hydration pre/during/post race was excellent
fueling pre/during/immediately post race was also excellent (dinner was delayed a bit and i think i felt a bit of the energy level dip cause of it)
Sunscreen applied (no burnt gewilli this time)
clothing - perfect! shortsleeve jersey and shorts... cold at the start but w/in minutes i was perfect temp...
30mph downhill into a headwind with only two on your wheel is not that bad
finished the race
rode freaking hard as i could for the whole time, even after i got popped on the rise after the finish
I need to increase my LT power level a bit... sitting way too low for my 30 minute times - i need to bring it up from 3 w/kg some how... just an extra 1/2 w/kg might make the difference... Although, the muscles stopped firing up that last hill - couldn't find the power to accelerate with the group up the little rise...
And unless the race has grades like BKR i need to put the 55/42 back on the bike... 53x12 is not enough gear for the speeds of that damn field...
Check out the data from our field posted by the Horst-Benidorm guys...
+3742 feet climbing and a 25.3 mph avg speed... (for the group not me)
Negatives?
Well we'll see how negative we can get when the results come out...
139 days till cross season starts
G
Monday, April 30, 2007
maybe he should have thought first
before using drugs... oh, sorry, right... he is just "accused" of using performance enhancing substances.
And yeah... synthetic testosterone ain't performance enhancing - during a race, but during training when they were drawing the blood for the transfusion the night before the start of "THE STAGE" well... He obviously ain't paying his doctors as much as Lance was...
(great T V B dude'll be all over that negative shit (or not)
thanks big jonny for the link and the chance to be a cynical freaking ass...
And yeah... synthetic testosterone ain't performance enhancing - during a race, but during training when they were drawing the blood for the transfusion the night before the start of "THE STAGE" well... He obviously ain't paying his doctors as much as Lance was...
(great T V B dude'll be all over that negative shit (or not)
thanks big jonny for the link and the chance to be a cynical freaking ass...
litter
okay - so not a new topic...
but...
yesterday a guy (rides for a big magazine sponsor) sucked down a gel pack and flung it into the woods as we are cruising through one of the sections... right in front of me...
he had reached in the back pocket to extract the gel... but... somehow felt that ripping the tag off with his teeth, spitting that out on the ground and then sucking the gel down and flinging that into the woods was acceptable...
yeah, who'm'I to tell these guys what to do - last thing i wanted was to yell at him there and bring attention to my draft sucking self in a negative way... but it pissed me off. My wrappers AND tags are still in my jersey, with my number pinned on still crumpled in the race bag...
If ya gonna pitch the shit pitch it by the parked racer's cars...
not in the woods/lawn/somewhere where it won't get cleaned up...
seems pretty freaking irresponsible to me...
Well loading up the car there were three used gel packs on the road w/in reach of my car... I picked em up and packed em out.
Come on bike racers... Don't freaking pitch your shit in other people's back yards!!!
/rant off
but...
yesterday a guy (rides for a big magazine sponsor) sucked down a gel pack and flung it into the woods as we are cruising through one of the sections... right in front of me...
he had reached in the back pocket to extract the gel... but... somehow felt that ripping the tag off with his teeth, spitting that out on the ground and then sucking the gel down and flinging that into the woods was acceptable...
yeah, who'm'I to tell these guys what to do - last thing i wanted was to yell at him there and bring attention to my draft sucking self in a negative way... but it pissed me off. My wrappers AND tags are still in my jersey, with my number pinned on still crumpled in the race bag...
If ya gonna pitch the shit pitch it by the parked racer's cars...
not in the woods/lawn/somewhere where it won't get cleaned up...
seems pretty freaking irresponsible to me...
Well loading up the car there were three used gel packs on the road w/in reach of my car... I picked em up and packed em out.
Come on bike racers... Don't freaking pitch your shit in other people's back yards!!!
/rant off
broken bolts
had another bolt fail on the trailer this morning, on the bike path... the whole trailer shifted suddenly and the "parking" brake thingy was rubbing on the wheel... i look back and notice the lower bolt hanging 1/2 way out. shit... i was able to make a repair. We'll see. it worked getting the rest of the way here. Should make it home okay i think. But. It is going to be a pain. It isn't just a broken bolt but a bit more than that. The aluminum frame has been eaten a bit by the threads on the crappy steel bolt (lowest grade, cheap ass trailer makers - hell can't ya use a decent grade bolt for this shit?). Second bolt i've lost.
on the bright side? It didn't rain. I didn't crash yesterday. I was able to have a few words with Yogurt boy Cronoman and Solobreak. KL seemed a bit pre-occupied (she's like a pro and stuff), Rebbecca W was all smiles when i waved.
Timmieeeeee said something that i'm taking to be one of those double meaning phrases. "Just sit in, you'll be fine." Means: You are Fucked, no chance in hell do you have of finishing with the group.
that's it for now... gotta see about making this trailer last at least two more years...
G
on the bright side? It didn't rain. I didn't crash yesterday. I was able to have a few words with Yogurt boy Cronoman and Solobreak. KL seemed a bit pre-occupied (she's like a pro and stuff), Rebbecca W was all smiles when i waved.
Timmieeeeee said something that i'm taking to be one of those double meaning phrases. "Just sit in, you'll be fine." Means: You are Fucked, no chance in hell do you have of finishing with the group.
that's it for now... gotta see about making this trailer last at least two more years...
G
Friday, April 27, 2007
Good Luck Bike Racers
Good luck to those hittin Sturbridge and Palmer this weekend and what ever races may be out there...
I think a solution to my flaky HR on the 'tap is in the works. Once the stuff is settled i'll be filling in the details.
Looks like we've got a Wheel sponsor for the team... Reynolds! Which reminds me of a thought this morning... being sponsored by Ridley and stuff (Reynolds) is cool. But it really isn't "sponsorship" in a way i can benefit. Why? Well, the sponsorship means they just aren't making full margin... it is a discount below "cost" for the most part, but that 'cost' still amounts to a pile of hard earned cash.
It isn't "hey here is a frame, go race on it" or wheels or components or what not... I'm not griping, just sort of coldly standing on the sidelines making observations to myself in general.
Our gang seems to be doing well in numbers. And i probably will be trying to make more of an effort to race in the catagory that has more teammates to help or take advantage of help, how ever it works out, and it was those lines of thinking that made me think: how cool would it be if we were all on Ridleys, instead of a Ridley, C-dale, Van Dessel, Fuji, Specialized... you get the idea, no?
I know. I haven't put in anywhere near the time racing and what not to deserve any free shit. Don't get me wrong. Don't think i'm complaining... just making observations and all that stuff...
If ya looking for something entertaining to read... greg moody has a bit over at velosnooze.com... Yeah... i peek at their web page but generally only read a few things, the Rants, and the tech stuff... and now I keep an eye out for Moody's writing.
I just noticed... damn wings stunk it up... are they dead like the rest of Motor City?
next couple games will tell i guess...
That and Fastboy built up another cool ass looking bike for his GF who's having shoulder surgery and still needs to get around one handed. how freaking cool is dat!
Still waiting on the debut/release of his fenders. (to see a bunch click here)
Anyway, despite a handful of users trained and overall productive day it still feels rather like it has dragged on... and on... and on...
well till next time - race hard, race well, pain is the only way to get there, embrace the pain... if it don't hurt ya ain't going hard enough...
Next week is May... Unbelievable...
peace, respect, and smile,
G
PS Stop into the Market and buy stuff...
I think a solution to my flaky HR on the 'tap is in the works. Once the stuff is settled i'll be filling in the details.
Looks like we've got a Wheel sponsor for the team... Reynolds! Which reminds me of a thought this morning... being sponsored by Ridley and stuff (Reynolds) is cool. But it really isn't "sponsorship" in a way i can benefit. Why? Well, the sponsorship means they just aren't making full margin... it is a discount below "cost" for the most part, but that 'cost' still amounts to a pile of hard earned cash.
It isn't "hey here is a frame, go race on it" or wheels or components or what not... I'm not griping, just sort of coldly standing on the sidelines making observations to myself in general.
Our gang seems to be doing well in numbers. And i probably will be trying to make more of an effort to race in the catagory that has more teammates to help or take advantage of help, how ever it works out, and it was those lines of thinking that made me think: how cool would it be if we were all on Ridleys, instead of a Ridley, C-dale, Van Dessel, Fuji, Specialized... you get the idea, no?
I know. I haven't put in anywhere near the time racing and what not to deserve any free shit. Don't get me wrong. Don't think i'm complaining... just making observations and all that stuff...
If ya looking for something entertaining to read... greg moody has a bit over at velosnooze.com... Yeah... i peek at their web page but generally only read a few things, the Rants, and the tech stuff... and now I keep an eye out for Moody's writing.
I just noticed... damn wings stunk it up... are they dead like the rest of Motor City?
next couple games will tell i guess...
That and Fastboy built up another cool ass looking bike for his GF who's having shoulder surgery and still needs to get around one handed. how freaking cool is dat!
Still waiting on the debut/release of his fenders. (to see a bunch click here)
Anyway, despite a handful of users trained and overall productive day it still feels rather like it has dragged on... and on... and on...
well till next time - race hard, race well, pain is the only way to get there, embrace the pain... if it don't hurt ya ain't going hard enough...
Next week is May... Unbelievable...
peace, respect, and smile,
G
PS Stop into the Market and buy stuff...
Rest Day
That or a freaking thunder and lightning downpour. No choice really. I could say it was to get some rest in the legs leading up to Palmer. Or to conserve energy for chasing both girls around all day tomorrow while my wife gives a lecture on Menus at the Museum. But, it comes down to the same thing. Solo trailer, two girls. That and even with a double i think the oldest wouldn't fit! and the Double wouldn't fit easily through the door! At anyrate, i have a first rate artist occupying the shared office they call my office (two desks, maybe specifically for this purpose). Now if i can get her to answer the phone and emails it'd be perfect! J/K... she needs a few more years of playing on the microscopes before she can start providing email and phone support for our users...
Speaking of the mother of my girls, i must give her credit for finding that historic photo from Cali. And for noticing that "other" people think my writing ain't all that clear. Providing me with the very important self-affirmation that: "I ain't writing this stuff for anyone but me."
"WHAT?" Damn straight. It is a blog folks. Dats what they are.
Oh it seems my ForcastFox is telling me that there is a severe weather alert... Flood watch! Crazy! Thunderstorms and Rain in an over developed heavily paved part of the country results in Flooding? NFW!!!
Thanks to the BI-costals for pimping the link to Olberman. Reading the transcript is like hearing his voice. You see. The power of words, the written word, is well why it is good to proof-read all your shit out loud. If it sounds clearly read out loud. Then by doG, it is probably written pretty well.
For some lucas electric wired brain like mine, it means i really actually should have a correctable teleprompter running in my head 30 seconds before i open my mouth, read the line, no fix it, edit it, then say it so it means what i intend. Somethings roll off easy. Somethings not so much. Small talk? Chit chat? Not so much. Facts, technical stuff, that sort of thing? easy. It is like a sprinkler turns on in my head sometimes and the circuits ain't doing what they do when dry... and i ain't got much control over that stuff.
Sort of why email/writing has been something i gravitate too. Vs Phone. I can call my bro and talk about random shit but i can't call more distant relatives or not super close friends cause i just don't know what to say sometimes... Strange eh?
There. I'm fulfilling the "introspection" part of the section there for this week.
"GeWilli, GET OFF THE FREAKING COUCH."
okay...
Weather for sunday's race... ya know? It ain't looking that bad. Lots of rain to wash the roads clean (or fill em with sand, hoping for the former).
Shifting gears yet again.
Hawthorne Valley School Newsletter is out. Those of you in education, or with kids, or generally looking to add to the vat of random knowledge floating in your brain, or looking for something to do other than watch the TV... give it a read.
Speaking of TV. I do watch some and lately the one commercial that turns me into a steaming kettle mad is the caravan one with the DVD player, they have it in a cafeteria, school bus and i dunno what else. Basically the set up is a room/area full of rowdy screaming violent, loud, kids, and someone flips the DVD screen down and the kids suddenly become comatose little zombies staring at the screen...
Cuts to two parents blissfully happy in the front seat of their minivan with the two kids in the back seat zoned out to the flip down DVD mounted to the top of the minivan...
Yeah, cause you know, WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU WANT TO ENGAGE YOUR KIDS!!! They are annoying, always asking questions, it is too much work to talk to them, to let them think, to answer their questions, to develop their brains so they can ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING IN LIFE. There are millions of kids that can't get in a car without the DVD being turned on for them... they can't go to school, go shopping with a parent, go ANYWHERE without watching their "show" or what ever else they freaking watch in the car. It is SICK. SICK SICK SICK SICK.
The antithesis to a DVD-car riding kid is are (in general, because there are always exceptions, ALWAYS) the Hawthorne Valley type kids.
There is hope. There are places where kids develop. No my kids don't attend. But, i do feel good about where they are. Anyway. Give that newsletter I linked a read.
Go ahead and call the DVD loving freak parents BAD parents. If everyone accepts it the borg will eventually assimilate everyone and we are ALL screwed. Someone's gotta tell people they are doing it wrong.
Don't sit silently while the world crumbles around you. Be a voice for peace, be a voice for common sense.
Maybe i just need to get a really strong soap box and go outside on the green and bring a list of stuff to shout about... Might make more of a difference (and confirm to even more total strangers that i'm definitely wired all lucas like)...
how many days till cross season starts?
respect, peace and smile,
G
Speaking of the mother of my girls, i must give her credit for finding that historic photo from Cali. And for noticing that "other" people think my writing ain't all that clear. Providing me with the very important self-affirmation that: "I ain't writing this stuff for anyone but me."
"WHAT?" Damn straight. It is a blog folks. Dats what they are.
Oh it seems my ForcastFox is telling me that there is a severe weather alert... Flood watch! Crazy! Thunderstorms and Rain in an over developed heavily paved part of the country results in Flooding? NFW!!!
Thanks to the BI-costals for pimping the link to Olberman. Reading the transcript is like hearing his voice. You see. The power of words, the written word, is well why it is good to proof-read all your shit out loud. If it sounds clearly read out loud. Then by doG, it is probably written pretty well.
For some lucas electric wired brain like mine, it means i really actually should have a correctable teleprompter running in my head 30 seconds before i open my mouth, read the line, no fix it, edit it, then say it so it means what i intend. Somethings roll off easy. Somethings not so much. Small talk? Chit chat? Not so much. Facts, technical stuff, that sort of thing? easy. It is like a sprinkler turns on in my head sometimes and the circuits ain't doing what they do when dry... and i ain't got much control over that stuff.
Sort of why email/writing has been something i gravitate too. Vs Phone. I can call my bro and talk about random shit but i can't call more distant relatives or not super close friends cause i just don't know what to say sometimes... Strange eh?
There. I'm fulfilling the "introspection" part of the section there for this week.
"GeWilli, GET OFF THE FREAKING COUCH."
okay...
Weather for sunday's race... ya know? It ain't looking that bad. Lots of rain to wash the roads clean (or fill em with sand, hoping for the former).
Shifting gears yet again.
Hawthorne Valley School Newsletter is out. Those of you in education, or with kids, or generally looking to add to the vat of random knowledge floating in your brain, or looking for something to do other than watch the TV... give it a read.
