Wind, rain, and vacation...

It's mighty wet here in Grand Forks. I feel bad for the farmers; it looks like an insurance year. But don't worry all. The nation will still have food of sorts, because McDonald's will always be producing, um...burgers I think, in their labs...ehr, kitchens. But hopefully our farmers will be able to produce some real food if anyone is still interested. Someday I'd imagine the rain will cease, and we'll all go outside. I'm going outside this weekend if it works out. Flight ops is closed for the fourth, so the Superior Hiking Trail in NE MN is my destination. Mmmm....backpacking after many hours logged in front of that television that makes me lazy. Some nights I think I've heard my expensive backpack groaning from inside my closet. It's embarrassed that I own such a fine piece of equipment and make it sit and wait for adventure for so long. I shall answer it the correct way and head out for some good miles with some good friends on a good trail....hopefully, if the rain will stop. There was a break last weekend and I managed to fit in a short hike and canoe paddle excursion to nearby Lake Itasca State Park in MN. Stuck my feet in the headwaters of the mighty Mississippi, got served by many a mosquito, and had a generally excellent time. Weekends!!

I do miss the posse ride......

There once was a well honored, non-scheduled event that went down quite often here in Grand Forks amongst myself and a few of my close pals. We'd get on our bikes, fresh off the couch, bored of being bored, and go on what we dubbed a "posse ride." Yeah, I had to look up the word posse in my dictionary just to make sure I spelled it right. The point of the rides was simply "somethin' to do." We'd pedal aimlessly through the different areas of town (usually having to turn around a couple times- this town's not big), stop for food or beverage if needed, fixate on riding "that sweet set of stairs", or enjoy a nice gravity race (starting at the very top of a parking garage and rolling down with no peddling allowed- much needed careening fun for the bored cyclist.) Usually there was need to stop and let Edward fix whatever strange item he built as his bike. But it really didn't matter what kind of bike a person rode on these rides, just that we all got out and rolled down some pavement, or dirt, or stairs, or unmanagable Red River Valley mud and water. It was always a good time. However times have changed and most of the posse has moved on to other locations. Such is the way of posses. And it's ok, each members ended up in some cool places out there, as I imagine I'll do sometime relatively soon. But the time I had in Grand Forks with my adventursome friends was great. I hope all of you out there are still riding/climbing/hiking/general ruckusing and getting off the couch.

Don't get too caught up....

This past weekend I was able to make it home to see my parents along with my beautiful lady, Alison, and it was great. There was of course much eating (thanks mom and dad!), cleaning my delapitated old van, road biking in hail, and checking out the coolness of the people of the past in ND at the North Dakota Heritage Center. People were tough out on the prarie before heating and air conditioning and grocery stores. They built mud huts. They shot stuff. They ate/wore the stuff they shot. Cool. I should learn to shoot and eat something someday. The grocery store and Webber grill are so nice to me though. But anyways, the Center not only displays how people got by, but also the underlying principle of people living off each other whatever the external circumstances. People have lived through some crazy stuff, and enjoyed each other's company through it all. We should all remember the important people in our lives and enjoy their company through whatever situations life sets in front of us. You're not going to think of your bills and job and titles and degrees when you're laying on your death bed, you'll be thinking of the people you love. Make sure not to slip into going crazy about all the business you have going on in life- pay attention to the people God's blessed you with and enjoy life! And road bike in some (small) hail, too- it's fun!