Saturday, May 24, 2008
Friday, May 23, 2008
Thursday, May 22, 2008
More Pink Eye in the Family
199 pounds....
Kinda nice to be under 200 pounds for a couple of days.
Mary is the next victim in our house.
Her eye started acting up yesterday and she had to stay home today. The Doc gave her eye drops and she is somewhat better today. Barb stayed home with her this morning and I got to hang out with her this afternoon. This was great for me, because that meant I could work in the garage on getting the bike ready for this weekend's race while Mary was outside riding her bike, doing the sidewalk chalk thing and running around my car.
The bike is pretty much nice and clean and ready to roll. What's the old saying, a happy bike is a clean bike, a clean bike is a fast bike, a fast bike is a happy bike. The Hammer kit is in the wash so that I start out smelling nice and clean. Hopefully I'll be as fast as the bike. Tomorrow night I will finish up the packing and off to the races on Saturday.
Overall my eye is getting better.
Hopefully it will be 100% in the next few days.
Kinda nice to be under 200 pounds for a couple of days.
Mary is the next victim in our house.
Her eye started acting up yesterday and she had to stay home today. The Doc gave her eye drops and she is somewhat better today. Barb stayed home with her this morning and I got to hang out with her this afternoon. This was great for me, because that meant I could work in the garage on getting the bike ready for this weekend's race while Mary was outside riding her bike, doing the sidewalk chalk thing and running around my car.
The bike is pretty much nice and clean and ready to roll. What's the old saying, a happy bike is a clean bike, a clean bike is a fast bike, a fast bike is a happy bike. The Hammer kit is in the wash so that I start out smelling nice and clean. Hopefully I'll be as fast as the bike. Tomorrow night I will finish up the packing and off to the races on Saturday.
Overall my eye is getting better.
Hopefully it will be 100% in the next few days.
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Buzz Achieves the Unbelievable
198 pounds....
Not sure where that came from, but I'll take it.
I ordered one of these a while back. 10' by 10' is not to bad of a size. The first one I ordered, the canopy was crappy. Had holes in it and a corner tore right away while setting it up the first time. I took it back and REI replaced it with no problems. I have had it sitting in the garage for a couple of weeks now so I figured it was about time to set it up, since I want to use it this weekend at the race, and see if it was better than the first one. No problems this time. Everything stayed together like it should. Cool. It was a bitch setting it up by myself though. So I will have to ask a fellow racer to assist me on Saturday morning. Hopefully that won't be a problem.
Then the next issue was, damn, I drive a Neon.
This thing folded all up is 5 feet tall and about 8 inches or more square. hhmmm... How the hell am I gonna fit that in there. I measured across the backseat, a little over 4 feet. Nope, that won't work. Ok, I'll lay the back seats down and bring it in through the trunk. Great idea, but a no go. The seats are up far enough where the angle is off and not to mention there is this small seat support in the way. So I tried bringing it in through the back door with the other end between the front seats. Cha, ching. We are in. Barb comes out at this time and was wondering what I was up to. So I showed her and she laughed when I told her how it got in there. She asked if I was just going to leave it in there the rest of the week. I said, nope. I need to make sure that I can get it out by myself before going to the races. I don't want to look like to much of a heel in the parking lot wrestling this thing out.
An I'm proud to say, no problem on getting it back out. Hopefully this will all work on Saturday morning. I'll need to stake it down also so that it doesn't take flight if the wind picks up.
Otherwise, only a few more days to go before the 12 Hours of GEAR. Woohoo. Should be fun.
I also heard back from Kevin Wilson about finishing up my Wobble Naught fit on my road bike and the tandem. He should be able to come up on June 1st. It will be nice to get all the bikes fitting nice.
Not sure where that came from, but I'll take it.
I ordered one of these a while back. 10' by 10' is not to bad of a size. The first one I ordered, the canopy was crappy. Had holes in it and a corner tore right away while setting it up the first time. I took it back and REI replaced it with no problems. I have had it sitting in the garage for a couple of weeks now so I figured it was about time to set it up, since I want to use it this weekend at the race, and see if it was better than the first one. No problems this time. Everything stayed together like it should. Cool. It was a bitch setting it up by myself though. So I will have to ask a fellow racer to assist me on Saturday morning. Hopefully that won't be a problem.
Then the next issue was, damn, I drive a Neon.
This thing folded all up is 5 feet tall and about 8 inches or more square. hhmmm... How the hell am I gonna fit that in there. I measured across the backseat, a little over 4 feet. Nope, that won't work. Ok, I'll lay the back seats down and bring it in through the trunk. Great idea, but a no go. The seats are up far enough where the angle is off and not to mention there is this small seat support in the way. So I tried bringing it in through the back door with the other end between the front seats. Cha, ching. We are in. Barb comes out at this time and was wondering what I was up to. So I showed her and she laughed when I told her how it got in there. She asked if I was just going to leave it in there the rest of the week. I said, nope. I need to make sure that I can get it out by myself before going to the races. I don't want to look like to much of a heel in the parking lot wrestling this thing out.
An I'm proud to say, no problem on getting it back out. Hopefully this will all work on Saturday morning. I'll need to stake it down also so that it doesn't take flight if the wind picks up.
Otherwise, only a few more days to go before the 12 Hours of GEAR. Woohoo. Should be fun.
I also heard back from Kevin Wilson about finishing up my Wobble Naught fit on my road bike and the tandem. He should be able to come up on June 1st. It will be nice to get all the bikes fitting nice.
Monday, May 19, 2008
New Fane Trail Photos
200 pounds....
Still there, nothing different.
This past weekend I got to get out and ride some. I was lucky enough to preride this week's race venue. I took a ton of photos on the last lap around the course for your viewing pleasure.
Some of the photos don't really show all the rocks and hills, but I think you get the idea. The single track is pretty open, but it is still a fun quick course. Laps should be around 25 minutes for the average guy.
I even took the time to take a quick video with the camera.
My wife said that my voice sounded higher than normal on this. Must have been the wind and riding. After doing this, I'm thinking I need a helmet cam or something. I think one of those would be cool.
My eye is better. Today will be the last day for the ointment. Hopefully things will be better here on out. It has only been slightly itchy today.
I'm hoping to get on a bike some this week to keep things loose. Also, I'm hoping to get some Globus time.
Still there, nothing different.
This past weekend I got to get out and ride some. I was lucky enough to preride this week's race venue. I took a ton of photos on the last lap around the course for your viewing pleasure.
Some of the photos don't really show all the rocks and hills, but I think you get the idea. The single track is pretty open, but it is still a fun quick course. Laps should be around 25 minutes for the average guy.
I even took the time to take a quick video with the camera.
My wife said that my voice sounded higher than normal on this. Must have been the wind and riding. After doing this, I'm thinking I need a helmet cam or something. I think one of those would be cool.
My eye is better. Today will be the last day for the ointment. Hopefully things will be better here on out. It has only been slightly itchy today.
I'm hoping to get on a bike some this week to keep things loose. Also, I'm hoping to get some Globus time.
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Da Eye Update
199 pounds....
hhhmm... Not sure what I did to deserve being under 200 pounds. Maybe dieting and riding the bike help after all.
Here is what my eye looks like now. Please disregard the way the rest of me looks. =)
I have been putting in my eye ointment for over 3 days now and it seems to be helping some. The redness varies, but seems to be better than it was. It doesn't seem to be so itchy as it was. This photo was taken this afternoon after coming back from riding up at New Fane, the site of next week's 12 hour race. The race course has single track on it that is not shown on the map.
I took a bunch of pictures that I will caption and upload tomorrow. The SWorks felt pretty nice out there. It is the first time that I rode it out on the trails. I'm not sure if I have better skills this year or the bike handles that much better, but I felt better in the tight switchbacks. That is usually where I suck big time. Especially to the right. I'm hoping to get back out somewhere tomorrow for some more seat time. I also need to clean the bike up a ton since it is filthy. The other thing is that the front break keeps squeaking. Just when I think I have it all lined up correctly, it seems to go out of whack. It is starting to try my patience.
I used the Globus tonight on resistance mode. This is going to be interesting. It might even put some muscle on me where I usually can never get it. I'll keep you guys posted.
hhhmm... Not sure what I did to deserve being under 200 pounds. Maybe dieting and riding the bike help after all.
Here is what my eye looks like now. Please disregard the way the rest of me looks. =)
I have been putting in my eye ointment for over 3 days now and it seems to be helping some. The redness varies, but seems to be better than it was. It doesn't seem to be so itchy as it was. This photo was taken this afternoon after coming back from riding up at New Fane, the site of next week's 12 hour race. The race course has single track on it that is not shown on the map.
I took a bunch of pictures that I will caption and upload tomorrow. The SWorks felt pretty nice out there. It is the first time that I rode it out on the trails. I'm not sure if I have better skills this year or the bike handles that much better, but I felt better in the tight switchbacks. That is usually where I suck big time. Especially to the right. I'm hoping to get back out somewhere tomorrow for some more seat time. I also need to clean the bike up a ton since it is filthy. The other thing is that the front break keeps squeaking. Just when I think I have it all lined up correctly, it seems to go out of whack. It is starting to try my patience.
