Anthony D. Morrow
ADM
http://www.imadm.com/

Cerritos, CA 90703
USA
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Phone: 562.467.0093
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Blog » Archive » May 2005
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A Week In Review
Tuesday, 31 May 2005

I'm now calling the wheels STOLEN!

Oops, I guess it's been a week but no one bothered to complain. At least I know you're not hanging on my every word. Here's a recap of the week.

WED - For the first time ever, I did the Bud's ride. It's a training ride in the San Dimas area, near the airport and through Bonelli Park. It was fast and fun. The climbing is challenging but short. It's the same course as for the San Dimas Stage Race, except without the bonus climb through the houses across from Raging Waters. On the last lap (3 of 3), I went off the front of the pack heading out of the park and was aided by a light the pack had to stop for before the downhill. I stayed away until just before the finish, probably just 200 meters from the line. So close, yet so far.

In the evening, I was disappointed to find out Carrie was the winner of American Idol and not Bo.

THU - The usual Hughes Park stuff. Bahati wasn't out tonight. I kept attacking to get a break but those guys just kept coming. I finally smartened up and decided to let others go up the road, with my gapping, and then I'd bridge up. One of the Major Motion juniors, Alex, attacked and was up the road with others. I bridged, and so did teammate Todd, and we ended up with a nice break of 4. We stayed off and set up to for the finish with 2 to go. No one attacked early, instead, we were all trying to get good position and not lead out. On the back side, half a lap to go, we slowed a lot. I jumped and no one could react, and rolled in well ahead for the win. Like I've said before, Thursday night Pro.

FRI - No ride, all party. A couple more people have left Jule's old job and we had the usual gang plus some over for fun and drinks in the evening. Nothing exciting about partying to report but I have learned using my wireless notebook PC is the best way to play music. I run iTunes and stream music from the computers upstairs via our wireless G network. I have our entire CD collection plus some ripped onto hard drives so I can draw from the library and create playlist to organize and play the music.

SAT - I officially signed with a new cycling team: SoCalCycling.com. The short and simple reason for changing teams is so that I'll get more support. SCC will cover more of my race entries, be able to float me some gear, and most of all, will consistently have strong riders in the Pro/1/2 races. I've learned it usually takes a strong team to do well in most races.

Anyhow, I slept in but not too long because today is the team's photo shoot. We gathered in San Dimas and drove out to a location to do action shots on the road and a team photo. I was able to get all my gear including clothing, helmet, glasses, bike, and a new wheelset I ordered. It was like Christmas in May!

SUN - First race with the new team: Barry Wolfe/Warner Center Grand Prix. I always have high expectations for myself but felt a bit of added pressure to perform for the new squad. We had all 8 guys in the Pro/1/2 race so things were looking good. Unfortunately, somehow a group of 12 got off the front and we didn't have a soul in the break. We chased but it never came back. I got 6th in the sprint, 18th overall. It was the highest placing of our team but no in the money and not exactly how I was looking to start out.

MON - Memorial Day. My thanks and blessings to every veteran who has served for our freedom. Another late-day race so I got to sleep in. The Wings Memorial Day Long Beach Criterium is the same course as Hughes Park on Thursdays. I seem to do well on this course because it's open and because I know it well. The team was on top of everything in the race early and I felt like we were in great control. After a hard effort at the front, I needed a rest and started to drift back. At the same time, I noticed an attack and break forming and was calling back to my teammates for someone to move up and cover. No one did, and a break of 8-10 got off. Again, we had no one in it. This time, though, we found redemption. Several times the break was just a bit away but we didn't catch it and no one bridged. Our team continued to drive the pace of the pack, chasing after the break with all our legs. With 5 to go, we went even harder and, with some surprise, caught the break with 2 to go. I was tired like crazy from the effort but knew I had to get recomposed and ready for the sprint. I got into weasel mode and found my way to the top 5 heading into the last 3 corners. I came around turn 4 in 8th and managed to eek out a 5th place finish.

We watched "Ray" on DVD in the evening. Jamie Foxx gave a great performance but I didn't think the movie was all that great. Interesting, yes, but as far as movies go overall, I wasn't out of my seat cheering.

TUE - I'm tapering for State Road Race Championships this weekend so I skipped a climbing ride and went straight to El Do. El Do is much easier when the goal is to simply sit in and enjoy the ride. A break of 8 (that went down to 7, including a teammate) got up the road. I finished 2nd in the pack sprint for a 9th on the day.

Wheels Gone: Day 4. Jack Schuessler, CEO of Wendy's Int'l.
Wednesday, 25 May 2005

Give me my wheels!

Monday's L.A. Times had an inspiring article about the CEO of Wendy's and how he and the company handled the "finger found in chili" incident. Of course, the claim ended up being false; the finger was planted by the accuser, who is now in jail and facing charges. Still, Wendy's took a heck of a PR and sales hit because of the incident. My favorite part of the article is when CEO Jack Schuessler is quoted as saying, "Today's society is an easy-way-out society. To stick up for the truth and your core values sometimes is a hard thing to do, but you have to do it." Here here!

Wheels Gone: Day 3. Spinal Tap. Idol Finale: Part 1. Loathing "Rowland Water District".
Tuesday, 24 May 2005

Again, no one called today to say they have my wheels.

I started watching "This Is Spinal Tap" on DVD last night and finished it up this morning. Why? Believe it or not, I had never fully watched the movie before. Sure, I've seen it, but it was always in bits and pieces and never with full attention. So last night, and then finishing today, I set out to fully appreciate the movie and did.

In other news, I have come to believe that the likelihood of receiving a phone call here at home or on my cell phone is directly correlated to how tired I am and how close I am to taking a nap. It never seems to fail that the phones start ringing as soon as I'm ready to catch a few minutes of sleep. The solution is to turn the ringers off but I tend to forget to turn them back on, and then I wonder why no one calls later in the day and finally figure it out.

I didn't watch Idol much tonight but I have called in a few times for Bo. Carries sweet, but again, Bo's the man. I do have a ticket to see the live taping of the finale show tomorrow but it comes with some caveats I'm not too glad about. The biggest one is it's not a guarantee to get in. The first come, first seated line forms at 1PM for the 3PM show. I'm not big on going all the way out to Hollywood and then fighting to get in line for a chance to get in. It sounded cool when I first signed up, but now I think I'll just pass. I've got to ride tomorrow afternoon anyway. I'd offer to give the ticket to someone else but it's not transferable. Sorry.

