Valdosta Update 2-29-08

They arrived in Valdosta, GA this morning all refreshed...after an entire night of driving! Well, maybe not refreshed, but totally excited and ready for a day of test and tune on the GSXR along with fresh new experiences. I hope they send some pictures soon!

I must have talked to Roger 10 times today, and if I wasn't calling him, he was calling me because he knew if he didn't, I would not leave him alone...nagging him via cell phone! (Bet he wished he hadn't figured out a way to charge his cell phone without his charger!!)

They didn't get many runs in - there were people and bikes EVERYWHERE (sheesh, wish I were there) - but she did manage to squeak out one 9.25 second run and several 9.3's. This is good, but tomorrow will tell the real tale. She will get two qualifying runs on the GSXR and a total of 4 runs on the Hayabusa (this is because she is running the busa in two different competitions - and it is for that reason that she did not test the busa today...that and the extra $75 test and tune fee!)

Practice ended at around 5:00 p.m. (EST) which allowed them to check into the hotel, get something to eat and get to bed early. I will be waiting ever so (im)patiently to hear how things go tomorrow, and of course will submit an update.

Crew Chief/Husband/Roger/Dad - He's so Smart :o)

Well, they are off ~ the trek to Valdosta, Georgia is in progress. Chance and I are relaxing in our comfy home, he taking every advantage of Grammy's spoilings and has claimed the comforts of his mommy's old room as his very own.

It seems that each time we go on a trip there is an important item left behind. It also seems that we are cell phone dependent - that being said, I am quite certain you can determine what was left behind. No, not the cell phone...the cell phone charger. You must understand that the charger discussion was made while he was packing and it was determined, and I agreed, that the electric charger should be left behind since the vehicle charger was in the truck - but was it? Of course not!

With all of the vehicle swapping lately, the charger had been removed from the truck and placed in the car (I clearly remember doing this). Of course it was not long before the JRacing crew chief realized the error. Not long after the discovery, the phone rang and Crew Chief Husband/Roger/Dad's picture displayed itself on my phone. What!? Had something happened? Why was he wasting his precious phone battery charge on me? Expecting Roger's voice on the other end, I was slightly surprised to hear Jen's voice instead. She immediately began to brag on the 'smartness' of her Crew Chief/Dad.

Using an adapter for his laptop that enables him to plug it into the truck for power, he plugged a wire in here...an adapter in there - Wa-la! His cell phone was charging!

March '08 Texas Mile Preparation

Michael looks on as Johnny tunes the Turbo Busa (for a bone-rattling experience, play the video)

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Johnny Cheese is his name and Turbo tuning is his game - well, not really...he dynos all kinds of motorcycles, not just turbos. But, there is a reason we trust one and only one man with the Turbo Busa when it comes to fine-tuning, a reason we drive all the way to Round Rock, Texas dragging a motorcycle hauler full of motorcycles, a reason we spend an entire day watching as Johnny does his thing. That's because he is GOOD!

Johnny fine-tuned the Turbo Busa last fall before the Mile, enabling both Jen and her Dad to capture the title of 'First Father/Daughter Team' to go over 200 mph, and making Jen the Fastest Female ever at a Texas Mile Land Speed competition. Roger took one and only one run at 211.3 mph and Jen ended her day with a whopping 216.5! (2nd fastest female on two wheels on the entire planet!) <--just putting it into words causes this mom to feel the stress.

So, are we ready for the next Texas Mile on March 29 - 30? Can Jen take that bike to a new world record? Well, I just don't know for certain; but, what I do know is that Johnny Cheese tuned the bike...and Jen's riding the bike - 'nuff said.

To be continued...

Getting Old ~ Optimistically

When I get old, (ha! I have two grandboys who likely think I am ancient) I hope that I can have a good attitude about it. Of course I don't want to be a burden to my children - who does?

But, by a good attitude I mean:

• be happy about how I have lived my life
• have no regrets about major life choices
• be willing to leave this life gracefully
• be at peace with myself

All of this soul-searching comes about due to recent visits with my mother, and with my mother-in-law, both of whom currently reside in nursing homes...and therein lies the crux. Somewhere inside of myself I need to find the ability to forgive myself for allowing this to happen, and the strength to allow it to happen to me if/when I am lucky enough to live that long!

When I was a little child, I remember my father saying to me, "Catherine, you have got to work on that attitude!" He was quite serious, said it often, and meant it. Although he has not said it recently, I am forever grateful for his persistence.

