Weekend Review: Apr 27th & 28th

Every weekend there are new sights, sounds, and taste to consume. There are other sensory inputs that tickle my brain too, but saying there is stuff to feel sounds creepy. This is a weekly journal of my weekend endeavors. Enjoy!

Hardywood Twilight 4 Miler
Post 10k I have been lazy piece, not exercising, not stretching and subsisting on a diet of beer and sweet sweet pastries. As a preventative measure I signed myself up for a trillion events this Spring and Summer. The first of which was a 4 mile run out from Hardywood and back by way of the Fan. It was a fun run so the pressure to finish quick was only in my head and the reward afterwards was beer. Specifically the Twilight Weiss, brewed for the event. The whole thing was a blast, it seemed like all of Richmond was there, well except for the angry Richmonders on Broad St. That mess was blocked for an hour plus for the run.

Fort Harrison Loop
In preparation for my next event (Cap 2 Cap), I needed and still need cycling miles on my legs. Sunday morning Mike and I met at my place and spun our way out to Rocketts Landing to meet Whitt. From there we made our way East to Fort Harrison, where we turned around and crossed the river to Whitt's place for bottle fills and a cold beer (best idea ever). We departed Casa Clements and crossed the river again to head home. Less than a mile from my house, Mike and I were singing our victory hymnal when he hit a painted line that was not a painted line, but a 6 inch tall concrete strip. I watched as he tumbled in slow motion. His body fighting gravity at every turn and ultimately losing. It looked painfully, but hope the worst of it was scrapes and bruises. We limped our way back to my place for scones, beer and band-aids. Not a great way to end a good ride, but them's the breaks.

Problem & IamSu!

Mixtapes are the best. They are free, come out more frequently than full studio releases and are great exposure for new artist. For the past three weeks I've been listening to Problem and IamSu's Million Dollar Afro. It super heavy on the bass and features Juvenile of all people. Pretty dope all around and no barrier to entry. Give it a try.

13 in 13

Friend of this blog and friend of me, Mike put a bug in my ear last week about his goal of thirteen hobbies in 2013. A noble, if not dangerous endeavor. Considering my life is already stupid full of hobbies I don't have enough time and money to keep up with. So add thirteen new ones to the mix you say. Sure, what could go wrong. Note: most of these aren't new, that would just be crazy!

1. Running
I started back up with running in 2011 and full on committed to it in 2012, but I plan to take it even further in 2013. I am already signed up for more events and more miles than last year and will have to commit even more time to training for those. My gear situation is in a better space and I should have more time to get out and pound the pavement as Ward gets older. Richmond half here I come!

2. Drawing
I've drawn more in the past year at the request of my three year old than I have in the past ten years. I used to always have a pad of paper close at hand. From grade school through sometime in the middle of college I logged thousands of hours doodling. Then I stopped, almost cold turkey. I think it is healthy for me to get stretch my creativity muscles. It is why I write here and why I will try to start up drawing again this year.

3. Table Top Gaming
Another thing I already do, man this is straight up cheating. I barely rolled any dice in 2012 though. I wrapped up my last campaign in January and went dark till a single game of D&D Next that I hosted in the summer. There were a handful of games at Chuck's house too, but I have been missing my roll as DM all year. 2013 should see the return of my DM cape. Though I have no clue under what system and with what group of regulars.

4. Mountain Biking
I spent a large portion of the early aughts on a mountain bike. Either as a weekend warrior on local single track or traveling a regular amateur racing circuit. It is what started my adult love affair with cycling. I already have a regular road group every Sunday, but in 2012 we dipped our toes into trail riding. I only got out for three rides, but it sparked that flame again. In 2013 I need a working bike, but I plan to get out more frequently.

5. Stretching
The only time I stretch regularly is when I get hurt. Pull something in my back, stretch till it is better. Fuck up my knee playing basketball, stay off it and stretch till I can go again. I know stretching and strength training regularly would probably help prevent these sort of injuries in the first place or at least make them not as bad, but I never make time for it. 2013 is the year of the loose hamstring!

6. Gundam
In the back half of 20 doz I finally scratched my Lego itch with Gundam. I want more of that this year, maybe a model a quarter? Making for a collection of five total at the end of the year. I could totally get down with that.

7. Data
Capturing data for my 2012 annual report was done with very little of the year left. I was beholden to what services I use that capture data for me (Steam) or those that I log as a matter of course anyway (GoodReads and DailyMile). In 2013 I plan to capture more and better data. The Fitbit was my first stab at that and already was a failure. I'm looking at Daytum right now and a few other options to make this goal as pleasant as possible. There is always Excel.

