Another fun, successful weekend in the books. Although this weekend was supposed to be a bit of a slower weekend for me (trying to get caught up on laundry, cleaning, etc), it ended up being full of a fair bit of good adventure. I pretty much caught up on all of the cleaning stuff on Friday night (exciting, I know), and by Saturday morning, I was ready to tackle the weekend. I was up by 5 a.m., and the other half of Desert Pirates (Ryan) came and picked me up around 6 to head to the Phoenix Mountain Preserve for the second installment of the Extreme Heat AR series. Things started out well enough for us in this sprint adventure race, and we were cruising along quite nicely through the first couple checkpoints and mystery events. The only bad thing up to that point was the fact that we were behind the Buckeyes. As we started the biking leg though, we got behind a few slower teams on the singletrack, and couldn't easily pass them. A snobby woman and her horse blocking the trail at one point didn't help much either, though. But, we continued on through the first biking checkpoints in mid-pack. Things started to take a turn for the worse when we missed a checkpoint (reading the map while biking doesn't make for the best results - you don't avoid obstacles, and you don't really get the details of the map) and had to turn back around for 1/4 mile to get the point. Shortly afterwards, Ryan's front tire went flat. He didn't have a pump, and all I had was a Presta pump, which would not work for his Shraeder tubes. Fortunately, an awesome solo racer offered to help, and gave us a CO2 pump, which quickly reinflated the tube and after 10 minutes (which seemed like an eternity) we were back in the race. Alas, our luck didn't last. We took a wrong trail up a large, steep mountain as Ryan's tire was starting to go flat again. It was probably a 1/2 mile and 500 ft elevation mistake. Yeah, oops. But just as his tire went completely flat, we came up on the correct trail, and the final biking checkpoint... and the Buckeyes, who had had almost equally bad luck by missing one of the first checkpoints after going through most of them. Even 1/4 mile from the TA, this gave us hope, as we thought (as we had during the first adventure race), that our OSU friends were much further ahead. We booked it as fast as we could back to the TA, bouncing and walking our bikes along the rocky terrain so that we wouldn't completely destroy his rim, which had taken quite a beating. Once we got through the final mystery event, several teams had already finished. We knew that we weren't going to win, but we still had the chance to beat the Bucks, so we quickly jogged to the trekking checkpoints, hoping to get a glimpse of Hannah or Tom. We were rewarded as we were climbing the hill to our last checkpoint and saw Hannah coming down the ridge... with Tom nowhere to be seen. She had mentioned that she didn't know where he was, so we got even more hope that we could at least save something from the race and beat them. After clearing the ridge to the last checkpoint, we bushwhacked and ran back to the finish, where, alas, our adversaries were drinking Coke and cooling off. Our only saving grace was that our egg (which we had to protect from the beginning of the race), had survived while theirs did not, giving us a 5 minute advantage over them. It was a close finish between us, but neither of us fared even mid-pack, so however the results turn out, it's not really much to brag about. Still, always an adventure, and there were lots of good stories at the end of it, so it was worth it in the end.
I spent the rest of Saturday helping to move my friend/coworker into our house. Ryan (a different one) is a great guy, and I think it's going to be a blast living with him. Plus, he and his family (who live in PHX) do a lot of dirtbiking, and he's offered to let me try it as w
ell. Can't beat that :). After chilling with him and watching the Dbacks kick ATL's arse, I headed out to the Venue of Scottsdale where another friend/coworker, Jeff, was helping to manage the local band Digital Summer. It was the first time I've seen them live, and they were AMAZING!! Great music, awesome performance, and hanging out with a lot of good people. I really do recommend the band though. They're homegrown here in the Valley, but I'm sure they'll go big soon: they've got the talent, their own unique style (closest thing to them would be Linkin Park), and a lot of heart and passion on stage. I love live local bands, and they're definitely the best I've heard in awhile. Digital Summer, pass it on.
Today was spent mostly at the boathouse, fixing up ASU's wonderful fleet. Although we may not have the best equipment, I believe that the spirit that we have right now in the women's program is going to take us places. I don't know what kind of girls I'll have this year, but I made my hands black with epoxy and T9 so that at least the Warp Speed (my #1 novice boat) will be fit to race with the big dogs... even if the ribs are falling apart and I made my own slide stops out of epoxy, by the time I get done with her, she'll be ready for some strong, fast girls. And I'll work on the strong, fast girls thing starting next week. I'm excited, folks. Watch out.
