Moto-doping or Just Dopes

  What the HECK!? If anyone, Pro or amateur, is caught with an electric motor in their down tube then they should be SHOT! This possibility is in a video at the address below:
motor Doping : http://bikeblips.dailyradar.com/video/bike-with-engine-doped-bike-and-cancellara-roubaix/
I think if this is a big hoax then those who were behind it should be SHOT! I'm sick over this in my sport in particular and all sports in general. The sports game is demanding more and more from those who participate for bigger more astonishing results on more demanding contests. I'm also sick of those who are constantly on a witch hunt, looking under every rock and around every corner for a conspiracy...SICK OF IT!
  Just focusing on my sport of cycling in particular I understand the need for improvement & amp my recovery, the two go hand in hand. The first week I rode 100 miles, yes thats dog miles and equals 700 in people miles, it took me two days into the following week to start to feel strong enough to push the envelope. I realized early on that my current performance, which equals endurance/ recovery on the ride and after/ breakaway power/ and sprint ability, were not close to the days of my cat 3 races of 30 years ago.

  With this in mind I look through those eyes  at the Pro ranks who count their performance in watts, heart rate and seconds find themselves losing bits and pieces of this as they approach late thirties.  Of course there are exceptions to every rule in nature including this one.
  All this intrigue over doping chemically and electrically reminds me of the movie "Cool Runnings". The coach of the Jamaican team was a world champion bob sled driver 20 years pryer who had all his medals taken away when he was found putting weight in the front of the sled to gain speed.  When the subject was discussed with his current team he told them, "if your not enough with out them (gold medals) you'll never be enough with them". Sound familiar?
 Does that really justify the hundreds of millions spent on the policing of drugs or are their other ways to stop their use besides botched and mislabeled tests? Or since everyone wants the heights of the races and riders to be push beyond their limits is it the fans who are accountable? The UCI has a different way to handle each rider they claim is doping according to there celebrity with their mishandling of there own regulations.
  So who is the dope? UCI for misconduct and ham handed stupidity? The owners for putting the sales of jerseys and high tech bike gear ahead of the health of the riders? Or maybe even the riders themselves who are willing to do anything for that edge in the hardest sport in the world? After all, all the other guys are doing it right?
  These questions go back to the beginning of pro sports and maybe they are joined at the hip eternally. What then is the answer? You tell me although I think that doing anything past your limit so that you need injections, transfusions, oral meds or electric motors just to be competitive means your the dope.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying...the coffee.

Blocked

 As I sit here listening to 'The Nw Deal' group rolling out the sumptuous electronic sounds I can't for the life of me think of anything to write. Last week I rode 187 miles and spent 11 hours in the saddle yet nothing comes to mind to jot down (eleven strong and glorious hours in the saddle I might add!). And I watched the Pennsylvania road race as well as the Dophine-Libre prolog yet nothing comes to mind to write. No pithy comments on the races, no brilliant insights into my soul as I spent myself in each revolution of the Ultegra crank,no not a darn thing.
  it is truly bewildering to me that after only 10 months I, who has so much energy to talk and ride, have come to the end of myself in the written word. Yet here I am languishing in common prose and wrestling the keyboard to wring a few lines of my soul onto the web for all to see it shine and step back to say 'ahh'.
I am in awe of the technology I use with out so much as a marvel on a daily basis; I am in awe when I can write someone in Italy and get an answer in moments; I am in awe of our electronic world  but use it dull wittily almost all the time. Never do I take into account the billions of times every moment these monuments to our inventiveness are used out of commonplace. But that's not what I want to say either,
  So for all the time I spend wondering if I can keep up the writing the answer is...I don't know. I rather enjoy the brisk and innovative thought process I go through just looking into my soul, at each moment in time I approach the keyboard. I find myself looking at subject and object in a new way at that instant I examine the surroundings I'm in. And for the most part turning things inside out and upside down to get insight is a profound lightning strike to my being...I like it! And at the end of the day, to leave myself on paper is very fulfilling.
 So I will continue to search, seek and intuit the world as I can and leave it to our better selves to mend and shape what we learn from it.
If I pass you on the roads stop at Peets and ponder with me over some coffee.

B FLAT

I forward this excerpt from the weekly e-mail of our velo club. Not only does it keep everyone informed of what rides are coming up but also the most recent one and    what was accomplished. I find this communication keeps us moving towards a goal 

together and builds a strong interdependence for a great ride dynamic. Enjoy:

If yesterdays ride was in a signature it would have to be B flat. The ride was very well put together as we rode to the top of McGreger in Ft Myers and did the repeats of the three bridges from top to bottom and then on to Sanibel and finally back to FMB Holiday Inn. We rounded out the milage to just shy of 70. A very tough 70 but very rewarding with the usual trash talk by my fellow riders. The weather cooperated with us until about 10am when you could feel the heat start to reflect off the black top and next the air hung thick with humidity that is until we hit the cape coral 

bridge and the cool wind off the bay came and gave us a second wind as it were. 

When we got into Salli's bike shop on Sanibell we were happy to have a pit stop. I can tell you as for myself I drank about a gallon of water and sweated everything outbut about a 1/2 cup of fluid. Yes it was hot!SO HYDRATE my friends even if you don'tthink you need too drink.

Our first long ride was plagued by flats and this one was recreating that same note of disharmony as our deraileurs wired away in the key of 'k', as in for kick arshe. We were traveling @ about 21 to 23 mph on the way up and had just a real great time in the rhythm of our travels. As a side note it was great to see stuff you miss whenyour driving to a destination in your car. But I digress. 

There was a quartet of us brave souls to attack the bridges and never did we get to strung out nor did we fret about the traffic.  All in
all it was a great ride , thanks Tom, and I hope to do it again real soon. I found this article on line and would like to share it with you all. I find it very
interesting that so many publications are for or against something based on there 

own ideals and not interested in finding out the facts. However if you run across 

stuff please  forward to me because I really want to understand the bottom line and not just what someone thinks no matter how good intentioned.
Harvard study of Carbo hydrates in our diet:
http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutrition
source/what-should-you-eat/carbohydrates-full-story/index.html

If I pass you on the road stop T Peets, because your buying.

