Sunday LATE PM

The broken clock is a comfort, it helps me sleep tonight
Maybe it can stop tomorrow from stealing all my time
I am here still waiting though i still have my doubts
I am damaged at best, like you've already figured out

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
With a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you

The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head
I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead
I still see your reflection inside of my eyes
That are looking for a purpose, they're still looking for life

I'm falling apart, I'm barely breathing
with a broken heart that's still beating
In the pain is there is healing
In your name I find meaning
So I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on, I'm holdin' on
I'm barely holdin' on to you

I'm hangin' on another day
Just to see what you will throw my way
And I'm hangin' on to the words you say
You said that I will be ok

The broken lights on the freeway left me here alone
I may have lost my way now, haven't forgotten my way home

Sunday PM

Man what a day. Early ride with a customer. Deep breaths and a skinned elbow next we were working on building confidence and inner strength. Amazing what that lady was able to pull out of herself. A lot of soul was shown today in a short 8 mile loop on our road bikes.

Leaving the ride my car starts acting up, sputtering feeling like it wanted to back fire and not acting like the lovely Audi A4 should. Panic, drive to the shop, breathe Arleigh.. breathe. Panic all day. What the hell am I going to do if its a $1,000 repair or something? Finally get home tonight. A friend from Annapolis who works with Audi's was THANKFULLY online. Answer to my problem (I hope) new coil pack. Common problem with my model of car. I hope this is the answer!

Oh wait. There is more.

Go to pull out the lovely Lemond from the back of my car. Is that what I think it is? Yes there is a crack on both sides of the down tube right below my cable stops. I wonder if they will warranty it with another Lemond? They are out of business now... I might be screwed. Fingers crossed. So much for a long road ride on Tuesday.

Saturday PM

My commute home Thursday night.

A bit zonked today. Long day in the office (shop) and some really good customers with stories to tell. No riding today. Needed to play catch up with sleep and my body needed a day off. Now the evening consists of making some PB&J sandwiches and then getting in bed with a good book.

Tomorrow is an early morning road ride before a somewhat early ride with customers out of the State Park. I am still enjoying the shop and everything new it brings. I hope you do too... believe in what you do as much as I.

Friday AM

No gym this morning. My body woke up 10 minutes before the alarm but standing up took effort. No muscles are too sore, my body is just adjusting to routine, working out and commuting daily.

Quickly I reset my alarm before it went off and hopped into bed with the pup.

Arrived at the bus on time. Talkative bus driver makes up for the missed cup of early coffee.

Do you spy my latest gismo on the bike?

---Sent from my mobile device

Thursday AM

Dreary and foggy in the Queen City today. quick meander thru a park of graves and I am at my bus stop. Motivation is not lacking today. 530am wake up call by a beautiful voice. Quick hop to the gym. Home, shower, dog walk...back on the bike to the bus stop. Go to the top to finish the story.

Sent via BlackBerry

Wednesday

Bike rides around town, coffee sips, jaunt with pup and catching up on daily duties I haven't done in a weeks time. Opps. The rain we have been receiving has put parts of Charlotte many feet under water. Bill will have photos tomorrow proving cars being submerged!

Tuesday PM

Took the afternoon as a relaxing, do nothing, day. I read my book for class, worked on my bicycle and just chilled out. Quickly recreated RideCharlotte.com into Arleigh's cycling blog. Trying to keep too much bike lingo off this Arsbars blog as many friends & family members read it. Just simply don't get it.

Last night I guess Fay finally really hit us. Riding to and from class and the gym was rather exciting and cleansing. I quickly got lectures from family members that were worried but I couldn't of resisted if I tried. Rain and cycling is something I have always enjoyed. As a kid I would hop on my bike with no questions when it was pouring out. The streets, last night, in Charlotte were flooded, the wind was high and my visibility was low. I wouldn't of traded those minutes in for anything. The rain seemed to wash many stresses and thoughts away. Leaving me with just me, my bike and a headlight.

