I haven't been posting much lately because my online speed has been unbelievable bad. I assumed that it was the dialup until it just stopped working for the most part. I called the ISP and they said all was fine. I called the phone company because there was this static sound but they said it was fine. I even took the computer to some shady computer shop. I knew before I even called that this was a bad idea. They charged me $80 bucks and told me that all I need to do was pay them $150 and they would remove my Mcaffee and put in a "better" anti virus scanner.

I was at my wits end and pissed. So I called the phone company again a waded through their stupid phone tree. The guy came out again today. He found a short on the poled and fixed it. Go figure. Stupid technology. I like the old days when I could pull the engine in my car take it apart put it back together and it would work better. Now its just money down a rathole.

PS: I looked into cable and DSL. for at least $50 a month i could upgrade but I would lose my email address. And for what, faster email?

Lord Cromwell
The frontier of loss is not visable until it has passed.

Here is a picture from last halloween. Knowing me, most of you would probably assume that I really don't have a life beyond training and racing. But I do. normal people get their pumpkins at the supermarket. We go to the source. This is a great family business in the puyallup valley. Our family only has one rule, whichever one you pick, you have to carry it to the car.

I live in the southern Puget Sound. I like to paddle around Fox Island. It is about 12 miles and takes me between 2:15 and 2:30 depending on the weather and tides/ It is generally nice and peaceful but can get nasty on the south side sometimes. This is a pic of Gibson point on the SE side of the Island.


This one is looking back SE toward McNeil Island which has the state pen

And looking NW along the south side of fox Isl. On a nice day the southern Olympics are all lined up to see. Today we only get the Navy undersea warfare center where they train dolphins. Middle right

And finally on the way home heading NE through Hales passage. The tides get rocking through here I canusually get the kayak up to 7 or 8 mph. Got to love Rainier in the background.

RVG, Aaron, Maria and I have been spending our Friday nights learning how to roll our kayaks. I would say the RVG is the best so far. We have been having a great time learning with the Outdoor Adventure Center instructors. And it is great to know how we will all react when we roll in the real deal.

These are the guys to call when you want to improve your kayak skills or you want to take your less adventureous friends and family out on an adventure. They lead guided sea kayak tours up in the san Juan Islands, whitewater rafting trips down the Skykomish and many other great adventures.

Jen was commenting on RVG's new found growth. Apparently, it has gotten a bit thicker since Jen got Pregnant.

Practicing our form before we go over and then replicating it once under.

The boys had the benefit of a practice session the week before the lesson so Maria was at a disadvantage. Below is aaron's first successful roll. Good form except for his upturned head.

I'm am getting some sweep practice before being turned loose on my own. Below is my solo try. I am not sure if the splashing is bubbles or just thrashing about

We had Bucky there to give us a hand when we couldn't make it.

















Happy face when I actually got er done. Too bad I couldn't repeat with any consistancy

Found this old pic from last Halloween. not sure who it is but he clearly put alot of effort into his nacho libra outfit (including the extra bulge around the middle)

If you are like me and have lots of stockings to fill every year. Every year I struggle to get good gifts that are inexpensive, good for the environment, and make a difference. This year I think that I have found the best gift of all. Really inexpensive carbon offsets. Since they are such a great deal, I got 10,000 for each of my kids, 100,000 for my wife, 5,000 for my extended family, and 1,000 for each of my neighbors. Yes even the crappy new neighbors that are putting in the heat pump right on the property line. It is Christmas after all. Have a look here

http://freecarbonoffsets.com/home.do

Forget about global warming. At 1:45,000 we should all do our part to avert this catastrophy. It really doesn't matter how much we have to spend because if we don't do it, well, you know the rest.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/99942_Apophis

If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream-and not make dreams your master;
If you can think-and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings-nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run-
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And-which is more-you'll be a Man, my son!
-Rudyard Kipling

Now take a deep breath and read it again slowly this time. I enjoy writing it because it forces me to read it slow and anticipate what will come next. This is one of my favority poems. It says it all. How many of you can find part of your lives in the words of this poem. And once found, how do you measure up? Are you a man or have you fallen short.

