I got my dream bike!

So went to a great bike store in Percellville ( http://www.trailsendcycling.com/ )today and they had a Specialized Demo 9. This has been a dream bike of mine for a while. Of course since I wanted one, Specialized stopped making them. Well while at the bike store, the owner pointed out he still had one!! Scarily it was my size, and he cut me and INSANE deal on it. I was so shocked to actually see this bike new, we could not pass it up. I also must recommend this store to anyone. Not only was the owner very very friendly, he was the most knowledgeable person I have talked to about bikes. Also the bike comes with 2 years free service. On a road bike or regular mountain bike that is great, on DH bike like this it is a god send! If you are looking for a bike seriously check out Trails End Cycling. They do fitting's, like professional fittings for your bike, if you buy a bike there it is free. The owner learned from Andy Pruitt, he is the guy who did fittings for Lance Armstrong and other such people.

Xanax friggin sucks

So I have decided Xanax for the most part is evil. I have spent the last two days in a state of constant panic attack, and going thru physical withdrawals. No I did not do alot, yes it was prescribed to me. I have been prescribed it since mid to late October. At work we had a good size layoff, and for once I lost some really good friends it, usually these layoffs make some sense in who they. This one did not, it angered and for once really saddened me. Then about a week later, I get a call in the afternoon from my mom (when she calls in the daytime its never good). She was calling me to tell she had just had an emergency dual mastectomy. At this point I was about to lose it. Thankfully my medical team (yes, team as there are two) put me on Xanax so I could deal.
I stopped taking Xanax about a week ago, all was well except I had a cold. Well Sunday evening I started feeling panicky with no reason, I was going cold and clammy then hot... my skin was cold, I cold smell things I never had, hear things uncomfortably better, it was hell. It got worse. I was tired, but could not sleep as I was so spun up. I ended up having to take two ambien to go to sleep, then it was only for 6 hours, and not good sleep. The next day it got worse, it was hell. I ended up being in hell til this afternoon. It fealt like my heart was going a million miles an hour, when my heart rate was only about 75 bpm. This morning was the worst. I woke up feeling worse. Thank god I had a doctors appt at 9am. Of course I get there and yep, no one is there. Finally someone shows up I wait and extra 30 minutes, my Dr shows up and can tell I am losing my shit. I am sitting in the waiting room looking like 'Pookie' from 'New Jack City' (no pipe burns on my lips though). The medical Dr immeditately faxes a prescription for Xanax to the pharmacy and my therapist puts me thru relaxtion/hypnosis, which kinda helped. Afterwords I went and got my script from the store, and after I took em fealt 100% better.
Most of you know me well. I have done meth, ALOT of it, years ago, like when in my early 20's for about 4 years I did a couple of grams a day minimum . I quit it, cold turkey. I smoked for 17 years, quit, was easy. This was the hardest shit I have ever been thru. I had no idea this was one of the 'features' of Xanax. Apparently it works off the same 'receptors' as Heroin!!! SWEEEEET. I mean WTF, a nice word of warning woulda rocked. The only good thing was I was not craving it, I just wanted this hell to stop. My Dr gave me more, but I have an appt with him tomorrow. I plan to ask him how to get me off this crap. Its like having a shovel than when you stop digging with it, it fills the whole up again. If you ever get prescribed it, just be aware.

My wife kicks ass

So we went to go look at sunglasses for my wife today.... she ended up buying me a Specialized Rockhopper comp 29er!!! I am so damn happy, huuuuge suprise

Yet another doping scandal.... friggin sweet

http://www.brainsnap.com/national/540/tortoise_named_champion_in_wake_of_hare_doping_scandal

Low price 29er's!!!!!!

So I am a bicycle junkie, I accept it, and enjoy it. Not long ago I got a Specialized Epic Comp Disc, badass bike, most comfy bike I have been on flat out. Today I go to my local bike store (queue 'I'm waiting for the man' by Velvet Underground) to order some new tires. While shooting the shit with them, talking about how my next bike is going to be a Santa Cruz V-10, self build, I notice the Specialized Rockhopper 29er..... WTF I had no idea this thing existed. It was gorgeous, and dear god, under $1000. I seriously was in shock, this bike was stunning. Having never ridden a 29er I had to test, my faithful sidekick Archie was asleep in the car so I had time.
This bike, for $750, had disc brakes, an ok front fork (it locks out, all I need) and a badass WW2 era pin-up girl painted on it. I was blown away, I fell in love. I have ridden $6000 bikes, I would rather have this (ok, the Sicilian part of me would take the more pricey one and sell it...). I am still thinking of this bike and how to justify to myself how NOT to by it. I will dream about this bike, alot. As I pedal my beloved Epic, I will think of 29 inch tires on the cheaper bike. I wants me this bike bad, more than most bikes I have wanted.

winter cycling

So I love riding in the winter, its great fun for me, but I have to question the Cycling companies on this. In short most of their equipment for it sucks. I mean really, it seems like to them Winter starts when it gets around 40 degrees. We have cool stuff called Gore-Tex and a ton of other stuff out there , why do they no splash their ugly ass bright yellow on it and make some cash? I am lucky enough to know some Mtn Climbers, and looked in to their gear. I know think I need to start harassing North Face, Arcteryx, and Mammut to start just putting padding in their shorts. The gear I have gotten from them is amazing and ALOT cheaper.... OK cheaper than say Assos and some other brands of cycling snobbery gear. Their gear is made for people in sub zero temps/high elevation and I spend a ton less, also works better. Just my rant.