tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31589372182056168132024-03-13T13:00:36.538-06:00'Crossin ColoradoCyclocross, Mountain Biking, Skiing & other random stuff in Colorado -
From the pack filler viewpointOld Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.comBlogger241125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-78209555978231404172014-05-11T21:10:00.003-06:002014-05-12T08:11:41.187-06:00I'm not dead yet…….Bring out your dead.<br />
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"I'm not dead yet……"<br />
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Not that you could tell by my "less than timely" writing here. Seems as if time has been flying by without me gracing the pages of the Internet with my own brand of wisdom & entertainment. May well be for the better, but I seem to have a bit more juice flowing these days (Creative Juices, that is…).<br />
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First, I DID go get a fat bike, and got a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/YannPhotoVideo/photos/a.557174484390403.1073741898.256947124413142/557175434390308/?type=1&theater">taste of winter Fat Bike Riding</a> on the front range. THAT is a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/YannPhotoVideo/photos/a.557174484390403.1073741898.256947124413142/557175107723674/?type=1&theater">great way to stay motivated</a> over the winter. It's fun, in that it is quite obvious that bikes were NOT meant to be ridden on snow. Amazing it works at all. <br />
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Man, the last time I wrote something here, it appears to have still been winter. Well past that now, I've even had a full spring week in Utah, my annual version of a spring training camp. So it must have been a while. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spring Training Camp - All work - No Play</td></tr>
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Did a week in Utah. Moab for a few days, then my second visit to Hurricane. Stayed up on Gooseberry Mesa, and that place just gets better and better with each visit. The old trails still rock, and there is a bunch of new stuff out there to ride. If you like desert riding, you owe yourself a trip out there. World Class.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">End of the Goose</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cactus Slalom</td></tr>
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After a few days there, we rocked across the entire southern Utah/Northern Arizona line. With that we were able to check us out a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fundamentalist_Church_of_Jesus_Christ_of_Latter-Day_Saints">little FLDS action</a>. A drive by on the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hildale,_Utah">greater Hildale,</a> Ut./ <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colorado_City,_Arizona">Colorado City, Az. metroplex</a> is an experience not to be missed. Well, at least the next time you need to drive from Hurricane, Utah to Fredonia, Arizona that is. You owe yourself a <a href="http://flds101.blogspot.com/">few minutes to read up</a> on the FLDS thing down there. It's FAR worse, and FAR weirder than you can imagine. I of course managed to pick THAT day to wear my Polygamy Porter T-Shirt. "I Tried Polygamy". Perfect.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Then Get out of town…..</td></tr>
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Spent a day on the way back in Cortez, sampling the flowy, jumpy goodness that is the Phil's World trail network. Yep, another place you HAVE to go to. Here's a taste.<br />
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/94904107">Rib Cage</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2147979">Dale Riley</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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SO, hope to have a bit more flowing out of the brain here soon. Stay tuned.<br />
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Photo(s) Credit: John DeibertOld Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-71714660659293049742014-02-11T20:55:00.000-07:002014-02-11T20:55:33.971-07:00Worldly thoughtsIt appears that those of us in Colorado suddenly pulled up roots and moved to Michigan. At least that is what the last few weeks have FELT like. Gray. Gray. Cold. Gray. REALLY Cold. Gray. Then, Gray. Amazing how few days of midwest/east coast weather it takes to piss off those who are used to living here. Generally spoiled, we are. No matter, It has NOT been pleasant to ride bikes outdoors for the most part. Course sometimes if you just work at it a bit, it can be pretty damn nice out there.<br />
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Have a lot of motivation to get back in good enough shape to REALLY test out some heart arrhythmia drugs I am trying out, and/or just get the nasty rhythms firing regularly for a <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/10/back-to-broken.html">second ablation attempt</a>, so I've been pushing myself pretty hard to get out. Even rode for a FULL HOUR indoors one of those REALLY cold days. Such seriousness is not usual around here at this time of year. All that cold and snow is making me want another bike.</div>
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After borrowing one ( well, not THAT one…) to do the Mile High Urban CX Fat Bike race, and a few rides on "skinny" little 2.4 inch tires in the snow, the bug is getting pretty itchy.</div>
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We shall see. Kinda a fashionable thing to do these days, that Fat Bike thing. Seems like every clown around is riding some Fatty</div>
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While some super-bowl game was on, there was also a rather large sporting event over in the land of Dutch. The Cyclocross World Championships were in Hooger-Booger-Hidey-something in the Netherlands. Mixed bag for the US riders, with the eternal KFC Rainbow curse in full effect, and Ryan Trebon <a href="https://twitter.com/ryantrebon/status/430041511343185920/photo/1">tangling with a chainring</a>. Best way to see the race is the STELLAR work of <a href="http://www.cxhairs.com/">In the Crosshairs</a>. His great #Svenness video series has the <a href="http://www.cxhairs.com/2014/02/07/svenness-2-17/">best recap of a really good Worlds race in his #Svenness #17.</a> <br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://vimeo.com/86090023">Go watch it</a>. </b></span><br />
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And buy a shirt or book. Keep him motivated to do these videos. SUCH good work.</div>
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Seems that in spite of Euros having a reputation as not having a sense of humor, and for being WAY too quiet at Cross races, <a href="http://www.vier.be/veldrijden/videos/whos-your-daddy/108450#.UvjFnjQYYfo.twitter">it seems that they actually can have some fun</a>, and are not always so serious. (NO, my Flemish is not that good, but Google translate will get you there…)<br />
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Get out, Ride, Ski, whatever. Make sure the weather gods know we are NOT in Michigan.</div>
Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-57783813181053282662014-01-28T21:31:00.000-07:002014-01-28T21:31:17.252-07:00Almost thereWell, I guess I took a break from writing much here. Unlike <a href="http://bikesnobnyc.blogspot.com/">Bike Snob NYC</a>, I don't seem to know when I won't be putting anything up here, and thus make an appointment to not write stuff. Plus of course, I am far from capable of spewing out my gibberish at anywhere near his level of quantity, or really, let us be brutally honest, his quality. With or without scheduling a break, I seem to have taken one. <br />
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Since back about Christmas, it has been a bit quiet around here, all except for some little cyclocrossing race down in the Republic. Not a bad week for cross, if you are into that sort of thing. Some kinda fast dudes and dude-etts came to this neck of the woods and rode around a bumpy circle really fast.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRirboqwZtAJe68ZgUxqQjJgWgTOVElitERlt1kKTP44n1vMQMu6OO2RJGvpVSHkVv1MBxRK08aoyL3RJz7pUFK6zb2Rt3y3rmC83P6TSytVq-RugfpxUvkxE2pKlLd5NI-2UP6aCBJIs/s1600/DSCN3099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRirboqwZtAJe68ZgUxqQjJgWgTOVElitERlt1kKTP44n1vMQMu6OO2RJGvpVSHkVv1MBxRK08aoyL3RJz7pUFK6zb2Rt3y3rmC83P6TSytVq-RugfpxUvkxE2pKlLd5NI-2UP6aCBJIs/s1600/DSCN3099.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some Fast guy</td></tr>
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Being as you need to be a Cat3, even older than I am, and <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/10/back-to-broken.html">have a functional heart/circulatory system</a> to actually participate in said bumpy fast circle riding, I attended in a mere support and fan like capacity. Took Thursday off to pit, help, support and apparently jinx some of my teammates who were participating in the fast, bumpy circle fast riding. Two of the three I went to help were unable to complete all the required circles, due to mechanical malfunctions and 4 stitches in the upper lip crashing events.<br />
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<a href="http://vimeo.com/83823422">2014 CX Nats boo-boo</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2147979">Dale Riley</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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The other managed to avoid too much of my "help" and was able to put herself up on the podium that day. Nicely done, <a href="http://www.crossresults.com/racer/12178">Deirdre Garvey</a>, nicely done. We are glad you came over to ride with<a href="http://www.highpeaksmasters.blogspot.com/"> the team</a>.<br />
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Went back Sunday to watch the fast boys & girls do it for real. Rang a bell, Drank some beer, yelled at some fast people, hung out with the peeps.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpud6O_4M_4WgjxiMxIcUcKLpKuSZ-J9sYQcPi5muQtqGwlwPM4BaEt6DUFOzodk7F8-mVlVumM_qyp2kzxUc0QHruxd-0IsbKzD_lU9bMNOseGUHZ9B286xB3rw_8cM4FHcGgqNxyzwY/s1600/DSCN3048.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpud6O_4M_4WgjxiMxIcUcKLpKuSZ-J9sYQcPi5muQtqGwlwPM4BaEt6DUFOzodk7F8-mVlVumM_qyp2kzxUc0QHruxd-0IsbKzD_lU9bMNOseGUHZ9B286xB3rw_8cM4FHcGgqNxyzwY/s1600/DSCN3048.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Fast guys</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not quite as fast folks</td></tr>
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Pretty cool to have the big show here in our neck of the woods. Wish I could have ridden the course there. Looked SO sweet. Too bad I doubt that any local races will get to use and abuse the "non-trail" lines used for Nationals, so we will be back on the more usual Valmont courses next year. Sigh.<br />
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With that show over, and Worlds this weekend, the whole cross thing will go dormant for a bit. Time for skiing and maybe a dose of cross stoke now & then.<br />
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I also had the pleasure of chatting with my Cardiologist/Electrophisiologist about my <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/12/nice-try.html">failed heat probe/Zap thing</a>. He still insists on his number one "fix" being the famous Doctor approach of "stop doing that". He was telling me he thinks I should act my age, and stop pushing my heart so hard. Something about "seeing too many people with arrythmias" and "exercising so hard at our altitude" not being "good" for you. He also mentioned his opinion not being very popular in Boulder. Wow, Really? It was not very popular with me, either. We then moved on to treatment options NOT involving me sitting on a couch from now on. <br />
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Now currently test driving and experimenting with <a href="http://www.drugs.com/diltiazem.html">some meds</a> to see if blocking my calcium channels will help the heart rate "excursions" without too many side effects. I am also trying to get my fitness ramped back up to where I can get hard enough efforts in on a regular basis to see how the drugs really affect me and the heart events. Probably will also try a second EP study/Ablation if I get the events repeating more regularly again. This time without the general anestisia. Whee.<br />
<br />
Enjoy the random bursts of cold, snow, wind and nice warm days. It's winter in Colorado.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-54409339288195536292013-12-22T20:41:00.000-07:002013-12-22T20:45:15.546-07:00Christmas CatharsisMerry Christmas to you all. ( all 3 or 4 of you who read this…)<br />
<br />
This year has had me trying to decide if I am the grinch, or just "was Grinched". Not been a great year, and certainly not my favorite Cross season. Did spot a new hybrid out there, the Santa Grinch. Maybe my year was just his idea of a joke.<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8LtKZtHGCCYaoEhfYwC6P3CFnPxepBPav8DNC-7yDOoeDhmLcS8hs9vg77MnP-a_6IByyi0voOqh7yth4A0U6sIGxOvuk_eSBWchX2V_vknhDA6jsJ4thq1cucl6jg4s7iSbi3LivyI/s1600/Santa+Grinch.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiu8LtKZtHGCCYaoEhfYwC6P3CFnPxepBPav8DNC-7yDOoeDhmLcS8hs9vg77MnP-a_6IByyi0voOqh7yth4A0U6sIGxOvuk_eSBWchX2V_vknhDA6jsJ4thq1cucl6jg4s7iSbi3LivyI/s400/Santa+Grinch.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bo Bickerstaff - http://bobickerstaff.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
So a whopping 2 weeks after <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/12/nice-try.html">getting my heart probed</a>, thinking I was PROBABLY safe from <a href="http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Video-CGs-Bloody-Crash.html?trk=rss">"Pulling a Cedric Gracia"</a> I went ahead and jumped back in a race. Figured if being a good little cardiac patient and not stirring up my heart arrhythmia led to it not happening while I was probed, I just as soon change the operating point, and start getting it to go nuts more often. So, racing at states seemed like as good a plan as any. <br />
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Turns out that HURT. A LOT.<br />
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After NOT getting my heart issues fixed, I kinda went through a low point, got a little whiny, felt sorry for myself and the like. Strange, just 45 minutes of searing agony seems to have cleared a lot of that up.<br />
<br />
John Hailey has put in a back-breaker of a course down there, killer hard, but also really fun. My "race" was a bit of a blur, made very cloudy by a searing haze of pain. I do seem to remember having some fun sliding around in some greasy mud over ice, you know, kinda like cross should be. After weeks of sitting around, avoiding heart tachycardia in the vain hope that all that would soon be fixed, and 2 weeks after getting my heart probed, racing there induced levels of pain & suffering I am struggling to ever remember matching in any other bike race. And all that for 30th place out of 36. At least I did not get lapped.<br />
