Cycling is easy...

...walking is friggin' hard. My hip and calf muscles are blown from walking at Interbike. Lower back is killing as well. Yes, I bet the tourists faired better than I, pain-wise. Lest it be known that Kessel & I walked approximately 10-12 miles on Tuesday, 15ish miles on Wednesday, and another 8-10 on Thursday. Colin what is the TSS score I need to enter for all that shit?
The end result was tiredeness, but not enough to get any real shut-eye on the Thursday red-eye. Got home Friday morning to 2-3 hours sleep & a ton a unpacking and bike work to get some cross bikes rideable.
I finally fell asleep at 11:00 Friday. Two, three hours of sleep in thirty-six. This is where a certain person would be impressed, I slept THIRTEEN straight hours, and woke today at noon. SWEET! Now it is time to go out and see if my 'cross season will happen, or to what extent it will happen.
Coolest thing at Interbike. The homeless guy at the Palazzo. His sign read, "Ninja's killed my father, need money for karate lessons."

At the movies

More on that later.
I had some people over Saturday to christen the new patio, fire pit, and generally have a good ole time. There is something about grilling in 90 degree heat that makes it lose its fun. So as the sun finally set along with Michigan & Notre Dame's seasons, the patio became a very pleasant place to hang.
Quick background, when I purchased my house in May, the owner had already excavated the area to put in a patio. He was transferred before he could finish it. Being that I am the type that knows damn well when I am in over my head, I hired someone to install the paver patio, walkway, firepit & landscaping. It was complete with a week to spare. Saturday was the first time to enjoy it. Enjoy it we did, grilled meats, good beers, nice fire and the coup de gras.
Dogdeball, the movie, was shown at the Hebe drive-in. I was mentioning to my friend's that I have an LCD projector from work that we use for presentations. I can run my laptop through the projector and shine the movie onto a space on my house about 15'x30'. Viola, instant big-screen/theatre size film. Another friend replies, "why don't you just use your neighbors house. There are no windows and you have the whole side of a two-story house. Then & there the Hebe drive-in was born. I set it up and after a brief 2002 Tour of Flanders interlude, we kicked back and watched Dodgeball on my neighbors house. It was awesome. Great friends, and family, food, beer, a little fire going for ambiance.
So they next projects are the infamous Wizard of Oz/Dark side of the moon pairing and maybe the 24 hr Chris Eatough documentary.
Sweet.

Lots of stuff

Hmmm. Lots of stuff since the last post.
I have seem to have found my road legs.
I am excited for cross.
My patio is finished, and it is awesome. Feel free to visit.
The divorce is finally final. Now it is time to take a good long honest look at who and where I am.
I turned 40 today. Happy birthday to me. That means my cross age is 47.
I am having a "Yes I am 40, thank you for being good friends" party Saturday. I can not wait.
My overall health is better. Hopefully the 9/7 appt. confirms that.
I overimbibed at Ray & Nancy's wedding and paid dearly for it.
I had a nice discussion with someone from my past, albeit brief and somewhat sad.
I have said too much at times.
I have bitten my tongue when I should have spoke.
I saw "the girls" last week. They are awesome.
I played with my best little friend, Gabby Miller, yesterday. She is great. I wish I had one just like her.
Vegas is coming up. I am psyched for Interbike.
It is time to Tatt up. Everything is final.
Hobbes is still fat, happy and lazy.
Bruster's is pretty damn good.
I am somewhat excited and ready to meet new people.
I am very scared and somewhat frightened by the same prospect.
I have not had the Blaze for two weeks. I miss her.
I have not had the Impala since Friday, good riddance.
Kia Rondo. Rock band, porn star or rental car? You decide.
Some people close to me have disappointed me with their actions. Not you, Ames.
Some people close to me have surprised me at how much they keep giving and giving.

CAR BACK!!!

