strava – VeggHead BeerCyclist

Apple Miter

Posted on December 31, 2016 by jeffreylatty

The art of mitering is to go around all differences and to come together, cleanly, at the same angle and on the same paige. Under the weather?

Grab a sauce pot and warm it. Do what I said…. Kidding, recipes are just guidelines and opinions. Add Vanilla and Rum. Get real Cider to miter. Local anything is always preferred. Add SeaSalt/Cinnamon/Nutmeg AND freshly sliced oranges. Warm, drink and sooth that swollen tonsil. Maybe make a sandwich that is Veganly mitered with a grilled Daiya.

It is a plant massacre. I apologize for the plant genocide rampage that i took charge on in 2016. If you take offense to my plant-based lifestyle and/or to so many plant-based deaths, Screw Off:) Here’s to 2017 and much more plant consumption!

2016 Cycling

Earth Balance, (Vegan) Onion Rings, Daiya, Mustard, Vegenaise, Romaine, Tomato, Bread, Buns and BBQ-Sriracha Potatoes.

Sunday Ride On

Posted on July 11, 2016 by jeffreylatty

I encountered a strange different style of riding yesterday. Not so much strange, just a change of pace on a strenuous ride. I have been riding solo for the last few weeks, which happens and is totally fine. A buddy was going to commute to his new job for the first time. Which doesn’t seem like a big deal, except for it being just short of 30 miles. When I ride, I rarely start before 9am.

Yesterday, I left to meet up with my buddy at 6:12 am. When I open (for my job) I leave about the same time. On a day off, this is unheard of by me. We rode the 45 kilometers and met up with a couple of engineers who we occasionally ride with for some breakfast. I enjoyed water and a peanut butter Vegan Cliff bar.

Dude went to work and I went with the engineers and in a sense went to work. We went a little farther to stop in a little town to have a beer. Their town ordinance was not to serve alcohol before noon on Sundays, so we rode on.

We hopped on a horribly weed overgrown and sinkhole plentiful canal for roughly 55 kilometers (35 miles) where I ran out of water and snacks conveniently away from stores and non-well water. We wound up splitting up at different paces after canal departure, yet still all trying to conclude this ride without passing out on the side/middle of a road/trail from heat exhaustion.

It is extremely uncomfortable to be out of water in the heat pedaling away with your mind medaling affray almost as if your life flashing before your sweaty eyes. I guess in my defense, I didn’t exactly know where the engineers were leading me. I could have been more prepared. I’m a sucka for cold water and on longer rides, I fill up my water bottle somewhat regularly with ice. I might start bringing two, but I normally know where I’m going.

The point of my story is to keep an open mind. You never truly learn anything unless you occasionally jump into something blind. Routines are great, but changing them up from time to time has benefits.

If a bartender gives you a homemade pickle and it is amazing, take a shot of that pickle juice!

Sunday Ride

And according to Untappd, I experienced my first ever Old Milwaukee. I do not recommend experiencing an Old Milwaukee.

I do condone experiencing this track of music via YouTube link:

Pals

Good people drink good beer.

A Time Science Shorty

Posted on May 18, 2016 by jeffreylatty

I find it entertaining and fascinating attempting trackage of my usage of time over a certain span of time. And this span of time will be from myself falling asleep Friday night May 14th at 10:19 pm (central time) through when I fell asleep Wednesday morning at 12:48 am (central time), creating a span of 98 hours and 30 minutes or 5,910 minutes or 354,600 seconds. It is less than 1% of the time an entire century, but never the less, all time is important. Basically, the time that I am tracking is Saturday May 14th through Tuesday May 17th with a little overhang to even out the sleep.

Out of 98.5 H, I have 92% of my time documented with strong documentation. However, I still want to be above 95%. I will call a 92% over just short of 100 hours of time a C+. There are various excuses for error. I did take a few naps Sunday, recovering from a hellacious Saturday. It very well could be that my guessing estimations are off just a bit. I fully understand that it would be extremely hard to reach 100%, but 95+% is reachable.

