when you take a really long extended break and only write about recipies or other stuff...
people stop reading
a few are obviously
but, in a way, kind of losing a big number of regular readers is a good mental reset button
(just a thought while riding the other day)
I'm feeling more like writing lately
of course it could just be that I needed a break
remaking the Ge i guess right?
Tuesday, June 03, 2014
"let's get coffee..."
January, 2009... MLFN sent me that note...
circumstances kept conflicting... we kept trying, but i missed the sense of urgency and he was good at hiding it...
i dug through the emails looking for the exact one... found lots of his emails but not that specific one.
this one hit hard: "Hey all, please pardon my absence for the Smackdown tomorrow. You will not be having me along once again. It will happen this Tues on Every month. Some of you know why, and if you don't, you don't need to know. I hope someone can take over the event tomorrow. I know there as quite a few now who know the smack-down philosophy!!!"
By that time i did know. Dr Flats maybe or AD or someone had told me... All season since the start of the smack down in 2009 he was missing one per month. He made every other one and usually kicked everyone's ass. Seriously.
He missed them because that one week he was getting Chemo.
Big difference between his passing and Ezras I suppose. I got dropped coming back, he made the gap, on Greenfield, and I missed it. I wasn't alone, but watching him ride away from me while bridging the gap when i couldn't was the last time I saw him.
We stopped a few times along there to wait for him (to shit in the woods). He sent Keith Kelly out to our ride on his way home. He rode back to Dr Flat's house and saw Kelly on the BLVD.
He rolled back home, checked into the hospital, was medically transfered to Boston that night, then to Syracuse where he died surrounded by his family.
He hid it well. very well.
Not sure we're going to get the big MLFN ride off like we did last year. That was fun. Even if we did split up, get lost, wind up with AD and JC and me, heck BG nearly killed us all at one point... but it was a beautiful day, a great ride, good friends. Life, a graduation, final game of the season, work, birthdays, anniversaries, rehearsals, running races, culmination peformances father's day... all that started on Sunday and won't stop for a while...
But maybe I need to take a page from my wife's book of philosophy. Why do you need to have so much emphasis on one day, one ride, when every day, every ride, can be in his memory.
It is true. Every smack down ride is a MLFN ride. Even if it is on the east side route.
Every day is a gift. He treated it as such. It was that spring (2009) one of those rides May 19th to be exact, my spokes broke on the Vector Pros. couldn't ride. Started walking, didn't have my phone with me, Mark gave me his iPhone, Brier called in his coworker who lived in the area, got me back to his office and I drove the green monster van home. A collection of wonderful efforts by friends to bail out me and my busted bike.
I got there and woke him up the next morning, he had bailed on going to work, spent the day at home in bed, but at least with his phone.
So we ride, I ride, in his memory. Every week.
But lets at least take a few moments on the 11th of June every year to if nothing else, reflect on what an amazing human being he was, and how he beat every single odd stacked in his favor and lived the fullest life a full four years longer than 99% of the people who are diagnosed with that specific cancer at the stage he was diagnosed at. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glioblastoma_multiforme
scattered thoughts today...
But that coffee thing,
let's get coffee, always is weighted a bit more for me than some people realize. I missed coffee with Mark...
I also missed a ride with Sheldon Brown, but that's a different story...
time to start getting everything in order for the smackdown...
heddwch
G
circumstances kept conflicting... we kept trying, but i missed the sense of urgency and he was good at hiding it...
i dug through the emails looking for the exact one... found lots of his emails but not that specific one.
this one hit hard: "Hey all, please pardon my absence for the Smackdown tomorrow. You will not be having me along once again. It will happen this Tues on Every month. Some of you know why, and if you don't, you don't need to know. I hope someone can take over the event tomorrow. I know there as quite a few now who know the smack-down philosophy!!!"
By that time i did know. Dr Flats maybe or AD or someone had told me... All season since the start of the smack down in 2009 he was missing one per month. He made every other one and usually kicked everyone's ass. Seriously.
He missed them because that one week he was getting Chemo.
Big difference between his passing and Ezras I suppose. I got dropped coming back, he made the gap, on Greenfield, and I missed it. I wasn't alone, but watching him ride away from me while bridging the gap when i couldn't was the last time I saw him.
We stopped a few times along there to wait for him (to shit in the woods). He sent Keith Kelly out to our ride on his way home. He rode back to Dr Flat's house and saw Kelly on the BLVD.
He rolled back home, checked into the hospital, was medically transfered to Boston that night, then to Syracuse where he died surrounded by his family.
He hid it well. very well.
Not sure we're going to get the big MLFN ride off like we did last year. That was fun. Even if we did split up, get lost, wind up with AD and JC and me, heck BG nearly killed us all at one point... but it was a beautiful day, a great ride, good friends. Life, a graduation, final game of the season, work, birthdays, anniversaries, rehearsals, running races, culmination peformances father's day... all that started on Sunday and won't stop for a while...
But maybe I need to take a page from my wife's book of philosophy. Why do you need to have so much emphasis on one day, one ride, when every day, every ride, can be in his memory.
It is true. Every smack down ride is a MLFN ride. Even if it is on the east side route.
Every day is a gift. He treated it as such. It was that spring (2009) one of those rides May 19th to be exact, my spokes broke on the Vector Pros. couldn't ride. Started walking, didn't have my phone with me, Mark gave me his iPhone, Brier called in his coworker who lived in the area, got me back to his office and I drove the green monster van home. A collection of wonderful efforts by friends to bail out me and my busted bike.
I got there and woke him up the next morning, he had bailed on going to work, spent the day at home in bed, but at least with his phone.
So we ride, I ride, in his memory. Every week.
But lets at least take a few moments on the 11th of June every year to if nothing else, reflect on what an amazing human being he was, and how he beat every single odd stacked in his favor and lived the fullest life a full four years longer than 99% of the people who are diagnosed with that specific cancer at the stage he was diagnosed at. Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM)... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glioblastoma_multiforme
scattered thoughts today...
But that coffee thing,
let's get coffee, always is weighted a bit more for me than some people realize. I missed coffee with Mark...
I also missed a ride with Sheldon Brown, but that's a different story...
time to start getting everything in order for the smackdown...
heddwch
G
Monday, June 02, 2014
best idea? maybe not
one of those days.... started off w/just coffee, a ride in to the office via the remote facility. Holy crap talk about weird traffic. Nuts. Like elevated over the regular PVD crazy. Heading back some little angry dude in shorts was yelling at a delivery truck driver in the middle of rush hour on Memorial BLVD and wow, people laughing, he's droping fucking every other word, asking the delivery truck driver if he's a fucking asshole, I'm thinking "no dude there's only one asshole removing all doubt from the crowds walking to work."
Traffic was already backed up all the way past the Court House on College. That hill kind of messed up the 'no cortisol induction day' on the bike. Woops. Oh well.
Made coffee, feeling hungry. head to first optometrist appointment ever. sit around there waiting FOREVER, man... crazy day there too, lots of emergencies and patients taking way longer than normal. Doc stopped in twice to appologize. No worries I get it. Chilling.
Back here - eat salad (that's what was in the fridge for lunch when i left this am), the ride back was nuts too. more coffee and now that i have a break in the insanity here at work i'm writing to distract the brain.
I suppose part of what I'm doing is making sure I keep the fat burning engine somewhat tuned up. Thinking about it a bit riding. Mostly in the perspective regarding insulin and the comparison to training. People spend all day eating sugar, triggering the insulin pathway right from the get go. Sugar being availible in the blood stream and fat being targeted for storage rather than fuel source, the type 1 muscles all saying fuck the fatty acids I ain't got time for that, that's work, look at all this sugar.
Like training to be fast on the bike... you don't do it, you can't do it. Gotta get those muscles to burn fat. Coffee elevates fatty acid levels in the blood stream w/o trigging insulin. After waking up your glycogen stores are at the highest level, and generally, esp someone my size, you have ample glycogen to fuel the fat burning mechanism.
Gotta train the muscles.
Look at the kids now, constantly given piles of sugars (over-arching group of all sources grains/potatoes/candy/sugarwater) no breaks, no periods where they have to develop muscles that have to learn to burn the fat. And they get fat. or they get soft and squishy, maybe not fat.