Lord Cromwell

I give up. I am facing the fact that I can't deal with it anymore. It is going to be hard to believe but I just can't stand it. Most of you know that I have dail-up. I have had it forever. I still have my first and only email address that my wife got in the 90's. I am not good with change and I am a cheap ass bastard. The problem is that I just don't know how to make the conversion. Frankly, I don't want to know how. I just want it to happen without me knowing anything, or seeing anything, or costing anything. I just want my computer to work faster.

I asked prodigy once why it is so slow sometimes, like every sunday night and at random points throughout the week. Their explanation is that they are only allowed one phone number in my area for their servers. I am not sure if this is true or they just don't want to invest in dial-up. my alternative would be to program in a long distance number to another server or something like that.

So want is a person who is completely ignorant to do. We don't have cable. I don't want cable TV. Do I need to get cable hooked up? Would I then have to pay an additional fee? Would I have a choice of cable or is there some governmet granted monopoly that limits my choice. Would I need to change my long held and loved email address. Somebody who knows please help. I know that some of my friends are or were microsoft geeks and most surely should know this.

I am real good with written instructions. If somebody would write it all out for me in easy to follow steps I would be most grateful. I might even throw in a jar of this year's blackberry jelly. I would offer salmonberry but it is much too good. Maybe I would follow up with a jar of salmonberry next year when we make twice as much.

Michelle, I am working on the tag thing. I have been trying to sort out my facts.


Lord Cromwell

Disbelief,


That is the only way I can describe the feeling of a car driving straight toward you without seeing you and knowing it will soon hit you and there is nothing you can do about it.




Last night Cheryl didn't have school, the dinner was made for all 5 kids and the night was mine. It was dark and starting to rain and I was himming and hawing between riding my bike or just driving to the Y. I committed to riding. There was Yoga at 6:45, spin at 7:45 and then a 30 minute core class. After that I could just get back on my bike and ride on. This was going to be great. I could get 4 focused hours in.


Back in the work world I had guys that worked for me at the Chicago Mercatile Exchange "The Merc" and the Chicago Board Of Trade. These guys worked in the pits and were hooked up to me electronically in NY. Occasionally dealers in the pits would put on bad trades. These were positions that would go really wrong. Sometimes they would just keep loading it on getting deeper and deeper. In fact, it was my job to blow them up, sometimes. I had a big firm behind me and after all, it was a zero sum game and they were trying to do the same to me. Occassionally, these guys would be physically removed from the pit when their capital was expended. Sometimes they would have a heart attack and they would be removed. In either case the guy was "Carried Out" as in "that guy just got carried out". It would be said with a laugh and snicker but deep down we all hoped that our number wouldn't be coming up anytime soon.

Last night I got carried out.


Riding on the road scares me. I prepared well. I went for the best light. I dug out the team Light and Motion HID. This is one intense som bitch. I put the flashy red on the back, I put on the reflective vest, heck, I even had reflectors on my wheels. It wasn't enough. I was riding well and felt safe as I headed up Wollochet towards Hwy 16. After I crossed the overpass, there is an intersection. Oncoming traffic has a long approach left turn lane. One car turned left way in front of and across me and a second was approaching to turn. As always when I am uncomfortable with a car, I pointed the HID straight at her. I illuminated her interior. I wiggled my head back and forth in a no motion to signal her. She appeared as though she was slowing and maybe stopping. But she didn't so I spotlighted her again. As she entered the intersection it was clear that she wasn't stopping and I was already in the intersection. I gave it one hard push to try and avoid her. She never hit her brakes.

She clipped my rear triangle and immediately threw me airborne. I can remember watching her bumber hit my bike and then I was down in the middle of the road pounding the pavement. I was pissed. I got my ass up and out in this crappy night, had a good workout planned and now I'm laying in the middle of the road in the rain. at least I had my Alpha SL keeping me dry. After sufficient pounding to get my anger out I got up and knew that nothing was seriously dammaged. A guy came up to me as I was dragging my bike out of the road. he kept telling me to sit down and I kept trying get up and assess the situation. You know check the bike check me. I told him I would just ride home and he told me to sit down and shut up. People were standing around on their phones horns were honking and I just wanted a little yoga. I took 600mg of ibuprophin (reflext action) and asked him for some dirt.


