Thursday, July 31, 2008

Not sure how I feel about this

I'm all for capitalism, but there's two ways to look at this story: Either the public is really really stupid or EM is really really a bunch of crooks. They're contributing to crippling the economy, but we're helping them do it. I could now go off onto some philisophical tirade about who's more at fault, but I'll leave that to the master.

Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Fatass

Someone had to compete with Solo for the mangled saddle picture. Unfortunately mine is from being fat and/or a hack and not from doing 20,000 miles or whatever was on his. As it turns out, the Specialized Alias is NOT a good mountain biking saddle for a 190 (ok fine, 195) pound semi-skilled mountain biker. No, the rails are not supposed to be shaped that way and No, the nose is not supposed to point down like that.



I also can't remember if I ever posted a picture of the killer Haro that the middle one got hooked up with for learning to ride. Yes, Dad likes to play with this too...


Countdown to GG, 10 days. Countdown to cross season, 25 days.

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Fitness means nothing...

if you don't know what to do with it. Right now the fitness is pretty good... even have the numbers from a recent LT and VO2 test to prove it. Not great, but pretty good. Despite that, the Norwell circuit race was just another demonstration of how I'm just not a very good bike racer. Still don't know how to get myself into position to win even if I do have the legs. Still haven't shaken all the ghosts of crashes past (and for the record what level do guys have to get to before they stop being sketchy... there's some 3's and/or 4's out there that are just trying to take down half the field). Still not quite good/lucky enough to attack and make it stick. Made a couple moves today... not the greatest timing or execution. As typical sort of just came in as pack fill. Pace of the field felt fine, but I just didn't have that little extra. Ah well... soon enough it's cross season anyways.

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Phew

Summer class done... aw yah!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Going into the final I was holding all aces. Even drawing a duece wouldn't have killed me so perhaps I put a touch less effort into my feverish writing than I could have. We shall see what the result is. But really, is there value in recommending a corporate level strategy for a US winery at a point in time 6 years ago? I had to make a conscious effort to not just go and find out what they went and did. Ah, whatever... learning is good even if it's just flexing that squishy thing in your head every now and then (sounds like a G comment).

3 classes to go... 2 more semesters. But for now 5 weeks off... let's ride kids.

Sunday, July 20, 2008

You win mother nature

We try to be good and not go overboard with heating/cooling systems in the respective season. Unless it gets brutal we try to stick with fans in the summer. In the winter we keep the heat reasonably low especially now that the kids are a touch older. Tonight I gave up the fight. It's been at least 88 degrees in the house for days. At night we catch a break sometimes and it goes down to 75. Crank the oven to 400 to make some chicken and you can't even eat it's so uncomfortable. AAaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, air conditioners. At least we'll try to keep them set at a reasonable level...

Friday, July 18, 2008

A milestone

No, not the umpteenth contribution to the blogosphere this time...

13 years ago today I met Mrs. Tall Freak on a blind date.
11 years ago today I proposed.
10 years ago today was the wedding (and a killer wedding it was)

(Yes this is all very convenient for countering the male propensity for forgetting key dates in marital history)

It's amazing she's tolerated me for this long. Then again I've only been racing bikes for the past 3 or 4 years...

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Vaca from vaca

Just got back today from family vacation. Like always, I think I now need a vacation to recover. I actually shouldn't complain... Thursday afternoon through Tuesday morning up north and I got in 3 road rides and 2 mountain rides while there. One mountain ride was a GG recon ride so that should help in a couple weeks. 2 road rides were with one of the CCB super studs and I didn't die. Good solid training camp so now if I can get in one more race (2 if I'm lucky) before GG I'll be stylin. Full vaca review later... just need to relax now.

BTW, oldest got the start on the mound tonight in his first game. Recorded his first ever K which is huge... we'll just overlook the 3 runs he walked home... focus on the positives...

Tuesday, July 08, 2008

Freak shout out

Any of the freaks out there actually know anyone who has ever bought a Zinn frame? Reviews? As much morbid curiosity as it is future planning...

Bikes for Everyone?

Last night wathcing the Tour I saw a Cervelo commercial during which they claimed they "make bikes for everyone" and went on to tout how all their riders ride stock bikes. For some reason, the immediate response in my head was "No you don't... you make bikes for those who fit between 20% and 80% of the average human size. Just like every other company, you make bikes for MOST so that you can maximize sales and minimize stale inventory." Don't get me wrong, I think Cervelo is a decent company trying to do good things, just don't go making claims you can't back up.

You think too little sleep and too much school have me riled? This never should have gotten me so worked up... CTodd, you still thinking that B school thing is such a good idea? :)

Sunday, July 06, 2008

Killer weekend

I'll warn you up front I'm feeling lazy and too stream-of-conscious to do the linky thingy tonight... sorry.

So it's been a pretty killer weekend. Thursday I rode to work and then had to race the thunderstorms home. Went ok and it was good to be riding. Friday we intentionally planned to not be committed to go anywhere. Me and the wife slept late and the boys were super good. No idea when they even got up. Then they brought me coffee in bed. I could get used to that. Worked my butt off around the house Friday and did a whole lot of this and that. Then I met 3 others for some night mountain biking. I had never ridden at night before. We hit Stow Town Forest for almost 2 hours and finished around 10:30. It was so insanely fun I can't wait to go again. Now if I could just get my chain skipping issues figured out... Saturday morning was some more sleeping in (sort of) a little playing and running around in the morning, then off to Landry's to work on the skipping issues. Worked on it for a while with the guys in the shop but we were stumped. Had to leave it and hopefully they can come up with something tomorrow. Always tricky when nobody in the shop is big enough to test ride. Friday afternoon/evening was a cookout with friends, many of which we don't see anywhere near often enough. It was good to hang and chat. The oldest had silly fun because he managed to shatter 6 generic wiffle balls the guy had picked up for the party... kid can hit I tell ya. Today I got up too late again and then puttered around a little. Had to hook up with a friend to pick something up so I decided to ride there. His house is effectively uphill from here, 30 miles away (need to create map). Ride there suuuuuuuuuuuucked. Ride home was awesome. Total for the ride I banged out 60 in 2:56 ride time... that made me happy. Happy is good. Sadly rest of the day has been mostly homework. Have I mentioned school may kill me?

Ok, so that was a big mess of run on nonsense... if it helps at all I feel better from rambling.

Oh, and how could I forget... the boys rocked Fitchburg and took 2nd and 4th in the 4's. Kid who took second is 17 (I believe)... he is a stud. 3's did well also and rode tough against some horses. Bud of mine in the masters scored a second in the circuit race and third in the crit, both behind Mahk and finished 13 on GC... dude is a stud. If things go right I get to have my ass handed to me by him this coming weekend up in the White Mountains. Should be fun.