chris schmidts blogsite(va.)

The Fighting Spirit

2012-01-05T22:49:00.000-08:00

The theme of soo many sporting events centers on the will to drive on. To push beyond the impossible and to give the remaining fight needed to get the edge. I have seen a lot of this in the sport of cycling and it always reminds me to do the same. I dont need a lot of reminders from others about the spirit to continue on but once in awhile it helps.
When I was given the chance to do the Redlands Classics in 2004, which also was the olympic qualifiers, the glimpse of another persons struggle to win was witnessed. Chris Horner was a fovorite in this event and the other teams knew it. Therefore when he let a group of maybe 6 go he mistakenly expected help from other teams but got none. He waited too long to go after it and the chase was too far to close. Maybe he made a mistake and I am sure he learned from it. The fighting spirit for him was rekindled because out of a huge field there was no help to be gotten. Many lost there chance that day because they thought the whole thing rested on his shoulders. I was given a lesson on how pros will do one another, and I am sure Mr. Horner did as well. He has not raced there since. Earlier he was a regular with like 9 prior attended entrees. Sometimes you just have to move on. He did. I think he might be my favorite American cyclist and his name is cool. Heres to the future of Chris and to the future of cycling in America. May it not look over its shoulder to decide if it should go forward!

Happy New Year to All

2012-01-01T07:30:00.000-08:00

The New Year has arrived and I look forward to it. This will be the year where great things will come to be. The economy will improve and it will be reflected in the race scene. Races will not be canceled and turnouts will be huge. Sponsors will offer bigger and better dollars to provide support. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow will be larger.
Blogging has been postponed for a bit because of working alot and other distractions, but the bicycle has always been a great stress reliever for me. Therefore I am committed to getting out and doing more miles in 2012. My hope for this season is to be more prepared in advance of each race instead of too much last minute pre race preperation. The wish with this post is to simply offer my congratulations to all who plan on entering into this year intending on sticking with the race program and not succumbing to watering down their racing plans. I applaud the effort i.e. Thanks for reading and pedal safe.

Time Trial

2011-06-25T06:00:00.001-07:00

I now have a fire to do better in time trials and take them more seriously after the nightmare of going to the prologue of the Tour of Washington county ten minutes late and not havng a warm up. Terrible preparation on my behalf and the disappointment of losing that much entry money was a pisser.

After seeing guys like Art Browne and my friend Paul Lengermann going out to the team time trial and doing an earlier time at church creek and also the team one I am in a state of admiration for said individuals who have the heart and self sacrifice to endure soo much pain. Good pain that earlier in my years as a racer I would accept and endure.. now I wonder if I am just trying to enter what I can do with ease and comparative less pain. An attitude I never admire and I am beside myself for lapsing into such a complacent mode. I was angry at the official who would not give me a new start time last weekend, but I am more than over it and I realize that to accomodate for one is to do soo for all and thats a form of weaness. Weakness is something of which I detest to a degree. Therefore its a contradictory attitude on my behalf to expect or ask someone to display a behavior for which I have little respect. As for the team I ride on this year, I tried to convince them of the value of the team time trial and the individual one congruent with my recent realization, but to no avail. ( granted it was a couple days in advance of said event) I hate having little influence on the direction of the team I ride for and it will sit with me for awhile. I have never liked not being listened to since childhood which to my recollection was the constant with a gifted twin and an older brother. Cest la vie, but one should be aware of the things that one can change. Anyway, congratulations to all the riders who faced today the most honest challenger out there; the clock.