Ride

I had a conversation, shortly last night, if Netflix or Hulu was better. My response was Apple Music. It pisses me off when it takes me 20 minutes to find something that I kind of want to watch. Little things like that need to be accounted for. I’m gonna have to concentrate on this for my annual June Time Science. Speaking of Apple Music, I have had my first beef (and being Vegan, I extremely despise beef) with Apple Music not having more than one song from an artist who I’d like to check out. YouTube has Apple Music beat on material from the instrumental Post-Rock Canadians, DestroyAllDreamers. It is disappointing that I may have to try and pirate their music in order to add it to playlists.

Orage

Wish I Was All Flames

Swirling Colours Sink

The Sky Was Glorious For a Moment

Ghost Guitar in the Shell

Perdre Est Une Question De Méthode

Sunday was a day of recuperation and I took four naps and ate so much food. I’m not sure yet of how my Garmin watch does with naps. Naps may need to be documented manually for more accurate documentation. We will see.

I slept 11.2% of the 98.5 hours in a deep sleep of the entire 31% slept. And slept deeply 36% of the 30.3 hours. That averages over 7.5 hours per night and short of an average of 3 hours of deep sleep (or dleep?) per night. Not too bad, if you ask me. Although, last night’s dleep was only 24 freaking minutes. That is interesting. I rode my bike 8.5% of the total time for a distance of just over 175 (108 miles) km with an elevation gain of 826 (2,708 ft) meters. I walked 57.3 (35.6 miles) km over 56,234 steps. I walk much more when I am at work. I ride much more when I am not at work. The art of balance. I also eat more when I am not at work. I burned 30,521 calories over this span and probably only consumed a fraction of those calories burnt. I worked 22.43 hours in two days of the four days. I did not take a break either day.

#WorkHardPlayHarder

The rest of the time usually overlaps and needs to be documented better. I spent 1.25 hours shopping. I spent two hours of traveling by machine. My time in a kitchen and also eating was calculated at six hours and also needs better documentation. A total of five hours were totaled for Cubs/Socializing, aka drinking beer outside of the closet:) And the very last thing is a mixture of maintenance (shower/laundry/cleaning/dishes/fixing), internet/blogging and Netflix/movie. I tallied that sum to be 14.5 hours, but is probably more which would help fix the gap. Here is a better overview.

SLEEP – 30.3 h
BIKE TIME – 8.33 h
WORK – 22.43
TRAVEL – 2 h
GROCERY – 1.25 h
EAT KIT – 6 h
SOCIAL – 5 h
MIX – 14.5 h

Totaling 89.99 hours of a total of 98.5 hours. 92%. Check back in July for my June Time Science blog.

Bulls on Parade

Posted on May 15, 2016 by jeffreylatty

I went to Dixon, IL, yesterday, for a gravel (bicycle) ride which was more of multi-surface ride with a mixture of various levels of gravel and road. It was a great ride, just a shitty day. The wind was windy and cold. The sun was hidden and also cold. I rode 118.7 km (73.76 miles) which did complete Strava’s May Gran Fondo challenge.

I’ve blogged in the past about my difficulties with an athletic watch manufacturer and decided to go the Forerunner route, paying extra money for a Garmin Forerunner 235. It’s pretty sweet. I can track my rides as it is a Garmin. I can track runs, if I ever did run. I do not run. This watch monitors my heart rate and also my sleep.

Last June, I attempted to track exactly what I did that entire month and put it into a blog that no one read.

June 2015 Time Science

It is and was extremely hard to monitor sleep manually. Next month will be a different story. Technology is our friend, but it is up to us how close of a friend it will be. But, first June has to get here. And June has to conclude to document an entire month of data and lifestyle.

Yesterday, on this gravel ride, I rode new roads, I drank a couple of new beers, met new people with some of the same passions and I RODE WITH A BULL. I also ate out at a deli, deliciously, confidently Ⓥeganly. The day sums up this way. You take an excellent cut of Bike Ride layered generously, Vegetable genocide of all sorts, being outside in nature with animals and life, garnished with an array of Good Beers adding character and flavor – STUFFED between two pieces of Good Bread. Consumption of a sandwich of this magnitude is VEGGHEAD BEERCYCLIST. And this is the good life.

Happy Sunday!

(No animals were harmed:)

FunFoodPhotoFun

Posted on May 14, 2016May 14, 2016 by jeffreylatty

¡Salsa Ⓥerde!

