Most Versatile Blogger Award

Please note that Tri-Guy is now sporting his new IMC haircut.... very air conditioned and aero. Now if only Lori would stop calling me colonel.

Time to spend some time with the family before heading to Penticton on Monday. After that I will be out there until the race day. Thus, I took today to just hang with the kids and Lori and do whatever they wanted. Around 11:00 we went on a big bike and checked out the construction of the new Assiniboine bridge on the Perimeter. I am really wondering when this will be done..... by the looks of things they will be finished by summer of 2011. We had an excellent picnic lunch and visited three of the big play structures in our area. It was no wonder that we all felt like going for a nap when we got home.

Just a reminder that the contest to shave my legs closes on Monday. Register to vote.

In other Tri-Guy news... Two of my favourite bloggers (spo(R)ting life and Wife in the fast lane) have saluted Tri-Guy as one of the nifty blogs that they follow. Interestingly enough, they have both nominated me for The Most Versatile Blogger Award.

With this nomination comes a set of rules:

1) You must thank the one who gave you the nomination... well in this case, thank both of them. Done. I have sent them both personal messages of support and thanks.

2) You must share seven things about yourself.... okay here we go.

This has caused me loads of consternation, as I am completely unsure as to what to post here.... very public and all. However, it gave me something to truly ponder during my long run yesterday, so here we go...

a) Most people who know me in the "real world" (by this I mean mostly colleagues and friends that are not on the "inner-circle") would be astounded and somewhat stunned that I am a triathlete..... let alone a potential Ironman. I am kind of a Clark Kent that way. You can get so pigeon holed sometimes by what you do, that with it comes a certain expectation that what you do during the day, is who you are. To them I say... get a grip people... it is just a job... yes, a job that I love very much..... but it just a job, it is not who I am.

b) I know I mentioned it before, but I am also a neat freak! I cannot stand clutter or mess. If we were talking in a large room and in the corner you had turned over your trash can. I would at some point have to clean it up. It would eventually wear on me until I could no longer concentrate on anything you were saying. See my post on house-husbandry.

c) I am going to regret saying this, but I am a handy-man. You know, dry-wall, carpentry, electrical and what not. Last summer I built my own architectural shed from scratch based on a design I saw once in Disneyland and I have also done all of our landscaping and design; which also includes the design (interior and exterior) of our house.

d) Which leads me to hobbies. If I had the opportunity, I could spend the whole day working in my yard. I love gardening and landscaping. It is my little home away from home.... if you have seen my shed, you might say it is my home away from home, but I digress. Anyway, I am usually in the yard at least an hour or two a day. Over the years I have turned our backyard into our cottage/spa retreat.

e) I have a koi pond. I have: 4 Koi, 2 Sarassa and 4 fan-tail goldfish.

f) I have coffee in our hot tub outside every morning.... regardless of the temperature.

g) In my past life I played a lot of soccer. I started when I was about 5 and played through to University until an ACL rebuild sidelined me. I took up running to build my quads to take over for the gimpy ACL and that ultimately led me to triathlon.

3) Then, you are supposed to pass on this honour to 15 other bloggers. Well, I am very new to the blogosphere, so 15 is a bit much, but I will pass this honour onto the 4 blogs that I read pretty much daily and that I go to for inspiration or sometimes for just a laugh.

I would like to nominate the following four candidates for the honour of Most Versatile Blogger.

1) Wife in the fast-lane - This uniquely introspective blog follows my fellow Tribalistic member, Carly as she negotiates the world of triathlon, shoes, undiagnosed OCD and an apparent addiction to cool things of neat design. Her blog is very real and gives us a glimpse into the life of a young 20 something making a go of it. My wife and I agree that you must visit her blog, if only to see her movie starish wedding photos. Lori and I wanted to get married again after watching the video of the stills from the wedding..... Carly just makes it look sooooo hip. In addition, Carly is an excellent triathlete and brilliant competitor whom I have seen push herself to the limit. She's into the Olympic distance this year, and I think she's hooked.

