Christmas 2013

Christmas was quiet but nice this year. We opened a few gifts, snacked on all the goodies and called family to wish them a Merry Christmas. Jasmine was still recovering, so we didn't go anywhere or make an extravagant dinner. We were together and that's all that mattered. 

The girls put out some cookies for Santa, but maybe we should have spread some corn instead? Our visitors stayed in the backyard for most of the day and have returned many times since. 

Our four legged kids were happy with their gifts. 

Our Christmas tree with all our new toys. Yes, that's another bike for me. A single speed I'll be using next year during cross season. 

 

Tonsillectomy

Jasmine had her tonsils removed yesterday and she's doing a great job dealing with the pain. Maybe it's the drugs? The doctors told us day three and four will be the worst and then it'll slowly taper off afterward. If she doesn't start bleeding during that time, life will be back to normal in no time.

Catching Up.

Our weekend was pretty busy and we started it off on Friday night with Bekah's last play performance "Bang Goes Christmas". Saturday morning was an early wake up for breakfast and then it was off to Hunters Tree Farm to cut our Christmas tree and feed the goats.

Our annual family picture in front of the tractor, 

Jaz and Bek with Santa,

and the devil goat. 

Saturday night Susan and I went to the Emerald Queen Casino to watch Carrot Top perform and donate a few bucks to the Puyallup Tribe. That is one ugly dude. 

Sunday was my last CX race of the season and I almost decided to sleep in and skip it, but I forced myself out of bed and I'm glad I did. The course in Enumclaw was in great shape and the run up proved challenging once again. Good job to Steve and Mark for setting up the course. Team Double Check has encountered several injuries this year, so our numbers were low but we still had a few riders representing. 

Amos on the left racing Masters 55+ taking 3rd place. 

Sunday afternoon we watched the Nutcracker in the Pantages Theater in Tacoma and then ended the night with dinner at The Rock.

Susan and I with the King and a couple Prince's. 

Jaz with a Prince. 

Bek with a couple unnamed characters. 

High School Choir

Steilacoom High School hosted a choir performance for us last night and in addition to the high school students, they had elementary and junior high students singing too. To say Ms. Witham is an outstanding instructor would be an understatement because she had over 200 students singing at various times of the night. Even during group transitions. Pretty incredible. Her junior high students were selected as the number one women's choir in the state and several high school students will be going to Yakima to compete in the Washington State Championships. Good luck to them all!

Bek and Ms. Witham posing for a historic blog photo. 

Breakfast Anyone?

What better way to start the day off? 

$240 Million Dollars

I don't know how people justify the amounts professional sports players earn, but after hearing about Robinson Cano's deal with the Mariners the only word I can think of is: Ridiculous. A $240 million dollar, ten year deal. Are they out of their fricken mind! No one is worth that kind of money and his pay check will be passed onto the fans attending the games. I know they have to earn a paycheck, but when do we say enough is enough?

CX Fort Steilacoom

The weather was near perfect for cross this past weekend and the course was the same. Thanks to Steve Skeehan and Mark Lambie, they made sure the riders had to work a bit to make each loop. No run up this year, but the hills to get to the back side of the course made you wish a run up was in place. Our down hill decent was a steep one with multiple washboards that made you apply a few pounds of pressure on your brakes to keep you at controlled run. Scary, but fun.

My mom was over for the weekend and I talked her into coming out to watch me and several others cough up a lung. 

Me, on a straightaway. 

Roland with an after race smile. 

Happy Thanksgiving

We were happy to host Thanksgiving dinner at our house this year and thankful our aunt and uncle x 2 made it to enjoy the meal. My mom made it over from Spokane as well. The bird was a pre-cooked, hickory smoked turkey and was praised by all. The low maintenance of thawing and re-heating was a bonus too. The next best thing is left over meals and cold turkey sandwiches. Yum! In addition to turkey we had all the side dishes too: mashed potato's, green bean casserole, two types of dressing, cranberries, roles, salad... and the list goes on. 

