Da Unit: First Impressions

Hooray! New bike! After successfully destroying the drivetrain on my mountain bike and lobbying my wife for the funds, I bought a new bike last weekend from Oasis Bike Works in Fairfax. I've been riding as much as the first week of the school year has allowed and it's been fantastic.

Drinking the 29er Kool Aid

When I bought my Motobecane Outcast 29er last spring, I bought it as a commuter. It has eyelets for a rack and fenders, big wheels to smooth out the road, and a single gear to simplify maintenance. Of course, since it arrived just as school was ending and was set up as mountain bike, I decided that I'd ride it as a mountain bike, at least for the summer.

As a mountain bike, it was adequate. It had some weird quirks (170 mm cranks, 42T chainring, spaced out rear track hub, bolt on front hub) that required "adjustment." I was disappointed to find that the factory had bolted down the rear wheel so tight that it stamped a good sized dent into the aluminum dropouts; ever since then it has been tricky to tighten down the rear wheel without the hub gripping against the dropout and "crawling" forward a bit, throwing off the chain tension. I was never satisfied with it as a mountain bike, which was fine - I had a mountain bike I liked and this bike was meant for the commute.

However, riding the Moto all last summer taught me two things: I like the challenge of riding single speed and I LOVE 29" wheels. Riding with just one gear is fun. Want to go faster? Pedal faster! Need to get up that hill? Hammer down! It forces me to ride more aggressive, to maintain my momentum, and keep up my speed. And it pairs up perfectly with 29" wheels.

In my experience, the 29" wheel platform has two advantages over a tradition 26" wheeled mountain bike: traction and roll-over ability. When you stand on a climb, you get all the traction you need to really hammer. Maintaining momentum is easier with the big wheels since they make trail obstacles relatively smaller. It's amazing to roll through a rock garden at speed on a 29er.

I was really enjoying the Moto as a mountain bike until I rode Fountainhead. For those of you unfamiliar with the rooty, rocky regional park, tucked in among the steep hills of northern Virginia, let me say this: Fountainhead is not for the faint of heart. There are more rocks and roots, impossibly steep climbs, and fast sketchy downhills than you could imagine in an 8-mi. singletrack loop in the middle of a posh suburb.

Because the trail is so rough, it was very difficult to hold speed on the Moto. Rigid and stiff, the aluminum frame communicated every little (or large) bump and dip to my body. Braking like crazy to maintain control on the downhills left me with little speed to carry me up the steep uphills. Fountainhead had schooled me before, but this time I finished battered and beaten.

That was perhaps my last mountain bike excursion on the Moto. Since then, it has acquired a larger gearing, narrower tires, and a rack. (I used it on our Pitt-to-DC bike trip this summer.) Still, the pleasure of singlespeeding offroad on those big hoops kept me dreaming of a new mountain bike.

Doing the Research, Finding the Ride

Flash forward to the beginning of this summer, when my wife started dropping hints that I could buy a new mountain bike. I did my research, visited the local bike shops, and perused craigslist and the MTBR classifieds daily. I wanted a steel 29er that could be set up singlespeed or geared, rigid or suspended. I figured I'd start out rigid and singlespeed, like the Moto. When I lost my first filling, I'd get a suspension fork. When I got tired of walking too many hills, I'd throw some gears on. Versatility was key.

A number of opportunities presented themselves and I decided on a 2008 Kona Unit. (I got lucky too! At the end of the season like this, it was on sale. Plus, it's the last of its kind; Kona has switched to a lower quality steel for the '09. Unit) It's just about exactly what I wanted. I intend on buying a suspension fork eventually. I'd like a nicer wheelset. But, even stock, it's a sweet sweet ride.

New Bike Smell

I bought the bike last Saturday after having test ridden a half dozen times and peppering the guys at Oasis with a salvo of questions. (Dave, Jan, and Tim deserve a huge shout out for their help and patience!) On Labor Day, I took it on its first ride, the classic Tour de Wakefield. Cali and I cruised the trails down by Accotink and played on the singletrack at Wakefield. It was a blast!

The Unit has all of the pluses of the Moto, without the harsh ride. Big wheels? Check! Singlespeed? Check! It's amazing how much smoother it is than the Moto. While it's still a rigid mountain bike - it's hard to forget that when blasting down a rough trail - it's never been as jarring as the Moto. The steel frame and fork have a nice feel to 'em. I am very pleased with it!

Finale: Proof of Excellent Purchase

I LOVE my new bike!

5 Reasons I'm Glad To Go Back To School

Folks, it's time for an attitude adjustment. I've been having pretty mixed feelings about returning to school. At times, I'm OK with it. At other times, I'm hating life. At yet other times, I'm excited. I'm tired of the mood swings. (It's like I'm pregnant or something - no, wait, that's my wife.) So, in an effort to pull myself out of the funk, I'm going to write five reasons that I'm GLAD to be heading into a new school year.

...

Uh, number one...

Number oNe...

*sigh*

This is going to take a bit of effort. Alright, here we go:

1. I'm excited to try out some new ideas. I've had some cool lessons percolating on the back burner for a while now. Last year, between grad classes and Robotics, I didn't have time to pursue them. Now I do. It'll be great to finally take them off the drawing board.
2. Fresh starts are refreshing. In few other professions do you really get a fresh start so often. Most gainfully employed people need to switch jobs to really start anew. Teachers get to do it every 12 months. Had a miserable sixth period class? Wait a few months and you'll get a new one. Messed up a perfect lesson? Don't worry - you can try it again next year. Fresh starts are one of the hidden benefits to teaching.
3. I'm on the best part of the learning curve. As a fourth year teacher, I'm in a great place. I've been teaching long enough that I'm no longer in survival mode. But, I'm still learning a ton - AND I recognize it. It's a great feeling.
4. I no longer feel obligated to do ALL of the housework. Of course, I didn't do ALL of the housework, but it sure felt like I did. Since Cali had to work like normal over the summer and I had all this "free" time, it fell to me to do the laundry, wash the dishes, clean the house, etc. At the beginning of the summer, it wasn't so bad. But by the end, I hated doing dishes. Could I mention this to Cali? Nope. She'd give me the "I'm pregnant with your baby and I have to work every day while you ride your bikes AND NOW YOU WANT ME TO PITY YOU?!?!" look. No, thank you. I'll do the dishes.
5. I'm getting a Smartboard. Actually, it's in my room right now, just waiting for the software to be installed on the presentation computer. Cool!!!!! I borrowed one a few times last year and really had fun with it. But this one should be MINE. I've got some great ideas on how to use it.
6. BONUS! I'll get to bike commute this year! No grad classes half way across the county any more! Hooray!
   

Honestly, I feel a little better now. Let's hope it sticks. If not, well, ...hey, just have 10 months 'til summer break!

Podium!

I finally won something! I entered Fatty's "Design Kenny's Tattoo" Contest (see here, my "entry" was in the comments section where I go by "Spiff") on a whim. Apparently Fatty liked my tattoo idea so much, he decided it was worthy of a tube of Dave Zabriskie's chamois cream, DZNuts. Whooo! Chamois cream! Yeah... *sigh* I would have much preferred to have won the Ibis Silk road bike in one of Fatty's earlier contests.

End of Summer Success

I go back to school on Monday. It hasn't been the summer I'd expected it to be. Frankly, I'd expected it to be more bike riding and playing and less paper writing and textbook reading. But it's been good nonetheless - I mean, can I really complain here? I've just gone eight weeks without having to wear shoes! So, although I didn't ride the Wilderness 101 or work at Spokes or even race Wednesday's at Wakefield, I am proud of is this:

Rockin' the skinnies at Schaeffer

So long, summer 2008!

Pitt to DC: Brief Debrief

(Full details of our Pittsburgh to DC ride can be found here.)

Well, our bike trip went off without a hitch! Of course, I think we would all agree that my thorough, exhaustive, and painfully detailed bike preparation is the reason. Let me catalog the mechanical issues - I hesitate to call them "problems" - we had on the trip:

• One (1) flat: Cali's front tire flatted out on our way from Hancock, MD to Harper's Ferry because of a nasty little rock shard that wormed its way into the tired tread. Really, it's hard to fault anyone for this flat. It was fate, really, and you can't blame anyone - least of all the bike prep guy - for fate.
  
• One (1) crippled bike computer: In the homestretch, just after passing Great Falls, a rabid, foaming-at-the-mouth turtle - which looked shockingly like this - launched itself at Cali's front wheel and managed to eat the sensor from her bike computer. OK, it was actually a stick, but it was a evil, stinking sewer stick for sure and I'm pretty sure evil, stinking sewer sticks are also covered under the "fate clause" mentioned above.
  
• One (1) lost bolt: While unloading at home, I discovered that I'd lost one of the bolts connecting my rack to the bike. It was still attached in Harper's Ferry, so I must have lost it that last day. I'm blaming the rabid turtle or the Communists. And since this really wasn't an "issue" or a "problem" or even "something worth mentioning," it also doesn't count against my bike prep skills.
  

