Ridiculously good

No, not the latest creation from Shenandoah Joe's bakery. But the sensations in my legs, lungs, and body when I ride a bike.
I mean, really. I have no idea where it came from. My only guess is the Lay's Potato Chips. Classic flavor, of course. Only the best for my long-femured little gams.
I trained maybe 10 times in the past 4 weeks. I ate indulgent "on the road" food in my recent trips. I am exhausted beyond the point of exhaustion and back around again.
Yet I feel ridiculously good when I ride a bike.
Have I elevated my heart rate above Zone 4? No. But have I effortlessly spun up hills that for the past 2 years have left me s-c-r-e-w-e-d? Yes.
What gives?
El Gato, in his infinite wisdom (no sarcasm: homeboy earned this knowlege!) believes that it's because I'm in a good place mentally. I love school (until I have to analyze ROE for 6 different businesses in one night plus do two other cases). I had the break I needed from racing (I showed my license 3 times in 2008). That I'm finally under 125 for the first time in a year and a half. That I am old (read: over 30) and entering my endurance athlete prime as a woman.
I'll take that.
Not sure what I'll do with this ridiculous "feeling" (because it sure ain't fitness). But I'll take it nonetheless.
Next post: My take on the swimming pool at the Beijing Olympics .
You.
Have.
Got.
To.
Be.
Kidding.
Me.

What I did this summer...Installment 1 of many

No, Larry Brown Mr. Super Bowl MVP; I have not played football before.Can't you tell?

I had no idea what I was doing. But I tried to make it look good.

(photos courtesy of Frito Lay: they are not for you to download with impunity)

Back in The 'Ville

I missed my little condo. I even had it cleaned beforehand so that when I arrived, haggard and smelly on Sunday night; it maintained the quaint tidiness of my summer reminiscing.
I will post a substantive account of my journey (including a dog vomiting on me, being leered at by 38 tattooed goons in one day, and changing my entire outfit while on cruise control)...but until then you must read the words of my hero, Barbara Kingsolver:
"For most people everywhere, surely, food anchors holiday traditions. I probably spent some years denying the good in that, mostly subconsciously - devoutly refusing the Thanksgiving pie, accepting the stigma my culture has attached to celebrating food, especially for women my age. Because of the inscriptions written on our bodies by the children we've borne, the slowing of metabolisms and inevitable shape-shifting, we are supposed to pretend if we are strong-willed food is not all that important. Eat now and pay later, we're warned. Stand on the scale, roll your eyes, and on New Year's day resolve to become a moral person again.
But most of America's excess pounds were not gained on national holidays. After a certain age we can't make a habit of pie, certainly, but it's a soul-killing dogma that says we have to snub it even on Thanksgiving. Good people eat. So do bad people, skinny people, fat people, tall and short ones. Heaven help us, we will never master photosynthesis. Planning complex, beautiful meals and investing one's heart and time in their preparation is the opposite of self-indulgence. Kitchen-based family gatherings are process-oriented, cooperative, and in the best of worlds, nourishing and soulful. A lot of calories get used up before anyone sits down to consume. but more importantly, a lot of talk happens first, news exchanged, secrets revealed across generations, paths cleared with a touch on the arm. I have given and received some of my life's most important hugs with those big oven-mitt potholders on both hands."
Can I get an Amen?!

Transition Towns

I'm starting one! Population: 2.
Thanks to my colleague Jamin Hemenway who clued me in:
What is a Transition Town (or village / city / forest / island)?
A Transition Initiative is a community working together to look Peak Oil and Climate Change squarely in the eye and address this BIG question:
-"for all those aspects of life that this community needs in order to sustain itself and thrive, how do we significantly increase resilience (to mitigate the effects of Peak Oil) and drastically reduce carbon emissions (to mitigate the effects of Climate Change)?"
The resulting coordinated range of projects across all these areas of life leads to a collectively designed energy descent pathway.
The community also recognises two crucial points:
-that we used immense amounts of creativity, ingenuity and adaptability on the way up the energy upslope, and that there's no reason for us not to do the same on the downslope
-if we collectively plan and act early enough there's every likelihood that we can create a way of living that's significantly more connected, more vibrant and more in touch with our environment than the oil-addicted treadmill that we find ourselves on today.

Womens' Gymnastics: not a fan

For so many reasons. Mainly because of the annoying commentary of the sportscasters. Every other minute it's like "Nope. 1/10th of a point off for that", then, 2 seconds later "wow, she is really falling apart".
WTF? I find it ridiculous that they pick these girls apart so much. I guess that's what you get in subjective sports; a type of which I've never tried. There were always clear winners in my sports. Don't fault me for my technique if I best you in a field sprint. I still beat your ass.
The American girls also seem to be rather whiny. Or maybe it's just that though they are 4'10", every one of them could crush my skull. Then again, maybe it's just that their ponytails are pulled so tight.
PS: THERE IS NO WAY some of the Chinese girl (emphasis on "girl") gymnasts are 16. No freakin way.

Sweetie du Jour

Mr. Justin Spring on the inspiring US Gymnastics team rocks. Did you check out the high bar and parallel bar routines? Damn!

He also looks a bit like a kind Minnesota boy named Adam.

(Maybe it's just the red hair)

Congrats to Justin and his teammates for their awesome performances! YouTube it!

PS: Bob Costas, who usually annoys the bejezus out of me, is loosening up and inserting some welcome, unscripted humor in his commentating. Thanks, Bob! It took you 2 decades to realize that it's not all about fireside chats and fog lenses on the camera.

Words cannot describe...

how utterly f*ing disappointed I am in this Spanish athlete.

MARIA, ARE YOU STUPID?????????????? HOW DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE FUTURE OF THE ENTIRE BLOODY SPORT OF CYCLING???????????

Unbelievable...

This just in...

The best Olympic site ever. Boys need not apply: http://www.nbcolympics.com/photos/galleryid=165716.html
Thanks, MBAHairTwirler!
Okay, back to PowerPointing.

Beijing Day #2: Crush du Jour

I hope Sven gets home soon...because I've developed a massive crush on Aaron Piersol. The whole US Swim Team is delectable.

First runner up from Opening Day: Alexander Artemev on the US Gymnastics team. His pommel horse routine was inspiring (in addition to his buff arms)!

Meow.

El Gato en Espana

"In Madrid now after a bit of frantic bike packing at the Zaragosa estacion del tren. Got the sweet hook up and Jonas put us on the TGV and it was an hour and a half to Madrid. It would have been 4 on the bus. And because we rode so well this week, a nice hotel.
Today was flat and windy, and we needed to keep The Baj in second GC and somehow take all the points at the finish so that he could keep the green jersey as well. I got in the break inside the first kilometer, and drove it for 130k with a bunch of French morons playing "who can take the weakest pull" the break had enough guys to take all the points so I kept it going, and it made it. Managed fifth, and was a bit bummed at first to miss an opportunity for a win. But the team goal was met, and we picked up some more euro for the effort. Later I realized just got fifth in a stage of a super hard euro race.....................pretty cool actually.
Getting skinny too, make sure I eat healthy this next week so I can keep
the good form rolling."
Meow.
PS: I just watched Michael Phelps win his first Olympic gold. Niiiice! The best part was when annoying Al Trautwig said "and we've just begun with the superlatives..." Way to clown yourself and the entire press, Al. You guys annoy the crap out of me.

Meowmies!

It's been a while since there have been kittens at the ranch. Since I was in Junior High, to be exact.
White Kitty (so original!) had babies about a month ago and kept them in a bramble thicket so that nobody knew. Mom and dad had her spayed two weeks ago but the vet didn't say anything about her being a new mom. Interesting...
She brought them out to meet my parents a few days ago. Motherhood has made her more approachable so perhaps the next time I'm home I can actually pet her.
We're not sure who the father is.
This is a strange parallel to what goes on in my hometown.

Le Chat en France, parte deux

The update from Jonny:
"I have now been to Spain for the first time, but it was at the top of a 22km climb(not a typo) so the moment of border crossing was spent zipping up the jersey, grabbing a bottle and hitting 93kph on the decent. Baj was third on the day and is back into 2nd on GC. He is tearing legs off right now. Your man did some work, and suffered in only 26 minutes down. Time cut made, and a flat(by Spanish standards) stage in the morning.
Was just starting to get a sense of what people were saying in French, and now its all Spanish. Still know how to order a beer though. "
I do miss him...

Brilliant!!!!

i love what ruby tuesday did! bravo to their ad agency.
and for anybody who hasn't been to the new ruby's...they aren't bad. more of an american bistro thing. and their salad bar is on of the best in the beige suburbia business.
yay! i love fun marketing!

Disturbia in TVLand!

love me some rihanna. but her new video must have some kind of rating. i'm not sure that most moms would be down with their 'tweens looking at it. then again, i'm not a mom.
in other news, i was checking out some silly tv channel and saw "family matters". it reminded me of the producer, michael warren. he and his wife rita moved to butte falls (yes! butte falls, oregon!) about a decade ago and attempted to live there. well, it's a bit dull for former hollywood-dwellers. so they bailed about 5 years ago.
i haven't spent much time with them but one thing i do remember: the real steve urkel was pissed as hell at michael for naming the show's main character after him.
i guess he gets a lot of prank calls.

wow, that was the most worthless post ever.

the next one will be better. i promise. maybe some moron will be caught doping at the 'games and i can rant about that.

What's going on, Beijing?

Now you have to apologize if you want to protect your lungs in a city with one of the world's worst levels of air pollution?
Someone please explain this to me.

Le Chat en France

gato comes back on monday...but until then he's throttling the euros at le tour des pyrenees.
fun!

voila! moi avec un taureau et mis amis