another day or week or more w/o clipping back the fuzz.
first time in years I've let the leg hair grow back, and while it isn't at its resplendent super fuzzy peak, it is a forest of hair that make riding in shorts impossible.
can't do it, no. can't. wind tugging at the hairs? yeah, no that's not going to be happening.
April 9th and maybe one commute home where the temps were over 60°F. If i revert to the really old rule book i can keep my legs covered until 70°F and well that should get me well into the summer before having to shave.
broke the streak today. commuting car free that is. Had to drop everyone off, as I will tomorrow. But two days in a row on the bike have sort of fixed my back so there is that. hoping the car driving doesn't create a regression or re-aggravation of the issue.
Now I'm sure many of my friends who are both smarter than me will find all the holes in this essay, I've got issues with it but worth reading. Over coffee. Maybe. or not.
Someone asked a general question about replacing an AWOL CO2 Inflator and and hell why not pop what I said up here too. The questions was what frame pump to replace it with... so i wrote this: frame pump? get one that fits. I have to admit that my Zefal HP frame pumps from the mid-90s are still doing great. no problems at all. The lezyne stuff is well designed cool looking but pricey even though effective. I'd avoid any plastic pumps as they rarely seem to last.
If I was to replace one of the Zefals I'd go with a Planet Bike roadie. http://ecom1.planetbike.com/1016.html
for a few reasons
the company and mission
they are good at having spare parts avail to fix and it is by design rebuildabe
it comes in a variety of sizes
All the smart pro's around here ride with full size frame pumps, it is the cool thing to do. Never ending supply of air. CO2 = silly
I should add Myerson rides with a frame pump too... and is has said in the past: "the people who laugh at my frame pump always seem to ask to borrow it..."
I lost my CO2 inflator and multi-tool in one bumpy sad ride in the rain one day many years ago. The multi-tool was most awesome and not made anymore, and I've since pretty much tried to always travel with a frame pump when I can.
One assumption has sort of screwed up the weekend plans. But hey, it will work out. Kind of frustrating more than anything that I've been unable to secure a day to burn a steadily growing pile of unused vacation days and spend the day riding. Maybe soon i can just make it happen. Not this week, and it looks like next week won't fly either. three weeks out? who knows. The March Cookie ride was a bust. Holding out hope that I can make the C2R3 work. It has been frustrating. Shouldn't let it get to me but i'm weak, and well, sometimes trivial crap does...
Time to move the car.
A chore i don't relish on days I have to drive in.
When you add the time it takes to walk to the car, drive it to an all day spot, and walk back, it is faster to ride slowly into work than to drive. Parking further away in the morning where I don't have to move the car takes the same amount of time. Ah well. Sacrifices we make to make it all work.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, April 09, 2013
Monday, April 08, 2013
so i missed it... damnit
P-R. Wanted to watch it. But slept in, less out of choice and more out of necessity.
HTRWW was great, nice re-cap but would have been nicer to watch it live when it was running.
How The Race Was Won - Paris-Roubaix 2013 from Cosmo Catalano on Vimeo.
This weekend looks to be a bit more complicated, and this week is just flat out insane. Hopefully I can manage to align everything so I can still get out and make the Wednesday night smackdown. Tomorrow is potentially a no bike day, wed might be much the same.
It is also not so easy to create a biographical sketch in 150 words. So I'm getting this off my head as a word shift break so I can get a fresh look and tweak a word or two and hit submit.
This is turning out to be the year I don't ride my bike much. Oh well. I've had a pretty good run so far.
heddwch
G
HTRWW was great, nice re-cap but would have been nicer to watch it live when it was running.
How The Race Was Won - Paris-Roubaix 2013 from Cosmo Catalano on Vimeo.
This weekend looks to be a bit more complicated, and this week is just flat out insane. Hopefully I can manage to align everything so I can still get out and make the Wednesday night smackdown. Tomorrow is potentially a no bike day, wed might be much the same.
It is also not so easy to create a biographical sketch in 150 words. So I'm getting this off my head as a word shift break so I can get a fresh look and tweak a word or two and hit submit.
This is turning out to be the year I don't ride my bike much. Oh well. I've had a pretty good run so far.
heddwch
G
Thursday, April 04, 2013
smackdown but not all the way out
It was up in the air if i was going to go or not, really wanted to just leave the house on the bike in the morning and keep riding.
Too much wind. The temps were cool but 20-30mph winds are not something that would make riding all day fun, unless I was riding with the wind all day, but with the wind direction I only had less than half a day of roads before hitting the ocean.
Pulled the plug on the all day. Waffled a bit on the ride, potentially was going to bail to get home for the dog, but the girls didn't get their stuff ready so they would be home before going out to dance class.
Smackdown it was.
Too much wind. The temps were cool but 20-30mph winds are not something that would make riding all day fun, unless I was riding with the wind all day, but with the wind direction I only had less than half a day of roads before hitting the ocean.
Pulled the plug on the all day. Waffled a bit on the ride, potentially was going to bail to get home for the dog, but the girls didn't get their stuff ready so they would be home before going out to dance class.
Smackdown it was.
Wednesday, April 03, 2013
Richard's Magic word
http://www.peopleforbikes.org/blog/entry/the_magic_word
True, it works. It is good zen mantra to embody. that word. Sometimes lately I've used "I AM TRAFFIC TOO." but that doesn't always work well. For the most part the commute has been acceptable on the road lately. I do take the lane in general, because I can. One way, two travel lanes, traffic not so heavy that people can easily get around me w/o problem w/o any more delay than the City Bus that drives the route, or the delivery or dump trucks clogging or taking a lane.
Reading Richard's post reminded me of the often and very confusing response to assholes behind wheels. I would always try and respond with a friendly wave. The System comic has the great graphic illustration to go along with the wave: http://www.systemcomic.com/2011/02/28/the-system-472-road-sage/
But this morning it was "smile and wave boys" that got me on this thought line, there are a few better clips from the movies but Sarge's voice runs through my head "smile and wave boys, just smile and wave"
A devious subversive Pinky and the Brain plot to take over the world connotation sort of thing but is a genuinely and almost always effective disarming response.
But I will be adding Richard's word to the tip of my tongue. Will work on it at least.
heddwch
G
True, it works. It is good zen mantra to embody. that word. Sometimes lately I've used "I AM TRAFFIC TOO." but that doesn't always work well. For the most part the commute has been acceptable on the road lately. I do take the lane in general, because I can. One way, two travel lanes, traffic not so heavy that people can easily get around me w/o problem w/o any more delay than the City Bus that drives the route, or the delivery or dump trucks clogging or taking a lane.
Reading Richard's post reminded me of the often and very confusing response to assholes behind wheels. I would always try and respond with a friendly wave. The System comic has the great graphic illustration to go along with the wave: http://www.systemcomic.com/2011/02/28/the-system-472-road-sage/
But this morning it was "smile and wave boys" that got me on this thought line, there are a few better clips from the movies but Sarge's voice runs through my head "smile and wave boys, just smile and wave"
then
But I will be adding Richard's word to the tip of my tongue. Will work on it at least.
heddwch
G
Tuesday, April 02, 2013
a story about fat tires on road bikes
way back, a very long time ago...
It was a big fast flat sharp cornered crit. I was working the race in Neutral Support. A guy in the P/1/2 race was about my height, but had 20-30 pounds of muscle on me. A big dude.
He was riding a cannondale (I was too at the time). And he had absurdly fat tires. 28 contis.
I asked him about that, why such fat tires.
"So I can corner with the little light guys."
Light bulb.
Of course there were plenty of reasons why i sucked at cornering, and probably by most estimation and comparison to many of my peers I still stuck at it.
But putting fatter tires on changed my riding forever. I've been given a handful of skinny tires since then, and have ridden them, but all they do is remind me: "Big tall guys need fat tires."
It is very much en vogue right now to talk about running fatter tires. OMG 25s ARE SO MUCH BIGGER! I'M SCARED. Pusses.
23s suck. Always have, always will. They might be fine for a 150 pound roadie on a perfect surface, but when you push the envelope in height or weight, dynamics change quite a bit.
This is one of those things where I can point to one person in particular. Who was it? Not a clue. But his comment was so matter of fact, and said with such little pretense that it had a huge impact.
Why aren't we racing CX on 28c tires anymore? Skinny higher pressure is better right? Mt bikes, 1.95s RULED and everyone ran them pretty damn hard yo. Why is the road bike so different? (rhetorical purely).
with all the fat tire talk i felt compelled to get this out there. stupid bike makers that won't let you put a 28-30c tire on a road bike... dumb
heddwch
G
It was a big fast flat sharp cornered crit. I was working the race in Neutral Support. A guy in the P/1/2 race was about my height, but had 20-30 pounds of muscle on me. A big dude.
He was riding a cannondale (I was too at the time). And he had absurdly fat tires. 28 contis.
I asked him about that, why such fat tires.
"So I can corner with the little light guys."
Light bulb.
Of course there were plenty of reasons why i sucked at cornering, and probably by most estimation and comparison to many of my peers I still stuck at it.
But putting fatter tires on changed my riding forever. I've been given a handful of skinny tires since then, and have ridden them, but all they do is remind me: "Big tall guys need fat tires."
It is very much en vogue right now to talk about running fatter tires. OMG 25s ARE SO MUCH BIGGER! I'M SCARED. Pusses.
23s suck. Always have, always will. They might be fine for a 150 pound roadie on a perfect surface, but when you push the envelope in height or weight, dynamics change quite a bit.
This is one of those things where I can point to one person in particular. Who was it? Not a clue. But his comment was so matter of fact, and said with such little pretense that it had a huge impact.
Why aren't we racing CX on 28c tires anymore? Skinny higher pressure is better right? Mt bikes, 1.95s RULED and everyone ran them pretty damn hard yo. Why is the road bike so different? (rhetorical purely).
with all the fat tire talk i felt compelled to get this out there. stupid bike makers that won't let you put a 28-30c tire on a road bike... dumb
heddwch
G
big tobacco:big sugar (yeah more propaganda, you don't want to read anymore)
(go read that f'n article before going further)
Friday, March 29, 2013
Thursday, March 28, 2013
more breakfast data against f'n cereal
http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/97/4/677.abstract?sid=8dcdd012-1e37-4a47-9788-86cc324653b6
and here's a media digestion of the study: http://life.nationalpost.com/2013/03/27/high-protein-breakfasts-may-help-fend-off-hunger-cravings-obesity-study
A good study, science seems solid. Disappointing funding source (high conflict of interest) but that doesn't really change the results. H/T to eric on G+ or pointing it out to me.
Couple that with the tweet this AM about Breakfast cereal brands spending more on advertising than raw ingredients and you can maybe see a problem.
The Kashi advert with the "as much protein as an egg" should be a red-flag, esp with the calories not being equal. The bio-availability of the protein in an egg is nearly 100%. You can't say the same for the protein in grain/cereals so you would need to eat a bit more to get the same available protein.
Would be a good Egg Marketing corporation advert to target that fact, put a two egg omelet up along side the number of bowls of Kashi 'high protein' cereal needed to get the same amount of bio-available protien, like that old Total cereal advert when people were more worried about loading their cereal with vitamins and minerals they couldn't absorb.
and here's a media digestion of the study: http://life.nationalpost.com/2013/03/27/high-protein-breakfasts-may-help-fend-off-hunger-cravings-obesity-study
A good study, science seems solid. Disappointing funding source (high conflict of interest) but that doesn't really change the results. H/T to eric on G+ or pointing it out to me.
Couple that with the tweet this AM about Breakfast cereal brands spending more on advertising than raw ingredients and you can maybe see a problem.
The Kashi advert with the "as much protein as an egg" should be a red-flag, esp with the calories not being equal. The bio-availability of the protein in an egg is nearly 100%. You can't say the same for the protein in grain/cereals so you would need to eat a bit more to get the same available protein.
