Jersey Girl:
Damn fine movie. Very enjoyable. If you are a fan of Kevin Smith’s films, this movie will be right up your alley. Now it lacks the raunchy locker room humor that I am such a big fan of, and permeates through Clerks, Mall Rats, Chasing Amy, and SB/ Jay Strike Back. But Jersey Girl was heartwarming and kept me very interested in the characters. Speaking of interesting characters, Liv Tyler finally gets to play one. Tyler, who I think can really act, gets dropped in big budget roles that are frankly big time “formula” roles. In That Thing You Do, she was remotely interesting, but anything else besides an Aerosmith video, her roles could have been played by any Hollywood actress. However in Jersey Girl, Tyler is vibrant, sexy, weird, and just a very interesting character. She was hot in those winnie cooper glasses. Frankly, this movie was the best show case for her yet. Hell, I even liked Affleck in this one. Best scene for me is an exchange between Affleck and a secret character (can’t spoil the film). Biggest disappointment is that there was no Silent Bob and Jay cameo. I thought when they were in a Highland Video store, behind the curtain that leads to the Porn Section, we were gonna hear “snoogens!” or “smoochie poochie” for sure. Good Flick, Best of the bunch this week.

Diane says I need a haircut. She says when I come back from rides I look like Vinny Barberino. I don’t think so, what do you say?

Got a nice 2.5 hours in today. Hell even got into the woods. I was able to do an hour and a half around Rittenhouse. I was on my mountain bike, and wanted to have a lot of fun, but eh it just wasn’t great. I just rode really shy tonight. It was weird, I usually pride myself in my technical skills, but tonight, hell you might have thought I never rode single track before in my life. I rode kinda scared. Two factors. First, I don’t trust my suspension fork yet. Damn thing works great, but I’m not used to it yet at all. I’m gonna put more air in the bad boy. Second, man my shit is sore. Pain in my hip, and ass cheek, Not as bad as during cross season, but similar kind of thing. Overall Pain is still probably 30% of what it was before the shots. When I got done I took some Advil, and spent some time stretching. I figured this would probably creep up on me; the first 2 weeks of my base training went really smooth, I figured I’d probably get balled up this week. What you gonna do? I’ll take some Advil before I hit the trail with Slick Rick tomorrow. Rittenhouse is kinda like the “jungle warfare” of single track, maybe MR will be better. Next Friday, during my rest week, I get another round of shots on my spine. A number of folks have told me it takes 2 rounds to get the pain totally knocked out. Next step is to burn the nerve endings off. I wonder If I can schedule that for my next rest week in early April?

Check my main man and fellow Water Buffalo Lodge (secret henry’s team) member Justin Time. Must be nice to be the best in the country, hell I’m not even the best on my block. I wonder what kind of endorsement deal he is getting now. Will the Water Buffalo Lodge have to compensate him for flying the colors this year?

Diane cooked me some chicken breast for dinner tonight. I’m gonna go eat them now.
Kiss your wife, pet your dog, hug your kids.

Respect
Fatmarc

New Moon on Monday...

This is my nephew connor. Cool Kid and Harry Potter fan, his parents are too...

pick a winner connor... hopefully better than this weeks movies...

Making my daily blog run last night and at one of what I think is a very well written blog had this one line that stopped me in my tracks. Andrew Mc wrote:

Form will come with persistance.

God Damn. It kinda simplifies this entire cycling, trying to get stronger, to feel good on a bike, to be able to ride with your friends, to lay the smack down on the hill during the club ride to be able to do a 24hr race, thing now doesn't it. Brilliant.

Got out on the road yesterday at lunch. Karen had a new add on to our loop so we got a couple extra miles in. I was really sore yesterday. I had planned on riding home from work to make my hours for the day, but ended up working late and running out of light.
Still it was beautiful yesterday, and a cruel teaser of the spring that we will not have in the coming days. Today it's raining all hell, hopefully it will melt what's left of the snow, and we can start talking about the woods again soon. Although weather does not look good for Thursday.

I've found that I'm good riding 5 days in a row, but then I need a rest day. Today, aligned with the crappy weather I will rest. Maybe even hit a Mexican joint for lunch. MMMM...

Movie Reviews:

Win a Date With Tad Hamilton: Well, I feel a little more gay after watching this one folks. But if Diane had to watch "girl next door" this is a fair trade. Yeah, Kate Bosworth was in it, but she is too skinny now. Not like in Blue Crush were she was athletic and strong looking. Remember how pissed off you were in Pretty in Pinky, when she doesn't end up with Ducky. Yeah, this one is better than that. Any time the skinny poor dude gets the girl, you know it's a movie. Nathan Lane is in this, and which shocked the hell out of me, he must have just bought a new house or something, but he was great. Eric Foreman, I mean Topher Grace, played, well Eric Foreman. Entertaining, nothing more.

