out his cramp and then I stayed behind to ride the guy out while the other went on to tell the aid station. After about a mile or so he went down again and decided to walk it out. At that point he told me to ride on and realizing that I was eating up my time and momentum I left him to walk out on his own. I took short 10 minute or so breaks at the aid stations where I was able to eat food, replenish water bottles, and wipe off my glasses.

At the half way point I knew I was cold, sore, tired, and NOT GOING TO QUIT!!! At least two other riders decided to call their race off at Aid #1 while I was there. I personally couldn't believe that after 26 grueling miles one would quit without getting pulled by the race officials for being outside of the time to finish. I was right on order with completing within 6 hours (I didn't realize how much I would slow down on my second lap!) having finished the first lap just outside 3 hours. The second lap was a very lonely lap for me. I rode for a very long time before a lone female rider passed me on one of the grueling uphill climbs. We proceeded to trade back and forth for the rest of the lap, I would pass her on the downhills and on the single track and she would pass me on the hills. At one point during the long fast downhill fire road on the backside of the course I reached a max speed of 35.8 MPH!!! Mind you this was on wet fire road where my glasses were completely covered in mud and water essentially leaving scream downhill blind!! When I finally hit the last Aid station (#1) I knew I only had to ride 1 more mile and I had a GREAT sense of accomplishment! I didn't quit even when my Achilles was screaming, or the mud was packing on so bad the bike weighed 20lbs more, or even when I started to get a cramp in my right thigh (the only good leg I have!!) I powered through to finish!

On the order of equipment my bike performed FLAWLESSLY!! The best decision I made was to add a 22 tooth chainring and front derailleur to my bike. Despite the amount of mud that packed around my bottom bracket and front drivetrain the front derailleur shifted without fail EVERY time I pushed the shifter!! I did encounter chain suck once, mid way through the second lap, when shifting up to my 32 tooth chainring but it was quickly rectified with a good yank and never happened again. I had to bang the mud off numerous times and if I had known I might have brought some fenders?? But I am convinced that James Bleakley built me a bike for the ages!! I just wish my body had held up as well as my bike did. My knees are sore, every muscle in my body is in a knot, my left Achilles is on fire, and I have a nice bruise on my right hip and forearm from a mudslide/crash right into a tree on lap one!! But I am pretty sure I will be ready for the Cascade Cream Puff 100 miler in a month???.... I have a Dr.'s appointment next week with Dr. Christian Peterson, a Viking Sport teammate and sports medicine doc that my PT Erik Moen recommended I go see!!

Junett St??

2007-06-01T14:10:00.000-07:00

So we put in a new offer on a house last week. IT WAS ACCEPTED!! On Wednesday morning we had our home inspection and right now we are just waiting for all of the inspections to be completed and the final home inspection repairs to be finalized and then the inspection can be signed off on. We received our Title Insurance commitment today! If all goes well with the appraisal we are scheduled to close on the 19th of June!!! I can't believe we are going to be home owners!! The house is in the Edison neighborhood of South Tacoma. There are a few elementary schools within walking distance, a nice clean neighborhood and a big yard with TWO detached garages!!! Here are a few pictures and I am going to try to upload some videos we took!

24 HOURS OF PAIN...

2007-05-28T12:51:00.000-07:00

Finish Line!!

MORE PHOTOS HERE

Hello adoring fans....

On Friday we went out to the race site and setup our campsite. Eric lent us his family sized tent, his 10x10 pop up canopy, and his folding table. I went out for pre-ride of the course while Christie and Abigael walked around and took in the circus that is 24 hour mountain bike racing. When I got back I picked up my race packet and timing chip. We taped off an area, battened down the hatches and went to Eric's house to eat dinner and sleep in a warm dry place. We had dinner with Eric, his new girlfriend Melissa, and Jason and Emily Kinley.

Our fun little camping/pit area

My first 24 hour race ended Sunday at 12pm with me in 26th outta 30 places. I completed 8 laps for a total of 117.6 miles and a totals "wheels rolling" time of 10 hours and 48 minutes. I did complete one of my goals for this race which was riding at least 100 miles. What I did not complete was riding 100 "CONSECUTIVE" miles (in prep for the Cream Puff). Now to talk about the reason why I did not complete said goal...

Coming in to the pits after my first lap!

When I pre-rode the course Friday night I noticed a slight strain/pain in my left Achilles tendon (heel) but I just put it off as soreness from the previous weeks pain which turned out to be a huge knot in my left calf muscle. I came back to Eric Ewing's house and iced it all evening. On Saturday it still felt tight so I stretched as best as I could and put "Icy/Hot" on the sore heel, thanks to the RCR boys!! The race started at noon with a LeMans (running) style start. I had no idea the run was up a hill and through the woods and then back to the bikes!!! It was not the best way to start a race when I have a hard time walking let alone running and the jog put me in the pain hole right off the bat! I should have just walked the "run" but I jogged and I don't think it did my Achilles any good because as soon as I started riding I could feel pain in my heel. I found a sweet spot with out stretch it or straining my heel and rode on. I completed my first 14.7 mile lap in about 1:13 with a 20 minute transition I went back out for lap number two and then I was going to take a break during the heat of the day. I should have stopped with one lap under my belt. The heat hit me like a 2x4 and I started cramping worse than I have ever cramped before! I didn't think I would make it back to our pit/camp area and when I did I fell into the chair knowing I had just complete one of the longest 14.7 miles of my life!! I just sat there and drank water and swallowed Hammer Nutrition Endurolyte pills, downed bottle after bottle of Hammer Heed, iced my screaming ankle/heel, and took a nap. Christie, my AWESOME pit crew, was outstanding with her support!! She fetched fresh water, filled/mixed bottles of electrolights, got ice for me, and entertain the kid!! She is the best support crew I could have asked for!! After about 3 1/2 to 4 hours I felt like a human being again instead of a human (dried-up) bean! So I decided to give it a go again around 6:30pm.

Yes, I rode the entire race on a fully RIGID Mt Bike!!!

This time out I felt great, hydrated, and strong. Although my heel still hurt like crazy I knew I could ride on and push through the pain. I turned on my light system from AY UP! lights and BOY WAS I AMAZED!!! I had more than enough light at night. The LED system out shown all lights except the craziest HID "stadium" lights that were more than too much light! I would recommend the Ay Up! light system to anyone looking for a light weight LONG lasting bright lighting system. I raced the entire race with my lights already mounted on my helmet and bike, that is how light they are!!! I completed three laps from about 6:30 till about 10:30 with small pit stops to refill Heed bottles, hydration bladders, and re-lube the chain n' wipe down the bike. After coming in from 44.2 miles I needed to eat food! I decided to wait (no more pizza was left) for the midnight chicken wing feed and after eating I got sleepy and realized that if I went out for another lap it would be unsafe, so I went to sleep! I really regret not getting out on the trail more that night! It was not too cold and the conditions were perfect for night riding... Oh well next year!!

Abigael, Christie, and I feel asleep on the big inflatable mattress in the tent together and my alarm went off at 3am and I promptly fell back asleep and then woke up in a start at 4:30am! Oh crap! an hour and a half?!! I had really wished to get up in time to ride at least one more night lap, to give the Ay Up!s at least one more lap, and then catch the sunrise at 5 am. Oh well! I got up and got ready to go. I left the made up water bottle of Heed on the table as well as any gels and food. My ASS hurt so bad when I sat back down on my saddle I thought I would wake the entire camp with a scream of pain!! But I got comfortable and soon all was well again in the nether regions... I was able to watch the sunrise while out on the trail! I came back to the "pit" and my crew was still asleep so I pitted myself and went out for lap number 7.

While I was out riding all I could think about was the pancake breakfast that was going on back at camp and was I going to miss it??!!! I had wanted pizza earlier that night and they had run out by the time I got in from my laps!! I had no way to contact Christie or Eric to tell them to save me a plate! When I came back to the pit again the family was awake and I was screaming for pancakes!! I rushed Christie and Abigael down to eat fresh hot blueberry pancakes! We ate pancakes with Jason and Emily Kinsley (from Hammer Nutrition) and Eric. I decided to attempt an eighth lap and rode off into the quickly warming up morning. While out on the 8th and final lap the heat turned up and I knew I was, D-U-N, done! I also felt a sharp shooting pain in my left heel/Achilles tendon right at the start of the lap and made the call to continue on and it soon passed to a dull ache.

Throughout the race I received TONS of support and help from the boys in the Viking Sport (raced as Team Speedy Reedy) camp and the Recycled Cycles camp. Ryan Vanderloop, fellow Viking Sport teammate, was riding on a 4 person team and helped with ankle support... And of course there is "the bianchi" master mechanic and athletic supporter!!! Thanks guys for everything!! I do believe the hoots and hollers as I started my laps kept me going as well as the J.B.!!!!

I also met quite a few people at the race. Doug Walsh is from the Seattle area and he is a fellow 29er rider! He ripped up the course in the Men's Solo and placed 7th! Francis (Fran) Bach is from Colorado and he and his girlfriend drove all the way to Spokane to do this race. I kept telling myself he looked familiar and then it hit me! I briefly met Fran and his twin brother in Colorado at the 24 hr Kona Global series race I helped Eric time in Winterpark last September. Fran was racing in the Men's Solo Singlespeed division and did rather well. He also has a Black Sheep Ti MTB I took a picture to show the difference between his 26" wheel and my 29" wheel! Our neighbors across the race course where Moishe (Mo) and Lindsay Lettvin and there daughter Amelia. Abigael and Amelia became fast friend s despite the 18 month age gap and played like crazy in the dirt! Mo raced in the Men's Solo Singlespeed div as well. Mo did well until he developed some narly blisters on his hands and then called his race placing 6th! Jason and Emily Kinsley mentioned about are old friends of Eric's from Spokane. Jason reps for Hammer Nutrion and his wife Emily, woh is 20 weeks pregnant, does as well. Jason raced in the Men's Solo Singlespeed and was kicking ass until he ran into some health issues and had to pull out placing 7th in the singlespeed div. I had met Jason once before at the same 24 hr race in Colorado as I met Fran.

Two Black Sheep Ti Highlights
My geared 29er on the left and Fran's painted singlespeed 26er on the right

UGH!

2007-05-23T08:10:00.000-07:00

So for some reason (I think Abigael gave it to me) I have come down with a horrible cold!! I had the chills and aches last night and despite Tylenol I had a fever of 101.4F and when I woke up this morning my temp was 101.6F!!!!! I haven't thrown up or had diarrhea just the miserable achy fever. Abigael had it on Sunday all day and was fine by the evening so I am praying this will go away before we leave tomorrow for Spokane!! I have one last PT session before I leave for the 24 hour MT Bike race. I received a kick ass phone call yesterday from Scott Taylor the promoter of the Cascade Cream Puff 100, I AM IN!! Here is the email I got today:

"Congratulations, your in!

You are registered for the CCP.

Eventually you will see your name on the official site as a registered racer.

Please use the CCP website for contact: scott@cascadecreampuff.com . I'm spamming everyone because individual e-mails take so much time.

I'm looking forward to meeting each of you this July.

