Super Rookie's World

This past Friday I went on my first training ride in over 3 months.

Ouch.

I got up really early and headed down to the Wicker Park area of Chicago. I was dressed in complete cycling wear. I had two pairs of tights on and a long sleeve jersey with a wool jersey over the top of that and then had the full sleeve wind coat on. I was looking pretty sharp for wearing bike clothes!

Keep in mind I haven’t ridden my road bike in over three months except for a couple of brief excursions on a trainer. I still don’t find myself enjoying riding my road bike as much as my fixed, but I expected to be riding with a bunch of roadies. Instead I met Ansgar and he was riding a nice Bianci track bike with bull horns. I was relieved to see that xXx still had some of the bad-ass attitude it is known for. It isn’t everyday that you get to go on a training ride with people that are riding sans helmet and road bikes.

It kind of reminded me of the early season training rides I did last year in Minneapolis with the Blazing Saddles gang. Instead this time my gang consisted of three other riders that are all really nice. I felt really welcome and can’t wait to really participate with this team.

Since Chicago has so many cars there are only a couple of ways to get out of the city in order to find a good route to put in some miles. So while on the ride we encountered over 20 other like minded individuals on their bicycles! It is nice to know that there are other people out there that are like yourself.

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The Blackhawks lost again. That is three straight losses to the worst two teams in the league. I won’t lose faith. I only had 4 people in my section. But, one of them is a season ticket holder that used to play for St. Mary’s University in Winona and the Detroit Red Wings in the 1960s. I thought that was really cool getting to talk to him during the game. He really knew his hockey!

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The Golden Gophers lost the Music City Bowl yesterday to the Virginia Cavaliers. I didn’t get to watch the game but after seeing the hi-lights and hearing from others it seems like the Gophers were down by 3 with 45 seconds left on the 50 yard line. What does Glen Mason do? He puts up a hail mary instead of a nice 15 yard pass to get them into field goal range!

Hopefully, when I get home tonight I will read that Mason’s contract has been terminated and the Gophers will be able to go out and get a coach that will be able to lead them over the hump and into the top tier of the Big Ten.

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Wait till you see my Dead Pool 2006 list! It is awesome. Real awesome.

Holy crap.

There are a ton of people out there with a morbid sense of humor. I just checked my website stats. It seems that in the past three days I have gotten over 700 hits from people that have been entering “Death Pool 2006” into Google. So I decided to try it and see where I end up. I was amazed to see that my site comes up #1.

I now have proof that my site is the #1 webpage in the entire universe.

So all of you people that are “googling” away you can enter the game. Just take a look at rules over in the right sidebar and send an email to lolalucille@gmail.com. This is where you will receive our address to send your list!

I am not posting this to continue to get people to play. I am just amazed at how the Google search engine works. I wonder what I can put on this page that will get even more people to check it out.

Perhaps this will help…

“Paris Hilton rides a fixed gear bicycle while wearing a custom made Super-Rookie.com skinsuit and doing crystal meth all at the same time.”

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Yesterday, I found out that I didn’t get the SRAM job. I am a little disappointed, but I am not going to let it effect me all that much. They just don’t know what they are missing! To get my mind off of not getting the job I was really amped to be working the Blackhawks game at the United Center. About 5 minutes into the game I realized that the Blackhawks are perhaps the worst hockey team I have ever seen.

I am not kidding. All of the players are skilled. But, they lack desire to play. I have never seen a team that won’t go after a loose puck, or shoot when they have the opportunity. To be a Chicago Blackhawks fan is like being a Cubs fan. You are destined to cheer for a crappy team for eternity.

It was really bad at the United Center last night. I sought out an opportunity to watch a hockey game and instead I left with a desire to return to coaching hockey and whip some kids into shape so they would never grow up to play such a dismal game like the pros that are getting paid money!

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I am starting up my workouts at the ‘Y’ today. I need to get back to my old routine so I can challenge this guy when he starts racing! Can you imagine riding a spin bike 4hrs a day? Ouch.

I heard back from SRAM today. I didn’t get offered the job. The gentleman that interviewed me told me that I was ‘high up’ on the list, but the guy that got the job had more experience than me. He also went on to tell me that they were going to be hiring in March and would keep me in mind for then. When I inquired on how I could improve my chances for the next time around he told me that there wasn’t much I could do. I think that I really was close to getting the job, but the guy that ended up getting it happened to be a manager of a bicycle shop.

Looking back on the entire experience I never even thought I was even going to get an interview. So, I am pretty grateful for the opportunity. I just wish that it turned out to be a different ending. It is a nice feeling to be told that a place will notify you when another hiring is going to take place.

I hope that Ochsner won’t sleep on my skills. I am a really good employee and can bring a lot to a company. Plus I really want to work at a place like that. But, I can only hope. It seems like every time I try to contact them they push back the date for which they are going to hire. I am going to call them around the first of the year.