Would be a good Egg Marketing corporation advert to target that fact, put a two egg omelet up along side the number of bowls of Kashi 'high protein' cereal needed to get the same amount of bio-available protien, like that old Total cereal advert when people were more worried about loading their cereal with vitamins and minerals they couldn't absorb.
Tuesday, March 26, 2013
make it work lunch on sunday (kipper salad sandwich)
Reading through the folders while I was eating my left over chicken orzo soup (soooo f'n good) I encountered something that seemed odd to find in proximity to my 'invention' lunch on Sunday.
Youngest went for the routine quesadilla, we were pretty light on provisions, weekly shopping trip was going to happen after lunch so there wasn't much to choose from.
But we did have some Bar Harbor brand Kippers (OSJL find) and some whole wheat hamburger buns.
Kipper salad sandwiches. Why not, the oldest was intrigued enough, and loves tuna salad, and has had the Obree sardine mash on crackers a few times already.
Started with a 'damnit' moment when the easy open pull tab detached from the can. Seam cutting can opener to the rescue. Before long we had the contents of the can drained and being mashed up in a bowl.
First up some plain onion (had one left). maybe 1/4 of an onion diced finely.
Then about a 1/4 of a red bell pepper diced just a bit larger than the onion.
One Grillo dill pickle quarter diced up about the size of the onion.
also from the Grillo container 4-5 slices of pickled garlic chopped up and some of the pickled fresh dill chopped up for the mix.
Some German Mustard (couple tablespoons maybe)
Some Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3-4 tablespoons.
Yes Olive oil. I haven't used Mayo in the Tuna salads for a long time, I like it and it tastes good but I usually buy some, then use a little and it sits in the fridge untouched. And I tried it with just olive oil and mustard and other than visuals it was a brilliant pairing for the tuna.
Get that all mixed, added some black pepper, salt, dried dill, cayenne pepper, taste, adjust more of the last seasonings then prepare sandwiches.
We toasted the buns in a pan, then when they got nice and hot and toasty slapped some swiss on there and scooped the mix onto the rolls. Made enough for two big sandwiches and a couple fork-fulls (so yummy just on the fork even).
It
was
amazing
Crunch, smokey flavor, solid good sustainable protein source, healthy fats, veggies... and super quick.
Quick that is unless you're wicked slow at chopping stuff (I'm close to -but not- pro level fast when it comes to knife work and veggies).
Made for a good lunch, and something to look forward to for the next time we are thinking about what to eat.
Food, simple, not complicated to eat well.
And talking about it and thinking about it keeps me away from other topics...
heddwch
G
Youngest went for the routine quesadilla, we were pretty light on provisions, weekly shopping trip was going to happen after lunch so there wasn't much to choose from.
But we did have some Bar Harbor brand Kippers (OSJL find) and some whole wheat hamburger buns.
Kipper salad sandwiches. Why not, the oldest was intrigued enough, and loves tuna salad, and has had the Obree sardine mash on crackers a few times already.
Started with a 'damnit' moment when the easy open pull tab detached from the can. Seam cutting can opener to the rescue. Before long we had the contents of the can drained and being mashed up in a bowl.
First up some plain onion (had one left). maybe 1/4 of an onion diced finely.
Then about a 1/4 of a red bell pepper diced just a bit larger than the onion.
One Grillo dill pickle quarter diced up about the size of the onion.
also from the Grillo container 4-5 slices of pickled garlic chopped up and some of the pickled fresh dill chopped up for the mix.
Some German Mustard (couple tablespoons maybe)
Some Extra Virgin Olive Oil, 3-4 tablespoons.
Yes Olive oil. I haven't used Mayo in the Tuna salads for a long time, I like it and it tastes good but I usually buy some, then use a little and it sits in the fridge untouched. And I tried it with just olive oil and mustard and other than visuals it was a brilliant pairing for the tuna.
Get that all mixed, added some black pepper, salt, dried dill, cayenne pepper, taste, adjust more of the last seasonings then prepare sandwiches.
We toasted the buns in a pan, then when they got nice and hot and toasty slapped some swiss on there and scooped the mix onto the rolls. Made enough for two big sandwiches and a couple fork-fulls (so yummy just on the fork even).
It
was
amazing
Crunch, smokey flavor, solid good sustainable protein source, healthy fats, veggies... and super quick.
Quick that is unless you're wicked slow at chopping stuff (I'm close to -but not- pro level fast when it comes to knife work and veggies).
Made for a good lunch, and something to look forward to for the next time we are thinking about what to eat.
Food, simple, not complicated to eat well.
And talking about it and thinking about it keeps me away from other topics...
heddwch
G
Monday, March 25, 2013
weirdness
Just flat out weird. Odd being the one who doesn't do any riding on the weekends if it isn't a race, and I've got no racing coming up. Chris Hinds crit? I haven't missed that in a while... ain't gonna happen. Not a chance. My road season has been lately the three or four crits at Ninigret. Looks like I'm gonna change things up dramatically this year. NO ROAD SEASON. Quantum Pro drive train is really pretty hosed. Beyond worn, and not with a handful of races to put $ into a whole new drive train. Besides this 10sp shit is horrible. Wears so fast. FOR ME. I don't care what the rest of you know-it-all-jackasses have found, FOR ME, this shit wears fast. January I was at 50%... now 100%. I was going to change the chain at 75 like all the fastidious freaks do, but figured commuting 8 miles each way? pfft should take a while to get there. WRONG. Oh well. Now that this cassette is so worn i can activate the worn 10sp race cassettes from the last couple seasons and now I'm not swapping cogs between studded snow tires and commuter tires.
Weird being the only one fresh on the bike monday. Sure I didn't say anything about it but I did notice everyone complaining about being lumber, luggage, dead, extra coffee, zombie... this morning.
BIKEMAN http://www.bikeman.com (not only a local brick and mortar store, but a great online presence and sponsors a kick ass team) gave my brain the ultimate THANKS FOR THAT ANSWER. I've been scratching my head, searching the internets (well i did a while back, couldn't find it till this)... why did I not remember it until I saw the other part It was a shimano tool, and we had em in all the shops I've worked at up until lately around here. Why? Not sure. Maybe because that part of the tool is sort of superflous now: http://www.bikeman.com/bicycle-repair-tech-info/name-that-tool/553-name-that-tool-9
but in the second answer the shimano tool number is the Coveted BEST F'N DER HANGER TOOL OUT THERE! Beats every other single one hands down.
New park one sucks in comparison. Shoot nothing worked as well as the D/A tool. Even w/o the freewheel chainline/hanger reference alignment part.
TL-RD10 would be awesome to find in my stocking if I believed the fat bearded elf still delivered to jacked old farts like me.
Holy crap there is a cassette version of it: http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa327/parisbike/DURA2.jpg
photo of actual TL-RD10: http://www.bikemontt.com/foro/uploads/monthly_07_2010/post-2092-1278100966,18_thumb.jpg
the orientation of the ruler makes it much easier to use than the new shimano one, and the tension was variable so you could get it to slide in just enough and then stay there. elegant tool.
Weird being the only one fresh on the bike monday. Sure I didn't say anything about it but I did notice everyone complaining about being lumber, luggage, dead, extra coffee, zombie... this morning.
BIKEMAN http://www.bikeman.com (not only a local brick and mortar store, but a great online presence and sponsors a kick ass team) gave my brain the ultimate THANKS FOR THAT ANSWER. I've been scratching my head, searching the internets (well i did a while back, couldn't find it till this)... why did I not remember it until I saw the other part It was a shimano tool, and we had em in all the shops I've worked at up until lately around here. Why? Not sure. Maybe because that part of the tool is sort of superflous now: http://www.bikeman.com/bicycle-repair-tech-info/name-that-tool/553-name-that-tool-9
but in the second answer the shimano tool number is the Coveted BEST F'N DER HANGER TOOL OUT THERE! Beats every other single one hands down.
New park one sucks in comparison. Shoot nothing worked as well as the D/A tool. Even w/o the freewheel chainline/hanger reference alignment part.
TL-RD10 would be awesome to find in my stocking if I believed the fat bearded elf still delivered to jacked old farts like me.
Holy crap there is a cassette version of it: http://i1192.photobucket.com/albums/aa327/parisbike/DURA2.jpg
photo of actual TL-RD10: http://www.bikemontt.com/foro/uploads/monthly_07_2010/post-2092-1278100966,18_thumb.jpg
the orientation of the ruler makes it much easier to use than the new shimano one, and the tension was variable so you could get it to slide in just enough and then stay there. elegant tool.
Saturday, March 23, 2013
calorie thinking
It does come down to biochemistry, if your biochemistry is not terribly passable it may be less apparent why it is best to avoid ingesting compounds we can't metabolize, vs others we have pathways to process and deal with.
This link came through the internets today and it is good. Pretty simplistic but there are some links to follow up and the fundamentals are pretty sound. Keep in mind the bias of the author seems to be a pro-paleo diet but that's not such a bad thing. Esp since the basics of "eat what your body needs" and eat "starches" based on your activity level.
Some people call the read long, seems that the one thing lacking in the internet is people taking time they do have and using it well.
Give it a read
or not.
This link came through the internets today and it is good. Pretty simplistic but there are some links to follow up and the fundamentals are pretty sound. Keep in mind the bias of the author seems to be a pro-paleo diet but that's not such a bad thing. Esp since the basics of "eat what your body needs" and eat "starches" based on your activity level.
Some people call the read long, seems that the one thing lacking in the internet is people taking time they do have and using it well.
Give it a read
or not.
Breakfast? what to eat?
What not to eat: boxed/packaged cereal with milk (esp not skim milk), oatmeal that comes preflavored and individually packaged, pop-tarts, freezer toaster waffles... long list but yeah not everyone wants to make a nice breakfast scramble every morning, or an egg sandwich, or waffles.
Although with a smart phone you can do your morning twitter/fb catching up while cooking more or less and have a better start to the day.
Again, cold cereal is a great post ride recovery meal. Save that shit for then, AFTER you've had a hard workout when you need the insulin spike and the rapid loading of the blood stream. Aka exactly what you don't want to break a fast with. The whole recommendations can't be applied universally to all ages either, or individuals. Genetics, epi-genetics all that play a role.
Whatever, I know. Dead horse. Fuck it. Point being a quick meal that you can make from scratch, a head, store in an air tight container and enjoy for a while that tastes good and frankly right now is a popular go-to when I don't make pancakes or waffles and they don't want a breakfast sandwich or omelet.
Muesli
I've bought that Swiss stuff in the box in the past, usually I'll have a bowl of that or oatmeal before a long ride or a race morning in addition to an egg sandwich or big egg and veggie scramble.
One day the girls tried it and loved it. Oops. All gone.
And then my oldest asked if I could make some.
Um, sure why not.
So a few iterations later I have a decent recipe that doesn't last very long.
No idea on actual measurements because I haven't done that yet. Mixed till it looks right or so...
in a stainless omelet pan brown/toast 3-5 tablespoons of whole wheat flour
let cool (should turn a bit dark and smell toasty)
In a big bowl or gallon ziplock bag put in 2 quarts or so (use those quart bulk container things as measuring) old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cook oats)
1-2 cups of quick cook oats (for the smaller flake and oat flour)
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup crushed almond slices (buy the sliced almonds and then just crush them by hand as you're putting them in)
1 cup raisins
3-4 tablespoons of sugar
That's it. Mix well, serve.
Make it euro style and put the whole (raw if you can get it) milk in before you go to bed and put the bowl in the fridge. Or make it with yogurt, or yogurt and milk.
Dice up some apples in it, or bananas, or whatever fruit you want (they should be an accent, not a significant calorie source in the meal). Cinnamon too if you want a bit more flavor.
Options: other grain flakes, or grain flours (grind up millet and buckwheat if you want) can easily go gluten free if you want, sub a different flour for the wheat.
My kids like to eat it with just a bare splash of milk, enjoying the crunch and texture of the ingredients.
Although with a smart phone you can do your morning twitter/fb catching up while cooking more or less and have a better start to the day.
