Revving the engines, shifting the gears & new fund raising opportunities

ALRIGHT! It's time to ramp up to race season. The practice races have started, the trash talking has started, and my training has... not had the start I had hoped. But that's life. While I'd like to have been better prepared when the racing starts in the beginning of October I was reminded recently by Larry Penya to not take it too seriously. Guess that's like this blog... haven't been getting the writing off as regular as I had hoped. But really I will try harder - on both. Really. I mean it. No, really.

In addition to having other things in life happen besides my not-so-carefully scripted training plan there's been other changes. For instance we're shifting gears in our fundraising efforts. Last year as you may or may not recall we were racing to raise money for Wounded Warrior Project. We did alright, ending up with just shy of $1,700.00. Not too shabby. But this year we wanted to focus our efforts on a more local charity. This year we will be raising money for the Central Ohio Leathernecks Nation Memorial Fund. This fund is used to aide our Veterans in Central Ohio whether they are in a nursing home needing basic amenities, homeless needing a hand or somewhere between. We chose to do this because the Central Ohio Leathernecks Nation has been there to help and support our family in the past three years without question or hesitation. We feel that if we get the opportunity to help them out for a change we should do so. As well, I'm hoping we can raise just as much money for the Central Ohio Leathernecks Nation Memorial Fund as we did for Wounded Warrior Project. It's a big challenge but I think we can do it.

Soon we hope to have a website up so that donations can be made online through a secure transaction. In the meantime you can still use the really old fashioned method of mailing a check or money order. If you choose to do that, it should be made out to the Central Ohio Leathernecks Nation Memorial Fund. It can be sent to:
J.D. Kimple
PO Box 222
Carroll, OH   43112-0222

While I may not be taking my training and racing too seriously I am taking this cause very seriously. I am taking this opportunity to ask for you to take it seriously, too. Please.

Thanks for reading.

Life, interrupted

Like most days it seems like no matter what I have planned, things will change. Saturday is a fine example. We got up, and Catie and I were supposed to go to breakfast and then she would get the blankets and comforters washed while I went on a long  bike ride.  Hey, two thumbs up, sounds pretty good to me.

Well, our youngest son needs to go to work. So we hold back a bit, take him with us so that we can take him straight to work. Slight delay, but still no problem. The day is young, right?

"Oh yeah, I need to help my niece with some shopping, it'll be quick,then we can get started" was what I heard. I have learned that there is never such thing as "shopping real quick". Hmm....

While we are shopping, we learn that our grandson's birthday was that day. Shoot, I thougth it was Sunday. OK, frantic gift-finding spree for the grandson. Then we head on out to grandson's birthday party. I was a bit antsy at this point about not getting the ride in that I had planned but this is more important - I have only seen him two or three times in the past year.

Time to get our youngest from work. Oops, there's a delay. He can't leave right away. Not a problem, we walk across the parking lot and get ice cream for everyone. Yeah, I know, not like we didn't have ice cream at the grandson's birthday party but.... these things happen.

Take son home. Oh look, now it's time to get on the motorcycles to welcome home the Honor Flight with our Leatherneck Nation friends. So at least some time on two wheels.If you don't know much about the Honor Flight, The  Honor Flight Network provides World War II and terminally ill veterans FREE trip to Washington D.C. to visit and reflect on their memorials. It is always worth it to welcome these veterans back home from their brief trip.

And then... day is done.

Got the long training ride in Sunday. And if, by not riding Saturday, that I give up the difference between 3rd and 23rd place, so be it. Some days  you have to be flexible and not be so annoyed if it doesn't go your way - a lesson it's taking me a long time to learn.