So, I've been thinking...

Well, here I am back writing my thoughts down for anyone who might happen by, watch out, if you dare read, some of the general slackerness I have been oozing of lately, might rub off on you.

So here is what I have been thinking about, I really want to ride the DALMAC Bike tour with my Dad this summer, if you don't know what it is, check the link on the right, short and sweet, it is a 4 day 330 mile ride from Lansing to Mackinaw City. Stop in various towns along the way, camp on school grounds. My dad is 66 and I don't know how many more years he'll be doing this ride. Problem is, I am having trouble finding time to ride, either on my touring or mt bike. So I have been running, ran tonight about 6 miles roughly 60 miles ytd, playing basketball on my lunch hour, walking when I am too pissed to run, but I just don't know if it will all be enough. Here's why it is scary, my dad doesn't believe in paying for rides or runs on public roads, we call it Bandito'ing, and have proudly banditoed quite a number of public events. The Bottom line is we get no SAG, which means if I can't keep up, I am on my own, no one is going to pick me up and bring me up to the day's stopping point, but hey I am a big boy should be able to do it, just the fear of the unexpected.

So, I am trying to get in shape (better) to make this trip easier, one way or another. In about1.5 weeks both of my kids will be out of school and that means I should be able to play basket ball three days a week, I am planning to ride a bike to work some days in the summer, and weekend biking should help. Additionally, I have planned three day trips for some co-workers and I to ride some new mt bike trails in Michigan, each trip rides two trails, one in morning, one in afternoon, before returning home. Hope it works out, I am really looking forward to it.

Kind of a sad day at work, one of our group (J to the C) is moving on to a new job, good for him, but as a group we have worked together for nearly 5 years, you sure learn a lot about a person when you see them every day for 5 years.

Change is good though, I have a feeling that there are more changes coming in the group. The good side of the coin is that a couple of us placed a small wager earlier this year on just this topic, I won a 40 oz. That's good. The bad news is, for the year I am down by many beers, "if it weren't for bad luck, I'd have no luck at all!"

My mom got some bad news the other day, seems she bought a trailer in Florida in a park that rents the land the trailer sits on to the owner, well the land owner sold out to a developer for $45 Million and my mom lost a lot of cash, too bad for her. Sounds like she is going to have to start looking for a new place to live next winter, if she can afford it.

I got drafted into playing in the area outdoor summer basketball league, preety neat thing, it has been around for almost 20 years now, when I returned to the area after University, I played and our team won the first year end league tournament, since then I have played on and off, but with the games being late Sunday afternnon and early evening, and having kids it is getting very difficult to play, I'll give it another go this year, it's free and the guys that drafted me don't have any expectations about my ability to make games.

Funny how your activities change over the years, in College I played baseball, was good enough to be drafted, still hold several records for pitching the baseball, now if I even think about playing baseball, my shoulder hurts, on the other hand, I'll play hoop all day, if possible. In High School I played basketball and was recruited to play both sports at smaller schools, but for a slow, no jumping white kid,it just didn't seem like a good thing to do, now I wish I had played both, I was invited to walk on at State, just didn't have the desire, then. That's a good lesson, I think I have learned that one. Although check back, my little pea brain just isn't quick on the uptake.

Well, it's getting late and I have expounded enough for a nite, PO! Monte.

Back from the Northwoods

Well, we arrived back from the Notheastern Michigan camping trip safe, sound and all in one piece. We had a great time with some excitement, as well.

The wife and I were bringing in some miscellaneous items from the truck on Friday evening around 10.30 pm, it was a beautiful night, nearly full moon and a clear sky, so there were actually shadows on the ground, both kids were asleep in the cabin and the screen door was closed, we started hearing some loud noises coming through the underbrush. Well, wouldn't you know it that those noises were three black bear cubs and their mother, who proceeded to sit in front of the door effectively cutting off my wife and I from the children. Well, the three cubs played around on the picnic table and the fire ring, climbing trees, and rolling around, while the mother walked back and forth, including quite near (2 ft) to the truck where my wife and I jumped when we saw the 4 bears come into the clearing. We watched the bears for about 5 minutes, the cubs were large in the 40-60 lb range and the mother seemed big, but you know how your eyes lie in the darkness under a bit of stress.