123 field- to- pro -1- contrast and similarity post

2011-06-14T20:10:00.000-07:00

The 1.2.3 race this weekend was pretty fast. I mean the Clarendon cup event on Saturday. The staging was pretty silly where the officials allowed some of the riders to enter from the pit side and displayed there lack of authority over the race. This was annoying because it totally put me at the back of that race which I seem to always end up from the start. They are either going to have to have grid qualifiers for a 123 event or actually officiate something besides minutia. This seems like an important issue to regulate because it would appear as though the worst riders try to get their best positioning for this one just to let a duo go into the first turn never to be seen again. Effectively blocking the field long enough for a significant gap to open. Yes, DC Velo did do intentional blocking. Yes there was also some pretty damn sketchy blocking done on their behalf also, and also some plain old effective methods but nonetheless the rest of the not soo honorable types did their part by simply being wusses.
Comparing the two fields between Saturday and Sunday is like comparing apples to oranges. The orange would be Saturdays Haymarket guy who is a not too talented singular rider (their biggest guy) and Sunday being the apples ( mostly very talented and stable riders ) I pick on the orange solely bc he was the worst rider I have seen ever...hands down... except for the saving grace for him, and annoying for everyone else, that he could motor back every time after bungling the turns. All the way to the very last turn.
The pro -cat 1 race was thankfully exempt from the cat two up n comers in at least two ways. They couldnt be lame in the turns because they were not allowed to enter. They couldnt weasel to the start line by any means necessary because they were not allowed to enter. In my mind there are two reasons to wrestle to the front and be soo concerned about getting ones wheel on the line at the start either out of plain fear of being dropped or to actually do something like break away very early. The very same reason why the whole front of a race would sit back and not chase, or lets say not hold the wheel slipping away or go around the one rider who is blocking, FEAR. It was a very disappointing raceon Saturday in this respect. In the calamity of talentless individuals and there lacking courage and strength also. It is not fair to say the riders off the front`were slow because Josh and Mike did a fine job, but the field should boast very little and honestly Kelly, Battley-Harley Davidson, and NCVC should hang their heads low for doing nothing very affective to pull this twosome back.
The Crystal classic was smooth as a babys bottom as far as the riders went. The course was as nasty and dangerous as an outpost position in Afghanistan. There were soo many flats due to potholes that to take count would have been difficult. The speed is soo much faster then amateur racing and one had better really be used to getting tight in the draft or suffer the consequences. Cornering in the pro fields for the most part is simple and courteous and there are not nearly the same amount of desperate chops being dished out by eager riders. people hold the wheel in front of them and dont take the opportunistic advancements that lead to sketchy bunching up out of turns and cause crashes.
I managed to place 35 th and I was glad to represent for Artemis this weekend. The hat is off to Ryan Mckinny ( DC Velo) who dragged the group of split off riders along the start/stop stretch for the run in to the finish. We were all stretched as far as limits go due to the 2 to go United health power train that crushed all hope of a bunch sprint....instead it was a spent riders sprint. In our group DJ had a launch that went flying, just as me and Chuck Hutch started our jump. It was really an effort to start the sprint there and there was a waiting game that shoulda gone earlier but nobody had anything left in that group and again it too an honorable soldier like Mr. Mckinny to volunteer and pull the whole distance from the last turn. A nice guy thru and thru.
On another note. As I was cooling down along the very wide open section of the course, the team of Colavita women were on the road and one of them said coming thru or sumpin but I was not around others or swerving soo I just held my line and the last rider was a little lady with big attitude and hers was the only pro that gave me an uncalled for injection of nerve gas as though I was totally in the wrong. I figured if I turned around not knowing which side they wanted to pass me on than I might move into their train ....anyways ...you can please some of the people...
I did enjoy the racing, though the potholes did do my rear rim a dinger....such is racing and at least it held psi...thanks being to tubulars.

