WHO DAT??? Champions baby...!!!

a Picture speaks a thousand words...

WHO DAT??

Who Dat??

Had a great start of the Superbowl Sunday. After coffee, a great service at Trinity Bible Curch, with plenty of 'Who Dat' by a complete horn section on the music team. Great message delivered by Dennis. Upon arrival home, 1 1/2 hours on the trainer and now ready for the Saints! Duck and Sausage Gumbo prepped yesterday...
WHO DAT???

Colnago Dunhill Pipe

This is a Dunhill 'estate' pipe, cut in 1950. It has a sandblast finish and somehow the letter 'C' appeared in the process, seen in this photo on the left side of the bowl. Needles to say I see the connection with Colnago!
This is a relative small pipe, that will fit in a vest pocket, so it was the perfect companion to a concert or an opera. In today's world this might be the perfect companion on a ride with any Colnago....
Needless to say this is an eBay find...

Mark Miller's Precision Bikes / Ruud Vuijsters Practice of Pain Management

I feel honored to be featured on the Precision Bikes Triathlon Top! Like my dad use to say:
"Regardless how the world will change, there will always be a demand for quality."
The names listed on this tri-top all have one thing in common; they all stand for delivering high quality and great service!
Mark Miller's Precision Bikes is the flagship of my daddy's slogan and it is a privilege for me to be a part of Mark's endeavour. All I can ask for now is, that some fast ass, elite athletes will flash this stellar looking top in front of those who want to 'get fast'.....

What if....

The Colnago’s man

Two great Italians, Colnago and former professional cyclist Paolo Bettini will work together as the former world champion joins Colnago as our ambassador.

In an agreement signed by Paolo Bettini and Ernesto Colnago at Colnago headquarters in Cambiago, Bettini will be an integral part of the development of Colnago’s 2011 bicycles, and will be a lead rider at the Granfondo Colnago San Diego on March 7.

Paolo Bettini and Colnago have a long friendship that goes back to Bettini’s successful years on the Mapei-Colnago team. That phase of his career culminated in 2002 when his victories included Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the HEW Cyclassics and the overall World Cup title, all achieved on a Colnago bicycle.

Colnago C50 ST02

Colnago-America announced today that the production of the C50 has come to an end!
It looks like I was just in time, taking this awesome bike of Mark's hands....
She's always been special, though even more so now!
I guess Mark will have to wait for Ernesto Colnago's 60th birthday
and the inception of the C60....
In the mean time Mark can showboat
the Litespeed Archon C1 on the road and aat Rouge-Roubaix
and the Litespeed Ti Blade at the time-trials...

along with the Ceepo Viper for the Triathlons/ Ironman events;)

WHO DAT???

Dunhill Unique Pocket Pipe Lighter

This is Christmas all over again!
My dear friend Jason once more overwhelmed me to the max..
He was sorry it shipped this late, I couldn't have been more excited!
This is Dunhill's 'replica' of their 1924 Dunhill Unique Pipe Lighter.
The flame 'shoots' out at a 90 degree angle, just right to light the W.O.Larsen 'Old Fashioned' Danish tobacco I like so much.
This is such a treasure, it'll enhance the pleasure of each time I'll light my Dunhill pipe!
Not sure if it'll increase my chances for the 'King of the Parking Lot',
though it'll catch quite some eyes of those familiar with the art of pipe smoking...
This isn't just a lighter, it's a piece of art and 'old-school' craftmanship!
I surely appreciate Jason's gift and generousity, but even more so the friendship we've developed over the course of time!
I can't wait till the Rhino and Wielrennerke will be seen on their stellar bikes, roaming the Acadiana roads together;)
Who knows..
We might be smoking a pipe when you see us....
Thank you so much my friend!!

Hurricane Warning!!

NOAA – 01 February 2010 1430Z



Outlook for the Atlantic, Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico …


Hurricane WHODAT is predicted to make landfall on the Florida coast in the
vicinity of Miami on 7 Feb 2010 at approximately 2200Z (5:00 PM EST). This
extremely powerful hurricane is expected to produce damaging Shockey waves
and a Category 5 Brees. Reports from shipping indicate that this unstoppable
storm has blown a huge flock of Cardinals all the way to Arizona , and that
it has sunk a replica Viking longboat, the Brettigf?vren. Livestock, in
particular young horses or colts, will be in severe danger of being decimated.
Predictive damage estimates are unavailable at this time, but they are
expected to be significant.


