For the 12 weeks of March/April/May, I was in a company sponsored weight loss challenge (think biggest loser). The Tupperware Tupperfit Challenge consisted of six 3 person teams, seeing who could lose the most % of weight in the 12 week period.I’m proud to say, my team, Team Weight Crashers, took second place. Each team worked out twice a week with an assigned trainer, plus one other on-site activity on our own. Olga was our trainer, and yes, she LOVES to make people suffer. Tough workouts, twice a week with her, then we did at least one other workout together or in a class. Of course, I did quite a bit of other stuff on my own.As a team, we lost 8.7% of our body weight in 12 weeks. Personally, I lost just over 25 lbs. That was the most of anyone on my team, and the 3rd highest pounds lost of all 18 people. Kind of funny, as when we were doing all the initial meetings and weigh-ins, there were several references to how whatever team I end up on needed a handicap, since I didn’t have any weight too lose, can’t count how many people asked me why I was doing this, I didn’t need to lose anything.I’d say 25 lbs is something, and about 5 more will have me right where I need to be. Needless to say, there were a few surprised folks when they started naming biggest losers and winning teams!
Good thing about that is that with the heavier weight lifting and cardio work we’ve been doing, my overall fitness is really coming back. I feel great and I’m MUCH stronger than I was at the beginning of the year.
This weekend was the annual, neighborhood Tennessee/Florida party. Our neighbors, (and most of their friends) are Tennessee fans, their son, Terry, played for the Vols at one time. So a couple hundred people, a pig cooked in the ground all night long, and TONS of other food, about 8 big screen TV’s, music, karaoke, games, well, it was a party. As the night wore on, and the band was playing, they asked William if he wanted to play some guitar. I missed some of the first part, but got most of it, though it’s on my digital camera and the sound is aweful. It was all spur of the moment, so he didn’t have any written music or anything planned, he just played a few things he knew from memory.
Then Ashley and Emily got Mandy all duded up in Tennessee colors to give pony rides to the children. They had a great time, and got a lot of laughs with their ‘Gator Entrance’ billboard on Mandy’s butt. Don’t get me wrong, we’re Gator fans, but in honor of our friends, we let Mandy represent the Vols. (click the photo for fullsize)
What have I been up to lately? Building my own electric guitar. William and Ashley both have Fender Stratocasters, and I have bought, then sold a couple different Gibsons to try to find something I like, spent quite a bit of time at Guitar Center playing various axes. Eventually I realized the Strat just seems perfect.
Designed in the early 1950′s by Leo Fender, it is STILL the mainstay guitar of SO many successful musicians. The list of guys that consider(or considered) it their main guitar stretch from Buddy Holly, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pink Floyd, to John Mayer and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The Strat’s where it’s at.
Rather than buy another of what we have, I decided to build my own from parts I selected myself. It’s still the same guitar, just a ‘custom’ version done exactly like I want. I started with an unfinished body mostly shaped and routed, then started searching for the neck and other bits and pieces I needed. William helped me with soldering, polishing, installing the tuners, and in general, being another set of hands and eyes to help be sure everthing was set right.
Basically, it has become my obsession over the last couple months to get it finished. Of course, it took much longer than I thought, but I really couldn’t be happier with the result. I have a full picture gallery of the complete process here http://daveharperphotos.irun100s.com/GalleryList.aspx?gallery=95730 You can click each photo to read the description of what process I was working on, and also access full size photos.
I used a Swamp Ash unfinished body. A birdseye maple neck, with rosewood fretboard. I wanted to build a pretty much vintage correct Strat, with my own upgrades as I saw fit. The basic inspiration was from Stevie Ray Vaughan’s Number One Strat(pictured at bottom of page), thought I obviously did not try to ‘copy’ that guitar, with the enhanced grain, different coloring, different wood, etc. that I used But I used vintage style tuners, tremolo, saddles, string tree, and real bone nut just as would have been on a 1950′s or 1960′s Strat. I did the contouring on the body to be similar to that era. An amber tint to the neck gives that older, vintage, yellowed vibe rather than the bright white maple of a brand new Fender. The decals on the headstock are Fender inspired, but my own take on them. I even stuck a small quote from Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones on there. The finish is old school Nitro Lacquer, just as used back in the day. At one time used for automobile finishes, it’s too toxic for that use these days. I replaced the modern, cool abalone fret marker dots with cream colored clay dots, to also give a more vintage look. I think it came out pretty nice. It’s a joy to play, when I can wrestle it out of William’s hands.
This is the body that I actually started with.
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Above is a copy of the actual Stevie Ray Vaughan guitar that was the starting point for what I was wanting to do. Below is a Fender replica guitar of the same. I wanted to do something like this, but actually build a better guitar than I might buy off the shelf, with my own twist on it.
SRV was killed August 27, 1990 in a helicopter crash following a concert in East Troy, Wisconsin, headed to Chicago. Also on stage that night had been Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Robert Cray, Jimmie Vaughan. (though obviously none of them were onboard the helicopter)
Today was a trip for me, Emily and William to head to Gatorland. In case you didn’t know, World Famous Gatorland, established in Orlando in 1949, and in the opening collage of photos in Chevy Chases VACATION movie.
On a running note, I’ve got a few nice short runs in. I’ve only ran one 4 mile run between Badwater and Furnace Creek, and I’ve been surprised now good I feel on some short, fast 3 mile runs. They’ve been very fun.
Tomorrow I’m going to try to get out and paddle my kayak for a couple hours.
The race started on time, 7:00am, the riders rode the first 24 miles without crew support. When David arrived he looked in great shape. Fed him a banana and changed water bottles. He climbed the short uphill and then he has been going great guns. The temperature was cold when he started but by 11:00am when he reached the windmills sun was shining the sky was
California blue. 34
Dave and crew packed the support vehicle and headed for race check-in arriving around 3:30PM. The parking lot was beginning to fill up with support vehicles ranging from two door hondas, mini vans and trucks. The cycles were nothing but the best and fully loaded. Anyone rookie would be impressed with the competition. Dave appeared relaxed and cool. The weather was windy and cold. Just before leaving the freeway we had a small sprinkle. Upon arriving the van was decked with all the required safety equipment and the photo is of Dave and the Furnace Creek official reviewing the van safety compliance.
Weekend before last, The Harper Clan all made a trip over to Tampa for a country music concert. We went to see Brad Paisley, Rodney Atkins, and I forget the 17 year old girls name that opened for them. I’m sure Ashley will comment here and tell me. It was awesome. Some rain just as we arrived, but turned into a wonderful night. We were Jammin! Rodney’s song, “If you’re goin through Hell…” brought back those Badwater Memories. Every time I hear that song it takes me right back to 2006 Badwater, and William Ansick playing that for me in the van. Details of that stroll through the desert, and the verse of that song are on my 2006 Badwater race report. Brad Paisley was great too, it’s always fun to see people live, so much more impressive than hearing them on the radio.
Click photos for full size.
Next night Ashley had a friend over for a sleepover, and we did a bonfire and Smores. Kids ate those things till they were almost sick. We also ended up baby sitting some friends Golden Retriever for the weekend. She LOVED swimming in the pool.
Lastly, I got a couple really good bike rides in on Sunday and Monday. My last of the long rides. Furnace Creek coming up soon. I think I’m ready!
