Teen Age Wasteland

On the way home from work Friday eve I heard a song from The Who that still stands the test of time. Maybe not so much the lyrics or the vocals or the arrangement, but as an entire package it is still a pleasure to listen to. I remember rocking to this  song when it first came out, accessible to the first time listener and yet complex enough for those of us who seek deeper meaning and soul satisfaction through music. Not that I was thinking that The Who were deities but as craftsman their work stands the test of time on vinyl or c.d..
I did catch The Who, or at least the last two remaining members, for the super bowl and just as I had expected Sir Roger and Sir Peter were better on their LP's of the 60's & 70's than at the woeful live performance.  Some how seeing teenage wasteland performed by mid-sixty year old men was not how I remembered the music...best to keep my memories. That's what I think about all these groups from 20, 30 & 40 years ago, better to remember them and us as then and not now.
I feel that same way about myself, better to leave my ways in the past than try to morph myself into a regurgitated version of my 20 something self. Feeling young in heart, mind and spirit is great and I want to be young at heart for the rest of my life. But it's not the same as going to see these old guys just to capture a bit of yesteryear and P A R T Y like they used to, that's not reality.
I always wanted to be a rocker. I like rock and roll, weather from the 60's or the 21st century if it's good I play it. Of course it's good according to my taste maybe not yours but I really love it when someone turns me onto new stuff I want to hear but didn't know it.

A few years ago I was in the fashion district of Tokyo and while looking in the rock clothing stores I bumped into a nice young woman who was from Orange county of all places and we started to talk.  When I asked what brought her to Japan she said her boyfriend was in a band touring there. I asked the name of the band and if they were playing a club so we could go see them. Her reply was they were not playing clubs but the big arena in Tokyo. As we were talking this tall guys came up beside her and she introduced us and the name of the band he played drums for, Avenged Sevenfold. I spent some time listening to the music and focused on the art of his drumming. I never became a hugh fan but it still is evident that his skill was of great and his soul was in every beat.  This is for the A.S. site and their tribute to friend and band member, Jimmy Sullivan 'The Rev' : http://www.avengedsevenfold.com/   With deep sympathy to Fiona and the Sullivan family.
So anyway be well all and cycle fast be cause if I pass you on the road stop at Peets, your buying.

End of an Era

Three years ago I was 255 pounds, as your readers know, and since I couldn't live with myself anymore I made my way to the gym in the complex were I work. Fortunately this is a well equipped gym with very good trainers who don't mind sharing their hard earned secrets to a slim and toned world.  Upon entering this world I began to look at my self and how I got to this point, which took a great number of years and careless but epicurean indulgent ways.
As I had been a chef for many years and had enjoyed success as well as the great foods of the world, indulgence was the key to a palate which rivaled that of a painter of fine art. That as they say is that. So in many ways I had worked hard for my girth and I felt that even at the cost of my health that I was a living work of art. In that respect in the culinary world it was my place to seek out and be intimate with the all the subtle and exotic flavors of the world. But then there was the end of an era about 10 years ago and I said goodbye to the professional kitchen.
Unfortunately I held to my portly ways and keep my chefly figure for quite some time. Even at a time when I saw myself for what I was I didn't have the inner ability or fortitude to set a course that would benefit me and my family. Sometimes when we lest expect it an epiphany will grab hold of our very being and take the road less traveled...or in common terms I had a gun to my head and had to find that passion for sport once again or be forever portly.

So off to the gym I went and for two years I pumped iron and ran on the tread mill. Many thanks to this great quickening of the spirit, my heart beat slow and strong with a blood pressure low and steady. As I pushed myself to the ends of my envelope each time it was if I was reopening to my very soul, renewed and refreshed...all that for $50 bucks a month at the local gym! Such a deal.
Then last July, in the middle of my third year at the gym, I was tiring of the routine,  I watched the Tour De France every single day in it's entirety, the spark of the competition and self determination ignited in me the next step of my journey. I started to go to spin class but it wasn't enough I needed the pedals of a bike and the smells of the road to complete the transformation. And so the end of my journey with the gym is at hand but the memories will stay with me as I lean into the head wind  ever-day I test my resolve on the Trek. The rest is written in the earlier blogs for all to read. To all those at the beginning, middle or even the end of your journey be well, be strong and peace be the journey.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Around town

Saturday is my long ride and low HR day, you know a 40 to 45 miler with no racing or intervals just all spin and grin. For two and a half hours I have no destination to get to in a hurry or as the song says," ...with no particular place to go..." That seems to be the perfect way to spend a Saturday, just hours in the saddle and enjoyment of the road and all it's hidden aspects.  I dig it!
This last Saturday I rode from my house 20 miles to outskirts of town and 10 more to the center. Then it's back home or a meet with someone in town and have lunch. This last week was no different, I started out with out any expectations accept to see Naples. Even though I have seen this scenery for ten years I get to 'see' more if I have no expectations.  There were lots of cyclists on the rode but can you tell me why some give the wave, you know the recognition from one cyclist to another, and others don't even look up? I keep thinking that maybe it's because I ride a 4 year old Trek and one made in the US...that's got to be it!
The weather was perfect overcast, 60 degrees with a 5 mph breeze that shifted directions. Not like last weekend that had 20 mph head wind with gust up 45 mph, but it was still fun. So I'm riding around and having a great time keeping my HR down and seeing some back streets I haven't seen. In case I haven't told you Naples is the home of every exotic car ever built by man. In fact so many the easiest way for me to describe it would be to tell you to go to a Magazine shop, look up some obscure car and then come see it being driven here in Naples. It's just that cool.
Besides having a septuagenarian not see me merging in to a lane that she decided to occupy at the last minute, because she was talking to her friend about what ever it was she was talking about and not 'seeing' the traffic, it was a very good ride. You know how if you push yourself to be consistent past the pain and ride the hills, or in this case the overpasses, standing on the pedals and that finale couple of miles your legs are burning but you are not going to back off because you want to go past this stage of your development? Well I was there and the feeling of accomplishment was like standing on top of the Golden Gate bridge and seeing everything at once. That's when I got lazy. Turning into the parking lot where I was meeting the wife, I was euphoric and I did not see the drainage grate that I see every time I ride into that lot. Well my front rim sunk into that  space between grate and blacktop, I went over the bars as gracefully as I could taking as much weight off the rim as possible to save it and down I went. Nothing broken or maimed and I was fine too. Just goes to show how not focusing for a split second can put a hurt on you and/or your ride. The Trek lost a tube and ripped the side wall on the front tire which was the extent of the damage, I got just a little rash and didn't even rip my kit..WHEW! Lesson learned.
 Well keep at it and if I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.
PS, Versus has broadcast  the Tour of Qatar. The tour looked very interesting but had an announcer who sounded very dull, kinda like at the golf course. To top it off he had no back-round commentary which is the usual affair on this channel. Versus usually has done a good job of giving us all the back stories and such, this time I slept through it.

So, that's what it's like...

Last night, Thursday, I rode with the 'a' group. A group with the few of the 'b' group. whats the differance you ask? I'll tell you , the a group is 3 to 5 mph faster group than the b's and that extra little speed can make you wonder why you joined this group...especially when you get popped off the back half way into it. Sometime you don't have a choice because the b's didn't show or only a coupe. So the b's, I being one of them, halfheartedly join the a's knowing full well we will get our A's dropped in the middle of the ride and have to peddle back alone or catch up to other stragglers.
That's the way of the universe you know. A types, well kick a_ _ and  lead the way while b types work hard for the next spot an so on. All through my career as a commie, student  learning all the different stations in the kitchen until I made sous-chef and finally chef it was the way in the kitchen. And the A types are always ready to take the lead that's just how they are built!
So the ride got off to a quick start with every one feeling the start-up jitters and wanting to get off to a good start. As we rounded the bend the group settled down and got in to a good rhythm at 22 mph.  Tonight instead of hanging on I felt very strong and even had a the cadence. By mid way we were in the 23 1/2 mph   pace and I was in the flow...it felt good! It was not like hanging on it was like flying at a very low level, wow.
So as we approach the last couple of miles and every one starts cueing up for the sprint I wondered what it would be ike to finnish with these guys. I had done my obligatory two pulls at the front which left me needing the shelter of the middle of the pelaton. So, rested as good as I could in this quickening pace of 24 mph I made my way to the middle of the pace line. As the A types blasted past us one of them said to me, come on lets go, to which I replied, this is all I got, as they plowed past me.
 It was not all for loss as the remainder of the guys grouped up and we excelled by bettering our regular cadence. AS we approached the last 4oo yards one of the guys who never takes a pull decided to show just how good he was and took off. This was BS to me so I kick it into the next gear and pulled the group up to our heroic breakaway candidate and left him to wallow in the middle of the pack...nuff said about lame people and their ways.
I did it and so did my compadres, we rode with the A guys and did pretty well. All I could say was, so that's what it's like to cross the line at 26 mph like the type A's.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Curry chicken

