Team Ride

Well, since I mostly on purpose 'missed' the East Canyon registration, I decided to hit the Team ride in Draper this morning. Daren, I am a climber, but, there is a lot of flats on that road race.

We had a good showing. Lucy, Jennie, Alison, Rhonda, Andy, Steve, Jim, Jason, then later we met up with Shannon and Joe.

We went from the pool over to Corner Canyon, Up to Jacobs Ladder and Down Ghost Falls, then I split off on the return to get in another hour, funny how a group ride can be 3.5 hours out, but only 2 riding. I headed o the airpark and then up till the trail ended, on the way down ran into Rich, Erika and Jamie all riding separately.

Much better than getting dropped at a road race, I actually did a bit of yard work post ride and then went over to the Knapps for dinner

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As Always

The weather gods are assuring a non-dusty 5 mile ass.

In other news, Tuesday Nights are on again, 7 this year, more money, so show up, unless you are a pro, I want money again.

Sunshine and Wind

Weekend update.

Thursday; nice spin on Cotton Bottom loop with a side trip up Mill Creek to almost the gate. Pick up Rod and Chris at airport at 11pm.

Friday; 60 degree knuckle drag session at Brighton. Friday night was Dinner with Ty and Chad, to see them off on their European road trip. Team Shannifer showed up as did Fist o' Fury and a few others.

Saturday; we did the obligatory PC shopping trip.

Sunday; hung out ate Einsteins and dropped them off t the airport, it is always good to reconnect with old friends, they have been in our life for 17 or 18 years, never lose touch. Later that afternoon I took the hard tail out on the shoreline, I felt slow, maybe it was the cold and wind.

Monday I met up with Kday, Skid, Tolbert, Dave Welsh and Vito for a session on the shoreline. Went a bit hard a few times, hit bobsled and came home right when it was getting dark.

No photos, sorry.

Err, ouch

Made it down to Hurricane around 1:30 Friday, super heavy southbound wind, um, pre ride was dumb. 7 miles in 30 minutes, no effort, 3 miles 35 minutes a close to race pace, due to headwind, sand and washes. Dumb.

I got the Princess Bedroom I am sooo lucky.

The race went well enough. About 8 of us at the start. SAm takes off from the gun, after the slickrock Daren and I are with him, at the hike a bike Fred comes up, as does Dork Bike. Soon after Sam falls off. We all go into the was to the long climb together, Daren bogged down a bit, I got around him an opened up a bit on him. Fred, Dork and I come into the lap together. Dork is leading going into the sick rock and drops a bottle, I get around Fred right behind, Fred gets around me and I almost eat a bush, we started to gap Dork a bit. Fred makes a push at the top of the hike a bike and I try to stay calm, Going up the long climb I see Fred up ahead and Daren closing, Daren gets past me right before the lap, but i see no one coming behind, I keep Daren and Fred in sight for a while, till right before the hike a bike, I am really suffering, I hit the wash before the long climb for the last time and feel secure in 3rd, cause i don't see anyone, Starting the climb I pass 2 sport women and turn a round and Dork yells 'What are you lookin at" I yell back, "If you pass me, I'm stopping to pee" He did, I did, I got 4th, about a minute behind dork, maybe if i hadn't of stopped, 3rd may of happened, I doubt it. Dang that hurt.

(Late Edit) The Pee stop took 42 Seconds, dang, maybe i should of waited.

Sunday we hit Gooseberry with Ryan, Jody, Ohran, Steve, Gus, Erika, Doug, Joel for a bit and a few others, Ohran got it all on video, I got zero photos. Too busy having giggly fun.

Good job everyone for doing the most pedally course of the series, add to that the longest day in the saddle in the series, Ouch.

In Passing

Well, On Monday, for the second time in about 12 months I slept for about 20 hours of a 24 hour period (not straight thru mind you) Woke up refreshed an raring to go. Just weird. Maybe I was stressed, depressed, sick or tired or some combination, either way, it is gone and I feel better and move on.

Things that have made me think too much recently.

Why Do I like shows like Quantum Leap, The Drew Carey Show and think that most everything (Except Battlestar Galactica) that is on TV now is trash (Besides being over the hill and all)?

