Happy Holidays

Time to get everyone back up to speed.

My camera decided to stop working after 4 years of hard work, so for now all I have is grainy pictures from the phone until I decide to splurge for a new digital camera.

Last Sunday Hutch, Seth, Matt, and I hit up the snowshoes for a great hike. Our turn around point was the frozen lake, but not before getting out on it and having some fun.

Hutch and Seth got thirsty.
Last Monday I flew home to surprise my parents for Christmas. It was good to be home after not going back the last two years for any holidays. No pictures needed, just a lot of food and family.

I got back on Thursday to a driveway full of work. Welcome back to winter in Colorado.

Last night we went out with the guys and got Mr. Pink to sing some Karaoke, I took some pics but the quality is so bad its not worth posting, but it was funny.

Its sunny again outside but the wind never seems to go away lately. Time for more trainer, then this coming Saturday its back to Austin for the Team Rio Grande training camp, where we will actually get to ride outside. I know I'm excited.

Off to Texas

Heading home for a few days, back to FBG. I'll have a good photo dump when I get back to catch everyone up. Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas.

Skiing

Well no pics again, so you don't have to read if you don't want to. I know its the pictures that makes the stories.

But for those who are reading, I'll say its nice to see the sun again. Friday was a snowy day but we headed up to Winter Park to get some slope time in. It was my first time back out since last December so there was a good layer of rust, but I got most of it knocked off and ready to get back up again. It was fun, but very cold and my choice of eye protection was the wrong one. I chose to wear my riding sunglasses, which fogged up everytime I exhailed. This made for most of the runs blind, but I almost made the entire day without crashing until the last run.

This weekend has flown by. A few guys coming over in an hour for dinner here then hitting up the movies. Looks like it will be time to ride outside again this week, which is much needed since training camp is coming up in two weeks and need to be in shape to get in shape.

Off The Path

Well as stated this morning it is snowing again, and its time to embrace it.
I hit up the trails, well mostly off the trail, for some snowshoeing.

It was great, and one great workout when you just push the pace fast and hard in snow a foot and a half deep.

Tomorrow it should be sunny again, but I think this might become a daily ritual. Trainer then snowshoe or maybe ski. Let me know if anyone is up for joining in the festivities.

Let It Snow, I Think I Used That Title Last Year

I think the count is now at 4 out of 5. Thats days of snow.

It may finally be coming down and its the second week in December, but its nice to now be able to ski on good slopes and snowshoe pretty much anywhere you want. Yet, I will be on the trainer again today, but not 2A for me, thats the weekend ride, I'm thinking more of starting the training week off with a 1. I am guessing Seth and I are going to probably be the only ones who understand that, but its part of the secret indoor trainer workout program guide.

The Team and Stuff

Team Rio Grande

From left to right, back to front: (back row) Allen Krughoff, Dan Porter, Brian Kendall, Corey Carlson, Whitey DeBroux, Rio Grande owner Pat McGaughran (front row) Joe Saperstein, Ryan Hamity, Brad Bingham, Taylor Shelden, Taylor Kneuven, and Team Manager Scott Glasscock.

Last night was our first official serious meeting for the upcoming year. Stuff was signed, races were talked about, food was ate. This next year should be a great one.

Not much esle to post, its a trainer day again today as it is snowing outside. Snowshoe time is fast approaching and I can't wait cause it means an option other than the trainer.

I have my old Specialized up for sale if anyone is interested, let me know. http://www.coachkendall.com/Shopping.html

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=330196128206&ssPageName=ADME:X:AAQ:US:1123

Inside, Again on a Sunny Day

Yesterday was a hard day, legs were toasty after the run up flagstaff and four mile at above threshold. So today was going to be a nice flat day with a few sprints, nothing bad, just a few hours. But noooooo, it had to be windy, gusting to 50mph. So the trainer is set up, and yet I sit here writing this trying to get these last few minutes of procrastination. Nothing good on TV so it looks like I'll go for a movie.

