9:33. I'm home. Off. 22:18:18. And that was with 2 major slowdowns!

Last night sometime, someone, who's initials are SC, (I'm guessing it's you, Susie), came past my home and left a little surprise on my doorstep.

A lovely 'care-deeply' Avon basics lipbalm. You can find it here. Look for a dealer near you. (Someone in your ward perhaps!) She, SC, has read about my plight of forgetfulness and gave me what will change that problem. If I put this on before I leave the house, it will last the whole ride long! Now I didn't forget it today, but I did NOT need to reapply during the ride! Thank your SC!! What I'm really digging about this one is the calendar on it! Those of you with really good eyesite only need to use one magnifing glass, I needed two pairs of my glasses with a magnifying glass!

bummer.

And the calendar not only is in english, but also in French - or at least that's what I think I'm reading. It could be spanish, I don't know. It's pretty small. I wonder if Avon thinks that this lipbalm is going to last all year long? And wouldn't it be funny to be at a business meeting and someone asks when, say, August 14th is, and you whip out your lipbalm and tell them! They will probably all go online and order some right there at the business meeting!

Todays ride. Only one walker today. When I first turned down the canal rideway, this person was pretty far away, but the color stood out very well! PURPLE! Now, I loved the color purple growing up. That actually was my bedroom color for many years. Then came Barney. Hmmm..... Prince the singer.......Donny Osmonds socks....okay, I liked that. And then in one of my older blogs you've read about my 'purple-pedal-pusher'. So, I see this person and I already don't like them. I was sure it was a man. The size was too big for a women, but then of course the purple suit, in my mind can only belong to a women. I'm not talking grey/purple, but a real serious purple. Like this:

So, I'm expecting to see a women, but she will be a large women, I'm sure. Someone like from Russia. I'm nearer now. And...... it's a guy. A big he-man, male with a beard and mustache. Seriously, I almost laughed out loud. We both gave 'good morning' waves and after I passed I had to turn and look back at him. Yep, still purple. I'm going to call him a 'purple-people-pleaser'. He was nice after all.

On. Off. My ride is done. I went this morning with Jason. He was mostly in front of me the whole way. Except for this one time when he almost got cremated by a 13 passenger van. He was riding on the sidewalk, going the way of the traffic, and a van came from behind him and turned into a driveway making Jason slam on his brakes and he had to jump off to not get hit. When I turned around (I heard his squeaky brakes), his bike was on the ground and all I could see was bike tires. Then I saw his two feet walking over to the bike and stand it up. He then talked to the driver. I'm not sure what the said, but by looking at Jason, he was smiling. I'm sure his adrenalin was pumping after that. Anyway, we only went the three mile ride, which was okay with me today. It was another great overcast, slightly rainy day. No rain on our ride however, just the benefits.

I couldn't find my chapstick this morning and I was bummed so I had to bring along this:

CoverGirl wetslicks fruit spritzers.

Now, I didn't bring this for looks, which is what I normally use it for, but today it had to suffice for my non-drying-out lip cover. So, any of you out there who might have seen me, I must have been a sight with my unmakeuped face, my wild bedhead hair and my lovely attire of workout clothes. But I did have my lipstick on!

One observance today. Speedbumps. When we go my 3 mile route, we pass over 9 speedhumps. I have learned the secret in going over these nuisances: start way over on one side of the road and as you get to the bump, go up and with a slight turn to the other side of the road, go down. This takes away the bump on the bumside. Or at least it makes it softer. Either way, I hate them

.

My ride today is done. Yes, I went on a 4 mile ride. My loving daughter mapped out a route. It consists of going north to Broadway - heading east to the canal - taking the canal pavement all the way south to Southern- returning up the paved canal 'road'- west to Maple - down to Pueblo - west to 37th street, where I turn north and following that road, which turns into Dewberry, which leads to home. My old route used to bring us up on Dewberry as well, but just as we were getting excited about returning home and actually seeing the end, a 'cursed' left turn would take us off of Dewberry, heading nnw onto Dragoon, turning onto 37th street (another section of 37th, one block north of the 1st one), which turns into Clovis (a killer of a uphill slope) and then down Maple again and my last turn onto Dewberry, this time it is a downhill ride. My new route is a nice change. There are two obsticals that I can see might be a problem down the road:

1. Ducks:

No, not these Ducks.

Yes, here they are. These ducks...

I like feeding ducks, but I'm not sure if I can control my bike as I am trying to throw breadcrumbs or crackers down to them. I would certainly crash.

