Rolf Devinci

Official leadout by BG A group on the road EW and JM JM along the lakes BG and club mascot A view from the back  Five years ago Bicycles Plus Cycling Club lost a valued member, great team mate and I lost a good friend. Since then the club has hosted a memorial ride every summer to reflect upon the memory of  Garfield and a life ended way to soon. He is still missed!  Today we had the pleasure of JG and BG(Garfield's son) at the beginning of the ride at Bicycles Plus. BG was on his new bike(compliments of BM, owner of Bikes Plus) dressed in his father's jersey and race numbers from the 2005 season. Once we heard some reflections on Garfield's life from CF, JG and JM two laps of the parking lot was completed(to the cheers of the assembled club) with BG as leadout and official ride leader in memory of his father. GM,JC and mascot Welcome back JJ  The assembled riders then departed the shop on our usual Saturday morning club ride identical to that fa

 I have always been a fan of guacamole but only ate it occasionally, usually when I had Mexican cuisine at a resturant. As for the avocado it was always that product you looked at and handled at the market but was afraid to actually eat. How things change! Adhering to paleo nutrition I have no choice but experimenting with foodstuffs to round out my grain/dairy/legume free diet. It began with the purchase of Yucatan brand guacamole, using it as a dip for vegetables and a condiment for salads. Delicious! I then took the next step and educated myself on the avocado and then purchased some product once I discovered how to determine when it is ripe and how to make my own guacamole....dead easy by the way. It is also a superfood. Loaded with Oleic acid avocados help defend against cancers, heart disease, high cholesterol and strokes. High in vitamin E it also promotes eye health by preventing macular degeneration and cataracts. What stoked me was this fact......... "Research ha

(photo courtesy of J Fougere) At about the12km point Getting ready Wondering what the heck am I doing here?  With perfect August weather the 2010 Provincial ITT was held outside of Windsor at Three Miles Plain on a tough hilly course. Thankfully there was little/no wind so the biggest challenge was maintaining a good tempo on the rolling hills and couple of long gradual climbs.   Having rode the Bridgewater Century Ride yesterday and logging 123 kms I was curious to see how the legs would respond to a 40 km hilly time trial. Needless to say my expectations were not great for a high placing in the final results.   It is funny to see how many roadies avoid the "race of truth" either from fear or a lack of pain tolerance as the participation numbers were low again this year. TNS also had a triathlon booked this weekend so that might have split off some possible competitors.  In any case I realized at the start line that there was only six competitors in Cat C so

 Under ideal weather conditions the inaugural Bridgewater Century ride/sportive took place today on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Travelling through Luneneburg and Queen counties the ride sponsored by the Wildwood Cafe could not have asked for a better day.  I departed Bridgewater in the company of fellow club mate SM with the objective of having a fun day in the saddle but not pushing the pace too hard as I am(probably) racing the Provincial ITT outside of Windsor on Sunday.  My plan was to enjoy the scenery and relish the lack of traffic on country roads. I was not disappointed! The landscapes were scenic and the car free roads were awesome!  It was kinda neat cycling through Chelsea/Buckfield, childhood home to my parents and current residence for my mother, sister, grandmother and a bunch of cousins, aunts and uncle.  The pavement from town to Buckfield was prime. From Lapland to Middlewood it was typical rural NS secondary roads with lots of chop and rough spots...includin

 The coconut, a super food under appreciated in North America and the typical Western diet. Whether you consume the water, meat,milk or oil coconuts are simply wonderful. Long subject to cautions due to it's high saturated fat content this misunderstood food is only now garnering it's due. Comprised of medium chain fatty acids the saturated fat in coconuts is actually unique and GOOD for you.  The health benefits of coconuts are legion..... "Modern medical science is now confirming the use of coconut in treating many of the above conditions. Published studies in medical journals show that coconut, in one form or another, may provide a wide range of health benefits. Some of these are summarized below: Kills viruses that cause influenza, herpes, measles, hepatitis C, SARS, AIDS, and other illnesses. Kills bacteria that cause ulcers, throat infections, urinary tract infections, gum disease and cavities, pneumonia, and gonorrhea, and other diseases. Kills fungi and yea

