The return of Food porn. Traveling mouse may not be attendance.

It's been a long long time. Things have changed but I still love bikes, beer and food.

My motorcyle trip reaffirmed there are good people in the world. Despite the doubts of some.

So if any out there still has this blog on they're list. I'm back.

Up first we have a St Louis breakfast known as a "Slider" I had the veggie version with bacon.

Black bean chili under all that. Me? Not a veggie anymore.

Next we have my first flight of the trip. Schafly Brewing

 

Next we went to anew Belgian restaurant. Appetizer. Frites, but of course.

I had waterzooie. Jim had the sausage platter. John had monkfish and the other John had venison.

 

All were excellent.

 

 

 

 

This is my friend "The Bear".

 

He rode up from Texas.

 

 

Next day was the Handlebar. A cool bike friendly place for pretzels sausage and beers. All the entrees were Russian. Can't remember the names.

 



 



Well that should hold you awhile. Part two to come soon.

As before Eat good food, drink good beer, ride your bike and love the one you're with.

As Neil Young's song goes.

"Old man take a look at my life, I'm a lot like you. I need someone to love me the whole day through. Ahh, one look in my eyes and you can tell that's true.

So the internet is wonderful place full of interesting sites and people. So through this medium. I made a friend in Australia. He was coming to the USA so I invited him to come visit. Of course to the horror of everyone he was immediately a "serial killer". Thousg as I say I could be too. Luring in the prey with free lodging. Maybe we were both "cloaking ourselves in respectability?

A friend and I did a motorcycle trip a few years back and we stayed with strangers the whole way.
There's sites like couchsurfing, warm showers, car groups motorcycle groups etc. There are good people in the world.

Didn't matter when he arrived he looked just like he did on Skype and so did I. So it began a two week whirlwind tour of NYS.

We started him off with the Vintage National Fla track event nearby. Ahh the smell of castor oil.

Metro racing built this up for Scotty Parker and he can still toss it around,fast.
Next was a big gay party. He was worried. But soon fell into the rhythm of it all.
That was followed with a trip to Mythaca to see falls. Not enough time for Niagara.

Of course there was food and beer along the way.....

Save your money on Rogue/Voodoo Donuts Bacon Maple Ale.

We had lunch at the Ale House there. Good beers and good food.
That was followed with the American tradition of a baseball game. We scored free tickets in line because I had my Pirates hat on. Pretty funny. So we had expensive cheap beer and a not a bad burger.
The game sucked. Lackadasical playing by the Bmets.
Next he got to see me race. No my focus isn't on racing right now. So I was a "farm animal" and was just "in the field"
Mills took over the next day and rolled out the LGC for a tour of Pa. Me I headed for a nap and regroup. The drinking was catching up with me.
Then it was off to the Big Apple for Ground Zero, Water Taxi tour, Chinatown, Times Square, South St Seaport and the Discovery Center to see the Terra Cotta soldiers.

A new motorcycle museum was up first.

We hit Newburgh for their new brewpub first. Very cool space. Nothing like frites and beer.
The porkskins were every weird.

Sunday found us going to Saugerties and Kingston. At the former we stumbled on a hot rod show.

Doug and Janet got to go search the antique shops while we looked at the cars.

Loud, raucous and shiny. Again the smell of race fuel was sweet. Nothing like over cammed V8's.

Thats a quick wrap of two weeks. Seeing him off to the airport was very surreal.

Here's omone that you just shared two very full weeks with and now you will only see them on the internet.

It was like being in a movie and this was the ending.

Anyways I made a great friend, had a great time and now need to save to go down under.

Thanks for all the memories.

Big gay prom and more.

So I'll try to give an update.

I went to the "Big Gay Prom"  actually it was a fundraiser for a charter school.

More food than  third world country and good too.

Red carpet, twelve piece orchestra.

Many said, "That can't be you?". It was me in a tux.

Next I was lured into the world of Karting. Furm is an "evil evil" man na dhas a diabolical plan to get me to own a Kart. So rode the bicyle 66 miles too squeeze mself into these things. In a word. Fun. Birthday party for select friends ayone?

There was a guy there who arce at Nurburing (sp) he was clocked at 190 in a 250cc tandem Kart.

I got to see Ray Wyle Hubbard at the Haunt.

Great show.

We hit the Ale House for an over the top burger. It had a crab cake on it. YUM.

Sorry about the blurry pic. Beer?

Next on the docket was the 140 mile Adventure ride o the big Strom. That was really fun with some very close calls in the mud on street tires. Sorry no pics. Maybe later.

Work is work and it's almost summer so we'll see what happens.

