Every Ride is a Race

Tribute to the Sunday ride crew.

Xtranormal "Movie"

Funny for those in the know

Ennio Morricone-Ecstasy of Gold - Live

This is truly Cool Sheesh. Live performance of the best song off of The Good, The Bad, The Ugly Soundtrack. Tell me this doesn't give you chills.

adidas ZX8000 re-release

According to Sneakerfiles, the original ZX8000 was released in 1988.
I had a pair of the blue ones; they were the best running shoe I'd ever had. Good support in the heel, excellent for anti-pronation, and one of the best trail running shoes ever. Not sure if it was because of their famous "torsion bar", but they were a bit firm, though. Regardless, my favorite running shoe of all time.
Here is a pic of the originals:


adidas re-released the ZX-8000 with an updated sole (see the blue one). Unfortunately, there is very little arch support. Shame because the shoe is very light and well made. I can't believe how many people comment on it.

Additionally, adidas has updated the series with a new "originals" version called the Mega Torsion RVI available in the original blue and a white/green/red version that is similar to the original. Unfortunately, these are strictly "casual" shoes and I wouldn't bother running in them. That said, also beautifully made.

Have a look at all three


and the different soles


I wish adidas would bring back the original in its true form!

Cool Way to Save Cash: Groupon.com

Our local San Francisco Bay Area news radio station, KGO, interviewed the founder of groupon.com, and the concept peaked my interest as one who does not turn down free or discounted opportunities. What's the catch? None. Just register at the site picking your city (or one very close to you), and away you go. What is a groupon? It's a portmanteau of "group" and "coupon" ... effectively, businesses will offer a discounted deal to a group of people for a finite time period (usually 24-hours); the actual groupon is good for about a year or less much like a gift certificate. What kind of things can you buy? The daily emailed offerings vary, but they have been for things such as:

• Farallon Island boat tour
• Yoga sessions
• Spa treatments
• Coffeeshops
• Restaurants
• Hotel stays
• Rafting trips
• Car services

The best part of all is they're all at a discounted price. For example, I bought a $50 (face-value) Groupon for Pucinella's restaurant in San Francisco for $20 (a 60% discount). This is great for my wife and I as we like to go out on a regular basis, and we're not breaking the bank. One of the best parts is that purchasing the current groupon is very easy. After logging in, you simply indicate the quantity that you want to buy, and click one button. Your credit card info is stored by Groupon so you won't have to enter each time. Today's San Francisco groupon (Dec 15, 2009) is for a 2010 Snowbomb Tahoe Card (regularly $40 on sale for $20); it includes a bunch of free stuff including a lift ticket at Dodge Ridge. Where can you find a lift ticket for $20??? If you're interested in gettting these deals, sign up here: Groupon

Three infectiously great things

1. Peter, Bjorn & John - Young Folks


2. Budweiser song "Anthem"


3. Glengarry Glen Christmas

VW Jetta Diesel

Driving Impressions: 2009 Jetta Diesel

Diesel: what’s old is new, only better
I’ve been unintentionally green for a few weeks now; my beloved 2000 Audi A6 is in the shop getting major surgery including a transmission rebuild, new power steering rack, and catalytic converters. So I’ve been cycling and train-riding to work for the past few weeks. Unfortunately, the train station is quite a ways from work, so I’ve been riding a minimum of 9 miles, and sometimes 40 miles a day depending so I’m pretty tired.

Luckily, my backside got a welcome break with the chance to test the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta. But the “green” didn’t take a break with this frugal VW. It’s a fantastic car that offers plenty of room front and rear, fold down seats to easily put the bike into, excellent handling, and a thoroughly entertaining diesel engine. Entertaining? Diesel? Yep-this sucker features a turbocharger that kicks in for some prodigious torque. While the 2.0 liter 4 cylinder has only 140 horsepower, it packs a whopping 236 foot pounds of torque. While it lags a bit off the line, at highway speeds, the torque makes passing a joy. It is an ideal highway cruiser. Even more impressive, despite my notorious lead-footedness (I infamously logged just 22mpg in the ’08 Honda Fit), I averaged a stunning 37.5 mpg!

Then and now
In 1990, the president of the company I worked for swore by two things—PC’s instead of Macs and diesel instead of regular fuel. He drove a gargantuan Mercedes diesel 300 SEL and kept it for 15+ years. And he forbade Macs in the workplace. Years later, PCs have definitely dominated while diesels are just now coming back in to vogue. Back then, diesels were stinky, slow, and pumped out a lot of pollution. However, as my favorite mechanic points out, because of the trucking industry, getting diesel gas is relatively easy because the network of stations exists throughout the nation.

With the advent of the recent energy crisis and heightened awareness of conservation, European car companies, such as VW, Audi, BMW, and Mercedes Benz, are now re-testing the waters here with diesel offerings. Reportedly, over 50% of cars in Europe run on diesel, so the technology has already been widely deployed. Better still, diesel is now much cleaner; ultra-low sulfur diesel now burns 97% less sulfur and is widely available. And the CO2 emissions of this Jetta, while not the lowest, compare favorably to the miserly and clean burning Honda Civic, as seen in the chart below (statistics courtesy of : fueleconomy.gov)





The only real concern with newer “clean diesel” is the addition of ammonia (urea). Clean diesel engines require a separate source of ammonia which breaks down Nitric Oxide, a common air pollutant, into harmless nitrogen and oxygen. There concern is with maintenance issues and car owners making sure the ammonia is refilled.

What about alternative fuels?
Here in the U.S., though ethanol was broadly marketed, it’s nearly impossible to find a station that provides it. Elsewhere in the world, ethanol is popular and common-place in Brazil, and propane is used widely in India. But here in the US, we don’t really have another choice except electric or diesel. The vaunted hybrids such as the Prius and pure electrics like the Tesla, while very economical, pose a new question. What do we do with the batteries once they are “used up”? How long will they last? And how much will they cost to maintain? More importantly, how do we dispose of them? Suddenly, once stinky diesel seems appealing. With the pre-existing fuel network, lower emissions, excellent fuel economy, and the prospect of bio-diesel, diesel does have a lot working for it as a new standard of economy and efficiency. Perhaps there really is something here.

Life with a diesel.
So what’s it like to live with a diesel? This VW is impressive. While there is a slight “dieseling sound” at start up, it is not much louder than a standard engine. No smoke an no smell. Once underway, the diesel “clatter” is mostly muted and hardly noticeable. When I did have to find a station that offered diesel, it was slightly problematic. I visited three stations before I found one that carried diesel. If you are planning a trip in a diesel vehicle, it might be a good idea to look up gasbuddy.com to find stations along the route. Regardless, once at the station, I found the price to be $2.75/gallon, the same price as regular unleaded. Mid grade was $.10 more and Super was $.20 more per gallon. Only at the station did I detect the faint smell of petroleum jelly that is characteristic of diesel.. In any case, the price of diesel has come down, which is yet another reason to consider it. Additionally, with the VW’s 14.5 gallon gas tank and 30+mpg, you won’t need a fill up for close to 500 miles—that’s impressive!

So would I buy it? The Jetta was a very impressive car. It has great handling, plenty of space for four, and is a great freeway commuter. If I had to do long commute miles and used this car primarily for commuting, it would be extremely tough to beat.