Today at work one of our faculty sent out a link to a video and on a whim I watched it:

It was fascinating.

The speaker - Hans Rosling - started an organization called Gapminder (as in the British slogan "Mind the gap!" that pertains to their subway system) that endeavors to take existing data and display/present/explain it in such a manner that allows the layman (read: me and maybe you too) to understand it. Nice.

His premise is that we don't need new databases or more, obscure repositories to store data; rather we need to get it out to the public and make it accessible because by and large we do not know the truth about our world as it exists today.

There are so many noble causes out there but this one really struck a chord with me.

What a bust…!

To fill you in, some time ago I embarked on a diet to see if I could improve my climbing a bit (I'm talking about cycling here) and today is a little over six weeks from the time I began.

Did it work? Well… it might have helped a little but it also reduced the fun factor in my life quite a bit. Like I said in my original post, there is nothing like trying to eliminate something from your life to make you want it liken ever before. When it comes to food that is. In my case I cut out alcohol and 'extraneous' sugar meaning deserts and the like.

And of course as luck would have it (not), as soon as I decided to do this we were invited out for drinks several times and went to a free dinner with unlimited wine, etc., etc. Sigh.

The whole point was to try and lose a few pounds for this hilly race I did last Sunday. When I started I lost four or five pounds right away and then leveled off. After a few weeks I gained back a couple of pounds because I think I started eating larger portions to compensate for not having the stuff I was craving. Then I leveled off again so the net result was I only lost about three pounds.

That's not a big amount of gain for a comparatively large amount of anguish and conscious self-control. What did Martin learn? Totally cutting out something is not that hard but the benefit and reward is also not so great. Portion control on the other hand is obviously the key to more significant gains (or loses in this case) and MUCH harder to enforce.

Major revelation, eh? I know, I know… it just takes me longer than most to figure these things out. :(

Every once in a while you get an itch and it just needs scratching. It might be your first century, your first fully loaded bike tour, an ultra distance ride, a night ride, whatever. Sometimes you don’t even know you have this itch until someone else tells you about it. This is what just happened to me.

Thanks to my buddy Tom W on Saturday, May 23 I will show up at Tom's house and do the 100 miles to nowhere ride for charity:

http://www.fatcyclist.com/2009/04/23/register-now-for-the-100-miles-of-nowhere/

We will do this event on rollers but you - because I know you want to do this - could do it on a trainer or any (really) small outdoor circuit you that you like.

Tom has graciously opened up his house (or very large deck if the weather is nice) if one or two of you want to join us and if there is more interest we might see about an outdoor venue like the Marymoor Velodrome infield, etc.

Cost is only $75 ($50 of which goes directly to charity). What's that you say, I get to PAY to endure this torture...? YES! Isn't that the way it usually works? Plus, no fund raising - just pay and ride and get your schwag.

So c'mon, check the box and think of all the stories you will have to tell your children once that skin graft on your taint finally heals up.

Let me know if you want in.

Martin "Yes, I am going to regret this but WTF..." Criminale