A victim of michael vick
My dog, Nikki (known as Crazy Bitch on the streets), just got released from the animal hospital a few days ago due to a life-threatening bite to the head by one of Michael Vicks' dogs. Ok, seriously...Nikki had a bump on her head for quite a while; a bump that looked like a huge mole. It seemed to be getting bigger over time so we had it checked out and it was determined that it could possibly be cancerous. It had to be removed. When she was in surgery to get it removed, this growth had spread deeper than just that little bump on her head. There was more of it internally all around her muscle. Eventhough she's a bit drugged up now and walking into walls all the time, she's doing great.
The City Life
My week vacation in D.C! First day I was there, I rode my bike around and totally got lost. It just happened; riding straight and not turning....M street turns into Pennsylvania Ave and that street turns into another and another-all without making a single turn and most of the streets are one way, so turning around was not an option that I wanted to take wow...brain fart. It took me forever to get back and had to ask a few bike messengers for help. I was having too much fun playing in the traffic and hauling butt around the city. I found a Conte's bike shop about a mile from my hotel and talked to the guys there for a while. I ended up doing a super cool ride on tuesday night from the shop there and met plenty of peeps. Riding was fun, but most of my fun consisted of riding the metro around and going to the museums and different cities. the first few days of riding the metro wasnt bad because there wern't many people on them, and I thought...it must be only New York where it's packed with people. I was wrong! One afternoon, I was packed in there like a fresh sardeen holding onto the pole. Around me were about 5 women also holding onto the same pole. I thought to myself...gee, I've never seen so many women on one pole. And here I thoguht these classy business ladies were the ones to stay off the pole. How wrong I was. Ha. Thats just the basic stuff to sum everything up, however, there were plenty of first time experiences for me and I had a blast.
VK-Vanderkitten in D.C!
VK-Vanderkitten in D.C!
5, 4, 3....2, 1!
I'm getting there! The first season that i've gotten serious about racing, i'm working my way up to where I need to be. Started the season off as a cat 5 and moved to a 4 in no time. And now that it's near the end of the season, I just earned enough upgrade points to move to a cat 3. congratulations me! With some cyclocross and road racing next season...i'm shootin for cat 2 by the end of next road bike season. And it will happen!
Can someone say fried eggs?
Mitch and I rode in Williamsburg on an old road race course and it was HOT! On the way there, i saw a little green escort with a sticker of "the cheat" on the rear window. Who could possibly like that thing? Anyway...I usually go thourgh a waterbottle an hour, and when i'm hooked up to the IV the night before...about a bottle every 2.5 hours. Right! This ride...I went through 6 bottles in 55 miles. We stopped off at some church and it had an outdoor spicket that produced the coldest and best tasting water ever. Holy water? At the time, I just wanted something to drink, but I ended up stripping down and took myself a shower with that water. It felt great! I'll never ride when the weather is that hot again; just too uncomfortable. 
As you all may know:
Yes, I had a falling out with the shop. Better yet, the shop had a falling out with me. After months of harassment and mistreatment from "higher authority figures", I decided that enough was enough; no need to be unhappy with the one thing I have a lifelong passion for-cycling. Nor will I allow for anyone to hold me back or bring me down. I worked there for a little over 3 years and I put my heart into that place because it was what I enjoyed doing and it sucks to be treated the way I was. And so...it's time to move on to better things-the next stepping stone. I didn't need the money; everyone knows I have a few mil stashed away for early retirement because of inheritance. I will not go into detail about the series of events that led up to this, but I still care about everyone on the AAB race team and i'm not ditching any of you; still my friends. It's just the fact that it will be morally impossible for me to wear a jersey with that name on it anymore. There is always a bad guy and a good guy, and i'm sure that all of you will be hearing stories or rumers that will depict me as being one of the two. Whichever you choose to perceive me as is up to you, but I could care less whether anyone thinks of me as being the good guy or the bad guy; however, a business does. To confirm current gossip, I am now racing for tripower.
A dream come true...
Remember those Sidi's that I cracked the sole on a while ago? Yeah, I finally got new shoes in from Sidi-that company is looking out for me! White Ergo 2's baby! I'm excited. Manimal-
power!
A tremendous weekend
This past weekend was a 2 series race-the Tour de Port and the Tour de Peake. Saturday was a beautiful day and the course was along the water in Portsmouth, which i felt like jumping into after the race. One road was torn up and had gravel all over...a lot of the roadies didn't like it(do some cyclocross or mountain biking!). I thought it was fun! I finished up with a 3rd place. Afterwards, a few of us went out to Fellini's in Norfolk-my first time! I had an amazing greek pizza and a snickers cheesecake after. Yes, that was my fuel for the next day of racing. That, and amazing belgium waffles for breakfast. The real fun started on sunday with the Tour de Peake. My mom was there! Jessica and her dad were there! What more could I want? It was a tough race because there was a break-a-way and only a handful of people would try to bring it back. The rest were blocking or just in it for the ride, but that's racing. Anyway...i'm not gonna take full credit, but the break-a-way was caught and I survived 2 crashes on the last lap and came in with 2nd place. Ha, a little interview with Joe and his camera across the finish line was fun, but getting the congratulations from my mom, Jess, and her dad was the most rewarding part of my weekend. Back to the question of "what more could I want?" Grilled out ribs as a celebration dinner! I was invited over to dinner at Jessica's house and my mom came with me. All in all, it was the best day of my summer or perhaps one of the best times i've had in a long time. If I had a choice, I'd choose that night to happen every night, over winning the Tour de France any day. It was that good.
