That Bike will Kill You Son

It has been awhile since my last post.  I actually thought about not ever posting again but I recently thought that if I wrote about what has happened recently it would make me feel better.  So here we go.

The past few months have been very hard  on me - both physically and mentally.  I would say this period of my life is by far the hardest I have ever had for several reasons which I will go over during the next few weeks.  But first...

Back in April I foolishly decided to participate in an Hare Scrambles race and was involved in an accident out in Big Springs, KS.  I got hit from behind by a 250 lb motorcycle that was racing with me.  It happened so fast.  During the second lap I was moving up from a poor start (motorcycle did not start) and during one high speed section of the course my front end washed out around a corner and I clipped a tree.  This threw me into the trail where I was hit, hit very, very hard.  I actually thought for a few minutes that I was going to die right there in the woods.  Sure I like the woods and riding trails but I sure as hell did not want to die out in them on this day. 

Once I stopped tumbling and crawled off the trail so no one else would hit me I tried to stand.  My body was having nothing to do with that.  Getting the breath knocked out of you is one of the worst feelings   For a couple of minutes I tried to ascertain my injuries and calm myself down.  Tom, the rider who crashed into me, and another rider tried to help me but they could not do much.  I started to panic because I could not breathe, but once we got my helmet off it was a little better.  My back and stomach were killing me and my hand was numb.


After about 5 minutes a trail patrol rider came by.  He did not know how long it would take for the paramedics to get to me.   By this time I could sort of breathe o.k. It was painful and I was making wheezing sound but at least I was breathing and walking.  I asked for help with picking up my bike and getting it started.  My ass was getting the hell out of those woods and off the course.   After some help I got going again.  It was very painful and I had to ride with one hand but I was able to make it out.

I knew I had some broken ribs and some internal injuries.  My hand was numb so I was unsure what damage had been done.  From past experience I knew that if we went to the hospital all that would happen is we would wait for several hours in an emergency room in Topeka only to drive home because they said I need to see a specialist.  Instead I decided to have Carolynn drive me home and go to my doctors in the morning.   Jason and Karry helped us load up.  I think someone else also helped but I was hurting so much I really do not remember.

The evening was very painful.  I  could hardly breathe and I hurt all over.  The night went by very slowly.  Every time I moved  or coughed the pain just shot through my body.  I could not get out of bed to go to the bathroom so Carolynn had to make me a handmade bed pan.  For the next two weeks I used this handy jug when no one was home to help me get out of bed. 

Morning finally came and Carolynn asked how I was doing and if I still wanted to go to the doctors.  I could not say "Yes" fast enough.  Only problem was I could not move.  My back had frozen up. When I tried to move severe pain shot down my spine and into my legs.  Images of my little brother John kept flashing in my mind.  What kind of damage had I done to myself?

We ended up having to get my son Christopher up out of bed.  I had not seen him in several weeks.  Not by choice, well at least not mine.  He has grown to hate me for some reason and has done everything in his power to avoid me.  I will not get into that right now.   Anyway, he grudgingly got up from his drunken stupor (he had just gotten home from parting all night) to help his old dad out.  I wish I had film of Carolynn and him trying to get me up out of bed.  Every time they moved me I would cry out in pain.  After about 10 minutes of trying, Carolynn said she was calling the ambulance.  I laid there for a few more minutes contemplating what to do.  Finally I decided I was going to get up at all cost.  Christopher took my left arm securely in his grip and Carolynn got behind me and and together they yanked me out of bed. Pain shot through my body like I have never felt and Christopher heard his Dad cry for the first time in his life.

"Ten".  That is what I told the nurse at the doctors office my pain level was.  I have been injured dozens of times and never have I responded with that number.  I guess getting hit by a motorcycle at high speed will do that to a persons body.   I ended up having a number of injuries:  fractured ribs and spine,  collapsed lung, damage to several internal organs and a destroyed left hand.

