floyd, lance, and snow

With the SI article on Lance [nothing new, as most of us found out after reading all 5 pages of it], rumors that Lance might not be able to get out of this one, and blogs almost as influential as mine, like Cyclocosm, commenting on the issue, I figured it was only my duty to add my two cents. I had it all planned out, coming up with sentences like, “it is precisely because sports are not a matter of life and death that there is a need to play fair. To uphold a sense of sportsmanship and moral integrity that we expect of athletes, those who cycle out the purest and perhaps even the most childish of our dreams.”
Yeah, I came up with all that. I actively engaged in coherent sentence generation, mostly while in the shower, which means serious business.
The thing is, anything I say has already been said before, most likely by those more in the know or just more competent at putting together sentences. Such as, with regards to Floyd’s sudden flip-flopping, my favorite Canadian rapper, Snow:

The last verse seems particularly applicable. Although, I guess Floyd already “turn[ed] informer.” Still, I have a soft spot for guys that are into bikes and look like hobbits, so I'm going to let great music speak for Floyd's feelings. Word?
WORD!

spring fever

Starting Thursday, most of my weekend was spent doing this:

I woke up Thursday night with a fever. The next few days involved raspy coughing, lots of sleep, and some colossally disgusting phlegm. I was popping pills like the pros M&Ms.
Needless to say, there wasn’t much time on the bike [somewhat good because it actually snowed on Friday...FYI, IT IS MARCH, PEOPLE...!]. This meant that by Saturday, I was going slightly stir-crazy, and actually considered riding.
Which was a terrible idea because I could barely go 10 minutes without coughing and/or blowing my nose. I was pretty much a disgusting mess. But, oh, the guilt...!
Apparently, committing to riding some arbitrary number of miles a week is sort of like strapping myself into a guilt rollercoaster. When I’m not hitting those stupid damn numbers, I feel lazy, even if I have a pile of possibly more important things vying for my attention. Of course, when I do hit those magical numbers of miles or hours in the saddle, I feel like I’ve been straddling that thing for a small eternity, and I tell myself I’ll welcome the rest day. I don’t. I spend most of it restlessly reading and forcing myself to walk, not ride, to Cafe Fixe.
Yes, I sound like a budding addict. I might possibly be one at this point. Possibly.

My illness did a pretty good job of confining me to bed rest this weekend, though. While I don’t appreciate the attempt to break my addiction, it did mean that I got dinner cooked for me on Saturday night and some good cycling company [okay, of one] to help keep the cabin fever at bay. It did the trick - by Sunday night I knew I would be able to ride through any residual phlegm.
Too bad the weather decided to give me a big “FUCK YOU” in the form of rain. Until Wednesday. Awesome.
...Yeah, I probably should invest in a rain jacket. I’m going to be one of those annoying optimists and pretend that a high volume of hope will somehow mitigate the misery of the commute this week. So, yeah. Wish me luck.
But then again, Plastic Peloton found me on twitter and said some super nice things about the blog. Maybe this week is looking up...!

gifted cyclists

You know when you really like to do something that you're just not particularly good at? That's me and cooking. Okay, and cycling, but we're putting that aside for now. It wasn't until law school that I found myself alone in an apartment with a knife, cutting board, and stove and left to fend for myself. I knew how to cook a thing or two, but it was mostly Japanese food and I was lacking in both time and motivation. I ate a lot of rice that first year.
I've honed my culinary skills a bit since. The handful of recipes on this site are solid, but I'm not sure they're going to blow anyone away or result in orgasmic throes of gastronomic passion. Still, like cycling, I'm hoping that cooking enough will get me to make something spectacular once in a while. Because there's another thing I like to do but I'm not very good at: gifting.
Unless it's a significant other - in which case they're either a) required to like what you give them [if you've been dating for less than 3 years], or b) going to shamelessly exchange what you got them for something they like better [if you've been married for 10+ years] - it's hard to figure out that perfect token of appreciation for a certain friend/family member/co-worker that you like more than your other co-workers/boss.

