Interlude (Featuring More Cowbell)

My college degree is from the William Allen White School of Journalism at the University of Kansas. This is a highly respected educational institution, famed for producing a host of quality contributors to the Fourth Estate.

But something obviously went wrong during my matriculation. My recent blogatory intent was to use my awesome journalism skillz to document and describe the intimate details of the USAT Nationals racing experience. As is obvious at this point, the "timely reporting" aspect of the journalist's toolbox has failed to make an appearance. I may still be able to get away with some sort of "historian" or "anthropologist" label, but the title of "intrepid reporter" has long since left the building.

Oh sure, I have excuses: Camera-files-to-hard-drive organizational problems, social obligations, cruel whip-cracking employer, inability to resist spaghetti westerns on TV (or their namesake pasta at the dinnertable), etc. But I haven't given up -- those race reports ARE coming. Just not today.

What I have for you instead is a brief description of the goodies I received as a result of participating in the Desert's Edge Triathlon a couple of weeks ago. I signed up for this event in hopes of being able to qualify for the 2015 USAT Nationals. That complete story, too, will have to wait. But I will say that it was a lovely venue and a well-run race. And they handed out cool stuff. The cowbell pictured above was the finisher award, and is fully functional noisemaker that I don't expect to ever use.

My age-group place award was even more aesthetically appealing, but is also likely to be given away rather than being affixed to the wall inside my apartment. It's a lovely gecko key-holder made from sheet copper. I like it a lot...but have no place to hang it in my apartment.



I think it'll make a good birthday present for Tanner. He never knows where his keys are.

Anyway, I did want to assure you that I fully intend to finish my race report from Milwaukee. And I will also share my race observations from Desert's Edge as well. For now, though, these photos are all you get. Please keep checking back just in case my education actually does assert itself.

Enjoy the equinox, and have a great day!