8. Camping
Crystal and I used to camp. Then we had kid number one and took a hiatus  Just when we were getting into the sweet spot of camping with him we had another one. It turned out last year that I camped for three days, thanks to Cycle NC, but our family did not make it out. This year it might be a segmented portion of our family out and camping, but we will set a few tents up either way.

9. Hiking
Unlike camping we can get out and hike with or without the overnight stay. There are plenty of places to go locally and even more when you expand the radius to within a hours drive. It is great family exercise and even more so for me when I throw Ward on my back.

10. Fish
When I told Crystal about this one she thought I meant fishing and turned up her noise like I was describing my last trip to the restroom. I quickly corrected that I meant cooking fish. While I will never claim to have mastered the other core proteins (chicken, beef, pork), I certainly have a firm enough handle on them. Fish however escapes me. I want to grill it, smoke it and bake it in 2013.

11. Bike Maintenance
Rolling in from a long bike ride and shoving my bike into our sun room for another week has become a bad habit for going on two years. The most love my bike gets these days is a few gasp of air in the tires 15 minutes before I am supposed to ride. I'd like to start a regiment of regular cleaning and care on my road bike and full on repair for my ageing mountain bike.

12. Brunch
Many of these activities require that my lovely bride either participate (see: Hiking) or in many cases facilitate my time away from the family (See: Running). So this one is for her as much as it is for me. When we don't have a 1-3 month old in the house we occasionally are gifted a date night by from our parents. Post date night we occasionally get brunch and it is fucking great. I don't know how many date nights we will see in 2013, but when we do we will brunch. And when we don't I will make it!

13. Music Exploration
I like raps. Besides not listening to rap because my children are in the car (I introduced the eldest to Beastie Boys this Fall) I exclusively listened to rap in 2012. That is a bit limiting, I guess. I don't exclusively watch shows about spaceships or only read comics about super heroes, so why just rap? In an effort to expand my cultural horizon I'll reach out this year and sample what the music world has to offer.

Annual Report 2012: Exercise

(Click to Embiggen)

My year in exercise has been up and down. Always maintaining a through line of running and riding, but plagued by injury and life events that left me a little disappointed by the end of 2012. Overall miles were up over the prior year, but 2011 was a diet and return to exercise year. If you compare both years from May to December, 2011 is up 275 miles on it's younger brother.

Running
I had a banner year in running events in 2012. Participating in 4 times as many as I did in 2011 and improving my mile pace in each event. Shaving 10 seconds per mile from March to November. On the other hand two knee injuries (stupid Basketball) to the same knee (stupid Football) took me out of the game for multiple weeks at a time and even kicked off a month of physical therapy in June. I might have gotten back on the streets in the late fall in winter, but instead there was a steady drop in all activity and a rise in cookie and beer consumption (not pictured).

Riding
I have never been an event/charity guy for bikes (mostly racing), but April was the most miles I've ridden in three years running (Sept. 2009: 200+). I have Cycle NC to thank for that. It made for a great weekend of cycling and some intense long miles at fast paces (mostly flat). When the knee injuries took me out of the running shoes they took me off the saddle too, but I was pretty consistent with Sunday rides all year. Something I have to give big thanks to my regular group for, I hit a 9 Sunday streak from March to April. 2012 was also my return to mountain biking. A sport I miss all the time and want to do more of ever time I get out on the trail. Two crashes this year too, but lets breeze by those before my wife bans me from the bike.

Weekend Review: July 28th & 29nd

Every weekend there are new sights, sounds, and taste to consume. There are other sensory inputs that tickle my brain too, but saying there is stuff to feel sounds creepy. This is a journal of my weekend endeavors. Enjoy!

Lockout
When the opening ceremony failed to catch my attention on three different attempts I looked toward other media when the DVR ran out of the Daily Show. Lockout was merely a blip on the radar back in April of this year and will most likely be yet another blip post this month (DVD release). Rightfully so I'm afraid, it was awful. Horrible special effects, writing, acting. The whole lot was rubbish, I don't know what I expected from a space prison movie. Epicness?

Chew
I read the first trade of Chew maybe a year ago and was underwhelmed, given the hype that surrounded it. I re-read the first trade and second trade on Sunday and was stunned at my change in opinion. I loved it. The writing was great, the premise was refreshing (chicken is outlawed and the FDA act as poultry prohibition officers) and the art has grown on me. Could not recommend it more.