What else? I might be going to National road race and criterium championships in Park City, Utah, in a few weeks (06/27-07/02/05). I'm going to wait to decide until after State Championships (06/04) figuring if I do well there, I'll have a chance in Park City, and if I don't, I probably shouldn't bother going. Aside from whether it will be worth my effort, there's also the travel, hotel, and car expenses I'm going to have to incur to make the trip. If anyone reading this lives in or knows somebody who lives in Park City (or Salt Lake City, just 30 minutes away), and wouldn't mind having me as a sleep-over guest a few nights, please let me know. I don't require much attention or space. I'm really just looking for a place to sleep and clean up and am not looking forward to paying for a hotel room that won't get much use.

I'll close with this story. Today, Brad and I went climbing, as is our routine for Tuesdays. It's been hot here in SoCal lately and we both were going through water bottles pretty quickly. Before starting a serious series of climbs, we decided to stop off to get some water. I recalled up the road and around the corner was a city or county water facility and figured it would make sense they'd have water we could fill out bottles with. The place is the "Rowland Water District" office. Brad and I rolled up and decided to check inside to see if they had a fountain we could use. Sure enough, right in the lobby just past the entrance, was a fountain. As we walked in, we said hello to two ladies past the counter. No response. Weird, but we figured they were talking and didn't want to be interrupted. After filling up, we both said "thank you" and "goodbye" and again got no response. WHAT THE HECK!? It's dismaying how discourteous and unfriendly people are these days. I know we may have looked freaky in our spandex and icky with sweat, but it doesn't mean we don't deserve to receive simple human acknowledgements. It's been a while since I've given one out, but today, I give a big "I loathe thee" to the employees of Rowland Water District.

Wheels In, Wheels Out Of Luck. PC Shopping. Giving Back to the Internet.
Monday, 23 May 2005

No one called today to say they have my wheels. Punk(s). I am disappointed but amazingly calm about it. I'm completely helpless about recovering them so why get worked up? I plan to file a police report tomorrow. I waited on doing it today hoping someone would call.

It makes me sad about people that someone would steal my wheels. But in perspective, people rob people, people swindle people, people shoot, stab, and rape people. I guess I should be lucky I was only robbed. Still, it makes me sad for the majority of us decent people in life. That's why we have car locks, alarms, and deadbolts. It shouldn't have to be that way. People should know what's theirs is theirs and what isn't, isn't.

In other news, I'm helping my mom and dad buy a PC. It's not easy. The really cheap ones are really cheap. Then again, it's all relative, because the really cheap ones are still pretty good compared to PCs of just a year or so ago. The hardest part is my mom wants a 17" LCD and most of the PCs that fit what they're going to need are bundled with 17" CRTs or 15" LCD. To get a 17" LCD means getting a package with a computer above their needs and price range, and getting a computer in their needs and price range means not getting a 17" LCD or paying a lot extra to get it, in which case they might as well get the upgraded PC too. I'd like to get them a Mac Mini but properly configured, with LCD, it's more expensive than a PC and even though I think it's money well spent, my mom is shooting for a price range that won't allow. eMachines continues to be the front-runner with the T6212. It's $579 (after rebates) this week at Best Buy and meets todays needs and tomorrow's possibilities. The only drawback is it's bundled with the 15" LCD. We'll figure it out.

As I was shopping with my dad I thought about how weird it is that I'm now teaching my dad stuff. It made me wonder if at some point I will stop learning, or stop learning at a rate where my kids (or, for the moment, my niece and nephew) will be teaching me stuff? I credit the internet for so much of my knowledge these days. Sure, it takes a mind to want to learn, but the internet makes it so easy to learn and learn the way I want. And when I say "I", it's really not just me, but the way any one of us want to learn. The information is out there: consume it at your leisure.

With that, I want to contribute some info to the internet. I want to make sure some information remains free and useful to whoever searches for it. Here goes...

1) Yes, regular household/school rubber cement can be used with bicycle tube patches. Most bicycle tube patch kits come with rubber patches and a tube of glue. The glue never seems to be enough for all the patches because it's not enough and/or it dries out before you use it all. What to do? For a while, I would just buy more glue but then it seemed like they stopped selling just the glue. So then I started buying more patch kits, using up the new tubes and stockpiling extra patches. Finally, I decided I'd try rubber cement. I had Elmer's at the time, but any office supply store rubber cement will do (I'm currently using Ross. Love the smell). Rubber cement is the same stuff as in the patch kit tubes. Use it the same way. It works.

2) Sports athletic tape makes a great tire boot. When tires get a cut, don't throw them out, boot them. When you're out on a ride, you may use a dollar bill as a temporary boot. When you get home, take the tire off and use 1" or 1.5" athletic tape to keep the tire useful. Athletic tape is woven cotten with adhesive, is typically white and has great strength. When applied to the inside of a tire to cover a cut (using one or more overlapping layers), the athletic tape not only prevents a tube from poking out and bursting, but it also help to maintain the integrity of the tire in the area, preventing further splitting of a cut. Not every cut can be fixed with this solution since some are really large or in problematic positions of the tire. Still, my experience is an 80% success rate. And when applying the tape, sometimes the tape's adhesive isn't enough to keep it in place long-term. Be sure to clean the area where it's being applied, with alcohol if possible, beforehand. And afterward, give the tape and surrounding area a quick, light coat of rubber cement. This will add to the strength of the seal and application and also helps to smooth the tape area to prevent chaffing of the tube.

I think that's it for today. Do the world a favor tomorrow and treat someone you don't know with extra courtesy and respect. Smile at a stranger. Do something to make the world just a little bit better.

-ADM

Missing Wheelset: That's What's On My Mind.
Sunday, 22 May 2005

MISSING: Ritchey OCR/Zero System Road Wheelset

Have you seen my wheels? I had them in the pit at today's CBR Clif Bar/Clif Shot Criterium. They were not there when I went for them after the Pro/1/2 race. Maybe you picked them up by accident or know who did?

DESCRIPTION:

• Front & rear Ritchey OCR/Zero System Road rims, hubs, and skeweres, blue/silver anodized
• Bladed spokes
• Shimano 9 spd. cassette (12/21)
• Michelin Axial Super Comp 700x23 tires, green/black
• They look like the image to the right -->

If you have them or know where they went, please give me a call or send an e-mail. I'd like to have them back ASAP.

-Anthony D. Morrow
562.467.0093

P.S. Please forward this e-mail to any other cyclists you know. I need as much help as I can get.

