My Main Blogging site is here right now.

http://itsaboutthebike.blogspot.com/

I think I'm going plant crazy.

I just ordered 3 Avocado trees from California.
I hope they do well.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avocado

I eat about 5 Avocado's a week so I figure I could atleast try and grow my own.

Human Anatomy & Physiology II

I got my A, in my first class back.
5 week cram sessions are for the birds.

Put the steering in the Nova today it really looks good, and closer to finishing once the steering can move.

I'm back in school.

So far I've learned the complete muscle lay over of the human body. (Grey's Anatomy)
The creations and workings of the fluids (RBC WBC etc)
Metabolism,Lymphatic, systems.

I did manage to get one ride on the bike this week It was Saturday morning ride leaving the bike barn. This was after I was up until 1AM tiling our bathroom.

Red Audi TT For Sale ( 4 sale )

Check out my Audi TT.
It's For Sale.
www.redTT.blogspot.com

The Ultimate Urban Race (well that's what they say)

http://www.houstongrandcriterium.com/

This will be my first road race, and crits really aren't a good place to start road racing. I have been forwarned there will be crashes, try to stay on the front for the begining of the race.

Basically I will be racing the Cat 4/5 race at 8 am, its 6O minutes of Lactate Bliss. I have been forwarned there will be crashes, try to stay on the front for the begining of the race. There seems to be 2 main strategies.

One sit in the middle of pack, and rest the whole race so you can explode at the end, but it's risky you could be involved in a pile up, or not be close enough to the front to catch a breakaway.

Two you get to the front immediatly, and stay in front, try to get a break started. This seems like a viable option since there will be 4 of my teammates there, we could wait for the most oportune time then start a 4-6 man break.

THREE, Dont get hurt my wedding is in 6 days after the race.

Whatever happens, this race in going to be fun..................................................

Updated back ground music TOOL

10
right in two
•
Angels on the sideline,
Puzzled and amused.
Why did Father give these humans free will?
Now they're all confused.

Don't these talking monkeys know that Eden has enough to go around?
Plenty in this holy garden, silly monkeys
Where there's one you're bound to divide it
Right in two

Angels on the sideline,
Baffled and confused.
Father blessed them all with reason,
And this is what they choose?

Monkey killing monkey killing monkey over pieces of the ground.
Silly monkeys give them thumbs they forge a blade
And where there's one they're bound to divide it
Right in two

Monkey killing monkey killing monkey over pieces of the ground.
Silly monkeys give them thumbs they make a club,
And beat their brother down.
How they survive so misguided is a mystery.
Repugnant is a creature who would squander the ability,
To lift an eye to heaven, conscious of his fleeting time here.

[Cutting it all right in two
Cut it all right in two]
Cutting our love right in two]

Fight over the clouds, over wind, over sky
Fight over your lie, over blood, over anything
Fight over love, over sun, over nothing
Fight till they die,
(Ahhh!) over what? for their ending

[This whole part above needs a lot of help -
head for the Opinion page and help out!]
Angels on the sideline again,
[Mixing love / Benched along] with patience and reason.
Angels on the sideline again,
Wondering where this tug of war will end.

[Cutting it all right in two
Cut it all right in two]
Cutting our love right in two]

LAKE^2

Thanks Toninator for the great pic.
I think Toni was looking for the first person to bite it into the other side of the dip (and if you were racing you know which dip I'm talking about) The most technical 3 feet of trail this place had to offer.
If it wasn't for double lake though I would have never got experience the feeling you must feel riding a "Star Wars speeder bike"

Or the first time I raced this place it was a neck and neck finish and I got slid out into the orange snow nets just 30 yards from the finish I had to yank the bike out of the nets and run for it.

This is the last race for me this season, I'll be leaving to get married in Costa Rica in 9 days.

I had great fun this year, the whole sport 19-29yo group was a great bunch to race with.

I hope to get a chance to race with them next year

Doing the Saint Jo Slide.

I started the race up front entering the forest in 3rd, once we got to the first long climb people started passing me. Once to the top I was still in 5th.

Now the fun began, I rocketed down the down hill catching up to the 2 people that had passed me going up the climb and were out of sight. Then once in the riverbed I passed them.
I knew this glory would be short lived because the second set of climbs were about to be showing up.

