What We Do Is Secret

You have five years.

After Sufferfest I made myself a large breakfast/lunch, put my recovery leggings on and watched What We Do Is Secret. It's a documentary about the legendary LA-punk band The Germs. While known more for their stage antics than music, The Germs set the landscape for American punk and hardcore. I never did get into them when I was younger, but I definitely knew who they were and that they were important. So much of the punk recordings in the late 70's sounded like garbage but it was all about the atmosphere and ideas it created inside you. It's strange, I actually remember being in LA in 2007 and hearing that they were filming this movie. There was a flyer in Ameoba records saying they needed extras for the movie.

Why I didn't go, I have no idea, but I remember vividly thinking now would be a good time to dive into them. The story of the Germs is like most in punk rock; ending too soon. Destruction and suicide are a common place in the history of punk rock. Most punk bands in the late 70's quit before they make it too big in order to keep the legacy of a certain time and scene. You don't get that much these days. And I guess that's what draws me to these primitive recordings.

Sufferfest

93 miles. 5 hours. +8000ft of climbing. +3000 calories. excellent day out.

not-so-weekly update post

I rode to work without leg warmers for the first time this year.

Pardon my silence on here. I've been keeping myself busy with my regular masters; work, cycling, and Megan. The weather is slowing turning to spring. Although the season is usally short lived, I love it. The race season IS in full swing.


Mauricio Prado won his second race of the season, giving Allegiant Cycling their third win. James Pearce took 4th overall in the Valley of Sun Stage Race and got himself a cat2 upgrade. So there is a lot to be happy about over in our camp. This weekend everyone is taking a break from travelling and racing to participate in the Sufferfest...the first of three this year. This Saturday we will have to do two loops - Mt Potosi - one loop. Thats enough climbing to simulate any race if you ask me. I will most likely do a small crit in LA before the Tour de Sol at the end of March.

Megan and I will venture off to Phoenix to see Radiohead in less than a month!! I can't believe how time flies. Radiohead is one of the bands I need to see before I die. So now I can mark that one off. I still have to hug a live grizzly bear though.

I've been listening to this song every morning...

Shit Cyclists Say

Man I'm bonking right now...

Well it was bound to happen, Shit Cyclist Say. Over the past few months the trend of Shit ____ say has gone viral. Theres a video for almost anyone. Some good and some really bad. And while I did think to myself, "there's some ridiculous shit cyclist say, and only cyclist say." So I waited patiently, and sure enough it was made...and pretty accurate too. He makes some funny comments about his coach telling him to stay in zone2. This hits pretty close to home as that is my workout for tomorrow.

Although, I don't believe the roads are better in Europe...

PCK RR and Mothballs Crit

The 2012 race season is off to a great start.

I got home only a few hours ago but I feel I should post all this now while it is fresh in my head. James, Chcuk and I ventured off to Santa Barbara to compete in the Poor College Kids Road Race in Los Olivos, CA and Mothballs Criterium in Goleta, CA. The weather was perfect. It stayed in the upper 70's during the day and there was no need for any leg or arm warmers during the races.

I took 21st in the PCK RR. It was a very short (28 mile) race, just a quick one lap with a big of a climb at the end. This was my first road race of the season and I can not wait for more. It's strange how calm I felt going +30mph downhill, only inches away from total strangers and their bikes. I guess you really have to trust yourself and the people around you. While I had some decent luck in my race, Chcuk took an excellent 9th place in his race.

This is Mike Hand. He is a total badass, I mean just look at his legs. He gave Allegiant Cycling our first win of the season by taking 1st in the Masters +35!! In a field with two National and a WORLD champion, he really brought the hammer down. This is great motivation for our entire team and this is surely the shape of things to come.

After a carbo-loaded dinner and a good night sleep, we headed North to Goleta, CA for the Mothballs Crit. This was my first crit of the season and I was a bit hesitant on doing a crit so early in the year. These races are magnets for wrecks and injuries. But I manned up and lined up. To my surprise it was actually pretty smooth. The NuVision boys were out and we worked together. I managed to dodge a crash and come in 15th place. After the race, we all took a recovery ride to the coast.






Next week will bring me to San Diego for the Boulevard RR and Red Trolley Crit...

YEARS

Thank you for showing me this Kris Miller

The rings on a cross section cut of a tree can tell scientists a lot about the conditions of its surroundings at different time periods as well as the overall age of the tree itself. But it can also help us tell what the tree sounds like thanks to this fancy record player-like contraption that uses light and some other electronics to transcode the rings in to piano notes.

Seen over at Public School.

I came in early to work and my eyes are heavy. Coffee is helping. This video is so soothing, it blends well with my morning cup. It really portrays how beautiful, calm, and ominous nature can be.

not-so-weekly update post

It's Thursday and I'm trying to do as little as possible...

Winter training has been going great. I fell into my groove and learned to juggle (that's a metaphor) everything. My first race of the 2012 season is in two weeks. While they are not top priority races I am going to take them seriously. Jan 28th will bring me to Los Olivos, CA for Poor College Kids RR and Jan 29th will bring me to Mothballs Crit. Should be a good weekend of racing and seeing my California friends. It's kind of going to be like the first day of school; everyone will be showing off what they got over the break and how much stronger they are. Everyone wants to believe they are stronger and smarter than the season before last.


