I thought my back felt a little warm on my ride into work this morning. It was chilly out, low 50s, and the wind was, as they say in the south, "a whoopin'!" so I figured it was just because of my backpack. Well, turns out that was partly true.
When I got to work I discovered that my trusty thermos filled with my landall strength brew had decided today wasn't the day it was going to stay closed. There was a solid puddle in the bottom of the back pack but luckily most if it soaked through and only my back and riding clothes, not my work clothes, located in the same compartment. I'm not really sure how this worked out, but the only place with any real coffee saturation were the inside of both knees on my pants, which are black, so not really a big deal.
I suppose the lesson learned is to both check the thermos to ensure it's actually sealed tight and put it in a different compartment just in case, maybe in a freezer bag also.
On another only vaguely related note, there's been a lot of news stories of some guy using a cloth to determine what Jesus looked like. I'll admit I'm skeptical and unsure as to why anybody would fund this project. But if I were funding it I'd be a little more than pissed that his rendering basically looks like every picture I've ever seen painted of Jesus in white churches where Jesus is always portrayed as a ripped white dude. Whether Jesus existed or not, beyond the claims of savor-like, he was not a white dude as white dudes aren't from Israel, you know, sort of. I'm pretty sure I'd ask for all my money back. Speaking of the face of Jesus, I don't see one in the coffee stain of my under shirt, which is really too bad because if one were there I could probably sell it on ebay for at least the price of a new cup of coffee.
Tuesday, March 30, 2010
I've tried to think of other things to write about except cycling, but, the only other things that come to mind are political and I'd rather stay away from those as there are already plenty of blogs that discuss politics without doing adequate research. TeamLandall prides itself on having the facts, or at least discussing things where facts are less than important.
The European road season is officially in full swing. Criterium International, Gent-Wevelgem and E3-Prijs (don't worry, I can't pronounce that either) were the biggest stages this past weekend and for the most part, they didn't disappoint. Why just for the most part? Well, allow me to tell you.
I'm more than a little dissapointed that Jens Voight didn't get a chance to defend his 5 time crown and take a stab at becoming the all time winningest rider at Criterium International, but more than that, I'm dissapointed in pretty much every cycling news publication or website for reporting that Alberto Contador lost the race due to allergies and not that homeboy straight up got beat by some french dude that nobody's ever heard of, Pierrick Fedrigo. I understand everybody either loves or hates the el Pisterolo and you can't help but assume when he shows up at a race with a mountain top finish that he's going to ride away from the field and shot his fake gun as he crosses the finish line. But, when that doesn't happen, and he gets beat, how about we get a chance to find out about the guy that beat him and not about how Contador couldn't perform because of allergies affecting his breathing. BOO HOO! Last time I checked cycling is a sport that takes place in the elements and the elements, which could include but not limited to: pollan, terrain, wind, rain, pollution, dust mites, snow, etc. I'm pretty sure when Thor Hushovd doesn't win the Tour de France nobody's writing a story about how he could have if those darn mountains hadn't been quite so tall.
So, Mr. French Guy nobody's heard of (Perrick Fedrigo), TeamLandall would officially like to congratulate you on your Criterium International win. Surprise or not, to us, you straight up beat Contador and the rest of the field. Bravo!
Oh yeah, and that Armstrong dude, the media made sure to point out that he went there just to train, not to race, which, is fine, but maybe less Alberto vs. Armstrong Battle Royale hype before the race would alleviate the need to make all these excuses when the battle doesn't go down.
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One of the awesome things about cycling is all of the infighting that goes on within a break or group. Everybody wants somebody else to do the work so they're the freshest at the end. Check out this video of Oscar Freire and the Liguigas rider fighting over who's going to do the work to get back into the group. Who knows if they speak a common language but I'm sure through eye contact they're conversation probably goes something like this:
Friere, "Ok, you're turn." Liguigas guy, "No. You again." Friere, "WTF! I just pulled. They're getting away." Liguigas guy, "Yeah, but I've got a team mate in the break already so..." Friere, "You're a piece of shit." Liguigas guy, "Yeah, but like I said, if you want back in that group, you're doing the work." Friere, "Well, we'll never catch them now, I hope you're happy." Liguigas guy, "You want to just soft pedal from here?" Friere, "Sure."
