Little Jewford

Shocking Birthday

2009-07-10T08:55:00.000-07:00

I want to rock like an old guy...

2009-06-16T12:40:00.000-07:00

If all old guys rock as hard as Dino Jr.

Maybe this means I can still learn to do rail slides?

thanks to DOLI for showing me the way to this vid..

Twilight

2009-06-05T16:28:00.000-07:00

I'm riding a bit more again ... just the last couple of weeks, but for me its a big change. I'm not "training" for anything, and have no desire to, but I'm having fun.

It's funny what little things you get to experience when your on the bike often. Last night right after work I met Don and a friend from the lab for a jaunt up and around Pebble Beach. Great ride; we talked about philanthropies, how we all go into cycling, the art of folding tubulars and host of other group ride approved subjects. As we rolled back into PG I realized that with the car in the shop I'd also have to ride home to the Ord ... no biggie except I worried a little about the amount of daylight, though all of my commute is off busy roads and most of it is on a bike path.

As I rolled the last mile towards home I realize I havn't raced the setting sun in a long time. Brought back memories of weekday training rides, where as the typical post ride B.S. flew the sun would set and then, in the edge of night, we would ride our separate directions home.

Why does finishing your ride in the orange glow of the sunset make you feel like you've ridden that little bit harder?

Velo Cache Monterey #17 - Now in Play

2009-05-27T11:10:00.000-07:00

http://velocachemonterey.blogspot.com/2009/05/cranked-up-past-and-present-velo-cache.html

Who knew there were so many covers?

2009-04-15T11:35:00.000-07:00

Of the official Sleaze Otter anthem ...

prepared to rock, swoon, croon and break it down to EOTT

The real show...

2009-04-09T08:59:00.000-07:00

Sleaze Otter ...

I think you all need a history lesson...

2009-03-31T20:20:00.000-07:00

Dreams are free...motherfuckers...

Mr. Professor...

2009-03-31T09:48:00.000-07:00

Whats another name for pirate treasure? Well I (and I am a professor) think its BOOTY!

Ya peninsula bitches....VelcoCache Monterey #3 is dead. Which is fitting, since it was hidden in The S an Carlos Cemetery .
Picked it up on the way into work....

Actually, I'm shocked it was still there, considering it was simply sitting behind a small headstone, there were a bunch of groundskeepers out and I know the cemetery is often a hangout for homeless/angst filled youth.

Rolled into the office to covet my find....oooooh I wonder what's inside?

No pet meds (bummer!) but not a bad haul for a 5 minute detour! Lunch (PBR and the tootsie pop), headgear, bottle opener (can never had enough), window dressing for the office and not only a front brake but an allen key to install it...how thoughtful!

I'd like to thank Inspector Javert for getting the fun rolling .... I've got to admit I felt a little weird poking around a Catholic Cemetery, being of an "alternate lifestyle" and all, but I brought along a copy of the Nostra Aetate, just in case.

I think its about time someone else does some hidin'. So the inspector can join the fun.

I'm back on the wagon...

2009-02-11T11:00:00.001-08:00

That is all...

Good Bye 2008.....

2008-12-31T14:19:00.000-08:00

Not really sad to see you go..you don't need to hear why..and honestly in the grad scheme of things I should just STFU....of course thanks to Stacy, who gave me the best Hanukkah present ever, in 2009 I can look forward many miles on this:

I've only got one ride in but it's the answer to everything I've been bitching about (sore back, bla bla bla). Its actually white (much nicer IMHO).....pictures to follow.

So who wants to ride?

What I'm Thinking About

2008-12-18T15:45:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year....I Guess....

For me, this song will never be stuck in any time or place, even here, even after January 20th, 2009.

Vote Yes on Prop 2

2008-10-25T07:28:00.000-07:00

I'm guessing posting here wont even garner one vote....but please vote yes on Prop 2. I'm not a vegan or even a vegetarian.....I just believe we have to treat all animals with a basic level of humanity.

I'm feeling like I need a small victory

2008-05-07T11:00:00.001-07:00

you know how it is, sometimes you just got to chalk up a win. Anything would help, a surprisingly productive day....a meal that comes out better then expected....someone coming through for you at of the blue...your favorite Replacements tune on the radio.

Maybe partying will help ..... good thing I'm off to Denver to hang with this guy

Well, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.

2008-04-10T09:48:00.000-07:00

Thats why I started my day with some huevos

at ACME

A Musical Interlude

2008-04-02T21:49:00.000-07:00

So I haven't posted in a while....don't really have anything new and exciting to post...but I did run into this live footage of one of my favorite Watt songs. I think this is from the same tour I caught back in Philthadelphia way back when, with the Foo Fighters opening. At the time almost (including me) nobody knew if the Foo Fighters were. I remember thinking "what the fuck is a foo fighter?" ... well the came on an threw down a Land Speed Record'ish set I'll never forget, really different then what ended up being on their first release, at least from what I remember. Watt was great too, even though the venue was bigger then I'm used to seeing him in.

enjoy

LJ

I took Brents adivce.....

2008-03-03T14:24:00.000-08:00

Brent speaks the truth: "Whip that body into shape, then have a beer.... thats what I would do."

I took his advice and strung together two MTB rides on sat (solo and then with Miss Mary , though her blog should be renamed Miss Mary's Academic Style) followed by an evening at English Ales ... its a funky little place, closes pretty early by bar standards but the beer is great and the food is decent. Makes a fitting stop after some dirt time out at Ft. Ord.

Now if I can convince Stacy to let me do this full time I'll be set....

Commuting Bliss...take 378

2008-02-15T09:56:00.000-08:00

I rode into work today

It was beautiful out

I was listing to The National

I was happy

I am no joke out of shape

I ready for that to change

I had a talk with my body

My head is into it

My legs might need need some convincing, but I think they are down

My lungs are another story

Do you think they celebrated Chinese New Year?

2008-02-08T14:41:00.000-08:00

This is important....take some time...watch all seven parts. Where is the outrage? Where is the political discussion on a national level? Why isn't this an important issues in the current presidential campaign? As a "beacon of freedom" are we going to accept the lack of basic political freedoms in China because of there economic power? I hope not.

Prisoners in Freedom City, a documentary by Hu Jia and Zeng Jinyan, uploaded to YouTube without their permission.

02/08: Amnesty International is gravely concerned that the Chinese authorities are putting pressure on human rights activist Hu Jia to plead guilty to crimes against national security.

This comes on the day of the six-month countdown to the Beijing Olympics on 8 August 2008 and is the latest attempt by the authorities to silence domestic activists' public criticism of China's human rights record. http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_detail...

02/06: Chinese New Year begins tomorrow. Zeng Jinyan and her nearly 3-month-old baby remain trapped at home with all communication to the outside world cut off.

It is unknown whether they have anything to eat. It is known that Hu Jia is being denied both access to a lawyer and medication for his life-threatening liver condition. Bloggers and petitioners have tried as recently as this week to bring food to Zeng's door but were not only denied entry, the food and supplies were not delivered, according to the state agents themselves. Last month one blogger sent Zeng a parcel of milk formula, but it was intercepted by police.

Journalist Ching Cheong has been released two years early on a five-year sentence for "spying"; great news in itself, now how about reversing the politicized charges against Hu Jia and numerous others. Like writer Lu Gengsong, himself just yesterday sentenced to four years in prison for state subversion.

Zeng's home address is #542, unit 5, tower 76, BOBO Freedom City, Tongzhou district, Beijing. BOBO Freedom City can be reached by taking buses #928 and 846, and there is also a direct bus from Guomao. Spread the word. Bring her baby formula at your own risk.

曾金燕的地址：北京通州区东果园BOBO自由城76号楼5单元542号。 322、342、728、938支4区间、928、846多路公交可达，国贸有班车。

Download the documentary yourself here:
http://tinyurl.com/3cqlt8
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v3328217m2...

Send the link to the uncensored version of this documentary to your Chinese friends: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2zvJI...

Or download it on eMule:
1/3 http://tinyurl.com/yrfunj
2/3 http://tinyurl.com/25n489
3/3 http://tinyurl.com/yqp7cc (less)

I'm a perfect piece of ass....Like every Californian

2008-01-02T11:52:00.000-08:00

sometimes its good to think a little highly of yourself ..... here is to hoping that you all feel a little better about yourselves in 2008, I know I will.

FYI, for those who know, I finally asked Stacy to marry me after all these years.

Cheers and happy new year

LJ

If a Treefarm falls at CX Natz......

2007-12-18T15:21:00.000-08:00

That had to hurt .....anyone know how the other guy is doing? Seem like that ending up in oncoming traffic was a problem for a couple of riders

Your not invited to TacocaT's cool bike party!

