Racin'!

It's time for to race tomorrow (well, seeing as how it's 12:02 as I write this, today actually). You know how I know? Because I'm packing my skinsuit and aero helmet in a bag. Because I spent 45 minutes cleaning, shaving and moisturizing my legs earlier today, that's why.

It's time for a 10 mile out and back time-trial. You know how I know? Because riders have been zipping all up and down Hill Road with clip on aerobars all week. Because every bike shop I go into is flooded with people paying lots of money to get their TT bikes serviced, and gobs more money to get their TT position adjusted by Tom Coleman, that's why.

It's time to spend $21.30 for a chance to win no prize money, on a boring course, where there won't be port-a-pottys, in the middle of nowhere, on a day when it will probably rain, as part of a series I can't even compete in because I've got bigger fish to fry come in April. You know why? Because that's exactly the way it was last year, that's why.

It's time for the George's Spring Series Race #1. You know how I know? Because it's been nearly a month since I last raced -- and I wouldn't care the course were over a bed of shattered glass, or if the entry fee was $50 and a kick in the groin, or if the I were the only competitor -- I'd still sign up -- I need a race, that's why.

It's time to race tomorrow. You know why? Because it's long overdue, that's why.

SANTA CAME!!!

For most people, Santa comes but once a year. For a few lucky bike racers, he comes twice -- once in December (when he delivers socks and legos), and again in March (when he drops off the real loot). As it so happened, Santa delivered my new bike frame directly to my bed, where it waited, shiny and naked.

Oh Yeah....We Made The News!

Our beautiful handmade environmentally-friendly custom cabinets have attracted enough attention to warrant a news article in the Idaho Statesman. While I myself am neither pictured nor mentioned in the article, I still take great comfort that my work is earning positive attention.

Here are a few pictures of one of our latest jobs. The cabinet boxes are made from 100% recycled content particle board, the wood is reclaimed fir from the owner's previous kitchen, and the inlay panels are called kirie board, and is made from agricultural waste products.

Also be sure to check out the company's website. Brad's been hard at work uploading more photos (better photos) than I have .

Ready for a Rest Week

Shoot boy howdy -- I am dog tired. I rode to Idaho City yesterday. Idaho City is only 40 miles away from Boise, but it might as well be another country. The road was fine, it's the drivers who were different. First of all, the number of large trucks pulling trailers packed with snowmobiles outnumbered other vehicles by about two to one. Second, the percentage of large trucks whose drivers flipped me off neared 100 percent [note: some statistics may be slightly modified for emphasis]. Anyway, it was really pretty, and Idaho City is a cute little mountain town. See for yourself.
Next week is a rest week. After three of the hardest weeks of training in my life, I think I've earned one.

GO WHITMAN COLLEGE DICTIONARIES!!!

I just discovered this tribute to the Whitman College cyclocross team's 2007 season. Nice work guys...

So How Was YOUR Day?

Here's a little sampling of my day...

I rode with the Bob's Bicycles team on a pretty epic ride out to Emmett, and then to Horseshoe Bend. As you can see, the weather was fantastic.
This stretch was a blast -- we were flying up this little valley along a frozen reservoir. We had a pretty good tailwind, and everyone was pulling hard. We must have averaged close to 30 MPH through this section.
Here we are in Horseshoe Bend, with a good view of the back-side of Bogus Basin.
I wore my sleeveless jersey today, and (after a few hours) it warmed up enough to make my decision to do so seem reasonable.
While I was taking that picture, my chain flew into my spokes (breaking two of them) and trapping my chain between my cassette and my hub. WAY NOT COOL!
Broken spokes are not cool either...
This is not a fun way to end a great ride...

LMTYATFAMIS (Let Me Tell You About This Fu#*ing Awful Movie I Saw), or Why Pete Travis Should Be Flogged....

Pete Travis, fuck you.
Some people can make lemonade when life hands them lemons. On the other hand, when life handed Pete Travis a huge budget and a killer cast, he made a humongous steaming pile of CRAP!!!

The problems I have with this movie are many.

None of the characters have any substance: everyone was boring, everyone was single-sided, and everyone was annoyingly dumb. Not a single good performance was coaxed from the good actors (Sigourney Weaver, Forrest Whitaker, William Hurt, and Dennis Quaid).

The movie is set in Nonsenseville: nothing makes sense, and nothing is believable.

The scruffy looking Spanish cop sneaks a fucking bomb past the security station with this strange interaction (this is verbatim dialog):

Cop: I work for the mayor [flashes badge]
Security guard: Are you armed?
Cop: Yes
Security guard: Ok then I'll turn it off [in reference to the metal detector]

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??

The evil terrorist mastermind rants about how pompous the Americans are regarding their security procedure, and yet his "ingenious" plan hinges on a masked gunman singlehandedly storming into the president's hotel and kidnapping him, killing nearly a dozen secret service agents along the way.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??

Forrest Whitaker, despite being 25 years older and having 20% more body fat, is able to run every bit as fast as the CIA agents (and the scruffy looking cop) in the foot-chase through town. He drops the small girl he was looking after in the hands of a strange lady, screams "WAIT HERE, I HAVE TO HELP THE POLICE" and takes off like a bat out of hell with his hand-held video camera trained on the bad guy.

ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME??

The special effects are mind numbingly dumb: Dennis Quaid chases after the terrorists in a car he stole. His shitty blue rice-rocket gets t-boned three times while he's in pursuit, and every time, his car spins neatly around and the chase continues.

FUCK YOU PETE TRAVIS. NEVER SEE VANTAGE POINT!!!