2006 Year in Review > > >

whew - what a year! this year has to considered (by me) as one of the doozies so far in my life. 2006 started with some heavy personal stuff which was followed by a spring and summer of great racing and riding which was quickly followed by more heavy stuff (death of bk) and finally ended with some uplifting personal stuff. here are the hi-lites...

feb-mar

i had booked a flight to arizona in the fall of 2005 cuz i had a credit i had to use. i had no plan whatsoever beyond going there and riding my bike. i was hoping to get there with some miles in my legs so i rode like a madman in feb-mar to insure i was in shape to take advantage of the warm weather once i was in arizona.

april

tucson. serendipity. i ended up hooking up with cummings, kovacs, dalgleish, bk, keech, and young for 8 days of riding in the desert. it was cool to live like a pro - if only for a week - and the fitness level found after such an effort was remarkable!



may

started racing and found i was in incredible shape! in my first crit i finished 6th and felt like i could have done it again! i was very unsure of my form and myself - however - i would sort that out by canmore. in canmore i was racing with the cat.1/2's and felt incredible. our average speed for the event was 45kph! and the race was held right in the middle of canmore. its too bad the weather was so crappy or i am sure there would have been a bigger crowd to cheer us on. i ended up finishing 3rd overall and 1st in my category! I WON! I hadn't won a race in 11 years! AWESOME! after that result i fianlly found the confidence in myself and began to truely believe i could reach my season objective of winning the provincial criterium race in july.



july

canada day crit. i have historically had no luck at this event. i had never finished it before due to getting dropped or taken out by crashing riders - so - i was somewhat nervous going in. adding to that nervousness was the fact that the provincials were the very next day. as soon as the gun fired i attacked off the line and went as hard as i could to the top of the hill. i figured that since i had never finished this event before i was going to go all out from the gun and make the others suffer. i wanted to be the hammer, not the nail. anyway, i finished the race - hooray! - and ended up in 4th - doublehooray!!
provincials. the overriding story on this day was the course. super-bumpy-choppy-hairy! the short version for ya - started the last lap in about 20th position (very bad), faught my way up to 13th with two corners to go, faught my way up to 8th with one corner to go - finished 4th. i was disappointed at myself. so much so that it has had the effect of motivating me to continue for another year and work harder than i did last season to try and win this race. on a separate note, i also was able to take a holiday this month and went to silver star, sun peaks, and whistler for some freeriding and beer drinking. both were done to excess.






autumn and winter

well, fall was a time for sadness, reflection and friends. this was the season we lost Brian Kullman - bk. all of us that knew him could not understand how something like this could happen to such a nice guy. the upside - if there is one - is that many, many people in the cycling community have become better friends and i believe that new connections between people have been created while old friendships have grown stronger. when i think of bk - i think of this incredible gift he has given me. we will miss you bk - you crazy mofo! on a happier note, my father moved out from ontario during this season to try and forge new relationships with me, my brother and my son. to his credit he is working really hard to expand his bubble, try new things, and to build real relationships with his boys and grandson. hats off to you Dad! Thanks for finally catching the ball and throwing it back to me.

i am so excited for 2007. so many new things boiling right now - i can't wait to see the results. happy new year to you all and may your dreams come true in 2007.

holiday cheer!

now that the busy holiday merriment season has reached its climax, i thought i would share a few photos from the last week. i had the great pleasure of meeting my uncle buddy for the first time on dec.23 and what a cool cat he is. it was great to share a few bevvies with him and my dad and generally get festive. there is a picture below of my dad and uncle deep into the pits of merriment! also, i hosted a gathering here on dec.24th which was well attended and super fun. keech and co., bayly and co., kovacs and co., were some of the "cycling" attendees. i think all told there were about 20+ people that made an appearance and sipped a few. it was really great to see al of you - you know who you are. to top it all off i was able to miraculously hook up with cummings and bayly today for a great road ride. i felt way better than i was expecting to and am hoping to ride everyday for the next 2 weeks while LG> is shutdown - mini-winter-trainincamp. thats all for now - off to T&J's for deep-fried gobblegobble and more festive boozin'. here are some pics...

Wearing helmets 'more dangerous'

Cyclists who wear protective helmets are more likely to be knocked down by passing vehicles, new research from Bath University suggests.
The study found drivers tend to pass closer when overtaking cyclists wearing helmets than those who are bare-headed.
Dr Ian Walker was struck by a bus and a lorry during the experiment. He was wearing a helmet both times.
But the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said tests have shown helmets protect against injuries.
To carry out the research, Dr Walker used a bike fitted with a computer and an ultrasonic distance sensor to find drivers were twice as likely to get close to the bicycle, at an average of 8.5cm, when he wore a helmet.
The experiment, which recorded 2,500 overtaking motorists in Salisbury and Bristol, was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council.
Dr Walker, a traffic psychologist from the University's Department of Psychology, said: "This study shows that when drivers overtake a cyclist, the margin for error they leave is affected by the cyclist's appearance.

