tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-62805534415744702402024-02-07T11:44:51.411-10:00Strap's BlogStraphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.comBlogger484125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-30123696047598023022013-06-22T02:49:00.003-10:002013-06-22T02:49:32.679-10:00Fancy Foldup <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4qE9xTKiTVTH0SqDnmhPu57h60zIEppPsYJs33JzFrlgZPypuX2hsJXbgg8dtZfIRYO50OJAVT8svNAYkBqdKo9SLI0mQf90wEFhQi-AmBsf8m7zwyY0WxrqTpEnFJ4x5ca2A2JqWDvI/s640/blogger-image--1273733465.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjY4qE9xTKiTVTH0SqDnmhPu57h60zIEppPsYJs33JzFrlgZPypuX2hsJXbgg8dtZfIRYO50OJAVT8svNAYkBqdKo9SLI0mQf90wEFhQi-AmBsf8m7zwyY0WxrqTpEnFJ4x5ca2A2JqWDvI/s640/blogger-image--1273733465.jpg" /></a></div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-15880153037212465462013-06-22T02:49:00.001-10:002013-06-22T02:49:06.193-10:00Ajumma Hauler <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPH-BVw-3q3M35kGMSxYntURE4rmuDPRAElYxJ2gFXsH4ZxkSlq0rTzK6JzOP0KK5WqB7uHFhjVyGGU15BsDwr4_Gg86dNV7M9jvhAxwi-kjeHrRZV8j5rFjSMeVFfe5q7cLO_WhYKS80/s640/blogger-image-1575575463.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQPH-BVw-3q3M35kGMSxYntURE4rmuDPRAElYxJ2gFXsH4ZxkSlq0rTzK6JzOP0KK5WqB7uHFhjVyGGU15BsDwr4_Gg86dNV7M9jvhAxwi-kjeHrRZV8j5rFjSMeVFfe5q7cLO_WhYKS80/s640/blogger-image-1575575463.jpg" /></a></div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-54810702250177868042013-01-14T01:32:00.001-10:002013-01-14T01:32:15.314-10:00CyclingUsed the one legged method before I learned about the row with skateboard technique. Managed about 15 minutes on this ride <br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OHKt8pftbGwuWpv6SVG0HRgDiXPC7TcJBBqIn5nnXqRBjylaKcC-OUpQcPZ9buqHzr0aGVWetp7mYvQ-tdHrgye42Xhx-QM6Wz38FOqay0h5hve0zr9e7Mly2Xwx_z8T_JlDAZI7TjeM/s640/blogger-image--574832509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-OHKt8pftbGwuWpv6SVG0HRgDiXPC7TcJBBqIn5nnXqRBjylaKcC-OUpQcPZ9buqHzr0aGVWetp7mYvQ-tdHrgye42Xhx-QM6Wz38FOqay0h5hve0zr9e7Mly2Xwx_z8T_JlDAZI7TjeM/s640/blogger-image--574832509.jpg" /></a></div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-33703822600575069262013-01-14T01:30:00.001-10:002013-01-14T01:30:08.639-10:00How I've been working outTook nearly a month to come up with a good way to workout. A crossfit guy gave me this tip<br />
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<br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBjkeChytmpI371Ie7LjTAAe8wdsUMhHe_wkH54Y1DqAMmKwnLau9qPU1KChZlLpTiTlGScxYTDrIvGKGlZG7InamK_soLpYJ52qEKwaK_W3YgGfjlVRLgCUBxd_i9bFUAoadYLv5KYmY/s640/blogger-image-782535982.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmBjkeChytmpI371Ie7LjTAAe8wdsUMhHe_wkH54Y1DqAMmKwnLau9qPU1KChZlLpTiTlGScxYTDrIvGKGlZG7InamK_soLpYJ52qEKwaK_W3YgGfjlVRLgCUBxd_i9bFUAoadYLv5KYmY/s640/blogger-image-782535982.jpg" /></a></div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-89937006145953216822013-01-05T21:15:00.004-10:002013-01-05T21:15:56.061-10:00Yang Yang Song-I Ultra MarathonIt all started back in August. I was away for work for a week, came back on a Friday night after working 18+ hours a day for the entire week...no exercise, bad food, little sleep. Needless to say I was exhausted and felt like crap. Saturday night, Sonya tells me we're going on a trail run Sunday. Initially it sounds like a good idea, but then I ask a few simple questions. 1) Where are we going? Not quite sure, but it looks cool. 2) Who are we going with? Don't know them, met them on Facebook. 3) How far are we running? Not sure. and 4) What time are we leaving the house? 0530. My response...what the #$$%? I have to work until at least midnight. If you could at least answer some of the questions about distance and where, I could get an idea of how much sleep I'll get. Knowing I wasn't going to get any exercise the following week, I went ahead with the plan. Woke up at 5, ate a quick breakfast, never made it to the bathroom, ran to the subway. Got to the subway and realized I had to go...decided to wait for the first changeover. Bad decision, as it didn't have an inside the station bathroom. Got on the next train, and started to have real problems. Eventually decided to leave the train and let Sonya go on. I told her to get to the meeting point, and I'd try to figure out the rest. I ran through the station frantically, and realized I'd have to swipe out of the station and back in to go. So, I left Dapsimni station and did my business. Felt a million times better, got back on the next train. Best 1500 won ever spent. Eventually linked back up with Sonya before the meeting point, ready to run. Walk out of the station and meet these guys for the first time. The organizer, MK, was pretty excited to see new runners and was describing the route. He asks everyone what they wanted to do and offered up a 3-4 hour and a 1.5 hour option...Holy F*&*&! I hadn't ran more than an hour all year and wasn't ready for more. No one speaks up. Being the wuss I am, I say that I may only be up to the 1.5 hour option. About 45 minutes later we make it up a super steep climb. When we get to the top, MK again asks who wants to go back down the hill for the short version, and who wants to go vor the full 3-4 hours. No one speaks up...damn, I'm in for the whole long run. No doubt the longest run of the year for me. Make it to the end drained, but had a blast.<br />
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Fast forward a month later, we see MK out on the trail again. This time on the paved Han River path. Sonya and I are out for 18 easy miles prepping for the Chuncheon Marathon. We see MK at mile 5, and end up running with him. He takes us on a nice route around Olympic Park. We get some drinks at a convenience store. I do some quick math and discover we're going to end up with about a 24 mile run if we head straight home...damn. Somewhere along the way, he talks us into doing this 60km ultra that's 2 weeks away. For some reason it sounds like a good idea, and we commit. What the hell were we thinking?<br />
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Fast forward to race day. The race starts at 5am, but for some dumb reason we have to show at 3, which means a 1am wakeup. Not ideal conditions, but considering it was my first ultra and I wasn't prepared, I wouldn't be sleeping anyway. Our group of about 10 foreigners was by far the youngest group at the race. I was our oldest runner, and I think the closest Korean to my age was about 10 years my senior. They were impressed that young foreigners can run these distances. After checki-in, we see the 100km runners off and jump onto a bus to our start point. Once we arrive, the director gives the pre-race brief...all in Korean. A couple of the guys in our group could speak a little Korean and tried to translate the best they could, but a few important details about the last 10km were left off the translation.<br />
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At around 5am, 60 or so runners start off in the dark. Almost immediately, our group of foreigners is at the front. Since none of us had ever run an ultra, we were all nervous that we must be going out too fast. Katie, Justin and Jared had trained extensively for the race, so after a coule km, they dropped the rest of us. There was one Korean man with them. Andrew, Sonya and I were the next group on the road. At some point, Sonya stops for a bathroom break, Andrew goes on ahead, and at about 6km into the race I'm all alone. AT that point, I really had to drop a deuce, but unfortunately there was nowhere to stop on this road...a huge bank to my left, and a steep dropoff to the right. Knowing it was a 15km climb, I had a ways to go before the terrain leveled off. It was bad, seriously slowing me down. Eventually I find a good spot...do my business as I watch a couple of Korean men pass me. Jumped back on the trail feeling fast, caught the 2 guys and proceeded up the hill feeling great. Sometime along the descent, Andrew caught me...he apparently had made a couple of breaks as well and saw me passing while he as off in the woods. We run together for awhile and eventually caught Sonya who was surprised to see us. We ran together to the first aid station. Had some fish soup and kimchee...what else would you expect? This was at about the 25k mark. We ran together for a couple of km, and I start to feel sluggish going up this climb. Andrew and Sonya drop me. For the next 10k, I'm running alone. Passed one Korean man along the way, and eventually catch Andrew who had bonked hard. Had a few words, tried to pull him along for company, but he wasn't up to it. I run pretty strong until the marathon distance (42k) which I hit at around 5hours. My original goal was to run a conservative marathon, which I did, then pick up the pace. Unfortunately, my body was entering uncharted territory and the rest of the race would be a struggle. <br />
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Made it to the next aid station, at approximaely the 45k mark. Ate the peaches, drank some coke. Asked when the last yeoja (woman) passed. They told me an hour ago...damn, Sonya was moving. That demoralized me a bit. I trudged on, still running for the most part, but walking the steep stuff. Descents were painful, as my ankles were taking a beating. For the entire race, I was tracking performance by the course markings that were every 5k. When an hour passed since my last course marking (45k), I was getting pissed. I was convinced that I was lost, or had slown down way too much. Pain was getting worse. I start cursing, yelling, screaming. I was convinced that I was lost. As I came off the fire roads and hit the pavement, I thought for sure I'd have to just jump in a cab...wait, no cabs since we're out in the middle of nowhere...would have to bum a ride with some farmer that spoke no English. As I approach what appeared to be a highway, I faintly saw a piece of plywood with a number painted on it...it was the 55km sign with an arrow. This was the most exciting part of the day, only 5k to go and it was all on a flat road. I was ready to fly...or so I thought. Got to the road, and tried to pick up the pace, but my ankles wouldn't let me. Legs were ready to go, but the pounding was painful. I needed to knock out a 30 minute 5k to come in under 8 hours. I thought that was manageable, but the best I could do was run 2 minutes, walk 1. Did that for what I thought was 4k. The race director drives by and asks me if I need anything. I was still optimistic at this point, and I said no, but asked how much longer. He says 3-4 km. I say thank you, he drives on and I scream a big "F&&&" that I'm sure all the local farmers heard. The course was longer than 60k, and there was no way I'd make 8 hours. <br />
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After what seemed like an eternity of walk/run torture, I make it close to the town. I see a bridge, that I'm pretty sure I have to cross but there are no markings. I call Sonya, she tells me to cross the bridge. Cross the bridge, then reach an intersection...again, no signs. Sonya sees me, then guides me through this mushroom festival to the anticlimactic finish line. Roll in at 8:12...Byron hands me my requested beer, coke and salt and vinegar chips. He was the hero of the day. Come to find out Sonya finished in around 7:30 and was 3rd overall. I was 9th. Our group of foreigners took 6 out of the top 10 places.<br />
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Overall, this event was a lot of fun. We had a kickass after party. My recovery was amazingly quick. After a cold soaking of the ankles and a little Ibuprofen, the ankles felt fine. Legs were barely sore and I was running again 3 days later. This experience definitely ruined my Chuncheon Marathon experience later in the month. I was disinterested in such a long run on the road, and quickly became bored. The mountains were so much more fun. With the scenery and varying terrain of the ultra, I was never bored in the race. I had packed an iPod to keep me company, but never turned it on. After a few months of living in Seoul, the quiet of nature was much more pleasant. I had been hiking and trail running quite a bit in Korea, but I've never been to a place quite like Yang Yang, where I went for miles without seeing a single person. <br />
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Was hoping to follow this up with more trail races and possibly an 80k in the spring. Unfortunately I'm typing this up with a broken foot 3 months later. Hoping this recovery goes well...not going to attempt an ultra in 2013, but hoping for a 50 miler in 2014.Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-76949850587453113062012-07-22T23:12:00.001-10:002012-07-22T23:12:05.658-10:00bad advertising<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
just a couple of advertisements i've seen in seoul. Suchehwa was found in a subway station.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjf9Kkb26vsMDEWTGIFFvKFldzm_idv9_SWQrC1Qi2w6sCKV7HJVNEV5PZDO03LnG9QW7Gn399IilunGDbMC8L_9K4Ntm0TdxBMYg6FIBkT2FW3qbiW4tsVFly8uoUc_dgcmB7jl9wQciF/s1600/677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjf9Kkb26vsMDEWTGIFFvKFldzm_idv9_SWQrC1Qi2w6sCKV7HJVNEV5PZDO03LnG9QW7Gn399IilunGDbMC8L_9K4Ntm0TdxBMYg6FIBkT2FW3qbiW4tsVFly8uoUc_dgcmB7jl9wQciF/s320/677.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>
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this condom machine was found in Yongsan Family Park. i don't think the condom is going to work if the couple are snuggling inside it. also good to know that if you're in the family park and have a sudden need for a condom, just check the men's room.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8abGmQ77Eis54fw9_zvXdLgRIJ7pCvDGPTmX7OXANV8l0hlvUbkhYfM0GgScuSescvQQLc-ueD9FWBOissfHtm3U6qtJx8BejpUi8UW6bUfULUPEDwrOHy-BKInGNEG01u_kqFG5GVIj/s1600/698.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiW8abGmQ77Eis54fw9_zvXdLgRIJ7pCvDGPTmX7OXANV8l0hlvUbkhYfM0GgScuSescvQQLc-ueD9FWBOissfHtm3U6qtJx8BejpUi8UW6bUfULUPEDwrOHy-BKInGNEG01u_kqFG5GVIj/s320/698.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-74416118754949286232012-07-14T22:41:00.000-10:002012-07-14T22:41:17.248-10:00back to Korea<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
been in Korea for 2 weeks now. although the city of Seoul has built up a lot in the past 11 years since i was last here, in a lot of ways it's still the same land of the not quite right.</div>
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not sure who buys this light. the boys were apprehensive to turn the switch.</div>
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some of the best street food in the world. this deep fried potato-encased hot dog on a stick is pure genius. praise be to the man who invented this, a truly enlightened man.<br />
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b-boy or breakdancing has become really popular. we went to the teddy bear museum which tells the history of korea with teddy bear re-enactors. the b-boy scene with headspinning bears was our favorite.<br />
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<br />Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-33419794025998730852012-05-30T15:32:00.003-10:002012-05-30T15:32:26.708-10:00chasing mr. broilerdiscovered <a href="http://www.strava.com/">Strava</a> recently. it's a website that takes your GPS tracks from workouts and allows you to compete against other similarly wired individuals along known courses or segments. users create the segment, so if you're not KOM (king of the mountain) on any published segments, you can create your own until you're a KOM somewhere.<br />
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one thing that's simultaneously good and bad with Strava is that it makes every ride a race. it's hard to ride through a known segment and not throw down to earn the KOM. i find myself occasionally rushing in a commute to earn a KOM or at least boot my standing.<br />
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there's a fellow by the name of mr. broiler that seems to be the local king of Strava. if you follow his rides, he appears to do a lot of short rides hitting all the known Strava segment in the area. <a href="http://app.strava.com/segments/652558">he's flying on the mount vernon trail</a>. have managed to come close a few times, but this bike path hero is moving way too fast for me. <br />
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he's one of the few on Strava that rides with a nom de guerre. i use my real name. not sure of the rationale for a name like broiler. is he into chickens? or is he riding so fast that he's broiling hot? no clue. all i know is that i have a week to catch the broiler man on a few of these rides.Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-5080614180332883342012-05-23T16:14:00.000-10:002012-05-23T16:14:28.543-10:00lessons learned commuting<br />
i've been commuting to work by bike for 6 years, although the first 3 hardly count, since i rode 1.5 miles to work...and for the next 2 years, i expect to ride 2-4 miles every day. that really doesn't count. at 11-13 miles each way, my DC commute is much more respectable.<br />
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i've commuted by bicycle for 3 years here in the DC area. although it's infinitely more enjoyable than the 4.5 years i spent driving across the wilson bridge during my last DC tour, it's not exactly stress free. there are plenty of challenges associated with bike commuting. i've done my best to mitigate those challenges, but you can only do so much, like today. rain and thunderstorms were predicted, so it was an iffy call on whether to take the bike or metro. decided to go with the bike. stayed dry in the morning. in the PM, went out for my commute home to find a flat tire. did a quick change and discovered a staple was the cause of the flat. put in a new tube quickly, pumped only to find that this tube was bad. crap. time for plan b...call for a ride. only ride to the neighborhood staying late, wouldn't work. jumped on the metro. massive downpour, so i guess the bad bike was a blessing. now what to do with the bike. for plenty of reasons, needed to get it home tonight. drive back up 395 to pick it up. since it rained, traffic sucked. get home at 8pm. oh well, in 3 years, this is the third day where i've had a flat. can't complain about that. <br />
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back to the title of the post, here are a few lessons i should remember for the next time i'm a regular bike commuter.<br />
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1) Never trust the weather forecast...if it's a 100% chance of rain and you don't ride, it won't rain. if it's a 20% chance of rain and you do ride, it will rain.<br />
<br />
2) If you see a rent-a-bike, give it a wide berth....i'm all for more people riding, and more people commuting. bBut, the rent-a-bikes like Capital Bikeshare and Bike and Roll are dangerous. Capital Bikeshare riders are usually helmetless hipsters strolling through town in their skilly jeans on their way to some hip new restaurant with a PBR discount. the only reason they're on a bikeshare is because someone hipper than them tweeted about it. Bike and Roll riders are gawking tourists that will stop abruptly to see a plane landing at National Airport or is trying to fine the turnoff Memorial Bridge<br />
<br />
3) Bike to Work Day is the most dangerous day of the year. bike paths are insanely crowded. even saw a penny farthing this year.<br />
<br />
4) Cyclists can be their own worst enemy. sometimes i think it's pointless to follow traffic laws. i'll be at a light waiting for it to change, and some jackass will pass me and ride through the light, nearly getting hit by a car in the process. cars honk horns, get pissed and take it out on me later.<br />
<br />
5) No matter how fast your ride, how many lights you run, the commute time will never vary by more than +/- 5 minutes from your average. seriously, almost every ride to and from work has been somewhere between 40 and 50 minutes. i may have busted my ass and gotten it under 40, but that's rare.<br />
<br />
6) During cold weather, comfort level (L) is a function of both clothing (C) and effort (E), where C x E =L, when B (freezing balls off) <l it's="" you="" (sweat="" 16="" <="" a="" achieve="" and="" are="" at="" b="" become="" best="" can="" cold,="" comfort.="" commute.="" commuter="" complete="" degrees="" effort="" flat="" in="" it's="" jedi="" l="" master="" of="" on="" p="" ride="" road="" s. <="" s="" slightly="" solid="" start="" the="" threshold),="" to="" when="" winter="" you=""></l><br />
<br />
7) You can never have a light too bright<br />
<br />
8) As soon as you commend yourself for having no flats, you'll have 2. pack appropriately.<br />
<br />
9) If you're not carrying any tubes, you'll flat. if you're carrying tubes you most likely will not, but if you do you will have n+1 flats, where n=number of tubes you're carrying.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-79618767623756824412012-02-08T16:15:00.002-10:002012-02-08T16:17:30.520-10:00granite countertops, really?just read this <a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/granite-why-every-homeowner-wants-a-piece-of-the-rock/2012/02/01/gIQANBN4uQ_story.html">fluff piece</a> in the washington post. it was on the front page. i expected better from the paper of record in our nation's capital. oh well, there are very few serious news outlets left. just partisan crap on TV and lifestyle pieces/advertisements such as this printed as news.<br /><br />called the post to cancel my subscription. they convinced me to stay by knocking 60% off my current rate.Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-46530649047875178982011-12-23T13:30:00.006-10:002011-12-23T13:47:06.355-10:00not your internet source for strap-onsa little bored this evening, so i decided to look at google analytics and see who has viewed this rarely updated blog in the past 3 months, and if they did look at it, how did they get here?<br /><br />most are looking for something called a "strap-on" , and think that a blog called strapsblog would be the definitive source for all things strap-on. unfortunately for would be strapper-onners, it is not. strap is a nickname i picked up back in '98. few people call me strap, but it's the only other handle i've ever had (so to speak).<br /><br />'garlic hangover' is the most popular single search term, however if i added up all the various permutations of strap-on, i know it would be beaten.<div><br />here are a few of my favorite search terms:<br />domestic strapon blog<br />christians view on dildos<br />awkward man hugs<br />peeing in a bottle in a car<div>mosterboobs.blogs strap on<br />are dildos ok for christians<br />i just opened a michelob ultra and it tastes like paint thinner<br /><br />and my personal favorite:<br />honolulu prostate ass strap<br /><br />yes, someone in hawaii is looking for something called a prostate ass strap. hope they found what they were looking for at another site.</div></div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-21783689587708337812011-12-23T08:30:00.001-10:002011-12-23T08:32:05.245-10:002005 Christmas LetterCleaning up a removable harddrive and found this Christmas letter we sent in 2005.<div><br /></div><div>---------------------</div><div><br /><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:22.5pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">We’re sitting here on a Saturday night, trying to determine our level of consciousness. After listening to Dr. Hawkins discuss the map of consciousness, we’re both eager to get calibrated. We’re in need of a verified teacher over 400.…do you know of any? How high would you calibrate a groundhog? I would say they calibrate fairly high on the scale of 1-1000...certainly over 200, the level of truth and integrity. They’re a dedicated lot that enjoy doing their ground hogging all day. Say what you will about the Japanese during WWII, but the Kamikaze pilots calibrated to around 390, due to the honor, integrity and love of country that drove them to their actions….same with the Luftwaffe, they calibrated somewhere in the 300s. Phoenix is certainly in the 400s…not quite to the level of enlightenment (600), but up there with a lot of the greats. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:22.5pt;tab-stops:4.5pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Well, that’s just some of the things we’ve learned lately….maybe a lot of info here, but here are some other tidbits of info you might find useful:<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:22.5pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">1) A lot of modern ailments are due to dehydration. Heart burn, for instance can be cured by drinking more water…sea salt is another good cure. The rule of thumb is that you should drink 1oz for every 2lbs of body weight…for example, if you weigh 200lbs, you should drink 100oz’s of water per day. For optimal health, mix ¼ teaspoon of sea salt into each quart of water. Make sure it’s sea salt, and not the table variety. Table salt has 3 minerals, whereas you get 50+ in sea salt.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:22.5pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">2) Americans have gotten so fat in recent years, so needles for giving injections in the buttocks are now made longer. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:22.5pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">3) The moment of our death is karma-cly determined when we are born. No matter what you do, you will die on this preset date. However, you have no way of knowing this date…well, I think if you reached the level of avatar (985), surely you could. This is all FACT…and is proven. You can check that out.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:22.5pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">4) You should strive to have 3 bowel movements per day. <o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left:22.5pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Hopefully some of this stuff has helped you in your quest for enlightenment…have you been calibrated lately? Unfortunately, our level of consciousness is determined at birth, Karma-cly I suppose, and we can only hope to vary by 5 points throughout our lifetime…so, what that means is that if you hope to attain enlightenment in this lifetime, you must’ve been born at 595 and hope for the full 5 point gain. I haven’t heard of many people (other than Jesus and Buddha) that were even in the 500s--Winston Churchill was a 510.<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--> <!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:22.5pt"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Merry Christmas,<o:p></o:p></span></p> <p class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent:22.5pt"><span style="font-size: 15px;"><br /></span></p> <!--EndFragment--></div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-84689206818312341962011-12-02T14:49:00.000-10:002011-12-02T14:50:19.856-10:00ruining the view for somebody<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCd4-jIp9mxyYyjgBvO9gz7cliixsU0hIN_uId-XilaAsVm2nGdU_t74PDlgiF-dkAMQ1dtT7oH0_Vb01co5JBZDn-KZy1rolPL1b5O-63OpDrQ1-5mLPylQ5WBL4LbieWt1727L8JGffP/s1600/P1050593.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCd4-jIp9mxyYyjgBvO9gz7cliixsU0hIN_uId-XilaAsVm2nGdU_t74PDlgiF-dkAMQ1dtT7oH0_Vb01co5JBZDn-KZy1rolPL1b5O-63OpDrQ1-5mLPylQ5WBL4LbieWt1727L8JGffP/s320/P1050593.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5681698021680992466" /></a>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-84699757542771874562011-09-22T13:16:00.004-10:002011-10-27T09:04:57.498-10:00SM100 2011it's been a few weeks since labor day, but i thought i'd write a bit about the SM100...mainly so that i'll have something to look back on in the winter that will aid my decision on whether to do the race in 2012. before and immediately after the race, i swore that i'd go out to stokesville, ride a bit and volunteer for the 2012 edition. a week later, i was talking to a guy i met while sonya was running a trail half marathon at douthat state park. he did the race as well, and i found myself talking about next year. <br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>last year: </div><br /><div>-got in some good training following pro Chris Eatough's training plan</div><br /><div>-had 4 or 5 good mountain rides before the race</div><br /><div>-weather was near perfect starting in the low 50s and not getting out of the 70s during the race</div><br /><div>-finished in just over 11 hours, even after drinking 4 Dogfish 90 minute IPAs the night before</div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>this year:</div><br /><div>-blew off nearly all my long training rides</div><br /><div>-most short rides were commutes, most trail rides were wakefield (easy urban singletrack)</div><br /><div>-it was hot and humid at the race</div><br /><div>-had 4 random beers the night before</div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>night before the race, camped with chris, jim and whit...all first timers. after a short 2 hour ride, and after looking at the weather forecast i was dreading the race. went ahead and enjoyed some of the great brews provided by the race sponsors, sat around and bullshat until about 10pm. got a little sleep, since some jackasses nearby decided to talk all night.</div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>got through the pre-race routine. brought my own breakfast and toilet paper (lesson learned from last year), lined up feeling good.</div><br /><div><br /></div><br /><div>good pace up the first climb. first singletrack section was a logjam as usual. it's not that hard to ride, but is almost unrideable with that many people trying to make it through. back out on the road, got in a good paceline up until the lynn trail section. was unable to ride last year due to the fact that it's 1) steep, rooty and a downright difficult climb and 2) there were so many people walking. maybe i could ride it if there was noone in front of me, but that wasn't the case. pushed up most the way. descent down the wolf trail was kickass, good flow, awesome. something clicked this year and i wasn't getting passed on the descents. in fact, passed a lot of people going downhill. saw a dude break a collarbone, also as i told a guy i was going by on his left, i heard a whimpering "okay, go." hammered down the lower section, nice twisty smooth singletrack. got with another group for the long road ride to aid station #2...refilled the camelback (first sign that it was a hot one) and got back moving--a short NASCAR style pit. ran into adventure race buddy Hayne on the road, chatted a bit, made the turn to start the Hanky climb and slipped on a patch of mud next to the gate. fell, and immediately cramped getting back up. at mile 33 of a 100miler this wasn't good, especially since i had a 7 mile steeper than shit climb to make it up. shook off the cramp and started the slog to the top. eventually rejoined Hayne, passed him since he was on a singlespeed and was quickly out of gearing. sweat a gallon by the time i made it to the top. began the descent...tricky at the top, lots of people walking. with my newfound descending confidence, decided to ride. ended up catching another dude trying to descend, blindly followed his wheel as we jumped down 2-3 foot rock ledges. heard some folks cheering "yeah, you made it" and noticed there was a medic station at the bottom of the ledge section. the payoff for making it through that section is about 4-5 miles of some of the best downhill riding in VA. flew down to AS3, reloaded the Camelback yet again, and began the Braley loop...this loop was my nemesis last year, as i walked a lot of the climb. uphill rock gardens suck. prerode it a couple weeks prior and was able to ride it, but i did it with fresh legs. no such luck on race day. still managing cramps, tried to bridge up to a teammate i saw on the road section so that i'd have someone to ride with on the loop...no luck. hit the singletrack and noticed it was super muggy in that area, trails were wet, rooty, much messier than 2 weeks prior. someone ahead of me slipped and got off her bike, but i was unable to react and ended up hitting her rear wheel, had to put a foot down...caused a cramp. that began a period of hike-a-bike/ride that i continued until the top of the climb. it was hot, muggy and there were lots of folks sitting and resting next to the trail. seemed like it took forever to get to the top. started my descent and slipped in the first rock garden. got back up and continued downhill. heard some rattling and the bike felt unstable. looked down at my rear shock and noticed an unusual amount of bouncing. thought for sure i had a broken shock. was somewhat relieved...thought that the mechanical incident would be a good excuse to DNF. got to the bottom of the hill, asked for a mechanic. told him for sure my shock was broken. he got on, jumped around. said it was fine. i asked him to check again. it was a crazy rattle. discovered it was a CO2 cartridge rattling around in my now broken seat bag. felt like a dumbass, but told him it felt unstable. come to find out, my front wheel skewer had become loose. that could've been ugly. was relieved for it to be fixed, not relieved to ride on. took off out of AS4 and a dude rolls up to me, asks how he should bail out of the race. i give him directions back to the Stokesville campground. we talk for a bit. the heat was getting him, as it was me. thought about joining him. we pacelined for a bit, i see the turnoff...just 4 miles back to base camp, or 35 more miles of mainly climbing. fought the urge to quit, continued to roll up the hill slowly. hit the switchback to start the deathclimb and saw a 10 year old kid. a few minutes later, he rolls up next to me and says this is a tough climb. i try to hang, he drops me as it gets steeper. eventually make it to the aid station. talk to some teammates who look like they're also in bad shape. ate some pizza, pushed on. climbed through the 17 meadow mind-fuck. elated to be at the top, the highest point of the race. took a celebratory piss and ate a cliff bar. begin the descent, which sucks, as there are a lot of steep climbs that were unrideable for me at this point. finally get to the nice flowy descent, start to bomb it. heard a loud gunshot, feel something graze my ear. thought for sure i was being shot at. immediate instinct to pedal harder. looked down...oh shit, flat...it was my tube exploded. tire looked shredded. pissed, thought this was going to be the DNF. luckily the tire remained intact. pissed to have to fix a flat. couldn't get much pressure in the tire, nursed it down to the aid station. loaded up on air to begin the last 12 miles. incorrectly remembered it to be a short climb and a fun descent...climb seemed to take forever. eventually crossed the line in just over 12 hours. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>the look on this <a href="http://www.bobs-photogallery.com/MountainBikeRaces/2011-Shenandoah-Mountain-100/18768320_KKgwxw#1474782338_ZmNsx9L-A-LB">picture </a>tells you what kind of day i had. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div>so, jury's still out on next year. </div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-23867000227792819212011-07-03T05:50:00.004-10:002011-07-03T06:09:23.807-10:00redemptionit's been 2 years since my last <a href="http://strapsblog.blogspot.com/2009/06/tour-de-big-island.html">good placing in a bike race</a><div><br /></div><div>last year, <a href="http://strapsblog.blogspot.com/2010/06/12hrs-of-cranky-monkey.html">coulda, shoulda, woulda</a> taken 2nd or 3rd.</div><div><br /></div><div>much better weather this year, and i had a better strategy....keep the bike moving.</div><div><br /></div><div>last year, the nutrition plan was good. showed up with the same stuff. </div><div><br /></div><div>started out much stronger, throwing down 58 minute laps for the first 2. i passed a couple guys in my category. checked the standings this time, noticed i was in a strong 2nd place. didn't take a break until after 3 laps when i saw sonya and the boys near the pit area. they told me that ants had invaded my cooler. i was down to only 1 peanut butter and nutella sandwich to get me through the race. i salvaged a sandwich, shoved it in my face and took off for 2 more laps. cramps set in during lap 5. took a short pit. at that point i mentally checked out of the race. only thing that kept me going was the standings. top 3 guys within a 15 minute spread. shoved some chips in my mouth, ate an ant-infested pb & nutella and headed back out barely clinging onto 2nd. pit again after lap 6. saw i was in 3rd...dude must've passed me while i was pitting. was now walking more climbs. sonya was back at the pit area after lap 8 with a caramel frappucino and a sandwich i requested. frappucino was the perfect blend of sweet, cold and caffeine....my new goto endurance drink. sandwich made me want to puke. almost quit. sonya asked what i'd win, and i admitted that i was destroying my body for a pint glass and a $30 gift certificate. at this point, i was in a solid 3rd, but i knew the 4th place guy would have a chance at going out for a 9th lap. if i rode at a consistent pace, i could start my 10th lap before the 7pm cutoff and go for the win. lap 8 was a slog, and i knew that lap 9 couldn't be much better and 10 would be painful. so, i went out a littler slower than usual, knowing i wouldn't be caught by #4, but fighting the temptation to score a glass with a #1 or #2 on it. came across the line at 7:04 pm with 9 laps, just missing the cutoff. one guy did 10, so i coulda pushed it a little harder and done a 10th lap for 2nd...but beer and pizza was calling my name.</div><div><br /></div><div>haven't touched a bike in over a week, the longest riding drought in a couple of years. that one completely destroyed my body. now that i proved something to myself...mainly that i'm crazy enough to turn my body<a href="http://swimbikerunphoto.zenfolio.com/12_hours_cranky_monkey_2011/h217b25f9#h217b25f9"> inside out for another pint glass</a>...i can go back to riding on relay teams.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-37235448957350412162011-04-08T14:12:00.001-10:002011-04-08T14:14:14.527-10:00It was a great season for denim.<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQ6-S79n-q-dW2sRLietC15QGauzfdy6Zds-TKF4XhKB4MRSEzGLXIsTX4tY4W-ioqt7rDZ8JzXiPsrERdgQtk01uTFgg9o6qmbagtj3FjU3qM52lN-1A18eMhjlZ-3hFIyI8j1aJMDco/s1600/P1040851.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 180px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijQ6-S79n-q-dW2sRLietC15QGauzfdy6Zds-TKF4XhKB4MRSEzGLXIsTX4tY4W-ioqt7rDZ8JzXiPsrERdgQtk01uTFgg9o6qmbagtj3FjU3qM52lN-1A18eMhjlZ-3hFIyI8j1aJMDco/s320/P1040851.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593370295277367778" /></a>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-46938032768685315512011-04-08T14:11:00.000-10:002011-04-08T14:12:00.646-10:00This is as nerdy as we get<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxVlp8lkCspFeEbxxnKpCDsiwyZK0IgXRIBXeb7VXbu1-x2uBDWEydjycYBt0K6fARIfPpJk8w1PVa2ZSHQ4GZdw0trO-dUOmZz659Q-i9zfeg_jjntctEN43QyAqJSUy6ftMtk2QJC0M/s1600/P1040833.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPxVlp8lkCspFeEbxxnKpCDsiwyZK0IgXRIBXeb7VXbu1-x2uBDWEydjycYBt0K6fARIfPpJk8w1PVa2ZSHQ4GZdw0trO-dUOmZz659Q-i9zfeg_jjntctEN43QyAqJSUy6ftMtk2QJC0M/s320/P1040833.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593369847827371682" /></a>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-4970798836955050662011-04-08T14:05:00.002-10:002011-04-08T14:10:33.042-10:00Mud<div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TtVVtpg1yK8zDygPrGMHxrT97X1DjmF1AX4nzgtYjIcrE6SLEhbl_0YOIqCfZdjqINnyWmcd2Y60xYzu5qLJyo9xO4aMgZhCrKWWmaKqUFA2QZP6JpJ8nGDppQveuy8SaFzmgMhzsmcT/s1600/IMG_1083.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4TtVVtpg1yK8zDygPrGMHxrT97X1DjmF1AX4nzgtYjIcrE6SLEhbl_0YOIqCfZdjqINnyWmcd2Y60xYzu5qLJyo9xO4aMgZhCrKWWmaKqUFA2QZP6JpJ8nGDppQveuy8SaFzmgMhzsmcT/s320/IMG_1083.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593368365790321026" /></a><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><div style="text-align: left;">2011 has gotten off to a muddy start. I've participated in 2 trail races...both of those runs were in less than optimal conditions. Downpours for the first made the hills and rock gardens treacherous and painful. The 2nd race there was a freak late March snow event...an inch or so of snow, muddy trails and slick wooden bridges. Tomorrow is the first mountain bike race...rain all day today. 13 hours on the trails...time to embrace the mud.</div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-12734678878350560632011-02-13T13:22:00.000-10:002011-02-13T13:24:01.614-10:00RIP Bootsy II<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFFUNkee8ygOPQOKIjfG14HDDhwDtpbjp0NSCc1Z7SxRwoZKAs-nnYQW4I6BOfnhsali4ubXsRDIvFYdEX81ouZkjbJ8-aRg4_5AdIjr6Hi5cA3HdTiH4ApT7a6aFH8BouSy631ucYMGY/s1600/IMG_1032.