So if anyone wants to call me here in the next few minutes to prolong this even more, that would be great.

Torture Day One

Well I got the torture device up and running, went and bought a trainer tire, found some preloaded course from the Coors Classic. Started rolling it, and just 15minutes into it the trainer tire blew up. Great.

So tomorrow will be round two, new tire, and a new course, maybe the Mt. Evans Hillclimb, yes it is a preloaded course.

The Computrainer

I present to you the newest contraption of death, the computrainer. This will no longer make my days stuck inside lazy off days, but days of torture. I complain now, and while I'm riding it, but it will keep the training rolling along as it should be and make me happier once spring rolls around.
I forgot to post this picture last week while I was dog sitting, sorry Dempsey, its a little late but here it is.

R.I.P. T-Mobile

http://www.cyclingnews.com/news.php?id=news/2007/nov07/nov28news

The Sickness

Today I finally figured out why I've been so tired the last few days. I've been fighting some kind of sickness off and this morning I woke up to find that I lost the battle. So instead of a nice long ride outside on the warmest day in a week I was curled up on the couch watching football, still not a bad day.

One thing that I always notice about long periods of time in front of the TV is the number of times you see the same ads. With it being close to Christmas every other commercial is...a jewelry ad, then all the other ones are car commercials. But Kay Jewelers slogan started to get to me after a while. Every Kiss Begins With Kay. Really.......REALLY? Think about that, EVERY Kiss. There would be some dead broke fools out there if this was anywhere near true. And if you had to buy her jewelry to get a kiss from her, you're with the wrong girl.

Sorry, that was just a short, and scary trip inside my mind.

Turkey Day

Yesterday, was a long day. Up early to walk the dog. Then got to cooking, now I know why my mom was up at 4am every holiday morning.

With everything going on I forgot to take a before pic of the turkey, but it wasn't in one piece very long.

We all took turns just ripping into it.
Then the vast amounts of tryptophan took its toll and we all hit the couch for some football and naps.

Awe, so cute.

Awe, so cu..... not so much, just me and the dog.

After our naps Mr. Pink and I went to see Hitman. Nothing like watching a non stop shooting movie to make you feel like a bada$$ and want to be a cool killing agent. I guess I get that from watching non stop old school Bonds growing up.

Then Mr. Pink, Mr. Drake and I hit the bar in Boulder, yes they were open to our surprise, to play some pool and hangout.

All in all, great day. Today is cloudy and a little snowy, a good day to recover from the food.

Finally, Snow

Good Morning.

Team Night

Sunday = more dirt roads, climbing, and great views.
Yesterday was our first team meeting for the upcoming season. Man, I forgot how far Ft. Collins is from here. We were a little late getting up there but it was a good time. We got the Sugoi talk, then hit the food and margaritas. Good times ensued.

And once again the rollercoaster of weather in Colorado has hit again. Yesterday about 80 degrees and nice, today sunny but 30 degrees with snow on the way. I think I should have ridden yesterday and taken today off.

The Reason I Love to Ride

So once again we saddle up and head for the mountains from downtown Denver. Just me, Seth, and Joey.

At Seth's request, this picture is titled, "Mmmmm, Fatty hungry."
I believe that this ride today can be called Epic. Maybe not full blown Epic, but registered on the lower end of the Epic scale. Denver to Golden, up Golden Gate Canyon, Up Robinson Hill Road, then dirt back to Golden Gate and up and over the two summits to Golden and on back to Denver.

The Colorado backcountry as seen by dirt.

It can't even register as any type of Epic unless it has dirt. This ride wasn't too long, just 4 hrs, but the terrain was steep. Gotta love when you are granny gearing it on dirt and almost stall due to the steepness and lack of traction.

It feels like its time for a nap, but really off to dinner and a night out. Yes, I will be sleeping in tomorrow.

Food

Its too early on a Saturday morning to be up, but Seth, Joey, and I are doing a long ride today, pics to come later.

