What an unambiguous day. The weather all week was unusual - in the low 60s, then late last night a cold front came in - causing thunderstorms. Then in the afternoon and evening tonight it snowed. High wind gusts - made for some shitty cycling. I went about 20 miles and came home and went to my gym. Took a nap in the late afternoon before the evening of festivities.

Went over to a friend's house - a generous invitation of a new bi-monthly get together tradition of dinner and movies with friends (she and her family have a movie theater, a seperate room in their wonderful home dedicated to watching movies - it's a real theater with leather reclining seating and the works). She had out a huge spread of food - great subs, salads, drinks. It was crazy delicious. She gave me a beautiful photoshopped watercolor (on watercolor paper) print of my Bridge to Bridge ascent - framed. I was more than impressed and flattered.

The Redskins game was on - we watched the sad ending of it (they lost), but it was still exciting (hell...anything is/looks exciting on a huge ass theater screen). After the game, we watched March of the Penguins - a fantastic nature documentary feature length film with amazing photography and the story of Penguins. It was fantastic. After a glass of wine and all the food (and the tarts that I made - completely gobbled up) we all sorta fell asleep in the reclining theater chairs while watching of all things Star Wars III.

We all shared hugs, handshakes and farewells. It was a fun night. Came home for a lazy evening of domestic tasks and relaxation.

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Friday the 13th...

Thank goodness it was Friday..it was a really shitty workweek - albeit the weather and fun cycling.

photo by d. scott gregory Fruit Tart with Macadamia Nuts click on photo to enlarge

photo by d. scott gregory Fruit Tart with Macadamia Nuts click on photo to enlarge

photo by d. scott gregory Fruit Tart with Macadamia Nuts click on photo to enlarge

Work was just work - managed to cockblock the corporate drama of sorts during the day...and found myself ready for a nice training ride...suited up for a warm ride out to Purcellville..the whole 44 miles of it all total. It was a coudy sunset - few freaks out there like me.

I had an evening ahead of me to run a few errands and start making a tart (2) from scratch...which I've never made before. I picked up the fresh fruit (goddamn..strawberries are pricey this time of year).

So after much preparation and patience....it took me 5 hours to make 2 tarts (pictured) which really only took me 30 minutes to photograph (for the cookbook - click on images to enlarge...they are strangely impressive).

It rained and the temperature stayed the same...then thunderstorms...was kinda cool to be cooking with lightning (as opposed to be out in it cycling). **side note...good thing I've bought a new full carbon fiber bike frame...less conductive...now I have no excuses.

Looking forward to a relaxing weekend of combined laziness and productivity teemed with some fun with friends.

Life is beyond great, it's still fantastic.

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Very tired today - just worn out from all the events of the week, and was up late last night. Work flew by with a flurry of activity - and it was actually warm out...got up to 64 degrees. After work I biked out to Purcellville, a very beautiful 44 miles. Came back with a few cycling buddies that I hadn't seen in a while who had the same idea of doing a long ride today.

Looking forward to the weekend - will make some tarts tomorrow night, and a busy Sat eve - mostly good weather, relaxation, recooperating..and more cycling. I need to start thinking about doing my taxes...uhhhhhggg!

Still excited about the Orbea that is coming next Wednesday.

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Strange yet beautiful day of sorts. Not weatherwise - it rained hard and became cold all day. Work was a wild early mess of sorts, then the afternoon mellowed out. First time in ages when I actually was able to catch up on things in the office instead being in a state of constant crisis management and emergency rush rush rush to put out a fire. Bunch of folks were out of the office on an offsite meeting so the theater was ripe for getting other things done. To top it all off, we were informed that the office would close a little bit early. Which was fine by me - I had a ton of things I wanted to do while I'd forego my training ride. The weather got worse, and it was dumping cats and dogs, and the temperature dropped.