Wednesday Blues. Thursday Night Pro. D&B Excursion. Reggie Miller.
Thursday, 19 May 2005

I've been busy with a few web and design projects lately so as I've been taking care of those on my <Mac (B&W G3, 350MHz that's still running by duct tape and a prayer), I've been watching, or at least listening to, DVDs that play on my PC. I think I've heard Rocky III and IV play at least 4 times each over the past two days. Rocky is awesome.

I didn't blog Wednesday 'cause I wasn't feeling too good. I was busy, yes, but I didn't even ride. I had climbing scheduled with a teammate but I ended up skipping it because I just wasn't feeling right. I thought maybe I was getting sick but I think it was really just my body telling me to back off. I did.

We stayed in and watched the American Idol results show. Vonzy is gone, yipee! Now it's Bo and Carrie and I like Carrie but I think Bo's really the Idol. For the first time the entire season, I picked up the phone and voted to be sure Bo got through. I still wish there was a way to vote against a contestant.

Tonight I resumed my training with my usual run at Hughes Park. A teammate was in an early break so I went straight to the front and started blocking. It worked 'cause the break of about 9 guys got about a quarter-lap lead but then they wouldn't get any more. When it became clear they weren't going to get far enough, I rushed ahead with an attack by Rahsaan Bahati to bridge the gap. We got there with another rider or two in tow and proceeded to organize the break and make it stick. It did. The break eventually reduced to just 8, and then 6 with 4 laps to go. Two junior riders attacked at 2 and 1.5 laps to go and got a good gap. After the rest of us spent some time jockeying around, Bahati made the decision and effort to charge to bring 'em back on the last lap. I sat in third slot and waited for turn 4 to put the gas on. Just up the road were the juniors, who were mucho tired. At the corner, Bahati pulled off and I started my sprint. I came around the #2 man and one junior quickly, and then set my sights on the other junior up the road, Alex. It was going to be close. He was tired and I was charging but he had a lot of room and the line was coming quickly. I gave it all I had and managed to pass him just before the finish. I win! If Thursday night training ride results counted, I'd be Pro/Cat. 1 for sure. "Dear Jan, Here is my upgrade request. Please note my kick-ass results from Hughes Park."

We capped off tonight with a trip to Dave & Busters (D&B). We don't usually go out late on weeknights, but seeing as how tomorrow is Jule's last day at her current job, and I have no job to report to, we decided we'd go out to meet some friends. Four observations/statements, then I'm off to bed: 1) Pyramid Heffeweisen is far superior to Wyndmier Heffeweisen. 2) I forgot how fun it can be to be out late on a weeknight. 3) I saw the Sonics lose to the Spurs and was disappointed. I am tired of the Spurs, though I also dislike the Sonics so it's merely a lesser of two evils. 4) As easy as it is to dislike him, Reggie Miller is an awesome basketball player and it's sad to see him retire. Imagine how much better his career could have been in a big market town like L.A. or New York. Thanks for the thrills, Reggie.

-ADM Out!

ADM: International Man Of Mystery. Class Action Crud.
Tuesday, 17 May 2005

I use StatCounter to track the hits and visitor details of this site and others I manage. Much to my surprise, people from all over the place are finding my website and blog. Here's a partial list of countries where people are browsing from: Australia, United Kingdom, Uruguay, Italy, Spain, Colombia, New Zealand, Israel, Canada, Argentina, Hong Kong, Poland, Switzerland, and of course, U.S.A. Sweet!

In the mail the other day I got a "Notice Of Pendency And Settlement Of Class Action" regarding AT&T Wireless and their handling of Monthly Service Fee charges when people cancelled their service. I had an issue with them where I cancelled my service and they didn't pro-rate my bill for the current month. They claimed they issued a notice a few months prior saying service was billed monthly in monthly increments only and cancellation within a period didn't qualify for any pro-rated reimbursement. I found, after some investigating, this change of terms was burried in a monthly bill's text and not sent as a stand-alone notice (in my estimation, so as not to raise awareness and trap customers). I was pissed and complained to them and the FCC. It seems once AT&T Wireless got my FCC complaint they saw things my way and gave me my $20 or so refund. I was satisfied the outcome went my way but couldn't believe I had to go that far to make it happen.

It seems I wasn't alone because a class action lawsuit was filed and I read a settlement has been reached. Here's the sad part: if you have a claim under this settlement, you stand to collect as much as a 100 minute long-distance phone/calling card from AT&T. This has got to be a joke! Read further, and you'll see the lawyers stand to get up to $2.1 million for their work and all the claimants get is phone cards!? Whatever. My suggestion is if you feel like you have a claim, go to AT&T (now Cingular) directly 'cause the phone card isn't worth the plastic it's printed on. The notice says cards "may not be resold" and will "be valid for one year" only. Phooey!

This brings me to a suggestion I heard/read somewhere about how class action lawsuits should be handled in the future. They would tie lawyers ability to recoup fees to the quality and number of claimants who seek and use redemptions in settlements. For example, if a settlement says every claimant gets a $5 off coupon and no claimant receives or uses a coupon, the lawyers get nothing. 50% redemption = 50% of fees. Why is this good? Well, it increases the lawyers incentive to reach QUALITY settlements for people who have been wronged and it increases their incentive to see these people for whom they claim wrongdoing receive a benefit from the settlement . Is it perfectly fair? No. Is it better? I think so.

Back To Blogging. Good And Bad Cycling Results. Other News
Monday, 16 May 2005

Yep, behind again. I am probably gonna have to stop acknowledging it since it will likely become a regularity. I like blogging but at the moment there's no return ($) on the investment (time). That is, of course, unless you click an ad link (*hint*, *hint*).

Thursday - Rode the R6 to San Clemente to check out the race course for Saturday's San Clemente Challenge Circuit Race. The course looked great; not exactly all climbing and definitely not the usual business park crit. I figured I'd do well. I made it out and back in less than 2 hours, thanks to my generous application of throttle and traffic dodging. It requires and intense amount of concentration to safely navigate the roadways at high speeds. I often find myself mentally and physically exhausted from my motorcycle rides. I'm still surprised at how much energy it takes even though I'm not pedaling this bike.