Speaking of TV. I do watch some and lately the one commercial that turns me into a steaming kettle mad is the caravan one with the DVD player, they have it in a cafeteria, school bus and i dunno what else. Basically the set up is a room/area full of rowdy screaming violent, loud, kids, and someone flips the DVD screen down and the kids suddenly become comatose little zombies staring at the screen...
Cuts to two parents blissfully happy in the front seat of their minivan with the two kids in the back seat zoned out to the flip down DVD mounted to the top of the minivan...
Yeah, cause you know, WHY THE HELL WOULD YOU WANT TO ENGAGE YOUR KIDS!!! They are annoying, always asking questions, it is too much work to talk to them, to let them think, to answer their questions, to develop their brains so they can ACTUALLY DO SOMETHING IN LIFE. There are millions of kids that can't get in a car without the DVD being turned on for them... they can't go to school, go shopping with a parent, go ANYWHERE without watching their "show" or what ever else they freaking watch in the car. It is SICK. SICK SICK SICK SICK.
The antithesis to a DVD-car riding kid is are (in general, because there are always exceptions, ALWAYS) the Hawthorne Valley type kids.
There is hope. There are places where kids develop. No my kids don't attend. But, i do feel good about where they are. Anyway. Give that newsletter I linked a read.
Go ahead and call the DVD loving freak parents BAD parents. If everyone accepts it the borg will eventually assimilate everyone and we are ALL screwed. Someone's gotta tell people they are doing it wrong.
Don't sit silently while the world crumbles around you. Be a voice for peace, be a voice for common sense.
Maybe i just need to get a really strong soap box and go outside on the green and bring a list of stuff to shout about... Might make more of a difference (and confirm to even more total strangers that i'm definitely wired all lucas like)...
how many days till cross season starts?
respect, peace and smile,
G
Thursday, April 26, 2007
Day Is Draggin
It is that slow week or two, as the semester is ending... everyone's experiements are rushing to get done and no one is really needing training or much help... fortunately the scopes are working...
but...
it is draggin on...
energy levels are low - feeling a bit depleted... Soooo
Lucky me... i've got a tub of Kozy Shack in the fridge! And i'm going to eat the whole damn thing right now. Maybe i'll have enough energy to match a 2 year old tonight!
Check out this image:
artist unknown
Garden City Wheelmen vs. Sanson Wheelmen of Stockton, 1919
1997-208-443
link here (scroll to bottom of page)
Bike racing back when riding bikes was Cooooool... When roads were being built for BIKES not effin cars... Okay so my dates might be off a touch or two...
And it might just be PR week here folks:
Here's to hoping it ain't raining and cold like it was last year!
Mmmm that whole tub of Kozy Shack was wicked tasty, all natural ingredients, and a mere 740 calories. that might get me home... maybe...
That and can you believe... April is almost freaking OVER?! Ya know what that means? One month closer to CROSS season! WHOO
Respect! Smile... and pass on some love,
G
but...
it is draggin on...
energy levels are low - feeling a bit depleted... Soooo
Lucky me... i've got a tub of Kozy Shack in the fridge! And i'm going to eat the whole damn thing right now. Maybe i'll have enough energy to match a 2 year old tonight!
Check out this image:
artist unknown
Garden City Wheelmen vs. Sanson Wheelmen of Stockton, 1919
1997-208-443
link here (scroll to bottom of page)
Bike racing back when riding bikes was Cooooool... When roads were being built for BIKES not effin cars... Okay so my dates might be off a touch or two...
And it might just be PR week here folks:
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Sally Turner
Telephone: (401) 289-0478
Cell: (401) 252-1383
Email: sally_turner@yahoo.com
PROVIDENCE GEARING UP FOR ANNUAL BIKE TO WORK DAY
April 27, 2007 – Across the United States cities are
gearing up for the 51st Annual National Bike to Work
Day. The City of Providence will be hosting its own
press conference and festivities for its Annual Bike
to Work Day event on Friday, May 18, 2007. Taking
place at Biltmore Park, bicyclists will convene at the
park at 7:00am for refreshments, information about
bicycling safety, upcoming plans for bike routes, and
resources available for bicycle commuters. Local,
state and community leaders will join Providence Mayor
David Cicilline for an 8:00am press conference.
“In addition to the benefits an individual enjoys as a
bike commuter, there are broader societal benefits
that include a reduction in pollution and less traffic
congestion,” says Dan Baudouin, Director of The
Providence Foundation. The U.S. Bureau of
Transportation Statistics cites that the average cost
to own and operate a car (as of 2001) is $7,533.00 per
15,000 miles. This statistic does not take into
account today’s ever increasing fuel costs. To help
promote and support bicycle commuting in Providence,
The Providence Foundation and the Rhode Island
Department of Transportation have invested in the
installation of over 100 bicycle hitches throughout
downtown Providence including locations at the Amtrak
Station, Bank of America Skating Center and Exchange
Terrace.
The goal of Bike to Work Day is to help reduce traffic
congestion, reduce the demand for parking, reduce air
pollution and make Providence a better place to live
and work. The event is funded by the Rhode Island
Department of Transportation through a grant from the
Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Program of the
federal Department of Transportation. Administrative
and organizational support is provided by the
Providence Foundation.
For more information on Providence’s Bike to Work Day
and for information on the Rhode Island Department of
Transportation’s Bike RI program visit
www.bikedowntown.org and www.dot.state.ri.us/bikeri/
Here's to hoping it ain't raining and cold like it was last year!
Mmmm that whole tub of Kozy Shack was wicked tasty, all natural ingredients, and a mere 740 calories. that might get me home... maybe...
That and can you believe... April is almost freaking OVER?! Ya know what that means? One month closer to CROSS season! WHOO
Respect! Smile... and pass on some love,
G
an email day
ya know one of those days that starts off with one reply and another and then more come in as ya send the others out and keyboard time is occupied.
Not a bad thing.
And JB... in case you missed the question in the comment... Which JB are you... I'm not the only one wondering.
Stopped into the Market lastnight. We needed milk, coffee (organic Bold Boy Blend BTW), and a few other things. They got the Shift in! (See they are true to their word, you ask for it and it shows up).
Downside... it was lots of Punch and Berry... not a bottle of StrawBan... I told Jen and Marsh "Don't bother getting the other two flavors... just get StrawBan" Damn it all well... they got all BUT StrawBan... that is unless they didn't has shelf space or they didn't stock it cause they are still understaffed and their arms are tired from loading the shelves this week... or something... will have to check again.
Yall should come down to the Grand Opening on Saturday... i'm racin (gonna try to anyway) on sunday, so me and the little ones are headed to hang out post Ballet and all that.
Nice thing is - the market is 4 miles from the house by bike path and only 5 miles via car... Not as close as the 1/3 mile to the Shaws but... well... when Quality, Local and all that matter... 4 miles is a very small penalty to pay...
(shifting gears - saying it deliberately so that Solobreak's head doesn't spin off with the sudden change in topic - mostly because i don't have a good transitional sentence and i'm NOT going to go through and copy edit for format/content to make it flow)
Riding in... why would someone target a Stage race as a goal for the whole year? Who wins the big pro stage races. Does the World Champ TT dude win then? Does the worlds best climbers win them? Does the world's best sprinter win the overall?
Nope. The dude who is not the best in anything but passable in everything. Sort of like those Tri folks. They get trounced in road races, they get clobbered in real runs, and seem to get clobbered surrounded by swimmers. Yes... its a triathlon and yes you have to be ABLE to do all three, and they are different. But I've heard it before mediocre in all three makes a winner. Is that why mediocre folks target Stage Races as major goals? Cause unlike a one day race where it is all or nothing, you have a chance of beating some people some of the time?
Lance? Well he was winning stuff before the tour wins... And yeah - ya there are ALWAYS exceptions. I ain't talking about the exceptions... i talkin about the norm...
Anyway - Lots of good stuff out there today. Solo's eggin us(me) on to join him at the Tuck. And ya know... one of these days i'm gonna do it. Yes, i've committed. Just not sure when. And yes... i probably should be committed (j/k). Coach Curly talks about the BG and 1st and 520 and all that shit and i know EXACTLY what the fuck he's talking about. Kinda cool. I miss the old stomping grounds. Ran into someone yesterday asking about my bike saying he went to school an hour south of where they were made (he thought GK was building the shit in Everett... LOL - he went to U Dub... explains alot i think). I got a chance to revisit the summers working at Pine street pro shop... and when my folks were here i was reminded that pretty much every penny i earned all summer went to pay as big of a part of my tuition bill as it could... Work was work, work for the education...
Speaking of new content... Nasty crawled out from the sheets of his harem to grace the internet world with a post!
BJM gave us a nice link to gluing a bubular...
Even Hernando is poking at TVB.
I'm reluctant to give that proselytizing blog press, much less a link. Its sort of like the "if you say something bad about floyd TVB will flood you with massive spam sounding comments with links back to itself"
Kinda exactly the way creationists think. Ya know the world is only 10,000 years old. Why? Well because it says so in this book. Really? Where? Well not directly but if you look at all these "stories" and pretent they are literal and true (and you use only the "official" translation/interpretation* then yes, it says in this book. Can you show us supporting evidence? Why of course! If you make this assumption (carbon dating is wrong, some french lab is faking shit over and over) then of course our position holds water.
It is all about the assumptions and all that shit. Make too many assumptions and ya just look like a fucking retard (to everyone but yourself). Snow Boy kinda talks about it too today.
Floyd man, i wanna believe you. But i don't. Tyler? Basso? Lance? Jan? Oh ya know i should really leave it to those with the literary gift and stick to blabbing about the bike path and agonizing about stupid chain-ring or cassette selection... but well... maybe i should just do that...
(solo's gonna be all "I told you so")
That 12-27? It is cool. Having the option to spin up hill at 95 rpm is cool. I might stick the 42 back on but i'm not missing the closer spacing the 12-25 gave me.
As he's correctly stated in the past (arguing with a pig headed GeWilli) you don't have to use it...
Anyway. In case anyone was wondering. I got slightly rained on heading home. One stretch of downpour and a wee bit of drizzle. But, lemme tell you this. Shorts and short sleeves even with baselayer (sleveless) is too effin cold for 50 degrees and rain with heavy cloud cover, wind and no sun.
I hope the taller mo fo works his stuff out and can represent for the outliers on the bell curve at Sturbridge.
To finish it all up with something out of no where, there is a Woot Off today.
how many days till cross season starts? (hint 143)
respect and peace
G
Not a bad thing.
And JB... in case you missed the question in the comment... Which JB are you... I'm not the only one wondering.
Stopped into the Market lastnight. We needed milk, coffee (organic Bold Boy Blend BTW), and a few other things. They got the Shift in! (See they are true to their word, you ask for it and it shows up).
Downside... it was lots of Punch and Berry... not a bottle of StrawBan... I told Jen and Marsh "Don't bother getting the other two flavors... just get StrawBan" Damn it all well... they got all BUT StrawBan... that is unless they didn't has shelf space or they didn't stock it cause they are still understaffed and their arms are tired from loading the shelves this week... or something... will have to check again.
Yall should come down to the Grand Opening on Saturday... i'm racin (gonna try to anyway) on sunday, so me and the little ones are headed to hang out post Ballet and all that.
Nice thing is - the market is 4 miles from the house by bike path and only 5 miles via car... Not as close as the 1/3 mile to the Shaws but... well... when Quality, Local and all that matter... 4 miles is a very small penalty to pay...
(shifting gears - saying it deliberately so that Solobreak's head doesn't spin off with the sudden change in topic - mostly because i don't have a good transitional sentence and i'm NOT going to go through and copy edit for format/content to make it flow)
Riding in... why would someone target a Stage race as a goal for the whole year? Who wins the big pro stage races. Does the World Champ TT dude win then? Does the worlds best climbers win them? Does the world's best sprinter win the overall?
Nope. The dude who is not the best in anything but passable in everything. Sort of like those Tri folks. They get trounced in road races, they get clobbered in real runs, and seem to get clobbered surrounded by swimmers. Yes... its a triathlon and yes you have to be ABLE to do all three, and they are different. But I've heard it before mediocre in all three makes a winner. Is that why mediocre folks target Stage Races as major goals? Cause unlike a one day race where it is all or nothing, you have a chance of beating some people some of the time?
Lance? Well he was winning stuff before the tour wins... And yeah - ya there are ALWAYS exceptions. I ain't talking about the exceptions... i talkin about the norm...
Anyway - Lots of good stuff out there today. Solo's eggin us(me) on to join him at the Tuck. And ya know... one of these days i'm gonna do it. Yes, i've committed. Just not sure when. And yes... i probably should be committed (j/k). Coach Curly talks about the BG and 1st and 520 and all that shit and i know EXACTLY what the fuck he's talking about. Kinda cool. I miss the old stomping grounds. Ran into someone yesterday asking about my bike saying he went to school an hour south of where they were made (he thought GK was building the shit in Everett... LOL - he went to U Dub... explains alot i think). I got a chance to revisit the summers working at Pine street pro shop... and when my folks were here i was reminded that pretty much every penny i earned all summer went to pay as big of a part of my tuition bill as it could... Work was work, work for the education...
Speaking of new content... Nasty crawled out from the sheets of his harem to grace the internet world with a post!
BJM gave us a nice link to gluing a bubular...
Even Hernando is poking at TVB.
I'm reluctant to give that proselytizing blog press, much less a link. Its sort of like the "if you say something bad about floyd TVB will flood you with massive spam sounding comments with links back to itself"
Kinda exactly the way creationists think. Ya know the world is only 10,000 years old. Why? Well because it says so in this book. Really? Where? Well not directly but if you look at all these "stories" and pretent they are literal and true (and you use only the "official" translation/interpretation* then yes, it says in this book. Can you show us supporting evidence? Why of course! If you make this assumption (carbon dating is wrong, some french lab is faking shit over and over) then of course our position holds water.
It is all about the assumptions and all that shit. Make too many assumptions and ya just look like a fucking retard (to everyone but yourself). Snow Boy kinda talks about it too today.
Floyd man, i wanna believe you. But i don't. Tyler? Basso? Lance? Jan? Oh ya know i should really leave it to those with the literary gift and stick to blabbing about the bike path and agonizing about stupid chain-ring or cassette selection... but well... maybe i should just do that...
(solo's gonna be all "I told you so")
That 12-27? It is cool. Having the option to spin up hill at 95 rpm is cool. I might stick the 42 back on but i'm not missing the closer spacing the 12-25 gave me.
As he's correctly stated in the past (arguing with a pig headed GeWilli) you don't have to use it...
Anyway. In case anyone was wondering. I got slightly rained on heading home. One stretch of downpour and a wee bit of drizzle. But, lemme tell you this. Shorts and short sleeves even with baselayer (sleveless) is too effin cold for 50 degrees and rain with heavy cloud cover, wind and no sun.
I hope the taller mo fo works his stuff out and can represent for the outliers on the bell curve at Sturbridge.
To finish it all up with something out of no where, there is a Woot Off today.
how many days till cross season starts? (hint 143)
respect and peace
G
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
Not looking good
I guess it serves me right for neglecting to put the rear fender on the bike this morning....
Q(s)oD
There are two kinds of light--the glow that illuminates, and the glare that obscures.
- James Thurber
A poet who reads his verse in public may have other nasty habits.
- Robert Heinlein
- James Thurber
A poet who reads his verse in public may have other nasty habits.
- Robert Heinlein
Shamelessly stolen from O'Grady... but so worth the read...
