Friday, February 15, 2008

typos

for some reason i like to proofread my posts, AFTER i post.. upon realizing how many typos i've made, i've also realized, i don't care enough to go back and change them. so enjoy the read suckas?!

baked hot chocolate and tapping

The past few days have been going really well training wise. Even when i'm not training i'm having a good time. I'd been having a problem with my wheel making a weird noise and ended up bringing it around to shops. Their advise didn't get me anywhere and no one was of really any help so I ended up bringing it to Neil. He took it apart in about 2 minutes, cleaned it, lubed it, put it back together and now, no loud clank noise whenever i step on the pedal! ow chee wa wa.

Me and Krista went to San Fran the other day. We got some sweet Mexican food at a restaurant on Haight street. I love just walking around San Fran. Just seeing stuff like big group of fixies chillin around, huge buildings, awesome shops and everything like that, makes me happy enough. I guess i just like to look, no touch. We did go to some shops so Krista could check out some gangsta shoes for her wedding, and then we headed to the Emergency Room to pick up Tim. It was really cool walking around the ER and meeting everyone and seeing how low-key an ER really is. None of that, "HE'S BLEEDING OUT OF HIS EYEBALLS O H M Y G O D IT'S GOING EVERYWHERE GET ME THE CLAMPS STAT." It's more like "alright.... *mumbling to self* not allergic to any meeeeds..... chhhhheck..... ok i guess we can take him to this room and hook him up there" Not so dramatic as tv. I got to see some overdramatic patients, some psych crazy cookoo patients, and make some old black guy with no teeth in a bed make a huge smile. Tim was floored and dealt with something like 61 patients in a 13hr shift, what a pansy flower man. So we walked to Zazie and took some detours so we could walk by some cool bike shops on the way.

Zazie was super cool. Really hip yet upscale, lowlight restaurant with lots of energy and vibe. It was dog night so you could bring your dog and eat out on the balcony out back, super cool. We ordered some french onion soup and then, the holy grail of desserts, baked hot chocolate. Sweet 8lb 6oz little baby jesus was it good. Topped with little marshmellows baked to golden perfection. It wasn't what i expected, and that was practically a dry chocolate cake in a mug. This was so rich and still liquidy you could drink it. I went last year with Tim and Krista but we got there too late. The doors were closed, but you could still see everyone inside partying away, laughing, drinking, eating baked hot chocolate, but not me. I stood there in the freezing cold frigid weather hoping they'd let me in if I made a sad enough face. But I would have to wait another year to get my chocolate redemption. And it was well worth the wait. I needed some extra calories from the riding too so that helped.

Yesterdays ride didn't go too smooth. I had 4hrs with at least 2hrs in zone 2, and I could NOT get my hr to zone 2. I would put down 300watts and it's hover at about 152. I'm not a huge guy that can put down 500w at 130hr, and this was hurting. I would finally get my HR up on the climbs on to have it fall faster than I could get down to the bottom of the hill. So today was not looking good. I had high hopes since I ate a huge fat juicy steak and pasta last night, but upon getting ready and getting out the door, I felt bloody aweful. I was tired, my legs ached and I just couldn't get myself pumped up enough. I climbed up Spruce, which if you have bad legs, is terrible. I get to the top and start going down wildcat to the descent. I try to open my legs up and hit some rollers at tried to push around 300w. I couldn't even do it over a roller. So I turn around and go to the top of Spruce where I whip out my phone and consult my bro. Here's the text responses

Cary: How are you feeling for todays ride?
Me: My legs feel awesome so far... hoping they'll open up
Cary: Ok call me when youre finished. rip it yo
Me: Dude i totally meant to put my legs feel aweful. Im tired and I feel like doodoo
Cary: Better tap fool hahaha
Me: I can't i'm riding. Maybe i'll just call it a day. I can recover today and do gym/ride sunday. I think if I do those hill repeats there's pt no pot way i'll be able to recover by tomorrow
Me: Dunno what pt no pot is. Fuckin dumbass phones idea of predictive text (i was getting pissed!)
Cary: Seiji says listen to your body always, granted next week is recovery
Me:Yeah I know, i don't think I can do it though. I think I used all my reserves the past 3 weeks.
Cary: Try tapping. If it doesn't help then head home. I'll tap from here too

i then decided not to head home and give it a shot.. here's the resulting texts

Me: Dude keep tapping! Unbelievable! The power?!
Cary: tapped for activation of phosphate for ATP, so your muscles should experience more energy, for efficiency, for strength and recovery. I'll do oxygen intake and power output next, to lower your HR?!

