When to Draw Conclusions.

When faced with a problem we will try to solve it, using various methods that we have learned in life. Those methods often start with looking at the issue and its surroundings. Followed up by some process in the brain from point A to point B. Then we draw a conclusion. What always interests me is how we closely we look at that issue. Do we examine it on a microscopic level or do we back way out and look at it from a comfortable position in the earth's orbit?

The following photographic work is just one instance of someone examining an issue using an extreme scale to highlight a problem we are now facing. Excessive Consumption

Scale is always something to keep in mind when problem solving.

Oh, Life is Great

The weather has been so nice I've been wearing flip flops and short sleeves lately. Which isn't too bad for January.

Team Camp is quickly approaching. I'm looking forward to meeting the new riders this week, although they are all world class athletes already, so they are really just new to the team.

The legs have come around really nicely. Got straightened out by Doctor Dave today and heading to a massage shortly.

Last weekend I was bummed when I couldn't motor pace because of the ultra high winds, but its life, so I'm moving on. The irony in my last two posts was kind of funny though. Especially since I didn't notice until today.

The next few weeks are big, so I'm going to be focused on the task at hand. Everything kind of hinges on team camp though, the race schedule will be set there as well as some other sponsor related trips. Should be interesting.

In case you didn't know, that's our team director Danny Van Haute, a.k.a. The Beast. He's pretty much the most ripped dude in the U.S. He's the man and totally makes life interesting.

"Sometimes You Need to Take a Nap and Get Over It."

I just felt like doing this today.


Thank you Steve Weller for proper demonstration of the "I'm over it" bike drag. 25mph winds, and motor pacing on the schedule equaled one disappointed bike racer. I was really looking forward to that work out. Rory told me to chill out because it is January, which is true. So I ate a cookie and felt better.

Mmmmm, Cinnamon Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookie.

That title quote is from one of those cards with quotes from 6 year olds. I'm skeptical.

Good Thing We Have Cats

Otherwise who would be lazy for us?

That is my cat Basil basking in the warmth of the sun and the heating vent.

If he wasn't around to be lazy for me right now I would feel very unbalanced. Right now the training machine is chugging away at full steam. The 'suffer' restriction plate has been hastily pried off with a screwdriver and the sore knob is cranked up to 11. That's right, 11. Why not 10? Because 11 is louder then 10. Focus is surgically sharp, but not as sterilized. There is little point to sterilization at this point in the season. You need those variables in life otherwise you will flip out when the smallest things get in your way.

That was on Cyclingnews, thank you for letting me borrow it.

Jelly Belly's team camp is next Wednesday the 30th of January and I'm excited to head out there with a year of experience and a lot more motivation. Check out the Team Website as it gets updated. The Neal's are coming to camp too, Neil Browne of ROAD mag and Neal Rogers of Velonews. Should be excellent fun as they are both pretty hilarious dudes.

The Views in Moab are Boring

I mean really, who puts a gigantic moutain range called the La Sal right up againest a huge canyon that houses the Colorado River? I mean honestly...psych, its amazing. To top it off there are hundreds of miles of trails from the desert up to 10,700 ft. That makes for 6,000 ft of elevation gain! Can't wait to do that ride when the trails are clear!

I bailed on Boulder for the holiday weekend to ride in Utah. The weather is better here right now, so I'll take it even if the beer is 3.2, bah.

Love you life!

.

This message was sent using PIX-FLIX Messaging service from Verizon Wireless!
To learn how you can snap pictures with your wireless phone visit

www.verizonwireless.com/getitnow/getpix.

To learn how you can record videos with your wireless phone visit www.verizonwireless.com/getitnow/getflix.

To play video messages sent to email, QuickTime� 6.5 or higher is required. Visit www.apple.com/quicktime/download to download the free player or upgrade your existing QuickTime� Player. Note: During the download
process when asked to choose an installation type (Minimum, Recommended or Custom), select Minimum for faster download.

