Strange Resurgence In BMX Stuff

Around Christmas time I bought a new BMX bike for myself, a Redline Proline Pro XL.  I had been threatening to do so for a while and finally did it.  Comparatively speaking, BMX bikes are cheap so it wasn't a stretch at all.  I have only been able to ride it sparingly, and it has been tough.  But I'm starting to get the hang of it.

Strangely, I have been selling some BMX bikes at work, too.  Mostly to old guys like me, as it turns out.  I guess people relive the days of their youth in different ways.  Some middle age guys buy Corvettes.  Other middle guys by little bikes.  Corvettes are slightly more expensive.

Although thoroughly modern under the skin, the very convincing SE Retro bikes really have hit a chord.  The mag wheels put them over the top.  I take one look at a PK Ripper and I instantly think of Feldon Wicks, the guy responsible for introducing me to BMX racing way back in 1979.  Funny, but his PK's and even his Quad Angle's were even more trick than these modern bikes.  I wish I could find a photo of his all blacked-out PK with Skyway Graphite Tuff Wheels.  Me and my friend Bob worshiped Feldon and the fact that he had bikes clean enough to eat off of made us crazy with envy.

Memory lane.  Sometimes it really is good, wholesome fun.

Funny dog

It will always make me laugh when I walk into a room and see this big dogs hind end sticking out from under the bed.  It makes me wonder if he knows he's not all of the way under, or if he just got tired half way through and stopped?

Powell Hall for some Culture

Grandma and Grandpa took Hanna and I to Powell Hall today for a little bit of culture.  It was a packed house, featuring a show that highlighted each of the instrumental groups.  Wood Wind, Brass, Percussion, and Strings.  Pretty cool.

Sickness, Wires, Rain, and Apologies

 I have been battling yet another sinus infection.  Indeed, I have fought a valiant fight.  But I again needed relief that just wasn't coming any other way and started taking antibiotics.  I slept about 4 hours in 4 nights, kept awake by coughing....that's enough tough-guy act....just give me the pills.

 I was fully prepared Friday to have the Giant TCR SL completely outfitted with the new Ultegra Di2 stuff.  But, alas, I flubbed the order and I'm missing a wiring harness.  It will be here on Wednesday and I can be electronically shifting up and down the cogs.  (A side note here:  it's funny that bicycle purists ask me why I would want to have electronic shifting...those same people who's lives are inundated with I-Pads, I-Phones, Blue Tooth, ANT+, GPS, etc.)  Try it for yourself, it's the finest damn shifting I have ever seen.

 I was volunteered by my beautiful wife to help with the Run for the Chocolate that Big Shark put on this past Sunday.  I was a bit wary, since there was a chance for rain and I'm suffering from this sinus thing (see sob story at top of this post), but I agreed.  Curiously, she placed me at a water station, handing out water to the runners, in the pouring rain for a solid hour.  I was soaked and pissed.  I gave her the stink eye the rest of the day, until.....

She surprised me by getting my favorite junk food at the grocery store.  This and other treats were her penance.  I love her again.

Snow? Seriously? At least the kids like it.

 Hanna flies down on the blow-up tube

I don't think anyone knew it was going to snow any more than an inch or so Saturday night.  I wasn't happy with the results when I got around on Sunday, but the kids were very pleased.  We went to a small hill close to the house and they had a blast. 

 Hanna and Tyson together on the tube

 Eli taking the belly-slide down the hill

Hanna on a collision course with Tyson

Birthday Kids

 Hanna just turned 13.  We had a get together at the Bucks house last night as we usually do for the January birthday kids.

 Max just turned 15.  He's almost too cool for these little parties.

 It's easy to get Hanna to laugh about something.  I'm not sure if Eli is dumbfounded by something or he has a corn chip caught in his throat.

 She's smiling because she just got a gift card.  Hanna likes gift cards.  And sparkly stuff.

 Must be another gift card.

 Tyson is inside that cardboard box.  Tyson likes cardboard.

The birthday kids.  Almost not kids anymore.