Arctic Circle

8/8
Oh boy.  Pulling up on scene to an "Uncontrolled Bleeding," police officers were waving us down.  That's not good I thought.  Turned out to be a young kid that got chewed up by a couple pit bulls.  Like he was a rag doll.  Quite a few puncture wounds to the arms and legs, but nothing around the neck and no arterial bleeds, at least from what we saw.  Interesting start to the day.

Hit the trainer upstairs in what I'm calling the arctic circle.  The last few weeks, the a/c unit has been running non stop.  Guys from the shop came by to check a few things out and informed us that is was 63 degrees upstairs.  A little hard to workout when it's that freaking cold, but Rob and I did get some saddle time in.  Did some interval workouts, both on the bike and by taking a couple runs.  Oh, and heart rate monitor froze up on me.  Something perhaps with the arctic air upstairs, I don't know.
0.41 minutes, 9.78 miles, 14.1 avg
100 pushups
kettlebell swings

Byrge

The Other One

Yes, there is another one in the family.  Besides Fallen Axe, a 2010 Jeep Wrangler JK, there also is the family Jeep.  The family XK.  Our 2008 Jeep Commander that we bought new a few years back.  Its main duty is to haul those little monsters around town.  And has stayed mostly stock.  I say that now with no intentions of changing anything, but being a multi-Jeep owner, we'll see how long that lasts.

Byrge

"Just Keep Swimming"

8/5
100 pushups

8/6
100 pushups

8/7
"Nemo?" she asks as she points to the Tv. 
"Yes honey, you can watch Nemo."

I don't know how many times I've watched Toy Story, Shrek, Cars or Finding Nemo.  Alot I guess.  Having a two year old in the house who just loves her Disney movies does that to me.  There's one point in Finding Nemo where Dory suggests to Marlin "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming" as they head deeper into the darkness of the ocean.  Yesterday I took that same idea.  Sort of.  Instead, as I took Thor out for a late evening ride, I left the driveway thinking, just keep spinning.  Knowing that it was already dark out, I still wanted to get a few miles in just to clear my head from the days events.

A very easy spin, in fact so easy, I didn't even shift into the big ring.  Out to the fair grounds, to main street and home.  A very short and easy spin.
0.37 minutes, 8.08 miles, 13.5 avg, 394 cal, 160 max / 134 avg HR
100 pushups

Byrge

Overtime

8/1
Worked at 31's.  Planned on working out in the afternoon, but we got short on time in the morning after running into the union president at 7's.  That put lunch at 1330, because we caught a couple of runs as well.  Oh well.  Only three runs with one during the night.
100 pushups

8/2
Long day at Luke's.  Worked the usual shift, headed home and then got called back in at 2345 for a necrotizing fasciitis.  Stayed til 0400.  Worst part yet, Fallen Axe got a flat on the way home.  That sucked.
100 pushups

8/3
Morning ride, westbound to Oak Leaf, south past Beloit then back home.  Realized computer wasn't zero'd out.  Worked to get avg up to 14 from my previous ride of 13.8.  Strong headwind from the east wore me out on the way home.
0.47 minutes, 11.55 miles, 14.0 avg, 652 cal, 185 max / 148 avg HR
100 pushups

Thor hangin' out at Catalona Park in the Third

8/4
Eastbound towards the Third Ward.  Into downtown past Cathedral Square.  Block party going on there.  Should of stopped for a cold one.  Perfect weather for it.  But I didn't.  Took 1st Street back over to Lincoln then back home.
1.22 minutes, 15.46 miles, 14.7 avg, 1000 cal, 182 max / 142 avg HR
100 pushups (almost forgot to do them)

Byrge

Good Things...

Got the call.  New Engine's 31, 32 and 34 are en route to Milwaukee.  Dan called to let me know that the new 31's just passed him on the freeway.  Very excited.

7/30 1.25 minutes, 744 cal, 185 max / 123 avg HR
box march warmup
100 pushups
hammer curls*
overhead db extension*
upright row
reverse hold arm curl
db shoulder press
farmers walk
Plyometrics
-box jump
-box march

7/31
With a schedule filled day, I knew my chances of getting 20-25 miles in wouldn't be obtainable.  Took Reed in for photos, the wife was away in the afternoon, and then later in the day, we picked up supplies for the week.  You know, the usual.  Diapers, toys, milk, blah blah blah!  Anyway, after getting the children down, I was happy to take Thor out for an evening spin.  Out to 76th on Cleveland, then down to 6th via Lincoln and back home.
0.50 minutes, 10.78 miles, 13.8 avg, 528 cal, 178 max / 132 avg HR
100 pushups (yes, I did those too)

Byrge

Culver's

While driving out to Brookfield yesterday, I caught a glimpse of three letters on the Culver's sign in West Allis.  "RAV."  Right away, I guessed Cookie Dough Craving as the flavor of the day.  And wouldn't you know it, I was correct.  Now, I'm depressed about the sign.  We have gone to Culver's for treats so many times that now all I have to see is just a couple of letters to know what the flavor is. 

Glad I've been getting on the bike.

7-26 1.10 minutes, 515 cal, 170 max / 115 avg HR
box march
100 pushups
bench press
weight plate fly
incline db
single arm row
calf raises
Spinning at 31's
0.22 minutes, 4.48 miles, 11.8 avg

7-27
100 pushups

7/28
South Side Tour - Took Thor out and headed past The Horny Goat, placed was packed, into downtown, west towards 27th street, then over to Forest Home and home.  Pushed a little harder than the other day.  Burned calories shows.  After putting Savannah down, punched out the pushups for the day.
1.06 minutes, 14.8 miles, 900 cal, 189 max / 151 avg HR
100 pushups

7/29
Early AM ride - West to Oak Leaf Trail, over to Oklahoma then back home.  Short ride due to Sheri needing to get to work.  Plus, no other time to take Thor out today.
.50 minutes, 10.81 miles, 13.9 avg, 569 cal, 186 max / 137 avg HR
100 pushups, done about 11pm due to being called in to Luke's...make the $$

Byrge

072511 Tour

Goals.  People talk about goals and how they want to achieve them.  I believe Aaron Rodger's goal was to win a Super Bowl.  Well, he can check that one off the list.  But what goals do I have?  Perhaps just get the heart pumping, even a couple of minutes, everyday.  Starting with 100 in 100.  A hundred pushups everyday for one hundred days.  Started yesterday, the 25th of July and would end Nov 1st.  Just in time for indoor BMX.

I thought I forgot what it's like to ride.  And, how enjoyable it can be.  No distractions.  Just a breath of fresh air, literally.  Yesterday I recalled that feeling as I took Thor (the name I've given my road bike) out.  Headed eastbound to KK, to Oklahoma and back.  Received a decent headwind coming from the west on my way home.  I felt like a kid again.

0.52 minutes, 11.8 miles, 14.0 avg, 622 cal, 207 max / 139 avg HR (don't think max HR accurate)

Byrge

Works of Art

Saddened by the fact that Pierce Manufacturing no longer gives public tours, I made my way around the web to find a few shots of some beautiful apparatus.

Marshall Creek Fire ready for inspection

United Hook & Ladder Company, wondering where's the steps go?

Schiller Park Fire taking a hydrant perhaps?

South side been getting some work lately.  Question is how long will it last?  Anyway, only a few months left before my senior man retires.  I've gained alot of knowledge from Greg, and will miss our conversations in the firehouse.  Our talks remind me of the talks Capt Algren and Katsumoto had in the film "The Last Samurai."

Byrge