Where Has the Time gone?

I'ts been a good while since I last updated this bunch of nonsence. I've gone through a few changes over the summer...Mostly paying for the "Balls to the Wall" attitude that I've had for too many years. The summer started off with big plans to train and run a marathon this winter but back problems has stopped all of that silliness. I was doing two a week's at Dr. crack and pop up 'till a couple of weeks ago. He's been trying to repair all the damage that I have done to myself over the years...mostly mountain bike related. This has caused me to go out and get a road bike, wear lycra and pedal lots of miles. I have become the guys that I have made fun of for soooo long.If you see a fat guy on a skinny tired bike please swing wide. The good Doc has done wonders for me and I feel better than I have in years. Hat's off to Dr.D and the folks at the Apple Valley Clinic.
Jake has started his last year of basketball, this really hurts. I took him to get his new shoes for the year but instead of getting the ones on sale we let him get what he wanted(100 dollar limit). He came in under his limit by 1 cent and got the Reebok Zig basketball shoes. Man,it seems like yesterday I was coaching him in middle school. I am very proud of all my kids but seems that they have grown up way to fast and things have been a blur to this point. I'm not really sure what has happened but it sure has happened fast. As I go into this varsity season of basketball I hope that Jake has a great year,plays hard and most of all has fun. There is something inside me that would love to see him play ay the next level but I don't know if he can pull that off. You guys pray for this old Dad to not be too heart broke when the season is over.

Times..They are a chaingin'.

It's been quite a while since my last batch of senseless ramblings. Good weather and a lack of snow on the ground would be biggest reason for that.There have been a few changes in last few months. I find myself at the ripe old age of 44 and the urge to hurl myself off of,over and around things at a high rate of speed has really checked out on me. I find that now I'm content to ride more mellow trails,my road bike(Gasp),and walk the dogpack with the redhead. This change has worked out well for my body for the most part......but not completly.
(Enter Suzy Back Problems)
For some odd reason I let a "good friend" talk me into running a marathon in the winter. It seemed like a good challenge,something that would be motivating.After building up to about 30 miles a week lower back issues started putting the brakes on the marathon train. I can still ride my bike but running is not an option right now. I go to see a new Dr. on Monday so we'll see how that goes.
We did get in a good hike last weekend. Black Balsam to the Rangers Station via Art Loeb Trail. It rained( buckets),but it was a good time. 17.25 miles on steep rugged terrain in about 7.5 hours. Not bad for a broke down old geezer.
I have also been given the task of Womens Supervisor at work(Thanks Tim). I can tell you this.....I can deal with 35 men easier that 4 women.I'm really trying to do my best but I feel like I'm dropping the ball. It saddens me to see so many youg folks coming into the mission. The 18 to 25 crowd seems to be what we're seeing a lot of. It's really sad to see these young people with tons of potential but no idea how to get things into gear. One alarming trend we're seeing is the backlash from "internet dating",this trend is a recipe for disaster. I pray that we do the right things at work to help guide lives in the right direction.
That's all for now,I hope to update more in the comming weeks but who knows.

More Snow......

I'm sitting here in Crab Creek watching the birds on the feeders and the sun rising on 8" of fresh snow. At this point I've had more than enough snow for a while but I'm trying to find the upside to it.It really is nice to sit and look at. I just try not to think about how much longer it's gonna take for the trails to clear. The bikes will just keep hainging up and I'll keep waiting for a good trail ride.
Jake, Hambone and I spent a nice cold night in Buckhorn Gap this past weekend.The moon was full and it was really awesome reflecting off of the snow at night. The temp got down to around 17 but I was warm in my bag and I let Jake get up and start a fire. It was a pretty tame trip and nothing really exciting went down.
The Bracken Family Bluegrass played at the Rescue Mission on Monday night.We were sloppy and rough around the edges but I think the folks enjoyed it.I'm really happy to see jake getting back into his music.He and Jo are really good and I don't think they really understand how blessed they are to be able get so easily. It take no effort at all for them to learn new things. I'm really blessed to have had all this time to spend with my family playing music and having fun.I really thank God for that. I often sit and wonder what I did to deserve such a great blessing.I have no answer,I know I don't deserve it at all. The time I've spent with my family camping,riding,playing music and coaching sports teams have really been more than I could have ever ask for and I am truely greatful. I guess instead of complaing about the snow I should count it as a blessing that it makes me slow down a little and reflect on all the good things I have been blessed with.

Judging a book by it's cover.........

For you guys who knew me "back in the day" you know I should be the last person to draw a conclusion on someone by how they look. When Jen brought me home the first time her family was more than "a little worried". I rolled up in a primer '69 Camaro,with leather jacket,ripped jeans,some sort of custom rock and roll teeshirt(black I'm sure) and hair for days. Not a great first impression but in my eyes it was mission complete! So who should I be to judge?
My first days at the mission were a huge learning curve and I was super guilty judging a book by it's cover. Now that I've been there a little while and kind of settled into my job I have been blessed to know these folke we are trying to help. Thank God he helped me see what I was doing and how silly it was for me (of all people) to do that. What we have is a building full of really good people that have made some really bad choices.I swear we have few that boarder on on that "rocket scientist" level. One guest we have should be a author,I can't wait to read his work search reports. He makes going to the store an adventure.
I pray every day for these guys and hope that one day they reach their full potnetial and know that I'm a better person for knowing them.

Decompression chamber.....

We only had a small window of opportunity to get out on friday night for a short winter backpacking trip. With a slightly stressful work week behind me and rain on the radar for Saturday evening,Hambone,Tyler and I strapped on headllamps,packs and trekking poles and headed up Averys Creek. Pisgah Ntnl Forest is one of my favorite places in the world,great camping, mountain biking and flyfishing all just a 15 minuite drive from home. All in all it was a great trip,we had a nice camp spot, great fire and good food.
We took Hambone's son Tyler on his first winter trip, he did great and had a good time. We also took Lucy,my 1yr old bull terrier.....that is a whole other story.I'm sure she has some sort of mental fault somewhere.She was insane from the time we loaded her to the time we unloaded her.Hambone said it best "It's like camping with the Tasmaian Devil".
I'm super blessed to have grown up and live where I do.The mountains,trails rivers and lakes of this area help me decompress from all the things of work,my kids screaming at the TV while playing Xbox and the everyday pitfalls of life.I am truely thankful to have these "old mounatins" as my back yard and good friends to explore them with.

Will the preacher need to lie at your funeral?

I have a sticker on my guitar case that reads"Live so the preacher wont have to lie at you funeral". Now, most folks take that as a faith based statement and it is but it says so much more to me.I really hope someone can say more when they flop my old bones in the ground then something like "He liked to watch TV". I look at the scars on my body from various mishaps on a mountain bike and other activities and remember how alive I was when I got them. The lines in my face from too much sun and wind while having a big pack strapped to my back or a flyrod in my hand reminds me of good times with friends and family.I look at the second part of John 10:10 and if nothing else thats what the Lord has granted me.
When the sun heads behind the mountains and the cold of the evening creeps through the valley at the end of the day I look back on what I've done and ask myself "Will the preacher need to lie at my funeral"?