Author: Bill

Yo yo yo, what's up. Just got back from McDonalds and now I sit in the Liquid Planets back computer area. Its nice but now that it is getting colder, 32 degrees this morning, they should shut off the fountains and maybe turn on the heat. I remember my old place of coffee indulgence. The Starbucks in Orange CT. It had a fireplace and was comfy this time of year. Yesterday was limited to a ride with a friend, short but nice, then the rest of the day was spent burning Stephen King Novels to my Mp3 player. The ”Dark Tower“ series is huge! I still am only half way through an as of right now the total disk space required is 5GB. Wow, time to learn to use the DVD recorder.

Today I am stopping by the college this morning and following the day up with the usual, laundry, grocery shopping, clean car, and clean house activities. Tonight is the ”Family and Friends Online“. I should be here at the Liquid for that. The big event is yet to happened this morning as I have to call Mountain Supply and cancel the appointment for an interview. I have sights set on the job at the college and this one would just not be my cup of tea.

This week I have to hope for a job even more than last. Yesterdays mountain bike ride proved that I will not be biking soon as the ol stead is so worn out the drive train is falling off the bike. The car needs attention and is way past due for an oil change. The head light is still unfixed. I am out of money and am struggling to just get the rent paid and have enough left over to eat and pay child support.

I just got back from the Treasure ride with my friend Corey. We did a shortened version that took about an hour. My drive train is so worn that I cant use the granny gear or the middle chain ring. I am bummed because I don't have the money. It was 37 degrees when we left my apartment so I was bundled up. That didn't last too long however because I had to use an extremely large gear to climb with I took off everything off at the top. Today I feel strong but a little overweight. I hope that isn't the case.

Good Sunday morning from the Liquid Planet as usual. I am here checking my emails and doing some coffee. I feel lazy today and wish my NHL 2002 had arrived by now. I will probably go on a decent length ride today and prepare up for next weeks job search and butt kissing expo.

Yesterday was great. The parade, the tail gating, and the game was so much fun. I got some pretty neat photos of the activities. Later on Larry and I meet his wife over at the iron Horse for some eats and treats. Damn good day but the only thing missing was a bike ride.

What am I going to do folks about that ceramic rim in the back of my mountain bike. It eats a set of brake pads at least once a week. I cant keep up financially. Talking about that I am reminded of my car and now a little down in the dumps. What can you do?

Well Cherio and I am hoping all I know have a good day.

Good morning from the Liquid Planet once again. This morning we are having the homecoming parade for the football team and then later my friend Larry has asked me if I want to go to the game. Normally I cant due to the fact that ticket prices are too high but his wife wont be able to make it and I could go in her place. I jumped at the opportunity. I cant wait. I am hoping to take some pictures so stay tuned.

Yesterday I had a “hiring conference” at Mountain Supply in which I was told about the company and what was expected in the job. I signed up for an interview on Monday but I am terrified that I will get hired. I don't want the job. I would sit in a room for 3/4 of the day and then the rest I would be required to work the cash register. No way. Well hopefully Ill find a job Monday morning and then I can call and cancel. I will call anyway. A friend of mine gave me some tips on getting a position at the college so Monday I will be doing that.

Tomorrow it looks like I may indeed try McCloud Peak in one day. Although I don't feel like it because of the jobless situation maybe I should force myself.

Here I sit at the Liquid Planet and my coffee has turned cold. I got here early and immediately got distracted in some PHP coding on my site. I, let’s say, fine tuned my calendar application. Now I went to post some info about tomorrows race.

That brings me to tomorrows plans. Supposedly there is a mountain bike duatalon tomorrow near Frenchtown and I am trying to find info about it. I am planning on doing it if the race fee is low and there is no race license required.

Otherwise I will spend the day with a friend Larry at homecoming activities. Tomorrow is homecoming for the Griz.

