strava – Page 2 – VeggHead BeerCyclist

Fools Gold

Posted on April 1, 2016April 1, 2016 by jeffreylatty

I have a big weekend planned. It may not appear like a big weekend to others, but it is for me. Today, John Stamos has been recommending things for me to watch on #Netflix and I am not sure why. John Stamos has a horrible taste in movies, shows and comedies. Here are some things currently on Netflix that are NOT John Stamos approved. YouTube trailers:

The History of Future Folk

GOON

As long as I can stay away from Netflix today, I am needing to get things packed and get my Trek (CrossRip Elite) Darth Vader turned on, tuned up and dropped out. Tomorrow I will be riding the entire length (and then some) of the Illinois and Michigan Canal.

I&M Canal

I&M Canal State Trail

John Husar I&M Canal Trail

And then riding back the next day. I will have to deal with a lot of wind and differences in the temperature. And among the elements of early April Illinois, I will have the ongoing challenge of maintaining my Vegan lifestyle in unknown places.

Apologies for all the (fantastic) Links and lack of Zelda’s. Yes, I grew up playing Nintendo, but gave it up to be an adult. I have never played Xbox and the last gaming console that I’ve owned is a PS1, which was sold 10+ years ago.

Spring will be here Monday as the true meaning of spring is the START OF the REGULAR SEASON of BASEBALL. GOCUBS! Happy Friday and do not be made a fool by John Stamos and Netflix and check out my above recommendations.

Fingerlinging Good

Posted on March 20, 2016 by jeffreylatty

I wish my ten fingers and ten toes were ever-growing Fingerling Potatoes that grew without a sense of feeling just as fingernails and toenails do. Every once in a while a good trimming and consumption is needed in this somewhat twisted fantasy, Jeffrey Fingerling Hands.

I grew up watching Robin Williams in various movies and will always be a fan of his. I named a sauce, Robin Dilliams, in honor of his talents and hilariousness. He also rode bicycles, so it is only right in this snow-blog, shaken vigorously only spraying 2016 Chicago Cubs champagne bubbles everywhere instead of false snow inside, world I have created.

Robin Dilliams ingredients:

‘Butter’, Earth Balance
Dill Weed, chopped
Sriracha, cock sauce
Lemon, juices – no seeds, no stems
Pizza sauce, or tomato sauce
Corn Starch, for consistency
SeaSalt/Pepper/BrownSugar

Heat, mix and love.

Rice ingredients:

Basmati Rice
Split Peas, green
Carrot, diced
BayLeaves/BrownSugar/SeaSalt/Pepper

Cook.

‘Butter’, Earth Balance
Tofu, extra firmly crumbled
Parsley, chopped

Mix.

I rode to the store on my muddy Trek Darth Vader for Tomatoes. It looks more like Spring, it was just super chilly today.

Fingerlinging Good ingredients:

Robin Dilliams, heated
Rice, heated w/ Bay Leaves removed
Spinach, sliced
Dill, chopped and a nice looking branch for garnish
Oil, just a little
Garlic, sliced
Cashew, whole & raw
Fingerling Potatoes, red and golden
Lemon, juices no seeds nor stems
Sriracha/BalsamicVinegar

Sauté, strongly with Lemon/Sriracha/Balsamic added towards the end.

Tomatoes, red and yellow cherry/grape
SeaSalt/Pepper/OnionP/GarlicP

Add ingredients and season while simmering for a bit.

I constructed a Plant-Based amphitheater of flavorful texture where flavor battles texture in an exploding cherry tomato eruption of plant genocide fury. Battles which heighten senses in a disarray as intense as a LSD high might.

The foundation started with sliced Spinach and quickly to anchor the butchered Spinach was the damp Tofunated Rice embedded with Split Peas and Carrot still wet with Earth Balance.

I constructed the domed roof with massive blackened Fingerling Potatoes creating a solidly unbreakable structure and some lovely decor of Cherry Tomatoes to help the spectators feel at home.

The wonderful infrastructure is finished and held together with Cashews and Garlic. No amazing accomplishment is final without splashing a little color and a flag to truly represent what this all means. Robin Dilliams covered roof and exterior pillars stand tall with an enormous flag flapping in the gusty breeze at the very top symbolizing non other than Dill.

The End

I leave you with this awesome jam:

Ghosts of the Midwinter Fires

March Gran Fondo Madness

Posted on March 20, 2016 by jeffreylatty

Wishful thinking is very evident with me. Optimism is also utilized by myself. It is good to have goals. It is also good to make those goals reachable and obtainable. I am not nor ever will be a professional cyclist, but it is a intense hobby/sport for the physical aspect, yet moreover the mental strength needed to persevere.