2007-12-10T11:32:00.001-08:00

Well at least I'm not hip enough to be invited. Check out the track "Bike Party" at their myspace page. I was a little bummed that they didn't have their song "Muffin Top" on their m.s. page...well I guess I'll just have to buy the album.

Well thats creepy .... and not in a Halloween kind of way

2007-10-25T12:58:00.000-07:00

A friend sent me this link from TMZ ..... whatever that is .... but check it out .... do all Lance's girlfriends look like his mom? Not sure what McConaughey is in there for, but he sort of looks like Lance's mom too. So I guess the bottom line is don't go trick or treating at Lance's house dressed like Linda Armstrong....you might just get yourself a date...

Las Vegas is in the desert...right?

2007-10-02T10:15:00.000-07:00

Joachim Parbo, Danish national CX champion, complained in his Velonews Interview that the Cross Vegas course needed improvement ..... the problem??? The course was comprised of too many long and slow grassy sections....one of his solutions....add a sandpit!!! How f'in ironic is that....a course in LV, a town built in the middle of the desert, needs to truck in sand to break up the overly grassy course?!??!! You wonder why Nevada has water issues......I'm sure repairing the course isnt going to help....

Interbike should just move out of LV...before the industry looses any more of its soul.....

LJ

Clifbar Cyclocross development!!!

2007-08-21T09:40:00.000-07:00

Check out the video

This is excellent...cyclocross....development of young riders....sustainability...what more can you ask for.

If you have never met them Ben Turner and John Verheul are great guys and excellent cyclocross coaches who have slowly grown the program to what it is today. Also, though I've never had a chance to meet him in person, Dylan Seguin, along with Clif bar have always been incredibly supportive of cyclocross on every level.

I can't wait till I can get my shit together enough so I can set aside the time to promote another CX race....though who knows how long that will be.

LJ

Is Horner calling Discovery a bunch O' Dopers?

2007-08-16T12:15:00.001-07:00

Well...is he? I think so....but for all the straight talkin about contract negotiations this is a bunch of beatin around the bush.

from the cycling news article:

A noticeable change

Riding in this year's Tour, Horner noticed a difference in the racing -- something that he said bodes well for his racing future. "I need the sport to keep going the way it is going," he said, regarding the crackdown on doping. "I can't ride against a guy preparing like Vino. It can't be done. You get to the start line and you see that some of these guys have a 50 km jump on you! The sport is taking care of those problems. No matter what people thought of the Tour this year, me as a rider I liked seeing that happen."

"You can see the differences," he said. "As a rider it is easily perceptible, or as a well-educated fan sitting at home. You get to a climb and everyone has maybe one or two team-mates with him -- that is doable. You can't have a leader's team getting to the final climb with five guys on the front, like every year from three years back all the way back. It is impossible to ride the front with your whole team and get to the final climb with most of your team still on the front -- and be ready to come back and do it day in and day out."

"When I was with Mercury we were the number one team -- the best riders on the best team in the States. We go into a race like Redlands and have seven guys on the road race, the Sunset Loop. I'm finishing there with two team-mates and they have one foot in the grave! I'm riding the front to get them over the last climb so they can help me down the descent.

"That is an 85 mile race, so you are telling me that a 150 mile race over four mountain passes you can finish with 7-8 guys on the last climb? I don't believe it to be possible. Even with Rasmussen's team, and he had a lot of questions about him, he was arriving with only two guys on the front and one would get dropped on the final climb. That's what I mean by a change."

Are they victims of my leisure?

2007-08-03T16:19:00.001-07:00

Turns about many of the people who pick the great fresh produce we have here in the Monterey Bay area cant afford to actually buy it:

"Ag Against Hunger harvests left-behind crops for those who need it most"

is that fucked up or what? What does that say about the agro-industrial complex that drives how we buy food? I have no answers but check out agagainsthunger.org

LJ

What of the people who don't have what I ain't got?
Are they victims of my leisure?
To fail is to be a victim,
To be a victim of my choice.
Maybe partying will help.
-The Minutemen

Interesting editorial on drugs and sports

2007-08-01T14:02:00.001-07:00

What makes this so interesting is that its not from a major newspaper or sports magazine, rather its from Nature which, along with Science, is one of the most prestigious international scientific journals

A sporting chance

Bans on drug enhancement in sport may go the way of earlier prohibitions on women and remuneration.

Whether you have been following the just-finished Tour de France or waiting for Barry Bonds to break the all-time record for major-league home runs in baseball, the topic of drugs in sport has been hard to avoid of late.

To cheat in a sporting event is a loathsome thing. For as long as the rules of the Tour de France or any sporting event ban the use of performance-enhancing drugs, those who break the rules must be punished whenever possible. But this does not preclude the idea that it may, in time, be necessary to readdress the rules themselves. As more is learned about how our bodies work, more options become available for altering those workings. To date, most of this alteration has sought to restore function to some sort of baseline. But it is also possible to enhance various functions into the supernormal realm, and the options for this are set to grow ever greater. The fact that such endeavours will carry risks should not be trivialized. But adults should be allowed to take risks, and experience suggests that they will do so when the benefits on offer are enticing enough. By the end of this century the unenhanced body or mind may well be vanishingly rare.

As this change takes place, we will have to re-examine what we expect of athletes. If spectators are seeking to reset their body mass index through pharmacology, or taking pills that enhance their memory, is it really reasonable that athletes should make do with bodies that have not seen such benefits? The more the public comes to live with the mixed and risk-related benefits of enhancement, the more it will appreciate that allowing such changes need not rob sport of its drama, nor athletes of their need for skill, training, character and dedication.

To change the rules on pharmacological enhancement would not be without precedent. It was once thought that a woman could not epitomize the athletic ideal as a man could, and so should be stopped from trying. Similarly, it was thought proper to keep all payments from some athletes, thus privileging the already wealthy. These prejudices have been left behind, and the rules have changed. As pharmacological enhancement becomes everyday, views of bodily enhancement may evolve sufficiently for sporting rules to change on that, too.

This transition will not be painless. Some people will undoubtedly harm themselves through the use of enhancements, and there would need to be special protection for children. That said, athletes harm themselves in other forms of training, too. They may harm themselves less with drugs when doctors can be openly involved and masking agents dispensed with.

There is also the problem of who goes first. The first sport to change its rules to allow players to use performance-enhancing drugs will be attacked as a freak show or worse. The same may be true of the second. This may well have the effect — may already be having the effect — of delaying the inevitable.

Perhaps the Tour de France could show the way ahead here. In terms of public respect, endurance cycling has the least to lose and perhaps the most to gain. To be sure, a change in the rules would lead to the claim that ‘the cheats have won’. But as no one can convincingly claim that cheats are not winning now, or have not been winning in the past, that claim is not quite the showstopper it might seem to be. A leadership ready to ride out the outrage might be better for the sport in the long run. If some viewers and advertisers were lost along the way, the Tour could console itself with the thought that it got by with far less commercial interest in days gone by — and that it is more likely to re-establish itself through excellence and honesty than in the penumbra of doubt and cynicism that surrounds it now.

Yoda .... VT Cheese Makin Rock Star

2007-07-30T17:05:00.000-07:00

"Carleton Yoder is probably one of the few artisan cheesemakers in the country who picks up his main ingredient in a Honda minivan with his toddler's car seat strapped in front of nine stainless steel milk cans." Read the rest of the article here

Also check out the new "Vermont Cheese Book" which features Champlain Valley Creamery among 33 VT Cheesemakers.

Yoda and I have known each other since 3rd grade, we were college room-mates, and I was there when he and his wife went on one of their first "dates" (uhhhh....ask me sometime what that date comprised of). He's got a degree in engineering, is a former hard cider maker, DIY cheese guru and generally all around good guy .... he is basically the coolest person I know.

While if you are here in CA I cant really tell you to run out and get his product (right now he's chosen to keep it local/regional) you can find his cheese around VT, New England and sometimes as far south as NYC.

LJ

douche - bag....

2007-07-12T11:31:00.000-07:00

So its a beautiful morning on the Monterey Peninsula and I'm enjoying the commute into work ... ya know its warm down here when the lizards are out sunning themselves before 9am.

So I'm heading up a little rise outside Sand City and catch out of the corner of my eye someone about to make the 180 to start the rise and I think "hey, I'll slow down (trust me...I wasnt going that fast to start with), enjoy the view, say hello, talk smack about how nice it is, ect". It takes a while but on the flat behind the shopping plaza he catches me .... 30 something, MTB with slicks, paniers, 1986 Avenir helmet, headphones on....instead of any recognition he's working hard to cruise by me and gives me a little look over the shoulder and a grit of the teeth.....without changing my cadence I'm back up his butt on the next rise and just pedal by....