I keep thinking back to when I was 16.   I had just gotten my first real motocross bike - 1983 CR 250R.   After taking my first win at the Homestead Motocross - still the muddiest track I have ever ridden, I decided to head North to race in the Orlando stadium Supercross amateur day.   For the first time ever my dad came to watch me participate in a sport.  He never came to watch me or supported me when I played baseball, never saw me accept my Broward County Little League Player of the Year award.  But he did take a quick break from his Trucking Business (he had a shop in Orlando) to come watch me.  I won my heat race in the 250 B class.  Lined up for the Main event and proceeded to blast off the gate and into the first turn.  My front wheel washed out and about 5 riders ran over me when I hit the ground. After the race all I heard was "That Bike will Kill You Son".  My dad never again watched me race.  I kept racing but looking back I believe that man was right.

Life Without a Phone

Truth be told, I have never personally owned a phone.  Work has always provided one for me.  Due to this I guess I associate a phone with work.  No work, no phone for me.

It has been 6 weeks since I last had access to a cell phone.  I do have a Google number that I have been using for text and calls.  Works great and it is free.  I also use email more to communicate.  Carolynn was worried what I would do if I had an emergency.  Turns out 99.9% of the communication via a phone is of a non-emergency situation.  Still waiting for the .1% to show its head. If it does I can still make an emergency call from an old phone that I carry to take pictures.

What have I missed?  I do not think much.  Only my wife, mom and about 3 friends ever contacted me via my phone. The rest of the calls were work related.  Society now communicates via FB, Twitter, Snapchat, etc.   Everyone has to be in constant contact.  It seems they can not even go to the bathroom without being on their smartphones.   I decide to be in contact when I want to and I have really been enjoying it.  BTW, I never used my phone while in the restroom.

Now if I can only get my wife and son to put down their phones.   Every time the family is driving or sitting down, their faces are glued to FB or Snapchat.   Personally I now set aside a period of time either daily or weekly to check on social media or say check on stock prices.  I used to be constantly checking the Dow and other stock indexes.  It used to really stress me out when the market was down.  Now I rely on the financial plan that I created for Carolynn and I and  just check the market only once a week if I want to.  If I go back to day trading this might have to change, but for now I am really enjoying not reacting to every event.

How long can I last without a phone?  Who knows, but for now I am living in the moment and enjoying a Cage Free life.

Leaders Matter

A little over 15 years ago I was doing some research for my brother John who was a Quad (Stem cell research) and came upon a great Institute that wanted to change humanity and cure cancer.  It was led by a great man who had a dream.  I wanted to be a part of that dream which just so happened to be located in the heart of KC.

 I clicked on the Careers tab and as luck would have it there was a position in the Telecommunication field - a field that I was just starting in.  I applied along with nearly 100 others (Sprint had just had a massive lay off back then).  I really did not have the qualifications for the job but I did have the desire to be a part of this great Institute.  Through persistence I got an interview and 2 months later was offered the position.  I was so thrilled and ready to begin a new chapter of my life.  I thought at the time that I could help the Institute for the rest of my life and be a part its great cause.

The next 8 years were awesome.  The Institute invested in my career, I worked hard and enjoyed being part of this great Institute.  Fellow members had smiles on their faces and worked well together.  We got things done and we were making a difference.

When things are good at work you do not realize how important leaders are.  You take for granted how all the teams are working well together, how they share ideas and work hard together as a team. I was part of a very good team that, at least in my eyes, contributed to the success.  

Then things started to change.  A new CEO & COO came in with new policies.  We go from a culture that worked together to fight this monster called Cancer to a corporate culture based on greed, money, who's ass you need to kiss and nepotism at the highest level.  It was not about science anymore which is very sad.

The next several years things slowly changed for the worse.  The hierarchical structure that was created just did not work and "bad managers" took advantage.  For example, directors hired their old babysitter to work at the Institute - just an FYI, babysitters do not know anything about project management nor construction.

