That's m' roomate.

Drew picked up the banjo about 2 or 3 months ago. Now listen to him totally tear it up! I'm so proud.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPQpW8XvpkM

Provo on the national scene

I got the crap beat out of me in Provo once. Hahahaha

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RCfztXDZhNo

Lycra shorts on campus? Just give me a reason.

Advertising is in full swing for the BYU true cougar triathlon. (www.byutraithlon.com). I had the honor of manning the booth in the Wilkenson Student Center for 3 or 4 hours on Wednesday, and I did it in style- above the knee, form fitting cycling shorts. (how many ways can I break the honor code at once? I think I also didn't shave that morning) I brought my trainer and bike in, and rode a good 40 miles while trying my best to convince everyone walking by that they need to do their first triathlon. Now we wait and see where the registration numbers go.

Vegas!

Last Thursday Grant and I went to Las Vegas. After a night of drinking, gambling, and womanizing, we spent the night at the Bellagio.
OK, so that's not exactly how it happened. But, we did stay at the Bellagio. We were on the 32nd floor, in some small room that they had to fit between several massive suites. Here's the view from our room.:A TV! In the Bathroom! I played classical music on it while I showered.
The key to Vegas is to stroll around slowly with your head tilted, acting like absolutely nothing impresses you:
After walking around like this, telling everyone we could that we were on a business trip, we put on our bellagio slippers and bathrobes, and hung out on the 32nd floor lobby.
Then we put the robes back in the room (not the slippers), and went down to the casino. We stood around in our PJs, eating swedish fish and watching people lose money.

Friday was interbike! In addition to just having expenses paid, I got several hours worth of pay just to be at the convention. I don't have pictures, but just believe me- it was amazing! We had appointments with quite a few of our suppliers, but in between we just walked around and drooled. Eddy Merckx and Mark Allen were there, and I saw the tour bikes that guys like Cavendish, Contador, Cancellara and Schleck had ridden this year. In addition, there was just a ton of really cool, really expensive things.

We left the convention, drove to St. George, and stayed at the budget inn:

Bus Ride

I have a new favorite time of the day: 5:28-5:56 am. Now that I am working at powertri, I have a little commute. I drove the first couple of days, but then I realized that a bike/bus combination gets me to and from work just about perfectly. I get a great deal on a annual bus pass, and so the last few days I have tried it. I LOVE IT! Provo is wonderfully peaceful early.

In addition, it brings back some great memories. Yesterday, things were pretty crowded on the way home. I was packed in with about 80 other people, and someone didn't smell too good. The only thing that could have made it better, was if there had been no air conditioning. I would have been in european bliss.

Moab

Tour of Utah TT

Feast your eyes, for this is media at its finest.

http://protectyourbutterfingerbar.yahoo.com/?v=5I4TkcSOS

New Job?

I have had a very good job at the cannon center (I've started giving it more fancy names, such as The Cannon Lounge and Bistro). At the same time, I've kept one eye open for anything better that might be offered around campus.

I think I found it. Yesterday I read that the BYU art department is currently seeking male models for sculpting, painting, and figure drawing. I can just see my resume now. 130 lbs of the most chiseled skin and bones you'll ever find.

Today I asked, and found out that next week I'll hit my one year mark and receive a raise at Le Cannón. On second thought, perhaps I'll just stay there.

Staycation Udates and Plans

I'm really glad that I decided to stay in Provo for the school break. It is going to be an awesome two weeks. Here is what's happened already.

-I went a 8 days without shaving for the first time in months. I was a BYU student livin' on the edge. If it weren't for my dang job, I'd have gone even longer.

-Grant has movie nights every now and then on his big projector and surround sound system. We watched O, Brother where art thou. I'd heard about it, but never seen it. I highly recommend it.

-Plenty of table tennis.

-I've gotten in about an hour a day on the organ. I still can't play worth squat, but its getting better.

-Robert moved to town. We've done a couple of things together already. It should be fun.

-I'm reading a textbook to get ahead before I get behind in a class. I'm really looking forward to the next semester.

-My roommate Sam moved out. The same day, Mike moved in. He was already in my ward, so I know him already. He'll be around until Jan, when he's planning on going on a mission. He's a cool guy.

-Training for the red rock relay. Powertri.com got our six man relay team in for free ($650 race!).

-I rode up squaw peak close to as fast as I've ever done it, then came back down about as slow as I've ever done it. There was a horrible wind and a massive downpour on the way back. Each time we'd come around a corner into the wind, the rain would hit hard enough to almost cause welts. I love cycling!


