in the D

The short story...

So I got into work Friday, anxious for the day to get over to fly into Detroit and hang out with all the Tau's. I get a call at 9am surprising from GL. He says, "I have some good and bad news. The bad news is I can't pick you up from the airport... good news is I'm a father." WOW, GL and Kelly parents! Their baby, Blake was born at 6:55am at a size of 19.5" and 6 pounds 12 ounces. So GL arranges for Kelly parents to pick me up at the airport and all is good. I left for home at noon, did some chores, and got dropped off my dad. After a quick and pleasant flight I arrive to DTW and got a ride with Kellys parents to GL's house. I arrive around 9pm and GL was there waiting. After a little chit chat we head out for some food, and then arrive at the hospital to see the baby. So we arrive and Kelly and the baby are content and relaxed. The baby was a good looking baby, and I even was allowed to hold him. Man, how cool, holding a baby at 17 hours old... a personal best for me. :) So GL decides to spend the night at the hospital so I take the truck back to his house and crash. In the morning I awoke and called GL to see if he was going to make the wedding. He said he couldn't, because Kelly wasn’t doing to well and she was going to be x-rayed to see why she had so much pain still. So, I took off on my own in GL's truck to Owosso at noon for Rustys wedding. I arrived about 30 minutes early and caught up with all the others that were there (O'Neills, Herrmanns, Kelseys, Groendyks, Meyers (fiancée), Seidls (fiancée), Chuck and girlfriend). The wedding was in a small church, actually in a small town west of Owosso called St. James, and went very smooth. 30 minutes later they were married and we headed out to Owosso for the reception. We had about 1.5 hours to kill, so we stopped by at a local watering hole and had a few drinks. From there we headed up to a room for a few beers, and then headed down to the reception. The reception was nice and took place in the hotel reception hall. Apps and drinks started at 5 and the meals came out at 6. Everything shut down around midnight and the night went amazingly fast! I spent 90% of the night bs'ing with Taus and Rustys parents. I spent the night there in Owosso at the hotel and in the morning headed out. I got back at GL’s around 3 and spend the rest of the day relaxing and helping out Kelly with the baby. Come to find out, Kellys x-ray came with some bad news. While giving birth, she broke her pelvis! I guess the dilevering nurse said she was the third person she’d seen this happen to. Weird! So they figured in 2 weeks she’d be ok. Monday came around and it was time to leave. In all, a great weekend!

another wedding

I'm off to Detroit tomorrow for a long weekend for a friend from colleges wedding (Rusty). Flying into the big D at 7:30pm and staying through Monday morning. Should be a great relaxing weekend! Now I'll I need to do is con... errr, ask someone to drive me to and from the airport. I'd park myself, but $14 a day adds up quick for parking. Better to have someone drive me and bring them out for a $10 lunch instead!

kickin' ass and taking numbers!

T minus one month till the Lifetime Fitness Triathlon and I decided to do my first brick of the year. On the way to the pool I was quite nervous since I was not only going to brick, but swim a full mile for the first time this year. Well, I'm glad to say I swam the mile in a half hour and once done felt GREAT. I quickly changed and jumped on my bike which I brought with me to the club. I rode 10.5 miles in 33:43 minutes averaging 18.7 miles per hour. Now that I'm back home, I'm shocked at how great I feel now and how positive my training went today. More than anything, I can't believe I swam 1.5k (.93 miles or 1500m or 60 laps) in a half hour! Now all I have to do is get my running on track and I should be sitting great to finish the tri with the pain at a minimal level!

new template?

I got sick of the green and orange. We'll see how long this one lasts!

fathers day weekend

So my dad met me at my house Friday morning and after packing all my gear into his bike luggage we hit the road for Wrigley Field at 9:30 am. Our first stop was to gas up, just outside of Red Wing MN. From there we make it to La Crosse and broke for lunch just after 12. From there we jumped onto highway 14 (which goes from Yellowstone to Chicago) and headed towards, destination unknown. We got to Madison and stopped again for gas, and checking the map, tried to figure out where we were going to stop next. Just into Illinois was a small town called Harvard which looked to be a good 80 miles and a good spot to try to decide where we were going to crash. An hour and a half later we arrived and filled up once again on petrol. After a short discussion, we decided we would stay in McHenry and drive into Chicago Saturday from there. We got to McHenry, checked in at the Hampton Inn and headed next door to eat to a steak/shrimp/seafood place. The restaurant was awesome and I picked up the tab as my fathers day gift. After that we crashed for the night. Miles so far: 420

We woke up the next morning at 8am with intentions of departing by 9. However, we had forgotten about one small detail. What are we going to a) do with all are gear and b) where are we spending the night? Long story short, the Hampton was able to find us a room for the night on the same floor, but we'd have to change rooms. So, 9:30 rolls around and we are moved into our new room and we are ready to ride. A little side note, we decided to ride the 40 miles to 1060 W Addison without helmets due to the fact we don't know where we'd be parking and since Wrigley isn't in the best neighborhoods, we didn't want our helmets to get stolen. So we left the hotel and the temperature was in the low 60s and partly cloudy. Highway 14 as it turns out heading into Chicago is riddled full of stop lights, traffic and chaos which turned our 40 mile one hour ride into a solid 2 hours with us arriving a few blocks away with 15 minutes to spare. We ended up parking of all places in a lot, DIRECTLY across the street from the main entrance, paying $10 each to park (cars were $30+!!!). What a steal! So we parked and headed in. Our seats were great, section 115 (3rd base line, even with the pitcher), seats 1 and 2, row 4! WOW. Our seat were about 10 rows off the field, but still more than close enough to feel like you were on the field. So the game, which the Cubs ended up winning 4-3 in the bottom of the ninth with a game winning two run double finishing with a play at the plate, was awesome! Once all the hoopla was over, crossed back over the street and got back on the bikes to head back. The ride back was great once all the traffic cleared and thinned out. Once back at the hotel we got in and I headed for the bathroom and turned on the lights. To my surprise, my face was BRIGHT red. No good. I say to my dad through the doorway, “Geez dad, I’m really red! I can’t believe it.” He pauses a second and starts laughing. I walk out of the bathroom to see what’s so funny and begin laughing uncontrollably. See, my dad is short some hair and has a nice horseshoe around his head. So, to prevent burning he wore a baseball hat, backwards. As you can imagine, his face was red… up until the point where the hat was, and then he had another red spot where the hole in the back of the hat is. Hill-arious! After the laughing subsided, we decided we will order in some pizza and save ourselves embarrassment in the public’s eye. Miles so far: 500

Sunday we woke up, packed at headed out the door around 9am. We gassed up and had lunch in Madison, stopped for gas in La Crosse and made the final stop in Red Wing. I got home around 6:15, just in time to miss my soccer game. Total miles for the trip, 896.6. What a haul… but defiantly worthwhile.

the ride

Tonight is a busy night for me. On my way home, I’m swinging by my grandma’s house to put her tabs on her car. Then I have to scramble home, do a load of clothes and go swimming as they clean. Get home, begin packing and then prep for a 9:15 soccer game. Nothing like keeping busy! Tomorrow the fun really begins. I’m not sure when, but early in the morning my dad and I are packing up and riding our motorcycles to Chicago to catch a Cubs game Saturday afternoon. So far, the plan is to depart MN and take back roads most of the way and spend the night in Kenosha. Saturday morning we leave the hotel (leaving our gear behind) and head down the lake shore into Chicago. After the game, we drive back, pick up our stuff and try to make it to Madison. Sunday, we complete the drive and if I’m lucky, get back just in time to make a 6:15 soccer game. Hopefully the weather is going to be nice, and everything goes smooth.

sports and tv

So I'm watching game 5 and it's half time, and I'm bored. To me, it's like watching golf when Tiger is out of a golf tourney. Kobe is cold and Shaq is in foul trouble. Or, maybe I'm slowly losing interest in watching sports on TV. I remember 3 years ago I couldn't get enough of sports on TV. I'd watch anything as long as there was competition. Beginning this year I didn't even watch all the Vikings games! I also went to the fewest amount of hockey games I've been to since college. It's strange how things change. Well, time to shower and then think about heading to bed since the halftime tipoff is moments away.

golfin'

So I walked into work this morning and go walking by my boss’s office and he yells,
"Come here!"
I stop, turn around, and go into his office. He says, "So, do you have golf clubs?"
"Yup."
"Do they work?"
"Ummm... as far as I know."
"Do they work, today?"
Looking outside his office window I said, "Uh, you bet!"
"Great", he says, "you're playing golf today in a tournament."

So, today I left work at 11:15 and headed out to the links. I was teamed up with another coworker and two other guys that got assigned to our group at random. I was hoping that one of the two we got paired with could actually play so I could shoot in the red. Unfortunately, they weren't very good. We did end up shooting a 75 (par 71) which was better than I expected, and I ended up winning $50 in one of the contests. On hole #6 I drove the ball to within 12" of the center of the fairway, which I traded in for a nice golf shirt and a sleeve of balls.

my busy week

So Tuesday came and I got sent to Rochester MN for work. I got done with work around 5 and mounted up to head out. Where to you ask? Home? HA. Nope, try Fargo as in Fargo North Dakota. Joy. So after my looooong drive and a good nights rest, I spent Wednesday up in BFE working and left for home around 6pm. Thursday I worked a half day and then headed home to pack for my upcoming weekend up north. I got on the road about 6pm and arrived at Elbow Lake Lodge (www.elbowlake.com) around 11pm, after stopping off at a few local watering holes. In all, the trip up north was awesome! Good weather, great friends, and great weather. During the crazy maylay there was some ATVing, microbrew drinking, ping ponging, boating, kayaking, boating, aqua biking, and even squeezed in a golf tournament. Once Sunday came, I was more than ready to head for home. I left for home around 11 and arrived home at 4:30. At 4:35 I was back on the road packed and on my way my soccer teams first outdoor game of the year. I got back home at 9, showered, and went to bed... and that my friend, concluded my week. RAH.

b day

So today was the big two six. It's actually the first year I've ever worked on my bday! For dinner I went over to my mom's house and had one of my favorite dishes that she used to cook when I was younger, porklink hotdish (MMM-MMM!). Unfortunatly, I didn't get a chance to swing by my dad's, so we planned for lunch tomorrow. However, late this afternoon I once again had to put on my fire gear and fight some fires. Now, tomorrow I'm heading to Rochester for work, and then turning around and heading to Fargo ND. So, lunch/dinner with dad will have to wait. Rah.

long weekend

In the first of four 3 day weekends this month, I took the time to head to Winstead MN. We were in Winstead for the country concert named Winstock.

The bands:
Keith Urban
Sawyer Brown
Tracy Byrd
Montgomery Gentry
The Oak Ridge Boys
Trace Adkins
Phil Vassar
Carolyn Dawn Johnson
Jimmy Wayne
Prairie Rose
White Creek

The first thing was first - I needed to get a cowboy hat and a shirt. I went out Thursday after work and finally found the hat I was looking for, the Kenny Chesney model! So I pay for my hat in south Minneapolis and as I'm walking out the door I notice there are motorcycle driving by like I were at Daytona Bike Week. I ask the store owner what the deal is and he says every first Thursday of the month there is a motorcycle rally one block down from them. So, I head down there and check out some bikes and man were there bikes! In my estimation, probably 500 bikes! Very cool.

So, Friday I took off work and headed over to Chris’s house to meet up. We all loaded up our gear, and then Chris, Brian and I took off on our bikes. The ride was great - only taking a hour to get out there. We arrived at Sarah's (Chris's wife) parents house and put our bikes in the garage for the weekend and headed out for the campsite. We arrived about 4pm, with plenty of time to spare before the first artist hit the stage at 5:30. Our campsite was 20'x30' and as luck would have it, was placed in adjoining rows with the only 2 buses around. One bus had huge speakers and 2 tier dance floor build onto the side of the bus and continuing onto the bus roof, the other was full of some local football players who looked like Lou Ferrigno and were nothing short of drunk all week. Anyways, 8 jello shots and 4 beers later it was 7pm and we decided to head out to catch the first band. From there it gets pretty hazy since we decided to buy an excessive amount of pitchers and drink as fast as we could.