More to come later.

Scott"

I hope I am not in over my head with that one! My goal is to just finish!!! (PS More prayers needed for that one too!!) Unfortunately I can't even begin to think about riding a bike right now as my body rejects itself!

On another note we made an offer on another house last night. This house is located at S Junett St. Tacoma, WA. There is a brand new elementary school with a middle school attached 4 blocks north at the end of S Junett St. and another Elementary school located a few blocks south. The yard is nice and big fully fenced in with four big fruit bearing trees, apple, plum, pear, and cherry. There are two detached garages in the back one could be used as a Brandon bike shed!! The house itself is about 1300 sft 3+ bedroom 1.5 bath built in 1908 (yes old but updated). There are many neat nooks and crannies with wood floors in the front room and dining room. There is a big bedroom up stairs with a bonus room that runs the length of the house that could be a play room/guest room/office/family room... The price was right at $209,999 and the neighbors had nothing but good things to say about the neighborhood.

I just got a call from our best friend Wes Duncan from NC that his baby boy Samuel was born around 3am Tuesday morning!! He was 21" long and over 9lbs with a FULL head of hair (Wes said they had to comb it for his newborn picture!!) . God bless Wes, Crystal, and their new baby boy Samuel! Crystal was in labor for over 19 hours and the boy was almost a week late!!

Our crazy week...

2007-05-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

So this past week included an amazing birthday party for our now big THREE year old Abigael, hosting family and friends for said birthday party, looking at houses down in Tacoma, finding "THE" house, placing an offer in less than 12 hours on said house, waiting two days only to find out that we got beat out by a cash only offer!, and working out an extremely sharp pain in my left Achilles tendon! So we are totally drained! Unfortunately we are back to the drawing board looking for a house. We are going back down to Tacoma tonight to look at a few more houses. (May have found one??? S. Junett St) We were VERY disappointed to find out we did not get our offer accepted. The house had it all! The yard was to die for, it backed up to a park and was at the end of a dead end street. I don't think the hard part is finding the right house it is finding the right house in the right neighborhood!! With two young kids we really need to find the house that has a great big yard and is in a safe 'n not very busy place. This was the house we place the offer on 6139 S Ainswoth Ave. The leg is feeling SOOoooo much better after Dr. John at my PT office worked over my leg and found a huge knot in my calf. I feel great, a little sore still, but feeling like I can race this weekend in Spokane at the 24 hour race. I wanted to THANK both of our parents for helping not only us out with the buying of our house but for investing in Abigael's and the baby's future!

First night back on the track at Marymoor Velodrome!!

2007-05-12T11:33:00.000-07:00

Last night was the first night of pre-season racing for the 2007 track racing season at Marymoor Velodrome. This was also my first night back on a track bike since my accident on August 5th, 2005. It was also the first time I have had a chance to ride my new DeSalvo Custom Cycles track bike. During pre-season racing there are three catergories; A (Cat. 1-3), B (Cat 3-4), and C's (Cat 4-5's and some women). There were no Cat C's so they gave the Cat. 4's a chance to race for upgrade points! I self-seeded into the Cat. B race, consisting of a few top juniors and a few Cat. 3's, there were 5 total racers for the night in the B's. The A's were a bigger field but consiting mostly of Cat. 1/2's and way beyond my intry level coming back into racing. Since it was a big deal for me to be back on the track racing in over a season and a half Christie and the whole family came out to watch me race. Since it is Abigael's birthday weekend all of our North Carolina and Los Angeles relatives are in town. Jose and Sharon were also out at the track with Jose racing in the Cat. 4's and Sharon on Arlo duty. The Cat. B's raced a 10 lap scratch race, a 3x3 points race, and finally a 4x5 points race. Overall I felt strong and healthy on the bike. I was able to arrive early enough to get registered and warm-up on the track for about 30 minutes. During the 10-lap scratch race, which consists of riding for 9-laps and the getting the bell with one lap to go and sprinting for 1st thru 4th place, one of the juniors took off the front and stayed out front to take first while I threw down the mad sprint for 2nd place. In the 3x3 race, which is a sprint every 3-laps for points 3, 2, and 1 three sprints total, I took the first sprint and came third in the second sprint and blew up trying for the third sprint. And finally in the 4x5 points race, which is the same as the 3x3 just four sprints every 5-laps for 20 laps total, I took the first sprint, came in second in the second sprint, and came in second in the final sprint. I felt like I could recover faster from my sprints than I used to be able to and could hang onto the pack easier than in the past. I know I only race with four other racers and it will be different when I am racing fellow Cat. 3's but man it felt SOOoooo good to be back on the track. In the end I found out that I won the Cat. B omnium for the night with a total of 15 points!!! WOW I can't believe that talk about a self confidence boost!! Of course pre-season racing does not count for anything (no upgrade points) but it is great training and will help me re-familliarize myself with the track. Christie had her camera out and took a ton (143) of pictures of me, Jose, and the family. She took some really great action shots! I also got to meet one of my Viking Sport Seattle teammates, Richard Juntunen, he was seeded in the A's so we couldn't race together but I believe he is a Cat. 3 so we will be racing together through the season! The one major bummer I learned last night is that due to turnout the MVA changed to catergories this year so that there are no more Master A and B's there is only a Master's 35+ catergory on Wednesday now, I am racing age 34 this year, so I will only be able to race Cat. 3's on Friday nights. I had planned to concentrate on rebuilding my legs and racing ability in the Master B's as opposed to racing against the younger healthy Cat. 3's.... Oh Well!! Thank you to all that came out and cheered me on last night it ment the world to me! I saw Matt Bianchi and his girlfriend Jodi, Sharon and Jose, and even Bernie Hayden came out to watch as well as all of my in-laws and my dad and uncle!! I foresee amazing things for this year's racing season!! Watch out 3's here I come and I can still spin it up in turn three!!!

Gone ridin' with my daddy!

2007-05-07T09:25:00.000-07:00

Saturday started off early picking up my friend Sean Wellnitz and packing the kid, bikes and food in the car and heading east. We arrived at the Cedar Creek trail head at 9:15am. By the time we got everything setup, hooked up, packed and situated we were finally on the trail by 9:50am later than I wanted but glad to be riding none the less. Abigael was having a blast riding along in the sidecar trailer and of course after about 3 miles she had to go potty. Now I have avoided letting her go potty in the woods just because if she knows she can it would be the only way she would want to go, but when ya gotta go ya gotta go!! She only had to tinkle and soon we were off again. Abigael sang and looked out and generally had a very good time. At mile 10 we finally made it to one of the "primitive" campsites on the trail and gave Abigael a chance to get out and stretch her legs and go potty in a proper (very clean!!) pit toilet. We took a few minute break and let Abigael run around and play in the gravel. Sean was feeling great considering he was riding my only other mountain bike a fully rigid steel single speed 29er the Raleigh XXIX. Sean was having a blast and loving his first ever MTB ride! We gave Abigael the choice to keep riding up the hill (towards the tunnel @ 8.5 more miles) or turn back to the car (for a 20 mile total) she said, "Keep riding up the hill!" So we loaded up and kept plugging away east. About mile 13 or 14 I started feel really weak and very hungry so I downed a Hammer gel and a water bottle of Perpetuem (liquid calories!!) and it got me through the rest of the way up to the tunnel. Abigael proceeded to nod off from the avalanche shed to the tunnel in a bouncy uncomfortable looking slumber! As we approached the avalanche shed, about 1.5 mile before the tunnel, I told Sean how far we were away and he took off like a rocket. He is very strong on the bike thanks to riding the urban assualt bike to work everyday!! When we got to the tunnel we met a few mt bikers coming out of the tunnel and they said the east end was still locked and the road still snowed in so Sean and I decided not to add 4.5 miles thru the tunnel and back to our trip and we sat down for lunch. W ate lunch from about 12:45 till about 1:30. We had a small smorgishborg of food from PBJs to bananas, almonds to Oreos, and a little flask Crown for Sean and I. Abigael ate some lunch and ran around throwing rocks into the trail side stream. We topped out at 19.1 miles and before we left I took Abigael about 500 meters into the tunnel and she loved it!! On the way back Abigael sang and talked to me.

She knew when to cover up with her blanket and when to just hang out. She "tried" to color some with her water safe coloring pads, but no luck there though too bumpy. She desperately wanted to collect some rocks (the rocks over the trestles were reddish/pink) for her mommy and daddy so we stopped to get a few of those. She marveled at the waterfalls and loved looking down at the raging glacial flows under the super high trestles!! When we arrived back at the car we had ridden for 38 miles and almost 3 and a half hours of ride time!! Abigael and Sean both held up like champs.
Saturday night, actually Sunday morning, I got up at 1am and drove out to Woodinville to meet Kevin Axt and a few other mt. bikers to do a night ride and be on the trail when the time and date met a momentous occasion, at 02:03:04 05/06/07!!! The one and only time it would ever do this!! Pretty cool and as Kevin watch alarm sounded we snapped a few pics and continued riding. We put in 5.1 tight twist single track night miles in about 56 minutes and at 3am I headed home. On a "bright" note my Ay Up! lights performed BEAUTIFULLY and they were just as bright as the HID lights a few of the other guys had!! I am totally sold and even the guys were impressed!! (Pictures ARE HERE!!!!!)
Sunday morning we got up and went down to Tacoma and met our Realtor, Debra Truelove, to look at a few houses. Most of the houses were a disappointment and we realized it would take some research and time to find the right one!! But on a positive note we received pre-approval from USAA bank for a $250,000 home loan!!! So we are on our way to finding a home of our own!!!
I also found out that I have a 50/50 chance of getting into the Cascade Cream Puff 100 in July. The "Puff" as it's known is one of the toughest hundies around and the only hundie in the Pacific Northwest. I feel like I am ready to attempt this race even though I will be riding to complete vs. racing it! I will have the 24hr race and the 50 mile Test of Endurance under my belt before the Puff to determine whether I will be fit enough and physically able to complete/compete in the Puff!!

Feelin good

2007-05-03T06:53:00.000-07:00

I raced the Wednesday Night World Championship mtb race last night and had a blast! It was raining, muddy, and cold but a total blast!! I once again raced sport class but this time I did NOT get passed/lapped by the expert racers like I have in the past. I have slowly been feeling better and better during my races. I started out slow and soon realized, after everyone passed me going into the single track, that my legs felt good and lungs didn't feel like they were going to explode! So I started picking people off one by one slowly coming up from the rear passing tons of other sport racers in the corners or on the straighter faster parts of the course. I soon fell in behind another racer and followed him through lap number 4 and 5 and when I heard we had one lap to go I made my move and left him in my dust (mud) and finished in 56 min 59 sec 10.2 miles averaged 11.7 MPH!! I even got a complement from Dale Knapp one of the local (old timer) pros. After the race I started talking with a few people again about hosting an endurance event in Washington state. Dale said it needed to be done and I even perked Wick's (Stiff Wick Productions) interest as the promoter.... Stay tuned!

