Penguin Stew

ALana and I have been living with our friend The Kid (Ryan) for the last month. He is named the kid because he is the youngest member of our race club at the ripe age of 28!!!! I think Mical has him tied but she has been with the club so long she gets a by.

The kid has had lots of renters over time and has aquired many ?things? in his freezer. Some are obvious frozen corn and tropical fruit mix. Others not so much, as in the frozen bag of white meat. Alana thought it was a bag of perogies. Upon further inspection it was a very old, freezer burnt bag of chicken breast. Having a good laugh at this I called the item in question penguin. Anything that has been in the cold that long has got to be transformed. The only solution was to slow cook it.

It got a pass from the kid and I thought it was yummy. Alana sampled and gave it a good grade too. Proving the point that it is impossible to screw up something in the slow cooker.

Morning Life

Well we are supposed to be here:











Drinking these:








But a passport expired and we had to delay for a week. Oh well, lot to do around the house and with no classes this week we are working hard.

I decided to go for a run this morning. I am trying to get up early and get to it. The Kid, who's house we are staying at, lives right by Fish Creek Park. Within 7 minutes I was running on dirt. Within 9 minutes I was flat on my ass on a slippery section of ice.

Beautiful morning, quiet woods, tranquillity and I turn the corner and literally almost run into:



There was a small group of them and they did not seem to afraid of me. I got within 8 feet of one before he/she decided to flip me the white tail and jet.

What a start to the day. Off I go to construct a wall.

Winter runs

Alana, Jay and I went for a run at Nosehill last night. The sunset was stunning and we took several minutes to savour the orange and red hues as the sun dipped behind our majestic rockies. We took turns at the turns making decisions. jay decided to be a deer and lope off into the deep snow. Nothing like getting a snow cone in the shoe.

We are on spring break this week for spin classes and have been filling the days with cross training activities like swimming and running. So far so good. I have left all recording devices at home and just go out and do. Sunday found us on the Fish Creek bike path navigating snow and huge water/mud puddles. The pace was easy but the riding great. The Kid and I even got in a swim that day as well.

As much as it would be a blast to train like that I cannot deny the benefits of the spin classes. The consistency and progressive steps, i believe, are a major key to my success on the bike.

Soon there will be nothing but outdoor riding but until then some good hard indoor classes.

Winter Fun

Well Can you tell I have been busy.

Here is an update on the goings on.

Had a great xmas in Ontario and my parents cottage. The first time the family has all been together there at xmas. Did some xc skiing and running.

Got back and tried to get in shape for the upcoming Lake Louise to Banff Loppet. A 70km "adventure ski". Jay, Dee, Alana and I went up the night before and stayed at the Deer Lodge which is quite nice and right across the road from the Chateau. Pretending we were twenty again we paid for a small room with two beds and snuck in the back door. Anythign to save a buck. Jay slept on the floor, bears dont' need beds, and it was early to bed.




Up early the next day for the race brief only to find that Alana and I were not actually registered for the race. As it is a small grass roots race they let us in anyways. Too bad we could have just goe for coffee and breaky.

I lost the gang when I wnet to the washroom and at the sound of the start gun here is where we were. Jay-parking lot waxing skis, Alana- running across parking lot to start line, Jeff-standing at start line with no poles or skis, Dee-running like made to get Jeff his skis.

I run a burly setup of wide track skis with fish scales. Yep, no maintanence in years. Needless to say on the first leg which is 22km downhill-ish I was fighting not to be DFL. Alana and Ramona passed me early and I tired hard to hold off Jay but away he went.

Left-Right-Left-Right-Left-Right with only 78 people in the race I spent a lot of time alone to enjoy the sights. Beautiful route although it was in the ditch of the 1A at times.



Wander here, wander there finally got to the Sunshine overpass and knew where I was. Down along the river and done!!!!!

Great prizes at the buffett and a good feel. Would I do it again? I don't know maybe with proper skis and some more training.

