dammit! I'm blogging again!

Looking back.

2008-11-19T01:13:00.001-08:00

Interesting.

First time I have looked at this in a very long while.

Blogging used to be quite fun. And something to do while waiting to heal....

I wonder if it is still fun...

Post Doc

2007-09-18T19:02:00.000-07:00

just got back from the 6 week check. i don't think i impressed him with my range of motion or my muscle strength.

but the fracture seems to be healing well. i have no more restrictions on use other than not being allowed to fall on it.

i go back in 5 more weeks. at that point i may be allowed to fall on it. however, we will probably schedule the surgery to take out the plate and screws for 2 weeks after that. as he says, the bone will then be weaker than it was with the plate and screws in. so, no falling for 6 more weeks after the surgery (but no other restrictions).

so, it looks like there will be a two or three week window in which i can race cross. those had better be some fun gawdam races.

oh, i learned one other thing. apparently i get to keep some of my ti hardware. i didn't know (because he didn't tell me...you really have to pry the information out of these guys...) but he put in an extra piece of thick wire to act as a pin to hold one of the fragments in place.

just what i needed, extra parts and more weight....

quickie review

2007-09-13T22:13:00.000-07:00

two more....

Ronin. Great cast, but a fairly mundane plot. Lots of shoot em ups, if you are into that sort of thing. 3 stars.

Kiss Kiss Bang Bang. That Downey Jr. guy....he is just beggin to be slapped, isn't he? Val Kilmer was great though, more than made up for it. 3 Stars.

I suppose I could review the Coors Classic/Red Zinger DVD. I am still watching the last edition of the race, 1988, I think. I don't remember the race that year at all. And I have no idea if it was any good, because the TV coverage that year was AWFUL! No wonder the race never happened again. Potential Sponsors had to have been lulled into comas by that one....

The coverage varied from year to year up until then. Connie Carpenter was a commentator for a few years. She was a bit on the dry side, but she knew her shit and provided decent insight into the races. Alexi Grewal was just OK. When Jim McKay narrated, I thought it really gave the race an air of legitamacy.

The racing? It varied from absolutely boring to pretty darned exciting. My gawd Hinault and Longo came across as arrogant. Of course, so did Davis Phinney. And Lemond was just as much of a kook back then as he is now.

I loved seeing a then skinny (sort of) Bob Roll win a stage.

Oh, and I saw a crash in which a woman did the exact same thing that I did to my shoulder, in exactly the same way. Ouch.

4 stars.

-

BTW, why are movies given ratings with stars? Really, couldn't it be any random object instead of stars? Like fig newtons. Or Kumkwats. Or dust particles....

Mmmmm, weekend coming up, yay!

healing

2007-09-10T20:50:00.000-07:00

PT....Oh how it hurts so good!

"Ok, last time we got to 110 degrees, this time let's get 115."

110 degrees felt like a very good, deep stretch. 5 more? You gotta be kiddin me.

But it went. My eyes popped out of my head, but it went.

Sometimes you just have to force things.....

The shoulder is getting better, little by little.

Today was sort of a breakthrough day. I wore a T-shirt. I even got the thing on AND OFF (all sweaty after a run) by myself.

I'm so happy....

Two more movies watched:

The Prestige. This one was just yummy. Twists and turns in a plot are always fun, and this one had a bunch. I should have guessed; Michael Caine may not be the worlds greatest actor, but the films he is in are almost always really good. 4 stars.

Borat. Um, well, I was told I needed to see it so I'd understand all the references and jokes about it. Ok, I look forward to those. Meantime, I think I am mentally scarred from seeing the naked wrestling scene. 2.5 stars

Saturday night amongst the trees

2007-09-08T21:25:00.000-07:00

OK, it's been at least a couple days since anyone added to the list of movies I need to see.

That last post was sorta like when I pop popcorn in the microwave (real popcorn, not the lung killing kind).

I wait until I think it is done popping, then just as I am ready to take it out, POP! So I wait a bit longer. Just when I think it is done again, POP! This usually goes on until I have burnt quite a bit of popcorn, which, by the way, is perfect.

Anyway, I don't know if I'll ever have time to watch all the movies that have been suggested and/or loaned, but I'm sure gonna try. So far, I have seen at least two:

Shaun of the Dead. OK, this was cute, had some funny bits, and the ending wasn't too bad. I could certainly see keeping my zombified best friend around for playing video games with. 3 stars.

Dead Man. I thought that the artistry of this movie was really good. It was funny, sad, witty, all the good stuff. And Neil was digging deep with the six string for this one. I need to look into finding the soundtrack. My ony complaint was that the ending seemed a bit...anticlimactic. Still, I will watch this one again sometime. 4 stars (maybe 4-1/2) (oh, thanks to VB for these two!)

I am also in the midst of the three disc set of all the old Red Zinger/Coors Classic races. Fun stuff. Besides all the old cycling stars, I saw Les Ernest officiating, an old friend that used to own a bike shop in Davis, and what is now the Velo Promo truck (we think). Thanks kitties, I'll definitely finish this one, although it may take a while because I have been watching in bits while I ride the trainer....

...and I am hoping to be done with that horrible device for a while. That's right, "On the Road Again" has been playing in my head. Today was sort of a real ride. 2 hours, 30 miles. Some stiffness and soreness in the upper body for sure, but the legs felt OK. Technique sprints on tuesday, baybeee! (disclaimer: I'll be sprinting while seated. Pulling up on the bars is strictly forbidden. So is fast cornering, and especially, crashing)

And, since I am now officially working out, I figured I deserved a recoverita tonight. Its funny, I'm drinking alone, and I prolly need it the least in this house....

Bunny is working on Halloween costumes. I don't know how someone can stress over something as goofy and fun as Halloween, but Bunny seems to have found a way. Migo is relaxing, trying to recover from the stress of having the vacuum cleaner scare him earlier. They are two very silly critters.

Me, I'm just blogging and procrastinating--I need to do more shoulder stretches and strengthening exercises. The lady at PT is KILLIN ME!

Help!

2007-08-28T21:22:00.000-07:00

I have been watching movies. A lot of movies. I know, I should be reading more, but face it, I am a lazy american.

Besides, I really like movies.

But I am running out of movies on my "to see" list. The netflix selection is good, but I find I am renting more and more 3 star movies because I have seen all the 4 and 5 stars. I also watch some online on websites that may or may not be entirely legal, but the selections tend to be pretty meager on those sites. Unless one is a big B-movie fan. I'm not.

So, I need your help. I need suggestions.

I love a good scifi, action thrillers are ok, war movies, period pieces, slapstick comedies, even a good documentary. Musicals, not so much.

Anyway, in return for all your generous suggestions, I'll give you a brief review of the movies I have watched since I made all this spare time for myself. No particular order here....

Saving Private Ryan. Close to an epic. Pretty intense and sad though. One of those 'puts things into perspective' movies. 5 stars (out of 5)

The Motorcycle Diaries. Very interesting and entertaining. Not a typical biography piece. 4 stars.

Syriana. Meh. So the oil companies are corrupt and america screws over other countries. Tell me something i didn't know. Too much dialogue for watching while on the trainer. 2 stars.

Bridge on the River Kwai. Epic. I've seen it many times, I can't get enough of Alec Guiness. 5 stars.

Kelly's Heroes. Another long time fav. 5 stars.

Some PR documentary about Yellowstone. I really want to go see wolves in the wild. 3 stars.

The Philadelphia Experiment. Like most time travel stories, it just never makes perfect sense. Also kind of predictable. 3 stars.

Amadeus. I liked this a lot better the first time I saw it, 20 years ago. 3 stars.

Slaughterhouse Five. Vonnegut rules, but this movie wasn't as good as the book. I keep saying that. I really should read more.... 3 stars

The Girl from Monday. Weird. Kind of reminded me of The Man Who Fell To Earth. 2 stars.

Attilla. It wanted to be an Epic. It failed. 2 stars.

The Sixth Sense. Good story, loved the ending. The main child actor irritates me a bit though. 3 stars.

Rushmore. Offbeat and wacky, this was a surprise. Can't go wrong with Bill Murray. 4 stars.

Beowulf and Grendel. Troll piss is funny. The rest of the movie was weak. 2 stars.

The Hard Road. Fell asleep. Twice. 2 stars.

Star Wars Revelations. A homemade movie by some geeky Star Wars nut. don't know how he got away with it, copywrite-wise. Not the worst movie I've ever seen. 3 stars.

B.I.K.E. This was.....wild. Has anyone else seen this? Did I somehow miss the buzz about it at some point? See it. I thought it was well done artistically, if nothing else. And damn funny at times. Yikes. 4 stars.

-

There were probably a few more, but I can't remember them all.

I have expectations for you people. Olaf, you have a pretty good track record recommending stuff. Get on it, please. Marscat, you are such a good writer, I think you should be good at this game, too. BellaSlaveboy, you have GOT to be good for a scifi flick that has been under my radar....

All y'all, HELP!

training log, 2008 season

2007-08-20T20:35:00.000-07:00

monday aug 20

30 minutes on the cycle-oops, divided into two 15 minute sessions

saddle adjustment in between sessions was of limited help.

fatigue level: moderate

post ride hunger level: extreme

moral level: through the friggin roof......

can't sleep.

2007-08-19T05:54:00.001-07:00

in the days since surgery i think the longest i have slept in a stretch is about 3 hours. i went to sleep saturday at around midnight. by 2am i was wide awake. it is now 6am and i am still up.

tough to sleep anyway. the big news of the day wasn't that taz and bambam got married. we knew that would happen. well, we were pretty sure....

no, the big news was of course that hernando went down, and this time he is out for while.

i gotta say, shit like that will dampen a mood.

our teamies will go out and battle on tomorrow without us. gawd i hope michael and i get a chance to ride with this group again. 'cus it is a special group. and while the demise of team safeway has been widely reported, there is still a breath of life in the beast.

i hope we can save it, i think it is worth it. if not, there are other futures, no doubt filled with new wonders and delights. change is change, neither good nor bad, and if change is inevitable, i can handle that. but i gotta try to make this work a little longer. gotta try.

can't sleep.

2007-08-19T05:54:00.000-07:00

breakthrough day

2007-08-16T22:46:00.000-07:00

today i ate lasagna.

and walked a mile.

and did some very minor house chores.

i feel almost human again. but damn, i wish i could go race the track. or the road. or a bigwheel against the kid up the street....

ah well, i have to listen to my own advice. I always tell people when they are sick or injured and forced off the bike, that they will come back refreshed, recharged, and stronger than ever. thats my plan.

i'm starting my training regime off with some pretty serious stuff. i stand bent over with my bad arm hanging straight down, and i gently swing my arm in little circles. then i sit with my elbow resting on pillow and i flex and extend my forearm back and forth.

It is utterly amazing to me how much all these muscles have weakened, and how stiff the joints have gotten. I have always heard, never experienced.

wow, this rehab thing may actually take a week or two....

things i've learned this week

2007-08-15T20:03:00.000-07:00

today i woke up, after finally getting a measureable amount of sleep, without a fever. haven't had one all day.

i stopped the last of the pain meds which was just some tylenol.

i walked around the yard a little, ate a bit of food, and am going to attempt to take a bath in a bit. i stink.

i will even try some of my first passive rehab exercises after the bath.

so, all in all, i am much better. i am clinging to optimism that i can make it to the Taz+BamBam festivities this weekend. uh, i could use a chair with an armrest, Dan...

so, it might be time to look back on some of the things i can say i learned from this past week.

like, always keep some of the fancy fluffy overadvertised brand name toilet tissue around, just for emergencies. about the 172nd time i felt the sting from the 200 grit stuff we use (high post consumer recycled paper content) i about cried and sent xbun out to fetch me something with a picture of a teddy bear on the packaging....

or, that not all cliff block packages are created equal. that's right, i used my TDF prize as an illness recovery food. they seemed like that'd be easy to digest. so i opened up the best sounding flavor, cherry, and popped a couple in my mouth. as i was chewing i glanced and saw on the package a little "with caffeine" announcement. so i spit em out and went for a different flavor. funny, the first package i had opened had 8 bloks. the second only had 6. quality control issue? dunno.

i also learned that endurance drink mix from powerbar is not only great to have in waterbottles when you train and race, it is also pretty handy to have when you are trying to fight dehydration and hunger when you can't really eat anything. boy am i now sick of that stuff....

and, i wouldn't say i learned this, cus i already knew it. i have the bestest, sweetest, most caring and patient little bunny.

thanks to everyone for all the well wishes, blog comments, emails.

and thank you for everything, little bunny.

good news, i have C. dificile

2007-08-14T11:21:00.000-07:00

Well, it is good in that it means I don't have something WORSE! Meantime, I have the stomach ache from hell. But at least the culprit has been identified, and treatment is underway, and despite the ongoing fever and general discomfort, I think I am sensing some recovery.

I'm down to just tylenol for my shoulder. It is sore, and utterly useless, but I'm finally feeling like it is mending.

I'm just so gawdam optimistic.

As docBunny says, I have gone from being a basket case to just being a sick person.

vibe.

This word gets tossed around a lot. Well, this week I got a first rate reminder just how important vibe is. It can make the difference between confidence and distrust, fear and comfort, tension and relaxation, fun and "get me the fuck out of here!"

I know it isn't eaxactly what I'm known for, but from now on I'm gonna do my very bestest to always promote and portray a positive vibe.

the cure is worse than the disease

2007-08-13T12:28:00.000-07:00

my shoulder seems to be steadily improving. I can move my arm passively and use my left hand to hold very light things and for eating and sort-of-typing. the dressing has been changed a couple times and everything looks normal.

unfortuntely i have a few relatively minor complications. I keep having fevers come and go, and when I get the acompanying chills and muscle spasms, it makes my shoulder hurt something awful. We think the reason for the fevers is some kind of GI infection. I'll spare you all the detiails.

