My buddy Corey sent this to me-
The horror- the horror......
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Livermore CX- Surf City Combo
Livermore on Saturday- small race again- 9 A riders at the start and one singlespeeder- (me).
I felt good and kind of hoppy/ huppy, having fun heckling the previous couple of races and all the peeps, I like this little series and wish it got more attention, and it is nice being able to ride to a race from the house.
Bridged to the lead group containing Cameron F and was feeling groovy when a moment of inattention got me and I ended up on the ground in a gravelly turn with riders trying not to smash into me, I got up slowly with some weird feeling in my quad, like a strain but worse from the hip to the knee.
I figured I would try to move easy and got back onto my bike and made it back to third as Cameron took off with another guy in tow, I rode around for a while wincing but I don't like to quit and I figured why not keep riding and see if it went away, well about 7 laps in I hit the barrier when I didn't clip out quickly enough and did some freaking wild Flying Wallendas move with the bike above me, hopping on the other leg and then somehow hitting my calf with the pedal I'm going to guess but don't really know but now I had a bruised calf as well, now the score was two owies on one leg- I got back to Jay B but lost power a bit and gave up a couple places, ended up 5th and hobbled like a old mare headed to the glue factory, not a succesfull tuneup race by any measure and feeling kind of dorky for not hitting the HOP ride instead and doing three hours upright, not like that's always so safe , but damn.
Miz C and I had a hot date celebrating two decades together, and that wasn't going to be postponed for nothin' , especially something like a sore leg, so after dropping off Little C at Merkely and Alicats ( thanks again, BTW) we headed down to Aptos to this little spot of calm and relaxation, then adjoined to a dinner here.
Wow, sleeping in was fantastic, and after a long breakfast we headed up the One a whole 4 exits to Surf City.
Spent a hour or so yakking with peeps and heckling, then I had to see if I could go for the race, lots of arnica gel seemed to work and I tried to really warmup well before as to not tweak anything further- this was a great course for me, most of it really suited me although I lost time on the turns not wanting to crash and strangely on the grass I sucked- Russell pointed out my low tire pressure which I have been fooling with this year, going lower and lower, perhaps that was the deal, though I probably just sucked :-)
Ended up 6th I believe, the silver lining is really I'm suprised I got out there at all and had fun, which is where it's at- this was a incredibly fun race and thanks to all the volunteers that put it on, the costumes were outlandish and great, and the hanging out was off the hook.
Typing this with two icepacks hanging off me- I remember a old Ironman quote from a ex-football pro who gave it a try- " It was like playing in a intensely tough football game with no hitting above the belt"- yeah , that about sums it up.
But totally worth it.
I felt good and kind of hoppy/ huppy, having fun heckling the previous couple of races and all the peeps, I like this little series and wish it got more attention, and it is nice being able to ride to a race from the house.
Bridged to the lead group containing Cameron F and was feeling groovy when a moment of inattention got me and I ended up on the ground in a gravelly turn with riders trying not to smash into me, I got up slowly with some weird feeling in my quad, like a strain but worse from the hip to the knee.
I figured I would try to move easy and got back onto my bike and made it back to third as Cameron took off with another guy in tow, I rode around for a while wincing but I don't like to quit and I figured why not keep riding and see if it went away, well about 7 laps in I hit the barrier when I didn't clip out quickly enough and did some freaking wild Flying Wallendas move with the bike above me, hopping on the other leg and then somehow hitting my calf with the pedal I'm going to guess but don't really know but now I had a bruised calf as well, now the score was two owies on one leg- I got back to Jay B but lost power a bit and gave up a couple places, ended up 5th and hobbled like a old mare headed to the glue factory, not a succesfull tuneup race by any measure and feeling kind of dorky for not hitting the HOP ride instead and doing three hours upright, not like that's always so safe , but damn.
Miz C and I had a hot date celebrating two decades together, and that wasn't going to be postponed for nothin' , especially something like a sore leg, so after dropping off Little C at Merkely and Alicats ( thanks again, BTW) we headed down to Aptos to this little spot of calm and relaxation, then adjoined to a dinner here.
Wow, sleeping in was fantastic, and after a long breakfast we headed up the One a whole 4 exits to Surf City.
