Veterarns Day

I thought long for a way to say how I feel about all those who have come before me, those who stood up and drew the line and backed it up with their blood. It's not the government that makes the people but the people that makes the government. If we as a people don't stand for honesty, integrity and morality then our government will collapse. So with that in mind I put down the way I feel about those who have served.
We Americans are a product of our past. We have fought in all the wars that needed us to put our shoulder to the effort. We have fought with and beside our allies for 100 years and  we have been there every time we were asked, although friends never need to ask. It really doesn't matter what these men and women have been asked to do what mattered to them is being the line between good and evil...yes EVIL. What do you think solders do kill people? They eradicate EVIL. Yes that's the definition, read Bushido the samurai's code or the knights code of chivalry. Nothings has changed as far as good and evil just weapons and tactics.
 I work at a job that brings me into contact with those who have done honor in every war since WW!. It is such an honor to talk to them because they are honorable people and know what it means to uphold the honor of their brothers in arms no matter British, French or whatever flag they were wearing.

Bottom line is we honor these men and women who fought and lived or died to keep us free and by the way this includes Korea, Vietnam, both Gulf wars and Afghanistan. We owe them a big thanks for what they have done including being men and women of honor. We all want peace in our time but in the mean time, serve your fellow man well, fight the good fight and honor those who have done so on your behalf.
If I pass you an the road stop at Peets, because if your a Veteran I'm buying.

This years Pro Tour Teams

Press release: UCI ProTeams : applications update as of 20 October for 2010 registration
Date:	22.10.2009
Description:	In October each year the UCI ProTeams are required to submit an application for registration the following year to the UCI. The UCI, in association with Ernst&Young, evaluates whether the teams are in compliance with the regulatory requirements, particularly in terms of their administration and financing. In accordance with a new article added to the rules on 1 July 2009 (2.15.169b), the UCI is today publishing the list of teams that by 20 October 2009 had submitted an application file containing the following required documents: •     budget •     the sponsorship contracts duly signed with the main partners •     the bank guarantee •     at least 12 contracts with riders duly signed by the two parties •     for new teams only, a description of the structure of the team together with a copy of the deed of incorporation of the paying agent.

The teams are:

•     AG2R La Mondiale

•     Française des Jeux

•     Footon-Servetto

•     Garmin-Slipstream

•     Lampre Farnese Vini

•     Liquigas-Dommo

•     Quick-Step Cycling Team

•     Rabobank Cycling Team

•     RadioShack

•     Omega Pharma-Lotto

•     Team Columbia-HTC

•     Team Katusha

•     Team Milram

This information is being published with a view to keeping all parties concerned informed about the progress of UCI ProTeam registration applications.

The UCI and Ernst&Young will continue to evaluate all applications, including those of teams not in the above list, which have until 20 November to submit their completed applications. The UCI ProTour Council will make a final decision on UCI ProTeam registrations for the 2010 season after the official deadline of 20 November.

Any team whose application is rejected will have its file passed on to the Licence Commission. In the event that the application is subsequently rejected by the Licence Commission the team’s UCI ProTeam licence is automatically withdrawn.

 

UCI Press Service

For more about the Euro Pro tours here is the address: http://www.uciprotour.com/Templates/UCI/UCI5/layout.asp?MenuID=MTY5Mw&LangId=1
So why did I copy this wholesale? I wanted you to see a portion of the exacting standards that these teams have to measure up to before they can even practice, before the bikes are bought, before the uniforms or 'kit' is designed and purchased, before the team members are assembled, before contracts are signed, before managers are brought in, domestics, drivers, trainers, message therapists, winter quarters...well it's a heck of a lot of money, planning and focus just to start this undertaking. So ya, 13 teams international teams for all the big races, looking good.
But what about domestic teams that we saw in the US tours. Well w I am copying this also to get the full list:
2010 USA Pro Continental Teams Announced
12 American men’s squads seeking UCI Continental Team status for 2010 road season. Team TIBCO lone Women's team to seek UCI status.
USA Cycling received and is reviewing and processing 12 candidates for men’s UCI Continental Team status for the 2010 season. The deadline for submitting a team inscription was October 31, 2009 and no other candidates will be accepted for the 2010 season.
Twelve American squads have applied for Continental level status for 2010, one fewer than the 2009 total. The proposed Continental squads looking to primarily compete on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar circuit and the USA Cycling Professional Tour include:
Men's Pro Teams:
Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team
BISSELL Pro Cycling
Jamis/Sutter Home presented by Colavita
Jelly Belly Cycling presented by Kenda
Kelly Benefit Strategies
Kenda Pro Cycling presented by Gear Grinder
Adageo Energy Pro Cycling
Team Hotel San Jose
Team Mountain Khakis fueled by Jittery Joe’s
Team Type 1
Trek LIVESTRONG U23 Cycling Team presented by RadioShack
UnitedHealthcare presented by Maxxis
Again more complete information @ :