Not to label (notice I didnt include a unflattering picture from the web of some stereotypical commuter who hasn't mailed order new shorts or a helmet in a decade) but why do these type of commuters always think rolling into work is a race.....trust me, catching me is no big prize...even if I'm pedaling my ass off. Anyway, as the hippies say it sort of "ruined my vibe"....but there was no denying it was a beautiful morning and his rude intuition into my morning commute was quickly forgotten.

and...from my cousin MO , for your amusement:

"Maybe you've already seen it, but it's fun to make fun of NJS posers:
http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/

For instance (from the Brooklyn Craigslists):

You ran over my cat with your fixed gear track bike- m4w - 24

Reply to: [deleted] Date: 2007-07-09, 10:30AM EDT

You were the tall, skinny girl in the skinny jeans and winter cap who ran over my cat because you could not stop your fixed gear track bike in time. Don't you think you should pay my vet bills? Also, I thought you were cute, even if in a stinky and reckless sort of way. Maybe if we get over this hump we can go hang out together and stuff.

Everything about this post screams that it's a fake, but I prefer to pretend that it isn't. I also hope Judd Apatow reads Craigslist. This should be his next movie."

Back to reality....

2007-05-21T10:40:00.000-07:00

"She could be in pictures if she wasn't all covered in fur"
Elvis Costello - Pads, Paws and Claws

I was enjoying the whole Landis soap opera and its associated cast of characters but another loss in our house brought reality crashing back again. Rescue, our pretty (and somewhat creepy) little 7lb kittie, died in our arms on Sunday as we were waiting for the vet to put her down.

Rescue came into our lives through Stacy. She got her as a kitten in college after the boyfriend of a girl in her building tossed her out of a second story window because she did something to piss him off. Stacy got Rescue...the guy got expelled. The first couple of years we were together I didnt see much of Rescue or Mr. Gurgles, her tuxedo other half. Stacy lived with her dad and my first Dobe, Nitro, had a bit of a high prey drive so they both tended to hide in the basement. Actually, I though I killed Rescue at one point because Nitro chased her into the sewer. Turns out she would follow Stacy on walks by using the sewer system...she would disappear then pop out of a drain around the block....pretty cool (and creepy). Anyway, at the time I was deathly allergic to cats so I wasn't a big fan anyways.

Eventually Nitro passed away and Stacy moved in with the Cats and Chemo. My allergies seemed to have largely vanished and I started to appreciate cats...ok they aren't dogs...but they are fun in their own way. Eventually I came to dig the meowing demands for attention and the bedtime visits .... there is no relaxing white noise like the low purr of a small cat at lights out....of course that is balanced with the creepiness of walking up with a small cat staring at you. The bonding between Rescue and Gurgey would tug on your heartstirngs....when they were curled up napping sometimes you couldn't tell where one started and the other ends. Though, again on the creepy side she tended to keep at least one eye open when curled up with the Gurgs....like she was watching out for him...

Her last two moths were a roller coaster ride. She's always been our healthy animal...15 years and never a problem. One day she looked prego....we decided a immaculate kittie conception was doubtful so we took her to the local vet...diagnosis...lymphoma....it was like getting hit with a huge puke inducing punch. A visit to the specialist in Santa Cruz revealed some tests were miss-read and it was likely leukemia not lymphoma ... which could be good. Things continued to look up, the first couple of rounds of mellow chemotherapy seemed to work ... her bloodwork was basically normal, though the bloating never subsided..yippiee, the prognoses looked good and maybe we would get another 6months or even a year with her. Then, a week before she passed, she started puking...but she would eat. A few days later she was very unsteady so she was off to the Vet in S.C. again ... blood work still looks good but she is cleary F'd up...vet is obviously worried because outward symptoms dont match bloodwork and Rescue wasnt eating on her own. She came home with us last Thursday with a pile o' meds and for about 36 hours things were looking slightly up, more blood work normal, she was using her liter and laying with Gurgey and when I woke up on Sat. I got the typical high pitched Rescue "Meeeeoooowwwwww" and she gobbled a 1/4 can of food. But things crashed from there. I have more experience with animals with degenerative conditions then I would like and I've NEVER seen never seen one go downhill so fast....12 hours later she was a shell of herself and it was back to SC.....we pretty much knew that was the end but we went home and waied for a a.m. call from the attending vet. I want to add here that when Rescue was first diagnosed we were determined not to let her slide into a state where she could not care for herself....we tried to find that point where she still wasnt suffering but we knew there was nothing left that would slow down the progress of her disease. We'll we blew it. We got the call, made the decision to let her go (that was easy), and headed to S.C....when we got there she was even worse....a night of intensive care had barely helped and she was largely non responsive. As we held her limp and withered body in a blanket and waited for the Vet she gave out a tiny meow and died.....death is ugly, but I'm glad we were there and we think she held on just long enough to say goodby.

We loved that cat and we can really sit back and smile at the time she spent making our lives that little bit better....but I still felt like going home, getting drunk, and slugging someone right after she died. I wish I had something profound or elegant to say...I want to convey the connection I have felt with Rescue and our other pets (rescued and not)...its something intertwined with the unconditional love they provide and the nutrering we provide...I dont know, I just know I'm a little emptier this week. Now its just Gurgey (to the right) ... and he gets ALL of our attention....I sort of feel bad for him, I guessing we are pretty annoying...

I wonder if Max is pissing her off in animal heaven....I know he had a thing for her, who wouldnt, she was one sexy cat.

LJ

Makes you go "uggggggg"

2007-02-16T16:35:00.000-08:00

Check out this nasty Keirin crash ..... anyone know who the us rider is?

Half a million for winning the tour de france? BFD

2007-01-09T14:06:00.000-08:00

how about winning 100 million Yen (about $840,000) for winning a Keirin

want to see the video .......of course you do
it should be posted soon as GP under the 2006 section
(you can check out past GP's from 2002 - 2005 and lower cat races, GI-GIII, from 2006 and earlier)

A Peanut in Europe

2007-01-05T18:58:00.000-08:00

Check out a ton,well at least 20, pictures of Christine "Peanut" Vardaros (thumbnail pages 1-8) at the "60th Grand Prix Hotel Threeland" in Petange, Luxembourg. My favorite is:

why is this my favorite .... you've got the rain, the mud, she's got that 1000 yard stare, there is a little town and some bergs in the background, and a grumpy old dude (in the hat on the right)....how much more euro can you get?

LJ

Uh...you might want to check the car...

2007-01-03T19:05:00.000-08:00

With these guys around (Hondo, Hamilton and Commesso) you never know what kind of "substances" you might find ... at least in Commesso's case its most likely for recreational use...

Its offical .... the editor of VN is a douchebag

2007-01-03T15:00:00.000-08:00

From todays letters section:

Hey Velo!
Can we get a shout-out for Danny Summerhill? The kid's stepped on two cross podiums since heading for Europe last month, and more can't be far behind. I raced against him in the Cat 4 class three seasons ago; the next year he won the Cat 3 state champs; for the past two years he's been national champ in his class, and now he's showing the Belgians what for.

Write it down: Summerhill will be America's first 'cross world champion.
Philip Higgs
Boulder, Colorado

We have to assume, Philip, that you mean elite world champ', because good old Matt Kelly holds the distinction of being the first, wrapping up the junior title at the world's in Poprad, Slovakia, in 1999, the same year Tim Johnson scored the bronze in the U-23's race. Quite a weekend that was. - Editor

and quite an douchebag you are.....instead of saying "Ya...your right...the guy deserves some props" (and maybe actually trying to do their job a little better) Velo Schmooz decides to pull the "i'm a cooler biker then you because I know more bike trivia (and have more schwag from interbike) then you" .... what an asshole. The print mag no longer serves as the resource for european results it once was and they havent lifted the quality of their writing to make it worth paying for today. I'm always shocked when they waste 50 words doing a crappy summary of some race ... skip it, leave it for the internet, and put your resources into doing some decent in depth race reporting.

Maybe they are just pissed cyclingnews.com surpasses them in about everyway when it comes to the online world of cycling coverage .... and dont even get me started on that pile o' crap known as pez cycling news ... except for the pics of hotties of course.

LJ

Why yes....I am a sprinter....

2006-12-21T07:51:00.000-08:00

So cyclingnews reviewed SRAM new force group an is spreading the gospel of the BJM inspired "sprint position":

"the touted "sprint" position definitely works as advertised, and allows for upshifts under full power when hammering in the drops. Casual riders likely won't care much about this feature, but it could prove to be a decisive advantage for racers who frequently find themselves towards the front of the pack as the finish line looms."

