God be with you

Last nights race was fantastic.  All the favorites were there.  More spectators every week.  Special thanks to Sam , Candy and  Max for coming to cheer.  

I warmed up with early race.  I normally need to do that.  Most people need to get warmed up before going all out, I am the poster child for warming up.  I am useless without at least 30 minutes of decent effort before a race.  Last week I did the early race, yet it proved insufficient to get me though the later/faster race.  Last night I was luckier.  I brought the faster of my 2 racing bikes, the Guerciotti (pronounced Gore-cho-tee)  over the Prince.  I was feeling fine all night.  I sat in a lot for the first half and tried to just stay with my marked man.  By the halfway point I was usually in a better spot than he was.  I was even able to take part in 2 attacks, and chase down some of Sound Solutions breakaways.  One time Andy was chasing down an attack and I got on his wheel.  It's true what they say ........when Andy is in the drops and pushing it , its tough to stay on his wheel as not only is he flying but he offers no respite from the wind.

Anyways, I was able to stay near the front and and hang in there, where I couldn't last week.  So I felt good about that.     Can't wait till the Mid Week 99 lap race.  

Tonight I grabbed a bottle I have been saving for a few hours.  I found it in the LCBO in the import section, although its Canadian, which seemed kind of weird.  It has a pretty cool name.  Dominus Vobiscum.  I looked it up, it's latin for God be with you.  That's fine.  At a glance the label looks like a Death Metal album cover, but upon closer inspection it's just a cool font and a nice picture of a weird sunset.  Its apparently brewed in Quebec. I have never been a good reviewer or critiquer other than to say something is shitty or something is awesome.  I have to say this bier is the latter.  If you enjoy Hoegarden ,  for sure you'll like this.  

When  I cracked open the pretty cool looking bottle, which looks like a tall stubby.  It's aroma reminded me instantly of the smell of the Brick Brewery in KitchenerWaterloo.  They used to be the only place to buy beer on holiday weekends, when the liquor and beer stores were closed the mighty Brick brewery was open.

Dominus whatever-its-called  has a slight fruity taste and had slight citrus after taste that left me feeling somewhat like I had just drank a juice.  Its very carbonated, but doesn't have too lively a head.  The opposite of my favorite beer Duvel.    Anyways, the shit tastes good.  

God speed little doodle!

Enemies fill up the pages, are they me?

It's the last day of March, and damn this cold weather.  Where is this damn global warming when you need it?
Due to work and family obligations I wasn't able to ride today as I had hoped.  It was pretty warm and would have been a great day to go out to  Milton and ride up and down the escarpment.

Anyways, I had a fantastic dinner.  Great fuel for a hard push around the Mid Week Crit Course.  I ride there a lot in the summer if I can't get out enough during the day.  Although the scenery doesn't change much I can't say I don't enjoy some of the benefits to riding loops in a quazi-industrial park alone at night.  There is no traffic to speak of.  The loop is fairly well lit.  When it's hot and the night time sprinklers come on to water the grass a nice cool mist fills the air around the wide bend before the slight uphill grade.  The other nice thing is that I can practice taking the one fast corner from different lines without anyone in front of or behind me.  I can even scream "whoooooooooooooh!!!!!" like Ed Veal does when I cross the line alone.

Tonight was no different. Only much colder.  It seems the city has swept the roads so my fears of pitching it around the corners were alleviated, and still no cars.  No other riders.....but still nary a car to be seen.

I have a similar day planned for tomorrow.  Work, daycare pick-up, dinner, playtime, bathtime, bedtime.  Then back to the crit course.  Taking the Guerciotti tomorrow.

                                                              Boo-to-the-yaaaa!!!!!!!!!!

March of the Crabs

First day of March.  Nice weather too.  I should be doing the Donut Ride on Sunday but I will be working at the bike show.   Goddamn I can't wait for this season to start.  I have so many new friends to ride with, drink beer with, hang out with.  It's cool how easily you can make friends with other racers.   Unlike some of other friends , the ones you share such a common passion with can be your closest pals.  If I can get a little cheesy and put forth a slice of personal philosophy I think that life is about 2 main things.  Relationships and experiences.  Relationships are kind of like the glue that binds all the experiences together.  Without the relationships you can't fully enjoy,  learn from, or in some way benefit from the experiences.  Relationships can be good or bad.  The bad ones make you realize how good the good ones are,  and just  like good experiences you can never have too many good relationships.  Maybe it's the first friend you made in high school, or a teacher that took extra time with you, maybe it's some stranger who commented on your bike and asked you to ride with him,  maybe it's a pet that sometimes went hungry with you, but never held it against you.   One you'll always love and remember.  Good relationships are sometimes hard to build.  But are almost always worth their weight in gold pressed latinum.

2011

 Experiences. You need to experience things in countless ways.  Experience the thrill of dog sledding, or the pain of a massive injury.  The betrayal by loved one,  or simply putting yourself in another persons shoes.  Experience failure, or success.  Love or hate. Highs and lows.  These are all things that, when added up will be the pages of your life's photo album.   I recommend experiencing a cold tulip glass  of Duvel as often as possible.

 Currently, on the month of my 40th birthday I am still amassing both great experiences and even better relationships.  I am pretty confidant that the next 40 will be even more noteworthy.  (end of cheese)

 Tonight, I threw my training book aside (Aside you stupid book! I cried!) and just rode hard.  Not longer than an hour but probably still at around 165 bpm for most of the duration.   I am still loving my training bike, the chamois cream I use, I also am getting hooked on this FRS Healthy Energy juice.

                                                                               1996

O'Doyle rules