Team Tati - Lunches - Coffee

Biggest update is I may be joining Team Tati ! I know I'd been telling a lot of people on B&B that I wasn't all that interested in races and that really I was more about just riding with people, so it may seem a bit strange that all of a sudden I'm joining a race squad. However, the vibe I get from this team is very different from others. First off, J, the founder, is really actively trying to seriously coach a women's team, which is in fact very unusual. xXx has a women's squad that trains together, but that's about it in Chicago. I used to race for Turin, but I was pretty much alone, meaning I've been on the receiving end of team tactics (NOT FUN). The team also trains together rather than alone. One of the most unique features of the team is that they're trying to be environmentaly friendly. If you think about it, bike races have huge carbon footprints from driving to the races. J is trying to think wholistically though, so he's got organic wool team jerseys, cotton bar tape, corn oil based chain lube, and natural food based riding food. They're even in partnership to try to produce an esspresso machine that runs off of bike trainers. How awesome would that be?

Anyways, I've said that I'm not that competitive when it comes to racing, but honestly, I've never been coached before, and I've also never really had teammates to train with. Even on Illini Cycling, most of us just trained alone. Also, I really like riding with people, and it's a great way to start of the morning. So I'm pretty excited about it.

I rode with Team Tati for the first time today. All of the members were very welcoming and not arrogant since they were mostly beginners and learning about the sport. We went north at a decent pace, stopped by at Metropolis Coffee Shop, and headed back. I'd forgotten my wallet, but J was kind and covered the cost. Thanks, J! I got to talk to quite a few of the people along the way, and they all seem like a really cool bunch of people. I haven't formally joined, but I'm pretty sure I will soon enough. My sprinting is non-existent, my racing is a bit rusty, but my baseline's fine, so I'm sure with some hard work I'll be ok.

Also today, I joined up with ARCH 475 on their site visit to catch up with Amy Kuo, my former roomate, and Professor Hammann. They are designing a children's museum in the South Loop. I'm so jealous: their site, parking lot on State and Harrison, is sooo much better than the site I had to work with (south quad at Chambana). Yes, I should have just sucked it up and dealt with what I had, but I can't help it, I just love cities more than college campuses. I live and breathe cities. Amy said there's a bigger emphasis on sustainability on this project, that they're actually going to design it to be LEED Silver, I think, and they'll submit a sustainability matrix too. Thank you Professor Hammann, for lunch, once again!

And then I caught Logan at Caribou, where we discussed his complex theory about the economic recession, Iraqi war, oil, sustainability, and the world at large over French-press, fair trade coffee. He is very influenced by Guns Germs and Steel, which I'm going to try to read at some point after I finish Grapes of Wrath (Steinbeck) and Herodotus' The Histories. Why Herodotus? I remember reading some excerpts back in college freshman year and thinking it was really well written. Thanks Logan, for coffee.

I've gotten to eat lunch with quite a few other people this week. Notably, Alex, Eduardo, and Logan from 4240 Architecture, my former piano teacher Mrs. Siegel and Sarah Constantin, a friend from high school. Conversations for all involved were pretty lively and covered a broad spectrum, from the Olympics in China, Chicago's bid for the Olympics, Obama and Hyde Park, and why I hate the suburbs. It was good to see Sarah doing so well. I was in math team with her, and remember being pretty terrified of her abilites. Thanks Mrs. Siegel for lunch!

Man, reading over this, I'm just a free-loader this week. This is awful! I really need to get a job soon.