You know there is a problem when management start to test new technology, the technology that you support, and you are not involved.  They can not get it to work but they do not even ask for your advice (even though you know how).    

After 15 years of dedication and hard work my department was "absorbed".  Nothing in the budget for me or the services I supported - The "Cloud" and the new poisoned culture had ended my career. 

What's an Old Man to Do?

Looks like winter is finally over and Spring is here which means a slowing of our Good Times Gravel Grinding series.  What a season it has been for gravel riding.   Some of our rides had close to 100 riders.  All of them out having a good time riding gravel.  I have used these rides to meet new friends and try to recover from my hip injury and gain some fitness. They have been fun but challenging. 

The 2016 racing season has officially begun for me.  What that means right now is not entirely clear to me. I had plans to race the Forward Motion Hare Scrambles series again this year along with some MTB racing. Round #1 at Milford Lake was packed with full "gates".  The course had just as much sand as the classes had sandbaggers. I can not remember a time with the winners from the previous season did not move up.  This year no one moved up and several riders moved down making the Veteran Advanced  35+ class full.  Maybe it is time to make a 45+ or 50+ Advanced class?

My new number for the year.  I sure do miss my brothers. Everyday I think of them especially when I ride.  #911 - John Locke : #103 - Joey Locke  Rest In Peace my Brothers.

I broke a cardinal rule when I bought new helmet to race in.  Dave Lafond reminded me of this and told Carolynn to drop my helmet in the dirt to prevent any type of crashes.  It worked for the most part.

I personally had a very bad race, results wise, but I rode well for my age.  Poor start due mostly due to my hip and the lack of power to get a good strong kick to start my bike.  I rode as hard as a 50 year old can against all the young Vet Advanced riders but only got a 13 place finish.  

Part of my problem on this day was coming to the realization that life goes on sometimes without the ones you love.  Christopher has decided he does not want to ride/race with me anymore. Why, I do not know.  I got back into riding motorcycles so we could do it together.  I may have to rethink things.

This past weekend was another double header for me.  Gravel ride on Saturday with the Kings of the Hill ride hosted by Kevin Nierman and his Dirty Dogs team.  Fun route with plenty of variety, tough climbs and of course a head wind coming back into town.

On Sunday Carolynn and I loaded up and headed to round #2 of the Forward Motion series at Walters Ranch.  I was on the fence about going.  When your head is not in the game it is best to not play.   I decided to go and ride and see how I did on a more demanding course.  Today's course was really rocky and hilly.    I again rode as hard as I could for two hours and only fared slightly better with a 9th place.

The only good thing on this day was Carolynn and I found a nice restaurant to eat at in Sedalia. Kehde's Barbeque just off the Katy Trail was awesome.  If you happen to be in Sedalia, MO stop by and enjoy lunch/dinner.  My only suggestion is to share a meal because the serving sizes are very large.  I guess I have some big decisions to make.  Do I continue on racing Hare Scrambles solo and maybe give another series a try like MORE that has a 45+ class?  Will that change anything?  Do I see if I can work through these injuries and get back in form so I can race bicycles again?  Or is it time to quit racing all together.  Maybe take up Masters Swimming or a safer sport. I know I can not run so Triathlons, which I used to really enjoy are out.  I do know that not being competitive sucks.  I do not like being pack fodder but that is what I have become. 

Life Kicked My Ass

The past year was really hard on me.  I felt like I was always fighting something, dealing with a problem or overcoming yet another injury.  Basically I was a wreck mentally, physically and emotionally.  When I lost my brother Joey it put me over the edge. Suddenly I felt like I was all alone. I was all alone.

I felt very empty inside with no one to talk to that knows everything.  Someone that went through all the hell we did while growing up.  Someone who knew all the work and effort I put into trying to be a success. Trying to make a main event.  Trying to get in that breakaway and sprinting for that win.   When I used to get down I would call Joey and we talked about the good ole' days.  One of those days was back in 1987 when I was a top Expert who just got his Pro-Am card.  I can still see Joey working on my bike helping me.  Those days are just a memory now.

