My new LOVER...**

HOWDY B-L-O-G...

Weather Testimony: Thankfully we have gotten some rain, if we hadn't many of the farmers in our area would have been in trouble.

Exchange Rate: Same!

My NEW Challenge:

Growing up....my Step-Dad used to talk about 'Road Biking'.  I always dismissed him, because to me, 'Road Biking' was cheesy, boring, and terribly corny.  

Fast forward a few years and now my Father In Law, BobDad, is really into 'Road Biking.'  Like...really obsessed.  I can't seem to get away from this can I?

Now its the future, and LEGS has gotten really motivated since we are in NEVER NEVER LAND to start getting good at 'Road Biking.'

I tried it once with LEGS in Oregon, but it was back when I first started boxing, so that was my real passion, and I really disliked the incredibly discomfort you experience in your caboose, and I was scared of going that fast....  

As a result of recent ankle and knee discomfort....I started to think about the sport of Road Biking intellectually.....since Lance Armstrong has hit the news stands, magazines, and popular media, Road Biking has taken on a level of 'Bad A**-ness' that it has never seen before....People are wearing LIVE STRONG braclets, T-Shirts, and his whole philosophy has taken a meaning in society.  

Suddenly, I found myself drawn to this world of extreme fitness, spandex, bright colors, and this attitude to LIVE STRONG!  I mean....what bad a** chick who boxes, wouldn't be?

For many days, I have been discussing the possibility of investing in a bike.  YES....I said INVESTING....if you know anything about Road Biking, you already know that buying a bike, and the ENTRY level cost of the sport it OUTRAGEOUS!

You probably don't know this but, I am cheap and frugal, unless, its something I think I really want and really need.  I have been pondering for weeks if INVESTING in a bike is the right thing, a good thing, and something I intend on being committed to.  I don't believe in making such a big purchase, if I am not going to like it, or use it, or be good at it.  And I have been going back and forth in my mind with the guilt of spending the money, and the anxiousness to just get the bike and start training.....

As part of my research I have been on several LONG bike rides with LEGS' mountain bike.  One such ride, is down to Illeshiem- where the ARMY post is and back to my house (22 Kilometers).  On the way there is this steep, STEEP! hill.  We have dubbed it 'MOUNT TIFFANY'.....and there it is; 10-12% Grade HILLS....

Yesterday, I over did it.  I did a workout in the morning.  Then I cut the grass, rode my bike to base, took the car, got groceries, drove back to base and rode my bike back from base to home.  The whole way up the hill, I kept praying that the next car that passed me was LEGS.  After every single hill, I had to stop, take some water, give myself a pep talk and peddle my a** off to get to the next hill.

The LEG workout you get from this sport is INCREDIBLE!  Did you know that most women hold their weight in their legs? Stupid question since all of us are AWARE.... And did you know that LEG workouts burn more calories then any other workout you can do?  Climbing those hills, had my heart pounding so hard and fast I thought it was going to bust out of my chest....the ONLY other time I have felt that is during Sparring sessions in boxing.  And the fun part is riding down the hills, you feel like you are LITERALLY FLYING!

I felt so much better when I was in OLYMPIC shape.  All I have done since I have been in NEVER NEVER LAND is make excuses, slack, drink and eat too much.....not that I am fat...I have been doing much, much better, lost 10 pounds with diet and moderate exercise since February, but I want to step it up, I don't even care about the weight, I just want to feel good again.....

Last night, we finally crumbled.....after SEVERAL visits to the bike store, we purchased a beautiful Italian Pinarello Road Bike, Sidi Shoes, Spandex shorts with the corny padding, Sunglasses, and a riding Jersey.  

I know nothing about my bike.  LEGS gave me a OVERWHELMING tutorial about shifting, braking, tires, the bike chain, clipping my feet to my peddles, how to get out of your peddles, and his friend even horrified me with a story about when you fall- just 'tuck and take'-because if you try to catch yourself you will crush your collar bone.....

My Step-Dad told me to be careful, be safe, because he doesn't want me getting hit by a car.....(awww shucks Tinman...didn't know you cared that much about me ;) )

I am absolutely terrified....but....I like it.....just like being scared in boxing...its exhilarating...I am ALIVE!  SO this is my plan, weigh myself today, document my rides/experiences, and report my struggles and progress in the blog.....

(If you want to be included, you should send me your goal and your stats, then we can struggle/progress together) I am hoping this motivates people to get in shape, LISTEN TO ME:  I wasn't athletic before I started boxing, I just found something that I liked, something I wanted to be good at, something that was difficult, I never knew I would ever be on a national ranking....

LIVE STRONG!

I love my bike....I haven't even ridden it yet, and here I am sitting in my living room, checking its fine a** out.....it even rode home next to me last night...I held it the whole way home, to be sure it didn't scratch or slide around in the car....its my new LOVER!

Random Thoughts and Stories:

Every once in awhile, Queen Di will send us a fabulous care package with gourmet food items.  Awhile back she sent me this gourmet, spicy jalapeno mustard, which I begged the movers to pack so we could enjoy it on some special picnic in NEVER NEVER LAND.  Let me really hammer the point home, I begged the movers to pack the mustard, so it would travel internationally, so we could ENJOY it on some special occasion. 

The other day I was in the kitchen and saw the mustard in the fridge, I thought that was VERY strange since I had not opened it....but I thought maybe when I was rearranging the pantry I might have absentmindedly put the unopened mustard in the fridge...and I went on about my business, vowing in mind to investigate the mustard situation later.  

Yesterday LEGS had one of the LOST BOYS over...they decided to eat Corn Dogs.  LEGS LOVES CORN DOGS.  So I make very sure to keep him in a steady supply of CORN DOGS, which means I drive to the store, I buy the CORN DOGS, I drive back from the store, I carry the CORN DOGS in the gate, up the driveway, up the stairs, only to walk them down to the freezer in the cellar.  Moving on....

I walked into the kitchen yesterday and flipped my lid.....as I watched two APACHE PILOTS eating my special internationally imported gourmet mustard for a special occasion on NOTHING WORSE THEN FREEZER CORN DOGS.... 

Class and taste are completely lost on these guys.....something tells me somebody's CORN DOGS are going to mysteriously disappear....

Guilty Pleasures:

I was lazy yesterday.....

ARMS' Mailbox:

Remember awhile back when I said that wrote somebody and asked for forgiveness?  It was April 22nd to be exact.....(Please see blog posted in April Called 'Dear Red....Light Gives Itself Freely...)

Well....I haven't heard from them, so I basically shelved the issue and assumed that I was not granted forgiveness....

Yesterday, they wrote me.....

And said....

'I haven't been avoiding you, though it may look that way, please give me a few more days to sit down and respond.'

I am really hoping that I can resolve everything by June 4th, because June 4th is a special day....

OVER & OUT

Just another day in the life of an unlikely military wife....**