Yesterday I rode with Dan and Taylor in Boulder. A little chilly. All in all 40 miles in 2:45 with 4000 ft of climbing.
Today the Swift 4s got together. Pacelines and leadouts/sprinting were the flavor of the day. About 4 or 5 all out efforts of 2-3 miles (max HR today = 189). The weather was fantastic 60+ degrees and 5mph wind. Dan and Daniel joined us as well. Looking forward to the upcoming season.
Finally Denver is starting to warm up again. Hit over 50 today. I got out for a late ride and snapped this pic on my way home today.
Cori and I saw them Sunday, and it was a great show. Awesome vibe from the crowd. Come to think of it, the vibe from the crowd has been great at every show I've seen in Denver, definately different that the STL or the Windy City. Our seats, weren't the best, but the sound was great. Visually there show is on a differnt level then any other I've seen. The coordiantion of video, graphics, lights, and vibrant colors were second to none. They did however, leave Moses off the set list, which was the only downer second to smelling some drunk ass college kid's puke a few row down from us. I searched all over for a picture to best represent the feeling at the concert, but none did it justice. I guess you'll have to see for yourself. I recommend it.
Since the high today isn't going to get above 10. We slept in and and grabbed some breakfast at LePeep. Stopped by Emogene for a Chai Tea. and now it is nap time. I'm heading to the gym. Coldplay concert later tonight, can't wait.
Smiling already
Family Nap Time
Music Trivia - Anyone know what rap song that is from?
Current Denver temp, a balmy 7 degrees. Wind chill at -11.
Who's up for a ride?
Had my first VO2 max test today as part of a study through the University of Colorado. This was my first of three I'll do over the course of the next year. I will also know my lactate threshold heartrate in a couple of weeks. The highest they tested so far in the study came from a Pro and his was 58. My numbers, nothing spectacular:
VO2 max = 52.2 ml/kg/min
I've seen some data that shows world-class atheletes average 70-80. Don't thinkg I'll ever get there, but should be able to raise it some over the next year, we'll see. The crazy things we do just for some numbers.
For those not into endurance sports, VO2 max is a predicter of aerobic capacity.
Dan B., Ty and I headed out for quick spin today. I blew my chain about 12 miles into the ride, but luckly we were only about 6 blocks from Wheat Ridge Cyclery. Ty gave me a push for 6 blocks to the shop, but he kept putting his hands on my ass. They hooked me up with a new chain and we were off again. Headed west through Golden and up over Lookout Mountain. Then Ty and I with our master navigating found a cross road that got us over another ridge down a intersting gravel road descent to Bear Creek Canyon. Headed up another Long 4 miles to Kittredge for a late Mexican lunch and then back to Denver. About 70 miles in 4 hours and 45 minutes. 3800+ ft of climbing. Good Day for some solid base work.
Ty Kiser, get your hand off my ass
Dan starting up Lookout
Twinkies
About halfway up Lookout looking back down
Dan with Hammertime in the distance
Last weekend Brian and Jessica came to visit Cori and I. We had a great time. Thursday had dinner at Zengo and Friday skied B-ridge. This was Jessica's first time and she did a great job. Friday we stayed at Manor Vail, that evening got in the hot tub and had Cori's famous chili. Saturday we skied Vail. They had 9 inches of new on the back side. A bit difficult if you've never skied powder, but Brian did good for only skiing about twice a year. He found his favorite back in Blue Sky Basin of Pete's Express. I believe the run was named Star. Later that night we had sushi at Sato in Edwards. I know what your thinking "Sushi in the mountains?" Yes. This place is legit. Afterwards we hit the Red Lion in Vail, Brian said it was rated top 10 dive bars in the US. We had a great time and the band was rockin. Sunday we headed out early to beat traffic back to Denver and ended the trip watching the Super Bowl, what a let down. Disappointment of the trip, Brian finding out Illinois dropped a home game to Penn St., Thought he was going to cry himself to sleep. All in all, great weekend, wish they could visit more often. Here are some pics of the festivities.
The Alpine Assassins
Brian with a Colorado Favorite - New Belgium Brewery's Fat Tire
Brian and Jessica
For the record, this pose wasn't my choice.
Pimpin
Enough Said?
By Richard Willing, USA TODAY Thu Feb 9, 6:53 AM ET
Organized crime may be on the decline, but Mafia trials are getting as much attention as ever.
In New York City alone, three upcoming federal prosecutions are targeting La Cosa Nostra, the Italian-American crime syndicate made famous by The Godfather books and films, and the HBO series The Sopranos. Defendants include John A. Gotti, son of John J. Gotti, the "Dapper Don" who died in federal prison in 2002 while serving a life sentence for murder and racketeering.