What is coming up is even better:

-Sam (roommate) and Cherie (I home teach her) invited me to their wedding on Friday. No one has ever really done that before. I'm glad and look forward to going.

-Friday night Grant, his siblings and I are going to the Miller Motorsports Park in Tooele to see the time trial for the tour of Utah. two time world TT podium finisher and yellow jersey wearer Dave Zabriskie will be there, as will Floyd Landis, Oscar Sevilla, Victor Hugo Pena and a few other guys. I can't wait!

-On Sat. I am starring in a butterfinger commercial. Tanner is making it for a competition. If he wins, I'll be all over TV. If he doesn't, I'll be all over youtube. win-win situation.

-Mom and Dad and I are going camping and hiking next monday in the La Sals. Stay posted.

-Red vs. Blue time trial on the 29th. Time for the Utes to kick our trash again.

Camping

Friday night was camping night! Tanner, his friend Patrick, and I went up Spanish fork Canyon for a sweet night in the mountains. The highlight was the tri-weed cup:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOUfCD8pfN0

I love my mother (and Mr. T)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhZRqPPTNjE

Real Salt Lake

A while back I managed to find some buy-one-get-one-free ticket vouchers for a game of Salt Lake's MLS team. The game it was for ended up getting sold out (they sold more vouchers than available seats???), but a few weeks ago I was finally able to use them. My friend Tanner, who used to live in my apartment now lives just a little ways away from the stadium, and his wife came along as well. It was a blast, and the team even won 3-0. The seats were pretty lousy, but luckily two of the goals were scored on the side we were on, so they ended up giving us quite a good view.

The Secret Weapon

I have my first race tomorrow since mid-April, and I'm busting out the secret weapon. My friend Grant is letting me use his aero helmet (He's the best!). It's sleek, it's fast, and, it's really, really funny looking. It creates four times less drag than a regular helmet, so that you save around a minute over the bike course. (So they say. I'm starting to think you go faster, just because you don't want everyone seeing how goofy lookin' you are.)

So, the newest bathroom renovation was recently unveiled at BYU. I wouldn't be writing about it here if it wasn't AMAZING! In addition to some nice new tile, everything is motion sensed. Toilets, sinks, soap dispenser, paper towel dispenser, toilet paper dispensers. But, it doesn't end there. There are two features that make this pretty much the coolest bathroom on the planet. The first is the urinals with Falcon Waterfree Technology. The second is the Dyson Airblade hand dryer. Check 'em out. If you're like me, you'll be wanting this stuff for your own place.

Easiest 30 Bucks I've Ever Made

Today I finished a study with the exercise science department, and made an easy $30. All I had to do was go in twice, a week apart and ride two different bikes 40km. I just show up, get my leg shaved by some grad student named Ruth, get several electrodes and reflector balls taped up to me, a few cameras are pointed at me, and off I go on their fancy trainer with a fun virtual course ahead of me on some computer screen. I've decided I like getting paid for the things that I would be doing anyways.

I can't stop laughing!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gjXZdT0Qqw

On Friday Grant and I rode up to the top of the alpine loop- 55 miles, just under 5000 ft. of vertical and views like this: (except a little more green, and a little less orange and yellow)
The road is amazing. After about 4 miles through sundance, it turns into a one lane strip, with great pavement, and all the twisting and turning you could ever want. The best part is that it isn't open yet. So there were no cars and we only saw one other cyclist. There were a several deer and we even saw a couple elk.

Sorry it took so long, but here are some pictures from the trip to Lubbock for nationals!

Two good looking.....bikes.

I love the windshield on Ian's aero helmet

The BYU women's team (above, not below)

Crazy fans! (not from BYU, but they cheered on most everyone)

Golden Corral afterwards. We were so hungry.

Tornado alley- This picture doesn't do justice to the biggest storm I've ever been in.

Daily Universe

The Daily Universe, BYU's newspaper, had quite the mess up yesterday. In a caption for a photo on the front page it talked about how Neal L. Anderson was sustained as the newest member of the quorum of the twelve apostates.

After the mistake was realized, they tried to pick up all 18,000 copies, but too many were already out.

Lake Havasu

Road Trip!

Cali!

5:30 AM- Arive at transition area

Go Time!

The London Bridge. Bought for $1 million, transported and reassembled for $7 million.

Team Picture

Vegas. I love the don't go cross walk signal.