Vacations, what are they good for?

 Cycling, Food & Wine, Life, Philosophy, Vacations  No Responses »
Oct 172011
 

There used to be a time when I enjoyed going on vacation, but now not so much.

I don’t know if it’s simply because of all the little things I hate about traveling, i.e. packing and unpacking, checking into and out of hotels, airport hassles etc. or simply the fact I don’t need to travel anywhere.

I already live in an area which has everything most people dream of in a vacation. I sure don’t need to drive very far, or fly to all corners of the world, to get away (my justification for our latest trip to Solvang/Santa Inez). I can go to Disneyland for that, and still sleep in my own bed at the end of the day.

Sure it’s enlightening to experience new places, but I’ve seen most of the US, and I’ve been to France, Italy and England. I lived in Okinawa for 18 months, and vacationed in the Philippines, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Fiji (twice), Tahiti, Hawaii, and the Caribbean. I’ve even been to New Zealand. I don’t need any more enlightening.

Plus, I’m not into culture. I’d just as soon watch a travelogue, or look at photos someone else has taken of the places I’ve never been. My real reason for going anywhere is to experience the food and wine of a region, but I can get all that right here in beautiful southern California, and in spades!

So why go through all the hassles of leaving home, worrying about how Morris and Chloe (our cats) are doing, or feeling down because I’m not out riding my bike?

The truth of the matter is I don’t. I just need to accept that realization.

I know hearing all that won’t please the travel industry very much, but why do I need to please them? [I never really considered them an industry anyways.] It should, however, keep the local restaurant’s happy, as I’ll be able to frequent them more often, as well as the wine industry, by keeping my wine cellar well stocked with lots of high quality wines.

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 Posted by Marc at 10:02 am

No vitamin D today

 Cycling, Life  No Responses »
Sep 052011
 

I awoke this morning to a bright flash of light. At first I thought I was imagining it, or maybe I tore a retina, but then I heard a long rumble which I determined to be thunder. I was relieved to say the least, but also a little surprised. I wasn’t expecting any rain. I can’t even remember the last time it rained here, it’s been that long.

At least now I have an excuse for not going on a bike ride today. Monday is usually a day off, but since today is a holiday, I was considering it. I’ll just go with my normal routine, and go to the gym instead.

The only problem is, it’s going to be difficult getting my allotment of vitamin D today. While the threat of rain is supposed to dissipate by early morning, the forecast is for partly cloudy conditions throughout the day, which could make it a little more problematic receiving enough UVB rays necessary for Vitamin D production.

Oh well, such is life. Everyday can’t be perfect, and yesterday was a beautiful day.

Hopefully I have enough vitamin D stored up from past exposures to get me by!

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 Posted by Marc at 6:47 am  Tagged with: ,

And now for the let down

 Cycling  No Responses »
Jul 242011
 

Cadel Evans on the Podium with Andy and Frank SchleckSometimes I amaze myself at the things I am able to accomplish when I want [need] to, but that pales in comparison to what Cadel Evans was able to do in this years Tour de France.

Twice I thought the Tour had slipped out of his reach, but twice Evans managed to crawl his way back.

The first time was on stage 18, when Andy Schleck attacked 60 km from the finish, and built up a 4 minute lead over Evans. Undaunted, after exhausting his entire team, and without the help of any of the other teams, Evans still managed to fight his way back, and cut the lead to just 2 minutes and 15 seconds, keeping himself within a reachable 1:12 (57 seconds from Andy Schleck) out of the Yellow Jersey.

Then, on Stage 19, Alberto Contador attacked only 16 km into the stage. Evans was able to go with him (along with Andy Schleck and Thomas Voekler) initially, but within a very short time encountered bike problems, and was forced to change bikes, putting him behind Contador and Schleck by over a minute and a half.

At that point I thought he had lost the tour for sure, but in the same manner as the day before, he again managed to fight his way back. The difference this time was he was able to catch Contador and Schleck before the start of the famed climb of Alpe d’Huez, and wipe out essentially all his losses.

The rest is history, but even if Cadel Evans hadn’t beaten Andy Schleck by 2 minutes 38 seconds in the final time trial yesterday, and ultimately winning the Tour de France, the effort put forth by Cadel Evans on the 2 prior stages is definitely worthy of note.

