Notes on being a "salsa making freak"

The Seedlings have sprung, and if the trend is to quit blogging.Example 1, example 2......... Excuse me, had to pop a beer. *Cheers to everyone, quitting or not*..... But if it's a trend, and I started it..... I may have to buck it just to not be a trendsetter. .... I'm not key this evening on blogging, I've actually been kind of pissy. My body, though I like to refer to it as that wasteland of soft jiggly new found Bumpiness, is this weak, Finlay yielding both in body and spirit to the high pace workouts, under it's new found Sloth. Though I'm down 3+ pounds, and plenty more to go... My spirit is cracked, and the 200 yard sprint I did Afoot yesterday has me convinced my legs may never be the same. ..... Like I say, I'm just cracked... Now there is this list of people who are so down right now, besides a hearty "Keep Fighting", I hesitate to even engage in any form of interaction or dialogue, for fear of their honest pain taking me with them I fear even to ..... This leaves then the vial or childish bastards who through their actions are actually trying to destroy other people.... I'm just going off here.... Honestly things are good on my front. My seedlings have sprung, the greenhouse is maintaining above freezing temperatures with only the most minor of prep work, so far.......
....... Well, just fucking around..... "Salsa Making Freak" is about the most apropos description of me, I've seen in print.

I'm hoping moods turn out there, Spring is comming, though it seems like winter is still here in force, the haze is gone. Even if it's cold out there, the air is clean. I did wear my mask the other day, and thought of many of you as I was truly the masked rider for almost 3 hours on the bike....
.... I just figured I'd post.... I'm not even trying to make any sence, but when did that ever stop me :)........

Keep Fighting!!!!!!

I'm going to blog like it's 2006..........

If Utah beer is 4% by volume, and that is like 5% by volume.... and not the despised 3.2% by weight..... But let us put that in perspective 4% is .48 oz of alcahol per bottle 5% is .6 oz per bottle. and if I'm not getting to old for story problems, that is still 25% more alcahol in a 5% beer than a 4% Meaning that 3 X $5.00=$15.00 at 5% are better than 4 X $4.00=$16.00 at 4% and makes you pee 12 Oz less.......

For those of you who havn't heard it.... what does american/utah beer have in common with sex in a boat? ..... Both are fucking close to water.

Bla bla bla blog

Where were we?

I just pulled some blue berries out of the dehydrator. 3 new flats of seedlings. I was wishing I had something else to start drying. I was toying with some vegetables, maybe potato's or peas or corn...... Also some jerky, crossed my mind.

on the ultralight front, I've decided percolator. I also want to stick to some classic cook on a fire backpacking. Add a broader based pot for my biscuit steaming plan/ also used as a stew pot.

Shelter wise/ I intend to get some material And sew me some kind of shelter... I'm a little sketchy about high wind situations..... But look here. Homeade ;) outdoors stuff.

Some of you may ask, "Mop!, what the hell are you doing?"....... Ok, maybe no one is asking that question. Alright, maybe you haven't but I Certainly have been asking myself that question. The answer is I don't know, I think I've just been playing with it again. Guess I wanted to know how it felt, Re-live some of the old magic..... Well, I sort of have some of the old negative feelings I have about it..... A positive thing is how many questions it makes me ask myself. Like this little dialogue your reading.... I guess it also makes me come to some kind of conclusion... Like "Mop what the hell are you doing? are you blogging again. WTF?". The interesting thing is that I don't know. I kind of wanted to post the Zion pictures, and that was it...... But here I am. And I just don't have any answers....... I'm just fucking around with it.

Yardsticks of Civilization

Some pictures suck since I am using my phone on them instead of the camera...

This is my morning ride. So, back to hiking. The yard stick of civilization is Coffee. Some say indoor plumbing...... but WTF do they know, I'll take a great Cappuccino over warm porcelain any day.... Course..... I've never used a Bidet Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about.... But I digress.

The two issues before me are Coffee and Cooking. Those who know me(probably not you.) Know that for the longest time I traveled with my fly rod an aluminum percolator and a few sealed bags of coffee for a few years. Just in case the mood and time hit me.(this usually involved, being drunk at 2am and then a 2 hour drive to a favorite hole, some breakfast, maybe a nap, dawn and some fishing. Lucky Y'all haven't had the experience of me knocking at your door at 5am..."Grab your shit, we are going fishing." Well with that kind of behavior, I learned that having a pot full of dry coffee, ready to go, with the start of a camp fire. Point being, I like a good percolator.... The other option would be to just have a different pot, dump grounds in it and do sheepherder coffee. The third option may be one of those filter deals you hold over a cup, and run hot water into. There also is that stupid little espresso maker, but my issue with that is that it makes One cup of coffee. That is about the most inhospitable way to do coffee, since coffee should be a social thing, and always plenty to go around.... Like I say "The yardstick of civilization".

