41x15

This is a test, this is only a test, I'm using this site as a test

2011-10-04T17:14:00.001-04:00

Shhh. Be quiet.

2011-07-18T22:47:00.000-04:00

Today I made my first ascent up Heekin this year. That's cause I'm fat and slow. And a wimp.

I'm not going to lie. It hurt. And since it is so hot and I'm climbing in the dark the pulsing of my wonderful light started to make my head feel like I was in some kind of 1970's movie with an acid trip scene.

Tonight I did yoga

2009-12-08T21:25:00.002-05:00

And earlier today, I promised myself that I would do something physical everyday. What I need is some public shaming. If I don't work out, mock me on Twitter and Facebook. I need it.

The Ride October 25, 2009

2009-10-25T14:10:00.000-04:00

14.75 miles. It was nice thank you.

The Ride - October 24, 2009

2009-10-24T13:27:00.003-04:00

Vitals
Miles today: 20.90
Miles this week: 20.90
Miles this year: 776.4
Weight: Greater than 200 (I really don't want to know)
Misc: Cold wet day. Felt good. Forgot to ring the bike bell at the guy who passed me on the Lunken Airport trail.
Today's ride epiphany: I want to move to Europe. For real. With my family. I suppose this means I have to get independently wealthy or have a great idea.

Yes. This year has been lame. I will proudly refer to the rest of this year simply as base miles for next year because this year I sucked.

So be it.

A proclamation: Be it resolved that every ride shall end with one loop of this little hill near my home.

View Larger Map

Why? Because of this:

This is a shot from the top of that hill at last year's Hyde Park Blast race -- specifically the Cat 3s. From this shot you can clearly see that this (and the 180 degree turn about .4 miles from here) are the deciders in that race.

I intend to do well in the Cat 5 next July. So, assuming that familiarity breeds contempt, I will soon hold that hill in utter contempt and mock it openly on a daily basis.

What Would Dr. Freud Say?

2009-09-19T22:40:00.003-04:00

Eddy I need to ride lots. Lots. Not the lame as miles I'm churning out now.

Base miles

2009-08-23T10:37:00.001-04:00

My wife shook me awake, told me that she was off to Nana's to get the small human, and that I should get my butt out and ride so that I could have my health and fitness back. I have a good life.

I think they call this base miles. I just think of it as getting out and riding... slowly.

14.17 miles.

Strike down the cocky fat bicycle rider guy

2009-08-22T17:08:00.002-04:00

Food for thought:

Light rain makes for very slick roads. Accordingly, do not climb hills that result in accidental wheelies. Yes, those would be steep hills. Exceeding steep hills. Hills like Montague Road, more commonly known, inasmuch as it is one lane and way off the beaten path, the back way up to the Devou Park Overlook. Mind you, the front way up is a switchback fun time in 2 miles. Montague goes the same vertical distance in less than half a mile.

So it is steep. Steep enough that you tend to accidentally pop little wheelies when climbing in the saddle. When you stand up to avoid this, when the road is slippery from a light rain, you spin out and go no where.

When you try avoid doing either, you end up doing both, and then you fall down.

That, ladies and gentleman, is today's ride.

The moral of the story, just because you are a fat guy who can go up hills, and you figure the best way to not be a fat guy is to go up steeper hills, doesn't mean G-d won't throw you a difficult scenario while going up a hill.

Rubber side not so down. Laughter level quite high.

23.85 miles.
230 disgustingly why did I drink that much beer? pounds.

Responsible Parenting

2009-05-31T23:22:00.001-04:00

While helping out at a checkpoint for an alleycat race A discovered the joy of sitting on an overturned bucket and drinking a beer. Well, 50% of that at least. When was the last time you sat around and drank a few beers with friends in a parking lot? Long live bicycles, beers, and friends.

2009-05-07T19:58:00.002-04:00

In this corner, weighing in at roughly 920 McDonald's Quarter Pounders with cheese, is a guy who doesn't even feel like trying to make excuses.

Miles: 130.3
Lame.

Roubaix photos now online

2009-04-14T09:17:00.001-04:00

No. I haven't been blogging. I've barely been riding. But I've been to Paris-Roubaix. The pics, such as they are, are up. More someday soon, probably when I return stateside.

flickr.com/photos/lizzardo

And it begins - again. Really.

2009-03-08T18:57:00.005-04:00

I've returned to the world of tracking mileage. For the past year and a half, I have had no idea how far or how fast (slowly) I've gone. Now I will know. And so will you - if you have nothing better to do that to look here. I'll also publish it in my notes on FB.

Each entry like this can be tracked under Weight and Mileage. The first one commences tomorrow.

Biking Vicariously

2009-02-21T13:38:00.002-05:00

Spotted on Hamilton Avenue in Northside near Shake It records. I was tempted to steal the saddle. I'm intrigued by the lack of straps on the toe-clips - particularly in light of the fact that it lacks brakes.

Another swipe at the big guys and their inability to use the internet

2009-02-15T11:47:00.002-05:00

NEWS FLASH

LANCE TT BIKE STOLEN!!!

How do the crack journalists at 41x15 know this? Because Lance Armstrong posted it to twitter mere moments ago.
http://twitpic.com/1i8t1

VeloNews? Not yet. NYTimes. Not yet. Cycling news. Not yet. Drunkcyclist (he doesn't care anyway).

41x15. Oh yeah.

Okay. Now back to work.

Amgen Tour of California and I'm Still Out of Shape

2009-02-14T21:07:00.003-05:00

I have nothing clever to say, but it has commenced. The season is on. I am fat and out of shape. So what's new?

Only that I'm disappointed that Floyd Landis placed 90th and Hamilton doesn't consider himself "a contender." That means that despite the fact that everybody's there, the race will look the same.

So we're back. More to come.

Subterranean Homesick Blues

2008-12-23T21:58:00.003-05:00

Or, if you prefer the original: go listen to Bob.

And yes, that is a cow seat cover on the wife's ride. Deal with it.

And yes, that is the most expensive textbook I purchased for law school holding up my front wheel. Deal with that too, Corporations and the Law of Business Transactions.

The opposite of epic part 1

2008-12-07T13:37:00.001-05:00

Yup. That's me. I thought I'd try out mountain biking this morning. It went well.

Shameless Self (Sort-of) Promotion

2008-12-02T11:08:00.002-05:00

Attention anyone who may stumble across this blog. This is totally unrelated to anything on the blog but totally wonderful. I can help you find the holiday gift you need for Mom or girlfriend or wife or partner or whatever. Yes I can!
Why are these people so happy! Because they scored stuff! Namely, jewelry.

Okay, okay, okay. I'll come clean. This photo was taken at my mother-in-law's jewelry open house. Robert got new cufflinks. The small person got to eat a cookie.

A little shameless holiday family self promotion. My wonderful mother-in-law, and I say that without a hint of irony, really does have a fantastic jewelry store. This year Barbara has shifted her focus to being a personal jeweler by appointment. See Boris Litwin Jewelers at litwins.com or email her at blitj at a o l dot com. Tell her Erik sent you.

Thanks!

Sweet sweet journalism lovin'

2008-12-01T19:56:00.004-05:00

(photo taken from sandollaradventures.wordpress.com)

I'm not sure, but I have this strange hunch that Neil Browne(eye) is carrying on a sordid affair with Michael Ball (pictured above fluffing). Or at least he has a serious man crush. Not that there is anything wrong with that.

And did you hear? Lance Armstrong plans to ride the Tour de France. That is not surprising. The real story is this, Twitter got the scoop.

And I quote: "Just did an interview with AP announcing I am doing the Tour de France in 2009. about 5 hours ago from TwitterBerry "

In other words, the AP thought they were all badass and it turns out the LA remains in control of his destiny, putting the word out on Twitter instead of letting the AP get the scoop. Meanwhile, over at Velonews, they are left with their pants down and cite the Astana website.

Cyclingnews gets the podium, because they apparently pay attention to what is an obvious immediate source for news, the exact words of Lance Armstrong as he sends them into the ether - and they cite the Twitter feed. Good for them.

Oh, and just so 41x15's crack team of internet journalists can say they beat the big boys to the punch, Lance went SURFING. Wheeee. So did Levi Leipheimer. Needless to say Lance surfed better by about 2 or three places.

I reported this before Cyclingnews and Velonews. I rule. More breaking twitter feeds at 11.

Today's calorie count: 1740
Extra grams I'm carrying around: too damn many
Real ability to mock professional cyclists: low
Ability to mock professional journalists: Still pretty high

Calorie Counter

2008-11-25T09:56:00.001-05:00

For Monday November 24, 2008: 1870. Within range.
Exercise fail.
Boring blog entry. But where I don't write I'm still going to report all winter. Deal.a

Snidely Whiplash at the Pumpkin Rally

2008-11-18T20:18:00.003-05:00

I just found this picture on another website and stole it. I figure its me so I can steal it back. Like the song Charles Manson stole from the Beatles and all. The Pumpkin Rally not only featured carrying a pumpkin from check point to check point, at one of the check points I had mustaches and mutton chops drawn on my face in sharpie. Oh, the strange things we do for fun.

What is the opposite of epic?

2008-11-17T12:54:00.001-05:00

Upon further consideration of yesterday's ride, great to get out and ride though it was, I must ask: What is the opposite of epic?

It wasn't lame. I mean, we were riding and getting back in the saddle. It wasn't stupid. It was slow.

I need a word. What is the opposite of epic?

Internet! Give me a word!

MGD 64 Review

2008-11-16T21:25:00.002-05:00

Cold weather kept the skinny guys away. So the two heavier guys set off at noon. The sun was out, although sometimes obscured by foreboding clouds. The temperature was 38 degrees. The wind should have given us a tailwind on the way home, but instead it the wind shifted and blew cold, wet air at us.

What a great ride. So good to get out again.

So now I'm trying out the new MGD 64. I've fallen for the advertising. What does it taste like? MGD. Miller Genuine Draft. So, um, whatever. Yes, I'm a beer snob. But it doesn't take a snob to know that MGD is just okay.

Calories. Within range. Exercise? I good long ride in the cold. Success.

Cincinnati Pumpkin Rally Alleycat

2008-11-15T22:27:00.017-05:00

Mmmmm. Beer. Of course by the time I reached the end of my ride through the dark of downtown Cincinnati, Newport, and Covington, the beer was gone. I'd carried my pumpkin for many miles, but still, I did not finish within the time limit.

These are some of the photos I took at this year's Pumpkin Rally, where a whopping 8 riders finished within the time limit. I was not among them. I fell short by one check point. Damn.
For the record, locking the wheel to the frame will not prevent your Pista from being stolen.
My, that's an awfully large sack you have.
Tall bikes for short people.
Dig the zombie spoke card.
Chain link fence chained bikes.

Miss Carrie showed up despite the fact that she is still nursing her shoulder following her collision with a hit and run driver.
At the start line in Burnet Woods park.

I should mention also that my goal next year is to keep doing some alleycats. Because where else can the race report include beer? Oh yeah, a handup in a cyclocross race. Maybe next year.

We might as well be doing a cyclocross race in Belgium

2008-11-15T21:00:00.003-05:00

Tomorrow I'm scheduled to set off on a two-wheeled excursion through the fine state of Kentucky. It is not to be a long excursion. It is just me, another guy like me (who wisely chose a career in the bicycle industry), and a couple of skinny guys to whose wheels we will attach ourselves and pray.

Then of course there will be hills. Oh, and oh yeah, the forecast calls for a high of 38 degrees with continued precipitation. In other words, we might as well be in Belgium. Not that this will stop me from riding tomorrow, it just seems like I might actually be crazy.

Here are next season's goals:

To wear "the jersey" to a race;
To help out as best I can with Team Fatty's Livestrong Challenge;
Godzulla;
Son of Godzulla;
every Ault Park crit;
Hyde Park Blast;
and of course, another MS 150.

How am I doing since the last entry: calories in? Good. Exercise, okay.

So I think I'll just get out and ride.

Whip me, beat me, make me wear tight clothes, Part Deux

2008-11-13T13:51:00.002-05:00

Well, I've fallen behind the old goals a little bit. But as previously noted, you can always ctrl-alt-del your fitness.

Here's the plan. It is relatively simple.

Consume between 1500 and 2000 calories a day.
Run, bike, or yoga.
Stretch.
And don't eat crap.

Certainly, I can live that. Right?

I'll keep a daily update here starting tomorrow.

Yay.

Reboot and start again

2008-11-05T15:36:00.003-05:00

No excuses. No lame reasons. Just a reminder that we can all start again. 99,790.3214 g. I've got a lot of work to do.

Blending priorities

2008-11-02T09:11:00.000-05:00

An exercise bike that also chills your beer. How inconvenient.

Obituary - Charlotte Anne Armstrong

2008-10-27T11:08:00.000-04:00

The obituary did not make the paper in time. Please spread the word to those who knew my wonderful Grandmother.

Charlotte Anne Armstrong, 82, formerly of Amberley Village, died Sunday, Oct. 26 at Hospice of Cincinnati. Wife of the late Sanford H. Armstrong, mother of B.J. Foreman (Arthur), late son Stewart (Jan Armstrong Cobb.) Sister Phyllis Rubenstein (Eli). Grandchildren Elizabeth Foreman (Erik Laursen), Jessica, Sanford (Niki), Susan and Leslie Armstrong, Jonathan Krass (Allie), Matt Krass (Orlee.) Great grandchildren Anna Laursen and Micah Krass. Numerous cousins and four nephews. Memorials: Adath Israel Congregation, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute or Jewish Early Learning Center at Hebrew Union College. Funeral Tuesday at 11:30 a.m. at Weil Funeral Home. Shiva will be observed at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Details at WeilFuneralHome.com.

Cincinnati Cyclocross

2008-10-13T21:05:00.003-04:00

It isn't just local racing, it is UCI 1 points. The pros were here! Where was I? Elsewhere. Sometimes I wonder why I have a life outside bicycles.

Here are some links:

Powers, Compton sweep Cincinnati 'Cross
Cincinnati International Cyclocross
Darkhorse Cyclo Stampede (see also the Darkhorse Racing site)
Ohio Valley Cyclocross

Biking Vicariously

2008-10-11T21:17:00.003-04:00

I think he knows I'm taking his picture and he wants to know why. It seems I'm spending more time in my car than I am on my bike. Suck.

A peaceful ride through the park

2008-10-05T20:26:00.000-04:00

Thanks to Dooce for posting this first.

Get off the grid and go hiking

2008-10-02T21:24:00.003-04:00

41x15 and crew are hitting the trail. See you next week. We're off the grid.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

2008-09-30T21:56:00.005-04:00

We have a new World Champion. Mr. Ballan, there is nothing better than a solo breakaway at the race. Thank you. Now don't get nailed for doping.

We have the impending retirement of the former World Champion. He denied doping. I liked Paolo Bettini best for the time he pushed a member of the U.S. U23 team up a hill at the Tour of California. That is what makes a champion.

We have the retirement of a confessed doper, who due to his candor was somehow allowed to continue to race and retire with grace. Good day Mr. Zabel.

And, of course, we have the impending return of a certain Lance Armstrong. We'll see how that goes down.

As for me, two more events are on the horizon. I'm still planning on the Son of Godzulla hill challenge. And the Pumpkin Rally returns. Last year I finished respectfully in the middle of the pack of this particular alleycat. I'd like to repeat or improve.

And now there is talk that CERA EPO extends all the way to the top of the Tour de France podium. Damn.

So why don't we all keep the wheel side down and ride?

Thank you NBC

2008-09-28T19:55:00.002-04:00

Forgive me, I may never be able to blog again. I'll be too busy watchin Universal Sports!

Woe be to the champions

2008-09-25T21:40:00.004-04:00

(Photo found on kwc's photostream. There's a mess of awesome Interbike photos there as well.)

A source at Interbike reports that Lance Armstrong really struggled on the running sections. In fact, 41x15's trusted source said, "I just wanted to reach out and pat his ass, and say, 'you're doing good there buddy.'"

This is a true story.

I also told my source to find Elden and get some schwag.

Apple juice is highly caloric

2008-09-23T21:15:00.002-04:00

"Apple juice is highly caloric, Son of Godzulla boy," she said as I poured a glass.

She' right of course. But, end of season goals aside, I really like juice and I'm suffering through late night work.

Today we will run

2008-09-20T12:06:00.002-04:00

And by "we" I mean me. Time to trim down with weight bearing exercise. Or maybe I'll borrow my dad's old Cannondale and take it for a spin. Too bad I don't have Look cleats.

Two Great Tastes that Go Great Together... kinda

2008-09-18T10:21:00.004-04:00

Bacon and Chocolate, together at last. Suddenly I feel all Homer Simpson.
For the record, I did not eat the bacon and chocolate bar. Mrs. 41x15 at the bacon and chocolate bar. I tasted it. Surprisingly (or not), it is not a flavor combination I recommend, no matter what it says on the box.

Jersey 22

2008-09-17T21:26:00.004-04:00

I'm vastly too tired to go down to the basement where the Jersey currently sits draped over the fixie. 96,615.1748 g. I'm back heading in the right direction but I'm far behind where I planned to be at this time of the year. I had planned to be where IWCBTH is - well below the 200 pound mark. And so it goes.

Today I also purchased a new jersey - or at least put down a deposit on the new team jersey. Team Hungry (I had nothing to do with the name, but somehow it works on many levels) commences racing next year. The team is together, the deposits are in. One of my many projects is to turn the team into a tax exempt organization. Size, 2XL jersey and bibs by Hincapie Sports. They run small.

Meanwhile, Interbike is getting started. While I'm off practicing law one of my favorite riding buddies is at work trying out new bikes. Clearly, I chose the wrong profession.

Not everything is about speed

2008-09-17T09:05:00.000-04:00

Not every bicycle is about going fast. Some bikes are strictly about function. The Missus and I spotted this bike on Court Street downtown. The designer's ingenuity impresses me.

Vote Dick

2008-09-16T20:49:00.002-04:00

One of my favorite people to ride with in the whole world, Carrie, rode RAGBRAI this year. She rode for team Vote Dick - Cheney '08.

The team is featured in Urban Velo this issue.

Check it out.

A few weeks ago Carrie had her collarbone destroyed by an errant and rather arrogant hit-skip driver.

She's on the mend. The driver has been arrested. Feel better Carrie. Everyone else, keep the wheel side down.

I mean, "Ride fast. Take chances."

Ault Park Crits - as seen by Flying Pig Courier's bike

2008-09-11T20:44:00.002-04:00

Mark is freakin' fast. He also logs more miles than anyone I know in Cincinnati.

Jersey 21

2008-09-11T14:52:00.002-04:00

Its all about grams. The camera battery is dead. I weighed in yesterday at 97,068.7672.

Thank you.

Dear Jon: You are so much cooler than Lance

2008-09-09T22:09:00.002-04:00

So it is true. Lance Armstrong is returning to professional cycling. Which is odd. Good for you Velonews, you scooped quite the story.

Now, the latest installment of the occasional series here on 41x15: The Dear Jon Letters.

Dear Jon:

May I call you Jon? It seems so formal to call you Mr. Vaughters. Please come out of retirement. Sure, as you put it, Lance won't "suck," but neither will he bring fashion sense and humor to the sport. You bring that it droves. You drop the F-Bomb on Versus and it makes it to your team's highlight reel. You don't make out with rock stars and make me uncomfortable by then making out with one of the girls from "Full House."

Don't get me wrong. I'm a Lance fan. It is hard not to be. What with the cancer and the activism and the fact that he is apparently an unstoppable force of nature even Chris Cuomo got all gushy on Good Morning America.

I just think that you are so much better for the sport right now.

I know you don't want to cut back on your daily regimen of performance lowering drugs, but you don't have to. I don't expect you to win the Tour de France. I just want you to ride it again and fly the argyle and work the sideburns. Sure, your team members have worked the mustasches, but nobody, and I mean nobody, works sideburns like you do.

If you are unwilling to come back as a rider, why not hire Lance? Apparently he hasn't yet chosen which team will be lucky enough to pick up a seven time Tour de France champion for no salary. If he wants to show he is clean and show off his health while bringing attention to the fight against cancer, you are the guy to work for. Your efforts make the biological passport look like a trip through Amsterdam's red light district, "Drogs, feits?"

