sorting Online Identity

Well I just spent 30 minutes at 2 am sorting out my online identity. These things happen when you take codeine enhanced cough syrup and sleep insanely long periods of time.

So I think, if I understand what I've read and done, my blogger profile is now linked to my google+ profile. I have my doubts about google+'s ability to survive, google is a giant to be sure, but Facebook is an internet juggernaut, and I prefer it personally. But, we shall see. I plan to be far more selective about google+ friends, so maybe that will make this a different experience. Or maybe I'll lose interest in a week. Who knows.

Pneumonia

I haven't posted in a long time, but I'm laid up with pneumonia right now, and I find that I have some free time.

I began to wonder about the validity of a blog with Face book at your fingertips, but now I kind of look at Facebook as a bigger version of twitter. Throw a few lines out there and see what happens. This lets me really pontificate.

So over the next couple of days I'm going to freshen this up a bit and probably link it back to my google account. If you read me before but havent been on in a while, maybe you'll find something new and fun to read.

ADT

IMG_6557, originally uploaded by Красный Октябрь.

I would go anywhere with these men

Ive been watching the Isle of Man TT for the last few weeks (As anyone who has a pulse should be) and Ive noticed a few things. The classes at the TT are basically the same as the rest of International Motor Racing, but they are confusing even to someone who follows it as closely as I do. Bottom line, whats the difference to a spectator between the Supersports, and the Superbikes when they look exactly the same, sound exactly the same, have the exact same riders, and lap within a few seconds of each other even on a course as large as the IOM? Basically I feel like Ive watched the same race 5 times. I do know the technical differences, and I believe in superbikes as unlimited PRODUCTION BASED motorcycles (as opposed to the Prototype concept employed by GP racing) but the difference between superstock and superbike is so narrow right now, that its just silly. Its as bad as Daytona, when you used to care who won the Daytona 200, and saying "Oh well he won Daytona" meant that YOU WON THE RACE AT DAYTONA. Now you have to respond to that with "which class?" on "which bike?". Probably seven people can say they won Daytona this year, and the same would apply to IOM if Bruce Anstey hadn't won everything. Number of race win records are falling left and right when a man can compete in 9 classes at the same track. I hate to reference NASCAR but they had this problem a few years ago when drivers were racing both Busch and Winston in the same weekend. Ultimately they limited participation in classes to keep the two distinct. I understand the the group of cempetitors in the IOM is small due to the danger, and there is a financial incentive to compete in as many classes as possible because these guys arent wealthy factory riders, this is a once or twice a year gig for them, but it will be come a no time a year gig if more people dont come to watch it. I saw a post on superbikeplanet the other day showing a stunt rider (whose name I dont know) with a caption that said "Sadly, more riders today know this guy than Kenny Roberts and Eddie Lawson".

Racing is ultimately a spectator driven event, and if you confuse the CASUAL spectator, the enthusiast base isnt big enough to make up for it anymore.

the world around me

If youre gonna get a tattoo in a stereotypical place, at least get something creative. This is nice.

So like I said, I've been back on the bike lately, but I've been lacking a real goal, which makes training kind of a blind thing. So since the year is rapidly playing out, Im looking at the 'cross season as my new purpose on the bike. I dont have any notions of success, but just surviving a few races would be worth the time and effort. I havent raced in a long time, and given the level of competition here in Austin, I doubt I could do much more than hang off the back in a normal road race, but 'cross, well, theres a special set of skills, and determination. My fitness is crap, but theres a solid two months before the first race I know of, and the season doesnt really heat up til almost january. So I'm putting in the base miles now, and I will be starting speedwork in November with a passion.

I'll be logging it all here.

Back in the saddle again...

The riding groove has returned. I did an hour and 25 minutes yesterday (not so much but you have to start somewhere.)

I had a granola/peanut butter wrap to start the day

egg white/corn tortilla taco

Hamburger with no stuff for dinner,

A 7 up, and a couple of cups of tea with milk.