That's one of the things that's so unique to cycling. Success and failure is so dependent on guys you want to be beat working with you at any given point in a race. Start watching at about 1:25 to see the Freire drama go down.
That's right, today I commuted by bike. After figuring out and working with some logistics like buying and storing baby wipes, deodarant and hair crap at the office, making a couple folding boards out of Sam Pellegrino boxes (So Euro-Cool) for my clothes, and riding at a sub-leisurely pace, it was pretty awesome. I got to work feeling great as it was a long enough ride to let the endorphins kick in but no so long that logistics got out of control.
So far, so good. And everyday I ride to work throws in a bonus of 16 miles to week. That doesn't seem like a lot but if I ride everyday that's another 80 miles/week to add to the base. And, best part, I'm not standing face to face on metro with someone who decided showering the past month was optional!
As some of you may or may not know, the summer of 2006 I attempted to ride my bike around the perimeter of the US in 100 days. The end result was a less than completed loop and a steer tube that is now permanently fused into the stack. It still steers, so while this defies all physics and principles of mechanical engineering (that can't be true), I still ride that bike.
People do these kinds of trips all the time. This fact can easily be proven simply by referencing the company, Adventure Cycling, who have somehow managed to run a business based on selling maps to people who are not interested in making good time. Recently I stumbled across a blog of two guys who are riding the southern tier (I've never understood why they use the "tier" adjective. Isn't it just a route?) from some place in California to some place in Florida. There's really nothing that unique about their trip itself. They're raising money for a non-profit in Denver, lots of people do that, however, they have managed to raise over $17,000 which is pretty insane. I felt lucky to raise the 5gs or so from mine.
The most interesting part about their trip is the guy updating the blog is really good at capturing exactly what these trips turn into as your riding. It's the weird encounters with locals at a gas station where you just have no response for whatever they say. It's the highs and lows of the trip. It's getting really annoyed at still having to ride your bike the next day that nothing short of a unicorn sighting could possibly be worth stopping and taking a picture. It's fixing a flat to just have the tire go flat again within seconds. I think you get the point. These trips end up being about just about everything else except riding your bike a long way. I've read all their entries to this point and I think they're really good. Just Another Bike Ride Across America, take a look as their almost done. And, you know, if you're so inclined, make a donation. The cause, like most, is a worthy one.
This is a list of things I've noticed or thought about over the last few days. I'm not sure that any of them have really any importance, but since it's my blog, I get to write about whatever I feel like.
Tiger Woods: During the interview that everybody is raving about, Tiger Woods made the statement that he started to feel entitled and that was his mistake because that isn't how he was raised. Am I the only one that could care less about what Tiger Woods does off of a golf course? Do I think he should cheat on his wife? Of course not! But, it matters just about as much to me if we soon discover (not saying we will) that he also cheats on his taxes. Neither effect me so stop shoving this Tiger Woods interview and coverage into every news broadcast. The part of his statement that made me laugh is because I don't see this as an issue of Tiger Woods feeling entitled, instead, it's the general public of America who's feeling entitled because they think he actually owes them some sort of explanation or apology or anything. News flash, unless your cutting Tiger Woods a check because of an endorsement deal, he doesn't owe you jack. And if you actively seek out the Tiger Woods coverage, make sure you don't have stuff in your own closet that you'd be embarrassed to talk about it publicly.
Health Care: It passed the House, yay! Can anybody explain this thing to me? I have no idea what the hell the new bill even says or means. Here's a thought though, instead of the 5 minute Tiger Woods interview, why don't we have someone take 5 minutes to explain the Health Care bill in normal language so people can know what it is that we're excited about.
And don't worry Republicans, we're not quite France yet.
Commercials against raising taxes to support new energy something or another: These commercials are pretty terrible, in general, but their main objective is to put normal people on camera saying it's always bad to raise taxes. I'm no supporter of raising taxes for the hell of it, but to be against all tax increases is just plain stupid. I have a theory that the people who are against all of these tax increases are also the ones that sit around and complain about pot holes in the road and that the snow wasn't removed fast enough. But, I guess that stuff should just happen on it's own.
NCAA Tournament: So far I have picked ~65% of the games correctly. This gives me about a D in terms of school grades and in the 3 pools I'm participating in I'm in the top 5 (free), top 3 (money), and top 25% (there's a lot of people in that one, but it was also free). I also only turned in 1 bracket this year which I think is rare. Most people claim to be picking geniuses, but then you discover they submit 12 different brackets with almost all the upset permutations covered somewhere along the way. I think my current grade of a D and being pretty well ranked proves that nobody really knows what their doing when picking games and mostly the guy that wins is lucky. Or, maybe it doesn't.
Cycling: Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador are both racing Criterium International. This is basically the media's wet dream come true because they can invent this no holds barred bar fight that will obviously not take place during the race. A bit of history on Criterium International; Jens Voigt has won this race 5 years in a row. If you aren't aware Jens Voight, while a great bike racer, has no chance of winning a big grand tour like Lance and Alberto (I'm on a first name basis) focus on. Criterium International is going to be great training for both men, but my prediction is neither wins it, or is really even a factor. Another prediction is that regardless of where they place there will be a bigger story dedicated to who placed higher than who, than to the winner, which, is a shame. But, like all journalism, cycling journalism needs to sell copies and web advertisement and the way to do that is to hype up a rivalry that in reality isn't that interesting until July and even then I'm pretty sure it's going to be a let down.
Clothing choices on Metro: Every morning and afternoon when I ride metro I am sort of blown away by what people wear to work. Not that I'm some sort of fashion expert, but some of this stuff is pretty ridiculous. I wish I could take sneaky pictures, but it's tough so often times I don't. This morning there was a guy in slacks, dress shirt and tie, oh and also a hi-vis yellow illumilite (reflective crap for night riding) wind vest on top. I get the need for this item of clothing making some people feel more safe while on their bikes, in the evening hours, but as a top layer over your other work clothes? You don't own a light jacket not meant for athletic activity? I guess if power goes out on metro that guy can lead the way? Oh, and don't let me forget the ladies that dress as if their headed out to the club. I mean if you want to dress like that fine, but don't whine and cry when nobody takes you seriously...
Dave Scott: This past weekend I had the pleasure of participating in Team in Training's coaching certification course. It was informative and all that sort of good stuff, but the highlight was that TNT has Dave Scott as their coaching adviser and he runs all of these coaching clinics. If you don't know, this is Dave Scott, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dave_Scott_%28triathlete%29, winner of the Hawaii Ironman 6 times and pretty much all around bad ass. I'm always sort of hesitant when meeting people like this (not that it happens all the time) but you never know what kind of ego they're going to carry. Dave couldn't be a nicer guy. Within minutes on Saturday morning he was making his way around the room introducing himself, which, seemed un-necessary, however, over the weekend it became clear that he was generally interested in our stories as much as we were in his. It's refreshing when you meet someone who is so accomplished and within seconds you realize they are completely approachable. Probably most importantly, from a coaching standpoint, he's not one of these uber-successful racers who throws his name on the front of a coaching company and doesn't actually know anything. He's really knowledgeable when it comes to the physiology of training, which I found equally as impressive.
This got longer than I meant it to be. Happy Monday.
The other day on facebook I noticed my friend Jamar had joined a group called, No Negro(1 Million against the word Negro on the US Census) and my immediate reaction was, like I would assume most people who live in 2010, 1) You're joking right? 2) If so, isn't it a bit late since it was already mailed out? This morning over breakfast Jill opened our census envelope and I immediately scanned it for the word Negro. My jaw literally dropped when I saw that it was indeed included under the category for race. It was listed as a three part identifier as "Black, African-American, Negro."
