Spring is just about Here!!!!!

Trees and shrubs are budding.....grass is greening up....and I have a new Lawn Boy....that makes 2......and he and his brother do a pretty good job!

Spring is also bringing many fun activities like backpack camping with Diego's Boy Scout Troop. 



Antonio's First Lacrosse Game

Antonio decided to play Lacrosse for the first time this spring.  He has seen how much fun Diego was having so he decided to give it a try.  In short, he loves it.  In fact, he says he may skip football in the fall to play Lax again. 

12 Volt Power for the KLR

I recently installed a 12 Volt Power source on the KLR.  This will be handy for mounting my new Magellan Roadmate GPS.....my RAM Motorcycle Mount system is "in the mail" and should be here in a few days.  This is going to be a slick set up.  The outlet will also come in handy for charging my cell phone while out on trips.

The install was pretty easy - I ran the wires along the frame with the others in a nice tidy package.....installed a 30 amp fuse on the positive wire back at the battery - done!  I haven't permanently mounted the outlet - going to wait until I mount the GPS to make sure it's in the right place.  I am getting pretty good at removing the gas tank LOL.  Next time is going to be a pain - I think I stripped one of the bolts....aaaaarrrrrgh.

Wake up Sleepy Heads

I found these pictures in the camera......I guess Belinda took them......

Father Daughter Dance 2011

Had a great night out with my daughter, and her friends and some dad's in the neighborhood at her school's annual Father Daughter Dance just before Valentines Day.

Brianna's New Glasses

We learned a couple weeks ago that Brianna has a mild far sighted condition requiring her to get glasses for reading.  She is actually pretty excited to get the glasses as she feels it's really going to help her in school.  She is my princess!

Diego and my new ride

I got my new company car last week - 2011 Ford Explorer Limited - Tuxedo Black.  I am VERY happy with this vehicle - it's everything that Ford promised in this all new designed vehicle.  The Explorer is now on a car platform and is officially a "Crossover" utility instead of a "traditional" sport utility.  So, bottom line, it rides and handles much better than the old and it's technologically advanced 290HP V-6 get's much better fuel economy.  Belinda also got a new Explorer limited - hers is Beaurdoux Red.  She loves it. 

Love the Ford Motor Company and thankful to have such a great job with great benefits!

Lacrosse Spring 2011 has Begun!

The boys Lacrosse started this past weekend with first practices and a clinic held by the league featuring Liam Banks, a former All Star standout with the University of Syracuse LAX team back around 2005.  Liam is a great teacher and player - at the end of the clinic, he did a shooting "show off" demo displaying trick shots - it was fun and had the boys stoked.  This will be Diego's 3rd season and Antonio's first. 

The new ICE arena

ICE - a new skating complex opened up in our town of Cumming, GA a few months ago.  It's a fantastic facility - our family has been a few times and we held Antonio's birthday party there back in December.  We went on this past Saturday night as a family and it was a great evening.  The kids are really picking it up - mom and dad are "afraid" to fall so we go very slow (unlike the good ole days).

Another Prize Winning Plane Project for Dad

My dad recently finished this scale replica RC Model of an AT-6 Texan.  He does fantastic work and won "Project of the month" at his local RC Club. 

Christmas 2010 - New year 2011

Well it's been some time since I have blogged.  It's hard to keep up with this since Facebook is so much easier and most of my family and friends that pay any attention to this blog are on FB.  Anyway, Christmas was awesome, and we are off to a quick start in 2011.  January is already behind us and the boys started practice for Spring Lacrosse already.  Over the past holiday, we spent Christmas at our Georgia home, then drove up to Indiana to see my side of the family for a couple days, then over to Ohio to see Belinda's side of the family.  Here are a few photos - it was a great trip - we are so happy that we went.

CHRISTMAS IS COMING!!!

Interesting sermon at church today discussing the preperation for Christmas.  How most people get so busy with the process of getting ready for Christmas (shopping, endless parties, stress, etc.) that they forget the real meaning of the holiday.  Our pastor suggested that maybe we forget about all the fuss and rush and just let Christmas "happen" for us.  I liked the thought of that.  We have many decorations up in the house and a bunch more in boxes.  I think it's time to stop "preparing" and start "reflecting" on the true meaning of Christmas.  Where is that Veggie Tales DVD when I need it.

