Styx Still Rocks

Maybe by next year's RAGBRAI ride, I'll get all of this years pictures posted! HA
j/k.

I can't possibly post that many... but just a taste!
Iowa smells. I mean it stinks. Like poop. There are pig farms everywhere and the place smells like shit. I mean it! However, they have the greenest fields I've ever seen. I'm pretty sure its from crap run-off.


At one of the stops we ran into some of our cycling club riders. Don greeted me!


Tuesday night Styx performed for us! I love Tommy Shaw!


The crowd went on and on....

Two Wheeled Madness

I'm trying to suck Richard into my cycling madness...

I bought him a new road bike too! I'm going this weekend to pick it up complete with helmet, riding shoes, bikin pants (you know... with the butt pad that is supposed to help with bike butt but really doesnt do its job so well) and jersey. I'm excited about him joining our cycling club and riding with us. Even is he chooses to go lightly, he'll love hanging with the group! He's been working on our Cycling club website so now... sweetheart... its time to ride! yeah!!!

More Tales from Two Wheels

As we passed through little towns on our RAGBRAI tour, they all offered food, water (that includes pop, sports drinks, beer, bloody marys... you name it!), plus there was always shopping to be done and bike repair stops. This is one of the towns on our first day through.


Typically it was so jammed that you had to stop and walk your bike through. There was no riding through these stops!


One crazy team (not ours) celebrating in the town square after a long hard ride that day.


The night before our big 82 mile day, a storm moved through the area and the authorities ushered us into the middle/high school for shelter. A tornado moved through that night. Being from Oklahoma, we did what good ol Oklahoman's do! We went outside to watch the storm! The guy on the very right just wanted to be in our picture... not a clue who he is! haha


One of the vendors trying to sweet talk riders into stopping for his yummy pancake balls.

Week of Sorrow

It's been a very long and trying week this week. Monday, we found that my ex-bro-n-law died suddenly over the weekend (while we were in Iowa) and we're not convinced it was Natural Causes like the medical examiner proclaims. Tuesday, I suddenly quit my job. I hated it and found it too confining and working with uneducated old ladies isn't my bag. So, to not waste anymore time... I quit. Thursday night, I picked Z up at daycare and she announced that "unforeseen circumstances" were forcing her to quit and move to Colorado... this weekend!!! Today was her last day!

I just about had a breakdown.

C was with me and as precious as he is... volunteered to be the new sitter. lol We loaded up and went to a bar-b-q we were scheduled to be at... I unloaded my sorrows... and got all kinds of suggestions and assistance. We'd kind of settled (a little bit) on what we were going to do when all of a sudden, Heather called and said she'd had a little lapse in judgement and there was going to be a change in plans. She wasn't going!!! She was keeping her daycare open. I bought had another breakdown. lol

Now, that is settled and ok.

I am taking today off to do nothing. Maybe see my sis who is suffering greatly at the loss of Mark. Maybe take the boys to lunch and run around town. Maybe haul some junk to the Goodwill place. Who knows... but i'm taking the day off from job hunting and i'll start again Monday with a whole new fresh look.

Oh... I also have tons more of RAGBRAI to share :)

RAGBRAI... the oldest, hardest, and longest cycling expedition in the world.
I think, right next to Tour de France. After doing this little venture... I think I will enter Tour de France next year! ha!

This is a cycling ride, not a race, and our team tried to slow down and enjoy the week. People come from all over the world to do this ride. There was a pace team from Italy, and I met several people from California plus I met a guy from somewhere... he didnt speak a lick of english and I couldnt place his language. All we did was chatter to each other and smile. We had no idea what the other was saying. haha People camp out in tents each night or if they are lucky (like we were) they have a RV Coach complete with car hauler/trailer and mini van to follow the team from town to town and provide a little comfort. Thank God for Larry our driver! He was a God send! Food vendors travel from town to town and set up each night, plus they are located along side the highways so you are never more than 5 miles from food and water/sports drinks. Here's a few pics:

Patti, Sheri and I headed to the Expo on the day we arrived. WAY in the background you can see a campsite starting to form:


A team bus comes rolling in:


Blood, Sweat & Gears the morning of our first day ride:


A view of the riders coming up the hill heading out of Missouri Valley, Iowa. The trail of cyclists went on for miles and miles and miles!