If that doesn’t work out you can pretty much punch a ticket for me and Sarah to return to Minneapolis. There are just to many opportunities in the Twin Cities for me to get hired. Here is just a short list of places that have headquarters there; HED, World Cycling Productions, Quality Bicycle Products, J&B Importers and Park Tools. As you can see there are a ton of opportunities there. Plus, I think Sarah would like to move back. We could get a nice apartment in Northeast and go back to Dusty’s. I would also be able to race at the best velodrome in the country!

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My brother and sister-in-law just left. They are on their way back to Monroe to celebrate the holidays with that side of the family. It was a lot of fun having them in town. Last night we went out to eat at our favorite place, McNamara’s. The food was fantastic as usual and the atmosphere was extraordinary. At first we were going to try this new place that has a pub quiz every Tuesday night. We were super excited and already had our team name and everything. But, when we showed up at the pub it was closed. So the Kobra Kai will have to play another day.

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Tonight I have to go back to work at the United Center. The Blackhawks are playing the Blues. Years ago this would be a sellout. But, the Blues and the Hawks are among the worst teams in the league and no one seems to really care. Although my checkbook would benefit more from a Bulls game, my psyche will appreciate a hockey game.

The Sushi place will be open shortly and I am pretty stoked for that. My brother and sister-in-law were telling me that the menu looks really good and that I should be making some really good money at that place. I would predict that the T-Spot Sushi and Tea-Bar will be open on Jan. 2nd.

We got back to the Twin Cities last night at about 7:00PM. My brother and sister-in-law gave us a ride back and are staying with us for a few days before they head back to Monroe, Wisconsin to spend the holidays with her side of the family.

On Saturday night I spent most of the night on my knees in the bathroom upstairs. I was “praying to the porcelain god.” I got really sick for about 18 hours. Kevin was a little nervous at first to have me in his car in that state, but for the most part I slept. About 40miles outside of Chicago I started to feel a lot better. I don’t know if it had to do with getting closer to home or feeling less stressed, but it felt good to be able to walk around and communicate.

On the way down I rode with brother and Ivan, a 3 year-old male German Shepard. Sarah rode in a separate car with my sister-in-law and Zoehe, a 8 year-old female German Shepard. Kevin, Ivan and I talked about guns, girls and trucks. I bet the other car was talking about feminine hygiene, certain episodes of ‘90210’ and Ralph Macchio.

We met up in Monroe to drop off the dogs and combine all of our stuff into one car. While in Monroe we were able to visit with my sister-in-law’s parents. I also got to see a graduation picture of ‘El Torino’ sans mask. So after a brief discussion about how the world is going and how crappy I feel we all jumped in the car and went driving south.

I am a huge fan of Culver’s. This place is what fast-food is supposed to be. The only other place that I have ever eaten that can rival Culver’s is the short lived Rax fast-food chain that populated the Midwest. Culver’s is in a world all by itself. To bad I slept in the car when everyone else went in to eat. To make matters even worse the flavor of the day was “Cookie Dough.”

Dammit.

After leaving Janesville we made a quick pit-stop at the Belvidere oasis. If you haven’t ever been to an Oasis before on the Illinois turnpike you don’t know what you are missing! It is basically an overpass that has a roof on it and looks like a mall. It has McDonalds, Subway and other fast-food places. Perhaps the best named place ever, ‘U Dawg U’ they sell hot dogs. It is a great place to do some people watching. I feel that a majority of the people that are in this place are the ones that went out to Wal-Mart and got the duct-tape and plastic sheeting when the government told them how it would protect them from an atomic bomb. When I sit in an Oasis I feel like a real American. You got it all at your fingertips without even leaving the highway!

Well that is it for now.

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Dead Pool entries are starting to come in. Get yours ready. Email lolalucille@gmail.com for the address. Scroll down for directions or just click on the link on the right. It is super simple to do and famous people die all of the time so get over it!

Sarah and I made it in to the Twin Cities last night. After hanging out with my brother and sister-in-law for a little while I drove Sarah over to her house. I got a chance to visit with her family and we had a very nice time exchanging gifts. They got me a nice wallet! I am so happy. My last wallet was completely falling apart and was ripping at the seams all of the time. Also, now that I have a job a new wallet was needed for all the money I am making! Bling Bling.

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It is really nice to be back home for the weekend. I have already run into a couple of friends that I haven’t seen in a while so that is pretty cool. It is also really nice to be able to hang out with the folks and exchange gifts. Last night my brother and I went out for drinks in NE Minneapolis. I never thought I would miss NE that much, but that neighborhood really grows on you. I really wanted to go to Dusty’s on Marshall. But, it was pretty full with a band playing so we decided to roll up to Grumpy’s. Along the way I showed my brother a couple of buildings that have nice studio spaces.