My helmet off to Cadel Evans and Frank and Andy Schleck [and Mark Cavendish] for making this one of the most exciting Tour de France races in recent memory. My only regret is it had to end! :(

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 Posted by Marc at 3:51 pm  Tagged with:

Say it ain’t so Lance

 Cycling, Life, Politics  No Responses »
May 232011
 

Well, if you’re like me, you watched the 60 Minutes interview with Tyler Hamilton Sunday night, and like me, you’re probably even more confused now than ever.

Did he, or didn’t he? That is the question.

Tyler’s accusations of doping are certainly compelling, but just because he admitted to doping, doesn’t mean Lance did as well. Nor should we automatically accept what Tyler is saying as fact. After all, remember what I said before, everyone has an agenda. Plus Tyler is receiving limited immunity for his testimony.

As for me, I choose to believe Lance. Not only because I find it difficult to believe anyone who has survived cancer would take illicit drugs, but because with all the scrutiny he has endured, there has never been any evidence of a failed test.

But whether the accusations are true or not, what bothers me more than anything is our governments collosal waste of time and resources investigating these accusations.

With all the problems facing this country, why do some people feel it is necessary to waste so much valuable time and resources on something that can only result in pain and sorrow, when we should be focusing our attention on more beneficial endeavors?

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 Posted by Marc at 9:09 pm  Tagged with: ,

Sunday Morning

 Cycling, Life  1 Response »
Jan 232011
 

Well, here it is a little after 6 AM Sunday morning, and I’ve decided not to ride. Seems I’m having an issue, only a cyclist would know about. It’s not serious, but I’ve decided to rest anyways. Besides I have to get mentally prepared for the Jets-Steelers game this afternoon!

So I was going through my Facebook page, and I came across this photo, that a buddy posted, of the first group picture of Lightning Velo, the bike club we started back in 1987/88.

That’s me top row, far left. WOW! We looked so young back then. :)

What’s amazing is, I actually remember all the names, and most of them are still around. They’re just not all in the club any more (including myself), but I do still run into a few on the road occasionally.

Those kind of things sure bring back some good [and old] memories. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could bring back those care free days, when life seemed so much simpler?

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 Posted by Marc at 6:17 am  Tagged with:

Fate is the hunter

 Cycling, Life, My MCL  1 Response »
Dec 232010
 

I’m tired! I’m really tired. And these past 8 days of essentially non stop rain certainly didn’t help any. Even today, when I thought I would be able to get out on a real bike once again, I looked out side, and discovered the roads are still soaking wet. So here I am stuck in the house once again.

But mostly I’m tired of dealing with my MCL. I’m tired of the endless blood tests, and visits to the oncologist. I’m tired of people asking me how I feel, and then lying to them. I’m tired of putting on a happy face, and going about my life as if nothing is wrong.

You’d think (at least I would) after [nearly] 9 years, my body would have figured out there’s something wrong, and do something about it. You’d think after [nearly] 9 years my body would have built up some defenses to my MCL, and maybe even mount an offense for a change.

But why would I think that? Heck, the best minds in the US can’t seem to come together and figure out how to get completely out of Afghanistan and Iraq, nor eliminate the scourge tearing the fabric of this country [US] apart, so what makes me think my body is any more capable of doing such a thing?

Of course, maybe my body has figured it out. Maybe a high lymphocyte count, hemoglobin in the anemic range, and an enlarged spleen is just the new norm [for me], and I’m actually cured. After all my lymphocyte count has actually been on a downward trend for the past 4 years. Of course so has my hemoglobin and platelet counts, so……..

Or is it more likely my body is just fighting the valiant fight, like King Leonidas at the Battle of Thermopylae, or the Jews at Masada, and in the end will eventually succumb to the never ending onslaught, and no amount of bike riding or green tea will be able to prevent the inevitable.

I don’t know, that’s for sure, and I doubt anyone knows.

So I can rant, I can ride my bike and drink green tea to my hearts content, I might even pray some, but in the end, it won’t do any good. And I’m not about to seek help from a psychiatrist, or take any medication, because the one thing I have come to believe with some certainty is you can’t hide from reality. Our destiny’s are sealed. Some might call it luck, but I call it fate, and Fate is the Hunter.

The only thing I would truly hope for, is after all this time, I’d at least be able to deal with it better.

Notice how I was skillfully able to incorporate a political rant into a post on living and dealing with mantle cell lymphoma.

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 Posted by Marc at 6:50 am  Tagged with: ,
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