Long Gone

The last post here was about our new arrival, Augie. Now he's a bonafide member of the family and a total joy!
What has been keeping me away from the post? Well, another blog for one, @crosspropz.com.
Cross Propz is a cyclocross specific business I started last year, but really launched it this season. Well, before Cross Vegas (mid Sept.) which usually marks the start of the Cyclocross season, at least in these parts. Head on over to crosspropz.com for more on 'cross.
Things here at the ranch are running smoothly because NPM is taking care of the place, we finished our enclosed porch addition (10' x 20') and it turned out really nice, and serves as a great mudroom for our poochies, and me too, as the five of us seem to drag in the most debris, according to you-know-who.
This year has been pretty different for us as I was working, but not building a building. No, this time my project was a city park in Wheat Ridge, CO. I had never built a park before so, I'm not very good at it. It was a difficult site with some difficult circumstances all combined which is why we call it work. The good part about this job was that the neighbors would walk by with their dogs. So I got to meet all kinds of great dogs...people too, but the dogs really amazed me. Of course, I gave them treats, and they responded by dragging their owners to the site everytime they were out. And they would search me out, look for a specific human among many and just go crazy-happy when they found me. I know this must sound like I'm losing my marbles, but there's something about that blatant honesty that just floors me. I really miss some of them as the project has been complete for a while.
Winter finally made it to our part of Colorado, we had a nice long "Indian Summer" this year.
So, I've celebrated the cold by putting my truck in a ditch, completely on its side, wheels nowhere near the road. ( no damage) Got that out of my system and now I'm ready for winter driving.
Last night was the first real unexpected storm that we've had this season, and it caught all the unprepared people as well as a couple obliviots. They managed to get stuck every which way on both Magnolia Road and the Boulder Canyon...so we wait. and wait. What gets me is that when the road opens some folks think that its dry and safe at any speed, I was incredulous as a person PASSED me on a double yellow (altho you couldn't see it as it was covered in ICE) in a real hurry to put his car in the rocks or the creek or whatever. Cars ahead were sliding and spinning slowly as this hurried individual attempted passage.
I shouldn't be surprised, I guess it happens every year, like me in the ditch, people need to learn to get their feet under them.
I've been doing some CX racing, really placing poorly, but having fun for a change. I'll take that any day. I haven't had time to train properly so I'm racing against the surfaces, myself, and learning how to pilot these fantasic machines thru thick and thin. I am working through specific goals and not letting my competitive nature ruin the fun that is there to be had.

Thanks for reading and thanks for being patient with this blog. I really like doing this but I guess I really like doing a lot of other stuff too. We are all fine here living in love and treasuring everyday this family of two humans, four dogs and four horses has together.
'til next time,

Paul