There are pictures and the occasional imbedded video, but presumably you come to this blog to read something. It'll probably occupy three to five minutes of your day and then you're onto whatever's next. Another visit to the water cooler, mowing the lawn, taking care of your kiddo. Whatever.Today I ask you to take seven minutes because there are two very important things that should be added to your reading list.One. My former teammate at Cannondale-Garmin, Alex Howes, is a good one. We raced Leadville, we shared some good chatter last year at camps and a few races, plus I've known Alex since the mid-2000s when I brought Wine Club to Boulder*. He penned something up that flies in the face of the current trend of cycling that highlights marginal gains and it speaks volumes. Read it HERE, then give him a high five next time you see him, because it's fantastic.Two. Occidental, CA is a totally random spot in Sonoma Country. It's a tad rustic, a bit hippy, it's overgrown with enormous trees that are probably 350 years old on average, and there's a tasty new restaurant called Hazel. I've spent a ton of time there for a dozen different reasons over the years, and I think you'll dig this short column that's found at Velocio.cc. Plus I introduce the world to the newest age of cycling, #Froad.Check'em out and get on with the lawn mowing and the rest of your day.  *Serious rules are mandated at Wine Club. I'll reserve that for another day.