In Chicago, federal prosecutors hope to try alleged mobster Joey "The Clown" Lombardo, 76, and 10 alleged associates later this year for conspiracy to commit at least 18 unsolved murders, some dating back more than 30 years.
The cases all have the ruthlessness, and the color, that America has come to expect from the Mob.
First, there are the names. "Vinny Bionics," "Jackie Nose," "Mikey Scars," "Louie Electric" and "Skinny Dom," are among the characters who appear in court papers filed in the New York cases.
Then, there are the details. One case features an apparent first: the boss of a New York City crime family who, court papers say, "wore a wire" to secretly record conversations that were used to bring charges against other members. In another, two former New York City police detectives are accused of accepting thousands of dollars to carry out or aid seven Mafia-related slayings.
'A lot more colorful than ... Enron'
The public and the media are sure to be watching. Last month, a standing-room-only crowd showed up for Lombardo's first court appearance. Lombardo, who got his nickname by making jokes during legal proceedings, had disappeared soon after he was indicted and was on the lam for nine months before he was captured in a Chicago suburb Jan. 13.
Mafiosi "are not as large and as powerful as they once were, but they can still draw a crowd," says Jerry Capeci, organized crime specialist for Ganglandnews.com and author and co-author of six books on the Mob. "And let's face it, (Mob trials) are a lot more colorful than, what, Enron and like that."
Defendants in all of the Mafia cases have pleaded not guilty.
In Chicago, Lombardo and his associates are charged with plotting to kill a potential grand jury witness. They're also charged in the June 1986 killings of Chicago organized crime figure Tony "Ant" Spilotro and his brother Michael, who were beaten, then buried alive in a cornfield. The episode was fictionalized in Casino, a 1995 movie in which actor Joe Pesci played a character based on Spilotro.
In federal court in Brooklyn, testimony is scheduled to begin Feb. 22 in the murder, racketeering, bookmaking and extortion trial of Vincent "Vinny Gorgeous" Basciano, 46. Court papers describe him as the acting head of the Bonannos, one of five Mob "families" in New York City.
Since mid-January, jury selection has been going on in secret to protect potential jurors' identities, court spokesman Robert Nardoza said.
Basciano, whose nickname, Capeci says, derived from a Bronx beauty parlor Basciano once owned, is charged with killing a Mob associate and plotting two other slayings. Patrick "Patty from the Bronx" DeFilippo, 66, an alleged Bonanno capo, or crime crew chief, is accused of killing another family associate.
Both men also face gambling, loan sharking and extortion charges. The charges are based in part on secret recordings made by convicted Bonanno boss Joseph Massino, 66, in January 2005, when he and Basciano met in a detention center in New York City, court papers say.
Basciano, awaiting trial, was unaware that Massino - who was awaiting sentencing for a racketeering conviction - had agreed to work for the FBI, Basciano's attorneys say in court papers.
"That's huge," says Ronald Kessler, who has written two books on the FBI. "Getting a family leader to wear a wire is something that's never happened before. It should make for very interesting testimony."
One of the most interested parties might be DeFilippo, Basciano's co-defendant and, according to prosecutors, his fellow Bonanno family member.
Transcripts of the tapes in court papers indicate that Basciano asked Massino, the family leader, for permission to "jocko" - Mob slang for kill - DeFilippo in a dispute over money and Basciano's leadership style.
"I have a problem living in the same world as this guy," Basciano said of DeFilippo, the court papers say.
'Junior' Gotti goes back to federal court.
Jury selection is scheduled to begin Monday in the retrial of John A. Gotti in federal court in Manhattan.
Gotti, 41, called "Junior" in court papers, is charged with ordering the kidnapping and non-fatal shooting of Curtis Sliwa, a New York City radio talk-show host and founder of the Guardian Angels citizen-patrol group. Sliwa was abducted by Gambino family crime members under Gotti's control in 1992, prosecutors allege, because Gotti was upset by Sliwa's criticism of his father. When Gotti was first tried in September, jurors could not reach a unanimous verdict on the kidnapping and extortion and loan-sharking charges. He was found not guilty of securities fraud. His attorneys disputed prosecutors' claims that he is boss of the crime family his father once led. They said he had severed his ties with organized crime.
The younger Gotti was convicted of racketeering in 1999 and was imprisoned for six years.
This week, Judge Shira Scheindlin turned down Gotti's request that Sliwa not be allowed to criticize him on Sliwa's show during the trial. Gotti said Sliwa's comments could unfairly influence jurors.
On Feb. 21, also in federal court in Brooklyn, jury selection is scheduled to begin in the murder and racketeering trial of former New York City police detectives Louis Eppolito and Stephen Caracappa.
