Wheelie Wolf

The only real valuable thing is intuition.

2010-02-27T19:55:00.002-06:00

It's been a bit of time. Not too much has been going on.

I believe the thaw is beginning. I am starting to become excited for spring. I anticipate days where I will be able to ride my bike to work without having to worry too much about the temperature.

As the Olympics come to a close I find some form of inspiration rising.

I am lucky that G has been quite helpful and supportive in helping lay out a menu schedule for the week along with a workout schedule. It took a little bit of time to gain success in the weekly menu; but it's gotten easier. We just started the workout schedule. I imagine this will take some time to gain full success in that as well.

Things are melting here and it's getting wet. Ice houses will be coming off the lake and the ice road across the lake will be returned to it's liquid state. Seasons changing always feels like a new beginning.

Miss you guys
Love
Niki

Before God we are all equally wise - and equally foolish - Einstein

2010-01-11T21:48:00.004-06:00

I was taking a trip down memory lane today. I was looking for my first day-long mountain bike trip. My first one was at the Maah Dah Hey trail in western North Dakota. It was a trip that had some good memories. I was fortunate to have found friends to take such a fun trip with. Here's the link for your entertainment. :) Maybe I should have been a comic book writer. :) hehehehe.. I think I'll keep my day job.

http://obiwan.cs.ndsu.nodak.edu/~nwolf/images/mdh.html

Lately Moab has been quite snuggly. She usually only spends 10 minutes with me on the couch. Lately she's been staying for longer periods of time. Maybe she's been colder with these below zero temps. :) Can't complain though since she's turning into a lap kitty.

I hope this finds you all well. I'm off call.. Yay, freedom again.

Working to help save money by going to the gym for the health insurance discount. Wish me luck. :) heheheh.

Meanwhile, things have been a bit stressful. Hoping the new year brings some good times with it.

Starting to get fit for my next Maah Dah Hey trip. This one should be better than the last one if I am in better shape than I was the first time. :)
Miss you guys!
Niki

The important thing is not to stop questioning. -Einstein

2009-12-23T21:29:00.006-06:00

G was kind and thoughtful enough today to bring home a lovely poinsettia. It was a lovely gesture after a challenging day at work.

I've been absent from the blogging scene. Not as dedicated as I once thought I would be.

I've been working to get back into a workout schedule. Things in life feel as though they are beginning to settle down and fall into a schedule of sorts. It's been a tough road and has invovled doing some deep reflection to figure out where I fell off the wagon. I think where it went wrong was not fully accepting that it's ok to be healthy and to make healthy choices. I worried too much about what people would think if I was choosing to make healthy choices. I don't know how many times I've been in line at the grocery store to check out my items and either the cashier, or someone else in line will make a comment on how my items are all healthy items. I may have generated a complex off that. Recently I've noticed others in line making healthy choices and I see they are healthy looking. I catch myself longing to be where I was and to feel good again with energy.

G has been a great support. We have Sunday evening meetings to plan our meals for the week and workout schedule. We have been successful with the meal portion of our plans, and partially successful in the workout part. G is planning to do a 12 hour mountain bike race this season. He's coming to the realization that he needs to do some work to get to eat well consistently so that he'll be able to survive the 12 hour ride.

The snow has been falling here and we have a good base layer. I've been out for the past few weekends on my bike enjoying the snow riding. It's been challenging; but I always enjoy the core workout I get in such ground conditions. :D

I hope to do some this weekend too. With the snow we're forecasted to receive, I don't know if trails will be packed enough to get onto them. I'll have to check the posts and see where things are.

Life in the lake has been good. The house has been coming together nicely. G was able to get things organized well enough that we can get the car in the garage. He's been busy! He's learning that weekends are play time. :) Soon he'll learn how great life is in Niki world. :D

Moab got a shave a few weeks ago. She's back to her sassy self. I hope she's not getting too crabby in her old age. But the groomers did a wonderful job on our little lioness. :) She has also been called a poodle-kitty, q-tip, and other names I can't recall right now.

I hope you all have a wonderful holiday season!! Miss you guys!
Love
Niki

busy, busy, busy...

2009-10-11T21:13:00.003-05:00

Well, I've been busy with stuff. Weddnig, house buying, moving, stuff like that. No excuse to keep from making little stories. But I will stand by these excuses.

Here, Paige, went to Build a Bear to get a new outfit for her bear. She's so cute. She got a wedding outfit for her bear. How sweet! And appropriate for the day. She was the flower girl for us and was quite excited about it.

Today was the first day on a training day. :) YAY, it seems as though I'm back into training mode, or at least in the preliminary stages. I'll need to have some indoor rides. I am looking for a commuter bike. I've gone through some Craig's listings and have found soem that might work, but I'm being picky. :)

Work has moved over this past weekend. It's about the same distance from where I am now; so not a huge deal for me. My goal is to incorporate commuting by bike into my daily regime since there are showers where I am at. But winter is afoot; and I tend to get a little soft when it comes to road riding.

I'm off for the night. It's a good night for a white russian. :) Gettin ready for my week of on-call ahead. :)

i hope you all have a great one!
Miss you! I'm starting to prepare for the season ahead. I have a good support system. I could make some training advancements this winter. Or at least that's the hope. Starting with a better diet and working into a more routine workout.

Miss you guys!
Send suppoert! :)
Love you!
Niki

Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. -Einstein

2009-07-28T10:36:00.003-05:00

It's nearly the end of July. I'm not quite sure where June went.

I got a few races in. Still struggling to get the asthma under control.

Went through another round of tests which only produced 'normal' results yet again. No holes in my heart, no apparent embolisms in my lungs; Still no answers; still feeling the same... Overall, it seems as though over the past three years it's only gotten worse. Doctor's advice was to lose weight. Well, that's obvious and a common suggestion when they don't know what's going on. Especially since all their tests show that physiologically I'm just fine. No explanation why I don't feel fine and why we can't seem to get the asthma under control. But that implies the only thing to explain all this is asthma even though accompanying evidence is not typical of asthma. I'm a medical mystery; or another patient to be tossed aside because they can't figure out what's wrong with current medical technology within the country. That could be a blessing in disguise that I haven't realized yet.

My choice is to get another opinion at Mayo. Still thinking on that issue. Not sure if I'm up for being poked and prodded even more to hear that I'm normal AGAIN. I'm waiting for my frustration level to run down to a lower level and then maybe I'll make a logical decision on that one.

I guess on the bright side of being normal and physiologically sound, I can feel confident then that I can push my body as far as I want and since everything is normal; I shouldn't do any damage that would result in extreme negative effects. :) LOL

It could always be worse. :)
Miss you guys!
Love you
Niki

Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts.

2009-05-25T19:53:00.004-05:00

Fruita Catcus Flower

Another good vacation in Fruita, CO. It's always hard to come back to sea-level aka BFL (below Fruita Level). I did a road ride this morning with the tri-group and I think there were others. I figured I better not do any sandbagging and take advantage of my altitude adjusted lungs. I was able to be the trailer on the break-away group. My goal was to keep them in my sights so I didn't get dropped. Getting dropped meant getting lost in the unfamiliar territory of the 'burbs.

It was a good ride complete with adventure. We hit the gravel trail of the Luce line to discover that a section of it was closed. This was a great hike-a-bike section over some straw with netting on top. Then the frogger-like crossing of the highway. :) I was complimented on my hill attack tactics. That helped to encourage the needed hill training.

The tri-training has been a good time. The people are nice and friendly. I think when this 12 week session is up; I will continue for another 12 weeks. My goal is to incorporate the strength training 2 days a week; I'm hoping for 3. Or I could mix it up and have 2 days of weights and one day of bouldering. Let's see how I can work a plan like that into my schedule.

Gnat and I had a great time camping and riding for the week. The trails were in great condition and we got in some good quality time. It was very nice to leave work stress and all behind. A well deserved vacation. Now the trick is to maintain the vacation mentality outside of work. :D I know, as always; I could stand to lighten up a bit.

So, I'll be doing my first 6 hour race in June to see how things go. Use it as a litmus test. I may try one more doctor to see if a third opinion; or would it be at fourth now... can help get the asthma under control. Yes, I did have attacks out in Fruita. I think riding at a relaxing pace up Mary's Loop helped to keep it at bay for that ride. But Prime Cut brought out the wheezy in me.

Arch-nemisis
There was another welcome meeting with my arch-nemisis 'the rock face'. I've nearly conquered the rock face in previous years. It's almost as though the older I get the more cautious I become. Am I worried about getting hurt because I think I won't heal as quickly? I guess in the end, I need to do more skillz training. Nothing wrong with that.

I miss you guys,
Love ya!
Niki

A person starts to live when he can live outside himself. -Einstein

2009-05-01T15:29:00.002-05:00

Spin class this morning was intervals. I know we were supposed to be at 100 cadence. I think I got close most of the time. Some of the girls in the class must have hit nearly 200... they were booking. I wonder if their spin bikes moved a little bit. :) I remember when I used to have energy like that.

This morning I used the good 'ole puffer. No big deal. It didn't help; I still had a little attack. I am still working on that mental control with the breathing. Yoga has been quite helpful in making progress on that goal.

Next week we may be able to ride outside. I wonder if I should bring some little lights. I could volunteer to ride at the back. :) Since I'll have a tail light and all. :) I think the group may be ready for me to wear a camel bak.

The group was asked by the swimming coach to do an indoor relay that is being held at the club this weekend. I kindly replied: "I've plans to mountain bike this weekend, but I really appreciate the offer." I do appreciate to know of other things going on.

Miss you guys!
Love ya
Niki

Yes, I'm beginning to admit to myself that there is more to life than mountain biking. :D Diversity is good to accompany passion. :)

Imagination is more important than knowledge -Einstein

2009-04-30T09:38:00.003-05:00

My how time has flown. I'm not sure where it's all gone, but it does go quickly even when paying attention.

I've been hanging with tri-geeks :) at 5:30 am. Monday is running, Wednesday is swimming and Friday is spinning and sometimes we get to go outside on road-rides. We get to go outside for running sometimes too. I'll be the one in back walking/jogging but mostly walking. That's ok. On top of this the trails have been opened... FINALLY. The winter seemed so long; or maybe it was just a greater collection of non-trail riding weather. But it's behind me now.

As a result of this increase in activity over the past 5 weeks; I've been noticing that my body requires more sleep. That doesn't mean I necessarily grant that to my body. Of course, this is a request I am trying to full-fill. :)

Granted I need to get more saddle time in as well as some weight training. These will both help in assisting me get to a better performance level. I'm just trying to get back to where I was before the whole athletic induced asthma came into play. It's a tough journey and frustrating. I have good days and bad days. Sometimes bad days are because of seasonal allergy related stuff and sometimes it's because of hormonal levels. Neither of which I can control. But I can control the mental approach I take when I am having a bad day; even if that bad day can last for two weeks.

Other than that; the wedding plans are coming along. I think we're still on schedule. :) I won't be surprised if the month before I'm pretty stressed out. I'll have to go for more bike rides then. ;)

Miss you guys!
Love ya
Niki

It is best, it seems to me, to separate one's inner striving from one's trade as far as possible.

2009-03-06T16:06:00.003-06:00

It is not good when one's daily break is tied to God's special blessing - Einstein

March 5:
Rushed from work.. a little later than I had planned which seems normal...to make it to the gym before the meeting with my nutritionist. Was able to get the core essential part of my workout in. What is the core essential part? Well, that's skipping the warm up and cool down and getting right to the heart of the workout. I was able to get the entire workout in (without the warm up and cool down that is). I had half of the spin time in the studio and people were filtering in for the spin class. (I checked the studio schedule before leaving work).

The meeting with my nutritionist was a tough love type of conversation. She reminded me to take things one step at a time and plan things out. It makes all the difference for me when I sit down and know what I'll be eating for the day and doing for a workout. Removes quite a bit of the stress associated with that. I used to live closer to the edge and be a little more spontaneous. I have found that when including someone permanent in my life; it's better to plan; there's another person in my life to consider now. A life change for sure; but one I'm willing to do the change for.

March 6:
Was told to work from home and take the afternoon for working out. It's like the calm before the storm. We'll be starting phase II of the project we've been working on. It will be nice not being scrum master, technical lead, and team lead all at the same time for this phase. I will be more of a code monkey now. :)

Was going to do weight training and spinning. Decided spinning was enough for me today. It's feeling good getting back into a schedule. I'd still rather ride outside.

You never think you'll be a victim of fraud. I've seen a friend go through this before. It's not pretty. You never think it will happen to you. Rest assured; it could happen to you one day no matter how careful you are.

Miss you guys.
Love ya
Niki

To punish me for my contempt of authority, Fate has made me an authority myself. -Einstein

2009-03-04T20:46:00.002-06:00

March 4:
With the help of Gnat, I got up and made it to the club for an early morning workout, but it wasn't early enough. Started to do my workout in the cycling studio only to be kicked out by a pilates class of 4 students... Haven't made the call to the club yet to see what's up with that. Every instructor has their preference I guess. Moved to the tractor seat bikes to finish up the workout.

