Saturday, March 29, 2008

Finally, progress.

FInally got some work on the Holeshot done. After more than a month of just staring at it I have in the last two days began the build.

This frame was beautiful out of the box. The finish is this amazing red metallic pearl coat or something finish. And the paneled down and seat tube just add another layer of class. S-shaped stays and gusseted head tube junction. Very nice. Still trying to decide why the cable routing for the front shifter is on the drive side, but I'm sure there is a reason.

My only complaint is the plain text used for the Holeshot logos and the website written on the chainstay. Too plain to do the other logos, and the frame in general, justice.

So, on to the build. Put on all the small parts, seat collar, BB cable guide, etc. And moved on to the fork. Installed the start nut in the fork, then measured and cut the steerer, removed the starnut from the scrap and installed it in the right place. I have a habit of getting ahead of myself. No harm done though.

After getting the fork squared away, put all the headset parts together. Put the stem on tightened it down and ended with this:

Photobucket

Can't wait to get this beast finished.

Good Night, Bad Night

Last night was a bad night. The latest on my Grandmother is that she is not eating or drinking enough. We're not sure if it's because of a physical problem or if she has chosen to give up. It's just a wait and see situtation at this point, but when they start talking about IV's and feeding tubes in the Rehab center, it's probably not a good sign.

But I have a hard time being very sad at most points. Not that I won't miss her or that I don't love her. But she is 88, has outlived her spouse, her friends and one of her children. Even her dog, her best companion for the last few years, seems to be stretching her paws to heaven, and we don't know how long she will last. I think I could forgive her for letting go and moving on. Most of us can only hope to live as long anad as well as she has.

But I also enjoyed last night. For the reasons above I sought out solitude in my workshop for a little while. A new bike in the stand, Transitions 2 in the DVD player and a wonderful glass of Merlot. All I did was install the fork on the bike, a minor accomplishment. But being down there alone (there's a word you don't see often with a toddler and infant in the house) working on the Holeshot and relaxing with a few sips of wine, was wonderful. Putting all the anxieties and thoughts out of my head and actually acommplishing something for myself.

It was just peaceful.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

Some Day

I'll finally get around to putting my cross bike together. It started out as a joke that I would probably be putting it together the night before the first race in October. Now that it has been sitting in the box for over a month, I guess the joke is on me.

There is good news though, I do have a part. Picked these up from Eugene at Bike Werx. Beautiful pieces of metal. Can't wait to get them on, eventually.

And there may be some other parts coming, just have to keep my fingers crossed.

Monday, March 24, 2008

Worried

I worry about things. I think I've mentioned that before. But here's the deal. I don't worry about everyday things. The things I worry about are in the future. Actually, they are in the possible future. I can take a little nugget of information, that doesn't mean anything to anyone else, and turn it into the end of the world.

Given the economic times, it's not surprising that some employers are cutting costs, even considering or already cutting jobs. My employer is no different. Except that it's a state government with over 14,000 employees. And somehow, the mere mention of layoffs has me convinced I'll be first. That's right a reporter asked the obvious question, how will the government deal with the recently revealed budget shortfalls. Projected shortfalls, no less. Far enough into the future that things can, and probably will, change. Seems reasonable enough.

Not for me.

Instead of taking the news in stride and waiting to see how the current ecomonic climate continues to unfold, I'm just going to jump to my own conclusions. I'm apparently going to be miserable for a few days, cause it will do no good and serve no purpose. But I am apparently compelled to do it anyway.

They haven't even said there are going to be layoffs. In fact said that they weren't considering that yet, just put it in the future picture with more taxes. Even went so far as to explain why layoffs wouldn't be a good strategy.

But no, in my head, that ship has sailed. Right off the cliff.

It's a wonder anyone puts up with me.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

Tough Day

Started today by learning that my Grandmother had a stroke, probably more than one, and was in the hospital. Wonderful. So instead of the nice family weekend, having everyone down here, we are loading up the GC with my wife and I, the three year old and the two WEEK old kids, the dog and all the associated crap that goes along.