So, by my count, we had a total of zero (0) minor mechanical inconveniences over five days and a combined 700 mi. of cycling. Let's just declare me "the World's Greatest Bike and Bike-Related Preparation Guy in the Whole Wide World, Who Also Happens to Be Extremely Good Looking in Spandex" and call it good.

Good. I'm glad we got that settled.

Pitt to DC: Gettin' Ready to Ride!

Cali and I typically have pretty cool vacations. We've traveled to Seattle, Paris, and Las Vegas. The last two summers we've been able to visit Utah for a month to see family and play. This summer we weren't so lucky. (Remember how most jobs don't give you the summers off?) Nevertheless, we wanted to have an adventure. Well, do we ever have one planned!

We are going to bike from Pittsburgh back to DC. That's right 350 miles along traffic-free rail/canal trails. We leave tonight for Pittsburgh and should arrive home on Tuesday, averaging about 70 miles a day. We did a practice run over the 4th of July by bike-camping along the C&O Canal trail; it was a pretty fun trip despite the rain. (See full trip report here). You can be certain I'll post up when we get back.

In the meantime, let's talk bike prep. Here's the rundown on our bikes:

Cranky's Bike: Singlespeed (40 x 16) 29er mountain bike with semi-slick tires and rack with panniers. The gearing is nearly perfect - light enough that I can cruise, tall enough to travel pretty fast. The tires have some knobbies for the C&O Canal trail; it's mostly gravelly double-track. I estimate I'll be carrying about 30 lbs among all the bags. The rear end is so heavy that the front seems awfully light and a bit squirrelly. (I could wheelie like crazy on this thing.)

Cranky's Weapon of Choice: Ready to Roll!

Mud Flap, for when it gets messy

Cali's Bike: 1x8 mountain bike with slicks and a seatpost-mounted rear rack. Cali'd been running her mountain bike as a single speed, but wanted a few more options on the trip. So I set her up with a rear derailleur and an 8-speed cassette. The suspension fork posed some real problems when I tried attach the clip-on fender. I gave up (eventually) and mounted the front fender to the back of the rack. It works beautifully, some of my best make-it-work cobbling. Let's hope it doesn't rain too much, though. Otherwise she'll miss that front fender!

Cali's Rig: Lookin' Sharp!

Rear Fender Attachment: Fender is easily detached and stowed when not needed.

Other Notes: On a trip like this I worry a bit about, well, everything. I put together a pretty thorough tool kit. (Cali's got another on her bike.) Let's hope we never need to use 'em!

Only thing missing: extra spokes!

One of my big bike decisions was to run flat pedals on this trip. Ever since I went with Speedplay pedals on my road bike, I've never ridden without being clipped in. (I ride Crank Brothers Candy's on my mountain bike.) At this point, it simply feels strange to ride flats. BUT, I wanted to travel light on this trip, so I installed some quality flats and have been "practicing" all sumer long with them. So, if you happen to be on the trail and see a tall, skinny cyclist pedaling along in Crocs, that's me! Give me a wave!

Loose Ends: Mr. E Science Theater 2008

This last school year I tried a new project with my Honors physics classes, called "Mr. E Science Theater." Inspired by an article I had read in an old copy of The Physics Teacher, I envisioned my students giving presentations on some physics-related subject of their choosing. I had a few goals in mind:

• High Quality: I wanted my students to put together a high quality presentation. Not only did I want clear and scientific explanations, I wanted interesting and engaging presentations.
• Student Choice: Very much related to my high quality standard, I wanted to give my student's some choice in what and how they presented. I offered three broad subject options: science fair presentations, physics problem re-enactments and explanations, and real life physics demonstrations. Likewise, they were given three options on when/how to present: in-class live presentation, in-class video presentation, and out-of-class live presentation.

The project went surprisingly well for a first-time, shot-in-the-dark attempt. (My motto in life: when doing anything for the first time, survival is success.) As expected, some groups absolutely loved it and ran with it. Other groups were decidedly less enthusiastic. To give you some idea of the quality of some of the presentations, check out this video one group made to preface their calculations of their cars' horsepower:



I LOVE it! One of the student's parents later told me how impressed he was that his son had been willing to spend Spring break making a physics video. Of course, there is very little obvious physics in the clip, but from the speedometer scenes the students' did calculations and came to reasonable results. Hooray!

As a follow-up to the project, I created a wiki about the project and had my students "edit" it. The wiki I created was really just an outline. Students were expected to add details and suggestions to the outline. You can see the wiki here. Responses were good, but many were somewhat repetitive and borderline (and not-so-borderline) silly. I like the wiki as a way to encourage collaboration, but I think I need to refine my (written and expressed) expectations.