I used the Globus tonight on resistance mode. This is going to be interesting. It might even put some muscle on me where I usually can never get it. I'll keep you guys posted.
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
Itchy Eye
200 pounds....
Nothing new there. Food is still food.
My eye looks like this. Sorry for the blurry photo.
My right eye is pretty well messed up. It started acting up about 5 days ago. I have allergies, so I thought that was the issue. So I started doing my Optivar eye drops. Minor help, but still yucky. Since I work at a hospital, I took the liberty of seeing a Doctor about it today. Pink Eye has been quite busy at work, so all I had to do was walk in and the receptionist was noticing my condition. They stained my eye first to make sure that I didn't have anything floating around in there. Which I didn't. So I got a script for some eye ointment. Since my job is not a patient contact job, I was able to continue to work. If it doesn't clear up in the next 24 to 48 hours, I'm supposed to report back for more diagnosis.
Otherwise, I haven't touched a bike in 2 days. I need to work on the resistance training with the Globus and see how that works.
This weekend I'm going to go hit some single track and start getting ready for the 12 Hours of GEAR.
Nothing new there. Food is still food.
My eye looks like this. Sorry for the blurry photo.
My right eye is pretty well messed up. It started acting up about 5 days ago. I have allergies, so I thought that was the issue. So I started doing my Optivar eye drops. Minor help, but still yucky. Since I work at a hospital, I took the liberty of seeing a Doctor about it today. Pink Eye has been quite busy at work, so all I had to do was walk in and the receptionist was noticing my condition. They stained my eye first to make sure that I didn't have anything floating around in there. Which I didn't. So I got a script for some eye ointment. Since my job is not a patient contact job, I was able to continue to work. If it doesn't clear up in the next 24 to 48 hours, I'm supposed to report back for more diagnosis.
Otherwise, I haven't touched a bike in 2 days. I need to work on the resistance training with the Globus and see how that works.
This weekend I'm going to go hit some single track and start getting ready for the 12 Hours of GEAR.
Monday, May 12, 2008
My first commute
202 pounds....
Nothing like a Mother's Day Brunch at Libby Montana's to make you put the weight back on.
Today was my first commuter bike ride. I threw the bike in the van this morning and then rode it home from work.
I started out by seeing this guy. I waved and so did he. I'm not sure if he remembered who I am or not. He should since I'm so famous and all. Saw some wild animals along the way.
Some traffic.
And then my car at home.
As usual, more photos here.
Nothing like a Mother's Day Brunch at Libby Montana's to make you put the weight back on.
Today was my first commuter bike ride. I threw the bike in the van this morning and then rode it home from work.
I started out by seeing this guy. I waved and so did he. I'm not sure if he remembered who I am or not. He should since I'm so famous and all. Saw some wild animals along the way.
Some traffic.
And then my car at home.
As usual, more photos here.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Catching up some on the photos
199 pounds....
Hey, my weight starts with a 1 today. Hopefully that is the start of many days again. It has been a bummer being over 200 since I was able to stay below it for so long.
I'm watching all the F1 action from this weekend and uploading a bunch of photos to Flickr to catch up for the ones that I have, but not uploaded from Trans Iowa. You can see the photos here. There are some funny ones in there of the family also.
Training has been pretty lax with starting a new job and such. I did get one of these this week on a month trial basis. After using it though, I don't think it will be going back. I have also ordered an EasyUp or a clone of them, from Hammer Nutrition. I will make sure to put a photo of that up as soon as I have one.
Happy Mother's Day to all those Mom's out there.
Hey, my weight starts with a 1 today. Hopefully that is the start of many days again. It has been a bummer being over 200 since I was able to stay below it for so long.
I'm watching all the F1 action from this weekend and uploading a bunch of photos to Flickr to catch up for the ones that I have, but not uploaded from Trans Iowa. You can see the photos here. There are some funny ones in there of the family also.
Training has been pretty lax with starting a new job and such. I did get one of these this week on a month trial basis. After using it though, I don't think it will be going back. I have also ordered an EasyUp or a clone of them, from Hammer Nutrition. I will make sure to put a photo of that up as soon as I have one.
Happy Mother's Day to all those Mom's out there.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Hammer Riding in Verona
201 pounds....
I think that is how much I weigh, I'm not sure.
Went riding this past weekend on the road bike.
It was the first time that the Roubaix had been outside since last fall. Brian Frank from Hammer Nutrition was spending the weekend in Verona doing seminars and rides out of Exclusive Cycles. I took photos and here are some of them. The rest are here. As you can see, it was raining on the way to the bike shop in Verona.
I jammed to some cool tunes on the way.
There were a few of us at the shop that were going to ride. As we got going, it started to pour, so we stopped for shelter and coffee.
I even got to have my picture taken with Brian. Please note the glisten from being soaked. I still need to figure out why that helmet keeps turning and looking somewhat dorky.
The ride was tough out there. Hilly as can be. We even rode some of the Ironman course. Which everyone that I know of that has ridden it, say it is tough. Brian was having problems with the hills. So I didn't feel so bad when I fell off the back, because Brian was usually with me. It was very cool to be riding with such a legend. And also to be riding with Jeff Mawhinney and Jim Bruskewitz was an honor.
They did drop me a few times, but they were very encouraging all the way. After the ride, we got to check out the Globus Premium Sport. Those things are sweet. I will definitely be getting one of those for Barb and I. Here is a photo of Jim using one. He was in a strength training routine when this shot was taken. Check those quads flexing.
Harvey was with us also. Sorry, I didn't catch his last name. Please note the Colnago cross bike in the background. I want that baby.
There are a few other photos that were taken that I won't throw up here, but you can find them here if you so choose.
All in all, I had a great day riding and chatting with everyone. I learned a lot from Brian on Hammer things. The guy is such a wealth of knowledge. Same with Jim and Jeff. Jeff really knows how to put a shop together. If you get the chance, you need to check it out. Very impressive. He is a master bike fitter also. In chatting with him, I learned a ton.
Otherwise, I started my new job today. Orientation today and tomorrow. This is the job that I have been working at as a 1099 contractor for the past few months. So I now have a full time regular job like the rest of the world. Now it will be harder to find time to train. I guess I need to start riding my bike to work and that will help out a ton.
I will post more photos from Trans Iowa as the week progresses. Sorry for not having that all done by now.
I think that is how much I weigh, I'm not sure.
Went riding this past weekend on the road bike.
It was the first time that the Roubaix had been outside since last fall. Brian Frank from Hammer Nutrition was spending the weekend in Verona doing seminars and rides out of Exclusive Cycles. I took photos and here are some of them. The rest are here. As you can see, it was raining on the way to the bike shop in Verona.
I jammed to some cool tunes on the way.
There were a few of us at the shop that were going to ride. As we got going, it started to pour, so we stopped for shelter and coffee.
I even got to have my picture taken with Brian. Please note the glisten from being soaked. I still need to figure out why that helmet keeps turning and looking somewhat dorky.
The ride was tough out there. Hilly as can be. We even rode some of the Ironman course. Which everyone that I know of that has ridden it, say it is tough. Brian was having problems with the hills. So I didn't feel so bad when I fell off the back, because Brian was usually with me. It was very cool to be riding with such a legend. And also to be riding with Jeff Mawhinney and Jim Bruskewitz was an honor.
They did drop me a few times, but they were very encouraging all the way. After the ride, we got to check out the Globus Premium Sport. Those things are sweet. I will definitely be getting one of those for Barb and I. Here is a photo of Jim using one. He was in a strength training routine when this shot was taken. Check those quads flexing.
Harvey was with us also. Sorry, I didn't catch his last name. Please note the Colnago cross bike in the background. I want that baby.
There are a few other photos that were taken that I won't throw up here, but you can find them here if you so choose.
All in all, I had a great day riding and chatting with everyone. I learned a lot from Brian on Hammer things. The guy is such a wealth of knowledge. Same with Jim and Jeff. Jeff really knows how to put a shop together. If you get the chance, you need to check it out. Very impressive. He is a master bike fitter also. In chatting with him, I learned a ton.
Otherwise, I started my new job today. Orientation today and tomorrow. This is the job that I have been working at as a 1099 contractor for the past few months. So I now have a full time regular job like the rest of the world. Now it will be harder to find time to train. I guess I need to start riding my bike to work and that will help out a ton.
I will post more photos from Trans Iowa as the week progresses. Sorry for not having that all done by now.
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Trans Iowa Part 1 aka Now with Photos from Flickr
200 pounds...
Not bad for a slow guy.
Since I'm just getting the Flickr account going, I'll put up some Trans Iowa photos. I will jump around some over the next few days, but I'll try to keep somewhat of a theme for the day going. Here will be the photos of the bike before and after the event. Also, photos of me before, during and after.
The bike before the race. Pretty much all packed up and ready to go.
Me the night before getting ready.
Me before the start.
The next ones will be me each hour after the start of the race.
Me at the pickup point in Cresco.
What the bike looked like after 6 hours in the Iowa wind.
As you can tell, I was looking pretty yucky by the end. In the middle I was smiling, but my face was half frozen. I gotta check out why my helmet was so turned though. Looks pretty dorky.
Not bad for a slow guy.