At Grumpy’s I got to talk to Pat, the owner, for a while about Chicago and other things. He is trully one of the great buisiness owners in this city. He is always making sure his customers are happy and he will always tell you about the time he was on the Alp d’ Huez for the 2004 Tour. We pounded back a couple of beers and came home.

It was a really nice night. Today looks to be just as exciting with friends coming over for dinner. My little brother is making the meal and it looks and smells really good. I will try to hit the hay early tonight. But, maybe I will run out and see some friends if I have some time.

When I was a kid I used to go to bed on Christmas Eve at like 7PM so Santa would come sooner. Then in 8th grade I found out that my parents were Santa. That ruined everything.

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I got this email from a good friend of mine back in the cities. Keep an eye out for these nice wheels!
———-<>———–
Hey eSaRe,

I’m putting out an APB. Please forward this to anyone you think could help.

I had my Phil/DT Swiss Track Wheels stolen from 25th St and 1st Ave
on Saturday Night. They’re Phil High Flange Flip/Flop Hubs laced to
DT Swiss RR 1.1. Rims with black DT spokes. Michelin Cyclocross
tires were mounted at the point of theft as well as a Surly
Tugnut. I really want these wheels back. BAD. I was hoping that
I’d be able to race them at the Track this next summer while getting
spanked by Super Rookie, Matt and Spencer.

I’ll put out a $200 dollar Bounty for info leading to their recovery.

I hope Chicago is treating you well. I look forward to seeing you
when you come back for Stupor and Tour 10k. Good luck with the job hunt.

Tyler “Skidsy” Denniston
Category 6 Racing Squad

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Tonight I worked the Bulls vs. Cavaliers game at the United Center. For all of the basketball games I work the same sections. All of the seats in my section are sold to season ticket holders and are completely sold out for the rest of the year. Tonight was my 5th game that I have gotten to work on my own. I am now starting to learn all of the regulars by name and what they like to drink. Knowing all of this helps drive up the sales and tonight I made some killer money. Sarah was quite happy!

I also have a lot of fun working there. The management is pretty cool and all of my co-workers are pretty cool. I also like the hours and the time of the year that I get to work. Since all of the games are during the winter I don’t miss any nights at the track or on the road! That is a huge benefit. Sadly, if I get hired at SRAM or Ochsner it would be nearly impossible for me to work at the United Center.

So, if I don’t get hired at those places it won’t be the end of the world. But, it will be a little disappointing if I can’t get into the industry just yet. I also stopped by Tea-Spot Sushii and Tea Bar today and it is looking really swank and nice! I am almost positive that I will be able to pull off working at the UC and Tea-Spot at the same time. Plus the people at Tea-Spot would let me get some time off for racing in the summer.

It is kind of a nice problem to have.

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Minneapolis here we come! Watch your backs and your beer. Email me if you want to buy me a beer! Or leave a comment! I don’t know my schedule, but most of you have my number. I think it is 1-800-SUPERROOKIEISAWESOME.

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Email us for our address to get in the dead pool and support my drug habit. lolalucille@gmail.com

You can also send Sarah christmas presents.

Check out this picture:

As many of you, my loyal readers, can see this picture is a still from the Bruce Lee classic “Way of the Dragon.” Some of you have also let me know in the comment section of this website that Bruce Lee is superior to Chuck Norris. I stand here today telling you that this picture is proof that it is in fact not Bruce Lee kicking Chuck Norris’ ass. If you look closely you can see that this photo was an old form of Photoshop. In fact, the director of this film didn’t want to have Chuck and Bruce filming this famous scene at the same time. So, the scene was filmed twice over with the final result being spliced together. Why didn’t the director want them on the set at the same time? Because, he knew that Chuck Norris could knock Bruce Lee down with just the look in his eyes. Look at this picture. Tell me his eyes don’t make you shake!

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Now onto less important things.

Sarah is currently trying to get Friday off so we can get a ride with our friends to the Twin Cities. Originally we were going to take the train, but it turns out that a couple that we are friends with are traveling up to the Twin Cities on Friday. So we are hoping that Sarah can get it off. If she can’t it is proof that her employer is not in the “giving mood” for the holidays.

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To enter the Dead Pool you need a list of 10 people and you need to send $10 to us here in Chicago. To get the address email lolalucille@gmail.com! Get cracking on your list.

Seriously look at that picture. Who in their right mind would run from that? If I was a ‘bad guy’ I would walk right up to that man and say, “Please make it quick and painless. I don’t want to feel the wrath of your gun or roundhouse kicks.”

