G2, Gromsquared, Remi Leigh Harmon

September 7th 12:32 AM, the wifester walks into the room in which she hasn't slept in at all over the past three months and says, "we're having a baby".  Up we were.  We didn't actually leave to the hospital until 5:41, as she wanted to labor as much as possible at home.  Packed my bag, grabbed the wifes bag, groms bag, car seat, and then grabbed the gromlin out of bed to take her to the grandparents house until baby came.  I may have driven pretty quickly to the hospital, no way was I about to catchers mitt a baby on the side of the road. I may have been over reacting, but I have a very fragile memory and scar easily.  Anyway, we arrived at the hospital just before seven AM, parked on the 4th level, took the stairs of course, and went to the area where they check.  I will save all the numbers and stuff, but lets just say the wifester wasn't quite ready.

 Off for the first walking session, keep in mind the chicka was having contractions every three to four minutes at this point, lasting about 1 minute each.  For the following three hours we walked halls,  the round about out front of the hospital, and the stairs to the landing pad.  Well Jackie and I didn't walk those stairs, they looked hard, and I was tired, I was only 6 cups of coffee in at this point, so energy was low, ha.  Poor wifester, it was such an ordeal.  We went and got checked again and she had made very little progress.  The decision was made to go walking some more, due to the fact that they won't admit a laboring women until the reach a five.  So more walking.  This time, contractions were coming about every minute to minute and a half, and were ruthless.  45 minutes later we were getting admitted.  six hours later (17.5 hours total), a birthing ball, a bath, a much of hip and back pushing, the wife was spent.  She had been up fighting for so long and the contractions were so hard, she couldn't fight the fight any longer. She was falling asleep, passing out is more appropriate, between contractions.  It was excruciating to just watch someone that I love go through that.  She looked over at me and said "Im done."  Epidural time.  She had wanted to have this grom the same way we had grom numero uno, all natural, but it just wasn't in the cards.

The anesthestialogist came in and did her job.  She had the personality of a rock, like a rock under water, cold water.  She did here job.  It was about five or six more noticeable contractions, and then for some reason everyone left the room.  I can't quite remember why everyone left, but they did and it was just Dev and I.  I was sitting so I could watch the heart beat and contraction monitor and I could see this new life enter her face.  She lighted up and was smiling.  We sat and talked for about fifteen minutes when her most awesome mid wife came back into the room.  Heather the mid wife, you deserve your own post, but just know we think the world of you.  She went to check the wife one last time and in doing so, halted very quickly and said, we're having a baby!  That's right, the epidural was exactly what was needed.  She had been fighting her own body, and just needed to relax and let it happen.  Finally!

6:27 PM, Remi Leigh Harmon entered this world.  I was a bit more aware during this birth unlike Hadleys.  I was way anxious for number one, but for number two a bit more ready I guess.  I still didn't look downstairs, (I scar easy).  but as soon as she came, she went to the corner with the pediatric team to ensure she had nothing down in her lungs, she then let out the scream we were all waiting for and I was right there to grab her.  They handed her to me to give to momma, holy shit, what an amazing experience. I was so overwhelmed, yeah I cried.

The wife is absolutely amazing.  She fought so hard and so long, (that's what she said), but in the end the result that we wanted was here.  The wifes willpower and determination never ceases to amaze me.  To see her go through what she went through without any assistance is something that I will take with me and draw from on days where I think Im being a sissy.

I'm completely smitten.  I love being a dad to little girls.  I love them so damn much.

Worlds Trip

I guess its time I got around to writing this.  Holland was pretty cool, for what we got to see of it.  Pretty much Amsterdam, and Rotterdam.  We saw some windmills of course, and then we saw a ton of graffiti.  As in, if there was a canvas to be painted with Graffiti, it had art on it.  I like graffiti, but dang.  The food was european, so you know, runny eggs, and small coffee.  I went to get a to go cup of coffee one morning and they didn't have any, so they just gave me the mini coffee cup to take with me and told me to bring it back.  I lost it, go figure.

