7.29.2008

Why I Ride A Bike

Well, at least this is one reason... 

At the end of the workday I get out the door, make myself hurt, and get to see scenery like this as I head up the "Rock Shop" climb on the Mulholland Highway.

Rosa and I have often discussed/pondered this question: what's to be said about how we cyclists crave the pain we inflict on ourselves- when our goal is the lactic acid burn and sensation of coughing up blood? Are we masochists? Is it like a drug that numbs our brains? 

I wouldn't say I'm a masochist, and in fact might even admit I'm a bit of a wimp... but I do enjoy the way an extended, anaerobic effort seems to have the effect of blowing the cobwebs out of your body and your head.

The reason Rosa and I always talk about it is because the way I love the physical pain is the same we she and other actors love the emotional pain.  She can't understand why I like to do this to myself and I have no clue why someone would want to strip themselves to the emotional core while other people are watching... 

...but maybe it's because we do understand that we work out o.k.

7.24.2008

Paparazzi are Dumb


Cameron had a coaching with a high-profile client tonight, who I escorted up the stairs, so my mug might be appearing on your favorite celebrity gossip website some time soon.

So after these morons almost caused several accidents, they just camped outside our building and snapped photos anytime a door opened. We could see flashes up in the office... and after a while I decided to turn the tables...



Morons... but I’m not sure what the guy in the chef’s hat is doing, and I do have to give props to the guy wearing the Air Jordan’s.

What a job, what a job.

7.18.2008

Will & Pate on NPR

NPR had a little blurb on the Tour this morning, complete with quips from Will as he battles his inner demons to a mountaintop finish and a brief interview with Danny Pate.

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=92663973

I hope Danny doesn't mind my man-crush, it's just nice that we jadded fans get to root for the good guys.

7.13.2008

Found picture from our neighborhood


I do believe this cash machine is getting fresh with me.... it says:
"Please dip your card in the slot and take it out - so we can begin."

7.12.2008

The Team Reporter

Believe it or not, I’m actually updating a blog regularly... just not mine.

Throughout Superweek I’ll be posting nightly reports from the team at both the ABD News Blog and the Team page. The ABD News feed is right at www.abdcycling.com and the team is at www.abdcycling.com/elitemen

7.10.2008

What Has Been Running Through my Head 24/7

Many family members and friends had told me about Flight of the Conchords, but it wasn't until we visited Jodi up in Oakland that we had a chance to watch a few episodes... and now I have a big old mancrush on these two guys and can't get this sequence and song out of my head...

7.08.2008

Fast Fellas

Just a brief update on the ABD/GEARGRINDER squad: these guys were fast this past month!

It started off with Carter taking second at the Winfield Twilight Criterium (technically on May 31st). Then Rob White nabbed the “W” the first day of June at the ABR National Championship.

One week later our man Jeff Schroetlin started to flex his “summer muscles” by driving the 6-man breakaway at the Tour De Winghaven, flatting with 2 miles to go, and bridging back up in time to get 4th place!

The weekend after that Rob White lapped the field with two other riders (including former ABD’er Frankie Dierking) en route to taking the Wisconsin State Crit Title, and his brother Ryan took the field sprint for 4th.

Next up was another big Wisco weekend: the Grafton Twilight Criterium and GEARGRINDER’s own Sheboygan Criterium. Mr. Carter didn’t disappoint the hometown fans, catching the late breakaway from Bissell pro Garret Peltonen in the final straightaway to notch Saturday’s win and outsprinting Jittery Joe’s pro (and another former ABD’er) Chad Hartley on Sunday. (There’s a great video of Saturday’s finish courtesy of Tim Keeley at www.abdcycling.com/public/grafton/Grafton.mov)

To round out the month of June, Schroetlin’s form continued to improve and at the Proctor Criterium he finished as the first Illinois rider across the line to take the IL state title!

And to finish off the pre-Superweek preparation, this past weekend the team did the double 1-2 as Ryan and Rob White executed perfect team tactics to finish first and second, respectively, at the UWW Road Race, and in Sunday’s ABR State Championship Schroetlin agained manhandled the field, lapping them twice and leading out Josh Carter for 2nd place en route to taking 1st himself.

7.04.2008

Celluloid at the Cemetery

I'm sure that every time you're at the cemetery and see the big white wall of a mausoleum you say to yourself, "wow, what a great place to watch a movie."

Of course, you don't say that because it's absurd, creepy and maybe a little disrespectful...

But then there's Hollywood Forever- a cemetery whose entire back property line borders the Paramount Studios and where many of Hollywood's stars and starlets are buried. And just in case you don't remember some of the names many had their portrait etched into the headstones. It's really the epitome of Los Angeles- a town that is all about being seen. So with that in mind, I don't think the deceased are bothered that 2,000 people gather in an empty corner of the cemetery every summer weekend night to watch classic Hollywood films projected on the side of an enormous mausoleum- especially since the $10 cover charge goes towards preserving the original prints of the old movies as well as beautification of the cemetery grounds.

Rosa, her sister, and I joined our friends Reah and Andrew last weekend for our first Hollywood Forever experience, and it was one of the coolest things I've ever done in this town. There was also a strong sense of community that I haven't experienced often in L.A.

Although the movies don't start until it's dark (around 9:30 pm), the gates open at 7:30 and the party actually begins around 6 pm. That's when everyone begins to arrive to get a good place in line, but in order to do so your entire party needs to be present, so groups spread out their blankets and chairs on the front lawn and start with appetizers and cocktails. Then when the gates open it's a respectful, hushed dash down the lanes and to the back corner, where everyone sets up the blankets and chairs once again, and this time dive in on their main course for the evening. Some groups even bring low tables, candles and we also saw a fondue fountain.

That night's showing feature was Hitchcock's "The Man Who Knew Too Much", starring Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day. Rosa and I actually just saw it for the first time not more than a couple of months ago, so it was a pleasure to be able to pay just as much attention to the crowd as the movie. I'm sure that watching a film with that many people evoked some of the same feel that audiences experienced back in the hey-day of the local moviehouse. The cheering was more boisterous, the tension was thicker, and the laughing louder. We were definitely all in it together.