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It went about as well as one would expect from someone who was not really even ON a bike for weeks prior to the race, after even longer of not ever riding hard. You can get the idea by the HERDS of people who pass me (probably thinking "what the hell is wrong with THIS guy…" as they went by.) in the first couple of minutes in the video.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/81974749" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/81974749">2013 Colorado State CX Championships - 45+ 4</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2147979">Dale Riley</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
I'll give my team credit, they are a fun bunch and managed some creative heckling for may way back in the pack suffering. We had the plan in place that if I was looking "Really Bad", either side could call for a "Code Brown" and start the beer hand ups. Not all that good of a sign when they started offering that "Code Brown" on lap 2. <br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/82053516" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/82053516">High Peaks Masters Heckle-cam</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user9157293">John Deibert</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
So, with the Cross season "over" for me, outside of maybe torturing my malfunctioning heart again at <a href="http://www.coloradocycling.org/sites/default/files/Site_Files/Race_Flyers/2014/AA%20Race%20Flyer_11_19_1.pdf">the Pre-nationals race</a>, and crewing and spectating at Nationals, it is time to look ahead, reflect back, and see what I can do to completely avoid another year like this one. Really, I am kinda sick of this shit. Tired of being broken. Old I'm used to, but not old AND broken.<br />
<br />
We are off to the normal Christmas insanity, going to go do a bit of Family holiday stuff, then some skiing and tourist-ing with some out-of-town folks coming in. Then time to re-group, re-arm and get a new plan in place with the Cardiologist, which is the day after Christmas. (Merry Christmas to me…)<br />
<br />
I did manage a bit of a milestone this year, internet-blogger-video-trending-kinda wise. My video from Mile High Urban Cross went to over a THOUSAND views. Almost 1100 now. A first for me. Since I started this yammering here in October of 2009, I've only had about 37,000 hits TOTAL, so it takes a bit more than my few readers to get 1000 hits on a Video in a couple of weeks. Thanks <a href="http://303cycling.com/">303 Cycling</a> and <a href="http://milehighcxchaos.com/">MUCCY</a> for the help there, by putting my vids up. What is the definition of "internet famous", anyway?<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/79645257" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="500"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/79645257">Mile High Urban CX Chaos</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2147979">Dale Riley</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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I wish all of you out there a great holiday. If you are done racing, have a <a href="http://beeradvocate.com/lists/top">good beer</a> for me. If you are peaking up for Nationals, keep pounding. Thanks for reading. I'll try and find some more entertaining stuff to write up. I hope Santa has some nice stuff under the tree for you.<br />
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Merry Christmas, and to all a good night!Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-90065199447368216332013-12-08T13:26:00.001-07:002013-12-08T13:26:52.149-07:00Nice TrySometimes, things just don't go the way you want. <br />
<br />
Not. Even. Close.<br />
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Fear. Fear of loss can make you go a bit mad. Just spent a good part of a long and sleepless night staring straight into the eyes of that fear, that loss. The sleeplessness came from being thrust into thinking about loss, and thus the fear. While the loss contemplated could be seen as minor to many, silly by some, and certainly ranks low on the scale of actual human suffering in the world, the fear remains real. <br />
<br />
Forced to look at something unimaginable, something never <i>really</i> considered or contemplated will keep you awake in the dark of night. Denial and optimism can be blown away like morning mist, replaced quickly by stormy clouds of realization and doubt.<br />
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This night of dark contemplation, realization and yes, fear was brought on courtesy of my arrhythmic heart and the joy that is modern medicine. Went in to get my long awaited and even anticipated Electrophysiology study and (hopefully) an RF ablation to bring my mis-behaving heart rates back under control. The Doctor's cheerful "70-80% confident we would get the issue and fix it on the first try" (foreshadowing…) ringing clearly in my head. <br />
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After a long day of no eating, no water, prepping & waiting, I woke up from the General anesthesia, became cognizant enough to remember where I was and what I was doing. First thing I asked my wife after becoming aware enough to ask was….. "did they fix it?". And of course the answer was….. <br />
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No.<br />
<br />
NO? Shit. <br />
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Of course, while not out of the realm of possibility, was NOT what I had In mind. They were not able to reproduce the failure in over an hour of trying. Apparently he was able to provoke a whole three (3) lousy Tachycardic beats out of my heart, not nearly enough to map the defective paths and do an ablation. <br />
<br />
Shit.<br />
<br />
Thus, while getting to lay still for the desired 6 hours, and on to my overnight stay in the place where no sleep is had, being "observed", I managed to descend into a rather deep, dark funk. What the HELL am I going to do if I can't get this fixed? That kept running thru my head. Racing? Yea, I guess I can even see giving that up, since I pretty well suck at it anyway. But not being able to ride hard at all? Especially on the Mountain bike? Unimaginable. I like to ride places you just can't "ride easy" up. I ride with a bunch of folks who don't really race but still go FAST. Riding our tandem is HARD. I don't really want to be that putz-y, ride the easy stuff rider. I literally can not imagine NOT riding. It's too big of a piece of me.<br />
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After the requisite time of depression & self-loathing, I have pulled out a bit. We are FAR from done here, at the least there is the option of an additional try at the EP Study/Ablation, probably without the general anesthesia drugs depressing my system responses, and for that matter a slew of drugs to look into. Not done, but was not really planning on more months of waiting & trying here, I was ready to "be Fixed". <br />
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With my next Doc talk the day after Christmas (Merry Christmas to me!), we'll have a new plan in place in a couple of weeks. Whee. Till then, I am going to go ahead & "participate" in states again. Figure it can't hurt to get the arrhythmia "warmed up" and popping before the next attempt. Seems resting and being good didn't help with getting it to repeat, so we'll try and completely change the failure environment for the next round. What the hell.<br />
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See ya at states. The season end approaches. <br />
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Sorry for the self-centered ranting/whining. It just needed to come out. We return you to your regularly scheduled gibberish soon.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-91435394854185578382013-12-02T22:03:00.000-07:002013-12-02T22:03:27.272-07:00ThankfulWell, no matter what, I'm thankful. <br />
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With all the Crap that's come my way this year, I'm sure I could get away with NOT being all that thankful, but all in all I still am. After the calorie-fest that is thanksgiving,<br />
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<br />
it is finally time for me to <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/10/back-to-broken.html">go get my heart re-wired</a>. Sitting here the night before getting <a href="http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/pulmonary-vein-or-focal-ablation">a probe threaded up into your heart</a> can make a person look back in a very "Thanksgiving like" frame of mind. Even with getting slapped with yet another heath issue, and getting the cross season I put off all LAST season pretty much ripped out from under my legs AGAIN, I still have little to be that mad about. All in all things are OK, and while I miss racing, it is "just a hobby" and I got "participate" a bit and keep from loosing my mind. <br />
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Tomorrow I'm off to see if the Docs can fix my "broken" heart, and get me back on track to ride, both on the mountain bike and for next cross season. I am looking at a great reward for myself, If I can get back to racing. Everyone needs a carrot to pull them past the hard parts of life, and I have mine. <br />
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Some might question how much being able to ride and race as poorly as I do could mean so much to someone. The truly competitive "cat 2" types out there probably can't understand why middle of the pack Cat 4-45+ finishes could really mean so much to anyone, why it occupies so much of one's thoughts. Some out there will understand how much riding and racing bikes, even with such mediocrity can mean to someone. <br />
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I am backed up by an amazing group of friends & teammates, and a strong & loving wife. This makes it all easier, and makes me strive, not only to ride & race to my ability, but to strive to get back "into the saddle" and be there for them, to be worthy of that support.<br />
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I'll be back soon, and by January I plan on starting to ride, and ride HARD again. <br />
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I can't wait.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-16482655010132340212013-11-20T22:37:00.003-07:002013-11-20T22:38:51.805-07:00MUCCYThere was participation again. May well have been my season Championship event. It's pretty weird to "race" your bike, without going too hard or getting your heart rate up too high, but I think I scratched my once-again denied CX itch for the year, and did it without a stroke or heart attack, so I feel pretty content. <br />
<br />
I went to MUCCY, the <a href="http://milehighcxchaos.com/">Mile High Urban Cyclocross Chaos</a> race in near-downtown Denver. If you follow 303 Cycling you might have seen a bit of the buzz about this race. It was by far one of the most fun, creative, inspiring and generally upbeat bike races I have ever been to. While Colorado has a likely well deserved reputation for taking it's Cyclocross maybe a bit too "serious", and focusing on the racing & results more than the "fun", this race shows that there are plenty of people here who can go out and ride hard, race hard, yet still keep it a little more low key. Frankly, was pretty refreshing. <br />
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Fun & Creative? Totally. The course was insanely technical, while at the same time having a great rhythm, challenging but enjoyable. What other race have you seen with a custom built cobblestone hill, <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqG7AkN9V3CzjigBm5qbLb00KMK22FWDiu3S8oueRjJB83ewQ6LQPcW52EXToJvAizvneHnjQSOUNEUHx7W8lEG97VVzA-mEgL0fKIOIIl1zRelHjPXGnQxf7vW7DOQ2vz2IRTTlY6x7g/s1600/DSCN2699.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqG7AkN9V3CzjigBm5qbLb00KMK22FWDiu3S8oueRjJB83ewQ6LQPcW52EXToJvAizvneHnjQSOUNEUHx7W8lEG97VVzA-mEgL0fKIOIIl1zRelHjPXGnQxf7vW7DOQ2vz2IRTTlY6x7g/s400/DSCN2699.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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Filing cabinets for course markers,<br />
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and containers as course elements?<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZC3M91DUhlz2a2yWLJtIbZvInutpY3KUbGd6htOG83LDZ3m_Pa7Nu-ywPTBtnjUyZek2n5iR5RVxpeKDGdrmR7PazSg45zOfaBgOJDlhNbRQv_mbnkGpy00LqweQ3B1uTl_W8bnvHLdY/s1600/PB170837.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZC3M91DUhlz2a2yWLJtIbZvInutpY3KUbGd6htOG83LDZ3m_Pa7Nu-ywPTBtnjUyZek2n5iR5RVxpeKDGdrmR7PazSg45zOfaBgOJDlhNbRQv_mbnkGpy00LqweQ3B1uTl_W8bnvHLdY/s400/PB170837.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Deibert Photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgR5eHd6IuZvID64tcSLZi44WhzGa6xInvP-3IZRmfrxcmJl_i6b2LATzpNV3xu15KhI2e4AZzV6NFC_GZu42v9UFzxFmo-0ObitBU4rSGhJhkfTAhzDClSashyphenhyphensQxJWrT2hPCukqEmvA/s1600/50003325-DSC_3017.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgR5eHd6IuZvID64tcSLZi44WhzGa6xInvP-3IZRmfrxcmJl_i6b2LATzpNV3xu15KhI2e4AZzV6NFC_GZu42v9UFzxFmo-0ObitBU4rSGhJhkfTAhzDClSashyphenhyphensQxJWrT2hPCukqEmvA/s400/50003325-DSC_3017.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yann Ropars photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<br />
Not many.<br />
Here, take a lap…..<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/79645257" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/79645257">Mile High Urban CX Chaos</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2147979">Dale Riley</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
<br />
<br />
Tandems, Fat bike categories, and a race for adaptive athletes filled out the menu for a unique day. The adaptive athletes were INCREDIBLE, riding the same course as the able-bodied racers, with minor modifications and a few people stationed to help on request. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDLPzgiaXbioP7DqrRzO87LaQPSpGYRq57zScQLig4OouZxrLzXqRYCGl_gIOjKg90uiL4M_O3ocmcjQLlc9uF4lLc24CdlgwKfeQPnYRCoBJ_iwmv_ENKvJzYWDMpoIEYd-DJ9vQ_3s/s1600/DSCN2697.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPDLPzgiaXbioP7DqrRzO87LaQPSpGYRq57zScQLig4OouZxrLzXqRYCGl_gIOjKg90uiL4M_O3ocmcjQLlc9uF4lLc24CdlgwKfeQPnYRCoBJ_iwmv_ENKvJzYWDMpoIEYd-DJ9vQ_3s/s400/DSCN2697.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzHNVxplqVgtHzPPWTQgBD84KYCZ7Dj84gteuAk8I7EmFrtcVNYBugxw5DjU5sTOMEDJ_mtfhAmMeo-dSgvUM7eakDOyjbQ3-GNlzwir4vcUQtZVGyYjcmFjRcTCe4DCMZK-qZtzb8s8/s1600/Adapt+Push+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQzHNVxplqVgtHzPPWTQgBD84KYCZ7Dj84gteuAk8I7EmFrtcVNYBugxw5DjU5sTOMEDJ_mtfhAmMeo-dSgvUM7eakDOyjbQ3-GNlzwir4vcUQtZVGyYjcmFjRcTCe4DCMZK-qZtzb8s8/s400/Adapt+Push+2.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bobickerstaff.com/mile-high-urban-cx-chaos">Bo Bickerstaff</a> Photo</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOj4aIcvUk7x2emjG09Tv_fZC7l6VuL5H0bDyLdWTLky7vuMuuV9zmaU0DNOweGfKm30B_tG8POLUqk2CjMdA7aOezi3NsvJFcijlXN6Q75rQH-0HH2Dnh8aUTc55sFNRzHAFzkegrYQ/s1600/adaptPush.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzOj4aIcvUk7x2emjG09Tv_fZC7l6VuL5H0bDyLdWTLky7vuMuuV9zmaU0DNOweGfKm30B_tG8POLUqk2CjMdA7aOezi3NsvJFcijlXN6Q75rQH-0HH2Dnh8aUTc55sFNRzHAFzkegrYQ/s400/adaptPush.jpg" width="266" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bobickerstaff.com/mile-high-urban-cx-chaos">Bo Bickerstaff </a>Photo</td></tr>
