Good stuff

The weekend began in style with me picking up this full suspension frame I bought from Squirrel to build up a rippin' bike for Katie. If I'm not careful she could end up being more rad than huckin' kitty.



Shhhh. She doesn't know I have it yet. I'm going to surprise her at a time and place of my choosing, and then make her stare at a unbuilt frame for awhile (like maybe all winter). I figure this might teach her a little something about patience and working toward a goal....and I get to torment her too, which isn't all bad.

After sharing a few Ocotberfests with Squirrel, and his lovely family, I headed home and went to bed early because I was getting up early for a huge trailwork day at the Center. There were mucho volunteers showing up later in the afternoon for an all out assault on the trail we call Rollercoaster (ride it once and you'll know where it gets its name). Several faithful showed up early to wrangle bridges and get started on other projects.

This might be the coolest thing I've ever seen. I've gotta figure out an excuse for why I would need one at home.



Me discussing one arm riding technique with Squirrel.



Several of 'Coaster's bridges were about to give up the ghost. These are much better.



We wouldn't want anything bad to happen...I don't think we have to worry about resonance vibration in a torsional mode, but ya never know.



After putting in some sweat equity Corey and I snuck off for a little ride. I felt bad riding while people were still working, but I knew this would be my only chance to turn the peddles this weekend. I was jazzed because I had just taken the Trek in for some wrenching.

Terry, at Rassmuessen's, is not a bike mechanic. He has ascended to the level of bike wizard.



YOU SHALL NOT PASS!....Actually, Terry, if its all the same to you, I will go ahead and pass because I can shift now.

Thanks to Terry I can shift AND brake, which are features you like to have in a bike. On my own I also removed the torture implements - disguised as peddles - that have been plaguing me and the Trek for awhile now. Rick, I don't know what I did to inspire you to give me such evil little foottrappers, but I'M SORRY Okay? Geez. Those little demons have been exorcised, hopefully never to return.

When I got home from working and riding I was pretty gassed and just looking forward to watching some college football, but plans changed when I found a big bike box inside my front door. Allen's bike, the one we snagged on ebay to replace his mysteriously disappearing ghost bike, had arrived. So, I set to unpacking a reassembling ye old gurl.



This is called closure.

Sunday I was on deck to help out with the Miracle League. It was a fantastic experience. All the people responsible for bringing this program to our city should be tremendously proud, it improves our community more than anything I could possibly imagine. I don't have any pictures because I was too busy - setting up batting tees and shuttling balls, bats and players around - to snap photos. By the end of the game my face was sore from smiling and my hands were red from clapping and dishing out high fives.

One batter declared, "This one is heading for the outfield!" He was right, it was. Another savvy player impressed me with his ability to slide into base by skidding his wheelchair sideways. There's really too many little stories to relate and I couldn't do the description justice anyway. These ballplayers weren't constrained by their disabilities or peer pressure or even baselines. They were playing simply for the love of the game. I can't add anything to make that more interesting or better in any way, so I'll just end by saying -

It was perfect.