The Best Thing Ever?

I recently had a conversation (with someone else - not just speaking to myself here) regarding how much of a travesty it is that sugar and fat make food taste much more delicious. Ice cream is perhaps the best example of this. Chocolate runs a close second. I even recall being shocked and saddened as a kid to learn that peanuts - and therefore peanut butter - is chock full of fat. Sad sad sad.

However, perhaps having a little self-control is good for everyone every now and again, so keeping the top of the ol' food pyramid in dietary check could be for the better of all of us. Or at least for our collective waist-lines.

Enter into my life a new comestible that just might knock ice cream and chocolate off the fatteningly sweet hall of fame. Friends, I present unto you exhibit A: Maple Peanut Butter. Ummm, what?! Maple. Peanut. Butter. Well more like Maple. Peanut butter. But still, the gastronomic genius who had this idea deserves a gold medal. Probably someone HERE created it.

Exhibit A:

Yessir, when the mailman arrived today, this definitely made me a happy camper. I'd therefore like to thank Matt very much for the M.P.B. hookup. Furthermore, he sent along one of his custom t-shirts with ServiceBuro emblazoned on it and a handful of stickers. Also pay note to my face, because that's no "I'm getting my picture taken" face... nay friends, that's Blue Steel IamTedKing style! Bam.

That face isn't natural, amigos. That's years of hard work and countless poses in the mirror. Thanks Matt!

In other breathtakingly exciting news, I'm about to jump back into racing after a three week hiatus. I had a week long break immediately after Tour of Austria, which was spectacular. It was precisely the rest and relaxation I needed to get charged up for the post-TdF part of the season! That week has been followed by rigorous training including a two day soiree in the Pyrenees well north of Girona. (Note: soiree means "a large or important social gathering." This word often refers to something like a cocktail party, which this was certainly not. But it was still social and awesome nonetheless.) Christian, MB, and I logged a really moutainous 5-and-a-quarter hours northwest up to our mountain town for the night, then reversed course the next day back to G'town for a near 11 hour outting in two days. Great training, excellent people, steamy weather, and superb views.

These are the Pyrenees. They are mountains. Mind you, even though this looks like beautiful bucolic rolling hills, it is anything but. These two photos were taken after an hour of nonstop climbing. We're above tree line and above a handful of ski resorts. Yup, high yo. High.

I'm also proud of my dear brother Robbie who just raced his first Elite National Championships in about four years. After a lengthy breakaway in the sweltering 100 degree heat, he managed to cling back onto the winning move, then hung on for 10th place. That's laudable, so well done broseph!

For those of you who don't know who Robbie is, he's my older brother, and the handsome fellow below holding the freshly felled Christmas tree back in 2006. He's a champion chainsawer as well as a pretty awesome brother.

Unfortunately that ends my runs of news for the day. Next up for me is the Sparkassen Giro Bochum in Germany on Sunday followed by the 5 day Vuelta a Burgos next week in the Burgos region of Spain. Even though I've already lived in Spain now for about one month, I sadly don't think I'm the "Hometown Favorite." Probably because I'm not a favorite for the race and the Burgos region is about 700km away. I'm still going into the race chomping at the bit though!

Bu'bye now.