Keeping me employed...

Just in case you're looking for another reason to indulge in gluttony (and buy yet another larger wardrobe).... why not head to the CNE for what is turning out to be a Who-can-deep-fry-the-craziest-things-that-people-will-eat Contest... Last years hit was Deep Fried Butter.... 20,000 orders filled and 45min long lines....

This years highly anticipated delicacy is the Krispy Kreme Burger... as if fast food CNE burgers aren't bad enough, how about adding a bun made of 2 Krispy Kreme Donuts?

Wash it all down with Deep Fried Coke, and satisfy your sweet tooth with Deep Fried Oreos or Deep Fried Poptarts??!!?!

Mosey on up to the dirty picnic table, balance everything on your jelly belly and dig in!!!

Another one bites the dust ... (mud?)

Hit the perennial not-so-favourite-if-you-don't-have-your-legs Kelso OCup... with a whole bunch of rain the day before and the morning of the race... made for some fun corners in the slickrock up top... Had the usual start (up to 2nd wheel by the big climb) and then Jason Everaert dropped it like it's hot.... gave the look back to Mark Brusso .... "So... uh... he just finished 2nd at Nats and has some altitude in his lungs... we can't let that go...." ... "Then you start it Barnes!!!" Grabbed his wheel just before the large field section and rode with him until half way through the 2nd at which time he needed to recover (humidity was terrible at this point....) so me being stupid decided to hold our earlier pace and get a good gap... which i did... but then started to feel it in the last lap.... lots of sweat and some gritting teeth got me across the line in 1st and I locked up the Overall with 5 wins.... The Fuel was the bike of choice.... sit and lay down the power, and rail the rough singletrack and downhill...

too hot to change out of Podium Kit for the drive home so i rocked the Bib Short Drive.... got some inquisitive looks when i stopped for gas (3 times) from local trailer park ladies....

Hurts So Good...

My every-other-week visits to Peak Health and Wellness in Brooklin are putting me back together... straightening out my back and taking lots of pressure off my previously injured kneed... and there's nothing like a good back crack to start your day.... Electric Pulse machine that warms up and loosens up areas to be worked... oh so nice...

Activator (i think that's what it's called) telling my muscles ... "Hey Barnes!!! This is how you are supposed to be... quit messing things up!!"

Graston tools to scrape (literally) away scar tissue from tendons and bone... started off feeling "sandy and gritty" but is now getting much smoother....

Activator and Pulse pads.... i wish i had these at home to use every day!!! Thanks to Dr. Sheila Keber for allowing me to continue abusing my old body....

Mixing it up...

So just for fun... i say that now... i'm doing the East Coast Open race tomorrow... not sure if i'm doing the Master Category or riding with the Elites... i see who shows up before the race and decide then... the $1000 prize for 1st and deep money is tempting with the Elites... but the climb to the top of Blue Mountain doesn't sound so fun... Either way... it will be a HELL of a lot nicer of a day than what "Paleo" Peter Glassford will be doing tomorrow... Leadville 100 is on his place... 100 miles of climbing and tough mountain biking at high altitude... good thing PG's a strong and smart guy who put in the proper training before hand to make it a race and not just a survival...

So i'm calling it now.... Barring any major mechanicals or crashes or terrible weather... my prediction is a finishing time of 6:54 in 8th place... Rock it hard PG... Rock it hard....

It's what we do...

besides getting some great rides in at the cottage.... we: Swim in 250ft of water....

Work on our "Tough Guy Attitudes"....

Deep Water Dive off the boat.... extra points for Free-stylin'....

Imitate Superheros....

Make friends with the Local Authorities.... The lady who walked behind me when i took this picture said "It won't be so cute when they're 18...."

Road Provs...

Made my way out to Waterloo for the Ontario Road Provincials... yes i did a road race and was reminded why i don't race road anymore... My hopes for the day was some great intensity and suffering... and quickly discovered that the M1 group typically doesn't let any breaks get away (which was what i was looking for) and rely on a bunch sprint (which i suck at).... so i was disappointed that the course and race were not harder to create some splits in the group and cause some suffering.... But check out the bike that Barry lent me ... Madone 6.9 with a ridiculous amount of light carbon that was half the weight of my 'Cross-turned-Road bike...

Yeah... i'm in the pack somewhere.... chased down a few breaks because i was frustrated that i wasn't in the breaks.... makes me think that the course should have been harder when i get beat to the line by a guy with hair legs and waterbottles in a cage at the back of his seat....