Oregon

Another travel day and another day where I thought things couldn't get any worse.

First off sitting in the airport I checked out a passenger's luggage, just a couple of mini cars heading to Munich.
My flight was an hour late, but that was okay cause the security check at DIA was the longest I have ever seen it. Made it to Portland late and just wanted to get on the road for Bend, but I guess with a certain company to be un-named doesn't understand what a reservation means. I try to pick up my car but they don't have any, and I mean any. There is a line of people waiting for cars to be returned then turned around and sent right back out. I sat in front of this un-named company for an hour and a half before finally getting a vehicle, but it was a little bigger than the one I originally reserved. So my under 25 years old extra charge per day was more, like $40 a day more. So I argued with them but they said I could wait for what I originally wanted, could be hours or not today at all, so I took it. They should be expecting a letter from me when I get back.

Once that was all done I started the 3 hr drive to Bend. It is an awesome drive right past Mt. Hood.

So I am finally in Bend, OR and the bikes are unpacked. I am exhausted and ready for some rest before it all starts to go down Wednesday. More tomorrow, sleep time now.

Happy 4th

The bad thing is I woke up this morning watched some news and headed out on my ride and totally forgot it was the 4th until I turned right into a parade.
But no day off today for me. It was a repeat day up Flagstaff and on the last time up I just wanted to get off the bike and lay down, but I guess thats the pain of repeats. No pain, no gain, I hope this is true.

Nothing really happening on my end for celebrating today. Just resting up from today before I have another day of intensity tomorrow.

Check out Blake's page and be on the look out around Boulder, Ebay, or wherever for his bikes, someone stole them right out of his house. Some people just suck who do crap like this.

Update

Time flies when you're having fun. I didn't even realize how long it had been since I last updated.

Well last week was just training as usual, well except for having to deal with the high 90's and some triple digit days. This last weekend Sheila came up from the great state of TX for a visit.

We hit up Rocky Mountain National park.

I've been there about four times this year and finally got a year pass this time. Its $20 each entry and only $35 for a year pass, I guess I'm not the smartest sometimes.

Next was Pearl St. for some dinner and the local street performers. This guy is down there all the time and we tried to sneak away for our dinner reservations but he hounded us all the way down the block for leaving. They get pushy when you don't watch them, but more importantly when you don't pay them.

The visit was way too short but it was great.

Now I am just back to the training all the way up to Cascade. Its been hard the last two days have been 4+ hours of climbing and the heat hasn't made it very pleasurable, but what can you do.

Just another day

Its a good thing that today was just a two hour ride of choice, because due to the weather, my ride of choice was only an hour.
It never actually rained this morning, just looked like it was going to at any minute, but thats okay since I had to drive my car to Denver to the dealership and leave it to be worked on. The engine light came on and it was time for a scheduled check up anyway. I cleaned the apt the rest of the afternoon and now its beginning to rain. Hope tomorrow is okay for the TT.

Dead Dog

My first time to Dead Dog went okay, not spectacular but okay. My biggest mistake was not knowing the course and attacking thinking that the corner was the top, but that was far from it.

The road race was on Saturday and consisted of 90 miles of going up and over, then turning around and coming back up and over. You know you are climbing high when you look around and say "Hey, where did all the trees go, why is there snow everywhere?".
Sunday consisted of a hour crit in which I went all out in every attempt to be in the break. I planted myself in multiple early breaks that all got caught then in typical fashion I missed the move that stuck. I attempted a couple of times to bridge but the 30 second gap was too much for me to close on my own. Then round two on Sunday was a 10 mile TT which was very uneventful as I still search for that perfect TT position but I still turned in a very respectable time.

One way to look at it is that I walked away with some cash, enough to pay for gas, in my car, that's a lot.

Today I took it easy getting ready for another week and a half of intense training before heading off to Cascade.

Laramie, WY

Well today I made the drive up to Laramie, Wy for the Dead Dog race. Its a very boring drive, but once you cross the CO/WY line you hit the fireworks mega store. I am going to have to make a stop there on the way back to pick up some supplies.
This storm had me marked all the way from Boulder, and finally caught me in between Cheyenne and Laramie. It rained so hard pools of water collected on the interstate and all the cars had to resort to driving under 20 to keep from fishtailing.

