Two Wheels and Other Things

Anyone seen Brian around?  Anyone?

I left this morning knowing I wasn’t going to do the “Sketti, oh my god I can’t feel my legs anymore” ride.  He put out a plan that after yesterdays jaunt, would have done me in… especially if I rode from West Seattle!  The TEAM ride was headed Snohomish and Monroe with some 20 second sprint work switched in and out with tempo and intervals.  Jesus… Coach Lang Reynolds is putting the screws into Sketti!

I, however, decided to head to Ladro, say hi with whoever was there and than ride the northend of the lake and home.  Sile and a few of the TPR women showed up, then Dustin and Lyle.  We jetted out and headed north.  At logboom I turned south towards Juanita and thankfully Lyle joined me.  We haven’t had a chance to chat in depth since he joined the team so it was nice just to shoot the shit and get a bit deeper than just riding the bike.  We even got a chance to stop in Bellevue for a coffee and a pastry which I won’t lie, I needed.  Lyle headed home at Montlake and I  shot through fremont ant the waterfront back to West Seattle

It was a good tempo ride, averaged 200 watts and felt very comfortable.

Ride – 61 miles, route below

Bike – Windsor Rain 46-34 x 11-25

Breakfast – Bagel w/ turkey and cream cheese, hard boiled egg and water

Ride Food – 2 bottles of water, cookie and coffee

avg watts – 200

weight 169

Wow, what a big group!  Finally!

We meandered down south Lake Washington and hit the pit stop at Coulon Park where we broke into three intensity groups.  I hopped on to the first group just to see how long I would last and it wasn’t very long at all.  WTF was I thinking?  Halfway up McDonald hill I popped something fierce and knowing I still had to make it home in one piece I sat up and watched the group go. I snapped it into my 46-25 and just spun my way up to the top.  Jeff D had turned around to pick up the stragglers and we met up with half of group one on May Valley when we put it on cruise control.  I had just gotten to the front and locked in a good tempo when I heard “FLAT!”  Poor Jeff flatted his front, probably due to the insane amount of glass on Coal Creek… it was pretty bad.  I looked at my watch and did a little calculation in my head and I knew I needed to turn around now as Annabelle had a vet follow up for her leg.  So when I knew JD had the flat under control, I waved adios to them and reversed course.

I kept it on Coal Creek all the way back to Factoria and mostly held above 300 watts.  Felt like I had found a good zone and something I could keep for a good chunk of distance.  There’s a pretty good descent on Coal Creek that I lost my wattage but ended up passing a couple cars to keep up the spirit. I shot around Mercer Island and then did another half of it before cruising back into Leschi.

Good ride.  A lot of teammates out.  49 miles map below.

Bike -Windsor Rain 46-34 x 11-25

Breakfast – 2 hard boiled eggs, PB toast, cheese and water

Ride Food – 2 bottles of water

Average watts 230

weight – 169

Another team ride tomorrow is heading up to Monroe… I think I’ll start with the team but split off in Kenmore to ride around the lake.

Yeah, YOU! You little bastard. Meth-head motherf#cker. You the putz that broke into my friends house and stole his bike. Not just any bike, mind you. But my boys P3SL TT bike with quarq power meter.

Now I agree… TT’s are stupid. But he rocks ‘em like no one’s business. You better have eyes in the back of your head because you have a good hundred folks hunting your ass down. You better hope the cops find you first.

ANYWAY.

Dear readers, if you haven’t figured it out yet, my friend and teammate had his house broken into a few weeks ago and, among other things, they stole his TT rig. if you see it on ebay or craigslist please hit the “contact me” link at the top of this page and hit me up with the info. See below for the info-

My house in NE Seattle was burglarized last night and my TT bike was stolen. Please keep an eye out for someone trying to unload a 55cm black Cervelo P3SL model year 2005. The most distinguishing feature is brand new a quarq power meter on brand new rotor cranks. Luckily I had training wheels on it, velomax I think, and not zipps.

Thanks,

Jeff

206.335.3551

It’s been a long time, I know.

Ulrich Schnauss…

Look at the Sky

In All the Wrong Places

I miss my dad.  Going on 12 years now.  Sure could use some of his advice…  Maybe just a ride around the canal.

