The Monkey at GoLiNiel

Laurent Fignon, a Frenchman who twice won the Tour de France but was defeated by American rival Greg LeMond in arguably the event’s greatest race, died Tuesday after a battle with cancer, the French Cycling Federation said. He was 50.Fignon announced in June 2009 that he had advanced cancer of the digestive system and was undergoing chemotherapy.

Fignon had worked as a television commentator for the state-backed France 2 network since 2006 — and right through this year’s Tour, which ended barely a month ago. His voice was gravelly from his illness and treatment.

“He was a great champion who used a combination of talent and will to win the Tour de France twice,” French Cycling Federation president David Lappartient told The Associated Press. “He had an iron will, and was also a very intelligent man.”

Seven-time Tour champion Lance Armstrong, who himself battled cancer, called Fignon a “dear friend” and a “legendary cyclist.”

“I will never forget the early 90s when I first turned pro, of course terrified of these ‘older guys,’ Laurent was always a friendly face with words of advice,” Armstrong said in a statement. “He was a special man to me, to cycling, and to all of France. Laurent, we will all miss you.” Read the rest of this entry �

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This morning I saw TNT’s  Leverage signs, directing people under the Sellwood Bridge, where they were going to be filming an outdoor scene.
This one apparently was to be on a railroad track, and they needed to used the paved area of the Springwater Corridor for their equipment.
On this particular morning, we were driving so it didnt matter much to us,  but I am sure the temporary closing of the path will be affecting many cyclists.

This reminded me that a few weekends ago, Honey and I took a ride out in Clackamas.  I picked the route on this day since I wanted to go by the warehouses that are used for the indoor filming of Leverage.

Their filming location is no great secret  in fact you can find them at 12438-12442 and 12458-12460 S.E. Capps Road.
They even put up little yellow signs helping people find them.
But otherwise, it is a pretty non-descript setting.

On this day there was no one around.
We know this because we found the back parking lot where all the extras have to park. It was empty.

No stars about either. Their parking lot is also empty. But it has nice plants and in a slightly nicer location.  Even their signs were better.

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So, here we are in the evening, catching up with the final significant stage of the 2010 Tour de France. Thanks to our Tivo, and the Versus channel, we have seen every minute of the 3 week Tour de France. But that is a lot of TV hours. In order to fit all this into our daily work lives, we have adopted a schedule that includes both training and relaxing. Every morning at about 6:00 am, we climb on to our training bikes, as the Tour starts at 5:30. Using our tivo we can see over an hour of the tour in about 45 minutes. We can spin on our bike trainers prior to work while we watch to tour. But, just watching the race is not enough. We needed some encouragement to work hard and increase our heart rates.
To do this, we have created the Phil Liggett/Paul Scherwen training game.

Phil and Paul are famous for their catch phrases. So, every time they use a catch phrase, or other events occur, we then spend a minute either sprinting, or doing a standing climb.

We start these one minute heart increasing intervals whenever they use any of their catch phrases of:

• “Completely and utterly”
• “Sport of bother”
• “Dancing on the pedals”
• “Master of this discipline”
• “Ride of his life”
• “Thin angry line”
• “Backwards out of the”
• “Stamps on the pedals”
• “A very select group”
• “Hell of the north”
• “Damp squid”
• “Heads of state”
• “God of thunder”
• “Spartacus”
• “Tapping out a rhythm”
• “Put the hammer down”
• “Circum-navigate”

Also whenever this happens

• A commercial
• They tell us of any structure that is built before 1500
• Dave Zabriskies name is mentioned, his name is listed, or his face is shown.

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 Cycle Oregon Weekend of 2010 started in Monmouth, at Western Oregon University.  For this tour Honey wanted an actual bed to sleep in, so we opted for the dorms.  Ours happened to be on the third floor, which required hauling all our stuff and bikes up and down the stairs, but it also came with its own bathroom, so that was a good thing.  We stayed in the “Gentle” building. How nice.

The very first stop of the day came at 9 miles.  Really way to early to really be hungry since we had breakfast just before we left.  But, as a family friendly ride, I imagine it was appropriate.  We did have some seriously steep ass climbs just prior to the stop, so it seemed about right.  The stop was at the Ankeny Vineyards which has a very nice garden and public area. Their wine tasting room was open, but since it was only 9:00 am, and with 69 more miles to ride, it seemed just a tad early so we skipped that.