This project is definitely in the schedule for next year. Now that I have some quality examples to show, I'm excited to see what my students will do!

Feeling Cranky: Tour de France Thoughts

Being the opinionated cyclist that I am, you may like to know what my thoughts are on this year's Tour de France. Well, here they are...

*crickets*

Yup, I've seen all of 5 seconds worth of Tour footage via the interwebs. Nevertheless, I, like many cycling fans, have been shocked that the doping dramas continue, despite the concerted efforts of the ASO to assure a clean race. Most shocking was the revelation that Ricardo Ricco, rising Italian cycling star, was caught using the blood thickener EPO. Since then, I've read many opinion articles and op ed's about the incident. None were as sensitive, thorough, or entertaining as the following:



This concludes my obligatory Tour de France post.

Thoughts from the Saddle: Grad School Reflections

Chillin' after class: VT Science Education Cohort 2007-2008

My graduate school experience is quickly coming to an end.

*attempting to control my excitement*

I'll finish my last classes in a couple of weeks and unofficially graduate mid-August. (Although technically, I believe I "graduated" in early May.) It's a natural time to look back. Let's do it in list format (the best kind of format, if you ask me).

Things I Liked About Grad School

• Cohort System: the VT science education program is set up so that all students entering at the same time take just about every class together. Part of this is simply that there is little variation on what classes the program requires and when they are scheduled. Nevertheless, I very much appreciate having familiar classmates. As reserved as I am, not having to get to know new faces each semester was a relief.
• Emphasis on Applicability: Jim, my program adviser, often explained to us that one goal of the program was to truly support the work that teachers do in the classroom. During the program, this sentiment translated into assignments and projects that had direct applicability to my classrooms: unit plans, lessons, activities, etc. By and large, I wrote very few research or educational philosophy papers. (The vast majority of the papers I've written have been reflections about the teaching profession and practice, which are quite helpful actually.)
• Mix of Online and Face-to-Face Classes: Personally, I can see the value in both kinds of classes and really I can enjoy both. But when I consider how different the program would have been if it had been totally one type or the other, I'm grateful that they mixed it up. (Trust me: Cali is grateful, too.)
• Short Duration: I began grad school last May and am finishing this August, a grand total of 14 months. That means I only had to take classes during ONE school year. (See below for my thoughts on balancing teaching and coursework.)
  

Things I Disliked About Grad School

• The Balancing Act: At moments during the program, I was going crazy trying to keep all the bowling pins I was juggling up in the air. Teaching, VT classes, homework, sponsoring the robotics team, keeping Cali happy, serving in the church, after school committees - at times I was only borderline insane. (Some might argue whether "borderline" is an appropriate adverb here.) The disturbing Law that I consciously avoid considering is the Second Law of Life: "Life never gets simpler. Entropy only increases."
  
• Virtual Flat Tire on the Bike Commute: While I anticipated a loosing a good bit of free time (read: bike time) during grad school, what I did not realize is how effectively it would prevent me from bike commuting. Between Robotics meetings on Thursday evenings and classes two nights a week, I had too much ground to cover in not enough time. That meant I got to know Rt. 7 from behind the steering wheel too well, much too well.
  

As you can see, the positives outweigh the negatives; overall, I think grad school has been a great experience. I definitely feel that I am a better teacher for having done it. Of course, the most convincing rewards won't arrive until the first paycheck of the new year does...

Update: Bonus Comic! Source: xkcd.com

American Folk Life Festival: NASA's Story

First, some wisdom...

You know what? Thanks. That really helps. Next time I'm caught in a storm, I'll know to avoid a tent. No, really, thanks.

At the end of last month, the Herndon High Robotics Team had the opportunity to run a booth at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival on the National Mall. If you are wondering why a robotics team would be invited to participate in a folklife festival, you're not alone. Technically, NASA, our primary sponsor, was invited which coincided well with its 50th anniversary. As near as I can tell, NASA was invited because it has some compelling stories to tell (of which robotics is one). Who else had compelling stories to tell? Texas and Bhutan, apparently.

Some pictures:

The Mall was boiling - very hot and humid - during the Festival.

Our booth, with the ever-popular Square Bot demo game we bring to all of our outreach activities.

A robotics student resenting the fact that I roped him into posing next to a mock-up of the Mars Rover for a blog pic.

We shared a tent with these guys. Of course, the professionals think they're so much cooler than us amateur roboticists!

In addition to running the booth, a few students participated in a panel discussion about what it's like to be on a robotics team. The representatives from our team did a great job! I just wish our competition, participating on another stage (see below), hadn't of stolen the spotlight.

