Networking and Climbing

I spent a very lovely Memorial Day playing life sized Frogger on HWY-26 just east of Sandy after too many miles and too many feet of climbing left Drew and Me without enough water to continue on to Estacada. Fortunately the Frogs won and nobody lost, the reward at the end of the road was a delicious subway sandwich of mass quantities.

While in Subway I came to the realization that American consumption habits really have gotten out of hand. I know that to people who have their eyes open, this is nothing new, but to me I just assumed that I was someone who just enjoyed large drinks and there were options for those (like children) who didn't need 20 ounces of coke. Little did I know when I have been ordering a 20 ounce soft drink I was litterally odering the smallest possible size. At the register I asked for the smallest possible soda fountain drink and was handed what was once known as a medium or regular (or a large "back in the day"). When I asked if that was really the smallest size, the cashier gave me a look like I was asking for her first born, in her defense it probably didn't help that I was super sweaty and wearing too much spandex.

That being said, a ice cold coke is quite refreshing and invigorating in the middle of a long workout ride. Something about the mix of caffeine and sugar gets your legs going. At the completion of the ride I laid down on the couch with Kona and took a nap.

Today it has been less about bikes and more about paying for them. I took the oportunity to visit career services at UP and talk about my resume and job hunting. The director of Career Services, Amy Cavanaugh, was very helpful and gave me some good feedback on improving my resume. However, the most interesting thing I learned today was not about my resume, it was about networking. In her opinion, most jobs, excluding gov't agencies, never get posted. The key to these jobs would networking, I have always found networking to be a bogus M.B.A. favorite phrase, but now I find myself lacking in networks. Her recomendation was for me to spend at least 50% of my job hunting efforts in networking. Specifically setting up a Link'd In account and a UP Affinity Circles account as well.

So for all of you networking types out there, let me into your network, I need a job!

Arrrrg?

Arrrrg, you've got to be kidding me!

Official Whitehouse Flickr Page & probably one of the coolest dogs ever

Hike and Bike

A fabulous "weekend" for Ky and me, sunny and two days before the hoards leave town for a 3 day weekend and descend upon the states popular tourism spots. Day one of our weekend included a beautiful hike up above Horsetail Falls, under Ponytail Falls, and up to triple falls. All of the falls can be seen on my Flick'r page linked on the right side of the blog. The most beautiful (in my humble opinion) of the waterfalls would have to have been Ponytail falls, in which you hike underneath the waterfall in a natural carve out. Ky was kind enough to put up with my incessant photo shooting and even posed for an artsy shot, I think it came out pretty well considering no tripod or lighting enhancements. I must admit it certainly does help when you have a beautiful subject.

After the hiking we treated ourselves to some smoothies from laughing planet and worked our way up to Vancouver for dinner with some friends and a showing of Angels and Demons. As someone who hasn't read the book I thought it was a good sequel (yes i know the book is a prequel) to the Da Vinci Code.

Today it was back onto the bike for another trip up Larch Mountain making my total for the week 2 trips up that Mountain, 14ish hours in the saddle, and 200 miles rolled. Not too bad, I am getting back on track to the mileage I was planning to complete before Elkhorn (time is running out, literally). It certainly helped to be able ride my bike to work on Monday morning, plus I feel like my conditioning is starting to take shape. just another 800 miles and I'll make my goal.

After my workout and shower it was off for some iced coffee, Du's Grill, and Terminator Salvation with Drew. Yes, two movies in two days, not my normal, but there are some good movies out right now and I haven't seen them all. Tomorrow it's back to work for two more days and then back on my second weekend. Two weekends with two days of work between ain't a bad gig.

"I'll be back" ~ John Connor (Christian Bale).

Tan Lines

In case you haven't heard, Oregon is now in tan line season, my "SCUBA Diving" tan line is already in development. After four solid hours in a mid-day sun my arms look like a "Black and White" cookie, made so popular by none other than the classic sit-com Seinfeld. I don't want to cause any confusion here, so I guess I should make sure and note, I do not SCUBA dive, merely my Jersey/Shorts leave the same tan line as a shorty wetsuit, the MTB tan line model seems to be into sports tops, not really my thing. Although, I do have a nice gloves/socks tan line, so I guess I am a hybrid between the two.

Not much else to report today, our good weather is going back into hiding for a couple days, but then it is back into some quality sun time. For the cyclist out there, Larch Mountain is 100% clear to the gate with a little bit of snow in the gutters near the 10 mile mark. I did not venture past the gate, but looking up the road, it seems reasonable that one could get a couple miles in without hitting significant snow accumulation.

Remember, "we must look to the cookie!"

Hssssss, Bang!