2) spo(R)ting life - This intensely personal blog follows another of my Tribe teammates as she uses the blog forum to journal her life experiences. She is candid and honest and lets us all into her inner-circle and into her thoughts as she tests her mettle against the half-iron distance (go Calgary), work, motherhood and the break-up of her marriage. She is an excellent writer and is not so secretly crushing on the Schleck brothers.

3) my 140point6 mile journey - I randomly cam across KC's blog one night when I could not sleep. She comes to Ironman with a seemingly endless list of running accomplishments as in: Boston, San Francisco, Miami, Tampa and Disney marathons. She is training for the Great Floridian an Ironman distance race in October. She is an inspiration in herself with out any hint of ego. I find her blog completely inspirational as it was really refreshing to see that someone else was going thorough the same things I was. I read her blog for almost two hours that first night and after that I have been hooked. In addition to all her wonderful posts, through her site I have read some very interesting triathlon blogs from all over and found some really great advice within this really supportive international community we call triathlon.

4) Winnipeg Cycle Chick - I stumbled upon this blog as a link from spo(R)ting life and really fell into a groove with the aggressive no holes barred writing of Andrea. Her writing is witty and humorous with just a hint of fanaticism for cycling... which I truly appreciate as it is always neat to cross paths with passionate people. She is a self-proclaimed hockey mom who seems to still have time to foster her love for her Giant..... and as you all know I have a soft spot for Giants. I have laughed out loud while reading and I have speed read through her recent crash stuff hoping to get to the part where she is okay after biting it in a turn going 47kmph.... "takes three days... says grandma." I really can relate to her first post... sitting in the basement on your trainer staring at the wall or telepost wishing you were somewhere warm.

Thanks again for the nomination(s) and I am sincerely flattered that anyone out there would read this.

Should I or Shouldn't I?

Round and round the mulberry bush

The Clock was chasing Tri-Guy

The Clock thought it was all in fun....

POP! goes the Tri-Guy.

If you have never tried it, I highly recommend running one mile splits around your neighborhood for three hours one morning. People look at you in the oddest way.....

I was wondering what they were thinking. I imagined it was something like this....

"Didn't I just see that guy?"

"What's with the short leash, buddy?"

"Can't seem to find your way home?"

"Wet clean up on aisle 6."

Anyway.. I am not the fastest runner on the planet but I was pretty happy with my 19 miles in 2:59:20.

Here I am managing to be the 1st float in our local community parade.

Here the local community police attempt to catch the Tri-Guy.

Tri-Guy is too fast for you.......

Change of Topic.....

I am thinking of shaving my legs for the race. However, I cannot decide whether I should or shouldn't. I have listed the Pro's and Con's below.

Pros:

- Easier time with the wet suit.

- Easier time with massage.

- With my hair gone I am sure to be at least one to two seconds faster on the bike and run due to increased aerodynamics.

- An inevitable join to the brotherhood.

- Bike crashes are ugly with hairy legs as the blood and skin get all matted in the hair. The first thing the medical people do when treating serious road rash is "shave," using a special razor, all the scarred area. This removes all the debris form the crash an it is very painful. If you have shaved legs, they just wipe out the gravel.

Cons:

- I am a guy.

- Did I mention I am a guy.

- Possible razor accident leaving me with a fresh cut for my sweat to pour into as I slave through the Okanagan heat.

- I am not sure where to stop. How high is necessary? Acceptable?

Thoughts from the Internet:

- Ray - it is a must for a non-wetsuit swim.

- Hazen Kent - purely an ego thing. He also posted a follow-up on How to shave your legs

I NEED YOUR OPINION. LET'S PUT IT TO A VOTE. ONLY REGISTERED FOLLOWERS OPINIONS WILL COUNT. SO PLEASE REGISTER AND MAKE YOUR OPINION KNOWN. YOUR VOTE DETERMINES WHAT HAPPENS NEXT.

