32km + 50kg

I decided to take Sam and Lucas for the full lap of Lake Burley Griffin today as I have never actually done the full thing before and being another stunning day with endless blue sky and only a breath of wind, it was ideal.

Its such a great thing to be able to take them both out riding while they are so young. Although with them both in there with Sam getting so big and heavy, its definitely pushing the trailers limits for weight and size. I reckon with them both in (trailer included), its probably an extra 50kg of weight I'm pulling - hence making it a great way to train. A slight incline can feel like a punishing hill and for most of the ride you have to keep pedalling hard so not to break rhythm and lose speed (acceleration speed would be closely compared to an oil tanker!). Truly a great workout and awesome that it can be achieved having the lads with me. The CORC 3 hour race is on the weekend so it was lovely to be able to turn the legs over for a while without doing it in the dark by myself in the freezing night air.

We finally made it all the way round starting near parliament house, cruising to the Fyshwick end, down the northern side past the CBD and onto Scrivener Dam, with a couple of play and food stops thrown in. 32 kms in a riding time of 1 hour and 44 minutes, my legs feeling somewhat similar to after the Capital Punishment a few weeks back - smashed, but in such a good way!

Not a cloud in the sky

Today has been such a lovely autumn day. Early morning frost, not a cloud in the sky and still as can be.

We got up today and after getting everyone ready, we decided to take a ride all the way from home to school, for the first time.

It was a cold a frosty morning, in the minus's when we left. It was always going to be touch and go for the boys as I had Sam and Lucas in the trailer bickering from the start and Jacob who has just started riding his new bike that is a little too big for him, but oh well why not ride on such a nice day!? He struggled a bit and had a couple of little falls, so we had to stop a few times. Its just that little bit too far to do often but we made it and the boys, although tired and cold when we got there, (and late!) seemed to be very happy to have ridden.

Me and the little ones then rode back and stopped off at a park for Sam to ride around on the paths and Lucas to have a play. A lovely morning activity with my little nut bags

Lucas Thornton

My little man during rest time. He is 'helping' me write this post while fighting the endless battle against sleep! Those eyes are just amazing, little tunnels to his beautiful soul. Stubborn and sometimes annoying? yes. Adorable and loving? definitely. Love you Lukey

Appreciate

Its so easy to take life for granted and forget to appreciate the things you have and just want the things you cant.

In the times of inability to do normal activities, like when your sick or sore, I really notice how easy it is to take things for granted.

My back recently got the better of me and really made the simplest of things a real challenge. Just putting on my shoes was a real struggle. All you want is to get back to normal. Makes you really feel for those that have a long term illness or injury or are just unable to live a healthy lifestyle for what ever reason.

When you feel fine and are able to do what you want, its so easy to forget about what it was like when you felt like crap. Remembering the hard times enables you to appreciate the good, I will try and remember that.

Perspective

This photo was taken in China - 2008. This bike was basically all the owner had. All he needed to live his life. Puts what we need into perspective.

Experiences

"Get busy livin, or get busy dyin"

A quote from one of my all time favourite movies , Shawshank Redemption. 

When you think about your most favourite and long lasting memories, usually there would have been a great experience involved, one that for what ever reason stood out.

Sometimes we go all out to try and create a great experience with planning, preparing and organising, but most of the time those great memories just come from a spontaneous event where everything seems to fall into place at the right moment.

Though, you will almost only ever have these experiences that lead onto great memories if you put yourself out there and see new places, visit people, try new things, talk to someone new and make a new friend, take advantage of time no matter how little you seem to have, get away from the 'norm' every now and again.

We are going to make time to create more memories, after all a mind that is filled up with great memories is generally one that seeks out new experiences.

Giving in

Sometimes when things get too hard and overwhelming you just have to give in to it, accept the way it is and do your best to deal with it.

Lucas has been fighting sleep for a few weeks now, every now and then he will fall asleep in the car but the other day was the first time in a while he has slept at home during the day. All be it on the floor in the lounge room!

