31 August 2008

Ha-Ha (think Nelson from The Simpsons)

Tyler Hamilton won the USPRO championship today...
Dude served his time, leave him alone to race!!!!!!!!!!!
I can only imagine what the Rock Racing US Champ jersey will look like!

And before the nattering nay-bobs pipe up about him being a doper...

Dope doesn't turn a donkey into a racehorse!!!!!!!!!

29 August 2008

Pretty fun...

Went to the game last night...
Went down on the field for warm-ups...
Hung out with Duce Staley...
Stayed on the field for introductions...
Stayed longer on the field for 2001...
Remained for kickoff and the first few plays from scrimmage...
...then we headed to the Superbox. Met up with some more old friends...
Talked football with the Governor for a while...
Ate entirely too much free (and very good) food...

As an aside, should there really be a QB controversy? Smelley was waaaaay better...
Carolina 34 NC State 0

27 August 2008

Weekend rides

Saturday- 8 a.m. @ the circle
Sunday- 8 a.m. @ the circle
Monday- 8 a.m. @ TVH's house. We'll be heading across the river and doing a long-ish ride (75-90 miles) through Calhoun and Lexington counties. Shoot me a message if you want directions to get to TVH's.

Rain?

Well, I've decided a career path. I'm going to be a weatherman. It seems it's the only job you can have and be absolutely wrong...EVERYDAY...and still stay employed.
It was supposed to rain all day, and in copious amounts, yesterday. It rained for about 5 minutes, right when I left the house to ride.
I figured the threat of rain and the beautiful colors on the radar map would would keep people away from the TNCWC, and I was correct. More on that in a moment...
Anyway, I pulled the Salsa out of the ManHole(tm) and headed off into a light drizzle (that stopped 5 minutes later). Down through the ghetto and up to campus, then down across into Granby Mills. I found some trails, looped them together and headed back out. I searched for a way to get to the old bridge that leads to the locks on the river, but the kudzu was just too thick to even see the river, so I hit Bluff and went out to Heathwood Hall. I did three loops of the paved/dirt road back by the waste treatment plant...poo stinky...! The wind was pretty brutal on the uphill/headwind stretches. What took 4 minutes 30 with the tailwind took almost 8 minutes with the headwind. The stretches were almost intervals as the sandy/dirt roads were very wet and soft. 700x38 tires float over that stuff though...! It still felt good to get the HR up for 12 minutes at a time. Everything actually felt like it was working properly. Well, for me...the bike, not so much. That pig's getting overhauled as soon as I get a new rear derailleur. I digress...
By the time I looked at my watch, it was 7, so I headed over to the crit course to see if anyone showed. 7 intrepid souls came out to loop the course for 45 minutes. Crusty took the win from the small group.
I rolled in with Der Kaiser and Crusty and ended up with almost 2 hours on the cross bike.
No ride Thursday for me. I'll be in the SuperBox for the Carolina game...

25 August 2008

back on the upside...

After last week's bout with whatever I had, I felt like complete and utter crap on the bike Saturday morning. I should have known better than to go to Pasta Fresca Friday night and eat a bunch of rich, heavy food after having a bad stomach all week, but the wives were out of town, so Doog and I went to eat. I deviated from my normal meal and got steak and gorgonzola ravioli with cajun alfredo sauce. The meal was excellent, but it laid in my gut like a lump.
We did Double Elon Saturday morning, and fortunately, no one felt the need to light the fire. We averaged a blistering 30.8kph for 2.5 hours. We did wick the pace up on Pineview and Shop and it hurt more than it really should have. I railed the turn onto Shop and didn't sit up. Sorry Mick...! Reed, Scott and I kept it wound tight to the bridge
Sunday met us with cloudy and humid weather, but we still had a really good group. We did Double Elon...again, only to turn left and wind our way over to Chaingang. It's funny how long that road seems when you aren't on the rivet at 50+kph. Maria needed water, so we stopped at the store in Eastover. Once everyone had refueled, Jed got a nice paceline working and we rotated all the way to the end of Airbase @ 35-40kph. It was a good pace that allowed some folks to get some work in and others to spin some garbage out. I spun all of the crap out of my legs and even felt good enough to give Maria a helping hand over the rise. The longer we rode, the better I felt.
We ended with a tad over 3 hours on the bike and 55 miles.
It was a good weekend on the bike.

