Rainy Training Crit

It's weird to get to another part of the world and show up for their weeknight worlds. Tonight was a bit like a kermesse, pouring rain and crappy pavement. Riders all over the place, dogging it through the corners, a bit slippery. Bridging gaps to nowhere. Nobody really rode that much better than the other, I followed wheels and then turned on the gas near the end to close a gap and go. Good legs. No real red zone work just solid tempo. Fun stuff in the rain.

U-Turn

Get to one place look around, hang around visit with a few people and turn around. Does that sound like your life? It certainly is mine. It has an odd appeal. I actually like it b/c I get out of my element for a while and then return just as fast to it. No matter where you are or what you do, there it is. Whose job really differs from this? Perhaps a shepherd. Not much else. I got to enjoy more nice roads today with my lovely wife. Great road riding with no traffuc. I never grow tired of the bicycle for conveyance and seeing the world. Though I do grow tired.

Blue Potato

Busy days. Eating up lots of time. No posts. I hate it when I don't get in the routine. Weird for me. I need a daily fix; ride, write, ride, be happy. Pretty simple equation. Today will be better, simpler.

Buon giorno

I had one of those rides yesterday, it was warm and sunny, I had music with me, the path was empty and I didn't feel like I had stumps for legs. I thought that after sunday the legs would be dead. Great to ride solo when you just want to go slow and enjoy a ride. I love the path when it's like that. I feel so lucky.

Blazing Arrow

As I sit here in what passes for hot in Summit County going over what was an epic yesterday. A great ride with a new friend and some old ones to Vail to have a coffee. When the phone rings and Shaubie and I have an emergency visit to the Hospital for a swollen eye on Little B. It turns out it was a mild infection in the lid and not the eye itself but it was the one we had surgery on last week. Luckily Shaubie made the call and we saw both doctors and got the meds to help eradicate the infection. After and hour plus at the hospital we went by the City Park Crit, 5 minutes from hospital and I decided to race. 4 hours in the saddle already and I was about to line up ready for really good work, going for a few primes and mixing it up. The number one sandbagger went away solo. I sat in a while and when they offered a field prime I went for it and realized my broken cleat wasn't too good for safe sprinting. So I sat up and rolled in. A great day of training, to ride Vail Pass and then get into one of my favorite races for a spell of work. A hectic day for sure but the most important thing is that Beckham is fine and recovering well this morning from a day in the car. Enjoy summer, it's here.

Mess

I made a mess of it. I tried to pull away a select group, but put myself in the red. I could barely make it up to the leaders before it shattered on the upper slopes. I got there but not before Jeff and Kevin were strong and smart, had a good gap and forced me to chase around the 5 guys that separated us. Stupid mistake! On another day I would have been attacking in the last k and getting there first. Too much ground, I ran out of race. Third on the day and second in the age group. Oh well, good work and I know I can get there if I'm smart-er.

Tools

If I was going to build a house I would bring the right tools. Not that I know how to build a house but I do know that without the right tools you're not as efficient. I wanted to ride a cross bike for the hill climb today, the promoters had a problem with this. WTF! I guess it's easier to make one rule to relegate one rider than to run the risk of the other riders getting beaten by someone who has the right tool for the job. I still think I have a shot at the win but the IF would rock this course. It's all dirt road, nothing too steep, perfect for a cross machine. Oh well, I'll ride as best I can. And I know it will be fun!

I'm a little confused with today's news. All the stuff going with the CIA and the Whitehouse and Iraq. I know Bush is an idiot and I know he needs to go but what kind of message are we sending the rest of the world by having him in the hotseat? Does the rest of the world believe he is in charge. I suppose we are led to think this but it's Cheney who makes the decisions, in my opinion. What good is a president who is basically a figurehead? Well, an ineffective one. What about gas prices, conspiracy? All of a sudden come october the price will fall and Bush/Cheney get 4 more years? Not likely, the American public won't get fooled twice. This isn't my usual topic but I have been thinking about the whole thing lately and we need a new administration. Bad.

Food

I forgot to mention the sheer quantity of junk food I ate on my way home after last nights ride. I had a bit of a hunger knock, stopped at 7-11 and bought: a Starbucks 16 oz Frappacino Drink, a Reeses Big Cup, and a big apple fritter donut. mmmmmm fat! I felt instantly nauseous!Perfect to stave off hunger. I got home an hour later with such rot-gut that I barely choke down two bowls of the wonderful white bean tomato chicken pasta that Shaubie had ready after my shower. It was good, I only lacked a Pepsi for my post-ride feast. Today is good, more of the pasta and no junk to make up for the mess I made of yesterday's mid-ride snack.

Tuesday Worlds

No crashes tonight, a good group and a few who liked going up. No real work until Keystone then on Montezuma Road it started, Brett started pushing and the two of us worked well to make it two, trading pulls all the way to the top, He sat up before the end, letting me through to the top alone. Good climb, the legs were good, lungs need some help. Nice spin home from there, little bits of work, the form is in there somewhere, just need some polishing.