| 2008 june-july |
| Sunday, July 27, 2008 stick a fork in me, I am done After the party last night we high tailed it up to Minden for the masters district championship crit. I made it 20 minutes in the 40+ before a DBC guy escorted me off the back. Classy move, thanks pal. Anyway, I didn't have a snowballs chance at making the podium but I would like to have finished. If I were on form it wouldn't even have been an issue. And I should know better than to trance out on the guy in front of me but I assumed every one that was going to crack was already off the back as the pace was high from the whistle. Jeff Poulsen beat Mike McCarthy (ex US Postal and Team Saturn jeez) and last years champ John Fairbanks in a furious bunch sprint. Saturday, July 26, 2008 Grand Re-Opening I had originally planned to do the masters district championship road race today but it turned out to be the big party at the new shop and no way would I miss this one. I would guess at least a hundred, and maybe close to two, came by to check out the new digs and what a great group of people it was. I am so excited to be working for such a well respected artisan. I haven't met one person in the industry that has one ounce of respect for my last boss, so the change really is like night and day. What a relief. I can see myself being involved with Rex for as long as he wants to stay in business, and since we are about the same age this is a good thing. Sunday, July 20, 2008 dethroned Eppie's Great Race. One of my favorite events of the year. The last two years my team has won the co-ed division and the year before that I was on the overall winning team. this year we got third in our division and 17th overall. Not bad, we were the team to beat and two teams figured it out. We were all within two minutes of each other and the fourth place team was ten minutes back. Our paddler apologized for losing the lead we gave her but I'm blaming it on my piece of shit time trial bike. I think I could do that course at least two minutes faster on a proper bike with decent racing wheels. But I'm a shop rat and riding crappy bikes is sometimes the best we can do. Anyway, five podiums in five years ain't too shabby. Friday, July 18, 2008 RIP Charlie (1990ish-2008) Charlie came to me in 1994 and was already a full grown cat. That means she must have been at least 18 years old. We had lots of laughs in the last year and she was a funny and happy little old lady until about three weeks ago when she got really frail. She did not seem to suffer a whole bunch but it was hard to watch her go. Tuesday night when I got home from racing I held her like a baby and she slept in my arms and I said a tearful goodbye. She passed late yesterday afternoon and I burried her down by the river near Watt Avenue where I can pay my respects often. She was my only companion through some really dark days and I'll always cherish the time we had together. Rest in peace my sweet angel, you served me well. Wednesday, July 16, 2008 now that’s what I’m talking about Only three A racers showed for the Tuesday night points races so the A/B group was combined. In the first race I sat in and didn't score on the first two sprints but stayed near the front of a field of 15-20 and when Michael Hernandez gapped the field on the second sprint I bridged and we stayed away for the rest of the race. I placed second. On the second race four of us got away, the three A races and me, and eventually lapped the field. I placed fourth. I think I now have enough points to upgrade and will be eligible to race at the national level. I'll send my upgrade in this weekend. Wednesday, July 09, 2008 oops, I did it again! Last night was week two of our five week points racing series down at the Hellyer Velodrome in San Jose. I won the first race. We had 15-20 in a pretty strong B field. The second race was combined with the A racers cuz they had only six show up and how boring is that. I got away early andscored eight points but got shelled later and learned my lesson to respect the power of the field before attacking. Also, I need to get my 38-40 mph sprint back that I had in 2005 without compromising endurance. Lots of core and upper body strenght training in additidon to two weekly sprint sessions me thinks. Sunday, July 06, 2008 winner, winner, chicken dinner We made the trek to Hellyer for the first of five consecutive Tuesday night points races. There were enough women and juniors to make a C race so Katie had a blast racing with three of her teammates. In the first B race I chased Kyle Gellum (VOS Racing), who was going in circles warming up for the A races later in the evening, for 30 laps. I placed third behind him and Daniel Carruthers (Hanaton Hearing Systems). Next up I won the 40 lap race. Greg White (Kovarus/ ABTA) attacked on the second lap and took three of us with him. After the first sprint I rode away from my breakaway companions and gobbled up lots of points before eventually lapping the field. To tell the truth I had no idea where I was at in either race and just kept drilling it to the end. So now that I have the fitness I need to learn racing awareness. Monday, June 23, 2008 Terrible Two - dnf Too hot, too slow, too little specific training. We missed the time cut at 110 miles by two minutes. Two lousy minutes. Enough said. Pedal fast, turn left. Tuesday, June 17, 2008 Home Sweet Home I started my new job today at Rex Cycles. It's gonna be a good run and I'm up for the challenge. I am super psyched to be working for someone that makes something really cool. I am proud that I was responsible for moving over 10,000 bikes in the last five years, but what Steve does is special and I'm happy to be a part of it, not to mention the fact that he has done amazing things on a bike as well. The Terrible Two is Saturday and I'm looking forward to that weary surreal feeling at the end of a looooong day in the saddle. Saturday, June 14, 2008 Happy Birthday to Me! So after the shitty month I had in May I decided to do some volunteer work on my birthday and get things swinging in a new direction for the new year. I'm taking a mulligan and starting the year over. So we went down to William Pond Park and helped out with the 5th Annual Support the Parkway "A Bicycle Ride to Benefit the American River Parkway Sponsored by Rex Cycles." As it turns out I'm going to be starting my new job on Tuesday...wrenching and customer service at the new Rex Cycles shop at 1811 E Street. It's a small world. Maybe this boss will take it to heart when I say I'll work there for as long as he wants to stay in business. Everyone says it's the perfect match and to tell the truth I've secretly wanted to work there for several years. The pain from the latest betrayal of false friends is beginning to heal and I'm happy to say I think I've got things going in a straight line. But yes, it's been a hard six weeks and I'm ready for positive changes. New job, EDD checks in the mail, and the home shop is already generating income. Now if I can just win a race or two, that would be sweetness. Nevada City Classic tomorrow...ooooooh I'm a gonna suffer! |
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