Thomson, Tested to a New Unit of Measure

What was very true for their equipment will now undoubtedly be true for the people of L.H. Thomson company who lost their founder this past weekend.

http://velonews.com/news/fea/13917.0.html

I wish my long time supporters well as they move forward.

Pretty Cool, eh?

I saw this video over at Bike Hugger that B.C. trials rider Mike Bentham put together. Pretty sweet. Makes me want to go ride...so I'm going to...right...NOW!

Then and Now

When was the last time you talked to one of your teachers? Beyond that, when was the last time you thanked one of them?

These were my thoughts today. They came to me clearly, as clear as a afternoon sun on the mountains today as I rode my bike around for work. We've been in a bit of a funk here in Boulder without much sunlight to show us the way. I've been in a serious funk too. A little too motivated, a little directionless, and a head cold. That put me off kilter.

This morning that changed. The fog had lifted in my head, I put some goals down on paper, and I got an email that cleared things up a bit.

Today I found out one of my teachers, Jim Posante, from high school died.


Jim wasn't even my teacher directly as he taught the theater program at Greenhills High School in which I never participated. Nonetheless I learned a lot from him. I got to know him on a school sponsored student alumni trip to Boston. We were heading there to establish relationships with young Alumni in hopes to keep their educational roots in mind as they stepped forward into life.

It was one of those epic trips. A 22 hour train ride to Boston, a fire on the tracks in Schenectady forcing us into vans for the remaining hours to Boston. A long trip out to say the least. Then three days roaming Boston, going to the theater, watching Blue Man Group, long dinners with alumni, and of course some shenanigans. Jim spent a lot of time with us, showing us around Boston with our photo teacher Rob. They took us to the sights other teachers wouldn't dare. Not that they slipped us into racy stripper joints, but they fostered our creative and exploratory sides. They let us have fun and learn too. Now that is the way to teach. Those two elements aren't so homogeneous these days either.

Jim and I would always talk anytime I came back to school. He always asked me about cycling, but not in that joking manner, "You still riding that bike Mike, haha?" He always cared about your passion in life, be it cycling, acting, history, or playing pranks on everyone in school. He always supported your choice and made you even more excited about what you chose.


My parents left Ann Arbor a few years ago, so there is little reason for me to return these days. It serves as a reminder though that you should never forget where you came from and who you met along the way. Losing a teacher and friend is sad, but Jim would always want us to be happy and follow our passions. No matter what.

Super Scrabble

Keith Jennings just blew my mind.

Did you know there was a super scrabble, because I had no idea. So the board gets bigger, the number of tiles is doubled, and the games go for a long time. We exhausted the entire board over the course of 3+ hours in a scrabble marathon. What a brilliant game.

The Christmas Feast

Goofing off in the snow...had to get some exercise somehow.

Well I didn't get as many photos of the food as I would have liked. Mostly because it was going into my mouth so fast I didn't have a free hand to take a picture of it all.


My sister was really the star of the feast show this year as she cooked up a storm, starting with cupcakes, then moving onto the second annual Gingerbread House, followed by some sick skills on the pizza front. She has some sweet moves.


Our cat Arthur was strung out all week on his new catnip toy. Absolutely hilarious.


Mom also busted out some sweet skills by making 5 of these ice candles. Its easy to do, just fill a bucket with water, put it outside so it starts to freeze. When it is almost totally frozen, empty out the last of the water and then drop a candle inside. Light and enjoy.


Times like these that make me a very happy person. I've got more pictures posted to various sites, so if you want more let me know.

Also scored some sweet CD's in the gift melee, The National and American Analog Set. Scored some more goodness from some friends as well including The Stars, MGMT, Okkervil River, and Josh Ritter. New music is such a breath of fresh air.

Cool runnings...

Eat my Shorts Will!

Three NY Times crossword puzzles in a row...I feel wicked smart!