Walking out of Walmart I saw a car parked in the Pharmacy spot. It was 11 pm. The pharmacy was closed.
Does that then make that spot available for any customer's use, or does it just make it painfully obvious that said customer is illegally parked?

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It's been a good week. Big news? The road rash is pretty much healed. Sweet. And we boys got a new apartment. It's the top floor of the Ambassador where we used to live. Has a little more space and a whole lot more character than our current pad. Hopefully the crime rate hasn't gone up too much from when we lived there last. So we should be moving in the end of this month. Maybe that'll give us a little reprieve from random stuff like drano bombs.

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I'm totally digging my friends. In the past two weeks I've gotten to see more old friends and make more new ones than in the past 6 months. Too cool. All the late night 'partying' isn't helping the workout routine any, but then I guess I can work on my 6-pack when I'm 40 and all my friends are busy doing things like paying off mortgages. I'm kinda' dreading the start of the race season. I enjoy the cycling but I get homesick easily. Good thing it's still several months away.

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Congrats to Josh, Nate and Daniel for their 5k times. Daniel especially. That kid more than proved himself in his first race and I think with a little bit of sweat we'll see him become quite the athlete.


Ash, good to see you in the land of the rednecks, if ever so briefly.

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Redeeming the time, because the days are evil. Eph 5:16

knee knolls

About three months ago I thought I'd train for a marathon. I ended up injuring my knee in the first week. (typical me. Either all-out or couch potato.) I gave up running for several months to let it heal while I focused on my cycling. In the last few weeks, though, I've tried to pick up running again. And each time after less than a mile it flairs up with sharp pain. I suppose in the next year or two I'll need to have it 'scoped.... it's probably left over from that childhood injury where I tripped running in the dark. ( I was 13. Scared of the dark but had some chores to do. I hurried through them and ran to the house. Tripped on some chicken wire in the process, and, other than the ensuing very brief flying career, effectively ended any notions of being a world-class adventure athlete. I'm still trying to figure out why I was scared of the dark at 13...)

So I won't be competing at any running events this fall. I know several people have been training for them and I think that is totally cool. So I will still be there. And if somebody is wanting to walk-run an event I may pin a number on and join you.

So come on out this weekend to Ridge Runner sports and do a 5k.
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Found a R. Mullins song I hadn't heard before:

And the dark comes through these windows on the wind
Makes those votives glow more brilliantly
Well, if passion can lead to prayer
Maybe prayer can give us faith
And if faith is all we've got
Then maybe faith is all we need

And may the angel of His presence keep your heart
And when your prayers give flight to your dreams
May the only scars you see on their wings

Be the wounds of love - Rich Mullins, Wounds of Love
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Road Rash

I thought I'd stop by one of those blood pressure cuffs they have at Dillons. My arm actually screamed. It really was embarrassing, standing there in the pharmacy with a screaming arm...

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I went down to AR this weekend to race in their state championship. Nice way to wrap up the season.

Early on in the race I won a cash prime. Feeling pretty good about myself, in the last laps I tried getting around a rider who looked a little unsteady and get to the front. We touched handlebars as I passed. A little verbal war ensued as he cursed me and I told him to 'hold his line'. Apparently that was too much for him. I realized too late that he was sprinting after me and felt this incredible shove as he passed. It's one of those moments you pray you can keep it upright, but know you aren't going to.


Thankfully the bike absorbed most of the fall with only some cosmetic damage. I got pretty chewed up on my left side... but then I also got the attention of all the pretty nurses. Pros and cons I suppose.

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I rode in the race on day 2 just to regain my confidence. Went out off the front early just to see what was in the legs. Not enough, as usual, but I felt a lot better. Ended up finishing 11th.

Let the winter training begin.
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I've got some imperfections
But how can you collect them all and throw them in my face?

I hope you're not intending
To be so condescending
It's as much as I can take
And you're so independent
You just refuse to bend, so I keep bending till I break

But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting
You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting
And if you chose to walk away I’d still be right here waiting
Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting -- Staind