Sunrise is later and later

This morning was another training ride, and although I started in the dark, it soon grew light and the morning was wonderful. The clouds were just about every color clouds can be. I didn't hammer myself so instead of needing my suitcase of courage I was able to get by with just my duffle bag of good humor.

I sat on a bench, ate a bar, snapped this shot, then headed back home to shower and go to work. Summer may be drawing to a close, but I'm still squeezing it for all its worth.

Signs that cyclocross is coming !

This is what greeted me twenty miles from my bed this morning.

I had actually practiced dismounts and remounts on Monday, so this didn't present any problems. A quick 44 miler and then off to work. The ride started dark and cool, and finished sunny and warm. I am looking forward to Cyclocross this year.

Climbing the walls no more

When my children were little my two oldest sons and I helped a friend remove a bunch of 3/4" thick plywood from his place. Shortly after, I got my hands on some fresh lumber and bought some climbing holds from a start up climbing equipment company. I remember how excited we were when these arrived. The person who took my order seemed to think I was a climbing gym so I got them at wholesale. I was afraid I would be discovered and the arrival of the holds meant we had gotten away with it! Several evenings and a bucket of screws later we had a climbing wall, complete with overhang, in our garage. My children swarmed the wall like ants on sugar. It was a hit and I have some very fond memories of time spent with my children. When we moved back in '97 I loaned the holds to a friend and to make this story shorter, I got them back this week.

The kids are generally gone and I'm not about to recreate the wall in our current home. So I listed these on eBay. I've sold a lot of stuff on eBay. It was a strange emotional journey to offer these holds to the highest bidder. While I will always have the memories, it is sad to see these physical bits of my memory going out the door.

Things come and go. Money comes and goes. Children come and go and come back and go again and, thankfully come back again. I love my wife. I love my children. If you must, take any material thing of mine. They can all be replaced. Leave my memories. They are the prize of my life. If I could charge for the memories these holds have in them, the bidding would start at $90,000.