VOTING CLOSES MONDAY NIGHT AT 9:00 PACIFIC (AS I WILL BE IN PENTICTON.)

ALL COMMENTS WILL BE POSTED IN THE BLOG AND WHO KNOWS.... MAYBE TRI-GUY MIGHT HAVE A VIDEO OF THE EVENT.

Ridin' like she stole it

Today was an optional bike day in preparation for the 3hour run slated for tomorrow. Let me tell you there is nothing like running around in a big freakin' circle 22 times in a row... but enough of that craziness until tomorrow.

Lori and I decided to head out and go on a romantic ride out towards my little bridge. Think of it more like the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime. Besides, it had been a good 24 hours since I was rained out... why not try it again.

After geting the kiddies all settled in daycare, we loaded up the Giants.... yes plural.

(yes we have now to reveal that although the Giant tries to get lovin' from the occasional coke machine he is indeed a taken man, as he is madly... I mean gears over derailers.... in love with Lori's old school Giant Sedona. Yes.... he is into older women....... but who isn't?)

Anyhoooo......

The children were nestled, all snug in their beds

Whilst visions of a field trip to Oak Hammok Marsh danced in their heads.

Sorry about that....

We loaded up the bikes and headed out of the city to St. Francis Xavier. If you remember, we have had this exact date before.... This time, we were really excited that we would be able to stop for peperoni sticks and ice cream at the end. If you have not tried this... I highly recommend it as you eat the salty pep stick when you get in and then you delve into the luscious creamy frozen delight of HEavenly Hash as it melts in the heat...... don't forget the sugar cone as it is the little things in life that make it special.

So even though this will not be believed as a coincidence, Lori and I both decided to wear are pro-Swiss jerseys today.... Fabian Cancellara would be so proud.

Team Swiss Milk-Chocolate Cow

Even though it was a day off kinda ride, I take the 45k seriously making sure I pack the essentials... like my camera... you never know what you are going to see when you are out of the city. So I was trying an artistic over the shoulder shot when I was riding and apparently someone is not taking this riding thing as seriously as I am.

"Post this," Tri-Guy.

So we rode about and at the bridge, we tried a random bar from my new box of power bars. I am Cliff man through and through, but I thought I would pick up a box of Power Bars as they are the sponsor for Ironman so the bars will be at various aid stations on the run.

A quick review is in order. I had the peanut butter... tasted okay, but I have no idea how the hell you would ever get into one of these bars on the bike without crashing. Man, I was standing still and I could not open the damn thing..... and when I did, it was this sticky mess all over the place. Lori had the chocolate... and this was her first power bar experience. She writes.... it was a surprisingly tasty fudgy chocolate bar. I would eat them only if I was hungry and I missed my lunch. I stole a bite of Tri-Guy's Peanut Bar and the two flavours mixed in my mouth reminiscent of the old Reese's Peanut butter commercial of the 80's. In fact, that is how we met.... here is the video of that very moment.

That commercial makes me laugh out loud.... if you liked that one... check out the cowboy one on youtube.

Well... that was about it for our romantic ride. We had a killer headwind on the way out and you know what that means...... wicked tailwind on the way home. We were both in high sprits and acting a little goofy in anticipation of the pep-stick and ice cream. So I decided to take some action shots on the bike as we made our way back to the van.

Ridin' it like she stole it!

Penticton here I come.... only 1,600 kilometers to go... I think I'm gonna fly the last bit.

At the 100th Meridian

Why... why ... why ... why... why me?

I looked at the environment Canada website.

I saw the Doppler radar for the area and , yes there was rain... but it was about 100 kms North and going to stay there. It was blowing quite nicely across our province towards the cottage country.

So... at 8:00 a.m. I hopped on The Giant and rode out of the city, up Highway 26 and South towards St. Eustache hoping to put in a generous 90k or so.