This study suggests wearing a helmet might make a collision more likely
Dr Ian Walker
"By leaving the cyclist less room, drivers reduce the safety margin that cyclists need to deal with obstacles in the road, such as drain covers and potholes, as well as the margin for error in their own judgements.
"We know helmets are useful in low-speed falls, and so definitely good for children, but whether they offer any real protection to somebody struck by a car is very controversial.
"Either way, this study suggests wearing a helmet might make a collision more likely in the first place," he added.
Dr Walker thinks the reason drivers give less room to cyclists wearing helmets is because they see them as "Lycra-clad street warriors" and believe they are more predictable than those without.
He suggests different types of road users need to understand each other.
"Most adult cyclists know what it is like to drive a car, but relatively few motorists ride bicycles in traffic, and so don't know the issues cyclists face.
"There should definitely be more information on the needs of other road users when people learn to drive and practical experience would be even better."

this is all very interesting...now i have never done any research into this idea myself but my own personal observations mirror what this fellow has observed. i have noticed exactly the same thing occasionally when riding sans casque.

what about you?

well -

i feel the need to type something here today but am unsure as to what to write. how about this - i have had an incredible week filled with crazy highs, frustrating lows and incredible surprises. i feel like i am am on the verge of something(s) really big and i cannot wait to see what happens in the near future.

i am beginning to believe again that if you know yourself, trust your instincts, and ask the universe for your dreams - you can manifest whatever your heart desires.

holiday cheer

hey all - have a look at this -link- its pretty cool and hopefully will start to get you thinking about the holiday season which is approaching fast.

happy eggnog

ok - so i have found what i want for christmas, just hoping someone can tell me where i can pick one up.

this is an "adult content" warning for those of you that are easily offended.

just in case you were thinking we were in for a winter like last year - i give you this:

Tired of the Heat? Hang on – 2007 Canadian Farmers’ Almanac Predicts “SHIVERY IS NOT DEAD”Lewiston, ME: After a hot summer in most of Canada, cool news is on the way. The new edition of the Canadian Farmers’ Almanac, which blows into town every year around the end of August, contains some chilly predictions for the upcoming winter."Shivery is not dead" reveals the 2007 Canadian Farmers’ Almanac, alluding to its winter weather forecast. “While global warming has taken up much of our attention (as well as news coverage), our winter predictions are pointing towards widespread cold condition, especially for the western sections of the country,” shares Peter Geiger, Philom., Editor. Geiger continues, “After last year’s unusual warmth, this chill might make winter harder than usual.”The 2007 Canadian Farmers’ Almanac, released August 28, 2006, predicts frigidly cold weather for Alberta, Saskatchewan, as well as for parts of Manitoba and eastern British Columbia, “where temperatures could average as much as 10°C. below seasonal normals, or nearly 20°C. colder than last winter.” As for snow, the Canadian Farmers’ Almanac predicts the Rockies could see above normal snowfall this upcoming winter.The Farmers’ Almanac, which has been providing long-range weather predictions every year since 1818, bases its forecasts on a top secret mathematical and astronomical formula. Many who follow its predictions say they are 80 to 85% accurate.If you don’t like the shivery forecast, hang on. The 2007 Canadian Farmers’ Almanac, which includes 16 months (September 2006 through December 2007) of zoned weather predictions, is also calling for a very warm and dry summer for most areas of the country.

well - i think we all were hoping for a repeat of last winter's warm conditions and minimal snowfall but it looks as though we are in for the opposite. it will be good for lots of reasons - good skiing, more reason to stay inside and cuddle in front of the fire with that special someone, dead pine beetles (die!die!), and great anticipation for the warm weather to come.

on a happier note - something that caught my eye on the news services...

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - Two peace activists have planned a massive anti-war demonstration for the first day of winter.

But they don't want marching in the streets. They'd much rather protesters just stay home.

The Global Orgasm for Peace was conceived by Donna Sheehan, 76, and Paul Reffell, 55, whose goal is for everyone in the world to have an orgasm Dec. 22 while focusing on world peace.
"The orgasm gives out an incredible feeling of peace during it and after it," Reffell said Sunday.

"Your mind is like a blank. It's like a meditative state."

"And mass meditations have been shown to make a change."

well - - - now i have not seen an idea as good as that in a long time! i was planning on having a solstice party here - this could be the angle i was looking for to make it a great party.

- out.

Brian Kullman Memorial Ride

Calling all ABA riders in Edmonton, Calgary and surrounding area. This Sunday November 19th, since the weather looks to co-operate, we will be hosting a memorial ride for Brian Kullman. I'm sure all of you have received the previous email from Andy and understand this tragic loss. We will be meeting at Cadence Café in Bowness(6407 Bowness Rd) at 12pm and leaving at 12:30pm. We will ride from Cadence to Brian's home in Inglewood where we will have a short remembrance service. The route we will ride(for the late people) will be Bowness Road to Memorial Drive. Memorial to the Z00 Rd NE(zoo bridge) and then east on 9th Ave. We will be contacting the media about this ride so that the public can see how much he had touched the cycling community. We will also be encouraging recreational riders to join us. Please come out and show your support.

This is a shot from the top of Kitt Peak in Arizona of all of us that were there in april. it was an honour to ride with all of you there - and - i know its a little late but i am sorry i was so grumpy towards you during my time there bk - i just wish i could have said that to you before you were taken.

brian kullman's killer has been arrested!

check this for the info.

hopefully this will be the first step in helping those who were closest to bk move on with their lives and begin the grieving process.

well done Calgary Police and RCMP!