May 31, 2010

Music with a lot of bikers


Kings and Queens by 30 Seconds To Mars

May 30, 2010

Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the learning revolution!

A great speech from TED:

PS: I don't have a wristwatch :D

May 29, 2010

How to survive a bear attack

When I was riding on the Bekecs peak I heard some noises in the forest. Maybe it was a bear... Here are some tips to avoid a bear attack:


Via mountain-bike-brasov.blogspot.com

May 28, 2010

Clean bike

Sunday I washed my bike, it was so clean only when I bought it.

May 27, 2010

Taking the Dog for a walk

Sunday I took the dog for a short walk, about 6 kilometers, half of it uphill up to the forest above Tarnaveni. He was so tired at the end that he didn't want to come home with me (I was with my bike). Here are some pics:
I always loved this view
posing
The city
horses
wuffffff

May 26, 2010

Animal pics

A few pics with the animal from my parents' house:
chicks
bigger chicks
bunnies
mother bunny with baby bunny
what's up duck?
the DOG

May 25, 2010

Riding in the rain - again

Saturday I went home (to my parents), I wanted to wash the bike because it was very dirty. But it was raining again and I was running out of time (I had to get to a wedding) so I couldn't wait for the road to dry.

The first kilometers were really bad, I was eating a lot of dirt. Then the road got drier and I was gong faster and faster. I was in a hurry because my toes were frozen because of the wet socks. I got home in a record time and with a very dirty bike :)
Stats:
    - time: 1:32:45
    - distance: 38,72 km
    - average speed: 25,1 km/h
    - max speed 58,9 km/h

May 24, 2010

Papara Americano


May 22, 2010

Funny dogs

bad dog


supporter dog

May 21, 2010

Grated potatoes

This week I cooked grated potatoes. It is a very simple recipe, all you need is some potatoes, eggs, bacon, cheese, sour cream and spices.
Fist you need to boil the potatoes, be careful not to overcook the potatoes they don't need to be fully cooked because they will go into the oven. After you peal the potatoes you need do grate them. You have to mix the potatoes with some bacon, cheese and the fresh eggs. You need to add salt and pepper, sour cream and chili (if you like hot foods). After this you put it in the oven for about 10-15 minutes. Serve with sour cream :)

May 20, 2010

A ride in strong winds and rain

Last Saturday I went for a ride to Salasuri to visit some relatives.
On the way there the wind was very strong, sometimes from the front, sometimes from the side. Once it even blew me off the road when a truck passed me.

Stats:
    - time: 1:21:56
    - distance: 34,12 km
    - average speed: 25 km/h
    - max speed 52,5 km/h

When I got there it started raining. I've waited a few hours, the rain stopped but the road was still wet. It was getting late so I got on the bike. The road was very wet and soon my shoes and pants got wet to. At first I was going slow but then I realized that it doesn't matter and I begun to like the wet road so I started going faster and faster. I got home about 10 minutes faster and with a dirty bike :)
Stats:
    - time: 2:32:05
    - distance: 68,36 km
    - average speed: 26,9 km/h
    - max speed 54,2 km/h

New official videoclip from David Guetta


(there is a bike in the video :D )

May 19, 2010

The effects of black pepper

I was wondering today if black pepper is healthy so I searched around. I found out that black pepper has more healthy properties than most people know about. Black pepper isn't like salt that can make food less healthy if too much is added. Black pepper is a spice that has the potential to make food more beneficial when used in various recipes and as a table spice.
The main health benefit of the black pepper  is its ability to enhance the function of the digestive tract that makes it a good reason to put it in the dishes you cook. Black pepper (Piper nigrum) stimulates the taste buds in such a way that an alert is sent to to the stomach to increase hydrochloric acid secretion, thereby improving digestion. Hydrochloric acid is necessary for the digestion of proteins and other food components in the stomach. When the body's production of hydrochloric acid is insufficient, food may sit in the stomach for an extended period of time, leading to heartburn or indigestion, or it may pass into the intestines, where it can be used as a food source for unfriendly gut bacteria, whose activities produce gas, irritation, and/or diarrhea or constipation.

Another benefit of black pepper is its ability to diminish the amount of gas in the intestinal tract. This leads to less flatulence and bloating and is believed to be another benefit of increasing hydrochloric acid in the stomach.

For those who understand the benefits of antioxidants, you'll be glad to learn that black pepper is known to have a great amount of antioxidant properties. It also has benefits against bacterial growth, particularly in the intestinal tract. The good news is that all you need to do is put a little bit in your food every day.

This spice acts as a diuretic (promotes urination). It also encourages our bodies to sweat and get rid of harmful toxins.

Black pepper is an excellent source of manganese, a very good source of iron and vitamin K, and a good source of dietary fiber.

Black pepper has demonstrated impressive antioxidant and antibacterial effects--yet another way in which this wonderful seasoning promotes the health of the digestive tract. And not only does black pepper help you derive the most benefit from your food, the outer layer of the peppercorn stimulates the breakdown of fat cells, keeping you slim while giving you energy to burn.

I was inspired by squidoo.comassociatedcontent.com and whfoods.com.

May 18, 2010

Slow down - enjoy life!

There is a famous quote on the Internet (copied from zenhabits.net):

The first time I was in Sweden, one of my colleagues picked me up at the hotel every morning. It was September, bit cold and snowy. We would arrive early at the company and he would park far away from the entrance (2000 employees drive their car to work). The first day, I didn’t say anything, either the second or third. One morning I asked, “Do you have a fixed parking space? I’ve noticed we park far from the entrance even when there are no other cars in the lot.” To which he replied, “Since we’re here early we’ll have time to walk, and whoever gets in late will be late and need a place closer to the door. Don’t you think? Imagine my face.