Did an evening cross country ski for about 45 minutes. Guess I need to pay attention to applying kick wax to the skis to make a ski trip a little easier on myself. Didn't think of that this morning when Gnat so kindly loaded the vehicle with skis for me. He's so good to me. :)

Lesson learned today... filter email through my manager before my bad attitude gets me in trouble. Filter out any bad attitude. :P LOL Ahhh work... how it tries so hard to dominate my life. But of course.. I don't do much at work. LOL OH, I'll be laughing all night with that one.

Miss you guys.
Love ya,
Niki

work....work....work

2009-03-03T19:53:00.002-06:00

March 3 --

No workout today. Was hoping to get one in today complete with weight training. This was thwarted by work. :(

Lesson Learned:::: Start going in to the gym at 5 am to get the workout in. Gives more time to get distracted at night with fewer feelings of guilt for missing workouts. :) Or fewer opportunities for being lazy. LOL

Never miss an opportunity to relax.

Miss you guys.
Love ya
Niki

The theory says a lot, but does not really bring us any closer to the secret of the Old One.

2009-03-02T18:26:00.004-06:00

I, at any rate, am convinced that He does not throw dice. - Einstein

So, I'm considering a bike. I'm on the look out for a single speed with fenders commuter bike. Or do I get new brakes for Salty; or the cute Garmin 705... so many decisions; I can't decide. For now, I'm not getting anything.

March 2 -
Workout: Rest::: Hoping to get rid of some of the lactic acid build up from the weekend. Time to spend with the prowless, Moab. :)

March 1 -
Workout: 3 hours of cross country skiing :: Gnat and I broke in the new skis we got on Friday today(Sunday, March 1). We took little Gnat out for his first cross country ski adventure. Our three hour tour was a good one. I am a little off again on my feeding schedule.

Ever feel like you were at a point when out exercising with a group like you were the feeding bell? Well, that seems to be me sometimes. And I ignored my feeding bell ringing a little too long. I opted for the cliff bar rather than the GU. So the glucose didn't enter the blood stream soon enough. I let the difficulty of the route we took get to me mentally. So it's good to know that I'm getting back into the training regime; including the mental training. The little issue only lasted about 10 minutes.

30 minutes: Sledding :: Good times!! Felt like a kid again. Despite the open blister on my toe; caused from the previous three hours of X-country skiing, it wasn't so painful hiking back up the sledding hill. I went the furthest down the hill and got the most height on the jumps. :) There could be a repeat of the sledding on Tuesday. :)

February 28 -
Workout: 60 minutes weight training / 60 minutes bike workout. :: Today's weight training workout wasn't as rough as I remembered a few weeks before. I didn't have the large quantities of lactic acid build up in my quads that I remembered from my previous workout. But then now that I think about it, I was sick within a few days. It was a pretty good workout. While watching my form I realized I am not the Goodyear blimb shape I thought I was. :D The bike workout hurt my butt. Those health club bikes out in the main areas with the tractor seats are quite uncomfortable when trying to train. Unfortunately the cycling studio was closed due to refinishing the floors.

Get ready for training season. I may be posting more about my training and diet here.

Miss you guys.
Love Ya,
Niki

Learning is experiencing. Everything else is just information.

2009-02-16T11:24:00.003-06:00

It was one of the more interesting sights this morning. The dude was wearing a carhart jacket, rubber books and some nylon sweats. He had a dog in his truck and was stopped for coffee/espresso type drink. I wonder if he was going duck hunting with his lab in the pick-up truck. I was very tempted to try and discretely take a photo with my phone and post it up here. Then I thought.... that could be considered rude in some cultures and we all know, I do try and be politically correct. Ok, so I couldn't think of an excuse when I got caught... :D Yes, in fact, I chickened out.

I'm carrying the plague of some sort right now. I had more faith in my immune system than warranted. Turns out I'm still human and I'm subject to illness like all the rest. Or this is a really nasty and mutated strain of virus that has chosen to use me for testing ground. :P

I like shiny objects:
and my fiancé gave me a pretty shiny ring. I'm often lost in the shiny. :) It seems nearly apocalyptic that I've that special someone I've chosen to spend the rest of my life with. :) He makes me happy; and is akin to my cycling madness. So, it all works out. I'm sure in the end he may turn into more of a cycling geek than I am; which is hard to believe. But possible.

I have a training program for a month. I may be starting that today whether the almighty and most recently failed immune system is able to handle it or not. Things in the body of mine need to be fixed and that fixing is going to begin asap if not sooner. Times a'waistin.

Miss you guys,
Love ya,
Niki

Is it over yet...?

2009-01-21T10:12:00.002-06:00

Ahhh... work is slowly beginning to consume my life. It's not really that pleasant of an experience. It will be temporary.

It's TRAINING TIME... as soon as I'm done being on Call this week. Well, then I'll need a few days of recovery so that I can get back on a normal sleep schedule. Luckily I had a 3 hour time slot to maximize sleep last night.

Ok, back to the grind.
Miss you guys. I'm not ignoring you; it's just that work is monopolizing me... Too bad Moab won't go in search of a modeling gig to bring in some extra cash. :P LOL

Love ya,
Niki

Thar She Blows.....

2009-01-09T12:13:00.005-06:00

It's the windows operating system was the implication. Seriously... when the computer won't boot at all and keeps cycling... and then the bios diagnostic reveals that there's a core processor down.. signs point to hardware not software.

My local Geek Squad has disappointed me. I think my favorite part was when they phoned saying they had everything re-installed and now the speakers didn't work. My thoughts... "You broke something on the motherboard and aren't willing to confess to it?".

Then the next question from the Geek Squad rep. was "Do you need anything backed up?" I was puzzled... didn't you just replace the hard drive, I asked? So if you replaced the hard drive, I wouldn't have anything to back up off the hard drive. Not quite sure what that was about; perhaps another ploy to get money out of me.

Communication...so easy, yet so difficult.

Date night Wednesday was awesome. It was too cold to ride outside... boooo. :( So instead we watched some TV; and then went to work on bikes. I used my wonderful Christmas gift; the derailleur alignment tool to re-align the derailleurs on my mountain bikes. I really twisted one up pretty good. I'm good at that. :) S.O. is so good to me, he let me use the parts washer to wash the chain and cassette on both my bikes. So pretty now! Next I need to bathe the babies. Salty is so dirty. Red needs a rinse to wash off some of the salt from the spray of the snow infested roads.

The time has come for the seasonal planning of training. I've got the races picked out I want to do this year; or at least I think so.

Saturday was an outage at work. I got the lovely pleasure of working 12 hours from Saturday evening through Sunday morning. I didn't do too much though. I think I was there to smile/nod and look relatively cute. I don't look so cute with no sleep in case you were wondering or didn't know that already. :P

I'm excited to be completely moved into the S.O.'s place now. :) Many boxes to work through and much organization to do. But I'm feeling better about stuff and I feel that this could be a good year for training. Remember; training includes sleep, food, and working out. Working out includes biking, weight training and cross training.

Six hour races are my main schedule this year. I'm all about enjoying the ride. I'll get faster only when I drop the extra weight. (Positive thinking has begun.) :D

Miss you guys,
Hope you're all doing well.
Wish my 'puter quick recovery!
Love ya,
Niki

All religions, arts and sciences are branches of the same tree.... -Einstein

2008-12-07T20:35:00.004-06:00

With the help of good friends quite a bit of the move was accomplished over the weekend. I still have things to move out of the old place and into the new place. I'm concerned about space. I'm also concerned with the number of artistically inspirational magazines I have to go through to make sure I've acquired all my inspiration. Liz, I know you know what I'm talking about. :) I still have Elle magazines from 2004. :) hehehe

Moab, the kitty, has had a life change. She now has to live with a minature pincher. Poor little Moab does not like puppies. But she's been doing alright so far tonight. We'll see how it goes. She's found new furniture to deface. I'm not so sure how I feel about that.

So to recap, both kitty, me, puppy, and new roomie have some adjustments to do.

Well, this coming weekend is a visit to the originators. Hopefully all will go well. I hope to not stress out too much on the way there nor on the way back. :)

Well, I'm out-a-here. I miss you guys! Keep in touch,
Love ya
Niki

Time, time, time...

2008-12-02T21:06:00.003-06:00

I'm not quite sure where the time has gone; but suddenly it's December.

It appears that the trails are opening up now that the temps are dipping. I may restrict my riding until I have given a good amount of focus to packing and thinning out the things in the abode.

I walked out to the car the other morning on my way to work. I enjoyed the cool crisp 20 degree air. It reminded me of weekend winter rides with friends and I had thoughts of heading back to the apartment, loading up the bike and hitting one of the trails. But I had to play the responsible adult.

I'm off to day dream about what it would be like to live where a girl like me could ride year-round.

Hope this finds you all well.
Miss you guys,
love you
Niki

The happiest of people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the most of everything.

2008-11-26T21:18:00.004-06:00

I'm missing long days of sunshine, nice temps and being able to ride on a whim. Those days will return. I figure once I get used to the recent life-changing events; things will be relatively normal... or is it that I redefine a new normal for myself. :D

I remember days when I seemed very focused on eating right, exercising and getting appropriate amounts of sleep. What has changed between now and then? I'm not quite sure and I've been trying to figure it out. I think it's time to quit trying to figure it out and return to the state of being focused on training, eating right, and getting appropriate amounts of sleep. I've already proven I can do it... focus and perform, right? No excuses; and make sure to take care of yourself along the way. Simple formula. I can handle that.

So I will use this off-season to return to the state of eating right and getting sleep along with exercise to build that foundation for when the off-season ends and the training begins. Yep, I like that plan.

Well, off to finish preparing for the Thanksgiving day festivities. It will be fun to hang with friends and S.O. ;)

Happy Thanksgiving!
Miss you guys,
Love ya,
Niki

Just keep pedaling... just keep pedaling

2008-11-24T18:18:00.002-06:00

It was a week of on-call. The days seemed to bleed together. I guess that happens when you don't sleep. I was not the only one stuck with a minimal amount of sleep so I really don't have too much to complain about. Luckily, I am only on call one week every six weeks or so. The time between on-call goes quickly.

Trails are closed because there hasn't been a good freezing yet. I haven't been on a bike in about 2 weeks. I am beginning to notice. I must be patient and eloquently manage my time before training season begins again.

Miss you guys
Love ya
Niki

What is thought to be a 'system' is after all, just conventional, and I do not see how one is supposed to divide up the world objectively so that one

2008-11-17T19:31:00.004-06:00

can make statements about parts. --Einstein

Red got to hang with the airplanes for a little bit over the weekend. What a cool weekend for a bike like Red. Red wanted to have a picture taken getting into the plane, but he was too dirty to pull that off.

It had been six years, but I was able to get a little ride in the friendly skies this past weekend. I hadn't been flying in a plane like that before. It was a good time. I had forgotten how hot the cockpit can get in the winter with the sun beating down. I had to take my jacket off, but I had waited just a bit too long and the motion sickness had set in.

I'm beginning another week of on-call. It already appears as though my sleep schedule is going to be out of whack. But that's ok. I don't need to feel guilty about those days where I don't stay as long as I think I should in the office. It's nice that it all works out in the end.

Funny how some life changing events can kind of throw things out of balance. Discovering a new balance is fun though and I have been enjoying the journey. And along the journey I've been learning new things.

Moab has been going through a gradual introduction process to Frank. Frank is a small min-pin. They're going to be roommates soon and she needs to learn to play nice with puppies. She's getting better. We're down to concerned looks a little hissing and growling; but she's been behaving. There's hope for a potential relationship between Frank and Moab. It's a small glimmer of hope.. but it's something. :)

I hope this finds you all well.
Miss you guys,
Love ya,
Niki

It is a scale of proportions which makes the bad difficult and the good easy. -Einstein

2008-11-10T19:08:00.003-06:00

Transitioning into the off season has felt as though it has been slow going. Although, I think the off season transition has been going better than it feels. I wasn't feeling that great last week, but I think I may be coming out of whatever it was.

Winter is making it's way this direction. None of the snow has stuck at this point but the temps are dropping. I haven't been outside on a bike in over a week. That seems like quite a bit of time for me. I guess my time has been occupied with gym time, social events, and trying to catch up on sleep.

Tomorrow is my second class with the cardio class. The first class was not too bad. It shouldn't be much different than it was the first time.

I miss you guys.
Love ya
Niki

Falling in love is not at all the most stupid thing that people do - but gravitation cannot be held responsible for it. -Einstein

2008-11-07T18:08:00.006-06:00

First snow of the winter season fell today. I was lucky to have been told to work from home today so I could get some work done without consistent interruption. I spent some time gazing out the window watching the snow fall and dreaming of past winter rides in the snow. I am excited to do the winter riding again.

