It’s all go at the moment. So I landed in Ireland last week, with my dad picking me up and taking me home ….. I was greeted by what was once a pup, but now a dog, that resembles a bear. He jumped into the car on top of my bike box. I was informed that this was his way of saying he wanted to go for a drive or swimming! Unfortunately, the weather was a bit CRAP (!!) and too cold to even contemplate an open water swim, but I am home next week and with summer hopefully looming, some swimming with the “bear dog” will be on the menu!

It was good to spend time with family. The time has certainly flown by since my departure to South Africa in October. I managed to get some biking done, one spin with Joe, who is in great shape and building up for The Ras. It’s his eight or ninth Ras. I have to say biking in Ireland is so good, especially when the sun is shinning.

I landed in San Francisco yesterday afternoon. Jet lag meant I left it until this morning to travel to work. I have two routines ….. routine one is bike before work with Erick Marcheschi (another lad from the office) leaving at 6:30am sharp, or if my lazy ass gets out of bed, have breakie, then stop by Peats for Coffee (Great coffee shop enroute) and be at my desk for 6:45am. Mornings you see are my most productive time and the office is quiet then. Anyway, this morning as I was getting out of my blue rental I meet Erick, Catherine and Specialized Owner / President Mike Sinyard all ready to bike. I am looking around and seeing most of the parking blocked off with cones and tape ….. I thought there was building or something going on! I was duly informed that it was bike to work day, meaning no cars! Well I didn’t know, so the Blue Rental is the exception although Mike did say he was thinking about towing it …. It could be bike to home evening for me!!!! The culture at Specialized is so cool. I don’t know a single person within the company who is not sporty …… there’s no cooler work culture to be around.