Time flies when you're standing still.....

Isn't it amazing how January is halfway over before you're ready to let go of the previous year's goals and expectations? Can I get a time-out here?

I haven't done anything to really prepare for the upcoming race season or the BRAF that looms in my deep conscience like the "duhn-duhn.............duhn-duhn......" with dorsal fin accompaniment, and yet I've somehow been able to maintain a cardio level equal to this time last year. My endurance is down for sure, but the old HR monitor is saying all is well for the short runs of 70 miles or less. As long as I remember to eat something along the way.

The last few weeks have seen lulls into near unconsciousness of boredom interrupted with days of blitzkrieg attacks on the cortex preparing for classes. 2 weeks of vacation is like Novocaine on the brain for me. I've managed to lurch into 2nd gear, however, while dumping the clutch and bouncing into another quarter of teaching subjects that are as near to second nature as it gets for me. I'm not complaining like the mean old bastard on the block most kids loved to hate when growing up, but it is puzzling how I'm so relaxed and carefree these last few months when I should be so gung-ho Marines would step back and say "DAAAaammmmmnnnnnnnn!" Might as well run with it.

One of our circle of friends has found himself a new squeeze and is as perky as Chihuahua on espresso of late. She is too. It definitely warms all of our hearts to see the sun shining within him again. He deserves it more than anyone. But, if he moves away we will take all his bikes away and feed him nothing but cheese and Bud Light for eternity. Just kidding, Flipper. Follow your heart, but use your head.

A group of us gathered this past Sunday to ride my favorite 100k loop, and it was a good ride even though several of us have not been riding like we should and didn't eat like we should have during the ride. It was a fairly casual ride from my perspective, 17.4 mph average, but then again my perspective is much different than some of the folks that joined us. Either way, I was glad to have everyone come out to share a day of sunshine, good roads, and good times.

This past weekend was also a time of preparation for this coming weekend's Thomson Appreciation Day at Thomson Trails, but it is with sadness and heart-felt sorrow that we learned during our Sunday ride that Mr. Ronnie Thomson passed away Saturday. Many of us have Thomson stems and seat-post on our bikes, but most never met the man that made them possible or road the trails that he allowed us to build, maintain, and enjoy on his property. He was a great friend and supporter of the cycling community and his life will be remembered and celebrated this weekend at Thomson trails with Ronnie Thomson Day.

This coming weekend will see many of us travelling south to participate in the Ididaride in White Springs, Fla. We will be missing Ronnie Thomson Day and the memorial service to honor Mr. Thomson, but each of us will remember him and think of him Saturday and we will make a toast to honor him. We will celebrate his life and the life we will be sharing with friends just as others will do at Thomson trails.

Peace be with you Ronnie......

"It is not length of life, but depth of life."
---Ralph Waldo Emerson

Road Trips and laziness

Yes, another road trip has come to pass and we have many flavors of hops and barley to sample again. This time we didn't have to go far but the search was extensive to find the goods.

We traveled to Chattanooga, TN since it is the closest place to get any of the beer made by Stone Brewery. There is one thing that came out of California that I like, other than fake blonds with fake............nevermind.......... and that is Stone Brewery beer. The Smoked Porter is second on my favorites list of beers. I've sampled a lot of other smoked porters with most tasting like the liquid smoke flavoring you can buy at the grocery, but Stone's is exceptionally well balanced and is great with a wide menu of food choices. A few other beer flavors Stone makes that are currently in the fridge are Arrogant Bastard, Double Bastard (very good and usually one is enough), IPA, IPA Ruination (nice aroma but will make your tounge holla), and of course the Smoked Porter. All are over 6% and can only be purchased in liquor stores in TN but not with regular beer since the government has an old law on the books prohibiting the sale of alcohol content above 5% unless you have a liquor license. And, if you plan to sell both you must have separate buildings where access restricts the purchase of both at one sales point. I still want to try the Alaskan Smoked Porter since it is supposed to be the original, as the story goes: a brewer asked someone that was smoking salmon if he would mind smoking the hops he was to use in his next batch of beer, the guy agreed, and hence we have enjoyed "smoked" porter since then. Only a beer drinker, mountain biker, or combination of the two would come up with something that crazy and make it work.

I'm now deep into my second week of vacation --> that I've really needed to recharge. Unfortunately, I've taken time off the bike as well and have not de-assed the couch as planned to ride every day. It's just easier to sit in front of the TV and veg. Lacking motivation for sure of late, but I've been able to read some of the books and articles necessary for next quarter's classes. There's been a few days with good mileage but mostly just spinning on the trainer for an hour or more after morning coffee.

We went to see No Country for Old Men a few days ago and it was a cool movie. At least I thought so. One I'd like to see again. I'm kinda slow getting things unless I read it once, but this movie was drawn from more than the simple idea of "hey, lets have a psycho hit man snuff people in weird ways while chasing down a satchel of money." It has some biblical associations in the interactions of simple folk who are touched in a collision of fates. The ending is one that will leave you thinking "WTF?! Is that it?!" And, it took me a few hours to finally put the pieces together and have it all make sense. Slow I may be, but I've talked to others who just didn't get it until I explained a few things to them. Then the light came on and they were no longer disappointed in how the movie ended.

Right now the sun is shining, there's no clouds in the sky, and I have the roads all to myself since the world is returning to normal after the holidays. I should be out there spinning away with my iPod blasting "Indifferent to Suffering" by Chimaira, but today I'll chose the trainer instead of the 15-25 mph winds and 29F temperature we currently have as I write this. The high is supposed to be 39'ish and I had enough wind and cold yesterday on the New Year's Day ride blocking the wind for a few stragglers for 14 miles at the end of the ride. "What don't kill ya makes ya stronger...." Uhmmmmm............why risk it today? There's black-eye peas with ham and Smoked Porter in the fridge............what was the number for Jenny Craig again?