Co-Captains Jon Stanton and Gene Butcher
Rode in the 2011 Tour de Cure on Saturday. Great day for riding and hanging out with friends. The Team I was Co-Captain of (T2CT) raised over $5000.00 and I, with the help of a lot of my readers, raised $1075.00. Unfortunately I lost the “Sexy Calves Competition” to Jon. Check out this article that Jodi Davis wrote about Jon and I on ahealthiermichigan.org
(From left to right) Gene Butcher, Jon Stanton and Jodi Davis
I sincerely apologize to you my faithful and incredibly supportive readers. You see, Winter Semester is in full swing and I have been buried under projects with tight deadlines so I have not had the extra time to update this site. I will leave you with this one thing though.
Have you ever been blown away by one of your kids? I mean, they do something (good) and it leaves you absolutely speechless and you are left wondering “where the heck did that come from?” You would like to think that its your stellar parenting skills but you secretly hope that perhaps they are just that rad, their heart is really that big. What am I rambling about? Check this out and then ask yourself as I have…”Just where in the world does an 11-year-old get this kind of moxy and courage?”
This is my daughters site read it and check out what she is doing: Ripples
I know you are caught in a dilemma, “Do I purchase this pic or do I wait for the next exclusive offering?” There is one “Melancholy” pic left and I have started work on the next picture. ALL proceeds go to the American Diabetes Association Tour de Cure…..not 10%, not 50%….100% goes to the ADA.
ONLY 1 LEFT!
Are we friends? I mean are we friends in the modern odd way that people are friends now? I am of course speaking of the parallel universe that exists just outside the parameters of our very own physical existence….Facebook. If we aren’t we should be and you should also do a wee search on the ol’ Facebook machine for a little page called 100poundsago and you should most definitely click “Like” on that rascal. I threw out a dare right before New Years saying it “Would be rad if 100poundsago could get 100 fans by 2011.” Some folks were added but not even close to 100 so get on it people!
I have a few e-mails in my inbox asking “How was the Polar Rhino Ride?” My immediate rebuttal has been “I guess it was fine, didn’t make it this year. I started out the New Year puking my shoes off.” This of course is not even in close proximity to how I actually wanted to spend News Years Day or several days following. I wanted to go on that dang ride dangit! I wanted to go bad too. For crying out loud it was 45 degrees that day, which alone is a welcome respite from the winter doldrums. Nay! In bed I laid shivering and miserable secretly cursing everyone on the ride because I was bitter that I could not be. So if you got a flat or some other form of cycling atrocity on the ride I apologize it was my fault. If you have been a reader for a while you will remember on the 2010 ride I beat myself up pretty bad I opined about stagnation in weight loss among many other complaints about myself. I was going to use the ride this year as a time to reflect over the 2010 cycling year, oh well I’m flexible reflection can be done anywhere I suppose.
I have also more than a few E-mails asking what my “Resolutions” are or where? Honestly I don’t make them, haven’t in years. I use to make them, for example, “I am going to stop smoking in 1994…the same one was made in 95, and 96, 97 98, 99, 2000, 01, 02…you get the point right? Each year it was an abysmal failure, each resolution lasted until about noon on January 1 when I would run out and buy a carton of cigarettes and chain smoke the New Years in. It’s a societal joke really, they are expected to fail there is really no pressure to actually succeed at them. They are in reality forgotten about and breezed by no guilt attached. I make goals for myself and have done so for the past few years I break them down to small manageable and realistic benchmarks. Will I be challenged to reach them, yes most definitely but therein lays the fun. Let me give you an example: I got it into my head not too long ago that I wanted to run a 5k. Now if you know me you know I despise running with every thread of my being. So what did I have to do? I had to build up to it, I know I would have failed if I laced up some running shoes and tried to run a 5k. I did the “Couch to 5k” program. Each day building on the last until bingo bongo you just busted out 5k’s worth of pavement pounding which I did and I am pretty sure it was the furthest I have ever run in my life. 5k….check! Now on to the next one. Not resolutions….goals.
What are your goals today, or this week, or this month? Leave some comments, lets discuss.
Honestly the whole idea of a Santa Clause frightens me, I mean take a few minutes and think about it. A guy who lives in the barren tundra of the North Pole, really out of shape, works one day a year and the rest of the time hangs out with elves? That’s creepy right? Then add the fact he can get into everyone’s house, keeps tabs on everyone formulating a list of who is naughty and nice all from atop the world. It’s a bit…oh….I don’t know….1984 for me. There are too many overtones of “Thought Police” for my taste. Children writing letters to him asking for toys, begging to be placed on the nice list despite the fact they may or may not have pulled Suzie’s pigtails at lunch or issued that “noogy” to that pre-school brother of theirs. Furthermore, while I am ranting and raving with no clear purpose, just what constitutes good and bad, naughty and nice? Is there a rule book, is there a website, and is there a Facebook page dedicated to naughty and nicety? If there rules aren’t clearly printed in black and white somewhere and freely available I don’t think we should be held to a constantly sliding scale of what is naughty and nice, tell me you agree?