Eat good food, drink good beer and ride your bike. OGQ

Addiction and free will

I'm reading How to stop time,heroin from A to Z. It's about the journey into addiction. But the parallels to bike racing are dramatic.
My addiction to two wheels was chosen as most are. For some you realize it's out there. You need to try it. Flirt with the "edge" or danger. You've been told it's dangerous it could change your life.
No junkies will tell that the first time they got high they threw up. As a bike racer you get your ass kicked early unless you are a genetic freak. So would you order an entree over and over if made you sick?
Bike racing is like that. If you are competitive, you keep coming back. Just like "d".
You start with self doubt. Will I ever be any good? You train harder. Ride with better riders. Then over train and crush your soul and spirit.
Then if you're lucky one day it all clicks. You are The man, El Cid a winner. Then a new addiction starts. I like how winning feels. Confidence comes. Maybe you win again or are close. It gnaws at you to be a winner again. Again you train more or harder or even a whole new way. Maybe it works maybe it doesn't.
 Bike racing is cruel. " You are what you are". Can you take it? Or do you walk away? Hating the sport because you failed to a winner again. Where did the beauty of riding your bike go? Can you regain it?
I'm here to tell you Poppa don't ride the horse no more. I was once a winner. now I struggle. But it is my own fault. I don't want to train at that level till Kross time. I want to rediscover adventure rides. Build a giant base. Go hard when I want. Do new rides. get back to the "I can do that and not be destroyed" rides.
So here's to our new series of Gentleman's Rides.
Until Kross season starts then the needle slide back in the arm. The euphoria seeps in,the world narrows and it all becomes crystal clear.

So go ride your bike. See the eagle in the tree. The sunset. Forget the numbers. Be like Indian Larry. Even though it's a motorcycle and he died doing what he loves. OGQ

So in the fine St Pat's tradition we went to the diner affectionately known as "Stacey's Ass".

There we all had Green eggs and ham. Fun. Followed by some good times in the evening.

Titles. That's the theme of this post. They can come out of now where.
Usually a line from a song. Like these two.

"Tonight the bottle let me down, and let in the memory of you."

He hit me and it felt like a kiss, I knew he loved me when he hit me."

Or a book.

Why be happy when you can be normal?

Or a line from a book.

The devil led us to the wrong crib.

As for bikes. I did a recon ride for an adventure ride yesterday and realized that the only form of racing I really enjoy is Kross.So am moving away from it all to adventure rides. Dirt roads exploration of trails on the road bike getting lost in the moment and beauty of just riding.
Yesterday I was "Blessed" climbing a new hill in the 25, sun shining on my face , no cars.Smiling I knew this was it. Screw all that racing. Just ride for joy.

The sloth is doing well and smiles everyday. What a great pet.

I'll take this string of good weather and run with it.

Enjoy life, eat good food, drink good beer.   OGQ

The dice were cast and I had a date at the beach. Looks like I was back in biz. Food,fun beer and riding.

So I went to my first AA Round Up as the interloper, or that's how I viewed myself. Since it is AA. No names will be used. I went in support of my date. I've been to AA before with a friend. But one meeting here I went after sampling at Dogfish Head Brewing. It felt like a "Fear and LOathing in Las Veags" moment. But Hunter is a favorite and in I went. When in Rome.

Well I ate and drank and laughed and had fun. Thanks. Even went to the outlets. Doesn't ever compare to my favorite store back home. Anyways, I sampled at Dogfish, Manayunk and Kraftwork. Sixteen beers in all. Great food at Nage and Agave.
Now it turns out after many introductions at the various AA meeting. My reviews came in. "Oh he's much better looking than his pictures" ,"We're now dating." and best of all he seems a bit "country mouse". So I guess Country Mouse can survive.
I also now have a pet sloth. He's the best. Sloth stay here. Ok.
I came home one day to a big box on my front porch. Not a particulary good day of work. What the hell? I didn't order anything from Amazon. So I take it in the house and open it and find the sloth.
I nearly pissed myslef laughing. Mat Bitch gave him up. Thank god he was still breathing. So it may now be tales of the sloth. Poor taste in beer.

So Country Mouse returns and I saw this book.

But thats not me. So love the one you're with eat good,drink good beer, and ride your bike. OGQ

As always, KONE says "Go fast Dad, Go fast.

So I'm on vacation and I see an ad for this. The Forever Lazy.  Have you seen it?

Basically it's a GIANT ASS SNUGGIE. But wait there's more. They say in a nutshell,that there's no real need to get dressed. Just go outside ,tailgate, pick up the mail. Hey there's even a back door for when you drag your Forever Lazy ass to the bathroom.
I'm betting they'll be offered in camo and team colors soon. So come on America. Let's show the world our true colors. Order now.

On a brighter note. Jeremy Powers won Kross Natz. Jebber bronzed and won the D2 Collegiate Champs.
Tim made the podium ,Lauri gets a bronze on the SS. Great work.

MLK day turns into Mex Monday this time as the dinner group descends on the White Trash B&B. But before that it's Pizza and Beers night. Have some nice aged beers that need tasting.

I got a message from Kona. He's doing well and Loki is well, Loki. It was best.

New on the Ipod Tom Waits and Carl Hayes.

For the new year lets follow Steve Earle. "The Revolution Starts Now!"

Go here. My new favorite site. Revel in the beauty.

http://lecontainer.blogspot.com/

Be good, be kind, be honest. OGQ

I am the King. But I am not an imitator.