Eppolito, 57, and Caracappa, 64, are charged with accepting up to $4,000 a month in the 1980s and early 1990s to give members of the Luchese crime family information on police surveillance and help them find the targets of seven family-ordered hits.
The retired detectives also are accused of fatally shooting a Mafia member who had agreed to turn over information to the government.
Jack Weinstein, the judge in the case, has asked for a larger courtroom to accommodate crowds.
"They don't get better than this," Capeci says.
Tanner hall won gold in the men's ski superpipe last night. What's remarkable is that less than a year ago he came up short pulling a switch 540 over Chad's Gap(1st pic) and shattered both his ankles. 
This is a pic of Jon Olsson hucking a switch 1080 during the best trick contest.
Well, Saturday I rode with Swift. Steve H., Al, and I got in about 3.5 hours of base work in over 51 miles. We went up Rabbit MTN (7 miles up with 700ft of elevation). Sunday I hit Vail which had 15+ plus inches in the back bowls. I wish I had pictures, but I was rolling solo. Epic day (2nd best day of skiing I've ever had) . Brian and Jessica are coming in on Wednesday and we are going to spend the weekend at Vail. Hope the snow stays good.
Well it has been a while since I last posted. Since then, My Mom and Dad have visited. We had a good time. Spent some time at the National Western Stock Show. Dad and I spent some quality time in the livestock barn with Simms and Dave Bramlet. We were admiring Dave's daughter's Simmental Heifer Ms Independence which won Champion Senior Heifer and Grand Champion Heifer. Basically means that Shea's college just got paid for. The picture is from last year.
Cori and I went skiing with Theresa and Zack at Keystone. Cori liked the fact that it was nice and warm that day, about 35 degrees. 
Ty, Steve and I made trip to Breck. For the story click here. I've since been cycling a bit and lifting weights to get read for bike racing season. If I don't ski, then I usually ride with my team in Boulder. This is a pic from one of our group rides a few weeks ago.
Ty and I hit Cherry Creek Rez. today for a nice ride. We got in ~33 miles before it got dark. Met a guy named Taylor on the way back. I think we'll hook for some more rides in the future. He beat Ty and I in the last race of the year. He got 2nd, I got 6th and ty got 7th. Should be a good training partner. Gonna relax tonight and hit the slopes again tomorrow. 
Had 4 days off over the New Year. Friday, skied Breckenridge, but got so aggravated at all the people that I left early and had a burger and beer at the Breckenridge Brewery. Great place to go after hitting the slopes. Saturday I got on my road bike for the first time in a couple weeks. Awesome day, sunny with high of upper 50's. Made a lap around Cherry Creek Rez. and then had lunch at Emogene in Cherry Creek. Later that night Cori and I hit our favorite Vietnamese restraunt. We then had a drink at the Lucky Strike Lanes in Belmar. We finished the night watching Brokeback Mountain. Sad movie, but worth seeing. Sunday headed up to Boulder to ride with my team, but got there too late, so I ended up riding solo for 2+ hours. My behind was in revolt from the ride on saturday, and the wind was blowing 30+ mph. Not exactly my ideal ride, but still nice to get out and clear my head. Monday, Ty and I met Steve, Dan, and Ryan for an epic day skiing at Vail. They had 8+ inches of fresh, and we hit it hard. My new skiis ripped. We spent most of the day doing tree runs in Blue Sky Basin and jumping the cliff band on Skree Field. Saw a guy land a 540 switch (backwards for you non-skiers) on the Outer Mongolia bowl, pretty awesome. I was able to get my first grab after jumping a road down Cloud 9. When I get pics I'll post. Later sat in traffic for 3+ hours and inhaled some wings and pizza at Beau Joe's in Idaho Springs (great place to eat). All in all great weekend.
Leonard Sonnenschein, president of the World Aquarium in St. Louis, holds We, a two-headed albino rat snake.
ST. LOUIS - For sale: One snake. Albino. Has two heads. Asking $150,000 or best offer. The World Aquarium in St. Louis has been home to We, a one-of-a-kind two-headed albino rat snake, since 1999. President Leonard Sonnenschein has decided to sell the reptile, and bidding on eBay will start at $150,000.
"It's an amazing snake," Sonnenschein said Monday. "When people see it they are awe-struck."
The 6 1/2-year-old snake came to the aquarium's attention when its previous owner distributed a circular offering it for sale days after its birth. The aquarium paid $15,000, knowing full well that most two-headed snakes don't live more than a few months.
But We has survived and thrived. An inch thick and 4 feet long, she is a healthy size for a rat snake. While its body is white, the heads have a reddish appearance.
