4

Luke is 4! Four years ago Becki and I went to the hospital and knew our lives were about to change. At 8:53p.m. I saw him for the first time. In the four years that have passed our lives have changed, the highlight of a friday night is now giving the kids a bath, getting them to sleep by 8:30p.m. so we can go to bed, or watching Luke play pole position on the T.V. I would not change it for the world. To have a son like Luke is a life long dream. I enjoy almost every second!
For his birthday we had a great family day! Becki and I went to Luke's pre-school for a parent teacher conference. This was my first on the parent end. Yes, I was nervous! As expected it went well! Then the family went to McD's for breakfast. Had a long conversation with one of Glenn's people (I say that with much respect). I hope our family made his day a better one. Then we went to Uncle Dave's store to look at things we can't buy. Always fun! When we got home we played some hockey with the new net in the garage! After a trip to Wissahickon Cyclery to talk with Drew it was off to dinner at Arpegious. A great place with great food. When we got home it was Mike Metzger Monster Energy Cake time. See the pictures for clarification. Yes, we made that cake.
Overall a great family day!

Question?

Charlie! How many miles do you think are on this bike? Don't answer that!

Playing in the Snow

We got our first real snow of the year in the Philly area and it has made for some fun with the kids. I was off from school on Friday so Luke and I did some shoveling and some snowboarding. For a four year old he can really go on the snowboard. We just use a Target special but it gets the job done on the local sledding hills. Luke has mastered getting started and going down the hill. The stopping and turning will come. We had a great time. Saturday was more of the same! Sunday was a bit warmer so we got Meg out in the snow! She did some shoveling and alot of looking pretty!

Vintage

Nice Hat

PH never looked so good!

Soon

These pictures are of a new trail that will soon link Plymouth Meeting with the many bike paths in the area. The trail systems in the Philadelphia area are great and getting super! Thank you to the many bicycle advocates in the area! The trail in the picture will bring the path system to within a mile of my door!

Long Weekend

A long four day weekend! Again, it is good being a teacher! The weekend started off with me catching a bit of a cold. It never got to bad, nontheless annoying. Friday my parents were good enough to take the kids over night so Becki and I could remember how easy our lives were before kids. Yes, we went on a date! It was very nice to go out together, enjoy the time, and move at our own pace. Becki and I do so much with the kids it makes the times when we are away from them great. We got to talk during dinner without interuption! Imagine that! I should also say that not having the kids around is weird. We both feel like we were forgetting something! Luke and Meg I love you but, mommy and daddy need our time. Thanks Big Lar and MK.

By Sunday I was feeling better and was ready to get back on the bike! This ride would not be the same as many of the mountain bike rides I have been on in the past several years. Charlie is back. For roughly the past 15 years I have been on more bike rides with Charlie then anyone. We both started out mountain biking together in the mid-90's, then did some road riding during the Lance era, and now have come back to mountain biking. Charlie and I also share the love of the bikes we ride or want to ride. We are both bike geeks. We both had neon colored centurions! We both now ride 29ers! We have both come full circle! We rode our new 29ers at a muddy Valley Green and I have no pictures because their was no CF card in the camera! Next time I will document. Good job chuck it was nice to see you back on the trail. Nice bike!

Monday was busy! Luke and I went ice skating again at Wintersport. His skating is starting to come together. It is so amazing to watch my son learn to do something new and the look of pure enjoyment on his face is priceless. After skating we came home and Becki was good enough to let me out for a 2hr. tour. I rode on bike paths and roads and enjoyed the 65 degree temps.

Happy V Day

I just wanted to say I Love You to Becki! Thank you for putting up with me, being a great mom, and being a super wife!

Sunday Ride

Went for a Mt. bike ride on Sunday. The trails were great and I felt terrible. Enjoy the beauty of Valley Green!

Princeton Hockey

On Sat. night Luke, Meg, PaPa, and myself went to see Princeton vs. Yale ice hockey. This was the first time my dad had been to a hockey game in Hobey Baker Arena since me and Andy played. The kids had been to one other game this year and really enjoyed it. They liked going with Papa much more! I have been going to the games for many years and always find it enjoyable. The town, the bookstore, and the games also remind me of the good times that I had with Rob M. We shared some great times in Priceton, I wish he were here on Sat. to watch the game. Rob M. I miss you and thanks for the memories!

Leaving Early

We are getting out of school early! Only about 1 hour early! I'll Take it. These are the days it is great to be a teacher!!!!!!! See Ya!

Pump

Once in a Blue Moon

Another great trip to the Ye Old of a BEEF! Charlie are you really going to go to Colorado? Ask Laura now! I hope you do! The Ye Old was very crowded last night, the word is out! Don't tell anyone.

Where did it go?

Meg can you help me find my ball?

Lone Rider

I went for a late night mountain bike ride on Thurs. The weather was reasonably warm for 10:00pm and I was able to get in about 2hrs of Valley Green riding. Most of the ride was on Forbidden Drive with some single track thown in. As I have said before the feeling of having the park all to myself is great at night and sometimes scary. A bat was the only animal I encountered when he swooped down towards my head! Needless to say that got the blood pumping! Basketball coaching is almost over and I look forward to riding with some other human beings. The bike commuting to work will also pick up! Spring is right around the corner!

It would work!

Night Time Hills

Tonight I did a hill repeat workout. My neighborhood is a series of roads on a hill that provide an excellent spot for hill repeats. The ride tonight was from 9:30pm to 10:40pm. The picture will tell you how I felt towards the end of some hard efforts. After a day off the bike the legs felt pretty good! The training will now get more specific!

Utah 2

Meg's 2nd birthday was on super Sunday! I can't believe she is 2! The pictures are when she was opening her new doll house. Andy I know you like the title of this post! The picture of Meg with the pig tales is from today it is just really cute!

Growth

The blogger nation is one Dogg larger! The opening post is the stuff of legends! Check it out at smiller10.blogspot.com!

Skating Pictures

Super Saturday

The biking pictures are from a road ride to get some miles in the legs. I did Joe's Loop. This is a ride full of ups and downs on good roads. Joe M. a teammate at Wiss Cycles introduced the loop to me many years ago. It takes about 2 hours to cover the 35 miles.
Luke and I went ice skating at a rink called Wintersport. This place is were many a late night hockey game was played in high school. One game we played was stopped because of the fans fighting in the stands. The players on the ice were standing together watching the people fight. I also remember playing and scoring two goals in the leauge all-star game as a soph. The memories created today with my son were the best so far.

Gotta Ride Some Time

27 Degrees! 10:00pm on a Thurs. night I am starting a short mountain bike ride. I was fighting off a cold this week so I had not been riding. By Thurs. the cold had never really happened. After the family went to sleep I headed to Valley Green for a short spin. I thought about staying in on the indoor trainer but, what fun would that be. It was great to get out before the rains came on Friday. The trails and forbidden drive were all frozen and fast.
I was riding the Rig 29er! The bike is just awesome! The big wheels really do work. With lighter parts and wheels the bike would be a bullet. Singlespeed riding has also been refreshing for me. It feels like a whole new sport with the same sensations I got when I started mountain biking in 1990!