The Long Edition

A lot has happened over this past week. But first of all I just have to say. Bill Waterson, of Calvin and Hobbes, is brilliant. I don't know how he did it, but somehow he happened to place the perfect poem at the perfect time in the perfect place (this poem, this past week, in the bathroom):

I made a big decision a little while ago.

I don't remember what it was, which prob'ly goes to show

That many times a simple choice can prove to be essential

Even though it often might appear inconsequential.

I must have been distracted when I left my home because

Left or right I'm sure I went. (I wonder which it was!)

Anyway, I never veered: I walked in that direction

Utterly absorbed, it seems, in quiet introspection.

For no reason I can think of, I've wandered far astray.

And that is how I got to where I find myself today. 

Basically Calvin and Hobbes is the best. And although I'd love to share some of that quiet introspection with everyone, I've gots lots more fun things to write about so you'll just have to wait.


First of all, I'll just give a quick run down of the past week's events.
Friday morning, Jon kindly drove me to Phoenix. On the way we some how ended up getting into yet another deep and engrossing conversation about the liberalism/conservatism, baptism, and other groovy stuff.
Friday Night I arrived in Richmond and Evan was right there to pick me up! Luckily Nicole had not yet gone to bed so I at least got to say hi. Then I reunited myself with my tall bike! and went to sleep.

Saturday I managed to recruit the SH boys to help me reunite myself with my mountain bike!

Such Studs. See it live.

Lucas' home made trailer was much easier than trying to carry the bike box while riding the tall bike. 

Then it was Bachelor Party time!!!

Jacob likes his bottle. Who wouldn't, its from Rocktown after all.

We had a pretty good ride. As evident by how fast we are obviously going in these pictures.

Then we made a big ol' campfire! And hit pottery.

The next morning it rained. So much for sleeping under the stars!

Then Sunday, some of us (Jon, Jason, Matt and I) went to good ol Mud pond!

Then it was back to Lancaster where some great ping pong happened, some good times with parents, and then to top it off a very classy breakfast!

Then back to 'burg. And good times were had by all.

I even managed to get Lucas and Nicole to come mountain biking!!!

After they left, I did the ride again. And then biked home.

The Pond at Mud Pond was Beautiful!

It was a very pretty ride home.

 At some point during the week David took Todd, Dan (David's Dad) and I climbing.

And then, evidently, a wedding happened. However, I have very little photographic proof. So whether it actually it did is really subject to speculation... I think someone may have proof though. Ask around.

But seriously, it was a very beautiful wedding. The ceremony took place in a meadow on a hill. There were sheep in nearby fields and their pleasant far off baaing was idyllic. The songs sung, the parent's blessings and Hannah and Ben's vows made for a very touching time.
The reception, however, I do have proof of:

Kaitlin just can't wait to sing the Happy Song!

It was a fun time!

Then Sunday mountain biking happened again! There are some pretty cool videos, maybe I'll get around to posting them sometime, but for now you'll have to be content with watching me wheelie onto my butt.

Whooo-Hoo-Hoooo speeds

This morning really made my day! I had been looking for a longer hard ride ever since doing Saguaro East with Jon on Saturday. That was a great ride and Jon was a great riding buddy, but it was a bit short, and sadly ended abruptly when I had to sprint off to work and was late.  :-(
And so finally it happened. Ricardo suggested we go riding sometime and tuesday morning it was! I was so excited for it that I made sure to go to bed early and stripped my bike of the non-essentials.

I did end up putting the pedals back on...

It was a beautiful day. Some steep climbs. Even though this isn't a picture of them...

And some good notsosteep climbs.

Whoo-Hoo-Hoooo Speed. (As seen at 0:53)

Not to mention the good descents. Of course the above video (found by me here)  is not of myself as should hopefully be clear by the ridiculousness of the double speedometers. Something that (although I might do for some currently ununderstandable good reason) you won't find on my bike.
In the end though, I was feeling great! I felt like I had just gone on an awesome bike ride, because I had, and I felt like I rode hard, because I had. Even the poor rankings on Strava won't get me down! well, at least not much...


In other news, I'm pretty set on getting a GoPro.

I do this kinda stuff all the time. You guys just don't know about it because I can't get my phone out in time to get good pictures of it! and even if I did it would probably (despite my above-par bike handling skillz) cause me to do this:

to either my bike, my phone or my self.