Mr. Baby

Here are a few more pictures from the Mt Hood Cycling Classic a few weeks ago where Annie and Kian joined me for the final few stages. I'm not sure if I mentioned that I was a guest rider for a friends' team because neither of mine were racing this weekend, and so we were invited to stay at Tim and Sue's cabin along with a big group of their friends. Tim has been a cyclocross rival of mine when Seattle and Portland clash, he's a formidable foe, and his wife Sue races the national circuit and is definitely one of the top woman cyclocrossers in the country. You know, Sue Butler. Anyway, the weekend was a blast hanging out with these folks and the hospitality was awesome. A 5-year old kid took a shine to Kian, and referred to him as Mr. Baby. We like it, so Mister Baby it is.

Senor Baby in his skinsuit/race onesie.

A couple of dorks.

Plumb tuckered out after a day of racing.

Back Tracks

A few pics from recent weeks gone by. First up are pictures from a Chiwawa trip a few weeks ago. There was Spring cleaning to be done, note the yard, and the pics of some of us working while "others of us" just hung around all day.

What came first: the Lazy Boy or the lazy boy?

Hey you, get to work!

At some point during the weekend we hit up a 40th birthday party in Plain. Spare Rib and the Bluegrass Boys were playing and Kian had a great view although sequestered in a tent. He had the best seat in the house: he could mosh mosquito-free while we were eaten alive. Don't worry, he wasn't lonely: most of the time he attracted a large gathering and he really knows how to work an audience. I wish I had video of him rockin the tent --boys gone wild!





I am still looking for that picture of Kian and I in our matching attire: yeah, I had on my Osh Kosh's, and I must say I looked nearly as cute as the K-man.

Daddy's Back

The past 10-days since we last published should probably be a mommy-post since I was gone 8 of those days. Kian celebrated his old man's big day last weekend before I took off, Fathers Day that is, and I was bummed yesterday not getting to see my little man.

This morning when I got home I was expecting to find Kian strutting about the place under his own recognizance, getting all homo erectus on me, but was pleasantly surprised that he was still the crawling chimp that I'd last seen. However, I was hoping that his upper Bucky's had fully emerged so that I could get some sleep but as it turns out they have only dropped about half way, the poor suffering little bugger.

Last weekend Daddy took off for another trip to Oregon. I volunteered at a Junior Development Cycling Camp which proved to be the great experience that I'd hoped. On my way there I hit a big Portland Criterium where Veloce put its stamp on the race. Three of us took 4 of 10 primes and spent a lot of time off the front, but in the end I got boxed-in having taken the final corner in 2nd position, perfect, and could only manage 6th. Still, a good result and Veloce looked good out there. After the 5 day junior camp I met the Veloce Racing squad in Portland for our caravan across the state to race in the far NE corner of the state for a big 3-day race, the Elkorn Classic. My results were piss poor, I felt like crap and just tried to survive, and the team had only a couple bright spots but all-in-all we didn't do as well as we'd hoped. Cascade Classic, is our new mantra. Our final big race of the season starts in 4-weeks in Bend, OR, hopefully a full family trip.

Annie is currently in-between Quarters at school and so we have just one week to make the most of it before she is back taking classes and I am a full time haus frau again. The tentative plan is a few days of bike touring and camping on the San Juan Islands.

Grandma and Grandpa Reid are currently en route to the Chiwawa and we have voice confirmation of their passing through Boise this morning. ETA is manana. Yeeeeeah!, says Kiki, as well as "its about damn time"!

Kian's new Alcatraz

New Developments

We noticed last night that Kian has two new tooth sprouts poking through his upper gums, and I know I've said this before, but he seems on the verge of taking those first steps. I promised Grammy and Grandpops they'd be here for the first, but I can only chop his legs out from under him for so long. He can stand on his own for 5-10 seconds at a time, so he's got the balance, he just needs to put some mojo behind it. Daddies little man is growing up too fast.

In fact, according to the nurse in his latest checkup this morning, he has put on almost 2 inches while actually losing a pound. If you saw that little chunk you'd find that hard to believe, but its about darn time he started stretching out a bit. 27 inches, I think she said, and around 22 pounds.

Back on Track

Hanging out with the Blacks in the beer garden.

Back from another race weekend, Mt Hood Cycling Classic this time out of Hood River. Epic race, really fun times with great people. We were graciously hosted at their cabin by Sue and Tim Butler who have an amazing place on the flanks of Mt. Hood. I was guest racing with Tim's squad since no Veloce was in attendence and their cabin was a hub of activity for the 4-days of the race: there were always bike being worked on, food being cooked and eaten, jerseys being washed and pinned, and pro race videos almost always on the tele. I was on my own for the first two days but Annie and Kian showed up for the weekend, and it was easy having the Tortuga right there with our space away from home.