My life changed forever when my brother John got injured back in the early 90's.  You can not even begin to imagine the pain in my heart having to watch him try so hard to gain strength and to live life as a Quad.  He lost that battle in 2008.  I of course felt loss but part of me was thankful that his misery was over.

Then in October I lost another brother and suddenly I was mourning the loss of another brother but this one was much worse.  Maybe it was because I did not really take the time to mourn John's death.  

Life this past year really kicked my ass not only with death but yet more injuries including what I believe my be CTE (chronic traumatic encephalopathy)  I can not even begin to count the number of head injuries that I have had over the years.   Most did come from years ago when I raced motocross, but I also have had plenty of head injuries on my bicycle.  Do I have CTE? I do know that I have a lot of the symptoms.  I hate doctors but it looks like I have to look more into this.  This could explain a lot of things like my dizziness and the headaches I get.

My latest injury was something I have been dealing with for over a year.  After my knee surgery in April it steadily got worse.  I tried to just ride through it like I have always done but I finally went to see a specialist.  After a MRI with contrast dye, the problem was found - a Labral Tear and some bone spurs.  After a lot of research and talking with my doctor I elected to try PT and limiting my activity - basically no hard impact activities like running and no cyclocross last year either.  

The past 2 months I have gone through extensive rehab to see if I can avoid surgery and so far so good.   It appears that if I live a moderately active life and avoid strenuous activity I might be able to live a pain free life.  That means no more racing, no more standing on the top the podium.

This is a very hard time for me.  The most depressed time of my life.  If it were not for my wife Carolynn I do not know what would come of me.   All I can do now is take one day at a time and work through my head and health problems.  I am very hopeful that I will be strong enough to live a normal happy life.

RIP my Brother

My bedroom door opened near midnight last Friday and the sound awoke me.  Through the bright hallway light I see my son walking toward me.  He begins to speak and says he has some really bad news to tell me.  My first thought was that he had crashed the car.  Christopher proceeds to tell me that my older Brother Joey had been killed.  His life taken by some drunken scumbag that did not even have a license nor should have even been in this country of ours.

In Loving Memory of

Joey Vaughn Locke

February 23, 1964 - October 9, 2015

Killed. Still hard to grasp what has actually happened.  It has been a week since my Brothers murder.  In all honesty I expected him to die in some high speed crash but I did not expect him to be killed by some piece of shit illegal immigrant.

Both my brothers are now gone.  It is so hard to accept this.  I keep looking at old photos and remembering all the fun times we had.  Then I come back to reality and they are gone.

Joey was my older brother and was always there for me.   I still remember that time while we were hunting on the farm when we were little kids.  We were working our way through  the woods to another track of land and crossed by a trailer where someone was living.  At the time I did not know who it was but it turned out to be my crazy grandmother's sister.  I think she was a little mental because she got a gun and started shooting at us.  We took off running like a bat out of hell.  I heard a few bullets narrowly miss us.  I kept stopping to wait for Joey but he kept telling me to keep running.  I did not want to leave him.  We reached a fence and looked back to see if the crazy lady was still there.  We could see her reloading her rifle.  Joey grabbed me and tossed me over the fence and told me to run like hell.   Luckily the old bitch was a poor shot.  I have dozens of more stories. Each one Joey was my protector and was there for me.

One of the best summers of my life was back in 1990.  I spent the summer up at the farm with Joey and his girlfriend Lisa. We spent time on the beach, we shot guns and we also hit a few local races. I remember both of us getting 1st and 2nd on that night in the Open Money class. Joey got the holeshot and took off.  I went down in the first turn and broke my rear brake lever.  I charge back the entire race and passed over 20 other riders to catch Joey on the last lap.  He saw me behind him and just let me by.  He wanted me to win because I had ridden so hard.  To Joey we had both won and we did.

