More on Bottles, and Snow?

I spent my Saturday afternoon on the phone trying to get everyone on the same page for an informal team dinner before WORS starts. I had started on it a while ago but it's next to impossible to find a night when everyone is free, not to mention the fact that we live all over the place. We got together last night, and had a decent turnout. Some teammates spent Sunday doing trail work up at the Lake Geneva course. Or so they thought! When they got there they ended up digging out giant snowdrifts. Unfortunately they did not get any pics. I can only use my imagination on shoveling huge piles of snow at the end of April.

Fran, Wendy and DJ after dinner. Fran is having her baby next week!

Even Velo-News is writing about the water bottles now. In the May 5 print edition there is an article on toxic water bottles on p. 30. In a nutshell, most cycling water bottles are No. 4 plastic. (look on the bottom of the bottle) which is apparently less toxic. The chemicals currently coming under fire as being toxic in new studies are found in bottles made of plastics No. 3, 6, and 7. My Nalgene and Camelback bottles say No 7 on the bottom. However, both of those companies are now making bottles that don't use the BPA chemicals.

I remember a few years ago being told not to use cycling water bottles (No 4) which were thought to leach chemicals. I think it might have been phtlates (sp?) that were in them but I really can't remember. Now they seem to be considered safer than the old ''safe" bottles. In the same issue, on page 99, they suggest the Camelback Podium bottle, the gel-Bot, and the plain old standard cycling water bottle, which are mostly made by Specialized. (You probably have like 30 of them.)

And here's an old school bmx pic of mountain bike legend Johnny T on the Tomac bikes blog. It was probably taken when he was a kid growing up in Michigan.

Rock Cut Pics

I downloaded the Rock Cut pics so the people who have been waiting all week (Ben and Julie) could see them ... and I'm having problems with them. When I upgraded to Leopard I got a surprise - my iPhoto no longer works. I can't even open it to see my previous photos. Sooo, I am going to have to get a new version of iPhoto. Here are two photos that worked not using iPhoto. Hopefully I'll figure out a workaround soon... (update: I learned how to post blog pics straight from Flickr - not the ideal way, but at least they are up)



Audrey and Julie pushed each other the entire race and got 1st and 2nd in their age group.

Ben survived the gnome attack
Originally uploaded by Velogrrl

Hiding from the gnome?
Originally uploaded by Velogrrl

Casey still had her front teeth here. Congrats to Spicyride on the strong ride, hence the trophy.
Originally uploaded by Velogrrl

Spicyride's awesome arm
Originally uploaded by Velogrrl

Tom's shirt
Originally uploaded by Velogrrl

meeting

I am hoping to make it to the CAMBR meeting tonight. Hopefully some of you will be there. It's a long trip for me during Friday rush hour, so I'll have to see how things are at the end of the day. It's been a long, busy week. I am looking forward to seeing The Collective movie "Seasons" there if I go!

And yes, all week I have been carrying a post-race post around in my head, and there are photos on the memory card...but my days have ended so late this week I just can't stay up the extra hour or two to write the post. Hopefully before the next race!!

More later, but would you ride a mt. bike that had no place for a water bottle? Do some of you? I like to keep my energy drink in water bottles and my water in a camelback. I'm not sure I could get used to not having the water bottle(s), both in short events and WEMS. I have a week to decide if I could live with this.

RIP Nalgene Bottles?

Today in the print Tribune I read that Nalgene is going to take their popular water bottles off the market and replace them with bottles that don't use BPA's. I've been reading alot lately about water bottles that leach BPA's and how they are bad for us. I think Consumer Reports had an article too this past month? It seems like all of a sudden everyone discovered this, I'm seeing articles everywhere.

This was confusing when I first read about it because for the last few years I thought we were supposed to be avoiding squeezable soft plastic bike water bottles in favor of Nalgene for drinking. I had thought the Nalgene bottles were considered to be safe, vs. our bike bottles. So which is worse? Are we now supposed to avoid both? Time and heat make the chemicals most likely to leach into the water. I fill up all my bottles, a combination of nalgene and bike-specific ones, before I leave on a bike race trip and pack them in coolers so they are ready when I need them. I know this is not the best from a health standpoint, but it's easiest for me. I am wondering what the new alternative is going to be? And also if my Britta filtered water pitcher that I drink water from every day made of the same type of bad plastic?

