Basketball Camp

So we had basketball tam camp and I was the assistant coach to Coach long. It was going to be pretty fun and I would be able to do my thing. So Fridya came and I Woke up early, went to the gym, packed, and got to campus to leave with the basketball team. Coach rented a E-series big white van and we drove it all the way there. It was super hot in San Marcus, over 104 not including real feel. We played our first game and won. That was really nice. We were able to sub people in and our and still have control of the game. The other team was a 1A. The second game was not in the pracice facility but in the main stadium, which was pretty ugly. They finished constructing it the year before Coach Long went there to school. We played against this team that didnt have very much sportsmanship because they pressed the entire game, even if they were up 40 or 50. Rediculous. Then we ate at jack in the box and elliot was complaining already. I was having a good time and then we crashed. I was in room 442, carlos in 445, and skunk was in my dorm room.


Saturday was really long. Woke up early and showered. Wentto eat with the team. Really by but not super hot because it was in the morning. Then we ha our first twofames. Did terrible in the first and better in the second. Lost both. Then lunch and that was fun. It was super hot again. We lost the other two games but whatever. Our boys were really tired. When we got back to out rooms we had an hour off so I slept the whole time with skunk and his friends in the room with me listening to winsin and yandle on my iPhone. It was a very needed one hour nap. Then we had dinner and I had this aesome taco salad that was really cool. Then I was feeling good. So the two hour break that we had I took off running to the gym and played basketball in the practice facility like I did at crisler and I loved it. I was just sinking everything and three after three and shot after shot. I was making all of them at will from the top of the key right infront of the three line. I also made my free throws like none other. I made 12 in a row, then 17 and finally 30, my new record. Man, I'm darn good now atthem free throws. I don't even have to think and they go in and even when I do think and put a lot of pressure and see all them high school kids looking at you and yelling "miss!" I still made them. It was a bunch of fun, especially since everyone thought I was a college player with my gear on. I got back and showered and then we took off.


When I got there I talked to the concession dude which apparently was an assistant coach of the Texas state team at age 25. He was a manager at ut el paso and then a grad assistant there. An then went somewhere else fir a litlle and is now here. He was really estatic about being at Michigan and a basketball manager. He said to meet as many peope as I could and make them connections. He also said that if I could do video work, I could get a job anywhere, cause veryone hates it and few can do it. That might be my ticket in. Imagine getting starts at Michigan? That would be amazing. The dudes name is chris judge ad he gave me his card and saaid to keep in touch.

first of the last 2 games we started the youngest ones and they played the whole first half. We got enielated. They neededthst but they were really scared. It was like 32-2. Second half we beat them 16-14 and it was a good game. That was in the main stadium. Then we went to the other stadium and did really good. We were down by 19 with 7:15 to go, we ha a quick time out an then a made a come ban and almost won in regulation and then went to sudden death and lost after some heated noncalla and a jump ball and the whole thing and they made a lucky shot at the end. We should have win but whatever. The boys are tired ad going to bed.






SUnday we had the tournament. We lost our first game against our ins city rivals, IWA, and then beat the team we lost last night at the very end. THen we drove back adn the boys were really tired but I had a good time. Successful? For sure. We came in hoping to win 1. We won two. And I got to coach and really saw some action there on the bench and I had a lot of experience and a lot of coaching, and most importantly, am leaving with connections and a good memory with being with my brothers and my old basketall coach. By the way, on the trip back Coach Long finally figured out that I was colour blind and he explained "No wonder! That makes all sence! I used to yell at you when you would throw the ball to the other team and now it makes all sence! I feel so bad now." Hahaha. Gotta love it!

Beach and Father´s Day

Today I had to get up early and go with my dad to cccf for the father day´s breakfast. It was pretty good but I kept falling asleep. I talked to my friend who goes to georgetown and that was cool. I also talked to this LA guy about how he played in the big house once...which is rediculously cool. He told me it was the bigggest game of the entire year when they were able to play in Ann Arbor infront of a crowd of 100,000. He said him and his friends were in awe. They played close int he first half, 14-14 at the half, but then in the second half they scored nothing and Michigan scored 40 points. Still, utterly amazing and I am utterly jealous haha.