I did all 40 minutes of my hill repeats, and felt so bloody good. It was unbelievable. I was flying by people left and right, and I had no trouble keeping my watts where I needed them to be. I left wildcat canyon as my last hill repeat. About halfway up I caught up to two Clif Bar riders. I passed them and greeted them, and immediately noticed they jumped on my wheel. I looked back and they're on my wheel hammerin in, so I keep going for a few minutes and up the pace a little, look back and they're not there.. Maybe they decided I was going to slow and didn't feel liek riding fast anyways, or maybe I really dropped them. I like the latter. Anyways kudos to cary for getting me through my ride. I had the most amazing riders high afterwards. I couldn't get myself to go inside to Kristas and get cleaned up. I just cycled around in circles around the block for awhile and took in the warm setting sun. It was such a good feeling having accomplished that and I know if i hadn't talked to cary, 100% i would have never done the ride, not to mention blast through it like I did dropping everyone in site, including my cool hammer gel holder, which I never found.

i treated myself to some delicious sushi from sushi ko on shattuck street. turns out my mom use to go there all the time..... 25 years ago! i didn't know there was such a thing as restaurants that long ago....! there's was a rally/protest about the iraq war and bush across the street from the restaurant. it was just starting and everyone was showing up, including camera crews. I gotta say, as stupid as i think rally's are, I still like how active berkeley is. There's always people riding bikes, walking places, just getting out and excercising or.... protesting. But it's a breath of fresh air.

So i'm lounging in kristas luxurious temperpedic and am about to go over to Tims. Getting to drive around here is so nice. It keeps my sanity intact, as opposed to when I went to Colorado fresh out of highschool to train and didn't get to drive much less touch a car for 8 weeks. It a really cool place to drive around. I don't think i'd instill as much faith as anyone else as they have with me letting me drive around, but i guess the fact that the mechanic said it's a deathtrap when taken in to get an oil change, might have something to do with it. maybe they're trying to get rid of me!

oh and herring gas is kicking buns at the tour of belize

Sunday, February 10, 2008

I figured i'd kinda try to organize my blog alittle bit instead of name dropping all the time.. but instead of editing posts.. i'll just start from square one here.

I'm out for another month in California training in the Albany, Berkeley hills for the 2nd year in a row. I stayed with my Aunt Kristas fiance Tim for the first week and a half or so here in his sweet pad in Albany, and since Krista still has a month of her lease left at her apartment, i'm livin here since she pretty much is always at Tims, and is in the process or moving there.. I guess that sums it up abit............ sort of....

anyways my bike has been making a weird noise for a few days. i thought it might be the crank and wasn't too happy cause that isn't a good case but it could be worse... turns out it is.. the sounds coming from the freehub. I took it to a few shops today Mikes Bikes and VeloSport in Berkeley and i got the same answer. "Well uh, yeah just spray some lube in there and it shouldn't make that noise anymore". I mean it's not some little wishwashy ticky noise. It's a popping clanking bomb going off in my hub and I dont think solvent will take care of the issue. I have been training with it hoping it will just go away, which is a bloody stupid idea, and it hasn't. I got all suited up for my first ride from Kristas pad and was feelin really tired.. Unfortunately Tim's Magical couch has sleeping powers beyong Kristas tempurpedic.. i dunno how that's possible. and they're throwing away the couch... I wonder if there's anyway I can box it up and ship it back to br.... maybe check it at the airport... anyways i'm out the door and am sluggin along with my poppin rear wheel. I'm about an hour into my ride so I put down a clif bar and go for a water bottle. no water bottles! dude as if it couldn't get worse.. so i turn around and as i'm just starting back i see this rider comin towards me... low position, fast cadence, beefy legs, sweet badass jersey.. freddy rodriguez?! dude badass as anything?! all decked out in his new rock&republic racing kit and yellow de rosa bike. a guy here i'm suppose to train with this week works at wrench science down the street from where i'm livin and he said he taped up freddy's bars the other day. sweeeeeet.. i think freddy's there pro spokesman or somethin.

wonder how rock&republic is gonna be goin if Kayle Leograndes B sample gets tested positive. Here's straight from Michael Balls mouth himself in a VeloNews interview

"His numbers that have come back from testing are amazing. They are unbelievable. We’ve had him tested by Max Testa and Max stepped out and said, 'You have a Tour de France contender. At the very least this man can win a stage.' "

Somethin smells like tuna gone bad.
"when somethings seem too good to be true... it probably is" -major dick pound

sad but true.. except in my case.

i'm on my way over to tims, timmys, the timsters, timmy crack corn and i don't care - house to check out my bike and inspect the damage. he's the man with the tools... and the awesome couch, which i might crash on tonight if it lures me in with it's lush arms and charm.

