Manchester "United"

Apply the 'key' word on multiple levels...

This city is UNITED in it's celebration of Christmas...

The U.S.A. Swimming Team was UNITED in it's quest to win the 4th 'Duel in the Pool'...

I flew UNITED to get here...

And of course, this town in SOOOO UNITED in it's soccer MADNESS, it's ridiculous...

It was a great trip- a very 'spur-of-the-moment' opportunity- and i'm incredibly glad i got to come here for multiple reasons...first, in my quest for 'world domination', i had never experienced this town, so to be exposed to everything Manchester has to offer was more than worth it.

Second, i'd be lying if i said i didn't love covering swimming. It's my first sport, and one of my life's passions. So, even though it does not happen very much anymore, whenever i get a chance to talk to the US, and world's best, it's a great treat.

Finally, growing up in the Midwest, i know all about 'weather', and more specifically, "White Christmas'". To go from 70+ degrees in SoCal, to freezing temps here, and all that that entails, has been a blast from the past, and brought back some amazing memories.

I spent my final night here doing my own version of a lifeguarding tradition known as the "Bicycle Bar Hop". Of course i did not have a bike, and they are called 'pubs' here, but you get the drift. If you're a connoiseur of the libations, you have to love the names of some of the pubs in this area...

'The Roasted Pig and Bar"- complete with stretched out 'Wilbur'

"The Slug and Lettuce"- my personal favorite

"Ape and Apple"- a subliminal critique on our 'fall from grace'???

"The Tiger Lounge" (timely- hmmm, what do you think goes on there?!)

"Grinch"- perfect for the Holidays (especially for those that can't handle the DRINK)

"Cloud 23"- do you think it's 2.55 x better than "Cloud 9"???

"Panacea"- the drinks MUST be strong

"The Moon Under Water"- with all the 2012 hype...maybe they are on to something!

If you are a fan of swimming, make sure to check out Michael Phelps, Aaron Peirsol, Dana Vollmer, and the rest of the US team in action, and in dominating fashion, on Dec 27th, 2-4Pm EST. It will be well worth it.

Happy Holidays everybody.

Morning "Expresso"

If you travel a lot, you know finding the TIME to work out is often less difficult then finding a PLACE to work out. Having lived my life on the road for the good part of two decades, i'm always excited to come across something that actually makes working out FUN.

If you're looking for a way to give yourself an energy boost and 'jolt' your competitive juices at the same time, look no further than the "Expresso" machine in your local gym. Interactive Fitness Holdings is the name of the parent company, and the Expresso Interactive Bikes are the BOMB!

You can pick your course (close to 30 to choose from); you can pick your skill level; you control your place on the road/trail (via moveable handlebars), and well as your PACE through the myriad of courses. The shifting mechanism gives you over 20 'gears' to choose from, and the best part??? You can race people all around the world via the internet connection.

I used one of these bikes for the first time close to 2 years ago at a YMCA in Kansas City, and have been lucky enough to come across them a few more times since then. And every time it's been a blast.

My 'target' for the day was the course, "Savage Revenge"...plenty of climbing, shifting, and distance. The snowy scenery did nothing to cool down my intensity, and it certainly didn't alleviate the skyrocketing temperatures in my body as i pushed the pace. (I have to thank the woman next to me on the Stepper for not fleeing at the site of so much sweat pooling at the base of the machine!)

As i said before, the machine is designed to MAKE you follow the course, and avoid the fellow cyclists that are on the road. If you are like me, it's much more fun to PASS, than to BE PASSED, so you are in a constant state of what i like to call "Junkyard Dog-mode" (where you CHASE everything in front of you).

It makes for one heck of a great way to spend an hour...just make sure you've got a few more to recover!!

Kudos to the Tacoma YMCA for investing in these machines. I hope your 'regulars' appreciate what they have as much as this intrepid traveler did.

Post-Thanksgiving Day Blues

Not the normal 'blues' you are thinking of- I'm talking about the BLUE HUES of the sky this AM when we were out at 5:30 for our ride. Rain was predicted, but being the Southern California Optimists that we are, we figured, 'No, it will rain later in the day!'. Well, at "O-Dark-30", often it's a bit hard to tell what the sky has in store for you. Today, all signs were 'go' as we started out. No wetness on the ground, stars in the sky (even though intermittent clouds could be seen with the reflected light of the city), and a mild breeze coming off the ocean.

Oh, how I, and my 'mate', miscalculated. About 30 minutes in, the colors that cracked through the horizon were an angry mixture of magenta's and blossoming blues. It looked like the sky was bruised as the Earth was hurriedly waking up. And as the pitch blackness gave way to the steel greys and mottled mixture of color, we were witness to the violence on the surface of the seas. White caps the size of ships came hurtling towards shore, their path about to come crashing, literally, into the landmass in front of them.

A perfect example of the force of the front with which we waged our slug fest- a downhill portion of our ride I usually average 40-45 mph (simply coasting) was instead replaced with a grueling, grinding cadence to try to stay at 20mph. My average watts at that point were around 450-500. Very interesting. And very challenging.