2. Old ladies.

Now I know some of you are laughing because I am right there with them, but I am talking OLD, old ladies. The kind that walk with other old ladies and might have a problem hearing anyone approaching. Today, I passed these 'ladies' on my southward journey on the canal road. They were heading north just passing the canal bridge. Pueblo Road area. I continued on and as I'm returning up the canal, they are still walking. Walking and talking. Walking and waving their arms. I have plenty of time to plan my moves. I think, I will warn them with my loud voice. I think, I will start singing to let them know I'm coming up behind them. I think, surely they will hear my tires on the pavement as I get closer. I think, for sure they can hear my panting. I then realize that I am too close and I haven't decided what to do. I see that they are walking mostly to the right side of the pavement so I aim for the left. If I go too far left, I leave the pavement and head down a very steep hill and into what is now a mudbog. The rain has left no dry ground anywhere. There can be no bad manuvering on the bicyclists part (me). I'm 40 feet behind them, 30, 20 and then I say, "On your left". Apparently they didn't hear me, because as I pass by them I hear 'Oh, my!" I wouldn't say that I was close, but it might have been scary to some old lady. Hmm....I'll never get THAT old.

I just got off the phone with my far-away, and tremendously-missed daughter. Aloha, Jill. But she mentioned that she had checked my blog 2 or 3 times today and there wasn't an update. So, I have turned off (actually, I'm recording it) SuperNanny. I love Jo Frost. There is nothing better to tell me that, yeah, I was a mean parent in discipling my kids, but look at the 8 great people I have because of it! (Okay, the jury is still out on my last 2, but stay tuned). So, I went for my ride today and it was fairly easy and Carolyn thinks I am coming home faster than usual, so I think I will bump up my mileage to 4 miles! Carolyn went on some webpage and mapped out a four mile ride for me. It will give me a change of scenery. Yeah!! I have been getting bored with my old 'pedaling' grounds.
A few things about my ride today.......I forgot my chapstick. Now, I don't really care what brand it is, so I shouldn't say ChapStick, but that is what I currently have, and will use the name until I purchase another kind. That was almost a deal breaker today. I mentioned earlier about my gloves being left behind and almost turning back, but this forgetting my chapstick was almost too great. I hate chapped lips. And I especially hate dry, pleading for moisture lips. And, since I don't take water to drink on my rides, I need this little item in my pocket. It will never happen again. Also, today I noticed that I am going to have to start bringing one more item....sunglasses. It really hasn't been too bad before this, but today I could have used them. I did remember to bring my IPod. However, a funny thing....my daughter KT needed to 'read' the Book of Mormon before she could receive her YW recognition medallion. Jonathan, downloaded them onto my IPod for her to listen to as she drove to and from school each day. (Listening on an IPod was acceptable by her YW leaders). So, as I ride and listen to songs, occasionally something will come on it like this:

(Women's voice) "Alma Chapter 28 - The Lamanites are defeated in a tremendous battle - Tens of thousands are slain - The wicked are consigned to a state of endless woe: the righteous attain a never-ending happiness.
And now it came to pass.......

It's about this time that I finally get my IPod out of my pocket and figure out how to change it to a song. But then I think, should I feel guilty about not listening to the scriptures as I ride? No, no I will not feel guilty. I find it very difficult to get a rhythm with scriptures as my background 'music'. Give me my Michael, Karen, Steely Dan, Shania, Taylor, Uncle Kracker, Stevie....anyone who sings. I'm sorry lds.org-download-lady-that-reads-the-scriptures.

Another essential I forgot to add to my last list.

So, I'm getting ready for my ride and I can't find my sweats anywhere. Probably in the laundry pile that I don't dare dig through. One reason is it will all fall down and second, if it falls down the smell could be pretty poignant. So, I'm searching my drawers and find my shorties. Yep. My dear friend, initials of VS, called them shorties. And yes, they would normally be capris on most women, on me they fall between all most normal length pants and/or abnormally looking capri's. And yes, I wore them. And here I am posing in my Mary Poppins stance. Luckily, I didn't see anyone out this morning while I was riding or here in my home as I took this picture.


As I was riding I remembered some thing about Fridays ride. Head wind. I guess I'm okay with if it if it also brings the opposite- that would be - behind wind. I never found any of that. It seems as I would turn a corner - away from the head wind - that I wouldn't be burdened, but no, it seemed to 'shift' just as I would turn. I did experience side wind, but never did feel the wind on my backside. Hmm...

So, I'm off to ride. I hope I remember my gloves. Oh, yeah, and my IPod. I'll try your safety tip tip Carrie, one earplug in, one out. Of course then I have to hear what my real singing voice sounds like. Hmm......maybe I'll just leave both plugs in. Your a great sister still. Off.