Now I'm just hanging out in the hotel room till packet pick up then grab some dinner. The hotel isn't bad, they upgraded me to a king suite for no extra charge, which they should since they kill you on the price to begin with.

Just A Little Bored Tonight

I figured I would make the most I could out of my time and just whipped out my first batch of homemade protein bars. Notice the missing one, I have tried them, and so far I am still alive. Really they are pretty good.

Climin

Why do I love the Boulder area so much? Cause where else can you do a 5hr death march and only be an hour away from home. I started out with a ride up to the top of Super Flag, followed by 4 mile, Poorman, and finished with Sunshine to Gold Hill. It's fun going up the steep stuff when you feel great and the pavement just rolles by underneath you.


Super Flag
Sunshine
Tomorrow is an easy day then its time to see if I can one up my TT time from last week in the Boulder TT series.

Dirt

Well last night I did the weekly Boulder TT, I knew it wasn't going to be my best performance by far, but it when coming off a long rest period, you have to start somewhere.

Today was a great day, a couple of hours of easy recovery after yesterdays torture. There is nothing to me like a dirt road and being by yourself, its the best riding you can ever find.
The training has definitely picked back up and up on the block next is Dead Dog up in WY next weekend then back to the NRC.

Finally, A Few Pics

Well now that my parents are gone its back to normal, I do miss my dad's antics thought. Here he is trying on the modern thick clear framed reading glasses, he actually doesn't look bad in them.

Thankfully today was a testing day down at Carter's so I didn't have to ride into the mountains and into the black storms of death that were hovering just less than a thousand feet off the ground.
My results so that I am finally rested and am ready to hit the ground running again. Training is picking back up and so is the racing, well not this weekend, but the next I'm sure of it. I've gotta run to Boulder and Excel Sports this afternoon for my monthly replacement of lost tools that some how grow legs and walk away. I think I am on my 5th valve extender for a disc wheel this year.

Just curious who out there might have a mountain bike for sale and might be interested in selling it to a starving, struggling cyclist (I guess which is every cyclist) who is trying to make a comeback on the mtb scene. Post it in the comments.

For Blake

Well since it is "tomorrow" now and Blake has started to complain about nothing new to read, I guess I will post something.

My parents headed back down to Texas today and while it was good to see them again, a week of 24/7 time with them was about all I could handle. Tomorrow I head down to Carter's to see how the old power is holding up since I haven't raced in a couple of weeks now. I plan on taking this weekend off of racing again but picking it back up for Dead Dog, then Cascade and Toona.

These last few weeks I've really started to miss mountain bike racing. I always kind of missed it, but right now I really wish I hadn't sold the Scalpel. So I guess I am kind of throwing my name back out there right now to see whats there, I am going to talk to Carter more about it tomorrow but I think I might start submitting some resumes to see what might happen. I guess this has all come up since the road racing hasn't treated me so well this last month. Its not skill or power, its just bad luck thats been keeping me from getting anywhere. And with this year being my last year in trying to make it somewhere, I might as well see if my first true love is really where I should be.

Time for dinner and a nice quiet night of just me, the couch, and the TV.

Hi

I'm back. Just sitting here multitasking watching the basketball finals game and updating. The excuse for me not keeping up with the updates is that my parents have been in town for a week now but are heading out tomorrow. So to catch everyone up, I've been staying up on the training but have a knee thing going on that is hurting me pretty bad, I am going to have Carter take a look at me on Tuesday and see what is going on.

Other than that just very tired from running my parents around to see and do all of the Colorado tourist stuff. So this isn't a very good blog post since I am pretty distracted so I'll try and do a better job tomorrow.

My Thoughts

It feels only right that the weather outside is rather gloomy and rainy most of the days. Life has been tossing me wild pitches over the last month, both in my personal and professional life. I've already completely struck out in one and feels like I am on my way in the other.

People are who they are, you can't ask them to change just as much they shouldn't ask you to change. Why they think its not a two way street when it comes to things like this, I don't know.