Solo Cycling
I've posted many moons ago that I don't particularly care for solo cycling. I think of cycling as a social activity as much as I do a good form of exercise. Sunday my party of four turned into a party of me when everyone bailed. I was already packed up though so I went out for 28.8 miles of solo spinning. It was nice to have some quiet, just me and the bike. Oh and three deer, they were totally cool though.

Dickey's Barbecue Pit
I won't say much here, because it feels like cheating, but the meats were tender and tasty. Plus free ice cream, pickles and souvenir cups. The sides were mostly a bust, but everything else gets a thumbs up. Expect a longer review on 52L in the near-ish future.

The Bugle
Saturday, I spent the whole day painting the boys room (8+ hours). It sucked, but I got to catch up on loads of podcast in my Downcast back log. The best of which was three episodes of the Bugle. John Oliver and Andy Zaltzman's weekly podcast, lampooning world news. Like the Daily Show, but with more puns, more English accents and more dick jokes.

Weekend Review: July 21st & 22nd

Every weekend there are new sights, sounds, and taste to consume. There are other sensory inputs that tickle my brain too, but saying there is stuff to feel sounds creepy. This is a journal of my weekend endeavors. Enjoy!

Tour de France
I returned to the tour this year not expecting much after three years away. I ended up getting hooked. It motivated my desire to recover and return to my bike and there were some really exciting stages. It ended on Sunday and I am bummed about that, but am hoping for good coverage of the Olympic cycling events in a little more than a week.

Strava
During the tour coverage there seemed to be a Strava ad every 10 minutes. Enough so that I downloaded the running and cycling apps. I had been laid up with a bum knee for most of the event though. When I finally got out to run last weekend I used Strava instead of Nike+. Strava did not have the audio pace/time updates I like so much with Nike and the screen went dark on my arm band. Preventing me from seeing the pace/time as well. I don't have a bike computer installed however. So with nothing to compare too, I booted Strava on Sunday for a morning ride in the country. I heart data and there was plenty of it. It only consumed 25% battery in 2 hours and it seemed pretty accurate when compared to the other riders I was with. Two thumbs up for the cycling app. A get Nike+ if you're considering the running app.

UFC 149
Boring! Crowd booing is not always the best indicator of how a fight is going, but is this case it was for me. I'm not a fan of Dominic Cruz, but it looked like he could beat Faber and Barao when the belts are unified. The only saving grace was Matt Riddle's standing arm triangle to trip submission. Pretty rad!

Warhammer 40K Dawn of War II Retribution
Not to make you think the weekend was a total sport-o-fest, I picked up Dawn of War 2: Retribution during the Summer Steam sale. I had already played through the original game and the first expansion and loved them. Retribution adds new factions and more single player story lines. So far so good. The 40k video games have everything I thing I want out of actually playing tabletop 40k except for the painting. Now if there was just a turn based mod, I'd be in gamer heaven.

DnD Next
It had been forever since we last played DnD 4e . When the DnD Next play test was released in the end of May I desperately wanted to try it out. June was a wash and then we finally got a group together Saturday night. As DM I had to build all of the story hooks and background and WotC provided the dungeon and all the bits to fill it. It was a fun time regardless of the game system, but specifically the new rule set was fun too. Combat rounds were quick and the encounters felt deadly. Two my my major complaints of 4e. There is still plenty to tweak and balance, but it feels like a good start for now.

Summer Rides

I've been hitting it consistently this summer on my bicycle. Getting out almost every Sunday morning with a new group of cycling friends and occasionally my old crew too. We get rolling early to beat the heat and get back to our families with our afternoons intact. Shedding just over 40 pounds since April has been the biggest catalyst for this resurgence on two wheels. I am faster, stronger and healthier than ever. The weight loss has lead to more cycling and more cycling has lead to more weight loss.

After years of shifting away from road cycling trends (spandex, light bikes and HBMs) I am slowly coming back. Not to say I don't love rando and touring style cycling still, but at 16/17 mph paces it is hard to justify some of it. I have donned my ancient mountain bike racing jersey (2011 to 1999) and need to hook up the computer I bought back in January. It feels good. I am in love with cycling all over again. The now twelve year journey continues.

Below is just a sampling of the rides I've been on this summer...