About 35 k into my ride I could see the wall of Black in the distance, but it was at least 15 Miles away to the East. I know this because I was consistently counting about 15 seconds between the lightning and the thunder claps. Besides.... the wind was blowing across me towards the South East.... thus the storm was moving away.... as I already mentioned above... confirmed by the latest technology. Anyhoo.... I stopped and took some really nice photos of the prairies and the rolling storm clouds.

Looking back towards Winnipeg.

Sun-streaks towards the prairies.

A field of wheat awaits the rain.

At the 100th Meridian, where the Great Plains begin.

Again... these storm clouds were full of thunder and lightning, but they were moving away from me...... away! Shoo you storm clouds!

After the photo session.... I continued on my merry way and was looking to put in somewhere around a half-iron distance (90k) today. I had gone over the bridge and was exploring the pristine pavement of highway 256 heading South when I felt a drop of rain..... hmmm that's weird...... so I slowed down and looked behind me.

Well.... my jaw hit the pavement like seeing the naked bearded lady at a freak show. Behind me it was Black... I mean like somehow day had become night black. Shit! There was always thunder and lightning, but with the wind in my ears, it seemed to be farther away, I guess. Now it was on top of me. So.. I pulled out my handy MEC led strobe light and attached it to my aero-bars and turned on my rear MEC red flasher and turned around into the storm and back towards home... praying that any traffic would see me flashing away in my epic battle with the elements.

I shot this video at the start of the storm about 4k after I had turned around.

As I left the bridge area and headed South towards home on Highway 26, it opened up. On Sunday when I blogged about the rain and the lightning it was intense, but nothing like this. I was convinced, as the lightning seemed constant, that at any moment the heavens were going to open up and I would see Thor and his mighty hammer.

I was wet after 1 minute, soaked after 3 and drowning after 5. The Giant now weights about 10 pounds heavier as everything I was wearing was taking on water. I could barely see as my glasses were fogging up. I tried taking them off and I could not keep my eyes open in the pelting rain..... thus the effect of the Oakley's made it appear even darker.

It was back to that classic struggle of Man verses nature. As the lightning flashed and the rains came and I soldiered on, and all I could think about was the scene in Caddyshack where the reverend plays golf in the rain.

Just waiting for the lightning strike at the end.... does aluminum conduct electricity? Are the Bontrager X Lites enough rubber to protect me from lightning?

Well, I did not have a Cell phone, so there I was in the middle of nowhere with only a stalk of wheat to hide under.... might as well keep riding.

Well about 20k more was all I could stand and I pulled into the store at St. Francis-Xavier and called it quits. I was shaking from the cold, and it did not matter how fast I pedaled, I could not generate any heat. I walked into the store to call Lori and the lady behind the counter took one look at me and started laughing. I must have looked like this.

The lady at the store was great and gave me some towels (without me asking for them... good karma) and gave me a phone to call Lori for a ride. I called her cell, and, lo and behold, she was already en route to come remove my sad sorry ass out of this hellish weather. After twelve years of wedded bliss... I guess we have become psychic.

A lifetime of braggin' rights

It is Tuesday.... time for the BIG SWIM... swimmmm....swimmmm.... swimmmm....echo....echo...

Tri-Guy points the way.

Out comes the Costco bags and the sand toys. Out comes the beach chairs and blanket and towels. Then there is the always ready tote of Tri-Guy's gear. Supersuit and goggles for the swim and then all the stuff needed for a quick transition to shoes and shades for a 13K run. The water has been heated up by the wonderfully warm weather... afterall Birds Hill Lake is only about 7ft at it's deepest. Today i managed to do the 9 laps of the buoys in about 1:31.... not too shabby for 5k in open water.. well.. we will call it water, but it was more like a transparent greenish soup punctuated by the occasional weed straining up from the bottom in a vain attempt to reach the surface. Never fear Mr. Weed... the season is almost over and soon you'll be nothing but a memory.

Here's a bit of me thrashin' about this afternoon in the pond.

