It's really amazing how much the new helmets stay together after they're busted up a bit. They don't call them brain buckets for nothing.





You may or may not see the crack on the helmet, thankfully she was wearing one!





How the Dr's remove clothing from injured riders: I'll call this one "Surgical Jersey".

Well, if you haven't heard already, Lynne crashed last night at our weekly mtn bike race in Franklin. Here are a couple of photos too.

Concussion and right collar bone busted.


Post Percocet snoozing:



Face rash to the max:

Earlier this summer I had the great furtune of meeting a climbing Sherpa from Nepal. In June, during my trip west to attempt to climb Mt Hood & Mt Rainier, I stayed at Whittaker's Bunkhouse on the final day. If you remember, I stayed there during last year's uneventful trip to Rainier too.

This summer after visiting Paradise and taking many photos prior to the storm moving in which thwarted our journey, my climbing partner and I headed back to Whittaker's for our last night in the mountains. While hanging out at the snack bar area Mike pointed to this fellow standing in line and mentioned he looked familar. I went up to speak with him and introduced myself.

He gave me one of his cards and we conversed a bit - quite difficult for a midwestern boy with little exposure to the outside world. It turned out to be Lhakpa Gelu Sherpa - considered by many to be one of the SUPER SHERPAS. I consider myself extremely thankful for this chance meeting - I even received his autograph on the business card. Unfortunately I had left the camera back in the room and don't have a photo to go with the story. Sorry. At some point I intend to get the Mt Rainier map and the business card framed for a token keepsake. My brush with fame was so fleeting, yet I really feel a connection to this fellow. After all I did buy he and his fellow guides a round of beers - for which they were much abliged.

Not much new happening around here the last couple of weeks as we have settled into our summer routine.

Lynne - Started back at St Joe's in L&D this week. After 2 + years working away from patients at corporate headquarters she found out how much she missed taking care of patients and has returned to bedside nursing.

Drew - he's preparing for life in the real-world (if you can call life at college REAL). We're preparing to send him out on his own as we intend to move him into his dorm room on August 25th. He's still hanging out with Jenni and enjoying the last summer home. We rarely see him as he is either working or gone with friends.

Ben - He's been participating in summer weight workouts for Tosa East football in addition to participating in his first year of mountain bike racing in the WORS series. Both activities have him at or near peak physical condition. He really is quite quick on the bike and I am looking forward to next year already and him racing in sport class with Lynne & I. Football begins on August 12th and we're looking forward to watching the high schoolers play.

John - having had a less than productive spring (hamstring injuries really do take quite some time to heal) I'm just now getting into some sort of fitness. Having a new job and all that is associated with that has also been challenging. Soon we'll be getting the sleds ready for another wonderful winter season. Already, the amount of daylight is dwindling and temps are moderating a bit.

Preiding tonight at Sunburst for the upcoming race this weekend, then volunteering at the Brewers game concession stand for church on Saturday night, and then racing WORS on Sunday at Sunburst. Not much going on right?

Congrats to my little sister and her husband - they're having a boy! Poor Grandma S -not many girls to go around.

That's all for now. Oh yah, 21st wedding aniversary this month too. Who could forget that?

Pictures from Danskin Race

Well, it has been a while since my last post so let's get caught up.



The climbing trip went well. Flights were on-time. Climbed Mt Hood to an elevation of around 10,500 feet. Not making the summit was a bummer. But I was able to a great photo of Mt Hood's shadown as the sun rose.



A combination of elevation gain, travel induced exhaustion, and my hamstring injury which prevented me from getting into top shape all conspired to keep me from the top. As every one says 'making it to the top in optional, making back down is mandatory'. The weather was fairly good for the Hood portion of our trip eventhough it was quite windy and cold at higher elevations. We guessed that the winds were gusting to over 30 MPH and temps in the low 20's. Wintery feeling nerver-the-less as experinced by my buddy Mike who is bundled up during a climbing break.



Me taking a break at the Hogsback on Hood just prior to turning around.






But the weather was forecasted to turn really ugly for our Mt Rainier portion of the trip as this photo can attest to. I took this photo on Saturday morning on our way to SETAC to fly home. Good call on our part. The forecast was for increasing winds, heavy snows, and avalanch dangers. We figured it was better to not head up into the storm and getting pinned down, for who knows how long, by the nasty stuff than to head for home.



So, after we re-booked flights, stayed at Whitiker's Bunkhouse for our last night, and enjoyed our last day in the mountains being tourists.




We visited Rainier's visitor center and the original lodge on Friday June 20th - which was not open last year due to renovations. Did I forget to tell you that Rainier had been receiving heavy spring snows with estimated 190" on the ground at the visitor center.




Is it a snow Devil or a snow Duck??? You be the judge.



We flew back home on Saturday June 21st. I made it home around 8 PM Saturday evening. I packed up my race kit in anticipation of heading to Green Bay for a WORS race on Sunday morning.

The GB Race went as well as can be expected after having blown up out on Hood only a couple of days prior. Lynne did quite well and if any of you have spoken to her recently she'll be more than happy to tell you she beat me by 2 + minutes in that race.

