Oldie from 2009. 6.22.

Tymor Park Challenge 5/17/09 from Jontotman on Vimeo.

Highbridge, NYC.

The Highbridge Project from y.arava on Vimeo.

Roubaix In Winter.

With the worlds being ON, this seemed approriate. Personally, I think the cross finish at Roubaix is a little more exciting than the skinny tire finish....

1985 Paris Roubaix.

Tight roads. Abysmal conditions. Moser, Kelly, Lemond (his first finish) and Madiot do battle.
Classic.

Mental Computations.

It is the time of year starts the mental computation of whether or not one has ridden enough. Somehow the calculator never equals ones mental goals.

J.D. Salinger.

For many, it was our literary "Rebel Without a Cause" that gave us a protaganist that was identifiable in so much that he was an anti-hero. For some it served as consolation that teenage enui is not as rare as we might have believed at the time.

It was a book, like many great writers like Orwell and Fitzgerald, that serves as his pinacle and his entrance into pop culture- something that J.D. Salinger struggled with. None of his works prior or after the release in 1951 caused the same stir.

My well read copy from 1985 is still in my book case- I hold it tight as one of the few books that I can return to with ease and find it as interesting as I did back in 6th grade.

J.D. Salinger passed today. He lived away from the melee of the modern world in seclusion- maybe unable to come to terms with his success with "Catcher" as his only truely great book. And what a truely great book it was. I will toast his memory and work as it was truely noteworthy.

And while some may remember the man who wrote the book, most will remember the main character- Holden Caufield.

"Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody."
and
"Take most people, they're crazy about cars. They worry if they get a little scratch on them, and they're always talking about how many miles they get to a gallon, and if they get a brand-new car already they start thinking about trading it in for one that's even newer. I don't even like old cars. I mean they don't even interest me. I'd rather have a goddam horse. A horse is at least human, for God's sake."
-Holden Caufield

Notes:

The weekly collection of notes and observations:

• Last weeks notes had a link to the debate that Armstrong had superior equipment to Contador-Intially it seemed as if Alberto was just complaining (whiny), but after a quick google translation of this article it seems to paint a better picture of what really went down. It does seem, according to this Spanish daily paper, that Armstrong got better equipment (wheels that are 150 gram lighter- How much lighter can they get?) and allegedly Lance point blank told baby face Berto that he was not privy to  play with his toys while in the sandbox. Our apologies to Contador for calling him whiny. 
• For the true tifosi: BKW does a run down on the Ronde with interesting details on the climbs. For the discerning fan.
• Facebook can save your life?
• Smash- two up sprint between Robbie and Horner and Horner comes out a little worse for the wear. Pretty funny.
• Tyler Farra- 2010 will be his year: An old piece that pulled me back as we set up for the approach for 2010- with a little more confidence this kid should be killing it.
• A good piece on picture snapping from the NY Times- A must read for those with iPhones just for the small tid bit on how to fool your camera to take better pictures.
• Laredo a major city? The fact that there is no book store for 250k people is a travesty...but do we really consider Laredo a major city? Regardless, not a good sign for scholastics or literacy. Will books be read in the future? Will they be downloaded like pirated music?
• Funny how Americans bash the French, and yet the French adopt rules that really would be meaningful for roughly 1 in 3 Americans. You just just don't see the number of fat people in France like you do in the States....but then again you just don't see fat people in such high numbers any where else but in the US.
• The first skateboarding movie since "Gleaming the Cube" that really has gotten my pantys in a twist to see- "Machotaildrop"....actually that is not entirely true- there was also the Dogtown flick, but that was more of a documentary (Note: although somewhat  heartbreaking very much well worth the watch.). (Link courtesy of Allhailtheblackmarket.com.)
• ONE vs. FOUR: The state of Minnesota had 6 bank failures (5th most in the country), equal to the combined total of the 4 states of Ohio (2), New Jersey (2), Pennsylvania (1) and New York (1). Minnesota has a population of 5.3 million. The combined population of Ohio, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and New York is 52.4 million or 10 times the total of Minnesota (source: FDIC, Census Bureau).
• The 4 largest banks in the USA have 56% of all domestic bank assets. 10 years ago the concentration of assets in the 4 largest banks was 35% (source: Wall Street Journal).  
• Finally: What happened to all the toxic assets that we were so worried about a year ago? Did they just go away because the stock market went up? A phrase we will hear at some point in the very near future -sovereign debt risk. 