Makin' it look easy...

Our competition: NASA scientists running the current Mars Rover mission, Phoenix. I tell ya: those guys got the ladies!

Finally, the only other interesting thing happening at the Folk Life Festival...

How's this for overcompensating? A Buddhist Temple! Bhutan obviously felt self-conscious about sharing the Festival with NASA.

Day-Dreaming: Cranky's Dreamy Mountain Bike

When I re-started this blog, I'd meant to post more often, but as it always does, life got in the way. For instance, this last week I started my last course for graduate school, Schooling in American Society. The professor who teaches the class is stationed in Blacksburg, but once a summer comes up to Falls Church to teach the graduate students working out of the National Capital Region campus, students like me. As he prefers to do it, we do the semester in two intensive weeks - each day for 4 hours, with all the reading and writing outside of class. This last week was pretty a lot of work: read 2 entire books, wrote a six page paper, and taught a 2 hour class. Next week will be crazier: two more books to read, two more six page paper,s and a twenty-plus page group research paper. The only thing getting me through this is knowing that the end is so close!

How am I supposed to get in the mood to blog when I'm already writing so much? I'll tell you how: ride 30 mi. and run 6 mi. (or however long it takes you to get tired) and then sit down to do research on the role that public schools play in preparing students for college. Suddenly, even doing laundry sounds appealing!

So, here I am avoiding the research...

Usually when I'm avoiding something, I surf the internet reading about bikes. I can kill several hours this way. I like to think it's a little more active than TV, but - let's be honest here - it's probably not. In any case, Cali cruelly dropped the hint that we might have some money to put toward a new bike for me, seeing as I'm actively trying to kill my current bikes. Well, it didn't take much prodding before I was researching like crazy for my dream mountain bike. (If only college prep were so interesting a topic!) Some background info:

Goals: For me, a good mountain bike ride has some flowy singletrack, some tricky technical stuff, some crazy climbs, and some fun descents. I'm not into super technical trails or insane stunts. I want a solid XC machine with solid components that I can ride aggressively. And I want options. Singlespeed, geared, rigid, suspended - I want a versatile frame. Also: steel frame, high volume tires, mechanical disc brakes, lockout fork.

Constraints: I would love to get a King headset and hubs, X.0 components, a custom Ti Independent Fabrications frame... But let's be honest: I'll never be able to afford the bling I lust after, so I'll settle for the value-oriented.

Additional Notes: I'd LOVE to build this bike up myself. I've never built up an entire bike, but I have always wanted to. I could spend a few months collecting parts (hopefully finding some good deals), then take a weekend to build 'er up. It'd be a blast and a great learning experience.

That being said, I'm proud to announce the results of my exhaustive and thorough study:

Cranky's Dreamy Mountain Bike

Frame: Vassago Jabberwocky (with optional GearPlug for setting up as a 1x9 transmission)
Fork: RST M29* (with lockout)
Wheels: Velocity Blunt rims laced to XT hubs, Kenda Nevegal tires
Drivetrain: Shimano LX crankset (single 32T chainring with bashguard), SRAM chain (with PowerLink), SRAM cassette (11-34), SRAM X.9 Derailer (medium cage), SRAM X.9 shifter (right/rear only)
Others: Avid BB7 disc brakes, Cane Creek headset, Carbon* handlebar and seatpost (probably Easton), Thompson* stem, Crank Bros. Candy pedals, comfy Oury Grips, tried-and-true WTB saddle
* = may change, depending on budget constraints

Not bad, eh? I'm planning on demo-ing a Jabberwocky, hopefully before the end of the summer. From what I've read, its got a great geometry - puts you comfortably "in" the bike, takes a bit of the sting out of rough trails, and is fast.

Now, onto my dream road bike...

(Come on?!? Do you think I could focus on school work all frothed-up with bike lust, like I am now?)

Thoughts from the Saddle: Humidity, Mars Rover, Suicidal Turtles

While I rode the Difficult Run/CCT loop this morning, a few thoughts made their way through my head:

• It's like getting licked, head to toe, by a big, sweaty dog. Those of you who live with humidity, know what I'm talking about here. Although the thermometer may show an innocent 85 degrees Fahrenheit, you'll sweating like a pig in an oven. As someone who won the genetic lottery - I sweat so little I hardly ever use deodorant - humidity can be a bit disconcerting. On a sweltering, humid day, I feel like Superman after he got dosed with Kryptonite-infused Gatorade. Ugh. I took this picture this morning of Difficult Run. The stream looks so glassy and smooth - it's like the water itself is sweating...
• Eat your heart out, Hollywood. The Mars Rovers are simply cool. It's indisputable. Transformers relied on fancy film editing software and Shia LaBeouf to entertain us. But NASA's the real deal.
• A clan of suicidal turtles has moved into Wakefield. I took this picture last week - nearly nailed the poor guy. Not five minutes later, I practically assaulted his brother. Why do these little creatures have a death wish? The world may never know. One thing we can be certain of - they ain't gonna last long out there.
  