Weights and Cycling

I have started up with my Wednesday night lifting again.

The benefits I gained last year were unquestionable. I did not get whole body fatigue on the bike. I could ride 3-8 hours and still feel relatively good. Before I would often get very a very tired and sore lower back, neck, and my triceps would kill on some long downhills.

Nothing fancy yet, just gettin the body used to holding and liting. I Will be putting in squats which will make Thrusday night interesting. My theory is that with the weights being heavier than what I can push on the pedals when I go back to the bike threshold riding will feel easier in the legs. I responded well last year to some serious power training.

I was worried at first about carrying around a few more kilos on mass but after last yrear I will gladly weigh more to have the endurance and power in my whole body.

I'll let you know how it goes when I really get into in the new year.

CFC part Duhhh

What was I thinking?? I mean really. Who would accept an invitation to go ride last Saturday? It was minus 10 going to minus 14, with howling winds that woudl take it down to minus 25.

Here is what I thought I would look like:










And here is how much fun I thought it would be:








I was standing in my living room, which was a nice 19 degrees, staring out the window thinking okay I can just ride to Cadence cafe and see what happens. Erik said the previous night that we might just go for breakfast. Why does everything sound good when you have one of these in front of you:






I showed. There was no one there. I had a coffee. I waited. I called. They showed. We were going. Shit!!! Ah, really I wasn't that dejected. I was looking forward to this. After last weekends ride to Fish creek with the CFC I knew they could be reseasoned with and that no one was trying to get killed.

We left Cadence and decided to head West to sstart. Straight into the wind. Theory= if wi go into hte wind and get tired we turn around and get pushed home. Just three of us this week. Erik, Craig, and Me. All on SS, the deep snow bike of choice.

Here are the stats
top speed=32 kph
time=3:49:00
distance=41.26 km
elevation=1069m
Ave speed=11.6 kph

11.6 kph??? It was all torque and keeping hte bike upright. When things were going well 18kph. Until I rubbed the side of a tire track and lost balance fought to recover and started at 3 kph again.

We really didn't go to far. Bear's Paw dam. Edworthy hill. Cadence for a good lunch.

It was just plan fun on a bike. I think we could have gone hiking and had just as much fun.

Lesson learned. Go on try it, the worst that could happen is you could have a great breakfast with friends.

Riding with the Calgary Fast Cats (CFC)

Last weekend I finally accepted an invitation to go out with the Elite/Cat 1,2 riders here in Calgary.

Craig Stappler usually is the guy organising the rides and is one of my main competitors. He has been sending me the emails since last spring but this was the first one. Why? I am sure that we could get into a deep well of pychology on this one but probably because I was a little apprehensive (read-scared). These are the guys that I trade battles with all summer. But if I am to take the next step then I need to ride with these guys. I need to be pushed over and over again.

Shawn-cranked past me at XC8 listening to Pantera in the last 10 minute to bumpme to 3rd.
Brain-rode with him and his partner in TransRockies and Mical and I tried to beat them everyday.
Chris-Canadian Master A TT champ and top provincial cx racer
Gabor-the SS animal who I tried to drop in the Bow 80 but couldn't unitl Jumping Pound.

Missing were Dallas, Keith, Devin, and Erik. Some serious horse power in all these guys.

It is like going for boxing practice with Mike Tyson and Evander Hollifield. Who in their right mind thinks that is a good idea?

I am trying to work on all the things that are my limiters. Riding above myself is one of them. Riding with the CFC should do it.

We met at Cadence cafe at 10 had a bite to eat then headed out. Where? I think only Shawn and Craig knew but we were quite happy to follow. Some were on cx bikes adn Gabor, craig, and myself were ridin the SS. The roads were slick, the temp was great, the company was awesome. It was a pleasure to be riding with these guys and not racing. I got to know more about each of them. Races they plan on doing, gear they like/dis-like, secret trials they know about. We rode the long way round to Fish Creek. The trials were excellent and fun. Lots of new stuff that was challenging. Too bad no one saw me catch my bar end into a fence, promptly sending me to the ground landing on the only tree knub in the area.