Courtesy

2011-05-07T13:55:00.000-07:00

Now I realize that the image most have of me may be less then that of a courteous guy, but, still I am going to point out a few things on the topic anyway.
The ten oclock today spurred me to write this post. In case you dont realize my meaning as to the reference to the ten oclock, it is the ten oclock TRAINING ride ( not race ) that starts on Beach Dr. above Pierce mill north just a bit. Soo today there were two things that miffed me. First item of contention for me was the sudden burst of speed that my good buddy Chuck put on the whole way up Tuckermann Dr. barely out of Rock Creek. I realize its not my place to rectifty ones effort but I want to say the ride has always been one where there is an idea of inclusion for the masses at least up to the top of said hill . Why you might ask? Because it is courteous. A concept indeed and not a rule but it is only being human. I wouldnt bother with this portion of my rant if it was the first time for the massive elite body that is XO comm. or Harley but its not. I got on Sean B. for this same display of machismo before and obviously to no avail. I dont get it. Theres plenty of hills to go and they will certainly reduce the masses on their own. Sorry about my streak of honesty but I think its a little lame. No it didnt really hurt me phisically too much but I sympathise for others. There I said it. I feel better.
now...the real meat of my posts content lies in an entirely different issue which was flagrently displayed on todays ride. The idea that we cyclists deserve the whole road. We DONT. There is a law on the books stating that if you are going the speed limit or near it as a cyclist then you can take the whole road. Otherwise move to the right and let the kings of the road do their thing...or suffer the consequences and dont cry about right or wrong if youre hit or verbally abused. Again...I am sure some will say that I am not the one to say anything as far as my regard to the law...but still I am. I am embarrassed by my fellow cyclists behavior today and especially a teammate of mine who was on the front of the group and riding just barely to the right of the yellow line as though he were a suburban reincarneted. I tried to tell them to move over and of course I was ignored. This sort of attitude/stupidity is what brings the community of avid cyclist a bad name and creates a negative stigma. One which I cant say is wrong in this context or situation. Why do it ? Ride the yellow line. Is it a I deserve the road also sort of mentality ? I pay taxes thinking ? i WANT TO KNOW. Hospitals I avoid. Fights with bigger bodies , animated or inanimate, I also avoid. As a ex messenger I have seen a lot of uncalled for situations and sort of hate crimes against cyclists and its not pleasant, so lets try to avoid creating more animosity please. There , I am done. No hard feelings to any mentioned individuals really but lets work together on this thing called life and the notion of individual rights.

The Culmination

2011-01-22T07:13:00.000-08:00

The dedication to a sport such as racing bicycles is a growing and somewhat elusive one to explain. Sure one can just ride their bike on nice days and only at decent temperatures. The rewards later on when races begin though will show and your own disappointment will knaw at yourself for not putting in the time. The pattern becomes apparent after some seasons and the balance is hopefully found between comfort with ones results and happiness on the other fronts of life. Such as having another life. Off the bike sort of fulfillment.
This predetermined course of mindset, the proper balance, is definitely aided by having a solid team to propel your riding. A solid team does develop ones individual talent, regardless of that persons age, by providing incentive, goals, and group support. There is monetary help. To be encouraged by many to get out and do some miles is support in the phisical department. The contagion of winning among a team can spread also to other riders of the same kit. These things are nice.
This structure is very different from one where the perks are rare and the rewards are always the same, regardless of output. Such as with government work. The culmination of your efforts are very visible in cycling. The congregation of talent on a particular team in a specific region is natural because of these dynamics. I am not mentioning specifics but outlining growth patterns. The bottom line here ?
I think it would be great for the sport if the area could produce a team that can really be a force on the big NRC circuit and any other events they come across. The limitation being a smaller budget as a regional powerhouse, but the team would then become a farm team for division three teams. In this sense age falls heavily into play.
An area farm team for the salary guys.
How could a hopefull contender in the area, not want to ride on a setup of that sort, which carries such potential ? Hate the game not the player ?

