Cross Practice and Birthday Dinner

Everett's birthday is this next week, so we decided to take him out to dinner this Saturday to celebrate.

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But first, cyclocross practice at 9am! We had another good group show for the practice. Austin (from Athens) showed and decided to grind us into the ground, while Patrick played around in between laps like he had just gapped the group with no effort at all........ Practice was awesome on a great course. It took me a couple laps to get used to the turns, but it felt good to hit the starts hard. The ride from the house and back was really nice as the mornings have been cooler. (I also snuck in a little ride on the granite side before I made it to practice, but that meant I was late and I think I was in a little bit of trouble for that)

So, back home, showers then off to Kennesaw to take Everett out to eat at Joe's Crab Shack.

We can't believe he will be 19 this week!

We stopped at a couple stores and got some more groceries for his apartment. (carrying in the groceries)

Shey was dehydrated and had waited too long to eat lunch. He was not feeling well........can you tell?

Everett gave us a tour of the campus and we stopped to eat ice cream.

The social sciences building has a coffee bar and they also have a skateboard rack outside by the bike rack. I'm not sure how it works, but it looks cool.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY EVERETT!! WE ARE SO PROUD OF YOU!!!

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KSU to Blankets

From KSU to Blankets is about 15 miles, so I looked up some routes and J, E and I decided to ride together from the university over to the trail head.

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The route is great with some nice climbs and very few turns, but the traffic was uber heavy!

The route to Blankets was mostly in the sun and we didn't leave until around 1pm and that makes a big difference. It was hot. We were glad to hit some shade once we got to the trail head.

The trails are hard packed and very smooth, so I left the high pressure in my tires for the road ride back. No problems and a great ride. It felt at least 10 degrees cooler in the trees. I rode for about 45 minutes, then came across Everett at a trail intersection. He was fixing his glasses.

Soon after, Jansen called and said he had a flat and was walking out. I had stuff to fix a flat, but I didn't think he was very far away, so, we waited and I took this picture:

And this...

this one too......

I love this one!

Hmmm, I didn't think he was that far into the trail.....

No word, yet.....

Ah, he called and someone gave him a tube, so he made it back soon after.  (I had misunderstood and he was pretty far out on the trail.)

Seriously mom, (checking time on phone) it didn't take me that long....like 20 minutes.  Sheesh.

Back on the pavement, again, for another 15 miles back. We stopped for gatorade.  COLD gatorade.

It was a good ride and we found out that when the latch on the back door of your station wagon gets stuck, you can use the tie from your hoodie to tie it closed. Ahhh, the many uses of a good hoodie!

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We had parked just outside of the university, so we gave Everett a ride back to his apartments, then Jansen and I headed home. Lots of great stories from our different crazy road trips with family and friends, made the 1 1/2 drive fly by and we are already looking forward to catching up with Everett for another ride next weekend! Uh, yeah, a birthday ride!!! With cake at the end!!

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Kari Lindner

Everett Moves In To KSU

**Okay, another reason dogs were put here on earth with us, is to help me get through one of my favorite people moving out of our house and into his super-cool, new apartment at KSU.

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We loaded up the back of the explorer with boxes and two bikes and moved Everett into his new place on Sunday.

His room.

The kitchen.

The apartments and grounds look like Disney World!

My travelin' buddy promises to continue to head to the mountains with me! I'm already planning our next trip and hoping he will be able to skip class to come to Vegas with us....does that make me a bad influence?.........

My three favorite guys!

Yes, they are still giving each other a hard time even up until it's time to leave.

The last I heard from Everett, he was heading off to play ultimate frisbee at 10pm. He can always sleep when he's old, right?

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We are all excited for him and it's really cool that the grocery store and such is very close by, so he can ride his bike wherever he needs to go. KSU has a cycling club, so he is jazzed about that and his roommate is also a computer engineering major, so they have that in common.

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Good luck on your next adventure you crazy Lindner guy!!!!!! We love you and miss you already!

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Kari Lindner

Love our Farmer's Market!!

