Goose Huntin' with Sportel

I recently got this photo of me back from one of my best friends/mentors/American Birkebiener partner, Ryan Sportel, and I couldn't not post it!!! So a little over ago when my mother was deathly ill my brother, father, and I stayed with the Sportel's as the cornerstone in our life was on a ventilator at Abbott Northwestern Hospital....I still to this day have no I idea how they but up with the three of us(and my sister-in-law, Sherie) as we pretty much used their house as a Sportel sponsored alcohol bender for the three of us; on top of that they were working normal schedules and raising an infant....Their neighbors must have wondered what was going on for those couple of weeks as bottles of wine and microbeers filled the recycling bin next to their house.... Not only that but we kept eating all their food!!!

Anyways, one of the first days I was back in St. Paul, Sportel saw that I needed to burn some much needed stress from my alcohol ridden liver and pent up legs....So we grabbed the road bikes and went for a good healthy 50/60 mile loop in the snowy-rainy weather that plagues a beautiful MN Spring....Somehow we ended up on this flooded road and were not willing to turn back so we forged forward....I am not real sure how long we were in the water like that but if was fucking cold and hella fun at the same time as we felt like little kids chasing the water fowl from their new expanded water terrain from the Spring flooding of the mighty Mississippi!! The ride truly took my mind off things and was just what I needed, a good ride with a buddy/family!!!

So many times in life I realize if something is not going as I wish or life in general is difficult, that if I hop on one of my bikes or pair of skis with family or friends all things in life line back up; and they did a few weeks after this ride as my mother made her way off the vent, physical therapy, and has since been stronger than ever....

Cheers to riding, health, and happiness!!!

ps: Thanks Ryan and Amy for getting us through this period..And Amy, I promise I will never take one of your road bikes on a dirt and water logged road!!
pss: Also, thanks to all the family/friends that gave us unending support too!!!