Haymarket Winter "league" ride

2011-01-10T07:55:00.000-08:00

The first ride for 2011 that I participated in was yesterday out west in Haymarket. The night before I got out all the needed gear for heat preservation. I took care of the waiver and greeted some individuals and after a small run over of the basics by Jared Nieters the training ride was off.
The earlier departure of 8 am was tuff but once under way the pains were forgotten. The pace was somewhat sporatic but relatively survivable unless one is out of shape and if soo the "b group is advisable. Maybe around mile 20 or so the route hits gravel...a longer section then I expected to hit at this early a point for a projected near 70 mile ride. The gravel gave me a flat but not before suffering much pain trying to stay on....I kept having flashbacks of prior "Poolesville Esque memories. the Fuentes driven sag wag was right there and scooped me up. We then went and scooped two more flats. We caught the group where they stopped for a minute. The problems begin around here for me. The waiting group has people lingering up the road. These rabbits, that bound away early, create a tempting carrot for an immediate, insane speeds, persuit . After getting a flat and suffering up to that point, somewhat gratefull to be in the car because the dirt I was not pedaling was hilly, and sorta sketchy with bigger rocks mixed in with smaller ones ,I was on the bike again but the immediate chasing was too much for me and the wheel I was on dropped me. Well lets say he was going harder than I was willing to put out. Yeah sure.
El next rider to come by my somewhat sorry ass is Sean Barrie. He does fly by,but I does get on. The effort was pretty up there as far as pain goes but I rotate where it is feasable and we hitch back on. Fun stuff. Thankfully there must have been some barking by someone like Jared to alleviate the suffering and reduce the pace. January was a word that kept popping into my head and massochism and so on.
The midway or so, at Middleburgh is not for Coffee or Krumpets, but another stop for assurance as to collectiveness. The warning is put out that all beyond this point shall not see another regrouping so deal with it. I jest. The ride recommences. The pace is again too much for many very quick soo the "A group" from the" A ride" has thankfully detached. There are the fighters who keep up the hopes of getting across but they dont get there and are reabsorbed. My second group here consists of maybe 15 guys and one strong female named Monica or thereabouts and from Switzerland...i heard....We get to Aldie on rt 50 and enter the dirt section which goes into and over Bull Run Mtn. ( i am cooked ) I am unwilling to attempt to stay attached. A couple hang back like Soda and JDawg thankfully. I flat again and my teammate and new best friend J Dawg gives much assist with co2 and spare tube....amen,... I limp in behind the Artemis draft helping very little and into the truck I hit the heater. Frick n frack ...I thought my fitness was capable of dealing better with said ride but Cest la Vie , maybe next week ! It was epic and it was great to see soo many friends on the scene.

man oh man...

2010-10-16T22:04:00.000-07:00

Only one of the most difficult weeks ever. (No..) ..but a post on cycling? I am going to do cross soon..I hope I don't hate t too much ? ok thx for the time. Cheers..b safe! O n have fun too

Been a while

2010-07-21T07:19:00.001-07:00

Soo yeah..its been a while since the last post. I have recovered and the training has resumed..I figure I might get some results still to come for 2010...I am pondering cross...painfull stuff and still far off on the calendar. Umm I guess im just glad to be back on the bike and looking ahead a lil. More road races available and such. Missed coppis.

`Walterboro criterium

2010-05-11T18:28:00.000-07:00

The course for this one is narrow along the star stop but this isn't a big deal bc the last turn narrows into the last stretch so it isn't really noticed. The other sections of this race are wide and very open soo the course is maneuverable...different from much of the rest of thr series. The notable fear for this one is the dark section where the backside stretch which gets fast and precarious at some points. The turn is not hard to do but just some bunching and darkness...soo a different angle . The finish is not far from the last turn . The midway prime came and I happened to be near the front close enuff to be able to go with any jump. The jump came from R Bahati himself and I did not hesitate...and it paid off. The power of Rashaan was not to be pulled in but I did stay away for second in the midway prime race...the recovery was not too bad to obtain. The 17 th place for finish was excellent and I was stoked..

Beaufort Course of speed week series..

2010-05-07T18:12:00.000-07:00

The Beaufort Course is tuff because the start/ stop is short enuff to have to quickly slow down after jamming it up to around 30 mph... It Has, as the first turn a really narrow funnel into a tight one lane alley like road entrance, where one better have his ducks in order to get thru here with speed. To bomb it one had better mind the reflective plastic item laid in the asphalt yellow line center or apex of the turn,... that is raised, in order to add dimension to the already hard to navigate course. I was off the front with another rider and the gap was like ten seconds to the two up the road. About seven guys bridged up and came thru fast, just before the tuff first turn was to be negotiated. I picked up the speed and grabbed the flying by express, but i did also slide out bc of said reflective pop,into that darn infamous turn which later in the race caused about 30 riders to go to the pit bc of a crash and having to stop, ( hard turn ).. ....well the rest of the race sucked bc i was all dinged up and my skewer was loose which meant another dismount .i was bout to jump back in to the race after pit stop # 2 bc of big pile up....when i realized my skewer was loose and i had to tighten it and i was chasing the race for twelve laps after the poor pit stop ,...I was a dumb ass and I should have stayed in the pit longer to get the bike right. live n learn,...Beaufort has been hard for me to get a good result at. One day I will do well there. I finished like 60 th and DFL. Again. ..last year there I was also in a crash in that turn where I hit a downed rider and I was subsequently lapped and ,....damn beaufort,...

