August 25th, 2010 at 05:24:28 PM
Made it to the Luna Chix’s very appropriately named Full Moon Ride this past Tuesday. There was a big round moon in the sky and numerous enthusiastic moons at the camera.
We rode a ways, then rode a ways more, then rode up Slacker Hill. I don’t know who named this hill; it’s definitely not for slackers. My bike computer tells me we grunted our way up a >15% grade fire road on our way to the top. The view was worth it. Beautiful!
Our trip to the top cost us time, though, and darkness came before we were able to get off the trails. So much for not riding in the dark! I realized after this that I’ll do just fine night riding with a good set of lights.
Hung out at Luna headquarters afterward, enjoyed some conversation and pizza. Realized what time it was and dashed out in a hurry. Forgot leave a donation for the Breast Cancer Fund. (The team raises money for them.) Next time!
In somewhat related news, I headed to my aunt’s place to see my mom. I got there before they got home so I tooled around on my bike for a few minutes while I waited. That “big hill” heading up and away from the ocean in Outer Sunset? It’s barely a climb! I like how the world has gotten flatter since I started riding.
August 20th, 2010 at 11:20:28 PM
Went for an awesome spin at Water Dog today after work. I didn’t clip any trees and I made it onto all the trails I’ve been meaning to ride. With no crashes to break my focus and no one to set the pace but me, I settled into the zone and had a blast floating over the trails, flowing along the singletrack, pumping dips and bumps, tossing the bike left and right. I rolled through sections of trail that felt difficult last year, even last month, with no problem.
Same goes for all the little rocky water crossings that psyched me out just seven weeks ago. After considerably larger creek crossings at MBO and Monte Bello since, I realized I just had to ignore the water, pick a line, look up, and go.
Toward the end of the ride, I rolled a skinny that I’ve been eyeing since my first visit to the park. It’s three segments of long and narrow planks that go up and down and turn a bit. I’ve always wanted to ride it but didn’t trust that I could stay on. After Dirt Series, a summer of riding, practice on other skinnies, and a couple teeter totters, I decided to give it a go. Whaddaya know, I can do it!
I made it over a couple other things that had been giving me trouble in the uphill direction also. I pretty much just applied my new philosophy of give it more speed. If I’m not strong or stable enough to ride something slowly, I’ll try it a little less slowly. That may well bite me in the butt someday, but so far it’s worked like a charm.
As I wrapped up the ride, I reflected on the differences between my ride tonight vs. the White Socks group rides I used to go on in years past. I’m riding harder trails with more comfort now than I had riding easier trails back then. Realizing the levels of comfort, confidence, and ease I’ve gained on my bike this season just puts a huge smile on my face.
The challenge will be to not lose any of it over the winter. I need to find a way to keep riding through short days, rainy season, and hockey hockey every weekend.
August 19th, 2010 at 11:32:03 AM
Grandpa came to dinner last night. He looked wiry, strong, healthy, jovial. I remember thinking he looked really good for having had cancer.
In real life, he was always too much of an introvert to come out to dinner. Or maybe he just didn’t want to be around my grandmother. Perhaps this was how I wanted things to be, for him to be healthy, happy, and social with the rest of us.
For those who believe that we live on in some way after we die, maybe this is how he is now. That said, I don’t know what to believe. I believe nothing and I believe everything. It doesn’t really matter.
Brains are funny.
It was good to see him.
August 16th, 2010 at 09:13:06 PM
New team, new jerseys, new tournament, new everything! The Geisha Girls brought a sweet new logo to USA Hockey’s 1st annual Women’s Wine Tasting Tournament in Vacaville this past weekend.
Game 1: Cluck N’ Omegas
We opened with a game Friday night against a team of seven (eventually eight) very talented skaters. I’d kind of figured based on Las Vegas tournament results that this would be a lopsided matchup. These girls skated circles around us, scoring on breakaways, penalty kills, backhanded one-timer roofers…
Aside from getting our butts thoroughly kicked, it wasn’t so bad. They seemed nice enough, and playing them was a good reminder that we need to cover the pass, not just the player. We weren’t losing because we were playing poorly, so there wasn’t really anything to be frustrated or upset about. The feeling on the bench was more, “Um, what are they doing in our division?”
Final score: 2-7. Hooray Ellaine and April for putting us on the scoreboard!
Game 2: Burninators
I think it was in this game that we finally nailed down our team cheer. I don’t remember which game or period we first busted out with “Sake Bomb!”, but that cheer netted us one goal. We revised it to “Sake Bombs!” plural and improved to goals plural the following period. Another round of refinement later, and “Sake Bommmmmbs-aah!” was born.
Speaking of goals, I had one goal this game. The goal itself wasn’t all that, but I’m happy about how the entire play unfolded. I took a faceoff on the left side of our offensive zone, won it back to Meredith at right D, crashed the net as she shot, and found myself in just the right place for a rebound. It’s so satisfying to plan something and watch it execute perfectly.