Vacation

See you in eleven days. Be safe out there and wear a Road ID so your loved ones feel safe too.

Accidents Happen

What happens when you suddenly find yourself on the ground with broken ribs, a concussion and a trashed bike? In many cases it because some one lost concentration in the pelaton and rubbed wheels, a pothole was not called out and your front tire sunk into it, water on the road caused you to slip or a million other things that can go wrong in a sport where separation from each other is measured in inches when going 20 to 25 mph.  Then when the accident happens we pay the ultimate price to be in this ammature sport which is loss of time from work due to accident and in some cases loss of the biggest investment we have, our bike.
I know that I have prepared mentally for the scenario of road rash and trashed kit I've been there before and it's not pretty. I have also gotten a 'Road ID' for $20 so no matter how far out from home, or in the case of not being conscious, it can give EMS the info needed. I also have good insurance to back me up incase of an emergency. This was always a concern before in the early 80's when I had no insurance. What did I do then if a major thing happened I had no clue. But it's alot more comforting now too know I have protection but my bones sure as heck don't heal as fast and my bruises don't go away as fast as when I was 20 something.
And what about my spirit and what about my bike? The only thing I could find about insuring my bike was found at  : http://www.examiner.com/x-7060-Insurance-Industry-Examiner~y2009m8d11-Insurance101-Where-to-buy-bicycle-insurance . There is some solid info here but the only real actual honest to god insurance for your ride is from England. I have no idea why non of the big insurance agencies don't do business with us little guys. Maybe we are like weekend basketball players to them, I don't know. But I do know that to replace my ride would be a major investment...again. The wife would shot first and ask questions latter!
Watching the Tour of California I saw the team cars stop for the down riders, help them up, check their bones and give them a new bike and off they went. For some reason I don't think that's going to happen if I go down in the maylai of the Tuesday or Thursday night ride.  Hopefully my fellow riders would have pity on me and stop  to make sure everything is good.
But what about the days and weeks ahead? For this I would think that I could count on a few of my friends in the Pelaton to buoy my spirits and give the wife a break from entertaining me. I've gotten to know several of the pack simply by asking how they are and whats up with them and just being a mentsch. And why not? This is my social group and I ride with them 4 to 7 hours a week and these are the people I choose to spend that time with. Why not get to know them? If any of these guys were to have trouble I would be there for them and I believe they would be there for me too. That is also part of the healing process and good sportsmanship to boot.
So give yourself a gut check on all three of the majors, accident backup on insurance for your self including a Road Id, insurance for your bike and support for the guys in the Pelaton. You will never know how good it is until you or your friends need it.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Zealous or Zealot

zeal·ous

  

–adjective

full of, characterized by, or due to zeal; ardently active, devoted,or diligent.

	'zealot'  (zĕĺət)
	Dictionary.com · The American Heritage® Dictionary - (2 definitions)

[Middle English zelote, from Latin zēlōtēs, from Greek, from zēlos, zeal.]

(noun)

1. 
   
   
   

1. One who is zealous, especially excessively so.
2. A fanatically committed person.

So which one am I? I prefer to go through the test to find out which one fits me. I know that there is a fine line between being zealous for cycling and being a zealot. It is possibly that most people mistake my incessant ramblings as me being a zealot. So let me see, what would be my indicators: really enjoy cycling; really enjoy talking about it with whoever will listen; spend time at the bike shops just to look and talk tech to the staff; have other interests but don't talk about them to others. What do you think zealot or just zealous?
Ok I could add watch all the cycling races I can and read a lot of blogs, magazines and video blogs about the latest tech. But still this is not an all consuming passion. Seeing that I have had long recovery times because of my age and still being 20 pounds up in weigh I had waited a couple of days to feel right. BUT, then the tech rears it's ugly head and I do research on the recovery process of all the different manufactures. When I ride, the constant tinkering of position, pedal stroke and physiologic balance keeps me always intent on my form.  I don't know does that sound like a zealot? This personal journey is not narcissistic, it's cathartic in nature and there fore has to be because of zeal and not fanaticism. 

Yes I write a blog and yes I have and will always cycle from now on but I will never be short sighted enough to only 'see' my passion as the entire being of my existence...

If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Ahh Yes...

Of course, It always seems that in this world we take one step forward and three big steps back. In this case I'm referring to the bill that is in legislation to force cyclist on the sidewalk as well as golf carts, mopeds and motorized scooters. You know I get enough crap when I'm in the bike lane by ignorant motorists but if this is law then we will never be able to deal with the mind numbing foolishness of the driver in a 4000 pound car. So much for 'going green' in Florida. Hey if you don't believe me feast your squinty eyes on this: http://www.floridaracingmagazine.com/?gclid=CMrM4oSVxqECFRfF3Aod-VDZQA
As I sit behind my monitor that opens my mind to the world I see that the older generation that has no idea about the cycling world has declared war on us in the only way they know how, that being the sneaky and underhanded politics that would limit the potential of cycling future. And why is this? Aren't these the very ones whose generation heralded rock and roll much to the chagrin of the then older generation? Are we that rapacious in our neat lines and team oriented movement that these older ones would want to eradicate us? Truth be said I feel the same myself sometimes when I'm driving and there is a bike lane on the road but the cyclists are in the car lane instead of the bike lane. That is stupid to me because next time I ride I'm going to get to enjoy the reaction by the oldsters who were treated to this display of narcissism by the previous jerks in spandex who pissed them off, thank you very much for that!
My most recent experiance while in the peloton was last Tuesday ride. Since we are a resort town there is a constant influx of 'vacation rides' who really are there to show us just how good they are. So this night our normally  disciplined group of 20 riders was swollen to 40. And these visitors were not interested in following the rules of the peloton. This was distressing because the police are putting the pressure on us because of this type of stupidity. Well needless to say the badist dude actually got right in front of  car causing it to stop for no reason other than he is the John Wayne of cycling. Then he proceeded to berate the driver and his wife. Of course we asked him to leave the group at which he said he had done us a favor by his actions. Ah huh!
So I can't completely ignore the publics anger at some of the jerks we have to endure. This is not a race situation when we are on the rides, it's fun and relaxing yet competitive in nature but not antagonistic. And if that is they ride you want I whole heartedly invite you to join the ranks of category racing, otherwise get your act together and have a good time.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying!

