The things you learn.

I've not been riding a whole lot, as of late. This is due partly to motivation, partly to circumstance, and partly to focusing on other endeavors.

The focus of the last couple weekends has been outdoor play off the bike. While others were getting rained on during mountain bike rides, putting in 4-6 hour base mile days, and winning road races, I've been tromping about in the snow-covered back-country, attending winter SAR training, and riding fresh pow.

Funny thing about getting off the bike and doing other stuff, you find yourself outside of your comfort zone, and learning new and different lessons.

I've learned several lessons in the past few weeks, which you're undoubtedly (Ok, maybe not.) eager to hear about.

Lesson #1 This is the most important lesson learned, as of late.: If I'm going to blow off the bike to go play in the mountains on the weekends, then I should probably do something during the week besides sit in front of a computer all day. This weekend-warrior shit isn't cutting it. This was painfully evident during the long slog to the Summit of San Gorgonio, and back, last weekend. That hurt way more than it had any right to.

Lesson #2: Gear is important! It may have seemed like a good idea to stuff an extra pair of boots in my pack, along with a snowboard and various other winter-back-country gear, so that I could snowboard the vertical equivalent of a measly 2 Snow Summit runs, but while crunching up an icy slope at 11,000 ft I was having serious second thoughts about all the weight on my back. Time to get back-country appropriate gear, or do some serious work on addressing lesson #1. One small problem: back-country snowboard gear starts at "OMFG are you kidding me?!", and goes up from there.

Lesson #3: Some lessons are so thoroughly ingrained that they're nearly impossible to unlearn. This can be a problem when you're snuggled into a sleeping bag tucked into a bivy sack in your snow-shelter with kidneys about to explode, trying to convince your bladder that, "Really, it's ok to let loose into the pee bottle. Seriously! I need some frickin' sleep, and my bladder is about to explode, just go already!" I gotta wonder though, is potty-training a lesson you really wanna unlearn?

Lesson #4: Some days the mountains are calling your name, and you just gotta escape the usual 8-5.

The Cocktail Project: Alexander's Sister

In keeping with the recent theme of creamy cocktails, which will most likely end when the container of half 'n half in my refrigerator runs out or goes bad, I mixed up an Alexander's Sister.

Like most of the other cream based cocktails I've tried, it's not the most subtle of tastes, but makes for a sweet treat. Classified as a "digestif", this would make a nice post-meal treat in lieu of a dessert.

I like that you can actually taste the gin in this one, as it's not completely overpowered by creams and liquers as is the base alcohol in other creamy drinks. Being that a primary ingredient is creme de menthe, mint haters need not apply.

As for everyone else: Bottoms up!


Alexander's Sister

1 1/2 oz cream
1 1/2 oz gin
1/4 oz crème de menthe (green)

Shake well over ice in a shaker, strain into a cocktail glass

Balance

The above is a pretty good metaphor for my life as of late -- a struggle to find balance. That sentiment is not particularly original, but neither is getting all introspective at the start of a new year. So indulge me.

For the most part I've struck a balance that I'm pretty comfortable with, but it's come with a price, as do most compromises. The price I've paid is that I'm just not as strong on the bike as I could be with a more singular focus on training and racing -- a fact which has been painfully evident on recent training rides.

Suffering goes down easier with friends though, and complain as I might about the crappy SoCal ski conditions, it's hard to complain too much when you're riding in January, in shorts and short sleeves.

To break up the monotony of winter base miles a bit, Matt and I headed down to the OC Saturday, and met up with Tom Gardner, the nicest tough-as-nails ex-marine you're ever likely to meet, for the weekly Saturday sufferfest they call the Food Park ride. Rumor has it Landis has been showing up to the ride lately and putting the hurt on the peloton. No Landis sightings this week, but there were plenty of strong guys on hand to dish out the pain.

While I didn't see much time near the front, I did manage to hang in there and not get dropped, which given my current fitness, or lack thereof, is a-ok with me.

Following the ride Matt, Tom and I put in a couple more hours riding down to the HB Pier and back up the climb a second time, before rolling back to the cars in Irvine.






