(Two)Weekend Nursery Project.

Over the past few weekends, we have been trying to get the nursery setup for Henry's pending arrival. We decided to paint a two-tone room with a wavy separation and stars stenciled near the celing. This turned into a much more ambitious project than we thought. In the end, I think it turned out well. We stripped and painted the dresser shown in the pictures as well. Here it is:

Cycling is NOT the most drugged-up sport!

I took the following statistics from a Chicago Tribune article titled:
The real doping crisis: billiards

Apparently baseball players use drugs at about the same rate as cyclists...

Billiards: - 9.96% - 28 positives out of 281 tests
Golf: - 5.21% - 20/384
Bandy: - 3.94% - 8/203
Cycling: - 3.78% - 482/12,751
Baseball: - 3.69% - - 390/10,580
Motorcycle Racing: 3.23% - 12/372
Underwater sports: 3.22% - 12/373
Boxing: - 3.14% - 83/2433
Triathlon: - 3.14% - - 74/2,170
Archery: - 2.94% - 25/850
Ice Hockey: - 2.87% - 79/2,751
Rugby: - 2.46% - 113/4,601
Orienteering: - 2.09% - 10/479
Volleyball: - 2.06% - 54/2161
Weightlifting: - 2.50% - 146/5842
Athletics: - 1.67% - 342/20,464
Football (Soccer): 1.46% - 343/23,478
55.2% of all Adverse Analytical Findings were Anabolic agents
(43.4%) or stimulants.
60.7% of AAF for Anabolic agents the identified substance was
Testosterone.

Thanksgiving Hybrid Drive

Over Thanksgiving, I drove the Camry Hybrid to MN from Chicago and back. It was a really confortable drive and we averaged about 37.5 mpg. Compared to our Oldsmobile Aurora, this represents an advantage of 12.5 mpg. Our typical driving accounts for approximately 1,000 miles over a MN weekend saving a total of 13.3 gallons of gasoline. At $2.25/gallon, we saved $30 on this one trip. That certainly doesn't make a huge dent in the $400+ payement for the car, but it represents about a 7% advantage vs. driving a similarly priced vehicle for the same money. For instance, a similarly equipped Chrysler Sebring sedan costs about $1,000 less than the Camry.

Extrapolating an estimated $30/month savings if the vechicle were driven 1,000 miles/month at $2.25/gallon at optimum efficiency. So, that means that one can easily justify a $1,500 hybrid "premium" based on a monthly vehicle budget that includes fuel and vehicle payment. Tack on the Hybrid tax credit ($2,600 when I purchased), and it is a no-brainer. This also assumes a balance of city and highway driving.

The other element to consider is that I drove a Chevy Cobalt for several days after our Aurora was destroyed and I averaged 19.5 mpg in that small car because of the amount of city driving that I do regularly. I am now routinely averaging 37.5 mpg regardless of highway or city driving.

The factors that are often overlooked when considering a hybrid is that the hybrid "premium" is financed over several years so you need to capture your monthly outlay, not how many gallons of gas equate to the assumed "premium". Toyota leads the industry in resale, and due to the overwhelming demand for hybrids, their depreciation is lowest in the automotive industry. There is actually less wear and tear on the breaks and engine, resulting in a lower overall cost of maintenance....fewer air filters, brake jobs, fuel filters, etc. The added maintenance component is the electrical hybrid systems, which has proven reliable over the past 6 years in the Prius, and the only battery problems that have occured is from people that have modified their systems, and the manual systems employed by Honda.

Anywho, I like Hybrids!

Racism

While my wife and I were walking the dog this morning, a neighbor dog, Jo-Jo really wanted to play with my dog Cosmo. Jo-Jo was busy taking care of his morning business, and we walked by. Jo-Jo about a minute later came tearing down the alley to visit Cosmo, but we had turned a corner and Jo-Jo lost sight of Cosmo. Jo-Jo proceeded to visit a woman at the end of the alley who happened to be African-american. This woman gave me a look of death and began to scold me about my loose dog. A moment later Jo-Jo's mom, who happens to be African-american, came running after Jo-Jo. The woman that Jo-Jo ran after stopped her rant said "Oh, that's your dog (directed to Jo-Jo's mom), not your dog (directed to me)" and then proceded calmly to work. Strange that me and my wife would get a more hostile reaction than Jo-Jo's mom...Could it be racism?

RNCC Bag O' Tricks

I found this after hearing from a coworker who lives in Illinois 6th Congressional district that she was recieving a barrage of phone calls from the Democratic candidate Tammy Duckworth. Apparently, the NRCC has, in several states, paid for automated calls to people that identify that they are calling with information about a democratic candidate, then go into a "smear" of that candidate, followed by the identification of the NRCC. These calls are intended to be annoying and occur at deliberate incovenient times for the recipient. In the case of my coworker, she is a registered Democrat, and is recieving annoying calls from someone she is going to vote for anyway. Seems crazy, huh? I am not a campaigner, but I would certainly not focus on bringing out the vote of someone registered with the party, I would focus on those that could be convinced to vote for the candidate I was supporting.

Whe she has recieved the calls, she has answered the call, discovered it is political in the introduction, and has hung up believing the call is from the Duckworth campaign. She was taken aback when I pointed this issue out to her.

Perhaps the US needs to adopt Canada's approach to limit any campaigning in the 72hrs preceding the election. Then, perhaps these underhanded schemes would give people breathing room before the vote to focus on the issues versus the emotion.

Commentary on Energy and Environment

What I expect/hope to see if the mid-term elections result in a re-balance of power (i.e., more dems elected) with respect to energy and environment:

We will begin to pursue real initiatives for alternative energy. Hopefully Prop 87 will pass in California, resulting in additional cost for Crude Oil. This proposition, if passed, will be a catalyst for other states to do the same. The tax on crude ranges from 1.5% to 6% based on the cost of crude. The lower tax range is during times of low crude price and the higher range for high crude cost. This tax pool is to fund alternative energies. From a broader economic perspective, the US has thrived on innovation and highly educated, highly compensated jobs. A fundamental problem with "exporting" low-skill jobs overseas is not that we are exporting jobs. The problem lies in the fact that we are not replacing those low-skilled jobs with things that we do best, innovation and education.

