I Get It

I want a shirt with this printed on it.  Truly smart people who haven't seen it before (and have a sense of humor) couldn't help but chuckle.   If you like smart girls this would a good way to weed out the airheads.

Winter Wonderland

WAC Champs!

It's official Hawaii has clinched at least a tie for the WAC football championship this year by demolishing New Mexico State 59-24.   Fourth time ever (1992,1999, 2007-outright champ, now 2010)

One thing of note Alex Green ran (yes Hawaii does run the ball sometimes) for a school record (the old record was set 60 years ago) 327 yards on 19 carries.  He now has 1032 yards rushing for the season, the last 1K rusher for Hawaii was in 1992 when Travis Sims did it.  Just beastly today.

Greg Salas became the all time receiving yards leader in Hawaii history, first to surpass 4000 career yards.  With another beastly effort of 10 receptions for 190 yards.

Hawaii just keeps putting up video game numbers, gotta love college football.

Oh and I didn't even mention the insanity of last nights Nevada Boise State game.  I'm still dumbfounded, but not as much as this guy.

God Of War 3

Just picked it up online for $34.99, check that off the list.

Going outside for a ride today in a few hours, we'll see how that goes.

Thomas (avoiding the malls at all costs today) Novikoff...

Happy Thanksgiving

Today I actually had a wonderful day, and any one of those I am truly thankful for.

I woke up early to help out for the Turkey Day Mt Ham lowkey hillclimb.  I decided I'd be the guy who schlepped up all the gear everyone didn't want to carry up the hill, but wanted for the chilly ride down.  I got to chat with my friends and new found friends before the start.  Got in my car and drove to the top of Mt Hamilton.  At the top I was greeted with this.

Icy snow.  Dropped off everyone's clothing.  After an hour and 11 minutes Ryan Sherlock (Ireland) beats out an ingonito Eric Wohlberg (Canada) as they cross the line 1st and 2nd.  When did the lowkey start getting international?  I head back down the mountain go home, take a hot shower.  Then I jump on the trainer for 1/2 an hour, while calling my mom in Hawaii.  Then head over to Santa Cruz for Thanksgiving dinner at with the Takemoto's.  Despite my GI problems I was actually able to enjoy the food including the traditional bird (see below)

Looks good doesn't it.

It's been a tough year for me and spending time today with friends and adopted family, while miles away from my parents and biological family, was such a blessing.  My eyes are tearing up.

Happy Thanksgiving 

Wie!

Finally somebody gets it. Still not buying a Kia though.

Hope It's Worth The Wait

GT 5 has been something like 300 years in the making.  Finally it's coming out on Wednesday, no more delays...I think.

Been waiting since March to get this, hoping for a price drop.  Eventually it will, I wouldn't spend more than $40 on it.  Right now it's $39.99 at Amazon.

December 7th, my favorite movie of 2010 is coming to Blu-Ray/DVD.  I really need to see it again.

Hawaii Demolishes Spartans

41-7.  SJSU couldn't do anything, Hawaii is really good this year.  (Boise St. should be ranked #1 IMO).  






























The Spartans really could have used Mint Berry Crunch!

Hooray Saturday

Fall Saturdays are some of the favorite days of the year for me, because it means COLLEGE FOOTBALL.  It's like every Saturday during the season is like the first round of the NCAA basketball tourney with multiple games going on at once.  The occasional upset makes it better.  I digress.

Today is the battle of my alma maters,  Hawaii vs. SJSU.   I root for Hawaii because I was a born Hawaii fan, also the Spartans aren't very good.  Chase in point from the Honolulu Star Advertiser

I will watch (or listen to) every Hawaii game irregardless of opponent.  So at 7:30 pm PST, don't bug me I'm busy :)

Top 5 other games to watch (if you can find them on tv...)

1. Stanford v. Cal:  "The band is on the field!"

2. Army v. Notre Dame :  @ the new Yankee Stadium

3. Northwestern v. Illinois: @ Wrigley Field (on ESPNU, I will need to find alt feed)

4. Tennessee v. Vanderbilt: 106th all time meeting, and Vandy is my favorite school east of the Mississippi

5. Virginia Tech v. Miami (FL):  Big game for Boise State's BCS game chances.

Taking the weekend easy, trainer only, not just due to the weather.  The 10 hours plus of training I did this week despite some major abdominal discomfort.

Hopefully I will feel better on Thursday, so I can ride up Mt Ham, a LowKey Hillclimb tradition.

