CruizerBlog

Oh Yeah

I think it's going to be a good 4th of July...

Pumpkinrot

I've been watching this guy create magnificent masterpieces for the last couple years. I wish I had half the talent he does.

Is it bad that I am already working on Halloween stuff?

Dieting

The problem with dieting, is that you are always thinking about food!

Additions

I finally got some more pics up. And I added them to the sidebar (look to your left, no your other left).

I added Boston, Hershey, Huntington, Miracle Ride, and Shades S. P..

I now am using 4.97Gig of my alotted 5 gig of space. I at one time got a flicker account, but it was stupid. I like hosting my own pictures, it's much better. Now to upgrade the server.....

Shades

This weekend we joined a group of friends for a relaxing weekend camping at Shades State Park. The weather was in the mid 90's, but relatively low humidity, which was nice.

Saturday we hiked a total of about 6.5 Miles, according to John's GPS. We did two different hikes, one which didn't have any maps, and the other which was mapped.

Then on Sunday we went down Sugar Creek in Canoe's and Kyacks. It was a nice relaxing time, aside from geeting attacked by nats while trying to enjoy lunch on the side of the river.

click the picture for all the pictures.

Boston

Well i did get to go to Boston, as I said in my last entry, and we had a pretty good time. All the crates arrived, to our surprise, but not without damage. The large commercial boiler somehow got destroyed. It had smashed panels and a broken casting, which is extremely hard to do. But somehow, they did it.

We did get to go to two Red Sox games, which I outfitted myself with a Jersey, Sweatshirt, and Ballcap. It was alot fo fun. They won one game, and got slaughtered in the next. But it was still fun being there.

Powerless

So last night I was on my way home from work, and got a call from my neighbor:
Adrian: You got power?
Me: I dunno, I'm not home from work yet.
Adrian: Well our power went out, Iw as trying to see, oh hold on (he yells in the background: You got power?") Oh, it looks like we're all out.
Me: Yea.

So yeah, about 4:30 yesterday our power went out, and it didn't get turned on until about 11 that night. Fun, considering it was about 95!

But we stayed outside and worked in the yard, which was nice because it was windy. The wind gusted over 50 mph yesterday, which is the cause of our loss of power. And fortunately the power came back on shortly after we went to bed. We had all the battery operated fans out, that we use for camping, and blowing on us at the time.

Meanwhile work has been hell, and it's especially bad when you have a boss like mine. Tuesday she came in and accused me of not doing my work, and taking me off the trip to Boston, which oddly enough, is part of my job. But apparently, the other part of my job, I wasn't doing. Too bad she never asked me about my progress first. He als claims the product managers complained to her, which is also a lie. In fact when she brought that up in yesterday meeting with them, they both looked astonished! They had no idea what she was talking about. I actually think she believes the lies that she creates, it's becomming more apparent. The question is, why is it that only people on the lower leves can see that, and not her boss and the other VP's?

So anyways, if you happen to be watching the Red Sox game Tuesday and Wednesday, keep an eye out for me in the stands, because that's where I'll be!

14th Annual Children's Miracle Ride

This weekend, Christina and I joined some friends in Indianapolis in attending the 14th Annual Children's Miracle Ride for Riley Hospitals. This was our first time there, and it was an aw-inspiring experience. I felt the need to share some of these photos, because it gives you a great sense of decency for the Patrons of Indiana!

Over 10,000 riders took part in this weekends events, which is sponsored and put on by Bob & Tom, of the Bob and Tom show, who put over $200,000 of their own money into making this event possible. Also, many companies throughout Indiana helped with cash or prize donations, including vacation trips, and motorcycles.

Saturday started off with a Poker Run, with various starting points throughout Indiana, but all ending at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. We started our run in Bloomington. You sign up for $50 and are given a card, which you get stamped, at different stations on your ride. Then you end at the Speedway where you draw poker cards to attempt to get the highest hand for prizes. We, of course did not win anything.

Sunday was the Miracle Ride Cruise, where all the riders who participated meet up and ride in two lines side-by-side in front of Riley Hospital, where the kids who were able came outside to watch and wave. We were in the second parking lot, the first one was completely full. Once the ride started, which was started by 5 children from the hospital yelling "Riders! Start your engines!" you heard this loud rumble of mostly Harley-Davidsons starting and revving their engines. The first parking lot was the first to go, for 45 minutes all you could see nothing but heard what sounded like thunder as the bikes left the parking lot one by one. It was then we could see that parking lot one was empty, and they started letting us in parking lot two go. But it was almost another half an hour before we even moved.

This cruise was very emotional, before even arriving in front of the hospital I began to tear up. As you rounded the corner in front of the hospital, you saw the kids on the sidewalk and the front steps. Some of them were in wheelchairs, some in wagons, some with IV's connected to them, and some still in their beds, all smiling and waving at you. You couldn't help but cry. To put the emotion you feel at this moment into words, is impossible.

Each couple we went with had some sort of ties to the hospital. My friend Todd's brother spent much of the first years of his life there. Our friend Jessie spent time there as a teen. And I've been there, visiting my cousin 15 years ago, who was born 3 months early with complications.

It almost seems pointless to point out the end of the cruise was riding a lap around the Indy 500 track. Then everyone met up at the parking lot across from the speedway, where lunch was served, presentations were given, and prizes were awarded. Of course, we didn't win anything. But that wasn't the point. The point was for the children, a couple of whom who attended the ending ceremony, thanking everyone for their time and donations. Cheers and clapping was heard as they announced the current count at 2:30 yesterday afternoon was over $355,000 of donations from riders alone.

This weekend was a very moving experience, to see the patronage of so many people gather to help children. We plan on buying Riley Hospital license plates for our motorcycles this year, which includes a $25 donation for the hospital itself.

Attached are a few pictures of the thousands of people who gathered for the ride on the second day.

Grilling

Last night we tried something i have been wanting to try since I saw Bobby Flay do it on the Food Network, grill pizza.

It was insanely easy, and it turned out really really good!