After much driving around running bike errands yesterday I tried in vain to make a group ride in Mechanicsburg. I missed by 5 minutes. I took off guessing where they may be going, but to no avail. It was good anywho. JRA. Go hard when I felt like it, easy when I felt like it. Very nice, I like.
As I am in the middle of a hard effort, I approach the bottom of a rise. I see three riders in front of me near the top. Hmmm, yeah I will catch them on the downhill sweeper. I contact the engine room and the furnace responds. I am flying and the downhill is a sweeper left, then over some RR tracks. All of this at about 40ish. As I get closer to the riders I realize this may not be so smooth. Not being sexist here, there are some facts that are inevitable. Women do not decsend as well as men. Especially local training ride women. Now put the aformentioned ladies on TT BIKES and mission control we have a problem. Couple that with the fact that I can decend and corner with the best P 1,2 riders around. I come screaming to the left and the first lady starts to move left then shouts out to alert her two riding partners ahead of her. CAR BACK! Yes, she shouts up car back. In that moment the shit of Christiana faded away. Unfortunately the two ladies in front now decide to take the whole lane and grab handfuls of brake at the RR track. I swing left and double hop the the two sets of tracks and see a car approaching at me. Still enough time to move right and drill the little rise and finish off my hard effort.
I have been called a lot of things, some good and some bad, in my life. Until yesterday I was never called a car. I liked it.
Car back, and proceeding full speed ahead.

Personal best on the suckmeter

Yep, I did it today. A new PB on the suckmeter. Christiana RR. I could not finish off the climb to save my life. Am I tired, from Tuesday still? Am I tired from the two prior weeks of antibiotics? Was the fact that my chain would not stay put when I was out of the saddle in my mind? Probably yes to all three. However in this day and age of zero, zip, zilch, it could not have been my responsibility, lack of accountability. I will say that none of the aforementioned issues were the issue. I just plain sucked and gave up. Yep there it is. I feel like shit because I let myself down and I let my teammates down. There were at least fifteen to twenty guys behind me when I pulled the plug with 24 miles to go. I could have easily kept riding to live on to suck again tomorrow. However I could do it no longer. The suckmeter was pegged and the give-a-fuck guage was on "E".
So there you have it. As I said to my buddy Kyle, "it is amazing how a shitty day can really wreak havoc on a fragile mind and make you not want to race."

What does it take

What does it take to be a leadout rider? I have always related to guys like Lombardi, Sacchi, Steegmans, the Cipo train, the pre-Milram Pettachi train. It is impressive on a couple of fronts. What does it take to know you are so strong that no one can come around you, yet you will finish your race 600 meters from the finish? What about being a world class sprinter and your race ending 100 meters from the finish? What kind of discipline does it take to absolutely place 100% of your aspirations/talent aside for your sprinter? Secondly it is mutha f'in hard to do what those freaks do. Brett Lancaster railing for 1k at 33-35 mph. Then someone like Steegmans takes over from there and crushes the penultimate acceleration for 400 meters at probably 38-40 mph down to 150-200 to go. Then the Boonen, McEwen, Bennati, Pettachi's take over.
So that brings me to this. In the last five years I can count on both hands, maybe even one, where I have seen this happen in an amateur race. Why? Are we not willing to lay it down for a teammate? Do we not practice the drill together? Hard to say. Do you know how hard it is to explain to a non-cyclist that you pulled off at 200 meters to go, while leading, to let your teamate win? People do not get it. Whatever the reason, a lead-out is the ultimate example of teamwork, self-sacrifice, and pure joy when it all goes right.
So since I am back racing some road crits I have been working on leadouts a little bit. I have the physical end down. I think last week at Grandview I got the mental end down to. I knew where I had to get to and I did it. I put my aspirations aside because I knew my teammate is a better sprinter. I trust him and know he appreciates the effort. My race ended 300 meters from the finish and my teammate won the field sprint. Hopefully now I can repeat it, but a little faster.
What does a decent regional 1,2 leadout require? Based on some repeated training data, 500 meters at 35 mph. Those are the numbers. You can/do not look at a PowerTap while doing the effort. You just go as hard as you can then study the data later. The distance seems long enough to start a long way away and the speed is high enough that no one will want to waste energy in the wind. I will let you know how it goes when it matters.

Original work

Blah if you ask me, but I am too lazy to update presently.

