Take Two

I actually tried updating this about a week ago, and I got everything out and written and then accidently closed the window and everything I'd worked on disappeared. I couldn't get it to come back and didn't feel like re-typing it all, and it's just now I'm getting around to it. That's because right now it's Wednesday night, Dan's working cops, and I'm with my sister and some of her friends watching Edward Scissorhands. I remember being about 6 and trying to spell "scissors" at school in Orford and failing a couple dozen times. Good thing my education has taught me something.

I guess I should start a few weeks ago, back when Dan got a scholarship from the Texas Rangers and got great free tickets and parking and a giant plastic check presented to him down on the field. John and his friend Dan (who's also dating someone named Liz) came with and the three of us watched Dan on the widescreen from the bar as he got his check. He looked uncomfortable, but he got to keep the check and then come up and have drinks with us. (He also got a coupon for 15% off at the Diamond Club, where we drank.) The best thing is he got to keep the giant plastic check. I love it.

We didn't stay for the entire game because Dan and I had a time trial in Royse City the next morning that we had to race in. We left way to freaking early because it was about an hour drive and we had to get there for warm-up and sign waivers and everything and we had some of the first start times. We got there and found that the course was over hills . . . what a bitch. Plus, everyone else at this was on a TT bike with disc wheels and aero bars and drove luxury SUVs. People with way too much money. I rode part of the course as a warm-up, and they started us off in 30 second intervals. I was the 6th person to go, and was feeling pretty good until all the guys on slick bikes started passing me. The disc wheels made them sound like a car with a flat was coming up behind me at 40 mph. It was startling. It really pissed me off when a hugely fat man on a TT bike blew past me. How is it that guy could lug all his weight up a hill so fast?

But I finished and my average speed was 17mph, which is pretty damn good for hills. Furthermore, I did not finish last, so that was good. It was my first race, and I liked it, and I hope to do more. Especially now, two weeks later, because I've learned how to climb better. Dan's a good trainer.

After the race we went back to Fort Worth because Topper was getting blistered. It's about as basic and medieval as it sounds. As previously discussed (I feel like a professor), he completely tore a tendon in his back leg, up in his pelvic area. With blistering, they stick a 12-inch needle right straight down into his hip and inject a mixture to irritate the area. The irritation will hopefully promote the growth of scar tissue to connect the end of his tendons again. That way I can ride him again, even if he can't jump. The mixture is iodine with almond oil--the oil binds with the iodine and keeps it from being absorbed too quickly and shocking the body too much. Next week we'll find out if it worked, if it's making scar tissue grow. It if doesn't work, I can never ride him again, never take him out . . . and that would make me sad. I love him as a big cuddle companion, but I know he'd be happier if he could work. It would give him mental stimulation, keep him fit (he's the fittest horse of his age I've seen in a long time, and I'm proud of that), give him something to look forward to, some variety. I reallyreally hope it works.

This past weekend was all waiting for my parents to get here. The Kelly family reunion (my dad's dad's mother) is in San Antonio and my parents were coming to partake and this Monday and Tuesday were spent down there with them for my sister's birthday. She turned 20. That makes me feel hella old. But my parents were fun. The same old stuff. The grandparents were ok too. My mom's dad, who lives in New Braunfels, looks exactly the same as he did when I was really little--he's 82ish now. My dad's parents are good too--my grandmother is just the cutest, sweetest little thing, and my grandfather was showing his stubborn side. He was just barging around. It was borderline annoying. But my sister and I had a good time together, at least. It's great to know it's always the two of us.

I have three weeks left in my internship. I have a month left in Texas. The Tour is almost over and it looks like Floyd Landis may not win and the prolouge to the Tour next year is in London. Dan and I are going to try everything we can to go. How awesome would that be? No language barrier, like in France. But that's a year off, and here and now I've rambled on long enough. At this rate, I may not post again until I get back to Boston. But I'll try. I like being able to think out loud.

Riding in a Parade

I just got finished eating about a pound of cherries, a dessert after some leftover vegetarian enchiladas. Everyone knows I'm a huge fan of some beef and chicken, but these enchiladas are pretty damn amazing, I gotta say. Dan found the recipe in some vegan magazine, and we decided being vegan is overrated and folded in so much cheese it was insane but so good. Just for the record, I'm also watching Beverly Hills 90210. I was never allowed to watch it the first time around, and this summer I discovered it on some super cable channel. It amuses me quite a bit.

While I'm admitting things, I'll admit I am disgusting and desperately in need of a shower. Slept late today and then headed out for a 30 mile ride, which was really fun. It's the Fourth, and in Como (the GHETTO of Fort Worth . . . you don't ride through there after dark) there was a parade. Dan and I will ride through there to get to a wider road out to Benbrook, but today we rode through the parade. I felt like I was intruding. There were big pimped out cars with hydraulics and spinners and amazing sound systems and guys on horses and cops crawling around. They were throwing candy from cars, and the kids would get it, and that was the worst part--making sure we didn't have a kid dash in front of us. But we made it through and out to the lake.

Benbrook Lake is a nice place to go riding, I decided. Last time I was there it was my first 45-mile ride, and I was tired and hot and kinda miserable. Today I felt good, and all the rolling hills weren't as bad. I almost hit a wild turkey that was standing in the road around this sharp turn, but I was going slow enough that it could fly into a tree. That just cracked me up. Wild turkeys. They're so goofy.

There were clouds rolling in and thunder as we headed back from the lake, and although we didn't get rained on, we were riding on wet roads back. Since I was following very close behind Dan (usually 2 or 3 feet just behind his tire), I got a great spray of water. It felt good. The only thing is now that I'm dry, I realize how much grit was in that water. Kinda gross. But it was a good ride. Almost llike being out riding Topper when the weather is wild. The only thing is that with Topper, you always felt like you had a co-conspirator in some adventure. On a bike, you're on your own.

Saturday is the July time trial, since I missed the June one with my elbow. I'm pretty confident I can do well, especially after today. And then Saturday afternoon the vet comes out to blister Topper's leg. It's the last chance for his ligament to heal and for him to ever be ridden again. I was so completely sure he'd be ok when he got checked out at his 8-month mark--the vet had said that after 6 months, Nature could heal it--and then it was a hard blow to find out nothing had changed. Please let this treatment work . . . please let his leg get better. I will never, ever get rid of Topper, so if he becomes a giant pet, that's fine--he always was. But I know he likes being worked, I know he likes jumping and I know he likes going out for adventures as much as I do. I'm hopeful.

And I'm also still in need of a shower. I should take care of that.