Post-Moab

Upon returning home from Utah after Moab, I had little time to get ready for a week in Wyoming in the field. One of my real-job projects up there needed some work done and I left Monday for Cheyenne. As if I havn't driven enough the last few days. ST2 was at his moms for the week, so I unloaded my junk from Moab, reloaded the truck for a week for work, put my road bike on the rack, packed a trainer and was off. I almost always bring a trainer with me when I travel so I can ride in the hotel. I have been on a huge training roll and am not about to take 4 or 5 days off because of my job. As I have promised myself a decent 2008 training year, from now on, the bike goes where I go. We work long hard days in the field and its not easy to ride when I get back to the hotel, but I made it happen each night, except Thursday night which was an all-nighter on-site. Friday I wrapped it up and came home, happy with the week as it panned out. Lots of solid physical labor sampling wells, lots of training.

I got home Friday night, and packed up my hockey gear and headed to the Bladium for our game. I love hockey. I wish I had more time to enjoy all the cool sports I dig, but as it is, hockey will always remain a low priority for me. I just dont have time to play more ofen than once a week. Thanks again to my man Scottie D for turning me on again to the game. I played hard, felt good, but still need to work on my puck-handling and skating skills. Im coming along and learning a lot, but no where near good enough to move up to the intermediate yet. I didnt score, and we lost the game 6-3, but it is so much fun. Its a no-check league made up of co-ed adults. There is plenty of agressive contact at the puck though. I play as hard as I can, and I have no problem with hits at all, but some of the guys on other teams take it a bit to far. Its not the NHL, and we all have to get to work Monday morning, so I try and keep a lid on my aggression, where some other dudes think they are trying out for the Olympic team.

We have some new players on our team this season that are very good and I listen to and watch them play so I can learn. More on hockey next week.

Today I woke up at 188 pounds-the lightest Ive been since pre Ironman Wisco in 2002. Now, I think I could possibly skinny down to under 180. Im not sure. Ive lost about 15 pounds and basically, I dont know what the big deal is...its easy really. Train a lot, and dont eat. Haaa..NOT the wisest way to lose at all, but it is what it is. I have been riding my ass off, and I havent eatin much at all in October. I feel strong though, so I am going to continue limiting caloric intake and sticking to my modified Paleo diet as I increase the miles again in November and December.

Today I headed to Loveland to sit in on a pre-season new instructor meeting. Im going to work there this year as a part-time instructor. I miss it, I'm good at it, and it makes me happy to teach people how to ski. I've been blessed with some decent abilities at some of these sports and an even better ability to teach them to others, so I am really looking forward to teaching there this winter. The mountain actually opend up last week, after the dumping they got the night Dan and I drove home from Moab! I didn't ski today though - the coverage is still a bit thin.

We are supposed to get some flakes tonight but as of 10:30 PM, no joy. I'm really looking forward to winter. Skiing is another passion of mine and little Steven has been bugging me about it all summer. As he heads into the 2nd year of his ski career, and I head into my 36th, I am amped up to teach him more. I hope he enjoys skiing as much as I have. And if he chooses to race, I'll support him all I can. I raced a ton as a kid and all the way through college, and it was a very good time for me....I'll never forget those days. Skiing just rocks, bottom line. ST2 is very coordinated and has a body type that makes a good powerful ski racer. He keeps asking to go - almost every day now he asks when we are going again. And I tell him "soon dude - very very soon. Be patient and when the flakes fall, we will go make some turns"



Thanks for reading.