Some time it feels that it doesn't matter what you want in life, there are too many outside factors that will keep you from them. Whether its someone else, the big guy upstairs, or the cosmos just has aliened against you, you can try all you want. That is what makes most people feel satisfied, they feel that at least they tried in life and say that fate has taken them where they were meant to be. I say, F that. Its your life. You only get one, so you better fight like hell against whatever it is cause its only going to happen and be yours if you want it bad enough and fight for it hard enough. I guess its time to just sit back, down another one, and from time to time, pour one out for your homies who do think they have no control over their lives and just say "if it was meant to be, it will be".

Rain

Today I figured I would start getting back into the training mode. The day started out looking great, but then the blackest clouds I've seen in a while popped up over the mountains. Having no rain gear with me I high tailed it back to the apt just in time and the sky opened up and poured.
And its been like that the rest of the day. I guess I just have to wait another day to start picking the intensity back up.

No Hood for Me

My health has been yo-yoing a lot this last week, but I think I am finally on the mend. Unfortunately I had to cancel going to Mt. Hood. It was just going to be too much. Bisbee, Gila, Tri-Peaks have all taken a toll on me and being sick two weeks out of May puts me in the position where I just need to get myself back to square one and get going again fully rested and in good health.

My parents are in town next week, so it looks like I won't be getting any races done in the next few weeks, but I can finally get some nice weather training here in Colorado. Plus it feels good to just be home and finally sleep in my own bed again.

Sick

I hate being sick.



Thats all I really have to say.

Phone Problems

It seems that my phone decided to stop working last night, so for those of you trying to get ahold of me, just message me here. T-Mobile is sending me a new one but it won't be here till Thursday. It sucks not having a phone.

Little Rock Airport

I hate sitting and waiting at the airport. I only got here slightly early (1 hr till boarding) and I tried to just read, but I always seem to get sucked into paying 8 bucks for the internet to look at the same sites I just looked at this morning. I guess I'll go get a cookie at Starbucks.

Tri-Peaks Stage 5

Last night our local Italian place was pretty busy so we had to wait around outside for a table. Blake demonstrates how tired we are by finding a prime piece of real estate to sit. All we need to do now is give him a sign and we can start making some money. After getting back to the hotel after the stages we normally took ice baths to try and keep the legs going. I had a book with me to read and keep my mind off the pain of the ice, but Blake had to use the reading material provided by the hotel.
Today's stage was fast, yet again. 72 miles, a few intermediate climbs then the final killer up Nebo of 3.5 miles of 18%. I seemed to finally get my legs back and was feeling good again and thought I would toss myself into the contention for the stage, but that didn't happen. With about 10 miles before the final climb a bad crash took about half the field down. Some idiot didn't keep it on the road and when he tried to save it he began to take down everyone around him and everyone else got caught behind the carnage. I joined a small group and was able to chase back on after a few miles, but it took the last bit of energy I was saving for the climb. I still finished around 15th or so, but not as well as I felt I could have before the crash. Unfortunately Blake actually went down in the carnage and came out of it with some war wounds and lost some time off the back.

I am just about all packed, going to try and get a spin in the morning, then finish packing and catch my flight back home at 2. It is definitely time to get out of here.

Tri-Peaks Stage 3 & 4

To start the day off there was an hour crit, with nine 90 degree corners per lap. There was about 120 riders starting and the pace was ripping around 30mph and started shattering people right off the bat. Blake and I both lasted right up to the end. The legs were a bit on the toasty side, and with five hours till the TT we just layed around the hotel room on the verge of passing out.

We made it to the TT and the legs are just carrying a little too much debt with them from the first days ordeals and I may have put out one of the worst TTs I've done in a long time. It was still respectable for about mid feild, but about a minute off of first. The course was 5.5 miles and I turned in a 11:40.

Tomorrow is a 70 mile RR with a few intermediate climbs and one final 3.5 mile 18% killer to the finish. I can't wait till this is over and in the bag, I just want to put this one behind me and start recovering and getting ready for a much better next stage race.