Magnolia- hmmmm, yeah, hmmm, frogs. Yeah. After hearing for months how I had to see this movie, I was kinda expecting more, something different. I mean how can you go wrong with a movie that chants " respect the cock" But really, and when it was over I was kinda just like yeah, hmmm, that's it? Certainly a vibrant movie, but no real resolution, kinda leaves you walking away with hmmm, yeah, well that was great. Anyone want to watch Old School? Drink some beers, it might make more sense, Sorry Mal, Tom Cruise is still a douche bag.

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fatmarc

Please allow me to introduce myself...

Rolled into the lot at Wooden Wheels and I admit I was happy to see a small group. It was Single Speed Dan, Penn State Chris, and Matt. Now all of these guys are clearly stronger than I am, but I figured a larger group would have me off faster than the new Victoria Secret’s thong. Feeling worked from yesterday’s ride, I convinced the fellas to head south for a flatter route. Pace was consistent and we rotated through nicely. When we got to the end of Frazier road I decided to mix it up a bit.

“We’re going off road!” I shouted as I lead the group into the canal state park. We rode fire roads for the next 40 minutes or so. It wasn’t really mountain biking, but it’s the closest we have had in a while. I’ve got Paris Roubaix on the brain what can I say. We had fun jumping wholes, and ripping through little snow sections, and two wheel drifting in the slimy corners. Yup, all on road bikes. We came out in Chesapeake city and headed home.

At one point driving into a headwind, we had a nice pace line going, Tom Mc would have been proud of us. A large club ride was coming towards us, and I said, “keep it tight guys, lets look like professionals, or at least that we know what we are doing.” To which SS Dan retorted, “Yeah, never mind that we and our bikes are covered in mud.”

It was good to have Penn State Chris back in town. For a kid who claims he hasn’t been riding he looked pretty strong to me.

I love Matt. We were talking about the border trail, and he says farley style, “remember that day a White Clay, and we rode up the border trail?” Curious I replied “yeah” Matt continues, “I was really happy I dropped you.” I replied, “me too Matt, I didn’t want to try and ride with you guys.” We laughed together. I 'm stoked to be doing Big Bear with him. Always have fun with him, the guy just has the best outlook on life. I owe him another growler…

Well, now I have to go wash my road bike, I’m gonna eat a Belgium waffle too… Diane and I are gonna hang out with my Tab and Bry tonight …

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m

Spicy Cooking, Frozen Parts and the REAL Look.

Road Bike Amy

I had a great ride today. Being that it was outside sure helped.
Yeah that was a bonus. Sun shining, I headed out to meet up with Super Tri Guy Mark, Road Amy (as opposed to MTB Amy), and Spencer. Spencer is like a Jedi Knight. He was the shit, stepped away from the game for a bit, and came back and is the shit again. During my road dalliance I was fortune enough to be on the same team with him. He is soft spoken but every word is gold. He runs the U-23 and Juniors for Snow Valley now. Like I said a fucking Jedi Master. I talked LWeb (IF biactch), to come down and ride with us.

And so we set out of the Elkton Y to enjoy a beautiful day. Super Tri Guy Mark was serving a very solid pace. When he advertises 20 mph, that's what you get. I have to be honest; this meal was a little spicy for me today. Look I love spice, and sometimes the hotter the better, but today, I was looking for a little more bland cooking. So LWeb was kind enough to roll off the back with me. You know what they say, if you can't stand the heat get out of the kitchen. So I did. Don't worry kid's I'll be back for some of that good spicy cooking that Super Tri Guy Mark dishes up.

The fire road was quite muddy today.

So LWeb and I spent the next 3 hours wandering our way around Oxford and Franklin county. We talked shit about racing; about what our seasons were gonna look like, and about my main man Jebbagger. I got these killer bib tights, reflective, lined and all. Do you remember the Black Spiderman Suit; yeah they remind me of that. Anyway, they are really warm except in one spot. That's right the Johnson. We stopped to pee, and man we aren't talking about shrinkage, were talking about being a unix. And damn, it was cold to the touch. Your drink is a little warm? Here, let me put this in there it'll cool it down quickly. Seriously, my little guy could have made hot coffee cold.

After about 2:30 hours I got us really lost some where between State Road, 841 and 896. The key was that after every corner I'd seem to find another hill. LWeb was giving me that look that usually only wives give husbands. No not that look, the other look, the look that says "look fool, if there's another hill around the corner I'm gonna kick your ass so bad your own mother won't recognize you!" Luckily we found our way home. Just for shits and giggles I cut through the fire road off of Appleton road on the way home. I was kicking ass down the hill, totally feeling Paris Roubaix, and then I came around a blind corner to find a nice snow bank. Freaking great. Locked up the breaks slid through the snow, and came out the other side. Maybe those 25mm tires weren't such a good idea. Aside from freaking myself out, it was a great ending to a great ride.