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They pushed themselves and their machines hard enough to even break one of the hand cycles in half. <a href="http://303cycling.com/the-spirit-of-mile-high-urban-cross-interview">Check out this 303 Cycling article</a> for more on one of the most inspiring things I have been lucky enough to witness in my life. These dudes are incredible athletes. <br />
<br />
While all that was a good start to a great event, the general attitude & vibe took it over the top. The HPM team decided that with an 8:30 or 9:30 AM start, the Men "C" and Men "B" races need an appropriate morning beverage hand up service, and we provided <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=beermosa">beermosas</a> (yes, the REAL ones, PBR-based…) in champagne flutes during those races.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_9O65FuRKSL0zAnuNTfGdvz-BCIZ1EqTAzAabI0Yi0GWmjOassxmdlBpMxARcmfz4B427Ffw3zlKJejuPaBsTqpQPgRfxVGp59nisQO-pdZ94jF0XxxmO0bhRY2DO0VP9hqKOVpxf-M/s1600/PB170834.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR_9O65FuRKSL0zAnuNTfGdvz-BCIZ1EqTAzAabI0Yi0GWmjOassxmdlBpMxARcmfz4B427Ffw3zlKJejuPaBsTqpQPgRfxVGp59nisQO-pdZ94jF0XxxmO0bhRY2DO0VP9hqKOVpxf-M/s400/PB170834.JPG" width="300" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Debert Photo</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGoSSTgDnCP8g8OVdVSdaDbsuoLvfPgtc6VH-zu6MGidm4JBXRQxm-ltvCG5QdNkvImcaO9NPq2MxkaxmyikMwxIOBmid3iUoUb2Hn5eaoTdIrii1nfJbw-iqcL9yn_-JzGk6PGTjONY/s1600/beermosa2.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="338" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMGoSSTgDnCP8g8OVdVSdaDbsuoLvfPgtc6VH-zu6MGidm4JBXRQxm-ltvCG5QdNkvImcaO9NPq2MxkaxmyikMwxIOBmid3iUoUb2Hn5eaoTdIrii1nfJbw-iqcL9yn_-JzGk6PGTjONY/s400/beermosa2.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Deibert Bar-cam frame grab</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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I was even forced to cut off the leader of the "B" race, as he was just plain taking too many of them. Had to spread the refreshment out to more riders.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_o8gg8Dt6pawv8OFrOHzg__FfVZyOfvHPHQVFpWTVKX-fwjs1G5uy_CNB2zj_6MdNHMeXWh1I0mXqdw0x5MXdxOD7eYFIroQ8nilV7-bUJ7cDi9pUnRy3H9tPm0W6RDh_WBJRg55lHsg/s1600/beermosa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh_o8gg8Dt6pawv8OFrOHzg__FfVZyOfvHPHQVFpWTVKX-fwjs1G5uy_CNB2zj_6MdNHMeXWh1I0mXqdw0x5MXdxOD7eYFIroQ8nilV7-bUJ7cDi9pUnRy3H9tPm0W6RDh_WBJRg55lHsg/s400/beermosa.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://bobickerstaff.com/mile-high-urban-cx-chaos">Bo Bickerstaff</a> Photo - http://bobickerstaff.com</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Later in the afternoon, more "traditional" hand ups prevailed, with the<a href="http://blog.fritesenmayo.com/"> Frites & Mayo</a> and <a href="http://tnwrt.wordpress.com/">Natural Way Racing</a> teams taking over the hand up duties admirably. I made sure to go out of my way to partake, as can be seen here:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqX5bmO-mmz9FQnrlG8lnzkLKAAVzcchXBHavfT2AUMIyvKZewjP6LynjzsdytFaNBoXNNG4Y_su3B1yIQfetxtpC2UoLPhL2cTpJcEEyRnN1zpNeDGrFb3oAAGzj20fI4sCQgdXq2ys/s1600/PB170852.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigqX5bmO-mmz9FQnrlG8lnzkLKAAVzcchXBHavfT2AUMIyvKZewjP6LynjzsdytFaNBoXNNG4Y_su3B1yIQfetxtpC2UoLPhL2cTpJcEEyRnN1zpNeDGrFb3oAAGzj20fI4sCQgdXq2ys/s400/PB170852.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Deibert Photos</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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From Miller High Life to Modello, the top of "Mount Taxi" was well stocked with a couple of cases and plastic shot glasses, even though some preferred more than a shot. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEZq9k9_Ij-R6nb7QHVcUeZMj0sl8JRnSoCxyGL9XMYrqg_5xHPgS-bzd9yZS9bZ57Pan9iseomKS-Hj_ztc6noNeBck8f5S-kxwwsnmlm9CuoAkz3x9iCrUxdgPylT6VNyQVfBFjGQE/s1600/PedalDancer.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxEZq9k9_Ij-R6nb7QHVcUeZMj0sl8JRnSoCxyGL9XMYrqg_5xHPgS-bzd9yZS9bZ57Pan9iseomKS-Hj_ztc6noNeBck8f5S-kxwwsnmlm9CuoAkz3x9iCrUxdgPylT6VNyQVfBFjGQE/s400/PedalDancer.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://albums.phanfare.com/isolated/5inP6wUz/1/6316447">Pedal Dancer Photo</a> - of me - used without permission please forgive me</td></tr>
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Others stopped for a chat with the hand ups.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk4Yy5_KdLlZ2CsPsKf96m9Zpwcrt8UBQd8DQSu5TBfA7q6tptjIGJkU8wrrFd0l-99bKXCIXjr_WXgQuonAJP6LZTiIV46HC7289HBJ_TJ_rmpGifkK_T7sWnJDpJyh-01Kmwupgra0/s1600/PB170860.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpk4Yy5_KdLlZ2CsPsKf96m9Zpwcrt8UBQd8DQSu5TBfA7q6tptjIGJkU8wrrFd0l-99bKXCIXjr_WXgQuonAJP6LZTiIV46HC7289HBJ_TJ_rmpGifkK_T7sWnJDpJyh-01Kmwupgra0/s400/PB170860.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Deibert Photo</td></tr>
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<br />
Outside of the drinking and Heckling there was food, hula-hooping, donut hand ups, and the usual large HERD of kids racing & hanging out. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9QYoDt0kP90bHq1kZ1EEFjXqTnrLqCVpRTWHdsPVOpTsZuGFQdmhKNKATbLXZ3EEPjY9LzZuxDpz0i59f1bT2GI0TxP-KW1prEfNEmAej8zebnEY6WIOffSuHqR_caFNwE5LBeBaw20/s1600/PB170858.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs9QYoDt0kP90bHq1kZ1EEFjXqTnrLqCVpRTWHdsPVOpTsZuGFQdmhKNKATbLXZ3EEPjY9LzZuxDpz0i59f1bT2GI0TxP-KW1prEfNEmAej8zebnEY6WIOffSuHqR_caFNwE5LBeBaw20/s400/PB170858.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">John Deibert photo</td></tr>
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I really just can't say enough good things about this race. I suggest putting this on the top of your race list for next year, whether a serious points chaser or hand up taker. THIS was one fun day at the races. Many thanks to the <a href="http://milehighcxchaos.com/about/">Whole bunch of folks who made this happen</a>. Well Done! <br />
Really.<br />
Just go DO this race next year. You will not regret it.<br />
<br />
With all the frivolity, there was still bike racing, and I even managed to NOT be last, in either the "C" race or the Fat bike race. That borrowed fat bike might have been a problem… <br />
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These things are a lot of fun, and I think I may need one. Some winter snow rides would seem to be appropriate use of my winter ride time. Hmmmm.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-71288288535293361492013-11-13T21:16:00.000-07:002013-11-13T21:16:37.887-07:00ParticipationI did something quite unusual this last weekend. I "raced" my Cyclocossing-bike in a Cyclocross-like event. Maybe more like <a href="http://303cycling.com/are-you-racing-or-are-you-participating">"Participated"</a> with a number pinned on my back. After coming to grips with the reality that <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/10/back-to-broken.html">racing was NOT a good idea</a>, I pulled the plug on racing this year. Course, I was pretty much going out of my mind, being at the Cyclo-X Xilinx race and around the team, watching people race and not riding. <br />
<br />
Since the <a href="http://303cycling.com/2013-Blue-Sky-Cup">Blue Sky Cup race at Xilinx </a>was a few blocks from my house, I decided I had to at least get on my bike and ride. While RACING with my Heart Arrhythmia would be pretty stupid, PARTICIPATING while keeping the heart rate knob off that "11" setting would <i>probably</i> be OK.<br />
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Turns out that Cross hurts a lot, even when you keep your heart rate at 80% or so of your threshold. Turns out you have to let most of the field ride off into the sunset without a fight when you keep that tachometer WAY under the redline for the whole race. Funny enough, if you keep it at that "lower limit" and keep it steady, you can still wear down some people, and not get DFL while you have a pretty good time.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/79203412" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/79203412">Blue Sky Cup 13</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2147979">Dale Riley</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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It is pretty different doing (err… Participating in…) a Cross race while NOT in my normal state of tunnel-vision-anaerobic-red-haze-pain-cave-suffering. You see and hear a lot of things I usually just don't see from my sensory deprived state while racing. You can heckle people back, actually hear their "witty" commentary, and even interact with said spectators.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qyKbw02NDwSRx2vqBuFGJbL9CRXG-tTcqm2jqXF7Gvr8MgtIcCNm5FpNocxO-T9dCsIWSoxg-1KedcJ_vnxRLDVcO6zkp7m1eBt6Vqp_4ahyurdCCVjWO8UIE_KPL3vL0FNWSayGwlE/s1600/stick.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7qyKbw02NDwSRx2vqBuFGJbL9CRXG-tTcqm2jqXF7Gvr8MgtIcCNm5FpNocxO-T9dCsIWSoxg-1KedcJ_vnxRLDVcO6zkp7m1eBt6Vqp_4ahyurdCCVjWO8UIE_KPL3vL0FNWSayGwlE/s400/stick.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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I also tended to think better during the race (err… participation-like thing…). I even realized quickly that since I was not jumping the infamous "mini-barriers" with a whole lot of margin or much style, I decided mid-race to quit hopping, avoid this:<br />
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And stay off <a href="https://vimeo.com/user9157293">Johnny D</a>'s highlight reel:<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/79154644" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/79154644">Barrier Bloopers - Blue Sky Velo Cup highlights</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user9157293">John Deibert</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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All in all a lot of fun, even for a cripple. Enough fun that I am now going to "Participate" in the <a href="http://milehighcxchaos.com/">Mile High Urban CX Chaos</a> race this Sunday. While still a race, it also looks a <a href="http://bikeportland.org/2013/11/12/portland-cyclocross-is-the-pits-97013">bit less intense than a normal Colorado race</a>, looked like fun from last year, and seemed like a good excuse for a party/race, err.… participation. <a href="http://tnwrt.wordpress.com/">The Natural Way</a> guys are involved, it has a rooftop <a href="http://lagunitas.com/">Lagunitas</a> beer garden overlooking a sand pit, and it seems bobcats and cobblestones are involved in course building. What is not to like? <br />
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Since this race is using BikeReg.com. it allows the use of one of my favorite Internet tools. The cross results.com<a href="http://www.crossresults.com/?n=racers&sn=pred"> race predictor</a>. It is showing a solid mid-pack pre-result in the "C" race, against a stacked field of Natural Way guys.<br />
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And as a bonus, they are running a Fat Bike race. I am borrowing <a href="http://twentynineinches.com/2011/02/09/salsa-cycles-mukluk-first-impressions/">one of those pigs</a> just for the occasion. I even look to have a shot at a podium in that race….<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTGuNa-JFEnZv6XVByOueJCfM5WeS0b0WKmJ6_iPZEF0tTzRiX5Q9Md3UCGn5lXT-7jBZ3_VUx612dTac-IepkLkdIrGrZaQDzWhHSSXY80OiarnXGxStRoxFlSNK2Gq-_QQ-nrPCbkg/s1600/Fat+Race.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="62" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaTGuNa-JFEnZv6XVByOueJCfM5WeS0b0WKmJ6_iPZEF0tTzRiX5Q9Md3UCGn5lXT-7jBZ3_VUx612dTac-IepkLkdIrGrZaQDzWhHSSXY80OiarnXGxStRoxFlSNK2Gq-_QQ-nrPCbkg/s400/Fat+Race.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Look for a few of the <a href="http://www.highpeaksmasters.blogspot.com/">High Peaks Masters</a> down there. We're planning on <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=beermosa">Beer-mosa</a> hand ups. Keep your eyes out for 'em.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-90061455988678623732013-10-30T21:27:00.001-06:002013-10-30T21:27:12.638-06:00Long DaysNope, not now, what with the daylight savings dark-fest bearing down on us. I am speaking of the day (and Night..) spent helping put on the <a href="http://www.crossresults.com/race/3563">Cyclo-X Xilinx race</a> on Saturday. I seem to be able to block out the long days and just plain work that goes into doing a race. (Might well be a post describing the process in the future here...)<br />
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Couple of the team put in a full day, and a couple of hours the night before to help the <a href="http://www.withoutlimits.co/">WOL gang</a> put on the race. Couple of hours Friday night putting in stakes and some weed-whacking. Then a nice sprightly start to that long day with a 5:30 AM tape-stringing session.<br />
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Fortunately for us, They have this race setup thing down to a science, and it's not too bad to put together. With me not racing (Wah!), I spent my day "patrolling" the course, fixing tape and smashed posts, while heckling and shooting some video with the Go-Pro. Got to see a lot of good racing, and just made me even MORE annoyed with not being able to flog myself into a drooling pile of putty. Still, good to be part (A small part) of one of the biggest and best races of the year. <br />
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That long day, and no racing kept me away from what I knew would be the most interesting race of the year, the <a href="http://www.crossresults.com/race/3561">Zombie cross</a> from the<a href="http://blog.fritesenmayo.com/"> Frites & Mayo guys</a>. From what I see, it looks like I missed THE party race of the year. Sigh. Once again, I raise my new mantra... "Next Year!"<br />
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Not much of a surprise there. Gotta say, doing a cross race in roller skates is, well, pretty damn cool.<br />
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Once again, I have some stand-in race video from Xilinx. 35+ Cat3 Rubbin & Racin From John D. Have at it. Enjoy the daylight savings time change!<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/78119773" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/78119773">CycloX Xilinx 2013 highlights 10-26-2013</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user9157293">John Deibert</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-52360832277051210742013-10-25T15:19:00.001-06:002013-10-27T21:56:03.070-06:00Redneck Wednesday WorldsBoulder has it's "famous" <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2009/11/news/cyclocross/wednesday-worlds-is-like-a-disease-that-keeps-on-growing_101097">Wednesday Worlds Cyclocross</a> Training ride. <br />
