Forget making hard & fast resolutions that you'll never stick with, instead I have 3 recommendations that you can do right now:
1. Release your regrets. These only hold you back, forget about them, nothing good will happen if you continually fret about your past. If it helps write each of them down on a piece of paper then give it a good rip, shred or burn.
2. Lead your dreams. You may not ever realize them if you're continually chasing them - be more proactive and do something about it.
3. Don't forget the sunblock!
Happy New Year everybody!
Monday, December 31, 2007
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Long & windy road
That's windy as in - the wind she is a blowing! Santa Ana wind conditions in the LA basin from the north for most of the early part of the day before shifting westerly in the mid-afternoon. Gusts were so strong that I actually observed a small bird (sparrow? finch?) flying backwards before giving up and landing - that's gotta be depressing.
Crisp & blustery day in LA as I went for a long day up the PCH to Pt Magu NAS & back - 100+ in 5:45.
Stupid driver of the day award goes to lady in white SUV who, when all the other drivers where giving way and pulling over to the right side of the road, swerved left and got in the way of an ambulance coming the opposite direction down Hwy 1 (Lincoln Blvd).
Lowest observed gas price goes to Malibu Gas & Market on PCH (next to Duke's) at 3.17/gallon.
Crisp & blustery day in LA as I went for a long day up the PCH to Pt Magu NAS & back - 100+ in 5:45.
Stupid driver of the day award goes to lady in white SUV who, when all the other drivers where giving way and pulling over to the right side of the road, swerved left and got in the way of an ambulance coming the opposite direction down Hwy 1 (Lincoln Blvd).
Lowest observed gas price goes to Malibu Gas & Market on PCH (next to Duke's) at 3.17/gallon.
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Double DC
Tuesday & today I had the pleasure of renewing my familiarity with the DC area. Having been based there in the mid to late 80's flying the Great Silver Fleet I've only been back sporadically, but haven't had a good ride there in over a decade.
First ride on Tuesday was an out & back on the W&OD (a perfectly paved multi use trail with separate adjoining horse trail on an old railroad right-of-way) from the hotel near DCA to mile marker 33 just outside Leesburg - resulting in an approx. 75 mile venture. Close in to the city there are lots of street crossings which slow the pace considerably with all the required starts/stops. But once outside the beltway this lessens and the countryside opens up to nice rolling terrain.
Today I utilized the Key Bridge to cross the Potomac River over to Georgetown (what are Hoyas anyway? yes that's right what!) with plans to proceed up the C&O canal to White's Ferry, MD. The info. I looked up said it was a "natural surface" which led me to believe it wasn't asphalt but still ridable. Turns out I find an asphalt trail - cool. Well this happens to be a parallel path (the Capital Crescent trail) that only went a few miles before turning uphill toward Silver Springs, MD. The C&O path is clay & crushed rock - a surface the horses could use when they pulled their barges up and down the canal back in the day. Initially this was a suitable surface - a tad rough but well maintained and void of any puncture producing objects. Probably better suited for the fat tire folks but the ride is still doable. So off to mile marker 35+/- to White's Ferry. Towpath has some icy spots in the shade and the brisk north wind is biting on my mid-morning start of the ride, but still a good morning to be out. After mile 20 or so the towpath is not so frequently traveled as is was previously - lots of leaves on the trail covering the roots, rocks, and ruts and mud holes. Trail is also wetter up here and much softer slowing the pace considerably while also avoiding fallen branches littering the trail. I'm happy to get to the ferry averaging a little over 15mph though the last hour I only covered 13 miles.
Store at cable ferry ($1) is closed for the season (Doh! I'm outta water) and I cross the Potomac back to the Virginia side of the river and I make my way over to Leesburg again. Refilling water bottles at the senior center of Loudoun County Parks & Rec building I return via the W&OD as I had on Tuesday. Nice to be on solid pavement and heading back to the hotel with a gentle tailwind - about an 85 mile outing.
Sorry Pat & Michael - I couldn't resist the temptation to ride; I'll call & schedule a visit next time I'm out your way.
First ride on Tuesday was an out & back on the W&OD (a perfectly paved multi use trail with separate adjoining horse trail on an old railroad right-of-way) from the hotel near DCA to mile marker 33 just outside Leesburg - resulting in an approx. 75 mile venture. Close in to the city there are lots of street crossings which slow the pace considerably with all the required starts/stops. But once outside the beltway this lessens and the countryside opens up to nice rolling terrain.
Today I utilized the Key Bridge to cross the Potomac River over to Georgetown (what are Hoyas anyway? yes that's right what!) with plans to proceed up the C&O canal to White's Ferry, MD. The info. I looked up said it was a "natural surface" which led me to believe it wasn't asphalt but still ridable. Turns out I find an asphalt trail - cool. Well this happens to be a parallel path (the Capital Crescent trail) that only went a few miles before turning uphill toward Silver Springs, MD. The C&O path is clay & crushed rock - a surface the horses could use when they pulled their barges up and down the canal back in the day. Initially this was a suitable surface - a tad rough but well maintained and void of any puncture producing objects. Probably better suited for the fat tire folks but the ride is still doable. So off to mile marker 35+/- to White's Ferry. Towpath has some icy spots in the shade and the brisk north wind is biting on my mid-morning start of the ride, but still a good morning to be out. After mile 20 or so the towpath is not so frequently traveled as is was previously - lots of leaves on the trail covering the roots, rocks, and ruts and mud holes. Trail is also wetter up here and much softer slowing the pace considerably while also avoiding fallen branches littering the trail. I'm happy to get to the ferry averaging a little over 15mph though the last hour I only covered 13 miles.
Store at cable ferry ($1) is closed for the season (Doh! I'm outta water) and I cross the Potomac back to the Virginia side of the river and I make my way over to Leesburg again. Refilling water bottles at the senior center of Loudoun County Parks & Rec building I return via the W&OD as I had on Tuesday. Nice to be on solid pavement and heading back to the hotel with a gentle tailwind - about an 85 mile outing.
Sorry Pat & Michael - I couldn't resist the temptation to ride; I'll call & schedule a visit next time I'm out your way.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Fly 'till you die!
Not the nicest thought is it? Reality though is that it's not to far from the truth.
Called the "Fair Treatment of Experienced Pilots Act" (HR 4343) is anything but fair. This bill was fast tracked through Congress (by unanimous consent) and on the Presidents desk to sign last Thursday before you could say pass me the peanuts. This bill effectively (and immediately) allows airline pilots the ability to now fly up until their 65 birthday, superseding the 47 year reign since the FAA's Age 60 rule was imposed.
To be fair, the FAA was studying a change to their rule indicating they were leaning toward something similar to the ICAO standard. But the FAA moves slowly, pondering language, the impact of their rules toward safety and how it'll affect the industry as a whole. In this case, what medical or flight standards might be appropriate for a pilot to fly past age 60? At what cost (or savings) to the airlines? What do the major unions have to say about the matter? The FAA then sends out a draft for all to see and comment on. Probably an environmental impact report is ordered as well. The point is the FAA doesn't rush into something willy-nilly (at which point I must say that this is the first time I've ever used the phase willy-nilly in a sentence). The imposition by Congress and the President throws all that out the door.
Immediately after the Age 60 rule became effective pilots protested. Unions protested. Wives protested (what am I going to do with him sitting around the house all the time now?) Pilots, certain airlines, and unions applied for waivers - both individually and collectively; all were denied - the FAA smartly refused to open up that Pandora's Box.
It is certainly true that setting the mandatory retirement age at 60 was completely arbitrary. Life expectancy then wasn't what it is today, it seemed like a good guess and it's worked all these years just fine. Healthy living habits were a bottle of scotch and a pack of cancer sticks while eating your liver & onions smothered in some fatty sauce. Pilots then may have had a legitimate beef (or liver) in their complaint regarding career expectations. But the rule filtered in over the decades and everybody flying today knew the day they started their career what the rule was.
Then came 9/11 and the aftereffects of poorly managed airlines where USAir, United, Delta and Northwest all tweaked the bankruptcy process to abrogate their pilot contracts and abscond or freeze their pilots pension plans. Many pilots were also furloughed, or reduced in position from Captain to First Officer. Pay was slashed as well, further deepening the financial hurt. Pilots were scrambling - among other things to work longer to make up for the shortfall. Big mortgages, too many ex-wives owed too much alimony, kids college costs, etc. - the age 60 fight was renewed.
Age 65 is another completely arbitrary age. Pilots in 5 years who're forced to retire will again bitch and moan about the unfairness of it all. Truth is most of these guys (and gals) are at the top of their seniority, flying the best schedules (least number of days to the best layovers), have the longest vacation periods, and also utilize the most sick leave.
With these guys choosing to stick around it'll mean lousier monthly schedules, worse vacation periods, and delayed career progressions (FO's looking to upgrade to Captain) - which all translates into less $$ for the rest of us. It'll also deter the new hire process, which means that not only are new guys not getting hired but pilots at the bottom of the seniority list stay there longer.
The new law requires that special emphasis in training "to ensure continued acceptable levels of pilot skill and judgement" as well as performance evaluations every 6 months. Also a GAO report is due within 2 years on the effect on safety (if any) with this modification to age standards.
I shout BS! Remove any and all artificial age barriers altogether and insert more stringent medical requirements and training checks at more frequent intervals for everybody. Wouldn't the passengers just love seeing the pilot being driven through the terminal to the gate on one of the electric carts, and hobble onboard - a lot of confidence there!
We have a lot of pilots (a lot of pilots!) who now who must medically retire prior to age 60, let alone age 65. Though if we started weeding them out sooner, the economic detriment to the airlines would be astronomical. There's a shortage of qualified pilots now available in the pipeline - if the retirements are delayed then maybe the reservoir will start to replenish. Ah I'm starting to see reasoning behind all this madness.
Most pilots look forward to leaving at age 60 and not working a day more. But the few who have cried about being kicked out too early seemed to have won the war; though those whiners already retired can be rehired but not at their original seniority - they start on the bottom, let's see how many want to come back with that stipulation?
I work to live, not the other way around. But now that it's the law I'll have to live with it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. If I could afford it I'd retire tomorrow, unfortunately it'll be a few more years, but I'd definitely like to go before 60 if I can.
I wonder though - the FAA requires that all ATC Controllers retire at age 56. I understand that they have a stressful job - but not any more so than mine. When the s__t hits the fan they're sitting in a nice air conditioned room in a comfortable chair sipping their favorite drink; quite different than my working conditions. They're also compensated accordingly with government health care & benefits with a guaranteed pension to boot. I doubt there's any movement to increase their retirement age, I wonder why?
Called the "Fair Treatment of Experienced Pilots Act" (HR 4343) is anything but fair. This bill was fast tracked through Congress (by unanimous consent) and on the Presidents desk to sign last Thursday before you could say pass me the peanuts. This bill effectively (and immediately) allows airline pilots the ability to now fly up until their 65 birthday, superseding the 47 year reign since the FAA's Age 60 rule was imposed.
To be fair, the FAA was studying a change to their rule indicating they were leaning toward something similar to the ICAO standard. But the FAA moves slowly, pondering language, the impact of their rules toward safety and how it'll affect the industry as a whole. In this case, what medical or flight standards might be appropriate for a pilot to fly past age 60? At what cost (or savings) to the airlines? What do the major unions have to say about the matter? The FAA then sends out a draft for all to see and comment on. Probably an environmental impact report is ordered as well. The point is the FAA doesn't rush into something willy-nilly (at which point I must say that this is the first time I've ever used the phase willy-nilly in a sentence). The imposition by Congress and the President throws all that out the door.
Immediately after the Age 60 rule became effective pilots protested. Unions protested. Wives protested (what am I going to do with him sitting around the house all the time now?) Pilots, certain airlines, and unions applied for waivers - both individually and collectively; all were denied - the FAA smartly refused to open up that Pandora's Box.
It is certainly true that setting the mandatory retirement age at 60 was completely arbitrary. Life expectancy then wasn't what it is today, it seemed like a good guess and it's worked all these years just fine. Healthy living habits were a bottle of scotch and a pack of cancer sticks while eating your liver & onions smothered in some fatty sauce. Pilots then may have had a legitimate beef (or liver) in their complaint regarding career expectations. But the rule filtered in over the decades and everybody flying today knew the day they started their career what the rule was.
Then came 9/11 and the aftereffects of poorly managed airlines where USAir, United, Delta and Northwest all tweaked the bankruptcy process to abrogate their pilot contracts and abscond or freeze their pilots pension plans. Many pilots were also furloughed, or reduced in position from Captain to First Officer. Pay was slashed as well, further deepening the financial hurt. Pilots were scrambling - among other things to work longer to make up for the shortfall. Big mortgages, too many ex-wives owed too much alimony, kids college costs, etc. - the age 60 fight was renewed.
Age 65 is another completely arbitrary age. Pilots in 5 years who're forced to retire will again bitch and moan about the unfairness of it all. Truth is most of these guys (and gals) are at the top of their seniority, flying the best schedules (least number of days to the best layovers), have the longest vacation periods, and also utilize the most sick leave.
With these guys choosing to stick around it'll mean lousier monthly schedules, worse vacation periods, and delayed career progressions (FO's looking to upgrade to Captain) - which all translates into less $$ for the rest of us. It'll also deter the new hire process, which means that not only are new guys not getting hired but pilots at the bottom of the seniority list stay there longer.
The new law requires that special emphasis in training "to ensure continued acceptable levels of pilot skill and judgement" as well as performance evaluations every 6 months. Also a GAO report is due within 2 years on the effect on safety (if any) with this modification to age standards.
I shout BS! Remove any and all artificial age barriers altogether and insert more stringent medical requirements and training checks at more frequent intervals for everybody. Wouldn't the passengers just love seeing the pilot being driven through the terminal to the gate on one of the electric carts, and hobble onboard - a lot of confidence there!
We have a lot of pilots (a lot of pilots!) who now who must medically retire prior to age 60, let alone age 65. Though if we started weeding them out sooner, the economic detriment to the airlines would be astronomical. There's a shortage of qualified pilots now available in the pipeline - if the retirements are delayed then maybe the reservoir will start to replenish. Ah I'm starting to see reasoning behind all this madness.
Most pilots look forward to leaving at age 60 and not working a day more. But the few who have cried about being kicked out too early seemed to have won the war; though those whiners already retired can be rehired but not at their original seniority - they start on the bottom, let's see how many want to come back with that stipulation?