My run was pretty uneventful other than it was hot.... now please understand, that when I blog that it was hot I am not complaining; I am merely painting you a picture of the conditions. As of the past three weeks, i have purposely been seeking the heat out. I have been leaving late on my runs and bikes with the intent of being out in the same conditions that I will most likely race in. Penticton can get damn hot and I want to be ready, as the heat makes it a whole different race. SO.... it was hot. When you had a head wind or a cross wind it was not that bad at all, but when the wind was coming form behind, it was moving just fast enough to give you the eerie impression that it was still out and it was just you and the bugs moving around, 'cause to stand still meant certainly that you would eventually disappear in a flash of spontaneous combustion... sure was nice to get back to the van and head straight out into the soup to cool down... hell, I seriously would have lain down in a puddle if I thought it might get me cool. Now let's all point out that modern data - in fact this months Men's Health - stated that a study done in Australia proved that cooling down with a Slurpee is the fastest way to cool your core..... now I am thinking that this is a no-brainer, as eating crushed ice has got to be effective.... no?

Tri-Guy enjoying a Raspberry slushie after a dip in the pond.

Well... that's all for now other than to welcome a new member to the blog, KC from Florida. Her blog, 140 Point 6 Miles, is very addictive and had me hooked from the moment I started reading. It was really refreshing to read that someone else was having some of the same thoughts and frustrations on the road to Ironman. If you check out her site, be sure to log in and to check out some of the other sites she follows as she has links to 50 or more people that are all doing this thing called Triathlon.

Speaking of doing triathlon...... I have been asked time and time again Why are you doing this? Well I have explained that pretty clearly in earlier blogs, but after checking out KC's site, I came across a fresh perspective. She had a list of why you would want to prepare and go out for Ironman.

P.S. - Some of the reasons may not make any sense to you, but keep reading because some are jsut downright awesome. I also found it useful to Google some of the references to get on the "inside." By the way.... the distance of an Ironman race in Miles is 140.6..... hence the title.

Again, this comes from her site with credit to www.iamtri.com

140.6 reasons to do an ironman triathlon

i found this cool list on iamtri.com and wanted to share...some of it i can already relate to and a lot of it i'm sure i will totally "get" come October 23rd. enjoy!

»001. Makes everything else seem so SHORT and EASY.

»002. The 3 week taper before the race.

»003. The 4 week recovery after the race.

»004. You only go around once, life is not a dress rehearsel.

»005. As much Pizza as you can eat.

»006. So that when the car runs out of gas, I can still get away from the Police under my own power.

»007. Beats watching the new Survivor, Big Brother, or anything else on TV.

»008. For all the times you heard someone say "I'd do one of those ... I just can't swim."

»009. Lifetime of bragging rights.

»010. Steve King's accent at Ironman Canada

»011. Mike Reilly's hoarse voice still bringing people home at 11:30pm

»012. The Massage Tent - anywhere.

»013. Friends and family waiting for me at the finish.

»014. So is my mom...posthumously

»015. ...and my dad.

»016. Chalk on the road.

»017. Easy rides and runs the week before.

»018. Finishing your last workout and smiling because you know "I'm SO ready."

»019. For everyone who as ever asked you "Why?"

»020. For the teachers in school who told you you'd amount to nothing.

»021. To silence the one voice inside your head that still believes that bunk.

»022. You want to test the endurance limits of the music collection in your head.

»023. The "Bier Mile" at IM-Europe

»024. Spectators looking up your name and cheering as you plod past at sunset.

»025. Where else can someone ripping off your clothes in public be considered a benefit of a big race? (Wetsuit Strip)

»026. Miles in the Run

»027. Want to see the world and eat the food in each country, guilt free.

»028. So you can answer "One." When people ask "How many days does that take?"

»029. To wave at the scuba divers.

»030. To backstroke at the TV helicopter.

»031. Cards in your special needs bags.

»032. Cards in your T1 and T2 bags.

»033. CHICKEN SOUP!

»034. CHICKEN SOUP AGAIN! (Yes - it's worth 2 by itself)

»035. The Adirondacks of Lake Placid.

