infected

Its that time of year. Its a weekday. Like an old wife and her tail, I have been avoiding those around me with the cough like the plague. Is it a coincidence that I got sick today because I was outside working in the cold and rain. Yes, but it probably has more to do with the fact that everone around me is hacking like a rabid hyena with half a yack down its throat. I have been avoiding the situation, but in the end....I am infected.

Solution: Buy everything in the cold and cough section, pound the OJ (not Simpson) and hit the liquid vitamins.

Merry Christmas

Hope you got everything you wanted? What a riff. I wanted someone in my family to win the lottery. I guess that sounds a little vain, but...... How does the saying go, "money can't buy you happiness." Shit, I'm already happy. Anyway, every year I feel a little spoiled because I have such a giving family. For me, the food would be enough. As Milo Aukerman put it, "I like food, food tastes good."

Rolled out a good plan on the trainer just before diner. Its all about the plan. You may not stick to it exactly, but a plan definately helps you accomplish your goals. Get it together in the new year. Thats good advice for me I guess. Maybe I will listen to it for once.

One week to Mississippi.

That ones gonna leave a mark

Never trust the guy who says, "I haven't been riding much I am not sure I will be able to hang on." Definately do not trust him when you have been putting in the miles, and are a little tired. See where I am going with this? With Mark Pirtle (now refered to as MP2 on this blog), Andy O, Martel and Tomlinson in tow, we hit out at a 70 miler today. No problem except it was my fourth day on. I may well have been done before I started with this crew. I think three out of the five guys had said they might have trouble hanging on and wanted a easy ride. Just so happens it was those three pushing the pace at the turn around. Humm? All I could think of was food. Mmmm, chimichanga.

ET was looking slim and fit despite his declaration that he hasn't been training. He will be ready when called upon. Andy O continues to come around, but we need to put a rev meter on him. He looked like he may have blown a seal at the end. And, MP2 looks better every ride. Could there be a State Masters title in the waiting for him?

My legs are like wood. Roll on, roll out.

Can we not have our own history?

The St. Louis cycling message board had been lit with enthusiasm when the topic of great former local St. Louis riders came up. History is hard to define after the fact. Those that were there know their true stories, but it is still interesting to here a debate not about Lance Armstrong. After debating the whos who of St. Louis past racing history, I realized that everyone has their own idea about who the hardmen were. Of course, I put in a couple of names I thought were missing. The midwest has always been a hot bed for racing, and this topic reraised that issue. It must be winter. Ultimately, the thread came to a screaching hault when a veteran who should know better quite smartly pointed out none of these people or the current talent are as good as Lucky Lance. Okay, sure, there really aren't any grand tour riders here. Kevin Livingston? Whatever. I do think that it is important to know the history so you can evaluate the present and improve in the future. But, holy shit, if I have to hear about Armstain the rest of my cycling career (life) because people are so blinded by his tv coverage I am gonna need a rope and a tall tree. Sure I think he is super, but for me cycling or even bicycle racing does not begin and end with Lance Armstrong. He is a small extremely visible part of a huge global community of riders. My point is that our little local history is as important to our cycling community as Lance is to the international cycling community.

Our past and present local hard men are important. Do not forget who helped you get started, motivated you and who supports you now. Otherwise we all should retire like Lance. I don't know about you, but I am a lifer. And, no I didn't get arrested again.

30 degrees and rising.

Holy Cow!

It has cracked 30 degrees outside, and its only a quarter after 9. Its amazing how quickly your perspective changes in respect to what temperature is too cold to ride in. Just a couple of months ago 40 degrees was like riding on the polar ice cap. Now I am praying to the cycling gods for the wind chill to hold off and let the sun warm the temp up over a balmy 30 just to get outside. I am gonna take advantage of the solar radiation and jettison. I'm out.

D-

When I was a student I would certainly question a professor when I did not understand something being presented to me. I would also question what I did not believe or want to believe. But, I can not understand a student that would tell a professor that they were over thinking something that they had just presented. As a teacher, you learn quickly that there will always be some subjectivity to grading. For the life of me, I can not understand how a student would not recognize how a negative attitude would not reflect in a poor participation grade. If it were myself, and I had a poor thought out, shoddily executed and flimsy project I would do little to help along the failing grade that was sure to come. This has not been my experience in my classes. Today was no different.

U2

When my friend asked me to goto the U2 concert I thought that would make for an eventful night. But, by no means was U2 on my top ten radar for must see bands. Sure The Joshua Tree was overly popular when I was in highschool. Already huge in Europe they ignited America with their a subtle complexity. As a young punk it would have been hard to reveal that I often listened attently to even the b side of that cassette. U2 has always had the context of a punk band, however. With the charge of an IRA Sargent, they frenzy the listener into a rage of empowerment and inspiration. With beginnings that appear with no more than a low rumble their songs of dissent, distrust, broken promise and relations cruschendo into epic adventures with the strength of ten bands. This does not always translate well to a live show however.
So we get to the show, and song after song they shot right to the top of my radar. This is a band of seasoned vets, and they truely put on a feverishly power packed set. With hit after hit, they manage to continuely build on the energy already prevelant in their music, but I had not expected that their stage presence would equally be masterful in its simplicity. I have seen countless shows, this one rates amoung the best of the big bands. Like an old friend, U2 has come back into the fold, and chargednew life in their music for me.

Thanks William.

www.u2.com
www.one.org
www.u2tours.com

In the beginning

I have been thinking about the possiblities of our Elite team for this 2006 season. Right now we are ten individuals. Everyday we put pedal to pavement together we get closer to the unified and individual goal. Over the past few years, we have built what I believe to be the perfect age and experience combination. Six of our riders are over 30 years old and the others range from 18 to 26. This combination of youth and experience is a powerful mix. The young riders invigorate the older riders, and the older riders inspire the sprite youngsters. It is a dynamic crew of roleurs, power riders, climbers, sprinters and finishers. By no means is any rider a specialist, but each rider has their qualities. With such a broad spectrum of riders we have a full house to play with. If done right it will look like Rabobank on their best day with a flurry of action. Once we can communicate in the race with just a glance the top finishes will come. That unspoken communication is necessary for a solid fusion of ideas and direction. I can not wait to to get a few races under the belt and iron out the details. I am already dreaming of a big finish at Hueston Woods.

Rest

I could do it the rest of my life. Rest. Just lay down and rest.

Back in Blue

So.....without anticipating anything positive in the saddle today, I strapped on my shinny pair of Genius 5s and clipped in. I wasn't expecting to get aboard the Ergotrainer and pound out the rythym. Nor was it the plan of attack. I was merely hoping to feel comfortable and get a little work in. With a week of rest my back is maybe at 80% again. My comfort level off of the bike is not great, but once I put pedal to electronic gizmo. If the erg is right (it seemed to be calibrated correctly), after about an hour warmup I was able to belt out three 4 minute efforts over 400 watts at over 100rpm. Not bad for a gimp. The rest of the ride was uneventful. I had see enough blindness for one night

Lets see what kind of work I can get in the rest of the week.

Change is good

Every once in awhile you have those days that reassure you that it is time for a change. Whether it is work, home, social life, whatever it doesn't really matter. Is it the change of direction that can reinvent your driving force? I think for myself that must be the case. I am not looking for a reinvention of my constitution, but a redirection of the path taken to accomplish those goals.

For myself it has always been the road less traveled that attacked me the most. I guess it is the curiousity that gets me turned onto the direction others have opted out of. Maybe because less traveled avenues tend to be tougher, longer routes. I do like a challenge.