Teste

I just did the Test of Metal in Squamish this weekend. It was pretty fun, but as usual I was felled by catastrophic leg cramps. Unlike many participants I didn't weep, but did shout and writhe in front of crowds of onlookers. It was pretty awesome though, 800 riders, 67km, 1200m of climbing. Suffer suffer. I'll be signed up for next year for it, this time loaded with electrolytes, I'll be huffing Gatorade crystals right from the start.

Evidently this fellow suffered the same fate:

Family Portrait

I managed to get these two to stand still and near each other long enough to take this picture, but not so long that it ended in crying...

Back in the Blogosphere

Yes the holiday from blogging is over. Funny how things have been falling off the back lately, first it's downtime, then it's a clean house, next hygiene becomes elective. What's that? A prepared meal, never heard of it. Fish fingers and chicken nuggets all the way. Tobin and Nick are getting along better each day, but they also vacillate between being buddies and being enemies that fight to the death.

Anyway, a few pics:

Hot Rod!

Man toys

Nick, holding on tightly, ouch.

AMG after a 160km ride

"how y'all dewin?"

Swingers

Feeding Brownie and Brownie across the fence

Dinnertime. Like I said about hygiene.

Man nap

A quiet...instant

Revolutionary

Effort

Bikes, Sun and Vitamin Deficient Meals

Some photos from the last week, it's hot here right now!

Imp.

Yes, ABB, he does look like his mother!

Nick likes pointing and handing you things.

Exhibit A

Exhibit B

Nick: look of concern. Tobin: wild abandon

Some more bike riding with Grampa Allan. The bumpy road didn't do much for AMG's ribs, or the boys tolerance for being dragged around.


Connnncentrate..... It's tricky riding a bike, taking a picture and trying to keep the chariot from toppling over in the ruts.

Plumbing the nutritional depths. A new low

Some families have 'Mexican Night', we have 'Post-communist Russia Night'.

Nick is One!

Here he is doing some of his favorite things:

Drooling and growling...

eating...

Pacific Populaire and Easter Bunnies

We spent the Easter weekend in Vancouver fostering cavities and spending the line of credit; wholesome fun. Tobin's highlight was riding the skytrain in from Richmond* and then the public transit all over downtown, it was pretty fun. Kevin and Jen tolerated our usual 'here-are-the-kids-see-you-later!' shenanigans enabling AMG and I to get out for some fun:

John convinced us to join him and 300 others on the Pacific Populaire, a 100km bike ride around Vancouver and out to Richmond (the hinterland) and back. It was super fun and Ann-Marie and I both learned some things.

a) I learned that if you're going to ride 100km it's best not to get your heart rate up to 200bpm on the first climb and then spend the next 45 minutes with it above 190 - unless of course you want to stagger through the last 40km, wretching like a dog that's been eating plastic bags**. I'm not sure when I'll learn how to pace myself, but that's the third time I've used this ill conceived strategy.

b) Ann-Marie learned that one must be careful when judging the speed and distance to the large delivery truck one is following if one doesn't want to crash into it, sending one to the pavement. She had a pretty nasty crash but luckily came out intact. Some pretty serious bruising to her ribs and a big raspberry on her hip but no broken bones. In standard fashion she waved off any assistance (I'm okay I'm okay!!! Leave me alone!!***) and finished the ride in fine style well ahead of me.

The start

* If you're ever parking in Richmond, avoid the Yaohan Center at Aberdeen mall. The parkade is the Asian version of the Death Star. I felt like Luke Skywalker dodging Darth Vader's TIE fighters.
** Yes, Bear has developed an affinity for plastic bags. How could he not? They're so delicious.

*** At this point I was well ahead with my heart beating 3.3 times per second so I didn't actually witness this, but it's how I imagine it all played out.