Posted on May 11, 2016May 11, 2016 by jeffreylatty

Don’t be a fisherman. Be a farmer. Eat yo veggies! The amount of flavorful variations involving just vegetables are exponentially infinite. Not to mention the number of benefits that come with eating yo veggies! They are delicious health fuel that gives you nothing, but quality life.

I do not intend to be a bossy asshole, but I strongly recommend the following:

Ride a F*#king Bike
Drink a F#*king Beer
Take Quality F*#king Pictures
Eat Yo F#*cking Veggies
Have F**king FUN

I’ve been slacking with my blogs lately, but today, I am blogging all over yo face:)

It is rare for me to blend or make sauces/relishes/salsas/etc smooth. I like food chunky flavorful and with character. I love Salsa Verde, but I refuse to make store-bought Salsa Verde. ¿Comprende? I was Mexican, Spanish or Creole in my past life. That style of cooking is explosive with fun and interesting variations.

¡Salsa Ⓥerde! ingredients:

Tofu, extra firmly crumbled
Black Beans, cooked and cooled
Cilantro, chopped
Tomato, deseeded and chopped
Scallions, sliced
Tomatillo, chopped
Habanero, deseeded and diced
Serrano, deseeded and diced
Jalapeño, deseeded and diced
Garlic, minced
SeaSalt/Pepper
Lime, juiciness

Prep. Mix. ENJOY!

I enjoyed my ¡Salsa Ⓥerde! with chips and as a relish for a satanishly amazing Seitan (Ⓥegan) Boca Sandwich with ¡Salsa Ⓥerde! as relish engulfed by a Pretzel Bun. And then there were POTATOES.

EatYoVeggies!

Go Cubs!

 Apple Music > Netflix

“Good people drink good beer”

-H.S.T

ExplosionsInTheSky

Fried Green Tomatoes

Posted on May 7, 2016 by jeffreylatty

Shop around. Be open-minded. Have possibilities open. I don’t want to tell you what to do, but I am the asshole, here. I, for the first time, consciously came across Green Tomatoes at a grocery store and purchased two of them. And could only think of the movie title, Fried Green Tomatoes, that I never have fully seen nor ever liked as a kid. My sisters and mom loved that movie. But, what the hell is a green tomato!?! And what the hell is a fried Green Tomato?!?! And they are delicious?!?! WTF 🙂

Now, how can I prepare these Vegan and delicious at the same time?! Let’s try two different ways. And I am hungry. I had a few good beers prior, during and after to ensure lively creative flow. I feel like pasta and a sandwich. I felt like riding a bicycle hard and far this last weekend, unfortunately Illinois.

Now, for any newbie (imaginary) readers, I build upon existing ideas. And that my (imaginary) readers is greatness and sustainability with creativity – a true ivity doggivity. Dog give a tea? I’ll dig deeper later.

Fried Green Tomatoes ingredients:

Green Tomato, sliced thicker
Batter (Cashew milk, Salt/Sugar/Pepper, Corn Starch)
Breadcrumbs/CornMeal mixture

Slice. Prepare batter and mixture. Dip accordingly. Bake.

Grilled Daiya w/ Fried Green Tomato ingredients:

Fried Green Tomato, baked
Daiya, mmmmmmmmm
Bread, good (Bread:)
Earth Balance

Vegan butter Bread. Seer inside sides of Bread. Add Daiya. Start melting process. Construct sandwich. Seer. Grill if applicable. Enjoy.

PBS = Plant-Based Sauciness ingredients:

Cashew milk
Eggplant, roasted and diced w/o skin
Green peppers, diced & sautéed
Garlic, chopped & sautéed
Sugar/SeaSalt/Pepper
CrushedRedPepper
Daiya
CornStarch

Heat. Mix. Blend. Thicken.

Fried Green Tomcatta ingredients:

PBS, warm
Noodles, cooked, drained but not rinsed & warm
Parsley, chopped
Fried Green Tomato

Construct.

It is so easy to create, for me. It is so hard to make time to put into words to share. I hope everyone has a wonderfully safe weekend!

