Can't stop laughing

I could watch this clip of Vancouver Canucks coach Alain Vigneault losing it behind the bench on Sunday afternoon 1000 times and still pull a muscle laughing.



You've gotta love it when things are going so well for you that you can laugh even when a clown like Vern Fiddler makes a fool of himself like this. Now I've got something to keep me laughing for a week or two, no matter how tough things get.

Welcome to the Ghost Town

It seems like blogging has quickly gone the way of the Dodo. What once used to be a media where people took the time to write thought provoking articles and share their insights with the world, has very quickly been replaced by the uber-positive, "let's all love each other", "look at me" worlds of Facebook and Twitter.

Fear not, the Angry Canadian has come out of retirement and will once again be spending some time documenting in this here blog. There's lots of stuff that's going to be happening over the next 3 or 4 months. Stay tuned to this channel, there's lots to discuss.

One Base Phase Done - More to Come

I just finished up 4 weeks of endurance base building. For how long and sporadic I've been with riding my bike the past 6 months, it's nice to get back into a consistent groove, eat better, ride better, and most importantly feel better. I think I've mentioned this before, but regardless of all other things; the one thing that I know I must do to be happy is to maintain an aerobic base. That's not just happy when I'm riding my bike, but happy in general. When I'm exercising regularly and feeling like I'm in shape everything else seems to flow so much better. I sleep better, I am more mentally focused, I'm more dedicated at work, I'm more relaxed and tolerant with people inside and outside of work, etc.

So, the past four weeks have been a start at what I know I need to do regularly for the rest of my life. To be more specific, it's consistent riding and at least two rides per week that are long (3+ hour) endurance rides. Next up, starting today, is three or maybe four weeks of base phase 2. There will still be long rides, but there will also be some more intense riding.

I'm also going to try three week phases; two weeks of hard work, one week of recovery for a while. Normally you do four week phases, but in the past I've found that I'm pretty worn down by the end of three weeks of hard riding. So much so that I almost always get sick by the end of base phase 3, which leads to burn out and lack of desire to be active.

Nice 3 Hour Ride to Work This Morning

I rolled out of bed at 5am this morning and was on the road at 5:30am. Three hours of fun and games up and down some nice hills east of Encinitas:

Getting Back to Consistent Riding

Over the past few weeks I've been doing a lot better with getting out on my bike. This last week I rode every day except for Monday and Friday. I've been sticking to the base building training plan from the Cyclist's Training Bible and eating like Paleo Man. Things are slowing coming back together.

Saturday was a tough one. I wanted to get a 2.5 hour endurance ride in. Not such a big deal, except for the fact that it's been really hot the past few days. Saturday was no exception. What I could normally do with two bottles took six.

This coming week may get a little hairy at work, we'll see how it goes. Hopefully I can get six days of riding in. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Pictures from Blind Stokers Ride

Here are some pictures from my first time out with the blind stokers. These are the ones with me and Peter. You can find lots more here - http://cyclingnut.smugmug.com/Sports/2010-Blind-Stokers-Club/12119797_xkSUN#861493523_eh47A

Substitute Captain for the Blind Stokers

Sunday I went out with the Blind Stokers for the first time. When I loaned them my spare tandem I told their leader, Dave White, that I'd be willing to fill in as a substitute captain where I could.

The Blind Stokers Club is organized around a 3 day ride they do in late July. In the past they've ridden from Santa Barbara, back down to San Diego. This year it's a little different, but the theme remains the same; provide a 3 day cycling adventure to blind stokers while helping raise money for the club. If you're looking for a charity ride that you can participate in, this is a great charity, and it's a ride that anyone is welcome to be a part of.

In order to build up to the 3 day adventure, they do a monthly club training ride. In the meantime, teams are supposed to be doing their own training rides so that they can prepare for the 3 day adventure.

Sunday we rode much of the SDBC development ride route. North from UCCyclery, up through Rancho Sante Fe, west on Manchester, and back south on the 101. 35 miles or so on a very windy day. I had the pleasure of partnering with Peter Dawson for the day (you can find some info on Peter on the Blind Stokers website).

It was really cool to ride with these guys. It's especially nice to ride with a group of people who are so enthusiastic about cycling. That goes for everyone from the stokers, to the captains, to the organizers. You also gain an entirely new perspective on how meaningful it is to have your eyesight. As Peter and I were heading back south on the 101 I almost felt bad as I was describing for him how beautiful a day it was, all the beautiful scenery, cute girls running on the side of the road, etc.

Riding with Peter was also interesting due to the circumstances of how he lost his eyesight; once again proving what I learned a long time ago, that no matter how bad I thought my accident was, there are plenty of people who have it way worse. Peter lost his eyesight as a result of a motor bike accident when he was 18. Despite all of the hardship he's gone through in his life, he hasn't let it get the better of him. He got a law degree, practiced law for years, and now works as a rehab counselor. I know back when I hurt myself I'd love to have had someone like Peter that I could have related to. Having the perspective of having been through his own, very serious accident is something that I'm sure his clients can really relate to.