Weekend Off

Well I find myself with this weekend off. I would go somewhere but for lack of cash, so I think I'll be doing things about home that I should have done sooner. Cleaning. Taxes. Cleaning. Should be some singlespeeding and hanging out with people mixed in their as well. And I think I'll call my brother, who apparently is engaged and hasn't called me yet. Congrats if you're reading this, bro! I'll talk to you soon. Anyway, it's off to make some pancakes and coffee to start the day late. It's so great that I slept past 5:30!

Coffee required

Yeah, so -6 degrees makes for a cold ride to the local coffee shop. Gotta love this state! I'm ready for my warm bed.....

Outside itch.

So I'm getting excited for this March. Since I work two school-related jobs (flight instructing at a university and driving a public school bus), I get a spring break should I choose to leave town. And as in the previous three years, I'm planning on heading south to Moab, UT. Much fun. Some of my outdoor-savy counterparts have also been feeling the itch to run about the outdoors after a lot of frozen winter days, so I think we'll have another good trip lined up soon. I just hope I can manage to get in a bit better shape before heading down. More diggin' in the backyard I suppose. The snowcave has been at a halt lately, as Edward and I have been letting work and the cold make us lazy. Haven't given up yet though. There's plenty more of this season. It is getting slightly warmer, too. I'm sure there will be a larger quantity of riding and hiking coming up in the not so distant future. The worst of the cold should be behind us for this year.

nice burns

Snowcaves and overdue singlespeeding

Yesterday was pretty entertaining. The temperture hit 33 (a sixty degree increase from last week), so I decided that since I still wasn't flying (pesky clouds) with my students, I would work on the snowcave my roommate Edward and I are building. It's our first snowcave, so hopefully it turns out. If any of you out there happen to be Eskimos you can let me know your thoughts on quality snow-home building. Yes I know, Eskimos live with central heat and air just like I do; bad stereotype. Anyway, I also went singlespeeding with my trusty 1x1 after several weeks of way too cold. I still had a 36mph headwind going north, so it wasn't all splendid, but I ended up having a great ride overall. For those of you cycling nuts out there, I'm sure you've experienced the calm, dead air feel of riding with the wind at the same speed it's blowing. Well it's even cooler when you are doing it in blustery night winter weather. Everything around you is howling, but you feel quite nice. It's like your cheating the elements. Anyways, there will be more on the snowcaving as it is constructed, or simply falls over.

My trusted Surly 1x1. (There's an American flag sticking nowhere but straight out in the nutty night wind in the background, but it barely shows in this shot.)

Birth of a prarie snowcave. (still birthing)

Of friends, food, and the Source of it all.

Well yes, it sure is cold here in ND at the moment. It would be very easy to find myself complaining, seeing as most of my hobbies are outdoors, and the current weather is smiting them. Times have been great though. I think the cold has been good to me in ways, as I've spent a lot more days inside spending time with friends hanging out/eating instead of my usual running around outside. God blesses us with relationships for sure, and it's important never to take them for granted. And man it's good to cook a tasty hot meal when it's cold out! Hopefully winter doesn't turn me into a total soft-belly. :) Anyways, point is that we should always be thankful for the lives that God has given us, reflecting on His nature, and not our own wants. Plus, it's not like He doesn't know what we like about life, He made us! "Delight yourself in the Lord, and He will give you the desires of your heart." Live life thankfully!

-20 Degree Start

Hello all. (As if I can say all quite yet, as no one really knows this page is out there.) But hello to anyone who does find themselves reading this posting. This blog site was created by myself, as a way to spend a minus 20 degree saturday afternoon in the beautiful frozen state of North Dakota. (Tonight I have exciting snow piling plans- no joke. Maybe part joke.) Either way, I also have plans that this site will also be a way for all you out there that may be wondering from time to time what that tall Danish/German/Norwegian/Whatever boy up in ND is doing these days to find out exactly that. I'll hopefully be diligent enough to post regularly and keep you interested in all of my thoughts and doings. (And if I can manage enough smarts to post pictures I'll do that too.) You should also be able to drop your own comments on any text/picture postings, once again if this blogger programming stuff turns out to be easy for partially techno-illiterate me. Enjoy!

Looking fantastic
This is me about three years ago. There is no other reason for posting this shot other than my own trying to figure out how exactly to post shots. :)
P.S. The sideburns have not survived to present days.