I can't decide in my mind if this is the single most, or single least awesome Tour I've seen. OK, so on the cool as hell side you have the fact that the top three (save Cancellara owning the first 6 stages) we've seen some different and 'less likely' people in the top five. An example? Nocentini. Armstrong (thank God!), Contador, Klöden, and Leipheimer seem to be in a borring perpetual logjam rounding out the top five. Armstrong was stuck in second in stages 4, 5, and 6, now he's stalled in third stages 7, 8, 9, and now 10. UGH! I just want him to kick into high gear, take the yellow, piss off the French once more and win the Tour.
So, long story short, I could be boring and cut-and-paste over the last five days, but I feel as though I have to post something to fill space. So, there you have it. Now for the (nearly) cut and paste portion. Nocentini is still in first with Contador behind +00:06, and Armstrong back +00:08. Fourth in Stage 10 is Leipheimer +00:39 and Wiggins +00:46.
Well, there you have it! Until tomorrow...
14 July 2009
13 July 2009
07/13/2009 - Rest Day
WHAT?! You haven't heard? Today is a rest day! I'm taking my cue from the Tour de France and using 07/13/2009 as a day of rest. OK, lie! I'm working my ass of. As soon as I get it put back on, I'll be updating on the Tour tomorrow! Come back then, and let's chat about the Tour de France!
11 July 2009
Le Tour de France - Stage 8 In The Books
Well, that's it for stage eight. Sanchez (GCE) comes back in the end as part of the breakaway to take the yellow for stage 8. The top three remain the same overall: Nocentini (ALM), Contador (AST) +00:06, and Armstrong (AST) +00:08. Keep checking back, as I will be randomly updating the blog from here out with Tour news, facts and figures.
Get out and ride if you can, and have a great weekend.
Get out and ride if you can, and have a great weekend.
09 July 2009
Stage Six Tour de France
I know... I said I'd do this sooner, but I didn't. So, I'll make it really quick:
It rained
It was in Spain
Rain
Millar kicked butt and led a good portion of the race to get owned in the end... finished stage twentieth
More rain
Hushovd owned at the end
Couple great crashes, one at the end
Ugly weather, OH!, and rain
Lance is still about a tenth of a second off the lead
Top three overall standings still the same: Cancellara, Armstrong, Contador
Still catch it live at Versus
Contest from Versus... see the TdF Versus widget in the right sidebar
Oh, did I mention the rain in Spain... Yes, mainly on the plain
See you tomorrow. Work should be sane enough to update at the finish of the race.
It rained
It was in Spain
Rain
Millar kicked butt and led a good portion of the race to get owned in the end... finished stage twentieth
More rain
Hushovd owned at the end
Couple great crashes, one at the end
Ugly weather, OH!, and rain
Lance is still about a tenth of a second off the lead
Top three overall standings still the same: Cancellara, Armstrong, Contador
Still catch it live at Versus
Contest from Versus... see the TdF Versus widget in the right sidebar
Oh, did I mention the rain in Spain... Yes, mainly on the plain
See you tomorrow. Work should be sane enough to update at the finish of the race.
08 July 2009
More To Come Tomorrow, But Win Something While You Wait
Busy, crazy day today as I expected. There was, however, a great and surprising finish to the Tour de France today. Not to mention that for the second day in a row Lance Armstrong is in second place twenty-two one hundredths of a second off Cancellera! Could this be the eighth win for Lance? We'll know soon enough.
I'll be back tomorrow afternoon with a Tour wrap-up. Until then, go check out Ron at Cozy Beehive for a chance to win a great prize in the All Modern Who... What... Why Competition. It's super easy, and the prize rocks!
Cheers, for now. Allez, Lance!
I'll be back tomorrow afternoon with a Tour wrap-up. Until then, go check out Ron at Cozy Beehive for a chance to win a great prize in the All Modern Who... What... Why Competition. It's super easy, and the prize rocks!
Cheers, for now. Allez, Lance!
07 July 2009
A Beer Thought For Tuesday: If You MUST Watch What You Drink, This Might Be A Good Start
Due to some serious time constraints caused by work, imagine the audacity, I will not be posting a stage four Tour de France update. Then again it's a time trial, so who cares. Right? Ugh. I would love to see a Tour TT, Lance might just move up to second, or even first in a TT. Oh well, you'll have to fend for yourself on Versus or something of the like.
For now I'll leave you with this. For years there has been a debate about none other than beer. Beer bellies, fat guys with beer, pub food, etc, etc, etc. Now, I have to to speak my mind here. I don't buy any of it. I've known too many brewers who are actually quite thin. I will admit, excess probably doesn't help, but I don't think it's as bad as everyone makes it out to be. First off, I think the biggest problem with beer drinking is that it is usually followed by bar food. You know, take anything you can find and deep fry it. I can't explain it, but the fattier the food, the better it goes with beer.
With that said, if you have to watch your calories in a beer you should check out Mens Health Magazine. They put out a great guide in their Eat This, Not That series. More specifically they did an Eat This, Not That of The Best And Worst Beers In America. If you haven't seen the series, or the Eat This, Not That books, I have to admit, I think they're pretty cool. They take some very general "favorites" from restaurants, and give you healthier alternatives to the high calorie choices.
Go ahead, check it out, and come back tomorrow for some more Tour talk.
For now I'll leave you with this. For years there has been a debate about none other than beer. Beer bellies, fat guys with beer, pub food, etc, etc, etc. Now, I have to to speak my mind here. I don't buy any of it. I've known too many brewers who are actually quite thin. I will admit, excess probably doesn't help, but I don't think it's as bad as everyone makes it out to be. First off, I think the biggest problem with beer drinking is that it is usually followed by bar food. You know, take anything you can find and deep fry it. I can't explain it, but the fattier the food, the better it goes with beer.
With that said, if you have to watch your calories in a beer you should check out Mens Health Magazine. They put out a great guide in their Eat This, Not That series. More specifically they did an Eat This, Not That of The Best And Worst Beers In America. If you haven't seen the series, or the Eat This, Not That books, I have to admit, I think they're pretty cool. They take some very general "favorites" from restaurants, and give you healthier alternatives to the high calorie choices.
Go ahead, check it out, and come back tomorrow for some more Tour talk.
06 July 2009
Tour de France: Stage Three Update
At the end of the day all is well that ends well, right? Even with a nineteenth place finish for the third stage of Tour de France, Armstrong manages to come in third place forty seconds over the leader. Second place overall goes to Tony Martin thirty-three seconds behind the first place of Fabian Cancellara.
If you didn't manage to catch the Tour live today, you really do owe it to yourself to check the replay tonight on Versus. Columbia had a couple great breaks, and Cavendish had an amazing finish. There were a couple sketchy crashes this morning, but nothing too serious.
On a slightly more off color note; we are now in stage three and no one has been called out for doping yet. Hmmmm, I wonder how far we'll get into the Tour this year before they start to fall like flies.
Last but not least, a question. This is mainly geared at the interview after the third stage where he was complaining that "no teams wanted to race", but is it just me, or does George Hincapie seem like a whiney doofus? Seriously? I wish I had the direct quote, was watching it live and didn't write it down, and if I get it I'll post it. He just came across like a baby to me. Ehh, oh well. Until tomorrow.
If you didn't manage to catch the Tour live today, you really do owe it to yourself to check the replay tonight on Versus. Columbia had a couple great breaks, and Cavendish had an amazing finish. There were a couple sketchy crashes this morning, but nothing too serious.
On a slightly more off color note; we are now in stage three and no one has been called out for doping yet. Hmmmm, I wonder how far we'll get into the Tour this year before they start to fall like flies.
Last but not least, a question. This is mainly geared at the interview after the third stage where he was complaining that "no teams wanted to race", but is it just me, or does George Hincapie seem like a whiney doofus? Seriously? I wish I had the direct quote, was watching it live and didn't write it down, and if I get it I'll post it. He just came across like a baby to me. Ehh, oh well. Until tomorrow.
03 July 2009
Beer Review For The Fourth Of July: Sierra Nevada-Torpedo
Ah, I don't there is nothing better in the good old USA than the Fourth of July! A time where family and friends get together for good food, good conversation, fireworks, fun, and parties. As a matter of fact, I've heard it said that more beer is consumed in the US on the Fourth of July than any other day of the year. So, this year, why not crack open a cold one, throw something on the grill, and enjoy your day. Need some suggestions? Check out the "BEER" tags on the blog, or keep reading.
Sierra Nevada has long been one of my favorite craft brews, and like much of the industry they are really into what they do. They started as a tiny makeshift operation and in 1980 brewed the now staple beer of Sierra Nevada, the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. From interviews I have heard, and things I have read, the recipe has been tweaked, but they have held true to their roots. A privately owned company, brewing a quality product with fresh ingredients. They grow their own hops, source the freshest hops around the world, and have even gone so far as to help fund research to develop hops specially made for their beers.
All of this said, it seemed like a no brainer to add Sierra Nevada to the list of reviews on Cycling Phun. Today's brew is Torpedo Extra IPA. Almost ten years since their last lineup change and thirty years in the making their first year-round IPA has hit the market. As someone who loves big hoppy beers, I have to say Torpedo delivers.
Well, get out, pick up some beers, some food for the grill, sit around the fire, watch some fireworks and have yourself a great Fourth of July. Also, don't forget to catch the Tour de France starting Saturday July 4th at 9:30 am Eastern. Check back over the weekend, I'll likely post a quickie on the start of the Tour, either way I'll catch you again Monday for sure.
Sierra Nevada has long been one of my favorite craft brews, and like much of the industry they are really into what they do. They started as a tiny makeshift operation and in 1980 brewed the now staple beer of Sierra Nevada, the Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. From interviews I have heard, and things I have read, the recipe has been tweaked, but they have held true to their roots. A privately owned company, brewing a quality product with fresh ingredients. They grow their own hops, source the freshest hops around the world, and have even gone so far as to help fund research to develop hops specially made for their beers.
All of this said, it seemed like a no brainer to add Sierra Nevada to the list of reviews on Cycling Phun. Today's brew is Torpedo Extra IPA. Almost ten years since their last lineup change and thirty years in the making their first year-round IPA has hit the market. As someone who loves big hoppy beers, I have to say Torpedo delivers.
APPEARANCE: A beautiful, deep, bright amber color, bordering orange, with an off white (bordering a pale orangey-taupe) head and nice lacing.
AROMA: The first thing out of the gate is the freshest smell of hops I’ve ever smelled in a beer. It’s that distinct grapefruit bordering on pine scent that is so common, and wonderful, in truly wonderful IPA. Only, in the Torpedo is more concentrated and stronger from the time you pop the cap to the last sip.
FLAVOR: This beer has a distinct and noticeable hop character, and the Magnum Hop really comes through. The malt is perfectly balanced, in my opinion, to keep the harshness of the hops subdued. Don’t get me wrong, though, this is all about the bitterness of the hops. While not huge, by some standards, the 7.2% ABV is hidden very well by the layers of flavor. The most noticeable notes are those of grapefruit (rind), a hint of pine, and a slight almost black peppery note. Also I noticed, especially when it started to near room temp, an odd almost fruit character about this beer. After researching the Citra Hop used in the beer, I am guessing that this is where the fruity notes might come from.
MOUTH FEEL: A medium-bodied beer, extremely well balanced. It’s on the higher side of carbonation, but also very creamy which I think helps really coat your mouth with the beautiful taste of this hop bomb. I think the best part is how the taste lingers on the palate long after you’ve swallowed. Another assumption; this might be from the oils in the whole cone hops?
NOTES: Sierra Nevada is known for their use of American Whole Cone Hops. I think this amplifies the fresh smell and taste of hops in this beer. I had this wonderful 7.2% ABV poured from a bottle into a pint glass, and straight from the bottle. It was great both ways; have it at home in a pint glass or take the bottles with you. This could easily be my go to summer beer with as crisp and fresh as it is. I could, once again, see the 7.2% making it tough to really session this beer, but it is the kind of beer you need while cooking out or working on a laptop from a hammock… Which, is what I’m doing right now! Cheers!
Well, get out, pick up some beers, some food for the grill, sit around the fire, watch some fireworks and have yourself a great Fourth of July. Also, don't forget to catch the Tour de France starting Saturday July 4th at 9:30 am Eastern. Check back over the weekend, I'll likely post a quickie on the start of the Tour, either way I'll catch you again Monday for sure.
01 July 2009
Coolest Race EVER
I just got an email today from Colavita Ohio Cycling Club, by the way thank you Roger. Anyway, Roger contacted me about a race in Ohio that I've been wanting to do for a few years now. Not for the reason you are probably thinking, but because it sounds like an awesome time. You see the race combines the beauty and excitement with the joy and deliciousness of donuts.
