Guess who got an Upgrade!!!

You would/should be shocked! The El Mex here in Forest Falls in now sporting a shiny "A" in the window, replacing the long standing "B" (please refer to previous post on the El Mex.) New restraunt to avoid: BJ's (Jason got food poisoning) AND Mill Creek Cattle Company which proudly displays a "B" as well.

OTHER NEWS:

DOZER - Had his first mtn bike ride with me today. He is quite the trooper and it totally wore him out which was awesome! I only had to hit him in the butt with my tire 8 times, which really isn't that bad, he will learn.

Charity Ride: Don't lie boys, you bumped it down a notch tonight, but we are very grateful. I had tha audacious idea to go for a little night ride with some pretty stiff competition. You would never know that the greater-Redlands area boasts such great talents, and single track. Matt Freeman, Christie, Mr. Johnson and some other great guys headed out in the black of night for a little fun. I don't own lights of my own, and well lets just say that the ones i had didn't really do the trick. For the majority of the ride I hung between well-lit riders, but it just isn't the same. Most of the ride I had never seen in the light, so i had no idea what was coming or where we were. These guys also kept a pretty quick clip (don't laugh guys, it was fast for me) which of course kept me cruising. So now you can call me Helen Keller or you try riding by Braille. It was actually really entertaing and a lot of fun. I actually had to keep my mouth shut just so i could focus on the bobbling lights in front of me so i could tell if it was time to drop off a cliff or climb a gnarly hill. Actually, it wasn't that bad, and it was a lot of fun!

Inaugural Ride

On Sunday, Jason, Dozer and I went out to Fontana to support parts of the Backbone teamt aht are cool enough to compete in Down Hill. Dozer went crazy because it seemed that everyone else brought along their little pets as well. Chris hooked me up with a killer jersey, so i can represent whenever i want!

Monday, i took a little road ride in Redlands. I hit of the Sunset loop because i hate my bike and it is all i really had time for. Did you know they opened up the full loop again? Yeah, i know that probably happened months ago, shows how much I get out on the road.

I had no one to take a picture of me actually wearing the jersey, but the colors suit me quite well I think. So i just hung it up in the cabin when i got home just so you know not to be looking for the bright orange anymore, this is what you will see. I am also a bit excited because i no longer mix in with the cal-trans guys.

Photo Op

This is Dozer as he is eating his blanket. Imagine that tongue sliding across your face mid-nap or running over your leg as you brush your teeth. Its pretty nasty, as are his farts





















Sometimes, I lift weights.


I let 8th graders do my nails. Oops. Actually I quite like them. Quote from Jason: "I'm glad you did your nails, but from now on, professional, okay?"

VACATION!!!

Perks of being a teacher: We still observe the holidays to their full intent! We get the ENTIRE week off for Thanksgiving, which is near unheard of, but i wont argue!

I am going to pack the week full of getting huge in the gym (pictures coming soon, promise...) riding everywhere (hit up Oak Glen tomorrow perhaps) and even mountain biking! While the Sun god is smiling on us, i think we can even safely hit up Rim Nordic or Big Bear without running across the Abomidable (sp) Snowman! I keep thinking, this is nice and all, but what is JUNE going to feel like??? Yuck.

Race in Fontucky this weekend. I may go cheer on my new teammates from Backbone, but i am over and out. The minute i drove down from Big Bear after the Fall Classic, i havent thought about racing. Except those nightmares of the excruciating (sp) 38 miles of Sea Otter. Sometimes i get sick, like you do the day before a race, then i remember that it isn't until APRIL!!

COMMENT OF THE WEEK:
"I can't finish the mile." WHY? "I smell bleach." WHERE? "In my nose."

RECENT EVENTS:

1.) All the physical therapy girls LEFT!! This means i have to find new ones, or just re-initiate the old ones. They have left for a 6 week fellowship then Christmas. Shellie, Summer, and Heidi...happy trails and have more fun than ever before!!

