NashvilleCyclist.com

You'll shoot your eye out kid

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 13:40:00 +0000

Fans Celebrate 25 Years of 'A Christmas Story'
I can't wait to watch Ralphie shoot his eye out again.

Lance Armstrong Expecting a Baby
Did I read that right? So far this news hasn't been reported on the usual cycling sites, but this one is from the Associated Press. Several other news sources are picking up the same report too. This is another head scratcher for me.

Drug testers pay regular visits to Armstrong's home
Lance has obviously been a busy man. Find him on Twitter and you'll get these updates faster than the news outlets.

Ivan Basso is using Twitter
Your favorite Italian is using it too.

Versus to broadcast the Tour Down Under
The Lance effect is already happening. No matter what anyone thinks of his decision the one really good thing is we can expect more cycling to be on television.

Cyclysm Sundays
Stay on top of the schedule here.

Have you seen this guy?
If so, let Danish authorities know because he embezzled $85, which resulted in.....

Saxo Bank squad loses co-sponsor
Just when you think you have doping under control and your sponsors smiling, along comes an executive to ruin the party. Bjarne Riis has proven his ability to go out and secure sponsors when needed, but it's not how you want to be spending your time going into this time of year.

Making the Grade: Carla Swart
I have seen Carla race up close for a couple of years now as Cumberland University regularly competes against Lees-McRae College. This past year she has really taken off and dominated. The goals she has on her radar screen sound doable to me. What I didn't know is she has been running cross country this whole time too. Wow. On the one hand I am glad to see she's taking the spring road collegiate racing season off, but on the other I'd like to see her stay in school.

Commentary: Why we need an obesity tax
Just another reason not to live in New York, which has a huge hole in their budget to balance. Taxes such as this are not the way to go about funding a stable government. This strategy will likely spur the economy you think? You and I both know this is not about curbing obesity, but rather all about dollars and cents to fund the giant. Coca-Cola and Pepsi must not have contributed enough to the Democratic campaign coffers. Oh, and all you 'heavy' people out there had better watch out. The slope is being built to push you down it and require you to pay up or shape up. Buy a bicycle now!

Tinkov breaks with Team Katusha
Who is in charge of this team anyway? Tinkov owned and funded it, but he's the one stepping out. How does Andrea Tchmil wrestle away the decision making process and direction from the team owner/funder? I wonder if looking back on his decision to turn over the leadership reigns to Igor Makarov if Tinkov sees that as a smart move. I am looking forward to the upcoming interview with Cyclingnews were he'll hopefully address this murky situation.

Switching sides
World Champion Jakob Fuglsang makes some comments that I think are very telling about joining Bjarne Riis' team. Says Fuglsang, ""What I really look forward to is that the team will have a lot of structure....." Start reading that quote within the article and finish off that paragraph. What he's talking about is what I believe is what is hurting the growth of mountain biking across the board. Yes, it's wonderful that the sport is more laid back and relaxed, but what makes it fun is also what's contributing to its demise. People want to be a part of something bigger than themselves and not out there entirely on their own week in and week out. More mountain bikers make the switch to road than road makes to mountain biking. Therein lies the answers. Structure. Teammates. Professionalism.

Randy Pausch Last Lecture: Achieving Your Childhood Dreams
I highly recommend taking the time over the holidays to watch this lecture. You are in need of the head fakes.

Cycling Brews Up "The Breakaway Blend"

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 21:43:00 +0000

Fans of coffee and bicycling have one more reason to celebrate this holiday season. Portland Brew Coffee and NashvilleCyclist.com have partnered to develop a unique blend of coffee to promote bicycle racing in the region and help foster the development of a future Juniors racing program. The special blend is roasted in Nashville by Portland Brew Coffee with premium beans from Africa and Indonesia, and is appropriately called The Breakaway Blend.

“We are honored to have our own locally roasted coffee blend to promote the sport of cycling. Our goal is to appeal not only to cycling enthusiasts, but to all coffee fanatics as well. The true natural blend is found through the partnership between NashvilleCyclist.com and Portland Brew Coffee, both local organizations seeking to make a positive difference,” says NashvilleCyclist.com publisher and team owner Tim Hall.

The proceeds from the sale of The Breakaway Blend will further strengthen the current NashvilleCyclist.com team and event promotions, but more importantly to develop a Juniors racing team. Says Hall, “One of my goals has been to create and develop a young kids racing team. Our sport’s future success will depend on recruiting young kids, cultivating a pipeline of youth into cycling, and that must be done at the grass roots level. I am committed to making it happen, but it will definitely require a lot of resources to be successful.”

Coffee blends appealing specifically to the bicycling community are not uncommon. Examples include 53x11 Coffee and Jittery Joe’s Coffee, who formerly sponsored a professional cycling team in the US with great success until the team ended in 2008. NashvilleCyclist.com and Portland Brew Coffee hope to capitalize on the concept of those brands while also having a broader appeal beyond the cycling community.

“Portland Brew Coffee is a 100% locally owned business that believes in investing in the local community. As the father of four small kids I see the value in supporting youth oriented athletic programs, especially when the leadership involved at NashvilleCyclist.com cares about the future of kids,” says Portland Brew Coffee owner Brandon Stakelbeck.

The Breakaway Blend is a great value as a 12 ounce bag sells for just $10. The bags will be sold by NashvilleCyclist.com team members as well as inside all three Portland Brew Coffee locations in Nashville. Future plans also include selling the blend through the retail “buy coffee” section on Portland Brew Coffee’s website. Coffee aficionados will also appreciate the blend is 100% organic and Fair Trade Certified.

Stakelbeck & Hall posing in front of the roaster.

Stakelbeck continues, “Each person who buys a bag of The Breakaway Blend accomplishes two things. First, you get the highest quality and freshest beans available, and second, you get the privilege of investing in kids who may go on to become the next Lance Armstrong.”

Portland Brew Coffee has three locations in Nashville - 2605 12th Avenue South, 3431 Murphy Road, and 1921 Eastland Avenue.

For more information about NashvilleCyclist.com and Portland Brew Coffee please visit http://www.nashvillecyclist.com and http://www.portlandbrewcoffee.com.

Rock Racing & coffee wars!

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 15:56:00 +0000

My blogs lately have coincided with crappy weather. It's not like I sit around looking at the forecast deciding when to type, but that's the way it has gone lately. I have wrapped up the semester at school, got my car fixed, cancelled Christmas, done some training, worked out, and worked on various racing topics for 2009. I'm sure there's more, but that's all my mind can remember because it's filled with everything below. A little bit of Rock Racing and coffee wars!

Rock Racing moves some big names off its Continental squad
One could "rock" the racing world with the missing 10 riders from the official pro roster. Imagine you've been a pro all these years and then all of a sudden you've been demoted, without warning (so it seems). Bahati and Creed have at least not heard from Michael Ball, and if they haven't then who would have?

BAHATI RACING
What does he have to say about it? Well, read for yourself, but he's still without answers. While Rashaan is without answers from the team it's not preventing him from sharing his "My Two Cents." His observation about a quality product being demoted to the lines of mediocrity hit the nail on the head. Despite this setback Rashaan has kept a very good public attitude towards it all. He obviously has a lot of respect for Michael Ball and the team by not thrashing the situation and pouting.

Rock & Republic tightens its belt
However, if you have this problem then why sign so many guys in the first place? Jeans costing over $250 aren't in as high of demand, go figure. Domestic professional racing needs Rock Racing and Michael Ball's continued investment into the sport.

Ivan Dominguez heads to Europe
Dominguez appears to have jumped off the Rock Racing boat just in time. Did he have a contract or did he not? Ivan says no. From his words it sounds like he's well aware of what he's up against in Europe. The longer races appear to be what will limit him the most, but he can train to overcome those necessary adaptations. I wonder if he's spoken to Juan Jose Haedo about what 2008 was like for him with CSC-Saxo? Haedo already had the punching ability at the end of a long road race before going to Europe, so it would be interesting to hear his thoughts on his 2008 experience.

