The results are in and it is official “Hollywood” has stepped up to the plate and taken the role of “Custard Gut King.”  I thought that Karl was looking a little big lately here is a picture of him this morning what do you think?

I am sure you all know by now but for the past seven months my cortisol levels have been through the roof.  Cortisol, like I said before, is basically the devil especially if you have been trying desperately to get anything that resembles some sort of abdominal muscle.  The reason is that is causes all of your fat to be deposited around your guts and thus covering your abs.  These are called “frying pan abs” because if you ever cook meat or something in a pan there is a layer of grease that forms and covers the bottom of the pan much like the fat covering your abs if you have too much cortisol.

How do you know if you have too much cortisol?  The only way is to have a blood test and due to UCI regulations all riders from Pro Continental teams must have quarterly blood exams. 

Yesterday morning “Hollywood” and I went and got our third quarter blood work taken care of and we got the results today.  Karl “Hollywood” Menzies had higher Cortisol levels than me!!!  We have been have a cortisol competition ever since we started these blood tests and for once it feels good to win something.  I am no longer the “Custard Gut King” of the house it is Menzies!  Apparently, machines still produce cortisol and at higher amounts than me.

Time to go and do my cortisol reducing self meditation techniques.

later, g.

Just thought I would post some pictures from yesterdays talk at summer camp in Modesto.

It was a good time and when I got home that afternoon it felt like I did something good.  I was able to snag a few extra team posters from the event so if you would like one drop me an email and I might be nice enough to get one to you.

Time to go watch “The Hills.”

later, g. 

Today was another early morning and I wanted no part of it.  I slept through my alarm and did even get up after being shaken by Hollywood.  I did manage to wake after he started yelling profanities at me though. 

I was still ready by the 7:15 AM departure time even though I slept in.  We had to be at Sayers house by 8:00 AM so we could make it to Modesto in time for our talk. Four of us (Karl, Roman, Mike, and I) plus Thierry and Cecilla spoke to a group young underprivileged kids who were attending a weeklong summer camp at a local Modesto school.  

The talk was good and the kids were very interested in cycling.  Mike did an awesome job of talking and Karl, Roman, and I added what we could.  Thierry and Cecilla also  brought the team RV which the kids got to go inside and check out.  It was a good event.

Apparently, when we were gone there were three air condition technition dudes at the house trying to fix our broken a/c but none of them were able to fix it.  Isn’t there some sort of law about not having a/c in an apartment.  Honestly, this is the type of heat where if an older person was living here they would probably die? I have basically given up on it being fixed after all of the failed attempts.

On a side note my brother Shane has officially joined the army……or at least it looks that way.   Isn’t that how people look in the army except for the fact that they have camo clothes on and carry a big gun?  I guess he is getting sick of me beating him all of the time on the bike so he has taken up another profession. 

It is sort of scary because now it is like there are “Two Menzies” in the house since he and Shane look the same with his new hairdo.  I wonder where the other “Eight Menzies” are?  I gaurantee you my mom will love Shane’s new look!

later, g.

I can hear………….yeeeehaaaw!  Had to get up bright and early this morning and make my way to downtown Sac so I could see the ENT.  I was rather bummed to be getting up so early since the apartment had finally cooled down to a chilly 81 F and I was actually able to sleep.  However, getting my ear fixed was much more important than sleeping.

I made it to the ENT place fifteen minutes early so I could fill out all of the necessary paper work which is basically like taking one of those annoying surveys at the mall.  I was very happy with myself…….I was on time and ready for my 9:30 appointment however, I did not get in to see the doctor until 10:30.  I have never been to a doctor where they have actually been on time.  I really can’t complain though because they are smart and should be able to work at their own pace.

The doctor was a nice guy and he took this mini vacum cleaner and sucked the infection out of my ear and then gave me a prescription for some acid drops.  He even threw in a little added bonus………I got my non-infected ear vacumed!  That means I can actually hear normal.  Well, normal for me which is about the equivalent of what half a normal person hears. 