80's and sunny, what a glorious forecast for a mid-May weekend day. Doing as I normally do on a sunny day off, I loaded up the bottles with electrolytes and hit the road. Being one of my favorite routes, I headed out the doors with Cascade Locks and the Bridge of The Gods in my sights. My legs felt great, the sun was on my back, and the tunes, well they were in my head. The battery was completely dead on my iPod, I should have seen that as a warning for things to come, but I didn't. Besides, I am not a superstitious person. After the week I had (see previous post), I needed a nice long day in the saddle to work out my frustrations and concerns. Last time I rode the BoTG loop I had a serious meltdown in Washougal due to poor hydration and nutrition, this time I had a plan and I was going execute it to the fullest. It was not to be, 25 miles into the ride screaming down the descent from the Vista House to the Waterfalls I found a pot hole in the middle of a shady section of road. It went something like this, "Thunk, Thunk, Hssssssssss, BANG! Hssssssssssssssss." Apparently 120lbs of tire pressure and a 200 lb rider leads to a gunshot like pop when a tube gives way. In case you are wondering, I didn't pull the tube out for the photo, it came out on it's own accord. With a blown out front and a flat rear I decided to give the ol'wifey a call for a rescue. Not a proud moment, but hey at least I was hanging out in front of a goregous waterfall while I waited.

The rest of the day went much better, I threw some shrimp on the barby and enjoyed a warm afternoon/evening. Watched the Giro d'Italia and got an Icecream cone for desert.

Hopefully the Camby Ferry wont sink tomorrow as I cross the Willamette, looks to be another beautiful day.

THE SKY IS FALLING! Maybe?

Important days in my career:
May 9th, 2004: Started my new job as a Network Engineer at Verizon
December 5th, 2005: Verizon ends the Management Pension Program
September 1st, 2007: My first major career change to Video Operations from Network Engineering
May 13th, 2009: Verizon divested 14 states to Frontier Communications, including Oregon. I now have a new Employer, Maybe?

More details in time, but at this point let me know if you have any job opportunities for me!

Science Damn You!

I bet you are asking why I am damning science and why do I have a picture of a Plasma Lamp? That is because it is not a plasma lamp, it is a picture of the common cold, pretty neat huh? But why damn science, I don't know, I just am. It's also a reference to a very funny South Park episode.

So why the Common cold? Because I am sick and sick of it! For the first time in over a year I had to call in sick to work on Sunday and I continue to suffer with coughing and a runny nose all day and night long. Worst of all, because I feel like this, I haven't been on my bike since Friday. Elkhorn is quickly approaching and as they say, those miles aren't riding themselves.

On a different note I have received my first critique on this blog, unrelated to spelling and grammar, apparently a significant aspect of my life has yet to be mentioned on this blog. While I contest that significant aspect has mostly been doing the same old, same old, (aside from a little bit of traveling as of late), I will now make mention official mention of my beautiful wife, Kyleen. Shown here on her 26th Birthday, I'm a few ticks older.

I hope this satisfies you mom!

I drink your Milkshake, I drink it up!

If there is one thing that you should know about me, you should probably know that I get very into whatever it is I am into. But if there is something else you should know, it's that I love milkshakes. So it should be no surprise that yesterday after I blasted my legs in the Gorge, I celebrated my pain with a scrumptious Oreo Milkshake from Jack in the Box. Not my absolute favorite milkshake, but high enough ranking and convenient enough, so that's what I got.

While I love milkshakes, there is a problem, they are incredibly bad for me. I bet you didn't know that a 16 oz Oreo Milkshake complete with whipped cream a cherry is a whopping 812 calories and even worse 43 grams of fat! Fortunate for me the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task)calculated for my ride yesterday came in around 5,000 calories, so a Milkshake is acceptable.

So how about some perspective? I spent approximately 6 hours on my bike at a moderate to high level of intensity, that milkshake replaced approximately 16% of the calories I burned, or 1 hour of my ride. How else could I have consumed 800+ calories? How about a Quarter Pounder without cheese, Medium Fries, and A large Diet Coke (790 Calories) or 7 cups of dry Cheerios (770 Calories), or 2.5 large slices of Dominos Peperoni Pizza (810 Calories).

Was that Milkshake worth it? Absolutely!

What a Weekend!

First off, Happy 60th Birthday Greg! May you have many more years of ridiculous ideas and gimmicks to complicate the natural flow of a golf swing. If you don't know Greg, that's him in B&W on the eve of his 60th Birthday still swinging away, many more times than he should in a round of 18 holes.

Well wishes made, it was a busy weekend of Celebratory Festivities, Tee Ball, Golf, BBQ, Parental Visits, Dog Walks, Graduations, and Rain. The majority of the weekend was spent between wet and quite wet, however, when the sun came out of hiding the best was made of it.

Here Paul shows off his superior batting and base running, watch out A-Rod, Paul is coming heavy!

It was very nice to have my Dad in town to try out our new sleeper couch, the final report is still pending, but the initial polls indicate comfort and a friendly dog that likes to snuggle once the lights go dim. Also making the Trek to the Rose City was my Mother-In-Law, bearing a pie consisting of strawberry and Rhubarb. All parties that were privy to a tasting agreed it was excellent.

Next up is more rain, more work, and then some much needed time on the bike for me. As well as a bachelor weekend, while the wife is off in Sunny Las Vegas playing by the pool, attending shows, and hopefully not too much shopping.

Kona is recovering well, he appreciates your kind words of sympathy, the hardest thing of this ordeal has been keeping the Good Dog Down. Anyone that has met him can imagine how hard it would be to keep him from bouncing off the walls with guests in town and a Doctors order to take it easy.


And to finish it off, a nice spring bloom from my "Garden." The rain has to stop soon, right?