This worlds trip was going to be a different one for me.  Instead of traveling by myself, I was traveling with the USA team and staff.  I was asked to be a coach for the Challenge staff, which is a great opportunity and one that I was really looking forward to.  I was also racing, so to say that I was busy, is an understatement.  I guess I really never understood how hard the coaches work when they are at the worlds.  I was wrong.  These guys work 16-18 hour days, non stop, running around, herding kids, getting the logistics down, and taking care of the smallest of details.  I definitely appreciate what they have done for me in the past.
So to racing.  It was awesome.  I felt great on both bikes.  I went into this worlds more confident than years past. My coach had me ready mentally, and of course physically.  As my girls dropped me off at the air port my wifester looked at me and said "I have a good feeling about it this year".  That was all I needed to hear to calm the nerves and look forward the journey ahead.  Before I get too far, I want to say that I enjoyed the journey much more this go around.  I took everything day to day and had so many victories along the way.  Not just on the bike, but in all aspects, training, life, work, family, everything.  It has been so awesome.

So 20" was going well for the most part.  I had won all qualifiers, and my 1/8th final.  Sitting in a good spot in my 1/4 final a rider behind me lawn darted straight into my back sending me over the bars and ending the run for that bike.  I was a little bummed but as I started to leave the track I realized my pants were shredded and actually started to fall off.  I just started laughing and told myself its just a bike race.

Cruiser.  This was actually the first time that I had even ridden my new cruiser.  I did one 90' sprint on it right after I built it up, and then packed it into the travel bag.  I felt great on the cruiser and won every lap going into the main.  Holy shit I made the main!  haha, felt so good to finally be on the gate for the main, and especially having first gate pick.  I knew I would be racing Kelvin Batey from Ireland and he normally races elite, so I knew which gate he was going to pick and intentionally picked the gate directly to his outside.  I didn't want him to cut me off, so I picked 4 and he picked 3. Gate went down and I snapped him.  I started to move over on him, but didn't finish moving all the way over and made a slight mistake on the triple going into turn one.  I got pushed high and came out in 4th.  I battle a bit for 3rd, but ended up 4th.  4th in the world doesn't suck.  So pumped.

Coaching.  Wow.  what an incredible experience.  For the morning session I was put in charge of the 7 and 8 year olds.  They were so awesome, and did great.  we put 3 riders in the main event for the 8 year old boys.  So proud of them.  The afternoon session I would get my 15-16 year olds.  I have been working with this age all year at the training center in Chula Vista, so it only made sense that I was over these riders.  What an incredible group of riders.  Some of the riders had some bad luck and didn't make it to the mains, while others did.  One of my riders, Bubba G had terrible luck in his first and second rounds, going into the third round with 11 points, meaning he would have to win his third round to advance.  I got to him after second round to find him hysterical.  He was defeated, and down, and I knew we had to correct the problem.  I took him outside for a good 15 minutes, to get some air, get rid of the negativity, and reset.  He did just that.  He went on to not lose a single lap after that, and eventually becoming the world champion in 15 boys!  I just got goosebumps writing that.  I was so nervous for my riders that I couldn't even go in the stadium to watch.  I just waited at the finish line.  As Bubba crossed I was freaking out, he zipped past me, to a skid, turned around and opened his arms.  I ran straight to him and hugged the shit out of him.  Kelsey Van Ogle, known to me as KVO had a little bad luck, but made the main.  Watch for this girl to shred it up next year in Junior women.  My boy Ryan Pettigrew, petty, killed it and ended up third.  Huge for him and he is stepping it up with his training and commitment.  Im calling this boy for the upset in 2016 and making the olympic team

After the challenge I got to work with the juniors and elites.  I was in charge of the girls and they all killed it.  My boy Seanny G, who you would consider my little brother, did amazing.  Especially considering that he had broken his wrist four weeks prior and had surgery three weeks leading into it. He killed his mottos, and going into the main, I was confident that he could do it.  Sean has amazing efficiency on a bicycle and he is one of the smallest dudes on the gate.  In the main down the first straight he got bumped by a giant from Norway but didn't falter at all.  He popped out in second and was pulling the leader the whole track.  With a 26 second track he just didn't have the time, but he finished 2nd, so freaking awesome!  Im damn proud of sean on and off the track.