So Jon, I think it is time for a comeback. If it will make you feel better, we won't call it a comeback, after all, you've been here for years L.L.Kool J(on).

Lance Armstrong and the risk of Anonymous Sources

2008-09-08T22:00:00.010-04:00

NEWS FLASH! Neal Rogers, Velonews managing editor, reports that anonymous sources tell him that somebody told them that Lance Armstrong is coming out of retirement to race for Astana. Specifically, he will compete in the Tour of California, Paris-Nice, Tour de (that's Southern for "of") Georgia, Daupine Libere, and of course, Le Tour de France.

Looking good Neal!
Way to use anonymous sources.

"Sources Say" is a Ticket to Trouble

Several issues bring us to 41x15's latest in its continuing series, Mocking Our Betters. The first of these few things: "Sources say."

Why, you ask, should you listen to 41x15's criticism of this particular breed of silliness? Because in a past life 41x15 publisher and editor in chief, Erik, spent several years working in broadcast news. Broadcast news you say! What a hack! Well, sure. But I did spend my formative years working as a hack at an NPR affiliate.

And then I received a law degree. "Ha!" you say. From TV news to lawyering - a lateral move in the gutter. "What a hack." Well, sure, but a academically published hack. I wrote a long article about anonymous sources and the law. Not only did I write it, people even read it. (See Putting Journalists on Thin Ice: McKevitt v. Pallasch, 73 U.CIN.L.REV. 293 (2004) (included in materials for 2005 Second Circuit Judicial Conference; cited, 29 U.Ark.Little Rock L.Rev. 1, 6 (2006); 14 Wm. & Mary Bill Rts. J. 1063, 1119 (2006); 82 Ind.L.J. 549, 573 (2007); 57 Duke L.J. 199, 230 (2007)).)

So here's the deal. Neal Rogers has likely committed at least two journalistic sins. First, he used a confidential source. Based on the lack of information in the article it appears at first glance and based entirely on speculation from reading the article (twice) that Neal Rogers has no independent corroboration other than a friend at Vanity Fair. I sure hope it is a good friend. If he's reporting wrong, his friend hosed him. If he's right, his friend at Vanity Fair leaked an actual exclusive of what is not only a big cycling story, but a big celebrity story. Neal hosed his friend because Vanity Fair will not be happy to lose a story to a magazine with 1/1000th of VF's distribution and 1/100,000,000 of its power.

Moreover, anonymous sources should only be used where absolutely necessary. Yes, the story is huge. All the more reason to be sure that you independent corroborate it.

Also, and this is just a pet peeve, I hate it when journalists interview journalists who interviewed someone who knows something. Journalists are supposed to interview the people who know something.

CyclingNews is Cheating

In pursuit of a story where they apparently don't have a friend at Vanity Fair, CyclingNews reports that, "Armstrong is reportedly returning to the peloton to undertake a limited racing schedule for 2009 according to anonymous sources commenting at the Eurobike trade show."

What? Anonymous sources don't make comments at a trade show. Info obtained at a trade show is public. Rumors obtained at a trade show are useful only to start working on a story. Rumors are not, and never will be a story, except on Inside Edition.

Lance Armstrong is Going to Lose the Tour de France

Lance Armstrong hasn't won a race since he retired after winning his seventh Tour de France. He didn't even come close to winning any marathon he entered. For goodness sake, he lost a mountain bike race that allows amateurs to enter.

Why? Why? Why? Why would Lance Armstrong unretire. Reports from anonymous sources say that "According to sources, (for this article, Neal Rogers, for Neal, somebody he knows and rumors at Eurobike, for the rumor mongers at Eurobike it was Deepthroat) the Texan will post all of his internally tested blood work online, in an attempt to establish complete transparency and prove that he is a clean athlete."

That's just silly. If Lance wasn't clean this won't prove it. If Lance was clean, this won't prove it. And it will totally screw up the whole Alberto Contador has heir apparent thing. I heard a rumor that Lance is coming out of retirement because Contador can win races other than the Tour de France and Lance wants to show that he can beat Contador.

In other news, Bernard Hinault will be going for his sixth Tour win.

And somebody who is going to Interbike told 41x15's cousin's roommate that Jonathon Vaughters is coming out of retirement to captain Garmin.

Tour of Misery

2008-09-07T22:38:00.003-04:00

I spent a portion of my formative years just outside Kansas City. In fact, I lived less than half a mile from State Line Road. Oddly enough, that road followed the state line between Missouri and Kansas. I lived on the Kansas side. We called Missouri, "Misery." Why? Because that's how a real local would slur it out, and well, Missouri sucked.

But I have to tell you, things are looking up. I think the Tour of Missouri is going to be a lot of fun to follow. I'll be checking in with Nicki's posts from the race. And if something funny happens, I'll be there. Oh yes, I'll be there.

41x15 Turns to Homegrown Bike Porn (SFW)

2008-09-04T22:20:00.013-04:00

Lately, I've spent too much time supported by an internal combustion engine. This is me taking a work call from my cell phone as seen by my two-year-old daughter. I gave her the camera to get her to be quiet. I'm probably a terrible father.

I'm not sure if there is some sort of relationship, but since not being on the bike as much lately I've noticed that more and more people are actually riding their bikes. This brings 41x15 to the latest episode of Cincinnati bicycles - where I trawl my digital camera for some good old fashioned homegrown bicycle porn. Other than the word "porn," this is safe for work.

We begin our tour of Cincinnati bicycles in Clifton outside Bruegger's Bagels.

I like this bike. But I do have some questions. I should probably have investigated further, but that would have required my touching someone else's bicyle (a sin akin to touching someone else's girlfriend) without their permission. Question number 1: How does the multigear cassette work without a derailer? Please note, if you reply I'm familiar with the Surly device attached to the bike. Question number 2: Is it a freewheel or a fix? I was wearing a suit and it was hot so I spared no time getting inside to the joy provided by air conditioning and fresh bagels.

Question number 3: Why did the rider choose to use flat pedals with no clips of any kind?

Question number 4: Well, more of a comment. Whoa! Cool! Lizard Skins!

Our tour continues up Clifton Avenue and into University Heights.

Hmmm. Satan's Energy Drink. A reminder of why I feel bad that I'm spending so much time in a car.

Turning onto Martin Luther King Jr. Drive I'm greeting by a sweet fixie, with an oddly placed front brake lever, and a rider without a helmet. Can I have your bike after you get dain bramaged?

Thereafter, our tour heads into downtown, where I failed to get a picture of the beginnings of a fantastic scraper bike!

You can't tell from this photo, taken from my car, but the wheel decorations were cool. Clearly, this man and his bicycle crew were preparing to bring the scraper bike phenomenon to my fair city.

What is a scraper bike you ask? I'm glad you asked. I'm even more glad that they are coming to the nasty 'nati!

The tour heads to the grocery store before heading home. Check this out!

Two bikes on top of such kewt car always catches my attention. But this is really special. This is aero bars on a cruiser.

Yes! Lunacy wins the day. I need comfort. I need speed.

Here's an effective combination.
Well, at least this renegade rider won't get lost as they time trial away. The bike has a compass.

And onward to home. Where little 41x15 says, "Bring it on, Daddio!"

Then after whooping my a## she cools off with a refreshing energy drink.
So I guess I'm not such a lousy daddy afterall.

Jersey 20

2008-09-03T21:59:00.003-04:00

You know what, I freakin' love popsicles. Above see self portrait with weight gain. 97,522.3596 g.

And how about that Leipheimer?

La Vuelta

2008-08-29T21:25:00.004-04:00

Eso es solamenta mi opinion, pero La Giro y La Vuelta son los mas interesantes de los Gran Tourismos.

Please don't check my Spanish. It is broken, but functional. I can order meals, get directions, and find the bathroom. I once even acquired feminine hygiene products from la farmacia despite not remembering how to say "wings" en Espanol.

I love the Vuelta. I love it because it is hot, hilly, and always surprising. This year, however, I'm worried. It is still hot. It is still hilly. But lets be real here, the race is Alberto Contador's to lose. And unlike the Giro, he'll take some stages and probably own the race.

I just don't think that that will be exciting. Unless... unless he holds la magla ora por toda la raza. Every day. That starts tomorrow with a seven kilometer team time trial.

A seven kilometer team time trial with Contador, Leipheimer, and Kloeden should be blisteringly fast. But it won't be fast enough to really shred everyone else. So time wise, it could cause problems if Astana tries to put a specific rider in the golden fleece of the race leader. Tomorrow's TTT will likely be decided by fractions of a second.

Wait a moment, you say. Astana is going to win the TTT.

Of course Astana is going to win the TTT. Who the hell is going to win it?

It will not be Carlos and crew. It will not be Balaverde and the unpronounceable Caisse d Espargne.

There are, however, two wildcards for the overall. Robert Gesink and Damaino Cunego. Rabo saved Gesink for this by not sending him to le Tour. Cunego needs to show he still has it.

Let the text based live update distractions begin.

The Quick and the Hilly

2008-08-28T20:19:00.002-04:00

I've said it before, Cincinnati is a city of hills. That's what happens to your geography when a major river cuts through the middle of it. Leave house, go downhill. Head home, go uphill. Or, if you live by the river, reverse that.

Heekin is one of those hills.

Starting quite literally across the street from the river, it ascends all the way up to one of the highest points in the city. To get there I like to spin and do a light descent for several miles to its base. Then, I just go up. It is like getting there, but much steeper.

This is Heekin Avenue.

View Larger Map

Time is short. So I ride hills.

Now to get that diet under control.

Jersey 19

2008-08-28T15:29:00.003-04:00

This is this week's jersey post, sans photo. Why? Because I don't have a photo this week. Sorry. I'm sure you'll survive seeing me squeezed into lycra.

As for the status, let us leave it at we are back in the saddle and focused. This has been a period of failure where we have gained several hundred grams, if not a few thousand grams. 'Tis true. We fell off the wagon.

