The Burning Man effigy was torched four days early by some performance artist yesterday. After being arrested, he later posted $25K bail to get out of the pokey.
Shame on him!
“It’s obviously a pretty selfish act, and people are disappointed about that, but spirits overall are pretty high,” said Burning Man spokeswoman Andie Grace.
Meanwhile, the Hedonism Chapter of Nevada is planning the first ever combined "United - Way - 5K - Race - for - the - Cure - Blood - Drive" to promote a more family friendly image of the annual pagan Burning Man festival.
You will be contacted soon with ways in which you will help support the cause.
1) Omahabike.org's silent auction
5:00 - 7:30pm Thursday August 30
2) LINCOLN BICYCLE SWAP MEET
Saturday September 8th, 2007 ( 9am-3pm )
5300 South Folsom St.
Looking for a road bike. Anyone been to these?
Along side the sights of the yellow school buses, the fanaticism of Husker Nation, the grand corporate events...Cycling Challenge & the Corporate Cup 10k, today I saw the first real sign that autumn is officially here: the pink-tinted leaves on the top of this tree
in my neighborhood.
It's the beginning of the change and it's all around us now.
How can this be? It was so incredibly hot just a couple of weeks ago, and last week really wasn't much of a reprieve. And yet, the trees are starting to go dormant.
I've been in denial about this for some time now. Back in the early August, on a 95 degree day with a heat index of 108, I took the picture below of an empty swimming pool with dead leaves already in the corner. The juxtaposition of this sight against the backdrop of an oppressively sweltering day caused me to pause during a long run. As I collected my breath and snapped this picture, I wondered: where did the time go?
I could quote Othello, but Fred already beat me to the punch; somebody please help him with this. I considered drawing metaphors to my undeniably thinning hair and the aging process, but that's too depressing & self indulgent.
The truth is that summer is waning while Autumn is set to charge forth. The days are growing shorter & colder, pigskin's dominating the boob-tube, and my boss is preparing to chase me down to give freely to the United Way Campaign at the office. (Side note: giving to charities is good; mandatory "voluntary" participation is in bad taste)
I'm not going to sugarcoat/gin-soak this. This change simply sucks.
It's been a terrific summer of long rides & runs, swims and races. I've enjoyed it way too much. Thanks to all of you who contributed to these times. Indeed, the memories are wonderful; I just wish I had more.
So there it is. Fall is here, summer is no more.
Uh, yeah...Go Team!
Some say that the road to Omaha isn't a road at all...
Well, there are a roads in Omaha that are in desperate need of some repair. Along the course of the 2007 Corporate Cycling challenge route, Railroad crossings, for one, caused numerous flats. And there are better roads in developing countries than Carter Lake Road.
But that's why we're doing this crazy event, right?
Okay, so I confess. I thought that I was pretty cool yesterday, showing up on my fancy new ride, complete with time trial bars & bar-end shifters, a cyclo-computer and red LOOK Ke0 pedals. I tossed aside the tattered tank top and corduroys for had a new jersey and bibs. I even had a new helmet. Man, I was set to kick ass.
One mile into it, all of the fun and glory was ruined as my front wheel was sliced up by a sharp object in the RR crossing. How ironic. Maybe it was a payback for all of those times I failed to submit my timesheet on time.
So let's recount the 2007 Corporate Cycling Challenge thus far. It went something like this: Riders, get ready, set, go! BANG! Luke said, "Was that my tire or yours?"
FFFFfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffftttttttttttttt! It was mine.
After about 10 minutes, or the amount of time it took for practically everyone in the "chase" pack to pass me, I was up and hammering again. That lasted for about five seconds.
Now for all of you who were crying about starting 50 feet from the front, try passing the ENTIRE Tour De Fort pack on Carter Lake road. I saw it all there, and it wasn't pretty. Wow! I wish I didn't know now what I didn't know then. My favorite memory was the dude who thought that it would be nifty riding his recumbent trike while managing to occupy six feet of the far left side of the road. Oh, for a bicycle pump to the spokes...
By the time I was on Hwy 75, I was finally breakin' away on the remaining portion of the 41 mile TT. I made good time and was happy with how my P2sl felt, but it just wasn't the same as the first year I experienced the exhilaration of the pack. No, I was going solo this time, pretty much without joy.
I was spent as I approached the finish. I skipped the post fest throw down and went directly home, barely managing 10mph up Cuming street. While I didn't cry --I was probably too exhausted to do so--I wouldn't really care if I did because I openly cry at Hallmark commercials. If I saw a Hallmark commercial while riding Cuming St, well maybe then a tear or two.
So that's my 2007 Corporate Cycling challenge. Next year, I'm riding no-flats. It's either that, or a three wheel recumbent. Heck. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. 
And in unrelated news...Tomorrow is the early entry deadline for the MudRun 2007 to be held at 9am Sunday, September 2, 2007 at Mt Cresent.
Entry fee includes FREE food and FREE beer.
Beer provided by New Belgium. Race day entries will be accepted.
$27 Through August 17
$32 Until day of race.
$10 Mini Mud Run
Prizes and awards will be given out after each race.
84º F with 74% humidity. Feels like 103º F. As you know, it's been like that here in tropical Omaha, lately.
In these balmy conditions, the sweat flings off your body like rain and your fingers end up like prunes at the end of a long run. Riding only leaves you saturated from head to toe. Good grief.
I am wondering if this massive amount of fluid loss is contributing to a case of constipation. Hmmmm. It's either that or the cheese I've been eating.
"I've been bound up lately. It's driving me crazy. I've been eating a lot of cheese for some reason...I don't know, I can't get enough cheese. I feel like a big mouse." (Uncle Buck). 
What else could it be?
Due to time constraints, I've been focusing more on running recently. 14 miles on Saturday, nine in the mid-day swelter of Monday and eight more at the track Tuesday has poured the life out of my legs and body.
Last night's production call didn't finish until 2am. What a kludge...got four hours of sleep, skipped the morning swim and left the p2sl at home. Work calls.
So let's see: heat + humidity + 31 miles the hard way + sleep loss + work stress + cheese = constipation.
I dunno, but I still think it's just the cheese. It's gotta be.
"I got a craving for the stuff. Do you think maybe that's an allergy?" (Buck)
I hope to drop a blog later tonight.
UNO Track Speed workout: 12 x 400m anaerobic threshold with 200m active recovery.
Regardless of whether you run or cycle, an ice bath really does help remove the lactic acid after a hard workout. Here's how you can do it in your own home:
Ingredients:
1 human
40 gallons of cold water
1 extra large (25 lb) bag of ice. Hy-Vee sells for $3.49.
1 Tbl Loose leaf Earl Grey Tea
1 warm jersey
1 Wool hat
1 copy of RunnersWorld
Marinate human meat in lactic acid for at least one hour before hand by pushing your V02 max at the track or on your time trial bike.
Prepare 8 oz cup with 190-200º F water. Add tea leaves to cup and steep 2-4 minutes.
Fill tub with cold water.
Put on wool hat and jersey.
Gently and *slowly* submerge lower torso into the tub.
Add 20 lbs ice.
Read RunnersWorld and drink hot tea.
Steep 20 minutes.
The three day period of mourning is over.
Introducing my Cervelo P2sl Pro.
Kudos to High Gear's Matt N and Jackie for getting me back on track.