Woke up this morning to a torrential down pour.  Well… Not really,  it was just kind of raining and a little windy.  Some peanut butter toast and a few cups of coffee later I was shoving off to do a loop of Mercer Island.

There is nothing more uncomfortable than riding across the I-90 bridge in the rain.  With traffic flying past at 60+ mph, the spray stings your face and permeates the best wet weather clothing.  By the time I got to East Mercer I was soaked to the bone but luckily not frozen.  I have found a new way to keep the hands and feet warm and somewhat dry in this weather and it involves wool socks/ plastic baggies/ shoes and neoprene booties and glove liners, latex gloves and neoprene over gloves.  I did look like that little kid from a Christmas Story though when I left the house.

Worst part of the ride was getting stuck at the lower drawbridge coming home.  I started shivering as it closed and damned the port for opening it even though there was NO shipping traffic!  WTF?  I guess they were just screwing with me.

I took a right on beach and rode up California and followed it all the way home.

I was a bit stiff and sore from yesterday.  I took it super easy except up California (I was trying to warm up) and even though you would think otherwise, I had a great solo 40 miles in the rain.  Sometimes it just happens.

Ride – 40 miles, route below

Bike – Windsor rain – 46-34 x 11-25

Breakfast – PB toast, string cheese coffee and water

Ride food – two small bottles nuun/ Cliff, bag of shot blocks

weight 172

It was good day/ bad day for me.   Started out feeling great but by the time we got out to Snohomish I was skipping turns.  Always a bad sign when you are only halfway through the ride.

We had a d-bag of a driver run up on us and slam on his brakes that just absolutely scared the crap out of me so I backed off and sat behind the pack.  I was shaking pretty bad and all I could think of was what happened the LAST time I got drilled by a car (and now I’m riding without health insurance)  It took me a few minutes to get myself under control to join the pack but it was game over.  My mind was elsewhere.  when we hit the rise at the end of Lowell, I exploded and knew it was going to be a long ride home.  My riding partners though just picked up the pace and we were drilling River Road (who doesnt?)  I sat at the back and wheel hopped but jumped in 3 times until I knew I was just hurting the cause so I just sat on and road the pack in.

The return trip was hell.  the second we hit Broadway I was off the back.  Luckily Neil was there too so we just traded pulls into Maltby where I started to feel better.  We ran into Jeff where the trail connects and Neil went east and Jeff and I road the trail until he pulled off at 40th then Cross-eyed Brian bonked HARD at Fremont.  I stopped at a 7-11 and got a snickers bar and a coke, my face was numb and I had a hard time pedaling.  By the time I got home I was shaking, full on body shivers and devoured the first food I saw.  French bread dipped in PB, a glass of water and a glass of whole milk.  Shower, warm clothes and a HUGE plate of sketti and meatballs followed as well as a can of Keystone Light (hell yeah!)  then it was legs up on the couch for 2 hours.

All I can say is “Holy crap”

Ride Route below

Bike – Windsor Rain 46-34 x 11-25

Breakfast – water, PB&J, string cheese and coffee

Ride Food – Large bottle of nuun, small bottle of Clff, 2 bags of shot blocks, snickers and a coke

weight – 173

As much as I wanted to catch the ride Friday the 1st, my liver was still in quiver mode when I woke up and the weather was absolute crap.  So, today was my first day out on the wheels and boy did I feel it.

Considering I have been off for so long, I really wanted to concentrate on form and breathing.  being dropped was ok if it came down to it but thankfully those who met up at Leschi all had the same pace in mind.  A few wishes of a new year, a cup of coffee and off we went across the bridge heading east.  We stayed on Coal Creek instead of the normal Newport route and hit Cougar from the other side which is a route I prefer.   Cougar went better than I expected.  I concentrated on staying glued to Brad’s wheel who just had a perfect pace.  Loved getting to the top and have the tail wind push you to that right hand turn.  I bagged the extra portion as I didn’t want to overdo the first day.  The descent was fine and the road surface was better than I expected and at the bottom I let the rest of the group head off to Eastlake while Neil joined me for the ride back.  He split off after the bridge and I dropped it down to super easy for the cruise back to West Seattle.

Verdict is in, I felt good.  A lot better on the climbs then I thought I was going to.  Still, though, I have a LONG way to go both in fitness and weight.  This month I will concentrate on distance, tempo and form with 2 x 20 efforts once a week moving to Ladder intervals in February.

