Rides

Thursday night...
Coco, Doog and I did a quick loop of the Fort, and by quick, I mean speedy, not short...
It was dark and I couldn't see...good ride though!
Saturday broke with rain...serious rain. We chose to stay in town rather than go to Greenville and race. Most of the World did the same. Every field was 15-20 guys. Bond won the 35+ race will JayC finishing 2nd. RW came home a strong 4th. Timberlake finished 10th in the 5 race. Good show boys!
Feeling pangs of guilt for not going, I cajoled Doog into riding cross bikes this morning. We left in the 50 degree rain, rode in the 50 degree rain and came home in the 50 degree rain. I can't say that it was one of the most intelligent decisions I've made in 2009!
I'm still feeling a bit guilty for not going to GVille though...
Next Saturday is River Falls and my big body has NO business getting involved in that 'skinny-climber-dude' fest! Doog should do well in that one. I'll be at BMW on Sunday though, rain, sleet, snow, poop or shine!

Tomorrow looks like another shite day...I'll be on the trainer, staying warm and dry!

Garmin Service Course

GARMIN SLIPSTREAM Service Course from Media One Multimedia on Vimeo.

DZ

DZ got cleaned OUT while he was racing the ToC...
http://velonews.com/article/88567/zabriskie-s-home-burglarized

Poor dude...I put feelers out to my boys in the 801 and 435...

Oh, and I did 10 30/30s tonight on the trainer...GOD, I hate that shit!

SoPro!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SoPro won on Sunday in Texas...

Stud...

Weekend Update...

GTS 1 & 2 went off @ Donaldson Center last weekend.
Saturday saw HUGE fields in every race. It was a really nice day...warm-ish with light wind. We took of for our little jaunt around the airport. Nothing really happened during the race other than a lot of sketchy riding and hitting brakes on the downhill...I still don't get that!
I felt pretty average for the whole race. It was never really hard and I never suffered. I really should have gone to the front more than I did and forced the issue, but it was my first actual race, other than the TNCWC in 4 years, so I figured discretion was the better part of valor.
The sprint wound up and I had HORRIBLE position...my own fault. I, literally, had to stop and start my sprint 4 or 5 times to keep from running over people in the last 200m. I finished around 15th or so. I say "or so" because the officials, in their little trailer with their 20 year old camera equipment somehow missed me on the video. Horseshit I say!!!! I was there at the finish! I know it and the guys that finished behind me know it...that's enough for me!
Sunday was a MUCH smaller field. It was cold. The wind was brutal. 20-25mph with gusts to 30+...just bad conditions. The first lap shuttled the strong to the front to fight the wind. A break got up the road on the first lap. Doog and another guy were in the middle at the start of lap 2 when myself and another rider got across to them. The four of us stood to go up the first climb and I almost took myself out. I gave the RR track a good whack on lap one and pinched the tube, cause my front tire was going down fast. Dammit!!!!! Race over for me! It was warm in the broomwagon though...
It split all to pieces in the wind for the finish. I felt better Sunday though!
Everyone in town did well this weekend. Shout out to RW for his performances this weekend in 35+! He was on the sharp end and rode well! Kudos!

Edit...
Timberlake found video on Youtube and you can plainly see my big ass crossing the line @ 15th. Hard to miss all of the white I had on...
scroll to 6:45 and watch...I cross @ 6:48...I played and paused about 6 times...
Video

Da loop...

Coco and I met for a loop last night. It was dark. It was cold. We didn't feel like riding hard. Doog bailed because of those sick kids again! This Doctor thing is really getting in the way of his ride schedule!

Probably riding Thursday night, but definitely riding Friday. A couple of us are going out to the crit course to spin around and do a couple leg openers. It won't be a long ride, but everyone is welcome.

Some folks have also expressed in interest in our new team kits. Unfortunately, after a bit of discussion, we've decided to keep them as team issue only. We've spent a lot of time and effort to secure sponsorships and to create the kits. We may revisit the topic after the season, but for now, sorry...

From the "Gimme a Break File"...

I give you fine folks this small piece of love on a Tuesday morning...

Obama License Plates

I've already ordered one for Bond...

6:00pm @ the gate tonight...