Again, cold cereal is a great post ride recovery meal. Save that shit for then, AFTER you've had a hard workout when you need the insulin spike and the rapid loading of the blood stream. Aka exactly what you don't want to break a fast with. The whole recommendations can't be applied universally to all ages either, or individuals. Genetics, epi-genetics all that play a role.
Whatever, I know. Dead horse. Fuck it. Point being a quick meal that you can make from scratch, a head, store in an air tight container and enjoy for a while that tastes good and frankly right now is a popular go-to when I don't make pancakes or waffles and they don't want a breakfast sandwich or omelet.
Muesli
I've bought that Swiss stuff in the box in the past, usually I'll have a bowl of that or oatmeal before a long ride or a race morning in addition to an egg sandwich or big egg and veggie scramble.
One day the girls tried it and loved it. Oops. All gone.
And then my oldest asked if I could make some.
Um, sure why not.
So a few iterations later I have a decent recipe that doesn't last very long.
No idea on actual measurements because I haven't done that yet. Mixed till it looks right or so...
in a stainless omelet pan brown/toast 3-5 tablespoons of whole wheat flour
let cool (should turn a bit dark and smell toasty)
In a big bowl or gallon ziplock bag put in 2 quarts or so (use those quart bulk container things as measuring) old fashioned rolled oats (not quick cook oats)
1-2 cups of quick cook oats (for the smaller flake and oat flour)
1 cup sesame seeds
1 cup crushed almond slices (buy the sliced almonds and then just crush them by hand as you're putting them in)
1 cup raisins
3-4 tablespoons of sugar
That's it. Mix well, serve.
Make it euro style and put the whole (raw if you can get it) milk in before you go to bed and put the bowl in the fridge. Or make it with yogurt, or yogurt and milk.
Dice up some apples in it, or bananas, or whatever fruit you want (they should be an accent, not a significant calorie source in the meal). Cinnamon too if you want a bit more flavor.
Options: other grain flakes, or grain flours (grind up millet and buckwheat if you want) can easily go gluten free if you want, sub a different flour for the wheat.
My kids like to eat it with just a bare splash of milk, enjoying the crunch and texture of the ingredients.
the cookies for the cookie ride
*I've updated the recipe here: http://www.gewilli.com/2014/03/gewillies-aka-chocolate-peanut-butter.html slight but minor changes... this recipe still works but i've moved to the new one and loooooving it #FATWATTS #FUELFORDAYS*
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies.
That's what I would have been making. Maybe one day will magically clear up this week, maybe, ya never know, i'm skeptical but if the opportunity arises I'm taking it.
The cookies, I've even done a Luna Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein bar nutritional comparison spreadsheet with them. I had thought I'd posted the recipe but can't find it so I probably didn't.
I am getting it down, secret recipes ain't no good if you aren't sharing the final product with anyone or monetizing it or entering competitions. I'm not doing much of any of that.
Recipe:
Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies.
That's what I would have been making. Maybe one day will magically clear up this week, maybe, ya never know, i'm skeptical but if the opportunity arises I'm taking it.
The cookies, I've even done a Luna Peanut Butter Chocolate Protein bar nutritional comparison spreadsheet with them. I had thought I'd posted the recipe but can't find it so I probably didn't.
I am getting it down, secret recipes ain't no good if you aren't sharing the final product with anyone or monetizing it or entering competitions. I'm not doing much of any of that.
Recipe:
Friday, March 22, 2013
the game
i would write about it but now suddenly words get second-guessed before the hit the paper
i've re-titled this four times, started it three, walked away all four before sitting back down
can't say it anymore
what's the point
i can't take the twitter cliques anymore, too much like my social life to date
i would elaborate but it would probably be mis-construed
facebook is worse, has been
i don't know if a break will work again, not sure i care
and the one avenue that is... sorry, was... mine, doesn't work
the layers of this onion are complex, there is no one answer. if you think you have a clue? Let me tell you straight the fuck up: You don't. Not even close.
not sure what to do
15 min later
still... staring at the white screen
only thought is
i'm pretty far from heddwch
i've re-titled this four times, started it three, walked away all four before sitting back down
can't say it anymore
what's the point
i can't take the twitter cliques anymore, too much like my social life to date
i would elaborate but it would probably be mis-construed
facebook is worse, has been
i don't know if a break will work again, not sure i care
and the one avenue that is... sorry, was... mine, doesn't work
the layers of this onion are complex, there is no one answer. if you think you have a clue? Let me tell you straight the fuck up: You don't. Not even close.
not sure what to do
15 min later
still... staring at the white screen
only thought is
i'm pretty far from heddwch
the load...
I'll carry the load
I'm on the grind, in time I'll pay the debt that's owed
I walk along the lonely road
I walk along the lonely road
I walk along the lonely road
Thursday, March 21, 2013
moment of zen
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
holy shit - totally flat
That sucked. Good reality check, nice to know how much I suck on a bad day when everything goes fucking wrong and you feel like garbage on the bike. Nice to know.
Now I know.
Now I know.
right on the edge
No wonder it felt cold riding in. When combining wind speed with riding direction I was bouncing back and forth between a JF 4 and JF 5 today.
Smackdown tonight.
Smackdown tonight.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
Slurpee section of the ride this morning
White balance is all off, but these are just raw out of the camera shots, it was raining sideways so i was more keen on just documenting than getting it perfect.
Food links - or more on the case against cereal for breakfast
PBS ran a bit on the 15th good bit of a read. I've seen some people call it pseudoscience, but even lacking full scientific peer-reviewed status, there's a hell of a lot more right in there than wrong.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/03/seven-foods-you-think-are-healthy-but-arent.html
Follow just that Hexane bit up here: http://cornucopia.org/hexane-guides/hexane_guide_bars.html
And then there's the whole 'natural' additive issue. Personally the chemical flavoring in orange juice isn't worth the trade off, but it is for some. This Carrageenan report is a bit sensationalist but very much on point and in agreement with avoiding eating unprocessed crap. That link was emailed to me the other day by a nameless snappy dressed dude.
Heck, go play around over on The Cornucopia's web site. Always read with an open mind and your own perspective.
Lim and Biju, Bittman, Pollan... that crew. They know what they are talking about. Bittman does the best at demystifying cooking process and showing you how to eat well. Lim and Biju do a good job talking about the requirements for endurance athletes and give you the tools to avoid the crap in the links above. Pollan is a prominent vocal dude who also knows his shit and has done more to raise awareness than many.
those first two have an associate with maybe some of cycling's shadier past but their nutrition is sound, it makes sense, it works, and compared to many people's diets would be like doping with PEDs to switch to that style of eating for every meal.
"I don't have time." Talk ti Bittman. he'll laugh at you and then show you how you actually have plenty of it.
Cookie ride. Soon. Talk about clean power source... mmm
heddwch
G
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2013/03/seven-foods-you-think-are-healthy-but-arent.html
Follow just that Hexane bit up here: http://cornucopia.org/hexane-guides/hexane_guide_bars.html
And then there's the whole 'natural' additive issue. Personally the chemical flavoring in orange juice isn't worth the trade off, but it is for some. This Carrageenan report is a bit sensationalist but very much on point and in agreement with avoiding eating unprocessed crap. That link was emailed to me the other day by a nameless snappy dressed dude.
Heck, go play around over on The Cornucopia's web site. Always read with an open mind and your own perspective.
Lim and Biju, Bittman, Pollan... that crew. They know what they are talking about. Bittman does the best at demystifying cooking process and showing you how to eat well. Lim and Biju do a good job talking about the requirements for endurance athletes and give you the tools to avoid the crap in the links above. Pollan is a prominent vocal dude who also knows his shit and has done more to raise awareness than many.
those first two have an associate with maybe some of cycling's shadier past but their nutrition is sound, it makes sense, it works, and compared to many people's diets would be like doping with PEDs to switch to that style of eating for every meal.
"I don't have time." Talk ti Bittman. he'll laugh at you and then show you how you actually have plenty of it.
Cookie ride. Soon. Talk about clean power source... mmm
heddwch
G
Well now
That was interesting. Woke up to 2 inches of snow slowly turning into a slurpee with the rain falling steadily.
Wind was at least out of the east so it would be blowing in my ear most of the way in and not contributing to the slog.
Trailer probably wasn't a good idea until i got to the city with the slightly narrower roads and the traffic more accommodating of me taking the lane. It was slow. Slog. Slog. 38x28 slow. As in at the edge of stall speed slow.
Some places I'd lose traction, and on the hill coming up i was slipping every pedal stroke, it was that or come to a stop, so i moved over and rode on the grass up the hill.
Slow.
Then up there along the parkway the slurpee turned to gelato. Crunchy nearly frozen solid but it would let me ride up then smunch through.
I could have gone over to the plowed and salted parkway but it wasn't completely plowed, and the traffic was heavy, it is pouring rain and there's something broken in my brain that made the ride as hard as possible.
Once i hit the wet pavement i shifted up, and up and up and damn couldn't get the same level of resistance. Nuts. I literally had to pedal down the hill on the bike path there at the end.
Slow going. And wet. Soaking fucking wet.
And cold. It was 32.7°F when I left home this morning. I hope it warms up enough that the rain washes that slush away. At least I didn't stop to add weight to the trailer. My backpack is dry though...
Challenge now is to get everything dry for the ride home so i don't have to put cold wet clothes on.
But hey, at least I didn't have to clean the car off, sit in traffic (there was a ton of stopped cars this morning, SLOW GOING) or hunt for elusive parking spots and then walk a handful of blocks a handful of times today to move the car.
I did stop to take a few pictures. Couldn't f'n get going again once I stopped, seriously. Was a challenge. Hell I couldn't even drag the bike and the trailer through that.
Time for some coffee...
heddwch
G
Wind was at least out of the east so it would be blowing in my ear most of the way in and not contributing to the slog.
Trailer probably wasn't a good idea until i got to the city with the slightly narrower roads and the traffic more accommodating of me taking the lane. It was slow. Slog. Slog. 38x28 slow. As in at the edge of stall speed slow.
Some places I'd lose traction, and on the hill coming up i was slipping every pedal stroke, it was that or come to a stop, so i moved over and rode on the grass up the hill.
Slow.
Then up there along the parkway the slurpee turned to gelato. Crunchy nearly frozen solid but it would let me ride up then smunch through.
I could have gone over to the plowed and salted parkway but it wasn't completely plowed, and the traffic was heavy, it is pouring rain and there's something broken in my brain that made the ride as hard as possible.
Once i hit the wet pavement i shifted up, and up and up and damn couldn't get the same level of resistance. Nuts. I literally had to pedal down the hill on the bike path there at the end.
Slow going. And wet. Soaking fucking wet.
And cold. It was 32.7°F when I left home this morning. I hope it warms up enough that the rain washes that slush away. At least I didn't stop to add weight to the trailer. My backpack is dry though...
Challenge now is to get everything dry for the ride home so i don't have to put cold wet clothes on.
But hey, at least I didn't have to clean the car off, sit in traffic (there was a ton of stopped cars this morning, SLOW GOING) or hunt for elusive parking spots and then walk a handful of blocks a handful of times today to move the car.
I did stop to take a few pictures. Couldn't f'n get going again once I stopped, seriously. Was a challenge. Hell I couldn't even drag the bike and the trailer through that.
Time for some coffee...
heddwch
G
Friday, March 15, 2013
MCR 1.0
March Cookie Ride 1.0
A ride born out of a social media chatter about calories consumed and food and stuff (from this link)
not this coming week, was looking at tuesday but the weather looks kind of less than well suited to ride to Boston and back. maybe the following monday or tuesday...
what is it? just the regular PVD-BOS-PVD ride. But fueled on cookies. Good idea? Probably not. But they will be my peanut butter cookies. Jersey pockets stuffed full.