Leogrande doping case proof of cultural shift
I got the link above from Joe Papp's blog site. It has a few more details pertaining to Leogrande's suspension, and from the look of it this could another one of the reasons Frankie Andreu left Rock Racing as Team Director. By the time he left Rock Racing he was aware of the Leogrande doping problems and likely did not want to be around when it all hit the fan.

Back to Joe Papp, read his post from December 13 titled "ya basta." Kids at home, this is why you must be fully aware of all the ramifications of any decision you make. Something may make you feel powerful in the moment, but what kind of harvest will it yield years down the road?

I have actually thought more about my comments in the last post about Leogrande, and I think I may have come across as too harsh. I don't know why I feel that way, but I do. I can only guess it's because I see someone who obviously had an opportunity that many young cyclists are desiring, and that person purposely disrespected the opportunity and destroyed it for selfish reasons. It is obvious that Leogrande does not and has not had enough good influences around him to help him make better decisions. Fortunately, in my life I have had strong positive influences that kept me in line, and for that I will be forever grateful. I could easily rattle off the names of men who gave of their time unselfishly to lead countless young men and women. In my line of work I can easily spot a kid who has had those same influences over someone who has not. Those who haven't tend to stick out like a sore thumb.

What I worry about more than anything else is who out there will help lead people in the right direction? Will selfishness prevail even at the leadership level, or will true leaders begin to take a stand? Not only that, but demand those they lead to live up to the challenge.

Nathan Brown on the deck
I'm sure that's the last place Memphis native Nathan Brown wanted to find himself at Cyclocross Nationals last week. Nathan ended up 19th on the day. I'm sure we'll see him on the road next season throwing down the gauntlet and making us all suffer like dogs.

Tim Johnson's Cannondale
Sticking to the cyclocross theme, even though I don't do cyclocross this bike makes my mouth water. I suppose now he can transfer the stars and stripes over to Ryan Trebon though.

Fifteen pounds of 'cross bike goodness
Bow and drool. Having an aluminum road Scott frame that I raced on in 2008 has helped me to appreciate how good their bikes are built.

Superprestige #4 - Hamme Zogge, C1, Belgium
I don't think either of those primo cyclocross bikes would have powered me through these epic conditions! When you race you want to look like a snow man coming in for the win. Unforgettable for sure!

Biking should be encouraged, not taxed
"The most green of our population." Yes, that's probably true in Seattle, but not quite here in Nashville. Not enough of us use our bicycle for something other than training. Personally, I use my bicycle to run errands and go places, but not everyone lives close enough to their favorite in-town destinations to do so. Plus, there's the whole family to worry about. Regardless, it should still be our goal to become the greenest of them all!

Sweet Shops in Three Cities
What's the benefit of riding all over the place instead of driving? Well, other than the obvious savings in gasoline and the environment there's the ability to go to a sweets shop and indulge! San Francisco, Atlanta and New York are highlighted here, but that's a little too far to drive. I think I'll pedal to Bread & Company instead.

Couple eats on $1 a day
This is taking frugal to all new heights. Watch the video and hear how they did it. He's right, losing that much weight in one month is not healthy. Maybe they should have started at $2 per day and worked their way down. If you threw in much if any exercise with this food budget plan you'd definitely whither away.

Unsnobbycoffee.com
However, if you did eat on $1 a day then it would give you more to spend here! McDonald's is coming out swinging against Starbucks, and I have to say "I'm lovin' it!" This marketing strategy and website is ingenious. You can perform an intervention or play pin ball. They've been developing the McCafe for some time now, and with the current economic downturn this has the potential to be a huge hit for McDonald's.

Starbucks won't slug it out in ad wars
They won't because they can't since they realize they would flat out lose that war, and I would also say they're right to keep quiet. This is pretty aggressive marketing by McDonald's though. Starbucks is taking the high road because it's the only road they can take. Sure, McDonald's customers are less likely to be Starbucks customers in general, but there are millions more McDonald's customers than there are Starbucks customers. Starbucks can be credited with being the pioneers of creating their customer base, but that base is dwindling in these hard times.

If McDonald's taps their current customer base alone with this new menu strategy then I put them in the "buy" category. Throw in the potential for winning over less dedicated Starbucks customers and a boom could follow. Even before this marketing strategy went into effect their same store sales were already up 8.2%. Starbucks cannot come close to matching that figure, but the most troubling comment was by the Starbucks chief marketer saying they weren't going to respond and keep doing what they're doing. Yeah, you do that chief. How many stores has McDonald's closed recently?

The trouble with Starbucks
First quarterly loss ever, closing over 600 stores, stock price has dipped to $9.21 from a 52-week high of $21. Shultz has some soul searching to do, and doing things the way they've always done them will continue to get them the same results. Marketing 101 will teach you that, the 4 P's. If that marketing chief really feels that way then he should be fired. Starbucks can only hope they haven't built this incredible customer base only to lose them to McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts. I am a fan of business strategies, case studies, SWOT analyses, accounting correlations, etc., and all this just fascinates me to no end.

You all know how much I love my mochas, but I have cut back on those significantly. Plus, I haven't put all my espresso drinking eggs in the Starbucks basket. I do my best to support local coffee shops too, and soon you're going to here big news along those fronts! I cannot wait to announce that news.....

NashvilleCyclist.com Criterium 8/22/07
To cheer you up in this dreary weather I refer you to this video. I'm gonna make that thing go faster in 2009!!

You are an obsession

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 20:55:00 +0000

Today is a good day to stay inside and blog right? Not entirely so since I did squeak in a one hour workout of one-leg drills before the rain started pouring this morning. Then I showed my bike a little love and gave it a thorough washing with soapy water. The Scott is looking pretty shiny I must say. This is about all I could do anyway since my car is in the shop. The tally? A new radiator, all the hoses replaced, something to do with barometric pressure-fuel line-turbo, and an oil change. Next I have to pass emissions and get new tags. I have officially cancelled Christmas this year. See you in 2009!

U.S. registered Continental teams for 2009
Rosters were released yesterday, and there's been a few guys changing teams as you can imagine. The one that jumps out at me is Neil Shirley, formerly of Jittery Joe's, going to Kelly Benefit Strategies. A few local names going to Kenda Tire are Matt Winstead and Bennet van der Genugten (also former CU Cycling rider) from Inferno, as well as Tyler Stanfield from Myogenesis. A name missing off the list is our good friend Trent Wilson. I haven't heard word yet on him signing with anyone, so let's hope there's good news to report that we simply haven't heard yet.

The teams to obviously watch are Ouch pb Maxxis and Rock Racing. Those two teams are stacked with guys like Floyd Landis, Karl Menzies, John Murphy and Ivan Dominguez, Fred Rodriguez and Oscar Sevilla. It's not to say those other squads won't be able to compete, but they lack the depth that Ouch and Rock possess. Soon we'll be seeing Landis and Sevilla as well as Tyler Hamilton going toe-to-toe.

Leogrande suspended
Here's one guy who got scribbled off the Rock Racing list at the last second. First, here's this from Leogrande, "It could have gone either way, to be honest with you." Just flip a coin huh. Next, I suggest reading the section where Leogrande feels as though he was targeted. With all due respect, if in fact Leogrande is deserving of respect (?), are you really this ignorant or are you just, just, .....I can't even think of a word or words to describe it. I can actually understand the doping part of this story, but what amazes me is the lack of ability to communicate a coherent message of innocence. My gut tells me he is relieved it's over because now he can relax knowing the gig is up.

You're right Kayle, most people shouldn't have to deal with this, but the fact is most people don't. Do you know why? Because most people don't dope. Maybe somewhere this guy is protesting his innocence and saying "I did not dope", but I have yet to dig up those comments via a news search. You'll probably guess correctly as to the lawyer's name handling his case - Howard Jacobs. I haven't seen a follow up to the lawsuit he had previously filed against the soigneur and Matt Decanio either.

Says Leogrande, “Now that it’s finally happened, in a way it’s a relief, and a weight off my shoulders." Yeah, us too. Bye bye.

OS Performance Nutrition
Local nutritional company was recently promoted nationally on VeloNews. I have personally been using OS products for about three years now, and I assure you the product is worth every nickel. It doesn't matter what you're doing; long training ride, 85 mile RR, one hour crit, post-event recovery, it all works!