I'm expressing with my full capabilities and now I'm living correctional facilities.

So today I was fortunate enough to get out on my bike at lunch. Karen B. taught me this fun rolling loop. Today there was a headwind on the way out. I hunkered down and plowed myself through mother nature's winds. Unless I'm riding with Karen, or passing an Amish kid on a scooter, these rides are generally done in solitude. Today, just as I turned the corner out of the head wind, and was beginning to feel the benefits of the tail wind, I passed a woman riding her bike in the opposite direction. I waved to her, excited to see another soul out on the road.The woman waved back to me and through the wind I could her hear muffled words. She said:
"Always eat your beats!"
I thought to myself, that couldn't have been what she was saying. Beats are good for you but who would yell that to someone on a day like today. Wait maybe she said:
"Watch out for the killer trees!"
"killer trees!?" what was I thinking, no that couldn't have been it, Wait it was:
"The Juice is worth the Squeeze !"
yup that was it, every ride into the headwind is worth the ride home with a tailwind.
You get out of life what you put in. Anyway, enough philosophy from the bike seat.
It was good to get out.


Eats-
been sticking closely to the oatmeal diet most of the week, today however stepped out of the box just a little. Lunch was a bacon and cheese quesadilla from Taco Shells. I admit I feel a little guilty scoring with this, as Taco Shells is one of the area's superior Mexican food joints, and a bacon and cheese quesadilla is really not Mexican. However that being said, it was excellent. Portion was perfect, and after my first ride outside this week, it was a delightful treat. For Dinner, Diane and I hit the Home Grown Café in Newark. Yup, more overpriced Hippie food. I had the black and white chicken. Basically it was a 4 pieces of breaded chicken breast with a very good sesame sauce served over rice noodles. Chicken was banging, but as much as I want to like rice noodles, the texture always scares me off. Overall the meal was very good. Diane went with a Crab Fondue. She said it was quite good, although when I sampled it, it wasn't as good as it has been in the past.

Movies.
Had my heart set on the Royal Tenenbaums, but it was out. Slim pickens at the old blockbuster. Went with:

Magnolia - heard nothing but good stuff about this
Tad Hamilton- Diane had to watch Girl Next Door, I guess this is payback
Black Book- I hate Brittany Murphy, it's doubtful I'll watch this
Jersey Girl. - I love Kevin Smith, I'm hoping for a Silent Bob Cameo.

Reviews to come.

Respect
m

spot 

Black Bird Singing in the Dead of Night...

The Breath Taking View from Today's Ride
Quick Notes:

1. Base 2 started this week. The Mad Scientist has got me doing some good hours this week along with some drills to help round out my pedal stroke. For me, especially during base, I feel like it's important for me to get an early start to my week. Given that we got buried in snow all over again yesterday, that meant a lot of time on the trainer. Oh Joy. Thankfully, I have lots of good music in the MP3 player. BTW, how bad do I suck if my heart rate is 171 when I'm warming up in the small ring, with no tension on the trainer?

2. Ate well today. Not gluttony well, but good food. For lunch I ate with my friend L.Web (IF Biatch) and her friend Diane. We talked about the roots and shoots program, and upcoming trip their youth group is going to be participating in, anyway, I had Ahi Tuna on a nice salad, from the Aloha Café. It was pretty good. Aloha can do a great job, but sometimes it's just good. So inconsistent. Kinda like me during cross season. For dinner I had a sandwich, the sante fe turkey club, from Nutter's Deli on 273 just outside of Newark. Hands down the best sandwich joint around. Frankly I could have had cardboard with Mayonnaise and it would have been awesome. This place makes subway or quiznos or even hometown local deli sandwiches inedible. Outstanding.

3. Talked with my friend GayTom a couple nights ago. Tom, who coincidently is really a Gay man, called me with an observation. He was reading one of the more notorious Durango Blog/Squawk pages and made the observation that our own Joey T., the apple of the Northern Delaware cycling community's eye, was called Gay/Fag more times on that page than Tom can be remember being called in his entire life. Hmmm. Like I said, he wasn't passing judgment, just making an observation.

4. A couple of my buddies have been having some big time life issues. You know the kinda stuff that sneaks up on you on a Tuesday afternoon, when you are expecting nothing, kinda stuff. Maybe you know them maybe you don't. They both mean a lot to me, and I'll keep them 'em my thoughts and prayers. When you meditate, or pray, or just sit still and think for a moment, please just keep them in mind.

Respect
fatmarc