I hit Hughes Park (the training ride) Thursday night. I wasn't looking to work hard but ended up bridging to a break aided in escape by a crash in turn 2. I got across and then worked with the 7 other riders, including teammate John Allen and Rahsaan Bahati. The break whittled down to 4 but we were well off the front for the finish. Everybody pretty much did even work but the fourth guy, Calvin, did look to be struggling more than the rest of us. With 1 lap to go, I was at the front into turn 1. I didn't want to be there, and had I been in the break alone, I would have quickly sat up to let someone else take on the wind. But I knew John was sitting third (behind Bahati) so I kept a fast pace at the front into turn 2. Bahati let me get a gap so I really started hammering knowing one of two things would happen: 1) I would stay away and win, or 2) Bahati would have to chase, wearing himself out, and giving John a chance for the win. The latter happened. I looked back as I headed into turn 3 and saw Bahati charging with John and Calvin in tow. I kept going hard but started to fade and was caught seconds before turn 4. Bahati sat up as he caught me and John and Calvin headed down the stretch for the sprint. John got up and kept the lead all the way to the line. Calvin couldn't come around. I passed Rahsaan for 3rd. Yeah! Team win! Good execution, even if I do say so myself

Friday - A lot of Neverwonder and Exploiting Eve website and CD art work. What a long day! Did you know you can order pizza online? We've been doing it for some time now with Pizza Hut. Vincent and Dre thought it was hilarious that I order pizza online. They figure one day I'll never leave the house again and simply live "virtually". It could happen.

Had a good time at Stubrik's in Fullerton later in the evening. Caught a cool jazz band and had some drinks, and later enjoyed their bananas foster. My racing diet said no, but my taste buds said yes and won. We traveled down the street a little while later to Tuscany Club. This place was amusing because it seemed like this is where all the middle-aged singles had landed for the night. A cover band was playing in the low, low light. To the table to our left was the 4th string cast of "Desperate Housewives". It's terrible to judge, I know, but if you'd have been there you'd have seen it the same way, I'm sure.

Saturday - Time to go to work. I drove out to San Clemente for the race. It was the hottest day this year and I wasn't looking forward to racing in it. Still, I got my gear ready to go and lined up for the 30+ race at 12:15 PM. This was the biggest, fastest race of the day thanks to the very generous prize purse of $2,500 to 15 places. The race went an hour and didn't dissappoint. I'll spare the details and simply say I rode strong and finished okay; 9th. It paid $120. I was a bit disappointed because the prizelist was "flat", meaning it paid well from top to bottom but the difference between top and bottom wasn't great. A lot of times, prize lists are really top heavy, meaning the higher spots pay far better than the lower. I like the "flat" ones when I'm at the end of the money but would have benefited from a top-heavy prize list here.

Work wasn't over with the first race. No sir. I went to the car and reloaded with food and drink for the 2nd race of the day, the Pro/1/2. This race was 75 minutes for $2K for 15 places. A $1K bonus was being offered to any 40+ rider who could win. I felt it was easier/slower than the 30+ but because I was already tired from one race, it took a lot to make it. I rode the front and even bridged a significant gap to a break that didn't stay about mid-race. Eventually, a break of about 8 did get off and I missed it. At the finish, I failed to get poor position heading into the final two corners and all lanes were closed in the sprint. I was off the chart (top 20 list) but figure I was between 21 and 25. No cash here. Go home. And no, the winner wasn't 40+.

I was exhausted from the two races. My reward meal was at The Original Fish Company in Los Alamitos. The steamed, spicy clams were delicious and so was the clam chowder (New England sytle) and the main course, halibut and salmon on skewers. I nearly fell asleep in my chair after I'd stuffed my face.

In preparation for watching "Be Cool", we rented "Get Shorty" and watched the DVD. I think I liked it more this time than the first time I saw it.

Sunday - I so wanted to stay in bed but somehow found strength to get up and do my training ride. I rolled out to join Velo Allegro headed south. Brad and I joined up with a friend of his along the way and we went down to Laguna, stopped for a few minutes at the boardwalk, and then headed back north to catch coffee and a bagel and scenery in Corona Del Mar. Our favorite place to stop: Juice Cafe.

Killed off almost two hours with an afternoon nap once I got home. I was toasted. Capped off the evening by heading to the House of Blues at Downtown Disney to catch a concert: Tesla. Yep, Tesla. They're still playing and Jule still loves to go see them.

That's it for now.

The Wind Is Our Friend. Idol Opinion. Mileage Report
Wednesday, 11 May 2005

I neglected to report yesterday that in between climbing and El Do, Brad and I came back to my house, and before we rolled out again, I noticed I had a flat front tire. Disappointing, but not a big deal, because I simply grabbed another wheel from the garage. I noticed it was a thorn that had puntured the tire and tube and the Slime liners. Great protection, but not perfect. Wisely, Brad examined his tires, too, and found a thorn also. He pulled it out and immediately heard the hiss of air escaping. I grabbed another front wheel from the rafters and with a few flips of the quick releases, we were off and riding again.

Why mention this now? 1) Because it was both unfortunate (to get two flats) and fortunate (to be in the garage with spare wheels at the ready), and 2) because both flats were caused by thorns that were most likely from the bristley brush along the river trail, and those thorns were blown off the bushes and to the ground by the strong wind of yesterday. All this leads me into today's first topic, "The Wind Is Our Friend."

I've heard it before but saw a sign for it on the way out to Devil's Punchbowl a few weeks ago. "The Wind Is Our Friend." In cycling, we use this to summarize how riding into the wind makes us stronger, and riding with the wind at our backs makes the ride easier. Some guy named Leo, with even more time than me, says it well here.

Today, the wind for me was like a friend who only calls when he/she needs something. I rode out to Manhattan Beach with the thought of a bagel, coffee, and scenery as my reward for riding out. The wind blew hard and heavy and demoralized me completely. I suffered for nearly two hours to get there, all the while realizing the wind is the friend I love to hate and that I was very fatigued from a hard day yesterday.

Once I finally hit the promised land, I stumbled off my bike and into Noah's Bagels for my reward. I followed Noah's with a drop into Peet's for coffee, and then plopped onto a chair outside to enjoy. The bagel, cream cheese, and coffee, rank very high on my all-time tasty list. No doubt the moment more than the meal.

I wasn't looking forward to the ride back but had to get on with it eventually. It may have been just as strong as earlier, but it didn't seem the wind was blowing quite a hard now that I was headed in its direction. Figures. Still, the ride home was considerably faster and shorter (about an hour and fifteen).

In other news, it was another night of elimination for American Idol. I was hoping Vonzel would be dismissed but instead it was Anthony, and that's okay, too. At this stage, they've all got talent and I can only continue to hope it's Carrie or Bo (Bo being my ultimate choice) who win it all.