Oh I want to believe
There is more to this me
Then it hits me that maybe there isn’t
All the things that I try
As a means to get by
Then it hits me that maybe its futile
Up and down round and round
Covering all new ground
Then it hits me that I’m not a martyr
Where to go, what to do
No more tea set for two
Then it hits me I’m starting all over
Oh to dare mighty things
Take a new set of wings
Then it hits me, a chance of a lifetime
Did I fail, did I learn
A new start for to yearn
Then it hits me the road is wide open
Chance to choose not to lose
Risk the win, payoff huge
Then it hits me, a change to my thinking
Break it down most anyway
Take a chance make it pay
Then it hits me, life is not complacent
Dollar earned penny saved
Live your life now be brave
Then it hits me, its time to get moving
All for me all for you
All for us what to do
Then it hits me, no one is all alone
Looking back if you will
Tough to take bitter pill
Now it hits me

New ink poll

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Mt Snow

After two weeks of no stomach issues, and a good taper, it all went to shit. Literally. I have been dealing with boo boo belly since January. The Protonix was great for two weeks then Blammo. The sure sign to trouble is how many times I can dispens egas from my netherregions after eating. Zero is healthy, that is what it was the past two weeks. Thirty friggin eight after a meal is unhealthy, pre-Protonix. Well Friday at Mt Snow was much closer to thirty-eight than zero. That was followed by enough trips to the bathroom Saturday (8) to read the Southern VT mag three times front to back before my race. I even threw in a sprint to the porta's while on the start line Todd Cassan must have been all kinds of perplexed.
To add insult to injury, my flawless performing bike threw the chain spokeside, not once but twice. Five full minutes to work it out. Seventh to butt-naked last then back to twelth. C'est la vie. I raced hard. Shorttrack was much of the same, minus the chain issues. Great start, then gapped. Twenty second solo bridge, then kablooey when the poo went down with three to go. At least I raced. Huge props to those who cheered. Zach, Ry, Wes, Meg and her friends. That was great.
My teammates totally kicked ass. Mike Yozell who is one of the best runners and bike handlers in 'cross schooled the MTB crew on a single. Natty friggin' champ. Yes, that made me happy. Mike deserved it.
Weston V the 14th was a total, I should be a pro rockstar. Second in the XC & a Natty friggin' champ in the STXC. Man was that fun watching that race unfold and give Wes info. AWESOME!
So that was Mt Snow. I dared mighty things and did not live in the twilight that knows not victory or defeat.

Two down one to go

As my loyal two dozen readers, that may be stretching it, know. I made the switch to MTB racing this year. I needed a break from the road. I enjoy the road, my team and teammates, however it was time for a change. Back in February/March, Ray Adams was kind enough to take me on the VisitPa.com Uberteam. Once he witnessed my mad skillz, how could he resist. As the saying goes, "it is just like riding a bike." The thing is, most people would not want to walk on the trails that I/we ride/race on.
Back to point. I stated two goals to Ray, if he would bring me on the team. I will win the series overall. I will win half of the races in the series. This may sound a little arrogant to some, but I had faith in my cycling fitness. I also knew my skill level will only keep increasing. I also kept one goal in my back pocket, per se. I want to be on the podium at Nationals. The stretch goal to that is the top step. Well I have achieved my first two goals, and then some. I have won all six XC events by pretty solid margins. I have also clinched the series. Now it is time for some personal redemption. I leave for Mt. Snow later today. I am fit. I can ride technical stuff as well as any 40+ rider out there. I am a fair 40+ climber. Saturday we will see how it goes. Before I roll to the race I will again read my lucky Chinese fortune cookie saying from Cross Nats (10th, out of 140ish). It is as follows: Imagine what great things you could achieve if you knew you could not fail.
I aim to make this simple. You either do or you do not. You either will or you will tonight. Trying is for the weak and insecure.
I DO plan on being on the podium. I WILL race my bike accordingly.
Well there it is, two down and one to go.

