Didn't feel like riding today....

but I did anyway. For about 30 minutes...3 miles...ATT. I've decided that I really dislike riding ATT on that bike. Maybe on my Mom's cruiser/comfort bike with the slicker tires...

Of course, the reason I rode Gustav there was to gain strength and endurance. I should probably ride out there at least once a week. Or Umstead. NEVER AGAIN!!! Hahahaa.

Later peoples...I'm feeling a little blue and my wonderful meds are kicking in. Nighty night.

Artsy pics from TORC Trail Building Clinic

I had the BEST time yesterday at the trail building clinic. Firstly, the land was beautiful. The house was insanely gorgeous. And the people were so much fun!

I could have stayed out there for days and shot...but here are a few of my more typical artsy photos that I so enjoy shooting:

Gun Tree


Tree Stump


Woody Goodness (a particularly appropriate title as I've just had the "do that in your room" discussion with my 4 yr old about touching his parts...oy vey)


Tree Bark


Curved Tree Bark


Another blog with more details about the clinic will come later today when I have more time.

Hives and Bike Updates

Well...the hives never did go completely away. I can't remember the correct term for appearing and disappearing hives, but J has had that going on all day. We gave him Benedryl and he seems to be better, if not a little revved up. Oh joy. *eye roll*

As for the bike - it was totally fucked up. :)Ok, I'm exaggerating. But there was definitely something wrong with it. The gears would not shift all the way down on the right side and the guy working on it had a bit of trouble figuring it out, so another guy came and worked on it. Said he simply started from scratch - reset all my cables, limits…blah blah blah. Look to see if the hanger was bent and it wasn’t…did something by turning the barrel on the shifter.

I'm still not exactly sure what the problem was, but I don't care as long as it's fixed and doesn't happen again.

I'm gonna go ride Harris now. Why the hell not, right? :D

Should I ride tomorrow?

After that honkin' long ass ride today at Umstead that kicked my ass, I'm really wondering if I should ride tomorrow. I kind of want to, but then I kind of don't. I guess I need to look at my bike first and see if I can figure out what's wrong with it and/or take it back to Performance to have them check it. My bike did NOT like me today.

If I ride, it will be Harris, more than likely. I don't want to do too much - I'm still tired. I'd probably do the beginner and 1st loop of the intermediate if I do anything. I don't think I'll be riding at all on Saturday since I have a TORC trail building clinic to attend. I'm kind of excited about it...get to learn new stuff, take pictures, etc. Then Sunday I might have a beginner ride/volunteer thingy with the folks from Burt's Bees...or a ride on ATT with the "wives" into downtown Durham. Either sounds fun to me. :)

Maybe I'll hit Crabtree on Monday...Maggie - you in?

The other thing I want to do - and I need to find out which night is good for hubs for me not to be home - is to do a night ride on ATT. I have been kind of reticent to do night rides anywhere because it just scares the shit out of me to think that I won't be able to really see what I need to roll over or around, etc. But there really isn't anything TO roll over or around on ATT - it's a rails to trails project, so it's pretty flat and the stuff is filtered/packed - well, aside from the horse shit. Gross.

Anywho...I'm going to sleep...again.

Hives...

My 4 year old...bless his little crumb snatching ass...decided to see what Mommy had up on the counter, cuz Lord knows it looks INTERESTING. So he sticks his grimy little finger in the juice of what it is that I had cut in half. Then he puts the grimy little finger in his mouth. "I like that Mommy." "That's nice, Stink."

Fast forward half an hour later...hubs has kids upstairs getting ready for bed.

"Mommy...(this is the 7yr old)...I think you better come up here. J has a rash on his back." So Mommy walks upstairs, takes a look at the little Stink and says one word. "HIVES."

We know all about food allergies in this house - my older son is dx'd with an egg white allergy, he gets crazy with food dyes; the little one had soy and milk allergies as a baby...and now I would bet my ass he has a new food allergy. Wanna know what it is?

Rode Umstead...

So me, Maggie and Carter rode at Umstead today. It was a PERFECT day for biking and damn it...I wished like hell I'd brought my camera. I left the point and shoot in the car, but that's not the one I wanted to shoot with. I wanted my baby...my Canon Rebel XT. But I don't typically carry her on rides anymore. I'm too afraid I'll fall and squash her. But there were so many opportunities for beautiful shots. The falling leaves made for a gorgeous yellow brick road like ride for at least a few areas on the trails...until the Ranger on the tractor toting the leaf blower came by. :O

Umstead is a really really hilly trail system...and y'all know I'm not good at the uphills...according to Carter, we rode 8-10 miles...and I'm sure I walked at least a quarter. Those uphills are bitches and can kiss my ever loving fat chick biker ass! My god...I thought I was going to DIE.

But the downhills...oh the lovely downhills...FUN STUFF man!!

The only really bad part is that I had an appt at 1pm that I was supposed to be at with hubs and I was late. Which made me have a huge anxiety attack...and cry. Again.

Oh...and my bike decided to switch gears on its own today...so off to the shop it will have to go.

Over all, it was a fun ride for me, except for the hills. Not sure about Maggie and Carter...probably not so fun since they had to wait on me...A LOT. Maybe next time we'll ride at ATT or Harris. Somewhere I KNOW I can ride.

Cross all your 2000 parts

I wanna go ride Crabtree tomorrow...but right now it, and Harris, are both closed b/c of the shitty damn weather we had the past couple days. It cleared up nicely today and so I'm hoping that dried out the majority of Crabtree...haha. We're due to meet at 10:30am, so here's to hoping. :)

If we cant ride Crab, we'll ride at Umstead...and everyone can watch me keel over from trying to ride uphills. Best get my granny gear all lubed up and ready for action, cuz she'll be gettin' some good use at Umstead tomorrow! *snicker*

Either ride will benefit me...mentally and physically. I just need to ride.

But now I just need to go to bed. :)

Later peeps.