Since I'm just getting the Flickr account going, I'll put up some Trans Iowa photos. I will jump around some over the next few days, but I'll try to keep somewhat of a theme for the day going. Here will be the photos of the bike before and after the event. Also, photos of me before, during and after.
The bike before the race. Pretty much all packed up and ready to go.
Me the night before getting ready.
Me before the start.
The next ones will be me each hour after the start of the race.
Me at the pickup point in Cresco.
What the bike looked like after 6 hours in the Iowa wind.
As you can tell, I was looking pretty yucky by the end. In the middle I was smiling, but my face was half frozen. I gotta check out why my helmet was so turned though. Looks pretty dorky.
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Trans Iowa in a Nutshell
A quick thought or two after the race.
For me, it was the toughest I have worked to go so little.
Going in, I knew if it was windy I would be screwed. And that's exactly what happened. For me, I'm more of a participant than a competitor and boy did that show. Friday night's prerace meeting, I was really questioning my decision on even being there, considering all the racer types in the room. But I pretty much figured, hey, starting the event is half the battle. And I was most definitely going to start the event.
It was in the mid 30's at the start, with wind chills probably in the 20's. Light snow falling. 20 mph winds with gusts probably up to 30 or more. I figured I would be warmed up after the first hill, I was wrong. I froze for the first hour. I thought it would get better, but it didn't. By the end of the third hour, I had put on all the gear that I had and I was slightly better. At hour 4 in the pelting snow, I called it quits and phoned my wife to get me in the next town. It took 2 more hours to get there. I missed two turns along the way. I rode for about 45 miles in those 6 hours. It was very tough mentally for me. Besides being really cold, the body felt well. I just need to train harder so that I have more power so that I can put out when the wind is like that. I also need to rethink my bike choice. I rode what I had, a mountain bike. I put a frame bag on that and it pretty much ended up being a sail in that strong wind. I was really lucky not to have gone down a few times with the gusts.
In the end, 55 people started, with only 5 completing. The race was shorten to 240 miles because of bad road conditions. There were trees down, water over the road and a mud slide.
I took pictures over the 6 hours that I was out and drove the course afterwards to show my wife and kids where I was, taking more photos. I will have those up in the next few days along with a longer write up.
For me, it was the toughest I have worked to go so little.
Going in, I knew if it was windy I would be screwed. And that's exactly what happened. For me, I'm more of a participant than a competitor and boy did that show. Friday night's prerace meeting, I was really questioning my decision on even being there, considering all the racer types in the room. But I pretty much figured, hey, starting the event is half the battle. And I was most definitely going to start the event.
It was in the mid 30's at the start, with wind chills probably in the 20's. Light snow falling. 20 mph winds with gusts probably up to 30 or more. I figured I would be warmed up after the first hill, I was wrong. I froze for the first hour. I thought it would get better, but it didn't. By the end of the third hour, I had put on all the gear that I had and I was slightly better. At hour 4 in the pelting snow, I called it quits and phoned my wife to get me in the next town. It took 2 more hours to get there. I missed two turns along the way. I rode for about 45 miles in those 6 hours. It was very tough mentally for me. Besides being really cold, the body felt well. I just need to train harder so that I have more power so that I can put out when the wind is like that. I also need to rethink my bike choice. I rode what I had, a mountain bike. I put a frame bag on that and it pretty much ended up being a sail in that strong wind. I was really lucky not to have gone down a few times with the gusts.
In the end, 55 people started, with only 5 completing. The race was shorten to 240 miles because of bad road conditions. There were trees down, water over the road and a mud slide.
I took pictures over the 6 hours that I was out and drove the course afterwards to show my wife and kids where I was, taking more photos. I will have those up in the next few days along with a longer write up.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
And the bike bags look like this
200 pounds....
I'm not really keeping track here. Maybe after Trans Iowa.
Here is what the bike looks like with new bags.
I'm not really keeping track here. Maybe after Trans Iowa.
Here is what the bike looks like with new bags.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Trans Iowa in under 5 days
202 pounds....
At this point I'm not even thinking about my weight. Bring on the pain of Trans Iowa. That will help me forget about my weight.
I did get out this weekend and do some riding and picture taking. Here's a few for your viewing pleasure from the Bug Line Trail.
At this point I'm not even thinking about my weight. Bring on the pain of Trans Iowa. That will help me forget about my weight.
I did get out this weekend and do some riding and picture taking. Here's a few for your viewing pleasure from the Bug Line Trail.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Ernesto Lube is in the House!
200 pounds....
Hopefully taking off a couple of pounds this week will be a good indicator what is to come.
Ernesto Lube is now another sponsor of me. So please check out their website and buy their wares. I'll be using the bike lube during Trans Iowa.
I was out on the bike today for about 2.5 hours. The new Wobble Naught fit has been working well. The body is fairly happy with the new fit. There is some break in time so I figured not going a long time today just to let the body get used to the new position. Breaking a new seat in has been a pain. Slight pain in my left knee, but only when I'm really pushing it. So hopefully that is only a temporary thing. Ice is in store for the knees and lots of full body stretching.
Another thing that is getting tried out this weekend is Sole shoe inserts. These are the ones that you throw in the oven for 2 minutes at 200 degrees and then put them in your shoes and stand in them for 2 minutes. I road today with my current Specialized insoles and tomorrow I will use the Sole ones. We will have to see how they work.
I picked up the EasyUp clone that I ordered from REI. This is the second one of these that I have gotten from them. The first one I got from them, the canvas cover was torn and had various holes in it. Hopefully this one will be better. If not, I will have to find somewhere else to get one. The reason that I got this one though is because I used my member dividend and a 20% off coupon. So I paid under $100 for it.
One other thing that I picked up today was a new camera. It is an Olympus weather proof one. So hopefully I will be taking a bunch of pictures from Trans Iowa.
Hopefully taking off a couple of pounds this week will be a good indicator what is to come.
Ernesto Lube is now another sponsor of me. So please check out their website and buy their wares. I'll be using the bike lube during Trans Iowa.
I was out on the bike today for about 2.5 hours. The new Wobble Naught fit has been working well. The body is fairly happy with the new fit. There is some break in time so I figured not going a long time today just to let the body get used to the new position. Breaking a new seat in has been a pain. Slight pain in my left knee, but only when I'm really pushing it. So hopefully that is only a temporary thing. Ice is in store for the knees and lots of full body stretching.
Another thing that is getting tried out this weekend is Sole shoe inserts. These are the ones that you throw in the oven for 2 minutes at 200 degrees and then put them in your shoes and stand in them for 2 minutes. I road today with my current Specialized insoles and tomorrow I will use the Sole ones. We will have to see how they work.
I picked up the EasyUp clone that I ordered from REI. This is the second one of these that I have gotten from them. The first one I got from them, the canvas cover was torn and had various holes in it. Hopefully this one will be better. If not, I will have to find somewhere else to get one. The reason that I got this one though is because I used my member dividend and a 20% off coupon. So I paid under $100 for it.
One other thing that I picked up today was a new camera. It is an Olympus weather proof one. So hopefully I will be taking a bunch of pictures from Trans Iowa.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Pre Race Week Jitters
203 pounds....
Yup, nothing happening there.
I got my Wobble Naught fits this past weekend. Whoa! I highly recommend it to everyone. Getting on the bike after everything was adjusted, I was quite surprised at how everything just felt right. I can't wait to get a bunch more hours on the bike to see how my body feels.
The bags from Carousel Design Works are still not here. In speaking with Jeff out there, he said hopefully they will be finished by the end of this week. A frame bag, seat bag and fuel cell. I can't wait for them to get here.
Been getting the S-Works in shape for next weekend's race. Here it is pictured with the new Crank Brothers Pump that I bought. Just when you think you have it all worked out, you see something else that isn't just quite right. Trans Iowa is going to be a long one, but no matter what, I'm starting it and giving it a good shot. You will know when I finish, because you will hear me yelling.
Yup, nothing happening there.
I got my Wobble Naught fits this past weekend. Whoa! I highly recommend it to everyone. Getting on the bike after everything was adjusted, I was quite surprised at how everything just felt right. I can't wait to get a bunch more hours on the bike to see how my body feels.
The bags from Carousel Design Works are still not here. In speaking with Jeff out there, he said hopefully they will be finished by the end of this week. A frame bag, seat bag and fuel cell. I can't wait for them to get here.
Been getting the S-Works in shape for next weekend's race. Here it is pictured with the new Crank Brothers Pump that I bought. Just when you think you have it all worked out, you see something else that isn't just quite right. Trans Iowa is going to be a long one, but no matter what, I'm starting it and giving it a good shot. You will know when I finish, because you will hear me yelling.
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Happy Birthday to Me
Yup, another year has come and gone. I hit the big 45 today. I don't feel any older though. Kinda odd that I would start becoming an endurance racer at such an age. The guys at the bike shop were quite surprised that I'm as old as I am.
Sunday, March 30, 2008
Must be a problem some where
201 pounds....
Still there, still there. Now that I'm riding outside again, maybe this number will change some more.
For the second straight day, I rode outside. Yup, hard to believe. I did about 2 hours and even rode up Hillzilla. I used to really be afraid of that hill, not any longer. I may not be the fastest up that hill, but I no longer have to stop half way to catch my breath. Did some snowmobile trail riding by Sussex. That was a mistake. Through frozen tundra and thawing tundra. Feet got really wet, but the smart wool socks I had on, worked like a champ.
