I’m Not Dead

But it has been a while since I posted.

In March we dropped off our three foster kids with their mom for the last time. It was bitter sweet. We’d spent thirteen months with them, but we helped a mom put her family back together.

We took a small break – my family so earned it – and May 29th welcomed a toddler and a teenager into the family. That makes six kids total now. We spent the summer getting to know each other better.

Now school’s back in session and there are finally moments (not many, but some) of quiet. There still doesn’t seem to be enough time for me to get done what I’d like though!

I kept trying to squeeze writing in. I’m about half way through a New Adult Adventure Romance kind of thing.

Because summer is the time to prepare for the MS ride we do in the fall, I missed out. It’s been hard this whole idea of not being able to do it all right now, but I’m coming to grips with it. The things I chose to do hold more importance. So, the ride is out for this year.

Hoping things will stabilize in a bit and I’ll find a way to get in everything I want to do 🙂

Happy back to school time!

Ride 102.5 Miles, Check!

The MS ride this year has come to an end. I’m still a little sluggish and sore, but I rode 100+ miles, it’s gonna happen!

And shout out to dd13 -she did her first MS ride this year and rode the short route -36.5 miles-which is a huge accomplishment for her. I’m proud of her!

To top it off, it was a GORGEOUS day for a ride!

It’s Almost Here!

Our yearly MS ride is right around the corner! Yippee Skippee! This year will be my first year attempting the 100 mile route. Kind of scary, but mostly exciting. But I still need to raise $180 to ride in about 10 days. Crazy.

I lost track of time – I blame the children – so I’m late fundraising, so I’m reaching out.

If you can help by donating, we’ll all be helping to raise money and awareness for MS. It’s going to be a tough ride, but I can do something hard for one day. My friends with MS do something hard every day. I’ll be riding for them.

Here’s the link, if you’re interested. The link should take you directly to the donation page with my name.

Thank you!

https://secure3.convio.net/nmss/site/Donation2?idb=502597079&df_id=40788&FR_ID=20077&PROXY_ID=10124157&40788.donation=form1&PROXY_TYPE=20&%3BPROXY_ID=10124157&%3B40788.donation=root&%3BFR_ID=20077&%3BPROXY_TYPE=20&%3Bdf_id=40788

 

Back in the Saddle!

Saturday, we woke up way too early after going to bed way too late. For us, that means it’s the start of bike season!

We packed up our gear, and added our two oldest to the mix, drove over two hours (while it was still dark) to get to Wamego, KS for the Cabin Fever Challenge ride. It’s the first organized ride our two oldest have been on. I’m so glad they came. I don’t know if they are. It was COLD!

Our temp starting out was 34*. My friend and I did the 33 mile route, while the kids and husband did the 14.5 mile route. We pushed through the frigid finger tips (cold, even with gloves) and frozen feet until the sun came out from behind the clouds and started warming things up. The hills helped warm us up, too.

I’m trying a new saddle, again. And my inagural ride with it was Saturday. I’ve lost count of how many saddles I’ve tried, and it’s kind of discouraging, but there’s got to be one out there that will work. I think this one has some potential.

For you cyclists out there, it’s the Selle Italia Lady Gel-flow. The saddle felt great at the beginning of the ride. The pressure was where it was supposed to be. But I realized farther in, that when I get tired, my hips tilt forward, and that’s when there’s pain that should not be there. Tilted the saddle just a tiny bit forward and hopefully get to try it again this week 🙂

Hello Multitasking!

First, multi-tasking  multitasking may or may not be hyphenated, obviously, I don’t know, so in the spirit of this post, I looked it up 🙂 It doesn’t. There. First issue taken care of.

It’s too cold/wet/icy/slushy etc for me to get out on my bike. A friend asked how I was doing with that. The answer is, not well. I spent a week or so acting like the big and growly bear I’d read about in one of my kid’s books. Not fun. For them or me 🙂

My husband, who can’t keep all of his awesomness to himself, signed our family up at our local community center. I went last week and oh my, what a difference! Unfortunately, my ankles object to running, so I have to take it easy. Hopefully, if I don’t over tax them at the start, they’ll get over themselves. So today, I forced myself to stay off the treadmill. I used the recumbent bike instead and brought my kindle 🙂

Last night, I had the foresight to load my current project onto that handy little device. So while my legs were turning those pedals and racking up miles, I was able to edit. I highlighted and left notes for myself that I can refer to when I pull the doc back up.

I felt kind of awesome – from the excercise and the multitasking.

Hope your day is full of awesome!

And Because I Can Laugh at Myself…

Yesterday’s ride was on a trail at a nearby lake. We have to share the trail with wildlife. This is where my kids learned the valuable cycling lesson of: don’t run over a stick. It might be a snake. My girls weren’t so fond of this lesson. Or the snake.

Anyway.

I heard a sound off to the side. All summer the bunnies have been trying to take me out on my rides. Okay, maybe that’s stretching it, but at least twice they’ve tried to kill me. So every time I hear a sound, I check for those little fluffy tailed assassins, just to be sure.

It wasn’t a bunny. Something large dove into the brush and trees. My first thought was werewolf…

Yep. I’m in writing mode. Crazy thing is, I’m not even playing with werewolves in this new project.