Tri-Peaks Stage 2

A pic from yesterday at the top of Mt. Magazine.
A look into the future, at least when I see this on Sunday afternoon I will have just completed that final climb to the finish.

Today was long and fast. It was a 105 mile RR with constant climbing (close to 11,000 ft) and fast descents. The final decent was just 5 miles from the finish and was wicked steep and technical, and low and behold, I had another bike problem; i.e. little to no brakes. So I sat it up and dropped off the back so I could get down safely, but thankfully didn't loose anytime.

Right now I am mostly just focusing on the TT tomorrow afternoon after the crit. Then will start taking it easy to hopefully change my luck to turn around before Mt. Hood.

Tomorrow

Well, I get to start tomorrow.

Tri-Peaks Stage 1

Well I think I have run out of good karma/luck. I was looking forward to a good race today, until mile one where my front tire decided to flat. Not good since the first 10 miles were steep downhill where the pack drilled it. I tried to chase on after the decent but I again had another problem. When I replaced my rear derailleur and chain yesterday they didn't like the old cassette, so there decided not to work together and I couldn't get more than three pedal strokes out before it began to ghost shift. So that took two more pit stops and more time lost off the back of the group. I got together with another unlucky racer off the back and tried to work and get back on but I left him after a few miles when I kept dropping him. So today was a solo road race, not fun, and not good since I officially didn't make the time cut on the first day. I am going to talk to the officials in the morning and see if I can start tomorrow, but as it stands today, I am out of the race. Insert expletives here.

AR

This last weekend was pretty crazy going to graduation parties, birthday parties, Mother's Day stuff, and catching up with Justin from high school who was in town.

The parties were pretty fun, especially when you have a dog running around drinking beer from anyone who sets their cup down for a second. I think he downed about 4 cup in about an hour or so. Poor dog is going to have a hang over in the morning.
Today was a travel day for me. Made it from Denver to Russellville, AR via Little Rock. The drive from Little Rock to Russellville was crazy. There was a bad storm where the rain made it hard to see just a few feet in front of you, but it has finally stopped raining so thats good.

When I got here I began the unpacking to find that my road bike got damaged in the transit. The rear derailleur is trashed and no one here in Russellville has a spare so tomorrow I have to drive back to Little Rock in search of one, then make it back to ride and prep for Tri-Peaks to start on Thursday. The airlines have been making me pretty mad lately. They tore up the bike carrier that I am just borrowing, then go and break my bike. Tell me again, what am I paying the extra money for when I take a bike? Apparently not for them to be careful with it.

Summer Is Here

It was still winter two weeks ago when I left. Today, its full on summer.

Home

I feels good to be home.

All I've been doing this last week is short easy rides and preping everything for the next trip. The weather has been awesome here, hitting the 80's and everything is finally green again and the ground isn't white.

Not much else to report.

Tour of the Gila Stage 5

Well yesterday was another disappointment. I went with a break about mile 10 and used a lot of matches to get away and try and stay way on some big rollers. It was a 105 mile RR with 10,000 ft of climbing. I was feeling the past two days of bridging and the early attempt to break that when we hit the final 15 mile climb to the finish I just didn't have it. I dropped a few more GC spots but that okay. I got some good moves in and got stronger. Now I just need to recover, mostly health and finish kicking this cold, and get ready for Tri Peaks. So I am going to lay around for a bit more, I'm pretty exhausted since I didn't get home til 2am, but I got to be in my own bed, thats all that matters.

Tour of the Gila Stage 4

The last few days I really haven't been playing it very conservative by sitting in and trying to maintain my GC, but rather racing trying to find a stage W.

Today was a 30 lap crit (about 35 miles), and once again a small group got off the front. I waited till around 13 laps to go and launched on the climb putting a huge gap between me and the feild very quickly. After three laps chasing solo I got within 5 seconds of the break which had been 50 seconds up on the pack. But once again the wind was not a racers friend today (metal barriers were getting blown into the course), and the break looked back, saw me, and railed it into the headwind leaving me out on my own. So I got caught by the pack, sat in till the end cause I had nothing left after my attept to go for it.