Even when they share the same interests as you do, you're still taking a gamble; especially if you've never tested the product itself. But like the vegan chocolate cupcakes I made for the first time for M1's birthday last weekend that ended up fooling everyone at NYC Velo, that pot shot could turn out spectacularly good. Or, it could turn out like my first attempts on the rollers: painful and awkward.
So to make the whole process of gifting this season just a bit easier, the power team behind cassette [read: M1 and me] have put together our top 5 awesome gifts [other than our t-shirts, of course] for that particular cyclist in your life [and no, we don't think that excludes gifting yourself]. We're only listing products that we've used and tried to keep the price range fairly reasonable. I hope these turn out to be the equivalent of those vegan chocolate cupcakes:

Mike's picks: 1. Rapha Merino Wool Long Sleeve Baselayer - $85 As soon as the temperature drops below 50 degrees, a base layer becomes an essential item. I have yet to find one as comfortable as the Rapha long sleeve base layer. Thin enough to be worn under anything, it still keeps me amazingly warm. 2. Outlier Workwear Pants - $180 (Online availability can vary) The Workwear Pants are durable, extremely wearable, and practical – a rare combination in cycling-related gear. 3. Greg Lemond's Complete Book of Cycling - $10 Published way back in 1987, Lemond's Book of Cycling is still a go-to reference book. LeMond is both opinionated and knowledgable, and relates many of the training and fitting tips he learned while a pro in France. 4. Defeet Armskins - $27 Arm warmers are arguably the most versatile piece of apparel in any cyclist's wardrobe. I prefer the wool version of the Armskins - they work in a wider range of temperatures, and even stay warm when wet. 5. The Triplets of Belleville - $11 A classic as soon as it was released, this animated film follows "Champion" as he prepares for the Tour de France (with the help of his grand-mere). The training scenes alone are worth the entire film.

Kaiko's picks: 1. Brooks B17S Imperial Saddle - $147.30 The beauty of the Brooks is that unless the receiver absolutely hates Brooks saddles, you don't have to worry about fit because this saddle is going to mold to whomever you give it to. It can be a literal pain in the ass to break in, but once you do, you won't want to ride anything else. 2. Rapha Silk Scarf - $70 Rapha Scarf Fridays. Nuff said. 3. Brooke Siler's The Pilates Body - $12.89 Because cyclists can always use some work on their core. And standing straight is sexy. 4. Superb Cycling Cap and Bianchi Multi-Tool - $40 Choose the teal cap and you'll match the multi-tool. It doesn't have built-in tire levers but I get comments on it whenever I pull it out. 5. Pearl Izumi AmFIB Gloves - $64.99 I actually have the men's version which are a bit big, but I wouldn't trade them for anything. Perfect for the shorter commute or a quick run to the grocery store or to the post office. They'll keep your hands toasty and warm and saved my fingers last winter when it dropped to 0F.
And just for kicks, we're including our dream gift this season. We agreed that it couldn't be a bicycle [that would just be too easy], and not absurdly expensive. As in it had to be within reason; you know, like something under the cost of one of those Victoria's Secret diamond bras [boobs not included]. So if someone loves us a lot, here's what would make us love you [more]:
Mike's dream gift: * Velo Classic Legends of Tuscany tour - $4995 Having already participated in the Velo Classic Spring Classics tour 3 years ago, I have promised myself I will try and make it back on another of these amazing adventures as soon as possible. With so many tour options it's hard to decide, but the lure of the maglia rosa is hard to resist!

Kaiko's dream gift: * InSide Ride E-Motion Rollers - $795 As if I don't spend enough time indoors, these rollers were featured in the latest issue of Bicycling Magazine and I've been secretly lusting after them since. It's something I'd hesitate to purchase even if I was drowning in dough, but boy wouldn't I love a pair...[although that Tacx Bushido Trainer is looking pretty good, too...and only partially because the Schlecks use them.]
So what are you looking forward to receiving this year?

tagging along

Embrocation Cycling Journal: the perfect way to start your post-Thanksgiving week.

Click here to indulge in some cycling-related goodness while you wait for that turkey coma to wear off...

sooo sicxxx!

I didn't go to Cornell [for college] but I found the best room mate there.
We found each other in a slightly musty dorm room on the first day of summer school. Hailing from Staten Island, Mell was lightly freckled and Irish to the core. She was confident without being arrogant and charismatic without being annoying. We listened to early 90s punk and squealed over boys but gave each other enough space to avoid nasty cat fights. She pulled off the sexy tomboy thing with ease and had a drama-free relationship with a pretty gorgeous, tall blonde. She was basically awesome without being overbearing, and we got along magnificently.
I've never quite found another roomie like her. I've lived with both genders but the amicable yet trustworthy relationship I had with Mell is, I've found, quite elusive. Because you can love your friends, but living with them is always another animal.

