At last

Here we are. 1 hour from the final of the finals. Construction Safety. I don't really even care that much any more. My "exam beard" is gone. Replaced with something a little odd and mildly entertaining for the Cyclery bash. Just gotta get the outfit to go with it. Even nearly packed. I impress myself. I really just need to get this exam over and done with so I can get onto non-school life. Just gotta toss all my crud in the car and get rolling. Not much riding going on today I fear. Not necessarily a bad thing, recovery is technically the key. That and focus on these exams. Solid day planned tomorrow, ride Saturday morning, work, party. And Sunday should be mostly a write off. Thats what happens. I'll probably get itchy to do something in the aft. We'll see how I feel. Sandy out.

Road map

This saddle represents my riding. As you can see, what was once a nice white saddle is now become a road map of the hours my butt has spent planted in it. You can see exactly the width of my sit bones and where they rest. You can see that my inner thighs rub the saddle, and as extra proof of that hair no longer grows there on my thighs. Apparently this is what must be done to make it. Long days, and years of imprinting your buttocks into a new saddle. Then, come spring... replace it with a shiny new map and start from scratch. Me, I have my sweet new couch of a saddle waiting. Figure, me and the ol' Turbo here have been through so much, why end this relationship now? Heck, maybe I'll mount it on my wall after. Kind of like the cyclists version of hanging antlers or fish above your fireplace.
In other news. Three exams down, one to go. Only problem, my mind has given up. According to it, school is done and riding is back. Its going to be a serious mental challenge to get some studying done. Then, packing, writing the actual thing, and making a break for home. Friday should be a good solid training day as we ramp up the hours for the next 3-4 weeks. Already dreaming of the mountains of South Carolina... Time to get some testing done soon chez Nick and maybe pick up some fat xc skis from Kiwi. I figure it could be cheaper than busting up my race skis on some of these back country excursions. I'll see what has been sitting around the shop and needs to move for the starving cyclist/student budget kinda price range. Drafting exam went pretty bloody well today, got a impressed thumbs up on my drawings. So to celebrate, I rode the trainer for a solid 3 hours with a whole wack of 1 legged drills. Ouch. Minimal easy spin tomorrow morning. Maybe study while riding? Then a final 2 pm exam. I'm so close. I'm starting to get excited to race. Its getting tougher to keep the intensity down. Gotta go burn off some of this excitement at the Christmas partay. woot.

Nearing completion

Ten page architecture paper with 2 pages of references. Done.
Carpentry projects completed. Check.
Regain pre-exam period sanity levels. Debatable.
Math exam, no worries. Didn't stress. Just skipped over the few questions giving me headaches and came back to them later. Spent many an evening hour sipping a beer and hammering out 10 pages of architectural insight. Quick dinner break, re-heated some wicked pasta made for just that purpose. Gonna need a few groceries today I think. Up early again today, into the shop. Ripped through my remaining projects, made sure all were marked or checked off. Took a bit of time to sharpen my tools in prep for the oncoming work over the holidays of christmas gift creations. Back home now. Quick respite from the work before reading over my Carpentry theory stuff before this aft's exam.
Best news of the week: my Friday English for Retards exam was apparently a figment of my imagination. Checked the exam sched yesterday. Looks like I can make the break for home on Thursday eve instead of Friday. Wicked. This is important on several fronts...
a) I have only 4 exams, and now Friday off.
b) Friday can and will be a good solid training day instead. Pow.
c) I will have time Friday to head to Value Village to compile my Cyclery Christmas Party suit 2007. I have to outdo '06. I have a reputation to uphold.
I'm so excited I think I'll ride tonight. That's how I celebrate. Cause' I'm just that cool. My food reserves are currently on Defcon 5 as I don't want to leave much behind here for the weeks I won't be around. Looks like eggs in toast for lunch. And maybe every other meal until I leave. Or run out of bread. Otherwise I'm pumped for a solid three weeks of simply training tons, sleeping and maybe a little working. Bam.

