Rick DeMoan called me out that my sorry excuse for a blog had gone from plain old boring to being worthy of an afternoon nap- which is where I rate watching golf (nothing put's my to sleep like watching people walk around a well-groomed lawn). That's ok, Rick, I deserve it (although if you'd called me out in the comments section at least it might have sparked some lively commentary). But I routinely violate the two rules of proper blogging: 1) stay focused and 2) update often, so here's the deal.
Normally I'll write about cycling, but the whole cycling thing ain't working out for me right now. As many of you know, life happens. Last season started out great, then came the hernia. I hobbled through the end of the season, then more important things came up through the Fall and Winter. Then just as I finally started hit my stride last month, the car accident. Whatever I did to my ribs kept me off the bike for about 3 weeks, but I started hiking. Then I decided to jog up and down the mountain on Sunday... and ripped apart my legs to the point I can hardly walk. Why is it that running down a mountain rips apart your legs like that?
So, here's where I'm at. All that time and energy that went into training? I'd like to think it's going into cognition: work, reading, writing- sorry, just not blog writing, and social commentary is definitely outside the scope of this blog (an article in the month's Atlantic, Is Google Making Us Stoopid? , confirmed my need to unplug a little more too). Cameron and I are also working on a few big projects right now, including a couple of books, so that's good.
So, until I start riding regularly again, or I have something entertaining to write, or I hear requests for a 29-year old's rambling about the good, bad and ugly life out here in L.A. ... I got nothing.
6.26.2008
6.15.2008
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Quite possibly the best and most important book I've ever heard.
Up until now the top picks were Lolita, Sons and Lovers, To Kill a Mockingbird ... but ... Gabriel Garcia Marquez... wow.
100 Years of Solitude was similar to Sons and Lovers in that it took me a long time to get into it (I must have started it and restarted it four or five times over the past three years), but once I hit page 70 it was this beautiful, tragic story that just kept building momentum, carried along by the weight of Marquez's masterful storytelling. The last 80 pages took me two weeks to finish because the story could only end one way, and I didn't want it to end. And that's exactly how I felt at the end Sons and Lovers- I just didn't want it to end.
A reviewer from the NY Times wrote in his initial review of the book in 1970 that he thought 100 Years of Solitude should be required reading for the entire human race after the Book of Genesis, and I'd agree. Marquez reminds us of the lessons we've learned throughout our lives without being preachy or paternizing, but rather showing them to us through a kalediscope that separates the lessons into an eternity of mezmerizing reflections and refractions of experiences and emotions that every human being has experienced.
Up until now the top picks were Lolita, Sons and Lovers, To Kill a Mockingbird ... but ... Gabriel Garcia Marquez... wow.
100 Years of Solitude was similar to Sons and Lovers in that it took me a long time to get into it (I must have started it and restarted it four or five times over the past three years), but once I hit page 70 it was this beautiful, tragic story that just kept building momentum, carried along by the weight of Marquez's masterful storytelling. The last 80 pages took me two weeks to finish because the story could only end one way, and I didn't want it to end. And that's exactly how I felt at the end Sons and Lovers- I just didn't want it to end.
A reviewer from the NY Times wrote in his initial review of the book in 1970 that he thought 100 Years of Solitude should be required reading for the entire human race after the Book of Genesis, and I'd agree. Marquez reminds us of the lessons we've learned throughout our lives without being preachy or paternizing, but rather showing them to us through a kalediscope that separates the lessons into an eternity of mezmerizing reflections and refractions of experiences and emotions that every human being has experienced.
6.10.2008
Now something good: the ABD and ABD/GEARGRINDER riders
I know some of this is old news, but I still feel all warm and fuzzy inside about it. Head on over to www.ABDcycling.com and check out the results pages, news blog and reports blog for updates from the past few weekends.
