Yup, uh huh, oh yea, im a complte maroon!

Totally showed up a day early to the airport, talk about awkward.


I am such an idiot.

The track racing went well last night. The legs came around towards the end of the night. It wasn't a super heavy field, but some of the new guys who are coming out are throwing down nicely. It is going to be a lot of good fun plus pain and suffering when all the boys show up to play.


Today was the big money local race; Strawberry's had there full squad there, Wholberg, Aron Olsen from T-Mobile decided to come out, plus more strong locals. I'm way to tired to list everyone. So plan was to go with anything that was super super dangerous, and just wait for the field sprint. Things changed with 10 to go when Olsen jumped and had a gap, The Grinch bridged and I was right there to follow. The move looked really solid. I was feeling OK Grinch is always a killer and I mean Olsen, why not follow when he goes with 10 to go?

We worked well for the first few laps, but Grinch had a bad day and blew, Olsen was killing it. I could only pull for the next few laps and then it was all I could do to sit on. I took a few pulls when I could, but we simply needed some more horse power so Olsen could rest a bit. We got caught with a lap and a half to go, I attempted to jump back in, but I was pretty rocked and it was SUPER sketchy. Even though money is great, I'd rather have my skin for some more important races coming up.


We have the always fun Burlingame tomorrow, and then a long over night travel day on Monday night. Hopefully I can recover well for the opening of F'burg.

It has been way to long sense my last post.

My apologize to the 5 people who read this. That's if I'm lucky.


So last weekends race, went well, I mean as good as it could have felt for the week I had prior to the race. The stomach felt alright the day I arrived, I was able to eat and that good stuff. Did a local training crit, embarrassed myself, then a good ride with the Big Bad Billy Kurtz. Plus more recovery and stretching. Then on the morning ride Alex and I got lost in the small town we were staying at, made for a good adventure.

We arrive to the race, check the course and watch Jen harass the 3's. (they combined fields.) Alex and I get the numbers, get a cup of joe; his cold, mine HOT. I'm still an amateur at the whole coffee thing and what is available. So needless to say I was now officially warmed up.

We chamiosed up, rolled the BUMPY course for a bit tell stageing began. After all the call ups I got a nice second row start. The gun went off and the pace was a blazin'. It was nice to be upfront cause it was strung out the first ten laps, then the pace was on and then ON; no real big let ups. Alex and I found ourselves in a few early moves but then settled in to the field. A 3 man move went with a good part of the race, but definitely had a good gap in the closing laps. But the other teams wanted it back, so Alex and I got up in the top 10 and followed wheels. Alex did a great job making sure I had a safe place, and that no one was gonna fight me for Vogels wheel. Going in to the first corner on the last lap I clipped a pedal big time. I was so caught up in the race I didn't even think that I almost died, but Billy and Alex said it was a complete scramble behind me. EHHEHEHEHEHEHEHE. The last 3 corners were fast and fun, coming out of the last corner I gained on Vogels for like 2 pedal strokes and then he put it in 6th gear and was gone. I lost one place in the sprint to end up 6th. I am completely happy with it considering the week I had before and I haven't raced a crit like that all year. Got some confidence, and mentally ready for Fitchburg. Well at least I think I am.


This week I hit up the track for a nice training session. Something I haven't done all year due to track renovation. I can totally feel that I'm missing the track in my legs. So hopefully I will be able to hit it more before I head to Nationals.

Tomorrow is the first Friday night of the year. Glad to be around for it. Hopefully I won't work myself over to much so I have some legs for the big day on Sat. 10g's, I'm looking to get a good chunk of the pie. Burlingame is on Sun, that crit is always a blast.

Monday I'm headed out to PA for a nice little stage race. Hopefully I make the DS happy.


Will step my blogging back up. Sorry.

So I'm bummed.

I totally missed the premier of MASH SF. This bike racing has me all over and I miss some great great things. I can't wait to some how get a hold of the DVD.

Its so awesome when some of these guys come out to the track and rock it on a Saturday. Plus, simply what they do is ART, these guys have better bike handling than 99% of any bike racer; road, mtb, cross, bmx, and track racers. Tons and Tons of respect flow there way.

The new shirts is a must get, they simply look amazing. PLUS the PHILxMASH colab Absolutely SICK, Starting today funds to get a set. Hopefully they ain't BANK!

Food poisoning sucks.

Wowzers!


What luck the team has this year has with host housing. Another cribs worthy house, this actually puts away some of the houses on cribs. HUGE! The family is amazing, the dads rides a lot and used to race, the moms a swimmer and the 3 boys are real fun.

The drive from Omaha was a cool one, definitely better than going from the bay area to LA. The more I travel to this Midwest cities, the more I like it. At least for the summers.

Alex and I road easy this morning with John the host dad. He showed us around the city a little bit which was nice.



Now its time to focus, visualize the attack and prepare for battle tonight. It might rain so that changes attack routes and key strategies.

CHARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGEEEEEE!!!!!!!!

So went out for a stroll with the Specialized boys for there normal lunch ride. All was swell, Big Tim came out on his bike to moto the first bit. After the first stop sign we start to go again, BAM snap yet another chain. Crack my knee on the stem and twist the opposite ankle.

The group is stoked that I stay up right and don't take any of them out. Two of the guys stop to help me out. Luckily enough one of the guys has a quick link, and the other has the tools and ingenuity to knock of the broken link with a allen tool and rocks.

The fix definitely works and could possibly be race worthy but the link was a 9spd instead of 10spd. Went to the bike shop after I licked my wounds at home, to get a new chain.

Well it's a short week, looks like I'm headed out to St. Louis for an underground crit. Hopefully I come out alive.

Here's to rest and some chili dogs.

Day one.


After our easy spin on the river, came home to take a nice nap.

Woke up and ate too much pasta before the crit.

Spent some good chamois time before the crit.

Lightning stuck within a few hundred yards of where we were warming up.

Rain was on and off before our race.

Delayed race.

Race stared on a wicked slippery 8 corner course.

No crashes from what I heard tell the last few laps.

Battle for the Successful Living train.

Ended up 6th

Erek 10th

Alex 24th

We will have our things together tomorrow.

Time for carbs and sleep.