sore & stiff

Woke up bright and early this morning to discover just how stiff the majority my body is after that round of bushwacking yesterday. Really actually impressive how many muscles cycling really doesn't use. And how many of those nordic skiing DOES. Not helping was the fact that I felt the need to be in school (in the shop more specifically) to join the rest of my class in attempting to finish off the dozens of projects that were technically supposed to be done last Friday. I indeed finished a few, better have considering I was there for 4 bloody hours, and even managed to get some work done on a few specific christmas gifts. Not bad. After that, had to run to the store to buy a calculator that actually has Trig functions, found it mildly stressful last test attempting to use my current calc which does not. Also picked up a sub on the road for lunch, now learning a semester worth of math in approximately 1 1/2 hours. I'm confident. I mean hell, all I need is a 60% to pass the exam. Next step, finish the world's most massive architecture paper for tomorrow and figure out what exam I am to attend tomorrow. I figure that bit of knowledge could be useful. Needless to say, its not looking promising for squeezing in a ride today. Hopefully back on the bike tomorrow for a nice easy spin. It is a recovery week after all. At this point, I feel that I have wasted enough time. Time to get some coffee in me and get to school. Maybe learn to use my new calculator. All in all, I just want to ride my bike.

weekend update

Friday: nothing. Basically it. I was tired. So basically, got home, watched a bit of a movie with a beer and then went to sleep.
Saturday: work during the day, then went out for a few beers with Sarah Coney. Good to see one of the summer cyclist crew members back in Ottawa. Next up, baking. More on that escapade after the fact.
Sunday: early awakening for a ski with the old man crew, plus me and Vipond. Wicked fun. Basically beat around in the bush, on our race skis (except fancy boy Nick with some back country) skis, for about 3 hours. Seriously intense 3 hours. Mostly trudging through 20cm if fresh powder. Breaking trail, and generally careening around down the hills out of control. It commonly, ok every hill, seemed to end with me tangling myself around trees, not sticking the landing, or eating a lot of snow. I also got a lot of snow down my pants. To be fair, it was voted that I made the day fun. Everyone would go down the hill first, then let me know when I could drop it when they found good vantage points. I also took home prizes for going the fastest (though fully without control) and most air of several jumps. I need to learn to land next. No I find myself back in Perth, attempting to
a) study. math exam tomorrow.
b) write my massive architecture paper.
Unfortunately, both are not currently happening. Though I will change that. Right after I brew some coffee. To prove my commitment, I will now sign this post off. Serious.

Home

You'll have to excuse me, I'm not at my best
I've been gone for a week
I've been drunk since I left
And these so-called vacations
Will soon be my death
I'm so sick from the drink
I need home for a rest

Take me home....

Not actually drunk. But I am going home. Hopefully some rest, though I do have a fair amount of work to get done this weekend I'm afraid. Plus the usual skis and bikes. I really should have put off downloading 4 new movies until after exams. This could, and most likely will, cause me some problems in the studying department. So close to 3 weeks of no class.... And after that, so much closer to spring....

No Chain

1. A feeling of effortless pedaling, as to not feel the chain on your bicycle.
2. A great day in the saddle. Good legs / form.
What is, a no chain day on the bike.

I like that. Hard to have one of those days on the trainer, but lets be honest. That is the reason why so many of us put in all the hours and sweaty hours. While others stay out late, or sleep in - we pedal, and pedal more. All in hopes of another one of those days. Another feeling of elation as you ride at your best. Most important is to focus not on a victory itself, but to focus on pushing yourself beyond your preconceived limits. And perhaps, if you are lucky, find yourself pedaling away from those around you (as if you indeed did not have to grind away that chain on your gears), effortlessly dropping down a gear and flowing across the line with your arms in the air. A salute to all of the work you have done. PVP once said, "no one wins (Roubaix) with luck alone, you must have put in the miles to be in that position."

Today's post goes out to procrastination. Such as the wonderful job I'm doing at putting off my English "reflective" essay, which may or may not happen to be due tomorrow. So far I have procrastinated by spending my afternoon riding the trainer, made myself a pretty wicked pasta for dinner, watched an episode of Scrubs and now ranted and raved on the logic of training. But hey, its only 500 words. I can pump that sucked out in a solid 30 minutes if needed. Which is good, as I plan on being under the covers in a hour. Back home again tomorrow for the usual weekend, with the addition of homework. Hey, exams next week and a pretty solid architecture assignment to be finished. At least next week will be a scheduled recover week bike wise. Hard to believe its already December, and I already have this many miles in on a trainer. I miss last winter. I fully did a 3 hours bike path ride on Christmas day while the rest of my family napped before dinner. Not that I won't do similar this year, it'll just be a roller ride.