The second lap was pretty much the same with the last climb coming up and another rider climbing just a tad faster putting me in 8th place. I gave it my all but my legs were lacking in the sustained strength to carry me fast enough up the hills.
The downhills were a blast though, only needing to tap the brakes in a few section, must corners you could dive into and stick to the burm.

The trip up there was fun, lots of laughs, and some strange girls that were praying to trees and staring up at are room. I think they might be a branch of the late Dividian compound, maybe a Northern Chapter.

Bells were ringing at work today.

My friends at work threw me and Alyssa and awesome shower.



















Here's where we're getting married.

Yoshi's Baby Boy 9months and 90 pounds later

It's great to here he went to a great home. I bet no one comes in this house un invited when they see this black faced bear staring at them.

Here is the note the new parents sent me.
Hey... I'm really sorry it took so long to get back to you guys...
Kuma is doing better now than he was about two weeks ago. He got kennel cough accompanied by a upper repository infection, most likely from his obedience class. Several dogs in class all got sick at about the same time. His weight was up to around 90lbs at his nine month birthday and he lost TEN pounds while he was sick He wasn't well at all. He just moped around and slept all day, with snot running out his nose the whole time. It was the first time in my life that i had to pick boogers from a dog and wipe a dogs nose. Our vet put him on two different medications and it cleared up almost immediately. (really about three days) His weight has picked back up now though.
I sent six pictures that were fairly recent. In Kuma_1.jpg you can see the way that he spends all his time, does his family members do the same. I would think that most Akitas do this because of the heat down south, but i don't know any others.
He is doing extremely well in his obedience class. This is something that I think greatly surprised the instructor as she thought that he would be aggressive and non-responsive to commands. Now she says he is the best akita that she has had... she been doing this for around forty years now.
I would be interested to know how his sisters are doing and if they have the same sweet disposition that he has? He is not a total push-over though. When we walk him at the beach every weekend, people come out of their cabins to ask all kinds of questions about him. When adults approach him quickly and loudly, he jumps back and growls. But with kids, they could run up and kick him in the mouth and his tail would still be wagging. More calm adults that don't seem to be bold and loud he likes just as much as kids. The hurricane has helped greatly with his socialization, being around my sisters three kids and all the other animals at the house. (kids aging from 8 to 5 to 1 and 1/2) He hasn't gotten in anymore major trouble since my last email, but he has made us be more aware of his possible escape routes... like having to close the garage door when no-one is home because of the fear that he will just open the door and wander out into the woods. He still amazes us with his insights and constant attempt at understanding us. He always this questioning look on his face, like he is always trying to figure out why we do things. When someone is sick in the house, he is either there with them or is diligently checking on them from time to time... especially if it is one of the kids, he doesn't want to leave their side.
A couple of questions: (1) What do you feed the adults? I hear so many different recommendations from all different people. I just worried that he is growing to fast for his bones. From everything that i have read, he should be no bigger that 85lbs at a year. I now own and have read three different akita books. I really do love this breed.
(2) Do you have anymore pictures of the parents and/or sisters that you could send? I love to look at the way his is developing different features from each parent. I would also like to see how his sisters are growing compared to him.
(3) Anymore breeding plans in the future? I'm not ready for another dog now but I do remember Matt mentioning that he might look into the Rhodesian Ridgeback. I might be interested in that one day down the road.
(4) If you can't open attachments at this I will resend the pictures to Matt's email, just let me know.
(5) I would like to know about how much his parents are weighing in at... I want an idea of how big he is going to get. Was his mom or dad 90lbs at nine months.
(6) How much did you say you exercise them at a time? We walk Kuma for about 45 mins everyday but I cant get his fat a$$ to run for very long. I know that I should wait till he is two, but I like to make him work every now and again. I'm thinking about getting his OFA (hip certification) and getting his eyes certified for breeding sometime down the road. But we'll see. Is your male still intact and do you think that it is something i need to do if he is not going to be bred?
Anyways this has gone on too long. Now you see why I waited so long to email back. I have some much to say and ask and only a little time to sit down and do it.
Thanks again for the special friend that Magen and I now enjoy!!

GPS 45

I am currently 1562 miles bearing 146 degrees from SJO (the main airport in costa rica).
For 50 some odd dollars, this thing rocks.

HAPPY EASTER

Bamboo

After racing out at waco and seeing the huge bamboo growing out there. I think this would be great to plant on the northeast side of the property.