»036. The view from Richter Pass.

»037. Alii' Drive

»038. Main Street Penticton.

»039. Driving the bike course in a caravan of friends.

»040. Valet Parking and Catering ... all day long.

»041. You might get on TV

»042. I want to laugh at the former cool (now fat) kids at my 20th High School Reunion.

»043. The Marines at the race formerly known as Ironman California

»044. Takes as long as having a baby, nearly as satisfying, only without the morning sickness and the 21 years of bills that follow.

»045. Flying with a bike case makes business trips seem EASY.

»046. Sharing a smile with people wearing the finishers T-shirt the next day.

»047. Knowing that as you step in the water on race day - YOU MADE IT THIS FAR! Now just get home.

»048. How many people can say they did anything for 12,13, 14, 15, 16...hours?

»049. The "Hot Corner" at IM-USA

»050. The wristband that somehow becomes your favorite fashion accessory.

»051. So that when you tell your grandchildren stories about what you did when you were young...yours will be true.

»052. Main Street Lake Placid

»053. High fives from people you don't know.

»054. The Sponge as a fashion statement

»055. Coke and Chicken soup - the ultimate power cocktail

»056. Knowing that after the gun goes off, you don't have to worry anymore.

»057. First Place and Last Place get the same amount of cheers.

»058. Walking to the start with Heather, Lothar, Thomas, Jurgen...

»059. Getting lapped by Heather, Lothar, Thomas, Jurgen...

»060. Getting lapped again on the run by Heather, Lothar, Thomas, Jurgen...

»061. Making the turn for home.

»062. Because MolybdenumMan doesn't trip off the tongue in quite the same way

»063. If Judy Molnar can, dammit, so can you.

»064. You might get to run with Alexandra Paul!

»065. High fiving Daryl Haley, and going backwards 5 feet.

»066. Sunset over Skaha Lake on the run.

»067. If Randy Caddell can do it with just his arms, you can certainly do it with your legs.

»068. Easier than Eco-Challenge.

»069. Got rejected from the astronaut corps.

»070. Got rejected by the Marines.

»071. Crashed out of the Blue Angels.

»072. Makes US Navy SEAL training seem like a good idea.

»073. You enjoy the smell of chlorine in the morning.

»074. You've had enough with your current social life.

»075. For the love of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream!

»076. Your friends are watching on the web.

»077. You need to prove to your mom that even if you get on the bike right after you swim...you won't catch a cold.

»078. Helicopters over Kailua Bay.

»079. Roadies think you're nuts.

»080. Masters swimmers think you're nuts.

»081. Your running club KNOWS you're nuts.

»082. So that you can master the left-handed bottle grab (IMAus, IM-NZ).

»083. Morning swims

»084. 3 hour breakfasts after the morning swims

»085. The Underpants Run

»086. Laughing at people in the Underpants Run.

»087. The Hog's Breath Cafe Breakfast Special at IMC

»088. Glowsticks

»089. Cowman A-Moo-HA!

»090. Because Winston Churchill said I can't ever give up.

»091. The 12-step program to make me stop hasn't been invented yet.

»092. Any National Anthem, before the start, anywhere.

»093. Knowing that when you wake up at 4:00am, the next time you go to bed you will be VERY different person.

»094. 6 miles, 10 minutes - straight down to Keene.

»095. Yellow Lake done - 12 miles downhill to go.

»096. Because you've always wanted to see how many CD's and towels it would take to ride the whole IMC course on the CompuTrainer

»097. Makes your next marathon just a nice morning run.

»098. To make your Boss jealous because YOU have a life that doesn't involve the office.

»099. Because the longer you're out there, the less per hour it really costs!

»100. Being there is way better than watching on Pay-Per-View

»101. Finding yourself in the middle of your doubts ... finding a new meaning of being scared.

»102. Finding out that you're far stronger than those doubts a few miles later.

»103. Falling in step on the run and making a friend to the end, without having to say a word.

