Merry Christmas!

Chocolate, chocolate goodness!

Well, training wise, the beginning of the week was good... then came three days off, and unfortunately, 3 days off is probably going to turn into 4 or 5+ days off as Christmas approaches. 'tis the season...

Leading up to Christmas my dear wife Mary goes into a cookie baking frenzy, as is her tradition (bless her heart!). The problem is; she is too good at it. It is hard enough trying to keep up any kind of training regiment during the holidays without coming home to a house full of wonderful cookies, and oh! the smell...

Needless to say, I have my work cut out for me. It is a good thing RAAM is not until June.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Your Own Personal Snowstorm

Here is a view like I was describing last week. Snow falls at Elm Creek regardless of Mother Nature and the skiing is good!

My legs are coming around a little and I'm starting to feel like a skier again. Of course tagging along with friends like Bob D. helps to jump start things. I've run into Bob while out on the trail my last couple times out. Just like on the bike, training with a partner always seems to provide a boost.

Clown on Skies

Day one of the ski season for me! I finally got out to Elm Creek for the first ski of the season. I put in an hour+ and skied about 12K... very gracelessly. The first time out is always interesting. It's a exercise in body mechanics to say the least.

I did bring the camera out tonight and tried to take a picture of the steaming cauldron like appearance of Elm Creek. But after time spent my uninsulated pocket in the zero degree temps, the camera simply refused to work. That's too bad because with the cold temps and the snow-making equipment running there is this rising white fog that engulfs the place and it looks very spectacular under the glow of the lights. Maybe next time...

For those of you who ski and race be sure to check out the Elm Creek Relays/Time Trial. It is a fun, low key, low cost weekly ski race that runs now through February on Thursday nights at Elm Creek. Click the linked text above for details. Another great reason for participating in this series is that it is put on by none other than fellow TSH teammates Melinda and Amy AND the proceeds go towards the Team Strong Heart mission. Check it out!

Turning Corners

This past Sunday I rode the infamous Prairie Roubaix course, the temperature had reached the mid 40's and I was over-dressed. After experiencing the temps we have had since then, Sunday seems like a long time ago.

Now, with much more frigid temps, I think we have definitely turned the corner. The ice on the ponds appears to be here for the duration and they say snow is on the way.

Since Sunday I have even put in a few hours in on my indoor trainer this. Lets hope the snow forecasted for this weekend is for real. The trainer is ok, but I'd rather be skiing!

Black Friday/White Friday

While Black Friday was in full swing for the retailers on this Friday after Thanksgiving, the crew out at Elm Creek Park Reserve were having nothing to do with it. They are busy pumping out the white stuff!

I decided to jump on my bike after work and take advantage of the nearly full moon. I swung through Elm Creek and passed by the Winter Recreation Area on my way around the trails. The snow guns were running turning the area into a white oasis. With the temps staying below freezing all day the Elm Creek snow makers were taking full advantage.

I finished my ride with the thought: It's time to get out the skies...

Fitness Happens

So there it sits, my car that is, in front of Elmer's Auto Repair. Elmer's is in Hibbing, MN...

My story begins back on Saturday, Nov. 3rd. I was up north for the great MN deer hunt, that's when my car decided to give up. Elmer's is a repair shop that belongs to my uncle and it was the easiest place to get my car to. This worked out well, but the only problem was (besides the break-down) that Elmer's was going to be closed down while my uncle was off to his deer camp for a week. And it would be another week after his return until I could retrieve my car from "up north".

I was able to get myself back home but was now faced with the fact that we were going to be short one vehicle for awhile. Being a busy family of 5 I knew I would have to come up with alternative transportation to work. I though I will just commute via bicycle ala John R. and Dave H. Those guys do it all the time!

I do commute from time to time but it has been years since I have commuted more than a single day per week, that all changed over the last couple weeks. I will be getting my car back this weekend and I have to confess, I will be happy to get it back, but after 2 straight weeks of cycling to work I am also pleased that I did it, and better yet, I actually can feel some form coming around. My commuter expedience has turned into a great motivator and I actually think I will have some guilt feeling when I start driving my car to work again.

Funny how things work out...