Why I Ride...

Should Be In Manila

Anyone in Manila can rob a bank for me right now?  You could probably go unnoticed...Manny P is fighting.  I don't need the money right now.

Anyway I'm just hurting, my digestive system is in knots, my doctors are indifferent about it, and I'm almost out of hydrocodone.  May need to try Tylenol, and much milk thistle during the day (to keep my liver from getting worse).  I'm pretty sure I have IBS, but doctors don't have much they can do for IBS.  So I'm going to try to alter my diet, with the help of other people online who've suffered from this major annoyance.  The only things that help me right now are exercise, and my hand held massager.

It's been a miserable week or two on many levels.  But I get to bling out my training bike rather inexpensively thanks to Ritchey's new 2011 Classic components and a German bike shop (where I found them for cheap).
Below is the result.  I stink at taking pictures.

One I should have gotten the white hoods (they grey stands out), and the Chrome Deda Handlebar tape is hard to wrap (doesn't stretch easily).  Close up it has some flaws but from about 10 feet or further it looks amazing...  I did make one $60 mistake when I accidentally cut the powertap cable.  I think I'll replace it once I can get control of my intestines.  

Sorry I can't be witty right now, just not in the mood.  Going to watch south park online now, I could use a laugh.

Did The Giants Just Win The World Series?! OMG

Never thought that would happen in my lifetime.  Not a big fan, but since I live in the Bay Area now, I am by default.  It's hard to believe these guys did it.  When I was driving to UCSF at a regular basis in March, April, and May I heard nothing but trash about this team on KNBR.  I'm sure they are singing management's and Botchy's praises now.

You can go online an order your World Series champion merchandise already...geez... or go down to ATT park right now with the mob, and try and get some junk you'll see at a garage sale in 10 years...

Texas... you can go back to lamenting the Cowboys again.

Ho-Hum Perfect Cali Weather

Feeling a bit better today.  Limiting my wheat intake may have helped, as possibly the poi I thawed last night.   Now I just need to not over do it after a ride.

Today's ride was alright, lots of hills but not the long ones I planned.  Unfortunatly the El Sereno dirt climb was too slippery for my road bike, so I aborted that and searched out a few Los Gatos area ascents. Otherwise the weather was perfect, 50-60's and cloudless.

http://app.strava.com/rides/212449

Crushed the Sierra Azul climb, a steep 13.6% 1/2 mile bastard in 3:28.  For my best VAM number yet of 1607.    I do okay on the shorties, but the long ones expose my decreased VO2 Max.

Warriors, Just Dominant

Hawaii is dismantling Idaho. It's 45-3. Shear dominance, I can't recall a Hawaii team this overwhelming. Atleast I have this to hang my hat on because it's been a bum trip of a week otherwise. My GI system has been a bloated mess, and has been affecting my riding, specifically my breathing (atleast I think). I have been riding slow up any hill requiring any sort of lung capacity. But I have more pressing medical issues on my plate, and have to take care of those. I get to have a needle plunged into my liver Friday to see if there's more crap going on in there. Even on today's ride up to Henry Coe Park this is what I had to say about this...

I'm sick of the never ending string of doctors office visits, and setting up more appointments for all my minor ailments seems trivial.   Especially when all I want to do is ride my frickin' bike! (It hasn't stopped me yet, and won't ever)

The Giants Win The Pennant!

It's going to be one of the Championships where I won't mind if either wins, because neither have won before. Actually if the Giants win the Bay Area might end up being too full of themselves...

One guy will get a World Series ring no matter what.  Lucky flabby bastard.
Name that Molina...

When It Rains It Pours

Hawaii just destroyed Utah St today 45-7. It wasn't even close, they allowed something like 150 total yards while gaining over 500. Moniz threw two bad passes in the first half, or it would have been worse. All this while there was a driving rainstorm which coincided with Hawaii running over the Aggies. Of note, Alex Green ran for 4 TD's the first time since 1995 when option QB Glenn Freitas did it against UNLV (sorry no pics available, the internet was still only in Al Gore's pants then) and he ran for 172 yards, wow.

I went on a harsh ride today. I think the ride I did yesterday took some power out of my legs, but I soldiered on. Up and down and up and... just check out strava
http://app.strava.com/rides/208485
I was fortunate the rain held out for the morning.  Got a decent ride in, this afternoon's been ugly, and tomorrow is supposed to be rainy.