Motivation by others will help reach goals, but you’re truly put to the test in a solo ride. This morning, I awoke with the game plan of a big ride. I mapped out a route on Strava at 140 km. The forecast was not very cycling friendly, but was deemed a go when I was mostly ensured the rain was not supposed to drop until evening time. I suited up, a bit underdressed, and rodeOn. I skipped breakfast and only ate B12 and C vitamins (with water) prior to my ride attempt. It was super cold the first hour and then the sun peaked through and my whole entirety of outlook was given a new life. Sun, energy, life is a huge contributor to my motivation.

I quickly began feeling warmer and more confident and immediately fell into the (my) normal routine. The new wheels recently acquired helped boost confidence as well. I changed my route to better my safety away from busier roads and traffic. I absolutely love riding gravel and not so much road (smooth terrain). I believe I roll better without increasing the power and gravel is usually dead with traffic other than occasional dogs that chase you (me:).

The (head) wind was blowing from every direction. I take pride in my ride, I went faster than not. I rode road, gravel, dirt, mud, water (puddles), grass and crushed limestone on this Gran Fondo.

Gran Fondo

It is a challenge on Strava that I oftenly partake in. Usually, I involve a beer or two towards the end of any ride, but chose not to today. I had to keep my mind clear and spin fast. I rolled back into town and forced my willpower and brain through another 15 km to reach the goal of the 100 km mark. I have before influenced myself to go the distance with a beer as motivation. I did not today. I concentrated on my average speed with the little energy brain power that I still did obtain.

My Ride

I reached my goal of the Strava Gran Fondo challenge with 100.6 km with just a help from our little star, the sun, providing our world with life since time. I just wish to convey through my horrible English and run-on sentences, that having optimism and wishful thinking can be sparked and ignited by the littlest of things like a ray of sunshine when you’re about to back down and give up.

I had a victory beer after the actual victory. I had some food involving ORGANIC AVOCADO. I love making food, I just need to make portions smaller. I’ve been breathing Minestrone soup for weeks:)

Think positive, stay smart, and hope y’all are enjoying the weekend.

LBⓋ 13/10 Lentili ‘Cheese’ Fries

Posted on March 4, 2016 by jeffreylatty

Last year, I wanted to share 10 LBⓋ ideas. Low Budget Vegan is more fun to me than probably helpful to anyone else. As I do not have anyone ever reading these, it is a better way of organizing ideas and hopefully one day I’ll influence someone to go Vegetarian, Vegan or just to cook for themselves.

I bought new wheels for my (bicycle) Trek Darth Vader, hence low budget Veganism. Don’t get me started with these wheels. They have already been returned for a wheelset that’ll work for me better. Anyways….

LBⓋ 13/10 Lentili ‘Cheese’ Fries ingredients:

Daiya, block ‘cheddar’ – chopped (7) @ $5.98 = $0.85 per serving
Fries, frozen & roasted (9) @ $2.98 = $0.33 per serving
Lentil, canned soup – simmered (2) @ $1.50 = $0.75 per serving
Sriracha (96) @ $2.97 = $0.04 per serving
Seasonings (GarlicP/OnionP/BrownSugar/LiquidSmoke/SeaSalt/ Pepper/CornStarch) @ $0.07 per serving
Broth, Veggie (4) @ $1.99 = $0.25 per serving

Ready….GO:

Heat Lentil Soup/Veggie Broth and simmer. Heat VeggieBroth/Seasonings/Daiya/Sriracha and simmer.
Control consistency with CornStarch/Broth.
Oven-Roast fries and construct.

This would’ve been made cheaper and better from-scratch, unfortunately time was not on my side and this dude was hungry. And at $2.29 per serving this cheaply and timely produces 3-5 hearty servings and is a healthier comfort food. To be remastered….

Happy Friday! I recommend enjoying a great beer, having some excellent plant-based food and watching PlantPure Nation on Netflix. Of course, after going for a FatBike ride in the snow as I did last night. If possible.

PlantPure Nation Trailer

Snow Ride

Simple Man

Vegan Smashed Potatoes

Posted on January 23, 2016 by jeffreylatty

We all grow up differently. We all make different, but similar mistakes. We all do our best improving our lives. Some are better at doing that than others. With different obstacles, we do our damn best and sometimes it is not appreciated enough. All in all, we all care for our loved ones and passions & hobbies.