• Moonlight Ride from Sports Backers
• Fort Harrison from my place
• Ashland from Mike's place
• Hanover from Hanover Courthouse
• Goochland from West Creek

Total running/riding miles since June: 424 and counting!

Family Bike Ride

On the same week that we bought Kaden his first bike I took him across the river to pick up a bike trailer from a friend. It is not the greatest picture in the world, but you can see him in tow above. Post first bike ride he was not immediately sold on riding in the trail. When we showed him were he could put snacks and a drink though he was all in.

When he got up from is nap that same day we pulled our bikes out to the street and hooked up the trail. It was awkward at first. Backing up my bike was a pain. Getting started on a hill was too. Both of which I tried to do from the start. For the first four miles I was super nervous. Feeling out how wide the trail was. Trying to avoid pot holes for two of us and keeping my cadence smooth.

Eventually I got it, but not without a few lingering complaints. My heel sticks back far enough to rub the connector where the trailer attaches to my frame. If I don't want to scuff it on every pass (hint: I don't), then I have to turn my left heel out slightly to avoid it. Which lead to a little bit of knee joint pain post ride. If I can get over the shoe rubbing I will still have to deal with the biggest flaw of the trailer though.

It is like pulling a giant Lego block. Scratch that a square parachute. It is an aerodynamic mess. What feels like the effort of a 16 mph pace ride, but we are really going 12 mph. I have to work my butt off to keep it going. Hills are the worst, clicking down to my middle ring for stuff I could power up at 18-20 normally. I don't think we will ever take it on a 30-40 mile trip, but it was still really fun.

We spun our way over to my parents house first. He got out and visited with them for a while and we were back on the road. Our next stop was Moe's for a light dinner. Kaden was tickled pink that we rode our bikes there and got to sit next to them outside while we ate. Following dinner we stopped a playground and let him get out and burn some energy. Our first ride ended up being a 13 mile out a back test run, that really was a ton of fun. I could use the exercise.

Kaden's New Bike

What started two weeks ago as a helmet purchase for his push motorcycle, turned into a full on bike purchase last week. We talk about bikes a lot in our house. Two to four bicycles have been present in his playroom since he was born. He knows not to touch to chains. He likes to see me ride out in the street and he has been talking about getting his own for a month. So on a whim Crystal picked up his first bike on Wednesday last week.

It was late by the time it got to the house and also unassembled. So we sent him off to bed and I attempted to put it together. At minute ten I realized that the fork was bent so badly that no man power was going to set it straight. So I boxed it back up and went to bed. Crystal returned the next day with an assembled bike and a story about the manufacturer packing their bikes poorly.

That evening we went on a bike ride in the neighborhood. I on my bike, Kaden on his and Crystal keeping him straight and offering the occasional push. He pedals surprisingly well. He lacks the leg strength to push through if he stops at an odd angle, but he can string together 5-6 good strokes with regularity. After his first 1/4 mile lap we stopped at the house to raise his seat. That involved pliers and a wrench. He watched vigilantly as I adjust the post to his little height and we were on our way for another quarter.

The next morning Crystal came down stairs to find him in our sun room (his playroom) with his Fisher Price tool set splayed out on the floor. Pliers and wrench in hand, mock adjusting his seat post height.

Riding with my Bride

June has been an exceptional month for Tabib cycling. Never before have I been on so many rides with my lovely wife. Prior to Kaden, riding was something Crystal enjoyed, but was not passionate about. We were both overweight too. So were I would push past my plump pounds to get on the road every weekend, she would simply pass. Post Kaden, even if she wanted to ride it was a matter of finding a babysitter.

Now that we are each 13% lighter, exercise has become enjoyable and routine. I am running 3-4 times a week. She is walking and Tae Bo-ing the same amount. So when we get a free weekend morning together, we go for a ride. In June we had the chance to do that three times. Putting in 68 miles for the month. Easily Crystal's most logged ever and also breaking her longest ride, at 32 miles this past Sunday. I was extremely  impressed by her the whole ride. I hope we get the chance to break her miles in a month record in July.

Saturday on Studley

At this point the country roads of Goochland and rolling hills of Riverside are well tread by Pant's tires. I think I've worn a grove into Patterson Ave to be honest. So when I get to roll on new paths it is always a pleasure. On Saturday I met up with the brothers Brick for a ride north east of our city. We piled into Landon's car and landed at parking lot by Atlee Rd. and Chamberlayne. The lot was nearly empty when we arrived and we were two wheels rolling by 3:20p.