So many people out driving this morning, just lame.  Where is everybody (not) going?

Misery Hates Company

I was up late last night as the Hawaii game went down to the wire, the good way (I would have been a bit bummed having stayed up past midnight if the Warriors lost). So I had a hard time dragging myself out of bed, because I'm not a late night person. I couldn't get going until 9 am (gast!). The weather didn't look pleasant but the weather reports said some light rain but nothing substantial. So I only bring (in addition to my normal kit), a pair of arm warmers, and a wind breaker. Fine if it's sprinkling and between 50 - 60 degrees Fahrenheit.

My plan was to set out to here...

Loma Prieta...epicenter of a certain geological event 23 years ago that postponed a baseball game.  God can be a bitch sometimes.

I wasn't going to the top, I was actually trying to generate a new strava climb segment for the rode up to the end of the pavement near 3000 feet elevation.  It's waaaayyy out in the boonies (for this area anyway), as there are lots of shutins, and crotchety old people who insist people suck enough to live as far away as possible without having to farm...  The bad news for them is dudes in tight pants and fluorescent shades love riding on these desolate low trafficked roads.

It took me about 1.5 hours to get to Old Soquel-San Jose road to the start of the climbing up to Loma Prieta (I already was up to 1528 ft elevation having climbing from Lexington Reservoir via Old Santa Cruz Highway...cyclists also like road called Old [road name here]).

About now the roads were damp and the drizzle was starting, but I was going uphill for the next 5 or so miles, no problem.  Up and up I went, there were a few locals and hikers in their cars (wimps), but I stay to the right  and ignore them.  It's not so bad until the end of Mt Bache, where I was regretting not having my 27 cog, then the last 3/4 of a mile of Loma Prieta was just a grind.  The rain was now falling, the roads were damp and I couldn't stand without spinning out my cheap tire mounted wheel.  I did make it, then realized, damn, I have to go back, and it's now raining, AND the clouds are in every direction.  I put my extra clothes on set out.  Descended a wet road for the first time in months, taking it relatively easy.  But I'm getting wetter and wetter. By the time I get back to Old SCruz highway I'm getting worried and COLD.  I tell myself to suck it up, thinking of yesterdays Giro d'Lombardia the whole time.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpRNg8bIzIE

By the reservoir I was feeling awful and cross eyed.  Luckily all the fair weather walkers decided the weather was too unpleasant today to walk for a little while then reward themselves with a massive meal.  So it was clear sailing down the dirt path to Los Gatos as I hardly able to hold a straight line anymore.  Once I got onto the paved streets I got into angry "I'm sick of this" mode, and put the hammer down.  A light tailwind and tons of motivation led me to go into TT mode, even though I was feeling dreadful frozen and hypothermic (my jaw hurt as I clenched it to keep it from chattering).  I get home, put the wet bike on the balcony, tear my clothes off and take one blissfully grand 20 minute hot shower.

http://www.strava.com/rides/205022

Watching Man vs. Food I wonder how constipated Adam Richmond must be all the time.

Warriors WIN!!! Chee-hooo!

Suck it WAC defectors. Boise you're next!

Denzel at Macy's????

Saturday Night Live - Returns and Exchanges - Video - NBC.com

My mom might like this one, if her computer can play it.

Too Much

Too much to talk about, not enough impetus to care to talk about it. That and I ate too much after my CT/PET scan at UCSF.  I wasn't even all that hungry even after fasting for 18 hours.  The location of the scanning building is China Basin, across the street from Willie Mays!

Good thing the Giants won Monday night in Atlanta, or this place would have been a sea of people, and possibly no parking with a game tonight.

I actually took Tuesday of from riding to ensure the scan was valid, as sore muscles induce glucose uptake.  The point of the PET scan is to identify any suspicious glucose activity after the injection of a radiative glucose tracer.  The last two have been clear, but this one was to check on me post radiation therapy.  Then hopefully no massive doses of radiation (CT scans are like 4000 x-rays, at once) for 6 months, and hell my insurance hopes so too....

It's also been very summer like the past few days.  My cyclometer maxed at 96.6 deg F in the shade. Couple that with a full stomach and you got some major nauseous riding this afternoon.  I still managed to KOM a hill that someone had beaten me a few weeks ago in.  Also hit my highest heart rate since the treatments at 172 bpm, boy did that hurt, but it felt good.  My left leg cramping up didn't.  I can't wait for it to cool off a little, 55 degrees is so nice.