Final Flyer Taken!

As I am a rider at the core, I feel the above accurately represents how I perceive options. For those so adept in all the lingo I maintain (military, pilot, bike racing, and gangster rap), a Flyer is a racer who just puts it all out there in an effort to win a race. That racer commits to his effort knowing that even if he doesnt win that particular race, he'll garner respect from the other racers --if he is able to hold off the peleton or initiate the move that selects the race winner.

This afternoon, amidst the 10 minute Norfolk snow flurries, I took my last flyer and submitted my last application to Columbia in New York, NY. Lucky application #6 was definitely easier than previous submissions but still a two week process and pain in my tail. I answered essay questions with the intention of showing who I am and my goals. I hope that someone on the admissions board sees me as unique--Navy pilot, Alaska grown, bike racer, gentleman, tsunami relief humanitarian. The more I dive into this particular world, the more I realize it is important to know someone, or have an amazing story. Since I only know about 10 people in general, I hope my story holds up.

Now two nights to prepare for a Berkeley interview in CA this Saturday!

Again, if you visit, please visit my comment page. Always curious!

And Hans, what is talking rain? Is that a vegas magic potion?

Blogging Instead of Writing

Just to be 100% clear, the "No Throttle for 2008" is still in full effect with no re-lapses. Great ride this morning everyone. After the 65 that Wick and I logged, I logged four hours in my bed, which was fantastic.

Now editing and then scrounging for food.

What Should I write for this Essay? HELP!!!

I am currently in my pain cave as I like to call it. I force myself into the computer room to write. Tonight, I am working on my Columbia application essays. I can tell you that after writing 20+ essays in the past couple of months--all about myself and how wonderful I am and how I am going to change the world with my business degree, I am about to vomit. But, I found out today that Columbia accepts applications from military people for $free.99 (I would have to pay $250 otherwise), so I figured I may as well submit an application. The worst Columbia can do is tell me No.

So I am contemplating one essay concerning the entrepreneurial mindset. "Explain how you have captured an opportunity." What a horrible essay. I initially penned a quip about buying and selling a home in socal, taking advantage of the hot market. I sent this email to a friend and he quickly reminded me that every soul in the past 5 years has done this and it probably lessens my chance for admission--yawn! So I am contemplating what else to write. ANy ideas?

On a completely separate topic, I called HBS and Stanford today. No interview invites yet but I was told both schools invite to interview up until the last day (right). So the twine is unravelling and I still choose to hang onto the last bit of hope. Then, after finding a blog from another MBA hunter, I find that HBS actually waitlists without interviewing. Ouch. Or yeah! depending on your perspective. So all is not lost with respect to #s 1 & 2.

Wick and I rolled a quick 25 today. It was a welcome change from the office. It was funny because I remind Wick that riding his million dollar white sidis in the winter is a bad idea. Today was day 3 for him riding them and it started to rain. I have never seen him climb the Berkley bridge so fast. He really wants to keep his shoes white--good man.

There are so many places in my life where I think snobs and pretentious people suck. But everyone who knows me well understands that I love being a bike snob. The amazing thing is, there are people who are more of a bike snob that me (fowler comes to mind, maybe the S in SR racing too).

White shoes for 2008!!!! (only on sunny days)

I'm off to enjoy an episode of my recent addiction:

Bathroom Cleaning Day

I am so unmotivated to finish my last application for Business School--Columbia. So unmotivated in fact, that I cleaned each toilet in my house before I started writing these last four essays. Rough. I just need a pick-me-up. I have been laying off the Full Throttle and today marks day 9 without one. I figure thats pretty good.

I was stoked to get in 60 miles with Wick yesterday. He's going to be a good racer this year. But I am working on his fashion sense. View rough socks below.

I am the worlds biggest idiot and somehow managed to strip out my derailleur hanger dropout on my Scott. I have Roberio working his south American magic on the bike, keep your fingers crossed that I'll get the bike back without having to give up my 1st born son. I find out more on Friday. Hippster, you wont find a better bike so be careful when assembling your bike in the dark at the airport!

For those that know and love me, I am flying out to Berkeley next friday to interview. Its a very selective school but I would love to be out there. Probably known for mostly for its liberal and leftist view on EVERYTHING, I think I would bring some diversity to that B school class.

Finally, I am finding out that some people are reading my blog--beyond what I thought was a four person contingent. That being said, please leave some kind of comment if you see, feel, hear, know anything interesting or thought provoking.

Resolutions Smesolutions

I am pretty sure that every rider who knows me likes riding with me. Presumptuous you say? The truth of the matter is that there are few people on a bike who are 200+ pounds. Its not that I am slow or have a complex or any of that mess. I am just a huge rider. At least once every ride I catch a "look at those tree trunk legs" or someone conviently lets me slip in front of them during the paceline shuffle. So my new years resolution is to stop drinking sugary soda. The main culprit is touted as an energy drink and can too often be found in my hand. At $2.50 a can (from 7-11) I figure I'll be ahead at least $100 a month. My friends actually ask myself if I have throttled myself yet (today) considering I always drink this crap. Good job with marketing Coke Co, but you will no longer see me enjoying your super energy mainstay:

On a very good note, I managed to pull myself out of bed at 645 this morning and met the hilltop contes peeps for a quick 75. Beatiful day, beautiful ride. I seriously can think of no better way to ring in the new year than to get in a ride on a beautiful day. Wick broke his cleat so we missed the last of the ride. Still epic.

Doping in cycling? Not in 757! or eh, what?

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.