Speaking of faceoffs, I discovered this game what a dream it is to have April as my left wing. All I need to do is bump the puck drop in her direction and skate after her into the other team’s zone.
Final score: 7-1. Yeah, it’s lopsided, but it’s a tournament, and goal differential counts for a lot. Chris scored the only Burninator goal; I loved seeing mom hold up the goal light for her. :)
Game 3: Dolphins
I should have taken better notes. Given that we played 5 games in 40 hours, a lot of what happened on the ice is a blur to me now. We played the Dolphins late Saturday afternoon and all I noted was that I had a goal, two assists, and a penalty.
At least I remember the penalty. I was chasing Tracy along the end boards for the puck, she went down, and the ref called me for tripping. I was sure I didn’t trip her; I thought maybe I bumped her, but whatever, I went to the box. I asked Tracy about it later and she said she thought I tripped her with my stick. So… maybe I did? I don’t know! But it was a bummer that she bruised her knee when she landed. Sorry Tracy!
Final score: 7-0. Oh, I remember my goal now. It was the 7th goal. I wasn’t even really thinking about the score. They count only up to 6 goals for the differential so this really wasn’t necessary. We were just caught up in the play. Tammy sent me a great pass, I one-timered a forehand wide, April picked it up and passed it to me on the weak post, and I one-timered a backhand into the wide open net. Nothing fancy, just good effort and puck movement.
Semifinal: Dolphins (Again!)
We found out Saturday evening that the tournament organizers were disqualifying the Cluck N’ Omegas and forfeiting their games. That put us in first place and the Dolphins in fourth place, setting us up for a Sunday morning 7 AM semifinal.
It appears that we are not a morning team, the Dolphins are, and the Dolphins goalie most definitely is. We went scoreless until well into the 2nd period when Tammy sent a beautiful pass back to Anne, who shot the puck through both traffic and the goalie from point.
The game stayed at 1-0 until the final minute or so, when the Dolphins pulled the goalie and April scored an open netter. Final score: 2-0.
Final: Two Buck Chuck
Two Buck Chuck! This was the Bronze Division matchup we’d all been waiting for. They brought it, and we brought it. It was fast, friendly, and fun. I was super hyped for this game, partly because I’d been waiting to play them, partly because it was for the championship, partly because I downed a Double Expresso Clif Shot beforehand, and partly because of the fans in the stands. I was surprised to find that I do better when people root against my team; it makes me play harder and cheer louder when we score.
Speaking of goal celebrations, my team tells me I dance after I score. I want proof!
I played my butt off this game, but I also had a ton of fun, especially on faceoffs against their three centers: Dunn, Gina, and Helen. I love those three! I made sure to get a pre-faceoff hug in with each of them. The refs were confused. “There’s no hugging in hockey!” Oh yes, there is!
The first half of the game was tight. We kept trading goals: 1-0, 1-1, 2-1, 2-2, 3-2, 3-3… then we pulled away. Final score: 7-3.
I had two goals and either two or three assists this game. Nothing fancy, just a lot of hard work. I had a blast playing on a line with April and Tammy. Go ATV line!
No trophies. We got sweet gear bags instead.
SAKE BOMMMMMBS-AAH!!
August 8th, 2010 at 11:51:02 PM
Triscuits are crackers, right? And so we had our 3rd period team cheer.
Played my final game of the season with this team. We have two more games on the schedule, but I have a wedding to go to, and then I have another wedding to go to.
I worked hard this game to be in the right place for breakout and up-ice passes. I did all right on that front, but I really need to work on not getting the puck poked away once I get it into the zone. It’s not that I can’t stick handle; I just don’t remember to, or don’t know what to do in those situations.
Scored a goal tonight. Glided in toward the net, got a nice pass, and launched a solid one-timer. It hit the goalie, but I battled for the rebound and got my stick on it twice before watching it tumble over the goalie’s stick and into the net. Woohoo!
Final score: 1-1. We got lucky in the 2nd period when one of the other team’s goals was waved off because the ref lost sight of the puck and blew the whistle before it crossed the line. We’ll take it!
I’ve really enjoyed playing with this team. Fun bunch of folks. I hope next season will be just as fun.
August 8th, 2010 at 04:40:27 PM
After two days of toodling around on the mountain bike teaching friends various skills, I went out for a real ride with Aaron this afternoon. (Of course, this meant that he spent the afternoon toodling around on his bike.)
We started at Four Corners, riding the Gap trail out, back, and out again. The purpose of this was to session various parts of the trail that had been giving me trouble.
No more trouble #1: Riding up the mini rock garden. On my last two attempts, I made it most of the way and spun out on the root at the very top on the left side of the trail. This time, I decided to ride up the rocks on the right side of the trail instead. Cleared!