Jasmine, Aunt Judith, Susan and Bek posing with the Aspic Judith made for dinner. 

Susan, Uncle Mike, Aunt Janet, Judith, Uncle David, Mom and the rest of the family sitting around the table enjoying each others company while dining.

Golf

Yesterday morning I braved the freezing temperatures to play a round of golf with my buddies Mike, Bill and Matt. It was a farewell round  for Mike because he has resigned his Government position to start his own recovery business with the San Diego County Mortuary Affairs office in California. He's a young 40, intelligent and very business savvy and I can't wait to hear of his success. It's sad to see him go, but I know there are bigger and better things out there for him. I hope to find the time and money in the future to fly down and chase the ball around with him in the sun after he gets settled. Best of luck bro.

Me, Mike, Bill and Matt getting ready to play off the tundra. 

 

CX Sprinker

The race at Sprinker was very similar to last years in several ways. The course was changed for the better with more technical areas and a short run up that was ride able for us animals, the weather cooperated by raining off and on all day making the track conditions a bit muddy and slippery. For some reason I didn't bring a camera or video device, but Susan captured some good pictures of our teammate Mike V after the race. I don't know if I jinxed him or not when I showed him the spot where my brother Hank went down last year. Turns out, Mike went down in the very same one and received some of the same injuries. We were having a good laugh while he was showing us the damage, but I'm sure he wasn't laughing later that night.

Hank,

Mike,

Hank,

Mike, 

Hank, 

Mike. 

They could be twins. : )

Steilacoom is next on the list and then Enumclaw which always seems to play out like a tough mudder instead of a bike race. 

CX Woodland Park

Sundays race at Woodland Park is one of the best races to attend every year. The numbers of riders in each category is always high and the speed of the course is a plus too. Slippery corners, fast technical areas and high traffic forced you to pay attention at all times and I'm happy to report I kept the wheels vertical the entire time. I was pretty winded after the second lap and I decided to pick a rider who was holding a decent pace and hang onto his wheel for three more laps. The Blue Rooster rider ahead of me pulled away occasionally, but I reeled him in each time and on the second to the last corner of the last lap he made a slight error and allowed me to sneak by to finish in 32nd place out of 80'ish riders. No podium, but lots of good racing. You can check out the video here: http://youtu.be/P1D6HB5U-r4

Haven't seen the reindeer for quite some time. 

A sign we all like to see. 

   

Selfless Service

Steilacoom High School was hosting a Veterans Day Assembly with a theme of Selfless Service. Several veterans spoke to all the history class students at various times of the day to explain what we thought service before self meant. Each one of us told our own version, but it all came down to the same thing: Putting the military job ahead of anything and everything because that's what we swore to do when we raised our arm in front of our flag many years ago. We had lunch with a select few and it was easier to talk them about what we did and where we did it because they were more at ease and not afraid to ask questions in a smaller group. It was fun strolling down memory lane and putting on my uniform one more time. And yes, it still fits. 

 

Bek also performed several songs with the choir while a power point presentation  showed pictures of numerous veterans living in our community. 

New Tires

In November of 2011 we bought new tires for the Pilot and in July of 2012 I finally got around to bringing it in to Discount Tire for a rotate/balance. We were experiencing some unusual road noise and steering wheel shimmy and I was hoping the visit would eliminate all issues. I brought the car back a few weeks later with the same issues. Another balance was performed and off I went. I went back yesterday and watched the process and while the tire was spinning both the tech and I noticed the tire was slightly out of round. The next tire was even worse. Needless to say, I was given four new (better) tires and only had to pay the lifetime warranty costs. 65 bucks out the door.  I wrote a letter to the company and told them of my experience. Not to complain, but to suggest looking for this condition during the balancing process. Maybe they'll reward me for my suggestion and send me a check for the warranty amount? I won't be holding my breath on this one.

