Lake MXZ302 Black Shoe Review

Yes this is going to be a review but I have to put some photos in there as well.  The lighthouse photo was a walk to my car after work 2 weeks ago.  I remember walking up towards where I park and seeing the light and then running to my car to make sure I didn't miss it!  I drove down to the marina and snapped it and a couple of others - but this is my favorite of them!

The other was an October bike ride out in the country by our house.  The trees are pretty much leafless now and we have had light flurries a couple of times.  You know what that means - winter is here YIPPEE!!!

OK onto the shoe review!

I got them on Wednesday and it had been raining since then so today was my first chance to give them the once over.  It was low 30's when I left the house and headed to the YMCA for a swim and the shoes did not let down.

They were warm, comfortable, and all that I expected.  I am excited to get the cleat location dialed in and trying them in lower temperature weather - say 0's, teens, 20s before I make my final decision - but somehow I think I will be pleasantly surprised at how effective they are at keeping my toes warm on my winter rides!!!!

Look for more to follow on them but I picked them up from Performance on deep discount and then scored an online Performance discount.  At the end of the day I paid just under $150.00 for a $250.00 shoe!!!!!  That makes my wallet happy and my feet warm!

Tomorrow is my first cyclocross race of the season.  Well actually first race of the season.  And possibly the last race of the season.  It is at Delaware Park and next weekend they have one at Kissing Bridge so maybe I will sneak out and do that one also.  I might as well see how slow I am compared to all the other burners around here!

Have a great weekend - and get out in this beautiful weather!!!!

The Week in Review

This is one of my favorite photos that I have EVER taken.  It was last winter in Sprague Brook (shocking I know) and the sun had just broken out from behind the clouds and I decided hey let's take that shot.  In looking over all the photos of that day, most were dark and dreary, but this one made my heart jump with excitement about the upcoming winter and the activities (I won't ever bother calling it training anymore because it isn't - it is fun :) ) that will be happening.

Snow is in the forecast this weekend but not enough to make this possible.  That is still 1 month away - BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!

Ok, so this week I took to heart my pastor's message on the sabbath and about media and it's deluge on our daily senses.  I have not watched television at all and another big step was I stopped listening to music at work.  This is very difficult because it means I have to hear more of the co-workers senseless banter but it allows my mind to be that much more clearer and freer to hear from God and His plan for me!

I have also begun the attempt to give up sugar as much as possible.  You would not believe how many products have sugar listed as one of the first 3 ingredients and that is what I have been told is the main ingredients in each item.  I have not had any candy since Tuesday and have cut my pop consumption down to 1 can a day at lunch and I generally don't finish that.  All in all I am very happy my body is handling it, besides the brutal headache I had for 2 days.  Maybe this weekend I will drop pop all together and see how that works.  But I love my Ice Cold Dr. Pepper out of the fountain so I don't know!!!

What is next - The Budget!!!!!!!!!!  Been working on it and trying to get something set in stone for 2011.  It has been alright so far and with some more minor tweaking I think we will be bang on with our giving increasing and our Faith promise for missions and our building fund being over what we estimated it to be.

I know I am very excited to see how we grow in the next 12 months and what God has in store as Amelia gets close to college and Jake to high school.  I have visions of year round snow in my mind :)

Have a great weekend.  Get out there and ride, run, skate, or play.  Most of all set time aside to spend with God and see what He desires from you!  His work will be done no matter what we do, but wouldn't it be cool to be able to witness it first hand and receive that blessing?

Welcome To November

Yes I have this on my mind :)  I know a lot of people do not agree but it is a true love of mine and I cannot wait to ride the snowmobile trails and hopefully it happens real soon.  There are flurries in the forecast this weekend but I doubt they stay around.  My daughter and I saw flakes on the way to church last Sunday and that got me excited :)

Other things going in my life right now - well I am riding to work as often as the weather and body calls for it.  Right now I am at 65 commutes for the year and I am trying to hit 77 (the number I hit last year).  That would be good since I had 30 days of no commuting with the Freedom Tour earlier this year!