9 days in Europe is a long time to be away from my girls.  I can't even begin to tell you how much their support means to me.  The FaceTime, the notes, the shirts, the messages, its all just so incredible and without them this would mean nothing.  It was great to come home and have my from hug the the hell out of me.  So amazing.

To all my friends and family, and supporters that sent the countless messages, texts, pics, tweets, posts, you guys are awesome.  Im happy with everything, but then again I was happy before.  If you're not happy without it, you won't be happy with it.

Love you all, thank you so much for making this experience a reality!

 This bottom left photo sums it all up.

Bangarang

I will get around to recapping my trip to The Netherlands, but for now I want to pay a little homage to a man that lost his battle with depression today.  Robin Williams.  My heart goes out to him and the struggles that he and his family have endured through his fight.  This is a tough subject for me as this disease has hit close to me a few times.

The news hit earlier and it bummed me out briefly.  Then I really started thinking about it.  See growing up in the town of 1200, some of my best friends were the movies that we could rent at Single Stop or the movies that my parents would buy us.  We occasionally would watch movies at my grandma Geri's house as well.  She was quite the movie buff, and Im pretty sure that is another thing I got form her.  Most movies would get watched over and over, and sitting there today thinking about it, I realized that some of the most watched movies had Robin Williams in them.  Hook is one that comes ringing back like a flash.  I didn't realize it at the time, but one of the principles that I live by is what that movie is about.  Retain the spirit of youth.  Man, its so good, so many good moments in that movie.

"Bangarang!"
"It is you Peter!"
"Bad Form"

Another all time class would of course be Dead Poets society.  Thats entirely too much for this situation though, at least for me.  But "Oh Captian my capitan."

A clip from the classic, and one that screams truth on many levels.

Good will Hunting, damn, so many classics.  This guy was a stud.  The cool thing that I was telling the wifester about tonight is that he brought so much joy and entertainment to my childhood, and some of the animated characters that he has done voiceovers for, he also brings joy to my daughters life.  Thank you RW, for the awesome memories.  I hope you can rest easy.

Home

Logan.  The place where I consider home more than any other place.  I seriously love Logan.  We were so lucky to have lived there for the amount of time that we did.  So many awesome things happened to our family  when we lived there, I met the wifester there, we had the first grom there, and have meat and made so many awesome friends there.
Last weekend when I was in Pittsburg my good friend Nate sent me a text just to see how I was doing.  It got me thinking that we for sure needed to go up there.  I wrote the wife and we booked a room and made plans to spend the weekend up there.

The minute we pulled into the valley my heart got a little heavy.  I miss it there.  The simplicity of life.  The friends.  The view.  The sunsets.  Everything.  We stopped by our neighbors house, we miss them so much.  They were absolutely the best neighbors ever.  So awesome, that I just automatically hate our current neighbors.  They have no chance.  I then went to the tat shop to see Nate and the boys, while the wifester and grom walked around the sidewalk sale.   We got a room at the Hampton and went and did a little swimming, the lil one starts swim lessons tomorrow, so swimming should go a bit smoother from here on out.  She loves the water though.  After I walked over to Village Inn and grabbed us some pie.  Eh, whatever.  Walking back I was astonished at the amazing sunset.  It just seems like I don't get to appreciate them as much nowadays as we did when we lived there.