Somewhere along the line it must have sunk in because I have been told by daughter Jen that I am eternally optimistic; my glass of water is always half full (at the minimum), and I will regularly look for the positive in a situation without realizing that I am doing so. (Husband may argue that statement!) :o)

It has not always been that way - it took years and well into my adult life (wait, am I really an adult?) to attain this attitude; it is something that I hope to pass along to my grandchildren (currently two boys, but someday am hoping for a grandgirl!) I credit this not only to Dad’s perseverance, but to husband Roger and both children Will & Jen...along with great co-workers, a fantastic working environment, a roof over my head, enough food to eat, money to pay my bills, a decent car to drive (wait a minute - that currently is a problem).

And oh yes, can’t leave out the constant uproar in my life!

www.jenniferrobertsonracing.com

Wow, someone has been working on the motorcycle haulers. Gotta' love that pig tail and the pink ribbon :o)

Does this look like 9secondjen? Hmmm...pretty much!

www.jenniferrobertsonracing.com

What Does a Grammy Do?

Check it out! What does a Grammy and her youngest Grandboy do on a Sunday afternoon? Why, what else...they spread chewing gum over their front teeth and take pictures!

Oh, don't even think you are going to see a picture of this Grammy with gum spread across her front teeth, I just said that it is one of the things that we might do!


















AND oldest Grandboy, AJ, is trying to learn to play the flute. AJ loves music, loves to dance, loves to act, loves to build, loves...well, AJ just about loves everything. (Well, maybe not getting a haircut, but then who does love that?!) So far he is learning just a few basic notes and still has the problem of becoming dizzy while trying to play. I promised him this would pass, that it was all about control (yeah right, try telling a 10 year old about control!)

Well, this is what we ended up with after about a half hour of persistance - his, not mine!

Home!

Oh my - it is soooo good to be back home in South Texas. I was beginning to believe that no plane was ever going to leave the Evansville Airport to head south. In fact, I'd actually considered renting a car to drive home! AND Dad and I actually commented that maybe we could drive his van to South Texas together.

Even though it was midnight on Thursday before my head finally hit the pillow in my very own bed, I was up and going at 5:30 a.m. (I slept in an extra 30 minutes since I got to bed so late!)... then out the door and in my office before 8:00 a.m. Of course work was piled high, but I do work with the greatest people on the planet so it was a breeze getting things semi-organized.

I did pick up a new nickname since my return from the cold country. It is not uncommon for the boss to call me Cat which is fine since often we shorten his name from Erich to 'EMo' or even just plain 'E' - I suppose you could call this a form of 'shorthand-talk.' Anyway, since my icy encounter in southern Indiana I have a couple of new names - 'Ice Cat' and 'Frozen Cat.'

I don't think that I resemble a Cat at all, but do find the names an accurate description of me at anywhere between 12 - 32 degrees with ice and snow. I suppose the real reason Roger and I ended up in South Texas is because of our preference to 'not be frozen.' I also realize that it is not normally that cold in February in Indiana...it just so happens that it was that cold this time.

Brrrr.

I finished it!

I finally finished it - my January challenge book, Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens! It took longer than a month, but in my defense I did not begin reading until the 2nd week of January. And I am one of those readers that reads EVERY SINGLE WORD...otherwise, I am a SLOW reader. I get personally involved in my books.

Now what did I think of it? I didn't like it at all until around chapter 32. I read all the blog posts on http://www.dangerouslychallenge.blogspot.com/ thinking it would help me understand what my problem was with this book.

Wish I'd just stuck it out and finished the book developing my own opinion first. And yes, I did end up liking the book very much :) And, I even liked Pip before the book ended; not so sure about Estella.

So, my next read - February's challenge book - is The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison. And, I am reading it first...before reading what the others in the Reading Dangerously Challenge think!

Snow Plane...NO Plane!

I should be sitting in the Dallas airport waiting for my plane to take me to my warm South Texas home. But, NOOOOOOO!! Instead I am sitting in Dad's living room - at least it is warm and toasty in here.

It is February, right? Mid February? Oh, that's right - it's leap year so February has an extra day - apparently this gives winter an opportunity rear it's ugly head.



You do realize that the reason I waited until February to visit Indiana was to avoid ice and snow...HA! It is NOT cold outside...no, not cold at all - IT IS CRUEL!!!!

At least this gives me the opportunity to visit a couple of extra days with my family...and the snow is beautiful...and I REALLY WANT TO GO HOME!!

I got a new Great niece while here - she came early just to meet her Great Aunt Cathy :0

Brother Joe, Brother John, ME, Dad and Mom at Nephew Jonathan's 19th birthday celebration

Had a few White Castle Hamburgers while here - Yummm!

And, a Snow Plane...going to Chicago, not Texas. This was the last flight out today.

Off to O'Ville...

I am off to O'Ville this morning....that noise you hear is my teeth chattering after looking at the forecast. My bag has been packed and repacked - sweaters, jackets, warm socks, tennis shoes, Sunday shoes, boots and warm black fuzzy crocs (practically need an entire suitcase for the footwear). I am hopeful that the American Airlines '3-seater' airplane I am riding in has blankets and pillows because I just don't have room to pack that into a carry-on.