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpFFUNkee8ygOPQOKIjfG14HDDhwDtpbjp0NSCc1Z7SxRwoZKAs-nnYQW4I6BOfnhsali4ubXsRDIvFYdEX81ouZkjbJ8-aRg4_5AdIjr6Hi5cA3HdTiH4ApT7a6aFH8BouSy631ucYMGY/s320/IMG_1032.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573318858753093714" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0xaQhIuMWjkAnHuiE2e1W64dDMu7GJ7i8I9zUqqciW2sCjD5XNv7E1eyv46HnFdFVImFUq3THl2VPH6zVW5MS5DaaJmHOH6ETI-Ahvk3KphVI3Y5exbLeEccWOmSv2RC4sub7TKItP9n/s1600/IMG_1033.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh0xaQhIuMWjkAnHuiE2e1W64dDMu7GJ7i8I9zUqqciW2sCjD5XNv7E1eyv46HnFdFVImFUq3THl2VPH6zVW5MS5DaaJmHOH6ETI-Ahvk3KphVI3Y5exbLeEccWOmSv2RC4sub7TKItP9n/s320/IMG_1033.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573318853938377442" /></a><br />no more gray rats named bootsy.Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-87912407342638783262011-02-13T13:18:00.002-10:002011-02-13T13:22:19.807-10:00washington monument<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EfRsQjyL_ecnUyVzQUEYzbXy274L7FPgvmtHJlnwcIg0Xs54OzByroBKAYeWUQaZuWWeLRMap2ThvJk5-h3KO4vq-5mkobbIfatxN-jlHO8G7XEBA5_2hMj2fY_uIJLPmHlRI0VoMY_8/s1600/P1040523.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4EfRsQjyL_ecnUyVzQUEYzbXy274L7FPgvmtHJlnwcIg0Xs54OzByroBKAYeWUQaZuWWeLRMap2ThvJk5-h3KO4vq-5mkobbIfatxN-jlHO8G7XEBA5_2hMj2fY_uIJLPmHlRI0VoMY_8/s320/P1040523.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573317813876720450" /></a>finally made it to the top...picked the coldest and windiest day of the year. we bundled up and fought the crowd of anti-abortioners for our few minutes on top<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqdEkDOiwW0sXOlW1Dws_nDsqPyUkVXreYXPh-3ECCTOMX-x3DhDcxJtzVzRZ7s3qtPCIOVosiKFYMxrPn1k2uw9f8mMTjoa3hNKFZbDmTSgb51mrX0S-q26JEujKnTpPOlHVXiYCZKmX/s1600/P1040536.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqdEkDOiwW0sXOlW1Dws_nDsqPyUkVXreYXPh-3ECCTOMX-x3DhDcxJtzVzRZ7s3qtPCIOVosiKFYMxrPn1k2uw9f8mMTjoa3hNKFZbDmTSgb51mrX0S-q26JEujKnTpPOlHVXiYCZKmX/s320/P1040536.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573318392843964818" /></a><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6anR7R2u7LxQxnzzoW53YqG9wQkTKtNjg2rk1qZGJ6r6YL95KrwdefsiZ2TU8mPRQGDfyC3BupbplNkcTdBvVdVgB5MDEX8Gc1a4fRG7gfb8SPTmjUB3I5Qn0CcHryZl8Z6LENoqSyhx2/s1600/P1040534.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6anR7R2u7LxQxnzzoW53YqG9wQkTKtNjg2rk1qZGJ6r6YL95KrwdefsiZ2TU8mPRQGDfyC3BupbplNkcTdBvVdVgB5MDEX8Gc1a4fRG7gfb8SPTmjUB3I5Qn0CcHryZl8Z6LENoqSyhx2/s320/P1040534.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5573318386282807106" /></a>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-68832298214715479952011-01-02T15:44:00.002-10:002011-01-02T15:53:59.521-10:00Top 25 Beers of 2010From my ratebeer.com account:<div><br /></div><div>1. Stone Sublimely Self Righteous<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.8</div><div>2 Oskar Blues Ten FIDY<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.7</div><div>3. Ommegang Abbey Ale<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.7</div><div>4. Dogfish Head Squall IPA<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.6</div><div>5. Dogfish Head Burton Baton<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.6</div><div>6. Victory Storm King Imperial Stout<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.5</div><div>7. Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Wild Ale<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.5</div><div>8. Oskar Blues Gubna Imperial IPA<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.5</div><div>9. Uerige Doppel Sticke<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.5</div><div>10. Oskar Blues Old Chub<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.5</div><div>11. Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout 4.4</div><div>12. Gulden Draak<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.4</div><div>13. Allagash Black<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.4</div><div>14. Troegs Mad Elf Holiday Ale<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.4</div><div>15. Stone Double Bastard Ale<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.3</div><div>16. Dogfish Head 120 Miute IPA<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.3</div><div>17. Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.3</div><div>18. Terrapin Hopsecutioner IPA<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.3</div><div>19. Southern Tier Harvest Ale<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.3</div><div>20. Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.2</div><div>21. Dogfish Head Bitches Brew<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.2</div><div>22. Allagash Tripel Reserve<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.2</div><div>23. Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop Ale<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.2</div><div>24. Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.2</div><div>25. Dogfish Head Theobroma<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span>4.2</div><div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;font-size:12px;"><table width="100%" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" border="0"><tbody><tr class="dataTableRow" nowrap="" style="background-color: rgb(247, 247, 247); "><td class="beerfoot" valign="top" face="Arial, sans-serif" size="11px" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); line-height: 1.5; "><br /></td><td class="beerfoot" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br /></td><td class="beerfoot" nowrap="" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "></td><td class="beerfoot" nowrap="" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br /></td><td class="beerfoot" align="center" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br /></td><td class="beerfoot" align="center" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br /></td><td class="beerfoot" align="right" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br /></td></tr><tr class="dataTableRowAlternate" nowrap="" style="background-color: rgb(240, 240, 240); "><td class="beerfoot" valign="top" face="Arial, sans-serif" size="11px" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); line-height: 1.5; "><br /></td><td class="beerfoot" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;color:#333333;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: -webkit-xxx-large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Arial, sans-serif;font-size:100%;color:#505050;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11px;"><br /></span></span></span></span></td><td class="beerfoot" nowrap="" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br /></td><td class="beerfoot" nowrap="" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br /></td><td class="beerfoot" align="center" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br /></td><td class="beerfoot" align="center" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br /></td><td class="beerfoot" align="right" style="color: rgb(80, 80, 80); font-size: 11px; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; "><br /></td></tr></tbody></table></span></div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-7062996873299975992010-12-18T13:33:00.002-10:002010-12-18T13:45:22.935-10:00Snowcommute<div>Thursday was the first snow ride of the season. Began my commute as the snow started.