I got my introduction to Force and the sprint position at the SRAM tent during last years Sea Otter Classic. Helping me with the demo was "Sven" (not his real name, but he was about 6' 4" and was from Sram Norway) who asked me the loaded question (insert Arnold accent) "Are you a sprinter?" .... what was I going to answer, no? Should have said "No Sven, I cant climb OR sprint and you would crush me on the sat. am ride?"
Will SRAM become the SUV of cycling with everyone pimping out their rides with Force levers and 55 tooth large chainrings to prove they are ready for the "big sprint"? Inquiring minds want to know...well maybe not...but I would find it amusing.

LJ

Free Landis or is Bob Dylan going to write a new propaganda song?

2006-12-20T17:43:00.000-08:00

They want the public to raise $2 million to help defend Landis? As Hernando pointed out its not like most of us know him, it's very similar to the "Believe Tyler" campaign, why should we believe him...... because we have think is a good clean cut boy from MA.....or he is hardworking guy who grew up a the "simple and pure" Mennonite community? The reality is that very few of us actually "know" these, or any, professional athletes or have any "real" insight into if they are capable of cheating.

So why is our job to fund their defense? Because we or fans of the sport? Because we want a clean sport where cheaters are punished and the clean are free to race on an even playing field. IMHO we wont achieve this through the defense of our perceived "clean" heroes (guilty or innocent) rather we should support changes to the "institution" .... I'm not claiming to have the answer but I do understand that as it stands today winning is still ultimately what is rewarded, both by sponsors in terms of dollars and by fans in terms of loyalty. You may disagree that winning affects fan loyalty, but it seems the average fan is more willing to accept a middle of the pack rider or rival stars, rather then their hero, are doping. Can you imagine the uproar in the US if Lance would have been excluded from the tour under the same circumstantial evidence Basso, Ulrich, et al. were? Until there is a fundamental shift in this paradigm little, if nothing, will change.

How much do I care, a bit, but I'm not really in the position to exert much pressure on the system at least on the pro tour level.....you dont buy tickets to a pro-tour race (I more or less wont to buy tickets for pro football, baseball, basketball or hockey both because I think they are overpaid and I usually dont think its good entertainment value for the dollar) and most of the sponsors are not products I purchase, though a Rabobank opened in town. On the continental level its a little different...I know one or two people "in the bike biz" well enough that I feel I "know" they are clean (though I could be wrong) and I enjoy cheering them on ... even if we are talking about a top 20 at CX natz (go AFM) versus competing for national or international wins. In addition I can support sponsors who support clean riders (like Sierra Nevada Brewing or Kodak).

I understand wanting to have a connection to a athlete or a team in a sport you follow is human nature but we should understand where perceptions and loyalty end and reality begins. We are not personally responsible for the problems of individual athletes nor do we personally benefit from their triumphs. In this case I dont think Landis needs a grass roots movement with its own propaganda song......there are plenty of more important issues facing the world today...

I almost peed myself

2006-11-01T13:39:00.000-08:00

this is f'in funny

"Buy my Solutions for Cyclocross DVD, it has solutions"

Well that clears things up?!?!?!?

2006-11-01T10:45:00.000-08:00

I remember (imagine me starting off thoughtfully into the distance) when mountain biking was all the rage, plenty of outside sponsorship, bla bla bla .... what happened? Now USA Cycling has "a new plan" that "is an exciting opportunity for all of us to work together to build a true national event ladder that will ultimately support and sustain the continued development of American mountain bike racing in all of its forms."... ya right....

I LOVE Italy

2006-10-26T10:10:00.000-07:00

Check out this video and you'll understand why .... be patient...it doesnt get interesting for about 2 1/2 minutes

I hope we can have pit like that at surf city this weekend

LJ

The Hold Steady

2006-10-10T13:42:00.000-07:00

"She was a dam good dancer but she wasnt that great as a girlfriend"

Check out the new cut "Stuck Between Stations" from the Hold Steady.....my boys (the old polo crew from PSU) has been yapping about these guys for a long time. Though I'm a little a bit behind the curve, these guys have blown up, I digging them more then any other "new" band in a while. I like the sound and they have something to say which is a ton more then the average "its got a good beat and I can dance to it, so I give it a ten" crap....

If you happen to be in NYC on Tuesday..

2006-10-09T14:53:00.000-07:00

Must See TV

2006-10-05T10:02:00.000-07:00

"The only way to counter the power of organized money is with organized and outraged people."

Bill Moyers

take the time to check out Bill Moyers new series, including the first show "Capitol Crimes"

Ragin Cousin Mo

2006-10-04T15:19:00.000-07:00

Check out cousin mo' (or the husband of NW Bella Ms. Girl on a Bike, Happy Birthday Lindsey!) ragin at Sundts Starcrossed race this pass weekend (he's the one in Byrne jersey about to run over some poor fallen rider). Thats one hell of a game face.

and Turkey wants in the EU?

2006-09-26T16:51:00.000-07:00

Yet they pull this shit...

What are they thinking? I don't think anyone is supportive of Kurdish nation including a breakaway region of Turkey yet the Turkish government feels they should try people for any type of "pro-kurdish" actions...Including writing a letter opposing the shut down of a foreign based Kurdish TV station .... yes the station broadcasts sepratist attacks on Turkish targets but prosecuting those who voice their opinion (nobody claims they directly support any kind of violent acts) is completely out of bounds .... and its not like there is a free media system within Turkey where the Kurdish "voice" can be heard ..... you don't realize the desperation of Turkish Kurds unless you've seen it

I am anti "terrorism", including attacks by the PKK, and other similar groups but when the reaction is a total oppression of a peoples identity.....Well I just don't get it...

dreams are free .... motherfuckers....

my mood.....

2006-09-26T09:16:00.000-07:00

Here comes the song, I love it so much
Makes me wanna go fuck shit up
Now, I got nirvana in my head

I'm so glad I'm not dead.....

Happy B-day (according to Mary) and good luck to Jackson

2006-09-22T22:50:00.000-07:00

Well according to Miss Mary birthday greetings are in order for the J-M's brothers .... so happy birthday and good luck to Jackson in tomorrows world RR (thats his butt in the pic)

The coolest bike site I've seen in a long time

2006-09-21T21:48:00.000-07:00

stylish...

Do you think this is legit?

2006-09-14T12:57:00.000-07:00

So I post a pair of wheels for sale on Craigslist .... dont expect a ton of response because they are "niche" wheels..... tubulars build with GEL 330's (see the full description below) .... but I get an email pretty quickley from "alex_wayne_001@yahoo.com" who just created his account a week ago:

"Hello,
i'm intrested in ur product and i will like to know the condition and and the trm of payment.thanks ALEX"

Unless its Alex from V.B., and his mastery of the english language has gone down hill, I'm guessing this is a scam...there is a suprise...

If anyone is interested in the wheels leave me a comment and I'll get in touch...these might seem a bit "old school" but they are a light and I'm sure sweet riding racing set of hoops:

I have a new hand built (back in New Jersey, Bob at Allbrunswick...which means nothing to people here) tubular wheelset for sale. Built in the winter of 04-05 from new old stock rims when I thought would be racing again the following season...it never happened. New except for being thrown on a bike and ridden around the driveway to see how cool they look. Glued but should be reglued ... I see no problems with the tires or basetape and, of course, would adjust the price if that proves otherwise.

Tires: TUFO - S3 Light <215 Red/Yellow sidewalls
Front (28h, Radial):
Hub Dura Ace 7700
rim Mavic GEL 330
spokes Wheel Smith XL15 (1.8-1.5-1.8mm)
nipples Wheel Smith Alloy
Rear (28h, 3x):
ub Dura Ace 7700 (8/9/10)
rim Mavic GEL 330
spokes Wheel Smith XL15 (1.8-1.5-1.8mm)
nipples Wheel Smith Alloy

I'm guessing the are in the under 1400 to mid 1400g range and would
be, with tires, betwen $550 to $600 (I'm baseing both of those
estimates that on Excel sports online wheelbuilder and bicycletire.com
prices for TUFO's). Really nice riding all around racing wheelset.

I tried to find a completed ebay auction to base the price on but
couldnt find anything really similar (the handbuilt tubular wheelsets
were all oldschool and used or track). I think $300 for the pair would be
fair considering they are basically new. If you are interested drop me
a line...Located in Monterey but I make it to Santa Cruz and San Jose
pretty often....can snap some pics if you like.

Cheers

LJ

out of funkin control

2006-09-12T08:55:00.000-07:00

So frankie admits to doping in todays NYT.....uggg....he is one of the few guys who's admissions would bum me out. Thats offically it, I basically think every euro-pro winning is doped to the gills. I do applaude his confession....we need more finger pointing.

Now...who do you think the other rider was...got to be american...in the bike biz.....I'll have to go with Livingston....any guesses?