Today is interesting. I am going to read and study ”Computer Networks and Internets“ before noon. Then I have a conference planned at a business called Mountain Supply where I am hoping for employment.

I am still hoping to climb McCloud on Sunday unless I race hard on Saturday in which Ill spend the day researching technologies and playing NHL 2002, which is the best EA Sports have made.

It is 11 am and I am finally at the Liquid Planet. What is wrong with that picture? Well it is somewhat late. I plan to make job searching like a job.

At 7AM, I want to be here using the internet to check emails and look for work. Interviews and research can be mounted from here until 1PM. It is then that I take a break and go to the taco joint for dinner. Then I head to the Library to brush up and learn new technologies.

Right now, I am writing XML applications for practice.

This morning I got up at 6AM but after breakfast went right to bed again and slept until 10:30 AM. I hope I am not coming down with something. WWW.ell on the good side, maybe the rest will help me today. I am thinking more and more of starting my own business instead of working. Where do

This morning I realized that I have paid my last payment to V.W. that I can afford. If I don't score a job in two weeks it will be repossessed. It is not like I am sad, just mad that I paid so much for that thing. $600.00 a month to be exact. $400.00 for loan and $200.00 for insurance which was canceled last week. It is still baffling to me and my friends why a beetle costs so much to insure.

Well it seemed that is all over and I am excited to finally keep my money for things like food. I am thankful to live in Missoula where I can ride my bike every where. The job search is going ok with more opportunities than I expected. Just have to find the right place at the right time. I suspect it will take at least a year to find a good job. Unemployment is ending in a couple weeks so Ill be downgrading the ol lifestyle but that wont be hard. Today I hope to go mountain biking and job searching.

So far no luck this morning so I think mountain biking is what Ill do next.

Wow, I fall in love with Missoula more and more each day. It is nice to see so many people doing what they think is right and not what they are told. There was a march complete with drummers. I still have flashbacks to my racing days when I hear the rythmic beat. Sunday there were 3,000 people in attendance. "Yee-ha is not a foreign policy", "After the war Dick Cheney will have a job – will you?", and "Kerry Hero. Bush zero" were some of the signs thrashing about. Sounds like, "Join me brothers and sisters, hug your fellow liberals." established the fact that you were in Missoula and being hugged". Speakers included William Kittredge which is a Montana writer and others.

The message was basically that under Bush the rich get richer and thee poor get poorer. No one can make ends meat anymore and medical costs are rising. And my favorite message that public lands are turning into industrial landscapes and corporate America is taking over government.

I have heard about the Hill Climb up Pattee Canyon but when I had learned that it was going to be held on the up and coming weekend I realized that maybe I should have planned in advance. At least this one would be full of participants that were just doing it for fun. I thought to myself, “How bad could it be”?

I figured on Friday afternoon I would ride the course on my old Cannondale road bike. I took my watch. I didn’t go all out but thanks to the climb I was challenged. The course seems to just get steeper and steeper. Its not that it is so steep but so short. The record is 12:54 so I figured there would be no messing around saving any strength. I figured I would climb it in at least 15 minutes as I love to climb and I had been riding and hiking all summer long.

I got to the finish line in 17 minutes. Saturday I woke up thinking that maybe I needed to plan the route and get serious about cutting off a couple minutes. I rode the course again and believe me this course was getting longer every time I did it. A minute of suffering is worth a hour of riding hard.

I rode the course in around 16 something. Ok so I wasn’t going to set the record this year but now my concern was that I would be caught by the riders in Missoula that regularly climb the course in 14 and 15 minutes. I decided to go on a spin down the gravel road to Deer Creek Road (down the other side of the canyon) to East Missoula and then home.

I was thinking how hard the Paris Robeux must be as I screamed down the gravel road bumping down Deer Creek when my front tire blew out. Suddenly I had no control as I shifted my weight to the rear. Locking up the rear would careen me out of control and possibly toss me to the gravel at speed. So I road the rim squirming down the gravel until I slowed to a stop. I changed the tire and used a rock to grind the burrs off the rim so I wouldn’t rip off the break pads.