Woke up early and walked over to Starbucks for my Americano.  The air had a crisp feel to it.  I love the air up there when it is clean.  Even in the dead of summer, the air had a coolness that you only feel in the Fall down south.  We hit up Campus for a walk and it was perfect.  Not one other person on campus, it was all ours for the hour that we were there.  One little moment sticks out in my head as I sit and type this.  In front of the new library there are amazing flower patches. and the grom stopped riding her bike, sat it down and went over to pick the flowers.  It just makes me think that we need to take more time to appreciate the small things.  We can learn so much form kids. Love her.

I so very much appreciated my weekend with the girls.

bike check 1, 2.

The first time I went to Pittsburgh was in 2012.  I had always wanted to go to the South Park race when I was younger, but didnt because during those times they were an NBL track, and well, I didnt like the NBL.  Fast forward and a couple of sanction collapses later, they became an ABA, or now known as USABMX, sanctioned track.  I did a bike check with Crazy Al Cane in 2012 and I hated it.  I think I sound like such a fumbling idiot on camera, so I did another one this go around as well.  Still the same, Im a bum. 

Summatime

Summer time has its ups and downs for me.  Im not a big fan of the sun and heat.  Mainly because I have too much invested in tattoos and the heat sucks my will to live.  I am much more happy in the spring and fall while wearing a hoodie.

This is what it looks like on a typical race weekend in the hotel

Things have been going pretty good lately.  We have had some good times at home since the last camp.  I have tried to soak in as much family time as possible.  Its crazy to think that this will be the last summer with the three of us, but I am so very excited for grom numero dos to be here.  I have been trying to get the room done, but have wanted to do it right, so it has taken some time.  Maybe I will post a photo when its all finished.  Im actually quite proud of how it has turned out so far.  Who knew that if you just took some time to do it right, that it would actually do just that.

Fourth of July I was a dead beat dad and took off to Pittsburgh for a race, but the night before we did the grom parade in Bountiful.  Hadley enjoyed it, but I think she liked playing at the park more.  All in all it was a great night.  We also did another parade the Saturday before, I took the little one with me, and she is such a ham.  She loves waving to people and throwing water on other kids, and just smiling.  I love to see her smile, gets me all emotional just sitting here typing about it.

The wifester is in major preggo stage.  She wrote me a couple of months back and said "remember the good times during the next couple of months".  I haven't talked to her since. Restless legs, insomnia, and other preggo stuff has me reminding you that if I come up dead, it was her!
GT came to town and we went and checked out the crew at snow basin, good times and Hadley got to see one of her favorite peeps.

Headed to Logan this weekend for a little relaxation and to hangout.  Miss it there.

Summer nights with the GoPro

Summer nights are awesome.  I mean, its whats great about summer for me.  Im not really a fan of summer days.  I don't like the heat, and the sun and my skin have never really gotten along.  Tonight we went to Bountiful for a little car show.  I swear the entire city was there.  They shut down main street and drive the cars in and park.  Tons of people, which means tons of people watching.  Tons of great cars, and for a night I didn't feel like we were in the big city.  We have been struggling a little bit getting adjusted to living in a much busier city than Logan, so tonight was a fun and welcome change.  Lemonade, popcorn, a little bit of licorice, and awesome family time.  Very happy to make these moments.  The wife and I even held hands for a brief moment, more or less to keep my hands busy which helps with my anxiety, but still. Small Victory.  

Here are a few shots from the GoPro.  I mean hell, they give me cameras, I might as well use them.

This car was completely made by hand, in a home garage.

The interior of our friend Deans Mustang.   

But first, let us take a selfie. 

Huddling around the from in the crowd of crazies watching the burnouts. 

My favorite ride in the show. 

Awesome shot of the Mustangs interior.

 Rat Rods are some of my favorite rigs

 The grom looking down on dad.

Yeah, we left after this.  I might be a bit overprotective about the preggo wifester and breathing in this  stuff.  

I love me summer nights.