I just got back from the zoo...
Chasing a 3 year old and a 16 month old is freakin' tiring...

22 August 2008

News you can use...

After a bit of sleuthing (a very small bit that took all of 45 seconds or so), I have discovered the identity of TheRev from 'Church of The Big Ring'.
It seems he and Trek/VW mountain bike pro Jeremiah Bishop are one and the same.
I'm sure I'll get a terse email from TheRev for revealing his secret...I feel like I just outed Clark Kent...

No ride last night as the weather was crap. I really didn't feel like getting caught out in East Bumblef*ck in the rain. Ride Saturday morning...regular time and place...it's supposed to be nice(r)...

Today has been a busy one. Two of my three appointments have shown on time...shocking. The countertop guys and the plumber were here simultaneously, so that killed a bunch of questions and concerns. Yep, were upgrading this place yet again. A leaky faucet in the kitchen has lead to another $2500 jumping from my pocket for granite countertops. No new parts for the Ridley for a while...f*ck!
Now, I'm waiting on TimeWarner...anytime between 1 and 3, which roughly translates into 2:55pm!
The H.O. is out of town and the M.T.s are going to the spa for the night...it'll be nice and quiet around here for once...

21 August 2008

Back on...

The crit course has been repaired and the TNCWC will go again next week at it's normal time...
I'll send out an email as well...
Please pass word along!
Thanks!

M

20 August 2008

When good rides go bad...

Well, the crit course is all fouled up and more than a few of us flatly refused to do the 180 loop around the front stretch for more than a few reasons. Ergo, we decided to do a road loop out Bluff, up 2X Homey and across to Cabin Creek. All of the horsepower went with the road group and the ride started off fast and only got faster. It was probably better than some of the filler didn't choose to come with us, as they would likely still be out there, but I digress.
Once we reached the open parts of the loop, the pace went from a comfortable 40-42kph to a not so comfy 45kph+.
The run out Cabin Creek was a paceline affair and the line was moving along at such a high rate, we went all the way to the GMart and turned to come back in on Airbase. I was good until this point...good legs, good HR...so-so stomach...here's were our tale takes a turn for the worse.
On the run into the rise, FastLL took a monster pull and the group got lined out. At this point, my stomach was really sour and I was starting to get cold chills...not good! I made it over the rise and my abdomen just knotted itself into a tight little ball. I blew out the back in spectacular fashion and rode the remainder of the ride at a blistering 30kph...and that was a struggle. I had such terrible cramps, I almost called the H.O. to come get me, but it was bedtime for the M.T.s, so I took the most direct route home.
Once home, I spent some quality time in the loo for the rest of the night. I did catch up on some reading though.
Today, I am physically empty. It took all I had to get the M.T.s ready this morning. I'm shaky and starving, but afraid to eat anything more than buttered toast and drink Powerade. I feel as empty as Paris Hilton's head. I haven't felt this bad in many a moon.
See you when I see you...

18 August 2008

Weekend Update...

The usual suspects met Saturday morning for a cruise out through the country. We decided to go out Leesburg to Congress and across to the flats. The run out Leesburg wasn't ball-breaking, but it was definitely quick. Reed and Scott took off at the beginning and we chased for the first 3 big rollers. The gap got to where it looked manageable, so I dropped it in the 12 and ripped across in one of the valleys. I got across, but it really hurt and shot my legs for the next 30 minutes or so. The climb up Congress sucked hard after the effort.
The rest of the ride was a nice, fast tempo affair, albeit shorter than usual. It was no VG ride, but you know...
Sunday morning, the five of us did a modified Eastover loop at a very temperate pace. It was nice. Cloudy, drizzly and cool...surely beats the normal August riding weather.

Good rides!

I'll be at the TNCWC. Thursday looks like a wash...

PS- The Crit course is fucked up...big metal plates all the way across the backstretch....