Shoulda known...(the Voice)

Saturday, I awoke to rain and a generally shitty day. I wasn't in the correct mindset to go out and get wet, dirty and cold. I opted for a far, far worse choice...the trainer. The plan was to do about 45 minutes or so, elevate the HR, get a good sweat and get off.
I decided that I really wasn't minding the drudgery, so I started doing intervals.
I started with a 20 minute SST pull @ 170-ish HR. I spun for 10 minutes and then had the brilliant idea to do another one. 20 more minutes passed at 175-ish...
Things were going along swimmingly in my little cool down, so I said to myself, "Self, you should keep going..."! Sometimes I listen and sometimes I ignore it!
I did 2 minutes on and 1 minute off, starting in the 53/17. Each successive two minutes meant a shift DOWN the cogset...all the way to the 12. Two sets of these @ 180-190 HR made me feel more than a bit sick.
Voice-1 Big Dumbass me-0
The H.O. and I go to dinner. I was still felling a bit iffy, so I thought, "get something safe, like the chicken..."! Again, I did not heed the call and ordered a heaping bowl of pasta drenched in some amalgamation of different cheeses. Felt bad eating it...felt bad when I got home...felt bad lying in bed!
Voice-2 Big Dumbass-0
Sunday met me with a sunny sky and a big feeling of malaise. My stomach was, and still is, turning inward. Instead of listening to the voice and A) staying my happy ass in the house or B)riding by myself, I chose C) go out with the group. We rolled out easy, turned on Percival and the pace shot up. I did all I could until the first bump on Screaming Eagle. My legs were heavy...my HR was just all over the place...and my stomach, well, let's say he was beyond the planning stages of a Coup d'Etat. I sat up and said ENOUGH!
Reed and I traded pulls all the way back to the Fort and I spun home slowly after we parted company.
For those keeping score at home...
Voice-3 Big Dumbass-0
Yep, I got blanked this weekend. As I sit here and type this, I'm fighting the urge to put my head down and go to sleep on the desk. I feel like complete CRAP! And the MTs will be home anytime...GREAT!!!!

Another night ride...

...only this time with different faces. Doog lamed out on us...something about sick kids at the hospital...nonsense, so Meat, Coco and I did the big loop again. We did it at a little greater clip than my last trip around, but still didn't make the effort to ride really hard. That being said, Coco and I took turns pulling out Dixie at a pretty good clip. Not enough to really suffer and have to dig, but just at the point where it was starting to sting a bit by the turn.
We kind of just rolled around at that point. The burn is still going on out there, so the smoke was plentiful and there were even a few hotspots that were still burning pretty nicely. Yes, we rode through a forest fire! We also saw a something that we believe was a coyote. It was too small and darkly colored to be a deer. Nice to know that meat-eating predators are patrolling the outer portion of the loop. If you get a flat out there, ride the bitch in!
No idea what's going on tomorrow....
We were supposed to ride in the NE @ 7am, but the fact that it's going to be 45 degrees and raining really sucks the romance out of it. A few of us may go out a bit later, unless later is noon. The MTs are going to the spa for the weekend and I'm not wasting a Saturday afternoon. I may sleep through most of it, but in my eyes, that's not waste!
It may be a cross bike kind of day...
Sunday 9am @ the normal spot for what looks like the last Il Prof ride...for the folks who plan to race at least...
That being said, I just signed up for the Spring Series and paid my money...I guess I'm committed now!

Easy spin

Doog and I met for an easy spin around Fort Jackson last night. We did the big loop and really didn't need the lights until the top of Dixie. The days are definitely getting longer.
We rode at what could be easily be considered a 'spin' pace. I was feeling the combination of the weekend rides and my 40 minute visit with the foam roller on Monday. That thing takes no prisoners, but it works wonders. There's really no need for a $75/hour massage, other than draining your checkbook.
We'll likely do the same ride Thursday night. 6pm from the gate. Come join us...bring lights if you have them!

Shout out...

Greg from www.fastsunglass.com sent me a note to check out his site...
The have all kinds of glasses, not just cycling specific stuff. Nice site...easy to navigate...check 'em out!

Weekend

Saturday was the Inaugural PalmettoVelo "Flip the Switch on Winter" ride. It was a great day for it. 65 degrees and a big warm sun. The wind didn't cooperate, but it wasn't that bad either...mostly a crosswind. The ride started with 16 and we lost some on the trip out to Sandy Run. We made the first quick stop and allowed everyone to get back on. The first climb on 21 split the group pretty evenly into climbers and non-climbers. I was, of course, in the latter. We chased and all got back together right at the turn to head back in. The run down 176 was a steady one, all the way back to the store. Shortly after the second store stop, Ward flatted and we all stopped to wait. The rest of the ride was steady...until Dixiana. Once we got on the end of Dixiana, all hell broke loose. Attacks and counters went right and left. Doog and JayC were about 100 yards up the road and didn't seem to be coming back, so I swallowed hard and ripped across the gap @ 60kmh. It kind of stung. I felt bad the entire ride and that short, but very violent, effort did nothing to help the situation. The pace stayed high and, through my own inattention, I ended up in the second group on the run down 12st extension. We chased again and caught the front right after the turn. The remnants of the group rode in together.
We ended with 105km and a 34.5kmh average. The 'meat' of the ride (the middle 80km) yielded 36kmh average, which ain't whistlin' Dixie, considering the hills and the wind.
It was a great ride with alot of familiar faces, some new faces and a couple we haven't seen for a long while. I hope everyone had a good time...I did!
Today we met for the normal Sunday ride. Coco, Doog and I felt like doing some steady effort, so we left the group and rode into Eastover, then across to the Cricket Store. The wind at the end of Bluff was BRUTAL! I was MASHING the pedals to maintain 30kmh. We passed the GMart as the rest of the group was pulling out. We figured they'd catch us before the end, but never did, even with us not really making the effort to stay away. Doog and I made a slow-motion effort at the sprint and just sat up.
We all just rolled in together from there. Another 95km and 3 hours and change in the legs. It was really windy today, but 70 and sunny.
After two long days in the sun, I have some nice new tan lines on the arms, legs and bald melon.