Project ultralight 2... Cooking, Another yardstick of civilization should be food. your average instant rice or noodles and some curry or basil, adding some freeze-dryed chicken fish or beef. Isn't hard. The Key would be to bake, some of the baking backpacking solutions seem.... well.... We can do better. There are 2 solutions, one is a sort of dutch oven solution, you put coals on the lid of a cooking pot. the other is using steam heat. I haven't seen this in action or even properly explained. But sort of a sealed container, and boiling water to a grill which has maybe a smaller pan or some muffin tins.

Well today I decided to make corn bread, I think this is going to be what I'm shooting for. Straight from the package of corn meal, does it look as good as the picture or is mine better :) The recipe said nothing about cooking in a cast iron skillet, and that will be just about impossible on the trail, but It seemed like a good way to start.

This was unbelievable BTW, my first corn bread from corn meal (I've done it from pre-prepared mixes, and it's not like it was difficult. milk, flower, cornmeal, baking powder, one egg.(notice the 16 pounds of dried apples in the background.I may have to do more of those.). My initial impression, of the cornbread. was that I needed to work on something heartier for the trail. I have a recipe for something called "Southern cornbread" which involves much less flour, and 4x as much corn meal. I also may add nuts, or fruit, maybe even some chocolate. sort of a Trail cornbread..... So, I need a recipe then a way to cook it.

The thought of fry bread or tortillas also has crossed my mind.

It's like quitting, but different.....

So, this is the third thing I've typed up for blogger......... My skills at posting are not what they used to be. Oh, down 3 pounds :) Starting to feel strong on the bike again..... All this racing going on. I'd talk about Valley of the sun, but there are no posted results.... Sounds like everyone did unbelievable, Nate, Jrad, Norm, Sandros, Hardwood. I do wish I had complete results... very bumbed the only results they finally gave out were just the pro 1 men.

Well, I'm getting into Ultralight backpacking, which is backpacking with a baseweight(pack minus consumables(water, food, fuel) under 10 pounds, and a packweight(includes consumables) under 20pounds. There is some lameness on how it's counted(convenient clothing counting) . The Keys I think are going to be, mastering cooking, and a good shelter. Apparently there are these things called Tarps??? and you can sleep under them instead of a tent. Seems fucked up that a big piece of plastic is so expensive, Specially since they are roughly square. I wonder if there is a more reasonable solution for a piece of plastic and some rope.... Wait a minute, I have an idea.... I can buy a tarp, and some rope....... That's just crazy talk, you would have to be major Crafty to do something like that. I wonder if I can find a friend with skills like that, maybe the kind of guy who makes a greenhouse in his back yard kind of skills.... hmmm maybe he can manage a tarp and some rope.


So, this isn't that hard.
sleeping bag 3lbs
tent 3.5 lbs
thermarest 2 lbs
pack 3lbs
Rain gear 2lbs
warm jacket 2 lbs

total is roughly 15 lbs, and that's using over the counter gear.

I want to test some cooking systems not only some stoves. I also think this will be the year I learn to make cornbread(Master is probably what I'm after, cornbread isn't hard. but on a camp stove...). The idea would be come up with a cooking system. to make some coffee and some cornbread. So, if your hiking and you find some crazy guy making a pot of coffee and some cornbread, come by for a cup.

Camp Coffee

Here are the start of the seedlings.
I need to do some starts out in the greenhouse.









16 pounds of apples being dried. I'm going to get into ultralight hiking... I'm still working on my shelter solution. I also need to come up with some recipes to try on some day hikes. I'm obsessed with camp coffee at the moment.

Yesterday's ride.

Zion Presidents day

I'm...... Not so sure what some of you do when your riding in southern Utah.(these are all original photos. complete photos)

I spend my time in zion. This weekend I spent an unbelievable 3 days in the park. With my shit fitness this year and the extra weight.... *grumble grumble* I got my ass handed to me a few times. I also didn't ride as much as I usually would, but it was a good early season warm up for both hiking and cycling. I also noticed that with all the wet cycling I've been doing this winter.... I... Um.... Need to replace my chain *hangs head in shame*.

With all my good photo's of Zion I couldn't resist a post especially for my non cycling blog fans who live in other parts of the country and don't get to see Zion national park and the virgin river valley regularly.

I've been enjoying the coverage of Tour of California the web coverage has been good, and seems to work plus or minus. Sorry to hear Dave Zabrisky got hurt. I wasn't surprised that they neutralized the final laps stage 1, but I'm not saying it was a correct or proper decision.

And it seems like Julie is trying to get some from Bettini

Looks like Sandy is doing well At Valley of the Sun, and Mark and Bryson. Too bad the web site sucks so badly for it. I'd love to know how any one else besides mens gc after stage 2.

Looks like Burke is giving up the blog, maybe. Funny, it makes me kind of sad. One would think I was quitting too.....

Stepping up

Hi!!!!! So, apparently there has been some scuttle about a jersey.... I'm not exactly sure what to say about it. I am a little torn about the idea of not having a beer with my number one fan to the tune of $8.50. I am always so honored that anyone mentions me, or my blog.... or ..... well let me not get nostalgic......

Let me just apologize in advance this post sucks....