My last event I ever raced with Joey was the Cohutta 100 Mountain Bike race.  That was one long day in the saddle for sure.  Joey  and our friend Selby had competed in the shorter event.  He always wanted to return to the event and complete the entire 100 mile distance.  Ever since he turned 50 he talked about doing more endurance events like we used to.

Joey had a very hard time dealing with the death of my little brother John.  Joey was our older brother and he was supposed to protect us which he always did.  Now Joey and John are together again.  I love you and will miss you both so much. 

Life in The Small Chainring

It has been awhile since I last posted anything so here is a little update.   

A little over 4 months ago I had knee surgery to fix up my right knee in hopes that I could resume my normal riding/racing lifestyle. After all the physical therapy the knee is better (minus the numbness which may never go away) - no more pain at least when I do normal activities.  Strength is o.k. but no where near the level I was a couple of years ago. My biggest problem now is my right hip.  I am actually afraid to go see the doctor about it because I am really not that pleased with how my by body responded to knee surgery. I would hate to go through any type of procedure on my hip so I have been taking it really easy and hoping that with time I can at least resume a somewhat active lifestyle. The one other problem is my ability to deal with heat.  Every time I push myself when it is hot I get really sick. 

I have been riding a lot with Carolynn on our tandem this summer.  When the trails were dry which was not often we hit them. When they were wet we hit the road.  The temps were down late spring/early summer so we actually got in some nice rides after work and I have not been effected by the heat.    I have actually enjoyed the slower paced rides.

Most of the summer has actually been very fun with no pressure.  Carolynn and I had a great time down in Eureka Springs in July.   We hit several trail systems including her favorite - Blowing Springs.

It was time to head to the lake once the normal summer temps arrived.  A great time was had out on Beaver Lake.  Carolynn's new SUP while a little unstable compared to some models is very fast.

 We never seemed to make any time to visit the tourist attractions when we travel.  Well times are a changing.  A visit to Pivot Rock was in made this past summer.   Hopefully these tourist attractions get a little better.  I was not impressed with this natural formation.

We did not play all the time.  Some work was actually done this summer.  Our hot water heater died on us so my friend Ashley came over and taught Christopher how to replace one. 

Ironically one of the things that may have caused me the greatest damage to my body is the one thing I can still compete at.  After surgery I got back on the motorcycle a little soon.  It has taken me a couple of months but I have finally built up enough strength to race a Hare Scrambles and finish strong.  After winning the first round in March I got my second win of the season this past weekend up in Thurman, IA.  Still got sick after the race but at least I had a win to show for it. But is it worth it?  What long term damage is happening?

Another summer in the books and I am still trying to adjust to this new way of life.   A life which has me stuck in the small chain ring. Part of me feels like quitting everything and just living a sedentary life.  The other part does not want to give up just yet. 

I Think I Need Stitches

With the high risk sports that my family does, things like racing motorcycles and flying downhill on our mountain bikes,  it turns out home is the most dangerous place there is

I get a call today from my son that he has had an accident.  A little slip in the tub and that he broke the ceramic soap dish holder.  Damn I think. Another project that I need to add to that ever growing To Do list. 

Turns out the bathroom is the most dangerous place there is in the house.  While taking a shower after working all day on the house/yard he slipped in the shower.  I asked how he slipped and he just said he did.  I left it at that.  He told his girlfriend who was over at the time that "I think I need stitches"  After inspection she quickly agreed and drove him to the hospital

No shit you need stitches and a lot more.  A tendon was cut so we need to visit the surgeon tomorrow.  The ER doc stitched his hand up until we see a specialist.

After he got home from the hospital I asked Christopher what he was doing in the shower to cause him to slip and fall.  I think that shit eating grin says it all....

What a Pain in my Knee

This past month I finally broke down and decided to find out what is going on with my knee. I have not mentioned it very much but I have been hindered by knee pain over the last year.  I can cycle o.k. and really do no feel pain much while riding especially if I tape them.  After some workouts like running my knee will start to burn and pain sets in.  Usually after some some ice and compression I will be fine again in a day or so.  During a very busy period of work which included a lot  kneeling the pain really started to effect my ability to work.  I can deal with taking days off from exercising t but not working.

