Flash: Cyclists Too "Busy" to Continue Blogging!

Apparently, as Turbo put it, "Blogging is so 2006!" We all know that a certain "tall" guy, a local pro and a salsa-making freak have all recently quit blogging. I am sure that more will follow suit.

It seems that in our house the less actually important stuff you have to do the "busier" you are. I swear I wrote about this a while ago, but I sure as $h!t can't find it. So for example, one is "busy" because they have to get up, run some errands, do some homework, write a paper, check the mail, email banter with the team, ride for umpteen hours, empty the dishwasher, make dog food, etc., etc. How is one suppose to get all this done in a day and update their blog?!?!?

the nugget we've been waiting for...

Finally, some snow! We are getting hit with a nice little intense storm that should drop upwards of 2 ft of the greatest snow on earth at nearby resorts. Can I get an amen?!?

Anna and I have been talking all week about getting up to get some turns this weekend--I am sure it will be packed. I think that my long lost ski buddy might come out, but I am not expecting it at this point. It would be great to see him even though the trip to GMD will not be the same. Life would get boring if it were the same thing all the time.

Anyway, I ended up having some bad luck in the first lap of the VOS crit. Luckily, I had already decided to hammer home that night to avoid driving in snow on Monday and I was tired of three-wheeling it. Further luck gave me a powder day at Alta on Monday. Not good recovery from a bike race, and I have been paying the price all week. Good too because it has made me focus on studies a bit.

In other new, I was offered an assistantship at MSU for next year. I am excited about that option, though I worry about funding for the future years. A PhD would be very cool, especially in studying the solid mechanics of snow. I have wanted to establish links to conventional engineering practices and this is my ticket to do so. Still a few "ifs" though plus I really want to see what the job market brings to me over the coming months. I feel that I cannot lose with either option at this point.

Got to run and get my things together to go enjoy some of this fresh powder snow! Until next time:

j-to-the-c

I got it one piece at a time
And it didn't cost me a dime
You'll know it's me when I come through your town
I'm gonna ride around in style
I'm gonna drive everybody wild
'Cause I'll have the only one there is around.

Update from the road

The sale of THE MOP's jersey seems to be a success. Thanks to mikebooth22, i-am-not-eddy-merckx, marinmatch, twinpiper and all others for playing along! Looks like marks on the UCA forums is looking to continue the game a bit more. I will add the monies from the original auction to any contributions made in his venture. It is interesting that I know who twinpiper is, but not THE MOP. While THE MOP has not yet figured out who twinpiper is.

In other new, my buddy TC came to UT for some skiing last weekend. We had a good time and got some snow to boot. Tom is next to me in the middle. On the right is Colby and left is Bacon.


Here are some of the best turns had yet this year. Plus bluebird skies--tough to beat Utah when it is like this!



I am now in Arizona for the first bicycle race of the year. It seems super early to be racing and I am looking at this only to gauge my fitness. The TT is this afternoon. Yikes!!

PS Enjoy the update Kari--more on your other questions later when I know more!

The MOP jersey is FOR SALE

Please visit this link!

You heard it here first!

The official "The Mop" jersey worn by some lame cross racer this fall will go on sale Thursday morning. All proceeds will go to The Human Fund's Save The Mops campaign. Please go take a few minutes to liberate some funds from your wife, piggy bank, spare change from the sofa or take up a collection so that this piece of history can be yours!

Link to follow as soon as the auction opens.

Head rush = Clench !!!!

I went for my follow-up appt this AM after my tilt table test a few weeks ago. Since then the light-headedness has been manageable. Next time you get a head-rush, clench your butt cheeks together for all you are worth and it will be gone like magic. Seriously.



When I got there I picked up the latest New Yorker and was enjoying a story about how doctors think and the thought processes that can lead to misdiagnoses. Interesting; perhaps they should learn to think like engineers? Regardless, I get called and the nurse takes me to the BP station where I register a wopping 106/58! Then she tried to find my pulse and after a couple of attempts, she determined it to be about 54. She seemed to wonder how I was alive with such low vitals. Then she left me to some more reading and Dr. Fowles came in--he is the man by the way. We chatted a bit and he took my BP sitting and standing--112/60 and 102/52. He told me to let him know how things go when I start racing again this summer, but I am hopeful that extremely high sodium diet will help. I have never eaten so much jerky in my life! I have also been tempted to try putting salt in my coffee and oatmeal.

In other news, I finally finished my PhD application with MSU. I should hear early next month, but the real issue is going to be funding. More on that later.

Off to get a ride in the current--and temporary--warm temps!