intervals

Ivar's been working on some new power analysis tools. It's cool. Check it out at:

http://ivong.wordpress.com/


In other news, it's official, I will be slow next year. By that I mean that I'm riding for the U of O ... uh, I mean, going to school. Business school, here I come. How much time does a full time MBA student have to ride? We will find out. Kenji might bust me down to the 4's by the time this is over.

odd

Something strange has happened to me recently. I've been bringing a handful of soyjoys to work for lunch, because they are easy, plentiful around the house (leftover from 'cross race sponsorship), and only recently expired. Soyjoy has been a bit of a joke around the races down here, being all dry and weird tasting, so much so that the running joke is that the tuesday crit primes should be a box of soyjoy for the last person across the line. But since I've been muching on them in the afternoons, at the rate 3-4 a day, I've realized that they're not too bad with a small cup of strong coffee. In fact, I kind of like them. Not alone, of course, but with a hot beverage or other sidekick. It's kind of like biscotti, only softer, and in a little package. I could picture two soyjoy on a plate with an espresso, out at a little sidewalk cafe somewhere sunny. Odd.

Who woulda thought.

seriously... stop with the spinal tap.

For the good full size shots, cruise to rouesartisanales. Every other part of the gruppo looks cool. The demented deformed forehead look of the brifters doesn't get any better in the up close shots. I used to have a love-empty wallet relationship with Campy, now it's a love-barf kind of deal. I want to love it, but I kind of have to kill the gag reflex first.

And if I hear or read one more person say "but ours goes up to eleven!", I'm going to snap. Other phrases that are henceforth banned:

"the cogs all go up to eleven, right across the board"
"well eleven is one faster, innit?"
"why don't you just make 10 bigger?"
"these go to eleven"

so just stop.

AMC

My teammate Big Dave has a semi-tradition that he calls the FMC - Friday Morning Coffe ride. This has turned into the AMC - any morning coffee ride, for me. Any loop in the morning sun with a pack full of work clothes and lunch, ending at the hideaway bakery for a 12oz americano with cream, and a bun. What a way to start a day. The lady and I kicked back this AM and got the buzz on while I put down a pastry, but I'm calling it ride food because I was still in my chamois, which means that the calories don't count. Mmmm.

She did the full Tabor race yesterday and had a good ride, while I did the 4 lap fixed gear race then declined to join the 1/2's, instead we got back to Eugene by 230 and had time to lay out in the hammock after lunch and pick broccoli for dinner. The legs were a little tired from the state race and Tabor was probably not going to be seeing any Midtown repeated (and brief) attempts at solo breakaways, unless you consider yo-yoing on and off the back a break.

The state race was interesting. From looking at the profile I thought we were in for a long uphill slog every lap, but instead it was a series of false flats and short kickers that suited me a lot better. Unfortunately, I failed to recognize the correct breakaway opportunities, and lots of riders kept slipping off the front in small groups. I think it ended up with Trebon solo, and two chase groups, then the remainder of the pack. On lap 4 I went ape for a while on the hill trying repeatedly to get off in my own chase group, but failed. Maybe I'm not subtle enough about my intentions. Hibbard and Bourcier always seem to roll away casually and end up way up the road before people think they're serious about it. I think I'm going to try more of the 'accidental' breakaway moves from now on. It's probably less tiring on the legs, too.

i died a little this morning...

ugly , hideous, might as well be Shimano? What's the point of going Campagnolo if you don't drool a little every time you see your bike leaning in it's corner before a ride, like a seductive Italian podium girl? I've had Campy on one of my bikes for a year and a half now and every time I ride it I take my gloves off so I can fondle the sleek carbon levers. My Dura-Ace race bike is pure mechanical speed, but my Record bike is cycling satisfaction. I had even begun to consider upgrading the race bike to Campy too, and had already decided that my next ride would be all Italian componentry. Until this morning, that is. Now I will be on the lookout for close-out pricing on the 'old' stuff - the levers that actually make your bike look good. Shimano levers look like unattractive but perfectly functional precision machinery, and Campagnolo has always looked like Sofia Lauren was reincarnated into carbon bike parts. This new lever looks like two inbred retards mated in the Carolina woods and their baby was all forehead and no chin. I can see the sex happening, but where's the love?

This is like seeing the Giro girls go from this
to this


all just to attract a little more attention. Give me the first one, please.

Tuillo is rolling over in his grave right now.