Something I learned today

I'm not talking about the first track on "Zen Arcade." I'm talking about the fact that most first pregnancies go close to 42 weeks, which is something that Kelly and I are experiencing at the moment. In fact, up to 42 weeks is actually still considered "normal." With first time Dad jitters and everything I was freaking out last week, but I'm a lot better this week. If it goes over 42 weeks that will be time to have some concern. Part of me just really wants to meet our little girl more that anything else in the world, and the anticipation is the most difficult part.

I rode three times this weekend (two road rides, a cx ride and a trail run). Exercising obsessively is a good thing at this point. Now I just wish my cravings for tobacco would go away (which always happens to me in times of great stress.) I can't cave into those cravings. Can I?
Reverend, can I buy some Drum?

Something I learned today

I'm not talking about the first track on "Zen Arcade." I'm talking about the fact that most first pregnancies go close to 42 weeks, which is something that Kelly and I are experiencing at the moment. In fact, up to 42 weeks is actually still considered "normal." With first time Dad jitters and everything I was freaking out last week, but I'm a lot better this week. If it goes over 42 weeks that will be time to have some concern. Part of me just really wants to meet our little girl more that anything else in the world, and the anticipation is the most difficult part.

I rode three times this weekend (two road rides, a cx ride and a trail run). Exercising obsessively is a good thing at this point. Now I just wish my cravings for tobacco would go away (which always happens to me in times of great stress.) I can't cave into those cravings. Can I?
Reverend, can I buy some Drum?

I was just thinking

That about 17 years ago to this day I bought my first Sonic Youth album as well as decided to stop racing my bike, a decision that would last for 6 years and involve much, much travelling and dissipation.

On the first matter, the album I bought was "Sister" and I still believe that it is their greatest singular effort put to vinyl.

The second matter had involved a half-hearted attempt at racing in 1988, a fateful recruitment phone conversation with Jim Schneider (who would take Kevin Livingston and others to such great heights) during which I pretty much said I was quitting cycling, plus a discovery of pot and beer, not necessarily in that order. I just wonder, if I'd ridden for the Spirits in 1988 and '89 and lived somewhere other than the most rural corner of Northeast Missouri, what might have happened?

For some reason, though, I remember "quitting" in late October, I mean just putting the gauntlet down and saying that, yes I will play drums for "Roadside Spam Kill" perhaps the worst Talking Heads cover band to ever come out of Kirksville Missouri, and no I never want to ride my bike again.

I was just thinking

That about 17 years ago to this day I bought my first Sonic Youth album as well as decided to stop racing my bike, a decision that would last for 6 years and involve much, much travelling and dissipation.

On the first matter, the album I bought was "Sister" and I still believe that it is their greatest singular effort put to vinyl.

The second matter had involved a half-hearted attempt at racing in 1988, a fateful recruitment phone conversation with Jim Schneider (who would take Kevin Livingston and others to such great heights) during which I pretty much said I was quitting cycling, plus a discovery of pot and beer, not necessarily in that order. I just wonder, if I'd ridden for the Spirits in 1988 and '89 and lived somewhere other than the most rural corner of Northeast Missouri, what might have happened?

For some reason, though, I remember "quitting" in late October, I mean just putting the gauntlet down and saying that, yes I will play drums for "Roadside Spam Kill" perhaps the worst Talking Heads cover band to ever come out of Kirksville Missouri, and no I never want to ride my bike again.

Still not a Dad yet

This waiting is killing us. 24 hours and she'll be late. I really hope that its the weekend.

Did the Josh Johnson led Grindstone cross practice and we are now seeing more and more people come out to this. Cyclocross is such a blast, its the experience of going super hard on a road bike without worrying about traffic, and doing killer jumps off berms and stuff. As you can see I caught big air yesterday:

Still not a Dad yet

This waiting is killing us. 24 hours and she'll be late. I really hope that its the weekend.

Did the Josh Johnson led Grindstone cross practice and we are now seeing more and more people come out to this. Cyclocross is such a blast, its the experience of going super hard on a road bike without worrying about traffic, and doing killer jumps off berms and stuff. As you can see I caught big air yesterday:

St. Louis Cardinals

I realize the probably thousands of people have blogged about this, but I must admit that the most amazing radio moment I've ever experienced was two days ago when Mike Shannon made the call about Pujol's 3 run homer in Houston. I find listening to baseball on the radio cathartic, taking me back to those lazy summers of 1978, or 1981, growing up in Kirksville. Television usually annoys the hell out of me anyway. I really didn't follow the Cards too much during regular season, with a bunch of other things on my mind this summer. I'm following them now.

