LOTOJA

Okay, since just about everyone else has posted about it (Melissa, Scott, and Shawn on FB), I guess I had better too. For those who don't know LOTOJA, here's an idea of the elevation changes over the 200 miles between Logan and Jackson. This always makes me smile.

And now that I've spent an hour or so scanning through all the over-priced photos at Zazoosh, I though I'd post a few of the options I have for my next mouse pad (just $19.95) or 15-oz. photo mug (a very reasonable $22.95). [Mom and Pop, if you're still looking for ideas for a graduation gift... kidding.] Seriously, it would take a 15-oz. mug just to fit this chubby biker's gut on my next sugary serving of Steven's Extra Dark:

Overall, it was a very good day. Felt good on the climbs—faster than I've climbed in the past, which, let's be honest, wouldn't take much of an improvement. I get passed by old people on Lil Rascals anytime the road points upwards. And I was surprised how fast we were able to ride on some of the flats—28 mph at times with very little effort.

The only real pain was in the last 40 miles or so, when my feet were on fire. Palms, feet, and seat take most of the bumps and pressure, so they get a little sore, but the balls of my feet were screaming. Riding up the canyon, I just wanted to soak my dogs in the Snake River and watch the steam rise...

Here we are coming off the summit in Strawberry Canyon, headed toward Bear Lake Valley. Me, Troy, then Shawn. First rule of downhill: Always put the fat guy in front to block the wind for the skinny guys. Notice there's no one in front of me.

As always, it was nice to have a few fans cheering us on. The early start meant fewer people between Logan and Preston, but there were plenty of people in Jackson, including the nice lady who was squirting bikers with her hose as we went by. Except for this guy:

How do you think my butt feels, Asweepay?

Placed 175th in the fun ride... out of more than 400 that started. Now I've finished four—04, 05, 06, and 09. I'm too close to five to not ride again next year, so the plan is to train smarter, lose more weight, and win King of the Mountains, which will only require me to take about nine or ten minutes off my climbing time of 23:05. And maybe we can finish in less than 11 hours?

Here's hoping that both Troy, Shawn, and even Scott decide to add just one more.

Observations On the News Today...

Oh those pesky Republicans. According to this report, they are using "buzz words" to make the president look bad. Among the scary buzz words they are using: "nationalize" and "socialist".

From the article: "Republicans are honing an attack line against President Barack Obama in an attempt to play on Americans' fears of government overreach and economic uncertainties, suggesting he is nationalizing American industry and socializing medicine."

Hmmm.

Is it just me or did the president not engineer the federal government's take-over of Chevrolet and Chrysler. The government has now provided just under $50 billion for a 72.5% ownership share in GM.

Here's how dictionary.com defines the scary buzz word, nationalize: "to bring under the ownership or control of a nation, as industries and land: a movement to nationalize the oil industry." Sounds about right to me.

And, of course, the president's been talking all week about providing healthcare coverage for everyone, otherwise known as social medicine. What kind of a person favors scrapping a medical system that works relatively well for 85% of Americans for a government run, rationed, medical program that will work well for no one? A Canadian. Okay, that was a trick question. Other acceptable answers include "a socialist".

But the liberal water carriers at the Associated Press think this is "sloganeering". No wonder newspapers are going out of business around the country.

And then there is this report, where our illustrious vice president says that the stimulus is working, just not very quickly. Note to the AP: "not very quickly" is a buzz word that means "not at all."

Biden says, everyone guessed wrong. Ummm, not exactly. There are a lot of conservatives that guessed exactly right on this.

This is pretty cool. Lucky... unlucky... I vote lucky.

Finally, God bless the protesters in Iran.

Now it all makes sense...

This is why you're fat.

Seriously, who doesn't like deep fried lard balls dipped in sugar?

Or deep fried cheese burgers?

Mmmmmm.

Finding Something to Drink in Prague...

The Czech Republic is known for its beer. But, that doesn't really work for me. Fortunately the Coke in Europe is very good--if you can find it cold--I think its made with sugar instead of corn syrup.  And the tap water was really tasty, but almost impossible to find. No drinking fountains. It's not served in restaurants even when you ask for it. So I was thirsty for about half of the trip.

At one point, Jason and I stepped inside a small corner store up the street from our hotel to find a Coke and maybe some fruit for lunch, when we discovered a real specialty. Unfortunately I only had about 25 crowns and this potent* little beverage cost more than 40. I'm still wondering what it tastes like. Though in hind sight, I'm not sure this is the stuff you should drink when one is traveling sans-spouse for almost two weeks.

