Color Vibe, Tragedy and Family.

On a whim, a few months ago, I sent an email to my two sisters about maybe running in the "Color Vibe 5k". I kinda figured they would not be able to make it, but to my surprise, they both thought it was a great idea. Fast forward about 6 weeks, and my step sister, and her fiance were going to run as well. Then, two weeks before the run, my step brother and his wife were visiting, and he reminded me, that the same day as the run was his mom's (my step mom) birthday, and that maybe he would drive the five hours back for a day. We then planned on making it a surprise party for her, since all the kids, and a few grandchildren would be here. All set for a great weekend with all of my siblings in the same place for the first time in about four years, it was looking like we would have a really good time.

Tragedy struck on the Tuesday before the big weekend. My step sister's fiance had a death in the family. Her brother, who was just 32, was killed in a motorcycle accident. Obviously they were not going to make it for the weekend. I am very sad for them, and especially for his new daughter, that was born just four days after he passed. My thoughts and prayers go out to their entire family. This hits home for me, since I also ride motorcycles. I do not know anything about the accident, other than he was out riding with friends, had on a helmet, and ran off the road at some point. His friends apparently didn't see him crash, and when he wasn't with them at the next stop, assumed he went home because his very pregnant wife was having the baby.... they went back much later and found him. This makes me even more grateful for the guys I ride with, when I do ride. They would never assume anything, and if I was not at the next turn, or even if the guy in front of me lost sight of me behind him, they would all immediately turn around to find me. Even my wife, who does not like me riding, says that she is glad I ride with the guys I do. They aren't just riding buddies, they are like family.

My step brother was also unable to make it. He just decided to stay home since his wife had to work. I'm bummed, and surprised he didn't come.

My sisters did make it though. My older sister came into town a few days early for a career opportunity that we are really hoping she gets! She didn't want her daughter to miss two days of school, so our Dad flew down to get her on Friday afternoon. Boy did my son have fun playing with his cousin!!! He would drag her around playing with different toys, and just giggle and squeal as if it was the best thing in the world. I think she had quite a bit of fun too, even though she is eight years older. Girls are good that way. A 10 year old boy would not have had as much fun with a two year old...I don't think? If they do end up moving here, he will have two cousins to play with, as well as a crazy(fun) Uncle and Aunt that he LOVES.

We all just hung out on Friday night, drinking some beer, catching up and getting to know my little sister's boyfriend, that she has been dating for about FOUR YEARS and we are finally just meeting.... I'm not really happy about that. Sure, I could have taken a 1600mi trip to visit her in the PNW, but with kids and my wife's schedule, that's not really easy to do. She has been back at least twice a year, every year, and he has not made the trip with her. BIG points lost there. Not to mention, the last time she was back before this, they had broken up because he said he had no interest in coming here to meet us. Ummm, what? I was hopeful that this was the end of it at that point. He also seems very set in his ways, and why shouldn't he be. He is nearly 40 years old!!! Yep, that makes him two (or three?) years older than me. Much older than my little sister too(still in her 20's). I don't know what's going on with this whole relationship. Does he wan't kids? Is he willing to live somewhere that they BOTH want to live? Is he even interested in getting married at all?? Questions I would like answered, but I wasn't going to put my sister, or this guy on the spot yet. If they are still together in a year, or if he moves back to where he is from, and my sister thinks she wants to go with him, then I will really make her think about what she is doing. The guy is nice enough, and we have a lot in common, but he is a definitely no going to change in any way FOR my sister. This seems to be a common mistake many women make with relationships. Some men do change, but those are the ones that are wrapped around the little finger of their girlfriend/wife. He doesn't seem to be that way, AT ALL. I could see him just moving and saying "it's over".
Whatever...

The whole weekend was generally enjoyable, and it was great to spend some quality time with my parents and sisters. I miss them a lot, and hope they both end up moving back to our home state...or at least closer than they are now. It's funny how before I had kids, I didn't mind just seeing them a couple times a year. It was no big deal, as I was busy working and running around doing my own thing with friends and my wife. As soon as we had our son, I wanted my sisters to be closer, and to be a part of his life. My older sister gets that, and she is trying to move here. Little sis, is still being young and having fun. I just hope she eventually decides that being close to family can be more rewarding than any job, hobbies, climate, view, vacation or even group of friends. Besides, we live in a place that isn't expensive to live, so traveling is easily affordable for those with a good job, like she has.

ok... that's enough of this serious crap for now. I need a nap while the kids are napping!

Cheers,
5th

Really liking this new scoot!

Back on my birthday, we stopped by the Ducati dealer in Omaha and my lovely wife suggested I buy the one I have always talked about getting "someday". They had a used one, and it was ok, but just not THE ONE, so I told her we should wait and I will think about it. Hey, I'm not going to impulse buy a really nice motorcycle! I listed my then current bike (04 Suzuki V-strom 650) on the ADVrider forum for sale, and within a couple days, I had two parties interested in buying it for what I was asking. AWESOME! I told my wife, and she said "well then, go get it!". HOORAY! Less than a week later, I had sold the bike that I bought new in 2004, and ridden over 21,000 miles to places in Colorado, South Dakota, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa, and all over Nebraska...and bought a bike that I will love in a very different way!