I went for a blood test and gave them all the other samples they needed to check out. I even had some chest x-rays to rule out....something. We should get the results of those tests later today.

meantime, i can barely focus on the laptop--i'll be taking a nap as soon as the room stops spinning...

turning a corner

2007-08-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

without falling down...

bunny the wonder-doc/nurse just gave me a sponge bath. i feel sooooooooooooooooooooo much better.

unbelievable.

could it be that.....dirt hurts?

BTW, was gonna attach a pic, but google-image searching 'sponge bath' yielded mostly amazingly raunchy photos.

next time i'll get migo to snap an actual photo of us.

completely platonic, i swear....

cycling

2007-08-11T18:19:00.000-07:00

i seem to have found a new kind of cycling.

my shoulder starts to hurt. i take a pill. i get woosy and the pain fades. repeat.

its been roughly 48 hours since surgery. i really didn't expect to be dealing with such intense pain this long. and the narcotics are starting to get old. little bits of dizziness have given way to spins and vertigo. it is getting really hard to focus my eyes on things. i also seem to have tempertature problims. one minute i am hot and sweaty, the next i am shivering.

apparently the photo above is really washed out. i don't even see bones. i hope that when he was putting everythin back together he didn't forget anything....

the distal and of the clavicle was itself in a few pieces. so i guess the surgery was really necessary.

bun bun has been taking such good care of me i can't even begin to describe it. i hope my thank yous are sufficient payment. i sincerely hope to never have to return the favor, as it were...

cus i have reached a new level of helplessness. trips to the bathroom are now a two person job.

oi.

but while i am considering myself officially miserable, i still count myself lucky. things could always be worse.

and on that note i'd like to send a huge get well shout to T Lo. her injuries are a lot more serious than mine. Tim must be just beside himself. Best wishes to both for a quick recovery!

So thats about all i can come up with right now. I'd love some news from the race today.

anticipation....

2007-08-08T21:54:00.001-07:00

...with, perhaps, just a bit of apprehension added in....

tomorrow i get one of these installed. i bet it costs more than a new titanium cassette.....

i like the surgeon who is going to do the job. he gets good marks from my #1 source of medical info.

and assuming all goes well and the healing happens the way it is supposed to, the outlook for rehab looks like a tolerable schedule. I should be back out on a road bike in 6 to 8 weeks. and you know i'll be shooting for 6....

but, here is the big thing that has me worried about tomorrow.

my surgery is at 3pm.

i don't get to eat or drink ANYTHING after 7 am.

this could be ugly.

decimated?

2007-08-03T17:30:00.000-07:00

nah, i prefer to say that our numbers are just....somewhat reduced....

me, splintered c-bone, on 72% cocoa diet, done for the year

cwire, a little lost skin and a completely lost appendix, out for a week or two

patrick, too many houses and an impending all-night-alarm-clock, day to day on availability

taz, impending family visiting, wedding, mental indigestion, out til...late august?

el gato, recovering from slightly increased workload, in mourning over all the smashed trek frames, fitness unknown

olaf, bruised body, cat-induced-frazzle-ation....condition unknown....

-

we are a bit of a mess, collectively.

-

don't bet against us this weekend....

my future

2007-07-31T19:50:00.000-07:00

fall is actually my favorite time of year to ride.

this may change all that.....

new experience

2007-07-30T14:25:00.000-07:00

after 43 years, twenty of which i have spent doing this bike racing crap, i have finally broken a major bone. we think i broke a toe or two in the past, but never got them x-rayed, just buddy taped them and kept on going.

and while new experiences can be fun and exciting and even enlightening, i gotta say, i am not too keen on this one.

something bout that grating sensation when i move my left arm is just....yucky.

oh yeah, and the pain ain't so fun either.

we visited our friends dave and mimi in minden this weekend, since we were there for the geezer champ races. they are dear old friends from our merced days of the long long ago time. they adopted me and fed me and took care of me while bunny was working 100 hour weeks in residency.

well, big brother dave has had his share of injuries through the years. most recently, he rode his bike underneath a deisel pusher motor home on ebbets pass. it rolled right over his shoulder.

so, when we got back to their place after yesterday's crash, the first aid kit was already laid out.

unfortunately, i already had a few pain meds in me, so doc bunny nixed the firstaideritas....

dave's sling fit perfectly though.

weird day yesterday. olaf hit the deck hard in the race before mine, and it wigged me out a fair bit. to say i was nervous at the start line is a bit silly. i was shaking.

but racing calmed me down, us bagboys rode a good race, and i liked our chances heading into the field sprint.

then, i just goofed. not really sure why the tires let go, other than just trying to go too fast through the turn, but there is clearly no one to blame but myself. and damn if i didn't take cwire down with me. i ruined a good effort for us, in a race that we really wanted to win.

appologies, btw, to the other guys i took out. i hope everyone is ok.

thanks to everyone who helped us yesterday, all the bellarifics and bagboys, will b, dave and mimi....hope i'm not forgetting anyone...

I've been "ahemed"

2007-07-13T09:52:00.000-07:00

Not much to blog about, except for the fact that there is a big ol baddass tractor in our front yard. Migo doesn't like it, it makes loud noises (dogs don't like loud noises, you know), and it also keeps fooling him into thinking someone is driving up the driveway. He gets all excited and then disappointed. Poor kid.

So, after a year of a gravel driveway, we are finally getting it paved. Yip-pee. No more ruined bike tires, at least not in the first few hundred yards of a ride. And I'm sure it will seem quite nice once it is done, all neat and smooth. As long as we don't think about how much it is costing, cus that might just ruin the fun.

Meantime, I think we are in for some extra dust around here...

OK, gettin ready for the weekend, track districts and all. Time to show all those trackies...just how incompetent we are...

wednesday TTs: a regular thing?

2007-06-28T22:55:00.000-07:00

Hey, XBun is having fun racing them (sick little monkey that she is)

And I am having fun timing them (helping anyway)

And Migo is having fun doing dog stuff....

So, for now at least, they are a regular thing?

-

XBun had a little trouble clipping in at her start.

Calaveras County's newest Bella, however, did not.

Musta been the glitter....

Even Irish Mike got into the glitter act. He was a little concerned about which ear was the proper ear for a guy to have glittered...

To prove how tough he is, he rode the old straight block. For reference, I would not even consider riding that hill in less than a 27....And Olaf was once reduced to tears going up it.....

XBunny traded in her Cat 5 tattoo for some serious bling.

So a different Bunny took up the cause. What is it with Bunnies and novice marks, anyway?

At the end everyone was happy and chatty and....oh, except for Migo. Being a dog is just SO EXHAUSTING!

Bike racing kills brain cells

2007-06-25T20:09:00.000-07:00

I was going to write something. But before I could get it done, it was time to eat dinner.

Now I can't remember what I was going to write.

So, I'll just post this picture from the Bella training camp back in....January?

morning couch time

2007-06-21T08:54:00.000-07:00

Migo is asleep, using me as a pillow. He's plum tuckered out from a pretty big day yesterday, at least as far as a dog is concerned...

After a morning walk around the neighborhood to make sure everything was well marked with our scent, and then a little nap while I went for a ride, we loaded up the XBun TT machine, picked her up early from work and headed out to the weekly local gathering of skinny-wheeled freaks.

Upon arrival, something immediately smelled fishy...

More of "You know you are at a redneck time trial if..."

XBun had a bit of a rough pre-race...three sets of novice marks (nice ones, though) followed by a mystery cut on her finger that required immediate first aid at the start line from yours truly...

We had our local spaceball impersonator...

There were stopwatches and everything! They even let me hold one! The guy in the picture is pretty sadistic. He likes to watch people suffer in TTs, and he has been known to drill on peoples' teeth with no novacaine.

And, of course, we had Irish Mike there, making sure all the riders times were sorted out correctly. He, btw, just gets faster and faster every year....

Migo and I got rewarded for being good athletic supporters. I got pizza AND a burrito from the best restaurant ever (that offers that particular combination, at least).

And Migo got to stop at the local "dog park" where he got to chase Lizzie, his new friend. She is just a pup, and the two of them ran...and ran...and ran...Migo actually tuckered out first. We will be getting Lizzie's training schedule, and seeing her again.

Cus a tired dog is a happy dog.

a post for the month of may...

2007-05-24T14:19:00.000-07:00

lest people think i am a slacker....

-

All the hoopla over the fantstic Kern weekend seems to be dying down. It shouldn't. Cus that was just one heck of a good time.

So here is my little blurb on the fun weekend, before the next weekend comes and we start all over again. The Bellas were so incredible to be around all weekend...words just don't do the whole thing justice.

The teamwork in the 35s was just exemplary in every way. It is a special group. They haven't really raced that much together. But their execution of their plan, their tactical sense, their unselfishness toward each other--it was as if they have been doing it all for years.

Truly inspiring.

-

My mother passed away last week. I was not close to her, so I guess I have not had the same feeling of loss that other people might have...

But there is still a bit of a strange feeling, kind of hard to put a finger on exactly. Kern helped with that too, I suppose, just being around the people that I like to be around...

Change that: I am sure it helped.

-

We got home to a house that is a mess, a bunch of loose ends all over the place, and a horribly busy work week for the Bunny. And even though it was fun....Kern was exhausting. We have been doing our best to get back on schedule, get back to training etc. But the nerves are a bit frayed, and we both seem prone to frustration and even a bit of the grumpys...

But we are managing, and the loose ends are coming back together, slowly but surely.

-

And then the dog barfed...

addendum to the last post:

2007-04-08T21:12:00.000-07:00

one other really cool thing happened yesterday.

one of our local riders rode in his first road race in many years. he has had some significant physical problems that have kept him off of the bike for a very long time, years in fact, and he only started riding again recently. he finished well behind the leaders of his field, but hey, he finished. and he was so stoked. I guess he was in a group of chasers that had their own competition down the stretch going...and he dropped them all.

it may have been the happiest I have ever seen the guy look. i know how this guy LOVES to ride his bike, and he LOVES to go hard. he loves to compete, at whatever level....

he has seen many specialists all over the country. but apparently it is his local doc who he credits for giving him the encouragement to get back on the bike, to do what he loves doing.

and i got see how happy it made the local doc, to hear how happy this guy was yesterday....

recoveritas = necessary

2007-04-07T20:09:00.000-07:00

So, without a whole lot of enthiusiasm, me and da bunny made our way down the hill for the annual copperdropyourass cycling eggstravaganza.

I got a good warm up. It helped.

For the first time since I was a MUCH younger cat 3, I didn't totally implode the first time up the main climb. I was working hard, for sure, but I was NOT going to get dropped. Until there wasa crash, and anyone behind it was to come to a full stop. Let the chasing begin. I got back on, barely, a couple miles after the top of the hill. I was in the group for the rest of the 1st lap, only to get dropped on a steep part the second time up the main climb. Oh well, I still had gas, and kept on it until the third time up the main climb....where I got a flat.

Why oh why do we have to hold that race every year?

Well, this is why:

So that those with the high strength/weight ratio can go out and show off.

Of course, it sounds like he had some serious help:

Man I wish I could ride like these guys....

BTW, photo credit goes to my secret spy, Irish Mike. And if you read this piece of crap blog, rest assured that he was yellin for you out there today...

-

XBun had a great race. She made it over the top with the lead group, but the bumps and the wind took their toll on her...but she fought hard and hung on for a top ten finish--always respectable. And dammit, take it from me, just finishing on this course is an achievement.

-

Migo is trashed. He didn't race, but he did get to make friends with a number of dogs today, and, well, being awake all day is just a big effort for a couch-dog. He is such a really really good dog. He gets a good run tomorrow....

-

I had a good chat with the venerable Mr. Caldwell today. I love that guy. He is a classy rider, amazing in his longevity in this sport. He has won in every way imaginable, and done so with style. I have nothing but respect for him, and am honored to consider him a friend.

But lordy, if there was ever somneone who liked to hear himself talk more....

Maybe Olaf...but that is just typing. That is completely different.

I think....

-

Had great chats with McSassy and his little bro, BBosch.

I'm glad we race with those guys.

-

Next up is the Otter weekend. Ya know, there is a lot about that whole shindig that I don't care for. And I would love to race the "alternative race" that weekend.

Except dammit, I need a party something fierce....

And parties just don't get any better than the Bella booth at Sea Otter...

-

I'm bringin' my skates.

Funny, the things that make me smile on an otherwise shitty monday morning.

2007-04-02T09:06:00.000-07:00

Doohan´s Ashes to Be Blasted Into Space
Monday, April 02, 2007 - 03:12 PM
LAS CRUCES, N.M.

The ashes of James Doohan, who played chief engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott on the original "Star Trek" TV series, have been loaded into a rocket that is set to launch in New Mexico later this month.
The remains of Doohan, Mercury astronaut Gordon Cooper and some 200 others were loaded into the rocket Friday by Charles Chafer, chief executive of Celestis, a Texas company that contracts with rocket firms to send cremated remains into space.
"And we´re ready to go," Chafer said after inserting the silver canister.
Jerry Larson, president of Connecticut-based UP Aerospace Inc., said the rocket will be launched April 28.
Families paid $495 to have a few grams of their loved one´s ashes placed on the rocket.
Chafer said he´s aware of the dedication of "Star Trek" fans.
"There´s no doubt that we´ll find a way to accommodate fans who travel here and want to be part of that experience," he said.
Doohan died in July 2005 at age 85.
The remains of "Star Trek" creator Gene Roddenberry were blasted into space in 1997.

-

Maybe there is more than one good reason to go to New Mexico that week....

i am storm

2007-02-27T14:17:00.000-08:00

Because I can control the weather.

It is simple.

Me and Migo finish plowing the driveway, shoveling the walk....

And we wag our tails, all happy and proud of a job well done....