1999 tour team:

181. Lance Armstrong (USA)  
182. Frankie Andreu (USA)  
183. Pascal Deramé (Fra)  
184. Tyler Hamilton (USA)  
185. George Hincapie (USA)  
186. Kevin Livingston (USA)  
187. Peter Meinert-Nielsen (Den)  
188. Christian Vandevelde (USA)   
189. Jonathan Vaughters (USA)

Believe AFM

2006-09-08T13:20:00.000-07:00

From the Cycle-Smart blog:

http://issues-org.blogspot.com/2006/07/is-landis-dirty-does-it-matter.html

My respose was:

Some losing battles are worth fighting, and doping in sports is one of them. I’m a professional athlete, a professional cyclist, in fact. For me there’s a very clear difference between the equipment I choose, the air I breathe, or the food I eat, and requiring illegal medical assistance to recover from training or to enhance my performance — particularly if the manner of using those substances bypasses the body’s checks and balances of the lungs and stomach and is taken intravenously. That’s the difference between living at altitude or taking a vitamin, and injecting synthetic EPO that Dr. Fost seems to miss.

Sports are games, it’s true. And games have rules. Playing by those rules and seeing what a human is capable of within those rules is the very essence of sports. Dr. Fost says those rules are hypocritical, but it’s his logic that most of the dopers I know use to justify their actions, and rationalize thier contribution to what is now an epidemic in sport.

When I descend a mountain or sprint in a pack, I know what the risks are. I can see them plainly. But I shouldn’t be forced to take unknown medical risks simply as an requirement for participation in my sport. If my genetics determine that no matter how hard I train, I won’t recover as well or transport oxygen as quickly as the best, that’s the whole point of competition. I can always do something else, or compete at a lower level. Right now, I compete at a lower level on the US pro circuit because I compete cleanly. I can live with that, literally and figuratively.

All I can say if fuck ya .... I think I should get some "Believe AFM" pins made ...

Remember who I said I'd rather cheer for?

2006-09-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

Previously I mentioned "its more fun/exciting for me to follow the results of elite (but not pro) friends or see Adam Myerson get 6th at a big-time crit then Floyd win the TDF...."

Well how about listing live to this guy get 7th at the uspro ... would have been even more exciting if the two strongest "competitors" would have actually been racing against each other. Either way 7th in a race where only about 10 guys finished the entire distance is one kick ass ride

A strangely empty home

2006-08-30T13:25:00.000-07:00

There is another world
There is a better world
-the smiths

We let Chemo go on Monday. After almost 2 1/2 years of fighting seizures, neurological problems and a form of fibrosis she crossed the "quality of life" threshold that we had settled upon. The last few months were difficult with her health starting to deteriorate quickly, but up to a few days ago she still showed signs of her old self...stealing a sock, getting into the cat food (after refusing to eat her own), or barking at a skunk outside our back yard. But finally the combination of drugs and her natural terrier tenacity was not enough to sustain her.

When I first Chemo over 12 years ago she was just my new girlfriends “snappy little dog”…I put up with her but I’d be lying if I said it was love at first site….but my first dobe, Nitro, had a thing for her and it was sort of fun having “him and her” dogs (but try fitting two people, a 90lb dobe and westie in a full size bed). Eventually Nitro passed away and Stacy and I moved in together….somewhere in there Chemo became my dog too and I started to look forward to getting home for some little Chemo kisses (and the occasional bite on the nose)….then, suddenly it seems, I liked that she was a grumpy sort of snappy dog who barely listened to you….yup I had fallen in love with that little girly dog. Eventually we adopted Max, and though Chemo was a little older and less playful, she enjoyed having the big dopey guy around….so for about 5 years we were the happy dog family again…but time caught up with Max this past fall and Chemo this week.

The house just isnt the same without a dog but we are happy that chemo is free of her health problems andwe know she is somewhere being her bitchy terrier self and hanging out with Norm(!) , Micky, Finn, Nitro and Max......

I want to thank Dr's Mann and Steckroat and the staff at County Vet Hospital in Kendall Park, NJ and Dr. Nancy Rinkardt, Michelle and the staff of the Santa Cruz Vet. Hospital for all of their great care over the years...

Of course we still have the cats but all attempts to get them to bark in the last few days have failed

A thought on doping in cycling

2006-08-25T13:55:00.000-07:00

I said earlier that I wasnt going to talk about the whole Floyd, Operation Portopottie, or anything like that but the comment below was a reply to a friend who sent me this link, http://www.petitiononline.com/floyd/petition.html, and wasn't intented as a blog post...but it pretty much sums up what I think:

As much as I believe in transparency, due process, and burden of proof (i.e. I still think the blood doping test is shaky, scientifically, at best) I also don't think I "know" people like Floyd, Tyler or Ulrich or that they need me to "support" them...also, if these guys are clean, I don't think they have done much to help the sport in terms of speaking openly about the drug problem....honestly, in a weird way, Jose Conseco is sort of one of the most upstanding guys in sports to me.....we need a slew of finger pointers in cycling...

I give less and less about "pro" cycling, at least in Europe.....in terms of following results its more fun/exciting for me to follow the results of elite (but not pro) friends or see Adam Myerson get 6th at a big-time crit then Floyd win the TDF....

No American Team for Avenir?

2006-08-24T13:29:00.000-07:00

from cyclingschmooz:

"The following teams were invited by French organiser ASO: Ag2R Prevoyance, Agritubel, Germany, Germany, Auber 93, Belgium, Bouygues Telecom, Chocolade Jacques - Topsport, Cofidis, Columbia, Cycling Team Capec, Française Des Jeux, France, Jartazi-7Mobile, Landbouwkrediet - Colnago, Norway, Omnibike Dynamo Moscow, Orbea, Perutnina Ptuj, Portugal, Rabobank, Ukraine, Unibet Davo and Viña Magna-Cropu. An American team was not invited "

I wonder what happened to Tiaa-Cref...they rode hard in Europe this year and its on their calendar?

hmmm...ya think JV is pissed? (this JV not that JV)

the bottom line...

2006-08-03T11:01:00.000-07:00

Old School Flying Treefarm

2006-07-25T20:23:00.000-07:00

Ok...he's way to young for this to be really "oldschool" ... but its pre-Kona factory ride days ... this is from a couple of CD's of pics from 2003 I just re-discovered ....CX is around the corner...

My conversation with cousin Mo

2006-07-20T10:29:00.000-07:00

Moishe: Macs are great they have a different set of problems, but it's easier to forgive them because they're better looking (I just got a MacBook Pro from work, and it's so nice)

me: ahhh....so basically computers are like women?

Moishe: yes, precisely

Today's big TDF winner!

2006-07-12T10:18:00.000-07:00

its Commesso! He actually stayed out of the gruppetto and was the final rider to finish with the yellow jersey group(speaking of T-mobile used Gonchar like a bitch, making him carry water up to the front after the final climb). I wonder if there is a special "best placed party boy/slight fatty" jersey for him?

1 Juan Miguel Mercado (Spa) Agritubel 4.49.10 (39.527 km/h)
2 Cyril Dessel (Fra) AG2R-Prevoyance
3 Inigo Landaluze (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 0.56
4 Cristian Moreni (Ita) Cofidis 2.24
5 Christophe Rinero (Fra) Saunier Duval 2.25
6 Inaki Isasi (Spa) Euskaltel-Euskadi 5.03
7 Cédric Vasseur (Fra) Quick-Step-Innergetic 5.35
8 Daniele Bennati (Ita) Lampre-Fondital 7.23
9 Erik Zabel (Ger) Milram
.
.
.
.
81 Salvatore Commesso (Ita) Lampre-Fondital
82 Pierrick Fedrigo (Fra) Bouygues Telecom 12.00

I dont know about the Gomer Pyle haircut but I like what he has to say

2006-07-03T10:41:00.000-07:00

I wont be commenting on the TDF ( the doping charges or the race itself) plenty of people got that covered but I liked this quote from Zabel ... he's got a 12 year old son who races the Jr. ranks, so he's got something to worry about besides his own paycheck.

"Cycling is perhaps the sport that is most like real life," the winner of six Tour de France Green jerseys continued. "Every guy can take part in it and be successful: Big, small, fat, thin - you see all of them in the field and depending on the circumstances, each group can put its own characteristics to use; for example, a lighter rider in the mountains or a heavier one in the sprint. And just like in real life, we have gangsters and honourable men, clever ones and dumb ones. Maybe that's why everyone loves our sport so much."

quote of the week

2006-06-23T12:08:00.000-07:00

"Shaving cream on your legs is for teenage girls. I just use soap. On my face, though, I like Kiss My Face or any other metro-style natural/organic shave cream."

backed up by

"Single speed is an equipment choice, not a category."

A.F.M

Hey...it was a PARTY!?!?!?

