Ah, night cross which shredded my seat post on Saturday night and created the following days slow fallback was about as good as it got this past weekend. I must say that I have enjoyed the cross series so much this year. First because I actually have done the races that I set off to do. Second because I have not completely fallen into the abyss during the season and dropped out of the series, even though it has been close. I feel this past weekend was a reduction in fitness to get ready for Herman's State Cross Championship. I will be training for the next two weeks to up my game.

Um, yes, here is something quite pleasing about finishing one of these heinous events. Has a lot to do with embarking on something and having the conversation with a fellow masochist afterwords about the experience, what was learned about how deep you dug. I can't think of any other way to describe the freaking pain, other than it is accompanied by humiliation most of the time. And a smile.

Night Bubba Cross

Man was that a trip. Fast course and lots of people cheering with loud obnoxious toys. It was so cool coming through the tunnel with people on both sides screaming, an absolute wall of scream.

I suppose I should have noticed the popping noise coming from my seat post early in my warm up. Because on lap two I sheared it completely on the back stretch while trying to stay on Klages wheel. Klages continues to rock, as does everyone else. I was feeling much better, hoping to get a decent day in today. I found a heavy duty Thomson post with hardware that will hold an elephant. Perfect.

I can't remember seeing as many racers in the A's. It is so much fun when there are more. Lots of new faces to give Josh and Nate, Pirtle a go for it. The dude from KC never had a chance with those three working together so much. But he held on for quite a while.

Congrats to Matt James on his win. The dude got run'd over early this year by a car. He has made steady improvements throughout the past few years and deserves a big win at a big race. Now he can move his ass on up to the A's, and I will respectively move forward one.

Ralph in front of Boz on the Stairs at Bubba #4

This was The Doors kit, btw...

Suson

My gad what a nightmare. I was thinking on the second lap that it would be my last. Not my last lap, rather my last race of the season. I had nothing. Not sure why, wasn't sick, wasn't over indulgent on Saturday night, I just sucked. But, I finished, letting Scott get by me again, and Boz with a hellofa gap. I am not sure it was a big guy course. So says Rich Pierce. I will take comfort in that. Though few courses are big guy courses. Except for Crits.

I am pretty sure the SS Saturday ride was the reason for not feeling my legs. Regardless, I still need more fitness.

Nope, I will weather through my less than stellar performance to see another day of cross. I will say that there was suffering amongst the entire group yesterday. So that is cool.

OK, back to blogging

Yes, it has been a down week(s) for the blog. Just some ramblings to keep you all engaged....

Two much energy spent on Lone Wolf and the rest of the children (what I call the various business things that Pfoodman is involved with). I couldn't even adequately apply myself to the MWFT banter, having to de-involve myself for fear of letting somebody down. Looks like Bobby and the rest of the Mountain Bike community are leaning towards MWFT instead of USAC. Likely a good choice for all involved. I will still get a NORBA license, because I plan on being as cool as Krewit and Albert and Doug Long, giving Nats a try perhaps, if the fitness comes next year. Maybe I will toss Skuck in the trunk and take him with me. Who knows? Don't quote me on this. I might bail, as I have with most extra curricular activities lately.

The first (time commitment endeavors) to go are always my charity/time giving involvements. I was supposed to get some work done at the YMCA for their craft show, but both my wife's car and my kids car broke down yesterday. Yes, two in one day!!! I am certain mine will go on the way to the cross race today. If this is the case, I will simply move to the mountains and give up on whatever glimmer conventional living process is left in this shell of a body. I will grow the sideburns, soul patch etc. Do the t-shirt sales out of the back of... something like that sweet 19984 Grand Wagoneer "Woody" over on Manchester road, parket at the muffler place.

Hey, big congrats to my buddy John Racanelli on the opening of Racanelli's Cucina down int he Loop. The newly constructed restaurant opens on Monday. We got in on the "dry run" with Alan "origional epicurean" and Christine Blau, our dining buddies, the wife and I. The food was absolutely fabulous.

Winter single speed debut. I did get the Gunnar out of the garage and took it on a spin yesterday at the Wood. It was cold and wet but I thought the legs reacted quite nicely. I plan to only ride SS for the rest of the winter, in order to have the power necessary to smash my competition next year. (pronouned B-O-Z).

Hey, did you see that El Maw-gway is moving to the site formerly occupied as S&P Oyster Bar? Yes, it has been a hundred things since then, but this is likely a good move from the broken down "Ken's Pizza Parlor" building where the emerging chain was for several years. Set that thing on fire and seek to relocate any household pests who may have found a home there over the buildings 30 year reign, eh? I would presume that the old Ken's building is a tad overused. Same with the Red Lobster building still seeking a suitor at Holloway and Manchester. Ballwin is on the comeback folks, just wait and see.

Barry at Ballwin Cycles, hope you get to feeling better. That eyebrow will look like a lighting bolt of magical goodness when it heals. The shoulder will likely be a bit sore. The bottom line...XC. The jumpin stuff is for kids.