Route below-

Congrats to me!

I did something that I never thought I would have done.  I basically took an entire month off of training.  Yes, it’s true.  One ENTIRE month.

Sure, I went for a cruise once or twice and even sat on my trainer to spin my legs for 20 minutes while I watched Entourage.  We know this doesn’t do much of anything for you though.

It’s been a bit hard, though.  Checking out Ryan D or Martin C’s training blogs and they are balls to the wall now.  Martin’s spent more time running earlier but he’s been hitting the weekends pretty well now.  Don’t even think about looking at Alex’s site.  He never rests.  I just had other crap I had to take care of, really.  That and I was doing 2 a day workouts in November and I think it was killing me.  One extreme to the next, that’s how I roll.

So here comes January.  My training plan is ready to go with some “A” races marked up.  I’m putting a bit more focus on my performance in Crits and Cross for 2010 although I want to be rubbing elbows with the front group in Walla Walla.  My performance last year was crap and have thought about it all year.

Time to hit the road.

2010.  Welcome to it.

Merry Christmas to all of you…

Not so much training lately.  I’m giving the system time to digest the miles from weeks past.  The cold weather  (and now soggy) has settled in and it’s time to start thinking of Rosanna’s and my Snowshoe race coming up.  need to focus on running stairs and sprints as well as making sure all of our equipment is in top form.  I’m excited for it as Rosanna and I have never done competitive events together on a team.  I think we’ll knock it right off the mountain.

Spent a few hours volunteering at the National MS society today.  Put 125 binders together for Advocacy Day and didnt get a single paper cut.  It’s been a good day.

Off to spin on the trainer for an hour and watch some episodes of Entourage.

Stay Beautiful!

I jumped on the bike and rode over to Fremont to drop off a cup of coffee to the wife.  It basically turned into 30 miles of endurance with a 10 mile effort at full power on my Marine View Drive loop.  If I had any food in my stomach I would have lost it on the final incline.  I started to get a bit of tunnel vision which I am accounting for lack of food.

Ride – 45 miles 30/ endurance 10/ power 5/ recovery

Bike – Windsor Rain Bike 46-34 x 12-25

Breakfast – hard boiled egg and a bagel

Ride Food – 2 bottles of water, 2 cliff gells

Weight – 165

It’s a bitch to sustain power on the steep downhill on Marine view drive while at the same time a little dangerous to tuck and increase speed because a few of the hidden driveways.  I’m comfortable at 30-35 but will start to squeeze the brakes after that.  It’s run and gun for the next two miles from false flat to super steep so it’s a huge power shift from zero to 350 to 600/700.

I have a 10 mile loop here in West Seattle that give me a quick variety of terrain that I shoot around if I don’t have the time to head out towards the Lake or Cougar.  It’s close to home, coffee, a bike shop and food just in case I get into any trouble.  A big plus is most of the community is pretty bike friendly so I dont really have too many problems with the haters.

The challenge doing this ride on my fixie is going down Marine View Drive.  It’s pretty damn steep.  I’ve gone up it once fixed (my normal direction) but learned real quick that it was just too much

Ride – 35 miles 1650 feet of gain 3 loops

Bike – Schwinn Tempo Fixed gear 42 x 16

Breakfast – coffee and a hard boiled egg

Ride food – 2 small bottles of water and a bag of shot blocks

Weight – 165

Really felt the last loop going up California.  It’s a tough hill, pretty close to incline and length of Longbranch. I usually try to sprint this hill on my road bike but it’s a fight to stay upright on the 42 x 16

Would have loved to see a powerfile for this one.

I don’t have any words for this picture other than… “Wow”.

It was a heck of a lot colder when I left compared to when I met the team in Fremont.  I was peeling off sweaty layer after layer when I got there, stress testing the pockets on my jersey.  We ended up with a good size group, especially when we met up with a bunch waiting at Logboom.  Turns out a bunch of folks were riding out to Monroe to catch the Cyclocross race.  It should have been pretty good hardpack for the earlier races but due to the recent rain and then soaking mist the MAsters and 1/2 group I’m sure had to make some tread changes.

It was a good ride, great pace.  I split off and rode solo choosing not to ride all the way into Snohomish.  I was feeling a little bonky and didn’t want to hold the rest of the crew back.  On Broadway heading south I passed an older gentleman on a trike.  no lights, barely a flag and traveling SO slow.  I’m sure he was having fun but that road is WAY to dangerous to be that inconspicuous.