That's right folks, September 12 is the date, the 2009 Tour de Donut in Arcanum, Ohio! For those of you unfamiliar with the Tour de Donut, it goes something like this:
You line up for a mass start then follow a 30 mile route. This years route follows lightly traveled rural roads over flat terrain.
There will be rest stops, and at each checkpoint stations you eat donuts. They'll also be providing plenty of fruit and other refreshments for those who don't want donuts, so no worries. Donut consumption isn't mandatory but you get a five minute time credit for each donut you eat, so I'd recommend manning up and taking one for the team. OK, I'd just recommend donut consumption. What this means is if you do well enough on the cycling and eat enough donuts, you could go into negative time. Seriously!
They will time this, but it's not a race, and they ask that all traffic rules must be followed during the event. The roads will not be closed to traffic during the event, helmets are required, and the ride goes rain or shine... No refunds.
For more information you can contact Roger Bowersock at info@colavitaohiocycling.com, by phone at 937-548-2511, fax 206-338-4434, or by snail mail at 1098 Buckeye Dr. Greenville, OH 45331.
That's right folks, September 12 is the date, the 2009 Tour de Donut in Arcanum, Ohio! For those of you unfamiliar with the Tour de Donut, it goes something like this:
You line up for a mass start then follow a 30 mile route. This years route follows lightly traveled rural roads over flat terrain.
There will be rest stops, and at each checkpoint stations you eat donuts. They'll also be providing plenty of fruit and other refreshments for those who don't want donuts, so no worries. Donut consumption isn't mandatory but you get a five minute time credit for each donut you eat, so I'd recommend manning up and taking one for the team. OK, I'd just recommend donut consumption. What this means is if you do well enough on the cycling and eat enough donuts, you could go into negative time. Seriously!
They will time this, but it's not a race, and they ask that all traffic rules must be followed during the event. The roads will not be closed to traffic during the event, helmets are required, and the ride goes rain or shine... No refunds.
For more information you can contact Roger Bowersock at info@colavitaohiocycling.com, by phone at 937-548-2511, fax 206-338-4434, or by snail mail at 1098 Buckeye Dr. Greenville, OH 45331.
30 June 2009
Random ADD Moment
Anyone who truly knows "Phun" knows that I am quite likely ADD. Never been diagnosed, but I swear I am. Here is a random ADD moment to get me through tomorrow when, hopefully I'll actually get to ride. IF the 80% expected chance of showers holds off. Oooh! Bacon. OK, good start.
Michael Jackson: I am going to get so much crap for this, but I'll say it. He was a FREAKING NUT BASKET!! WHO CARES?! I feel for his family, and his kids, and his ex-wife, er lover, er woman he inseminated, but he was cracked as ____! I feel really bad for Farah Fawcett. She was an awesome lady, and a hell of a sex symbol to people my age and slightly younger. Because of bubbles lover, she was totally overshadowed. Likewise, what the hell is up with Billy Mays?! My eldest son and I watched his Discovery show "Pitchmen", and the same day I'm telling the boy he's now dead. Truly sad. A fifty year old (again) father who is NOT nuts. My sympathies go out to the families and friends of Farah, and Billy. OK, and MJ. But I still think he was a nut-bag ass.
Ooooo! Shinny penny. If you live in Cleveland, you likely want to punch Jimmy DiMora in his fat gut. That is all I care to say about it. OH! and no one cares that you're a WOP... So am I. Done.
Madoff... 150 years... Heh, heh, heh... All I'll say on that.
I'd LOVE a Fatty Melt! right now... Split three or four ways... Or over the course of two or three days.
I need to figure out what I can do to ride with music, and still be safe and keep those around me safe. I need some motivation to ride, I need a LOT more time to ride, I need to man the hell up... HTFU and ride!
Finally, and this is a sappy moment. I'm pretty convinced I know what things need to change in my life for me and my family right now. I am in a hectic place, and I apologize (again) for the half-ass posting. I am currently working my way through my life, and I ask that you please continue to pop in, and check up. I also thank you for the kind emails, and kind thoughts. I promise to keep up as much as possible, at LEAST every other weekday, maybe Sat/Sun too! Just please keep checking in, comment, and keep me motivated! Thanks again, you guys are like family!
Phun
Michael Jackson: I am going to get so much crap for this, but I'll say it. He was a FREAKING NUT BASKET!! WHO CARES?! I feel for his family, and his kids, and his ex-wife, er lover, er woman he inseminated, but he was cracked as ____! I feel really bad for Farah Fawcett. She was an awesome lady, and a hell of a sex symbol to people my age and slightly younger. Because of bubbles lover, she was totally overshadowed. Likewise, what the hell is up with Billy Mays?! My eldest son and I watched his Discovery show "Pitchmen", and the same day I'm telling the boy he's now dead. Truly sad. A fifty year old (again) father who is NOT nuts. My sympathies go out to the families and friends of Farah, and Billy. OK, and MJ. But I still think he was a nut-bag ass.
Ooooo! Shinny penny. If you live in Cleveland, you likely want to punch Jimmy DiMora in his fat gut. That is all I care to say about it. OH! and no one cares that you're a WOP... So am I. Done.
Madoff... 150 years... Heh, heh, heh... All I'll say on that.
I'd LOVE a Fatty Melt! right now... Split three or four ways... Or over the course of two or three days.
I need to figure out what I can do to ride with music, and still be safe and keep those around me safe. I need some motivation to ride, I need a LOT more time to ride, I need to man the hell up... HTFU and ride!
Finally, and this is a sappy moment. I'm pretty convinced I know what things need to change in my life for me and my family right now. I am in a hectic place, and I apologize (again) for the half-ass posting. I am currently working my way through my life, and I ask that you please continue to pop in, and check up. I also thank you for the kind emails, and kind thoughts. I promise to keep up as much as possible, at LEAST every other weekday, maybe Sat/Sun too! Just please keep checking in, comment, and keep me motivated! Thanks again, you guys are like family!
Phun
26 June 2009
Beer Review for the weekend: Dogfish Head - Raison D'etre
I decided to do this review for a few reasons. One is that I really liked the beer, and generally like the beers of the brand. A second reason is that I just started reading the owner of the company's book "Brewing Up A Business". and finally, I have had a limited amount of contact with the company for business reasons, and I have to say that they may be the coolest people ever! The beer itself? Well, I think the tasting notes will say it all.
Admittedly I took that from Dogfish Head's website because I forgot to take a picture. Hope they won't mind.
Like I said a great beer, put out by seemingly great people. I would say this, have a savory meal and then enjoy one of these bad boys afterward and enjoy your evening.
CHEERS!
APPEARANCE: A dark burgundy, slightly rusty brown brew with just the slightest of head, and almost no lacing.
AROMA: An extremely malty, sweet smell, with a slightly spicy rum or sweet/spicy "alcohol" smell like brandy or something.
FLAVOR: A definitely malt front note, with wonderfully smooth sweet caramel, date, and molasses notes. Also a a very noticeable flavor of grape or raisins, green raisins? This is not too sweet, but it is sweet, with little to no hop bitterness here.
PALATE: A medium bodied brew, that is pretty well balanced. No bitterness, no notes of alcohol, all about the sweet malts and fruit flavors.
MOUTH FEEL: A somewhat thick almost syrupy brew. This beer is extremely lightly carbonated, but is still rich and flavorful.
NOTES: The beer is a rich, creamy, lightly carbonated 8% ABV beer that I have to say I think would be best as a desert beer. I am a big IPA, DIPA, DIIPA hop-bomb beer drinker, but I could easily take a couple of these down as an end to a meal. I think this would go particularly well after a steak or the like. Something hardy!
Admittedly I took that from Dogfish Head's website because I forgot to take a picture. Hope they won't mind.
Like I said a great beer, put out by seemingly great people. I would say this, have a savory meal and then enjoy one of these bad boys afterward and enjoy your evening.
CHEERS!
25 June 2009
Keeping Busy, Getting Exercise, And Generally Trying To Be Productive
I have been so busy with everyday life, that I have had no time to do anything that I want to, let alone need to. OK, that is sort of a lie, I guess. I mean, I've been busy with the "must do" stuff, so I guess I have been getting most of the "need to's" done. Things like work, the second job, dabbling in a third job, not throwing myself from a tall building, fixes problems with my house, finishing home improvement projects that I've started in my house, etc.
I have, however, had no time (OK, read this as have not gone crazy out of my way to make time) to do things like workout or ride. I have ridden so few times this year, my wife is wondering when I am going to sell the bikes off for cash. Furthermore, in an effort to cut back, I got rid of the YMCA membership since 1) it was not being properly utilized any longer, and 2) I needed to cut the outgoing money. The results have been weird, but understandable. I have not gained or lost weight. You are thinking, "that's not too bad." I know you are. Let me continue. I have maintained the same weight on the scale. Get where I am going? Yup, my level of fitness is going to shit. I am losing some of my muscle and tone, and gaining fat. You see, if you don't know this, muscle weighs more than fat. So, if you lose muscle you may lose five pounds of muscle, but if you gain (just for the argument sake) eight or nine pounds of fat, it will balance on the scale. This is the level of suck I am currently involved in.
So, what have I been doing to keep from jumping from tall buildings? I have planted a garden yet again this year.
Isn't it a thing of beauty? If you click on it to pop out a larger photo, you can see some tomatoes coming in. It really is a beautiful thing, but it should be better by now. We've had a particularly cold summer so far, Al Gore and his global warming can bite me, and the gardens have felt it. People who got 'em in too early, or didn't cover them properly fell prey to frost and the cold temps. Also, the cold and excessive rain have kept plants small, and kept them from producing fruit. But, the great thing is the garden has kept me sane.
Also, just as an aside, the main hop plant is doing KILLER!
You can't really tell, but that bad boy is about eight or nine feet tall. Hope that soon I will get some buds, followed by cones in a few weeks. I should have some hop cones in August, if all goes well. If not enough to brew, at least enough to wet hop some homemade beer by the pitcher. The gardening is seriously keeping me sane.
I'll have a beer review coming up for the weekend, stop back tomorrow to check it out. Also, I will have some good ones coming up. I am anxiously awaiting the Stone 13th Anniversary beer coming out Monday. MAN! I cannot wait to try that. Also, speaking of wet hop, I'll have a GREAT wet hopped beer coming up soon, check back often for that! Well, for now a well deserved beer, see you tomorrow!
I have, however, had no time (OK, read this as have not gone crazy out of my way to make time) to do things like workout or ride. I have ridden so few times this year, my wife is wondering when I am going to sell the bikes off for cash. Furthermore, in an effort to cut back, I got rid of the YMCA membership since 1) it was not being properly utilized any longer, and 2) I needed to cut the outgoing money. The results have been weird, but understandable. I have not gained or lost weight. You are thinking, "that's not too bad." I know you are. Let me continue. I have maintained the same weight on the scale. Get where I am going? Yup, my level of fitness is going to shit. I am losing some of my muscle and tone, and gaining fat. You see, if you don't know this, muscle weighs more than fat. So, if you lose muscle you may lose five pounds of muscle, but if you gain (just for the argument sake) eight or nine pounds of fat, it will balance on the scale. This is the level of suck I am currently involved in.
So, what have I been doing to keep from jumping from tall buildings? I have planted a garden yet again this year.
Isn't it a thing of beauty? If you click on it to pop out a larger photo, you can see some tomatoes coming in. It really is a beautiful thing, but it should be better by now. We've had a particularly cold summer so far, Al Gore and his global warming can bite me, and the gardens have felt it. People who got 'em in too early, or didn't cover them properly fell prey to frost and the cold temps. Also, the cold and excessive rain have kept plants small, and kept them from producing fruit. But, the great thing is the garden has kept me sane. Also, just as an aside, the main hop plant is doing KILLER!
You can't really tell, but that bad boy is about eight or nine feet tall. Hope that soon I will get some buds, followed by cones in a few weeks. I should have some hop cones in August, if all goes well. If not enough to brew, at least enough to wet hop some homemade beer by the pitcher. The gardening is seriously keeping me sane.I'll have a beer review coming up for the weekend, stop back tomorrow to check it out. Also, I will have some good ones coming up. I am anxiously awaiting the Stone 13th Anniversary beer coming out Monday. MAN! I cannot wait to try that. Also, speaking of wet hop, I'll have a GREAT wet hopped beer coming up soon, check back often for that! Well, for now a well deserved beer, see you tomorrow!
23 June 2009
BIG Time Congratulations To Team Fatty On The Awesome Seattle Showing!