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Up here in NotBoulder, we gots us "<b>Redneck</b> Wednesday Worlds".<br />
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Long may it live. Join us for a lap.....<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/77823104" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/77823104">Redneck Wednesday Worlds</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2147979">Dale Riley</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<br />Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-56588368298516746302013-10-20T12:49:00.002-06:002013-10-20T12:50:43.159-06:00PoopJust plain Poop. (the more polite version of what I really think....)<br />
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Wrapping my head around not being able to race... Again... this season. And it basically sucks. Rocking new race bike hanging forlornly on a hook. Me not wanting to ride at all. yuk.<br />
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Course, racing goes on, and while I was out of town for the Boulder Cup weekend, life, and racing went on. Even have a video from the <a href="http://www.crossresults.com/race/3469">Colorado Cross Classic</a>, kindly shared by my teammate John Deibert.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/77261135" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/77261135">CO Cross Classic 10-12-2013. Highlights from SM35+3 race</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user9157293">John Deibert</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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Decided to go ahead & let the Docs <a href="http://crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/10/back-to-broken.html">snake & zap my heart</a>. No other real choice, unless I want to take up X-Box instead of Cross. Was THINKING I'd run in, get it done, recover, and maybe get in the last few weeks of cross season. NOT. Have to wait till December 3rd to get snaked. That plus a month of recovery makes it official. I'm done for the year. Looks like my only cross outlet is designing fiendishly nasty courses for the "pleasure" of others on our Wednesday "Not Boulder" CX training races. It's ALL I have (Said in a plaintive tone....and sad face)<br />
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I CAN ride (at lower heart rates..), and COULD start lifting weights, doing Core, and all that "Off-Season" kind of stuff bike racers CAN do. Might even do it . Right now I seem to prefer whining & complaining over pro-active activities. Sure that will change as I work thru my stages of grief. <br />
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Next weekend, <a href="http://www.highpeaksmasters.blogspot.com/">the team</a> gets to help put on one of the "big" races of the year, the <a href="http://www.coloradocycling.org/sites/default/files/Site_Files/Race_Flyers/2013/10-26%20Xilinx%20Flyer(1).pdf">Without Limits episode at Xilinx</a>. Working with the <a href="http://www.withoutlimits.co/">WOL guys</a> is great, and we have some nice upgrades to the course in the works. These guys are always looking to improve, and are open to all kinds of suggestions. Will be a pleasure to help them put that race on again. Hope you ALL come down & race. Love to see you there.<br />
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For now, I'm back to my old rallying cry... "Next Year!"<br />
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<br />Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-41307249430678143872013-10-07T21:19:00.000-06:002013-10-07T21:19:34.459-06:00Back to BrokenDenial is an amazing thing. You can block almost anything out of your mind, and take what you KNOW is going to happen, and thru the magical power of denial, block it out, and all is good. I can do this with the best of them, and managed over the last few weeks to pull off an incredible denial act. Like always, that ugly bitch reality eventually shows up and kicks you squarely in the nuts. <br />
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Normally, on a Monday, I'd be uploading some video, and trying to write some (Semi) clever race report. I would have been up in Frisco, playing out my carefully planned <a href="http://www.coloradocycling.org/sites/default/files/Site_Files/Programs/BCR_BCT/2013_cross_cup_points_table_final.pdf">Cup Points</a> whoreing strategy (And with <a href="http://www.coloradocycling.org/results/cross#year=2013&eventId=1366&resultsetId=12505">only 16 guys</a> in the beer-loving-grandpas league up there, it would have worked like a charm, I might add...). Even getting over the pounding that racing both days will put on your hide. Instead, I'm having to write about having most, or maybe ALL my Cross season taken away from me. Again.<br />
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Maybe I'll just hang myself. Hmmm, maybe Course tape is not the best option for that. <br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Courtesy of Bo Bickerstaff - http://bobickerstaff.com</td></tr>
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Planned on racing Frisco, and Primalpalooza. Pre-registered, room in Summit county friday night, the works. Instead, a visit with one of my fleet of Doctors swept my denial out the window in one quick little consult. Also might well have swept me racing this season out along with my denial. Basically, I'm broken. Again. <br />
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All started back in February, just as I was <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/01/the-descent.html">finishing up the Chemotherapy</a> for my <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2012/08/bad-blood.html">Hairy Cell Leukemia </a>"outbreak". As soon as I got on the bike, and started to go hard, I was feeling & seeing episodes of VERY high heart rates (More than 200 BPM) on some rides. Quick jump, then a recovery, if I stopped the effort. Usually happened if I was doing HARD efforts, intervals or hill repeats and the like. Tachycardia this kind of thing is called. Sometimes can feel a bit funny when these start, usually just see the high heart rates on the monitor.<br />
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Pretty unnerving. Oncologist was not overly worried but thought a Cardiologist should give me a once over. One "Stress" EKG and a Cardiac Ultrasound later, I had no answers, but did get my first warning that continuing to set these "events" off was "probably not good". Hmm. Denial Phase 1. Was not just going to give up on training and racing after loosing last years cross season to the Hairy Cell, and the opinion of a cardiologist who thought WALKING me on a tread mill would get my heart rate to his "Stress" target of 140 BPM (Mentioning that I WARM UP for efforts at higher rates than that had no effect...). Was not impressed with his opinion, so kept training and riding hard. <br />
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Sought out ANOTHER cardiologist, and was able to find one who at least understood I was not a 75 Year old bon-bon-eating sloth. He understood we would need to capture full EKG data DURING one of these events to figure out the problem. Not all that easy to do when you need to be on a bike doing bleed-from-the-ear efforts. Except that the medicos happen to have a cute, portable, recording 5 lead EKG, kind of like your basic heart rate monitor on steroids. Got one of these things, and was able to catch a bunch of the Tachycaria events in the 24 hours they gave me the <a href="http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/ambulatory-electrocardiogram">Holter Monitor</a> for. Nice, svelte, high tech packaging on this thing, eh? Maybe they should show Garmin how to package a heart rate monitor.<br />
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Cardiologist number 2 looks at my data, kinda like downloading to Strava, and basically lets me know that "yep, your heart rate goes abnormally high" and I have "some kind of Tachycardia/Arryhmia". Wow. Since that is why I went to Both First and Second Cardiologist, THAT was some useful information. Turns out there are 2 kinds of Cardiologists. Mechanical/Plumber-type Cardiologists, and the Electrical kind of Cardiologist. Now Cardiologist number 2 (Mechanical) sends me to even MORE specialized Cardiologist (Pardon me, Electrophisiologist...) Number 3, the electrical malfunction guy. Also Mentions it was "probably not a good idea" to ride hard or race. (Where have I heard that?)<br />
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Meanwhile, with my denial in FULL swing, I continue to train and race. Doing pretty well for me, getting 6th place in <a href="http://www.coloradocycling.org/results/cross#year=2013&eventId=1354&resultsetId=12236">Zero Gravel Cross</a>, WHILE having the Tachycardia events for a good chunk of the race. Denial again, including ignoring and/or telling my beeping "high Heart rate alarm" to F&%K off, I'm in a race.<br />
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Pretty strange with the level-shift on that heart rate. Did not really slow me down much. Feeds the Denial. Keep riding, riding hard, and racing. Then I get to Number 3's office last Thursday. He has at least a diagnosis. <a href="http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/151456-overview">Atrial Tachycardia</a>. The "better" kind, originating in the upper chambers of the heart, and NOT the kind that just randomly kills you. So THAT'S good. BUT (they always have a but...), it will probably NOT go away, and continuing to trigger these events (remember, little things like RIDING MY BIKE) has a significant chance of leading to permanent Heart damage and or a Heart attack. <br />
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Well, OK then. NOW denial is having a bit of a problem. Kinda well beyond the "Bad Idea" advice, and right into the this is going to REALLY hurt you phase. Denial comes crashing down. Reality takes it's place. Ouch.<br />
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Well. So riding hard is pretty much out. Can you treat this? The now terminally depressed patient asks. <a href="http://www.bch.org/cardiac-care/arrhythmia-electrophysiology.aspx#section4">Three treatment options</a>, Number Three says. <br />
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1 - Stop doing what triggers it. (NOT my favorite option) <br />
2 - Drugs. Ones that permanently limit your heart rate, even with exercise, AND make you feel like shit. (Wow, getting better & better here.....)<br />
3 - Radiofrequency Ablation. Threading a catheter from your thigh, into your heart. Triggering the event WHILE the sensor probes are in the heart, then "Burning Out" the offending nerves, etc. that cause the "misfire" (neat...)<br />
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There is even a video on the Boulder Community Hospital website of my favorite Number Three talking about this stuff.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/ZTTz0xwcZ6k?rel=0" width="420"></iframe><br />
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Well Gee. That all sounds GREAT. Don't really want to quit riding & take up video games. Not liking drugs that would make me suck MORE while riding AND feel like crap. Not real thrilled with another "Invasive Procedure", but sure not looking like a lot of choices. <br />
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For now, It seems as if I am OUT of the cross season AGAIN. At least for now. Am off to LosAngeles for a wedding this week, so that will be the time to think, zero in & decide what to do. Seems like I'll get snaked. That leads to a month of "No High Heart Rate" recovery. Yea. Great. Lovely. <br />
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I DID transition from denial to whining and heavy drinking. Neither seemed to fix the issue either. Damn. <br />
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Feel like I'm whining here, but I really needed the venting. It sucked ENOUGH to loose cross last year. was JUST getting fully fired up for THIS season. Thanks for listening, and stay tuned. This medical shit makes for GREAT stories.<br />
<br />Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-46157458948868231242013-09-30T21:06:00.000-06:002013-09-30T21:06:08.042-06:00Back to The RealityReality bites. After a couple of "unusually" good races for this slow old guy, started to think I was BACK. You know, able to race, to get in there. <br />
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And then came <a href="http://www.coloradocycling.org/sites/default/files/Site_Files/Race_Flyers/2013/2013%20flatirons%20flyer%20new.pdf">Flatirons</a>. Oh, Yea. NOW I remember. I ain't much of a bike racer after all.<br />
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LONG, sucking hills in velcro grass. STEEP run ups (oh, yea, and TWO of them a lap....). Yep, everything I can't really do in a Cross race. Nothing like that to put one back right in their place.<br />
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Really, it was not THAT bad, I had a crappy start, and really could not move up too much because of my inability to put out enough watts on the hills, but all in all, not a complete disaster. 27th place is not the end all of suckitude by any means, but sure not where the last 2 weeks had left me. <br />
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Outside of the 2 run ups and the seemingly endless climb up boggy grass, the race was a full on hoot. LOTS of off camber and twisty bits to make it a challenge. Sweet drop off the start drag on the grass, with a mildly scary looping drop to the bottom that seemed to give a lot of folks a hard time. Killer hard uphill switchback, and some ROUGH, fast descents almost made up for the gagging, tounge dragging climb. All in all a good time. <br />
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The <a href="http://my4.raceresult.com/details/index.php?eventid=19857">RaceRite lap timing</a> is pretty cool, besides being able to watch your friends & teammates times WHILE THEY RACE on your phone, seeing each lap time on all the races lets you see when you had "problems" during the race. Mine showed a solid, consistent 3 laps while I struggled to stay on the back of a group. After that group broke up, and I sagged off the back, I had 2 laps that were almost 20 seconds a lap slower, before getting woken up on the last lap by a hard chase behind me. Got back up to my first lap times on that last one. Stupid lap times let you see when you "drift off" and start slacking a little bit. It takes just a HINT of backing off to start loosing a LOT of time. <br />
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This weekend brings a return of the joy that is Frisco. Cross at 9K. Again, not really my course, but thinking I'll do the double this coming weekend, since I have to miss the Boulder Cup/Colorado Cross classic weekend the next. Have to skip 2 good races, all for the joys of a visit to wonderful Los Angeles. However, Frisco might put enough hurt on me to last that 2 weeks.<br />
