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I asked permission to talk about how my faith got me through the last few years

And Square Wheels said he thought it would be OK on my blog. You have all heard whatever doesn’t kill you will make you stronger. Actually that is a Biblical principal taught in James chapter one.  2 Consider it all joy, my brethren, when you encounter various trials, 3 knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance. 4 And let endurance have its perfect result, so that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing.  Nobody chooses to go through hard times but everyone doe

Longjohn

Longjohn in My faith

I haven’t posted in awhile in the blog so here is the update.

Quick review we wad a wonderful celebration of life service for my wife, Esther would have loved it. I had a whole bunch of health problems after the caring for my wife was over. I’m glad it held off until she didn’t need me anymore. Really low blood pressure and then my oncologist called and said I had to come in and start chemotherapy because all my numbers were seriously out of whack. Chemo didn’t play well with my heart drugs. Three trips to the hospital, two by ambulance and

Longjohn

Longjohn in Blog update

This is getting harder

My wife has abdominal pain. To change the bed or put her on the bedpan I have to roll her on her side. There is no other way to do it. When I do she moans and groans and pushes back to try to get back on her back. I’m trying to hold her on her side while I am doing what I have to do. One hand holding her up and the other doing everything else. I guess I’ll just have to keep her doped up on morphine all the time because I never know when she needs to use the bed pain. This is getting depressing,

Longjohn

Longjohn

Care giver is a full time job.

And it’s not for sissies. I’m going to talk about what it’s like sometimes and you might not want to read this. My wife has been getting weaker for a full year. After she was diagnosed with a brain lesion she had a strong radiation treatment. She was still walking on her own at this time. The radiation oncologist referred her to a medical oncologist to continue treatment. She started losing strength day by day after starting chemo. At first I would help her to the car and drive her to the c

Longjohn

Longjohn

CRI

I have been taking a certification course from Crisis Response International to be certified as a responder. The course was a lot more extensive than I expected when I signed up but tonight I finished my certification. With all the hurricanes, floods, fires, etc. going on these days I figured I should do what I can to help.

Longjohn

Longjohn

Coincidence? I think not.

I have been working with Zane a 16 year old non-verbal autism boy at church for about four weeks now.  I would love to see a breakthrough but realistically looking at it if he hasn't had a breakthrough in 16 years who am I to expect anything now. Anyhow I was at a swimming pool about an hour south of where I live on Friday and there were only four or five people at the pool. I started talking with the one lady that was there and somehow I started telling her about Zane. She said that is really o

Longjohn

Longjohn

I am really healthy

I am really healthy but I'm not as healthy as I once was. Old age has a way of messing with people.  Crashing used to cause me to spend money buying parts to fix my bike. Now that I'm older my bike always survives the crash fine but I get beat up and broke. A couple crashes ago when I hit the deer and broke my collar bone and shoulder blade my wife told me I was lucky I didn't break my back/neck or die. I shrugged it off but I'm beginning to think about it more. This crash in April my broken rib

Longjohn

Longjohn

Route of the Haiwatha

Named after the train that ran from Chicago-Minneapolis-Seattle, this bike route is a 15 mile ride that literally takes you from a starting point in Montana to your end point in Idaho.  It's a rails-to-trail line that drops down into the valley and passes though a kagillion tunnels and crosses over as many tresels deep in the Bitterroot Mountains.  The first tunnel which immediately starts the ride is about 1.8 miles.  But there's a catch.  The Lookout Pass ski area runs access to the trail and

Dottleshead

Dottleshead

Epic 63 mile bike ride with my wife in Western Washington

I went on a 63 mile ride with my wife this last Saturday.  We didn't take a camera (I hate stopping and starting and thinking like a photographer while riding) but decided to revisit our path today.  Our ride took us through the Sammamish, Snoqualime, and the Snohomish river valleys.  So while there's not any photos of us and/or our bikes, I hope it gives you and idea of what it's like to ride in Western Washington.  I've really enjoyed the photo threads you guys have put together so thought I'd

Dottleshead

Dottleshead

906 Polar Roll 2016

This is really a great event. They work hard on the trails, they have the support of the community, they have a nice expo at the finish line, and they have a good after-party with a ton of give-aways (fat bike fenders, Marge Lite wheels, cranksets). I just wish I had better snow skills. The weather got too warm on Friday for this Saturday event. The snow turned crystally, sugary. The roads were thick with glare ice. But the event went on, and that's good. I went up to Marquette the eve

smudge

smudge

Tour Of Mercer County

For years I always did the Tour Of Mercer County century ride.  This year I haven't been riding much and I haven't been working out at the gym, two things I always did.  I have been hanging around the house when I'm not at work and taking care of my wife after her surgery.  Anyhow I figure out last night as I was sitting around the campfire in our yard with my wife that I could do the short 35.5 mile ride and be back home by lunch time.  I got up at six am and got my stuff together, we had a lig