Owensville forecast:
TodaySlight ChcRain/SnowHi 40°F
TonightSlight ChcRain/SnowLo 31°F
FridaySlight ChcRainHi 50°F (Woo-hoo! 50 degrees - maybe I should pack a bathing suit...)
FridayNightSlight ChcRain/SnowLo 33°F
SaturdayBreezyHi 48°F
SaturdayNightBlusteryLo 18°F
SundaySunnyHi 29°F
SundayNightPartlyCloudyLo 17°F
MondayPartlySunnyHi 37°F


And this is what I am leaving behind:
TodaySunnyHi 71°F
TonightMostlyClearLo 46°F
FridaySunnyHi 77°F
FridayNightMostlyClearLo 53°F
SaturdayMostlySunnyHi 76°F
SaturdayNightPartlyCloudyLo 59°F
SundayMostlySunnyHi 72°F
SundayNightMostlyCloudyLo 61°F
MondayMostlyCloudyHi 72°F

Things I've Done!

The Short List...

1. Went to Hawaii - Oahu
2. Learned to ride a motorcycle
3. Crashed a motorcycle
4. Drove a green car in a powder puff race at Corpus Christi Motor Speedway - finished 4th - never want to do this again
5. Hiked to the South Rim at Big Bend National Park (twice) - a far, far distance when you are traveling only on your two feet
6. Rode a horse to the 'Window' at Big Bend National Park
7. Rode a horse in the Rocky Mountains for a very long time...ouchy!
8. Went to Hawaii, then flew over to Kaui where Roger, Jen and I --->
9. zip lined between mountain tops on Kaui - loved this and if I were younger could see myself as a zip-line instructor :)
10. Snorkeled in Sharks Cove...this was not fun, but glad I did it
11. Went white water rafting in Colorado
12. Ran in two Beach to Bay Marathon Relay races
13. Worked for 21 1/2 years at the same job - yikes! - where I made wonderful friends (Gayle, Jess, Kristi) :)
14. Took a glider ride...where else - Hawaii!
15. Quite my job after 21 1/2 years! Double-yikes!!
16. Stayed in a resort hotel in Phoenix, Arizona (very nice...) The hotel had to be nice because it was 114 degrees outside!
17. Hiked in a rain forest in Washington State
18. Hiked in a rain forest on Oahu
19. Toured and spent the night on the Queen Mary
20. Toured the Spruce Goose in California - this was really great :)
21. Went to Oahu...again (Hawaii is probably my favorite place to visit)
22. Caught a great big fish in the Laguna Madre...and let him go!
23. Rode on the back of a motorcycle to Big Bend National Park (a far distance)
24. Worked in a plastics factory making catheters
25. Laughed as Roger locked the keys in a rental car while in the deserted Sierra Madre mountains in California
26. Went on a cruise from Galveston, Texas to Carmen del Playa - only got sea sick once!
27. Toured the Myan Ruins in Mexico - this was great...giant iguanas were everywhere :)
28. Went to Hawaii again - 5 times...so far :) That's right, I plan to go again...and again...and again
29. Attended a lot of Indianapolis 500 Races, and a few Brickyard 400's, a few Pocono 500's, seen races in California, Texas (0f course), Talladega, Michigan and Charlotte
30. Saw a whale while visiting Jen in Oahu (#1 best thing I've done and want to do again);

I've never been to New York, Las Vegas, or the Grand Canyon. I love trees. I think green and purple look good together. Daisies are my favorite flower.

Time for Testing

Progress report:

There are many things to be done in the next 4 weeks before that first race in Valdosta, GA, but the number one thing to do is practice, practice, practice. And there is no one who can do that but the girl herself - a.k.a. ninesecondjen.
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So, Friday night we - like the good parents that we are - hauled ourselves up to San Antonio with that shiny black and pink glittery GSXR 1000 so the girl could try to get down that 1/4 mile track consistantly in 9.3 seconds. Next week we want 9.2's, then 9.1's , etc. I know a tenth of a second does not sound like much...but IT IS!

First run down the track brought her a 9.4 second quarter mile and we were feeling pretty good about that. Just a couple more and she'd made it to the 9.3's; we were estatic! Then it happened - the front tire hovered off the ground for what seemed like the entire 1/4 mile, but she did it...she pulled off a 9.2 run...it was beautiful! She is so close to where she needs to be.

Not all runs are pretty and she has had her share of those too! But in spite of it, she beat that brand new 2008 Hayabusa to the end of the track :)

And then there are the burnouts...I just love those!

Like I said before, there is a lot to do before the first race in March!