like a hawk, or an eagle, or something with some talons?

So couple more recovery days ... I am off the couch and starting to burst with Energy and also it is important you know that 'I am so excited' just like Kurt Cobain in Lithium LISTEN 

Today more MTB skills and easy spinning around Ventura. Matt joined me today and we finally found the popular local coffee shop on Main street (Palmero ... LINK cool site) ... it was very good, great atmosphere and good time put into both drinks. (link to Ride route for day from California Blog)

Also on the California blog matt put up some pictures in a cool slideshow of our first 3 guests who have come and gone. They all brought a bunch of new perspectives and knowledge that I attempted to soak up like a sponge ... never enough time but I think 3 friendships founded and/or improved on. The house is quiet for next few days though so hard at the housework! LINK TO that Post

Also the I almost got eaten by the BobCat camouflaged in picture above... I luckily was focused on my power-meter and missed such wild life ... our current house guest Kari stopped to absorb this and prove that i Almost died ... some would argue she was closer to death then I with her flash bulbs and curiosity.


From www.trainwithpeter.com

How are you guys connected to the family again?

Couple easy days after the block

... spent the day laying on couch yesterday

way more energetic today so here are some amazing links while I burn time !

(also note I cleaned my bikes today for the record)

The above team is amazing

Mark Batty and SpiderTech presented by Planet Energy gets announced ... Mark's Hair is amazing

Jared Stafford - Ontario Cyclocross Espoir is in Czech Republic at World Championships

http://jaredstafford-j-staff.blogspot.com

Adam Morka posted a video ... It may work today LINK  He needs me and I need him to film our madd 8500 rides ...

Male EB and I are working on http://www.trekraceteam.com

  - a work in progress but coming along ... if you have ideas or want to make it better lemme know !

Rachael's blog is good ... enjoyable urinal shot in this post LINK 

From www.trainwithpeter.com

just to see how it feels, or "Ouch Ouch, You're on My Hair."

 Mark is a fantastic Hair Stylist ... his calling after cycling ? 

Eating
 - Fueled intervals yesterday with spinach / Turkey / Cantaloupe / flax seed / orange Salad ... 3hrs digestion and then give'r
- After the ride I enjoyed a fine Ginger cookie & coffee drink at the Santa Barbara Roasting Company with Warren and Kari, our two latest house guests ... quite a nice establishment. I am sure we will be returning as M&M missed out so that they could find snow and a dead end at the top of the Mountains.

Training
  - Keeping up the Band-Aid Tearing Practice ... it is coming along well.
  - Yesterday The whole house got in the car and drove to Santa Barbara to take in Gibralter ... which is supposed to be 'America's Alpe D'huez' ... also one of Mike Barry's Favorites (LINK)

Learning
  - cross-sectional analysis showed a significant association between soda (or pop in Canadian) intake and hyperuricemia/chronic kidney disease == This is fueled by the dangers of Fructose and High Fructose ... Uric Acid accumulation is also a big part of GOUT  
   - I also just learned that Cherries are key in treating GOUT ... If you have Gout take note :)
Int J Obesity. Published online December 22, 2009.

 - Cyclones vs. Tornados ? 
  Both tropical cyclones and tornadoes are atmospheric vortices but otherwise aren't related.
 = Tornadoes have diameters on the scale of 100s of meters and are produced from a single convective storm (i.e. a thunderstorm). They require substantial vertical sheer (changing winds and tempos). Tornadoes occur over land (usually) and are usually present for minutes.
 = A tropical cyclone is about 1000x bigger and has multiple storms in it and doesn't require much vertical sheer at all. They only happen over water and die when off of moisture source and last several days.
 
From www.trainwithpeter.com

I can put the ball wherever I want to. I'll make it rain out here.

 The rain may be gone ... Apparently it is in Tuscon and Palm Springs as well ... Damn El-Ninio

 Workout #2 for Friday revealed some Beauty Sunsets over Ocean - A pleasant change from the Morning Workout where I was busting it out in full rain and flooding ... much to the enjoyment of onlookers!