So's I just got my copy of the St. Louis business Journal, again. I didn't pay the bill so they cut me off a few months a go. But I am back in good graces. Now my office gets it instead of my home and last night I found it lying open at my office, violated sitting on our Secretaries desk. Yes, someone had already perused it and it wasn't fresh. This really pisses me off...how can anyone be more opinionated or in-the-know about the bullshit of the banking bailout than me, not on a Friday afternoon, when the paper comes?

Word...I think it is crime to bail the banks out. A crime to consider the auto industry, or any industry for that matter with their hand out, a likely receiver of funds from the government, those are your and my bucks going to finance their stupidity and lack of ability. The politicians and the experts look like a bunch of fools arguing the entitlement. It just makes me sick. Am I the only one who sees this? I wish they would stop wearing suits and instead wear bright orange and/or jail stripes. Then we would look at them through a different pair of eyeglasses, one that suggests what they are/were capable of, that which many are guilty of trying to cover up; mistakes and oversights. The knee jerk bailout is nothing more than a get out of jail free card for those who fear the accountability of their actions. I would imagine that some actually fear for their safety, due to the magnitude of the situation.

Where are the freaking people standing up against this? Must it always be somebody else that speaks for the small business owner?--a congressman or some other crooked politico? Down in the trenches, we are the ones who depend on a loan or two every now and then? Now in order to get the interest of a bank, we have to make adjustments, tighten things down, diversify, re-tool, re-coil during times like this. Can the large companies not take responsibility too? I got an idea, why don't the displaced employees work in the health care industry? There are plenty of jobs there and plenty more to come. What about ole T. Boone Pickens, the dude has made a fortune on oil, now he is going to capitalize on wind and natural gas. How about small business innovation? We are making things better as the big companies fight for space in the food line. We have come a long way folks, lets let it run its course. The government will want to raise taxes, don't forget this. All this stuff bothers me...

...but so do the black toenails that I have incurred by doing cross this year. It seems the shoes I have are a bit lacking the optimal form for running. So every time I dismount my bike, my toes slam against the front of the shoe, damaging the cuticle. It looks like black toe nail polish. I wear it like a scar, a momentum of pain. I like my black toes, I suppose. It is the shoes that piss me off.

So there is some candy for you. Throw away the wrapper.

Roadhouse Blues, Doors

I would say this video is a little troubling. I am a big Doors fan and Roadhouse Blues is one of my favorites. But lets just say ole Jimmy had a thing for over indulgence and apparently, the law.

One side note. The harp player on the 1970 (top 50) song was John Sebastian (G. Puglese), yes, of Welcome Back Kotter fame. And there you have it.

Faust Bubba

Darn, hard course again. I certainly don't take pictures well in these conditions. Still in the back half of the back half. I think that my training pretty much sucked this year to make the crossover. I had no muscle tensioning or power training at all this year. Just rolling MTB stuff. I should have dropped the pounds too, racing a good 8 pounds over what I should be right now and it shows. I reckon next year will be the ticket since we have the new look coming out. Next year starts now. I suppose I will continue to climb up in the ranks in the "b's. But guys like Billh and Boz, KJones (absent), Mark Haslet, Rich, Reese, Meitz, Dodd, Mortimer...they all have game, hell they used to make up the "b" race a few years back.

I did have decent-er race than last week. It was good to see Brian Adams from GORC (Dogfish kit), he is one baddass on the MTB and I am certain that he was suffering from the same thing. In cross there is simply no recovery, you have to hammer the entire time, below maximum heart rate. Going over means it's too late. For the first couple of races during the season, that is what happens. He and I went back and forth for most the race until I pooped less than he and I got a gap on him. Scott Mortimer, that sonabitch, he popped early and recovered with super juice to pass me on the second to last lap, he looked real good. I like mixing it up with Scott in both MTB and cross. I am a little worried now, I think he knows how his system works. I think he could be really good at this. Boz was getting reeled in a bit towards the end. I didn't have enough to get up to him for a sprint finish, we were both ready to get off the course. He rode a good race, trying to get Murphy in sight, which I never did past lap 3.

Nope, I still got some work to do. Looking forward to a good training ride today and on Wed. with Kaspar. I am thinking things will start heading forward after this weeks race...or not.

A Salute to Berrymen

It goes without saying that I missed an epic journey. I elected to do the cross race at Faust with my new frame instead of doing last weeks re-con of the BT Epic. I am saddened by how tired these guys looked upon completion. There must be better fitness to be had amongst them. There must...

Tired souls.

Larry "Doc" Mathews Dies

An absolute shame. The passing of "Doc" Mathews was is an absolute blow to the community for which he had taken such a part in making a better place. I am in shock that someone so vibrant and filled with life can be taken so suddenly. He will be missed by everyone whom he ever came in contact.

Doc Mathews, as we called him at Lindenwood, and I presume at Parkway West High School prior to becoming Assistant Professor at Lindenwood University, was a huge inspiration to me when having to take statistics, returning to school at 40 years old. It was he who made it such a joy to return to school after years of being out of academics. I had never even finished algebra in high school, but he guided me and the rest of our class on a journey to "getting it", as he said we would, most of us intimidated by the concepts that we would need to embrace. He was an absolute brilliant communicator and teacher, simplifying that which most of us would try and over-complicate. I remember several things that he passed on to us. One being when making a presentation: "tell them what you want to say, say it, and then tell them what you just said!". This has stayed with me for a long time.