I am hoping there are some winter races this year like there were last year. I'm beginning the transition period right now. This week I've done weight training, a spin class, a cardio class (I think they're trying to convert me into a runner), and yoga for strength and fitness. Ok, so back to the running.. it's a good cross training activity. It doesn't take as much time out of my schedule as a bike ride can take. I never really feel like I work long enough though. I'm sure I'll get over it.

I went to have lunch with my main squeeze today. That was a perk to working from home. AND I got to hang out with airplanes. Yes... sometime in the not so distant yet not so near future, I will be getting current again. Seems as though I'll have some nice opportunities to learn to fly more than a Cesna 152. I'm getting into speed.

So, maybe if I entertain speed, I'll feel it's ok to ride fast on my bike as much as I like riding slow. :)

5 months left to lose the weight. I've lost a few pounds. I run a mantra through my head as a constant reminder of my goal and why I want the goal. Of course, I don't have a life-sized cut-out of a mountain bike professional racer sitting in my living room heckling me, but... I may know where I can find one if it should come to that.

Work has told me to spend one day a week working from home. It can't be Friday or Monday.... what good is that? That just splits the week up. Oh well... a day working from home can be nice. Maybe it will be days of traveling from one coffee/bike shop to another. Not a bad idea for a girl like me. :) Ohhhh boy.... that sounds like a recipe for enjoying work.

Miss you guys.
Love ya,
Cheers!
Niki

The really valuable thing in the pageant of human life seems to me not the State but the creative, sentient individual, the personality... -Einstein

2008-10-29T18:18:00.002-05:00

Transition period feels as though it has begun early this year. The night temps seem to be dropping and night rides seem cooler than I remember from last year. They also seem a bit more infrequent. They aren't; they're about the same.

I met with my trainer yesterday. We're set up for some accountability for the next couple of months. She also took the opportunity to sign me up for a cardio-type class that runs for 6 weeks free. Treadmill and stair stepper time based off heart rate. In convient correlation with doc's orders, we'll be measuring body fat reduction rather than scale reduction. It should be interesting.

My nutritionist is hot on my case too to set up the initial meeting with her to get things started in that arena. Donations are welcome. :) LOL

Which reminds me I should write up that email about what I feel could be improved on current mountain bike design; including the parts on the bike like wheels... and stuff. :)

It should be a good off-season. I'll still be up for a ride at any time in most any weather condition. It will be nice to work some of those non-bike muscles.

I hope all is well.

Miss you guys,
Luv ya
Niki

Taken on the whole, I would believe that Gandhi's views were the most enlightened of all the political men in our time. -Einstein

2008-10-24T19:03:00.003-05:00

Relaxing weekends are nice to have from time to time. No where specific to go, no one specific to see; it all comes as it happens. It leaves many options open.. things like yoga, bike riding, coffee...excuse me/ espresso, breakfast with friends....

It appears the time has come to break out the cycling tights, shoe covers, winter gloves, layers, and wool socks. The winter boots will come out when the temps drop below 40.

Maybe on my list of things to do for the weekend I should have clean the bikes.

Have a great weekend,
Miss you guys
love ya,
Niki

Even on the most solemn occasions I got away without wearing socks and hid that lack of civilisation in high boots. -Einstein

2008-10-21T23:56:00.002-05:00

List of things to do:
Ride bike
Get photos from trip out west to fellow trip goers.
Post some pictures on this picture less entry
Find sleep
Ride bike
Charge lights
Ride bike
Avoid work...
Ride bike

Speaking of work. Sounds like it may only be a matter of time before Helene and I are sent off to a War Room with an insurmountable task of getting a project done on time; even though.... I told them; but no one listened....when they pulled Helene off the project to fix a different issue that it would jeopardize the project...

Lesson 666 about Niki... she doesn't waste her energy speaking; if she has something to say it's wise to believe her words. The world may never learn this lesson.

Since coming back from out west things I miss:
days dedicated to biking
hills
getting sketched out by the cliff-side
days dedicated to biking
hills
downhill
days dedicated to biking
technical riding that's nearly impossible
days dedicated to riding

If they put me in a war room, I'm going to have to pay a visit to a friendly neighborhood photo shop and see if I can get some posters made from some of the better photos I managed to capture on my trip out west.

The riding season is starting to wind down. I've gotten an email from my personal trainer wondering if I've been doing anything since I haven't been in the gym lately. I still need to make an appointment with the nutritionist. It's best to try and stay ahead of the game when you have a timeline for leaning down. So, it's time to figure out an off-season and start to follow through with it. Schedule some gym time, bike time, gym time and watch everything fall off the body. I keep telling myself... new clothes are exciting

Well, I hope this finds you all well.
Keep in touch.
Miss you,
love you
Niki

Why do I do that?

2008-10-14T15:57:00.002-05:00

Every time I come back; I ask myself... why do I do that 20+ hour drive solo? It's not so bad on the way out. Time seems to fly by so quickly on the way out. On the way back, the trip seems to get longer and longer. Perhaps it is the altercation on the path taken. Note to self... go for the longer route if it's prettier. Prettier makes the drive go quicker when you're trapped in a car with yourself. :P LOL

I'm still recovering from the drive and the culture shock of being back. LOL.... By culture shock, I mean temperature acclimation shock. The weather was nice out west. 70's during the day, 40's at night. Sunshine, a little rain but not much. Here... rain, rain, cold... threats of snow; closed trails... Makes me want to stay in bed some days. I'm becoming a sissified fair weather rider. :)

I am happy to have had 5 straight days of riding; coming back and having 2 consecutive days of riding before the weather determined my fate. I am hoping for three consecutive days of riding this week. I better get out the nice weather dancing gear; build a big fire; and get ready to dance for the powers that be which grant my wishes.

I'll be back with more later.
Need to go off for more adjustments to my new environment. :P LOL
Miss you guys,
Love ya
Niki

On the road again....

2008-10-02T15:58:00.004-05:00

The week has gone by fairly quickly. I'm not quite sure where the time has gone. I begin the packing fury tonight. :) For those of you who know me fairly well, you know I wait until the last minute to pack. So, I've improved to waiting the last minute ten minutes before the last minute. :P

I'm mentally prepared for the 20+ hour drive. I better not forget to update the old iPod with some music I've been craving to rock out to lately.

So, I haven't ridden since Sunday... I'm saving up! Resting the old legs so they can be a part of Legs Gone Wild in Fruita video... :P LOL Oh, I crack myself up!

Hopefully if I have to pay a visit to my fav. bike shop out there, it's for getting gifts and not for fixing a bike. The new tires were placed on Salty last night. So pretty!!! I had to make the decision on how to place the rear tire.... downhill and mud or cross country and dry??? It was a 2 min decision. I went with dry/cross country. I'll have to remember the option if I take some side trips out there or on the way back. You just never know what I'm going to do. :)

I've got the maps/trail descriptions. I have to get a few more camping supplies pick out clothing and I'm ready to fire up the jalopy...

Miss you guys. I'll catch ya later.
Love ya
Niki

Once you can accept the universe as matter expanding into nothing that is something, wearing stripes with plaid comes easy. -Einstein

2008-09-29T18:56:00.003-05:00

Long drives are always made shorter when you have a cell phone signal and a friend to chat with while you are able to maintain that signal. The drive up to Lake of the Woods was a nice one. I made fairly decent time. It was nice to catch up with my uncle and stop for a beer along the way. Once we got to the cabin, I helped with unloading, etc and joined my uncle and second cousin for a refreshing beverage. :) The rest came along as the night wore on. Dinner was great, having breakfast made for me in the morning was great; and the trade off of cleaning up after the meal was fair enough to me. :)

Fishing was good the one day I was able to get out. I brought one into the boat. The other fish I caught was very nice! It was over the allowable length for keeping a fish, so I had to set him free again. :( My cousin's husband had caught a fish in the other boat that was bigger than mine. We spent the evening over drinks lamenting together over our great fishing tales. He brought more fish into the boat than I did. I guess I was in the wrong boat. :) hehehe

The overnight outage was ok. Things went fairly well and we were able to finish mostly on schedule. No real drama happened; but there's a weird rift in the group that becomes uncomfortable at times. Then there was the Military issue wearing the sweat pants with the t-shirt tucked in. The OCD who was busy milling about.. and other interesting personalities. It's always interesting being one female among 14 men. Men look worse than women when they're tired. :P LOL Of course, I don't remember looking in the mirror around 3am.

Sunday I rode with friends and made dinner for them. It was a very nice day and end to the broken up weekend. Everyone had a good time. Now that I have cleaned the living space, I should use the opportunity to host more social gatherings. :)

This week will be preparing for the upcoming vacation...
I hope this finds you all well..
Miss you guys,
Love ya
Niki

No problem can be solved from the same consciousness that created it.

2008-09-24T17:10:00.004-05:00

I can't forget to pack a dollar bill for the fishing trip. It is customary to pay $1 to the person who catches the first walleye. Hopefully it's my lucky trip this year and I will be the collecting.

I'm mentally prepared for the fishing trip. Even though I'll have to leave early to come back for work, I will still have a good time. I hope we catch enough fish that I have plenty to return home with. :) Ohhhh.... I could dream of catching my limit. I don't know if I've ever hit that number before in one day.

The rain has been keeping me off the mountain bike trails. I plan to take Red up with me in case there is a day where we're not able to get on the lake. I'll ride around the neighborhood. Maybe I'll even take a spin on the mini bike. :) Just like in the old days. I will have to remember to take a camera to get shots of my uncle on the mini bike. :) That's always a shot worth sharing. :P LOL

Thanks to Carnage for helping me with the flat tire today. I'm still not sure what I ran over, but it was weird. No.. it wasn't a homeless person.

I found the web cam for Lake of the Woods . Ahhh.. Lake of the Woods holds some good memories of times with my grandparents for me.

Well... I'm down to one week before I leave for vacation. :D I'm pretty excited about that.

Miss you guys,
Love ya,
Niki

Every journey has a secret destination of which the traveler is unaware. -Martin Buber

2008-09-21T20:33:00.004-05:00

It seems that at least one day a week I am a victim of the couch. Today the couch took me in and lulled me to sleep. My thoughts of getting out for a ride were overridden by the decision of the couch.

Seems I'm missing a piece of hardware from the chain ring. I'll have to scrounge around at the local bike shops to see if anyone would have such an object of which I am in search of. Then I'll swap out the cranks and see how the one from Red works on Salty. Salty is such a parts thief. :P

I look at the Salty and am reminded that I need to change the tires. I remember changing them last year. It takes some time and effort with the beefy rims I ride. But beefy survives out west. :) Salty is a survivor! Salty may pay a visit to the shock doctor tomorrow to see if we can get some help working out the squeaks from the mid-section.

Two weeks and counting... I hope to get to a good hand-off point with the project I'm working on at work. I think I will have one day to do the hand off. I will feel better to make that kind of progress on the project. I'm sure when Helene returns, she may need to make changes to the work I've done, but that's fine with me.

I got a letter from the doctor. She's trying to help me get an idea of where she would like to see me on the BMI scale in 6 months. I need to get to the gym instead of just talking about it. Today was another day of putting it off. That's ok though.

I miss you guys,
Love ya,
Niki

Sometimes all you can manage is to pay attention, and do the best you can.

2008-09-18T23:09:00.003-05:00

Well, I don't have a picture of me and friends riding at night. But I found a picture of someone riding at night. :)

I may assign myself the goal of getting a photo of mountain bikers at night. Maybe I'll sit down one night and make a list of things I want to do in the next year.

It was a perfect evening for some night riding. I saw some of my downhill friends at the trail head. I stopped by to say hi. They said they hadn't seen Salty before. I guess that is probably true. :D It was nice seeing them and chit-chatting briefly.

Valerie and I had a good time. Luckily she was all about taking it easy so I didn't slow her down too much. ;) Night riding is always nice for me. I noticed today I had a little delay in adapting to the change in riding. I guess I should head out at night a little more frequently. Practice, practice, practice. I heard some deer playing along side the trail. Maybe they were jealous of the inch of air I was catching once in awhile. LOL

Well... I see sleep in my future. :)

The race this weekend, I have decided that I will not be participating in. I'll be riding around the neighborhood and area over the weekend instead. I think it could be time to focus on giving the chest a break for a bit. PLUS I get to do some awesome riding out in Colorado in a few short weeks. LAAAAAA (Cherubs singing)

Miss you guys,
Love ya
Niki

Being with people who understand you

2008-09-16T20:05:00.004-05:00

Blew the chain right off.... I knew it was going to happen. I was buying time. Salty... we will have some bonding time tonight. Red is going to get robbed. ;)
a
There I was riding along on what i thought was to be a first lap. Near the end... SNAP... and there's no resistance to the pedals. My thoughts were quick. I knew the chain had broken. Well, the chain noise from the dry chain was gone. :)

My plan was to finish a quick lap, get back to the car, put some oil on the chain and head out for another/longer lap. Oh well... I am glad that I was near the end of the trail so the walk wasn't that long.

There I was... walking out of the woods, bike in one hand, chain in another. I could have fixed the chain (which had already broken about a month ago)... but I knew it was time to replace the chain.

