Saturday, February 25, 2006


Spoof on the Nike commercials, Let it load! Posted by Picasa

YUM!! Posted by Picasa

Not sure how sturdy this would be, but a less expensive option Posted by Picasa

This would be a good option, but expensive, I would want 2 of them Posted by Picasa

Saturday

What a LONG week at work, glad it's over. Surgery is on Tuesday, won't know the time until Monday afternoon. Had my pre-op appt, found out this is going to be a bit more intense than I was expecting. There are 3 bones in my shoulder that need to be reshaped. I will come home with a pain pump in my shoulder, best way to handle the pain, they tell me. I will take it out myself in 3 days and "don't be freaked out, but the tube in about 6 inches into your shoulder joint (I didn't think my shoulder was that big)" So I am not to be suprised when there is 6 inches of tube to pull out. They assure me it won't hurt at all, just feel strange. I will also have a big cryobrace on my shoulder/arm,with cold water flowing through it. Hmmm, how does that work?? Told me I probably won't sleep for the 1st 3 days because all this will be so uncomfortable. Then will go in after a week and get stitches removed and start physical therapy. After all that, dr tells me it will be about 3 months before I feel normal again....3 MONTHS!!!!!!!!!! I was going off the 1st appointment when the dr said it was an easy surgery, only 3 holes and about 1 to 1 1/2 hour long unless he finds soft tissue damage which would change things, but that is not expected. So I have figured out it is an easy surgery for HIM, a long recovery for ME. Sigh. But the end results will be worth it, dr assures me. I am a little concerned about being put to sleep, who knows what could happen...although I remember the Seinfeld show where Jerry goes to the dentist,is put under and wakes up to the female assistant and the dentist buttoning up thier clothing and his shirt is mysteriously untucked, so I laugh about it. I just don't like the thought of being that drugged, what if I didn't come out of it....ugh...stop thinking like that!! I did want to ride in the Clean Air ride, 120 miles round trip, which will be in early May, but due to my shoulder, I don't think I will be ready for it. I have never ridden that far as I really would need to train for it and I just can't tell if I would be ready for that, so I will aim for it next year.

It's snowing today, not nice big fluffy flakes but small, hard icy things. Doesn't look like it will accumulate much, but probably will make everything pretty slick. bleck. I am looking forward to summer.

I have been looking at a way to transport more bikes in the back of my truck without removing the wheels. I have a RecRac (www.recrac.com) right now, works great, but the bike spacer or add a bike whatever's are garbage. broke the 1st time we used them. My road bike is light enough to use just 1 of them but mountain bikes really need both of them. Even if I bought another pair, that's just 2 bikes. So I am looking at maybe getting my husband to build one like this PVC one, but I'm not sure how strong it would be or how secure. We go over some pretty rough terrain to get to where we ride, bikes sway around if not secured tightly. I also like this Sportworks Insta-gater but it is a bit pricey. Sportworks has been taken over by Thule.

I probably won't post again until after surgery, wish me luck!

Monday, February 20, 2006


This is pretty cool, although I don't like the music. let it load. Found on www.GoClipless  Posted by Picasa

Cool picture Posted by Picasa

Quote of the day

A CLEAR CONSCIENCE IS THE SIGN OF A BAD MEMORY!

Cranky

I am just cranky feeling deep inside. I hate that. I try to stay away from people when I feel like this because I just don't like the negative vibes I'm putting off and I'm sure no one else does. So on this sunny beautiful morning, which is too icy to ride except the boring flat route around my little town, I have been comtemplating why I'm feeling this way. Maybe if I get it out I will feel better.

It started Thursday afternoon. I was supposed to get off work at 3:30. I work a "flex" schedule which means I work extented hours during most days and every other week it works out to getting off at 3:30 on Thursdays and every other Friday off. My phone rang about 3:15, I answered it. It was a client, VERY drunk. He's homeless and has other issues besides being a drunk and homeless but generally friendly and young. A guy he was hanging/drinking with ripped off all of his food for the month, so he's looking at 12 days with no food. Only thing I can do is refer him to food banks, but they are streached pretty thin right now and there is a real possibility of turning him away because he's soo drunk. Then he tells me in graphic detail about how he is going to stick a knife in the throat of the guy who took his food. OK, so now we are on a different level of discussion. Then he starts going on about killing himself. Aww shit. He has a few ways of doing it, from walking out onto a busy road and getting splattered to the knife. I tell him I'm going to have him talk to a friend of mine, in reality the head of the office. I write a note that said exactly "client very drunk, talking about hurting other's and himself" flag down a co-working walking past my office to take to the supervisor. I'm thinking they will call the cops to pick him up until he sobers up, that way he will at least have a warm place and food for a day or so, or they would hospitalize him for 72 hrs in the psych ward to get him through this crisis. Anyway, I finally am able to switch his call to the supervisor after getting him to promise me he will not hang up and will talk with her. Then I try to breath again. I'm a calm person, can't remember the last time I outwardly became freaked (on the inside is a different story). I walk down past the supervisor's office and she's talking quite loudly and forcefully. I hung out until the call was finished and the supervisor came to me telling me she told him to call the local mental health agency, etc etc. Turns out she got the wrong information as it trickled down and she thought he was threatening to kill ME!!! Ohhh, not good. I hope he did. I would have called the cops at least for a welfare check but we have "procedures" to follow. The guy was desperate, needed help, reached out. Well, when it comes down to it, it's all out of my hands, I'm powerless.