I was pretty wrecked by the end of the ride, which was a wake-up call. If I'm going to get anything out of this next season, I need to fine-tune my balancing act and make sure it includes some more time on the bike.

The Cocktail Project: Knickerbocker Cocktail

There's some uncertainty over whether this is the Knickerbocker cocktail, as there is another knickerbocker by the same name that is a rum drink. This is not that version. The Knickerbocker cocktail herein, is a variation on the martini. If you enjoy Martini's you will probably enjoy this cocktail.

In the place of a green olive, there is a hint of citrus tartness provided by a lemon peel. I enjoyed the hint of lemon, but found that I prefer the saltiness of the olive martini, or the tang of a cocktail onion found in the gibson.

As in all manners of taste, ymmv.


Knickerbocker Cocktail

3/4 oz dry vermouth
dashes vermouth bianco (or vermouth rosso)
1 oz gin
lemon peel

Stir well in a mixing glass filled with ice cubes, strain into a chilled martini glass, squeeze lemon twist over drink and drop into the glass.

The Cocktail Project: Angel's Delight

Generally, any drink calling for cream as a primary ingredient is veering way off into girl-drink territory. But there's a rather poorly kept secret about so called "girl drinks", one that makes them very popular: they're fucking tasty.

Perhaps you don't like Kahlua and someone is hosting a Lebowski themed get-together, for which you need an appropriately creamy drink. Or, maybe you want to mix something a little different than a slurpee with booze, or some obscenely named shooter, for someone who's not into drinks with stronger spirits as their dominant flavor.

In such a case, this little number hits the spot, however I wouldn't use your best gin on this, as any character it has is going to be overpowered by the triple sec and cream.

If White Russians are, as my sister likes to say, "like drinking a candy bar", then this one is like drinking a creamsicle. Be careful though. They go down mighty easy, and a creamsicle hangover is not likely to be much fun.


Angels Delight

1 1/2 oz cream
dashes grenadine
3/4 oz triple sec
3/4 oz gin

Shake well in shaker filled with ice cubes, strain into a cocktail glass.

The Cocktail Project: Godmother & Godfather

Vodka is not generally my first choice of liquors, but it seems like a good idea to have some on hand if I want to be able to concoct various cocktails. Having recently purchased a fresh supply (Said supply came in the form of a rather large, 1.75L, bottle of Stoli. The 0.75L bottle was $24, the 1.75L bottle of the same stuff was $25. Of course I bought the big bottle. WTF, Bevmo?!), I wanted to try a new Vodka cocktail. Thumbing through my book of recipes I found one that seemed interesting. More importantly, it doesn't require a whole host of obscure mixers or fresh fruit that I'm not currently in possession of. Additionally, it has a counterpart, requiring a different base alcohol, one that I'm more fond of than vodka: bourbon. I don't need much of an excuse to make a whiskey cocktail, and a two-fer blog post is as good as any.

First up is the Godmother. Vodka, being pretty much taste-free in all but the flavored varieties (Vodka fans may take exception to that, but from my vantage point the more you pay the more vodka tastes like nothing, and the less you pay the more it tastes like hairspray.), served mostly to add a slightly peppery, astringent punch to the Amaretto, which would have been overly sweet on its own, making for a rather pleasing drink. Much to my surprise, I find myself giving this one a 3.5 out of 5 stars. Seems that the vodka, in this case, nicely balances the sweetness of the Amaretto. Having said that, I still think a vodka martini is an abomination, and my generally low opinion of vodka isn't going to be entirely overturned by a single cocktail.

Next up is the Godfather. Similar recipe with bourbon in place of vodka. Not surprisingly, I find myself quite enjoying the Godfather. This is one I can see adding to my short list of standard drink orders. It's quite tasty, and simple enough to make and describe, that it could be ordered in even the diviest of dive bars and they'd have a hard time screwing it up (Assuming a dive bar has Amaretto on hand.). Instead of just tasting a punchier version of Amaretto, you get all the complexity of your favorite bourbon with a sweet almond tinge from the Amaretto. I tried this one with both Maker's Mark, and Elmer T. Lee. Both were quite enjoyable.

I'm gonna give this one 4 out of 5 stars.

Who's laughing now?