Realized Long Spirotiger Sessions go by very easily while watching MTV's '16 and Pregnant' ... check out this video LINK ... It's sort of sad while Hilarious at same time

Learning
 - Emily Batty announcement has been launched ... congrats Em! I kissed Mark and he will pass said Kiss on to you. LINK
 - Intra-Brand Competition ... Good conversations on this with house guest Kari ... LINK
 - Oakley glasses are addictive and prolong ride departure (for my housemates that is), We got a tour of Oakley Head office ... Matt P explains it well LINK

From www.trainwithpeter.com

I'm gonna go. You can't go. Watch me. Watch me take this on down the road.

 

Watching the Skis for an Afternoon Break in the Weather to Bust out some more Ints ... At least I look good

Found a cool agility course on Thursday's MTB skill ride / Urban ride

Took some pictures of local tourists

Eating
    - super good dinner the other night ... it confused Matt's Mouth but was enjoyed by all despite confusion
   - Pineapple/walnut/collard greens/ginger/red and white onions stirfried and topped with salmon
Learning
  - apparently Pickles are good for you ... I continue to argue this with Naturopath Holly, one of our house guests
      ... decide for yourself LINK

From www.trainwithpeter.com

God, wouldn't that be sweet? -Wouldn't that be nice?

So Questions coming in about Training and Nutrition, feel free to ask via Comments, mabey below helps :)
- Thanks to www.steveneal.ca for the support in the graphic and training
.. can use that blog for training questions

The Rain has come ... I have squeezed in all the sessions so far ... sprinting in the rain!

Milk Carton Fenders in Full effect !

 

The Army has some heavy machinary instock in case the storm gets bad ... Dump Truck all blacked out

Monster Performers of Yesterday (storm day 1) were Matt, Holly and Mark ... all getting in 3-4hrs in rain!

I saw a car disappear in a puddle ... and both M & M made like the car and submerged their hubs

Studies I have been catching up on: 
a) Dietary fiber may help prevent gain in body weight and waist circumference ... December 16, 2009, issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

b) While smoking cessation is good ... it seems to increase likelihood of developing Type 2 Diabetes ... apparently this means you shouldn't start smoking ideally  ---  in the January 5 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.
c) American Heart Association recommends "prudent upper limits" on daily intake of simple sugars.  140 kcal for most American men and 100 kcal for most American women. Those numbers assume the added sugar accounts for half a person's discretionary calorie allowance--that is, the difference between estimated calories needed to maintain weight and those "needed to maintain nutrient requirements. (a can of coke has about 41grams of sugar ... or 120kcal of sugar)
d)  If you have chronic pain you are more likely to fall ...  November 25 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

From www.trainwithpeter.com

... is gonna freak out and throw a shit fit, and it's gonna go into crisis lockdown mode

so good news ... we went shopping on Friday Night ... I bought new Sunglasses

so bad news ... possible crisis lockdown due to mother nature throwing a 'shit fit'

... I don't believe it but next few days could be crazy !

Eating : we had Mexican last night so my motivation to be 'perfect' Paleo/zone is quite high today
         Breakfast - bowl of applesauce + orange + flax seed + mixed nuts + coconut Oil 
                     with Chicken Breast & collard greens on the side (4 block breakfast with extra fat)

Training = AM - 10min spiro / 90min 5x4min WO / 30min Spiro
                PM - 45min maintenance strength and active flex

Reading = Interesting article from McLeans on the Olympics and secret technology ...
"It’s a process of evolution that’s only picking up speed in international sports. Canada risks getting left behind if—as happened after Montreal and Calgary—we stop backing our athletes with the financial and administrative resources brought to bear in the last four years. “Where do we go after the Games—does all of this special funding that was created disappear?” asks Jackson. “If it does, we lose everything: we lose 150 positions of coaches and sports science people, the whole Top Secret program.” That could have a disastrous impact in two years. “We need to transfer a bunch of the knowledge to the summer sports, too,” says Allinger, who fears the will to finance elite sports programs may fade after the Olympics. “That’s a concern,” he says. “But I think we’ll end up being No. 1, and who’s going to want to turn the tap off then?”
http://www2.macleans.ca/2010/01/12/olympic-secrets-revealed/

From www.trainwithpeter.com

Great guy. He brung me along, too.

 gotta love google maps ... visualization of the gobernator climb we (M&M and myself) would face today on my last long day for awhile

 

Sat on the driveway and blew into a bag while waiting for M&M to get organized ... turns out they were shooting spy shots of me waiting for them to get organized

 

 1 crazy tire blow out and about 80 of 115km later we come into the Gobernador climb ... beauty climb that reminded me of Switzerland World Cup start climb and Mark of climbing in Tour de L'Avenir

(this is what we are discussing as I pull the classic 'I'm not hurting' seated climb )

Solid day of riding with 'the guys' ... we attacked a local female on the 2nd climb of the day, took ~10min and well over 250watts to pull her back ... Matt (who is getting fit) made conversation with said female and took pictures while I tried to save all of our male egos at the front !

 
From www.trainwithpeter.com

I'm Sorry ... I'm Not sorry, I'm a Cocksman

 

Good talks lately about continuing education ... M&M are working on their Natural Gas Technician Certificate

Remote start in Ojai (not pronounced OJ ... the preferred Canadian Pronunciation)

Note a new Female member at the California House.

I have only offended her a few times, as the post title indicates :)

I got on my Black and White Killing machine and did work up a mountain for about 2hrs, back down to bottom then across the bottom then back up about half way then back down again

Singletrack !! Rocks !!! ... Holy crap did I have fun today

From www.trainwithpeter.com

Christmas Come Early

Trek 8500 Arrives and is setup with some Ergon Grips ... Time to Explore!

Eating
 - Full Paleo day for the off day
a) breakfast = second go at the sardine omlet
b) lunch =  Steak + apple + orange + carrot + olive oil + nuts
c) dinner = big chicken breast and tomato based veggie stirfry with flax seed/avocado/olive oil

Training
- 60min with a coffee stop in downtown Oxnard ... it was nicer then we thought !
- then 20min on the spiro tiger
- then Surfing ... Ocean was forming full barrels, Mark and I did pretty good for first time, much more to learn. Big learning from this was that a wet suit will fix my dislike for swimming as well (ie. keep me warm)

Learning
  - If older people living in community dwellings pound green tea they are less likely to be depressed reports December issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition ... good thing i pounded Green Tea today.
-  Too much about Compression Garments ... still no conclusion but I read lots to write this summary on SNPD / Crossfit sites ... www.steveneal.ca
- Some requests for the Henry David Thoreau podcast LINK ... thanks for reading and commenting

From www.trainwithpeter.com

If I had any air in my lungs, I'd scream at you!

Big weekend with a group ride saturday and a 5hr endurance day on Sunday with Mark Batty

(stealing water from Subway below)

Breakfast: sardine omlet with spinach/peppers + oregano/turmeric++ nut and fruit and almond milk in bowl

 

 Snoop Dogg is in Town ... I learnt this while waiting across the road for Saturday Group Ride to start

 --- I want to go for the life experience but don't want the Ross Rebagliati Experience --

Watch this Video of the group ride (a past one not the one i was on) ... great group and route

 

view from top of mountain Mark and I a in ascended in about 55min (1100m) ... then descended very quickly

 From www.trainwithpeter.com

I don't want to be around someone who's a nut job.

 Trip to Trek Ventura ... Another Great Trek Store ... Super Organized, Well Stocked and Nice People!

Easy Spin on Friday ... climbed up (easily) and nice decent into Santa Paula

 Ended with some Nice Farm touring back towards Ventura Starbucks to Meet M&M for good talks

(interesting note that my TREK Madone was far preferred by people entering Starbucks to either M&M's)

  

Learning:

 - Mark's team news went public for Planet Energy LINK good on ya

 - Listened to a podcast about Henry_David_Thoreau's LINK and his work 'Walden' ... basically he decides to live in the woods and not deal with society. The discussion was whether his stories are still relevant in today's America. One hour later it turns out it is but that he could not have been a woman because they have babies and so have meaning beyond taking greedy journeys into the wilderness. 

