1) My brief training camp @ 4000 ft 2) Base period body weight 3) Snazzy tile

Training Camp:

I wanted 5 good rides on the Texas/New Mexico frontier. I got 4 rides total, two were good.
The snowed forced the arrival to Monday (instead of Saturday), then I brought the wrong drop-out with me to put on the training bike. I had to get a shop in Midland, TX (Peyton's Bikes) to overnight the correct one from Dallas (I was relieved that they could get it!). Had to drive over 3 hours round trip back the next day to pick up the correct drop. That was Tuesday and it was getting dark by the time I drove back into New Mexico so I didn't ride. But yes... on that day the weather was f**'in perfect.
So, I went out on the Raleigh R700 with old 9spd Ultegra over the next four days. I brought my Power Tap wheel and Garmin with me (yes, I was the super dork with a red mavic wheel bag on the plane). I was glad to have brought the power tap wheel so I could see how the power was under those conditions.
POWER SUCKING FACTORS:
1) 3700 - 4000 feet of elevation is enough to FEEL LIKE you are short of breath. It was a very strange feeling. Not quite mountain climbing, but I did feel that lack of oxygen.
2) The training bike (featured in the photo above), which I love, saps the power every step of the way. Cycling power begins at the core (or your Chi if you're a hippie). Then to your major muscle movers, down to your foot bones. From there I had my old plastic Sidi T-1 tri shoes, super old original speedplays, old bottom bracket, old old nasty chain, old derailler. This is VERY different from the 2006 Trek Madone with 10sp dura ace.
3) Motivation, while it was very cool to be out in the wild, and the cars were more polite than they are around here, I saw not one other bike and rode alone.
Here are the rides:
12/23 Wed: 1:20 total, 209 avg watts . Tried to do some 20 min int, but was not used to the air.
Interval 1: 6.5 minutes, 290 watts.
Int.2: 20min. @ 252 watts average.
12/24 Thurs: 33 degrees, 30 mph sustained winds, UGG! 38 minutes, bad day.
12/25 Fri: 2:30:00 total, 215 avg watts: 2 x 60.
Int1: 60 min: avg. 225 Watts, 809 KJ, avg 140bpm. rest 13 min...
Int2: 60 min: avg. 234 Watts, 842 KJ, avg 145 bpm.
12/26 Sat.: 48 min total, 632 KJ. Headwind/tailwind.
Int1: 7 min, 303W, 154bpm, 126 KJ. avg 18.9 mph
Int2: 15min, 274W, 154bpm, 271 KJ. avg 24.4 mph

Sunday was travel day, Monday night I did an old Spinervals tape, I will post about that later.

OFF SEASON BODY WEIGHT:

I did not weigh myself for a week, which seems normal. In this off season, my body weight has gone up. At first it was all fat (I think), then it was from additional muscle (maybe 2-5 pounds??). My numbers are good on the bike, see my posts about my power tests. But my body weight has become a concern as it will be January soon. So I am changing my gym routine from MAximum Strength Phase to a Strength Maintenance Phase (see: Cyclists Training Bible 3rd or 4th edition, 4th Ed is better). I was reading Jo Friel's blog here: http://www.trainingbible.com/joesblog/2009/12/base-period-body-weight.html
He says that weight gain is normal in the off-season, it may be good for your mood/psyche. I have been at an OFF-SEASON weight (still training). I need to move into a TRAINING WEIGHT, so that I can have an easier time getting to a good RACE WEIGHT.
I got a new scale for Christmas. And as we all know, even the most basic new toy can help keep the motivation high.

SNAZZY TILE

The tile on the left side of this picture is a 1 inch glass mosaic: super trendy. It would still be better than the giant mirror I have in the bathroom now. That middle part is used to make a frame and the right side is butt.