A ride born out of a social media chatter about calories consumed and food and stuff (from this link)
not this coming week, was looking at tuesday but the weather looks kind of less than well suited to ride to Boston and back. maybe the following monday or tuesday...
what is it? just the regular PVD-BOS-PVD ride. But fueled on cookies. Good idea? Probably not. But they will be my peanut butter cookies. Jersey pockets stuffed full.
Thursday, March 14, 2013
The critical case against Skim Milk and Boxed breakfast Cereal
So much evidence...
Brain and body are toast, dealt with the City Assessor office this morning. Not a SINGLE FUCKING BIKE RACK AT MY TOWN HALL.
WTF
Locked up to a rusty one way sign.
Brain and body are toast, dealt with the City Assessor office this morning. Not a SINGLE FUCKING BIKE RACK AT MY TOWN HALL.
WTF
Locked up to a rusty one way sign.
Wednesday, March 13, 2013
Start of the Smackdown rides
Tonight we started them up. Had a great showing for PVD. Pile of college kids, and some old fuckers. Kyle, Peng, Sandy and Tom filled out that first category, Syl, me and Yeah I'm calling Fox old, filled out the latter. Andrew slots in the middle somewhere. He's a freak. Lightweight rowers generally are. He used to be one. Sarah showed up but when i probed her about directions and route and if she knew how to get back her buoyant "I have a phone" let me relax as ride leader (she got dropped before we hit the Mass Line Sprint from what the guys behind were saying).
So we hit this ride, hard. This new guy from PC, Tom (think Ted King look a like) is the wild card and the game changer.
I lead out, measured pace, not too bad, my HR is comfortable. Set the pace over the new pavement down Broadway, Kyle asks if we're sprinting for the State Line, I say "Maybe, just don't tell Tom" and Tom pipes in "What?"
From the stop like there the chatter from Peng and Kyle is how horrible the pavement is on the bridge. I've got the sun behind me, I'm leading out... no one goes around me before the bridge, so fuck it. Lets wind this shit up. Soon there's a helmet at my crank (shadow) wind up the cadence a bit more, shit, up the cadence, shift... helmet is getting close to front wheel. FUck it. Lets sprint. Boom. I win. Cheap, but crafty. I'll take it. I'm 2x as old as some of these damn kids.
Right turn on Arcade. Syl rolls up "I think we've already dropped Sarah" damn, well she has her phone. Tom wants to do a 15 min zone 4 effort. Fine go for it. He does. He's not slow. We sit on his wheel and yell at him for the turn. On Ledge he starts hammering. I slot in behind Peng who is sitting on Tom's wheel.
Feels okay in the draft. Not easy but okay. Make the left up the hill. over to Jacob/Broad. Tom still driving the pace, nice and fast, so awesome. I'm loving it (sitting in the draft that is). Down hill, over the bridge, past the point where Brier stacked it, and Peng comes out of Tom's slipstream to go for the Townline sprint we don't sprint for. Of course I'm on his wheel. But he timed it pretty well. Two more feet and I'd have beat him. I got grief for sprint at the line I neutralized. But hey, third wheel, Tom didn't go for it, what am I supposed to do???? Was good. Tom carried on, got a gap on everyone and we directed him to the left turn...
up pine we go.
Andrew sort of slots in behind Tom and Peng is on the wheel. Pine hurts. The steady low % grade is unrelenting. And we had a fucking headwind to boot.
Up... and off they go. I manage to hang to w/in maybe 100' of the first sprint line. Andrew takes the second line seriously and Tom gives him a good run for his money and those to jackasses are gone. CHECKED OUT.
Sandy and Fox come by. Peng goes back. Kyle goes backwards... or never really forwards, i don't remember my breathing was killing me.
Anyway... Sandy Fox and I manage to finally hook up just as we turn on to Homestead. We get a bit of the way down and catch up to Tom and Andrew and keep the pace high.
Tom drops back, to either wait for Peng or give us a head start up Rocky Hill.
Andrew sets a solid pace up the hill. Sandy sits on his wheel doing great. Granted he needs to SLAM THAT FUCKING STEM AND FLIP THE STEM DOWN but he's much better than last year. I'm on Sandy's wheel, Andrew is driving it. We get to the last stretch, before the right hander.
Fox attacks.
A good attack. I expected it, I know he's a cagey competitive dude, and he's been f'n riding and running.
But I go down to the drops and make the jump to his wheel. Andrew can't respond, Sandy can't either, I dunno about Syl, maybe Syl was on my wheel but he never came around so was never a factor.
Fox makes the corner and well I thought of all those damn logs, no just kidding, I just went for it. Won Rocky Hill Sprint. Blew pretty much everything in the process. Hillside was gonna suck.
Made it around down... Tom catches back on, no Peng or Kyle tho.
We start up Hillside, pedestrian like. Andrew starts going for it. Tom goes at it with him. I get shelled. Everyone rides off w/o me. Kyle catches me just as I turn right onto pine and then he has the audacity to sprint for the Pine KOM AGAIN. F'er got it too.
I had nothing.
We reel Fox back in.
He cramps or feigns a cramp and drops out of the wind, and I work to bring us back to the group waiting up there together for us on that final run in. Wheeler comes through fast, and then of course Andrew and Tom go motor pacing on the way back. Syl does a great job of trying to hang on but blows sky high. I work my ass off but can't do much more than keep them at a consistent distance.
Was good though.
Legs felt good. Hillside was definitely "this is not as bad as hauling logs so go harder dumbass" but the lungs were toast. Tasting blood, still.
Was a good ride.
Headed back to the office, grabbed my backpack and headed home. Glorious tail wind. Pile of Noobs on the bike path though, walkers and stuff mostly. S'okay, not a big deal and totally work able, but warm weather brought them out.
Legs are feeling it, but not the way my lungs are. I'm missing those weekly roller races right now. And am 3 rides behind in my Boston and back long ride Mental Health days. Soon? Maybe. Maybe not.
Bike was good. New Wheel was great. Thanks to Thom and JLS. Bar Tape worked.
Can't wait for next week. Fox destroyed me there on Hillside. I'm going to have to work on that. That or get his pain in the ass in to the wind a bit more before we hit that hill. Ifn you are in the PVD area, see if you can make the ride. If you're pro level it is just a good ride, if you're not the ride will push you to improve. Either way it is fun.
No. I have no numbers. No time. No distance. No strava. No Heart Rate. Nothing. No Metrics at all.
F'that shit.
But there is one beer in the house. I'm going to drink it. And put a plug out: if you need bike mechanic work, a tune up. drive train clean, wheel true, anything, drop me a note. I work for beer or beer money ;)
heddwch
g
So we hit this ride, hard. This new guy from PC, Tom (think Ted King look a like) is the wild card and the game changer.
I lead out, measured pace, not too bad, my HR is comfortable. Set the pace over the new pavement down Broadway, Kyle asks if we're sprinting for the State Line, I say "Maybe, just don't tell Tom" and Tom pipes in "What?"
From the stop like there the chatter from Peng and Kyle is how horrible the pavement is on the bridge. I've got the sun behind me, I'm leading out... no one goes around me before the bridge, so fuck it. Lets wind this shit up. Soon there's a helmet at my crank (shadow) wind up the cadence a bit more, shit, up the cadence, shift... helmet is getting close to front wheel. FUck it. Lets sprint. Boom. I win. Cheap, but crafty. I'll take it. I'm 2x as old as some of these damn kids.
Right turn on Arcade. Syl rolls up "I think we've already dropped Sarah" damn, well she has her phone. Tom wants to do a 15 min zone 4 effort. Fine go for it. He does. He's not slow. We sit on his wheel and yell at him for the turn. On Ledge he starts hammering. I slot in behind Peng who is sitting on Tom's wheel.
Feels okay in the draft. Not easy but okay. Make the left up the hill. over to Jacob/Broad. Tom still driving the pace, nice and fast, so awesome. I'm loving it (sitting in the draft that is). Down hill, over the bridge, past the point where Brier stacked it, and Peng comes out of Tom's slipstream to go for the Townline sprint we don't sprint for. Of course I'm on his wheel. But he timed it pretty well. Two more feet and I'd have beat him. I got grief for sprint at the line I neutralized. But hey, third wheel, Tom didn't go for it, what am I supposed to do???? Was good. Tom carried on, got a gap on everyone and we directed him to the left turn...
up pine we go.
Andrew sort of slots in behind Tom and Peng is on the wheel. Pine hurts. The steady low % grade is unrelenting. And we had a fucking headwind to boot.
Up... and off they go. I manage to hang to w/in maybe 100' of the first sprint line. Andrew takes the second line seriously and Tom gives him a good run for his money and those to jackasses are gone. CHECKED OUT.
Sandy and Fox come by. Peng goes back. Kyle goes backwards... or never really forwards, i don't remember my breathing was killing me.
Anyway... Sandy Fox and I manage to finally hook up just as we turn on to Homestead. We get a bit of the way down and catch up to Tom and Andrew and keep the pace high.
Tom drops back, to either wait for Peng or give us a head start up Rocky Hill.
Andrew sets a solid pace up the hill. Sandy sits on his wheel doing great. Granted he needs to SLAM THAT FUCKING STEM AND FLIP THE STEM DOWN but he's much better than last year. I'm on Sandy's wheel, Andrew is driving it. We get to the last stretch, before the right hander.
Fox attacks.
A good attack. I expected it, I know he's a cagey competitive dude, and he's been f'n riding and running.
But I go down to the drops and make the jump to his wheel. Andrew can't respond, Sandy can't either, I dunno about Syl, maybe Syl was on my wheel but he never came around so was never a factor.
Fox makes the corner and well I thought of all those damn logs, no just kidding, I just went for it. Won Rocky Hill Sprint. Blew pretty much everything in the process. Hillside was gonna suck.
Made it around down... Tom catches back on, no Peng or Kyle tho.
We start up Hillside, pedestrian like. Andrew starts going for it. Tom goes at it with him. I get shelled. Everyone rides off w/o me. Kyle catches me just as I turn right onto pine and then he has the audacity to sprint for the Pine KOM AGAIN. F'er got it too.
I had nothing.
We reel Fox back in.
He cramps or feigns a cramp and drops out of the wind, and I work to bring us back to the group waiting up there together for us on that final run in. Wheeler comes through fast, and then of course Andrew and Tom go motor pacing on the way back. Syl does a great job of trying to hang on but blows sky high. I work my ass off but can't do much more than keep them at a consistent distance.
Was good though.
Legs felt good. Hillside was definitely "this is not as bad as hauling logs so go harder dumbass" but the lungs were toast. Tasting blood, still.
Was a good ride.
Headed back to the office, grabbed my backpack and headed home. Glorious tail wind. Pile of Noobs on the bike path though, walkers and stuff mostly. S'okay, not a big deal and totally work able, but warm weather brought them out.
Legs are feeling it, but not the way my lungs are. I'm missing those weekly roller races right now. And am 3 rides behind in my Boston and back long ride Mental Health days. Soon? Maybe. Maybe not.
Bike was good. New Wheel was great. Thanks to Thom and JLS. Bar Tape worked.
Can't wait for next week. Fox destroyed me there on Hillside. I'm going to have to work on that. That or get his pain in the ass in to the wind a bit more before we hit that hill. Ifn you are in the PVD area, see if you can make the ride. If you're pro level it is just a good ride, if you're not the ride will push you to improve. Either way it is fun.
No. I have no numbers. No time. No distance. No strava. No Heart Rate. Nothing. No Metrics at all.
F'that shit.
But there is one beer in the house. I'm going to drink it. And put a plug out: if you need bike mechanic work, a tune up. drive train clean, wheel true, anything, drop me a note. I work for beer or beer money ;)
heddwch
g
Coffee Flavored Coffee, or PULL UP YOUR PANTS
Except now it is "what beans do you want?" What beans? I WANT A CUP OF COFFEE
I was asked this on Saturday, low on grounds and time at the house and after the kid's soccer game I bought a cup while we were grabbing a few things to make lunch with (and some more coffee beans).
I ask for a large coffee.