Laughing with those who fell in "SHEEET."

I know it is wrong to laugh at others misfortunes but this was the funniest thing I have read in awhile- I promise I am laughing with you.


My face hurts from laughing so hard.

Statements.

Sometimes the biggest statement one can make in biking is putting money in the bank when no one else wants to- Photos courtesy of Embrocation.

This is why one should have a winter bike.

Perspective.

crowd vs rider, originally uploaded by kristof ramon.

Surfs Up.

Last ride of 2009.

When the weather turned for the worse with an impromptu snow storm, and the roads turned to ice, we were stopped dead in our tracks by the lack of friction- we were sliding. Sliding is great when done on a sled, but less so when done in a car.

Fortunately, a man with a huge truck drove by and offered us transport to the trail. The day was saved.

Small Wheels, Big Moves.

The moves are just plain big...

Federal Bikes - Steven Hamilton, Trafaelio from Federal BMX on Vimeo.

The Prince.

"One sees clearly only with the heart. Anything essential is invisible to the eyes."
-Le Petit Prince.


Picture courtesy of Competitive Cyclist.

Anniversary: 75 years of beer in cans.

Anniversary: 75 years of beer in cans.

I wonder what the first cans of beer were like....botulism?

The post that was supposed to be Friday.

After long week of running and gunning at work, some hard work outs (body feels sore all over...I did not recover from a longish road ride last weekend coupled with a morning out riding in the woods with a couple of spills- can you picture me crawling on all fours off an ice patch making gutteral sounds? Not pretty.), and throw in a case of the 2-day lingering stomach flu and I am done- Friday has not tasted so sweet in a long time.

As I sit and type this with a mild fever (shivering ever so slightly- my Monday-Friday keeper has a tough time keeping this place warm) I contemplate the week- did I get everything done that I wanted? No.

The truth is I am not sure I ever will get done what I want to get done each and every week- it is too hard balancing responsibilities with things that are fun and totally non-sensical....

I try and be realistic, but time is so quick these days and I am often finding that I am looking down at my check list and only seeing about a quarter of the errands with a  check next to them. Ugh. I just have to remind myself to do my best- even if that means that I have mediocre results sometimes. 

This weekend is the 75th anniversary of beer in a can. Try and get out and enjoy yourself and earn yourself a cold one. Or two.

The last ride of 2009.

Notes:

The weekly collection of notes and observations:

• Debunking the myth of inferior equipment claims- Great piece by Red Kite Prayer that goes along way to paint the picture of a whiney Tour champ.
• More proof that cheating will kill you- Would you kill yourself for better performance. The article also reminded me of the young Belgian pro who died in Quatar last year of mysterious causes...
• The future of computers- Can not complain about that being too bulky...or can you?
• Great interview with one of the pioneers of suspension in the bike industry- "I was very fortunate to be part of the team that was involved under Horst Leitner. But, since running Nicolai, I think that the G-BOXX  has been my most innovative design so far." The Horst link arguably being the most innovative bike design to date, as it changed the landscape of suspension bikes- Interesting to note his perspective.
• Avatar- The hype is totally on the money (then it is no longer hype, right?) even though it is a bite on Pocahontas or "Dances with Wolves"....well worth the watch.
• The fight rages on. I am always somewhat amazed how something that is personal and private has become such a public battle.
• Carnivore only-Tips for grilling steak. Clif note edition: Wait for 10 minutes after cooking steak to get the best results in flavor. (Poached from the Unholy Rouleur- gracias.)
• Great story- Bike thieves beware...your daddy may not help you.
• China sold 12.7 million autos in calendar year 2009 (compared to the 10.4 million sales in America), the first time any country in the world has outsold the USA in a single year (source: Associated Press).
• Race season has started with the Tour Down Under- Who cares that Greipel has won a couple of stages when Armstrong tweeted and had 5,000 riders joining him in a bike ride.