15 August 2008

Pretty mediocre...thank you...

That's how I felt last night. I was tired, the legs were flat and my heart just wasn't in it. Don't get me wrong, I wanted to ride my bike, but killing it had little appeal.
The ride was big last night...must have been the weather. We did the normal Thursday Elon loop and the pace seemed pretty sedate for the first hour or so. Once we hit Airbase, things changed. FastLL and Der Kaiser hit the front, one after the other and jacked the pace through the roof. Everyone was together until the rise. How I went over 4th and got gapped out is an act I can only blame on my own stupidity. I let the line go by and ended up on the wrong wheel. At this exact moment, FastLL nailed it and the gap was open. I was boxed in and just watched it roll away. I got unboxed and chased my guts out for about a kilometer and then just waited for Corbett and Reed...they got gapped too.
We chased hard and the gap never opened further...it also never closed! The rest of the ride was piano. Some folks jacked it up for the sprint...I wasn't one of them.
I think I'm flat because I've been forced to take off so many days in the past two weeks. No more...
I have 3 weeks until another forced break, so I'll be on the bike. The next break is a beach trip and family photo shoot. The H.O. hired a photographer to take some of those 'big happy family on the beach' pictures. Oh joy...!

Oh, I almost forgot...
We are batting around the idea of a dirt road metric century for the late fall/early winter. Anyone who is interested is welcome. We've decided that the dirt/gravel/whatever sections will be fast, but the paved portions will be at a moderate pace. Let me know...! I'm going to start piecing the route together shortly.
Saturday 8 a.m. @ the gate...

13 August 2008

Spoilers

Cancellara smashed the field in the Men's TT for Gold...
Kristin Armstrong did the same to the Women's field for an American Gold...

As for my toe, it doesn't hurt, but DAAAAMMMNNN is it ugly...

And it's just freaking beautiful outside today...
I like to think I'm relatively accepting of circumstance, but I simply could not live in the Pacific Northwest...
Link together 10 or 12 days of rain like today and I'd jump of the Gervais Street bridge...ugh...

12 August 2008

Yeeouch........!

Yep, that's my toe...
I smashed the poor little fella last night walking around the bed. King size bed frames don't move when small, fleshy objects are run into them. It hurt like a MFer at the time, but is little more than sore right now. Fortunately, I can walk, run, ride, etc.
It's an ugly little bugger though...

11 August 2008

Miss Gale

Casey,
You kick ass! Don't even, for a moment, feel bad about any results you had at Nationals. One year of riding brought you a 7th, a 12th and a 13th!!! Anyway you slice it, that's great!

10 August 2008

Weekend...

Friday...Beer Ride...truly frightening...I hadn't ridden for 5 days and had really stiff legs, so I bit the bullet and went out. That shizz is just out of control. Too many people with too few skills. Sean and his kid almost killed the group. Peanuthead is right on the very edge of crashing, even when going dead straight. Last time out for me...
Saturday...8 a.m. ride...normal crap. People with too much false pride chasing and wanting to show how fast they are, only to be dragged home. Wanna ride fast? Tuesday @ 6:30 and Thursday @ 6:00. Saturday should be steady with a few fast stretches thrown in. Regroup at the turns.
Anyway, once the pretenders turned off and/or went to the back, the ride settled down into a nice loop. Crusty had some tire issues and there was a prolonged flat change that took up most of the group's spares. At the end, Crusty and I went handlebar to handlebar for the sprint. We both lost...me, the sprint by @ 4 inches, and he, his sunglasses. Nothing like hearing someone shout "SHIT" right beside you at almost 65kph. I was steeling myself for a crash that, thankfully, never happened.
Sunday brought out a bigger than usual group for a slow (nice!) ride through Lower Richland, up Congress and across to Airbase. It was a pleasant ride, filled with good company and good conversation.
Overall, a nice weekend with cooler temps and some much needed miles. I'll miss the TNCWC again Tuesday, as the H.O. has a work function in Greenville. Her work is putting a crimp in my schedule...

09 August 2008

The last three minutes...