Training Day

Today's weather was cool, rain free and very windy. Perfect for riding the trails at Fort Steilacoom. I didn't ride like I was racing because there wasn't anyone around to pick me up if I went down, but I did power up the hills and crank out the rpms on the flats until my back started to act up. Riding by yourself isn't the worst thing in the world, but training alone can be if your not in the right frame of mind. So you do what you can, when you can. Three and a half (modified) laps is better than nothing and later in the day when I'm kicking back on the couch, I reflect on my day and decide I'm glad I went out. A little pain can go a long way and I hope to get out again tomorrow.

CX Marymoor Park

The race at Marymoor Park was under ideal conditions and the number of riders in each category made it even better. Most of the course was relatively smooth, but after entering the Velodrome it felt like you were riding a jackhammer and the two seats I saw laying on the course proved it. After exiting the Velodrome you had to climb a short off camber hill and then make a right turn back down it and turn again on the flat. I pretty much locked my back end up near the bottom until the bike straightened itself out and then I stood up on the pedals to try to get my speed back up for the chicane ahead. Then it was off to the back side of the drome where it was a long slow off camber turn which I wasn’t too fond of and my lack of speed sent up the caution flag to everyone around me. The hill after first set of barriers proved more challenging after my race because it too was off camber and slicker than snot after 180 bike passed over it 5 times each.  The track condition definitely made you give your tire pressure a second check. Mid twenties in the rear and a little higher in the front kept the GreerMeister upright for 40 minutes and my kit mud free. My inspiring moment was on the last lap. No one past me and I blew by the rider in front of me just before the finish for 28^th place out of 60’ish riders. Yea Me! I have a week off before the best race of the season at Woodland Park in Seattle. This one is always a blast.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bAuilukAqNs

Spooner Farms

Every year for the past 7'ish years we've been going to Spooner Farms just before Halloween to take part in the festivities. Up first is the pumpkin sling slot challenge. The goal is to hit a target about 75 yards away with a small pumpkin purchased at two for a buck and walk away with a very large pumpkin. Our ten bucks didn't pay off, so we walked away with another memory of spending time together as a family.

Here's our annual family picture. 

Can't visit without having some freshly roasted corn on the cob, 

or a caramel apple.

Susan, trying her luck with the sling shot

and again making new friends. 

Magnuson Park CX

Today's weather conditions were near perfect and the course was very fast. Especially if you were a roadie because it had two long runs where you could put it in the big ring and crank away. I'm not one. I had two camera's prepped for the race. Bekah's small camera for some still shot's and the Go Pro mounted on my handle bars. We had a very good turnout for riders, but unfortunately we were all in the first race so I didn't have anyone to man Bek's camera. I was at the start shooting the S with other riders and at the whistle I forgot one very important detail about the Go Pro. It doesn't work unless you turn it on! So I raced with it sitting there looking good. If I spent more time with it, I could have tried to turn it on during the race, but I couldn't remember which buttons did what? It's all good.

Here's our latest team sponsor. Can you have a better sponsor than a beer company? 

Our rack of bikes. 

A beginner racing a bike with 20" wheels. He was scooting right along too.

This dude won by a nose. 

 

CX Tall Chief Golf Course

We had a bit of a home emergency earlier in the week (see earlier post), so my cx report is a bit late. Last weeks race was in new territory and it was a pretty decent course considering. I think we counted at least 15 broken rear derailleurs throughout the day and multiple other mechanical issues that stopped riders in their tracks but no serious injuries reported. The course was laid out with tall grass cut and pushed to the sides of the track in most areas and cutting the corner to the right didn't always pay off. The grass would get bound up in your cassette/rear derailleur and snap it off at the hanger if you're lucky. For some, it broke on the D side, then fell into the spokes. We all know what happens after that. Ka-Ching! Yep, go to your local bike shop and shell out a few bucks for parts and labor.SCX should try to use this course earlier in the season to avoid the mud and make for a faster course. I know it rains a lot here, so I guess its a crap shoot anyway you look at it. I'm still batting a thousand on my goal however, but just barely this time. I'm hoping Magnuson Park will go a little better. Here's a short video of the race. 