Best thing to get me out of bed early is homemade pancakes, and coffee of course.
I also got my first round of holiday cookies from my mom, Thanks Mom!

I have to say almost half of them are gone already, what can I say, I love cookies.

Ride and Cleaning

Yesterday morning it was cold. How cold was it, you ask. Well you know its cold outside when the pile of clothes you have to put on to stay warm looks more like a dirty clothes pile.

Yes of course the sun finally came out at 2pm right after my ride. This morning its pretty cold too but the the sun is out already and is starting to warm up some.

I've decided to stay in my same apartment for another year, and even though I've kept it really clean, the carpets looked like they needed some attention. I hit the Home Depot and picked up this beauty.

After a few hours of work the whole place had been gone over twice really well. You know it needed to be cleaned when the clear water that went in more resembles my morning coffee. I'll go over the place one more time this afternoon before I return it, but the place is looking just as new as the first day I moved in.

Turkey Day Dinner

Thanksgiving Day Dinner

November 22nd @ 3pm

The Kendall Place

Come one, Come all

RSVP by November 20th

Leave a comment if you don't have my phone#

Bring a side, Turkey and stuffing provided

There will even be some of this magic

Pics

Its fun being a model, but instead of a runway, we had Lookout Mtn.

Group Ride

Its November 10th and the weather is still holding out for some really good days of riding. Today we got some of the guys together to roll up into the high country for a 4hr ride.

Brad, Taylor, Allen, Jared, and Ryan cruising up St. Vrain on our way to Peak to Peak.

At the top the skies started giving us the look of something bad on the horizon so we cut down Super James into Jamestown and back home over Old Stage.
It was a great day, half of the guys are still on the relax and do nothing schedule while the others of us are back to the grind of getting ready for next year.

What does suck about these days is you get off bike after 4 hrs at 3pm and the sun is already about to set behind the mountains, makes the days feel kind of empty but I guess I can't complain as long as I am abe to keep getting this nice rides in outside.

Catch Up

Again, I am slacking, but I swear I have some good excuses.

Lately I've been swamped with training, cyclocross watching (Pic below from this weekends UCI race here in Boulder), reading/studying, working on the website, searching for clients, and a few other million things. But now the website is to the point that I have it the way I want it, and am getting used to the training schedule again.
Next up is advertising for the coaching (so if anyone out there is looking or knows of someone looking, send them my way), and looking for a new place to live once my lease is up here at the start of the new year.

The Website

www.CoachKendall.com

Pics

Time to catch up on the pictures.

The pumpkin carvings..

A close up..

The only thing better about carving pumpkins is making pumpkin pies.

Found this photo from a Halloween party on Wednesday. The funny part is the guy dressed as Cher, is none other than Scott "The IceMan" Moninger.

Last weekend my old college roommate was in town to hangout. Bobby, Chelsea, and Me.

Sorry, Yet Again....

.....for the lack of updates.

Its pumpkin pickin time!
This last weekend my old college roommate came up to hangout. It was great to see him again after three years, and all of the old times of getting into trouble were relived.

But now it is back to the training. I am officially calling it.....it is now training time, next year will be here before you know it.

Also I am getting certified as a USA Cycling Coach and going to begin coaching as a job to hopefully sustain myself in cycling next year while doing NRC's with Rio Grande. I should have a website up by the end of the week, but if anyone whats to go ahead and give me a shout let me know (720-771-5198). I am trying to stay within TX and maybe some CO, but talk to me and we can see what we can work out no matter where you are at. Most of the philosophy will follow the training practices of Michael Carter and Max Testa, so you know you can't go wrong.

Oh yeah, and I can't believe the Rockies got swept, it was a sad night last night.

Winter Weather

The average date for the first snow fall down here in the foothills is Oct 18th. Last year we got it bad in Sept already but this year we held out for Oct 21st.
Nothing goes better with a morning like this.