Zipp recommends
Of course it's nice to be a professional on Garmin-Chipotle and have your pick of the best and hottest cycling products on the market. I suggest reading the section on Zipp wheels and their recommendations on which model to use for various types of terrain. The bottom line is go with an aero wheel over a climbing wheel unless there's sustained climbing over 8 percent. Now if I only had a pair of Zipps!

Powercranks xLite Adjustable crankarms
This reminds me of a conversation I had recently with someone about some of the cool gadgets and equipment they have to train. One is a Velotron with all the bells and whistles, and the other was Powercranks. Among other things we talked about training and the muscular balance the cranks potentially can promote. Then I find out this guy has all these nice toys, but never rides outside on the road! His bike training is indoors all year round for the simple reason that he's concerned about his safety. It doesn't blow me away that some stay inside due to safety, but it did surprise me he has invested quite a lot in equipment yet doesn't venture out. It takes all kinds I suppose.

Garmin launch: Winning is the word
Two words jump out at me from this, culture and victory. If you haven't built the right culture and "work" environment then you're making it harder to achieve success. I much prefer the word victory or victorious over winning. Of course they went out and played the obligatory cowboys and Indians paint ball game, but somebody tell Steven Cozza to keep his shirt on next time!

Team Columbia training camp
No crazy welts there. Bob, don't spend too much time patting yourself on the back for 2008. Why? Cause "Bruyneel brings Astana back stronger for 2009." After a year of getting uninvited or told to stay home you can bet Astana is looking to prove their worth. My guess is with the stars they have in their lineup that race organizers will want them because it's going to ensure greater publicity and attention. With Contador and Armstrong together in the same race you may as well have Barry Bonds and Babe Ruth in your lineup. All four are going to perform as well create a bit of chaos around them, which is just what the organizer ordered!

Astana camp: Armstrong rolls out
If the cops are too busy taking photos then who can we count on to keep things under control?

Starting the season right
Columbia and Astana had better be ready because I think this guy may have something to say before it's all over. Basso's training advisor is excited about his recent test where he tested just 1.5 milliliters below Armstrong's reported 85. Still though, you had better have some power in those legs and put out the wattage. I don't think power can be found here, can it?

Cyclingfansanonymous
A very good read that mostly centers around doping. My interest level in pursuing doping as a conversation or blogging topic isn't what it once was (Leogrande notwithstanding!), but this blog has lot of short commentary on various articles that may interest you.

Cat3Phenom
I have no idea who this guy is, but man oh man can he throw down some hilarious smack! (Thanks to a NC.com rider who shared this site with me!)

No Stretching on the Grass
Please, let's not give the city leaders of Belle Meade any more crazy ideas. Browse around and you'll notice the people are now stretching in the street. Smart move on both sides right?

Everything Maddux wasn't
Don't expect to see another athlete like him come along in our lifetime. He was a wizard. An artist. What's amazing to me is that there aren't young pitchers coming up emulating his throwing style and mechanics. His delivery was balanced, deliberate and simply put, flawless. Not only that, but Maddux has the career numbers to back it up. First ballot Hall of Famer.

What Is Rickey Henderson Doing In Newark?
It's strange to think he'll turn 50 on Christmas Day. I believe I have read this article before, but what I don't remember reading is this section here where he talks about struggling to get back to the Major Leagues. Henderson says, "But that's life. And I digest it. Because I believe the Good Lord has put me here for something. And He never tells me that road I'm going to put you on is always going to be gravy." Amen brother.

The Dutch call them 'Sinterklaas and Swarte Piet'
Here comes Santa Claus here comes Santa Claus.....

Sowing the seeds

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:27:00 +0000

New Year, New You: Cycling Weight-Loss Stories
I love this series of stories! You have to see the transformations some of these people have made, the before and after photos. As I clicked through them I thought about my own transformation, and what the bicycle has done for me. I will never forget the moment when the thought came to me about a bicycle. In the 'winter' of 1997 I was driving north on US1 in Stuart, Florida and saw Pro Bicycles on my right. Ding! I immediately thought I should get a bicycle. Just like that it popped into my head.

By that time I was pushing 235 pounds, which for me was my heaviest ever. I was still working out in the weight room and running a little bit, but nowhere near as active and competitive as I had been during baseball. I was only two years removed from playing, but I had already packed 30 pounds to my playing weight of 205. Odds were that I was going to keep adding pounds instead of subtracting, unless I did something dramatic. My logic was I enjoyed riding my bike as a kid and remember riding a lot, so surely I would enjoy doing it now. I remember the freedom my bicycle gave me as a kid, but I had no idea the freedoms it would eventually bring as an adult.

After my visit to Pro Bicycles I saved up money for a few months and went back in early spring for my first road bike purchase. Right away I fell in love with riding with people at the Treasure Coast Cycling Association, but soon I moved back home to Nashville. I kept riding more and doing all kinds of organized rides and charity events. As each year passed I began noticing transformations with my body. I went from 235 to 220, from 220 to 205, from 205 to 195, from 195 to 190 to 185 to 180 to 175! I have been in the 175-180 range for the last two years, which is lower than when I was in high school! The weight loss and body transformation process took years to happen. I kept getting smaller and smaller, and my friends I have known for years kept shaking their heads in disbelief.

I will say that it wasn't just riding that did the trick. As I kept losing weight I incorporated other better habits to facilitate the process. I ate better foods more regularly, stopped drinking so much Coke if any at all, turned away from alcohol completely for five years at one point, started practicing yoga and pilates, and with each new change (sacrifice!) I saw results. There's nothing more motivating to stick with something than when you see your actions helping you to get stronger and faster on the bike!

What once was considered a sacrifice is now a way of life for me, a joy to do. I went from 235 to 175, which if you're counting is 60 pounds or 26% less than who I used to be. As you can imagine I feel great!

I tell my young athletes and students all the time, the decisions you are making today are shaping your future beyond your imagination. Making good decisions consistently is what will distinguish you from everyone else, but you must be aware of them in the moment and realize that each decision is important. Even if you aren't sure what that seed will produce you still must make a wise and well thought out decision.

So in my life I look back and think.....

I am thankful I accepted that job out of graduate school and moved to Florida. Out of hundreds of miles of Atlantic Coast to choose to live I am thankful to have chosen that spot near Pro Bicycles. I am thankful that cycling club gave me encouragement. I am thankful I had an unsupportive boss who did not help me to succeed, and corporate business strategies that accelerated that lack of success, thus prompting me to realize there were better life opportunities back home here in Nashville. I am thankful to have immediately found riding friends when I moved back home to Nashville. I am thankful for a good friend in Tupelo who encouraged me to race. I am thankful to have eventually found the Model Airplane Field on Saturday morning. The list goes on and on.

Now look where I am at.

Some day I want to go back and visit my old friends in South Florida and tell them all I have done and am doing in cycling. I bet they won't recognize me. I will thank them and let them know it was their encouragement and nice words about the ability they saw in me that kept me riding. They planted a seed not knowing the outcome. Through their farming it helped produce a bike racer, a website, racing events, a racing team, a cycling coach and development of a collegiate cycling program. In the end I can only pray it has earned the respect of everyone. Do you think they had any idea of the crop they would produce?

You too have seed sowing abilities. You too are planting seeds and impacting the lives of others wanting to ride their bikes to become better people. You too have words of encouragement that somebody needs to hear. You too can make a difference.

How is your harvest coming?

It's a slow fade

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 16:09:00 +0000

This time I have a pretty good reason for being late. First, it was Thanksgiving and I led two very successful days of "Burn the Turkey" training rides on Thursday and Friday. Each day I had other obligations besides the rides that kept me from posting, mainly eating! Second, as the Friday ride was completed I was unaware my immune system was already in battle mode in what turned out to be a losing proposition. I woke up on Saturday morning with that dreaded feeling of a slight chill and some body ache. It was not from the previous three days of 8.5 hours of training, but from the most dreaded three letter word of winter - flu.

