Lea Davison

Back in September I listed my cycling heroes and ended up omitting Lea Davison. Well, I'm here now to correct that mistake.

Lea Davison became a "some to watch" in 2008 when she won both the short track and super D races at Sea Otter. She has been on fire ever since. At the 2008 mtb National Championships in Mt. Snow, Vermont, Lea took third in short track behind Katie Compton and Mary McConneloug who would go on to represent the U.S. in the Beijing Olympics. Lea beat out non other than Georgia Gould to take the last podium spot. It was an impressive showing and one I witnessed first hand. Yes, I was there watching and cheering. It was awesome! It's imposable not to like Lea Davison. If you've ever seen one of her pre or post race interviews, you no doubt have witnessed her enthusiasm and energetic personality. Lea's hero status not only comes from her racing success, but from her social entrepreneurial venture called Little Bellas. The Little Bellas is a mountain bike organization whose goal is to help young women realize their potential through cycling. This is why Lea Davison is a hero.

Privacy Fence Frustration

I've battled my privacy fence ever since it was built in November of 2010. So far, I've had to raise one section a couple of inches to help water run off and one crooked post was also replaced. The thing was so poorly built from the beginning that I get nervous every time the wind picks up. I will probably be lucky to get five years out of the thing before it has to be completely torn down and replaced. I'm dreading that day.

The gate has now been rebuilt three time due to sagging and warping. In its latest incarnation, I replaced both posts on each side of the gate because the old ones weren't level and the one on the hinge side leaned. I discovered that one only had 25 or so pounds of cement holding it in place. This third gate is reinforced with metal braces on all the joints as well as wood glue. I have four hinges holding it to the post and the posts around the door are braced with 2x4 boards making a rather sturdy frame. I'll probably add some cross braces later, but everything seems okay for now.