Since then we've been busy training for future races. One of which was Lynne's first triathon yesterday in Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin. She finished 429 out of 3650 women racers. This is a women's only event making it feel more comfortable for those ladies that might be a bit too intimidated having men racing alongside with them. It was the midwest version of The Danskin Triathlon Series. Congrats to her on a great finish!

Two Days and counting until I leave for the west coast and a climbing trip to Mt Hood & Mt Rainier. Last weekend while we were having torrential rains, the Cascades received 30 + inches of snow. The skiers and snowboards have been loving every minute of it.

You check the Mt Rainier web cam facing the mountain here.

The Web cam facing down the valley away from the parking lot at Paradise here.

The Web cam facing the parking lot here - I'm not certain what car we'll be getting as a rental otherwise you could have checked to see where we are parked.

The web cam and conditions at Timberline Lodge at Government Camp (Mt Hood) here.

Packing and getting ready for the trip tonight - wish me luck!

6-07-08 Another day that Tosan's will remember for a long time.

These photos were taken at the 70th Street bridge at Menomonee River just east of Hart Park - facing east then west towards the village area and Hart Park. The lights in the background are located at the parking lot for Hart Park. Shortly after we took these pictures, police shut down the area and kicked everyone off the bridge. Some people just don't realize how quickly things can change into something really ugly.





Click this link for Tosa flood video

Flood Video

Final Big Ring Picture of Ben - at the beginning of his race. 5th in age class and 23rd overall in Citizen. Way to go Ben!

Thanks to Dave Reich for having the proper camera equipment which enables him to take photos of moving objects without getting a blurry image.

Pictures from this weekend's race in Wausau - The Big Ring Classic

A few more pictures from Lake Geneva this past weekend.

John



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Another WORS is in the books for this season. Lynne was able to overcome her fears out on the course to take first in her age group. Ben too had a very exciting race as he broke a chain link only 1 to 2 miles into the race and had to DNF. Too bad for him as he really looked good at the start. He left the start / finish line and powered up the hill. He was in 5th or 6th place as he descended that first hill and headed out to do battle out on the course. He was really disappointed as he walked back to the team demo tent. Here are a couple of pictures.

John

Nearly 2 weeks of recuperation on the old hamstring and headed down to Lake Geneva to pre-ride the WORS course. I didn't have any real problems but at times I could feel the stress was too much and needed to back down a bit. Those quick hitter hills just after a quick downhill section really cause the most discomfort. Lynne and Ben got a good idea what they have ahead of them tomorrow. I on the other hand am not racing as I can only imagine trying to keep up with some of the back markers (as usual in my case)and be somewhat competitive could put a hurting to the old leg. 2 weeks until the climbing trip and I don't want to jinx that either.

John

Injured my hamstring last night at a church sponsored softball game.

Out of commission for a bit.

John

Lynne has begun another year with a kick A$$ start - she took second in her first Sport race of the year at the WORS race #1 in Iola Wisconsin.



Ben charging down the hill in his first and hopefully not last race of the year - he is now signed up as a series rider and his points earned will count towards Team Extreme's total. He finished 5th out of an undetermined amount of contestants - as of this posting - updates later.



A couple of the Extreme Posse before the start of the 15 - 16 age group Citizen race.




Lynne & Ben before they headed out to warm up for the big day.



Next race in two weeks in Lake Geneva. Updates when the results are posted out on the WORS site.

John

Went out for a quick ride with Ben last night after dinner. We ran into Ty & Kristina from Team Alterra on the Hoyt Trails. The trails were in great shape. Now it's game on for the weekend in Iola for the first WORS race of the year. Nothing like racing ones self back into shape as conditions this spring have been trying to say the least.

John

Another week and another crisis of sorts. Lynne received a bike fitting over the weekend at the shop - Thanks Karrie!

Now she's so fast and confident I don't know what to do with her. Look out all you aport women riders.

After flatting on the first two rides of the year, we have successfully navigated through a few more trips without incident.

Plans are progressing for the climbing trip this summer. Now it looks as if we'll be doing a twofer trip - Mt Hood and Mt Rainier. Details are being formulated.

Another ride today and another flat for Lynne - this time a large thorn in her front tire.

Well that's two for two in her case. Let's hope this isn't a sign of things to come.

On another note: I received my climbing pass for Mount Rainier to day. Two months until I leave for this year's trip.



John

Lynne & I were out for the second time in two days - YIPPEE!

Lynne getting her groove on with her new ride!


The new pink ride is finally getting broken in - literally that is.


While riding through the Hoyt trails Lynne was able to find one of the many discarded relics from age old Tosa town. A 2" piece of old nail or something of that sort punctured the rear tire - dead centered it actually.


Here she is while waiting patiently for the mechanic to finish up the repairs. Is it done yet?



That makes for 2 out of 6 rides this year with flat tires.

With the upcoming forecasted nice weather we should be out again tomorrow too!

Until next time ->)