Took my son to the orthopeadic dr on Friday. He is "loose-jointed" which is a genetic thing, like baby's and toddlers who are very flexible and then tighten up as they grow older. He is still "loose" which is causing the kneecap dislocation. The more it dislocates, the more things loosen up = bad! So he is in a full leg brace. the idea is to totally immobilize his leg for 1 month so things can basically atrophy and shrink up, like when someone becomes paralyzed the everything shrinks and draws in. So hockey is out. That really is a bummer, this is his 1st year, he really enjoys it and has been steadly improving. His team was to head up north to Fairbanks for the State Tournement and now he is out. AHHHHGGGGGG! I talked to the coach, they will still let him go and dress out and sit the bench. I asked the doctor if this could wait until after the tourny in mid-march, dr said no or there is chance of real damage which requires really nasty surgery and this type of surgery on a growning 14 yr old boy would really be bad and probably would need follow up surgeries as he grows. OK, got that message loud and clear. Besides, my son says he's not skating well because he is afraid of hurting his knee. It's pretty awful when it dislocates and the more it comes out, the easier it is to come out. My nephew commented that he's notices my son is holding back also.
So my son is a peg-leg and trying to get out of his chores - :). He tried to clean up his bike yesterday but got frustrated at not being able to crouch down so I took over. He was just smearing around the gunk anyway. He way over-lub'd everything so it was all really dirty and gunky. I got it almost shiny looking and gave a nice lub and grease job, as much as I know how to do anyway. I keep telling him that sometimes less is more but he really needed to basically strip it all and start over. Shifts way better now. I sure could use a work stand, I had the bike upside down, trying to shift it with my toes, balance it against my head (took the seat post out to drain any water that got in there) and other contortions. All of this in 5 degree windchill. BRRR! Sometimes I wish I could chuck the 9 to 5 and become a bike wrench!! I have BIG dreams!!!!!!! HA

Ok, I feel a little better. I'm done :)

Saturday, February 18, 2006

Winter or Summer - It's NEITHER!

It's about 37 degrees outside, which is just cruddy for riding trails at this time. I went to a local trail this morning, knowing it would be a bit icy, but it was almost unrideable. All the nicely goomed trails have turned into pure, wet, ice. No snow or ice except where the trails were packed down. It may just be rider error, but I could NOT make it up any hills because it is just glare wet ice. This trail goes down a ways, I had to take the easy trail and turn around when I finally came to a steep hill that I just couldn't get up. Rear tire just spun, no matter how much of my weight I put back there. finally had to go back the way I came. Hit some snowy area I thought would be a little better but it was too soft, front wheel didn't want to roll. Frustrating. I really want to put my new bike to the test, but conditions just aren't allowing it right now. I can tell, however, that the decreased weight, suspension and fit to me is going to make a HUGE difference in my riding. I just didn't know what I was missing. I'm not looking forward to missing 2 months of real riding while recovering from shoulder surgery (which has been moved up to 2/28). Sigh...I wish it would just warm up and get winter over with, or come back and then be going by the time I'm ready to ride again.

I'm bummed, cycling between sad and mad. **** will NOT ride with me, DOESN'T understand the new bike when I have other bikes(road and hardtail), doesn't want to hear that my frickin body HURTS with MS and arthritis/lupus and a softer, lighter ride will help keep me going further and longer. I'm 38 years old and sometimes move like I'm 80. My reality is not pretty and I don't want to it as an excuse but there is truth in it. But the good thing about riding is it is an independent sport-I will not stop. I want soo badly to be strong and healthy, biking is part of it. Some of the things he says, I just don't know where they come from...Enough bitching - sorry.

