my day

eugene celebration, stage 1:

Duration: 3:14:20
Work: 2781 kJ
TSS: 230.9 (intensity factor 0.844)
Norm Power: 295W
VI: 1.24
Distance: 129.304 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1138 239 watts
Heart rate: 103 191 165 bpm
Cadence: 29 203 88 rpm
Speed: 4 74.3 39.9 kph


Entire workout (213 watts):
Duration: 4:07:28
Work: 3161 kJ
TSS: 266.1 (intensity factor 0.803)
Norm Power: 281W
VI: 1.32
Distance: 147.794 km
Min Max Avg
Power: 0 1138 213 watts
Heart rate: 0 191 157 bpm
Cadence: 29 203 84 rpm
Speed: 3.7 74.3 35.8 kph


Since 1kCal = 4.18kJ and the human body is usually <25% efficent, thats about 3100kCal (aka Calories). Here's a menu of 3100kCal.

McDonald's website lists a 1/4lber w/ cheese at 510 cal. So here's my fuel for the ride:


And here's my fuel for the day:


Count 'em up - a dozen quarter pounders with cheese.

Yuck.

Gearing Up

School is right around the corner and I am nowhere near ready. Holy crap, it's coming up fast. Orientation starts on the 15th, 2 weeks before classes, which sounds benign enough, except that there's a case competition during orientation which select the team to represent the U of O at the PAC 10 business plan competition or some such. Damn! These guys don't waste their time. So from the gun, before classes, it's on. Big time. I'm just figuring out when I'll be squeezing in my bike rides.

One good thing about the new school year is that I can justify some new toys. The lady hooked me up with a sweet new bag (Ortlieb waterproof), crayons, glue sticks, and the other essentials. I got a new netbook for taking notes - Linux rules (after a little hacking). Microsoft will be history as a dominant OS in 10-12 years, mark my words. I even scored one of the last two remaining open bike lockers on campus - so I can ride a reasonable training bike and not dash outside between classes to nervously check on it. My master school-bike-riding plan includes keeping a folding stool and a spare pair of shoes in the locker so I can switch the essentials right on the spot, then cruise on down to class in the AM.

The only hole in the entire scheme is the coffee situation. Now, at work, we currently have a supply of free coffee, albeit it swill. It might be Folgers, it might be some generic blend, but it's crap. Mostly this is because of the flat bottom filters and shitty drip machines - but that's for another discussion. So, down by my office, I have a nice grinder (gotta remember to take that one home) and an espresso machine. One of my co-workers also recently brought in a french press. So we are pretty much set. When in desperate need, I can also cruise over to the closest coffee joint and score a hit. However, I have no recourse for the poor-student-no-espresso-machine situation that I am about to enter. 3 bucks for a cup of joe at the bean joints is out of the question. In all likelyhood, so is plugging the espresso maker into the wall in the back of the Lillis Hall classrooms. So I am going to be dusting off the thermoses (is the plural thermii?) and for the time being I will have to settle for adding a couple of pounds of liquid to the contents of my messenger bag on my commute. Not such a big deal, I guess, but how am I going to carry the cream?

the post-consumer consumer

60% recycled sleeve (just barely over half to make it more good than bad, right?) - yet they distribute one automatically with every cup (10% recycled), and how many recycling bins have you seen at Starbucks? Zero.

So.. recycle it once, then throw it away the second time 'round.

Corporate America, where seeming green is more important than being green (hence the 'natural' brown color on the disposable sleeve).

I should just stop reading things.

Spokane

Spokane, Washington. Don't go there.

The lady and I flew up for her college roommate's wedding over the weekend. The bride's side of the aisle was OK (they're from Bend), but on the groom's side there were a disturbing number of tattoos, chains, nascar hats, mullets, and cigarettes. The post-wedding toast used Cooks'. That's a harsh buzz.

We hit the Spokane (International) Airport early in the morning, mostly because the inside of the airport appeared to be no less interesting than the rest of Spokane, and at least we knew there was coffee and newspapers to be had. A friend we were travelling with was right behind me in line for security, and he got stopped by the Fuzz as they scanned his bag.

"Sir, is this your bag?"
"Yes, it is."
"Do you have shaving cream in here?"
"Why yes, I do"
"OK well next time, you're going to want to take that out"

And away we went. Never looked, never opened the bag. Just like that. You know, that made me feel really happy that they X-rayed my shoes. I mean, the only reason I even checked my bag was so that I could bring my own toothpaste! So much for high security. Apparently the Terrorists don't fly out of Spokane. Not that the rules make much sense anyways. But let's imagine, for a moment, some other quality conversations that could have occured:

"Sir, is this your bag?"
"Yes, it is."
"Do you have any modeling clay in here?"
"Uh, yeah, sure, that sounds good"
"OK well next time, you're going to want to take that out"


"Sir, is this your bag?"
"Yes, it is."
"Do you have any firearms here?"
"Just a couple"
"OK well next time, you're going to want to take those out"


"Sir, you appear to be shaking and sweating profusely"
"Am I?"
"Yes sir, you might not want to act so nervous or next time we might have to seach you"
"OK, thanks."


Homeland security, brought to you by the TSA, your tax dollars at work.

TSA - Thousands, Standing Around.