Imagine that we fund high technology ventures and education. Perhaps we will have the opportunity to let others do what they do best (low skill, for a low wage) while we focus on what we do best, (high skill for a high wage). The clearly evident avenues for this to occur is with respect to environmental resources such and water, agriculture, and energy. These are critical because of the ever expanding global population that will inevitably put significant stress on these resources. (An academic exercise from college place the global carrying capacity of the earth at 9 billion people, a number I expect to see in my lifetime). Water purification technology and infrastructure, more efficient and sustainable energy use, and more efficient and sustainable agricultural practices present opportunities for the US to be a world leader.

Like I have stated before: Being green should no longer have a "tree-hugger" connotation. Being green is becoming the backbone of financial decisions.

The rate of adoption to "being green" should be encouraged from a broader governmental push with incentives and regulation. With that said, I believe the US should mandate ISO 14000 on imported goods. This would address two problems: the export of manufactuing (because the environmental conditions to do business would be similar to a US corporation), and serve to limit pollution globally. The US is the biggest world consumer of goods, why then do we import manufactured goods that are subject to less stringent environmental regulation than if they were manufactured domestically, while we decry domestic polluters? Is this NIMBYism or lack or care for the environment?

Disowning the Vikings, and adopting the Bears

I have been a lifelong fan of the Vikings. Now, after living in the Chicago area for four years, I think this will be the year that I root for the Bears. Why now? Well, when a team is winning it makes it easier to get to know the players and want to wish them well. I have been able to watch more Vikings games this year than any other of my 4 years in Chicago. I have always wanted to watch every Vikings games and have only seen a few, while the Bears are on every week. I feel as though I am Cubs fan when I sit watching the Vikes (they lose by self destruction -make stupid plays, and get penalized left and right). In years past, my favorite teams have been the Vikings and anyone playing the Packers. This year, I will be torn when I watch the Bears play the Vikes. Right now, I think I am going to root for the Bears this year and years to come.

Sorry it has had to come to this Vikes...

P.S. For baseball I still love the Twins and have never wanted to become a Cubs or Sox fan, and I think that the departure of the North Stars ruined me as a pro hockey fan.

P.G. Exam

Now that I have completed my P.E. Exam, I will be moving on to the Professional Geologist examination. I will have three months to prepare for that exam which will be held on March 2, 2007. I really hope that I pass my P.E. Exam so that I do not have to concern myself with taking the P.G. and retaking the P.E. at the same time in the spring...with a new baby.

The P.G. Exam will likely be more difficult than the P.E. Exam because Illinois proctors the Fundmentals of Geology at the same time as the Principals of Geology. For Engineering, one takes the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam (8hr Exam) in college and then the P.E. (another 8hr exam) after completing the work experience requirements.

Since I will be taking the F.G. component approximately 5 years outside of my academic Geology education, I have a lot of material to refresh on (Petrology, Minerology, Paleontology, Geomorphology, and other stuff that is rarely used in environmental geology). In most states, testing for the P.G. is a new requirement and the majority of P.G.s are licensed in Illinois by "grandfathering". The problem with this scenario is that it will take a generation of P.G.s licensed by examination for the credential to have merit. Even P.G.s consider the licensure weak because of new standards for examination. P.G.s also do not have a strong governmental lobby like Engineers. This has allowed most of the signatory requirements for documents to fall under the purview of P.E.s, while it is often as or more appropriate for a P.G. to sign a document.

PE Exam

I have been preparing for and will sit for my Professional Engineering examination tomorrow. Passing this test (fingers crossed) will be a significant milestone for me in my career. It can lead to a significant bump in salary...if all works out well. And, it will allow me to sign-off on engineering drawings/opinions/workplans and other stuff. It becomes valuable for any employer because I take personal liability in stamping documents. I have hear others say that as soon as you stamp your first document, you will be in a courtroom in the next two-years. Let's hope that when my time comes for the courtroom, it will be to poke holes in others work and not the reverse.

Wish me luck!

UPDATE:
The exam consisted of two, four hour sections that are open book. The first section was more computational and a "hide and seek" type of exam; that is, I would read the problem and search through reference books to find an answer. I went to the exam with a minimalist approach, only bringing about 6 references. Some people were bringing in multiple milk-crates full of books. (...In my opinion, a reference is only good if you are somewhat familiar with that reference. How could anyone be familiar with 20 difference texts?...) The second section was more along the lines of work realted problems and was the type of information that you could not look up in books and you had to answer based on practical work experience. I walked away from the exam feeling confident, and that may be a problem. I say that because when I was in college and left an exam with confidence, I would get dope-slapped with a "C" or something much worse than I thought I would get. I will find out in January if my confidence is appropriate or an indication that I need to take the exam again.

Latest Ultrasound (ITS A BOY)

My wife and I just got back from out visit at the doctor's office. The first view of the baby revealed the obvious...It's A Boy!

See...just look at where the arrow is pointing.

Top Picture: Feet
Top Center: Face and Elbows
Bottom Center: Face/Abdomen (Profile)
Bottom: ITS A BOY!

A recent trip down the Chicago River when my niece came to visit

Recipe for professional disaster...

This is from a recent conversation, and is a general commentary on why some people advance professionally while others do not.

"...that is for project mangers to worry about. And I am not paid to be one."

(I quit a job early in my career because over 75% of my coworkers exhibited this attitude. That job was funded by taxpayers while I worked for a State agency- ...tax payer dollars only working as hard as the State employees...)

It seems to me that exhibiting qualities of a project manager will allow you to become one. Shunning responsibility because you "are not paid for it" is a recipe for stagnation.

That statement only serves to distinguish this person as limited in their ability to grow professionally.

New Auto

On Saturday Kat and I ordered a 2007 Toyota Camry Hybrid. This vehicle is much more roomy than either Kat and I thought it would be. Because of the timing of our order we will be able to take delivery of the car in time to take advantage of the $2,600 tax credit that becomes $1,300 beginning in October. Funny thing about Toyota is that they have one of the highest resale values of cars on the road and the demand is such that MSRP is the price you have to pay. Used hybrids do not make any sense to buy unless you need the car immediately. The tax credit makes a new purchase more attractive than a used vehicle purchase. The best part is that the rated mileage is 40city/38hwy. That is fantastic for a mid-size sedan. The average midside sedan mileage rating is 21city/28hwy.

There is really no way to identify the car as a hybrid from the outside of the vehicle (except for a few badges that indicate it is a hybrid). We opted to go with a sedan for the time being and we will likely upgrade to a crossover or SUV once the family grows a little.

New Dinghy

Yesterday was the second time I was able to use my proper dinghy to get to and from my boat. One of the dock dwellers "the Mayor" was hosting a party and a friend of Katherine's joined us. When we were getting ready to return to shore, Kat and I boarded the dinghy (with Cosmo the dog and Bailel the dog) and I told Kat's friend to step in the middle of the dinghy. She misinterpreted these instruction to step on the side of the dinghy and sit on the side of the dinghy. We all became very wet imediately after the boarding mishap. Kat and I swam out from under the boat while her friend came up underneath the dinghy. Both dogs were trapped under the boat and Kat was able to reach under and grab Bailey. Kat couldn't find Cosmo and became very upset. Also, because Kat is pregnant everyone on the dock was most concerned about getting her out of the water. Cosmo is deathly afraid of water and being trapped under the dinghy had to be the most traumatic experience of his life. When I looked under the dinghy to see if he was okay, he had climbed to the underside of one of the seats and he had a white-knuckled death grip on the seat. I figured that I had better not try to remove him from his perch because he was so terrified...the added fear of going into the water would have probably cost me skin underneath his nails. We righted the dingy and everyone came away okay. We did lose the use of our cell phones and Kat may have lost the use of her iPod.

Lessons Leared: The least experienced boater enters the dinghy first. Step in the middle of the dinghy. Put small electronics in a watertight container.

update: The iPod was the only piece that surived. It was out of power when it went in, so that is probably why it made it. Both phones have been officially deep-sixed.

Not just a puppy daddy...

I recently discovered that my little puppy will have a new human playmate soon...

To visualize what is on the screen... imagine a "teddy bear" lying sideways inside a jelly bean and you get an idea of the anatomical layout of the baby. It was really neat to hear the heartbeat while this ultrasound was performed.

This little one has already turned out to be a trooper. This image was taken the day after my lovely wife deployed the airbags in the car. The car in front of her slowed her down much faster than the brakes. Now we are in the market for a new car for the fam.

Boring note from author: As much as I despise the big 3 automakers, I find myself looking at Ford products. Specifically the Escape Hybrid. 0% financing and $5k less than the Toyota Highland Hybrid financed at 4.9%.

Trip Recap

The trip started out great. I covered over 150 miles on Saturday. The weather was beautiful albeit rather hot, but I didn't get too sweaty. My nutrition level was good and I finished the day with several hours to wander around Whitewater State Park in Altura, MN. On my approach to the park, there was a VERY steep hill. I accelerated to over 40 mph while carrying my load of gear...a little unnerving. At the base of a hill there was a convenience store that had all of the necessities a weekend camper may need. I picked up some pasta, sauce, peanut butter, jelly and a loaf of bread. I asked the 15-year old clerk if there was a hill similar to the one I descended if I continued east. His comment was there are no hills in the area like the one I came in on. He may have been correct about the grade of the hill, but certainly not with respect to elevation. When I embarked on Day 2, I was absolutely frustrated with how slowly I was travelling. After about 45-minutes of slogging along at about 12 mph, I checked the altimeter log of my GPS. Sure enough, I have been climbing for over 600 feet and a distance of over 10 miles, and there was more climbing to go. The issue with this was that it was really humid, the air was still and I was soaking wet after the first 10 minutes of riding. After about 35 more miles of riding, the effects of a saturated cyclist began to take their toll. I'll put it this way, I didn't crash, but I am missing skin...from areas in contact with the bike. The agony of continuing was too much and I aborted the trip with approximately 210 miles under my belt. A little dissappointing, but I covered more distance in the first day of riding that I have ever done in my life.

Some Thoughts Looking Forward...

I plan on doing a long distance ride every year, and I haven't conceived of the next one yet. I will let you know some thoughts after I finish the MN-IL trip. I am always looking for company on long distance ride. There is too much potential for something to go wrong...

My goal for my 4th of July trip is Day 1 (160 miles), Day 2 (160 miles), Day 3 (180 miles). I figure day 1 and 2 will be hilly, and I should be able to average a minimum of 15-16 mph with 10 hours of saddle time. This schedule is extremely aggressive, and much more aggressive than I would hope to do in the future (I like 100 miles/day). Because I am going solo, there will be just myself and my thoughts for three days. Nothing is more trying on you psyche than the relentless howl of a head wind in your ears and the effort it takes to push through a headwind. I am hoping for a tail wind and cool, clear weather. (keep your fingers crossed, keep me in your prayers, or do a crazy dance...whatever it takes, I need all the help imaginable)

For the next trip, I am thinking of maybe a Great Lakes focused trip. Starting from Duluth, MN going east along the south shore of Lake Superior and continuing south along the west shore of Lake Michigan to Chicago. I am open to any number of ideas, and my ability to do another trip will be based on my ability to get time off of work. I like the idea of piggy-backing over a holiday weekend to minimize time off of work. Just some thoughts...