I work to live, not the other way around. But now that it's the law I'll have to live with it, but that doesn't mean I have to like it. If I could afford it I'd retire tomorrow, unfortunately it'll be a few more years, but I'd definitely like to go before 60 if I can.
I wonder though - the FAA requires that all ATC Controllers retire at age 56. I understand that they have a stressful job - but not any more so than mine. When the s__t hits the fan they're sitting in a nice air conditioned room in a comfortable chair sipping their favorite drink; quite different than my working conditions. They're also compensated accordingly with government health care & benefits with a guaranteed pension to boot. I doubt there's any movement to increase their retirement age, I wonder why?
Thursday, December 13, 2007
SFO tour
Silky smooth, wonderful shoulders, curvy in all the right spots - OK well I'm not just describing my wife, though that's a good start - but also the the ride in the SFO area yesterday, which I uploaded in the Ride Link off to the right side of the main blog page.
New feature (courtesy of mapmyride.com) will have links to routes I ride in the different cities I stay on trips - so you can follow along at home - or enjoy if/when you're out on business and/or pleasure in same city. Routes will be added & updated as time allows.
New feature (courtesy of mapmyride.com) will have links to routes I ride in the different cities I stay on trips - so you can follow along at home - or enjoy if/when you're out on business and/or pleasure in same city. Routes will be added & updated as time allows.
Monday, December 10, 2007
Check your Six!
Most of us who ride regularly deal with the hassle of the road without undue concern. Dealing with other vehicles who are bigger/heavier/faster carries a certain uncontained risk; but a risk I believe worth taking. Verses just sitting on the couch watch Fathead.com commercials. I think each of us probably have personally had an encounter or know of someone who has had contact with a vehicle with serious injury. I T-boned a station wagon in an act of extreme stupidity as a teenager and if I'd been a second or two earlier I wouldn't be writing this right now.
So I post this in response to inquires regarding the apparent unsafe conditions in which we frequently ride; generated at recent holiday parties asked by those (mostly inebriated) who're probably guilty of creating some of these apparent unsafe conditions.
I personally do not like to ride on bike paths per se, though I agree that they serve a purpose & use them on occasion - but I find they're usually too congested with other users which impede my progress. I would rather ride on a wide shoulder or bike lane with traffic, because they usually are better served in getting me where I'd rather go. Most cities I travel to are certainly getting better in catering to cyclists, but most also have a long way to go to get it right & also educating their drivers.
When I leave the house/hotel I do not dwell on the possibility that some car/truck/tractor trailer has my number on their hood - but I do practice caution & vigilance and are continually aware of my surroundings. Despite this I would say on average I have at least 1 encounter per ride that has potentially serious consequences that requires some evasive action on my part.
Yet I would rate the typical motorist is doing his/her fair share in practicing good driving etiquette. It is the minority of drivers that are a continual hazard to us - usually distracted (yelling at the kids, yakking on the cell, spilling their 4-bucks or fat fries, punching the GPS, putting on makeup, lighting up a cancer stick, falling asleep, etc.) or are otherwise oblivious or clueless. Some seem to be looking right at us, but don't see what they're not expecting - and give us a left or right hook; and some are just damn mean (didn't learn what the word "share" as in "share the road" means), inexperienced or too damn old.
I usually tell folks who ask about being intimidated on their bikes by other traffic a story about a guy named Jim on my 2000 year-long bike trip. In late July or early August we were in Sweden traveling to some small town (ya sure you betcha). Jim decided to get to the end of the day campground on the wide shoulder of the main highway rather than the circuitous side roads the route guide for the day called for (his prerogative). To cut to the chase Jim became entangled with the rear axle of a trailer which turned in front of him. The truck driver called their emergency response and Jim was airlifted to the nearest Hospital within 30 minutes - where they amputated one of his legs just below the knee that afternoon. One of our fellow riders who rode with a prosthetic carbon-fiber leg stayed behind until Jim's family could come out from the States & also to console/counsel him with some guidance as to how life will be as an amputee. Jim confided that 2 weeks earlier he had a premonition that he was going to get killed sometime on the trip and if all the worse that was going to happen was an amputated leg, he was OK with that.
Now I'll agree that that's some good rational for a terrible accident on Jim's part - but can you imagine getting up every morning for 2 weeks thinking that this day may be your last? I can't!
And so we do the best with what we've got - donning on our brightly colored kit & 9-ounce styrofoam helmet, maybe a flashing light or 2. If some idiot has my number out there today (well I survived today) or tomorrow (well I'm not actually riding tomorrow 'cause I'm flying all day - but the proverbial and perpetual tomorrow) I don't want to know it and more importantly I don't want to be intimidated by it - but I'll do my best to keep an eye & ear out for them.
Ride safely & smartly (offensively if you must) - even when others don't!
Only 14 more shopping days until Christmas.
So I post this in response to inquires regarding the apparent unsafe conditions in which we frequently ride; generated at recent holiday parties asked by those (mostly inebriated) who're probably guilty of creating some of these apparent unsafe conditions.
I personally do not like to ride on bike paths per se, though I agree that they serve a purpose & use them on occasion - but I find they're usually too congested with other users which impede my progress. I would rather ride on a wide shoulder or bike lane with traffic, because they usually are better served in getting me where I'd rather go. Most cities I travel to are certainly getting better in catering to cyclists, but most also have a long way to go to get it right & also educating their drivers.
When I leave the house/hotel I do not dwell on the possibility that some car/truck/tractor trailer has my number on their hood - but I do practice caution & vigilance and are continually aware of my surroundings. Despite this I would say on average I have at least 1 encounter per ride that has potentially serious consequences that requires some evasive action on my part.
Yet I would rate the typical motorist is doing his/her fair share in practicing good driving etiquette. It is the minority of drivers that are a continual hazard to us - usually distracted (yelling at the kids, yakking on the cell, spilling their 4-bucks or fat fries, punching the GPS, putting on makeup, lighting up a cancer stick, falling asleep, etc.) or are otherwise oblivious or clueless. Some seem to be looking right at us, but don't see what they're not expecting - and give us a left or right hook; and some are just damn mean (didn't learn what the word "share" as in "share the road" means), inexperienced or too damn old.
I usually tell folks who ask about being intimidated on their bikes by other traffic a story about a guy named Jim on my 2000 year-long bike trip. In late July or early August we were in Sweden traveling to some small town (ya sure you betcha). Jim decided to get to the end of the day campground on the wide shoulder of the main highway rather than the circuitous side roads the route guide for the day called for (his prerogative). To cut to the chase Jim became entangled with the rear axle of a trailer which turned in front of him. The truck driver called their emergency response and Jim was airlifted to the nearest Hospital within 30 minutes - where they amputated one of his legs just below the knee that afternoon. One of our fellow riders who rode with a prosthetic carbon-fiber leg stayed behind until Jim's family could come out from the States & also to console/counsel him with some guidance as to how life will be as an amputee. Jim confided that 2 weeks earlier he had a premonition that he was going to get killed sometime on the trip and if all the worse that was going to happen was an amputated leg, he was OK with that.
Now I'll agree that that's some good rational for a terrible accident on Jim's part - but can you imagine getting up every morning for 2 weeks thinking that this day may be your last? I can't!
And so we do the best with what we've got - donning on our brightly colored kit & 9-ounce styrofoam helmet, maybe a flashing light or 2. If some idiot has my number out there today (well I survived today) or tomorrow (well I'm not actually riding tomorrow 'cause I'm flying all day - but the proverbial and perpetual tomorrow) I don't want to know it and more importantly I don't want to be intimidated by it - but I'll do my best to keep an eye & ear out for them.
Ride safely & smartly (offensively if you must) - even when others don't!
Only 14 more shopping days until Christmas.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Three of the five grins
2-kid pic is of Little Missy Moo & her brother Buster who'll both be 7 months old this Friday - and 3-kid pic adds 25-month-old eldest daughter Bug cheesing it up. This is a rare opportunity of them lounging (probably photo shopped) where none of the three is creating a fuss, mess, or otherwise causing havoc. Ahhhhh serenity now!
21 shopping days until Christmas!
Saturday, December 1, 2007
This, that & the other
Not too be confused as part of the "axis of evil", Robert Craig "Evel" Knievel, Jr. passed away the other day. Long after the world has forgotten the leaders of Iran, Iraq and North Korea, Evel will be remembered as a true world-wide inspiration.
Though not an athlete in the true sense of the word - he broke more bones in his body over his lifetime than all of the NBA, NHL and NFL combined. A consummate showman and self-promoter; he virtually invented the "sport" of motorcycle daredevil (which according to Lance Murdock of the Simpson's "the United States has the best doctor to daredevil ratio in the world."), to which he spawned an industry of imitators (including son Robbie). He took to his grave whether or not he intentionally deployed the parachute soon after takeoff of his purportedly underpowered rocket cycle in his Labor Day attempt to jump the Snake River in 1974. Though his last jump was more than 26 years ago (1981) he still made news whenever or wherever he appeared. And while his tough living caught up with him in his later years (bankruptcy, divorce, legal woes, family estrangement, and medical problems) he is an icon that will live on forever.
While on the team ride today in Miami north on the A1A to my eventual turn around just north of Boca Raton a Hollywood, FL cop converged on me as he was merging onto my roadway from an intercoastal bridge overpass - he ultimately slowed as we were side-by-side and let me proceed (though I had my doubts), and then caught up to me at the next intersection where the light was red. In his brief conversation through the passenger (partner?) window he apologized for closing on me so rapidly so as to cause me alarm and wanted to know that even as a police officer they make the occasional mistake. I thanked him for his forthrightness and was so caught off guard that I just shrugged the awe-sucks look at him and we went on our way when the light turned. A feel good moment - good on him for reassuring me in this manner; he probably learned something in the bike/car confrontation & conflict arena that may help later in his career (something Velonews reported on recently).
The Idiot Passenger of the Day award goes to the guy in the boarding jetway who turned to me and asked the "How many drinks have you had tonight?" question. A less tolerant Captain might have reacted differently, but I just said to the guy - "You really don't want to ask that question? If you're joking I'll just let it go - this time. If you're serious, then that's a whole different matter." Well he backed off and said he was just kidding around, and tried to laugh it off with his buddies (who didn't seem amused by his behavior). Folks - while there have been certain high-profile circumstances where pilots have attempted to fly after having consumed an alcoholic beverage too close to flight time (there are both FAA and Company limitations on this issue) - this question is akin to shouting fire in a crowded theater or talking about bombs or guns when passing through airport security; it has serious ramifications. Please engage brain before moving mouth.
The lowest observed gas price was in North Fort Lauderdale beach area at the Hess station on A1A - $3.11/gallon.
Friday, November 30, 2007
Frozen in
In Spokane all day were I wimped out and left the Pocket Rocket at SEATAC. Just returning from working out (er um in) at the Downtown YMCA the temp. on the local bank across from the Pita Pit was indicating 21F with a wind chill at 16F. I basically had the fitness room, weight room, and gymnasium all to myself (which was good since I didn't embarrass myself in front of anybody with my anemic 46% free throw average).
Where was everybody you might ask? Out-frigging-side running & cycling along the Centennial Trail like it was a summer day. Walking to lunch at the Ultimate Bagel next to GU, I kid you not, I saw a John Belushi look-alike walking around in his shorts, a short sleeved T, and flip-flops. Now were he the norm instead of the exception I'd feel like I was on another planet - but I still admire these folks around here, they are tough!
Emde is probably doing a double century tomorrow, and will be done before noon.
Fortunately I'm off to Miami tonight where the overnight low will be 68F and all the snowbirds will be complaining about the cold weather there - team ride starts at 1PM.
Where was everybody you might ask? Out-frigging-side running & cycling along the Centennial Trail like it was a summer day. Walking to lunch at the Ultimate Bagel next to GU, I kid you not, I saw a John Belushi look-alike walking around in his shorts, a short sleeved T, and flip-flops. Now were he the norm instead of the exception I'd feel like I was on another planet - but I still admire these folks around here, they are tough!
Emde is probably doing a double century tomorrow, and will be done before noon.
Fortunately I'm off to Miami tonight where the overnight low will be 68F and all the snowbirds will be complaining about the cold weather there - team ride starts at 1PM.
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
3 Hundred Days
... is all the time I have left to get my ass prepared for my epic bike adventure next year Summit the Sun - Climb for Kids - yikes! (better get off the computer and out the...
Monday, November 26, 2007
Toughest training ride ever
We are all looking for the secret formula for turning our precious time into what ultimately will get us to the finish line the fastest on any particular day. If you're like me you have invested a lot in time, energy and materials to do just that.
I have steel frames, aluminum frames, and carbon framed bikes (if I could find a use for a bamboo frame I'd have that too). I have carbon and titanium parts & components and probably looking at adding something ceramic to that list. My wheels range from regular Mavic Open Pro & Ksyriums, to Nimble Crosswinds, to HED Deep Dish and Disk, to Lew Sydney's depending on the race and conditions. I've got a couple of road bikes, a mountain bike, some TT/Triathlon bikes, a single speed, an old touring bike, and a folding travel bike. And more crap that goes with everything listed above; all of it designed to get me trained & racing as best I can go. And although I might look good and feel good about all the acquired stuff, none of it has a worth if my fitness isn't up to snuff to utilize it properly.
A few years back I observed a rider in San Diego who was creeping along the Coast Highway heading south as I was going north. About 45 minutes later I turned around and about an hour after that (or so) I caught up to and passed the guy I'd seen previously. Noticing that he was a pretty fit looking guy on a really nice Italian frame (a Colnogo, Masi, Panini, Gnocchi, whatever) with immaculate old Campy - I had to know what the hell this guy was up to. So I slowed and let him finally catch up with me and I introduced myself. I explained that it seemed as if he was going painfully slow for what the norm should be given the continual parade of cyclists that ride/train on that particular roadway, what's up?
He explained patiently in heavily Italian accented English that "you Americans train too hard on your EZ days & go too EZ on your hard days. Today is my long EZ day, and I'm taking it EZ." He explained that he was a retired Continental Pro - not a name that I'd know (or remember) - and was following the training program almost everyone in Europe knows about, but not well known or followed in North America.
This program is currently similarly parroted by Dr. Allen Lim, who, among others, advised (still advises?) Floyd Landis during his buildup for Grand Tour racing and how to work with power.