A Package for Manimal?
A box? For me?
Hey, LOOK!
Could it be?
The Hotness!
The build-up
Finished product: Super dope bike! All I need now is a sticker that says "manimal" for the top tube and i'll be set!
Traveling Adventures
Tolls...throw the change in, gate opens, drive through. Not as easy as it sounds. Mike R. drives up to the toll, throws the change in and starts to drive forward. The gate isn't opening! Ok, lets reverse it and put another quarter in. We reverse, put the quarter in, and the gate opens. Finally, lets get goin. Foot on the gas...woah! We're going BACKWARDS! Ha, lets try this again. D=drive R=reverse. Put it in drive!
An enjoyable post-race snack of gummy bears reminded me of a good freind. Gummy bears-her favorite. I had to reinact a scene she once made of two gummy bears, but I dont think I used the same colors as she did. They didn't last long because I was hungry. Oh yeah, there was a race, kinda. It was really just a long sprint. Talk about a huge disappointment. I had more fun lounging in the passenger seat with my feat out the window, joking around with my friends, and eating gummy bears. Wow! After a little research, I got the colors right, but it seems that the tables have turned. oops.
Bryan park circuit race:
A beautiful course in Richmond and also the same park where a cross race is held-that makes it even cooler. I've been kinda lazy with riding lately, but I still did well in the race. 3rd place for the 3, 4 race. Not bad. For the whole race, I only had to deal with the annoying "ping, ping, ping" noise of my magnet hitting the sensor whenever I got out of the saddle to accelerate. I was too much of a wimp(good term) to reach down and put my hand centimeters from that front "cutting wheel" to adjust my sensor, so I just put the problem in the back of my mind. Thats what you get for having fancy carbon wheels-aero, but they flex! dope! Enough bike talk. On the way home, me, Mike and Mitch rocked out and sung along to Barry Manilow's "Mandy". Mike was testing me on my music and was asking if I had Celine Dion and all these other "foo foo, love song" artists, so I was like...I have something for you! Singing along to that song was the ONLY bonding we had that day. No, really! While enjoying the ride in the passenger seat, I spotted a police car with "Groome" on it? I dont think thats a city police car guys. Damnit, keep the pedal on the floor Mitch, it's just the groome police! Everyone: look your sexiest as we go by! That was the end of my fun weekend.
Mandytee sighting?
Long-Femur Lozano...middle of the peleton with the great-looking hair. school and bike racing= busy busy busy busy.
Props to Mom
I got my mom a new bike last year and she has never really touched the thing; however, she has been riding more, which is awesome. She may not be fast but she's out there having fun. 20mph down a small hill gets her super excited and really nervous, but she looks pro because I hook mom up. She'll get there though. She'll be pulling me around at 30mph before I know it. By the way, thanks Butch for calling me a dic!<. Mike H said to Butch: "I was going 31 and steven just pulled away from like nothing and held it off." Butch: "yeah, he's a big dic!<." I know it's a compliment Butch, no worries. ha. So anyway...this weekend was my mom's first "big ride" in the MS150. 150 miles in 2 days (the second day was cut short due to bad weather). Before she left, I fixed up her bike and wrote some tips on a piece of paper that I taped to her top tube. Just basic group riding tips that all of us already know. Except one tip that most people dont know-smile and have fun! That she did. I drove up to see her saturday night and drove all day sunday as mechanical support/mom support. She met a lot of people out there and some of them knew me but I couldn't place their face. All in all, she finished and i'm proud of her. She got her first medal, ever! Now that she's actually riding and has hung out/talked with a lot of cyclist, she is starting to understand me more. cool. Here's a picture of my lovely mom riding in the rain. Dont let her fool you, she's ___ and she's still super hot...it's a celebrity thing 
A job well done by the manimal
I'm always trying to put a smile on someone's face and having fun by doing stuff that is out of the ordinary or just super cool. Usually when something is up, "It's Steven, damn him!" Most of the time I get the response of "you're such a loser." Yeah, I can see that, but whether it's upgrading half your bike without permission-no charge, washing your car without you knowing because it hasn't been washed in 6 months-my jeep still remains dirty, sending flowers, or even TPing a car which, by the way, is hard work and took a lot of time, the manimal is always on fire, even off the bike. Those of you who know me really well, watch out!
More useful information to those who could care less about the things I do in my daily life- The manimal will be riding a Salsa Chili Con Crosso durring the cross season. Super hot bike! It's green and you gotta love the name.
Before and after the WOO WOO
It looks like Mandy wants to pimp her whip with a "woo-woo whistle tip." Here's a before and after for ya of her integra-a few more modifications than just a whistle tip. She's supa pimp now because she's got a VK licnese plate too.
BEFORE:
BEFORE:
AFTER:
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