I got into see Dr. Browne with KCOI a couple of weeks ago and the x-ray's did not show much other than and old broken fibula and some signs of arthritis .  The doctor asked me why I did not put down the broken bone in my patient history.  I told him I ran out of space.....  After nearly an hour of waiting and examinations it was decided I need an MRI.

After a week I made the trip down to Leawood, KS again to review my MRI result.  Dr. Browne was happy to announce that he found out the cause of my pain. Turns out I have a cyst in my knee.  It does not look like much but damn that thing hurts especially when I bend my knee back all the way or kneel down.  I also have a torn meniscus

I plan to have the cyst removed next week.  The doctor also said he will clean up the tears of my meniscus.  Hopefully they will not find much else wrong.  Looking forward to having no more pain in my knee. 

Hitting Rock Bottom at CIRREM

The 7th Annual CIRREM was held last weekend.  It was cold as hell (10 degrees) at the start but the gravel roads were frozen and remained that way for the entire event.  Conditions were really not that bad for racing and several course records were set including overall male winner Joe Peterson, overall female winter Liz Martin, Single Speed winner Marc Thierry, Fat Bike winner Taylor Webb and the overall tandem winners Dennis Grelk/ChristieAnthony.  Basically every category except fixed gear set new records.  That frozen gravel sure is fast.

While other riders were having great rides I was having one of my worse.  It has been a rough winter for me.  I have put in what I thought was some quality training rides including several gravel grinders.  As with anyone, with enough miles my form comes along nicely by the beginning of Spring.  This year that has not been the case.  I have reviewed and analyzed  my training logs but still have not found a reason for my poor performance.

Part of me did not even want to go to CIRREM this year.  When you are not not felling strong it is easy to stay home.  I had already made plans to head up with Tige so I stuck with those plans and we ended up staying with his cousin up in Des Moines IA.  It was nice not having to drive the 2 1/2 hours in the early morning like I have always done in the past.  After Tige's super secret breakfast and "Dirt" coffee I actually felt good and was looking forward to getting out on course.

I knew my day was going to be long when within the first 5 miles I went to shift into my big chainring and nothing happened.  After a quick look down I see my front derailleur had twisted.  I checked every bolt on my bike except that one 5 mm clamp.  Nothing to do but stop and fix it.  It took awhile, especially with the freezing temps, but I got the cage all lined up and shifting again.  I start rolling again in last place.

After a couple of miles I catch up to George Williams and Chris Orr of  Dirty Dogs.  All of us settled into a comfortable conversational pace with an focus on finishing.   This would become a real challenge later on as with each mile my legs became more tired.

In past years I usually roll into the half way checkpoint in around 2 hours.  This year I was pedestrian slow at 2:26.  As a reference my teammate Tige Lamb rolled the first half on a single speed in 1:44.  That is really sad when you think about it but when the legs are dead they are dead.  The ladies at the checkpoint were offering water, food and hugs.  I needed all three just to get up enough motivation to continue on. I filled up my water bottles, got a nice warm hug and tried to ignore the guy who was calling out "if anyone needs a ride back I am leaving now".  I downed another cinnamon roll and reluctantly rolled on.

The next couple of hours were some of the most trying of my life.  Each hill got progressively harder.  While my energy level was normal my legs were like piece of iron.   For about 10 miles I rode with a group of women but they soon left me behind.  I stopped trying to figure out what was wrong and just wanted to quit.  But when you are out in the middle of Iowa you can not really just put up your hand and ask for a ride home.  At one point I stopped just to rest some and eat.  A couple of rolls of hay provided a nice shelter from the cold wind.  After a couple of minutes I realized I needed to keep going.  There was not going to be any sag wagon to pick me up.