Saturday morning I awoke at 9am after going to bed at 3 and felt like crap. We decided to head out to Sarah’s parents and catch some lunch and nurse ourselves back to health. We spent about 6 hours out there playing with a frisbee and shooting hoops on a 8' dunkable rim and had an absolute great time! We got back to camp and were ready to go out around 7pm. Shortly after arrival the rain started coming. Light at first, then in sheets. After a half hour the storm passed and the concert restarted. The rest of the night was fairly uneventful and very light on booze, which was by far the smart move.

Sunday morning we woke up, broke camp and headed out. After a nice light lunch at Sarah’s parents, we mounted up and rode the bikes home.

In all, one of the most relaxing weekends in recent memory.

cowboy hats

Yesterday after work I went out shopping for cowboy hats, since Winstock is this weekend and I need to look the part. I went to a store in West St. Paul that featured some higher class cowboy gear. I found out quick that "high class" was an understatement. When I first walked in, all the hats were in the $100 range or up that I saw, except for one that said $9.50. Pointing to the hat I asked the store manager if the hat was $9.50, because it had the chance to be $950 which seemed, oh, what's the word... excessive. The manager didn't speak a lick of English, and thought I said I want to try it on. She pulls it down and hands it to me and nods when I repeat the question and say the "$950" part. So, yesterday I wore a $950 dollar cowboy hat. As I left the store I was thinking if that hat were discounted to $100, I still wouldn't have bought it.

memorial day weekend

My weekend started early on Thursday with the aforementioned funeral. Friday came along and I took the day off and decided to do some lawn work, which in my terms means, cutting the lawn. Once done, I got an email from a friend looking to do something in the evening. We decided on eating some grub at Chili’s and then catching a flick. We decided on the much anticipated The Day After Tomorrow. Let me tell you what, talk about upset. This movie is full of left wing propaganda. “An environmental whacko global warming fanatical movie” about sums it up. Yuck.

Saturday I woke up a little later than I wanted, since my younger cousin was getting married at 3 and I wanted to get in a good workout first. I felt pretty good, so at the last second I decided to go swimming and then run. After showering up and driving to the church I made it to the wedding with minutes to spare! The wedding went well, and the ceremony was just under a half hour. The minister was a boob, which really doesn’t surprise me any more. I figure 95% of them have to be misled, which is scary because of the implications of false teaching. Anyways, they got married in an old Catholic church, so it was quite beautiful with all the marble and such. The reception followed afterwards at a nice reception hall on the Mississippi river in Minneapolis. The reception was nice, but a little different then I’m used to. No booze. And by no booze, I mean none. No champagne toast, no cash bar – nothing. In hindsight it was ok, but as expected, most of the people left earlier since dancing sober doesn’t interest a lot of people.

Sunday was a great day. Slight rain, overcast, a perfect day for… wheeling!! For the second year, I headed to Dresser WI for the 35th annual 2004 Total Off-Road Rally. One of my coworkers has a ‘79 High Boy with a 6” lift, Dana 44 axles with Detroit lockers, 32” tires, and he loves playing in the woods. This was actually my second time to Dresser and had another great time! The cool thing about this year was when I drove – I didn’t break anything (I broke an axel 2 years ago)!

Monday I got another late start and headed out late to a friends cabin (Jason Meyer). He was in town for the long weekend, so I skipped the second day at Dresser to drive the hour out to the lake. I arrived out around noon and to my surprise his car was gone! I walked in the front door and his mom, Joann says, “NO! You JUST missed him! He left 5 minutes ago!”. I must have passed him on the drive in! Oh well. I ended up sticking around till 4:30 bs’ing with his parents and younger brother. It’s always nice catching up with his family – such a friendly group.

Well, 2 more days and then the weekend begins again!