Got a waterbottle holder put on my Juliana today. I tried the camelback but don't really like the extra weight on my back. I've learned how to keep water from freezing pretty well and my shell has a inner pocket for a waterbottle but its not really comfortable.

Good luck to all the Susitna 50/100 milers today. It's so warm/soft and icey out, hope they do well. www.Susitna100.com

My drink of the day will be tequila shots

Tuesday, February 14, 2006


Shimano XT drive train, will upgrade pedals later. Nokian studded tires unti ice melts Posted by Picasa

Hand built wheels, Shimano XT hubs, Shimano LX hydralic disk brakes Posted by Picasa

Carbon fiber bars and seatpost, Terry Butterfly seat Posted by Picasa

Juliana  Posted by Picasa

JULIANA IS HERE!

My baby, my new Santa Cruz Juliana is here! Bike guy was waiting for large frame but Santa Cruz is having some problems so large frame never showed. I am right in the middle of a large and medium, the medium have better reach for me but I have to have the seatpost up almost to max extention - long legs. Bike guy was going back and forth because he would have to build up the bars so there wouldn't be too much of a downward slope from the seat to the bars. With the problems getting the large, we just went ahead with the medium. Bike guy though I might think the cockpit feels too small but it's just right as far as I can tell so far. He said he would let me exchange the frame to a large if it didn't work out, at no additional cost, as long as there wasn't any damage to it. Pretty cool guy, that bike guy.
I took it for a test ride, oh my, does that bike feel good....ahhh. I got a little over confident, I'm used to my studded tires but was going pretty good with the Hutchinson Pythons that he put on until I tried climbing a SMALL hill and the bike slid out from under me. I landed on my butt but the bike is sooo light and there is soo much clearance that I was able to keep it from hitting the ground! I had him put my Nokian studded tires on. He "tsk, tsk's" me, adds weight you know, but keeps me off the ground!!

The suspension is REALLY nice. I just had no idea, never been on a full suspension before.

Here are the specs:
Shimano XT drivetrain
Shimano XL hydo disk brakes
carbon fiber seat post and bars
hand built Mavic wheels with Shimano XT hubs
Hutchinson Python tires, not currently on it, have my Nokian studded on it
Ugly heavy platform pedals on it currently, Bike guy is loaning them to me until better weather, then I will go clipless - maybe!

The bike is prettier with the Hutchinson tires and the shiny pedals he had on it before, it will be that way again when the ice is gone. I am a HAPPY GIRL! Happy Valentine's to ME!

Tuesday, February 07, 2006

Sunday, February 05, 2006

The End

Surfing the net today, found that Lance Armstrong and Cheryl Crow have split up. Hmmm.
I totally respect Lance's cycling skills but always have been just so/so in my opinion of him. I never really knew much about him but started reading articles in Runner's World which were written by Kristin (?) Armstrong, his ex-wife and mother of his kids. Her 1st column talked about her carrying around her "bags of sadness" and how running became a positive way of handling it. It was a very real article, there also was no Lance bashing in it. It was an article written by a women who loved her husband. I always have secretly wished they would get back together. Of course I have no idea about the reality of their lives, maybe they are better apart and the kids also. Only they know.

Saturday, February 04, 2006


The Alaska Run for Women, Alaska RailRoad train in the background. I was with non-running friends, so walked this one. Posted by Picasa

Our ride back to civilization. This plane is a Beaver, a legendary Alaskan bush plane.  Posted by Picasa

Butterfly on my lilac bush Posted by Picasa

Nice weather at the end of the Alaska Run for Women Posted by Picasa

I caught the BIGGEST fish on this trip! Posted by Picasa

Dall Sheep on the side of the road Posted by Picasa

Ice fishing at the cabin Posted by Picasa

My dog, he's all smiles!! Posted by Picasa

Me on the back deck of our wilderness cabin Posted by Picasa

Eagle checking me out checking him out Posted by Picasa

One of our cows, rainbow behind his head Posted by Picasa

River Paddle Boat ride, Fairbanks Alaska Posted by Picasa

No, I'm not drunk!

Shoulder surgery scheduled for 03/02/06. I will not be able to ride for awhile, so I went to the bike shop and bought a Cyclops fluid trainer. As I was looking around the shop, I ran into a rack of waterbottle holders and whatnots. Bike Guy says "Are you drunk or something??" Ok, I'm not the MOST graceful person but not exactly stumbling round like a drunk. He's just giving me a hard time. I blow it off. The truth of it is MS, which pisses me off. It's this dark shadow that comes up and smacks me sometimes. Sometimes hard, sometimes just little reminders like yesterday, when my balance and coordination are just a bit off. I was tempted to tell Bike Guy the truth, but based on past experience, found that most people feel pretty bad after making a comment like that then finding out the real problem.

