Frumpleupugus

Somedays you feel like effortlessly gliding along at 110 rpm.
Today was not one of those days.

I bagged on my sprints. And those are my favorite workouts. All snarl and no hills! Bring it.

Just not today.

Today I could barely manage to click over 90. I would have been far more at home with a benevolent bluesy 45rpm rhythm.

I think the beating my ego took this weekend at the Early Bird "Black Ice My Ass" Road Race just caught up to me. I mean, I was ready to take my lickings, but damn, that lashing hurt.

ouch.

Its been so long that I forgot.
Racing's hard.
Fucko.

To top it off, I was so self-involved in my racing re-debut, that I was a negiligent teammate. I think that part hurts more than that ass whooping. I've usually been able to make up for my comical lack of talent with a little extra dose of cunning...but now even that's gone stale.

double ouchie.

So, when's the next race?

*************

It was superfine to see friendly bella faces, Amy and Kathie at the race. They both rode amazing races. Wish I had the sensibilities to write a decent race report about it. Fresno bellas must have some super secret sauce training going on.

Rated X

Please feel free to cuss about the room.

Someone in IT showed me how to change some settings so that I can skirt the webfilter thingie. Yippee!

Of course, now I owe him some spring rolls.

That silly websense thingie made no sense at all anyway. Drunkcyclist.com was of course, blocked, but it only got a score of 53, while Alec's innocent blog scored a whopping 96.

Just might stay late and surf some porn tonight.



And if I might allow a quick op-ed moment. I really do not have a problem if my workplace wants to block web access. Its their dime after all. But I do mind Georgie looking at my Googly searches and listening to my overseas phone calls. I sure hope his bavarian is up to speed. Legg mi am Åsch.

Not Another Food Post

Lately its all been about chow. Geez and I wonder why I can't climb...

So but anyway.

I came back from my lunch ride about an hour ago. Upon return I popped a frozen dinner thingie in the nuke.

Just now noticed that I forgot to take it out.

Now I have to reheat it.

I hope I don't forget it again.

MidNight Munchies at the office

3 day old spring rolls,
aren't so springy.

Lunchtime Follies

Nearest Trader Joe's is 16 miles away.
What the heck* kind of forsaken place is this Morgan Hill?

No use for a title

Damn.
Actually have to work extra hard at work today.
End of the month deadlines and all.

So no time for words yet.

All you get is this frosty pic I plucked quick-like from the Velonews photo contest thingie

Mini Geek Alert

Holy shyte am I ever fast on a 10 key.

FU Food

I have always felt completely blessed to have grown up in a sort of multi-cultural environment. I could get all schmoopie about it and say I feel blessed because it has enriched me or taught me tolerance (I don't care much for that word but I am too full to blog on about why) and that I am a better person for it.

But really, it all has to do with food.

Love to eat.

Love to eat different foods.

So, when I suggested to the group here at work that we celebrate Chinese New Year today, it wasn't just because I wanted to motivate the group or promote teamwork. It was because I wanted to munch on some dimsum and spring rolls.

good call. Thuy makes some damn fine spring rolls.

But, while munching on dimsum (the delightful little suprise package of foods), I've been learning lots of fun stuff about Chinese New Year from some of my co-wokers.


First, is that 2006 is the Year of the Dog...eccentric indeed.

Also, 2006 is known as bingxu. In the 'Stem-Branch' system, the years are named in 60-year cycles, and the Name of the Year is repeated every 60 years. 2006 is the 7th year in the current 60-year cycle.

It is Year 4703 by the Chinese calendar.

The custom of drums and fireworks during New Year's dates back to the legend of a ferocious man-eating monster, named Nian. The people finally killed the monster by stunning it with the sounds of all the villagers striking drums or lighting fireworks. Stupid dragon.

Luck plays a big part in New Year's celebrations, customs, and superstitions. The Chinese word for luck is Fu. Luck is celebrated with lots and lots of gambling, which apparently has already started. During the New Year's celebrations, you can walk into any Chinese (or in the case of my office, Vietnamese) household and the entire family is gambling. And eating.