In my mind this guy was in the car that hit me. yah, of course if you hit somebody you rush to there aid right? So I was nice to the guy but eventually ask "did you hit me?" Of course not, it was a woman so were is she. I see all sorts of people but not her. She is gone, drove off. I felt sorry for her. More action now cops/firemen. now I really just want to ride home into the dark. But of course my bike doesn't work anymore.

Free ride in the medic car complete with tests and a policeman to take the report. Cheryl is now on her way and the policeman tells me that the woman came back but I don't see her. My blood pressure is through the roof 167/110 as I am still pumped but in fact I was so out of it that I wouldn't realize until today.


But I am alive. Kevin tells me he missed me and doesn't want me to have an owey. This morning he broke out his tools to fix my bike. My left side is knackered and I have been shaking all day. Notice the piece of car stuck to my bike



Post Script:
I went to get the police report. The lady claims she had a green arrow. I called her to get her insurance. She hasn't called me. What a let down. I sense another long drawn out saga.


Post Post Script:
I went to my kids conferences tonight. We I walked in the band teacher comes up to me and asks how my hip was doing. I said WHAT...did Sarah tell you about it. He says "I was the guy ho pulled you out of the road" He was the guy that kept telling me to sit down. I remember everything so vividly except his face. I know this guy really well but i was just out of it. He told me that he was behind me and saw the whole thing. He couldn't believe the lady hit me and how much air time I got. He also confirmed that I had the green light. What a roller coaster 24.

Lord Cromwell

usara6[1]
Originally uploaded by gtrogers.

The team at nationals receiving our third place plaques


usara5[1]
Originally uploaded by gtrogers.

Glenn only drinks the best. Bulliet bourbon cut with nuun lemon-lime.


usara7[1]
Originally uploaded by gtrogers.

The results of drowning one sorrows in a third place finish. Notice the gloves. They were our prize.

United States Adventure Racing Championships

This past Weekend Mari Chandler, Matt Hayes and I went out to Missiouri to bring back the trophy to the pacific northwest. We gave it our best and came close to pulling it off. but in the last few hours of the race a key navigation error cost us first and second place.

I wasn't sure what to expect. I have raced large races before like PQ but these usually have the best in the world because of the huge prize money. This race had a large field of 80 three person coed teams. Some I knew were good most were unknown to me. since this race is so late in the year, it is hard to be in peak condition for it. At the end of
September, I was completely burned out. October would not be a month to inprove my fitness, I would need to just not lose it. This together with some weight gain had me worried that if a top team showed up in there best condition, I might have a real dissapointing race.

I surrounded myself with a great team. Matt is unbelievable on the bike and Mari is a driver on foot. And these are just their strengths. Their weaknesses are better than most other teams strengths. I have raced with both of these mates before but this was the first time that we all raced together. knowing both of them, I knew that there wouldn't be any problems (either physical of personnal).

We flew into clear cold blue sky Missiouri on Thursday. The race was organized by Jason Eberhart and his Wife Laura of Bonk Hard Racing. They put on the Might Mo last year. This guy puts on a great race. Well organized, great volunteers and a good course design with no control placement problems. I wanted to do this race because i knew it would be well done and we would be able to go up against some of the best amatuers in the nation. It is easy to think you are real good when you just stay in the PNW and never face off against new teams. So we were off to terst our metal.

Thursday we checked in, assembled our bikes, went to the prerace meeting, and had a great dinner. Maps were to be handed out at 5 AM so there was really nothing to but socialize. I tried to talk to as many teams as possible. I wanted to catch up with some old friends from ATP, EMS and other teams. I also wanted to meet new teams who i am sure have heard of DART before and now could see who we are. I tried to do what Cyril would want and made the team wear their jersies and be nice.