The remainder of the weekend was spent mostly wrapped up in covers and knocked out cold. I put down a whopping 14.5 hours of continuous sleep on Saturday night alone, not including naps before and after! This year has been the first once since I can remember when I haven't received a flu shot. Well, there you go. If there ever was a good time to have the flu it was now. I did not miss the Thanksgiving meal and dessert, and I did not have to miss showing up on campus. Sure, I missed a little training, but this time of year for me it's not as structured as it will become shortly. The sickness did put a dent into some things I had planned to accomplish, all of which centered around the business class I teach. I was able to get most of it done, but it was impossible for me to grade 58 research papers with my head in the clouds.

So there you have it, my excuse and I'm sticking to it. I was going to write about a bunch of cycling news, but I have changed my mind. Instead, I think I'll write about random thoughts that I have not shared. Wait, I guess some of this is cycling news.

As it stands now the NashvilleCyclist.com racing team is without a sponsor for 2009. The last couple of years we've had the financial support of Bike Pedlar, which helped tremendously in getting our squad off the ground. I feel it is important to say that I know some questioned if this relationship would work, but our sponsor followed through on all that he said he would do. Both parties are walking away with smiles on their faces, which is what I expected all along. We'll be forever grateful and thankful of Bike Pedlar's support in 2007-2008.

Despite Bike Pedlar not moving forward with us we are still adding talent and reloading for 2009! We've got a couple of extra strong Cat 3s joining us as well as developing a women's team. Next on the list in the near future is a juniors squad. Just hide and watch us!

This brings up a unique opportunity for our squad, which is to be a bike shop neutral team. I know when I started the team it raised some eyebrows because of the perceived bike shop neutrality the website had generated. I have always seen the racing team and website as two separate and distinct operations, but I can understand how others see it differently. Now that we're back to square one the team and I are all in agreement to go it alone, and I do not foresee us changing our mind. I will only seek out and entertain opportunities that allow that neutrality to thrive. Which, if I think about it much, is pretty exciting!

One sponsorship gem for the NashvilleCyclist.com team to be announced soon may catch you off guard. Think local and think coffee. Stay tuned for that news within the coming days!

Oh, and about the website. I recently spoke with a website builder who specializes in the cycling industry. NashvilleCyclist.com is in need of a fresh look and complete overhaul to meet current technology. There are too many benefits to list here, but suffice it to say I was pleased with the conversation and subsequent quotes. It will be a worthy investment that you and I both will enjoy, but first raise or earn the capital!

Have you heard about the new used bike shop opening up on 12 South? Check out Halcyon Bike Shop.

I cannot remember if I mentioned this before or not, but I was re-elected the Road Director of TBRA for 2009. We are still working on the schedule and have most of it complete, but there are a few local and regional events we're working around. The schedule should be posted soon, so stay tuned to TBRA.org for information.

I was reading an article the other day (see link below) about how our connectedness is really creating greater disconnect, and something called Second Life was given credit for helping to create the wedge even wider. I had never even heard of it, have you?

Along those lines, awhile back I thought to myself about our progression in communication and how it has only driven us farther apart. Follow me here as I try to recall my thoughts:
Face-to-face turns into.....
Sending handwritten letters turns into.....
Telephoning turns into.....
Television viewing turns into.....
Personal mobile video devices turns into.....
Mobile wireless telephones turns into.....
Internet emails turns into.....
Internet websites turns into.....
Internet instant messaging turns into.....
Mobile telephones with voice, video, email, instant messaging and website management.....
Turns into.....what?!?!

What is the next big thing? We have proven to ourselves we get bored pretty quickly with any technology that allegedly makes forward progress. Every step in that progression we walk farther away from one-on-one in person contact. What will our minds conjure up and make available next? What other form of communication can exist which will exceed our current abilities and time stamps?

Those Who Watched Internet Suicide Have Problems Too
Focus less on Dr. Keith's comments about the suicide issue (although they're important), but pay closer to attention to his last four paragraphs. My thoughts above were before reading this article, but affirmed what I have been thinking lately.

I would argue we are not connected, but rather more isolated than we have ever been in the history of the world. Could it be that all that's crumbling around us is nothing more than a reminder to go back to square one? It may not be a bailout of business after all, but rather a bailout of ourselves and all our lost souls.

I wonder.

Fears & Feats

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 15:01:00 +0000

Lance Armstrong worried about attacks by French fans
Why is his level of paranoia rising continuing to be reported, and what is his basis for believing it could happen? Yeah well, that and al Qaeda could launch an attack too. Believe it? I don't. You know who should be worried about their safety? A President or Prime Minister, not a bicycle racer. So, you won seven Tours de France and climbed countless mountains with fans running alongside. How many attacked you?

The only instance I can think of where violence took place was against Eddy Merckx in 1975 at the Tour de France as he attempted to win his sixth. Merckx was punched by a fan up a mountain, later suffered a broken jaw in a crash, and subsequently finished in second place that Tour. The punch to Merckx was because he was about to break the Frenchman Jacques Anquetil's record of five Tour victories. Lance meanwhile broke the record without incident and went back to win another.

You know Lance, you've had less success with vehicle drivers in Texas. Maybe that's where you should pour your concern. I'm not naive enough to think or say violence is not a possibility, but I'm a little tired already reading about his diversionary discussions on safety and his indecision on races he's going to do. I'd think differently if we had a history to draw upon filled with fan violence, or maybe, Lance is foretelling the future filled with violence? If you believe it and will it to happen then it just might happen. It used to be we'd hear a man focused on his goals, but now we've got someone throwing darts at a board. This is not a recipe for success.

Armstrong says 'emotions' could put his safety in jeopardy
It seems the Associated Press is wondering the same thing I am.

Armstrong to meet with Tour officials
Even Johan Bruyneel has succumbed to the paranoia about anger and grudges. Geesh guys, it's almost as if you've never won and are fabricating these thoughts to have "something" to prove. This Lance comeback situation is prime material for one of those "they said we couldn't do it" moments. Get ready because that's coming within the next year. As if "they" care what "they" think anyway.

Michael Barry's diary: The story of a cyclist
Again, this guy is good. In this diary Barry talks about his friend Craig Lewis' comeback and success of late. Lewis is one tough guy to have overcome the horrific accident he sustained at the 2004 Tour de Georgia. Physical pain and suffering has a unique way of making us stronger and better. You can read about Lewis in this article from Outside Magazine.

Twelve wins away: Don Meyer's hard road back from the brink
Speaking of becoming stronger and better after a major accident, it is hard to believe that Coach Meyer could become better than he was before. However, I'm certain this man can make it happen. Those of us who have been in Nashville long enough to remember him pacing the sidelines as men's basketball coach at David Lipscomb University know he's as tough and demanding as they come.

Just when you think God has run out of ways to use you to influence others for His glory.....along comes the unexpected. We can only hope to get that opportunity and rise to the occasion when it does.

Annual cyclocross competition draws young and old 'off the beaten path
A little publicity down in Memphis for the Tennessee State Cyclocross Championship.

Developing a U.S. Bicycle Route System
This is pretty cool, especially if you're into touring.

U.S. Bicycle Route System Approved by National Transportation Authority
We have Greenways growing and connecting us here in Nashville, and now we can look forward to great connectedness at the state level. Sweet!

Underground Railroad Bicycle Route
Another great route that goes through Tennessee.

Bread Delivery Bikes / Only In Egypt
This takes mad bicycling and balancing skills. Oh, and maybe a flat head.

The Bobby Julich Chronicles
It looks like Cyclingnews is the new home for Julich's diary journals. In his first installment he talks about how a neo-pro gets his start in contract dealings, and finishes it off with his rest period and when he knew it was time to start training again. I agree with him, our bodies and minds will let us know when we're ready.

Best seat in the house tonight

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 13:00:00 +0000

Study to test Nashville's carbon footprint
I found this interesting considering I have significantly lowered my carbon footprint on the environment. In my book it's irrelevant whether you buy into the whole global warming rage. Frankly, it's a moot point. What's more important to me is how we are conducting daily business and routines, and how can we make sensible changes within that to make ecological improvements. I'm no tree hugger, but trees and other natural resources are vital to our existence. In fact, I have three new trees planted in my yard! We should strive to do anything and everything we can do at the daily human existence level to preserve our planet. Imagine the creativity and productivity that can arise from such an endeavor.