And it starts to snow again.

things that make me laugh

2007-02-27T10:11:00.000-08:00

Olaf's shoes make me laugh. Yes that is grass growing out of them. Talk about rich fertilizer....

I wonder if they are still there.

-

Migo makes me laugh. Saturday after the RR in Senlling, we were walking around the grassy area, looking for good places to pee, when fairly suddenly Migo did a total tuck and roll head first onto the grass. Bunny immediately walked over to where he was and said, "yep, there's a dead thing". Turns out it was a dead mouse. Or a piece of one, anyway...

Now what possible reason could there be for a dog to instinctively like to roll on dead animals?

-

XBunny makes me laugh. The other day we were hanging out, doing lots of nothing around the house. While sitting on the couch (Migo's couch, that is), she got a puzzled look, then reached up inside the pantleg of her sweatpants....and pulled out a wadded up pair of thermal long underwear. This was in the afternoon. They had been there all day.

"Oh," she said, "I thought that was just a sock."

-

That's about it. I have the snotty-cold-from-hell. I HATE being sick.

Snelling, NOT Senlling

2007-02-24T18:05:00.000-08:00

The day started out early and odd. t-Rex got his minivan stuck in our driveway for a bit, and once unstuck, we all had to brave the icy winter roads to get down the hill for the race...

The race went about as well as could be expected. Four Safeways in the top ten, and the victory for Hernando, who was away most of the race with two other strongmen. It was a big field and a fast hard race. This was a very satisfying result. Maybe fun, even?

Alas, there was still a bit of bad behavior to deal with today. Masters. We are all over 35 years old. Can't we puh-leeeeze act like it?

Bunny had a good race. She laid down a late attack at the 1K mark. Nothing special about that, a good idea to make some other team chase and effectively lead out your team's sprinters. And if they don't chase, maybe you stick it for the win...

The special thing about it, though, was she was blocked from attacking by the field spread completely accross the road--so she hit the dirt shoulder and went right around them!! Oh, I would have loved to see that. Such a crosser at heart...

How da'PAB got his name....

2007-02-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

No posting from me lately, hopefully this will make up for it.

For a while now, I've been thinking of changing my 'callsign', PAB, to something else. I am just sort of weary of it. But a new name, hmmm, what to choose?

Starbuck? Glitterboy? Perhaps something to do with poowater...

If anyone comes up with something really good, let me know.

The letters PAB could stand for a lot of things. Lilly Bella thinks it stands for 'Pretty Allamerican Boy.' I like that.

But, alas, it stands for something else....

(if this were video the screen would now get all wavey, and the sound would get all echo-y...)

-

A couple of years ago, me and Olaf were on one of our many long training rides together. We don't really like the training aspect of long rides, it is just a social thing. You all know how chatty we both are.

I think we were looking at about 140 miles that day. I think we had done 160 the day before and wanted to back off a little, else we get stale...

We were about 100 mile into the ride, and needed to stop for our third (or was it 4th?) Mountain Dew break of the day. Damn I feel good when I drink that stuff on rides...

This was our lucky day. The store we stopped at had a couple girl scouts selling cookies out front. The only thing better than a stomach full of the Dew on a ride is a stomach full of Dew and Thin Mints!!

Oh sweet gastric delight!

Well, just as we came out of the store with our drinkies and were about to buy our cookies, we noticed that a few (5, to be exact) of the Harley riding crazies from the bar next door were standing around the little girl scouts. As we approached, it was instantly clear that these brutes were harrassing the poor little scouts, trying to grab their cookies...

A quick look to each other and our next move was clear--we both sprang toward these villains without a second thought. Honor. Glory. Cookies.

Now Olaf, as you all know, was a Golden Gloves boxer in his youth. He stood toe to toe with the first big hairy mongoloid and quickly dispatched him.

I, meanwhile, used my old Tae Kwon Do training and smacked a couple of the others to the ground. I wasn't as limber as in my younger days, but a side kick here, a round kick there....these guys didn't stand a chance.

Olaf took another guy out with a quick combo to the (beer) belly, followed by a roundhouse right to the ZZTop bearded jaw.

All that remained was the the fifth, the leader, the biggest baddest looking leather clad mongrel this side of Carmel Valley...

Now, Olaf is good, but this guy had about 150 pounds on him. Just as the big beast was descending on Olaf, I took three quick steps, took off, and did a flying scissor kick to this guy's portly head. Game over. He bounced as he landed, like a bull elephant seal beaching itself.

As I landed, two feet on the ground, knees bent in perfect form, I expected a big sigh of relief from Olaf, a "thankyouverymuch", to say the least.

Know what he said?

"You Punk Ass Bitch, that last guy was mine!!"

A moment of silence.

Then we both busted up laughing, and looked for the little girl scouts with the cookies. We weren't expecting a reward, but boy, it might be nice....

You know what those little scouts said?

"No cookies for you. We don't like boys who fight."

Dejected, we just drank our Dew, and got back on the bikes. We ended up only getting 130 miles that day. And I threw my back out with the flying scissor kick thingy. Olaf's wrist still hurts to this day from landing that roundhouse right.

Honestly, it was an experience that we don't like to talk about much.

But the name stuck.

enough said

2007-02-02T21:53:00.000-08:00

Thanks Kevin.

I feel much better after watching this...

Loud AC/DC helps

2007-02-02T16:23:00.000-08:00

Hmmm, let's see how many people I can offend today...

Olaf constantly ropes on whitey and gets away with it, so maybe I'll be given a little slack. If not, oh well.

I despise so much about our society. Yet society rolls merrily along, and I don't usually get upset. I don't like being upset, I'd rather be happy. So I pretend not to notice, or care, or whatever.

But occassionally shit gets to me. Usually it involves someone in some sort of position of power, ruling via the doctrine of western religion. And today, the 7th Day Adventists went to the top of my "list"....

No, as a religion, Adventistism probably isn't any worse a scourge on the eath than any of the others (in fact, I hear they don't eat meat), but today, I just sort of had it with one particular Adventist organization.

Its just a damn good thing I don't have to interface with the real world all that much. Olaf in his meeting? Marscat in hers?

I would have lost it, again, and again, and again...

Fuck the establishment!

-

Now, where are my thin mints??!!

hate to move that photo down, but....

2007-01-18T11:49:00.000-08:00

i have to rant.

my hotmail is bugging me.

really really bugging me.

i am SO sick of those annoying ads, the ones with the gawdam little dancing people....

...that i was actually happy to see a walmart ad instead.

sigh.

deletion avoidance (although i woulda posted this anyway, prolly)

2007-01-08T15:42:00.000-08:00

I was warned this weekend that people who don't post get deleted from blogrolls. I even witnessed a deletion. It was pretty ugly.

so here goes.....

Rona Hung, XBunny, MaryAnn Hunter, the CCCX Womens B overall series podium.

These women know how to race, know how to suffer, and know how to have fun.

Too cool for words.

ahhhh.

2006-12-15T18:38:00.000-08:00

The quest for the couch is over. Long live the couch.

It isn't what we went looking for so long, long ago. No resemblance at all, in fact. And neither of us would have ever picked this color: bland.

BUT IT IS COMFY!!

Now, the betting is open as to how long it takes Migo to worm his way onto it with us....

-

I am SO happy not to be going anywhere this weekend. We are getting stuff done together--shopping, housecleaning, a run with Migo, etc.

And relaxing.

So simple. So good.

-

Now I am going to eat chocolate chip pancakes for dinner.

Bye.

tour of cali

2006-12-06T12:08:00.000-08:00

I just read the press release thingy talking about all the stages of the race in Feb.

I am a little excited to read that the race will go out through Davis to Sac.

And then it will go over Patterson Pass, just like our little local racey race does.

But, alas, I am torn by the fact that I want to support our local guys who we all like and root for--and not wanting to support pro cycling at all. At least not men's pro cycling. For years they have gotten the press, the financial support, all the goodies. And they have taken it and made a mess out of it. At least the guys on the other side of the pond, some of whom will be here...

-

I've never ridden Sierra Rd. Is it really a harder climb than Trinity Grade?

I remember back in 1986 when the Coors Classic used pretty much the same course as stage 2, Santa Rosa to Sacto. I rode out to our local "killer" climb, Cardiac hill west of Winters. My friend and I were pretty new to racing, so our observations were understandibly uninformed.

"Huh. There's not very many of them, are there?" There were only 20- 30 or so riders in the pack.

"They don't seem to be racing very hard." They were chatting, eating, drinking, while going up our local "killer" climb.

Which one was Lemond??

So we shrugged, remounted our bikes, and headed back toward home along the race route. We stuffed our pockets with souveniers--mussette bags and waterbottles. This was such a score--I think I only owned one or two waterbottles, and now I had a bunch! I think I even snacked on some of the uneaten food in a mussette. Probably the best food I'd had in days. College, and all...

Occassionally, one or two riders would come by us, sometimes with a police motor escort. "Must have been dropped...."

One guy actually handed his feed bag to my friend, and said something friendy sounding in Spanish. 1986. A young Indurain, maybe?

Just as we got back to Davis, we heard some honking, and a police motor fellow came by us and waved at us to pull over. We did, and along came a bunch more motors, some cars, and a BUNCH of riders. "Oh, I thought there should have been more of them...."

Apparently, Trinity Grade had made a very early selection that day. The gap was huge between that lead group of thirty or so and the main field. I seem to recall that a small group got away late along the Sacto River Rd. One guy was soloing in for the apparent win and took a wrong turn or something. Dunno, can't remember, too long ago.

So anyway, I expect that the number of potential winners this year will be seriously pared down on the second stage. The race won't be won that day, but for some, whose climbing legs aren't ready, I think it will be lost.

I am soooo tempted to go to Davis, ride out to Cardiac, then ride along in the middle of the race like a doofus...

If you fall down, you're going to lose time.

2006-12-03T21:12:00.001-08:00

Duh.

I think we have all experienced this at one time or another. It is a pretty simple concept.

So why do I keep doing it??!!

Well, today it was because of a string of events....

First, I had a whopper of a case of insomnia last night. No idea why. But at least I go to catch a late movie: The Siege, with Denzel Washington. It is amazing that that film came out in 1998. What's that about the truth being stranger than fiction??

I like the work that Mr. Washington does. It seems that the films he is in are always good. I am no expert on acting, but I think he must have something to do with it.

-

So, morning came earlier than usual. I COULD NOT get going. So warm up was pretty poor. Starting from the second row, I figured I'd let myself ride into the race a bit (ie not go out too hard). Well, I went out not too hard, got caught up in a scrum at the loose part of the climb, and was immediately watching 10 or 12 guys ride away. I was in a small group a few seconds back as we snaked through the trees. There was little opportunity to pass and the gap to the leaders grew. I was patient--until we hit the beach--then I did my best Hernando imitation and went full guns to get accross the gap. I went all out in hopes of latching onto the back of the lead group in time to rest a little before the next time up the hill. And my plan was working; I was about to make contact as I came to a double barricade and let off the gas a bit. I relaxed the body....and the brain followed. Trip, splat. I caught my toe on the barrier, jettisoned the bike, and landed on my butt.

Back to all out chase mode!

Bad idea.

For my next act I did a lovely hook slide around a right hander. This time I was on the ground for a bit, and I never saw the leaders again. Or even thought about seeing them, for that matter....

-

Funny, I spent a good deal of time talking with friends about our respective sore backs today. Mine has been a PITA for a few weeks now. Are we getting old guys, or is this just a mutual symptom of a season of cross races??

-

XBun had another good race today--although she is a little bruised and scraped. Steve G. had a great ride in the 45+, two seconds from a medal! Russel had a nice ride in the C's. The Bellas had a strong showing all around icluding a district championship for Ms. Bortolussi. And, I hear the little Lobsters overcame the behemoth that is Webcor....

-

Alas, Mr. Migo, the all-world dog, seems bored at bike races. He LOVES seeing his favorite people, but I can tell he wishes we'd stop doing whatever-the-hell it is we are doing and take him for a run.

So, after the race we headed over to the really cool dog park that I'd ridden past on my warm-down. And he had fun. Like, face humping a huge rotweiler type of fun!!

-

So, despite all the falling down, I'd say it was a pretty good day.

when the urge hits....

2006-11-22T21:35:00.000-08:00

I am fortysomething years old. And I enjoy Marilyn Manson. And sweet tarts. And humor that is childish, crude, and that makes fun of people in ways that are not PC. Especially if it involves vomit.

So sue me.

re-equilibrating

2006-11-16T21:56:00.000-08:00

wow, here it is only thursday...

and i think i have recovered from the weekend.

no, i didn't (get to) race last sunday, and we were even home earlier than usual.

but i have never felt so tired...

-

i am really looking forward to the race sunday. i had a blast there last year. we had the Safeway tent, and i am pretty sure that is where i first formally met one ms. dukes.

talk about a significant day!

and i think i can have a good race there. i was feeling good last year, riding well by my crisscrossy standards...when i failed to make a (well marked, mind you) right turn and rode straight into the tape, becoming entangled and losing quite a few places.

gonna watch where i'm going this year.

and bunny needs a race. cross is her thing now, and she has missed out on some racing lately, so she needs a race bad.

-

the schmoopers are FINALLY going to get away for a little romantic, ahem, hill climbing. i sure hope they have a nice time, relax, rest, recharge. gosh they deserve it.

i said 'gosh'.

oy.

-

my latest pet peeve: people want companies to make good products and provide good service and value. then, when those companies do and become successful and grow, people complain that they are too big and bloated and are expanding everywhere and overwhelming small businesses that can't compete.

wait.

this is a happy post.

i'll talk about starbucks and trek and patagonia etc in another post....

-

bring on the Simpsons....

reminder

2006-11-12T20:28:00.000-08:00

There have been better days, for sure. Still, as the wisdom of the collective blogebellum reminds us, things could have been worse as well.

