State Fair

Our state fair is a great state fair.

Monday
9-mile run through Champlin
Half day for the State Fair!
Food, rides, animals, art exhibition,
activities (sewing/cooking/super awesome kayak)
Lilly fell asleep on the bus on the way home






Tuesday
1+ hr ride - 610 and back (AM)
Lilly came super close to riding w/o training wheels!
3 loops in the park (PM)
Saw Tom C and talked cyclocross, waterskiing and chili dogs

Wednesday
5 mile run w/Wade at lunch. Very nice.
Rode with Lilly to the library after dinner.
Lilly beat me at Candyland.

Thursday
1 hr run in the park (about half was in the dark)
Dropped Rob off at the cycle shop in Ramsey.
Pulled over for "illegal U-turn" on hwy 10.
"Summer sledding" (big wheels down the grass sledding hill)

Friday
Biked to work w/Lilly.
Forgot her helmet at home so she rode in the trailer
on the way to work and borrowed her "school helmet"
for the ride home.

Saturday
Biked to Elk River to mountain bike.
Met Rob for a lap and a half.
~ 1hr up there (15 mi),
3 laps (21 miles),
~ 1hr home (15 mi) (WINDY)
Had to make a choice right away in the morning
as the mountain bike trails are a right turn:


Boated with kids (swimming off the boat)
Gopher football game w/Neil, Craig, Kyle.

Big 10, Town Hall (never again) for food and beers
Walked through campus

Sunday
Took the green boat out of the water:
Lilly and I drove the trailer to the landing,
played at the park and walked home. Started up
the green boat and drove down to the Rum River.
The boat died and I couldn't restart it.
Luckilly the wind was blowing just right to take us to
the Point Park docks. Tied it up and walked home.
When Holly got home from the Chili Dog ride I walked
back over and got someone to tow me up the rum.
One person denied me saying, "I would, but we're not going
that way." Jeez, thanks - it's all of 5 mintues.
---
Golfed at Green Haven with Rob.
Rob and I met Holly and Lilly at Moonrock afterwards.

End of Summer?

I've heard a few people talk of the end of summer. Even one who believes we're in for a very early winter. All I know is it is dark longer.

Monday
1 hr ride through Champlin
Swim (wade) with Lilly and Hailey - they caught minnows
Made quesadillas on the grill
Mowed (baled) the lawn
Setup the mole traps...we've gotta have an army of moles out there

Tuesday
9 mile Champlin run - felt great - nice cruising pace (AM)
Rode to St. Paul and back (~ 60 mi) - from Mpls to Anoka in the dark

Wednesday
1 easy loop in the park
Swimming w/Lilly
Trailer train to Rocket Park
Rode the trail-a-bike over some ramps in the skate park

Thursday
1hr run in the park

Friday
1hr ride AM
Badmiton with Hailey
Slow night bike cruise through Anoka.

Saturday
Ride to errands
Fast tempo run (Anoka-Coon Rapids 8 mile route)
Skiing

Sunday
Chili dog ride
Dave, Carol, Mike, Noah and me
I'm the only one manly (stupid) enough to do the chili dog
Beer at Dave's afterwards
Skiing
Tubing (Jacob tubed from the dam to the bridge)

Okoboji Vacation

Summer vacation at the "Iowa Great Lakes"
Tuesday - Sunday

Monday
1+hr run in the park
Jeez my legs are feeling tired

Tuesday
1hr ride (AM)
Trailhead ride (PM)
Holed out the rain shower in the Lion's club
shelter in Rockford.
Bernie rides faster the less he rides.

Wednesday
1.5hr ride (AM)
Drive to Okoboji.
Arnold's Park.



Made homemade pizza for dinner.

Thursday
Ran around East Lake Okoboji (14.5 mi).
Wizard of Oz play at Okoboji Children's Theater
Ate tacos at the Taco House.
Sat at the pool.
Swam with Lilly on the lily pads.
Boated & skied - realy calm for Okoboji
The Barefoot bar and Braco's for some LI Iced Teas.

Friday
50 mi ride with Holly.
Quiet Iowa county roads.
She pushed well and I was along for the ride.
My liver hurts.

Saturday
Ran 1hr on Iowa county roads. Very nice.
Drove to Sioux Center
Trampoline, sand volleyball, 4square, town biking

Sunday
Boating on Okabena Lake in Worthington, MN
Picnic with Holly's family
Pizza in St. Peter
Home around 9:30pm.