Hungry? Oh no, don't let them be hungry at all. Noooo feed them. Always. Here's a snack. Have a snack. do you have enough snacks? eat...
Training their brains to never accept and tolerate hunger as well as never pushing their muscles to burn a more efficient fuel source.
Now... fat burning is great. muscles do really well with it. Much better than trying to use protein as a fuel source, but heres the deal. Those fast twitch sprinter muscles? they're good until you're out of glycogen. Then you're done with them. Can't make those burn fat. BUT you can make the rest of them more efficient. This is the key the LCHF folks don't seem to be focusing on. The runners, the marathoners, they're going gang busters, no need for fuel or food intake for a half marathon. Makes sense. on board glycogen topped up will easily burn stored fat for a long time. Esp if you're fat adapted and it is much healthier (assuming good balance of complex fats with veggies and stuff). But you still need a balance in the middle somewhere for sprinting, and specifically cyclocross. That's a glycogen intensive musclular classsification... i have a lot of lean muscle... doesn't do me a whole lot of good but still doesn't change the fact that at 195 even at 10% BF (probably under that but between 7-10 so going with 10) that's a lot of lean muscle mass... pain in the ass... requires more food (most of the time) also means I have more reserves.
anyway... thoughts... hunger induced maybe? Maybe. Not really though. they've been floating around for a while.
I'll get closer to more refined and simple theory for the complexity that is optimal fueling and nutrition... comes around to the point though, manage your insulin spikes, try to get most of your basal metabolic calories from high quality complex fats and add carbs based on amount of intense exercise and you'd be close.
but yeah... a fast is a good idea now and then... not sure it is the best idea between a tower hill loop day that was way under caloried and tuesday night smackdown... but hey... i gotta be a dumbass to balance out this fake smartness...
heddwch
g
Traffic was already backed up all the way past the Court House on College. That hill kind of messed up the 'no cortisol induction day' on the bike. Woops. Oh well.
Made coffee, feeling hungry. head to first optometrist appointment ever. sit around there waiting FOREVER, man... crazy day there too, lots of emergencies and patients taking way longer than normal. Doc stopped in twice to appologize. No worries I get it. Chilling.
Back here - eat salad (that's what was in the fridge for lunch when i left this am), the ride back was nuts too. more coffee and now that i have a break in the insanity here at work i'm writing to distract the brain.
I suppose part of what I'm doing is making sure I keep the fat burning engine somewhat tuned up. Thinking about it a bit riding. Mostly in the perspective regarding insulin and the comparison to training. People spend all day eating sugar, triggering the insulin pathway right from the get go. Sugar being availible in the blood stream and fat being targeted for storage rather than fuel source, the type 1 muscles all saying fuck the fatty acids I ain't got time for that, that's work, look at all this sugar.
Like training to be fast on the bike... you don't do it, you can't do it. Gotta get those muscles to burn fat. Coffee elevates fatty acid levels in the blood stream w/o trigging insulin. After waking up your glycogen stores are at the highest level, and generally, esp someone my size, you have ample glycogen to fuel the fat burning mechanism.
Gotta train the muscles.
Look at the kids now, constantly given piles of sugars (over-arching group of all sources grains/potatoes/candy/sugarwater) no breaks, no periods where they have to develop muscles that have to learn to burn the fat. And they get fat. or they get soft and squishy, maybe not fat.
Hungry? Oh no, don't let them be hungry at all. Noooo feed them. Always. Here's a snack. Have a snack. do you have enough snacks? eat...
Training their brains to never accept and tolerate hunger as well as never pushing their muscles to burn a more efficient fuel source.
Now... fat burning is great. muscles do really well with it. Much better than trying to use protein as a fuel source, but heres the deal. Those fast twitch sprinter muscles? they're good until you're out of glycogen. Then you're done with them. Can't make those burn fat. BUT you can make the rest of them more efficient. This is the key the LCHF folks don't seem to be focusing on. The runners, the marathoners, they're going gang busters, no need for fuel or food intake for a half marathon. Makes sense. on board glycogen topped up will easily burn stored fat for a long time. Esp if you're fat adapted and it is much healthier (assuming good balance of complex fats with veggies and stuff). But you still need a balance in the middle somewhere for sprinting, and specifically cyclocross. That's a glycogen intensive musclular classsification... i have a lot of lean muscle... doesn't do me a whole lot of good but still doesn't change the fact that at 195 even at 10% BF (probably under that but between 7-10 so going with 10) that's a lot of lean muscle mass... pain in the ass... requires more food (most of the time) also means I have more reserves.
anyway... thoughts... hunger induced maybe? Maybe. Not really though. they've been floating around for a while.
I'll get closer to more refined and simple theory for the complexity that is optimal fueling and nutrition... comes around to the point though, manage your insulin spikes, try to get most of your basal metabolic calories from high quality complex fats and add carbs based on amount of intense exercise and you'd be close.
but yeah... a fast is a good idea now and then... not sure it is the best idea between a tower hill loop day that was way under caloried and tuesday night smackdown... but hey... i gotta be a dumbass to balance out this fake smartness...
heddwch
g
Friday, May 30, 2014
continuing the remembering of Ezra/Fastboy
I've been watching one food video every other day since hearing of his passing...
http://fastboycycles.com/food
Today the post went up on the teaching cancer to cry...
http://www.teachingcancertocry.com/?p=2076
I have been sharing his story for quite some time now I guess...
I've been following his art and craft for much longer though...
Flickr 2005
To be honest while that peice is complete and paints the picture of him... it doesn't feel like him. I wonder how he would have written that, I don't think he did, doesn't read like his style. Maybe it is best that he didn't. too many stories to tell, too much to write down...
Words and art...
Ezra was no Maya
Cole Haan "Maya Angelou (Director's Cut)" from Ben Hughes on Vimeo.
but Ezra had a way of communicating that was inspirational... a similar charasmatic humorous command of communicating that engaged and bouyed his audience, one can't imagine what his legacy would have been if not for that cancer
reflective times I suppose...
I need the right moment I think to really flesh out my feelings, and his influence...
it is closer now maybe than before, but still gathering thoughts and feelings...
perhaps a day off, a day on the bike, will be the effective catalyst
life goes on for the rest of us left behind, as it always does
heddwch
G
http://fastboycycles.com/food
Today the post went up on the teaching cancer to cry...
http://www.teachingcancertocry.com/?p=2076
I have been sharing his story for quite some time now I guess...
I've been following his art and craft for much longer though...
Flickr 2005
To be honest while that peice is complete and paints the picture of him... it doesn't feel like him. I wonder how he would have written that, I don't think he did, doesn't read like his style. Maybe it is best that he didn't. too many stories to tell, too much to write down...
Words and art...
Ezra was no Maya
Cole Haan "Maya Angelou (Director's Cut)" from Ben Hughes on Vimeo.
but Ezra had a way of communicating that was inspirational... a similar charasmatic humorous command of communicating that engaged and bouyed his audience, one can't imagine what his legacy would have been if not for that cancer
reflective times I suppose...
I need the right moment I think to really flesh out my feelings, and his influence...
it is closer now maybe than before, but still gathering thoughts and feelings...
perhaps a day off, a day on the bike, will be the effective catalyst
life goes on for the rest of us left behind, as it always does
heddwch
G
Thursday, May 29, 2014
Getting there
The legs, they feel maybe better. Solobreak wasn't right but he was close. Probably take another two weeks before I feel ok on the smackdown ride, but this past tuesday wasn't terrible. Granted I still got dropped pretty much every hill, but I'm a big fatso right now, CX isn't for a while right?
We had a great turn out though. A big portion of the club showed up (probably because we were all headed over to Dr Flat's after for beers and protein on the grill). After big Anton flatted it was just PVC. If Kyle had actually worn the kit it would have been an 8 man TTT a nice mix of the white and black kits, soon we'll have the new color to toss in there... Good ride though.
Recovery seems pretty good, very good compared to a few others, but then maybe I wasn't working as hard or something. Felt at the limit most of the time on the hills and missing some top end but maybe I can see it coming around.
