It's baaaaack!

Kaden's got poison ivy again :( Darn darn darn, we were doing SO good this year! We've trampled through the stuff multiple times and been okay. But not so lucky after Sunday. Not sure whether he got it at the bike race or at Beverly park. He says he fell into the weeds at Beverly (which has a ton of PI), but he also didn't have long sleeves on the whole time at the bike race. It was really easy to pick out the PI at the bike race...it was everywhere you looked...and then some! I have a feeling it might have been at the bike race when him and I were helping John out. Kaden had taken his sweatshirt off as we were in the sun and it was warm. Then we went into the woods and he was squished into the trees that most likely had PI growing up them. Since it's just on his arms now, that's my guess. His legs are clear (for now) although he did have pants on. At Beverly he didn't wear his long socks, so if he fell into the PI it most likely wouldn't be just on his upper arms. I'm also thinking it wasn't Beverly because we showered when we got home and the bike race PI would have had more time to settle in on his skin.

See what one moment of not thinking about PI can do. Ah oh well, it was bound to happen sometimes this summer.

Weekend recap

Another fun weekend we had! Saturday morning took us to Eldridge for a short track bike race. It's like a crit (short track, lots of laps) but in the woods! It was a perfect spectator course as we could stand in one spot and see the racers all over the course. Salem and Kaden decided to take the video camera and go one way while I went another and we'd meet in the middle. The boys didn't get that part though as they stayed in one spot. They had found a couple bike patrol people to stand and talk with. I came up on them and they were having a jolly good time cheering the racers on, especially dad! It was also nice as we met up with the 2 bike patrol people the following day at the races too.

So Keith had his race, did really good and came in 2nd place! Boring recap, sorry. It was fast racing and fun to watch, but not much excitement to talk about.

On the way home the car was sounding funny and we could smell a weird smell. Nothing too bad, but about a mile from home the dashboard lights all lit up, the tach dropped out and the windows didn't want to work too well. We eased the car and got it in the garage. Let it rest for a minute and tried starting it up again, no go! Mad a bad cranking yucky sound and turned it off right away! Decided it was the alternator. It was super easy to take it off, sitting right on top, only had 3 bolts! Keith and the boys rode their bikes up to the parts store to get it tested to be sure it was bad before we bought a new one. The 1st store's machine was broken so they had to head to another one. Thank goodness they were both pretty close. 2nd place tested it and sure enough it was deader than dead. So he got a new one and home they came. Got the new one installed and car was good to go!!

The boys had YMCA night so we got them there. They went swimming, played dodge ball, ate lots of pizza, kickball and tye dyed a bandanna. Those were the highlights of their night. Keith and I stayed home and watched the Tour. Nothing excited for us since we had to fix the car. But we knew the kids were having fun, so that was good!!

Sunday another bike race, some more fun. Keith led his race for 2 laps and was still in 1st going into the 3rd and final lap. He had a guy hot on his tail, but he flatted in lap 2 and was out. The 3-5th place group gained speed and I knew he'd be caught before crossing the line. The boys and I were at the finish line waiting to see where'd he come across. Not 1st, not 2nd, not 3 or 4 or 5 even. Hum, I started getting concerned. Then one guy we had talked to at a few other races came across the line and told me Keith had flatted and was on his way out. Oh man that totally sucked!! I thanked him and then waited to see where he would end up. He came across in 18th place out of 55 finishers! 8 people did not finish due to flats and injuries. So frustrating after how well he had been racing knowing he could have taken top 5. Well, that's racing and hopefully next time will be better!

One of those injuries was a fellow teammate John. Kaden and I were in the woods taking pics when the group came by. We then started to head up to the start when I hear my name being yelled out in the woods. One of our teammates had hit a tree just before we saw them come through, but he's a tough bugger and so I didn't think I was being called for him. I ran into the woods and found John and Geoff standing there. Well Geoff was standing, John was bent over in pain. I took Johns bike and Geoff took off continuing to race. Turns out John hit a tree with his shoulder and dislocated it. OUCH!! Kaden and I stood there holding his bike while he tried to relax his shoulder to pop it back into place. John said it has happened before. He decided it wasn't going to happen and he would have to drop out. So we walked out of the woods and found a trail that would hopefully take us to the start line. Sure enough we weren't too far away and got there quickly. Found his wife and she took over. Then we were able to go to the start where we waited for Keith to come across.

After the race we packed up and headed back towards home. LAMBA (local mtb bike club) was having a picnic/party at the Beverly Trails so we stopped by to see if anyone was still there and hit the trails ourselves. Loads of people were still hanging out so that was cool. They had some big ramps and food still left. Keith and I hit the trails while the boys played with the other kids and on the ramps. Keith and the boys went out, the boys went out with other people. All sorts of fun. We hung out there for a few hours then came home to shower and bed!