Longjohn

Longjohn

Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes

Over the long weekend, my wife and I took the following Tuesday off after Memorial Day and rode the CDA Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes.  It was a great time.  The following is a conversation I had on another website -- which got me inspired to ride this trail .     The guy above was 100% on everything... including the exact trail entrance in Enaville. We rode on Sunday and had great weather.   We stayed here A Unique Place to Stay in the Silver Valley - VRBO in Pinehurst and were a mile fro

Dottleshead

Dottleshead

Brooklyn Bike Jumble

It's good to do some surfin' on the interweb before you head out to your destination. That is how I stumbled upon this nifty event. It's a flea market for cyclists, and it was great! I rode there on my bike. I had purchased some panniers to go with my rack just cuz I had the rack; I was REALLY glad I decided to take them this day! I got there a little early upon advice the day before from the mechanics at Bicycle Roots. The place was busy already! I locked up my bike, and off I went.  I ende

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smudge

The Five Boro Bike Tour

First I want to say to all the Negative Nellies about this ride, STUFF It! This is a nice EVENT. The volunteers are nice, the people riding are there to enjoy the day, and it's a good time. If you want to kill it and pound out some miles, the Gran Fondo is next weekend!  Ya, it was a nice event. Don't let any Negative Nellies dissuade you from doing this ride if you'd like to do it. It's nice.  Now, ..... I got to the subway stop early and another guy with a cycle showed up. The train came, and

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smudge

Made it to New York

Well, I got to the airport dark and early (4:30 am or so), and both flights went well. The take-off of the first flight was funny. I remember loving the rush of take-off. However, this one had me thinking, "Oh shit! We're off the ground! Down! Down! Must go down!" Not surprisingly, all went well on both flights. Until I got to the airtrain/subway area. Totally noobed it trying to roll 2 suitcases through the turnstile, and got stuck. Luckily, a sympathetic attendant came over and helped me. Smoo

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smudge

OK. I'm Scared.

Not gonna lie. I am totally scared right now about my trip to NYC. Three more days at home, then it's a very early start Thursday morning. I don't know. Hard to express. Mostly I hope I can get from point A, The Yoop, to point B, my rental in Brooklyn. Crazy thing is I knew all the stuff I needed to pack for my bike; that was easy. Getting me ready....makes it real. Whose bright idea was this anyway??

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smudge

Not Gonna Tempt Fate

I've really been enjoying riding the fat bike. I thought I would only like it in snow, but I like it without snow too. Maybe even better? Hmm.. I've gone a couple times to the Days River Trail and had a blast. I'd really like to go again this weekend, but I'm not gonna tempt fate. I am 1 week away from the Five Boro Tour, so I don't want to risk a broken arm, collar bone, or anything else that may keep me from the Tour. Damn.

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smudge

Bike Has Shipped!

Well, my Sirrus is on its way to Brooklyn. That's where I'll be staying while participating in the Five Boro Tour. I used the box Bad Ass was shipped in. For a bit I thought the box was going to be too big considering a fat bike came in it, and now a fitness bike was going in. Nope, it ended up working just right. I placed the panniers/saddle bags over the rear tire, and that worked great to stabilize the bike from flopping around in the box. Of course in the panniers are my shoes, water bottle,

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smudge

Finally a Decent Ride on Bad Ass

Whew! This fat bike thing is a workout! Especially early in the season. Well, also because the differing terrain demands more work from the engine than the point and shoot of a road bike.  I ended up going out onto the bay. It was going pretty well; there was only about 1 1/2" of crust to break through, and I kept plowing through. Not saying much to a regular fat biker, but that's progress for me! I've learned to use the easier spinning gears. I found out that works great. As I was riding, I wa

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smudge

Need Road Work NOW!

This weather has GOT to start warming up. Temp is -1 this morning. I know it's only March, but I really gotta get out on my road bikes and get some real miles under me. I've got the TD Five Boro Bike Tour event (http://www.bike.nyc/events/td-five-boro-bike-tour/)coming up in just over a month, and I've got NO road miles under me since probably last November. I've been on the rollers, but my brain cannot make me stay on them to put on real miles. I need to get out on the road. Sure, I've been out

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He Hate Me

Saturday, March 14. Got my fat bike from UPS yesterday and assembled it last night. Whoo hoo! Ya know, with my road bike I clip in, push off, and away I go. These damned fat bikes with their stupid tiny small chainrings (and everyone’s propensity to LEAVE the bike in the small chainring!) really makes it tough for me to start out on these bikes. I will have to learn to leave Bad Ass (this bike’s name; not necessarily a compliment) in the larger chainring for take-off. It was a little sloppy, bu

smudge

smudge

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