Cheers

Having a cuppa tea with Grandad, cheers!

Visiting the Lanes

We had a lovely weekend down with the Lanes in their new house at Tura Beach. Only stayed for one night but it was great to see them again, a lovely spot.

Their 'local' beach. Stunning!

Will and Jacob trying to build a barricade to stop the waves

Jack and Jo going exploring

Cuddle daddy!

Sammy in full flight

All the cousins getting sandy and wet in their clothes! Oh well.

Laneo AKA Jamie Oliver cooked up some delicious pizzas for dinner

A spot of fishing on a beautiful Sunday morning

 Saying goodbye to Richard and 'Emily Lane'

The Rice bike shop

Our garage has turned into a make shift bike shop! William and Jacob have their new 'Giant' mountain bikes which they are very proud of. Samuel has his balance 'Kazam' bike, Lucas his scuttle bug, Jem has her commuting bike and just purchased a delicious Cube ltd 29er and I have my old bike, my awesome new Specialized dually and now a road bike thanks to Dad. He had built up an old racing machine from parts many years ago and made a classic looking bike that because he never rides it any more, decided to give it to his favourite (and only) son! It will definately be used here. Thanks again dad.

Picking up the new road bike from the Lanes at Tura Beach. It gave my mountain bike some company on the long drive back home.

Jems new bike is sublime, 29 inch wheels, great components and a sleek looking anodised paint job. Looking forward to all the rides ahead!

Early morning wander

Yesterday EARLY morning just after I had gone off for a ride, Lucas decided that he wanted to take a little wander. Apparently he had creeped past Jem in bed, walked down the stairs in the dark and come to look for me in the shed at 5.30am. I had already left so instead of walking back up, he was calling out to me "Where are you!" in which Jem heard from a far and came down to investigate. What she came across was a little Lucas, topless, playing in the cold cold shed with a vacuum cleaner, happy as Larry. Strange boy!

The life and times of a 2 year old, adventure and excitement a plenty.

Mothers Day

A proud mum with all her boys down at the Kingston markets this morning. Happy mothers day Jem!

Christmas on Skyline

On one of the switchback trails up to the top of Stromlo, there is a tree on a corner boasting a spectacular view of Canberra that was obviously decorated for Christmas covered with baubles and tinsel. It still has some baubles left and I think this typifies the feeling up there.

Every day is Christmas day up on the single tracks of Stromlo forest park.

On the way down Skyline, onto the Luge and then finishing off the downhill with a flowing run all the way to the carpark, you get a great sense of exhilaration and a high that would, I'm sure, leave even a drug addict satisfied.

Lucas talk 5

Our cheeky little 2 year old is really testing his limits at bed times. Ever since he has progressed from being in a cot to now being on the bottom of a bunk bed, he has been repeatedly getting up and playing with his toys or going for a wander around the house. The other day I continuously put him back to bed for two and a half hours! Once finally going to sleep, shortly afterI had to get him up to go and pick the boys up from school.

Today he tried it out again, this time not taking quite as long to go to sleep, but in the process he was calling out some randomly funny things from his bed in between getting up. This is what I cought - 

"Chitty chitty bang bang!" 

"Bob the builder!" 

"Oompa Loompa, doopedy doo!" 

"Theres a plane! shhheeeooowwww" 

"Plane is gone to airport Sam, thats planes house, man make it!"

"Go away dad, go away dad, go away dad!!"

"I dont like it mash potato, I dont like it"

"Dont say that wiggle on da phone"

"We playing lego Bob!"

"Daaaaaddddddddddyyyyyyyy!!!"

"(squealing) Nice and warm outside!!!"

"Someone said that daddy"

He is certainly a character! Bless him.

Mind Boggling - part 2

The moon also amazes me. To think there has been someone on the moon, but no one has been back since and we have never gone further than it. Makes you wonder when the technology will be developed for further space exploration. Will it be in our life time? Our kids? Their kids? What will we find?

These shots of the moon were taken tonight. Roughly 10 minutes apart for about an hour.