All interests in and near the Miami area are advised to prepare for a storm
surge of catastrophic proportions as Hurricane Whodat begins to arrive in
approximately 10 days.


Next advisory 07 Feb 2010 at 0300Z (10:00 PM EST).

Parktool

The last edition to my bike room is a 'Precision Bikes' approved Parktool bikeshop stool. Adjustable in height, the perfect companion when working on my bikes, or just when sitting there looking at my beauties;)

Six down, Six to go..

Today marks 6 weeks post-op, which theoretically is the halfway mark of my rehab.
I notice an ongoing improvement,
though slow and with knowledge that my left arm stays in a sling most of the time.
The pain seems to get better, yet there are still times it catches me off guard.
I started to take the sling off during the evening, which gives me some sense of normalcy.
When moving my left arm actively, some interesting sound effects are displayed!
My next follow-up appointment will be on Thursday, February 4th.

I feel blessed having been able to work during the last 3 weeks.
My schedule is gradually ramping up to about 70% of my normal work load,
which is all I can handle right now.
I am happy to bring in an additional physical therapist in my clinic starting this coming Monday.
It looks like this will be a win-win for all involved.
Just getting everything lined up has made for 'blowing and going',
but it seems most everything is falling in place!

This weekend will be a fun filled weekend, with a visit from Monroe, LA.
Randa, Trevor and Brintley will be staying with us through Sunday.
Supposedly Brintley's new words are OH-OH....
Needless to say she gets a kick out of dropping stuff, looking down and saying "oh-oh",
to which everybody around her will start cracking up... and I'll be getting the mop and bucket!

Selle San Marco

This is the Selle San Marco 'Racing Team' Regale.
It is on order at Precision Bikes and will soon crown my 'new' Colnago C50!
It is the 2010 upgraded version of the good old Selle San Marco Regal saddles
I ride on my Colnago Master X-Light Molteni and my Fausto Coppi.
This one though is much lighter and more flashy;)

WHO DAT??

Goes to show, the Saints will be marching in.....
WHO DAT???

WHO DAT???

It's hard to watch this video and refrain from getting goosebumps!!!

It is the most chilling clip I've seen so far...

A must see ;)

Colnago

SAINTS SuperBowl Bound! WHO DAT!!!

Colnago C50

So here she is!

This is evidence of true friendship.

Mark Miller, owner of PRECISION BIKES and also a very dear friend of mine has had this Italian classic for about 2 years in his possesion and might have taken her on 10 to max 15 rides, including Rouge Roubaix and the Michelob Ultra Vuelta d'Acadian.

When building up a brand new LiteSpeed Archon C1 for the upcoming Rouge Roubaix,

the Colnago frame took backstage on a display rack.

As long as Mark has been having this beauty, I have begged him to sell her to me..

Though I know Mark operates his bike shop different from the way I operate my bike room,

I am assured this Colnago C50 had a special place in his heart!

With some help from Tres Courdin, sales rep for LiteSpeed/QR,

and the kindness of Mark, my dream came true! To top off the story..

While building up the C50 with the Campagnolo Super Record 11 Speed Gruppo

from my Merlin Extra Light (which frame I sold to Nick/Mechanic at PB),

we found out we needed a 'braze-on' front dérailleur in stead of the 'clamp-on' front dérailleur that came off the Merlin.

Precision Bikes did not have one in stock for me, (just a Campy Record 10).

In order to satisfy my OCD need to get this C50 home that same evening,

(even though I can't take her out on the road, I just can stare at her in my livingroom!),

Mark took his front dérailleur of his new build-up LiteSpeed Archon C1!!!

And put a Shimano 105 front dérailleur on his LiteSpeed Archon C1!

THAT'S true friendship, THAT'S what MARK MILLER'S PRECISION BIKES is all about!

The top photo shows both, Mark's new LiteSpeed Archon C1 and my 'new' Colnago C50 on the mechanic's stand, while Mark was building up my Colnago C50.

The bottom picture,

taken at the same location where recently my ' new' Look 569 posed for a photo shoot.

Photo credit: Wielrennerke

Mark, I can't thank you enough for who you are and all you do for me!

Any time I ride this bike, or the Look 596 for that matter, you'll be with me....

To all others, I just want you to know: "I'll be back!"

P.S.

The Colnago C50 tipped the scale at 15.6lbs, (with pedals)!