First up, major props to the ABD crew that pulled off the Midwest's biggest three-day Masters' series and turned around four days later to put together our biggest and smoothest running Winfield Criterium Weekend ever- over 675 riders in two days! And then to top it off, ABD'ers had some great results in the hometown races with New Kids on the ABD Block Sebastian Grinstein winning the Cat 5 men under 40, Gabe Looker taking the Cat 3's and Rob White scoring the win for the ABD/GEARGRINDER squad in the Cat 1/2 race!
Then this past weekend, in keeping with the "hometown" results theme, the ABD Multisport squad tore it up at the Batavia Triathlon & Duathlon, which is literally out the front door of the Prairie Path Cycles-Batavia store. Props to Kim Malmquist, the first female duathlete across the line, Scott Pahl for taking his age group and Gretchen DeMong for taking the silver in her age group!
And on a final note, although it's an "out of area" event, it's very noteworthy that Gabe Looker and Ron Bridal took 2nd and 3rd at Sunday's brutally hot Tour de Winghaven.
Since I'm to0 far away to do it (back in LA now), I hope all the ABD'ers give each other a well-deserved pat on the back.
5.31.2008
Well, that sucked....
So, I'm back in the Midwest to help with the Winfield Criterium
Weekend. Things are a little crazy running last-minute errands for the
race, when out of nowhere some 16 year old kid overcorrects a mistake
and takes a detour at a 45 degree angle into oncoming traffic... and I
happen to be oncoming traffic, driving back towards the bike shop at
about 45 miles per hour.
Weekend. Things are a little crazy running last-minute errands for the
race, when out of nowhere some 16 year old kid overcorrects a mistake
and takes a detour at a 45 degree angle into oncoming traffic... and I
happen to be oncoming traffic, driving back towards the bike shop at
about 45 miles per hour.
I audibly say "oh sh&%", and it wasn't until later that I realized I
considered three options (bike racers will identify with this post-
crash-recollection of your stream of consciousness), I can:
a) swerve to the right and hit him more head on
b) swerve to the left and hit an SUV in oncoming traffic
c) just stay the course.
I stick with (c) and it's unavoidable, loud, fast, expensive and a
little painful. I get a cut on my wrist and bruised ribs, my
counterpart gets a burn on his face from his airbag. Both cars get
totaled. But most importantly, we both had our seatbelts on, get out
of our cars, and walk away. (Although as you'll see from the pics
below I shudder to think if he'd had a passenger in the car.)
All my siblings happen to be home this weekend too from various
locations around the country, so when I call for someone to pick me
up, everyone comes along.... and Mom figures there couldn't be a
better time to get the Christmas Card photo. Sure, her car's totaled
(sorry Mom), but she's got all her kids home for a weekend and we're
alive and healthy.
5.25.2008
5.14.2008
May 12: A Day in Pictures
May 12th is my birthday. A couple of weeks ago Rosa asked me what I wanted to do for it and I blurted out "Ride my bike to Santa Barbara".
So I did.
View Larger Map
My plan was to park my car at our boss's place in Augora Hills and ride 90 miles inland over the mountains, through Ojai, down to the coast and then up to Santa Barbara.
The ride started out pretty well, overcast and in the high 50's. I had the roads to myself at 10AM on a Monday.
Then I ventured into the canyons northwest of Simi Valley, which are full of massive sand and gravel pits. It's fun descending but a little crazy with all the trucks.
Then came the Heritage Valley: birthplace of many an orange, avocado and strawberry.
...then up and over the climb at Lake Casitas.
And eventually down to the Pacific Ocean.
Where the lovely Rosa Linda met me on the beach for a picnic...
...and I asked her to marry me.
That's right, it's official! Take another gander at her left hand in case you missed it.
And here's just one reason why I love this woman: when we're deciding on a restaurant for dinner that night, she says, "You better not pick some fancy place just because we got engaged. I'm totally down for the Brewhouse". The Brewhouse is a great little brewery & restaurant away from the main, fancy strip-- so to the Brewhouse we went for a delicious dinner and some celebratory beverages.
It was going to be tough to match May 12, 2007, which was spent at my best friend's wedding in Austria, but I think we pulled it off.
So I did.
