It's done!!!!

Please note the very cool, red front door.

We'll paint the trim when we return from Italy!!!!!

The painting....

...process begins.... I just love the color!

The LAST piece......

.....of siding went on our house today! What's next? Clean up and paint.

Portland Bridge Pedal

This morning, Hub and I rode 41 miles in the Portland Bridge Pedal bicycle ride. We rode over 12 of Portland's bridges and had a good time. Italy...here we come!

http://www.providence.org/bridgepedal/

Cascade Cycling Classic

After riding hard for his teammate Levi Leipheimer (who did win the race), Chris Horner helped a member on another team who had crashed 2 kilometers from the finish line. The injured cyclist had an unrideable bike in addition to tons of road rash. Chris carried the injured ride AND his bike to the finish line.

More bike racing in Bend....

Friday's Criterion in downtown Bend was crazy. Some of the corner's were so tight, we saw bodies everywhere. Hub managed to get a pic of Levi screaming past us. Yesterday's stage ended up on Mt. Bachelor. It was quite a site. As of right now, Levi is still in first place. We'll see what happens after today's final stage. We also spent a little time just enjoying the scenery...particularly the Deschutes River in downtown Bend. The weather has been perfect.

Cascade Cycling Classic, Bend, OR

We decided to head to Bend (on the way to California) to see this bicycle classic particularly because Chris Horner and Levi Leipheimer are riding. Today's stage ended after 78 miles on North Sister peak. By the way....there were professional women racing as well. The photos are in order: Levi finishing 5th, The woman's winner, Levi and Chris before the race, the start of the race with the police motorcycles, And they're off (the men), the women...ready to go (they're my idols), and finally the finish line.

4th of July - 2008

Our block party began with a bike parade led by a West Linn police person and Hub on his Harley....how American is that???

It appears a good time was had by all...

Moving on up....

...to the second floor. Hub purchased these nifty thingy's to create a movable platform for siding the second floor. For extra stability, he braced them to the house with some metal brackets he designed.

New license plate

I needed to renew my license plates, so I chose to contribute $20. to the 'Share the Road' foundation to get this new, nifty plate. They just gave me the plate with DRFT on it, so I decided it is a acronym for.... Dumb Folks Ride Tandems! That's us!

The siding project begins....

...The first piece is installed...

The side near the shed is complete....

Kat used power tools!!!!!! I'm cutting up the removed siding.....

Siding project

We were lucky enough to have purchased a home with defective siding. We filed a claim with the manufacturer http://www.masoniteclaims.com/omniwood2/FAQ.htm , received our settlement, and now hub has begun the process of residing our house. He has 'saved' this project for his retirement....so now it begins....

The siding, felt/tar paper and nails were delivered....

Friends from Harper...

While I was in Chicago, I had lunch with four former co-workers and friends. It was really great to see them again....Mary, Judy, Laura and Sherilyn

Trip to Chicago

Over Memorial Day weekend, hub and I travelled to Chicago to visit the kids/grandkids and for hub to help Brian install a wood floor in his house. see pics: http://www.brianmcdonald.net/

I also had the opportunity to help Kennedy plant some flowers....

Hub's Harley....

...or more informally named Hotspur! Hotspur has a new seat, repainted gas tank and lots of new chrome. What do you think?

Painted gas tank

Hub just got the gas tank on his Harley painted. What do you think?

Levi Leipheimer...

...won the time trial in Solvang, California and is still wearing the yellow jersey! What a day! Above...he is coming to the finishing line.

To the right...he's on the large screen TV showing him on the course.

Top right....he just got another yellow jersey! On to Santa Barbara.

Stage 3...

....arrives in San Jose. Levi WINS and gets the yellow jersey.

For some reason, there is an angel that appears at some race starts, race ends and in the mountains.

And Stage 1 begins....

....and ends in Santa Rosa.

Following the Amgen....

...Bicycle Tour of California. Stage 1: began in Sausalito and ended in Santa Rosa. Saw George Hincapie exiting his trailer and getting interviewed. Saw Levi Leipheimer beginning the race. And love the motorcycle carrying spare tires.