"Es Okay!"

So Juan Pablo finally gets exposed by Andi as an ungentlemanly, selfish fame-seeker not really interested in finding a wife. Have I not been pitching that theory from early on and was scoffed at? I think I was right all along. Lol.

First date starts with Clare…clearly, she seems to be the most smitten at this point and would probably say yes to a proposal. However, when she tried to talk out her frustrations with Juan he kind of hushed her and she has kept quiet. I’m not sure they could survive another catfight, and Clare is brimming with emotion. Was it just me or was there some disinterest for Clare on the part of Juan Pablo? I’m not sure she gets to the alter. And what about Clare as far as being the next Bachelorette? Subpar candidate I do not think she will resonate with the fans who find her a bit fake.

Andi comes next…seems all hunky dory until the morning after. Methinks Andi did not like the walk of shame after Juan probably got drunk and told her he hung out with Rhianna at the club and was hitting on her and how much fun he had with Clare and wait don’t interrupt me I need to finish my story we’ll get to you later. After this impressive showing, Andi is no doubt in line as #1 choice for next Bacherlorette as she’ll have the fan vote.

Nikki was next…not sure her day date horse riding outfit was the best choice with a jolting horse ride but Juan didn’t seem to mind. Based on his interest in Nikki and that there was no unsettling discussions, Nikki has to be the front runner to walk down the alter. I’d say 30% chance he chooses Nikki, 20% chance he choose Clare, and 50% he chooses neither. As far as the next Bachelorette I’m afraid her continued icyness with Clare will cost her the fan approval vote.

Let’s all take a lesson from Juan Pablo…is this all going to work out in the end? Probably not. But hey, it’s ok!

Bachelor Hometowns

There might be two updates this week, as tomorrow you “won’t believe what happens!” on Part Two of the Bachelor.  Let's go in order of the Hometowns…I didn’t see any train wrecks although Clare’s family was certainly bizarre.

1.      I liked Nikki’s family, almost a little TOO much. The dad almost had a little too much “sounds good to me” about him but all in all it was a good performance. A-

2.      Andi’s family was a little more skeptical…the dad Hy was all grumpy and skeptical which was awesome actually. Solid B grade for grumpy dad. Loved it.     

3.      Poor Renee. She had no chance at all yet had to go through the whole routine of bringing a man home who meet the fam. She’ll probably get the most cheers at the “after the rose” ceremony from the crowd as a fan favorite yet no chance to be the next Bachelorette…a little too old for the role. Even with an extreme makeover I don’t see the next crop of Bachelorette suitors would be all excited about competing for her…would probably be like a “Oh its not Emily its Ashley? Dang it” feel to it. Renee should probably go meet the baseball coach as the mom interestingly brought it up to her. C grade

4.      Clare had a house full of six older and bitter women and just ONE man in the mix from what I could tell. I could sense a ton of cat fighting goes on in there with the other five women doing a lot of throwing monkey wrenches into the mating potential over there. Out of all the families it’s probably the least likely place to go for Thanksgiving dinners.  D    

Down to the final 3…sad to say this but I can’t see any of these remaining actually making it to the alter with Juan P NOR becoming the next Bachelorette.  

Most Amazing Inspirational Transformation ! Nothing is impossible

Solid Advice For Cyclists

There was a cool article in this month's Bicycling Magazine called 101 Ways to Transform Your Cycling Life.  It gave little tips on how to be better on the bike.  Many of these ideas seem elementary and basic, but I thought some were worth repeating.  Here is my short list of favorites:

1.  Move around on your seat to emphasize different muscle groups.  Moving forward accentuates the quads, while moving backward emphasizes the hamstrings and glutes.

2.  Handlebar width should equal shoulder width.  A wider bar opens your chest for breathing; a narrower one is generally more aerodynamic.  Pick the one that favors your riding style.

3.  As your effort becomes harder, increase the force of your breaths rather than the frequency.

4.  On descents, your bike is much more stable when you're pedaling than when you're coasting.

5.  Put your left foot down when stopping to prevent greasy chainring "tattoos" on your right calf.

6.  Always ride with your elbows bent and your arms and shoulders relaxed.  This prevents fatigue caused by muscle tension.  It also absorbs shock instead of transmitting it to your body.

7.  To build confidence in a paceline, start by staying one bike length from the rider in front of you, then gradually close the gap as your experience and ability increase.  Once you can ride comfortably within a wheel's length, you'll be getting most of the benefit of drafting, which can reduce by up to 35 percent the effort it takes to maintain a given speed.  Draft!  Draft!  Draft!

8.  When you cast a crisp shadow on the road, take the opportunity to check your position -- are your elbows bent, back naturally flat, knees slightly bent at the bottom of the pedal stroke, head up without being torqued at the neck?

9.  After you grab your water bottle, don't tilt your head to drink.  Tilt the bottle and squeeze the water in.  You'll have more control.

10.  The key to smooth, reliable, nondamaging gear changes when you're pushing hard is to ease your pedal pressure at the instant you move the shift lever.  You need to lighten the load on the chain for about one revolution so it won't balk, crunch, or possibly break.  Then hit the power again.

