The MS150

I'm going to do the MS150 in Minnesota on June 13th and 14th. I've really wanted to do the Texas MS150 but this semester was a little too crazy so I'm going to do the Minnesota version. If you are interested in supporting me a little I have set up a fundraising page:

http://main.nationalmssociety.org/site/TR?px=6767717&pg=personal&fr_id=9641

Here is a link to the ride website:

http://bikemnm.nationalmssociety.org/site/PageServer?pagename=BIKE_MNM_150_homepage&gclid=CPGh0LSNvJoCFQhhnAodUG43dA

Thank you all for reading and looking.

Weekend Home

Last weekend a good high school friend of mine got married so Lauren and I ventured back to Wisconsin for his wedding. The flight home was quite exciting and yet a little irritating. It started in Dallas when the plane I was on got in with plenty of time to make my next flight but we had to sit at the gate until a crew could come and dock us. Was it that they didn't know we were coming? "Oh, look! A plane! What's that doing here!?!"

So after we finally got unloaded I had to run to my next flight, on the other side of the airport. I got to the gate and everything was closed up. Not a good sign. Apparently I looked pretty mad because a lady rushed over and asked my name and where I had been and why I was late. After clarifying that I had run from my other flight she decided she could still get me onto the plane. Very nice lady! Then we waited at the gate for about twenty minutes until maintenance papers cleared...

The wedding was great though and the weather was cool (50's), it was great. Seeing some old high school friends and catching up a little with what they are all up to was nice.

Sunday was Mother's Day so I stopped in to see my Grandma but she wasn't feeling well so I ate lunch with Lauren, Grandpa, and my uncle. And then we had homemade ice cream. Delectable!

After lunch we went and spent time with my Mom and sister and her kids for dinner and gave my nephew a brand new kazoo, harmonica, and some squirt guns. Evil, I know.

Monday brought early flights at six in the morning and then meeting the new puppy.

This sunday is the last TMBRA race and Lauren's first race ever, exciting.

Summer Training

So I'm thinking about equipping my singlespeed commuter bike with a fixed gear for training this summer. I'll be riding with Lauren, who doesn't like riding as fast as I do, so I was thinking it'll be a good way to get a good workout while not killing Lauren.

If anyone has insight as to whether this is a good or bad idea, let me know.

I also might need some supplies so if you know any good places to get components or have some you'd be willing to sell, let me know that, too.

On another note, all I have left for classes is one final tomorrow morning. Can't wait to be done with that.

On a different note, the Banff Mountain Film Festival was in Austin on monday night and last night and it was awesome. If you like to do outdoor adventurous activities such as rock climbing, mountain biking, slacklining, high-lining, basejumping, cliff jumping, skydiving, kite skiing, regular skiing, snowboarding and there are probably some things I left out, then you would definitely appreciate these films. For a little background about the festival go here. I definitely recommend it and I definitely will go again.

For a picture, in case you don't know what high-lining is:

What a week

Well I just got in most of the first draft of my thesis yesterday. It's surprising how much work it is just to compile everything and I'm not done quite yet, but dang.

I did actually get to ride yesterday too, the second time since the Reimers race. That's pretty sad. I should be able to ride a little more now, at least enough to get back into good shape to beat Kyle's dad at the last TMBRA race.

I don't really think the Swine flu is that big of a deal

I'm getting close to being done with school, at least until I decide I can handle a PhD.

More later...

Stop Whining

So in my class, Sequence Stratigraphy, a graduate geology class, there are a couple people who are whining because we have an up coming test and they have a field trip and another test. I understand that they are busy and they don't want to fail. Fail, in other words, they don't want to be stressed out and actually have to work and study on the field trip they are going on. In further yet, more understandable words, they don't want to have to study so they can sit around drinking at night on their field trip. I've been there, I know how this goes.

This is particularly disturbing to me because they should really just suck it up and do the work. They really don't have too much to complain about because they signed up for their classes fully knowing what they were getting into and now that it's the crazy end of the semester that every college student goes through, they can't handle it.

I would challenge any one of these kids to compare how busy they are with how busy I am (this is a little ironic considering I'm writing a blog right now but this has been kinda pissing me off).

...

It's been a while

So I've been super busy doing research and getting ready for my thesis presentation, which I gave yesterday. The talk went pretty well, I ended a little early but I did answer 6 or 7 questions which is more than anyone else. The thesis work is definitely coming along though and now I'll be able to focus on writing. By the way, I study natural fractures in rocks.

I've also been off the bike for two weeks as I've been putting in about 11 - 12 hours a day on campus. I really need to get back going and get into shape for Double Lake in two weeks. That will be Lauren's first race, too!!

We did go check out some little puppies today, one of which Lauren is going to get at the end of May. They are about three weeks old right now. We are getting an Australian Sheppard. They are pretty cool even though they are only little fur balls right now.