I have always loved Chuck Norris movies. The best is definitely ‘Braddock: Missing In Action 3’ which was released in 1988. ‘Braddock’ was the third movie in the epic ‘Missing In Action’ series. The premise of the ‘MIA’ movies was that Col. Braddock had to go back to Vietnam and rescue all of the POWs that were still in captivity. Of course, Col. Braddock (played by Chuck Norris) wasn’t about to negotiate with his mouth. He did his talking with an AK-47 Bazooka Machine Gun.

Chuck Norris went on to star in the network television drama ‘Walker Texas Ranger.’ I used to come home early from hockey practice in the late 90’s to watch this show on Sunday nights. The way that Chuck dealt out justice was a wonderful thing to watch. I felt that he was a real man. He tried to understand what the ‘bad guys’ were thinking, but in the end he would deliver a nice roundhouse to the head. Take that! The best part about this groundbreaking television series was that Chuck also sang the theme song. He is a multi-talented bad ass.

Nowadays, you can see Chuck (as I like to call him) selling all types of home exercise equipment on television at 4AM. This is why I haven’t bought a Bowflex yet. Once Chuck puts his name on that piece of junk you can bet I will call that 800 number to get my very own Chuck Norris’ Bowflex.

I have always liked Chuck Norris. Here is a fact sheet that might explain why I like Chuck so much! My favorite is “Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting infers the probability of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.”

Check out the rest of the reason Chuck Norris rules here. What is your favorite?

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Email lolalucille@gmail.com to get the address to send the 2006 Dead Pool Entries!

Brrrr.

Not much going on in Chicagoland. Sarah and I got back into town on Saturday night. I bundled up on Sunday and went to the United Center to work a Blackhawks game. I love watching hockey games. Since, the Bears were playing on the other side of town on Sunday night there weren’t to many fans at the game. I only had 10 people sitting in my section. They were all really friendly and ordered some stuff, but the Hawks got behind early and it was never close.

It is really cold here today. Something like 8 degrees out with a 0 degree wind-chill. When I was tough I would say that this is nothing, but now that I spend my days inside I don’t want to go out in this weather! But, none the less I am going out tonight with Sarah to the YMCA. I haven’t ‘pumped iron’ in a few days, so I need to get back on track before I head home for the holidays.

We are taking the train on Friday to Minnesota. I love the train. It is so relaxing. I will be able to finish a book and start another one. I will also be able to watch a DVD on the train on my computer. I think that is really cool. I don’t know what to watch, but I think that since there are going to be children on the train I am going to watch “Clockwork Orange.” A little ultra-violence never hurt anybody!

I made the long-awaited ‘call’ today to SRAM. I was a little nervous, but I was told that the decision hasn’t been made yet and that they are still conducting interviews and hope to know by Friday. I think this is a two-edged sword for my chances. On the good side it doesn’t mean I am out of the running since they didn’t tell me that I was not hired. On the bad side the more people they interview the less likely they remember me. But, how could they forget my smile?

I also called the folks at Ochsner. They haven’t set a time table on hiring, but it looks like they will make a decision in 2006. I know they can’t forget me since I have called every two weeks for the past two months! If both of these jobs don’t work out, perhaps it might be time to pack up and head north so I can get a gig at WCP or QBP. Plus, the track is cooler up there in Minnesota.

To beat the dead horse….

Email lolalucille@gmail.com to get in on the dead pool! The more the merrier! Time is running out. The page is on the right task bar to find out more information under my Scheduled Appearances Section.

I have been checking the Toronto Globe and Mail website for sometime. I found a couple of cool articles that haven’t even been mentioned here in the Chicago Tribune site. I sometimes think it is very interesting to read the news from another perspective.

For instance, this article is about the recent elections in Bolivia where a socialist candidate appears to have won the election with over 45% of the vote. Evo Morales, the president-elect, promises to be “Washington’s Nightmare.” I wonder how long it is before the U.S. gets behind a coup. It’s not like we don’t have an extensive history supporting dictators friendly to the United State. Augusto Pinnochet immediately comes to mind. Of course, not for being a dictator that was installed into power by the United State government, but for the fact that he is still alive and is a very popular pick in ‘Dead Pools’ across the country!

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Another article from the Globe and Mail is a classic. It turns out that a Republican Representative from California, Duncan Hunter, inserted a measure to ‘study the use of physical barriers on the northern border.’ I don’t think there is a better way to protect this country than to build a chain link fence so all of the Canucks that are DYING to come to the US can’t come in. Of course, the politicians say that they are considering the fence to deter terrorists from slipping over the border. I don’t think that it is really that hard to get into the country. I think terrorists that are so intent on getting in the United States might be able to rent a canoe and paddle their way across a lake!

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I am not even going to get into the entire spying on people in the United States. The NSA might be reading this blog and I can’t really afford to be detained without being able to see a lawyer. But, thankfully dubya is behind a ban on torture now! I promise I won’t talk. I won’t tell anyone Ferris’ age!

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