That said, I want to leave you with this thought, borrowed liberally from the comments over at Belgium Knee Warmers. 41x15 has previously referred to BKW's writers as the poet laureates of cycling blogs. Well, I'm proud to report that my comment on the post "Addiction" garnered some positive response.

If you have a moment, I hope you'll read Padraig's post there and ad your own comments. Tell them I sent you.

As for getting back on the wagon. I'm keeping a food diary. The goal is to consume between 1500 and 1800 calories a day - never greater than 2000 calories. This should get me back on track. I won't bore you with the details, but if you ever want to be depressed about food, keep a food diary. It won't disappoint.

Wired is Tired - Smoking Makes You Cool - Bacon Makes Everything Good Better

2008-08-26T22:12:00.014-04:00

News Flash! Carbon fiber is good material from which to make a bicycle! How can I make such a renegade statement out of thin air? Because Wired Magazine told me so. Which brings us to 41x15's latest edition in our occasional but continuing series called Mocking Our Betters. 41x15 apologizes ahead of time for its gratuitous of exclamation points!!!!!!!!!

Wow? Who knew? Without Wired magazine I might never have learned about carbon fiber.

The Tarmac SL2 is almost all carbon fiber - wheels, hubs, saddle, crankset, and frame with tubes that get wider or change shape as they approach the oversize ultra-rigid bottom bracket.

But wait, there's more!

What all that gets you is a bike that's stiffer than than an Islay single malt served straight up - in fact, the company's stiffest racer ever - but still flexible enough to absorb the blacktop's worst bumps and ruts.

It is almost as if Specialized paid Wired for an advertisement. But that could never happen! Could it? Of course, Specialized doesn't actually make bikes. It is a marketing company that pays Giant to make its bicycles. But lets not let that influence us.

After all, Wired also kindly introduced the 41x15 interns to something called Cyclocross!
"Road and Thrash," indeed. Apparently a "cyclo-cross bike is a lightweight blend of road racer and mountain bike." Never mind that European pros rode cyclocross in the off-season for several decades before the first mountain bike came off an assembly line or Gary Fischer considered a new way to get dirty. Cyclocross is a blend of road and mountain biking, even though cyclocross came first. Good job with the time machine there Wired! Remember, any minor change in history can have catastrophic results in the future. Didn't you see that one episode of Family Guy where Peter married Molly Ringwald instead of Lois.

Moving on. Still more mocking our betters.

Hey kids! In case you hadn't yet heard, smoking makes you cool. How do we know. Because the good people at TwinSix told us so.

41x15 appreciates ironic hipster references as much as anyone. And Mrs. 41x15 points out that lots of things cause cancer and that ice cream makes you fat. But at least put a hipster in the outfit with the cig butt instead of some old dude who apparently can't hold a track stand long enough to get a picture of it.

And need we point out that TwinSix has done tons of work that fights cancer to only now have the appearance of supporting tobacco. Is that ironic? Or is it just unfortunate? To the dictionary!

i-ron-y: –adjective consisting of, containing, or resembling iron.

Oh well. I guess that like Alanis Morissette, we'll never know.

To their credit, the above image is now gone from the TwinSix website. Good job internet complainers. Hate on that delicious smokey treat.

Next!

Everybody loves bacon!

Tonight the 41x15 crew partook of pizza and Coca-Cola with SUGAR in it. And the pizza had BACON on it. Which is kind of like having sex with NYMPHOMANIAC SUPERMODEL TWINS! There is good. Then there is really good. Bacon, however, not terribly good for your health. Braggadocio aside, 41x15 promises to get back on the wagon tomorrow. Really.

Hippie Pics

2008-08-16T20:47:00.011-04:00

(with all due respect to BSNYC)

I cruise Craigslist Cincinnati all the time. Someday I will see something that maybe, just maybe, I'd be willing to shell out the money to go get. Usually, however, it is a parade of things that I won't buy - especially not at the asking price.

Here is my new favorite ad:

Cincinnati Craigslist Insanity! "Hippie Pics"
Original post: craigslist

Hippie Pictures - $20 (Eastside)
Reply to: sale-798544376@craigslist.org
Date: 2008-08-15, 6:38PM EDT
1974 Raleigh Catalog, no helmets!

* Location: Eastside
* it's NOT ok to contact this poster with services or other commercial interests

PostingID: 798544376

Apparently, not wearing a helmet in the '70s makes you a hippie. Who knew? More to the point, $20 for an old Raleigh catalog is ridiculous, especially considering that the catalog's main selling point is "Hippie Pics."

What else could $20 buy?

How about 5 $4 tubes, a variety of headlights from Performance, a hippie themed t-shirt, or even some good wine? Here in Cincinnati, you can feed two people well.

I hope the seller gets a bidding war for this prime item. Whatever.

Jersey 18

2008-08-13T21:55:00.003-04:00

So, not so good. I've started my recovery from a certain bachelor party and the significant levels of excess found therein. 96,161.5824. Up from two weeks ago. Anyone want to bet me that I can't lose 5443.1084 by Wednesday, August 27? Bueller?

Cincinnati Bicycles: Santa Claus Rides a Dahon

2008-08-13T14:11:00.004-04:00

Spotted at the corner of Erie and Paxton in Hyde Park. It only seems fitting that Santa Claus (or maybe Jerry Garcia) would choose to commute on a Dahon in Cincinnati.

Lance Armstrong got it totally wrong!

2008-08-12T22:52:00.006-04:00

(Photo taken from Eric Osguthorpe's Flickr photostream)

And poof, just like the opposite of Kaiser Soza, 41x15 is back. The 41x15 studios found themselves trapped in the curious situation of both the wireless and modem working - separately - and refusing to work together. Then, when attempting to hard wire directly to the modem, it too, would refuse to offer up the sweet, life giving flow that is the internet. Thank you to the people who for some reason provided me with 203 unique visits over the days of my absence. You like me, you really like me! Also thank you to IWCBTH for digitally harassing me and anon for asking, "Dude, where's your blog?"

Let's get right to it. First, while riding today all I could think was Alejandro Valverde sure does not live up to the hype. He kind of bit the dust at both le Tour and the Olympics. He certain doesn't live up to the whole Lance Armstrong, "future of cycling" thing. Yes, this is what goes through my head as I haul my spare tire up hills here in scenic Cincinnati, Ohio.

So, I thought, is this assessment accurate? I ordered the 41x15 research interns into action. After an all-nighter, 2 cases of Jolt Cola(now branded as an energy drink! No, really!), and an expense report that would make Elliot Spitzer blush, the interns returned with a Wikipedia page mumbling something incoherent about their inability to speak Spanish. In any event, here's what the interns discovered: Valverde is actually pretty good. He just isn't all that and a bag of chips good.

He's won a lot of races. Notably, a lot of races in the past (ahem, Kelme). Recent stage wins and Clasica San Sebastian excluded he still has a lot of good riding under him. He just can't seem to get it together to win a Grand Tour. And I don't think that he ever will.

Now let me go out on another limb, here is a short list of people who will not win the Olympic time trial:

Cadel Evans
Samuel Sanchez
Dave Zabriskie (yes, this makes me sad)
Fumiyuki Beppu
Denis Menchov
Kim Kirchen
Levi Leipheimer, and
Alberto Contador.

So who is the 41x15 sure thing pick? It is a dark horse choice but a pick based upon infallible logic - Hossein Askari of Iran. He stood on the third step of the GC podium and was only one minute down on winner Tyler Hamilton at the Tour of Qinghai Lake. Since the second step of the Qinghai Lake GC podium, Marek Rutkiewicz of Poland isn't in Beijing, and since Tyler Hamilton won the last Olympic time trial, it stands to reason that Askari is the natural choice.

And as for that Fabian Cancellara guy, he just has to lose sometime. I mean, isn't world TT champion and a bronze in the road race enough. Jeez, why not let someone else get some attention for a change? Same goes for the man of July, Stefan (I don't dope, and I don't cut people off, really) Schumacher, he's likely demoralized by his pending unemployment.

Also, Schumacher has been seen taking a tip from the 41x15 training table - and good grief man, that doesn't help.

Speaking of food and of speaking Spanish, 41x15 formally announces that we are huge in Europe! Here's proof:

A Spanish language blog cited to a meal consumed by 41x15's fearless editor as disagreeable.

Here's what this particular diet journal blog had to say:

Princesa Mía dice:
Hoy no tengo mucho que decir ^-^
Así que hoy pongo una imagen desagradable para ver lo asquerosa que puede resultar la comida:

See?! What? You also, like the 41x15 interns, don't speak Spanish. Well, here's a rough translation because I can speak enough Spanish to get arrested in Tijuana.

"Mia says, I don't have much to say today. So today I put up a disagreeable image to see just what can result from food."

As for last week's jersey, let's just say we're all for the better here. I attended a bachelor party that resulted in the consumption of many calories and the making of paper airplanes out of dirty magazines. Riding was simply out of the question. We'll see how it all comes together tomorrow when 41x15 proudly presents the sausage casing jersey yet again.

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES

2008-08-05T11:37:00.001-04:00

41x15 is experiencing technical difficulties. (online access related). We'll be back soon. Please check back later.

Saturday morning - 8:30 a.m. PUR Tour Criterium

2008-07-31T12:40:00.002-04:00

PUR tour route
Find more Bike Rides in Mason, Ohio

Mrs. 41x15 has asked me on several occasions, "Are you prepared?" when it comes to racing. My answer, usually, is, "No."

"So," she asks, "why are you racing if you aren't prepared."

I've given it some thought. First, I've discovered that a cycling cliche, that there is no training for racing better than racing, is true. I feel so different having completed the Hyde Park Blast, and not even placing last.

Second, if I don't show up there is less motivation to ride. It reminds me to go out there.

Third, I'm learning. I'm learning how to take a corner from the bikes in front of me. I'm learning how to get into the fast guys draft and hold on. I'm learning which gears get me there best.

Finally, when you get over the fact that your lungs reached the bursting point two miles ago and you feel like you can't push anymore, but do anyway, that's F-U-N.

And a little sick.

Jersey 17

2008-07-30T22:04:00.004-04:00

95,254.3877 g.

The gauntlet has apparently been thrown, and like Landis is 2006 I'm apparently late to the start house. As it turns out, I'm already in a race with Johnny to 200. Although I'm presently ahead, he's gaining ground like a steamroller off a cliff. See, we had mentioned it back and forth in comments. He's in the game. Meanwhile, I'm thinking I should be polite and wait for a formal, "Ready, set, go." But like a Robbie McEwen headbutt of old (because good gracious he didn't do anything but shepherd Evans this year) its on.

10 pounds to go for me. 13 for Johnny.

Ready, set, go.

Lather Rinse Repeat - I love hills and Cincinnati has them

2008-07-29T23:12:00.003-04:00

I love hills. I'm not kidding. I choose to climb hills. When given the choice, I choose up. For instance, I left the house tonight just after 8 o'clock to try and squeeze in some worthwhile bike love.

Here is what I did:

&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/ride/united-states/oh/cincinnati/663142125937"&amp;gt;Hill repeat Kroger and Tusculum&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;&amp;lt;br/&amp;gt;&amp;lt;a href="http://www.mapmyride.com/find-ride/united-states/oh/cincinnati"&amp;gt;Find more Bike Rides in Cincinnati, Ohio&amp;lt;/a&amp;gt;

Did I mention I did it twice. Basically, I left the house, went up a big hill, went down the other side of the big hill, turned around, went up the big hill, then did it again. Lather rinse repeat.

This is the Google maps street view of the base of the far side of the hill.

View Larger Map

It really doesn't do it justice. I watched another cyclist turn about halfway up this view, stop at his house, dismount, and hang his head over the top tube, gasping for air.

Jersey 16

2008-07-23T22:04:00.005-04:00

Progress, again. We're (that would be me and my Buddha) are back down to 96,161.5824 g. Self portrait with tongue and crooked glasses.

If I may also do some tasteless self promotion, I also have another blog where I take pictures of stuff I see in Cincinnati. It is called Cincinnati Daily Photo and today's picture involves bicycles.

Carlos Freakin' Sastre?!

2008-07-23T19:46:00.002-04:00

I can think of no one more boring to win the 2008 Tour de France than Carlos Sastre, except maybe Cadel Evans. (Cadel would be interesting if he lost this year but won next year.)

So I give you this Kids in the Hall Take on the bike messenger.

Behold the Power of Cupcakes

2008-07-22T21:43:00.004-04:00

(cupcake photo acquired from cupcakestakethecake.blogspot.com.)

Hard as it may seem, it actually took almost 30 minutes for the powerful cupcake to win a battle of wills with, well, my will. Some cousins brought the new baby to town, and as part of the celebration we all went back to Grandma's house for ice cream and cupcakes. I managed to sit among people scarfing down ice cream and cupcakes. I enjoyed my tall glass of ice water. I picked up the crumbs my daughter dropped in her lap. I calmly wiped icing off of her chin. I enjoyed my tall glass of ice water.

Then the great lie - "I'll just have a taste." I cut a cupcake in half. Then, I cut that half in half. Then I ate that half of a half. Then I enjoyed another tall glass of ice water.

Then I changed a diaper. Returning to the dining room I saw the 3/4 cupcake. No one had eaten it. Un-freakin'-believable.

So I ate it.

But I didn't eat any ice cream. So there.

Senator Barack Obama Just Loves Bicycles

2008-07-22T10:56:00.005-04:00

News Flash The astute political writers at 41x15 note new evidence that Barack Obama is not just your new bicycle, he also rides a fixed gear. 41x15 has previously reported that Senator Obama is not only tight with lotion, but also quite a hit with the ladies. Senator Obama is now moving in on the polo playing hipster crowd with his latest political site - BarackObamaIsYourNewFixie.com.

Stay with 41x15 for more breaking developments. We now return you to your regularly scheduled Twitter feed.

Summer Reruns Usually Suck, But This Is Cool!

2008-07-21T16:44:00.011-04:00

The editors of 41x15 are very proud to announce the site's very first negative comments from an anonymous poster.
Under normal circumstances the editors presume that such comments would be left up but otherwise ignored. However, being the first negative comments, and being rather buried as the editors originally posted it at the beginning of the month, the editors choose to revisit the post entitled "I'm Temporarily Doping Free."

Here is the entry as it originally appeared just prior to the Tour de France:

Damiano Cunego's new tattoo isn't just stupid - he's showing his commitment to clean riding with a temporary tattoo.

You too can show your temporary commitment to dope free riding at dopingfree.org by getting your very own temporary tattoo.

I sure hope he doesn't sweat that fantastic tattoo off in the July heat that has been known to actually melt the pavement. Otherwise, he may find himself less committed to riding doping free. Zoinks!
Vive le Tour!

Then, on July 17, 2008:

Anonymous said...

You castigate Cunego for wearing a *temporary* tatoo? You mean it would have been smarter to mark himself *for life* with a slogan that only has an juice while he's a pro cyclist? I think it's great that he's being outspoken about his opposition to pro cycling.

Your *comment* is stupid, not Cunego's tatoo.

July 17, 2008 1:17 PM
Anonymous said...

Whoops, I mean his opposition to *doping* in pro cycling.

Yes, the editors castigated Cunego for wearing a temporary tattoo. That would be because the editorial board stands by its statement that temporary tattoos are stupid. It also should be noted that said tattoo cannot be seen in photos of Cunego taken since the race entered the high mountains.

Here is Cunego with his temporary tattoo temporarily proudly displayed.

The editors have been unable to find a picture of this fine tattoo taken during an actual stage of the race. If you have, please comment with a link.

A temporary tattoo as an effort to stave off doping in sport is like a skateboarder wearing a Drug Abuse Resistance Education t-shirt. Its irony outweighs its message and thereby says the opposite of what it contends.

Other criticism of the message is just a Google search away. My favorite relies on the grammatical ambiguity of the phrase "I'm doping free!" See here.

41x15 does not assert, as have others, that Cunego is somehow riding dirty. Far from it, 41x15 supports all efforts, no matter how lame, to remove doping from the equation. We applaud Cunego's temporary tattoo and his commitment to dope free riding.

The appropriately named Triki (watch me run from testers) Beltran, Moises Duenas, and of course Riccardo Ricco are a scourge on the sport and yes, the sport's very survival at the professional level. People racing bikes will never go away. Most of us have racing bikes since learning how to stay upright on one.

But these are the facts, Duenas and Ricco (not to mention Piepoli) may cost the sport multi-million dollar corporate sponsors. Barloworld is out. Saunier Duval is looking to get out. SRAM is more than a little angry that its investment has been squandered. Scott Bicycles is likely looking for a nice safe mountain bike team to sponsor. 41x15 predicts that in light of Triki's positive and a certain newly contracted Ivan Basso's history, that Liquigas may not be welcome anywhere next year, particularly at le Tour.

So the moral of the story is this is your up and coming superstar cyclist on drugs.

Just say no to dope and stupid ways to deal with the doping crisis. Commit already, Cunego. We're glad your working with an organization dedicated to fighting doping. But we're just worried that you're actually just working with an organization dedicated to selling temporary tattoos. Prove your self and step up in a way that isn't laughable.

Now get out and ride.

UPDATE July 23, 2008:
Update: interestingly enough, Scott has chosen to stick with the team to provide money through the rest of the season. After that, Scott expects a new title sponsor will have been found.

Beer man wins again and the power of dehydration

2008-07-18T23:13:00.005-04:00

Hard to believe, I know, but I don't think going to a baseball game and getting in cycling shape do not go hand in hand. Beer man wins again.
Or for the younger crowd, blue SnoCone man wins again.
This is especially true in Cincinnati, where Skyline Chili is available at the ballpark, along with Kosher hot dogs, burgers, and a seemingly endless variety of other local delicacies.

Not only that, Great American Ballpark is like that episode of the Simpsons where Homer's long-lost brother asks him to design a car with everything he wants in it. The Reds were kind enough to ask what fans wanted in a ballpark when the well-loved Riverfront Stadium was imploded. The people of Cincinnati answered with a resounding cry of, "We never want to be more than four steps from a snack."

And the Reds replied, "Okey dokey."
Far be it from me to buck the trend. Give them what they want. Bread and circus. The one thing we did not do was have a LaRosa's pizza delivered, are you ready for this, to our seats! You can have a pizza delivered to your seats in the ballpark. It works just like having a pizza delivered to your home. Yes. I know. Isn't our modern world a wondrous place?

But I consumed two cheese coneys and an iced mocha coffee.
Also, some beer. And oh yeah, a hot dog. It is a ball game after all. I risk Homeland Security coming to take me away for unAmerican activities if I don't eat a hot dog.

This brings me to the inexplicable power of dehydration.
Despite my all out effort to gain 47 pounds and acne, when I got on the scale tonight I'm actually two pounds lighter than I was last time I checked. Baby its hot outside and that makes me thirsty, and lighter.

Why we ride

2008-07-18T22:50:00.004-04:00

We ride for fitness. We ride for fun. We ride mainly because we cannot imagine not riding. This is true of everyone who loves bikes. How do I know? Because of this blog entry from Iran. Its a Friday morning group ride in Persia.
More pictures here.

Meead Saberi K. took the time to note that his photos are copywritten. I hope he doesn't mind that I lifted the photo of the one armed cyclist to share.

Now get out and ride.

What I've Learned About Food

2008-07-17T22:21:00.002-04:00

Fat is bad. Don't eat it unless it is good fat. Sugar is bad. Don't eat it. But carbohydrates come from sugars. Your brain can't function without carbohydrates. So eat some but only the right ones. In order to lose weight you must consume fewer calories than you burn. When you do that you feel hungry, which is your body's way of telling you to eat. So don't eat too few calories. Your body will have trouble and you could get sick. You will also have trouble concentrating.

Red wine may or may not be good for you. Check back in a minute and the doctors will tell you something different. Only drink red wine when it is good for you.

There are lots of diets to try. The biggest loser diet, the lemonade diet, the cabbage soup diet, even what is falsely advertised as the three-hour diet.

None of these diets work.

The best way to lose weight is to not eat. If you don't eat, you will starve to death. At that time rapid weight loss begins almost immediately.

Jersey 15

2008-07-16T22:00:00.002-04:00

Damn it. Well, I guess I knew it was coming. 97,522.3596 g.

More reasons to just let stupid drivers wait for karma to catch them

2008-07-15T21:07:00.005-04:00

Cyclist on car hood

Portland police arrested a 21-year-old man suspected of chasing down a cyclist Sunday and driving off at a high rate of speed -- with the cyclist hanging onto the hood.

James F. Millican was arrested on attempted second-degree assault, driving under the influence of intoxicants, third-degree criminal mischief and reckless driving.

Spotted this at drunkcyclist.com. Thought it beared repeating. Sorry about the fact that the video is too big for the site. I'll figure that bit of code out sometime soon.

Tour de France Prediction Crushed on the Mountain Slopes

2008-07-15T09:18:00.006-04:00

Since it now seems unlikely to come to fruition, and because it was kind of depressing to think about, I offer up what my original private Tour de France prediction had been. I predicted that Valverde would win and in six months time UCI would win its appeal and the mysterious Operation Puerto blood bag would be his. Bam. His Tour title is taken from him. Cadel Evans gets the win without the glory. Now, of course, after the climb to Hautacam Valverde in yellow seems more than a little unlikely. We'll see about the blood bag.

MS-150

2008-07-14T21:47:00.016-04:00

Recently I was reminded by the wonderful and kind people over at Evil that nobody cares about my ride. While that may be true, I have to nonetheless regale my thousands of readers with my truly epic and heroic fixed gear experience.

Andy Hampsten even called to congratulate me. He said, "Wow, Erik, you are so strong. I wish I'd had you with me in Italy that one time."

Its true. I'd give you his cell phone number to call and ask him yourself, but he asked me to keep his personal line on the DL.

As promised, I rode the first leg of the MS-150 on my trusty 41x15. We skulked away from our house in the dark - leaving the little one with some sketchy characters she refers to only by their codenames, Nana and Grandpa Sir.
What the LBS fondly refers to as the midget bike is on the rack. The trusty fixed gear is in the foreground. The Civic needs to go to the car wash but we don't care because we are renegades in a freewheel and geared world. Well, I am. But only this morning. Mainly I just felt belligerent because we actually left before the coffee house down the street opened its doors. In other words I was riding fixed without caffeine. Feel my wrath!

Epic enough for you? Huh? Hey Evil, I meant what I said in the comment!

Luckily, the organizers of the MS 150 know that most of us aren't really in that good of shape, so they provide a relatively flat route, full of rollers. Rollers, of course, are the enemy of the fixed gear.

Although I personally challenged myself and rose above the hardship, suffering like Frank Schleck and foaming at the mouth, I have found a man who truly participated in an epic ride. I give you the man in red.
The man in red is my new hero. Notwithstanding his cavalier attitude toward proper helmet position, he also has chosen to embark on this 150 mile journey without the benefit of a critical body part.
Look closely, the man in blue sees it. And by the look on his face, he too is simply amazed.

Wait for it.

Wait for it.
There it is! The man in red rode this epic challenge while smoking! He has defective lungs.
Now that is truly inspirational.
I got so excited when I saw him deftly look to the left, then to the right and spark that puppy up that I missed the shot of him pulling his lighter from a jersey pocket. The best part is how he cups his cigarette inside his palm. It must be because he doesn't want other people to know just how cool he is.

Thank you to the Mrs. for being my cheering section.
Everytime we rode past someone she would holler, "Woo hoo! Fixed gear." I would calmly nod then wave to my new found fans as I passed them on the flats. They would then glide smugly past me on the downhill only to have to repeat the process when I caught up to them again a few miles later. I don't know if anyone took offense to my proclamation that their freewheels make them weak and that their gears show them to be corporate lemmings drawn like a moth to flame to be consumed by a constant desire to have more gears. You see, this one goes to eleven. Stop the madness.

For the record I saw one single speed but no other fixed gears on the course. Decide for yourself what this means.

The real fun of the MS 150, or any charity ride for that matter, is the camaraderie. I got to ride with these fabulous people: Carrie, the Swinger family, and Dan.
We had a great time despite the fact that the rain forced everyone under the park shelter.

The organizers shortened the course just because there was lightning. Whatever. I was only able to ride fixed for 50 miles. Damn.

The other truly fun thing is the bike porn. There is a variety of it and something for everyone - kind of like the internet, but different.

Dan was riding a brand spankin' new Serotta.

This is a gorgeous Dura Ace equipped Felt.

But its the classics that I truly love to see.

When I spotted the old Shimano and Biopace chainring my heart actually skipped a beat. I'm nostalgic for old bike parts. I don't know why. They are even better when they are getting ridden. It just makes me happy.

Finally, I think people should take note of the dedication some people have to riding. These people actually do overcome something to get out and ride. Of course, this ride is for people struggling with MS. I'm glad to be a part of that and I like the ride. It is a win win event. Our team captain, the woman who organized our 66 team members (like herding cats) is also the honorary co-chair of the event. She also had her knees replaced. In order to ride with as little impact on her knees as possible her bike has some custom work done to it.

Specifically, she rides with the tallest and ugliest stem I have ever seen, carefully set up her bike fit and saddle height, and rides all hills one legged on a granny gear.
She hauls on that thing. And that is awesome.

I brought gears with me on Sunday and disappeared back into the group of freewheel riding gear grinders. Thank goodness. The hills were big and I rode the full distance. Fast.

Fixed Gear MS 150

2008-07-11T13:41:00.003-04:00

As we discussed our relative lack of preparedness for this weekends charity bicycle extravaganza my wife commented, "You should ride fixed this weekend." So I am. Wish me luck. We don't know the course, we don't know the hills, we don't know anything except she hasn't ridden enough this year and I'm riding 41x15 all the way.

See you Monday. It is time to go off the grid now. Okay, I'll check in on Tour de France results, but I am not blogging, or looking at Twitter, or checking my email. No way.

Jersey 14

2008-07-09T22:18:00.002-04:00

95,707.9901 g. I have no idea why I did not gain weight, but maybe I'll see it tomorrow on the scale. The point is, I don't have to report it now. I'm lucky. Very lucky. MS 150 this weekend. No Ault Park tonight. Daddies don't race on wet roads. See the park next year. Next up, criterium on August 2.

Vaughters drops an F-Bomb

2008-07-09T14:48:00.002-04:00

I like him even more now. Did you see the look on the Versus announcer's face?

This is 41x15's 100th post.

Two Words - Hard and Core

2008-07-06T22:26:00.004-04:00

(CoC sometime in the '80s. I bet that was an awesome show. Image lifted from indiewire.com, which apparently got the image courtesy of Sony Pictures Classics and the documentary "American Hardcore." I should totally see that. So, SPC, if you need me to take this down, I will. I'm a lawyer. I know the deal. Just so you know, though, that is totally not punk rock.)

How do you know that you're the father of a toddler? Your phone rings from your jersey pocket, you actually answer it, and you're advised that, "You better get home. Your daughter told me she ate some metal. When asked where she got it, she says, 'Jupiter.'"

So time trialing home at what equals lactate threshold for my fat ass I thought that it is about time I got serious, especially in light of this weekend's orgiastic food festival. In other words, it is time to get both hard and core. No more processed food, no more sugar (except on the bike - a race without gu or power gel is truly hell on wheels he says with great wisdom gleaned only by years of experience), no more beer, wait, hardcore, not straightedge, and absolutely, positively no more excuses. There can be no more, "Oh, just one cookie." One cookie is a lie spread by the devil.

Wednesday, I race the last Ault Park of the season. I will find a wheel and suck on it. When I get dropped, I'll wait for them to lap me and then I'll get another wheel. I will race August 2. I'm riding 150 miles for charity this weekend. Now why don't we go climb so big hills, because it is not just good and good for you, it is hardcore.

A Catalogue of One Deadly Sin

2008-07-05T22:35:00.004-04:00

This weekend has been a gastronomical failure of biblical proportions. It is nothing like before I thought about what I put in my gaping maw, but that does not merit calling it any kind of success.

A cyclist, at least one who wants to be fast, cannot eat like I did this weekend, ever. Consider the advice of nineteenth-century Russian Bishop Ignatius Brianchaninov:

Wise temperance of the stomach is a door to all the virtues. Restrain the stomach, and you will enter Paradise. But if you please and pamper your stomach, you will hurl yourself over the precipice of bodily impurity, into the fire of wrath and fury, you will coarsen and darken your mind, and in this way you will ruin your powers of attention and self-control, your sobriety and vigilance.

Restrain the stomach and you will enter Paradise. I see. In modern terms the wise Bishop would have said, "Stop eating so much crap and your power to weight ratio will shift in your favor, dummy."

The list is long and embarrassing: beer, barbecue ribs, cookies, more beer, domestic beer, imported beer, light beer, samosas, pulled pork and chicken sandwiches, baked beans, bacon, french toast sticks (good lord have I no shame?), brownies, macaroni and cheese.

We'll see what happens come Wednesday with the Jersey, it may not fit. Which does not bode well because I really should race Wednesday, as it is the last Ault Park crit for this year.

Again, I make a good pick, just not the right pick

2008-07-05T13:55:00.002-04:00

The first yellow jersey of the 2008 Tour de France goes to Valverde. I'd like to point out that I called Oscar Freire.

I'd like to point out that Oscarito was the only sprinter in the group, so I was kinda right. Its like have 75% ESP.

Here's the top ten:

1. Alejandro Valverde (ESP), Caisse d'Epargne 4:36:07 (42.917Kph)
2. Philippe Gilbert (BEL), Francaise des Jeux at 0:01
3. Jerome Pineau (FRA), Bouygues Telecom
4. Kim Kirchen (LUX), Colavita Olive Oil-Sutter Home
5. Riccardo Ricco (ITA), Saunier Duval
6. Cadel Evans (AUS), Silence-Lotto
7. Frank Schleck (LUX), CSC
8. Filippo Pozzato (ITA), Liquigas
9. Oscar Freire (ESP), Rabobank
10. Oscar Pereiro (ESP), Caisse d'Epargne, all s.t.

Anyway, the bulk of TdF thoughts will be twitted and the main sections of the blog will be dedicated to longer posts with the occassional snack blog post.

It is going to be a good race. When will Valverde give the jersey up so he can relax before the big mountain start?