View Larger Map
My plan was to park my car at our boss's place in Augora Hills and ride 90 miles inland over the mountains, through Ojai, down to the coast and then up to Santa Barbara.
The ride started out pretty well, overcast and in the high 50's. I had the roads to myself at 10AM on a Monday.
Then I ventured into the canyons northwest of Simi Valley, which are full of massive sand and gravel pits. It's fun descending but a little crazy with all the trucks.
Then came the Heritage Valley: birthplace of many an orange, avocado and strawberry.
...then up and over the climb at Lake Casitas.
And eventually down to the Pacific Ocean.
Where the lovely Rosa Linda met me on the beach for a picnic...
...and I asked her to marry me.
That's right, it's official! Take another gander at her left hand in case you missed it.
And here's just one reason why I love this woman: when we're deciding on a restaurant for dinner that night, she says, "You better not pick some fancy place just because we got engaged. I'm totally down for the Brewhouse". The Brewhouse is a great little brewery & restaurant away from the main, fancy strip-- so to the Brewhouse we went for a delicious dinner and some celebratory beverages.
It was going to be tough to match May 12, 2007, which was spent at my best friend's wedding in Austria, but I think we pulled it off.
5.07.2008
Catch Up
Catch Up- what I feel like I might be doing when it comes to racing with my teammates this summer. These boys are fast! Big props to Rob White and his 6th place overall at the recent USA Crits Speed Week. Most guys at that race have been going full tilt for a couple of months, and the ABD/GEARGRINDER squad is just getting their legs under them.
Catch Up- what I'm doing with this blog entry. Man, what have I been doing for two weeks? Oh, that's right, working. The new job with Carter Thor Studios has been going well.. and then when I get home from that gig (or on my lunch breaks) I'm taking care of some ABD communique, which is getting hot and heavy now with the 40k TTT this Saturday and then both the big Memorial Day Weekend Msters Races and the Winfield Criterium Weekend at the end of the month.
Fortunately, I have been able to get four or five days of riding in a week too, but no real long rides yet- mostly 90 minute to 2 hour hard workouts. Lots of threshhold and "on road mountain biking" up in Griffith Park and the Hollywood Hills. Riding in the neighborhoods that follow the borders of the park is a blast, the roads are steep, twisty and in horrible shape! The pavement is super cracked and uneven, creating all these mini jumps, berms and obstacles. But all the rich stars and starlets have built their houses so on top of each other that the roads are barely wide enough for one car- much less a road crew! There have been several occasions when I've launched off a lip or over a massive pothole on a descent only to have to grab a handful of brakes to avoid becoming a hood ornament on some Mercedees or Porsche whipping around a hairpin turn.... And yes, I am still talking about riding my road bike. Knock on wood, but my Bontrager x-lites and Serfas tires have neve failed me on that loop.
Oh yeah, it hasn't all been work and riding, I am happy to report that I'm reading a great book right now too: 100 Years of Solitude. I started it three years ago and kept rereading the first 40 pages, but once I pushed through to about page 70 it all became clear and I was hooked. Anyone who's read it or wants to read it and discuss, please shoot me an email. It feels good to get the old English major wheels turning again.
Catch Up- what I'm doing with this blog entry. Man, what have I been doing for two weeks? Oh, that's right, working. The new job with Carter Thor Studios has been going well.. and then when I get home from that gig (or on my lunch breaks) I'm taking care of some ABD communique, which is getting hot and heavy now with the 40k TTT this Saturday and then both the big Memorial Day Weekend Msters Races and the Winfield Criterium Weekend at the end of the month.
Fortunately, I have been able to get four or five days of riding in a week too, but no real long rides yet- mostly 90 minute to 2 hour hard workouts. Lots of threshhold and "on road mountain biking" up in Griffith Park and the Hollywood Hills. Riding in the neighborhoods that follow the borders of the park is a blast, the roads are steep, twisty and in horrible shape! The pavement is super cracked and uneven, creating all these mini jumps, berms and obstacles. But all the rich stars and starlets have built their houses so on top of each other that the roads are barely wide enough for one car- much less a road crew! There have been several occasions when I've launched off a lip or over a massive pothole on a descent only to have to grab a handful of brakes to avoid becoming a hood ornament on some Mercedees or Porsche whipping around a hairpin turn.... And yes, I am still talking about riding my road bike. Knock on wood, but my Bontrager x-lites and Serfas tires have neve failed me on that loop.