Yum.

I am one FUfy girl. Now, pass the hoisin sauce.

Employee Parking Only

I am one of those who arrives to work a little after 8:00. Usually this means I have to park on the other side of the building.

But today, it meant I had to park in the street.

Seems as if these humungous vehicle thingies were taking up all the parking spaces.

I guess there's some kind of race thing in SF this weekend (jeez, I hope no one from my work reads this silly blog). And the trucks and motorhomes paid a visit to the HQ so that employees could oogle and visit. It was kind of interesting, even if it did mean I had to walk alllllll the way to the street to get ready for my lunch ride.

Fox is also treating all employees to a special tailgate party and entry to some fancy VIP soiree after, so thats nice.

When people at work asked if I would be going (I think I am the only one who is not), I just told them I already had plans. I didn't have the heart to tell them that I was going to miss all the action they were so revved about so that I could get up at some ungodly hour, drive to some bimfruck place, and race my bike in the rain.

Maybe I will win a T-shirt.
oh yeah.

Ricky Carmichael's motorhome - This thing had Corian countertops, maple cabinets, subzero freezer, and marble tile. It was also cleaner than my momma's house. When I asked who kept it so clean, the driver said that RC doesn't really use it much. Guess its just a place to hide from the crowds and warm up on the weird little stationary mountain bike. The driver was totally stoked on the stationary mountain bike. Uhhh...huh?

Next up we checked out the team trucks. There were 3, yes I typed 3, levels in these trucks. The mezzanine level was a cool little nook for the mechanics to kick back in. There was a cake in one of them. I tried to sneak a piece of cake, but the mechanics were eagle-eyeing it. Damn.

Ricky's bike. I think I have chain envy.

Bubba's motorhome, but I didn't go in because it was time for my lunch ride.

P.S. Ha
I finally read the race flyer for Early Bird RR..and under prizes it says "None"
Just like that. "None".

So much for the TShirt.

I want candy

drool....

I got your heartrate right here baby

Sometimes,
I just want to take this stupid heart rate monitor,
and strap it to Migo,
and send him out running with Sascha for two hours.

and then upload that gawdamn info to my evil trainer.

At least its not Purgatory

Heaven:
*Breezeless day in Morgan Hill
*Spinning at 100RPM in the crisp heart rate zone
*Tweeting birds, happy cows, springy horses and squatting deer
*72 balmy luscious degrees on the Ciclosport
*Sexy trainer whispering in my ear

Hell:
*The last 5 seconds of sprint number 5

Deer Squat

Deer squat.

Did you know that? Because I sure didn't and I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it for myself this morning.

I was amusing myself on the commute this morning by adoring the gorgeous clear day. I looked out into a big grassy field somewhere in the pastoral lands between Morgan Hill and Gilroy...when I noticed a bunch of deer in the field.

"Awwww", I thought, "Look at all those deer... how cute. With the sunshiney morning light and the bright green.....hey...what are those deer doing?"

About 4 of the deer were squatting. And I couldn't tell if they were doing #1 or #2, but they were definitely relieving themselves cuz they had that look on their faces that cats get when you watch them use the litter box.

And I still don't know why they were all going at the same time. Probably all girl deers.

Wish I would have stopped to take a picture because the google image search on this was pretty scarce.

I have no idea why this amuses me. What a ridicuous blog post.

5:00 Free Crack Giveaway

Jesus

Isn't there any chocolate in this goshdarn* house? I need some chocolate and I need it NOW. All I see in the pantry is flour, pasta and Kashi. What the hell good is any of that gonna do me?

I'm going to start taking apart the pantry shelves.....
%$#^&*^*&^





aaahhhh...

Jeni, I owe you a Skor bar.

Motor-Vation

Amazing what a little motivation can do.

Spent most of a ride on Sunday hiding from the wind and motorpacing behind/alongside some sweet sweet scenery.

No way was I getting dropped.

