I go to this one mountain twice a week to do various types of intervals, and there are lots of people running, walking, and cycling on it. But this one woman caught my eye and stood out to me. I'm not sure why. Maybe it was because she was beautiful. Maybe it was the way she ran. Maybe it was because no matter what time I go or what day I go on, she is usually there. About a week ago we finally acknowledged each other with a smile and a "hi." I was doing power intervals (where I ride around 50-60rpms), and she was running down. After she said, "Good morning" to me I lost my composure and nearly fell over when I turned around to look at her. She smelled like a bar of soap, and her smile was one of the warmest I'd ever seen. I think, for me, it was about what she represented. I've often watched her in amazement and admiration as she ran up and then down that mountain. I lived through her at those times attempting to feel what she must feel. The exhilaration of running free. I got to see her 3 times the other day because I was riding pretty well, and I saw her near the top the first time. I was actually saddened when I saw her near the bottom on the third time because I knew I wouldn't see her again. I smiled at her shyly, took in her fragrance, and got TOTALLY distracted. It was difficult to complete that interval! I wanted to speak to her, but I didn't want to ruin this special "thing" we had. She had often looked up at me in mutual admiration as I plugged away during my intervals or descended down with a whoosh around the turns. I hope to see her one last time before I leave, but if I don't it's okay because I'll always have that memory of her. She touched my soul.

Yes, well, I've been trying to post blogs on to MySpace for days now with no success. They must be having problems. For now, I have been posting things about love (I know, ick--just kidding) on there and leaving my personal blogs to this site. I don't get TOO personal, though. You know, how fun would that be if you REALLY knew me? Well, it might be fun, but this way more is left up to your imagination. I am somewhat of a mystery, no?
Okay, yeah, woteva!
I've decided to limit profanity because I have some underage subscriptions to my blogs, and I have an underage friend in my MySpace friend network. I guess it comes from having been a teacher; I just don't think it's appropriate to cuss around kids even though I know they probably cuss more than all of us. But anyway, Sinbad the comedian doesn't cuss, and he's still funny. Ellen doesn't cuss either, and SHE'S halarious, so it CAN be done.
Oh get this! Last week this 22-year old woman was in shallow water off an island in Brisbane (where I am), and she got attacked by a pack of bull sharks. They ripped her arms off, and she died. Lovely, huh? Yeah, so I guess I won't be getting in the water here either!!! On the same day a 7-year old girl further north died from a jellyfish sting. Ewwwwwwwwwwwwwww.
An intersting topic has arisen here on the news. There are some sports stars who believe that they should not be looked up off the field. In other words, they want to be praised etc. for the work they do on the field, and they want to be cheered for and all of that, but when they leave their athletic arena they want to be looked at as normal folks. In other words, some athletes believe they are being held to a higher standard, and it puts too much pressure on them. They do not believe they should be viewed as role models off the field.
What do you think?
Many of the athletes are saying that it is time for parents to give kids other things or people to look up to. Maybe not even people as people will eventually fall off of any pedestal you put them on. That's the point that was being made, I guess. I think there are athletes who accept the responsibility and are happy to do so. Then I think there are some athletes who simply don't want it because they want to be able to live their lives without scrutiny. They want to be able to do what they want and not be held any more liable than the next guy/gal.
I think they were trying to get people to realize that it is the talent that should perhaps be looked up to or rather respected. It is the hard work people should admire. It is the determination, the desire, and all of that stuff.
But I think it is human nature to want to hold on to someone just like it is human nature to love someone. It is easier to relate to a person instead of something abstract that they possess i.e. talent. People admire Lance Armstrong, the person, and not what he has done to become the cyclist he has become. Most people could hardly fathom what athletes do to get where they are, so it is easier to attach themselves to the people. That is what they see---the person. That is what they connect with.
Well, so I see both sides. I accept my role, though, and am happy to do it. So what if I don't get to be as free, per se, as I would if I wasn't in any sort of limelight. I think it's a small price to pay for my being able to be there for folks and to connect with them on some level.
I wouldn't have it any other way.