4Runner Took a Poop

Let's see how we do with one car. Thank goodness it's summer.

Monday
Rode to work.
Drove down to Rochester to pick up Lilly!

Tuesday
Rode to work w/ the trailer train, Lilly got a ride w/ Holly.
Rode home w/ Lilly.
1st to the store to get stuff for National Night Out.
Saw Erik @ MGM.
Home for party. It was great!

Wednesday
The 4Runner is fixed. The insert worked.

1hr run in the park
Caught a ride to/from work w/Holly.
Rode to the grocery store after Lilly went to bed.

Thursday
Trailer train to work while Lilly drove with Holly.
"Tour of Parks" after work with Lilly.
Saw a reggae band at Coon Rapids Dam ("The damn park")
Shared a cone with Lilly at DQ

Friday
9-mile run
Mowed the lawn
Beers at Neil's

Saturday
Rode to Duluth/Superior to pick up 4Runner w/ Dave
160 miles in ~ 8 hours ride time
Dave was really strong for almost the entire ride
Before Lunch:
We averaged over 20 for the first 70 miles (Hinkley)
Slight headwind
Then we "toured" (read: rode side by side at 19.5) on the trail
I bonked bad
Lunch:
I had a burger and Dave had a steak
at Peggy Sue's in Willow River
After Lunch:
The wind is now close to 20mph
I could hold around 18 or so into wind after lunch
but didn't have any more than that
Gatorade G2 saved me in Carlton
The bridge into Superior was super cool and pretty windy
The 4Runner is back!
A big Thank You to Dave for going along and keeping me going

Sunday
Ran an easy 4 miles
Waterskied close to a half hour (3x ~ 10 min runs)
Wow am I beat

Firehouse 50

Firehouse is this weekend. Should be a great time.

Monday
1 hr run in the park - felt great
Tubing on the river
Bike to "Pumpkin Store" for Sunset Wheat

Tuesday
Trailhead group ride
Last day of Lilly going to Diane's

Wednesday
9-mile run
Dropped Lilly off with Grandma Julie
Got to Rochester early and played at a park before Roscoe's

Thursday
Rode to work.

Friday
Rode to work.
Left early to mow the lawn and head up to Grand View.

Saturday
Firehouse 50 2 person TTT w/ Holly
Finished around 2:20 ~ 21.5 mph
6th in our age group
Hilly - really accentuated our biking differences
4Runner broke down after the bike

Sunday
Firehouse 15k run
1:00:54 ~ 6:30/mile
Finished 10th overall, 2nd in age group
Hard, Hilly, Hot
Limped the 4Runner to the Toyota dealer in Superior, WI @ 35mph
Caught a ride home with Dave and Diane.

I love summer

Swimming, biking, grilling, playing in the yard...

Monday
1+ hr ride
Dam, 610, dam, home
East side, west side, east side (WRR is torn up)
Donate blood @ work
Ride w/Lilly to PetCo to get food for Boo

Tuesday
6 mile run (AM)
Trailhead for "Average Like an Ass" night
Rockford and back in record time - great ride!
Jorge is ready to tour the hell out of Headwaters

Wednesday
1 hr ride in the park
Passed out flyers for NNO, hit the "duck park"
Beer and tour replay

Thursday
1 hr run
(1st 15 light, last 45 at tempo)

Friday
1+ hr ride (Monday morning route)
Fishing on the Rum.
I caught a little Northern Pike on a spook.
Lilly almost caught a fish on her yellow casting plug.

Saturday
Ride to Retro Joe's and back for a
14 mile run with Joe and Eric.
44 miles riding / 14 running
Swimming in the river w/Lilly
Golf @ Green Haven with Rob
Summer Shandy at Billy's outdoor patio

Sunday
Bike to church then the "wood park"
Swimming
Skiing
Yard work
Pizza
More skiing (great conditions!)
Dairy Queen

le Tour

The one time a year I miss not having cable TV...

Monday
1 hr run in the park
Swimming in the river
Target and back w/Lilly

Tuesday
1 hr ride in the park (AM)
The Monticello Mega Fun(PM)
Or as Jorge said, The Full Monti.
New guy Dave/David is strong.
Man, I'm really jonesing for a Chipotle burrito.

Wednesday
1 hr ride in the park (AM)
Ride to Target, G-Will and Dunn Bros w/Lilly.
Dunn Bros is out of business? Hunh.

Thursday
9-mile Champlin run
Jeez, the dewpoint must be 70
Hard run
Got my burrito for lunch.