Can't help but feel like crap tonight, though.

A couple times in the last year I have looked back at an old post or two. Written in other darkish times, they were. They remind me what a great friend I have. What great friends we have.

And then I think of all the great people who we have met through them.

Today was a genuine misallignment of the cosmic forces.

In other words, a chrome plated grade A number one cluster fuck.

But I'll sleep fine.

I hope my friends do too.

late night wanderings

2006-11-06T00:54:00.000-08:00

Is it coincidence that when we remodeled upstairs, we chose Moen fixtures, the same brand as what was already downstairs? Is it a taste thing? Or do they make the best stuff--something that the discriminating hand washer notices...

-

Raccoons can get pretty gawdam big. And when they have triplets, they can get pretty gawdam mean!

I am soooo in agreement with Bill Maher: organized religion is simply a form of group psychosis.

-

Why the fuck would anyone design a seat tube in a size that no one makes a seatpost for? Shouldn't someone lose their job over something like that?

-

Riding on dusty trails is absolutely no fun at all. At least not compared to riding on nice damp-but-not-muddy ones.

-

People are people, fanatics are fanatics, and idiots are idiots.

-

$5000 is a completely ridiculous amount of money to pay for a bicycle. (For that matter, so is $2000) I have no idea what an un-ridiculous amount is to pay for a bicycle...

-

I need to ride more, and eat and drink less. I'll start by riding more.

-

Simplicity is good. Dogs are cute. I am a melonhead.

quite a week

2006-11-03T18:29:00.000-08:00

We have had a few firsts this week:

I did my first ever costume race. What can I say? I'm speechless. I mean, I knew my friends were kooky, but really now....

We had our first overnight visitor at the house--and he just might stay awhile.

We got our first Xmas card of the year--yeah, I know, it is kinda weird. But also very cool.

We did our first run in the rain of the season--and followed it up with our first ride in the rain. Fun, but messy.

My first dabbling with carbon fibre looks like it just might work--better not jynx myself, though. I'll keep ya posted...

-

It looks like THIS time we may just stick to our word and stay home for a weekend. The beer and bullets crowd has all gone home and I think we will venture out into the back country for a bit tomorrow--again, for the first time this year.

-

I am pretty psyched about the remaining cross races this season, though. All that Bella enthusiasm is pretty contagious.

I like that the cross community seems to take matters into its own hands, through the forum or otherwise. A little talk about a need/desire for a premier-type series and it looks like it will get done. I just hope everyone remembers that bigger doesn't necessarily mean better, and that even what we consider to be really good prize money for a race or a series barely covers gas and beer for the team...

Keep things simple, keep things fun.

distance

2006-10-27T08:00:00.000-07:00

I think I may have mentioned that the Xbunny and me, well, we race our bikes a lot. As in, every weekend.

We can count the weekends at home in '06 on one hand. Literally.

We have had so many good times, though, I couldn't posibly begin to count all those.

In years past we raced less, and hung close to home more, doing fun stuff with friends who are local. But it seems that we have lost touch with most of them. We've all gone in different directions, finding our fun in different ways.

Our direction has taken us west, out to hang with the schmoopers, race with the Bellas and the Safemates. And I wouldn't trade any of it. Sure, racing is hard and tiring, and nothing is good all the time. But this year it has come close.

We race for many reasons, but the biggest one is because our friends do. If we go, we get to see them, plain and simple.

So, we drive. It is kind of a pay-to-play arrangement in my mind. While most times we manage to cope, there are days, especially on the drives home, when I ask myself if we are crazy to be doing so much driving. "If you lived here you'd be home now" goes repeatedly through my head.
But then I get back to our little corner of the world, where the trees are plentiful and the people are relatively few. It is (usually) quiet and peaceful.

And I don't think I could ever leave it behind, couldn't give it up. Not that that is a terribly realistic option. Moving just sucks, and it will be a long while before we have the motivation to try it again.

So, we must continue with our vagabond lifestyle because, my dear friends, I can't give you up either.

As someone around here likes to say, there are a lot worse things we could be addicted to.

officially...

2006-10-24T14:21:00.000-07:00

...back in operation. A tube has actually been mitered. One down, a whole bunch to go. We should be on the road by 2007....

It has been a while. I forgot things: like, I should wear an apron when I do this kind of work. And, doing this makes lots of little sharp pokie things that hurt my fingers. And, measure four times, cut once.

But it is all coming back to me. Fun stuff.

Oops, gotta take a break now and go ride...

evil twin

2006-10-20T18:02:00.000-07:00

as in, I think I want one...

Part of me (or should I say us) knows rest is good, and downtime is needed. But downtime has never come easy to our types.

-

So, here it is friday, another weekend upon us. And the Bunny and me, we are at home.

Weird.

So, what are we going to do with ourselves tomorrow and Sunday?

Hmm, that's pretty tough. All our friends are out west, breathing the deliciously moist ocean air. Heck, everyone we practically know is out there, much less people we actually like...

And what activities are we likely to do on a weekend? Hmmm, ride our bikes, maybe?

Now, I have heard that there is a CX race near here tomorrow. Gonna be mostly on grass (70%?), and the rest on pavement. Now, that sounds kind of interesting. i could go for some dust-free playtime. We'd be riding anyway, probably on a loop that goes very near the old nuke plant....

So, it seems reasonable that we just go ahead and race it. It'll be a good workout, after all.

And it occurs to me: if we are going to be driving down that far for that race, then we will already be almost half way to the Stick. It would be a waste of gasoline and downright silly to turn around and just come home. I mean, we'd just end up riding our bikes Sunday anyway, so why not race em?

And as a bonus, we get to hang with Lothar and his slutty dogs. Then Sunday we get to see more of the gang, and get our weekly dose of unadulterated schmoop from the experts.

My gawd we are freakin addicts.

-

Sorry, but this McLane thing is really bugging me. Doug Fluetsch is a good guy, I've known him a long time, ridden more than a few miles with the guy. And he loves bike racing, even though he gave up doing it himself for other things a long time ago. And he has put this race on tirelessly for years. It is a service to us all that he does it. And, he does it quite well ('cept maybe for being a little stingy with the portocrappers at the RR, but when VeloBob is the teaching example, you gotta expect the student to follow...).

So, instead of having a well run, POPULAR early season NRC event, there is going to be... what?

Maybe some other enthusiast will step up, with connections to a big-money advertiser, a completely enclosable road course, and the organizational skill to put it all together. Or maybe not. Either way, I really feel like the leaders in C-Springs are stepping on their own collective dick. Again.

-

I hope Doug goes back to promoting the low key Schaffer Bridge RR. I have too many wheels hanging in the garage anyway, and that course is guaranteed to destroy one or two.

For that matter, I hope people, promoter types that is, just keep their events small, low key, local. Doesn't mean they should be poorly run. I like well run events.

But bigger better more--who needs it?

Per Cyclingnews...USA Cycling shooting its own foot again...

2006-10-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

McLane Pacific Cycling Classic cancelled for 2007
The McLane Pacific Cycling Classic will not be held in 2007, ending a 14-year spring tradition for the community of Merced, California. For the past several years, the race has been the opening weekend for the American National Racing Calendar (NRC) calendar. The race will cease because it cannot increase its operating budget to meet the recently revised NRC guidelines from USA Cycling.
The event started 14 years ago as a fundraiser for the United Way and over the years has donated well over $100,000 to the charity. With that goal in mind, the event committee scurried to fill the gap between what McLane Pacific had offered each year and what was needed.
After the last option had closed on the morning of Friday, October 20th, the result was clear. "Over the history of the race, we have never ended an edition with a financial deficit. Not knowing without a doubt that we would be able to operate the race at the level we want to, without a financial burden, it is not possible to continue," said co-race director and race founder Doug Fluetsch.
"McLane Pacific has been a wonderful sponsor to work with. A handshake was all we ever had and all we ever needed during the 14 years. They always honored their word, and we always honored ours with the community of Merced. It is sad to see it come to an end, but if we cannot continue at a high level with the NRC, it is time to stop." McLane Pacific did offer to continue to sponsor the event at the level of the previous years, but that level was not enough to meet the requirements currently set by USA Cycling.

-

Well shit.

ok, my turn...

2006-10-17T22:04:00.000-07:00

...for a weekend cross recap.

I knew it was going to be a long weekend when I was awoken WAAAAAAAAAAYY too early on Saturday. "Ok, I'm ready, just let me grab some coffee."

"What do you mean there's no coffee!!!???"

"Well, I know where we can get some," he said...

I stumbled out the door and fell into Sputnick. We drove into the black abyss...

"So, where's this coffee?"

"Oh shit, I forgot. We passed it. Don't worry, they'll have some at the high school."

Yeah right. Despite arriving with the world's lamest excuse for a truck, we were the first ones there! THERE WAS NO COFFEE!!!!!

Damn you Olaf. An hour delay in my morning coffee can have serious side effects! It's tuesday, and I can just now focus long enough to type!

-

We spent the better part of Saturday setting up the course. Jeff Clark is a serious perfectionist. Tape tied to bushes was just not OK.

And, for the first time in my memory, Olaf's prime concern was safety. That, and getting EVERY piece of 'equipment' out of the Velo Promo truck and out onto the course.

I hammered a whole lot of stakes into the ground that day. We all did. But I bet I hammered myself more than anybody else. And I have the bruises to prove it. What a clutz.

Another effect of delayed coffee...

-

Sunday started a little better. There was coffee when I got up. Well, there was one half cup of coffee anyway...

A stop along the way for more coffee and I was ready to ride. Well, maybe not. My first accomplishment of the day was slipping my rear tire on a steep little uphill and smashing my knee into my stem. I've done that many times before, but this one was pretty bad. I think I fell off my bike and wimpered for a while while other people practiced dismounting and jumped over me. Was this a sign that I should skip the race, that I was too tired? Probably. Oh well, at least the pain masked the pain from the hammering the day before...

The Master35B race was my mission for the day. It was the first race and it was short, so the rest of the day I could focus on my duties as "roving course maintainance person". Never mind that anything longer than the 30 minutes we raced would have been completely impossible...

The race went OK, and I was in a good fun fight for second and planning on making a run for the leader, but I got yet another flat on the last lap. I suck so bad at most everything about cross. All except the pedaling, anyway. I know how to pedal, but I still gotta work on the rest...

-

The course held up great all day. I really didn't do much aside from helping set up kiddie cross and holding a limbo pole for twenty minutes. That was fun. I could have done that all day. Well, maybe I could have done that for 30 minutes...I was so tired that standing was starting to hurt, and really I was very happy just rolling around very slowly, making sure that the marking tape was staying in place and all. Which it was.

Until the A race, that is. The wind picked up, and I was suddenly needed in two places at once for most of the hour, as the wind blew over pylons on one part of the course and ripped the tape from the posts on another. Then it did it again.

Damn wind.

When it was all over, and the course teardown began, I was pretty much toast. But so was everyone else, and they were still there toiling away so XBun and I did a little bit, until Olaf pretty much made us leave. Bless his soul, that almost made up for the coffee incident. He knew we had the long 4 hour plus drive home ahead of us. And it was. Plus, I mean. The damn traffic on 580 never goes away, does it? We got off and tried to scoot around the traffic jam through Tracy. Big mistake. They were actually doing road construction there at 7pm on a Sunday. Unbelievable.

From that point on, I am quite sure that I was driving well above the legal limit of tiredness.

But we made it home. And the funny thing is, as tired as I was, and unhappy, and swearing up and down that I never wanted to do that again....

...now I can't wait to go to Watsonville and do it all again.

Dear Team VanderBella,

2006-10-03T14:55:00.000-07:00

Today I worked on my cx remounts and have some questions. I am writing to you because as we all know, you two are quite experienced and enthusiastic, um, mounters...

-

Clearly cx is a typical endeavor where the more you learn, the more you realize you need to learn. I am getting so that I don't stutterstep, or dab, or do whateveryoucall that thing that I do on my remounts. At least not very often.

But, now I have to work on a couple other things:

Like, not veering left every time. I have no idea what is causing this.

And getting into the pedals quickly and efficiently. I figure that this will come with lots of practice, but I also bet there are some tricks to making it easier or at least more consistent.

And I tried once again to hold onto the tops instead of the hoods. And again, I found myself missing the saddle and heading for the rear tire. An advanced skill that I'm not ready for, I guess.

I practiced my dismounts and remounts for a solid chunk of time today, the second time I have done so in recent weeks. I think I should probably be doing it every day.

Unfortunately, it is a bit on the boring side for me. Sorta like practicing scales on the cello when I was a kid. Necessary for improvement, but not very exciting. Yuck.

Maybe if I tried it with a friend.....

-

So anyway, if you Velohoots wouldn't mind, perhaps you could give me some more pointers? Maybe even a lesson or two?

Gracias,
da PAB

sweet weekend

2006-10-02T17:59:00.000-07:00

I had a major accomplishment yesterday. I finished a cross race with no flats and no crashes. I was slow as heck, but I'll take it.

I believe that in cycling, confidence is underrated. Sure, everyone seems to agree that it is important, but I think it is REALLY important. All the speed and fitness and skill in the world will be squandered if the confidence isn't there to unleash it.

So I built a little confidence.

Now to work on the speed and fitness and (especially) skill....

-

Another plus that came from not crashing is that I don't have my weekly fresh set of lumps, scrapes and bruises. When the mind and body are fresh and strong, those things are easily ignored. But when the mind and body are stale, tired, burnt...well they can really slow me down.
I actually feel fresh after a little recovery spin tonight.

And I think that the aftereffects of the long road season are finally wearing off...

-

Man, it was SOOO much fun hanging with the schmoopers and the Bella crew yesterday. Such amazingly fun, warm people.

I can't wait for the Surf City races. With even more Bella-types roaming around, it is sure to be a party not-to-be-missed.