Mobo Bicycle Coop at Northside Parade

2008-07-04T22:34:00.006-04:00

Nothing like the visage of a tall bike cresting the hill to confirm that the local bicycle coop would make an appearance in the Fourth of July Parade.

Apparently, I get to vote

2008-07-04T22:19:00.004-04:00

I feel giddy with power. This must be what the super delegates felt like

This came through from Twitter:

Rock Racing Team Owner Michael Ball is running for election to the USPRO Board of Trustees. Voting begins July 15 on usacycling.org. about 6 hours ago from web

I've just logged in and indeed, I get to vote. I'm a card-carrying, licensed member, afterall. Can you feel that rush of power? Imagine, maybe my vote could put a fashion designer on the Board.

You may start lobbying for and against to me right now. But have no doubt, I'm voting.

TdF Stage One Prediction

2008-07-04T14:28:00.002-04:00

I want Oscar Freire to win. But this is probably going to be Robbie McEwen's time in yellow.

I'm Temporarily Doping Free!

2008-07-03T09:58:00.004-04:00

Damiano Cunego's new tattoo isn't just stupid - he's showing his commitment to clean riding with a temporary tattoo.

You too can show your temporary commitment to dope free riding at dopingfree.org by getting your very own temporary tattoo.

I sure hope he doesn't sweat that fantastic tattoo off in the July heat that has been known to actually melt the pavement. Otherwise, he may find himself less committed to riding doping free. Zoinks!
Vive le Tour!

Jersey 13

2008-07-02T22:38:00.003-04:00

Mrs. took this photo shortly after my return from the weekly Over the Hump ride organized by the Cincinnati Cycle Club. I changed out of my stinky jersey and into the jersey. Strangely I think I look bigger in this photo even though I am smaller - 453.5923 grams smaller. That's right - another pound has left the building. 95,707.9901 grams.

I really want a mountain bike now

2008-07-02T18:01:00.002-04:00

See more funny videos at CollegeHumor

Another Race To Add to the List

2008-07-02T13:50:00.002-04:00

41x15 will step to the start line at the 2008 PUR Tour in the Cat 5 / Citizen race. Unfortunately, they don't have a Cat 6... yet.

Mrs. 41x15 won her division of this race a few years ago before Small 41x15. I think she should race again but she says she's not fast enough yet. Whatever.

Bicycle Airbags

2008-07-01T19:20:00.002-04:00

Spotted at copenhagenize.com: Bicycle Airbags.

The Danes are looking at a Dutch study to see if external air bags on cars will help save lives. Since bicycle helmets are so limited in their protection and little conclusive scientific evidence exists that they save lives or prevent serious injury in collisions with other vehicles, it is possible that placement of air bags on cars can help.

Although I not sure that helmets don't save lives, based not on scientific research but personal experience, I am intrigued by the idea of making cars responsible for a bicyclist's safety. I really don't think that it would fly here in America, but I like ideas.

Ault Park Criterium Video From the Enquirer

2008-06-30T23:10:00.003-04:00

I spotted Brent from Campus Cyclery at least twice in the video. I know for a fact that he is fast. Sometimes I ride with the guy who shot this. Fun stuff.

Not your typical Saturday night ride

2008-06-30T22:03:00.004-04:00

Approximately 9 p.m. Saturday night. Below an unused and shut down viaduct off Evans Street. The urban decay ride. It is a formerly industrial area that is now almost entirely vacant.

View Larger Map
The police academy does some training somewhere nearby. Otherwise, the area is empty. Construction is going on, but I don't know to what end. Frankly, Cincinnati has a name for every neighborhood and region, and I still don't know what this area of town is called. It may be Riverside, but that part of the city is inhabited.
The pictures don't really do the whole experience justice. We pulled off the main road and ducked under the viaduct. Then we entered through here. The little images in the distance are people on bicycles. Click the picture for a better view.
It was also much darker than it appears. I had my little camera set to manual so that I could squeeze all the available light into its lens.
At some point in my city's history, these were active roads. There were even several storefront signs for businesses that no longer exist.
This is what a bike can show you that a car never will. There is something about heading out with a group of people for a social ride. The ride doesn't need an agenda. Nobody wore a heart rate monitor. Everyone had fun. We saw a part of the city that most people never will.
And the ride reminded me how much I love riding at night and exploring on my bicycle. It could not have been a bigger thrill to ride with some like minded people. I had spent part of my afternoon in lycra and oxygen debt. Then I got to feel like a kid who just likes to ride bikes.
Of course, it being a Saturday night ride we rounded out the evening with a few rounds at my new favorite 135 year old bar, Grammer's.

Two final thoughts: In lieu of writing about Floyd Landis and subjecting everyone to my lawyer brain mixed with my oxygen deprived racing mind I choose instead to write about something that makes me happy. That said, Landis Landis Landis Landis Landis CAS decision. Google searchers come find me and read about something much better than doping.

And Damiano Cunego's new tattoo is stupid. Just get out and ride. And if come Wednesday I haven't peeled any grams of my body, I'll blame the beer and the fact that I was just having some fun.

Hyde Park Blast Criterium - Cat 5

2008-06-29T16:17:00.008-04:00

I had more fun racing the Hyde Park Blast Crit than I have had on the bike in a long time. This is true despite the fact that my wife told me I didn't look like I was having fun. She said I looked like I felt pain. Both, as any cyclist will tell you, are entirely true.
This entry has five chapters. We begin at (1) the start line, work our way through (2) bike throw guy and (3) race wheels guy who take this whole Cat 5 thing a little too seriously, offer (4) some thoughts on wheelsucking, and (5) review 41x15's goals.

Riders Ready - the Start Line

30 racers lined up for the Cat 5/Citizen race at 3:15 in the afternoon. I'm in the middle of the shot in the blue and black jersey. If you happen to be color blind, I'm the guy carrying around the spare tire around his middle - or, if you will - carrying my race wheels around my middle. It was a mixed field. You should note the "comfort bike" seen in the shot. Two guys showed up to contest the race just for the sheer fun of it. I think that that is fantastic. Another guy raced on a single speed (freewheel). The rest were local hammerfest lunatics and friends that they convinced to race.

At the staging area on my left was a guy who shall henceforth be known as "Race Wheels Guy." More on him infra. To my right, a guy from the Biowheels team. Having learned something the last time I raced, I lined up at the front. At least I would have a little bit of time to drop back through the pack before I got dropped and left for dead at the side of the road.

The course itself did not strictly adhere to standard criterium format. It started on a straightaway, took a 180 degree turn around Hyde Park Square, shot ahead and then took a left turn up a short hill that got steeper each time we climbed it. From there, racers shot back down the hill and turned right at speed into the first straight away.

The USCF official laid down the rules and sent us on our way. I rode off the front for about 200 yards before settling in behind a few people. I then took a bad corner up the hill. Then I took a bad corner down the hill. What did I learn? The inside line is not necessarily the best line. And the inside line is the most likely to cause you to go off of your line or get boxed into the curb.

Bike Throw Guy

This story comes to you second hand from race neutral support Brian of Campus Cyclery and Cincinnati Bicycle Rentals. Apparently, someone from my race, the Cat 5 / Citizen race, found himself with a technical problem. His handlebar was loose. Instead of taking a free lap behind the barriers and accepting a wrench, he chose to DNF, throw his bike hard, wheels first into the ground and then throw his bike into someone's front yard.

Let's review: Cat 5 / Citizen. Two guys riding what I will generously call comfort bikes. Um, me. Some other guys kinda like me. There is absolutely no reason to get that worked up over this race. This race was fun. And for the most part, the people were cool. And your Van Dessell ride deserves better than you. We all do. This is competitive, but its also supposed to be fun.

By the way, don't try to tell me this was an anomaly, that you usually don't lose your cool. I saw the dent in your top tube, which may have come from a crash, but I bet upon examination we'd find plenty of bike throw damage. Dude, your racing me. That means you're no David Millar about to take a Giro stage when his chain breaks. You were racing me.

Race Wheels Guy

Which brings me to Race Wheels Guy. Dude, if you own race wheels, Cat up already. At the end of this race I realized I'd ridden with the hitch to my girl's bicycle trailer still attached to the chainstay. You need to chill out. If you get off on dusting guys like me, that's cool. But let it be known next year I'm going to kick your ass. And then, what are left with? Just more fat guys like me who will steal your lunch money next time.

Wheelsucking

This brings me some of the best parts of the race. First, I managed to hitch a ride on the wheel of guy named Keith. I, unfortunately, was not that good at getting him to hitch onto my wheel. For that, I'm sorry. Although my wife seems to think he just couldn't take a draft from me. Regardless, ultimately I caught my breath, offered to pull, found him riding up next to me, caught my breath, offered to pull, found him riding next to me again. Then, at some point I looked back and he was gone.

At some point the fast guys overtook me. Okay, they overtook me at least twice. Maybe three times. At some point I struggled to get oxygen to the cognitive parts of my brain and just hearing the pace vehicle's beep was a struggle.

Then, towards the end, one man chasing the fast group overtook me and hollered, "Get on." He invited me to take his wheel so I could get up to speed. This guy gets it. Unfortunately, I couldn't take the 180 degree turn as fast as he could. I held on for a little while longer, but lost him shortly before the climb. Thank you for offering me your wheel. Thank you for the short burst of speed it gave me. Thank you for being cool. I hope to recognize you at some other race and say thank you personally, but frankly, I don't even remember what you were riding. This may be the best I can do.

And I can also promise to offer my wheel when the time comes. And I do.

41x15 Goals

I've set some goals. Ault Park Crit. Check. Hyde Park Blast. Check. Cleves Time Trial. Not yet. Need to do that. MS 150. July 12 and 13. Its coming up. Son of Godzulla. October. I'll be there.

Finally, thanks to everyone at Dark Horse Racing who organized the race.

Um, racing in 1 hour and 15 minutes

2008-06-28T14:02:00.000-04:00

Please refer to above. I may yarf.