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This week My seat-cam is a bit short. Some idiot forgot to clear the memory card prior to the race, so he ended up with only about 4 minutes of the race. At least it was not one to loose any sleep over. Have at it.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/75736889" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/75736889">Cyclo-X Flatirons - Men 45+ cat 4 - 9/28/13</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2147979">Dale Riley</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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<br />Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-50894632820843032322013-09-22T21:53:00.001-06:002013-09-22T21:53:13.365-06:00Back to the BubbleOnce again, it was back to the stairs & berms at Valmont. The First real Cyclo-X (renamed Boulder CX Series) race went down Saturday. Surprisingly, the fields were not HUGE, but looks like still over 600 riders. The Jr. Men 10-12 field had 39 riders, one more than my 45+ 4 field. GREAT to see all the kids, and the level of skill, aggression, and bike handling of the kids is just off the charts. Really fun to watch these days. Women 4 is also pulling big numbers. Looking good for another busy and packed cross season.<br />
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For the Morning races, it was hero dirt, milking the last of last week's "biblical" rainfall moisture out before it got dry and dusty later in the afternoon. After coming off a VERY surprising result in <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/09/the-return.html">last weeks "Grand Return" to racing</a> after a year of <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/01/off-to-other-races.html">health-driven sloth</a>, I was quite curious if the previous weeks result was a fluke, or strictly driven by the muddy, "driving" oriented course. While I like the Valmont courses (Except for that F&*&%^ double set of stairs...), It's never been the best course for me. The vertical and stairs were never kind to my scrawny, no power self.</div>
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In the end it seems that I have come back with more fitness than I ever expected. Had a good race, managing to move up into 4th place in the first lap after a second row call up (THANK you points from Zero Gravel Cross...) before fading back in the second lap, then going back and forth in a HARD race to <a href="http://my4.raceresult.com/details/results.php?lang=en&page=6&eventid=19469&contest=6&name=Result%20Lists%7COverall%20Results&format=view">finish in 14th place</a>. Pretty good for me, and FAR better than my last pre-Chemo season. Good to see I can still get over the chemo nonsense and still be able to get back in shape. </div>
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Right now I am pretty psyched about racing again. I had a lot of trepidation going in, which manifested as not much motivation. That is changing quick. Between the <a href="http://bouldermountainbike.org/content/all-boulder-county-trails-are-closed-until-further-notice">sudden and total demise of local mountain biking availability</a> and decent results might well lead to a neurotic fixation on cross here. Time will tell.</div>
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Did run the GoPro this week and here is the first lap. Lots of fun racing, and was cool to be up front, even if just for that one lap. Sadly will not make the John Hailey driven, Without Limits production in <a href="http://www.coloradocycling.org/sites/default/files/Site_Files/Race_Flyers/2013/2013%20Storm%20the%20Castle%20Flyer.pdf">Castle Rock next week</a>, I am planning on the grassy sidehills at<a href="http://www.coloradocycling.org/sites/default/files/Site_Files/Race_Flyers/2013/2013%20flatirons%20flyer%20new.pdf"> Flatiron Cyclo-X</a>. Here we go.... </div>
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="281" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/75181806" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="400"></iframe> <br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/75181806">Cyclo-X Valmont 2013 - 45+ cat 4</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2147979">Dale Riley</a> on <a href="https://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-45978472944095963302013-09-16T20:46:00.000-06:002013-09-16T20:46:00.171-06:00The ReturnI managed my "triumphant" return to racing Cyclocross this last weekend. Returning to the insanity that is cross after a long absence brought home a couple of points with startling clarity.<div>
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Racing Cross is a blast.</div>
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Racing Cross in the mud is even MORE of a blast.</div>
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Racing Cross still hurts. </div>
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A Lot.</div>
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So after a week of virtual inactivity from the monsoonal rain we had, and a pretty hit or miss ability to actually leave my neighborhood due to closed roads,</div>
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I was able to evacuate SouthWest "Not-Boulder" last Saturday on roads that JUST re-opened after the INSANE flooding up here in the north. Pretty strange to weave thru closed roads, hunting for bridges that remained intact, looking at flooded fields and houses half underwater, then heading off a few miles later into what seemed totally unaffected and normal. Very strange, to say the least. Hooked up with a teammate & headed down to Littleton for the <a href="http://www.coloradocycling.org/sites/default/files/Site_Files/Race_Flyers/2013/9-14%20Zero%20Gravel.pdf">"Zero Gravel Cross",</a> which actually lived up to it's name.</div>
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Compact & twisty course around a big church. Dry, it might have been a bit on the short & boring side, but racing in the muddy morning got us "Beer-Drinking-Grand-Dads" (Not sure what to call a 45+ cat 4....) prime muddy-tacky-gloppy-slimy-rutted goodness. My kind of course, pretty flat and twisty, and with the goo, EXACTLY what I do well on. Given all my recent issues, not racing for a year, and general aging, I had no expectations or goals. I did not even put the Go-Pro on, thinking I might well be so far out of it as to be boring and/or embarrassing to have video of my "glorious return"</div>
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Turns out it went REALLY well, the conditions playing well into my strengths, the driving, not power/go fast stuff. Ended up FAR ahead of where I thought I might be, in 6th place. Keeping it steady and smooth, I just seemed to wear people down, and along with noticing and jumping on a less obvious line early in the race when you could pass a lot of people with less effort got me up there. I did not even realize I was that far up, spending the whole race thinking I was back in the teens. Not racing and the effort to stay upright kept me from any awareness of where I was in the line. Strange.</div>
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Good result or not, I can tell you that after you have had one of your passions taken away from you, when lousy diseases keep you from going out and doing what you love, coming back to it is so very, VERY sweet. Hearing <a href="http://addictedtobicycles.blogspot.com/">Larry G</a> notice I was back out racing & welcome me back to the fold just about made me cry mid race. The suffering was sweet, the racing fun, the atmosphere even better than I remembered. </div>
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It's good to be back. </div>
Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-54867896650958119012013-08-20T21:46:00.000-06:002013-08-20T21:46:59.923-06:00These are not the droids you are looking for.....I know it is cross season. But it really is still mountain bike season, maybe even the BEST part of that gig. Having a bit of trouble switching modes just now. It's just been SO. DAMN. GOOD. this year. The damp trails, the long days. Just plain off the hook.<br />
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Now, if you DO ride mountain bikes, I have to tell you that you need to add one thing to your list of things to do. Even if it's just once, or once a year. Go over to the dark side.<br />
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Yep, go rent a big ass, slack-o-rama, eight inches of squish mad max Downhill rig, a Storm trooper suit, full-face helmet<br />
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and a lift ticket. Don't worry, 16,000 feet of downhilling will still leave you beat to a pulp. It is FAR from "easy" and more fun than it should be.<br />
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Even an old geezer like me can learn to get (a little) air, and come to love it. Go do it. You might like it.<br />
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As usual, there is plenty of room for learning. Always something to "try later" (Or never...) This old dude is not really up for EVERYTHING on offer in this knuckle-dragger-huck-it world. Sometimes a man has to know his limitations, and just say no.<br />
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Get out there & Ride, whatever it is. We will return you to the normally scheduled Cyclocross obsession soon. <br />
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Maybe.<br />
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<br />Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-47094249640492009212013-07-22T22:44:00.002-06:002013-07-22T22:45:46.526-06:00Gravity SucksCrashing. Falling off. Sliding Out. Biffing. Over the Bars. How many ways can you think of to unexpectedly exit your Mountain Bike? <br />
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It all Hurts. Some of those versions more than others. <br />
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For some reason, it seems that gravity has been a bit on the "high" side in the last few weeks. Well, maybe just for me. Your results may vary. No warranty expressed or implied. Nothing TOO serious for myself or the others around me who have been subject to "Gravity Gusts" lately. Just the garden variety mountain bike fall down go boom kind of stuff. (except maybe the example above....)<br />
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Dropping a front tire just a bit off a narrow, soft, pine-needle covered trail, The uphill, gravelly, step-up, spin out, stall & tippy over, or even the full blown over the bars tuck and roll. SO many ways to get a bit dirty on the mountain bike, maybe even a little bloody. Usually these things just involve a bit of cursing, spraying it down from your camelback hose, and a bit of scrubby-scrubby in the shower. <br />
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Why the reflection on hitting the ground? Managed to fall on the SAME spot on the SAME knee 2 weeks running. Nothing like ripping the freshly formed scabs off your knee on a different rock in just a few days. Nothing major, but sure can make you say some bad words. Especially after aborting what was looking like a nice, easy, controlled crash, all just to avoid landing in a full patch of Prickly Pear. I'll take the ungainly landing on the ragged, pointy rocks over another cheek full of Cactus spines every time.<br />
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Then there are the "Maytag" kind of events. You know, those where you look at the dirt, blood trails and where the bikes & bodies come to rest and go.... "HOW the HELL did I get here?" and "how did THAT happen?"<br />
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At least pointy, ragged rocks are softer than pavement. I'll take that any day. May you keep the shiny side up, and watch out for those High Gravity days. Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-62913535499985097732013-06-18T22:00:00.000-06:002013-06-18T22:00:23.036-06:00What happened?Once upon a time, in the deep, dark past, I was a bike racing fan. A FAN, not just a participant. That seems to have changed in the last few years. On a Lunch ride just the other day, someone asked if I had watched some stage of the Giro. My answer was "What's a Giro". While I DO know what the Giro is, I did not really know it was underway, nor had ANY idea of what was going on in that race. Apparently there was some <a href="http://www.amgentourofcalifornia.com/#3">big race out in California</a> lately too. Don't know what happened there, either. <br />
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What happened? Road racing is still an amazing sport, with great potential for drama & great stories. Mountain Bike arcing is insanely hard and even photogenic. I used to follow Pro road racing, Pro Mountain Biking, even a bit of Downhill. In the last few years, I really only "follow" Pro Cyclocross, and think that is more driven by my obsessive participation than pure fandom. <br />
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The end of following Pro/World Cup XC Mountain bike racing came about after the Euro bunch and the UCI got ahold of the format, changing it from big mountain, big loop courses into the glorified, many lapped, extra bumpy manufactured for TV courses they run on now. Way back, courses were big loops, big long climbs. Courses like <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbWR4uhebeY">1990 Durango</a> and <a href="http://www.cyclingdirt.org/speaker/5638-Tinker-Juarez/video/633094-1994-XC-World-Championships-Old-School">1994 Vail</a> world Championships appealed to me. They were representative of what kind of mountain bike rides we really did. While not that spectator or TV friendly, they were MOUNTAIN BIKING. It was also cool that worthless wanna-be racers like me got to ride the SAME courses as the Pros. Now, loops around some euro town or manufactured course (like the London Olympics...) are the Euro-ized, TV-friendly norm, and it just don't resonate with me. <br />
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Downhill? Pretty cool, modern courses are just insane, and the skill and athleticism needed to ride down one is unbelievable. Makes for more entertainment than XC racing, but gets a bit repetitive. Gained a lot of interest and respect for the discipline after having the opportunity to get to know some of the best female downhillers in the world back in that early 90s era. Without the "personal connection" I've drifted slowly away from "following" the riders & races there too.<br />
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Road Races - Not sure if it was the doping, the mostly predictable domination that the Armstrong teams controlled the Tour De France with, or what, but I just can't get into watching road races anymore. Even with the modern option of DVRs and Internet streaming to jump thru to the "good parts" (usually the last 10K of a pro tour race...) I find myself deleting unwatched races off the box, or falling asleep trolling thru the footage. Just can't get excited about it anymore. I do not think that it helps that for most of the years I watched and was "into it", more riders than not were juiced to the hilt. Kinda disappointing.<br />
