Myrna CG Mibus - Idyllwild

We have about six inches of fresh snow on the ground at last! Trouble is, it's very slippery to ride in. I got out yesterday with the intent of riding through the new fluffy stuff and quickly realized that wasn't going to work well so I got out on the road instead and rode in tire tracks. Today I decided to get out on my snowshoes and create a fat bike track in my back yard. I tromped around the yard a few times to pack things down a bit then grabbed Bear and tried out my new track. Uh, it didn't work very well. I spent a lot of time jumping off my bike and pushing my way around the back yard. What biking I managed to do was slow biking to say the least. I worked my way around my back yard track and checked Map My Ride on my iPhone to see how far I'd gone. What? Only .19 miles? Geez. I kept at it until I logged a half mile. That half mile was probably the toughest half mile I've ever spent on a bike. I'm assuming my slow speed and difficulty getting arou...

The kids have the day off from school. At our very late breakfast we brainstormed on what to do on their day off. Go to the mall, watch movies and play Minecraft were high on the list. And while we considered each idea we did something far better - we went outside and played in the snow. Early stages of snow fort building. Even Rocket is helping out. The kids decided to build a snow fort. We found three plastic storage boxes to use as snow block forms and the kids headed outside with great plans for their fort. Owen is working from home today so he and I headed out for a quick fat bike ride in the slushy snow. By the time we got back the kids had a good start on their fort. Then I joined in and helped Ryan with snow block production while Rose kept working on building. We worked outside for almost two hours before heading in for a late lunch. The snow fort is getting bigger! Getting outside in the fresh air and snow has been a great cure to the stir crazies and a ...

We had a nice dusting of beautiful snow last night and at a balmy 10 degrees F this morning (compared to the 1degree we had last night) I couldn't wait to get out and ride my Salsa Beargrease, Bear. I took Rocket, my dog, with me for just over a 2 mile ride/run. He loves it when I take him out biking. We've figured out how to work together so he runs far enough away to stay out of my way and he's responsive enough that he comes when I whistle when he gets too far. The only frustration is I have to take off my glove in order to give him a treat when he comes when called. Oh well, I want to give him positive reinforcement so it's worth having my hand get cold for a few seconds. The fresh snow was so nice to bike on today. We had just a dusting of light fluffy stuff. And guess what? There's ice hiding underneath some of that white fluffy stuff! I discovered there were slippery patches within moments of setting out on my ride so I should have been more careful. Bu...

It's 1 degree Fahrenheit outside with a -10 F windchill but I've been itching to ride my fat bike, Bear. So I did. I wasn't cold. I had fun. I will do it again. Here's the scoop on what I wore (because I always wondered what people wear when they bicycle in the cold - and I figured you might be wondering, too): two pair wool socks wool vest and a fleece snow pants winter coat neck gaiter balaclava helmet lobster gloves oh, I had clothes on, too, just normal clothes, not workout clothes moisture-wicking workout clothes (ie: wool or those fancy synthetics or something) would have been a better choice I was overdressed except for my knees, they got a little cold. The rest of me, even my face, stayed warm, or warm enough. I rode Bear (that's the name for my Salsa Beargrease) over leftover snowbanks because going over them was way more fun than riding the flat, frozen grass. It's winter after all. Where's the snow? ...

It's cold here in Minnesota! We're being treated to below zero temperatures and we have almost no snow. In my mind cold and no snow is not a good combination. If it's going to be cold I figure we might as well have snow on the ground so I can snowshoe or ride my fat bike in the snow. But hey, the weather gods are not listening to me (so I think I will just bundle up tonight and ride my fat bike anyway - Why not?). To help offset the cold - I bring you a picture of something warm and fuzzy to make you feel better. Meet George Lucas, Rose's new guinea pig. He's warm and fuzzy. George's coat, unlike the hair of any guinea pig I've ever met (and I've met, oh, hundreds - we raised them when I was a kid) is more wiry in texture than smooth and feels much like our dog Rocket's coat (Rocket is a Border Terrier). George, aka Georgie, came to us last week. Rose named him George because he was curious, like Curious George, and added Lucas because she...

I've been a bit out of sorts since last Monday January 7th, when I checked my email and discovered that my friend, Bob Jackson, passed away on January 3rd. His funeral took place earlier today in the town of Brentwood in Essex, England.  I met Bob and his wife, Pam, on January 7th, 1996 when I arrived at their house to stay for two weeks as part of a January Term "English School and Family" class I took through University of St. Thomas. During this time I and another St. Thomas student lived with the Jacksons and went to school each day with Bob at Brentwood School where Bob taught French. From L to R: Me, Heather (who also stayed with Bob & Pam) Bob and Pam There is a lot I want to write here but I can't make anything sound right - a lot of processing I'm doing on paper and in my head about what matters in life. There's sadness about Bob's death. There's anger that Bob died so young -  he was only 76 and had been in fine form. There...

My to-do list is long. Lots of the things, like going to band and orchestra concerts to watch my kids, are fun things to do. But other things on my multiple to-do lists are not so fun - like plugging away at a work project that's already running behind then there's laundry, making dinner and so on. And with Christmas around the corner the to-do list is even longer than normal and it's not possible to get everything done - but I try to get everything, and then some, done anyway. As a result of all of my "to-dos" I'm carrying stress around with me like an overloaded backpack. I haven't been feeling well. I've been running myself into the ground. And my family has noticed. Tonight my husband, Owen, took the kids out to do some Christmas shopping. I was looking forward to a night at home so I could get some work done. Baking. Christmas cards. Work. Dishes. More work. Work, work and more work. Seriously? I was looking forward to a night of work? ...