The old:




The new:




This is a 2013 Ducati Monster 796 20th Anniversary Limited Edition (#75 of 200). It is Small, Light, Quick, Beautiful and FUN!!
I brought it home with ZERO miles on the odometer, and now have about 550mi on it. It's been a cold spring (snow on May 1st!), and with the two little kids, rides are hard to escape for. I also have the super fun dual sport Suzuki DRZ400 in the stable, and it gets some attention too. If I feel like hitting the gravel roads, I most certainly take off on the DRZ. It is equally fun in a very different way.

Speaking of the DRZ... I added a few new little bits to it, so that it will be a more adequate "Adventure" mount. Tonn's Fabrication has some trick parts to bolt on, and I added all of them. Skid plate, rear rack and sprocket guard. They are top notch, and look like they will hold up very well. I also have a larger fuel tank on order from JustGasTanks, and it should be here this month sometime. Instead of hitting reserve at around 80 miles, I will have a range of about 150mi or more. This will come in handy when I finally get to take a trip back to Moab, UT and a ride around the White Rim trail. Next spring maybe??

Caramel Green Apple Cider and Unicorn Piss

I planned ahead for once, and had fresh beer on tap for our son's second birthday. He loves beer!

Just kidding...

I fermented a batch of apple juice MONTHS ago, and just had it sitting in the carboy. I wanted to wait until my wife wasn't pregnant, so that she could have some too. Now that our daughter is 3 months, it was time. It's pretty good, and I used the basic recipe from Homebrewtalk.com for "Dave's Caramel Apple Cider". The only changes I made were 20oz of the cinnamon dolce syrup, and only 2 cans of frozen concentrated apple juice (FCAJ). This keeps it from being too sweet, and it tastes much more like a caramel GREEN apple than a really sweet red apple. I will probably toss in another can of FCAJ, to sweeten it up, since my wife want's it a touch more sweet. It is so simple to make, I will probably have a keg of cider on tap most of the time.

Unicorn Piss? YEP! It's beer.... purple beer.... no kidding. LOL!
I decided some time ago that I wanted to make a fruit wheat beer. I went back and forth many times on recipes for the beer, and what fruit to use. Finally I decided on Blackberries, and my own recipe for the wheat beer. Pretty basic recipe, with a twist to back up the tartness of the blackberries.
5lbs White Wheat Malt
4.5lbs US 2 Row
.5lb Rye Malt (for some spiciness)
Bittering hops for ~20IBU (I used some stuff I had on hand... .25oz Yakima Magnum and 10mL hop shot)
1oz Willamette at 5min

7 day primary, then rack on 3lbs can of Vintners Harvest Blackberry Puree for 7 days.
Keg, carb, drink.

It's pretty tasty, with no sweetness like one might expect from a "fruit beer". The rye malt lends a tad bit of peppery backbone to the wheat that balances nicely with the tartness of the blackberries. I might hold back a tad on the bittering hops next time, but only a few points. Maybe for a total of 18IBU instead of 24. I think the berries will shine through just a bit more that way. Overall though, it's a good beer that most seem to enjoy so far.

B day

They say it's your birthday...

nah nah nah nah nah nah....

It's my birthday too, YEAH!

nah nah nah nah nah nah.....


35.

Half way to 70! :O

Sitting here with The Cat in the Hat on, and eating some fluffy berry flavored Eggo Waffles with my 20 month old son. I can't complain. Not one bit.

My wife took the day off...well, most of it. She had a meeting that she had to attend this morning. My mother-in-law is going to take the boy for most of the day. So the adults will be going out to lunch, and maybe just shopping for nothing, and then maybe dinner and cake back at my in-law's. A nice day of not worrying about what my son wants or needs every minute.
Almost like it was two years ago....almost. I can't remember what I did on my birthday two years ago. I was probably working. Had to save my vacation time at work, so that I could use it for paternity leave, and then quit my job a couple weeks later. LOL! The whole plan was worked out long in advance, and I rolled over 40hrs of vacation from the previous year for it. I took a week of vacation, and went with a friend and his 11 year old son to Moab, UT. We camped and did some wheeling on the many 4x4 trails around there (it's truly amazing if you like the outdoors). After that trip, it was less than two months, and I was a dad. This time, it'll be less than two weeks after my birthday, and I will be a dad again!

I still refuse to grow up. You know, garage full of motorcycles and bicycles. Homebrew on tap. A big tool box full of tools leftover from my aircraft mechanic days. Some of that may change, or get worse. Once my son can ride a bike, we will be on them all the time. Then I wan't to get him riding Trials Bikes. Don't know what that is? Check out this video.

The cool thing is, they have little electric bikes for kids. Simply an amazing way to teach a kid to ride a motorcycle. They will learn the kind of balance and control that will make regular riding seem very easy.
I might have an agenda here.... I want one too. :) Good way to do less street riding, and stay much more safe. I'm thinking within two years, it will happen.

Well, I better go and enjoy "my day".

Cheers,
Kurt

DAMN!

Finally got the boy in bed by 10:30 (started at 9:30, but he wanted back up after 30min...). Then I couldn't get to sleep until after 11. THEN I woke up at 5:30 A friggen M!!! Coffee! COFFEE!!!!

:)