Ride – 90 miles / 2600′ climbing

Bike – Windsor Rain Bike 46-34 x 12-25 (I ran out of gears way too much) Ksyrium front and Neuvation PT rear

Breakfast – Cliffbar, Hardboiled egg and coffee

Ride Food – 1 bottle of water, 1 bottle of nuun, Cliff Shot, Cliff Bar

I forgot my computer so no Power Data/ HR info.  It was calm though.  Nothing too tough.

Map-

Exactly how it sounds.

I forgot to wash my cold weather riding gear after a ride the other day so all I had were my standard bib shorts.  This restricted me to a 1-1/2 hour ride inside my warm house, watching a movie.  ”War Games” to be exact.  Yes Joshua, I would like to play again.

Ride – 1-1/2 hours on the fluid trainer. One 15 minute z3 effort.

Bike – Windsor Rain Bike, 46-34x 11-25 Neuvation Wheels.

Breakfast – Coffee

Lunch – PB&J sandwich, water and a Cliff Bar.

Now it’s off to do yardwork.

We had a small storm here last night and the plan was for a few of us to meet at UW and do some tempo hills in the morning… well that was shot down.  It was an absolute mess when I woke up so I changed the plan a bit.

Tossed the rig on to the car and drove Ro to work so I started my ride in Fremont.  This of course is a fantastic place to start a ride because of the folks at Caffe Ladro and the fine coffee they serve.  After the tanks were full I tossed on the helmet and headed north.  I wanted to 3+ hours in and some hills and I was thankful the weather cleared up a bit for me.

Ride – 62 miles, north end with a small trip east 3200′ climbing

Bike –  Windsor Cross Neuvation Wheels 46-34 x 11-25

Breakfast – Coffee

Ride Food – 2 bottles of water 1 bottle of nuun, cliff bar and a bag of shot blocks

Weight – 165

Map-

I was concerned that Juanita hill would be pretty trashed after the storm but really it was in ok shape.  There was on SDOT truck and work crew halfway up cleaning up a downed tree but it was clear other then that.  Holmes Point Road on the other hand was ugly.  This is one of my favorite descents in the area and I was restricted to riding the brakes all the way down while I was dodging tree branches, a trunk, Alan Alda and a VW Beetle.  Crazy times.  The plan was to Hit Montreux for the last climb but I was running short on time so I kept it to Lakemont and then headed back to West Seattle

I need to get rid of my cross chainring combination.  I’ll need to get a new chain and a 50 tooth.

I might spin on the trainer tonight with Ro for about an hour.  Tomorrow is a rest day and Thursday I’ll try a 3 hour at 250.

Stay Beautiful!

I hate it.  That damn thing sits in the corner and taunts me.  It makes fun of my noticeable off season gut starting to form from the lack of racing and the lack of willpower (I like beer, what can I say). Stupid Fluid Trainer.

I am riding now.  Promise.

Ride – Indoor 1 hour

Bike – Windsor Cross Neuvation wheels 46-34 x 11-25

Lunch – Spaghetti with 2 meatballs a glass of water and a bottle of nuun

Ride food – none.

Exciting, eh? I had Pandora rocking me the entire time though so I wasn’t about to fall asleep mid work out.  I guess I could have thrown some interval work in but I just wanted to spin the legs out a bit as I plan a longer ride tomorrow with 2 or 3 20 minute efforts.

OUT!

The following is an unedited transcript of the complete G-20 Summit coverage of Roland Hedley, senior Twitter correspondent for Fox News, who appears regularly in “Doonesbury”:

At Dulles, on way to London for G-20 Summit. In taxi to airport, practiced my English accent on Irish cabdriver. Didn’t go well. 12:15 P.M. Mar 30th

En route U.K. Just re-upped membership in 1st class Mile High Club. O.K., I was by myself, but I was thinking of one of the flight attendants. 2:45 P.M. Mar 30th

Disregard that last tweet from a staffer. 2:47 P.M. Mar 30th

How bad is U.K. economy? My tailor is personally picking me up at Heathrow. Will post twitpix of swatches en route hotel for your input. 3:14 P.M. Mar 30th