More on the trip later.

*This is an assumption based on packaging cues, which also indicate this drink does something funky to your neck and makes your hair stand on end.

Prague Castle and Cathedral...

Okay, Judy... this is for you.

Now that school is over, I'm going to try to be a little more consistent about posting a few things to my blog—at least until I start my PhD.

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to return to Prague and Budapest (Jim and I visited both cities during our Tour d' Europe in 1994). Here are a few of the pictures I took in Prague...

Today we start with a few shots of the castle and cathedral...

The front gate was guarded the first day, but when we walked up a few days later, we could walk through to the court yard behind...

Looking up at the spires at the front of the cathedral...

A shot of the gargoyles hanging over the street at the side of the cathedral...

A bronze of the 12 apostles and Jesus over the main door...

From behind the building...

At night from across the river...

And the Charles bridge in the foreground...

I Hear Phantom is Playing at the Venitian...

Ladies and Gentlemen, Please Remain in Your Seats After the Game...

No, seriously, PLEASE remain in your seats after the game for a special presentation...

Best line of the night: Pop asked, "I wonder what Austin Collie did this year so he wasn't blessed for doing the right things like last year?"

A Gift or a Loan...

Things that Suck

With that last post, I got a pretty good negative vibe going. So to keep that up (and to play yin to the Scrapbook Nazi's yang), I offer the following list of stuff I hate in addition to Halloween:

1. Olives. And Beets.

2. Riding my bike 200 miles in a snow storm.

3. Green Dots.

4. People who drive while texting.

5. Clogs.

6. Costume parties.

7. The Las Vegas Strip.

8. Precious Moments figurines.

9. Fat people in lycra.

10. Boils.

11. Michael Savage.

12. Sprint.

13. Lists.

14. People who smell like soup.

15. Shoveling dog poop.

16. Firing people.

17. Snakes.

18. Back hair.

19. The Last Starfighter.

20. Broken water mains.

21. Shopping.

22. Slivers.

23. American Idol.

24. Cats.

25. Casseroles made with mushroom soup.

26. Losing.

27. Faux hawks.

28. Speeding tickets.

29. The NBA.

30. Actors who think their political opinions matter.

31. Fillet-O-Fish.

32. Pyracantha bushes.

33. Winter.

34. Clutter.

35. Being late.

36. Global warming hype.

37. Selling stock at a loss.

38. Socks with holes in the toes.

39. Crashes when you haven't saved your data.

40. Zits inside your nose.

41. That milking thing Aggies do when they sing the school song. Come to think of it, their fight song may be one of the worst "fight" songs ever.

42. Forgetting garbage day.

43. Bunko.

44. Negativity.

45. Field bindweed.

46. Candy corn.

47. Afternoon church.

How much do I hate thee? Let me count the ways.

I despise Halloween.

I hate dressing up. I really hate dressing up.

I hate that my kids dress up, and fight about which costumes they get to wear, and cry when someone else puts the one set of vampire teeth in their mouth.

I especially hate there are costumes strewn around the house for two weeks.

I hate how hyper my kids get because they're hopped up on candy.

I hate the Monster Mash, and Thriller, and Time Warp from the Rocky Horror Picture Show. (But I do like Boingo, oddly enough.)

I hate the gore, and the fake blood, and the grotesqueness of it all.

I hate that a half day of work is lost to people walking around checking out what everyone else is dressed up as.

I hate the the other half of the day is lost to handing out candy to fellow coworker's kids who come to the office in their costumes.

I hate that I have to hand out candy for several hours at night to a bunch of kids I've never seen before. They don't go to school with my kids. They don't go to church with my kids. They pour out of minivans, bussed from other neighborhoods where apparently people hand out salt water taffy and raisins instead of Milky Way bars.

I hate that my dog barks every time the door bell rings.

I hate when 16 year olds show up on my door step as if it's okay for them to still be trick or treating like they're five. Some don't even bother with costumes.

I hate buying groceries from a cashier dressed like Elvira, mistress of the dark. Or making a deposit at the bank to someone dressed like Howdy Doody.

But this year, I hate Halloween even more because I have to work near this guy:

Yes, it's a costume. And no, it is not right. Be thankful I didn't post the full frontal shot.