And lastly for tonight, I leave you with these amusing mileage statistics:

• ADM's 2005 bicycle mileage to date: 3,600 miles
• ADM's 2005 auto mileage to date: 2,369 miles
• ADM's 2005 motorcycle mileage to date: 444 miles
• ADM's 2005 airline mileage to date: 0 miles

ADM Out!

Bye Bye Birdies. I'm a Housewife. Still Pre-Approved?
Tuesday, 10 May 2005

Monday is my rest day from cycling and apparently it was a rest day from blogging, too. Oh well, not too much interesting happened. I spent most of the day being Mr. Housewife, meaning I cleaned up around the house, did laundry, dishes, and gave a thorough scrubbing to the bathroom that was defiled by a vomiting guest during a party we hosted for my sister-in-law's birthday back on April 30. I must admit I was both amazed and abhorred by the person's ability to splatter nearly every stair step on the way up, the carpet before the bathroom, and every wall within it. Thankfully, most of the cleaning was done right after the "event", but I still needed to mop and sanitize and really get into the crevices to eliminate all evidence.

Part of my cleaning was to put a shine to the bathroom window, both inside and out. On the outside, just above the area, is the bird's nest I wrote about a few days ago. I hadn't heard any chirping lately and none while cleaning so I poked my outside to give a look. It appears my feathered friends have flown the coop. No bad fliers were found on the ground below so I'm guessing everyone earned their wings and are now moved on to greener pastures, or nests, or whatever. My only remaining wonder now is what to do with the nest. Do I leave it for future birds to use? Do I knock it down in case bees decide to use it instead? If you've got any ideas, let me know. I'm leaning towards knocking it down and will probably do it this weekend if I'm not persuaded otherwise.

I continued my Mr. Housewife duties today by cleaning around the kitchen, dusting downstairs, and putting away laundry. I enjoy restoring order to my house and my life so this kind of stuff, while not exactly fun, isn't as unbearable as I suppose some people think it could be.

I did ride today. Twice. Brad joined me for a 3 PM rollout to do climbing. We headed up to Colima and Turnbull and got in a couple hours worth of pain. The exact session was: up Colima, u-turn at light just past crest (Camino Del Sur), back down to Mar Vista, Mar Vista to Painter, Painter to Turnbull (Whittier side), up Turnbull, down Turnbull (Hacienda side), back up Turnbull (Hacienda side), down Turnbull (Hacienda side), out to Colima, up and over to get back home. If you got tired reading about it, imagine how our legs felt after it! Brad did a great job of hanging around. He even jumped in to take a few sprints on the way out and back. But as is my obligation, I attacked often and hard and was able to get and stay away on all the major climbs. Still, I think my legs were fatigued from Sunday. A light ride yesterday probably would have helped.

We came back to my house to refuel and then we headed out for part 2, El Do. The wind was blowing strong and made El Do really interesting. The group started with about 60-70 and ended with about 12 in the pack. At first I was really tired from the previous climbing but I settled in quickly. A break got up the road after the first prime and it was never to be seen again; 4 guys up the road including Jaime Paolinetti. Slowly, sometimes in bunches but mostly one by one, guys started peeling off the back of the pack because of the wind. It left for little drafting shelter and our pace, despite a break being way ahead, was brisk. I got in several good pulls at the front and then positioned for the sprint on the last lap. I didn't get great position but was still able to eke out a 4th in the sprint, 8th overall.

I got home, had dinner, watched Idol, and read my mail. I find it real annoying to get up to three credit card offers DAILY in my mailbox. I find it even stranger now that I'm unemployed that these people think I'm worth their "PRE-APPROVED!" offers. If they only knew. Maybe they're feeling lucky and bolstered by the new bankruptcy laws that make more people pay more back when they file for bankruptcy. Whatever the reason for the daily deluge of junk, I get even by stuffing the return envelopes with miscellaneous stuff and sending 'em back. I'm always careful not to send anything with my name on it. I got this idea from a chain e-mail. Guess they can be good once in a while.

There's plenty more to share if I had the time, but I'm tired and Jule's waiting for me to come to bed. Have a good night!

-Mr. Housewife

My Mom Is The Greatest. She Lets Me Race On Her Day.
Sunday, 08 May 2005

I'll start with the usual excuses. Friday's blog was skipped because we had the "AA Club" over for a meeting. It was a pretty tame afair by our typical standards. We filled most of the evening's time playing Cranium Balloon Lagoon (ages 5+). and then Cranium Turbo Edition. Both confirmed I'm not the genius I'd like to be but I'm still ahead of the curve. After we tired of the games, the Club disbanded for the evening and Jule and I got to bed at a decent hour. I decided to skip the blog in favor of a rare good night's rest.

Saturday was a race day. The race was Barrio Logan Grand Prix. I'd never done it before but I heard good and bad things. It's very near downtown San Diego and "it's challenging but fun" are the good things I heard. The bad things were "it's tough and you have to fight to keep ahead" and "the pavement sucks". All the things were right.

Before I get ahead to telling how the race went, it's important to know I woke up on time and had pretty much prepared all of my gear Friday nigh but still managed to leave the house late (at 10:30) to head to San Diego. My race was scheduled for 1 PM so I figured I'd be okay; I'd use up 1:30 to get down to SD and then have my usual 1 hr. pre-race ready time. No doing. 5 freeway traffic was great from my house through Camp Pendleton. I was able to cruise control most of the way down between 80 and 85 (MPH for interested friends, KM for discerning authorities :) ). However, rolling through Escondido traffic came to a crawl, twice for fender benders and later on down the road for a mattress. Flippin' traffic.

To make a long drive a short story, I got to the race 35 minutes before the gun. I found a parking spot quickly, was able to get suited up and stuff, and amazingly got a good warm-up before showtime. Mucho thanks to Tim Coleman, a nice guy I race against often who helped pin my number. Some cyclist are cool like that. Phooey to those of you who aren't.

The Barrio Logan course is a "figure eight" in a Latino neighborhood one might think twice about walking through at night. By day, it's rough around the edges and so is the pavement. The course turns were tight and a wind was blowing from the northwest for the flat side, and on the other side a slight uphill that didn't feel so slight toward the end of the race.