The basic tenant being that the majority of your training should be pretty easy - maybe 80%, with approx 15% as moderately hard (steady state intervals and such, still aerobic), with the remaining 5% at balls to the wall anaerobic effort. Forget about all the complicated zone crap (Z1, Z2, Zone Diet, Red Zone - hey I never even knew that I was within the opponents 20 yard line most of the time!); zone out! Simplify and focus on effort (power), and how it relates with your body's reaction to that effort (heart rate, which lags power) and finally what your PE (perceived exertion) to that effort is.
With the main focus of the majority of your training being at an EZ effort you should really dedicate yourself to that EZ effort. This probably means riding solo or in a small group of similarly trained riders with the same objective. Forget the group rides that turn into mini races with city line sprints, hilltop surges, and other group ego antics.
Resist the urge to stomp up the small rollers or hills or re-pass the paceline of club riders that just went by. You should be riding so consistently slow that the Mom w/trailer full of kids passes you by. That the girl with the tassels on the end of her handlebars & her brother with the cards in his spokes passes you by. That the grandma with the dog in her flower basket passes you. That the surfer dude on the beach cruiser w/flip flops passes quickly. That the deadlocked guy with the multicolored knit skullcap and funny smelling stogie leaves you in his wake. That the old guy on the stationary trainer in the window in the fitness club drops your ass like you're standing still. And the big black guy riding the fat tire bike wearing the Chargers jersey with the number 21 leaves you in his dust (who knew how the latest member of the 10,000 yard club warmed up prior to home games?).
As the fitness improves and the body adapts and your pedal stroke smooths out and you become more efficient - the resultant speed at EZ level will slowly pick up (but will never be fast), but trust me - initially it will feel embarrassingly slow (probably so much so that you'll be tempted to wear a generic jersey rather than your team kit). Embrace the EZ rides as the new you, it's a tough transition, but you'll be a much better rider for it.
I share this info. because I know that 99% of you guys won't/can't do it. You'll ignore RIP and Dr. Lim's advice because you've gotta keep up with your teamies on the weekend rides. That you'll feel inferior if you don't keep up with the gang or ashamed to get passed by the homeless guy on the heavy steel trash bike hauling plastic bottles & aluminum cans. Or even if you plan on going slow - the reality is you don't have the discipline to follow and stick to it. You may start off slow, but by mid-ride you'll be back at your normal junk pace. You'll end up training too hard, getting in junk miles, and too much middle to high end and wonder where you're fitness base has gone to, and why you're sick or injured, stuck in a rut, suddenly burnt out and tired of even looking at your bike - keep it up.
I would like to mention a special thanks to Bike Wear World for handing up bottles of sport drink at the top of Torry Pines hill on Sunday, very much appreciated.
With minimal stations on my training routes this weekend the lowest observed gas price in San Diego area Sunday was at the Mobile station in Lucadia on the Coast Hwy @ $3.30/gallon (verses $3.59 in La Jolla). Phoenix area today - another Mobile station in Scottsdale on Indian School Rd - $2.99/gallon.
I have steel frames, aluminum frames, and carbon framed bikes (if I could find a use for a bamboo frame I'd have that too). I have carbon and titanium parts & components and probably looking at adding something ceramic to that list. My wheels range from regular Mavic Open Pro & Ksyriums, to Nimble Crosswinds, to HED Deep Dish and Disk, to Lew Sydney's depending on the race and conditions. I've got a couple of road bikes, a mountain bike, some TT/Triathlon bikes, a single speed, an old touring bike, and a folding travel bike. And more crap that goes with everything listed above; all of it designed to get me trained & racing as best I can go. And although I might look good and feel good about all the acquired stuff, none of it has a worth if my fitness isn't up to snuff to utilize it properly.
A few years back I observed a rider in San Diego who was creeping along the Coast Highway heading south as I was going north. About 45 minutes later I turned around and about an hour after that (or so) I caught up to and passed the guy I'd seen previously. Noticing that he was a pretty fit looking guy on a really nice Italian frame (a Colnogo, Masi, Panini, Gnocchi, whatever) with immaculate old Campy - I had to know what the hell this guy was up to. So I slowed and let him finally catch up with me and I introduced myself. I explained that it seemed as if he was going painfully slow for what the norm should be given the continual parade of cyclists that ride/train on that particular roadway, what's up?
He explained patiently in heavily Italian accented English that "you Americans train too hard on your EZ days & go too EZ on your hard days. Today is my long EZ day, and I'm taking it EZ." He explained that he was a retired Continental Pro - not a name that I'd know (or remember) - and was following the training program almost everyone in Europe knows about, but not well known or followed in North America.
This program is currently similarly parroted by Dr. Allen Lim, who, among others, advised (still advises?) Floyd Landis during his buildup for Grand Tour racing and how to work with power.
The basic tenant being that the majority of your training should be pretty easy - maybe 80%, with approx 15% as moderately hard (steady state intervals and such, still aerobic), with the remaining 5% at balls to the wall anaerobic effort. Forget about all the complicated zone crap (Z1, Z2, Zone Diet, Red Zone - hey I never even knew that I was within the opponents 20 yard line most of the time!); zone out! Simplify and focus on effort (power), and how it relates with your body's reaction to that effort (heart rate, which lags power) and finally what your PE (perceived exertion) to that effort is.
With the main focus of the majority of your training being at an EZ effort you should really dedicate yourself to that EZ effort. This probably means riding solo or in a small group of similarly trained riders with the same objective. Forget the group rides that turn into mini races with city line sprints, hilltop surges, and other group ego antics.
Resist the urge to stomp up the small rollers or hills or re-pass the paceline of club riders that just went by. You should be riding so consistently slow that the Mom w/trailer full of kids passes you by. That the girl with the tassels on the end of her handlebars & her brother with the cards in his spokes passes you by. That the grandma with the dog in her flower basket passes you. That the surfer dude on the beach cruiser w/flip flops passes quickly. That the deadlocked guy with the multicolored knit skullcap and funny smelling stogie leaves you in his wake. That the old guy on the stationary trainer in the window in the fitness club drops your ass like you're standing still. And the big black guy riding the fat tire bike wearing the Chargers jersey with the number 21 leaves you in his dust (who knew how the latest member of the 10,000 yard club warmed up prior to home games?).
As the fitness improves and the body adapts and your pedal stroke smooths out and you become more efficient - the resultant speed at EZ level will slowly pick up (but will never be fast), but trust me - initially it will feel embarrassingly slow (probably so much so that you'll be tempted to wear a generic jersey rather than your team kit). Embrace the EZ rides as the new you, it's a tough transition, but you'll be a much better rider for it.
I share this info. because I know that 99% of you guys won't/can't do it. You'll ignore RIP and Dr. Lim's advice because you've gotta keep up with your teamies on the weekend rides. That you'll feel inferior if you don't keep up with the gang or ashamed to get passed by the homeless guy on the heavy steel trash bike hauling plastic bottles & aluminum cans. Or even if you plan on going slow - the reality is you don't have the discipline to follow and stick to it. You may start off slow, but by mid-ride you'll be back at your normal junk pace. You'll end up training too hard, getting in junk miles, and too much middle to high end and wonder where you're fitness base has gone to, and why you're sick or injured, stuck in a rut, suddenly burnt out and tired of even looking at your bike - keep it up.
I would like to mention a special thanks to Bike Wear World for handing up bottles of sport drink at the top of Torry Pines hill on Sunday, very much appreciated.
With minimal stations on my training routes this weekend the lowest observed gas price in San Diego area Sunday was at the Mobile station in Lucadia on the Coast Hwy @ $3.30/gallon (verses $3.59 in La Jolla). Phoenix area today - another Mobile station in Scottsdale on Indian School Rd - $2.99/gallon.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Double Dallas
In my travels with my Pocket Rocket I get to see many cities across our nation. Most have very similar street names - Main street, Presidents (Washington, Taft, Cleveland, etc.), numbers (1st, 3rd, 27th, etc.), Cities & States (Massachusetts, Oakland, Cleveland, etc.), and trees seem to have a special affinity to city planners (Pine, Maple, Cleveland, etc.) - but Dallas, while they may have those, has some added spice with names from former Cowboy greats. Located actually in Irving right next to the Cowboys Training Facility are such street names as Landry Ct, Waters Dr, Dorsett Dr, Renfro Ct, Staubach Dr, etc. Missing was one name that I'd think was synonymous with the Cowboys - Bob Hayes, though perhaps he's got the nearby shooting range named after him. Also would've been fitting if they would've had Dandy Don's tavern located on Meridith Ct, alas it's not the case.
Cheers "Sighted dime, grabbed same" - in fact picked up 65 cents in my two days in Dallas while waiting for the lights to change (waiting for change picked up some change), and I didn't even stop at very many intersections. If I can keep this up, my kids college fund is going to be very secure.
Jeers Broken glass festival along our nations roadways & bike paths has got to be curbed. You and I witness it everyday and our tires/tubes suffer as a result. I personally saw a passenger in a p/u truck (red Dodge Ram) spike a bottle as he drove down the road yesterday. Never got a chance to confront the jerk (probably just as well), but WTF?
Cheers To the folks a Green Gear for envisioning such an affordable and reliable folding travel bike to allow me to escape the confines of the hotel environment & explore the offerings of some of the best of what America has to offer.
Jeers To the ignorant dog owner who let his dog run free, only to have the dogs natural chase instinct kick in when a passing cyclist catches their fancy. You can truly tell you are not their master when they totally ignore your commands to stop and continue their mad chase - in this case for blocks on end. I can only hope Fido didn't ruin somebody else's day when he ran out into traffic & found a nice home by now where someone will actually look out after his wellfare; or that you found your mutt, learned your lesson, and put a leash on him.
Cheers To the humble Texas State Champion Cedar Elm Tree along the Champion trail adjacent to the Elm River (do they have all their bases covered here?). Don't know the specifics of the Championship designation (age, size, personality, swimsuit...). Maybe next time I'll make it to the tree playoffs and watch the competition?
Jeers To the driver of the black Tahoe entering the parking lot at White Rock Lake for running the stop sign and yelling at me for being in his way on the bike path. Great example to set for your young daughter - whose bike w/training wheels was on the back rack.
Cheers To good fall weather and even better tailwind on ride back to hotel while running a tad tardy.
Jeers To all the runners on shared White Rock Lake trail who forget the word "shared". Now I'll slow appropriately for trail congestion when it's necessary - but don't be so oblivious & selfish so as to lollygag right smack dab in the middle of the trail when everyone's trying to get around you - have some presence of mind as to what you're doing, where you're doing it, and how it might affect others.
Cheers To Polar for providing a reliable training tool for when I can't ride with my PowerTap so I can pace myself on some intervals (Friday) as well those long EZ rides (Saturday). Having consistent 36 minute laps around WRL would've been a lot more difficult and would've blown my training objective for the day.
Jeers To those idiots who take it upon themselves to vandalize the public port-a-johns. What pleasure can you possibly get from trashing such a needed facility. I have faith that karma will catch up with them. I hope I'm a better parent to raise my kids to have more respect for our fellow citizens.
Cheers To the Tennis Center folks who allow the needy public to utilize their clean & sanitary facilities when time was getting desperate.
NEW service - lowest observed gas price $2.89/gallon at Vallero on Beltline Rd & Rochelle.
Cheers "Sighted dime, grabbed same" - in fact picked up 65 cents in my two days in Dallas while waiting for the lights to change (waiting for change picked up some change), and I didn't even stop at very many intersections. If I can keep this up, my kids college fund is going to be very secure.
Jeers Broken glass festival along our nations roadways & bike paths has got to be curbed. You and I witness it everyday and our tires/tubes suffer as a result. I personally saw a passenger in a p/u truck (red Dodge Ram) spike a bottle as he drove down the road yesterday. Never got a chance to confront the jerk (probably just as well), but WTF?
Cheers To the folks a Green Gear for envisioning such an affordable and reliable folding travel bike to allow me to escape the confines of the hotel environment & explore the offerings of some of the best of what America has to offer.
Jeers To the ignorant dog owner who let his dog run free, only to have the dogs natural chase instinct kick in when a passing cyclist catches their fancy. You can truly tell you are not their master when they totally ignore your commands to stop and continue their mad chase - in this case for blocks on end. I can only hope Fido didn't ruin somebody else's day when he ran out into traffic & found a nice home by now where someone will actually look out after his wellfare; or that you found your mutt, learned your lesson, and put a leash on him.
Cheers To the humble Texas State Champion Cedar Elm Tree along the Champion trail adjacent to the Elm River (do they have all their bases covered here?). Don't know the specifics of the Championship designation (age, size, personality, swimsuit...). Maybe next time I'll make it to the tree playoffs and watch the competition?
Jeers To the driver of the black Tahoe entering the parking lot at White Rock Lake for running the stop sign and yelling at me for being in his way on the bike path. Great example to set for your young daughter - whose bike w/training wheels was on the back rack.
Cheers To good fall weather and even better tailwind on ride back to hotel while running a tad tardy.
Jeers To all the runners on shared White Rock Lake trail who forget the word "shared". Now I'll slow appropriately for trail congestion when it's necessary - but don't be so oblivious & selfish so as to lollygag right smack dab in the middle of the trail when everyone's trying to get around you - have some presence of mind as to what you're doing, where you're doing it, and how it might affect others.
Cheers To Polar for providing a reliable training tool for when I can't ride with my PowerTap so I can pace myself on some intervals (Friday) as well those long EZ rides (Saturday). Having consistent 36 minute laps around WRL would've been a lot more difficult and would've blown my training objective for the day.
Jeers To those idiots who take it upon themselves to vandalize the public port-a-johns. What pleasure can you possibly get from trashing such a needed facility. I have faith that karma will catch up with them. I hope I'm a better parent to raise my kids to have more respect for our fellow citizens.
Cheers To the Tennis Center folks who allow the needy public to utilize their clean & sanitary facilities when time was getting desperate.
NEW service - lowest observed gas price $2.89/gallon at Vallero on Beltline Rd & Rochelle.
Thursday, November 15, 2007
Stimulator training
Just completed my 6 month recurrent crash course ground & simulator training which is a requirement for newbies who've transitioned to the 737 (like me from the dying fleet of MD80's). This now resets my training for 12-months - so with 11 years to go and a NOV training date, I've only ten more of these sessions to endure before I retire.
Ground training consists of computer based learning and review on various aircraft specific systems while the simulator can do anything the devious instructor wants to throw at us - from low visibility to extreme turbulence to any system failure that can be thought of. The only rule is that it must be a realistic scenario and not pile up multiple emergency situations so as to task saturate us to the point of overload (if they were allowed to to that nobody would ever pass for one thing and nobody would ever learn for another).
I would love to report to you - my dear traveling public - that we're all like Rex Kramer who knows everything and never makes a mistake; but the truth is - that although we're not anything close to Ted Striker - just as in bike racing we all have our strengths and weaknesses.
Weaknesses! Say it ain't so.
Fortunately at this point in our careers we're at flying proficiency is a pretty strong point for 99.9% of us (that .o1% does get weeded out fairly early). Weaknesses may include poor crew resource management - gone are the days where the Captain is expected to do it all - now they are expected to manage all available assets to the degree necessary for each situation. I'll admit up front that my weakness is studying all the details that are in the multitude of publications issued. I don't know how many bolts & rivets hold the left engine onto the wing for example, or exactly how that low pressure system formed in the Gulf of Alaska - but that lack of knowledge doesn't hurt me when that engine is on fire and we're landing on a very stormy runway in Juneau. And if I ever need to know the details for something like that I know who in Maintenance and Dispatch I can call if necessary.
Also gone are the days when the instructor just dreamed up his own torture - now all the pilots receive the same standardized curriculum & are evaluated (supposedly) on an impartial basis. I'd like to believe that to be the case but I know that as long as human beings are involved personalities will conflict (or already have) and the pilot being evaluated will suffer as a result. Fortunately all the instructors I've had the privilege to be associated with have always been very professional in their approach and quite willing to impart their observations in a supportive manner.
So fear not my friends - when you're off flying to DFW or DEN with me this weekend - you're flying with a proficiently trained highly skilled professional who'll do everything in my power to ensure your flying experience is as safe as it can be; just don't expect me to be wearing my hat.
Ground training consists of computer based learning and review on various aircraft specific systems while the simulator can do anything the devious instructor wants to throw at us - from low visibility to extreme turbulence to any system failure that can be thought of. The only rule is that it must be a realistic scenario and not pile up multiple emergency situations so as to task saturate us to the point of overload (if they were allowed to to that nobody would ever pass for one thing and nobody would ever learn for another).
I would love to report to you - my dear traveling public - that we're all like Rex Kramer who knows everything and never makes a mistake; but the truth is - that although we're not anything close to Ted Striker - just as in bike racing we all have our strengths and weaknesses.
Weaknesses! Say it ain't so.
Fortunately at this point in our careers we're at flying proficiency is a pretty strong point for 99.9% of us (that .o1% does get weeded out fairly early). Weaknesses may include poor crew resource management - gone are the days where the Captain is expected to do it all - now they are expected to manage all available assets to the degree necessary for each situation. I'll admit up front that my weakness is studying all the details that are in the multitude of publications issued. I don't know how many bolts & rivets hold the left engine onto the wing for example, or exactly how that low pressure system formed in the Gulf of Alaska - but that lack of knowledge doesn't hurt me when that engine is on fire and we're landing on a very stormy runway in Juneau. And if I ever need to know the details for something like that I know who in Maintenance and Dispatch I can call if necessary.
Also gone are the days when the instructor just dreamed up his own torture - now all the pilots receive the same standardized curriculum & are evaluated (supposedly) on an impartial basis. I'd like to believe that to be the case but I know that as long as human beings are involved personalities will conflict (or already have) and the pilot being evaluated will suffer as a result. Fortunately all the instructors I've had the privilege to be associated with have always been very professional in their approach and quite willing to impart their observations in a supportive manner.
So fear not my friends - when you're off flying to DFW or DEN with me this weekend - you're flying with a proficiently trained highly skilled professional who'll do everything in my power to ensure your flying experience is as safe as it can be; just don't expect me to be wearing my hat.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Serving notice
New Teammate and I out on long training ride from Greenlake this morning catch up with OAD & his gang of 5 leaving from north end of Lake WA. It's a fairly gentlemanly pace heading up north & east riding with a tailwind up to who knows where?
Trading pulls 2 by 2 when it's our turn to get to the front my teamie ups it a notch or two! Though still with a tailwind it's now a fast tempo workout especially for me but I'm not losing face this early in the ride. At the top end we're into SE Everett and turn eastward along the Snohomish (or Skykomish or somewhere far from homeish) River with a strong right crosswind. I'm off my teamies left and immediately redline my HR. Deciding discretion is the better part of valor I let my guy do his thing while I valiantly drop back to observe the damage.
We're now a group in a single file paceline, no chit chat, everyone's pretty much hanging on for dear life. We spot a guy w/bike on our the side of the road so OAD & I slow slightly to see if this fellow needed assistance - BIG mistake. Fellow declined our offer and the 25-30 meter gap that opened seemed to take a lot more energy to close than it should've. Just as we were catching back on a split in the group developed while teamie is blissfully dunking his cookies in milk & whistling up a tune while checking his Blackberry for messages & is plugging along unaware of the carnage that's taking place behind him. 3 of us manage to hold his wheel to the next T intersection as the other 4 drag in a few hours later. OK to be fair it was only a few minutes & the one big guy did have his jacket zipped open to catch all the air like a parachute - but it was still an awe inspiring display of raw power - somewhere in the 1000 watt range - which it seemed as if he could hold for hours on end I'm sure. And true while just about everybody else was riding their rain bikes w/fenders and/or with uninspiring Armadillo tires (which have trouble getting out of their own way) to my teamies light weight race vehicle - I'm not sure if we'd been riding ninja motorcycles it would've made any difference.
The rest of the ride went pretty much the same - whether going up or down - my teamie was putting the hurt to the rest of the group.
As gracious as OAD is I pretty much doubt we'll be invited to join them next time. I can only hope teamie bought OAD coffee at 4-bucks to try and make amends. And it might be a good idea if Prudog would make nice & forward some product amongst OAD's group so as not to be blacklisted from piggybacking on their team rides.
Trading pulls 2 by 2 when it's our turn to get to the front my teamie ups it a notch or two! Though still with a tailwind it's now a fast tempo workout especially for me but I'm not losing face this early in the ride. At the top end we're into SE Everett and turn eastward along the Snohomish (or Skykomish or somewhere far from homeish) River with a strong right crosswind. I'm off my teamies left and immediately redline my HR. Deciding discretion is the better part of valor I let my guy do his thing while I valiantly drop back to observe the damage.
We're now a group in a single file paceline, no chit chat, everyone's pretty much hanging on for dear life. We spot a guy w/bike on our the side of the road so OAD & I slow slightly to see if this fellow needed assistance - BIG mistake. Fellow declined our offer and the 25-30 meter gap that opened seemed to take a lot more energy to close than it should've. Just as we were catching back on a split in the group developed while teamie is blissfully dunking his cookies in milk & whistling up a tune while checking his Blackberry for messages & is plugging along unaware of the carnage that's taking place behind him. 3 of us manage to hold his wheel to the next T intersection as the other 4 drag in a few hours later. OK to be fair it was only a few minutes & the one big guy did have his jacket zipped open to catch all the air like a parachute - but it was still an awe inspiring display of raw power - somewhere in the 1000 watt range - which it seemed as if he could hold for hours on end I'm sure. And true while just about everybody else was riding their rain bikes w/fenders and/or with uninspiring Armadillo tires (which have trouble getting out of their own way) to my teamies light weight race vehicle - I'm not sure if we'd been riding ninja motorcycles it would've made any difference.
The rest of the ride went pretty much the same - whether going up or down - my teamie was putting the hurt to the rest of the group.
As gracious as OAD is I pretty much doubt we'll be invited to join them next time. I can only hope teamie bought OAD coffee at 4-bucks to try and make amends. And it might be a good idea if Prudog would make nice & forward some product amongst OAD's group so as not to be blacklisted from piggybacking on their team rides.
Saturday, November 10, 2007
We're number...
...oh never mind.
Cycling somewhere in Kitsap County tomorrow will be a very loyal Buckeye fan who is very pissed right now, motorist beware.
Cycling somewhere in Kitsap County tomorrow will be a very loyal Buckeye fan who is very pissed right now, motorist beware.
Tuesday, November 6, 2007
I'm not Patriotic
Last Sunday I had an hour & a half break at work when football was playing. Several coworkers were watching the Seahawks game (which they were winning at that point) instead of the best game of the year so far, the battle of the undefeated Pats & Colts.
Now I've lived in the Seattle area for 18 years, longer than I've lived any other place; and I came to the realization that not only am I not a Seahawk fan, I am not a fan of any of the pro. sports teams here. I'll watch them play, I'll cheer them on, but I'm only interested in the quality of the game. It's how the game is played, not who wins, that is most important to me.
I then realize that I don't completely understand blindly cheering on a team just because they are -
1. your Alma Mater (whatever level - pee wee, high school, college, etc.),
2. your home town (original or adopted or anything in between),
3. your country (i.e. Team USA sends to the Worlds in _______ (you name the sport), Olympics, etc.).
Basically the fans of these teams are cheering on a uniform instead of any one particular player. For example; Babe Ruth was a champion in Boston, until he was traded to the Yankees - now he's a pariah to Red Sox fans. Why Boston can't accept the Babe as a great player, no matter where he plied his trade is beyond me? Same teams, different times = Roger Clemens.
You could in fact list any team and multiple rosters and find that to the player it's just a job - basically chasing whoever will pay them the most (same as is in most professional careers) - there is very little team (i.e. city) loyalty. The citizens of that city where the team is located however have a different relationship. I guess they feel a certain ownership or kinship with the team & its players since they are the ones paying the entrance fee to watch them play. And if not in person then on TV or the radio they follow the teams progress throughout their season (and beyond). I imagine there's an emotional relationship there, but I'm not sure how it starts or why? Certainly the team wants you to be attracted to it and goes out to get the best players it can - then it markets itself to the community to come watch them play.
The big 4 - MLB, the NHL, the NFL, the NBA, etc. must have some great marketing folks - especially in cites where the teams consistently underperform. They get an emotional investment from the community to think that they actually belong to the community - when in fact the team will pick up and move at the drop of a hat if they can find a better deal in some other community (Colts sneak outta Baltimore, Raiders leave Oakland for LA then leave LA back to OAK, Dodgers & Giants leave NY for California, Lakers leave Minneapolis, Clippers leave San Diego, etc., etc.). The fans in the new community are ecstatic while the fans in the old are devastated - and I don't understand why in either case.
I find that this is probably deep rooted in the fact that we like who we're closest to. It starts at home - love our family. Love our friends. My neighborhood is better than your neighborhood. My school is better than your school. My home town is, my state is, my country is....better - SO THERE!! All the rest of you suck.
This is why I love individual sports better than team sports. I can always cheer for the best player regardless of where they play or what sports they participate in.
With cycling - we don't care so much that Greg Lemond was from California, grew up in Reno, now lives in Minnesota, raced for French & Belgium teams most of his career, we just love the fact that he ultimately lost to fellow teammate Bernard Hinault in 1985's TdF, and picks fights with the next generation of TdF winners (Lance & Floyd).
Pick a cyclist and you'll follow him/her throughout their sporting career no matter which jersey they don. You'll admire their courage, tenacity, dedication, etc. in the way they contend - whether they're a sprinter, a TT specialist, climber or an all-arounder. Same for a runner, a boxer, a bowler, a golfer, etc. - oh wait a minute, those last two aren't sporting events (sure they involve a skill - like chess & poker do; but if you don't sweat, it ain't a sport!).
My point is - root for the individual not the team. You invest your loyalty into something tangible and can hold accountable. Otherwise you might as well be congratulating your team's General Manager skill for putting the various players into those uniforms you're so blindly cheering year after year, and hope that next year they don't move to Oklahoma.
Now I've lived in the Seattle area for 18 years, longer than I've lived any other place; and I came to the realization that not only am I not a Seahawk fan, I am not a fan of any of the pro. sports teams here. I'll watch them play, I'll cheer them on, but I'm only interested in the quality of the game. It's how the game is played, not who wins, that is most important to me.
I then realize that I don't completely understand blindly cheering on a team just because they are -
1. your Alma Mater (whatever level - pee wee, high school, college, etc.),
2. your home town (original or adopted or anything in between),
3. your country (i.e. Team USA sends to the Worlds in _______ (you name the sport), Olympics, etc.).
Basically the fans of these teams are cheering on a uniform instead of any one particular player. For example; Babe Ruth was a champion in Boston, until he was traded to the Yankees - now he's a pariah to Red Sox fans. Why Boston can't accept the Babe as a great player, no matter where he plied his trade is beyond me? Same teams, different times = Roger Clemens.
You could in fact list any team and multiple rosters and find that to the player it's just a job - basically chasing whoever will pay them the most (same as is in most professional careers) - there is very little team (i.e. city) loyalty. The citizens of that city where the team is located however have a different relationship. I guess they feel a certain ownership or kinship with the team & its players since they are the ones paying the entrance fee to watch them play. And if not in person then on TV or the radio they follow the teams progress throughout their season (and beyond). I imagine there's an emotional relationship there, but I'm not sure how it starts or why? Certainly the team wants you to be attracted to it and goes out to get the best players it can - then it markets itself to the community to come watch them play.
The big 4 - MLB, the NHL, the NFL, the NBA, etc. must have some great marketing folks - especially in cites where the teams consistently underperform. They get an emotional investment from the community to think that they actually belong to the community - when in fact the team will pick up and move at the drop of a hat if they can find a better deal in some other community (Colts sneak outta Baltimore, Raiders leave Oakland for LA then leave LA back to OAK, Dodgers & Giants leave NY for California, Lakers leave Minneapolis, Clippers leave San Diego, etc., etc.). The fans in the new community are ecstatic while the fans in the old are devastated - and I don't understand why in either case.
I find that this is probably deep rooted in the fact that we like who we're closest to. It starts at home - love our family. Love our friends. My neighborhood is better than your neighborhood. My school is better than your school. My home town is, my state is, my country is....better - SO THERE!! All the rest of you suck.
This is why I love individual sports better than team sports. I can always cheer for the best player regardless of where they play or what sports they participate in.
With cycling - we don't care so much that Greg Lemond was from California, grew up in Reno, now lives in Minnesota, raced for French & Belgium teams most of his career, we just love the fact that he ultimately lost to fellow teammate Bernard Hinault in 1985's TdF, and picks fights with the next generation of TdF winners (Lance & Floyd).
