cycling log: 17 july 2010 (giro di coppi)

Activity: road cycling Location: Barnesville, MD Distance: 38.75 miles (rolling hills) Duration: 1:54 Weather: very hot and sticky, 95-105°F Climbing: 2,025′ Avg HR: 158 (max 188) Type: aerobic As my token tip ‘o’ the hat to bike racing in 2010, I returned to the Giro di Coppi, a race I last competed in back in


cycling log: 26 june 2010 (diabolical double)

Activity: road cycling Location: McHenry, MD (Wisp Mountain Resort) Distance: 125.88 miles (many steep and technical climbs and descents) Duration: 9:21 (11:23 with stoppage time) Weather: cool start, warm-to-hot from there, 59-92 degrees Climbing: 15,500′ Avg HR: 158 (max 189) Type: aerobic This ride proves that there is always something more difficult to do on


getting diabolical (and other thoughts)

Must be the heart of cycling season, because the insanity is stepping up a notch. This weekend I’m taking on the “Diabolical Double” at the Garrett County Gran Fondo. It’s a tough course: 125 miles with almost 16,000 feet of climbing, most of it in short burts of 12-16% grade. It’s insane, and should be


cycling log: 30 may 2010 (mountains of misery)

Activity: road cycling Location: Newport, VA Distance: 102.7 (rolling with two long, steep climbs) Duration: 6:21 (6:43 with stoppage time) Weather: warm and humid, foggy/misty in the morning, 70-86 degrees Climbing: 10,000′ Avg HR: 149 (max 187) Type: aerobic It’s been a while since I’ve written up a ride, so I figure writing this epic


austerity 101 for dc politicians and voters

Let’s make this really simple: The District of Columbia is in a financial mess. We’re spending like mad, yet not bringing in enough revenue to pay for every commitment we have toward programs large and small. This situation stands to leave the District in a long-term financial hole unless something is done to make ends


today is carbon neutral

Long day at work: spent all day outside, working the second day of my office’s electronics recycling program. Over the two days of the collection drive, we recycled over two tons of electronic goods – and I lifted and/or moved over half of that stuff, it seems. I rode my bike to work, as I


zion’s land

Back in Utah this week, partly for a visit to my mom, partly for a reunion-cum-retirement-party for my ski coach and mentor, Olle Larsson. This weekend will be the fun time – skiing, hanging out with old friends, getting to spend some time in Park City – but right now it’s the tug-of-war that is


beers at 1500: the list

Welcome to post number 1,500. In this post I will discuss an article I found today at Gadling I’ve deemed “The List”. Y’see, the editors at Gadling have cobbled together a list of the top 24 cities for drinking beer. They obviously put a lot of time and thought into the cities mentioned, and have


thursday list-o-mania: airports

A quick list of airports I’ve been to (in an airplane – departing, arriving or connecting): United States Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), Salt Lake City, Utah South Valley Regional Airport, West Valley City, Utah Jackson Hole Airport (JAC), Jackson, Wyoming Missoula International Airport (MSO), Missoula, Montana Glacier Park International Airport (FCA), Kalispell, Montana


random olympics: how not to broadcast a showcase event

I need only look at last night’s abomination of a broadcast from the National Broadcasting Corporation to see some of the worst possible chop-shop, dumbed-down sports broadcasting ever put on TV. This four-and-a-half hour long exercise in broadcast futility can be broken down thusly: The showcase event of alpine skiing, the men’s downhill, featured six