4th of July Weekend Ride and August Challenge

On July 1st, I am going to proceed on a loaded tour from New Ulm, MN to Oak Park, IL. I have established a rigorous agenda including approximately 15o-miles the first day from New, Ulm, MN to Whitewater State Park, Altura, MN. From there I will proceed another 150-miles to Governor Dodge State Park, Dodgeville, WI. I will continue from there to Oak Park, IL, another 160-miles. This trip should be do-able in the three days set aside. My lovely wife will be meeting me on the third day to see what type of condition I am in and relieve me of my load.

I have modified my bike for this trip to include an 11-32 tooth cassette (rear set of gears) and a long-cage mountain derailleur. I am going to be pulling my gear in a B.O.B. Trailer. I weighed my trailer last night and the total gear-weight was about 40-lbs. Not too bad, considering my training ride earlier in the year included two 15-pound dumbbells and a cooler full of water/ice. I added some nifty items to my bike to make this aggressive trip easier. I have a GPS mounted on the handlebars, a map-pouch on the handlebars, and a "Bento Box" food container (located near the stem of the bike.

I will keep this bike configured with the modified gearing, GPS, and Bento Box until I complete the Dairyland Dare 266k ride (162.5 miles!!!).

New Job and New Commute

I started a new position doing the same type of work that I was doing before. The big difference is in the office culture. The new office is much more relaxed and there is a focus on work life balance. I was hussled out of the office before 5:00pm on one day. That would be unheard of at my former employer. Anyway, I am really getting into the grove and enjoying the new position.

The best part about the job is that I have really nice commuting route. It is about 12.5 miles each way and I have been able to complete the commute ranging from 36 to 45 minutes. The 45 minute days were both this week. On Monday, because I was reeling from the HHH and today because it was raining and I had wind in my face so I had to be a little more cautious.

The suburban drivers are much more courteous than the Chicago drivers with the exception of Oak Park. Something was in the air yesterday because I had several near misses and one rub against a car taking a right turn. I think it was because I left work at about 5:15pm, putting me in Oak Park at about 6:00pm. Chicagoland traffic is horrible and it is clear by driver behavior that their patience has eroded by 6:00pm. I guess it provides an incentive for me to get to work earlier so that I can leaver earlier and not end up underneath a car.

Since I have started using my new cycling computer in May, I have logged over 1,000 miles. I would have to guess that I am at about 2,500 miles for the year.

Horribly Hilly Hundreds 200K - Follow-up

Here is the photo of me finishing the Horribly Hilly Hundreds and my results. These results are not final and have some errors that are presently being corrected (Big deal though, it is not as if I am in the top 10) my place and the average finishing time keep changing...

I guess my expression is one of agony and relief. It is always more clear when looking at yourself though a lens other than your own eyes (like this photo) how evident it is that I need to keep on my weight loss program.

The hardest thing I have ever done in my life! Period.

The Horribly Hilly Hundreds is not a ride that I will soon forget. The final climb of the route is 2.9 miles at about 12% grade followed by antoher 0.6 miles at a 10% grade. (To define grade, a road that rises 1 foot in eleveation over 10 feet of linear distance, is called 10% grade). That final climb literally tested my will like no other.

Although the ride desciption states "We recommend a minimum of a 27 tooth rear cassette. Many successful completers of the HHH have used a rear MTB derailleur with a 32 or 34 tooth, or a triple crank.", I decided to ride a 25 tooth rear cassette. Let's call this REALLY POOR JUDGEMENT.

To complete many of the climbs, I had to swith-back (or zig-zag) up the hill to minimize the grade of the hill, turning a 3.5 mile hill into a much longer hill, all the while my legs, heart, and lungs were simply screaming for relief. This climb was difficult/demoralizing because of the simple fact that while you look forward, the only thing that you see is pavement reaching toward the sky. I have only summaryized the final climb, and I will let the profile (linked here) describe the rest of the course.

I travelled faster on this course than I ever have before, hitting a maximum speed of 50.8 mph. There is one thing that I noticed as I continued to pass riders throughout the course. People do not use gravity to climb hills. This may sound demented, but while descending, many people would not pedal, shift into a lower gear near the base of the hill and begin slogging up the hill in their "granny gear". Instead, while descending, I pedal my butt off in my hardest gear, so that my legs are spinning at a minimum of 90 rpm, and I shift to an easier gear one at-a-time so that my cadence (rate of leg spinning) doesn't fall below 80 rpm. This is what I consider using gravity to climb. It is just a matter of simply carrying your momentum as far a possible. While I did pass a ton of riders during most of the course, I was smoted on the ultra-steep climbs, for which I did not have appropriate gearing.

Once the final results are posted, I will link them to my blog. I am estatic that I finished the ride, and I am planning on doing it again next year. I am debating entering the Dairyland Dare. This will be a simple matter of knowing my condition at the end of July. If I have dropped about 10 pounds, and modified my bike as suggested above, I think it will be a go.

Finishing the HHH was one of the best accomplishments for me physically. I can't wait to do it again next year and do better.

Horribly Hilly Hundreds (200K)

I am really disappointed to report that I was unable to ride in the Ozark's Hellbender. My better judgement got in the way of travelling to the race. That is, riding like a maniac for 70 miles and hopping into the car for a 6-8 hour drive sounded like a recipe for disaster. This wouldn't have been a problem if I would have had another racer to join me.

Well onto the next adventure...I am riding in the Horribly Hilly Hundreds which is supposed to be the "toughest one dat challenge ride in the midwest". My favorite part of the ride is the slogan "Biking Like a Viking". I am registered to complete the 200k ride (approximately 120 miles). The key to this ride is nutrition and water intake. The temperature is supposed to be in the 90s this weekend. It is good that I rode 105 miles carrying about 45 lbs. of gear about two weeks ago in 95+ heat. I did pass out about two hours after that ride because I did not hydrate enough or eat enough afterwards. The key for me to finish well in this ride is to really focus on energy management. Typically, I have been a hammer head on hills while I ride; that is, when I ride I bolt up hills with all I have until I react the crest. If I use that strategy on this ride I will certainly bonk.