By Patrick O'Grady
ogrady at maddogmedia dot com
ogrady at maddogmedia dot com
0 4 | 2 4 | 2 0 0 7
What's up, Doc?Here we go again. Exogenous testosterone found in Floyd Landis's Tour samples. Ivan Basso suspended in doping inquiry. What are we doing here, recycling 2006? Like it wasn't bad enough the first time around?
Here in Bibleburg we're recycling winter. It's snowing sideways, to no particular effect, though I guess the higher elevations are seeing something a lot like blizzard conditions. But that's Colorado for you. Yesterday I felt distinctly overdressed, wearing a long-sleeved jersey and leg warmers for a 90-minute ride; today I put on a hooded Gore-Tex jacket to fetch the paper.
This has been one of those "fine soft days" that led my ancestors to invent whisky during a lull in clan warfare. Temps in the low 30s; rain, sleet and snow driven by the dire sort of wind one associates with a White House talking point or a mass fart at a feedlot; and grayer than Darth Cheney's complexion when he's between hourly feedings of fresh human blood.
Speaking of which, despite a serious kink in one of his Freon tubes, the Dark Lord himself tottered out of his freezer to call Harry Reid a pussy for listening to the electorate instead of the voices in his head, then scuttled, hissing, under a large rock on the Capitol lawn.
Over at the White House, meanwhile, Gen. George Armstrong Bush is continuing to use Alberto Gonzales as a human flak jacket for himself and Turd Blossom, in no small measure because that's all he's good for. In fact, when this numbnuts is standing next to him, grinning like a jackass eating yellowjackets, ol' Georgie looks about half-bright by comparison.
Late update: Bill Moyers is back with a new edition of his PBS journal entitled, "Buying the War." Scope it out Wednesday at 9 p.m. Eastern time. For more, see the BMJ blog.
Awesome...
Starting the day with a mad dash to the meeting point and then heading out for a mellow ride including a few hills is just awesome...
I got coffee brewing and catching up on scheduling, stuffing my face with granola bars bread and the remainder of the gatorade... The weather is gorgeous, not having a big mane of hair billowing in the breeze and having cleaned the whiskers off the side of my face it just felt funny for a while... then i forgot about it.
Small turnout for the ride. I guess when i say Wed AM Hills 8am... that is enough to dissuade everyone from joining. That or no one else, of the flexible work folks, was able to make it. But the Italian IBC Crit Superstar Giulia did show up. We did the old river to mansville to west wrentham around and back up tower hill and return ride. not too long. I got just over 2.5 hours on the bike including my 30 minute mad dash (with trailer - empty) up to the hill for the meeting. Opened it up heading down W.Wrentham back down towards 122... looked down and saw 4 digits on the p'tap and decided to see how long i could keep 4 digits up there... then my neck started cramping and when i eased off i realized i had managed to scoot right through the pain wall and go deeper in that cave than i thought i could... pretty cool... but then even now, my neck is still sore from that cramp... Oh well...
That and i'm very proud of my little bro! Dude's taking on a big risk, but the market is very cool and was doing well when they were forced to close so i have high hopes and faith that it will work. Also knowing my little bro, he is wicked shrewed. Like i say, I got three little bro's and they all are smarter than me. So, it can be pretty certain that it was a good investment. Tom Bates is no push over businessman either.
So... next time you are headed down the bike path, needing some lunch, stop by. Maybe you want to ride down from Providence to Colt State Park... Stop at the market, grab a sandwich/salad/Shift or something and make a picnic of it. That or just make the market a stop. They've got tables inside, and out. Pick something up from the hot or cold case in the deli and relax in downtown warren...
Okay - i'll stop writing off the cuff add copy for the Store. And no pictures today - camera is at home. Maybe tomorrow.
But before i forget. Riding with Giulia and talking about her race and talking about how Rebbecca CRUSHED the field at Turtle Pond (and seeing KL running around), i realized something. Tagging on to the other post about reading race reports and all that.
I'm a fan of the local racer. The racers i want to do well are the ones i know. The ones i've met. The bike racers that i can yell their name out and cheer if i'm there. Or scan the results and see their name. I want to follow the season of my friends that are racing far more than i want to follow the season of a bunch of pro's in big races. Sure. If i know a few big pro's on a friend level, yeah their races become interesting as does reading about races they were in.
Anyway... yall take care, eat well... smile and be a seed for peace!
how many days till cross season starts?
G
I got coffee brewing and catching up on scheduling, stuffing my face with granola bars bread and the remainder of the gatorade... The weather is gorgeous, not having a big mane of hair billowing in the breeze and having cleaned the whiskers off the side of my face it just felt funny for a while... then i forgot about it.
Small turnout for the ride. I guess when i say Wed AM Hills 8am... that is enough to dissuade everyone from joining. That or no one else, of the flexible work folks, was able to make it. But the Italian IBC Crit Superstar Giulia did show up. We did the old river to mansville to west wrentham around and back up tower hill and return ride. not too long. I got just over 2.5 hours on the bike including my 30 minute mad dash (with trailer - empty) up to the hill for the meeting. Opened it up heading down W.Wrentham back down towards 122... looked down and saw 4 digits on the p'tap and decided to see how long i could keep 4 digits up there... then my neck started cramping and when i eased off i realized i had managed to scoot right through the pain wall and go deeper in that cave than i thought i could... pretty cool... but then even now, my neck is still sore from that cramp... Oh well...
That and i'm very proud of my little bro! Dude's taking on a big risk, but the market is very cool and was doing well when they were forced to close so i have high hopes and faith that it will work. Also knowing my little bro, he is wicked shrewed. Like i say, I got three little bro's and they all are smarter than me. So, it can be pretty certain that it was a good investment. Tom Bates is no push over businessman either.
So... next time you are headed down the bike path, needing some lunch, stop by. Maybe you want to ride down from Providence to Colt State Park... Stop at the market, grab a sandwich/salad/Shift or something and make a picnic of it. That or just make the market a stop. They've got tables inside, and out. Pick something up from the hot or cold case in the deli and relax in downtown warren...
Okay - i'll stop writing off the cuff add copy for the Store. And no pictures today - camera is at home. Maybe tomorrow.
But before i forget. Riding with Giulia and talking about her race and talking about how Rebbecca CRUSHED the field at Turtle Pond (and seeing KL running around), i realized something. Tagging on to the other post about reading race reports and all that.
I'm a fan of the local racer. The racers i want to do well are the ones i know. The ones i've met. The bike racers that i can yell their name out and cheer if i'm there. Or scan the results and see their name. I want to follow the season of my friends that are racing far more than i want to follow the season of a bunch of pro's in big races. Sure. If i know a few big pro's on a friend level, yeah their races become interesting as does reading about races they were in.
Anyway... yall take care, eat well... smile and be a seed for peace!
how many days till cross season starts?
G
Breaking NEWS...
Market at Cutler Mills re-opens in Warren
WARREN - For over two months it was closed, but the Market at Cutler Mills has re-opened with new products and new owners. Jen Kravitz, information and marketing coordinator, said the decision to open was made by a few residents who just didn't want to see the Market die. ‹ Full Story ›
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
no comparison (post is specifically for the two metal heads: Cronoman and Solobreak)
1970.... 2005
something has definitely changed in those 35 years... and i don't think it is for the better....
no more...
long blowing locks of hair flowing from under the helmet...
my hats now stand a chance of fitting my head...
i've lost more weight than i gained switching waterbottle cages...
definitely more aero...
No photos here...
Tomorrow? yeah... tomorrow... 'cause you know... how ya leave the chair ain't how it is gonna look after a shower...
And man, i'm glad to be able to use less than 8 oz of shampoo in the morning...
Next stop O'Gradyesque...
Not going to get to Marro's level... 'cause you gotta be a Marine to pull off the clean shaven head look... that and i don't wanna constantly wear something under my helmet once it gets sunny and all that...
And...
If you happen to be in or around Warren, RI....
The Market at Cutler Mills has finally Re-Opened.
The focus even more than before is on local. Locally owned, locally sourced to the greatest extend possible. If you want them to carry something, stop in and ask.
A small blurb/PR can be found here.
The deli counter is fantastic, if you've never had real grass fed beef (and you aren't a vegan) try it. This stuff makes the big Texas based natural foods giant's beef taste funky (and we all know their stuff is better than the next place down the food chain)...
They have a nice full line of StonyField products. The store buyer has assured me that the full line of Shift is on order and should be in stock soon.
They carry Coffee Depot beans (fair trade and organic AND locally roasted) and a few very amazing selections from area Bakeries.
Its a few hundred yards down Child street off the bike path (get off the Path by Dells and keep heading in that direction and it'll be up on the right).
Support Local and buy Local.
respect
G
my hats now stand a chance of fitting my head...
i've lost more weight than i gained switching waterbottle cages...
definitely more aero...
No photos here...
Tomorrow? yeah... tomorrow... 'cause you know... how ya leave the chair ain't how it is gonna look after a shower...
And man, i'm glad to be able to use less than 8 oz of shampoo in the morning...
Next stop O'Gradyesque...
Not going to get to Marro's level... 'cause you gotta be a Marine to pull off the clean shaven head look... that and i don't wanna constantly wear something under my helmet once it gets sunny and all that...
And...
If you happen to be in or around Warren, RI....
The Market at Cutler Mills has finally Re-Opened.
The focus even more than before is on local. Locally owned, locally sourced to the greatest extend possible. If you want them to carry something, stop in and ask.
A small blurb/PR can be found here.
The deli counter is fantastic, if you've never had real grass fed beef (and you aren't a vegan) try it. This stuff makes the big Texas based natural foods giant's beef taste funky (and we all know their stuff is better than the next place down the food chain)...
They have a nice full line of StonyField products. The store buyer has assured me that the full line of Shift is on order and should be in stock soon.
They carry Coffee Depot beans (fair trade and organic AND locally roasted) and a few very amazing selections from area Bakeries.
Its a few hundred yards down Child street off the bike path (get off the Path by Dells and keep heading in that direction and it'll be up on the right).
Support Local and buy Local.
respect
G
thank you
a public thank you for the well written race reports...
now that is out of the way...
a subject i've been trying to ignore but after just clicking on Cyclingnews and seeing the "breaking news link" for the second day... WTF...
Floyd sounds like he's cooked. Sure the results were LEAKED yet again, but ya know if there is synthetic crap in there well... that just ain't fucking good is it...
And Basso? Suspended by Disco? Go Figure. Here's the thing. They KNEW he was tainted goods. They PROCLAIMED that he was a clean rider and that they would never sign anyone that they doubted... WHY THE FUCK ARE THEY SUSPENDING HIM? I guess they don't believe his innocence anymore? "What I think" is right. The classics kick ass - doped to the gills you can still get stuck behind a train, crash, flat, break a steer tube on your fork and it don't matter.
Basso always seemed a bit slimy to me. I wouldn't have signed him if i was running Disco. But it is a good thing i am not, i'd prolly have a hard time believing Lance is 100% clean. All those tales of phantom motorcycle riders with coolers full of blood driving from stage to stage ensuring Lance has a good supply of fresh RBCs... I mean not lance. Sorry, he never used the stuff. Wait. Legally, publically, the only lines he has ever uttered were:
"I am the most tested cyclist in the world and i have never tested positive for performance enhancing drugs."
Duh. Never TESTED positive. He has never said (I could have missed it tho) "I have never USED performance enhancing drugs" nor has he said "I have never USED the practice of blood doping."
Maybe it is just his genetics. His oversized heart lungs and VO2Max. The fact that he is a massive mesomorph rigidly trimmed down to an ectomorph frame (solo - Doug the climber ain't the only meso who can climb) should also be thrown in there.
Did Disco/Basso do the right thing in pulling out of the Fleche and L-B-L? Does it matter?
For one thing it strengthens my position/feeling that the real stories in cycling belong to the Solobreaks and the like. Color commentary from What I thinks and CTodds... Toss in a few Megs Murats and Peanuts and ya got yourself a bike racing smorgasborg(sic) of reading to satisfy any seeking of cycling related literature.
To switch gears - GeWilli is proud to announce he will attempt to meet the standards set out by the afore and oft mentioned Solobreak with regards to the bike racer haircut... Before and after pictures? maybe... FatMarc has done that already, and well i unintentionally usurped his closing tag of "respect" i may intentionally pull a haircut parallel posting after lunch... or before lunch...
respect
G
now that is out of the way...
a subject i've been trying to ignore but after just clicking on Cyclingnews and seeing the "breaking news link" for the second day... WTF...
Floyd sounds like he's cooked. Sure the results were LEAKED yet again, but ya know if there is synthetic crap in there well... that just ain't fucking good is it...
And Basso? Suspended by Disco? Go Figure. Here's the thing. They KNEW he was tainted goods. They PROCLAIMED that he was a clean rider and that they would never sign anyone that they doubted... WHY THE FUCK ARE THEY SUSPENDING HIM? I guess they don't believe his innocence anymore? "What I think" is right. The classics kick ass - doped to the gills you can still get stuck behind a train, crash, flat, break a steer tube on your fork and it don't matter.
Basso always seemed a bit slimy to me. I wouldn't have signed him if i was running Disco. But it is a good thing i am not, i'd prolly have a hard time believing Lance is 100% clean. All those tales of phantom motorcycle riders with coolers full of blood driving from stage to stage ensuring Lance has a good supply of fresh RBCs... I mean not lance. Sorry, he never used the stuff. Wait. Legally, publically, the only lines he has ever uttered were:
"I am the most tested cyclist in the world and i have never tested positive for performance enhancing drugs."
Duh. Never TESTED positive. He has never said (I could have missed it tho) "I have never USED performance enhancing drugs" nor has he said "I have never USED the practice of blood doping."
Maybe it is just his genetics. His oversized heart lungs and VO2Max. The fact that he is a massive mesomorph rigidly trimmed down to an ectomorph frame (solo - Doug the climber ain't the only meso who can climb) should also be thrown in there.
Did Disco/Basso do the right thing in pulling out of the Fleche and L-B-L? Does it matter?
For one thing it strengthens my position/feeling that the real stories in cycling belong to the Solobreaks and the like. Color commentary from What I thinks and CTodds... Toss in a few Megs Murats and Peanuts and ya got yourself a bike racing smorgasborg(sic) of reading to satisfy any seeking of cycling related literature.
To switch gears - GeWilli is proud to announce he will attempt to meet the standards set out by the afore and oft mentioned Solobreak with regards to the bike racer haircut... Before and after pictures? maybe... FatMarc has done that already, and well i unintentionally usurped his closing tag of "respect" i may intentionally pull a haircut parallel posting after lunch... or before lunch...
respect
G
Monday, April 23, 2007
what a difference a bike makes
setting record low commute times... and lowish kJ (makes sense) all cause of a bike...
pretty amazing...
went back through - yup fastest average for that particular commute (recorded)...
that or i'm just slowly going from slow ass to not so slow ass... maybe i'll graduate to just being an ass soon... maybe next year...
peace...
g
pretty amazing...
went back through - yup fastest average for that particular commute (recorded)...
that or i'm just slowly going from slow ass to not so slow ass... maybe i'll graduate to just being an ass soon... maybe next year...
peace...
g
Random stuff...
Good Read #1
Good Read #2
with images and set up like this?
Tektro Pads (yeah those will last more than one wet cross race NOT)
note the brilliant alignment...
Riding in i had a slight realization...
Kind of a "well Duh" sort of feeling.
I don't like reading about the pro-races because they are written by someone watching the race.
I like reading the point of view of the racer.
