Rattlesnake Yellow Phase

Basking in the Limelight on this beautiful 95 degree Memorial Day. Rattlesnakes are on the move after a six month hibernation. This one seems to be hanging around it's den. Is it a female? The pregnant females remain basking near the dens through the summer. Take precautions when in the woods for hikes, look for rattlesnakes before you sit down on a log or rock and check around before reaching for something on the ground.

What an Inspiration! Megan Timothy - Author of “Let Me Die Laughing, Waking From the Nightmare of a Brain Explosion".

While drinking my morning coffee, the first article I read online was about a woman named Megan Timothy cycling cross country to raise awareness of brain injuries and promote her book . She has been on a series of adventures from recovering from a brain aneurysm to cycling cross-country in the US and abroad in order to prove to herself she can overcome. Cyclists seem to overcome so well. I guess what really amazed me was that she was 63 yr old and solo. Her local overnight stay consisted of camping at the sewage treatment plant, which I am sure topped her list of places. What was wrong with that police officer in suggesting this "safe" place! Didn't he know someone she could stay with & get a good meal & shower. I would have invited her to stay at my house and make herself at home. I had to take my bike to State College for it's checkup & behold a cyclist was spotted walking along Rt 45 west ~ it was her! I recognized her helmet setup. My daughter said, " she looks really young and not 63 & I want to do ride cross-country". Yeah, I would love to do it also, but where would the time and money come from for the trip. Or does one need a life changing event to do this? I was so excited but at the same time saddened because there was no berm to pull over on the winding road up the mountain. I really wanted to run over and hug her. I was confident we would see her on the return trip, because it was going to be tough with the rolling hills of the valley. On the return trip I spotted Megan cresting a hill in the opposite direction and again no place to pull off safely or turn around. I did give her a light toot-toot with the horn & wave, which the later was returned. I wish her a safe trip. This gives me hope for continuing cycling in my future.

Yard Work Galore

Delivery came ~ 2 scoops mushroom soil & 6 scoops of mulch bark. Outside for 7 hours gardening & mulching with Kelsi. Aaah it looks so nice! Good activity for Zachary next week to mulch around the whole fence. I wish I had a mini digger so I could rip tear around the yard like a crazy woman!

Al & Zachary went to get a load of wood. This is so we can keep warm in the cold days of winter and wear shorts in the house with open windows on a blustery day.

Sierra opened my mulching paper for me. I think she thought it was a giant toilet paper tube which she loves to shred~crazy tumor dog.

The kids found some baby Starlings in the yard. Tarcole was afraid of them and ran back to "home base" since he is afraid to be away from the porch~black scaredy cat.

Time to go get dinner at the Union County Sportmens Club and have a beer or two.

1st Family Mountain Bike Race ~ Cat Classic ~ Logue Farm

Registration for the three of us - First comment, "You probably picked one of the toughest MTB courses to do!". I heard this several times before the event started. As we were lined up like cattle to cross over to the grassy field in a motocross start, I told my daughter I have to vacate the race, I guess the Fight-or-Flight Response wanted to take over my body. My son was somewhere in the field ready to go. I was freaking out. Everything was moving too fast for me. I had a 13 yr old riding at times with me - you go girl - inspiration looking over my shoulder on a climb. The course was really tough despite pre-riding 6 miles the night before. Lots of downhill technical areas = walking areas for me.

Here's Rob, Linda, & Ray; but where is Harry? Thanks for the seat tightening Harry!




I am scared of falling - maybe I should get full body armour. It feels wonderful to see the list of finishers in print & see our names, despite poopoo performance. I accomplished a self goal over the last yr- post knee surgeries, hopefully next year will be more of a fitness improvement. Ride, Ride the butt off!


Kelsi & I made the podium of the Logue digger.

PreRide race course - pick up some confidence

Getting ready for first MTB race http://www.catclassic.net in Cascade, I have the day off to get kids & preride the course. What the heck am I trying a race at my age! This was a goal for after recovering from knee surgeries over the last yr and a half. I think something is wrong with my brain - wishy washy - Wacky Carazy Woman. I would rather drive the total of three hrs today for the preride & again tomorrow for the race in order to have home base poo station & feel more relaxed - WTF wacko! Of course, I could stay at my mom's house which is 15 min away but no I am obsessed with this bathroom thingy. I am sure this will be a real hoot - DFL! I was told "You will fall". I hope not - refurbished knees. I have protection, but may go without.
The Cat Classic is on land owned by the Logues. George is so proud of his antique collection of Caterpillar tractors & property, he will tell you a thing or two. I went to school in Montoursville with Joey & his never ending smile.
Well gotta try to get the reflectors off the two new MTB wheels.

One day a Biker ~ another day a Fencer!

The kids & I were involved in a Fencing Demonstration at the Donald Heiter Center in Lewisburg with our Fencing master Claus-Peter Folgner to promote the sport. My kids and I continue our Fencing classes tonight to perfect some new moves and get a cardio workout.

BIKE SHORTS ALERT!
I gave out words of wisdom for bike shorts to a doctor yesterday - Do not wear underwear under lycra bike shorts! Of course I knew that in the back of my head, but they were thin, silky ones and should not have left the top girth of my thigh!!
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