Tuesday AM

Sleeping in till noon, being woken up by Fedex delivery a package of a new bag. Pouring rain for the past 24 hours led to no road ride, but instead a quick skip over to a coffee shop for stories from a man and Napa. With new bike and bag in hand it was a joyful trip. Now to go tweak that bike before my ride to schoolage tonight.

breath in breathe out
tell me all of your doubt
everybody leads this way
just the same
breath in breathe out
move on and break down
everyone goes away
I will stay
We push and pull, and fall down sometimes
I'm not letting go, you hold the other line
Cause there is a light
In your eyes,...in your eyes
Hold on hold tight
From out of your sight
Everything keeps moving on, moving on,
Hold on hold tight
Make it throught another night
Everyday there comes the sun with the dawn
We push and pull, and fall down sometimes
I'm not letting go, you hold the other line
Cause there is a light

In your eyes,...in your eyes
There is a light
In your eyes,...in your eyes
Breath in and breath out
Breath in and breath out
Breath in and breath out
Breath in and breath out
Look back and look right
Into the moon at night
Everything looks like the stars in your arms
There is a light
In your eyes,... in your eyes
There is a light
In your eyes,... in your eyes
There is a light
In your eyes,... in your eyes
There is a light
In your eyes,... in your eyes
Breathe In Breathe Out (Mat Kearney)

Monday AM

Two days off, two days on and tomorrow kicks off another two days off. Can't beat that! Then my schedule is "fairly" normal for a couple weeks before September travels kick off on September 12th. I'll be in MD, Ohio and Las Vegas before the end of the month comes through. Schedule is packing up. Gym, commute and rides are being plotted out.

This past week it has started to cool off. Early mornings are chilly and the A/C has been able to be raised a bit thanks to these temps. Knee warmers and vest are my favorite riding attire. This could be why I am never tan but something is comforting about pulling on your favorite knee warmers and throwing on a vest to go on your morning ride. Fall is coming and it is (probably) my favorite time of year.

Save travels to all returning from Napa, CA and the Single Speed World Championships. I look forward to reading some stories.

Friday PM

Walk around town. Then dancing, drinks and fine company. Wonderful Friday I can easily say.

Friday AM

Lunch in bed. Syncing Google calendars with iCal. Preparing for "Crack"berry to show up at my door to replace "crack"iPhone.

Thursday AM

The new schedule is leading my "weekend" to be Tuesday and Wednesdays. My choice. If I need a weekend off like a normal American (Sat/sun) I just need to ask for it. This gives me time during the week to ride when I need, and shop hours on the weekend are 10-5/12-5 instead of 10-7. So I see that I'm giving myself 6 hours of non-work by working weekends.

Wow that was a tangent. Anyways. This week is a bit out of whack for weekend time because of a beloved visitor coming to town. Friday and Saturday off. Sunday I go back to the normal grind. The original, original plan was to be in California for SSWC this weekend. Changes planned and budget, time and schooling just didn't lend to that.

Am I still excited bout this new life? Yes. I'm really pumped still about the new gig of school and shop life. Just need to get back to routine for a schedule. Watch the blog for more info on that.

To all you that keep commenting. Thank you. Off to drink my morning joe and hustle off to work.

Commutage

Been commuting to work a few days a week. Catch the bus 5 blocks from the house, get dropped off 25 miles north in Davidson, NC (Famed for the small basketball team that went to the sweet 16 last year.) Ride 5 miles to work, then do the opposite going home. $1.30 one way, that's cheaper than a half of a gallon of gas.

It's catch 22 because I haven't been riding on the dirt because of it. So I'm starting a Monday night mountain ride with one of the guys from the shop. Gets me riding and back with the community like I like.

Changes

There have been changes going on in the world of Arleigh. School, work, living and riding. Started schooling back up this fall to hopefully achieve my bachelors in Art one day. Working back in a shop north of Charlotte. A good place, good people and workable to my crazy schedule. Updates will get better here and there. Finding a routine and getting out of the life rutt.

Friday AM

Later bus route. Saves an hour, just lose some lunch minutes. Ready to
roll and the Salsa had a flat. Time to call the Lemond into service.
Handlebar setup does not favor a 5 lb laptop on your back.

Tuesday PM

So much for eating healthy

Thursday AM

Wednesday

It is raining in charlotte today.

Tuesday

Monday

Sunday

Friday

Thursday

Test, waiting, bike rides, list and well the list goes on. Making time to ride for relaxing and stress release. Multiple reviews are up for tonight. For now its time to smooth on the sunscreen and take a ride.

Wednesday

It seems like multiple bike shops in Charlotte are changing hands as of August 15th. No, none to me, but a couple that might surprise you. Amazing ride today, in 100 degree (code RED.) Tomorrow is another and then life begins again on Friday.

Phone number has been changed, please email for new one if you so are interested.

Monday