Dork Alert

HI Sharon

Thank you for calling us dorky. Thats just about the damn best compliment you can give us. In a sport where elitism and cattiness are some of the gender sterotypes I've encountered, any ounce of dorkiness certainly can't hurt.
I am the bella that promoted that UCI race. I am the bella that posted that blog. I am the co-founder of Velo Bella. I suppose that makes me the queen of the dorks? Aww so be it. Pass me my flair, my beer, and let me finish this little response...

The sponsor stuff you saw on my ridiculous blog, was the prizes we received for the Surf City race series we promoted. Winners of the 3 race series were treated to what I personally consider the best merchandise payout of any race series in our area. Every single item you saw in those photos was given out to a racer in categories that ranged from Jr women to Men A and all kind of fun in between. Oh let me tell you, I was tempted to Ebay that shit...but alas...damn conscience keeps winning.

Unfortunately, I could not find similar success with finding a financial sponsor for our UCI race. We lost about 2K at that race. I bumped the women's prize money as much as my personal pocketbook could handle. Yes, my pocket book because if you got a check at that race...thats my name, address and wimpy checking account you see on it. Maybe the lack of financial success speaks about our abilities to promote at the elite level. And with that I cannot diasagree, which is why we are not promoting a UCI event next year. And while I did all I could to cover the difference, I can only do so much without seriously cutting into my personal beer tab.

But I still consider that Watsonville race a success. Why? Because we also spent a little bit of energy encouraging Women Category C riders to come out and race? (Women Category C is a category we encouraged local promotors to add to lists about 2 years ago by funding it with prizes for the promotors). For the Watsonville race we offered a CX bike donated by a local shop to be raffled off to all entrants in the Women C event. Just over 40 beginning women racers showed up that day to give Cyclocross a try. Amazing if I don't say so myself. Additionally the woman who won the bike is currently racing a late season cx series on it and it absolutely HOOKED on cx and encouraging her friends to come out and race with her.

Also, in addition to Cat C for women, we offered clinics to beginning racers before all of our events, and kids races. And free pies..which of course as nothing to do with anything, except that those damn pies were good.

So, if a little dorkiness encourages more people to the sport, but I couldn't afford to pay the elite women racers as much as I wanted to, so be it. I, for one, am pretty content with the way it all turned out.

Plus the after party was pretty darn kicking.

So should promotors be doing more for women's cycling? Is it their responsibility? Is that where elite whining...errr I mean constructive criticism should be aimed? Or is it all of our responsibility, especially the ambassadors at the elite level, to get more people out there racing so that race promotion, and elite women's racing, becomes financially viable?

I honestly dunno. Mostly just wanted to throw my meaningless 2 cents around and give the keyboard a workout. I lurk on this list because I dig the sport and this lists' energy and gib gab. So carry on...you too, Sharon. Different opinions don't bother me...hell bring it sister. Just maybe buy me a beer or pie or something next time.

Just don't make me dance with that half nekkid Richard ever again...

Cool (Written to the MABSBS list in response to:
1. Why don't they just use some of the money they saved by not offering a realwomen'sprize list at the Crank Bros race? Or if they spent less money on neon hair extensions perhaps they could send riders to races and shit. Oh wait- they can find plenty of money to send riders to races (like almost everything on the east coast) that offer more than theUCI *minimum* women's prize list, but at thier own race they shaft everyone who came from all over the country to do a race put on by a women's development cycling team.Sick of dorky bike chicks who take and take but don't put out,S
SHARON

and
2. @ Jon- Sorry, I didn't know the Bella's were so destitute. I must have gotten the wrong idea after reading this blog where a Bella was always writing about unpacking box after box of sponsor stuff. I can't remember which Bella it was, but I never saw her at any races.
@ Alex- Thanks for the invite, but I don't need to embrace gender stereotypes tomake me feel good about myself. But you're right about the Bella's needing leaders, cause the ones they have right now certainly dropped the ball when presented with an opportunity to fight for equal treatment for women.It's pretty sad that the UCI C1 race presented by a women's development club was the onethat awarded the least amount of prize money to the fewest women. Did you know thatVello Bella rider Barb Howe personally won more money at the two Whitmores races than her club gave out at the GP? What's up with that? Perhaps if more promoters gave Elite women racers the financial opportunities that they give the Elite men we wouldn't need to have these fundraisers every year to send riders toworlds. Just a thought.
Love,SHARON
ps: I *always* wave to other cyclists, even if I occasionly use only one finger to do it.)