So tonight... Mountain bike Barbie rescued herself. :) And I turn the sunroom into a bike wash and repair shop. Time to get greasy and dirty!

Miss you guys!
Love ya
Niki

It has become appallingly obvious that our technology has exceeded our humanity. -Einstein

2008-09-15T17:27:00.004-05:00

I have survived yet another week of being on call. I think last night was the roughest with multiple calls between the hours of 1 am and 4 am. I plan to leave early a few days this week.

Just over two weeks until my vacation. I still have some work to do on Salty. I believe I worked out the kinks in the re-installation of the fixed rear shock. Now for the fun part... swaping bike parts. Salty will be stealing parts from Red. :) That salty can be sneaky. :P

Well, the results from the last test have not shown anything. I'm not surprised. Test after test returns nothing. That's nice to know I'm looking normal inside and out. It would be nice to know there was a resolution for the feeling I've been having. Next plan of attack is to work on reducing the BMI. It may help me get to the athletic level I desire to be at. Back to the grind-stone. Luckily I have a nutritionist readily available to hold me accountable.

I hope you all are enjoying the seasonal changes and all is well.
Miss you guys!
Love ya,
Niki

Do you still see the sand and the sea...

2008-09-11T19:42:00.003-05:00

An intimate relationship with your couch is a good relationship to maintain. I am lucky to have a nap assistant to help me keep up that good relationship. :)

The on call week has been as I expected. Well... the week isn't over yet. I've accomplished the 16 hour day. I'm waiting for the up until 3am episode. Well, that will be coming during the outage. Ahhh...an outage. It should be interesting. I remember having outages at previous jobs. Things were always carefully planned and everyone knew their role, what to do, and had a back up plan. This one... I think I need to get a briefing so I don't go into it not knowing what to do. It is said it will only take 4 hours. Word on the street is the last one took 14 hours.

So the outage is over the fishing weekend. :( Cuts into fishing time. At least the following week, I'll be leaving for my wee vacation.

THE SHOCK HAS RETURNED!! It's in great shape! Shout out to B Rose!! I can actually set it appropriately now. I am anxious to take it out for a test run. The rain made it convenient to not ride today. The reality is I passed out on the couch. I will get Salty out there soon enough. There is some more minor maintenance Salty needs before the trip.

The pulmonologist technician said she felt we got a good test with some good results today. I went longer than she thought. :) Tee hee hee... She thought I wouldn't make it to 10 minutes. I went 14 min and 50 sec. Dang, I should have pushed it harder. My muscle endurance in my legs could use some improvement. I was at and above my AT for 6 minutes; one more minute would have been fun! I predict the outcome will be... everything looks normal. Everything always looks normal... That's good; except when you're not feeling that great and they can't figure out why. Oh well... regardless, it will be ok. I believe I'll get the results sometime next week; or before my doc goes on her 3 week vacation. (lucky woman to get a 3 week vacation; I hope she has a great time!)

My weekends are filling fast. I am still in debate about Blue Mounds race. I wonder if I will return after the wee vacation. I'm sure I will... so far I have. :) One day though... I may not return... Report back will be.. She's been taken in by the mountains; we're not surprised. :P

Off to my happy place. :P
Miss you guys,
Love ya,
Niki

If A is a success in life, then A = x + y + z. x = work, y = play, and z = keeping your mouth shut - Einstein

2008-09-08T21:33:00.003-05:00

Heh... Carnage you have a quirky sense of humor. But this strip is hilarious!!

I should check with the shock doctor to see if my shock is on the mend. I haven't heard anything. I'm a little nervous about the damage. Then again, it could be a busy season with the 24 hours of Moab just about a month away. I'm sure there are many shocks that need some tuning before an event like that. :)

There are days like today where a pool of optimism would be great. I feel my optimism is growing short. It's temporary and will be back up to elevated levels at no time.

The doc today took me on a road I thought was already closed today. So now, it appears with the recent events that have happened... it's more than the lungs we should be looking at. Yes, everything is fine. It has been fine so far, and will be. It just seems to be time to get outside of the box. First of a series of tests on Thursday. Not much more to say because there's not much known at this point.

I should pick up some cow bells for my bike for the next race . I think I'll need something to make myself laugh while I'm blowing up my body. :P LOL

Well, I'm off.

Miss you guys,
Love ya,
Niki

I want to know God's thoughts; the rest are details -Einstein

2008-09-07T21:46:00.003-05:00

Seasonal changes have begun. I've been noticing for awhile that the leaves have been changing colors and the temps have been more mild. I enjoy riding in the fall. I still sweat; but it's nice to get that chilly feeling after a rest and then to start riding again to warm up. Time to bring out the leg warmers. Maybe this year I'll invest in some arm warmers. They seem to work pretty well from what I've seen on other riders.

This week begins another on-call week. Send happy thoughts. My goal this week.... To survive. :D

I may use this week to practice on the rollers. :P LOL ... I get scared just thinking of it. What are roller? It's like a conveyor belt without the belt to ride the bike on. One needs some balance and smooth riding skills to stay on the rollers. I guess I'm preparing for the 'off season'.. :P HAHA... winter can't keep me off a bike.

Doc appt tomorrow. Another lung test. We'll see if there have been any improvements in the last month on the meds. It should be interesting. Which reminds me to take them. :)

Not much else going on. I did a nice solo ride on Saturday. It was good. I got through in a shorter amount of time than I thought it would have taken me. Had a good ride with Valerie today. We were lucky to have avoided the rain.

I miss you guys! I hope all is well.
Love ya,
Niki

You said you'd back me a cake, yeah, you said you'd bake me a cake -StrongBad Email

2008-09-04T17:45:00.003-05:00

The preparations for the trip out West have begun...

Salty's rear shock is at the hospital for a physical. It shouldn't be too long before Salty is back and running well. Luckily the damper is doing fine. I've heard (from the shock doctor) that it's the most expensive piece. I feel lucky to have a local shock hospital. I am confident I will be back for more business. There are a few other shocks lying around which need some tender love.

Guess the boys (bikes) need some bathing. Perfect time for Salty to get a bath while the shock is getting good attention. If Red gets a bath, he'll just get dirty again. :) That's the way it should be. Note to roadies: bikes still work when they're dirty... in case you didn't know. :P (I'm feelin sassy!)

In other news... Mom's surgery has gone well. Her knee is feeling much better than the last knee replacement on the other side. I have cyborg parents now. :) LOL

Jen, I'll see if I can score some Lorraine pickels for you. :D It may cost you. :P

My previous place of employment released an announcement the other day that 58% of the current work force will be let go. I guess things aren't taking a turn for the better. The environment was rough before, I can't imagine how things are now for those I've left behind.

I may have started painting again. The inventory seemed to be getting low. And I need some new stuff on my walls. :)

That's the report. Send word on happenings in your area. :)

Miss you guys!
Love ya,
Niki

I don't pretend to understand the universe - it's much bigger than I am. -Einstein

2008-09-02T22:42:00.002-05:00

I got sucked into Star Wars IV tonight. I was surprised at my own interest in the show. I saw Jaba the Hut and it was over for me. Jaba doesn't seem quite as gross as I remember from the first time I viewed the show not so long ago... errr... well, time is relative, right?

Mav's visit was wonderful. She is helping to contribute to my girly-ness. Sheessshh... it's like a disease. :P LOL

I got in a nice ride yesterday with some good company. I hadn't been on the bike since the previous Wednesday. Unfortunately, Wheezy had to make an appearance. Monday I should discover that the meds have been making some improvements.

Despite Wheezy, Labor day was a fun day for me.

Millie will be finding a new home in a few weeks. I am optimistic that this could also attribute to increased healing rates. I feel like I talk about this stuff all the time. Oh well.. That's me.. broken record/one-track mind Wolfie.

As I walked into work today I thought... hrmm.. I could get current with my flying and then maybe even go for an IFR rating. Man, that would be pretty cool. Back to the budget for a reality pill. :) Some day. Things do seem to have a way to work out when you least expect them to.

I have re-discovered my Nutritionist. It was great to see her tonight. She still doesn't let me get away with anything. Harsh and kind at the same time. I like her no-nonsense approach to explaining what not to do in terms of science and what the body is doing. She advised that raspberries during a 6 hour race (or pretty much any race) wouldn't do me any good because they contain too much fiber. I had forgotten about the fiber factor when exercising. The fiber factor means the body works harder to process fiber. Not a good idea when you need your body working on other stuff. She also reminded me of the effects of over-training and how it works against me in my goal to increase lean body mass.

So the decision time has come for me. Get back on the wagon.. really back on the wagon and chase that goal, OR stay where I'm at for whatever reasons are holding me here. I have a few things to figure out.

I think I will have to try to find some good middle ground. Increase lean body mass and cardio. That sounds suspiciously like a triathlete. Am I going to turn into a tri-geek? So many options...

I'd have a new cartoon today, but my work email has been down all day. It went down on Labor day and has decided to stay in bed. Maybe it will be back tomorrow. :) HEH... ahhhh the joys of work! :P

Miss you guys!
Love ya!
Niki

One thing I have learned in a long life: All our science, measured against reality, is primitive and childlike -

2008-08-31T09:38:00.002-05:00

and yet it is the most precious thing we have. -Einstein

Long weekends, lazy Sundays and visits from old friends makes for a nice weekend.

It was great to visit with Mav. We actually were all girly yesterday. I know; it's very strange to have me and girly in the same sentence. :) We did some shopping and then came back to my place to play Spa Day. Fun was had by all. Ahh, Mav, too bad you can't move here and we could be neighbors. I'll head out east next.

My return trip to my nutritionist is on Tuesday. I'm excited to see her and see what sort of suggestions she may have. I'm in search of some new food options during those long races. Something simple, cheap, and easy to prepare/carry.

I hope to get a ride in this afternoon. My last ride was on Wednesday and I did have a bit of a breathing issue. I got it back under control. It was my own fault though. I was pushing it too hard. It gets tough when the muscles can keep up and my brain is to the point of ignoring the complaining of the lungs. Is it bad when your own brain is calling your lungs a sissy? :P

So this afternoon's ride, I'll see if Julie and whoever else may be in town is available for a Granny ride. :)

I did review the stats from my garmin, and it could be that one such as myself could be getting dangerously close to over training. DOH... seems to be a re-occurring problem for me.

Things I'm excited for...a ride tomorrow on my day off!! YAY. The trip out west in 4 weeks, trip to the lung doc, Blue Mound 6 hour race, and winter training/off season. Apparently, it doesn't take too much to excite me. :)

I hope this finds you all well.
Miss you guys!
Love ya
Niki

A moment of silence....

2008-08-27T22:37:00.002-05:00

I lost my minion at work this week. I saw it coming. There was no denying it. What could I have done better? Obviously in sad situations like this, there is always an opportunity to learn. I have learned a few things from this one. Things like sometimes I need to be honest about my limitations whether they be time or whatever. And also... minions need to be nurtured in the early stages. They are like young little fledglings. They want to fly so desperately, but unless they are coddled appropriately, they could try too soon and be lost from the nest forever. Poor little minion... lost. I'm sure it's for the best. Oh.. there were so many wonderful plans for him. Maybe I'll get a new one some day. No, no, no... I will get a new one some day! And then I will have another... soon an army of minions!!

Err... I mean... more friends! Yes, more friends. :D

Life has felt like a whirl wind since the departure of the minion. I'm sure it will calm down in time.

Now begins the count-down to the westward trip. I booked the campsite today! It's official...I'm going. Ahhh.... one solid week of biking, camping, biking, biking, camping... did I mention biking? Mountain biking to be exact. I'm goin' home!

I can see the entrance to the mountains now...so clear and welcoming. They sing as they see me approach and ask what has taken me so long. The journey continues through the mountains to the other side; and I come out on the high plains dessert. Such beauty I can hardly wait to see again. Miles and miles and miles of beautiful single track. All welcoming me back. The bike shops are happy to see me too. :) LOL Of course... that's where I go to fix the bites taken out of the bike. Those high plains desserts have an appetite for mountain bikes.

Ahhh.. such beautiful visual imagery... 5 weeks left. It will all be over so quickly.. I will savor every moment to the journey, every moment of the journey and then I'll relive it on the way back. :D

I hope you all are well and having good times and great health!
I miss you guys! Some of you I may see in 5 weeks. :) HURRAY!!
Love ya,
Niki

Life is like riding a bicycle. To balance you must keep moving. - Einstein

2008-08-23T16:54:00.003-05:00

Wheezy: 5
Niki: 4
Looks like a good battle, but Wheezy wins. Time to go back and re-think things and figuring out a different approach.

Well, I got schooled Saturday morning by Mr Robert Face Plant and friends on their little single speeds. On the bright side, it took them 20 seconds to drop my sorry grandma butt. :D Aww, it was fun regardless. The part of the email which said it would be a hammer fest was not a lie. :) Heh.. looks like I may have found some new training buddies to help me embrace speed. Maybe between training rides I'll work on the lungs and legs. What if I reduce body fat and maintain power/weight ratio... Hrmm sounds like a science project to me that should be attempted.