FlipMyBits

Posted on May 4, 2016 by jeffreylatty

For months now, I’ve wanted to track my walking. I document everything else in my life, why not track it all. I wouldn’t mind tracking my sleep, also. I’ve attempted sleep-tracking before and it is extremely hard and not so accurate. I somehow brainstormed the idea of getting a FitBit. It was probably a commercial that I saw while watching the kickass Chicago Cubs dominate some other baseball team. And it clicked like a spark igniting a giant fire cracker. I ordered the FitBit Charge large in blue early in the morning on April 25th, 2016. It was a Monday. I was influenced to want to change my order to the HR the moment I realized that they were the same price. I assumed it would be a simple change.

And the ordeal started. The order has been processed and the order could not be changed. The order also could not be canceled. I called hours after placing the order and, I believe, called somewhere overseas. I am just a big idiot and have a wishful and hopeful mindset of how business’ should be ran. I was under the impression that I was calling to the american business, just a building where the FitBit team worked and did all of their business. I’m all about people working and I am all about equality among everyone except St. Louis Cardinals fans (I’m kidding, but seriously). However, these nice people with not the best English probably make a fraction of the average minimum wage here in the United States. And I am against that! Greed is what is WRONG with this world and ultimately the cause of me wanting to move to MARS.

The customer service team did OK. They gave me false promises and lagged any type of fast paced solutions. I had to refuse my package, which wasn’t guaranteed to be refused by the USPS, so I paid to ship it back to make sure it would get back home and to get what I truly want from this company. That is finding a solution to get what I want only because it’s common sense to me and I have initiative to get the product that I want. Otherwise, who knows what would get done or resolved.

I tracked the return and it was delivered by Monday May 2nd, 2016. I called overseas and attempted to speak with a nice lady who spoke below average English. I had to receive an email, only because I called?, to prove that I returned it with a tracking number and all of that good stuff. And no response. I called again and was told that the order was going to be changed to the correct item and shipped out. In the back of me head, from side to side and wrapped fully around my brain smothering the oxygen completely out of my head, I knew something else was going to be a problem. And I received an email stating that I must be issued a refund. I emailed back stating that that was OK. Most of the time when calling the hold time is greater than 10 minutes. I kept checking my barely positive checking account for a refund and did not notice anything. I called after work last night around 8:45 pm and spoke with a very polite gentleman who claimed it needed to be processed through a different department. The company probably handles the funds in the USA, you know because of the greed. I am not seeing a refund today. I’m getting pissed off. I’m gonna tweet them and demand management. Right now I am in a chat demanding management.

Sense of urgency is ideal for strong business tactics. FitBit is all about giving them a moment and making you do their work.

Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:38:47 AM CDT): Hi JEFFREY, my name is Hector N. How can I help you?
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:39:51 AM CDT): i need to speak to management
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:40:25 AM CDT): i am getting angry and need to speak to management
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:40:29 AM CDT): I’ll be happy to help you
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:40:40 AM CDT): Can you let me know what is the issue
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:40:43 AM CDT): i need to speak to your boss
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:41:16 AM CDT): i am going through a giant ordeal trying to get the product i want
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:41:59 AM CDT): #10315667 i believe is the case number
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:42:24 AM CDT): Thanks
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:42:31 AM CDT): Allow me a moment please
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:42:37 AM CDT): yep
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:46:25 AM CDT): After checking on the previous cases you give us call yesterday right
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:47:07 AM CDT): yes, i’ve been given false promises and a lagging result
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:47:20 AM CDT): The agent that speak to you yesterday already escalate the case to the department that handle this refund cases
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:47:25 AM CDT): this shouldn’t be going into a month long process
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:47:50 AM CDT): i tried changing my order hours after placing it
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:47:57 AM CDT): this is now week two
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:48:20 AM CDT): Since we don’t have any exchange program we can’t give you the the Charge HR for that reason is that we need to follow the refund process
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:48:41 AM CDT): i couldn’t even cancel my order hours after placing it
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:48:54 AM CDT): Also we only have 30 minutes to cancel the orders
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:48:56 AM CDT): i paid to ship it back to you guys
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:49:12 AM CDT): why is this my fault
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:49:17 AM CDT): Can you give me the tracking number for the return
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:49:30 AM CDT): it has been sent and you already have it
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:49:36 AM CDT): I’m not saying that this is your fault Jeffrey
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:49:41 AM CDT): that has been confirmed twice
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:49:57 AM CDT): why am i getting the short end of the stick here
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:50:20 AM CDT): should i want to purchase the correct product if i ever get refunded next month
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:50:40 AM CDT): So we can confirm that the package is at our warehouse please provide me with he tracking number of the returned package
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:50:50 AM CDT): it has been confirmed twice
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:50:59 AM CDT): you guys have the product
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:51:04 AM CDT): and i emailed tracking
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:51:18 AM CDT): why should i have to continue to do your work
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:51:48 AM CDT): i already had to pay to refuse it to ensure it would get there
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:52:08 AM CDT): After checking on the previous cases that you provide me i didn’t find any tracking number
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:52:12 AM CDT): bad business tactic there “just refuse it”
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:53:02 AM CDT): What carrier do you used to return it?
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:54:49 AM CDT): USPS same as you
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:54:56 AM CDT): i emailed the screenshot
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:55:18 AM CDT): so you guys don’t have anyone in charge?
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:55:32 AM CDT): i’m not blaming your customer service
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:55:49 AM CDT): i’m blaming the guys in charge
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:56:14 AM CDT): I understand and i really apologize for this matter
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:56:14 AM CDT): i feel like they are trying to steal my money
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:56:26 AM CDT): We are checking this now allow me a moment
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:56:35 AM CDT): but i cannot speak with anyone in charge
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:57:05 AM CDT): your customer service has confirmed that you have it twice to me
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:57:30 AM CDT): this has been a two week ordeal
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:58:01 AM CDT): i gotta take time out of my days to be on hold for 10 minutes to be told various different things
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:58:37 AM CDT): or to chat with you. i need to have something resulting from this ordeal
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:58:41 AM CDT): Thanks Jeffrey
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:58:47 AM CDT): it shouldn’t take this long
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 8:59:25 AM CDT): I will start the the process for the refund
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:59:30 AM CDT): i was told yesterday that my order was changed and going to ship
Me (May 4, 2016 at 8:59:54 AM CDT): but it’s my fault that you guys can’t do that
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 9:02:16 AM CDT): As our warranty policy doesn’t allow us to exchange trackers, the only way to do it is giving you a refund
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:03:20 AM CDT): i’ll receive my refund next month? why was i given a false promise? why am i given this rollercoaster of emotions?
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 9:03:35 AM CDT): I already process the refund for 138.07
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 9:03:43 AM CDT): This takes 7-10 business days
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:04:02 AM CDT): bullshit
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:04:13 AM CDT): let me talk to your boss
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:04:18 AM CDT): do i need to call?
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 9:05:15 AM CDT): Allow me a moment then
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:08:33 AM CDT): the quicker the better
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:09:00 AM CDT): sense of urgency, a timely manner is much appreciated
Hector N (May 4, 2016 at 9:09:29 AM CDT): I will transfer the chat now
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:09:46 AM CDT): thanks hector, sorry you had to read my rants
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:10:10 AM CDT): Hello JEFFREY, my name is Edwin. How can I help you?
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:10:32 AM CDT): i am extremely upset and angry with your business tactics
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:11:13 AM CDT): i placed an order and attempted to change/cancel it hours after being placed
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:11:28 AM CDT): and now it’s going to take a month to get my product
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:12:15 AM CDT): why can i not purchase the correct product with my money that you guys have???
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:12:17 AM CDT): I’ll be happy to assist you with your Fitbit inquiry. please allow me a moment while I check your information and previous conversation with Hector.
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:12:29 AM CDT): are you in charge?
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:13:02 AM CDT): i need results today
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:13:17 AM CDT): if i need to go further up the ladder, that’s fine
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:13:33 AM CDT): i need to get it done now
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:13:52 AM CDT): what’s gonna compensate my damn time
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:13:54 AM CDT): Yes, Sir I am a supervisor from customer service and I’ll do everything in my hands to assist you.
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:13:57 AM CDT): please allow me a moment
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:14:52 AM CDT): i’ve only been waiting two weeks
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:16:17 AM CDT): upon checking the information in my system, I have confirmed that a refund was already processed. It is for the amount of $138.07
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:16:35 AM CDT): It should take 7-10 business days to credit back your money.
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:16:36 AM CDT): but i have to wait 7-10 business days?
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:16:58 AM CDT): and then i need to order the correct product which will take another week
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:17:15 AM CDT): and you’re wanting to leave me unhappy
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:17:26 AM CDT): i need to speak to your boss!
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:18:07 AM CDT): immediately please
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:18:09 AM CDT): That is correct, that is the process we need to follow from now since we processed the refund. .
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:18:20 AM CDT): who is your boss?
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:18:27 AM CDT): do i need to call in?
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:18:53 AM CDT): who taught you guys to do business?
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:18:57 AM CDT): I am the only supervisor in charge and as I mentioned I have all the tools available to assist you with this matter. Since we processed the refund , it takes 7-10 business days.
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:19:20 AM CDT): so i’m supposed to remain unhappy
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:19:20 AM CDT): you can place a new order in the meantime, however, the refund is going to be done soon.
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:19:42 AM CDT): i’m probably not going to reorder from you guys if i remain unhappy
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:20:07 AM CDT): those are my fitbit funds that you still have and can’t get to me
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:20:52 AM CDT): i am not spending more money when i still think you guys are stealing from me
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:21:05 AM CDT): how do i know that i’ll be getting refunded
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:21:11 AM CDT): i don’t until i have to funds
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:21:52 AM CDT): You are getting refunded, please keep this case number for your references. Case# 10508498
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:22:08 AM CDT): You can also use this confirmation number: TUFRH655E
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:22:15 AM CDT): which i’m extremely unhappy about and now i have to spend more time trying to find a different brand because you guys can’t do proper business
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:22:58 AM CDT): Thank you for your time and patience with this process Jeffrey, Is there anything else I can assist you with?
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:23:04 AM CDT): do you know how much time i’ve invested in trying to fix this problem of you guys not knowing proper business
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:23:30 AM CDT): Sir, we are following the correct processes, you return your product, we process a refund, we cannot exchange it.
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:23:39 AM CDT): and again you’re trying top leave me unhappy
Edwin (May 4, 2016 at 9:23:44 AM CDT): after you receive your refund you, can place a new order.
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:23:51 AM CDT): not with you guys
Me (May 4, 2016 at 9:24:14 AM CDT): i need a company who can do proper business