Those of you that have ridden around the Palos Verdes Peninsula know, however, that one moment you are fighting with the forces of nature (today in particular, the god Aeolus) but the next moment, you are the beneficiary of what was once an 'opposing force'.

Now those were sweet and precious minutes indeed! If only every ride could feel as if i had wings! But that's part of the fun, isn't it? To take what we envision as the perfect moment, and strive to attain it. Whether it be on a bike, or at any snapshot in time. A chance to turn the 'blues' into a breathtaking explosion of energy and color.

Who's ready for the FINAL(S) push?

Not sure if any of the world's top bull riders are nervous on the eve of their last weekend of work in 2009, but i sure as $%#@ am anxious to see how it all sorts itself out! Bring it on, buckaroos!

Yes, it's already been said, but let's be repetitive. THIS IS THE MOST COMPETITIVE RACE THE PBR HAS EVER SEEN. And if you are fan, and don't watch these next 3 days on Versus, and then the final day on NBC, i'm going to personally see that the PBR revokes your Fan Club membership, removes you from their 'Team PBR' Twitter account, and bans you from any future events.

Just kidding. I don't have that kind of POWER, you all know that! But you should be glued to the tube for the next 4 days. It's been good, but it's going to get down-right dramatic in 24 hours.

JB's looked cool and confident every time i have seen him, and so has Kody. JB's always got that 'Cheshire' grin too, which makes it seem like he's got a secret he's dying to tell you, but just can't. Kody may not smile as much, but his happiness was clear after every Round the first weekend. I think he's saving the biggest 'emotional release' the PBR has ever seen for Sunday, if in fact he wins the World Title he's been dreaming of his whole life.

"Word Up" awards to Ryan McConnell and Robson Palermo for their first weekend exploits. Many of you know in a previous life i did a 'little bit' of competing, and to see these guys step up and deliver in their respective ways has been a reminder that EVERYONE wants to be the best, but only a select few can channel and execute the emotions and actions necessary to come out on top.

Four more days. Four more chances to grasp greatness. A buckle and a title await one man.

Where for Art Thou, Sea Level?

"Rest Day" #2 here at the PBR World Finals turned into a 'killer' day on the road. And there was very little 'rest'. Took a buddy's advice and drove north on I-95 for roughly 30 miles, then made a left onto SR156. That was the only easy part of the morning.

Good thing i really like climbing. This 'hill' was not for the faint of heart. 17.4 miles UP. Literally. 28.0 KM for those of you more metrically inclined. If you are lucky enough to own the book "The Complete Guide to Climbing (on a bike!)" then you have read about this hill in the "Nevada" section. And it was well worth the effort to get there. The climb starts at over 3000 ft. of elevation, and finishes at over 8300ft.

Now, for a sea-lubber like myself, this poses some unique mental and physical hurdles. One, that crushing feeling in my chest that started to occur after about 30 minutes of exercise had to be monitored rather extensively. Two, most climbs i do last, at most, 20-25 minutes (this took me 2hrs to complete), so the never-ending visual of a 'tilted' horizon took some getting used to. Three, the temperature variance was off the charts- even leaving as early as 7:30AM, it was still almost 70 degrees in the valley, but by the time i reached the 'summit' (which was actually the Las Vegas Ski and Snowboard Resort), it was in the low 40's.

Nature vs. Man tally on the day: 10 cars passed me, but over 50 different birds flew above and around my slow-moving form. Of the 10 cars, 4 were actually trucks- either Forest Service or delivery. I'd take those odds any day on a bike ride.

After somehow not giving up, and taking pictures at the top for a few minutes (note SNOW-covered 'run'), it was a speedy descent. I decided to make things interesting by alternating 30 seconds 'HARD' with 30 seconds recovery...that really started to take its toll...i figured my heart would be acclimated on the way down, but no such luck. It still reverberated throughout my chest, neck, and head all the way to the bottom. May not have been the smartest thing to keep 'pushing' after feeling this way, but it was overwhelmingly motivating to be zipping along between 30-40 mph for half an hour.

If you are a climber, i would put this on your 'to do' list. Especially if you find yourself in Sin City, in shape, with a bike, a car, and a few hours to 'kill'.

And by the way, no cell service starting at about 7 miles up, so make sure you have that ROAD ID on...

Red Rock Extravaganza-Fantabulous!

Early AM 'call time' again today, but for a different reason...had to get on the bike fairly early due to the TEMPERATURES we are having in Las Vegas. After three days of watching the PBR riders heat up the Thomas & Mack Center, i felt i needed to catch fire on the road.

I revisited the Red Rock Visitor's Center Loop that i did on Saturday, but this time there was a notable difference...i brought along my buddy "Double D" (aka Dave Degelia), and instead of staying inside the 'park', we extended our ride all the way down Rt.159, and even west on Rt.160 (towards Pahrump, NV).

If you are out in this area, you HAVE TO ride these roads. They are that picturesque and magnificent. As i like to say, "Fantabulous"! (a joke amongst my close friends). I did my best to represent the 'Versus' colors, and even though today's few fellow riders were in stark contrast to Saturday's hordes, there were still enough 'rabbits' and 'targets' to keep things interesting.