Not the top step that I was hoping for and it was a photo finish, I missed it by mere centimeters. But Tim and I worked the race over by taking 4 of 5 primes and definitely netting the most sponsor-tele time off the front.

Helping mommy in the garden.

Baby is Back

Finally, we're back! On an unfortunate note, Dad eFresh is a full-time stay at home "haus frau" after his NOAA contract expired. It couldn't come at a better time as summer is coming on, the economy begins its recovery, Annie is in school, and Kiki is getting ready to start walking and talking -- he's definitely keeping us busier as he cruises around the place finding whatever trouble is to be had.

Lots of pics and so I will keep them coming a few each day until I begin to catch up.

Past two weekends we spent on the Chiwawa in the glorious E Washington sunshine, playing and spring cleaning. Kian loves it over there. We don't have a crib there and he prefers the expansive baby prison we craft for him. The cool nights and the sound of the river made for some nice sleeping, too.

Two weeks ago we hit Seattle's awesome Folklife/Freaklife Festival.

Today I am leaving Annie and Kian for a big race in Hood River: 4-days of amazing rides. We are hoping that they can make it out there for the weekend, but we'll see if we can make that fly. Gas ain't cheap. Anyone heading to Portland for the weekend got room for a baby?

Pics from the race two weeks ago coming soon.

Daddy's On The Dole

My desk has been a portal to this: Goodbye Dutch Harbor...

In case you haven't heard, my cushy government job with NOAA/NMFS is terminating on Friday because my one-year contract has expired and Alaska fishing has taken a downturn. But it turns out that Friday is also my flex-day and so on my final day of work I am being paid not to work. Love it. A fitting way to "transition". I'm not worried. I should be, I guess, but I have worked so many part-time and seasonal jobs over the past few years that it seems just like business as usual. Should I admit that I'm a bit relieved? I will get more Kian-time, and I'm looking forward to that, although being a stay at home daddy or haus frau while Annie is at school will likely be harder than I can imagine. And its not just changing diapers and the other baby chores, but the mental side of being at home. Thank god for the chariot and the Bike-Gilman Trail.

and the F/V Vaerdal (one of my in-season advising vessels).

Happy 1st Mommy's Day!

Mother's Day was as it should be, time spent with mom, and such was Kian's day -- but the same as it is just about every day. Unfortunately, I couldn't be hanging out with and worshiping my own mother but I could the mother of our child. We made a great day of it and Annie approved too.

The three of us spent the waking hours playing in bed, then I hit the kitchen and made up a somewhat gourmet concoction but as usual did a fair bit of improvising. I made a batch of what I am calling Eggs Chinookian -- the local tribal name says it all as the salmon instead of ham gives it a northwest flair. However pigs still played a pivotal role in the recipe as I just wasn't able to poach an egg the regular way, so I settled for "poaching" the eggs in about half an inch of fresh bacon grease, grubbin. The Hollandaise thickened right up and needless to say it was a rich and rewarding meal. Kian had oatmeal, sorry dude.






Then we hit the bikes... ha ha, I get my way even on Mothers Day! We drove out to Krebby and Jen's place in Redmond loaded with bikes and chariot so that I could return the car I'd borrowed the day before, and we rode home from there via the Sammamish River and Birke-Gilman Trails. Awesome day minus all the trail traffic, but its what you would expect on a sunny day in the NW. Hit a farmers market on the way home for a coffee and pastry, and picked up 2-dozen raw oysters on the rocks for our BBQ in Blackistan later that afternoon.

Yes, dinner with the Blacks in Ballard at their amazing trestled villa and a fun evening of nice drinks and strong conversation.

Thanks for everything, Mommy, you're awesome!

Bouncing Baby Boy

Kian Kong!

Happy 9th-month birthday, little buddy!

One warm day last week Kian ripped off his shirt
and mounted the fan. I was tempted to join him up there.

Happy de Mayo

Guppy man!

Just talking today with a friend about baby crashes, spills and thrills, and I recounted a few stories of Kian taking a licking but keeping on ticking. One day last week I was in the side bedroom while Kian was up on the bed -- its safe now because he seems to be aware of the consequences of falling and so its a sort of baby prison with a moat all around -- but then I thought I heard the sound of a thump and a whimper. I stuck my head out to check and Kian was crawling at me full bore with a huge grin on his face. The little kamikaze.

Resiliency on display here -- as well as the usual homely mishaps going on behind the scenes.

Fish Tacos y Tres Peliculas

Showing the boy around the male landscape and
breaking the stereotypes: we do windows too.

All Giggly in his Easter suit.


Whacking the Weasel.


"Cruising": A Few Moments After this Video He took His First Aided Steps. Uh oh.