I don't know about you but I love curry; red curry, green curry, gold curry or yellow curry. I love Indian curry, north and south, Philippine curry with coconut pancakes; Thai curry hot and scintillating, Japanese curry robust and creamy, Chinese curry, Indonesian, British, Island curry and everywhere in between. I guess you could say I haven't met a curry I didn't like or I should say LOVE! To my family it's soul food and we have eaton a lot over the years. Truthfully 'the wife' makes a mean curry chicken with Basmahti rice that we devour and sit around with fat tummies like milk fed puppies.
 Like this spicy dish with it's subtle but distinct differences that vary from county to country this years pro schedule has all the possibilities to upset  the big names by just being in the race, that's why it's called 'wild card'. no one will ever know what injury, team disharmony or even bad luck will be the right blend for a spicy newcomer to take the lead in a Grand Tour  So why do I say that? Just look at all this raw talent and don't even take my word for it, look at the rosters @http://www.uci.ch/templates/BUILTIN-NOFRAMES/Template1/layout.asp?MenuId=MTU4MTU&LangId=1. Also look at the writings of some of the blogs in the column next to this one.
The UCI calendar for this year can be seen @ http://www.uci.ch/templates/UCI/UCI2/layout.asp?MenuId=MTUyMjQ&LangId=1

WILD CARDS are unpredictable and I don't just mean teams I mean some fresh blood, new meat, young legs who don't know enough to let the big names have their do, or think they are doing their best to get a ride on a big team next year while kicking ass all the way to the finnish line and by just being impetuous and young. I say Great, go to it and do it, make every one work hard for their spots and lets get the best to be the best every step of the way!
Like our beloved curry why wouldn't we want every countries best to be the best? If they are from Spain, Italy, the Netherlands, Belgium, Japan, Basque, Germany, Mexico, the USA and every where else who produce great riders.
No matter what team or which rider gains prominence by winning or having the worst year ever I LOVE THIS SPORT. I also wish each and every one of these fine men Godspeed.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.

Blowing in the wind

This winter has been the worst winter ever. I don't recall when we have had this bad of a snow blown, frozen waste land type of winter in my life of 51 years. Our weather is not global warming as far as I can tell and no man can interrupt it . Sooo, I'll just stick with the  version that the insurance agency uses, 'act of God'.  But that's not what I want to talk about...it is the weather that has been a boon for the cyclists in SW Florida.

The windy days have supplied us with built in resistance to ride against with moveable scenery! Saturday I rode a 30 mile scenic journey with 20 to 30 mph gusts. It was a short ride...on the return, but going was the best time I've had on my Trek in a while. I think it's the thrill of accomplishment that gets me 'rock-in' in the saddle.  What I mean is shear challenge of a18 mph head wind while keeping the HR in the range of 147 to 157, still moving at a pace that is faster than 'standing still' and smiling as I beat out my rhythmic  cadence is the best.

There were four bridges to go over, two long ones with steep inclines on small and one do that was steep enough to ask your self "was that even needed'?  I approached each one with respect knowing that the wind on top of an unprotected bridge could just as easily have ended in disaster rathe than the leg burning. blood pumping  endurance ride I wanted. Of the four bridges the first and the last are nice big crushers. Not like the big mountains in the western states that go forever, but big enough with the addition of the constant wind and gusts to make it feel like a good hill workout. Enough in fact that as I got to the top of the 200 yard incline of the bridge in the photo above, at the end of my out ward bound leg,  I was out of my saddle and keeping my hr at 157 this gust stopped me dead in my tracks like a hugh hand pushing against and say 'none shall pass'...that I will never forget!
It took me 1 hour and fifteen minutes to get to the mid point and thirty five minutes to get back. WHAT A RIDE! I go back.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.
PS keep an eye on the velo news and blogs, it's beginning to heat up for the pro-teems.

Working for 'the Man'

Yep, I work for 'the Man'. I have for 7 1/2 years and it's been a good job for the most part. But lately it's been a real bunch of crap. You see 2010 ushered in all these new laws, statutes and regulations to keep the bad guys from getting around the old laws, regulations and statutes. Good plan but who does the dirty work? WHO ELSE, THE LOW LEVEL BEAUACRATS LIKE ME. Of course the real pay off is that I and the others like me get to ask the same questions over and over again in order to get all the paper work and answers needed to produce the licenses. Sound like fun?
It's really not that bad and it has to be done. There are a great many interesting people that really makes it all worth it. But on the other hand there are the pinheads, you know the type, right? First these types are always right. Next, even thought they know exactly what they need they never have it. 3rd these types complain, cry, bitch and moan to get what they want. If that is not working then you are the obsticle  and for that you are too be delt a vicious bad mouthing using all the worst curse words known.  WOW really good stuff.
Listen, if your being trashed then by all meens don't hold back. But if you are the one doing the trashing then I need to remind you what LA said about the race, your not in second place your 1st loser.
If I pass you on the road stop at Peets, because your buying.
More on the Sky team, Wiggo and the like:
http://www.versus.com/blogs/in-the-know/jon-vaughters-explains-comments-about-wiggins-astana-and-armstrong/