I'm really not dead (at least not yet).

OK, OK...I know I don't have all THAT many loyal readers but the few of you that do drop by my little blog-o-rama from time to time have spoken up. Yes, it's time for me to post something. Yes, I need to be better about updating this damn thing a little more often.

Work has just been crazy busy. This is the time of year where we have catalog production, a shareholder's meeting, a couple of sales meetings, Eurobike, and Interbike prep all wrapped up into the time span of a few weeks. Needless to say, when I come home from work, I really don't feel like looking at my computer nor type words into it.

So I'll start off with posting a picture of the latest addition to my bike family: my new Masi 3V. This frame is special since it's made from steel tubing and lugs from "back in the day". Ted Kirkbride, who was sort of Faliero Masi's right hand man during the Masi California project, had some tubing and lugs left over. He and Russ Denny made up some frames for us and I managed to get my hands on one. I'm sure Masiguy Tim will have more to add about the frame story. Damn, this is a pretty bike. Built up with Campy Record Carbon 10-speed. I am SO unworthy of a bike this nice. Big props to Masiguy Tim and my Product Managers Pat and Wayne for helping me build this up. I can build MTB's all day long but I'm a retard when it comes to road bikes, so thanks guys!

The next item of business is it appears I have been "tagged" by Donna at Kryptonite (Thanks Donna!). No spraypaint and/or thugs involved. Evidently, it's a blog thing (which I would know nothing about since I have been so inactive lately). Part of being tagged is telling the world 8 random things about yourself. So here goes:

1. I have recently taken up kayaking. I have never kayaked before, but have always thought it looked like fun. Think maybe I'd go rent one to see how I liked it? Hell no, that's not how I roll. I just went out and bought one. It's a Malibu Mini-X. I love it! Here I am at Lake Hodges:

2. I love to fish. I usually go fishing every weekend. That's actually one reason I bought the kayak is to fish from it. Haven't caught anything on it yet, but I've only fished off of it a couple of times.

3. I am a National Parks junkie. There's a reason these places are National Parks...because they are freakin' gorgeous. I just went to Bryce and Zion in May (went last summer, too) and plan to hit Zion again next month. In October, I'm going doing a road trip to the Grand Canyon, Arches, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and wherever else the road takes me along the way.

4. I own the coolest cat ever. Tommy rules. God broke the mold when He made her; she's an absolute doll. Even people who hate cats like her.

5. I used to be a kick-ass downhill racer. I was the #1 ranked expert female in the US in 2001. I went pro in 2002, but didn't stick with it for a variety of reasons. I was on the US National team for UCI Master's World's twice. I still race every now and then as an expert. I'm actually thinking about starting to race a little more next season.

6. I'm a former "test model" for Mountain Bike Action magazine. I was on the cover twice (December 2000 and April 2001) and in reviews a total of 4 times (December 2000, February 2001, March 2001, and April 2001).

7. Back before I took up cycling, I used to ride, train, and show horses. And you think bikes are expensive.

8. I embarrassed the ever-living hell out of myself by singing karaoke at a big party (which included most of my co-workers and several other esteemed members of the industry) during the Taipei Bike Show this year. The song? Madonna's "Material Girl". There is video floating around somewhere.

Wow, so there's eight random things. I think I'm supposed to tag some folks and get them to blog about their 8 random things, but I don't know enough bloggers (I can't tag Tim since he's already been tagged. Oh wait, here's one). So my dear and few readers...feel free to play along and consider yourselves tagged!

Ciao for now. And I promise I'll be better about updating more often. Really.