Bottom line, it doesn't matter who is racing. Reading about the race is great, it could be a Cat 5 who almost finished with the field, writing about the course, their efforts and how the race was for them, is far more compelling (in general) than reading a polished piece about a Pro Race. Sure, the amateur writer doesn't have the polish of a pro, but many do. So, bloggers who race? WRITE ABOUT your races.
I don't wanna pick up a print rag or spend time reading cyclingnews about the results of some pro race and how it unfolded. I'll look at the results and take it for that.
It is especially compelling to read about races that i have done, or hope to do. Take the BKR for example. Solobreak's bit fueled the fire last year. Hearing Kipp Bradford talk about it on a Tuesday evening BLVD cruise added to the burning desire.
is it a bit voyeuristic? maybe. And don't think it is that i don't want to read the pro's stuff. Hell those that write kick serious ass and reading about their races is how I want to follow pro racing. Publishers? Are you listening? While i respect the journalist crowd. I don't want to hear about the race from a dude riding in a motorcycle/team car or sitting in the cafe watching the race on tv/listening to race radio... I want to hear the report from the trenches.
The real story. Solobreak alluded to it at one point. Not directly but in a way.
So bike racing bloggers! Bust out that keyboard. When you are sitting on the couch with your legs elevated... grab your laptop/keyboard... hammer those keys and let "us" read it. The fans. The true tifosi of the sport of cycling.
I dunno maybe you shouldn't be allowed to race without talking about it. Keeping your race to yourself is selfish, in a way, no? Race reports can be a pain. But look at the training advantage.
will you remember the nuances of the race a year later as you go to start it? Yeah maybe. Probably. But you will remember it better if you write it down then. You can build as a cyclist if you clearly identify what went well and what went wrong. Build on the positive aspects of your race and repair the flaws the short comings you noted. Chances are you will forget one or the other when you head back to the course. the reports help a coach or for the fiscally poor/resource challenged: they help you self coach. read your report a week or two later...
Cycling is really a unique sport in that building takes years... Sure many sports also take years to develop, well actually most do. But, sometimes unlike others people expect that "hey i can hop on a bike and win my first time out." Sure some can, but that's the exception not the rule. Put your time in on the bike for a few years... build slowly... learn, learn, learn... and write... write because there are folks like me who read... Thank you.
respect!
G
Good Read #2
with images and set up like this?
Tektro Pads (yeah those will last more than one wet cross race NOT)
note the brilliant alignment...
Riding in i had a slight realization...
Kind of a "well Duh" sort of feeling.
I don't like reading about the pro-races because they are written by someone watching the race.
I like reading the point of view of the racer.
Bottom line, it doesn't matter who is racing. Reading about the race is great, it could be a Cat 5 who almost finished with the field, writing about the course, their efforts and how the race was for them, is far more compelling (in general) than reading a polished piece about a Pro Race. Sure, the amateur writer doesn't have the polish of a pro, but many do. So, bloggers who race? WRITE ABOUT your races.
I don't wanna pick up a print rag or spend time reading cyclingnews about the results of some pro race and how it unfolded. I'll look at the results and take it for that.
It is especially compelling to read about races that i have done, or hope to do. Take the BKR for example. Solobreak's bit fueled the fire last year. Hearing Kipp Bradford talk about it on a Tuesday evening BLVD cruise added to the burning desire.
is it a bit voyeuristic? maybe. And don't think it is that i don't want to read the pro's stuff. Hell those that write kick serious ass and reading about their races is how I want to follow pro racing. Publishers? Are you listening? While i respect the journalist crowd. I don't want to hear about the race from a dude riding in a motorcycle/team car or sitting in the cafe watching the race on tv/listening to race radio... I want to hear the report from the trenches.
The real story. Solobreak alluded to it at one point. Not directly but in a way.
So bike racing bloggers! Bust out that keyboard. When you are sitting on the couch with your legs elevated... grab your laptop/keyboard... hammer those keys and let "us" read it. The fans. The true tifosi of the sport of cycling.
I dunno maybe you shouldn't be allowed to race without talking about it. Keeping your race to yourself is selfish, in a way, no? Race reports can be a pain. But look at the training advantage.
will you remember the nuances of the race a year later as you go to start it? Yeah maybe. Probably. But you will remember it better if you write it down then. You can build as a cyclist if you clearly identify what went well and what went wrong. Build on the positive aspects of your race and repair the flaws the short comings you noted. Chances are you will forget one or the other when you head back to the course. the reports help a coach or for the fiscally poor/resource challenged: they help you self coach. read your report a week or two later...
Cycling is really a unique sport in that building takes years... Sure many sports also take years to develop, well actually most do. But, sometimes unlike others people expect that "hey i can hop on a bike and win my first time out." Sure some can, but that's the exception not the rule. Put your time in on the bike for a few years... build slowly... learn, learn, learn... and write... write because there are folks like me who read... Thank you.
respect!
G
Summer's here
Yup... gonna almost hit 80°F today (27°C for you canuks and euros and scientists living in the usa with your HUA (head up *your* ass))
Crazy!
When ya wake up and find out that the Wings beat the Flames, in overtime. You suddenly get a big wave of relief. Yes i wanted to watch that game. But... starting at 9pm eastern time and going into overtime on a sunday night... sleep is FAR more important than who wins. Yes, it would have been cool to watch them. I got to watch a bit of the game on Saturday before heading up to the Peace Abby for a Magical Strings concert. At least the Wings are going to the next round. Whooo! Sorry flames...
Riding the Q-pro again with the trailer. I just can't get the fit quite the same on the croll... and didn't have time to resurect the P-mount and after the killer sunburn ride on Saturday i wanna keep the body geometry the same for the upcoming race...
One point on the ride i was just motoring... and riding with team-mate (Mr H as he hates to be called - cat 3 not that it matters) and we hit some rollers and he started motoring and i started motoring and i started feeling good and then up one stretch of a hill i held cadence and speed and forgot to look at power and I popped... I had dropped him for a second or two and i popped, he came around and i worked my ass off to catch up eventually i think... anyway - freaking a blast... Couple of long intense efforts working to get back. This morning legs felt good.
Maybe i'm making progress. Just hoping to stick with the field and not get gapped too much on the turns. Only showing up and racing will tell. I wonder if Zoo raced this weekend... seemed to be a no show at BKR even tho he sounded geeked about it... TP was on his radar in the fall... seems a shame when people fold up and hide for unknown reasons...
Time to go play on some microscopes - ya know - looking at really tiny shit is pretty damn freaking cool!!!
respect!
G
Crazy!
When ya wake up and find out that the Wings beat the Flames, in overtime. You suddenly get a big wave of relief. Yes i wanted to watch that game. But... starting at 9pm eastern time and going into overtime on a sunday night... sleep is FAR more important than who wins. Yes, it would have been cool to watch them. I got to watch a bit of the game on Saturday before heading up to the Peace Abby for a Magical Strings concert. At least the Wings are going to the next round. Whooo! Sorry flames...
Riding the Q-pro again with the trailer. I just can't get the fit quite the same on the croll... and didn't have time to resurect the P-mount and after the killer sunburn ride on Saturday i wanna keep the body geometry the same for the upcoming race...
One point on the ride i was just motoring... and riding with team-mate (Mr H as he hates to be called - cat 3 not that it matters) and we hit some rollers and he started motoring and i started motoring and i started feeling good and then up one stretch of a hill i held cadence and speed and forgot to look at power and I popped... I had dropped him for a second or two and i popped, he came around and i worked my ass off to catch up eventually i think... anyway - freaking a blast... Couple of long intense efforts working to get back. This morning legs felt good.
Maybe i'm making progress. Just hoping to stick with the field and not get gapped too much on the turns. Only showing up and racing will tell. I wonder if Zoo raced this weekend... seemed to be a no show at BKR even tho he sounded geeked about it... TP was on his radar in the fall... seems a shame when people fold up and hide for unknown reasons...
Time to go play on some microscopes - ya know - looking at really tiny shit is pretty damn freaking cool!!!
respect!
G
Sunday, April 22, 2007
death... by the numbers
bored - tired - pimping free net...
thinkin lets see how many people die a year due to firearms...
CDC has a cool little ap...
And the latest is for '04 and yeah its what '07 these stats are dated... higher or lower... time will tell... firearms:
One of the options is pedal cyclists:
pretty crazy.... I dunno how the graphs will post... somewhat morbid stats to fiddle with tho...
looking at the numbers we've got or had in '04 78 homocidal firearm deaths A DAY...
One day... in the USA 78 killed violently with a firearm...
something to weigh in perspective i guess...
thinkin lets see how many people die a year due to firearms...
CDC has a cool little ap...
And the latest is for '04 and yeah its what '07 these stats are dated... higher or lower... time will tell... firearms:
| Number of Deaths | Population | Crude Rate | Age-Adjusted Rate** |
| 29,569 | 293,656,842 | 10.07 | 9.95 |
One of the options is pedal cyclists:
| Number of Deaths | Population | Crude Rate | Age-Adjusted Rate** |
| 843 | 293,656,842 | 0.29 | 0.29 |
pretty crazy.... I dunno how the graphs will post... somewhat morbid stats to fiddle with tho...
looking at the numbers we've got or had in '04 78 homocidal firearm deaths A DAY...
One day... in the USA 78 killed violently with a firearm...
something to weigh in perspective i guess...
waterbottle cages part ???
Yeah, gewilli, shut up about the waterbottle cages!
Okay... in a second...
pulled out the cooking scale - stuck the Stainless Chicane cages on: 49 grams...
Then i put the Metal Matrix Switchback cages... 55 grams
Sumbitch...
Stupid POC heavy ass twiggy stainless springs... costing me a bottle and a better placing.
Official results are in from BKR and it looks like i'm 56th instead of 55th... oh well... same time.
Had a kick ass ride yesterday... broke a new instant max power stat without trying... had a good solid intense effort. But... the almost 3 hours in the heat with two bottle (big ones) was again not enough freaking water... WTF so the dehydration and the first sunburn of the year fucked me up pretty good and then the sinus thing flared up after dinner last night for some reason... i'm a wreck... sunnburnt dehydrated with clogged sinuses... FUN stuff.
Had some good hard efforts tho... felt pretty good despite the slight dehydration. I noticed that Yogurt boy suffered from that yesterday. TP w/o water? Maybe i'm not the only one ill-prepared for this heat. Cruising Target this morning for essentials like TP PT and other stuff the majority of the folks in the store were various shades of sunburn.
Big Jonny, man if he doesn't make a killer case that i should be on a 29'er! Me and Him? yeah we big tall sumbitches...
Non-cycling stuff? CD player toast. The one i bought reconditioned from Cambridge Soundworks in 1991. Yeah. Old FUcking Skool. 1-bitDLC Pioneer PD-5700. I guess i got my money's worth out of it... Figured i'd browse Tar-jay's shelves... not a single one there. But i could just get a DVD player and pretend its a CD player... $40... crazy...
Sunny as hell- what happened to spring. Its fucking summer here - where are my 50-60 degree days? HUH?
Will i have to wait till cross season is over before we get messed up cold ass shit again?
how many days till cross season starts?
G
Okay... in a second...
pulled out the cooking scale - stuck the Stainless Chicane cages on: 49 grams...
Then i put the Metal Matrix Switchback cages... 55 grams
Sumbitch...
Stupid POC heavy ass twiggy stainless springs... costing me a bottle and a better placing.
Official results are in from BKR and it looks like i'm 56th instead of 55th... oh well... same time.
Had a kick ass ride yesterday... broke a new instant max power stat without trying... had a good solid intense effort. But... the almost 3 hours in the heat with two bottle (big ones) was again not enough freaking water... WTF so the dehydration and the first sunburn of the year fucked me up pretty good and then the sinus thing flared up after dinner last night for some reason... i'm a wreck... sunnburnt dehydrated with clogged sinuses... FUN stuff.
Had some good hard efforts tho... felt pretty good despite the slight dehydration. I noticed that Yogurt boy suffered from that yesterday. TP w/o water? Maybe i'm not the only one ill-prepared for this heat. Cruising Target this morning for essentials like TP PT and other stuff the majority of the folks in the store were various shades of sunburn.
Big Jonny, man if he doesn't make a killer case that i should be on a 29'er! Me and Him? yeah we big tall sumbitches...
Non-cycling stuff? CD player toast. The one i bought reconditioned from Cambridge Soundworks in 1991. Yeah. Old FUcking Skool. 1-bitDLC Pioneer PD-5700. I guess i got my money's worth out of it... Figured i'd browse Tar-jay's shelves... not a single one there. But i could just get a DVD player and pretend its a CD player... $40... crazy...
Sunny as hell- what happened to spring. Its fucking summer here - where are my 50-60 degree days? HUH?
Will i have to wait till cross season is over before we get messed up cold ass shit again?
how many days till cross season starts?
G
Friday, April 20, 2007
Waterbottle thoughtage
contiuning from the Cyclingnews questions and all that:
The ones i ejected the bottles from are these
The ones i should have put on are the metal-matrix (alloy - since discontiuned in favor of the heavier stainless versions depicted here) switchback cages.
Those button bottle cages are copies of those fancy euro ones that everyone HAD to have mid-late 90s... The Elite Ciussi cages.
The QBP knock offs are here.
They are right at the price point where it is a tough call. Those Ciussi (queezy) cages so totally kick serious mofo-in ass that the extra $15 bones is almost worth it.
Of course if you are one of those rolling around with a $4000 carbon frame you'd better not be caught dead without one of these sumbitches!
I've never ejected a bottle out of a Blackburn Mt Cage. And what is 40 grams relative to my freakish (for a cyclist) weight? Pretty much nadda... not a measurable % (okay it is but even at two of them that's 0.18 pounds and roughly 0.08% of my total riding weight (me + bike)... insigfricanificant...
Oh sure but 80 grams here, 80 grams there... 5-6 of those = one pound... and one pound is still less than 0.5% of my total rider weight...
Those KING cages everyone says i gotta have. They ain't look NUTTING any diff'nt than the Blackburn jobbers. And i have the blackburn jobbers.
Thing is. Till then i hadn't ejected bottles from the cages on there and there are quite a few miles on dem... I did notice since coming back that the down tube cage was slightly miss-aligned.
One good reason Steel cages are Fucking stupid. Alloy cages do bend but not as easily as stainless ones. Sure Ti is best but Ti is also springier than Al and that rigidity is needed on the big woops like the first dirt section at BKR.
Then again maybe when i warrantied the Metal Matrix cages that broke i put the stainless replacements on my wifes Zurich and i have a broken set of the Metal Matrix cages... one of these days (tomorrow hopefully) i will take the Bra (for the roof rack) off the Klein, clean the BKR mud off and check these cages out...
Well... enough musing about cages - i plan on learning and moving on and hopefully never drop a bottle in a critical race situation again...
That's why cross is so nice... no more than an hour or so and no one gets water bottles during the race!
how many days till cross season starts?
G
The ones i ejected the bottles from are these
The ones i should have put on are the metal-matrix (alloy - since discontiuned in favor of the heavier stainless versions depicted here) switchback cages.
Those button bottle cages are copies of those fancy euro ones that everyone HAD to have mid-late 90s... The Elite Ciussi cages.
The QBP knock offs are here.
They are right at the price point where it is a tough call. Those Ciussi (queezy) cages so totally kick serious mofo-in ass that the extra $15 bones is almost worth it.
Of course if you are one of those rolling around with a $4000 carbon frame you'd better not be caught dead without one of these sumbitches!
I've never ejected a bottle out of a Blackburn Mt Cage. And what is 40 grams relative to my freakish (for a cyclist) weight? Pretty much nadda... not a measurable % (okay it is but even at two of them that's 0.18 pounds and roughly 0.08% of my total riding weight (me + bike)... insigfricanificant...
Oh sure but 80 grams here, 80 grams there... 5-6 of those = one pound... and one pound is still less than 0.5% of my total rider weight...
Those KING cages everyone says i gotta have. They ain't look NUTTING any diff'nt than the Blackburn jobbers. And i have the blackburn jobbers.
Thing is. Till then i hadn't ejected bottles from the cages on there and there are quite a few miles on dem... I did notice since coming back that the down tube cage was slightly miss-aligned.
One good reason Steel cages are Fucking stupid. Alloy cages do bend but not as easily as stainless ones. Sure Ti is best but Ti is also springier than Al and that rigidity is needed on the big woops like the first dirt section at BKR.
Then again maybe when i warrantied the Metal Matrix cages that broke i put the stainless replacements on my wifes Zurich and i have a broken set of the Metal Matrix cages... one of these days (tomorrow hopefully) i will take the Bra (for the roof rack) off the Klein, clean the BKR mud off and check these cages out...
Well... enough musing about cages - i plan on learning and moving on and hopefully never drop a bottle in a critical race situation again...
That's why cross is so nice... no more than an hour or so and no one gets water bottles during the race!
how many days till cross season starts?
G
waterbottles... and cages
cyclingnews letters about cages...
Yeah... i need to take note... Loosing both bottles in the potholes of the BKR (caught one fortunately) was a reminder... the ones i've got would be fine for most stuff but i gotta switch them for the wicked awesome Mt cages... ain't ever lost a waterbottle mt biking on the hardtail with them... so i'll take the few gram penalty and be certain to have water! Dropping a bottle sucks.
Esp when you don't have race support neutral or not...
Yeah... i need to take note... Loosing both bottles in the potholes of the BKR (caught one fortunately) was a reminder... the ones i've got would be fine for most stuff but i gotta switch them for the wicked awesome Mt cages... ain't ever lost a waterbottle mt biking on the hardtail with them... so i'll take the few gram penalty and be certain to have water! Dropping a bottle sucks.
Esp when you don't have race support neutral or not...
Spring Break week
Nothing like spring break to disrupt the whole flow of commuting.
I need one of those xtracycles with the extra seats... but then traffic isn't too bad being as it is spring break.
And sure - Mandy takes the link i sent her - pulls her photo out and not even a thank you... shucks... its okay i guess - and gravel? No, girl, that wasn't gravel - gravel was what lined the sides of the road... ya get in that and you find the gravel... she does look alot more comfortable than the rest of the field...
Yesterday there were two very distinctive sets of eyes that i encountered. The first set, right off the bat in the morning. Robins egg blue speckled kind of eyes. Striking. There is something about eyes, so unique so individual. Back in Michigan there were two specific instances where the students had colored contacts in all the time. It was spooky. You could tell even with a cursory glance that the eye color didn't fit and didn't seem natural. Why change what your eyes look like? They say a ton about you.
The second set. Pretty dramatic. I've seen this set around, not frequently but occasionally. And maybe it was the morning pair that had my eye-radar turned up to observation level. This set was like floating liquid amber. So striking. gorgeous. The thing is i hadn't noticed them at this level before. And maybe that's why i was so stunned. Like a flower you walk past every day in bloom and then you notice it. Beauty, raw natural beauty. Pretty amazing.
You never know what ya might find each day. Be on the look out for beautiful things. Find the beauty in your life around you. Use it to inspire or just to smile about.
--
With such a low mileage/time week I am going to try and get out this weekend. Yes rest is good. And honestly i think this rest this past week was needed. Gotta sort out the whole commuting bike thing. Resurrect the P-mount (which has a 58 TT maybe it is a 62... i dunno) in place of the Croll... find/buy an extra P'tap harness... lots of stuff...
Good luck to the bike racers heading out for competition this weekend. I hope Cturd can produce some better videos... people complaining about alcohol abuse when Levi is spraying them with champange... just ain't good footage, although it is probably indicative of the locale, he does have big full lips. No wonder Solobreak loves his mouth.
So far we are two for two with broken confocals today. So much fun. Here's to hoping nothing else breaks!
how many days till cross season starts?
G
I need one of those xtracycles with the extra seats... but then traffic isn't too bad being as it is spring break.
And sure - Mandy takes the link i sent her - pulls her photo out and not even a thank you... shucks... its okay i guess - and gravel? No, girl, that wasn't gravel - gravel was what lined the sides of the road... ya get in that and you find the gravel... she does look alot more comfortable than the rest of the field...
Yesterday there were two very distinctive sets of eyes that i encountered. The first set, right off the bat in the morning. Robins egg blue speckled kind of eyes. Striking. There is something about eyes, so unique so individual. Back in Michigan there were two specific instances where the students had colored contacts in all the time. It was spooky. You could tell even with a cursory glance that the eye color didn't fit and didn't seem natural. Why change what your eyes look like? They say a ton about you.
The second set. Pretty dramatic. I've seen this set around, not frequently but occasionally. And maybe it was the morning pair that had my eye-radar turned up to observation level. This set was like floating liquid amber. So striking. gorgeous. The thing is i hadn't noticed them at this level before. And maybe that's why i was so stunned. Like a flower you walk past every day in bloom and then you notice it. Beauty, raw natural beauty. Pretty amazing.
You never know what ya might find each day. Be on the look out for beautiful things. Find the beauty in your life around you. Use it to inspire or just to smile about.
--
With such a low mileage/time week I am going to try and get out this weekend. Yes rest is good. And honestly i think this rest this past week was needed. Gotta sort out the whole commuting bike thing. Resurrect the P-mount (which has a 58 TT maybe it is a 62... i dunno) in place of the Croll... find/buy an extra P'tap harness... lots of stuff...
Good luck to the bike racers heading out for competition this weekend. I hope Cturd can produce some better videos... people complaining about alcohol abuse when Levi is spraying them with champange... just ain't good footage, although it is probably indicative of the locale, he does have big full lips. No wonder Solobreak loves his mouth.
So far we are two for two with broken confocals today. So much fun. Here's to hoping nothing else breaks!
how many days till cross season starts?
G
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Der Fliegende Hollander
This is among my most favorite musical works ever.
One of the recordings i have of it is from Bayreuth in 1961. An amazing cast. Killer leads and unbelievable chorus.
The best part i think is the full orchestration of the chorus at the start of act 3...
Big powerful sound from the orchestra leading in to the:
Steuermann, lass die Wacht!
Steuermann, her zu uns!
Ho! He! Je! Ha!
Hisst die Segel auf! Anker Fest!
Steuermann, her!
Furchten weder Wind noch Bosen Strand,
wollen heute mal recht lusting sein!
Jeder hat sein Madel auf dem Land,
herrlichen Tabak und guten Branntewein.
Hussassahe!
Klipp' und Sturm draus -
Jollohohe!
Lachen wir aus!
and so it goes... full chorus of deep bass voices stomping on the deck of the ship to each down beat.
If you don't know the story of the Opera here's a nice synopsis of it:
It is a powerful story of love and sacrifice. And while the message is simple, the story written and told many different ways. The music is what captivates and invigorates the soul.
Music really is impressive and this simple 3 act opera is incredible.
respect,
G
One of the recordings i have of it is from Bayreuth in 1961. An amazing cast. Killer leads and unbelievable chorus.
The best part i think is the full orchestration of the chorus at the start of act 3...
Big powerful sound from the orchestra leading in to the:
Steuermann, lass die Wacht!
Steuermann, her zu uns!
Ho! He! Je! Ha!
Hisst die Segel auf! Anker Fest!
Steuermann, her!
Furchten weder Wind noch Bosen Strand,
wollen heute mal recht lusting sein!
Jeder hat sein Madel auf dem Land,
herrlichen Tabak und guten Branntewein.
Hussassahe!
Klipp' und Sturm draus -
Jollohohe!
Lachen wir aus!
and so it goes... full chorus of deep bass voices stomping on the deck of the ship to each down beat.
If you don't know the story of the Opera here's a nice synopsis of it:
Synopsis
Act I
Setting:a Norwegian seashore with steep cliffs. A violent storm rages.
A sudden violent storm has driven Daland's ship seven miles off course. His port had evidently been in sight because Daland thought he had seen his home and Senta waiting to greet him. The storm abates as all settle down for a rest. Sleep even overcomes Daland's Steersman who is alone on deck. The Flying Dutchman's ship suddenly approaches the shore and drops anchor next to Daland's ship. The Dutchman goes ashore and laments his fate (Die Frist ist um). He has been condemned to sail the oceans of the earth until doomsday. His only chance for rest is to find a woman who will be faithful to him until death. Every seven years he is allowed to land and search out just such a woman. He calls for the end of time to come and take him to his final rest.
Daland comes up on the deck of his ship and notices the Dutchman's ship anchored next to his. The Steersman awakens and calls to the other ship. They do not answer and the call is repeated. This time the Dutchman appears on shore. Daland joins him on the beach and greets him. The Dutchman tells Daland his ship is full of treasures; if Daland will grant him shelter for the evening, he will be richly rewarded (Durch Sturm und bösen wind verschlagen). Two of the Dutchman's crew enter carrying a chest of jewels and the Dutchman says that this is just a small part of the collection he has on-board. He goes on to ask if Daland has a daughter, and Daland replies that he does. The Dutchman says that if Daland will give him his daughter in marriage, Daland can have all the treasure on the Dutchman's ship. Daland promises Senta's hand to the Dutchman. The Dutchman admits apprehension over the promise, but also excitement over the prospect of ending his torment (Wenn aus der Qualen Schreckgewalten). Daland expresses joy over his new found treasures and gladly gives Senta to the stranger. Daland departs for his home port. The Dutchman declares that his ship will rest for a while, but soon over-take Daland's in their trip home.
Act II
Setting: A large room in Daland's house.
Mary and the girls are seated around the stove spinning and singing (Summ' und brumm', du gutes Rädchen). Senta is chastised for not spinning and instead gazing at the picture of a man with a pale face and dark beard wearing a black cloak. Senta turns to Mary and asks why she told her the story behind the man in the picture. The girls chide Senta for being in love with the man in the picture when she could have the hot-blooded Erik. Senta calls for Mary to sing the ballad of the Flying Dutchman. She refuses, so Senta sings it instead (Johohohe!).
Have you met the ship at sea with blood-red sails and black mast?
On the high deck, the pale man, the master of the ship, keeps endless watch.
Hoo! How the wind howls - Yo ho hey!
Hoo! How it whistles in the rigging, Yo ho hey!
Hoo! Like an arrow he flies, without aim, without rest, without peace!
But redemption may one day come to the pale man,
if he but find a woman on earth true unto death.
Oh, when will you find her, wan mariner?
Pray to Heaven that soon a woman will stay true to him!
In bitter gale and raging storm, he once tried to round a cape;
he cursed in, mad fury, and swore: "Never will I give up!"
Hoo! And Satan heard it! Yo ho hey!
Hoo! Took him at his word! Yo ho hey!
Hoo! And, damned, he now roams the sea without rest or peace!
But the poor man may still find salvation on earth
for an angel of God showed him how one day he might be redeemed.
Ah, wan mariner, could you but find it!
Pray to Heaven that soon a woman will stay true to him!
At anchor every seven years, a wife to woo he goes ashore:
he wooed every seven years, but never a true wife he found.
Hoo! "Hoist sails!" Yo ho hey!
Hoo! "Weigh anchor!" Yo ho hey!
Hoo! "False love, false faith! Back to sea, without rest or peace!"
The girls ask who is the angel that will save the poor captain. Senta answers it is herself as the girls express horror. Erik has heard Senta's last words and asks if she wishes to destroy him Erik reports sighting Daland's ship approaching their cliff. The girls and Mary leave to prepare for his return when Erik halts Senta. Erik tells her that before Daland goes back out to sea, he will give Senta a groom. He adds that his heart will be true until death. He has not much to offer her, but asks for her hand anyway. Senta deflects his plea and tells him she should go and greet Daland. Erik asks who will comfort his heart-break if she leaves with the stranger. She tells him not to doubt her affection for him and asks what has made him so sad and suspicious. He tells her that her father thinks only of wealth. He asks her to forget her mad infatuation at which she tells him it is not her fault her face shows pity. She tells him his anguish is nothing compared with the Dutchman's fate. Erik remembers a dream in which her father brought home a stranger. Senta embraced him and then disappeared with him on the sea. He realizes that his dream is about to become reality and rushes from the room.
Senta is startled by the sudden appearance at the door of her father and the Dutchman. She recognizes the Dutchman and looks at him spellbound. Daland chides her for not embracing him, and she does so. Daland then introduces the Dutchman to her and asks if she will be kind to the stranger. Neither are paying him any attention so he leaves them alone. The Dutchman comments quietly, as if in a trance, that he has seen her before in his dreams (Wie aus der Ferne). He talks of the warmth he feels wondering if it is love or the yearning for redemption. Senta feels compassion for him and hopes his salvation will come true through her. The Dutchman asks if she agrees with her father's decision and if he can depend on her (Wirst du des Vaters). She responds that regardless of his past she will obey her father. He comments on her quick answer and asks if she has pity for his suffering To herself, Senta wonders if she can console him. The Dutchman overhears her and his ecstasy soars as he begins to believe his redemption is at hand. He warns her of the sacrifices she will have to make at which she tells him she knows about the sacred duty of a woman. This soothes the Dutchman. Daland returns to see how things are progressing and asks Senta if she consents to marriage with the Dutchman. Senta agrees as the three join in a joyful trio filled with hope and love.
Act III
Setting: A cove with a rocky beach overlooking the Norwegian and Dutch Ships. It is evening.
The Norwegian Sailors are celebrating Daland's return (Steuermann, laß die wacht!). The crowd has grown curious about the Dutch ships eery appearance and unearthly silence. They begin to call for the Dutch crew to join them in the celebration. Girls from the village offer wine and food to the Dutchman's crew. Several attempts are made to hail them. All their calls go unanswered and the crowd thinks them dead. The Norwegian sailors claim the wine and food as their own and they return to drinking and revelry. A blue flame suddenly flares up on the Dutch ship. The sea around the ship becomes violent and the wind whistles through its rigging. The crew is suddenly illuminated in the flickering flame. In an evil chorus they declare that Satan has blessed their ship (Johohoe!). They call upon their captain to return as he will never find a woman to redeem his soul. The chorus grows in volume until the Norwegian crew retreats below deck making the sign of the cross as they leave. The ghostly crew mocks them and silence once more returns to their ship and the surrounding area.
Senta rushes from the house pursued by Erik. He says that he cannot comprehend what he has seen or heard. He has been told of her promise to marry the Dutchman. He goes on to ask how she could marry someone she barely knows. She admits that a noble duty has decreed her destiny. He reminds her of the countless risks he took to get her flowers and of her protection he was sworn to provide. He reminds her of her declaration of love for him.