Road trip. Family style. I figure 5 hours for the normally two and a half hour drive. Lovely.

Now don't get me wrong. I love my Grandmother. And it was my idea to make this trip for the sole purpose of Great-Grandmother - Great-Granddaughter getting to meet. There may not be many chances left for this so off we go.

But the stress. Oh, my the stress. Am I a bad person because all the time I'm sitting there with my mother and grandmother, I'll be wondering if it's too selfish to see if I can go riding with my Dad?

So I did the only thing I could think of to relieve the stress. I went swimming at lunch until I was too lightheaded to stand up right. I looked like I was drunk walking to the locker room. The lifeguard seemed impressed. A whole 500 yards. Of course this was all after I had tracked my goggles down in the lost and found. Dumbass.

Been way too long since I got in the pool. Have to start working that again if I want to not make a fool of myself in a race or two this summer.

Oh, well. The weekend is here. Off we go on the merry-go-round.

Saturday, March 15, 2008

Freakin Wind

Can someone explain to me how the wind in Delware can blow in three different directions in the span of two and a half hours. My loving, supportive wife had relieved me of my responsibilities to her and the kids for the afternoon, so I headed out for a nice 40-mile tour. Out through Magnolia and cross 13, passed the winery in Felton (No, I'm not kidding.) and out towards Caroline County.

And suffering in the wind, one of the toughest days I've had on the Eastern Shore. Heart rate pegged trying to keep 19 mph. All the way looking forward to the way East and a lovely tailwind.

It wasn't to be. The head wind just got worse with every turn. Finally broke me with about 10 to go. Just bonked, nothing left in the tank.

I swear I saw a flag tied in a knot around a pole. How does that happen?

Never thought the day would come when I would look forward to hills. At least they end.

Active Relaxation

Apparently I'm no longer able to sit and just do nothing. And I have to be doing at least two things at once. If I'm watching TV, I've got the laptop out playing games or looking at other blogs for inspiration. (There are a lot of cool people out there, I can only hope to become one.) I think I'm driving my wife nuts. Not only am I always doing something, but I'm doing so much more housework than normal it's starting to worry her.

And at the same time I feel like I don't have time to get the things that I want to do done. Life with two kids is wonderful, but complicated. Hopefully things will get a little more routine after the wife is healed from the surgery and the newest little one starts to settle into a routine.

But that's probably just wishful thinking. It will always be a little hectic around here. But that's OK, at least it's keeping the anxiety at bay for now.

At the same time I have a beautiful cross frame in the basement that I've only managed to unpack.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

12 Minutes

12 Minutes. That's about the longest period of time I have sat since I got home. Between the 3 year old and the wife still recovering from the C-section and needed many things done for her, I've been a little busy these last couple of nights. Not that I'm complaining, I can't do that. At least not out loud, which explains why I'll spend most of that 12 minutes typing.

See, normally I'm a pretty relaxed guy. OK, that's not really true. Normal and I don;t cross paths very often. I'm a relaxed guy between bouts of absurd anxiety thinking about idiotic scenarios that have built up in my mind. Anyone ever worry that....

I can't even finish that sentence. Most of the things I worry about are so far out there, that anyone reading this would think less of me for seeing it written down. Worrying sometimes catches me off guard, sometimes it sneaks up like a slowly moving fog. Getting pleasantly cloudy until I suddenly find myself blinded by anxiety from all directions.

God I need to workout. Bike. Run. Swim. Just move. Do something. That's my secret to sanity. And I haven't been able to enjoy that simple pleasure often enough the last few days.

And it's all their fault. That's not really fair. I don't blame my wife and kids, God knows I'm not complete without the joy and chaos they infuse into my life. But they are the reason. They don't do it on purpose. They just do it.