Microwave Nation

I want instant gratification and I want it NOW! This is now the motto of our nation. Especially in the cities were the blackberries rule because e-ail and phone calls just aren't fast enough.  To focus on or specific sport, it has invaded the cycling world with books on how to be hyper competitive in a race while training only 6 to 10 hours a week. This is so foreign to an organic style of training that just the thought of this 'frenzy' style race prep is looked upon by the established cycling world as an American phenomenon. Because it is squarely opposed to base building before intense training.
I almost fell victim to this way of thinking. I thought if I followed the method that by mid-may I would be riding 250 a  week especially having been such a prolific rider...30 years ago. Yep, I thought I would set my butt on a saddle and wall-ah, nine months later I would be riding high milage @ 28 to 32 miles an hour! Talk about instant gratification.
So with this in mind and the fact work occupies 55 hours a week and I realize that this is my base building year. I will be happy to get to 150 to 200 miles a week and recover that same week by the end of 2010. That is with out losing my mind or sleep. Of course that was so easier 30 years ago and my body could get it's but kicked ever day and be ready for more the next. That was then this is now and I still have some home work to do but i'm gaining on how to get recovered by Zipvit, Hammer and Cliff. But let's get to it this year so next year can be the best yet.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Greasy Goodness

Thats how I describe what is possibly the greatest concoction made by man...EVER! What do you think I'm talking about? A Cheeseburger thats what. That several billion dollar a year industry that has millions of restaurants, diners and fast food chains devoted to this one sandwich!

My first memories of this favorite food of mine was going to the 'burger joint' my mom managed. This was the old fashioned kind of place that offered burgers, shakes, fries or chips and thats it. If you remember the SNL skit from the 70's, "cheese burger-cheese burger, Pepsi no coke" that was my moms place.  There was no mushrooms, bacon or swiss in those days just good burgers. hot and juicy. there was nothing to get in the way of this perfection on a bun.

Any way, as I walked into 'Giant burgers', my moms place, the smell would almost knock me over and in this stupor I would be wafted to my seat at the counter. Uh, in those days no self respecting burger place had booths just a long counter! I watched as the women working there were pleasant and efficient. As they produced their wares their joking and service were the only appetizer. 

As each one was completed the burger itself was placed into a paper, yellow for cheese and white for no cheese, and neatly wrapped like a newborn in a snug blanket. Then placed on top of hot fries in a basket and put in front of you with an incredibly thick shake...mmmmm.

Man, the anticipation of unwrapping and sinking my teeth into it got me every time and it was all I could do to sit still. As this juicy goodness ran down my arms in the first bite, my mouth exploded into a frenzy of steamy pleasure . If thats not love then I don't know what is!

That was then this is now. To say I'm still in love with this ideal goes with out saying. But until I went to "5 Guys burgers and fries" I had missed this simple yet very organic to my being pleasure.  As I opened the doors to this place for the first time I was greeted by that same familiar smell of grilled burgers and fresh fries, it was if an old friend was welcoming me home. 

Then there is the taste test, the truth of weather it was just me wanting it to be right or did they have the goods; the true proof of every memory, ideal and dream that goes into making up my burger fantasy. Well it did and I have made the pilgrimage to many enjoyable meals at this shrine to the of juicy meat in a bun.

I am sure that there are thousands of great places for burgers across our nation and that each devotee of this sandwich has there favorite joint to which they get there best memory. Yet for me it started all those years ago in humble beginning and for now it's 5 Guys that fulfills this unction.

If I pass you on the road stop at 5 guys, because your buying and I've already had my Peets. 

the Tuesday Thursday ride

For the last eight months I have ridden my Trek from 20 miles a week to 140 mpw. Since November I have been a faithful club rider twice a week starting with the B's and now getting into the A's. Yes those insane A's who promise to ride@ a max of 24-mph only to beat the crap out of each other @ over 28-mph on the back stretch. The clincher is the last few miles when speeds of 30 to 32 are reached in the train just before the sprint...or so I am told because I haven't gotten that far, YET.
So far the months of hard training and the rides for pure joy and everything else in between has really paid off. How can I tell? tonight I rode with the A's almost halfway @ a constant 24 to 26 mph. For me that was a real testament to a good work ethic. Does that mean I'll go to the Olympics? Heck no but it does mean I'm gaining on the others and that even with my biologic age of 52, I'm not far off from the A's speed and stamina. Oh sure most have several years of hard work and long miles on their legs but that will not stand in my way. Spoken like a true 'A type' personality right!?
So here I sit in the after glow of my improved stats etched on my minds eye and the fading glory of burning legs and lungs still heavy on my body, the thought of all the new horizons that have just opened unto me. How will the next few months unravel before me as I plan new and grievous tortures to get myself ready to take my place in the A group and eventually go farther? Yet once there too surpassing unto the next level  that will be as sweet wine unto my soul as my legs and lungs  are out of the saddle in a low altitude flight pattern that brings pure joy to my soul? How long? How much effort until the effortless? What cost to my body? When I think of this beautiful experience all I can think of is the Michael Angelo painting of man touching his creator...pure joy and yet pure effort to attain the unattainable.
And that is what cycling is to me. In the May issue of Road Bike Magazine it featured an article of men who are riding in the pros as old as 48 years of age. There is hope for me to ride in fast club rides yet! If I can do it so can YOU, don't give up!
If I pass you on the road stop  at Peets, because your buying.