One of the rest stops along the highway:

Sweet Deal

When Sheri and I pedaled into one of the overnight stays while doing RAGBRAI, off to our right was a 65 Mustang for sale... and it caught our eye. We headed back to the Coach and told all the guys... they'd seen it too... so we loaded up and went back to get a closer look. It's exactly what we've been looking for to give to C to drive! We got the phone number of the guy selling it and if he'd answered or called us back... we would have purchased it and driven it home! I love it!

Welcome Home

I did it!

I pedaled 471 grueling miles across the stinky state of Iowa. I mean "stinky" literally. It's the smelliest place I've ever been. Pig poop everywhere! Plus it's not flat. Iowa is very hilly. "rolling hills" as they call it... we refer to them as mini mountains.

Boy, do I have some leg muscles now!

I'll try to get some pics posted soon!

BRAGBRAI as Some Call It

I'm heading out to go pedal my 500 miles! Me and the other 10,000 people! I'm excited yet I have butterflies in my stomach. I know I have the endurance to do it... its my bike butt i'm worried about. After a 50 mile ride your butt bone is sore, but 500 miles! We get 7 days to do it, but still! Butt Bone Spurs are painful.

Fortunately, we're going in luxury. As me and the other 6 in my group pedal along, we have Larry following us in our $800,000 RV and trailer (complete with mini van for short little jaunts around town). At night, we dont have to pitch a tent like so many fellow cyclists. We get to sleep under an air conditioner. yeah! That will help the ol butt spur. lol

See ya in a week or so!

Some More Cold

I've been so extremely busy and I havent been able to blog. I'm fixin to leave on a long cycling ride... whooo hoooo!!!

Alaska:
We got to ride an old rickety train through the mountains while we were in Skagway. (fun fun) It was beautiful... but i'm not too hip on going over old bridges and narrow passages high in the mountains!

Here's our train:


See... it's so gorgeous!





This little lady would give you a tour all around Skagway for a teeny tiny fee of $20 each. Richard and I didnt go, but C & P and my mom did. They found out that you can't buy land to build homes or businesses. Pretty much the only way you can buy a house there is if you know someone and they specifically will sell it to you, or you are left a house by death or some other way of inheriting. All the land is National Park territory or Indian Burial ground or something and if a house does come up sale, the price is astronomical! $300k or a little shack. So, when people have to go there to work, they can't afford a house and can't build, so they pitch tents or stay in travel trailers 'out back'. I should have gotten a picture of that... because we passed 'out back' on the train and they do! They have to live like bums almost. So sad.

No Easy Entry

Let me begin with... there is so much I want to share about Alaska and Canada but there is so much information and such little time and I don't know where to begin! I'll just jump right in somewhere and hopefully in the end it will come together. Kind of like a senior term paper.

The scenery is amazing. It's almost therapeutic. Like a fish tank almost! This is me looking at the mountains as we pass... heading to Juneau, Alaska.


The guys took a tram up the side of the mountain and here's a shot of Juneau from the top. Did you know that Juneau isn't accessible by auto? You can only get to this city by boat! My cousins used to live here too!!!


Now, here in Oklahoma the "Red Dog" is something totally different! Only Richard and I giggled when we saw the "Red Dog" on the corner. Thank God the kids didnt understand the funny!


Again, looking down on Juneau from the top of the mountain. This mountain also is home to a local lake and a favorite of all the kiddos. The locals hike this mountain and go fishing here!


Another view of Juneau. It's so beautiful. While shopping I got to chatting with one of the girls that was working in a shop and learned she was from Texas! I asked "WHY" would you ever move from Texas to Alaska and Juneau at that!? It's only accessible by boat! She said she had gone there on a visit (friend or sister) and she loved it, so she went back for a 6 week visit and decided to stay. She'd been in Alaska for about 8 years now. It's nice... but I like being able to drive in and out of my city :)

Belated 4th

Happy 4th of July yesterday! Here are a few pics from our night. We went to a little cookout at a friends house... set off some of our own fireworks and watched all those around us.

Cruising Through

I'm back!

I'm not sure where to start in telling my travel story. I'm glad to be home though. It was fun to go, but it sure is a long trip and having so many time changes and traveling with your entire family plus being surrounded by so many Asian people who have no consideration for your personal space... wears on your last nerve. Grant, you'd love the Alaskan Cruise. They announced that there were 85 different nationalities on the ship and I bet 70% of the people were Asian.