Boring blah blah blah... I'd write how Morse and Andrew and Fox kept trading body blows but that gets boring after a while and is predictable. I didn't win any sprint lines, but had a good ride and the legs hurt a bit the next day. So we're making progress.
We had a great turn out though. A big portion of the club showed up (probably because we were all headed over to Dr Flat's after for beers and protein on the grill). After big Anton flatted it was just PVC. If Kyle had actually worn the kit it would have been an 8 man TTT a nice mix of the white and black kits, soon we'll have the new color to toss in there... Good ride though.
Recovery seems pretty good, very good compared to a few others, but then maybe I wasn't working as hard or something. Felt at the limit most of the time on the hills and missing some top end but maybe I can see it coming around.
Boring blah blah blah... I'd write how Morse and Andrew and Fox kept trading body blows but that gets boring after a while and is predictable. I didn't win any sprint lines, but had a good ride and the legs hurt a bit the next day. So we're making progress.
Sunday, May 25, 2014
He is gone... but not forgotten
An inspiration - from that first moment on Flickr when we connected.
http://ezracaldwell.com/
http://www.teachingcancertocry.com/
http://fastboycycles.com/
http://instagram.com/p/ocAsv0rAXx/
It has been a roller coaster journey... one that got quiet the last month or so...
I have been checking daily, looking for an update...
then saw Jenny's post on G+
didn't want to see that post...
where to i start?
obviously not now beyond this, other than to say I'm gutted, this is painful, expected? given his choice and progression expected yes, but no easier...
last week I was thinkingi about Ezra, hoping he was pulling a micracle MLFN and defying the odds beyond all reconning...
Now i'm sitting here at the kitchen table crying
wrtiing the best i can
which is terribly not at all
a loss very much
an inspiration
in craft, in art, in movement, in bicycles, in photography, in food
someone who was very much steeped in the black and white aesthetic
who pedaled... who created... who cooked...
I will write more soon... for now... i can't much...
http://ezracaldwell.com/
http://www.teachingcancertocry.com/
http://fastboycycles.com/
http://instagram.com/p/ocAsv0rAXx/
It has been a roller coaster journey... one that got quiet the last month or so...
I have been checking daily, looking for an update...
then saw Jenny's post on G+
didn't want to see that post...
where to i start?
obviously not now beyond this, other than to say I'm gutted, this is painful, expected? given his choice and progression expected yes, but no easier...
last week I was thinkingi about Ezra, hoping he was pulling a micracle MLFN and defying the odds beyond all reconning...
Now i'm sitting here at the kitchen table crying
wrtiing the best i can
which is terribly not at all
a loss very much
an inspiration
in craft, in art, in movement, in bicycles, in photography, in food
someone who was very much steeped in the black and white aesthetic
who pedaled... who created... who cooked...
I will write more soon... for now... i can't much...
Tuesday, May 20, 2014
still riding
I hope maybe if i have the grace and luck to have grandkids they are able to make a movie like this about me
Portrait of my grandfather : 80 and still cycling from Florent Piovesan on Vimeo.
Portrait of my grandfather : 80 and still cycling from Florent Piovesan on Vimeo.
radish greens - come on magic
The shorter east route smackdown is on tonight (vs the western one that's longer and stuff). And well last week the radish greens didn't help with the legs, okay, not true, they helped keep me in contact until Prospect, but beyond that? pfft. Nope. zippo.
But in the name of science and gastronomy I am having them for breakfast again.
Radishes are a popular lunch snack in these here parts, and I love the greens and buying them is usually about finding the best looking TOPS in the pile of organic radishes. Does a few things, first fresher selection and second THE GREENS ARE SO YUMMY.
May have to be Hobbitish and follow up first breakfast with post commute breakfast, but starting the day with a fried egg topped with melty habanero cheese (it is on sale at WF again, just like last year, good spicey yummy cheese) a thin slice of fried ham and a giant mount of radish greens. And some salt. Because, you know, salt.
Second breakfast may or may not include a few chocolate croisants.
Because post ride pastries with coffee... does it get better? Maybe. Better when shared post ride, but i have two small ones and am riding alone so ALL MINE.
Tonight heading out though. Legs? We'll see. May be hanging with the B split, but that's okay. Should be a nice evening to suffer on the bike.
Baby steps. We'll see who shows though. We'll see who shows.
Last night did something pretty cool, stuck an SEM sample holder rig on the bike. Facing forward to catch airborne particulate (and hopefully some pollen). Figureed if the bike is turning green there's gotta be something in the air. Why not collect it and see what exactly is in the air.
Collected a bit of stuff last night, going to stick a fresh new one on for the ride in and maybe while the service engineer is fixing the confocal I can get a few minutes on the scanning electron microscope to check this out. As excited to see what is on the stub (the thing that you put the samples into the microscope on - stub is like a slide for the SEM), I'm more intriqued to see if there is any difference between last night and this morning.
Rig looks like this:
and after the ride you can see stuff on it here:
So repeating this AM, heck maybe I should put one on for the smackdown...
Found a good stack of old prints from senior year in college... would be funny to re-do the shots, esp the one with Erik Jerry me and Lum.
Finishi it up with two links about food and YOUR health. Because I care [too much] about other people.
Link #1 for the medical and nutritional professionals:
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1871695
Link #2 for everyone (not a copy of the above but it is NYT)
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/opinion/sunday/always-hungry-heres-why.html?_r=1
heddwch
G
But in the name of science and gastronomy I am having them for breakfast again.
Radishes are a popular lunch snack in these here parts, and I love the greens and buying them is usually about finding the best looking TOPS in the pile of organic radishes. Does a few things, first fresher selection and second THE GREENS ARE SO YUMMY.
May have to be Hobbitish and follow up first breakfast with post commute breakfast, but starting the day with a fried egg topped with melty habanero cheese (it is on sale at WF again, just like last year, good spicey yummy cheese) a thin slice of fried ham and a giant mount of radish greens. And some salt. Because, you know, salt.
Second breakfast may or may not include a few chocolate croisants.
Because post ride pastries with coffee... does it get better? Maybe. Better when shared post ride, but i have two small ones and am riding alone so ALL MINE.
Tonight heading out though. Legs? We'll see. May be hanging with the B split, but that's okay. Should be a nice evening to suffer on the bike.
Baby steps. We'll see who shows though. We'll see who shows.
Last night did something pretty cool, stuck an SEM sample holder rig on the bike. Facing forward to catch airborne particulate (and hopefully some pollen). Figureed if the bike is turning green there's gotta be something in the air. Why not collect it and see what exactly is in the air.
Collected a bit of stuff last night, going to stick a fresh new one on for the ride in and maybe while the service engineer is fixing the confocal I can get a few minutes on the scanning electron microscope to check this out. As excited to see what is on the stub (the thing that you put the samples into the microscope on - stub is like a slide for the SEM), I'm more intriqued to see if there is any difference between last night and this morning.
Rig looks like this:
and after the ride you can see stuff on it here:
So repeating this AM, heck maybe I should put one on for the smackdown...
Found a good stack of old prints from senior year in college... would be funny to re-do the shots, esp the one with Erik Jerry me and Lum.
Finishi it up with two links about food and YOUR health. Because I care [too much] about other people.
Link #1 for the medical and nutritional professionals:
http://jama.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1871695
Link #2 for everyone (not a copy of the above but it is NYT)
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/18/opinion/sunday/always-hungry-heres-why.html?_r=1
heddwch
G
Monday, May 19, 2014
podcasts
I don't listen to many of them, mostly because I prefer to hear myself talking. No not really mostly I prefer to read, words. Quickly and what not. Saves time. Mostly because most people talk to slowly. Or should I say talk at a slow pace to aid the slow listener (or just because they are forming words in head at a slow pace and that's just how it comes out) I dunno, i'm just speculating of course.
Point being I don't usually have time to sit and listen. Pausing all the time because I deal with daily interuptions is a pain. I can read, leave it up deal with the issue, come back to reading right where i was or re-read a bit sometimes to catch back into the topic. Podcasts seem to demand some uninterupted attention.
