In Memory of Ben Emerson
This morning I was told that my old friend/ex colleague Ben Emerson had lost his battle with cancer.
Ben I know you put up a good fight and gave it everything you had. Rest in peace my friend.
My relationship with bikes
The very first time I learned how to ride a bike was at a small playground in Quarry Bay Hong Kong. I was about 7 or 8. I still remember very clearly my cousin Edward and Edmund found this unattended bike lying around the playground, and they insisted that I should give it a try. My main concern at that time wasn’t so much about falling, but instead I was more concern with the fact that we were using someone else’s bicycle without their permission.
Long story short I hopped on that tiny bike, my cousins gave me a little push and that was it I became a cyclist. My very first bike was a gold and black color frame BMX, I quickly became very popular in many playgrounds, because every kids within the 1 mile radius wants to try my shinny machine.
The BMX and I kind of drifted apart when got my first Nintendo in 3rd grade, and I am ashamed to say I didn’t really ride again until I moved to the America.
I was 12 when my parents bought me my first hybrid from Ames or Hills. The life span of that machine didn’t last very long, since I didn’t really take good care of it, and as soon as I got my driver’s license I pretty much didn’t look at that thing again.
It was 2003 when I decided to start this whole cycling thing again, I spent 300 dollars and bought a Mongoose mountain bike from Dick’s. The longest distance I would ride would be a range between 5 to 10 miles along the canal path. Cycling to me was suppose to be something easy and relaxing. The shifters on the handle bar were just buttons that I can play with when I was bored.
Summer 2004 I got an email from my friend Jeff asking if people were interested in doing a group ride at Mendon Pond park, I quickly said yes under the assumption that we would be riding around some flat area in a relax pace.
I remember very clearly I showed up at the park in my cargo short with my bike, a small bottle of Poland spring and a pack of Marlboro menthol light in my saddle bag, while everyone was busy checking their tire pressure before the ride, I was enjoying a smoke.
That ride turned into a disaster for me, because I didn’t have any knowledge about gearing, and it was the first time in my life I had ever ridden any hills. It took me almost 2 hours to finish a 15 mile route. Pretty much everyone was gone by the time when I got back to the park. I never wanted to touch the bike again, because I was so embarrassed, and discouraged due to my inability to keep up with the group
2006 I was no longer a smoker, after reading Lance Armstrong’s book I suddenly regained the interest in cycling again, and that’s when I bought my first road bike Trek 1000 with clipless pedals. Riding with clipless pedals were a new learning curve, I fell so many times and got laughed at by so many drivers that I developed some pretty thick skin. But thankfully I had some very good friends who would patiently answer any of my endless cycling questions, and taught me everything from changing a tube to how to climb.
2008 I got my first carbon fiber frame Madone, cruising down country roads in my aerobar was my way of relieving all my daily stress and frustrations, since life wasn’t exactly smooth that year.
2009 besides my family, my bike is the next thing I care about the most. Even though I am not very fast, but I love going on long rides with good friends and share conversation about our daily life.
Today I am proud to say “I am a cyclist” ??????? ???? ????? ????
That Old Feeling hd Written on the Wind download 102 Dalmatians ipod
Dinner @ Lento
Last night I had a wonderful dinner at Lento The Hearse divx Ghoulies dvdrip Behind Enemy Lines: Axis of Evil full The Pervert’s Guide to Cinema video
in village gate square with a good friend of mine. This was the third time I’ve eaten there; I was once again very pleased with the level of consistency and quality in both food and service.
We started out our first course with fresh oysters on the half shell with grapefruit, champagne mignonette. Each oyster was clearly label with a little flag of the region its from. I could easily eat a few dozen of them.
Second course we had the Frito Misto - a mixed fry of calamari, piquillo peppers and chickpeas served with garlic aioli. The initial aroma was just irresistible, texture was light and crisp, with a fresh squeeze of lemon juice, it was a tasty treat.
Main entrée I ordered the 20 oz ribeye steak over green garlic mashed potatoes, the steak was cook to perfection, it was paired with side of braised Swiss chard and roasted portabella mushrooms (a much more creative choice than the average steam broccoli and carrots)
In terms of $$$ Lento’s prices are comparable to Good Luck or Edible, but with much much better food quality. I am looking forward to go back there again.
Weekend
????????? ????? ?????? ??????????? ??????? The past weekend was a little restless; my Saturday evening was consisting of driving around the block looking for my dog.
Sunday morning I woke up to a zombie looking dad. He had a broken blood vessel in the eye. (My sister likes to refer it as hemorrhage or internal bleeding) Because of that our whole family got to spend a solid 4-5 hours at our favorite place in the city Rochester. The emergency room at the Strong Hospital, that place f*&king blows.
Anyway I am really hoping for an uneventful weekend this week. I just want to be out on my bike cruising around some country road. (NOT Lake Ave Mark!!!)