Currently Reading The Next Generation Leader: Five Essentials for Those Who Will Shape the Future By Andy Stanley see related

The Championship

This last Saturday was the Unit Volleyball Championships for the 100ASG here in Vilseck.  The Health Clinic (my unit) went in as the number 1 seed.  The Duke of Vilseck volleyball if you will.

Unlike Duke, we did not choke though.  We stormed through the whole tourney never even dropping a game.  It was awesome.  So now we have qualified for the Euro Championships in Italy in 2 weeks. 

I dislocated my shoulder in the last Round Robin game, but had one of the medics pop it back in and I finished that game, and then played the whole finals.  It's still hurting today, but I would do the same thing again in a heartbeat.

Believe it.

Currently Reading Chasing Lance: The 2005 Tour de France and Lance Armstrong's Ride of a Lifetime (with 20 photos included) By Martin Dugard see related

If It Ain't Rainin', We Ain't Trainin'

What a week of trainin'.  In total I ended up right under 300 kilometers.  200 of that was on Friday and Saturday.  Those two days were some fun riding.  On Friday, Maj. Chung and I rode up to the bike shop, and he decided that he wanted to come back in a different way.  Well, we must have made a wrong turn, because we ended up way out of the way.  We got some good hill training in though.

Saturday I again rode up to the bike shop, and once there I rode for 2 hours with the team.  After that, I hung out with Petrov and Andreas for a little bit.  Andreas is a pro at only 22, and he races for the German team Milram.  Petrov is his sister and they are the son and daughter of the owners of the bike shop.  After hanging out for a little while I started the journey back.  With about 20k to go the winds picked up big time.  Then the rain started hard.  So I said to myself, "Adonis, this is where you become a champion."  And I kept on riding home.  It took me quite a while to get my core temp up.  I love it.

It looks like I will be in the states from the 26th of September through the 12th of October.  Hopefully I'll get to see most of you, since I will be in Springfield for most of that time with my parents.

Believe it.

Easter is Awesome

We had a three day weekend with it being Easter and all.  It was a pretty fun filled weekend for one Shawn Deal.  On Friday my partner in crime, Banno, and I went up to Wurzburg which has the bigger PX and is about 2 hours from us.  We went there mainly to pick up a bike for him, which we did, but also to eat some Taco Bell and get some VAT forms for me.  We accomplished all that we needed to accomplish up there.

When we got back, I went to work on his bike, taking the reflectors and other poop that is unecessary off of his bike, and also doing all of the adjustments needed to make the bike fit nice for him.  That stuff is so fun to do.  Then it was time to make some tacos.  I made my world famous tacos for him and his family, and the Sherfields.  I got skills yo.  It was a great time.

Saturday morning, I woke up to some serious fog, and I knew that it wasn't going to be all that fun riding in it, but I had to ride up to the bike shop to get some adjustments done on the baby, and the shop closes at 12.  So I mounted my steed, and it was actually pretty cool riding in the fog.  Got the adjustments done, and rode back to the post where Banno and I then did another 2 hours of riding.  I ended up with 4 hours of riding, and boy was it fun.

Easter Sunday, I went with Banno and his crew to church where they had an Easter breakfast that was awesome.  Church was okay, and it was sunny the entire time we were in there.  So what happens as soon as church is over?  It starts to rain.  I still had to do an easy hour of riding too.  So I quit whining, got on the sweet thing and rode the only flat route that we have down here.  Then it was on the Roberts for some of the best lasagne I have ever had.  Who knows how many cheeses she put in that thing, but I'm still full this morning.  It sure didn't help me out this morning for PT.

So I hope that you all had an equally good time this weekend.  Blessings to all of you.

Believe it.

Best Weekend in Germany

Well, I just had my best weekend ever in Germany.  Here's the story of why:

When I joined the army, I though cycling was long gone for me.  I missed it all of the time though.  I would pray that one day God would give me a peace about riding again, but I didn't push him.  I knew that I had to start doing right with my money before I could ever feel any notion of peace.

So I get stationed in Germany, a bike crazy country, and lo and behold, my commander is a cyclist, the physical therapist is a cyclist, and the new optometrist bought a bike and is becoming a cyclist.  I would talk to them about races and war stories from the bike, but still wouldn't commit to riding again.  Once a week, my commander would ask me, "When you going to get your bike? I can't wait to ride with you?"  I would just tell him, "I don't know, Sir."  Then, change the subject.

So one morning, I'm sitting during our Thursday morning training, and my mind started to wander.  It hit me, that I've been giving faithfully for the first time in my life.  The student loan thing is now off of my credit report because it's been over a year that I've been doing the repayment agreement, and I'm not thinking about how to get money.  The thought that consumes me now is where can I give more God. 

So I prayed about it, felt a real peace,and went and paid cash money for a bike.  Now Dad, I know that you like to name your cars, but I never have gotten into that.  I however do name my bike.  This one, I have named, Bendicion, because I view it as a blessing that God has given me.

I picked it up on Saturday and rode for 2.5 hours, and then after church and watching a race on TV, I went and rode an hour and a half yesterday.  It is so beautiful out there on the other side of the gates.  It's got the hills, and I do mean HILLS, of central Missouri, with the farms and all.  It's awesome.  I love the smell of freshly tilled soil, and that smell was all over the place this weekend.  Did I mention how hilly it is.

The roads of Bavaria will never be the same again.  Once again, my thundering thighs are churnin', the girls eyes are a turnin', just to see this Adonis, that is bursting forth among us.

Believe it.

I'm getting to go to a bike shop after work today.  I cannot wait.  It will be the first bike ship that I've been too since November of 2004.  Shoot, I didn't realize how long it's been.  I used to go to Sunshine Bike Shop there in Springfield at least once a week.  I didn't always buy stuff, but they had a really pretty female racer that worked there.

With the weather warming up, and there finally not being snow on the ground for the first time since November, my legs are really desiring hard to ride again.  My commander is taking me to the bike shop he frequents so Shawn Deal will be back on a bike sooner rather than later.  So wherever I get stationed in 2008, they better be ready in that state for a thunder thighed cyclist coming their ways that loves criteriums and time trials.

Shout out to my favorite couple, Curtis and Brittany for their engagement.  You two make me believe in love again.

SD