I don't know that I'll start drinking their choice of energy drink after every lap. :) Regardless, I think Saturday was my inaugural ride into the Hardius Corieus Klub. :P LOL It kills me when Mr FacePlant calls me hard core. Coming from someone who bikes everywhere. When I say everywhere, I mean pretty much everywhere. To work, to school, to home, to gatherings with friends. I'm not on my bike that much. Maybe it all evens out. LOL... Heck no! He's way ahead of me on the hard core scale.

I attempted to participate in the Sunday race. It may have been too early for the lungs. I don't remember an attack quite like the one I experienced Sunday. But I guess this is just the way things will go for awhile.

I think this may demote me from the Hardius Corieus Klub. I’ve shed tears over this one friends. Fear not… I get to heckle my lung doctor again in a few short weeks. I hope to remember to phone tomorrow to check on the lung test they have me scheduled for. Maybe on Sunday I should have gone to the ambulance to get some O2. I wasn’t thinking straight. I’ll work on that.

On the bright side, with Sunday’s episode, I have learned that I need to work on my mental toughness. I see room for improvement with emotional resiliency. So, rather than laying in the grass like a puddle of puss, I could have made an effort to be social with those around me; or at least gone over to the ambulance to check out their O2 supply cabinet.

I am now moving on from Sunday’s episode. It has frustrated me beyond belief, but I have used that frustration to form a diabolical plan. Remember Wheezy this is only one battle, the war is not yet over. My plan will work, it has to. It’s different than the last one.

My apologies to those of you who had to witness my vunerability. I did my best to keep it on the down low. Don't worry about me though, I go through that all the time.

Miss you guys.
Love ya
Niki

Just for today

2008-08-21T23:23:00.004-05:00

LOL... Ok, so I'm not quite as goofy as Misty May, but there's nothing to say that I can't get there. :D Oh yeah, and my medal is a little bit different if you didn't notice. :P

There it is... the infamous silver from the Niki-lympics for a 6 hour mountain bike ride. Don't worry, there will be more mountain bike rides. Some may acquire medals, others may not. My goal.. have fun and complete the race.

Next race is Sunday. I should check out time/place, etc so I make sure I show up for the right racing category and don't race outside of my abilities. :P

The couch has been back in action again today. The lungs are feeling stronger most days. Today started out as a bad day, but it's gotten better.

I've fallen off the wagon... I guess I haven't quite gotten back on. Which wagon? well, the eating healthy wagon. I am running to catch up with all my open wounds filled with gravel. :P Ok, so maybe it's not that bad.

Mav is coming to visit next weekend. It will be fun catching up with her. I better get to cleaning. I wonder if I tie dusters to the kitty tails and chase them around the house if that would help to clean. :P Anything is worth a try once, right?

I hope you're all having a great week!
Miss you guys!
Love ya
Niki

Nobody but you is inside your head

2008-08-19T23:12:00.003-05:00

The bikes are riddled about the living space these days. Salty is waiting patiently for the rear shock to be sent off for some fine tuning and for it's crank to be uncreaked. Red is anticipating the new cassette, tires and I think that's it.

So it could be that I'm trying to get as much riding in during the short warm season we have left here and that is preventing me from the other chores to be done about the house and the cleaning of the bikes. Ahhh...bonding with the bikes; done via a good cleaning.

I had a friend who would take his bike apart entirely to clean it. I believe his cleaning of a bike took 3 to 5 hours. I'm not quite that thorough of a cleaner. Perhaps if I wasn't riding bike so much I might get to that level. HAHA, who am I kidding?

I took the couch out for a ride tonight. OH...I love that bike. The couch is also known as Salty (pictured above). I have never known a bike to fit that well. Thanks again Sherwood for the recommendation. Deciding I dug the bike was one of the best decisions I've made. :D Yay me!

I was just sitting here remembering that last year I had lost my bike mojo for awhile. I was feeling a bit sketchy today still on the bike. I hope this won't be a repeat of last year. I can feel the season kind of winding down a bit though. I am starting to transition to night riding mode and watching the weather to see if temps drop at night.

Sunday is another race. Have I mentioned that already? I am planning on riding this Sunday. But then plans can always change too. :O Those shorter races can be fun too. It's not the pain fest of the 6 hour race; more of a short set. I could sand bag this weekend. :) I do have a breathing handicap; that could justify sand bagging. Maybe if I ride with a handicap sticker on the camel back they'd let me win. I need a gold for the Niki-lympics collection. :D LOL And I continue to make myself laugh.

Hope all is well.
Miss you guys!
Love ya,
Niki

It's not that I'm so smart, it's just that I stay with problems longer. -Einstein

2008-08-18T21:35:00.003-05:00

Searching for the second woman being sent to the Olympics took quite a bit of time. I had an idea who it was, but sometimes (very few and far between.. :P ) I am wrong. Although I was correct!! They're sending Georgia Gould and Mary McConneloug. YAY. Should be some good Women's mountain biking. I hope the US ladies have a good day on August 22nd. :D I'll be cheering. Maybe even do my little Mojito dance. ;)

I am interested to know who's riding for Norway. I wonder if Rita is riding again. Funny story... I remember one day some time ago when I was younger (I think it was last year), I vowed to beat Rita in a race. I will be honest, I have a very, very long way to go to get to her speed. I do admire her accomplishments within the sport.

Is there an innocent way to genetically enhance lung capacity? Wouldn't that by default enlarge the heart too? :D There could be a plan in there somewhere which could help me realize my dream. I could have this goal accomplished by next year. So, if asthma medication is considered doping, I'm well on my way to taking the short cuts. :P Oh, I make myself laugh.

Seriously, my first steps may be to follow in hers and ride with boys and actually keep up with them. I think that would mean I would have to get rid of that "I don't wanna do that" sort of mentality. Hehe.... I guess it's never too late to start up on the mental training again. Mental Break's over! I've got a lady to beat.

Ok, nonsense aside; I did a wee ride today. I decided 30 minutes working on skills was a good idea. I went to some newer trail over at Terrace Oaks and worked on the tight weaves through the trees and getting rid of some of the sketchiness I have been feeling since the race on Saturday. There were some very tight switchbacks which were great for working on bike handling skills in the race. Much of it I felt too mentally exhausted to work on and walked, or dabbed my way through it. I'm ok with that. My goal during the race was to gauge the lung issue. I think some of the sketchiness has disappeared. I may have to bring Salty out tomorrow. :D

Findings from race still hold that I can now begin increasing lung volume. Seriously, it's amazing how much performance one can lose when their lung capacity has dropped nearly half a 12 oz can. That's 6 oz of oxygen loss. Imagine that if you can. If you can't, I can relay that it is painful. It's tough to struggle to get 100% lung capacity when you are only able to get 75% when you're already pushing the body through the curtain of pain. Sure, there's struggle at the elevated rates, but there is a significant difference between the two. It's been quite a mental journey these past few years I've been battling for lung capacity. I hope I have come out of this learning more about myself and have been able to grow from the entire experience.

I think my next lung doctor appointment they'll be hooking me up to some stuff and putting me on a bike. I believe I gave the go ahead for that guinea pig test just to see what kind of numbers we'll see. I should double check when that appointment is so I don't forget to go. :P

Moving forward, not looking behind.

Well, I hope this finds you all well.
Miss you guys!
Love ya,
Niki

It is harder to crack a prejudice than an atom. -Einstein

2008-08-17T11:09:00.007-05:00

Current score best of 9
Wheezy: 4
Niki: 4

Ahhh Wheezy, sorry you didn't get this one. Ok, no I'm not. :) It wasn't without effort. Wheezy tried. One attack, but I was able to put it behind me and alter a few things to keep the re-appearance of Wheezy.

6 hours on a bike. Under normal circumstances isn't really that big of a deal. On a race course through bluff lands with constant climbing, it was a bit tougher. I was reassured that I wasn't being too much of a baby hearing other riders talk about the pain they were experiencing on each lap.

The course was very challenging and fun. I'm not sure how I kept riding. I'm not sure what kept the 12 hour guys/gals riding. I felt as though I was walking up hills more than I was on my bike.

The first lap was rough. My average heart rate was in the anaerobic zone the entire time. Most people don't go anaerobic for over an hour straight. Toward the end was the attack. Then after I was able to recover from that, a bee stung me on the butt. That hurt. I think I may have run over a hive that was on the ground when I was letting another racer pass me. So at my first pit stop, I applied some salve, refreshed water and beverages and decided I better get at least 2 laps in before I consider quitting.

The second lap I toned things down a bit and had more fun riding the course. I acquired a coach during the race. One of the 12 hour guys was kind enough to stop and give me some tips to keep me from fighting with the bike so much. At times, when I get tired, I have a tendency to work against the grain. It was very kind of him to stop from riding and give me instruction as other racers passed.

My last lap, I was very happy to have come to an end. I was sprayed by water from a monkey. They assured me it was water and nothing more.

The attitude of endurance racers is pretty relaxed. We're all out there suffering together and we put ourselves out there. I'm by no means an experienced endurance racer. This was my second one, and the first one I was able to actually finish.

Today I'm not feeling too sore. I have fatigue in my arms and my toes hurt from the walking up hill in cycling shoes. But I'm sure I'll be back on the bike at some point today for a 'recovery ride'.

Oh, yeah... on a minor note, I got second in the 6 hour women's category. My goal was to finish I didn't really care if I placed or not. Luckily i was able to accomplish my goal and get a medal too. I'll post my Niki-lympic photo when it is processed. :D LOL

Back to recovering.

Have a great day!
Miss you guys!
Niki

PS: Thanks to Julie for coming with me. I cannot express in words, how much it meant to have someone to look for coming around for another lap. And thanks those friends who sent me a text message wishing me luck. Again, you have no idea how much that meant to me. This was a tough course and I got the supporting text messages at a time when I was wondering what the heck I was thinking. :) THANKS!! You have all helped me finish the race.

Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. -Einstein

2008-08-14T22:51:00.005-05:00

So maybe my attempt at racing is an act of insanity. It's true, this time I'm expecting a different result than the 25 mile race. I won't lie, I'm a bit scared going into this race. Knowing my friend will be out on the course too who is a paramedic eases the tension a little bit.

I've been on the trail before where this course will be held. It's fun, challenging and I believe it could burst an artery if one were not careful about pacing themselves.

The next few days I will continue preparing myself mentally. I'm now at the visualization stage working on eliminating the images of Wheezy returning. Where I fear Wheazy may return, I have inserted images of various olympic athletes pushing through that curtain of pain to come out the other side with a gold.

Well back to the pre-race regime. Much mental work left to do. Magic Bob, can you give me a bit more time? Unless you have some magic mental stamina in your bag of tricks. :D

Miss you guys!
Love Ya
Niki

In order to form an immaculate member of a flock of sheep one must, above all, be a sheep. -Einstein

2008-08-12T18:57:00.002-05:00

It was like a scene out of the Aristocats. There they were... I wasn't quite sure what type of animal was running across the gravel bike trail on my way home from work. As I got to their location, it was a mother cat and three little kittens playing. The mom and one kitten went into the bushes. The two other kittens (I wonder if they were boys) went the other direction with fur all puffed out and huffing and hissing along the way. "Ohhhh, kitties!!" I cooed gleefully. They were silly kitties and made me laugh.

My next encounter was a squirrel carrying a green apple in his mouth. He nearly ran under my front wheel. That would have not been good; but I was on to him. I moved my wheel the opposite direction he was moving. That little stinker. It would have probably taken me down if I had run over a squirrel on a wet road while riding a road bike. I'm just guessing...but I have a feeling I could be right.

I feel so proud to have discovered a new way to get to work. Get up before the sun... catch the bus which takes me all the way out to the southwestern most suburb I frequent due to work and ride the bike home. 21.5 miles took me an hour and 40 minutes. That's a new olympic record in Niki-lympics. :)

On my ride home, I was able to work on jump starts with all the stops and starts at the stop lights/intersections. I was also able to work on some higher cadence intervals. (Higher for me being about 90). :) People are friendly on the bike trails until you get closer to the city limits. I find that interesting.

My latest question: What's up with guys in Tour de France attire without a helmet? I couldn't quite figure that one out today. I saw that within the city; not so much further out where there are more commuters roaming.

When I got home, I had some mail. The generosity of a friend brought me to tears. Thank you my friend. :) Your gift came at a time when I really needed it. I hope to one day to return the favor, or pass it along. :D

I hope all is well for everyone!
Love you guys, miss you
Niki

If you are out to describe the truth, leave elegance to the tailor. -Einstein

2008-08-10T22:36:00.003-05:00

It really used to irritate my parents when I was growing up that I was kind of a night owl. On those Friday evenings I stayed up later, my father made sure to wake me up early to do the chores. No crabbiness was tolerated. Smiles and cheer were requested even if you had the least amount of sleep in the room. Now that I'm older, I do see his point. He was making sure that I was held responsible for my actions and aware of the fact that the things that still need to get done don't get done without you.

