Wednesday, August 29, 2007

School days, school days

Kids-will-drive-like-fools days. So, school is back in session. It's no more apparent than when I'm leaving our development in the morning for work. We live right next to a high school, and this one is notorious for spoiled kids with nice cars and crap attitudes. They never disappoint during the first few weeks of school. It makes it even tougher that I have to basically do a U-turn out of our development into the daycare on the other side, forcing me to cross the evil traffic twice. It gets worse: two lanes merge to one right at the entrance/exit to our development. Today, as some nice person was letting me through, some little punk in a BMW (older 3 series) was trying to get a high speed award from the local constabulary in attempts to cut off the normal traffic waiting their turn, so I slowly turned in front of him forcing him to stop. He gave me a dirty look! It goes along with what my buddy Eric wrote about today, regarding parental involvement in child development. Too many times they aren't there for the early years, so it's hard to expect they will pick up the ball when it's time to teach kids how to be functional members of society. But I do try to be the adult that was around when I was a kid: involved in the development all kids around me. I believe that it does take a village to raise a child, but without the parents there it's so much more difficult...and futile.

In other news, I rode my bike at lunch today. I decided to follow my normal lunch brick/TT route of about 14.2 miles, roughly. I expected it would take me about 45 minutes or so. I finished...

HAPPILY! 14.15 miles in 42:20 @ 20.06 mph avg

This is about 1 mph avg off my normal - and under 2 mph off my best - average speed for this route. Not too shabby, and today I was on my road bike so I had much less aero advantage! Hooray for recovery, and the remainder of the tri season is looking promising to me. All I have to do is get in the pool and survive now.

Mendy, I can't wait for you to come home! :-) Grace is sooooo sweet. All the time. Until late at night. And very loud. Yep, extreme intensity sweetness. Hurry!

14 comments:

Michelle said...

Great job on the bike!! See, you're already starting to get back some of what you lost!!

And I hear you about spoiled teens. I shall roll my eyes now....

Jess said...

Umm, I think I went to that high school! Kidding. But I did go to a high school where the majority of the teens came from wealthy families and drove their new BMWs to school, while I? I drove a 1978 VW bus. Yup. It was two separate colors and sometimes when I took a sharp turn, the sliding door floew open. It cost my parents $500. They said it helped with my character. It was like a toaster on wheels.

Wes said...

Nice ride! Looking better every day. Gracie is such a sweety. I'm sure Mendy misses the heck out of you guys too.

Teenagers and cars is often a lethal combo, as we hear every weekend in Atlanta. They need a good does of humbleness. Nice job on that one too :-)

Mendy said...

Great ride! Fantastic Pace, very proud of you!!!

I'm sooooooooooooooooo not looking forward to getting back in that HS traffic. It's this time of year I want to move soooo very bad... Those idiots from that school have got to be some of the worst drivers, and trust me - I've seen a lot of bad drivers in my last 2 wks. No excuses for rudeness or stupidity.

I'm on my way back tomorrow!

Yankess game last night - a BLAST!!!!!!!!!!!

Lori said...

Nice bike ride :) I bet that felt awesome when you saw the numbers at the end.

I am loving the vw bus that Jess had to drive! LMAO!

Marcy said...

Eeeekkkkkk don't even get me started with the crappy teens.

I see you've been busy while I've been gone! Sweet job!!

Gotta Run..... said...

The High School is a growing problem in that area. If it makes you feel better, Rose has been towing cars for students who park there.

You are making a strong come back!!

Jason The Running Man said...

Great ride man! Glad your back out there!

Paul said...

Good ride. Congrats on getting out there again.

Tiffany said...

Wow- you are back at it...

Hey- don't know those teenages... some of them may grow up to represent our state well in the Miss Teen USA pageant with deep, thought-provoking interview answers...ooopps!

Hope yall are doing well :)

Tiffany said...

OMG... I just read Jess's comment about the bus...

Do you think we can persuade her to pick us up in it en route to Chicago for the marathon? Yall should come cheer us on... plenty of room in the bus!

Unknown said...

Great job with the ride. Sounds like you are really getting back to it. The rest of your season awaits!!

Eric said...

Man-crush? Whoa nelly! Can't wait to see you so I can really rub that in!

E

J~Mom said...

Beep, beep from Jess. LOL I can't laugh though, we had a Pinto when Pinto's weren't cool anymore. :>X

You ride is looking good!! Nice job.

About your comment...my short (really short) ride felt fine. I would compare it to a 3 mile run. My leg muscles got tired during but that was it. Ugga bugga it's so hard to balance all of this. So I thought I would try to hammer one hour rides on Friday mornings and then keep doing little bricks on Sunday mornings. What about that? :>P