And I Get Paid To Do This...?

Nikole and I have been married now for one month, In fact it was one month on Monday. That's four weeks of wedding bliss and I have been gone now for two of those four weeks. Nikole is handling the dogs pretty well while I'm being her sugar daddy. Hey...someone has to bring home the paycheck.

Nikole and I did get a chance to get up north with some good friends of ours, Luke and Renae. A little biking, a little time spent on the pontoon, and a little work on the tan is what we all needed.

Coming into downtown Seeley.

Last week I took 23 high school youth up to Vermillion Lake outside Cook, MN. We were in the boonies and just outside the boundary waters. It was tough living on deluxe houseboats, on a lake, under clear skies, sleeping under the stars, and not worrying about how you smell. It was awesome.

It wasn't always so perfect. We had to sleep with some of these!

Right now I'm at Luther Park Bible Camp with 56 kids from church, hanging out having a good time and trying to get on my bike a bit.

Next week I will be intentional at getting on my bike. Its crunch time with only a month and a half until the big race. We will see...

Single Track United

Sturgie

You Asked For It

For some reason many quite a few of you wanted me to post my "desperation letter." I hope you enjoy the light reading, may it bring a comical smile to your face.

Single Track On

Aaron

Dear “50 Ways to Ride the Chequamegon” essay judges,

I won’t lie…I’m a desperate young man! And who isn’t desperate as to sit down on a gorgeous summer day and spill my emotions out on a piece of paper trying to woo some stranger who will read this letter and hoping, just hoping that they will be moved so much as to cash my check so that I may obtain an ever so coveted spot in the 2007 Chequamegon Fat Tire Race.

And so I’m just one of those desperate wanna be great riders hoping that you, the person reading this, might shed one tear and will cash my check when all is said in done. Oh, but I’m not the only one who has everything riding on this letter. There are fifteen of my closest family members who are anxiously waiting July 15th!

You see…the Fat Tire has become a tradition for my family. On Thursday, fifteen Ginders and Sturgis’ will descend upon Hayward. We will gather at our hobins (that’s part cabin and part home on Nelson Lake) for some beer and then head up to the Sawmill for more beers and burgers. On Friday we will travel to Telemark Lodge for more beers, gaze at all the bikers, help me grab as many stickers as I can get from the vendors, and then they will patiently await and watch as I collect my racing number!

On Saturday everyone arrives at the hobin for an early breakfast, 7:00 am right when I head into town to get a spot for my bike. By 8:00 am all bets are finally. That’s right! The pot will be set with about $50 in it with four categories to wager (overall place, age place, overall time, and pace time). By 9:00 am everyone is on main street cheering on the little bikers while sipping on their coffees from Backroads Coffee Shop. By 10:00 am they are in awe watching the racers, including myself, fly down Main Street.

By 10:10 they are back in their cars and off to OO where hopefully, and I mean hopefully, dad can pull off a switcher rue with my water bottles. We have yet to make a successful exchange in the last four years. My brother grabs some video, my aunts ohhh and ahhh over the handsome 40 somethings in spandex. And just like that they are back in the cars and off to Telemark.

At Telemark my aunts continue to lust after the bikers, my parents have a cold beer and a hug awaiting for me, and my brother wishes he was me! By 4:30 pm that afternoon, we are sitting at Coop’s pizza talking about the day, the race, all in the company of our loved ones.

So you see, its not so much about me anymore as it is about the fifteen family members who have a lot riding on your decision! THEY hope you are wooed and THEY hope you cash my check.

Sincerely,

Aaron Sturgis (or should I say the Ginders and the Sturgis’)

P.S. I forgot, by 7:00 we are all on the pontoon catching some crappies and bluegills, sipping on a cold one, and finishing up an ever-so-perfect day!

50 Ways

Remember my "feel sorry for me" post a few months back over not getting into the Chequamegon Fat Tire Race? Remember how I ranted about being in the middle of the pack and not being that racer who automatically gets a spot in the coveted race? Well step aside you sponsored riders because Sturgie just received, hot off the press, fresh out of the mail, one of 50 coveted complimentary RESERVED entries for the race!

A sight for sore eyes!

How, you ask? Well, it wasn't because I've been blazing up a storm at the local races and standing on the podiums and it for sure isn't because I for some reason got picked up by a sponsor which would guarentee me a spot. Its because I was desperate rider and decided to write a desperate letter.

The officials at the race headquarters give 50 lucky riders who were denied entry in the preliminary lottery pick a chance to write an essay, a poem, a song, or whatever a person can think of that will woo the officials in giving you a coveted spot.

After some desperate typing and with some major wooing, I sent my letter only hoping that I may be one of the lucky ones. Well, they were wooed and granted me one of the 50 reserved spots. So all of this just to say, GAME ON, I'm in, and back on the bike with a renewed motivation.

If you want, I can post the desperation letter...its quite commical and paints a wonderful picture as to how important this race is!

Off to the single tracks,

Sturgie

Wedded And Full of Bliss

Keeping things in perspective

This past two weeks have been a blurr. Life has been packed full with family, friends and marriage! Nikole and I tied the knot on the 23rd and have been going ever since. Its just today that we both realized life is back to some normality!

Just a quick catch up. I did not race in the Phillips WORS race the week before the wedding, Nikole's sister from AZ, Shana, hung out with us for a whole week, and Nikole said yes to letting me be her husband!

Its been a fun ride and its sweet to actually have a sister-in-law now!

Check out my pecs in that wet suit!

These are the only bikes I've been on the last two weeks!

As for the biking...yea...I need to get back on the saddle and get back into shape. The next three weeks are packed tight with trips, camps, and relaxation. Hopefully I can squeeze in some ride time between all of that. My next big race will be Ore To Shore in Michigan on the 11th of August!

Oh yea...I sent in my letter to the Fat Tire headquarters. There are handing out 50 reserved spots for the race for the best essays! Pray that my essay woos them into giving me a spot in the sacred race!

Book mark my blog and check back often. I will posting more in the coming days/weeks!

Ride On

Sturgie