Can I wear my clogs?

Do you want to learn how to feel more feminine and sensual?
You mean more than he already makes me feel?

Do you want to build your self confidence while exploring your femininity?
Umm. Thats sort of what Velo Bella is about.

Do you want to explore your dancer within?
Yes, every gawdamn day.

Do you want to rekindle or awaken your sexy side?
Geez, any more of this and I might explode.

Do you want to learn to spin around a pole confidently and gracefully?
Okay ladies, no blog cameras allowed.

Outed

Came home to find this package waiting in the hallway. I assumed it was part of my school marm clog collection of course.

But no-oooooo
they actually belong to my roomie.

ha.

I'm digging the work emails now

Okay...I have to admit. The emails I get here at my new job are pretty tasty. And today, I found this hottie in my in-box.

Sipped my coffee to him this morning. Mmm...yummy. Extra half and half please.

So it seems as if my work has signed a 3 year extension as a sponsor of this lovely man. My bad for not even knowing we sponsored surfy stuff. Ooops.

So ladies (and gentlemen too I suppose), grab your coffee and enjoy some InBox action with me this morning....

Payday

Although this VB gig is volunteer duty galore...I do actually get paid.

Lately, I've even been raking in some sweet commissions.

On Monday, I came home to a fluffy pink bella hoodie thingie. Sent with love and an uber sweet note from one fine racer gal who has turned out to be a true treasure to this team. Girl...I'm gonna miss you.

Then yesterday, I find out that the woman who won the Lemond Poprad in the Cat C Women's Challenge we threw down back in November, has been racing CX in Fresno...and loving it. She's even named the bike and flaired it out.

And today, I come home to a handmade card, and get this, homemade blondies. All from a bella I have yet to meet.

Sweet riches indeed.

And there are lots of people who should be sharing these blondies wth me. But...they're not here right now and this glass of beer is not going to stay cold for long.

Luck be a Lady

The odds of hitting any one number in roulette are 2.63%

Needless to say, I am still drying out.

Rain Roulette

To go or not to go? The clouds loping past my window are taunting me.

"You a gambling woman?"

I don't trust their white fluffiness with the dark gray underbelly.

Fashion Geekage-ness

I just ordered two more pairs of a shoe I already own.
This, in several colors, could be the only shoe I ever need.

Except for my go go boots, of course.

I hope Laura doesn't find out about my fashion geekage-ness and kicks me out of the bellas or anything.

Simple Pleasures of Office Life

sparkly colorful gel pens make me happy

Der Kaiser

I am liking this look.

That little innocent freckle faced, hummel-cheeked look gets me each time. And now the curly do and the leather bracelet thingie. Liebchen.

You know you've had a full weekend when

there are no blog posts

Paraskevidekatriaphobia

Today is Friday the 13th

and its a full moon.

oh, yeah. Bring it.

Happy Blog Day

1 Bunch of Bunnies
1 Moo Cow
2 Queen Bees
and a GinMan jumping out of a cake

thanks for the giggles you guys. You're all pretty whacked.

Time Warp

How is it that 48 hours can pass by in the blink of an eye, yet five minutes can last almost an eternity?

Chivalry is not dead

From Cyclingnews:

The director of the T Mobile Women's team spurts:

"Women are very sensitive, emotional and need to be addressed more sensitively."

What?!! Emotional!!!! How dare you. And we are not sensitive!!! What an awful thing to say. First I am going to cry and then I am going to write a hysterical letter to the CEO of TMobile and their spokesperson chick who married the rich actor dude twice her age.

Women are no different than men. Just look at Ina.

Does this blog make my butt look big?