Before being vacumed I was probably hearing half of what I normally hear which is about a quarter of what a normal person hears.  So if you had four ears I could only hear out of let say one of them.  Wow, I just made that really complicated!

The a/c guys came to the apartment this afternoon and left after saying they could not fix it today but maybe tomorrow or the next day.  They had better hurry up because I am dehydrating!  As of five this evening the inside of the apartment has set a new record of 97 F.  I am actually rooting for it to hit 100 F  since that seems like a really big number.

Time to go to a movie and savor the nice cold a/c.  Then tomorrow, Karl, Mike, Roman, and myself are going to Modesto to give a talk to some school age kids about cycling. It should be fun.

After that I am working on the logistics of coming back to the midwest and doing superweek.  I am planning on doing a good handful of races there and am looking forward to it.

That is it for tonight.

later, g. 

This past weekend the Health Net PB Maxxis team sent six riders to Reno, Nevada to compete in the Tour de Nez.  The Tour de Nez is a three day four stage race held around the Reno area.  It was a rather successful weekend with Karl winning the Truckee criterium on Thursday.  Karl was in the leaders jersey for most of the weekend only to lose it in an unfortunate crash during the last lap of the final stage.  He was lucky to come out of the incident with only a few stictches in his lip which actually looks sort of cool.  It was also Doug O’s first race back from a broken hip but it did not seem like it because Doug is riding well.

Reno, Nevada also known as “The biggest little city in the world” is a crazy little town with gambling, big hotels, neon lights, and lots of tourists.  It pretty much is the equivalent of a smaller Las Vegas with a touch more cowboy…….maybe?

We had the privilege of staying in the Silver Legacy Hotel which is the biggest building in Reno.  I am pretty much shit when it comes to directions so that made finding my way rather easy.  The Hotel had everything and there really was no reason to leave except for the fact that we had to race.  There was gambling downstairs, breakfast, lunch, and dinner buffets, cold air conditioning and most importantly a fountain soda machine with Diet Pepsi.  The only thing that the hotel lacked was free wireless internet!  Therefore, it was not my fault that I haven’t updated my blog in a few days blame the Silver Legacy! Just joking……..the Sliver Legacy was a race sponsor and is a good hotel.

Saturday night after the racing concluded we were able to go out on the town and relax a bit.  Most of the time was spent at the Deux Gros Nez coffee house/eatery/pub which is owned by Tim Healion the man responsible for putting on the race.  It was an awesome time and it is always fun to hang out with fellow cyclists and those associated with the race in a non cycling environment.  Most importantly, I think that everyone made it home in one piece.

This morning was a bit of a brothel after not getting much sleep last night and then having to pack up and head home.  It would not have been that bad but when I brought my bag down to my car I noticed I had a flat tire!  I guess the four cans of fix-a-flat that I had put in the tire finally gave out.  I was pretty pissed because I had just showered and put on some nice clean clothes and then I had to change a tire. 

It ended up taking me about thirty minutes to change the tire after trying to figure out how to work the jack.  Eventually, I got it but not after I was completely soaked in sweat and covered in black brake goo which was on the tire.  I guess it is time to replace the flat with a new tire or maybe I will see how long I can go without having a spare?  That sounds more interesting.

Shane, Karl, and I made it back to Folsom this afternoon and the tire I had changed did not fall off on the way which I thought was impressive.  The a/c in the apartment was suppose to be fixed on Friday but I guess they cannot fix it until Monday.  That means it is hot!  When I say hot the inside of the apartment set a record high of ninety six degrees this afternoon…………that is inside!  It is sure rough going from the air conditioned comfort of the Silver Legacy to this and I am sure sleeping is going to be fun tonight.

Before I go I just wanted to say that I had a great time at the Tour de Nez.  The racing and those involved with the race are great.  It definitely is one of the “coolest bike races in America” and I hope to be going back in the upcoming years.

later, g.