Thank you

I saw a bumper sticker that read "If you can read this, Thank a Teacher.  If it is in English, Thank a Veteran."

I am by nature a lover not a fighter, and I am not a warmonger by any means, but I do believe in having a military.  I have no problem paying taxes so that we can support the men and women who serve our country.  I don't know the politics behind our conflicts, and I don't need to know as long as they are to protect this country.  I want to feel safe at night, and really do not have to know who or what is keeping me safe.  If you disagree with this, thank a veteran for the freedom to disagree.

The men and women who make the choice to serve our country are Heroes in my book.  I made the choice not to serve, and I am thankful for those who have taken up my slack and have served, and are serving on my behalf.  To those who have family members in the military and sacrifice their time for our country I say "Thank you".  This is an often overlooked area of the military...the military wives and families, their sacrifice is immeasurable.  And, they do it every day.

We should feel fortunate everyday that we wake up and are able to experience the Freedoms that we are used to.  We take it for granted that people have paid the ultimate sacrifice throughout the history of this country.  So, take the time today and Thank a Veteran,  know why you are thanking them... Your Freedom, not just freedom...but Freedoms.    The next time you see someone in uniform let them know that you are proud of them and thank them for their service.

If you are reading this and you are serving, or have served in the military... Thank You. 

Day One

Today is the first day of the rest of my life.  If everything goes as planned I will, in 28 days, drink my first beer created by me.  That is a long time to wait in this instant gratification world that we live in.  Drive-thru this, instant that, zap it, micro-wave it, give it to me yesterday.  I can't stand to wait, I have to have it now.

It's killing me that water takes so long to boil.  Do you know how long it takes to boil 4 gallons of water?  I don't, but I am starting to understand.  Yes, that is just the initial boil to get the water boiling, then it takes a full hour to boil the "wort" or un-fermented beer.  I have some time to kill.  Time to check the pot again.

The malt pouch and the first of the hops have been added.  Now just more time, more waiting, all the while thinking that I might screw something up and destroy all of this time that I am putting into this little bottled bundle of joy.  Just checked and I am half-way through my boil.

Fast forward a little and I have chilled the wort and I transferred it into the fermentation tank.  Now the real waiting comes.  In two weeks I will check the specific gravity of my beer to see if fermentation is done.  If it is, then I will get to transfer it to the priming tank and we will go for bottle.

I was a little worried about the mess of brewing, but the smell was more of a concern.  Thought the wife would freak out and kick me to the curb.  The hops smell great and the house smells better than cooking bacon, I know I love bacon to.  Man do those hops smell good.  Hey, this aint Bud Light.  This process did take a little longer than I expected, but now I know what I am in for the next brew cycle.

Beer of Failure

Alright,  here is the deal.  I decided to do something that I have wanted to do for about 13years, but just have not been able to pull the trigger.  I'm not getting any younger, and that whole thing about getting wiser -that's a myth, and I decided that this is as good a time as any.  I purchased a home brew kit.

I love a good beer.  I like to cook and I can follow a recipe, that has to be a no-brainer.  Right?  Just boil some water, throw in some grains, a little yeast, some sugar, voila... you've got beer.  How cool will it be to drink beer that you made with your own hands?  I mean we are not talking scratch here, but pretty darn close.  My only fear, and I do emphasise FEAR, is that I go through the process and wait the time and pop open a wonderful hand crafted 22oz of joy and it is total crap.  Talk about a complete nightmare... "so there I am getting it on with this perfect female body and... but with the head of Abraham Lincoln. With the hat and the beard, everything."  -Tony from  Dazed and Confused  Yeah, kinda like that.

The fear of failure has kept me from attaining a dream of mine for 13 years, and now when the kit arrives I will have about 4-5weeks of nervous anticipation, anticipation of the probability of failure.  Oh the horror, to put in that kind of time and energy only to have something just turn into undrinkable swill.  I don't know if I can stand it.  Well, on the bright side of life, if the stars align and everything just happens to go "right", I will have beer.  My beer.  Beer created by my ability to follow directions and boil water.  Well at least this process will give me something else to post about.  Besides, you cannot fail unless you try.

On the day of my birth

Opening Shot: 

Me standing on a stage akin to an awards ceremony behind a podium holding a shinny platinum colored numeral 1.

"I'd like to thank my parents, for making this all possible."

The crowd chuckles but does not erupt in laughter

"My Mom, for having me, Dad for trying to show me what it means to be a man."  "My sister for allowing me to live, and giving me the true definition of cool."  "We, as a family put the Fun in dysfunctional."

The crowd erupts in laughter

"Thanks to everyone in my life that has been there for me this last year."  "Here is to another trip around the sun."

The lights go down

A birthday should be a celebration of the past year that you just completed, and a toast to the future year that you have to look forward.  My parents and my sister were responsible for making me who I am today, good or evil.  Yes, I have been able to make my own choices, but my family made an impression on me in my formable years.  I swore that I would never be like my parents, now that I know better I want to be my parents.  Sure, they have their faults...who doesn't?  I've got some water for you to walk on. 

Life is crazy how it sneaks up on you and turns you into a card carrying adult.  It's a hit and run and your are left wondering how you got so old, and those darn kids and their loud music.  I think it is just a number, it's not that I feel older, I just have more memories.  Remember when I couldn't 'member?

So one more year piled on the heap, and a clean slate for a new chapter in this grand saga we call life, or whatever.