Tomorrow is the epic day. Start at 8 am, race 105 miles with close to 10,000 ft of climbing. Then after the race, jump in the car and drive to Tucson to catch a 7:30 flight back Home. I'll be back home tomorrow night!!

Tour of the Gila Stage 3

Today was a 80 mile, three category 3 cimb loop, and once again 5 guys rolled off the front at mile 7. The pace was drilled up the first two back to back climbs the first 20 miles. At the base of the back side downhill the group off the front had 6 minutes, and deciding I didn't have much to loose I attacked and brought one guy with me. Over the next 30 miles up and over the divide we drilled it and just made contact with the break when we turned into the last 15 miles of the race and into a very big head wind, which put us right off the back of the break. The legs were totally fried getting up to the break that once there we couldn't stay. So with 6 minutes up on the chase I put my head down and tried to solo it in to the finish. That idea didn't hold up since the head wind did me in and I was caught with 3 miles to go. I was able to grab the group as it came by and I sat in to the finish.

I tried, but it didn't work. Oh well, never know unless you try. I'm still feeling sick, but I get to sleep in a little in the morning and hope that that will get me over this crap.

Tour of the Gila Stage 1 & 2

Well things aren't going as planned.

First off, I feel like crap. I'm not talking about my form, but I've got some sinus and cough stuff going on. Not good.

I got 17th in the TT on Stage 1. The wind was horrible for us in the afternoon so not my best time and the result shows it.

Today was a 100 mile RR and I finished in the top 20 but with a steep hard climb to the finish not feeling good puts a big anchor on the bike and I lost some time but moved up to 15th overall.

The crappy thing is I know if I felt well the story would be a little different. However, there is nothing you can do about it.

So, not being able to take medicine with the threat of testing I am going to OD on vitamins and hit the sack. Not sure how much longer I will last, but I am going to give it my all everday till I can't.

Silver City, NM

The last few days have taken me from one dry hot state to another.

So long from Bisbee, AZ
Driving along the Mexico border, didn't see anyone needing a lift.

Hello Silver City, NM. Damn not this place again.

I did a little spin this morning, but not feeling that great. The legs are a little tired but still have some time to recover before tomorrow afternoon's TT. The hotel I am staying in hasn't been helping my health. I got put in a smoking room since thats all they had left (even though I booked a non smoking), and the people next door have been smoking non stop making the entire place hazy. So needless to say that my throat isn't feeling very good right now. Hopefully it will clear up before tomorrow. It seems once I get into longer stage races my health sometimes hits the bottom of the barrel.

So now I sit in the only place to hang out in this town, the local coffee shop.

La Vuelta de Bisbee Stage 3

Today was the final day here in Bisbee, and I have to say that the place has grown on me some, but what do I know, all I've done since I've been here is race, eat, and sleep.

Todays stage was a long one. 90 miles and close to 7,000 feet of climbing, most of it in the final 30 miles. A group of ten guys got up the road in the first 15 miles and everyone just let them go since it was so early. However, coming into the final 30 miles they had 4 minutes up on us at the base of the climb. The field was shattered as soon as the steeper climbing began. I sat in with the front chase group of about 15 guys and stayed there until the final pitch in the last 3 miles when I was out of the saddle and my chain slipped slamming my knee into the stem, no bueno. I sat up and just cruised it to the finish. Got a few cuts on my knee and its already a little tender, but I am sure it will be fine by Wednesday when the Gila starts.

Over all here I just got my stage racing fitness back and still was able to get a good stage finish the first day and finish in the top thrid of the feild overall. Its a good start to my stage racing season.

Sleeping in in the morning then driving to Silver City, NM and getting some recovery.

La Vuelta de Bisbee Stage 1 & 2

Well today didn't go as well as yesterday did.

This morning was a 80mile RR. It started out great but after about half a hour the wind kicked up to 30mph with gusts in the 50's, not fun. The pack decided to gutter it and gaps began to open and the feild got shattered as everyone did about 3hrs of TT tempo. The stage was mostly flat and all of the above didn't suite me very well. I finished mid pack and lost some time.