Crazy

The world has really gone mad for different foods since I was young. I freely admit to being a perpetuator of this movement from my teens and with whoever was adventurous enough to go in on it.  As a kid in the 60's anything that was not 'American' food was looked upon as an exotic meal only to be had on very special occasions and never more than once a month. And the people you saw in there were somewhat more into 'cuisine' and conversation than just a good meal and go. By the time 1979 rolled around I had eaten Thai, Sushi, Korean, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Indian, Real Mexican (not Taco Bell), Brazilian, Costa Rican, French, German and the like but not as curiosities but as a way of thinking and enjoyment. This was the San Francisco bay area and all her bounty was at my disposal.
To day as the wife and I sat in an 'Asian' but mostly American restaurant, I looked around and saw not the seeker or the gourmet who looked forward to this as a dining experience by every day folks from all walks of life who just chose this place to eat as one would chose which fast food restaurant to get a 'burger' in. Don't get me started on my favorite burgers or I'll never get to the point. Yes there is a point here but I just can't seem to find it...oh yah.
It struck me at that moment when I was young and exploring Yoga, meditation and of course my great love, cycling,  it was just the tip of the spear. It was us intrepid few the hand full of restless ones who sought more from life than a roast for dinner and a 9 to 5 job. I'm not knocking a 9 to 5 either, trust me. It's just that now where I live it is commonplace on any morning to see ten to fifteen guys in full kit on a carbon bike headed out for a forty to sixty mile ride and no one gives them a second look...NO ONE. It's not exotic or unusual or even on a special occasion, it's just life and everyone is doing it. Running, cycling, Yoga, swimming and it's just great.
I remember how each time I had to go to the bike shop that had pro gear it was out of the way and I mean way out of the way. That is after I searched in the yellow pages to find it or maybe it was just dumb luck that I stumbled onto it at all. Which ever it was, more or less, the fact remains that cycling found me when I didn't know I was looking for it but I knew I was bitten by the bug from there on after. Me and a few others like me who knew they were onto something but it was not for mass consumption, it was to exotic.
Bottom line is everyone takes for granted that they can just find a great place to have a fine meal at what was once hard to find and the only reason you went there to 'try it'. Because, after all, you had it once before when your great aunt visited and you wanted to give her a 'treat of a lifetime' and you didn't remember everything but you think you liked it. Same with our new found organic-yoga-running-cycling lifestyle, it was once for trying now it's in our everyday vocabulary and I think it fits us really well. I'm truly glad at the transformation of this positive force in our lives in only 30 years. That's crazy right?
If I see you on the road stop Peets, because your buying.

Well shod

About a month ago I said I would do some in depth research on carbon wheels and write about my findings.  So I spent hours reading about all the different manufacturers on blogs, video blogs and big name magazine reviews almost all I could stand. And you know what? All the evidence pointed to 'personal preferance'.
Basicly that sucks because only dealers get to have demo wheels to play with and they charge  30 bucks each set and if your lucky your dealer has a couple of  wheels sets from differant manufacturers.  So how do I make a logical choice, because I'm not popping cash just for a test drive. I can say that when Cervelo came to town for the test drive they brought with them Zipp wheels on every bike. Some were the famous 303's and some 404's.
Instantly I noticed how easy they were to 'spin up' and that effort I use to keep my bontrager race lites turning. This also equals longer faster ride with greater endurance at the sprint, power to the ground and no loss in the transition from pedal to tyre. Thats a huge plus right there...if you are serious about cycling.
Another aspect of these wheels is ride feel. These ridgid rims offered up the most positive ride feel I've felt. I mean I knew exactly where the tyre was at all times and it went where I wanted it too every time. Man, so smooth at cruising speed and the way they allowed me to blast up and over bridges was AWESOME. I could keep my cadence on flats and over rollers, that what we call bridges in SW Florida, as a seated effort and out of the saddle the reward was hugh.  I actully felt like a pro, that's unlikely right.
Looking around the web I found 303's, 404's and 606's for $1450 a wheel set, that's a $600 to $800 dollar a pair savings. Find some at this web site for clincher or tubular. My choice is the latter. I guess the real question is which one is right for you? That's your choice.
http://gearwestbike.com/product/08-zipp-speed-weaponry-zipp-606-clydesdale-wheel set-tubular-700c-3327.htm
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets because your buying.

life's mysteries

For the last few weeks I have not been able to write more than two blogs a week. I have no idea what happened to the 'I'm going to write this every day' spirit I had. It was a passion that was beyond my control and now I have writers block to the nth degree.  So what gives?
Well I've noticed , in life, that sometimes  I get this low and then back on track after some time of reflection, refreshment and quite a bit of self flogging I get back on track.  As usual my writing follows suit with life in the grand scheme. It has been a long dry spell for me and the words just don't fall off the end of a pen as I had hoped but all in all every word written is a good word and until it flows as it did I'm good with quality and not quantity.
How is it then in life that all the years of working, raising a family, being married, to just one wife , that I run out of things to write about? After all the good, interesting and weird things that has happened to me and yoga girl you think I could have a a heck of a lot to say right? And if you are a friend of mine you know I never run out of things to say so go figure I'm speechless on my own blog.
So as a goal I want to get a little more white space filed with the english language and not just drivel. If there is any favorite ramblings I have it will be on these pages weather it is dull, boring and of course just crap. I specialize in that So read on gentle readers.
If I pass you on the road stop at peets, because your buying.

Death and Taxes

So tonight the wife and I bit the bullet and did our taxes or at least had a nationally advertised preparer do them. They were fast and efficient and that's the way I want to handle this kind of bother, fast and efficient.  It also reminded me of the fact the if you add all the taxes you pay: on your phone, your cable, your clothes, your household goods et al and we wind up paying about 43% of our money to taxes of one sort or another. The only person that can change that is me at the poll and you of course.
Death however, like taxes, is inevitable. Does it bother me? No and even if it did what the heck can I do about it? After all the things I can control I do but death has no adversary, well maybe Bill and Ted but not me. I seek rather the ability to improve my life as of now and in the future.
I don't want to dwell, but I will, the founding men of the US never wanted taxes in this country because e of the tyranny caused by the elite classes and politicians that got together and decided to tax those less fortunate than they were in order to support their own lifestyles as 'statesmen' and to support there pet projects and not the good of the people...sound familar? Now I know history is full of this kind of class distinction and caste system. Well it has raised it ugly head again and is gaining momentum with the aristocrats, senate and congress as well as the beaurocrats of this united States as witnessed by the pushing through of legislation for the last year.
I really find all this crap very frustrating but the one thing that takes the hot lead of anger from my spirit is a good long hard ride that is full of competition from some other hot dogs. Because of cycling I won't need the half baked medial plan, because of cycling I won't need the pills and therapy needed to complain about my dislike and distrust of others and why I don't do such a great job at work.  But still I want to scream and yet I know all I would get is death and taxes
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

