"Grand Opening" - Week in Pix

We welcomed Helena Ophelia into the Maguire clan on Sunday July 10 at 6:20AM.  Weighed in at a healthy 8lbs 15 ozs.  Here's how the week went down:

K's water broke on Friday night, so on Saturday we rushed - as any couple would - to
have Thai food and watch sail boats pass under the railroad bridge.

Some hours later, and after a rather eventful labor, this alien-looking thing popped out. 
We called it "Helena," which is Greek for "bug eyes."

Meanwhile...our incredible friends Lynne and Larry babysat Julian and he clearly was very upset the whole time...

Just look at that sorrow...

When I finally managed to pry Jude away from the Pereras, I brought him to
wonderful Tobey hospital to meet his new sister. It was jealousy at first sight.

We're all home now, and the baby is nursing near non-stop.  So we've attached this contraption to Kristy
 and duct-taped the milk hose around Helena's mouth.

Meanwhile, I've attached this contraption to my Karate Monkey and Jude loves it!
Thanks to snap-pea crisp bribes, he's easily good for 3 hours. He can't feel his legs for a few minutes after he dismounts, but there's no long-term effect to that (as far as I know).

Yesterday we toured around all afternoon - saw the trash train, played in a front loader, raced four teenagers on road bikes (nice try guys), and then Jude picked his nose in this YFD fire truck. Fireman said "it's fine, we all do it."

Then we pedaled home to this sleeping beauty.

Of course, it's not easy with a newborn and a 2.5-year-old, but we're managing to have a little fun.
Thanks for reading.

New Frame on the Way; I-Bert Passes Test; Baby Protest Enters Week 2

Specialized is sending a new frame.  If I bend the new one, they're going to upgrade it to the (carbon) Sworks frame.  So I'm pretty much planning on running the new frame with a 38/12 and torquing as many hill workouts as possible.  Like this badass:

 Hahaha, just kidding.  I will be very gentle with the new frame (ehem).

They think my frame might just be poorly tubed or welded.  Guy said he knows some big strong dudes riding same frame as mine without problems.  That's what Surly said about the bar I snapped (though they were beyond awesome about warrantying it).  So we'll see. 

Anyway, good on ya so far, Specialized. 



I-Bert seat - looks goofy, works great.

 GREAT news today.  Bought an I-Bert toddler seat and perched it on the Karate Monkey and took Jude for a ride to see if he'd like it.  He LOVED it.  Woohoo.  Already planning awesome rides for us.

"Nice try with the spicy food, mom...SUCKA!"

Baby is still holding out - will be a week tomorrow.  I've already started my 12 weeks leave from work.  Feels weird being on leave without the baby here, but Kristy's been in a tough way  - I guess chasing a big, energetic 2-year-old while 41 weeks pregnant makes one tired.  Pfft.  ;-) So it works out.

Chain Drops, High Tops, Huge Crops

CHAIN DROPS
I've ridden my new Specialized Stumpjumper 29er a total of about 30 minutes in the last 3 weeks thanks to a dropping chain. 

My new Stumpy in its usual position...

I've adjusted and readjusted the chain line, changed chain rings, cogs, chains, all to no avail.  I told this to the LBS I bought it from, and they quickly diagnosed it as a chain line issue and "fixed" it.  On my test ride, the chain stayed on for less than a mile. I've dropped the bike off to them again and they're going to call Specialized this time.  I can't imagine there's THAT much flex in the frame, but maybe.  Or maybe it's cracked.  Either way, I'll actually not be psyched to get a new frame - what's the point if I end up with the same frame but new (newer than the two-month-old frame I have).  We'll see.  Luckily, my trusty Karate Monkey is virtually indestructible.  And I've actually had better results this year on it (a 1st and a 2nd as opposed to a 2nd and a 4th on the Stumpy back when it was working for a month). 

HOLY HEELS

We ate Indian on Main St Hytown the other night and were treated to this tall tail just outside the window.  My wife was not-so-secretly hoping to see her fall over.  Had to be 7 inch heels.   



Those heels will give you cyclist calves

HUGE CROPS

Apparently neglect is the key to growing HUGE flowers.  I think we planted this two years ago and forgot about it.  Then this year - BAM!  Sucker is close to 5 ft tall with massive flowers (see deck chair it is towering over for perspective).

Finally, since I don't have much riding news to talk about, we watched in awe yesterday as two blue jays dive-bombed an enormous red-tail hawk that had perched atop the high tension pole across the easement from us.  Blue jays are bad asses.  They were hitting the hawk on the head, wings - no fear whatsoever.  Must have been protecting their babies.

Speaking of babies, Kristy's going on day 5 overdue with stubborn Helena.  To think I stopped racing 3 weeks before the due date...  Oh well.