2.) Also in local events, basketball began. This is a very multifaceted aspect of my life. I coach high school girls varsity basketball. This is pretty much life and death. if you don't believe me, i encourage you to come be a spectator at one of our games, or come be a practice dummy - this means we just throw you around and score on you a lot so we feel better about ourselves. And, to dispell any rumors, i am not ON the team. I coach it. Some people feel as if i am a student, although i haven't been in high school proper since 1998. These practices will run until 9pm at times, games will take us from Palm Desert to Hemet. To tournaments over the holidays and perhaps the playoffs in March, all in the pursute of self-realization, physical fitness and well-being, and well, in the girls opinions, a great way to meet guys.

3.) Dozer weights about 82 lbs. Sometimes i wake up and he is sleeping on my leg and i think that my foot has been amputated, but its not.

Thats it for now. i have no more valuable or invaluable information to bestow apon you.

Defection

See, Griffyn is trying to defect too. Silly boy, little does he know he needs his mom for EVERYTHNG! (julene, could you put some clothes on the boy?)




There comes a time in cycling, relationships, and work, that there must be a change. That time came for me this past week in my decision to defect from Team Jose Ole and join the Backbone Adventures Cycling team for 2006. It took me about 2 weeks of discussion, rough drafts, and deep thought to come to my decision, which i am now very happy with. Of course I will miss the boys in orange and brown, and I am forever thankful for their gracious help and support.

Next season I will don the blues of Backbone, where i will become much less of a target, thank goodness, and join the ranks of Christie Pleiss, Teri Strayer, Dawn Lyons, and Bev Monaham, to name a few. Thanx girls for the motivation and mentoring! And thank you Chris Sharp for bringing me on board! It's gonna be great!

ON ANOTHER NOTE:
I hit a skunk. The jeep smells like skunk. Oops.

Big bike sale at Redlands Cyclery, USA. Too bad that road bike, i will never buy, is now located under the hood up the jeep. Really. Im gonna buy at least one pair of socks though, oo, so excited!

Disclaimer

My students found my blog. This disclaimer is to dispell any rumors that my blog has been created with ill in mind. This is not a diary. This is not parallel to a "My Space" or Zanga. This is not a place to find a soulmate or create new friends. I already have those.

This is THIS blogs purpose: To enlighten my family from New Zealand to Orlando FL with the wonders of my life. To let college pals and riding buddies know when the next epic ride will take place, what my race schedule will be, and how those races went. This blog was created to help you find a glimmer of laughter because my life is odd, and there are days that hearing about it will make you grateful for what you have and hopefully one day, just a bit jealous of what I have.

So don't get all excited and weird, thinking that "Coach D" is creating a salacious on-line diary. Sorry to disappoint kids, its just a glimps into my life. Wanna go for a ride with us?

Moving North...one day

Redlands is socked in with fog this morning, and it shockingling reminds me of the 13 years i spent in Nor Cal. I want to go back to college, where the simplicity of life, the miles of single track, the dense fog, and menotenous routine were so taken for granted. I lived for 13 years in volcanic crater called Angwin. Any of you go race the Napa Valley Dirt Classic? Well you should. It is hosted by my almamater (sp?), Pacific Union College. The "Hill", as we called it, tends to get locked in with fog for a majority of the winter. As we rode through the single and double tracks, all you could hear was the pine needles crunching and the thickness of the air as it snuck into your lungs. Nobody really cared if you were sponsored or if you had a sweat bike. I didn't race back then, but the rides were more fun than ever. Did racing ruin that? Probably. All i had to do in college was clean the weight room, go to class, ride my bike, do some research, go to basketball practice, play some games. Rent was $250 and food was cheaper than ever. The town was like Forest Falls, but i did everything there, i didn't have to exit my mountain home to do get things accomplished. Unless, of course, i wanted fast food, target or caffeine, all which were at least 45 minutes away. Now you understand why I have no problem living in a town with no stop lights, street lamps, or functional businesses.

One day I will move north into a cabin next to the trails. But until then, the fog in Redlands blocks out the noise of the streets, dims the street lights, keeping many of the miscrients indoors, creating a much more perfect and placid riding environment. If only i didn't have to go to work...

