Okay, not so long ago I complimented Augie for stepping up the attemps at a rivalry. Then they came to the Dakotadome and we slapped them back into reality. The reality is if you want to be our rival, you actually have to be GOOD at something!!
Women
USD 75
Augie 61
Men
USD 75
Augie 51
The last couple days I have had the opportunity to test out my newest cycling purchase: My self proclaimed grocery-getter. In the last two days, the grocery-getter has handled all the tasks I have set for it most admirably. 
It has made a trip to the grocery store (you would have NEVER guessed that one), a trip to the recycling center, and its heaviest payload: 2 comptuers and 2 flat panel monitors across campus. Very light and easy to tow, the Burley Flatbed Trailer is awesome! If you can't buy it local, I got mine from Calhoun Cycle in the Twin Cities. The gang up there was great about answering all my questions.
Dear gang at Calhoun Cycle, our agreed upon 20% cut on referrals from my site will be sufficient.
Okay, possibly the most bizarre night of my life happened in the early hours on Saturday, Feb 18th. I received my new medicine from the VA Hospital to try to improve my cholesterol levels. The medicine (Niacin) was "supposed" to be easier on the body and still allow me to keep my cholesterol in check. Well, let's have a little rundown of late Friday/early Saturday shall we?
Friday night 11:15 or so I took my first half-pill of Niacin (500 mg) and Laura and I went to bed. Somewhere around 2:00 am I was awakened to what I perceived to be too many blankets on so I threw them off so I could cool down. Quickly, I realized that WASN'T my issue. My legs were on fire and the rest of me wasn't far behind. I got out of bed, walked around a bit and was having an internal struggle to see if I was going to have a discussion with the porcelain god or not. As I sat on the edge of the bathtub and I just started to drip sweat from my face. I looked into the mirror and I barely recognized who was looking back at me. My face was swollen with lines running vertically that scared the heck out of me.
I decided to wake up Laura and tell her that I needed to go to the Emergency Room. While getting ready I wanted to take my temp and the digital thermometer said my temperature was 94.4 degrees. This was not what I was expecting, I was expecting more like 194.4 the way I was boiling. When we made the hospital and the nurse checked my temperature, it also was registering way low or not at all. Suddenly the nervousness was setting in. What in the heck is happening to me?
The nurse returned a short time later with a pleasant surprise: A shot of Benadryl for my tush. Well, this did little to stop me from freaking out, itching terribly all over my body. The best way I could describe it was that I felt like I was in a microwave: cooking from the inside out. All my feelings were now at skin level and I couldn't stop itching. Finally in came shot number two: a steroid of some sort. MAN did that one hurt. Now I went from itching to uncontrollable shakes. Well, at least I wasn't itching I guess.
Finally I got up and wandered around the ER as my rear was in pain. Apparently the Doctor decided this meant I was well enough to go home as she signed me out. Out the door I went, walking with a limp due to the last shot, and shaking uncontrollably, not sure if it was from the cold (a balmy -14 outside) or because my body didn't know what to do anymore.
We made it home (all four blocks), and finally my body gave up and fell asleep. Saturday was a day of bizarre tingles and weakness, but it was survived. Now it's Sunday and I'm doing much better, but here is to one of the most bizarre happenings that I ever hope to deal with!
This is a book written by Bill Hancock who lost his son in the airplane crash that claimed the life of 10 people from Oklahoma State University in January of 2001. The book is a great and touching read as you follow Bill on his quest to ride across the country on a bike. Bill spends time battling the "blue moth" of Will's death and deals with moving on with his life with the support of all his friends and family. You don't even have to be a cyclist to enjoy this one!
I was in Sioux Falls for my annual VA Checkup. I went in early to get my blood drawn before doing some work for USD Nursing at the USDSU/Southeast Tech Campus. I was quietly reading away when a couple of Vets from a different war generation from mine started talking about how wars were different now, weapons different, George Bush is a *expletive* for getting us into this mess, etc. I was quietly hiding my smile of agreement and thought about jumping into their conversation, when all at once there seemed to be a bustle around me. I looked up and South Dakota Senator John Thune had entered the building with an entourage that was obviously setting up for a press opportunity of some sort. That set my new found benchmates into a whole new tizzy but I got called for my blood draw at that time. Needless to say, I think Thune picked the wrong time to come and try to "make nice" with some of the Vets that were sitting close to me. Seems they don't like guys who say they will take care of Veterans but not vote to fund their health benefits. Wrong crowd, wrong time, Mr. Thune.
We came up to Pierre this weekend to see our Goddaughter swim and it didn't take long to understand priorities at the local Comfort Inn. There is a little rag next to the coffee pot with the following note:
Dear Guests
This rag is for your convenience. Please use it to clean guns, boots, makeup etc.
Yeehaa! I better go make sure I tied up my horse.