I have spoken with the Wobble Naught fitter for the midwest, Kevin Wilson, and I think I'll be getting this done to me and my bikes. And if things work out well, Barb will be getting it done also. In talking with Kevin this weekend, he might have a spot open next Saturday for me. I'll keep everyone posted on this.
Hard to believe, but I watched the IndyCar race last night. It was pretty good and I might even watch next week's race.
Did you catch the MotoGP race from Spain? Nicky Hayden did well and placed 4. He pulled himself up in a corner that I thought for sure he was crashing in. His elbow and knee were on the ground while the opposite foot was off the peg. Pretty wild to watch.
Still there, still there. Now that I'm riding outside again, maybe this number will change some more.
For the second straight day, I rode outside. Yup, hard to believe. I did about 2 hours and even rode up Hillzilla. I used to really be afraid of that hill, not any longer. I may not be the fastest up that hill, but I no longer have to stop half way to catch my breath. Did some snowmobile trail riding by Sussex. That was a mistake. Through frozen tundra and thawing tundra. Feet got really wet, but the smart wool socks I had on, worked like a champ.
I have spoken with the Wobble Naught fitter for the midwest, Kevin Wilson, and I think I'll be getting this done to me and my bikes. And if things work out well, Barb will be getting it done also. In talking with Kevin this weekend, he might have a spot open next Saturday for me. I'll keep everyone posted on this.
Hard to believe, but I watched the IndyCar race last night. It was pretty good and I might even watch next week's race.
Did you catch the MotoGP race from Spain? Nicky Hayden did well and placed 4. He pulled himself up in a corner that I thought for sure he was crashing in. His elbow and knee were on the ground while the opposite foot was off the peg. Pretty wild to watch.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
Oh The Joy
??? pounds....
I have no idea how much I weigh. I didn't get on the scale this morning.
Today was a big day for me. I finally have taken my first outdoor ride for 2008. I was outside riding around in 37 degree weather. That is unheard of for me. But I was out there none the less. I rode over to Waukesha and out to the Glacial Drumlin Trail. I was out for about 3 hours with the bike moving about 2.5 of that. I had one layer on the lower half and 2 layers on most of the upper. I think if I'm going to be riding in these temperatures I will need to invest in a base layer. I was cold but not COLD. Overall, the body loved being outside and riding. Nothing like the wind in your face and a nice bike underneath ya.
I have no idea how much I weigh. I didn't get on the scale this morning.
Today was a big day for me. I finally have taken my first outdoor ride for 2008. I was outside riding around in 37 degree weather. That is unheard of for me. But I was out there none the less. I rode over to Waukesha and out to the Glacial Drumlin Trail. I was out for about 3 hours with the bike moving about 2.5 of that. I had one layer on the lower half and 2 layers on most of the upper. I think if I'm going to be riding in these temperatures I will need to invest in a base layer. I was cold but not COLD. Overall, the body loved being outside and riding. Nothing like the wind in your face and a nice bike underneath ya.
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
Cheq 40 is a GO!
203 pounds....
I was up north for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary, needless to say I ate way too much. Then the girls have stayed up there for spring break and Barb and I have spend the last two nights in fancy eating places. Needless to say, that isn't too good for a diet.
But the great news is both of us made it through the lottery. Barb will be doing the the short race and I'll be doing the long. That is good and bad at the same time. Now I won't be able to go to the MotoGP race in Indy that weekend. Unless I want to do a mad dash out of Hayward on Saturday and a bonzai run to Indy. hhhmmm.... Now that's a thought.
I was up north for my parent's 50th wedding anniversary, needless to say I ate way too much. Then the girls have stayed up there for spring break and Barb and I have spend the last two nights in fancy eating places. Needless to say, that isn't too good for a diet.
But the great news is both of us made it through the lottery. Barb will be doing the the short race and I'll be doing the long. That is good and bad at the same time. Now I won't be able to go to the MotoGP race in Indy that weekend. Unless I want to do a mad dash out of Hayward on Saturday and a bonzai run to Indy. hhhmmm.... Now that's a thought.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Chop, Chop
200 pounds....
You will know when I get below 200 pounds because you will hear me scream my lungs out. It has been way to long since my weight started with a 1.
The other day at work, we were trying to remember all the different ways over the years we have been told that something needed to be done fast. Chop, Chop was one. A.S.A.P was another. And then there is the never forgotten, bust your ass and just get it done. That was always a good one to hear. Not to be forgotten is Stat. We need that Stat! Then there this one. We need you to move this up to the top of your list. It demands immediate attention. Another might be. This is a top priority. I guess the list could go on for quite some time. If you have an idea on this, please post it in the comments. I know, all 3 of my readers will answer.
Otherwise, another snow storm is expected and possibly up to 5 inches of snow. Not bad for the second day of spring. One of these days I'll get back outside on a bike. The end of next week is looking like it might be in the 40's. Maybe then. Trans Iowa is getting closer. On that front, I did make reservations at the Heartland Inn. So hopefully I won't be too far from the start line.
You will know when I get below 200 pounds because you will hear me scream my lungs out. It has been way to long since my weight started with a 1.
The other day at work, we were trying to remember all the different ways over the years we have been told that something needed to be done fast. Chop, Chop was one. A.S.A.P was another. And then there is the never forgotten, bust your ass and just get it done. That was always a good one to hear. Not to be forgotten is Stat. We need that Stat! Then there this one. We need you to move this up to the top of your list. It demands immediate attention. Another might be. This is a top priority. I guess the list could go on for quite some time. If you have an idea on this, please post it in the comments. I know, all 3 of my readers will answer.
Otherwise, another snow storm is expected and possibly up to 5 inches of snow. Not bad for the second day of spring. One of these days I'll get back outside on a bike. The end of next week is looking like it might be in the 40's. Maybe then. Trans Iowa is getting closer. On that front, I did make reservations at the Heartland Inn. So hopefully I won't be too far from the start line.
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Spinning my life away
201 pounds....
The weight loss area has been not there, but at least I haven't gained any. I have been back to hitting spin classes so hopefully that will help overall. 5 classes totaling 7 hours in the past week isn't too bad. And on this past Sunday I was in the basement on the treadmill doing an hour of fast walking. That's supposed to be better for my knees at the moment compared to running.
The weather has finally broke some so the snow is melting and we can even see some grass in some areas. I might be brave enough to go back out and ride some one of these days. I just hate riding in the ice, snow and cold.
We are off to Ben's Cycle this afternoon to get Sami a new bike for her birthday. Instead of presents, everyone gave money to go towards a bike. I'm not exactly sure what we will be getting her this time. Probably another mountain bike.
The weight loss area has been not there, but at least I haven't gained any. I have been back to hitting spin classes so hopefully that will help overall. 5 classes totaling 7 hours in the past week isn't too bad. And on this past Sunday I was in the basement on the treadmill doing an hour of fast walking. That's supposed to be better for my knees at the moment compared to running.
The weather has finally broke some so the snow is melting and we can even see some grass in some areas. I might be brave enough to go back out and ride some one of these days. I just hate riding in the ice, snow and cold.
We are off to Ben's Cycle this afternoon to get Sami a new bike for her birthday. Instead of presents, everyone gave money to go towards a bike. I'm not exactly sure what we will be getting her this time. Probably another mountain bike.
Wednesday, March 5, 2008
Darn, Darn, Darn
201 pounds....
Once again, I have not progressed in the weight department. But I have been eating better and I'm getting to the point where I'm going to be off of caffeine. Which to me, is a good thing.
The big ole darns are because I did not get into the Iceman Cometh on the first round of the lottery. There were 3,900 entries for 2,500 spots. That's pretty crazy, eh? The first round people must pay for their entry within 2 weeks or they will lose their place. Then the organizers will pick again and other people will get a chance. So, maybe, just maybe, I can get in that way. Otherwise, I will be doing the ebay thing when Michigan Youth Cycling puts the 5 entries that they will be auctioning off this year. Those should start mid summer or so.
Otherwise I hit the YMCA last night for 50 minutes of spin class while Mary was doing karate. Sweated like a beast for some reason, but it felt good. My knee didn't bother me a bit. So that's a plus.
In bike related things, I need to get my ass moving on my bags for Trans Iowa. I soon as payday hits I'm moving on these. The way it's going, I will have to be wearing deep freeze clothing during that race because the snow will still be on the ground. You never know.
Once again, I have not progressed in the weight department. But I have been eating better and I'm getting to the point where I'm going to be off of caffeine. Which to me, is a good thing.
The big ole darns are because I did not get into the Iceman Cometh on the first round of the lottery. There were 3,900 entries for 2,500 spots. That's pretty crazy, eh? The first round people must pay for their entry within 2 weeks or they will lose their place. Then the organizers will pick again and other people will get a chance. So, maybe, just maybe, I can get in that way. Otherwise, I will be doing the ebay thing when Michigan Youth Cycling puts the 5 entries that they will be auctioning off this year. Those should start mid summer or so.
Otherwise I hit the YMCA last night for 50 minutes of spin class while Mary was doing karate. Sweated like a beast for some reason, but it felt good. My knee didn't bother me a bit. So that's a plus.
