Headwinds

Wow, what a day yesterday was.  The sun was high, temperatures were ideal Spring temps and the wind was blowing like only mother nature can get them to blow.  With the winds projected to be at a sustained level of 20 mph and gusts up to 40 I left the house about an hour before the meet up time for the Saturday morning Team in Training ride.

This week we were doing one of my favorite rides which leaves from the Cloverhill Recreation Complex which has now been renamed Horner Park.  It took me about 45 minutes to make the 14 mile ride over due to the Westerly blowing headwind.  Once arrived and we all had gathered, I gave a quick description of the course so the Team would know what to expect.  "It is all flat except for the hills."  Really?  Did I just say that?

The Team did a great job battling the wind all morning long.  There was only minimal complaining about it and those were mostly made sarcastically.  They just kept turning the pedals over and enjoyed the country scenery. 

Once we finished I still had to make the ride back to the house.  The ride home was certainly faster for a couple of reasons.  No headwind, legs were warmed up, I had eaten a couple packs of Powerbar Gel Blasts (which I may have new favorite flavor, Raspberry) and I was racing the clock to get home as fast as I could to help Jenn at least a little bit around the house before some friends came over and I fired up the grill.

This week has been a somewhat tame week for getting my workouts in.  Monday I was taken hostage and forced to do intervals for a short time period.  Tuesday night I was able to get in a really nice ride which happened partly because I sometimes forget to pack stuff.  I was supposed to ride over at Westcreek with the TnT crew.  The last couple of weeks I have been leaving slightly early so I can get in a few extra miles prior to meeting up with them and then once the ride is over, I ride back over to the gym where Jenn is usually working out.

The days are getting longer already but I still need a light to get to and fro safely.  The last two weeks I have only needed to turn my headlight on for the last mile of the 9 mile ride over to Westcreek.  This week I had to leave earlier than in the past due to forgetting to pick up the light from the charger in the morning.  The result?  Photographic evidence of the viewing of my first sunset over Westcreek for 2011.

 It was much better in person.  Crappy camera phone, meh

Wednesday night was a wash in terms of me getting in a workout however Zeb and I did watch people workout at Gold's Gym for 4 hours.  We were there hosting an informational booth for the store and educating Joe Public about Spin Class enhancements and outdoor riding.  It was received well and we have been asked back to do it again at the beginning of the month.

Yesterday, I was able to get in a short but long for me run of 4 miles.  I hadn't run longer than 3 miles for many a moon but I may have found the solution to my hip flexor issue.  Many doctors may tell you hip flexor problems can be solved with stretching and other remedies.  However I have found the miracle drug politeness.  You see, I asked my hip very nicely with a "please" and a "thank you" to not blow up on my last night because I wanted to be able to walk today and tomorrow.  I couldn't feel it at all last night and this morning it is only mildly sore like a 2 out of 10.  Success!  Now where do I get a patent?

Hostage Taking

Spring fever is in the air!  Well at least it is in my mind.  The only downside to this time of year is it is still cold in the mornings and evenings which means if I want to ride in the warmth of the day I need to do so in the middle of it which only works on two days a week and even then the chances of it happening on both days are pretty close to slim and none.

Yesterday was Valentine's day and while everyone was spending it thinking of their own personal someone(s), I did the same.  Having to close the shop, I knew if I was going to get in my workout in the morning.  Sensing that I didn't want to get all dressed up to combat the morning coolness, the leader of Sufferlandia barged in yelling and screaming.

He started screaming something about how things would be alright if I just put on my ruby red slippers and got on the bike.  He made me slip on Le' Antique's special Friday night,  "Screw me tonight" thong. Because he was waiving his Revolver around in my face and I didn't know how to respond to his perverted requests but to comply.
 

Seriously what kind of stuff is this guy into?  Intervals that is what.  Lots and lots of suck butt intervals.  16 sets of them.  48 minutes later he put the Revolver back into his pocket and left just as abruptly as he came in.  Only I was left felling tired, abused and trying my best to not break down in agony while crying out for help from Jenn.

A day early

"Hey DJ keep playing that song all night, On and On and On"  This past weekend one was of those which got a bit away from me ride wise but not on the productivity side of things.  All week long, I had been looking forward to the weather on Friday and Saturday and then things changed at work which meant I would have Sunday off as well.

Friday came and went with me spending very little time outdoors.  I had been looking for to doing a 70ish mile road ride but bagged that when Mother Nature decided to not turn up the temps until later in the day.  I had other things to get accomplished and didn't feel like being cold.  I am over being cold on rides.  Bring on the Spring.

Saturday morning I left the house early to ride over to Laurel Park to meet the TnT Team for our Saturday morning ride.  25 miles over, 30 with them and things felt good. That was when I could forget about the pulsating wobble which was coming from my rear wheel which started at mile 24 and was caused by a broken spoke.

After the ride on Saturday, Jenn and I stopped by the shop and picked up a new spoke so I could repair my wheel.  The plan was to go out on Sunday at some point once it warmed up.  I awoke with a different plan however.  An early rise had me watching a handful of cooking shows which were still on the dvr.  I got the idea that since I have to close the store on Valentine's Day I would see if Jenn wanted to cook a nice dinner with me and celebrate the eve of Valentine's Day.

The menu was set.  We were going to make homemade ravioli with a homemade marinara sauce.  A side of jalepeno cheese bread and for dessert vanilla ice cream topped with fire-roasted strawberries off the grill.  Now that we had dinner plans, Jenn and I some how motivated ourselves to do some spring cleaning around the house.  We converted the third bedroom into a bedroom and not a room with a bed frame in it.  We finished cleaning up the Cubs room (err the office).  Outside we got the leaves out of the flowerbeds, filled the holes the pups dug in the backyard and spread out the remaining portion of the dirt hill which has been holding our driveway hostage for the past year and a half.

A quick trip to the grocery store and we began the cooking process.  We were given a pasta machine for Christmas and hadn't found the time to use it just yet.  We pulled it out made up a ball of dough and started rolling it out.  We learned a couple of things, 1)Don't clamp the machine to the table without a cloth underneath it.  It will gouge the table.  2)Ravioli dough needs to be thinner than what we made it.  We didn't know how thin it should be so we guessed.  It was turned out to be a little too thick. 3)We need to find a better stuffing recipe.  The one I choose was a simple one which we had all of the ingredients around the house but it lacked a certain punch.  4)A ravioli tray would make things easier not only for speed but for portion control.  We made some of the biggest ravioli I have ever eaten.

 The marinara sauce was a simple recipe and it made a lot of it.  Even after our meal we were left with about 2 quarts of it.  Into the freezer it went to be thawed for a later day.  The cheesy jalapeno bread was a nice change to the traditional garlic bread.

Then came the dessert.  Shortly after we were done with dinner I went outside and fired up the grill.  I pulled the strawberries out of the refrigerator, stood them up in a pie pan and put them on the open flame.  I went inside filled two bowls up with vanilla ice cream which was sadly store bought.  We wanted to make homemade because we were also given an ice cream maker for Xmas but the bowl has to freeze for 15 hours.  15 hours we didn't have. It is now in the freezer awaiting its next call to duty.  Off came the strawberries and then they were placed on top of the ice cream.  Delicious!

Happy Valentines Day to all you kids who actually wait for the day to arrive.  I now need a workout.