Early

It's early, yessir. Work has been insane, insane I tell you. I was so apprehensive to start that forty-hour-per-week routine, and here I am well into a 50-hour week. Smooth transition I think not. I got up at five this morning, cranked out a couple proposals/quotes for clients, and now I'm taking a brief respite before heading to the office. McKinley and I are curled up on the couch... she seems annoyed at the sound of my keystrokes. I'm annoyed at her inability to keep her hair attached to her body instead of floating all over my house... I'll let her slide. I just looked at her and instigated the 100-decibel tail-thump that she emmanates in the early morning silence. Shhh.... Lauren's sleeping.

Anyway, the days are progressing well and I am finding reward in most aspects of my job. The bike season is winding down, down, down, which takes the edge off these long weeks. Just one more hill climb this weekend and I get to hang it up for a while. I had debated hitting a few more big-caliber events, but between logistical set-backs and financial drawbacks it became obvious I should call it a season. Call it a season of accomplishment, a season well-done.

But first, that hill climb. I'm opting to skip the local hill climb this weekend, AKA the Bogus Basin World Championship; instead I will be travelling down to Elko tomorrow evening then over to Wells, Nevada early Saturday a.m. The "race to the angel" climbs up to Angel Lake some 13 miles southwest of Wells, and is actually the first "road race" I ever did. Back in the day, 1995 riding a l992 Carbon Trek. Epic climb and a perfect way to end the season: family and friends present (both in cars and in competition), a nostalgic climb, and a brewery-sponsored barbecue. Although the barbecue typically consists of cold chicken wings, store-bought chocolate-chip cookies and wilted iceberg lettuce, the beer and epic climb overshadow all shortcomings. Best thing about the event? The promoters and locals could care less who you are! Last time I went down there I received zero acclaim for winning the overall! Awesome.

I get to travel to Midvale this afternoon, which I've been told is somewhere North of here. You know it's a small town when it's referenced to another unknown Idaho town. "Yeah you know, Midvale, it's about forty miles north of Weiser". What? I'm heade up there for a project, so apparently someone lives there - or at least works there.

G'bye.

calvino