I am sorry for lack of captions, at least for now. I am trying to get caught up to this year and bring this blog back from the dead. There are photos in this post from both before and after I closed the Cornelius business and opened in Forest Grove. There are beautiful fall colors, my dad, my lost hat, and other things. Take a look. If you have a question about a photo, ask. I will try to label the ones that need it when I have time.

These thumbnails are just a preview. Click on them to see the post. There are 110 photos.

I got talked into doing the Warrior Dash a difficult trail run with obstacles. It was held at Horning’s Hideout, in the country outside North Plains, OR. I was very skeptical. It turned out I kicked ass at it, finishing in the top 1%. I placed about 55th out of more than 5700 people on Saturday. There were similar numbers of people on Sunday. 300 people at a time start every half hour for two days. The fact that it was a tough steep trail run was right up my alley. I beat almost all the big strong guys. I love that.

It was a mixed day for me. I did well in the event, but was pretty ruined mentally. I was in the process of losing my business, house, a ton of money, and everything I had worked for, for many years. I thank my nice friends for being understanding that day. I will be in a better mood this year for the 2012 event.

http://warriordash.com/

These two thumbnails are just a preview. Click on them to see the post. There are 48 photos.

I was considering going to the airshow, and then my brother wrote and asked if I wanted to go. That was a very nice surprise. Even though my brother doesn’t live really far away, I still don’t see him very often. I was very glad to hang out with him, especially on a very rare warm sunny day.

These two thumbnails are just a preview. Click on them to see the post. There are 101 photos.

I was going to do my first triathlon in 2012. Some friends and people I know encouraged me to try one for practice at the end of the 2011 season. I was not in proper shape for it, but tried to cram in what training I could after my last half marathon of the season. I pushed to hard too soon after that race and hurt a tendon behind my knee where a calf muscle connects. I did my best anyway. I was not fast, but since it was not big race I placed third in my age group. I was surprised and proud. Best of all, my dad was there. It was the first and only time any of my relatives have been to one of my races.

http://www.racecenter.com/stumptown/

These two thumbnails are just a preview. Click on them to see the post. There are 54 photos.

Continue reading »

I was invited to go on a scenic road bike ride late last August (the beginning and end of “summer”),that started and ended at Eola Hills Winery on Hwy 99, between Dallas and Salem, Oregon. Besides being too cold for much of the first half of the ride, it was a great day with nice people and pretty scenery.

http://www.eolahillswinery.com/

These two thumbnails are just a preview. Click on them to see the post. There are 42 photos.

Last August was a combination of positive outdoor activities, running swimming, biking, meeting new people, doing new things, and crushing business stress at the same time.

These photos are from August 20th, 2011. I went on this ride with a meetup group that I quit this week. I just received an e-mail saying they don’t want fast riders in their group anymore. Childish people fired all the ride leaders and good active people I liked and took over the group. They literally said they don’t want any of the people faster than them to lead or be in the group and want a “beginning and intermediate only” group. They ruined a very good thing that many people of various abilities enjoyed. I wrote them a very clear letter telling them what I thought of their “taking my ball and going home” behavior and how in my group I welcome everyone, including those much faster than me. Meetup should be inclusive. I quit their group immediately and began informing everyone I know about their move. I had been promoting their group and got them new members. Look at these photos. Quite a few of these people are now unwelcome and unwanted in that group, including me. Sad.

That day, however, was a very good day. I made friends that I still have now.

These thumbnails are just a preview. Click on them to see the post. There are 57 photos.

Continue reading »

This race I was not really ready for, but I still did far better than the only other time I had run it. The year before it had been my first ever 10k. I ran it a full minute per mile faster than the year before.
http://orrc.net/races/garlicfest/garlic_tba.htm

These thumbnails are just a preview. Click on them to see the post. There are 44 photos.

Here is a bike ride I went on east of Portland last “summer”. It was with one of the two meetup cycling groups I joined. I met most of those people that day, because I usually ride out west here. Two of the people I had met before, unfortunately, because they were incredibly rude. There were however some very nice people on the ride and it was a good day.

These thumbnails are just a preview. Click on them to see the post. There are 56 photos.