I want to take a minute today to congratulate Elden Nelson and all of Team Fatty on the awesome showing they had in Seattle this weekend. The team of 112 people raised $144,593.40 for the Lance Armstrong foundation. Team Co-Captain Steven Peterson brought in a whopping $41,000 of that himself BEATING OUT THE SECOND PLACE TEAM, MICROSOFT! You read that right. Steven's personal funds raised beat the entire Mirosoft TEAM! Way to go, man! I need to talk to you about how you do it.
That's just the tip of the iceberg. Team Fatty took team champion (Most money raised by a team), individual champion (most money raised by an individual-Steven Peterson), and best jersey for the Twin Six Team Fatty Ltd. Ed. jersey! It could not have happened to a better more deserving group! I am, admittedly partial as I am in Team Fatty Philly, but all of Team Fatty is working hard to make Susan proud, and raise a metric crap-ton of money for LAF!
You can read more about where Seattle wound up HERE, HERE, and HERE with more updates to come on Fat Cyclist and where the other individual teams Fatty are at the home ages for Seattle, San Jose, Philly, and Austin. After reaching more than a third of a million dollars for Lance Armstrong Foundation so far, with four months to go to Austin, I'm pretty convinced Elden's Team, Team Fatty, will not only break but shatter all previous records in the past LiveStrong Challenges.
Congratulations Fatty! God speed, Team Fatty, and above all WIN! Susan!!
That's just the tip of the iceberg. Team Fatty took team champion (Most money raised by a team), individual champion (most money raised by an individual-Steven Peterson), and best jersey for the Twin Six Team Fatty Ltd. Ed. jersey! It could not have happened to a better more deserving group! I am, admittedly partial as I am in Team Fatty Philly, but all of Team Fatty is working hard to make Susan proud, and raise a metric crap-ton of money for LAF!
You can read more about where Seattle wound up HERE, HERE, and HERE with more updates to come on Fat Cyclist and where the other individual teams Fatty are at the home ages for Seattle, San Jose, Philly, and Austin. After reaching more than a third of a million dollars for Lance Armstrong Foundation so far, with four months to go to Austin, I'm pretty convinced Elden's Team, Team Fatty, will not only break but shatter all previous records in the past LiveStrong Challenges.
Congratulations Fatty! God speed, Team Fatty, and above all WIN! Susan!!
22 June 2009
Horrible Weekend? At Least When It Come To Diet
Ugh. I need to stop getting into funks, and learn how to get out of them. I had a great Father's Day, by the way... Happy Father's Day to all of my readers who are dads! Hope the weekend, especially Father's Day, was a great one! Anyway... I had a great Father's Day, and as usual my wife knows just how to make my day...
Researching for work on Father's Day suck? Nah, check out the "office".
Yeah, by way of beer. Ahhhh, if you haven't had Torpedo yet, you need to. I'll review it in the coming days. That is a promise. Anyway, I had a few (too many, the Torpedo included) beers this weekend. Along with some (I'm thinking) Arby's treats, a foot long and Cheetos®, (what seemed like my weight in) homemade pizza, and (my son's) birthday cake. AGHHH! Craziness. OH! Almost forgot... I need to make an appetizer for July Fourth, so I was working on some gourmet deviled eggs.
WHAT?! Cause you can perfect recipes without trying them?
Ugh, such an ugly weekend on my part in terms of fitness. I have now regressed, slightly but still regressed, back to about a year ago. I have not really gained or lost pounds, but my level of fitness is in the toilet. That is to say, I have lost muscle mass and tone, and maintained weight through fat. I SUCK! I need to find a happy place, get back on the wagon, and achieve some level of fitness. I cannot let depression suck me back into the life of a fat-ass. I look back at the plus fifty pound pictures, and let them serve as a reminder of what I have accomplished, and what I cannot go back to.
Researching for work on Father's Day suck? Nah, check out the "office". Yeah, by way of beer. Ahhhh, if you haven't had Torpedo yet, you need to. I'll review it in the coming days. That is a promise. Anyway, I had a few (too many, the Torpedo included) beers this weekend. Along with some (I'm thinking) Arby's treats, a foot long and Cheetos®, (what seemed like my weight in) homemade pizza, and (my son's) birthday cake. AGHHH! Craziness. OH! Almost forgot... I need to make an appetizer for July Fourth, so I was working on some gourmet deviled eggs.
WHAT?! Cause you can perfect recipes without trying them? Ugh, such an ugly weekend on my part in terms of fitness. I have now regressed, slightly but still regressed, back to about a year ago. I have not really gained or lost pounds, but my level of fitness is in the toilet. That is to say, I have lost muscle mass and tone, and maintained weight through fat. I SUCK! I need to find a happy place, get back on the wagon, and achieve some level of fitness. I cannot let depression suck me back into the life of a fat-ass. I look back at the plus fifty pound pictures, and let them serve as a reminder of what I have accomplished, and what I cannot go back to.
19 June 2009
A Good Way To Spend A Weekend
Well, it's Fathers Day weekend! So, what does that mean? It means a weekend that I get to do yard work and, hopefully, finish my bathroom? They're calling for rain, so truthfully the latter is far more likely. My only hopes for the weekend is a really nice beer, or a couple from the old lady for Fathers Day. What would I like? Hmmmm, I recently had a great beer. It was, again, from the guys at Stone. I dove into a wonderful, dark, rich beer. The 2009 Stone Imperial Russian Stout. So, my suggestion for the weekend? Get out, find one of these bad boys, pop it open, and enjoy. Here's what you have to look forward to:
Like I said, get out, grab one... or six, and enjoy the weekend! OH! Let me know what you think when you try it... You know you will! ;-)
APPEARANCE: Thick, almost syrupy, very dark brown, nearly black to the point where I couldn’t get light through it. A very noticeable taupe head of super tiny bubbles, that dissipated as quickly as they arrived leaving almost no lacing.
AROMA: A very deep chocolaty, coffee, malty, caramel smell, with some definite alcohol notes present.
FLAVOR: A chocolate and coffee taste was the first thing to hit me, there was a definite heat of alcohol to it as well. Beautifully rich, and somewhat sweet, not cloyingly so, with a slightly dryer almost “chalky” (not in a bad way, in a dry way) sort of finish. Subtle hints of caramel, chocolate or bittersweet cocoa, coffee, and (maybe) a every so slight hop note way off in the background. I couldn’t decide if it was a hop note, or maybe a slight bitterness of malt?
PALATE: Definitely a more full-bodied beer. Very well balanced. There was a noticeable heat of alcohol about it.
NOTES: This big daddy was poured out of a 22oz bomber into a tulip. It was full, rich, enjoyable, and very satisfying. Stone® Imperial Russian Stout (2009 Limited Edition) comes in at a whopping 10.5% ABV, so it’s not for the faint of heart. Read that, if Guinness is too strong for you, this would not be the beer for you. If you love complexity, and strong, flavorful beers you need to try this. My wife and I actually tried this together, and I mentioned that I could easily see this as a great desert beer, maybe even going so far as to throw in some homemade vanilla bean ice cream and making one hell of a float.
Like I said, get out, grab one... or six, and enjoy the weekend! OH! Let me know what you think when you try it... You know you will! ;-)
17 June 2009
Cheers To A Primo Recovery Drink
It's official. According to a study done in Spain at Granada University researchers have pulled the trigger on a prime recovery drink for post-workout hydration. What is this, you ask? Water, right? Nope. A pint! That's right folks, apparently Some guy named Manuel Garzon "duped" twenty five students into a several month research project. This leads me to ask the, seemingly obvious questions of (1) Why don't I get asked to participate, and (2) Why can't I get funded to run tests like this?
Long story short, and this has been said for years, it appears that the CO2, sugars, sodium, etc. act somewhat like a sports drink, best I could figure. It allows for quicker absorption and faster hydrating. There is also a theory out there that the carbs replace the much needed carbs burned in a strenuous workout. Anyone who has done a Cross race could've told you that, though.
They noted a "slightly better" hydration in the subjects who drank beer over water. Wow, two jokes here (1) The subjects who got the water were pissed, and immediately burned the test facility to the ground. Or, (2) The subjects who got the beer were later quoted as saying, "Screw a pint. If it hydrates that good, I'll take a growler!"
Alright, enough of this. I just wanted to throw that out for all of the nay-sayers of beer. As Homer Simpson once said, "Beer. The cause of, and answer to all of life's problems!" Did you really need an excuse to kick back a pint, anyway?
Cheers!
Long story short, and this has been said for years, it appears that the CO2, sugars, sodium, etc. act somewhat like a sports drink, best I could figure. It allows for quicker absorption and faster hydrating. There is also a theory out there that the carbs replace the much needed carbs burned in a strenuous workout. Anyone who has done a Cross race could've told you that, though.
They noted a "slightly better" hydration in the subjects who drank beer over water. Wow, two jokes here (1) The subjects who got the water were pissed, and immediately burned the test facility to the ground. Or, (2) The subjects who got the beer were later quoted as saying, "Screw a pint. If it hydrates that good, I'll take a growler!"
Alright, enough of this. I just wanted to throw that out for all of the nay-sayers of beer. As Homer Simpson once said, "Beer. The cause of, and answer to all of life's problems!" Did you really need an excuse to kick back a pint, anyway?
Cheers!
16 June 2009
Weekly Roundup June 16, 2009
My head is by no means in a pretty place right now. I still need to find a metric sh__ load of time and friends who will get out and ride. I seriously need the ass kicking and the motivation, that you can only get with riding with a group of friends who know just how hard they could push, before they put you in an ambulance. The highlight of my days lately has been the friggin’ internet crack know as “Mafia Wars” on facebook. I’ve said all of this before, and I’ll just reiterate, I am blessed in family, and health both in my life and in my families lives. This is a good thing. What needs to happen now? I need to HTFU and stop being a whiny little bitch. With that in mind, I give you the Weekly Roundup.
Fat Cyclist: We’ll start with Fatty for a couple reasons. (1) Team Fat Cyclist has raised more than $300,000 for Lance Armstrong Foundation, and the respective Livestrong Challenge races. If I could figure out how to do it, I will see you guys in Philly. (2) It was the first blog I saw on a list and thought, “WTF?!” (3) It’s my blog and I make the rules. Fatty, too, likes to make the rules, call the shots, and generally point out peoples (including his own, to be fair) shortcomings. I, being a misanthrope, love this, on account I feel so much of society has shortcomings. Especially Christian Prudhomme. Fatty helped “C Prud” and put out his own REVISED Editorial From Christian Prudhomme, Director Of The Tour de France. Truly classic Fatty satire, the kind I’ve been missing for sometime. I’m ALWAYS down for some good FC satirical writing.
50k Loop NS: My homeboy, partner in crime, and brother in America’s hat (I say that just to rib Bluenoser) chimes in this week feeling much like I think I am. In a total TailSpin. I think the world might just be upside down. I know I have found myself pulling a Sunday kegs and eggs breakfast and making excuses to avoid church the other day. BN, we need to keep our chins up, bro, and fight on! Get out on the bike and turn some cranks! Don’t know why I just thought of this, but doesn’t some asshole owe you some stuff? Ugh, I am SO sorry… So sorry I just publicly admitted it? Yeah, that sorry.
Miles And Madness On the flipside, it seems as though Judi is doing VERY well, save the part about losing Xanex. For this, I am not bagging on you, I think Xanex would likely do me some good after the last panic attack or two. Just saying. Judi got out with Dominic on their sweet-ass fixies, and she threw together an excellent Thursday Timeline to share it with all of us.
Final note, this week, is from Ron,
Cozy Beehive: My dude in the upstate, Ron, is keeping it real with a tribute to Renewing Research Interest In Bicycles. The few blog entries that follow it are, as always, awesome as well. This one just sparked a thought in my mind that I have been going back and forth to for a while now. With all the push for green, and all the new technology, why have we all but given up on the most obvious answer?.. Cycling.
Well, that’s all I have for this week. Hopefully get the Monday night ride in next week. Use the contact me link in the upper right hand of the sidebar if you want in. Until then, I’m the Phun Cyclist, you stay classy Cleveland.
Fat Cyclist: We’ll start with Fatty for a couple reasons. (1) Team Fat Cyclist has raised more than $300,000 for Lance Armstrong Foundation, and the respective Livestrong Challenge races. If I could figure out how to do it, I will see you guys in Philly. (2) It was the first blog I saw on a list and thought, “WTF?!” (3) It’s my blog and I make the rules. Fatty, too, likes to make the rules, call the shots, and generally point out peoples (including his own, to be fair) shortcomings. I, being a misanthrope, love this, on account I feel so much of society has shortcomings. Especially Christian Prudhomme. Fatty helped “C Prud” and put out his own REVISED Editorial From Christian Prudhomme, Director Of The Tour de France. Truly classic Fatty satire, the kind I’ve been missing for sometime. I’m ALWAYS down for some good FC satirical writing.