On another totally cool note I received my new lighting system yesterday from Ay Up! lighting based out of Australia. First immediate impression came when I picked up the package and it weighed next to nothing! Wow upon opening the box I was over whelmed with the contents the Andrew, the owner, included. A handful of promotional Ay Up! bracelets and then the kit! All neatly rolled up. The kit unfurled to reveal two light heads, one blue ano the other gunmetal ano, FOUR mini lupps batteries with neoprene carry cases, TWO lupra lupps larger batteries and cases, handlebar mount, helmet mount, charger, 110v ac adaptor, a 12v car dc adaptor, extension connector, and this is all rolled up in a burrito like neoprene sausage about 3 1/2 in around and 12 in long!! More review to come as well as pictures!! I will really put it to the test during the upcoming 24hr race in Spokane.

Mountain bike training, SIR!!!

2007-04-28T21:57:00.000-07:00

Today I went out to Rattlesnake Lake at exit 32 off I-90 to ride the John Wayne Pioneer Trail. The JWP trail is an old converted rail-trail that runs the length of the Iron Horse State Park. It atcually runs over 75 plus miles to the east side as part of a state long trail system. Today I rode up to the Snoqualmie Pass to the Snoqualmie tunnel before I could not go any further due to the road being fully snowed in still. The trail, being an old railroad grade, has an ever gentle uphill climb. With a total elevation gain of 1620 feet in 20 miles. I was able to ride thru the tunnel, 2.4 miles, only to find it locked at the east end, as well as the snow in the road.

I took a few pictures before I came back through the tunnel. There were some picnic tables in the sun on the west side of the tunnel. I sat and ate lunch and soaked up the sun and the views!! I then turned around and rode downhill. The trail has some beautiful old tresles that span some impressive sights! I only had one flat and I saw a few more people out on the way down than I saw on the way up. My total milage for the day was 42.3 miles! It took me about 3hr 23min of wheels spinning ride time. There are very few places to get long "dirt" miles on one's mountain bike in the Seattle area. I figured since I am planning to do two 24 hr races and a 50 mile endurance race I should start getting in shape!!

11th place ain't to bad....

2007-04-23T09:45:00.000-07:00

Glorious day for a mountain bike race!!!

Sunday I raced my first "official" cross-country mountain bike race since July 2005. I know I have raced a few Wednesday night races but they are merely for fun and training. I lined up with about 23 Sport class 30-39 year old racers around 1:30pm and promptly tried to explode my heart out of my chest. We rode four laps of the course for a total of just about 20 miles of 97% single track trail. I completed the race in 1:48:29.1 55 and my heart rate averaged 175 bpm the entire race!!! The day was warm and perfect for a mountain bike race!!!

Jose riding a singlespeed fully rigid 29er!!!

Jose came out for his first official mtb race and what was his second mtb race ever!! He was again competing on his single speed in the Sport 40-49 year old age class. He race rather well completing 2 and a half laps before getting a flat tire that effectively took him out of the race. So he just bagged it and took pictures. Christie and Abigael came along to enjoy the day outside, take pictures and play in the dirt.

Dirt angels!!

I once again went out to hard and too fast in the first lap and promptly blew up. With my heart rate monitor alarm sounding like a time bomb ready to blow constantly I decided to back off and take it easier in the second and third laps actually dropping my HR below the alarm threshold of 175 bpm for a little while. When I came through the finish line going out for my last lap the announcer said I was in 11th place so I decided to see if I could catch number ten to nab a top ten finish. Well my last lap was pretty quiet as I only passed a few slow 20-29 year olds and a few of the 40-49 year olds that had passed me up earlier in the race but I never did catch or even see another 30-39 year old to take 11th place!! Not bad in my book!

UP, UP, UP!! Venga, Venga, Venga!! Allez, Allez, Allez!!

The other big decision I have had to make in the past week was one that took quite a bit of thought and inner turmoil as well a few restless nights. I have been involved with the AVA/Counterbalance Bicycles racing team from it's inception. I have helped to build it up to where it is today and unfortunately due to my busy life I have not and was not able to continue this year in a leadership role. The problem is I can't let lie the team when I see things that I personally don't like or actions that I feel are contrary to the original purpose of the team. So I tend, more often than not, to voice my opinion and some people don't like to here or read my opinion. Whether I am right or wrong it is still my opinion and I truly feel I have the right to make it be known, if people want to read it or hear it is their prerogative.

So I have made the decision to part ways with the team, at least for a year, so that I can detach myself from the leadership and the team can find it's direction what ever that be. Because I am coming back to racing this year from a long time down on the Disabled List I still want to have some "support" as opposed to just racing solo. I made the decision to approach my Physical Therapist Erik Moen to see if I could race for his Viking Sport Seattle club. Erik enthusiastically invited me on board and provided me with a jersey and no pressure when it came to making the decision to race for another team.

Most importantly I want it to be known that I LOVE my team, AVA/Counterbalance, and I eventually want to come back to it. I love the Counterbalance bike shop and I will continue to support it and patronize it. I love and miss my friends that I have raced with, planned events with, and still feel close to. I just came to the conclusion that I would be happier if I didn't have the temptation of wanting to "meddle" in the leadership of the team that way I can just race, heal, and have fun. I am sorry to all of my AVA/Counterbalance team members and sponsors but for right now this is what will work for me. So yes, Sunday I raced in the Viking colors and felt good, had fun, and kicked some butt in the process!

Photo courtesy of Jose Sandoval

First big decision down!

2007-04-19T21:36:00.000-07:00

So I made the call today about the fire dept recruit class... I was told by my Captain last Saturday that I would not be allowed to be operational on shift at the end of the recruit academy in July if he did not feel I was 100% healthy. He also said that I was obviously still limping around the drill ground and that he did not want me to further injure myself while drilling in recruit school. So I had to make a MAJOR decision about whether I was going to continue training with this current recruit class or stop, pull out and get healed and then try again in 2008. Considering my last major surgery was July 6Th 2006 less than a year ago It is no wonder why my leg has been killing me after every Saturday drill session. This was one of the hardest decision I have ever had to make and it did not come easily... I will now have the chance to focus on healing, getting back in shape, and taking care of my family and soon to come new addition!! I will also be able to use my Saturdays (at least the mornings) for training and going to the gym! I plan to be 100% by the time I come back in 2008. I know I can do the job I have completed one recruit class, graduated, and made it through over 3 and a half months of a second six month long recruit school at 80%+ healthy.

Mountain bike racing, I forgot how much fun it was...

2007-04-19T06:20:00.000-07:00

So Wednesday afternoon I finally convinced Jose to come out to race( we should also soon have Matt Messenger joining us as well!!). We met downtown around 5ish hoping to leave in time to allow Jose to race the 6:00pm beginner's race. We realized, after battling downtown traffic, that it was 5:30 and there was no way we would make it to South Seatac park before 6:00. So Jose decided to race in the sport catergory. We both got a chance to get a warm-up lap in before our race start. The course was extremely short, flat, and fast. It was more like a cyclocross course than a XC MTB course but the promoter Wick said he did this so people could conserve before the big race, Seatac Shuffle, on Sunday. Since the course was so fast, about 8 to 11 minute laps depending on your fitness level, the sports were doing 6 laps plus the half start lap. I decided to run gears for this race and I had my bike setup in a 1x9 gear configuration with a 32 tooth chainring up front and an 11-34 9speed cassette in the rear. I am SOOOOOoooo glad I decided to go back to gears for the time being!! I also had made up my mind to take this race super easy and to not start out like a rocket but hang back and just RIDE.
I started slowly about mid pack and Jose soon was in the rear on his new Redline Monocog Flite 29er singlespeed running a 32x20 and fully rigid!!! Jose said he got about 5 laps before he was passed by the experts and pulled from the race. He said he had the most fun he had ever had on a bike while racing during that race. It was also Jose's first ever true mountain bike race!!! He said he even passed a few other sport racers and did not finish DFL!!! Mean while I battled it out after realizing I felt strong and that my lungs and legs were not going to exploded from lactic acid build up!! I was actually doing quite well till I endoed (once again mom my leg is superbly ok and my bike suffered no damage as well!!) on my second to last lap and lost not only 3 or 4 placings but my momentum as well. I still finished very strong with 6 and a half laps and roughly 10:30 to 11 minute laps!! We hung out for a few minutes after the race while I frantically search for my wallet!! I found it in Jose's car where I had changed into my riding clothes!! I do plan on racing the Sport men 30-39 race on Sunday at 1:30pm where Wick said he was planning a 4 to 5 mile plus course and the sports are doing 3+ laps.
I am also planning on racing the 24 hours Round the Clock race in Spokane over Memorial day weekend solo. The whole family is going with to hang out with Eric Ewing and help support me as I race!! I still need to come up with the registration fee so I will have a few bike parts going up for sale very soon!! I will also be able to take part in the 50 mile Test of Endurance MTB race in OR on June 10th as well now that I am not in the fire recruit class anymore.

A new look...

2007-04-16T09:40:00.000-07:00

So as you can tell I decided to give my blog a fresh new look. I feel that this layout is much more friendly and enjoyable to read (easier on the eyes). If you disagree please leave a suggestion in the comments. I have a few new changes brewing in the wings and some pretty big decisions to make in the next few weeks. Please stay tuned for some fun announcements. Good news is that I did get this quarter of school funded by worker retraining, YEAH!!!!!

<<<<<<<<<<<< I have also added a link to my Flickr photo account to the left under the links!!!

Back on the saddle again!!!

2007-04-11T22:52:00.000-07:00

So Jose Sandoval, a teammate, reminded me that the Wednesday Night World Championship MTB races started last week so I thought I might go give it a try... Now mind you I haven't participated in bicycle race since August 5th 2005 when I got hit during the Dead Baby Bike race and the last time I raced in a MTB race was for fun SS at South Seatac in July of 2005.

I decided to "throw down" tonight for fun to see where my (lack of) fitness sits. I showed up around 6:30 with my preggo wife and wild 'n crazy 3 yo daughter. I registered for the year as a Sport class age 19-34 (my race age this year is 34!!) and got the number 484 (close enough to my favorite numer 448). I got a chance to get on the course for about 15 or 20 minutes to give it a pre-ride. I felt good and thought I would do ok in the race. I was riding my 29er Black Sheep Ti hardtail with the Reba up front and setup as a singlespeed (SS) running 32x19. There where about 30 to 40 people both sport and expert combined lined up at the start. There were a handful of singlespeeders and a few other 29ers as well. We were all riding 5 laps plus the starter half lap. At 7:00 they started the expert riders first and when they were up and around the corner the sport riders got their start.

The race started with a nice long straight paved road with a left turn into the singletrack and immediately UPHILL!! This seperated the sport class into two groups and my 32x19 dictated I was in the latter group of riders. I powered up the singletrack even passing a few of the geared riders as the shifted and lost momentum having to stop. I realized that as soon as I got up to the top of the hill I was SPENT I went out too hard too fast and BLEW-UP!! I kinda battled it out with two other riders for about a lap I would spin out in the straights and ride their tires on the hills and the tight twist technical stuff. Eventually I ran out of steam and realized I was there just for fun so I backed off and just rode the trail! I started having fun after a few minute break on the side of the trail on that nasty uphill section on the second lap. Into my second to last lap I was passed by the top five or six expert (read Pro/semi Pro) riders I did the proper thing by pulling aside and let them pass. I was eventually "pulled" with what would have been my last lap to go but I was D-U-N done so I didn't mind. It was about 8:15 when I crossed the finish line. I don't think I was DFL but I was pretty close! All in all my leg felt great and did not hurt at all during the race and even afterwards it is only slightly sore what really hurts is my lower back, OUCH!!

