Puddles Posing

Puddles Posing, originally uploaded by Voodoo2.

well it's the cat. trying to be dead sophisticated and not looking at the camera and stuff. however, she's still a fluffy monster.

want.

these:


awesome looking cycling shoes. bloody dear though.

preparing for the weekend

So it's Thursday evening.... and the weekends racing (first of the season) is almost upon me. This week has been interesting. I was happy to get round the Phoenix CC reliability last Sunday without and damn mechanical issues... but it was hard work.

Monday, I did a bit of a recovery ride.
Tuesday, I started to come down with man-flu.
Wednesday, spent all day in bed (more or less).
Thursday, back to work and on the bike... did a turbo session of 90 second intervals.
Friday, working from home as the Sky man is coming to fit a new Sky+HD box.
Saturday, Annaclone GP
Sunday, Phoenix GP

The man-flu is more or less shifted, but nose is still fairly congested... I'm hoping a good nights sleep will sort it out.

Yep... kinda planning to do both races. This is more or less in prep for the Armagh-Downpatrick St. Patricks Day classic... but yes... I am going to be body-bagged if I manage to do both.

Bring it on..... ( I say in pretend arrogance and true idiocy...)

ranting.

Today seems to be a ranting day.

In that spirit, let me tell you how much I hate IVR systems. They just don't work with Irish accents. Ever. Never mind telling you what date my holiday is on... let me use the keypad. Or talk to someone!! What happened to press one for payments etc??

Muppets.

mechanical difficulties

I am not having a good start to the pre-racing season. Its just not good... firstly I turn up at the Dave Kane reliability and go with the a-run, little did I know that it was full of first cats who wanted to ride at 30mph on shitty roads round the ards peninsula. And with me being a bundle of nerves at getting back into riding into a fast pack. Joy. I got shelled after about 30 miles and had no intention of finishing it then... too windy by yourself. Feck that.

Next... a training run doing some hill repeats on Stormont on the canyon bike with tubular tyres... all good, hard work (but we like that)... until warming down and I hit a pothole on the newtownards road. I think I may have been the first person ever to pinch flat a tub. Argh. Ok.. so need to get that off and get it repaired to save buying a new one at 40 sheets.

Next... Maryland reliability... going well... had got over initial nervousness and starting to settle in nicely for some hard work... going uphill.. pop. Argh. Chain has popped the missing link used to join it. And thats me stranded in Katesbridge somewhere.... phone Mrs Henderson for a lift him. Doh. It would seem the bike shop put the wrong missing link in for that chain. The difference is a whole 0.2mm.

Next... training run home yesterday.... finishing off with a spin up Castlehill road to warm down. Oh whats that? A crater? Yep. Did I see it? No. What happened? Flatted two tyres and had to walk home. Only half a mile but even so.

Its not going well!

the sky is falling

Or so it seems to me. A new low has been hit by Marks and Spencer. They're starting to sell Strawberry Jam Sandwiches.

According to the Telegraph, m&s describes the "Simply...Strawberry Jam" sarnie as a "perfect quick fix, credit crunch lunch" - part of a range of no-frills nourishment which also features free range egg or British ham cunningly deposited between slices of white bread.

M&S sandwich specialist Katy Patino enthused: "We are delighted to be launching this national favourite. It really is the ultimate comfort food at an unbeatable price, plus it's the only place on the high street where you can get a jam sandwich. For those who haven't eaten one for years, one bite takes you straight back to your childhood."

For those who are incapable of making a jam sarnie.... there you go. For the rest of the world that has at least 2 fingers... go and make it yourself you lazy git.

tune-age

Hyped-up Psyched-Up Tunes

Ok... so as mental motivation is a big part of the whole cycling thing... well for me anyways... I find a good way to get mentally prepp'ed for a race or a reliability is to listen to top music. So in the spirit of that, I've compiled my ultimate playlist for getting ready to motor. Its is a bit of a mad mix of screamy rock and fast dance music. But generally pretty awesome.


Pretty Handsome Awkward - The used
Runaway - Avril Lavigne
Contagious - Avril Lavigne
Buck Rogers - Feeder
Seven Days in the Sun - Feeder
Normal like You - Everclear
Paint your Target - Fightstar
Grand Unification - Fightstar
A piece of mind - Finch
I'm so sick - Flyleaf
Pefect - Flyleaf
Waiting - Finch
Faint - Linkin Park
Everyday Combat - Lostprophets
See you again - Miley Cyrus
Next Contestant - Nickleback
False Pretense - The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus
Misery Business - Paramore
Taste the poison - Story of the year
Hooch - Sum 41
Speak of the Devil - Sum41
King of Contradictions - Sum 41
Confusion & Frustration - Sum 41
No Reason - Sum 41
Welcome to Hell - Sum 41
Asshole - Sum 41
Lights & Sounds - Yellowcard

[daily dose of imagery] houses and the sun

[daily dose of imagery] houses and the sun

excellent pic of snow, sun and houses.