Belly redux

All is finally quiet on the belly front, literally. Those of the faint of heart non-bathroom rumor should skip the next sentence. The crescendo, literally, hit on July 4th. My arse had as many big bangs as the local fireworks. I counted, yes I counted, 38 blasts from my nether region in a space of four hours. The next day I started some medicine, Protonix, that inhibits gastric acid secretion. Since the first day on the med I have had NO stomach distention, bloating and gas issues. Hoo freakin' ray! My somewhat uninformed medical theorem on this is that my stomach is so laden with H Pylori, which was confirmed via biopsy, that it was working overtime to kill that bacteria. The downside is that H Pylori is the only bacteria that is unaffected by acid production. H Pylori bacteria thrive in that atmosphere and it literally digs deeper into the stomach lining. So as the H Pylori gets worse, the stomach produces more acid, then all that acid reacts very negatively with any foreign substance in the belly, aka food. Problem solved.
I will start a double course of antibiotics after MTB Nats to eradicate the H Pylori. Hopefully, all will be well by the beginning of August.
So for my faithful readers, I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. I can finally eat pain free, imagine that.
Hopefully this turn of events will also bring some blood counts back into line. I have some high monocyte numbers, and have had them for six years. It will be neat to see if that is related to a chronic bacterial infection. That is one of the major reasons for high monocyte levels. If they are still high in September at my physical, then I will adress that issue as well as my very low Parathyroid levels. Damn, it is hard trying to get healthy.

Testing 1,2

So yesterday was supposed to be the big day to figure what is wrong with my boo boo belly. I have had some pretty gnarly GI issues for six months now. The theories have ranged from parasite, virus, gluten allergy, stress from divorce, GERD and a few more I probably am forgetting.
Two weeks ago I got the blood test showing I was positive for H Pylori. I also had high Calcium and monocyte levels. MONOCYTES and MONOCYTE COUNT - Elevated levels are seen in tissue breakdown or chronic infections, carcinomas, leukemia (monocytic) or lymphomas. In combo H Pylori & Calcium are sometimes predictors other fun stuff.
So I had the endoscopy & biopsy yesterday, which confirmed two things. I have a small slipped Hiatal hernia. This is not so bad, and does not need surgery. Basically a small part of the stomach slips through the hiatus in the diaphragm. I also have a one cm erosion on my esophagus. This is known as Barrett's esophagus. Barrett's esophagus, untreated, greatly increases the risk of esophagial cancer. So now I am taking Protonix to cut down my stomach acid, and will need to make some lifestyle/dietary changes very soon. Hold on kids, this is where it gets bumpy. The big three are no-no's. Caffeine, chocolate and alcohol. I can hear the collective gasp from everyone, even before they read this.
The gastro also requested a Parathyroid test to see if one of the glands has a tumor. That would explain the elevated Calcium levels, as well as my inability to concentrate, constant tiredness, and some of my depression. Hopefully by next Monday I will have ALL of the information at my disposal and go from there. At this point I am really hoping for the PTH levels to show that one has a tumor (benign) and it can be removed. Then all I need to do is make some changes, albeit quite large for me. We shall see. Time to finish my coffee, no sense in rushing into the changes, and go for a nice long leisurely ride.
Happy Independence Day.

How to squeeze one ton of...

fun, into 48 hours? Attend the VisitPA.com MTB race & festival weekend. There were so many highlights to the weekend that I can not hit them all. Some for me were the following.
Camping out for the first time in fifteen years, night racing for the first time since 1996, comraderie of friends, teammates and competitors, XC course, fifth straight XC win, clinching the MASS series, hanging out with no worries or committments, Frank Brigandi on guitar, Andy & Mike on Mother Goose rhymes, marshmallow guns, that damn billfrog, great breakfast with Ry's Aunt & Uncle, STXC ( I wish I could corner an MTB like the big 'uns), Memphis Blues BBQ in the VIP, zip line, potato gun, punk 'n rip, huffy toss part deux.
What an incredible weekend.
Thanks to Mike, the Oesterlings, the Kuhn's and all my friends who made it so enjoyable.

Whew, at least I am not pregnant

Well the sonogram, yes sonogram, ruled out pregnancy as a stomach issue for me. That sure is reassuring. Step three in the medical process of determining my GI ailment is done. GP, Gastro, Ultrasound, next up is endoscopy & biopsy, followed more than likely by the beloved colonoscopy. I should get all test results after the endoscopy next Tuesday. I just need to wait on more bloodwork and the colonoscopy after that. So hopefully something is nigh.
A funny anecdote came from my endoscopy scheduling. The nurse sadi I could get it done yesterday or today, when I was scheduling two weeks ago. I stammered and replied, "I have a big race that weekend and really do not want to interfere, I know that is stupid." She retorts back in a absolutely beautiful sly sarcastic tone. "No problem, you have put this off for six months already, another week will not hurt." It was priceless.
So I am not feeling well, GI wise, yet again. As John from Cincinati says, "I had a man-size dump today." Sorry for the candor of info, but this was part and parcel of my GI hell. Hopefully all resolves quickly as the coolest MTB race on the planet is this weekend. More to follow. I think I will do another pictorial update of the Farm stage race.

