To the aforementioned friends...

Picked up this little tip from the ninja. He's not advocating violence, he's just saying it works and he suggests I use it. That's right, sometime, and you won't know when, I'm coming after you ninja-style!

Oh, by ninja style, that means when I'm fast again I'm totally going to kick your butts! So, gauntlet thrown, gauntlet picked up, and now I'm about to bludgeon you all to death with the gauntlet.

Who needs friends...

When I have enemies like these?

Or, wait, I think it goes the other way.

Well, having browsed the blog-o-sphere for what had to be at minimum seven minutes this evening (yes, that's right an entire seven minutes) I confirmed what I figured all along. Many of my friends are evil people. Just take a look at what Seth had to say about our little journey on Saturday. Brian wasn't much better, he was after all an accomplice, but at least he was more muted (on his blog, but not in person) about how much he enjoyed my suffering.

Here's what I think about all of that:
It's funny because it's true.

In other news, and in case you missed it earlier. A super-duper awesome-tastic holiday is coming up in only two days! I know I'm a weight freak, but there is something about a day that is devoted solely to eating as much as you can without suffering from the adverse condition known as death that really speaks to me. Hey, everyone needs a skill. I'm just glad I finally found mine. Let's hope its not my only skill, otherwise I may need to find this store.
Everyone have a great holiday. Peace and / or out!

159.2

See! I told you so!

I just don't get to say that often enough for my liking. I'm sure many of you would disagree, but I didn't ask you.

Friggin' awesome dinner over at Dad's house tonight. Ms. Ann made a wonderful pasta dish, we had some "Award Winning Artisan" bread (at least that's what the packaging said), and a great Pinot.

Going back to the I told you so comment. I made the mistake of weighing myself at Dad's and I've gained 10.6 lbs in only two months. Again, time for me to start taking the training a little more seriously. I can't gain the 20 lbs again this year that I had to fight off the last two. This weekend was a good start, but I'll need a lot more internal motivation to make it through this week. It's going to be cold!

Acknowledge Me!

More riding today. I felt about plenty-six million times better today than I did yesterday. I made my way up to Boulder and met Dad, Jerome and Brian for a bit of fun on more hills. Demoralization was the name of the game as Brian and I started going at each other, again. I'm starting to see a pattern emerge here. If I didn't mind it so much I might try to go easy, but it helps keep me in shape and honest.

The only thing that really stuck with me from this ride, other than sore legs, was how friggin annoying some people are. If I take the time out of my hard training ride to raise my hand and waive, or give a super-big nod to a fellow cyclist, then respond in kind! There are not many things that chap my hide more than people watching me make these obvious gestures without so much as an attempt to return the graciousness. Don't stare me down! Some people can be so aggravating. Ok, I'm done with my little rant for now.

I hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend out there and are ready for the food-fest later this week that is Thanksgiving. I know I love it, and you should too!

Bleh

I felt like I was going to crack like an egg today. I went out with Kendall (more info and pics on his blog) and Seth for a day of fun and excitement up in the hills. Being someone who doesn't particularly enjoy hills aside from going down them, I knew that today was going to hurt, and I had only a bit of a warning as to just how bad this would be.

HOLY COW! This ride was way harder than I thought. Needless to say, the legs are a little toasty for right now. I tried the normal two at a time on the stairs to get home and I almost collapsed. Easy does it for the rest of the night. I'm sure there will be more fun and fancy-pants riding tomorrow. Stupid alpha-male syndrome.

What's the moral of today's story kids? Ride more! I'm starting to get out of shape. Just one month ago today would have been a fun, but kinda hard ride. I definitely would not feel this recked if I would ride more than just two or three times a week. Guess it's time to break out the trainer for the evening rides.

Mmm. I love Chocolate.

This may not be the most recent from Snow Patrol, but it's new to me. Kinda sums things up.



Now is the time.

Oh! The Pain!

Trying new things can always be an adventure, and yesterday was quite an adventure. My hat is off to all women who wax regularly. I went in and got my arms done while Seth was getting his legs and it was an experience to be certain. It wasn't so much the pain while it was happening. Now, don't get me wrong, it was painful while it was happening, but it's the lingering tenderness later that day and early the next that can get to you.

Note to self. Next time I plan this, do not go on a 5 hour ride out east with only two bottles. Dehydrated and low on calories makes for a painful session. Apparently, it is difficult to rip hair out when one is shivering in an 80 degree room. As the blog says, c'est la vie.

Oh, and I did ride this weekend. 5 tubes later the rides are done. It was a total flat-fest out there. I had 4 flats on Saturday while Dad and Jerome each were able to squeak buy with only one apiece. It got to the point where I had to buy a tube from some random guy on the Cherry Creek Path and Dad need to call Ms. Ann for a ride home. We vowed to not let that happen again.

