Paws To Help

The sunrise. The swallows return to Capistrano. Taxes. All things that you can count on. So too is our quest to shed some light on animal rescue via our Ride 2 The Rescue efforts. For the fourth year now, a group of dedicated cyclists will head out this fall for long distance rides to generate awareness and hopefully raise some capital. Plus, this year, because of several personal ties, we have added the Susan G. Komen Foundation as a recipient of our efforts.

Okay, if you are interested, you want to help, you love the under-dog (or cat, rabbit, whatever) and you despise cancer, this is where we ask for money. Our first ride event is our own, The Riverlution – a 75 mile ride around Lake Pepin in Minnesota, Saturday, September 25. Our ranks have swelled to about eight so far and with folks joining in from Florida and Illinois. There will hopefully be others this fall, but this ride is our primary opportunity to raise as much funding as we can. Our goal is $5,000 this season. We have a long way to ride and a long way to go in order to achieve that mission.

Many of you have helped in the past. We have great corporate sponsors who gave generously to fund our team jerseys this year – I know, that sounds just like a little league team. But, the challenges for the rescuers, the researchers, the animals and patients is big league. We all need your help to succeed. If you chose to open a helping heart, there are now two ways. You can visit our web site and donate by clicking any amount posted on the dog bones. Those funds go to animal rescue. If you want to support cancer research or you are more of a traditionalist, checks can be sent to Team R2R, Inc. as a tax deductible contribution, address below.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and I, along with all my saddle sore compadrés hope you will make our miles count!

Steve Martin
Spiro & Associates
12651 McGregor Blvd, Unit 4-402
Fort Myers, FL 33919

My Shadow Rides A Litespeed

Long-time-no-post. There really no appropriate explanation, I have been riding, I have been involved in some novel bike related activities and I am excited about the upcoming Riverlution. Guess I just didn’t want to. Facebook and Twitter have so much more immediate gratification. I can usually sum up my activities in 140 characters anyway. I am just not that deep or verbose.

This summer has been a battle of my riding mojo (or rather lack there of). Seems I have to really talk myself into saddling up. When I do, the results are typically good and lately, better than expected. I attributed last years riding troubles to the heat. I always try to blame work related stress, cuz it is true. I have been trying to get into a schedule of any sort as the Century Season approaches. First is the Riverlution (70 miles) then the Seagull (100) possibly Ride 4 Hope (50) and then the Horrible Hundred (obviously 100). I am kind of worried about making even the first one at this point.

I have been trying to build up distances and my climbing strength. The two seem to be quite at odds with each other. One day I have a great climb workout, the next I can’t fulfill my miles without wanting to up-chuck on my top-tube! The week before last for instance. I did not feel terribly inspired to ride Saturday, but I eased into the idea, my chamois and then the bike. It felt rough out of sorts. I ended up having the fastest ride of my “season!” In fact I had ridden Thursday, Friday and then Saturday. So planning for a 50 on Sunday I was tired but determined. “Los Mojo” was not going to win this week. I felt pretty good, only to determine later that I had enough of a tailwind to fool me into going further. At on point I caught a blue and yellow helmet approaching just out of the corner of my eye. I waited for the rider to pass. I held my line despite being hit repeatedly by branches jutting out like a Deutscher’s Mussette bag just waiting to take me down. I pushed, kept pace and never let up. For four miles all I saw was a shadow hanging there, never really retreating, certainly not gaining. Just there about a yard back. That probably pushed me a little harder than I had hoped because all the way back the headwind pushed back at me.

This last Sunday was a scheduled 60 in prep for the Riverlution. I had ridden Friday and Saturday with a magnificent climb Saturday. A pittance for any one else with any elevation, but something for me to aspire towards. I woke up Sunday and Los Mojo was sitting on me like a cement truck. Coffee, puttering around, the threat of increasing heat, nothing inspired me to get out. I came close to going back to bed but prepped a bottle instead. Then another. Then pulled out a jersey. Slowly I readied myself for a ride of any length. I figured maybe 20 miles. Okay then 30. Finally decided I could do 40 and make it back in time for a meeting over some Belgian beer(s).

I came around a bend and noted two riders turning around at an intersection. Ah, rabbits to chase. I set out in pursuit. While one got away, I gained on the second, in true predator fashion I sectioned off the weaker from the herd. When I did catch up I noted a man, in his late 60s no doubt, wearing a blue kit riding a Litespeed. Could this be the Shadow from the prior week? Was it a look back or a look forward, to be pretzel thin and venous. I am still not sure. But, he was a nice guy – looked like an anemic Grandpa Walton, and chatty – couldn’t have been The Shadow. We took turns pulling, held a great pace until he turned off and I headed on.
Though I had scheduled 60, settled for 40 I ran out of water with no where to refill and had to call it at 38. My hope is this week Los Mojo will take a beating and surrender for the summer.

Spin On

Long Time

It has obviously been a looooong time since I posted last. Life has been fairly routine, training has been minimal but I am in an effort to amp it up again. Jerseys are almost done, sponsors are about lined up and the miles lay before me for this years fund raising events.

So, what prompted me to write? Yesterday on the way home to watch the static finish line of the Tour of California and listen to Paul and Phil try and talk for 2 hours while no camera coverage was available of the race, I noted yet another new Florida license plate. For the non-resident, there are literally 125+ custom plates. Not vanity plates, license plates to promote a cause or group. Mine is naturally a share the road -- supports bike awareness and routes. The universities all have them. There are plates to save panthers, bears and sea turtles. I'm fine with all that. But yesterday I ended up behind some grandiose SUV toting a mom and 2.2 kids. The plate shouting out in bold yellow letters, looking like it was designed in Word®, in a most sanguine voice "PLAY TENNIS!" Now, I enjoy tennis -- aside from the now obligatory grunting of both male and female players. And, I am far too lazy to actually research if it has any beneficiaries. Seriously Play Tennis? Why not Curling!