Personally, I have been riding the train and my bike much more than ever back and forth to work. Moreover, I am driving significantly less and taking less unnecessary trips. At home I'm using less electricity and throwing in some energy efficient bulbs. I recycle every possible thing I can and create the least amount of trash possible. Heck, even when I fish I'm catching and releasing!

Pentagon Clears Flying-Car Project for Takeoff
This news has to make George Jetson happy right? Here's George behind the wheel, and he looks pretty thrilled to me. No word yet on his review, but you can see the similarities between George's previous ride that easily held the whole family. I'm still searching for evidence of George on a bicycle, so stay tuned.

Next-O-Meter : David Price
Murfreesboro native and former Vanderbilt pitcher David Price is the real deal. If he can stay healthy he's going to have a wicked career, much like that of Randy Johnson. Gas-O-line!

Tour de Georgia off for 2009
We may want to get used to these sorts of headlines. In today's economic environment more and more sponsors will have difficulty pouring cash into large bicycle races. If a race like the Tour de Georgia can point to its economic impact on the state and sponsors not see the value then the red flag is rising. Sure, it was struggling before, but now their perceived value is far outweighed by their sense of urgency to survive.

I think it's a cop out to say their failure is due to Lance Armstrong not choosing the race on his 2009 calendar. Organizers obviously lost credibility with race stakeholders by not paying their bills and doing what they said they would do. I don't care what business you're in, if you say one thing and do another you may as well put a bullet in your foot.

Transfers for 2008-2009
I always enjoy checking out the transactions list to see where riders are moving to for 2009. This year we are seeing the end of an era as quite a few amazing professionals are retiring. Paolo Bettini, Erik Zabel, Bobby Julich, Paolo Savoldelli, and Tom Steels (yes, that Tom Steels!) are all saying goodbye. Then again, some are reversing course from retirement back to racing. I hear some guy named Armstrong tops that list.

Yaroslav Popovych signs a two-year contract with Astana
Strangely enough Popovych was listed as retiring, but it looks like Bruyneel and Armstrong are reuniting the family. Too many chiefs and not enough Indians? Despite all their strong personalities, which I think is a weakness, Astana is going to have one heck of a roster.

Black Sheep won 'Riders's Choice'
I am deciding between this sweet looking ride, and.....

World's most expensive bike
.....possibly this one, which only costs about $118,000. I'd say about the only place to put it is where they have it, HERE.

Bikes in the city
I'd rather choose from these any way, the women I mean.

Jens Voigt gear
Then again, maybe I should consult with Jens first. WWJD?

How far Oscar Pereiro fell
Jens would have told Oscar to keep away from the ledge. He's a lucky man.

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.
I'm trying to figure out who has bottomed out worse - Pereiro or Buffet's stock price? At $94,000 and some change per share it's a steal. I'm down for 1/1000 of a share. I'll be rich soon and be able to afford a bike I can hang on the wall.

One in five youth in China obese
Lastly, this falls into the category of "headlines you thought you'd never read."

Blowouts, redemption & Greenways

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:22:00 +0000

Ok, getting back on track.....

How to Fix a Flat
Imagine my excitement that Thomas Friedman would write about fixing a flat, but instead he vents about his frustrations with auto makers in Michigan. The title really ought to read, "How to Fix a Blowout." I would say most people are more than frustrated with the Detroit model of business and have been for a long time. Every CEO and industry leader sees their economic bailout opportunity and believes it will be their saving grace if awarded. A successful bailout ideally not only includes the actual funds awarded, but in this case of taxpayer funds being used it has to ensure a successful rescue.

Let's all go take an honest look in the mirror. Do any of us truly believe these bailouts will prove successful? .....(tick, tock, tick, tock).....

Yeah, that's what I thought; hence everyone's reservations. Need proof? Just look at the volatility of the New York Stock Exchange and the fact that it's not far above 8000 now. It's yo-yoing like a rider about to be dropped off the back! Why? Pretty good club rider, but not quite ready for fierce competition. Cash (power/wattage) is king. Liquidity (speed/mph) is queen. If you're without either you're toast.

My prediction - it's not going to take long before we the taxpayers begin an economic revolution against every company seeking or receiving a government bailout. This bailout madness has got to end soon or we are setting ourselves up for some serious soup lines. Has it helped the auto industry before? After all, we are where we are today. The airlines? Bailouts are band-aids. When CEOs are more concerned with stock price and less about net income or dividends to stockholders it's a slippery recipe that will eventually spell the end to good sound business decisions. Unsuccessful bailouts spell the end of.....well, just about everything.

Moreover, despite Chrysler's CEO stating the bailout will promote innovation, giving handouts will have exactly the opposite effect of creating innovation! A multiple billion dollar bailout check will flatly send the message of condoning past business decisions, but more devastatingly it will destroy creative thinking. Future innovation won't exist because the bailout seeker isn't forced to figure it out on his or her own. Sure, their future will be different with or without that bailout, but creativity goes out the window when one is allowed a sigh of relief. No, I believe they all should figure out a way to fight their way out of the corner they chose to paint themselves in.

It means that some companies should close their doors. We've always been looking for a way to end our dependency on foreign oil, so imagine the outcome if there are significantly less automobiles being sold. Yes, I realize all the implications with such a dramatic result. Toyota, Honda and Nissan executives are looking at Detroit and realizing they were right all along.

Don't even get me going on the thought of huge bonuses still being paid out to Wall Street executives. Don't misunderstand me, I am a capitalist and want to see these businesses succeed. My bigger concerns are with those affecting small businesses. If your ideas and strategies are good then you should be rewarded for hard work, but if they're bad then you should also be rewarded with failure. Either way you earned it.

Disclaimer - these thoughts and opinions DO represent those of NashvilleCyclist.com.

Berkshire Hathaway Profit Falls 77% on Investments, Insurance
Warren Buffet only made a billion in the third quarter. He took it on the chin huh. However, he has performed his own bailouts with the hopes of huge returns later. It likely instills confidence and stabilizes things when it comes from a man like Warren Buffet, but when it's Mr. Government making the "investment" the market sighs and sinks.

Stretching: The Truth
No, this doesn't address sketchy politicians or CEOs. This article addresses what I've known for some time through the research I have found. I have blogged about this topic before, but I feel it's important to keep bringing it up in order to disprove previous notions about stretching. I am more flexible than most and I'm a big believer in stretching playing a role in your training program, but it's important to understand the when, where and why of it all.

European Support for Bicycles Promotes Sharing of the Wheels
Hardly a week goes by without a new article being written about a new bicycle program that's been implemented in Anywhere, Earth. These kinds of programs should become more common here in the US considering gas prices and the automobile market failures. One, it should be grown just because it's a good thing to do, and two because I think the free market sooner or later will seek it out.

24 Redemption
If only Jack Bauer could tame the business world like he does international terrorists. Get your calendars out and mark it for November 23rd, the return of 24!

Kentucky boy embodies the power of one
None of this economic nonsense matters to Adam. In fact, this little boy forges ahead and finds a way to succeed. Many times over he could have accepted the easy way out. Instead he wants to be not just like everyone else, but even better than them. I'd choose him for my team any day!

FRA - Student Profile
I am imagining building a team with Adam and Max. Oh, we would kick some butt! It's great to see Max get recognized by his school. Congrats on a great season Max, and stay away from those Coca-Colas!

You can't keep a good Cipo down
Brunette? Blonde? Brunette? Whatever, he'll take all three.

Nostalgic Julich hangs up wheels
The wattage doesn't lie does it? Interesting how it demotivated him though. Joining CSC and Bjarne Riis revitalized his career, and Julich is right, "'you know what, I've had a good run." To think he went without a coach for such a long time and was as successful as he was is pretty amazing at that level. I think every rider at every level needs someone to hold them accountable, and as a cycling coach that has a coach himself I see the benefits firsthand.

Brighter days ahead: The Ivan Basso Diary
Julich's former teammate at CSC is back from his suspension and ready to redeem. I'd say after his third place finish at the Japan Cup last month the Euro peloton had better get ready for some pain. I am big believer in everyone getting the opportunity to redeem themselves, so I am hopeful Basso's return is successful not only for himself but for cycling as a whole.

