Wide load on a one lane road. Welcome to the backroads of San Mateo County.



[Posted from the Treo 650]

Life's a beach this week!





[Posted from the Treo 650]

Cool Mapping Web Apps...

But they aren't killer apps yet. The apps I'm talking about are created using the Google Maps API, in what's called a Mashup. Oh and for those who don't know, API is application programming interface, and it's the instructions, in a sense, on how developers and other computer applications can access functions of another application.

Ok, enough of the boring stuff, now lets talk about these map apps. I was alerted to these two apps from Chico Gino because he posted about them at his blog. So, I felt the need to give them a test run.

Since I'm about to leave on vacation and plan to do much cycling, I figured I'd best know where I'm going. First, I tried out Bikely before moving on to Gmap-pedometer. Bikely is pretty cool; it allows users to either look at route maps or create maps of their own, which can then be exported. But, at this point I'm not sure what those exports can be used for. I'm sure I'll find out or someone will let me know. Gmaps had most of the features of Bikely but with the addition of a calorie counter, mile marker, and you could choose between English or Metric measurements. Two features that really sold me on Gmap were the "create there and back route" link that saves you the time of retracing the route back and secondly, the Elevation links that create the profile of the route. Uber neato!

So, here are the results of my tinkering...

The map I created from Bikely: http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Half-Moon-Bay-loop

The same map, but created in Gmaps: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=311555

Check 'em out!

Oh, and if you happen to be around the Half Moon Bay area and have free time between 8 and noon on either Monday, Tuesday, or Wednesday of next week, drop me a comment and we can hook up for a ride.

Ouch!

Cyclings equilivent to the bad day at the office, wounldn't you say?

Check out CyclingNews.com where there is a sequence of 7 or 8 pictures of how this happened and the aftermath.

Ouchie!

Tour Madness

Ok, this is the most crazy Tour ever. No one has a clue what might happen other than the race will be over on Sunday. Yesterday, I had just about given up all hope as Landis lost insane time and I figured it was over. Now, I'm watching the guy ride away from the Maillot Jaune group containing all the "new" favorites. Yesterday, everyone attacked him non-stop and with not much team around him, he got shelled. Today, the shoe is on the other foot and Floyd is single handedly putting the hurt on the peloton.

Listening to the commentators, it seems that yesterday, Floyd just got too hot. They say today he is riding with a bottle in hand just to spray over himself. I'm thinking there could be a place in the market for a helmet "mistymate" in the near future, if not right now.

Ok, back to the race! Go Floyd!

CoComment Update...

If you like blogs and also enjoy leaving comments on blogs that you read, this is a product you need to check out. It's called CoComment and I've been using it for maybe 6 months or so. It allows for me to keep track of the comments I make at other people's blogs. There are also a bunch of other cool features like tagging of said comments. I use it to create that section of in the left column called "Stupid Stuff I Say." It's fun stuff and just yesterday, they updated their product with new features such as:

THE COCOCRAWLER: The coCoCrawler has arrived, and will keep an eye on your conversations for you. Remember when coComment would inform you of new comments only when they were made by other users of the system? It’s over now, the most requested feature is up and running (it actually has been running in hidden mode for a month). […] all subsequent comments in that comment stream will be viewable in the conversation thread on your “my conversations page” – whether they are from registered coComment users or not.
TRACK THIS CONVERSATION: Another heavily requested feature: you can now track conversations even if you don’t participate!
META CONVERSATION: Trying to discuss on a page that does not allow commenting? Activate coComment and you will be able to start a new conversation on any web page!

So, if you comment, check it out!

Pictures of New Car

Or is it a truck. I guess it's a truck. Anyway, I finally took some pictures of the thing now that I've got some dirt and grease on it. Check them out over there in the Flickr badge you see to the right. I've had it for a month and think I'm used to the change now. At first, as you might imagine, it was a little tough to get used to after driving a Lexus for so long, but I think I've made the transition. We'll know for sure after this 2+ week vacation where it should be noticeably better than the old car.

For a truck, it's got some pep when you get to around 3000 RPMs, but that I suspect is the turbo charger kicking in. Above 4000 RPM, the thing takes off like a jet. It's supposed to do 0-60 in under 7 second and the all wheel drive helps keep it on the road. I'll have to slap some after market sway bars and another across the front struts because I think there is more power than suspension stiffness.

Anyway, I try to keep my foot out of the accelerator since I'm not a race car driver and I'm keen on making this thing last, oh and gas prices. So, I'm getting around 20 MPH around town and will know by the end of the weekend how it does on the freeway with a load.

Eureka!