This afternoon was another TT. It was about 8 miles out and back, again in the wind, but now it was cold and raining as well. I wasn't feeling that great after this morning but finished about top quater of the feild and got some time back.

Tomorrow is a long climbing race, so a lot of time can be gotten back if things go right and I can recover enough tonight.

It is kind of hard to guage your effort and conserve some with another longer and harder stage race just days away.

La Vuelta de Bisbee Prologue

14th of 95. Thats where I sit after the Prologue.

I really thought that I had it after crossing the line, since I knew that Zajicek got first last year with the same time I got this year, but I guess this year it wasn't fast enough. I am still sitting good, and a long day tomorrow you never know what can happen.

More Bisbee (pics update)

Today it all starts. In the next 10 days there will be:

5 Road Races
3 Time Trials
1 Criterium
2 Stage Races

It all starts here in Bisbee.

On the way here yesterday from Tucson we passed through Tombstone. This town would be dead if it wasn't a national landmark, cause there is not much going on there.

Bisbee from the balcony of my room. This is the tourist part of the town, the actual town is a few miles down the road, and once again, not much alive around here, just the tourist services.

Mi Casa til Monday when we head to Silver City, NM for Gila.

More of the Casa

Now its just the waiting game again til things get crazy. My start time for the Prologue isn't until later tonight so check back later for that update.

Bisbee, AZ

Another long travel day in the bag.

I started today out at 4am in Superior, CO, flew from DIA, layover in Phoenix, landed in Tucson, and drove to Bisbee, AZ (AZ and Mexico border) by noon. Unpacked the bikes and rode around for a while, did the grocery shopping, and now finally hijacking enough of an internet signal to post an update.

Tomorrow is the Prologue, but my start time isn't until 6:36:30 pm, and its only a 2.8 mile uphill TT, so a lot of waiting for a short amount of racing.

Got some pics but can't upload them with this low of a signal. I'm sure I can find time tomorrow to hit up the coffee shop and use their internet to do a better job of updating.

Not Much

I've gotta get better at updates.

Not much as happened this last week, probably why I haven't updated. It rained, no I take that back, it poured...........still not right, there was a monsoon here yesterday and I had to sit on the trainer yet again. Today its better so I will head out for just a recovery ride and then finish packing up the bikes for my early, early departure in the morning to AZ.

So the next two week look like this: La Vuelta de Bisbee in Bisbee, AZ then Tour of the Gila in Silver City, NM. Two long hard stage races, now that's what I've been waiting for.

New Stuff

Don't you just love it when you get new stuff. I got the new Shimano heat formed shoes yesterday. It was pretty awesome, they bake the shoe, you put it on, put your foot in a bag, suck all the air out with an industrial strength vacuum, and once the shoe cools you take your foot out and the shoe is fitted perfectly.

To accompany the new shoes there are also the new Dura Ace pedals with new wider platform.Now the only problem is doing the finite adjustments to the cleat to get that sweet spot back. I think I am getting closer, but it should still take a few weeks of tinkering to find that spot.

Not much happening this weekend except for a TT tomorrow then hanging out with some old college friends in town from TX. Mostly its still rest time getting ready for Bisbee and Gila.

Catch Up

My bad, sorry about the lack of updates.

Well we were supposed to get up to a foot of snow last Friday, which would have canceled Boulder Roubaix again. So I woke up Fri, went to the blinds and threw them open......to find sunshine and a little bird singing while bouncing around on the bare green grass. Damn.

I love turning on the news and the morning and listening to the meteorologists say "well thats the thing about the weather, you just never know whats going to happen" thats the quote of the century. Then what the hell are people paying you for. I guess thats why, if you've noticed, a meteorologist mostly reports what is presently happening and what has happened, rather than forecasting as much anymore.

So I raced Boulder-Roubaix, ouch. 80 miles of racing with 50 of them over potholed, rough, loose dirt. I would say about 70 Pro1/2's started, and with the egos of this group, when the tough gets going over half the field "pulls the plug" and DNF. I finished, barely after tagging some potholes and hearing what sounds like a cracking carbon bike.

