We've got a big, big mess in our back yard.  It used to be a pool.  Now, we're trying to decide if we should restore it, or get rid of it.  Either way, it's going to be a huge project, and should be a hot topic for us this summer.  And so it begins.

When we first got this crazy house, the pool looked like this:

We had no idea how big it was, since the water was so nasty and opaque.  We estimated about six feet deep.  We then drained the pool, and were almost horrified to see it was almost twice that.

This weekend, we drained it, scooped out about 10 bags of leaves, rescued a few salamanders and frogs, and Donna pressure washed it.  In the photo below, Donna is standing about half way down, and it's already over six feet deep.  I think it's about 11 feet or so in the deep end.

The deck surrounding the pool is rotten, and needs to go.  The pool house (to the left) is super horrible nasty inside and either has to go, or be gutted and re-done.  And as for the pool, well it needs to be resurfaced, the plumbing needs to be fixed, and we probably will need to replace all the 1970s equipment (sand pot, pump, etc), too. 

Or, we could fill it in and make a neat sport court or something.  Maybe my own little velodrome?? 

Does anyone have any dynamite?

Hmmmmm.  What to do...what to do...

Each year, when I blow out the candles, I wish for either super powers or ninja skills.  It's still early, but I'm pretty sure it didn't work this year.  Yes, it looks like I'll have to wait at least one more year to become spontaneously super ninjaish, and I'm okay with that.

So while I go practice stealth attacks on my unsuspecting family (testing for the ninja skills), please allow me to start out this fine day by wishing you all a very merry UN-birthday.

To you...yes you.

I've ridden four days in a row now.  Perhaps that's no big deal to you, but I was in a funk for a while with all that nasty weather we had. 

Today was just what I needed: Four hour team ride and a whole lot of work.  I am starting to feel normal again.  I'm also starting to figure out my sprint again, too. 

For some reason, sprinting comes and goes with me.  It's as much of a dance on the bike as it is about power, at least in my view.  If all you've got is power, you can go fast, but you won't be able to accelerate well.   I'm not saying I'm going to start cleaning up in the races around here, but it's nice to feel the sprint dance come back to me.

After my ride today I was having serious dizzy spells.  Standing up from sitting on the ground made me see stars.  This happens a lot to me, actually.  Am I the only one?  Donna says it's due to dehydration, which is most likely true.  But man, for a few hours, I actually have to lean against the wall when I stand up until the room stops spinning.

Tucson, Arizona.  It's a beautiful place, and I really like it there.  In fact, I lived there for three years.  By year three, however, I could not wait to get the hell out.  While the U of A helps offset it, the general culture in Tucson just sucks.

While in Tucson, I tried to regularly attend a group ride every Saturday morning called the Shootout.  In the summer, it leaves at about 5:30am, well before most folks are up and out of bed.  The roads are nearly empty when this ride is going on, but still, there was always some idiot in a car (or motorcycle) out on the road with an axe to grind.

Recently, that idiot happened to be an officer of the law.

[edit]

Velonews wrote up an article about it.  Here's the good stuff:

So those issues are the legal background to the incident on the March 1st Shoot Out. On the February 23rd Shoot Out, several riders were again pulled over by a law enforcement officer, presumably in response to observed violations. Assuming that the officer did observe traffic violations, this traffic stop was reasonable and appropriate, as was the traffic stop in January. The following week, on March 1st, the Pima County Sheriff's Department again received a complaint from a citizen that "there was a large group of cyclists traveling on Mission Road." Apparently oblivious to the fact that there's nothing illegal about "large group of cyclists traveling on Mission Road," the Sheriff's Department swung into action. As the riders were heading back to Tucson on Duval Mine Road, near Green Valley, the responding Pima County Sheriff's Deputy crossed the double yellow line with his lights flashing, driving head-on towards the peloton, apparently in an attempt to stop the peloton because some riders had crossed the double yellow line into the oncoming traffic lane. As the Sheriff's Deputy approached the peloton, which was reported to be traveling at somewhere between 30 and 40 MPH, the lead riders braked hard to avoid a collision with the Sheriff's Deputy; several riders mid-peloton went down hard, twisting frames and shredding skin.

Informed of the mass crash, the officer's immediate response was "Good."

Did the officer really say "Good?"  I can't say how disgusted I am to hear that. 

Here's a video somebody made of some cyclists accounts of the event. 

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Tucson is a great place to visit, but there's a certain sense of lawlessness there.  Just be careful on the bike, because people really like their cars (and their roads) in Tucson.

Hang in there, my Oregonian brothers and sisters! 

Mr. Sun is on his way.  Believe it.  After this weekend, you will forget all about this character-building time in your life.  While everyone else in the world has a little tan going, rest assured your pale white skin tells a story of health and perseverance.  Here's to you, Oregonian weather putter upper....here's to you.

Oh Mr. Sun, Sun
Mr. Golden Sun
Please shine down on me

-Raffi

Like that lucky old sun
gimme nothin' to do
But roll around heaven all day.

-Johnny Cash

Little darling, I feel that ice is slowly melting
Little darling, it seems like years since it's been clear
Here comes the sun, here comes the sun,
And I say it's all right
It's all right

-The Beatles

Black hole sun
Wont you come
And wash away the rain
Black hole sun
Wont you come
Wont you come

-Soundgarden

Dark gives way to light
Warm fingers pour over me
I close my eyes and soak it in
I can feel you
I can smell you
Breath deep and enjoy

-erikv

Well, it is springtime, and I'm as happy as a little girllll...NOT. 

Our weather as of late has been a little on the harsh side.   Cold weather, and cold rain.  I'm not going to complain too much, though.  It's all part of the experience of living in Oregon as we transition to warmer weather.

Though I'm not complaining, I sure haven't had the motivation lately to actually go out and ride in this stuff.  Ah, but this evening, I found something to snap me out of my funk.  Something that made me slap myself in the face and say stop being such a pansey!  PIR!

Yup, PIR was tonight.  It was wet and cold, but so what.  I didn't do anything exciting, unless you count missing the start and chasing the pack for a lap exciting.  What I did do was get in a nice little ride in the rain. 

And guess who won?  The Ginz.  Ginzberger Meisterberger.  Mark Ginsberg.  Nice ride, Mark!

I rode the ol' green bomber Redline Conquest out there.  So while all you guys are cleaning your nice race bikes, I'll be eating bons bons by the fireplace.  Suckers.

Someone's got a case of the Mondays, and it's ME.  Sick, tired, and tired.  I am also feeling a little tired.

Another Friday night...I think 10 pizzas this time.

Till the End, by Emily Dickinson

I should not dare to leave my friend,
Because -- because if he should die
While I was gone, and I -- too late --
Should reach the heart that wanted me;

If I should disappoint the eyes
That hunted, hunted so, to see,
And could not bear to shut until
They "noticed" me -- they noticed me;

If I should stab the patient faith
So sure I 'd come -- so sure I 'd come,
It listening, listening, went to sleep
Telling my tardy name, --

My heart would wish it broke before,
Since breaking then, since breaking then,
Were useless as next morning's sun,
Where midnight frosts had lain!

RIP, Rick.