Spent a hour or so yakking with peeps and heckling, then I had to see if I could go for the race, lots of arnica gel seemed to work and I tried to really warmup well before as to not tweak anything further- this was a great course for me, most of it really suited me although I lost time on the turns not wanting to crash and strangely on the grass I sucked- Russell pointed out my low tire pressure which I have been fooling with this year, going lower and lower, perhaps that was the deal, though I probably just sucked :-)
Ended up 6th I believe, the silver lining is really I'm suprised I got out there at all and had fun, which is where it's at- this was a incredibly fun race and thanks to all the volunteers that put it on, the costumes were outlandish and great, and the hanging out was off the hook.
Typing this with two icepacks hanging off me- I remember a old Ironman quote from a ex-football pro who gave it a try- " It was like playing in a intensely tough football game with no hitting above the belt"- yeah , that about sums it up.
But totally worth it.
Friday, October 24, 2008
Zoot Suit Riot
Little C and her partner made the final four tonight, ending up with third.The first 7th graders to do that in recent memory.
They spun so fast at times I got dizzy watching, the gym was packed and screaming, they both stepped up to the pressure and went faster and faster, wow!
I'm going to miss my daily visit at lunch towatch the competition, it was a fun two weeks!
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Swing Dance Fever, baby!
The competition at lunch has gone on for almost two weeks, starting with about 120- 150 couples they are down to 25 with two days of cuts to go.Not a lot of noon rides for me right now- this is way more fun to watch!
Saturday, October 18, 2008
A race in Livermore
LARPD today, tiny race in the A's.
Too bad because the course was really good.
But those that were there fought it out hard and to the bitter.
In the end it came down to a Lobster, a Beer, and a Spiderman.
Classy move by the Lobster to wait for the Beer after a mishap on the quintuple barrier a few laps in.
Good stuff and I'm bummed to miss Mclaren tommorrow.
photo by Casey Kerrigan- thanks!
Too bad because the course was really good.
But those that were there fought it out hard and to the bitter.
In the end it came down to a Lobster, a Beer, and a Spiderman.
Classy move by the Lobster to wait for the Beer after a mishap on the quintuple barrier a few laps in.
Good stuff and I'm bummed to miss Mclaren tommorrow.
photo by Casey Kerrigan- thanks!
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Six Dollar Burgers and Carrot Cake
Had to treat myself a bit after a very tough race at Laguna Seca.
200 feet of climbing per lap- 10 laps- 2k in a hour.
Mentally tough to get up for it, that was more than half the battle knowing how much it would hurt, how quickly it would blow apart, a long trip to negative town starting on Saturday night, but I decided while riding around with J to ride my ride, do my thing and not trip out too much.......
Double to 3x the field size today in the single speed, folks coming out of the woodwork to get a piece of that NCNCA pie, I guess.
Some new challengers and some real talent put the hammer to lots of guys but in the end the Buy Cell Duo came real close to going one two again, to only be bested by a young pro mtn bike stud- serious power to weight ratios on display today, folks.
My personal highlight was getting the holeshot to the first climb- I muttered to someone as I rolled by to grab a picture, cause you don't often see me on the front front of one of these affairs.
The hill played havoc with me as well as everyone else and by the 3rd lap I was almost falling off my bike at the top barrier, then struggling with the idea of re clipping for a few moments while bouncing down the other side, not pretty and I probably gave up a minute if you added it up right there.
Anyhow, I did have fun , if your not having a good time you should look at yourself in the mirror some, cause we are all amateurs out there when it's said and done.
I saw cupcakes out there, but never saw the source, or I would have grabbed one.
Tecate feeds don't appeal to me, but I saw that too and appreciate the idea.
I heart the cross crowd oh so much, awwww.
And that cow was good good good after, I rode yesterday with a vegan and watched her turn down Cheese Board Pizza,
AAAAAGH,
vegans can type comments and break it down to your hearts content, I understand personal choice and all and thats' great, but 2k worth of eyeball-popping 42 x 18 pukervals was definitely deserving of some cow and bacon.
YUM
200 feet of climbing per lap- 10 laps- 2k in a hour.
Mentally tough to get up for it, that was more than half the battle knowing how much it would hurt, how quickly it would blow apart, a long trip to negative town starting on Saturday night, but I decided while riding around with J to ride my ride, do my thing and not trip out too much.......