"what beans do you want?"
What do you mean what beans, I dunno I just want a cup of coffee.
"Dark roast [fill in the blank bean variety] or light roast [fill in the blank with a different variety]?"
Um, I want my coffee to taste like coffee not watered down bean juice, Dark please.
"Do you need room?"
No, you can fill it all the way up. (but in my mind Denis Leary was screaming FUCK NO I WANT A CUP OF COFFEE NOT SOME SWEETENED MILKY BEVERAGE THAT TASTES VAGUELY OF COFFEE)
Pouring myself another cup of coffee, black, hot, nothing in it. Nice and strong.
coffee
Tuesday, March 12, 2013
making good
So yeah, I've been using my little Gomboy pruning saw a bit. Collecting a bit of wood here and there.
When I started the first goal was to make the Birch tops managable or at least not impinging on the bike path. Accomplished. And I have a pile of nice and dry green birch in my office. If anyone wants to buy it for decorative purposes lemme know. Otherwise i'll haul that shit home, stack it and burn it next year.
Last night on the way home I managed to get all but the last branch out of the tangled mess of honeysuckle and other vines (no Poison Ivy that I could tell).
This morning I took the last branch out and loaded it in the trailer (only 4 lengths). And then I rolled the pile of vines off into the flattened over growth on the side of the path, off of the grass. Beside the big trunk on the side of the path still attached to the roots, there's no evidence of the fallen tree now.
On the way home, it was pouring rain. Bitching 20-30 mph headwind and well it kind of sucked. But that's a good thing. I had the bike path to myself. There was a chunk of oak that fell just south of the fuel dock access road. a couple branches. I had pulled and rolled them of the path onto the grass on the side. But they were sitting on grass. I'd grabbed a few of the thick ends last week. Tonight I finished it off.
Cut up the lengths, not big, none more than 3" some as small as an 1.5". But this stuff is dense. It is a hard wood, takes no time to cut with that saw, and will create some good heat next year. Better than being turned into wood chips.
So I salvage the usable lengths, and then toss the bramble the vines and the rest off into the mess of the unmanaged wild along the side of the path. Beyond the grass line. Looks like nothing even fell there.
That's the plan. The goal.
Last night someone rode past me on a DUI bike and suggested the "DM" had a lot of work to do cleaning the path up. Hey you know what? Maybe they do have a lot of work to do, but I work for nearly free. Get a bit of an upper body work out, call it core strengthening if you want, and the path gets returned to pre-storm levels.
Yes, I am benefiting, but then so is everyone else.
I do have to extend a huge public thanks to whom ever broomed the shells off the southern bombing range (north side of Crescent view). That was a nice surprise riding home last night seeing the shells off the path.
The rain is pouring down now. But it is warm.
Dinner is up next for GeWilli. April is going to be a very fiscally painful month. I should work on attempting to monetize these Electron Microscope Images, or something. Fire wood is good, but it ain't gonna help much until it is all seasoned. And of course May will roll around and the damn rusty race wagon stands a not so good chance at passing inspection with the holes in the floorboards. Such is life eh? Sacrifices we make.
Give back where you can, how you can.
No one gets out of this mess alive.
heddwch
G
When I started the first goal was to make the Birch tops managable or at least not impinging on the bike path. Accomplished. And I have a pile of nice and dry green birch in my office. If anyone wants to buy it for decorative purposes lemme know. Otherwise i'll haul that shit home, stack it and burn it next year.
Last night on the way home I managed to get all but the last branch out of the tangled mess of honeysuckle and other vines (no Poison Ivy that I could tell).
This morning I took the last branch out and loaded it in the trailer (only 4 lengths). And then I rolled the pile of vines off into the flattened over growth on the side of the path, off of the grass. Beside the big trunk on the side of the path still attached to the roots, there's no evidence of the fallen tree now.
On the way home, it was pouring rain. Bitching 20-30 mph headwind and well it kind of sucked. But that's a good thing. I had the bike path to myself. There was a chunk of oak that fell just south of the fuel dock access road. a couple branches. I had pulled and rolled them of the path onto the grass on the side. But they were sitting on grass. I'd grabbed a few of the thick ends last week. Tonight I finished it off.
Cut up the lengths, not big, none more than 3" some as small as an 1.5". But this stuff is dense. It is a hard wood, takes no time to cut with that saw, and will create some good heat next year. Better than being turned into wood chips.
So I salvage the usable lengths, and then toss the bramble the vines and the rest off into the mess of the unmanaged wild along the side of the path. Beyond the grass line. Looks like nothing even fell there.
That's the plan. The goal.
Last night someone rode past me on a DUI bike and suggested the "DM" had a lot of work to do cleaning the path up. Hey you know what? Maybe they do have a lot of work to do, but I work for nearly free. Get a bit of an upper body work out, call it core strengthening if you want, and the path gets returned to pre-storm levels.
Yes, I am benefiting, but then so is everyone else.
I do have to extend a huge public thanks to whom ever broomed the shells off the southern bombing range (north side of Crescent view). That was a nice surprise riding home last night seeing the shells off the path.
The rain is pouring down now. But it is warm.
Dinner is up next for GeWilli. April is going to be a very fiscally painful month. I should work on attempting to monetize these Electron Microscope Images, or something. Fire wood is good, but it ain't gonna help much until it is all seasoned. And of course May will roll around and the damn rusty race wagon stands a not so good chance at passing inspection with the holes in the floorboards. Such is life eh? Sacrifices we make.
Give back where you can, how you can.
No one gets out of this mess alive.
heddwch
G
Weather
Anyone who rides their bike outside much seems to eventually wind up following the weather, and more so than just looking at the temperature outside and if anything is falling out of the sky.
One of the college kids last week planned a ride, in the middle of a predicted storm. And not a short wee little bit of rain or snow. No, that big last one. Two days out we knew the day was at least going to be windy, and given the temperature and possible storm tracks we were either going to have lots of wet snow, lots of rain, or something in between, with crazy strong wind for the whole day.
Planning a group ride is good. Group rides are good social things. They can also be like the Angry Man's ride. They are not a bad thing in general. I like group rides, more because I rarely get to do them and I always invariably am riding with people I genuinely like to spend time with. Sometimes I'm the strongest on the ride, some times I'm the first in danger of being dropped.
Wednesday Night Smackdowns start tomorrow. Baby smackdown, Wed Night Leg Waster, Prov Velo Club ride. Call it what you want. 5pm Waterman Grille Circle in PVD, ~25 mile ride with a few hills, a couple sprint points (top of Pine, Rocky Hill, Hillside) and some good tempo sections mixed in.
Back last week looking forward to the time change (not really, I like waking up when it is light out, i guess that will change soon enough) there was some discussion about which day do we run the ride. Tuesday is the traditional Mark Nicholson Smack Down ride. We moved the short ride to Wed mid-season. Wed has the ninigret conflict but I can't get to ninigret mid-week except for weird rare circumstances. Just doesn't happen for me so the conflict only exists for those w/o constraints
I asked for feedback and preferences, and as can be expected there was equal amounts of "I can't do it on" either day. Can't please everyone. Derdowski and Fox were the most regular and Fox lead the ride a few times I couldn't and the three of us all figured Wednesday would work better.
But Sunday looking at the forecast, well, that's easy. I don't want to do a high speed drafting ride in pouring rain. Hell who knows what kind of pot holes are out there right now. Rain on Tuesday peak probability/intensity right around 5pm.
Wednesday it is. And will be.
Round about rambling to get to this point though.
The point and the 'inspiration' for this was riding in thinking about my current weather forecasting tools.
This works for me, there are plenty good options, some people like how pretty weather spark is (i've used it in the past but keep coming back to current set). So yeah... this is what i check, maybe it works for you, but everyone is different, which is kind of nice, what works for me probably doesn't work for you but it isn't going to stop me from talking about it.
NOAA graphics loaded with information and on the whole pretty damn accurate. It does change and you can only go out so far in the future. But it works really well for the information I process when preparing for a ride or for a commute.
For current conditions I like the weather stations on WUnderground (I turn off everything except Weather stations - sometimes I'll fire up the radar to see where the rain is and the timing)
Sometimes I'll hit weather dot com for the radar but usually for volume and rapid digestion of information I hit those two above.
Instant read the Wunderground stations and wind directions are very good indicators for me, really mostly about the commute, click to check temps what layers do i need, will i be fighting a headwind?
Weather.
We're out in it. Being prepared is part of riding. One can get really tired of accidental 'epic' weather rides. There's only room in personal experience for so many fuck ups that get turned into fun.
Gonna be a wet headwind tonight. Not a problem 'cause, I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay...
heddwch
G
One of the college kids last week planned a ride, in the middle of a predicted storm. And not a short wee little bit of rain or snow. No, that big last one. Two days out we knew the day was at least going to be windy, and given the temperature and possible storm tracks we were either going to have lots of wet snow, lots of rain, or something in between, with crazy strong wind for the whole day.
Planning a group ride is good. Group rides are good social things. They can also be like the Angry Man's ride. They are not a bad thing in general. I like group rides, more because I rarely get to do them and I always invariably am riding with people I genuinely like to spend time with. Sometimes I'm the strongest on the ride, some times I'm the first in danger of being dropped.
Wednesday Night Smackdowns start tomorrow. Baby smackdown, Wed Night Leg Waster, Prov Velo Club ride. Call it what you want. 5pm Waterman Grille Circle in PVD, ~25 mile ride with a few hills, a couple sprint points (top of Pine, Rocky Hill, Hillside) and some good tempo sections mixed in.
Back last week looking forward to the time change (not really, I like waking up when it is light out, i guess that will change soon enough) there was some discussion about which day do we run the ride. Tuesday is the traditional Mark Nicholson Smack Down ride. We moved the short ride to Wed mid-season. Wed has the ninigret conflict but I can't get to ninigret mid-week except for weird rare circumstances. Just doesn't happen for me so the conflict only exists for those w/o constraints
I asked for feedback and preferences, and as can be expected there was equal amounts of "I can't do it on" either day. Can't please everyone. Derdowski and Fox were the most regular and Fox lead the ride a few times I couldn't and the three of us all figured Wednesday would work better.
But Sunday looking at the forecast, well, that's easy. I don't want to do a high speed drafting ride in pouring rain. Hell who knows what kind of pot holes are out there right now. Rain on Tuesday peak probability/intensity right around 5pm.
Wednesday it is. And will be.
Round about rambling to get to this point though.
The point and the 'inspiration' for this was riding in thinking about my current weather forecasting tools.
This works for me, there are plenty good options, some people like how pretty weather spark is (i've used it in the past but keep coming back to current set). So yeah... this is what i check, maybe it works for you, but everyone is different, which is kind of nice, what works for me probably doesn't work for you but it isn't going to stop me from talking about it.
NOAA graphics loaded with information and on the whole pretty damn accurate. It does change and you can only go out so far in the future. But it works really well for the information I process when preparing for a ride or for a commute.
For current conditions I like the weather stations on WUnderground (I turn off everything except Weather stations - sometimes I'll fire up the radar to see where the rain is and the timing)
Sometimes I'll hit weather dot com for the radar but usually for volume and rapid digestion of information I hit those two above.
Instant read the Wunderground stations and wind directions are very good indicators for me, really mostly about the commute, click to check temps what layers do i need, will i be fighting a headwind?
Weather.
We're out in it. Being prepared is part of riding. One can get really tired of accidental 'epic' weather rides. There's only room in personal experience for so many fuck ups that get turned into fun.
Gonna be a wet headwind tonight. Not a problem 'cause, I'm a lumberjack and I'm okay...
heddwch
G
Thursday, March 07, 2013
Have to do it for C2R3
Seaweed wrapped rice cakes like Jennie talks about here.
http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2013/03/07/cycling-chow-fast-fuel-for-the-road/
among just about everything else.
C2R3... might be time to start delving into the routes already, looking at the dates and what not.
http://blogs.kqed.org/bayareabites/2013/03/07/cycling-chow-fast-fuel-for-the-road/
among just about everything else.