I say all of that to say this; I must have been really really good this year cause Santa delivered to my house (even though it creeps me out thinking this dude was in my living room) a bounty of cycling goodness. I hereby declare that despite the fact my Kit is already better than yours (a subject I have touched on here) I am now three times better looking than probably 93.862% of all cyclists because I found two new cycling jerseys under the tree this year. Thus bringing my total count of jersey awesomeness to 5. Now I have other jerseys, however 5 of them are of such radness they strike fear and trepidation into the deep recesses of a person’s soul when they are looked upon. Of course it being winter in Michigan you will not be able to see these two new additions for another 8 months…which brings me to my second point of why I must have been so dang good this year. Under the tree I also found the Sugoi Neo jacket I have been drooling after since last winter. So while the awesomeness of my daily jersey selection shall remain hidden in the winter months have no fear the top layer of my kit is a completely rad-tastic jacket.
Hope everyone had a good Christmas!
Did you happen to see the art I am selling to raise money for the Tour de Cure this year? There are 3 left of the first offering and I have started work on the second run of cycling art. Here is a hint of what it will look like.
Just a little hint
Anybody know what I am jazzed about? Anyone have a clue? I will tell you, Tour de Cure 2011 that’s what. I seriously cannot wait for this year’s event. I am already plotting and scheming, already wringing together my hands trying to come up with new and interesting ways to raise money. This year I would like to double my total from last year, remember what we raised last year?
*Sidebar: I say we because in large part it was people that frequent this site that donated a large chunk of the money so while I was on the team it was your support that helped and got me there. End of sidebar*
It was $1500.00 yep…remember that amount? I do! I also feel the need, given the fact I am the 2011 Adult Tour de Cure Ambassador, to really pull out the stops this year. I was shameless last year, if you followed the madness on Facebook you will remember how shameless the campaign was, I dare say it was downright shameless. I mean I threatened to streak a birthday party for crying out loud if people did not give. This year you can count on “Double Shameless-ness” you can also count on some interesting fundraising ideas I have….STARTING NOW!
Any body have any interest in owning a one of a kind, disgustingly awesome, limited edition, handmade by yours truly piece of bicycle type art (see below)? I am thinking a very limited run of 5 available after the first of the year. Just so we are clear if you buy one you are getting a handmade (by me) piece of art. It is handmade, (by me). Did I mention I made it? How is it made you ask? Well I painstakingly cut out the bike and letters and attach them to the red paper, it’s framed as well. Each one will be $50.00! I know, I know it sounds crazy that I am selling these for a mere $50.00 I know I could fetch billions for one of these. Contact me at Genebutcher@comcast.net if you are interested in purchasing, it’s for a good cause! There will be future art offerings as well so if you miss this one stay tuned for more.
12x20 Framed
I don’t know where you live….ok I actually do know where some of you live but I digress. Where I live winter is here, has been here, is going to be here for many a month to come. It’s an undeniable fact, the mercury has fallen sometimes to the negative side of zero, the winds will blow, and there will be snow. You of the cycling variety in the frozen tundra areas have done one of three things.
1. You have put your bike on the hooks and tucked it in for a long winter slumber.
2. Trainers and rollers have been dug out of basements, closets, attics and garages for a full winter of mindless …um…train-er-ing, or roller-er-ing
3. You embrace the nonsense that is negative temps, layer it up and ride on anyway.
I think I may have thrown out this challenge before but I am not sure and I certainly do not feel like searching through this site and the posts to see if I have or not. If I did forgive me for warming up last winters leftovers, if I have not I take full credit for the genius. Who cares how or where you ride, just ride!
I prefer to ride despite the temps; trainer and rollers bore me to the brink of homicidal madness. I have found that I am not the only one either, there are other maniacs out there on a daily basis slogging through the slop to either get to where they need to go or for health and fitness sake.
While I am on the subject, if indeed I am on a subject, let’s talk Christmas shall we. I just saw a commercial for McDonalds extolling the virtues of giving your trash guy or mailman a McDonalds gift certificate….I guess you could if you really hate your trash guy or mailman that much. I mean noting says I hate you like a gift certificate for a free meal of fat, cholesterol, high blood pressure and so pumped with chemicals they had to add to the periodic table to accommodate the nastiness. Whilst giving them a gift is all fine and good I am adding a few people this year to the “Nice” list and I think you should to, especially if you rely on them as much as I do. Your local bike shop! I know I love mine, this is the place they know my name, ask how I have been, and have kept a bike underneath my buttocks without hesitation. Repairs are done with the speed and skill unlike any I have ever seen.
So my LBS is getting a gift this year. What you ask? You see soon enough. How about you add them to your list of people that at minimum get a card?