Abigael rode her little tricycle around in the grass and dirt having a blast while Christie watched. She ran like a wild child all over the staging area cheering me on when ever I popped out of the woods where the trail skirted the staging area each lap yelling "Go daddy go!!"

All in all I think my first race back went well it was totally worth my $12 and it got preggers and wild child out of the house for an evening. I think I will race every Wednesday until track season starts and I will race masters at the track on Wednesdays.

March was a crazy month....

2007-03-19T12:55:00.001-07:00

Back to California...

This time to bury my grandfather. My grandfather was 87 years old and he passed on Feb 17th in his sleep. He lived a rough hard life and even though he was not as involved in our lives as we would have liked we (the family) and I still loved and respected the hell out of him.

So March started out with a trip down to see my best friend Julian Chocholak, mountain bike, and see the North American Handmade Bike show (see post below for details!!). When I got home I immediately had a major anatomy and phisology exam which I had orginally planned to have completed before my trip down to CA and due to some delays in the class it got pushed back to Monday the day I was getting back from CA. Mr Gong my instructor allowed me to take the test on tuesday and I kinda struggled through it as I was coming down with the crud and I hadn't had the time to study properly. I passed but the 71 I got brought down my overall class score sharply.

On the 10th of March I had my first oral board interview with Seattle fire Department in this latest round of testing and hiring. I felt like the interview went well I finished within the 20 minute time limit and didn't rush through the final few questions. UPDATE: I passed the first oral board and I have a second oral board interview on May 2nd to determine my placing on the hiring list! That night we dropped Abigael off at our old friends and neighbors, Kyle, Layla, and Alexx's house and Christie and I attended the Marymoor Velodrome Association's annual fundraising auction on Mercer Island. Frankie Andrau, a former pro cyclist and 9 time Tour de France rider, was the guest speaker and we ate heartily and enjoyed ourselves in the company of adults and friends!! Sunday the 11th was Abigael and I went to the annual Seattle Bike Expo and walked around taking in the sights.

The next week Christie, Abigael and myself all traveled down to CA to goto my grandfather, M.C.'s memorial. Despite the sad circumstances for the trip it was a joyous reunion of the Lockwood clan. In attendance were my uncle Wayne and aunt Mary, cousins Jeff and Chris, flying in from Japan!, their mom Berta, Jeff's daughter Lindzee, my mom and dad, my sister Gabbi and brother-in-law Dan Whittington, their two kids my niece Emma and nephew Matthew. We stayed in a hotel in Sacramento not far from Mary's mom, Elenor's, house. My dad and uncles second cousin Chris Tarkington and his wife also came up for the memorial it had been almost 20 years since I had last met them and it was a good reuninion. The memorial at the Veteran's home in Yountville was very dignified and honorable. Afterwards we had a short graveside service for family and a few friends. We all had lunch at the golf club house resturant and took lots of family photo's.

We got to spend lots of time visiting and the kids got to play and get to know each other again. On Saturday, St. Patty's day, our family went up to Chico to visit my grandmother (mom's) on her 93rd!! birthday. She is in a skilled nursing facility due to a serious fall and broken hip in December. The visit was pleseant and my uncle David (mom's brother) and his wife was also there so the visit was very good. Unfortunately over the weekend my dad came down with"THE sickness" and we weren't feeling great coughing ridiculously in the car as we travelled from place to place. Abigael came down with the sickness as we flew home and by Monday all three of us were very ill. Unfortunately this all happened in the last week of school and I got back in time to start my final exams. Christie ended up becoming really sick still vomiting from "morning" sickness and having problems with her breathing! In any case the baby is very healthy and all ultrasounds show the baby is doing great!! We had our 20 week ultra sound on Tuesday April 10th and the baby is alive a kick'n!!

I got my grades over the spring break. I ended up with a 3.9 in Mat 098 Intermediate Algebra, 3.7 in Chem 101 Inorganic Chemistry, and a sad 2.8 in ANP 214 Anatomy & Phisiology not doing very great on the final, 74, continued to bring down my overall grade. This quarter I am taking Bio 280 Microbiology and Psy 206 Develomental Psychology. I was going to re-take Human Nutrition online but decided I was busy enough with just two classes. I also found out the first day of class that I did not get any worker retraining funding due to them running out of funds, oh well!! I am doing pretty good in school right now but very busy with an 8am class every day during the week and working a few more hours at Fleetfoot Messengers as the "mechanic" on Wednesdays.

I had an Ortho Dr.s appt on Wed. April 11th with good results. The x-rays continue to show bone calcification although there is one area where the bone continues to regenerate slower than the rest of the grafting area. The doc and I decided to maintain status quo and I will see her in three months again. She says that one of my options to help jump start the regrowth process is to replace the "nail" or rod in my tibia, but that is kind of a last resort invasive step. So we'll see where we sit in three more months that will put my ONE year from my last surgery (July 6th 2006).

My weekend away in San Jose (and the North American Handmade Bicycle Show)

2007-03-08T17:08:00.000-08:00

So last weekend I went down to San Jose/Sunnyvale to visit my best friend Julian Chocholak and his girlfriend Jen. I also went down to goto the North American Handmade Bicycle Show and take in a few beautifully built hand crafted bicycles. The show was bicycle overload!! I had a great time and I posted tons of pictures on my flickr account!

I also got to go mountain biking with my best friend Julian. On friday after I got in we went up to the Skyline Highway and rode in the Russian Ridge openspace! The weather was amazing and we got about two solid hours of riding in that late afternoon. And then during the show on Saturday I bumped into a couple guys from the SoCal area that reconized my bike from MTBR.com and they said that a bunch of MTBR.com guys were getting together on Sunday to go ride down in the UC Santa Cruz area.

On Sunday about ten of us met at 9am and rode some SWEET singletrack in the Santa Cruz mountains for a total of about 18 miles and 4 plus hours at a very physical yet social pace. Most of the attendees were riding 29er's with the exception of Julian on his Santa Cruz Blur LT and two other guys on 26er singlespeeds. I had a few mechanicals like a flat tire and a broken chain and then proceeded to crash about three quarters of the way into the ride and taco my front wheel. MY LEG WAS SAFE THE ENTIRE TIME (MOM). Banged up my right shoulder though, sore as hell now!! I bent the wheel back to sort of round and rode it out, singletrack and all no prob. I just need to replace the rim (Stan's ZTR Flow rims?) and she's good as new! The guys (Jeff) at Industry Nine have been SUPER helpful!!

New Post

2007-02-27T22:16:00.000-08:00

My mountain bike builder James Bleakley is "THE MAN"!! I noticed that after my last mountain bike ride my fat ass bent my seat post. I pulled it out and sure enough it was bent and how! It bent right at the seat post collar close to the frame. So I took a picture or two and emailed it off to James at Black Sheep Bicycles knowing that James does not frequently check his email.

I just wanted to let him know it had happened fully not expecting anything to happen. About week later I received an email from James stating that the post was ok to ride bent, but he would have a new seat post in the mail the next day! How cool is that!! No extra charge he just fully backed up his work 100%!!! Made in America still has a backbone! I talked with James the next day and he said that he had not only gotten a great deal, $$, on some 0.30 gauge Ti tubing but that he is continuously trying new types of materials to improve his products!! He said that I should be riding a 0.39 or 0.40 gauge seat post and that not only would he have a new one on the way, but he would include a new pair of Black Sheep Bikes logo socks!!! Stylin'!!! Thanks James you have a customer for life!!!

Next weekend I am going down to San Jose to visit with my best friend Julian Chocholak
and attend the North American Handmade Bicycle show. We are going to go mountain biking for the first time together in a long time!! I am taking my Black Sheep with me (the whole reason I went for the $1000 S&S coupler up charge) so we can ride. It is truly a handmade work of art!! I wish that James and Black Sheep was going to be attending the show, oh well next year!!

This quarters grades and a tribute to my Grandpa...

2007-02-25T08:11:00.001-08:00

So far we are about half way through the quarter and I am some how pulling low A's in all three of my classes! I recieved a 92.76% on my last anatomy exam, a 92.5% on my last Math exam, and a 92.4% on my last Chemistry exam. As long as I don't totally take a crap on anyone of my classes I should be able to pull this quarter off with a 3. 5 to 3.7ish!!!! I have two major exams left in A&P the next of which is solely dedicated to the Brain and the nervous system, it is a major piece of work!!

On a sad note I found out that my Grandfather passed away Friday morning in CA. We were not as close as I would have liked to have been, but in the past few years M.C. (as he was known) did make some great strides towards being a grandpa. He was alway concerned about my my leg and how I was healing. I would get random out-of-the-blue phone calls from him just checking to see if I was doing alright. My one and only regret is not having talked to him lately... I wanted to tell him that we are expecting another baby and regardless of the baby's sex we are going to give the baby the middle name Campbell which was his mother's maiden name. My grandpa's middle name was Campbell, my dad's middle name is Campbell, and my middle name is Campbell. My dad grew up a Jr. tortured with the first name Merdith (note only one "E"). Hence he goes by Cam from Campbell and my Grandpa went by M.C. from his initials. One of the names Christie and I have talked about if we have a girl is to name her MerEdith Campbell Lockwood after her Great Grandfather... Right now it's just a thought but it seems fitting. Grandpa M.C. put more effort into being a grandpa to his great grand kids than he did his grand kids or his own boys. I guess old dogs do start to learn new tricks... God bless his soul, he is now getting ALL of his questions and doubts answer by the Almighty!

The single most thing I am so utterly proud of my grandfather for was his service and dedication to the Military. My grandpa join the Air Force when it was just the Army Air Corp. and was in the Pacific Theater during WWII. Grandpa acheived the top rank of Senior Master Sergeant in the Air Force retiring after almost thirty years in-service. In our family of all the people that have served in the military grandpa and I are the only two enlisted guys so I really take pride in that!
RIP Clyde 1919-2007

It's been awhile huh...

2007-02-18T16:08:00.000-08:00

So it was brought to my attention that it has been quite awhile since I have blogged. I have been up past my eyeballs since the new year!! Let me see if I can give you all a small taste of what I have been up to.... School consists of classes 5 days a week from 10 am till almost 3pm to include the second half of Anatomy & Physiology 214, Intermediate College Algebra 098, and Inorganic Chemistry 101 two of which are lab sciences!!! I have returned to King County Fire District 20 Skyway Vol. Fire Dept., but in doing so I have to go back through the ENTIRE 6 month recruit training academy all over again the meet every Thursday night 7-10pm and every Saturday from 8am till 5pm. I take Abigael, my wonderfully crazy 2 1/2 year old, to her "school" with me everyday. On Sundays I try to take a few hours for my sanity and participate in the Sunday morning Soul Session mountain bike ride, but that is only if the physical exertion from the day before in recruit school has not totally kicked my ass!! I also try to get some homework done on Sundays???