The night of Cervelo

Yep, it came and went before I knew it, the night I had waited for the last two weeks. My preparation was to have my camera, get some notes for the blog and ask questions about the bike and some about the team. So what happened?  Everything I had planned went out the window as I pulled into the parking lot. Why you ask? Star struck, not by the people but by the bikes.  As I arrived I saw the tent for Cervelo and the rows of S-2's and R-3 sl's and my mind was blown. I couldn't think of the reason I was there I just wanted to ride these amazing bikes. I just walked over to the signup area and filled out the waiver, gave them my pedals and pointed to the S2.
This beauty was high gloss jet black, shod with Zipp 404's and full Sram red...dream bike! Really, your just going to hand me this bike to ride for how long? Take your time was the answer from one of the Cervelo staff but another said i had about an hour. OK, that's about right for me to go all out and really test the limits of myself on a super bike.
Well it wasn't smooth going at first as I had to learn the differences between the way Ultegra and Sram shift. The other thing I found out about the Sram was that it is very load when coasting and shifting. That said the Red was the most positive and firm shift I have experienced to date. The stopping power on the Swiss stop brakes was great, no fad and very little heat on the Zipp 404's.
But the very real and greatest part of this test ride is the S2 frame itself. What I noticed right away was the power from my legs went directly to the rear wheel.  Ok, it was the fit and finnish on the frame that got my spirit churning. As I applied power to the pedals the oversized bottom bracket did it's job of not flexing under my 200 pound body with the torque I generated.
So taking the route the velo club takes every Tuesday and Thursday I noticed that a 2 mph increase in speed right off. I also noticed the quality of ride was significant and focused on the long fast ride the Pros experience weekly. The comfort was awesome while the handling was so nimble that with just a thought about turning and my ride was going in the direction I was thinking, but not squirrely.
On the other hand the R3SL was an unbelievable bike for the Mountain sections of a stage race but as a daily driver it was a lot like an F1car on the interstate. Atop this bike I felt every bump in the road, it was the like being on a rock that is so nimble that there was no time to think about what I was doing I had to 'be the bike'. Like I said it's a great bike in the mountains and for pro tours but doesn't leave much to the imagination for one such as I who wants the pro bike without the twitchy rock ride.  If I was in hill stage of race I would count on this bike.
I don't want a new bike every year to have the latest-greatest or be the guy with this years hot rod. But to have a bike like this is an investment in me so that I can grow and always be excited to push my limits every day, every year and keep challenging myself.
So if I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Fabulous Fabian

How cool is the Tour of Flanders? Not be able to actually watch the spring classics for the past 30 years I feel like I can relate to the reason for all the excitement that surrounds these races. First the shear beauty of the county at each of the venues is incredible. Second the quality of talent is not second to the Tour de france. And lastly this talent is not all the big guns but also the most desirous of the big win or at least a good show on the world stage.

But that was the after thought and not what the 'big guns' had in mind. Tom Bonnen and Fabian Cancellara had another idea and both rose to the occasion.  Fabian cashed his promise check in a hugh way. by powering away from the Belgian road race champion on the last and toughest hill showing his incredible will and force of spirit. The once on the flats he tucked into that world beating TT position of his and slipped into high gear and never looked back. Meanwhile Tom banged away on the pedals with such force as to make the viewers tired just watching but was unable to catch the flying swissman.  The rest you must see, and eve the begging through the middle. Watch the heck just watch the whole thing it is a perfect race for everyone.  It is a thing of beauty, grace and power.
There are many other races in the world but this one was magic.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Saturday in South beach

Two years ago when we were in Japan, we had met a very nice couple. This year they traveled to Florida to make the sojourn, as is required when in Florida, to Disney world. But since they were here it was a good opportunity to hang out with me and the wife...good choice. Having moved here in 2000 we had been to South beach 4 times in the first year. It was ok at first, but after the second and third times were heinous and the forth was, well, not good enough to make up for the bad stuff from the first three.  So with our friends coming to So Beach we braved the traffic, the wacky freeway and toll system to the two and a half hour one way trip back to this island of humanity. And to top it off its the pinnacle of spring break just as in the days of old thousands of college students cross the street and there are skaters bladeing helter-skelter down the center of a street in bumper to bumper traffic. Hey kids, do your parents know your brain got sucked out of your head as you left campus?
So here we were finding ourselves headed to what we remember to be an ugly and unwelcoming city. But to our surprise we found areas that have been revamped to be welcoming to locals and tourist alike. I guess if you have a lot of movies and a hit TV show, Burn notice, focused on your town it better be fun and have lots of stuff to do that's suited to the whole family.  The best part was the people we went to meet were very adventurous about the food and scenery. Oh and I don't think I mentioned the 15 month old daughter that was in tow.
So as we cruised around to find a parking place in this over saturated part of the world we found a place that was tucked away from the main streets as if it was there just for us. This place was also on the edge of a few blocks that had been made into an open market/restaurant mall with some cool places for us to eat. This is the place we decided to eat and thank the powers that it was just the ticket for adults to have a great experience and the little munchkin not to feel out of place because of the loud and boisterous house staff. It's called Hosteria Romona and this is the web site: http://www.hosteriaromana.com/ .  This is an honest to goodness strait from Italy trattoria. Everyone in this joint are from Italy and that includes the wild and flamboyant mannerisms of these guys. If you never got a chance go to get to San francisco in the 60's then this would be the place not to miss. AND THE FOOD,WOW!
We did have a great time with our friends ad their daughter was terrific. After 4 hours at the same table with the same couple and the live theater of people in the streets we had blown our time and needed to get the munchkin back to the room for bed time. All in all I was so pleased to rekindle our friendship and get to see Miami in a whole new light. Better get there if you want a piece of real food and real people.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

