Dave is snorking
Crystaline droplets spinning from under his glove
As the peloton veers madly.
Saturday, December 30, 2006
turkey balls
Five and a half hours is way too long for a ride in December for a Cat 4.
At least I felt that way at hour four and a half.
I wish I had that moment of clarity before I said yes to Sierra Road.
Multiple self- face-punching ensued.
And now I am completely vacant.
But I came home to an empty house.
With a empty couch.
And leftover spaghetti and meatballs in the fridge.
When I put them in some tupperware and hid them in the back shelf last night I had a feeling they would come in useful.
And Bruce Aidell is a genius making those little turkey balls.
Yes I said turkey balls.
And it's all good.
Tuesday, December 26, 2006
Chocolat
Hard to blog when I've been celebrating gluttony for two days now...
Need to shift to some more, ummm calorie burning pursuits....
I bought myself a new circular saw for Christmas.
The clerk asked me if I wanted a extended warranty.
I told him the last one went thirty years and the new Craftsman should go longer.
If that';s not a old guy statement, I dunno what is.
Scary I can even remember 30 years ago.
I should have those new cross barriers done by, oh, July.
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Tag-it
Ok, X-bun, I'll play along.
Waiting to get tagged, kind of a mind game with oneself. I was waiting to get tagged somewhere else, and it didn't happen, then I hit the bloggo button, and there ya go. Better for it to come out of the blue, like this.
Chain letters always stop with me.I give their weak karma no love. But a game is always fun.
I'm way more boring than I would like to let on, but a few bits of useless trivia...
1- I once popped a wheelie and had my front wheel fly off. Those who have seen my wrenching skills understand. I would like to tell you I rode it forever like Dave Mirra and was cool, but I ate shit in front of my house and nutted myself something fierce.
2- I once freed a whale shark from a fishing line in the Gulf Of Alaska by cutting it, unlooping it from the sharks tail, and retying it to get my halibut on the other end.
The shark was as long as our 32 foot wooden boat, and placidly floated next to us, easily swaying his tail, till I could get him free.
3- My dad once built a cover over our swimming pool out of 2 x 4's and 8 mil clear plastic so we could swim all winter in Stockton. I loved it, even though it stunk of chlorine gas and was mildewing the adjacent house like crazy.
It was destroyed when my buddies and I started climbing up outside in February and dropping through the hole we made in the top. A couple holes and a winter storm shredded it good.
We left the skeleton up for two more years, though.
4-Destroying a whole box of Honey nut Cheerios while watching gangster movies always cures me of a bad day.
5-My nickname is the first one I have ever had that had nothing to do with my last name. I also had nothing to do with picking it, which is probably why it stuck.
Tagging?
Try Velojuicy, JohnnyJohnnyGo Go, and a two-fer with Merkle and Alicat, as well as The Chap-man, (I enjoy the sckribblins as much as the course designs...)
Waiting to get tagged, kind of a mind game with oneself. I was waiting to get tagged somewhere else, and it didn't happen, then I hit the bloggo button, and there ya go. Better for it to come out of the blue, like this.
Chain letters always stop with me.I give their weak karma no love. But a game is always fun.
I'm way more boring than I would like to let on, but a few bits of useless trivia...
1- I once popped a wheelie and had my front wheel fly off. Those who have seen my wrenching skills understand. I would like to tell you I rode it forever like Dave Mirra and was cool, but I ate shit in front of my house and nutted myself something fierce.
2- I once freed a whale shark from a fishing line in the Gulf Of Alaska by cutting it, unlooping it from the sharks tail, and retying it to get my halibut on the other end.
The shark was as long as our 32 foot wooden boat, and placidly floated next to us, easily swaying his tail, till I could get him free.
3- My dad once built a cover over our swimming pool out of 2 x 4's and 8 mil clear plastic so we could swim all winter in Stockton. I loved it, even though it stunk of chlorine gas and was mildewing the adjacent house like crazy.
It was destroyed when my buddies and I started climbing up outside in February and dropping through the hole we made in the top. A couple holes and a winter storm shredded it good.
We left the skeleton up for two more years, though.
4-Destroying a whole box of Honey nut Cheerios while watching gangster movies always cures me of a bad day.
5-My nickname is the first one I have ever had that had nothing to do with my last name. I also had nothing to do with picking it, which is probably why it stuck.
Tagging?
