Amanda's Birthday Week Day one

It was Amanda's birthday on Thursday 1/14 the big 30 and she was not happy about seeing the end of her 20's come but good things are happening everyday for both of us.She had to go too a nursing orientation class on her birthday after working all night so she was pretty wiped out by the time I got home from work I did bring flowers, cake and a card for her. Friday morning was the big surprise for her 30 th I booked a sunrise hot air balloon ride out of south coast winery that included and Happy Birthday banner, champagne and breakfast at the winery post balloon ride.The weather was perfect we got to help set up the balloon for launch and our ride was awesome great views of the Temecula wine country the ride lasted about one hr it was amazing how small the basket was it fit three people tightly our guide was really cool and funny and he has years experience with ballooning including metals from many balloon races.

Set up almost complete

All ready for take off let the wind take us away

That's our shadow while we float over the vineyards

The ride had some awesome views

After a perfect landing we had a Champagne toast to our perfect flight

The New Year 2010

The new year has started and we are all ready in recovery mode most of us have been sick at one time or another over the last week with either a head cold or stomach flu. I have been lucky so far with only one day of illness Riding has been going well nice road ride with Temecula velo guys out in Deluz on Friday lots of steep hills, easy solo cruise on the road bike Sat morning and I meet up with some friends from the desert Doug and Dave out at Vail lake on Sunday to do some 12 hr course pre riding Ric Danny Gordon joined us.The course is fun challenging and has a lot of great down hills . This coming week will be real busy with Amanda's 30 th birthday on Thursday ,many plans in the works along with the second race of r/c series also this coming weekend.
Good news came my way this week I will be getting a promotion to one of the new field supervisors positions that recently has been created to better serve our crews up in the pass area so this will be a new challenge for me, down side I will have to go back to a night shift but this will open up for some more time to ride in the mornings and my partner and I are going to look into A local gym to join so we can get some workouts in.Hopefully this will increase my fitness level.

New Years 2010

The plan was to head to Mission Bay on Thursday Amanda and I along with Tony and Karla had purchased tickets to a New Years eve party at the Catamaran Hotel and we got a room for the night. Thursday afternoon we headed down, I took the road bike with me so I could fit in a ride while the girls went to the hotel spa for a facial treatment. Our room was awesome 10th floor over looking the bay and the Pacific ocean. My ride was fun I cruised around Fiesta Island and Mission Bay and then headed up to Soledad mtn park it was about 1000 foot climb in 2 miles the views were well worth the climb.That night we headed to the party around nine it was a great party cool music open bar and appetizers we all had allot of fun dancing and hanging out and just the right amount to drink. The next morning we all headed down to the Jacuzzi for awhile before heading over to the beach area for some lunch. we walked along the beach while we waited for a table at a beach front restaurant. Great way to end a good year.
Amanda and I have had a great time together this year we went on many little get a ways which included San Fransisco, Somona wine country, Big Bear, Idlywild, the beach, Florida and the Bahamas. 2010 is shaping up to be even better a lot of exciting thing on the horizon.

Amanda all set to hit the party

The view of Mission Bay from our 10th floor room at the Catamaran Hotel

The first sunrise of 2010.

Soledad mtn park

2010 lets get started

Garmin numbers 2009 Feb-Dec

Last race of 2009 Racers/Chasers at Balboa Park 12/19/2009.

Total Rides 185
Total Hours 336:07
Total Miles 4385
Max Speed 43
Average Speed 13.0
Total Calories 302,466
Total Climbing 243,379
Heart Rate Average 131
Max Heart Rate 188
Cadance Ave 71
Not to bad of numbers for 11 months of data.
Weight averaged between 180-183.