We has survived because, unlike some two-headed animals, both mouths are connected to the same stomach, Sonnenschein said.
Van Wallach of Harvard University's Museum of Comparative Zoology said We should live an additional 10 to 15 years. And Sonnenschein said it's at a ripe age for breeding.
"We expect the sale of We to be on the same level of demand as a priceless art object," he said.
The snake has been in the spotlight before. In 2004, a disgruntled City Museum worker stole We. Authorities found the snake in the garage of the man's home in Illinois.
"He thought he was going to sell it," Sonnenschein said. "The thing is, it's the only one in the world."
The snake has female genitalia, though Sonnenschein believes one head is male and the other female.
Sonnenschein said the decision to sell We was a difficult one, "but somebody would probably like to have it more than us, and we can use the money for our education, conservation and research programs."
The organization donated more than 9,000 desktop aquariums to families and schools last year, works with students from more than 20 universities and high schools to promote understanding of the underwater world, and is involved in programs aimed at protecting against overfishing in the world's oceans.
The aquarium sits on the second flood of the City Museum, an eclectic St. Louis attraction that draws about 650,000 visitors each year.
Sonnenschein said We would make a great zoo attraction or could be purchased by the leaders of some foreign land where mythology surrounds two-headed snakes.
"We think it's a very valuable animal," he said.
___
On the Net:
http://www.worldaquarium.net
Kenneth Bradford, left, a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Army from 1969-1971, and George Dugan, a retired teacher and former member of the U.S. Army Reserve from 1965-1971, stand in front of the Pope County Historical Society offices Friday, Dec. 16, 2005, along the main street in Golconda, Ill. Dugan indicated that young high school graduates have few choices in his city. Last month, the National Priorities Project showed that Pope County ranked 12th in military recuitment of 18- to 24-year-olds. (AP Photo/James A. Finley)
Prior to my brothers wedding I spent 2 days hanging with my Dad. I had a great time. It has been several years since just him and I spent a day together talking. I got to see his daily routine of crusing Golconda, stopping by Pelcha's Auto Parts, buying a few scratch offs at EZ stop, and making the daily run to Paducah and/or our hunting land in Alexander County. We had planned to hunt, but there were not ducks in currently so instead we drove around Horseshoe Lake and had lunch at Mack's Diner in Cairo, IL. Cori and I are considering moving back closer to home in the next couple of years so we can spend more days like this with our family.
Just got back from my little brothers wedding. Gordon married Jessica (Jessi) Taylor whom he met at Murray where he played baseball. Jessi is a L&D nurse at Barnes Jewish Hospital in STL. Gordo is in PT school at SLU. They got married and had their recpetion at the Four Rivers Center. Cori and I had a great time. I got to see a lot of my old friends from High School and most of my Dad's side of the family. After the reception, we headed to the Silver Saddle. It only took about 2 minutes before some drunk was trying to start a fight with Doug, Clint, Brian, and myself. Pretty rough crowd in there that night. I took my 3 ibuprofen and a multivitamin before I went to bed and woke up feeling like a million bucks. Most everyone else seemed to be hurting a little. I forgot our camera, so I don't have pics. If anyone does, please email them to me. As I recieve them I'll post a couple.
Got my first day of skiing in on friday with Ty and Steve. We hit Vail, where they had just opened Blue Sky Basin. I was suffering the first run due to some Vegas residual. We skied tree runs all day. My legs are still sore. Ty and I were breaking in some new sticks we got. We both have the 179's. These are pretty sick.
K2 Seth Vicious
PERFORMANCE: Expert
DIMENSIONS: 130/98/118
CONSTRUCTION: Torsion Box
FEATURES: Twin Tip, Triaxial Braided, ABS Sidewall, Tip/Tail rivets
SIZES: 169, 179, 189
Later we got the girls and went and watched Syriana. Cori hated it. I thought it was good. Ripping a fingernail off does hurt, I know. Does have a lot going on in several story lines, so you have to pay attention to understand how it all relates.
Satuday - slept in and got a 1.5 hour bike ride in. Later went to our neighbors for a christmas party. Several glasses of Champagne later, I was ready to sleep.
Sunday- legs still to sore to ski so did Christmas shopping instead. Oh what fun. Watched Narnia later. Cori liked it. I was a little disappointed. It was too kiddy for my taste.
Getting ready to head to Vegas for the next week to attend Midyear. Can't wait to spend the week with 15,000+ pharmacy nerds. No really, it is usually a good time. Normally I would be excited to go, but at the moment I'm traveled out. I've flown at least once, sometimes twice a month since last May. For anyone expecting a Christmas present from me, better hope the dice are hot.