The roads were low on traffic and high on hills. We stuck mostly to our cue sheet despite MapMyRide.com trying to get us lost on two occasions. What finally did us in was poor road planning, not website logic. We had to huff it for a half mile and a massive hill on Mechanicsville Turnpike at the half way point. We noted our mistake for next time and spun back to the car. What we found was a classic car show that had engulfed Landon's Buick. All around us were hot rods and shinned chrome.

The rest is in the pictures...

Handlebar Garden

Handlebar with a view. I'd go with a mixture of herbs in mine for the utility of cooking with style on a long tour.

[Via: Craft]

Hubless Rear Wheel

Belt-driven, hubless rear wheel bicycle or Lunartic.

[Via: Make]

Side by Side

Looking beyond my one ride in January and February when I never rode, the official kick off to the 2011 riding season was this past weekend. I'd like for 2011 to shape up to be a better riding year than the last. In fact that is my goal that I never accomplish every year. My high-water mark is a month not a year actually. If could get close to September of 2009 every month that would be ideal.

Starting with a 17 mile ride in mid-March is not near where I want to be, but it is something. Something is always a better start than nothing and riding a little with good friends is better than not riding at all. The weather was warm-ish and the hills of Old Gun are great to climb and even better to descend. The rest, though brief, is in the pictures.

Spidey on a Bike

Mike Joo's collection of iconic characters on bikes is wicked cool. Spidey, Vader, Wonder Woman and Han stand out for me as the best examples. Might just have to snag a print.

Light Bike

I heart Christmas!

[Via: LikeCOOL]

Gnarly Handlebars

Something about the symmetry, the copper bar plugs and the brass knuckles has me digging on this picture.

[Via: LikeCOOL]

Short Snorter

Seeing a dollar bill and the word "Snorter" makes me think of eighties gangster films and bumps of Bolivian marching powder. Thanks for the "cocaine slang" Google. A short snorter is actually far cooler than any Scarface poster or t-shirt. It is a tradition started in Alaska in the 1920's and then carried into World War II. Pilots and flight crews would sign each others bills (not necessarily USD), ultimately creating a history of their time in service. Snorter was slang for a stiff drink and short meant less than full measure. If you could not produce your short snorter, you were buying.

Sounds like a cool practice to extend to cycling. I bet I could be two or three dollars in at this point after ten plus years of signatures.

[Via: Flickr]

ACT Run

Riding from Laurel Park Shopping Center to Ashland Coffee & Tea is also known as the ABC (Ashland Breakfast Club) route.  A ride I've taken more times than I have fingers and toes.  Even with my toes exposed. It is also the best ride around town to introduce beginner rides to the hobby.  Flat, shaded and at 20 miles it is a good ride for a newbie to brag about. It is also a great welcome back to cycling ride.

This past weekend I took Crystal for her third and Gabriel for his second tour of the ABC.  We were two wheels rolling by 8:30am and made it to Ashland Coffee & Tea in just under an hour.  The weather was great, a bit of a cold nip, but nothing a jacket couldn't solve.  At ACT we chowed on bagels with Cran-Apple spread and sipped on tasty coffee. The weather warmed up a bit for the return lap, but not enough to warrant jacket removal. The end result was two riders who want to try and keep cycling for the foreseeable future.  I hope they keep at it. The rest is in the pictures.

Northside to Riverside

Saturday marked my first group ride in the Fall for 2010.  I hit the streets of Richmond on my own last weekend and put in 27 good miles.  Not the same with friends though. I met up with Grant and Landon (The Brothers Brick) at 8am and we were two wheels rolling not 15 minutes later.  Headed east from the Northside the first half of our ride was all parts of Richmond I had never seen before.

Fascinating that 28 years of life in this city still brings me to places I have never seen before. Of note was the Oakwood Cemeteries confederate grave site which for some reason I didn't even know existed.  Heading out of the East End and into Shockoe Bottom we crossed the river into familiar territory for the rest of the ride. Ending the ride at just under two hours and just under 25 miles.

Our post ride meal was brunch at Bill's Barbecue.  A weird place to go at 10:45am, but still as tasty as always. Landon had never eaten there before and was impressed and Grant got a lemonade refill that tasted like it was made with box wine.  Yum!  The rest is in the pictures.

Gelato Bike

Ice cream Gelato on the back of a bike, yum! I doubt the pants crew and I would make it to our destination with temptation so close. It would have probably melted anyway, so it's fine that we stopped to eat it all five miles into the ride.

[Via: Make]