Tuesday a.m.

Hello Tuesday! How are you? A couple of cups of good coffee and I'm feeling fine and ready to take on a new day, a gift from God.

The picture is from last Friday, after Luke's Order of the Engineer ring ceremony. This is my family as it is presently composed. Luke's in the middle; it was his day. Ben is slightly taller than Luke but is still growing. Actually Ben has put on 20 pounds since football season ended. He's been working hard in the weight room and in the kitchen.

Yesterday was a day to catch my emotional breath. The weekend was wonderful and a huge life event. It's hard to believe that both of my boys are making the big life move from college to career just one week apart.  I'm trying to get a grip on where that places me in life. Old, I think. ha ha

Uneventful. That's how I would characterize yesterday. Uneventful is good and preferred most of the time. I saw several people, helped a few, encouraged some, and generally tried to be good and do good.

As far as my move to becoming a triathlete is concerned, it was a pretty good day. Running is still on hold, which is fine. Late yesterday afternoon I got on my bike and rode from my house, which is located in a very hilly region of our fine county. I rode down my hill, hitting 38 miles an hour without being in aero position. That's fast for not being warmed up.

What goes down must go up! I rode over to 450 via Stumphole bridge, which provided me lots of opportunities to work on my climbing. I made it a 20 mile ride by doing a couple of short side roads. The hardest hill? Coming back home, just past the Stumphole bridge. I looked at my heart rate and wished I wouldn't have. In theory my maximum heart rate is [220-53 (age)] 167. On that hill I saw 179 before I looked away. It was a good workout.

After supper I went to the pool. It was my best night there by far. Bill D. built upon what Rand has been patiently teaching me. Some would say I am swimming now.  I'm almost ready to say it. Maybe Thursday?

Tonight is our first organized Tuesday night pace-line ride from Spring Mill Park at 5:45. We'll ride 16 miles out to the Washington county line and then pace-line for 10 miles back to Orleans. After that we'll ride easy back to the Park. I am really forward to this! Fun for 32 miles.

I've got a lot to do before this evening, so I best get busy!