Jacked...
The Olympic Committee is serious about no other outlets showing the events...

08 August 2008

Results

Casey is in Cali @ the U23 nationals...

TT - 7th
Crit - 12th

The RR is tomorrow...
Casey...stop listening to the naysayers. Finish your undergrad and GO PRO!!!!!!!!!! Grad school will always be there...

07 August 2008

Love/Hate

I hate PETA and pretty much everything they stand for, but...
I Loves me some Amanda Beard...
Great Googly Moogly!

05 August 2008

Look Keo Recall

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08354.html

The gub'ment is recalling certain Keo pedals. Look at yours, if you ride 'em.

Oh, and Svein Tuft is a tough, tough man...

http://www.bcsportsbeat.ca/More/olympian_svein_tuft_story_719.htm

I know he's Canadian, but I'm rooting for him in the Oly RR...

Hotlinks aren't working right...you'll have to copy and paste...sorry...not my fault!

03 August 2008

#1 turns #3

The Saturday ride went off as usual and turned fast. I don't know why the Saturday ride, which used to be a nice, low-tempo, low pressure ride has turned into a 3+ hour deathmarch. I have no issue with speeding up here and there, but it may be time to have a conversation about the pace of the ride.
Anyway, we did a bit shorter, albeit harder, loop and I was home in plenty of time to run some errands and get the house ready for #1's birthday party.
Of course, festivities were supposed to kick off at 1, but the H.O.'s parents are a pair of complete shit for brains and they showed up 90 minutes late. Then they blew in and acted like they owned the place and are super grandparents. Yeah, if super means that you see your only grandkids once every 6 or 8 weeks...but I digress...
I had the grill fired up and the meat was done when they came in. Sorry to rush you two dumbasses, but it's time to get this show on the road...
We ate expertly grilled burgers, dogs and andouille sausages, potato salad, slaw and chips, then the boy ripped into the myriad presents that were laid out on the table.
Right now, he's cavorting about in his newly acquired 'Doctor' get up, complete with white jacket and stethoscope...
He cleaned up in the gift department, as usual. Then it was time to damage the cake. The H.O. took a cake decorating class (two actually) a few years ago and has become quite good at making all sorts of cakes. The boy wanted a fire truck cake, so that's what he got...and it was goooood. All of the heavy food made me feel horrible though...too much meat and cake icing...
The H.O.'s parents stayed far beyond their welcome, so the management trainees got to bed waaaay late.
I was supposed to ride with Il Prof and TVH this morning, but just couldn't drag my big ass out of the sack. I slept until 9!! I guess I needed the sleep more than the miles.
The H.O. is out of town until Wednesday, so I'm single dad until then. I'll probably bring the boys out to the TNCWC so they can watch.

01 August 2008

It was a dark and stormy night...

The weather was great when I left the house. We rolled out on time and as the group headed up thru the Fort, the sky got darker and darker. By the time we hit the end of HG, it was flying monkey dark. The wind was howling and the storm looked a bit ominous.
It was decided that we would just haul ass down across to the flats and try to stay in front of the weather. and that's what we did...
We blew by the ever famous Peanut and the MORON tagged onto the back of the group. When we made the turn onto Minervaville, he chose not to turn his head and, literally, rode directly into Ransom. Ransom has been riding since he was a zygote, so he stayed upright and the Peanut hit the ground like a pro soccer player taking a flop. The acting job was just as good too. Nothing more than some lost skin and some lady-like whimpering...
Once we figured out that he was okay, we took off again. The numbers dwindled down to a final 6 and we took turns abusing eash other until the end of the ride. The run up Clarkson was into the headwind and was quite hard. LL said he was dead from the Charlotte TT, but he seemed to be pulling through with little trouble. He even went so far as to sit out a few turns...then attack us...
The rest of the ride was a paceline affair. Mandrus lead out the sprint to the bridge and I came around Beano and Crusty FTW. It was a hard-ish ride, but really steady..not a lot of slowing down or mucking about. And I never got wet! It started to rain about 10 minutes after I got home...Reed likely didn't make it to his house...
See you guys tomorrow morning...