Two of my passions are music and cycling - true Rock 'n Roll - get it? I ride my bike a lot and sing/play keys in a local rock band, Five Easy Pieces. Walk into my living room and you'll see two keyboards (the ones that make music) an acoustic guitar signed by Alison Kraus, 3 bikes, bike paraphernalia thrown on the floor and oh yeah - a couch and a TV. I do have to warn you up front that I'm pretty certain I have adult-onset ADD so getting off-track in a blog is a given. And I'm sitting outside typing this (gotta love wireless) so if a bird flies by or a squirrel and his/her significant other do some sort of high-wire trapeze act from tree to tree, game over. And don't even get me started on possibly seeing a shiny object because at that point I've checked out. Yep I'm pretty sure it's ADD and certainly not the aging process. I've been told on numerous occasions I don't act my age (40 something). Was that a slam? A friend who is my age was a little too excited about her recent Keds sneakers purchase. Seriously? Hey Sweetie, the 70's called and want their shoes back! See.... already off topic.
Cycling - I recently rode some of the Ironman course with a friend who is training for this awesome event in August. It started out as a great ride and we were cruising along enjoying the scenery and conversation. About 25 miles into our long ride, something went horribly wrong with my bike and my Trek 5200 became a fixie. I have lots of fixed friends but I've never desired to hop on that boat. I've got one now. Not happy. Yep - I'm now on a death march through Henry County and I knew more hills were coming. I think I heard Taps playing in the background and I saw visions of loved ones who've gone on before me. I'm pretty sure I threw up in my mouth (I stole that line from Webgirl - she rocks) and hey come on most of us have done it before so don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about, the wind was NOT our friend, and the sun was piercing my skin on US42 in the afternoon. We need to plant more trees there. But I sucked it up (not the vomit) and endured the leg burn, sunburn and oxygen deprivation. As I was suffering I couldn't decide if I wanted to take my bike to the shop or throw it in the nice little pond I saw up ahead. Pond? Bike Shop? Hmm......tough decision. Well actually it's in neither location. I'm mad at it and it's mad at me. It abused me and I abused it. It's in timeout in my car. So there. BUT my philosophy is: a bad day on the bike still beats a good day at work!!
Music - www.myspace.com/fiveeasypiecesrocks. The website is still a work in progress and will be customized soon, so cut me some slack on that one but it does list a few of our upcoming gigs. Check it out, come hear us play, ride your bike there, hit the dance floor, ride your bike on the dance floor, jump on stage, sing a song with me, bring friends, cheer loudly, eat great food, have some drinks, buy me a drink. Good times. And no we won't play Free Bird no matter how loudly you yell that request.
Music/Cycling Connection - I participated in the Tour de Tucson last Nov. with 10,000 other cyclists and rode very well. I swear the good riding was due to the Sportbeans crammed in my jersey pockets. LOVE those things! So I figured the same "energizing" concept would work with band gigs. Sportbeans + Band Gigs = Pamster singing words she's never sung before, jumping off stage and dancing with people she doesn't know, practicing Yoga poses between songs and other things I can't mention. WOW.
Sportbeans: .99 cents
Margarita for me purchased by adoring fans: $3.50
Deer-in-the-headlights look from band mates after Pamster ingests Sportbeans with margarita chaser: PRICELESS.
What's in those magic beans anyway??
(You have no idea how long that took to compose. Kamikaze birds, acrobatic squirrels and large shiny objects all taunting me. Oh......and the shirtless ripped runner stud who went by earlier. Maybe I'll leave my bike in timeout and take up running). 