Sunday we each came with two tubes, a patch kit and multiple CO2 cartridges. I only had one and dad managed only one on the ride, but as of last night another was going soft, so he may have lucked out.

Today is an off day. Hooray for Bank Holidays! Veteran's Day (observed) rocks.

Whereas my ego is inflated.

But thanks to my friends is quickly deflated.

This week, as the astute observer could have noticed there was a bit going on in my life. Any time I am awake at the un-godly hour of 6:00 in the AM there must be big things a-happening. As a congrats to me I decided to take off a half day yesterday. Just to ensure everything was good to go I went into the office of one of The Powers That Be and ask if there was anything else I could do to help her out. The only response I received was, "You could take the rest of the day off and enjoy yourself, you earned it this week."

Me so happy!

So with my freedom, what did I decide to do? I went to lookout and pretended to be a beautiful person for a photographer. What did I get out of this you ask? I got to look fast!Ego officially properly inflated. You make all feel free to bask in my glow. Adore me!

Of course I'm not so self centered that I refused to share this opportunity with anyone else. So you may now all adore Kendall.
To those of you with photo needs, go check out Fabio Cardoso. He did an awesome job with these, and they are just a couple quick and dirty shots he put together quickly tonight after the shoot. I can't wait to see the actual final product. Oh, and he does waaaaaay more than just cycling and / or general sport photos. Quite a nice portfolio if you ask me. Of course you didn't, but I don't so much care. Ha.

After my ego was fully inflated I made the HUGE mistake of meeting up with Teno, Cyn, and Bekah for a little Mario Kart and Burritos. Nothing like meeting with friends to bring a person back to reality. A few highlights of the night can be found on Teno's and Bekah's blogs. Oh well, at least we got Teno to do his impression of either (a) a gargoyle, or (b) a strange little garden gnome.
I'm sure today will present many, many other opportunities to re-inflate my ego so in the end, I come out ahead. Off I go to reconnoiter the dirt roads up by DIA. It's winter training time!

Good Morning Vietnam!

This morning I had to be up super-duper early for an important conference call with the Flatiron Bosses and the TD Banknorth Bosses (hereafter known as "The Powers That Be"). My hat is off to all of you who regularly get up at 5:30 in the AM. For a long time now I figured it wasn't for me. Today I found that out for certain. I even went to bed early, about 10:30 last night, and it still was difficult to wake up. Thanks go out to Bekah for the friendly reminder to wake up. It's nice to know someone in the big wide world is looking out for me.

All in all the meeting went well, we got what we were looking for so I guess you really can't ask for much more. Oh, and all of The Powers That Be are just ridiculously smart. If I end up half as intelligent as them I should do well in this life.

If one thing can be said for waking up at the butt crack of dawn, it is that the view is spectacular. The world waking up is a very beautiful thing.

Now off I go to work. Should be a busy, busy day getting out everything out to the world that was discussed at the meeting. I guess I prefer it that way. I always enjoy have something to do to make the day go by quickly. Let's hope it's not so quickly that I don't get to enjoy what should be another beautiful Colorado day to go with this beautiful start.

Peace!

Good night blog-o-sphere. It is officially closing time.

Quoi?

I didn't really know what to title today, but figured it needed something. So "What?" it is.

Anywho, on to today's post.

So the plans for Saturday night were to go to the Avs game, which I did. I knew going in that these seats were going to be pretty spankin' good, but I had not idea that this is what I would be seeing...

You see, Jerome C. invited Dad and I to join him and Scott S. at the game for a nice little night out. I have been to hockey and thought I had good seats. But sitting on the glass is an entirely different experience. It really makes you reconsider what you know to be fuh-nomenal. PHENOMENAL! If you anyone ever has the opportunity to give it a go, I recommend jumping at the chance.

And now, lot 665 ladies and gentlemen: a papier-mache musical box in the shape of a barrel-organ. Attached, the figure of a monkey in Persian robes, playing the cymbals. This item, found in the vaults of the theatre, still in working order. Showing here.

Extra credit points to anyone who can name from where that quote comes, but really, next we have a wonderful Colorado fall day.

I don't know what it was about this day, I think it might have been Wednesday of last week, but I decided to just sit outside for lunch, lay back next to a little grassy area and relax. I'm starting to think I need to do this more often. Sometimes we just need to stop and smell the roses. Or I guess I could consider the lilies, oh how they grow and grow. I should enjoy the beauty around me more often and I really need to remember that no matter what is going on, everything else keeps on keeping as well.