The Dutchman has been quietly observing the two and rushes forward declaring, "Lost! My redemption is lost forever!" He bids farewell to Senta and begins to leave. Senta holds him back as the Dutchman whistles and shouts for his crew to get underway. Senta tells him she will fulfill her promise to marry him. Erik, unbelieving her words, tries to drag her away. The Dutchman tells her that since she has not married him yet, her vow means nothing. Senta tells him she knows who he is and insists that through her he will find salvation. The villagers arrive, summoned by Erik's cries for help. The Dutchman turns on Senta and tells her that she has no idea who or what she is getting involved with. "I am the terror of all devout men: The Flying Dutchman I am called!" He rushes aboard his ship and instantly it puts out to sea. Senta tries to follow but is held back by Daland and Erik. She struggles and tears herself away from them and runs to a cliff overhanging the sea. She calls after the Dutchman, "Here I am, true to you even until death!" She leaps into the sea and the Dutchman's ship sinks with all of her crew still on the ship. The sun begins to ascend and in its glow, the Dutchman and Senta can be seen, embracing, ascending from the ocean to the heavens.
It is a powerful story of love and sacrifice. And while the message is simple, the story written and told many different ways. The music is what captivates and invigorates the soul.
Music really is impressive and this simple 3 act opera is incredible.
respect,
G
steel... steel...
Steel is Real...
Give it a read. Esp the comments. All good stuff.
I will take exception to the reply made about my weight.
I can't drop 4 pounds, much less 1 pound very easily. It ain't like i'm rolling around sporting 15% body fat. And quite honestly Steel is pretty damn cool. I have yet to ride a steel bike (in my size) that is as good of a ride as the Paramount is (with a proper fork on it). But then it is still a bit flexy for my monster size and technically it is too small.
Those that bitch about only having S M L and XL frame sizes just need to have a big cup of shut the eff up... why? Well lemme tell you there ain't many bikes off the shelf that fit freaks like me and Rich... not to mention the Super star Kerry Litka... so all yall folks in the middle? How does it feel?
It is too bad Trek has cut the balls off the Klein brand. Neutered a brilliant engineers achievements. The Quantum Pro frame might not have been ideal for the short folks but for the tall folks riding 63 frames - you'd be hard pressed to find a better ride anywhere even now.
But does the bike really matter in racing? Yes. A little.
But it is true. Ya gotta have the motor and the brains to win/compete. And with the right motor and a brain the bike really takes a major backseat...
And WICKED DAMN FREAKING COOL
The Chicago Manual of Style is ONLINE!
Sure many of you probably know it and read it regularly. I've got the paper edition. Old and all that but this is cool! So freaking COOOOOOOL
Okay...
Time to go have fun with the NOVA crew!
how many days till cross season starts?
G
Give it a read. Esp the comments. All good stuff.
I will take exception to the reply made about my weight.
I can't drop 4 pounds, much less 1 pound very easily. It ain't like i'm rolling around sporting 15% body fat. And quite honestly Steel is pretty damn cool. I have yet to ride a steel bike (in my size) that is as good of a ride as the Paramount is (with a proper fork on it). But then it is still a bit flexy for my monster size and technically it is too small.
Those that bitch about only having S M L and XL frame sizes just need to have a big cup of shut the eff up... why? Well lemme tell you there ain't many bikes off the shelf that fit freaks like me and Rich... not to mention the Super star Kerry Litka... so all yall folks in the middle? How does it feel?
It is too bad Trek has cut the balls off the Klein brand. Neutered a brilliant engineers achievements. The Quantum Pro frame might not have been ideal for the short folks but for the tall folks riding 63 frames - you'd be hard pressed to find a better ride anywhere even now.
But does the bike really matter in racing? Yes. A little.
But it is true. Ya gotta have the motor and the brains to win/compete. And with the right motor and a brain the bike really takes a major backseat...
And WICKED DAMN FREAKING COOL
The Chicago Manual of Style is ONLINE!
Sure many of you probably know it and read it regularly. I've got the paper edition. Old and all that but this is cool! So freaking COOOOOOOL
Okay...
Time to go have fun with the NOVA crew!
how many days till cross season starts?
G
Wednesday, April 18, 2007
Clean the Palate time!
This is what the path looked like this morning in one section. This stuff is deep, while ridable ya can't tell what's buried in there waiting to deflate tires...
can't be silent about it any more
I'm just wondering... the outcry for a handful of students continues to black out all other coverage, even when nearly 6 times as many are killed in one day somewhere else? All those masses certainly have a story as compelling as the students. Is it any less tragic?
Is there any less anguish from their families? From their friends that they are dead? Dead for a "random" reason? If we sunk the billions of dollars a day into the education system here in the USA would these students be dead? And more importantly would those 170 odd dead and scores wounded have died the same way?
Or the traffic accidents that kill 45,000 people a year... a couple billion in traffic flow and safety measures certainly could help. I over heard someone saying that with what we've spent on the "war" we could rebuild the complete Interstate system here.
Is that just mind boggling to consider?
I don't want to debate the past choices government or individuals like this student who went on the "Massacre" did. I am rediculously sickened by it tho. How many people died in hospitals or hospice or at home from smoking related diseases? How many people had heart attacks and were not revived? Not in a whole year. Just on that one day.
Violence is a shock to the system.
Gun control ain't gonna fix it. Too many guns out there right now. No way to collect enough of them to make it "safe" even if all guns were outlawed today.
I heard about it and my immediate reaction was "all the presidents of all the colleges and universities are working on letters to the campus community"
Sho-nuff... everywhere i have my ear to the ground i'm seeing the letters pop up. The reactions.
"It touches everyone."
Sure. So does cancer. So do vehicular fatalities. So do suicide bombings in Bagdad.
Trivializing their death is not what i want to do, nor hope i'm doing. Their being of course the students and faculty who were killed at VT. Does an airline crash get the same coverage for the dead?
I can be a bit cool/cold about somethings. Calculating i think maybe. Maybe too much.
I really didn't want to add to the noise of this event. But every freaking news outlet still has this VT thing as top billing. Barely mentioning other losses. Are the humans that get killed here more important than the ones that get killed elsewhere?
Of course it brings up the concept/debate: maybe if people were carrying handguns on campus someone could have prevented many deaths.
Did people still tune in to American Idol? Did they still watch what ever else was on TV last night? What can you say about it all.
What can anyone say about it. Maybe the system isn't broken. Maybe it is just me. Maybe i'm the only one who is baffled that we can't even share 1/100th of the emotion for dead elsewhere.
I am touched and saddened by the shooting spree that left so many dead. Don't think i'm not. But I'm also moved by the losses in Iraq. Where else are people being killed in numbers without coverage. Darfur? Are people still being killed there? Or is that all over now that there isn't any mainstream media coverage?
-G
Is there any less anguish from their families? From their friends that they are dead? Dead for a "random" reason? If we sunk the billions of dollars a day into the education system here in the USA would these students be dead? And more importantly would those 170 odd dead and scores wounded have died the same way?
Or the traffic accidents that kill 45,000 people a year... a couple billion in traffic flow and safety measures certainly could help. I over heard someone saying that with what we've spent on the "war" we could rebuild the complete Interstate system here.
Is that just mind boggling to consider?
I don't want to debate the past choices government or individuals like this student who went on the "Massacre" did. I am rediculously sickened by it tho. How many people died in hospitals or hospice or at home from smoking related diseases? How many people had heart attacks and were not revived? Not in a whole year. Just on that one day.
Violence is a shock to the system.
Gun control ain't gonna fix it. Too many guns out there right now. No way to collect enough of them to make it "safe" even if all guns were outlawed today.
I heard about it and my immediate reaction was "all the presidents of all the colleges and universities are working on letters to the campus community"
Sho-nuff... everywhere i have my ear to the ground i'm seeing the letters pop up. The reactions.
"It touches everyone."
Sure. So does cancer. So do vehicular fatalities. So do suicide bombings in Bagdad.
Trivializing their death is not what i want to do, nor hope i'm doing. Their being of course the students and faculty who were killed at VT. Does an airline crash get the same coverage for the dead?
I can be a bit cool/cold about somethings. Calculating i think maybe. Maybe too much.
I really didn't want to add to the noise of this event. But every freaking news outlet still has this VT thing as top billing. Barely mentioning other losses. Are the humans that get killed here more important than the ones that get killed elsewhere?
Of course it brings up the concept/debate: maybe if people were carrying handguns on campus someone could have prevented many deaths.
Did people still tune in to American Idol? Did they still watch what ever else was on TV last night? What can you say about it all.
What can anyone say about it. Maybe the system isn't broken. Maybe it is just me. Maybe i'm the only one who is baffled that we can't even share 1/100th of the emotion for dead elsewhere.
I am touched and saddened by the shooting spree that left so many dead. Don't think i'm not. But I'm also moved by the losses in Iraq. Where else are people being killed in numbers without coverage. Darfur? Are people still being killed there? Or is that all over now that there isn't any mainstream media coverage?
-G
Good News Bad News
Good News:
I rode in today (even clicked off a few images of the flotsam and jetsam littering the path). Even with the wicked headwind it was a pleasant ride in. Took the Croll in. Nice old heavy ass steel. Big fat ass tires. No power, no speed, no feedback. I spun it and even the little rise didn't cause me any hesitation. Hmm maybe there was something gained last weekend. No trailer. Just me.
Bad News:
I've eaten 90% of my lunch already. I have a banana and some bread left, and the emergency rations of Fig Newtons. AND i'm still hungry. Oops. No more banana!
Anyway - Mandy Tipped me off to Anna's Blog. She's got a nice write up of the race. And i'd concur. Everyone (big ass pro teams) should be racing Battenkill, not those 'other' races. It SHOULD be a marquee race in the USA.
Just like france we got tractors (think of them like trains) and unexpected stuff.
What to do next...
I think i've dragged my feet long enough to make Palmer/sterling a no go...
Maybe a good mental and physical break would be good, although it would also be good to keep building and have a lull later on in the summer...
Oh well, we'll see what the pictures look like and get them up while i'm eating a 'non-existent' lunch...
how many days till cross season starts?
G
I rode in today (even clicked off a few images of the flotsam and jetsam littering the path). Even with the wicked headwind it was a pleasant ride in. Took the Croll in. Nice old heavy ass steel. Big fat ass tires. No power, no speed, no feedback. I spun it and even the little rise didn't cause me any hesitation. Hmm maybe there was something gained last weekend. No trailer. Just me.
Bad News:
I've eaten 90% of my lunch already. I have a banana and some bread left, and the emergency rations of Fig Newtons. AND i'm still hungry. Oops. No more banana!
Anyway - Mandy Tipped me off to Anna's Blog. She's got a nice write up of the race. And i'd concur. Everyone (big ass pro teams) should be racing Battenkill, not those 'other' races. It SHOULD be a marquee race in the USA.
Just like france we got tractors (think of them like trains) and unexpected stuff.
What to do next...
I think i've dragged my feet long enough to make Palmer/sterling a no go...
Maybe a good mental and physical break would be good, although it would also be good to keep building and have a lull later on in the summer...
Oh well, we'll see what the pictures look like and get them up while i'm eating a 'non-existent' lunch...
how many days till cross season starts?
G
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
cool stuff
at the risk of sounding like i'm talking about desktop widgets...
i clicked the google customize home page to see what was new...
there is this countdown thingy...
That's a screen shot - it won't change... and yeah - i picked sucker brook... seems early to start racing cross and it is the same weekend as bob beal, and i will probably do bob beal again instead... BUT... heck 152 days until cross season starts!!!
WOOOT
i clicked the google customize home page to see what was new...
there is this countdown thingy...
That's a screen shot - it won't change... and yeah - i picked sucker brook... seems early to start racing cross and it is the same weekend as bob beal, and i will probably do bob beal again instead... BUT... heck 152 days until cross season starts!!!
WOOOT
Time and perspective
Today, or last night i finally am awakening to the accomplishment of the weekend. The pain, the mistakes, the bottle cages. All that, small things. I raced my fucking ass off and i did the best if could and i improved, i learned, i grew - even just a tiny bit - as a racer of bicycles... Thanks for the words of encouragement.
My team is now suggesting i ride with a camelback next year. I think i just need some of those plastic cages i ominously made fun of on Mark's bike the morning of the race.
It is frustrating to crack due to lack of water and not lack of fitness, yes more fitness could have made me crack further into the race but ya know... I ain't making that mistake again.
I took the day off the bike again. The drizzle and the 20-40 mph wind out of the north and the unknown conditions on the bike path were enough to have me hitching a ride in with my wife this morning. coupled with the our visitors (In-laws are hanging out with the oldest during spring break) and my poor sleep last night - tapping the depleted internal energy reserves just wasn't appealing...
its like my body is saying "REST I NEED REST" as in i've worked hard to hold some of the fitness from Cross for BKR. I'll be back on the bike no question, probably tomorrow. The Nor'East'r certainly didn't add to the motivation to get on the bike.
Once the winds settle down i'll be back out there.
Annotated link dump:
Calf problems and cycling? One "trick" i hadn't come across before
Cholesterol... Sans Auto with a cool bit of data
Molly with some love for Belgium Knee Warmers
Pez with some race tactics
KL with some bike cleaning tips - pink bar tape? maybe i'll get me some (j/k i'm a black tape man all the way... with one or two rolls of matching blue thrown in for measure).
Oh and i finally watched the Woman's World's last night. How freaking cool. I can see why Daphne was in tears. tough. Good clear shots of Peanut at the start. And then up the first stairs i think... It was the sporza broadcast so while not in english it was mostly a run of names... Very different camera angles compared to the eurosport(UK) coverage of the mens race. To the point my "support" from michigan thought they were racing on a completely different course.
it was so cool watching them race...
how many days till cross season starts?
G
PS
Flipping through JB's photos reminded me of what i was thinking about before falling asleep... no not a pack of old fat guys racing around a flat crit (when the old skinny ones were suffering at BKR)... disk wheels... specifically how to do a homemade one... And i thought about shaping foam as the "disk" section... mostly as if secured well enough it wouldn't add measureable weight to the wheel...
That and got thinking about aero and wind shadows with the rear wheel relative to the helmet and front wheel...
strange things happen in cyclists heads as they fall asleep...
My team is now suggesting i ride with a camelback next year. I think i just need some of those plastic cages i ominously made fun of on Mark's bike the morning of the race.
It is frustrating to crack due to lack of water and not lack of fitness, yes more fitness could have made me crack further into the race but ya know... I ain't making that mistake again.
I took the day off the bike again. The drizzle and the 20-40 mph wind out of the north and the unknown conditions on the bike path were enough to have me hitching a ride in with my wife this morning. coupled with the our visitors (In-laws are hanging out with the oldest during spring break) and my poor sleep last night - tapping the depleted internal energy reserves just wasn't appealing...
its like my body is saying "REST I NEED REST" as in i've worked hard to hold some of the fitness from Cross for BKR. I'll be back on the bike no question, probably tomorrow. The Nor'East'r certainly didn't add to the motivation to get on the bike.
Once the winds settle down i'll be back out there.
Annotated link dump:
Calf problems and cycling? One "trick" i hadn't come across before
Cholesterol... Sans Auto with a cool bit of data
Molly with some love for Belgium Knee Warmers
Pez with some race tactics
KL with some bike cleaning tips - pink bar tape? maybe i'll get me some (j/k i'm a black tape man all the way... with one or two rolls of matching blue thrown in for measure).
Oh and i finally watched the Woman's World's last night. How freaking cool. I can see why Daphne was in tears. tough. Good clear shots of Peanut at the start. And then up the first stairs i think... It was the sporza broadcast so while not in english it was mostly a run of names... Very different camera angles compared to the eurosport(UK) coverage of the mens race. To the point my "support" from michigan thought they were racing on a completely different course.
it was so cool watching them race...
how many days till cross season starts?
