Texass riders

What is it with you guys? Never a warning when passing or even a "Hello". Just like this morning commuting to work with my messenger bag slung over my back. I slowed to allow a motorist to make their unexpected right turn across my path and lo and behold a TX cyclist, non commuter, blows by me on the left. Just irritated me. So I caught him and drafted until the red light a mile up the road when I cruised up and sarcastically said "Hello". Caught him off guard and he just waved. Maybe there is hope for them. I always preach safety and courtesy to fellow riders. Just don't want to ride with jerks.

Gustav

This doesn't look promising for NOLA. Man o man they don't need any storms like this. Or will the same roll of the dice as usual take place and the storm will change course at the last minute and swamp some unfortunate small town in lower LA or MS. In any case this one will pack a punch. Just go away Gustav! There are many more spinning off Africa and this isn't going to be a nice season. Batten down the hatches it's going to be a bumpy ride! Speaking of ride, well I didn't get one today. I was fixing a flat on my commuter and blew the tube up in my face. Idiot, didn't check the other side of the tire before pumping it up. When I picked up the wheel after pumping it up it was too late to let the air out. Felt the bulge get bigger and bigger then braced for the BANG! No spare tube so off to the shop during lunch for another as I am heading out to our boat for some maintenance. We are suppose to be in LA the week after next for some work. Stay away Gustav! Here we are doing some work in the Mississippi River just below the French Quarter. Fun fun!

Weight lifting

Got to work on our new floor in the guest room this weekend. Ripped out the carpeting our new dog had used his artistic talents on and got started on the new engineered flooring to match our flex space. Well after two long days of deep knee bends and scrubbing up glue I am sore. Not the I just feel achy stuff, I mean the soreness you get from lifting heavy weights for the first time after a long layoff. My thigh haven't hurt this much in decades. I remember the return to school and getting back into shape from the summer layoff for swimming. Ouch! I am feeling it now and I didn't touch a barbell or any kind of weight apparatus. Just those deep knee bends and squatting for hours on end will do it. I did ride into work although it was quite slow. I hope it gets some of this lactic acid moving. right now my thighs are burning. It's kind of nice but I would rather be back in school with this feeling instead of having to be responsible and put in a full work day. Come to think of it, work really does suck. I guess it wouldn't be called work if it was always fun.

Pete

Got a call from my good friend Pete yesterday. He just returned to the states after a few months stay in Norway for his wifes sabbatical. turns out they had a great time in the arctic. You can have it, I prefer the warmth of the south. Sometimes I think he is coldblooded. After his research in Antarctica I think he would wear shorts in a blizzard. Well it was great to hear from him and I hope he can finish up his PhD work this year. I know his wife would be happy to see that. Good luck Pete!
The ride in today was fairly nice. A little cooler than normal. Found an easy route with only a few stop lights and very few cars. I don't think a car passed me for the middle 10 miles and this is in the city. Pretty amazing. I did go 6 for 12 even with the new route. Most of the reds coming in the first 3 miles. Hope the ride home is as nice.

raining in TX

Can't believe it that we are getting rain. Much different weather patterns then from the swamp. But it is nice to finally have some humidity. Sweating makes you feel alive. Not much happening and have been kind of down as of late. Pretty boring around the work place and haven't been too motivated to ride. But it was nice pedaling to work today. Might get wet on the way home, either sweating or rain.

riding on ice?

We actually had some precipitation this morning. I actually got wet on my way into work. The rain was light and made the roads super slick since it wasn't enough to wash all the oil that has accumulated all summer long. It has been bone dry here for at least 2 months. I could see the sheen the oil makes with water on the roads. I even spun my tire starting up from what seems like the umpteenth light I must pass through in order to arrive safely to work. Felt like I was riding on teflon coated roads. It was probably the most cautious I have been since commuting from our new home here as the nutjobs on the road don't realize how slick the roads actually are. Welp the Olympics have definitely been amazing so far. I can't believe how fast the swimmers are going from all over the world. 5 teams broke the 4oo free relay world record in the finals that was set in the prelims. Too bad I couldn't have been 6'7" instead of 5'7". Those guys are besting my yard times in meters. Woooow...

Red light tatoo

I think I had it on my forehead yesterday. Because my commute to and from work was all red lights. I couldn't believe it. I actually did some U turns as I was becoming frustrated about having to stop in the 100 F heat. It is ok when you are moving but man when you stop, uuggghh. This morning was much better as I was 10 for 17. If you ever run into this bunch, just ride on by. What a bunch of egomaniacs. I have seen them on some of my rides in the east. I am usually going in the opposite direction. I wave but seldom get a response from them as they are all over the road. Once I passed and someone must have flatted and they were all over the place at an intersection with traffic. None of them moved as cars were trying to get by. I couldn't believe it. I finally got close enough today to actually see what their jersey's looked like when I caught up to a loner. I said "Good morning" and got the look of "who the @#*% are you?" So I took off and dusted him. What an ass. I have noticed that there are lots of them here in Austin. Not my kinda place, although I live here. Any jobs where you are?

Zapped

Man is it hot! We reached 105 yesterday and I put in 47 miles before but it was at least 90 when I got home. I had very little shade the entire ride and no clouds to boot. I found myself in granny gears on some of the hills that I would actually push if I wasn't so pooped. Another hot one in store for today. Hopefully Edourdo makes it here with some rain. Seems the only way we can get rain in this state is from a tropical storm. Pretty crappy day for the lights. Seemed to approach all the lights today as they were green then they would change just before I got there. Typical since I was dragging ass today. Only 2 of 12. That really made me quite late to work, but who cares...

The land of Prozac

Welcome to Austin, TX! Riding in today at a pretty nasty intersection, I was making sure there was no traffic as I needed to make a left across traffic and watch from the traffic from the stop light to the right. Well numbnuts decides to make a left turn, after he looked me straight in the eye without a turn signal so he could by pass the light. He got my usual greeting of "Good one, F*&@ing jackass!" If he heard it, it probably didn't register. He was either clueless or on his meds. I think the latter. Seems like all Texassians have taken the Cali approach to life and just pop another pill to make everything nice. Well I would rather pop another beer or have a good glass of wine to make everything nice and hear some good ole brass band music from the Big Easy. Boy I miss sitting on our old porch and having "porch drinks" and watching the sunset. No one comes out here. We had a neighborhood watch meeting and I was surprised to see people. Made me ask, "Do you live here?" Just a stare in return as if nothing was registering upstairs. Where are all the real people? by the way only 6 of 14 today.