I'm hooked on this area- i may head north to ride another route suggested by a bike guru friend, but it seems every-which-way i turn out here, there's a hill to climb, which means a smile to be had.

And don't forget, no matter where you go, don't forget those Road ID's...seriously.

PS- i thought my power output was getting better lately, but man, today was total confirmation of the 'wattage wonderland' i'm living in...to go from Las Vegas to the Pyrenees as quickly as i did? RESPECT!

:-)

There's always a sale on "Stupid"

And today, i was 'BUYING', Big Time.

As many of you know, i'm here in Las Vegas for the next 10 days for the PBR World Finals. It's a crazy schedule, but one that is very rewarding, not to mention fun to be a part of. This morning, however, i felt i could steal some time for myself, and head off to the "Red Rock" area for a fast-paced bike ride. I have spent the past couple of weeks planning for this ride- i drove out here specifically to bring my Specialized; i consulted friends for the most challenging and scenic routes; i packed a myriad of clothing selections to make sure i was 'covered' no matter what the weather conditions, well, you get the picture.

AM comes knockin' on the window, and i'm ready. I've laid everything out- water bottles, gels, arm warmers, vest, wind jacket, Powertap, Oakley's...i'm good to go.

I drive to the 'put in' point my buddy had suggested- about a 20-25 minute drive off the Strip, or more specifically, my LUXURIOUS Embassy Suites 'suite'. I no sooner have stopped the car when i realize, 'oh $%#@, i forgot SOCKS!'. Seriously. Of all the freakin' things, come on!

Are you kidding me?? Man, i am not the sharpest tool in the shed. At least not today.

There was no going back, there was definitely no way i was giving up, but it was 49 degrees out, and i wasn't about to sacrifice my toes in the name of 'cycling adventure', no matter how good i thought the route would be.

I thought of riding with my arm warmers wrapped around my feet- a modern-day version of Greco-Roman sandals, or like the soldiers you read of in the World Wars that wrapped their feet before hiking through snow. OK, i know, a tad dramatic. It wasn't life or death, but it was a fish-or-cut-bait moment. And then, off to the left, it was the "A" that caught my eye.

An "Albertson's"...seemed like a long shot, but i had nothing to lose.

I perused the aisles for a good 5 minutes, finally succumbing to the dreaded 'male phobia' of asking for help, and i was immediately instructed to find Aisle 5, and to keep my fingers crossed (as i was told that they stocked WOMEN's socks, but not MEN's).

A veritable cornucopia of lady's leggings and foot coverings greeted my frenetic mind, but alas, nothing of the men's variety. So, faced with the tough decision of REALLY not wearing any socks, or making 'due', i stared at my last resort...

white and pink SLIPPER SOCKS. Seriously.

I pulled the trigger, albeit reluctantly, on the purchase, and dang-nabbit, if they didn't turn out to be the most comfortable freakin' things i've ever worn inside my cycling shoes!! i'm going to start a new trend...i may even do an infomercial! BAM!

"Super Secret Cycling Socks to the Stars"...brought to you by Craig Hummer, by ACCIDENT!

All's well that ends well, as they say. I had a fantastic 2hr, 40 mile ride. My feet were warm enough, and besides the frustration, pain, and anguish PRE-PURCHASE, i only ended up spending 3 bucks on these babies! Bargain to BOOT! YES!

Buckeye-Bound

I spent my childhood surrounded by Buckeyes. Literally. We had a Buckeye tree in the backyard of our house, we made 'Buckeye' candies at Christmas (peanut butter 'balls' with chocolate covering), i was sworn in to 'Buckeye Nation' earlier than i can remember, and of course, more often than not, i was subjected to Buckeye Humiliation at the hands of...(fill in the blank with your favorite NON-BIG TEN team)...most Januarys come the Rose Bowl, or less-prestigious post-season game.

All in all, it was a great childhood. I can remember Woody Hayes walking the sidelines. I can remember my parents (yes, BOTH of them) screaming at the TV on countless Saturdays as the leaves fell from the trees outside, and our spirits sank as well if the Bucks lost. That was what i figured 'normal' was. And that's what 'normal' still is here in the Heartland.

In no small way, my love of sports was born on those days- or at least my connection to what makes sports great. I loved watching everyone around me BE excited. FEEL the emotion. EXPRESS their passion. I used to dream of catching TD passes and celebrating in 'The Shoe', and every time i got to sit in the stands, even though that dream faded a bit with the progressing reality of passing youth, it was no less fun to DREAM.

It's probably been 30 years since i watched a game inside The Ohio State University's famous stadium, but every time i travel back here to Columbus, i'm transported back to those days, and those aspirations. Anything was possible, all you had to do was imagine it.

Here's the fun part. That glorious mindset was born here in Ohio, but i've carried it with me into adulthood. And as a parent, if i'm worth anything at all, i will teach my children to dream bigger than i ever would or could.

Go Bucks.