Butch-Lorette

Let’s be honest, no one is really watching this show are they? I have a theory on Sharleen based on certain clues she has said. Like, ”I haven’t been in this type of situation in awhile” or, “I’m really confused” or, “I need to see if this man can be a compatible partner.” It’s my guess that Sharleen’s last relationship was of the female variety…which explains why she has been so conflicted. They need to bring her back as the next Bachelorette and let men and women compete for her affections. They could call it the Butch-lorette. Who wouldn’t watch this show? This needs to happen.

I’ve been pretty sure that Clare had this thing in the bag…the only thing that could blow it is the hometown dates which has derailed many a favorite (see Desiree). Wouldn’t you know it but Clare’s family appears to be looney from what we can tell. This appears to have opened the door for Nikki to pass her in the standings by getting the all-important first to “meet Camilla” date.

We also got the see Juan’s baby momma…first impression baby momma probably the best looking of the bunch and second impression baby momma didn’t look very happy with all this. Methink we have not heard the last from baby momma.

Finally, we had a little cat-fight between Clare and Nikki. Still not as heated as the dudes were when they confronted James for not being there for “the right reasons” but it’s a start. Next week is two nights of shows ...  the most dramatic episodes yet!  Be sure to not tune in!

Bachelor -- Another Hilarious Report

Just a standard breakdown this week. The show starts off with Cassandra commiserating to who else, Momma Bear Renee, who listens dutifully. Everyone goes to Renee for advice. We learn that  Cassandra just turned 22…22!!! I have shoes older than Cassandra. She has a kid with NBA player Rodney Stuckey who from the looks of him is maybe around 2 years old. If my math is correct, she likely met Stuckey and got knocked up at around 18 while dancing with the Pistons. It’s a bit of a whopper…Juan Pabs may have figured this out as well and decides to send her packing in a pouring rain storm outside a snug little Hobbit hole without even acknowledging her B-day. Meanwhile, has Renee quietly snuck up to dark horse contender? I do not predict she makes it to the hometown dates but she’s gaining momentum…no one saw Catherine winning it last season either. Andi gets the first one on one date, had her dinner ruined by a geyser but apparently didn’t care as long as the wine was not ruined. I have not seen these girls eat anything except the chunks of fruit in their cocktails. Group date went a little better this time…Sharleen gets the rose after Juan decides talking with her is very bad and just kisses her instead before she can assemble her thoughts. Looks like next week is when Sharleen has her moment. Clare ends up with the last one on one and is pleased to clear the air after Juan “apologized” to her…Clare, you make me do something I didn’t want to do, I felt bad, I have decided you cannot get upset about it anymore…well then! Apology accepted! Kat gets the boot over Chelsie right after Chris Harrison reminds us “this is the final rose of the night, Juan, when you are us ready” quote. Kat gave it a good run…Scottsdale in the house! Question…is the Juan Pablo “let me pull your hair out of your face and around your ear” trick effective or annoying?  

In the Haus

Tomorrow I start a new job at the Taj Mahal of bike shops, Bicycle Haus in Scottsdale, Arizona.  It's the type of store that cues angelic choirs singing "ahhhhhh!" when you step inside it's doors.  Artful angles of steel and concrete welcome you into just the coolest, swankiest, good-vibe bike store you've ever sauntered into.  I'm so excited to be spending my days here:

The store is located at 7113 E. 1st Avenue in Scottsdale, near the 5th Avenue shops of Old Town.  

As part of my training to be a member of the BH team, Shasta and Kale sent me to Specialized Headquarters in Morgan Hill, California.  I spent three days learning the hows and whys of a Specialized Body Geometry Fit at the SBCU, the "bike university" for everything Specialized related.  

The instructors taught their in-depth method of how to fit a bike to a body, and not the other way around. Often cyclists purchase a bike for it's looks or it's brand, without considering if the bike is a  "match" for the person's body type.  But the truth is, a person should NEVER try and acclimate to a bike.  Rather, the geometry of a person's body, the way he or she moves, the flexibility and strengths and weaknesses of his body should all be taken into account whenever a person gets on a bike.  The Body Geometry philosophy takes a step-by-step assessment of the body, then fits a rider to a bike that will give him the most efficient and comfortable ride of his life.  A BG fit will help eliminate numb hands, tight backs, saddle discomfort -- all the things that plague a dedicated rider.  Anyone serious about riding a bike should be fit properly on their bike, no matter what the brand.  

My day at SBCU was filled with instruction and hands-on training and fitting classmates on demo bikes.  But that didn't mean we didn't have time to ride.  Every day we took out the bike of our choice and toured the beautiful rolling hills of Northern California.  After our daily group rides around Morgan Hill, we were treated to health-conscience meals prepared by the Specialized chefs.  And we also got to take a peek inside the coolest thing I've seen in a long time: the Specialized wind tunnel.   An unmarked building next to SBCU headquarters held the key to the success of the beautiful bikes of Specialized.  Scientists with PH.D.s in astro physics were busy testing out how to make these bikes and riders the best that they could be.  The wind tunnel was dope.  

Wind Tunnel in Morgan Hill

Specialized Wind Tunne

My week was amazing.  And tomorrow, my journey begins at Bicycle Haus, helping to achieve my goal of bringing out the physical best in everyone.  And don't fret, I'll still be on deck for Masters Swimming at Kino and Skyline on Wednesdays.

Call me to schedule your first bike fit at the Haus, my first 10 fits are complimentary.  If you're willing to work with me, I promise I will make you a better rider and help you maximize your full power potential on the bike.  Get on a bike...you'll fall in love, I promise.