 - Despite what my starbucks book says not all starbucks employees bleed green ... or bleed coffee flavored blood ... today the 'baristas' could not explain what the complicated star system is that is associated with US starbucks card ... i got a free (decaf) coffee out of it .

From www.trainwithpeter.com

Are we gonna get hopped enough to make some bad decisions?"

Crazy days

Breakfast - Sprouted Grain 'Omlet Wrap'  (3 eggs / milk / tumeric / some sweet potatoe / mustard greens / onion) ... laid on a wrap and rolled. Then Consumed.

WO: 4hrs with 1200m climbing in the middle 1hr45min up Yerba Buena. + 20min on the Spiro

 Started out with M&M on some of the biggest bike lanes I have seen

 ... good conversation then it was just me and a few mountains.

Interspersed in the last few days were the following
a) scaring myself by consuming approximately 6 shots of Kona Coffee straight from Hawaii (thanks Mike) ... Off it for awhile I think!

b) pouring Tea on my laptop ... so it chilled upside down with a nice fan induced breeze for many hours ... seems to be up to par.

c) 3hrs of Grocery shopping, now we have a US Costco Card and a lot of food. (you can buy alcohol there)

Learning:
  - Pavement is very slick when you try to follow Rock Racing guys down super steep and twisty mountains

From www.trainwithpeter.com

Hurry, 'cause I'm gonna time you. Go!

Nice double day today with some field tests to check how things are going and see whether powertap was working! (it was ... i think)

they were interspersed with eating and LAN parties with Matt and Mark. (further m&m)

Also thank you to Andrew Watson for the Bday well wishes ... Just got caught up on my AWI news

M&M are enjoying trying to find cheap cell phone deals in the states ... Matt and I went with Virgin ... Mark has 2 canadian cell phones and is researching options for a third ... quite enjoyable and confusing.

Training: AM- 90min w/ couple 3min efforts

 PM- 120min with 30min effort

Eating: Helping Matt get onto the zone ... his sugar cravings are enjoyable

2nd breakfast today was 1/2 cantilope + 3tbs cottage cheese + 2 blocks protein powder + 1 apple + bit of granola + almond milk + some nuts + coconut oil ( the 'cantibowl' )

Learning:

- Starbucks stock has increased something like 5000% since 1992 ... apparently because they don't tell employees what to do and make customers feel happy. The stimulant provided may assist this.

( My brother got me 'The Starbucks Experience' for Christmas )

- There is a facebook group called 'There's a perfectly good path right next to the road you stupid cyclist!" this made Mark quite angry

From www.trainwithpeter.com

put me on the top of this mountain

So in California safe and sound

Getting things organized ... a few good road rides in ... slowly acceptin that i have no MTB for a few days at least ... New Madone 5.5 is treating me very nicely though. It did scare the crap out of me on first few twisty decents ... way more speed and skinny tires and lacking disc brakes then i have had in awhile.

Big climbing loop yesterday (picture) ... many options i am looking forward to exploring. Met Ryan Trebon out for a ride on the way in and chatted with him for last ~45min of ride ... always passes the time quickly meeting up with someone !

speaking of meeting up with people we picked up The Real MB (mark batty) and he killin a big hunk of beef beside me right now ... he says he is sleeping tomorrow but good rides will ensue i am sure.

Lots going on but good times so far here in Cali ... favorable weather thus far with a strong wind coming off the mainland 

From www.trainwithpeter.com

and I think the problem is I am not being adventurous enough for you!

Almost there, It is a very long way ...

Along the way ... 

Get secondary inspection at border (2hr+ ordeal)

Read Billboards with only the word 'Jesus' on them

Rang in the New Year (on TV) with Travis Pastrana Jumping Long Beach Pier in A Suburu WrX

Ate a morning Breakfast Waffle .... Ate Mexican Food

Ran early in the morning in hotel fitness room ... rode in crazy town of Santa Rosa, New Mexico (in Shorts)

Read that Disney Bought Marval Comics ... Mickey and Spider Man unite in a super Hero Adventure !?!?

California Today !!!

From www.trainwithpeter.com