Don't mind the bullet hole....

Nephew Rob's ink.

That had to hurt. I can't imgine laying for that kind of inking. Wow.

The bullet hole was a Boo Boo. An accidental discharge resulting in a through and through.... Could have been worse.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Changes....

From this....
....to this in .001 seconds.

Jackal told me on Tuesday morning that he hadn't slept in 2 days. I asked why. He said "The Devil Child" had kept him up. I asked if she was sick. He said "no, she just wanted to play all night". I think that's awesome! She has endurance like a 24 hour MTB racer. My kind of girl!

Little Jake came home from the hospital on Saturday after his surgery. Everything went very well in Iowa City. He looked a little different as his face was swollen and bruised but he's fine. He came straight over to me and crawled up beside me in the recliner. Thanks to everyone for your thoughts and prayers. He's the man!

It's snowing again. I keep looking at the extended forecast but it's not changing much. Oh well, it'll come.

Jackal's Ridley CX bike is down to needing only shifters. Chorus or Centaur carbon. Everything else is in place. It's a sweet ride!

That's it for now.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Ink....

Brother of Jackal's new ink....
A little closer....

"Ruth"

Brother of Jackal headed on down to Area 51 a couple of days ago and let Ian go to town on his right leg. I think it turned out pretty cool. A lot cooler than the heart with "Ruth" in it on the dumbass's shoulder in the third picture. Every time Adam gets new ink, he and Ian laugh behind the dumbass's back about the "Ruth" tattoo. Tattoo artists do that, I think. Oh well.... Whatever keeps them smiling.

Yeah, I'm the "dumbass" in the 3rd pic. Let's see.... It was 1972 and I was 18 years old and sitting in the bus station in Kansas City. I was on my way home to Iowa from Basic Training at Ft. Leonard Wood and I was bored out of my mind with a 4 hour layover. (I "may" have been drinking some beer, but that isn't important to this story.) I was a young G.I. full of piss and vinegar and I wanted a freakin' badass tattoo.

I walked out of the bus station and what do you suppose I saw on the next corner of the same block? You guessed it. A tattoo parlor. The guy inside was a pretty cool "longhair" and we hit it off right away. (I had been a "pretty cool longhair" myself just a couple of months prior....) He showed me what he had in his book as far as designs but I couldn't make up my mind. I loved the skull with the snake crawling out of the eye sockets and the dagger sticking into the top of it. The ribbon that was wrapped around it with the message "Death Before Dishonor" was also pretty damned attractive to me, but I figured that at 5 foot 8 and 125 pounds someone would kick my ass if I got that one. ( I ended up growing 2 inches taller and gained a little weight.... I would have been fine. My hindsight is perfect)

Anyway, I digress. I told him I wanted a heart with " Ruth" written in it. He said "are you crazy? " I said "no". He asked how I would feel about it if Ruth and I broke up? I said we wouldn't, we're engaged. He tried to talk me out of it but I wanted it so he did it. I was so proud of it that I couldn't wait to get home and show my dad. Oh yeah. I remember the look on dad's face when I got off of the bus and pulled the sleeve of my khakis up and showed it to him.

Whoaaaaaaaaaaa.......

He recovered quickly and asked what I was going to do if Ruth and I broke up. I said "geez, dad, we're going to get married. We won't break up" Uh huh. We'd been "together" since I was in 9th grade and she was in 8th. Inseperable. Whatever. We would be "together forever", or so the saying goes. Anyway, I wish I'd have gotten the cute little devil with the pitchfork and the diaper.

We broke up about 3 months later, shortly after I'd gone overseas..... In the end, I got the better end of the deal by a long shot. The only wife that I've ever had is the one I have now. It'll be35 years in June. Ruth? Well, she married a "friend" of mine and moved to Washington to raise sheep. They had one child and later divorced. She changed her name to Nikki and moved to Florida with her girlfriend. (I don't have any problem with that ;)) Yup. I got the better deal in that one.

Anyway, I think I'm going to go down to Area 51 and have Ian do something to cover "Ruth" up. I told Judy that I think it'll probably be a pinup girl in black leather and a smile or something like that. She smiled and said "fine". She's awesome, eh?

When Ian asks if I've learned anything from this I'll be honest. I'll tell him "probably not"

Little Jake is having surgery today to extend his jaw. It was supposed to last about 10 hours. (it's been 11 now) I just had an email from our Nikki (not to be confused with the "other Nikki"). She said they aren't done yet but that Jake is doing fine in surgery. He's the man! More on that later.

There is an interesting debate going on over at Jackal's blog on his post titled "they know". Surf on over and check it out.... It's almost as good as last year's "Angel Wings", if you remember that Cannondale ad that stirred up so much controversy.... I thought it was a GREAT ad, myself. ;)

That's about it for now.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Beautiful day....

Today is the second day that I've had Judy bring me to work. I think the Blazer must have a bit of water in the fuel tank as it doesn't run too well below about 15 degrees. Ahhhhh well. Life is good.