Walk/Bike Forum
Here's a great new resource for Nashvillians to "allow for an interactive exchange of ideas, news, information, and general thoughts about walking and biking in the greater Nashville region."

Today's post highlights the incredible progress made regarding Greenways in Nashville. Just eight years ago only 5.6% of us in Davidson County lived within a half-mile of one, but by 2007 there was 36.4% of us near a Greenway. The exciting end to our Greenway projects will see a whopping 95.3% of us living near a Greenway. Wow! Imagine how that is going to impact our communities and improve our quality of life. Moreover, think of how much our habits will change as well as our perceptions about daily activities and routines. One prediction is we bicyclists should receive tremendous goodwill as bicycling will be much more mainstream than today. Our perception is our reality, and it's being reshaped before our eyes!

Everything I keep missing

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Sun, 09 Nov 2008 17:51:00 +0000

A lot of nothing has been going on lately for me when it comes to cycling. My attention and focus has been elsewhere as I have finally taken just a little bit of time off the bike.

I recently attended the Tennessee Bicycle Racing Association annual meeting between the TBRA board and club members to hold elections, cover some items, and to put together the 2009 racing season. The election news item can be read HERE as yours truly is once again the Road Director for 2009. Stay tuned to TBRA's website for the tentative racing schedule to be posted soon. There are a few new races for next year, and a couple of tweaks that should really excite everyone.

Time to move on.....

Before Hustling to Finish, Relaxed Is a Good Way to Start
Maybe this is why I haven't blogged in awhile. I have too much built up tension in my IE favorites to write about and I feel like, "what's the point?" Now I'm facing a relevancy issue; one, the site in general, and two, the news item I'm going to write about. Oh well, I'll relax my facial muscles, focus my breathing and type away.

First, to help me relax I've been doing a lot of this, seriously.....All About Fishing

East Tennessee Junior Cycling Team Wants to Go All the Way
I love reading about Jessica's ambition up in Bristol. Dream big, really really big!

ESPN.com's exclusive interview with Lance Armstrong
I'm impressed that Bonnie D. Ford asked some good tough questions that are on the minds of a lot of people. Am I the only one struggling to envision a happy ending with his latest adventure? I want the guy to succeed, but now more than ever I sense he's trying to force a huge square peg into a small round hole. Times have changed, but has he sufficiently changed with them?

Ride the tightrope
This is my new off season training to work on handling skills.....

Bike Idiot
.....while this is not part of my plan.

Did you know? Chicago 2016
How awesome would that be? Elite and USPRO crit nationals typically are held in the middle of August in Downers Grove, which is near Chicago. I wonder if the two events would coincide?

Blood-boosting drug a threat to cycling's Olympic future
News like this is a cold shower on the excitement of a possible Chicago 2016. To the IOC Vice-President who suggests pausing cycling due to doping - are you also willing to suspend track and field too? I'm speculating here, but I would bet a lot more Olympic athletes in track and field are getting busted for doping than Olympic cyclists.

Cyclists caught doping face 4-year ban next season
To make cycling even tougher there's this on the horizon for 2009. I sat through a USADA presentation a few weeks ago at the Olympic Training Center. They are tightening the reigns and only have plans to make it more difficult for athletes. Four year suspensions are reserved for "aggravating circumstances", but aren't all cycling doping offenses portrayed in that light? They're all aggravating!

Tractor Supply tops estimates
Believe it or not there are a few companies still making a profit. Same store sales up considerably.

Obama Presidency: Stricter on Trade
The Outdoor Industry Association sees tougher global trade policies on the horizon, but does note that Obama has promised to invest more in cycling and pedestrian projects.

Bicycle Retailer - Earnings/Financial Reports
Headlines are pretty rosey at this time.

Suppliers Rally Retailers, But Caution Reigns
Trek and Specialized have solid balance sheets and appear to be able to supply their retailers. I saw another report that Cannondale has a huge backlog of orders as well. In today's economy business owners are leaning heavily on all stakeholders. All it takes is one or two hiccups from a major vendor to have a seriously negative impact at the retail level. This is good news for now, but I'll keep an eye on this in the coming months.

Exxon Mobil: Biggest profit in history
This was a complete shock when you heard about this I'm sure. Shell is up 22% too.

With Free Bikes, Challenging Car Culture on Campus
Brilliant idea! More college presidents should offer this to full-time students. Though the kids are mistaken if they're getting them for free. Just because there's not a line item on their tuition bill that says "bike" you can rest assured that cost has been factored into the overall cost structure by the school. Regardless, it's a smart move and one that ought to take hold at more universities.

Commentary: A letter to the losers
This opinion comes from Donna Brazile of CNN, a Democratic strategist. If you have ever been on the losing end of a hard fought endeavor, one you poured your heart and soul into, then you owe it to yourself to read her recommendations on bouncing back. I believe even those who are victorious want their defeated foes to get up off the mat and fight back when it's time. I know I do. It is in our spirit as Americans to live on and fight another day.

Sooner rather than later

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 02:37:00 +0000

Long time no type my fellow pedalcyclers. After taking a little break from competitive cycling I am still doing some training, but turning my attention more towards the collegiate side of life. Mountain bike races, teaching classes, giving mid-terms, grading papers, yadda yadda.....then lo and behold it's been a month without blogging. Felt great! Ha, but now I'm back to antagonize.

Right now I am at the Olympic Training Center (OTC) in Colorado Springs, CO for a coaches summit. What an amazing place! Not only are we sitting through some great presentations on altitude training, tapering, USADA and doping, cycling science, track cycling, etc., but there's also athletes from boxing and gymnastics here working out. Tomorrow I'm going to watch our Junior National Boxing Team do some sparring before their international competition next week in Guadalajara, Mexico. Oh, and don't even get me going about their cafeteria facility. Our Olympic athletes eat like kings, rightfully so though.

Enough about that already. Let's talk a little cycling. This shouldn't be too difficult considering my IE favorites has three times the saved links as normal.

Bicyclists push for specialty tags
Looks like the drive to get a Tennessee "Share the Road" specialty license plate is back on the stove. The deadline to get 1000 pre-commitments is June 30, 2009. To find out more about signing up please visit http://www.jeffrothcyclingfoundation.org.

Floyd Landis & the red-neck race
Pretty soon I suppose we'll see Floyd lining up for real, but this picture really is worth a thousand words.

Pedal-Powered Delivery Methods Save Big Bucks
Are you an out of work cyclist looking to earn some money while also knocking out your training? Hey, it's an idea.

Nude bicyclist drawing stares
She's trying to draw attention to peace. I mean, what's wrong with that right?

Paralympic Athletes Add Equality to Their Goals
This is fitting considering that I am at the OTC right now, but the USOC should step up and make the equitable investment to support our Paralympians. You would think by walking around the OTC they do get equal financial respect based upon how this facility recognizes Paralympians.

Pedal Classifieds - see for yourself.

Ike-battered Texans find comfort, help over coffee
Cause you know it would be the first thing on my mind during or after a hurricane.

Nashville Ultra
You up for a little running race? Ok, good, cause your options are 50k, 60k, 70k or 80k. People think cyclists are crazy?

Biking lanes used as parking lanes is Messed Up!
No kidding, so pay attention. Some day in our lifetime cyclists will gain the respect they are due. Granted we may be out of petroleum at that time, but at least cyclists have the potential to be the superior transportationists

Jennifer Lopez Finishes Triathlon
It's cool she tackled this challenge, but she lost some cool points (and time!) on the clothing and toe clips.

Spectacularly Distilled Sarcasm
A bike racer's blog with a content warning to enter, nice.

I'll be back sooner rather than later.....

Daily Dose - 9/13

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Sat, 13 Sep 2008 13:42:00 +0000

Wow, a week flies by pretty quick when you aren't racing and focused entirely on work. Just when that happens the cycling world gets a jolt with un-retirement of a legend. I'm still scratching my head over that one. Of course my IE favorites is building up again with content, so I'll move on to more interesting subjects.

USA Cycling Pro Championships, day one: A Ben Ross gallery
Nashvillian Ben Ross was in Greenville taking shots for VeloNews.