The day in pics

I have been putting in the hours at the shop of late. It is a good thing, that way I can stay occupied. Below is the cast of charecters, minus our boy Reds Snoresney.


The Man, Big Al.

Best buddy & little buddy.

So this is what a pro looks like? Clown on the right.

Now that is pro.

Old school wrench, Jeff.

Guess the shaved/bald guy. I am a "mechanic", not a magician.

Good times. Crazy customers. A guy is pissed that a used wheelset has some minor cracks and has to get it fixed. I end up selling him a new $300 set and he thanks me profusely for making his day. Keep in mind, that as all bike gamers know, $300 retail is pretty freaking cheap. I have two sets that are double that cost, at 20% under wholesale. Lady brings in a bike with the tire mangled and the tube wrapped around the fork. I am snapping pics as Al tells her it will cost $70 to fix all her bike issues. She replies that she paid $70 for the bike at Wal-Mart. Yes, please fix it. WTF!?!?! A guy is in with his son. Son wants to start racing, dad thinks he will be great. I end up showing them all high end carbon. Time, Trek, Lemond, Giant. I bet the kid gets a TCR 1 as his first bike later this week. This will be a $3,000 sale, for a first bike. Holey moly. DAAA was in the shop. He still managed to give Ray shit for not riding a RIGID single blingle at Stoopid 50. Daaa, gears are for queers. Just wait until he sees the new 31'er from Fisher.

For all those who play along in Legendland and patronize/hang out at shops, do yourself a favor and rent High Fidelity. This movie just substitutes a record shop for a bike shop. I made this connection about five years ago with the shop. It totally fits. NYCbikesnob also wrote about this recently.

Off to a work meeting Monday-Wednesday. I am sure I will have some stellar material.

State of disrepair

Man was I wrecked after Neshaminy. No offense to anyone in the 40+ class, but I shut it down with 2 laps to go. Not two 1 mile crit laps, mind you. Two 6 mile 37-40 minute mtb laps. I could tell my body was a hurtin' unit. That race was a new level of suffering, mental & physical for me. Had it not been for Ray's parents who were handing up bottles or Ray/VisitPA.com who paid my entry I may have thought of bagging it.
The course was so sweet, but the 95 temp and three thousand logs turned my lower back into a knotted mess. After years of 75-90 minute crits, a 2:30 mtb race with an avg HR of 173 is a whole new level. So today, Wednesday, I am still tired. I may need to race the road this weekend so I get some efforts, without the beating.
On the GI note my gastro appt went as I expected it. Questions, poking, prodding and schedule an appt for an endoscopy/biopsy. So my Independence day starts a day early with the appt on the 3rd. At least then I will know what, if anything, is amiss in the upper GI. If I "fail" that test then I get the good fortune of the "output" end scope.
On the ink note, I think I am going to make an appt this weekend to run a design idea by an artist. The one I really want may be a little too big to cover/mesh with the present design. I saw another cool Phoenix (mythical bird, as if you did not know) design that would be cool. If you wonder why the Phoenix, do some quick reading as to what the bird is and I think you will agree that it fits pretty well.
Past was good, future is better.

Guess the "healthy" one

I have kept the blog basically "image free" until now. Hopefully I will not digress into some crack whorish fix for pics. Today's image is basically a metaphor for the blog, and me for that matter.

It is guess the "healthy" ankle quiz. Which, like myself, even when "healthy" I am still a little misshapen if you will.

I broke a bone on the side of my ankle & severely sprained it warming up for a race. I then proceeded to the ambulance for some tape and a small Mexican Pharmacia worth of Ibuprofen and proceeded to race. Yeah baby, I still won. Small race, but a win nonetheless. Legendary, is it not? Oh SNAP, I am a doper! Oh no, I suck. Just read the wristband.