Double to 3x the field size today in the single speed, folks coming out of the woodwork to get a piece of that NCNCA pie, I guess.
Some new challengers and some real talent put the hammer to lots of guys but in the end the Buy Cell Duo came real close to going one two again, to only be bested by a young pro mtn bike stud- serious power to weight ratios on display today, folks.
My personal highlight was getting the holeshot to the first climb- I muttered to someone as I rolled by to grab a picture, cause you don't often see me on the front front of one of these affairs.
The hill played havoc with me as well as everyone else and by the 3rd lap I was almost falling off my bike at the top barrier, then struggling with the idea of re clipping for a few moments while bouncing down the other side, not pretty and I probably gave up a minute if you added it up right there.
Anyhow, I did have fun , if your not having a good time you should look at yourself in the mirror some, cause we are all amateurs out there when it's said and done.
I saw cupcakes out there, but never saw the source, or I would have grabbed one.
Tecate feeds don't appeal to me, but I saw that too and appreciate the idea.
I heart the cross crowd oh so much, awwww.
And that cow was good good good after, I rode yesterday with a vegan and watched her turn down Cheese Board Pizza,
AAAAAGH,
vegans can type comments and break it down to your hearts content, I understand personal choice and all and thats' great, but 2k worth of eyeball-popping 42 x 18 pukervals was definitely deserving of some cow and bacon.
YUM
Sunday, October 05, 2008
IMG00029.jpg
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Sunday, September 28, 2008
CCCX 2-Travel Camp- I can't drive
Weird rest week for me- every time I tried to go hard I felt crappy and turned it into a easy ride, even today I didn't feel particularly good or have any pop on the warmup.
Travel Camp- not my favorite course, just too mountainbikey for me to do well and my 185 lbs don't like the hills much.
I have been trying to learn to up the game in the skillz, but have so far to go- I must say the tubies really help a hack like me though.
Usual suspects at the SS A start line, we have had our own start this year which I really really like, with the A's together it get's jumbled and the game gets played differently, chasing geared bikes and getting pulled along.
This year we catch the stragglers in the A's but they don't affect the race.
START-
I stepped down into my pedal and promptly knocked the water bottle off and bent the cage into the crank while everyone rode away, had to bend it back and get my bottle back on the next lap from Jasmin's mom who helped out with the feeds, etc.
Caught back on remarkably and rode around with the three amigos for a lap until the next little stunt- driving into Tim Cannards' wheel repeatedly until taking a spill was required just to right the karmic balance of the world. Took my lumps and caught on again, I was having a few trubbles everytime we went around a corner and let the gap open and did the yo yo for a lap, thne I flipped into a bush, completely ass over tea kettle while bombing down some crap.
Took stock and noticed the red leaves all around me, graaaayte!
Gotta love Tecnu later :-)
Hopped back on and somehow caught on again, at this point I was kind of in disbelief and really wanted to stop crashing, so sat in for a lap or two and tried to drive right.
Heading up the gradual hill- I notice- two Buy Cell at the front with one pulling away while the other rides tempo. Next is Ruben who is spent apparently and cannot chase.
I am in the back in the singletrack now. This is bad. Now I cannot see Tim anymore and Cesar takes a bobble in the loose sand.
We hit the back road and Tim has a 30 second gap.
Putanelli Putanelli Putanelli.
I engage and chase, but have no help. I then try to attack Cesar, one time it looks good, but then I get dragged back. this goes on for three laps until AJM laps us.
The most frustrating thing about today- not understanding the lead lap rule and not realizing we were now on our last lap.
I just rode in for fourth behind those guys- just rode in.
Frustrating but eventually even this blockhead will get it.
Many fun and cool things today though, before this sounds too much like sour grapes and racer woulda shoulda coulda....
Lot's of peeps getting down with the suffer faces and ballet moves over the barriers- you know who you were and it was great to heckle/ cheer.
This year the SS bunch has been tactical all the way-very interesting racing and ton's of battles along the way.
Bring back that dude in the tight shorts, I say!
Crazy drive home with some crash I'm gonna guess at the flea market on 101- we took a detour through Watsonville and got home at 6:30, long day but fun times.