I suppose it is time to get excited about the Tour de France

2008-06-27T21:51:00.011-04:00

The Landis decision comes Monday from the CAS. I, for one, have already calendared 11 a.m. Monday so that I am not disturbed. No matter what, I'm sure I'll have something to say. And, I'm very sure that I will somehow be disturbed. Everything about the Landis case makes me angry because everyone dropped the ball. As for that guy in the polka dots next to him, is it me or is he looking more and more like the Crypt Keeper?

Enough of the doping talk, because burritos, ice cream, cold beverages, and big guys take to the roads in some French bike race one week from tomorrow. Shamefully, I'm more excited about Chris Horner racing in Bend, Oregon. Note, I'm not excited about Levi racing in Bend, Oregon. If its anything like California, the outcome is veritably predetermined.

I cannot deny that le Tour is the big show. And I will, of course, be absorbed. I'm just not revved up for it yet. Why? I don't know. Whatever, lets get to the fun.

Burritos

Garmin / Chipotle brings its so called Argyle Armada, more often thought of by me as the "Burrito Team" to the Tour. I expect stage victories. More importantly, I want David Millar to throw at least one bicycle into the crowd for some lucky fan to take home - like at a baseball game but with Dura-Ace.

"I have only ice cream and cold drinks."

Who said that? Why my brother from another mother, the speak first and f@*& s*#$ up later master of disaster, the guy who actually gave himself the nickname, "the Cobra," Ricardo Ricco. I can't tell you how excited I am that he will be at the Tour to keep my perpetually entertained. What is a grand tour without at least one rider guaranteed to provide histrionics and hurl insults at his team.

And I'm glad to know he is like me. Ice cream and Belgian recovery drinks are on my training table. Apparently, the same is true of Ricco. I just knew I wasn't dieting wrong. Ricco is the proof.

"Then I did about ten days of serious training and the sensations were good. I am not bad physically. Moreover, I have not fattened up one gram because when it is hot I don't have hunger, I have only ice cream and cold drinks."

Sweet. Now I know I only need ice cream and beer. Thank you, Cobra, for showing me the way.

Cocaine is a Hell of a Drug

Just how powerful is it? Apparently, cocaine is powerful enough to replace Tornado Tom Boonen with a "big guy." That big guy, of course, the one and only Gert Steegmans. I've had my say about Gert already. I think it would be awesome if he slapped around that guy named McEwen who named his son, Ewan. No really, Ewan McEwen. I think someone needs to call children's services already. I mean, if any crime should keep you from being at the start line of le Tour, naming your son Ewan McEwen is it.

Go Gert.

Jersey 12

2008-06-25T23:04:00.002-04:00

Status quo. No change in weight. Although my friend Dan, who I haven't seen in a few weeks, told me that I look slimmer. I decided to practice my holy cow victory face. I've had some good rides and I'm going up hill well. Although I'm not satisfied, I'm not disappointed.

The Hyde Park Blast is Saturday. More on that later.

Bonus Ride - A Love Letter

2008-06-23T23:09:00.004-04:00

Dear wonderful wife,

Monday is your usual group ride. Thank you for coming home and asking, "Do you want to go on the ride instead?" Bonus!

Out the door in fewer than five minutes I made it to the start with about 1 minute to spare. I met some wonderful bicycle riders and reconnected with one I already know.

It was super. There was a tandem and a fixed gear, too. It was far from epic. It was just right.

I love you. Thanks.

Me

I find the need for this correction to be very disappointing

2008-06-22T23:20:00.004-04:00

It does not take a genius to know that when turning your bicycle to the right, you have a greater chance of hitting your right pedal on the ground. Thus, when turning right, try to have your right pedal up.

Nevertheless, this somehow got past the editors at the New York Times - resulting in another edition of Mocking Our Betters.

Correction: June 20, 2008
An article on Thursday about training advice from an Olympic cyclist misstated a technique for negotiating downhill curves. The rider’s inside pedal should be up, not down.

But wait. It gets worse:

The article also referred incorrectly to cadence. It is the rotation speed of the pedal cranks, not the wheels.

This is the New York Times! Don't get me wrong. I'm am pleased to see coverage of cycling outside of the Tour de France. I'm also pleased to see that the Times has chosen to cover what is now the Garmin-Chipotle cycling team. But come on. Common sense would at least raise an eyebrow from an editor. Doesn't anybody read this stuff before publication?

I gleefully betray Oprah but hesitate to betray my city

2008-06-19T23:43:00.007-04:00

I say this with pride. I have betrayed Oprah Winfrey. I also say this with pride - civic pride - Cincinnati's Graeter's ice cream is without a doubt the best ice cream in the world. Oprah agrees with me.

And anyone who reads knows that Oprah eats ice cream, a lot. I, however, do not. Or, no longer do. Or, at least tonight, despite being inside a Greater's ice cream shop(pe), I did not eat any. While uncontrollably hopping up and down, my daughter gleefully announced to anyone who would listen that she was having "choc-o-lot ice cream on my ice cream." I stepped out of the scoop line, walked calmly to the cooler, reached first for tea but upon review of its label realized it actually had more high fructose corn syrup in it than tea, and settled for a Diet Coke.

Hence, I have betrayed both Oprah and a Cincinnati institution. Might I also mention that after arriving home from my ride I ate a tuna fish sandwich. But really, it was HALF a tuna fish sandwich, because Mrs. 41x15 broke one piece of bread in half to make the sandwich. My initial thought was to protest this great injustice. A sandwich is made from TWO slices of bread! But something in me kicked in and said, "That'll do pig, that'll do."

While I am loathe to again mention BKW so close to a prior post about BKW, as that just seems like sucking up, I am totally PRO. At least, I'm totally PRO today. We'll see how tomorrow goes.

Jersey 11

2008-06-18T23:45:00.004-04:00

96,161.5824 g. An unimportant and heretofore unconsidered milestone is reached: I am now out of the two-teens. I do not know why the photo is grainy.

In need of an attitude adjustment but not in a mindset to again face my own destruction, I opted not to race. The wife commuted home and then we all went to the races just to enjoy them.

The Nap Denied: An Addendum to BKW

2008-06-17T22:39:00.005-04:00

The local alternative paper used to publish a column called Mocking Our Betters. In it they noted things that the big daily in town missed. Or the column openly disputed reporting from the bigger media outlets. It was a great column and I hope that they bring it back soon.

In that spirit, 41x15 now commences its own version of Mocking Our Betters - wherein I note things the other, better blogs missed. It begins with Belgium Knee Warmers. BKW's contributors are the philosopher poets of cycling writers. When my suitcase of courage runs dry, or I just need to feel like I too can be faster, better, and stronger if I just try a little harder, I look to BKW. BKW reminds me each day that I can be better if I just live like a PRO, instead of a guy who really, really, really likes fried food.

Recently, BKW published an entry titled The Nap.

For the Average Joe, the nap is one of life’s stolen enjoyments, dessert for the legs. To take a post-ride nap is indeed a guilty pleasure for anyone who has pledged their life to others. Once there is a wife or children in the picture, any hour devoted to the comatose state of the spent is an hour stolen.

BKW wrote of three favorite naps. The Versus Nap, the Enforced nap, and the Optioned Nap. Commenters added such others as the Sneak Attack Nap, the I'm a college student so I fall asleep all the time nap, and something called the Post Shower Kip. I don't know what a Kip is, but it sounds like fun. I'm not sure my wife would approve.

This brings me to the most difficult nap. The nap not appropriately addressed by BKW. The Nap Denied.

She may be wearing her pajamas, but she is not sleeping. The idea seems simple enough: get in a weekend morning ride, come home, shower, play with girl, put her down for her nap, and get a nap of my own. Apparently, that is not in her game plan. And as she announced yesterday, "Mommy's not the queen. I'm the queen." Sure, she naps at daycare. She will not nap at home. Accordingly, I do not nap at home. Not even the Enforced Nap. Denied.

"Why," she asks, "sleep?"

It is the most basic lesson and she does not accept its fundamental truths. "Sleep keeps us healthy. Sleep helps us grow. Sleep makes us stronger. Sleep gives us time to dream."

"Why?"

So I tell her again. And because of her, and the rest of life's little things, I ignore the fundamental truths. I do not steal that hour. Denied. It is my favorite nap.

Dauphine: 20/20 Hindsight

2008-06-16T21:02:00.005-04:00

So I was wrong... mainly. Wrong, of course, that Valverde did not care about the Dauphine. Valverde did. Leipheimer did. Evans, well, the verdict is still out. I think he just showed up and took second. He's very good at that. And he won't burn any matches before le Tour. I was also wrong about Carlos "Even Less Exciting to Watch than Leipheimer" Sastre. He finished 20th. 20th! Still, he feels good about that. Sure.

But I was oh so right about some things. First, Levi would not win. I want him to win. I really really do. But I just knew he did not have it in him after the Giro. He has now broken the Astana streak of winning every stage race it enters. Mr. Johan will not be happy.

I was right about a certain Robert Gesink.
After an okay time trial, he worked his way up the GC and finished fourth. Rabobank won't be sending him to the big show in July because he's too young. This, I firmly believe, is why he finished fourth. Rabo won't let him blow up because he is the next big thing.

Valverde knows this as well. As reported in CN:

At the end of the mountain stage of the Dauphiné, race leader Alejandro Valverde has designated Robert Gesink as his most impressive rival on the climbs.

He's 22. He has a long career ahead of him. Watch this guy. We'll see more live reports updates like this, from stage 5:

15:59 CEST
Gesink sits at the front and his pull is so strong it shatters the front! Monfort is gone, Dessel as well. There aren't many left, but Valverde still sits there behind the Rabobank rider. Leipheimer is also still there. Evans as well.

As for me, I feel out of sorts this week. I tightened my cleats and now my right knee hurts. I loosened up the cleats to give my knees a little wiggle. Also, as my wife likes to remind me, I have no core. Accordingly, my back and shoulders hurt. I'm popping Vitamin I like its going out of style and my posture has gone to hell. I'm still playing with position on the new old bike. We'll see. I will race Wednesday. I will get killed again. I will use what I learn to get it together. I will race again. Good times.

More advice from the Ault Park Crit

2008-06-12T13:01:00.003-04:00

I stumbled across this doing a quick ego search. Funny stuff about the Ault Park Criterium and Dollar Menunairres. Oh yeah. Don't try to tell me you don't know where this is going.