I was left unhappy and forced to wait.

I need AVOCADO.

April Illinois Cycling Attempt

Posted on April 30, 2016April 30, 2016 by jeffreylatty

I’m not sure if it’s just Illinois or if it’s the entire midwest. The weather and magnitude of wind has progressively gotten worse and more intense just over a few years. I’m really getting fed up trying to maintain a hobby and lifestyle of cycling in Illinois. And the key to good longer rides is to remain comfortable, whether it be dry, cool and warm enough. It is extremely fun to ride with the wind, but a cross wind or head wind will take a toll at your (my) mind and your (my) body. It is easier to put up with bullshit on a short commute to or from work, but the long rides will never be perfect in Illinois.

I’m going to try and put this month of April frustrations in terms of cycling into words, if possible. In early April, I rode in barely above freezing temperatures counties away from home while the wind happened. The wind happened and destroyed. This wind was so strong. It was swaying trees as if they were rubber and shattering them like twigs in a lawnmower. And the very next day, I rode straight into the wind and it was so difficult and draining that it took me an entire day to travel what should’ve taken 5-6 hours if someone could’ve flipped the off switch to the wind.

I’m not a weak person, physically, but that weekend riding took it all out of me mentally. I did not ride for six days. Six days off of a bicycle is way too long for me. The weather became more normal and I just went about my business, riding a little here and there. Mostly commute rides until my next weekend off where I attempted bigger rides. The wind that Friday cut my bigger ride short and was followed by bike problems ending my ride horribly short. The next day I rode with a friend and grabbed a few beers. It was a good ride and a good day until that person bit the dust pretty hard trying to ride over cleanup attempts of tree debris from the crazy wind weekend that I rode through counties on the I&M Canal.

The next week in April consisted of commutes with some of those commutes taken the long way. I went for a joy ride, maybe two. I worked my ass off and spent some time at the bike shop.

This last week of April has been cold. It has also been windy and extremely uncomfortable. I’ve been commuting strongly and was planning a long ride today, April 30th, to end on a strong note. Nothing will literally dampen outdoor fun like cold rain. I may get out just to get out, but cold rain makes any kind of ride pretty short.