-

BTW, I hope a few other people built a little confidence yesterday. The performances sure were worthy of it.

And y'all know who you are...

mechan-nix

2006-09-27T19:34:00.000-07:00

I swear, I have gotten a flat the last six times I have ridden the cx bike. Mostly pinch flats.

Today I ventured down the hill to the 'big city' (Angels Camp) cus I needed a haircut in a really bad way, and I figured while I was there I'd grab a ride at New Melones resevoir. Some of you may have been there for the Iron Angels MTB race that VP puts on every year. One year there was also a bigger event there, don't remember exactly what it was, but I do remember just about getting blown off the trail by Bart Brentjens and Gert Jan Theunise.

Well, I know those trails are a bit bumpy. But damn, every time I go there I think "wow, it's bumpier than ever down here". The trails aren't the most interesting, or the most scenic, but it is hard to sneeze at 12 miles of legal singletrack.

So I started my ride and was being good, staying WELL under the 85% mark. I was pretty pleased--I was clearing lots of stuff that can sometimes trip me up on my mountain bike. Coulda used a lower gear, but that is starting to sound like a recurring theme.

Best of all, I was making it through all the rocky bumpies with all my original air in my tires (as in, "no CO2").

Eventually, near the end of the ride, I got to a particular steep rocky uphill, one of those trouble spots on the MTB. I was doing great, gonna clear it, when KUR-RUNCH!, the freehub gave way. It wasn't a total shock, these old Hugis have a habit of doing it.

Now, in the olden days, I would have just taken my toe strap and laced it through the holes in the big cog and the spokes and made a fixed gear. Yes, I know that this works from experience--we used to destroy tandem freewheels regularly. Just one problem: someone went and invented clipless pedals. I thought about other possibilities. A shoelace? Had none of those, either. The front derailer cable was pretty useless on this ride, I could try the same trick using that...

But in the end, I decided that the car was only a little over a mile away, I could practice carrying the bike up the hills, and coast down them. Made for a short but intense workout.

Anyone got an extra rear hub lying around?

Oh yeah, since my ride got cut short, I decided to get in a little bonus workout this evening. I ran 15 whole minutes, with a couple short accelerations. It must be a good thing that I'm running--cus I suck at it...

still set on random

2006-09-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

Is it a sign of addiction if, while still sleeping, one dreams of having morning coffee?

We have lived in the 'new' house now for 4 or 5 months. There are still un-opened boxes crowding our dining area. We still do not have a couch to sit on. The deck needs staining, and there is still a snowplow in the middle of the garage. These things just don't get done when we are at bike races.

We need more gnomes.

I rode the cross bike yesterday and did a few run-ups. My legs are sore this morning.

Oh, this coffee tastes good!

I agree with most of what Bill Maher says, but not all. He sure as hell makes me laugh, though.

random thoughts

2006-09-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

I hate having to copy what other people do...but anything more organized is beyond my mental power right now.

-

I found a link to a new Star Trek website. It seems there are some crazy people out there with some movie making skills making new episodes with new actors. And a couple old ones. I guess Sulu and Chekov never found other jobs....

Thank goodness the other actors had the good sense and maturity to know when to stop....

Speaking of maturity...

Magic is a really fun game. I wish I/we had more time to play.

Bunny and I are very seriously considering a dog. It has been well over a year since Ladyhawk left us. It might be the right time.

Gosh, when we had dogs before, bunny wasn't into racing. Now that she is a full fledged racer chick, we take more bikes with us every weekend. If we had a dog, we'd need a bigger car....

Perhaps one of these...

I was told that it is a bad idea to enter cross season banged up. But when am I not bruised, scraped, pulled, or twisted? I may never (get to) race cross again!

Our local state park is a great place to ride on pavement, as long as one doesn't mind lots of climbing. It would be a good place to ride off road (as long as one doesn't mind lots of climbing), but I think the local politicos have staked their claim to the park. And the local politicos don't like ANYTHING with wheels.

Unless it is their big fat car which they drive so incredibly poorly that riding on the pavement isn't always a totally serene experience....

I only bitch about this because Bunny and I had another good ride out around the SC--on roads and trails in their local state parks. Not to mention our incredible ride in the state park up north a couple weeks ago. I do love it here, but it isn't perfect, and other places are nice, too....

Bunny is lifting weights. She is such a studly bunny!

I have been feeling really tired lately. My doc told me I need to be sure to take my vitamins, being veggie and all.

I have remembered them one day in a row now.

I don't think they have kicked in yet....

so honey, this is why...

2006-09-21T19:44:00.000-07:00

Bunny and I went out this eve for some much needed cx skills practice.

We've got the pedalling down ok, running is painful but do-able, and hopping over barriers has only caused a problem for one of us, and only one time....

It's the getting on and off the bike part that poses the big challenges.

Getting off we are actually OK with. Our form might not be the best, but it works. Getting on the bike--we are both seriously struggling with that task.

I stutter-step-jump up on the saddle. Bunny doesn't jump at all, she just sort of glides on up there. Both methods work, but it isn't what we see the fast guys and gals doing. They JUMP up onto that bike, and they do it while maintaining fast forward speed.

So, we both started trying to do it right, on a nice soft grassy field. It is a challenge to commit to the jump, a little lesson in overcoming the fear of landing wrong on (or missing) the saddle.

Bunny was getting that mad and upset with herself face going. I was afraid she was gonna jump into the berry bushes any second.

Meantime, I started commiting to the jump. I find it easier if I am running a little faster. Ah, success.

I tried to encourage the bunny, finding that delicate balancing point I have heard about....

I also pointed out that she should probably have her hands on the hoods instead of the tops. It would seem to be more stable, and besides, it is what Olaf and VB said was proper. Finally, she did it. Better than me, in my opinion. She looks quicker, cleaner, and she gets into her pedals faster.

But I was still pleased with my progress, and decided to add shouldering the bike to the drill. It was all going fine until one time when, for some reason, I didn't have my hands on the hoods as I jumped. They were on my tops. I landed somewhat behind my saddle. (In fact I grazed the back of it just enough to cause some pain in a bad area...)

I proceded to fall down, bonking the inside of my knee in that 'funny bone' spot. I let out a pretty good slew of curse words as I grabbed it and rolled around on the grass.

So, I guess that is why you want to stick with the hoods for remounts. Move your hands back, and everything else moves backward accordingly. Everything but the saddle...

weird day

2006-09-20T19:16:00.000-07:00

I say weird, because it seems people are willingly doing things that they normally detest doing.

For example, XBun is out in the garage doing suffervals on the trainer. She HATES the trainer.

She must be serious about this cross stuff.

I didn't join her because I already got my workout in for today. I went and climbed. And climbed. And climbed. Ebbett's Pass was involved. Ouch.

And weirdest of all, Olaf jumped in the water. Now aside from the fact that cats hate water, Olaf is a special case. I refer you back to a post of his. Lucky he didn't lose it in the pool. My guess is they mighta charged extra....

-

I realized that I forgot to lower my saddle before the race on Sunday. One cm lower than my road position, right?

Hopefully that explains my little mis-flap. I think a reasonable goal for me this cross season would be to NOT get mobile blogged....

-

So, anybody else do any weird stuff?

cx hangover

2006-09-18T21:05:00.000-07:00

For the last few weeks, XBun has been sooooo focused on cross, that vacation or no, we were going to be racing the first available cross race.

So, after a week of total relaxation and 10,000 calories per day, I found myself at, yes, another damn bike race.

Don't get me wrong, it was a very different scene than the last seventy-something races I was at this season. Way more relaxed and fun atmosphere. But damn, my body and my mind, they were NOT into it.

Luckily, Bunny raced first. She rode really well, and she had fun. Yay!

So when I lined up, I at least felt like I might have some fun....

Well, the first ten minutes went well. I tried to obey the 85% rule. I was riding conservatively. Didn't need a crash so soon after the last one. I still have scabs to pick at, after all....

I don't have any new scabs. But I do have a whopper of a new bruise. It seems that I figured out a way to catch my shorts on my saddle as I dismounted, throwing me off balance and rolling into a barricade. My back made a really loud noise as it smacked that stupid board. I also rolled my right ankle a bit running through the creek area, and now it has that altogether too familiar stiff/sore feeling.

Oh yes, and I have all the obligatory sore leg muscles from my first running of the year.

Thank goodness I got that flat, and with no spare handy, I had to skip the last 15 or so minutes of the race.

'Cus my body is a mess.

I think I need to recover, then start some actual cx training before I go out for more of that madness. One round of disk golf apparently was not adequate preparation!

last day here

2006-09-14T21:24:00.000-07:00

the last day at the Turtle Rock Something Something B & B.

there are six rooms here.

over six nights, we have stayed in four of the rooms, never the same one twice in a row.

which is kinda weird.

rooms 3 and 4 are the best, room 2 is a little noisy as it is downstairs.

room P has no deck and a small bathroom.

can't comment on rooms 5 and S.

the innkeepers are very nice, Francine and Roger.

man, I know they had some serious fun back in the sixties....

running this place seems like a whole lotta work for them, though, and i gotta hand it to them, they make damn good pie (and cookies, and breakfast....)

overall, I can't imagine a nicer place to spend the week.

they get 4 stars from the BunnyPab Traveler's Guide.

-

today was the first day that we woke up to sunshine and clear skies.

so we could actually see the barkers out on the rock:

that pic was taken through binoculars--didn't know that could work at all.

we started the day with a bit of tide pooling and searching for shiny rocks at Agate Beach.

we were gonna do a ride, but we figured out that we could look for rocks lying down...

after lunch in Arcata we headed to the local community forest for some disk golf.

i was so psyched that they had a course here--and it was in a very cool foresty place....

however, let's just say that whomever oversees the area is a little behind on their maintenance.

so much potential there.

we were just fortunate that the multitude of people out puffin in the woods were friendly and generous in their direction giving, or we would still be lost out there due to the lack of signage and abundance of foliage...

this has been a completely relaxing vacation.

i feel pretty well de-stressed, and Bunny seems almost back to normal.

in other words, she's being pretty impish and difficult (not quite as bad as little Emma-O, but close)

and the answer is no

2006-09-13T17:32:00.000-07:00

we didn't make it to our planned destination.

we were going to do this epic-ish 4-6 hour ride/hike, 35-40 miles on the cx bikes plus 3 miles on foot.

but the trail climbed 100 feet in the first mile, and 3000 in the first 10 miles.

38-26 was nowhere near a low enough gear.

we bailed at the only logical bailout point, which gave us a little over 20 miles.

and damn, i am cooked.

we ate a late lunch at the local beachside eatery; i had a falafel pita, a salad, and a huge basket of deliciously greasy onion rings. i may explode at any second...

Bunny came home and jumped straight into the tub--i need to go check on her and make sure she isn't gonna drown in there....

sometimes, being on vacation feels haaaard!

relaxed, or exhausted?

2006-09-13T10:15:00.000-07:00

So, we haven't been the first ones up for breakfast the last couple days. In fact, breakfast from 10 to 11 sounds better than 9 to 10...

We are both seeming pretty relaxed and happy. Or is that brain-dead and physically phhhhttt from all the riding?

Hard to tell the difference.

Bunny just got up from the couch to stretch and promptly collapsed back down on the bed.

-

We are off for our 'big ride' of the week. I wonder if we'll get to where we are planning to go...

All I know for sure is we will undoubtedly see hippies.

misfits

2006-09-12T18:26:00.000-07:00

I never seem to feel like I completely fit in anywhere.

And I'm pretty sure that it is the way I like it.

-

Today we rode down the coast into the college town, home of the 'jacks. Decent roads, undemanding terrain. A good recovery ride was the plan.

Well, we spent too much time at a bike shop, trying to answer the eternal question: "what is the best saddle?" We left the shop with a new saddle on bunny's bike that she hated by the time we got back to the barn. I got to answer lots of questions about bike racing off in the real world, as the guys in the shop and the other local roadies pretty much just race amongst themselves around here for fun.

Fact is, we saw a fair number of fit looking riders out on the road today. All of them were dressed up like crossers. I kinda like the look.

Then I looked at us, in our SafewayBella outfits. Well, the sponsors should be happy that we stuck out...

-

On the way home, we got a taste of rush hour traffic, north coast style.

These people are all stoned.

We had already seen the hippies downtown. And when I say hippies, I mean HIPPIES! This place makes the SC look like a town of menonites in PA. Drum circles seem to spontaneously break out on streetcorners, and the smell of herb is everywhere.

They are cool and all, some talking to invisible creatures, playing invisible instruments, etc, etc. But as far as I could tell, everyone was staying pretty mellow.

But damn, some of these folks actually have cars!

Scary stuff.

-

Our little recovery ride turned into a four and a half hour adventure. By the time we got back to the base, we were both bonking pretty good. The quick plan was to stash the bikes in the burb, then go to the kitchen on our way upstairs and grab as many cookies and as much pie as we could carry.

As I was dishing out the pie, a young lady walked into the common area and stopped, looked us up and down and said, "are you people staying here?"

"No," I replied, "we are just here for the pie."

I was going to leave it at that. XBun couldn't resist, though. She returned the question: "are you staying here?"

The gal replied "yes, I am on my honeymoon..."

And I swear, as she said it, her nose pointed right up in the air....

As she was leaving out one door, and us the other, Bunny said, in a bit louder than normal voice, "let's go see what they have at the place next door...."

security breach!!!

2006-09-11T21:10:00.000-07:00

Well, it would be hard to describe this day without giving out some pretty hefty clues about our vacation location.

We got out and got dirty on our CX bikes today, for about 3 hours of rolling time. I read somewhere that this is one of the top ten MTB rides in Cali, but only mildly technical, so we had to give it a go.

We started out with a very gradual uphill on six miles of perfect pavement through incredible giant redwoods. Minimal auto intrusion.