Yesterday I hit up a long ride and some cross watching at Interlocken. Another cross race today but I think I might spend most of my day inside, but probably not on the trainer.

I Like Espresso

Best invention ever. If you don't have a Moka Pot I recommend the Mukka Express. Espressos and Cappuccinos just minutes away.
I've using the PowerTap the last few days and have realized how much I have shorted myself on the training the last few years. The workouts should have been a lot harder, but now I know and time to step it up. Man I can't wait to see what it will do for me this next season.

Also, if anyone is looking for a roommate, I have an extra bedroom I am trying to fill. Let me know.

Time to check the weather for tomorrow.

Snow!

Yesterday afternoon's picking up of the Powertap turned into a pumpkin carving, pie baking, and seed roasting party. It was awesome, some very original designs. Allen's being the best, but he did put a total of 5.5hrs into it from concept to fully carved. (More pics to come)

Today I got the Powertap all set up and rolled it around up Lookout to see how things worked on it. Over analyzing of numbers here I come!

And yes, after yesterday's nasty weather, there is finally some snow close to home.

1/65th

I tried to upload a picture to show how the day was going, but words can draw a better picture. Dark, rainy, foggy, and cold. They say that the Denver area averages 300 days of sunshine every year, leaving just 65 for these types of days. But I guess when you really think about it, that is still two months worth of dark and rainy.

What I was hoping it would be the first snowfall down here on the frontrange but it is what I am guess to be the last rain of the year. Seems weird hearing that A-Basin already opened the ski slopes on Oct 10th making it the earliest opening ever, and we still haven't seen a flake here. Still the feel of winter is all around, such as the first Christmas commercial I saw yesterday, before you know it it will be 365days of advertising for every holiday.

Well today will be a boring, inside watching football day. But this next week is looking good for some more days of rolling the new bike.

New Stuff is Great

The ride was great today; nice, warm and sunny.

I got my new Orbea this afternoon and had to put in another ride after getting it, I think thats a law.

New kit too.

Goooooooood Morning

Getting back into training again has been fun, feeling good and ready to get the strength up to a new high for next year, but then I stop and think. Wait, we still haven't been through winter yet, damn. How nice its been up here you would think that it is spring and its time to be racing, not time to be dusting off the trainer for the upcoming snowed in days. One thing that made me think of it again this morning was that A-Basin just opened its ski lifts today, making it the earliest opening for them. I thought Nov 1 was early last year but Oct 11, geez.

Well, I only have a few minutes left to suck down the rest of the pot of coffee and head out the door to meet Allen for a 3hr ride. Hey, who knows, maybe I'll go skiing after that.

Another Blog

bkendall.wordpress.com

bkendall.blogspot.com

I've got another blog. This one, plus the one linked above, will both have the same posts, but the wordpress.com will be linked in with the team's homepage once things get more underway.

Well.....

Next year is really looking good and I can't wait. I will be racing for Team Rio Grande Cycling on their 6 man traveling NRC team. But I am still looking for a job cause cycling (no matter where in the world right now) just doesn't pay the bills. A lot on the plate for next year, but it will be bigger and better than ever before.

Weekend

The golfer was back last night, watched him a little more this time, and man he sucks. He really should practice more.
The last few days have been pretty good up here. Friday had a good job interview, should know by next Monday at the latest if I got it or not. Then Sat and Sun went on a ride with Allen and Hamity. Mostly rolled over some climbs then hit the flats and the symbol of winter training, the dirt road. More news to come, possibly something on the cycling front? I'll let you know as soon as I do.

Hiking in Fall

I had to get out of the apartment today, and I hit the trainer yesterday so a hike sounded good today.

The colors of fall in Colorado.
Finally after over an hour of nothing but up the views showed themselves.

There is this cool guide at the summit that shows all the peaks (total of 24 of them) that you can see. The panorama is bookended by two 14ers (Mt. Evans and Longs Peak).
The hike up was fun, hard, and fast. The hike down hurt.