Gabcast! Mike Friedman #14

Well, this is a step in the right direction. The uphill battle continues though, and I won’t lose sight of the ultimate goal.

Ballin…

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2008/jan08/jan24news

You know those days you fear for a bike race?

Those days when all the sponsors who have heard all about you and are expecting great results and you have the worse day on a bike that you can remember in quite some time.

Yep I had one of those twice today. Once during the qualifying round, and the second in the final.

I’m disappointed big time in my performance. It was quite pitiful to say the least. However, I will pick myself up tomorrow morn for a ride, and race like a crazy man come Sunday during the Madison.

Shit happens people, and a good bike rider is a rider who handles himself on a bad day. Today was a bad day, and tomorrow is another brand new day.

I’m sorry I did not live up the Meatball expectations today, but it will come again.

On another note!

YOU KNOW THOSE DAYS WHEN YOU SEE HISTORY MADE?!

Taylor Phinney just made it happen. At 17 years old, he won his first ever World Cup in amazing fashion. It was incredible to watch.

Way to go Taylor!

Well, this is what we’ve been waiting for. Right? Well, it’s here. It’s come up fast, and it’s just in time, seeing how the World Cup #3 is a week away. Truth be told, I’ve only spent about half an hour on this dream machine.

I will update with further details after I actually spend time on it, but here’s a few photos to drool over if you so desire.

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When you own two vintage muscle cars and you can’t be home to drive them.

I went home for Christmas, as every good son/daughter should do. I was able to spend some quality time with my two brothers where we shared stories of things that have happened in the near past.

I assumed this wouldn’t go much further than the conversation I was having, let alone the world wide web. However, it’s a darn funny story.

Landing in Vancouver, I received a call from my mother, bless her heart. I will always appreciate her kindness in always making sure I’m well.

I answered and the first thing that she has to say is…

My Mom: “How are you?”

Mike: “I’m swell, safe and sound Mom, thanks.”

My Mom: “Michael, did you have relations with a 44 year old?”

Mike: “Mom? What? Huh? Um, No!”

MM: “Don’t be embarrassed”

M: “Mom, what in the hell”

LM: “Good for you Michael good for you, way to explore your boundries”

M: “MOM! Click!”

What the deuce am I supposed to say to that?

Well, shoot, I won’t lie, I have come to appreciate and respect any woman older than I. From one week older to well, I guess ha twenty…years.

It’s not about “hooking up”. I know what most of you are thinking, but it is more than that.

It’s about being a friend, listening, going out for a good glass of wine, good conversation, making others laugh etc. I’ve found that I rather enjoy this “different perspective”.

Heed this warning though: When you receive a text that states, “I think you awoke the sleeping monster”, these are grounds for slowly disengaging conversations. Line crossed

At what age does a single fellow start looking at the ring fingers of what he thinks are hopeful single ladies?

Recently, two days ago to be exact, I was separating my cycling clothing from my regular clothing. I was standing in front of a dryer inside a laundromat in Vancouver, Canada. I was there competing in the Burnaby Six Day track event in hopes that it preps me well for the upcoming LA World Cup, another story altogether.

Anywho, in walks the very attractive red head. She’s slightly shorter than I am, athletically fit, dressed fashionably well, wearing glasses, hair in a pony tail, and a “I’m confident” kind of walk. Keep in mind that I’m assessing this while looking at this fox’s reflection in the dryer glass right in front of me.

It’s at this point that I realize what I’m doing and I have been rather disturbed by this realization. You see, I’m attempting to see if she has a ring on her finger, but I’m doing so in a rather weird fashion. The glass has bevelled edges where it attaches to the door and it was throwing my accurate view off. One, I’m doing this awkward bobbing up and down to try and correct for this abberation. The dude next to me must have witnessed this, because out of the corner of my eye he was giving me an awkward look and shaking his head. That doesn’t bother me. What bothers me is that I realized at the ripe age of 25 how I have the need now to assume all girl are engaged until proven otherwise by checking the finger.

This saddens me. It used to be so easy, you just didn’t have to worry about such things.

I suppose it’s also sad that I used the mirrored reflection in the dryer door to see her. Sometimes I guess I just become too bloody shy.

Then he changed teams. Now we are at WAR.

What is it good for.

 Absolutely Nothin!

Eh, just kiddin. Shake and Bake Huff. Shake and Bake.

Engaged.

Does this happen to anyone else?

 When you’re out training, and you are by yourself on some lonely road, in the middle of nowhere, and you see a Cow, do you Moo?

 Better yet, a cat, do you meow?

Chicken, cluck?

Goat/Sheep, Baahaaa?

Goose, honk?

Duck, quack?

I do. Is that normal?

Yes, and it’s hilarious.

Photo: Greg Descentes

Fantastic Eh?