I grew up being a fan of a band, Soulfly, a newer age metal band involving spirituality and tribal aspects. Last night I was messing around with #AppleMusic and somehow wound up with Sepultura which made me wonder what the hell Soulfly was up to as the lead singer for Soulfly helped found Sepultura.

Now, I love me some of that there loud and fast metal, but I grew a stronger connection with Soulfly because of their ability to turn it down a notch and still be extremely awesome. I’m gonna take a guess and say that the last time that I bought a physical Soulfly CD was 2005-2006. I, however, made a playlist circa 2010 of their instrumental collection of songs literally named Soulfly. A concept that I love and every album has Soulfly 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 only in Roman numerals. I only had 1-5 until last night! Thank you Apple Music! And since I remember anything, the number seven has been my favorite due to watching John Elway sling those footballs growing up. Soulfly VII is now my favorite and it’s fate. I am obligated to share this playlist and I wish everyone on the planet Earth (and Mars:) could experience this playlist.

This playlist will flourish world peace for all humans and all animals!

Soulfly 9 was not to be found on YouTube, so I put an Apple Music link.

Along with this beautiful playlist, I’ve organized a beautiful moment that I have experienced in 2013. August 5th, 2013, to be exact. I often talk to animals while riding by and often take pictures and occasionally say “you’re all gonna die” or “I don’t eat you!”. I feel bad when I let them know their doom, but it is the cruel truth. This is when I had my iPhone on my handlebars with Lifeproof technology where it was easy to take photos while moving. I rode with a running herd of cattle like a damned cowboy. I’d like to think this was their idea of saying thank you for giving up meat that January.

This recipe is amazing and worth a try and I highly recommend good music to accompany a cooking adventure. Not to mention a good beer or glass of wine. Take a load off, you work hard at caring for your loved ones.

Ⓥ Aioli ingredients:

Wash, reused (Earth Balance ‘Butter’, ‘Milk’, Corn Starch)
Garlic, minced
‘Cream Cheese’, Daiya mmmmmmmm
Breading, reused (Cashews, SeaSalt, Breadcrumbs, Garlic, Oregano, Parsley)
Corn Meal

Mix to a somewhat solid consistency.

Ⓥutter ingredients:

Earth Balance ‘Butter’, half heated
Garlic, minced and lightly sauteed in ‘Butter’
Oil
Parsley, diced
Celery Salt
‘Cream Cheese’, Daiya mmmmmmmmmmmm

Smashed Potatoes ingredients:

Potatoes, red and golden – diced and boiled then strained (time it right)
Ⓥ Aioli
Basil, fresh and diced
Parsley, fresh and diced
Oil, Olive
Garlic, minced
Onion, diced
‘Cream Cheese’, Daiya mmmmm
Spinach, to garnish
Celery, diced
Carrot, diced
‘Milk’, Almond
Cashews, SMASHED
Brown Sugar
Wine, white Vino is great
Dill Weed, fresh and chopped
Nutritional Yeast
Idaho Spuds, instant mashed for concistency assurance

Prep everything and go. Cook Veggies in Oil while boiling Potatoes. Add Wine and cook down and then add everything and crush and smash away. I enjoyed charred store-bought Pretzel Bun with the Ⓥutter.

And boy do I have leftovers! I cannot wait. I also enjoy creating different Ⓥegan meals and get a kick out of jokingly blogging all over your faces. If only these were read. Happy Saturday! I’ll be enjoying a ride tomorrow before some good NFL games. And I have recipes to complete. Here are some links that will help me blog all over your faces more often:)

twitter

Facebook

WINNER WINNER VEGAN GRINNER

CHEERS:)

Old Man Winter

Posted on January 22, 2016January 22, 2016 by jeffreylatty

Not everyone has experienced a Northern Illinois winter, let alone ride bicycles in Northern Illinois winter weather. The hardest part of winter cycling is being comfortable with freezing winds, ice, snow and bears – oh my. I will say it is easier to remain comfortable in super cold or warm climates. The 2-10 degree Celcius range is tricky and is best suited with removable and addable layers.

Riding a FatBike is basically a moving furnace conducting your own heat or a steam locomotive with the streaming trailing line of hot steam in a dissolving midst. And your central body is often warm and comfortable as long as you let the steam escape while still staying insulated. Fingers and toes are often the first to get uncomfortably cold.

Booze helps a bit, but proper gear is a must. I, for the first time, was completely comfortable on a time tenured sub-freezing ride with an average temp of 10° in 120 elapsed minutes.

I’ve known for some time that Thinsulate was an outstanding winter ally and I finally have amazing gear to truly backup my cycling nonsense and babblings. Here we go!