50k Loop NS: My homeboy, partner in crime, and brother in America’s hat (I say that just to rib Bluenoser) chimes in this week feeling much like I think I am. In a total TailSpin. I think the world might just be upside down. I know I have found myself pulling a Sunday kegs and eggs breakfast and making excuses to avoid church the other day. BN, we need to keep our chins up, bro, and fight on! Get out on the bike and turn some cranks! Don’t know why I just thought of this, but doesn’t some asshole owe you some stuff? Ugh, I am SO sorry… So sorry I just publicly admitted it? Yeah, that sorry.
Miles And Madness On the flipside, it seems as though Judi is doing VERY well, save the part about losing Xanex. For this, I am not bagging on you, I think Xanex would likely do me some good after the last panic attack or two. Just saying. Judi got out with Dominic on their sweet-ass fixies, and she threw together an excellent Thursday Timeline to share it with all of us.
Final note, this week, is from Ron,
Cozy Beehive: My dude in the upstate, Ron, is keeping it real with a tribute to Renewing Research Interest In Bicycles. The few blog entries that follow it are, as always, awesome as well. This one just sparked a thought in my mind that I have been going back and forth to for a while now. With all the push for green, and all the new technology, why have we all but given up on the most obvious answer?.. Cycling.
Well, that’s all I have for this week. Hopefully get the Monday night ride in next week. Use the contact me link in the upper right hand of the sidebar if you want in. Until then, I’m the Phun Cyclist, you stay classy Cleveland.
15 June 2009
Another Weekend Of The Bike
I did spend another weekend off the bike, epic suck. I'm getting quite freaked out by the severe lack of riding I am doing. Furthermore I am debating why I haven't sold the road weapon yet for cash. Once again, I am trying to figure out how the hell I am going to pull off LiveStrong Challenge Philly. Things are rough, no doubt, but I'm trying to remain positive. I explained, as I have before, the current situation as "better than most, not as well as some", and for now that's my story and I'm sticking to it. With that said, it's rough, scary, and at times brutally depressing. I doubt I will will be getting on the bike much more. I don't know what the hell I'm going to do about the brewing, which sucks not because I want to brew but because I'd love to get it down to parlay into a career option rather than a hobby.
The depression surrounding me, and the lack of positive right now kills the motivation, the lack of motivation kills off the need to ride, which makes me feel depressed which... You get it, you've been there.
I guess the weekend wasn't all bad. I did get the bathroom finished. You remember the bathroom, right?
Yup, finally got that bad boy out of the way. Thank God I bought everything I needed when I still could. I hoped to have it done sooner, but the weather broke and I had to get the yard in shape. Well, I had everything I needed, just had to do it, and this weekend was the finale!
I'm happy with it. I wasn't sure I was down with the green, but I was keeping the counter top, so I was committed to something in the green family. I like it a lot! On top of that, I got some stuff done in the yard and garden. Already getting a couple peppers and tomatoes, so I am excited about that. I also am pretty sure that the hop plant is getting ready to bud!
So, I guess when all is done... Better than most, not as well as some isn't half bad. Here's hoping you're well. Remember to count your blessings, and have a great week!
The depression surrounding me, and the lack of positive right now kills the motivation, the lack of motivation kills off the need to ride, which makes me feel depressed which... You get it, you've been there.
I guess the weekend wasn't all bad. I did get the bathroom finished. You remember the bathroom, right?
Yup, finally got that bad boy out of the way. Thank God I bought everything I needed when I still could. I hoped to have it done sooner, but the weather broke and I had to get the yard in shape. Well, I had everything I needed, just had to do it, and this weekend was the finale!
I'm happy with it. I wasn't sure I was down with the green, but I was keeping the counter top, so I was committed to something in the green family. I like it a lot! On top of that, I got some stuff done in the yard and garden. Already getting a couple peppers and tomatoes, so I am excited about that. I also am pretty sure that the hop plant is getting ready to bud!
So, I guess when all is done... Better than most, not as well as some isn't half bad. Here's hoping you're well. Remember to count your blessings, and have a great week!
11 June 2009
Black Hole Of Time
I think I may have found something. I'm not sure, and I don't know if anyone else has noticed it. There is, apparently, a black hole that is sucking time into it. Like water through a sieve, so time is funneled into the black hole never to be seen again. The black hole has taken the form of three separate jobs (and/or business ventures), family, and time volunteered to organizations. I say it that way because I feel as though I have finally come to the realization that I cannot spread my self so thin with volunteering that it gets in the way of family, however I have also come to the realization that family+necessity=work. Yes, I am working often. I am actually working two jobs hard enough that I, at times, forget to work the third venture. It's just sheer craziness, but it's craziness that I hope will pay off in the end.
With that said, there are a few things that have also fallen to the wayside. One of these things is brewing. Been almost non-existent again. Another, and this is more problematic, is cycling. OK, cycling and (I guess) fitness. These are problems because I am just over two months away from the Philly LiveStrong challenge, and I have got on the road bike exactly three times since the snow melted in Cleveland. Furthermore, I still cannot figure out (1) How the hell I'm going to get to Philly [both in a monetary sense, and due to car issues], (2) where I would stay in Philly [see number 1], and (3) where I would get money for necessities in Philly [yeah, see 1 & 2].
I guess what I am saying here is two simple words. The first is cluster, the second is... I have two months and change to figure this out people. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also, anyone who can figure out how to clone me, get said clone to some level of fitness, and put said clone in Philly in late August, please contact me.
Seriously though, I have to apologize for the breaks in blog posts. Sometimes I skip a day here and there, and I'm sorry. I will be doing my best to keep posting, and I ask that you keep on checking in and posting comments. I love to hear what you guys have to say! Thanks for understanding, and keep on keepin'!
With that said, there are a few things that have also fallen to the wayside. One of these things is brewing. Been almost non-existent again. Another, and this is more problematic, is cycling. OK, cycling and (I guess) fitness. These are problems because I am just over two months away from the Philly LiveStrong challenge, and I have got on the road bike exactly three times since the snow melted in Cleveland. Furthermore, I still cannot figure out (1) How the hell I'm going to get to Philly [both in a monetary sense, and due to car issues], (2) where I would stay in Philly [see number 1], and (3) where I would get money for necessities in Philly [yeah, see 1 & 2].
I guess what I am saying here is two simple words. The first is cluster, the second is... I have two months and change to figure this out people. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Also, anyone who can figure out how to clone me, get said clone to some level of fitness, and put said clone in Philly in late August, please contact me.
Seriously though, I have to apologize for the breaks in blog posts. Sometimes I skip a day here and there, and I'm sorry. I will be doing my best to keep posting, and I ask that you keep on checking in and posting comments. I love to hear what you guys have to say! Thanks for understanding, and keep on keepin'!
09 June 2009
A Tribute To Lando Calrissian
I am in a weird, horrible, funny, irritated mood for so many reasons. It's one of those moods that makes you slaphappy, then rage, giggle, then throw something. You get it, right? Great, I know you've been there too! It's days like this that call for a beer review. No, not just any beer review though, no siree! This calls for a tribute to Lando Calrissian! A review, of Colt 45!
APPEARANCE: This pours pee yellow. That good dark yellow that borders orange, like the morning after you binge drank four forties of the stuff and then passed out.
AROMA: A noticeable corny, malty smell with a noticeable alcohol note present.
FLAVOR: Malty, corny, and an almost noticeable alcohol note.
MOUTH FEEL: Definitely a fuller flavor beer, mostly the flavor that I would imagine you’d get out of making beer with creamed corn. Thick and creamy mouth feel, definitely not lacking in carbonation, and a slightly recognizable heat (of alcohol) especially when this becomes warm.
NOTES: First off, no matter what anyone tells you, the only correct way to drink this is out of a 40oz clear glass bottle, placed in a paper bag. The bag is there to (1) hide the fact that you are drinking Colt 45 from others, and (2) hide the fact from yourself that you are drinking Colt 45. The less you are reminded that this is what you are drinking the better. The beer was meant for one reason only, to get hammered. “Colt 45, works every time.” Yeah, Billy Dee, so do rufies (see: rohypnol), but I wouldn’t condone those either. At 6.1% ABV it can only be a session beer for the nights when you want to be picked up off the floor drunk. Yet this classic still has it’s place when you just want to get cranked.
08 June 2009
The Problem With My Fitness
OK, so I think I might have figured out the main problem with my fitness dilemma. I actually got a lot done this weekend. Of course, by a lot done I mean I did NO riding, and nothing (really) to further my level of fitness. In hindsight the weekend is the problem with my fitness. The following is an example of what I mean.
So I start with a party on Saturday. Pizza, and snacks galore! While totally yummy... Not good for the diet, or fitness. Then a rushed dinner, in this case burgers - homemade at least - and a couple brews. Get out and do some yard work, and that ends the extent of the physical activity.
Sunday was a waste. Shredded wheat for breakfast was the highlight of the healthful food for the day. Then a burger for lunch, nachos and a hot dog for dinner, and the remainder of a twelve pack for dinner. More work in the house, redoing the bathrooms still, was the only physical activity.
See, here in lies the problem. Weekends are my bane. I do fine losing weight all week, and I put it all back on the weekend. I haven't lost any weight in about six months, but I haven't gained any either. Furthermore, I have not worked out in forever. Since mid February I have been so backlogged with life in general and I have been working so much in three different jobs. It just sucks. my level of fitness has gone to pot! And I'm two months and change away from riding the Philly LiveStrong Challenge. At this rate I'll be lucky to ride the twenty-five mile leg successfully. Hell, I'll be luck to have the time, money and a car to get to Philly.
OK, that's it. I can't continue on this today. It's just going to get über negative, and far more boring than it already has been. Bottom line is I need to get back on track. I need to MAKE TIME to get back on the bike. I need to get out with some groups, whatever it takes at this point. I also still need to pick up the weight cage that I was supposed to pick up about six or eight months ago. Ugh, I hate growing up and losing metabolism, I hate watching your body go to hell, it's just irritating. Enough bitching for today. Come back tomorrow when I'll, hopefully, have a change of attitude.
So I start with a party on Saturday. Pizza, and snacks galore! While totally yummy... Not good for the diet, or fitness. Then a rushed dinner, in this case burgers - homemade at least - and a couple brews. Get out and do some yard work, and that ends the extent of the physical activity.
Sunday was a waste. Shredded wheat for breakfast was the highlight of the healthful food for the day. Then a burger for lunch, nachos and a hot dog for dinner, and the remainder of a twelve pack for dinner. More work in the house, redoing the bathrooms still, was the only physical activity.
See, here in lies the problem. Weekends are my bane. I do fine losing weight all week, and I put it all back on the weekend. I haven't lost any weight in about six months, but I haven't gained any either. Furthermore, I have not worked out in forever. Since mid February I have been so backlogged with life in general and I have been working so much in three different jobs. It just sucks. my level of fitness has gone to pot! And I'm two months and change away from riding the Philly LiveStrong Challenge. At this rate I'll be lucky to ride the twenty-five mile leg successfully. Hell, I'll be luck to have the time, money and a car to get to Philly.
OK, that's it. I can't continue on this today. It's just going to get über negative, and far more boring than it already has been. Bottom line is I need to get back on track. I need to MAKE TIME to get back on the bike. I need to get out with some groups, whatever it takes at this point. I also still need to pick up the weight cage that I was supposed to pick up about six or eight months ago. Ugh, I hate growing up and losing metabolism, I hate watching your body go to hell, it's just irritating. Enough bitching for today. Come back tomorrow when I'll, hopefully, have a change of attitude.
05 June 2009
The Best Way To Start, And End, A Day
Got Up this morning at the usual time, made myself a healthy breakfast for energy, grabbed the mtb, loaded the tires full of air for the road, and hit the road for work. It felt so good to ride to work for the first time today. It was great! The weather was warm, ish. About sixty if I had to guess, with no wind whatsoever. The birds were out, no bugs, it was just perfection! Got to work, had an amazing interview with a great candidate, did some work, got what I had to done. Lunch came around and I had a quick bite, grabbed the bike & two co-workers and we hit the streets. It was only an hour ride, but it felt so good to get out and get moving in the now seventyish degree weather. Came back, finished up for the day, got out early and road home. Perfect day!