The absolute best part of the trip was cruising Glacier Bay. Those big chunks of ice are amazing and alot bigger than you'd ever imagine. We were fortunate enough to watch huge chunks of ice falling into the ocean - they say they move 6 feet a day. At first we heard what sounded like a huge clap of thunder, and then you see 'dust' on the side of the glacier and then you see it hit the water and then you feel the ripples of waves. The environmentalist that was brought to the ship to describe and explain everything to us, said that the big piece that fell (that we saw) was the biggest he'd seen while doing these tours and none had moved a ship like this one had. It was so exciting. The water is smooth and calm and a murky green/gray color. We were in a huge glass of liquid refreshment with ice cubes.

I've got more to write later but i'm still diggin through hundreds of pictures. Here's a few!

On Break

I'm taking a break from packing... we're fixing to head north! Canada will never be the same once we're done with it! hehehe

Here are a few pictures that Richard took of baby Z and I the weekend I did Red River Roadkill. We'd walked down to the water to check it out and daddy snapped some good pics of us!




If I don't talk to you before I left for the trip... I'll talk to you afterwards. I'm sure I'll have alot to share!

P.S. Good luck and best wishes to Posse :) He's having a new baby boy on Friday!!!

Sunday

Happy Father's Day!

Fare Thee Well

It is with great sadness that I report the end of my blogging career. Health issues have reared their ugly head and all my efforts and energy will need to focus there. I appreciate all of you and have enjoyed taking a peek into your diverse lives over this past three years. I hope to continue reading your blogs and wish you the best in all your endeavors. Mz Kerbear will hopefully continue to keep you abreast of the events surrounding her life with her terrific hubby and precious Baby Z. Please feel free to stay in touch via email. Ironically, my addy is mzblogger@hotmail.com.

hugs and kisses,

circe

Follow up to the story

Ok.. since i'm not watching that horrid movie, it gives me the chance to post some pics.
Here's Sheri and I at the butt crack of dawn. Actually, i'm not sure it was dawn yet. We were fixing our oatmeal and loading up to get to register for our ride.


Our group skipping off to the cars after we'd finished our ride and grabbed some lunch.


A few of the guys that we ride with... and they are all smiles after we finish! They are an awesome group!


The most beautiful baby at the lake. Love the fishing hat!

Edit to Previous Post

I am not watching that shit.

I'll have nightmares!

I walked in on a scene where my Will is screamed at by some freak of nature and I'm not watching that. I'll have nightmares.

So, i'm going to work on my pictures.

It's Raining Men!

I have been so neglectful of this blog... and even worse at catching up on my fellow bloggers sites. *begging forgiveness*

I have been seriously so busy with all our summer activities and the job and trying to train my bike butt. I have been able to sneak a few peaks at some of the posts... i'm trying to stay in the loop!

Sheri and I rode in the Red River Roadkill bike ride this past weekend. After doing Tour de Meers, the 30mph wind and winding hills around Lake Murray were nothing! We pumped those miles out like pros and were greeted with applause and whistles and we pedaled into the station at the finish line.

I'll see what pictures I have to post from there too.

We made a weekend of it and camped out at the lake... I have awesome pics of me and baby Z! My sweet hubby got some great pictures. He is so good about taking us out and doing photo shoots ;) I'll share those soon too. Right now the guys are all in the back room watching a Will Smith movie... so I gotta go. I love Will!

Photo Opportunity

I made the front page of the Sunday Oklahoman... the Destinations section!

I got out of bed this morning and headed to check my email and there sat a message from one of my sweet little friends that read..

I opened the Sunday paper and who do I see leading the pack of bikers, Kerry and Sheri.....Great Job!! I am impressed!!! I know it was hot and muggy that day. You will have to get the paper and have the article framed!! Oh, and I love the pink that you have on....

WHAT!? What paper!? I raced to the corner store and there on the front page was a little blip about Tour de Meers last weekend so I knew that's what she had to be talking about. I bought the paper and raced out to the MM to check it out. Sure enough, a huge picture of me and Sheri leading a pack up the side of the mountain. Our first ride/race and we made the paper :) I'll see if I can get it scanned in and share the pic.

My Sweet Bloggin Partner

Big Hugs and Kisses to you, Circe!!! I hope you have a wonderful weekend! I miss you!