I am also becoming a devoted swimmer.  I want to do a 1 or 2 mile lake swim race next summer and my swim needs a lot of help.  To get good at swimming means drills and laps and time but I am willing to invest in it right now and see how it turns out come spring time :)

The biggest thing right now is that I am on a kick to cut out senseless media.  Last week I watched about 2 hours of television total and that included football games Saturday and Sunday.  Actually most of the time was football Saturday night as I relaxed in bed.  Since my beloved Denver Broncos are one of the worst football teams this year I have no desire to watch them on Sunday's so that rules that time out as well!  So far this week I am at 0 for television consumption ;) and hope to keep it that way.

I have been weaning myself off of it recently and Sunday our pastor gave a great sermon on the Sabbath and how things distract us from focusing on God at all times during the day.  A big part of that for me was donning the IPod while riding and I stopped that about 3 weeks ago.  It is freeing knowing that the only thing penetrating my mind our my thoughts - well maybe that is not so freeing after all but you catch my drift - and God's which is truly freeing!

What is next to go - hopefully the car but I am having a difficult time coming up with a commuting plan for winter time around these parts.  I could try and ride to work all winter long but right now my body does not like when I do back to back commutes (sorry Dave you are a rock star and I am not) so I don't know if that would really work out.  I am sure something is out there for me to latch onto plan wise - stay tuned :)

Alright that is all for today - get out there and ride your bike, or walk your dog, or play with your children, or just enjoy God's creation for a while.  It is all good - if you don't believe me read Genesis!

My Walk to the Car

The sky yesterday was amazing over the lake.  I loved the lighting!!  Enjoy!

Some Added Ways to get Bicycle Time

I am contemplating ways I can get riding time in besides commuting and riding around the neighborhood.  The wife won't let me buy a trailer for my bike to grocery shop with so I am contemplating rigging up my Single Speed Mountain Bike to a grocery cart.  I should have thought of that when the kids where younger because I could have put a helmet on one of them and taken them with me!

I really don't like mowing the lawn, but I love riding my bicycle.  Maybe this would solve the quandary.  The kids want a riding mower and I could tell them this is a riding mower so go get 'em.  Do you think it will work?

I cannot believe October is almost over and that means snow is just around the corner - YEAH!

Funny side note - I looked on Facebook today and it said it is my mother's birthday today.  I always thought it was the 28th but FB says the 27th so it must be official.  Either way - Happy Birthday Mom!!!  Even if it is tomorrow I doubt I will be posting another blog so we will make it official today.

Have a great day and get out there and ride your bike!!!!

A Little Fall Riding

This is from all the rain we have had this fall

Yesterday was a beautiful day.  It has been a very wet and windy fall in Western New York and I snuck out for a ride to my favorite destination - Sprague Brook.  I am excited about the winter and skiing out there and all other winter activities.  I think my body is ready for a change of seasons and different training because it has all been a struggle lately!

Sunshine trying to break through

I put myself in a pickle though - I have been doing my not ride the same road that I have been on already thing this fall and as I was leaving the park I thought - hmmmmmmm I have never left the park any other way.  So I made a left instead of a right and headed off into the unknown.

Next year I am getting a local road map and I am going to highlight all the roads I ride and see how many I cover in Southern Erie County.  Somehow I don't think it will be as many as I think.



Leaves are almost all gone

Well the leaves are almost all gone.  That means time for the snow to start falling and time to get some new training in. 

Have a great day and get out there and ride your bike!!!

Busting of out IBWS

Ahhh - Fall in Western New York

The weather since my ride last Saturday has been horrible.  So for all of those that are worried the IBWS disease that I had was (I)rritable (B)uffalo (W)eather (S)yndrome.  It rained all week long and I finally got on my bike yesterday.

So what happens yesterday - the winds are about 20-25mph gusts all the way home - talk about wiping you out.  But when you have scenery like this it makes it all good.

My Neighborhood

I rode in the country all day today and I started a new game.  I cannot get on any part of the route that I have already ridden that day.  So I leave one way and the only way home is a big hill but that is good, I got to stop at a LBS just before to pick up some new brake housing/cable for a switcheroo I am doing.

My Felt Breed is going to be wearing my Woodchippers and my Bianchi MUSS is going back to a flat bar with bar ends as well in preparation of selling her.  They are all cabled up and now I just need some tape for the Woodchippers and my Breed will be rideable again!

I love my country home (no this is not mine)

This reminded me of Iowa and was on a new road I have not ridden before.  Next year I am getting a local road map and highlighting all the roads I ride each year just to track it for fun.

Have a great weekend and get out there and enjoy the Fall!!!