When I got home I grilled brats, had those and some potato(e) [Dan Quayle joke] salad, and headed out for some yard work. Got the yard work done, and concentrated on some gardening. I have to admit, this is a new addiction for me. Well, maybe not new... Every summer I have a small gardening addiction for a while. Organic veggies and such. This year, not only are they organic, but some of the plants were ones that I sprouted. Admittedly, the garden itself is just an eight foot by eight foot bed with a few tomato plants, couple peppers, couple beans, couple yellow squash, couple zucchini.
I also have some melon plants (I believe they are honeydew, but forgot to label the seeds. If they're not honeydew then they are cantaloupe, so...), and pumpkins elsewhere throughout the yard.
OH! Did I mention I also planted Hop plants? The hop rhizomes are doing quite well too.
All but one mound has sprouted, and I dug into that mound and found the problem. You see... while I was planting the Hops, I was drinking the beer. I somehow planted this mound at eight or so inches. Yeah... Hops are supposed to be planted one to two inches below ground under a mound. It was sprouting roots, though, so I remedied that and am keeping my fingers crossed that it will still grow.
Well, that about sums it up. Now I am sitting here drinking a homemade vanilla Diet Coke®. The vanilla part was the homemade, the Diet Coke® part is, well, Diet Coke®. Here's to the weekend, hope you have a good one!
Cheers!
When I got home I grilled brats, had those and some potato(e) [Dan Quayle joke] salad, and headed out for some yard work. Got the yard work done, and concentrated on some gardening. I have to admit, this is a new addiction for me. Well, maybe not new... Every summer I have a small gardening addiction for a while. Organic veggies and such. This year, not only are they organic, but some of the plants were ones that I sprouted. Admittedly, the garden itself is just an eight foot by eight foot bed with a few tomato plants, couple peppers, couple beans, couple yellow squash, couple zucchini.
I also have some melon plants (I believe they are honeydew, but forgot to label the seeds. If they're not honeydew then they are cantaloupe, so...), and pumpkins elsewhere throughout the yard.
OH! Did I mention I also planted Hop plants? The hop rhizomes are doing quite well too.
All but one mound has sprouted, and I dug into that mound and found the problem. You see... while I was planting the Hops, I was drinking the beer. I somehow planted this mound at eight or so inches. Yeah... Hops are supposed to be planted one to two inches below ground under a mound. It was sprouting roots, though, so I remedied that and am keeping my fingers crossed that it will still grow.
Well, that about sums it up. Now I am sitting here drinking a homemade vanilla Diet Coke®. The vanilla part was the homemade, the Diet Coke® part is, well, Diet Coke®. Here's to the weekend, hope you have a good one!
Cheers!
04 June 2009
Finally An Opportunity To Ride To Work
Ahhhh, finally it awaits. The opportunity to ride into work. I do have an interview to do tomorrow, and my hair may look like crap when I am doing it, but I don't care. There! I said it, I don't care! I care about my job, don't get me wrong, I just don't care about my hair for the afternoon tomorrow. Furthermore, I am blessed to have a job that allows me to have certain opportunities. What kind? How about running a quick lunch ride? Yup, there you have it.
So, to sum up my day. Wake up, have a good breakfast, ride into work, get work done, interview candidate, take a lunch run, come back, finish work, leave work, and finally get lost on the way home and enjoy the ride. OH, and enjoy the weather. They're calling for mid seventies tomorrow, with little to no breeze. Ahhhh, this might just be the best day ever! At least in the last few moths.
Check back tomorrow night, and I'll throw up a quick and (hopefully) great post about the ride(s), and the day.
Cheers!
So, to sum up my day. Wake up, have a good breakfast, ride into work, get work done, interview candidate, take a lunch run, come back, finish work, leave work, and finally get lost on the way home and enjoy the ride. OH, and enjoy the weather. They're calling for mid seventies tomorrow, with little to no breeze. Ahhhh, this might just be the best day ever! At least in the last few moths.
Check back tomorrow night, and I'll throw up a quick and (hopefully) great post about the ride(s), and the day.
Cheers!
03 June 2009
Weekly Roundup June 03, 2009
I’m still not in a very pretty place, a big part of this is I need some people to get out and ride with as motivation, and can’t find a friggin’ soul! Furthermore, I’m so time constrained right now that I can’t get out to do the things I need to do, let alone things I’d simply like to do (ie: ride). I’m still in an ugly place, and trying to “play happy”, it’s not working. I am blessed to have great family, and health in my life and my families, so this is good, I just need things to turn around so I could stop being a whiny little bitch. With that in mind, I give you the Weekly Roundup.
Fat Cyclist: I’m not going to even try to get into my favorite post of Fatty’s this week. All I will say is that he has a message; Let’s Get Serious About This Fight. Team Fatty is kicking butt in the fight against cancer. What I will say is this; Team Fatty has the biggest team in the LiveStrong Challenge by far, and has raised the most money by far. That’s just the beginning! Check out Fatty’s post to see what happens when people pull together, to benefit others!
Highway Munky Blog: Munky has some pretty cool triumphs of his own to share in his retrospective post, Closing Out May. Whether number of miles ridden, distance barriers broken, or amount of tacos consumed in one sitting (that was a joke) it’s all in here. Congratulations go out to Munky for a great May, and a great year, so far!
Cozy Beehive: My dood Ron is kicking it over in the beehive, telling tails of drug testing and Lance Armstrong’s new hair styles. AFLD Team Up With Supercuts For A Drug-Bust Hair Salon takes a break from his usual engineering to take a slight right hand turn to his humorous side. It’s a great read and a lot of pictures, funny pictures.
Finally a couple quickies:
Harp won me over with the simple mention of Jelly Bellies! Last but not least, Judy finally broke down and did it, she went out and …Bought A Helmet… But what will people bitch about now?!
Well, that’s all I have for this week. Next week we’re back on the Monday night ride schedule after the rain delay last night. As usual, I’m the Phun Cyclist, you stay classy Cleveland.
Fat Cyclist: I’m not going to even try to get into my favorite post of Fatty’s this week. All I will say is that he has a message; Let’s Get Serious About This Fight. Team Fatty is kicking butt in the fight against cancer. What I will say is this; Team Fatty has the biggest team in the LiveStrong Challenge by far, and has raised the most money by far. That’s just the beginning! Check out Fatty’s post to see what happens when people pull together, to benefit others!
Highway Munky Blog: Munky has some pretty cool triumphs of his own to share in his retrospective post, Closing Out May. Whether number of miles ridden, distance barriers broken, or amount of tacos consumed in one sitting (that was a joke) it’s all in here. Congratulations go out to Munky for a great May, and a great year, so far!
Cozy Beehive: My dood Ron is kicking it over in the beehive, telling tails of drug testing and Lance Armstrong’s new hair styles. AFLD Team Up With Supercuts For A Drug-Bust Hair Salon takes a break from his usual engineering to take a slight right hand turn to his humorous side. It’s a great read and a lot of pictures, funny pictures.
Finally a couple quickies:
Harp won me over with the simple mention of Jelly Bellies! Last but not least, Judy finally broke down and did it, she went out and …Bought A Helmet… But what will people bitch about now?!
Well, that’s all I have for this week. Next week we’re back on the Monday night ride schedule after the rain delay last night. As usual, I’m the Phun Cyclist, you stay classy Cleveland.
02 June 2009
Beer Review: Tröegs Hopback
Tröegs Hopback (Sung to the tune of Justin Timberlake’s “Sexy Back” – Yeah, really... I know, just trust me.)
I’m drinking Tröegs Hopback (yeah)
The other beers just cannot touch that (yeah)
You better watch or it might kick your ass (yeah)
I am not kidding and that is a fact (yeah)
Take it to the bar
Yummy Ale (Uh-huh)
It’s so dang bad
It should be in jail (Uh-huh)
I drink too much and I may misbehave (Uh-huh)
But it’s the beer that makes me say hoo-ray! (Uh-huh)
OK, enough of that… Sorry, but I couldn’t resist. So I’ve been tasting the heck out of Stone and Bell’s brews lately and I needed to taste something different, if for no other reason for the sake of the blog (right). This time around I dove into a couple of Tröegs brews and I have to admit, I’m really glad I did.
I tried Tröegenator Double Bock and Hopback Amber Ale. This review will focus on the later. If I focus on the Tröegenator I will have to do so later, after I’ve had it again. You see, I ran into a bit of a problem. I tasted the Hopback and I really liked it. In fact I liked it a little too much. So much so that, while I know that I tried the Tröegenator, I can’t tell you what it tasted like. You see, things got a bit blurred when I stopped counting the number of Hopbacks I had had. I do, however, have taste notes for the Hopback, so here goes!
I’m drinking Tröegs Hopback (yeah)
The other beers just cannot touch that (yeah)
You better watch or it might kick your ass (yeah)
I am not kidding and that is a fact (yeah)
Take it to the bar
Yummy Ale (Uh-huh)
It’s so dang bad
It should be in jail (Uh-huh)
I drink too much and I may misbehave (Uh-huh)
But it’s the beer that makes me say hoo-ray! (Uh-huh)
OK, enough of that… Sorry, but I couldn’t resist. So I’ve been tasting the heck out of Stone and Bell’s brews lately and I needed to taste something different, if for no other reason for the sake of the blog (right). This time around I dove into a couple of Tröegs brews and I have to admit, I’m really glad I did.
I tried Tröegenator Double Bock and Hopback Amber Ale. This review will focus on the later. If I focus on the Tröegenator I will have to do so later, after I’ve had it again. You see, I ran into a bit of a problem. I tasted the Hopback and I really liked it. In fact I liked it a little too much. So much so that, while I know that I tried the Tröegenator, I can’t tell you what it tasted like. You see, things got a bit blurred when I stopped counting the number of Hopbacks I had had. I do, however, have taste notes for the Hopback, so here goes!
APPEARANCE: A nice, deep, bright amber color, almost bordering orange/amber, with a small white head that’s quick to disappear.
AROMA: The first thing right of the bat that I notice is the hops. It’s a noticeably hoppy, citrusy smell, with a touch of malty sweetness.
FLAVOR: This beer to me is all about the hops! A noticeable hop character with a subtle malty sweet finish that is just slightly dry. A perfect balance to keep the sweet subdued but still enough there to keep the dryness in line. The best part, in my opinion, is how the taste lingers on the palate even after you’ve swallowed.
MOUTH FEEL: A light-bodied beer, maybe leaning ever so slightly toward medium-bodied, but extremely well balanced. It’s got a great mouth feel that is almost, dare I say, creamy.
NOTES: I had this 6% ABV on tap in a pint glass, I could really see hanging out for a while taking a few of these bad boys down, and I did. It was perfect by itself, but I could see the flavor standing up to something hearty like a FireHouse Burger, or a FireHouse Chipotle Bacon Burger. All in all a great beer that I can’t wait to have again. So, what’s next on the Tröegs list? Nugget Nectar!
01 June 2009
NBA Playoffs, How I Hate Thee
If anyone out there is a Cleveland sports fan I am going to ask that you say the following with me. Again, if you are a Cleveland sports fan you know what I am going to say. It's the same thing that we say every year as sports fans in Cleveland. Yup, "Maybe next year."
It's official, by a score of 103-90 the Orlando Magic kicked the Cleveland Cavaliers ass last night to win the Eastern Conference title. From here it's on to Los Angeles to (likely) get steamrolled by the Lakers. There are so many facets to the series, that I cannot even begin to touch on them, but I'm going to try to hit a few.
"The NBA Playoffs are fixed". Yeah, I know absurd, but I actually got this. Along with, "if the Cavs played so well early on, why are they collapsing now?" Apparently there are some people out there who insist that the whole thing is a hoax, and that the NBA decides ahead of time who the winner will be, blah, blah, blah... OK, enough of that. It makes my head hurt to continue with this subject any further.
"Howard just wanted it more." Uh, seriously? You don't think that Lebron James wanted it? You don't think that the NBA team with the single best record in the NBA wanted it? Badly? I would venture to say Lebron wanted it more than anyone else, for reference he scored just fewer than half of the points for the Cavs almost every game. His playing was absolutely sick!
OK, so why did the Cavs lose? Who knows. My guess is that they weren't protecting the parameter as well as they should've. Magic always had one guy outside the three point line, and once the Cavs got preoccupied preventing the shot from the paint they would unload the ball out to the parameter and drain the three. As far as the question of why did they do so well early and seemingly collapse at the end? Simple. They didn't play the Magic earlier in the series. Orlando was a team that gave us trouble all year, so it is not hugely surprising that they gave us a fight in the playoffs.
Bottom line is this, the Cavs gave it their all. The worst game in the series was the thirteen point lead that gave them the series win Saturday. The first game was lost by one, second won by one, third lost by ten, fourth lost by two, fifth won by ten, and finally sixth won by thirteen. There were double digit differences, but no real blow outs. The worst parts of the game were the Cavs blowing some pretty big leads, but that was due to the three point shooting of the Magic.