Wow, I'm getting all of these messages called "tmails" on here. I didn't know tblog had all of these options! I have friends I didn't know I had. Some of you like to be mysterious like that. It's cool. I understand. I am flattered that you want to be associated with me. I don't take that stuff lightly. I really am humbled by all of you. It's getting very time consuming keeping up with everyone/everything. I need a secretary to manage my sites! I enjoy the personal interaction, though, and I think it's important that if someone wants to reach out to me that it is ME who reaches back, so I make the time.
Okay, so how were your holidays?
Mine were interesting. Steph and I went to Adelaide to visit with her parents. Steph has this 1988 2.4 liter diesel Toyota Forerunner. Now let me tell you something about me. I have motion sickness or vertigo or whatever you want to call it. Something is jacked up in my inner ear, and it only gets worse with age. Motion is NOT my friend. Anywho, so the drive to Adelaide from Brisbane is LONG and BUMPY and HOT. We went through the outback; it took three days mostly on a two lane road. The temperatures were SEARING, and it was so arid that when she pulled the truck over so that I could pee I didn't even NEED any toilet paper 'cause the wind blew me dry THAT fast!! Oh, and the flies. There were flies everywhere. It was like they were just WAITING for you. It was INSANE!!
I'm sure I'm getting ahead of myself here because I just have all of these thoughts circulating through my head. I'll try to stay on track.
Okay, so her truck was vibrating and bumping me all over the place which gave me a splitting headache. Not only that, but the air conditioner SUCKED. I checked my watch, and it was 101 degrees inside the truck. When I inhaled the air burned my nose. I don't need to trim my nose hairs now! (just kidding---i don't really do that) It was 108 outside. It was like driving through Death Valley for 24 hours.
At one point we were going---and I kid you not---25mph because the truck was getting too hot. Okay, CAN YOU IMAGINE?!! I thought we would NEVER get there, but let me tell you--that trip taught me a severe lesson in patience. I'm already pretty patient as I'm not an aggressive driver; however, when I'm travelling somewhere I like to get there. You know what I mean? The poor Toyota 4Runner could hardly get up the hills. I would pass cars and semi tractor trailers on the flats, but then I would get passed back on the hills, and you KNOW how I HATE that.
Oh, and her truck does not have a radio, so Steph and I would each take one of her ear plugs and listen to her 2"x1" portable radio. When that didn't work, we listened to my CD player.
We stayed in Forbes the first night and rode up and down the highway because that's basically all there was. We did a nice little time trial effort.
We stayed the second night in a town called Mildura which had a lovely river and lots of fruit. It reminded me a lot of Calfornia around the Visalia area. We hate heaps of cherries!
Well, we got to Adelaide which is a beautiful place. It's way down south and on the coast. I didn't get in the water, though, because there are massive sharks down there. I'm talking Great Whites. That's where most of their shark attacks are, in Southern Australia. There were some long climbs that we did on our rides. That was refreshing. It was also much cooler there!
We stayed in Adelaide for a few days before we headed out to Melbourne to visit with Steph's sister. Melbourne is a very classy city. We rode for 5 hours along a road near the beach, and we climbed in these little hills. This one guy told us on any given Saturday or Sunday there were around 3,000 cyclists on the road. I mean there were massive amounts which was so fun! He said there are more cyclists there than anywhere. One day we rode into the rain forest which was spectacular. You know, how do you describe something like that? The trees bend over the road, so you feel like you're being hugged by them. It's cool on your skin and kind of dark and mysterious.
After a few days in Melbourne we left for home. We made it to just outside of Goulburn when the truck stopped running. Funny thing is that just earlier these motorists kept waving at me about the truck. Maybe it was spewing stuff... Yeah, I'm driving up the highway, and it just stopped, so I pulled over, and we popped the hood, and the engine was HOT. It was steaming and hissing. We weren't there but a few minutes when this guy stopped. Lo and behold he turns out to be a diesel mechanic and offers us a tow to his shop. We accept. As we're standing there talking I'm complaining to him about the damn flies as one lands on his bottom lip while he replies, "You just gotta ignore them, mate." I just started cracking up. I said, "I don't want anything that hangs out on cow patties to hang out on me!"
So, he gave us tow and then dropped us off at a hotel. We weren't going to find out anything about the truck for awhile because it was the holidays. I think it was Dec. 31st. People here take their holidays seriously. They don't just take one or two days off. They take weeks off! Most people are off from just before Christmas to around Jan. 4th.
He got back to us on Jan. 2nd because he knew our situation. He took stuff out of the engine and said, basically, that we were screwed. We cracked cylinders and blew head gaskets and what not. LMAO. Oh shit, I was like, "Huuuuuuuuuuuuuh?" Steph just stood there with a blank look on her face. Steph really never gets rowled up over anything, and my mind was ticking over trying to figure out what we were gonna do next. I knew I needed to be very supportive at this stage because the truck was a loss, and Steph still had to pay on it for the next 3 years or whatever. It was going to cost too much to fix a truck that old. Plus, Steph had loaded up some boxes and this huge cactus suit from her parent's house to take back home. This cactus suit was some marketing tool she used when she owned her Pedro's Pizza Bar. It was made out of wire, mesh, bamboo and paper mache and it stood 6'. It also had two cactus arms, and Steph is very affectionate about this thing...
Steph and I went back to our motel and began brainstorming. I told her to find a salvage yard and see what they'd give her for the truck. We had to get rid of the truck somehow and not just leave it. I felt like that was our best option. Next we had to figure out a way to get back to Brisbane. We could take a bus or a train. I told Steph there was NO way we would be able to carry everything AND the cactus. She said, with tears welling up in her eyes, that she would just have to leave stuff behind and try to sell what she could at second hand shops.
We tossed around our ideas for a couple of days and came up with a solution. Since it was only 2 hours to Sydney I suggested that she take a bus or train there, rent a car, drive back to get me and the stuff, and then drive to Brisbane. So, that's what we did.
Unfortunately, we could NOT take the cactus, so there it sits in Goulburn under the watchful eye of Andrew, our beloved mechanic. Steph vowed to drive through there one day to get it. If all else fails, Andrew has a sister-in-law who lives in Brisbane, and MAYBE he could bring the cactus...
I suggested we tie the cactus to the roof of the car just because I thought it would be halarious. I know it wouldn't have made it, but what a riot that would have been. We had a very small car that barely fit all of our shit into it. Can you imagine a 6' bright green cactus tied to the top? Lots of laughs there.
Steph and I spent our last day in Goulburn at one of the local pubs. We had just sold her truck for $800 cash---not bad. These three drunk dudes befriended us in the pub. They were cute in that they were shy to speak to us but eventually worked up the courage to do so. We had a ball hanging out with them, and the French chef whipped up an awesome steak and fries dinner.
I enjoyed Goulburn. It had climbs that I enjoyed riding, and it had nice shops and eateries, and since our motel was only a mile from town it was convenient since our only mode of transportation was our feet (I HATE walking) or our bikes (MUCH better).
The drive to Brisbane was uneventful. We drove through Sydney which was neat. I wish we could have spent some time there. I did see a 3 live kangaroos, several emus, lots of sheep, and a huge dragon thing feasting on a dead kangaroo laying on the side of the road. I saw the usual cows and horses too.
What a trip. So, yeah, that's how my holidays went. I'm now back in Brisbane sweating my ass off in the hot and humid weather, and I'm happy with that!

Cheers!

01.08.06 (9:38 pm)   [edit]