Good Training Day

Yesterday was the community garage sale. Had fifty houses signed up for the big event and seventy participated. I manned our Garage sale while WB went to as many as she could in about two hours. We are now the proud owners of three toddler slides. Two are attached to large plastic play structures. The granddaughter should be old enough in about a year to enjoy. Did fairly well. Sold stuff for both my daughters they did OK. The left overs are all packed and cataloged awaiting Good Will on Tuesday and a tax deduction next April 15th. Did not get in a training ride. Good thing several places are sore. I started to worry the Double was out of reach. But today sun was out did a good ride at my hopeful pace and had energy to spare hope the rest of the week goes as well. Ony two hundred and seventy more miles this week to go for training. WB and I packed a lunch and went to the beach for a picnic. Very nice. Check out the photo.


Enough for now.

Training for the Double

The weather has finally improved. Yesterday was nice and sunny. Great training ride 62.2 miles. The flowers are coming out I need to get out with the camera soon. Only three more weeks to train. Not sure it is enough time. Have read all the advice I can find through Google searches. Today will be around 30 miles no hills, recovery ride.

At last MDT stock is moving up hope they hit thier earnings for the year. A lot rides on that stock for the next five years. But so far all my projections have worked out. Excel is such a great tool. The equal sign and some assumptions and you can make anything look great.

Off to ride.

First Trip

As you can see the trip got off to a very cold and snowy start. I did confirm a couple of my old rules on this trip. How hard it rains is directly proportional to how familiar you are with setting up your tent. Let's just say I had only set this tent up once in the garage before the trip. When we arrived it was raining. Checked in and found our site. The rain stopped so WB and I started to put up the tent. And of course it did not go up the first time and than the heavens opened and the rain came down hard. Thanks to our neighbors and a very good absorbent towel from REI we got the tent up and somewhat dry. After a couple of hours at the lodge in Curry village we were somewhat dry and full since we decided to eat at the cafeteria. During the first night it decided to get cold and snow. And the guy across the way in a large RV decided he needed electricity all night by running his generator. But I had made the correct choice of sleeping bags and WB was warm and cozy but upset about the generator.

The morning however was beautiful.

After the storm cleared it was great. Each day the weather improved and the temps warmed up.

After the weather improved it was time for a bike ride. During which I confirmed my other theory. Bike problems are directly proportional to the distance back home. Or in this case camp. On the way in we passed a waterfall I had not seen before a mile or so past the 140 entrance to the park. It looked like it would be a great ride. Down through the valley down hill to the falls turn around and back up the hill and home. It started out just fine, pumped up the tires put on my warm bike stuff. Realized my helment and gloves were still on the work bench at home. Oh well red hat and some thin gloves had to do. Great ride down to the falls stopped enjoyed the views along the way with the rest of America. After viewing the fall turned around at the small parking lot, looked down. A FLAT TIRE. No problem I have all the stuff. Carefully changed the tube. Found the problem a small piece of glass.. Started to pump up the tire with my trusty 20 year old pump. Which, when tire was somewhat inflated BROKE. Great. Climbed on the bike the tire a little low was OK to ride. So needless to say it was a careful ride back to camp trying to avoid any pinch flats. But all in all a great ride. Pumping the tire up at camp with my floor pump made the next day's ride great.


















We had a couple of good day hikes one to mirror lake picture above as proof.

Overall great first retirement trip. The WRX got 25MPG overall. Saw gas for over $4.00 for regular. Needless to say waited until interstate five to fill up on the way home. Ended the trip with a weekend in SLO visiting the college daughter and seeing some friends from SoCal.

Enough for now off for a bike ride. Davis Double coming up. Must train.

One Week

I have now been retired one full week. I must say I am starting to get the hang of it, I think. Today was a big day. Paid the bills. I had to spend some of those savings I worked on for thirty years. I must say it took awhile to pay WB's credit card bill since it had all of the airfare for the big European Family vacation. But than I thought hey it's Good Friday banks are closed this won't post till next week. So I clicked pay in full. I hope WB enjoys the air miles. Went to the magic money at Safeway where there is a branch and guess what the bank was open. Oh well, checked ML account and one of my stocks paid a dividend. Thanks Merrill Lynch. Life is good.

Went for another great bike ride. Yesterday's ride was full of old guy aches and pains. But today was great ride up my favorite hill did not get rained on and had a great sandwich when I got home.

Lined up with the all the folks this am from the local retirement community down the road. Waiting for the local hair cutting place to open. A new gal cut my hair. It is easy just buzz off the little I have. Things were going great until she asked if she could trim my eyebrows. Visions of those folks in line flashed before my eyes and than I said OK go ahead. I just thought those were extra trees in my Peripheral vision. Wow the world is more clear now.

Have the bed covered with items for the great camping trip to Yosemite. I am convinced we could camp for a week on less when we had two little kids at home. Trying to decide if I should take my new REI down bag. Purchased it just before I retired. It took me almost three years of saving my pocket change to get the money. Did well though had a nice dividend check and got 20% off the most expensive item which was the bag. Of course the Governor needs his 8% sales tax based on the non discounted price.

The timer is going off which means my beer is cold. More later after the trip.

Retired

Well it was one week ago today that was my last day at work. I must say the last two weeks at work went faster than I thought they would. Had some good lunches, beers and a great party at the house to celebrate. Made out on retirement gifts. Almost $200 at REI. Well think very carefully on how to spend.

I must say adjusting has been harder than I thought it would be. I have not worked out a good routine for the day yet. The weather has been very rainy so I have not gotten out on the bike much until today. Finally nice and sunny.

We did do the first retired thing. We went to the local RV show. Wow are those things expensive. I'm sticking with the tent. First trip next week to my favorite place Yosemite. Camping for four nights. Hope all goes well. Trying to make sure WB is warm and happy. Than it is off to the yongest daughter's college for parents for the weekend and home on Sunday. Should be fun.

Tried out the new ditigal camera this am in the macro mode.


I hope the photo uploaded.

I must say the hardest part so far is spending money. I had read an article that it would be. After several excel cash flow models I knew it would all work out. But I must say it is hard after saving every month for 30 years.

All for now off to buy groceries for camping and cooking dinner tonight. My other new thing, cooking.