THen I went to the beach with carlos and skunk and perales and his bro and the dotsons. I got burned bad. Saw clair ellis and talked to her a long time with her friend kindell and that was fun. Us boys threw the footballa lot and talked about college and Annapolsi and just had a very relaxing and sunny time. I put on sun screen 3 times, and after being int he sun for 4 hours I gave up and put on my shirt and a towel and a hat and sunglasses, no more sun burn for me, thank you. But apparently after all my efforts, it was no good haha.

Skunk with his new helmet

Carlos being lame

Covering myself up, but apperently it wasnt good enough

Massive sunburn...that you can´t really see in this picture

WHats the worst thing for me when sunburned? Working out, definatly working out. It hurts so bad. YOur skin just burns so you can never feel your muscle because your skin is on FIRE!! What is your most hateful activity when you are massivly sunburned? Leave a comment below!

Honda Shadow

Me and Austin, now that we were done with our Saft course, went to get out liscnece. We got to the DPS at 10:50am. We were there till 1:50pm. I finally took my test, and after a 3hour wait and a 5minute test, I passed easily with 14/16 and Arce failed...and he was pissed. He punched the door open hard and threw his white ockleys on the pavement, smashed them with his foot, and kicked them away. He was pissed. I dropped him off and went to see Edy. But Ihad my licence. No more of this 89, 92 crap. Because 89 made it and apparently 92 isnt good enough. Arce said he got hard questions. I told him out of allt eh questeions, one was covered in the class and one was in the book that I read. THe rest I had to figure out by thinking what a stupid person would do. And I made it through easily. But whatever, I thought it was pretty funny.

I finally got a the phone number for a Bike in Taft that I was looking at. He gets out of work at 7:30. He lives in taft. Wife knows nothing aboutthe bike. One other person interested. I told her that I would call when I got to taft and we would meet up. I wanted to check out the bike and planed to ride it to see how solid it was and I would hopefully have the money. So I was really excited and Edy was too. I talked to Austin about it and tomorrow I will go with him and his dad.

Tuesday I went to check out the 1987 Suzuki Intruder in taft. I was able to get Mr Arce to help me out. He was willing to take a look at the bike as well and drive it back if I bought it. Arce finally got his liscence that moring so we went to CCmotoplaza to check things out, usless stuff that we didnt need. Then Me and arce and covey went to Mr Arce´s job in portland and met this woman who was a big michigan fan. The plan was to meet with the woman and her husband, at 7pm. We went to Mr Arce´s old house and met his other. She lived in a tiny house with no air conditioning and next to a corn field with an our house. She made us some great eggs and it was really good. Thenw e went over the block were the guy lived. I jumped out of the car super excited. There was the family, pretty lame family outside all waiting to see us come. The bike was there...it looked a little beat up and the battery was pluggd into a power cord, which was not a good sign. It looked really old and worn down, like it had been just sitting there forever. He said we might have some problems starting it, and sure enough we had to push it to get it to start. Not a good sign. But Dang, it was loud! Loud as heck! Haha wow! I havent heard something so loud and mean in forever! I really liked the sound, even though the pipes were small and stock.

Mr Arce drove it first and said the brakes werent really good and that I had to down shift. Well, they were terrible, the front ones didnt work at all! I ahd to sweaze both as hard as possible and downshift fully and it still wouldnt work! Terrible. But, oh, what the feeling, it was incredible! Nothing better than just giving it some smooth gas and just cruzing at 20-30mph and just feeling the freadom! It was outstanding! THe seat was so comfortable and it just felt so so good to be going, with the noise and the breeze and the handlebars, I just felt at home on that bike, truely did. Unfortunately the bike had way to many problems, and we would have had to change the carbinators, drain the fuel and refuel, work on the starter, get a new battery, and maybe replace the entire front brake system. So in the end, it would cost me more to repare than to buy it. That was the estimation. So after everyone was telling me to get the bike with loud enthusiasm and build it up and fix it and make it my own, everyone was shouting not to get it. So I didnt and left. And I was disappointed, I wont lie. The add said it works great and I was lied and dissapointed. I was let down. The guys said to be of good cheer. Another bike would show up soon.

Well we were driving down Crosstown south and we see a bike shop that Mr Arce knows off adn we stopped buy to see if the guy had a bike for me. The guy was real shaddy and plump int he middle and a fast talker. He was testing this sports bike and came by really fast and then blasted the front brakes and did a manuel and then landed hard. The dude was insane. He showed us this nice Honda Shadow, 1999.