I'd like to thank everyone who mentioned the jersey on their blog, Sleevie, Turbo, Jrad, Julie, Sandy. Also marinmatch,iamnoteddiemerckx, and twinpiper for bidding on it. I'm dying to know who any of you are....... Twinpiper rides motocross... all I know. Thanks for playing... everyone...

Again, this isn't any bit of an indication I'm back blogging. Everyone in a while some crazzyyyy goofie idea rolls through my head and I say "oh, I could blog that.... If I were blogging." Sorry every one. But on a good note, I've been busy, this has been the busiest jan and feb I've ever had. though my bill-ables are about half of what I've worked at. Things are good. My business may just hang on another 6 months.
In fitness news, I'm at 13 lbs in the positive since Xmas... Weeee. I have been working out every day for the past few weeks so I'm sure it will go down, but.... Damn. It crossed my mind today that I was doing the dumb stuff, starving myself all day. I get up eat yogurt, drink coffee then about 3pm I'm starving and eat every thing I can, including my fingers...... Seriously the other day after a good spin on the bike, I think I ate 4 dinners, one at 3 one at 6 one at 7 and one at 10.... not good. I am feeling better, and stronger, and less like a tub of gue.... hehehhehe I may have ligament damage or tendonitis in my thumb though...... I find it funny.....


Other news, I am up to something that we may hear about on wed the 14th... So... that is kind of why I'm writing. Preemptive of some of my nonsense.

Oh... Stepping up... I was very proud to hear about how some of our local police officers stepped up down at Trolly square yesterday. My heart goes out to everyone involved. I was very proud to see our police officers going above and beyond, good to see people who do a job for more than just their paychecks. Also to the police officials who have smartened up about "Containing" a building, and not letting people exit in those situations. S.L. police chief talked about that today, how they have a policy of containment of the suspect, not of the building. Which seems more in the public interest.

Wish I had some pictures, see how lazy I am....

Have I ever told the story about when I met Nate Page.

I just ate Julie's Toffee......

(If you know what I mean, *wink* *wink* *nudge* *nudge*)

Where to start, Where to start............ It seems like I stopped blogging a year ago, not just one month ago. Maybe this just goes to show the lack of lucidity of the o'l mop. More to that point would be the tremendous disturbance I have felt in "The Force" tonight. I actually do believe in a sort of global conscience, so it's not so unlikely that I've been on the minds of many of you and have felt it over here in the bat cave. Not only did I decide that I had best make an additional batch of toffee to replace the toffee I am still have to get out to Julie, and some others. I also decided to rent Modigliani, which for unannounced reasons reminds me of this blog.
I was actually out tonight having one of my "wing" nights, and had a few beers.... Well enough beers that I woke up at 2am and am/was nursing myself back to sleep while reading some blogs. In fact I was glad tonight I didn't have Julie's phone number in my cell phone or I would have drunken dialed her.........

here is how the phone call would have gone....

*ring ring*
Her, "Hello"
Me, "Hey, Baby."
*Dial Tone*
*Ring Ring*
Me, "We must have been disconnected."
Her, "No, it's just that no one calls me 'baby'".
Me, "oh..... Sorry, I've just always wanted to call someone 'baby'.None of my girlfriends have ever let me."
Her, "Well, your batting 1000."
*Long Pause*
Her, "Are you Drunk?"
"Well, I'm calling aren't I."
"Ya.... Ummm I'm sort of settled in for the night, and am about to hit it, and no you can't come over."
"hmm... I guess we just don't have anything to talk about then do we."
Her, "Ya, probably not, And Um...... Next time, don't call me, I'll call you."
*Dial Tone*

it's also possible this was very like the phone call I made to a different woman tonight, or maybe she called me. But since I woke up alone, I suspect it was the former rather than that latter. Damn... Only a month, well I've been working my ass off and it's made time get a little skewed. And unfortunately the work has yet to bare much fruit financially, But alas that's the way it goes.

Just a quick update on my silly life, like all 'real' cyclists this winter I've managed to gain 10 pounds, and the toffee won't help. I've been very hit or miss with my workouts since X-mas. Averaging 2 a week and out of control eating. Some of this I attribute to a heinous work situation. But excuses are like assholes....bla bla bla..... Now I'm back to every day workouts, and well... Sorry Sleevie, but I too can do 3 hours on rollers. It does require a decent movie, that doesn't require any concentration. Since all my concentration is required for the rollers, as numerous injuries have attested to.
I'm amazed at how busy I am with work, I guess the difference may be not saying No, but yes. I've been doing some graphic design as well, which..... I hate, because it's time consuming. No one wants to pay for all that time..... How about blue... Hmnnnn No red..... Damn... What about dark Blue.... hmmm what about Light Blue... 40 variations later, you have a client that goes.... Na... How about something else.

I have my early spring seeds, and am hoping to try planting my first row of peas and some greens within days. My seedling seeds are on their way and I should have them started very soon.

Regardless of this update, I am unfortunately enjoying my egress from the blog. My reading of many of my old blogs is very limited, I may take some time and catch up on a few of them tomorrow. Sorry if anyone has tried to get my attention and it hasn't been forthcoming. It's just part of my process.

Be good to each other.
One love....