He made learning logical, his gift. His humor injected that which we all could relate, yet his standards of teaching were impeccable.

Our hearts go out to Tag and the rest of the Mathews family.

Natalies 17th Birthday

It was Natalie's choice for dinner last night to celebrate her 17th birthday and she chose Vin de Set one of our towns best restaurants and place to be seen and go scene. There is a view of the arch from the roof, where we sat, outside with all the pretty people. My girls were the best bay-bage, as I am sure you can agree.

So I rewarded my self with this piece of major cand-ay from Matt at Mesa Cycles. I wanted one on a whim and looky here, one of those team reples... maybe I will do better.

Fall Ride

Sckuck wanted to do a road ride and Thrasher had to feed the chickens so we went out and hammered some hills. Not sure where everyone else is. Since I am racing this morning, I thought I would keep the pace strong for an hour then back off. I was feeling pretty OK. Eric said he seemed a little off...usually the case when I am pulling. I am pretty sure I am back to form but need to see how today goes at Faust Park. I ended up with a bunch of miles, bailing on the rest of the hills and taking a sustained time trail tempo all the way home. Nice day for a road ride.

Parkway West Middle School

For the record:

"It is horrible that 6th graders are capable of doling out such inappropriate behavior towards fellow classmates, horrible that faith and/or ethnicity was the label that lead to intolerant and what some consider discriminatory actions. However, I am also perplexed by the efforts of Edward Weinhaus".

I suppose I can't go on without some form of commentary on this issue, for more reasons than the obvious tragedy of events leading up to a student being slapped in my daughters former school simply because he was Jewish. It really is sad folks. There are few people, not even including my mother who lives in LA, who have not heard about this. And I am nervous to even write about it for fear there be retribution. There, I said it. I say it for obvious reasons as well: for fear of being considered intolerant myself, minimizing the issue, and/or at worst case, being considered anti-Semitic by, according to the Edward Weinhaus's site, 242 very pissed off people.

While I too share the emotion of what happened, (and do not in anyway condone such behavior), the bottom line is, I don't trust Edward Weinhaus to represent my communities concern, he who's agenda is obviously more centered upon "attention getting" rather than working cohesively to resolve the issue. Weinhaus, a concerned parent who's children do not even attend Parkway West Middle School, headed up the site, calling for resignations and investigations. I do somewhat admire his fervor. I have to admit that.

I take issue with his spin on the issue: deliberate, hidden, attempting to find fault, portraying a lack of concern by teachers and administrators, community. The big one--the cattle call for significant media attention--that which portrayed our district and our community as intolerant. There is implication that our entire community is intolerent, because of the media attention given.

"Hey Weinhaus, bravo dude. But I think you missed the mark".

I found this quote while doing some research on this topic:

"If you walk in the room and say, nobody likes me, everybody looks for the reason. Perhaps it has to do with being the center of attention?"

I don't think this community is intolerant nor incapable of handling sensitive issues. I live in the Parkway School District and trust who manages things. I feel I am a part of the community and my child was indeed a student of Parkway West Middle School in the Parkway School District; an imperfect and evolving institution moving towards being a better place to educate our children. But a knee-jerk call for resignation of our administrators for whom we as a community elect and trust to resolve issues is shallow. You see, it is not just Mr. Weinhaus and his constituency saddened by the unfortunate incident. It is all of us together.

Just because you are Jewish, Mr. Weinhaus, it doesn't necessarily mean that you are any more disgusted or appalled than I, or others (of all faith) making up our community. Did your approach glean the results you wanted? --or did it quite possibly alienate those who might have embraced the need for change--those parents whose values need influence and adjustment--those who might have embraced the school systems reaction to the seriousness without media fodder. Will this happen the way it should if things were given the opportunity to play out through school districts policy? You see, it is the parents who are ultimately responsible. It is the school district who provides influence.

I can't help but think that there is a better story to be told here: Who is Edward Weinhaus and what is his agenda?

I haven't found too many blog posts on the issue speaking up for the school district and the administrators at Parkway Middle School, though I have heard that many people showed last night at the Board meeting in support of the district moving on, letting them do their jobs and not to seek more investigation. I (and many parents who were appalled with the behaviour of the students) am confident that specific policies, procedures and guidelines will soon be in place to avert this happening again, a learning process achieved by students, teachers, administrator and the community.

Bubba #3

At the start, behind Boz is where I would significantly stay.

Heading towards the tennis courts, Dodd Slausen in position

For the record, Slausen kicked my ass minutes after photos

Yes, my first cross race post mountain bike season. I had a bit of an issue with my health but it really wouldn't have mattered. I had been sick, yes, but the first race of the season is always the most eye opening. The B's now have 35 riders, that's a lot of young-ins in that race, I was thinking at the start, when Mike Weiss called me up to the front for giving a little bit of chili and meat for the races, this is going to be "not good", and it wasn't.

I stayed put in the back at the lineup, knowing my ass was sure to be handed once things got to commencing. And it was. I went out hard and tried to stay with Kent and Boz, knowing that my fitness should compare. I missed the gather up with Boz and 5-6 others, simply could not hold the wheels. This would be a pretty good chase group. Boz was out ahead for most of the race in this group, to get reeled in a little later. He is riding real good, so is Kent Jones, who made the selection of the group a little further up. I suppose I will work on Boz first, then, if time permits, get Boz and that group to help real in Kent. I think Kent is fairly animalistic right now. He is always that way. Boz is full of power and can hold it like no other. I had a piece of him last night at Castlewood and worked to keep him behind me on the Roller Coaster and Lone Wolf (umm, coffee), before he shredded his rear derailer with about a million pounds of torque. He was able to limp back home, we picked up Slausen along the way for more shreddedness. Thrasher was on his little bike, so I don't know how he faired. All in all I felt pretty marvelous last night, back with the plan.

There is nothing better than "doing" cross races for doing "better" in cross races. You have to get a couple under your belt in order to be competitive. I have missed two so it is a big ladder to climb. There is a big difference in what's required, the power and cadence. There is no recovery, it is balls out. I slipped to the back before the last lap and likely finished last barring a couple DNF's behind me. That kind of sucks. But I was not feeling 100 percent, couldn't take the pain. The damn cold was still in my head and I felt it all the way until Tuesday. I do feel better now and am planning on hitting it hard today with my secret training weapon.

Steve Kaspar, all 145 of him!

Yes ladies, Kaspar will be my secret weapon. He has been off for 5 months with some family stuff, but he will be back, starting today on our weekly power training in West County each Thursday at 11:00 AM. Just a couple hours. Just enough to one-up you'ass.

I have a new frame, it is called kick ass. See you Sunday.

Ballwin Busting Out of the Box

Great News:

Bravo to the city government of Ballwin for passing our special use exemption for the building of Lone Wolf Coffee Company and Cafe. I must say that both Kevin Miquelon (a longtime resident and business owner) and I (12 year former resident and current business owner) are quite proud to bring our newest concept to the community. Lone Wolf is all about active living and will purvey just that when we open in January. We think Ballwin has a great passion for active living and has demonstrated this on many occasions. The Ballwin Point being one of the most state-of-the art designs for athletic center when it was built. Don't forget about Castlewood State Park and the programing that the city provides there including the Adventure Race, Conquer Casltwood. The annual Ballwin Triathlon is a favorite among families in the area as is the Ballwin Municipal Golf Course.

Attached to the Cafe are the new Pfoodman Corporate offices, making good use of the space occupying the former Zhivago's Russian Restaurant at Clayton and Kehrs Mill Road in Ballwin. Stop in and see what's taking place in "your town".

Lone Wolf will celebrate active living with a unique decor supplied by Alpine Shop and items donated and/or on display by people like you, meaningful images/artifacts relating to outdoor/active living and achievement. If you have cool stuff and want to make the wall...get a hold of me...lots of heroes out there.

Some unfinished business:

Back in March of 07 I wrote a post, well, about the condition of the Ballwin Board of Aldermen. You can read it here. I have forgotten my exact reason for writing it in the fashion that it came about, but I am sure it had something to do with the in-fighting that was taking place between the mayor and the rest of the board which had created a lot of bad PR. That combined with what I still consider a "stamp out" of business development climate by making the smoking ban a municipal issue instead of a county or state issue. But what was in the hopper was the concept of raising of property taxes due to the decline in revenues from business revenue. Yes, I am sure that was what it was, Jim. I ran into Jim Robinson last night and he asked me about this. Upon returning to my computer last night, I found a response from a board member (whom I referred to as old timer) wishing to meet and discuss.

My response is below:

Would love to talk. I am not sure that I can contact you. You can call me direct at 314-496-2317. I just re-read my post and I must say, there must have been a grain of sand in my shoe. Most likely as it related to some of the issues clouding "our" towns image--how the lack of cohesion and personal agenda on the board related to the challenge of economic (re)-development. I am pleased to provide fodder as a springboard for good decision making and policy setting, unconventional and raw as it may seem. My interest remains with the entrepreneur, always. Ballwin had/has an image to overcome and conversations "on the street" in my circles reflect/reflected this. I am also pleased to provide for our community one of the most exciting restaurant concepts to land in St. Louis, right here in Ballwin. I believe in the city of Ballwin and have a high standard when it comes to those responsible for the vision and policy of advancement. Sometimes it takes a missile over the bow. So be it. Robinson is a friend and, since he approached me on the topic tonight, I suppose an apology is in order as it relates to our friendship. Politics are politics, and I rightly don't know what I am talking about half the time and express that in my profile.

Amends:

Gentlemen, please accept my sincere thanks for moving forward in making our community a better place. The Lone Wolf Coffee Company will be that which Ballwin can be proud of. The Cafe will serve as the ultimate advocacy for active living, wellness and continued business development in "our" community. Together, business owners and administrators can make for positive change in the climate--that which puts Ballwin as an attractive option to those seeking to start and/or move businesses to the community. Pfoodman (and its subsidiaries) started in Ballwin and will stay in Ballwin because we believe in the city, its values and its business owner heroes.

Please be assured that my opinion of the Ballwin board is in no way perpetually pessimistic. My expressions on this blog are simply just that; an expression of my opinion and of the "state" of things at any given moment, MY account of things, the Ralph account. My perception is the reality if I am the one with the blog. My perception is that things needed to change in order for the community to move forward. Myself (and my group of cronies at the time) were of the opinion that Ballwin (as it relates to business development) had become blighted by the bad press from the smoking issue and business flight (leakage) to the valley--that the impending property tax increase was in part due to both and that the city had lost its edge on recruiting new business in to the community. This along with the unrest between board members and the mayor. I acknowledge your moving forward as a group and witnessed this first hand last night. As a result, Pfoodman is proud to ante-up the Lone Wolf Coffee Company and Cafe to open in January. Please share with Kevin and I, along with our families and friends, the remarkable process of entrepreneurship and business development in our community.

We will see you all at the opening party!

Lone Wolf Coffee Company and Cafe

Lone Wolf Coffee Company: Active Food and Folk.

Clayton and Kehrs Mill Roads, Ballwin MO.

A Culinary Phiosophy-Lone Wolf Coffee Company and Cafe:

The culinary objective of the Lone Wolf Coffee Company is to provide a fresh, healthful menu that embraces the spirit and exuberance of an active lifestyle. Flavors are bright and bold. Ingredients are fresh and fortifying. Preparation is personal and professional. Based on familiar foods offered in creative variations, the Lone Wolf Menu offers a gratifying glimpse into an adventurous culinary world of exciting flavors and often exotic sensations.

We will be featuring our own brand of coffee that is roasted fresh locally, using only the finest coffee beans from around the globe. It will be a gathering place for friends, family and business associates. Menu items will include Panini's, wraps, soups, salads, scones, sweetbreads, bagels and always a Wild Thyme's Wellness feature (power food). The menu will be a reflection of a lifestyle and commitment to active living and wellness.

Interested? Contact Pfoodman Corporate, Kevin Miquelon, 636-230-3310.

Green Day Snot

I cannot believe how long the head snot has lasted. I had to bail on the BT Epic, the race that I have been training for for months at the Berryman Trail down in Steelville. After Burnin I was left with a head cold from sleeping (not) in the back of a van. The freaking acorns kept falling from the trees above, about one an hour. Sounded like the sky was falling. I never really heard them hit once I got reasonably close to slumber, rather, I would get jarred out trying to figure out what had just happened, before realizing it was just another nut bomb from the oak trees that I had parked beneath. It was real damned annoying. Plus, I am a pee-er. And on this particular trip I had to get up 2-4 times a night to go. Because of the hydration throughout the day during the race (and a little after), just about every time a nut hit the roof of the van, I got up out of my air mattress, stumbled to the vans door and got out, stepping on twigs and rocks in my socks, trying not to wake up the dudes in the tent next to me. There were four of them sleeping in one tent, btw, weird.

I have a Green Day once a week now in order to back up a little authenticity and position myself accordingly for the occasional onslaught of arrant green initiatives. My green day is when I use the cross bike to get wherever I am going by bicycle and it doesn't matter what or where it is. I choose one day a week without looking at my calender, and go with it.

Last Tuesday I was to meet Racanelli down in Webster, then make my way over to talk with Mike Weiss at Big Shark about the new Pfoodman Team. You see, we have this new kick ass van that is all decorated real cool now. We need to collect stickers in order to do it up right. The new Pfoodman Team will be next years bad ass travel group, doing lots of races all over. Anyway, I felt terrible while on that ride (that weeks green day) and barely made it home. I have been sick ever since with this greasy head cold and snot problem. I had to ride my Ruckas yesterday, in a half ass-ed green sort of compromise. It still got 96 miles to the gallon.

I call arrant green initiatives those that have no strategy, no element or stage-of-change process. Arrant green initiatives are conducted by people with ideas and platitudes that don't quite understand the need to tread lightly amongst a very large audience who are still on the fence. They get in your face with not enough empathy for others current condition to get buy in from those not so interested or not so educated on embarking into a greener lifestyle. Not if it means being criticized or made to feel bad about their own condition. Solutions by arrant green initiatives are based often on unclear or subjective data that can cause more damage towards our world becoming more sustainable than otherwise. They are often radical, button pushing, trouble. Me, I think an authentic, slowly evolve to change process is best, a lead by example thing to better equip those I am trying to convince. I choose to purvey green initiatives with a reality based understanding of the way things can play out, if we just give it a try.

So I park my car once a week and carry out my work day without the burning of fossil fuel. I ride my bike. The only compromise I request from anyone that I encounter is that they put up with the way I look, Lycra, unkempt hair and a brief explanation of my condition. That is good enough.

I will make my why to the cross race today and resume my green day goals this week now that I am feeling a little bit better. Yesterday was the first ride back from 10 days off. I will get my ass handed to me for sure. And the snot will fade.