About the second week into this quarter one of my very close friends called me from jail at 5:30am on Monday morning. He had gotten into a scuffle with some of his roommates "friends" and he paid the legal price. So he had no where to go and Christie told me before I asked that he could stay with us as long as he needed. He just started a great new job as a customer service rep for a very big international bicycle manufacturer. So PJ has been crashing on our couch for a about two months. His mental state of mind is fragile and he takes alot of counseling, his wife divorced him and he is not seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. I am hoping that he will be able to get his own place come the first of March! He has his big court date on Tuesday....

Christie is pregnant again, YEAH!!! But in turn she has been sick as a sick dog for the past 5 or 6 weeks. Nauseous, viral respiratory infection (walking pneumonia), always tired, and very busy with work. I have been trying to take on as much as I can so she just has to worry about work and stabilizing her stomach... We have had two ultrasounds so far and everything looks GREAT so far!! We have talked about a few names and we definitely have our boy name, it's what Abigael was going to be named before we found out she was a girl. As far as a girl name we have one really good name thought of so far and I am very happy with it but we'll see... Oh we don't find out the sex of our babies till they pop their little rumps outta mommy!! So you all can take up a pool, we thought Abigael was going to be a boy for sure?!

I am also still working at Fleet Foot Messenger service but only on a VERY part time basis... I basically only order parts for the riders and then prepare the billing for ordered parts. Most of the boys have figured out how to wrench on their own bikes and since I am so busy I just don't have the time to "hang out" at Flatty and clean up after the kids... I am also still managing the apartment building as well. only on a part time as needed basis but when things need to be done it is usually very time intensive...

Let's see what else... I am sure there is something else but it seems like I don't have a minute anymore. I ache and hurt all of the time. I had an Ortho Dr.'s appointment a few weeks ago and the X-Rays looked about the same, maybe a little bit more density but pretty much the same. Dr. Taitsman has discussed with her colleagues about adjusting the healing time period for an open Tib-Fib non-union fracture from a year to TWO AND A HALF YEARS OR MORE!!!! There was one other guy that came into Harborview with a injury very similar to my break and he is having a long rough healing process as well. Between the two of us she is convinced that a non-union such as ours takes a stink'n long time to heal!!

I went to the annual Bike Swap here in Seattle today and I only bought one small part for $10 and exercised a great amount of self control. Mainly I did not see anything that I needed or wanted. I did get the chance to bump into a bunch of friend from the bicycling community and catch up. I hung out at Jonny Sundt's booth with Matt Bianchi and Matt Case and drank Guinness and heckled the hipsters trying to build up their "totally stylin' fixies".

Taking the Sheep out to pasture....

2007-01-23T09:11:00.000-08:00

Riding in the snow is one of my favorite types of riding! It was one of the funnest rides I have done in years!!

Jose riding his new Kona Blast in the snow!

Gotta love the Black Sheep Ti Highlight 29er

After the start of school and the CRAZY weather we have had here in the PNW I have finally been able to get out a few weekends in a row to a close in trail system known as the Towers of Power or more famously known for it's major trail's name "The Tapeworm". This trail system is pretty short but very technically challenging seeing as how the creators manage to stuff 2.25 miles of trail inside the space of a city block or so... There are a few other trails, that are all connected by a main trail, that go by names like Mr. DNA, Crop Circles, and Parasite. All in all I think one could squeeze out about 9 miles of trail.... Here is a link to an awesome MAP of the trail system Thanks to CycoActive Products! I went on the 14th with my friend and teammate Jose and on the 21st again with Jose and his wife Sharon also a teammate of mine. There was about 3 inches of snow on the ground and throughout the trails on the 14th and on the 21st the trails where dry for the most part with only a few small muddy spots.
I have ridden here before a few time on my 26" and done "ok", but nothing prepared me for the fun I was gonna have riding the Tape on my Black Sheep!! Rolling over things is an understatement! With the Rampage up front and the Nevegal in the rear I scoot scooted along the trail up and over root after root and the bike handled like a dream in the super tight twisty singletrack!! I rode with a few friends and beyond the fitness difference the bike just flat moved out. I even rode a few stunts to sucsess. Although riding teeter totters designed for a 26er wheelbase takes a little more momentum to find the fulcrum point on a 29er! I had a blast and I plan to make the Sunday morning ride a regular thing now that my leg is healing up nicely. It does my soul good to get out and ride like a scalded dog!

Jose on his new mountain bike

Sharon riding her old moutain bike dusting off her skills

Bike Theives are ASSHOLES!!!

2007-01-06T22:14:00.000-08:00

I should have made this post weeks ago but one of my best friends here in Seattle recently had his bicycle stolen. It was stolen downtown Seattle 2nd Ave and Lenora the Friday night before Christmas.P.J.'s Sycip track bike is VERY distinctive and cannot be disgiused. It's a very distinctive frame, compact geometry, fixed gear, and no matter what color they spray paint it, it will be recognized. Look for it. This is a photo from a few months ago...but that frame is not something you see everyday...look for it.

Criagslist posting

Back in the saddle...

2006-12-25T11:05:00.000-08:00

I have finally been able to get back on a mountain bike and ride some true singletrack!! Riding around the neighborhood just was not cutting the mustard.

I took the Black Sheep out to a place in Fayetteville called Smith Lake and rode the mountain bike trails there. There were green beginner's trails as well as many blue and black trails. I rode every trail I could find even rolling over an elevated skinny bridge and stopping to take action pictures (kinda hard to do solo). The terrain was very sandy (duh it's not called "The Sandhills" for nothing) and full of fallen pine needles.
The trails were mostly flat and fast. The pine trees were very close together so the big challenge came in trying not to hit my handlebars on any of the trees in the narrow gaps on the trail. I was instantly impressed at the 29er wheels, they rolled over everything roots, rocks, dips, and bumps. The other thing that caught my attention was how well the front tire, a Panaracer Rampage, hooked up in the loose sand!! It had rained the day before so the sand was pretty hard and crusty but sand none the less! After taking some handlebar mounted video on trail I rolled back to the truck. I then proceeded to realize I had locked the keys in my mother-in-law's truck (I had keep the ignition key but forgot there was a seperate door lock key). I had to have the keys brought out to me and I called it a day. My leg felt solid and strong throughout the entire ride and was only slightly sore that evening. I do believe I will go back to Smith Lake on Tues or Wed depending on the rain....

On Sunday I got up at 5am and was on the road by 5:45am on the way to Charlotte, NC. I had arranged to meet up with Rich Dillen (Team Dicky) in Charlotte and ride some local trails. It too had rained on Friday complicating the decision as to where to ride. As luck would have it the rain disappeared and Sat was a nice balmy 70 deg and sunny helping to dry out the one local place that is more sand than NC red clay, Colonel Francis Beatty Park. I met Rich at his house and we readied to go ride. I actually got a chance to meet "The Pie", Rich's wife, and his son "The Boy". We took Rich's "dirty little box" to the park and started to ride with plans to meet one of Rich's friend, The Big Worm (Bill), on the trail. I fell in behind Rich and we hit the trail, FAST! The trail was very simular to the trails at Smith Lake but with less sand and more rocks, roots and ups-n-downs. We went relativly slow so Rich could show me the trail and we could chit chat along the way. We stoped every once in a while so I could catch my breath. There were a few sections that we could really rip it up and all-in-all the trail conditions were perfect. A few wet spots but nothing that was crazy muddy. Near the end of the first lap (each lap was about 6 miles long) we ran into Rich's friend, The Big Worm, who had started in the reverse direction and met us on the trail. We finished out the loop and took a short break. Back into the woods and the three of us really started ripping up the trails!! As the day went on we started to see more and more pedestrians and dog walkers out on the MOUNTIAN BIKE trails so we had to slow down or stopp when we passed them. We even witnessed to young kids riding the trails on MOTORCYCLES of all things. They not going crazy tearing up the trails just scootin through the woods, but obviously not suposed to be there. I could tell Rich was clearly aggrevated by their precense as his eye started to twitch and I could see the gears turning! We rode a full second lap stopping to talk and rest. When we rode we rode hard and fast. I was again amazed at how the 29er just rolled over the obsticals in it's path. I let out some of the air in the front tire (not really sure what the starting psi was probably around 30psi) to the point I could mash it between my fingers. That made a world of difference in how it not only rolled over thing but more hit the clawed it's way over roots and rocks. I only hit it hard once and that was coming off of a small deep dip into a rooty climb out, but the Ti fork/big volume tire/at speed 29 inch wheel combination took it like a man and kept me rollin' along! After the second lap I was pressed for time to go see other friends in N. Charlotte and the Big Worm had only done one lap so we started the full lap again completeing the black diamond loop and finishing it off early by coming back in the reverse direction on the green starting loop. After the ride I asked Bill to take a picture of Rich and I (so I had proof I went on a ride with the 24 hour SOLO Singlespeed World Champion) the picture came out great except that it makes me look like a giant and Rich look like a Christmas elf... Thanks Rich I had a blast and I hope to ride with you again soon!

I drove up to north Charlotte to visit with some old college friends Trey and Tara Adams. We talked and caught up and watched the Panthers just bearly hang on to win their first game in weeks. I got to meet Trey's folks again I had not seen them since Appalachian graduation in 2000. I then drove back to the in-laws and was home by 6:30pm and totally exhausted!

Two days of mountain biking and I am itching to get out and do more!! I have the bug again!! I may not travel very often but knowing that where ever I go I can now take a bike for free will help to push into traveling more often (I hope!)...

Sheep are awesome!!

2006-12-22T20:41:00.000-08:00

I recieved my new Black Sheep 29er mountain bike this week and I posted a bunch of pics here on my Track Daddy Everything Bike blog along with a parts write up. I intend to go for a trail ride this coming weekend with Team Dicky in NC and I will also post a ride write up. I do believe this is the most awesome bike I have ever owned!! WOW!!

AWESOME news!!!

2006-12-18T11:42:00.000-08:00

We are pregnant!!! We are due in August!! We are SOOOooo excited!! Christie is feeling great and I can't wait!! We are going to do the same thing we did with Abigael and opt to not find out the sex of the baby until he or she is born!
(This news was confirmed by our doctor with a blood test!!)

Oh yeah school is over yeah!!! I think I did ok, but we'll see...

(I checked my grades and it looks good!!!
COURSE ID ---------- TITLE ---------------- GRADE---CREDITS

ANP 213-------------ANATOMY & PHYSIO I-------3.4------- 5.0

MAT 085-------------ALGEBRA II------------------4.0--------5.0

NTR 150--------------HUMAN NUTRITION--------2.3--------5.0

Qtrly: Gpa Cr 15.0 Cr Earn 15.0 Grpts 48.5 GPA>>> 3.23 !!!)

My Black Sheep frame came on Sat and It is sweeter than I could have ever imagined!! I will post pics in the other blog here soon!!