Big thanks to Green Livin' Farms!!

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We were very lucky that we had a daily farmer's market open up this past year in our town. They have a good selection of produce and dairy products and they are now open 6 days a week!

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On Friday, Everett and I took Indy to the park on our way to the market.

Indy filled up on the local weeds, so he wouldn't eat the watermelon at the market??!!??!!

Then we headed over to the Green Livin' market in Covington, GA for the best fruit we have found all season!

Indy is waiting patiently outside after he helped us pick out the most ripe produce.

On Saturday, I rode to the IHP for Shey's cyclocross practice (which was cool, with a very good turnout and a really tough and fun course), then I rode home and was very, very, very happy to load up on fresh fruit that was already cut and waiting for me to inhale it at once!

So good, with no pesticides and grown locally by people we can talk to!**

Kari Lindner

Food Truckin' With Mo

Molly emailed last week and we wanted to get together for dinner, so she suggested the Food Trucks at Virginia Highlands. Sounded Yummy, so it was a date!

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I droved to Decatur after work on Wednesday and walked from Mo's to the Dancing Goat coffee shop to get a bag of beans for Shey. Those coffee snobs need the good stuff, ya know!

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Molly communtes to work, so as soon as she arrived on her bike, we turned around and set off to the local farmer's market. Delicious iced mocha coffee from Johnston's Farm in Newborn, GA, was to be had and we rode away smiling. (plus the show the guys from Johnston's put on for us had us laughing)

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So, we dropped off the perishables, then headed over to meet Jenn at Virginia Highlands. Alison bailed on us with the excuse that there was someone out there more entertaining than us for her to have dinner with....whatever! We're obviously the most awesome!

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They were filming a movie on our route, so we had to take a slight detour, (I think it's the video/film Jamie P. is working on at Little Five Points...maybe) but made it there in no time at all.

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Jenn pulled up shortly after we arrived. The promise of tacos/fries/ice cream had her sprinting from Stone Mountain! Great workout, indeed.

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Molly didn't promise to take flattering pictures of me.....next time I will demand a promise!

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**Tacos!

Doggies enjoying their own snacks.

Jenn got some yummy fries.

This ice cream was amazing. I don't know what the deal is with the potato chip dipped in fudge, but whatever, it was really tasty.

I completely forgot to get pics of Molly and her very cool new haircut. She looks great and I will def. get pics when I stop by again.

As usual, Mo sent me on my way with baked goods and a reminder that I did not have to share them with any of the men at my house. Always good to be reminded of that!

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Thanks for the great middle of the week outting guys!!

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Kari Lindner

Shey's 39th HAPPY BIRTHDAY BABE!!!!

Oh, he is getting so close to 40.....and still lookin' sooooo good!

 

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The boys and I grilled out and made a great dessert with fresh strawberries....though some of the angel food cake ended up in the bottom of the oven.....

Wow, who knew Everett could fit all that in his mouth at once.....

He got new compression tights, a KSU Dad tshirt and some new Endurance Conspiracy shirts that are amazingly soft.

 

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We all love you so much and wish you many more years of spinning in the mountains!!!!

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On the road again......

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We volunteered at the road races in Covington, over the weekend.  All the races were very well run, with great officiating, awesome courses and timely results.  Now, if we could just get the heat to cooperate with us!

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Shey raced in the crit, which was held right along the town square.

One of the Johns (our favorite two cycling officials) was there. John Patterson, minus the light blue pom-pom beanie from cyclocross season.

Jafer getting ready to race the crit.

Shey, Jansen and I rode in (what I think is called a....) circuit race.  Everett came out for support and to volunteer.  It was a great little road loop and I had fun.

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 Here I am with the two teenagers who were battling it out at the finish. They were hot and tired, but they worked hard.  

Jansen in red.

Shey led a break-away on the last lap and looked like Johnny Cash speeding by.

I think Jansen and Shey were cat 3/4, but I am not sure. Anyways, this is their group of guys.