Here are some David Byrne bike racks that I'd love to see in Nashville. He's got this one that would suit our town.

Nashvillian Robin Farina mixed it up at the front of the US 10k in Atlanta on Labor Day. She's right on the wheel of Laura Franges of Tibco. Robin finished 18th on the day. Can you imagine a 10k road race? Actually, many of the Pro12 road races around here are that because the field is small, and it's a slugfest at the beginning to establish a break.

Jerry Reed was right when in 2007 he said, "“For 50 years, all I’d done was take, take, take. I decided from now on it is going to be giving. And I’m way behind. We’re all way behind. We live this life like what’s down here is what it’s all about. We’re temporary, son, like a wisp of smoke.”

Danny Pate of Garmin-Chipotle made two great points after the USPRO road race recently. Scroll down to see the news blurb. Pate is correct to point out nothing is stopping teams competing in USPRO to hire American riders, and in fact they should in order to help the growth of US cycling. Moreover, he's placed in the top five at USPRO multiple times without being tested. In my opinion, every person and organization indicates their true priorities through their actions and not their words. Pony up USAC and USADA.

Top reasons to date a cyclist. I have yet to find the counterpoint of top reasons NOT to date a cyclist. I'm sure it exists, and if not you can probably ask around to get some great ones pretty quickly.

Want to be a movie star? Max VO2 is looking for you to be an extra in their movie. The filming actually starts today in Virginia, but there are other dates in September you can choose from.

Manolo Saiz is returning from the shadows. No, no, no. Let's hope not. This isn't to discredit his ability to truly mentor young riders, but those shadows surrounding Saiz are from huge clouds of darkness looming overhead. The sport of cycling has moved forward far too much to let its dirty past weasel back into leadership.

Not all runners kick the habit.....cough cough. The Tennessean poses the question; does it make you a healthier smoker or an unhealthy runner?

What is with all the news stories about cyclists and bears lately? I have t-boned a hound dog once, but never had the chance to take on a bear. Is it even possible really to t-bone a bear? Plus, how do we know it was really a bear and not Sasquatch? Or a chupacabra?

Oil's fall to $100 won't change frugal energy use
You all can do the math here. Previous high was $145 a barrel and now it's down to just over $100. Highest gallon price was around $4 per and until yesterday it was down only about 50 cents. The percentages are not adding up. As if that's not enough the wholesale and retail gas industry is gouging customers by shooting up prices in advance of Hurricane Ike. Last night on my way to Asheville, NC most of the gas stations had raised their prices up to $4.49 per gallon. Most of those were Pilot stations actually, but there were a few that only went up to $3.99. It was very odd to see that type of disparity while checking out the billboards along I-40.

Grand Slam for HOW 100

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Fri, 05 Sep 2008 12:50:00 +0000

Last night I had the pleasure of meeting with the Sisters United for a Cure to present them with all the money we raised for HOW 100 and The Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation. I had been anxiously looking forward to this moment as it wraps up all the work and support put into this endeavor, but I realize there is still much more work to be done for breast cancer research.

When I showed up at Gran Fondo Bicycles in Belle Meade I was greeted by a full team from SUFAC and Katharine Ray, the Director of Communications with The Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation. Through the encouragement and financial support of all my friends and family I am excited to announce that together we raised a total of $1,445!

Here I am above presenting the envelope full of cash and checks to Sara Moore and her teammates with SUFAC. Each one of them were excited about the moment and looking forward to the actual HOW 100 ride this Saturday. The Orbea bike in front of us is a model they are giving away to the top fundraiser of the event, so let's hope that Sara and her team ride away with a victory!

When I began this fundraising adventure I had no idea what the outcome would be, but the one thing I knew I could count on was the support of my family and friends. Of course I had hoped to hit a lot of home runs to raise as much as possible, but in the end I believe we raised much more by me not hitting a single one. Thanks to each and every one of you for contributing to this cause and for encouraging me to swing away!

It is the only time in my life when I am thankful to have struck out because in the end we all hit the ultimate - a grand slam!

Get on board - 9/1

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 15:08:00 +0000

It appears we on a record breaking streak here at NashvilleCyclist.com. Last month we set a new record for visits to the site, but August comes around and breaks through the 12,000 barrier! In July we had 11,867 and in August we barely inched ahead to 12,088 visits from 3,528 unique visitors. Not bad hey? Thanks for reading and regularly stopping by!

I'm still in St. Louis for more racing in the Gateway Cup as well as the Tuesday Night Worlds held by Big Shark. This Tuesday night racing series in St. Louis starts in March and doesn't end until the day after Labor Day for a whopping 26 weeks of racing! I hear the turnout is awesome, competition good, but they lack a little bit of aggression. The NashvilleCyclist.com boys are in town to inflict some change, so we'll see how they like our style! I am also anxious to see their organization, how they operate the race, and to hopefully learn a few things to help with our series in Nashville.

Going back to the Gateway Cup; it was with a bit of awe and wonder as I was about to start the Friday night race around Lafayette Square. I stroll up and see a Toyota-United kit waiting to get a good spot at the line. I didn't notice him right away, but then all I had to do was look on the back of his jersey to see the name. Vogels. Yeah, the one and only Henk Vogels from Australia who has ridden the Tour de France, the Giro d' Italia, Paris-Roubaix and other great cycling classics on teams such as Davitamon - Lotto, Navigators, Credit Agricole and Rabobank.

Check out his palmares HERE.

We had a good chat with him before the race, and he asked if we knew Nashville's adopted Australian Trent Wilson. I replied yep, just rode with him the other morning on the Greenway. Funny guy he was. Later that night racing around Lafayette Square I was having a good night and able to race in the top 20 of a field of 150. With about 10 laps to go I am right on Vogels' wheel for a few laps and I thought, "stay here and don't let go." I knew if I didn't get wedged out then he'd put himself in great position the remainder of the race. Sadly, the pack dynamics and flow wouldn't allow me to stick on that precious position, but I wasn't that far off from making it happen. Fun, that's the only way to describe it, very fun.

Vogels isn't the only professional here making life a little tougher for us all. This event always draws a few individual pros looking to have fun and make a little coin. There are riders from Successful Living and Jittery Joe's among others. Personally, I love it when professional riders show up because you are assured to be put through a challenging experience. Of course it's tougher to get a top result, but that type of racing experience always make you better (that is if you can actually hang on!).

A few other tidbits before I have to get back to the recruiting booth.....

Were you as surprised as me with this headline - Hamilton edges Caldwell to claim pro road crown. A photo finish does not get any closer than this HERE. Tyler has surely paid his penance and then some, but one has to wonder how the powers at USADA and USA Cycling feel about him wearing the stars and stripes jersey for all of the 2009 season.

Michael Ball Interview - the Rock Racing team owner has a lot to say, and I'd say after Tyler Hamilton winning in Greenville he's got even more to shout out. Sponsors everywhere could learn a thing to two about promotion and brand awareness. Who knows, maybe in five to ten years he'll be long gone from the scene, but right now people should be picking his brain instead of brushing him off.

John Eustice; Looking backward and forward - this is one of the most informative articles I have read in awhile. It has been awhile since we have seen or heard him announcing for a major tour, but Eustice has the racing and commentary pedigree others can only dream about. I'm not sure what his reputation is in the US cycling community, but his experience and historical perspective is one that everyone top-to-bottom can learn from.

I like to consider myself a pragmatic realist, so this is appealing - Be Oddsitive, Not Positive

For all you fixie freaks out there - No brakes, and they like it

Post-Olympic bike race video - Cracknell vs Hoy: The street race

I broke down and joined Facebook. I think you'll be surprised at how many of your friends are using this to stay in touch. I think it's much more manageable than MySpace and worth the time to setup and maintain.

Get on board.

Give me your eyes

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Sat, 30 Aug 2008 16:16:00 +0000

This time of year most racers are winding down their race commitments and looking for a bit more leisure bicycling. Most, but not all. For the truly devoted and hardcore there are still intense racing events to tackle. This weekend there's the Gateway Cup in St. Louis that offers four days of fast, intense and highly competitive criterium racing. The city of St. Louis loves the bicycle and supports racing all over town. If you visit this great city you will see cyclists all around downtown and surrounding areas.