Oh yeah, it hasn't all been work and riding, I am happy to report that I'm reading a great book right now too: 100 Years of Solitude. I started it three years ago and kept rereading the first 40 pages, but once I pushed through to about page 70 it all became clear and I was hooked. Anyone who's read it or wants to read it and discuss, please shoot me an email. It feels good to get the old English major wheels turning again.
4.21.2008
The Stats
Read 'em and weep folks:
2 hours and 30 minutes
24 miles
1,700 feet of climbing
2 sections that required a push
Those are the stats for Rosa's first ride of 2008 on Saturday. I told her that we didn't need to all the way over the mountain to the Rose Bowl, but she said she was "going big or going home", God bless her.
Needless to say, she's been a little sore the past couple days, but not too bad. I installed my compact crankset (50/34) and the 12-27 on her bike, so she was able to maintain a decent cadence on a ride that is all uphill or downhill- no flat roads to speak of. Of course, this also forces me to ride big boy gears now, which is probably a good thing- but I rode that compact for almost a year now (including Superweek and the August crits last year) and it was pretty nice.
In other news, the ABD/GG squad took another win on Sunday with Ryan White taking the honors with brother Rob in 4th place. In Saturday's race they finished 3rd and 7th as well, which ain't too shabby. They meet up with Josh this weekend for the Athens Twilight Crit followed by the USA Crit Series. Stay tuned...
2 hours and 30 minutes
24 miles
1,700 feet of climbing
2 sections that required a push
Those are the stats for Rosa's first ride of 2008 on Saturday. I told her that we didn't need to all the way over the mountain to the Rose Bowl, but she said she was "going big or going home", God bless her.
Needless to say, she's been a little sore the past couple days, but not too bad. I installed my compact crankset (50/34) and the 12-27 on her bike, so she was able to maintain a decent cadence on a ride that is all uphill or downhill- no flat roads to speak of. Of course, this also forces me to ride big boy gears now, which is probably a good thing- but I rode that compact for almost a year now (including Superweek and the August crits last year) and it was pretty nice.
In other news, the ABD/GG squad took another win on Sunday with Ryan White taking the honors with brother Rob in 4th place. In Saturday's race they finished 3rd and 7th as well, which ain't too shabby. They meet up with Josh this weekend for the Athens Twilight Crit followed by the USA Crit Series. Stay tuned...
4.16.2008
Garret Lemire Race Report
Sunday's Garret Lemire Memorial Criterium was HOT! And not a fun, exciting, (miniskirt) hot, but as our favorite Uncle Fred would say, "Africa hot". When we rolled up to the line for our 2 p.m. start the mercury sat at 96 degrees (just two away from Ryan White's favorite boy band).
Needless to say, two boys from the frozen tundra and my embarrassingly-low weekly training volume were not very effective against squads from HealthNet, Toyota-United, Successful Living, Colavita, Jelly Belly and others. But the team that proved our undoing were some riders from Kahala-LaGrange, who would drift to the back only to let massive gaps open up-- not even allowing us to tailgun in peace, licking our wounds to the finish line. Nope, chalk up three fat D-N-F's.
At least we're all re-motivated to get back to the drawing board for our races that matter in May, June, July and August.
Needless to say, two boys from the frozen tundra and my embarrassingly-low weekly training volume were not very effective against squads from HealthNet, Toyota-United, Successful Living, Colavita, Jelly Belly and others. But the team that proved our undoing were some riders from Kahala-LaGrange, who would drift to the back only to let massive gaps open up-- not even allowing us to tailgun in peace, licking our wounds to the finish line. Nope, chalk up three fat D-N-F's.
At least we're all re-motivated to get back to the drawing board for our races that matter in May, June, July and August.
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