St. Louis Cardinals

I realize the probably thousands of people have blogged about this, but I must admit that the most amazing radio moment I've ever experienced was two days ago when Mike Shannon made the call about Pujol's 3 run homer in Houston. I find listening to baseball on the radio cathartic, taking me back to those lazy summers of 1978, or 1981, growing up in Kirksville. Television usually annoys the hell out of me anyway. I really didn't follow the Cards too much during regular season, with a bunch of other things on my mind this summer. I'm following them now.

Waiting

7 more days until she is due and pretty much the only thing Kelly and I can think about is the baby.

This picture is me at Bubba cross series last year, before I got all depressed about the results of the Presidential election and the Cardinals losing the World Series and started drinking serious amounts of beer and not riding my bike. I'm tailing at the end there, suffering like a dog. Mike Magnuson, the author of Heft on Wheels and a frequent contributor to Bicycling Magazine is leading me through. When is cross not all about suffering, though?

Waiting

7 more days until she is due and pretty much the only thing Kelly and I can think about is the baby.

This picture is me at Bubba cross series last year, before I got all depressed about the results of the Presidential election and the Cardinals losing the World Series and started drinking serious amounts of beer and not riding my bike. I'm tailing at the end there, suffering like a dog. Mike Magnuson, the author of Heft on Wheels and a frequent contributor to Bicycling Magazine is leading me through. When is cross not all about suffering, though?

More Grindstone Practice

I hate being sick. I have some cold that is making me feel miserable. This, however, didn't keep me from participating in Grindstone Cross practice. Maybe I should have stayed home and rested, because . . . . . . .

I feel really gnarly today. It feels like someone took some dirty rags and stuffed them under my eyeballs and down my throat.

http://www.nigella.com/nigella/gallery.asp?area=11

Also--baby's not here yet. 8 days away from the exact due date, although we really thought she'd come early. Wife and I are so anxious to meet her.

More Grindstone Practice

I hate being sick. I have some cold that is making me feel miserable. This, however, didn't keep me from participating in Grindstone Cross practice. Maybe I should have stayed home and rested, because . . . . . . .

I feel really gnarly today. It feels like someone took some dirty rags and stuffed them under my eyeballs and down my throat.

http://www.nigella.com/nigella/gallery.asp?area=11

Also--baby's not here yet. 8 days away from the exact due date, although we really thought she'd come early. Wife and I are so anxious to meet her.

Is it myth or truth.

Someone told me once, and I'm not sure if it's true or not, that Thomas Frischknecht rode the Olympic Road Race in 1996 in Atlanta on a 'cross bike.

That's almost as cool as greenbeans showing up for a group road ride on his 'cross bike with 'cross tires and pulling the whole way. Or Daverill climbing the backside of Rist Canyon Rd. in his 39-21. Dude, I'm still recovering from that climb.

Bubba Series "freakshow"

Is it myth or truth.

Someone told me once, and I'm not sure if it's true or not, that Thomas Frischknecht rode the Olympic Road Race in 1996 in Atlanta on a 'cross bike.

That's almost as cool as greenbeans showing up for a group road ride on his 'cross bike with 'cross tires and pulling the whole way. Or Daverill climbing the backside of Rist Canyon Rd. in his 39-21. Dude, I'm still recovering from that climb.

Bubba Series "freakshow"

Grindstone practice

Tommorow I go to my first Josh Johnson (aka Butthead) led Grindstone cx practice of the year. What the heck was I thinking not doing this because of the newborn. I should be doing it FOR the newborn, cx is so riteous.

Josh freaking dominated this past weekend, which is pretty cool to see. As far as I know he remains the only Columbia resident to ever have UCI points (with probably more to come this year). The Mid America Cross Cup is becoming a major regional series and these were big wins. I think its tied into and promoted by many of the same people bringing cyclocross nationals to KC in the next couple of years. You better believe I'll be training hard for those events (and maybe I'll get my brother here for a cx race, finally.)