This year in the peloton

I told you that this year would be different from the last few years. People are hungry and the smaller continental and regional teams want to be the next contributing factor and the guys on these team want to be the next 'Lance or Alberto' and nothing and no one will stop them, period. And as far as I can tell no one else does either because this will be racing for racings sake and not for the 'cause du jour' or because they are big stars protected by big teams. Ok lets say that the classics will be dominated by lessor known guys, future stars and that the big tours are by the big teams and not the new guys, good for you? http://bicycling.com/blogs/boulderreport/2010/03/29/contador-armstrong-feud-can-wait-until-july/
And that's how I see the Crit International as the the hungry got the wins and all others saw the backs of these men. It's always good to have the fresh blood, even if it's guys who have been around for the last few years, making the move to get over the top of the best in the world. Don't get me wrong I like the big riders and the style they have but I'm also for the little guys getting a meal from the big boys table...nuff said.
As usual the press is focusing on all the wrong reasons to report on the race, that is the 'feud' between Lance and Alberto. It gets boring to say the least to have the constant banging of that drum day in and day out and not on the dynamics of the peloton as it should be. At least focus on the new guys who are performing and the guys who may have been around and are the unsung heros who are winning stages and spring classic winners. 
Lastly, I really want thank Versus TV for getting the coverage of most of all the cycling season this year. I can't say enough about the American public getting a chance to view something that has been only broadcast in Europe. Thanks guys. 
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Forever

Some things are suppose to last forever like friendship, children's hopes and of course the relationship between a man and wife. Yet in the last 30 years or since I was a young adult, all of these have been eroded by a societal pressure of one sort or another.  When I was a kid people who were married for 50 years was not uncommon; married children would take their families to a family vacation that included the parents and other siblings and the couple who had been married and raised their families would spend time together camping or day trips or even long travels to visit the kids and their families. This may seem a little bit of 'Americana' or old fashion or even 'weepy heart nostalgic' but believe it or not this is what makes our human condition a peaceful existence. ANd to tell you the truth I firmly believe if you don't have this with your parents and children then two things come to mind; why are you married and having kids and why don't you have this relationship?

This last weekend we, 'the wife' and myself had a short get away of biking in the Myakka State Forest here in Florida, just the two of us and no particular plans. Yep just spending a couple of lazy daze together was a good way to relax and reestablish the connection. Sometime when we are in the thick of daily life and everything is coming at me and the wife, like so much crap hitting the proverbial fan, I glad we had this kind of time together to just chill and laugh. I find if we, the wife and I, sneak in some R & R here and there, we are the stronger for it and the the 'Fan Time' is not insurmountable fro us. WE bear-up under it and are even able to laugh whilst in the middle of said 'crap storm' because of the connection we share and the years we have spent in doing this.
But back to Myakka. It is a very nice State Forest and has lost of wildlife that are just not to afraid to come out and be themselves around humans. This was refreshing because how many time do you go to the zoo and none of the animals there don't act like they even want to be around humans? But I digress again. With miles if good roads that has plenty of scenery to look at and some good dirt trail to walk or ride a bike, not in the competition since but to explore, it is a very cool place to hang out on the weekends. Heres the address: http://www.swfwmd.state.fl.us/recreation/areas/myakkastateforest.html
We also went to old town Ft Myers to see the Edison Ford grounds which was very interesting .http://www.efwefla.org/home.asp But having our bikes made it much more enjoyable because we could cover alot of the surrounding housing tracks that had been established for nearly a century. Had we been on foot we would have missed most of this entirely because of the distance we traveled was around 20 miles...that wasn't going to happen walking.  And the really nice suprise was that Old downtown Ft Myers has been revitalized with young adults in mind not just 'oldsters' as has been the the way here in Florida since the the beginning of time. There is the flavor of new ideas in the part of this area that was rundown and decrepit.
All in al it was a great weekend getaway with the wife' and it didn't cost an arm and a leg either. Making the connection makes me know I'm still the guy in her life and she knows that the connection between us is stronger than ever, forever. So If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying and bring the Fam.

Whats up in the hood

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TryEk3AZp8E this is the You tube url for what I have seen as a reliable review source. From what I've seen each one is well thought out and has a solid in depth tech on the  item of review. Yep this you tube review is on the Cervelo frames. Speaking of which did you guys hear about the test ride that's Cervelo is sponsoring? Make a date with the Test Team @ http://www.cervelo.com/en_us/bikes/eride/

Frame choice is the the 'Holy Grail' of all considerations. And currently there is a great number of perfect frames for all the different styles and levels of performance. In fact , for me, each time I see a new frame that looks hot I say to myself, "oh this is the one I gotta have". Yeah, yeah I have it bad and the bike shops know it. The reason I believe that the frame is the holy grail is that from this platform all else is hung upon. The frame is the center of everything you do on a bicycle and therefore it must not only fit you by size but have the feel and response that is tangible only to you.  The best part is that the manufacturers know this so to be competitive the frames that they make fit every kind of cyclist out there.
Recently while watching a video on you-tube Andy at Competitive  Cyclist asked this question, ' are you a racer who rides  or a rider who races'. If the frame is strictly for racing then get the one that works for you, but if you are a fast club rider who races once in a while or has a few centuries planned than choose a frame with that focus. Nothing we all didn't know but admitting it helps us get it right the first time. I'm the latter so I'll start with that in mind.
I'm looking foreword to my 'Test Drive' here in Naples and I hope you can catch one too. Until then if I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because you are buying.

Working

There  is a lot of times I'm conflicted about what bike frames, grouppos and wheels are on my horizon. With all the great components and frames out there I can see nothing but home work head, The main thing I have to think about is getting the most bang for my buck AND this bike will be my trainer/racer for the next 4 to 5 years. So  I have to get a ride that will last and will be competitive in the future.
Ao in short I have a lot of work ahead and will check in with info findings and just general blather now and again.
If I pass you on the  road stop at Peets...you know why!