In bike related things, I need to get my ass moving on my bags for Trans Iowa. I soon as payday hits I'm moving on these. The way it's going, I will have to be wearing deep freeze clothing during that race because the snow will still be on the ground. You never know.
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Busy, Busy, Busy
200 pounds....
I think that's how much I weigh today, but I'm not sure. I didn't weigh myself this morning because I have busy running around and such the past couple of weeks.
I'm back to working 5 days a week so that pretty much changes everything in my life. I have even been getting up before 5am. Now in the last year, that has been unheard of. That used to be normal for me. So working will hopefully change me back to being a morning person like I used to be.
The knee has been doing fine. I need to work more on my core and hips. That means I'll be back to hitting Graeme Street's Cyclo-CORE workouts starting next week. I probably should have been doing those all this time anyway. Oh well, hind sight is 20/20.
Almost March and that means that Trans Iowa is next month. That also means signing up for the Cheq 40 lottery. Barb and I are both trying to get in again this year. If we don't make it, hopefully we can go down to Indy for the MotoGP race. How cruel is that, having those 2 great events on the same weekend. And it also means that I will be finding out if I'm in the Iceman Cometh this year.
What about that Open Wheel Series Unification stuff? Wow, who would have figured. I wonder what that will mean for the Champ Car date at Road America?
I think that's how much I weigh today, but I'm not sure. I didn't weigh myself this morning because I have busy running around and such the past couple of weeks.
I'm back to working 5 days a week so that pretty much changes everything in my life. I have even been getting up before 5am. Now in the last year, that has been unheard of. That used to be normal for me. So working will hopefully change me back to being a morning person like I used to be.
The knee has been doing fine. I need to work more on my core and hips. That means I'll be back to hitting Graeme Street's Cyclo-CORE workouts starting next week. I probably should have been doing those all this time anyway. Oh well, hind sight is 20/20.
Almost March and that means that Trans Iowa is next month. That also means signing up for the Cheq 40 lottery. Barb and I are both trying to get in again this year. If we don't make it, hopefully we can go down to Indy for the MotoGP race. How cruel is that, having those 2 great events on the same weekend. And it also means that I will be finding out if I'm in the Iceman Cometh this year.
What about that Open Wheel Series Unification stuff? Wow, who would have figured. I wonder what that will mean for the Champ Car date at Road America?
Friday, February 15, 2008
Ear Buds
201 pounds....
Funny how when you aren't working on your diet, you lose weight. I haven't worked out all week to be nice to my knee and I have been able to shed a couple of pounds. You gotta like that.
I splurged and bought a pair of Westone CR-1 custom molded ear buds. No longer will I have to be duct taping my Apple ones to my ears so that they don't fall out. I bought them in red so that I don't have to fight discoloration when they age some. I used them this morning for about 2 hours while I was shoveling the driveway and they worked great. I did some testing yesterday with them using different sampling rates and with my poor ears, I couldn't tell the difference. I have a feeling that someone with a better ear can tell the difference, that better ear isn't me though. I also compared them to the stock Apple ear bud and noticed a big difference. The CR-1's stop outside noise and sound much better. The only bitch about them is that they cost $190. It was my Christmas present to myself.
The exercise was tough on my body though. My back is yelling that it needs to be stretched and my knee let me know that it was there the entire time. Hopefully it is just tender because of the cortisone shot. The weatherman is predicting more snow this weekend so I figured I better get out there and clean off the 1 or so inches that's currently there.
In bike news, I have ordered up new Ergon grips for the S-Works bike and hopefully this weekend I will get the template made out for the frame bag that I'm going to get made. I also need to send the 24 Solo poster down to Craig Gordon. Can you say lazy ass. I knew you could. And you probably will see my photo next to that saying in the dictionary.
Off to Chicago tomorrow to visit my sister, Carol. Her birthday was yesterday. I'm not sure how old she is, but it doesn't matter because she will always be older than me. Saturday is also Barb's birthday. Which is also my exwife's birthday. How weird is that.
Funny how when you aren't working on your diet, you lose weight. I haven't worked out all week to be nice to my knee and I have been able to shed a couple of pounds. You gotta like that.
I splurged and bought a pair of Westone CR-1 custom molded ear buds. No longer will I have to be duct taping my Apple ones to my ears so that they don't fall out. I bought them in red so that I don't have to fight discoloration when they age some. I used them this morning for about 2 hours while I was shoveling the driveway and they worked great. I did some testing yesterday with them using different sampling rates and with my poor ears, I couldn't tell the difference. I have a feeling that someone with a better ear can tell the difference, that better ear isn't me though. I also compared them to the stock Apple ear bud and noticed a big difference. The CR-1's stop outside noise and sound much better. The only bitch about them is that they cost $190. It was my Christmas present to myself.
The exercise was tough on my body though. My back is yelling that it needs to be stretched and my knee let me know that it was there the entire time. Hopefully it is just tender because of the cortisone shot. The weatherman is predicting more snow this weekend so I figured I better get out there and clean off the 1 or so inches that's currently there.
In bike news, I have ordered up new Ergon grips for the S-Works bike and hopefully this weekend I will get the template made out for the frame bag that I'm going to get made. I also need to send the 24 Solo poster down to Craig Gordon. Can you say lazy ass. I knew you could. And you probably will see my photo next to that saying in the dictionary.
Off to Chicago tomorrow to visit my sister, Carol. Her birthday was yesterday. I'm not sure how old she is, but it doesn't matter because she will always be older than me. Saturday is also Barb's birthday. Which is also my exwife's birthday. How weird is that.
Monday, February 11, 2008
Possibly Dodged A Major Bullet
203 pounds....
The weight has been steady, but I have not been dieting much either. I will need to work harder at getting my metabolism going. The +2 hour Sunday spin classes have helped. Only one more of them left. Darn.
Last fall I did the 100 mile gravel ride in Iowa and right around then I was doing some hard training intervals on the bike. My left knee swelled up some and I had a tough time walking up and down stairs for a few weeks. As time went on, the swelling came down and the pain faded away. Well, all of the swelling didn't go so I finally visited my Doctor the other day and ended up getting a MRI done on it. Well, I have a slight tear in my meniscus, but I have a worse problem going on under my knee cap. Arthritis. I got the fluid removed from my knee and a shot of cortisone added back in to help out. I was quite surprised when the Doc said that I could get back to training in a few days. He also has prescribed physical therapy, so I start that on Wednesday. I guess I was lucky.
NASCAR has started back up this week. I'm pissed that they are having such nice weather in Daytona. All the years that we went, there was only one year that it was really warm and that was for the Duels only. I guess that's the way it goes. I should count my blessings that I was able to go at all. I have been fortunate enough to see Dale Earnhardt win there, die there and then to see Little E win there the following July race. Not to mention I saw Bodine crash the truck into a million pieces and witnessed the entire grandstand go silent. Now that was creepy.
The weight has been steady, but I have not been dieting much either. I will need to work harder at getting my metabolism going. The +2 hour Sunday spin classes have helped. Only one more of them left. Darn.
Last fall I did the 100 mile gravel ride in Iowa and right around then I was doing some hard training intervals on the bike. My left knee swelled up some and I had a tough time walking up and down stairs for a few weeks. As time went on, the swelling came down and the pain faded away. Well, all of the swelling didn't go so I finally visited my Doctor the other day and ended up getting a MRI done on it. Well, I have a slight tear in my meniscus, but I have a worse problem going on under my knee cap. Arthritis. I got the fluid removed from my knee and a shot of cortisone added back in to help out. I was quite surprised when the Doc said that I could get back to training in a few days. He also has prescribed physical therapy, so I start that on Wednesday. I guess I was lucky.
NASCAR has started back up this week. I'm pissed that they are having such nice weather in Daytona. All the years that we went, there was only one year that it was really warm and that was for the Duels only. I guess that's the way it goes. I should count my blessings that I was able to go at all. I have been fortunate enough to see Dale Earnhardt win there, die there and then to see Little E win there the following July race. Not to mention I saw Bodine crash the truck into a million pieces and witnessed the entire grandstand go silent. Now that was creepy.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
2008 Sponsorship
204 pounds....
I haven't been working on losing weight, so I haven't been. Yuck. One of these days I'll get back in the right frame of mind.
The good news is I am now a Hammer Nutrition sponsored rider! I know, hard to believe, but it's true. I got the paperwork this week. Overall it is a very good thing because the whole family uses their products so it is pretty easy to promote something that we all use and believe in.
I haven't been working on losing weight, so I haven't been. Yuck. One of these days I'll get back in the right frame of mind.
The good news is I am now a Hammer Nutrition sponsored rider! I know, hard to believe, but it's true. I got the paperwork this week. Overall it is a very good thing because the whole family uses their products so it is pretty easy to promote something that we all use and believe in.
Monday, January 21, 2008
The Monday After
204 pounds....
Been semi good about what I have been eating. Barb and I did go out on Friday night to Bonefish's for our anniversary. It wasn't a total pig out. Now Saturday night was though. We went to the Mexican place at Ruby Isle, I forget the name, but I did eat way too much. I guess it will take a couple of days for me to get over it. Then today I had Starbucks and a candy bar. I need to stop falling backwards like this.