Making New Riding Friends

I am fortunate to live in one of the greatest motorcycling spots in the country.  We are very close to some of the best twisty roads in the country, and for off roading, there are endless trails and forest service roads.

http://www.klr650.net/
I found a great resource in the KLR650.net website.  It's a great forum for getting model specific information on technical matters as well as finding great motorcycle products.  It's also a great place to meet people who enjoy the Kawasaki KLR 650 and dual sport motorcycling.

SOUTHEAST REGIONAL FORUM
There are regional pages on KLR 650.net.  Here, you can find people in your local area who have KLR's.  I have been able to make some new friends who have shown me around the North Georgia Mountains and introduced me to some great trails and FS Roads.  They have also helped me with tech advice.

A DOCTOR, A UPS MAN, and a MARBLE MINER
I have always found the kind of people you meet who play around with motorcycles a very eclectic and interesting bunch.  You never know who you are riding with.  One day in Florida, I had breakfast with our church's "Praise Leader" on one side of me, and an Attorney for the "Adult Entertainment" industry on the other side of me (he said at first that he represented people in "first ammendment rights cases" - the truth eventually came out through conversation) 

Recently, I have met 3 guys who ride bikes like mine.  Les is a UPS guy, Kerry is a Gastroenterologist, and Jeff is a Marble Miner.  Each with a different "story".  I look forward to getting together with them and riding again soon.

Marco's 4th Birthday

Thanksgiving 2010

We decided that it would be good for our family to spend the Thanksgiving week at home this year.  We really enjoyed the week.  Turkey day was great - we decorated the Christmas tree, Belinda went shopping on Black Friday (in the middle of the night), Diego did some volunteer work, and Belinda and I celebrated 16 years of marriage.  It was a nice and relaxing week.

Ford Championship Weeked 2010

I made my annual trip down to Miami for Ford Championship Weekend - NASCAR's last race weekend of the year.  I worked in the Ford Display all weekend but did get to celebrate Carl Edwards win in Victory lane.  It was really fun - Carl is a great guy - it was nice to see the joy he and his team had after that win.

Fall Fun

Kids will be kids.  Unfortunately, they didn't dispose of the leaves after the play time...oh well, I needed the exercise.

Finding Dual Sport Riding Buddy's

I am fortunate enough to live in one of the best motorcycling locations in the country.  We have great riding weather for most of the year, have many mountain twisty roads, and if you are into it, there are Forest Service Roads and trails all over the place - just up the road from my house.

FINDING FRIENDS
When I lived in Forida, I had a small group of people to ride with - several of which lived in my neighborhood.  Unfortunately, there are only a couple of riders besides me in my neighborhood and none of them are dual sport riders.  Fortunately though, I have gotten to know some riders on the KLR.Net forum.  It's a fantastic website forum that has "regional" pages.  On the Southeast KLR Forum, there is a thread for North GA Mountain riding that guys use to find people to ride with.  I recently met up with 2 really great guys who live in Chatsworth GA and know the GA mountains very well in the area from Dahlonega up to Ellijay and north to Tennessee.  This area is part of the Chattahoochee National Forest. 

A MARBLEMINER AND UPS GUY
Les is Kentucky native who works for UPS and Jeff works for the local Marble Mine in Ellijay.  They both ride KLR 650's like mine.  Great guys - I really like the way they ride too - they like to ride a little, stop, and putz around, talk, etc.  During one of our stops, Jeff was talking about his oldest son.  He is a Marine and is assigned to the Presdential Detail.  In fact, if you have ever seen the picture of President Bush getting on the Marine One helicopter for the last time when he left office, Jeff's son in the Marine on the left that closed the door for him.  Pretty cool - I guess he just got back from a tour in Afghanistan and is on detail for President Obama.  Pretty cool pretty cool.  I look forward to getting together with them in the near future.

Brianna's 7th Birthday Party

Brianna turned 7 last Monday.  We had her birthday party yesterday at a place at the Mall of Georgia called "Alter Ego Kids".  Basically, it's dress up, make up, hair, nails, and dancing on the big stage.  Girly Girly stuff - the kids loved it and we had a blast watching them.  It was a really fun party.