Friday
Commuted to work/preschool with Lilly
El Torro on the way home
Lilly swam with Rose and Owen
Neil and I had a beer in lawnchairs
Does that say summer, or what?

Saturday
4 hrs on the mountain bike
Trails in the park with the early TH crew
Dirt/grass in the park with Andy
Super prime, trails, Champlin roads with the TH crew
Boated during a tornado warning
River cruise with the "church ladies"

Sunday
8 mile run in Champlin
New running shoes
HUMID - holy smokes
I am a mole killing machine

Summertime

I'm glad it's finally hot.

Monday
1 hr run through the park
Rode w/ Lilly and the neighbor kids to the "river park".

Tuesday
1 hr easy ride in Elm Creek. (AM)
Trailhead (Monticello blankity-blank'er) Ride (PM)
Politely declined to ask Neil what candybar he was buying.

Wednesday
1 hr ride in the park on ol' green
1/2 of which I was lost in the woods
Mosquitos!
Dinner and skiing on the river.
Lilly skied w/ me:

She said afterwards, "I'm never skiing again!" :)

Thursday
9-mile Champlin run
Lilly and I watched some of the tour.
Now Lilly says she'll ski again.

Friday
1hr in the park - wet trails on the green machine
Chipotle!
Drive to Amery, WI
Hide in the basement of the lodge while a thunderstorm passes.
The tent is still there afterwards so bed time.

Saturday
12 mile run on WI cty roads
All-day camp fun.
Grilled 2 dozen burgers and 48 dogs
on a 3'x15' grill.

Sunday
Drive home with a stop at Zantigo.
Mountain bike Elk River.
Teeter-totter!
There has been some serious trail work
done since the last time I was there.

July

What??? What happened to June?

Monday
1 hr run through the park

Tuesday
1 hr easy ride (AM)

Signed up for Firehouse 50 2-person time trial w/Holly as partner. Should be really cool.

Trailhead Tuesday night ride (PM)
Felt ok. My knee was feeling better but man was I tired by the end.
Saw Dave Hoglund on his mountain bike while
riding back to Dave and Dianne's house.
He was carrying a bag full of what I can only assume was beers. Or Rhubarb.

Wednesday
7 mile run
Raised the training wheels on Lilly's bike.
Took out the little green boat with Lilly. It fired
up after 3 pulls. Man, that thing is cool.

Thursday
Biked to work w/Lilly!
Biked to the dam after work and met
Wade, Stacee and Lachlan.
Holly, Lilly, Rob and I ate at Mavericks.
Biked home.

Friday
Ran 1 hr in the park.
Met Holly's family at Valleyfair.
Q-Fanatic that evening.
Had a fire by the river.

Saturday
Holly and I shared a great ride.
We fell right into 1 minute pulls and rode well together.
How nice it is to ride with someone or a group where it just clicks.
Very fun.
Threw the boat in and skied.
I got up on a slalom ski for the first time (after wakeboarding for years).
Lunch break of left over BBQ.
Lilly's birthday party.
More skiing.
Played with the lift and Rusty was able to
squeeze a few more inches out of it.
A nice cruise down the river.

Sunday
Jerry bought a new slalom ski for the boat. It worked great!
Tube wars. I tubed for a half hour straight against
Jackie, then Kalie, then Jackie & Kalie.
Cleaned up and put the jetskis back on the trailer.
What a great weekend.

Week after RAAM

We're back from RAAM. Great to see Lilly and Boo again. I had to bale our lawn even though Tom mowed it once for us. Jason and Julie cranked up our boat a little higher while we were gone also as the river went up with all the rain.

Monday
1 hr run

Tuesday
1 hr SUPER easy in the park
Watched Beth and Geoff play beer league softball.
You can really tell Beth played in high school.

Wednesday
1 hr run (in Boulder)
Jeez - what a view.
I swear I saw 200 people biking over the course of the day.
All sorts. Grandmas to Toyota United riders.

Thursday
1 hr SUPER easy in the park

Friday
1 hr run

Saturday
Rode 3+ hrs really easy spin. Through the park, to the dam/610, etc...
WCCO interview at Elm Creek.
Trailhead reception and raffle drawing.
After party at our place. Great time and the weather held off.

Sunday
1 hr in the park (w/ some off-road action)
Davanni's pizza and beer while floating down the river.
Skied for the first time this year - my knee hurt a little bit.
The river is low enough that the boat won't go back on the lift.