Heading south

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!!

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!!

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

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...

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

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

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

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!!!!

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

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!

Maken' out in the mist...

Getting an itch to do some MT Bike touring!

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!!

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

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!

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...

Sea Otter Classic

Opening day tradition

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

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

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

New South End Thrilla training ride

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...!

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

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

Courtesy of Team Dicky....

Biker Fox Movie Trailer Bicycle Race

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I am truly speechless!!!

New Black Sheep full suspention design...

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!!!

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

North American Handmade Bicycle Show 2008

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

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

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!