In the end we have "there's always next year", but the bottom line is the Cavs gave us all a hell of a ride. Thank you Cavs, until this fall.
It's official, by a score of 103-90 the Orlando Magic kicked the Cleveland Cavaliers ass last night to win the Eastern Conference title. From here it's on to Los Angeles to (likely) get steamrolled by the Lakers. There are so many facets to the series, that I cannot even begin to touch on them, but I'm going to try to hit a few.
"The NBA Playoffs are fixed". Yeah, I know absurd, but I actually got this. Along with, "if the Cavs played so well early on, why are they collapsing now?" Apparently there are some people out there who insist that the whole thing is a hoax, and that the NBA decides ahead of time who the winner will be, blah, blah, blah... OK, enough of that. It makes my head hurt to continue with this subject any further.
"Howard just wanted it more." Uh, seriously? You don't think that Lebron James wanted it? You don't think that the NBA team with the single best record in the NBA wanted it? Badly? I would venture to say Lebron wanted it more than anyone else, for reference he scored just fewer than half of the points for the Cavs almost every game. His playing was absolutely sick!
OK, so why did the Cavs lose? Who knows. My guess is that they weren't protecting the parameter as well as they should've. Magic always had one guy outside the three point line, and once the Cavs got preoccupied preventing the shot from the paint they would unload the ball out to the parameter and drain the three. As far as the question of why did they do so well early and seemingly collapse at the end? Simple. They didn't play the Magic earlier in the series. Orlando was a team that gave us trouble all year, so it is not hugely surprising that they gave us a fight in the playoffs.
Bottom line is this, the Cavs gave it their all. The worst game in the series was the thirteen point lead that gave them the series win Saturday. The first game was lost by one, second won by one, third lost by ten, fourth lost by two, fifth won by ten, and finally sixth won by thirteen. There were double digit differences, but no real blow outs. The worst parts of the game were the Cavs blowing some pretty big leads, but that was due to the three point shooting of the Magic.
In the end we have "there's always next year", but the bottom line is the Cavs gave us all a hell of a ride. Thank you Cavs, until this fall.
28 May 2009
Weekly Roundup May 28, 2009
Title: Weekly Roundup May 28, 2009
Subtitle: Yeah! No sh__... A Weekly Roundup!
Wow, just wow! It has been four weeks, since I’ve posted a Weekly Roundup. I don’t know how it’s possible, but facts are friendly. I am slowly falling to pieces, and going outside of my damn mind! I swear, the forty hour day that I mentioned a month ago… Yeah, not enough. I need sixty hours in a day easily. I’m just getting to the point where I want to move somewhere far away, by myself, with the bikes, and not let anyone know where I am. Ever been there? Not a pretty place. So, with that in mind, I will give you the Weekly Roundup… and hopefully I’ll be in a decent mood tomorrow.
50K Loop NS: Bluenoser has long been one of my guilty pleasures to check out at lunch. His post from Saturday had me laughing as I sat sick at home on a three day weekend, surfing the net. So You Want To Go To Sea or Have You Ever Been Blown Ashore Billy? was one of my rays of weekend sunshine in an otherwise crazy weekend. The highlight of the post was his comparisons of bike parts, and their ship related counterparts.
The Cincinnati Man: The Cincinnati Man has been lurking around my comment section lately, and I’ve really been getting into his posts. Especially when you Bring On The Cincinnati Chili Stories! I don’t think there is anything on Earth quite as good as really good Cincinnati Chili! Except maybe a couple of the beers he’s talked about recently with the Cincinnati Chili.
Highway Munky Blog: Munky has been away for a bit of a “bank holiday”, but apparently he had the time to remind us all why Ya Gotta Love Lance! Lance, no surprise here, hates cancer much like Fatty… And me for that matter! I need to get my hands one of these posters.
Fat Cyclist: Speaking of Fatty, he seems to have a humongous problem on his hands. Apparently [He Has] Not Yet Decided How To Spend This $30,000 [He Has] Just Laying Around. I swear I nearly shot diet coke out of my nose reading this. He takes a, tongue in cheek, look at what he could spend $30,000 on if he were to blow it all on road bikes. It takes a couple interesting turns as well, and two of my, ahem, favorite bikes make a guest appearance! Also, spend some time checking out the stories from the past week on all of the people who rode the “100 Miles To Nowhere” race. They are excellent stories, and were done for an excellent cause… To fight cancer.
Well, that’s all I have for this week. Next week we’re back on the Monday night ride schedule after the Memorial Day weekend. As usual, I’m the Phun Cyclist, you stay classy Cleveland.
Subtitle: Yeah! No sh__... A Weekly Roundup!
Wow, just wow! It has been four weeks, since I’ve posted a Weekly Roundup. I don’t know how it’s possible, but facts are friendly. I am slowly falling to pieces, and going outside of my damn mind! I swear, the forty hour day that I mentioned a month ago… Yeah, not enough. I need sixty hours in a day easily. I’m just getting to the point where I want to move somewhere far away, by myself, with the bikes, and not let anyone know where I am. Ever been there? Not a pretty place. So, with that in mind, I will give you the Weekly Roundup… and hopefully I’ll be in a decent mood tomorrow.
50K Loop NS: Bluenoser has long been one of my guilty pleasures to check out at lunch. His post from Saturday had me laughing as I sat sick at home on a three day weekend, surfing the net. So You Want To Go To Sea or Have You Ever Been Blown Ashore Billy? was one of my rays of weekend sunshine in an otherwise crazy weekend. The highlight of the post was his comparisons of bike parts, and their ship related counterparts.
The Cincinnati Man: The Cincinnati Man has been lurking around my comment section lately, and I’ve really been getting into his posts. Especially when you Bring On The Cincinnati Chili Stories! I don’t think there is anything on Earth quite as good as really good Cincinnati Chili! Except maybe a couple of the beers he’s talked about recently with the Cincinnati Chili.
Highway Munky Blog: Munky has been away for a bit of a “bank holiday”, but apparently he had the time to remind us all why Ya Gotta Love Lance! Lance, no surprise here, hates cancer much like Fatty… And me for that matter! I need to get my hands one of these posters.
Fat Cyclist: Speaking of Fatty, he seems to have a humongous problem on his hands. Apparently [He Has] Not Yet Decided How To Spend This $30,000 [He Has] Just Laying Around. I swear I nearly shot diet coke out of my nose reading this. He takes a, tongue in cheek, look at what he could spend $30,000 on if he were to blow it all on road bikes. It takes a couple interesting turns as well, and two of my, ahem, favorite bikes make a guest appearance! Also, spend some time checking out the stories from the past week on all of the people who rode the “100 Miles To Nowhere” race. They are excellent stories, and were done for an excellent cause… To fight cancer.
Well, that’s all I have for this week. Next week we’re back on the Monday night ride schedule after the Memorial Day weekend. As usual, I’m the Phun Cyclist, you stay classy Cleveland.
27 May 2009
Beer Review: Stone - Cali-Belgique
This weekend I got to try another wonderful beer from the guys over at Stone Brewing. I feel like I am becoming a bit of a shill for these guys, but the bottom line is they are just making some great beers! I've enjoyed their brews now for, about, eight or so years. Their beers are what got me interested in the whole craft beer industry and, further, what got me interested in home brewing.
This weekend I managed to get in a tasting of Stone's Cali-Belgique IPA. Admittedly a lot more IPA in my opinion than Belgian, it was a great beer. This is one of Stone's regular releases, on a "when we can brew it" basis.
This weekend I managed to get in a tasting of Stone's Cali-Belgique IPA. Admittedly a lot more IPA in my opinion than Belgian, it was a great beer. This is one of Stone's regular releases, on a "when we can brew it" basis.
APPEARANCE: A beautiful bright orange beer, with a beautiful white foamy head.
AROMA: A noticeably hoppy scent, citrusy – grapefruity or lemony – with a slight yeasty, spicy note.
FLAVOR: The hop smell comes through in a hoppy California IPA sort of way. Very citrusy hops, very little malt or sweetness, which I expected from the “Belgique” side. The
PALATE: Medium-bodied, balanced but hoppy. As it got to room temp in the glass the malt seemed to start to peak its head in, and it finished nicely. It was just creamy and complex, as I would expect from a Belgian, but just thin enough that I could take a few down like an IPA.
NOTES: The only regret I have surrounding this 6.9% beer is that I only picked up one bottle. There wasn’t anything I didn’t like about this. I could get into some trouble if I had a keg of this laying around. I’m not a hugely crazy Belgian fan, truth be told I haven’t made it a point to really try a whole lot of Belgians, but this was just IPA enough that I could put more that a few down and be happy. I think I usually find the Belgians to be too rich for my taste, but this was more of a medium body and just rich enough that it was a joy to drink.
26 May 2009
Memorial Weekend Phun
You'll likely realize soon enough that the title is sarcasm. I had big plans for the weekend. Yard work, repairs & maintenance around the home, finish at least one of the two bathrooms, and finally a ride. Nothing epic, just twenty-five or thirty miles, enjoying the weather and scenery. Of course, as my life lately seems to be, the entire thing went to pot.
Friday wasn't horrible. I ate well, did some work in the garden, found one more of the seven hop plants coming up (now at three of seven), messed with the veggies I planted (only melons and pumpkins came up so far. Looks as though I'll be buying peppers, tomatoes, and squash. Freakin' figures), had a few beers, and watched the Cavaliers. It was awesome! Not only did I really enjoy kicking back to watch my Cavs play, but they won with the most amazing buzzer beater I've ever seen in my life.
That, my friends, is where the fun ended. So I woke up Saturday morning sick as a dog. I ran out to get paint and some miscellaneous items to finish the bathrooms. Figured by the time I came home I'd surely feel better. Yeah, not so much. I was way off. I spent most of the day between the couch and bathroom (sorry for being mildly graphic, but...) before watching the Lakers beat the Nuggets to lead their series two to one and finally crashing out for the night.
Sunday wasn't much better. Woke up feeling like butt. Spent some time with the family for a late breakfast/early lunch, and got home. Worked, a bit, on the bathrooms and crashed. Did some more work and crashed. Had some dinner and crashed. Notice a theme here? Yeah, I couldn't do too much without feeling like I was going to die. Let me just point out, this is the first three day weekend I've had since I cannot tell you when. So, it would figure I'd be sick just to screw the whole thing up. The night wasn't much better as I watched the Cavs get beat by the Magic and watched them slip to Magic two, Cavs one for the playoffs. It sucked, hard.
Monday was, finally, a different story. I got out and picked up all the crap I forgot to get on Saturday. Got a ton of things done both inside and outside around the house. Cooked out, had a steak, some beers, good time with the family, and finally got in a ride.
I felt good, and just needed to get out. It was a beautiful 70-75ºf, windy but not too bad, pollen didn't seem bad today, so it was just perfect. I only got in about ten miles at a solid 16-17 mph (no computer on the mountain bike, not 100% sure) clip based on distance and time. I got to see so much cool stuff today too!
Look close in the middle here, and you can see a deer. The tiny thing under it? Her baby. The tiniest deer I've ever seen.
The cows were out grazing.
Even the river looked particularly nice today. All in all, it was a great way to end a weekend that started out pretty crappy.
Hope all of you had a great weekend! See you again tomorrow.
Friday wasn't horrible. I ate well, did some work in the garden, found one more of the seven hop plants coming up (now at three of seven), messed with the veggies I planted (only melons and pumpkins came up so far. Looks as though I'll be buying peppers, tomatoes, and squash. Freakin' figures), had a few beers, and watched the Cavaliers. It was awesome! Not only did I really enjoy kicking back to watch my Cavs play, but they won with the most amazing buzzer beater I've ever seen in my life.
That, my friends, is where the fun ended. So I woke up Saturday morning sick as a dog. I ran out to get paint and some miscellaneous items to finish the bathrooms. Figured by the time I came home I'd surely feel better. Yeah, not so much. I was way off. I spent most of the day between the couch and bathroom (sorry for being mildly graphic, but...) before watching the Lakers beat the Nuggets to lead their series two to one and finally crashing out for the night.
Sunday wasn't much better. Woke up feeling like butt. Spent some time with the family for a late breakfast/early lunch, and got home. Worked, a bit, on the bathrooms and crashed. Did some more work and crashed. Had some dinner and crashed. Notice a theme here? Yeah, I couldn't do too much without feeling like I was going to die. Let me just point out, this is the first three day weekend I've had since I cannot tell you when. So, it would figure I'd be sick just to screw the whole thing up. The night wasn't much better as I watched the Cavs get beat by the Magic and watched them slip to Magic two, Cavs one for the playoffs. It sucked, hard.