2010 USA Pro Continental Teams Announced
12 American men’s squads seeking UCI Continental Team status for 2010 road season. Team TIBCO lone Women's team to seek UCI status.
USA Cycling received and is reviewing and processing 12 candidates for men’s UCI Continental Team status for the 2010 season. The deadline for submitting a team inscription was October 31, 2009 and no other candidates will be accepted for the 2010 season.
Twelve American squads have applied for Continental level status for 2010, one fewer than the 2009 total. The proposed Continental squads looking to primarily compete on the USA Cycling National Racing Calendar circuit and the USA Cycling Professional Tour include:
Men's Pro Teams:
Bahati Foundation Pro Cycling Team
BISSELL Pro Cycling
Jamis/Sutter Home presented by Colavita
Jelly Belly Cycling presented by Kenda
Kelly Benefit Strategies
Kenda Pro Cycling presented by Gear Grinder
Adageo Energy Pro Cycling
Team Hotel San Jose
Team Mountain Khakis fueled by Jittery Joe’s
Team Type 1
Trek LIVESTRONG U23 Cycling Team presented by RadioShack
UnitedHealthcare presented by Maxxis
Again the complete list and info for the US domestic year, including the womens teams and calender @ :
http://www.dailypeloton.com/displayarticle.asp?pk=15942
This does not include a lot of back round info but it is merely the tip of the iceberg. The fact that the US is starting to get the cycling scene going as strong as Europe is not to rival the rest of the world in a bad way but to join in the ever growing cycling community and be able to place in the top ranks regularly. I know this also gives more Americans the ability to be drafted by the big international teams. Good for everyone don't you think?
I haven't looked at the Spanish, Italian, German,Swiss, Czech, Russian or any other domestic teams, not because of ethnicity but that it would require more space than I have here. Bottom line, it's going to be a Great Race season!!! Look for me to be cheering on Radioshack and some of  cycling's future standard bearers from around the globe.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying...and you better have some good stories.

News around the cycle world

 When I had a glimmer of interest in cycling the only real news to be had was Velo news. It was published every month and sometimes you had already heard the news from some obscure source and other times it was as current as possible but still old news. Let me tell you this is a great sight to get all the current info  about Pro-cycling regionally, US and from around the world:  http://www.velonews.com/article/99506/  I thank those who have stuck with it to keep this publication going. The really nice thing is it's online and no dead trees to print it. You can order a subscription...but why? And it's loaded for those who want to get started in the competitive side of riding and still has a lot to offer those who have been at it.
Here also is an updated list of the big tours, but it's not all inclusive just the focused ones getting ready for the Tour De France. If you have other road races that are note worthy add the dates below. Tour of California  http://www.velonews.com/article/99506/
TDF    http://velonews.com/article/99249   and the Giro de Italia    http://www.velonews.com/article/99530/ The picture above is from the Tour of Missouri and is a very fine tour that is well attended and respected,,,believe it!

While we are talking about road racing here is a new book for us all, we fortunate few who have embarked on this perilous  journey on a two wheeled racing machine. The name of the book aptly is: Roadie: The Misunderstood World of a Bike Racer  and can be found at:   http://www.velogear.com/prodinfo.asp?number=201ROAD .
As usual if I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

PS Lance is affectionetly named LA by his fans...Humm I wonder why?!

Who are you riding with?