Either Illinois is by far the worst state in the USA in terms of politics and weather or it’s a conspiracy of weeding out the good residents by spraying chemicals into the atmosphere to control the weather like the lucid drugs they feed these Illinois politicians to make sure Illinois is a horrible state outside of Chicago.

Or is this an accidental effect from putting chemicals in the atmosphere from factory farming resulting in this intense Climate Change. Is it windy in the West? Is shit just hitting the fan everywhere and scattering more shit everywhere only spraying that shit farther and farther every time. Is it a cycle of shit? How long before we are knee deep in shit? I want to move to Mars.

I’m ending this month on a salty note, but hard fought, mentally draining and painful kilometers.

#RideOn

Cycling Weekend

Posted on April 6, 2016 by jeffreylatty

I have never wanted to be a professional cyclist. It is and always has been my hobby. It is and has been my lifestyle for some time now. I am not a racing type. I love going fast for fun. I love long rides for fun. I love the pride developed from accomplishing more difficult rides with my own rule and degree of victory. It is truly a win-win system. I am so lazy, yet conscience of realism, that I do not plan my rides as much as I could because I do know that anything could change at any point in any ride. I am not one of those cyclists who ride only in perfect weather. I enjoy the grind. I somewhat planned a cycling adventure this last weekend and my legs have never burned as immensely intense as they do now with every step. I originally wanted to ride into Southeastern Cook County via trail from Western LaSalle County and ride back to Joiet over 163 kms (100 miles) before heading home the next day with a light(er) 105 km ride home.

I wanted to ride between 275 km (171 miles) to 300 km (187 miles) Saturday and Sunday combined. I originally planned the bigger ride on Saturday and coming home with a laid back homeward headwind adventure on Sunday. Saturday’s wind currents in Illinois were sickly brutal and horrifying. The skies were falling. They were coming down. The average size trees standing tall all around the Illinois & Michigan Canal usually sheltering the towpath from weather and from the element were falling apart as if handfuls of medium to large pebbles were slingshot into the trees from every direction shattering the trees as if they were glass, but somehow allowing this glass to bend ridiculously before shattering.

The Sky Is Falling

I survived the strong winds with a freezing windchill with the decision of dressing warmer and more appropriate for a snow flurried Spring day. The winter cycling shoes were a clutch choice in also being waterproof. Not only did I have to dodge broken trees falling, did I have to move around small branches to actual downed trees and the flooding muddy chaos was prevalent everywhere. There is this dirtiness along the I&M Canal which is a black hole abyss. And when you sense the freedom and opportunity after crawling out of this darkly debris detailed butthole, the possibilities are just about endless. It is dark, mountain-ish and swamp-like. I chose to switch days completely and avoid the more satan-ish winded and battle the much better hellish breeze the next day and cut my Saturday much shorter. I also made my Sunday so long while even cutting that day shorter than planned as well. I made it as far as Will County.

I picked up some brews, enjoyed my Vegan lifestyle with a few Lightlife Smart Dogs. I found some Lightlife ‘brats’ and was super excited until realizing they were only Vegetarian and not Vegan. I ate, drank and rested for the upcoming big(ger) ride. I had to donate a pair of shoes and a shirt due to lack of space to fit my Bontrager OMW shoes in my pack. They are beastly. I did not ride as North as planned because I could not find the correct route and decided to head back a bit short hoping to make up distance later.

And then the headwind started. I immediately realized how difficult this was going to be. I peddled, I jumped over trees and beer motivated my way home. I was outside for 12 hours and was on my bicycle for 7 hours. Overcoming a difficult mental yet physical feat gives room for more in the future if your (my) brain will allow it.

I have mastered the ‘art’ of stretching your (my) phone life to its max. I utilize the airplane mode on my (your) iPhone 6 always and sometimes while listening to music, taking pics and videos. If I need to connect with the world, I turn airplane mode off and in literally one second, I am connected. I arrive home with 71% battery life after 12+ hours. My Garmin Edge 1000 had around 17%. I turn the Garmin wifi and bluetooth off the entire ride and it conserves battery life awesomely.

It was an extremely satisfying adventure, but took hard work, hard play and dedication. I cannot wait to have another weekend cycling adventure. I have obtained true bicycle confidence in my Trek Darth Vader. With various upgrades this bicycle is a tank and can handle just about anything.