Kids never woke up, thank goodness for small favors, and were never any wiser to what happened, until we told them in the morning.

To make a long story short, the rangers at the rifle river rec area knew about the bear, they tagged her in the winter, but this was the first time she had been seen at a cabin/camp site. We did not leave food or garbage outside, and they didn't seem to be searching for food, kind of felt like they were out for a moonlight stroll, as it sure was beautiful night.

So enough for that excitement, back to the office tomorrow. Planning to take next Friday off, as we are going to the Ann Arbor/Jackson area next weekend to visit friends. Will stop by a brewery on the way down, and load up on some growlers, should be fun.

When am I ever going to ride my bike? I am starting to worry quite a bit, weather is good, I need to start logging miles, if I am going to ride the Lansing to Mackinac ride at the end of the summer.

Drank a bit this weekend, bottle Cab Sav and some beer, nothing extreme, and after the bear experience I'm glad, I wasn't all fluxed up.

Not too much music either, my kids really like the new Green Day cd, so we listen to that a bit.

Bugs were hatching on the river, and the trout were pretty active, took a walk friday evening before Bears and watched (in the moonlight) some trout eating, wished I could have wet a line, oh well.

Trying to figure out the summer vacation plans, would love to go up to the Sleeping Bear Sand dunes this fourth of July, not sure if that'll work or not.

That's it. PO Monte, Out!

Are you Happy?

hello. hope anyone who might pause here, finds reason to stay, read, enjoy, smile, crinkle a brow, return, share, whatever gets your beer a head, your hammer a nail etc...

Here's a bit (but only the tip) about me.

I was born and raised where I now live, I am married with two kids. I graduated from college with a bachelors degree in Chemical Engineering. Made it through college with minimal bills by earning a full ride scholarship and now work where my parents worked.
My wife and I have built two houses and have no plans to move from where we now live.

My only sister was recently married for the second time and while I don't enjoy a close relationship with my little sister (3 yrs younger) family is all you got sometimes so I try to fight the good fight and recently have been communicating more frequently with her.

I love being outside, biking, running, hooping, walking, fishing, sitting around a campfire and shooting the breeze, don't matter, I enjoy the outdoors.

Additionally, I love beer, wine, and rock and roll, more on this whenever I feel like expounding.

However with two kids of 7 and 4.5 it is difficult to do some of these things to the extent I desire. So, along with other things, like work, family, etc I forthwith proclaim this blog a place to express my joy, frustration, hysteria, paranoia, stupidity, fear, dislikes, likes, miscellaneous thoughts, bewilderment, dimentia, and whatever else I determine is appropriate for this space.

I must say that a couple of my co-workers and friends are also expressing themselves via this anonymous vehicle of thoughts and feelings, and my contemplation of the possibilities of this media both made me pause in taking the figurative pen to paper and also drew me like moth to porch light. On the other hand, they ain't the only reason I choose to try this, and they might never know so there you go...

So, here's what's on tap for the weekend, my wife and I are taking the kids camping in northeastern michigan, leaving tomorrow and returning Sunday, hopefully we'll find some morels but more likely beefsteaks which also go good on a hamburger or in scrambled eggs.
I don't think I'll be so selfish as to take my mt bike and ride while on vacation with the kids but if my wife were to query why I wasn't you can bet that'd green light the sitch. Probably won't take a fly rod either, maybe the vise and tie up some bugs, but either takes my time from my wonderful children, so probably short hikes, swimming, and snuggling with my 4.5 yr old daughter are on tap for me, which is just fine.

So, from the title of the post, which loosely references the new Mudvayne single, you can get a flavor for what I have been listening to lately, additionally, My Chemical Romance, The Used, The Killers, Audioslave, A Perfect Circle, Tool, Alice in Chains, Soundgarden, Smashing Pumpkins, The Clash, the Dead Kennedys, Deftones, Led Zeppelin and always Black Sabbath. Always looking for new music, across all styles, to listen to.

Right now I am watching the Pistons vs Pacers, sure is a good game, I am cheering for the Pistons, but a good game is better than an easy win, in my book.

Hopefully, I'll have this much energy in the future to post, but who knows, I am unpredictable.

Thanks for sharing. PO Monte