I made a lot of long-lasting friendships that summer, but Mell still sticks out in my mind. Whenever I hear of Staten Island, I wonder what she - currently a chocolatier - is up to, and how I really should drop her a line. And if I had plans to be down in NYC this coming Sunday, I'd make sure to drag her out to an awesome event on her own home turf: SICX.
Conceived by CJ and Jed - NYC resident representatives for all things 'cross - it makes a small part of me wish that I wasn't going to gorge myself on turkey and pumpkin pie up in Massachusetts, but that my sister had invited me to whatever she and her small, Asian, lesbian friends were doing for Thanksgiving in NYC. The line-up of sponsors is enough to have me drooling and I'll even consider dropping the whole "no eating four-legged animals" thing for the fifty - yes, FIFTY - pounds of bacon from Wellshire Farms that CJ has [supposedly] stashed in his 'fridge for this event [if that bacon goes missing, you know who the culprit is].

But wafels, bacon, and croque monsieurs isn't the only reason you should make your way out there. Because if you live in NYC and enjoy riding your bicycle in mud, this is an absolute godsend. Any other weekend, you'll have to travel by car to get to any decent 'cross race. SICX is placing a legit event in your lap, accessible by public transport. If you're in the city, have a cross bike, and aren't going to this, CJ and Jed are right - you do hate to have fun.
Or you're just a fatass. Post-Thanksgiving, there's probably no better way to burn off those two pieces of pecan pie you'll down on Thursday, and the massive turkey sandwich you'll have on Friday for lunch, and that apple pie you know you'll indulge in on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. If you're blessed with a body fat percentage of 2%, and you can use all the calories you can humanly consume, then, well, Thanksgiving is going to be the perfect carb-fest for SICX.

Unfortunately, I'm going to have to learn how to run before I race SICX, and the promise of starchy, meaty, sugary deliciousness a mere 30 miles from my house is going to keep me in MA. But for all those NYC residents, I expect a full disclosure of the awesomeness that will be SICX.
[And if you are in Boston, come out to the Middlesex tonight to support the Geekhouse CX Team. Come on, admit it, you can't resist those kits and bikes!]

pump it up

Can you believe it's November?
I understand that happened almost three weeks ago, but it's finally sinking in. It's almost Thanksgiving. That means it's almost December. When did that happen?
I blame the deceptively warm weather that has me thinking it's still early October. My long-sleeve Underarmour gear has remained untouched in my closet for the past several weeks; if I recall correctly, I was living in that stuff this time last year. And though the fact that the sun seems to set at 3pm has my body begging me to go into hibernation, I'm mentally waiting for the cold to hit Boston. Against all hope, the weather's held its surprisingly warm embrace.

I'm grateful for that; I really am. It means more time outside, and more time outside on the track bike. At the same time, it feels like that frustrating [and ultimately embarrassing] dance you do when you try to walk around someone coming from the opposite direction; you both just end up shuffling laterally in the same direction, bobbing your heads like pigeons as you try to navigate where the other stranger is trying to go. I feel like I've been doing that for weeks now, and cold or no cold, I'm itching to feel that sense of relief when you finally manage to break free from that awkward side shuffling and go your separate ways.
Because this weather is holding everything up. It's placed me in that in-between phase of late fall/early winter where nothing in your closet is really appropriate. That seems to apply to my bike as well. Once temperatures started to dip into the low 30s, I had promised myself that I'd change out my Vittoria Randonneurs for knobbier 'cross tires. I promised myself I'll sit down, pick the glass and other crap out of my winter tires and strip my rims of those white-ish gray rounds of rubber. I even switched out the clipless pedals for toe clips well in advance of any chance of snow. I had it all planned out; by December, I was going to be well bundled up and hauling around the commuter-converted-into-snow-bike. It was going to suck, but I was prepared to be prepared.

Instead, my grand plans of blasting Elvis Costello's "Pump It Up" while making the tire switch has apparently been put on the back burner. It's like when your date leans in for that first kiss and you're waiting and getting slightly nervous because you hope it's going to be a good one and then you wait...and wait...and wait...until you start wondering what the hell is going on??? Just get it over with, already! Stop making me WAIT!
Okay maybe it's not really like that, but you know what I mean. I'm thankful for the fact that I can entertain the possibility of going on a ride during turkey break, but a part of me wishes I wasn't just lip syncing in the mirror along with Elvis. True, that might be because my building has turned on the heat and my apartment currently feels like an oven [with windows open and everything]. Sometimes, though, I suspect I might like to bike in the snow [at least for a week or two]. On the other hand, I could just be a selfish bitch who wants the entire road to herself.
Personally, I like to think that it's really because freezing temperatures would give me the perfect excuse to polish my Costello Pump It Up Dance. Admit it, you've totally tried it, too.
[Friday! Rapha Scarf Friday!]