So, the wedding was fun. I got to see quite a few friends from out of town I haven't seen for some time. It appeared that everyone had a good time. We all caught up on the gossip and enjoyed the event.

Even though I wasn't feeling as a real human being when I woke up. I have great friends who encouraged me to get a ride in anyway. Kim, Julie and I rode at Wirth. Turns out there was a kind of race going on there at the same time. I saw a guy who works at the Erik's bike shop down in Burnsville. He had been in the race. I didn't make myself known. I figured in my super hero costume, he wouldn't have recognized me. And I didn't want to show him up with my fancy pants bike. :P Well, it's dirty so I guess he wouldn't have noticed. :D

The race looked like a good time. There was a guy who had on Rainbow Bright socks! I don't think he heard Kim complimenting his socks. My favorite part was when a couple of guys without brain buckets were riding behind us. Neither one made it up the rock garden. The first guy (too stupid to date because of the lack of the brain bucket), said he didn't make it because someone was in front of him. OH let's see. Kim was at least 50 feet in front of him and from my perspective didn't seem to be that close that it would have held him up if he had skillz. :)

I believe I made a remark that it was a lame excuse. It's a rock garden that has a tendency to get in my head. Although today I was able to deny it's entrance into my head. Regardless.... Boys and their apparent need to be better than girls is something I will always find amusing.

How many of you know someone who won't do something because they're not good at it? Is anyone good at anything when they start? We all start somewhere. I appreciate all those who are willing to try something new or just do something they aren't all that great at. For me it's breathing. :P LOL

Here's a link a friend sent me to consider: You start the triathalon by being shoved off a boat. Sounds like potential fun to me. Too bad I already have plans that weekend.

Miss you guys,
Love
Niki

Olympic Fever -- I got it bad. :)

2008-08-08T22:27:00.003-05:00

Mtn bike kitty is on the lose. :) She's tearing the place up. I think she's working on her banking again. You know, you got to keep up those skills when you're a silly kitty.

I have a little story from May which was a big deal for me. For most of you it may seem like nothing big; but it was something I had really enjoyed. My friend Dana had invited me to a Dirt Retreat in Wisconsin. She said that Alison Dunlap was going to be there.

If any of you are not familiar with Alison Dunlap, she went to the Olympics for the US for mountain biking in 2000. She got 7th. In 2001 she was the UCI mountain bike world champion, and she holds many other honors in the wrealm of cycling.

ANYWAY... I actually met her. Well, along with the other 30 some dirt retreat goers. At one point, when I had fallen because I couldn't get my foot out of the pedal (such a basic move...), she was kind enough to come back for me and pull me out of the ravine. I was a bit embarrased, but she acted like it wasn't a big deal. The thing I found most embarrassing were the repeated asthma attacks I was having that day. Regardless, she laughed at me when I asked her to call me "Wheezy". She was kind enough to give me some tips on going up hill, compliment me on my riding skills; and give me some other tips while riding.

I had the opportunity to get a photo taken with her. But I decided not to. A photo is a photo and I don't do too much with them. When I got home, I remember that I had the book she has out. If I had been thinking, I would have taken that with me to get her autograph. Well, then I could have taken the photo and put it inside the book. You see, because then I would have had somewhere to place it. I'm sure I can make other opportunities if I should feel the need. :)

She did say something to the group I hadn't thought about before and that was the responsibility associated with being an olympic athlete and that which is expected out of you as an olympic athlete. I hadn't really thought about it before. I admire her. She's an interesting and kind person. She is very genuine in her nature as well.

Gotta go
Miss you guys,
Niki
That's one of my brushes with an Olympic athlete. :D

It's like a time bomb ticking

2008-08-07T15:33:00.002-05:00

Day 3
Time pager went off: 1 am

Thank you.

The days are getting longer. The mood is getting sketchier. By tomorrow I could be a legitimate creep. Who shortened my fuse? Yep... the on call phone. I had a friend tell me the other day that the last time I was on call; by Friday she was afraid of me.

Have you ever had one of those days where you were completely up and down and felt like you were on an emotional roller coaster? Me either. :P

One of the guys at work was talking about how he got a shock collar for his pooch. Being the kind of guy he is, of course he had to see what kind of effect such a collar leaves after being employed. I guess on certain parts it didn't hurt all that bad. He claims he only tested it on his leg/ankle. =-D

Growing up on a farm which uses electric fences to keep in the pigs, you learn pretty quickly what an electric pulse feels like. Whether you want to or not, at some point, you'll forget, or not know the fence is on and ZAP. Usually it happened when us laborers had to pull weeds. YOWZAAAHHH. Experiences like this give me blind faith in the electric shock dog collar industry to the point that I don't feel the need to experiment on any part.

I have lights charging.. Maybe later tonight I can get a ride in. :( I'm guessing not because I have a meeting later tonight and that may run later than I hope it to. And maybe not.

I will need a ride within 48 hours or it will not be pretty.

I miss you guys...
Luv ya,
Niki

I think that only daring speculation can lead us further and not accumulation of facts. -Einstein

2008-08-06T22:41:00.004-05:00

Day 2:
2 hrs of un-interrupted sleep.
Time on bike: 0

Time off the bike is going to have to come to an end soon. Is a 6 hour ride on Saturday going to be enough? NO.. if you missed that, that was a resounding NOOOooo. Some call it hard-core; I call it play-time.

The minion was talking today about how he used to run. Now he's started to have some leg problems and he's thinking of biking. I heard a door open.. :) Ahhh, yet another potential conversion to mtn biking. And more importantly; this would make him that much more like me.

Then there is Shorty. He was interested too. He's just getting back into enjoying being outside and not so much of the drinking scene. I think he's growing up. I was a little freaked out. Shorty... you've come so far in our 8 years of friendship; I almost cried I was so proud to hear your interest in trying mountain biking.

Miss you guys!
Love ya
Niki

I never think of the future, it comes soon enough. -Einstein

2008-08-05T21:49:00.003-05:00

They really know how to catch me at my best. :P
I had fallen just before this shot. This section was a sharp corner with a rocky climb. There was a guy who was behind me on the night lap who walked it and said he had problems with that section during the day. Thanks Man!! I was happy to know i wasn't the only one struggling with that section.

Day 1:
Hours of un-interrupted sleep: 30 min.

My first day with a minion was pretty good. I can mold this one into my likeness. He even asked me to make him just like me. The world can be such a new sketch book sometimes. All these blank pages... what to create... whatever will I create in this fresh new minion. So much power... it must be used wisely and carefully. (evil laugh)

Race Feedback:
Ok, so I have calmed down enough from the race that I can report. :)
Thanks to the expert rider guys for having patience with me through the tight singletrack. Thanks too for the compliments on my riding. That meant very much to me. Not just because I'm a girl, but because it's the part of mountain biking I enjoy.. working on the bike skills. I'm happy to see the work is paying off and people are able to recognize it. Thanks guys!! You guys were supportive and encouraging through the laps I did. That's one of the reasons I love the endurance races.

The first lap I went out pretty strong. At least it felt strong. It had been a few days since I had been on my bike. Life kind of got in the way last week. This week it's on call that's getting in the way (and the excuses are plenty).

I felt Wheezy coming on a few times. The trail was dry and dusty which didn't help much. I thought at one point I may have had the accelerator down a little too far. Seeing my friend Ann who is a paramedic on the trail encouraged me to push it a little more. She was out there and would be able to pick up the pieces. :) Having other friends racing at the same time made it fun too. I was trying to see how far I could get before they would catch me. :D

After the first lap, I was having a hard time recovering. I felt like a train hit me. Ok, so maybe it was a smaller engine train, but there was some discomfort all the same. I made sure to eat and drink. I luckily had brought some whey protein. I think that helped out. I know my legs weren't too sore the next day. My triceps are still sore though from the beating I got in the rock gardens.

The second lap was a blast. I love night riding. I was having a great time. I chatted with the other racers on the course, sang songs, greeted the trees, freaked myself out and burst out laughing, it was great!! There were a few riders out there I think needed a little bit of my influence. :P

Overall, I was ok with my performance. With the new meds I have decided to see where my limits are. I'm going to do a 6 hour mtn bike race in La Cross, WI... the Bluff Lands. That's right... up steep climbs and down steep descents, over and over and over again. I'm going to write my friend the paramedic Ann who lives in La Cross to convince her to participate with me. :) That sounds like a great idea to me.

Alright... I'm off to see if I get a full night sleep tonight. I predict a page at about 1 am.
Miss you guys!
Love Ya!
Niki

The beginning... a week of on call

2008-08-05T00:46:00.002-05:00

My week is off to an interesting start.
I believe it was after I had written my entry yesterday that I had opened my email to receive the news of the passing of the father of a good friend. It made me quite sad. He was a good man, and always very friendly to me. Every time we met, he had a joke for me. They were corny, but sometimes, those are the best kinds. Oh, and the stories he would tell. He leaves behind a wife, a daughter, a son-in-law, a grandson and a granddaughter (along with nieces/siblings/nephews etc). He was in the lives of his grandchildren every day. Whether it was a one phone call or 12; or stopping over. :) I know he will be greatly missed. Things have changed for my friend and her family.

I decided since work dubs me the on-call lackey for the week, today was my only day to visit and pay my condolences. So, I made arrangements with my BFF at work to cover for me until I got back into the safe zone and I started my trek out to Fargo after lunch. The drive is still the same if any of you were wondering. And surprisingly, road construction was at a minimum. I believe I was able to spend just over an hour with my friend and her family. Then I grabbed some food and headed back. I do wish I could have stayed longer and been able to make it to the funeral and to hang out with the family after everything. This work thing is really getting in the way of my personal life. :) hehe.. oh yeah.. it pays the bills... mostly.

Since that professional mountain biker career has been thwarted for the time being, I'll stick with my current employment. But as my coach says (I am my own coach); there is always tomorrow.

So, I am interested to see how many un-disturbed nights of sleep I will be able to get this week. I predict maybe 1. I'm being optimistic.

Tomorrow I get a lackey.. :D He phoned last week expressing his excitement to learn much from me. Ohh.. the power... yet another opportunity to corrupt! :P LOL

Alrighty then... Off to see what happens next.
Miss you guys,
Love ya
Niki

I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious. -Einstein

2008-08-03T19:29:00.003-05:00

Current Score of best of 9:
Wheezy: 4
Niki: 3

Wheezy, your days are limited.

The 12 hour race with my 3 teammates was a good race. The weather was pretty nice for an August day. I was glad the course was not too hilly. That helped me out in the breathing area. I pushed as far as I dared for the laps I did. There is next year.

I'm currently considering my training options. I'm sure there are many areas where I could improve my training. It may not be a well known fact that being your own coach isn't anything close to easy. Being your own accountable party and support gets tiring on a daily basis. Maybe one day I'll figure things out. If not, I may have to return to recreational riding.

Like it is often said: "Anything worthwhile takes time". Too bad there isn't a patience rejuvenation pill. :) One pill to help you accept things as they are and exercise the patience and belief that is needed to continue forward.

If I just keep moving, I'll get to where I am meant to be.

I'm going to have some recovery food and shower for the first time in a few days. I am worried I have dirt tattoos. :)
I may write more about the race soon, when I get pics and stuff too. Although I didn't take too many.
Miss you guys,
Cheers!
Niki

What's this off-season people speak of???

2008-07-31T22:09:00.003-05:00

The doc must be part of the evil plan. What evil plan? Well..... Remember me from high school? 'Member how I used to lift weights and hang out in the weight room? Yeah... while you guys were working, I was lifting. Then there was the weight lifting competition I did. I think I got first; but then I think I was the only female competitor in my weight class. Which was a good thing because my friend Dana Buffington was a little power house. Peace to Dana!

Ok.. back to the evil plan... it started a few years ago when my trainer wouldn't quit telling me that I would make a great body builder/weight lifter. Then recently the idea has presented itself again in a few different formats.

Now the doctor implied that maybe I could benefit from an off-season. "A What??!??" I thought. She was surprised that I ride year-round. I re-assured her that many people are surprised one can ride mountain bike year-round here.

So maybe this off-season thing could be a chance to insert some weight training again and maybe try it for a bit to see if I can rise out of the ashes of the burn out. :P LOL (I'm such a geek)... Oh, but to think of time off the bike is rough. I have a hard time imagining that.

Ok.. happy thoughts NOW..
This weekend is the 24 hours of 9 mile race. I'm on a team of 4 and we're doing 12 hours. So, we'll each ride 2 to 3 laps depending on the length of the course and weather conditions. I did this race a few years ago with friends and I had a great time! I'm looking forward to the race. I am sure it will be it's traditional hot/humid and maybe even stormy weather. :D

Report from the doc confirms I have athletic induced asthma. Next appointment sounds like an interesting breathing test I haven't done before. Could be fun. . LOL hahahaha... oh, that's a good one! She gave me new meds today and instructions on when to implement which one, etc. Once I get them all (one is taking some time), I will be interested to see if this combination works.