So after a long night of sleep we got our maps. A short paddle on the lake, short o course, bike, run, paddle, run, bike. 18 hours, 25 controls (plus 10 O controls) and no bins for gear. Everything you needed you carried with you from the start. I was tempted to go light but I remembered that RVG packed well at the 4th DAR race so we all used the ISO and didn't skimp. It was cold out there and it was going to be cold and wet the next night. I was glad I brought my Arc Teryx set up. I wore my full kit and in my drybag I put an extra pare of gloves, my Tau, and Alpha SL. The SL may have been overkill because no rain was expected but I knew the when we got out of the boat, we would all be cold and wet and this is a great all around jacket that serves me well as a heavy windbreaker.

The start had us running. Matt and I to the boat and mari up a road to get the o course control card. We got to the bopat and I raced around and just yanked one into the water. I think that I shocked everyone with my unglamourous yank into the water. And we were off. Matt and I have been OC paddling for the past month to get ready for this race so once on the water we just rocked the place. It was dam cold and foggy. By the time we got to the end on the lake to meet Mari, the boat and paddles were covered in ice and we couldn't move our fingers. We attempted to put Mari's seat into the boat but our hands were like clubs. These boat were wider than the ones we had been training one and it requires some adjustment that we just couldn't do. Finally we got it loosened up. Thank goodness I had reiforced the seat with two quick relase buckles otherwise we would have been dead last. RVG you are going to really like the new setup.

Once we were all in the boat, we were in the middle of the pack and only a short paddle to the next CP. This means that if we arrive to the cp in the middle of the pack, we would be waiting in line to punch the control. We all knew this and we dug deep and hammered. Matt is a real easy going quiet type. Since he was in the back, be was supposed to call the switches with a loud "HUT". This is ment to keep us together but I like the intimidation factor of closing and dropping other teams to the steady cadence of HUT. But because to boat was shorter and wider that we trained in, it was even more difficult to keep straight so matt was back and forth and Mari and I were opposite and in sinc. so not hearing the cadence i took over to keep Mari and I together while Matt paddle on whichever side was needed to keep it straight. And the paddling practise paid off. We were passing team like they weren't moving. We finshed this three mile paddle in about 5th place and we were off on the O course.

We could get the controls in any order and we went off in a clockwise direction. in hindsite, counterclockwise would have saved us about 500 meters running. I hit all the controls but one. I went up the wrong rentrant and it cost us about 10 minutes. We say Mike Binton Taking pics along the way. It was great to see him. we finished about 7th with golite and we were off on our bikes with a fast TA in 5th.

The biking was great fun. There were great trails in open hardwood forests. Lots of small ridges and hollows. Lots of small but continuous ups and downs. We reelled in our first teams at the second control. We had caught EMS and Springfield bikes and proceeded to drop them. now we are talking. This is where we should be. there was some funky control were they sent us to another control. When we got close MOAT caught us. They were in the lead but made a bad turn. right on now were are in 1st time to put on some distance. NOT...we made our first couple of nav errors that cost us no more the 15 minutes and were were quickly put be in 8th. OUCH. Hammer time. All great trails fully ridable and nice technical swoops and we just worked it. We came into the next TA tied for second with EMS, ATP, etc and left on foot.

This spot and trail section was part of the mighty mo race and I recognized it. We needed to run down a road and get on a the Ozark Trail. As we were going down, I was getting my maps and crap together so the other three or four team were 100 meter ahead of us and they blew right past the trail. I quietly said to my mates, we are taking a hard left up here and hitting it hard and quiet. Back in second and feeling great. We nail the next three controls and arrive at the boats to find ourselves in first place.

We were warned that there was going to be alot of hike a boat because if the low water. We had 20 minutes on MOAT when we started but our lack of coordination allowed them to caught us after 2 hours on the water. As they went by we watched as they were able to get over logs and shallows were we had to get out of our boats. Finally the water was deeper with more paddling and less dragging and we would catch up while paddling and drop behind over obsticles. It was very frustrating but we finished together. It was just getting dark and it was cold. I broke out the Arc Teryx and was thankful I brought it along.