When Monday comes

It's strange that Friday evening, just after work, you feel like the world is once again your oyster. Then on Sunday eve you find your self lusting after every last moment before you turn out the light and hasten the death of sleep until morning comes and you are back on the clock. Monday you find that the toil of the previous week is wiped away like so much chalk on a black board and you are at square one...again. No matter how much time was spent doing the repetitive at work or how many times you had your ear bent by fellow employees about the kids, the spouse and of course work, once again the clock is set back to ZERO. But the one thing that isn't erased, or should I be more specific the one diminishing skill that you count on to keep your sanity is last weeks hours/miles that you labored for to build for the race season or more importantly the butt whipping you hope to be handing out to the peers.
I'm not shallow by any stretch of the imagination (or at least I don't think so and the wife thinks I'm passible so life is sweet in this respect) and my life is not boiled down to "cycling good, everything else bad" but this is a blog focused on the re-establishment of the one sport I have a kindred for that reached to my youth. This is the one thing I can do at my age and not hurt my lower back, my knees and anything else yet undiscovered and I want to keep it that way. But I digress yet again.
Monday for me is when I start to evaluate the building blocks of my training thus far and look for wholes in my performance to date. Wow I'm a wholly man with a list of holes in my abilities like this.
 So here I am, Sunday eve and I am on the edge of my seat trying to squeeze every last bit of love and rest from this off time. And yet the excitement of the unfolding of this weeks velo-club ride and how well I will or won't do looms thick on the horizon.  Will my hundred of last week bring me closer to the desired 24 to 27 mph group? Who knows but the steps tat it takes are the best part and I love each one. Well love is a bit strong for this part of the sport maybe endure wit passion. As one the the club riders said to me when his girl friend asked if he had a good time on his ride his reply was, ' it's not so much of having fun as it is learning pain management'. Yes but pain management you want to learn and endure more each time.  After that's when I enjoy, the reflection of a ride in rhythm and power. You know, a type 'B' kinda guy.
So here we are back to Monday and the coffees on, yes it's Peets,  and the green smoothy is rock-in in the blender and the wife is getting ready to teach yoga, for Monday is dressed in promise and Friday has on a house coat and slippes.
So if I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Saint Paddys day

In the land of the red, white and blue we are green for just one day.  We support the Land of Celts most all the time in our thoughts, our history, our movies and even in our psyche. For instance our thoughts are in the seeing of Ireland as a place we can go and enjoy a vacation as we would going to the land our forefathers home; our history is intertwined with Ireland is as Boston, Chicago and New York are; Our movies  support this when you think about  the 50's "The Quiet Man" and lately "P.S. I love you" and as far as the deep parts of our soul we have the luck of the Irish or the Irish coffee...thats real deep for me anyway.
 I was always kindred with the melting pot of our national soul which defiantly includes Irish standards that I always enjoy such as green beer and Corn beef and cabbage not just this day every year but because it is part of my life. Always has been and always will be. I love the Celtics, the Red Sox, Fighting Irish, Dropkick Murphy's, The Chieftains and the rest. Tell you the truth it's the people of Ireland themselves that are in the soul of the US. http://history1800s.about.com/od/irelandinthe1800s/tp/irishhistory1800s.htm
The reason for that is the contribution that these fine people have made to our collective gene pool. Come in now, with the Americans of their times laughing in their collective faces they came and worked hard and learned how to fit in and make the US a better place, for all of us.
So for all this and more than I could even mention in this blog, thank you for everything. Thank you for the past present and future for all of those who have been good citizens and for the day that helps me to remember all that!
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because you are buying...the Irish coffee that is.

Weather or not

This years weather on all con-tenets is on that we have seen before and it seems like it was just 15 years ago I experience this same thing when I lived in Oregon. I was at my friends house in december when we say the report of 24 inches in the 24 hr period. So as everyone know even the sub-tropics like South Florida, we have had the coldest winter in, shall we say, 15 years.
So as we move into warmer wether it seems strange to be once again ride with out having at lest 2 if not three layers on. It's great to have the warmth of the sun on your back and the color in your arms, legs and face.  Yep back in the saddle and riding in the sun. I can't believe how much the warm weather really effects my happiness quotient and the shear desire to get out and there and log some hours.
Non the less sunny days also brings out the biggest jerks known to man...and woman, who have nothing better to do than harass cyclist. And with a few choice words and allot of hand waving the motorist is off and feeling really good about the blow they had dealt to the evil cyclist. Bt other than that the sun was out and the wind was blowing etc, etc.
Speaking of good weather it looks as though the week at the Paris-Nice classic was almost perfect. From the pictures I saw the only thing that was tough was the high altitudes where the snow was on the ground. I bet that made for some cool decent.  Once again the scenery was beautiful as were the towns but as most of us who are competitive know when your in the peloton your not looking at scenery your just looking for the next break, the next wheel, heck man your just trying to see around the corner.
But alas Alberto was the strongest this week and his victor was a narrow one. But a win by a second is still a win. We also saw a man who couldn't give a rip about his teammates but was very self absorbed about the win, this is immaturity at it;s height. So as a teem Astana doesn't really exist does it?I was glad to see Jens Voigt, at 39 years of age, is still kicking butt and placing 6th over all, this bodes well for all of us who are in the middle of our lives. Not that he's a poster boy for the over 40 group but if you think about it competitive cycling was for the under 34 people and rarely did the over 32 guys get the victory...good news for the OG's. But Jens and for sure Lance are an anomaly, they have been two guys whose bodies and minds haven't let this high level of competition slip through their fingers yet.

So thus ends this years addition of the Paris-Nice and we see that Alberto is the Yellow jersey winner but the amazing thing to me is that the other two places on the podium were filled but spaniards as well. did I happen to mention that 20 year old Peter Sagan of liquigas got two stage wins?  That's incredible. I said that the wild cards might just upset the apple cart this year because of their desire to get and keep a good team sponsor, didn't I say that!

If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

I shouldn't brag...