Like driving in a car, or sitting on public transport where you're just idle and reading may not be the easiest way to absorb information. Or painting maybe. Doing something or nothing but where reading isn't possible/desirable.
That's not how my life is set up right now. So I don't listen to them.
Point being I don't usually have time to sit and listen. Pausing all the time because I deal with daily interuptions is a pain. I can read, leave it up deal with the issue, come back to reading right where i was or re-read a bit sometimes to catch back into the topic. Podcasts seem to demand some uninterupted attention.
Like driving in a car, or sitting on public transport where you're just idle and reading may not be the easiest way to absorb information. Or painting maybe. Doing something or nothing but where reading isn't possible/desirable.
That's not how my life is set up right now. So I don't listen to them.
Saguache Crescent ... a short film
can't link it directly i guess but check it out
http://zwfilm.com/work/creative-leadership
the one on the Saguache Crescent (currently the first one there)
still printed, same way it has always been... some content gets recycles as he needs to make it fit or fill but it is there and still gets published and printed and distributed...
My dad's pretty proud of it, a copy sits on every table at the 4th street diner there in Saguache.
give it a watch, it is a pretty cool thing, happening in a pretty damn amazing part of this country.
http://zwfilm.com/work/creative-leadership
the one on the Saguache Crescent (currently the first one there)
still printed, same way it has always been... some content gets recycles as he needs to make it fit or fill but it is there and still gets published and printed and distributed...
My dad's pretty proud of it, a copy sits on every table at the 4th street diner there in Saguache.
give it a watch, it is a pretty cool thing, happening in a pretty damn amazing part of this country.
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
dropped on prospect
that's a first. never happened before.
Maybe i was a bit ambitions leading for a while riding and talking with PKS a bit past the turn off onto woodward from 152 was too long maybe, but damn that's like just getting warmed up... turned over onto prospect and the lanky Morse cranked up the tempo, pulled off, big Anton took over and kept drilling it David B was the first to get gapped, claims it was from the Jay Woo kid yo-yo'ing him, i think he's much like me, just out of shape, he gapped, BDub joined him and I tried to hank on the wheels of PKS and the Morse but pretty much only made it 100 yards further than the two... At the turn onto Broad/Jacob I could see two groups, the Anton Andrew adn Will group and the gapped but closing group of PKS Morse and Fox.
And from there on it wasn't an easy ride but it was a good ride with friends.
Fitness is gone as can be expected. Radish greens in your breakfast sandwich don't create fitness.
And it was cold, well not cold but between the wind, the lack of sun it certainly felt colder than the 50 reported. Got back to the office with an empty and distracting stomach to collect the bag only to have to turn around and head up to help sort out a car issue. Dead battery, race home so i could head back in to gather the kids and grab them dinner if roadside assistance took too long to show. But they showed up just as I was walking out the door. I was very thankful I didn't have to battle a headwind home and that i could get in the shower and warm up. I probably should have put that baselayer on in addition to the arm and knee warmers.
It isn't a surprise to find this lack of oomph, but it is a bit dis-heartening, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation kind of lacking. But i guess it is May, going to take this old diesel a long time to get even close to being up to temp and ready to make some torque for 45-50, so really not much choice but to button down and maybe do what I know i need to. Not easy really... heck i haven't really even gone for a run in over a month. So much for fast 5k goal.
Lots to sort out
heddwch
G
Maybe i was a bit ambitions leading for a while riding and talking with PKS a bit past the turn off onto woodward from 152 was too long maybe, but damn that's like just getting warmed up... turned over onto prospect and the lanky Morse cranked up the tempo, pulled off, big Anton took over and kept drilling it David B was the first to get gapped, claims it was from the Jay Woo kid yo-yo'ing him, i think he's much like me, just out of shape, he gapped, BDub joined him and I tried to hank on the wheels of PKS and the Morse but pretty much only made it 100 yards further than the two... At the turn onto Broad/Jacob I could see two groups, the Anton Andrew adn Will group and the gapped but closing group of PKS Morse and Fox.
And from there on it wasn't an easy ride but it was a good ride with friends.
Fitness is gone as can be expected. Radish greens in your breakfast sandwich don't create fitness.
And it was cold, well not cold but between the wind, the lack of sun it certainly felt colder than the 50 reported. Got back to the office with an empty and distracting stomach to collect the bag only to have to turn around and head up to help sort out a car issue. Dead battery, race home so i could head back in to gather the kids and grab them dinner if roadside assistance took too long to show. But they showed up just as I was walking out the door. I was very thankful I didn't have to battle a headwind home and that i could get in the shower and warm up. I probably should have put that baselayer on in addition to the arm and knee warmers.
It isn't a surprise to find this lack of oomph, but it is a bit dis-heartening, intrinsic and extrinsic motivation kind of lacking. But i guess it is May, going to take this old diesel a long time to get even close to being up to temp and ready to make some torque for 45-50, so really not much choice but to button down and maybe do what I know i need to. Not easy really... heck i haven't really even gone for a run in over a month. So much for fast 5k goal.
Lots to sort out
heddwch
G
perfect fried chicken?
Maybe not but it was pretty fantastic.
There was a definite lack of enthusiasm when my wife and oldest got home from a long run and ballet respectively upon hearing what I'd made for dinner. They walked in the door and asked "what did you make?" My reply of mashed potatoes, fried chicken and collard greens wasn't well recieved.
But I guess it is is probably nice to get home to find someone made you dinner no matter what it is.
The concept is super boring and lame and so american that it is cliche and man who wants that?
I was looking for something different too cook, Chicken was on sale last time I was at the wholefoods place so I bought a pile of it and used it in the meals for the past few days, a chicken stir-fry with peanuts, followed by some black beans, rice and topped with dry rub marinated diced chicken, and last night this classic of classics.
Best to keep them all simple. Potatoes just sliced and boiled russets, skins on, mashed with butter, olive oil, milk, salt and pepper and some powerderd sage. Simple. Collards? de-ribbed, cut into 2-3cm squares, sauteed in olive oil with a couple cloves of garlic a splash of soy sauce and some balsalmic vinegar.
the chicken? simple is best still.
breast, rinsed and set between papertowels to make sure they are totally dry.
one egg beaten in a bowl
panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, powdered sage in another bowl
in a flat skillet equal parts bacon rendering and olive oil. just below the smoke point...
coat breast in egg wash, then cover in the bread crumb mix
put in oil/fat (should be a few millimeters deep in the pan)
turn down the heat a touch. cook for a bit, flip, cook till finished, remove and let rest on a rack in the oven at 200°F until all of the chicken is cooked (don't crowd the pan, one or two breasts per pan)
That's it.
The "dry" white meat breasts were moist and delicios and the flavors were simple but each ingredient was able to shine, the potatoes tasted like potatoes, the chicken was a moist and chickeny tasting bit of chicken and the pile of collards offered a good bit of umami to tie it all together. Served with a bit of german mustard to add a minor note of heat and flavor without masking anything and the simplest of simple was elevated.
Cooking takes practice. It is a skill. Something you have to do, but it does start with basic ingredients, use good stuff and you'll be rewarded. It can take time too. Time that is well worth spending even if you are only cooking for yourself.
eat well
G
There was a definite lack of enthusiasm when my wife and oldest got home from a long run and ballet respectively upon hearing what I'd made for dinner. They walked in the door and asked "what did you make?" My reply of mashed potatoes, fried chicken and collard greens wasn't well recieved.
But I guess it is is probably nice to get home to find someone made you dinner no matter what it is.
The concept is super boring and lame and so american that it is cliche and man who wants that?
I was looking for something different too cook, Chicken was on sale last time I was at the wholefoods place so I bought a pile of it and used it in the meals for the past few days, a chicken stir-fry with peanuts, followed by some black beans, rice and topped with dry rub marinated diced chicken, and last night this classic of classics.