No more trouble #2: Riding up the little gap on the edge of the trail between a root and a tree. I wish I’d taken a picture so I could just show you want I’m talking about, but basically I have to ride to the right edge of the trail and squeeze up a little gap with a root on one side and a tree on the other while turning left. I always get nervous about falling off the trail, not hitting the gap right, the rock that sticks up in the gap, the rut next to the rock in the gap, etc., end up stalling out, and grabbing the tree. This time, I decided the rock that stuck up was no more than a bump, stopped worrying about it, looked ahead, and powered on through.
No more trouble #2 bonus: Not riding down that little gap. I decided not to bother with the gap on the way down and just dropped off the root instead. Turns out that line is both easier and more fun.
No more trouble #3: Riding up the switchback drop. The first time I came to this park, this drop looked HUGE. That was three years ago. I started working on it in earnest this season, but couldn’t get my gearing, speed, timing, line, and especially head right. This time, I returned with armor and worked on it until I succeeded. I then rode it a few more times until I was sure I could do it. Aaron took some video of my attempts: Frick!, Woohoo!, Cake ;).
I also got to ride some new-to-me trails after sessioning the Gap. Had lots of fun on sections of trail that I either would not have ridden or survived just a season or two ago. Did a couple creek crossings without falling in, too!
I did slide out when I exited wide on a particularly steep and bumpy portion of trail. My front tire hit the fluff and I rolled sideways to a stop away from the bike. My armored shin hit the ground first. Not a scratch! Hooray for gear!
What’s left? The Root. And, of course, harder lines on #1, 2, and 3.
August 8th, 2010 at 10:19:10 AM
I dreamt a series of mini-musicals this morning. In one of them, I dressed up as one of the characters and mirrored everything she did as a joke. She was confused. Big, blue, round, and confused.
August 4th, 2010 at 04:24:44 PM
Last week, I read in the newspaper that Sarah Palin wanted to require that all mountain bikes be made in the US, have an aluminum frame, weigh at least 40 pounds, and have no more than 3″ of travel.
August 3rd, 2010 at 11:08:11 PM
We started cheering in flavors today. Cinnamon crackers, yum!
Earlier this season, I started thinking about puck control and patience. Deking an opponent going down the ice is one thing, but having the presence of mind to make small adjustments at slow speed to maintain control of the puck is entirely different. All the good players do it, and they make their opponents look like fools when they go for the puck and miss.
I seem to have been working on this in the back of my mind, because for the first time today I vied for the puck in traffic, got there a moment before my opponent, and instead of heading for the net immediately the first thing I did was handle the puck to keep it from getting knocked away, which it surely would have if I’d predictably gone straight for the net. That small effort bought me enough space to get away, curl around, and send a backhand toward the net, which my center finished off for a goal.
That little tiny move took me more than eight years to learn. But then, I guess most of the players I see doing it have been playing for that long, or longer.
I finished the game with a goal and an assist. Final score: 3-2. It felt good to win with a full bench and no subs. Go us! Go Graham Crackers!
August 3rd, 2010 at 06:43:47 PM
The week before I left for Oregon, I got a call from Discover Card. Someone had stolen my credit card number to buy flowers and a bunch of electronics. We quickly figured out which charges were fraudulent, they closed my old account, and sent me a new card.
I received the new card a day or two before leaving on my trip. When I called to activate it, I told the CSR I would be traveling between California and Oregon and gave him the dates of travel. He made a note in my account so I wouldn’t have my card disabled by a false fraud alert during my trip.
The day I returned from the trip, I got five phone calls from Discover Card. When I finally had time to reply, I called and spoke with another CSR. My purchases during my trip had triggered a fraud alert.
I explained to him that I had specifically asked for a note to be made on the account about my trip so that a fraud alert would not be triggered. His response was that the alerts were automatic. I asked what the point of notifying Discover was if the alert system didn’t take notes into consideration. He replied that if they couldn’t reach me, a rep would then look at the note and clear up my account. I asked why he didn’t look at the note on my account before calling me. He said the calls were made by the system.
So let me get this straight: Despite letting Discover Card know ahead of time that I would be traveling, if I had still been on my trip someplace without phone reception, my card would have been deactivated and I wouldn’t have had a way to reactivate it. How can I trust a card like that for future travels?
The rep didn’t have a good answer for me, except that there was nothing he could do because everything was automated. I asked to speak to someone who could do something about their flawed system. He put me on hold, and after several minutes his supervisor joined the call. The rep then disconnected his line, and with it, the entire call.
Discover, you FAIL. AGAIN. I tried to help you improve your customer service and you hung up on me.
And you wonder why I don’t use your card much anymore. Yes, I know you wonder, because you keep calling me and sending me surveys about it.
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