»104. A fried breakfast the day after.

»105. Watching people headed home while you're headed out, thinking "I'll be there soon ..." and they cheer for you.

»106. Understanding why that is as your cheering for people headed out when you're finally headed home.

»107. That feeling of ice cubes in your hat on a hot run never getting too cold.

»108. Telling folks with flat tires "It's a long day - hang in there!" and seeing them breathe and smile for a moment.

»109. Hearing people cheer you up while your changing a damn flat tire.

»110. Rolling into T2 knowing that no matter what - you can't have a flat sneaker from here on in.

»111. Having someone catch you, and hold you up when you can't do it anymore.

»112. Miles on the Bike.

»113. The IV's feel SO good the next day.

»114. To see if it really feels as good to do as it does to dream.

»115. To see if it really feels as good the second time.

»116. And a third...

»117. And a fourth...

»118. To try and finish in daylight.

»119. To try and finish before midnight.

»120. To try and NOT get stung by that (#*@! bee this time.

»121. Your friends already think you're a hero - prove them right.

»122. Your husband doesn't...but you might prove it to him too.

»123. An M-Dot Tattoo would look swanky on your ankle.

»124. 5000 Volunteers - all for you.

»125. Hearing them say "You're almost there!" all day long.

»126. Being nearly almost there - for real.

»127. CHICKEN SOUP! (It's been awhile)

»128. Quiet hugs before the start.

»129. Kissing him goodbye, and promising "I'll be back later..."

»130. The first time you think "Holy crap - I'm doing an Ironman!"

»131. Beating back the voices that say "Holy crap - you can't do an Ironman!"

»132. Mile 26.

»133. That moment when you KNOW you're going to make it for the first time all day.

»134. Entering the oval.

»135. Running down Lakeshore Drive.

»136. Running down Alli Drive.

»137. The Finish Line.

»138. The first step after you cross the line and think "Oh, My....God....!"

»139. The Medal.

»139.6 Because they said I can't.

»140.6 Because I say I can.

Good karma

Tri-Guy... Living strong after an easy hour spin.

Nice and easy recovery ride today.... not a day off per se, but a day to ride for an hour or so without any time or speed goal... just spin the legs and enjoy the ride.

I chose to make my way out to Headingley and cruise through Assiniboine landing and look at the million dollar homes. There are some absolutely wonderful designs and, as a fan of architecture, I am disappointed in some of them as they are so obviously designed without any care for the lot they were developed for. I mean.. let's face it, if Tri-Guy can figure all this out, I am certain that someone who is being paid thousands of dollars should be able to as well. There is one house that truly bugs me. It went on the market at 1.25 million and there is no way you can actually get three cars into the three car garage because the house was built too close to the property line. To add insult to injury, I noticed today, that the fold out down spout comes out across the driveway. Thus, if it is pouring, and your downspout is down, you have to get out of your car in the rain and move it... that is if you are able to make the 90˚ turn into your garage. What a joke... it is one more example that money cannot buy common sense.

The other thing that bugged me today is a few cyclists' attitude. For those of you who know me, I am a really easy going happy kind of guy.... especially when I am on a bike. I bear no one ill will and even under race conditions, I am still courteous and honest.

Yesterday in the rain, I did not see one other cyclist in either direction for 120k. Today... holiday Monday and a balmy 30˚C, I must have passed 20 or more on my lethargic loop. Now being the easy going guy that I am, I believe in Karma.... in other words, I believe that you get what's coming to you and that good things happen to good people. In the world of a cyclist, that means that we, as an unwritten rule, may look intense on our bikes, but we will always ask if you are okay if you have stopped by the side of the road and we wave. That's right.... wave. Not the Forrest Gump howdy, but usually a simple courteous nod or hand sign to acknowledge each other..... ultimately just silently saying .... "hey, I know what you are going through in that headwind, or yep, this weather sucks." Either way, we wave... or at least nod.

