Here I am having a snack and a break at work. I just finished a bagel with cream cheese and lox, yeah. Out my office window I have a clear view of the intersection of Jordan and Lassen here in rainy Chatsworth. A lot of trucks and cars love to get the back wheels spinning as they turn left from Jordan onto Lassen heading east. This morning a white Chevy S-10 piloted by a Zanardi wannabee did a full-on wheel spinning turn and ended up spinning about 270 degrees around. He then roasted the wheels somemore and completed the spin. Way to go idiot! Lassen is a busy street so this tard was lucky he didn’t go heads with another vehicle.
The year is rapidly coming to a close. The Dead Pool 2005 is nearly completed. With a stunning upset in the last month Mrs. Fiddy aka Sandy pulls out into the lead with 35 points scored on the demise of Richard Pryor. Start planning on your list for 2006. I have a good one going already. I will email details to this year and 2004 list members.
I was nearly in a multiple car rear ender today. As I slowed in the slow lane of the 118 freeway for quickly slowing traffic a couple of knuckleheads behind me tangled. The truck immediately behind me got the tires smoking when he slammed on the brakes to avoid putting my rear bumper into my back seat. The car behind the truck went into the rear of the truck with crashing force. Not quite “ramming speed” but I still heard a big bang and saw the carnage flying in the rear view mirror. The truck went to my right and the missile-car went into the #2 lane with parts dangling off the front end. I saw 3 cars pull over when the crashing was complete. I carried on and made it home. An interesting side note: this same situation happened to me and the family in Livermore, CA. on the 580 freeway right before Xmas 2004. We slowed for stopped traffic and a pile up ensued behind us. 5 cars torpedoed each other. We skated out of that mess with no damage. I did stop and check on the car behind us. There were a few kids in a mini-van with their momma. She was freaking out but uninjured. The kids were in full-freak out mode but ok. Shit happens.
The big day is coming to a tree near you. Xmas is on!
So I am riding this morning around 7:45 to 8:50. The water in the gutters is frozen nearly solid from the 20 degree temps overnight. There is barely a cloud in the sky. I hear my fone chirp a text message alert. I spin my camelback around and grab my phone and start checking the message riding in an upright position with no hands on the bars. At this point I am riding slowly thru a parking lot so I don’t get in traffic and cause problems while reading my text message. As I putt putt thru the parking lot I come to a large puddle of water. Figuring it to be melted I cruise thru and lean a bit to the left to turn towards the left. Now I am in trouble, the front wheel is sliding right, my body is going right, my bike is falling left, my free hand is flailing to grab anything. BLAMM-O! I hit the ground right in the water. It is only like a 1/4 inch deep. There must have been some ice under there that got me. The shitty part? My new derailleur has a fat ass scratch, my new bar tape has a hole. I am fine, I was going so slow. Crashing sucks, especially SLOW crashes.
Sheesh, it is getting cold here in SoCal. It was a brisk 24 degrees this morning at 7:30 am. We had to bring in the dogs, they were hating it. To make matters worse, our heater has quit working for the 3rd time. The imbecilic heater repair retard has fuct around with the unit twice, he is coming back tomorrow. This is a warranty deal so I am only out $40.00 for all of this bullshit. I am working from home so I can tell this clown to change some parts. I have been at work for his last two wastes of time here. So, we have the fireplace burning and a space heater to keep us hot. Update tomorrow at 3:00 pm.
I want to get in a ride early tomorrow but it will be another cold one so I may pass, but I do need to get out so I will raw dog it and go for it. I need to ride my Bianchi BUSS more since the weather is getting cooler and rides are not my usual 4 days a week. Maybe 2 rides a week right now just to maintain the feeble amount of fitness I have. There is only one more cyclocross race this season. I have gotten in 5 races this year. I can feel power coming back, it’s a bit slow coming back but it is steadily getting better. Check out SoCalCycloCross.org for more updates on the SoCal race scene. The next race will be at Pierce College in the San Fernando Valley. Santa Cross should be a good one. The crew from BackOnTrackProductions.com put on a cool series this year. I will definitely race ‘cross next year!
So it is a rainy one here in SoCal. Rather than whine about the rain today I figured why not post about something good. How about the high-octane margaritas at Los Toros in Chatsworth, CA. Talk about a hammer to the skull! Jeez, I had two today at lunch and I feel no pain. Nothing. Wow. My lunch was good too. I went with Aaron’s Burrito. It is a big mashup of shrimp, veggies, and stuff. All good.
I can’t get away from the hell that awaits me. The drive home is going to suck most likely. It is supposed to rain all night so it could be a long one tonight. I can at least download some podcasts to my IPAQ for the grind home. Particularly Keith and the Girl which is one of the better podcasts out there. They are consistently funny and they play up the retardedness of the human condition! Rock on Keith and Chemda!