Wish me luck! I will be hauling my heavy rear end of 220 lbs through this course while the typical cyclist weighs in at about 140-180 lbs.

First Road Race - Ozarks Hellbender

I have registered for my first race and I am a little nervous about the whole deal. The race is the Ozark's Hellbender and it is a 70 mile race consisting of two laps of 35-miles each. I think that this type of race is well suited to my riding style...A lot of hills and the opportunity to power pedal up those hills.

The nerve-racking part is that I will probably be going to the race solo. Most of the people in the racing group I joined like to do local races vs. travel for 6 hours.

I plan on riding the C-dale Lampre Caffita. The one pictured below almost identical to the one I'll be riding.Wish me luck!

Last Evening's Weather

While I was looking out my window at work (from the 42nd floor) downtown, a violent stormfront was bearing down on my route home for work. I quickly donned my cycling gear and tried to out ride the storm. As soon as I exited my office building, very large and very cold raindrops collided with my head. I figured I had better get to riding before the conditions got worse...hmmm, that was a BAD idea.

As I began west on Madison Street (the start of my ride), small pea-sized hail began to fall. As I approached LaSalle Avenue (about two blocks west) dime sized hail began to fall. The bugger of the situation is that the hail was just the right size to pass through the vents in my helmet and explode against my skull. I endured the wicked weather for about four miles before it abated. The weather for the remaining four miles consisted of heavy rain. When I arrived home, I was covered in welts from the hail and was in desperate need of a hot shower.

Would I do it again? Maybe, it was quite a rush! I can imagine all of the drivers at the time thought I was an imbecile and I am sure readers of this post will consider the same.

Polar Cycling Computer

I just downloaded this data from my cycling computer/heart rate monitor for my ride home from work today.

This is a pretty neat way to measure performance.

Validation at Visionquest

Last night I went to an indoor training session hosted by Robbie Ventura, a former USPS rider from 2001-2004. The training session involved about 15 riders connecting their bikes to Computrainers. The Computrainer is calibrated to similate real riding conditions and a visual display indicates the terrain to be covered and a provides a summary of power output, speed, and heart rate. Before the ride, we were told that the fastest ride time EVER was 33min 30sec with an average of 330 watts. The person that put out those numbers is a professional racer who rode in the Tour de France with USPS.

Drum roll please...

I finished first in the group of 15 with a ride time of 37min 45sec and an average of 308 watts. I was about 10% slower than the fastest rider EVER. Robbie indicated that I definately have the power and skill set to ride competitively. He said that I need to work on my "X-factor", which is developing racing skills. To begin with developing my "X-factor", he invited my to ride on one of their upcoming outdoor training rides.

I am really bragging here, but I think that I earned it. I started 4 months ago at about 270lbs and have stuck to a rigorous training regimen during that time. I have transformed my slovenly body to a race ready machine.

I will be meeting with xXx Racing on Monday May 1, 2006. This will be the kickoff-day for my racing goals.

Mad Speed!

I had some big plans to ride about 80 miles over Easter weekend; however, I muched my rear wheel on a big hole while riding in a 25 person peloton. The rider in front of me floated over the hole without calling out the hazard, and I nailed it with all of my weight earning myself two flats. I finished 58 miles, the typical ride but I am in need of a new rear wheel. The highlight of the ride was that I was able to ride with the "A" riders of the cycling group. Before my flats, I hung onto a speed of 28 mph for about 15 miles. MAD SPEED! I weighed in today at 226 lbs, 41 pounds until my goal. I can't wait to ride with the A-group at my target weight (after unloading my sack of butter).

I took out the C-Dale Lampre for about 15 miles on Easter and it is such a beautiful ride. The bike is impressively tight laterally, providing an absolute minimum of energy loss. I am so thrilled to ride that bike. I have been treating the Lampre as a carrot, but after my latest riding speeds, I think I should take the Lampre on the next group ride.

Super Training Day

Today was the first day that I rode my bike to spin class instead of driving. It is about 9 miles from my home to the gym, which I covered in 23 minutes. At 5:15am there are very few cars on the road and it is really easy to go a long distance without stopping. I had about 20 minutes to cool down before spin class started. Strangely, I was able to continue solidly through spin class without any lingering effects from the ride in. It was a different story when I rode from the gym to work after spin class. My legs were tired and my heart rate remained elevated. After getting a protein shake and an energy drink in me, I feel like a million bucks. I hopped on the scale last night and I am under 230lbs. I am going to take my weekly measurement tomorrow and update the fit day website. I am hoping to weigh in at 227.5 lbs. I am keeping my fingers crossed.

58 mile ride

I went on a ride with a local cycling group on Saturday that turned out to be really great and really disastrous. First with the disaster. Because it was my first ride, I took it easy to get a feel for the pace and rider ability. After about 10 miles we encountered our first hill. I was feeling really strong and noticed that most of the riders began to take it easy up the hill. That is not my typical riding style. Typically when I see a hill, I sprint up the hill and give it everything I have because there are so few hills in the area. I checked my corners to check the vicinity of other riders, seeing none, I made a quick maneuver. What I did not see was that somebody made a similar decision and was already gunning up the hill. When I made my move, I essentially cut the other rider off. His front wheel glanced off of my rear wheel, and he hit the pavement at about 20mph. He came down hard and did not slide much. Luckily he was able to get up and he was no bones were broken. He ultimately had to quit the ride because his bike got munched up a little bit. He had a classic lugged Colnago frame (very sweet) and much of the tragedy is in the damage to the bike.

Now the really great part. My training has definitely paid dividends. I hung with the strong riders of the group and was able to out sprint and out climb all but one rider whose wheel was never more that a few feet in front of me. That guy is actually a competitive racer. I finished a few minutes behind the group due to a flat. The group ride stats are: 54.3 miles, 19.9 mph average, 39 mph max, 2 hrs 43 minutes. The remaining four miles were from the ride to/from my condo to the start/end point.