Pick a cyclist and you'll follow him/her throughout their sporting career no matter which jersey they don. You'll admire their courage, tenacity, dedication, etc. in the way they contend - whether they're a sprinter, a TT specialist, climber or an all-arounder. Same for a runner, a boxer, a bowler, a golfer, etc. - oh wait a minute, those last two aren't sporting events (sure they involve a skill - like chess & poker do; but if you don't sweat, it ain't a sport!).
My point is - root for the individual not the team. You invest your loyalty into something tangible and can hold accountable. Otherwise you might as well be congratulating your team's General Manager skill for putting the various players into those uniforms you're so blindly cheering year after year, and hope that next year they don't move to Oklahoma.
Monday, November 5, 2007
Remember to VOTE Tuesday!
Get off the computer & go out and vote (or mail your absentee ballot) now! Go, go, gooooooooooo
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Marathon weekend
128 men running today (right now in fact - http://www.nbcsports.com/) in NYC's Central Park & forgo tomorrow's big $$ NYC Marathon to contend the Men's Olympic Trials Marathon.
With only 3 runners eligible for next year's Olympics look for Alan Culpepper, Khalid Khannouchi and 2004 Olympic Silver medalist Meb Keflezighi to set the high pace. This certainly shows the value of an Olympic medal when all the top Americans would rather vie for a spot and a shot in the Olympics rather than go for the sure $$ tomorrow. WX in NYC is perfect for marathoning, today & tomorrow - though next year in Beijing IOC officials are considering cancelling extended endurance events if the Chinese cannot get their terrible air quality under control.
With only 3 runners eligible for next year's Olympics look for Alan Culpepper, Khalid Khannouchi and 2004 Olympic Silver medalist Meb Keflezighi to set the high pace. This certainly shows the value of an Olympic medal when all the top Americans would rather vie for a spot and a shot in the Olympics rather than go for the sure $$ tomorrow. WX in NYC is perfect for marathoning, today & tomorrow - though next year in Beijing IOC officials are considering cancelling extended endurance events if the Chinese cannot get their terrible air quality under control.
Friday, November 2, 2007
Italian beauties...
...just for you and/or your team.
If you can't get enough of original Italian top quality cycling stuff, irepairbikes.com now stocks the Dedacciai Naro Corsa & Scuro HCR frames. Both of these are high modulus carbon fiber monocoque frames weighing in at approx 1050 & 870 grams respectively.
Call Brandon (425-654-1004) for a great deal on a groupo build of your choice.
If you can't get enough of original Italian top quality cycling stuff, irepairbikes.com now stocks the Dedacciai Naro Corsa & Scuro HCR frames. Both of these are high modulus carbon fiber monocoque frames weighing in at approx 1050 & 870 grams respectively.
Call Brandon (425-654-1004) for a great deal on a groupo build of your choice.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Why is it news...
...to talk about news?Is Bill O'Reilly (of FOX Noise) wondering why Larry King (at CNN) in his interview with Al Gore was throwing softballs and not asking hard questions news? Also calling Stephan Colbert (Comedy Central) a nit-wit in an apparent never ending game of sticks & stones, is this news?
My personal favorite, Keith Olbermann (MSNBC), is always on the attack of the afore mentioned BillO as he is probably the most frequent winner of the "Worst Person in the World" award; and while very amusing, is it news? I think not!
While Colbert, Letterman, John Stewert, Bill Maher and the like are entertainers by trade - O'Reilly is not. And while I find Olbermann's observations and wit spot-on, entertaining even; MSNBC's moniker is "a fuller spectrum of news", mentioning gaffs of BillO will never be news.
Fox Noise for it's part, "We report. You Decide." is full of crap. Doing a feature titled "Does the Democratic Party have NBC News in its Pocket", that's fair & balanced? No spin, just news - pardon me while I go puke.
Sunday, October 28, 2007
Seven Hundred Thirty Days old
Makenna turns the BIG 2 today. Most of the family over for party this afternoon that would rival Thanksgiving.
Look out world, Grandma gave her a Radio Flyer red tricycle, so she has wheels and is ready to explore.
Can't wait 'till next year when she's 1096!
Monday, October 22, 2007
Flew into Miami Beach BOAC...
...couldn't get to bed last night..."
Alrighty Beatles fans I know the correct lyrics are "Flew in from Miami Beach BOAC...," but give me a little creative license will ya.
Well general title theme about sums up my all-niter to the Magic City arriving this morning (slightly tardy) at a little before 8AM this morning. And it was not BOAC but the Eskimo adorned tail of Alaska Airlines.
Anyway my goal of this today's entry is to out-do the 10K word response/discussion that Prudoggie had with "IleadthereforeIgive" while providing a multitude of useful links and correct spelling, all the while not mentioning the testosterone & caffeine infused topic that Prudog engaged in. I refuse to even mention Floyd Landis even once (DOH!). OK starting right now, no Floyd (Oh crap!) - right now!!
After only 3 1/2 hours of sleep I put together the Pocket Rocket anxiously looking forward to Monday's team ride. Again a not very well attended ride, but getting out solo with the Axley colors for some East Coast exposure in the beautiful weather (85F with matching humidity - put the Heat Index into the low-90's) was a wonderful thing to behold. Though filled with many multi syllable words and several scientific references you don't hear Prudog mentioning anything regards to HI in his blog, I wonder why? Conspiracy theories abound?
I haven't been to Miami in at least 10 years and haven't spent any significant time here since the demise of the Great Silver Fleet in '89. Though a bit bleary-eyed during the drive to the hotel, a lot has changed - for the better - along the Miami beachfront.
Out of the crew hotel (where the unofficial motto is "What's Miami is Yourami") in North Beach slathered in SPF 50, I take A1A north past Fort Lauderdale (yes Prudog there are forts - or there were) I miss all the driving blue haired centurions - who are either taking their afternoon nap or eating at the early bird special, passing about two dozen Trump properties whose vast real estate holdings surpass the enormity of Rosie's brassiere size.
A flat ride - 4" above sea level - except for the 10 (or so) waterway overpasses, I can understand why guys lose their climbing legs after hours (and days) of flatland riding (shud-dup Prudog!). With a grand max. elevation of approx. 30' my normally EZ Zone 1 pace skyrocketed on the killer climbs. Could also be contributed to the general lack of sleep and dehydrated state after the 6 hour flight (that's my story & I'm sticking to it).
The ride took me north past SMYT Beach where I am either 6 months late or early for the Spring Break mania, though their was no SB atmosphere there was still a lot of folks out enjoying the sunny day. I think the politicos have pretty much toned down SB here (like Palm Springs & elsewhere where the old guard is still in control), but it does live on in places like Cancún, Mexico; Rosarito; Acapulco; South Beach; Panama City Beach; South Padre Island, Texas; Negril, Jamaica; Nassau, Bahamas; and Puerto Vallarta.
An interesting aside here, USA Grocery in Hollywood Beach does not (I repeat DOES NOT) sell USAToday. Humm yeah I thought the same thing.
Anyway I continued northward past the Pelican Grand Beach resort, which hands down wins the place I'd rather stay in this part of the world. Not to be confused with the other Pelican named non-resort in northern CA.
Just up the road I spot a flier for a missing dog with a reward of $1,000! This must be some dog!? Further reading lists the missing canine as a very small white chihuahua. Though interestingly the info. was posted on the backside of a garage sale sign. SO my theory here is that RSOL (rich senile old lady) has a garage sale and sells dog then forgets & posts reward for its safe return OR the aforementioned RSOL actually has a Chinchilla and the monthly pest control guy mistakes it for a little white rat and takes the little guy out. Either scenario has the possibility of a good outcome dollar-wise if RSOL cannot tell the difference in the little guy you purchase at the local pet store.
Just before my turn around in the little hamlet of Hillsboro Beach (luxury villas on the east side of the road fronting the big A, while across the street lay the helicopter laden yachts on the inter coastal)) I pass a possum in the road, and I don't think he's playing; little X's in the eyes and all. After a few more minutes I turn and to my amazement the local policeman has stopped by the side of the road (lights ablaze) and is scooping up Mr. Possum into a plastic baggie and presumably taking it for appropriate disposal. How long the poor little guy was defacing the ritzy community road is unknown but I'll bet the response to this catastrophe was swift. I don't imagine Crockett & Tubbs providing the same service with their confiscated Ferrari Testarossa (where would they fit it?). Although Sonny did need some sustenance to keep his pet alligator - Elvis - hunger at bay. Can you hear Jan Hammer's (not to be confused with Franz Hammer) music as possum patrol completes it's task; nah probably not.
Ride back to the hotel via the same route I did notice a guy in a faded yellow jersey riding north, had me wondering just what Floyd (geez! OK rightttt nowww!!!) has done with all those MJ's he earned in 2006? Does Oscar, his former Phonak teammate, get them all? He should round them up and FEDEX them to Spain before the UCI goons show up at his door in Temecula.
Thus concludes a nice 4 1/2 hour team ride just prior to sunset. Fly back tomorrow non-stop, flight 17. Early get up notwithstanding (3:05AM Seattle body-clock-time yikes), it's been a nice trip - perhaps more teamies on the next outside-Seattle area-ride, which is tentatively set for NOV 2nd in Dallas. Until then it's been fun...
Alrighty Beatles fans I know the correct lyrics are "Flew in from Miami Beach BOAC...," but give me a little creative license will ya.
Well general title theme about sums up my all-niter to the Magic City arriving this morning (slightly tardy) at a little before 8AM this morning. And it was not BOAC but the Eskimo adorned tail of Alaska Airlines.
Anyway my goal of this today's entry is to out-do the 10K word response/discussion that Prudoggie had with "IleadthereforeIgive" while providing a multitude of useful links and correct spelling, all the while not mentioning the testosterone & caffeine infused topic that Prudog engaged in. I refuse to even mention Floyd Landis even once (DOH!). OK starting right now, no Floyd (Oh crap!) - right now!!
After only 3 1/2 hours of sleep I put together the Pocket Rocket anxiously looking forward to Monday's team ride. Again a not very well attended ride, but getting out solo with the Axley colors for some East Coast exposure in the beautiful weather (85F with matching humidity - put the Heat Index into the low-90's) was a wonderful thing to behold. Though filled with many multi syllable words and several scientific references you don't hear Prudog mentioning anything regards to HI in his blog, I wonder why? Conspiracy theories abound?
I haven't been to Miami in at least 10 years and haven't spent any significant time here since the demise of the Great Silver Fleet in '89. Though a bit bleary-eyed during the drive to the hotel, a lot has changed - for the better - along the Miami beachfront.
Out of the crew hotel (where the unofficial motto is "What's Miami is Yourami") in North Beach slathered in SPF 50, I take A1A north past Fort Lauderdale (yes Prudog there are forts - or there were) I miss all the driving blue haired centurions - who are either taking their afternoon nap or eating at the early bird special, passing about two dozen Trump properties whose vast real estate holdings surpass the enormity of Rosie's brassiere size.
A flat ride - 4" above sea level - except for the 10 (or so) waterway overpasses, I can understand why guys lose their climbing legs after hours (and days) of flatland riding (shud-dup Prudog!). With a grand max. elevation of approx. 30' my normally EZ Zone 1 pace skyrocketed on the killer climbs. Could also be contributed to the general lack of sleep and dehydrated state after the 6 hour flight (that's my story & I'm sticking to it).
The ride took me north past SMYT Beach where I am either 6 months late or early for the Spring Break mania, though their was no SB atmosphere there was still a lot of folks out enjoying the sunny day. I think the politicos have pretty much toned down SB here (like Palm Springs & elsewhere where the old guard is still in control), but it does live on in places like Cancún, Mexico; Rosarito; Acapulco; South Beach; Panama City Beach; South Padre Island, Texas; Negril, Jamaica; Nassau, Bahamas; and Puerto Vallarta.
An interesting aside here, USA Grocery in Hollywood Beach does not (I repeat DOES NOT) sell USAToday. Humm yeah I thought the same thing.
Anyway I continued northward past the Pelican Grand Beach resort, which hands down wins the place I'd rather stay in this part of the world. Not to be confused with the other Pelican named non-resort in northern CA.
Just up the road I spot a flier for a missing dog with a reward of $1,000! This must be some dog!? Further reading lists the missing canine as a very small white chihuahua. Though interestingly the info. was posted on the backside of a garage sale sign. SO my theory here is that RSOL (rich senile old lady) has a garage sale and sells dog then forgets & posts reward for its safe return OR the aforementioned RSOL actually has a Chinchilla and the monthly pest control guy mistakes it for a little white rat and takes the little guy out. Either scenario has the possibility of a good outcome dollar-wise if RSOL cannot tell the difference in the little guy you purchase at the local pet store.
Just before my turn around in the little hamlet of Hillsboro Beach (luxury villas on the east side of the road fronting the big A, while across the street lay the helicopter laden yachts on the inter coastal)) I pass a possum in the road, and I don't think he's playing; little X's in the eyes and all. After a few more minutes I turn and to my amazement the local policeman has stopped by the side of the road (lights ablaze) and is scooping up Mr. Possum into a plastic baggie and presumably taking it for appropriate disposal. How long the poor little guy was defacing the ritzy community road is unknown but I'll bet the response to this catastrophe was swift. I don't imagine Crockett & Tubbs providing the same service with their confiscated Ferrari Testarossa (where would they fit it?). Although Sonny did need some sustenance to keep his pet alligator - Elvis - hunger at bay. Can you hear Jan Hammer's (not to be confused with Franz Hammer) music as possum patrol completes it's task; nah probably not.
Ride back to the hotel via the same route I did notice a guy in a faded yellow jersey riding north, had me wondering just what Floyd (geez! OK rightttt nowww!!!) has done with all those MJ's he earned in 2006? Does Oscar, his former Phonak teammate, get them all? He should round them up and FEDEX them to Spain before the UCI goons show up at his door in Temecula.
Thus concludes a nice 4 1/2 hour team ride just prior to sunset. Fly back tomorrow non-stop, flight 17. Early get up notwithstanding (3:05AM Seattle body-clock-time yikes), it's been a nice trip - perhaps more teamies on the next outside-Seattle area-ride, which is tentatively set for NOV 2nd in Dallas. Until then it's been fun...
Wednesday, October 17, 2007
Best mobile bike repair guy!