I am always stunned when people don't even smile or return the wave. Today I even got sneered at... twice by the same guy wearing his Scott Molina rainbow mirrored 1986 triathlon Oakley's. What's with that? Is it that hard to wave back or nod? Someone pissed in you cornflakes? Okay, maybe so, but it wasn't me or anyone else out here enjoying this great day. Have some class and be a part of the larger cycling amoeba here. Geesh.

It is also truly amazing how people react when you wave to them. For the most part, people wave back and move on knowing that somehow your day was just made better by Tri-Guy. However, every third or fourth person seems shocked that you waved or acknowledged them. I guess that it freaks them out because they think you are saying hi because you know them. I have to also mention that this seems to be a city phenomenon. When you get out to the lake on the back-roads or out towards Marquette, everyone waves... even the trucks and cars wave at me when they drive by.... now how cool is that. Just one more thing that brings us all a little closer together in this big ole world.

Anyway.... It was great to see so many people out enjoying a ride. From die-hards to weekenders, from mountain bikers to road warriors, I wish you all the best.

May the wind forever be at your back and the only glass you have to worry about is what you're pouring into the one in your hand at the end of the ride.

Now how's that for good karma?

Tri-Guy's handy dictionary

The words we will be working with today are: Zealot, Fanaticism, Lightning, Thunder and Deluge.... followed by Stupidity (with a capital 'S'. Are goal then is to define the word and then use it in a sentence to get a better understanding in context, so to speak.

Let us begin with Zealot. I am liking the definition on Princeton's word web. They define a Zealot as someone who shows, "excessive fervor to do something or accomplish some end." In a sentence; Getting up at 5:00 a.m. this morning for a five hour ride was just one more example that removes any doubt that lately Tri-Guy has been acting a little too much like a Zealot.

Now Fanaticism... I am liking Wiki's idea... "a belief or behaviour involving uncritical zeal, particularly for an extreme cause or in some cases sport, or with an obsessive enthusiasm for a pastime or hobby." In a sentence.. Tri-Guy's fanaticism clearly obfuscated his judgement of the large black clouds in the humid morning sky.

Nooooo it's not raining..... just spitting out.

Over to Lightning. Again wiki seems to be clear enough..."an atmospheric discharge of electricity accompanied by thunder, which typically occurs during thunderstorms." It goes on to say that, " in areas with a high frequency of cloud to ground lightning... lightning causes several fatalities per year, most commonly to people... outside." Our sentence: Around 50 kilometers into his morning ride, Tri-Guy felt the hair his on his arms tingle as the lightning seemed to hit the ground underneath his front tire.

Wiki defines Thunder as... " an electrical storm [comprised] of weather characterized by the presence of lightning and its acoustic effect on the Earth's atmosphere known as thunder." Our sentence....Tri-Guy nearly went off the road with sheer terror as the thunder clap from the extremely localized lightning made him bunny-hop The Giant about 6 feet into the middle of the frog encrusted road.

Now over to Deluge. Here is Princeton's definition...."to inundate and over fill... usually with water. A large rain." Our sentence... "It was during the deluge, as the water was pouring down his back dimples and into his shoes, that Tri-Guy realized that he was a fair distance from home and it was going to be a very wet and soggy journey back."

I'm not wet... just "glistening" from a long ride.

That brings us to stupidity. Here is wiki's definition..."a lack of intelligence, understanding, reason, wit or sense." Our closing sentence..."As our hero's zealotry convinced him that it would be okay to spend 120 kilometers in a deluge of thunder and lightning, he ultimately realized as his fanaticism waned, that it was not his zeal, but his sheer and simple stupidity that gave him the clairvoyance of a tea spoon.

I think I may have been raining at some point.... it was too hard to tell with all the water coming up off of the road.

Here is the weather at Poplar Point at about 8:00 a.m.

And what did we learn from all this boys and girls?

That there seems to be a very fine line between fanaticism and stupidity. If this line were a tightrope at a circus, Tri Guy would be the idiot riding the unicycle.