Now I have an excuse for being slow. It's all the water I drink out of those bottles. (just kidding!)

it's always something....

I feel the earth move....

I felt the earthquake... but I didn't realize what it was. I was wondering, what is that, the house is shaking even more (a lot more) than when a bus goes by, but it's too late (or early) for a bus...then I was wondering if maybe we were getting a thunderstorm.... it was kind of noisy and there was definitely rumbling and shaking going on. then I heard about the earthquake on tv. wierd. I actually thought maybe I heard something falling, though I don't know what it was yet. I also felt really queasy and sick for a while, which may have been somehow related?

I wonder what it was like for all the people in highrises...

now I am wide awake!!

and Wednesday night when I was out walking for exercise late in the evening, I heard growling across the street from where I was walking. I had forgotten all about the cougar(s) until that moment. then I heard the fierce growling-type noise again. I have no idea what it was, it could have been animals fighting, but all I could think about was the cougar!! it could have been a racoon, I guess, but the vision in my head was all cougar!! I walked as fast as I could to get away from that block. It was only a couple blocks away from my house!
strange week.

Cougar not a Mirage

Turns out I was behind in my news - around the time I was posting about the cougar in Wilmette, police in Roscoe Village were shooting a cougar! Is it the same one people saw in Wilmette? Who knows, but it seems likely. I admit I didn't really think there was one in Wilmette.

I was surprised to read that Goose Island Brewery's pub on Clybourn is closing at the end of the year. Their rent is going way up at the end of their lease. I guess that part is not surprising, given how the neighborhood has changed in the 15 years that they have been there. I have mostly been there for Clif event staff meetings over the last 5 or so years.

I forgot to mention earlier that Saturday night I saw a really fun local bluegrass band called the Henhouse Prowlers at the Celtic Knot. If you like bluegrass, you might want to see these guys. A friend had been telling me about them for a while. I haven't been out to hear live bluegrass in ages.

One of the band guys told me that Charlie Louvin is playing at the Heartland Cafe Wednesday night. I used to love the Louvin Brothers - old school bluegrass with amazing harmonies! If you want to see a little piece of old time traditional music history, check this guy out. He's probably in his 80's or 90's by now, I would guess?

On his website:

Charlie Louvin has released his first new album in over ten years on the New York-based Tompkins Square label.

The self-titled disc, produced by Mark Nevers (Lambchop, Calexico, Candi Staton) and Charlie Louvin, was recorded in Spring/Summer 2006 in Nashville. It features guest performances by Elvis Costello, Jeff Tweedy, Will Oldham, Tom T. Hall, George Jones, Bobby Bare Sr., Tift Merritt, Marty Stuart, David Kilgour, and members of Bright Eyes, Lambchop, Superchunk, Blanche and Clem Snide, among others.

The album features several Louvin Brothers classics as well as country favorites first popularized by Jimmie Rodgers, the Delmore Brothers, the Carter Family, and the Monroe Brothers. Charlie also has included a moving tribute to his late brother Ira, with whom he formed the Louvin Brothers in 1940. (Ira Louvin died in a car accident in 1965, at age 41.)

Charlie Louvin's influence on country, alt-country, and their many sub-genres, is incalculable. The unique harmonies and lyrical folk poetry of the Louvin Brothers ("among the top duos in country music history" AllMusic.com) have inspired countless covers of their songs by such artists as Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons, the Byrds, Emmylou Harris, Uncle Tupelo and the Raconteurs (with Jack White).

Cougar Sightings?

Some people in Wilmette have been reporting cougar sightings! I read about this in the print version of the Tribune. One had been spotted up in North Chicago, 20 miles away, so they are hypothesizing that it might be the same one. Having spent a lot of time snowshoeing and skiing in a Wilmette lakefront park this winter, it's hard for me to imagine a cougar lurking there... but there are probably lots of other good lurking places. It does make riding through Wilmette a little more exciting. If the potholes weren't enough to keep you on your toes.... So, cyclists riding through Wilmette, consider yourself warned!!

Happiness is...

the little things.....

Like getting my Chequamegon card in the mail today. I wish I could wave a magic wand to get entries for the many teammates and friends who didn't make it in this year.