As you know I love Kross. It is the purest form of racing. No real tactics,just the purity of pain. May the best man win.
As the "Godfather" of Kross here in NYS. I am looked to for may reasons. How do I get started? How can I improve my starts, dismounts etc? How do I train. When you've been on top and drank from the chalice, there's nowhere to go but down. Or you can fight to be on top. Some people may never win,but their spirit is as great as the winners. They lay it all on the line week after week. But when your on top, they're all gunning for you. If you lose. "Why didn't you win? or "You didn't win". You are now a failure in their eyes. Other cyclists get it. You're only as good as your last race.
So Crossresults.com had me picked to win a number of races. Some I did. Some I didn't. Their algorithm isn't 100% as they say. For one race they had someone picked that's never beaten me. Even he said that.
Either way the bulls eye is on your back.
I was picked to win the Pa. State Championships by a slim margin points wise. I knew alot of the guys I'd be going up against. Two weeks of sickness after the DPM left me pretty ragged. The with five days of training in my legs I headed to PA. The course was pretty much a horsepower course. Where it was technical I had to kill it even at redline to use any advantage.  I started on the front row, took the holeshot and lead into the mud three slid by these were my "three". The motor wasn't quite up to it yet. On the uphill drag a few more came by. I passed them right back at the top. Now the goal was race forward and catch Dennis to get back in the top three. We made our way into the 45+ pretty quickly. I dragged  a few around on my tail. Then with two to go. I thought I passed Dennis on the climb. Now to get away and a secure a podium. Then with one to go I see him heading at me on a switch back/ What the? I know him and must have passed someone I thought was him. Goal now was bury myself and try to catch him. I had a pesky Moots rider on my tail for a couple laps. He attacked on the run up. I had a quicker remount and passed him right back. The he tries to pass and crashes. Nearly taking me out too. That's racing he's up quick and we sprint to the line. I held him off. Overall a good race. A podium would have been nice. My feeling for the start it's the last one of the season. Leave it all out there. As I told Mills as I rolled out to the start. Time to win a championship. I did and had the Kross hack after. Thanks guys, good race. See you next year.
 I'd call my season a success. Four wins, four seconds and fourth.
It could have been five wins, but crashes are part of it. All my wins came in a row. I'd set goals and made some. Can I win the Ommegang Kross. I believe I can.
My big goal of the year was worlds in Louisville. But changes and money played a part in this. So I'll now say I won't be at the big show. would it have been cool? Sure it would. But in the end it's a bike race.
So I'd like to say thanks to all who toed the line this year and made for a great year of racing. Thanks to all the sponsors that have stood by me and the new ones who came through in the 11th hour.


So as Steve Earle says. " The revolution starts now".  I'll be back.


So eat good food, drink good beer and ride your bike.


Go see J Edgar.


New on the Ipod. Blaming Sally and Nashville Pussy

So Kross season has been going well. I carded my first win at West Point and rolled that into victory at Syracross.
Syracross was our first taste of Kross weather. Cold and snow the night before. At first I wasn't loving the course then it sunk in. Legs were cold at the start and it was a scrum. It took two laps for the legs to fire. Bryan had passed me and the gaol was to beat him today. He's been riding well. I passed him back and he stuck to me. I could hear him on the climbs. Going into the last lap the plan was to hit him on the climbs. Turns out that was his too,then attack me again the "House of Mirrors". It didn't come, he was there on the climb,but he said"It was a pleasure to follow me through the House of Mirrors. He said "You were so smooth." I hit at the end there. I didn't want a sprint and the downhill was another opportunity for us both. We drilled it and I pinched it all the way yo the line. The picture tells the story.

Great race Bryan,great cookies too. Waffles and Middle Ages Pale Ale followed.
I'm burning the candle at both ens to get ready to race and promote the next two races.

As Kona says " Go fast Dad, Go fast!"

Eat good food, drink good beer and ride your bike. OGQ

Times change so does brand loyalty. First it was Diadoras made in Czechoslovakia. Fit me like a glove.
Then they made them in Romania,not so good. These are muddy warm up shoes now.
Then came Nike's. I had an ORANGE pair. Great shoe a little heavy. Nike thought they'd take over the market. Not quite, picked up the red ones on EBay cheap and they last.

Next came the Specialized S Works. After the fit of my road shoes. I had to have a pair of MTB shoes.

These needed no mods for Kross. No carving. Just bliss for my dogs.

Up next is the Lake Boas. Thanks to Bonktown.  A steal. I've had Lakes before. Good fit.
So these needed mods. Maybe the new style cleats would be better so far so good. They are the new "back ups".


( Once again blogger won't let me up load pics) maybe you can see the boas another day. Or at the top of the page.
Off to to do the double in Troy this weekend. A new venue for me and the first double in awhile.
Then it's off to West Point for another new race the following weekend.

Queens of the Stone Age are rocking it now for me.


So you are what you are. 1st or 40 th.


Eat good food, drink good beer, Ride Kross like there is no tomorrow.