Why to elite MTB racers insist on running silly, thin side-walled, low tread count light tires on Race courses with Cacti, Thorns and sharp rocks, especially when there is little or no hills involved? I mean the weight savings is negligible and the risks too high.

Why don't I listen to the Cross Doctor in terms of equipment choices?

Why do people say 'I haven't trained' when they have ridden there bike for over 10 hours a week for months?

Why do people say 'I haven't ridden' when they mean. I have put hundreds of hours on the road bike, but the MTB has gathered dust?

Are not the previous 2 entries the true definition of SANDBAGGING?

Sandbagging is the practice of purposely placing oneself in a weaker position so as to give the deceptive impression that one is less skilled than one truly is.

Why do people use a lack of using a training tool (HRM, Powertap, etc..) as a badge of honor. I mean, Eddy didn't use a powertap (I betcha that if they existed he would of) I haven't always used one, but really enjoy having one. Training on perceived effort is good, but can you really tell the difference between 180 watts and 210 watts, cause that difference means something to me?

Why do people say they only race for fun, but get hyper competitive during the race, so focussed on the local weekend race that they can't even converse with the rest of the merry fools at the start line?

(Late Edit)
Why does Versus, UsaCyling, cyclists in America et al still have the hots for Lance?He is retired, has dated one of the anorexia twins and spent too much time with movie stars. He used a well made (doped?) team to help him win one race, multiple times, which is impressive, but move on. Go ride yer bike, look at the new heroes. The Burke S's. the Bart G's. Give me a break, it is like the tour is the end all be all of bike racing. Uh, did you see the Ronde coverage on Sunday, that is bike racing. Lance, Schmanze. done.

Why is Trek really breaking contact (watch out, parental advisory there) with Lemond? My thought is is a left over of CZAR Lance and his minions not wanting anyone to soil his 'good' name. Jerkoffs.

Maybe Cannondale, or Pacific or whatever they are called, will jump on.

Why do I even care?

One step forward

Friday after work, could not help myself, mounted up the scalpel and rode to the zoo, ran into superfly at the trail head, rode with him to dry creek, where dropped off to home. Saw Rico up there too.

Lyna and Aaron were doing some major re-org at the house, he was willing, she was wanting to do it, so i said see ya. Bachelor Knapp and Scott came over for pizza and some Battlestar Galactica action. Up late diddling around the house. Hoping for rain, cause then i could either have fun in the mud or have a good excuse.

Woke up to clear skies and dry ground, oh well. Decide not to bring spare wheels (foreshadow) Out to the race, a 30 minute warm up, barely make the start line and we are off. Pretty tame till we headed west the first time, well except for B-Horn and Mitch, who took off from the gun. I was keeping my nose out of the wind, except for the last part of the dirt on lap one, where i thought i had a good line.

I got gapped a bit on the first turn left, cause i think I was the only one who did not go over the yellow line to make the turn, so really, rules are rules and i won. Not really.

All types of little accelerations put me at the limit. 100 watts to 1000 watts to sustained 300+ watts. off the dirt at the end of lap 2 my strategy of "accelerating 2 seconds after the group did then catching back on when they let up", caught up to me, got gapped with reverend lewis, soon there after on the south bound at @27mph I notice, literally, in passing, that my front tire is flat. Well that did it, wheel car comes around and asks if i need a wheel, I say No, cause i follow rules, like the yellow line one.

Around 30 minutes of wattage info.

So good thing was, that besides being a bit behind in my attack reaction, I was able to stick with the group on a dead flat, windy course (both of which are the polar opposite of my strengths) till my inability to react caught up to me. If i would not of flatted I likely would of picked off a few of the group and finished decent enough. So, besides doing crits, which I won't, how do i learn to react? Really, I will likely do 2 or 3 more road races this year, and they will have hills, so it really doesn't matter too much.

Good job Utrider, for staying with the pack.

Dr X. I can't see me buyin that tubeless set up, for 1 race, heck, i have run airlock tubes in my road bike before, cause they were all i had. I did have a stupid light tube in there though, not so smart.
Oh yeah, then Lyna and I went to Ikea to buy a dresser and eat some swedish meatballs, mmm good.