Bike got a rattle? Tweaked that derailleur too much and can't get it shifting correctly? Shocks shot? Big race coming up? Can't get in to have your #$*! fixed or tuned because your favorite bike shop has too many bikes to build or are already booked due a big weekend tour? The solution is to have the bike shop come to you. Great work at decent rates with access to quality gear & components at less than retail $.
Give Brandon a call the next time your bike needs a little (or a lot) TLC; he'll come to you, and you'll get you're bike pampered & expertly repaired on your schedule.
Give Brandon a call the next time your bike needs a little (or a lot) TLC; he'll come to you, and you'll get you're bike pampered & expertly repaired on your schedule.
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Ironman wrapup
How could I neglect to wait until today to post a huge CONGRATULATIONS to Bellevue's own Dr. France Cokan (76) for another age-group victory in Kona on Saturday - way to France, at least you managed to live up to expectations!
Just about everyone else - save Men's overall winner Chris McCormack was dealt a helping of humble pie by Madam Pele. Out before the start were 2005 winner Faris Al-Sultan, with fleet footed Cam Brown and last year's winners Norman Stadler & Michellie Jones dropping out mid-bike - all smitten with a virus. Hell on wheels former winner Thomas Hellriegel also dropped out after the bike. And with Natascha Badmann crashing out on her bike early - the women's race was wide open, while the men's contenders lost a lot of horsepower. There was still a race however.
Not even considered a dark horse contender for the top 10 - Great Britain's Chrissy Wellington's fast bike & sub 3-hour run thrust her up for the 9th fastest Ironman time ever (9:08:45) and on the fast track as a sure favorite in future Ironman competitions with a 5+ minute win over another Iron-rookie Canadian Sam McGlone.
For the men - Macca overcame his own brashness and ticked off a 6-minute pace on the marathon to fast-pass bike speedsters (Chris Lieto, 6th & Torbjorn Sindballe, 3rd). Only fellow Aussie Craig Alexander could make a threat on the run, passing former 2-time winners Tim DeBoom (4th and top American) and course record holder Luc van Lierde (8th), to finish 3 1/2 minutes behind.
Laurent Jalabert finished a respectable 12th in the 35-39 age-group in a time of 9:19:58, good for 76th overall.
Watch all the action on NBC - Saturday December 1st.
Just about everyone else - save Men's overall winner Chris McCormack was dealt a helping of humble pie by Madam Pele. Out before the start were 2005 winner Faris Al-Sultan, with fleet footed Cam Brown and last year's winners Norman Stadler & Michellie Jones dropping out mid-bike - all smitten with a virus. Hell on wheels former winner Thomas Hellriegel also dropped out after the bike. And with Natascha Badmann crashing out on her bike early - the women's race was wide open, while the men's contenders lost a lot of horsepower. There was still a race however.
Not even considered a dark horse contender for the top 10 - Great Britain's Chrissy Wellington's fast bike & sub 3-hour run thrust her up for the 9th fastest Ironman time ever (9:08:45) and on the fast track as a sure favorite in future Ironman competitions with a 5+ minute win over another Iron-rookie Canadian Sam McGlone.
For the men - Macca overcame his own brashness and ticked off a 6-minute pace on the marathon to fast-pass bike speedsters (Chris Lieto, 6th & Torbjorn Sindballe, 3rd). Only fellow Aussie Craig Alexander could make a threat on the run, passing former 2-time winners Tim DeBoom (4th and top American) and course record holder Luc van Lierde (8th), to finish 3 1/2 minutes behind.
Laurent Jalabert finished a respectable 12th in the 35-39 age-group in a time of 9:19:58, good for 76th overall.
Watch all the action on NBC - Saturday December 1st.
Monday, October 15, 2007
Praises & Jeers from the road
Like many of you who frequent America's roads via bicycle I say thank you a lot to the many drivers we share the road with who properly yield the right-of-way or give some extra time and/or space when turning or passing. A little compliment goes a long way in bike/car diplomacy.
Even the occasional tap of the horn (which I personally detest, though I can appreciate the goodwill of their action), is better than the alternative. These drivers are completely different than the jerks in need to show their road superiority who blast their horn as they pass within inches.
It is my sad experience that rarely does a ride go by that is completely without conflict. The recent target of my ire is the Orlando, FL driver in her Land Rover who, as she hurriedly turned left, cut me off in the middle of an intersection all the while holding up the palm of her right hand signaling to me that I should stop. Not only did she cause me to brake in self-preservation but also affected the drivers in the lane she was now wrongfully occupying coming at her in the opposite direction. Swerving sharply to avoid them she merrily proceeded on her way. Go figure? She obviously is a much more important person than I.
The BEST DRIVER OF THE WEEK award goes to the Driving School instructor (sorry I would've plugged his company if I remembered it) who I had a brief chat with at a 4-way stop on my ride in Ontario, CA today. With a car full of High School kids, they caught up to me after an extended pause to wait for me to pass through a previous intersection they were turning from. He said that he teaches "courtesy over expediency." Saying that he has only a limited period of time to influence these kids and to try to develop their proper driving mentality is as important as their physical driving skills. He also stated that he can't undo the bad habits of the zillions of licensed drivers; but he does his best with those future drivers in his charge. Helmets off to this guy.
Even the occasional tap of the horn (which I personally detest, though I can appreciate the goodwill of their action), is better than the alternative. These drivers are completely different than the jerks in need to show their road superiority who blast their horn as they pass within inches.
It is my sad experience that rarely does a ride go by that is completely without conflict. The recent target of my ire is the Orlando, FL driver in her Land Rover who, as she hurriedly turned left, cut me off in the middle of an intersection all the while holding up the palm of her right hand signaling to me that I should stop. Not only did she cause me to brake in self-preservation but also affected the drivers in the lane she was now wrongfully occupying coming at her in the opposite direction. Swerving sharply to avoid them she merrily proceeded on her way. Go figure? She obviously is a much more important person than I.
The BEST DRIVER OF THE WEEK award goes to the Driving School instructor (sorry I would've plugged his company if I remembered it) who I had a brief chat with at a 4-way stop on my ride in Ontario, CA today. With a car full of High School kids, they caught up to me after an extended pause to wait for me to pass through a previous intersection they were turning from. He said that he teaches "courtesy over expediency." Saying that he has only a limited period of time to influence these kids and to try to develop their proper driving mentality is as important as their physical driving skills. He also stated that he can't undo the bad habits of the zillions of licensed drivers; but he does his best with those future drivers in his charge. Helmets off to this guy.
Friday, October 12, 2007
Laurent Jalabert
After qualifying at Ironman Switzerland with a time of 9:12, Jaja will take his shot in Kona Saturday (swim start is 10AM west coast time - follow on http://www.ironmanlive.com/ or www.insidetri.com ). Swimming is not his strong suit but the guy can run (almost as well as he can bike!), finishing the New York City Marathon in a time of 2:55 & a 3:11 last leg at IM Switzerland, good enough for 22nd place overall.
Not a threat for the overall, but look for a solid age-group placing for the 38 year-old.
Not a threat for the overall, but look for a solid age-group placing for the 38 year-old.
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Kona time
The annual pilgrimage of the best tri-geeks take place this Saturday at the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii.
Prediction time:
Men's winner - Chris McCormack, he's hungry & like when fellow Aussie Greg Welch fially won, he's finally committed his focus to Hawaii at the expense of shorter races. Two-time winner Norman Stadler will dominate the bike again but falter on the run & come in a distant 2nd.
Women's winner - Natascha Badmann who even at 41 will relive her glory days on the bike and waltz herself thru the lava fields with her trademark Heidi smile and hold off last year's winner Michellie Jones who'll close on the run but run out of pavement.
Good luck to 70-something France Coken - going after his umpteenth age-group win.
Prediction time:
Men's winner - Chris McCormack, he's hungry & like when fellow Aussie Greg Welch fially won, he's finally committed his focus to Hawaii at the expense of shorter races. Two-time winner Norman Stadler will dominate the bike again but falter on the run & come in a distant 2nd.
Women's winner - Natascha Badmann who even at 41 will relive her glory days on the bike and waltz herself thru the lava fields with her trademark Heidi smile and hold off last year's winner Michellie Jones who'll close on the run but run out of pavement.
Good luck to 70-something France Coken - going after his umpteenth age-group win.
Monday, October 8, 2007
El Diablo wins Cycle to the Sun
Sporting number 666 Dennis Farrell was missing his horns but took the overall crown up Maui's Mt Haleakala in this years Cycle to the Sun race in a time of 2:47:21 besting professional triathlete Chris Lieto by 39 seconds. Lieto was at a definite disadvantage by racing his tri-Trek (clip-ons included) to the devils 12+ pound LUST custom bike. To his credit Farrell was racing in the 45-49 age group and had at least a 15 year age difference on the tri-guy. Neither was any threat to the course record set many moons ago by Jonathan Vaughters of 2 hours and 38 minutes.
I don't know if Dennis is anyway releted to our own Kerry Farrell as they race in the same age group - but it could be some fireworks if the two ever meet as Kerry (age 47) is no slouch going uphill either - finishing 3rd up the Mt Baker hill climb [a mere 40 seconds behind "The Lung" (Ned Overend, 52)] and 2nd overall at the Crystal Mtn Hill Climb. Kerry it's time to go to Maui next year!
I don't know if Dennis is anyway releted to our own Kerry Farrell as they race in the same age group - but it could be some fireworks if the two ever meet as Kerry (age 47) is no slouch going uphill either - finishing 3rd up the Mt Baker hill climb [a mere 40 seconds behind "The Lung" (Ned Overend, 52)] and 2nd overall at the Crystal Mtn Hill Climb. Kerry it's time to go to Maui next year!
Sunday, October 7, 2007
Emde tops at Furnace Creek 508
Michael Emde defended his '06 victory this weekend with a commanding win in a time of 27 hours & 32 minutes, averaging 18.5 mph thru the California desert. This course also has 30,000+ feet of climbing over the 508.5 miles. I have trouble averaging 18.5mph on my short training rides. Great ride Michael!
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Bruyneel close to inking Axley deal...
...Contador and Leipheimer may follow.
Prudog has scored a huge coup with this one, I can't wait to meet Levi & Alberto at our secret winter training camp.
Prudog has scored a huge coup with this one, I can't wait to meet Levi & Alberto at our secret winter training camp.
Friday, September 21, 2007
Babbitt tops Haleakala
Brian Babbitt rode the 36+ mile uphill course to the cloud shrouded summit at Red Hill (10,023') in about 3 1/2 hours leaving me to suffer many switchbacks behind. Heavy wind, heavy drizzle, and low visibility hampered the speed on the descent until about 7,000' where we thawed out at the visitors center (and Joanna's car) but then the fun back down the mountain really began. At least I was able to lead and keep ahead on the way down - perhaps I should just resign myself now to the coasting down the volcano rides.
So it looks as if I have a lot of work to do before the big event next year. Of course riding a bike a little lighter than my 28# Raleigh tank will help a lot; not to mention getting out for longer endurance rides, getting my core in order, more strength & power training, and more sleep as the youngin's get older and sleep in a bit longer.
So it looks as if I have a lot of work to do before the big event next year. Of course riding a bike a little lighter than my 28# Raleigh tank will help a lot; not to mention getting out for longer endurance rides, getting my core in order, more strength & power training, and more sleep as the youngin's get older and sleep in a bit longer.
Tuesday, September 4, 2007
Local boys race USPRO Nationals
Seattle's Jonny Sundt (Kelly Benefits-Medifast) and Portland's Doug Ollerenshaw (Health Net-Maxxis) were on the initial attack in Sunday's RR in South Carolina. While Jonny would eventually DNF and Doug finish 25th at 9:38 back - it's good to see them being agressive early and on the attack. Hopefully they'll garner some top TV time on Verses next Sunday (repeats Wednesday the 12th). Also look for Ian McKissick (BMC), Omer Kem, and Morgan Schmitt (both racing for Priority Health/Bissell).
Saturday, September 1, 2007
ATTN: Cyclocross racers
Herriott Sports Performance and Cascade Bicycle Studio present a cyclocross weekend with Jonathan Page!
Herriott Sports Performance and Cascade Bicycle Studio are proud to announce a cyclocross weekend with Jonathan Page and Frank McCormack. Jonathan Page is the most successful American cyclocross racer in history. Solidifying this title with his silver medal performance at the World Championships last season in addition to his 6 US National Championships. Veteran US cross-racer, Frank McCormack, won the elite US Championship in 1997 at South SeaTac in Seattle and first introduced Jonathan to the sport of cyclocross.
The weekend will include a presentation on Friday evening, two 3 hour clinics on Saturday and a fundraiser dinner and silent auction to raise money for Washington State athletes attending the Cyclocross World Championships this season.
The dinner will be held at Brouwer’s Belgian Cafe in Seattle, WA. To the winning bidders at Saturday’s auction, Jonathan will hold 2 private cyclocross skills clinic on Sunday, each 90 minutes in length. Other items up for auction include items from Kona, Ridley, Vermarc USA, Hammer Nutrition, DeFeet, Cascade Bicycle Studio, and Herriott Sports Performance, including a Kona Rad Jake frame!
Schedule of Events:
Friday, Sept 28th 7-9:00pm Presentation, “meet and greet.”
Cascade Bicycle Studio 473 N. 36th St, Unit C. Seattle, WA
Saturday, Sept 29th 8:30-11:30, 12:30-3:30 Cyclocross Skills Clinic
Marymoor Park 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway NE, Redmond, WA
Saturday, Sept 29th 6-9:00 Fundraiser dinner and silent auction
Brouwer’s Belgian Café.. 400 N. 35th St, Seattle, WA
Sunday, Sept 30th 8-9:30 Private lesson from Jonathan Page** (Auction price)
Sunday, Sept 30th 9:30-11:00 Private lesson from Jonathan Page** (Auction price)
Woodland Park, W. Greenlake Way, Seattle
For more info: www.herriottsportsperformance.com or 206-306-5899 or via bikereg.com
Herriott Sports Performance and Cascade Bicycle Studio are proud to announce a cyclocross weekend with Jonathan Page and Frank McCormack. Jonathan Page is the most successful American cyclocross racer in history. Solidifying this title with his silver medal performance at the World Championships last season in addition to his 6 US National Championships. Veteran US cross-racer, Frank McCormack, won the elite US Championship in 1997 at South SeaTac in Seattle and first introduced Jonathan to the sport of cyclocross.