Travel Camp- not my favorite course, just too mountainbikey for me to do well and my 185 lbs don't like the hills much.
I have been trying to learn to up the game in the skillz, but have so far to go- I must say the tubies really help a hack like me though.
Usual suspects at the SS A start line, we have had our own start this year which I really really like, with the A's together it get's jumbled and the game gets played differently, chasing geared bikes and getting pulled along.
This year we catch the stragglers in the A's but they don't affect the race.
START-
I stepped down into my pedal and promptly knocked the water bottle off and bent the cage into the crank while everyone rode away, had to bend it back and get my bottle back on the next lap from Jasmin's mom who helped out with the feeds, etc.
Caught back on remarkably and rode around with the three amigos for a lap until the next little stunt- driving into Tim Cannards' wheel repeatedly until taking a spill was required just to right the karmic balance of the world. Took my lumps and caught on again, I was having a few trubbles everytime we went around a corner and let the gap open and did the yo yo for a lap, thne I flipped into a bush, completely ass over tea kettle while bombing down some crap.
Took stock and noticed the red leaves all around me, graaaayte!
Gotta love Tecnu later :-)
Hopped back on and somehow caught on again, at this point I was kind of in disbelief and really wanted to stop crashing, so sat in for a lap or two and tried to drive right.
Heading up the gradual hill- I notice- two Buy Cell at the front with one pulling away while the other rides tempo. Next is Ruben who is spent apparently and cannot chase.
I am in the back in the singletrack now. This is bad. Now I cannot see Tim anymore and Cesar takes a bobble in the loose sand.
We hit the back road and Tim has a 30 second gap.
Putanelli Putanelli Putanelli.
I engage and chase, but have no help. I then try to attack Cesar, one time it looks good, but then I get dragged back. this goes on for three laps until AJM laps us.
The most frustrating thing about today- not understanding the lead lap rule and not realizing we were now on our last lap.
I just rode in for fourth behind those guys- just rode in.
Frustrating but eventually even this blockhead will get it.
Many fun and cool things today though, before this sounds too much like sour grapes and racer woulda shoulda coulda....
Lot's of peeps getting down with the suffer faces and ballet moves over the barriers- you know who you were and it was great to heckle/ cheer.
This year the SS bunch has been tactical all the way-very interesting racing and ton's of battles along the way.
Bring back that dude in the tight shorts, I say!
Crazy drive home with some crash I'm gonna guess at the flea market on 101- we took a detour through Watsonville and got home at 6:30, long day but fun times.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Not My Kid
Saturday whilst I was getting to know the House Of Pain ride a bit better and questioning the intelligence of echeloning over a center line on a open road...
Miz C and Little C did the Back To School run here in town, a little run that happens on the same course as the local triathlon the next day, not anything special, except for the goody bags.
This little gem is sponsored by Nob Hill Foods, and the goody bags are , well, full of goodies and specialty foods.
I came home from my happy hundred famished to find a entire kitchen table full of cool morsels, from green tea drinks to cocoa covered almonds, YUM!
A entire box of Minty electrolyte water in the hallway , and this story......
This run also has a great raffle, not as good as the Bidwell Park race, but pretty good.
Miz C had just broken her MP3 player and was in the hunt.
Some major visualization exercises later, the magic number was drawn and the spouse now has a sparkly green Shuffle, very sweet!
But wait, another number is still in the hat for the kiddo, and yes, she drew one too.
The wife sees some discussion up at the table, then she comes back sans Shuffle.
" I decided I already have one at home.... let someone else get a chance....."
another little girl won it and was ecstatic.
I have no idea where the kid gets that nice giving streak, I woulda traded it for bike parts in a minute :-)
Highly impressed.
Miz C and Little C did the Back To School run here in town, a little run that happens on the same course as the local triathlon the next day, not anything special, except for the goody bags.
This little gem is sponsored by Nob Hill Foods, and the goody bags are , well, full of goodies and specialty foods.
I came home from my happy hundred famished to find a entire kitchen table full of cool morsels, from green tea drinks to cocoa covered almonds, YUM!
A entire box of Minty electrolyte water in the hallway , and this story......
This run also has a great raffle, not as good as the Bidwell Park race, but pretty good.
Miz C had just broken her MP3 player and was in the hunt.
Some major visualization exercises later, the magic number was drawn and the spouse now has a sparkly green Shuffle, very sweet!
But wait, another number is still in the hat for the kiddo, and yes, she drew one too.
The wife sees some discussion up at the table, then she comes back sans Shuffle.
" I decided I already have one at home.... let someone else get a chance....."
another little girl won it and was ecstatic.
I have no idea where the kid gets that nice giving streak, I woulda traded it for bike parts in a minute :-)
Highly impressed.
Friday, September 19, 2008
Cyclocross Thoughts-
A e-mail sent to me from Jimbo- the boy draws a interesting parallel-
"You know I think the Catholics invented Cyclocross, never spending much time really seated always changing your position
it's all about the suffering and it's usually done on a Sunday."
I think some Jim Carroll may be appropriate for tommorrow's ride........
Sunday I join the Tubular Nation, not just for euro- cool dudes anymore I guess and the craze has filtered down to lil' old me, running Tufo Flexus on some NOS Wolber semi- deeps laced to WTB singlespeed hubs.
Let us pray for no flats, my friend.
You will not see these at old abandoned dumpsite races, I promise you.
The happy trails call, but how cool is it that there are THREE great races on Sunday- CCCX, Chicofest 2008, and Ride The World Cups down at Hellyer.
Fall cycling- just too cool.
"You know I think the Catholics invented Cyclocross, never spending much time really seated always changing your position
it's all about the suffering and it's usually done on a Sunday."
I think some Jim Carroll may be appropriate for tommorrow's ride........
Sunday I join the Tubular Nation, not just for euro- cool dudes anymore I guess and the craze has filtered down to lil' old me, running Tufo Flexus on some NOS Wolber semi- deeps laced to WTB singlespeed hubs.
Let us pray for no flats, my friend.
You will not see these at old abandoned dumpsite races, I promise you.
The happy trails call, but how cool is it that there are THREE great races on Sunday- CCCX, Chicofest 2008, and Ride The World Cups down at Hellyer.
Fall cycling- just too cool.
Monday, September 15, 2008
LARPD 2 - the heatwave subsides
Much nicer weather this week in Livermore, the fall is my favorite time to ride.
I'm doing some hard blocks now and had my own little stage race with motorpacing Friday, racing Saturday in Livermore, and a hilly 3 hours and change on Sunday involving Sierra Road.
I barely got a blip up in the CTL from all that, though, stuck on the plateau and no matter how hard I hit it I'm kind of treading water fitness wise.
Anyway it's all good and any excuse to ride a bike, no?
A couple tidbits from the weekend-
I can't seem to willingly hit the roller on the motorcycle, I get close but chicken out a bit. I'll bet the next time I do, though.
Cesar is still the big Rott on the porch, I hung for 5 laps and screwed up a corner and away he went with one other guy.
Nice riding on his part with lot's of corner accelerations, slowly broke a couple of us down.
Silver lining the gap never went out of control beyond a minute or so and the only guy that lapped me was AJM on the last lap, that guy is flying already, where you gotta slow down and watch the riding from across the lawn it's so sweet :-)
Great seeing new riders coming out and sampling the racing, I saw some big smiles and some tuff scrapes from the Livermore gravel, good stuff.
Happy Fall!
I'm doing some hard blocks now and had my own little stage race with motorpacing Friday, racing Saturday in Livermore, and a hilly 3 hours and change on Sunday involving Sierra Road.
I barely got a blip up in the CTL from all that, though, stuck on the plateau and no matter how hard I hit it I'm kind of treading water fitness wise.
Anyway it's all good and any excuse to ride a bike, no?
A couple tidbits from the weekend-
I can't seem to willingly hit the roller on the motorcycle, I get close but chicken out a bit. I'll bet the next time I do, though.
Cesar is still the big Rott on the porch, I hung for 5 laps and screwed up a corner and away he went with one other guy.
Nice riding on his part with lot's of corner accelerations, slowly broke a couple of us down.