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Not Sure why, but when I was not able to participate myself last year, I still had a lot of fun coming out & watching the local old guys race. Is it more real? More familiar, knowing the "actors"? The personal connection of participation? Don't know, but I do know that while I may not be a PRO Bike race fan anymore, I am a HUGE fan of bike racing. How does that work? Not sure, but I know It's what I want to be around, see and do. <br />
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And with that, I can report that my own journey back from a Cancer patient to being a bike racing PARTICIPANT again is going well. After my <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3hzVvCl8UkM">Post-treatment Bone Marrow Biopsy</a>, There was NO detectable Hairy Cell Leukemia in my blood or Marrow. The new Mutant Mouse Antibody treatments did what they were supposed to do. Killed off ALL the little bastards. Now it's just time to wait & see when the hairy little buggers build back up. (IF they do...) Feels good to have nuked their little asses. That mess is over for now, and now I'm riding hard, putting in the work, and hope to rejoin the sport as a participant soon. A very long way to go to get back where I was, but I'm motivated and on the path. It feels good.<br />
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Quit watching races, get out and go ride. It's what a REAL fan would do.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-17140513198601180982013-06-09T20:52:00.001-06:002013-06-09T20:53:11.293-06:00Where the hell have you been?Yes, I've been very delinquent in my postings here. Lots going on, finished up my Post-Treatment Cancer stuff (more on that in a later post....), and as expected it was all pretty good news, so there was some Post-Treatment-celebrate-get-outta-town-vacation behavior as well. <br />
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My dear wife had planned a vacation for when we were "done" with the stupid Cancer thing again for this round. We had a nice week in Puerto Rico to celebrate the end of that nonsense, and in general get away from "real" life for a bit. <br />
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Puerto Rico turns out to be kind of strange place, Very much "American", but feels like Mexico at the same time. Definitely has that "island Time" and Caribbean vibe, VERY laid back. Everything is in Spanish, but most everyone speaks English, and you use US Dollars. One minute you feel like you are in a foreign country, the next minute like you are in a Mexican Carnecheria here in Colorado. Pretty strange contrast, but all in all a cool and easy place to visit.<br />
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We spent a couple of days in Old San Juan, a crazy old, 16th century walled city/fortress. Neat old streets and buildings, lots of cool dive bars and even a brewpub with kicking good beers. Rest of our time was in Liquillo, a VERY sleepy "surf" town on the N.E. coast. Great beaches, some wild and sparsely visited rain forest, and by far the coolest and the strangest thing, kayaking in some really cool <i>glow in the dark water</i> in a <a href="http://www.yokahukayaks.com/tours_Bio.html#">"Bio luminescent Lagoon"</a> to round out the trip.<br />
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Did note that bicycle culture is alive and thriving even in Puerto Rico. Of all things, they are having a full on boom in the urban, Fixed Gear, Hipster bike riding thing. Lots of people skidding & fixed-gear humping their way around some crazy busy and narrow streets on brightly-painted, matching aero rimed road & track bikes. <br />
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All of them acting like NYC messengers, tweeting away on whistles clenched in their teeth while trying not to run into stuff with no brakes. Course also see a lot of "cheaters" on single speeds with freewheels and the odd cheater brake. <br />
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It is so prevalent that you see people doing glamour photo shoots on the waterfront, posing up their latest custom fixie. <br />
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While no big fan of riding around on converted road bikes with a fixed gear & no brakes in a traffic-filled city of 16th century cobblestones, it is good to see that the "Bike Thing" in one twisted form or another is taking off all over the world. Urban Fixies may be a bit "out there", but at least it's not Triathlon or Road Riding, thank God.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-49430733955481907722013-05-13T21:57:00.000-06:002013-05-13T21:57:36.011-06:00Yep, it STILL RocksThat "undisclosed location" in Utah still delivers the goods. Yea, it's starting to get crowded. This time we saw at least 5 other cars in the main parking lot. Yep. Getting crowded. Course we did not actually cross paths, were on the same trail with, or have to stop/yield to any other riders. (OK, OK, I'm exaggerating, as usual. We DID have to share one 1900 foot vertical rowdy descent with 2 other riders on that one trail. once.) Yep, getting crowded out there in <a href="http://www.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/idx-vernal.htm">Vernal</a>.<br />
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It was by all means the "Spring Training Camp" for this camper.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Campin</td></tr>
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70+ miles and 15 + hours in 3.5 days. Yea, it kicked me in the hiney. Bailed out on a loop or 2 at the end of a couple of days, but in the end survived, and it seems to have re-awoken what little "bike racer" I ever had in my system. I have a hint of being able to pedal in anger again for the first time in well over a year. Feels pretty damn good.<br />
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Hit a few new trails this time, rounding out the area bit more. Quite the trail variety out there to sample, plenty to keep a strong group occupied for at least 4-5 days, no problem.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ladder Bridge on Flume Trail</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My, ain't it purdy up here - J Boy Trail - Red Fleet Area</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">J-Boy Trail. No Left Turn</td></tr>
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Everything from <a href="http://app.strava.com/activities/53076745">semi-alpine/aspen grove rides</a>, to technical desert ledges to twisty, <a href="http://app.strava.com/activities/53076752">smooth NARROW single track</a>. It has a bit of it all. even a nonsensical shuttle/hke-a-bike/seriously chunk "downhill" run or two. THAT <a href="http://app.strava.com/activities/53076750">little ride up & down Red Mountain</a> was a ripper.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Mountain . Yep, Carry Bike up that..... ("Trail" visible....)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UNggarrggOOFPant</td></tr>
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Moab is Great, more new trails. Fruita ROCKS. Gooseberry is Stellar. But I've got a bit of a thing for Vernal now. Maybe not EVERY year, but it deserves a spot in the Utah "MTB Honor Roll". It's the kind of place you just want to keep riding in. Even after the sun goes down.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4GB97yfKl-xNeQdKem4p8ApP4WiqxVGStsH3gix3eDDvFYRR_WXc6DYu9YdJPnf2O4ls23L_HeSRKbezHIZsj-i-WTtO9vcB_O_hSfdb6pq6sATh2uHIjDdqxX8UoG8gyoO16ijMnVc/s1600/Vernal_night.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="263" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg4GB97yfKl-xNeQdKem4p8ApP4WiqxVGStsH3gix3eDDvFYRR_WXc6DYu9YdJPnf2O4ls23L_HeSRKbezHIZsj-i-WTtO9vcB_O_hSfdb6pq6sATh2uHIjDdqxX8UoG8gyoO16ijMnVc/s400/Vernal_night.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Night Riding From Camp - Jazz ChromeMolly Trail</td></tr>
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Place still reminds me of EARLY Fruita, back in the days when it was still REALLY narrow out there. 3+ days on 8 inch wide singletrack is a great way to get REALLY back on the bike. This summer is going to be a LOT better for this old guy. I can't wait.<br />
<br />
Guest Photography by <a href="http://slammtb.blogspot.com/">Sean Buckman</a>. Great work.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-76927004627165362122013-04-30T23:00:00.000-06:002013-04-30T23:00:30.078-06:00We interrupt yet another spring snowstorm to announce that my regular yammering will continue after I go ride Mountain Bikes in an undisclosed location in Utah.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXpxg6ktrSFr5V7xOPnqa4lhutX4G-I0c9bYo9Pog2JwrLmIhNbuMtkXlilqW05CHsXbzXGgylLamw-qNsA4zN-XHgBC7D7vjeFHyE05WZp4Y1nPZDJf2gdK05n-xU063RAUT1HrQ17E/s1600/2011-04-30_13-45-39_844.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmXpxg6ktrSFr5V7xOPnqa4lhutX4G-I0c9bYo9Pog2JwrLmIhNbuMtkXlilqW05CHsXbzXGgylLamw-qNsA4zN-XHgBC7D7vjeFHyE05WZp4Y1nPZDJf2gdK05n-xU063RAUT1HrQ17E/s400/2011-04-30_13-45-39_844.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Gots to get me some more of this:<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="211" mozallowfullscreen="" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/23774837" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="375"></iframe><br />
<a href="http://vimeo.com/23774837">Vernal MTB - Seat-Barcam</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user2147979">Dale Riley</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.<br />
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That is all.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-3209777367812995472013-04-23T21:22:00.001-06:002013-04-23T21:23:32.077-06:00Spring has Sprung, er... dumped?You'd think it was mid-February, given the cold & snow lately. While springtime dumps are not really that uncommon, the last few storms have been on such a neatly staggered schedule, It's just kinda getting annoying. I'm ready to REALLY start riding, and the Colorado spring is doing it's best to keep me from doing it.<br />
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After finishing up my <a href="http://www.crossin-colorado.blogspot.com/2013/03/treating-what-ales-you.html">Cancer treatments </a>a little over a week ago, I was really hoping to get a chance to get a couple of weeks of riding in before heading off on our "Spring Training Camp" at a<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/kansasexplorer3128/2582955550/"> top secret Utah location</a>. Looking more like it will be mostly on that trip where I'll find out how much my lack of any decent riding ability was fitness driven, versus cancer drug driven. I anticipate having my head handed to me on a platter twice a day by my still-in-shape riding companions. Maybe the gallons of beer will help vault me back into top form quickly. Or maybe I'll just suffer like a dog, and do my best to have fun riding Mountain bikes in the desert.<br />
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In the last week or so, the U.S. Cyclocross scene got news of more bad luck. <a href="http://www.cxmagazine.com/organizers-cancel-usgp-cyclocross-2013-races-continue-series-disbands">The USGP series looks to have died</a> after a 10 year run. I for one am pretty bummed by this news. I think that a solid, obvious premiere national series was a boon for focusing the elite of U.S. cross. Sadly, I don't see an immediate replacement on the horizon. USA cycling is putting races on a <a href="http://www.usacycling.org/2013-14-cyclo-cross-national-calendar-bid-application.htm">"National Cyclocross Calendar"</a>, but that is not really the same as what the USGP series brought to the table. With luck, there will be some kind of high-end series to focus on soon. Wondering how much the "stress" on both the promoters and the U.S. cross sponsorship pool from hosting Worlds contribute to the USGP demise? Think it was probably on its last legs anyway, but a shame that there is not an immediate, obvious series to leverage the buzz from having Worlds here. <br />
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It appears that for us Colorado folks, the <a href="http://www.yourgroupride.com/index.php/local-races/usgp-of-cyclocross/123-usgp-canceled-fort-collins-cup-lives-on">Ft. Collins race will survive</a> in some form, looking like the "other" UCI race here in Colorado (besides Boulder Cup...). Hopefully we will still get a chance to see the big dog pros in action twice a year here.<br />
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Not a lot else from my snow-addled brain right now, starting to have reoccurring visions of tight, twisty desert single track. Getting hard to focus.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-61617647750291085332013-04-10T22:11:00.002-06:002013-04-11T21:27:18.474-06:00Incompetence? Power Grab? Lunacy?Well, well, well. Our friends in the Springs (<a href="http://www.uci.ch/Templates/UCI/UCI8/layout.asp?MenuID=MTYzMDQ&LangId=1">and France/Switzerland</a>!!) have struck again. After blackmailing at least 51% of the Colorado clubs into going for the "Borg Assimilation" deal last year, they seem to have gotten bored, looked around for some other unsuspecting aspect of cycling to "help" that had managed to survive without the astute leadership of the UCI and USA Cycling. That poor, never to be the same new target is mountain bike races and Pro MTB racers. <br />
<br />
After seeing the success of the "Forbidden Race" rule as a stick to whack Colorado bike racers over the head with<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J-3sTeZTyWfvR0tnVEMieNmW78fe4hjNOasVpavt6YjOFdMB3S0mnS4ajBuC_DnTgyWzwoMC5Vj8TkQesk8tZA2qhXEjB3sl5avuBSehnnClpmw36f6zZE9Mv4QqgclTb5n-ufTqHYo/s1600/BAD.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="255" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0J-3sTeZTyWfvR0tnVEMieNmW78fe4hjNOasVpavt6YjOFdMB3S0mnS4ajBuC_DnTgyWzwoMC5Vj8TkQesk8tZA2qhXEjB3sl5avuBSehnnClpmw36f6zZE9Mv4QqgclTb5n-ufTqHYo/s400/BAD.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">UCI on Right, USAC on left.<br />
BAD bike racer. BAD! (Whack, Whack, Whack) </td></tr>
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The UCI & USAC have <a href="http://www.usacycling.org/clarification-of-uci-rule-12019-and-related-sanctions.htm">turned their UCI rule 1.2.109 sticks on Mountain Bike race prompters and UCI-licenced pro racers</a>. "Forbidden Races"..... god, that sounds, well, Sexy. Makes you want to go do one, huh? I know I do. (and I WILL......)<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7f_Aktx83GoD2ptsHywBNtmJ3NrkIiqRt8ZHxyuqETr_B6Xn8I5OSVWQGfX3ztJrD3rhCWlkWtbnoHvdljIT9rt9WEOJH_STmHJO3TTYEgxgh4_gj8D66AKZIwF8dDIjIBheWb0KQGk/s1600/123.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA7f_Aktx83GoD2ptsHywBNtmJ3NrkIiqRt8ZHxyuqETr_B6Xn8I5OSVWQGfX3ztJrD3rhCWlkWtbnoHvdljIT9rt9WEOJH_STmHJO3TTYEgxgh4_gj8D66AKZIwF8dDIjIBheWb0KQGk/s400/123.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stolen from <a href="http://drunkcyclist.com/">Drunk Cyclist</a></td></tr>