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GsrIhCBWVCg&feature=em-upload_owner

 

Greermeister in champion form. 

Scott Moore's bike looking not so good. 

Brian Volkert, our team president suffering the mud and barriers. 

   

Shower Remodel

Our main bathroom has been having minor plumbing issues for several months now and I/we decided it was time for a makeover. I demo'd the walls and replaced the plumbing the first day and installed the wall board and tiles the next. I did all the grout work after work yesterday and was looking forward to a good nights rest. In the sack at 915, asleep at 930 only to awaken to the sounds of a shower at 1130. Weird?  I crawled out of bed and just before I opened the door to the bathroom, I stepped onto a water soaked carpet. Stepping inside the bathroom, I yelled HOLY SHIT! The whole place was flooded from a broken hot water line under the sink. Totally unrelated to my current project. Susan ran down stairs to shut off the main water supply and I reached under the sink to kill it at the source. To my surprise, the cold water valve was leaking too. When it rains it pours. The water was draining into the ventilation system and through any crack it could find to make it's way into the laundry room downstairs. The four of us spent four hours utilizing every towel in the house to blot up as much water possible and then squeezing it into the tub/shower. We looked like we should have been on an episode of I Love Lucy. : ) 

From the bathroom looking into our bedroom,

Looking into the hallway

I had to cut and remove the carpet in the downstairs hallway because it was too saturated to dry. 

Here's the culprit. I guess it was old and the clamp couldn't hold it anymore? 

Laundry room ceiling tiles.

More tiles. 

I rented four high volume, low pressure fans and a dehumidifier and I'm hoping it will be dry after two days with all of them running. The carpet dude will be stopping by tomorrow to do a visual and quote us a price to replace the damaged areas. Needless to say, the shower didn't get worked on today, but I'll post some pictures when done. Speaking of showers, I was wondering why the shower mate downstairs was always wet? It's leaking too! I think it's getting behind the tiles and seeping outside the pan and onto the floor. Did I already say, when it rains it pours? Life of a homeowner.

New Project

With the government shutdown and me getting laid off, I had some time to kill. I started a minor remodel on the our main bathroom beginning with new floor tiles and painting the trim. The floor's down and I'll be re-installing the trim tonight. We started having some minor plumbing issues with the hot water faucet several months ago and I've fixed it (so I thought) a couples times and it's finally time to strip it to studs, install a new shower faucet assembly, cement board, tile... More to come on this. 

I also started another motorcycle project. It's a 1990 Yamaha FZR 1000. It's been sitting for a little over a year and yesterday was the first chance I had to tinker with it. After a few hours of TLC, new plugs and carb cleaner, I had it running and rode it up and down the street to see how it handled. What a beast! My truck has a better turning radius than this. The guy I bought it from told me it skips out of second gear when the rpms reach 4500 and he was right. The goal was to make sure the bike runs correctly and then pull the motor, crack the case and swap out the bad gears with new ones. I ordered a better manual and it should be here by Friday, so I'll be doing some reading on the task and purchasing new parts in a week or so. I'm guessing the major work will start by the end of the month. Wish me luck because this will be new ground for me as far as motorcycle go. 

Here's a picture of the beast before I pulled everything off. I plan on painting it Jet Black if the crankcase work goes well. 

CX Lake Samammish

The race today was rainy, muddy, very challenging and I'm still batting a thousand on my goal to finish in the top 50% this year with a 27th place finish out of 72. But it sure didn't feel like it after coming across the line after 5 laps. 

Greermeister with a little extra weight on board after the race. 

Mario, a fellow Team Double Check member making his way through one of the muddy sections. 

The juniors were awesome! They did three laps on a non-modified course.