C2R3... might be time to start delving into the routes already, looking at the dates and what not.
Bike Path Paul Bunyan
This stuff is pretty heavy. And with the snow, grabbing a large chunk before it gets buried for who knows how long was on the list.
On the way in this morning, well I cut two 30" lengths of the branch top on the other side. Only about 3-6" in diameter maybe. A lot faster to cut than that monster I hauled home last night. Of course I'm an idiot. What did I do? I hooked the trailer up knowing I would have to ride 6-7 miles into a headwind that was reporting steady at 25 mph and gusting to 40 mph. Into the snow, and over snow on the bike path.
It is snowing horizontally right now. Very much like that last Nor'Easter except this time not nearly as much accumulation. Temps are hovering right above freezing which bodes well for the roads. The bike path in spots was pretty clear. The fucking Seagulls were still dining on the Raw bar this morning. Fucking birds. Oh well.
They will move on to less challenging food soon enough I hope. Dealing with the shells is still far preferred over dealing with the damn cars when the bike path was closed last year.
Should have a tail wind on the way home. We'll see if this snow brings down any more branches or trees. If it does? I HAVE MY SAW. Love this thing. Going to wear out the blade if I keep cutting Locust though.
I may not have a Great Blue Ox, but I have a blue trailer. and the bike is a Blue.
sort of works with the Paul Bunyan theme...
no?
Of course the extra load has my f'n under fueled. And at the end of last week I made a surprising discovery, I did have a stash of extra food. Or course I ate it. And the stuff I brought in to replace it? Ate that the day I brought it in.
Maybe I should just take to chewing on the logs I gather. Maybe I can find some Sassafras... that's good eating.
heddwch
G
Wednesday, March 06, 2013
Tempting fate
Tempted fate one too many times. Since 2009 when I put these Marthon Plus tires on till now, i've had three flat with them. One in 2010 when chunk of sharpened bent steel went through everything woosh instant flat. That left me walking, i'd gotten complacent and had a tube but had recently lost my seat bag with all the goodies inside.
Second flat was a year ago or this summer. Big hung of glass cut the sidewall nearly through and went into the tube a bit. Posted pictures here IIRC. I've been talking about the flat-proof nature of the Plus tires from Schwalbe a bit more than usually lately... got my ass bit by the fates.
At some point one of the Marathon plus tires was so worn I put on an old cracked marathon tire from 2007. Some tread left. And I've been gingerly riding over the most dense seagull clam and mussel shell bombing ground I've ever seen on the bike path since commuting on it.
This morning.
Climbing the hill up to the parkway out of the saddle i looked down and the front looked squishy. Fuck. Me. Seriously? Yup. Oh hey what's that bit of white stuck to the tire?
1cm dagger of clam shell had knifed the tube.
I have a full frame pump in the trailer and made quick work of the flat change. NBD. It wasn't the marathon plus. I normally ride on the left side, upwind, fewer shells, I was on the right side. No problem.
Heading home... I get through the shell minefield and notice a guy walking his bike up ahead. I run the glove over the front tire and knock the shells off, nothing stuck in, good. Drag my toe under the BB (full coverage fender) and feel a tick, tick, tick... something isn't brushing off. Oh fuck.
I stop.
2 CM dagger burried in there.
Hsssssssss. Of course it is wet so i get a visual with the bubbles to go along with the sound. I ride up over to a spot that is out of the wind and grab my last tube and make the change.
Three flats. 2009-2013 15-20k miles.
Not really all that bad. I guess i gotta get a hold of Schwalbe spend some money on a new set of Marathon Plus tires. These are nearly blue there is so little carbon rubber down the center. Not that I have money to spend but I can easily amortize the cost out over the years right? Value for those tires is off the chart. Without question the best money spent on tires. The Racing Ralph tubulars i bought? Probably the worst tire/value money spent. Win some lose some but I'd be silly to fuck around with anything else.
Time to place an order.
I did manage to grab the final section of white birch that was hanging out over the side of the path on the way in. On the way home I grabbed a 4-5' section of black locust. That shit takes forEVER to cut through even with a super sharp pruning saw designed for the job. But the nice thing about a 5' section is it hangs back enough behind the trailer's axle that it balances a bit and there's not so much tongue weight. More firewood.
For next year.
Too green.
Maybe this snow we're forecast to get will drop me some more firewood, i mean training logs. With the 40 mph headwinds for the ride in tomorrow, i might leave the trailer at home.
Time to make some dinner.
Heddwch
G
Second flat was a year ago or this summer. Big hung of glass cut the sidewall nearly through and went into the tube a bit. Posted pictures here IIRC. I've been talking about the flat-proof nature of the Plus tires from Schwalbe a bit more than usually lately... got my ass bit by the fates.
At some point one of the Marathon plus tires was so worn I put on an old cracked marathon tire from 2007. Some tread left. And I've been gingerly riding over the most dense seagull clam and mussel shell bombing ground I've ever seen on the bike path since commuting on it.
This morning.
Climbing the hill up to the parkway out of the saddle i looked down and the front looked squishy. Fuck. Me. Seriously? Yup. Oh hey what's that bit of white stuck to the tire?
1cm dagger of clam shell had knifed the tube.
I have a full frame pump in the trailer and made quick work of the flat change. NBD. It wasn't the marathon plus. I normally ride on the left side, upwind, fewer shells, I was on the right side. No problem.
Heading home... I get through the shell minefield and notice a guy walking his bike up ahead. I run the glove over the front tire and knock the shells off, nothing stuck in, good. Drag my toe under the BB (full coverage fender) and feel a tick, tick, tick... something isn't brushing off. Oh fuck.
I stop.
2 CM dagger burried in there.
Hsssssssss. Of course it is wet so i get a visual with the bubbles to go along with the sound. I ride up over to a spot that is out of the wind and grab my last tube and make the change.
Three flats. 2009-2013 15-20k miles.
Not really all that bad. I guess i gotta get a hold of Schwalbe spend some money on a new set of Marathon Plus tires. These are nearly blue there is so little carbon rubber down the center. Not that I have money to spend but I can easily amortize the cost out over the years right? Value for those tires is off the chart. Without question the best money spent on tires. The Racing Ralph tubulars i bought? Probably the worst tire/value money spent. Win some lose some but I'd be silly to fuck around with anything else.
Time to place an order.
I did manage to grab the final section of white birch that was hanging out over the side of the path on the way in. On the way home I grabbed a 4-5' section of black locust. That shit takes forEVER to cut through even with a super sharp pruning saw designed for the job. But the nice thing about a 5' section is it hangs back enough behind the trailer's axle that it balances a bit and there's not so much tongue weight. More firewood.
For next year.
Too green.
Maybe this snow we're forecast to get will drop me some more firewood, i mean training logs. With the 40 mph headwinds for the ride in tomorrow, i might leave the trailer at home.
Time to make some dinner.
Heddwch
G
Thursday, February 28, 2013
white logs
These two 'logs' are 32" long (two lenghts of my unfolded Gomboy 210 saw) and 5-6" in diameter.
Part of the big most recent blizzard (failed tire dragging blizzard) dropped lots of trees down. This is part of one of them. cut these two on the way in. Will leave them here and hopefully get a chance to cut up a few more on the way home.
Last night I loaded the trailer up with six lengths of this paper birch. Not a light load, but no hills. Going to leave these two at the office and hope to scavenge some more of this on the way home.
There's plenty of other down small trees and branches, but this is the coolest looking, and among the highest energy content (once seasoned) of the stuff there, also highest visibility.
I'm a lycra clad lumberjack and i don't care.
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Last night the rain woke me up
And it wasn't a light soothing feeling, it was more of a menacing force.
Mentally I'd sort of prepared to ride in today, NOAA suggested it would be 35-37 degrees and raining to start the day, only warming to the low 40s by the ride home and rain. Rain all day.
When I heard the rain start. Well it was sort of a resignation to the inevitable. Got everyone out the house but since I wasn't heading out with them all for a change, everything kind of ground to a halt. It wasn't so bad that I made a second cup of coffee, but I did check out playingout.net and their video, read a few other bits, found the Moss book on Salt Sugar Fat (if it was the same price as the Obree kindle edition i'd have purchased it already). Read the HuffPo piece on Pandora's Lunchbox.
And whined on twitter about not wanting to ride in the rain.
And then is started DUMPING. Like raining HARD. Oof.
I checked the radar. Oh cool, yellow, orange and almost red precipitation on the map. Ain't that special.
But it was 42F, so, not cold. Or not THAT cold.
Eventually I got ready to go. let the dog out. packed up the bag, found my gloves, my shoes, my glasses... put the backpack in the trailer... and the rain had let up a little. Nice.
But still raining.
Finally out the door. Late, but moving.
Mentally I'd sort of prepared to ride in today, NOAA suggested it would be 35-37 degrees and raining to start the day, only warming to the low 40s by the ride home and rain. Rain all day.
When I heard the rain start. Well it was sort of a resignation to the inevitable. Got everyone out the house but since I wasn't heading out with them all for a change, everything kind of ground to a halt. It wasn't so bad that I made a second cup of coffee, but I did check out playingout.net and their video, read a few other bits, found the Moss book on Salt Sugar Fat (if it was the same price as the Obree kindle edition i'd have purchased it already). Read the HuffPo piece on Pandora's Lunchbox.
And whined on twitter about not wanting to ride in the rain.
And then is started DUMPING. Like raining HARD. Oof.
I checked the radar. Oh cool, yellow, orange and almost red precipitation on the map. Ain't that special.
But it was 42F, so, not cold. Or not THAT cold.
Eventually I got ready to go. let the dog out. packed up the bag, found my gloves, my shoes, my glasses... put the backpack in the trailer... and the rain had let up a little. Nice.
But still raining.
Finally out the door. Late, but moving.
Image of the day
Not mine though so does it count?
I grabbed a pile of shots this morning. Was raining, really struggled getting out the door. Finally did. One of the more awesome rides in a very long time.
Anyway.... the image:
I grabbed a pile of shots this morning. Was raining, really struggled getting out the door. Finally did. One of the more awesome rides in a very long time.
Anyway.... the image:
A-frame near Pearl Pass Basin, Colorado.
Submitted by Jake Marty.
Tuesday, February 26, 2013
an honest commercial?
Yeah it might not last up that long... snag it on YTD or something or just watch it now.
Olive oil and Nuts
ScienceNow posted a link to the study yesterday and the NYtimes did a bit of story telling and then gave a voice to a crackpot who's got a fiscal interest in this study being bad data.
The list of plant based oils to avoid:
Canola (at all costs)
Corn (duh)
Soy (again, duh)
"vegetable" is usually a mix of the second two
Or not. Doesn't really matter anyway. We're all going to die at some point. Who cares when that happens... not like we have control on this crazy ride called life.
Let go of the wheel and see where you wind up...
The list of plant based oils to avoid:
Canola (at all costs)
Corn (duh)
Soy (again, duh)
"vegetable" is usually a mix of the second two
Or not. Doesn't really matter anyway. We're all going to die at some point. Who cares when that happens... not like we have control on this crazy ride called life.
Let go of the wheel and see where you wind up...
Of course the weather is close to ideal
Yesterday and Today, weather as good as we can expect for the middle of February.
And I'm in the car.
Tomorrow I might get on the bike, and tomorrow looks kind of sucky.
Bike path is totally ridable from my place to the end, no need to jump out onto the Parkway for the final section.
No riding... oh well.
It is what it is.
And I'm in the car.
Tomorrow I might get on the bike, and tomorrow looks kind of sucky.
Bike path is totally ridable from my place to the end, no need to jump out onto the Parkway for the final section.
No riding... oh well.
It is what it is.
Monday, February 25, 2013
Perspective
Give this a read: http://richardfries.blogspot.com/2013/02/a-firefly-can-light-up-darkest-month.html
No Words.
Respect.
heddwch
G
No Words.