I went home and stayed off the bike until race day. Jeeze!

Sunday was cool but warming. I had my plan and rehearsed it in my head. I took off like an elephant trying to jump rope. It was awkward and then it wasn’t and I pumped to the first what I call flat spots. They are not flat but not as steep as the climb before. This hill climb is full of big efforts and then it lets off for a while before getting steeper once again.

My heart was jumping out of my chest and the cold air burned. I had a thought … What if I don’t recover before the next big effort? Darn I had gone out too hard, the next effort started and I was not recovering. I approached Larch Camp Road turn off and I knew that is where it got steeper. Just after the turn is the steepest part of the course. I sold the farm and geared down. What a disgrace I thought, me in my granny. The rest of the course was made up of true grit. I knew it would end and soon. If I could gear back up and keep steady it would end. Just had to set little goals. Next little riser, next corner. Suddenly there it was, the finish line. I stood to sprint … Yea, right!

I crossed the line at 15:51. I spun up the road to recover and thanked god it was over. Ok next year I will prepare and not go out so hard.

I have heard about the Hill Climb up Pattee Canyon but when I had learned that it was going to be held on the up and coming weekend I realized that maybe I should have planned in advance. At least this one would be full of participants that were just doing it for fun. I thought to myself, “How bad could it be”? I figured on Friday afternoon I would ride the course on my old Cannondale road bike. I took my watch.

I didn't go all out but thanks to the climb I was challenged. The course seems to just get steeper and steeper. Its not that it is so steep but so short. The record is 12:54 so I figured there would be no messing around saving any strength. I figured I would climb it in at least 15 minutes as I love to climb and I had been riding and hiking all summer long. I got to the finish line in 17 minutes.

Saturday I woke up thinking that maybe I needed to plan the route and get serious about cutting off a couple minutes. I rode the course again and believe me this course was getting longer every time I did it. A minute of suffering is worth a hour of riding hard. I rode the course in around 16 something.

Ok so I wasn't going to set the record this year but now my concern was that I would be caught by the riders in Missoula that regularly climb the course in 14 and 15 minutes. I decided to go on a spin down the gravel road to Deer Creek Road (down the other side of the canyon) to East Missoula and then home.

I was thinking how hard the Paris Robeux must be as I screamed down the gravel road bumping down Deer Creek when my front tire blew out. Suddenly I had no control as I shifted my weight to the rear. Locking up the rear would careen me out of control and possibly toss me to the gravel at speed. So I road the rim squirming down the gravel until I slowed to a stop. I changed the tire and used a rock to grind the burrs off the rim so I wouldn't rip off the break pads. I went home and stayed off the bike until race day. Jeeze!

Sunday was cool but warming. I had my plan and rehearsed it in my head. I took of like an elephant trying to jump rope. It was awkward and then it wasn't and I pumped to the first what I call flat spots. They are not flat but not as steep as the climb before. This hill climb is full of big efforts and then it lets off for a while before getting steeper once again.

My heart was jumping out of my chest and the cold air burned. I had a thought … What if I don't recover before the next big effort? Darn I had gone out too hard, the next effort started and I was not recovering. I approached Larch Camp Road turn off and I knew that is where it got steeper. Just after the turn is the steepest part of the course. I sold the farm and geared down.

What a disgrace I thought, me in my granny. The rest of the course was made up of true grit. I knew it would end and soon. If I could gear back up and keep steady it would end. Just had to set little goals. Next little riser, next corner. Suddenly there it was, the finish line. I stood to sprint … Yea, right!

I crossed the line at 15:51. I spun up the road to recover and thanked god it was over. Ok next year I will prepare and not go out so hard.

Last night I tried the hill climb route for Sundays race. I did it in 17 minutes and that is discouraging. The average Missoulain does it in 15 minutes and the record is some 12 minutes. I didn't think I was that slow. This is going to be a disgrace but maybe next year I will be stronger and with less body fat.

