Hello all! I know how hard it can be to keep something like a Journal up-to-date, so I figured I'd give Mike some help. If we both try and keep a journal, maybe the two of us together can get some content out here for you to read on a regular basis. So with that said, here is my first journal entry...

Well this will be more like a November/December journal, since December has just started...

Mike and I hit Thundervalley motocross track in mid-November. The day started out as it usually does: Mike picks me up, we load my bike and gear, we drive to the track, we park and get out to get ready to ride. Mike says, "you hear that, sounds like my tire is leaking air". So I walk around to the drivers side of his truck, and what do I hear, a tire leaking air. With that, we started our day at the track with a tire change. Stupid tire had a nail and slow leak. Funny part of it is, it was a brand new tire Mike had just put on from having a flat just a couple weekends beforehand - so a max of 50 miles on the new tire. What are the odds of flatting a new tire that was put on in place of a flat. We thought about playing the lottery that day!

With the spare tire put on, we got changed and hit the track. It was awesome! Here are a couple pics of me riding: pic1, pic2. I love riding that track. It is huge and spread out. Gives you a chance to open it up and hit some really sweet jumps. I typically crash a few times towards the end of the day, but up to that point, it's great. =) We actually rode twice in the month of November, so it's been nice to get out and run the dirt bikes around the track.

I spent Thanksgiving with Mike, Linda and Zach. Was a lot of fun, as it is every year. Linda cooks the best food and I just gorge myself into a food (and triptofan) coma. Best part is, we do it twice in 1 day with leftovers, which is great!

We spent some time watching football, playing video games and watching movies. Exactly what Thanksgiving is about, relaxing with family. And of course, getting your butt kicked in Gears Of War by your older brother!

After that, it was Christmas shopping time...for myself that is! I've had it on my "to do" list for over a year now to get an acoustical guitar and learn how to play. So, I finally convinced myself it was time to get one. Here it is (Martin 000X1): pic1, pic2. Look pretty good, don't I!! Of course, I have no idea how to play this thing, so I bought a DVD and book to try and teach myself. So far I can play "Ode To Joy" and "Yankee Doodle". They sound like easy songs, but give it a try sometime! Heck, I'm excited I can play those two, and they are only on the first 3 strings! I have 3 more strings to learn!! But, since it's been a passion of mine to learn how to play, I hope to stick with it and learn some good old rock songs I can bang out...or maybe even serenade some girl into liking me. Right?! =)

As some of you might know, I ran the Denver Half Marathon on October 14th. It was a cold (33 degrees) and wet day for a race. I forgot gloves and froze my hands; I forgot rain gear, so I cut holes in a trash bag and wore that for the first 5+ miles; basically, being my first race and not being ready for the weather...I loved it! It's not a great picture, but here is one of me from the race photographers: brightroom.com (I'm in the background). I ran 13.1 miles in 2:03:35. I beat my goal of 2:10:00, so I was definitely happy.

After the race, besides being colder than a witches you know what, I felt fantastic. The first thing that crossed my mind was, "I feel great, I wonder if I could do a full marathon". So of course, once it's in my head, it won't go away until I do it. So, this past week, I have begun my training. Treadmill running sucks, but at least it's running and exercise. I can do 6 miles in a little over an hour and I feel good (and that's 1/4 the way there =). I plan to run the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon in San Diego on June 1st. If you check out the web site and their course map, it looks like it will be a spectacular run. My goal is to finish around 4 hours. Of course it's early, it's only December! But, without goals, I'd just be sitting around doing nothing.

So, until next time...I plan to keep training for the marathon, rockin' out on my new guitar and praying for snow! Would love to get out on the snowmobile soon.

-Rick