Psychedelic Kid Fodder

I was thinking the other night, when my daughter and I were sitting on the couch enjoying our evening, watching the movie "Across the Universe", a whimsimusical about the late 60's, love, war, music, free spirit. It was a pretty good movie, great Beatles stuff and period music performed by actors in the movie. Rent it today, yo-- --there was reference to the war in Vietnam and all of the "recreational's" of the culture back then, college students partying, passionately striking out in radical manor at the government, images of violence and anarchy over our counties involvement in the war. There were protests, riots, even Detroit burned. There were marches and spirited involvement by young and old everywhere, protesters, draft dodgers. There was an "acid" scene too. I asked Natalie upon some confusing imagery: "Wtf, are those people trippin?" (It just came out that way) and she replied: "well duh...???"

So, I guess I am OK discussing this stuff with her--some of the crazy things from my past, our past, our culture, the stuff that, because of my age and "demog", I struggle to remember and shudder to think I was even a part of. During the sixties I was younger than the college age kids portrayed in the movie. And to be honest, the hard core psychedelic generation skipped me over--a good thing. Granted, there was the occasional "acid head" kid back in school that would get people talking. The "deep thinkers" who actually did pretty well with grades but on weekends got down and dirty at "basement central" with the brain candy: the blotter and purple microdot thing. I remember seeing the stuff from time to time, never really caring much for frying the noggin that way. Not without a native American guide eh? I had a hard enough time getting my ass off to school/work to toss much brain matter out the window of an eight hour journey to Lucy.

Unfortunately my cousin did a bunch of that stuff and remains mentally disabled to this day from an overdose on LSD at age 15, so says his father whom I saw at a funeral recently. The last time I saw Randy was in 1991. He had just gotten he and his mother (with whom he was dependent on) evicted from their apartment in Las Vegas. Randy apparently wouldn't stop jumping on the bed one night...he was 35 years old. I suppose I can share this information with my kid now.

There were others whom I knew of that did that stuff too. Two of which are Doctors, one is a Professor of (of all things) philosophy in a university nearby. Yes, I escaped those things for the most part. In part to find my way to this computer, or on the couch next to my kid with a little less than half the comfort neccesary to explain what it might mean to her.

You know, (and I don't mean this in a bad way), my parents were a little whacko back in the 70’s. They weren't the psychedelic generation. More like the "Love American Style" generation living right next door to the "Beaver Cleaver" generation, it was either/or for these people: straight, or way over the top. Tacky stuff these trendsetters were involved in, they with their leisure suits, the brown liquor and the music...this likely explains our (my demog's) poor behavior in the 80's, that which most people my age, ahem, fordyish, can relate. I am skipping over this, wiping away the disco years, the urban cowboy thing, the Funkadelic…fast-forward straight to punk. Yes, punk was good-er. Moving on.

My kid doesn’t hesitate to ask about the culture back then, finds some of it interesting--some of the deep topics that parents don’t often reveal to their children. I “up” some reality every now and then. But even though I wonder if I should, I pretty much trust her to process the information in the same fashion that she proccesses influence at school or out on the street (internet). I would rather her form opinion on her fathers choices and evaluate the resulting outcome rather than embark on and live through some things unnecessary (especially some of the ugliness).

And she has to trust my assessment whether I tell her all of it or not—a positive and/or negative perception of the way that things were--what things meant back then and what they mean now—after all, she is the one who has what's yet to come, a journey navigated through her own "garden of forking paths". She who will someday shoulder the responsibility, to interpret meaning from her own experience and pass on the influence to others--her own kid someday.

Even Spew

I know I have been slow on ranting lately. I can't apologise enough. Who wants to air their BS every day anyway? I simply can't do it. I think it is wrong to sit and think up topics to write about when they don't simply emerge automatically. The topics get boring and one dimensional after a while. I find that life has its ups and downs and when the "down times" start rising up out of the dung, the fodder spews a little more evenly. There is reflection, clarity, motivation to vent. That is when the best writing comes.

I haven't really had too many down turns in the past months, other than the market dropping out. I am disgusted with the system, blah, blah, blah. Ah yes, here we go...

I still have 15 years to go before I get out and (for now) I am stuck in the prison of our countries investment culture. This is due to my prior belief and/or confidence in the investment system--doled out by the wisdom of experts, investment heroes, family members, legacies etc. How was I was stupid enough to believe these people, my father, father in law, just about every "got their shit together" know-it-all banker and/or money manager of every generation before me--that investing in mutual funds and the market, indexing, diversification, if you do it right will yield a nice return. Yes, there are ups and downs. Don't look at those, think long term...hello? kuh-chick...Boom!

I want to know just one thing...Who gets my money when the market turns downward? Where did it go? It started as cash, turned into paper and now the value is lower and I am out everything that I have gained and a chunk of what I have put in. The cash is still somewhere. Where the hell is it? Was it spent by poor business managers investing in more money making enterprises? Yes-- but somebody still has the cash, no?