G
PS
Flipping through JB's photos reminded me of what i was thinking about before falling asleep... no not a pack of old fat guys racing around a flat crit (when the old skinny ones were suffering at BKR)... disk wheels... specifically how to do a homemade one... And i thought about shaping foam as the "disk" section... mostly as if secured well enough it wouldn't add measureable weight to the wheel...
That and got thinking about aero and wind shadows with the rear wheel relative to the helmet and front wheel...
strange things happen in cyclists heads as they fall asleep...
Monday, April 16, 2007
(at least) One more BKR tidbit
KL's favorite subject. Watts (btw go read her final comment over on sailorboy's rant against teachers and how lazy and inept he thinks they are).
The race indeed was a race. I set some power records for me. Records that need to be much higher if i'm gonna be at the finish line with an opportunity to sprint with the little guys who don't need much power to go up the hill...
my 5, 30 and 60 second numbers didn't change, but that is probably because this race wasn't about sudden bursts it was about long drawn out power requirments...
my 5, 10, 30, 60 and 120 records did change. And this software decides that it includes all the coasting and stuff. Where the head unit discounts the zero watts for the average (252w ~2.9w/kg for the whole race 2 hours and 55 minutes)... the PowerAgent software does not. So these numbers are a bit lower.
5 min 349w (4w/kg)
10 min 316w (3.6w/kg)
30 min 262w (3w/kg)
60 min 256w (2.9w/kg)
120 min 236w (2.1w/kg)
Do i need to get those numbers up? Damn straight i do. But it is a good start for some big slow guy... Esp decent considering how little fluid I had to work with.
Anyway - i'm getting this down between reading these papers... i can read through three or four before my eyes start glazing and i realize i've flipped three or four pages of text without comprehending a thing i've read... That's when i need a break.
Image of the power dist by zone (random freaking zones btw) and minutes in each ...
Big up respect!
G
The race indeed was a race. I set some power records for me. Records that need to be much higher if i'm gonna be at the finish line with an opportunity to sprint with the little guys who don't need much power to go up the hill...
my 5, 30 and 60 second numbers didn't change, but that is probably because this race wasn't about sudden bursts it was about long drawn out power requirments...
my 5, 10, 30, 60 and 120 records did change. And this software decides that it includes all the coasting and stuff. Where the head unit discounts the zero watts for the average (252w ~2.9w/kg for the whole race 2 hours and 55 minutes)... the PowerAgent software does not. So these numbers are a bit lower.
5 min 349w (4w/kg)
10 min 316w (3.6w/kg)
30 min 262w (3w/kg)
60 min 256w (2.9w/kg)
120 min 236w (2.1w/kg)
Do i need to get those numbers up? Damn straight i do. But it is a good start for some big slow guy... Esp decent considering how little fluid I had to work with.
Anyway - i'm getting this down between reading these papers... i can read through three or four before my eyes start glazing and i realize i've flipped three or four pages of text without comprehending a thing i've read... That's when i need a break.
Image of the power dist by zone (random freaking zones btw) and minutes in each ...
Big up respect!
G
I've got pictures to prove it...
don't poke me Geo!Looking through this i had forgotten one little detail pre-start. Riding back with my number i clipped the ziptie holding the cadence mag on with my street shoes... and so i stopped reached down grabbed the dangling bit and rode back. Went to look at it and "DOH" actually it was more like "fucking shit" the magnet was gone... just a plastic holder and a broken zip tie...
So - wagering odds on my visual training as a microscopist, and the trophies won at the bike shop finding the tiniest spring amidst the shit on the floor of the mechanic area - i went back to retrace my steps...
and Found it...
little tiny rectangle laying on the side of the road with all the sand and winter debris...
Went back and borrowed a twist tie from the guy parked next to us and then used a bit of electrical tape to 'seal' the deal...
Phew...
That and no HR data - put new battery in the strap but no pick up at all... bummer...
so now a few more shots...
at the start:
Me and Mark (geo fiddling with something in the background):
Here's The Cali Super star...
We were worried about him. At the start and before he was shaking more or less uncontrollably... and there i was with just baselayer on not even feeling uncomfortable, cool but not uncomfortable....And the roll out:
Ahh to be able to afford to get in line
For this...
That is one wicked damn freaking cool cross bike...
but like all the cool stuff:
"available for purchase via application"
and i suppose even more of a challenge, it isn't just for those with coin in their pocket... ya gotta have cash AND apply...
I think i'd prefer the primer gray although punchy red would be in keeping with my red cross frame sequence... but then ya know... color doesn't matter... that bike is pretty amazing.
I've read somewhere (maybe bike portland) or cycling news that Vanilla has a 3 year wait list. And ya know. From seeing the bikes up close. I can understand. They are COOOL.
Heck i even flipped out five singles to Harlan Price, his pitch was seemingly genuine and with one of the GSW team buying two tickets i had to get at least one. The $5 spent dreaming about a custom IF cross bike that i can win should be worth it... 'course i have to wait an eternity...
Maybe i should polish up a resume, write a bitching cover letter and pound the pavement looking for someone to give this cyclocross racer a ride! Ride meaning complete bike specifically, with entry fee allowances. In return for me being a vocal supporter both at the races and online... But then i sometimes (often) feel i need to pay the dues and show the folks and myself that i can do this and steadily get better. Cause i can't even rub the coins together to pay for a discounted frame... oh well... c'est la vie... i do have a cross bike to ride and to race on. I do have a nice set of other bikes, old, but functional. I have a lot to be grateful for. Lamenting about not being able to go out and buy from ebay or the builder or the bike shop a killer new frame when i feel like it won't do any good and doing any of those won't make me a better bike racer... So i gotta ride.
Ride the bike. Ride the bike fast and hard. Race race race race... Get out and make the power...
respect!
G
That is one wicked damn freaking cool cross bike...
but like all the cool stuff:
"available for purchase via application"
and i suppose even more of a challenge, it isn't just for those with coin in their pocket... ya gotta have cash AND apply...
I think i'd prefer the primer gray although punchy red would be in keeping with my red cross frame sequence... but then ya know... color doesn't matter... that bike is pretty amazing.
I've read somewhere (maybe bike portland) or cycling news that Vanilla has a 3 year wait list. And ya know. From seeing the bikes up close. I can understand. They are COOOL.
Heck i even flipped out five singles to Harlan Price, his pitch was seemingly genuine and with one of the GSW team buying two tickets i had to get at least one. The $5 spent dreaming about a custom IF cross bike that i can win should be worth it... 'course i have to wait an eternity...
Maybe i should polish up a resume, write a bitching cover letter and pound the pavement looking for someone to give this cyclocross racer a ride! Ride meaning complete bike specifically, with entry fee allowances. In return for me being a vocal supporter both at the races and online... But then i sometimes (often) feel i need to pay the dues and show the folks and myself that i can do this and steadily get better. Cause i can't even rub the coins together to pay for a discounted frame... oh well... c'est la vie... i do have a cross bike to ride and to race on. I do have a nice set of other bikes, old, but functional. I have a lot to be grateful for. Lamenting about not being able to go out and buy from ebay or the builder or the bike shop a killer new frame when i feel like it won't do any good and doing any of those won't make me a better bike racer... So i gotta ride.
Ride the bike. Ride the bike fast and hard. Race race race race... Get out and make the power...
respect!
G
Random thoughts to jot down
between grading papers...
After the race i thought i saw a Target training girl that looked like mandy riding away down towards the start... i was in process of drinking fluid and not in a position to jump on the bike and chase her down... i doubted she'd be up here but looking at the results...
sho enough... the Mandy was here... Sorry CTodd, i didn't get an autograph or a photo for you :(
Watched Cyclocross Worlds last night for the first time. Just got through the men's race with the Eurosport coverage. Fucking unbelievable... That was AWEsOME... I wanted to watch the woman's race but some reality show race came on the TV and i got bumped off...
oh well...
Meg dropped me a note on someone's perspective of the Fair Trade Coffee thing
no mincing words there....
Thanks for the encouraging words Solo. The wind on the course killed me when i was alone as can be expected. And looking at the sheet, on a longer course i finished only one minute slower than Solo last year. Yeah, no comparison. But looking i was kinda shocked. That and i noticed on the results that they are showing 105 starters.
55th out of 105 starters? Crazy... I think Murat's trying to get us all seasick with his bike cam vids - but they are cool...
More thoughts later...
After the race i thought i saw a Target training girl that looked like mandy riding away down towards the start... i was in process of drinking fluid and not in a position to jump on the bike and chase her down... i doubted she'd be up here but looking at the results...
sho enough... the Mandy was here... Sorry CTodd, i didn't get an autograph or a photo for you :(
Watched Cyclocross Worlds last night for the first time. Just got through the men's race with the Eurosport coverage. Fucking unbelievable... That was AWEsOME... I wanted to watch the woman's race but some reality show race came on the TV and i got bumped off...
oh well...
Meg dropped me a note on someone's perspective of the Fair Trade Coffee thing
It’s a hoax, fair trade. It’s like a co-op but there’s a majority owner and the fat man is still getting fat and the little man is still getting squished so just get over yourself already.LMAO
no mincing words there....
Thanks for the encouraging words Solo. The wind on the course killed me when i was alone as can be expected. And looking at the sheet, on a longer course i finished only one minute slower than Solo last year. Yeah, no comparison. But looking i was kinda shocked. That and i noticed on the results that they are showing 105 starters.
55th out of 105 starters? Crazy... I think Murat's trying to get us all seasick with his bike cam vids - but they are cool...
More thoughts later...
Well...
What happened?
You tell me. Somewhere my brain checked out and i went autopilot at slightly sub max pain for a little less than 3 hours on Saturday.
We had a gang, actually pretty damn well matched. And together until just after the first Feedzone. GSW. Greve, Snelling and Williams... GSW... one of those three is an ER doc and finds it incredibly ironic.
I was definately the wound part of the pair. Greve had a kick ass race for the almost clydesdales there. I was desperately hoping that our support would show at the first feed zone for a few reasons.
#1 i didn't have my glasses. For some reason i didn't get them on and didn't realize it till about 1 minute before the start... #2 i loaded up 2 20oz bottles with cytomax... and 2 cliff shots... should be perfect for the race... but i was under the impression that our "support" would be at the feedzone with #1 my glasses and #2 potentially other bottles...
The turn off of smith road to bogtown road was the first element of my unraveling. Although i suppose it could go back to breakfast, in that i didn't eat enough. That or i ate too much the day before and wasn't hungry and couldn't force myself to eat enough in the morning. Anyway. The pack hit bogtown. We knew from driving the course the day before that there were some serious hole in the road. The pack was gutter to gutter. Maybe two or three good lines out of the 6-7 wide we were... It seemed like almost everyone lost a bottle or two.
I lost one right off the bat... gone... that wasn't good... a few seconds later the second bottle shot out of the cage and lucky me or my race would have been over much sooner i caught it between my calf and the seat tube.
Shit. One bottle... Well, i'm thinking, no problem. I'll get a bottle at the feedzone...
Side note. Our "support" went to check into finding where it was. Well the first one is about as far away as you can get from the start driving wise. And the marshall's he asked were not clear on where it was even. And when asked if there was neutral support at the feed he was assured there was. Didn't look like it to me... unless the early starters exhausted the feedzone supply. So he decided to go for a ride and hang out at the start finish area.
The temp at the start was 42°F. It had rained all night before the race but the sun was out breaking through the clouds in what i would call a mostly sunny day. Sunny enough that i got sunburned at the gap between my arm warmers and the jersey. It was 48°F when we finished.
The little rise up bogtown/scott lake road wasn't a big deal... we got neutralized on 22 before town as there was a giant dual wheel tractor hauling a seeder down the road at 15 mph... took a mile or two before our pace car went around and then it got a bit hairy as the tractor didn't slow and there were oncoming cars parked and the gap got narrow.
The pack was great - steady, calm, relaxed. No stress or bunch issues. Very reassuring.
Anyway, we picked up speed a bit after that - headed out 64 and up that first paved hill. Ouch. The little guys up front exploded and i looked around and was surrounded by the big fellows. I felt pretty good, but was absolutely redzoned chugging up, working past people all the way up not able to go with the leaders and the main group but not getting shelled. Then the down hill... I got no glasses on, the wind stingin my eyes i headed down.
Side not again: GeWilli is not sean yates. GeWilli is about as opposite to Yates as possible. GeWilli has the mass but not the guts to let it all out heading down hills, esp when he knows he's gotta make a left hand turn on to the dirt... And with tears blurring the vision and streaming out of the eyes (another unfortunate loss of precious water) i lost time measured in minutes, many minutes over the course of the race.
So we hit the dirt. And what i thought was the Cat 3 Pace car behind me... i'm trucking, heading up the hill, one guy in IBC kit was already walking up the hill, i was again passing folks and holding my own... and unfortunately didn't do enough to make grounds and got gapped a bit... Geo was behind me at this point, Mark (the other member of the GSW team) was up the road... bombing away down hill...
As we came around the detour for the covered bridge two guys caught me i jumped in and sat in the draft for a few seconds and was able to jump through and start pulling... Soon the trio was on 313 running for all we got... One of the guy's had a team-mate up the road. So did i. We soon were caught by a 5-6 man paceline that included Geo. 8-9 strong our pace picked up and we were all busting our ass equally at the front driving on. Pick up people as we went, our little gang was working valiantly to limit the losses to the real contenders.
at this point i knew i should try and get some extra energy in me and attempted to eat a gel. oh man was that tough. not enough water to wash it down. yeah i was pretty much out of water and most everyone around me was down to one bottle or had finished most of their first bottle and couldn't spare the second one yet.
i was starting to get that mental "oh shit i'm screwed and there is nothing i can do except hope for feed" which we know now wasn't going to happen.
We were trucking along. popping through cambridge, then hitting the feedzone, i rolled to the front to see if i could spot the outback and the support... nope... and i kept going, it was a little rise/hill but i was pissed and didn't notice and shattered our little group GSW stuck together... and then we hit meeting house road... The Cat 3 boys caught us just before the feed i think... i don't remember tho exactly...
So rolling around through meeting house i'm drillin it up and i guess not drilling it enough on the down, relying on gravity a little too much i guess but i was foaming at the mouth, bottle dry, residual mocha cliff shot sticking in my mouth. Each rise was worse and worse...
It was a mental low point. Not having any bottles left, knowing G and S were up the road. I lose the big bulk of my time in this section. I was crushed and getting crushed by the hills. The 39-27 was critical... never really got under 55 rpm which was nice, but little consolation. The grip on the dirt was fantastic. and then there was that last dirt climb. That sucked big ballsacks. Sucked even more fluid out of me. And i was in no mans land. Sitting there, suffering. Alone.
At some point i got a bit lucky. one of the guys i'd seen all cross season and had chatted with at the start rode up to me, he had gotten two fresh bottles at the feed. He generously gave me about 3/4 of the smaller of his two bottles. I dunno what was in it, but it was fluid and some energy drink i guess. I drank that slowly and had it finished by the time we hit battenville. We'd been picked up by someone in the 40+ or Cat 3 i dunno which, and had hit been able to lift the pace... then a smooth paceline of 6 guys came rolling past, i jumped to get on that bus... and had enough to get there... it took about 4 line cycles with me dangling in the draft behind before i had recovered and started rolling through... And i started feeling better... something mentally about riding in a paceline that even as hosed as i was alone i could find that little bit left.