OR.... maybe I should consider moving somewhere with fewer allergens in the air. NOT SIBERIA :D

Have a great one!
Miss you guys!
Niki

Family Memories to share.

2008-07-29T22:57:00.009-05:00

I was able to capture some images from the wedding over the weekend.

Sandy, Wyatt, and Paige
I was able to get a nice photo of Sandy and her wee ones in the hall of the hotel before heading off to the wedding.

Aunt Kath and Wyatt
Aunt Kath and Wyatt happily posed for a picture in the church before the ceremony began.

Spikey playing the harp.
I snuck a picture of Spikey as she played the harp.

Grandma Wolf and Paige
Back at the hotel after the wedding, Grandma and Paige were having a discussion. I believe they were both being silly.

Classic view of Grandpa Wolf and Paige.
Grandpa and Paige were walking hand-in-hand on the way to the reception through the parking lot. He had Wyatt on the other side, but I was too slow with the camera to capture the three of them. I have to work on my photo speed skills. I may be slow like my grandfather was known to be with a camera. :)

True Nature

2008-07-29T16:37:00.002-05:00

The return to my true nature has been realized. My absence from the grunge/punk type music must be terminated.

Comments around the office today went something to the effect that I was speaking in my demon voice. I guess the stress levels have gotten to their heights. It's not a bad thing like it had been in one particular previous job. And those of you who have known me for some time know of which job I speak. Regardless, I have rediscovered that the not so nicey sounding music is my way of returning from the depths of stress and frustration to my true nature.

Okay, now that you're fully asleep. I begin my plotting during your rest...

1. Update IPOD
2. Make sure IPOD is charged and ready to go
3. Turn up the volume
4. Rip it up!
5. Emote an evil laugh... :D

As I sit here reviewing my laid out plans, I rub my hands together, fully satisfied with the task which lays before me.

Err... I mean: I'm bringing this music back to the trail with me. I was reminded by a good friend today of the wonderful choreography which happens when mountain biking and listening to certain types of music. I'm excited!!

Miss you guys!
Luv ya
Niki

Not everything that counts can be counted, and not everything that can be counted counts

2008-07-25T20:46:00.002-05:00

BLAAAHHHACCCCCHHHHHHEEEEEEECCHHHH

Ok, I'm done complaining about my week at work now. Thanks for listening.

ARRRRGGGGGGUURRRRGGGGOOOORRRRGGG

Ok, I'm done talking about how little I was on my bike this week. The weekend won't allow much time for riding either.

It will be great to hang out with my niece and nephew. They usually have a way of cheering me up. I hope to have energy for them. We have much playing to do. Translation: I get to 'corrupt' them. :)

Well...off to finish my exciting Friday evening of house-hold chores.
Miss you guys
love ya,
Niki

The gruesome injury

2008-07-23T23:27:00.002-05:00

Well, here it is... My lesson learned to not volunteer to play ping pong with trees and volunteer to be the ball. It may sound like a good idea at the time. It's always fun and games until someone smashes a finger against tree bark...

DISCLAIMER: This photo is not for the faint of heart. Content may include gore.
View at your own risk.

It's even much worse than it looks if you can imagine. I know, I don't blame you for wanting to go there.

So what happened? Well,... i'm not quite sure of all the specifics. But I do remember trying to ride up one tree, being denied and going to ride up another when the handlebars and tree bark met with my finger caught in the middle. The nail of my finger was bent half way back (at least), blood was very quickly to follow and bruising. It looks much better now than it did on Monday.

I got an owie on my fingu. :(

Cheers
Niki
PS: I hope it this brought a few smiles to a few faces. :D yes, i am a dork; I resemble that statement. :P

Wheelie-rific

2008-07-23T16:29:00.002-05:00

I will soon post the latest casualty from my experience of the trees using me as a ping pong ball. Luckily, this injury is in a non-offensive area. :D Those trees are silly to slap me around like that.

Work has been wearing me out these past few days. It's always interesting the heights something can get to if there is the remote possibility of misunderstanding. A great reminder for me to work to be as clear as I can with my language.

Not much has been happening here. The weather has been great and other errands have kept me off the bike... along with the injury. But today I am breaking that. 24 hours is enough time for me to evaluate my priorities and realize the bike still wins top priority.

Driving in to work today, like every day, I had visions of continuing the westerly drive to the mountains which beckon. They just want to see me melt. :P I know it's hot out there right now with little shade. I discovered that last year on my trip to Utah for some riding. But the visions of driving into mountains are a nice image for me as I get closer to work. A girl's gotta have those little pleasures. :D

I discovered yesterday that I am not a shopper. I could look into recruiting friends to do the clothing/shoe shopping for me. I have a hard time being in a retail shop for more than 20 minutes. Those days of hour long shopping are gone.

Time to ride!
Miss you guys!
Luv Ya
Niki

Focus on the goal

2008-07-21T13:29:00.002-05:00

Totals:
Wheezy 4
Niki 2

Ok, best of 7 is now best of 9. ;) I still have a chance to win this round.

Instead of racing on Sunday, I played the role of Paparazzi. I think I need to attend some classes on being an effective Paparazzi personality. I was able to distract my subjects who were racing with my new little cheer. And I was also able to distract other racers as well. It was nice to see that I was bringing laughter to racers who were suffering. I know their suffering; the course is a challenging one.

I'm getting really excited for 24 hours of 9 mile race in two weeks. If the night ride is anything like two years ago; I will be living off the excitement from the experience for quite a few days. It was a blast! I didn't think about the fact that bear and such live in the forest. I was having too good of a time wondering what the people had put on the course I hadn't seen on my previous lap. There was a surprise at every corner. One surprise made me say out loud "That's just wrong" :) FUN FUN FUN!!

I'm on the prowl for more careers. I've been thinking about motocross. Still in the thinking process. Maybe I should start small; bmx. :D LOL

Dr appt is in a week and a half. No more minimizing of the symptoms. I'm going to ignore the grandmas and grandpas in the waiting room hooked up to Oxygen tanks. I don't want to get to that point at their age. I wonder though if they'd give me a hit of their Oxygen if I asked for it? Then maybe I could get them to loan me their spare for races. Is having an oxygen tank on you while you race considered doping?

I think this could be the week to begin Day/Night Riding! Friends.. watch out, I have many ingenious plans for fun on the bike.
Miss you guys!
Love you
Niki

Love the battle

2008-07-19T00:48:00.003-05:00

Fatigue set in at the end of the work day. I was ready to go home, find a nap on the couch and hang out there for the rest of the evening.

I looked at the bag of clothes I brought and knew I had to change into my 'super hero' costume. I made myself do the ride tonight. It was a tough mental battle, but in the end, I am glad. I had a nice ride.

My rides seem to have morphed from training rides to evaluating how hard I can push it before Wheezy attempts an appearance. I make conscious note of whether I'm doing more belly or thoracic breathing. I don't remember having to concentrate on how I am breathing so much before; but it's worth it. It reminds me to stay relaxed.

I often hear the words of he who I call "coach" in my head, they go something like this: Look ahead, relax, smile, breathe... It reminds me that the basics are the foundations, and they never really leave the scene, no matter what level you get to.

I was glad Janet called while I was on the trail. I listened to her voice mail and phoned her back. Luckily, I was able to get her to agree to come out playing with me on the trail. This way, I got more time in on the bike; and company. It was what I needed to cure my earlier thoughts of not wanting to ride.

On my drive home, I was trying to remember what I did with my life before mountain biking took over. I really can't remember too much. I guess I hung out more socially with friends then. I still hang with them, just not most nights, now it's more like a few times a month. Life is different for me now than it was a few years ago, and I don't think there's much about it I would change. Now 20 miles doesn't seem all that far, 50 sounds like a nice long ride and things like riding at night, or in the snow get me excited like a wee child.

Today on my ride, I worked on my down-hill fast riding impersonations. I have much work to do to keep from having a mis-hap on the trail. :)

Tomorrow... Play time resumes on the HILLS :-P

Tune your drums!! I heard there'll be a Burmarosa this year in October. I hope it fits the two non-mtn biking weekends I have open that month.
Miss you guys! Keep in touch.
Love ya,
Niki

Common sense is nothing more than a deposit of prejudices laid down by the mind before you reach 18. -Einstein

2008-07-17T20:49:00.003-05:00

Workout uniform = on
motivation to go to gym and do workout = 0
Still lying on couch contemplating a nap. Something in that equation doesn't add up. :) LOL

There is next week. :) NEXT week begins the week that my friend and co-worker Helene and I are going to the club to work out together. We'll be doing our own workouts, but we'll be getting each other over there, through the door, into the appropriate attire and to the workout floor. :) I know I need the company; history shows, left to my own devices... getting me in to do weight lifting... the results are low. Helene is kind enough to agree to go with me twice a week. She says she wants to anyway. Sounds like a win-win situation for both of us. :)

It's still been fairly hot and humid here. Tuesday was pretty brutal. The fan in my car chooses to not function when the weather is extremely warm and it's been sitting in the sun. This was especially rough on Tuesday after the ride. I could wring my clothes out by bending over. LOL... Luckily the windows roll down. So, the car and I have an appointment to get that fixed next week. (making that appointment today, I missed having my dad take care of that stuff for me. He's pretty handy for things like that. And he likes that he doesn't have to pay for my car repairs any longer. LOL )

Next week could be a busy week. I have a cousin getting married up north next weekend. It will be fun to see the family and cousins. A long trip up there though.

I've made my reservation at cousin Ben and his wife's place. Should be a nice time. I think there may be other cousins staying too. I'm sure Ben and I will sit around and speak about our athletic adventures. He did Grandma's Marathon this year. I'm proud of him for having finished the race! That's an awesome accomplishment. He's come a long way.

MAYBE tomorrow morning I will get up early and make it to the gym. LOL... given my weekly track record, I wouldn't put any money down on that bet. :P Seriously, any words of encouragement or motivation are welcome. I think the heat has been causing me to feel exhausted lately. I guess there's nothing wrong with taking it easy. But then my perception of taking it easy could be altered ... it is seen through my eyes. :)

I hope this finds you all well.
Miss you guys!
Take care, keep in touch!
Love ya,
Niki

Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.

2008-07-14T22:52:00.002-05:00

Well, I think I had heard a forecast of 30% chance of rain for tomorrow.

There will be a need for a girl like me to have a mountain bike ride in the hours of tomorrow.

So, well... I got some bad news this morning concerning a former co-worker. He lost his life in an accident over the weekend. My heart-felt condolences go out to his wife and family.

No matter what form death arrives in, it always carries a feeling of mortality with it. I do try to live my life to the fullest. Some days I concentrate too much on where I'm not rather than where I am. Other days I hang on to those things in my past which are already gone. Nothing can be done about that which is gone.

No matter how many times death chooses to cross my life line and leave me in it's wake, whether it's a big wave or small ripple, it never ceases to affect me.

Anyway... this morning I began.. I began what I hope will develop into an AM ritual. Morning core work. So this means those other mornings I will be attempting to arrive at the gym for the weight training. Muscle burns fat... muscle burns fat... muscle burns fat.. :) I'm convincing myself the early rising is worth it. muscle burns fat... muscle burns fat.. (I needed more convincing)

I'm off...
Hope you all have had a wonderful day.
Miss you guys!
Niki

Whatever emotions arise, let them pass through you as you focus on your goal.

2008-07-13T18:40:00.003-05:00

Awwww.... Madison, WI...I'm surprised. Alas, Madison was not ready for me. The race was canceled. I guess that's a better option for them considering what happened on my last visit. Okay, let me restate, canceled here means postponed until the make up date which is in the middle of October.

All was not wasted. I was able to spend my weekend hanging out with good friends. In addition to that, I got some nice bike riding time in. I even did some road riding. I know... I should have warned you before I sprung that news on you. I hope you're okay, and didn't hit your head on the fall from the news.

There were a few storms which rolled through our area (and ultimately caused the cancellation/postponement of the race). The results of these storms I saw mostly on the mountain bike trails. Thanks to my new 'Kick-butt' phone, I and Julie took some pictures of some of the chaos left in the woods from the storm. This particular photo, we took because it looked like a butt with legs. I was amazed at the way the tree had fallen. To me it looked as though the tree was struck by lightening. I was also enthralled by the red color in the tree. I had to pet the tree butt... it was soft. :)

So, word on the street is this weekend there is a race in RedWing. I plan on attempting that race. I enjoy that course.

Moab did it again today! Kemerly, remember when she jumped like 3 feet in the air? She did it this morning, it was so funny. I almost started crying I laughed so hard. She's my great entertainer. Uh-oh, I'm talking about my cat. That could make me a cat-lady... Well... I'll have to think about that.

What to make for the last meal of the day... this is a dilemma that seems to plague me most days. I plan this week to work again on getting weight training in and watching what I eat. I did alright on the eating stuff a few days last week, then I fell off the wagon. So, time to hop back on.. focus on the goal... focus on the goal...focus on the goal....