The Pro/1/2 race went 70 minutes and paid unusually well and deep: $1,999 to the top 20. I figured I'd be in the money for sure. The race started hard but no breaks stayed away; I had to bridge a gap of one early on in the race and felt the effort in my legs later. It was business as usual for most of the race [Photo 1]. I tried to stay top 20 most of the way but the turning in the pack was relentless and I fell back a bit further than I liked at times. It was a very physical and demanding race. The corners, with the pavement so rough, demanded a lot of mental attention to come around them well at high speed. And the narrow points forced people to either line up or take chances to come around, often with bumping and some yelling. Aside from my tangle with the idiots at Ojai about a month ago, this has been the most physical and challenging race to date. And I liked it [Photo 2].

With two laps to go, I started my move up the pack but found people were being awfully protective of their positions. With one to go, I realized I should have started my move up sooner because as we came around the final eight turns, I was throwing elbows and handlebars and still not making up a lot of spots. By the last turn to the finish, I only managed to get positioned about 17th. I started springting and quickly picked up two spots. No sooner had I got a good flow going than I yanked out of my right pedal. CRAP! Luckily, I kept the bike up and stayed out of people's way. I managed to click back in and got in a few more pedals strokes before the line, but not before three guys came around me. I later found out one of them was Tim Coleman. He said he nearly smacked into my rear before coming around. I told him, jokingly of course, I did it on purpose so he could get ahead of me as reward for pinning me up. My final race result: 18th. Result I should have had without the pedals incident: 13-15th. Next year I know to be further up earlier.

Race winner: Rahsaan Bahati. Dude is fast and knows how to knife a pack. Interesting notes: 1) "One dozen corn tortillas to the leader of the next lap" never stops being funny. 2) 18th place paid $25. Entry fee was$30, so I'm almost even money, except for gas, and time, and food, and... 3) But wait! Clif was there giving away free Clif Shots and Bar bites, so I got some of that, and now I'm only down gas money and time.

The drive home was a breeze. No traffic to speak of. It figures. But I'll take it because it could have sucked both ways. I got home, unpacked, cleaned up, and had dinner ala Julienne. Then we took a nice, long, hour-and-a-half nap. Once we got up, we went out shopping and then came back home to watch "Meet The Fockers." It was an okay flick, good enough to make me laugh, but not as good as the first. My personal thrill of the movie was recognizing that portions of it were filmed at El Dorado Park in Long Beach.

Now about today (Sunday). Today was the San Luis Rey Road Race. After last weeks whooping at Devil's Punchbowl, I wasn't expecting to do too well in this race. I was even thinking about skipping it entirely because of the timing; Mother's Day and races starting late in the day. I decided to forgo the Pro/1/2 race because of the lenght of time racing (I wouldn't be back in time for dinner with mom) and because I wasn't sure I'd hang. I opted for the shorter (23 less miles) and likely to be slower, Masters 30+ race. It ended up being a great decision.

The race was 5 laps, 58 miles, and I felt comfortable through most of it. It's a climbing race, for sure, but it isn't Punchbowl. I've done this race at least 3 times before, my best finish was a 5th as a Cat. 4, and my worst, probably last year when I didn't finish thanks to bad legs and 110+ degree (F) heat.

Brian Keate, 2004 California 30+ Road Race Champion, set a fast pace early and went off solo for half-way through the first lap. He was reeled in by the middle of the second lap, but at the end of the second, beginning of the third, some dude name Louie Amelburu from Labor Power took off ahead of the group. I had the legs to go with him but decided not to because I didn't think he'd stay off alone, with the wind and climbs and all, and I wansn't sure I'd be able to stay with him for the long haul or that the pack would allow us to stay off. Brian had warned me to watch him and I did watch him...ride away. (It ended up being a bad decision. Louie stayed off and ended up winning the race by about 2 minutes. I was told later that Louie has won this race before and is a Gold Medal Road Race winner from the Pan American Games in Havana, Cuba. See here. No wonder!)

It quickly became clear Louie was a real break threat after all. I loathed my decision but decided to make the most of the rest of the race. On lap 4, I tried to organize the 8 or 9 riders left of the pack to try and chase down Louie. We did well on the flat stretch into the wind but everyone was hesitating, trying to save something, and we never really got close to Louie. On the final lap, I rode smart, stayed back, but kept my head up for attacks. There were a few and I was on top of everything I needed to be. Up the last stretch of climbs, I forced myself to sit in and stay top three rather than try to break off. I felt like I was the strongest rider left but figured I'd play to my strength and wait for the sprint.

Closing in on the finish, I darn near screwed it all up. I attacked about 500-700 meters out and got a nice gap on the remaining 7 riders. Two of us would be out of the money (the race paid 6 deep, $300). I felt good on the attack but then realized I probably wouldn't have the gas to stay out front all the way to the line. In another risky, tactical decision, I sat up and allowed the group to come up on me as we neared the line. At 100 meters, they were on and so was the sprint. As they tried to come around me, I jumped again and was able to sprint through for the pack win, 2nd overall, and first loser.

Entry fee: $30. 2nd place cash: $61. Definitely better than last week, and for the first time in over a year, three races with payouts in a row. I think I might be finding my stride.

Finally, it was Mother's Day. We packed up the car (Brad, Ken, and I) and drove back from San Luis Rey. I got home, showered up, and then Jule and I headed to Acapulco to join mom, dad, and my brother for dinner. The timing was perfect. We gave mom a card, gift certificates to Chick-Fil-A and Kohl's, and a pot of deep purple mums. The Corona with dinner tasted extra good. My mom and dad are the greatest!

I Take Two Steps Forward, I Take Two Steps Back
Thursday, 05 May 2005

Happy Cinco de Mayo! Contrary to common gringo belief, Cinco de Mayo (the 5th of May) is not Mexico's Independence Day. It celebrates the day of a major Mexican victory over French invaders in 1862 (source: HowStuffWorks.com). It also celebrates American capitalism and commercialism: viva Coronas and La Victoria salsa! Now go celebrate.

Today's blog title is inspired by two things: 1) After doing so well at catching up on Monday, I failed to log a blog last night and am playing catch up again, and 2) I watched the "Fallen Idol" show last night on ABC's "Primetime Live" exposing an alleged illicit affair between an ex-American Idol contestant and judge Paula Abdul. Remember her song "Opposites Attract"? Anyhow, you get two parts today.

Part 1: Regarding the American Idol affair, I'm leaning toward believing it's true but have to say I don't care a whole lot. It doesn't effect my opinion of the show or Paula Abdul (it's entertainment!) but it sure does make me think the dude with the big mouth, Corey Clark, is a jerk. He's exposing the affair only to further his career and in the process is revealing how he'll sell out anyone to try and make a buck. His actions should make everyone around him think, "Am I next?" Bum.