As the miles slowly clicked off and the finishing town of Cummings grew nearer it started to snow.  Great, just what I needed.  I was cold, tired and hungry but I still had an hour or more to go.  The last 10 miles or so skirt the edge of town but then takes you back onto the frozen gravel roads.  Part of me really wanted to take that short cut direct route back up to the Cumming Tap but I knew I would not be able to sleep well if I did not complete the entire course and finish.

Finally the last mile came and I rolled in the finish.  5:38 was on timer stop watch.   As I ate my post race meal I questioned whether this would be my last CIRREM and/or my last endurance race.  When you are at bottom it is hard to find a reason to continue on.

On the Job Training

This Fall/Winter we decided to catch up on some house projects after basically neglecting our home for over a decade. So far things have been going well and Christopher has gotten some "on the job training".  He still has no idea what he wants to do in life.  He really liked woods class and seems to like working with his hands.  Like many young adults he does not know what he would like to do.  Other than that he is a hard working kid that will work if you tell him what needs to be done. 

I think the best thing you can do is have your kids try different things.  I tried many things growing up and found out early on some of the things I did not want to do for my career. Professional Motocross racer?  Sure why not until you nearly kill yourself jumping a huge double (which actually was not intended to be jumped but you had to try it anyway).  Truck driver? Not for me - I had trouble keeping away driving at night.  Account/Bookkeeping?  Not for me.  Truck mechanic?  Not for me.  Stock Broker?  I actually wish I would have pursued  that career more but I was a little timid in my early 20's.  Bicycle Mechanic?  If only I could make money working on bikes I would be happy. 

First task before it got cold and the ground froze was to fix an area behind the house.  Over the last year water stopped draining away from the house.   Still do know know the root cause.  I think it was Carolynn's garden that she planted a couple of years ago.  The soil she put down so her vegetables would grow basically seemed to cause a dam and did not allow the water to drain away like it has for the past 14 years.   It could have been the drain pipe along the side of the house. It was filled with dirt and rocks. As a project I asked Christopher to clear the pipe but he could not find a way.  When I went to assist him I came up with a brilliant way to clear the pipe.  I used our shop vac and sucked all the dirt out.  It seemed to work very well because the next rain the water drained right down the new french drain that Christopher installed.   Maybe there is a career in Landscaping for him?

 One thing Christopher has learned is the damage that water can cause.  We ended up just replacing this small section of wood rot.  The end result looks very good.  We also chiseled away some concrete that was causing the problem in the first place.

 It is amazing what termites can do.  Luckily we caught them early and only had to repair two sections of siding.  Overall Christopher did a good job.  He still needs to some carpentry skills but with direction he can do the job.  Just do not leave him alone on a project because he seems to waste a lot of time texting  :-)

Some deck refinished was next.  Overall the deck was in good shape and just needed cleaning and staining.  This project took forever also with Christopher working alone.  If you ask me painting is an art.  As with the front of the house Christopher needs more patience and develop into an artist.

One of the next projects was to refinish the kitchen floors.  We had several spots with high wear and we wanted to fix the creaking floors.  I am happy to report that the creaks are gone and we have a shinny floor. I do not think Christopher will pursue a career in this field.

Mechanical skills are something Christopher really needs to work on.  We worked on several projects on our motorcycles like replacing the chains, sprockets, and installing a new Twin Air power flow kit.  I think we found out why we have been going through valves.  Dirty air will do that.  While disabling the air box boot I found several missing bolts that held the boot to the box.  Hopefully keeping a clean air source will allow us to go once complete season without a rebuild.

The other project we have decided to focus on this winter is refinishing all the wood cabinets.  Overall this project is going along nicely.  Bathrooms are done and now we are working in the kitchen again.  

Our last project we tacked was replacing the hot water heater.  My friend Ashley Blum helped us out on this one because I did not want to blow us up since we have a gas water heater.  He worked with Christopher and showed him each step. He even learned to solder and impresses me with his work.