![\"14409389_10208717291222764_24762441128075373_o\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.mountainbikebill.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/11\/14409389_10208717291222764_24762441128075373_o.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nThe work was certainly rewarding and the people I interacted are some of America\u2019s finest, but I\u2019m glad to put this years traveling for work behind.<\/p>\n
The MTB action as been pretty sparse as of late as well.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 With limited time back at the homestead I put a priority on quality time with the family.<\/p>\n Of course I was not off the bike cold-turkey, I was just hitting up some of the local goods for quickies vice big rides.\u00a0 Sometimes it was more about relaxing out on the trail than the actual riding.\u00a0 One of my favorite spots out at Daley Ranch <\/a>is pictured below.<\/p>\n And of course Lake Calavera<\/a> is almost in my backyard so there were a few loops done out there as well.<\/p>\n For those of you who have been paying attention you should have noticed a growing\u00a0 prominence of pictures of this young lady pictured below over the last handful of years on the site.\u00a0Nichol and I have known each other for 30 years.\u00a0 Last year we got engaged and\u2026..<\/p>\n This month we went and got hitched!\u00a0\u00a0 Instead of having wedding and working the logistics of\u00a0people coming to see us get married, we traveled back to Chicago and got married at the spot where we first met.<\/p>\n We then went on bit of traveling wedding celebration road show.\u00a0\u00a0 We flew down to Virginia where we shared some tasty beverages and\u00a0grub with friends there.\u00a0 From there we drove down to North Carolina to celebrate with most of my family that live in that area.<\/p>\n My oldest son joined us in North Carolina and I was stoked for him to be able to spend some time with my folks.\u00a0\u00a0 Will loves to fish so my Dad and his friends hooked us up with some excellent time out on one of the local lakes.<\/p>\n We ended up with cooler full of fish and memories to last a lifetime.<\/p>\n While there was no MTBing done back in North Carolina, I did a enjoy taking Will on a stroll through the same woods I tromped around in when I was a kid.\u00a0 It was every bit as rewarding as a great MTB ride.<\/p>\n We finished up the road show back\u00a0in San Diego with a gathering at a Common Theory Public House<\/a> with some of\u00a0our local peeps.<\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n