I Have Returned

  I am, sadly, home from vacation. I had a GREAT trip. Now I'm diving headlong into the craziness that is "getting the store ready for the Christmas shopping season" - aka I actually have stuff to do every day when I get to work.

  It's going to take a while to sift through my photos, but I can show you that I did dip my toes into the ocean,

And it was cold!

and I did, in fact, ride a bicycle

Wheeee!

  I also ate a heap of fried seafood, found a yarn shop, did some shopping, and did a lot of relaxing.

Warm and Cozy

  I've been stewing on a blog post lately, not sure if I should keep it under wraps a few more weeks, or if I should shout it from the mountaintops. Nothing earth-shattering, but something I really proud of. I think I need to do a little shouting.

  You all should know by now that in a couple of weeks, I'm going to ride in the Krempels King of the Road Challenge. Even though I have no personal association with the Krempels Center, it is an organization I am happy to support. Not just because my favorite cyclist supports it, but I have really been moved by what they do there. I nagged you asked for your support, and you gave it. But I'm still short of what I raised last year. (there's still time - here's the link!) Because the Krempels Center provides their programs free of charge, every dollar raised is important to keeping their programming at a high level.

  With this in mind, keep reading.

  Last spring, my knitting group (who are also fans of pro cycling fans) decided to do something in support of one of our favorite cyclists, who happens to have a personal connection to the Krempels Center. We decided to make a blanket to give to the Center, so they can raise money by raffling it off. Knitted squares started arriving at my house in August. By September, it was laid out (even Karl helped with the layout, so it would look just right), and all I had to do was put the squares together. Wow, it came together quickly and easily, and I am very proud to show you our work.

Those of you that supported me may get emails or newsletters from the Krempels Center in the future. I don't know when the blanket will raffled, so keep an eye out, and buy some tickets! This is a really nice afghan. I want it for myself. I know I'll buy some raffle tickets!

Next year's blanket is already in the planning stages.

Autumnal Activities

  The weather is cooling off, and we are transitioning in to fall activities around here:

  Karl went "Up North" and competed in the Chequamagon Fat Tire Festival, along with a couple thousand of his best friends. His goal was to make it to the start line, which he did. He also made it to the finish line! Although he lost a good chunk of time because of a flat tire. I explained to him that the race is called the FAT tire fest, not the FLAT tire fest. He realized his mistake too late.

Thumbs up dude!

This past weekend we went to the first Cyclocross race of the season - the inaugural Trek Cyclocross Collective Cup. It's the only race in the area that the Pros race. Karl and I volunteered as results runners - the cushiest job available! You can see Karl's photo set here. It was a beautiful day to be outside in the sun. I neglected my sunscreen, however, and got quite a very unflattering sunburn on my face. New fashionable sunglasses and hair pulled back = raccoon face!

  It's full-on harvest time at the CSA and I've been working hard. I'm going to miss my mornings at the farm when the season is done.

  I am going to be totally honest. There is no possible way I'm going to fulfill my promise of riding a mile for every dollar over my fundraising goal for the King of the Road Challenge. I'm doing my best, but both my co-workers are going on vacation in October, so I'll be working a lot more than usual. There just isn't enough daylight for me to ride after work. Don't worry though, I am fully trained and ready for the after party! (Pizza, burritos, schmoozing. I am all over that!)

But hey - there's still time to donate!
Follow this link to my fundraising page!

  Other fall activities include eating apples, baking, and wearing wool. Last night I was knitting on a blanket, it's getting big enough to cover my lap - nice and cozy! My legs got cold pretty quick when I put it away for the night.

All Aboard!

  I'm going for a ride on the crazy train. Want to join me?

  On Tuesday (Sept 3) I decided that I needed a sweater to wear with my LMS 1940's dress. We have a couple of hangar dances coming up. The thing about a hangar dance is that it's actually held in an airplane hangar. The last hangar dance we did (in July), it was unseasonably chilly, and it was about 60° F when we started playing. The dancers stayed warm, but I was freezing! (and I had my snuggies on!) So a sweater would have been nice. 

  I spent a couple of hours choosing a pattern. Then I went and bought the yarn. Then I changed my mind about the yarn, so I turned around, went back to the store and exchanged it. When I got home, I changed my mind about the pattern, and I chose a different one. Then I started knitting. By the end of Wednesday, the sleeves were done. 

  Thursday is "work at the CSA" day. We pulled weeds all morning, and my fingers were killing me. No knitting on Thursday. No big deal, you think? Um, well, I hate to tell you but, our next hangar dance is on Sept 21. Yes, I am certifiably crazy.

The next 16 days are not going to be pretty. (but that sweater will be!)

Is that all you got?

 Really? Only 100 miles? (Thanks Nancy, Pam, Other Becky, and Jayne!) 100 miles in 2 months is nothing! That's only 16 miles a week. I know you all can do better than that.

  Even Karl is helping, by making it fun to ride. Look what he got for my bike:

 So start digging under the couch cushions and raid the kid's piggy banks - it's for a great cause!

Click here for the link to my fundraising page

In other news: I got a new e-reader, I judged a bake-off, Karl is still unwell, I bought some yummy sock yarn, and I'm going to make some pickles next week.

Motivation!

 It is 70 days until the Krempels King of the Road Challenge - where I will get on a bike with a couple hundred other cyclists (who are in WAY better shape than I) and pedal around New Hampshire to raise money for the Krempels Center. I plan on riding 30 miles because, after all, it is still a vacation for me, not a "suffer-fest," and I'd like to be able to move the next day.

 And at this point, merely 2 months before the ride, I have ridden my bike for a total of 8 blocks (I rode to the hardware store yesterday, so it was really 2 chunks of 4 blocks with a stop in the middle). That's not going to do it.

 Let's face it, training hard kind of sucks. Don't get me wrong, I absolutely love to ride my bike. I'd give anything to go out and ride for 3 hours any day. But real life has this annoying way of intervening and reminding me of all the stuff that should get done first: dishes, vacuuming, laundry, cooking, grocery shopping, etc. I need some motivation (and a cleaning lady, but that's another story). Real, hard-core motivation.

Money is a great motivator, isn't it? 

I'll make you a deal. 

I set my fundraising goal at $500. For every dollar over that goal, I will ride one mile of training.

Tap in to your masochist side and get out your wallet.

Make me suffer. 

Make me sweat. 

Make me curse your generosity.

I'm even going to make it easy. Here is the link that takes you directly to my fundraising page. It's easy and secure. DO IT!

Photo Essay

It's been busy around Chez Baumeister. Since my last post:
 Karl went to a mountain bike race and won a race!

He got a medal AND Lyme Disease!

 I knit a tiny sweater.

So friggin' cute!

We went to the State Fair.

I ate a grilled cheese sandwich

Katrina helped the racing ducks carbo-load

And she got an awesome duck whistle

Then I ate a Thanksgiving waffle

Katrina did a little archery

We enjoyed an evening concert

Weird Al sings "Bye, bye, this here Annakin guy"

Yes, we saw Weird Al. Live. At the Wisconsin State Fair. And it was awesome. Don't judge me.

Then we went to a bike race.

I ate some of Jeremy's chocolate

Got autographs from my favorite boys in green

Karl made a new friend  - "Hey, there's Bob Roll!"

They roll out

And my boys in green get the win!

It was a good day.

So, that's what I've been up to. How about you?