Krogg Suffer Big Big Ouch This Weekend

So this weekend Krogg decide he have itchy racing legs, so Krogg drive to Sublimity for race. This race have plenty of good hills. All short hills, but lots of hills, good hills for Krogg. Race begin, and Krogg feeling very good at first -- Krogg help break group apart on second lap. [Note: all pictures come from Oregon Cycling Action blog. Krogg love this blog. You should visit!] Here Krogg in group of riders: 
Eventually group get chased down. Then on third lap, Krogg attack and break away with other rider. Here Krogg with other rider:

Krogg think him have pretty damn good chance of winning this race -- Krogg have nice gap with other rider, and Krogg pretty sure him stronger than breakaway partner. Krogg get slightly overconfident, and (perhaps) take one too many hard pulls in wind. Krogg feel steadily worse and worse. With race drawing to a close, Krogg suffer major meltdown -- we're talkin' friggin' Chernobyl here. Krogg not entirely sure what happened -- caveman memory somewhat foggy -- all Krogg know is suddenly other rider drop Krogg like bad habit, and leave Krogg all alone. Krogg limp into finish line with much much pain. Krogg suppress urge to vomit entire last few miles. Finally Krogg finish, barely hanging onto second place. BIG OUCH!!!!!

Here Krogg big ouch face:

Krogg even end up quoted in race write-up. Read about race here. Krogg like to give Oregon Cycling Action huge thank you -- Krogg's suffering might have been forgotten otherwise. Regardless, Krogg pleased with second place. Pleased but not satisfied.

WOW -- LOOK AT THESE OUTFITS!!!

I am up in Wenatchee at this ski demo helping Black Diamond show the world that they're the best skis in the world. Things are going great, but I just HAD to share these photos I took today. Look at all these awesome ski outfits!

My Day in Photos

Muppet Studio Has What I Want!

I must say, if you're going to waste ten minutes online, waste that time here, at the Muppet Studio's Youtube page. Every single one of these videos is short, sweet, and rib-splittingly funny, especially if you grew up on a media diet of Muppet-based shows. While some of the others share in the limelight, it's clear to me that Beaker, Animal, and the Swedish Chef have still "got it," even in the internet age. Here's a taste (remember, you gotta go to the original post to see video):

Darn Those Germans!

So this was just too funny not to share. I recently sent a care-package to my sister in Germany. She's currently an aupair for an eight year-old german boy, and I figured she could use some good old 'merican treats, so my girlfriend and I packed a little box full of chocolate and socks, and sent it off on the 7th of December. I kept it a secret from her at first, but after three weeks without a word of thanks, I asked if she'd received any packages lately, to which she replied in the negative. Two months later, this showed up at my house:

As you can clearly see, there was insufficient address information, or "Adresse insuffisante."

Now I'm not claiming total innocence here; I did place the house number on the wrong side of the street name. It should have read as such:

But for fuck's sake German Postal Service, couldn't you have just figured out what I meant? It's not like I addressed it to a different town, or the wrong street -- no, I just made a minor syntax error. What thoughts went through the postal worker's mind, as he or she decided to return my package?

Were they condemnatory: "Stupid American! I'll show him not to place the house number on the wrong side of the street name! BACK TO AMERICA!"

Or maybe they were reluctant: "Oh bummer -- I know exactly what address he meant to write on there. It's really too bad I can't deliver this package; it came all the way from Washington State. Oh well, rules are rules -- BACK TO AMERICA!"

Or possibly just oblivious: "No such address. BACK TO AMERICA!"

My theory was that this failure to correct this mistake was indicative of the difference between German and American culture. I tested my theory, with a little investigative journalism. Here's a card addressed to myself, with the house number placed on the wrong side of the street name:

As you can see, my mailman made the (infinitesimally small) mental leap, connecting what I meant with what I wrote, and delivered my mail -- not only that, he added a fucking smiley face! Talk about service!!! I'm sure I'd love traveling through Germany, but thank god I live in America.

KROGG GETTING OLD!

So Krogg have small list of things to share:

Thing #1 is Krogg think you should see GoodSensations.blogspot.com. Catch up with fellow caveman racer (and former teammate) Adrian Hegyvary at his team camp in Tucson. Krogg very impressed and jealous of mega bling bling bikes and wheels and team campers. Wow UnitedHealthcare Cycling Team -- Krogg now very very scared of you. That one Hunky Hungarian:

Thing #2 is Krogg discover he getting old after trying to go to rock concert last night. Krogg find that rock concerts happen very very late at night: doors open at 8:45?? that nearly bed time for cyclist caveman!!!! Headline band don't come on stage until 10:45???? Christ! Small amount of mental math suggest concert don't finish until midnight at least!!!!!?!?!?!?!? Oh dear. Krogg find concert extreme test of endurance, both mental and physical, despite neither dancing nor drinking all night. Krogg astonished with how old and lame he is. Concert difficulty remind Krogg of college days, back when Krogg would drink beer at party, go to concert and dance, drink more beer at different party, and still knock out six hours of homework in single weeknight. What the hell happening to Krogg? Regardless, here some pictures:

Thing #3 is that Krogg also go to guinea pig show. Here pictures, most of which are self-explanatory: