New Ride

I'm so excited about my new ride. If anyone wants to join, I'm going to pound some miles on the Yellow Trail tomorrow morning. Hope to see y'all there.

Finding My Mojo

I wouldn't make any sudden movements if I were you, he's viscous. Meet "Mojo", the newest member of our family and now the official mascot of the "Buckle Up & Ride" blog. He has been with us since Easter Sunday, damn that Easter bunny!

Let me give you some background. It's common when people get married to each bring something to the relationship, in today's world it's debt, but we each brought a dog. Kimberly had a Golden Retriever named Copper and I had a Yellow Lab named Max. This union worked well, they chewed the house up together, barked incessantly together and played let's dig under the fence and escape four times a week together. It was a match made in heaven. After two full re-sods of the lawn and the addition of two children, we realized it was to much. We both found great homes for each dog and called it quits. It was not easy, but it was the best not just for us, but for them as well. We vowed then never to have another dog.

Over the past four "dog free" years, we have moved into a new home, had a third child, and successfully created a beautiful backyard. It's been great. Kimberly and I spend evenings sitting on the porch watching the kids play in the thick green grass. I've been waiting for this moment for 10 years.

"Free Labradoodle" That's what the sign at our son's school said. I told myself to keep walking, but something drew me back. I reluctantly, but excitedly scribbled the phone number onto my hand. I knew there was no chance in hell Kimberly would go for it, you see, she's the level headed one, I'm the "what the hell" one. I left her a voice mail with all the details, and to my surprise she called back with intrigue, now I was worried. We did our research over the next week or so and decided to pull the trigger. It was for the kids, you know...

We had decided to surprise the kids with him on Easter Sunday. We had it all planned out, Kimberly and I had gone to Pet Smart and bought all the essentials. (It was at that moment I realized why I hadn't missed not having a dog.) It was like Christmas, we hid everything in the storage shed and giggled in anticipation over the kids reactions. Personally, I was hoping for a "Americas Funniest Home Videos" reaction where the kids scream uncontrollably and run around in circles. It turned out a little differently. Our 7 year old was interested for 2 minutes, then went back to blowing his duck call. Our 3 year old got angry when we told him he couldn't ride him like a horse and our 1 year old baby girl, well, she fell in love immediately. 1 our of 3 ain't bad...

It's been 6 days since Mojo arrived. In that time we have had torrential rain, house rattling thunder, lightning and a power outage, it's been crazy. But he's hung in there, only one accident in the house (1 to many for mom) and he loves being in his kennel. He sleeps all night and loves going on walks. The other two kids are really warming up to him also. Just don't tell my 3 year old that he will be getting bigger, it makes him cry.

I still don't know what drew us to take this chance, but I'm glad we did. Seeing the kids smile makes it all worth while.

Getting Technical

Combine a long holiday weekend with one helmet cam and The Douche, and this is what you get. Enjoy.

Greenline Etiquette for Dummies

In 2008 & 2009, Bicycling Magazine ranked Memphis as one of the three worst cities in America for cycling. This ranking should come as no surprise to anyone who has ever ridden our streets. Much of the pavement within the loop is crap & drivers still act shocked when they see someone on a bike. We are way behind the times, but progress is being made. The most recognizable being the Memphis Greenline. This project has taken unused railroad tracks and created a paved recreational area for our citizens.Mayor AC Wharton and the local government have collaborated in a public-private partnership to make this recreational facility possible. This is a major leap in the right direction. I applaud those involved.



Now let's get to the meat of the post. The Greenline pisses me off, not the Greenline itself, but many of the people using it. Now to be transparent, I don't typically ride the Greenline, but I have been on it 1/2 dozen times & it's the same every time.



I don't know who this clown is, I just found this picture on Google Images, but it represents my frustration perfectly. Is talking on your phone really necessary while your exercising? Every time I have been on the Greenline there are people walking or biking while talking on their phone, stupid! If you don't have 30 minutes to put your phone down, stay home. Reminder, for it really to be called exercise, you need to elevate your heart rate. I rank these people right up there with those who talk on the phone while using the restroom. Put your phone down, pay attention to your surroundings and enjoy your 30 minutes of freedom.



Let me start by saying I like dogs. We actually have a new puppy joining our family on Sunday, his name will be "Mojo". I think it's great people take their dogs on walks with them, but does "Fido" really need an 18' leash? It's like the roles are reversed and the dogs are taking their owners on walks. I see these dogs every time, running from one side of the path to the other. Why is it annoying?? Because I have to slow down to make sure I don't take out "Fido" as I ride by. On a side-note, If you dog weighs more than your child, don't let the child walk it.



These are called street lanes, they designate the flow of traffic. Notice also that there is no designation for a center lane. The picture below must be posted in an area that I have never seen, because it is how many of the people walk and ride on the Greenline.



I realize you might just be out for a joyride, but stay in the proper lane. These are typically the people that scare me the most, I never know what direction they will jolt when I yell that I'm passing them.

One major trend that I've noticed is the lack of helmets being worn by cyclists. Just because your not going 15-20 mph doesn't mean your shouldn't wear one. There are a lot of people on the path and a simple accident could happen at any time. Be safe and always throw on a helmet, Moms & Dads, you especially. Set a good example for your kids.

The Greenline is a great facility for our city and I do believe it has brought many people off the couch and outside. I hope it continues to grow and that more people will take advantage of it, I just ask that everyone pay attention and be considerate of others that are using it.

Weekend Rides

This Saturday ride was crazy. It was really cold and windy. Rode in a group of 12-15 guys, we worked together and had a really good ride. Because of the weather, I was really pleased when this one was over.



This was my first trails ride. It has been almost 20 years since I have ridden on the trails, it was great. I had the pleasure of being lead around by "Douche" for this one. He got us lost twice and he almost fell backwards into a creek, damn I wish he would have. That picture would be classic. Great workout.

A Day in the Dirt

BuckleUp&Ride's photostream on Flickr.

Check it out.

Premiering Tonight on Travel Channel

Triple Rush - Extended Trailer from Triple Rush on Vimeo.

Being a huge Kevin Bacon "Quicksilver" fan, and who isn't? I'm gonna check this out. If you watch it tonight, tell me what you thought, I'd be interested to hear from everyone.

Come on! How did this not win an Oscar? I wish boom boxes would make a comeback.

Win one for the Gipper...

Inspirational...






Not so much...








I've been called a lot of things in my life, but 'inspiring'....not so much. Since the article came out on Monday, I have received numerous calls, texts and emails from friends, family members and people I have never met. I even got one long lost relative thing, but I'm to disturbed to speak about it. My phone has beeped and chimed in the past three days more than it ever has. It's been crazy. But one particular message has me frazzled and I must set the record straight.

"Your blog is, inspiring". That was how the message started. I was shocked. She even threw in the comma to add emotion. Read it again and remember to pause, see what I'm talking about? I've never thought of myself this way. Hell, I've always thought of myself as an average guy, and I don't mean that in a self-deprecating way. I live a normal life, married, three kids (ok - the three kids thing doesn't meet the US average, but we don't have any dogs so that that should even it out) and I like to cut my grass and throw steaks on the grill. Now, my picture is in the paper and I'm being called an inspiration? I need to clear this up, so here we go...

My sports career started in 5th grade and ended in 8th. I enjoyed playing baseball and basketball for the St. Dominic Warriors, but four years of being called "Pasta Butt" by Coach Mathis was tiring. I made an attempt to play baseball for CBHS, but hearing that my summers would be filled with summer league put an end to that thought. But then I had an epiphany, if I couldn't play on the team, I could still help the team. So I became the water boy for the football team. I spent the first two years of high school hauling coolers back and forth from the gym to the field. It was awesome. My big break came my junior year, I was moved up from water boy to trainer. This came with some serious perks. I now had my own staff of "prospects" lugging water. I taped ankles before games and practice and I got a really cool fanny pack that carried my tape rolls and scissors. When a man went down during a game...I was the guy, the man in charge of rushing the field to assess the injury. "Prospects" always followed behind me with water for the other players. Shit, it got me a letter-man's jacket. I was a bad ass, at least I thought. Now, do I believe I inspired anyone with my fanny pack-wearing technique or ankle taping? No.

Let's move on to college. The first day of college I rode my bike to class and it was stolen. For the next four years I used that as an excuse to do absolutely no exercise. I was in a fraternity. We got drunk, ate chicken tenders and watched The Price is Right. I even spent 6 months living in my brother-in-law's den in a tent. I graduated with a 2.3 GPA, but I had my degree. Besides my name etched in the sidewalk in front of Old Main do I think I inspired anyone or left my mark in Fayetteville? No.

Shortly after graduation I got the chance to move to Nashville and open a new restaurant. I worked my ass off, 7 days a week. We had a great product and I was proud of it. But there was one problem, a local food writer. We will just refer to this person as "Cat Shit". She reviewed us about six months in, and it was devastating. My favorite line was " I would rather eat molded spaghetti out of the back of my refrigerator". Do you see where I'm going with this? Didn't really inspire anyone in Nashville.

Since that time I have been working with my family here at Frank Grisanti's. I love my job. We have been in business for 25 years and our customer base is strong. We do our best to put out a great product every night. I get stopped everyday and told how good someone's meal was, but is that someone feeling inspired? I don't think so. Okay, I did remember one thing. If teaching middle-aged housewives how to cook meals on their $10,000 Viking ranges is inspiring, I've got that one in the bag.

That brings us to the present. I began by riding my bike for a healthier life, and my passion grew and I decided to take it to another level. In the process I meet new friends and become a part of something I really enjoy. Everything was going great, then I broke my leg. When I got accepted to do Leadville I thought, impossible. But then I thought about the people that inspired me in the movie. Everyone they highlighted had a story of overcoming an obstacle. Some completed the race and others didn't, but they tried. I used these people as my inspiration. When I started this blog, shit, I didn't think I would stick it out for more than a week, but I have. It's become something more for me, a way to put myself out there. When I saw my picture in the Health & Fitness section I was baffled. A Grisanti in the paper not in a chef coat? That's cool.

I want everyone who has sent me a message about this blog or commented on the article to know how much it means to me. I want to cross that line, for myself and others. That message of "inspiration" I received is the best compliment I have ever gotten. I have thought about it everyday and it will be with me on every training ride and in Colorado. Thanks, Ms. 'Your-blog-is,- inspiring'. And I hope you all continue reading, and that my story will inspire you to get out there and accomplish a goal. Seriously, thanks so much.

“Pain is temporary. It may last a minute, or an hour, or a day, or a year, but eventually it will subside and something else will take its place. If I quit, however, it lasts forever.”
-Lance Armstrong

Here is the link to the article in today's Commercial Appeal.
http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2011/apr/11/ready-to-ride/

Thanks to Barbara for a great article.

Check out this video from the Tiger Lane Crit the other night. Really cool.




Video by 2004sti

Initiation Day

stoked (st kt). adj. Slang. 1. Exhilarated or excited

This word is just plain cool. It's the Fonzy of the English langauge. I don't remember the exact moment I first heard it, but I'm sure it was while I was watching the X-Games. Since that time, I've tried to find a way to incorporate it into my vocabulary, but I've had no luck. You see, this word is like an outlaw biker handshake or a prison tat, you can't just throw it around in everyday conversation, it must be earned. Let me give you an example. "I was stoked that we sold 10 lasagnas tonight" or "I'm stoked about that Buffalo Mozzarella we're serving," it just doesn't work. To use this word in a conversation, you must be referring to an experience or event that can cause bodily harm. It's the only acceptable way. For at least 10 years, I have been carrying this word with me like a repressed memory screaming to come to life. Well, last night, I was initiated. I got my prison tat and I was stoked about it.

As I pulled into the parking lot at the Memphis Fairgrounds, the hair on the back of my neck stood at attention. There were riders unloading their bikes while others were sitting on their tailgates putting their kits on. I found a parking spot and killed the engine. As I sat in silence, feelings of excitement and horror rushed through my body. I gave myself a final pep talk and stepped out of the car. I walked to the registration tent, signed in, got my race number and went back to get ready. I dressed, pulled my bike off the rack, clipped in and headed towards the course. This was it... my first crit race.

I had no expectations going into this event. I just wanted to ride with the pack for as long as I could, and if I got dropped it was okay. I would use this race as a benchmark for the second and third of the three-race series. The course was a seven-tenths of a mile loop, and we would be racing 30 minutes + 3 laps. I would be riding in the Cat 5 (beginner) group. I pulled onto the course to take some warm up laps and hit my first obstacle, the wind. You ever see that scene in Twister when the cows fly across the road? It was like that. The finish line straight, which was probably .4 of the .7 was dead into the wind and it was murder. I rode three warm-up laps and went back to the staging area. It wasn't until the announcer said "Cat 5 to the line" did I get nervous. I pulled into position and grabbed a drink. When I looked down at my computer my heart rate was climbing and I knew I had to relax. I looked over my shoulder and there they were, the family. The boys were waving and yelling "hello" to their old dad and it was cool. I looked at the other riders and spectators on the side of the road, just taking it all in. It was at that moment that it hit me- I was competing in a bike race, and I was proud. The race official gave us our final instructions and counted us down, 3, 2, 1...

When the pack pulled off, my heart rate immediately climbed back up - not from effort, but from excitement. We made our first corner and the speed began to ramp up, not bad, but it ramped. I was sitting mid pack, just holding my line. The last thing I wanted was to make a mistake and take somebody out or crash. When we reached the short section of the track that was tailwind, the boys upfront took full advantage. They were hauling ass. We came out of this section and into a left hand turn. Here, the crosswind was brutal and you had to really hold your bike. So far so good. When we hit the headwind for the first time the pace of the group slowed dramatically, like a yellow flag at a NASCAR race. Tucked into the middle of the pack, I wasn't really affected. As we closed upon the finish line I looked to my right, and there were my boys - cheering. I couldn't help but smile. One lap down. We rode this pace for another three laps. I was feeling really good at this point that I'd be able to hang with the group until the finish. Then I hit my second obstacle.

As we were approaching the entrance into the tailwind section of the course I moved up a few positions. I knew the guys up front were going to hit the accelerator and I didn't want to be towards the back. I put my head down for a second and hit the pedals hard, then I heard it. I looked up and saw the rider in front of me veer dead right into another rider, and as the two of them came down, they took out a third. The three of them went straight to the pavement. I slammed on my brakes and my heart skipped a beat - or two. I came to a complete stop. This couldn't have happened at a worse spot on the course, and the main pack never slowed. I clipped back in and went as hard as I could. I knew if I didn't catch the group my day would be over. I was beginning to catch them when we hit the straightaway. The wind hit me like a ton of bricks. I knew at that moment my ride was over. When I came past the family this time there was no smile. But my boys still called out to me. One more lap around and I was cooked. I just couldn't stand the wind anymore, so I pulled off. I tried to tell myself it was okay, but then I thought about the boys. What would they think when I didn't ride by? I pulled back on and kept riding, for them and for me. I didn't want to go home knowing I quit. I rode the final two laps and came across the finish line. My dad was standing just beyond it, and gave me that look of "good job for fighting it out."

As I rode around on my cool-down lap my mind was racing. I was both happy for finishing and disappointed because the crash took me out of the group. I wondered how long I could have hung on had it not happened. I rode over to my family and Kimberly and the boys congratulated me, telling me how proud they were. I realized at that moment that I had accomplished something. I'm a 37 year old restauranteur and I have grit. I may have been in the back, but I was there til the end. My boys didn't understand where I finished, they just knew that I finished, and that was the important thing.

Next Wednesday night I'll get another chance to see how I can compete, and I'm stoked about it.

Happy B-Day Shank

Today is Shank's B-day, he's 3. We refer to him as "Shank" because he literally shanked his older brother with a fork one night at the dinner table. The three pronged bruise lasted about a week, but there was no skin puncture, so it was okay. Shank Grisanti has a nice ring to it, in a Goodfellas type way, definitely tougher than "Paulie Walnuts" or "Jimmy Two Times".

Shank is the second of our three children. He spends his days trying to keep up with his older brother and distancing himself from his younger sister. He loves playing outside, Star Wars, and his Bebe & Passy. He hates thunder and blueberries. His smile and personality light up any room and his hair is, well, just plain awesome.

In typical Grisanti fashion, we had a party yesterday here at the house. We blew up the bouncy and had plenty of yard games for the kids. The dining room table was stocked with food and the patio was full of family and good friends. We spent the day enjoying the beautiful weather and watching the kids run, play and laugh. It couldn't have been any better.

Tonight, Kimberly, the kids and I will do a small birthday celebration and give Shank his gifts. I will cook his favorite dinner, macaroni and cheese and there will probably be some cake and ice cream. Shank is a beautiful boy, he's my buddy and I love him very much. Just don't try and take any food from his dinner plate...

Happy Birthday Shank, We love you.

