Figured I would make a generic post with some generic updates.
I used my work “bonus” to but two bicycles.
This one is a 2008 Giant TCRa1. It’s in unbeleivably good condition. Origional tires, not even used enough to wear the tire molding nibs off. If this bike has 200 miles on it, I’d be suprised. It’s AWESOME. My new favorite bike. Sorry old Panasonic fixie.. you have been replaced. I got it for (what I thought is a deal) 480$
And the other one is a really nice 2012 Sette Jammer. An awesome “Small Adult” mountain bike with a really nice Fox Front fork with 100mm of travel, and Hydraulic Brakes. This one is for the kids or friends to ride.. so I have someone to ride with. 🙂 This was a deal too at 475$. I’m excited for this biking season!
I have no idea how this one got forgotten about, but Hannah was the captain of her Mathlete team in High school. Not sure how they did in competition to be honest.. But I’m pretty sure the did better than average. Its a bit of a shame the schools dont advertise these events better.. sigh.
OK, thats all for this moment. Rockwell and I are going to go for a BMX gate practice tonight, and there is a Race tomorrow night. We went and practiced last night, and even on a soft moist track, Rockwell recorded his best time yet. 45.80 seconds. So, I’m sort of excited to see how he does in the races. (Hey, I’m not doing that bad myself BTW.. 🙂 )
Time is going by so fast! I can’t keep up. Half the things that happen I have not even mentioned here.
Melinda came up to me excited and said “Do you know who James Thurber is??” And I did not. I knew the name, but did not know why.. Turns out he was a artist and writer 50 years ago. She said “You must check this guy out, he’s awesome! I found a book about him in the little library outside… I’m going to stalk his whole life!” All While hugging the book… lol.. Anyway, I looked him up and read some of his quotes. I started to read one of them out loud “Women are wiser than men..” she interrupted me at this point and said it from memory “Women are wiser than men because they know less and understand more”. I guess Thurber has found a new fan!.. 🙂
Melinda has a friend visiting for the night, Emily. Emily and Melinda are friends from school. They have most of the same honors classes together. I am confident they are both in the top 10 of their class, probably higher. Anyway, they hung out outside today for a little while with some chalk.
It’s obviously a butterfly, but i called it a coffee cup.
The whale that sprayed up on the fence.
The huge chalk bunny.
Rockwell and I finally broke open the Geode that we had gotten this winter in Maggie Valley. It was much nicer inside than I expected!
This Thursday Rockwell and I went to the BMX track to get some practice in.. we have not been as actuive this year so far, and need to get going.. I was practicing jumps, and the very last time I jumped, heading for the car, I endo-ed big time and landed on my head and shoulder. I thought I broke something, but I think at this point its just banged up.. I feel like It should be back to normal in a week or two hopefully. Just pulled some muscles. I went to the local pharmacy to get a sling, and was reminded how cool my little town is. I can still spend a penny!
Anyway, I have been riding a lot lately.. Here is a early AM picture of my bike (a specialized “rockhopper”) at the lock/dam at sunrise.
And Young Makers this week, we made some more little libraries! A church wanted on, and someone wanted to put one in a park in a poor neighborhood. Works for me! The kids liked working on them too.. Using the nailgun and whatnot.
Today Hannah was in Atlanta for another band performance. After that, they went to 6 flags over Georgia I believe.
Anyway, last night she texted me and said “Our hotel is officially ridiculous!”.. And I replied “In a good way I hope”.. and she replied “Our room has two tv’s and a kitchenette!” and then said “the whole place is like that” and forwarded this picture.
Yep, that is pretty nice! 🙂
Rockwell gets the most attention this post. It’s been a while since we raced. Melinda, Rockwell and I went to practice last Wednesday, and went surprisingly fast on the new hard track.. Melinda did 56 seconds I think? That was a really good time. And Rockwell did his first sub 50 second time ever, even after not practicing for a while.. Go figure. Melinda did not want to race this week. However, Rockwell and I raced, and tonight, Rockwell actually won the first heat, and won the main too. Good job Rockwell!
Here he is winning the First heat.
Biggest trophy yet!
He crashed trying to jump a double AFTER the race… whacked his wrist too.
Commercial photographer was there too:
One more.
Here is something off topic… Melinda and Hannah have calluses… from so much writing!
Rockwell got to do some soldering at young makers this week. Learning something new is good!
Oh boy.. I am just going to publish this the way it is, as I am never going to catch up and cover all the stuff we have done this summer.
This has been a BMX summer.. Melinda and Hannah, Early in the season before little Hannah broke her collarbone (On a skateboard, not bike) ..
Found Melinda in the Airport…
Rockwell and some friends at the track!
Rockwell working on scavanging wood. Making him work!
The summer of frozen bananas
Pictures I need to find:
Rockwell coming in first in the main.
The new house on the back back yard
Ice cream
Rockwell at the FATS Trails
More pictures I need to find:
Melindas BMX race where she beat a boy and made the main, but the scorer did not write down the results right
Rockwell working on Moms chairs
Hannah’s visit to UofC
Melindas Birthday bowling
Visit to the woods near brick pond
This is just a BMX post.. I will post the dance and prom pictures next post.