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Basically, using the same stick they hit the ACA with, The UCI demi-gods, with the help of the USA Cycling mafia have said that ANY UCI licenced rider who participates in a <i>NON</i> USAC or UCI sanctioned race will be fined and suspended. With a LARGE portion of MTB races in the U.S. <i>NOT</i> being USAC permitted, including most of the "big time" races (Whiskey off Road, Breck Epic, Teva Games, etc, etc...) falling outside of the USAC permit universe, it puts a pretty big dent in the ability of any pro riders to promote themselves, their sponsors, earn any prize money, or really do most anything a pro racer needs to do. It also removes a big draw for race promoters, getting the big name riders in their races to boost their race's profiles. <br />
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Lots of Press around on this issue, None of it supportive. While this latest salvo by itself might well just look like more posturing and attempts to assimilate any successful cycling programs, when you also look at <a href="http://velonews.competitor.com/2012/03/bikes-and-tech/uci-to-require-lawyer-tabs-dictate-camelbak-placement-and-sock-length_209958">recent UCI decisions on such earth-shattering issues as Socks and lawyer tabs</a>, you start to see something that looks, well, either bizarre or desperate. Maybe both. Control issues? yea, kinda looks like that.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7mhhANbJws1-k-2exTsdiX0SP6dcQ5OJaGhTqR-i6iH_frLCYFZGF4-aOee6aPwCVxmqPBUV6M0veR8fOi8ZwhEn99gF3EMEcB_aoarfrEbanJCZeahlXoayvqK7YxKrUFqU-FkYFv0/s1600/73302_510132649049774_653510265_n.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="238" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiX7mhhANbJws1-k-2exTsdiX0SP6dcQ5OJaGhTqR-i6iH_frLCYFZGF4-aOee6aPwCVxmqPBUV6M0veR8fOi8ZwhEn99gF3EMEcB_aoarfrEbanJCZeahlXoayvqK7YxKrUFqU-FkYFv0/s400/73302_510132649049774_653510265_n.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More Genius from the Brilliant <a href="http://drunkcyclist.com/">Drunk Cyclist</a> crowd</td></tr>
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I see this as one of 2 things. Either they really do care about NOTHING but snatching up every possible revenue generating sliver of the small money world that is cycling (Desperation??), or the people running the show are just plain incompetent. How could the people charged with <a href="https://s3.amazonaws.com/USACWeb/forms/media/2011-USA-Cycling-Annual-Report.pdf">running a $10 Million Plus dollar National Governing Body</a> NOT see that you would piss off just about EVERYONE by suddenly "enforcing" such an asinine rule in the U.S? Really? If Steve Johnson and his staff could not see this coming, I have to question their ability and fundamental understanding of the organization, it's perceived mission and it's members. The UCI? Sure, I believe them having no clue. With their pure Euro-centric view, what harm could they see? But The USA Cycling folks? Sorry, if you could not see the ramifications of this, you should NOT be running the show.<br />
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It is obvious that MANY race promoters in the MTB world are not seeing any benefit to USAC sanctioning. You can see why, more insurance choices, Riders NOT needing to have a $60 annual USAC licence to race, not having to pay USAC permit fees, Not having to pay officials, etc. In Colorado <a href="http://www.usacycling.org/events/?state=CO&race=Mountain&fyear=2013&rrfilter=all">I see a grand total</a> of **SEVEN** USAC sanctioned MTB events for 2013. Wow, that matches what the <a href="http://www.epicsingletrack.com/">Winter Park Series</a> has for it's series alone. Not to mention the MANY other races & series in Colorado. MOST MTB promoters are choosing to NOT sanction with USAC. The USA Cycling folks have <a href="http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/usa-cycling-suggests-dissatisfied-riders-contact-uci-about-rules">tried to address this in an interview with Cycling News</a>, coming up with this gem:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #221e1f; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;">"The only reasons not to sanction an event with USA Cycling are if the organizer is: 1) under-insuring the volunteers and/or participants, 2) avoiding the requirement to have USA Cycling licensed officials at the event and the athlete protection policies they enforce or 3) avoiding the USA Cycling RaceClean program."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #221e1f; font-family: Arial, Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; text-align: left;"><br /></span>
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Really? Avoiding Doping Controls it one of the three best things you can come up with as to why SO many quality race promoters choose to NOT use your "product"? Wow. Back to that Desperation or Incompetence question again. I know I've always felt "unprotected" racing Winter Park Series events. Their over the top willingness to address results issues, fix safety issues and run a fair and popular series MUST be hiding a darker motive, maybe the all knowing USAC folks can tell me what the evil "non-sanctioned" promoters are REALLY up to. Some of the <a href="http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/team-managers-and-non-sanctioned-race-promoters-frustrated-by-uci-rules">national level team managers & race promoters are also calling BS on the USAC party line</a>. I have yet to see ONE comment supporting the "new" rule enforcement. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6DCFaMK9Vorm5reMgWTBUK-xIouj9kcVJwZzO37-_LvXadfbrebTv6Ix_ZoCy3USp0sOqTmlnKqr0bS41SDDm6Ep-G6EIOLx6zZsHTV_vaoK0wRtBGZJ-n8jGpUSBOJcZ63LOhTu5DU/s1600/killingfun.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="194" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhr6DCFaMK9Vorm5reMgWTBUK-xIouj9kcVJwZzO37-_LvXadfbrebTv6Ix_ZoCy3USp0sOqTmlnKqr0bS41SDDm6Ep-G6EIOLx6zZsHTV_vaoK0wRtBGZJ-n8jGpUSBOJcZ63LOhTu5DU/s320/killingfun.png" width="320" /></a></div>
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A somewhat conciliatory tone started coming out of the Springs after one of the <a href="http://www.cyclingnews.com/news/sho-air-cannondale-team-sets-up-uci-rules-showdown">largest Pro MTB teams put out a press release basically telling the UCI & USAC to get bent</a>. Hat's off to Sho-Air for standing up to this nonsense. I hope notice gets taken by the UCI and it's <a href="http://www.cyclesportmag.com/features/interview-who-is-pat-mcquaid-and-why-is-he-running-our-sport/">puppet master, Pat McQuaid</a>. This guy is big on rules NOW that he "runs" the sport, not so much when he raced. Is Sho-Air's "FU" to Pat & the UCI's stupid rule on morally higher ground than little Patty sneaking off to race under an assumed name in South Africa while racing there was banned due to Apartheid? Yea, I'll give the win to Sho-Air on this one. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY510sHf8JcjDzhbhYhmHc9iahHr3Fxhs-kfa01g1mXYg3ECCKfPHGQSbggGmpy0D6ui88zNd_FpU0J2CyMpyskiULRv74nrjiboodukMU8SptTv3CFknthQ_YUJxm1JsgHSrVZcBgnr4/s1600/Screen-shot-2013-03-05-at-7.00.31-PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="257" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY510sHf8JcjDzhbhYhmHc9iahHr3Fxhs-kfa01g1mXYg3ECCKfPHGQSbggGmpy0D6ui88zNd_FpU0J2CyMpyskiULRv74nrjiboodukMU8SptTv3CFknthQ_YUJxm1JsgHSrVZcBgnr4/s400/Screen-shot-2013-03-05-at-7.00.31-PM.png" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yet more staggering insight from <a href="http://drunkcyclist.com/">Drunk Cyclist</a></td></tr>
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So, after a deluge of negative press, scathing comments from their own members <a href="https://www.facebook.com/usacycling">on their own Facebook page</a>, there are now some hints of a "solution" coming from the powers that be (Initially it was 100%, It's the UCI! Out of our hands!!, Not our fault!!). I just can't WAIT to hear what kind of "solution" these guys come up with. If nothing else, you can count on it being entertaining.<br />
<br />
When <a href="http://www.usacycling.org/usa-cycling-staff-contacts-directory.htm">Mr. Steve Johnson, leader of the Borg</a>, uh, er, USA Cycling made the trip up here to "sell" the old ACA clubs on what a GREAT deal rejoining USAC would be, he made a statement he might want to remember. When asked what the benefit to the average rider would be to rejoining USAC, he basically said that he "could not define the value, only the riders could determine the value of USAC membership". Wonder if he sees that his "customers", the riders and race promoters CAN tell what the value of the USAC is, and are walking away. Basically SCREAMING that the value is not there. Maybe they will listen to that very obvious feedback, and rather than the usual tactic of telling their own customers how wrong they are, look at the product they are offering, what it is missing that drives promoters and racers away, and what they are bringing to the table. Maybe even change tactics. Likely? Not very. <br />
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Pure Money Grab or Pure incompetence? I kind of see a toss up. What they come up with to "fix" the mess they have painted themselves into should reveal the true motives, once one peers carefully into the guts of the "solution". God this sport needs some better people running the federations. Both at the UCI & at USA Cycling. Needs it BAD. <Rant mode OFF><br />
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<br />
<b style="background-color: #fff2cc;">LATE BREAKING NEWS (4/11/13 some random time)</b><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">The UCI, under pressure from our savior, USA Cycling have taken the heroic position to.... Wait for it.... Put off a decision on enforcing the "Forbidden Race Rule". </span><br />
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">So never mind, next year they will do it when nobody will notice. I'll give credit to USAC for at least doing something, and taking on the UCI, which is WAY more than I expected. But modeling your earth-shattering decisions on such weighty matters <i>Bike Race Rules</i> on the workings of the U.S. Congress may lean toward the "Incompetence" option above. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #fff2cc;">Kick that can down that road (MTB course....) boys, kick it.</span>Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-63339658672304906352013-03-28T21:37:00.001-06:002013-03-28T21:37:34.562-06:00Treating what Ales youI've been off on some ranting side trips here lately, so thought it was time for an update on the wonderful world of Oncology. Yep, still getting random very expensive chemicals dumped into my body on a weekly basis. Was closing in on being done with my treatment regime, until going off & getting the Flu this week.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkgNJj7Lx7D5bnlDcHf3bElBvybDZ6zLUbdFsubsRHP9MtejKSE2iF5siIMK04jC9OlXhuMn8N1s046i8iKikF7A6h4uC7FQ-stKbdZGWnAz_9G9Z4DaFTayqX6PL3MHnM6up05DmkOI/s1600/homer-sick.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="347" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgkgNJj7Lx7D5bnlDcHf3bElBvybDZ6zLUbdFsubsRHP9MtejKSE2iF5siIMK04jC9OlXhuMn8N1s046i8iKikF7A6h4uC7FQ-stKbdZGWnAz_9G9Z4DaFTayqX6PL3MHnM6up05DmkOI/s400/homer-sick.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Doh!</td></tr>
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Turns out that if you nuke your immune system back to the stone age with Cyto-Toxic drugs, things like Flu Vaccines are pretty much rendered superfluous. And as a bonus, that flu stuff seems to REALLY kick you when your immune system is down. Finally feeling semi-human again after 4 or so days of Sweating/Chilling haze. Fevers are ALMOST as much fun as recreational chemicals! (Not) And, you get to experiment with yet more of modern pharmacology's best new attempts. What side effects does <a href="http://www.tamiflu.com/">Tamiflu</a> have? We'll see soon enough.<br />
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Prior to the lovely, and out of season visit with this new virus strain, I was doing pretty damn well, Getting out to ride in the good weather, and getting slowly thru my 8 rounds of <a href="http://www.rituxan.com/index.html">Mutant Mouse Antibody treatments</a> every week. For those of you who have never had any exposure to the joyful world of an Oncology Chemo Treatment room, here is a quick look into a world you really never want to see. Given my treatable disease, short duration and lack of side effects, I feel like an interloper in there, considering what so many others have to go thru in that room, but it has been an eye opener, to say the least.<br />
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Once a week, you block out most of your day, and go visit the Treatment Room, usually after paying your Hematology "Entry Fee". That Blood draw and CBC the Blood Docs just can't seem to function without.<br />
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Then, back to "The Room". Cheery enough, but still not anywhere you really want to hang out.<br />
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For me, unlike a lot of the folks who get the "pleasure" of visiting regularly and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Port_(medical)">have a Port</a>, I get a regular IV each week.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVbRrplNMeJf7XbuXDxYk2eqj7-lH0ThIxVDZ7MUVSCnfLIx8Yk-dddyHzmBq-5aiznhJkiBobG-2s-fI7YC9HWXCO-mNRJXODU_j6735_U-I8Na7i0AeOuUvFIMgehGe93jPLR6Is9M/s1600/2013-03-07_10-33-05_975.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjFVbRrplNMeJf7XbuXDxYk2eqj7-lH0ThIxVDZ7MUVSCnfLIx8Yk-dddyHzmBq-5aiznhJkiBobG-2s-fI7YC9HWXCO-mNRJXODU_j6735_U-I8Na7i0AeOuUvFIMgehGe93jPLR6Is9M/s400/2013-03-07_10-33-05_975.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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After getting the IV in and a flush of saline, You get a few bags of "pre-meds" as almost ANY of the drugs they give for Chemo & other treatments can have infusion reactions, so they load you up with IV antihistamines to minimize the chance of an<a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anaphylaxis"> anaphylactic reaction</a> to any of the infused drugs along with steroids for the anti inflammatory and immunosupression effects. For myself, I get a cocktail of Tylenol capsules (the Rituxin can give headaches..), IV Dexamethasone for my steroid, and IV Zantac and Benadryl for the antihistamines.<br />
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Given the many bags of Benadryl and Zantac, it's no surprise that many, if not most of the "treat-ees" have those lazy-boys in full recline and are sacked out. Nothing Like IV Benadryl to make you a bit sleepy. After a 45 minute or so infusion time for the pre-meds, I get a BIG bag (Like a Liter...) of Mutant Mouse Stuff. That gets a very specific infusion schedule, starting at 100 mL/hour, and ramping up each hour by 100 mL/hour to a 400 mL/hour rate. Takes 4 or so hours at best to get that big bag in. You can get up and move around, as long as you take your IV pole with you. My treatment center has a nice little snack area and I LOVE taking my pole for little walks to get snacks and heat up my lunch. Outside of that, reading, net surfing and napping are the real attractions for the day. Once you have sucked up all your anointed juice for the day, a quick flush, IV removal, and out you go. <br />