Plane diverted to Reykjavik for layover. Icelandic women heart-stoppingly hot. Downside: They’re all living in their cars.10:39 P.M. Mar 30th

Idea for iPhone app: You launch it and YOUR GODDAM PLANE DOESN’T HAVE TO DROP 3,000 FEET TO AVOID MIDAIR COLLISION! I’d pay $2.99 for that. 7:31 A.M. Mar 31st

London bracing for demos. Bankers told to come to work in jeans, which means they’ll look like the anarchists. What’s wrong with that plan? 11:03 A.M. Mar 31st

Went to the Bank of England A.T.M. to test solvency, received ten sterling notes and head wound. Now @ Chelsea E.R., testing socialized medicine. 12:23 P.M. Apr 1st

At E.R., watching E.R. chat up POTUS on telly. Mrs. POTUS blocking camera lights, her shadow plunging tiny Queen into darkness. Human eclipse. 1:51 P.M. Apr 1st

No one here will accept payment for my sutures. I feel like I’m in a Cuban clinic, only without the humidity and livestock.2:18 P.M. Apr 1st

Theory: Maybe nobody ever WANTED to touch the Queen, starting with E.R.1, owing to cold-fish factor. To avoid embarrassment, protocol created. 9:13 A.M. Apr 2nd

Think I’ll stir the pot and report previous tweet as fact. We report, you decide. 9:14 A.M. Apr 2nd

Breaking: Historically, nobody ever wanted to touch Queen owing to unattractiveness. To avoid embarrassment, protocol was created. 9:17 A.M. Apr 2nd

O.K., so POTUS was BaRock Star Da Bomba at Summit presser. Yes, I know, I work for the other side, but he so was.5:34 P.M. Apr 2nd

Just for the record, in my storied career, I have touched 16 heads of state, all above the waist, and been detained only once. 6:03 P.M. Apr 2nd

Handling pool tweets on Air Force One to Strasbourg in A.M. Need to steal something cool from plane for kids. Suggestions? 10:23 P.M. Apr 2nd

B.O. appeared in press cabin. Your pool reporter was ready with tuff Q’s, but POTUS hit him with high beams and he went stupid. Next time. 7:20 A.M. Apr 3rd

Stole fire extinguisher from A.F.1. No W.H. logo, but I needed one for my boat. 8:20 A.M. Apr 3rd

FLOTUS/Carla face-off? Come on. One went to Harvard Law, other slept with Donald Trump. No contest. Trump huge, even here. 3:05 P.M. Apr 4th

POTUS date night in Prague. Snuck into restaurant dressed as fellow-diner but press tags slipped out of bustier. Off to woodshed. 8:30 P.M. Apr 5th

Ankara. Bought chunk of hash for my oldest. Press bus went ape-shit. What the heck is “Midnight Express”? 10:17 A.M. Apr 6th

Oh, THAT “Midnight Express.” 10:19 A.M. Apr 6th

O.K., ditched hash, planted it on Le Monde reporter. Thanks for caring, Tweeps, never got 80 direct messages before.11:23 A.M. Apr 6th

Proposal: World media mock N. Korea missile dud 24/7. Shamed Dear Leader shoots top scientists, crippling program for years. Flaws? 12:54 P.M. Apr 6th

Miss quality time with kids. Quantity time not so much, cuz I can be pretty busy on Saturdays, when I get them. 4:07 P.M. Apr 6th

I understand Blago doing Disney when he did. I went to Sea World when my Jag was repossessed. Times like those, always better to be in a happy place. 6:13 P.M. Apr 6th

BTW, both kids nuts about Disney World. My sked too crazy to take them, but I love reading the brochures to them @ bedtime. 10:19 P.M. Apr 6th

Landed Dulles. Good to be home. 7:32 A.M. Apr 7th

En route to Baghdad to cover POTUS departure from same. Thanks for 12,000-mile head fake, Gibbs. 8:40 A.M. Apr 7th

Descent into Baghdad is corkscrew death spiral through blinding sandstorm. Same vibe as second marriage. Tell ex thinking of her. 8:30 P.M. Apr 7th

@ Camp Victory w. FLOTUS. Michelle rocking body armor, but no fashion face-off w. Mrs. Maliki, who may not even exist. 9:40 P.M. Apr 7th