But I will, just a bit. You know for me as a nubile cyclist to be at one level ( if you call being slow a level) one week and finding the next gear the next week,just a few days in-between rides, incredible. I have spoken of finding the next gear her and there but never this dramatic ( watch next week as this statement and I go down in flames!). Anyway I again broke into a new speed of 25-27 mph with the A's tonight and it felt really great to keep up and BREATH with out going into oxygen starvation.  OK,OK I got popped off the back because I haven't had enough miles under my belt to sustain this speed...yet.  But I did my pull for 1/4 mile and got the group up to 24-mph with a head wind. Yes it was me who was impressed but it felt great. Finally some improvement after a plateau or should I say prerrie mesa.
To change the subject it looks as though Alberto is in the gold @ Paris-Nice, mors the pity. But as the general consciences is among the pelaton, this TDF should hold the fate of elite in the balance. All bets are off with the big guys on their own teams and some of the new meat as strong as they are they just might steal some thunder.    TomBoonen http://www.europeloton.com/2010/03/back-in-black-belgian-champ-boonen.html  is kicking but and he could do well and surprise the big boys, I hope. It's always good to throw a little wild card and wild chid into the mix. It keeps everyone honest or we will see allot of temporal alliances that hurt the over-all race? In the scheme of things it is all the rich tapestry of the TDF.
Lastly, have you seen the Google bike maps, WHAT A JOKE. As a cyclist I asked for a map to get me from where I live in Naples Florida to Sanibel Island, some 55 miles by the right rode. So I input the info to Google and it sends me on the worst road which is a death trap, and is 10 miles longer without scenery. So what I see is a huge company that has the power but no idea what the needs of the cyclist are and trying to knock off the small guys who have been there for the cyclist for years. Google let the cyclists alone and take care of the corporate cars and stuff, you are good at what yo do in these areas.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Last weekend

Well I waited until 6 pm on Sunday to see the prolog of the Paris-Nice race. It was a very technical with it;s sharp turns and cobbled up hill right out of the box, as we say.  An newcomer from the Netherlands, Lars Boom (Giants new poster boy), took everyones thunder by posting and keeping the best time including Alberto Contador, Levi lipeheimer and the rest of the big boys. It was truly a thing of beauty and grace to behold. Consider this, if you send our juice in the beginning then you have nothing for the flats. Or you conserve your energy and find that the wind is so strong that you can't make it up. I think that TT's are part science, part intuition, part  training and part luck of the time slot.
Sunday I rode a 30 mile loop with 15-20 mph winds that seemed to follow me around and blow in my face at every turn. It was great to actually have some warm sun to ride in...just messing with you Northerners who are waist deep in snow! The day was good and the Trek was running very well. I headed off in the direction of the wind so I could have the breeze at my back on the way home. Anyway, I felt very strong leaving the driveway. As I hit the 5 mile mark my legs and lungs were warm and the pace just naturally picked up and around 20-mph with a heart rate of 156 and cadence of 85, the wind blowing steadily from the front.  Once and a wile a bus would pass me and give me dead air so I would up-shift and catch a higher rep and mph until the wind would push me into a lower cog on the cassette.

Long and short it was a good day to hit the next internal gear, get my breath better and air out a 25 mph stretch a couple of times even with the frontal wind. The feeling is monumental and you are hurting in the legs and low back but you press on and say, I want this feeling tomorrow and the next day and so on. just playing in the sun.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Free spirit

What goes Quack and swims in a circle? That is a question that I have to ask myself every-time I go for a ride. Every-time I get over one hundred mies a week, even a hundred and one, it doesn't matter it take two, count them, 2 days to recover the next week. I'm trying to build my base and yet it's one step forward two days back...just a little license with that statement. But that's not the free spirit stuff, just observation about age and such which brings me to the free spirit stuff...
The other day I was at my dentist for some of the usual stuff and the people that work there hadn't seen me in a year. Since the last visit I've lost a bunch of weight and grew my hair out.  I and the wife are sans (with-out) children so things change, you could say 'All is good in da hizzeh', I just had to say that. Everyone at the office said the usual stuff, look good, nice hair yada, yada until one of the staff plainly asked why the change? I thought of the multitude of answers especially since I wrote about the trend of my generation to glom unto there 'hay-day'http://thepedalproject.blogspot.com/2010/02/teen-age-wasteland.html , and I was short of an answer that suited her. Her plain and some what accusatory statement was, "free spirit".  WOW, she really knew how to go right to the heart of a guy and puncture it or his most prized possession anyway, his ego. I wanted to shout "no I'm different from those posers, I'm not holding onto those glory daze, I...I"...that moment was gone and I was left with was yet another soul search. That's kinda like star search but for all the losers to make sense of what their life was meant for after that big dream went south! Yep, I was just sitting there to wall-o in my agony of self focus and despair.
I have spent hours whilst riding my steed, the Trek, pondering this very thought until I had thought that I was somewhat an unusual case. I thought. I'm yolked to the wife most happily therefore not 'free' of obligation; I will not truss-pass on society as a rule therefore not 'free' from the law; I am a religious man therefore not 'free' from the will of my God and lastly I'm not 'free' from the natural laws that govern everyone.  So what is a free spirit? Is it that most people who are themselves in the labor of raising children and working, paying bills and such mistake others who have passed the children phase, who are again seeking in ernest those things that were put aside for the betterment of the family, to be seeking youth instead? I find myself not gazing at the past but rather at the universe and beyond, not at the finite but rather the infinite and not in a mortality frame of mind.
I was always seeking the greater good in God, man and the like but that is odd for most I find. Some are like the climber who is frozen on the side of the cliff, looking down and not up; frozen so as to only see the rock that they are stuck on and not the beauty of the scenery that is as majestic as giving birth to a child. That too I wrote about in another blog early last fall. http://thepedalproject.blogspot.com/2009/10/looking-down.html
So what is a free spirit or what is it that I want to say with all this change? Who cares what I want to say with my appearance! You can't see my spirit unless you get to know me or as Heinlein said  in his novel Stranger in a Strange land, you "grock' me or as the movie Avatar said 'I see you". It is definitely not an outside in change but rather an inside outflow. My spirit has finally come into submission of seeing as it is to be seen. I am free from hate and prejudice , as much as I can to this point with out leaving this body and or living away from those influences that pervert and twist us to be dark of spirit, therefore not free.  So therefore, for me, freedom is seeing those as they truly are not as the TV, mags, movies and such, wants us to see each other. Yes that, to me , is a 'free spirit'.
Oh, by the way the answer to the riddle is a one legged duck.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying...I'll 'see you' their.