I have to say that TV has just bored the hell out of me lately with all the reruns of last years episodes. So, I stumbled upon the Sci-Fi channel the other day and noticed they had a new show starting Tuesday, (yesterday for those keeping track of work days) called Eureka. So, I watched and it was pretty cool.

It's basically a show about a town, Eureka, where all the super brains of society seem to live where all looks normal, but isn't. Supposedly, with the help of Albert Einstein and other trusted advisors, President Harry S. Truman commissioned a top-secret residential development in a remote area of the Pacific Northwest, one that would serve to protect and nurture America's most valuable intellectual resources. So, the best of the best in all country come to this perfectly created town to live, learn, and create the future.

I enjoyed the two hour premiere and plan to watch the up coming episodes except I'll be on vacation for the next 3 Tuesdays. Lucky for me, well and you too if you have broadband and are interested in watching, you can watch the episodes online; here.

Check it out!

Haters...

I thought this kind of stuff was over with after that Clear Channel episode, but I guess not. This time around it's local disc jockeys from Portland station suggesting people who have hit cyclists to call into there show because it really pumps them up.

I'm not even sure what to say about such moronic blabber other than I'm appalled. You can read the blog where I first saw it here at BikePortland.org.

Wouldn't it just be easier to sell your soul for ratings?

Armstrong Set For Rough Ride...

Lance Armstrong is set to join the Dicovery Cycling Team in France for the last week of the Tour and it's bound to be his toughest ride though France since beginning his record setting 7 victories back in 1999.

In previous years there were the insults on the road, German fans spitting in his face, and of course all the drug insinuations from the French press. Well, those were tough years, but this year is set to be his toughest after comments made at the ESPYs.

In case you didn't hear what he said, it went like this...

"All their players (France) tested positive ... for being ass holes."

As you can imagine, that didn't go over very well with either the French press nor the French citizens. Lance pooh poohed it off by saying,

"Well, if they'd live with me and heard me at home, they'd know that was a step down."

It should be interesting to see the reaction he gets while following the race in the team car or while hanging out around the team bus before and after stages.

In regards to the comments he made, I wonder if people appearing on the ESPYs are allowed to create their own monologues or if someone else wrote that line for him? I wonder because Lance has always said he loved the French people, but disliked the French press, so such comments seem a bit of a low blow. But then who could blame a guy after all the bull he's been dragged through in that country?

So, that's enough about this non-Tour issue. Will there be another huge story breaking during this rest day?

Yey, Discovery Result!

Ok, the other day I was pretty down on the Discovery team having much if any more sucess at the Tour de France, but today that's chnaged.

Yaroslav Popovych was the big winner today taking the 12th stage from Luchon to Carcassonne. In doing so, he was able to move up into 10th place on GC and possibly make himself the go to guy at Discovery. Previously, I thought Azevedo was going to be the leader as he was the highest placed of the Disco boys, but how things can change in a day, amazing.

I believe it was yesterday that Johan said the Tour was over for them in terms of GC and that they would be going for stage victories. It's nice to see them come through like that so soon after he made the comment. It gives us fans a bit of hope. Now a top 20 seems very likely, if not a top 10 or better.

This tour, although missing many star riders, is without a doubt very exciting for the fact no one knows what might happen from day to day as there is no team really controlling the race.

On another Disco note, it's sad to hear Paolo Savoldelli crashed after the race while he was riding back down the mountain. It seems a spectator walked out in front of him, causing Savoldelli to fall. He sustained 10 stitches to his right eyebrow and though he was able to start today's stage, he abandoned after 43K.

Nanotubes Win le Tour?

That's right, if Floyd Landis wins the Tour de France, it's not only a victory for him and his team (and people with bum hips), but for the bike maker, BMC, who has incorporated carbon nanotube technology into their frames.

If you're interested, read the full story over here at CNET.

One aspect of the article that interests me is when they state the frame weights 2.2 Kg or about 965 grams and that it's one of the lightest frames in the peloton. But then I remembered the Scott ad about their frames weighing 880 grams. Those are ridden by Saunier Duval/Prodir cycing team. Either way, if it's a bike and it's being ridden in the Tour, you can expect it to be top o' the line.

Race 2 Replace...

Discovery Channel Cycling Team's Race 2 Replace is turning into more of a race to survive. After today's stage, I'm not sure they will be able to place someone in the top 20 anymore.

Today, Hincapie and Savoldelli both lost over 20 minutes! Popovyvch lost over 6 minutes and Azevedo lost over 4 minutes. So, quick run down of the R2P current standings after stage 11...