FLOTUS rips off Kevlar to show bare arms to 30 startled Iraqi schoolgirls bused in from Syrian refugee camp. 9:43 P.M. Apr 7th

Chaperone looks aroused. 9:44 P.M. Apr 7th

Baghdad. Awakened by huge blast in hotel lobby. Suicide bomber blows up complimentary breakfast buffet. Off to find bagel. 7:15 A.M. Apr 8th

En route home. Thanks for following, Tweeps. Great thing about Twitter: all the gratification of being big enough to attract stalkers, none of the danger. 10:05 A.M. Apr 8th♦

Read more over at the New Yorker - http://www.newyorker.com/talk/2009/04/20/090420ta_talk_trudeau?printable=true#ixzz0WzwHycRB

This is pretty good.

It’s times like these I learn to live again…

From the Optygen web site:

“The last month and a half of racing has been GREAT!! In between all the hard work, and with the help of OPTYGEN to get me though the workouts and racing, I had three of my best races at Elite Nationals. I set a PR in the pursuit and my best results in the points race. I was also on the winning team pursuit team.

As far as Worlds goes (William’s won three Gold Medals and set a World Record). It was my best competition as far as feeling like I could do anything I set my mind to. That is after I got the first race done and looked up at the timing board and it said WORLD BEST TIME!! I knew I was on a good ride but had no idea of what time it would be. I felt like I was recovering well after every race and could go 100% each time on got on the track. I set PR’s in every race for the whole week. So I guess that after having my best year of racing and I’m now 35 year old. I can say that OPTYGEN really WORKS!! No doubts.”

Kenny Williams-Seattle, WA.
3 Time Gold Medal Winner 2002 Master’s World Championships (Kilo, Pursuit and Points races)
1 KM World Record Holder (world best time of 1:06:699 the old record was 1:07:469)
Cat 1 Racer (Road & Track)

And now two years suspension (maybe) because the Optygen just wasn’t enough.  The fact that Hamilton was busted for DHEA didn’t make you think twice is just unbelievable, almost as unbelievable as a top USA cycling official coming out and throwing support.

Good Racer

Bad Choices

Kelly.

Lisa.

Screech.

AC.

Jessie.

You know what I’m talking about. If not you are either too old or too young to be reading this blog and you slept through the early 90’s.

Wait…  What you say?  I forgot someone?  Oh yeah, I did.

Zack.

Yup… Good ol’ Zack (or Mark-Paul Gosselaar) is a Category 2 racer down in SoCal and puts the whoopin down when he’s not working on the off Broadway play, “The Understudy”.

Now you tell me.  How funny would it be, halfway through a 70 minute crit, Mr Belding hops out and exclaimed “What IS going ON here?”

Check the NY Times article for the story-

The statue outside of the Machinists Union shows exactly what they are all about…

Yes… that’s a statue of workers and their families holding picket signs around a burn barrel.  Not a statue of skilled workers with their lunch pails walking to a factory…. a statue of a strike!!! WTF?  Such a slap in the face to the company writing paychecks.

Playing tonight at the Paramount after taking a 10 year break.

Heck Yes!

Oh the memories….

Have fun tonight Michel Bonney!!!!

Frank Vandenbroucke, dead at 34.

An exciting rider…  His LBL victory in 99 was incredible.  Like Pantani, his life was not without it’s controversy, pain and depression.  And like Pantani, I choose to celebrate his victories, not his demons.

1999 Frank Vandenbroucke / Liège-Bastogne-Liège

2004 Frank Vandenbroucke / Paris-Nice

That is a photograph of seven year old Kylie Bruehler. She is at a funeral service to bury her parents, both of whom were killed last week when a driver veered onto the shoulder and drove his pickup truck into them.

They were riding together on a tandem.

The local news reports that “investigators say there are no charges on the driver. They believe this was an accident and that somehow the driver lost control of his truck.”

Texas’s governor recently vetoed a law that would mandate a safe passing distance for cyclists, saying it was unnecessary.

A local news outlet has more from the police and the community outrage this incident has triggered.

On how it happened:

“”He looked off, he was looking at something else and realized the curve in the road came a lot faster than what he anticipated,” explained Deputy Chief Dale Bennett”

And the outrage:

“…the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office is also dealing with a lot of angry e-mails and phone calls.”

