I am a pro at Tapering!!!!! Yesterday, major overhaul on my trusty steel horse, The Gunnar Rockhound!!!!

Yesterday for the first time ever, my kid was really sick and therefore could not go to school, so I had to go to work super early with sick kid-in-tow to develop a plan for my substitute teacher. It was a tough assignment. Visualize sick kid laying on the classroom floor at 6:30 am while frantic man tries to crank out a lesson plan for a crowd of crazy teenagers! It makes me even more impressed by the committment and tenacity it takes for parents (especially a single parent) to raise kids when both work. Usually, my wife would be there to help, but she is in North Dakota working on her Master's degree...Once back home, I put the kid on the couch and then took the unexpected free time and totally overhauled the trusty Gunnar 29er. It was in terrible shape as the chemicals and sand that they put on the roads up here is super corrosive...I also took the time to add my secret front system that I will use to carry my sleeping bag, down sweater, and bivy sack for the BIG DANCE!!!!

Starving the RAT: This is Week #1 of the BIG TAPER... The goal this week is maybe ten hours if I wanna. If I don't want to ride...I don't ride...cuz I'm in taper mode...I may try and get a few high-tempo short rides in and for sure nothing longer than three hours...The fact of the matter is that with three weeks out from the Arrowhead 135 all the money is in the bank and there aint gonna be anymore deposits made, maybe some withdrawls, but nothin' goin in...now itz just a matter of resting and getting the bike and gear all put together.