The race was REALLY short, so we didn't get in a full work out, but did have a lot of fun playing around in the river with Cole and Jim. The water could have been a little cooler, but it sure helped out on a hot day! And Jane, Cole did not lose another pair of glasses in the river, he was showing his passion for the sport of cycling by giving them to a junior at the race............

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Shey stuck around to ride in the wheel truck, then had lunch with Jafer, Elizabeth and Thomas. Thomas filled him in on his "ride the divide" stories. I didn't realize he and a friend had done the ride this year. Very cool and can't wait to hear the details. (this ride is from Banff, Canada, to the border of Mexico, crazy!!)

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Playing in NC!

I needed a break and have really missed the mountains, so I decided to take a long weekend in NC.

On Friday I headed up to Bent Creek near Asheville. I didn't realize there was so much gravel road, along with the single track, and underestimated the amount of water I would need, so I ended up with a four hour ride, in the heat, with two bottles of water. Needless to say, I was a little toasted in the end, but happy and ready to hit GreenLife in Asheville.

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Ah, singletrack at Bent Creek. Yipee!

After picking up fresh Kiwi and Strawberries along with a chicken wrap and some yummy beer at Greenlife, I headed over to Pisgah and even got in a ride on the BlueRidge Parkway before the sun set.

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I wasn't quite tall enough to get a good picture of the sun setting on my ride.....

Then I loaded up to find a good spot to sleep by the river.

I didn't even pitch a tent, but instead slept on my pad in the car. I rolled out of bed and spent my breakfast time eating a croissant and listening to my neighbors dog bark at me from a distance.....until he forgot about me and started chasing a fly.

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Right now, this is my favorite Lindner Feed Mill cap.

This is how I roll.                                                  Kari Lindner

I started the morning with an eight mile run, then I drove up to the Cradle of Forestry Center. I was the only one there and it was fun and peaceful.

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I had a very exciting helicopter ride....... : > ) Yep, I put that forest fire out quick. No problem. ha-ha

This tunnel went under the road on one the walkways.

There are several cabins and various historical buildings on the walkway and there were a few craftsmen selling their wares, too. It was quiet and a great way to spend the mid-morning.

Next I stopped by the river and snacked on what was left of my kiwi and strawberries and took a little nap. Ah, heaven!

Then I rode a 3 hour loop by the fish hatchery. When I finished it was time for bed and I soaked my legs in the cold river, then hit the hay.

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I forgot to take my camera with me, but Pisgah is just as green, luscious, woodsy, tropical and majestic as ever!! Colorado is beautiful, but I am so happy riding here is NC!

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When I awoke I had a new friend. He was easily the ugliest dog that I have every seen, with a smashed face, fur the color of mud and a very crooked tail. He instantly became my friend and "Jack" would not leave my side to go with his owners. They finally allowed him to stay with me for while and I ate my breakfast and read my werewolf book with Jack by my side. We shared a croissant and he snorted and sneezed with happiness. He also completely slimed my hand whenever I handed him a small piece of croissant. Very cool dog and he started my day off just right.

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Another eight mile run, then I hit the trails on the mtb. There was a good bit of bush whacking and some "hope there aren't any snakes in there" and "well I guess there's no way I'm avoiding the poison ivy this time" and "what was that noise, it sounded big"

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I heard the thunder coming, but hoped I would make it up and over the black mountain trail before it turned dark from the storm. Yeah, so that didn't happen, at all. Just as I made the peak, it turned dark and the thunder and lightning was close. It worked out pretty well for descending that crazy rocky stuff, because I wouldn't have been able to pick a good line anyway. So, I slipped and slid my way down in the dark with water pouring into my eyes from my helmet. When I made it out and onto the road I was extremely happy with my ride, very tired and very wet. The rain had cooled the temps down to about 72 and it felt GREAT!!! The ride was just under four hours and I rode back to the car and peeled my clothes off and you know how GREAT dry clothes feel after you have ridden in the rain. I was a very happy camper.

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On to lunch at Poppy's. A yummy, juicy mushroom burger with homemade fries and raspberry iced tea. Time to head home and catch up with the guys!

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