What The Hell

As of midnight last night it was clear and this morning was supposed to be partly cloudy with some chance of rain later in the day, but I woke up to this. 6inches on the ground and more to come throughout the day.

Rain

Even the best laid plans and desire to race can't control the weather. Today was supposed to be a road race north of Longmont but yesterday afternoon brought the cold, wind, and rain. This morning was no different except for the ground became saturated and the water began to make a swamp. So I decided to back out of the race today since the course consisted of a lot of dirt which would now be classified something beyond mud.
However, tomorrow is supposed to be sunny and clear, so I'll be at Stazio Crit getting my race fix for this weekend. All is not lost for the weekend.

Weekend Races

I was going to wait to post an update until I knew for sure what the results were from this last weekend's races, but it seems that promoters like to take their sweet time lately in posting results.

I know for sure that I got 3rd in the TT, but as for the crit and RR I am somewhere around 10th in both. The TT was very hill and hard, the crit was a huge circle with no real corners, and the road race had a killer head wind section. So overall it was a brutal race. Even though it was a local race, this is Colorado, and a local race is the same as a NRC race. The same people and teams show up since the majority of Pros in the US seem to live right around here. I am pretty happy with the results, just moving up a the finish list and soon enough I'll be getting the top spot.

Today I headed out to shop for a nice futon to put in the office for when guests drop by. The Great Indoors didn't have any, but they did have this awesome sink.

Car Is In The Shop

Back in CO doing some car shopping.

How about a 90 Ferrari Testarossa, straight out of Miami Vice.

Then again, there is always the 07 Bentley Continental GT.

CVC Stage 3

Today was the last stage here at Central Valley Classic NRC. The crit was a fast course with one 18o degree corner. Things were going great for me, the legs were strong and I was planning an attack with 5 laps to go. However, about halfway through the race my rear derailleur desided to start ghost shifting on me. I think when I stood and accelerated out of the 180 I shifted and stripped the cable a little. I couldn't sprint out of the saddle and could only nurse it along while seated, and even then it would shift every few strokes. In the last lap I was sitting 5th, great positioning (even with everyone reminding me "hey man, I think something is wrong with your bike" really, no kidding I couldn't tell), I was thinking I might me able to do a seated sprint, but that was impossible. I ended up somewhere in the top 10 today and 14th overall.

After the race I just had to do it.....
The best post stage race recovery meal. (And for those taking notes, thats a chocolate shake)

Early tomorrow morning its back to CO, really early, like a 6am flight, wake up call for 3. Then its rest, fix the bike, and get ready for next weekend.

CVC Stage 2

What a beautiful day here in Fresno, sunny and warm. So I am sitting outside on the patio at a local Starbucks wasting some time, but getting annoyed at the chain smokers sitting behind me. I hope they are looking over my shoulder reading this.

This morning was the TT. I felt good but crossed the line with a little too much left in the tank. It was a hard course to judge. 17 miles, the first 8 are a flat cross wind, the next 4 are a slight downhill head wind, the last 5 are slightly up hill with a cross wind and a 2k steeper climb to the finish. I finished at 39:56 but the winning time as 1:30 faster than me, shit.......I should have pushed harder on the final 5mile climbs........would'a, could'a, should'a, but didn't. So I finished 18th which sucks since I felt like I could have done a top 3 ride today. I'm not sure how that puts me in the overall, something like 15th.

Tomorrow is the crit, but not until 4 so I've got some time to kill, that is if the cigarette smoke doesn't kill me first.

CVC Stage 1

It was one of those early mornings when you wake up 30 minutes before the alarm is supposed to go off and you just toss and turn for 29 minutes and turn the alarm off so you don't have to hear the annoying buzzer.

The road race was out in the middle of nowhere but it was easy to find, you just had to get into the caravan of team cars/RVs/trailers.
I got there an hour before the start, just enought time to slowly get suited up and roll to sign in. It seems there are always these few guys who feel that they need to start warming up an hour before the start, is a four hour race not long enough?

The race went okay, I got in a lot of breaks that got off on the climbs, but they always got caught back on the insaine fast downhills. There was one inparticular that freaked us all out. At 60mph we hit a corner that no one was expecting and the entire feild went at what seemed like a 45degree angle to the road to make it, of course there were a few dumbasses who thought they should jam on their breaks, they didn't fair too well. I finished in the front/break/lead group but couldn't get the legs to do a sprint, whats new. But thats okay, since I have the same time as the 20 or so leaders, and the TT tomorrow, I should be able to stomp it tomorrow and try and get myself to the top spots.

After getting back and showering I decided to drive the 16.5mile TT course. On the way I saw this jacked-up dually with mud tires........really? Why?

Tomorrows course will be lined with orange trees, I guess when its all done I can poach some food.

Friday in Fresno

The flight here was tiring, really no possibility of sleep with the snoring fat people shoved in all around me. I got the rental, got lost trying to find the hotel, then found out the hotel office closed at 11 and it was now midnight. Come to find out Extended Stays don't really stay open 24hrs, so I had to call around and finally got some one to come and checked me in. Needless to say I passed out hard and woke up to a beautiful day.

Mi casa for the next few days.
After unpacking the bikes and running to the grocery store for food (Extended Stays also don't have breakfast, but do have kitchens in the rooms), I headed out to get the legs opened up some.

You know you're in a warmer/nicer climate when you find palm trees everywhere.

Now all I have to do is relax and wait for the morning and the RR.

The Airport

Well here I sit again, in DIA, with more time on my hands to kill than I know what to do with. It seems no matter how much later I wait to leave and head to the airport the quicker I get through check-in and security. Today I tried to make a later departure from the apt, but when I got here there was no one in line, I mean no one. I was in security not doing the usual hurry up and get dressed again and grab your stuff before you get run over by the next person coming through, but was taking my time. No rush, no one in front of me or behind me breathing down my neck. So, now I sit with another hour till I board, and I am bored.

Packing

Even with a double bike carrier fitting a TT bike and a Road bike in it is almost impossible. I feel sorry for the security screener at the airport tries to open this then has to try and zip it back up.
Off to Fresno........again.