Add:

Thanks to my Sister-in-law:  If you would like to send your thoughts to the TX Gov- http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/

Hate em.  Always have.

Mom would put them in cookies, salads,  she probably would have put them in Mac & Cheese if I didn’t pitch such a fit about how much I hate walnuts.

I’ve always hated them… especially that disgusting Waldorf salad at Thanksgiving.

I can’t explain to you how much I hate walnuts.  Hate, hate, hate.

Then last night,  Rosanna put them in the stuffed red peppers we had for dinner.  At first I picked them out and tossed them on her plate in disgust.  I hate Walnuts.

Wait.  What’s this?  Hmmm.

Walnuts aren’t so bad.

Who knew?

Spent the morning repacking the bottom bracket on my ‘87 Schwinn Tempo Fixie and then ran a cloth over the frame to pick up the dust and cobwebs. There is something simplistic about it that begs me to toss on the helmet and shoes and just ENJOY the ride. So, after I finished my morning chores I did just that.

It was just a ride.

Spun down 35th Ave SW in my 42X16 which was quite a shock to my sore legs. Thankfully I had a tail wind along the waterfront and into Elliot Bay Park. I was given the rare opportunity to just think… and that’s what I love about lonely days like today. I get to think.

I got to think about the end of the 2009 Road Racing Season. The wins that my friend Aaron got to enjoy and our team effort that helped. I thought about how I left Cochran and took a huge risk by joining the ranks over at another electrical contractor just to be let go as the sour economy pushes it closer and closer to the brink of bankruptcy. I thought of my mom and how happy she is with her husband, a man that I am proud to say is a member of my family. I thought of my brother and his fiance (who finally got him to eat healthy!) I just hope she lets him get a dog soon. I thought of how old Annabelle looks now and how she needs help early in the morning just to get out of bed. I thought of how young Maggie looks but still isn’t half as smart as Annabelle when she was her age. I thought of how nice it’s been since we cancelled our cable TV. I thought of my first cross season and how hard it was, especially when I tried to fit my hamstring between my seat stay and wheel. I thought of my Uncle Rob and my cousins Matt and Ken who I havent seen since 1998. Mostly though, I thought about my wife and her passion for everything she does. Whether it’s work, a new business, art, her cycling team, running… but most of all- how much she does for other people even though they have no idea she does it. It amazes me.

I wish I could be more like that.

Dude… Brian… You still alive?

Yup.

Seriously?

Yes. Gimmie a second!

If I get old
I will not give in
But if I do
Remind me of this

Remind me that
Once I was free
Once I was cool
Once I was me

And if I sat down
And crossed my arms
Hold me into
This song

Knock me out
Smash out my brains
If I take a chair
Start to talk shit

If I get old
Remind me of this
That night we kissed
And I really meant it

Whatever happens
If we’re still speaking
Pick up the phone
Play me this song.

Billy’s f#$%ing stud.

I’ve done Smashing Pumpkins before as an Interlude but hey, it’s my website. I can do what I want. Between 1991-1997, the Pumpkins were by far my favorite band and although Billy went a little south on Machina he more than made up for it in Zwan and the Zeitgeist.

The Mellon Collie tour is still one of my all time favorite shows I have been to.

Mayonaise – Live

Adore – Live

Cherub Rock – Live

A goodbye to another fellow local cyclist and competitor.  Keep on riding, Jose`

http://www.supersquadra.com/News.aspx

Be careful out there.

My heart goes out to big Jens and his family.  That was a nasty fall today at 7okph

Heal quickly-

(update)

Good News from Grenoble-

In a statement issued late Tuesday evening, the team said the 37-year-old German is alert, but will remain hospitalized for observation.

 

“An examination at the University hospital in Grenoble this evening has initially given positive reports on Jens Voigt’s health after the nasty crash during today’s stage of Tour de France. He has incurred a fracture of the right cheekbone and a concussion. For now he is staying at the hospital for further observation.

Read the entire story over at Velonews.com

Last week Rosanna told me to keep Thursday the 16th open.  No racing, no training, no yard work (like I do that anyway) because she had a date planned out for us. 

“Where are we going?”

“Not tellin’ ”

Now, I must admit, I wasn’t worried at all.  She is quite the planner and I knew whatever it was she had planned for us, it would kick ass. 