Well that little bit left vanished once the pack of 4s started rolling through us... this was the first group with some serious pissy righteous attitude... and climbing up that last dirt section out pace line group got shattered as some of the group hooked in to the 4s and we all just spread out and that sucked. Sucked hard.
And at that point again the lack of fluids just even to quench the fire in the back of my throat... was getting to me. The lack of support at the second stop also contributed to my mental shut down.
I know.
I should NOT have expected to get support.
I should have had better cages (although i've only lost one big bottle before, and i was riding with smaller bottles)...
I should have done lots of things differently.
I rolled through... one guy i gapped by 400-500 meters climbing before the final climb made it all back and more on the descent... 48.6 mph without glasses on sandy turns just ain't my cup of tea.
but i made it.
i made it in under 3 hours. 2 hours 55 minutes according to my measure and the recorded time in the results.
I was 55th. I was ready to physically harm our race support. I was ready to consume massive quantities of water. Which i did. I was pissin like crazy before the race... two visits to the portajohn to empty the bladder before the race...
There were 66 finishers. Geo cramped hard, he lost a bottle at the same spot i did but didn't get any extra, and he only had water on the ride (the bottle he lost had the energy stuff in it). He cramped so hard that he basically stopped in his tracks on one of the final dirt climbs and spent some time trying to fix it. I guess someone actually stopped and helped him for a second and the 40+ or cat 4 wheel truck stopped to give him some water/aid... I passed him just after the wheel truck got there and handed him some water, and i kept going. I dunno why i didn't stop... i was so mentally checked out i just dunno what was going on in my head and my thought process... He wound up 3 minutes behind me in 59th. Mark broke through the top 50 with a 49th place finish only 13 minutes off the winners time (2:34:47).
I've got a few photos from before the race. I will try and get them up sometime today...
Oh and power? Yeah it was good in a way to have the power - i was able to meter the wattage at the start of the climb and instead of hitting the base at 800-900 like some around me i was more conservative and it paid off big time... at least in time loss and fatigue. Although did it pay off? Who knows. I averaged 252 watts for the almost 3 hours on the bike. I've got the number somewhere else as well.
it was epic...
it was exhausting...
the scenery was gorgeous...
the friends there were great...
totally kick ass time...
next year? Hell yeah...
No question...
better, preparation? Damn straight...
but...
for the first road race since Bob Beal...
And having jumped into the 30+ (fucking deep deep deep end)...
I feel good about it. I didn't crash, i finished in under 3 hours averaged over 19 mph (over 20 in the 1/2 half). I pushed my limits. I realized i probably could have suffered more and hung in longer, finished higher, been more respectable.
But i'm building. I suck. And yes, Murat. I need speed work. Although mostly for my pursuiting and TT. In a pack with a draft... i had plenty of speed. alone, demoralized suffering? that's my achillies heal. That and being 15-20 kilos heavier than most guys there, and being a chicken shit on the downhills... well whadda i say...
It was Epic. So epic that i didn't ride in today. I've had enough epic that i didn't feel like riding on a flooded bike path (yeah, the tide/water level this morning was so high that the path looked to be under water as we drove past) with 35 sustained winds gusting over 50 mph.
That's my story. Thanks for ALL the advice from those who graciously offered it. It all helped. It would have been great to line up with the Shift boys but they were all absent it seemed. With ring leader "winner" Yogurt boy sidelined with growing pains it was somewhat sorrowful not seeing him there. I was looking forward to saying hey and congrats!
Geo headed back to Work this morning (maybe) flying in on the red eye thursday night friday morning and then leaving (supposedly) for Cali this morning getting in in time to get to work. He had a quick visit. But in less than a year will start to have a tiny bit of empathy for why Yogurt boy missed the race.
Mark was our superstar from the team. If you can call it that. He freaking rocked it hard core. But then his bike was 5 pounds lighter than mine ;) and he can fucking suffer.
We left and stopped at the concert on the way home. That was cool to see my folks playing music in a great venue. We took the littlest home with us and once she was tucked into bed we cracked a bottle of wine. Then another one. all that after i finished 1/2 a bottle that was in the fridge. My wife and her folks got home after the concert ended and we all sat around talking till about 12:30 so not only was i crazy tired but i was also not feeling any pain. And that was a good thing.
I've yet to get back on the bike (not a good thing) but we've had this storm and riding in the rain right now - ain't looking crazy appealing.
So...
Till later...
i have massive respect for the guys who showed up and schooled the shit out of me. Not one of the normal OTB masters folks showed. maybe 3 people had body fat over 10% in our group. it was a hardened fast bunch of mo fo's.
Will GeWilli be back? Effin Freakin hell. Will GeWilli be doing Jimmy peak or other stuff? Prolly not... We'll see. I could be talked into anything probably.
respect!
G
You tell me. Somewhere my brain checked out and i went autopilot at slightly sub max pain for a little less than 3 hours on Saturday.
We had a gang, actually pretty damn well matched. And together until just after the first Feedzone. GSW. Greve, Snelling and Williams... GSW... one of those three is an ER doc and finds it incredibly ironic.
I was definately the wound part of the pair. Greve had a kick ass race for the almost clydesdales there. I was desperately hoping that our support would show at the first feed zone for a few reasons.
#1 i didn't have my glasses. For some reason i didn't get them on and didn't realize it till about 1 minute before the start... #2 i loaded up 2 20oz bottles with cytomax... and 2 cliff shots... should be perfect for the race... but i was under the impression that our "support" would be at the feedzone with #1 my glasses and #2 potentially other bottles...
The turn off of smith road to bogtown road was the first element of my unraveling. Although i suppose it could go back to breakfast, in that i didn't eat enough. That or i ate too much the day before and wasn't hungry and couldn't force myself to eat enough in the morning. Anyway. The pack hit bogtown. We knew from driving the course the day before that there were some serious hole in the road. The pack was gutter to gutter. Maybe two or three good lines out of the 6-7 wide we were... It seemed like almost everyone lost a bottle or two.
I lost one right off the bat... gone... that wasn't good... a few seconds later the second bottle shot out of the cage and lucky me or my race would have been over much sooner i caught it between my calf and the seat tube.
Shit. One bottle... Well, i'm thinking, no problem. I'll get a bottle at the feedzone...
Side note. Our "support" went to check into finding where it was. Well the first one is about as far away as you can get from the start driving wise. And the marshall's he asked were not clear on where it was even. And when asked if there was neutral support at the feed he was assured there was. Didn't look like it to me... unless the early starters exhausted the feedzone supply. So he decided to go for a ride and hang out at the start finish area.
The temp at the start was 42°F. It had rained all night before the race but the sun was out breaking through the clouds in what i would call a mostly sunny day. Sunny enough that i got sunburned at the gap between my arm warmers and the jersey. It was 48°F when we finished.
The little rise up bogtown/scott lake road wasn't a big deal... we got neutralized on 22 before town as there was a giant dual wheel tractor hauling a seeder down the road at 15 mph... took a mile or two before our pace car went around and then it got a bit hairy as the tractor didn't slow and there were oncoming cars parked and the gap got narrow.
The pack was great - steady, calm, relaxed. No stress or bunch issues. Very reassuring.
Anyway, we picked up speed a bit after that - headed out 64 and up that first paved hill. Ouch. The little guys up front exploded and i looked around and was surrounded by the big fellows. I felt pretty good, but was absolutely redzoned chugging up, working past people all the way up not able to go with the leaders and the main group but not getting shelled. Then the down hill... I got no glasses on, the wind stingin my eyes i headed down.
Side not again: GeWilli is not sean yates. GeWilli is about as opposite to Yates as possible. GeWilli has the mass but not the guts to let it all out heading down hills, esp when he knows he's gotta make a left hand turn on to the dirt... And with tears blurring the vision and streaming out of the eyes (another unfortunate loss of precious water) i lost time measured in minutes, many minutes over the course of the race.
So we hit the dirt. And what i thought was the Cat 3 Pace car behind me... i'm trucking, heading up the hill, one guy in IBC kit was already walking up the hill, i was again passing folks and holding my own... and unfortunately didn't do enough to make grounds and got gapped a bit... Geo was behind me at this point, Mark (the other member of the GSW team) was up the road... bombing away down hill...
As we came around the detour for the covered bridge two guys caught me i jumped in and sat in the draft for a few seconds and was able to jump through and start pulling... Soon the trio was on 313 running for all we got... One of the guy's had a team-mate up the road. So did i. We soon were caught by a 5-6 man paceline that included Geo. 8-9 strong our pace picked up and we were all busting our ass equally at the front driving on. Pick up people as we went, our little gang was working valiantly to limit the losses to the real contenders.
at this point i knew i should try and get some extra energy in me and attempted to eat a gel. oh man was that tough. not enough water to wash it down. yeah i was pretty much out of water and most everyone around me was down to one bottle or had finished most of their first bottle and couldn't spare the second one yet.
i was starting to get that mental "oh shit i'm screwed and there is nothing i can do except hope for feed" which we know now wasn't going to happen.
We were trucking along. popping through cambridge, then hitting the feedzone, i rolled to the front to see if i could spot the outback and the support... nope... and i kept going, it was a little rise/hill but i was pissed and didn't notice and shattered our little group GSW stuck together... and then we hit meeting house road... The Cat 3 boys caught us just before the feed i think... i don't remember tho exactly...
So rolling around through meeting house i'm drillin it up and i guess not drilling it enough on the down, relying on gravity a little too much i guess but i was foaming at the mouth, bottle dry, residual mocha cliff shot sticking in my mouth. Each rise was worse and worse...
It was a mental low point. Not having any bottles left, knowing G and S were up the road. I lose the big bulk of my time in this section. I was crushed and getting crushed by the hills. The 39-27 was critical... never really got under 55 rpm which was nice, but little consolation. The grip on the dirt was fantastic. and then there was that last dirt climb. That sucked big ballsacks. Sucked even more fluid out of me. And i was in no mans land. Sitting there, suffering. Alone.
At some point i got a bit lucky. one of the guys i'd seen all cross season and had chatted with at the start rode up to me, he had gotten two fresh bottles at the feed. He generously gave me about 3/4 of the smaller of his two bottles. I dunno what was in it, but it was fluid and some energy drink i guess. I drank that slowly and had it finished by the time we hit battenville. We'd been picked up by someone in the 40+ or Cat 3 i dunno which, and had hit been able to lift the pace... then a smooth paceline of 6 guys came rolling past, i jumped to get on that bus... and had enough to get there... it took about 4 line cycles with me dangling in the draft behind before i had recovered and started rolling through... And i started feeling better... something mentally about riding in a paceline that even as hosed as i was alone i could find that little bit left.
Well that little bit left vanished once the pack of 4s started rolling through us... this was the first group with some serious pissy righteous attitude... and climbing up that last dirt section out pace line group got shattered as some of the group hooked in to the 4s and we all just spread out and that sucked. Sucked hard.
And at that point again the lack of fluids just even to quench the fire in the back of my throat... was getting to me. The lack of support at the second stop also contributed to my mental shut down.
I know.
I should NOT have expected to get support.
I should have had better cages (although i've only lost one big bottle before, and i was riding with smaller bottles)...
I should have done lots of things differently.
I rolled through... one guy i gapped by 400-500 meters climbing before the final climb made it all back and more on the descent... 48.6 mph without glasses on sandy turns just ain't my cup of tea.
but i made it.
i made it in under 3 hours. 2 hours 55 minutes according to my measure and the recorded time in the results.
I was 55th. I was ready to physically harm our race support. I was ready to consume massive quantities of water. Which i did. I was pissin like crazy before the race... two visits to the portajohn to empty the bladder before the race...
There were 66 finishers. Geo cramped hard, he lost a bottle at the same spot i did but didn't get any extra, and he only had water on the ride (the bottle he lost had the energy stuff in it). He cramped so hard that he basically stopped in his tracks on one of the final dirt climbs and spent some time trying to fix it. I guess someone actually stopped and helped him for a second and the 40+ or cat 4 wheel truck stopped to give him some water/aid... I passed him just after the wheel truck got there and handed him some water, and i kept going. I dunno why i didn't stop... i was so mentally checked out i just dunno what was going on in my head and my thought process... He wound up 3 minutes behind me in 59th. Mark broke through the top 50 with a 49th place finish only 13 minutes off the winners time (2:34:47).
I've got a few photos from before the race. I will try and get them up sometime today...
Oh and power? Yeah it was good in a way to have the power - i was able to meter the wattage at the start of the climb and instead of hitting the base at 800-900 like some around me i was more conservative and it paid off big time... at least in time loss and fatigue. Although did it pay off? Who knows. I averaged 252 watts for the almost 3 hours on the bike. I've got the number somewhere else as well.
it was epic...
it was exhausting...
the scenery was gorgeous...
the friends there were great...
totally kick ass time...
next year? Hell yeah...
No question...
better, preparation? Damn straight...
but...
for the first road race since Bob Beal...
And having jumped into the 30+ (fucking deep deep deep end)...
I feel good about it. I didn't crash, i finished in under 3 hours averaged over 19 mph (over 20 in the 1/2 half). I pushed my limits. I realized i probably could have suffered more and hung in longer, finished higher, been more respectable.
But i'm building. I suck. And yes, Murat. I need speed work. Although mostly for my pursuiting and TT. In a pack with a draft... i had plenty of speed. alone, demoralized suffering? that's my achillies heal. That and being 15-20 kilos heavier than most guys there, and being a chicken shit on the downhills... well whadda i say...
It was Epic. So epic that i didn't ride in today. I've had enough epic that i didn't feel like riding on a flooded bike path (yeah, the tide/water level this morning was so high that the path looked to be under water as we drove past) with 35 sustained winds gusting over 50 mph.
That's my story. Thanks for ALL the advice from those who graciously offered it. It all helped. It would have been great to line up with the Shift boys but they were all absent it seemed. With ring leader "winner" Yogurt boy sidelined with growing pains it was somewhat sorrowful not seeing him there. I was looking forward to saying hey and congrats!
Geo headed back to Work this morning (maybe) flying in on the red eye thursday night friday morning and then leaving (supposedly) for Cali this morning getting in in time to get to work. He had a quick visit. But in less than a year will start to have a tiny bit of empathy for why Yogurt boy missed the race.
Mark was our superstar from the team. If you can call it that. He freaking rocked it hard core. But then his bike was 5 pounds lighter than mine ;) and he can fucking suffer.
We left and stopped at the concert on the way home. That was cool to see my folks playing music in a great venue. We took the littlest home with us and once she was tucked into bed we cracked a bottle of wine. Then another one. all that after i finished 1/2 a bottle that was in the fridge. My wife and her folks got home after the concert ended and we all sat around talking till about 12:30 so not only was i crazy tired but i was also not feeling any pain. And that was a good thing.
I've yet to get back on the bike (not a good thing) but we've had this storm and riding in the rain right now - ain't looking crazy appealing.
So...
Till later...
i have massive respect for the guys who showed up and schooled the shit out of me. Not one of the normal OTB masters folks showed. maybe 3 people had body fat over 10% in our group. it was a hardened fast bunch of mo fo's.
Will GeWilli be back? Effin Freakin hell. Will GeWilli be doing Jimmy peak or other stuff? Prolly not... We'll see. I could be talked into anything probably.
respect!
G
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