Okay, now for my exciting Saturday activities. I have a neighbor named Noel. He is wheelchair-bound and was in an all day powerchair soccer tournament. I had never seen one, so I went to one of his games and can I tell you I was amazed at the ability of the players! The expertise it must take to manuver their chairs into position to score goals, to send their ball a certain angle, or a certain distance! It was totally facsinating! Thanks for inviting me Noel! While I was there at the ASU campus watching the game, someone turned to me and said I looked familiar and asked what my name was, I told them and nothing seemed to click for her, so I asked her her name and she told me Anna Turjillo. Hello, Cortez High fellow classmate! (I should have thought to tell her my maiden name, but I've been married so long, most everyone I run into know me by my kids activities or within my church callings). So, hello, Anna. We had a great time talking about all of our 'run-into's' with people from our class. I'm going to have to pull out my yearbook now, because she remembered several people I have forgotten about and visa-versa. It's funny how hanging out within your own group makes you a bit forgetful of others: ie: sports players, druggies (we had a lot, it was the 70's), artsy groups, science smarties, cheer/pom and then just the rest of us nobodys.

Run Colts, run for victory, win for the black and white.
Take Cortez up to the top, come on ye Colts and FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT.
Though we play it fair and square, our team will do or die.
So fight, to win that score team, on Colts for Cortez High! (or something like that).

I know you were all wondering about our school fight song.
Okay the second thing I did was to watch Shannon in her first Mesa Club volleyball tournament. They played a total of 3 games. The lost the first game to a 15-16 year old team, but not by much. The first game was 29-27! It was a close match and the girls did well together. The second team they played was their age level and they won that one. Their 3 match was kind of a sad game. The other team domanated them, mostly in serves. Yeah, when a girl can get up and serve 9 straight points, its a little depressing. They lost that match, but, it had been a long day and they, along with us parents, were tired.

Monday morning. I realized I haven't updated my mundane life since Thursday and since I have such a strong following, I must appologize. You all must be sitting on pins and needles waiting to see what is coming next. I have to tell you, that I made it. Yep, one full week of riding. Most of my rides being conducted in the misty sprinkles of last weeks rain and only some of it ending up on my backside. (As shown in a previous post). Friday was a good day to ride. It was not sprinkling, but had the cloud cover and so it was not too cold which was a good thing because as soon as I hit the end of my road I realized I had forgotten my trusty, warm gloves. They are the inexpensive variety that you find for $1 at WalMart, but they do their job. So, being only 5 house away, I wondered if I should turn around and grab them. But knowing myself all too well, I would have made it back home to retrieve them and probably would have called it my ride for the day. So, I rode on. I worried for the first 1/2 mile - when I have reached my 1/2 mark, I still have time to turn back to my home without too much of a problem, but after I make that first major turn south, there is no return without doing the whole 3 miles. I felt my fingers at the crucial 1/2 point and yes, I could still feel them. It was going to be okay. I finished my ride and didn't have to soak them in water to defrost them or anything like that!! It was a great ride.

My usual riding attire, along with my sweat coat and pants.

Sometimes I wear two hats because I can't stand my ears getting cold! And my neck, if I don't have my scarf, I suffer also. And with more neck to cover now (old age setting in) I have to wear my sweet, sweet scarf. I know I wouldn't have finished my ride had my lovely ear warmer thingamajig got left at home. We'll have to wait and see what the summer brings in my accessory choices. Thanks Susie for reading my blog. You're a great neighbor.

Today. On. Jason went with me today in the lightly rainy morning. I am done for the day. The full 3 miles again. He collapsed on the living room floor when we were done. I think he was being kind. Making me think I had done a good job. I rode with my IPod this morning too. Wow! It makes it much nicer to have music going as I ride along. However, I find it was a bit scary not hearing cars coming from behind me. (Not that they, the cars, couldn't see the wide load ahead of them!)
. Single girls out there, he's available!

I'm already done! Yes, my daughter, Carolyn, said 'lets go this morning' and I, wanting to do it, said ' lets get it done'. We left at 8:25 and got back at ten minutes till 9am. A 25 minute ride. Not too bad, considering that I had Carolyn to ride with. Yeah, her and her 2 little boys. I can actually say I beat her! What? She can't keep up with 60 extra pounds of dead weight behind her? Please, don't use that as an excuse. I'VE got 60 extra pounds behind me too, it's just attached. Maybe she'll feel some pain tomorrow. Probably not.

Dead weight? I think not.

