This is what my classroom looks like

This semester, class is taking place in a large auditorium on the auxiliary campus . There are 80 students, so we are split into two sessions, I'm in the second one 1-3pm. In this shot we are taking a must pass math test. I made 100%. I was the second person done, so I was able to snap this shot with our new camera. 

Jen is racing this weekend, so we are going to Greenville, SC Saturday and Sunday. I will take lots and lots of pictures, then post the best here for your pleasure.

 

 

Cycling in Black Mountain

I met my friend Brian Burns, of Asheville, yesterday for a ride in
Black Mountain. We parked at the Ingles supermarket by interstate 40,
and rode a 23 mile loop with a short side trip to the lot. The loop
will surely be a favorite of Jennifer, and is part of the Hilly
Hellacious Hundred route. The only thing I had in my stomach all day
was a muffin and cup of black coffee. needless to say, this was not
really enough for 2300 feet of climbing in 23 miles. By the time we
got back to the car we were wiped out, and famished. We had planned to
get some grub in town at one of the nicer eateries, but when we saw
Taco Bell less than 200 feet from the car we pounced on it. The two of
us consumed $18 worth of faux Mexican fare. Honestly, I did not think
it possible for TWO people to spend $18 in Taco Bell in one sitting.
It can be done, as evidenced by the second photo. We laughed when we
got that tray of bean pies, and people must have thought we were from
somewhere else when they saw us taking pictures of it.

My legs are spent from 2 days in a row of good rides. Jen is getting
up right now to drag me out for another 3 hour ride today, I hope I
make it!!

Team BMW Bianchi

Here is the website for Jennifer's new team. They are pretty good at putting up race results and reports, so check it often when racing starts this year. I think the girls are slated to go to the training criterium races in Greenville, SC at the end of this month! Go team!

http://www.bmw-bianchi.com/team.php

Quick Update

I have been very busy, surprise, of late with school. My second exam was quite harder than the first one, but I did do well. My 92% may be the highest grade in the class, I won't know till next week, but the class average on the test was a 75%. Passing is 78% in this class. 

Last Sunday, Jennifer met with her new cycling coach to do some heart rate testing to establish a baseline and create her training zones for the season. Her coach's name is Laura, and she is quite an accomplished cyclist herself. Laura rides for Advil-Chapstick, check out her squad here: http://www.teamadvilchapstick.com/

Laura is the one on the far left in the team shot on the home page. After the test, Jennifer rode out to Black Mountain to meet me at Bird Creek (our new land). 

After dropping Jennifer off at Laura's house I went straight to Bird Creek, and was blown away with what I found. Two days earlier, Feb. 1, Black Mountain was hit by a big ice storm. Although our lot did not sustain much damage, route 9 that leads to our side of the divide was devastated. Many of the trees lost their tops, and there were limbs down everywhere. I stopped counting the number of utility power trucks at around 20. When I got to our new road, I talked with the only neighbor we have, and he told me it took him three hours to chainsaw his way out of his driveway. Like I said before though, our lot did not sustain much damage. The neighbor told me it was the worst storm he had been in since moving there in the 80's. First came the ice, then 60 mile per hour wind, a terrible combination. 

I spent the better part of four hours looking for the placement of the existing septic tank on the house site. I was able to locate the 100' X 7' drain field, but I can't seem to locate the 1000 gallon primary tank. Bummer. I was hoping to be able to drive a 1/4 inch rebar into the ground and hit it, then dig out the top to locate the connection. My next step is to try to rent a powerful metal detector to find it, via the rebar used in construction of the tank, then hire someone with ground penetrating radar if that fails. The last option is going to be expensive, but still cheaper than a complete rebuild of the entire system.

Jennifer is headed to training camp this weekend with her team, so I am going to go out there again Sunday to pick her up from her meeting point at a friend's house in Black Mountain. I plan to spend some more time looking then. Jennifer is excited about the prospect of riding all weekend with her new team, and she promised to take lots of pictures we can post here for everyone's enjoyment. 

My preceptorship at Harris Regional Hospital is almost over. I have completed most of my 96 required hours. This week was spent in the outpatient surgery center getting patients prepped for their procedures, and a day at the pain clinic in Bryson City. The pain clinic was really fascinating, I saw many epidural steroid injections under the fluoroscope. Next week I have another day at the surgery center, then I think I will be done. Just three months to graduation at this point, I can't wait!