The weekend will include a presentation on Friday evening, two 3 hour clinics on Saturday and a fundraiser dinner and silent auction to raise money for Washington State athletes attending the Cyclocross World Championships this season.
The dinner will be held at Brouwer’s Belgian Cafe in Seattle, WA. To the winning bidders at Saturday’s auction, Jonathan will hold 2 private cyclocross skills clinic on Sunday, each 90 minutes in length. Other items up for auction include items from Kona, Ridley, Vermarc USA, Hammer Nutrition, DeFeet, Cascade Bicycle Studio, and Herriott Sports Performance, including a Kona Rad Jake frame!
Schedule of Events:
Friday, Sept 28th 7-9:00pm Presentation, “meet and greet.”
Cascade Bicycle Studio 473 N. 36th St, Unit C. Seattle, WA
Saturday, Sept 29th 8:30-11:30, 12:30-3:30 Cyclocross Skills Clinic
Marymoor Park 6046 W. Lake Sammamish Parkway NE, Redmond, WA
Saturday, Sept 29th 6-9:00 Fundraiser dinner and silent auction
Brouwer’s Belgian Café.. 400 N. 35th St, Seattle, WA
Sunday, Sept 30th 8-9:30 Private lesson from Jonathan Page** (Auction price)
Sunday, Sept 30th 9:30-11:00 Private lesson from Jonathan Page** (Auction price)
Woodland Park, W. Greenlake Way, Seattle
For more info: www.herriottsportsperformance.com or 206-306-5899 or via bikereg.com
Tuesday, August 28, 2007
AJ down at PR...
...but not out.
Taking himself out in a single-man wreck near the front of the pack after the first turn at PR tonight Aaron Johnson didn't get too much sympathy from his fellow racers. Comments like, "couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy" to "karma'll get you every time" had me shaking my head.
Now I understand Aaron history, and he's certainly made his share of enemies with knucklehead moves and immature behavior - but I think that my sometime carpool partner is quickly becoming a reformed & focused racer while showing signs of maturity to match his twenty-four years (half my age).
That doesn't mean he's going to be anybody's poster boy anytime soon. Some may see by my previous posts that I have a certain affinity for AJ & may wonder why I bother with this guy? Well I would answer that despite his piercings he doesn't sprout horns. I see the potential that AJ might possess. True he is still a bit impetuous, brash, and quick to shoot off his mouth in the heat of competition - he has a quality like old-timer Jonny Sundt ("the cat" - Kelly Benefits) - somebody who everybody loves to hate; but is always there when the finish line is rapidly approaching. If AJ can attract the interest of any professional squads next season then we'll really see if he can win any fickle hearts out there or just get lost in the crowd. It's easy to appreciate guys like Ian, Jamie, or Mick, who're pretty humble guys and let there legs do the talking for them; so AJ has a lot to learn from those he can emulate - and I like routing for the up & comers.
Myself I was a little miffed that I had no teammates for whom to work for tonight - I know Chad has the series all wrapped up points-wise and can pass, but where'd everybody else go on such a great Tuesday night? So I took a few flyers here & there that interested absolutely nobody (shows you how dangerous a rider they think I am) and was left to wallow until the pack picked me up time and again. But hey, nothing ventured - nothing gained right?
And a Happy Birthday to Steve "Higgie" Higgins (BRI) who turned 107 today - raced hard, finished strongly, and had his teammies left shaking their collective heads on how he can be soooo strong & fast at his decrepit age.
Thanks Rory - though throw in a few more up & down the S's next year please.
Taking himself out in a single-man wreck near the front of the pack after the first turn at PR tonight Aaron Johnson didn't get too much sympathy from his fellow racers. Comments like, "couldn't have happened to a more deserving guy" to "karma'll get you every time" had me shaking my head.
Now I understand Aaron history, and he's certainly made his share of enemies with knucklehead moves and immature behavior - but I think that my sometime carpool partner is quickly becoming a reformed & focused racer while showing signs of maturity to match his twenty-four years (half my age).
That doesn't mean he's going to be anybody's poster boy anytime soon. Some may see by my previous posts that I have a certain affinity for AJ & may wonder why I bother with this guy? Well I would answer that despite his piercings he doesn't sprout horns. I see the potential that AJ might possess. True he is still a bit impetuous, brash, and quick to shoot off his mouth in the heat of competition - he has a quality like old-timer Jonny Sundt ("the cat" - Kelly Benefits) - somebody who everybody loves to hate; but is always there when the finish line is rapidly approaching. If AJ can attract the interest of any professional squads next season then we'll really see if he can win any fickle hearts out there or just get lost in the crowd. It's easy to appreciate guys like Ian, Jamie, or Mick, who're pretty humble guys and let there legs do the talking for them; so AJ has a lot to learn from those he can emulate - and I like routing for the up & comers.
Myself I was a little miffed that I had no teammates for whom to work for tonight - I know Chad has the series all wrapped up points-wise and can pass, but where'd everybody else go on such a great Tuesday night? So I took a few flyers here & there that interested absolutely nobody (shows you how dangerous a rider they think I am) and was left to wallow until the pack picked me up time and again. But hey, nothing ventured - nothing gained right?
And a Happy Birthday to Steve "Higgie" Higgins (BRI) who turned 107 today - raced hard, finished strongly, and had his teammies left shaking their collective heads on how he can be soooo strong & fast at his decrepit age.
Thanks Rory - though throw in a few more up & down the S's next year please.
Monday, August 27, 2007
Orlando magic
I haven't been to Orlando since the late 80's and boy has it ever grown. Our hotel is just south of Universal Theme park on the southwest side of town. Looked up some local rides on Google and found a group that meet on Sunday's at 8:15 (http://www.windermereroadies.com/). There was also a RR up in Patakla some 50 miles north, but the 1/2's didn't get going until 2PM for 70 miles which would've put me past my 5:15PM meet with the crew for our flight home.
So I set my alarm to 6:45 with a plan to get my but out the door by 7:30AM for the 1/2 hour ride to the Windermere Elementary School where these guys ride from. So even though I went to bed about midnight, 6:45 came awful early (3:45 PDT) and I rolled over back to sleep. By the time I did get up, put the Pocket Rocket together, download the map of the 55 mile Groveland loop, and get out the door it was 10:20. Somewhere along the 8-9 miles to the school I lost my directions - so I decided to wing it.
I knew it was northwest out to the Clermont, but not all the turns, so instead I rode Hwy 50 out, went south around Lake Minnehaha and then back to the hotel the same way. It was an easy to moderate pace while temps slowly increased throughout to the mid-90's (with a heat index around 104!). It felt great, muscles warm & loose, good sweat going, seeing new sights while out exploring a new part of the country - and was certainly a good way to forget about the Health Net crit in Portland on Friday night.
8 1/2 minutes is all I lasted Friday night in the CAT 1/2 race - eight and one half minutes?! It was a pretty technical course, and the start was just ridiculous. Right away in turns 1 and 2 guys were clipping there pedals & skipping their rear and letting gaps open. By lap 2 & 3 with a couple of crashes the gaps were increasing to an almost insurmountable amount. A few guys like Rob Campbell who have the horsepower to quickly close gaps were working overtime to get to the 1st chase group. The lead group of 15 lapped them about 15 minutes into the race. The rest of us who have more sustained power than those gifted with pure fast twitch power were left in the dust despite not breaking a sweat. I was so pissed that there were such a large group of riders that couldn't hold a wheel, couldn't control themselves in a corner, and wouldn't work to chase back on. I was happy to see Aaron Johnson skitter his way up through the pack and get his butt into the lead group and ultimately finish 7th.
I think I drank 6 large bottles in Orlando and I still came back dehydrated and drinking like a sponge. But it was a wonderful area and look forward to exploring it further another time. Perhaps even somehow magically getting my west-coast butt out the door for the 8:15 ride.
So I set my alarm to 6:45 with a plan to get my but out the door by 7:30AM for the 1/2 hour ride to the Windermere Elementary School where these guys ride from. So even though I went to bed about midnight, 6:45 came awful early (3:45 PDT) and I rolled over back to sleep. By the time I did get up, put the Pocket Rocket together, download the map of the 55 mile Groveland loop, and get out the door it was 10:20. Somewhere along the 8-9 miles to the school I lost my directions - so I decided to wing it.
I knew it was northwest out to the Clermont, but not all the turns, so instead I rode Hwy 50 out, went south around Lake Minnehaha and then back to the hotel the same way. It was an easy to moderate pace while temps slowly increased throughout to the mid-90's (with a heat index around 104!). It felt great, muscles warm & loose, good sweat going, seeing new sights while out exploring a new part of the country - and was certainly a good way to forget about the Health Net crit in Portland on Friday night.
8 1/2 minutes is all I lasted Friday night in the CAT 1/2 race - eight and one half minutes?! It was a pretty technical course, and the start was just ridiculous. Right away in turns 1 and 2 guys were clipping there pedals & skipping their rear and letting gaps open. By lap 2 & 3 with a couple of crashes the gaps were increasing to an almost insurmountable amount. A few guys like Rob Campbell who have the horsepower to quickly close gaps were working overtime to get to the 1st chase group. The lead group of 15 lapped them about 15 minutes into the race. The rest of us who have more sustained power than those gifted with pure fast twitch power were left in the dust despite not breaking a sweat. I was so pissed that there were such a large group of riders that couldn't hold a wheel, couldn't control themselves in a corner, and wouldn't work to chase back on. I was happy to see Aaron Johnson skitter his way up through the pack and get his butt into the lead group and ultimately finish 7th.
I think I drank 6 large bottles in Orlando and I still came back dehydrated and drinking like a sponge. But it was a wonderful area and look forward to exploring it further another time. Perhaps even somehow magically getting my west-coast butt out the door for the 8:15 ride.
Monday, August 20, 2007
STS - Four Hundred
400 days & counting until Summit the Sun - Climb for Kids next September. Securing corporate sponsorship is my immediate priority, so if you have any leads please drop a note my way.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
Knucklehead Passenger of the Day
As I am checking in at the gate with the Customer Service Agent for my flight to Dallas this morning when a disheveled lady scrambles up asking, "Is this the flight to LA?"
To which I replied, "No this flight is going to Dallas."
DL - "But they said to go to gate D1!"
Me (looking at her boarding pass) - "Well this is D3 [deeee threeee], you want to go 2 gates down, thataway (pointing)."
Without a word of gratitude or an ounce of comprehension DL takes off hurriedly in the opposite direction.
How many times do you think she repeated this scenario?
Do you think she made her flight to LA?
Do you think she made any flight to LA?
Today?
To which I replied, "No this flight is going to Dallas."
DL - "But they said to go to gate D1!"
Me (looking at her boarding pass) - "Well this is D3 [deeee threeee], you want to go 2 gates down, thataway (pointing)."
Without a word of gratitude or an ounce of comprehension DL takes off hurriedly in the opposite direction.
How many times do you think she repeated this scenario?
Do you think she made her flight to LA?
Do you think she made any flight to LA?
Today?
AJ wins, takes series - gets fined
Aaron Johnson (unattached) continued his evolution to mature as a racer as he takes the LWV 3-race series in commanding fashion by taking the win in Carnation. Missing the early attacks and inevitable break were Ian Tubbs (Hagen-Berman) & Chad Nikolz (AxleyUSA.com), though both had teammates up the road. Ian seemed anxious to send his remaining teammates to the front of the main group to try and chase the break down while Chad was happy to let the 2 teammates in the break (Shawn Ongers & Ronny Schmeer) try to get results for themselves.
The break ultimately succeeded, though with some controversial riding and words exchanged by Aaron and Mike Hone (Hagens-Berman). Aaron took the group sprint and the series while getting a slapped with a fine ($$) by the USA Cycling officials on hand. He admitted his errors and withstood some post race trash talking by Hone without getting pulled into a further confrontation. I think this showed great pose, maturity and a transformation for Aaron as a person and he walked away with a bigger prize, dignity & respect (is AJ we're talking about?), as well as enough points for what looks like his inevitable upgrade to CAT 1.
Good going Kid!
The break ultimately succeeded, though with some controversial riding and words exchanged by Aaron and Mike Hone (Hagens-Berman). Aaron took the group sprint and the series while getting a slapped with a fine ($$) by the USA Cycling officials on hand. He admitted his errors and withstood some post race trash talking by Hone without getting pulled into a further confrontation. I think this showed great pose, maturity and a transformation for Aaron as a person and he walked away with a bigger prize, dignity & respect (is AJ we're talking about?), as well as enough points for what looks like his inevitable upgrade to CAT 1.
Good going Kid!
Friday, August 17, 2007
Blame my Mother-in-Law
My Mother-in-Law moved out of her long-time Mercer Island house in 1999 because it was way too big for her lonesome to continue to keep up with (lots of square feet inside & out). She wanted something smaller & more manageable.
After a few months she found a condo in Kirkland and lived there for a few long years. She was in a downstairs unit and she had noisy upstairs neighbors. The condo unit was supposed to be insulated to the point where the neighbors weren't supposed to hear one-another, either side-to-side or up-and-down, but they could. Along with other condo association issues that she found objectionable she sold in 2004. For the last couple of years she has been temporarily living in her son's rental house in Kirkland while she has been seeking another suitable permanent residence.
She's looked here, she's looked there, and she's been to several open houses. She has been to dozens of good places that she'll find fault with, even after a first favorable impression. And she burns through her realtor's as well - is presently on her 3rd or 4th. She really likes the high rise condos in Bellevue (i.e. Lincoln Tower), and even has made an offer on a couple only to withdraw them soon after because of cold feet; and then only to see prices continue to appreciate outta sight.
Now her son is in a position that he must sell the rental house in the near term; but not to Mom, and not to purposefully force her hand, but that's exactly what's going to happen.
My theory then is that once she makes the ultimate decision to actually buy a place, TA DA (!) the domino effect will steamroll through the real estate market. She buys -the seller has cash, they buy - that seller has cash, they buy, and so on... and the whole economy will stabilize and get back on track.
But until my M-I-L opens her purse things will continue to be as volatile as ever.
After a few months she found a condo in Kirkland and lived there for a few long years. She was in a downstairs unit and she had noisy upstairs neighbors. The condo unit was supposed to be insulated to the point where the neighbors weren't supposed to hear one-another, either side-to-side or up-and-down, but they could. Along with other condo association issues that she found objectionable she sold in 2004. For the last couple of years she has been temporarily living in her son's rental house in Kirkland while she has been seeking another suitable permanent residence.