Monday was, finally, a different story. I got out and picked up all the crap I forgot to get on Saturday. Got a ton of things done both inside and outside around the house. Cooked out, had a steak, some beers, good time with the family, and finally got in a ride.
I felt good, and just needed to get out. It was a beautiful 70-75ºf, windy but not too bad, pollen didn't seem bad today, so it was just perfect. I only got in about ten miles at a solid 16-17 mph (no computer on the mountain bike, not 100% sure) clip based on distance and time. I got to see so much cool stuff today too!
Look close in the middle here, and you can see a deer. The tiny thing under it? Her baby. The tiniest deer I've ever seen.
The cows were out grazing.
Even the river looked particularly nice today. All in all, it was a great way to end a weekend that started out pretty crappy.
Hope all of you had a great weekend! See you again tomorrow.
21 May 2009
Cavaliers: Monopolizing My Time
How do I even begin. When your team scores 33 points in the first quarter and then another 30 in the second?! Seriously?! Top that off with ending the half with a shot from damn near the foul line... of the opposing team! Wow, just wow.
You could probably guess that I am going to be of little use during this entire post as I am watching the Cavs MANHANDLE the Orlando Magic. For as great as the first half was, the second half? We kinda blew. Not being mean, or critical, just saying. When you start the half +15 and wind up tied with just over five minutes in the game? That, after we were -3 at one point. Seriously started to fall apart quickly.
The bottom line is this, there are six more games to come! We haven't had a championship in Cleveland since the 1964 Cleveland Browns! This could change the face of sports in Cleveland. So for now, I leave all y'all with the greatest commercial ever. If I have to explain, you wouldn't get it anyway.
You could probably guess that I am going to be of little use during this entire post as I am watching the Cavs MANHANDLE the Orlando Magic. For as great as the first half was, the second half? We kinda blew. Not being mean, or critical, just saying. When you start the half +15 and wind up tied with just over five minutes in the game? That, after we were -3 at one point. Seriously started to fall apart quickly.
The bottom line is this, there are six more games to come! We haven't had a championship in Cleveland since the 1964 Cleveland Browns! This could change the face of sports in Cleveland. So for now, I leave all y'all with the greatest commercial ever. If I have to explain, you wouldn't get it anyway.
19 May 2009
Freakin' Green Thumb I Ain't!?
Cold day in Cleveland... Didn't want to ride either, the cold made for a good excuse. That coupled with the fact that I had to figure out why $100 in hop rhizomes (of which I paid $0 for, it's just the principle) weren't growing. I still have to get the bathrooms painted to, but that is for another, preferably rainy, day. So... Came home, had dinner, and went outside to play Farmer Don.
So I went out to get some compost to mix into the soil when I realized that I had a great little Poison Ivy patch going! Yeah... Compost is awesome to grow things with. Seriously! Even the stuff that you don't want to grow. Strike one.
I got to the area where I planted the first hop bed. I was smart in the sense that I planted two areas figuring if one fails the other might thrive. That was a great idea. That's as far as it goes though. So I start digging up the planted area, the area where I used spent brewing grain as a natural way to compost. Problem was I didn't compost it first. Strike two. You see, if you don't compost it a couple things are bound to happen, both of which did. One, one of the various rodents indigenous to the Cleveland area came out of the woods to dig up and eat a good portion of the spent grain. Solved that problem quick, not sharing how. Two, spent grain is some tough stuff! You have to mill the grain before you use it, and the outer portion is some tough stuff. So, if you bury it without composting it first it doesn't break down, it just holds water, water which then causes mold growth, and eventually kills rhizomes. I guess those could technically be strikes three and four. For argument sake I won't though, thus I can continue with one more story.
So, I went to hop bed two. One out of four mounds has a plant growing. The only one growing is where I planted the entire root ball.
The rhizomes were a no go, and since it's been about a month I'm going to guess they're not coming up. Strike three. I don't know what the hell happened... Too deep, too much clay, I'm just not a green thumb? Your guess is as good as mine. I guess the bottom line is I have at least one hop plant thriving.
So, I guess the bottom line is this; if I ever do plant rhizomes again, which I likely will, I will start them in potting soil in a pot and transplant them. Furthermore, I will make sure I overly prep all of the soil ahead of time to make sure it is more than ready. By way ahead of time, I mean now... for next year!
So I went out to get some compost to mix into the soil when I realized that I had a great little Poison Ivy patch going! Yeah... Compost is awesome to grow things with. Seriously! Even the stuff that you don't want to grow. Strike one.
I got to the area where I planted the first hop bed. I was smart in the sense that I planted two areas figuring if one fails the other might thrive. That was a great idea. That's as far as it goes though. So I start digging up the planted area, the area where I used spent brewing grain as a natural way to compost. Problem was I didn't compost it first. Strike two. You see, if you don't compost it a couple things are bound to happen, both of which did. One, one of the various rodents indigenous to the Cleveland area came out of the woods to dig up and eat a good portion of the spent grain. Solved that problem quick, not sharing how. Two, spent grain is some tough stuff! You have to mill the grain before you use it, and the outer portion is some tough stuff. So, if you bury it without composting it first it doesn't break down, it just holds water, water which then causes mold growth, and eventually kills rhizomes. I guess those could technically be strikes three and four. For argument sake I won't though, thus I can continue with one more story.
So, I went to hop bed two. One out of four mounds has a plant growing. The only one growing is where I planted the entire root ball.
The rhizomes were a no go, and since it's been about a month I'm going to guess they're not coming up. Strike three. I don't know what the hell happened... Too deep, too much clay, I'm just not a green thumb? Your guess is as good as mine. I guess the bottom line is I have at least one hop plant thriving.
So, I guess the bottom line is this; if I ever do plant rhizomes again, which I likely will, I will start them in potting soil in a pot and transplant them. Furthermore, I will make sure I overly prep all of the soil ahead of time to make sure it is more than ready. By way ahead of time, I mean now... for next year!
18 May 2009
Those Of You Who Really Know Me & 24
Those of you who truly know me, know that I am an "intricate" person. I say that because I, feel like I, am not always the easiest person to appreciate, let alone love. I had a good amount of time to look at what I am doing, what I want to do, and where I hope to be in the years to come. It was nice, really. I haven't stopped long enough in a while to reflect on where I am or want to be in a while, it was long overdue.
So, why do I bring it up here? I would like to share this with you, because you have been a part of my life. You have given me encouragement when I need it, criticism when I was way off when speaking my mind, and in general just encouraging. I ask that you please continue that as I go through, what is sure to be, a transition. I am still all about cycling. I am a bit more about brewing right now too. I will likely be splitting time between the two. I need to get my train on for Philly, and I need to be pushed toward that. I also need to get my brew on. It is a longtime dream of mine to brew on a semi-pro or professional level, ie: for competition or for a brewery, and I came to the conclusion that it's high time I put up or shut up.
I need to focus more on family and less on bullshit that is not moving me forward in family, life or career. This is hard, on account I have my hand in a few different things that I feel are very important, but I am beginning to question how important, and why. I feel like it comes down to this; I need to be more selfish. I need to focus on my God, my family, and myself. In that order. I need to stop appeasing those who "don't matter" and start focusing on those who do. I need to stop neglecting the important relationships in lieu of those that are only serving to lead to distraction.
With that said, please understand that the blog is going nowhere! I think this is medicinal to me. It keeps me grounded and you, it's readers, hold me accountable for all of the shit I try to get away with. That's where you come in. I ask that not only do you, please, keep reading. Also, please ride my ass like never before to keep me accountable as I go through this journey. Everyone needs encouragement and accountability, and I am no exception.
OK, I think that's a good place to stop for now. So, with that, I'm going to go for now. Crash out, wake up, get to work, come home to some friends and dinner, watch 24, and crash out again. Tomorrow is a new day, and that is how I need to take it. One day at a time. Thanks, in advance, and please help me to keep it real.
So, why do I bring it up here? I would like to share this with you, because you have been a part of my life. You have given me encouragement when I need it, criticism when I was way off when speaking my mind, and in general just encouraging. I ask that you please continue that as I go through, what is sure to be, a transition. I am still all about cycling. I am a bit more about brewing right now too. I will likely be splitting time between the two. I need to get my train on for Philly, and I need to be pushed toward that. I also need to get my brew on. It is a longtime dream of mine to brew on a semi-pro or professional level, ie: for competition or for a brewery, and I came to the conclusion that it's high time I put up or shut up.
I need to focus more on family and less on bullshit that is not moving me forward in family, life or career. This is hard, on account I have my hand in a few different things that I feel are very important, but I am beginning to question how important, and why. I feel like it comes down to this; I need to be more selfish. I need to focus on my God, my family, and myself. In that order. I need to stop appeasing those who "don't matter" and start focusing on those who do. I need to stop neglecting the important relationships in lieu of those that are only serving to lead to distraction.
With that said, please understand that the blog is going nowhere! I think this is medicinal to me. It keeps me grounded and you, it's readers, hold me accountable for all of the shit I try to get away with. That's where you come in. I ask that not only do you, please, keep reading. Also, please ride my ass like never before to keep me accountable as I go through this journey. Everyone needs encouragement and accountability, and I am no exception.
OK, I think that's a good place to stop for now. So, with that, I'm going to go for now. Crash out, wake up, get to work, come home to some friends and dinner, watch 24, and crash out again. Tomorrow is a new day, and that is how I need to take it. One day at a time. Thanks, in advance, and please help me to keep it real.
15 May 2009
Chaos Once Again
Let me just say that I am in a "hate everything" frame of mind. Seriously. Every time I think I am just starting to get to a point where life will become normal, something throws it completely off kilter. I am dying to try to keep up with writing, I am dying to get out and brew more often, I am dying to try to get out on the bike, and I am trying to balance work to make enough money to live. Never mind the fact that I still don't know how the hell I'm possibly going to afford the trip out to Philadelphia, let alone the place to stay and food for the LiveStrong Challenge. Things are seriously falling the &#$% apart... quickly! Hence, I've made a decision about my life, and that is as follows:
A perfect example of the chaos? I had every intention of riding to work everyday this week. Yeah, guess what? Never happened. I literally did not have the opportunity to bike in once this week. Between storms and having to drive in to work to be able to drive to off site meetings, to needing to be in at ungodly early/late hours and crazy time constraints... It just sucks. This weekend? Not going to be a bit different. The only saving grace? Sunday is rainy and crappy, and I get to brew.
I need a vacation from life. Seriously. Sorry I've been updating less than regularly, but please bare with me. Next week will be a new week, new stories, some brewing and some really good, really limited beer reviews to come. Have a great weekend, and let's meet back here Monday, OK?
I need to find a way to make each day of my life thirty-six hours long. Furthermore, I need to be able to sync that in such a way that I am not trying to fulfill obligations with others while they are sleeping, rather I need them to stay up roughly twenty-eight of those thirty-six hours. Crap... OK, I need the hours in the day for everyone to by thirty-six, and everyone needs to be up twenty-eight of the thirty-six. There. given the previously mentioned timeframes, I will segregate my day in the following way. The first fourteen for work, seven for family, and the final seven alternating between brewing and cycling. The eight leftover will be to sleep.That shouldn't be a problem, right? And just to maintain health over brewing... I'll allocate four days to cycling and three to brewing. I figure this way, I'll maintain a certain level of fitness.
A perfect example of the chaos? I had every intention of riding to work everyday this week. Yeah, guess what? Never happened. I literally did not have the opportunity to bike in once this week. Between storms and having to drive in to work to be able to drive to off site meetings, to needing to be in at ungodly early/late hours and crazy time constraints... It just sucks. This weekend? Not going to be a bit different. The only saving grace? Sunday is rainy and crappy, and I get to brew.
I need a vacation from life. Seriously. Sorry I've been updating less than regularly, but please bare with me. Next week will be a new week, new stories, some brewing and some really good, really limited beer reviews to come. Have a great weekend, and let's meet back here Monday, OK?
13 May 2009
Beer Review: Buckeye Brewing - Bling Bling
If you live in the Cleveland area, and appreciate good beer, you know that Cleveland has a veritable cornucopia of places to get good craft brews if you seek them out. Likewise, there are a handful of local breweries if you know where to look. One such brewery is Buckeye Brewing. Buckeye sells there beers at a handful of select local specialty shops, as well as their restaurant Buckeye Brew Engine. They have a huge list of really great brews but today, I'll focus one one: Buckeye Bling Bling.