Respect.
heddwch
G
Waffles Yeast new recipe
The waffles, mostly for Dean, he asked about the recipe.
The basics:
3 cups whole wheat flour,
1 cup white flour
3 teaspoons Instant Yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon molassas
3 cups milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick butter
Mix dry ingredients together.
Melt butter
Warm milk with sugar and molassas to 120°F (mix until sugar is dissolved)
Mix milk into dry ingredients.
Mix in butter,
beat eggs, finally incorporate them into mix
Once well mixed cover in a bowl big enough to allow it to rise. Give it an hour or two at Room Temp then put it in the fridge for the night (covered).
Remove and allow to warm up, make waffles.
I used half a batch on Sat morning and the second half on sunday morning. The waffles were tangier on Sunday AM. The batter should be slightly thicker than pancake batter but not bread dough thick. The thinner the batter often the lighter the waffles.
These were esp good. Not sure I want to tweak the batter too much. But if I find a distinctly different recipe I might try it...
This morning was a french toast made with one of the circle pastries from last week, it was getting crusty and dry, perfect for soaking up eggs and milk.
heddwch and bwyta'n dda
G
The basics:
3 cups whole wheat flour,
1 cup white flour
3 teaspoons Instant Yeast
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon molassas
3 cups milk
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 stick butter
Mix dry ingredients together.
Melt butter
Warm milk with sugar and molassas to 120°F (mix until sugar is dissolved)
Mix milk into dry ingredients.
Mix in butter,
beat eggs, finally incorporate them into mix
Once well mixed cover in a bowl big enough to allow it to rise. Give it an hour or two at Room Temp then put it in the fridge for the night (covered).
Remove and allow to warm up, make waffles.
I used half a batch on Sat morning and the second half on sunday morning. The waffles were tangier on Sunday AM. The batter should be slightly thicker than pancake batter but not bread dough thick. The thinner the batter often the lighter the waffles.
These were esp good. Not sure I want to tweak the batter too much. But if I find a distinctly different recipe I might try it...
This morning was a french toast made with one of the circle pastries from last week, it was getting crusty and dry, perfect for soaking up eggs and milk.
heddwch and bwyta'n dda
G
Thursday, February 21, 2013
evolutionary selection
So where do we go from here.
Food is innate. Can you go anywhere w/o being bombarded by advertising? I'll check into Faceplace once or twice a day maybe at most and more often than not lately there is a promoted McDonalds add on the 'wall' with a big picture and a catchy slogan. And it does nothing more than make me upset. Sure I had a few burgers now and then in the past. My mother would stop on the way home on rare occasions to the McDonalds on 6th ave just before the Narrows Bridge in the 70s. She would get a Big Mac, remove the center bun... I think I got a cheese burger. We always got milk, even she got milk with it. Never soda. It was a different place then but not really. Even in the 70s the flavors were already crafted and honed and it imprinted on me. None of the other fast foods made an impression, and it sort of bugs me in a way. Coke is the same way. Can't tell you why, because we never had soda growing up. But at some time by middle school I was already imprinted to the point where I couldn't stand the taste of Pepsi but Coke was great. Still even though I haven't eaten at a McDonalds in 8 years at all, and rarely in the handful of years before, haven't had anything more than the very occasional coke in the same time span, i know the flavors. They are in my brain. I don't like it but i recognize it and deal with it.
I wish I had done more than recognize the damage those 'brands' were doing much sooner than I did. I feel like a smoker in a way, sure it will probably kill me but who cares, this stuff is amazing. That's a mental mindset that feeds you into the control of the corporate machine. I know Solobreak and Closethedoor like to bust my balls on the exploitation thing, but yeah, exploiting the market and the weakness of the human species. Ultimate unsustainable business model: create a product that kills your customers slowly enough that they give you a massive amount of their money, make it addictive enough that they won't stop even if they realize the intent, and make it so habit forming that their offspring a drawn into the cycle perpetuating the cashflow generation after generation.
from my untrained (in sociology) view we are hitting now the 3rd generation of humans under this control. The testing ground is the USA, and many markets aren't quite on the 3rd generation. The tobacco industry had a much longer headstart and many generations before. Potentially we're looking at the same model. Although with the vastly larger global population the cash flow is higher and the curve is steeper. The breaking point will probably come much sooner for food industry than it did for the Tobacco industry. And yes, you can still buy cigarettes and they are still hella profitable, but no where near where they were before.
Broken record GeWilli. Shut up already. Yeah yeah. Here's the thing. I would like it if my friends wised up, I would like it they would all recognize the competitive advantage of not eating that shit, and the evolutionary power of teaching your kids to avoid the stuff. The kids imprint off you, and if you don't have kids? Well shit, i don't want you to die too soon. Like Nick the Dick I have a pretty bad mortality concept. I'm also fortunate to have my parents and my wife's parents all in good health. direct family is doing well. My Father's mother is turning 100 on the 25th, and her life has been full and still continues to be good for her.
Why go on about this? The NYTimes magazine piece. Yes, nothing new, but always good to read and get a new perspective and maybe begin to effect a change.
To be honest it wasn't just that, I read it and felt sad and angry, frustrated and what not. Resultboy's initial comment didn't make much sense to me but then his rephrasal helped (first comment below) and Cosmo followed up with a refinement and a seed that grew into this vomiting of words in a place that hopefully those who reading it will be more of a preaching to the choir, than shouting from the street corner.
our new predators are corporations. if only they could kill us before we reproduced, we could finally start evolving again...
and
Rejoice in the competitive advantage of realizing/avoiding the tricks of Big Food. Also, c.f. the Marshmallow Study.
heddwch, bwyta'n dda
G
Food is innate. Can you go anywhere w/o being bombarded by advertising? I'll check into Faceplace once or twice a day maybe at most and more often than not lately there is a promoted McDonalds add on the 'wall' with a big picture and a catchy slogan. And it does nothing more than make me upset. Sure I had a few burgers now and then in the past. My mother would stop on the way home on rare occasions to the McDonalds on 6th ave just before the Narrows Bridge in the 70s. She would get a Big Mac, remove the center bun... I think I got a cheese burger. We always got milk, even she got milk with it. Never soda. It was a different place then but not really. Even in the 70s the flavors were already crafted and honed and it imprinted on me. None of the other fast foods made an impression, and it sort of bugs me in a way. Coke is the same way. Can't tell you why, because we never had soda growing up. But at some time by middle school I was already imprinted to the point where I couldn't stand the taste of Pepsi but Coke was great. Still even though I haven't eaten at a McDonalds in 8 years at all, and rarely in the handful of years before, haven't had anything more than the very occasional coke in the same time span, i know the flavors. They are in my brain. I don't like it but i recognize it and deal with it.
I wish I had done more than recognize the damage those 'brands' were doing much sooner than I did. I feel like a smoker in a way, sure it will probably kill me but who cares, this stuff is amazing. That's a mental mindset that feeds you into the control of the corporate machine. I know Solobreak and Closethedoor like to bust my balls on the exploitation thing, but yeah, exploiting the market and the weakness of the human species. Ultimate unsustainable business model: create a product that kills your customers slowly enough that they give you a massive amount of their money, make it addictive enough that they won't stop even if they realize the intent, and make it so habit forming that their offspring a drawn into the cycle perpetuating the cashflow generation after generation.
from my untrained (in sociology) view we are hitting now the 3rd generation of humans under this control. The testing ground is the USA, and many markets aren't quite on the 3rd generation. The tobacco industry had a much longer headstart and many generations before. Potentially we're looking at the same model. Although with the vastly larger global population the cash flow is higher and the curve is steeper. The breaking point will probably come much sooner for food industry than it did for the Tobacco industry. And yes, you can still buy cigarettes and they are still hella profitable, but no where near where they were before.
Broken record GeWilli. Shut up already. Yeah yeah. Here's the thing. I would like it if my friends wised up, I would like it they would all recognize the competitive advantage of not eating that shit, and the evolutionary power of teaching your kids to avoid the stuff. The kids imprint off you, and if you don't have kids? Well shit, i don't want you to die too soon. Like Nick the Dick I have a pretty bad mortality concept. I'm also fortunate to have my parents and my wife's parents all in good health. direct family is doing well. My Father's mother is turning 100 on the 25th, and her life has been full and still continues to be good for her.
Why go on about this? The NYTimes magazine piece. Yes, nothing new, but always good to read and get a new perspective and maybe begin to effect a change.
To be honest it wasn't just that, I read it and felt sad and angry, frustrated and what not. Resultboy's initial comment didn't make much sense to me but then his rephrasal helped (first comment below) and Cosmo followed up with a refinement and a seed that grew into this vomiting of words in a place that hopefully those who reading it will be more of a preaching to the choir, than shouting from the street corner.
our new predators are corporations. if only they could kill us before we reproduced, we could finally start evolving again...
and
Rejoice in the competitive advantage of realizing/avoiding the tricks of Big Food. Also, c.f. the Marshmallow Study.
heddwch, bwyta'n dda
G
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
Food... and food memories
Some crazy jackass on twitter started talking about Pierogi... and that lead me to day dream about the Festivals in Seattle we went to, University Street Fair, Bumbershoot, Folklife, Edmonds... those were the big ones but the food truck was always there, and invariably food would come down to two choices, an asian noodle dish (wasn't pad thai or low mein but somewhat between from memory, i can picture it, but not the name) and a Piroshki from the Kaleenka truck. Beef and Cheddar.
perfectly round balls of dough, filled with a scoop of ground beef and a square of cheddar cheese, and fried. Probably not the best food to eat every day, but a couple times a year, what a treat. Crisp but not too hard on the outside, soft warm dough and the cheese and meat intermingling in a very pleasing way. So good.
So good.
http://www.kaleenkapiroshky.com/
The Red Cossack- Boiled new red potatoes and sausage with lemon, parsley and dill sauce, was good too, actually got that a few times, once ages ago I think they even gave me a plate of it (being a booth kid and there at every festival every day, every year, and being somewhat distinctive: tall skinny, shockingly blond and pale) once probably because I only ever ordered the Piroshkys, and then I got it a few more times, Because that dill sauce and the sausage and potatoes were so good.
Yesterday I pulled a typical GeWilli. Had coffee for breakfast, dragged the trailer in (only one rock and a backpack - not too heavy), ate lunch, not quite enough lunch, was famished when I started eating it... and by 3:30 i was super hungry again, was working till about 5, hauled the trailer home into a 15-20 mph headwind over the road which adds a not-insignificant long hill to the commute on no fuel. didn't bonk, so I guess I was just feeling hungry more than being depleted.
And found this waiting at home:
And I ate a few of the pastries. Not quite seasonal, in that I think they are more Christmas Holiday pastries but hey, I'm not so set on tradition that I won't eat super yummy stuff year round.
Was so good.
Having a few of them this morning with coffee after the bumpy ride in over the bike path ice. Portaging over twisted downed trees. One of the limb debris ripped my rear fender off unfortunately. So I'm down a fender. Those SKS quick release things look pretty damn nice, I wish the Planet Bike stuff had something similar. As it is now I might be able to make it work but they are pretty damn twisted and mangled. A small price to pay to not have to ride with the 3000# death machines.
http://iamtraffic.org/
has a kick ass graphic up on Faceplace that is making the rounds. so good.
hot linking to the image
Be safe out there.
I'm going to eat some more pastries.
heddwch
G
perfectly round balls of dough, filled with a scoop of ground beef and a square of cheddar cheese, and fried. Probably not the best food to eat every day, but a couple times a year, what a treat. Crisp but not too hard on the outside, soft warm dough and the cheese and meat intermingling in a very pleasing way. So good.
So good.
http://www.kaleenkapiroshky.com/
The Red Cossack- Boiled new red potatoes and sausage with lemon, parsley and dill sauce, was good too, actually got that a few times, once ages ago I think they even gave me a plate of it (being a booth kid and there at every festival every day, every year, and being somewhat distinctive: tall skinny, shockingly blond and pale) once probably because I only ever ordered the Piroshkys, and then I got it a few more times, Because that dill sauce and the sausage and potatoes were so good.
