four wheel frusteration

k, so, i usually dont get pissed and rant on here about people of the motorcar persuation, but today i reached an epiphany.  The epiphany is this:  The worst part about my commute to riverside cyclery, is the asshats that drive next to me.

i say next to me, but sometimes i think the goal is to go over me.  Freaking people.  Today i was nigh more than a mile from my house, and i STOPPED (as in came to a full stop) at a stop sign.  Now to my right, there was a large van, so i can understand that the woman in the red car i am going to speak of didnt see me.  After the large van cleared the intersection, i began my forward progress, i think the woman in the red car was just completing her stop.  She was turning right from the same lane as the big van.  So, i, not going at a blazing speed, was taking advantage of my right of way, until the woman, not looking at me, pulled out in front of me, and i steered quickly behind her.  At this point in the story, im still not mad.  Then when i sit in behind her so she could maybe recognize that she nearly killed me, she does the old "crazy ivan" and slams her breaks.  It was at this point, while i was stearing around her i saw this sticker.

It was at this point, i felt i had to point out the hypocrisy of a christianity sticker on  a car who was driven by a woman who just TRIED TO COMMIT MURDER.  Because she had to stop to let her CHILD out at the ELEMETARY school (great values being passed down here in case you aren't noting the sarcasm) i was able to catch up to her and shout thru her window "I like your christian sticker..... its really COOOOL!!!!"  She honked and got madder.  WWJD?  Clearly not what master J would have done.  

Then on the way home, on a section where the bike path is totally effed, i was taking up MAYBE half a foot of the regular traffic lane.  MAYBE.  A couple of total elephants in their beat up chrysler honked and flipped me off, even though i did NOT impede their trip, and they did not slow down  a single MPH from the flow of traffic. I guess they were pissed that i have such sweet legs.  

the road from riverside to redlands is wrought with chotches.

base mileage

normally, its pretty boring.  no plan.  no pace.  no fun.

not yesterday.  Me and a big posse from the iefixed.net board, rolled down to tom'f farm like gangbusters.  Josh did some sprints.  Pretty sure i could have won, but:

a) it would have been like beating up a blind kid

b) all my track setups have tubulars, which would be a total bummer to lug out there and

c)Im not racing.  When i race its against other people who race not a bunch of urban cowboys in rolled up jeans.

high point of the day was josh missing first place by about 3cm.  Low point of the day was ralphIE and aaron going down on the train tracks in corona.  I wish none of it had happened.  However, it is hard to feel too sorry forsomebody who runs no breaks, and no helmets.  Kinda know what you signed up for.  Anyways, it looks like everybody is a tad banged up, but otherwise, OK.

lots of fun, cant wait to do it again.

back to carbon, and training with power

After puting it off for  month or so, i have finally made a decision on the 2009 steve-bike.

Specialized roubaix pro,

full campy record 11,

S0metimes handbuilt wheels with record hub front, powertap rear, open pr0 rims

sometimes mavic kryrum elites

sometimes flashpoints

also, im waiting on the carbon speed-limit brakes, by bontrager.  Light and sweet, and i like Greg Johnson too much to not suppory his trek peddaling endeavors.

as per the above reference, i have gone back to training with power with a powertap that, along with my rollers, is on its way from minnesota.  It's actually been long enough that i dont think i will be dreading it.  Plus its a wireless setup on other-than a chicago metro phonebook weight wheel setup.  

that been said.  Tired of japan's answer to hiroshima?  Ready to ride quality italian components?  Buy my old record 10-speed stuff.

creeping up on a month...

...since my last post.  Riding a lot.  Going pretty well, but, obviously, i need to ride more.  Will be a lot easier when i get my rollers in.  Matt Freeman was voted off the island a few weeks back.  Good riddance says I.  Who the hell does he think he is?  Shows up.  Organizes a ride.  Gets cold.  He leaves.  Pretty sure that as they say is that for tuesday nights.  The nerve of some people.  

On a serious note, my hair is getting A: long and B: sweet.  As usual i am sticking to a strict diet of metal and hard rock from the 70's and 80's.  So i am currently trying to make the transition to clean-cut, respectable athlete, to long haired, hessian....athlete.  In related news, i think i might also grow a lemmy mustache.