Hopefully everyone signed the "stop SOPA and PIPA acts"
The Obama Administration wrote..."While we believe that online piracy by foreign websites is a serious problem that requires a serious legislative response, we will not support legislation that reduces freedom of expression, increases cybersecurity risk, or undermines the dynamic, innovative global Internet," and, "Any effort to combat online piracy must guard against the risk of online censorship of lawful activity and must not inhibit innovation by our dynamic businesses large and small."

I am missing my home town a lot right now...

BMC SR02 For Sale

For Sale: BMC SR02

Joe Ison from HOC and BriteSport is selling a 2011 54cm BMC SR02 w/ Shimano 105 Components. Great entry level aluminum bike for $1200 (Retail is $1500). Someone should definitely give this a good home. Contact Joe or myself for more details.

Coachella Lineup Announced

Refused and At the Drive-In reunite after a decade of silence.

Sadly, ehh...what am I saying, luckily, I will not be attending Coachella. But it is a banger lineup this year. Two post-hardcore legends Refused and At the Drive-In will be playing along with the usual heavy hitters. Refused annouced that they are "Not Fucking Dead" and have Coachella and Way Out West Fest (Sweden) as their only dates. ATDI set the Internet on fire with their comeback announcement but no other dates have been announced. I really hope they play out West. Seeing ATDI and Radiohead in the same year would be amazing. Speaking of, Radiohead is also set to headline Saturday, but I am seeing them this March with Megan!

The Refused website statement...
It's been a motley 14 years since our band came apart. We've all kept busy in our respective endeavors but we've all remained friends and kept in touch. There have been offers, and lots of jokes about these offers. We've sort of looked down from our high horses and made fun of people who've just wanted to share the psychopathic intensity that we would deliver on a nightly basis in our post-pubescent prime. A reunion has just seemed irrelevant to us. Too much other shit to do…

We never did The Shape of Punk To Come justice back when it came out, too tangled up in petty internal bickering to really focus on the job. And suddenly there's this possibility to do it like it was intended. We wanna do it over, do it right. For the people who've kept the music alive through the years, but also for our own sakes… See you in the pit.

not-so-weekly update post

My life according to my iPhone...lately

Watch a New Episode of Portlandia

"Battlestar Galactica" inspired episode.

The second season of Carrie Brownstein (Wild Flag/Sleater-Kinney) and Fred Armisen's (SNL/Trenchmouth) "Portlandia" premieres January 6 on IFC. Watch a full episode online right now, below. Spoiler alert: it features Eddie Vedder and Jeff Goldblum and music from Washed Out, and is inspired by "Battlestar Galactica".

2012

This is going to be my champagne year.

GIRL WALK // ALL DAY 7 & 8

You knew it was coming: in the latest chapter of Girl Walk // All Day, the troupe finds themselves on the L train! But before that, there's a sweet street fight (or a dance-off, if you prefer), and some American Museum of Natural History action.
PART 7

In the newest chapter of Girl Walk // All Day, the girl gets a makeover fit for the 1%... and then shows off her new look at Zuccotti Park. Unsurprisingly, while there, she gets a lot of attention from photographers, and the thumbs down from the protesters for flaunting all of her fancy shopping bags.
PART 8

The Glow Remedy

Liz moved to NYC and started a health blog.

This probably isn't the best thing to write (or read) about when you're hungry, but here it goes...

It's great when friends do creative and positive things! Elizabeth and I worked together at Miu Miu for a while before she moved back to NYC. We shared a common passion for health, fitness, and happiness. Everyday she would tell me of some new superfood she found and suggest quick recipies to help me recovery from tough rides and workouts. With all this knowledge, she decided to bring it all to the blogosphere, and we should all be so fortunate.

The Glow Remedy is a great blog, focused on staying healthy and happy. In these sparatic posts and updates, you will read about a very open-minded vegan who is always keeping her body and mind on the same page. That's a Promise Ring lyric I know, but it fits. Maybe her next piece will be about healthy meals (non-protein powder drink) that would help a cyclist recover from a five hour bike ride, where +2000 calories are burned and need to be restored...hint hint.
So follow, read, and enjoy.

NHL Winter Classic

Can not wait to watch this game.

In just four days the New York Rangers will visit the City Of Brotherly Love, and play the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2012 edition of the Winter Classic, which will be played at Citizens Bank Park, Jan. 2 (1 p.m. ET on NBC). Surprisingly, this will be the first time that the Blueshirts will be playing in the NHL's annual outdoor game, which began in 2008 when the Buffalo Sabres hosted the Pittsburgh Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium.

So far this season, the Rangers have hosted the Flyers twice and beaten them both times.

As for a composite final score-results history of the NHL's Winter Classic, here it is:
2008: Pittsburgh Penguins 2, Buffalo Sabres 1 (SO) -- Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo
2009: Detroit Red Wings 6, Chicago Black Hawks 4 -- Wrigley Field in Chicago, IL
2010: Boston Bruins 2, Flyers 1 (OT) -- Fenway Park in Boston, MA
2011: Washington Capitals 3, Penguins 1 -- Heinz Field in Pittsburgh, PA