I hopped in the passenger side of her car and we headed east on 520.  Side note: I don’t miss this commute at all.  I am SO glad we moved out of Kirkland.  Traffic was absolutely brutal.  I started tossing out thoughts of where were going…  Fishing?  Cow Tipping?  Shooting range?  Red Hook outdoor movie?  I was wrong on all counts.

COUNTING CROWS.  Hells yes!  Ro got us tickets to the Marymoor outdoor venue with Adam Duritz just killing it.

God I love this band.

After a dinner of beer, cheesesteak sandwiches, fries and more beer we settled down on the grass for the show.

From Adam Duritz’ blog-

I know you’re all used to showing up at 8:30 or 9PM for concerts that started at 7. It’s understandable. You’re there  to see YOUR band and you’re showing up when you think they’re  gonna play, right? Well, starting on Thursday July 16th at  Marymoor Amphitheatre in Redmond, Washington, that’s all going to change.

Ladies and Gentlemen, at 7:15PM, when the curtain goes up on *The Saturday Night Rebel Rockers Traveling Circus & Medicine  Show*, *Augustana* AND *Counting Crows* are all going to be  walking out onstage together and that show is going to start with EVERY SINGLE ONE OF US onstage singing and playing our brains out. We’ll do a few songs together and then it may be *Counting Crows* that plays the first set alone. I don’t know  exactly how the shows going to run every night. It’ll  definitely be different a few days later in Friant, CA when  *Michael Franti & Spearhead* join up. It’ll probably be  different every night. The only thing I know for sure is that  EVERY show on this tour is going to start with EVERYONE onstage together and we’re going to all be running on & off stage all night playing on each others songs and playing songs all together and basically just playing whenever we feel like playing. So you get my point, right?

GET HERE ON TIME!

Cuz when the curtain rises…THE CIRCUS BEGINS

Holy Heck that was awesome.  I should have the video or audio of the show soon if anyone wants a copy.  A great version of both Miami and Mrs. Potter’s Lullaby last night that I really want to listen to again.

Thanks for the great night, Ro.  Ice fishing next weekend? :-)

Notion

Use Somebody

Closer

Stranded in this spooky town
Stoplights are swaying and the phone lines are down
This floor is crackling cold
She took my heart, I think she took my soul
With the moon I run
Far from the carnage of the fiery sun

Driven by the strangled vein
Showing no mercy I do it again
Open up your eye
You keep on crying, baby
I’ll bleed you dry
The skies are blinking at me
I see a storm bubbling up from the sea

And it’s coming closer
And it’s coming closer

You, shimmy shook my bone
Leaving me stranded all in love on my own
What do you think of me
Where am I now? Baby where do I sleep
Feel so good but I’m old,
2000 years of chasing taking its toll

And it’s coming closer

This week has absolutely flown by.  

Saturday I raced the Joe Matava 4th of July crit and absolutely got worked.  Stupid move with 5 to go and got blown straight out the back  Pretty unhappy about it but hey, it happens.  Sunday Rosanna and I hopped on the tandem and rode onto the ferry heading to Southworth.  We basically rode along the water into Port Orchard and up Mitchel Road to see my mom and then back  Good 40 miles with a few good hills.  I SO need a new saddle on that bike. :-)

Tuesday, Tony B and I drove down early to Pacific Raceways and did a fantastic 20 mile warm up before the race.  We actually rode past a house he lived in as a kid.  It was a great route  and we got a chance to catch up.  Brad showed up too for the race and it was us thre against what felt like 35 yellow and black jerseys from the Wine’s crew.  I will admit, they rode smart but in reality, it’s easy to own the field when almost half of it is YOUR team :-)  Good race though.  I finished mid pack and really had a great time.

Took wednesday off to drink beer.  Yup.

Today, Jeff D, Ryan G, John N and I met up for the 6pm Seward Park crit.  HUGE group showed up so we planned to stick at the front to avoid any mishaps.  Unfortunately, Ryan (with those massive legs) tore his damn rear derailleur off on the last lap.  Sucks to be that strong.  I busted my cleat on the small hill sprinting to stay with the lead group on the prime/ 2 to go.  That has NOTHING to do with massive power… they were just really old :-)  It was annoying riding back though after the race… click, click, click…

I’m now onto my second beer for the night, about to eat a Burrito, watch the tour and head off to bed.

Goodnight everyone, stay beautiful.