Sunday was another RR down in the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Security just isn't what it used to be. We pull up to the guard shack and just get waved on through, wow that really keeps the bad guys thinking twice before trying to get in. The course was part of the old 1987 World Championship course. Same thing happened, started with around 70, finished with less than half of that. Not too many people there pulled a double weekend, especially with Boulder Roubaix. Carter won in Carter fashion, I was somewhere in the back mess that resulted in his winning attack.

Last week/weekend was the end of a long hard intensity week, so thank god this week is a recovery week. You know you need it when you get a good nights sleep but you have the heavy eye lids all day and just want to sleep just a little more.

Poor Bunnies

This is our little pet that hangs around the apartment, I bet he isn't going to be too happy with the weather coming the next few days...............oh yeah, 8 more inches of snow on its way.In contrast to the cold, the other day was warm enough to completely melt our little chocolate Easter Bunnies that got left in the car for the day.

His brother made it out a little better, but the shock on his face says it all.

HaHA

I just noticed something. Scroll down a little and look at the pic of Lex on her back in the snow. Then scroll down to the next pic after her ......... striking similarities.

Effects of Cross Training

Don't you just hate it when you haven't done something (ie ski) for over a year and you go do it again and your legs feel wrecked for the next few days. Thankfully yesterday was Easter and the weather was still bad so I could just get away with eating a big Easter dinner and spinning easy on the trainer. Today was an easy spin outside cause its Colorado so that meant that it was snowing and 30 yesterday but today it was sunny, clear and 65.

Here is a pic from yesterday of Lexie's blind cat that loves to get attention and crawl all over you.

Ski Day

For those of you who read cyclingnews.com you already know that the Colorado "Epic" Classic Boulder Roubaix was postponed until next weekend due to weather. So instead of giving into it again and riding outside, we decided to go skiing instead up at Loveland. It took a while, a long while actually since the roads weren't all that great, but we made it.

We skiied. Oh, sorry..........I skied, Lexie snowboarded.

Whats better after lunch than a nice nap.

After a nice nap, we got a few more runs in and decided to pack it up and head home where work was waiting. I had to take the bike apart and clean it after my bad choice of ride yesterday then get on the trainer for a while.

Tomorrow...................Easter, Happy Easter!!!

Catch Up From This Week

This last week has flown by. Most days were spent doing 3 -4 hr rides with high intensity. The afternoons have been spent running errands and getting things caught up.

Lexie's niece and nephew have been in town and yesterday we went to the wildlife sanctuary out by Ft. Lupton. They have over 150 wild cats that have been saved from private owners and old retired cats from the movie business. It looks like a tough life, we were just in time for the 4 o'clock sun bathing.

A new day today brought could wet conditions back, and I wasn't going to give into it anymore, although I should have. I headed out for my ride and made it about an hour and had to call it quits for the day. My thermo jacket and every piece of clothing exposed to the elements became rigid from the misty wetness that froze on me. My bike didn't fair too well either.
Boulder Roubaix race is tomorrow but seeing that the weather is going to get worse, I am going to take the day off tomorrow and possibly get a day of skiing in before the resorts close this Sunday for the season.

Koppenberg

Yesterday was the famous Koppenberg Circuit Race. Why is it so famous, well its a 50 mile, 2 1/2 hr race that has the top pros in the nation completely thrashed afterwards. It is a 5.5 mile course with 8 laps. Each lap comprised of half dirt roads that twist, turn and are my no means smooth. Oh, I almost forgot the most important part, the 17% grade dirt climb, yeah, thats the kicker.

The race wasn't going very well for me, it was making me work more than I should have. People were sliding out on corners, opening gaps. People taking the climb supper slow, opening gaps. I seemed to always be behind these people, so time and time again I closed the gaps but when the final lap came down I had nothing left. We started with 60 + guys in the feild and I was around 10th. Not bad, my form is still on its way up, hopefully it should be here in full force in May when I am on the road at the big NRCs.

Not much else going on here. Lexie's niece and nephew are in town for spring break from PA, so we are heading to the rec center this afternoon to do a little swimming and rock climbing.

Pics to come of the Kopp race.

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.