The Gateway Cup draws top talent from all over the Midwest. Achieve a result here and it stands out on your palmares. There are a handful of us regulars from the Nashville area who make this annual trip, but there really ought to be more of you here. The experience you gain from racing events on this scale dramatically improves your skills and increases your confidence. If you can compete here then you can compete anywhere. If you can race in the top 10 to 15 spots here then you can compete successfully anywhere. You're too late for 2008, but I urge you to highlight Labor Day weekend for 2009 in St. Louis.

Next weekend there's the Oak Ridge Fall Velo Classic, and from what I understand it's shaping up to be a great event as well. The city of Oak Ridge is going to great lengths to offer their support, and the organizers are hoping to build this event into something on a grand scale over the next few years. There's over $10,500 in awards and prizes with much of that weighted in the overall omnium.

Moving on to random and not so random.....

It turns out we all should be thankful that I didn't hit a single home run last weekend. If I had the amount of money raised for Hope on Wheels 100 would have been much lower than the $1000+ we've raised so far! We are on our way to possibly reaching the $1500 level. Awesome huh?

I apologize for the lack of follow up with the crit series after the final race. Once that ended my entire attention turned to coaching responsibilities and campus meetings, but I also added one more title to my resume that has me quite busy - College Professor. That's right, yours truly is now teaching a college business course, and it's one of the more exciting challenges I have tackled in a long time. It's a little overwhelming considering I have 60 students in my one class, but so far I am enjoying it quite a bit.

Speaking of the crit series I am already looking to 2009 and how I can improve the experience. I'm going to try and incorporate a more efficient registration and results system, and I am going to tweak how points are awarded. To only award points 6 deep is not deep enough, and the actual points awarded is not a good numerical plan to follow. I will likely adopt the points system we encounter with an omnium. I also hope to get away from having to input everything in an Excel file because that is way too time consuming. Race results will only be posted with USA Cycling while I will only track the overall series. No more staying up late on Wednesday nights!

Have you ever noticed when you're traveling to a race far away that when you're flipping radio channels you hear music you haven't heard in about 10 or 15 years? It's like you're traveling in a time warp. In Nashville I never hear Huey Lewis and the News, but on the road I do all the time! This trip it was Ronnie Milsap with his classic Back on My Mind, "just when I think I'm through loving you, you're back on my mind again!"

You know times are tough when "Gas Prices Cause Sean 'Diddy' Combs to Ground His Private Jet" and fly commercial. Maybe if enough music moguls and Hollywood types complain about flying commercial then Congress will take action.

This is very thought provoking as the same argument could be said for cycling - A lot of guys in the minors got hosed by steroids. They should sue. Steroids was not something that was part of the baseball culture while I was there, but if it had been and I was getting left behind then I'd be pretty upset also. Just imagine how much cycling talent we missed out on seeing because they either left the sport or were drowned out by dopers. Which reminds me, let's extend the title of "doper" to all athletes and not just cyclists. Starting, now.....!

Let's all hope this guy is clean and remains clean - Feat of Clay: American wins gold medal in decathlon. I heard him say all he wanted was to be on a box of Wheaties, which if attained means you're one of the worlds greatest athletes. American Bryan Clay did just that and is now the World's Greatest Athlete.

By all accounts BMX was a success at the Olympics.

Our very own Frank Mackzum of Tennessee fell short in his bid to get re-elected to the USA Cycling Board of Trustees. A record number of votes were cast in the elections overall, but not enough here in the Central region went online and hit the send button for Frank. It's disappointing we won't have Frank working on our behalf at the national level, but we want to thank him for his service and commitment to improving racing all across the country.

The annual charity ride the Jack & Back is only about a month away, and country singer Clay Walker announces launch of Band Against MS Bike Team. I was unaware that Walker was diagnosed with MS in 1996, but it's exciting to see his involvement in such a wonderful event by starting his own team.

Alright, I have to get going and get involved with my booth here at the Gateway Cup. You're reading this only because I lucked out and found a wireless signal in the middle of downtown. The racing action is about to start, but stay tuned for more updates over the weekend.

Derby Results - Warning track power

noreply@blogger.com (NashvilleCyclist.com) — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 03:13:00 +0000

As you know by now the big Legacy Home Run Derby was on Saturday, and yours truly was there to compete to help raise money for the Sisters United for a Cure. The SUFAC is raising money for the Hope on Wheels 100; a charity event to raise money for breast cancer research and the Minnie Pearl Cancer Foundation.

In my post "Home Runs for HOW 100" you learned about my goal to raise a bunch of money for the SUFAC. I immediately received a lot of emails from friends and co-workers willing to donate a few bucks for each home run, and some either gave me a check outright or said they would give a minimum amount no matter what. Well, thank goodness some gave in advance!

I only took two days of batting practice leading up to the derby and went into the contest with no less than six blisters between both hands. I said going in I didn't know if I'd be able to hit one or 21. After not swinging a bat for over 13 years I knew hitting the ball wouldn't be the hard part, but to have the power to get it over the fence was another story. Back in the day when I was 30 pounds heavier and much more muscular than I am now it wasn't any trouble hitting home runs in batting practice. It was a fairly regular thing for me to hit them in games too, which is why doing this contest sounded like so much fun to me.

Well, sadly I fell short by going 0 for 20.

What I did do on Saturday was hit line drives, gap shots and quite a few that fell short right at the warning track. For those who don't know, the warning track is the dirt you usually see in the outfield right before the fence. It is what warns the outfielder as they are running to find the fence quickly in order to avoid injury. I still had my natural swing to pull and hit deep to the opposite field. If it had been a regular game the boxscore would have said something along the lines of a 4 for 5 day with 5 RBI. However, the only hits that counted on this day were the ones that cleared the fence.

I simply didn't have the power. Unfortunately, everybody else struggled too with the exception of the guy who won by hitting 7 home runs. At the end one guy finally hit his second home run to place second, but the kicker was when the promoter flipped a coin to see who would win third place! It was either flip the coin or they may have never hit a homer to break their tie. I thought that was quite funny and appropriate considering all but one guy had a tough day. You expect to see a lot of home runs in a home run hitting contest, but this field was deceptively deep.

Even though I didn't succeed I had a blast doing this home run derby! I met some great guys who have the same passion for baseball, and I even met a USA softball gold medal winner from 1996 and 2000, Jennifer McFalls. One guy recognized me right away because he played baseball after me at McGavock HS, so he and I knew a lot of the same people. Two of the guys still play baseball in an adult league here in Nashville.

To say I am disappointed would be an understatement considering there was $112 on the line for each home run I hit. I tell you - I swung my heart out. My bat speed was great, I made consistent solid contact, but I lacked the power to hit any bombs. All I could think about was how I am letting a bunch of people down and that I am missing a huge opportunity to raise a lot of money. Call me crazy, but it makes me want to hit the weight room just so I can go back next year and crush it. Oh, you better believe I'm going back next year!

So for all those swings I earned zero $$$! However, our saving grace is that a handful of people guaranteed minimum bids totalling $470! How awesome is that? $470! I comfort myself knowing that if I had not done this then a total of $0 would have been raised for HOW 100. Now that would have been saddest outcome.

Here is what I am asking of all those people who were going to donate so much per home run. Please, still give! Each of you had an affordable dollar amount in your head that you were willing to donate to this amazing cause. Please, I respectfully request you still give despite my home run shortcomings. In fact, the winner said we can use his home run total instead! So you can decide to simply give me a specific amount or you can multiply your donation by 7 home runs. Only 11 home runs were hit in total, so you could sweeten the pot and use that figure instead!

Remember, I had commitments up to $112 per home run, so if everybody at least stuck to Stewart's amount we would raise $784+$470=$1,254!!!

Here is a picture of home run derby winner Stewart Roe on the left with me on the right. Stewart is a big dude huh? Look at me compared to him. I have really morphed into a scrawny cyclist!

Well I hope you have enjoyed following my pursuit to raise money for HOW 100, and that you follow through with your checks. I strongly feel each and every one of us can and will make a difference. Lastly, don't forget to dream BIG!