Part 2, Item 1: It just hit me right now why I was feeling a little sluggish this morning. I haven't had my usual one or two cups of coffee. I slept in and didn't go downstairs to make it, like usual, so I'll have to get at it now. Coffee is great. Decaffeinated coffee is a crime.

Part 2, Item 2: My wife doesn't mind I have five to six chicks staying at the house for a while. Aren't they cute? Photo 1 - Photo 2.

Part 2, Item 3: The weatherman said it was going to rain today. It may have drizzled and that's it, but I decided early this morning to forgo my usual Thursday night training ride at Hughes Park no matter how much (or how little) rain and in order to celebrate Cinco de Mayo with a cerveza and some relaxation. Mission accomplished.

Part 2, Item 4: I wish Donald Trump would tell them all, "You're Fired!" and move on to a group with better talent. Some are better to look at than others but they all come across as real annoying. Maybe it's a function of how the producers portray them. I wish reality TV was more reality and less script and editing.

Buonas noches.

Two Parts Today! Click A Link, Career Fair, & More
Tuesday, 03 May 2005

I'm catching up from the weekend so I'm making today's stuff two parts, one part about yesterday (Monday) and the other part about today and whatever.

[TEXT REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF GOOGLE ON 08/03/2005. Link.]

Part 1, Item 1: Career Fair. Jule and I went to a career fair in Long Beach. I got dressed up in a suit for the first time since being out of work. I'd much rather work in shorts and a t-shirt but I have to dress the part. The career fair was at the Hyatt in one of the meeting/ballrooms. There were only 20-25 exhibitors/employers there and about 5 of them were agencies. I was disappointed by the number of employers and I was quickly reminded why I avoided job fairs in the past. The job fair is good for talking to people, learning about employers you may not have considered or known about, and possible networking. The job fair is not a place to get hired or really find out about a company; the people there usually aren't hiring managers or qualified to discuss anything beyond generalities of the employer or positions available. It was good to get out and mingle and I did talk to a couple companies I will follow-up on via e-mail/internet/phone, but on a time-spent evaluation, the overall value was low.

Part 1, Item 2: Steam cleaners. We've been in this house for 4 years now. It came with very new, very white carpet which isn't so new or white anymore. The parties and general use have taken their toll. Eventually, most, if not all of the downstairs areas will be converted to wood (or wood-look laminate), but until then, we need to clean this mess up and are looking to buy a rug steam cleaner. Anyone have suggestions? I'll probably do some research later today to figure out what's best to buy. We thought about renting a Rug Dr. but we figure we'll get enough use of a machine we buy to more than pay for itself versus renting. And, we don't have to hassle with pick-up and returns and wonder if the machine is well-kept, etc. Anyhow, if you have experience with a machine or can suggest somewhere to get good research, please let me know.

Part 1, Item 3: A few days ago (04/28/05) there was an article in the L.A. Times' Calendar Weekend section that I really liked. Titled, "Sigh. Tell me about the boot sector again?", by Hilary Hull, it spoke to me because I often feel like the "new order of alpha male: the techie" she describes. Make sense? Probably not until you read the article here. Along the same vein (and on the same day no less), I came across this Dilbert cartoon. Dilbert is truth.

Part 2, Item 1: A couple of birds decided to build a nest under the eave of our house near the bathroom window of the second floor. I figured this out because: 1) I kept hearing a load of chirping over the last week, and 2) I kept seeing an unusual amount of bird droppings on the ground below the location. When I finally looked up, there I saw it. Momma and pappa bird get all bent out of shape when I go outside to take a look. I tried to take some photos but only succeeded in getting a few beaks and nothing more. I did catch a glimpse of one of the parent birds feeding the babies. I counted at least four beaks. My friend, Amber, would be able to tell you what kind of birds they are and a whole bunch of other stuff about them since she's a kick-ass biology woman. I, however, am lucky to have passed high school biology thanks to several friends and a lenient teacher, so all I can tell you is they're small, brown birds and they "tweet-tweet" a lot. I just hope I don't have to pick up any poor flying learners from the ground.

Part 2, Item 2: Double-ride day today. Went out with Brad to do some climbing since we still think we can be climbers despite Devil's Punchbowl. Colima, La Habra side of Turnbull, down the same side to Colima, to Fullerton Road, East Rd., then West Rd. Then we realized we were running behind schedule to get to ride two and had to keep going real hard to get to my house on time to reload the water bottles and head out.

Ride two was El Do. We suffered into a headwind trying to get there on time but made it by a few seconds. At least we didn't need a warm-up. The pace was fast, fairly steady, and we did fine. I missed getting points in the first prime by one spot: I missed 3rd by about a tire's length. A break of 8 got up the road with about 5 to go and it stuck. I decided to mix it up for the finish anyhow and think I ended up around 5th for the pack sprint, 13th overall. The point today wasn't to win (though it's always nice). Instead, it was to ride hard twice and get a heck of a training day in.

Part 2, Item 3: Another American Idol night. We watched but didn't vote, again. I guess I can't complain about the results, then, but I can hope that Anthony Federov gets the boot tomorrow. I don't know how he's lasted this long, longer than Constantine and Anwar. Whatever it is, I hope it wears out and he's gone. My next target would be Vonzel. She's an okay singer but I can't get past her ditzy or child-like personality. It bugs. Bo is our guy and Carrie's a close second. I still like Scott but continue to think his weeks are numbered because people can't get past his looks. If you listen with your ears and don't watch the TV, I think you'll hear a great voice and a strong will to succeed and be an inspiration.

Conclusion: I feel better that I'm caught up now. Just in time, too, 'cause I'm about to hit the sack. I am exhausted from today's rides and can definitely use a good night's sleep.

Don't forget to click a Google Ad link. Every click counts.

ADM OUT!

The Devil Beat Me Saturday, I Sought Redemption on Sunday
Monday, 02 May 2005

Though you might have been right to think so, it wasn't pure laziness that left me blogless Friday, Saturday, and Sunday night. No, I was preparing for a big race on Saturday so I went to sleep early Friday night, I was recovering from the race and partying on Saturday night (more later), and on the seventh day, I raced, sought redemption, and then rested. Here's the scoop.