Goal Hit!

Yesterday, I hit my mileage goal for cycling this year 😀 Hello 2012 miles!

I started out the year with a goal of 500 miles. It was my first full year of riding and I had no idea how far I could go. I remember thinking how nervous I was that I wouldn’t reach it. I’m looking forward to next year and considering different goals.

Right now, I know I want to hit around 1100 miles by mid July, but I’m aiming higher for mileage.

I’d also like to increase my speed, so I’m looking into those scary clipless pedals. One of my goals for this year had been not to break anything. I accomplished that. I’d like to keep that on the table for next year, but being locked into the pedals makes that a little tougher. The good news? Typically falls in this situation happen at slower speeds – like stopping at a stop sign because the cyclist forgets to clip out soon enough. Also, this tends to happen once or twice. Pain and embarrassment are quick teachers.

In addition to my cumulative miles and speed goals, I’m tossing in a century ride to aim for. In June, there’s a flat century – at least they claim – a few hours away from us. My hope is that it’s a good one to start with. I’d also like to do the century on the MS ride next year, and it’s a tougher route. And maybe, if I’m really lucky, I’ll get to sneak away for a weekend with the husband and do another flat century on the east coast. I’ve got a big birthday coming up in 2013, and I’d like to do a century before I hit it 🙂

Wow. What a great cycling year.

Bzzz Kills and Saddles

 These little things are supposed to absorb or dampen the vibration on the bike from bad roads. Hoping it helps the nerves I really irritated during the MS ride. Even two weeks later, I have intermittent tingling in the last two fingers of my right hand. But it’s getting better, it was constant for the first week or so.

Hope it works! Haven’t been on the bike in 12 days trying to let my hand recover. I was naughty and went on a few rides even with the irritated nerves. Then I realized that a few weeks off the bike now, was better than months later if I ignore the problem.

Wish me luck!

AND…my new saddle. I loved the saddle that came with my new bike (Cannondale Synapse 5 – purple) but it was a little too narrow for me. My sit bones were right on the edge, and it cause a lot of pain. I put 230 miles on that saddle and figured that by then, I would have gotten used to it if I was going to, so I asked around and read reviews.

The ladies at the bike store both use the Terry Butterfly, and she was very quick to recommend it. She uses it on all her bikes, switching it around as necessary. And all the reviews online were 5 stars. And it was important for it to be white, like the original seat. I’m a girl. I like things to be pretty and match. Sue me.

Anyway, I’m excited to try it out. Hoping to make it out tomorrow for a test ride!

Updates

Yay! It’s October 😀 One of my favorite months. And with that celebration out of the way, let’s move on to updates!

I have a query letter and I’ve started researching agents for Deceived (young adult Sci-fi). It’s a little overwhelming and scary, but it’s cause for celebration. I’ve never gotten a mss this far. One final read through, and I’m calling it done. Feels really good.

When I told dh that querying was a little scary, he said,” The worst they can say is no, right?”

Actually, they can say worse, like, “This really sucks. Never email us again.” Or something similar. But I think something just as bad would be saying Yes. Then I’m obligated. Then it’s real. Then all the fear and doubts creep in.

If I never send things in, that will be the reason I’m not published, not because I tried and wasn’t good enough. But I seem to like challenges–hence the bike riding and four children–so I don’t have it in me to not try. But that doesn’t mean it’s not scary. It just means some of my crazy might be showing.

In cycling news, I reached my goals for the year. I’ve surpassed some of them and set new ones for next year.

I’m well over miles ridden. Goal was 12oo. I’m between 15 and 16oo, with season left 🙂 I rode the 71 mile leg of the MS Ride last week. I’m still in awe that I went that far, and that I had energy when I finished. That day, I think I could have done the 100 mile route.

Sadly, though, I’m off the bike. I really upset at least one nerve, maybe two in my right hand during that ride. I’m off until I can get the tingling sensation in my right hand to go away. It’s mostly my pinky and ring finger. My hand started tingling during the MS ride 9 days ago, and hasn’t stopped. But this morning, I noticed some improvement, so I’m hopeful that I won’t be off too long. It’s worth it though. There was a lot of money raised for MS research. I have friends that battle this disease every day of their lives. It’s worth a weird tingly hand. This is momentary, theirs is chronic.

And that brings me to my cycling goals for next year. 1180 miles by July 24th. Reach 15mph average (ended last year with 8.9 average. So far this year I’ve seen some 13mph averages) and do at least one century ride (100 miles in a day).

This year’s brave cycling thing was upgrading to a road bike from my hybrid. Next year, could be clipless pedals.

And as always, my main goal will be to not break anything. The MS ride was so much better without a cracked rib! I’d like to keep that trend going 🙂

Well, lunch is done. Off to start my final read through for Deceived!

Did it!

I reached and exceeded my cycling goal today! 1306.87 is my total for the year so far 🙂

Need to set a new goal, there’s still more riding time 😉

Kids go back to school soon, so the riding time will shorten, but I still get to do it, so I’m good. Furthest ride this year remains 60 miles, but I’m doing between 40-50 regularly during the week. Still intend to do 75 for the MS ride in September – so looking forward to it!

And…I’ve been editing, too 🙂