Try Velojuicy, JohnnyJohnnyGo Go, and a two-fer with Merkle and Alicat, as well as The Chap-man, (I enjoy the sckribblins as much as the course designs...)
Saturday, December 16, 2006
The beatings will continue until morale improves
At 1:30 today I was ready to sell every goddamn bike in the garage.
At 2:30 I was done with the season and on my way to the pie store.
By 4 I was a little shellshocked and resigned to racing in the B's
At 5:30 I ordered a salad and knew it wasn't over yet.
I couldn't have been stomped by a bunch of nicer guys.
And stomped I was, in the cold wastelands of Live-no-more.
The corral mud was sandy and turned my bike into a singlespeed.
The problem was it kept changing it's mind which speed.
Running it lost gobs of time.
And riding it had many a problem with the hidden log at the far end.
The stairs were the stairs, they are never easy, especially in the seventh lap.
Jimmy rode a great race in the C's.
And fed me excellente.
Bike changes- next year a necessity by December.
I'm thinking the interval work needs a redo- TP has me doing these 10 minute efforts, and I never have had that good snappy feeling this year.
Scientific term for suckage= no snappy feeling.
New word as well for suckage= fracklin'
As in- I was fracklin' my ass off from the second lap on.
Anyhow, I'm gonna try some more VO2 max short style stuff, maybe less fracklin and more pop.
Ridin' tommorrow, baby!
At 2:30 I was done with the season and on my way to the pie store.
By 4 I was a little shellshocked and resigned to racing in the B's
At 5:30 I ordered a salad and knew it wasn't over yet.
I couldn't have been stomped by a bunch of nicer guys.
And stomped I was, in the cold wastelands of Live-no-more.
The corral mud was sandy and turned my bike into a singlespeed.
The problem was it kept changing it's mind which speed.
Running it lost gobs of time.
And riding it had many a problem with the hidden log at the far end.
The stairs were the stairs, they are never easy, especially in the seventh lap.
Jimmy rode a great race in the C's.
And fed me excellente.
Bike changes- next year a necessity by December.
I'm thinking the interval work needs a redo- TP has me doing these 10 minute efforts, and I never have had that good snappy feeling this year.
Scientific term for suckage= no snappy feeling.
New word as well for suckage= fracklin'
As in- I was fracklin' my ass off from the second lap on.
Anyhow, I'm gonna try some more VO2 max short style stuff, maybe less fracklin and more pop.
Ridin' tommorrow, baby!
Sunday, December 10, 2006
Mad Skillz
So tired right now, I can't sleep.
Cornering, sprintying, and tactics, oh my!
Rigatoni e spinaci=mmmmm
The people at Valley Care are really nice.
And Chico Paul will be fine.
Thanks to all for coming.
Merkle for the hot rocket fuel and bagels every morning.
Petit for taking that wheel.
Groovy for showing the water bottles who's boss.
And X-dawg for looking goooood in December.
Cornering, sprintying, and tactics, oh my!
Rigatoni e spinaci=mmmmm
The people at Valley Care are really nice.
And Chico Paul will be fine.
Thanks to all for coming.
Merkle for the hot rocket fuel and bagels every morning.
Petit for taking that wheel.
Groovy for showing the water bottles who's boss.
And X-dawg for looking goooood in December.
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Riding with Yoda
Cool things I learned while riding with the Yoad last week-
How to pee while rolling.
This has eluded me for years, and we had some time to work on skills, so...
The crosswind worked for me, not against me, and Altamont got watered, not me.
It's the little things in life, no?
Hawks don't always get their way.
Right after the watering episode, I came across a hawk attempting to lift a football size object into the sky off the road. Mr. Red Tail sees me rolling towards him, and drops it for the safety of the nearest power pole, where he alights and fixes his hawkish glare upon me.
As I continue to roll, I see the object is the fattest ground squirrel known to man, ready for winter with little rolls of squirrel fat wobbling around. Mr Red Tail is way pissed about me getting in the way of him and his double bacon cheeseburger, but now I'm rolling past little Chub-Rock.
I think I startled him or maybe he realized he was still alive since there are no bikers looking like Spiderman if Spidey just got done flashing someone rolling around in the rodent afterlife.
Anyhow, Chub-Rok gathers himself and staggers off the road and rolls, wiggles into the nearest hole, flipping a defiant rear paw to the bird, who now is definitely contemplating dive-bombing my ass in retaliation.
More later, but just a couple observations from this weekend's festivities at CCCP.
Mark Noble is really veiny. And really fast.
The a's can really ride. Not just from a fitness standpoint, but the skill level is mindblowing.
7 minutes off the leaders and it still was a race to those of us on the back of the bus, not sure what that says, but....
After seeing al those sausages and beverages being grilled to perfection, a Taco Bell on 92 was kind of a let down.
More later..
How to pee while rolling.
This has eluded me for years, and we had some time to work on skills, so...
The crosswind worked for me, not against me, and Altamont got watered, not me.
It's the little things in life, no?
Hawks don't always get their way.
Right after the watering episode, I came across a hawk attempting to lift a football size object into the sky off the road. Mr. Red Tail sees me rolling towards him, and drops it for the safety of the nearest power pole, where he alights and fixes his hawkish glare upon me.
As I continue to roll, I see the object is the fattest ground squirrel known to man, ready for winter with little rolls of squirrel fat wobbling around. Mr Red Tail is way pissed about me getting in the way of him and his double bacon cheeseburger, but now I'm rolling past little Chub-Rock.
I think I startled him or maybe he realized he was still alive since there are no bikers looking like Spiderman if Spidey just got done flashing someone rolling around in the rodent afterlife.
Anyhow, Chub-Rok gathers himself and staggers off the road and rolls, wiggles into the nearest hole, flipping a defiant rear paw to the bird, who now is definitely contemplating dive-bombing my ass in retaliation.
More later, but just a couple observations from this weekend's festivities at CCCP.
Mark Noble is really veiny. And really fast.
The a's can really ride. Not just from a fitness standpoint, but the skill level is mindblowing.
7 minutes off the leaders and it still was a race to those of us on the back of the bus, not sure what that says, but....
After seeing al those sausages and beverages being grilled to perfection, a Taco Bell on 92 was kind of a let down.
More later..
Thursday, November 30, 2006
No real reason, but......
Commesso!
Because it's December.
Because the garage was a freaking ice palace this morning.
Just because.
Monday, November 27, 2006
The Large Dog Park.
So after all that running around all week it was no suprise the legs were fairly sluggish come Sunday, but one has to have his priorities, and frankly there are only so many times one can get out of mowing/hiking/shopping by pleading racey race.
I meant
to do the singlespeed race, but Miz C. hadn't been home in 5 days and beating the traffic with a stop at Super Taq was the 2-1 vote.
SOOOO,
I signed up for the 35 A's, and prepared for my wooping.
Bad start, OTB by the top of the hill, but I caught back on along with the 45A field that started 10 seconds behind, then got yo-yo'ed like a fat rat and popped loose from the melee- it looks so mellow, a long line and how can anyone be getting away yet the front is moving at warp speed and gaps are innocuously opening all over the freekin place, and the back is a bad bad place to be, even though it seems so soothing and safe and smart, it's a pure lie.......
Had a great little battle with my buddy Greg of the Black Market Mafia, I put in a decent attack on a couple of fellas, only to see the 3 to go , not the 1 to go like I'm getting used to , and couldn't step on the throat when I had the chance, failure on all levels and I slipped back to my doom, but had a nice view of the 45A unfolding and tried to hang with/learn a few things as my elders came roaring by.
Stayed on the lap so I'll take that small positive, but damn I got to train for this stuff maybe, the new job is hammering the training hours sumthing fierce right now the log is a sea of yellow.....
Arggh.
I meant
to do the singlespeed race, but Miz C. hadn't been home in 5 days and beating the traffic with a stop at Super Taq was the 2-1 vote.
SOOOO,
I signed up for the 35 A's, and prepared for my wooping.
Bad start, OTB by the top of the hill, but I caught back on along with the 45A field that started 10 seconds behind, then got yo-yo'ed like a fat rat and popped loose from the melee- it looks so mellow, a long line and how can anyone be getting away yet the front is moving at warp speed and gaps are innocuously opening all over the freekin place, and the back is a bad bad place to be, even though it seems so soothing and safe and smart, it's a pure lie.......
Had a great little battle with my buddy Greg of the Black Market Mafia, I put in a decent attack on a couple of fellas, only to see the 3 to go , not the 1 to go like I'm getting used to , and couldn't step on the throat when I had the chance, failure on all levels and I slipped back to my doom, but had a nice view of the 45A unfolding and tried to hang with/learn a few things as my elders came roaring by.
Stayed on the lap so I'll take that small positive, but damn I got to train for this stuff maybe, the new job is hammering the training hours sumthing fierce right now the log is a sea of yellow.....
Arggh.
We rolled down the coast on Wednesday, spending a few days in Big Sur.
Camping in a redwood grove in November can be chilly, dig the wildflowers!
Rode some cool stuff, not really challenging in a tech sense, but the views around every corner? Mindblowing.
Lots of hiking and waterfalls, this one's a classic-
We enjoyed this hike so much, we took the 3 hour tour of the lighthouse the next day-
Those lighthouse keepers had a hard life filled with pure drudge, but occasionally the fog would lift and this was the view out the office window-
I dug the views so much when we returned to the campground, the girls took a nap and I went for a mad 2 hour hike a bike/ singlespeed summit attempt of Andrew Molera SP ridge trail, not exactly a good pre-race ride, but a great place to drink some water and contemplate things a little while .
Monday, November 20, 2006
The snake bites wur vicious
GGGP this weekend, and I just never can get a bit of luck on this course.
2004- flatted twice
2005- ginourmous crashes in the first turn
2006- Most Mechanicals Award? Give me that!
This place is cursed.
I decided to ride the SS due to my brakes being thrashed due to me choosing to work on my bike the night before. Me- no mechanic. Old trusty SS- bulletproof, right? First lap and I hear funny noises behind me, then the chain derails right after the pit. Axle came loose, so I fumble, but not having a freekin 15 mm wrench handy in my skin suit I run back to get the cross bike in the pit.
Brakes= questionable. I forget this and while on the drops and attempting to catch the back of the line of guys again flat out drive through the tape and end up down by the Polo Grounds.
The brakes work kind of ok from the tops, so I hack my way around gingerly, catch a few guys, choose some dumb lines up the run up while dodging folks on the ground.... pure hack fest, then my froont wheel comes out on the barriers.Just fell out. I pick it up dumbfounded while all the BOP fellas I caught pay it back and see ya later.
Just one of those days, jist getting stoopider by the minute, but I finished and saved the day with a nice visit to the Tea Garden, beautiful place and the family was appreciative after all the hard work heckling my ass on that hill.
Maybe next week will be better, maybe I'll buy some better brakes and learn how to adjust them.
Still having fun and no junior racers were harmed in the typing of this blog.
2004- flatted twice
2005- ginourmous crashes in the first turn
2006- Most Mechanicals Award? Give me that!
This place is cursed.
I decided to ride the SS due to my brakes being thrashed due to me choosing to work on my bike the night before. Me- no mechanic. Old trusty SS- bulletproof, right? First lap and I hear funny noises behind me, then the chain derails right after the pit. Axle came loose, so I fumble, but not having a freekin 15 mm wrench handy in my skin suit I run back to get the cross bike in the pit.
Brakes= questionable. I forget this and while on the drops and attempting to catch the back of the line of guys again flat out drive through the tape and end up down by the Polo Grounds.
The brakes work kind of ok from the tops, so I hack my way around gingerly, catch a few guys, choose some dumb lines up the run up while dodging folks on the ground.... pure hack fest, then my froont wheel comes out on the barriers.Just fell out. I pick it up dumbfounded while all the BOP fellas I caught pay it back and see ya later.
Just one of those days, jist getting stoopider by the minute, but I finished and saved the day with a nice visit to the Tea Garden, beautiful place and the family was appreciative after all the hard work heckling my ass on that hill.
Maybe next week will be better, maybe I'll buy some better brakes and learn how to adjust them.
Still having fun and no junior racers were harmed in the typing of this blog.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Time just keeps rollin'
So today was my little girls b-day party- a very special day for us.
10 years ago things were more than a little dicey with her, and stayed that way for several months.
Hard to believe that the tiny thing I had to buy doll clothes for is such a big girl now.
We showed up at noon and they were expecting us...
These would be put to good use today , all that pre-adolescent energy..
Good thing she got her mom's looks..
But I think she got my dance moves...
Had some presents..
And some sparkles and attitude
Topped off with a talent show and some awesome kareoke..
Happy B-day,
Little C!
Thursday, November 16, 2006
Because I had to check myself before I wrecked myself, before I disrespect myself.....
Mp3 files throbbing through my brain, a little Biggie Biggie Biggie just works so well while swerving between pine trees in a muddy slalom..........
Bike racers- a inordinately intelligent lot. Engineers, doctors, double majors in college.
Smarty smart smart.
Which is why the topic of this open letter really should be puzzling.
When cutting through Maiden Lane in the bustling metropolis of Danville on your way to the Mountain Of Pain and Deviltry, please pay attention to the signs saying ROAD WORK AHEAD.
These signs allude to the presence of large yellow machines, open holes, steel plates that move at a alarming rate of speed(even the holes from time to time).
Striking one or more of these objects on your bicycle may not even be noticed by the inhabitant of such machine, but you, dear cyclist, surely will notice.
Teams will not be named here today, but management reserves the right to take pictures and post them at a future 35+ race near you.
And don't even get me started on "chase the truck".
The Watchful Ditchdigger
Tuesday, November 14, 2006
High Plains Drifter
Congratulations to my old friend Mark M., for completing the Silverman triathlon last weekend.
Mark perservered through a multitude of injuries and put in some big miles solo at oh-dark-thirty this fall to get ready, and it sounds like it paid off.
Tough race, 30mph winds, 9,700 feet of climbing on the bike, and 3,600 feet on the marathon.
Just my kind of course, not some boring, sterile-ass trip back and forth like a hamster on a wheel.
Yakked with him tonight while he was driving home from Vegas, the stud even had the energy to take his wife to a show last night.
Kind of sad that Tyler Hamilton has gone from a premier bike racer to doing any kind of event that will let him in.
Mark perservered through a multitude of injuries and put in some big miles solo at oh-dark-thirty this fall to get ready, and it sounds like it paid off.
Tough race, 30mph winds, 9,700 feet of climbing on the bike, and 3,600 feet on the marathon.
Just my kind of course, not some boring, sterile-ass trip back and forth like a hamster on a wheel.
Yakked with him tonight while he was driving home from Vegas, the stud even had the energy to take his wife to a show last night.
Kind of sad that Tyler Hamilton has gone from a premier bike racer to doing any kind of event that will let him in.
Saturday, November 11, 2006
Hooked
How did I get here?
Champing for some wheel -to -wheel tommorrow, especially after a week off due to a nasty virus.
It wasn't always like this.
I went away for a long long time, weekends were filled with fishing trips, side work, and nothing-doing.
I could actually tell you most of the NFLs' 300 players' names.
Not now.
As the race seasons change, I become a Saturday morning regular at the Gilroy Starbucks, as opposed to the Vacaville Starbucks.
There is that moment in sports, the perfect pick and roll, the squeeze bunt that scores and gets to first, the sprint to the line through the hole up the gutter.
All those things have happened to me precisely once.
And yet I chase that feeling of wide-eyed clarity and perfection every weekend.
Champing for some wheel -to -wheel tommorrow, especially after a week off due to a nasty virus.
It wasn't always like this.
I went away for a long long time, weekends were filled with fishing trips, side work, and nothing-doing.
I could actually tell you most of the NFLs' 300 players' names.
Not now.
As the race seasons change, I become a Saturday morning regular at the Gilroy Starbucks, as opposed to the Vacaville Starbucks.
There is that moment in sports, the perfect pick and roll, the squeeze bunt that scores and gets to first, the sprint to the line through the hole up the gutter.
All those things have happened to me precisely once.
And yet I chase that feeling of wide-eyed clarity and perfection every weekend.
Saturday, November 04, 2006
Snifflins'
Well, I tried to say it wuz allergies, that doing 2 hours skillz yesterday under the sycamore trees gave me the symptoms, that an easy ride today would ward it of.
I made it like a year without catching anything, but Miz C, she got some powerfull buggies rolling around in that marathon-weakened body right about now.
Bummed to miss Pilarcitos tommorrow, I actually like run-ups, although concrete stairs woulda hurt tommorrow night.
I'm gonna sleep and watch football, maybe read the whole paper.
That 'll last till noon or so.
I made it like a year without catching anything, but Miz C, she got some powerfull buggies rolling around in that marathon-weakened body right about now.
Bummed to miss Pilarcitos tommorrow, I actually like run-ups, although concrete stairs woulda hurt tommorrow night.
I'm gonna sleep and watch football, maybe read the whole paper.
That 'll last till noon or so.
Thursday, November 02, 2006
Why ya wanna come in here talkin' all of that raspy shit?
Because I've been consolidating files till my new early bedtime for two days now.
Because the garage is a little cold and boring at 4:45 a.m.
Because... Do ya really deserve it?
Because the garage is a little cold and boring at 4:45 a.m.
Because... Do ya really deserve it?
Monday, October 30, 2006
Spidey don't like sticker bushes
Gawd I love this series.
Thanks you VB and crew for bringing it back once again.
I don't go way way back, but it was my first cross race like 7 years ago. Fort Ord- the sandy side by the beach. Me and the Seal get there early-like with no one there. Dude shows up with a van and starts blasting surf guitar music out of some giant speakers. And the race was on.
Missed it last year with the little owies down below, but all is better than ever now and I have been excited about this one for a while.
Somehow I have never been to Watsonville, but have always heard good things.
When I heard about "The biggest runup this side of Gallipoli", I was on it. I'm stupid like that.
Saturday night we stay in the fairgrounds parking lot with the Nome/ GT clan, huddled together in a Outback circle while a Open Modified race roars on the racetrack, and 700 people attend a berry processing companies' party with a open bar next door in one of the giant buildings.
Nevertheless, we had a goofy fun time and all was calm by 11:30 or so.
35b race went first and it was a doozy. No callup for me after missing the first one, but I have been working on the little things and got myself into about 7th when I noticed a gap opening in front during the spiral of doom. Now or never and I bridge to the top five guys who are steaming away and catch on by the top of the runup. A small crash messes them up some and whittles it down letting PAb-zilla ride away. I had thought about how this might play out before the race and with a huge portion of the course exposed and non-technical, planned to sit on and take a occasional pull.
Now if my fitness would catch up with my bright ideas......
I went for the bridge and was joined, then dropped by a Webcor guy who did make it to PAB and ended up winning. Gave up a couple more places and thought I could get it back, but just ran out of real estate, a race that short (30 minutes) requires a almost crazy impulse to keep the pedal floored like there is no tomorrow, because there isn't.
Ended up fifth which is the best so far and I'm a happy boy.
Costume race- oh how much fun- costumes and bikes, gotta love it.
There are a million pics swirling around the net better than anything I have on my camera, but that was just plain goofy and fun.
Anytime short cuts are not only permitted, but encouraged, that's just silly and cool at the same time.
Oh, and don't run up a hill filled with little thistles in a spidey suit, least you look like a pincushion by the top.
Thanks you VB and crew for bringing it back once again.
I don't go way way back, but it was my first cross race like 7 years ago. Fort Ord- the sandy side by the beach. Me and the Seal get there early-like with no one there. Dude shows up with a van and starts blasting surf guitar music out of some giant speakers. And the race was on.
Missed it last year with the little owies down below, but all is better than ever now and I have been excited about this one for a while.
Somehow I have never been to Watsonville, but have always heard good things.
When I heard about "The biggest runup this side of Gallipoli", I was on it. I'm stupid like that.
Saturday night we stay in the fairgrounds parking lot with the Nome/ GT clan, huddled together in a Outback circle while a Open Modified race roars on the racetrack, and 700 people attend a berry processing companies' party with a open bar next door in one of the giant buildings.
Nevertheless, we had a goofy fun time and all was calm by 11:30 or so.
35b race went first and it was a doozy. No callup for me after missing the first one, but I have been working on the little things and got myself into about 7th when I noticed a gap opening in front during the spiral of doom. Now or never and I bridge to the top five guys who are steaming away and catch on by the top of the runup. A small crash messes them up some and whittles it down letting PAb-zilla ride away. I had thought about how this might play out before the race and with a huge portion of the course exposed and non-technical, planned to sit on and take a occasional pull.
Now if my fitness would catch up with my bright ideas......
I went for the bridge and was joined, then dropped by a Webcor guy who did make it to PAB and ended up winning. Gave up a couple more places and thought I could get it back, but just ran out of real estate, a race that short (30 minutes) requires a almost crazy impulse to keep the pedal floored like there is no tomorrow, because there isn't.
Ended up fifth which is the best so far and I'm a happy boy.
Costume race- oh how much fun- costumes and bikes, gotta love it.
There are a million pics swirling around the net better than anything I have on my camera, but that was just plain goofy and fun.
Anytime short cuts are not only permitted, but encouraged, that's just silly and cool at the same time.
Oh, and don't run up a hill filled with little thistles in a spidey suit, least you look like a pincushion by the top.
Friday, October 27, 2006
Change is in the air
Well, after 5 years I'm going to work a normal shift again like the rest of the bozos.
Fall turning to Winter always makes me reflect a little, seems all of my major turns in life happen in November.
I'm gonna miss some things, the freedom to just get it done by daybreak, the action at night in the streets, all that adrenaline working in neighborhoods that the cops don't enter after dark. Gonna miss the noon ride with the cast of characters and the fact that my trainer has only been used warming up for races in 5 years.
I'm getting out before it kills me, though.
I promised Miz C I would only do 6 months, now here we are in almost 2007 and Iwonder where the time went.
Little C is changing before my eyes, and I need to be around to make a mess of that parental challenge.
Mostly though, I'm always tired. Deeply sleep deprived , forgetting things in mid -sentence. After a while only the left side of the brain works at all and that's just damn boring.
I'm gonna get some sleep.
I'm gonna face some new challenges.
I'll probably be broke.
I'm dusting off the windtrainer.
Fall turning to Winter always makes me reflect a little, seems all of my major turns in life happen in November.
I'm gonna miss some things, the freedom to just get it done by daybreak, the action at night in the streets, all that adrenaline working in neighborhoods that the cops don't enter after dark. Gonna miss the noon ride with the cast of characters and the fact that my trainer has only been used warming up for races in 5 years.
I'm getting out before it kills me, though.
I promised Miz C I would only do 6 months, now here we are in almost 2007 and Iwonder where the time went.
Little C is changing before my eyes, and I need to be around to make a mess of that parental challenge.
Mostly though, I'm always tired. Deeply sleep deprived , forgetting things in mid -sentence. After a while only the left side of the brain works at all and that's just damn boring.
I'm gonna get some sleep.
I'm gonna face some new challenges.
I'll probably be broke.
I'm dusting off the windtrainer.
Sunday, October 22, 2006
Days Of Thunder
Robert Duvall Character To Tommy-Boy Cruz-" Go through the smoke, Cole! You gotta drive through the smoke!"
Yah, there have been days in my short bike racing time that this advice has come in handy.
The Albany Crit comes to mind. I went through the hole that day, only to find another racer laid out in front of me by the madly exploding crash from hell. Had to eat some of the island that day, glad to come away with nothing more serious than some dirt in my mouth and a sore neck for a coupla days.
Well Pilarcitos #2 kicked up a little smoke taday as well.
Good tough race in the 35+b, I got a spot right behind the blessed ones with the callups.
Hard sprint to the first corner with some shoulder action with another fella right from the get go.
Clipped a wheel on the first barriers but stayed in the front game till I had a small problem that got bigger on the last set of barriers when my bike went out from under me in a dismount.
Me= hacker supreme
Drove over a few wheels as guys would attack before a corner and grease it right out in front of me. Missed more than I hit though, so I guess that's a sign of progress.
Battle in the second group was pretty epic, I fell off and chased back more than a few times.
Almost made it back at the end, diced it up with one fine fellow and held back for the sprint.
Patience not one of my virtues but I forced myself to stay on the wheel and not go early, weathered his attacks, got to the chute, saw the hole on the right.... and he shut the door on me into the barriers.
Perfect move, a little nasty, but perfect.
Gotta give some props out for that one.
Yah, there have been days in my short bike racing time that this advice has come in handy.
The Albany Crit comes to mind. I went through the hole that day, only to find another racer laid out in front of me by the madly exploding crash from hell. Had to eat some of the island that day, glad to come away with nothing more serious than some dirt in my mouth and a sore neck for a coupla days.
Well Pilarcitos #2 kicked up a little smoke taday as well.
Good tough race in the 35+b, I got a spot right behind the blessed ones with the callups.
Hard sprint to the first corner with some shoulder action with another fella right from the get go.
Clipped a wheel on the first barriers but stayed in the front game till I had a small problem that got bigger on the last set of barriers when my bike went out from under me in a dismount.
Me= hacker supreme
Drove over a few wheels as guys would attack before a corner and grease it right out in front of me. Missed more than I hit though, so I guess that's a sign of progress.
Battle in the second group was pretty epic, I fell off and chased back more than a few times.
Almost made it back at the end, diced it up with one fine fellow and held back for the sprint.
Patience not one of my virtues but I forced myself to stay on the wheel and not go early, weathered his attacks, got to the chute, saw the hole on the right.... and he shut the door on me into the barriers.
Perfect move, a little nasty, but perfect.
Gotta give some props out for that one.
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