Best to keep them all simple. Potatoes just sliced and boiled russets, skins on, mashed with butter, olive oil, milk, salt and pepper and some powerderd sage. Simple. Collards? de-ribbed, cut into 2-3cm squares, sauteed in olive oil with a couple cloves of garlic a splash of soy sauce and some balsalmic vinegar.
the chicken? simple is best still.
breast, rinsed and set between papertowels to make sure they are totally dry.
one egg beaten in a bowl
panko bread crumbs, salt, pepper, powdered sage in another bowl
in a flat skillet equal parts bacon rendering and olive oil. just below the smoke point...
coat breast in egg wash, then cover in the bread crumb mix
put in oil/fat (should be a few millimeters deep in the pan)
turn down the heat a touch. cook for a bit, flip, cook till finished, remove and let rest on a rack in the oven at 200°F until all of the chicken is cooked (don't crowd the pan, one or two breasts per pan)
That's it.
The "dry" white meat breasts were moist and delicios and the flavors were simple but each ingredient was able to shine, the potatoes tasted like potatoes, the chicken was a moist and chickeny tasting bit of chicken and the pile of collards offered a good bit of umami to tie it all together. Served with a bit of german mustard to add a minor note of heat and flavor without masking anything and the simplest of simple was elevated.
Cooking takes practice. It is a skill. Something you have to do, but it does start with basic ingredients, use good stuff and you'll be rewarded. It can take time too. Time that is well worth spending even if you are only cooking for yourself.
eat well
G
pedaling again
thoughts not processing the same anymore...
too much change? too much use of twitter and G+ and even dipping a toe back in the like happy faceplant? I dunno...
strong desire to write about the trip to colorado is not intersecting with motivation inspiration and time.
trying to get those all to line up is definitely not easy right now. back in the bike shop again isn't so much using more time it is just keeping me more active and with less free time and somewhat more stressed about some stuff. Scheduling has been a challenge, but i guess now after still being burried last week from the trip i'm sort of coming up for air,
yesterday was one of those days that just felt opressively hot on the bike but it was just barely over 70. Kind of funny how a season of riding outside skews perceptions. It was nice indeed. Sweating wasn't a big deal. The big deal and frustrating system shock is the sudden increase in 'traffic' on the bike path. Now instead of being me and the regular walkers and joggers, those of us who recogonize each other as we pass each other most every day. A familiar recognition between strangers that aren't quite strangers.
I think we're all a bit shocked, the regular walkers and the bike commuters. These new users perterb the system. They walk or run on the wrong side of the path (despite heavy signage) they have headphones in and turned up and tune out the amazing surrondings. They are escaping when they should be embracing their surroundings. If you want to run obliviously go play in traffic. The dog walkers carrying their 20' retractable leashes as their dog runs around sniffing everything on the path randomly off leash. The same ones who look like you just pooped on their shoe when you remind them that there is a 6' leash law in this town. The kids riding barely put together NEXT branded kids bikes trying to keep up with or stay w/in sight of their running/walking parent, not sure of what to do when I pass.
Every year. I know it is coming and just look forward to the breaks I get when the weather gets inclimate. When it rains. When people are afraid of the out doors because the 'weather' is bad.
I just wish my front fender hadn't died this winter in dramatic fashion. I should maybe replace it one of these days. I should. I should rely on more than the clip on planet bike fender Bob handed out to the team at 2009 nationals in Bend. I rolled up to the start not realzing i had it still attached. Anne Spaede was there at the start So i handed it to her and said to keep it, she brought it back to the tent and well... I still have it and am using it now when the weather turns all wet.
At least the seagulls have moved on to easier food than the bivalves. The carpet bombing season is over, we're now dealing with the Canada geese grazing on the grass along the path and shitting all over the place. From one obstacle to another. Busted shells to shit. Plus all the people.
But man as "rough" as the bike commute gets it still beats driving and trying to park and the anxiety of the car that is gonna turn to iron oxide powder underneath me one of these days.
Juggling everything. Is a challenge.
Life.
Sport.
Writing.
Art.
Work.
Love.
Kids.
Life.
All while balancing on a slack line called health.
Going to try and test the measure of my lack of fitness tonight on the ride. We'll see who shows up, and we'll see who I wind up riding with. Where will i slot in, in the heirarchy of fitness and speed, on our little PVD smackdown ride. Our own version of tuesday night world championships.
Another in progress project is sorting through photos and trying to decide on a handful to offer up in a limited number run sale. What I have sort of tentatively decided on is 10 images. printed in two size runs, 16x12 and 32x24, no more than 10 copies (flexible i suppose, if 100 people want one of them I could change it up) still to be decided: price and which files to do.
Still need to ride up to Firefly and get a bit of weld bead to image on the scope, that's needed for maybe something happening in a couple months.
Still need to ride up to Firefly and get a bit of weld bead to image on the scope, that's needed for maybe something happening in a couple months.
Life though seems to find a way of disrupting plans I make. That's my theme I guess. Getting a little better at managing the dissapointment.
maybe
fod yn rhyfeddol
g
Wednesday, April 30, 2014
changes... and breathing
not much here other than I've run out of time to write when I'm inspired or lacking motivation/catalyst to write when I have the time.
I appologize.
who would have thought this would still be active 10 years after I started it.
The title really isn't significant of any one particular instance i guess, but covers lots of things.
I appologize.
who would have thought this would still be active 10 years after I started it.
The title really isn't significant of any one particular instance i guess, but covers lots of things.
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
pickled eggs? sure why not
******update dated below*********
original written on 2014/04/22
I've got 16 hard boiled eggs, am leaving for a week, those who are staying don't eat them...
might as well give it a try. saw the recipe show up here:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/pickled-eggs over on G+
and thought it sounded good. HK over at S&B tweeted about it, and well i had a minute this afternoon to peel a quart jar full of eggs and pour a bring over them and stick em in the back of the fridge.
Brine i used:
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar (all i had)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (unfiltered 365 organic stuff)
1/4 cup balsalmic vinegar ('cause recipie called for all vinegar and i needed total two cups of liquid)
brought that up to 2 cups with water
popped in stainless pan. added 1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons of sea salt
1 tsp spoon: black peppercorns, mustard seed, fennel seed, dill seed
brought to boil to dissolve sugar and salt.
turned off (still peeling eggs)
filled bell jar up with eggs, poured liquid over them.
popped em in the back of the fridge. will check em when i return from Colorado next week.
and yes... hoping to get back to normal writing, hoping to get back to normal RIDING, may have a story or two to write about over this next week and maybe time to do it in. for now. I'm around, cooking, thinking, living... Life.
it is what it is... food... you are what you eat. eat good food...
fod yn rhyfeddol
g
TASTING UPDATE 2014-04-30
Tried one yesterday morning. And then one this morning.
The texture is odd at first. The white is very firm. They aren't juicy or dripping like a pickle and I think i need to tweak the recipe next time. the eggs got a bit smaller, the parts that i didn't get the membrane off stayed white but the others turned a nice mahogany brown from the balsalmic v. I would like to try these without adding any sugar next time or just with the sweetness from the seasoned vinegar, maybe just with white vinegar or cider or rice. Lots of options to change it all up. They aren't unpleasant, but they are weird, and not what I'd call delicious. I could see these going really well on a salad though. They would pair brilliantly in small bites with a good balsalmic mustard vinegrette, thinking about the flavor I think that is the perfect thing try next.
Will I do another batch? Probably at some point... not before these are gone though.
original written on 2014/04/22
I've got 16 hard boiled eggs, am leaving for a week, those who are staying don't eat them...
might as well give it a try. saw the recipe show up here:
http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/pickled-eggs over on G+
and thought it sounded good. HK over at S&B tweeted about it, and well i had a minute this afternoon to peel a quart jar full of eggs and pour a bring over them and stick em in the back of the fridge.
Brine i used:
1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar (all i had)
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar (unfiltered 365 organic stuff)
1/4 cup balsalmic vinegar ('cause recipie called for all vinegar and i needed total two cups of liquid)
brought that up to 2 cups with water
popped in stainless pan. added 1/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons of sea salt
1 tsp spoon: black peppercorns, mustard seed, fennel seed, dill seed
brought to boil to dissolve sugar and salt.
turned off (still peeling eggs)
filled bell jar up with eggs, poured liquid over them.
popped em in the back of the fridge. will check em when i return from Colorado next week.
and yes... hoping to get back to normal writing, hoping to get back to normal RIDING, may have a story or two to write about over this next week and maybe time to do it in. for now. I'm around, cooking, thinking, living... Life.
it is what it is... food... you are what you eat. eat good food...
fod yn rhyfeddol
g
TASTING UPDATE 2014-04-30
Tried one yesterday morning. And then one this morning.