And, never satisfied with just one good adventure, I headed out south this evening with Angel and Hannah for what was supposed to be some easygoing MTB along a doubletrack on one of the Indian Reservations. For the first hour, we wound around the tracks, up and down a few fun gravelly hills, and then finally got into the desert proper, which was beautiful with the setting sun and a dust storm off to our southwest. Then, as we were headed off more into the desert, Hannah looked back and mentioned that she had seen some caves on her last bike out in the area. Sure enough, there were two nice sized holes in the hill that we had just passed, so we dropped our bikes right there and sprinted up to check them out. With the aid of a small headlamp, we peered into a long tunnel. It was littered with trash and smelled of urine, but it seemed to go on for quite a ways, as if it were an old mine shaft. I've always been drawn to caves and this was no exception, so we started slowly in to explore it. No sooner than we took a few steps in, a bat came flying out, and it's times like those when you realize where "bat out of hell" comes from. Those little guys don't slow down for anyone. It startled us, and as a fight or flight response, I put up my fists as if I could have fought the thing (adrenaline does weird things to you). But we quickly calmed down after we realized what it was, and continued on a few more steps. As we did, we heard a sound that has become unmistakable to me here in the desert. The Life Sciences Department at ASU keeps about 25 rattlesnakes in the building right next to mine, and everytime I go in there, at least one of them seems to be pissed off at something. They're in glass cages there though. The hissing sound of the rattle sent us all flying out of the cave with a speed that the bats would have been jealous of. Once we were well away from the cave, though, our curiousity got the better of us, and we wanted to take a look at the snake. For about the next 20 minutes, we shined the light into the cave (the snake really hated the light and responded with increased frequency of rattles) to try and make him come out. What we would have done when he came out remains a mystery. But we still couldn't see it, and, like the mischievous kids that we are, we started throwing rocks at it. The rattler really didn't like that, but we couldn't stop till we saw it. From hundreds of experiences battling mother nature, I've learned that if you mess with her, she'll mess with you right back, and the odds are usually with her. I've only been on the planet 24 years, and she's got a couple billion years on me. With every bat that came hurtling out of the cave, the adrenaline would kick in, and at one point, had me running all the way down the hill. After that, I decided that as much as I would have loved to see the snake, I rather leave without getting bit. Eventually Hannah and Angel did as well, and we continued along our way without ever seeing the little (big?) guy. The rest of the ride went well, and we rode the return half on the road, getting back to our cars well after sunset. Since we were down that way, we decided to introduce Hannah and Angel to the American Fire. No matter how many times I see that beautiful baby, she still gets my heart rate going. No work on her today, just showing off, but it was still great to see her.
And now, in these last final hours before I tuck myself into bed before the first day of school, a million things are running through my head, but the main one revolves around dreams and passions and living life to the fullest. The conversation started after a delicious meal of In-N-Out Burger, and ended up as a mildly heated debate between the members of the fledgling ODP adventure racing team (details to come soon). I've always lived my life without boundaries. I know that limits may exist, but sometimes I, in my stubbornness, refuse to see them. In my life, I have been told that I'm crazy about 5,482 times (or somewhere thereabouts), but I've never let that stop me from what I believe is worthy, right, or possible. Maybe I am crazy, I've learned that I have no problem with that if I am. I think people are crazy for letting their life just slip by without anything to live passionately about. It takes all kinds, but I consider myself blessed to be the crazy kind that enjoys my life to the max and gets to help people along the way. I am a dreamer, but at the same time I am a realist. I've got castles in the air, dreams that start out as nothing but a figment of the imagination. The difference between my dreams and others is that I put a solid foundation underneath those castles in the air. I'm not satisfied with doing things the way everyone else does. It's not that I'm ever trying to show off, it's that quite frankly, doing things that everyone else can bores me . I don't want castles on the ground, but yet I won't let my dreams just float away, either. I take those dreams, and I make them reality. Impossible is nothing. I know it's said as a cliche sometimes, but if you do want something bad enough, it is possible. It's never easy, and you will have to work for it, but in the end, isn't that what life is about anyways? The people that make a difference in the world are the ones who don't see limits or boundaries, and don't let anything stop them from pursuing their passions. I want to be one of those people, and I want to make the world a better place through my HIV work, coaching, and inspiring people through adventures... and I believe that I can. Maybe I'm crazy for it and maybe it isn't possible, but I believe that it is. They may be dreams now, but I will make them reality or die trying. Hopefully not anytime soon, though :). Sleep well rattlesnakes, sleep well.
I spent the rest of Saturday helping to move my friend/coworker into our house. Ryan (a different one) is a great guy, and I think it's going to be a blast living with him. Plus, he and his family (who live in PHX) do a lot of dirtbiking, and he's offered to let me try it as w
ell. Can't beat that :). After chilling with him and watching the Dbacks kick ATL's arse, I headed out to the Venue of Scottsdale where another friend/coworker, Jeff, was helping to manage the local band Digital Summer. It was the first time I've seen them live, and they were AMAZING!! Great music, awesome performance, and hanging out with a lot of good people. I really do recommend the band though. They're homegrown here in the Valley, but I'm sure they'll go big soon: they've got the talent, their own unique style (closest thing to them would be Linkin Park), and a lot of heart and passion on stage. I love live local bands, and they're definitely the best I've heard in awhile. Digital Summer, pass it on.Today was spent mostly at the boathouse, fixing up ASU's wonderful fleet. Although we may not have the best equipment, I believe that the spirit that we have right now in the women's program is going to take us places. I don't know what kind of girls I'll have this year, but I made my hands black with epoxy and T9 so that at least the Warp Speed (my #1 novice boat) will be fit to race with the big dogs... even if the ribs are falling apart and I made my own slide stops out of epoxy, by the time I get done with her, she'll be ready for some strong, fast girls. And I'll work on the strong, fast girls thing starting next week. I'm excited, folks. Watch out.