The average guy has pack tendencies. We like a pace line, we like to watch football , basketball or baseball with other guys and we like to win and we like our teams to win. In the middle of all that we like to have a gut knowledge of who is on our team and are they someone we can count on; are they some one who's quirks will keep us from winning or will these quirks make for a stronger and more interesting ride. If I flat and my spare is flat will my riding buddies cough up the spare I need or leave me stranded. Will the guys and girls dig in for the win or will they give up: will they help shelter a sick fellow rider when were 30 miles from home or leave them stranded with out a wheel to follow? And if all goes wrong will they make sure we all get home safely?
I have to know, not that I'm a wus and can't do these things or haven't done these things for myself and family. I have fended for myself in the corporate world sometimes with a friend watching my back and sometimes in a real meat-grinder. I just had to be aware of who and what the landscape was and keep my eye on the goal and damn everyone else for trying to crush me and keep me from succeeding. Yes, I lost a few but I never lost hope and that hope, that will, translated into more wins for my team, and that is as they say is the name of that tune.But what an average guy and girl wants is to work hard and play hard. We want the same from our friends and compatriots especially when we are out on a tread cycling. Lance said in an interview to have the highest ethics, win the race and then shut up about it, now that's a team. Other quality teams make the race and with out them there is no competition right?
Yesterdays murders at Fort Hood shows me that there are those who are cowards posing as heroes: there are losers posing as winners and there are enemies posing as friends. The cowards are not just those who pull the trigger in the name of some religion, that's not new to mankind from histories past lessons. The biggest cowards are those who are in the positions of power and knew of this persons goal of murder but because of his religion ignored the facts in order to be PC. They failed the team. They killed those who were team mates!
Those posing as heroes in suites who rattle the saber in public but in dark secret plot with others to undermine our young men and women in uniform by not allowing the military to weed out the traitorous bastards who are dressed in team jerseys but work for another team. These suits are the traitors themselves  and should be given tricycles so we can recognize them as the HATERS they are.
The biggest and ugliest of them all is the poser who pretends to be 'the big winner' and is really a loser. He's not on our team and never was. He is not the captain of our team as we thought he would be but in fact a turncoat for the big money team. The only win he wants is for himself and big money and he will never protect the 'average guy team' and help us to win. His team makes laws to stop us from finding those who would take hope from our team mates by terror: his team makes laws that turns fact-finding into hate speech: his team makes it impossible to get justice for cowardly crimes, losers who disrupt justice and outright enemies who murder the innocent on our own soil.
I could say alot more but I leave you with this: when comes a time to defend our children will you lose hope or will you be the standard to which all rally, who are you riding with?

Instead of my normal parting I ask you to pray for our children, our young men and women in uniform and our fellow country men who are our teammates...Peace to you and your houshold.

Week Seven of this and that

Last night, after a frustrating afternoon of car failure and GFI blowout at home, I had THE best ride so far. It was after dark on well light streets in down town Naples. There is a natural time/speed course with a turn around that's 2 miles one way and if you park 3 to 4 miles away you are good and warm by the time you reach the start.  The shear excitement of getting there pushed me to 'get some' on the way there.  I was just in a groove when I came upon this little gem of a course.  I didn't discover this little beauty nor did the ones I observed running it, I'm sure, but the fact that it is in use daily really got my juices flowing.
The wife and I were out biking together on Sunday and I was just happy to be doing something I love, cycling, with my best friend Yoga girl. I found the area to be good for tooling around at speed and the drivers, most of whom are imports from other parts of the world, to be courteous and liked that cycling was seen in the US. But the point of this is that in the pleasure of the fun ride I came upon this cool treasure of a speed drill tucked away in this posh neighborhood...pure gold!
I went back to this pressure cooker after a tough day and it was so cool, just being there gave me renewed energy that night. I got so pumped that it just flew by as I pushed the pedals at 1oo rpm and in the digging deep I found the next gear, mind blower! I breathed so well after the the course was completed my legs were still fresh and I just went crazy.  I outran a couple of cars in the 25mph zone and just blew a car away in the 35 mph zone leaving him in the dust. WHAT A GREAT FEELING IN THE SOUL!
Just as a side line the wife's apple mac pro is so touchy that when correcting the spelling on this blog it just evaporated 200 words before my very eyes and had the nerve to say, WHAT I didn't do anyhting.  Yet another bit of frustratin for my week.  Back to the regularly scheduled blog...
Well here it is, the moment I said I had a breakthrough I would blame it on Lance so here it is, thanks Lance! As I was riding last night I found that next gear, a feeling I haven't felt since the early 80's on my old Grandis. If it wern't for the darkness last night I would have been 100 miles away before I stopped.
Remember if I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

PS. in case you haven't seen the recent Team Radio Shack news here the address: http://www.teamradioshack.us/  The funny part of the nameing of the team is that the ones not chosen were interesting enough but they actully got votes by the cycling public in each ones support. They are: Team Shack, Shack-Strong, Team Radio Shack-Livestrong and a couple of other I feel if you were to read them your IQ would drop 10 points instantly.

