Take 30 of These and Call Me in the Morning

I had my 36th birthday yesterday, yeah I'm not afraid to say it out loud. Not like those HMB's who stay 29 for 40 years. Although I do think it's funny that I go to the gym and throw my back out on that blessed day. You see, I was going to go for a ride after I finished doing chest and abs but it was drizzly and the roads were probably going to be slick. Wah, wah, wah. I should of gone riding. I ended up staying at the gym and doing the rowing machine, yeah the one in the corner only old ladies use. Well I guess I'm one of them now. I was going to do an easy 20 minutes, but then I remember reading Selene Yeager's (Bicycling Mag) article about how interval training will melt your fat like butter.

My row started off fine, I warmed up, did one minute fast, slowed down for two, and then I started my next fast minute. It lasted 20 seconds. I must of lost my form because I leaned back and felt a pop and then a pain shock, like I got electrocuted. I couldn't help but laugh because it hurt so much, so there I was, crazy old lady laughing away on the rowing machine. I managed to get up and hobble myself out of the gym looking like some sort of undiscovered Gymnasium Neanderthal.

The pain got worse throughout the day and my birthday turned into a suffer-fest. I worked on t-shirt designs but nothing came out like I wanted. Had dinner which consisted of a quesadilla, tortilla chips, and a chocolate covered biscuit. Happy Birthday to me, after that I went to the park to play with the Friends of the Friendless band. And then off to bed with my knees elevated and a stack of Ritz on my chest watching "Did You Hear About the Morgan's?" That lame ass movie with Sarah J. Parker and Hugh Grant who is unfortunately looking his age. I then tossed and turned gingerly all night trying to find the right position which led to a whopping 4 hours of sleep.

Next morning and my back is a little better. I self medicated this morning and took thirty of these after my protein smoothie. Hope to get back on the saddle Friday.

Candy Corn is the DEVIL

First weekend of September and as usual it's Africa hot. So I rode up through Yucaipa from Redlands to stare at the big apple sign pointing up to Oak Glen on the corner of Bryant and Oak Glen Road. My goal is to make it to the goats by the end of September, cause if I make it to the goats I made it to the apple burritos sold across the parking lot in the big barn. Honestly, I just want to see the goats. I really wish I could make it a bit further up the road for the big bag of little apple cider donuts at Snow-line apples, but they might as well be another 30 miles away. Whole lotta climbing, in a little bit of road. Maybe if the donuts had $50 bills stuffed through their holes. Oh yeah, don't eat a bag of candy corn the day before a big ride. Sugar is a strength zapper, it's the DEVIL. But cider donuts and apple burritos are fine because they have fruit in them.

I've been watching the Vuelta this week and I'm trying to take it all in because it's the last grand tour before the World's and my favorite race, Giro di Lombardia. Which is a pisser because neither Universal or Versus will show it. They played it once a couple years ago and I fell in love with it, then poof no more. But back to the Vuelta, it's been pretty exciting, sprint wise at least. Everybody is getting a turn at crossing the finish line first. Sharing is caring. Bad news with Team Sky dropping out. Prayers go out to the Gonzalez family, friends, and everyone at Team Sky.

Well I have finally figured out how to work the imovie thingy majingy. So here is the exclusive blog premiere of Call of Nature. I was shooting footage for my soon to be released cycling movie and all of a sudden here comes a port-a-potty over the crest of the hill. My thought with this video is sometimes you have a call of nature then the feeling goes away, this is what it would look like.