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZBeZOcdfXqe1DNV6NBBsaxy7S7wBCocoX6jjCQOZdSEU9VQBcLXdeawGJ5gi2ClVSoyQbXESukE-ZJTCc1-1hsYH_W6T6PN1ReuqeX7GqUWayXnjsKIof4FgobnlclTeYFS5M1wt43bO/s1600/IMG_1001.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZBeZOcdfXqe1DNV6NBBsaxy7S7wBCocoX6jjCQOZdSEU9VQBcLXdeawGJ5gi2ClVSoyQbXESukE-ZJTCc1-1hsYH_W6T6PN1ReuqeX7GqUWayXnjsKIof4FgobnlclTeYFS5M1wt43bO/s320/IMG_1001.JPG" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552171425701547330" /></a><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color:#0000EE;"><u><br /></u></span></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWZBeZOcdfXqe1DNV6NBBsaxy7S7wBCocoX6jjCQOZdSEU9VQBcLXdeawGJ5gi2ClVSoyQbXESukE-ZJTCc1-1hsYH_W6T6PN1ReuqeX7GqUWayXnjsKIof4FgobnlclTeYFS5M1wt43bO/s1600/IMG_1001.JPG"></a><br /><br />Visibility was low on the way in. Should see the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial in this shot.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUWkdAhild_Kw7pXQ7zImU9FxDcENlu7rsK4Kja1MXZPkcr1BPqAmFtsMRuJmqzhj1iY8-HSgDC_Nzr5UJkSqd129rx4YFpBVaumwPfXHbQ-Z_PTeKIL3pG78-GFjadp1P9EUcq3xjCdm/s1600/IMG_1003.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJUWkdAhild_Kw7pXQ7zImU9FxDcENlu7rsK4Kja1MXZPkcr1BPqAmFtsMRuJmqzhj1iY8-HSgDC_Nzr5UJkSqd129rx4YFpBVaumwPfXHbQ-Z_PTeKIL3pG78-GFjadp1P9EUcq3xjCdm/s320/IMG_1003.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552171421274063234" /></a><br /><br />Got to ride through a couple inches of fresh powder on the way home.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJWceS75LytXah4DvzZ3xSc7ggia1T4gXZgFOByYujMhqCZNSK6vFGBEUt5KROZR8AuDYCFZMSmaYV-D6Y4VMCcmdOUl20H_mQH0VTYDCDbC5OFVCgVV5_3vqWIEg4VGD1BlDYupwELQD/s1600/IMG_1002.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaJWceS75LytXah4DvzZ3xSc7ggia1T4gXZgFOByYujMhqCZNSK6vFGBEUt5KROZR8AuDYCFZMSmaYV-D6Y4VMCcmdOUl20H_mQH0VTYDCDbC5OFVCgVV5_3vqWIEg4VGD1BlDYupwELQD/s320/IMG_1002.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552171416626882194" /></a><br /></div><br />Stayed warm, but earned a eyebrowcicles on both rides.Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-62653270454370976212010-12-15T16:27:00.002-10:002010-12-15T16:33:05.108-10:00Protect Your Junksunday it rained, a lot. sunday night was cold and it froze.<div><br /></div><div>debated riding on monday. bug got up and my sidewalk was dry, and it didn't feel too cold...was probably 33 or so. knowing it was going to be cold later in the week, i opted for a pair of knickers better suited for fall weather. i thought i'd save the big heavyweight pants for later in the week. for good measure, i through on some knee warmers and packed a spare jacket.</div><div><br /></div><div>sometime during the day it got cold...and windy.</div><div><br /></div><div>added the extra jacket on the way home, but had to go with the same knickers.</div><div><br /></div><div>the wind was rough. nearly thrown off the bike a couple of times in traffic. scary.</div><div><br /></div><div>made it home. noticed junk was cold. started to put away my gear. junk started to hurt. fell to ground. had to thaw the junk.</div><div><br /></div><div>the boys grabbed a snuggie and threw it over me for warmth.</div><div><br /></div><div>scary event. tuesday was windy and colder. took the metro.</div><div><br /></div><div>back in the saddle today. it was 19F but not windy. i doubled up...winter tights and windstopper running pants. gotta protect the junk.</div><div><br /></div><div><br /></div>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6280553441574470240.post-12557829668893151012010-11-25T15:09:00.002-10:002010-11-25T15:22:30.480-10:00Turkey Trot<div>We signed up to race the So Others Might Eat Trot For Hunger 5k this morning. When signing up, I thought we'd be fair weather racers. The boys have never done a 5k, and the weather was iffy. I considered our registration fee a donation to a good charity (which it was), so wouldn't be broken hearted with a DNS.</div><div><br /></div><div>Last night we had friends over to dinner...got to bed around midnight, and knew the forecast was for rain and 45 degree temps. We'd decided to take the DNS, and feel good about our donation while we slept in, and woke up to a nice breakfast.</div><div><br /></div><div>Carter woke up at 7:45 and asked when we were leaving for the race...the race that started at 8:30. We told him we were going to cancel it. He wasn't going to accept the DNS, as he told his teacher that he was going to run on Thanksgiving, so we better run. That's when the race began.</div><div><br /></div><div>Sonya whipped together breakfast for the road, the boys got dressed. I jumped off the toilet and rushed them to the car. We were on the road by 7:50. I flew up 395, while Sonya and the boys finished dressing in the car. I dropped them off on Independence Avenue at 8:15 and began the search for parking. My fail-safe parking choice of the Tidal Basin Boathouse lot was full with racers...made a few illegal left turns and parked in front of the Smithsonian at 8:20. Had 10 minutes to run the mile to the start. Made it to the start line at 8:27, pinned my number with 3 minutes to spare.</div><div><br /></div><div>Carter and I ran together. We did a run-walk combo, where we ran about half the time...2 minute, 1 minute, 30 second, lightpost to lightpost intervals. Sonya and Jack were a few minutes behind. Both boys finished their first 5k. I told Carter that I was 21 the first time I pinned a number on my chest and ran, and he and Jack were doing it at 6 and 4...he felt pretty good about himself, especially after we finished and he saw a few bigger kids running across the line.</div><div><br /></div><div>It was a fun race...proud of everyone, especially for the race to the start. We set a new PR for getting out of the house and making it into DC.</div><div><br /></div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQp8wUlsY8GB5SGzDp-XqhBLJxtfMEGTEFX2j_P81Q1hifgWKSBaLNHTZBgZXXTwj3nKe1y9CdeI-jA8kDOc3HP-Tk0Jvex5OLYv6JzPtmztB0PAPLr4UcQDG6z7HzDQunQzcfhqwLy_Md/s1600/IMG_1006.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQp8wUlsY8GB5SGzDp-XqhBLJxtfMEGTEFX2j_P81Q1hifgWKSBaLNHTZBgZXXTwj3nKe1y9CdeI-jA8kDOc3HP-Tk0Jvex5OLYv6JzPtmztB0PAPLr4UcQDG6z7HzDQunQzcfhqwLy_Md/s320/IMG_1006.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5543659836555934866" /></a>Straphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08564385817041177359noreply@blogger.com0