The Second Half

Construction has been going on outside our house beginning at 6:30am for two weeks straight now. Not that I really notice that much since I’ve been out riding by 6:15 and then home later from work in the evening, but…..who the hell invented the beeper for trucks that are backing up? I know it’s a safety issue, but g’damn I think I’m hearing that sound in my sleep now.

Coming up next Monday is a “big business” corporate retreat for our management group – at my resort/hotel. For f*ck’s sake, that means I have to do a sissy little welcome letter, a creative little froo-froo welcome amenity, and undoubtedly somebody attending the event will complain about a lack of air conditioning even though these are fellow employees staying COMP for a mandatory event. Big Steve told me about a good team building event he hosted a few months back, and ours is going to be a ropes course strung across the creek – Tyrolean style. It’s almost cliché the way these retreats are done nowadays: Icebreaker event, followed by diving into an agenda, then a big working lunch, followed by an afternoon team building event. Ahhh well, it could be worse as us Minnesotan’s say.

I’ve morphed into a comfort zone of 3.5 – 5 hours on the bike. I’m trying hard to keep weight on by eating huge lunches so I don’t shrivel up like a skinny roadie in Le Tour de France. Yes, I realize that I could go faster if I dropped 10-15 pounds, but then you’d be calling me Skeletor and I would have zero self-confidence resulting in a horrific slide into depression, alcoholism and undoubtedly a rock bottom crash after intervention. I know that might be fun to watch, but I’m not up for it. Upcoming events are largely unconfirmed as fuel prices and time from work resemble a NASCAR restrictor plate on my decision making, and I despise NASCAR. There is a benefit social ride – 95 mile road ride – for which I was able to get a sponsor to pay my entry fee, plus the ride starts 2 blocks from my front door. I’m trying to arrange carpooling for the remainder of the fall events. Word outta the AZ event organizers mouths is that racing attendance is down 25% and we all know why.

Tomorrow? 4.5 hour ride around the peaks, then work, then home ‘round 9:30pm. Oh, and on the way to work I’m picking up a new to me but used bike I just bought from a local dude. Pics and Deets will be released once I have her tuned and dialed in. Let’s just say it’s the least expensive bike I’ve bought since my first mountain bike – a Paramount 20 which Big Steve will remember. This new/used ride will give me a reason not to skip races since it has gears, a hard tail, and 29” wheels.