I just met you

... and this is crazy, but here's a deer head -- let's stuff it maybe.

As you can see, recent work adventures included a day in Anderson Valley, where it seems like everyone hunts and it's apparently completely acceptable to arrive at a barbecue with a head in a cooler. (Confession: I showed the hunters a photo of Mr. Buck. Their reaction? "Stay nice and big for me, baby." Mr. Buck: Consider yourself warned. Stop eating the tomatoes before we go Hunger Games on your furry behind.)

In all seriousness, though, Anderson Valley is pretty amazing. Imagine grapevines clinging to hillsides at 2,000 feet above sea level, just seven miles from the ocean:

Pretty, no? And the Zinfandel that comes from this vineyard is just as amazing as the view.

My job also brought me to Napa Valley for two days of tasting library wines.

(What were you doing in the '80s? I was wearing skeggings and listening to a lot of Debbie Gibson. Out of the blue, baby.)

I guess what I'm trying to say here is that I haven't been good about training lately, and I'd like to blame work, but really, I think I'm just feeling lazy and lacking motivation. Ukiah is in two weeks, and I've ridden my bike twice since Vineman. (And last week's ride doesn't count -- basically just rode to Spring Lake, had a beer and then rode home. Clearly this is why my bike skills are what they are.)

And marathon training has been so tough to get into. Yes, I did my 14-miler this weekend, but it was slow-going. These guys may have been moving faster than I was:

(Don't worry. I didn't behead any of them.)