I hope the MASS Blue Coats are not piss testing tomorrow.

School was in session tonight

I got to ride with Banana Smallhamfudgepeckerpacker tonight. Man was that fun. We rode at the Oesterling farm. I sat behind Kyle for two hours and learned what it is like to ride fast lines. We were ripping some of the coolest flowing singletrack around. At damn near forty years old and many moons in the amateurish bikegaming biz, I was learning like a 12 year old tonight. When to brake, where to slide, when to flow, when to hammer. Damn good fun. It felt good to be riding right behind someone that good ( do not let it go to your head Kyle, remember job description #5). The hillclimb was only slightly "fun". 900 feet vertical in a little less than 1.5 miles. The decent was nice. 45.4 mph, 41 mph sprint on the flat and that little guy still came around after I thought I dropped him.
A ride or two like that each week and my MTB form will rip around pretty quicklike. Yes, I feel like I am far from form.
On another note, today was yet another bad GI day. Cramping and Ethiopianesque bloating throughout the day. We finished riding and I graced Kyle with a side profile of my 4 months pregnant belly. I gave it the Thimmy Kamala the Ugandan Giant pat down.
I can wait until the gastro says, " I really want to 'scope you." Yes please.
Good times. Oh the road keeps getting harder to go back.

Oh, this is rich

Piepoli's team-mate David Millar has had his share of doping drama. The 30 year-old spent time under suspension after admitting EPO use, and has since become an antidoping advocate. He gave his team-mates the benefit of the doubt, according to AFP. "They are not-negative. Leo has a certificate for asthma. Iban has a testosterone history. It is necessary to give them the benefit of the doubt," Millar declared. "One cannot never be sure with hundred percent certainty, it is always necessary to have doubts. In my personal opinion, they deserve my trust. If I am misled, it would be a pity. That would break our friendship."
You have got to be F'ing kidding me!?!? Millar, yes the same Millar, who so sadly admitted to EPO. Crybaby pussy! That fuck only admitted to EPO once he was caught with the needles in his possession. How many Cofidis riders did little Davey sell out? He even blamed his TWO times usage to the pressures to get results from management. Hmmm, you are hired to do a job. Your employer expects that you do that job. Welcome to life Davey. You damn well know that Davey was going to be hush hush and ride the EPO gravy train right to the World Champion bank. Now that cheesedick has the audacity to say it would be a pity if HE were mislead. WTF Davey!
I hope that scrawny little Piepoli takes Millar behind the woodshed and beats him senseless with the riding crop form Millar's moral high horse.
My advice to riders.
You are paid as cyclists, not speech writers. Keep your day job, and as the great motivational speaker Matt Foley once said, " keep yer damn yap shut!"

Pleased to meet you...

won't you guess my name.
After five long, stinky, painful, gastrointestinal distress filled months I finally went to get a second opinion. Dr's Weaver & Miller had made the diagnosis of Celiac, and it seemed pretty close. Being that I do not want to give up bread, pasta or beer I opted to go with a little more in depth medical expertise.
I got the call from the doctor's office that I needed to call back to speak with the doctor. OK, no problem, something is amiss. At least now I can pin it down. Well I call and am told I am positive for Helicobactor Pylori bacteria. Well at least I have a name for the proverbial face. The shit of it is (no pun intended), that is akin to walking on a Ford dealership lot and the dealer pointing to the lot and saying there is your new Ford. WTF!?!? Which one? What does it do?
I do not even know if it is a live and thriving bacteria, or if it has been in my belly for years. Supposedly H Pylori causes/predicts ulcers. I have no symptoms to suggest that. To make things worse the past two days have been bad GI days for me. Pain, bloating and repeating like a howitzer. I can not believe I am looking forward to having fiber optic tubes inserted and threaded through the old upper and lower openings in the near future.
There are a few other values that are mucked a little high, that may or may not be additive and point to other things. That is for the specialists to figure out. It has been five full months already, another month surely can not make matters worse.
I will say this. I am sick and friggin' tired of being sick and tired.
On another truly depressing note.
It takes, on average, ten years for someone to get correctly diagnosed with Bipolar disorder from disease onset. One in five people with Bipolar disorder will commit suicide. These are the fun things I learn and get to speak about every day.