2006-06-20T08:40:00.000-07:00

My favorite dope is back in the news .. "pot belge", a mix of cocaine, caffeine, pain killers, sometimes amphetamine and heroine. No you've got to be impressed that someone sat down and thought "hey, this would be a GREAT mix to inject in my arm!". If your going to dope I guess you should dope big. Actually, I think I've read some people also throw EPO in the mix ... there is a thought, thicken your blood then jack yourself up on coke and ampletamines ... your heart wont explode, really.

So where did this all come up, seems Fabian Roux claims he was introduced to the stuff at a party with JaJa organized by a fan club .... thats some fan club. We'll I guess it was a party, some of us get a keg others grab a little pot belge.... lovely

dopers suck

LJ

Let us not forget Tiananmen

2006-06-02T14:57:00.000-07:00

On June 3rd, 1989 the Chinese government used the might of their army to violently crush a student led, but popularly backed, uprising. Centered in Tiananmen, the call for reform had spread throughout the country.

Since that time the government of China has mixed economic reform with hardline political oppression...a combination that has seemed to make the west forget the violence they brought upon their own citizens.

Is capitalism, even under political oppression, really the path to eventual freedom in China? I don't have the answers but I urge you to take some time and watch "The Tank Man", a Frontline program available online and remeber those, if only for a short time, had their goddess of democracy and hope that they, through non-violent means, could help their country to achieve a more open and free society.

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/tankman/

See...I'm not the only one

2006-05-30T08:01:00.000-07:00

Who thinks Andy would have ridden the full stage

WWAD?

2006-05-24T09:37:00.000-07:00

So they shortened the 17th stage of the Giro, seems like the riders protested because the Passo delle Erbe was "cold and wet"..... what would Andy do? Woud he protest? Would he cry (like the big men did?)....no he would ride. What is this Giro turning into, the tour de france?

Commuting Bliss

2006-05-18T12:44:00.000-07:00

Trying to commute on 2 wheels 4 times this week, partly because its bike to work week, partly because I haven't ridden since my pre-vegas crash. I rolled out of bed and onto the bike this am a little grogy and very hungry...so I was uber jazzed (usage of german in honor of Fat Jans win today ) when I ran across the Light and Motion/Winning Wheels/ Jessie May Massage sponsored tent (pics here) on the path on cannery row. I had totally forgotten about the refueling stations around town today ... (for those of you who dont know what the device to the right is....its the bike powered xtra-cycle blender)

Tonight Stacy and I head up to SC to see "We Jam Econo" (doc. about the Minutemen, the band not the rednecks on the US/Mex border) along with a stop at Charlie Hong Kongs ... its good to get out of Monterey at least once a week, makes me feel sort of withit hip urban, which would be totally opposite of how I felt sat night when I was at Dr. Ricketts, which was like being trapped in a 3rd rate rap video.

Epic (and why the Giro is cooler then the tour)

2006-05-17T09:36:00.000-07:00

Stage 17 of the Giro looks epic .. hell they haven't even finished the "road" yet. This is just another reason to love the Giro more the the TDF ... it just has more, well soul. Its much more italian then the tour is french and the TDF would never risk the leader loosing the race because of a flat on a long unpaved climb (that might be, dare I say it, exciting). I actually think it was better before the protour. Pre-p.t. you would have guys from every little italian team that got a start just KILLING themselves for a win, or even a decent showing. Ya its big for some french guy to win a stage but I have the feeling you were a rock start for life if you were an italian who won a stage of the giro.

The Basso family aint bad

2006-05-11T08:11:00.000-07:00

So a certain other blogger is a big fan of super CSC rider Ivan Basso .... ok, according to Stacy he's "no mario" but now that I've seen a snap of his sister I've become a bigger fan of the family

Crashn' into Vegas

2006-05-09T10:23:00.000-07:00

So I survived vegas, barley, after I got off to a rough start. Much like Q.B. I had a bonehead crash on Thursday less then 12 hours before my flight out of SJ. I wanted to commute into Hopkins so I hopped on the road bike and headed out for my normal inter-garrison, CSUMB, bikepath ride. As I roll up to about 6th street there is construction everywhere so I headed through a parking lot and down a "Campus Vehicles Only" road.... I was in a rush at this point and not paying attention on a downhill when I smacked into a golfcart sized mini-speedbump that I didnt see. I couldnt save it and went over the bars with a good thud. Damage: some good road rash on my left shoulder and arm, a bruised hip, a dead pneumo helmet, a dead vest, a dead jersey, dented top tupe and what I thought were 2 roached DA 9sp shifters.

After grabbing the car from Stacy, going home, cleaning up, calling the office (we were moving labs and I would be pretty useless that day) and recovering a bit I headed for Winning Wheels and what I expected would be some real bad news. To my suprise the frame wasnt bent, the shifters worked and Hector had the parts IN STOCK to fixed the cosmetic damage....I was crazy impressed. I havent lived near a shop that keeps those type of parts in stock in a long time...thanks to WW I should be back on the road on Wed.

Vegas....it was packed and rockin due to the Dela Hoya fight and a big Supercross event.....I'll let the bachelor speak for me .... here is his mini summary of the weekend (I bolded my name for your viewing pleasure):

Hey, has anyone seen the movie 'GO'? I would love to see the weekend as a ten minute summary taken from each idiot's point of view. I think the footage would make me queasy. Awards? Seaman:luckiest/richest, Pete:most likely to move to Columbia, Rich:warm reunion with tequilla, Carleton:grammar/pronunciation, Drew:best job of swallowing own vomit, Todd:"The Babysitter" and totally uninteligible 5am phone messages, Kebler:sleeps while maid dusts him, Corro:sleeps while friends make him eat and drink, Byron aka Rockstar:blackjack and golf journeyman, Litvin:best take-it-to-the-edge-of-anihilation-and-pull-it-back-only-to-bodycheck-waitress-and-sail-off-into-the-sunrise-with-the-police-chasing-him night and to myself I bestow biggest sucka for most expensive/least satisfying stripper experience in history.

So I got back Sunday night and I'm still graggin ... but I did get to SC on monday to pick up Stacy's super secret b-day present (friday) plus I noticed "We Jam Econo" (doc. on the Minutemen) is playing the Rio next week .... Stacy and I are going to hit it, anyone else interested?

LJ

I'm off to Vegas

2006-05-04T07:22:00.000-07:00

Maybe I'll see you next week .... if Cinco de Mayo in LV doesnt kill me

I love math .....

2006-04-26T16:31:00.000-07:00

Well look who is back

2006-04-25T10:19:00.000-07:00

So look who decided to start blogging again. Since he has utilized the "cute puppy pic" I've decided to post a snap of chemo in her younger days .... just to keep readership up (ha!)

FYI our happy veggie eater and his every expanding family seem to big digging there new homestead in CO.

KOM or King of Dope

2006-04-21T21:22:00.000-07:00

So Kirk Obee grabbed the KOM jersey for a stage .... nothing like having someone who got busted grab a leaders jersey in the biggest stage race the US has ..... I wonder what BJM thinks of it .... wonder if the D.S. boys will have anything to say. Funny, I was shocked when Obee sneaked back onto the Navigators team after serving his suspension ... the cycling media (and the "cycling public") didnt make a peep about it.

If you dont think doping is a "real" problem check out this forum that I found when googling "Kirk Obee suspension" (note "vitamins" in this thread = hgh, epo, andro ect...)

http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-187439.html

some highlights

"So if I had access to anything I'd use hGH"

" i am talented, and i know i will get to cat 2 this year... i did a 2 month cycle of hgh about 6 months ago"

"You should post some questions and do some searchs on the Elite Fitness Anabolic Discussion Board"

"So setup the vitamins to coincide with a period of hard training and/or a period of intense racing. Rider and I need to be careful as we could be tested (however I now feel that the cycling federation has zero money for drug testing based on the number of major races last season that they DID NOT test at-rider will back me up-we did a major US race with some Euro guys in attendance and it was STOOOPID fast and there was ZERO testing-ZERO-and certain US riders were tearing the legs off of the rest of us pros included-yeah they were clean-NOT!). "

You would think a bunch of marine scientists wouldn't get excited...

2006-04-19T09:08:00.000-07:00

But we do .... Its baby time (seals, sea otters, duckies, ect) in Monterey and its tough not to sit around with a coffee on a great morning like to day and just blow a couple of hours watching a baby seal following its mommy around .... on the beach, in the water, on the rocks, back on the beach. You should have seen the visiting Italians go nuts yesterday when a sea otter walked up on the beach .... sometimes I really like this place

A Little Behind the Curve ... but I've got some props to give

2006-04-17T22:36:00.000-07:00

Well Sea Otter is more then a week gone, people are now talking about Copperwhateverthrace (see here and here ), and I'm just gettin around to spiel'n about it now....no need to blabber on about my race (quick note ... one of my cats has taken to sitting in front of my screen and staring at me, so I'm typing this half blind), I could have rode harder but I had a great time and it feels good to say "I raced" for the first time in a couple of years.

