Finally A Sunday

Today is finally a day where I can just blow my afternoon in my garage. Its raining and freezing so I cant ride. So I present the below. I need to add my computer but this bike is unbelievably light. And I am pretty sure there is nothing more beautiful.





And yes, I weighed it with the chain in the water bottle holder.
The bike came with the Easton SL fork, but I ordered the Wolf SL. The wolf is made by alpha Q and requires an aluminum insert. Even with the insert, the start nut, and the headset race, the wolf was 15 grams lighter than the Easton SL. Plus the bike just looks more aesthetically pleasing with straight blade-aero wolf.



So if anyone needs a brand new, never installed, uncut steerer all carbon Easton SL, I have one that I need to sell. $250 would make me happy and is way cheaper than you can buy anywhere else. 1 1/8th.

December 20th

I waited a day to pen this because I felt that I might have said something I that would have been unbecoming of a gentlemen yesterday. Long story short, I received the email from Wharton around 11 am. I could tell within the 1st sentence that I had been waitlisted. The admissions committee took their time getting to the part where they actually say waitlisted. My heart and soul hurt yesterday.

Mostly it is because I was hoping that this giant question mark of "what am I doing with my life" would be all wrapped up in a nice little package. I have been praying for months that I could stamp some direction into my life with a finality feeling with the navy and a new and promising MBA program. Wharton happens to be a school with the earliest decision date. Well, yesterday, I received the wait 3 more months email. The good news is that Wharton didnt say no and I still have a very good chance. Most of the people who apply to the top schools apply to Wharton. So, if they are good enough for Penn, they are prob good enough for HBS, Standford, Kellogg, ect. Some of those people will be accepted at mulitiple schools and will decline their admissions offer to Wharton and then I will be able to swoop in like a hawk looking for a mole in a corn field.


Of course this entire scenario only considers one school. I interviewed at Darden on Monday. It was an absolutely beautiful campus and the people there were very cool. I can see myself there next fall without question. And I am buying my plane ticket for the Berkeley interview today. I am also considering applying to Columbia and Kellogg. That would mean a decent amount of work over the Christmas break, but nothing unmanageable.

Long story longer, I was not feeling well yesterday. I instructed a simulator with a kid who was the best student I have had to date. That was good. But when I got home I just didnt feel like doing anything. So I pushed on multiple layers of clothing and went out on the road ride. I kept looking for things that would make me feel better. There were a couple notions that gave me at least some pride. The first is a Velonews ad for Assos clothing:

"Suffering on a bicycle is noble as it reflects the full blooming of the will." Noble indeed.

The second was this penny that I found. As you can see, it was heads up so that must be a luck converter. The only problem was when I lent down to pick it up, the penny was tarred into the blacktop. No penny for me. My heart sank a little further.

I then proceeded to get a flat and have the spare tube blow too. Flats are so rare for me because I pay so much attention to the road and what I am riding over. So this really pissed me off. Add in 39 degree temps and this was an unfun situation. Finally, I got a break when a college kid pulled over and offered me her floor pump. I got the tire fixed and was on my way back home.

The rest of the ride wasnt that bad. I rode past sunset and enjoyed the fact that I could even be on the bike. My mother taught me early to count my blessings. I have many and I know it. I am thankful for each and every one of them. I got a sweet light which lit my way over the Berkeley bridge, through downtown, down Granby to Princess Anne. At the corner, this girl in a Saturn had a flat. So pushed her car (in my speedplay cleats mind you) into a gas station parking lot and changed her tire for her. That good deed made me feel better about myself and she was very happy she had some help. If I keep getting kicked in the face today at least I can improve someone else's day.



What a day.


Long shadows usually mean cooler rides. How epic!


Night riding is pretty cool, maybe not the best idea for safety, but still pretty cool.

Visual Stimulation

It seems that most people prefer pictures to words. "OOOOhhhhhh shiny things" says Homer. SO here's a cool pic I snapped in San Diego. I was at the Wave House watching people eat it on the simulated wave. I am telling you, San Diego truly is God's gift to us. I pray that my career finds me out there again.

37 Degrees = Awesome

Wick and I enjoying some winter riding. Snow flurries would have made it a truly epic morning.



Track Stand Approach (always find an uphill)


Stuck it. And then the one hander.

Early Sat Mornings Can Be Tough

If Wick hadnt shown up at my house at 730 this morning, there is a 100% chance that I would have just rolled over. I woke up, put on my new pearl long wind/winter pants and stepped outside. It was fricking (I love using that word--mostly because Elliot Reed uses it excessively) freezing.

We drove out to the Contes ride and saw only Bill Gilmer at the start. Wick and I were the only punks who slept in as everyone else was already up riding at 715. We put in a nice 40 in a "not too bad once you are riding" 37 degrees. I am blessed. I cant wait for April and May.