I just want to know, though--can I do the Grindstone practices with a Burley in November? I promise I'll still try to jump the barriers.

Grindstone practice

Tommorow I go to my first Josh Johnson (aka Butthead) led Grindstone cx practice of the year. What the heck was I thinking not doing this because of the newborn. I should be doing it FOR the newborn, cx is so riteous.

Josh freaking dominated this past weekend, which is pretty cool to see. As far as I know he remains the only Columbia resident to ever have UCI points (with probably more to come this year). The Mid America Cross Cup is becoming a major regional series and these were big wins. I think its tied into and promoted by many of the same people bringing cyclocross nationals to KC in the next couple of years. You better believe I'll be training hard for those events (and maybe I'll get my brother here for a cx race, finally.)

I just want to know, though--can I do the Grindstone practices with a Burley in November? I promise I'll still try to jump the barriers.

Where did my blog go?

Ok, I found it.



Cyclocross racing is fun.

Where did my blog go?

Ok, I found it.



Cyclocross racing is fun.

Snake Alley 2003

Coming off a 3 hr. marathon in Philadelphia a half year prior and a strict training program of cross country skiing in the winter, Michael kept the pressure on at Snake Alley until some bad luck and bad timing lost him position in the Cat. 3 race--and he was again one of the last people pulled. It is very hard to say when he or I will ever get back to that race again, but man I've got some good memories of that hill. Dating all the way back to 1986.

Snake Alley 2003

Coming off a 3 hr. marathon in Philadelphia a half year prior and a strict training program of cross country skiing in the winter, Michael kept the pressure on at Snake Alley until some bad luck and bad timing lost him position in the Cat. 3 race--and he was again one of the last people pulled. It is very hard to say when he or I will ever get back to that race again, but man I've got some good memories of that hill. Dating all the way back to 1986.

Some time in the late 1990s

It was a very hot and windy day in the foothills near Golden Colorado. I’d traveled from central Colorado with a Cat 1, former pro to the "Wheels of Thunder" criterium. The course is located on some windswept plateau above Golden. My Cat 1 friend had been to Europe in the 1980s, even raced for La Redoute for a year. The poor guy had to ride in my 1986 Ford Escort all the way down I-70 from Breckenridge to Golden, his 3000 dollar Litespeed hanging from my $50 Rhode Gear bike carrier. The brakes shook and rattled the whole way down. He probably thought he was going to die. I thought we were doing to die. He ended up bailing on me and getting a ride back with someone else. That car was a death trap in the mountains.

So, right before the Category 3 race I drank a gallon of ice cold water, ate a power bar and then my friend offered me some Ginseng Chew. I’m not sure which one of these sealed my fate. I'd just discovered the internet that summer and had spent hours that night before drinking rum and coke, chewing Kodiak, and surfing dubious sites on a roommate's computer. Not altogether to my surprise but to the horror of about 15 guys behind me I spewed the contents of my stomach all over myself and my bike about 2 laps into the race.

I learned some important lessons that day. The most important being is if you are looking at porn on a roommate's computer, delete the history.

Some time in the late 1990s

It was a very hot and windy day in the foothills near Golden Colorado. I’d traveled from central Colorado with a Cat 1, former pro to the "Wheels of Thunder" criterium. The course is located on some windswept plateau above Golden. My Cat 1 friend had been to Europe in the 1980s, even raced for La Redoute for a year. The poor guy had to ride in my 1986 Ford Escort all the way down I-70 from Breckenridge to Golden, his 3000 dollar Litespeed hanging from my $50 Rhode Gear bike carrier. The brakes shook and rattled the whole way down. He probably thought he was going to die. I thought we were doing to die. He ended up bailing on me and getting a ride back with someone else. That car was a death trap in the mountains.

So, right before the Category 3 race I drank a gallon of ice cold water, ate a power bar and then my friend offered me some Ginseng Chew. I’m not sure which one of these sealed my fate. I'd just discovered the internet that summer and had spent hours that night before drinking rum and coke, chewing Kodiak, and surfing dubious sites on a roommate's computer. Not altogether to my surprise but to the horror of about 15 guys behind me I spewed the contents of my stomach all over myself and my bike about 2 laps into the race.

I learned some important lessons that day. The most important being is if you are looking at porn on a roommate's computer, delete the history.