Some of my favorite compliments from the ride were:
"You are going to be scary-fast once you lose the weight you want."
"You are in some kind of shape!"
"You have fantastic thighs!" <- A little creepy, but a strict comment on the size of my legs (over developed from carrying my fat rear end around for so long.)

Decisions...Decisions...Decisions...

I believe that energy will be the biggest growth sector over the next twenty years. In that time there are going to be many innovations in the types of fuels that we use and the fundamental design of electronic equipment. The environment will grow as a sector that is related to sustainable business practices and the incorporation of alternative energies. This is part of the paradigm shift away from carbon based fuels.

As I currently work in the environmental sector, it is interesting to see the drift away from conventional engineering consulting services and the movement toward renewables. Most of the solid waste engineering is to capture methane from decomposing waste, scrub impurities and sell that gas as a commodity. Most of the air permitting work is for ethanol plants. Alternative wastewater treatment is done through natural treatment systems. Decomposing solids from wastewater generate methane which is captured and fired to lessen the energy demand for operation.

That being said, the growth of environmental business is transforming and the boom-growth area is alternative energy. As I was updating my resume for my employer I could not help but think of the changes in this industry. Now the question is: What is more lucrative: The tranformation of a mature industry like Environmental Consulting; or the emerging alternative energy sector?

Decisions...Decisions...Decisions...

www.FitDay.com

I can not stop raving about FitDay.com. It is so easy to use and very useful to estimate calories taken in and calories expended in a day.

If anyone is seriously interested in losing weight, this is a critical tool. My friend John mentioned that he was able to love seven pounds in three weeks by using it! I have shed 40lbs by using for the past 3 months.

It is free and easy to use.

Commuting and Brisk Air

I took the new CDale cyclocross disc on its maiden voyage today, and how sweet it is. The frame is 54cm vs. 56cm of a typcial road bike which makes handling really nice. The disc brakes are a huge improvement over dual-pivot calipers for commuting. I only had two emergency braking moments today that would have been controlled swerves without discs to avoid objects (e.g. cars). The cyclocross also has shorter cranks which can make accelerating from a stop quicker. The only drawback to cyclocross is the somewhat knobby tires that are 700x32 vs. 700x23 of a typical road bike.

I held onto mad speed coming into work. I averaged approximately 23mph (with stops) over the first five miles and much less over the remining three miles due to stop lights. Spinning has really been great for getting in shape. The reserve power in my legs is great for pushing hills and sprints. I am so excited to continue with my weight loss and get even faster and stronger as the year progresses.

Current weight is 233lbs. I anticpate a weight of under 230 and the end of next week...let us see how that goes

Ft. Myers, FL

I spent the last week in Ft. Myers Florida with my wife, mother-, father-, and brother in-law. My brother in-law plays baseball for Southwest Minnesota State University and during that week he plays about 2 games per day. Kat and I watched two games and did a lot of activities on our own.

Vacation put a damper on my weight loss. I ate and drank far too much, although Kat and I stayed active. We rented a waverunner on one day, went kayaking on another, and rented bikes on another day. We went to the beach almost every day and I swam in the ocean each time for about 15-30 minutes. The cold-to-the-bone feeling from the midwest winter diappeared, and I hope that it warms up in Chicago before that horrible feeling returns.

I rode to work yesterday and the feeling was great! I had a lot of reserve power for sprints when I needed it, and I held a pretty good speed. The air temp was about 30 degrees F, so my breathing was a little labored, but the road feel was great. Riding indoors is pure mental anguish compare to outdoor riding.

I hope to take time over Easter weeekend to pound out at least 60 miles. My philosophy is that the first ride of the year should be punishing because it sets the pace for the year. The pain that you endure the first day in 60 miles is typically the most pain all year because of increased strength, speed, and endurance.

Planning for the Future, Executing in the Present, and Recalling the past

Lately, I have not had too much to say. I have been continuing with my training, and have maintained continued weight loss. Although, two weekends ago, I treated my body rather poorly. I went to a Ski Party in Wisconsin that is billed as "...kindergarten with alcohol". Needless to say, the lifestyle of health and fitness was put on hold for a few days. Those few days off of the bike were good for recovery (of muscles and saddle pain)

I think that I am going to have to get the cyclocross bike I mentioned earlier, and probably a nice gift for my wife for her understanding of my cycling needs! (I love you Kat! You are the best!)

My six13 is almost fully built. It is the lightest bicycle that I have ever felt. On that point, I must say that it is pretty ridiculous considering the bike is one of the lightest manufactured, and I am by no means a featherlight rider. I intend to break it in softly (nothing too agressive) while I continue to lose weight. I hope to be under 200 before I really take the bike to task.

After a head-on collision with a car and the theft of my cyclocross bike involved in the accident, it is time to return to commuting. (I believe that the bike was cursed given its history. I can only hope the curse remains for whoever possesses the bike now.)

--By the way, bike thieves are one of the lowest forms of human life. For me cycling embodies the freedom, adventure, and imagination of childhood. Bike theft invades the innocence embodied in cycling.

That fatty is going to do what?!?

Some "scum of the earth" stole my cyclocross bike that I had pitured here in December. I have been considering a new cyclocross bike because they are the perfect commuting bike. I have my eye on a Cannondale Cyclocross Disc- a very sexy bicycle. Also, I have been slowly acquiring all of the bits and pieces for my new road frame. My grand cycling plan is this:

Cyclocross Bike - Year-round commuter, Touring
Old Road Bike - All conditions training, Centuries, Criterium Racing
New Road Bike - Good weather training, Centuries, time trials, All other racing (no crits)

Did you all catch that? I balloned up to 265+lbs over the winter and I am planning to race this year. I am down to 236lbs currently and the weight is still falling off nicely. My body fat percentage is dropping while my lean body mass is increasing.

I have joined a cycling group that I will begin riding with as the daylight increases and I have been contemplating joining xXx Racing.

I hope to enter a few races before my Mpls-Chicago trip. Following the trip I hope to enter many more.

Saddle Sores

This is an unpleasant topic, but one that cannot be ignored. I have been trying to fix these unpleasant buggers for about a week, as they result in an extraordinary amount of pain while cycling. The hard thing to do it to get rid of them while maintaining a workout schedule.
Keys to NOT getting saddle sores:
Wear clean cycling shorts (with flat seams) - If you are cycling often, try to get about 3 to 4 pairs of shorts
Alway shower after riding
Use a hard, smooth saddle (prevent unecessary friction)

More info here and here

I have recently acquired a new road frame that I will have the extreme pleasure of building up over the course of the next few chilly months. I AM SO EXCITED!!
This new bike is of some consolation to me because some scum of the earth stole the cyclocross bike that I had pictured here in December.

Continuing Weight Loss

In 1999, I lost 135lbs in 11 months by sticking to a workout routine that involved weight lifting and cardio. I have now re-established that type routine and the results are great. I am down over 20-lbs since my new fitness focus that began in mid-december.

I have found the following articles represented in my earlier weight-loss efforts (that is, before I lost 135lbs and before I began my current regimen) :

THE FAILURE CYCLE
Conventional diets don't work because they are fauldy in design. They are based on weight-loss instead of fat-loss. You restrict yourself to a very low calorie diet or liquid diet and think you are reaching your goal because you are losing weight. But, because the diet is not designed to lose fat, you are mainly losing muscle weight. Consequently, upon resuming normal eating habits, you gain the weight back. So, as the cycle goes you start the same method all over again-only to fail again. It's called yo-yo dieting.

BUILT-IN SURVIVAL
So why do we retain body-fat? The answer goes back thousands of years. Early man ate anything and everything he could. He instinctively did so because it might be weeks before he found another meal. To survive, his body stored as much fat as possible to be burned as fuel later. We have not evolved from this state. We still are efficient fat-storing machines.

The built-in survival mechanism is strong. You body continually makes instinctive adjustments to stay alive. Dieting is no exception. In your mind you know you are simply dieting - however, your body believes you are starving to death - and instinctively seeks high calorie food in order to store and hoard fat.

YOUR BODY'S DEFENSE MECHANISM AGAINST DIETING OR STARVATION
1)Dieter Lowers Caloric Intake
2)Bodyweight Falls
3)Body tries to regain original weight by becoming energy efficient and slowing metabolic process.
4)Body senses reduction in body and perceives diet as starvation
5)Sensing starvation from lowered caloric intake, body slows metabolic rate; hoards fat for survival, and learns to function on fewer calories
6)Body begins to look for alternative source of fuel for energy
7)Body adapts by burning muscle for fuel, which in turn lowers metabolic rate
8)Dieter becomes tired and lethargic. Craving sweets and fats, body tricks dieter into increasing caloric intake
9)Body has learned to function on reduced calories. Any increase in calories will be stored as fat. Dieter regains all lost weight - and more.

Home Exercise Routine

I met with Coach Cassandra again to develop an exercise routine that I can do at home. The nice thing about the exercises that she recommended is that they require a minimum of equipment. The equipment needed is as follows:

65cm resist-a-ball
4lb medicine ball
Dumbbells: 8lb, 15lb, 20lb, 30lb
14" high box

The exercises are as follows:
1:Planks- 30 seconds front, 20 seconds lateral (2 reps) - During the Front Plank exercise you hold your body flat in a push-up postion, except you are supporting yourself with your elbows. During the Lateral Plank, you support your body with the edge of your shoe and elbow. The opposite are rests on your hip.
2:Supermans (12 reps)- While lying on your stomach with arm raised above your head, raise opposite arm and leg and hold for 2-3 seconds. Focus lift on the lower back during the exercise and imagine you are trying to reach the walls with your outstretched are and leg.
3:Squats (12 reps)- Place feet shoulder width apart, sit back as if sitting in a chair. Extend arms in front for counter balance on way down, and bring arms to chest when standing upright. Hold the medicine ball to increase resistance.
4:Pushups (10-12 reps)- Keep hands 2-3 inches outside of chest. Modify by going to knees to complete the set.
5:Split Squats (10-12 reps)- Stand with feet shoulder width apart and separated so that when you drop for the squat, so that your knees do not bend to an angle less than 90 degrees.
6:Low Row (12 reps)- Use 20 or 30 lb dumbbell. Keep a wide foot stance with knees bent, bend and waist approximately 70 degrees, and place one arm on bench and keep your body weight over that arm. Keep shoulders parallel to the floor and lift weight vertically.
7:Step-ups (10 reps)- Start by standing on the box, drop on foot to the ground approximately 18" behind the box. Ensure that you land on the ball of your foot in a controlled motion, and don't allow your heel to touch the ground. Using the leg on the box, lift yourself so that both feet are on the box. Arms extend on descent and pull in on ascent. Finish tall on each rep.
8:Reverse flys (10 reps)- Stand in a split stance with a slight lean forward. Hold 8lb dumbbells in outstretched arms at shoulder height. Horizontally sweep dumbells from directly infront to the midline of your body (90 degree sweep with each arm)
9:Hamstrings (8-10 reps)- Place the resist-a-ball against the wall, and dig your heels into the ball. Keep a 90 degree bend in knees/hips. Roll hips up as high as possible by rolling hips up "one vertebre at a time".

These exercises seem to be mostly easy calisthenics, but my body is trashed after doing two circuits of this exercise schedule yesterday. These are basic "core muscle building" exercises, and I can't wait until my body feels warmed up after finishing this routine, versus feeling entirely exhausted.

Say What?!?

Typically when I think of King George, I think of King "Oil Slick" George and his administrations' ties to oil, where alternative energy is considered drilling in Alaska instead of the Middle East.