It was his friend´s bike but he had to go back to mexico and said after 6 months he could have it. All it had was a starter and a refuel thingy that needed to be installed and it would work fine. It was a beautiful bike. I did like it; the brakes worked. It didnt have a sissy bar but it looked like a nice ride and the crome and engine looked outstanding. So we talked to the guy a little and austin was super enthusiastic of the bike, telling me to buy it right now before the other guy who is interested gets it. Casey looked up the parts and said they were cheap and accesible. But I was uncomfortable buying a bike that I hadnt even tested yet. Arce said to get it. Casey said to get it. But I was unsure. Then I saw the title and sure enough, the signature was the mexican man´s but not this Andrew guy, so he couldnt legally sell it. He told me he could get the mexican to sign it but it was shaddy, way to shady. To easy to forge,a dn if we got caught, well then I would be out $1500 dollars and no bike. I twould suck. Mr Arce said not to take a chance. Then Casey and Austin said no way. They change their minds too much, unstable haha. Again let down.

We went to their house and I was exausted. I had done so much. I just lied there on the bean bag behind the couach listening to Mr arce chatter and watcghint the NBA game and Austin was on the computor looking for bikes for sale within my price range online in texas. I was so tired. We found some nice looking ones but I dont know. I was tired and left like at 11:30. It was a long day. That night all I could do was dream bikes.

I woke up Weds morning and Casey sent me 3 bikes on Facebook to look at. They were on the San antionio craigslist and 2 of them looked alright but th elast one looked really nice. It was a 1984 Honda Shadow VT700 and it was only for $1500 and was the style and year that I wanted. It looked promising. SO I sent him an emial and I got a call back at 1:30 while I was at work from the guy saying the the bike was still up, that two others wanted it and one lady couldnt come up with the money by the weekend so it would be ok if I came to see it then. I was excited- I think we hit something here. I visted edy and we talked about what we could do with them bike. If I wanted it, I would have to strike now. I had work at noon thursday and friday but at 10 on saturday, so I would have to go Friday. I slept there at Edy´s house and all night I dreamed about bikes again. It was nuts.

So I called the man back on Thursday, around the time he called me the day before. he said everything works great and answered all my questions. Seems liek the only thing I might have to change is the front tire and work a little on the crome, but besides that it runs, never has been in storage, and title is clear (thank God!) and it works! (Another plus!) Essentially I found a bike here that is just what I wanted, legally stable, and works, all for Under 2grand, wich is amazing! So I told him I would like to come by tomorrow morning to make sure that I get it before it sells. Sunday was too far away and I didnt want to take the chance. I asked him to meet at 8amish and he said it would work. He lives by hondo, Texas, which is west of san antonio, and I looked it up and it was estimated 3 hours 20 minutes(!) which is much longer than san antonio. SO me and Ed will hve to get up like at 4 or something, earlier than expected. THis is way too cool.

2009
Friday, June 12

So I went to bed at 1:30 at Edy´s. We got up at 4 and We took off at 4:26am and it was nice and dark. We couldnt see anything. But we drove and drove and got breakfast and me and Ed had a good time talking. Finally it was getting blue and some light was comming in. As we approached we got on the small back roads and it was beautiful. Tons of wonderful land with hills and farm lands and cows and it was just so nice and pleasant. I couldnt wait to ride back ont he bike with this seanery!

As we got close I called him up in Hondo. He said to keep going a while and find his white house with blue trim and a orange jeep int he middle of no where. So we kept going and finally after stopping at 2 random houses we found it. And there she was, the bike in all her glory.

THe guy was realy ncie and very honest. He didnt mind us inspecting everything and letting me take it for a spin. Now remember, I hadnt been over 3rd gear yet, so I was really exited

when I got it rolling and got into 2nd, took the left turn real smooth and gave it the gas, and then again, and made it to 4th gear, and I was going so fast! It was awesome!...until I realized I was only going 30mph...yea, this drive is going to be long, very long, haha. I came back around and sure enough 35 felt like I was going 65. This was going to be an exerpeince. Well everything looked good and Edy and his dad liekd it a lot and so I bought it and got the title and everything. There are a lot of rusty spots but that shouldnt be too hard to clean. Battery a bit old and maybe a new oil change. The front tire needs to be changed soon. And some of the indicator lights are out. But I got the title and the owners manuel and I was all set! I couldnt beleive it; I had a bike, I had a bike...