And it's frustrating. It's one thing when I can't drag my lazy ass out of bed. Then I have someone to blame. But when I'm up late helping with the baby and don't get up to ride, there is noone I can blame. When I offer to take my wife lunch and don;t get to run, I won't blame her.

But tomorrow I'm going to workout. Or at least get to the shop to pick up the TRP Euro X brakes that have been waiting patiently for me.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Holeshot!

So I started this whole thing to have some where to vent out all the bicycle related thoughts and activities that I don't think my wife particularlay cares about. So here it is. The first bike related post.

I just picked up my first cyclocross frame. OK, I picked it up like a month ago. Hey, I just had another kid, things have been a little hectic.

I had a great debate between several bikes from Jamis, Fuji and Van Dessel. For some reason I have an issue with using carbon fiber during a crash likely issue like cross. I know that it is a structurally sound material, just have some issue with it. Not too mention that budget was a consideration for this little endeavor.

Anyway, that eliminated the Jamis offering and the Van Dessel Gin and Trombones.

Leaving the Fuji Cross Pro and the Van Dessel Hole Shot. Forgive me but I'm going on a little tangent here. Anyone who has been around bikes for a while has probably heard mention of Bikes Direct. Basically they have resurrected older brand names, put them on new frames with good components and seel them at well below their claimed retail prices. I don't have any personal experience with the company, other than reading through many of the threads on Bike Forums on the company and their bikes. And there isn't a whole lot of negativity, at least with some basis in reason. So even though I have no plans to buy from them (I prefer to support my LBS), I don't have anything against them.

Anyway, back on point. As I researched and debated the merits of the cross pro versus the Holeshot, I for some reason found myself on BD's website. And I found their cross bike. With a description that matched, word for word, the Fuji Cross Pro. I had to pause for a second. I know that their are only so many factories in the world churning out bike frames, but I usually give the benefit of the doubt that a large, long existing company produces things in house. So seeing BD with a description matching that of Fuji gave me second thoughts.

I had no doubts about the quality of each, but given the price difference, I started to wonder about the value of the Fuji.

So my attention turned to the Holeshot. And I'm glad it did.

Kids, with an S

So we've gone from Kid to Kids. Caitlin Elizabeth was born on Wednesday at 10:33 am. Planned C-section, very uneventful, everything went well.

So I've moved on from worrying about my wife and the unborn child. I'm sure I'll start worrying about her soon. It doesn;t take me long. Zero to anxiety attack in 3.7 seconds. Just hasn't happened the last couple of days. But it will I'm usre it's coming.

Just have to try and get a workout in today. And trying to get started with the 2 a days this week. Going to ride in the mornings then run or swim at lunch time. Good luck to me.

Monday, March 3, 2008

Bikes

Believe it or not I did start this whole blog thing to have somewhere to spew all the bike related activites and thoughts that I have. I know looking at the posts so far, it seems I'm just here to whine, but I promise that's not the case.

I have a brand new Van Dessel Hole Shot frame sitting in my basement. In a box. Haven;t even had time to assemble the headset. When you're wife is about to give birth and you have a three year old to tame, some things have to take a back seat.

But there is bike related content coming. I owe myself at least that much.

Calm Before the Storm

Though at this point I don't think calm is part of the equation, storm seems about right.

My wife is scheduled for a C-Section on Wednesday for the birth of our second child. Being born at 37 weeks due to some minor complications. At this point calm is a very relative term. Calling my wife 3-4 times a day, in my opinion, is calm. Staying home at staring at her all day constantly asking, "Are you OK?", is, in her opinion, not calm.

Now this is our second child, which should make things less stressful. However, I don't have all the preparatory things that we did for the first child to occupy my mind and body and burn off some of this anxiety. So I have been working out as much as I can. Physically I'm drained, emotionally I'm running 90 miles an hour.

Hopefully things will calm down after Wednesday.

J