I love 198

I might as well get used to it, 198 is a place on the scale where it appears I am going to have to get used to for a while. Every day, I see 198. I guess I will call this the 198# WALL. I expect it to take 2-3 weeks before it is in the rear view mirror.

I know this can be a grueling task at times but the psychological wear and tear just doesn't get a rest when you are trying to decrease weight. So far this week, I have put in a little over 160 miles on the bike. I can maybe do 70+ tomorrow but the wind in the morning will make that very tough. The ride home should be charged with jet fuel but we'll see. Once back in the hood, I can opt for 1 or 2 runs to the back of the park to get either 60 or 70. The push to the south tomorrow will be quite tough with the wind blasting up from the gulf.

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The winds of Texas are upon me

Well, the Texas winds have returned. Not just a little breeze but full fledged winds. From the south. from the east northeast, from the north, the winds have returned. I am beginning to regain my headwind prowess. The fluidity is beginning to return in the face of a 20 mph headwind.

I am not really trying to ride many miles per day, rather opting for a steady flow of output to get back to the 250-300 miles per week. It's has been almost a year sine I had a 1000 mile month. They used to happen all the time. I have ridden about 400 miles in the last 11 days so I am beginning my move. The pounds will begin to follow.

More miles on the dam

Today's ride was more mileage on the dam. The wind heading east was a conspirator, the wind heading west was a collaborator. It was a tough day to be on there because the wind can play such active role in how fast you can go. I decided to work consistent and just patiently play it against the wind. Once on the tailwind side of things, a more amplified effort was put forth.

My last few rides are beginning to see the fruits of the shorter rides I have been doing lately. Although I am a long way from my goal, the building blocks are being put down to carry through the phases to come.

I managed to make a few adjustment to the Prince SL for a little run, it's first in some time. I think I last rode this bike in Leakey last October.

Another step losing..

Since going on the attack against the excess blubber I have been lugging around for the last few months, a psychological barrier was crossed this week. I presently reside on the right side of 200 lbs. Although my goal is getting back to 175, every little step is progress and that is the key.  We all wish there was a magic step or shortcut in the process but there isn't.

I commuted to work by bike on Thursday and did an extra 20 before heading home. This gave me 62 for the day. It sure is pleasant heading across Arlington before anyone turns on the lights, I just wish it was 15 degrees warmer. A few cars are out and all have been courteous. Once I get in the country, the cars are more numerous because it is now after 6:00 but most of them are heading in to town while my path leads opposite. The big payoff is the tailwind I catch on the return trip after work.

Fridays ride was on the dam. While I am taking off the weight, I probably won't do the long rides. I might do a few but not as a general rule.Today's ride was in the wind. I consider rides on the dam to completely neutral. The wind helps and the wind hinders equally. Although it is boring on the dam, I do manage but today I forgot sunscreen so I cut it short at 33 miles at 18.1 mph. That includes turnarounds and maneuvering back to the truck.

I will recruit the concept of bankrupting the fat stores by burning far more calories than consumed. It has worked in the past. The key is to know there will be walls. There isn't just one rather there are many. About every ten pounds I run in to walls. Hopefully this time will be different but I am counting on walls. I have had walls take three weeks to break through. It can really test you.

Two theme songs run through my head: John Mellencamp's: "When the walls come tumblng down"  and the Door's: "Break on through to the other side". Each plays a key role in psychologically keeping me motivated. I will wear my Ipod, for a little variety, with the around the neck headphones worn around the neck so I can hear other things going on.

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BS sells for $236 million

Want to buy some BS?

Apparently the Fed does. JP Morgan Chase buys the firm for stock valued at 236m and the Fed gets to hold the bag in the event of any losses, which appear almost certain. Bernenke, feels that fueling the fire that is eroding the core of our financial system is helping. Open your eyes idiot, it's eroding the confidence every time you open you mouth or act. Greenspan held public confidence even through his errors. Not saying he was perfect, just far better than this knucklehead!

Hopefully, this crisis will help open the eyes of consumers on the brink of buying houses. Simple math says 1%. Teaser rates that claim "buy a 148k house for $625 per month" are just there to tease you. When the rate expires shit happens. Our current situation is a prime example of too much shit happening all at once. BS profited from the situation, it is only fitting that they fall buy the same situation. Who's next?

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Bike Commuting and a rant

Have you ever felt the urge to ride your bike to work?

Most would answer this with "No".

In light of the highest gas prices I have ever seen in my life, driving is more and more becoming a unnecessary deed... to some degree. I live 20 miles from work. If I get out at 5:20 or so, I can haul across the vacant streets of Arlington, Texas and off in to the country to Burleson, Texas. Getting back home is a mish mash of turns and side streets avoiding the main arteries of the 4-5:00 rush hour. The real upside of this is that by the time you get home, I have already had two workouts of over an hour each and my weight will come off doing that.

I use Light & Motion ARC LiON and ARC Nimh battery powered HiD lights along with twin Cateye tail lights. In order to lighten the load, I will drive to work on Monday and carry clothing and groceries for the week ahead. This keeps me from having to lug a huge load from home on the back of my bikes. So far, I have only commuted on the DeRosa with a rack trunk in tow. Once it warms 10 degrees in the morning, the rack trunk is history. I may even ride one of the studs to work.

My strategy for doing this isn't to totally get away from driving but rather to curb my driving expense and put off maintenance issues. If you could save 20% or 40% of your weekly gas expense, would you? In September 2005, I spent around 30 dollars in gas. That was right after Katrina and before Rita. A very tough stretch for gas prices. I rode to work about 14 times in that month.Now, however, with Bernanke rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic, the price is inching closer to &4.00 per gallon. I am not thrilled spending $45 to fill up. $64 bucks to drive one week is total crap.

I wonder if Bernanke rides a bike to work. Perhaps at his next job working overnight at 7-Eleven, he gets the opportunity to reap what he has sewn.;

Eliot Spitzer and the P

Yo Eliot, what were ya thinking?
Have you ever seen the movie : Gone in 60 seconds? That can now be said about you law career and your reputation. No doubt you did some good things but who will remember?

In politics as in life, you have to have allies. You alienated all of them and it brought you down. The only way you could feel like a man was to hit the street and the web looking for some little hoochie mama that could make you dick hard. How's it hanging now fella?

It's probably a little chilly around the house too at this lovely time of the New York winter.

Although you won't be slumming any time soon, it will be interesting to see how far and how fast the mighty will fall if they think with the little head.

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Cool Website

Cool website: http://drawing-studio.net This guy is talented!

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Getting back in shape

Dang, I know this is subjective but it still is hard to get back in shape. People ask: what do you mean, get back in shape? you just rode 180 miles on a bike. Well, there is a difference in being in fighting shape and be in shape for survival. The latter is the kind of shape I am currently in. Ever since late 2006 when I became unemployed, I went in to hibernation as far as working out was concerned. I just showed up for the main event on the weekends. It worked alright until mid year 2007. After that, I really began to fall off.

Last years' unusually tropical weather in North Texas meant that it rained very frequently from February until October or so. It took a couple weeks off in August but it remained wet for most of the year. Wet weather an bike maintenance do NOT compliment each other too nicely. Rather than tear my bikes down on a regular basis, I just rode on the weekends. Sometimes, these rides were 60-100 miles, sometimes they were 200-400 even 600k.

I rode 4 completed brevets in 2008 and called it quits. I was having a good time but something just changed a couple weeks ago. It stopped being fun. Once that happens, I have to turn my attention in another direction. Riding is still a part of the picture, a big part of the picture but I will ride differently from now on.