The cash is still cash; money that has already been dispensed/expensed through typical rampant overhead general ledger accounts within most of our top 500 publicly traded companys. Those who's inability to handle inflation, creeping costs and lack of diversification has lead them to the "down time". The money has been systematically paid out to the employees working in these large corporate cultures--the companies who's inefficiencies are so great that perspective can only be brought to the attention by expensive outside consultants. The money is lost on these people, bad loans, poor inventory management, declining sales and lost leading ventures in attempts to build markets. The money sits in cash, dispensed away to the bottom feeders.

The cash sits in every bank account of every employee of every horribly run big business out there--the executive employees and "tick-bird" vendors of these business (neither likely capable of cash flowing their own lifestyles) sit pretty good as long as more cash is raised. These people, the executives and vendors of entities who go to the ceiling on raising capital in order to feed the machine--the "big ship" operators who, with one slight mis-navigation off course, run aground. These guys, the fat cat executives and executives of the vendor supported companies, have my money. The bastards with the golden parachutes.


Lets...

Roll up 500 of these big ship operators and hand them over to the investment companies with their hands into everything including the lending market. These are professionals at raising cash with fancy catalogs and marketing materials. Let them make money on the money they raise, spend it doing whatever they want to encourage investment. By all means, lets let them pay themselves a lot of money.

Let them enhance the governments opinion with some of that cash through special interest, lobbying, buying off the feds in order to get a government agency to loosen controls, restrictions, to feed the lending machine. Let people really think the investment system is working, lots of money lending and then some, lowering the standards, the economy is intact, looking good as long as it is open sea. Hey, while things are sailing good, lets let the politicians fight over power with some of that money, because there is much to be lost if power is lost. Lets derail the system in order to get control during an election year and blame it on ambiguity. Lets point fingers at the political powers, the greater of two evils. Those who continue to get the money from special interest have a lot to lose-- those who want it have a lot to gain. A portion of my money sits in the pocket of every politician on the take.

I think it is all bullshit, we have all been taken, the government is to blame and I will not put one more penny in the market, ever. Instead, I will invest in my business, what I have control over--what I can form daily opinions on, have influence over, make changes to and get immediate results, because I SAY SO. This is what I plan to do. How can we really trust anyone investing our dollars when greed plays such a role? I will earn cash and buy and sell stuff for a margin greater than what money managers can make for themselves. The system is bullshit, don't get caught up in it. Start a small business and earn cash.

Oh, don't think it ends there. You get cash, the government takes it. More later.

Pfoodman/Lone Wolf Racing Arrives at Burnin at the Bluff 5

On the Podium, Fast in the Past, minus John Rhines

Yes, people. Pfoodman/Lone Wolf Racing has arrived. And it was Burnin at the Bluff where we debuted the type of pain that other teams can expect from us from now on. And we ain't even warmed up yet.

I say this with respect for anyone whom we chased down or battled with for most of the day Saturday, of course. We have not always had the ability to get in to smack downs like this. We are lucky to be in the presence of greatness--lucky to get our injuries under control for this race, suffer no flats or mechanicals, (maybe a little blood)

Lone Wolf 1: Without Mesa's "roadie equipped" collection of "fast in the past" class riders: Russ Murphy, Ethan Froese and Tracy Smith, Team Xerxes (whatever the hell that is) the race would not have been nearly as fun towards the end. They made it fun. We honor their greatness and Ethan Froese's ability to play the banjo. Making Thrasher go out on lap 10 was just marvy. Fish (Froese) making me play guitar with sister schlafly, not so good.

Also getting huge honor are Tom Albert and John Rhines (third mate I forget). They set the pace on lap one with a 1:03, shredding us by nearly 30 minutes at the end. While we did indeed come within 9 minutes, due to some mechanicals on their part, Rhines and Albert (and other) continued to shred until the last lap, where we forced them to do another under strategic pressure. For a while, a short time, we had control of their destiny by sending them out on another lap for fear that we would go out just before the cutoff. Had they had problems on the last lap, and not us, we might have taken it from them. Our team was very consistent, usually our forte in races like these. Look for Lone Wolf 1 at numerous 12 and 24's in the future.

So, Lone Wolf 1, Skuck, Pfood and Thrasher took 2nd in the Fast in the Past class and 10th overall. Nice work ladies. A special shout out to Adam for being the domestic. Those eggs were mighty fine in d' mornin. He will be back next year with a vengeance, after suffering a broken back in July.

Lone Wolf 2, Gibson, Teiber and the newly returned Ethan Johnson, were honored by one of DRJ's teams, the Sex Pedals: Mark "lil Buddy" Bauer, Robert "Kankles" Metz, and Scott Mortimer. These guys battled it out all day long and in the end Tieber smoked a hot lap just barely getting past veteran and local bad ass hero Mark Bauer for a two minute lead and 6th place in "wicked fast and 17th place overall. Gibson can brag about his comeback for generations to come, suffering two broken wrists and a dislocated hip in June. He is a tough cookie. Tieber, barely 18 years old and muscling through the expert class, fit as he has ever been, will likely hammer others to come. Ethan Johnson, after a 5 year hiatus joined the team just weeks ago, now he sits in the position of pain giver for the men before him.