Continually ranks in my top 10 of cool for bike stuff.

Paul makes some fine bike stuff- but nothing is cooler than the flatbed.

Raging. (or, pre-season base.)

For some reason I always feel so much stronger at the start of the season- fat and strong I should say.  Not necessarily fast, but well rested enough to go out and "punch a little outside my weight" so to speak. It is nice to stretch the legs, push a little hard when your system feels well rested.

Weekend: Rode a solid 45 miles on Saturday with a charge up a hill with a bunch of gas (not full gas, but a super tempo)- felt good to shake the dust off the legs and rage a little. So far the base miles have not really started in ernest, as in years prior. Instead I have been lifting legs, as heavy as I dare, a couple of times a week in the hopes of  building a little more strength.

Sunday did a mountain bike ride in the snow for a couple of hours...felt a little off from Saturday and ended up walking a bunch of climbs because of the snow and ice and because my legs were feeling the prior days ride...tired legs and SS never mix. Nevertheless a good day in the woods.

So while my enthusiam for training is high I thought I would sketch out some of the main goals for the season.
Goals for the season thus far-
-Move to Cat 1 by the end of the season,
-Have a sub 4 hour Dark Horse 40 race.
-Wear a Camelback racing.
-Put on my undergournd "Wine-01" race.

GrandMaster Flash- Racer?

This picture of GrandMaster Flash caught my eye for one particular detail- The old O'Neils Bud Light team jersey: I have one just like it.
Do you think he raced?

Hive.

The Hive- A group of design geeks making a run of some of the most well thought bike products. 115 grams per brake made in slick carbon with a dual pivot should give the weight weenies something to dream about at night. Not cool enough? Look at the crank and BB set up.

Print is not dead.

Proving that print is not dead- Rouleur.

Picture courtesy of Rouleur.

"The green stems wither."

I have been restless inside for the last couple of months- unsettled in my skin. It started back in October after having a come to Jesus moment with some folks I had once been really close to- and I had always had in my heart. But for whatever reason "the green stems wither" and my efforts to reconnect were too long in the making (admittedly, my own fault.)- painful honesty of no longer wanting to be my friend laid down in a way that really sent me spinning.

My mind wandered, keeping me up at night replaying moments and making me feel restless, angry and despondent. There was a sense of wrong on my part that had been painted permanent ink- it was and isn't coming out. It was a low moment to realize that I had not been a good  friend and that I had been fired.

Not long thereafter I had another moment of what one of my friends called "having my inventory taken"  with a friend that also made me feel a little more less about myself- it really made my head spin. It was another example of not doing right by those who care for me.

It all just hurt me in a way that made me feel really hollow- Does that make you feel better?

I am not sure why I am writing this all out- maybe it is the guilt of having an email from my father in my account that has gone unresponded to or it is the personal knowledge that I have not been giving my best. I am sure I can come up with a multitude of excuses but I will not instead I promise to re-double my efforts as a human.

The Un-Holy-Roleur had posted some words that resonated with me- and I have been going back to read them almost daily. He ends his post with these words-
"And yes, to those I've slighted this past year, I'm very aware that I've slighted you. Oh my, have I slighted you. I apologize, and will try to do better."

I had hope that this would serve as some sort of carthessis, but in fact the result was deminuss at best.

I will try and do better.

Cager.

Notes:

Brevity is often a case of lack of material- Here are this weeks MBR Notes.

• Suspect- Pretty funny that two racers went and robbed a DHL truck in order to get their test samples back....On a side note: did you know that Pablo Escobar was into bikes?
• Pretty in pink- Dutch girl at the Giro presentation? Giro starts in Holland this year. Does the jersey look that different from last years? No.
• Floyd- I feel for the man: between the stories of drinking, divorce, lack of results in 2009 and no new team to sign him, leaves me feeling compassion for a man who seems to be amidst a public crisis. He may have cheated, but he deserves a 2nd chance. Especially in light of the fact that this week marks the 6 year anniversary of Pantanis passing.
• SRAM Tech: Why no Red?
• Jumped the shark? BS raced the Single Speed Worlds a few years ago- and I am pretty sure he raced some mounatin bike races this past summer at the H2H Series... I think I am a little closer to solving the mystery.Seriously, do I keep the secret to myself? Probably should...
• Random- Not bike related but sort of interesting.