Off

Why is it so hard to take a day off?  I always end up having to take a day when the weather is perfect.  Call it my impeccable timing.  I was off the bike for nine days when I went to ATL for work, and when I got home all I have wanted to do is ride my bike.  I mean, there is nothing wrong with that, now is there?  Well, except for the small fact that, that is the only thing I want to do.  One might say that I have a problem, I don't go to "meetings" so therefore I do not have a problem.  Right?

Back to taking time off the bike...I rode myself silly this last week, Sunday to Sunday everyday, and even two days on the mountain bike.  Right around 18hrs in eight days.  That might qualify as a habit, but I call it a hobby.  So here I sit writing about not riding; because I wanted to go ride the mountain bike today, but the body said that I should probably do something a little less active.  TV it is, thank you Netflix.  I put some new bartape on the Ridley, changed out my 12-25 to an 11-23 on the powertap.  The Giant got a good cleaning and some new Candys.  The rain bike got some love and I have it in the bull pen for the next ride.

It is difficult to stop, to say to yourself that a day off is the right thing to do.  It is like trying to ride slow when the legs are feeling good.  Most of the time when the legs are screaming, it is to stop, but every now and then they are screaming to go...go...go.  Discipline is no fun, and telling yourself to go slow can be harder than pushing an insane amount of watts with the HR in the red and the legs are cursing.  Don't you love it when you are on a recovery day and you are chill on your local bike path and you get buzzed.  Buzzed by the Pathelete, you know that guy, the one who drills the bike path like it is a Worlds TT, or the bell lap on the Champs.  It takes every fiber to control your "chase instinct" and not bury said Pathelete. 

I'm trying, I'm trying to enjoy my time off the bike.  I did get to watch a movie today, got some much needed bike maintenance done, did a little post on the blog, and still feel like I missed out on something.  Now that sounds like a problem.  Until I find a "meeting" for my problem I guess I will just have to go the local Wednesday Night Ride, Tuesday Night Crit, and weekend team rides. 

Call it what it is

Transitions

It is that time of year when the race season is over, unless you are running through sand and jumping over barriers, and it is time to start thinking about transition. Riding should just be for fun, not that it is ever for anything else (intervals). Wattage and Heart rate mean nothing. Time spent on the bike is only time spent on a bike, hopefully it is with friends.  It is all about the ride and enjoying being outdoors while the weather is still warm.

This is one of the reasons that I love to mountain bike so much, because it affords me the ability to just go out and enjoy biking and there is no agenda involved. Unless, the agenda is to have a good time and rail some wicked fast berms. The mtb is pure to me, because I do not race it, therefore I do not train on it, which in turn means that time spent in the saddle is pure. Pure fun. The mtb is a perfect tool for transition, I'm not looking at HR, I don't care about time (except when I want more), and wattage on a mtb is a little overboard -even for me.

Transition is a good time of year to slow down and enjoy life on two wheels, or enjoy another activity that gets pushed by the wayside because of your racing and training habit. You might even get to spend some quality time with a significant other, catch up on some projects, or just ride even more now that time and distance are irrelevant. Whatever you do with this space on the calendar, use it for good not evil. Unwind, decompress, heal, chill, or whatever the kids are calling it these days.

Don't hate Embrocate

One thing that is OK to hate is cold weather.  I love the cool fall and spring riding, to start out a ride with arm warmers and a vest.  I've said it before and I will continue to say it, this has to be the best time of year to ride.  That being said, it can also be the most clothing confusing time of the year.  Too much  and you are uncomfortable, too little and you are done.  Just remember that you can always take it off, but if you don't have it, you can't put it on.  You hear it everywhere...layer, layer, layer.  I did a post on base layers a few days ago, check it out.

Arm warmers have to be one of the best cool/cold weather pieces of clothing that you can own.  It is a must have.  Arm warmers are the most versatile element of a kit.  They are easy to take off while riding and stuff neatly into a rear pocket or in a bib strap at the waistline.  Not all arm warmers are lined, so make sure when you are buying a pair that you know what you are getting, also check to see what type of materials they are made of.  Cotton is a "NO, NO".  Fit is a big issue with arm warmers, well it is for me due to the fact that I am bicep-challenged.  12 oz curls just don't get the job done in this area.  I guess you could have the opposite problem if you are all Hans and Fransed out -most cycling specific kit is tailored to the lithe frame.

To cover or not to cover?   That is the question.  I'm talking about knees.  What do you do with your knees, is a great question?  They are horribly constructed for warmth, especially if you are bony, it's like the blood just passes through the joint on its way somewhere else.  No stopping no standing around, no protection from the elements.  So what to do?  Knee warmers, tights?  Yes and yes depending on the temperature and how well you handle being cold.  I use embrocation on the cool to cold days.  "What you talkin' 'bout, Willis?"  Embrocation is a liniment that you massage onto your legs to anger them into feeling warm.  It will have some kind of essential oil in it that will heat up the skin and make your legs feel warm.  It will also have a wax for wind and water protection.  I'm a huge fan of Mad Alchemy. (shamless plug)

Knickers are also awesome for the cold weather, and tights are great for when it is freezing out there.  Of course, this is all depending on how well your body handles the cold weather.  Wind stopping fabric is always great for cutting the cold out, check to see if your tights or knickers have it built in for that extra layer of protection and warmth.  Hope this keeps you warm and doesn't get you all hot and bothered.