At times the pace was high. We all tried to climb steep hills. I knew that this was my day to push myself. I tried all the hills others did, sometimes successful, sometimes not. As the day worn on I actually started to feel better. Must have been the chewy pb and cocoa bar from the cafe. Our numbers slowly declined as the time past. Chris was selling his house, Gabor has kids, Shawn said something about more coffee. In the end at 4 hours Brian, Craig and Myself headed to Nosehill. By the time we got there the sun was going down and we all decided that was that.

So what did learn in my 75km SS adventure? I can ride with the CFC. I will get better riding with the CFC. It can be fun to do the 18a St hill 3:30 hours into the ride at redline.

Mostly, we all want to ride, make it fun, and have a good coffee after. Even the CFC.

Beans and Barley Race

I will try to cathc up the the ongoings of life but here is a story about our race teams cyclocross race held late Oct.

Our theme is beans and barley, beer and chili. We are one of the only races to have a liqour license and have a inter team chili cookoff. This was our 4th year and we had another great event. We try to make it fun and have new people try the race. We had a citizens category so anyone could race even on a mountain bike. If you have every thought of riding a CX event put this one in the calendar for next year.


Ryan and Chris Battling for the race and the title.

























Tim showing off the pipes and his best skid.






















Mical dressed in her skeleton suit kicking some boney butt.




















Your host with the most. Paul and I dressed for success and doing a dam fine job of annoucing all four races. Yes, I even raced in the suit with a remote mic in the expert and open events. Couldn't really hear me over the gasping for breath.

One more arrow for the quiver!!

It was a hard fought negotiation but I now own a Rocky Mountain Solo CX. It is the entry level bike (good compromise on my part) and comes with groovy red bar tape.

After watching my friends at a Tuesday night cross race I had to have one. Everyone was so excited to be there and was having so much painful fun. Thanks to Keith for putting the order n quickly and even getting his wife Leslie to deliver it to my door. This was Friday Oct. 16, there was a race the next day but I had to much work to wrap up, the bike stayed in the box crying to be let out.

Saturday night I started putting it together. All went well except the front brake. Why would anyone build a 90 degree angle into a brake cable?? After visiting Lonn for some CX insight I had not put on the brake guide and did so Sunday morning. Just in time for my 1 pm start, in Open Men no less. Reid Cummings gave me a quick rehash on how to shoulder the bike, Andy Holmwood couldn't stand my long brake wire and proceeded to take me back to his car to fix it, 10 minutes before the start of the race.

How did it go you may ask??? Well.....too much fun! The Kid and my brother came just to watch a guy who has done almost nothing for a month go full tilt for an hour. My full tilt was only about half tilt and there was some residual wine in the system. I found myself in DFL. I fought up to 2DFL and held that spot. My goal was now not to get lapped. That didn't happen. Ryan Hopping came up on me near the end of lap 9 with 2 to go and was going to "kindly" let me stay in front for another lap. That didn't happen either. After trying to hold off the King of Cross I slowed just before the start of the up hill and got out of his way.

What happened in the interim:

1/found out that I can actually ride a CX bike

2/ Still have no idea how to run with one

3/ Can get on and off CX bike fast, used to wiping out on mtb

4/ battled with Keith Baley, in the sand, sprinting uphill, yelling yahoo as loud as we could

Ii had so much fun I went to the Tuesday night race and smiled the whole time. Things felt better and I could feel a little "snap" in the legs.

It's good to ride for fun again.

Oh ya, indoor cycling classes start this week.

Why I like Bikes!!!! In Pics

Did she recover???

Always smiling, until grumpy!

Hanging with the Dawgs!

Great Friends!

SWEEEEEETTTTT! Good to know all that hard work was worth it!!

One off the life check list!!