We took off and stopped close by. It was such a cool feeling not only riding on the road with cars on a bike, but knowing that this bike, this bike was mine. It was my bike. Holy crap I had a bike. Wow! So we stopped and took some pictures and a video and of course during the video the bike wouldnt start and then it kept not starting so I was getting real worried. We had to push it to make it go again and that kinda worried me but I knew we would make it back safe
Well the trip was quite an adventure. I had to get used to the wind beating, but besides that, going along those back roads all by ourselves was really pleasant. I was in front most of the time and they would only get infront when we had to make a turn. The annoying small towns that you have to slow down for where the best part of the whole trip cause I got to go smootand softly and just chill int he slw 40mph parts. It was so cool. It was great, and I loved having my gloves and long sleeve shirt and helmet and aviators on; I felt like a pimp walking throug the gass station to use the resteroom, never have I felt so cool before going to the bathrrom. I filled it up, all $3.58 of it and we kept going. As we got closer we hit more and more traffic until we hit a main highway all the way bak and there was a lot of traffic. And the turcks! Oh, them blasted trucks! They made such a wind vortex it was rediculous! From far back and all the way through, instead of the wind eating you from every which direction (cause I dont have a windsheild), it would all just direct right at me and beat me strait on, even when I passed it. And the fast I went to pass it up, the harder it beat at me. Dang I hat trucks, evil loosers.We got back to the ouskirts of Corpus and that is where it got really enjoyable. All those parts that were one boring and slow were now the most enjoyable parts ever. I got back to Austin´s house and parked it up. Then I went to drop off Edy and his dad, shower, grab some food, and headed strait to work! And that was nuts cause I was exausted but so exited! Oh what a day! Of course Austin and Casey who came in town to watch Blue October made me come by and show them the bike. They loved it. So I slept there that night. I hadnt been home since Thursday morning! It was nuts, and I was so tired. BUt I had a bike, and that is all that matters...

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Basketball and Biking Glory

Well, June looks like an awesome month. I am super exited. I went to work from 9-5 Monday and then went to basketball camp at ACA. Man, all those kids need so much work on all the fundamentals its not even funny. Its liek starting from Zero, and although I have learned a lot with how to start teaching, I have not learned everything. I had to keep working on the kids with their shooting over and over again and it was nuts. Its pretty lame and you cant get much lower, but I have to learn and this gives me great hand on experience as its only me and Coach Long here. Tuesday was much better than Monday. The kids new the drills we were doing and all of them were night and day difference! Their dribbling is so much improved it is amazing! YOu would never have thouht they had just started to learn to dribble! Over all it was a really fun camp for me to teach in. I cant wait to do the one in Michigan.

Another thing is that the Moody/Callalen game was just announced this Monday morning to be played at Whataburger field so I had non-stop calls all day asking about it. I hope it doesnt hurt my riding lessons. Last Thursday I regristered at www.coastalcycleacademy.com to taking the riding courses held there at Whataburger field from June5-7, Friday through Sunday to get taught on how to ride a bike safelty and to not have to take the riding part of my liscence exam. And I am going to take it with Austin Arce. So yea, I will be packed, from Monday to Sunday, all fun in the sun. Loaded with Basketball and Bikes, it cant get much better than that...

Thursday was a nutty day. Got to Whataburger field at 8:30am. From 9-5 I sold tickets non-stop, literally non-stop. I sold 2,211 tickets and made over $10,200 dollars myself. Overall we sold over 17,000 tickets in one day with 5 of us working and over $54,000 in cash alone. Dang. We sold out of the thursday game at 1:58pm. We sold out of Friday´s game at 6:40pm. For the record, I was the only one who called that both games would be sold out. no one else beleived and and thus told people we would not soell out. But we did and they were surprised and people were pissed, but i expected it haha. I was exaustd.

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MORTICYCLE FUN

Friday I had my first motorcycle class and that was really cool. At first it felt really guetto with all the poeple in it but then it felt good. Arce was super pumped. I was super pumped. Today we wernt from 6-9:30pm int he classroom only learning about the bike and correct procedured and pretty much the basics. Covered 3/5ths of the book. It was exciting!