Silver lining the gap never went out of control beyond a minute or so and the only guy that lapped me was AJM on the last lap, that guy is flying already, where you gotta slow down and watch the riding from across the lawn it's so sweet :-)
Great seeing new riders coming out and sampling the racing, I saw some big smiles and some tuff scrapes from the Livermore gravel, good stuff.
Happy Fall!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Autumn Harvest
The last tree- the apples got picked last week, this weekend was the Kawakami pears.
Vegetables are still going strong, I have 10 tomatoes just waiting to be picked for the tomato/ mozzarella insalata....
I want more trees next year!
Sunday, September 07, 2008
LARPD CX # 1
Started the day off doing a practice triathlon with roughly 150-200 newbie women triathletes- considering we were expecting 60 we held up well and didn't lose anyone- great enthusiasm out of new athletes is contagious, at one point while marking the run course with flour I realized I was running in a team jacket, helmet, and MTB shoes- such a dork, no wonder the joggers going the other way were snickering :-)
Marshaled the bike course and got in some good efforts chasing down wayward riders, then made my way from Shadow Cliffs to Robertson Park for the opener of the cross season.
Hot hot hot, but I liked the new location, some grass that was incredibly humid in the heat but in a good kind of jungle way, some long crosswind gravel sections, and Woodchip Alley.
This year I have decided to like woodchips and will not fear them.
I practiced my dismounts some before and in general just rode around before the start and practiced getting on and off without incident :-)
I had a big gear on my SS for the ride over and just rolled with it, the course lent itself to a continous effort on the pedals without much on-off.
Roughly 17-20 guys in the A's with 5 SS loons, I just rode my pace from the beginning, 102 degrees or so and a hour race gave me more caution than usual.
I tried to pair up with a geared guy every time over the open sections, thne take my turns on the chips and such, seemed to be fair and I got closer to the main pod after 3 laps, but then it splintered more and more and it turned into catching one guy after another.
Good drool/snot thing going, a hallmark of a good tuff effort and I just kept it on, made it up to probably 7th place or so, then got gapped off on the barriers when he hopped/ rode the uphill and couldn't make it back on, stupid crash with one to go on a gravelly turn that had me taking inventory for a second, but hopped back up and finished in good shape.
Long hot ride home with multiple stops for water along the way, got a chill while talking to Russell apres race and that caught my attention, got to take care of onesself in the heat.
Top step on the podium and that was way cool, anytime the big rottweiler on the porch known as Cesar ain't around us little scamps can play a bit :-)
Good stuff and fun seeing all the cross peeps!
J
Marshaled the bike course and got in some good efforts chasing down wayward riders, then made my way from Shadow Cliffs to Robertson Park for the opener of the cross season.
Hot hot hot, but I liked the new location, some grass that was incredibly humid in the heat but in a good kind of jungle way, some long crosswind gravel sections, and Woodchip Alley.
This year I have decided to like woodchips and will not fear them.
I practiced my dismounts some before and in general just rode around before the start and practiced getting on and off without incident :-)
I had a big gear on my SS for the ride over and just rolled with it, the course lent itself to a continous effort on the pedals without much on-off.
Roughly 17-20 guys in the A's with 5 SS loons, I just rode my pace from the beginning, 102 degrees or so and a hour race gave me more caution than usual.
I tried to pair up with a geared guy every time over the open sections, thne take my turns on the chips and such, seemed to be fair and I got closer to the main pod after 3 laps, but then it splintered more and more and it turned into catching one guy after another.
Good drool/snot thing going, a hallmark of a good tuff effort and I just kept it on, made it up to probably 7th place or so, then got gapped off on the barriers when he hopped/ rode the uphill and couldn't make it back on, stupid crash with one to go on a gravelly turn that had me taking inventory for a second, but hopped back up and finished in good shape.
Long hot ride home with multiple stops for water along the way, got a chill while talking to Russell apres race and that caught my attention, got to take care of onesself in the heat.
Top step on the podium and that was way cool, anytime the big rottweiler on the porch known as Cesar ain't around us little scamps can play a bit :-)
Good stuff and fun seeing all the cross peeps!
J
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Eugene Celebration Cat 3
Finish stretch of the queen stage of the Eugene Celebration Stage race- 84 miles of hills and flats.
1k hill at the end saw Nome take the win and 2nd on GC.
Vickerator was en fuego and destroyed all in the ITT.