Bling Bling is an American Pale Ale, brewed with British Malt, Torrified Wheat, and Amarillo Hops. It's a somewhat mild, malty sweet beer, with a slightly crisp note that would make it a great choice, in my opinion, for a summer night. So, without further adieu and as to not repeat myself, my tasting notes on Bling Bling.
Bling Bling is an American Pale Ale, brewed with British Malt, Torrified Wheat, and Amarillo Hops. It's a somewhat mild, malty sweet beer, with a slightly crisp note that would make it a great choice, in my opinion, for a summer night. So, without further adieu and as to not repeat myself, my tasting notes on Bling Bling.
APPEARANCE: Very orange/amber. Little to no head, with almost no lacing, yet constant bubbles.
AROMA: A noticeable fruity smell. Sweet, citrus and a light malt smell.
FLAVOR: A light hop taste, with a more noticeable fruity, citrus, and maybe almost apricot or peachy, kind of note. Some lightly malt finishes the taste off.
PALATE: Definitely a light to medium-bodied beer with and ever so slightly creamy mouth feel. No heat (of alcohol) whatsoever.
NOTES: At 6.5% this falls out of what I would usually session, though I could easily drink this a session beer. It’s a bit crisp, and could take a few down without a second thought on a hot, humid Cleveland day. Bottom line, do whatcha gotta to get your hands on one, and try it out. While you're at it, pick up a couple of Buckeye's other beers and see what you think.
12 May 2009
Crappy Monday Night Ride
First, I guess an apology is in order for not having a Monday post. You may, or may not realize, that my posts are done the night before. This would mean that the lack of a Monday post means that I punked out Sunday night and did not bother to write. For this, I am sorry. There's been a lot going on, none of which I would care to talk about here, nor would I think it appropriate to talk about here. So, with that said...
Monday night ride was tonight, which will be last night when you read this... Get it? It was Monday night, and it sucked so big and so hard! It was a mere 15 miles at a clip of only 15.6 MPH, it was cold as hell, and my lungs and legs were spent. I am so unhappy, I cannot begin to express it in words.
Saturday I spent the entire day up and down a ladder hanging fifteen or so foot lines for my hop plants,
and trying to finish the bathroom. It's for that reason that I didn't get a post done. Furthermore, it is for that reason that my legs feel as though they might fall off at any minute.
Sunday was mothers day, so I spent the day with, both, my mother and the amazing mother of my kids. If I haven't mentioned it before, which I have but not nearly as often as I should, my wife is the coolest wife ever. If you have a wife, I apologize, but mine is cooler... Deal with it. So bottom line is nothing got accomplished. Wake up, cook, eat, shower, church, cook, eat, mom, wife, cook, eat, wife, kids to bed, wife, bed. That is the day in a (poor put together mess of words that is supposed to resemble, but does not make a) sentence.
Monday I got up early, got out the door early, everything loaded in the cat because I realized I could not ride on account I had to get to the chiropractor before work and couldn't get there and than to work on time if I rode. No biggie. I was riding after work with six friends, so we're all cool. I sat for thirty or forty minutes, I think, at the chiropractor, got to work later than I wanted but barely on time. I got a bunch done before the Monday meeting, I rocked a ton of work before lunch, and was on cloud nine.
After lunch, check the email. Three of six are now out. Two are out on account something came up, OK. One is out because he won't able to come out and I just forgot. Now I'm a bit down. I busted ass and got some serious work done in the afternoon. Took a break, made a couple calls, One out flu, one out after a double century over the weekend, and, finally, the sixth and final out due to work. Hence this: I ride on a crappy day, feeling crappy, solo. Nothing sucks more than when you know you need the accountability of friends to keep you going, and you know you're not going to have it.
I rode a non-mapped route, in an unfamiliar place. Mistake. I knew where I was at all time and never got (couldn't get) lost. The problem was every damn time I turned a corner I turned into a cul de sac. Serious. That was likely a good part of the reason for my slow ass ride. I had to break on the cul de's that were crumbling apart from the Cleveland winter. It just sucked.
Well, the bottom line? Tomorrow, er today, is a new day. That, and as long as the Cavaliers kick Atlanta's ass tonight, er last night (?!), I'll be fine come tomorrow, er today... Tuesday. Go Cavs, give me something to be happy about! Catch you guys tomorrow for a Roundup, then some beer related and maybe end out the week on a biking note. We'll see.
Monday night ride was tonight, which will be last night when you read this... Get it? It was Monday night, and it sucked so big and so hard! It was a mere 15 miles at a clip of only 15.6 MPH, it was cold as hell, and my lungs and legs were spent. I am so unhappy, I cannot begin to express it in words.
Saturday I spent the entire day up and down a ladder hanging fifteen or so foot lines for my hop plants,
and trying to finish the bathroom. It's for that reason that I didn't get a post done. Furthermore, it is for that reason that my legs feel as though they might fall off at any minute. Sunday was mothers day, so I spent the day with, both, my mother and the amazing mother of my kids. If I haven't mentioned it before, which I have but not nearly as often as I should, my wife is the coolest wife ever. If you have a wife, I apologize, but mine is cooler... Deal with it. So bottom line is nothing got accomplished. Wake up, cook, eat, shower, church, cook, eat, mom, wife, cook, eat, wife, kids to bed, wife, bed. That is the day in a (poor put together mess of words that is supposed to resemble, but does not make a) sentence.
Monday I got up early, got out the door early, everything loaded in the cat because I realized I could not ride on account I had to get to the chiropractor before work and couldn't get there and than to work on time if I rode. No biggie. I was riding after work with six friends, so we're all cool. I sat for thirty or forty minutes, I think, at the chiropractor, got to work later than I wanted but barely on time. I got a bunch done before the Monday meeting, I rocked a ton of work before lunch, and was on cloud nine.
After lunch, check the email. Three of six are now out. Two are out on account something came up, OK. One is out because he won't able to come out and I just forgot. Now I'm a bit down. I busted ass and got some serious work done in the afternoon. Took a break, made a couple calls, One out flu, one out after a double century over the weekend, and, finally, the sixth and final out due to work. Hence this: I ride on a crappy day, feeling crappy, solo. Nothing sucks more than when you know you need the accountability of friends to keep you going, and you know you're not going to have it.
I rode a non-mapped route, in an unfamiliar place. Mistake. I knew where I was at all time and never got (couldn't get) lost. The problem was every damn time I turned a corner I turned into a cul de sac. Serious. That was likely a good part of the reason for my slow ass ride. I had to break on the cul de's that were crumbling apart from the Cleveland winter. It just sucked.
Well, the bottom line? Tomorrow, er today, is a new day. That, and as long as the Cavaliers kick Atlanta's ass tonight, er last night (?!), I'll be fine come tomorrow, er today... Tuesday. Go Cavs, give me something to be happy about! Catch you guys tomorrow for a Roundup, then some beer related and maybe end out the week on a biking note. We'll see.
08 May 2009
Next Week Is Bike To Work Week!
That's right folks! It's here again! May 11-17, 2009 is bike to work week! This year I will be riding to work everyday that there is not a morning rain. I don't have anywhere to cleanup, so I feel like I am limited to when and how I could ride. I know I could be more hardcore, but I'm not. Thom, for example, rides the, like, 25 or 30 miles everyday to his job. Rain, sleet, snow, 110º and fire... he rides.
Anyway, next week it's on! We will have the Lake County Monday night ride, but I will be riding to work as many of the five days as I could. I would like to encourage you to do the same. I want to ride into work a lot more this summer, this just gives me an excuse for a good point to start.
I'll be back next week with more, and better I hope, posts. For now I'm going to go watch my Cavaliers beat the pi__ out of the Atlanta Hawks. Cavs are up 36 points with just over a minute in the third...
GO CAVS!
Anyway, next week it's on! We will have the Lake County Monday night ride, but I will be riding to work as many of the five days as I could. I would like to encourage you to do the same. I want to ride into work a lot more this summer, this just gives me an excuse for a good point to start.
I'll be back next week with more, and better I hope, posts. For now I'm going to go watch my Cavaliers beat the pi__ out of the Atlanta Hawks. Cavs are up 36 points with just over a minute in the third...
GO CAVS!
07 May 2009
Tough Times
I wanted to be kind of gooey and cheesy today, so please bear with me. I have been blessed often in my life with the opportunity to so many things. Quite a few of those I’ve really enjoyed. There are some things that I have yet to do that I would really like to, but all of this will come in it’s due time.
Some things turned out really well, some went to hell in a hand basket. Example, I did the race [poorly] in October, but even that was kind of a positive experience for me. See, usually Don would never have done it. I would’ve got there, seen the people, and punked the hell out. It would’ve looked like: “Ugh… So many people… If I suck, I’m going to look like an ass” or something along that train of thought. I pissed off a couple of people in order to do the race, and I have to admit I will never apologize for that. It was something I had to do for me and do not regret it a bit. I knew if I didn’t take that one shot, at that time, I’d likely never do it.
The reason I’m mentioning this is I feel the same way about a lot of things right now including, at times, the blog. I really wanted to do the blog for so many reasons. I don’t regret doing it, I think, for the most part, it’s OK. I just don’t know where to go from here.
I see people hit the thing from all over the world, to the tune of a hundred or so a day a lot of the time. Today I had hits from the US, UK, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, South Korea, South Africa, Turkey, Bulgaria, Venezuela, Czech Republic, Spain, and New Zealand. I’ve seen more than that over the year or so I’ve done the blog. What I’m curious about is whether or not it is worth continuing?
I’ve noticed a slip in number of comments, and it has me wondering. Am I not updating enough, too often? Is the blog just getting boring? Is the Weekly Roundup lame? Are my “regulars” still showing up? I just don't know what to think.
I admit, I've had family, personal, and work drama in the last couple months. I don't know, maybe that's just got me down. I'm way into cycling, still, and into brewing and beers. Is that too much. Should this be one or the other? I just don't know, and I'd love your help and encouragement.
Please drop me a line and let me know what you think. I'd love to keep going and value your input.
-Don
Some things turned out really well, some went to hell in a hand basket. Example, I did the race [poorly] in October, but even that was kind of a positive experience for me. See, usually Don would never have done it. I would’ve got there, seen the people, and punked the hell out. It would’ve looked like: “Ugh… So many people… If I suck, I’m going to look like an ass” or something along that train of thought. I pissed off a couple of people in order to do the race, and I have to admit I will never apologize for that. It was something I had to do for me and do not regret it a bit. I knew if I didn’t take that one shot, at that time, I’d likely never do it.
The reason I’m mentioning this is I feel the same way about a lot of things right now including, at times, the blog. I really wanted to do the blog for so many reasons. I don’t regret doing it, I think, for the most part, it’s OK. I just don’t know where to go from here.
I see people hit the thing from all over the world, to the tune of a hundred or so a day a lot of the time. Today I had hits from the US, UK, Australia, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Belgium, South Korea, South Africa, Turkey, Bulgaria, Venezuela, Czech Republic, Spain, and New Zealand. I’ve seen more than that over the year or so I’ve done the blog. What I’m curious about is whether or not it is worth continuing?
I’ve noticed a slip in number of comments, and it has me wondering. Am I not updating enough, too often? Is the blog just getting boring? Is the Weekly Roundup lame? Are my “regulars” still showing up? I just don't know what to think.
I admit, I've had family, personal, and work drama in the last couple months. I don't know, maybe that's just got me down. I'm way into cycling, still, and into brewing and beers. Is that too much. Should this be one or the other? I just don't know, and I'd love your help and encouragement.
Please drop me a line and let me know what you think. I'd love to keep going and value your input.
-Don
04 May 2009
Work Getting In The Way
So the weekend was spent on work so that I could work on a side job. It was, like, 70 and gorgeous and I was locked in my room on the laptop. This is KILLING me! I need to become independently wealthy NOW so I could spend time riding more, getting better at it, and brewing beer.
This week is week two of Monday night rides. It'll be interesting to see how that goes. I have yet to hear back from most of the group. I know of two people who cannot make it, that means I'm waiting on four. I have, however, decided that I will go out no matter what! So if you're in the Lake County area and need a Monday ride, drop me a line in the comments or through the "contact me" link in the upper right hand corner of the sidebar.
With that in mind... I have some cool posts planned in the near future. But for now, enjoy the sickness of Danny Macaskill...
This week is week two of Monday night rides. It'll be interesting to see how that goes. I have yet to hear back from most of the group. I know of two people who cannot make it, that means I'm waiting on four. I have, however, decided that I will go out no matter what! So if you're in the Lake County area and need a Monday ride, drop me a line in the comments or through the "contact me" link in the upper right hand corner of the sidebar.
With that in mind... I have some cool posts planned in the near future. But for now, enjoy the sickness of Danny Macaskill...
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