Open Letter to My Wife: I'm at Wakefield

Love,

As you know, I didn't get a job at Spokes this summer. I really wanted to work there for one simple reason: to earn some money to pay for bike stuff. Sure, I could get another job, but I'd probably have to drive there (ugh) and it would probably be lame (double ugh). Without that job, I've got no money and a lot of time on my hands.

As I see it, that leaves me with just one course of action. I've gotta ride long and I gotta ride hard. All day, every day. I have to ride my bikes into the ground. Chains are going to break at the clip-clomp of my cycling shoes. Hubs are going to melt as I mercilessly apply foot to pedal. Handlebars will cringe at my touch and collapse in my iron grip. Sooner than later, all that will be left of my bicycle stable will be a few mangled frames and smoldering pile of Shimano-stamped iron slugs.

"But don't you love your bikes?" you might protest. It's true. My bikes have earned a special place in my heart. But while I have enjoyed my bikes thoroughly, let's be honest: they are on their last legs, living on borrowed time. I have made the Sora components of my road bike last thousands of miles farther than Shimano ever intended. The hubs, drivetrain, and fork on my mountain bike are thisclose to giving up the ghost. I'm afraid it's time to take Old Yeller out back, as much as it pains me to do so.

And once I've properly put a bike to rest, I'll have to replace it, right? Right now, my bikes are like a three-legged dog - a serviceable companion if somewhat funny. But if I loose a bike? A Two-legged dog? That's just pitiful.

So, I'm sorry I didn't pick you up from the metro today. I'm riding at Wakefield. But I've included a map so you can meet me there! Once you arrive, just listen for creaking, rattling, and thudding - that's the sound of my mountain bike staggering once more down the trail.

love ya,
josh


View Larger Map

Loose Ends: 2007 Christmas Letter

I was tasked with writing the newsletter this last December. Here, for the sake of posterity, it is in its entirety:

2007: A Year of Firsts

Hello wonderful friends, family, and other well-wishers!

Cali and I are enjoying life as DINKs (dual income, no kids) – which, factoring in the outrageous cost of living in the DC area and our chosen professions is less lucrative than it sounds. 2007 was an eventful year for us, full of firsts in marriage…

First Trip Beyond US Borders (Together): Our most exciting (and expensive) adventure of the year was visiting Cali’s sister Hannah in France. The trip coincided perfectly with our six month anniversary and a streak of miserable winter weather in DC. We stayed with Hannah in central France; with Hannah’s French friends in Biarritz, on the Atlantic coast near Spain; and with other friends in Paris. It was great to take in the culture, spend time together, and escape the humdrum of winter work.

First Master’s Degree: Cali graduated in May with a Masters in Public Administration (MPA) from The George Washington University. After graduation, Cali accepted a job offer from the non-profit organization where she had been interning, the Partnership for Public Service. At the Partnership Cali is learning much about our federal government and enjoys working with dedicated, smart co-workers in a comfortable work environment (including Friday afternoon snacks and Monday bagels). Not to be out-educated, I started a Masters in Science Education through Virginia Tech two days after Cali’s graduation. The program operates out of the Northern Virginia satellite campus; it’s fairly close to our apartment and is designed around a teacher’s schedule. I should finish in August, leading to another first – first VT grad without a clue of what a “Hokie” is! (OK, probably not a first…)

First Time Attending Church in Swimsuits: There’s only so much you can pack into the hot Arizona desert in July. A white shirt and tie didn’t make the cut, so when Cali and I went to church while visiting the Havasupai Indian Reservation we did so in swim trunks. Cali convinced her supervisors at work to give her six weeks of vacation this summer. We flew to Utah where we went mountain biking on Antelope Island, swimming in the Great Salt Lake, fly-fishing in the Weber “river,” backpacking in the Unitas, cliff jumping at Causey Reservoir, night hiking Grandeur Peak, scouring art galleries for affordable, original Utah paintings (we found one!), and visiting family and friends. We finished our trip by journeying to the Havasupai Reservation, in the bottom of the Grand Canyon, and exploring the beautiful waterfalls.