Anyway, I'm sort of regretting spending the money on the trainer, it's pretty expensive. We are also still waiting for the large Santa Cruz Juliana frame. Bike Guy really wants to make sure which frame size I need, either medium or large. He is thinking I will need the large. He actually said I'm on the tall side for a girl. I never thought I was tall, just average at 5'6". I wouldn't mind being an inch or 2 taller.

I couldn't get yesterdays pictures to load, even after 3 tries, so I will try it in this post. It's still cold here, about 10 below zero F.

Friday, February 03, 2006

Wishing for Summer/ Drink of the day: Vodka Gimlet

Finally have a day off work-Woohoo! I was sleeping in this morning when the phone rang. Just 1 time, then nothing. Enough to wake me up, then I couldn't get back to sleep so I drug myself out of bed. So the phone rings again about an hour later, just 1 time...and again just now, just 1 time. This is getting old. Stop it!!
We have a phone number that is simular to a family out here who seems to have a pretty DRAMA filled life. You wouldn't believe some of the things they say when we pick up the phone. One of the ladies in this family has the same name as I do. I picked up the phone one day and someone was screaming "Michelle!! He's on his way to jail again!!! They took him away!!!!!!!!!" I'm going "What??? WHO????? OH MY GOD, WHATS GOING ON!!!!!!" The lady goes "YOU KNOW WHATS GOING ON, **** (the guy's name) IS ARRESTED FOR WHAT HE DID!!!!!" Then I had to tell the lady she had the wrong number! She didn't believe me at 1st, it was rather sad. Sortly after that, my husband picks up the phone and a teenage girl is screaming into it all sort of unmentionable things, appearently she got pregnant and the father is one of the guys in this family, who was denying he was the father. The girl would scream, hang up, call back, say stuff like you wouldn't believe, husband would tell her again she had the wrong #. This went on for about 5 calls before I answered the phone and told her to stop. Those are just little samples. I'm glad that is not my life. I've never met any of this family, but I know WAY too much about their personal lives..ugh.

Been lazy the last week, no riding. The temps have been too cold anyway. 20 below doesn't do it for me for riding. I was at the grocery store a few nights ago after work, saw a guy pull up on a Specialized bike with a SID fork. I have seen his bike around a few times and would have liked to chat with him, but couldn't find him after he went into the store, I was still parking. Went to the bike shop yesterday, still waiting for the large Juliana frame to come in. Bike guy is getting in all his new 2006 stock and bikes so he's pretty busy. I hate to bug him, he's a one-man show there, but he always tells me it's no problem. He will call Santa Cruz today for an update. I go there soo much if I wasn't buying a bike, bike guy would probably charge me admission, ha!! Ahh well, there's worse places to hang, not that I really hang out there, just like to "window shop".

I dont' think I've mentioned that we have cows. 2 of the females are expecting and we have 3 young bulls. I never have been around cows before, it's interesting to see their individual personalities. Some are a friendly as a dog and act like one, follow you around, lick you, etc. The oldest cow is a brat, she's a bully. I call her T-Bone every once in a while to remind her of what could happen....:) Here's a picture of one of our cows from this last summer, he has a rainbow behind her.
I have been looking at other pictures from this summer, sigh. Makes me long to see green again. Hope you enjoy looking at them. The eagle was taken at our cabin in the wilderness. That's my dog, he's a smiler. Sort of scares people until we tell them that he is SMILING. That's me on the back deck of our wilderness cabin. We snowmachine (or snowMOBILE) for you non-Alaskans, to the cabin in the winter, have to hire a float or "bush" plane to get there in the summer.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------DRINK OF THE DAY: VODKA GIMLET
This is one of my favorite drinks. My dad would drink them when I was little and he would give me just the tiniest sip. I rediscovered them as an adult while dining at the Club Paris in Anchorage - really good food there, make reservations well in advance to get a table.
2 parts quality Vodka (Grey Goose is my favorite)
1 part Rose's Lime juice cordial
1 tsp sugar syrup (3 parts warm water to 1 part sugar, disovle sugar, let cool before using)

Place 3 ice cubes in cocktail shaker, add vodka, Rose's and sugar syrup. Shake well and strain into your favorite cocktail glass.

Can also be used with Gin instead of Vodka. Potent so be careful, Enjoy!!