The texture is odd at first. The white is very firm. They aren't juicy or dripping like a pickle and I think i need to tweak the recipe next time. the eggs got a bit smaller, the parts that i didn't get the membrane off stayed white but the others turned a nice mahogany brown from the balsalmic v. I would like to try these without adding any sugar next time or just with the sweetness from the seasoned vinegar, maybe just with white vinegar or cider or rice. Lots of options to change it all up. They aren't unpleasant, but they are weird, and not what I'd call delicious. I could see these going really well on a salad though. They would pair brilliantly in small bites with a good balsalmic mustard vinegrette, thinking about the flavor I think that is the perfect thing try next.
Will I do another batch? Probably at some point... not before these are gone though.
Tuesday, April 08, 2014
the club ride april 8th edition
Today XP is dead. Long live XP and down with microsoft..
awe who'mi kidding, that's a joke. A bad one. Written not on a microsoft anything. I think it maye be time to figure out how to instal some linux stuff, on a few boxes that have been decom'd recently (old XP clunkers) just for "fun/challenge."
until a week or two ago my work machine was XP. Been on that OS and maintaining it for a while at least maintaining systems that employ a XP OS based computer as the primary UI for the microscope and a platform for the software. Looks like we're actually going to be all Win 7 there too, a few key upgrades even, kind of exciting in a way. But as always over the years, there are two things that give me more headaches than anything else. Vacations and Upgrades (hardware or software). With so many systems though hey, we should be set for a while.
didn't really start out to write about some OS thing that everyone has talked about and known about for a while.
the OS didn't really factor into any of the riding today. Riding in in the deluge. Chatting with Chapman and Madden this afternoon. and then the tuesday night club ride. the 'baby-smackdown' baby because it is the shorter of the two routes. The longer one is the one Mark Nicholson himself laid out and so while his traddition of smacking it down in PVD carries on, daylight issues got us doing this shorter route that Derdowski was instramental in plotting and planning.
Tonight, like last week, 9 guys showed up. A couple more faster guys than last week. A kid in a capo kit came out to duke it with Tim and Morse and Syl and Dr Flats Anton Fox and for a while Tom N. Tom bade us farewell as we motored into the wind on Prospect, and that dropped us to 8... two pretty distinct factions Pine separated us into two, Me (still feeling pretty weak and not all there but way better than last week) Fox who hasn't been on his bike since November if then (okay i think he rode on Sunday maybe for a little bit) and Greve. Couple big guys and Fox. The 5 gapped us going over the top of pine, but like last week with derdowski me and greve we settled in to a quick and buttery smooth rotating paceline and caught back on before they had gotten too far down Homestead. Super smooth today though. Guys all pulling no one looking around. Good steady strong ride. At least from my seat back in the caboose.
As the ride leader I set the tempo out to the first turn off 152. Today there were plenty of cars on the shoulder so there was no sprint for the State line. Everyone was on the same page about not sprinting for the town lines either. It was clean and mostly club members all looking to beat each other up on the bike.
After I set that initial pace that was it. Survival mode. Legs were suspect. I'd eaten better today (more calories at least) but first day on after 4 days off and battling some issue with a glute or nerve or something, so from then till the rotating paceline I was in the back, chillin. No brakes rolling along smoooth. It is cool to watch Anton improve. Last year he was flailing and couldn't hang on, now he's still not the strongest but he's much smoother and is riding well. His saddle is almost level now even.
We caught back on, and immediately me and Fox went into tail gunner mode. Hang the fuck on but let everyone else rotate through in front. They were taking long pulls and when we got close to the top of Rocky hill the Doc took OFF and crushed it. I just tried to survive. And was back in the group almost right away after the end of Rocky Hill. A success so far. Next up Hillside. Sucking wheels, sucking wheels sucking wheels sucking wheels. I mean sitting in the draft. With guys like Doc and Steve and Anton and Tim there were good drafts to be found. Both in the steady comfortable sit on their wheel draft but also a big fucking hole in the wind kind of draft. I learned in michigan how to find the draft behind a 4'11" Carla and have like most of y'all found a way to benefit from any sort of draft even if it is just sheltering your lower half.
Hillside. Oof. Hung with the whole group through to first rise only to just lose contact as it crested a touch, dug deep and chased but not hard enough and could only just keep them in sight. Killed myself over the top and had Anton Fox and Greve spread out behind me but just up the road were two groups. Over the top of pine i could see them coming together faster than I was going to be able to catch them and we have the high speed motor section coming up. Not gonna catch them. But I also rather than totally soft pedaled just waited for the rest. Re-grouped and Drilled it. Picked up Syl on the way. Chased Anton who had passed me with the goal to try and catch the others. Was good.
Legs felt pretty trashed. Still no where near where i want to be or hoped to be but no need to be. The new knee alignment is affecting things a bit but it will come around and feels better, hopefully should be able to capitalize on that by CX season. Headed back to the office. Loaded up the wet clothes and the wet shoes into the trailer and headed home into the wind.
Into a cold wind.
Like small chainring going slow wind. Didn't feel at all hungry or bonky until i was a few hundred yards from home.
Got home, hung out with the girls, tucked them in, and sat down to get this ride out of my head and into words.
How was the ride? It was awesome. It was good. I needed that. Weekly ride survives. A brief moment of crushing it. I may be getting old and I never will be anything but slow, but it is good to ride with the club.
Now if we could just get Doc to ditch those hideous old lady POC glasses...
fod yn rhyfeddol
g
awe who'mi kidding, that's a joke. A bad one. Written not on a microsoft anything. I think it maye be time to figure out how to instal some linux stuff, on a few boxes that have been decom'd recently (old XP clunkers) just for "fun/challenge."
until a week or two ago my work machine was XP. Been on that OS and maintaining it for a while at least maintaining systems that employ a XP OS based computer as the primary UI for the microscope and a platform for the software. Looks like we're actually going to be all Win 7 there too, a few key upgrades even, kind of exciting in a way. But as always over the years, there are two things that give me more headaches than anything else. Vacations and Upgrades (hardware or software). With so many systems though hey, we should be set for a while.
didn't really start out to write about some OS thing that everyone has talked about and known about for a while.
the OS didn't really factor into any of the riding today. Riding in in the deluge. Chatting with Chapman and Madden this afternoon. and then the tuesday night club ride. the 'baby-smackdown' baby because it is the shorter of the two routes. The longer one is the one Mark Nicholson himself laid out and so while his traddition of smacking it down in PVD carries on, daylight issues got us doing this shorter route that Derdowski was instramental in plotting and planning.
Tonight, like last week, 9 guys showed up. A couple more faster guys than last week. A kid in a capo kit came out to duke it with Tim and Morse and Syl and Dr Flats Anton Fox and for a while Tom N. Tom bade us farewell as we motored into the wind on Prospect, and that dropped us to 8... two pretty distinct factions Pine separated us into two, Me (still feeling pretty weak and not all there but way better than last week) Fox who hasn't been on his bike since November if then (okay i think he rode on Sunday maybe for a little bit) and Greve. Couple big guys and Fox. The 5 gapped us going over the top of pine, but like last week with derdowski me and greve we settled in to a quick and buttery smooth rotating paceline and caught back on before they had gotten too far down Homestead. Super smooth today though. Guys all pulling no one looking around. Good steady strong ride. At least from my seat back in the caboose.
As the ride leader I set the tempo out to the first turn off 152. Today there were plenty of cars on the shoulder so there was no sprint for the State line. Everyone was on the same page about not sprinting for the town lines either. It was clean and mostly club members all looking to beat each other up on the bike.
After I set that initial pace that was it. Survival mode. Legs were suspect. I'd eaten better today (more calories at least) but first day on after 4 days off and battling some issue with a glute or nerve or something, so from then till the rotating paceline I was in the back, chillin. No brakes rolling along smoooth. It is cool to watch Anton improve. Last year he was flailing and couldn't hang on, now he's still not the strongest but he's much smoother and is riding well. His saddle is almost level now even.