Next came a two mile singletrack that went up a relatively short hill, then had a longish descent on the other side. The first mile the trail was pristine. The second, well, it was a little loose, rutted, and rocky. I managed a front flat. Oh well, good time to take a picture of a bunny having fun.

Eventually we hit the beach, and after getting lost in the sand for bit, we followed more singletrack along the bottom of the cliff that marked the edge of the forest and the beginning of the beach.

There were some creek crossings, a little mud, some wooden bridges. Very cool. After one creek crossing, where I was extremely pleased with myself for riding through it upright, there was then a bridge right after. Feeling all cocky, I decided the the drop off the far side looked rideable. I might have been, except I didn't notice that the trail took a sharp left turn immediately after the bridge. Well, I caught my chainring on the ledge, panicked, yelled 'oh shit!' and was sure I was going over the edge (the trail turned left for a very good reason). Luckily, there was also a good sized tree right at the edge of the drop-off. I adjusted my trajectory....and hugged the tree.

After a couple miles I noticed a spot that had a bench and some unofficial looking trails. Hmm, better investigate, that....

This waterfall was in a liitle grotto carved out of volcanic looking rock, with ferns and moss everywhere. It was very much like a waterfall in Hawaii or some such tropical place. Priceless.

Eventually we got to a dirt and gravel road, where people had driven from the highway to hike to another fern/waterfall location. No thanks, we thought, it couldn't be any nicer than our waterfall....

So up the road we went, climbed steeply at times and there was just a bit of dust, though I certainly am not complaining. Nothing like our dust ridden trails back home.

Next came more singletrack. This trail was SWEET! Tacky damp dirt, incredible scenery, with gentle ups and downs. It was two miles, and I could have ridden back and forth on that section all day.

But, we were on a mission. All through the park, we saw these:

And we wanted to see some! After all, we were not on foot...

Our guide book said that this last section was where the Elk like to hang out. So we rode it, with eyes and ears peeled. We rode back and did some extra poking around on a side road. Still, no Elk (but lots of Elk poop!)

Finally, tired and hungry we gave up our search, loaded up the bikes, and headed for civilization and some food. As we turned onto the highway, there were a bunch of cars pulled over to the side, cameras everywhere.

There were the gawdam elk. We didn't need to do three hours all around the park. These people found em without ever getting out of their cars!

So, it turns out that it is mating season for these big beasts. We got treated to watching this buck trying to figure out what to do with his harem. He had the foreplay part down alright, licking with a tongue like I never seen before...
But, the girlies were so utterly disinterested, that all this poor fella could do was spooge all over himself. Man, this was a scene right out of South Park. We, of course, were being very mature and respectful of nature at work....

a rare sunday post...

2006-09-10T10:37:00.000-07:00

...because it is a rare type of Sunday. We aren't at a bike race. We are relaxing.

Weird.

We are a little B&B, at and undisclosed location (for security reasons). But I can tell you that as I type this, I am listening to some very vocal sea lions who must be gettin some.

Here is a picture of the sea lions, laying on a big rock:

So far, our stay here has been very quiet, consisting mostly of sleep.

Breakfast was quite nice. There is a dining area with just enough seating for the twelve people staying here in the six rooms.

I knew we wanted to stay here as soon as the hostess/innkeeper told us that breakfast is served from 9 to 10. So civilized. Amazingly, we were the first people up for breakfast.

Then, as we sat and ate, it was apparent that we were not yet fully relaxed--we looked like the big city types as we sat and ate with the laptop fully lit up....

Now we need to figure out what to do with the day.

After a quick nap.

darn germs

2006-09-07T13:28:00.000-07:00

XBun and I got out for some pavement riding last night. She did her sprinty work, I pedaled around as easy as possible, still a little sore from the weekend splatfest.

It felt good, and I was thinking I'd do a little bigger ride today.

Wrong.

I woke up feeling lousy, and I have this sore and swolen gland thingy that seems to be the result of the roadrash on my butt. In other words, infection.

Doc looked at it all and prescribed some antibiotics. Swell. I HATE taking pills of any kind, and antibiotics make me especially nervous. But, I gotta follow doctor's orders....

What a PITA.

healthy riding

2006-09-06T11:36:00.000-07:00

Cycling is generally a pretty healthy sport.

Unless you are a racer.

Especially if you crash.

Oh well, before my unhealthy ride into the pavement on monday, XBun and I were treated to a glorious day of fun, skill, and fitness, courtesy of Brent and Jen and all the Bellas. We rode through the UC Santa Cruz maze of trails. I especially liked the puffing blinds. Shoulda taken a picture ....

Brent was a fantastic group leader, keeping the pace such that our group stayed very intact. Except when VB went to the front and got all aggro, embarrassing the local MTB posers along the way...

XBunny showed off her new bike, and her new skillz. The forest up there was was really nice. I was amazed at the minimal amount of dust for this time of year.
We had a loooong descent down toward the ocean, and I pretended to have Olaf's natural balance while I shot this over my shoulder.
This is our group photo. XBun and Olaf were setting the timers on the cameras. Apparently, something went wrong.... After the ride, we hit the local brewery for some decent beer, some great food, and the best company we could ask for. Olaf sucked down a couple of pitchers and did his best Zoolander imitation....We stayed at the Dukes Hotet(somebody PLEASE tell me what that word means...) for about the 100th time this year. We gotta start paying rent there. It made for a really lovely weekend for us, a glimpse, I hope, of how life will be after road season ends. Cross racing is still racing, but man, we are gonna be having some FUN out there...

I love where I live, and wouldn't trade it. But this was just a fun ride, and I wish we could do stuff like that more often. Thanks again guys.

broomage

2006-09-05T12:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday the Giro di SF was a good news bad news sorta day. The bad news was that on the 1ST FRICKIN LAP of the proser raceI got taken down in the middle of the home straight by some DBC kid. Don't know what he was thinkin, doin, tryin to do, etc. And I don't care. I'd been through that exact spot just a few times already that day, and didn't have any problems....

Ah well....

Luckily, I only have a few scrapes and some batterred equipment as souvenirs. The most painful thing is a tire burn (like a rugburn, only with rubber ground in) that stretches up my side, through my armpit, and down my arm. I must say, this is my first cycling related armpit injury.

Man, it stings.

-

But the good news was that in the geezer race we did very well. Beyond expectations, really....

One.

Two.

Three.

This was an EXTREMELY satisfying result for us. We have been trying to set up leadouts all year with varying degrees of success. Yesterday, it was textbook. Last lap I told Bennetron to stick to my wheel. I punched it on the back straight, went as hard as I could to the line. Only Roger came by. Behind, Deano cleaned up and nabbed third for a podium sweep. Priceless.

I really wish that the season was over, that we could end it on that note. But there is one last crit to do. Gotta go.

Then, vacation....

new furniture

2006-08-31T17:22:00.000-07:00

so, the two hutches we ordered back in springtime finally arrived.

and we get to unpack all the boxes of shtuff that have been sitting in our dining area since the day we moved in.

and in the process, we will probably get to rearrange all the kitchen cupboards, as they are in a bit of disarray.

and we will do this all, when?

hmmm, i guess we have a choice, bike rides and races this weekend, or unpacking/reorganizing.

gee, i wonder which one we'll pick?

me = laggard

2006-08-30T14:31:00.000-07:00

I have really been neglecting my blog lately. Not sure why, other than being tired and/or lazy.

I almost posted yesterday about the giant lizard I accidently squished with the garage door. But that was kinda gross. I felt very bad about it, too. Hopefully a bird will come and take the dead carcass away--I left it out where it would be easy for a scavenger to find.

No, I don't want to post about that.

-

Our resident bear continues to leave giant piles around our property. I'm afraid this could get a little out of hand....

-

There are only a couple of weekends left of road season. Thank the two-wheeled gods for that. I mean, Il Giro is one of my favorite races of the year, and San Rafael might be more fun this year than previous editions...but man, I need to do something else.

Thanks to the two-wheeled gods for cross.....

-

What I really need to post about, though, is that XBunny needs a vacation. I need one, too, but she NEEDS one.

We haven't been on an honest to goodness vacation for a long time. We had the dogs, and that limited where we could go, what we could do. Lst year we went to Wisconsin for Superweek. We even did some sightseeing on the trip back home.

But that was not a vacation. We need to rest, to relax, to do stuff only for the sake of fun.

There was talk of a trip through Yosemite and a big bike ride through the eastern Sierras. looks like that plan has fallen through.

So, we need an idea of where to go, what to do.

-

HELP!

Oh yeah, some driving is OK, airports are right out, and neither of us have passports....

timing.

2006-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

So, the same day I read about this....

...I also come across this.

I wonder how long it will take for the sleuths to start trying to make connections between the two occurences.

I'd love to say I'd be surprised if they find a relationship.

But, you know I won't be.

The world is full of problems.

2006-08-16T19:06:00.000-07:00

Why do people let their small children run around loose in public places? Especially places where someone might be walking a dog (on a leash, of course). Dogs should never be approached by small children unless the childrens' parents have first asked the leash holder if it is OK to do so. I mean, I'd bite too if some annoying creature came up to me, startled me, and grabbed me by the ear and/or tail...

OK, I know the answer to my question....

-

Now, in a perfect world, I see things going like this:

Stranger: "Excuse me, um, Miss Bunny, but is your husband friendly?"

Bunny: "Well, he's OK around other dogs, but he has a tendancy to viciously snap at people...."

-

Do y'all suppose, if the date is truly set, like Chris Carter and David Duchovney say it is...do you suppose that the next race of beings to (more or less) control the goings-on of this planet will do any better job of it?

Sometimes I wish we could find out sooner than later.

-

You know, I was trying to sleep through it all, but Merkely woke me up. Man, please don't do that again.

I cannot handle reality.

is it just me...

2006-08-10T18:20:00.000-07:00

...or is this ridiculous?

Supposedly a terrorist plan to blow up airliners was thwarted...but the airlines have cancelled a bunch of flights in response anyway.

Cancelling all the flights has caused oil prices to fall--law of supply and demand, I guess....

If I owned a Hummer, might I be inclined to call in a couple of anonymous bomb threats to the airlines now and then, just to keep gas prices from getting too out of hand???

oy.

-

On a related note, it seems there is a new bevy of things to be worried about when boarding an airplane. Ipods and liquid containers seem to be the new weapons most feared....

So, it seems clear to me that people should not be allowed to take anything on board a plane with them. Clothing included. It would sure speed up the lines to get on board....

The visuals could be tough, though. On the one hand, naked passengers to look at might be better than the on board movie. On the other hand, naked passengers to look at might just be the cause of a new, higher demand of barf bags....

Jeez, did I just write this? And without even having a drink first?

another wake up call

2006-08-10T15:19:00.000-07:00

So I was up in BV today, doing my interval workout and feeling proud of myself for doing it, 'cus the legs were sure as hell feeling last night's sprint workout...

There were more cars than "normal" up there today. At one point I got a little annoyed by someone who I felt crowded me a bit, when after all, they had the whole damn road to use....

"Dammit", I thought, "don't people realize there are races to be won? Let me suffer in peace!"

No shit, I actually found myself thinking that.

-

A little bit later, done with my workout and getting ready to head home, I got a chance to talk with a friend who lives up there. We used to spend a fair amount of time together, skiing, riding bikes. But not so much any more. He doesn't race...

Well, he and his wife have an apartment under their house. They rent it out, partly for some extra cash, and partly because being a resort town, there is a shortage of affordable housing for people in low paying jobs. Heck, in BV, all the jobs are pretty low paying.

So they have a renter, a gal who needed a place to live after the relationship with her boyfriend went sour. I guess it was kinda ugly, and he was persona non grata at her new apartment.

Well, the other night, he showed up with a gun.

Shots were fired, and there was a lot of bloodshed. My friend was home, and he called 911, but not before he had the gun waved in his face. Thankfully, he was not shot.

But what a goddam nightmare.

The good news is that the gal renting the apartment was not severely injured, spending just one night in the hospital. Her crackhead psycho ex boyfriend is still in intensive care, and will likely be going straight from the hospital to a prison cell. Repairs on the apartment are proceding amazingly fast. People around here do tend to lend a helping hand when there is a crisis...

But still, what a goddam nightmare...

-

So, after talking to my friend, I once again found myself giving thanks for what I have. The good people around me, my friends, my love.

And while I appreciate even more the fact that I am able to pursue my passion for cycling, and for all the other good things in life, they are all of secondary importance.

-

Nothing should be taken for granted.

crazy shits

2006-08-09T16:56:00.000-07:00

We actually spend our lives obsessed with bicycles, and with bike racing.

The roads are dangerous, but we ride anyway.

The weather is too hot, too cold, too smoggy, and still we ride. The need to train...

There are about a million other ways we could spend our "free" time.

The pro ranks are spoiled with drug scandals--who can be trusted?

Everyday pettiness gets dragged into our local scene, time and time again, casting a cloud over an otherwise good time.

We choose to ride, to race. And some of us are pretty damn fanatical about our racing.

Why?

People "retire" from the sport from time to time. A lot of them come back to it.

Why? What makes our sport so special, at least to us?

I can think of lots of reasons why it is special.

But I still don't know why, why I'm just another addicted bike racer...

...when other things are so much more important.

beer and potato chips

2006-08-04T09:10:00.001-07:00

Yesterday while XBunny dealt with the testing nazis, I had the oportunity to do a nice easy flat ride ride for a change. I rode the American River Bike Trail in Sacratomato.

I got to se a gi-normous rattlesnake, about 40 feet long and so thick it looked like it swallowed a couple of cases of Powerbars. Then there were the obligatory wild turkeys all over the place...

And a coyote, looking sorta old and fat, totally unconcerned that people were around as he sat in the middle of the trail and scratched himself.