But lets not forget Christine Ford, who is also back from injury, a broken wrist. She joined up with the Cape Cyclewerx coed team and not only won their class in "coed", the El chupacabras put 13 minutes on Lone Wolf 1 for 9th place overall. Christine, for a short time, held the fastest lap by a female. She is back with a vengeance. Look for her in a Pfoodman/Lone Wolf Racing kit!

Subaru Short Track Dirt Crit Finale

Big Thanks to Todd Holtman and family for the Subaru sponsorship, Alpine Shop, Ballwin Cycles, Dogfish and Bill Woods of Pfoodman for ante-ing up big time. Thrasher, Notorious BIG, Tieber, Gibson, Skuck, the Powells, Pauli, Basler, any others who helped from time to time, thanks very much for the support.

We do this (promote the races) for the purpose of advocating Active Lifestyle. Let's face it, none of the 100 racers were sitting on a couch watching Football yesterday. They were out in the parks, in the woods, riding bikes and feeling good. As long as riders continue to show up, we will continue to promote races, building the culture, spreading the word of active living and changing lives by way of our funky community. So hats off to all who attended during the six race series. Please don't hesitate to give me some feedback, what worked what didn't. Scoring is a challenge, we know this. Do your part by understanding the challenges of this sort of trail and error event management.

A Couple highlights of yesterdays Racing:

The new Pirtles, the Powells. Look for these kids, including sis, to embark on greatness. Not to mention Dad/Coach Jeff Powell taking 1st in the B series.

The kids race, all 12 kids said no to the short course and elected to do the treacherous Full Lap of the big boys. Sammi Powell shredded the field, but they were all winners.

The "Lap Off", Zak Haffner and Jeff Powell for 1st and second. Zak, on the first 10 feet of the start snapping his chain, Jeff Powell waiting for the "official approved" hand up of a new bike then commenced to the hammering. Jeff pulled ahead on the one lap decision maker for the series win.

John Peiffer and Devin Clark, same way, Lap Off, Devin reaching finish ahead of John for the 3rd place series final.

The "PF Race". New to the Short track thing, a big hit with lots of pain to be had. The Ploch and Cash Combo proved merciless in their ability to keep the others away. Not an easy race. We will likely do a team Short Track again, rumored as an event within an AMBC???....

Regardless, it was a good time had by all. Results below (spelling is as good as it was written)

Kids Race

1 Sammi Powell
2 Ethan Credenhead

3 Casey Carter

4 Nathan Burlis

5 JD Peiffer

6 Taylor Burlis

7 Colin Maxam

8 Cody Beyer

9 Julia Peiffer

10 Caitlin Baxter

11 Camille Schillizzi

12 Corinne Schillizzi

C Race

1 Alex Powell

2 Jax Powell

3 Andy Prunty

4 Justin Pollnow

5 Joe Perry

6 Adam Marcotte

7 Rob Ballon

8 Stephen Venters

9 Adam Schell

10 Mark Grumke

11 Ian Murphy

12 Cory Redmond

13 Tom Burlis

DNF Ross Blanton

DNF Jonathan Schilling

B Race

1 Devin Clark
2 John Peiffer

3 Zak Haffner

4 Jeff Powell

5 Mark Hasler

6 Kent Jones

7 Todd Holtman

8 Craig "Boz" Basler

9 Matt Grothoff

10 Ethan Johnson

11 Brian Beyer

12 Carrie Cash-Wooten

13 Peter Goode

14 Number 130

15 Rob Oellerman

16 Darin Marlow

17 Ryan Lemmon

18 James Moore

19 Jeff Klola

20 Steve Tim

21 Jeremy Meitz

22 Mike Kickenbothom

23 Loran Cavano

24 Jay Marvin

25 Shaun Turnbull

26 Mike Gibson

27 Marc Pauly

28 Paul Miller

29 Karen Holtman

A Race

1 Chris Ploch

2 Travis Thrower

3 Anthony Dust

4 Wes Bierman

5 Dan Fuhrman

6 Jay Strothman

7 Greg Sandknop

8 Robert Metz

9 Drew Black

10 Ralph Pfremmer

11 Mike Teiber

12 Russ Murphy

13 Matt Dawson

14 Eric Schuck

15 Scott Mortimer

16 Craig Thrasher

DNF Bob Arnold

Fastest Female

Carrie Cash-Wooten

Series Winners

A Race

1 Chris Ploch

2 John Mathews

3 Wes Bierman

B Race

1 Jeff Powell

2 Zak Haffner

3 Devin Clark

4 John Peiffer

C Race

1 Chris Smentkowski

2 Matt Smith

3 Erik Illies

"PF" Race (Need help here, please advise)

1 Ploch/Cash-Wooten
2 Clark/Sandknop

3 Hafner/Hasler

4 J. Powell/Boyer

5 Thrasher/Shuck

6 Thrower/Dust

7 Peiffer/Kloha

8 Perry/Ventors

9 Turnbull/Holtman

10 A. Powell/Lemmon

11 Pollnow/Ventors

12 Balser/Oellerman

13 Strothman/Dawson?

14 Fuhrman/Boyer?