Like getting a TEN in my horoscope, and having a message that makes me want to jump up and do all the things I have been too tired (or lazy?) to get done this winter. I can't remember the last time mine had a ten!

Sagittarius: Today is a 10. Take positive steps to make your every dream come true. If you can imagine it, you can make it happen, starting now.

My computer is in the shop and I am writing this on a newer computer, and am amazed at the extra options available for blogger in the newer browser! The menu before had like two options - spell check and upload pics. Now there are many more! It's like having a whole new Blogger.

Congrats to Gabi on getting 6th place in her first duathlon as a pro! She went to a race in Alabama this past weekend. She just got her pro triathlete license this winter.

I think it's pretty cool that CAMBR is showing a sneak preview of The Collective movie "Seasons" after the membership meeting. They hadn't announced a location when I heard about it, but I am hoping it's not too far away. I think they got this privilege due to the new mt bike park Cambr West is building in Plainfield. Support CAMBR! They put in countless hours of work on the trails and in dealing with the county to keep the trails open, etc.

Help!!

I just read about the Help line of products today. A simple way to address a headache or a cut. The band-aids sound high-tech, they are made of a "futuristic material" used in hospitals.

Unrelated to cuts and headaches, the iPhone might be getting 3G in the next 60 days. I just read about this today, but Walt Mossberg alluded to it in an interview a week ago, then later tried to backpedal. I'm not really sure if this is a big improvement unless you spend all your time in an urban area (ie. you aren't a mt. biker), but the potential of it is appealing. I'm still holding off on the iPhone anyway, at least for a little longer. I'm inching closer - they finally made it available to business accounts and I am finally going to upgrade my mac os to Leopard, so the barriers to ownership are slowly dropping away.

I read about this new dance Tecktonik (a mix of rave and breakdancing), that is big in France, so I went on YouTube to see what it's all about. it is apparently a modern version of disco. Mullets and muscle shirts are de rigeur. This video of a student named "Jey Jey" has been watched by more than 8 million people. I think it would be fun to be able to do that. There's something oddly appealing about it to me, I guess cuz I used to love to dance. Quite a work out. It would be a novel way to get in some off-season cross training, too. If that first video wasn't way too, um, disco, for you, here's another one.

Cooler by the Lake

It is official. the start of what I call "cooler by the lake" season. That is when all the weather forecasters are crowing about how it's going to hit, gasp, 65 today!! And I get all excited and keep going outside wondering where the 65 is and why it still feels cold out... oh yeah, it's another cooler by the lake day. When I went out riding in the afternoon the radio said it was 54 by the lake. By the time I got home I am guessing it was 48-51ish. I was out about 2.5 hours. The ride north was great. The ride south felt like it was into a strong wind so it wasn't quite as much fun. Yesterday was more fun, when the wind felt like it was always in my favor. My knees hurt afer riding both days so I may have overdone it a little.

I'm looking forward to my first off-road ride of the season, which will probably be Rock Cut.

The funniest thing to me both days this weekend was the wide range of clothing I saw. I saw tween girls in shorts, flip flops, and tank tops, at the same time I was noticing that my toes were getting cold in spite of my booties! I saw shorts, t-shirts and flip-flops everywhere in various combinations, even though it was 54ish. And walking down the street near the younger people wearing minimal clothes, or half summer/half spring clothes, I saw other people wearing layers, even down jackets, including one with a fake fur collar. I did see one guy riding in shorts and short sleeves, too. It's transition season, for sure.

I can see Spring at the end of the tunnel...

The weeks seem to just be flying by. I have missed so much updating - I guess I'll go backonly a week or so. Last week two good friends, Wendy (aka New Zealand Wendy) and Kristin left for India. They will be traveling for an entire month! They both have jobs where they are able to arrange that. Judging by Wendy's travelog emails, they are having a great time. In this age of cell phones, it's wierd not talking to them for so long.

I felt awful that weekend, after not enough sleep that Thursday night. No riding for me!! I dragged myself to an event at a local shop where the Moots rep gave a slide show and answered questions. I'm glad I went - it was interesting, I got to see some people I hadn't seen in a long time, and all in all had a good time. I had planned to go to the gym after but it ended too late. All weekend I felt mostly awful, but did feel better enough to decide last minute to go to a party that the skinny's team was having. I never did get the cold, though, all the weekend napping must have kept it at bay.

The week was kind of a blur. I had trouble getting in my hour on the eliptical every day at the gym - I just did the best I could. Last night I finally got in 1 hour and 15 minutes. Everything didn't hurt quite as much as usual so I made it for a little extra before closing time. It helped that I wanted to see the end of the movie I was watching. I took three bikes in for tune-ups to get ready for the season and got those back on Friday. The cross bike that I took to Nationals hadn't been ridden since then. Turned out it had a shifter issue - something must have happened to it in the terrible muddy, icy conditions that day.

I was super excited for the warmer weather we got today! And SUN! I didn't get out on the bike until late afternoon, but I had a great ride. I decided it was the perfect day to leave my "winter/rain bike" (an old 90's cross bike with touring tires) at home and break out the freshly tuned "new" (relatively) cross bike. I swapped the cross wheels for road wheels with skinny tires, put a light on the bars just in case, and it was ready to go. The shifter now worked flawlessly. I knew it would cool off and I knew it was probably colder than the radio was saying by the lake, so I still wore (as usual) alot more stuff than most of you would. I was really comfortable the whole ride and didn't get chilled as the temps got down in the low 50's/high 40's on the way home. Well, except for my toes!

The best part about the ride was how light and fast I felt compared to previous rides. The newer bike is alot lighter than the old, and being custom, felt right as soon as I got on it. For most of the ride I was going from 1 - 3 mph faster than I had been before on the older, heavier bike that doesn't fit very well. I looked at my average speed for the few rides I did in March and noticed a definite trend - the average got higher as the month went on, with a big jump when I rode the lighter bike today. I was still a little sick and still coughing when March started. I must be improving a little, though I am by no means where I'd like to be. I had been really discouraged with my glacial avg. speeds in March, so today made me feel a little better. In addition to the usual aches, some new things were hurting (what's up with that?), but it didn't matter, the ride was a great mood-lifter!

Looking forward to another great day tomorrow!!

Droolworthy?

I think these lovely cobalt wheels would look really hot on my race bike. I have not seen them in the flesh, er, aluminum, but they look sweet in the picture! Pricey though, so probably just wishful thinking. The first I had heard of them was an ad in the new VeloNews this week. They caught my eye right away.

Anyone have an opinion on whether or not they are good wheels, and are likely to be bombproof and low maintenance, from an engineering standpoint?

The Energizer Bunny Effect

Should athletes who take steroids be banned for life?

That question is posed in an interesting story titled "Cheaters Do Prosper" in the Wall Street Journal today. Researchers in Sweden have found evidence that "suggests that anyone who takes steroids, even once, may effectively be a cheater for life."

"When the researchers looked at the subjects' muscles through a microscope, they made a surprising discovery: Rather than returning to their original proportions, the muscles of the steroid users who'd stopped taking the drug looked remarkably similar to those of the subjects who were still using. They also had larger muscle fibers and more growth-inducing "myonuclei" in their muscle cells than the nonsteroid users."

"A scientific consensus on this issue may be a long way off. The Swedish study was too small to be definitive, and it's difficult (for obvious reasons) to do a large follow-up study on the effects of steroids on competitive athletes. Some studies done in the past decade have shown that while the muscles of mice grow when they are given steroids, they also shrink when the drugs are taken away. Gary Wadler, a New York University physician who consults with WADA on steroid issues, says he isn't convinced that the conclusions are accurate. "The effects of steroids are time-limited," he says."

It will be interesting to see how this develops in the future. Right now there's not enough evidence to know if it's even an issue, but if it were proven to be true, can you imagine how it would change the playing field?

Death Cab for Cutie in Millenium Park??!!

I heard on the radio today that Death Cab for Cutie is coming to Millenium Park the weekend of June 3rd!!!! (I think that was the date?). Does anyone have details on this? Is anyone going? I will have to check the race schedule to see if it conflicts with anything. It probably will, but this is one show I would love to see.

Cycling News

With racing season kicking into gear for many people, what better way to start the day today than to read Cycling News' Special Edition for the day. There are several interesting articles, including one about a new World Cup 'Cross event, to be dubbed the "Antarcticross Cup". I think 2007 Nationals were good practice for this.