Best of Luck...

She's off again to continue to ascend to greatness.... Emily is flying out tomorrow morning for Ontario California to swing through the Subaru factory (part of her new Subaru / Trek team) and then heading to Arizona for a few months to prep for the upcoming season. Then the life of the young and fast with trips to Europe and following the World Cup Race Circuit around the world....

But she's still the girl next door... went up today with the kids to say good-bye and wish her good luck.... she sat in her PJ Pants and chatted with us on the stairs, hugged the kids and asked about Santa presents.... we all love her because she is kind, caring, selfless and genuine.... She's happy on the new team and will do them proud....

Good luck Em.... you will be great...

New Year's isn't the same....

rather than going out for a big night at a bar or a friends place... we opted for the "Family New Year's" at the local community center.... count-down at 9pm... asleep by 11...

the kids were all smiles... "Look daddy!! Bouncy castles!!"....

"Look Daddy!!! The lady put a tarantula on my head!!" cool....

Luke went for the 3ft corn snake scarf...

finished the nite with some Indoor Camping... still had JiffyPop, fire and stories... just in the family room...

Happy New Year...

BEFORE quality time....

so sue and i just had our 9th anniversary....ahhhhhh.... but i got out for a nice ride before spending the rest of the day with the wife.....

one of my favorite lookouts... i often take this road just for the view at the top of the hill....

hours are building up, strength is gaining and it's feeling like 2hr endurance rides aren't enough anymore... darn...

Mall Madness....

went out yesterday to brave the mall crowds and crazyness.... it lived up to it's reputation. made it into SportChek with the kids just fine and drop some cash on some great deals while Sue stood in line for LuluLemon .... i got the better end of the deal. after being in line for over an hour, sue was just at the front when we arrived... only to wait in line for the dressing room (note - i had 1 item and sue had dozens....) and then line up to pay.... good deals and always good stuff from Lulu...

also signed up at SnapFitness 24/7 in brooklin... a pretty good gym that is a 12min run away.... did some strength last nite and realized that i missed it.... never got into it last year and i think that was part of the reason why i had a so-so year...

christmas around here was good.... hope yours was also... now it's time to work off the excess food and fit back into my riding stuff... good thing it stretches!!!

So... Ummmm...

yeah... it's been a while... sorry...

what's been going on? well... start with a busy month at school and home (concerts, starting volleyball team, sick kids... the usual) and then building for the winter of training.. the knee is doing well and isn't a factor anymore .... as long as i keep it stretched and pulverize it on the foam roller....

a big factor i think has been my commencing of Hot Yoga at Moksha Brooklin... great place with great instructor and an affordable Community Class and Karma class.... www.mokshayogabrooklin.com for more info... and it's always good for a mid-afternoon nap!!!!

in my efforts to build my endurance and strength... and get outside but NOT on the bike... i decided to go for a nice snowshoe with Eric Batty.... yeah... if you don't know about him - he's one of the guys who decided to Pole Run the ENTIRE 78km Kilarney Trail Loop.... in 12hrs!!!!!

so after a nice warm up (jumping off logs and pretending that i wasn't at threshold) we settle into a nice pace of jogging the flats and downhills and walking (thankfully!!) the uphills.... turned out that i'm not that unfit since it was just a matter of finding a pace about tempo and keeping the breathing under control...

turned out to be an enjoyable 2hrs of 10.8km of Hill-hunting in Durham Forest...... might even do it again!!

The best Mo Day...

according to me... the best day of Movemeber was having my Grade 4's cut our moustaches for the school assembly.... too cute....

according to sue... it was "Shave Day"...

Hi Honey... i'm back....

Mo No Mo'

Movember has come and gone... i shaved my 'stache off a bit early because i was getting tired of my kids hiding under the covers when i tried to kiss them goodnight...

it's funny how we perceive ourselves so differently when we make small changes... you'll see what i mean...

a cronicle of my "Team's" Growth...

Is that Barnes..... or Paul Sr from Orange County Choppers? Maybe with a few more YEARS of growth....

Is that Danny Masters.... or Matt from Operation Repo?