Azevedo 18th @ 7:27
Popovyvch 23rd @ 9:00
Hincapie 40th @ 24:22
Savoldelli 41st @ 24:24

It's no fun when the home team isn't doing so well, but otherwise the race has been fantastic!

I'm pretty disappointed about Gerorge losing so much time, I was really hoping he could pull a top 10 if not higher. But, I'm happy to see a Portuguese rider leading the Disco boys. Oh, and if you haven't heard, Disco is picking up Sergio Paulinho, the Portugese rider and recent silver medal winner at the 2004 Athens Olympic road race. Unfortunately, he was also named in Operacion Puerto, though Discovery Channel team manager Johan Bruyneel stated,

"Paulinho has got nothing to do with Operacion Puerto. His inclusion in the dossier was due to an error and there is now no problem for us in signing him. In cases of this kind we don’t take any risks".

So, Johan's not concerned, I'm not concerned... I guess. Those ethical decisions are tough!

Vacation Coming

That's right, I'm taking a vacation. Last real vacation was back in February when I was following the Tour of California, which seems like last year already.

This next vacation will find me heading to the beach, Half Moon Bay to be exact. I'll be heading out there to meet up with my Mom and Dad, along with my brother, his wife, and two daughters. I'm looking forward to the ocean, the cool breeze, and temperatures in the 60's. That'll make for some great bike riding.

My brother and I have 2 days of mountain biking planned where we will venture out into the Purisima Open Space
. Should be fun or at least we had fun there last year on this same camping trip. I've got the mtn bike all ready to go; I needed a new change and tune up after last years trip when I broke the chain on the first climb.

Other than those rides, I'll probably cruise out on the road bike to get in some miles each day. I'll probably do a similar ride as last here when I travelled south on HWY 1 to HWY 84 into Woodside before going up Skyline and down Tunitas Creek and back up HWY 1. It's something like a 45 or 50 mile ride I think, but it's more a matter of just riding and enjoying where I'm at, not so much for the training aspect but just for the fun. So, I'm looking forward to chillin with the family.

Then, it's back to Chico on Thursday night. Friday I need to unpack, clean stuff, and repack, before heading out to the Vineman Tri in Sonoma. I'm proabably heading over there on Saturday to meet a friend from Utah who I'm going to watch race on Sunday.

I'll then be heading out the Richardson Grove State Park on Monday morning to meet up with other friends from the bay area and Cortez, CO for our annual Reggae On The River trip. We've been doing that for 14 or so years now and it's the only place I end up seeing some people. Ah, life is just so busy.

So, you'll all have to look for tons of pictures at my flickr site come August 9th or so when I return. Maybe I'll do a post or two from my cell phone just for fun while sitting around.

Yey vacation!

Bike Update...

It's been 2 weeks since I took my bike in and they told me the fork was cracked. Yesterday, I found out that the fork is back ordered by 6 weeks at Easton. I wasn't happy and poor Scott down at Sports LTD had to hear about it, sorry bro!

So, now my old fork is going back on so I can at least ride the thing, I just only wish this were the case 10 days ago. One bright note is that Dane, another guy down at LTD told me he'd call Easton and see if he could get them to ship out a 2007 SLX fork as a replacement since the 2006 ones are back ordered. I'm crossing my fingers he can pull this off.

Hopefully today my bike will be ready and I'll be able to ride again. This may sound vain, but I'm starting to put on weight and feel and look pudgy, or pudgier than I should look. I suppose I enjoyed some of the time off the bike and was able to get some other stuff taken care of; like yard work (I hate yard work). So, look for me to be out on the road again soon!

US Gov't Mandates Laptop Security

Read the article here.

Being that my place of employment is funded by state and federal monies our programs fall under this umbrella so, we'd likely be forced to comply. Fortunately, we've had full disk encryption for months, but might have to do some added work to implement two factor authentication.

I know the product we use for full disk encryption has the ablility to utilized tokens, but I'll have to do some poking around to see how it works. Not to mention, we'd have to get USB drives to use as tokens.

Still, I think this will be more easily implemented compared to a biometric system.

I really can't believe it took until the middle of 2006 before anyone in a position of power realized this might be an issue. Ah, lovin' job security!

Bogus...

Well, today begins the first day of our fiscal year out at the Cancer Registry, and sure enough, it's time to start spending. Over the weekend the main switch which runs our network decided to go on permanent vacation.

Now I'm scrambling to find a replacement. A local consulting firm I sometimes work with have a spare I'm about to go pick up for the meantime. I've also found some replacements online, but being that today is a day many companies have taken off, I'm having trouble finding someone to over night the item.

Great way to start the week, but I suppose things can only get better!