Oh a more somber note, I found out from my mom that my 92 year old Grandmother fell last night possibly due to a stroke and broke her hip. They didn't find her until this morning at the home and she is critical at the hospital in Chico, CA. I wish I could go see her but it is never that simple. God bless her soul, I love you Grandma.
(Late edit: My mom went up and is with her mom. It looks like possibly a hip replacement surgery.)

Finals in a week!!!

2006-12-03T12:23:00.000-08:00

Well it's that time of the quarter!! We have one more week of instruction before finals start!! Actually my Anatomy & Phisiology 213 Lab final starts Thur the 7th from 5:30 till 7:30!! Then my Math final is Tuesday the 12th from 10:30 till 12:30, Nutrition final is Wednesday the 13th from 10:30 till 12:30, and the Lecture portion of my A&P final is also Tuesday the 12th from 5:30 till 7:30. I have talked with my algebra instructor and I may be able to take the final early so I can concentrate on my A&P exam on the 12th which would mean I would take it on Monday during one of her other classes final exams.... We'll see? And then freedom for a few weeks before School resumes on the 2nd of January! Next quarter Chem 101 from 10-10:50 am M-F with arranged lab on Mondays, Math 98 Intermediate Algebra from 11-11:50 M-F, and Anatomy & Phisology 214 from 1-1:50 TWF and 1-2:50 MTh!!!! Whew Mondays are gonna be busy!! Good news is that Abigael will be in "school" while I am in school and I can (if I don't have any studying to do, yeah right!) go have lunch or help out from 12 till 1! Good news, no night classes at SCCC! I will be going back to Skyway KCFD 20 fire dept which intails going back through their fire academy which is held every Thurs night from 7-10 and Saturdays from 8-5! I am hoping that since I have already graduated ONCE from this academy they will be forgiving if I have to study of put my real school first. I do want to come back to the Dept real bad!! I want to take and pass my Firefighter 1 certification ans become a sworn King county firefighter! I also hope that the physical demands put on me with start slowly as I will be healed by Jan but still not a full 100% (hopefully I will be 100% by mid year?)...

TEN YEARS!!!!!

2006-11-30T22:39:00.000-08:00

What have you done for TEN years straight?? Me?, nothing except stay married to a wonderful woman from North Carolina. Never thought I would have done anything for tens years in a row... I love Christie as she truely completes me, sounds corny but it's true. There isn't anybody else that truely knows me or understands me or would put up with me the way she does. Thank you babe! Ok enough of the sappy stuff, Christie made a nice post with some pictures from WAY BACK HERE. And since I had class tonight we went out to the travelling Banff Mountain Film Festival last night, woo hoo a evening without the kid/minion!

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!?!?!

2006-11-27T22:39:00.000-08:00

That's right MONDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL Seahawks crush the Packers!!! My good friend Bryce Weaver, season ticket holder, had an extra ticket and invited me to go tonight! It was colder than you know what but TOTALLY worth it!! Thanks Dream!! Here are a few pictures of the field at game time!! Can you believe it snow on the Seahawks playing field and the Packers lost?!

SNOW!!

2006-11-27T08:38:00.000-08:00

We recieved a little of the cold white stuff last night!! Abigael had a blast in it you can check out Christie's post here. Up north in Ferndale and Bellingham they got almost 24" of snow!! Temps are at or below freezeing!! I love this weather!!

Doctor's appt...

2006-11-23T05:57:00.000-08:00

Went to see my Ortho docs yesterday morning and all looks well! I had x-rays which according to the docs didn't show any significant change from my Oct 18th visit. The docs did say that there was a considerable amount of conective tissues in the area of the bone graph but it just has not calcifide yet. The good news is that the bone graph is still there! Some graphs of this type can just dissolve/wash away and they have to start all over again. It is just going to take time! They did seem impressed with my range of motion and activity level. I asked if I could start doing some gym workouts with my legs and I got the ok to start a weight traing program. I was told to start with low weight, of course, high reps but in regards to my left leg I need to start with "E"ccentric exercise. Eccentric is the controled lowering of weight vs. contracting and pulling the weights up. Erik Moen my PT has explained this to me also, as lift the weight with both legs, mostly with the right, and then slowly and controlled lower the weight with my left leg only. The ortho doc said to also include some strength training as well to include higher weight lower reps slowly building the weight up to the point that my left leg can handle the same amount of weight the right leg can. Other than that I am down to the next lowest level of pain meds, only when I need them, I will see them again in THREE (3) months, and continue with intensive Physical Therapy!!!

Long time no write...

2006-11-21T09:30:00.000-08:00

So I have been busy as I am sure you can tell by my lack of writing/posting. Yes, I may have been alone last week with the girls outta town but I was VERY busy with school and family friends visiting. The Chocholak parents, John and Dianne, were up to visit with their daughter Wendi and soon (I hope!) to be son-in-law Sam and meet Sam's family. My best friend Julian, Wendi's brother, tagged along and we got to visit and hang out together. I built him his dream mountain bike, a Santa Cruz Blur LT with full Chris King and XTR build! Julian was able to take delivery of his bike with an ear to ear grin! We got a small chance to ride a little up at the park behind the house. We rode on a few bum trails in the overgrown section of the park (an area I have been thinking about doing some minor/small trail improvement...) and dropped the big ledge. We were having a great time until we realized we had rolled through some rouge dog poo and it was every where! So we went home to clean shoes and bikes. On Thursday of their visit I was able to arrange through George Westbrooke, a friend from Skyway fire recruit academy, a private tour of the Renton Boeing 737 assembly plant! John Chocholak was my high school shop tech teacher and he sits on the California Industrial and Technology Education Association
executive committee as the Advocacy liaison. We had the opportunity to not only see every step in the construction of the 737 but also walk through a few of the planes as they were being built. It was an awesome tour Thanks again George!!!

And of course the weather has not let up much so everyone is starting to get ill. We have tickets to NC leaving on the 20th and returning on the 28th of Dec! I'll try to keep up to date with my entries....

A new link blog about my passion

2006-11-09T09:21:00.000-08:00

So I have started to create a new blog (LINK) that I will link to often from here about my bikes and not bore the few of you that read Track Daddy with bike stuff all the time... I will soon have a link off to the side>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Black Sheep Ti Highlight 29er

2006-11-09T08:34:00.000-08:00

So I just received my CAD rendering from James at Black Sheep Bikes last night. I am SOOOOooooo excited I need to call him and talk to him about it, but then he did make this CAD drawing based on a BUNCH of custom measurements taken from me. The only measurement I am concerned about is the 24" Effective Top Tube measurement. This bike will be suspension corrected so that if I want to throw a Reba on it I can. This would make the head angle steeper from 71.5 deg to 72-72.5 with fork sag, BUT James says that everyone that has ridden one of his Ti rigid forks and switches to a squishy front end always swaps back to the Ti. James will be making a Ti unicrown fork with a heavy duty steerer and thin walled legs to lighten it up and give it the suppleness that Ti forks are known for! I can't wait James also said he could deliver by Dec 1st!!!! As long as I can get it by the 20th so I can take it to NC for the holidays I will be stoked! It will be a great chance to test out the S&S couplers and not have to worry about which airlines we will fly on (We used to have to fly United because I could fly my bike for free through USCF).

These are my Fitup Measurements:
1. Height______________180.6cm
2. Inseam______________86.2cm
3. Deltoid to hip_________42cm
4. Hip to ankle__________104.5cm
5. Hip to knee___________61.5cm
6. Knee to ankle_________45.5cm
7. Deltoid to wrist________66cm
8. Width of palm_________10cm
9. Foot Length__________28.6cm
10. Sternal notch to ground_147cm

These are the measurements of my current or former mountain and touring bikes.For the most part I ride with a 90 to 100mm 5 deg Thomson stem some times 110mm

My current Mountain Bike is an 18” 2004 Kona Explosif Maybe FOR SALE when I get my new 29er
HA 70 SA 73.1 TT 23.1” SO 28” 100mm fork; stem 90mm x 5 deg

The bike I ride a lot (and my touring rig) is a 56cm 2005 Kona Sutra FOR SALE $1200
HA 72 SA 73 TT 56cm SO 30.4” stem 100mm x 5 deg

I had a 19” 2004 Kona Unit which I felt was TOO BIG for me??
HA 70 SA 72.1 TT 23.6” SO 28.8” 100mm fork 100mm x 5 deg

My cross country race rig was a 19” 2003 Kona Kula Primo
HA 71 SA 73 TT 23.5” SO 30.2” 80mm fork stem 100mm x 5 deg

New DeSalvo Team Cyclocross bike!!

2006-11-05T15:57:00.000-08:00

I took delivery of my long awaited DeSalvo Team Cyclocross frame and fork on Friday the 27th. I quickly, with the help of Adam at the Counterbalance, built it up in time for the "Meet the Team" group ride the morning of the 28th. Man is this frame sleek and beautiful!! She turned out just as I had imagined her!! This is a frame I had asked Mike DeSalvo to build for me when Jeff, Todd, and I put in the FIRST team frame orders back in May of 2005! Mike built me a beautiful track frame instead which I am very greatful for!! But I still wanted and needed a cyclocross frame. I had race the previous season (2004) on my Surly Steamroller which is by design a track frame!!
And the I went and broke my leg and the cyclocross frame went to the back burner:( Even though I will not be able to race any 'cross races this year, still not strong enough and Erik my PT won't allow it, I still wanted to have Mike build this frame so I could ride it and get ready for Cyclocross season 2007!! The frame is made from Columbus Zona steel tubing and it is VERY light. The rear dropouts are horizontal with a derailleur hanger drive side and a bottle opener non-drive side so I can either ride it singlespeed, fixed (rear brake mounts are removeable for a cleaner look), or in it's current configuration Geared 1x8! The bike rides like a dream!!! It is painted Matte Black with Blood Red panels and lettering!
Very stealth like, MMMMMMMMMmmmmmmmmmmmmm......!Mike built the fork with a 1 inch steerer tube even though the frame has an 1 1/8 inch head tube. He included some headtube reducers so I can use the 1 inch fork. The 1 inch steel fork is about a pound lighter than the 1 1/8 inch steel fork and Mike did not have any 1 1/8 inch available so it all worked out. It also afforded me the opportunity to use the 1 inch Ti Chris King headset I picked up at the Bike Swap for $40!!! In it's current build it has Salsa Bell Lap 46cm bars with interceptor levers, a left front Dura Ace brake lever and a right rear 8 spd Sora shifter/lever. Salsa 1 inch cro-mo stem black 1 inch CK Ti headset Paul cantilever brakes front and rear. Thomson post and Selle Italia Flight saddle. World Class Ti 113mm bottom bracket and Ti SRP bolts. White Industries ENO crank 170mm with a 38 tooth chainring and Time ATAC pedals. Rear XTR short cage derailleur, SRAM 8 spd cassette, and currently a cheap Bontrager rear wheel and my Dura-Ace hubbed front wheel off my road bike with Ritchey Tom Slick tires. I believe the weight comes in around 21 1/2 lbs without Race Blade fenders, saddle tool pouch and a black waterbottle cage. When in cyclocross singlespeed mode it will have my fixed/free Phil Wood rear wheel with a White Industries Dou freewheel 16/19 tooth and a Mavic fron hub tubular wheel both with cyclocross tires. Nice stainless steel head badge!! I do believe this bike might usurp my old school 1989 Specialized Sirrus road bike as my main all around bike for training and road riding!

I have also been working with James at Black Sheep Bikes on my new Ti 29er mountain bike. It's gonna have S&S couplers so I can take it on the airplane with me where ever I go!!! SOOOoo if you know of anyone that wants to buy an 18" Kona Explosif mountain bike totally tricked out to the nines and/or a sweet 56cm Kona Sutra road/touring bike also fully upgraded shoot me a line at brandon448 at yahoo dot com! I am slimming the stables down to the '89 Sirrus road bike (had it since high school and I'll ride it till it breaks!), DeSalvo Track (racer), DeSalvo 'Cross, and Black Sheep 29er Mnt Bike. Can you believe Brandon with only FOUR bikes!?!?! Abigael was a scurvy pirate for halloween this year! She deffinately lived up to the part and would throw down an "AAARRRRGGGGGHHHHH!!!" at the drop of a hat. She went to school on the 31st in her costume and her class went trick or treating around the campus as well as that evening in the Magnolia Village. Check out the Lockwoods blog for more. I am doing VERY well in school aceing my math class, solid B+ (87%) in A&P, and doing ok in Nutrition....

New AVA/CBB Racing Squad website up and running!!

2006-10-24T15:57:00.000-07:00

Special thanks go out to Rob Remmington and Kelsey Wood for putting this together!! We are going to kick ass this year!! http://www.avacbbracing.com/index.html Check it out!!

2006 Messquerade

2006-10-22T23:20:00.000-07:00

This year the ol'Messmann is touring Europe but the Messquerade will go on in the capable hands of 32 Rob Kittlson. This year the race will be a fundraiser for the AVA/Counterbalance Bicycles Racing team!! Please come out Sat and have some fun and support a kick ass team!! If you want to help post here Pictures from years past are here and here

Papa Visit

2006-10-18T23:09:00.000-07:00

BFF (Best Friends Forever!)

Christie's Dad Tom came and spent the weekend visiting with his grand daughter and us. We had a gret time and it all went by WAY too fast! I know that Abigael misses her Papa VERY much! But without much time to think about it we had a very busy day today and will also tomorrow and Friday. Ortho appt today, ID appt tomorrow, and PT appt on Friday all at 8am with school at 11am. The ortho doc appt went well Dr. Taitsman said that my x-rays today looked REALLY good. The bone grafts are healing nicely! Back in 4 to 6 weeks and time will tell the tale. I still have a very small scab on my main incision that will not heal and continues to drain! I will most likely have to stay on the antibiotics until that heals up fully.

Below are two ankle x-rays taken on Sep 6 06 and Oct 18 06

Sep 6
notice the top screw in my Tibia is straight then look at x-ray below
some healing...

Oct 18
the top screw is bent! Doc says its fractured?
could explain some of the ankle pain I've been having?
Do YOU notice any significant bone growth? I do!

This is a slightly more lateral view

1st A&P test "Bones and Articulations"

2006-10-16T22:49:00.000-07:00

Well here ya go not bad but I can do better....

Bones (lab)

Bones (lec)

TOTAL

1012

104

1012

49	98	67	96	115	96	HIGH
42	83	55	79	97	81	AVERAGE
22	44	24	34	58	48	LOW
50		70		120		POSSIBLE

So I hope this is somewhat clear... Next up Muscles!!!

Talked with James from Black Sheep Bikes today and I should be recieving the bike fit sheet in email tomorrow!! As well I am hoping that my Desalvo cross frame arrives this week!

First A ever in Math!!!

2006-10-13T18:35:00.000-07:00

So I have this history with math, we don't get along. In high school I would take a semester of algebra and get an F then retake it the next semester and barely pass just to go on to fail the next level. I had two math teachers in high school that, only through a bet, got me to pass math in order to graduate HS. Gary Cavender and Sid Bishop were two of the best teachers I had at Ukiah High school and they motivated me to not only pass algebra but show me I could learn stuff I had no desire to learn. I took a compressed semester of College Algebra at Campbell University and got a 3.00 (read B) but I had never really cared to work hard enough to get an A. I transferred into Appalachian State University and worked it out so that I specifically did NOT have to take any more math classes. I only had to take a computer class to fufill the graduation requirement in math to get my B.S. in Recreation Management (VERY little math and science required!). Now I have decided to go back to school to work on my nursing prerequisites. Funny thing is, I now need to take math classes and science classes!!! I placed into Math 084 which is the first half of Intro to College Algebra. I convinced my adviser that I could hack Math 085 (one less quarter to get to the prerequisite of Math 098) and he put his name on the line for me and allowed me to take Math 085 this quarter.

I say all of because even though it is only going into the third week of the quarter I have the HIGHEST GRADE in the CLASS so far!!! I got a 96.5% on my first test, the highest grade! I have gotten perfect scores on all of my homework (I've actually been keeping up with and doing my homework!!), quizzes, and in classwork. I intend on keep it up and I hope to update you all as to my final grade somewhere around Dec. 16th or so!!! Stay tuned...

Oh and by the way even though I have not yet recieved my, "Thanks for applying don't call us we'll call you." letter yet I know I did not make it to the next round of hiring with Seattle Fire Dept. The CPAT is this Sunday and I have not recieved a call so, OH WELL.... SFD has re-opened their application period I don't even know if I want to re-apply why waste my $25...

Happy Birthday to ME...

2006-10-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

So as of right now Blogger seems to be down so I will start this post thru performancing and see how it goes. Yes, today I turm 33 and while I feel young at heart my body feels like it is 100 years old! The stupid leg is still attached and hurts like a SOB most of the time, but I guess I am hoping it will go away with time. I am also celebrating ONE year sober today! I want a real beer SOOOOOoooo bad (thank God for Guinness Kaliber non-alchoholic beer!!) but not until I am healed up 100% and off the antibiotics. Speaking of which, I still have THREE months to go, but man I have been on hardcore antibiotics since April 8th and you wouldn't even begin to know what that does to your digestive tract!
So, I am going to send in my deposit to Black Sheep Bikes today and hopefully around the New Year I should have my new Big Wheeled bike frame!! I will be chopping at the bit and 100% ready to go rip up some trail next spring and summer!! I will have all winter to get back in shape. I have been riding to SCCC for A&P class Tues and Thurs nights, about a 10 mile round trip, and it's a good regular break-in for my legs and my fitness. I have a habit of starting out too hard and too fast and then either getting burned out or injured, so I am just takin' er easy this time!
Yesterday was my, long gone from this world, totally awesome Grandma's birthday. And my sister Gabrielle's birthday was on Tuesday the 10th, she's 29. WOW I can't believe my baby sister is 29 that means you're almost 20 ten!!! Abigael is doing better with sleeping in her big girl bed but she was up at 4am this morning (not the way to wake up on your birthday!) and of course she is now passed out on the couch...

Ciao....

A New Look...

2006-10-10T14:20:00.000-07:00

So I decided to go with a new look just cause... I got bored of looking at the same old thing so I found a really cool blog page template maker site and used it to create what you see now. I tweaked it a little on my own but all in all I like it for now. I have THREE exams this week one in each of my three classes. I took my math test this morning and I feel like I aced it! I have my bones and articulations exam in A&P tonight, it's a doosey!! And on Friday I have a test in Human Nutrition as well as a quiz tomorrow! I am feeling pretty good about where I stand in all my classes so far and I am loving it!

I am looking to reshuffle my bikes again (I know I'm obsessive but atleast it's bikes and not drugs or muscle cars or womens underwear). I have ALWAY admired the look of the old cruiser style bicycle frame. There are a few custom frame makers that specialize in this form of ridable art. Retr otec, Jones, and Black Sheep Bikes are just a few that come to mind. I have also ALWAYS want a Titanium framed bicycle! So I figured it was time to slim down the stable and put it into a bicycle that would last me the rest of my life. I decided to go with a Black Sheep and I have talked with James the owner and we will start the process soon! Here a few pictures of his work Here, Here and Here. I am having this frame made with S&S couplers so I can take it with me ANYWHERE I want to with out having to pay extra for shipping or excess baggage fees for airlines! It is also going to be a 29 inch wheeled mountain bike which means I can also through road tires on it and tour on the road!! Stay tuned for more tid bits on the BS Project!

I found out that my good blog friend Rich (Team Dicky) won the Single Speed class WORLD Solo 24hour Championships this weekend! Way to go Viking! I will be out there in the dirt with you soon brother!!

Christie's Dad will be here on Thursday and we are all looking forward to some quality Grandpa time!! Tom is going to watch Abigael while I am in class Friday and Monday, "Will he have to change a poopy diaper??" Well he should if it needs to be done! All apart of be a grandpa!

Until next time...

SEE YA ON THE FLIP SIDE!

(Late edit: I think I aced my math test should find out tomorrow and I felt pretty good after my Anatomy and Phisiology exam tonight. I think I only missed one out of fifty on the lab portion, as well as caught an instructors labeling error!, and the written essays and multiple choice went pretty well should know by Thursday night!)

What a night!!!

2006-10-03T08:30:00.000-07:00

So, yesterday when I went to pick Abigael up from kid school she tripped over my feet and took a header into the corner of some wooden furniture. She wailed and developed a pretty big welt on her forehead right down the middle of her poor little head! She was ok. Thank God for rounded corners otherwise she would have split her head open!! She fell asleep in the car on the way home from school and I put her on the couch so I could watch her to make sure she didn't have any "head injury" signs or symptoms. She slept like the dead for about three and half hours waking up around 3:40pm with no ill effects, just a nice black and blue lump on her forehead! The rest of the evening went as usual. Christie came home and Abigael was her normal bundle of CRAZY energy. We put her down to bed, in her crib as she won't stay down in her "big girl bed" if she is still awake, around 8:00pm.

Now let me tell you about her crib. With the sliding side up it is a good 3 feet from the top of the side rail to the floor. A few weeks ago, while I was in Colorado, Abigael decided she wanted to climb INTO her crib with the side rail down but could not get out. She yelled until Mommy came to get her out, yelling "OUT!!" as loud as she could. She then repeated several times until Christie put the side rai; all the way up and even then she attempted to crawl in but couldn't swing the leg high enough. We decided to go get Abigael a "Big Girl" bed that sits much lower to the floor but in doing so she now won't stay in bed at night if we put her down awake in that bed. She has slept in her "big girl" bed a few times but only when she has already fallen asleep on the couch or in the car. And even then she usually wakes up around 3 ish to wander around the house (she learned how to use the door knob and light switch long ago!) until she wakes one of us up and we put her in her crib to keep her from getting up.

Last night we put her in her crib and she actually went straight to sleep as she was just plain tuckered out from school and the fall. That was until about 2:15 AM!!!!!!

We were awakened to the sound of Abigael yelling for Mommy and Daddy!! Usually we just let her do her thing and she settles down and goes back to sleep. Finally around 2:35ish she said, "Mommy! PEEPEE!!" So Christie bolted out of bed and went to check on her. I hear Christie down the hall and on the baby monitor say, "You're naked! Where are your clothes and your diaper?" Abigael responds, "Abigael nakkie, and Mommy nakkie too!" (Chrisite was in night clothes) . Abigael had to go pee and she knew being naked that she had to use the potty. So she went pee. Christie put clothes and a diaper back on her and put her back in bed with a stern warning to go back to sleep. Christie came back to bed and we thought that would be the end of it, no prob right?

We were awakened again around 3:30AM when our door was shut abruptly, something she likes to do first when she gets up in the middle of the night, and we heard her milling about in her room through the baby monitor. Christie says to me, "I think she's up." I say "I think she is too!" and I mumble something about " You put her in her crib, right?" Christie says, "YES!" I walk out to Abigael's bedroom to find her darting for her crib and attempting to crawl back in as I open her door. She is sans clothes again but still in her diaper. I pick her up and tell her that she should not be trying to climb out of her crib! I make it back to bed in time to hear her crying out "Dadda help STUCK! HELP!" I run back in and turn on the light and she is perched on top of the side rail one leg over and one leg stuck in the bars. I picked her up and put her back in the crib with a VERY stern warning about crawling out of the crib and of course she mimicks me back and looks very cute. I turn out the light and stay by the door and by the time I close the door I hear movement and I open the door and turn on the light and she is on the floor. I put her back in and tell her "NO! climbing!!" I turn out the light and leave the door open and she again vaults the rail this time I catch her in mid air as she lands on her butt on the floor! I pick her up with a swat to the butt and very upset dad voice I tell her "NO more escape attempts" and I think she gets it this time as I waited for a while with no noise or movement. I go back to bed to try to salvage some sleep....

Then around 4 something AM she is out again and Christie gets up this time and puts her in the "big girl" bed (just for safety-sake knowing that she won't stay in bed) with a swat to the butt and again a stern NO and warning not to get up. We get back to bed thinking she may just have had enough getting up. NOPE! Up again. So then we put the baby gate up in front of her door and we figure that she can just play in her room. The first attempt the gate was not secure enough she topples the gate and is out!! GGGGRRRrrrr I fix the gate and then she just opens the door and says "Mommy" about 173 times and then starts opening and shutting the door loudly! I am just about fed up when all of the sudden she is at the side of my bed! I take her back to bed again and she gets up again. This time I am standing outside the door and as she attempts to hurdel the 2 and a half foot baby gate I scoop her up and smack her butt enough to actually get it in her head that she needs to listen. She crys and lays in bed for about 15 minutes and then tries to get up again!!!! At that point I just get up because its 5 AM and I am not going back to sleep and neither is Abigael.

While up and out in the living room, Abigael lays on the couch and almost falls asleep but then decides she want the TV on. With my back turned, she gets into the A/V cabinet, turns the reciever to the radio with the volume turned all the way up!! I have to vault the couch to get it turned down and off with again a NO! and a michevious Abigael wanting to watch Dora... She is still up and so are we. Christie called in sick because she has a splitting headache and we are now getting ready to go to school.. So what do we do??!?!?!?!?!?!? Tie her into bed at night?? The crib is out now and we are at a loss as to what to do!!

A&P class should be fun to night from 5:30 till 9pm uhgg!!

(Late edit: Abigael was wired, but exhausted, until about 10pm when she passed out on the couch. I put her in her "Big Girl" bed and SHE SLEPT THROUGH THE ENTIRE NIGHT!!! That is until I was awakened at 6:35 AM once again to my door slamming shut. When I finally decided to drag myself out of bed (I was up till midnight doing math homework!) she was in the bathroom sans diaper trying to wipe herself after peeing. Which is great if she hadn't had a poopy diaper that was hucked in the bathroom trash can and a butt still covered in poop!! NOT THE WAY I AM SUPPOSED TO WAKE UP!!! Needless to say I got her cleaned up no harm no foul and we're off to another day ;) )

Abigael pics

2006-09-22T12:42:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay of pics of my best gal but here ya go...

Best of friends!!

Future track star??

All set and ready to roll Kiddie Kilo

Tuckered out!!!

New rain boots for school!!!

29er on the horizon??

2006-09-22T12:05:00.000-07:00

I got a chance to ride the new Redline Mono-cog Flight 29er pre-production prototype Reynolds 853 steel fully ridgid mountain bike, Thanks Bryan!! Here are a few quick snap shots of it, soooo sweet!

The production model will be green and made from Japanese Sanko tubing like this. Man I cannot wait to be able to ride again, fully healed and without pain! Soon so soon!

MTBR.com post

Due out for production Nov. 1st!!

Liv'in life on a bike...

2006-09-20T10:13:00.000-07:00

I was looking through the Craigslist bicycle posting this morning and I came across this guy. His plee struck a cord in me, probably the same cord that wants to just ride the country or just be able to ride period!! And since his CL posting won't last forever I will re-post it here:

hi, thanks for taking the time to read this post. my name is jayme, i have been ridin around the west coast for the past 3 years. i started on a trek 7000 that did me just fine until it was stolen in santa cruz. i hitch hiked for a bit, then i built a cheap single speed cause i couldnt afford any components. one day, just before a small 5 day loop tour in the redwoods, i was given an old brigestone touring bike that i quickly tore down and got all tuned for a tour. alas though i have parted ways with my good friend. but not before puting a few thousand miles on it. curently i am visiting family here in WA and ive been plotting my return trip. the biggest problem is my complete lack of transportation. this is hopfully where you come in. ive been working for a little and have some money, its not much, but id gladly trade it for a nice mountain bike that would take me and about 50 pounds of my favorite things back down to california for the warm season. a BOB trailer would be useful too. id buy one of those if any one has one. im looking for somthing around $200-300 but i can go a little bit more for somthing especially nice. ive also got a snowboard that i dont ride, and would glad to trade. its a rossingnol 158cm, no bindings or boots just the board, but its pretty clean. i really like specialised and cannondales, im kinda picky, but id love to look at any serious offer. sorry, im the choosiest beggar youll ever meet. thank you sooo much for taking the time to read this post.

His CL email address is: sale-209725335@craigslist.org If you can help him out shoot him a line.

My best friends Julian's mountain bike frame arrived Monday night!!! I have been stock up on choice parts for him for almost 6 months and now it is time to start the build!! Here is a pic so far... Man this thing will BLING when it's done!! Hopefully next fall, when and if I am fully healed up, Julian and I can join my good friend George Santucci from NC down in Sedona, AZ; Moab, UT; or some other mountain bike mecca for a week of hitting the trails!! I did this a few years back with George here in WA for 10 days and almost 200 plus miles of awesome trail!! Wow what a trip and we NEED to do it again!! Here is a shot of George riding at the base of Mt. St. Helens...

Go Seahawks

2006-09-17T22:22:00.000-07:00

These pics were taken with my camera phone sorry for the quality...

I was invited to go to the Seahawks game today with my good friend Bryce Weaver. Thanks Dream! I had a blast screaming and yelling till I had no voice left!! Man the twelve man is for real!!! We won easily 21-10 over the AZ Cardinals and now sit 2-0 and lead the NFC West!!

This is the halftime Sea-Gals show:

My interview went well on Saturday with SFD. I was super relaxed and approached it with an "I am done with the testing game" attitude. We'll see if I move on they interviewd about 170 people and they are narrowing it down to 50 for the CPAT on October 15th.

I am selling my Kona "A" full suspention singlespeed mountain bike. Fox Talas RLC fork, Fox Float RLC shock, Chris King headset, Race Face cranks, Avid disc brakes I am asking $1100 and I will put it on Ebay on Sunday. I have a new bike project brewing and with my leg I will realisticly never be able to ride singlespeed again (or at least not for quite awhile!) The frame is an 18" and has never been off road due to my stupid leg injury!! Please take it off my hands I have 29er dreams.....

(Late Edit I sold my "A"!!! As a complete bike!! now I am looking at either the above Redline Monocog Flight 29er or a custom frame and fork?!!!)

been awhile

2006-09-14T15:25:00.000-07:00

Sorry to all few of my faithfull readers. I have not posted in quite awhile. I have been busy with this and that but mostly that is just excuses. I just got back from Utah/Colorado having gone there to help my friend Eric time the Kona Global 24 hour #2 mountain bike race! Man it was fun we flew into Salt Lake City and drove the timing van to just outside of Granby, CO. We took US40 and we saw some beautiful country!! I stayed up from 7am Sat morning till we got on the road Sunday night at 6pm. I got to meet Nat Ross, Mark Hendershot, and Christina Begy all outstanding endurance racers!!! I met Chris Fuller, the new co-owner of Genuine Spot Brand bicycles and I feel like I have a new friend in him. Eric and I gave a guy by the name of Fred Wilkinson a dry place to sleep Friday night, he stayed in our room as opposed to his tarp tent as it poured down rain!! Fred rode his bike from Moab, UT to the race then raced SOLO and the rode home 300 miles one way!!! I also saw Steve "Dr. Doom" Fassbinder there, he came out to race in the solo catergory. Steve in a former Portland messenger and endurance racer nut now living in Colorado. As well as the boys from FSA that drove out to this race from the Seattle area!!! The course dryed out throughout the day Saturday, but from what I heard it was an awesome, fast and at time very muddy 14 mile loop!! I enjoyed spending time with Eric Ewing a true true friend and brother, I only wish we weren't seperated by the state of Washington.

My dad is in town working on a local mountain bike trail project. And my cousin Chris will be in town for a few weeks from Japan! I have heard good things from my doctors as to the healing of my bone graft!! But alas my ankle has become so painful that I am off the bike once again for atleast two weeks!!!

Lets see what else??

School Starts Sep 25th!!! I am so ready but nervous as hell!! I got Abigael into all of the hours at the Childcare center that I needed to get her into, YEAH!! We are going to take her to the open house this Friday, we will be calling it "ABIGAEL'S SCHOOL, for her benefit"! I have all my books Thanks to mom (Pat!)! I have recieved my first VA payment which payed for books and Abigael's Childcare!

I have my SFD employment interview this Sat at 8am. We'll see how it goes, not really to excited about it seeing as how I will most likely get nixed due to my bum leg!! But I have had close friends write very awesome letters of recommendation so I am not giving up all hope yet?

I am super jazzed to get back on the bike and start working out again!! I even went to the gym yesterday and did a core body workout!! I talked with Mike Desalvo and my cyclocross frame/fork is getting built as I type!!! I hope to see it by the beginning of Oct. just in time for my birthday!!! I requeste the paint to be matte black with clear metal panels and blood-red lettering!!! Even though I will not be able to race cyclocross this year I have been waiting for this ride for over a year!! I am so excited to want to participate in some endurance mountain biking event and I am even looking to help organize a local PNW 100 mile race for '07?!? I just wanna be able to go mountain biking again, PERIOD!!

I was so excited to be back home and spend some time with my wonderful daughter!! She is such a dare devil!! We are going to spend so much time in the ER!! Daughter like Father I guess???