Friday, February 8, 2008

possibly, the nicest ride i've done.....ever..................... in my life

Yesterday i had a 4hr ride with at least 50% of it being zone2 heart rate. Tim pointed me out to a 70 mile loop that went way out to Pinole, and a small town called Crockett, before, heading back to alahambra and hitting the bears, up wildcat, and back home. I had a hard ride the day before and was really looking forward to some new scenery. I got my supplies ready and headed out the door. To my extreme satisfaction, it was actually warm, not a cloud in the sky. About two hours into the ride once I get away from the scenic part of Pinole, I end up climbing a very wide street that looks like it should be super busy, but no cars. Over the hill I witness this huge refinery. I feel like i'm out in the bloody middle of nowhere with nothin but stackpipes to look at. Before I know it I round a corner and I see huuuuuge green hills with houses all over them, and the water with the 2 workhorse bridges goin way across to oakland. Unbelievably beautiful ride. I met some cool people, dropped a cat3 on a Giant sponsored team on a wicked descent (yes that's a pretty lame claim to fame), got offered a possible spot on a team, and had really great legs all day. I'm gonna take the camera with me next time, possibly Sunday and take some pictures on that route. Really amazing stuff.. Unfortunately I got lost and got directions from another rider, and was about 20 minutes in the wrong direction. I was really running low on food and had about 1:30 hours to go. I stuffed down my last clif bar and hoped for the best. Since I was dumb enough to not bring enough food for a 5hr ride, I ended up having to eat 3500calories before I went to bed, and I got back from riding at about 5:30. Me, Aunt Krista and Tim went to in-n-out burgers... suuuper delicious, but I should have eaten about 3 more. Upon getting home and logging in my foods, I still had 1600calories to eat, and was about to vomit the food I had already eaten. I stayed up till about 11 stuffing everything I could from rosemary nuts to taco bell (still can't believe I had to resort to that) to beer. I ended with about a 400calorie deficit, and upon cary's idea, I laid some traps about the house in case I got up in the night, with the thought that I would hopefully be walking to the bathroom and notice a delicious looking banana on the floor.. the plan bombed, but I still felt good on my ride today. It was intense! 3 hours with 40minutes of climbing at 300watts. I made it through the day and am now moving from Tim's house, to Kristas tonight, where i'll have a tempurpedic bed & pillow all to myself. 19 days left of heavenly riding in California

Sunday, February 3, 2008

Back to Cali

I just got to Albany California for my second and more succesful training trip in 2 years. The weathers been ok, chilly and rainy, but after today it's suppose to be sunny and fairly warm. My first ride here was nice. just kinda gettin to know the roads again and get use to climbing so much. The second day was another story.

The ride started off in the rain which is fine, but not the easiest thing to come out of your house into. I head up the nice climb up Spruce street and head down Wildcat Canyon and take a right and head to Moraga. About 2.5hrs into my ride it really started raining but I was keeping warm and my legs felt nice. I went pinehurst and ended at the top of Skyline which is where I begin the nice long descent back down to Grizzly peak, then to Spruce and voila the ride is done. It's always such a good feeling to get to this point as even if you have an hour of riding left, it's easy and fun. Turns out skylines closed due to a mudslide... this is really bloody bad because I had to stop to kinda get my bearings, and all my heat decided to leave. So I start shaking uncontrollably and start a superfast descent down Snake road, having no idea where i'm heading. I decide to start making the extra effort of an even more miserable face than I already naturally had with the hopes that someone would feel bad enough for me and give me a ride. Being lost in the mountains is almost worse than being lost in the city, and I was about to experience both. I eventually ask for directions and a nice lady with gps tells me where to go as her daughter busts out laughing about the guy that's "freezing cold out there" yeah i'm bloody aware of it sweetcheaks. So I finally get on my way with new directions and as the streets start appearing how they're suppose to my morale begins to lift again as I realize i'm almost to Washington street, aka home! I turn down washington and go down to the end of it......... nothing looks familiar.. okay maybe it's the other end of Washington....... not even close. So i'm freezing my buns off and trying to figure out if i'm 50 miles from home or 5, so I begin to look for a bus map on the side of the road and fail to see this groove in the road that my tire decides to lock into. The fall felt so slow I had time to think about things like, "why is this happening?" "are you bloody kidding?" "i wonder what kind of pancakes they're serving at the cafe down the street." my glasses go flying down the road, my head bounces off the concrete and my shoulder, hip and wrist all have this awesome throbbing pain. I stand up and look around for awhile, pick up my bike and bend my brake lever back in place and inspect for damage.. nothing too bad so I continue searching for a map. Turns out i'm in bloody downtown oakland.. I knew this place looked sketchy: really built up city, with not alot of people walking around, and shitty ass roads. I eventually get directions from some not-completely-there security guard at a hotel. I'm on my way avoiding the syringes and used uzzi clips scattered about the road and I finally make it to San Pablo and eventually make it home after sprinting about 45 minutes through stop lights and heavy california traffic in the rain.
So I come inside, strip my soaking clothes off, take my seatpost out and turn my bike upside down, put on my trunks, get my towel and haul ass downstairs to go jump in the hot tub.... that isn't there anymore.. god crap it?! I think I convinced Tim to set it back up again though.

Todays ride was nice though. Tims friend Aaron and his friend Neil that I got to ride with last time invited me out for a 3 hour ride. Aaron has more bloody bikes, and bike equipment than a freaking bike shop. My legs felt awesome and the weather wasnt half bad, rain on and off till 3 minutes from home it started pouring so hard it stung to look up. Sunshine weather from here on out says weather.com though so i'm hopin for that.