As seen on...

...the back of my SUV. I <3 dead dinosaurs and bikes with gears...

Get yours here...

Sad day

Big Maggie retiring...

Man, I'm bummed!

Doog and I rode the road bikes in the dark last night. First hand experience tells me that 32 degrees in the sunshine and 32 degrees in the dark are not equal.

See you guys @ CC tomorrow...10am roll out.

HoP

HoP last night. Nothing exciting to report, other than another 20 minute effort at threshold on the cross bike. Oh, and I got chased by some asshole in car, through Cottontown. While I may not be a pro in terms of power or lung capacity, I do have superior handling skills on a bike.
He pulled out in front of me (I had the right of way), so I gave him a hearty 'Hello Neighbor' (haha) and a single finger salute. He, in turn, decided to make the effort to come after me. Well, it didn't work out to well for him. I bunnyhopped two traffic islands, a curb, rode through a front yard, down some steps...and was GONE!
I channeled Fabian Cancellara all the way into the park. I was feeling okay, so the effort got turned down a small bit, but was still enough to really start to sting after the 15' point. The last 5 minutes sucked. Headwind, gravel, fat tires...

Serfas followup...
The brake pads are actually getting BETTER as they have worn in. They will stop you RIGHT NOW, if need be! And they are whisper quiet, even on the old, borderline worn out Ksyriums on the Salsa.
The bibs that JT sent me have become the de facto night ride shorts. The gel pad takes the shock out of hitting the holes that the lights sometimes miss. And yes, it happens that way, usually every ride...

I'll do a review of the Hudz and Kenda Small Block 8 tires next time around...

Happy Monday

Saturday- 90 km w/group...didn't make the RoP, as I had other obligations in the afternoon that required my attendance. Felt like crap on the bike, but still spent 80%+ of the ride on the sharp end. My grandmother ripped (literally!) her knee open to the bone last week and had orthopaedic surgery to fix the damage. I can tell you with a large degree of certainty that it is not something to look at before eating lasagna! I needed to go see her though...
Sunday- 100 km w/group. Felt much better, but tired. The pace was quicker than last week, but still subdued. I tried to spend as much time as possible on the front. It was a good ride that brought out faces not seen for a long while. Granted, most of them turned off and went home early, but at least they were out. Are you listening Meat?
As an aside, if you deem it beneath your 'training' to show up for the weekend rides, don't talk about them! Show up or shut up!
Came home and took the MTs outside to play before the SuperBowl started. I'm an old-school Steelers fan, so I'm as happy as a schoolgirl today. I did give my 1975 Steelers SuperBowl Champion can of Iron City Beer a rub before the game though, just for luck. Thankfully, it was a good game, regardless of the outcome.
I will say though, I was horribly disappointed by a few things.
Is it so hard to just SING the national anthem? I mean really! Jennifer Hudson, as talented as she may or may not be, butchered the song. I feel fairly certain that Francis Scott Key didn't sit @ Fort McHenry, watching the Battle of Baltimore, and write it as an R&B song!
And Bruce Springsteen...oy vey...! Could you suck any harder? It's proof that people just don't know music. The only highlight was seeing Silvio from the 'Sopranos' on guitar.
And Matt Millen as an expert commentator? Isn't he the guy the "lead" the Detriot Lions into the hole in which they currently reside? The Lions have had the worst 8 year run in NFL history!!! Yep, he's one to listen to...!
These things notwithstanding, it was a great game...physical, chippy, big plays and a great finish! The commercials were great. I really want a Hyundai Genesis Coupe now, so I guess the marketing worked!
Next Saturday is the Palmetto Velo team ride. Everyone is welcome. 100km through Calhoun County. 10am SHARP from Cycle Center. It's group ride, not a race. Read the RULES!

Peace!