brickhouseracing

I found out last week that Trek was holding a demo day at a nearby park. So, after Ryan and I got home from the Outdoors group ride, we grabbed some lunch and headed out. Last time I tried riding off-road, I ended up falling off of an over-tree ramp/platform and coming face to bark with said tree. I was convinced that my off-road skills were just bad, but I was riding a heavy, rigid-frame Univega MTB purchased sometime in the early 90’s…

Enter the Trek Fuel EX-

Hey- I was curious to find out just how much of my bad off-road skills were due to a pretty crappy bike, so I asked which one of the many they had out there was the best. Ryan tried out a full suspension Gary Fisher 29er, and we headed out on the 6 mile Herb Parson’s Lake loop. Before we left, the woman at the demo trailer let me know that “this trail doesn’t do this bike justice”

Well, I don’t think I really did the bike justice because I chickened out more than once with log/bridge crossings, but what I DID realize was that (chickening out aside) I’m not that bad of an off road rider. I could definitely get more skilled with a decent bike. Riding off road really appeals to my ADD personality, so I’ll probably end up getting one for winter training/general shenanigans. Will it be a top of the line carbon rig? We’ll have to see about that…

New blog of awesomeness… Joe Daddio

Visit and see the greatness of Joe’s beard. You can read his training stories & stuff, too.

A preview:

Ryan and I made the 17 hour drive from Marquette yesterday & got home around midnight. Now, I’m packed up & ready to head off to the NSCA’s National Conference in Vegas to present my thesis data. I’ll be glad to get home on Saturday. In light of my recent race performances, I may end up not going to the Huntsville race on the 19th so I can prepare for the State TT Championship later in the month (as well as the remainder of the season!)

It’ll be a few days before I post again- in the meantime, if you’re bored with my blog, take a look at some of the links or go back to some earlier posts. Who knows- you might find something interesting… I’ve got some other good photos from my WI/MI trip to post. I’ll do it sometime in the next week once I get settled back in

…but this time, not to a bike race. I’m making this post from Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Ryan and I made last minute plans to visit some of his family in Wisconsin and Michigan. We made the 12 hour road trip yesterday. Once it warms up, we’re gonna go for a bike ride up the east shore of the lake. It’s nice to do something out of town besides racing for a change

…and I noticed that I’m drawn to how the guys throw punches/kicks, etc. in a cautious and calculated manner- UNTIL one of them shows the slightest falter or weakness. At that point, the other guy will, without hesitation or thought, attack full force, and they don’t stop until the ref steps in. It’s brutal…

Something about that reminds me of bike racing. I love counter attacks. At the risk of giving away too much strategy, I gotta admit, it’s got to be my favorite move to put on someone who is hurting during a race.

I can’t wait for this weekend.

I think I was somewhere around 7 hours last time I uploaded a photo of my ongoing art project. It’s been just under 13 hours now. Joe estimated that we might be about 1/3 of the way finished (if we’re lucky). EPIC!!

I was watering the plants on my porch this morning and noticed that the nearby birds sounded upset. Then, I noticed that a brown finch was sitting on the birdhouse near my porch- the same birdhouse that I’ve noticed a couple of bluebirds habitating for the past few weeks.

Some Photos (click to see larger versions):
#1: The culprit
#2: Ms. Bluebird, in the tree across from the birdhouse, chirping up a storm at the finch (she’s the little brownish-blue bird on the far right)
#3 & 4: Closeups of Ms. Bluebird
#4 & 5:Mr. Bluebird didn’t seem too concerned, though he did stay in the area.
#6: Not sure what type of birds these guys are, but they were observing from another branch

I’ve been needing a haircut for a while, and I couldn’t get an appointment until sometime around the 17th, so  I decided last night while Ryan was giving himself a haircut with the clippers that I’d shorten it up a bit…

First, I used the #8 (1 inch) clipper blade guard, but it only took a little off the top. So, I went for a #5. This looked short enough, but I ended up with patchy black/red spots. So, I decided to go all in with the #3. I’ve been threatening for a while that I was just going to shave it some day, and I figured that now would be the perfect time since I won’t be working again until next month sometime. It’s nice & breezy under my helmet, and I really like not having to worry about messing it up. It’s not the most attractive cut in the world, but I pull it off.

A Jack Russell Terrier has taken over my recliner. That is all.

I have driven past Deli Mexicana on Germantown Parkway just south of the Wolf River bridge for a long time and always wondered what a Mexican deli was. I finally checked it out today and I was highly impressed. Everything is fresh, handmade, and authentically Mexican.

If you’re looking for a place to gorge yourself on queso dip, fajitas, and a #35 combo-  this place isn’t for you. It’s apparent that this pisses some people off, because a note posted next to the register lets customers know that if you’re rude to the staff, they will refuse to serve you. After working in Germantown in the past, I can probably name a few of the residents that would go in with their inflated sense of entitlement and get belligerent when they can’t have an overflowing bowl of melted cheese to eat before their main course. I digress…

This place is to Mexican food what Green Bamboo is to Vietnamese food. Check the website for a menu & directions: Las Tortugas