LABstrong

Florida Frost

Riding in Florida is a challenge for several reasons. One is the heat. Riding a 95º with humidity to match creates temps well over 100º. Then there is the traffic. Orlando is the number one rated worst place to cycle. And now, my fellow Spinsters, it will get even more challenging.

Well, I got a rare treat last Saturday to ride in "terrible" conditions -- rain and near freezing temps. I freakin' loved it. I finally got to break out gear that I have had in a package for two years. While I stayed in the neighborhood, it felt great to get lung-fulls of cold air. I rode until I couldn't feel my feet anymore -- thank heavens for clip-less pedals!

I have not made it to the gym for weeks and I am honestly considering opting out of the deal. While I enjoy the spin classes I enjoy sleeping on the weekends even more. Plus with addition of the RevMaster to my stable, I can have the "Gym-like" experience at home without the associated machismo.

Brooks update: He is an insomniac. Got past the bump, right into to tape worms. One dose of meds cured that in a day. Now, we have to figure out how to get the boy to sleep thru the night without waking me up 2-3 times to be fed. Refer to above sleeping on the weekends. But, he as been a really good boy otherwise and he and Shilo have bonded well.

Lastly, today I head out to BFE central Florida to shoot a mellon farm. Between my shaved legs and a photographer who is, shall we say, "theatrical", surrounded by trucks and red-neck country boys. I think it could be a sequel -- "Broke Back Mellon."

LABstrong

Coffee Crank

It was time once again for the annual Captiva Cruise. Probably more aptly called the “Coffee Crank.” The past year or so, it seems that it is the only time Spenghali and I get to ride together. That means the pace is moderate and the destination is a place to sit, converse and catch-up on life and share goals. This year was no different and enjoyable as always.

We headed out on a pristine day, little traffic and fewer clouds. We wound our way up to Captiva for our traditional caffeinated delight and to chat up the Ukrainian girl serving coffee. We noted the third straight year the rest-room was out of order -- obviously on purpose. She saw no humor in our “bathroom humor.” It still amazes me how two grown (allegedly) men can still giggle over toilet humor like 12-year olds. But I assure you, we can.

Since nature was dialing in it’s call, we felt it was best to head back. But back was actually to grab a Belgian (ale) and some chowder. Who can ride 15 miles straight without nourishment. It is preposterous to consider otherwise. Besides, they have a bathroom. Man, this ride report is starting to sound like a Flowmax® commercial.

It was an easy ride, but a great on -- far to infrequent -- which will hopefully be rectified this year. Hee hee, I said “rectify.”

LABstrong

It's A Boy

Well, it has been a long time since I posted with any regularity, but I hope to do more of that in the coming year. I also hope to use the blog to generate more awareness and capital for Lab Rescue. Why is that important to me? Well meet Brooks, our new boy.



I think since Shilo "asked" for a sibling back on Fathers Day we could have adopted at least two Chinese babies by now... The great folks at Lab Rescue really hung in there with us, coached us and asked us to broaden our horizons. We were very stringent in what we were looking for and determined to wait for the right fit. Well, that came along months later in the opposite direction we were heading and we are SO glad.

After a short period of a "turf war" to establish who this dog was and what was he doing here, Brooks and Shilo are fast becoming friends. Fortunately, the war came in the form of ignoring each other, not fighting. Plus, we had a great scare when we noted a lump on his side, about the size and density of a walnut. While we prayed it was a fatty bump, it was too similar to what eventually ended Jake's life -- cancer. We tried to be calm, to observe and be patient, but that is not our doggie MO. I made a vet appointment as fast as I could the next week. One look and the vet immediately diagnosed it as a reaction to his heart-worm injection site. poor guy got two shots there in the course of a few weeks, deep into the muscle. A few doses of prednisone and the lump is already smaller, but may persist for weeks. Of course in her 30 years of practice, this is our vets first case of a reaction (happens in about 30% of the cases).

Right now Brooks is rocket fast, learning to behave on a leash and very willing to please. Next step is to build up enough trust equity in the bank so he does not need to be crated. He has been sleeping out of it at night and -- fingers crossed -- doing very well.

We know that there will be some joint issues -- with both dogs most likely -- but we are prepared to do what it takes to make them happy and healthy. That means my rides just got a little more personal. Hmmm, maybe it's time for that "4THE DOGS" tattoo across my quads? Relax mom, I'm kidding!

Happy New Year to all.

LABstrong

Cycling Shorts

Here are a couple observations from my neighborhood.

First is the Minstrel Cyclist I have noted riding around our street. The neighbor's teenage son has taken to riding his bike at night and I see him out riding while I walk Shilo. He is getting faster despite having a bike that is too small and a seat that is too low. The odd part is he wears an iPod and sings -- loudly and off key -- as he circumnavigates the route. Some of America does NOT have talent.

Secondly is the jogger in the morning. Now, I am a very happily married man to a beautiful woman -- my Nifi. And not that I condone the "can't look at the menu" mentality, I think it is male human nature to look at the sister of a neighborhood divorcee when she jogs by with her 0% body fat and rock hard abs. It is just a male reflex to suck in your gut, stick out your chest as you walk your dog, smelling of Rogaine and dog poop. Getting looks for all the wrong reasons.

LABstrong