I guess the Green Bay Packers had a football game yesterday that they forgot about. It seemed to me like they didn't play with much gusto. I find it kinda hard to believe that trainers at that level still do not know how to treat cramps in their players. When Harris was running around with massive leg cramps I was yelling at the TV to get that man some Endurolytes. But needless to say, football lives in a Gatorade world. And with the weather being so cold yesterday, there weren't too many people drinking their electrolytes like they should have.
I was ambitious today and moved all the bikes from the garage to the basement. I know I should have done this last month but I now have finally done it. All the bikes, tires and tools are warm and dry downstairs. I even vacuumed the area before I put them there.
Now I can measure up the frame and make the stencil for the frame bag.
I was lucky enough to get registered for the Horribly Hilly Hundreds this year. I have signed up for the 200K and I will be doing it on my mountain bike. It should be a blast since last year I only saw one person riding a fat tire bike. Hopefully I will be able to show them some real iron man legs after the other events before this one. After Trans Iowa, 200K should feel like a breeze.
You know what's really cool, the 24 Hours of Daytona is this weekend. Woohoo!
Been semi good about what I have been eating. Barb and I did go out on Friday night to Bonefish's for our anniversary. It wasn't a total pig out. Now Saturday night was though. We went to the Mexican place at Ruby Isle, I forget the name, but I did eat way too much. I guess it will take a couple of days for me to get over it. Then today I had Starbucks and a candy bar. I need to stop falling backwards like this.
I guess the Green Bay Packers had a football game yesterday that they forgot about. It seemed to me like they didn't play with much gusto. I find it kinda hard to believe that trainers at that level still do not know how to treat cramps in their players. When Harris was running around with massive leg cramps I was yelling at the TV to get that man some Endurolytes. But needless to say, football lives in a Gatorade world. And with the weather being so cold yesterday, there weren't too many people drinking their electrolytes like they should have.
I was ambitious today and moved all the bikes from the garage to the basement. I know I should have done this last month but I now have finally done it. All the bikes, tires and tools are warm and dry downstairs. I even vacuumed the area before I put them there.
Now I can measure up the frame and make the stencil for the frame bag.
I was lucky enough to get registered for the Horribly Hilly Hundreds this year. I have signed up for the 200K and I will be doing it on my mountain bike. It should be a blast since last year I only saw one person riding a fat tire bike. Hopefully I will be able to show them some real iron man legs after the other events before this one. After Trans Iowa, 200K should feel like a breeze.
You know what's really cool, the 24 Hours of Daytona is this weekend. Woohoo!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
The Calm Before The Storm
203 pounds....
Finally I am making headway with the weight. It is nice to see a smaller number on the scale. I did give in to temptation yesterday and had some ice cream. I should know better by now, but it was very tasty. All other sweets have been kicked to the curb. Which is a good thing. Now I just have to start eating smaller portions and things will go my way.
Today's workout consisted of 30 minutes on the bike, then 30 minutes on the treadmill, and then 30 more minutes on the bike. Overall I felt pretty good. I need to start ramping up the hours so that I have a huge base for Trans Iowa.
In bike news, not much. I need to move the bikes from the garage to the basement so that Barb can park the van inside. I know, this should have been done last month. I need to get the stencil made for the frame bag that I will be having made for the new Epic. I will also be getting a huge seat bag made for carrying tons of stuff for Trans Iowa. I also need to get in touch with Craig Gordon and find out if he can get his 2006 24 Hour Solo mechanic to sign the 24 Solo poster when I send it to him. That is something else that needs to get going.
Finally I am making headway with the weight. It is nice to see a smaller number on the scale. I did give in to temptation yesterday and had some ice cream. I should know better by now, but it was very tasty. All other sweets have been kicked to the curb. Which is a good thing. Now I just have to start eating smaller portions and things will go my way.
Today's workout consisted of 30 minutes on the bike, then 30 minutes on the treadmill, and then 30 more minutes on the bike. Overall I felt pretty good. I need to start ramping up the hours so that I have a huge base for Trans Iowa.
In bike news, not much. I need to move the bikes from the garage to the basement so that Barb can park the van inside. I know, this should have been done last month. I need to get the stencil made for the frame bag that I will be having made for the new Epic. I will also be getting a huge seat bag made for carrying tons of stuff for Trans Iowa. I also need to get in touch with Craig Gordon and find out if he can get his 2006 24 Hour Solo mechanic to sign the 24 Solo poster when I send it to him. That is something else that needs to get going.
Monday, January 14, 2008
Hopefully Turning the Corner
206 pounds....
The weight hasn't been coming off, but at least I am eating better. Mountain Dews and Vaults are no longer an issue. Soda is a very hard thing for me to get over. Must be the sugar and stuff that is so addictive.
Yesterday I started my 2 hour spin classes at the YMCA with Sheryl. I seem to have forgotten if this is year 3 or 4 of doing these with her. But, whatever, they are a good leg and lung burner for this time of year. Something new this year, they are in Waukesha instead of West Suburban. Smaller room for the class, but still just as fun. I need to get the Off Road to Athens and 24 Solo CD's to her for inspirational music.
Otherwise, it is amazing that the Packers get to host the final game before the Super Bowl. I don't think anyone saw this coming. It is unreal how much the tickets are going for, over $400 a piece were the starting prices yesterday when I was looking.
Time to get back to working on the core and making sure my endurance is there. I have been riding the trainer in the basement and also using the treadmill. Switching back and forth. I'm trying to spice things up. Also trying to get my butt in better shape.
The weight hasn't been coming off, but at least I am eating better. Mountain Dews and Vaults are no longer an issue. Soda is a very hard thing for me to get over. Must be the sugar and stuff that is so addictive.
Yesterday I started my 2 hour spin classes at the YMCA with Sheryl. I seem to have forgotten if this is year 3 or 4 of doing these with her. But, whatever, they are a good leg and lung burner for this time of year. Something new this year, they are in Waukesha instead of West Suburban. Smaller room for the class, but still just as fun. I need to get the Off Road to Athens and 24 Solo CD's to her for inspirational music.
Otherwise, it is amazing that the Packers get to host the final game before the Super Bowl. I don't think anyone saw this coming. It is unreal how much the tickets are going for, over $400 a piece were the starting prices yesterday when I was looking.
Time to get back to working on the core and making sure my endurance is there. I have been riding the trainer in the basement and also using the treadmill. Switching back and forth. I'm trying to spice things up. Also trying to get my butt in better shape.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Stop the Insanity
207 pounds....
I'm not sure when I last weighed this much. Needless to say, all good food things have come to an end.
I have been on the bike the past 4 days working on breaking my butt back into the saddle and to also break the brain back into the pain and suffering.
Lots of water today and I have been able to stay away from the sweets and sodas. So far so good.
Rosie and Worf had their annual checkups and shots. Some eye drops for Rosie and antibiotics for Worf. She has a slightly irritated left eye and he has a nasty, inflamed patch on his neck. Worf also got some medicated shampoo to be used over the next 4 weeks. Hopefully everything will work out ok for them both.
And don't get me started about the ASO cancelling the Darkar Rally.
I'm not sure when I last weighed this much. Needless to say, all good food things have come to an end.
I have been on the bike the past 4 days working on breaking my butt back into the saddle and to also break the brain back into the pain and suffering.
Lots of water today and I have been able to stay away from the sweets and sodas. So far so good.
Rosie and Worf had their annual checkups and shots. Some eye drops for Rosie and antibiotics for Worf. She has a slightly irritated left eye and he has a nasty, inflamed patch on his neck. Worf also got some medicated shampoo to be used over the next 4 weeks. Hopefully everything will work out ok for them both.
And don't get me started about the ASO cancelling the Darkar Rally.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Happy New Year
204 pounds....
All I can say is, damn that food was good.
Now it will be back to working on getting below 200 again.
2007 is gone and 2008 has started. Hope all is well with you and yours.
All I can say is, damn that food was good.
Now it will be back to working on getting below 200 again.
2007 is gone and 2008 has started. Hope all is well with you and yours.
Friday, December 14, 2007
Hey, I'm Trying to Sleep Here
198 pounds....
The weight isn't going anywhere when you aren't trying to lose it. Also, I'm catching a cold. Runny nose has been happening for 2 days now. I guess my sore lymph nodes in my neck the other day should have been an indicator.
Here is the look that Mr. Worf aka "The Old Man" was giving me this morning while I was doing my yoga and stretching.
The weight isn't going anywhere when you aren't trying to lose it. Also, I'm catching a cold. Runny nose has been happening for 2 days now. I guess my sore lymph nodes in my neck the other day should have been an indicator.
Here is the look that Mr. Worf aka "The Old Man" was giving me this morning while I was doing my yoga and stretching.
Wednesday, December 12, 2007
I'm a Shoveling Man, oh yes I am
198 pounds....
The weight is there, but staying steady at the moment. Less intake would help this I have a feeling.
Here is a picture of what I look like shoveling snow this morning. You can't tell in the picture, but I have come up with a way to stop my ear buds from falling out. Duct tape. Yup, I now look like some race car driver with his ear buds taped to his ears. In my case, my duct tape is clear so it's hard to tell that I have it on. It worked like a champ though and I will be using that method much more until I can get some in the canal ear buds. Needless to say, as the sun came up, I starting sweating a ton. The chocolate in my ice cream last night didn't help either. For those not in the know, I'm allergic to chocolate, it raises my body temperature.