A couple of props, first goes to Miss Mary who crashed with Stacy and I on Thursday and Friday nights. You always read about how a teams support staff is up before the riders and goes to sleep long after they are tucked away but seeing how hard MM was bustin her ass really made me respect her commitment to the VB's ... I hope she takes a little time for herself so she can enjoy racin this CX season. On those lines I've got to give it up for Ana .... I dont know him well, I think I might have only talked to him a couple of times, but it takes some serious intestinal fortitude to mix it up with the best MTBers in the world (world, olympic, us, canadian, french, spanish ect champs galore) for 4, ya count them, 4 straight days. There is always plenty of bitching (rightfully) about sandbaggers but I dont think we, as a community, take enough time to recognize people like Ana who go out there and test themselves against the best competition they can find.

Maybe I should act my age......

2006-04-03T22:46:00.000-07:00

Getting all excited about the sea otter, even though I dont think I'll be able to hang out much, if at all, till the weekend ..... but with Miss Mary, AEEC (also ex east coaster) Sami and there fella staying with us and the "running boys" next door it will be tough not to blow off a little work and check it out on Wed or Thursday.

Of course on the way home today I passed the Kona "A-team" Van and trailer on Route 1 ... I got all giddy like a kid going to the beach .... is that normal for a guy my age?

Oh....somebody drop this guy an email and tell him to get back on the blog ... see what happens when you leave the east coast for CO....you get all Un-angry and have nothing to blog about

Pro Cycling Tour (Philly Week) Heading for my Hometown

2006-03-30T10:07:00.000-08:00

The gossip mongers on "The Pros Stuff" mentioned it first:

Inside Scoop:
- We hear that Philly and Lancaster are on this year, Trenton has been replaced with a very hard circuit race in the Blade Runner-esque ville of Reading. It's about an hour NW of Philly and has twice the de-industrialization of Trenton.

and a quick check of the PCT website confirms it ... if its the traditional "pagoda" course its going to be one ass kicker of a race ... no flat n fast crit here .... check out the profile (pdf file) or some pics from a coll. race held there.

Reading, PA ... well actually the burb of Wyomissing, is where I grew up. I think the boulder boys are being a little rough when they call it a "Blade Runer-esque ville" ... downtown is pretty sad and there are plenty of empty former manufacturing facilites but they burbs have flurished, which is about all you can ask in the US. Big upside .... the new 953 steel tubeset is made there..

Cali Sunshine My Ass

2006-03-30T09:59:00.000-08:00

Check out the weather report for Friday

New Brunswick, NJ = 71 and Sunny

Monterey, CA = 58 and showers

So I'm Registered for the Otter

2006-03-27T11:46:00.000-08:00

Had a blast the last two weekends checking out the otter course with a couple of my co-workers at hopkins . Considering the course is in my backyard (litteraly) it was about time I got out and saw what the BLM trails have to offer anyways.

While its not a huge deal sporting wise that I'm doing the race (as of this morning there were 124 people registered for the beg men 35-29 xc race and I'm not in good shape, even for me) its a big triumph "having fun through cycling" wise. Last couple of years I fell into that "I'm not going to do anything "competative" unless I'm in the best shape of my life" trap . Back in the day (91?) I'd do a 101 mile mtb race with what I'd today consider scary little miles in my legs...why...because is was fun. Riding with Mike, Christian and the rest of the Hopkins thursday critical mass crowd (a thursday afternoon sort of all inclusive road ride) has made me enjoy cycling in a way I havent the last couple of years.

Looking forward to getting a little more fit and checking out what the rest of the Monterey Bay group rides have to offer ...

later ... LJ

See my former bike (and Lindsey) win $40!

2006-03-22T11:37:00.000-08:00

Check out the pics of "cousin" Lindsey rockin the "Dash for Cash" outside of Seattle on my former bike ... its a steel 90's bianchi cyclocross bike that she built up as a single speed. Her and Mo are the super single speedin couple.

The extra rock star part is that Linsey recently gave birth to Amelia (see the podium shot) and she rode her bianchi up till about her 8th month of pregnancy. I can barely drag my ass out for a ride and she is racing and worring about her pumping schedule at the same time (see her race report). Did I mention she is a pro wrench?

Mo is a lucky (and happy) guy ....

Bush Lied! (using statistics)

2006-03-22T11:11:00.000-08:00

Not about all that Iraq stuff (well that too), I'm talking about his comments about real wages in the US. He claims real wages have risen 8%, its true but he is refering to the mean (ie average) rise in wages. However if we consider the median income wages have not risen at all.

So whats the difference. I'm guessing everyone out there (again the one or two of you reading this) understands average or mean. The definition of median is:

"Middle value" of a list. The smallest number such that at least half the numbers in the list are no greater than it. If the list has an odd number of entries, the median is the middle entry in the list after sorting the list into increasing order. If the list has an even number of entries, the median is equal to the sum of the two middle (after sorting) numbers divided by two. The median can be estimated from a histogram by finding the smallest number such that the area under the histogram to the left of that number is 50%"

So, basically, while the overall "pool" of income increased the number of people making less then a certain amount (in the 40k range I belive) did NOT DECREASE. When we consider both measures it implies that those that were doing well are doing better while there was little or no change in the income of the middle and lower class (though I would like to see the overall distribution of incomes).....so much for trickle down economics.

The scary part is if a significant percent of the economy is being driven by borrowing against home values, which have risen, while income for ost is not increasing we could be setting ourselves up for an economic clusterfuck down the road ....

just some thoughts...

Mat heads north but leaves me with Eddy

2006-03-17T14:39:00.000-08:00

wow .... I haven't posted in over a month. Generally you didn't miss much (when I say "you" I mean the 2 people who read this) ...I was riding a bunch, for me, but getting the old #11 incisor pulled and a bone graft put a damper on all that. Combined with work, friends in town and bla bla bla it was almost 3 weeks between rides for me, but I'm back in the saddle and happy. Can't wait for all this tooth implant shiat to be done with (prob. not till August) and I cant eat whatever I want again, I think I'll have the 2nd Ave Deli fed-ex me a sandwich to celebrate the occasion.

So it was Mat at Bay Bikes in Monterey last day and I'm bummed. He's been down here from the north bay for a couple of years but has been itching to go back up for a while, cant blame him. I'm just bummed because I was ready to make BB's "my shop" because he's the best shop character I've met since moving here in September... sounds corny but where I spend my money (for bikes and other stuff) is important to me, I want to have a connection to where my cash goes .... thats why I dig places like Acme Coffee in Seaside or Diva Dulce in Monterey (holy crap Josie makes amazing hand made chocolates) where I love the product, know where my $$$ is going, and like the people its going to. Dont get me wrong, there are other good shops in the area, Winning Wheels is a great roadie shop, I would take a track wheel there and tell them to glue a tire and not think twice about it (Not something I would take to any shop). I like everyone there and I'm sure I'll give them a fair amount of business but its not a hang out post-ride and have a beer fun kind of place. I like the staff at another shop in town and they carry a good mix of road/mtb, but the owner said the wrong thing to me (I've got a couple of pet peeves when it comes to shops) and I doubt i'll ever want to spend my cash there. Anyways, I digress. Mat was the kind of guy you could stop in and shoot the shit with, go for a ride with, or catch a beer with. He could help you out with the high end stuff but at the same time he put in as much effort trying to find a lower cost solution to a bike problem....doesnt hurt that he had a cool dog. I wish him and the family luck up north.

Before he split he hooked me up with a livewrong army "Che Merckx" T

I get a kick out of this on a bunch of levels, the poking fun at the pop idolization of Che and Lance plus the reference to Eddy. The popularization of Che over the last 5 years is a great example of was is wrong with pop culture (though pop does not equal culture), especially when it comes to historical figures. The willingness of people to believe a celluloid version of a persons life reflects their role in history amazes me (don't get me started on the DaVinci code)....the ability of others to profit from those believes doesnt shock me, but I think its sort of sad. Maybe I'm wrong, maybe the effect is that 1/1000 people wearing a che t-shirt they bought at urban outfitters takes the time to learn something about him and maybe that results in more people educating themselves then would have otherwise...I doubt it...but it might be true. If anyone is interested in Che I highly recommend "Che Guevara: A Revolutionary Life" by John Lee Anderson. It's a thorough and unjudgemental look at Guevaras life that is a very gripping read .... its also a great deal in paperback (15 bucks for 800 pages).

Well that's about it ..... I wonder when Alec will start blogging again ... of course he just moved to Golden, CO and has a new gig wrenchin ... so you've gotz to factor that in

later

Bike Therapy

2006-02-09T09:12:00.000-08:00

After last week, where I got 5 good rides in, this week has been a bit of a bust ... no energy on Tuesday or Wed. to ride ... work/shopping/eat/zone/sleep has been about it.