These pictures where taken by Debbie Gill, a BMX parent. Her husband races in my old man cruiser class. Wish I had video saturdays old man race.. we “did good”.
Rockwell at the gate. He does well too.. but he has a WEIRD QUIRK he desperately needs to get rid of.. he slightly back pedals when the gate goes down. don’t know why.
Here is Rockwell in first place! he sandbagged a bit, and ended up in second place at the end.
Melinda at the Gate!
Wide shot of Melinda at the gate 13 yo/girls/intermediates.. three guys, two girls.. and the girls were not pushovers. The other girl is a expert class.. she can beat the guys regularly. Melinda is getting there!
All of the nights racers!
Melinda near the back.. that said, she was in front of the boy in front of her by the end of the rhythm section.
Not combined, just in the same post.. although.. It could be combined! There is a lot of physics going on in BMX!!
This week, My BMXers Melinda and her friend Hannah were inducted into the Jr BETA club. A club for academic excellence.
Melinda, accepting her award.
Here we are heading for the BMX track! Melinda’s bike is on the left, Rockwell’s is in the middle, and Hannah Jr’s is on the right. I think the bikes on the back are probably more valuable than the car they are mounted on! Interestingly enough, I can put two more bikes on there..(between the other ones, with the front wheels up on the car itself.) I want to get Hannah out on the track.. That would make 5 of us! then all we would have to do is to squeeze into the car! lol.
We went to tacobell recently.. Rockwell managed to win free food three times in a row. Quote: “Heck, I can do this professionally!”.
Melinda won second place in the REGION for her Science fair project on Sugar and rockets. Impressive!
And We had ULTIMATE Pi day this week! cant forget that!
Also, I did a Science and Math day Demo at North Augusta Elementary school. I did a demo on coding and “robotics”. I had the kids change things in the code, and then we watched what happened to the game we were working on, or the “robot arm”.. sort of neat. Worked out well, and the 3rd graders soaked it up!
So we had a little friendly competition today. The kids made Gingerbread houses, and I was to blindly judge which one was the best. (I could not watch to see who was making what).
Well… While they were all creative…
I had to go with the picturesque ones. Melinda won.
And since all my racers finished the fall season BMX series, They got personalized shirts and Number plates. Here are next seasons racers personalized plates! (I don’t know what their numbers will be yet.)
Here is a great one of Rockwell going over the step up..
and here is one of a crash.. Rockwell changed his mind a little late! He was going to jump it.. and then decided to manual it.. Glad he landed on the OTHER side of the hill.. crashing into the front of the hill would have HURT. Notice he is clipped in. That’s how he rides now. He seems comfortable with it.
Last weekend was the North Augusta Elementary Fun Fair. Arturo borrowed the Cotton candy machine and represented the young Makers. It was fun!
Of course we attended!
And, I saw my life flash before my eyes… My chain fell off my fixed gear bike, locked up the back wheel while I was going fast.. downhill. fast enough that the tire popped from the skid before I stopped (!)
The Clubhou.se also had a sumobot competition that we attended. It was fun. We probably should have participated.
And of course, more BMX! Rockwell concentrating on the gate. He is getting faster every time he goes.
And here are the girls. Melinda has been improving too.. when they started, their track time was almost 2 minutes. Now they are right under 60 seconds.. that is only 15 seconds slower than the pros.
Rockwell wanted me to wrap him up in some packing wrap.. I wrapped his head instead!
Hmm. I guess Rockwell’s Hair is getting sort of long.
And we had the Elections recently.. Do ya’ think I live in a republican area?
Our Friend Raven had her Bat mitzvah! It was an impressive ceremony, and we had fun afterwords.
Melinda Practicing her Violin!
The girls just being silly. This was the night of the Sumobot competition.
Melinda on her Monday night Horse riding practice.
Melinda has been going to Confirmation.. The pre-class game was where you put shaving cream on your face and try to catch the most Cheetos in it thrown by your teammate from at least 2 feet away. Harder than it seems!! She won though…
Melinda has been taking Art classes on Saturday Morning. This Saturday morning Rockwell and I went to a BMX race in Lexington County while Melinda wen to a friends Birthday party. I managed to Crash hard into Rockwell’s back wheel while practicing.. and messed both of us up. Hard enough to untrue his back wheel.. uugh.
This one is a 2008 Giant TCRa1. It’s in unbeleivably good condition. Origional tires, not even used enough to wear the tire molding nibs off. If this bike has 200 miles on it, I’d be suprised. It’s AWESOME. My new favorite bike. Sorry old Panasonic fixie.. you have been replaced. I got it for (what I thought is a deal) 480$
And the other one is a really nice 2012 Sette Jammer. An awesome “Small Adult” mountain bike with a really nice Fox Front fork with 100mm of travel, and Hydraulic Brakes. This one is for the kids or friends to ride.. so I have someone to ride with. 🙂 This was a deal too at 475$. I’m excited for this biking season!
I have no idea how this one got forgotten about, but Hannah was the captain of her Mathlete team in High school. Not sure how they did in competition to be honest.. But I’m pretty sure the did better than average. Its a bit of a shame the schools dont advertise these events better.. sigh.
