As promised.....

So the ride today was fantastic. There's nothing like a mid-afternoon ride with four good friends. Now back to regular programming.

Yesterday I posted an updated flyer from Todd Nordmeyer regarding his Winter Indoor Training Series. The latest flyer has some clarifications that will answer a couple of questions you may have. Check it out and contact Todd ASAP if you want to reserve a spot. From what I understand he's received a lot of calls with many already signed up. Don't forget, the first class is next Tuesday, January 2nd.

Coaches in Iraq are targeted
There's a lot of senseless things going on in Iraq. Add the killing of Iraq's Olympic cycling coach to the list of "whys?" Kidnapping and killing is an everyday occurrence there, but going after coaches is is is.....I can't come up with words. The only thing I can think of is that the cowards who do such things are going after anyone in a leadership position. Whatever they can do to dismantle everyday normalcy for the people of Iraq they will do.

ProTour globalization?
I think this is a bit too early to fully explore. Coming to the US for a race like the Tour of California make complete sense when several ProTour teams make it a target race anyway. The ToC wants this to happen I'm sure, and are pricing their entry fees as such. ProTour teams can afford the high entry fee, but it busts the budget for a domestic squad. I have heard of some domestic teams blowing their budget on the ToC for the exposure, but then miss a lot of racing for the rest of the season due to lack of funds.

The UCI is also looking at Asia and Australia. It's good for those regions to get a ProTour race, and anyone with the opportunity should take it. However, if this comes to pass then they have got to expand their number of ProTour teams. What the UCI is considering is dropping some races from the current list of 27 in order to include races like Tour de Langkawi or the Tour Down Under. Maybe I have skipped over reading this, but I don't see any reference to adding more ProTour teams.

Cycling is on the verge of becoming like NASCAR where racing is almost year round. For us fans that's a good thing, and in the end it will help build a global strategy. However, ProTour teams are already stretched to the limit on riders and budget with the existing schedule. Adding more teams would ease the burden on everyone, and give more riders opportunity to showcase their talent.

President Ford wasn't just a leader, but a great athlete too.
Ford was a Nebraskan that ended up playing for two national championship teams at Michigan, and was good enough to have his jersey retired. I was able to find him on a bicycle when he was only two years old.

Welcome to Cy-yo
These guys are patenting this type of workout, which combines yoga and cycling. I am all about yoga, and I am all about cycling. I do both almost daily. Both existed long before Cy-yo, but the process of doing yoga as warm up, then doing a spin class, and then ending with yoga is being patented. Check out their FAQ to see where they're coming from, and read the answer to question 11. Oh, don't go without reading number 9 too. My view is unless they have a very specific workout (ie movements, reps, time) then how can they patent those basic of workout practices? They haven't created anything new other than the steps to follow.

In lieu of all that I am proposing that the Be There or Get Slower training ride patent itself. Here's my proposal: create a training ride where Nashville bicyclists come together at the same time for a prescribed ride on the same day, Saturday. We meet, discuss a route, and go ride. Think that will keep others from forming a group ride on Saturday's across the country right?

Favorite local hill climb offers "Star Chamber"
Have you ever rode up the hill leading to Vanderbilt's Dyer Observatory off Granny White Pike? Now you have another reason to ride up that beast and enjoy the view.

Wireless PowerTap
Crap, Christmas has come and gone. I think Santa waited a few days because he knew we'd all be asking for one.

Antique tandem for sale
This is what I am going to ride when we break the Clarksville Labor Day Century record.

Video - rear derailleur adjustment
Seeing this reminds me of when I bought my first bike in 1997 after getting into cycling. I was living in Florida at the time and dealt with this incredibly helpful pro shop. One evening at home I was admiring my new shiny purchase when I see these two screws sticking out of the rear derailleur. At that time I didn't even know it was called a derailleur, much less know I should NEVER touch those screws. I promptly tightened those bad boys down a little, and well, you already know what happened. I didn't realize what tightening those screws meant. So I call the shop explaining my shifting problem, and without hesitation the mechanic asked if I had messed with the screws. Yeah, I sure did as a matter of fact. They let me know right away I wasn't authorized to touch those screws, but they kindly fixed my problem without cost. Lesson learned. If this video were available I'd have known better.

Jeannie Longo training for Beijing in 2008. Wow.

Chris Carmichael reinventing himself.
A good NY Times article about Chris and his new book "5 Essentials for a Winning Life: The Nutrition, Fitness, and Life Plan for Discovering the Champion Within." It's not the same Carmichael book we're used to seeing, but rather a bit of re-branding and redirection to a much larger market. Maybe he can send a copy to Genevieve Jeanson.

You Are What You Eat: 2006 and the Politics of Food
This got me to thinking, not about food politics, but what does my diet say about me. Truth be told it involves a lot of "P" items; peanut butter, pizza, popcorn, pop tarts, potatoes and Pinot Noir.