Last night I swore I would at least commute into work today and ride home with the Thursday Hopkins Happy Ride. Got up bleary eyed as usual, had a cup of joe, and hoped on the bike for my about hour ride into the station....after about 5 minutes I felt great and by the time I hit the path I was awake enough to realize its a crazy beautiful day and I had avoided sitting in Pro Am traffic on 1. Had a great ride, got my 15 minutes of mid in, and rolled into the station as a bunch of seals were playfully jumping around a sea otter and her pup .... after a shower and a fresh cup of Acme Coffee I sat back a thought how great a little ride can make you feel.

Who is the coolest cycling type in the room?

2006-02-06T10:33:00.000-08:00

Sitting around in our kitchen on sat night yapping over dinner the following conversation took place:

L.J. and his S.O.: "ya...we are thinking of visiting the giro or the classics on our next trip to Europe"

aka Zoie : "I saw the Tour of Flanders (insert discussion of great racing, Belgium and beer)"

snerf : softly in the background "I raced in the Tour of Flanders .... I think? or was that Flech Wallone?" .... after poking around the web and cyclingnews.com "ok...ya....I did that race"

I hate golf ... I wanna play lacrosse

2006-02-01T20:55:00.000-08:00

yippie ... the pro/am is coming to town ... maybe I'll shell out $50 to watch michael bolton putt ... wtf...

The Big 36!

2006-01-29T09:29:00.000-08:00

Yup - its Yoda's birthday and he's the big 36! Why is 36 such a big deal? Well its that important time in a mans life when he can legally start dating women half his age! Time to start looking for that second wife at your local college freshman orientation.

CAT FIGHT!

2006-01-25T10:21:00.000-08:00

Ok...it might be last weeks news .... but with Cousing MO and my best friend since 3rd grade (and master cheesemaker) "The Yoda" in town over the last two weekends its been a blur of bikes, booze, food and fun.

Anyway seems there was a bit of a smack down kitty fight on the Mid-Atlantic Cyclocross Yahoo Group message board ... in one corner, holding it down for the East Coast, was Sharon and in the other was Queen-bella herself (and here crew of velo-fella's ), representing Nor-Cal and flashing the pink bling bling. You can get the sumary on the queens blog but if you want to see everything both sides spit you'll have to check out the thread on the MAC board.

Basically it ends up being a top down (EC) versus bottom up (NCAL) thing (not to say the EC scene isnt fun or the surf - city and cccx races dont have elite racers) .... the EC with a full calendar of UCI events and about 40 women racers per event in two cats or NCAL with more masters/b/c women, a lot of sweet prizes, a super fun vibe but zippo UCI points (in 06-07) and less cash. So who is "right" ... neither ... its just a different take .... do I think its strange that there are no UCI events in NCAl ... yes .... do I wish there would be more of a fun vibe and beer at EC events .... sure ... but I'm not sure there is any one place that can do it all ... yet .... maybe this can all be settled on neutral turf .... Kansas 2007?

So THATS what it means.

2006-01-12T09:35:00.000-08:00

I love the WWW. Last night Stacy and I had a disagreement about the use of the term "Cleveland Steamer" on the Daily Show . So of course I flick on the PC and throw the term into google and find the 411 (look it up) on the online Urban Dictionary .... i especially like that they use each term in a sentance.

Now whe you hear "I'm from tha Dirty South, best believe u gonna see a gold grill when u look in my mouth!" you'll know what they are refering too

speaking of Grills and Fronts Mr. Slick Rick is doing a show in Monterey on Jan 20th ....how F'd up is that?
"Well that's true that's why we never have know Beef so I washed off the soap and brushed the Gold teeth" Slick Rick Ladi Dadi 1984

anyways ... so far my favorite is the def. for Skeet .... "Skeet Skeet Skeet bitchas!"

Happy Birthday Queen Bella

2006-01-12T09:27:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday Sabine!!!

Yes its the queen bella's birthday ..... some bar is in for a good time tonight.

No Fun...

2006-01-10T13:34:00.000-08:00

So we hit the final round of the CCCX series on Sunday ... super nice day, free beer, Paul sporting the lion of Flanders flag, and people generally enjoying the final race of the season. In the fun spirit of the event a few people were "cheering" by the triple barriers with comments like "no braky braky" when one of the single speeders starts flipping out ... I mean he was the last place single speeder but it was no reason to fip so hard ... we guessed he was a roadie but seem's he's an avid SSer ... I guess we've hit the point that the no fun retentive types are into SSing ... yippie

A little insight into what I do...

2006-01-06T13:34:00.000-08:00

So I get asked a ton "what do you do" ... in general I usually answer "I study fish" or "I'm a fish ecologist" but since I moved from IMCS at Rutgers to the Stanford's Hopkins Marine Lab I've had a tough time trying to explain all the aspects of the new project (Bahamian Biocomplexity Project) I work on ... well thanks to NPR and Science Friday I can have Dan Brumbaugh explain it to you!

http://www.sciencefriday.com/pages/2006/Jan/hour1_010606.html (link to the "coral reef" audio on the right)

Also check out the groups new paper in Science

Unsolicited Endorsement

2006-01-05T22:31:00.000-08:00

as seen on the MAC elist:

"i thought the lower allen and highland park races were kinda' cool."
e-RICHIE©™®

There you have it.....and you can check out his frames in San Jose this March ... if you've never met him Richard is a cool and mellow guy, plus he is a big supported of cyclocross in the NE.

speaking of support....AFHM could use a little .... but I've got to give it up to him for posting his shaved chest .... that takes balls (no pics please).

On the podium!

2006-01-05T09:13:00.000-08:00

Homegirl Christine Vardaros scored a podium spot at the 12th Centrumcross Surhuisterveen ... hopefully she can keep healthy and roll her form into worlds.

Christine (along with Todd Wells) have been great supporters of my "old" CX race ... the MAC/UCI Highland Park, NJ run by the Hermes club (no snikers).

Run Josh! Its a vegetarian!

2006-01-03T09:25:00.000-08:00

Not this Josh and vegetarian .... Through the morning haze I caught some Nicktoon short called Mr. Meaty ... about two sort of idiots who work at a mall fast food place ... at one point they get a video camera and decide to dress up in a meat costume and try and film themselves scaring people .... things turn for the worse when they try to scare a woman exiting the restroom ... turns out she is a dread locked, nosering, unibrow vegetarian wearing a "meat is murder" t who proceeds to beat the living crap out of both of them (hence the Run Josh...its a vegetarian) .... I also spit out my coffee it was so funny.

I couldn't find a clip on www.turbonick.com but I did find this webpage of meat hats ... I guess that counts for something.

oh ... for the record I like living in CALI (uberalias)

Is this wrong?

2005-12-31T12:11:00.000-08:00

I just had my first 2005 Anchor Christmas (not bad...but not as good as 2004) ... I drank it while making latkes for chanukka .... is that wrong?

Why you shouldnt let dirty vegetarians alone in your house!

2005-12-30T12:57:00.000-08:00

This is what happens! I left this shaky detritovore alone and he tried to wreck our fridge in an attempt to soil all our sweet sweet meat products ... and he grabbed the Le Couffe on the way out ... bastard (photo credit: AFHM)

Anyone seen the cup?

2005-12-30T12:41:00.000-08:00

Hmmm....just thinking...."the cup" didnt make any appearances this year ... not surprising considering Jake and El Gato weren't on the scene .... I wonder if Jake realizes he was in Europe a little early for cross worlds???

Jam Econo

2005-12-29T17:17:00.000-08:00

Check it out ... Watt's got a new ride (is this the DIY version of pimp my ride?)

while your at it hit the hootpage

"Punk rock is whatever we made it to be" - D. Boone

Jersey Idea

2005-12-29T11:40:00.000-08:00

So every club, team, shop, bike brand, comic book, coahing service (ect) has its own jersey these days..... John at JBV Coaching isnt sporting one yet ..... I came up with this idea ... perfect for fatty masters who would stretch out his face nicely

Dreams are free...mutherfuckers!

Links are fixed and a couple of thoughts

2005-12-29T10:54:00.000-08:00

I fixed the links (dont you feel better)....gotz to stop messing with the templates...duh. A couple of random thoughts (in words and pictures)

I hate starbucks ... I went there this moring because its close and place by my office that has good coffee has crappy expresso/latte's/ect and I was digging a big milky drink .... all it did was piss me off...what was I thinking ... oh speaking of my office ... here is a pic:

so what else dont I like ..... oh ya ... top ten lists .... in the paper, on tv, on the radio .... total waste of time .... we already heard what everyone had to say about (insert topic here) once ... I dont need the rehash ....I leave you with two other thoughts :