My Perfect 10° Cycling Gear ingredients:

The shoes were outstanding for two hours and the same goes for the gloves. I am contemplating a Gran Fondo this weekend. On a FatBike it’s gonna consume a good 7-8 hours. It may be a little warmer, but we will see.

PROST!

2016 Ride II

Posted on January 10, 2016 by jeffreylatty

Just to let the imaginary people whom I pretend read my (plant-based) chicken scratch (blogs), I do not plan on publishing per ride. I just had quite an interesting ride yesterday. And it was only my second ride this year.

Bluntly, winter cycling is a bitch. Especially, in Illinois along with many other cold and windy areas. I’ve ordered Bontrager OMW (Old Man Winter) shoes that are insulated and waterproof in December. And after my order, my bike doc called me and let me know that they are sold out until February. Since making the switch to clipless, I’ve been just dealing with the cold.

I met a (hired and well compensated) friend to ride fat bikes in hope it was going to snow like hell. I utilize the I&M Canal in the winter almost every ride. It has been flooded the past month at Lock 14, the LaSalle entrance. Long story short, I noticed it was not under water and took the driving entrance where I encountered a thin, super wet layer of ice where I biffed it HARD. I hit my head. I was wearing a helmet, luckily. I got up and continued. It was raining and I got soaked before I called it quits and retired for the day-ignoring the eventual snow.

I changed and left my socks on a good five minutes longer before changing them where I then experienced one of the worst and uncomfortable sensations ever. It was as if microscopic flesh eaters were eating my feet. They were bright red and itchy. I tried washing my feet. I tried lotion and I HATE lotion. I even jumped into the bathtub to wash my feet. It lasted a good half hour and then went away. I tried digging up an explanation. I found this..

Cold Rash

I group texted my cycling buddies and asked for their input. And they mentioned that it sounded like a beginning stage of frostbite which I believe is frost nip, technically. I never want to experience that sensation ever again. And I wouldn’t wish it on my worst enemy. Always wear a helmet and dress accordingly!

Happy Sunday!

Recipes coming soon.

First 2016 Cycling Ride

Posted on January 8, 2016January 8, 2016 by jeffreylatty

I’ve been working super hard lately. Too hard, maybe. It was well above freezing today in January in Northern Illinois. Obviously El Nino makes a difference. Our climate change won’t be this drastic anytime soon. But, I am not the scientist. Just an asshole who likes bicycles, adventure and good beers. Dealing with a cold and floods, I just rode on! Grind them gears and just go and do anything you can to prevail. #RideOn

I did ride, met a cool lady with a cool female dog, got wet and just rode the FatBike. Very successful Friday.

PROST

I & M Canal’s Issue

Posted on December 14, 2015 by jeffreylatty

The Illinos & Michigan Canal united the East Coast to the Gulf of Mexico with easier access as of 1848. According to Wikipedia, since 1964 eight engineered canal locks were designated a National Historic Landmark.

I’ve been getting to know this historic path extremely well since 2012. I documented a ride in September, 2012 that did not show any signs of a washout. I only documented aftermath of a fire that burned a field. And I have experienced and taken at least one decent bicycle ride via I&M Towpath that was washout-free. I remember this individual ride because of pictures and it was my contemplation process of ending a relationship. Without any detours or hazards, it was a free-thinking and relaxing ride.

In September the following (2013) year, was my next documentation of the I&M Canal. The towpath and I became close from then on. Ever since 2013 the same washout has been between Utica, IL and Ottawa, IL like one side is Mexico and the other the U.S with neither claiming the territory resulting in ultimate neglect..

Starved Rock State Park

There has been washouts along the Illinois & Michigan Canal, but have been fixed. There has been a near washout along the Hennepin Canal and even that has been fixed.

And then.

Hennepin Canal

The most West part of the I&M Canal does contain a rich Irish and Polish heritage equalling a poor catholic culture with a life involved around hefty drinking and vices.

Illinois Valley History

Furthermore, The I&M Canal provides immense opportunities for various activities from walking, running, adventurism and cycling. To pass the washout in and concludes risking injury, breaking the law, taking a high traffic road, and/or traveling extremely out of the way defeating the purpose of a worry free environment in which to roam.

I have heard IDNR has projected the project at a cost around $300,000.

Local businesses have offered to fund and construct permanent results only to be turned down. I’ve had about enough of this hazard/annoyance/apathy/lack-of-government-help

There has even been rumors of the BEAUTIFUL Starved Rock park to be promoted to a National Park. How is this neglect possible just outside of this unique beauty?

Just hoping for a miracle. Please share.

Happy Monday!