I tell my mind that it's okay to say no. I tell it over and over and over, and then the call comes in: "Kevin, this is David, I was wondering if you would be on the Bike Path Committee." The voice in my head stepped me through it one more time: "It's okay to say no...It's okay to say no." Instead, out came, "How much time will it involve?"
After being assured that it will only take about 3-4 meetings once a month to plan everything, then I'd be finished with *this* committee, I said yes. If I wasn't so passionate about this cause, it's possible that I would have listened to my mind and only gave them a "maybe". Now the world will never know.
It snowed yesterday, not much mind you, but it snowed. Then, it melted. Then, it froze.
I was leaving for work this morning at the same time as Marissa was heading across the street to catch a ride to school with the neighbor. Backpack on, helmet secured on my noggin, and away I go. I glanced at Marissa to see if she was going to run across the street in front of me. When I realized that she was not going to, I rolled down the driveway onto the street and took the left turn heading towards work when it happened so fast I can't even describe it without hearing Howard Cosell's immortal words "Down goes Fraiser (insert Brady here)". Not only did I go down but I slid a good ten feet on the slick surface. Marissa had a slightly terrified look on her face when she asked "Are you okay Daddy?" Whether I was or not, the words "yes" came out and I got up and carefully went on my way. There is definitely going to be some cool coloring on my leg in a day or so from where the metal grips of my pedal bit me.
Here's to the first dumping of the bike in 2006!
For those who know Larry the Cable Guy, this is my take on how it happened: I was sick last Monday and Tuesday...miserably sick. In my state of no movement, I was desperately wanting something to read. However, the books I ordered from Barnes and Noble hadn't yet show up. What to do, what to do...
Well, my mother-in-law said, "Why don't you read the book that I gave Laura to read "Memoirs of a Geisha". " This is where my Larry the Cable guy kicked in and said "Yeaaaaaahhhhhh...I don't think so"...... So, I'm reading "Memoirs of a Geisha".........
Okay, I could carry the joke on and on and on, but even though it is definitely a "chick book" it was a very good read. So good, that when my much awaited book came in from Barnes and Noble I seen fit to finish the book. Who knows, I may have even allow my wife to drag me to the movie. What's next? Enjoying shopping? I don't think so, unless it's internet shopping, then I can spend some time shopping indeed!
Yes, it does appear that due to a plethora (sic) of cycling and horseback riding DUI's in the State of South Dakota that they will more than likely pass a bill making it impossible to get a DUI on a bicycle or a horse. Some of the arguements are just retarded in my opinion ("I'd rather have a drunk cyclist hit me that a drunk motorist", "I don't want to see somebody go to the Penn for getting their 3rd DUI on a bike", etc) but maybe I'm just too hardcore. I need to lighten up in my old age.
The thing I wouldn't lighten up about, and neither would most cyclists in South Dakota, was the way that they was going to pass this bill. They were simply going to delete the line that stated that bicycles and horses are not vehicles. Being the right protecting citizens we are, we bombed them with emails and now they have quickly amended it where they are not vehicles for DUI purposes.
A snippet from the Sioux Falls Argus Leader read:
Bicyclists are worried that the measure will prevent them from riding on roads because it seeks to remove bikes from the legal definition of vehicles, said Rep. Tom Hennies, R-Rapid City. Lawmakers have been flooded with messages from bike riders in recent days, he said, asking the committee to change HB1190.
Legislators amended the measure, which goes now to the Senate floor, so that bikes and horses would continue to be classified as vehicles.
I do wonder if the fine Legislators from the State of South Dakota are now immortalized on the website http://www.dumblaws.com with the following writeup:
Some good news for you alcoholics in South Dakota, finally…
PIERRE, S.D. - Intoxicated South Dakotans should be able to ride horses or bikes home from bars without fear of being arrested for drunken driving, legislators decided Wednesday.
The House Transportation Committee voted 10-1 for a bill to exempt horses and bikes from the statutory definition of vehicles, sending HB1190 to the House floor.
I’m glad that someone is finally realizing the source of the problem behind accidents caused by drunken driving. It’s not the fact that the driver is drunk, it’s the fact that he’s driving a car. Take away the car, replace it with a bicycle and BOOM! problem solved. Next issue, exposed nipples on national TV….
Now they’re about to be allowed to ride bicycles or horses when they’re too blitzed to drive their bad-selves home. To quote a great man, the Roman philosopher Seneca once said, “Drunkenness is nothing but voluntary madness.” But to quote a jackass, Rep. Tom Hennies once said…
We should NOT stop drunk people from driving? This is a state senator, folks, and might I add, a former police chief, who is supporting this bill. I would hope that he would at least include some kind of helmet requirement. On second thought, I hope not. Anyone who decides to ride a horse drunk doesn’t deserve to use the brain God gave them. Bottoms up.“We should not push people to stop driving when they’ve been drinking, and at the same time penalize them if they get on a bicycle when they’re drunk.”
