yes! right on time!

yes!
right on time!

max built my Jamis Nova Cyclocross bike with speed, efficiency, and some special care
the bike was built just in time for the first weekend with a real taste of fall in the air
the temperatures were just nipple enough to justify arm warmers and knickers
now if only I had someone to practice cross with...

as much as I had wished to get out on my cyclocross bike on Saturday I just could not squeeze it in
dean had an early morning soccer game
which had me hanging with the boys rather than working on my dismount/remount cross rhythm
this was fine... as the morning was near magical

grant was wearing shin guards with his crocs
dean was wearing his team jersey from three seasons ago
the boys were playing soccer and passing back and forth in a fashion that I did not care to disturb it
I did not shout instructions, I did not snap any pictures, I just let things happen
I feared that even a glance their way would disrupt the magic
so I let them warm up before Dean's game

after the game there was left over pizza for lunch then across the bridge into Virginia for a little girl's birthday party
a party that promised to have a moonbounce
genius...
other than the standard worries of colliding heads the moon bounce buys some serious parental freedom
the boys were well entertained for many hours inside a purple and pink castle shaped moon bounce

the cool fall weather stole our desire to head over to my dad's for dinner and a swim
plans that were rescheduled for the next day
again with the request for the cranking of the heat

gaps in the day were filled with short hikes with the dog and breaking up the usual UFC battles between post toddler brothers

dinner was so uneventful that I can not recall what we had
oh... I did not have dinner
as I now recall my cyclocross bike was ready on Saturday night... not Friday night!

Sunday morning came and we started our day with bagels and assorted flavors of cream cheese
the boys did no toast their bagels
I toasted mine
the sliced tomato appealed to my adult palate
while I did not even suggest such to the kids

after breakfast the boys went to a Fall Fiesta at the National Zoo with their old babysitter
it was not so much a babysitting event
but a gathering of old friends
Soledad moved back to DC from a short relocation effort to Texas
the boys were excited to be back with their old friend
a woman who was a significant part of our life for many years

while the boys were entertained at the Latino Festival at the National Zoo I got re-acquainted with my Jamis Nova
I had cracked the frame, the warranty through Jamis was hassle free
Max built things up to as feel that was a good as show room new with a mix of old and new parts
the frame was larger than my last Nova as I had feared the Nova was too small
also went with some wider bars
which had this bike riding like a completely unfamiliar machine

so I went for a road spin before I decided to try my luck on this bike as a cross machine

I worked my way around the city
taking a few dips onto some hard packed paths in the urban parks
then found myself trying to work a look at Norwood Park in Bethesda then Fort Reno Park in DC
neither cyclocross effort left me all that inspired
like trick or treating alone... it just is not the same
sure I looped around several times
even incorporating some stairs to force the dismount/remount process
but... alone I was not able to get things to that level of cyclocross intensity

at Fort Reno there were some tire tracks in the grass
I tried to chase these tracks as if I were in pursuit of another racer
but that fantasy faded as quickly as the marks in the grass
so I got back on the road and worked my way home
figuring that any time on the bike would be good
and that there would be some time after work this week to better familiarize myself with the whole dance with the cyclocross bike

I got home to an empty house
which gave me time to walk the dog again then settle in on an effort for an afternoon nap
the boys came home then we headed over to my dad's for some dinner and some pool time
the water was heated...
but it was not long before the boys moved from swimming and splashing to clutching the wall by the jets with the warm water shooting out
the water temp was warmer than the ambient temperature
the boys did not want to get out because it was so cold outside
but eventually I was able to get them to swap the jets for towels
then we gathered for some dinner

grant fell asleep on the way home after a busy day with no nap
which allowed for some time with Dean with some different energy
it is different being one on one without Grant zipping around
we chilled out and played some Nintendo DS which involves more than just the game
there is conversation and bonding around the game
then a story at bed time and no argument when I stepped away

guess I should register for Charm City in Baltimore

Nova... Mrs Maryland