She's looked here, she's looked there, and she's been to several open houses. She has been to dozens of good places that she'll find fault with, even after a first favorable impression. And she burns through her realtor's as well - is presently on her 3rd or 4th. She really likes the high rise condos in Bellevue (i.e. Lincoln Tower), and even has made an offer on a couple only to withdraw them soon after because of cold feet; and then only to see prices continue to appreciate outta sight.
Now her son is in a position that he must sell the rental house in the near term; but not to Mom, and not to purposefully force her hand, but that's exactly what's going to happen.
My theory then is that once she makes the ultimate decision to actually buy a place, TA DA (!) the domino effect will steamroll through the real estate market. She buys -the seller has cash, they buy - that seller has cash, they buy, and so on... and the whole economy will stabilize and get back on track.
But until my M-I-L opens her purse things will continue to be as volatile as ever.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Stuck in Newark
I like New York, NY. But I get downright nervous when the state doesn't have a namesake city in it. There is a Washington City in Washington State. Just as there is Oregon City and California City in Oregon & California respectively. Now you might point out that there is a Jersey City in New Jersey; but that doesn't cut it.
So like I said I am a little suspect of the Garden State for not have a namesake city, though it does have a Garden City in New Jersey. What are they embarrassed about?
Anyway, so there I was in the home of the NY Giants and the New York Jets, staying in downtown Newark steps away from Seton Hall School of Law and a few blocks away from Rutgers (where today's NY Post headlines screamed HO HO HO at Imus' $20m extortion from CBS), and also where NY Yankee Phil Rizzuto is hailed as a hometown legend (having lived his last years in nearby West Orange, NJ).
While only miles away from the island of Manhattan, Newark is still mired as a crime ridden corrupt landscape that needs to be cleaned up (i.e. the tragic execution of those 3 students recently). It hails itself on the city signs as a Renaissance City. What renaissance are they thinking about? Within 1 1/2 miles of the city center I saw trash trucks dumping into a local refuse yard. I saw auto recycling yards tearing up cars. I saw buckled & potholed streets. And tons of litter and crap in the roadways I tried to cycle on. Or what the CNBC financial reporter called the armpit of the NE.
Oh yeah; I went for a ride today in this heap - zigging and zagging streets south to a little seaside village called Perth Amboy on Raritan Bay. Perth Amboy?? Sounds like a place where the immigrant Aussies like to congregate, but actually is a combo of quaint seaside houses with a Latino (PR) influence (where they just banned the feeding of feral cats).
On the way down there I stopped in the oil storage town of Woodbridge (whose city sign was sponsored by Shell Oil) to ask a couple of guys directions (eating lunch on a rock wall) as I thought (mistakenly) that I had missed a turn. The one guy asked where I was from? Seattle area out west. Ya, don't see too many folks riding a funny bike like that around here dressed in tight clothes, WHAT'S YOUR NAME (he commands)?? Erik, what's yours? SHELL (he barks). Oh you work for Shell Oil? No Chevron, why? No reason....(so Shell works for Chevron, just so you have that straight).
On the way back downtown I took a slightly different route and was looking across the water separating me from Staten Island and the Fresh Kills landfill. Now I don't know if it's a New Jersey thing or a New York thing but shouldn't the authorities be digging that place up instead of looking under a barn in Milford Township, Michigan? It just makes sense, right?
I did manage to get in a decent couple-hour ride despite the mostly glum landscape, and I'll bring my bike again to continue to look for a quality ride, maybe next time up the Palisades Parkway north of the GW Bridge? And the possibility of a visit to the US Bicycling Hall of Fame in nearby Somerville, NJ; if I can ever get them to publish an address (or do I just hang around their P.O. Box?).
So like I said I am a little suspect of the Garden State for not have a namesake city, though it does have a Garden City in New Jersey. What are they embarrassed about?
Anyway, so there I was in the home of the NY Giants and the New York Jets, staying in downtown Newark steps away from Seton Hall School of Law and a few blocks away from Rutgers (where today's NY Post headlines screamed HO HO HO at Imus' $20m extortion from CBS), and also where NY Yankee Phil Rizzuto is hailed as a hometown legend (having lived his last years in nearby West Orange, NJ).
While only miles away from the island of Manhattan, Newark is still mired as a crime ridden corrupt landscape that needs to be cleaned up (i.e. the tragic execution of those 3 students recently). It hails itself on the city signs as a Renaissance City. What renaissance are they thinking about? Within 1 1/2 miles of the city center I saw trash trucks dumping into a local refuse yard. I saw auto recycling yards tearing up cars. I saw buckled & potholed streets. And tons of litter and crap in the roadways I tried to cycle on. Or what the CNBC financial reporter called the armpit of the NE.
Oh yeah; I went for a ride today in this heap - zigging and zagging streets south to a little seaside village called Perth Amboy on Raritan Bay. Perth Amboy?? Sounds like a place where the immigrant Aussies like to congregate, but actually is a combo of quaint seaside houses with a Latino (PR) influence (where they just banned the feeding of feral cats).
On the way down there I stopped in the oil storage town of Woodbridge (whose city sign was sponsored by Shell Oil) to ask a couple of guys directions (eating lunch on a rock wall) as I thought (mistakenly) that I had missed a turn. The one guy asked where I was from? Seattle area out west. Ya, don't see too many folks riding a funny bike like that around here dressed in tight clothes, WHAT'S YOUR NAME (he commands)?? Erik, what's yours? SHELL (he barks). Oh you work for Shell Oil? No Chevron, why? No reason....(so Shell works for Chevron, just so you have that straight).
On the way back downtown I took a slightly different route and was looking across the water separating me from Staten Island and the Fresh Kills landfill. Now I don't know if it's a New Jersey thing or a New York thing but shouldn't the authorities be digging that place up instead of looking under a barn in Milford Township, Michigan? It just makes sense, right?
I did manage to get in a decent couple-hour ride despite the mostly glum landscape, and I'll bring my bike again to continue to look for a quality ride, maybe next time up the Palisades Parkway north of the GW Bridge? And the possibility of a visit to the US Bicycling Hall of Fame in nearby Somerville, NJ; if I can ever get them to publish an address (or do I just hang around their P.O. Box?).
Friday, August 10, 2007
Like a Virgin
New airline late out of the blocks on inaugural flight.
What did they really expect flying routes between JFK-SFO & JFK-LAX? Who's the marketing genius who thought of this one?
Weather & airport capacity limitations at both JFK and SFO will make this a one-trip experience for most travelers. Without a route network or enough airplane capacity with which to reroute the severely delayed or stranded, passengers will soon begrudgingly return to the network legacy carriers they love to hate.
What did they really expect flying routes between JFK-SFO & JFK-LAX? Who's the marketing genius who thought of this one?
Weather & airport capacity limitations at both JFK and SFO will make this a one-trip experience for most travelers. Without a route network or enough airplane capacity with which to reroute the severely delayed or stranded, passengers will soon begrudgingly return to the network legacy carriers they love to hate.
We don't need no stinking Tailwind
The bright light shining on the mirrored ball is about to extinguish on Tailwind Sports with their futile search for a successor to title sponsor The Discovery Channel, another chapter of American cycling will close its doors at the end of this season. Seems as though riding with a tailwind, just like doping, makes the required effort way too eazy.
Though with Slipstream Sports, lead by Jonathan Vaughters, ready to fill the void - will we really miss them?
With TdF winner Contador (with a name like that shouldn't he be a champion bull fighter?) now under doping scrutiny, the allegations that continually dog Lance (Tailwind co-owner), and doping problems with a few former high profile Tailwind boys Heras, Hamilton, Landis and short timer Basso; this was high-profile program that failed to convince big money backers that they were going to get a big return on their big investment without big risk. No big for you!
Slipstream on the other hand with their proactive involvement with pre-screening and continual year-long testing for physiological markers by ACE seems to understand the need to play & win clean; and are being rewarded for their efforts to do so.
Let's hope that all other Pro Tour & Continental teams step up to rid the sport of cheats and those who profit from out of the (jersey) pockets of others more deserving who race fairly.
Levi, George and crew have or will find new teams with which to headline.
Though with Slipstream Sports, lead by Jonathan Vaughters, ready to fill the void - will we really miss them?
With TdF winner Contador (with a name like that shouldn't he be a champion bull fighter?) now under doping scrutiny, the allegations that continually dog Lance (Tailwind co-owner), and doping problems with a few former high profile Tailwind boys Heras, Hamilton, Landis and short timer Basso; this was high-profile program that failed to convince big money backers that they were going to get a big return on their big investment without big risk. No big for you!
Slipstream on the other hand with their proactive involvement with pre-screening and continual year-long testing for physiological markers by ACE seems to understand the need to play & win clean; and are being rewarded for their efforts to do so.
Let's hope that all other Pro Tour & Continental teams step up to rid the sport of cheats and those who profit from out of the (jersey) pockets of others more deserving who race fairly.
Levi, George and crew have or will find new teams with which to headline.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Interview
Bo Hambuger to Michael Rusmussen...
"So before we let you race all I'll need is to look at your passport, OK?" or
"You know there are no KOM points up for grabs here..." or
"You know there are no KOM points up for grabs here..." or
"Is it true that chicken do eat crow?" or
"Gee Michael, is it any coincidence that the stuff you're on also erases all team or individual sponsers off your jersey?"
"Gee Michael, is it any coincidence that the stuff you're on also erases all team or individual sponsers off your jersey?"
Sunday, August 5, 2007
Skyline
There's Skyline Drive in VA that goes north-south through the Appalachians. There's Skyline Blvd in the hills east of Oakland. There's also a Skyline Blvd on the other side of the Bay running the crest of the Santa Cruz Mountains. And then there's the Skyline Blvd that I rode today in the Portland area running the crest of the hills just west of town.
They are all beautifully challenging roads with few stops, many ups & downs, a few Mom & Pop outposts spreading the local yore and lots of local cyclists that'll whip your sorry ass in shape & send you home wishing for more.
I can't wait to come on down to PDX for another chance this summer - 4 hours wasn't enough.
They are all beautifully challenging roads with few stops, many ups & downs, a few Mom & Pop outposts spreading the local yore and lots of local cyclists that'll whip your sorry ass in shape & send you home wishing for more.
I can't wait to come on down to PDX for another chance this summer - 4 hours wasn't enough.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
Big D
I flew into DFW the other day and fortunate enough to have my Pocket Rocket with me. I haven't been to Dallas since I lived there for almost a year in the early 80's. The Wyndham Hotel where we stay in North Dallas would've probably been in the sticks back then, now it totally surrounded by suburbia.
I got the bike together and went out for a late afternoon exploratory ride after a brief look in the phonebook to get my bearings. Turns out I picked a fairly decent parkway type road with stop lights few and far between. This was better than the bike path along the Trinity River which still showed periodic signs of flooding from the numerous days of heavy downpours earlier in the month.
I ended up turning around after about an hour and a half when the road T'd into the airport perimeter. Following my crumbs & coming back the same way, I was stopped at an intersection when a big gust started throwing up road debris behind me. Looking back I see the darkest wall of water a quarter mile away heading toward me. Come oooonnn light...
With nowhere to duck for cover when the light eventually changed I decided to try to outrun the sucker. Which as it turned out wasn't that difficult considering the fact I was aided by a 25-30 MPH tailwind. That was fun.
When I got back to the hotel I realized that I hadn't seen anybody else out riding their bike (except the 2 young girls on their pink tasseled driveway cruisers); unless you count the guy on the 3-wheeler selling ice cream (I guess he'd be considered a professional cyclist). Not a single one.
Now turn back 20+ years and I can still conjure up the image of a certain beer bottle flying eye level left to right slow motion-like right in front of my face as the p/u sped on. I figure the Big D still has a problem with the Lycra-clad crowd.
Next morning I head out again, this time in the opposite direction toward White Rock Lake. What I find is the mecca to cyclists in the immediate Dallas area. Nice quiet roads a bike paths for all to share and enjoy. Sort of like Greenlake on steroids. A few laps around the lake and back to the hotel somewhat more satisfied that Dallas does have a bike haven.
This was reinforced by the Competitor Texas mag I picked up at the REI near the hotel - which pretty much stated that it was THE place for runners, cyclists, and triathletes to get in some quality training in the heart of the city.
Oh and if I've piqued your interest I saw a rare 2.48 acre vacant lot for sale across the street from the lake on a nice quiet lane available for $2.75 million.
I got the bike together and went out for a late afternoon exploratory ride after a brief look in the phonebook to get my bearings. Turns out I picked a fairly decent parkway type road with stop lights few and far between. This was better than the bike path along the Trinity River which still showed periodic signs of flooding from the numerous days of heavy downpours earlier in the month.
I ended up turning around after about an hour and a half when the road T'd into the airport perimeter. Following my crumbs & coming back the same way, I was stopped at an intersection when a big gust started throwing up road debris behind me. Looking back I see the darkest wall of water a quarter mile away heading toward me. Come oooonnn light...
With nowhere to duck for cover when the light eventually changed I decided to try to outrun the sucker. Which as it turned out wasn't that difficult considering the fact I was aided by a 25-30 MPH tailwind. That was fun.
When I got back to the hotel I realized that I hadn't seen anybody else out riding their bike (except the 2 young girls on their pink tasseled driveway cruisers); unless you count the guy on the 3-wheeler selling ice cream (I guess he'd be considered a professional cyclist). Not a single one.
Now turn back 20+ years and I can still conjure up the image of a certain beer bottle flying eye level left to right slow motion-like right in front of my face as the p/u sped on. I figure the Big D still has a problem with the Lycra-clad crowd.
Next morning I head out again, this time in the opposite direction toward White Rock Lake. What I find is the mecca to cyclists in the immediate Dallas area. Nice quiet roads a bike paths for all to share and enjoy. Sort of like Greenlake on steroids. A few laps around the lake and back to the hotel somewhat more satisfied that Dallas does have a bike haven.
This was reinforced by the Competitor Texas mag I picked up at the REI near the hotel - which pretty much stated that it was THE place for runners, cyclists, and triathletes to get in some quality training in the heart of the city.
Oh and if I've piqued your interest I saw a rare 2.48 acre vacant lot for sale across the street from the lake on a nice quiet lane available for $2.75 million.
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