Basically, the movement questions the sense of “hurry” and “craziness” generated by globalization, fueled by the desire of “having in quantity” (life status) versus “having with quality”, “life quality” or the “quality of being”. French people, even though they work 35 hours per week, are more productive than Americans or British. Germans have established 28.8 hour workweeks and have seen their productivity been driven up by 20%. This slow attitude has brought forth the US’s attention, pupils of the fast and the “do it now!”.

This no-rush attitude doesn’t represent doing less or having a lower productivity. It means working and doing things with greater quality, productivity, perfection, with attention to detail and less stress. It means reestablishing family values, friends, free and leisure time. Taking the “now”, present and concrete, versus the “global”, undefined and anonymous. It means taking humans’ essential values, the simplicity of living.

It stands for a less coercive work environment, more happy, lighter and more productive where humans enjoy doing what they know best how to do. It’s time to stop and think on how companies need to develop serious quality with no-rush that will increase productivity and the quality of products and services, without losing the essence of spirit.

Many of us live our lives running behind time, but we only reach it when we die of a heart attack or in a car accident rushing to be on time. Others are so anxious of living the future that they forget to live the present, which is the only time that truly exists. We all have equal time throughout the world. No one has more or less. The difference lies in how each one of us does with our time. We need to live each moment. As John Lennon said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”.

In this fast moving world full of stress we should slow down and just enjoy life, enjoy every moment. For example we should enjoy cooking our food and hanging out with our loved ones while eating it together without watching the tv. There is an organization which tries to teach people to do this - slowfood.com - their sign is a snail :)

There is a cool site called Slow Down Now that offers a few tips for slowing down:

1. Drink a cup of tea, put your feet up and stare idly out of the window. Warning: Do not attempt this while driving.
2. Do one thing at a time. Remember multitasking is a moral weakness (except for women who have superior brain function.)
3. Do not be pushed into answering questions. A response is not the same as an answer. Ponder, take your time.
4. Yawn often. Medical studies have shown lots of things, and possibly that yawning may be good for you.
5. Spend more time in bed. You have a better chance of cultivating your dreams (not your aspirations.)
6. Spend more time in the bathtub.
7. Practice doing nothing. (Yes this is the difficult one.)
8. Avoid too much seriousness. Laugh, because you're live on earth for a limited time only.

I would like to add that my favorite thing to do to slow down is to ride my bike in the forest and when I find a good spot just sit down and relax, just watching the nature :)

May 17, 2010

Electric folding bike concept

When I saw this article I thought it is weird that this bike uses the pedals only to charge the onboard battery but then I realized that this way they can make a more compact folding bike:
Read the article here.

May 14, 2010

What is B-cycle?

I wish this service would be available in all the cities:

May 13, 2010

Would you ride here?

(click to enlarge)

May 12, 2010

Schwinn commercial


It would be nice if we could change the world like this...

Penne al tonno

Last week I cooked this dish, which  you can whip together while the pasta is cooked. You need some tuna, tomato sauce and spices. I started with cooking some onions in olive oil. Then I added the tuna and the tomato sauce. I added salt, pepper, chili, oregano, basil, bay leaves and some wine. I forgot the to add some garlic. If the tomato sauce is too sour you can use some sugar. When the pasta is cooked the sauce is ready :)

May 11, 2010

I like the trumpet


May 10, 2010

I was on the big screen :)

A pic from the contest:
(click to enlarge)

May 6, 2010

Nomad Camp pics

A few pics from last weekend from the Nomad Camp:

May 5, 2010

Movie star

This is a short video made for a local competition (the text is mostly in Hungarian so don't get scared):


Cramps

Sunday I was racing in my home town. I was tired because the day before I had a long ride and in the morning I had another ride of about 45 kilometers, I had to get home from Campu Cetatii.

I got to the start about a half hour before the race. I was a little tired but I was feeling good so I started fast. I was going well until the half of the race but than I had a cramp. I lost some time until it passed but after that my legs started to hurt. I slowed down a bit and then I got lost. The marking were missing but two guys caught me and I followed them. One of them stopped in front of me and I've hit the brakes. At that moment my thighs started to hurt very much. I jumped of the bike and I was rolling on the ground screaming. These were the most pailful cramps I ever had. Another racer got to me and helped me stretch my legs a bit. After a few minutes the pain was gone and I started pushing the bike up the hill. I lost a lot of time and I was thinking of quitting the race. But I got to the top of the hill and I could finish the race.

I've finished in 17th place in my age group. There were a few pros at this race so this is a good result. I could have done better if I wouldn't be so tired, I think I could have finished in the top 10.

Here is a picture after the finish with my colleagues from work (I hope I will get more pics later):
and a YouTube video:

May 4, 2010

Music


"get out of here and get me some money too"

May 3, 2010

Campu Cetatii - the hard way

Saturday I went for a ride, I wanted to get to Campu Cetatii where a few friends were having a party.

First I climbed to the Zoo and I was hopping that I can see track for the race from the next day. I found the trail and I followed it for about 10 kilometers. Then I started my gps and I headed for Campu Cetatii in the forest.

After being lost for a few times and asking the locals for directions I got up to 1100 meters (said the gps) to the Becheci (Bekecs) peak.
The battery from my camera wasn't charged so I couldn't take pictures but it was so beautiful that I'll be visiting that mountain again :)

A long down hill followed the long climb and after more than 6 hours (it should have been less than 2 and a half hours on the paved road) I got to my final destination to the Nomad Camp which was an extraordinary experience.