Packed and ready, and some politics thrown in

The bikes are ready, the bags are packed, early tomorrow heading to the desert, hopefully i'll have some zip in the legs.

The F4000 is supposed to ship next week, yipeee.

Ok, here is the politics, I can't believe this crap. This is ridiculous, the Central valley of Cali feeds America, you think it would be cheap to let prisoners pick the fruit and veggies, I am more pissed about this than any Patriot Act shit. They do work that no one will do, they do it for a price that makes their lives better.

Give me your tired, your poor,

Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,

The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.

Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me:

I lift my lamp beside the golden door.

Lest we forget.

April, I mean March showers, ah crap, lets move to Phoenix

So got a nice dirt ride in on Monday, Zoo to Dry Creek, looks like a few people got impatient and rutted out parts of the trail, only 1 spot was unrideable, that is until todays Monsoon. At least we won't have any early spring fires in the mountains, but damn, this is getting old.

My Maxxis rubber showed up, New tires for the old bike that match the tires coming on the new bike, as well as some sweet orange road tires to match the Uniforms. How in the world did they manage to back order water bottles, I don't think they realize that i have a water bottle problem.

My digital camera is acting up, therein lies the reason I have had no pics to post, so today I link.

Penn and Teller are awesome, if you have 15 minutes to waste, go here.

On a somber note, as recounted on Adam's blog, another rider is down in Utah, this is another sad story and reminds all to be careful out there and reminds us that life is precious and short, remember to enjoy it, tell those around you you love them and live to the fullest extent possible.

Peace

Snow again

Well at least the sun is coming out now. Friday I plaed hooky from work and got a good 3 hours in, went 1/2 way up Little Cottonwood canyon, the SUV's full of skiers gave me funny looks, it was warm enough that i had a jersey and arm warmers pushed down. Then headed to Mill Creek and rode up to the gate and then home. Nice sunny ride.

Saturday Lyna and I went up emigration adnd back, got a bit of sun burn. Ty BZ and I played pool Saturday night and discussed the finer points of USA Cylings upgrade rules, or lack of rules.

BP did the Marathon at Nova in the age categories, if it wasn't for his pedals coming off he probably would of won. Oh well, live and learn.

Spring, Yippeee, Spring, Yippee

News flash: Any day Duke goes down is a good day.

So I got a nice ride in today after work, arm warmers, knee warmers and vest, and it was warm enough, at times too warm, I'm giddy like a school boy. For teh last couple of years the first comfortable climb up and descent down Emigration Canyon is a watershed moment for me. I love that ride.




Nice gradual climb, I think it averages around 3%. As the spring gets warmer I get to make it longer by adding this little gem to it. (Big Mountain)

Add in the 5 miles to the mouth of Emigration and the mile in between the two climbs round trip makes a great after work ride/workout. I think the average grade on the Big Mountain climb is like 5-6%, good times. It is best before they open the gate, less rice rockets and Gas Hogging/5th wheel pulling death machines on the road. There is also a nice mtb trail that goes up and over big mountain, hooks up with a dirt road that takes you to Jeremy Ranch, which then takes you to Park City, you can imagine the ride possibilities. Nice epic from my front door, up emigration, up and over big mtn, across to jeremy ranch, do the stealth trail, glenwild loop, over to the canyons and the mid-mtn trail, to Spiro, upt to the crest, down mill creek to the pipeline then home, of course there is up to 300 inches of snow on parts of that system right now, but i can dream right?

Anonymous is back....

Who is the nemesis???

Either way, they are calling me out to upgrade, ummm, I almost came in last in my last Expert race, so, um, no. However, if the season goes well, we will see about semi-pro.

Speaking of Anonymous, check out the March issue of PROCYCLING, nice picture of Tom Danielson working the 45 degree leg press, but of course he would probably do better doing some other sort of excercise.

The wife got the Bianchi Sexy Girl (very loose translation of Eros Donna) yesterday, took it on it's inaugural ride, good times.

Twitchy, agressive, sounds like a kid with ADD, not a bike, wheres the ritalin? I think i will try EPO though, I mean it would make me 2% faster, how could it hurt?

New bikes and stuff

Ordered one of these today, why not have a hardtail?

The lefty makes me happy, it was the only thing that swayed the choice from the Yeti Arc, well that and the desire NOT to have a sea foam colered bike.