Focusing on the goal!
Miss you guys!
Love
Niki

A person starts to live when he can live outside himself.

2008-07-11T00:22:00.003-05:00

Watch out Madison, I don't know if you can handle another visit from me. Remember last time? Oh yeah....that's right... tornadoes and flooding. What will it be this time? No one knows.

So, this weekend is the 6 hour/2 person race. I'm excited to see and ride the trail. I haven't ridden at this trail before. I've heard from my friend and veteran rider Valerie that there are some steep climbs, but not as many as there were in the 50 mile race. Although one is pretty tough.

Wheezy's made her presence known this week. Not on the really hot and humid days. We'll see what the weekend brings. I'm looking forward to hot and humid weather.

Today's adventures included getting a nice piece of some Bosnian Pita... oh yum, yum!! It's been at least 7 years since I've had that savory flavor hit my taste buds.

My other adventure was buying a new phone. I likey my new phone! It's a kick-butt phone if I do say so myself. :) Not an iPhone... but a touch screen phone nearly the same.

I hope you all have a great weekend!
Miss ya,
Niki

A clever person solves a problem. A wise person avoids it.

2008-07-09T23:29:00.003-05:00

So, I'm driving home from a long day... thoughts racing through my head, small conversations... Ohhh, I can tell this story...how about this one... then I sit down and they vanish. Those which remain do not seem very interesting at all.

I had a nice lunch with a former co-worker and saw the side of the father of the bride. I made some mental notes. Not sure when or if those mental notes will be employed, but they were noted.

I didn't realize I had left my phone at work until I was stuck in traffic on my way to the Wednesday night mountain bike ride. To which I was late as I was stuck in traffic. Someone was pulled over so... as is tradition to this area, EVERYONE has to slow to a stop to see what's going on. And maybe, just maybe they know who the person is, so it ought to be checked out... I don't understand the intrigue....

Funny how disconnected I feel without a phone. Now if the internet were down and I had no phone... I think that would blow a blood vessel in my head.
Soo,my phone will be in alarm mode at 4:30 AM. LOL It doesn't turn itself off. Who ever is first into the office tomorrow morning will likely wish to break my phone. Well, it could be time to get a new one anyway. I think forgetting the phone is a sign that I'm ready for something new and fancy with that feature which makes text messaging easier and quicker. :)

I hope all are well.
Chao
Niki

Humidity wave

2008-07-07T22:58:00.002-05:00

Well... I've been noticing there aren't quite as many people on the mountain bike trails these past few days. Or maybe I've been missing the crowds... perhaps... just maybe.. it could have something to do with 70% humidity. But it is hard to say. I am missing leather seats in the car. Something about cloth seats absorbs the sweat/etc from ones-self after a ride and this results in a car that needs some detailing. I won't go into any more detail. :)

Those rides after work seem to eat up a night pretty quickly. Suddenly, it's past a reasonable sleeping hour. I know this because my infamous nap assistant is here working her magic. Oh... she's good! And cute! :) ( The nap assistant is a persian kitty named Moab. )

Seems work is going well. We're making progress on the design. Now our attempt to get the project pushed back is in the makings. 4 months is a good amount of time. Gives us more time to do other changes. ;) heheh.. funny how that can happen. And I do enjoy the support of upper management. I guess I'm doing my job since they keep telling me... that's why you're here. And that statement often makes me wonder what they really mean..

I'm off to continue my geek-ventures.

I care less about where you've been than where you're going.

2008-07-06T23:22:00.003-05:00

Inaugural heat induction day. There's nothing like the first hot/humid day of the summer riding season. One gets beyond the point of sweating and looks like they've just stepped out of a pool dripping and wet. It was so hot, the trail was sweating. LOL... I make myself laugh.

I spoke with the Den Mother today; sounds like there was much fun had in the western state. There was much playing, swimming, laughing, buddy making and fun had by all. Of course when she asked what I was doing, I heard the old nurse coming out... "do you think biking in weather like that is a good idea?" To which my response was "Oh, it's not that bad, I've already done some of it, it's not that hot." To reassure her I was being responsible.

I took Colorado J out with me. I know Colorado J through Kricker, daughter of the Kracken. :D I always have to say that line. LOL... any-hooo Sounded like Colorado J found the trails pretty fun. I understand they don't compare to the trails Colorado J rode out in Colorado, but I think he was happy to get back on some single track. Hopefully I wasn't too hard on him.

I built up the weekly menu last night. I don't want to let down my teammate on Saturday. There was a little deviation from the menu tonight. I was closing in on the point of no return concerning my blood sugar level. I figured feeding before turning into a beast was the best idea at that point. Calories were monitored.

Rain is welcome in these parts, however; please refrain from wetting the area during my scheduled bike ride. I plan to finally take Jules up on her ride with work buddies. I'm always up for making new friends, especially if they like to mountain bike. :D

Staying focused on the trail ahead,

Miss you guys,

Niki

Unknown caller

2008-07-05T22:56:00.004-05:00

"Only when you learn to relax under pressure, to relax in motion, can you fight longer and live longer. So practice relaxing in all that you do. Let movement happen instead of making it happen."

During the week, seems my phone rings with a registered number of "UNKNOWN". I have termed UNKNOWN to be the West calling me. I don't answer. I really don't have anything to say to The West. No answer for why I'm not out there yet playing. I'd love to be; but the plan has been extended. It will happen when it's meant to happen. Patience my dear friend The West. It's good to know The West calls me though. :P

Ahhhh... those miles and miles of single track. Getting up early in the summer to ride and beat the heat. It seems like an unattainable dream to imagine riding year round and not having to worry about temperature limits. Maybe getting a single speed would extend the lower temperature limit beyond 0 degrees F.

Yes, I even ride the trails around here in the winter. I've been able to sustain temps down to 0 degrees F to 10 degrees F in the winter. At about 0 degrees, the bike starts to freeze up. It gets hard to shift and the bike creaks and groans. Upper temperature limit is 110 degrees F.

Ok, back to my train of thought: I missed my annual spring trip out west with my change in employment. There is a trip I've planned for the fall. I hope to have the patience to wait that long. It was a long spring with many showers. But the summer is looking promising.

Got an email today from another friend who will be joining the trip to Moab/Fruita this fall. I'm excited to see her, along with everyone else. We haven't seen each other for a few years. She wrote me that she did a race in Angel Fire and got first place in Sport class. I'm proud of her. Sounds like it was a fun and challenging trail. She reported 3000 feet of climbing. I was worried over 900 feet of climbing last weekend. ;D I've gotten soft out here at sea level.

I've fallen off track with my training and nutrition. I guess it's not completely derailed, and the axels on my wagon still seem to be in tact. I'm oiling up the axles and putting my little red wagon back on the track. It's time to have a controlled environment for the remainder of the season. I have to try harder to make it over that obstacle that seems to hit people when they're trying to accomplish a goal.

This year I will make it up the rock face on Prime Cut. I'm glad Donna will be there; I've seen her make the rock face. :)

Oh and Wheezy, by the way, you're not going to win! I'm still going to be racing/riding/training and like I failed to give in to the migraine that lasted for 2 1/2 weeks 6 years ago, I will not give in to you. I haven't had a migraine like that since. So consider your days numbered Wheezy.

Thanks everyone for your support in my training, etc. I really appreciate it. Keep up the good work. And feel free to give me a shout when you need to start up a support network.
Miss you guys,
Niki

When running up a hill, it's alright to give up... as long as your feet keep moving.

2008-07-04T15:50:00.003-05:00

Current score: Wheezy 3, Niki 1. Odds tell me I better shoot for best of 7!

I think I failed to mention that at the race this past Saturday, I saw a porcupine. That was pretty cool. I hit the brakes to slow as quickly as I could. I was not very eager to see how a porcupine reacts to being startled. Ironically enough, I was more concerned about my legs than the bike. I must have been dellusional. :P

Ahhh, a day off from work. The break is quite nice. My brain gets worn out from a weeks worth of work. I guess on the plus side, I get paid to sit and think. But then who doesn't? Heh, I guess I don't have to do too much physical labor. So when I feel like I need some physical activity at work, I play some darts with co-workers. Then I'm usually off to a mountain bike trail once the day is done. Yes, yes, it is a rough life. :)

I believe my family back out 'west', is camping this weekend. I hope my niece and nephew were able to bring bikes to do some riding. It's always nice for me to visit the wee ones. I'm the one usually being accused of not behaving my age. I believe that's not a surprise for you guys. I enjoy regressing with the kids.

I was happy to have a ride this morning with friends. It's a great day here. The weather is perfect, the day has been a good day.

The ride today was pretty good. I was able to keep Wheezy under control. Hills were met with the mind-set of spinning rather than trying to get up in the highest gear I can manage. I was doing my usual noise making on the trail. One knows there's an obstacle coming up because they can hear my 'WHAAAA-HOOOO' cheer as I play going over the obstacles. I never seem to have enough play time. :D

Happy 4th everyone! Have a safe, fun holiday!

Miss you guys,
Niki

The example of great and pure characters is the only thing that can produce fine ideas and noble deeds

2008-07-02T22:56:00.000-05:00

"Sometimes we make choices, and sometimes they are made for us. Once or twice in a lifetime , we grasp how all that happened before has led us to this moment."

-The Journeys of Socrates

Last Saturday, I attempted a 50 mile mountain bike race. I was excited to prove to myself that I could do this. A few weeks before I set out on my own to verify that I would actually be able to survive 50 miles without much complication. I felt successful in my test.

Unfortunately, on the day of the race, my attempt at 50 miles resulted in having to pull out of the race after 25 miles due to athletic induced asthma. Going into the race, I knew it was a risk. I made the choice to see what I could endure.

The course was fun and challenging. I discovered my technical skills may be better than I think. During the race, I had many opportunities to decrease my dislike of those obstacles known as bridges.

As the race progressed and the number of hill climbs increased, my recovery seemed to be decreasing. Then began what I identify, for now, as the beginning signs of the attack. Runny nose.. running like a waterfall, then the cough... that's when I knew to start reaching for the inhaler--here comes Wheezy. I felt bad for the woman I kept playing Leap Frog with. She seemed to be the one who witnessed Wheezy the most. I'm sure that wasn't a pleasant site. She was kind enough to call me her riding buddy the last time we encountered each other.

Well, at the end of the first lap, I rested for a bit and with the encouragement of my friend Kim who was performing Pit Crew for Valerie, and I (back up... Valerie did the 50 mile race too and I'm proud to say she completed the race and got 3rd place; she did a great job on a challenging course). So, Kim went for a ride with me so I got two laps in rather than one. The total number of laps to complete for this race was 4. At the end of the second lap, I knew it was over for me. My recovery times were continuing to drop and the pain in my chest was increasing.

The next day, my lungs felt as though they had endured a night of chain smoking through a pack of cigarrettes. Despite the burning lungs, Sunday, I had to get that 'recovery' ride in. And I use the word recovery very loosely. Monday I was feeling nautious and dizzy; I stayed off the bike. Tuesday I began to feel normal again and put my butt back on the bike.

After the regular Wed. ride, the lungs are feeling a little heavy again. I guess it may be a good idea to take it easy over the weekend. LOL... yeah right. But I'll do the best I can.

Things I learned in the race...
1. Having a hard time breathing causes the mental to break down at a very increased rate (great opportunity to improve mental stamina).
2. I still have skills and can keep control of the bike when having a hard time breathing (encouraging news to me).
3. I have much to learn about concerning athletic induced asthma (more research).

There is a race on Sunday in Wisconsin, I'm thinking about doing. I will see how things progress over the weekend. My next long race is the following week in Wisconsin. I'll be doing a 6 hour race on a team of 2. The other particpant is Janet. It should be a fun race. The appointment with my new lung doctor can't come soon enough. I am confident once I get the athletic induced asthma under control, the lungs will be able to keep up with the body.

I hope you are all well and in good health. I know I spent many years taking it for granted. :)
Love you guys!
Niki

The true value of a human being is determined primarily by the measure and the sense in which he has attained to liberation from the self.

2008-07-01T19:47:00.000-05:00

Ahha, nothing like angel hair pasta with some butter, garlic salt, and freshly grated parmesean. Hits just the right spot in the belly. Of course my wrist hurts from it's recent encounter with the cheese grater.

The quote above is from Albert Einstein. He's got some good ones, I'm sure you'll be seeing more. :)

By the way, hello friends! :)
So I've been a bit bad about communication lately. I think of you all often and yet I still fail to follow through on those thoughts of reaching out to communicate. I figured this might be a cute little way to keep in touch so at least you guys know what I've been up to; including my latest hair-brained ideas. :) Hard to say what's next in the life of the Wolf.

So, I just wanted to post this up and get started. What's in store... well, you can expect to hear the gorey details of mountain bike races throughout the summer, and other tid-bits of my little world. :)

I miss you guys! Thinking of you often.
Keep in touch. Expect more soon!
Cheers!
Niki