We had about 10 miles and 6 controls of this trek back to our bikes. We nailed the first 3 but I chose a longer route on road and MOAT went straight up a creek bed to the fourth. In Washington, travelling in a creek is never advised but in open hardwood forest, it is fine and we were now back in second but strong. It was shaping up to be a mountain bike race until we got to the last control. EMS had also caught up and now the three of us were looking for this last trek control. However, I made a significant nav errorand our race was over. We were no an hour behind and there was only a two hour mountain bike back to the finsh. The nav wasn't real difficult on this section so there wasn't any chance of closing the gap.

The team was clearly deflated. We had the ablitiy to win this race. We were just as strong but I couldn't close the deal. After the race, Robin Benecassa said she was hiding at the control in the dark as we passed within 50 meters. I will bring the trophy home to the PNW next year.

I want to thank our many sponsors that made this all possible.

Hammer nutrition fed me with perpetum and tropical gel and kept me strong with race caps, mito caps, and anti fatigue caps.

My Gregory ISO pack fit great and held all my gear

My Montrail Hardrocks were a perfect fit for this race's conditions

Arc Teryx kept my warm and dry throughout

Michelin Dual compound AT tires provided unmatched grip and no flats while other teams had multiple flats

What a beautiful day. I feel like going out and riding a hundred miles. I am getting primed for this race. I wish it could have been a bit earlier in the year so I wasn't so much past my peak but such is life. There will be some good teams there from around the US. It will be interesting to match up against them and see where the chips fall after we kick some serious butt. After this race it will be nothing but fun trainings in the PNW and planning for next year..

In the past it took me forever to get packed for a 24hr race. Now it seems easy compared to other races. The hard part is geeting the bike there. I am looking at shipping the wheels and putting the bike in a cardboard box so I don't get penalized by the airlines. We will see how it works out.

My body is knackered this morning. I had a great weekend up on Whidbey Island this weekend. ran, biked, and paddled all around Fort Ebey and Casey. Have a look at http://www.attackpoint.org/weeklyactivity.jsp/user_2463p:// for the details.

Mentally I am getting more focus and excited every day. Matt Hayes, Mari Chandler and I will be represent DART-nuun at nationals in two weeks. After my last race in September I had a serious case of over racing/training burnout. I just needed to hide in my house for a while. Doing my taxes didn't help any. I would use any excuse I could find to avoid a workout. Now I am back on track metally and look forward to driving hard. I can remember cycles like this when I worked. There were times when I just couldn't get myself out of bed and other times when I couldn't wait to get into work and make it happen.

Now I find myself metally planning my base training for the next 4 months. Thinking about all the cool trainings we are going to be doing. After nationals, I will take some time off. I am planning on going camping with Mathew and maybe Sarah up in the Olympics. Fishing, target practise, hiking, biking, and just takin it easy.

What does it take to improve my bike? Aaron, RVG, Matt, these guys are great bikers and can easily drop me - always. I need to improve my abilities this winter. I hate pushing at 85% while they are at 65% talking and leaving my in there tracks whilst climbing. So this is the plan:

TOP every wednesday night for technical training
Joining Old Town road team
Begin teaching spin class
weight training focused on legs

I think that training by myself doesn't provide maximum output as compared to training with better bikers who push me, hence the OT road team. Every sunday morning

Teaching spin class will require a committment that i show up at least once a week and put out at threshold. This will help for that "I like to go out hard" as RVG describes it.

Now to clean gear

IMG_6095
Originally uploaded by ledusledus.

This weekend was the rainfest. I have been shut up doing taxes for the past week and I need to get out. Nationals are coming up and I need to step it up and get ready to rock. Saturday Aaron, matt and I went out to the Olympic Peninsula to collect flags from the 24hr race. I thought that it would take us about 4 hours. 7 hours later we were soaked and back at the car have covered about 40 miles and 7,800 vertical feet.

Sunday Matt and I teamed up for the first annual Peterisoba. It was a Latvian style bike orienteering event that included plenty of bikewhack and hike a bike. We were given a set of 92 directions. These were distances and a picture of an road intersection and the direction to go. There wasn't much elevation gain so it was a nice recovery day after Saturday. However, because of out lack of Latvian orienteering skills, we lost the race and spent another 6 hours in the pouring rain. The race was suppose to be only 3 hours. kundos to Manny's for their solid performance.