Saturday I was soo pumped! I staed the night at Arce´s house and got up at 6:30. We left at 6:45. You can tell how excited Austin is at getting up that early.

We drove to the gass station there by the park to grab some grub and energy drinks and went to the parking lot. I was so exited to see all them bikes out! I got this funny helmet and with my shades I looked like a cop haha.

I got the cool black biek that was the only black bike in my section.

Austin in the Silver Bike

Tehre were two sections and we had austin, me and big Dan which was really cool and this dude from california who was older and owned a sweet cruser and another older guy who had a nice harley and was also very nice. And we had this girl who was terrible at riding bikes and I have no idea why she would come out here. She just seems out of place. The epidemy of a coprus christi hispanic lady. Terrible. But my groupw as aweosme and everyone had silver bikes but me and apparently the black bike had an easier time changing gears than the silver. And I did really good. Austin semi dropped his like 2 times and stalled all the time. I stalled once. The girl dropped it like 3 times. But I kicked butt and it was sweet. Confidence, baby, thats all it takes.






We rode all types of test manuvers and it was really good. I was getting really comfortable ont hat thing. Then we had a break and me and Asutin and another random dude went to this pizza buffet place by A&M Corpus. We got back to the classroom 10 minutes late and exausted and sunburned...well, jsut me on that last one. We finished up the book and after me telling people, we took the writtene xam and I would have made 100 if I didnt switch the definition of T-CLOCS and some over FLICS or something. Pfff. So yea, 48/50 thus 96%. Pretty good. Then me and Arce left super tired but super exited. I got back to my place and chilled and slept like a baby.

Check out the sunburn

Sunday morning Austin woke me up at 6:03am and then I drove to pick him up at 6:40 and we heard Wendle and Yakin to the place. We got here early, jsut us and the instructors. Then on the bikes and after a warm up that was very necessary, I took off and it was so much fun. We did some more tests. The box figure 8 was really tough for me. Had to remember to have a sharp head turn and to turn the handles AND lean AND counterballance. AND to take my time fully engaged in the first gear. Pretty tough but I was glad I made it without dropping. Also had the racing line turn and swerve and stopping fast and stopping in a turn and going over objects ect.

Change of helmets-full face

But in the end of our excersises, the cool older man who had a harly stopped after one of the last ones and stopped next to our lady and then his foot got caught on the only 500 that was in our section and in his attempt to get his left foot uncaught, he leaned to his left and since he was trying to jump off, his leg got caught in an ugly manner and that heavy bike broke his leg good. His tibia was puncturing his skin. Nasty. Sucks hard cour. He probobly wont ride that harly of his for 2 years. Dang that sucks. So the firetruck and the ambulance came took him for good. His name was Paul I think. Lord bless him.
Then we finished up the remander and then took the test. i was really confident, I admit. The first 2 were the box figure 8 and the swerve. The figure 8 I did weel but not as well as one of my practice ones because my head was not turned all the way which I needed to do. But I coudlnt see the line I was supposed to stay within very well adn one of them was a bit round so I missed 5 points on that. The thurd test was the hard stop. THe girl was right behind me...big Dan, me and then her 123. But when she stopped after the swerve she killed the bike after not doing a complete stop. Then moving it she killed it again. Then she dropped it. I had to pick it up for her so that she could get back on. THen She couldnt start it. Then she killed it again. I have no idea how she passed. She should have failed. She should have causet eh rules say if you drop, you fail. Heck, she even scored higher than me, goodness gracious. Shows again how tests mean nothing. Or very little. The last tet was the fast racing line turn and I couldnt see the blue line but since I was afraid of getting too wide I eased off on the 2nd gear a little, never let go of the trottle but eased just a bit and I got 6 points off for that. Pfff. My two errors were due to lines I could not see. And so I missed 11 points. Yes, I got an 89, a freakin 89. I was very upset. Very upset. She said I did good but I said not good enough. The frekain lines. She said herself they were hard to see,a dn if they are hard to see for her, I cant see them Yo! I told Austin he did better than me on the test. He was like naw, I couldnt ahve done better. But then he got a 92. And he began to brag aout it in my face hard core and rub it in. Pff,f the freaki lady got a 92 too as well. Garbage. But whatever, I did the best within my abilities and that is all that maters.
...and it was fun