Yesterday I pulled a typical GeWilli. Had coffee for breakfast, dragged the trailer in (only one rock and a backpack - not too heavy), ate lunch, not quite enough lunch, was famished when I started eating it... and by 3:30 i was super hungry again, was working till about 5, hauled the trailer home into a 15-20 mph headwind over the road which adds a not-insignificant long hill to the commute on no fuel. didn't bonk, so I guess I was just feeling hungry more than being depleted.
And found this waiting at home:
And I ate a few of the pastries. Not quite seasonal, in that I think they are more Christmas Holiday pastries but hey, I'm not so set on tradition that I won't eat super yummy stuff year round.
Was so good.
Having a few of them this morning with coffee after the bumpy ride in over the bike path ice. Portaging over twisted downed trees. One of the limb debris ripped my rear fender off unfortunately. So I'm down a fender. Those SKS quick release things look pretty damn nice, I wish the Planet Bike stuff had something similar. As it is now I might be able to make it work but they are pretty damn twisted and mangled. A small price to pay to not have to ride with the 3000# death machines.
http://iamtraffic.org/
has a kick ass graphic up on Faceplace that is making the rounds. so good.
hot linking to the image
Be safe out there.
I'm going to eat some more pastries.
heddwch
G
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Monday, February 11, 2013
Post Blazilla AM Commute report
That was an interesting commute.
We've got snow clearing equipment in this region. But the last time they saw this much snow at once was '78. Can't really fault the govt for not having huge snow moving equipment like they do where this much snow is more than an annual occurrence.
The roads are f'd. Bottom line. One road with two lanes in each direction is perfect for the bike. The right lane is only half plowed. Not wide enough for a car. But good for me.
other places the normally wide shouldered roads are extra narrow.
And the big city? One of the busiest streets still has 8" of salt slush.
Oh and there was some light freezing rain on the way in to add to the mix.
All in all, one honk (I think it was a friendly can i get around), one really close call (fat bald 40-50 something dude driving a massive american sedan pretty deliberately left me no space - despite no on-coming traffic), one pick up truck w/o cap middle finger (section of road where it was narrower than normal).
I'm sure they all think i'm insane dragging a kid in a trailer (no kid in trailer, just backpack and ballast rock).
It did nearly flip a half dozen times hitting chunks of ice. Needed more ballast weight. As cool as it is to do the Dukes of Hazzard with the trailer, that thing is top heavy and flips way too easily.
The ride home should be great. Esp since we're supposed to get a huge pile of rain. And there ain't no where for the water to go.
We've got snow clearing equipment in this region. But the last time they saw this much snow at once was '78. Can't really fault the govt for not having huge snow moving equipment like they do where this much snow is more than an annual occurrence.
The roads are f'd. Bottom line. One road with two lanes in each direction is perfect for the bike. The right lane is only half plowed. Not wide enough for a car. But good for me.
other places the normally wide shouldered roads are extra narrow.
And the big city? One of the busiest streets still has 8" of salt slush.
Oh and there was some light freezing rain on the way in to add to the mix.
All in all, one honk (I think it was a friendly can i get around), one really close call (fat bald 40-50 something dude driving a massive american sedan pretty deliberately left me no space - despite no on-coming traffic), one pick up truck w/o cap middle finger (section of road where it was narrower than normal).
I'm sure they all think i'm insane dragging a kid in a trailer (no kid in trailer, just backpack and ballast rock).
It did nearly flip a half dozen times hitting chunks of ice. Needed more ballast weight. As cool as it is to do the Dukes of Hazzard with the trailer, that thing is top heavy and flips way too easily.
The ride home should be great. Esp since we're supposed to get a huge pile of rain. And there ain't no where for the water to go.
Wednesday, February 06, 2013
idea for article
that i will never write because I'm too lazy or busy or not fiscally motivated enough to make it happen
to the point
Someone made a comment about being unwelcome in bike shops in their region and how they have had to resort to mail order... person is a functional mechanic, does most all themselves on their bikes.
I don't know why, could be the individual is just unlikeable or a real pain... However they might not be and well shop rats are a peculiar bunch. Riding in I was thinking about it (while chasing backpack guy - actually caught him despite hauling the trailer/impact attenuator and having studded tires back on).
I've spent many years holding wrench, helping on the sales floor, not just ancient history either. I started getting paid to wrench back in 1990. Recently have spent a couple seasons again working a second job with a wrench in my hand. The current time has reinforced, nothing really has changed except the bikes.
People are still people.
Thing is, there are plenty of people who think they know more about how to do it than the person behind the counter. Just take a peek at the internet forums. Always has been that way. rec.bikes predates all the forums, that's probably the start of the internet know it all. And sure there are times when the customer might know more than the mechanic or sales person.
But here's the deal. That person at the shop? working there? getting paid somewhere between $6 and $12/hr? Yeah, they work there. Don't be a know it all dick. They aren't getting paid enough to be polite if you're badgering them, unless they own the joint, and even then, even the owners will act like the shop rats.
Don't ask for free shit, be prepared to pay for something.
anyway
yeah the analogy is sort of don't start telling your surgeon what to do just before you get gassed, maybe you are the best surgeon in the world and you need the other dude to do it, even then, let them do their job.
Problem is, everyone feels entitled to everything. People are a pain.
Common sense and respect are a rare commodity.
That and pretty much everyone reading this doesn't need to hear it.
I'll write about worlds... at some point. Maybe.
heddwch
G
to the point
Someone made a comment about being unwelcome in bike shops in their region and how they have had to resort to mail order... person is a functional mechanic, does most all themselves on their bikes.
I don't know why, could be the individual is just unlikeable or a real pain... However they might not be and well shop rats are a peculiar bunch. Riding in I was thinking about it (while chasing backpack guy - actually caught him despite hauling the trailer/impact attenuator and having studded tires back on).
I've spent many years holding wrench, helping on the sales floor, not just ancient history either. I started getting paid to wrench back in 1990. Recently have spent a couple seasons again working a second job with a wrench in my hand. The current time has reinforced, nothing really has changed except the bikes.
People are still people.
Thing is, there are plenty of people who think they know more about how to do it than the person behind the counter. Just take a peek at the internet forums. Always has been that way. rec.bikes predates all the forums, that's probably the start of the internet know it all. And sure there are times when the customer might know more than the mechanic or sales person.
But here's the deal. That person at the shop? working there? getting paid somewhere between $6 and $12/hr? Yeah, they work there. Don't be a know it all dick. They aren't getting paid enough to be polite if you're badgering them, unless they own the joint, and even then, even the owners will act like the shop rats.
Don't ask for free shit, be prepared to pay for something.
anyway
yeah the analogy is sort of don't start telling your surgeon what to do just before you get gassed, maybe you are the best surgeon in the world and you need the other dude to do it, even then, let them do their job.
Problem is, everyone feels entitled to everything. People are a pain.
Common sense and respect are a rare commodity.
That and pretty much everyone reading this doesn't need to hear it.
I'll write about worlds... at some point. Maybe.
heddwch
G
Sunday, February 03, 2013
Last lap..
Found him.
The guy in the orange jumpsuit was hanging out at that corner with the megaphone making lots of noise. It was deafening when EVERYONE came through. Even the last guy.
It was really really amazing
http://youtu.be/ljTlCPfzj-4?t=3m21s
cued up there at the spot where i'm in the video. Check out the whole lap. The camera angles made some of the most difficult features look easy.
The guy in the orange jumpsuit was hanging out at that corner with the megaphone making lots of noise. It was deafening when EVERYONE came through. Even the last guy.
It was really really amazing
http://youtu.be/ljTlCPfzj-4?t=3m21s
cued up there at the spot where i'm in the video. Check out the whole lap. The camera angles made some of the most difficult features look easy.
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
So where are we at?
Road trip starts tomorrow morning.
Today it was warm enough I pulled the studs off the White blue with the superfluous checkerboard duck tape (now that JP is riding for Fuji and no longer will be on his Blues).
Hitched up the trailer. And rode in.
Holy crap how much easier did that thing roll w/o the heavy lugged studs! Similar gear, similar effort but i had the trailer.
First ride since who knows when that I didn't have a back pack on or have my ears covered.
Was nice.
I saw this image today... over the twitters and love it.
How in touch I will be this weekend will have lots of factors involved. Time, liquid sandwich consumption, internet access... all of the above.
Got a bit of hardware in the male from Diane last night.
Just a silver, but hey, still a silver. Gotta be positive right? One of these years I'll get a gold I hope. So close this year though, still a slight bitter motivating aftertaste from that race.
Got a few JPTFU pages printed... going to remember to bring the 3M spray adhesive... might be tagging a few things with them (maybe Synder's trailer for one).
Time to pack and #GETINTHETRUCK
See you there
G
Today it was warm enough I pulled the studs off the White blue with the superfluous checkerboard duck tape (now that JP is riding for Fuji and no longer will be on his Blues).
Hitched up the trailer. And rode in.
Holy crap how much easier did that thing roll w/o the heavy lugged studs! Similar gear, similar effort but i had the trailer.
First ride since who knows when that I didn't have a back pack on or have my ears covered.
Was nice.
I saw this image today... over the twitters and love it.
How in touch I will be this weekend will have lots of factors involved. Time, liquid sandwich consumption, internet access... all of the above.
Just a silver, but hey, still a silver. Gotta be positive right? One of these years I'll get a gold I hope. So close this year though, still a slight bitter motivating aftertaste from that race.
Got a few JPTFU pages printed... going to remember to bring the 3M spray adhesive... might be tagging a few things with them (maybe Synder's trailer for one).
Time to pack and #GETINTHETRUCK
See you there
G
Fuji just got a whole lot cooler.
http://myemail.constantcontact.com/Fuji-Signs-Jonathan-Page.html?soid=1101968582166&aid=VtXIRdya2Go
Fuji Scoops Up U.S. National CX Champion Jonathan Page
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Philadelphia, PA (January 30, 2013) - Fuji Bikes is proud to announce that it has reached a sponsorship agreement with U.S. National Cyclocross ChampionJonathan Page, who tallied his fourth national title in commanding fashion earlier this month in Wisconsin - notably crossing the tape without a bike sponsor.
"When we learned of the opportunity, we jumped on it," said Fuji Sponsorship Manager Milay Galvez. "We're thrilled and honored to have one the best cross racers in the world - one of the most accomplished American cross riders ever - riding Fuji. We can't wait to see what he'll do on our Altamira CX."
And the wait won't be long. Page will be riding Fuji's Altamira CX 1.0 in Sunday'sElite Men's World Championships race. With top-end, high-modulus D6 carbon and tubing technology pulled straight from Fuji's flagship, grand tour-winning road bike, the Altamira CX features a tapered head tube, FC-330 fork, BB86 bottom bracket, ETC chainstays, category-leading mud clearance, and a flattened top tube for easy shouldering.
"I am so excited to be starting a new partnership with Fuji. Together, we are shepherding in a new era - making cross and Fuji one!" said Page.
The 37-year-old, based in Belgium with his wife and three children, spent the early part of his season recovering from an upper respiratory infection that affected his riding. But he experienced a resurgence in late December with a 12th place finish in Essen, Belgium and a 15th place finish at the World Cup in Namur, which earned him a spot on the U.S. World Championships team. All of which led to his exceptional day in Verona.
Page arrives in Louisville as the sole elite American to have previously earned a Worlds medal: silver at the 2007 World Championships in Hooglede-Gits, Belgium. He excels on heavy, demanding courses and has been training in his native New Hampshire in subzero weather. The 2013 U.S. National Champion is a favorite heading into Sunday, and he'll be riding Fuji.
Fuji will be hosting a signing with Page on Saturday at the Worlds Expo. More information on the signing and updates from Louisville will be posted to the Fuji Facebook page. Stay tuned.
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