First Anniversary! Always true to the essentials of our relationship, Cali and I celebrated our one year anniversary mountain biking. It’s almost hard to believe we’ve been married for more than a year. It’s been a wonderful year though and we’re looking forward to many, many more. I have the most wonderful wife in the world.

First Time My Wife Cheered While I Was in Pain (probably not the last): We often have friends come visit us since we’re so close to our nation’s capital. During each visit, we usually take them downtown to see the sights. This year I decided to enjoy the sights in another format. The Marine Corp Marathon starts at Arlington National Cemetery and weaves 26.2 miles through the city before finishing at the Iwo Jima Memorial. It was a great race on a bright, clear, but windy day with 20,000 other runners. Favorite fan sign (at mile 19 while crossing back into Virginia): “You are NOT almost there! You still have 7 MILES to go!” At moments like those, I was especially glad to have my beautiful wife cheering me on in my first marathon as a married man! (Certainly, it won’t be my last!)

Now you’ve just read our first Ence Family Year-End Spam-O-Gram! May we all find joy and adventure in 2008!

Accompanying Photos:

Josh and Cali in Biarritz

Hannah, Josh, & Cali in front of Notre Dame

Josh on the Great Salt Lake

Cali and Josh on top of Bald Mountain (High Unitas)

5 Things I've Already Learned This Summer

With school out and my VT classes at a manageable background hum, I've found myself with a lot more free time. The last two summers Cali and I have been able to travel out to Utah to play with friends and family. Unfortunately, six weeks of vacation is a bit more than Cali could manage this summer, what with the 9-to-5 job she's workin' these days. Which leaves me, well, with quite a LOT more free time than I've had in a long while. Sure, you think I'm just sleeping in, watchin' YouTube videos, and biking my brains out. Well, you'd be right on one of those three counts.

I have learned a bit, though, in the short week school's been out:

• Fancy degrees mean nothing in the face of bad timing. In order to finance my bike lust and summer adventures, I'd planned on working at the local bike shop, Spokes Etc. I was stoked about spending so much time around bikes. Unfortunately it wasn't meant to be. Despite a BS in physics and years of cycling experience, I was beat to the punch by a bunch of college kids home for the summer. The manager encouraged me to re-apply near the end of the summer (when those college kids return classes to earn their nomenclature). By the way, if you're a wealthy philanthropist looking to make a teacher's summer break, shoot me an email!
  
• Traffic in the metro DC area is surprisingly manageable during the mid-morning hours. Last week was my birthday! Hooray! As a birthday adventure I undertook a NoVA mini-epic on my road bike. I left at 9 AM - perfect timing to avoid rush hour traffic, but enjoy the morning sunshine. In fact, traffic was such a non-issue I've started making plans for all sorts of mid-morning King-of-the-road rides.

*gasp* Bike down Georgetown Pike?!? Are you suicidal?!? Don't worry, folks. I get all my crazy out before lunch!

• Cleanliness is next to godliness. I've been working on a thorough re-arrange and cleaning of the apartment. It's a liberating feeling to just throw stuff away.
  
• I miss my wife. Granted, I don't see my wife any less now than I did during school. BUT in the past I spent 99% of my free time with my love. So it sure seems like I see her less now. Summer would be MUCH better if she were with me!
  
• Crocs make for great cycling footwear. It's true. I'm planning on doing our Pitt-to-DC bike trip on flats - I know, I know, what kind of serious cyclist doesn't ride clipless all the time? As someone who considering installing clipless pedals in my car, I avoided making this decision. BUT I can carry one less pair of shoes on the trip if I just use flats and wear "normal" shoes. Uber-retrogrouch Grant Petersen (of Rivendell fame) has written about using Crocs for cycling. Despite his crankiness (which I can't really hold against him), the man is onto something. They're actually quite comfortable and stable when combined with a quality flat pedal.
  

Loose Ends: Marine Corp and Charlottesville Marathons

About the same time that I made a first attempt at this blog, I began training for the Marine Corp Marathon in late fall of 2007. I posted up a few times about the training. Well, I did it! A belated "Huzzah!" for me. Here's what I wrote at the time in an email to friends and family:

"I'm sitting at my desk, quads aching, knees stiffening, and feet shod in my most comfortable shoes (crocs) - yup, it's the day after a marathon! After months of training, I finally ran the Marine Corp Marathon and had a great time. Cali and I got up early Sunday and were on the metro by 6:15; it was a good thing we left early. Although we heard about the incredible crowds (35,000 runners with at least that many spectators), it was really a sight. The metro was packed and nearly the entire course was lined with fans, two or three rows deep at some places.