On our ride back into Monmouth, we detoured south, for a rest stop at Sarah Helmick state park.  This bridge is adjacent to the park, and it crosses the Luckiamute river.

This is an old barn in the farmlands east of Burns Crossing.

Not all folks out in the country are happy to have people just drop by.

The Shimanek bridge,  located on Richardson Gap road east of Scio.
The first documented covered bridge was built in 1891.
Truss Type: Howe   Bridge Length (ft): 130   Year Built: 1966

The Gilkey bridge,  located on Goar road east of Scio.
The first documented covered bridge was built in 1939
Truss Type: Howe   Bridge Length (ft): 120   Year Built: 1939 *1998

The Buena Vista ferry crosses the Willamette river a few miles south of Independence. We came up to it just as it was heading across the river.  On the next trip it took the next group of riders, with the operators cutting us off, just before we boarded. We made it on the third trip.
It can carry four cars, or, approximately 60 bikes.  I did notice that they only had 30 life jackets though.

Each night at the main stage,  Johnathon Nichlolas gives a welcoming talk, and he is a very good speaker. After announcements, there is music.

Weekend Summary:
Two nights in dorm - concrete dorms are hot, and have single beds
Two days on bike - Mostly low traffic road
78 Miles on Saturday - Independence, Scio, Jordan,  Jefferson, Buena Vista
48 Miles on Sunday - Dallas, Ellendale, Falls City, Burns Corner
6 full meals - cafeteria style, but plenty of if.
4 food stops with wide range of fruits, drinks, and carbs
3 ice cream bars, because I like them.
4 State Police motorcycles, 2 ambulances
1 CD and 1 Vinyl album purchased - by “The Dimes” (New, local music on vinyl, how cool is that?)
1 Soy Latte to revive sleepy Honey

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We  found this nice field of clover one cool summer day during a weekend bicycle ride through the farmlands west of Mt. Angel.  It was during the Petal Pedal starting at the Oregon Gardens. Fifty miles on the bikes in the country is a pleasant day.  This is a good use of clover, and it looks nice.

We found this patch  of clover on a very hot summer afternoon. We were coming home from work. A day at work is not as pleasant as a day on the bike.  This clover is not good clover. It does not look as good in my yard and it does not have a good use.

Honey argues that this clover does have a good use, and perhaps it should be left alone for the bees to enjoy.
She does have a good point, but I think we will have to do something to keep it under control.

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Our company has a large fish tank in the front lobby, next to our receptionist.
Today, she sent out this e-mail.

To: Office

Leroy was a good fish.  He didn’t ask much from this life, just a good sized rock over his head, an algae pellet every other day and he was content.  Leroy was an original member of the group that arrived with the fish tank and he conducted himself with dignity and grace all of his days.  Leroy was a Pisces and enjoyed swimming and most water sports.  He is survived by his brother Earl who is the “sole” remaining fish from the original group.

Adieu Leroy

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Some wonderful little kids in old school class photos turn out to be really wonderful adults.
(I’m not really talking about the girl with the arrow on her, though I think she is great as well.)

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I have become a Beaver baseball fan.
For the last few years, I have listened to nearly every single game, via the Internet, and I track their record and opponents. I even keep a schedule highlighted in color codes for wins/losses.

So, early this morning, I found myself in a very long/slow moving security line at the Portland airport as I kept my honey company prior to her departure. During our conversation about how we would miss each other and all that other feelings talk you have to do, I looked up to see a young kid in a OS Baseball sweat suit in front of me. As I looked around, I noticed that there were like 20 such kids in front and behind me and I slowly realized we were in the middle of the whole team. Honey no doubt noticed that my attention had drifted from her in mid sentence, but she seemed OK with that as I turned to one of them to wish them a good trip down to USC as they start a 3 game set on Thursday. I think he was  a little taken aback that I would know that, but he politely agreed it should be nice.
Anyway, it was a good part of the day.
Well, honey has left  for 6 days in Kentucky where she points out, while it will be raining here on Saturday, it will be 81 degrees in Louisville, so its not all good.

On top of this, this morning it was announce that 5 games will be televised. 
(Tivo is good….Tivo is good….Tivo is good )

OS Beaver Schedule Read the rest of this entry �

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A knock on your door first thing in the morning, and you find out your car was just smashed. When it was parked. Outside your front door.  Looks like its time for a new car. At least the driver should have some good insurance.

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On Super Bowl Sunday we spent the day wandering in the Gorge.

First stop, the Starvation Creek rest area. Nice place to stretch the legs and wander on the paths along the creek.

