Here's Summer and Kevin on top of McRae Peak on Grandfather Mountain.  When we started out climbing the trail I didn't think that we would make it past the ladders with the kids but Summer wanted to conquer this mountain......and she did!  We didn't see any other 9 year old girls up on top.


Quite the accomplishment.


Here's an action shot of courage and determination.


On our way down.


Solo summit photo.  We had a great day.


Proud father.



Checking out the view from the top before heading back down.


This trail is no joke.  There are some difficult parts and some dangerous parts as well.


5 Year Old Neice (Savannah) Makes It To Ladders

Here's Kevin guiding Savannah through one of the rope sections.


Determined to keep going.


1 Year Old Claire Makes It To Ladders

Claire made it to the ladders while strapped to my chest in the bjorn.  She seemed to like hiking in the mountains but doesn't like waiting around! 

Our first day in the mountains was very foggy.  Here's a shot of the family walking through the fog at Moses Cone Park.


Kevin sporting the tarheel blue.  Unfortunately they lost while we were in the mountains.


Getting in some quality time with my neices.  Savannah and I were out taking pictures in the fog.


Sarah and Savannah in the hot tub.  Not pictured in this photo is Summer in the upper left corner.  I cut her out because she was blinking......sorry.......


Savannah up close and personal.


Kevin walking through the tunnel of fog.  Up ahead we walked through an ice trail.  There was ice falling from the trees above.


Family photo on Grandfather Mountain.


Same photo......different family.

Claire likes to push the envelope.  Here she is practicing her no hand bunny hop 360 on the deck.  Check out her biking slippers.  They allow for the least amount of wheel rubbage.


When Claire gets really excited about something she tosses out the "O Face" and says "ooooooh".  She definitely likes her bike.

This week we went to watch a triathlon on Sunday and then headed up to the mountains to meet my sister Sarah and her husband Kevin and our neices Summer and Savannah.  We're spending three days in the mountains followed by three days at the beach.  It will be nice to unplug from technology and enjoy the company of family.

RUNNING
Running Miles: 15
Cycling Miles: 95
Training Hours: 6.7
Quality Sessions:
Tue: IOS Ride - AT & LT efforts
Sat: 60 mile bike ride pretty easy

I'm still not recovered from that race.  My calves are still sore to the touch over a week after the race.  Motivation to run is low due to this.  I'm enjoying the bike right now though.

Claire was happy to see 11 seed Marquette beat 3 seed Syracuse to reach the Sweet 16.  Unfortunately, UNC crushed Marquette in the next game so it was a roller coaster weekend.


The stacking frenzy continues. 

This toy is starting to fall out of favor.


We celebrated Mardi Gras a couple weeks late this weekend with our friends Brooke & Anne.  Here's a photo of the delicious King Cake.

Claire started using her walker a lot more and is cruising all over the place while smiling and waving.  I got sick again this week but stuck to my guns and went ahead and raced the Shamrock 4 miler anyway.  My goal for this year was to race whether I was fit and healthy or not.  I took a distant 2nd behind Compton but got in a good shock to the system.  Ran 21:11 and wasn't expecting much more than that at this point given my previous couple of weeks.  Work is still overly hectic. 

CHURCH
This week we went to Myers Park Methodist Church with Lisa.  It's a very nice church and I liked the delivery from the pastor but it's quite formal.  The choir was really good and there was a guy that must have been an opera singer at one point.  We'll still keep on hunting but will probably revisit.

RUNNING
Running Miles: 27
Cycling Miles: 25
Training Hours: 4.6
Quality Sessions:
Tue: Bike high intensity fartlek session

Whiskers Paw Frank passed away today.  She's been a part of our family since 1999 when we lived back in Milwaukee.  We got her when she was 6 weeks old and she's had a pretty good life over the past 12 years before passing away with cancer.  She was a very kind cat and will be missed.


Here she is as a kitten in our Milwaukee apartment. 


Her first impressions of Budinski were less than perfect but they eventually became quite close.


She will be missed by her BFF Budinski.