It's 11 below right now with -30 wind chills. It's supposed to get cold tomorrow. We'll see. I'm sure spring is just around the corner.

Chris mentioned that I should get a self propelled snow blower.... I have one but it hasn't been used in 2 years. I need the exercise, especially this year. I was actually going to use it on Sunday but when I went to put gas in it, the gas can was empty. I suspect that my youngest needed it for his motorcycle last fall more than I needed it for the snow blower this winter. Hmmmm.... Funny how that works, eh?

Well, that's about it for now. The boys and girls are starting to show up for work with their tales of driving on the ice that covers everything outside. It's all good!

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Winter....

It took me about 3 hours to shovel my driveway last night. I had to run up to Hy Vee to get a new snow shovel as my "old reliable" finally gave up the ghost. It got colder than hell overnight and everything is ice. I didn't think I'd get out of the driveway this morning, but somehow made it. The doors of my blazer were frozen shut and required a little help from a screwdriver to get them pried open. Winter in Iowa. Gotta love it!

Now I'm sitting at the plant taking phone calls from those that are going to be late....

The forecast calls for more brootaly cold weather for a few more days then a warm up this weekend. I think we have a total of about 56 inches of snow so far this year. That's a lot! Should have some good flooding this spring. Ahhhhhhhhh well. Life goes on.

As the crew slowly trickles in here at work.... Everyone has a story.

Jackal ran the Ergon booth at Frostbike up in the cities this weekend. He and G-Ted have apparently made it back safe and sound. 4 1/2 hours to do the 3 hour drive. Not bad. Sounds like they had a good time in The Great White North!

How 'bout that TT prologue to open the Tour of California? Talk about putting the "Smack Down"!

Stay warm.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Happy Valentine's Day....

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Can't buy this at the store....

What do you do if it's colder than the dickens outside and you can't put a hat on over your halo? Go without? Freeze your ears off? Stay indoors? Nooooooooooooooooo...............

All smiles....
Posin'......

If you're really lucky, Judy makes a hat for you that goes on around your halo.....

She saw a need and headed to the fabric store. A couple of hours later the young man had a custom made winter hat that fits perfectly! An idea, a little material, some velcro, some elastic, and a sewing machine gets you one insulated winter cap in short order. You can see the look on Little Jake's face.... Happier than a pig in poop. Thanks, Jude.

I think it got up to 3 degrees F. today. I am sooooo ready for warmer weather! This is for the birds! I was able to "comfortably" ride through the last two winters, but this one.... Well, it ain't happenin' this year!!! To top it off we have another 3-6 inches of snow forecast for tonight. Southern Missouri is sounding better all the time!

That's all for now. Stay warm!

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Friday....

Buds....

Entertained....

Hamming it up....

Little Jake with his new hardware....

I went to lunch with a co-worker today and stopped in to see The Thin Man after eating. Cap'n Bob was at the shop with his new Mamasita when we got there and is looking pretty fit. Watch out for him at the TT's this summer! When we walked in he and my co-worker stared at each other like they knew each other from somewhere. You know the look.... Turns out that Mike coached The Cap'n in Football about a hundred years ago. The Thin Man and I just sat back and watched. Kinda cool.... I sat in the truck on the way back to work and listened to Mike take a rather entertaining (and revealing) stroll down Memory Lane.

Eric and Nikki stopped by this evening with the boys to visit for awhile. Little Jake was in Iowa City earlier in the week to have his "halo" installed in preperation for his upcoming corrective surgery. He's doing great! What a trooper!

I love comments....

I really do enjoy hearing what all of you are up to and what you're thinking, so feel free to comment anytime. Don't be shy. Actually, when I publish a post that garners no comments I start to think that no one is reading and I figure I probably ought to shut 'er down.... Or I've bored you to sleep. If you don't agree with me, that's fine. I've been married almost 35 years and my wife rarely ever agrees with me, so I'm pretty much used to it ;) (sometimes just knowing that you're right has to be enough....) All I ask is that it remain kinda civil. You know, don't get too nasty. That hurts my feelings because I'm a really sensitive guy.

That's it for now.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!

Bobby....

Bobby Knight has retired. Hmmm....

He may have been the "winningest coach" in college history but he set a horrible example for those entrusted to his charge. His public persona was very much lacking, in my opinion. He comes off as a spoiled rotten, self centered, egotistical prick. His retirement announcement wasn't about the kids, or the other coaches, or the team, or the game. It was about himself.

We send kids to school to get an education. I believe that teachers should set a good example for their students. Adults throwing temper tantrums in front of huge audiences isn't a good example. Period. In America we allow this behavior because above all else, sport is king. Watching sports is our new religion. Nothing else matters.

It doesn't matter how many kids he taught to win or how many kids he made perform beyond their abilities. In my opinion he's still an ass. Or just an ass.

And the winningest college basketball coach in history. I suspect that record will stand.

Happy retirement, Bobby.

Ride safe.

Peace out, yo!