We caught back on, and immediately me and Fox went into tail gunner mode. Hang the fuck on but let everyone else rotate through in front. They were taking long pulls and when we got close to the top of Rocky hill the Doc took OFF and crushed it. I just tried to survive. And was back in the group almost right away after the end of Rocky Hill. A success so far. Next up Hillside. Sucking wheels, sucking wheels sucking wheels sucking wheels. I mean sitting in the draft. With guys like Doc and Steve and Anton and Tim there were good drafts to be found. Both in the steady comfortable sit on their wheel draft but also a big fucking hole in the wind kind of draft. I learned in michigan how to find the draft behind a 4'11" Carla and have like most of y'all found a way to benefit from any sort of draft even if it is just sheltering your lower half.
Hillside. Oof. Hung with the whole group through to first rise only to just lose contact as it crested a touch, dug deep and chased but not hard enough and could only just keep them in sight. Killed myself over the top and had Anton Fox and Greve spread out behind me but just up the road were two groups. Over the top of pine i could see them coming together faster than I was going to be able to catch them and we have the high speed motor section coming up. Not gonna catch them. But I also rather than totally soft pedaled just waited for the rest. Re-grouped and Drilled it. Picked up Syl on the way. Chased Anton who had passed me with the goal to try and catch the others. Was good.
Legs felt pretty trashed. Still no where near where i want to be or hoped to be but no need to be. The new knee alignment is affecting things a bit but it will come around and feels better, hopefully should be able to capitalize on that by CX season. Headed back to the office. Loaded up the wet clothes and the wet shoes into the trailer and headed home into the wind.
Into a cold wind.
Like small chainring going slow wind. Didn't feel at all hungry or bonky until i was a few hundred yards from home.
Got home, hung out with the girls, tucked them in, and sat down to get this ride out of my head and into words.
How was the ride? It was awesome. It was good. I needed that. Weekly ride survives. A brief moment of crushing it. I may be getting old and I never will be anything but slow, but it is good to ride with the club.
Now if we could just get Doc to ditch those hideous old lady POC glasses...
fod yn rhyfeddol
g
the release of riding
happens a lot on the bike, but mostly noticable if i haven't been on the bike in a couple days.
This morning was the first time back in the saddle since Thursday.
Was raining. HARD at times, and had been for a bit. Flood advisory and all. Good and wet.
Still headed in, tempting to keep the routine of getting in the car though. It was calling me. I could feel the easiness of just getting dressed, starting the car and driving in, dealing with parking headaches, moving the car, driving and walking in the rain. All that, seemed easy.
But i didn't. plopped everything in the trailer in a garbage bag (stays drier in there that way than on my back). And headed in...
Almost the first moment this popped in my head. No not haiku. Just a wee little poem in a way i guess.
was a good ride this morning.
couple it with the free association from Resultsboy's pondering about just how artificial grass is into thinking about Bill Niering's house and how much of an impact/influence he had into the thoughts about fire managed areas, plains and grasslands and ecology and environment and the different ecosystems and where you do find grass... into the thought that golf courses are the least natural natural areas, and somehow the phrase about cycling being the new golf (all the rich old guys taking up the sport aka a million Cat 5 fields at Batttenkill all a pile of middle aged men)...
Lead me to float this question:
Cinci and L'ville are former golf courses, now perma CX venues.
Hey forget all of them, just give us 25% of them. The hilliest ones. Would be great. I think. Someday maybe... Set up sled runs for the winter. Short course MTB or BMX in summer, CX in Fall Winter until season is over. money. takes money. lots of it. everything does.
but we can dream no?
we can dream...
fod yn rhyfeddol
g
This morning was the first time back in the saddle since Thursday.
Was raining. HARD at times, and had been for a bit. Flood advisory and all. Good and wet.
Still headed in, tempting to keep the routine of getting in the car though. It was calling me. I could feel the easiness of just getting dressed, starting the car and driving in, dealing with parking headaches, moving the car, driving and walking in the rain. All that, seemed easy.
But i didn't. plopped everything in the trailer in a garbage bag (stays drier in there that way than on my back). And headed in...
Almost the first moment this popped in my head. No not haiku. Just a wee little poem in a way i guess.
Rain drops. Cold on face. Water splashing off down tube. Into shoes. Slosh and squish with each pedal stroke. Quads warm with effort. Fabulous
was a good ride this morning.
couple it with the free association from Resultsboy's pondering about just how artificial grass is into thinking about Bill Niering's house and how much of an impact/influence he had into the thoughts about fire managed areas, plains and grasslands and ecology and environment and the different ecosystems and where you do find grass... into the thought that golf courses are the least natural natural areas, and somehow the phrase about cycling being the new golf (all the rich old guys taking up the sport aka a million Cat 5 fields at Batttenkill all a pile of middle aged men)...
Lead me to float this question:
If cycling is the new golf when do we get to turn all the golf courses into permanent CX venues?
Cinci and L'ville are former golf courses, now perma CX venues.
Hey forget all of them, just give us 25% of them. The hilliest ones. Would be great. I think. Someday maybe... Set up sled runs for the winter. Short course MTB or BMX in summer, CX in Fall Winter until season is over. money. takes money. lots of it. everything does.
but we can dream no?
we can dream...
fod yn rhyfeddol
g
Sunday, April 06, 2014
chana saag ala G
So i made this once before... this is going to be different but hey the nice thing with making indian food is just you just keep adding the right spices until it smells right.
Saag is simple. Super simple.
aromatics in the pan, add spinnach, stirr, season, cover
eat
Saag is simple. Super simple.
aromatics in the pan, add spinnach, stirr, season, cover
eat
Monday, March 24, 2014
GeWillies aka Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
I've written plenty about these cookies, compiled the nutritional information as best as I can w/o submitting a sample to a testing lab.
I've made these, but finally dug down and focused on the recipe as a repeatable recipe, no GeWilli tweaking.
Need to make these the same every time. Four batches ago = perfect, three batches ago? not so much, no idea what I messed up. Can't have that.
So with my little one, my kitchen helper and taster we went through this. She measured precisely (with supervision) and we made a batch, and I made notes.
And then we made a second batch. It was the same.
Phew.
Got it.
Now, I need to make another batch because the second is gone. I had them made for the March Century with Russ. Ate them for the ride. So good. Easy to eat. No they aren't rice cakes but they do have a good sustain as fuel for me. And I can't seem to get tired of eating them, and the best food/fuel on the bike is one you eat.
These are cookies...
you know how to make cookies right?
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
290 g fresh ground whole foods organic peanut butter (just peanuts)
1 cup brown sugar (~169grams)
1/2 cup white sugar (~101grams)
2 tsp vanilla extract (just vanilla + alcohol, no HFCS or preservatives)
Put those in mixer with paddle attachment and cream until smooth
while that's spinning put 1 table spoon of ground flax in 3 tablespoons of water (mix regularly for at least 2 minutes or longer)
Dry ingredients, mix together:
1.5 cup unbleached organic white flour
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt (increase salt for summer heat)
Add one egg to the butter and sugar mix completely
add half of the dry mix to and blend
add the second egg
mix
add the flax and water
mix
add the rest of the dry ingredients
keep mixing till incorporated
Now you can scoop and make little tradditional circular peanut butter pressed drop cookies.
OOOOOR
what i've been doing the last few batches... gonna hold off on that secret for a while.
but hey... here's the cookies...
vetted
oh - right...
cook at 350F for 15-25 minutes
when they are cooked and come out they will be brittle... let them cool on the baking sheet for 5+ minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way down.
cookies
chocolate peanut butter cookies
mmm
cookies
(they make really good ice cream sandwich cookies)
I've made these, but finally dug down and focused on the recipe as a repeatable recipe, no GeWilli tweaking.
Need to make these the same every time. Four batches ago = perfect, three batches ago? not so much, no idea what I messed up. Can't have that.
So with my little one, my kitchen helper and taster we went through this. She measured precisely (with supervision) and we made a batch, and I made notes.
And then we made a second batch. It was the same.
Phew.
Got it.