Race season starts shortly....

Fignon.

The last true French Grand Tour contender/winner has cancer- Probably best known for his defeat at the hands of LeMond in the 1989 Tour de France. His record speaks for itself with 2 TDF's and 1 Giro Grand Tour Tittles hanging from his mantle- along with a win at Fleche Wallone and 2 Milan San Remo wins. The recent story at Velonews paints a bleak picture- his optimism seemed to have been drained after 2 rounds of painful chemotherapy that largely did no damage to the cancer. I can not say I blame him for losing the conviction that he can make it through this after the ordeal of chemo, but I hope he finds his fight soon.

Is it the routine?

I have often wondered if it is the routine of riding that keeps me balanced and not necessarily the acual act.

Remembering Marco.

Marco Pantani (January 13, 1970–February 14, 2004)

He rode bravely alone off the front, daring to attack like few could. He died alone in a small Italian hospital in a drama that many felt could have been stopped.

His racing career will be best know for his wins in the Tour de France and Giro in 1998.

A fierce, but fragile competitor, who fought outside his weight and won more than he lost.

Lust.

Not many tools are lust worthy- some may aspire to lust worthy status, but more often than not they are more nostalgia than substance. The Campagnolo "peanut butter" tool is an example of more nostalgia than substance. This chain tool on the other hand...Va-va-voom!

Picture courtesy of Competitive Cyclist.

Four Bikes, One Direction.

A few more pictures from 2009:

Freezing.

Do you ever question your sanity on beautiful bright sunny days? Or is it just on the cold brutal hard winter days?

Parlee.

800 grams. Classic looks. A boy can dream.

Justice.

Justice- was it harsh enough or too harsh?

The Other King.

There are two Kings so to speak within the bike industry- Here is a little insight into the world of the maker of the finest bottle cages.
Thanks DirtRag for the picture.

Flying.

Taken by a man across the pond. I love the style and feeling they emote.

Notes.

• Line of the year (so far)- "Hell, cycling fans are so bored that Garmin looks exciting for incorporating plaid."
• No major XC race slated for the East Coast- Where did all the East Coast XC guys go? The East Coast used to be the breeding ground of top US racers.
• Here is a story as to why mountain bikers rock more than roadies.
• The classics- Paris Roubaix and Flanders- are not far off. Reminder as to why they are harder than we.

• In the mind of a bike builder. Interesting to note how many times he mentions his downhill bikes in so much I would guess that they only make a small portion of his overall sales.
• Bike Snob kills Pez Cycling for its incredibly stupid bike reviews- rightly so, as how many people can afford a 10k plus bike?
• Not sure why Lynskey would bother "producing" (re-branded stuff bothers me...add some value other than paint) this fork....

• A look into the fear of riding on the road and the consequences of breaking the trust/rules of the road.
• Not necessarily a note but rather some to comtemplate- I am guessing 2011 S-Works 29er with single speed option.

Stay positive at all costs.

Never has a comic ever rung more true for me....

This snap of cold weather is wearing on me.

Push The Tempo.

Push the tempo- What pushes you? (Note:The link is worth the watch)

Bike Lust.

Image stolen from Competitive Cyclist- I really wish I had stolen it though.

My Favorite Bike Video of the Year.

Setting-It is an underground race set in Marin county- It is just a good old fashioned bike race on mountain bikes. No singletrack, but great video of open fast riding.

2009 Old Caz Grasshopper Pt. 2 from g kabush on Vimeo.

Inspiration.

Inspiration snatched from Pezcycling.

Watson.

Watson: A few pictures by Graham Watson from the Velonews retrospective on the Vuelta.

Full Gas.