I'm back!! Where did the summer go? It has been a blur. I spent two weeks with boy scouts, two weeks traveling and racing in Montana, been to Tahoe twice, Oakridge once, and spent countless hours in the Olympic Peninsula designing an AR course.

Kids are back in school and my life is settling back in. Time to do my 2006 taxes

Roger getting a rub down
Originally uploaded by gtrogers.

Right before the rogaine last weekend I caught roger and Yumay lathering up Rog for the big race. I didn't ask what was being applied but the whole situation looks like something that should have taken place in the bedroom.

Also notice the fancy short shorts. I wore a pair like that once and Cyril let me have it. the whole camp gave Roger unending grief about them. But alas Roger did make it second and mike and I had to stop early. Mike's stomach completely shut down on him. It was quite scary. Whenever he ate or drank he would throw up violently.

Next time I am going to get Mike on a Hammer nutrition diet for the race.

Lord Cromwell

Spider's eyes glow at night when you shine your headlamp on them.

I have been in a bit of a funk lately. Its amazing that how most of my friends have the same types of funks. I sometimes wonder how they deal with them and get out. It seems for all of us we are at are most upbeat when we have a goal in mind and are training hard for it. Once we get injured, distracted or otherwise have the wheels come off it is hard to find the on ramp that gets us back on our merry way.

My family helps me alot. I like the noise and chaos that happens when there are 5 children and two adults in a house. David the baby just lays around and watches the show. Kevin is naked and running around in circles yelling naked boy having just got out of the tub. Mathew is chasing him with some invented gun. Laura is playing her clarinet at 100 decibles. And Sarah is just in a foul mood yelling at anybody who passes by.

It has really been a tough month. Not my worst mind you. I had to remind myself at one point that it was actually nothing compared to the first few months of 2001. first, after all the work for baja, it was over the first day. Then as you know our car broke down in the middle of our family trip that was suppose to be relaxing. What do you do when your car is broken down on the side of the road in the middle of nowwhere with you family in it, twice? And then Sea Otter; I am smart enough to know that in a short race my ass gets toasted by most everybody else on the team. I am older and they are just bad ass racers. I specifically didn't elect for any sprints with the team. Then Matt blew up his knee.

Matt would have been great in Sea Otter. I think that it was a race that was tailored to his abilities. When the teams got set, I made the mistake of racing a short race and doing the nav. It is hard enough to keep up with Seegs and Aaron but to nav as well is just more heeped on the pile. I should have insisted that Aaron nav since he is such a strong biker. So in the struggle of the race they see me at my worst and I feel like I let them down a bit. My performance was less than optimal.

Finally, I got to spend another week away from the family and that's propably the worst. When I am going away to a long race and I am in the middle of it, I always tell myself to go fast and get it done so that I can get home or at least talk to my family sooner. That's my motivation.

So I took last week off from everything. Spent time doing what needed to be done. Maybe it's God's way of letting me know what's most important. In the end, it doesn't matter how many hours I train or how well I do at a given race, I have my family and that's where my real life lies. I just wish I wouldn't eat so much when I'm in the funk.

Now, I'm hungry to get back in it and I will be doing more speed workouts and short races so that I can suffer well when RVG is riding me like an old mule.

Lord Cromwell

So I went to the dealer. We are nowhere closer to fixing the problem. After two weeks and who knows how much money. Know they know we have a problem and don't want to talk to me until the manager gets back on Monday. I am afraid that it will get ugly. I am going to try to negotiate a fair price to get my car back. If they play hardball, my sister has found some CA consumer laws that should be on my side. I will tow it home and take it to a reputable dealer.

I called my wife and told her I was riding home. She would have nothing to do with it. She said I could start riding but she was coming down to pick me up. she said I was away long enough and to prove her point she put Kevin on phone and told me to explain to him why I was going to be another two days.

I rode for 8.5 hours and about 112 miles on my mtn bike. she ran into me at about 12:30 AM halfway between Cresent City and Grants Pass.

It was still a great ride but I'm happy to be home.

Lord Cromwell