Crack Nuggets and Such

I need to shed 25 pounds in the next four months. This will be the toughest part of the training process for me. I love to eat, for God's sake I'm in the food business. I spend the better part of my days at work staring at warm garlic bread, Alfredo Sauce, pastas & homemade desserts. It's a miracle my waist line remains in the 30's. On top of the temptations at work, I have three kids at home. Our pantry is always stocked with snacks of all sorts. I'm proud to say our fruit drawer is always full of fresh selections, but who wants to come home from a long day at work and eat a room-temperature banana? I just gagged when I re-read that sentence. We all love snacks. Each of us has that go-to item that, when eaten, sends a feeling of calm over our brain and body instantly. To shed my twenty-five pounds, I'm going to have to conquer my cravings for my favorite go-to items. My list is not long, but these items are special. They are always there for me. They don't judge me or talk back to me. They simply satisfy, and I'm a man that likes instant gratification.

1000 Island dressing
This backwoods, redneck-ass dressing tops my list. I love this stuff. It's ketchup, mayonnaise and pickle relish. Does it get any better? I've seen recipes that try and fancy it up, with egg or black olives. I'm here to say, "leave it the hell alone". This condiment is even on my death row final meal menu- that's how important it is to me. I enjoy this tasty morsel in two ways, on a salad or a saltine cracker, nothing else. Now when I say salad, I don't mean fancy, like with Wild Mixed Greens or Romaine. I'm talking chopped head lettuce, nothing else. If I'm feeling spicy, I will add some cracked black pepper. I'm fully aware of how awful this item is for me. I'd be just as good shoveling straight sugar into my mouth, but it's my everything. This is the only item on my list that resides at work, which will make it the most difficult. I stand next to her for the better part of my day, but it must be done. Okay, just one last moment together...A little privacy please...



Newman-O's Hint O'Mint Cookies
Hint O' Diabetes is what they should be called. Now don't get me wrong, this is a great product from a great company. Their products are all organic and they donate all profits. The profits from my purchases alone should have neutered at least 100 dogs. But it is a tricky product, it draws you in with the organic and humanitarian marketing scheme then sets the hook. Next thing you know you're setting your alarm for 2:30 am to sneak downstairs and shove 5-6 of these babies in your mouth. The whole time you're telling yourself it's for charity and their healthy. Organic does mean healthy, right?? Well, organic means one thing to me. I can eat double the amount. This addiction is double-edged, you see, because you can't eat 5 cookies and not wash it down with something. For me, that something is milk. I don't mean skim or 2%, I mean good old whole milk, straight from the carton. If I could drink it straight from the cows udder I would. You can see how bad this combo addiction has gotten. The problem with kicking this item is my kids. They love these cookies. They eat one every night after dinner and have for years. I will now have to sit and watch my precious children enjoy their cookies while I stare and curse them under my breath. Thanks, Newman...



Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Minis
I just discovered these crack nuggets about a month ago. If I ever meet the sick bastard that created this item I would be speechless and confused. Do I kick him in the family jewels or give him a high five and a hug? They have taken the deliciousness of peanut butter and chocolate and made eating it idiot-proof. At least before you had to unwrap them. Now, you just grab a handful and it's party time. This is a mommy and daddy item. We keep them in our special drawer and only pull them out once the kids have gone to bed, it's like our little secret. Snacks like this shouldn't be that easy, if I had to work for it I might decide after a minute or so that I don't need it. But no, just unzip the bag get to eatin'. Five minutes later and I've polished off twenty of these things and my hands and face are covered in melted milk chocolate, damn... I catch myself sniffing the bag before I take a bite. It's like a fine perfume. If they bottled this smell, I would buy my wife a gallon size for X-mas. But it's gotta go. This one might not be as tough as the others because I'm the purchaser of this item. My wife likes them, but she can do without. So I will just remove it from the grocery list. Now, if Raisinets were on this list, my wife would be leaving me. She's addicted, luckily they give me gas.



This will not be easy. I've grown fond of these items. But riding 100 miles and climbing thousands of vertical feet twenty-five pounds lighter will be that much easier. I need to put down these cheap highs and focus on the big picture. This goal is very important to me and I want to give it everything I've got over the next four months. I'm ready. Wait...it's Satruday, you can't start a diet on Saturday, I'll start Monday.

30 miles this morning on mountain bike, chilly but felt great. Hope to see everyone at the crit races on Wednesday night.