Hill climb complete!(Pic compliments of J Fougere) Time Trial Start(pic compliments of J Fougere) ITT Startline Laying in the hatch Heading to St Croix Feeling the "burn" Cresting the climb(pic compliments of R Grey) Sprinting - Lap one(pic compliments of J Fougere) Sprint to the line - lap 2(pic compliments of J Fougere)  Under clear sunny(and hot) skies the BC race day stage race was held in central Nova Scotia. With temperatures probably around the 30-33C range with little wind it was one long, hot day in the saddle.  17km Time Trial.   The course was challenging to say the least with rolling hills, one steep pitch after the turnaround and a long gradual climb back towards the start/finish. I had just strapped on the aerobars the day before so the race was the shakedown ride. Not the smartest thing to do but I don't pretend to be the smartest knife in the block. Turns out they worked fine except for the left bar which loosened up midway t

Under glorious sunny conditions the Cyclebetes team of cyclists began their cross country tour this morning from Point Pleasant Park. Included was club mate JC who decided to join the core team as his daughter was recently diagnosed with juvenile diabetes.Although it was his first time piloting a tandem he and his partner rode the busy city streets like pros. Nice! To offer support I chose to forego the usual Saturday morning club ride and cycle with the core team part way on their inaugural stage from Halifax to Truro. I am racing tomorrow so it was the perfect opportunity to spin out the legs while supporting such a great cause. Of course I had the camera tucked into the jersey pocket to document the beginning of what, hopefully, will be a inspiring journey. Well done JC!

The venerable egg. What needs to be said that adds to the simplicity,convienence, versatility and nutritional benefits of this superfood? Nothing except that Omega 3 eggs offer a natural Omega 6/3 ratio the result of free range birds or those fowl fed higher quality feed that includes(I believe)flax seed. Eggs would be my food of choice if was stranded on a desert isle. As it is I consume eggs on a daily basis and,in combination with my other paleo staples,forms an essential part of my paleo food pyramid.

It's official. The stage race will be held thanks to minimum pre-registration targets to ensure the financial viability of holding the event. Staged in central Nova Scotia the event will feature three races in one day with overall winners being crowned for each ability based category. RACE I - 17KM INDIVIDUAL TIME TRIAL (D/F/C/B/A) - OUT AND BACK COURSE - CONVEX SHAPED RACE COURSE RACE II - BELMONT LOOP ROAD RACE - 22 KM LOOP(My Cat will complete two laps) RACE III - DAWSON RD HILL CLIMB - 7.75KM I have not cycled the ITT nor the hill climb course but am familiar with the Belmont loop having raced the(defunct)Brooklyn road race there on several occasions.Rolling hills it has a couple big climbs heading into the start finish line. I did speak to a fellow racer yesterday on the club ride who pre rode Stage III last week. My understanding is it comprises an initial climb-false flat then downhill to Dawson road where a right hand turn puts you on a 3 kilometer steep climb to the fin

Otherwise know as seaweed named Palmaria Palmata it is a sea vegetable loaded with vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients. Indigenous to the Northern oceans it can be found on coasts, bays and tidals pools across North America and Europe. I'm currently enjoying a bag of Grand Manaan Dulse reportedly the best dulse on the market..... "Grand Manan dulse is world famous because of the unique environment of the island. On the western side of the island, the high cliffs shade the dulse from the bright sunlight early in the day. The result is the highest quality "Dark Harbour Dulse". This dulse is darker, thicker, richer, and more flavourful than dulse grown anywhere else. This, along with cold, clear North Atlantic waters, creates the perfect growing conditions for this tasty treat." http://www.organicdulse.com/ Update - I have picked up a jar of dulse flakes which is ideal for adding sea vegetable to other foods or as use as a condiment spice. In

A fast,nutritious and easy side. Fresh spinach,Swiss chard and beet greens saute'ed(wilted)in coconut oil with a pinch of garlic powder and black pepper. Garnished with lemon juice or organic apple cider vinegar to add some tartness. Loaded with vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

Decided to head to Bridgewater/Chelsea yesterday to visit with my family on what turned out to be a lovely Summer day on the South Shore. It also happened to be my birthday so it was nice to spend it with the crew. Headed direct to C&G's cottage at Fancy's lake and was impressed with the renovations done to date. Looks real nice. Unfortunately my sister discovered her cat(Widdley)had died that morning so I helped bury the animal on a nice sunny knoll.That said we had the opportunity to meet her new addition to the family. Bandit,a teddy bear yorkie puppy. Awfully cute! Maybe old Widdley decided a new dog in the house was just to much to bear?(wink) After the visit at the camp M, C, J and I headed up to Buckfield and had a nice afternoon on W's farm with my mother, stepfather,two sisters and neice. Mother and W put on an awesome meal(albeit non paleo), my sister C bought me a cake and we sat around and enjoyed the afternoon. Late afternoon we all headed down to visit