Dawn arrived beautifully while we were making our way to the starting line. The weather was a little on the cool side and pretty windy, but bright and clear. At around 8, the race started with a bang (literally, a cannon was fired) and I crossed the starting line a minute later. The course started at Arlington National Cemetery, headed first into Arlington, then out Spout Run and across Key Bridge, then looped through Georgetown, then followed the river down to the National Mall, ran along Constitution Ave. and back on Independence, went all the way down around Hain's Point, crossed back to Virginia into Crystal City and finally back to Arlington where it finished close to the Iwo Jima Memorial. Needless to say, I say pretty much all of the Washington DC sights in one morning!

I found Cali after the race and celebrated with her. It was great having her at the race - another memory that we'll share forever! Because the race is a big loop, she could crisscross her way through the city and see me at a couple of places (at the start, at miles 10, 15, and 19). She ran with me a bit at miles 15 and 19. Seeing her really was a pick-me-up!

I finished in about 3 hours and 40 minutes (about a 8:20 min. pace) - definitely not my best time, but I'm satisfied. I made a few mistakes - I didn't eat enough during the race and wore myself out too soon. But my primary goal was to finish. I'm especially proud of how consistently I trained; I only missed a few training runs over six months."

Clearly, I was suffering from the all too common, post-marathon "what a great experience!" delusion. Let's be frank, folks: a marathon is a painful experience. You have to be at least a several shades of crazy to contemplate, decide, train, and participate in a marathon.

Let's look at the photographic evidence:

"What kind of idiot am I?"

This was at about mile 18.5. Sure, I look fine, but I was feeling it - burning quads, aching arches, weak limbs, and the mental anquish of realizing that I'm some sort of idiot for thinking that running 26.2 miles would be "fun." Thanks go out to Cali: she had be wipe away the froth from my mouth so I wouldn't look to psycho.

Post-race:

Relief

Yup, the medal was my "prize" for surviving, kind of like when you were a kid and the dentist let you pick out a stupid toy for enduring a half hour of torment. Still, you can see the delusions seeping into my head at this point: "That wasn't so bad. It was pretty cool, in fact. You should do another..." In retrospect, I could have saved myself time and money by simply cutting off my toes and been done with it.

But, I was in the grips of an attractive delusion. After a month or so off, I started training for the Charlottesville Marathon in April. This race would be a real pain-fest - hills aplenty. My training was a bit more relaxed; my goal was just to finish.

Charlottesville was beautiful in April - buds were popping out, the weather was warm and sunny, and spring fever was fueling the delusions of many others, besides myself.

We enjoyed a leisurely after evening before the marathon - picked up my race packet, enjoyed the weather, and wandered around Charlottesville.

Express yourself.

The Free Speech wall is a cool feature of the Euro-style pedestrian zone downtown. It's essentially a big slate wall with free chalk and the encouragement to express yourself. Cali drew the cool mountain in the lower foreground. Above it I wrote "Oh, be wise! What more can I say?" Yup, we're outspoken extremists.

The race was just what I was expecting: a long, painful death run. Hills, hills, hills. Did I mention the hills? Cali found a way to meet me out on the course a couple of times, although considering my pace, she managed to read War and Peace between sightings. (Thanks for your patience, babe!)

Here I am... walking. (I wish I could say the only time I walked was at the aid stations...)

Out for a 26.2 mi. stroll

My primary goal was to survive, my secondary goal was to finish under 4 hours. I accomplished both. (Of course, my tertiary goal was to cross the finish line prancing like a physics fairy, but well, that didn't happen.) All in all, a quality pain fest.

Why do I do these things again?

Oh, yeah, the insanity...

Insanity... the water's fine! Come on in!

You're back? *awkward silence* When did you leave?

OK, ok, ok... I know only a few hundred people ever read my blog...

OK, fine, a few dozen...

OK, fine, it was only ever my wife (love ya, babe!)...

AND it only lasted little over a month...

So I can't really call this a "comeback." It's more of a second attempt that may very well be aborted when other demands take precedence. In any case, I'd like to try again...

You may have noticed: I've re-formatted the blog to sort of "start over." Snazzy, exciting, fresh! That's right, I'm movin' on! No lookin' back!

Still, there are some things that have happened in the last year that I'd like to write about:

• Follow up on Marine Corp Marathon and Charlottesville Marathon
  
• Graduate school - I'm only a few months from finishing a Master's in Science Education from Virginia Tech
• Summer 2007 adventures - Utah, Havasupai, 1st wedding anniversary
• New bike - Motobecane Outcast 29er (single speed)
• Flyin' solo in Active Physics - the tribulations and successes

So, stay tuned!