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I do have to give some props to two great bunches of people. First, the patients I have met in that room have been 100% great, positive & fun people. For some reason, cancer patients have some of the best attitudes I've ever been around in a medical treatment environment. The only people who eclipse the patients are the Chemo nurses who run the room. Sweet, caring, funny, knowledgeable, supportive. I have more respect for these ladies and what they do than can be put in words. They love what they do, and are FANTASTIC at it. You can call them anytime, and they have the answer for you. Stellar people, doing incredible things. <br />
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The good thing for my treatment is that it has minimal side effects, and up until the flu laid me out, I was getting some good riding in, get some base in place so that when I quit poisoning myself each week, I might be able to start trying to make up for a year of broken blood and get some fitness going for MTB season. I was able to catch some of those REALLY nice days before that last round of snow mudded all the trails up. Even got to see some of my Wild Turkey friends.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-rqid_m9hd9t6BS2PyorYjC1ypqqf7vUNdegIB2baWC7pEbLFKc4ebiic1E2dp6ddGQ3tiZymh0_-zGfMvYCGp0gFZF6wMJ90ivt-Vc1PxGyCrNSIV4HobtXZZZ54gUEebiu-OW3Hzk/s1600/2013-03-19_16-44-27_416.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC-rqid_m9hd9t6BS2PyorYjC1ypqqf7vUNdegIB2baWC7pEbLFKc4ebiic1E2dp6ddGQ3tiZymh0_-zGfMvYCGp0gFZF6wMJ90ivt-Vc1PxGyCrNSIV4HobtXZZZ54gUEebiu-OW3Hzk/s400/2013-03-19_16-44-27_416.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Was riding enough to start to think I was almost a cyclist again. Sadly, it turns out that riding by yourself can lead to some "mistaken impressions" of where your fitness might really be. Any notion of having ANYTHING going in the riding department were quickly squelched with one group ride. Boy, do I have a LONG road back to reasonable, or even functional level of fitness. Going to be a long and suffering filled road back. I can't wait.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3158937218205616813.post-60694468014803101542013-03-17T22:07:00.001-06:002013-03-17T22:08:17.463-06:00Digital EPOIt must be spring, I swallowed my first bug of the year last week. <br />
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Got some of those great, fake you out spring days last week, and I was able to ride the tail end out of the nice days. Besides gagging down your first insect, you know spring approaches when you get that first short-sleeve ride in. You know it's getting close when you see people cutting out of work to sit by the lakes and fish. Ah, spring, springing. Right up until it goes back to windy-ass March weather.<br />
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I seem to have succumbed to at least some of the Bike-Geek Social networking peer pressure. I've actually found myself using and even enjoying <a href="http://www.strava.com/">Strava</a>. I know, I, know, it's either the best thing that ever happened to riding, the worst thing, causes people to go nuts, begets "stavassholes" all that. Turns out you can use it without going off the deep end, or really even think about it much. Not sure I'll keep uploading to it, but it is a reasonable, cloud-based training log/tool.<br />
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Course, the dark side of it is the online competition side, the whole King Of the Mountain and Strava Segment thing. Being for the most part basically slow and incapable of getting KOMs on Strava, I only see that side of the app as entertaining or just plain silly. That said, I can <a href="http://app.strava.com/segments/1489874">boast of at least one KOM myself</a>. A bike path thru a neighborhood here in "not-Boulder", one I had no idea existed. One mid-week day, with a raging tailwind and no one out on the path, I snagged that coveted KOM. Who would intentionally make a Strava Segment on a slightly downhill, crowded neighborhood multi-use path? There is the entertainment value for me, or an example of what is "wrong" with Strava. <br />
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Course, if you want to get a "Real" Strava KOM, you either have to be fast, put a GPS on your scooter, or maybe <a href="http://digitalepo.com/">just go here</a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-OXKhTaoTBBJSQjszftT_IqTriE_F_bwRkNg_SifHQHEJu7iaARlQJMlrk9ybESms1G7TWx4hyphenhyphenwyCMI-2J5YiUvwdevnn34S3nseUMRNoTPXdPXYeg2TrUr3VfDl2VSUunV-7rmWW4I/s1600/DigitalEPO.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="75" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9-OXKhTaoTBBJSQjszftT_IqTriE_F_bwRkNg_SifHQHEJu7iaARlQJMlrk9ybESms1G7TWx4hyphenhyphenwyCMI-2J5YiUvwdevnn34S3nseUMRNoTPXdPXYeg2TrUr3VfDl2VSUunV-7rmWW4I/s400/DigitalEPO.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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Yep, EPO invades even the fake, virtual race world. Digitally Juice it up. <br />
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Course, you could always just really go out & dope, and do an actual race. <a href="http://www.usacycling.org/usa-cycling-raceclean-program.htm">Since USA Cycling is launching a new initiative to catch all the dopers</a>, maybe you could get on Oprah too. Even <a href="http://www.coloradocycling.org/articles/us-anti-doping-agency-usada-and-colorado-racing">BRAC seems to be throwing some money at this this year</a>, since It takes $6000 to get USADA out to your local races, even under the new USAC Race Clean Local Association dope testing money matching program. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9HMHns7L097iUbYPPEk9EFfeNt39rwGboUakfx77vgm9xpZCWZXNDcvgr6xKGhcNfwSAT5dhmC25MsiEg2gEgVTAPRVhyr0QaFb8cn0fAnCyHwaItSwqvTwSL5lZaqLfUhSCqBXfAno/s1600/RaceClean.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZ9HMHns7L097iUbYPPEk9EFfeNt39rwGboUakfx77vgm9xpZCWZXNDcvgr6xKGhcNfwSAT5dhmC25MsiEg2gEgVTAPRVhyr0QaFb8cn0fAnCyHwaItSwqvTwSL5lZaqLfUhSCqBXfAno/s320/RaceClean.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Course, no local guys or any of the old dudes would dope..... oh, wait, seems l<a href="http://www.bicyclepaper.com/articles/355-United-States-Anti-Doping-Agency-Exposes-Northwest-Residents-">ike that already happened</a>. Course, no one could go out & GET EPO to use, would they? Gotta be pretty hard to get, right? Well, go put "EPO for Sale" into the Google & see what happens. <br />
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Wow. Wow is about all I can say. All the Chinese EPO you can subcutaneously inject available from a slew of sites. Would you REALLY want to inject Chinese Knock-off "Erythropoietin" into your body? For some local bike race glory? Well, maybe some would. <br />
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These sites are kind of insane, to put it mildly. Doping for sport instructions, Dosing, everything you could ask for obtaining & using the stuff. <br />
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<b style="color: #5b5d65; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 14px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: justify;">SPORT usage</b><br />
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A common practice that may be used by performance sportsmen (runners, cyclists, swimmers etc.) in an attempt to increase performance is Erythropoietin. This substance is produced naturally in the body by the kidneys and is used to regulate red blood cell production. Patients suffering from anemia or chronic renal failure are legally allowed to use this form medically, however some athletes have decided to take advantage of this substance as well.<br />
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Due to medical advances, we can now inject EPO rather than blood doping, which was the common method in the past. EPO works by increasing the bloods ability to carry oxygen, thus serving as an ergogenic aid. Some studies have shown that athletes have had an 9% increase in VO2 max, 7% increase in power output, and a 5% decrease in max heart rate ((Juhn, M., 2003).<br />
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While the benefits of using erythropoeitin are unquestionable, there are serious side affects that an athlete needs to consider. After injection, the blood has a higher concentration of red blood cells and a thicker viscosity. This may lead to thromboembolic events that <b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;"><i style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">could be fatal</i></b>. I.e. if you dope more than necessary, thrombs may stop the bloodstream during the exercises and sportsmen dies. There are serious suspicios agains EPO for the deaths of some top cyclists during 80s and 90s.<br />
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Seizures and hypertension are also demonstrated in those athletes who are blood doping. Most athletic federations have banned this practice and a haemoglobin limit of 18.5 g/dL has been implemented.<br />
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The injection of EPO in the body is a practice that would be very beneficial to any athletes involved in endurance activities. It would allow them to carry more oxygen per unit of blood than before thus improving their performance. This is not a sound technique however as there are strict regulations around it and there are many adverse health consequences that have been reported.</div>
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<b style="margin: 0px; padding: 0px;">Dosage and Administration</b><br />
Cancer Patients<br />
Adults<br />
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Subcutaneous 3 times/wk dosing: 150 units/kg 3 times/wk. Reduce the dose by 25% when Hgb reaches a level needed to avoid transfusion or increases more than 1 g/dL in any 2-wk period. Withhold the dose when Hgb exceeds a level needed to avoid transfusion and restart at 25% below the previous dose when the Hgb approaches a level where transfusions may be required. Increase the dosage to 300 units/kg 3 times/wk if the response is not satisfactory after 4 wk to achieve and maintain the lowest Hgb levels sufficient to avoid the need for RBC transfusion and not to exceed the upper safety limit of 12 g/dL. Discontinue if after 8 wk there is no response as measured by Hgb levels or if transfusions are still required. Weekly dosing: 40,000 units/wk. Reduce the dose by 25% when the Hgb reaches a level needed to avoid transfusion or increases more than 1 g/dL in any 2-wk period. Withhold the dose if the Hgb exceeds a level needed to avoid transfusion and restart at 25% below the previous dose when the Hgb approaches a level where transfusion may be required. Increase the dosage to 60,000 units/wk if the response is not satisfactory (no increase in Hgb by at least 1 g/dL after 4 wk of therapy, in the absence of an RBC transfusion) to achieve and maintain the lowest Hgb levels sufficient to avoid the need for RBC transfusion and not to exceed the upper safety limit of 12 g/dL. Discontinue if after 8 wk there is no response as measured by Hgb levels or if transfusions are still required.</div>
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They even let you know all about those pesky "laws" and "rules" about ordering prescription drugs online with no prescription. Course you would go check with the relevant "authorities" in your area before ordering your drugs.<br />
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Is it legal to purchase these products?</h2>
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Since laws differ from country to country, we recommend you to contact your local FDA or customs office regarding the regulations and restrictions of your country. Are you a legitimate company? We are a professional mail order service licensed to sell and distribute pharmaceutical products. We have been established for over 4 years, supplying original, high-quality anabolic steroids and bodybuilding related products, prescription-free over the Internet.</div>
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Do I need a prescription to order?</h2>
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A prescription is NOT required to order our products.</div>
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Oh, and that pesky "customs" and Shipping issues? All taken care of. Here are your customs intercept rates, by country, and most are happy to let you know that if YOUR shipment gets intercepted, they will happily send another.<br />
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How are products shipped?</h2>
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We ensure that all packages are shipped with maximum discretion. Since prescription is submitted, products are removed from their original boxes and repacked with extreme care and precaution, specifically to minimize shipment volume. Our organization name is not indicated on any package and shipments are made from various shipping points in the world established in different countries to ensure maximum discretion and highest probability of successful delivery. With custom we have 99% success to USA and Canada, 100% success to any country of EU and 90% success to Australia. Problems with custom are only in New Zeland.</div>
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How do you ship?</h2>
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We ship our products world wide and all packages are shipped very discreet.<br />
- Our organization name or anything else that would imply pharmaceutical contents of the package is never used in our shipments.<br />
- The size of our packages are never larger than what would cause unnecessary suspicion. If the order is too large to fit one of these packages, the order will automatically be divided into two or more packages (always included in the S&H-charges).<br />
- Shipments are made from various shipping points in different countries.</div>
<strong style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: left;">7.Is there any Customs problems.</strong><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">Normaly there is no customs problems,if refused by customs ,we will resend, you will receive all of your products.</span></div>
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SO there you go. Everything you need to know to inject random Chinese liquids under your skin. What could POSSIBLY go wrong. Have at it, and look out for the dope cops at the local races. Let me know how it goes. Me? I think I'll just keep getting rejected by my Oncoloigist when I ask for EPO come cross season. Again, Wow, just Wow.Old Crosserhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15048499903932999897noreply@blogger.com1