Tuesday, January 19th, 2010. I have to sadly admit that yesterday, Monday, I didn't get my bike ride in. I totally let the morning just pass by. It is a little harder to go when my peep's are home for a holiday and we just sit around goofing off. However, I had in my mind to go to Bulldog Canyon and ride our little 'Getty-up' , as Jason has lovingly named it. Here is a pictue of it:
I had informed everyone about going to the Canyon last week when I knew a day off of school was coming up, but most everyone said the usual, "What, I didn't know we were doing anything." "I got plans with my friends. " "We're gonna be so bored cause only 2 people can ride at a time." "I'm not sure I wanna go". Yeah, whatever. Get your little keister in the car in 5 minutes or I'm leaving you and you'll all be sorry. The wrath of a mom is a pretty scary thing alright. I love being a mom. Anyways, Dougie comes home from work early, we throw some snacks in the car, take the bocce ball game, a few tennis balls and we're off. Amongst the people that ended up going: Doug, me, Carolyn and 3 boys, Katie, Shannon and Allan. Call me mean, or the meanest mom in the world, for making some of them go, but we all had fun. Weather-wise it was the best. A smidgeon cold. Totally overcast. And one or two drops of misty rain. It was great. We had parked by a hill and everyone, but me, climbed to the top of it. After being there about 2 1/2 hours we had all had enough and we had to skidadle back into town and have FHE with the Cox Family. It was so-o cold there at the park. But we managed to bar-b-que some food and have a couple games of bocce ball and then 'teeter-toter' king of the hill. Or in this case king of the teeter-toter. I think Jason won. Okay, so no bike ride yesterday. Now, today, I had all the intentions of doing it earlier, but I went to a funeral and then came home and did laundry, did some baking, went to the post office, etc. Excuses. All of them. However. There is a good ending to this story. Around 7pm, I told myself and anyone that heard, that I was leaving for my ride. It was raining. Raining, and more raining. Were my desires dampened? No, I did wait until the rain sounded like it was letting up and then I took off. 3 miles in less than 20 minutes. Rain and all. Luckily it was a light rain and it was quiet and clean and perfect. Except for one tiny thing. As we all remember in our younger days, looking out of the car window and seeing someone with a funny wet stripe up their backs. What's that you ask? I'd always think, silly, silly people. Is it sweat? Why don't bike makers put guards on the back tires? Sure, they aren't really needed up front, but on the back side = yeah, they are needed. And yes, I came home with the stripe.

This is my favorite Christmas gift that we gave to Allan this year. As most of you know, he is Ramen Noodle King. He can actually make it now himself - especially since he got this t-shirt. It has step-by-step instructions, allthough I have to say, he almost had it mastered with out this visual instructional help. On the last picture, he tried to smile with the noodles in his mouth, but they kept falling out. But its close enough! The tshirt was bought at woot.com t-shirts, and is named 'Almost Too Complicated'!! Funny. We tease Allan alot about eating so many noodle packages! I love him. (Even when I have to force him to come bike riding with me).

It is now official that Jonathan Michael Crockett is in our family. His birthdate and Jill & Jonathan's anniversary are hanging on the wall in our living room. We love you Jonathan!

Dang. It's Monday again. I am so grateful when the weekend comes. I have been busy both Saturdays since my 'debut' of exercising each day. And, well, you know, Sunday is a day of rest. It's a commandment. Today might actually be a nice ride though. It is cloudy and stormy out my window and I'm hoping it encircles my whole neighborhood (my 3 mile ride area). Who knows - it might just be a ploy by my guardian angel to get me out the door and then of course the sun will be out and it will have reached an all-time high of 100 (which will be a new record for the month of January). Hmmm. Maybe I can talk Allan into going again. Hmm. Probably not. If you read my last blog you know how much I had to beg/make him go with me. So, off I go. I see sunshine trying to squeeze through the clouds - dang it.

On Thursday I asked/made Allan ride a bike with me in the morning before he had to go to school. He complained as much as possible -up to and near my 'button' moment - when he know's I would have gotten too mad at him to make him go - but, no luck that morning for Allan, too bad. I did however, tell him I wouldn't make him go the three miles that I usually go. Baby Allan. (And I can actually call him that because he is the baby of the fam.) As we rode, I was hoping I could do my usual route without him really questioning where to go, but at every turn he would ask, "Do you normally go this way? I'm not going the whole 3 miles you know." So, I had to make a few adjustments along the way and we ended going 2.2 miles. After Allan found out he had gone that far, I think he was, first of all impressed, and then second, a little insided excited. He now could to to school and tell his coach and anyone else who would listen, that he rode his bike 2.2 miles in about 20 minutes. All kids like to tell someone about an accomplishment, and luckily Allan has someone who somewhat cares for 'training' activities. Coach Nissen, you rock. The thing I found funny though was as we rode around the neighborhood, I don't think I saw him sit down on th bike seat more than 2 times the whole ride. What's that all about? Do I have any guys out there reading this that want to make a comment? Is it a guy thing, or just an Allan thing? Are there bike seats out there that are better for the young mens anatomical physique? Let me know as soon as you can, because I liked riding with Allan and I don't want to lose him as a partner because of an uncomfortableness in sitting while riding. Thanks for any opinions that you might leave.