Hulda Crooks

There is this delightful little bit of trail in Loma Linda called Hulda Crooks. I usually call it Hulda Poops, and avoid it at all costs. I was riding there once where i could see two bulldozers making there nasty tracks as they turned the well-packed dirt into a mush of sand and silt. So, i banned myself from the place until yesterday. I have no idea why i actually decided to go there, but i did. I fired up the iPod (thanx girls) and headed on my way, sans HR monitor. I was boycotting starring at the blinking numbers that just mean that i may pass out, or not. I really enjoyed the ride....except....the two dirt bags, i mean dirt bikers, that passed me on a narrow, uphill single track. Then, when i was exiting the lovely park, i feel as if i rode through a drug deal. Serious. There are some shady folk that hang out there.

IMPORTANT NUMBERS OF THE WEEK:
4: Number of parents who stopped by for parent teacher conferences today. I am done at noon? WHAT?
29: Pounds of fat i am lugging around with me. Thats what the fat % counter thing told me. I am going to sever a piece of glute off, narrow it down to about 12.
4: Days i have had the JEEP!!!
20: Weight of the dumb bell i can curl again, just need to get back to the 50's. joke. really.

OTHER STUFF:
I was so extremely fatigued after running two miles with Junior High kids, who, of course, i had to beat, i could not ride on Saturday! My hamstings hurt WORSE than when i did romanian dead lifts, and i just couldn't do it. The most exciting part of the weekend was changing around my room/living room/office/dining room. You see, for those of you who have never been there, it is all ONE ROOM. About 20' X 20'. Take a step to the left - dining room - which is actually situated on the side of my bed, in the bedroom. I sneezed and all the cobwebs fell down, i dropped a sock and i felt crowded and cluttered. I am running out of storage place, and i can't quite store Dozer anywhere. But it does look much better, especially since everything is exposed!

Spin class was delightful and i had 15 in attendance! This is a record high, because everyone usually has a case of the Mondays. Who in their right mind would really want to go to the gym at 5:30 AM to get yelled at my ME?!?! ACtually, i don't yell, but i think i do make them afraid. I perspire A LOT and sometimes i wear bright orange, thank you Jose Ole . They think i am a nut because i actually RIDE a bike.

No kids today, just parents, and none of them have yelled at me....yet.

Tomorrow i actually get to ride my really neat road bike, but at least i have time. Basketball doesn't start until 6pm, so i have "break."

What we do at School...sometimes...

Here are a few photos of what i do for work. It is usually quite entertaining! Between Dozer, jr. high kids and those crazy high schoolers, we seem to have a pretty good time.



Dozer being himself at home on the porch.









10/9th graders practicing their fire extinguisher skills. Safety first kids!


I'm 10th grade sponsor, so we build a killer sand castle for the contest on beach day. we won. duh.















6/7th grade girls taking some time out of PE to play with Dozer and his squeeky. 4th graders learning the ways of a fireman.

I hope you have enjoyed the brief tour of a few of the many things I do when I clock in. Pretty harmless, or so it may seem. These children can be vicious and cruel, yet, we always come back another day to play. I convinced some 6th grade pals today of the following curriculum changes: "first period: play. Second period: play. Third period: play. Lunch. Brief period where ONE thing is learned. Play some more." Unfortunately, one of the more "studious" teachers heard our evil plot, and well, it was squashed quite quickly. Maybe next week small ones!

Flashback Picture Show

So i haven't put very many pictures on this thing because i didn't have one of those neat USB things. Then papa Duerk just sent me one in the mail, and well here is a little flashback of previous posts.

The protector.
Dozer used to love the frog. Until he killed it. He took it everywhere with and played with it and slept with it. Then he puked on it and its head fell off, so i threw it away!

This is the Am Cup final, where i actually won a cool jersey. I wear it to bed. Joking, serious.











Don't even tell me this is yucky. Yes, those MAY be coffee grounds in the tub or other "debris" from the sink. And yes, that is tape on the walls. I moved in with it there and all the land lady said was "make sure there is no structural damage. What is THAT?"

Me and Shelli going 3-4 at Mammoth National Championships. Yes, we are pretty hot in orange!

The Jeep Being towed! About 3 weeks ago, just can't remember!

This is Me and Mom, on our LAX visit. Aren't we cute!