Saturday...wasn't there one last week?

This morning Jonnene and I got up at 6am which is a more respectable hour to wake up for the day compared to the 5am alarms so that we can walk the dogs to we can get a quick ride in or go to yoga/pilates (well, Jonnene does that). This time we were going to do the local bike club's monthly ride from Ford Park which started at 7:30am. We had already put our gear together the night before so it wouldn't take long to pack up the car and get on our way. So why not sleep in a bit later?

With the hot weather we've had (last significant rainfall was June 22nd) it would already be near 90F by the time we started our ride. It was a huge crowd...don't have a total number...but it included several from Texas who were invited to partake in the ride and the food that is served up afterward.

The group starts to gather up before heading out from Ford Park.

The ride itself went pretty well with the longest distance being 48 miles which I would eventually get into a small group of faster riders in the last 10 miles where we really pushed the pace with some significantly-fast surging up the hills. Jonnene rode really well on the way out but started to have some issues with the heat in the last part of her ride. She felt she hadn't hydrated enough the day before but she would be fine. It was getting close to 100F by the time we returned to the park. The food and drinks were welcomed and fairly well consumed. Good time had by all, generally speaking.

After getting some much needed showers and a bit of rest at home we headed over to my mom's house to move a queen-sized mattress from one part of her house to another and get her computer set up for Skype so she can talk to and see us when we go to Oz. She can also have a chance to talk to Holly while she is in Hong Kong. Then we made a quick stop by the grocery store for a few items. The rest of the day/night we're at home, just relaxing. Tomorrow I need to get some training in for the individual time trial district championships a week from now in LaPlace. I'm quite sure it'll be hot tomorrow, too!

Trying Again...

I tell you, I thought I had last written in this blog much more recently. Then I finally look at the date of my last entry and it's in March....MARCH! Time has flown by way too fast and I haven't kept up. Many things have happened. Here's a brief look at them and I'll get into any particular ones at a later date...hopefully, not five months later:

1. Jonnene and I have been married 5 years as of May 6, 2011.

2. I took three of my Centenary triathlete students to the national collegiate championships in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Two weeks later a tornado came through Tuscaloosa, damaging property and killing people.

3. My niece, Holly, went to Hong Kong this week to be an exchange student at Lingnan University. And she's the reason I'm trying to get my blog active again (she's started one herself to record her experiences).

4. I did my Rouge-Roubaix bicycle race last March. The first eighty miles weren't so bad. The last 26 were not pleasant at all, finished the 106 miles in 6:06, slower than I wanted to go. Good thing: NO flats.

5. I've already competed in two other bike races since then and I've three more (I think) on my schedule left to go.

6. Jonnene has done a couple of triathlons but she's not as active this year. Kinda taking a break from all the action.

7. Both of us are going to Australia late in the year. We hope to bring Holly down from Hong Kong at some point while we're there for a visit. Hey, we're on that side of the world, Holly's on that side of the world....just makes sense.

8. We have had over 45 days of 100+ degree temperatures this summer. No measurable rain since June 22nd. The grass in the front yard is dry and brown. The good side? Don't have to mow it!!

9. I'm feeling very optimistic for a good football season out of my ULM Warhawks. We have a good team this year and we will be in a bowl game! I promise you!!!

10. I got first place in my age group in a few races this year (duathlon and a couple of 5K runs). My competition is skeered of me.