This much done along with the walk in the front and half the deck in the back for the grill. I'm one of those odd guys that grills all year round.
This much to go.
This is the view into the garage. Hey that looks like an S-Works in there. It is an S-Works in there. Quick photo of the new bike.
The weight is there, but staying steady at the moment. Less intake would help this I have a feeling.
Here is a picture of what I look like shoveling snow this morning. You can't tell in the picture, but I have come up with a way to stop my ear buds from falling out. Duct tape. Yup, I now look like some race car driver with his ear buds taped to his ears. In my case, my duct tape is clear so it's hard to tell that I have it on. It worked like a champ though and I will be using that method much more until I can get some in the canal ear buds. Needless to say, as the sun came up, I starting sweating a ton. The chocolate in my ice cream last night didn't help either. For those not in the know, I'm allergic to chocolate, it raises my body temperature.
This much done along with the walk in the front and half the deck in the back for the grill. I'm one of those odd guys that grills all year round.
This much to go.
This is the view into the garage. Hey that looks like an S-Works in there. It is an S-Works in there. Quick photo of the new bike.
Thursday, December 6, 2007
Some days life's a bummer, then.....
196 pounds....
The Fat Loss week is going well. I've lost 4 pounds and I'm feeling better so hopefully it will continue. The headaches have calmed down some and the sugar cravings are just about gone.
Some days life's a bummer like this.
Mr. Worf had a relapse this past week and could hardly walk on Monday morning. We were starting to see signs of it on Sunday night, but it was full blown on Monday. He had slipped a few times on Sunday on the slippery floor and outside on the ice. So I have a feeling that was part of the problem. I took him to the chiropractor Monday and Tuesday and by Wednesday he was back to his old self.
Then, some days are like this.
Rosie sleeping and smiling all at the same time. It is really hard to see her eyes when her hair is this long.
Then there are days that are totally awesome and you get this delivered to you by FedEx.
Ernesto Marenchin "SoloGoat" send me these. I have a 24 Solo poster that I'm getting people to sign. When I was at the Nationals up at 9 mile I missed seeing Ernesto because he had crashed and broke a rib. So I emailed him and asked if I could send the poster to him. He said it wasn't a problem and asked if I wanted some number signed number plates. Needless to say I didn't say no.
The Fat Loss week is going well. I've lost 4 pounds and I'm feeling better so hopefully it will continue. The headaches have calmed down some and the sugar cravings are just about gone.
Some days life's a bummer like this.
Mr. Worf had a relapse this past week and could hardly walk on Monday morning. We were starting to see signs of it on Sunday night, but it was full blown on Monday. He had slipped a few times on Sunday on the slippery floor and outside on the ice. So I have a feeling that was part of the problem. I took him to the chiropractor Monday and Tuesday and by Wednesday he was back to his old self.Then, some days are like this.
Rosie sleeping and smiling all at the same time. It is really hard to see her eyes when her hair is this long.Then there are days that are totally awesome and you get this delivered to you by FedEx.
Ernesto Marenchin "SoloGoat" send me these. I have a 24 Solo poster that I'm getting people to sign. When I was at the Nationals up at 9 mile I missed seeing Ernesto because he had crashed and broke a rib. So I emailed him and asked if I could send the poster to him. He said it wasn't a problem and asked if I wanted some number signed number plates. Needless to say I didn't say no.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
I'm now an S-Works Epic Owner
198 pounds....
This week is a Fat Loss week and it is going good so far. Nasty headache today though. Not sure if it is caffeine or allergy related. Either way, it has been sucky.
I bought a 2007 S-Works Epic this past weekend from this guy. I bought it after watching how he took care of it up at the Cheq 40 race. We happened to be staying with the same people that weekend and met by chance. At that time I asked what he did with his bikes at the end of the year and he said that he usually sold them. I mentioned that I would be interested and he contacted me last month about it. And presto, chango, I'm the owner of a really nice bike.
When I get a chance, I'll post a picture of it. He has done some pretty nice mods to it, seat post, stem, handle bars. Not sure if I'll keep them or not since the seat post is a straight one and I currently use the Thompson swept back one that originally came with the 2007 S-Works. The handle bars and such I'll have to see how they feel before making a judgement. I guess the same will have to be done with the seat post. I need to talk to some guys that do bike fits and see what would be the most comfortable for me. This will be the bike that I attempt Trans Iowa on so I better have a nice fit going or I'm not going to be happy after a few hours.
The first big obvious thing about the bike is that it is way lighter than my current one. I'll do the scale thing later and let you guys know. I wouldn't be surprised if it was 10 pounds.
This week is a Fat Loss week and it is going good so far. Nasty headache today though. Not sure if it is caffeine or allergy related. Either way, it has been sucky.
I bought a 2007 S-Works Epic this past weekend from this guy. I bought it after watching how he took care of it up at the Cheq 40 race. We happened to be staying with the same people that weekend and met by chance. At that time I asked what he did with his bikes at the end of the year and he said that he usually sold them. I mentioned that I would be interested and he contacted me last month about it. And presto, chango, I'm the owner of a really nice bike.
When I get a chance, I'll post a picture of it. He has done some pretty nice mods to it, seat post, stem, handle bars. Not sure if I'll keep them or not since the seat post is a straight one and I currently use the Thompson swept back one that originally came with the 2007 S-Works. The handle bars and such I'll have to see how they feel before making a judgement. I guess the same will have to be done with the seat post. I need to talk to some guys that do bike fits and see what would be the most comfortable for me. This will be the bike that I attempt Trans Iowa on so I better have a nice fit going or I'm not going to be happy after a few hours.
The first big obvious thing about the bike is that it is way lighter than my current one. I'll do the scale thing later and let you guys know. I wouldn't be surprised if it was 10 pounds.
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
Blah!
198 pounds....
What do you expect after finishing the Master Cleanser and then eating a steak? I gained back some of the weight, but I guess a good thing is that my cravings for sugar are gone. No soda or candy bars here.
Now I just have to figure out a better way to work with my allergies and prescriptions. I don't want to be on medication everyday. One reason is that my blood pressure has slowly went up over the past year and I'm trying to figure out which prescription is doing it. I didn't have this problem before all the allergy medications. Barb is able to take my blood pressure so we will be keeping a close eye on it. Also, I will be starting a log on it to see if we can figure out what is the trigger.
So the past couple of days have been sinus headaches and finally today I have broken down and taken a Claritin in hopes of it helping. If not, Tylenol will be not far behind.
Work is work and school is school. I did get back on the bike for some spinning yesterday. Been trying to let my left knee heal some before getting to my Off Season Graeme Street Training. My left knee has been slightly swollen for the past month and pretty tight. I have been doing some stretching and last week during the fast I didn't exercise at all. Yesterday's workout felt nice and seemed to stretch the whole body out. It was pretty noticeable throughout the day.
NASCAR season is over and Jimmy Johnson wins another points championship. Darn. I guess Daytona isn't that very away after all.
What do you expect after finishing the Master Cleanser and then eating a steak? I gained back some of the weight, but I guess a good thing is that my cravings for sugar are gone. No soda or candy bars here.
Now I just have to figure out a better way to work with my allergies and prescriptions. I don't want to be on medication everyday. One reason is that my blood pressure has slowly went up over the past year and I'm trying to figure out which prescription is doing it. I didn't have this problem before all the allergy medications. Barb is able to take my blood pressure so we will be keeping a close eye on it. Also, I will be starting a log on it to see if we can figure out what is the trigger.
So the past couple of days have been sinus headaches and finally today I have broken down and taken a Claritin in hopes of it helping. If not, Tylenol will be not far behind.
Work is work and school is school. I did get back on the bike for some spinning yesterday. Been trying to let my left knee heal some before getting to my Off Season Graeme Street Training. My left knee has been slightly swollen for the past month and pretty tight. I have been doing some stretching and last week during the fast I didn't exercise at all. Yesterday's workout felt nice and seemed to stretch the whole body out. It was pretty noticeable throughout the day.
NASCAR season is over and Jimmy Johnson wins another points championship. Darn. I guess Daytona isn't that very away after all.
Monday, November 19, 2007
Say What?
197 pounds....
I stopped the Master Cleanser on Saturday because I felt like absolute shit when I got up. The day before I felt bad until I started moving around and such. But Saturday was much worse. I was either detoxing like mad or was getting sick. I broke the fast and started eating soup. By the afternoon I felt much better which was a good thing since Barb and I had tickets to go see Alter Bridge. If you get the chance you must go see them. They are very good live. I was quite surprised since I have been so babied by seeing the likes of Dream Theater, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and such.
Did I mention that I finally rode a century. It was a gravel century but that is what makes it so special. Last month I did the Trans Iowa tune up ride and was able to get in over 106 miles that day. Woohoo!
This is a short week. We will be heading up north for Thanksgiving. We are even taking the dogs. So it should be an interesting trip.