I updated the 5200 with a Ultegra 10 group and new wheels. It doesn't make funny noises anymore. The old bottom bracket has a layer of Briny sand on it, hmmmm, i call it resistance training.

The wife is testing out one of these today, now that is one good looking bike. I really like that is called the Eros Donna, ummmm sexy. I swear, that is the name of the bike.

It is still winter in Salt Lake, snowed all weekend, got in a 3 hour trainer ride Sunday and 2 hours outdoors Saturday. Hope to get some more hours this week. 12 days to the next installment of pain in Southern Utah. The Cholla Challenge, not many hills, lots o wind, oh good times, good times.

Um, Yeah, Boston

So 3rd night of 4 in Beantown, arrived at the Hotel at around 2 am local time Tuesday. Drove in circles for an hour in downtown following I93 SB Detour signs. Last 2 days in office have gone well, one more down then early morning Friday back to Snow Lake, I mean Salt Lake City. Bike shop near the motel says that there are many trails nearby, next time i bring my bike.

Adam, Moab is looking like rain this weekend, bring your rain gear or pray the weather man is wrong, Saint George looks the same, I believe I'll be heading up to Solitude to use up my rides there.

Oh I long for 70 degrees an sunny, soon, soon, soon.

Base Miles

Rode a few hours outside today, rocked the double Chamois and knee warmers, Rode te Cannondal Cross bike with slicks as the 5200 is making funny noises. Rode up to the Avenues and then proceeded to go back and forth, east to west west to east climbing one block for every 10 flat, that is a good way to keep the HR down, that and the XTR Cassette on the Cross bike.

Tomorrow I'll either do a 4 hour ride or go snowboarding, I'll decide in the a.m. Monday evening I'll be in Boston, back Friday early, keeping my eye on St. George weather, Lyna and I may head down for some long rides if it looks good, if not, well trainer here I come.

Jem trail Switch-Back, me and Jen Hanks, day after the Desert Rampage

















Rockin the White Man's Overbite, somewhere on the Hurricane Rim

















Desert Rampage 1st lap snarling up the rock wash, arrgggh, I'm a pirate.....

Oh my lord

So in the last 15 minutes, Sandy Utah went from kind of cold and clear to a blizzard of white. So much for spring.

Desert Rampage

Well, i had no expectations and it is a good thing, all i wanted to do is have a good workout and finish, I did that. Man that 3rd lap took forever. Lack of speed work makes a difference, really. This race last year came a week after a 3 race weekend in Vegas, so i had some pep in my legs, this year, nothing. I had pep the first lap.

The rest of the weekend was fun, Sunday did the Goulds/Jem/Hurricane rim root with Ty, Shannon and Jen. Played designated driver for the Red Rock boys Saturday night.

Adam's teammate did tear it up in my category. Shannon and Ty took 3rd and 4th in the Pro field. Jen to 3rd in Pro Women.

Team Revolution took a big lead in the points series, I know Adam's team will have more people at the coming races.

1 month to the next race. may have more sustainable power by then, may not, either way, it'll be fun.

Next week in Boston, this weeks many hours on the bike, yeehaw.

Countdown to racing

Yesterday consisted on flying from Louisville to Chicago to Phoenix, then a nice 45 minute delay and finally made it back to SLC. Went to dinner and then came home and crashed, The trip home was short, but nice. The whole family together to celebrate dad's 70th. We hung out with one of our Groomsmen on Sunday in Louisville, was good to see him. While at the 'rents house I reminisced on the roots of this bike racing addiction.

Monday before dinner we drove by our old houses, There is Heatherway, the driveway that i rode my schwinn out of and barely missed getting smooshed by a station wagon, the same driveway I rolled down on a big wheel went OTB and recieved the scar on my forhead. Then we went to Carol Lane to see the house, where at 3.5 years old I told Dad to remove those darn training wheels, I only need 2 wheels to roll, my sister in a moment of jealous zealousness did the same and promptly ate shit and broke her leg, she still don't like bikes.

The the best moment of the visit, while the sister and Lyna were redecorating the halfway finished basement at the parents house i found the book that probably planted the seed.

It is an old 'I can read it all by myself book'

the first page starts like so....

My brother, Bob, is a bike racer.
I like to watch him ride.
He wins many races.
I wish I could race to.


cool.







Lyna is staying in Kentucky through the weekend to hang out with her brother, sister in law and nephew and nieces. She will miss the first race, I might wish I was there with her afterwards.

out