Naples got Sportitude

Before work the other day I stopped at the grocery store to get some lunch stuff. Pulling into the parking lot I saw a 70ish woman in her Reeboks, workout shorts with an applique rose on them and her Nike workout shirt and of course the obligatory huge white old lady purse on her arm. It totally amazed me to see this woman not only look fit and healthy at her age but she got out of a new Toyota Rav 4. She definitely had sportitude!
When The wife and I moved to Naples 10 years ago this was predominately a retirement village not even big enough to be a town. The beach was the biggest draw at that time and frankly still is.  We were looking forward to a laid back lifestyle and thought it was worth the adjustment. The family had lived in Portland Oregon for 12 years and led a very active outdoor life full of hiking, camping, fishing, swimming, playing in the snow and the like. We loved that about Portland but needed a break from city life...we thought.
The amazing thing about Naples is in the last 5 years it has tripled in size with all the hip and cool things the nouveau-Neapolitan's brought with them. I talking good gyms, good coffee, good bagels, bike shops, yoga studios, organic grocery stores and all that good stuff a big city has to offer. Now in Naples we see pace lines with folks of all ages; Yoga on the beach; runners in every place you can imagine and these people are from every age group! 
I didn't invent the word sportitude it was from  Erick Marchello, who's  facebook page is dedicated to sportitude. The page address is: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000198011245
So whats the big deal. As Erick describes it this is a lifestyle that is dedicated to healthy food, no drinking of alcohol ( that's a little severe), no smoking which is a good one if you work your body hard and want to breath, and well just keeping fit. I believe in this life style and now  Naples is embracing this ideal and shows it every day.
No matter where you live I hope you have a good sportitude even if you are the only one.  But remember if I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Life as I know it

The wife and I watched the move 'Bright Star' today, Monday. I had a four day holiday from work which I must say is a great way to enjoy an otherwise quick weekend. So anyway  the movie was beautiful to watch and the poetry of Keats was spellbinding. But my point is some people are like Keats and some like his friend Mr. Brown...the latter would be me.
John Keats was able to bring forth the soul of mankind and expose it for all to see and feel and be in awe of. Mr. Brown was just intelligent enough that he could only look at those heights as they were unfolded before him and never able, himself, to drink in the elixir of sweet life who's table he so longed to sup at...not bad.
I have had those Mr. Brown days when others have grabbed the glory and been resplendent in it whilst I have sat in the gallery only to watch from a distance. In my youth I knew the day would come for me to join those at banquet and engorge myself of this most tasty of feasts. And I must admit I did have my turn on a few occasions, but few indeed and few in frequency. I was and will be the one who for all right and measure supports and upholds the breath and width of mere mortals and 'am in awe of those who reach the heights and live there for certainty twixt the stars in the heavens.
Well now that I got that out of my system all I want to say is 'looky here',  WE are all humans given to great heights in our own way and able to sink to such depths that we can't see our hands for the blackness that surrounds us. Yes even Lance. It's what we do with those times and with those feelings that makes us super stars to our friends and families and really thats what counts. Can they count on us 100% or are we out for the count when we are in the middle of something? In this case it's not what you know but can you be there for them that counts!
I will never be a Greg, a Lance, an MJ, Paul Bocuse or any one of the hundred people I admire. Nor do I have what they have no matter how hard I work, what matters is I'm the best at me and for my family. In the end I share my life with them forever...PERIOD. And for that I thank my lucky stars and my G-D.
Remember, if I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying!
PS, this is a last minute addition: I want to be a good cyclist; I want to ride some of the great rides in the US. I remember how it felt to be competitive in races...I want ot WIN! Life is a race to win and not be a spectator.