Test

What are your limits? Your hardest? Your best? Its tough to know that until you have pushed yourself and found out.

I have reached my limit of physical capability on many occasions with Basketball over the years, whether it was my choice or the coaches, you really learn something about yourself in times like that. Not a pleasant experience during it by any stretch of the imagination, but afterwards its such a satisfying feeling to know that you pushed yourself beyond what you thought was possible and accomplished something. You may of course be doing this while you have your head in a bucket!

In a team environment it can sometimes be a little easier, as you are encouraged to keep going from all angles and you feel an obligation to the team to give it your all. When you are by yourself and the only person who will know whether you did your absolute best or not is you, it is more of a battle in your head than with your physical exhaustion.

Im finding that a brilliant challenge with Mountain Biking. Packing it in when you know there was no excuse why you couldnt have gone further, longer and harder leaves a bitter taste in your mouth. But going that extra distance, pushing it up yet another hill when all that your body is telling you is to 'get of that dam saddle'. That is such a blissfull feeling and sometimes worthy of a wooohoooo! at the top, whilst also trying to suck in the oxygen and spit out the saliva all at the same time.

On any given 'test' its up to you, what you put in is what you get out. If Im not happy to be going up, then I cant smile on the way down.

Splendid

Simon picked me up at 6am this morning for a ride up Stromlo with a couple of his mates. Although a little tough to get going in the freezing morning air, once you are up there and greeted with a view like this one, how can you complain? Sun just rising, city in the distance and a layer of fog blanketing the earth around testra tower on a calm, clear morning - splendid!

Rooball

William had his first game of Rooball (junior soccer) this morning. He seemed to love it and so did we, in what was a really nice friendly atmosphere. 

Mind Boggling

If you cut out the noise and look up to the sky you could really be anywhere in the world in your mind.

We have had some stunning evenings here in Canberra over the past few days, although a tad chilly (getting down to -3 the other night) just beautiful clear skies.

When I look up to the sky on a clear evening and see the endless amounts of stars, I really get that sense of how minuscule not only humans are, but our planet, solar system and galaxy is in the big scheme of things. I just find it mind boggling.

These shots were taken from roughly the same spot on our laneway over the past 5 nights

Twenty twelve

I turned 32 yesterday! Wow, when I write it down it seems like such a big mature number and one that just a few years ago would seem quite old. It is in fact only a number and I really think you can only ever be as old as you feel.

When I turned 30 I used to tell people as a joke that I was Twenty Ten years old so to still be in my 'twenties'. I guess that makes me Twenty Twelve this year as I still feel no older physically than what I did when I turned 20. Of course there are a few aches and pains (especially my back) that seem to creep up but apart from that all is good.

The boys made me some lovely art work that they had been working on for a few days (wonderful) and Jems bought me a new cycling jacket and some bike tools, awesome! We cut the cake later in the day and Lucas helped me (with a touch of spit!) blow out the candles.

Having a birthday and getting to spend it with such a beautiful family is really the best present I could have.

Remember that song - Part 15

I first heard this song by Brett Dennen called 'Aint no reason' back in 2010 when a team mate of mine used it for our end of season presentation night. It was the backing song of some of the highlight and lowlight video package he put together from the season. A really powerful song and one with a strong message. 

I had a great night that night, I won the MVP of the team and got to hang out with the 'boys' for one last time as it was our last few days in Mt Gambier. A nice bunch of people down there and friendships that will hopefully be kept forever.

C.P. 2012 official results

The official Capital Punishment results are up. I came 328th out of 794 total 50km finishers, with a time of 2 hours and 40 mins. The average time was 3 hours and 31 mins so I'm pretty happy with that for a first up effort and it now gives me a benchmark to work from for next year!

Laneo killed it, finishing in 63rd out of the 794 50km finishers, with a time of 2 hours 8 mins! Thats quick. He must have been having a rubbish time out there wanting to get it over with as fast as he could! Well done mate. I only have to drop off half an hour from my time to be there with you, should be easy!