Now, I need to make another batch because the second is gone. I had them made for the March Century with Russ. Ate them for the ride. So good. Easy to eat. No they aren't rice cakes but they do have a good sustain as fuel for me. And I can't seem to get tired of eating them, and the best food/fuel on the bike is one you eat.
These are cookies...
you know how to make cookies right?
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
290 g fresh ground whole foods organic peanut butter (just peanuts)
1 cup brown sugar (~169grams)
1/2 cup white sugar (~101grams)
2 tsp vanilla extract (just vanilla + alcohol, no HFCS or preservatives)
Put those in mixer with paddle attachment and cream until smooth
while that's spinning put 1 table spoon of ground flax in 3 tablespoons of water (mix regularly for at least 2 minutes or longer)
Dry ingredients, mix together:
1.5 cup unbleached organic white flour
1 cup organic whole wheat flour
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp salt (increase salt for summer heat)
Add one egg to the butter and sugar mix completely
add half of the dry mix to and blend
add the second egg
mix
add the flax and water
mix
add the rest of the dry ingredients
keep mixing till incorporated
Now you can scoop and make little tradditional circular peanut butter pressed drop cookies.
OOOOOR
what i've been doing the last few batches... gonna hold off on that secret for a while.
but hey... here's the cookies...
vetted
oh - right...
cook at 350F for 15-25 minutes
when they are cooked and come out they will be brittle... let them cool on the baking sheet for 5+ minutes before transfering to a wire rack to cool the rest of the way down.
cookies
chocolate peanut butter cookies
mmm
cookies
(they make really good ice cream sandwich cookies)
Gallois Poireau Potage Parmentier avec le Bacon, aka My Welsh Leek Potato Soup
Wait what? Why use a french name for a Welsh soup?
Well... call it GeWilli fusion... and it is still really mostly the french soup, just using the whole Welsh Leek, greens included.
Bacon? Well yes, duh.
I'm writing it down as maybe perhaps winter is wrapping up soon and soups will take a break from the rotation until the fall and even then though I've made it a few times in the last couple months I always forget what I do.
My [not so] Little kid is hanging out helping me cook tonight while the Runner is running while the older one is wrapped up in her thing, and this is something that is both quick and long and prep is simple and it leaves time to make Pizza dough for tomorrow night, and get the rest of the stuff done. Soup is nice. Easy.
So many possible substitutions to make things work. No stock? No big deal. Use water. Or if you want quick veggie stock? Put part of an onion, some carrot, celery, any veggie you got laying around maybe some mushroom, bring it to a boil and simmer till you need it. That's it. Stock.
I've got a bit of chicken stock in the freezer so I pulled out a quart of that for the soup tonight.
But here's the process and breakdown of the ingredients in:
Gallois Poireau Potage Parmentier avec le Bacon
6 oz of uncured bacon diced before cooking (i use Trader Joes ends and bits pack, i'm dicing it up before cooking no need to cut perfect strips up, also waaaaaay cheaper and just as yummy)
(start this rendering in the stock pot while prepping the next two ingredients)
2 large leeks carefully cleaned (greens and all) and chopped into 2cm bits
3-4# russet potatoes diced into 1-2cm cubes, no more than half of them peeled
when the diced bacon is crispy remove it with a slotted spoon and save for garnish (try not to eat it all before the soup is ready).
Add the leeks (i like the greens in it, makes for a pleasant color to the soup and has lots of flavor and also no wasting) to the bacon fat and toss at med high heat (below smoke point) until wilted and brilliant green.
Add in the potatoes, mix, add a few teaspoons of salt.
Put in 1 quart of homemade chicken stock (sub as on hand, quick veggie stock or water is acceptable)
Add water until everything is swimming easily (should be able to move spoon through without too much effort)... bring to boil, then turn down to simmer.
As it is cooking add 1 tsp dijon (i use the 365 brand organic stuff) mustard, a little more salt, lots of black pepper, a wiff of extra hot cayenne power, and most importantly some sage.
Sage with the bacon and potato make this kind of the perfect savory umami in my opinion.
Once cooked use an immersion blender and make it all creamy. Adjust seasoning (i usually wind up having to add more salt and more black pepper).
Set heat to super low and add some whole milk and a bit of heavy cream just to balance out the flavor.
Then a final taste, heck ask everyone to taste it, more salt (hopefully yes more salt and not TOO SALTY is their response) and serve with some of the bacon crumbled on top.
if too salt, just serve with extra water, no harm with too much salt.
That's it. The big departure from the classic is using the bacon and rendering and adding the sage. I probably would have used a cup of heavy cream, but with the milk and the couple tablespoons i had on hand it was quite accetably yummy.
Grab your bowl and curl up next to the wood stove and put some music on and relax.
simple... well, i manage to make even the simplest soup complex, and timing is pretty key but you know what? All this little things I do with the food... it works. Maybe while the kid and I are hanging and talking about cooking and eating the cooking we need to write up the cookie recipe.
fod yn rhyfeddol
G
Well... call it GeWilli fusion... and it is still really mostly the french soup, just using the whole Welsh Leek, greens included.
Bacon? Well yes, duh.
I'm writing it down as maybe perhaps winter is wrapping up soon and soups will take a break from the rotation until the fall and even then though I've made it a few times in the last couple months I always forget what I do.
My [not so] Little kid is hanging out helping me cook tonight while the Runner is running while the older one is wrapped up in her thing, and this is something that is both quick and long and prep is simple and it leaves time to make Pizza dough for tomorrow night, and get the rest of the stuff done. Soup is nice. Easy.
So many possible substitutions to make things work. No stock? No big deal. Use water. Or if you want quick veggie stock? Put part of an onion, some carrot, celery, any veggie you got laying around maybe some mushroom, bring it to a boil and simmer till you need it. That's it. Stock.
I've got a bit of chicken stock in the freezer so I pulled out a quart of that for the soup tonight.
But here's the process and breakdown of the ingredients in:
Gallois Poireau Potage Parmentier avec le Bacon
6 oz of uncured bacon diced before cooking (i use Trader Joes ends and bits pack, i'm dicing it up before cooking no need to cut perfect strips up, also waaaaaay cheaper and just as yummy)
(start this rendering in the stock pot while prepping the next two ingredients)
2 large leeks carefully cleaned (greens and all) and chopped into 2cm bits
3-4# russet potatoes diced into 1-2cm cubes, no more than half of them peeled
when the diced bacon is crispy remove it with a slotted spoon and save for garnish (try not to eat it all before the soup is ready).
Add the leeks (i like the greens in it, makes for a pleasant color to the soup and has lots of flavor and also no wasting) to the bacon fat and toss at med high heat (below smoke point) until wilted and brilliant green.
Add in the potatoes, mix, add a few teaspoons of salt.
Put in 1 quart of homemade chicken stock (sub as on hand, quick veggie stock or water is acceptable)
Add water until everything is swimming easily (should be able to move spoon through without too much effort)... bring to boil, then turn down to simmer.
As it is cooking add 1 tsp dijon (i use the 365 brand organic stuff) mustard, a little more salt, lots of black pepper, a wiff of extra hot cayenne power, and most importantly some sage.
Sage with the bacon and potato make this kind of the perfect savory umami in my opinion.
Once cooked use an immersion blender and make it all creamy. Adjust seasoning (i usually wind up having to add more salt and more black pepper).
Set heat to super low and add some whole milk and a bit of heavy cream just to balance out the flavor.
Then a final taste, heck ask everyone to taste it, more salt (hopefully yes more salt and not TOO SALTY is their response) and serve with some of the bacon crumbled on top.
if too salt, just serve with extra water, no harm with too much salt.
That's it. The big departure from the classic is using the bacon and rendering and adding the sage. I probably would have used a cup of heavy cream, but with the milk and the couple tablespoons i had on hand it was quite accetably yummy.
Grab your bowl and curl up next to the wood stove and put some music on and relax.
simple... well, i manage to make even the simplest soup complex, and timing is pretty key but you know what? All this little things I do with the food... it works. Maybe while the kid and I are hanging and talking about cooking and eating the cooking we need to write up the cookie recipe.
fod yn rhyfeddol
G
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