I stopped the Master Cleanser on Saturday because I felt like absolute shit when I got up. The day before I felt bad until I started moving around and such. But Saturday was much worse. I was either detoxing like mad or was getting sick. I broke the fast and started eating soup. By the afternoon I felt much better which was a good thing since Barb and I had tickets to go see Alter Bridge. If you get the chance you must go see them. They are very good live. I was quite surprised since I have been so babied by seeing the likes of Dream Theater, Joe Satriani, Steve Vai, and such.
Did I mention that I finally rode a century. It was a gravel century but that is what makes it so special. Last month I did the Trans Iowa tune up ride and was able to get in over 106 miles that day. Woohoo!
This is a short week. We will be heading up north for Thanksgiving. We are even taking the dogs. So it should be an interesting trip.
Friday, November 16, 2007
The Master Cleanser Day 5
194 pounds....
Day 5 has been tough. Felt like crap this morning and have been sluggish all day. Today must have been a big detox for my body considering what I was passing this morning after the doing the flush.
I have officially entered Trans Iowa v4. Woohoo!! If nothing else I will ride more in one day than I ever had in my history of riding. It is hard to believe that I only started racing mountain bikes 2 years ago and got back into riding bikes only 2 years before that. Yup, I've only been back riding bikes for 4 years. I guess I should be quite pleased with all that I have done in such a short time.
Day 5 has been tough. Felt like crap this morning and have been sluggish all day. Today must have been a big detox for my body considering what I was passing this morning after the doing the flush.
I have officially entered Trans Iowa v4. Woohoo!! If nothing else I will ride more in one day than I ever had in my history of riding. It is hard to believe that I only started racing mountain bikes 2 years ago and got back into riding bikes only 2 years before that. Yup, I've only been back riding bikes for 4 years. I guess I should be quite pleased with all that I have done in such a short time.
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
The Master Cleanser Day 3
198 pounds....
The Iceman has come and gone. I was able to finish the race in 2:38:40. A nice improvement over the 3:01:49 from last year. Now if I can only continue that much improvement over the next couple of years and maybe get below the 2 hour mark.
The Iceman has come and gone. I was able to finish the race in 2:38:40. A nice improvement over the 3:01:49 from last year. Now if I can only continue that much improvement over the next couple of years and maybe get below the 2 hour mark.
Monday, November 5, 2007
The Iceman Cometh
That is all that is needed to be said at this moment.
Have been busy doing things and riding. If I get a chance, I'll catch you guys up on that later.
Have been busy doing things and riding. If I get a chance, I'll catch you guys up on that later.
Friday, September 21, 2007
One Year Ago Today
One year ago today, Fluffy, my old poodle friend, past away. To this day I still miss her and keep expecting to see her looking out the front window when I come home. The funny thing is that Worf now is occasionally looking out the window for me when I come home. It just sort of tears my heart out when I see it, but how is he to know. He is probably looking for her also. She used to love to bark at squirrels and cats. I can still remember her playing on the couch in Kenosha looking out the window at the squirrel that used to play with her. Or the time that she escaped out the back in Memphis and just sat by the parking lot watching people go by. She didn't run away or cause trouble. Or the one time that Barb had her up north and Barb totally forgot about her being outside. Only to find Fluffy sleeping under a tree in the grass just soaking up the sunshine.
And with this past week of Mr. Worf being sick with the possibility of not recovering, it has made me appreciate him more now that he is all ok. I gave him a big hug today and whispered Fluffy's name in his ear. He seemed to perk up and look around, wondering also where she is off to. We both must miss her.
She had been my friend for over 17 years. So today we will remember her and hope to see her someday at the end of the path. Many hugs and kisses will be exchanged. I can't wait till then....
Wednesday, September 19, 2007
Cheq 40 - 4:04:49.8
194 pounds....
Still the same weight, maybe I can get going down instead of up.
The Cheq 40 race was this past weekend. I ended up going solo since Mr. Worf had a strange injury happen a few days before leaving. He could hardly walk on his hind legs and was having a tough time with everything. Barb elected to stay home with him instead of having him boarded. That also meant that the girls would be staying home with her.
So Thursday rolled around and I packed up the Neon. I headed up north to my parents place in Catawba for the night. Chatted with Mom and Dad and caught up with Vinnie on how he has been doing since he has been battling shingles.
Friday morning came and then off to Ladysmith to visit my brother. His Corvette has been going thru more modifications and is looking better than it has in the past. We did go out and pound it some on the county roads. One thing that I will be doing before we go to Road America is to get a neck collar. If he pins it and you're not ready, you head is snapping back real fast.
After spending time with Tim, it was off to Hayward to meet up with Ted and Andrea at the New Moon bike shop. Nice shop up there in the middle of no where. Then off to Telemark Resort and the house that Ted has been renting for many years.
I did a preride with Sonjay and Ty of the last 4 miles of the course. Pushed pretty hard during that time since there are so many hills. It was decided after this that we would be prestaging our bikes race morning at 6:00am.
5:00am came and off we went. Surprisingly, we were not the only ones out there at this time. And it was cold, very cold. We headed back for more sleep. I did my usual no food before the race while everyone else was doing their normal things.
The race went quite well for me besides having 2 rear chain sucks. I have never had this happen to me before. The chain jammed between the spokes and the cluster, not once, but twice. I'm not sure yet if I have a mistuned rear derailleur or what. I finished the race in 4:04:49.8. I would have been somewhat faster, but probably not much. I started the race with my shell on and that was WAY to hot. That forced me to stop and take it off. Later at the fire tower hills, I ended up walking quite a bit of those which didn't help much. I was on track with my Hammer products and the body overall felt pretty well. I did cramp some at about the 3 hour mark and needed more Endurolytes out of sequence, but they did their job for the rest of the race. I also stopped and gave another rider some Endurolytes since he was cramping up big time about 2 miles from the end. I then stopped again when a love bug got under my sun glasses and was bothering my vision big time. When I went to get it off the glasses, I dropped them. I was lucky enough to have them not get squished by another rider. By the end I was spent. I might have left some on the table, but not much. Overall, I am quite happy with my first time at this race. Hopefully I will be able to compete it in again next year.
I know I will be gearing my training for climbing before Iceman. Graeme Street has a 4 week climbing training plan that I will be doing once I am done with this week of recovery.
Congrats to all I know that were there and that competed: Ted, Ty, Christine, Carlos, Greg, Mike, Russell, Bubba, Rick, the other Mike, Andrew, Shawn, Connie, and Sonjay. Thanks to everyone for a fun weekend.
I even got to meet Gary Fisher. That was pretty cool.
Still the same weight, maybe I can get going down instead of up.
The Cheq 40 race was this past weekend. I ended up going solo since Mr. Worf had a strange injury happen a few days before leaving. He could hardly walk on his hind legs and was having a tough time with everything. Barb elected to stay home with him instead of having him boarded. That also meant that the girls would be staying home with her.
So Thursday rolled around and I packed up the Neon. I headed up north to my parents place in Catawba for the night. Chatted with Mom and Dad and caught up with Vinnie on how he has been doing since he has been battling shingles.
Friday morning came and then off to Ladysmith to visit my brother. His Corvette has been going thru more modifications and is looking better than it has in the past. We did go out and pound it some on the county roads. One thing that I will be doing before we go to Road America is to get a neck collar. If he pins it and you're not ready, you head is snapping back real fast.
After spending time with Tim, it was off to Hayward to meet up with Ted and Andrea at the New Moon bike shop. Nice shop up there in the middle of no where. Then off to Telemark Resort and the house that Ted has been renting for many years.
I did a preride with Sonjay and Ty of the last 4 miles of the course. Pushed pretty hard during that time since there are so many hills. It was decided after this that we would be prestaging our bikes race morning at 6:00am.
5:00am came and off we went. Surprisingly, we were not the only ones out there at this time. And it was cold, very cold. We headed back for more sleep. I did my usual no food before the race while everyone else was doing their normal things.
The race went quite well for me besides having 2 rear chain sucks. I have never had this happen to me before. The chain jammed between the spokes and the cluster, not once, but twice. I'm not sure yet if I have a mistuned rear derailleur or what. I finished the race in 4:04:49.8. I would have been somewhat faster, but probably not much. I started the race with my shell on and that was WAY to hot. That forced me to stop and take it off. Later at the fire tower hills, I ended up walking quite a bit of those which didn't help much. I was on track with my Hammer products and the body overall felt pretty well. I did cramp some at about the 3 hour mark and needed more Endurolytes out of sequence, but they did their job for the rest of the race. I also stopped and gave another rider some Endurolytes since he was cramping up big time about 2 miles from the end. I then stopped again when a love bug got under my sun glasses and was bothering my vision big time. When I went to get it off the glasses, I dropped them. I was lucky enough to have them not get squished by another rider. By the end I was spent. I might have left some on the table, but not much. Overall, I am quite happy with my first time at this race. Hopefully I will be able to compete it in again next year.
I know I will be gearing my training for climbing before Iceman. Graeme Street has a 4 week climbing training plan that I will be doing once I am done with this week of recovery.
Congrats to all I know that were there and that competed: Ted, Ty, Christine, Carlos, Greg, Mike, Russell, Bubba, Rick, the other Mike, Andrew, Shawn, Connie, and Sonjay. Thanks to everyone for a fun weekend.
I even got to meet Gary Fisher. That was pretty cool.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
