Another year.

New Year's Eve 2008. It's been another year already...why didn't anyone ever tell me that the older you get, the faster the years seem to click by. I had a great holiday here in WI with my mother and my sister. It's great to get the family together and I'm thankful that we were all able to do it.

I spent the entire day today giving lessons. The hill was packed with families and it never fails to make me smile when I see some 3 year old rippin'. I'm stoked for next winter as the daughter will be old enough for her first set of skis. She already is getting a love of the outdoors from her dad and I cant wait to see her on a bike and on the slopes.

Happy New Year everyone and may the promise of a new year bring you everything that you seek.

Good friends and good snow.

Wow, what a great past couple of days. I spent the most part of the past two days on the slopes. We got some "freshies" today and no one was schussing the east side. I had a friend come up from Madison and we had a blast. If it was ski-able and wasn't roped off, we skied it. Fresh pow is the best...I almost forgot I was in the midwest for a moment or two.

...this sounds like a draft for a beer commercial.

I'll probably need a gaitor...

Skills.

Out for a walk.

It was a beautiful day here in Wisconsin. The daughter and I, got to get out and enjoy some fresh air. I loaded her up in the Kelty and away we went. Snow was only about 5 inches deep, so I decided to just hike it instead of strapping on snowshoes. I'm going to xc ski on this route tomorrow and see what lies on the other side of the river. It would be nice to blaze about a mile loop to help with the off-season training and xc skiing is one of those total body activities. I'm working at the hill all weekend, so tomorrow will be my only opportunity to give it a go.

Sunny winter day

The daughter and I are going to head out and do some snowshoeing. It's turned into a real nice day with bright blue skies and lots of sun. Hopefully we'll run across an animal or two as this makes her point and let out a curious "s'at?"

Winter Storm Warning

The first big storm of the season is on its way.




Forecast
Snow conditions

Holiday cheer.

Saw this on CNBC and it made me laugh.

Being sick sucks...

No bueno today...up all night with the pukes and the poops.

Skiing in the Midwest

So there I was, riding a lift at another one of Wisconsin's finest. I always remember the first lift ride of the season. Partly because you don't want to be that guy that falls getting off the lift and mostly because it only takes a moment or two to get that sudden rush of, "wow...I love to ski!"

There were 10 open runs, and 2 open lifts. All of the 15" inch base was man made but it was 100% skiing bliss. Sure I'd rather be in Steamboat drowning in powder or knocking back a beer at Eric's in Breckenridge, but for the time being life has me here and I might as well make the best of it. Here's to the start of a great season. Slainte!

Common Sense

Todays bikesnobnyc say's it all.

http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/2008/12/partys-over-derailed-by-economy.html

Bonk-a-thon

I did a group ride with the club yesterday and got hammered. I mean tongue dragging the ground, I wanted to cry hammered. I wasn't expecting the pace to be well, normal. I was expecting a couple of hours with the boys, shooting the shit, and maybe talking some smack about next season. WRONG. Instead of eating correctly and being properly hydrated (beer has water in it right?) I've been eating crap for a week and maybe had one bottle of water in the past 2 weeks. I was a hurtin' unit. Looks like it's training season...

Lance on Twitter

from twitter today: lancearmstrong- Yet another anti-doping control. This is the 7th one. Here at the house in France. about 2 hours ago from TwitterBerry


He's been back for 3 months and looks like he's already Mr. Popularity. I'm gonna see if I can find another PRO and see how many test's they've had in the same period.

Group ride on Friday!

Thank God. I'm actually going to have the time to ride outside this week. The trainer is getting fucking boring already...and it's not even December yet. Anyway, it's gonna be a nice balmy day here in Wisconsin, high is projected to be in the thirties and as long as the sun remebers to shine, the Rib Mountain Flyers will be rolling.

Will my tongue stick to the top tube?

This is supposed to be the high today. The wind is blowing at around 15 mph, bringing the windchill to -5. Looks like I'll be riding indoors today.

you can hug dznuts

I'd been wanting to try this for some time now and was always taken back by the price...$25. What's even more strange is that if you order it from the DZ site, they charge you $8 for shipping. I thought maybe that the shipping charge included Dave actually delivering it to my house, but my email was never replied to. Oh well. Luckily, the good folks at Chainwheel had it for $20 and since I was physically standing in the store shipping was zero (and as a side note, they hooked me up with a great shipping box so I could get my beloved home safely).

I've used the Assos cream in the past and I've also used the Performance "El cheapo" stuff. Cost wise, obviously Performance is going to be ahead at about $13 for 6 oz ( $2.17 an oz). Assos is gonna be next at $22 for 4.74 oz ( $4.64 an oz) and then DZ at $20 for 4 oz ($5 an oz!). For comparison sake, an oz of Silver traded today for $9.09.

Rubbing them between your thumb and pointer you know immediately that the Assos and DZ is superior to the performance brand. The performance cream dissipates quickly, almost like hand lotion gets rubbed into the skin. The Assos and DZ holds up much longer and provides a gentle glide on the skin, where the performance starts to slip and then stick (no bueno). One thing that stands out about the DZ right outta the tube is the smell. Whereas Assos is slightly medicinal, dz is slightly nightmare hippie girl. Not in the unwashed ass hippie way, but the herbal/incense hippie way. DZ has tea tree oil in it and some sandal wood. Two popular smells that the un-bathed like to dose themselves in (why not just take a fuckin shower?). It's also the tea tree oil that gives "the goods" a little "HELLO!" when you apply it. Applying the Performance you don't feel much, the Assos a little zesty, but the DZ gives you a little pucker factor for a moment or two.
The ride quality is a dead tie between the Assos and the DZ. The Performance is the stuff you let the "friend that always forgets something on the group ride" use. The Assos and DZ is up for the long haul and the Performance will get you a beer from the FTAFSOTGR (maybe). All three wash out of chamois quite well (machine...I ain't handwashin' shit) and wash off easily in the shower. Obviously you'll find all three of these in my quiver right now, but I'm going to call the winner Assos. Strictly because for the first time in cycling history, somebody makes a product that is more expensive than there's. If I could find the DZ cheaper or maybe get a PRO deal on some ( Yo, hit me back Dave!) then I'd be all over it, but until I do...it's Assos for my ass.

http://www.assos.com/
http://www.dz-nuts.com
http://www.performancebike.com/

...and everyone thought I was a dork.

It's official. This guy is more of a paste-eater than I am.