Mexican Breakfast Ⓥiesta

Posted on September 4, 2015September 4, 2015 by jeffreylatty

I’m going to attempt to blog this blog in one day, today! Do you think that I can do it!?

It’s Friday and it’s going on 0830. It is also September 4th, 2015, incase you didn’t know.

I took this whole week off of work. I needed to get some things done and I wanted to do some serious riding. I requested these days off in early August when I thought for sure it would be a nice low 20 C degree days, but good ol’ Illinois has been in the 30s C ALL WEEK. Which in our ridiculous style of USA measurements, it has been in the 90s F ALL WEEK. There, in my mind, is nothing more simplistic than zero degrees being freezing.

I might be one of the few Americans who rides kilometers and gets their weather in Celsius. Celsiuses? Celsius’s? Celsius’? Google has helped me vastly in the transition. Anyways, I haven’t been getting a lot done and it’s a little too hot for massive riding, so I’ve been cooking more this week. I’ve been enjoying good beers too 😉

I did ride a Strava Gran Fondo on Tuesday with temps in the 30s. I ran into a few really awesome roads, being exactly what I needed. It was a very mixed surface ride. The ride diversing from Road, soft gravel, hard ocean-like gravel, dirt, loose dirt, grass into small rocks. Truly being a large variety of riding surfaces.

I’m doing an organized metric century in a few weeks. It’s my very first organized ride and I’m actually somewhat training for it. I will never be a just road cyclist. Where is the fun?

I do have 200+ kms already for the month of September, so I’ve been riding a decent amount.

Gran Fondo #ProveIt Strava

I started this Breakfast around 9:45 and went about it at a casual pace. And eating the breakfast for lunch around noon was still amazing and well worth it! And for the first time ever, I had a Ⓥegan Trifecta of Tofu, Tempeh and Soyrizo.

Mexican Breakfast Ⓥiesta ingredients:

Lentils, cooked
Split peas, cooked
Brown (REAL) Rice, not instant-cooked
Corn Kernels, canned or frozen-slightly warmed (especially if frozen)
Blackeyed Peas, canned or dry-cooked
Celery, dicely sliced
Onion, julienne sliced
Habanero, diced
Garlic, diced
Tomato, diced
Carrot, sliced
Cilantro, chopped
Kale, I used NONGMO frozen 🙂
Potatoes, stringy hash brown-style (I used already prepared frozen)
Lime, just the juiciness
Tofu, strained
Soyrizo
Tempeh, sliced & grilled
DAIYA, mmmmm
Rye Bread, Grilled and cut at a 45 degree angle 30 or 60 degree cuts are acceptable
SeaSalt/Pepper/Sugar/OnionP/GarlicP/BayLeaves
BalsamicVinegar/Honey/VeggieBroth/Oil

The Decent with a Tailwind:

I first prepared the Lentils, Split Peas and Rice. I cooked them together for around 25 minutes and seasoned with Sugar, Sea Salt, Pepper, Onion and Garlic Powder and a couple of Bay Leaves. I added the canned Corn and Blackeyed Peas for a few minutes before straining and setting aside. REMOVING BAY LEAVES. I’ll never forget that nightmare that I had of eating Bay Leaves…
I used a machine to dice the Garlic and Habanero together. Habanero on the hands is asking for discomforts…
Sautéed the Garlic and Habanero in Oil before adding Celery, Onion, Carrot and then covering sautéing for a few minutes.
Saute Soyrizo with everything. Add Lime Juice, SeaSalt/Pepper & Balsamic Vinegar and stir.
Add Beans/Rice/Corn, HashBrowns, Kale, Tofu, Cilantro, Tomato, Honey and cover and simmer for a good 15-20 minutes
Add VeggieBroth (not a lot, but a decent amount), stir and Add Daiya on top. I baked in pan for 10-15 before Broiling
Garnish with Tempeh and Toast, and Cilantro (if you live life on the EDGE)

I made enough to eat a heaping serving for lunch and for dinner. Simply, yet complex, BUT Ⓥegan greatness all the same. Food and Cooking is fun and should never be taken seriously unless it is your job. Recreational Cheffing is a hobby that everyone should partake and enjoy. Whatever your level of cooking, it’s fun, others enjoy, it’s HEALTHIER and it provides excellent photo criteria. And when you throw in a good Beer or glass of Wine and progressively make it an art, it’s a Lifestyle. A FEEL-GOOD lifestyle.

Just be careful when using Hot Peppers and Drink responsibly. It is easy to get carried away with confidence while chopping Romain after one too many Beers. Still better me than any animal:)

Happy Friday!

Comeback Kid