Da Rush is still in the box.

To bad it came to late in the race season for me to utilize it. This would have been a sweet ride 2 of my team mates got there's built in time for the waco race and loved the ride.

The Waco Race pictures have been posted.

I took this corner hard, as you can tell by the picture, I was preparing myself to clip out with my right leg. This was the decending switchbacks going down into the highlander trail, on my second lap. TMBRA and Texas Trail Builders did an awesome job this year.

This is the END.

Of my Waco race.

The end of the last lap and I was toast the race was fun but brutal. More than a 3rd of the Pro's DNF'd it I took my 8th place finish.

My start was great and accomplished what I set out to do. Check out the start pic! I pulled to the front of the pack to enter the single track in the lead. The trail headed down the switch backs and then straight back up another set. Then up another set. I made it to river road and still had the lead, but I was tired already. I managed to hold the lead for maybe a half mile more but it was all climbs and I new the guys following were waiting for a good opportunity to pass. So I gave them some room and 4 of them slid by and they were off. I didn't stay on the back for long and they disappeared into the woods. I new that today was going to be a long day, only a few minutes into the race and I was already contemplating a plan to just finish the race.

I burped some air and this had me sketchy for a little while wondering if I had a leak or was I going to have to run another race to the end.

After the race Alyssa told me I was not looking so well, not the usual smile at the bottle feed.

What a race though some good memories thats for sure.

The Training must go on

3 more races left for me in the season. I've come to a delima, should I put a rest week in this week or the week after my race. I seem to be loosing some of my top end power, but still have plenty of endurance.

My interview with Allen after the race

MM. Unfortunately I was called last and lined up in the rear.
I entered the woods in 5th ,but worked my way to 3rd.
I was just coasting waiting for the second loop to make my pass.
Then my front tire sprang a leak. I had to make a decision once I got to the pit (300yrds away), trust the stans or just put a tube in.
I decided to race on what felt like about 15psi. When the rear tire started to go flat I started riding on the front tire out of the saddle and leaning forward.
Until it got to low and the sidewall went out. Then I was running. I still had fun and learned 2 more lessons.


AF: What song was playing in your head during the race?

MM: Baby got back .

AF: By Sir Mixalot ?

MM: Yes. Hey, where did you get that ice cream?

AF: Over there, it’s free. You want some?

MM: Sure.

Costa Rica Land For Sale

Dreaming
There's 700 Plus acrea's 4-sale in costa rica that I would love to be living on in 20 years, now I just need to convince my friends on owning a part of this garden of Eden.

Oh yeah and coming up with 1.2 million.

I'm sure this picture does no justice to the real beauty of this natural pool. (natural as in, clear water with no Chlorine)http://www.landassurance.com/realestateView.asp?iID=285

More warda pics just came in.

BREATH
Time to let go of the brakes.

The Warda Race

One lap down one more to go. After catching some sort of stomach virus all week I had no power come race day, the endurance was in check and the 5-6pounds lost was helpful, but having no acceleration, was not very fun.

I ended up 3rd place, I spent the whole race chasing down the 3 pedal mashers that were in the lead, one flated on the first lap, but the other 2 were tradeing off the lead, and I couldn't raise up enough power to bridge the gap.

The start was unexpected I was 15th in 30 seconds, I just had zero power, but I slowley moved up to fifth and moved into the single track. The competition scared me on the start I wasn't used to having to race anyone to trail head, but they all started blowing up and the only ones left were the 3 pedal mashers and J. Winklemann, and me. I passed J and asked him to work with me to bridge the gap but that wasn't happening today. So I spent to whole race passing single speeders and trying to bridge the gap. Occasionally I would get within 30 feet but thats as close as I got.

The team work thing works better than you think in MTBing, your able to draft in the flats and ace there lines, it's like learning from there mistakes in real time. (for instance how much speed to take in the corner).

The Comfort race is next and I can't wait for the downhill Rushes.

74 days until the wedding.

I have not had much time to update the blog, due to all my extra time going into trying to get the best deals on what we will be doing in Costa Rica.

For instance, We could fly to each destination, take a cab take the local bus or just rent a car.

All these options have there plus and minus.

I think renting a car from Avis is looking like the best deal so far.

Managed to get some pic/thumbs off the web.

OMG David has a baby.

The question is does David want a Single barrel or double barrel shotgun this Christmas.