Today is Saturday and I will ride the course again today early afternoon and then ride down the other side to East Missoula and then home. Short and sweet … Rest up you know!

Next week I will attempt McCloud in one day instead of this weekend. It is good for me to spend a week end resting. Specially with the pressures of job searching.

Another development that is stressing me out is that my house mate upstairs is moving out. I am terrified that the new tenants will be partiers or heavy walkers (the worst kind of people in the world).

I am at the Liquid Planet right now and doing some job hunting and fine tuning of my resumes. I submitted two last night and one I am hoping for specifically at the University and a web person. Well the day is beautiful and the ram must not stay pent up too long.

Today I will no longer have internet access at home. My free trial has ended and I must cancel my access with MSN.

I am glad because I really am irritated in the service which doesn't allow me to use my email and prevents me from starting without MSN Messenger and that damn MSN Explorer. It will be good to get rid of all that old crap.

On the other hand since I have no job I will put off getting internet access until I do in which I will then get DSL.

For now its a daily trip to the library for job searching and email answering. Tonight is the group ride and I am looking forward to that and as usual all day is job searching. So far no luck although there are a shit load of jobs in Helena.

My friend Chuck is going to introduce me to some people at the college. This weekend looks good for my second attempt up Mc Cloud Peak and Sunday is the nicer of the two days. Well must run and shut this internet down.

Recently upon moving to Missoula where the average vehicle is a beat up 300.00 toyota pickup GEICO has informed me that my premium is now 174.00 a month. This is why I left CT. They are canceling my coverage because I don’t have the money and this is what I have sent them in response.

"I cant believe that my rate went so high. I have added up all the money I have paid you and realized that I could of replaced my car by now. I am 38 years old and haven"t ever had a accident and this is how I am rewarded. I think soon I will be going car-less and that way I will be able to eat on a regular bases and you….will feed off of other suckers instead of me." ~Bill

Answering emails this morning has been taking too long. Well it didn't help to see and chat with a friend that suddenly appeared online this morning. I stayed up late because of the book “Wild Animus” I was reading. It got real exciting and I couldn't put it down. Now I am running late. Today's I want to check into Government jobs (US Forest Service), and college jobs (U of Montana). Also I want to sign up at the Job Service today. Tonight I am going to a friends for some dinner but not before I go on a wicked ride. Well I must go to my favorite place … Downtown.

Ok, well. I have been reading this book called “Wild Animus”. It is real freaky because I identify with the character and I have been in places where the book takes place. A real freaky experience. Today I hope to get out and hike Sentinal and enjoy the sun but not before job hunting. I think a little research is at hand to find out just what kind of work is available here in Missoula. I am thinking this weekend that I want to attempt Mc Cloud Peak again but in one day. I think a trip up the North Side is at hand.

I just got done with my breakfast and it is nice to have real Food for once. I came back from the Rattlesnake Wilderness last night and I am really tired and sore. I had a great time and the sun was out every day. I came from the weekend with a big ol sunburn. I see the Grizzlies held off the Bears for a 27-16 football win. A friend of mine says that the defense stood them up and wouldn't let them in at the goal line, good for them. Well today is Monday which means laundry, cleaning, and grocery shopping. This weeks goal besides getting a job is to try to cancel my MSN subscription. So far I have not succeeded. It is harder than you think.

I stayed up all night last night looking for a cyclocross bike on the web. I couldn't find one in my budget and couldn't sleep thinking of how much I want to cyclocross. Well I must get a job first I think so as hard as it seems I think I better focus on that. I slept in this morning and just put down some eggs and sausage. Now I think I promised Marcy we would climb Mount Sentinel. Today I want to get real serious on my next phase of my job search. Tonight is Thursday Night Group Ride out at Marshall Canyon and I plan to ride out at around 5PM. Well better get down to it.