At one point in my ride, I was very gradually catching up to another rider. As I got close, there was some trail traffic approaching, so I sped up a little and passed him in an effort to avoid a traffic jam. A bit later, he caught back up to me; "do you ride for Safeway?" he asked. I said yes, and he said "really?"

Well, the conversation moved along kinda slowly, but eventually I learned why he was interested. He was the father of one of our fellow geezer competitors. Luckily, it is someone who I like....

-

After the ride, and after Xbun's test, we headed over to Nova Cycles in Rocklin. They are one of the suppliers I use for frame materials. It has been so long since I have built anything, all the tubing is called something new (Foco, Zona, Loco), and there is all the carbon fibre STUFF that I have never used: namely, rear triangles, that are pretty much prefabbed, just like the carbon fibre forks that have been in use for the better part of a decade now. First, we stopped building forks. Now we don't really need to do much to build a rear triangle. Gee, it seems that there is less and less work involved in building a "custom" frame these days...

At some point, are people gonna ask, "why bother?"

-

Today we are off to preride the Esparto TT course. XBun is serious....

Then, we are off to see if Olaf has stopped gurgling yet....

Districts

2006-07-30T21:53:00.000-07:00

It has been a long season, and I think I have raced every weekend since the Pie races back in early Feb. Every goddang one.

My motivation was slipping.

District jerseys, though, they had me there, ready to go....

And, in two days, the bagboys bagged:

2 jerseys. Dan the Man, The Taz, soloed in with a huge cushion in the 35+ RR. Olaf had set the stage, and Taz performed magnificently. RR, MTC, El Gato....On Sunday, in the 40-44 crit, Ron rode the team race, dutifully sitting on the break with 4 of us fast finishing types waiting in the wings, until such time as he KNEW he could bring it home for us with a three lap solo that was but a scale model of some of the solo efforts he has laid down in the last year. Behind, we covered everything, and I would say that this was one of our best team rides in a crit. I love it when we win with solid teamwork.

A silver medal. Olaf, Lothar and Taz did an amazing job of taking it to the field in the 35-39 crit. I watched in nervousness for an hour, and was more tired from that than from my own race a couple hours earlier. We all soooo wanted that win, and Olaf, even marked with a giant glowing bullseye on his black jersey, came sooooo close to getting it. The guy who won struck me as a deserving winner. He was off the front with Taz for most of the race, he covered various MIB attacks late, and he still had the juice to go after Olaf's late move and put in a great sprint. Gotta tip the cap....

A bronze medal. El Pasco, da Boss, salvaged what was otherwise a kinda sloppy race for us in the 40+ RR. Our well-planned strategy went mostly out the window, and our decision making was suspect, but he did what he needed to do for us up in the break with heavy hitters and nabbed himself a well-deserved district medal.

And a bevy of top-ten finishes. 5ths, 6ths, 7ths, 8ths... individually, yeah, they don't count for much of anything. No prizes, no points, not even a handshake and a smile...

But put them all together--Safeway was there, in the 35s, the 40s, the 45s. And we were a force in all 6 of those races. A solid team performance, what more can I say?

-

Now, for the bad news:

I witnessed so much bad behavior, poor sportsmanship, and plain ole sour grapes today....

When Taz rode away in a display of sheer power that no one could match, there was what? Admiration? Congratulations? Maybe Resignation? Respect....

But when Safeway won today with the best team, the best teamwork, and the best strategy (not to overlook a strong finishing effort by RPR), there was what?

Profanity? Name calling? Whining????

All it takes is losing a gawdamm geezer bike race for people--some of whom I have known, liked, respected for years--to revert to this childish behavior?

Get a life.

-

And, another thing. I learned a long time ago, probably as a high school ballplayer, that it is unwise to needlessly give an opponent extra motivation, by trash talking or whatever.

My motivation is back.

A month of the season left? It may not be enough....

-

Masters bike racers = overgrown children (and prone to temper tantrums...)

-

Meanwhile, people are dying in scores, no, in hundreds in the middle east....

And we bicker over weekend bike races.

Oy.

is this, like, serious?

2006-07-21T17:45:00.000-07:00

Ravens Terrorizing Visitors In YosemiteFriday, July 21, 2006 - 04:05 PM
Sabrina Sabbagh
MML News Reporter
Yosemite National Park, CA -- Visitors to Yosemite National Park should keep close watch where they leave their vehicles.
Park officials are reporting that Ravens have been destroying cars in a parking lot near the junction of Highways 120 and 140 in Yosemite Valley.

Park Rangers issued a warning to employees Tuesday regarding the large birds.
Reports indicate the Ravens crave rubber and are ripping it off of windshield wipers and antennas in exchange for dead rodents; which they have left on top of several vehicles. Flyers are being distributed to visitors throughout the park.

too tired to type

2006-07-17T12:48:00.000-07:00

Stage races are hard. Too much to do besides just race. Even with an XBunny professional soigneur along...

After INSISTING that Olaf and VB keep us up to date on happenin's in PA, we were a little less than reciprocal. Thanks for the emails and blogs guys. We are laggards....

So, to sum it up: we bagboys raced well, we were just a little outgunned. Solid results for us, for sure, though: one GC podium, three GC top-tens, three stage podiums. Dan was amazing on day one, giving the local ex-pro hero all he could handle. And the Pasco was sooooo close to winning the last stage--initially declared the winner, only to have the film overturn it. An inch...

Bend is an awfully nice place to ride a bicycle. Lots of good roads with wide shoulders, and even though the temps were a bit on the warm side, it was still nicer than just about anywhere else in the country. Only the locals were complaining...

There has been so much racing in the past week--there is no way to tell all the little stories here.

We needs to open a bottle of gewurtz and share our tales.

Dear Mintyfreshies

2006-07-11T22:23:00.000-07:00

Dear Metrominties,

I would like to thank you for the free water samples that the XBunny procured at the Laffayette crit this past Sunday. The bottle with the green dots was delicious and refreshing. I could see drinking it on a regular basis.

The bottle with the blue dots.... not so much.

Now, I hear that I am not alone in this opinion.

Therefore, I think it makes sense if you all start planning for the future.

Next year, I wanna see green dots....

Now, on an unrelated subject, I would like everyone to know...

Thank you and good night.

well, isn't that ironic....

2006-07-10T14:14:00.000-07:00

damn.

after a slightly miserable weekend where our team rode great and finished well but I had some heat related problems, i have been pretty spacey and lethargic today. my effiency rating is nearing an all-time low.

I keep reflecting on how little fun the races were this weekend. sure, the heat was mostly responsible. but there sure are a lot of little soap operas going on in our little racing world that are at best a distraction, and at worst a big fun-killer.

and, more seriously, we lost another fellow racer. what a tragedy.

-

i been doin my monday chores, puttin away bikes and wheels and gear for me and the bunny. and i found a crack in the trusty Salsa steed. right where i'd expect it, at the edge of a weld, right above the bottom bracket. the crack ain't huge, but it is in a high stress spot. And back in the day, I broke not one, not two, but three Peugots in the very same spot. It will break at some point, probably when I least want it to....

sigh.

I really like this frame. Scandium is the best aluminum tubeset going, and this frame was a bargain and a half. but, i knew its day would come. just a little surprised it was so soon. me=lardass.

so, just after blogging that i am looking forward to doing some framebuilding again, i have my first order (well, second really--someone has been pining for a frame for a while).

but realistically, I may need to buy a gawdamn bike. leaving for Bend in three days, we are...

or, maybe not....

time to build

2006-07-07T18:42:00.000-07:00

Yes, the three car garage is almost organized. The floor space is such that I could get at least two cars in it now.

The benches are clear, the tools are (mostly) accounted for and organized, and most importantly, I have some enthusiasm.

And, come monday, the last piece of macinery will get put back together.

Poulsen Cycles will be ready to roll once more.

Time to get busy. (wait, i'm already busy.....)

5th of July

2006-07-05T12:16:00.000-07:00

the best part of racing on a tuesday

...is that i only have to wait three days to race again.

riding well, on the cusp twice in three days.

challenged.

hungry.

and a little pissed off.

ok, that is too strong.

frustrated....

-

there was a lot of life packed into the last 5 days.

joy and relaxation.

fun and friendship.

excitement.

sadness.

disappointment.

disgust.

hope.

what a good ride it is.

hero worship

2006-06-30T17:50:00.000-07:00

A few years ago I was absolutely blown away when Lance won his first of seven tours. I think a lot of us were. His was a truly amazing story, beating cancer, winning as an underdog.

I had met Lance briefly at Interbike, shaken his hand, and gotten a glimpse of his cockiness. I rooted for him once he was competing again.

There was a poster published of Lance wearing yellow on a climb, with the word "courage" as the caption. I think it was a Graham Watson photo. I liked the poster and the message I got from it.

So one year, for Groundhog's Day, I bought a few and framed them for a few of my friends. I think they all appreciated the thought. One friend though, I could tell, was apprehensive about hanging it on his wall. He had a small boy, and he was concerned about the message it might send to him. My friend "wasn't all that crazy about the hero worship thing..."

In a way I thought he missed the point. I liked the posters for the message of "having the courage to overcome adversity", or something along those lines. I guess I assumed he would see the same message.

But in another way, I was missing the point. Here was an athlete, a very well-paid athlete, now bigger than life. And kids (adults, even) will see his photos, learn of his athletic exploits, and be in awe.

And what do we really know about him? If given the chance to really get to know him, would we want to root for him, would we even like him? Maybe, maybe not.

So I am not really sad for riders kicked out of the tour. They are professionals, involved in a business. The business is not entirely honest. Some of the riders are probably clean, some undoubtedly are not.

And we don't know which are which.. We don't REALLY know who we should root for, who would deserve our support.

So I say, let's just enjoy the show, whatever the show ends up being, knowing that some are, and (hopefully) some aren't...

stale

2006-06-27T18:49:00.000-07:00

the season is growing long. and a key ingredient is missing.

training rides are a little more like a chore lately. i actually had the word "hatefuck" going through my head over and over during sprints today. thanks for that one, olaf...

i'm actually looking forward to cx season--a lot.

and to not being so tired from the weekends that working on sprinklers and driveways wipes me out. wait, cross season isn't gonna help with that...

b-game

2006-06-26T10:54:00.000-07:00

as in, we brought our b-game to B-game...

taz and i did make a go of it yesterday, and the safe-mates were doing what they could to help keep us away.

but we came up empty.

funny sport, this. last week, i felt like a soggy dishrag and rode even worse, yet managed to drag myself along to a decent finish (actually, the boss was dragging me). this week, feeling strong and so not rag-like, riding an ok tactical race and going for it....nada.

ah well, thank goodness for the racing calender--i can start looking ahead to next weekend already.

--

btw, we had a lovely stay at the new LG abode. many thanks again!

--

gonna go work on the sprinkler system now.

emerson eagles

2006-06-19T16:40:00.000-07:00

Olaf, taking time off of work....because your wrist hurts?

It must hurt pretty frickin bad. I'd think you would stay there and suck it up 'til you bit through your lower teeth, the way I have witnessed your ability to suffer...

-

Which reminds me of a story...

Way back, when I thought being a basketball coach was a really good thing for me to be, I was coaching some junior high girls. They were the best. Not basketball players, the best people. Smart, hard working, polite, a joy to be around. And they were, in fact, really good basketball players, on top of it all.

One girl, L, stood out as our best player. (Incidently, she was also our shortest player) She played point, scored a lot, made sure everyone on the court knew what they should be doing at all times. The leader.

Well, one game, early in our second season, she was involved in a collision and was fouled. Pretty common stuff, really. She was shaken up and I called time out and her teammates helped her to the bench. She said her ankle hurt a lot, but was otherwise very stoic. No tears, no groans, in fact I specifically remember her smiling as she tested it out walking. But she said it hurt, a lot. I asked the referee if we could sub someone in for her to shoot the free throws she had coming. He said yes, but that she would not be allowed to play the rest of the game. (dumbshit, that wasn't the rule, I just didn't know it at the time. The officiating we had was usually pretty pathetic)

So I had to think fast. I asked L. to go in and shoot her free throws. If she made the second one, she was to call time out immediately, and we'd sit her down. If she missed it, she was supposed to just stand at the line and wait until we either got the ball or committed a foul so that she could then come out of the game. She was such a smart player, so in-control, I thought this was a reasonable solution. I was sure she would follow the plan to the letter, as would all the girls.

I was so stupid, stupid, stupid.

She made the first free throw, but the second one rolled off the rim---and she chased after the ball! She got it, and called time out.

As she limped toward the bench, she smiled and said "sorry coach."

I should have known that the competitor in her would take over...

Well, we sat her down and iced her ankle. It was starting to swell and she was a little less sure of her ability to go back in. I decided we had already taken one chance too many, and she didn't play any more in the game.

The next day at school, as I checked in at the office, the assistant principal said to me "you lost your point guard, coach." My heart sank.

I saw L. in the hall, on crutches, with most of the team around her, and she was grinning from ear to ear. She was such a super kid. I almost cried.

She didn't play any more that year, but she was at every game, keeping score. She was back on the court the next season.

I really don't think she did any extra damage running after that loose ball. The break in her lower leg wasn't displaced, and had been the result of the collision with the other player and/or the floor.

But, to this day, I am still mad at myself for putting her in to shoot those free throws. It was just piss poor judgement.

-

Ok, I really don't know what the moral of this story is. Or, even the point...

Ov, you better take care of that wrist!

happy Bonny

2006-06-19T10:57:00.000-07:00

The team had another outstanding weekend. 1st at Nevada City is a huge win. Add three more podium spots and I call that a successful weekend..

But it was hard, as this sport tends to be.

The heat is never fun, but Saturday I was in a bit more discomfort than normal. So was BunnyX. We need to work on our hot weather coping skills.