Wilson from SN helped immensely and the favor will not be forgotten.
The Willamette Valley has some beautiful cycling- a bit of rain in the crit but all good.
A bit of culture shock coming back home today.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Eugene Celebration
Good rides today by all in the first RR.
Nome up a minute with two other guys, I did my best to clean up after.
Good stuff.
J
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Nome up a minute with two other guys, I did my best to clean up after.
Good stuff.
J
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
cut em off
It's silly, I know.
And obviously doesn't help with the bikin'
But sometimes gains and goals don't follow reason, just what makes you happy.
And repping the NFL combine weight for bench 7 times today before work gave me a smile all night.
Stronger and lighter than I was 15 years ago.
Yippee!
Sunday, August 17, 2008
Middle Palisade
The walk in- you can see Middle Pal and Norman Clyde in the background
A closer view as we approached from the west side of Finger Lake- the glaciers are getting smaller every year.
Kyle ruminating on the value of a shortcut over the glacier while wearing approach shoes, hmmm.
The boys on the summit block, I was on the block to the north, I thought this was the summit till I climbed it and realized the south block was higher, oh well, a good place to shoot a few.
Kyle looking out north towards Norman Clyde and Polemonium and Sill in the background- I hope to go back for Poly and Sill next year.
Norman befits it's namesake and is a bad mo fo that is wayyy over my head.
A happy Seal. Dave handling it all with aplomb.
Bluebird weather, it was colder in the Bay Area tonight when I got home, just a sweet trip.
A happy Seal. Dave handling it all with aplomb.Bluebird weather, it was colder in the Bay Area tonight when I got home, just a sweet trip.Friday, August 15, 2008
Welcome Back
Hot damn Carrera was fun- good to see my compadre back at it as well- both of us coming back and shaking the rust off....
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
I needed Tuesday's legs on Saturday....
but Carrera was a blast anyway!
Good to be back racing, the masters race was quite tuff but safe.
I mostly sat in and struggled to close gaps/not hit my pedal/hide from the headwind. No teammates so I got to watch the shenanigans a bit and learn a couple things .
With 1.5 to go a little lull after a break came back and I saw some daylight for a second and went for the low- percentage last lap flyer, I got gobbled with a half lap to go and got back in line like a little whipped puppy.....
Cat 3 race was definitely more brakes and ballooning than I would prefer, not a lot slower, though. Where I was trying to hang onto a wheel through turns 3 and 4 in the masters, I now was trying not to hit a wheel or just passing folks in the turn-
Not stupid bad but not as fun or smooth.
I also noticed this weird thing where the guys from the back would come up the side, then back off right at the front and not commit, this sucked for me hitching a ride up on their coattails and I would slide back again since 8 across into a corner just seemed like a bad idea to me. This happened a few times, but I was really pretty tired from the previous race and at the end realized I wouldn't know what to do if I did get up there for the inevitable sprint as my legs were about out of pop.
All in all a fun race and maybe more important the Vickerator joined me for the cat 3 race, welcome back, buddy!
That's a tuff first race back.
Good to be back racing, the masters race was quite tuff but safe.
I mostly sat in and struggled to close gaps/not hit my pedal/hide from the headwind. No teammates so I got to watch the shenanigans a bit and learn a couple things .
With 1.5 to go a little lull after a break came back and I saw some daylight for a second and went for the low- percentage last lap flyer, I got gobbled with a half lap to go and got back in line like a little whipped puppy.....
Cat 3 race was definitely more brakes and ballooning than I would prefer, not a lot slower, though. Where I was trying to hang onto a wheel through turns 3 and 4 in the masters, I now was trying not to hit a wheel or just passing folks in the turn-
Not stupid bad but not as fun or smooth.
I also noticed this weird thing where the guys from the back would come up the side, then back off right at the front and not commit, this sucked for me hitching a ride up on their coattails and I would slide back again since 8 across into a corner just seemed like a bad idea to me. This happened a few times, but I was really pretty tired from the previous race and at the end realized I wouldn't know what to do if I did get up there for the inevitable sprint as my legs were about out of pop.
All in all a fun race and maybe more important the Vickerator joined me for the cat 3 race, welcome back, buddy!
That's a tuff first race back.
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