Yes. On. One full week of bike riding! I think I'm done. Off. No, just joking! The other night my daughters, Carolyn, Katie and Shannon and I went for a 3 mile - 9pm bike ride, to make sure I got it in everyday. (Okay, I missed Saturday and Sunday, but I'm sure for good reasons). Shannon called the purple bike, which was okay for all the rest of us because it is a 24" bike and the rest of the bikes are all 26" and made for speed and endurance. Now, the purple bike too has gears, but really just set for a youngster to get to and from school, which I'm sure the bike maker imagined only a few blocks from the lad's home. A short time into the ride, Shannon was lagging quite a bit, complaining and sure she couldn't finish, and she continued to do all 3 of these things through-out the ride. I, thinking it was her 'drama-queen' personality coming out of her, volunteered to ride 'the purple-pedal-pusher' the rest of the way home and she could have my bike. I think we had reached the mile marker and so we only had 2 more miles to go. Driving around our neighborhood you would consider it a fairly level terrain, however, riding a bike that had no real working gears, you could immediatly feel the inclines and massive hills we are surrounded by. My legs were dying, but could I tell that to Shannon and have her 'drama' nullified? No, I suffered for two long, long, miles. I was almost in tears. The girls tried to go slow or at least turn around a few times to make me feel like I was part of the bike 'brigade'.
And, I knowing that the last little bit of our road is a downhill slant, thought to myself that my loving daughters would somehow let me come in first. No. They didn't. Instead by the time I got to our garage, there they were: laughing, joking around, starting to go into the house, not even concerned if I could make it the last half of a block. Gee-ma-nee! In the future, first of all, I'll know NOT to go if I get the 'purple-pedal-pusher' and second, I'll go it alone.

Okay, embarrassing to tell, but since only about 5 of you read this, I'm letting it out. Our Stake is having a whole year long theme ' Health is a Habit'. We are to set goals to get fit. It's not really to lose weight, unless that's your goal, but more to inspire you to change your life style and become a healthier you! So, the embarrassing part is my weight. I stand 5' 1" (and a 1/2) really, and I weigh 139. I fluctuate between 135 and 140, luckily you caught me on a NOT 140 day. Yeah, I am vertically challenged and I'm horizontally spreading. In my mind I'm okay, but the flab and flap are telling me differently. Believe me, I'm not trying to lose weight because I know I would gain it all back and then some, but I just want to let the flap and flab know that it can no longer surge and wave as I walk. And talk. And blink. And drink. And just even as I lie prone. So, Monday was to be my start day. I did really good. I thought about all the different ways I would be inspired to do my tightening up. My mind really got a good workout. And that was about it. Luckily, Shannon, my #7 child, turned 14 and we bought a Wii game called Just Dance. I'm not promoting Wii or the game, just that luckily we bought it. So, for our game that night we played Just Dance and I did at least 6 minutes of 'trying' to get my groove on without my family laughing. (I'm sure their stomachs got a few minutes of intense workout time). Okay, day one, done.
Tuesday I went on a 3 mile bike ride. How do I know for sure it was 3 miles long? Well, for 2 years, I walked the same walk with a dear friend. My husband, the number guru guy, didn't think it was 3 miles, so I made him jump in his vehicle and drive the same route that we walk and guess what? three miles exactly. Hmmm.....sometimes he should just believe me. Especially, if I'm doing any kind of exercise (movement), he should just give me a little pat and say, "that's great honey". Off. (that's a joke to Carolyn).
Yeah! And today I did the 3 mile ride again. I have to say, I'm surprised I'm not sore. I thought for sure my thighs would be screaming 'NO, NOT AGAIN'! But wonder of all wonders, I made it for the 3 miles again AND I think if I'd have pushed it, I might have made it again. Hey Evan and Shanna, you've always inspired me. Maybe you'd have that baby by now if you were still out there riding to Bridal Veil Falls.