Not that everyone wasn't hurting. There was a whole heap of suffering going on. Lucky for me, the rest of our team was up to the task at hand.

Dan was the brightest star this weekend. That guy is just amazingly fit. And after his rough start to the year, I just couldn't be happier for him.

And Olaf, he rode like the champ that he is all weekend. And for his trouble he got taken down in a crash. Damn.

Heal quick, my friend.

-

We got acquainted with Bonny yesterday. Many of you bloggy types know her. She was feeling a bit disheveled and needed to get out for some fun. So I patched her up a little, got her ready for the trail. I wish I new what kind of oil she likes--I just had to go with what is always on tap around here.

She's a quirky little beast, old school, but not out of date. And she has obviously been ridden a lot, ridden well. Solid.

Bunny hopped on Bonny, and I got out my skinny knobbies and we had ourselves a lovely little stroll through the park and out to see a big tree. Not one of the trees in the park, though. This is a huge old sugar pine, thought to be the third largest/oldest one in existence. It lives at a girl scout camp not far from the park. Luckily, the only girl scout around was the one I was riding with. I figured if we got caught poaching that she could give them the secret girl scout handshake and we would be allowed to pass...

So Bonny helped raise our spirits.

Thanks for bringing her to us.

post-interval goodness

2006-06-13T22:01:00.000-07:00

A couple glasses of good merlot, some delicious homemade burritos, and the Pythons.

It just doesn't get any better than that.

Unbalanced

2006-06-13T10:57:00.000-07:00

it actually precipitated here this morning.

actual drops.

and it is very cool out. sort of feels like fall.

saturday it is supposed to be 95 in Folsom.

no wonder i always wilt in the heat.

oh well....

dog blog

2006-06-08T19:28:00.000-07:00

For a while now, I've considered the idea of bringing a dog into our lives. It has been over a year since we lost Lady. I still miss both our dogs terribly.

This evening a couple of labs, one yellow and one choco, came absolutely rampaging through our property. They were having so much fun! I realized that this property is a doggie dream come true. It is just one giant playground for a dog, complete with giant puddle to splash in.

But we have both been so busy of late, what with two bike racers in the family now. I don't think we'd be able to give a dog the people-time that it would deserve. Certainly not enough time for a puppy, and all the extra work they like to make for their people. Plus some kind of fenced-in dog run would need to be built, a doghouse too. I barely seem to make time to keep all the bikes clean and lubed.

And traveling to races, to friends' houses or motels every weekend, having a dog makes that even harder than it is already. I really have no idea how we used to manage with two....
of course, they were the worlds best behaved dogs....

So I think it is not yet time. Our pets have usually found us, not the other way around, and we are thinking that when a dog finds us, it will tell us it is time.

Meantime, we are very happy to visit our furry friends: Migo, and Sam, and Buster, and Tucker, and Sienna, and Otto...

No, we really don't like visiting any of you people, we are just there to hang with the doggies. : )

late night sprintsss

2006-06-07T23:43:00.000-07:00

fun, yes.

i love riding late, seeing everything in the evening light.

and we had the world to ourselves.

but it sure is hard to wind down and go to sleep...

to elaborate....

2006-06-06T15:10:00.000-07:00

this is just a follow-up to what Olaf was getting us all to explore yesterday--or earlier today--or whenevertheheckitwas. and i thought this might get a little long for the comments section.

the search for the perfect metaphor....

i was thinking about it as i was weed-whacking. and while i was being grateful that someone invented the weed-whacker, so that i didn't have to be doing the job with some back breaking manual device.

-

now, before i begin, a very wise man once told me that perfection is a figment of the immagination. i very much believe him. so don't expect this idea to be any good....

so what defines us as uber-consumer, spoiled rotten, blind-eye-turned americans? is it a thing, a device, an invention?

that seems too subjective to me, too much a reflection of just the time period in which we are living. what seems an extravagance now will be accepted as commonplace in the future. for instance, i don't know when the electric can opener was invented, but my guess is more than one curmudgeonly person asked the question "is it really so hard to turn the thingy on a regular can opener?"

then that person undoubtedly went on a rant on the decline of american civilization...

so i offer this:

the simple (somewhat) thing (no, I don't know what to call it either) that really stands out in my mind about this country is....

the need for instant gratification. and the corporate delight in steadily supplying new ways to satisfy that need. regardless.

want to make a call? cellphone.

hungry? minimart on every corner. fast food everywhere. open 24/7.

need cash to spend at minimart? debit card.

need info? look it up on the web. it's all in writing, so it's gotta be true.

need coffee? starbucks EVERYWHERE.

wanna watch a show? it's in the car, on the plane, on the portable laptop or other little device that PAB don't understand.

need some cheap plastic crap? oh, i don't even wanna start on this one...

you get the idea. we want things, and we want them asap. and we want it to be easy.

some of these things are very convenient, indeed. they take away the need walk, to go anywhere, to plan carefully.

hmm, is that a good thing?

-

well, that's what i was thinkin 'bout whilst i whacked the weeds.

BTW, my back hurts from weed-whacking....

racey racey

2006-06-05T21:04:00.000-07:00

Everyone's FAVORITE race promoter finally updated his website. No, there aren't any results from Kern--or even Madera (ugh).

But a couple new race announcements seem noteworthy.

First, there is the return of the Gold Nugget Stage Race for juniors. Man, this race looks hard. Maybe harder than Kern, in some respects, especially when you consider that the contestants are children...

Kudos to VP for getting this back on the schedule. This race used to draw riders from out of state--it was a pretty big deal. I just hope that getting the race announcement out such a short time before the event doesn't hurt attendance.

Then there is the Vacaville crit, which will serve as the Sr district championships. I only did this race a couple of times and don't have fond memories. It is a tough course. The hill is substantial--something in between Cat's Hill and Santa Cruz. Then there is a downhill and a short sprint to the finish. Lot's of turns, too. In other words, technical.

I bet I know someone who is licking his chops about now....

weekend highlight

2006-06-05T12:18:00.000-07:00

The absolute highlight of the weekend was seeing a bumper sticker that read,

"Frodo failed. Bush has the ring."

Sorry if this is old, but it was new to me--I live in gawdamn hicksville, after all.

-

Ok, that wasn't the absolute highlight. That honor would go to my date on Saturday evening with my bunny. We had a scrumptious dinner followed by a movie (the first time we were in a theatre since The Return of the King) and topped it off with a frozen yogurt afterward.

Delightful.

Simply delightful.

-

But back to Soron...I mean Moron...I mean Bush...
Just how did we get to this point? The deeds of this administration are truly incomprehensible to me. How can they be getting away with this shit?

Well, it is probably because there are too many people who simply ran out of the kind of energy it takes to fight it.

People like me.

Ten or fifteen years ago I about drove myself crazy worrying about the injustices and problems facing our world. I was pissed off, grew my hair to freakish lengths, rode ridiculous numbers of miles....

At some point, I realized that there were just too many problems even to keep track of. One reason this came about was with reading our phone bill. We were signed up with Working Assets, a company that spreads money around to various charitable causes, maybe 20 or 30, and let its customers/members vote on how the money was distributed. And it was distributed proportionally to the vote.

So in the end, a lot of money got spread out thin enough to probably become ineffectual. What a waste of time, money, and effort.

I also later was told by a trusted source that Working Assets was not as altruistic as we were led to believe. The trusted source had worked for them. But that is another story...

So I picked my battles, so to speak, decided what I was and wasn't going to do. In other words, there are so many causes in today's world, I had to determine which ones I cared about the most.

For whatever reason, the three that hit me in my gut the hardest are animal rights, the environment, and womens' rights. Not that I don't care about the others.

I do.

So we do what we can, what we think is right, knowing that it can never be enough. We are at our comfort level. And, oh, I do get the guilts, from time to time. The ugly news of each day keeps that real regular. Some days, believe me, all I want to do sell the house, give the money and posessions away, and wear nothing but homespun.

And go on a crusade.

But that is not terribly realistic. And it would not make me happy. And, most importantly, it would not make her happy.

So I try to keep everything in its place in my brain. I try not to let things make me unhappy. And I think I usually do a decent job of it.

Except when I am really, really tired.

-

if you carry the weight of the world on your shoulders...
it will crush you

spanked

2006-06-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

cycling can be such a tough sport to figure out.

one day, we are on top of our game, everthing clicks, we win.

four days later, and i don't know how we could have looked much worse. i mean, we got our collective butts handed to us today. mm looked to be having a good day--he ended up in a heap on the ground. luckily, he's just a little scraped up...

but other guys taking ambulance rides really takes the fun out of a race.

just one of life's little lessons, i guess:
success can be fleeting; complacency leads to failure; what goes up must come down; don't race when you're tired....

take your pick or come up with your own--i'm just glad there is another gawdamn race tomorrow...

Gann's Meadow

2006-06-01T10:45:00.000-07:00

We like to start rides from a turnout in the road that is just a dot on the map. There are a couple seasonal cabins across the highway, and an abandoned house with a big garage off of the turnout. It has sat empty for years.

Lately, there have been a few vehicles parked there, and occasionally I spot a person or two. Last night, there were a bunch of cars. It was very odd. Their license plates were from all over the country: Vermont, Missouri, Minnesota, Montana, California. And there were three others: US Government. Otherwise, they were completely unmarked. But they had g-men written all over them.

And I saw one person dart out and then back into the building. And he looked like a card-carrying hippie, just off of the Green Tortoise from a trip down from a Rajneeshie camp in the northwest.

So I wonder, just what is going on up there?

i needed this...

2006-05-31T16:47:00.000-07:00

like the proverbial hole in the head.

why, oh why, can't things be simple?

new bed

2006-05-30T15:35:00.000-07:00

yes, it is finally here, but just barely. the day's first adventure was squeezing it through the stairwell. seems these new mattresses aren't as bendable as the old kind.

it sure looks nice. and it seems pretty comfortable.

and, i swear, it smells like chocolate cake.

a sigh of relief.

2006-05-29T22:22:00.000-07:00

yes, it's all better now.

fuck

2006-05-25T18:14:00.000-07:00

so there is no race in norcal that I can do on saturday. a week from sunday i can choose between three.

i guess i shouldn't complain as i never seem to make it to those darn scheduling meetings in october.

sunday is mt. hamilton.

double fuck. the only reason i could possibly have of going there is to do it as a training ride. and i would NEVER do that as a training ride...

i wonder if the races in utah are gonna be any good. maybe pascuzzi had the right idea. probably too late for me to get there in time...

i wonder what's on the socal schedule. ack!@ what am i saying?

oregon?

alas, i guess i gotta just wait until gawdamn monday.

now back to normal programming.

2006-05-25T08:00:00.000-07:00

A little last word about the Kern weekend:

I was so impressed. All of our Bellas raced so well, and with such good attitudes. There were tough moments for sure, but they found the will to get through them and keep smiling. I am really, really impressed with everyone.

But did anyone mention in their race reports that it was a little warm, especially on friday? In the morning the weather for theTT was tolerable, but by the time we ate lunch, it was getting pretty hot. Olaf the Wise had a better idea than the rest of us of what lay in store for the afternoon hillclimb, and called for a run to a store for lots of bottled water. I ended up volunteering to make the run....

I had about a 20 minute window in which to accomplish my task while everyone else, uh... what was everyone else doing, anyway? No matter, I was on a quest. After driving around a strip mall or two, and coming up empty, it became apparent that I was going to have to do something I hate doing: entering a Costco. In Bakersfield, no less. On a Friday afternoon.

Was I up for the challenge? Was I man enough?

The parking lot was packed, but I squeezed into a spot and grabbed the first cart I saw. I was off to the races. I ran across the lot and slowed only slightly as I entered, flashing my membership card to the person whose job it is to stand at the front door and pretend to actually look at the pictures on the cards. I know they didn't look at mine because I heard no laughter.

Holy crap those stores are huge. And, of course, the bottled beverages are at the back. No problem. I slalomed through the sea of shoppers--it's really just like skiing in the trees--except that at least trees look where they are going. A couple close calls later I could see my target--giant pallets of colorless tasteless fluid, packaged for our convenience. Just as I was on final approach, a young lady in a Costco uniform appeared in my path from around a corner. I applied full braking power, let out a warning yell, and narrowly avoided disaster.

The look on this poor gals face was priceless. Part terror, part "what the hell are YOU supposed to be?!"

At that moment I realized....I was still in full-flair mode. Flower tattoo, fuzzy purple thing on my wrist, green lei around my neck, who knows what else. I must've looked like a big sweaty leg-hairless freak.

Cool!

But no time to stop and bask in freakish glory. The clock was ticking.

I loaded a couple cases of the wet stuff onto the cart and headed for the checkout. With all the weight toward the front of the cart, it handled quite differently. It fishtailed around corners like our old mustang convertible. Sweet.

Now that I was conscious of my flair, I noticed more strange looks in the checkout line. From everyone except the cashier. This gal would NOT even look at me. She must've caught a glance and was barely able to restrain herself from laughing. I'm sure I didn't help any: the bill was ten bucks and change and I neatly counted out exactly 9 dollars from my wallet. "What, you don't take credit cards?" Panic! Luckily, they do take debit cards.

One last dash through the food court area--do people really go to Costco just to eat lunch?!--and I was home free. To the car, out of the parking lot, and --oh crap, that light is yellow--wait, that was a really long light--no time to waste....

I hope they don't have those cameras on the lights in Bakersfield that record liscence plate numbers of cars that run reds...

speaking of blogs....

2006-05-24T22:44:00.000-07:00

When I came into this bloggy blog game sometime last year it was fun.

Like, pure silly fun.

(Except for all the poetry. Poetry is just annoying....)

And for the most part, it still is. Fun. All just for shits and giggles, as the blog guru would say.

But for some reason lately, it seems that people are getting pretty nasty in the comment sections.

What gives?