repechage cc lsc ww

Days are getting shorter. Rain is coming more frequently. Puddles forming as leaves fill them up. I love The Island's fall season. I have my cross bike all dialed in and was supposed to hit up some Wednesday night practice but was a solo shop day so no crossy for regy!! :( Its all good as i made my own cross ride home in the pouring rain! Up teh road into Cedar Hill Golf Course, down teh 18th fairway and zooming over some gravel and then chip trail. A short lil zip and then back on teh road, FOOEY! Some more at the gorge and even more down the tracks and up past the Pongo Hospital. Gettin muddy and soaked for the sake of getting muddy and soaked!! Makes me reminise about days when we were children and our mom would send us out the door saying something along the lines of " Now stay the hell outta the mud puddles!!" or " Try not to get too dirty." well, as anyone would know that is just a giant neon sign to a kid sayin "GET AS DIRTY AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN!!!&

I have finally evacuated Alberta for the sanctuary of VanIsle. 7 weeks in ole AB. was enough. I made teh decision a week prior and was feeling immense guilt up until I left as dad was deteriorating badly everyday. I had put life on hold long enough and there was nthing left for me to do there. I wanted to be there for mom but she stated that again theres nothiing I could do. Being in Fort Mac made me realize why I came to the island in the first place. Flying over the rockies and the ocean made some weight ease from my shoulders. I really do love it here and I am so lcuky to be able to call it my home. I didnt have but half a day to sort myself out before i had to get back to work. While at work I had a hard time focusing and figuring out what I should be doing. 7 weeks off will do that i guess! I finally found my groove by Thursday I think. Still a lil cloudy but I will get there. Watching my dad dying has made me realize that I shouldnt be afraid to do the things I ha ve alwasy want

On the eve of returning to the island i can't help but be riddled with guilt at my decision to leave before my father passes on. I have been here 6 weeks watching him deteriorate to a mere shell of the man i remember and am asking myself " How much longer can this old bugger hang on?" I have spoken with my mother about what I should do and she agrees that I should return and resume my life as there is absolutely nothing i can do. My outlook on life has been altered since my return to Alberta; partially form watching my father fade but mostly because I now have someone to share my passions with. Without Mical this time here woulda drove me insane!! She allowed me to enter her world, filling me with warmth and support. Understanding of what I am going through and being there for me as it happens. Escaping to Calgary and Edmonton a few times to be with her and her kool ass family was invaluable to my ability to cope. Being able to have Mary here was a must as well. Anyone

I am still in FMM and my life is still in hold. I refuse to get to far away as i know the moment i do my father will expire and I will be headed right back here to bury him ( cremate actually ). My Victoria life has been on hold for a solid month. My thoughts lead me to guilt for being here and screwing over the guys at work. But my guilt will be ten fold that if I leave and something happens here. If I am in Edmonton or Calgary its not a big deal, but if I make it back to the island its a lil longer to get back here. Am having a hard time finding purpose again. Am piddling around the house with odd jobs and editing countless number of photos as well. Spent some time in Calgary with Mical and her family and even followed to some races which was amazing. These are all very beautiful moments and no amount of thanks will show my apreciation. But at the end of the day I am still stuck waiting and wondering when my life will return to normal....or my idea of normal. My father is s o frail

I had the pleasure of entering my first cross race last weekend In Edmonton and I must say it was what I expected. Suffering, grinding, jumping running retardation!!! I loved it. Ive wanted to for some time and with Mical and I going for her races I brought my mtn bike just in case. Watching her Saturday race got me pretty inspired. She killed a solid 2nd place which I was so proud of. She said if I wanted to race then we would register that night and if not, no big deal! Well we got to the hotel that night and me and her father David went for a spin in the river valley to spank out the cobwebs left by a day of walking and shooting the course. Knee felt good, shoulder felt good and even the stitches felt pretty ok. Almost two hours zoomed by in the wind and impending darkness and I can say it was really kool to ride with Mical's father. He is super strong and uber mellow. And was keeping pace on his Xross bike....SWEET!! I think when he feels better he will torch me on a mtn bike.