We went into Hood River and out into the Parkdale area, stopping at Foothills Yarn and Fiber, where they raise Alpacas, and have a nice store for yarn supplies.

Along the way we spotted this old building. I assume, since it is in the heart of the fruit orchard area, that it is the remnants of a fruit growing operation.

Then making one last stop at the Hatfield Trailhead to walk out along the paved bike/pedestrian path that goes through the Mosier Twin Tunnels. Didn’t make it to the tunnels as its a fair walk on foot. Much easier on bikes.

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Ideal ratio: 2 to 1.
Any higher and you’re not riding enough.
Any lower and you can’t focus on training because you are getting divorced.

~ Scott Martin

Scott Martin, author of the eBook Spin Again containing 181 of his witty, sometimes wacky, and occasionally heart-felt observations on road cycling.

Popularity: 23% [?]

Recently, the local paper in my old home town, the “Tri-County News” shutdown.  Falling victim to the failing economy and changing dynamics of how people get the information they need.  Newspapers still provide some useful functions, filling in the gaps that electronic media doesn’t seem to do well yet.

Here is a good effort to  resurrect a resource to fill in some of those gaps.

———————————

(Taken from the ‘Junction City‘ website)

Good Morning,

As we begin publishing the new weekly Tri-County Tribune for circulation in the Junction City, Harrisburg and Monroe communities, we’d like to share with you, our readers, our vision for the paper and its role in the community.

First, we believe a local newspaper is as an integral part of a community. While more and more Americans, especially in larger urban areas, turn to their computers and other electronic media for their news, we believe many of you, especially in smaller communities, recognize and appreciate the role a local newspaper plays in your community. You like to read “hard” news with a genuinely local focus; you like to read and see action photos of your children, your grandchildren and your friends’ and neighbors’ children as they engage in school activities and sports; you like to read the “soft” side of the news….stories of community members and their special achievements, activities and interests; you like to read short features and announcements of upcoming community events; you like to read opinion pieces by local writers on local issues; you like to see ads promoting local stores and service providers; in sum, you like a paper that is, truly, your “hometown” paper. It’s our mission as the tri-community’s new paper, to be that “hometown” paper.

It’s no secret that times are tough for all Americans today. There are still more jobs being lost than gained. There are still more businesses closing than opening. And, across the country, there are, by far, more newspapers, both large and small, ceasing publication than starting. In such circumstances, you might ask: Why are you opening the paper? And how do you plan for its success? May we offer answers to those two sensible questions:

1) We’re opening the paper because we truly believe our three local communities need and deserve to have a local, community based, newspaper. We believe a community without its local paper is less of a community. We believe our tri-communities deserve to thrive and succeed and we feel we can play a part in achieving such success. We believe the communities will help us succeed as we help the communities succeed. We see the whole process as a partnership with all of us benefiting from that partnership.

2) We’re not foolish enough to believe the paper will make our fortune. We don’t have any dreams of being William Randolph Hearst or Rupert Murdoch. If we can publish the paper, distribute it to our readers, pay our staff, pay our venders, pay the rent, and keep the ink in the ledger black, we’ll be happy.

3) We have chosen to provide the paper at no cost to you. It will be mailed free to residents in the tri-community area and it will be available in local business establishments at no cost. We are depending on revenue from advertising to cover the cost of the paper. Our success depends on local businesses advertising in our community’s paper and you, our readers, patronizing those local businesses. We will strive to produce a paper “worth” reading….and a paper worth reading is worth advertising in.

4) However, if you find our paper “simply too good to be free”, we’ve got a deal for you. At each location where you can get your free paper, you may place fifty cents in a donation container and EVERY CENT you donate in appreciation of the paper, WILL GO DIRECTLY TO LOCAL CHARITIES. Times are tough and we realize that during such times more folks need help from charities, while, at the same time, those tough times make it more difficult for those charities to get donations. We’d like to join with you to help support those charities as they help our community members.

We have a very experienced, competent staff of journalism professionals. We’re all very enthused to publish a new paper for our communities. We’re all excited for this new adventure. We’re proud to become part of the Junction City, Harrisburg and Monroe communities and hope you will be proud to have us.

Please share this email with any of your friends or business associates that you think may be interested. As we move forward in this endeavor, we appreciate your feedback and support.

Sincerely,
Nelson Rosales
Tri County Tribune
Rodeo Steak House & Grill
Adelante Latino

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