Wick and I also have an ongoing competition. Whenever we come to a red light, whomever holds the longer trackstand on the bike is the world champion. I spent a couple months on the velodrome back in 97 and actually was the national 7th placed collegiate kilo racer (only 7 guys qualified)! Of course I have yet to be beat in the track stand world championships. I submit the above pictures to display how to execute the perfect one handed trackstand.

7 Days Later

THis week was all in all pretty slow. I have found that turning 31 (on monday) wasnt nearly as difficult as not being in my twenties proved to be. But Norfolk was blessed with 81 degrees on wednesday. I already have 150 miles in this week. Wow. Thats pretty decent considering its december. My thoughts keep wandering back to Admissions Teams' decisions and I am pretty much going crazy. A couple of fellas in my squadron are applying to B schools too. We chat and get ourselves all frantic considering the interviews or lack thereof.

So I am doing my best to concentrate on the prospect of suffering. I contend there are few people who truly understand how sweet it is really suffer on a bike. Being at that redline, finding that limit is a difficult thing to do. Training now allows me to push that redline further away--allows me to go harder. Most of my favorite VA memories are on a bike. I love everything about it. I love the technical aspect of all the different types of gear. I love the training. I love the people who truly understand why I ride. They exist. I am thinking about my friend Kevin at Cross Nats. Good luck pal. I am thinking about the amazing opportunity that T Karnes has as a member of the Hincapie Juniors Team. Mostly I am thinking about how to continually find time to ride as other priorities take demand of my time and life. I must be crazy to go out in 38 degree temps and put in 50 miles. Thats just stupid.

Anyway, there is always trash to distract us. Nip/Tuck took a wrong turn last week but came back strong this past Tues night. I finally figured out why my mom and sisters recorded Days of Our Lives for 10 years when I was growing up: its just fun and takes your mind off everything for an hour. Does this mean that I watch soap operas? Trash, absolute trash, but a lot of fun!

Slow Friday

Christmas is Upon Us!!!




It has been a while since I have thought about my blog. But I spent some time this morning researching other MBA admissions candidates journeys and now think I really need to post some ideas here. I know that only 4 people read my blog. But having the potential for someone who doesnt know me well to read it is an interesting thought.





I am happy to announce that I am 100% complete with the Wharton application process. I interviewed last week and was indifferent about the process. I thought the interview was going well until the last 10 mins. My interviewer was a female ex-Isreali army seargent. The interesting thing is that 10 seconds previous to my name being called, the interviewer was an Air Force Academy graduate and was at USAFA during my exchange semester at USAFA. I noticed him because he had hair down to his shoulders, a big grin (happy to not be in the military anymore), and an F-15 tie pin. So, 10 seconds may have been the deciding factor in my MBA fate. Equally frustrating was the recognition of a good college friend on the Wharton admissions staff AFTER my interview. I found (message to Garcia) his number and it was awesome. John Collins showed me around, displayed to me how crazy this time of the year was, and took me to class. He introduced me to a bunch of MBA students and basically sold the school to me (as if I need to be sold on Wharton). It was funny because he kept talking about me having to choose between Wharton and other schools. I kept telling him that I needed to gain acceptance somewhere before I could make any decisions.





The idea of a choice is a wonderful prospect, but very heavy right now. Maybe I am having that mid-round "I have not been asked to interview for HBS or Stanford" mental crisis. Thus far I have completed my interview for Wharton (decisions released Dec 20), have interviews with HAAS and Darden, and am waiting on Stanford and HBS. I have been meaning to apply to Columbia but have been enjoying not crushing myself with applications this past month. Perhaps my heart is heavy because the big 31 falls this Monday. For interested readers only: I bought a hot pair of new shoes for my birthday--Sidi 5.5 Carbon in all white! Bringing this idea back around, having heard from Wharton, Haas, and Darden, I really wish I would have heard something from the other two schools. Discouraging.





This entire MBA process has made me really take a hard look at my life. Staying in the Navy is definately an option. But I doubt that I would be challenged intellectually in the next 11 YEARS. Sure, there will be difficult times (like plowing through sand with whilst carrying an m16), but I just dont see myself growing much. So leaving is the right thing to do in that respect. However, the financial security and health benefits are decent. I doubt that I will ever work with some of my greatest friends and get to have lunch with them on a daily basis. Just today I ate lunch with 9 guys who are all just awesome guys. As aviators, we share this unique perspective and confidence in a narrow age range that probably doesnt exist in many business circles. But then again, who risks their life on a daily basis and gets paid as little as we do?





Long story short, thanks for reading and enjoy the Christmas spirit. Count your blessings and do something everyday that gives you peace! My beautiful pre-lit wally-world $29 Christmas tree brings a smile to my heart everyday. Thanks for the prodding sis.

Mom is going to be so proud!

I never thought anything would come of my last name, except for the obvious call sign - "Over." Wait, thats not true....
it's still a funny read:

http://www.gamjams.net/2007/12/top-10-local-ra.html

And finally, do I need these shoes to celebrate my birthday this Monday? I think so: