A journal of of our fitness and outdoor life with a dog perspective. I enjoy the mountain biking and yard work and my wife Misao is always looking for health and cooking tips. Phillip
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Sugar Sugar
I have definitely increased my physical activity but the weight hasn’t moved down much yet. I believe the less something is processed the healthier it is for you. In a desperate effort to provide some compelling photography that doesn’t include Ike I took a photo of the kitchen table. Misao bought this sugar sometime back and it is very rich. I don’t use as much in my coffee in the morning and it tastes very good. I can’t go back to white sugar for my coffee, blah, and this isn’t brown sugar. Teavanna, a luxury store we treat ourselves to occasionally, sells a German rock sugar that has a similar color.
And talk about fresh making a difference, we stopped by a famous noodle house near the airport. San Dong Express is most notably famous for their homemade noodles. I recommend the jajangmyun. These are no instant cardboard noodles. You can eat a big pile smooth as silk, tasty and satisfying.
But there are few things sweeter than the “WORS Racer Handbook” arriving in the mail yesterday. The races I am most able and likely to attend are heavier on the back end of the season which works well for me. I didn’t see my favorite chain dry lube, ‘Squirt’ as a sponsor of WORS this year. Kinetic features their rock and roll trainer in a full page add. Convinces me that every month I wait the trainers will just get more realistic and advanced. Next year will be the time to buy something for myself.
After visiting the tax preparer, becoming aware of the damage our government is doing to our personal economy (and yes we do pay federal tax, not just the payroll taxes) we can now plan out this years monetary contortions. Most likely we can’t afford a second car this year. I plan to purchase a used bike in the very near future to get around town when I need to. I will put off overhauling my race bike for a month or so. The shops will be busier then, and I may be without it for a while, but you never know. The bike shops have been quite busy already with the sporadic spring weather. Today was over 60 degrees but I had no time to ride. rain tonight, cold tomorrow. This weekend we turn back the clocks and it will open evenings up for riding as my days become increasingly busy.
Friday, March 2, 2012
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Sports
Yes, this blog was to be predominantly about sports and fitness, most notably mountain biking. I am still waiting for my “Mountain Sport” to catch on. Wow! It’s been nearly five years since I wrote that? Soon my ideas will sweep the world. But somehow the dog is looking to subvert my plot for world dominion and looking to claim himself supreme ruler. But his early successes, as his image attempts to smother this blog, far from guarantee ultimate victory.
Here is Ike in one of his more determined poses thinking, “When He least expects it I will leap into his lap and harass him with assaults of affection until he submits to my will.” …The attempt by cats to overthrow dogs as supreme consumer of human fondness is the ultimate definition of futility.
Enough about Ike. There are so many sports stories here in Wisconsin these days. Most notably Matt Kenseth, #17 of Wisconsin, went down to Florida and won his second Daytona 500. After many a delay, tribulations and trials, rain and fireballs, the race concluded over 36 hours after it was set to start on Sunday. You couldn’t have asked for a more odd chain of events, but that’s what happens when you let those open tire racers into NASCAR.
Then there is the Ryan Braun story. Seems hard to discredit either Braun or the collector for Major League Baseball in this drama of a failed drug test overturned. Heh, why was the collectors young son, studying here at UW Milwaukee, Ryan’s chaperone; the one watching the collection? Did he handle the sample? Could someone put a drop of testosterone in the cup and it not be noticed? They say one drop would account for the excessively high levels of the substance the test supposedly found. And if that drop dries on the bottom of the cup can it be easily seen? I just find it odd this college student, and we all know how foolish college students can be, is the only one hiding from the media.
But Major League Baseball still is trying to smear Braun. What next? Will they change the rules specific to Braun’s situation to try to drive him out of Baseball? It didn’t work on Jonathan. I’m talking “Roller Ball”, the James Caan version not the morally bankrupt remake. They tried to get rid of him and he ended up RULING THE WORLD!
Yeah…
And the Wheel and Sprocket Bike Expo is only a month away. Nothing says Spring like warm weather and wet muddy trails. As it was in the 50’s temperature wise today I had to go out for a ride. It went from partly cloudy to overcast by the time I got out. I started with a climb into the wind, and then the wind got stronger and colder as it began to sleet. I would have stuck it out but cut my ride short as I wasn’t wearing any gloves. No pictures from the ride.
And nothing says Summer like grilling, and grilling at a WORS event just makes my mouth water. And grilled cheese is in the news again. Yes, my weight is going down and this picture isn’t helping. I am watching what I eat and most likely will stick to the plan that I will not race until I am under 250 lbs. I am still shopping for a trainer but most likely will settle for overhauling my race bike and buying a used bike for riding around town on errands and to go to the gym. Need to manage our resources.
Ike had a bath today. Umm, smelling minty. You can’t do that yourself can you Ike. And no one likes a dirty dog, …almost no one. I own you Ike, I own you.
Tuesday, February 28, 2012
I hate car
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Winter, Is it Over Yet?
Winter has been a fickle creature this year. The weather has provided many opportunities to ride though I have been unable to take advantage of them all. This photo from a short time back is of the Hoyt Park Trails. Mud is the word of the month when it is not snow or frigid cold. But the snow stays not long on the streets. However my time has been filled with concerns other than fitness and health; two things I need to focus more on.
Will be getting my bike in to be overhauled soon. Still looking at trainers though a second bike of lesser value may be a better investment this year as the opportunities to ride outdoors are more than few. A second bike for running around town, a bike that I could afford being lost or damaged would do me well to get me to the gym.
ProForm has a stationary bike that connects to Google maps where you can travel courses anywhere in the world almost. Like the high end trainers for your competition bike and nearly the cost. They have treadmills with the same features. The problem I have been told by those in the serious bicycle business is that the pricing demands by COSCO, Sam’s Club, Wal-Mart and the like the quality is not as high as it should be for people seriously training. You can get similar higher quality machines at your bike/fitness shops.
Misao enjoys posting about Ike. Ike was very upset at me not being clearer on his Super Bowl predictions. He would have typed the post himself if his paws were not so large. He said it would be a safety, touchdown and field goal for the Giants 12 points and would have come off looking half genius if I had reported correctly. He says it was the interception and New England’s failure to recover a Giant turn over that through off his prediction. That, and he thought Nicks were for kids.
Picked up some research material for one of my future books. Will get more research from the library. Too many things consume my time and I would focus on the writing but I need to make money. And I need to stay fit and lose weight. With Lent I am looking to be more thoughtful over what I eat and spend more time in the quiet; less radio and TV.
My books are available for Kindle. My writers blog will soon become my most popular if you trust the visitor counters.