The race on Saturday is ever-so-lovingly called Devil's Punchbowl Road Race. I don't know how it got the name but I'm guessing it has something to do with the insane heat the area gets in the summer and the ugly desert look it has year-round. The course is deceivingly simple yet excruciatingly difficult. It's entirely up and down, except for the semi-flat part after the long downhill that heads you right into the gusty wind. I did it two years ago as a Cat. 3 and didn't hang on for more than a lap. Now, as a Cat. 2, I had to ride with the Pro/1/2 field and see if I could do better. I wasn't going into the race expecting to win, after all, I am a realist, but I did expect to hang on for most of the 5 laps/80 miles.

I skipped last year's race on purpose. It didn't fit my schedule and I was still stinging from the lashing I took the year prior. But this year, my training and performance had been much better. I'd gotten enough sleep the night before so the 4:30 AM wake up call and nearly 2 hour drive weren't so bad. Even the weather was cooperating on Saturday morning; a chilly but tolerable 50 degrees Fahrenheit at 7 AM, and warm enough at my start time of 9:30 AM to go with no extra clothing, just the usual jersey and shorts.

To make a long day a short story, it went something like this:

1. Start race, slight uphill to left turn, comfortable pace
2. More uphill, a bit more pitched, somewhat rolling, still comfortable pace
3. Short downhill to even more uphill, more pitch, pace picks up and heart rate does, too
4. Uphill stretch to feed zone, most pitch yet, pace goes from tolerable to ridiculous in 5 pedal strokes
5. ADM and fellow mortals/non-Gods watch rest of field ride away before the end of the feed zone and the right turn to the uphill rollers
6. ADM rides a total of 3 laps/48 miles, mostly solo, to get at least some value/training in from the day. Luckily, no further embarrassment is issued since he is NOT lapped by the Pro/1/2 field.

And that was that. I had no teammates in the race, not that it would have mattered. Those teammates who did other races suffered similar fates as mine; none finished with their respective main groups. The Devil strikes again.

I got home from Punchbowl around 3:30 PM. Normally, after a crappy race day like this one, I'd grab a nice long bath and then take a nap. No doing this time, because we were expecting guests starting at 6 for my sister-in-law's birthday party. I was on my feet cleaning the house, setting up tables and chairs, readying the barbecue and all the other party stuff. I was definitely tired but started to feel better once guests started arriving and I was able to down a few drinks and eat. It was another fun, eventfull night of friends at our house. Eventually, the long day and tequilla and Jager shots caught up with me and I finally went/stumbled to bed at 1:30 AM. The Devil strikes again.

I woke up Sunday at 10 AM. The companion race to Devil's Punchbowl is today but not until 3:40 PM. It's a criterium and the drive is only an hour to an hour and a half (Valencia/Magic Mountain area), but I'm still undecided at this point as to whether I should go. I'm thinking maybe this isn't my weekend and I should just rest. It would be easy to do just that except I can't let the bad days get me too down and I already registered for the race so they have my $25. And then I argue back that driving out all that way, using up gas and time, could just be throwing good money after bad. I decided to give my decision more time by grabbing a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios downstairs and then quickly going back to bed for another hour.

When I woke up the second time on Sunday, I decided I'd go race. The nap (or sleep continuation?) and Cheerios must have worked a little magic 'cause I felt good enough to give it a try. I got my gear in order, packed the car, and headed out. The drive was sweet (very little traffic) and the weather continued to be fantastic; not too cold, not too hot, just about right.

The Chuck Pontius Criterium is a nice industrial park course. Four right-turn corners, slight downhill to the finish and turn 1, slight uphill from turn 2 to 3, and wide all around. The Pro/1/2/3 race was 75 minutes and paid better than usual: $1,800 for the top 15 places.

I wasn't feeling confident about the race and was still questioning my judgement about driving out. But I was there and it was time to clock in for work. I hit the start line feeling better but still with a throbbing headache and overall "blah" feeling. Luckily, the race started out calmly and worked up slowly to a boil, giving me time to find my legs and confidence. The attacks started coming around lap 5, but, for whatever reasons, including the wrong mix of riders, none stayed off. There were at least two crashes in the course of the race but I managed to avoid them and stay near the front to watch for the right moves. My teammate, Julio, did the same, and even managed to get up the road for a lap to snag a prime.

With about 10 laps to go a break of 6 or 7 got up the road. SoCalCycling had a man in it and so did La Grange/Kahala, but not Helen's/RPM or Seasilver. I had an opportunity and energy to bridge the gap at one point but made a tactical decision to save my energy because I felt the break would be brought back, if not by the simple exhuberance of the pack, then by moves of Seasilver and Helen's/RPM. For a while, I was worried because it didn't look like anyone was going to commit to chasing the break down. Did I make the wrong decision? Then, a La Grange/Kahala rider got up and chased the break! For those of you not into cycling, I'll simply say this is almost always a terrible no-no to chase a break when you have a teammate in it. Well, that effort put a fire under everyone and the organization (finally!) of the Helen's/RPM dudes brought the break back with 2 to go. I started jockying for my position in the field for what was going to be a wild finish.

The finish didn't disappoint. Coming around turn 2 of the last lap, I punched the pedals and moved from about 20th to 10th into corner 3. I lost a bit of momentum because of the sharp dive into the corner, but I still grabbed another spot heading into corner 4. There, a Jelly Belly dude wiped out and came sliding my way. It was last week all over again, except this time, there was more road to my left and I had a line to keep going. After tapping my brakes to make sure I wasn't going to run Jelly Belly dude over and stear clear of everyone else, I regained my stride and headed for the line. Unfortunately, there were 7 guys well ahead thanks to the crash and I couldn't come around rider #8 since I'd lost my momentum. I finished 9th and alive and Julio was right on my tail for 10th. Redemption.

It took some time to collect my race prize money. Jelly Belly dude protested, saying one of the Helen's/RPM guys clipped him and caused him to crash. It went back and forth, and over an hour later, the officials posted final results as originally indicated; I was officially 9th. Today's earnings: $49 cash, a waterbottle, Mechanix gloves and hat.

I drove home feeling somewhat vindicated but well aware of my racing shortcomings. I need more climbing training, and while 9th earned money today, it wasn't a top 6 finish for points for my upgrade. I need faster, longer, and harder training if I'm going to get better.

I wrapped up the day with a cheeseburger, onion rings, and a movie. Not exactly the best training food, but exactly the right food to hit the spot after a long weekend. Julienne and I sat down to watch Ladder 49. It was okay but I'm sure glad I didn't pay to see it in a theater.