I went directly to my fave bike shop and made myself completely available to order the custom frame I've been talking about for weeks on end. It was a big, yet short order. And it was all about fun. These guys know me for a long ass time now...and we ordered it together. So, by next Wednesday...my new Orbea (pictured below) frame and fork will arrive. And that Friday eve, I'll drop off my bike - for them to take my current bike apart on saturday and replace the fork and frame, keeping all my precious "fitting" settings - tune it and I can pick it up Sat eve before my Sunday test drive.


This is gonna be a SCHWEET ride - all monocoque carbon fiber, hand paint job, weighs 3lbs (the frame and fork). In a few weeks, I'll get a new wheelset (also pictured...still deciding on which - between the Mavic Carbone (semi carbon fiber) and the Mavic Ksyrium SL/ES wheelsets (also pictured above). The other components of my bike will stay the same, until further upgrade (handlebars, crankset, derailers, brakes, handlebars, seatpost, stem, saddle, shifters, et al). This will be a very light bike...VERY. And perfect for climbing the hills I do - for hours on end.

Even tho I dropped a serious penny on the frame/fork....and will spend another pretty penny in a few weeks on the wheelset - I feel ZERO guilt. I have deserved it, I have earned it...and finally...I can afford it. And more importantly....during all the races, training rides, charity events, and the thousands of miles in the next year(s)...I will ENJOY it.

I left the bike shop elated - and drove in the downpour to run a few more errands - I was on Tart duty. I picked up 2 non-stick fluted tart pans, and swung by the grocery store to pick up the last of my provisions (minus the fresh berries) for the Tart I'm gonna make Friday night (actually 2 tarts now). Last errand to run was to pick up a bongo skin that I ordered a while ago at the music store - dang buffallo hyde skin on one of my bongos cracked. Oh well.

Even though it's raining like a mo fo...and I missed my training ride - life is beautiful.

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Anyhoo....was a long ass day. Work was long, meetings all over the place - mucho stress. Finished up and took a quick bike ride - out to Hamilton and back, a silly less-than-chilly 36 miles. I had an appointment afterwards to redo a head CT - which I've been nervous about...but, afterwards...no wonder my brain has been itching: "lineal, non-depressed fracture distinguished by non-anatomic location and irregular congruous margins"

Good thing is that it's healing..and all the itching is part of the process. Just worried the crap out of me. The BETTER thing is that is shouldn't effect my training. I do need to check in every few weeks for a progress.

Life is still good.

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I wished I packed my camera with me when I went on my training ride...not only was it spectacular weather....in the low 60s....but I witnessed a fantastic continual sunset as I biked out to Purcellville - the Loudoun County landscape...witnessing the cows burping and the suburban waft of steak and dryer sheets. A glorious 44 miles.

The workday completely sucked - farked up diaspora of corporate drama, and idiocy. I was hankering to get out of there and bike.

Which I did.

Next challenge...a TART. I've tasked myself to learn how to make a tart from scratch (for part of a dessert request that I'll be bringing this next Sat to a dear friend's house - for our new series of bi-weekly movie and dining expose experience (selected dinner, wine, movie, dessert, coffee - collaborative effort, 8 friends).

So I have started my research.....and the first thing I lack is a fluted tart pan (preferably non stick, with a removable bottom), and of all things, ceramic pie weights (a real hussy would use a string of really heavy pearls), and a rolling pin.

I must preface this by saying that I rarely eat sweets - nor bake desserts. So I need to get a rolling pin too. I could just buy premade puff pastry sheets, but noooo.... Oh well - this will be a good challenge.

I have in mind, after much research and desire - to create a Strawberry, Rasberry, Blueberry, Starfruit, Kiwi, Nectarine, Pear Tart filled with a white chocolate and toasted macadamia nut vanilla custard filling with a rasberry and apricot glazing.

It's gonna be the tits.

It's gonna be a labor of love.

Oh my.

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Another relaxing day. Nuff said. Cycling, food, rest. Not looking forward to this week - work and a Dr appointment. Seems the head trauma I endured 4 weeks ago has had a few lasting side effects. Scheduled another head CT. My brain seems to itch, literally.

But life is still good.

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