And, never satisfied with just one good adventure, I headed out south this evening with Angel and Hannah for what was supposed to be some easygoing MTB along a doubletrack on one of the Indian Reservations. For the first hour, we wound around the tracks, up and down a few fun gravelly hills, and then finally got into the desert proper, which was beautiful with the setting sun and a dust storm off to our southwest. Then, as we were headed off more into the desert, Hannah looked back and mentioned that she had seen some caves on her last bike out in the area. Sure enough, there were two nice sized holes in the hill that we had just passed, so we dropped our bikes right there and sprinted up to check them out. With the aid of a small headlamp, we peered into a long tunnel. It was littered with trash and smelled of urine, but it seemed to go on for quite a ways, as if it were an old mine shaft. I've always been drawn to caves and this was no exception, so we started slowly in to explore it. No sooner than we took a few steps in, a bat came flying out, and it's times like those when you realize where "bat out of hell" comes from. Those little guys don't slow down for anyone. It startled us, and as a fight or flight response, I put up my fists as if I could have fought the thing (adrenaline does weird things to you). But we quickly calmed down after we realized what it was, and continued on a few more steps. As we did, we heard a sound that has become unmistakable to me here in the desert. The Life Sciences Department at ASU keeps about 25 rattlesnakes in the building right next to mine, and everytime I go in there, at least one of them seems to be pissed off at something. They're in glass cages there though. The hissing sound of the rattle sent us all flying out of the cave with a speed that the bats would have been jealous of. Once we were well away from the cave, though, our curiousity got the better of us, and we wanted to take a look at the snake. For about the next 20 minutes, we shined the light into the cave (the snake really hated the light and responded with increased frequency of rattles) to try and make him come out. What we would have done when he came out remains a mystery. But we still couldn't see it, and, like the mischievous kids that we are, we started throwing rocks at it. The rattler really didn't like that, but we couldn't stop till we saw it. From hundreds of experiences battling mother nature, I've learned that if you mess with her, she'll mess with you right back, and the odds are usually with her. I've only been on the planet 24 years, and she's got a couple billion years on me. With every bat that came hurtling out of the cave, the adrenaline would kick in, and at one point, had me running all the way down the hill. After that, I decided that as much as I would have loved to see the snake, I rather leave without getting bit. Eventually Hannah and Angel did as well, and we continued along our way without ever seeing the little (big?) guy. The rest of the ride went well, and we rode the return half on the road, getting back to our cars well after sunset. Since we were down that way, we decided to introduce Hannah and Angel to the American Fire. No matter how many times I see that beautiful baby, she still gets my heart rate going. No work on her today, just showing off, but it was still great to see her.
And now, in these last final hours before I tuck myself into bed before the first day of school, a million things are running through my head, but the main one revolves around dreams and passions and living life to the fullest. The conversation started after a delicious meal of In-N-Out Burger, and ended up as a mildly heated debate between the members of the fledgling ODP adventure racing team (details to come soon). I've always lived my life without boundaries. I know that limits may exist, but sometimes I, in my stubbornness, refuse to see them. In my life, I have been told that I'm crazy about 5,482 times (or somewhere thereabouts), but I've never let that stop me from what I believe is worthy, right, or possible. Maybe I am crazy, I've learned that I have no problem with that if I am. I think people are crazy for letting their life just slip by without anything to live passionately about. It takes all kinds, but I consider myself blessed to be the crazy kind that enjoys my life to the max and gets to help people along the way. I am a dreamer, but at the same time I am a realist. I've got castles in the air, dreams that start out as nothing but a figment of the imagination. The difference between my dreams and others is that I put a solid foundation underneath those castles in the air. I'm not satisfied with doing things the way everyone else does. It's not that I'm ever trying to show off, it's that quite frankly, doing things that everyone else can bores me . I don't want castles on the ground, but yet I won't let my dreams just float away, either. I take those dreams, and I make them reality. Impossible is nothing. I know it's said as a cliche sometimes, but if you do want something bad enough, it is possible. It's never easy, and you will have to work for it, but in the end, isn't that what life is about anyways? The people that make a difference in the world are the ones who don't see limits or boundaries, and don't let anything stop them from pursuing their passions. I want to be one of those people, and I want to make the world a better place through my HIV work, coaching, and inspiring people through adventures... and I believe that I can. Maybe I'm crazy for it and maybe it isn't possible, but I believe that it is. They may be dreams now, but I will make them reality or die trying. Hopefully not anytime soon, though :). Sleep well rattlesnakes, sleep well.
No comments:
Post a Comment