We're Moving

A New Job, A New Home and A New Adventure...

Last Friday I accepted a Software Project Manager position with Baxa, a small medical device company in Englewood, CO. The new job will be a great opportunity for me to grow professionally. I have since submitted a resignation letter to Medtronic with my last day as July 17th. We'll do RAGBRAI the week after and my first day in Colorado will be July 29th.

I have been looking for different opportunities for about 3 years now. I started looking internal to Medtronic but with the current business climate and the (now yearly) layoffs there was little to find. I settled into the, "Be glad you have a job" attitude for a couple years and then realized I'm unhappy because I'm not learning and growing. After submitting numerous resumes to postings in the Twin Cities and Denver I interviewed with three companies, all of which were out of state.

The plan for now is to sell the house with me (and Boo) moving ahead and living with my sister. Holly and Lilly will live here in Minnesota until the house sells and then we'll look for a new home in our new state. We'll also have to sell the boat and Waverunner.

We believe this will be good for a number of reasons. We hope to find a neighborhood with more kids and we'll love living closer to a family member (my sister and brother-in-law live in Denver). It will be a lot of work and is very hard leaving the people to whom we've grown close. It's hard to leave something comfortable. It will also be a fun adventure as we move and figure out a new place.

Thank you to everyone who has befriended us here. You've helped us grow. We will truly miss you.

End of June

Holly was signed up to do the "Paul Bunyan" double century (200 miles) this Saturday but unfortunately it was called because of lightning. Everyone that had gathered at 4:50AM went over to Perkins for breakfast and plotted a ride after the weather blew over. Turns out I went for a Saturday afternoon ride and Holly did her traditional Sunday morning ride. Sunday I ran 15 in the park with Todd and Joe.

There was swimming both days and some tubing behind the boat Sunday afternoon. We pulled the boat out Sunday evening to gas it up for our families coming up for the 4th of July. I also need to figure out why it won't go on and off the lift easily anymore.

Team Strong Heart Won!!!

Summer Day

Yesterday and today proved summer is here. 90+ degree temperatures with 100+ degree heat indices. Yesterday we beat the heat by floating down the river and swimming off of the boat. It was a popular idea and the river was as busy as we've seen on a weeknight. This afternoon Lilly and the neighbor kids (and Boo) swam in the river, floated on the tube and jumped off the dock. Fun summer evenings.


Summer on the river

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day dads!

I woke up today to breakfast in bed cooked and served by Lilly. Cereal was the choice as mom was on a bike ride and Lilly isn't allowed to use the griddle until she's six. What a great way to start Sunday. I had a feeling it was coming as Lilly told me the night before, "Dad, if you wake up before me just pick out some stories and stay in bed until I wake up. Okay?"

Holly went on the St. Paul bike ride today and had a great time. Lilly and I went to church and found out Jesus will call you out for your lack of faith if you wake him up because the boat is being hit by the perfect storm. Or maybe it would be better put as: Peace. Calm. Good advice for everyone. In almost every situation.

After church I mowed the lawn and did a 15 mile run in Elm Creek. 1hr 41min equals somewhere around 6:45 miles. Pretty good but I was plenty shot at the end.

The family went out for dinner at Moon Rock and desert at Mac Donald's (playland).

Team Strong Heart is racing right now!

Fish On!

Dad caught one of the largest smallmouth bass of his life! He thinks 4-5 pounds:


The fight


Nice bass

Northwoods Vacation

Today was the first day of fishing with my dad in Boulder Junction. We each caught around 40 smallmouth bass. Mostly smaller ones but still very fun. We both went for a bike ride when we got back to the hotel. After dinner I sat out at the picnic table and checked email. While I was sitting there three deer walked by about 30 feet away:


Deer


More Deers

NVGP / Teddy Bear Park

Saturday I went on a ride from Joe's house with Joe, Eric, Todd and Paul. 80 miles to North Branch and back. Great weather for a ride. Afterwards Holly, Lilly and I spent a couple hours lounging on the boat and then ate on the patio at Maverick's. Holly and I sneeked down to the dock to watch the Father Hennepin Days fireworks after dark.

Sunday Holly rode out to Stillwater with Madonna and Amy to watch the final stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix bike race. Lilly and I drove out to meet them, watch the race and play at the Teddy Bear Park. The race is crazytown as hundreds of people line the super steep hill (18% - 24%) and scream at the riders as they grind past. The second time up the hill one girl dropped her chain and I ran out to push her until she got going again. A little hard in flip flops. Melissa, a local girl we've ridden with did well racing with the pros. I'd imagine it'd be a pretty cool deal to toe the line with the current national champion. It was great to see Dave Hemstad.


Teddy Bear Park


Very nice park


Lilly likes to climb

Lilly's Birthday

Lilly is 5 years old today. Wow, that seemed to go by quickly.

Lilly's birthday party consisted of the Father Hennepin Days parade in Champlin with some time at the carnival after the parade. After that she had one of her friends from the neighborhood sleepover. They camped out in the sun porch.


Lilly, Madison, Kanene


I'm a sucker for burritos


Spinning Dragon


About to be scrambled


Scrambler


After the slide

Grandma & Grandpa Rotach Weekend

My mom and dad came up to visit this weekend. With them here both Holly and I were able to get out on the Saturday morning ride. Joe met us at our house and despite the 45 degree starting temperature was sporting a short-sleeved skin suit. Yikes. I tossed a long-sleeved jersey and leg warmers at him and we took off.

We had a great 60 mile ride with the rain holding off until about 10 miles from home. Nice to be out together.

Mom and Holly ran some errands while my dad and I trimmed some trees and hauled two pickup loads to the compost site. We then had a salmon dinner and went to the movie "Up". Very fun movie. Squirrel!

Sunday we went to the book store and Lilly got a birthday puzzle from Grandma and Grandpa.


Dino-mite!

Chutes and Ladders

Holly put in 50 miles at an average of 18.7 mph tonight. Fast ride on a 70 degree day with no wind. Perfect.

Lilly and I went to "Chutes and Ladders" park (actually the play area of Hyland Lake Park) in Bloomington.


Where was this when I was 5?


Mmmm...Spongebob.


I was getting no glide.
Even with Swix red.

911

Today I called 911 for the first time. I was riding home from work on 85th avenue in Coon Rapids (right by Wal-Mart and Target) and saw a pickup pull out in front of a 23 yr old guy on a motorcycle. Not 50 feet in front of me. The guy in the truck just didn't see him. It was really surreal for me as I kept thinking I must be missing something. I kept telling myself, "There's no way that guy just pulled out like that." Eventually there was a cloud of tire smoke from the motorcycle and a little shimmy as he almost brought it to a stop before hitting the side of the truck. Thankfully he was wearing a helmet so the only apparent damage was a deep scrape on his knee. "I've never seen a kneecap before," says the guy as he laid on the pavement. Me neither. The police showed up, took a statement from me and sent me on my way. I was a little nervous on the remainder of the ride home. Be careful out there.