Clearly my first response is WTF? After a second I start to relate this to another ethnic group that has multiple categories for self identifying depending on where they're from, the people of Spanish speaking countries. Some want to be referred to as Hispanic, some Latino, some Chicano, so maybe as a white guy I'm just not in the know and some black people want to be identified as Negro? But, I remember my friend Jamar (a black man) has joined a group against this word and I'm right back to WTF!
As a kid in the south that term and it's much worse derivative, which I refuse to write, was used all the time by my friend's redneck dads, but not in public. It was always said in the company of other close minded, backwards thinking, scared people. When I moved away to college and deposited myself into the cultural melting pot of George Mason University I quickly realized just how ridiculous those men (and women) were to characterize anybody based on the color of their skin. I feel fortunate to have gotten away from a place where that kind of thinking still exists, but it does, everyday, and apparently it's not just in barns or in the company of scared old white people. Apparently it's in the office buildings of a gov't agency set out to figure out just how many people live in the good old US of A.
Just to double check, we are currently living in 2010, not 1960. Was I sent the right form? I want to live in a world where those terms aren't spoken under breath and in back alleys and kitchens. I don't want NFL teams to fake interviews with black men to meet some sort of quota. I want people to be seen as people. Judged by their actions and intentions, not their skin pigment. I know this may be incredibly naive and to think we'll completely eradicate racial tension and blatant racism in my life time or even my kid's isn't realistic. But I never would have guessed I'd receive an official gov't document asking people if they identify as "Negro." Are they still using separate bathrooms and water fountains down there?
Maybe I have it all wrong and some people do identify as that. If I am, feel free to tell me so I won't be quite so disappointed in the US Census Bureau. But, I don't think I'll be checking the "white" box. Instead, I'm going to self identify as another term that shouldn't show up on the US Census or in people's vocabulary, I'm going to write in "cracker."
This week one of my favorite sports personalities Tony Kornheiser went on a rant on his ESPN radio show about his disapproval of new proposal for bike lanes and how he thinks cyclist should be "run down" because we get in his way.
I get it, believe me, the bikes vs. cars war is going to last for as long as I am able to kit up and throw a leg over a saddle, but to have someone with the kind of soap box that Kornheiser has to go on air and encourage people to hit us is absurd!
My good friend and faithful follower of TeamLandall, Lance Armstrong, posted a link on his twitter feed to the radio show (the link doesn't take you to the clip) but also a link to let ESPN know that you're not ok with one of their personalities encouraging the extermination of cyclists. Here's the link to that if you feel so inclined to send a letter: http://www.espn980.com/info/contact_us.php
So, much to my own surprise really, I submitted a letter to the Tony Kornheiser show to express my disappointment in his comments. I'm not calling for his suspension or firing or anything like that. I understand that live TV and Radio hosts work on a fine line where it's easy to say one thing that takes it too far. What I'd like from Tony Kornheiser is a simple apology. Not to me specifically but to everyone who rides a bike for whatever reason they do. The battle of car vs. bike isn't going away, but comments like his certainly aren't steering the ship towards progress either.
Oh, and for the record, I think any cyclist that participates in critical mass is an idiot and should really think about how their clogging up the roads effects all other cyclists the next day when motorists are still pissed off. Critical mass does nothing for helping the already enraged motorist. The next day, that guy that had to wait at a stop light for 1 hour when all he wanted to go was go home sees me on the side of the road training and thinks I was in that big group and decides it's not worth the effort to give me a little more of a cushion when he passes me. But the idiots in critical mass don't care about that because they're too busy figuring how their going to attach a boom box to their handlebars and time all the stoplights so they don't have to get off their stupid tall bike. They're probably also concerned with getting their new color coordinated crank, wheels and stem on their super rad fixie before the start of the ride. Ok, rant over.
And, apparently I can't include the letter I submitted because I copy/pasted something else over it. Opps.