Big exciting weekend!!

Just a funny thing I remember from when we were visiting Salem up at camp last Wednesday.

We're walking across the lawn to the pavilion where our Troop is at when I hear someone yelling "MOM, DAD". Knowing exactly who's voice it is I turn to find Salem running over to us. He was off doing something else. But as we looking at him, the first thing he says to us is...

"I know I don't match" :)

Which was HILARIOUS! Even more so because when I saw him I first thought, "wow he doesn't match at all". The poor kid could read my mind! I was so shocked over his concern for not matching for us. Maybe because I went over his clothes with him before he left so he knew what shorts went with what shirts. I didn't want him looking totally mismatched like some other kids do.

I told him it was just fine!! He had the matching shirt on under his scout shirt. So it was passable to me :) I ruffled his hair and gave him a kiss and said it was good to see him and said the mismatching was just fine :)

Slip n Bleed...Snoop style

Before Salem left for camp we broke our slip n slide...really broke it, so we went off in search of a new one. Found one that looked pretty fun, had a jump in the middle! Too bad we didn't get a chance to try it out before he left. Today it was calling our names even though it was only in the low 80's. The jump wasn't that impressive once we opened it, but we could make it work. Set it up and off the kids go. Found out it was colder than what they thought and the slip n slide just wasn't working too well. Keith got his suit on and went down a couple times, him too not impressed with the jump. Good thing we didn't pay much more this slip n slide than a regular one as we can use it as a regular one. Or try to make the jump work better. We'll try again when it's warmer.

So the slip n bleed comes in with a tv show we watch called Nitro Circus with Travis Pastrana. It's a knock off of Jackass but this is funnier and something we'll let the kids watch. It has a lot of crazy tricks with motorcycles and bikes just going really big and outrageous! The one episode they made a big slip n slide in the guys backyard but they build in a hoop! I'm sure you can kind of see where it goes, but surprisingly not too many injuries.

Salem ended up making our slip n slide a true slip n bleed (without the bleed). At the end is a hole where you fill it with water and he caught that on his side. Made a nice red mark, but no blood. I think he was a tad disappointed it didn't bleed, lol. Maybe we'll do better next time :)

Back to the bike!!

So it's been almost a month since I rode my bike...such a sad story!! Tonight we were finally able to get out to Beverly and RIDE!! Kids were just as happy!! Keith took off with a couple fast guys out there and the kids and I went off. Same thing we do each time, then we meet up later and Keith and us go off. I did not have a good time though. My bike was seeming off and at the top of the climb I noticed my front brake was rubbing...that would explain why the lower gears did not seem to help my climbing. And then the kids decided they had to go to the bathroom, so we headed back down to the car and potty. Ends up the spring had sprung on my brakes, easy fix! Back off we went! Kids have fun taking mommy out on the trails. Kaden leads and decided where to lose us in the woods, I'm second and Salem is in the back yelling at how slow we go and how I'm always on the brakes! We're way in the back when my gears start not working right. I can't keep it in the middle ring, keeps dropping down to the lowest gear, ugh! And then I get chain suck (the only time I let the kids say that word), not fun, the chain gets basically sucked back and it won't move. So I stop to try and fix it. Works for a short time then we have to stop again and fix my chain, ugh! Kids are quite patient though wanting to ride. So I decide just to keep it in 1 in the front and go at it the rest of the way. I can change a couple gears in the back without getting chain suck (found out the hard way). Kids want to go hit a couple more trails, specifically the new one they helped cut out. So I give them my phone so I can head to the car and they hit the other trail. I know they know they're way back so no concern there. Back at the car I wait for the bike fairy (Keith) to get back from his hammer fest. Kids make it back just fine too and go hit some more trails. There are a few they can hit on their own, and a few they can't hit without me or Keith with them. So Keith gets back and checks out my bike, seems I managed to bend my middle chain ring! Only way to do that is with pure power!! My 1st and 3rd are fine, so I didn't hit anything to bend it. Go me!!! We borrow a big wrench (not to big) from a friend of ours who was there (he had a HUGE wrench) and smacked it back flat a bit so I was able to ride it some more. Then all 4 of us took off to hit some trails.

It was a really great night! Kids and I had fun, then all of us had fun, hit some great trails. Lovely weather, no bugs! Not too many people there tonight though. Boys were hoping to see another friend of ours there and their kids. Maybe next time. Had a blast though and wore everyone out!