The Bike Wife 1.0: Its not that Im slacking... exactly...

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Its not that Im slacking... exactly...

Life is so damn crazy! As I sit here, I have about 5 minutes to kill before my husband gets home with Indian food (Priya, thank you for existing, you are most exquisite). And then we will have 15 minutes to eat before this college kid, Tim, gets here and we teach him how to take care of the girls (chickens) for the next 6 days. And then when he leaves we have to pack for 6 days in Hood River, OR. Which is cold at night, hot in the day. We are camping half the time, hotel staying half the time. So all things must be packed. Then we get up early, and drive 8 hours to Hood River. We practice. We race. We drink beers.

And so it goes, every other weekend, a race, a ride, a vacation (life is good!)- but time for updates? NO! Things to update about? Too many to count!

Bikes: I'm currently stoked, super stoked, on DH and enduro riding. I learned to hit some bigger drops, and take some bigger risks, albeit small compared to the boys. I've come in 4th in TWO enduro races (heartbreak, I was almost 3rd in Ashland, and a chick from Canada who descended like a mother beat me by 9 seconds out of 54 minutes. Eff.) So this weekend is enduro #3. Wish me luck.

New Zealand: My agency, Accent Healthcare, has contacted my 'referees'. These are my references who are graciously filling out 5 page packets regarding my nursing qualifications/characteristics as a person. I dont think my manager is too stoked about this process- but hey, she'll be rid of me soon! I'm expecting my license to be finalized by the end of this month, fingers crossed. We're still hoping for a November move date.

Life: We lost 2 chickens. I never knew I could be so heartbroken. Those fluffy 2-dollar pea-brained girls worked their way into my heart and I didn't realize how much I'd become attached... Gory details arent necessary, but lets just say if a certain raccoon, or really any raccoon traipses through my yard, I will be the last thing it sees. Scramble is our only original girl left. And we have 2 new chickens, because apparently, upon extensive research, chickens rarely survive alone. They're flock birds, and a solo hen will die, basically of loneliness. They need someone to squawk at,....

Squirrel!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My dinner is here. Until next time.................

1 comment:

LoriJuly 12, 2012 at 10:07 AM
MAN you are busy! I miss your face already, lady! You are kicking some major butt in the bike area, I am so proud of you! And a move date in Nov?! So soon!
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Bike Babble

Here's a list of terms to help decipher what the #@&*! I'm blogging about:

Berm - a turn in a trail, usually built up with hard packed dirt, or sometimes wood/rock. A berm's purpose is to allow/withstand the weight of a rider making an aggressive turn.

Chamois - the padded spandex shorts worn under loose mountain bike shorts, and never, ever on its own. Also, should never be worn a minute longer than absolutely necessary. Like a condom.

Clapped Out - and old, well used bike. It may have been nice at one time, but is now a POS.

Clipless - bicycle pedals that clip in to one's bike shoes, thus making the human and the bike into one cohesive unit.

DH - downhill; as in DH bike (more travel), or DH trail. Downhill mountain biking is gravity assisted decent down a mountain, usually with technical features like jumps, drops, and rocky sections. DH races are very technical, usually no climbing, and are only a few minutes in length.

Enduro - A multi-staged race that includes both climbing and descending, and can also include being shuttled to the top of a trail or mountain. Timed stages are usually downhill, un-timed stages uphill.

Fire Road - a large, wide open trail, usually the width of a 4-wheeler or truck, typically smoother dirt or gravel. Preferred by roadies who are trying to mountain bike.

Fork - the front end of the bike, below the handle bars. The fork compresses (see "travel") anywhere from 2-8 inches on a mountain bike , depending on the type, to allow for more aggressive riding.

Free Riding - a broader range of mountain bikers; generally used to describe individuals who build their own trails, use natural features as stunts, are creative in trail/jump building. Will hike-a-bike for good DH trail riding, will put blood, sweat, and tears into good trail building.

Full Suspension - front and rear suspension on a mountain bike: the fork in front, and a rear shock in back. Contrasts with a hard tail (a mountain bike with suspension only in the front) or a road bike or cruiser (no suspension at all).

Gap - the distance between the take off and landing of a jump or drop, ie: the spot where you and your bike are in the air.

Hucking - to commit to a very large jump, drop, or gap, usually a very large stunt.

Loamy - soft, highly organic dirt. Desirable. Not rocky. Think Oregon and Washington conditions.

MTB - Mountain Biking

North Rim - A local Chico trail that is extremely rough and rocky. Quite steep in some places, less in others, but a steady climb for several miles. There are barely any trees, and it is the bane of my existence.

Shred - to ride vigorously, synonymous with "ripping" and "killing it".

Shuttle - the means of getting up to the top of a mountain/hill where a downhill trail starts. Usually in the form of a truck, or "shuttle truck".

Single Track - a narrow trail that is approximately the width of the bike. It is frequently smooth and flowing, but it may also exhibit technical rocky sections and may be criss-crossed with tree roots. Considered the best type of trail on which to ride mountain bikes.

Super D - a long downhill race with some climbing. Not nearly as much climbing as in XC, or as long of a race. Usually Super D has more technical downhill features, and lasts 20-30 minutes.

Travel - the amount that the fork is able to compress, thus, the larger amounts of force the bike can withstand.

XC - Cross Country, as in XC bike (less travel) or XC trail (uphill & downhill). XC racing is up and down hills, and courses are typically several miles long, and can take 2-4 hours to complete.