Don't get me wrong, I have posted in the past that readers research "Peak Oil", "Hubbert's Peak", "Ghawar is Dying" and such, suggesting that we need alternative energy. I do believe that the oil in ANWR is good for George's "Strategery" because we have mastered efficiencies with petroleum and our national defence depends on a domestic supply of oil. Consider that if we used ANWR oil to fuel Amercian's current driving habits, the ANWR reserves would be depleted in less than one-year.

I have written in the past regarding my "vision" of alternative energies, and the King is going to talk about how our national security depends on pursuing alternative fuels.

Today seems appropriate to revisit the "time will tell" post.

New tickers for consideration: STP, SPWR, ESLR, ENER, AND XSNX.OB (OH YEAH!!). I expect each of these to experience somewhat of a price correction tomorrow because the anticipation of KG's speach is built into the price. (Buy the rumor, sell the news.)

To restate from my previous post:

Being "green" should not have a tree-hugger connotation any longer. Being green is becoming the backbone of economic decisions that are driven by national security issues and the cost of carbon-based fuels.

Old Friends and New Motivation

I recently got in touch with a former co-worker of mine, Brent Winebarger. We worked together at Bennet's cycle in Saint Louis Park, Roseville, and Uptown in Minnesota. He was an awesome cycling partner and I have nothing but great memories of hanging out with him. He was also one of people that got me deep into cycling. We lost touch when he moved to Texas shorly after I completed my bike trip from Minneapolis to Florida in 1999. With a quick Google search, I came across his Cycling Profile. He is living the life that I am entireley envious of: surrounding by cyclists, and riding competitively.

I hope that soon I will back in shape where we can ride together the way we did in 1999, but for me that means taking it up a few notches to reach his current riding level.

The Ongoing Battle

When I first started my blog it was to track my weight loss. Through some misfiring and lack of commitment, I fell off the wagon so to speak. I have recently developed a simple and achievable routine that requires consistency and motivation. Previsouly, my workout routine included cycling to and from work. Although great exercise, I was unable (unwilling?) to continue through the holiday season and the winter.

My current workout routine is as follows:

Sunday: Weight Lifting (30 min) , Swimming (30 min) , Cycling Indoors (45 min)
Monday: Off - No Exercise
Tuesday: Spin Class (1 hour) , Cycling Indoors (45 min)
Wednesday: Weight Lifting (30 min) , Cycling Indoors (1.5 hrs) or (2-45 min sessions)
Thursday: Spin Class (1 hour) , Cycling Indoors (45 min)
Friday: Weight Lifting (30 min) , Cycling Indoors (1.5 hrs) or (2-45 min sessions)
Saturday: Spin Class (1 hour) , Cycling Indoors (45 min)

When the weather improves, I will be able to transition easily from indoor cycling to commuting while maintaining the remaining workout schedule. I have maintained the above schedule for about 6 weeks and it is becoming a habit.
One of the most valuable tools that I have been using is the FitDay website. It is crazy to see the amount of calories in food and their origin. The most remarkable food was pork ribs. Pork ribs have nearly equaly grams of fat and grams of protein. The other component is that Fat has 9 cal/gram and Protein has 4 cal/gram. This means for every 300 calories from ribs, more than 200 are from fat.

Being an informed eater really allows you to make more conscience choices in your diet.

Basal Metabolic Rate Test...

Okay, my meeting today with Cassandra was really informative. My Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR) test indicated that I will burn approximately 1480 calories/day to live. That is, the amount of caloires without standing up or moving around. Now, when I took nutrition class in college, we used the Harris Benedict equation to determine the RMR. That equation is based on empirical data and is presented as follows:
66.5 + 13.8*(Weight in kilograms) + 5*(height in cm) - 6.8*(age in years) = RMR
Entering my information yields the following:
66.5+13.8*113.4+5*182.9-6.8*27 = 2362 calories/day

That is a difference of 880 calories/day. The informative component of this is used while determining the energy deficit component of weight loss. A pound of fat (4 sticks of butter) has 3500 calories/pound. Given the above information, my weekly weight loss may be be slowed by almost pounds a week. (880*7)=6160 calories.

I had to log my eating habits for a week prior to our meeting (average calories/day was 1700). Based on this logshe told me to consume more calories per day using foods based on the calorie source inserted at parts of the day that correspond with my exercie.

She gave me the simple desciption of calorie function based of the foods source:
Carbohydrate = Fuel for your body
Protein = Repair mechanism for your body
Fat = Makes you feel full

Bike is fixed and ready to ride!

I had to have the fork on my bike replaced after my accident with a car. My favorite part of this whole experience was when the mechanic at the bike shop asked me "What on earth caused your fork to bend that way?".
Spin class has been awesome. I have been going three days a week and doing indoor cycling every evening and mornings with no spin class. I have started using the following website to track my weight loss and caloric intake:
www.fitday.com
This website is really easy to use, free, and fairly comprehensive in detail.

I am going to visit Coach Cassandra tomorrow (she is the instructor of my spin class) and have my Basal Metabolic Rate tested, and to consult about "total fitness" and other health nut stuff.

Full Contact Bike Riding

On my way to the gym this morning (6:15AM), a significantly challenged individual drove his car into me. I had a headlight and two taillights on my helmet. I was east bound and this westbound a**hole was taking a left turn and did not stop until his car was directly in front of me. Whammo!...Head-on collision. My bike suffered the worst of it. I skinned my knee, but I bent my fork.

I say this fellow was challenged because he was driving a circa 1980 minivan and he was taking a turn into the Currency Exchange. Three people (that look less capable than those shaking cups full of change at me on my way to work) stepped out of the car to see if I was okay. I do not know why people are so lazy and careless to conduct business at one of these establishments. Because my bike and I were not hurt too bad, I did not want to make this fellow's life any more miserable. The guy was at a Currency Exchange, obviously he doesn't have a bank account and he was probably uninsured. I only hope I don't come across an unknown injury.