Roswell

2010-05-07T06:02:00.000-07:00

The day after Athens is a criterium in Roswell. It is more like a circuit with a long start/stop stretch and on the backside there is a slight rise with a bottle necking at the crest,.. soo this narrowing after the crest goes into a left turn ,,the narrowing always leads to riders bunching up big time and into the turn it is a lil hairy with over decelleratioin and squeeling carbon fiber rims. positioning here is key,..ie stay at the front ,...not easy bc the start line stretch each lap reads speeds at like 33 all day soo the sprint out of the final turn onto long strip is full on and the speed whips around into first turn wo hesitation bc turn one and two are basicly combined and fast leading into the small climb which does sap speed easily but one can move up here and i was using the hill for that ...Roswell is hard bc it is fast and bc it is after Athens. I was not feeling well and i placed like 51 st .

Speed Week

2010-05-06T09:07:00.000-07:00

Well Athens was wet and pouring but not cold...though afterwards i was cold . The event was hard. The first half spent trying to move up and avoiding crashes and closing small gaps. The second half was spent tring to move up mstaying upright avoiding crashes and closing gaps. SEven or eight went away. Whatever . The race ended with me getting 24 th, the last lap i avoided hitting a down rider in the last turn...but i idid hit his drops which made me receiver a nice bruise with the wrist being braced by the bars and impacting the arm ,,...blah blah i stayed up and crossed the line ...upright thankj god and truly spent....whew,...oh there was a computrainer even i got second in my heat with maybe a average watts of 400 give or take for 8 mins,.,..boring sorta but a graph was there and a wattage indicator soo that was my first time to see me on a device like that,...i will post later on the rest of the fun down there but cant type too much...i am on pain killers bc i broke my scapula at sandy springs on the lkast lap . u can see crash on cycling news.comspeedweek....fun fun

Haymarket/Homevisit opens doors for 2010

2010-02-18T17:25:00.000-08:00

I am happy to report that I have landed on a large squad that will be of great inspiration and motivation to me for 2010. The new setup will be getting on the road and to big events. I am gonna be challenged and this will be a great chance to get involved in something which has large aspirations. Good times.
The bunch went with most in tow ( maybe 8 guys )to the Wolfpack RR weekend of which Steven Gordon won. He is rolling as well as quite a few of the others right now. sorta scary ,..The team is very motivated and to lock in a win is a good tension relief in some ways. Of course they was unawares of the strength being brought to the table.
I am psyched and the charity cause is a solid effort to put ones self behind. The range and diversification alone which comprises the team is interesting. I wont get into all the details of the roster but it is impressive in its array. Trade zone should be a good regional exposure for the team.

The Long Road

2009-12-27T14:37:00.001-08:00

We all know the transition from one season to the next can be rough. The cold hampers ones motivation. The time off from racing can extend more then was intended and become an issue. There is the shorter daylight hours which demand one look at the wind trainer longer then a passing "you suck" thought and consider mounting the iron maiden. Soo lets see ....too long resting, too cold, and shorter days coupled with multi family events where the contest is to overfeed the most. One can easily understand why it is possible for someone to lose focus.
The upside of this, break in the cycle, is possibly better relations with loved ones and a more well deserved paycheck. Hypotheticals. I also believe this is a good time to decide on how your goals as a cyclist compare with the goals of the bunch you have linked up with over the past year or season (or whatever length of time really) .
If something feels forced it probably is. For example. I was interested in a new team to ride for in 2009 and The Bike Rack ( the shop not the team) seemed to be an appropriate business to try to strike up an arrangement with. I sent a letter stating goals and results and my desire to captain an elite team basicly...or try to begin one. I was unaware ,at the time, that the shop did not run the team and that they would be a seperate entity to deal with. (the team) Soo even though the shop was down,.. there was still the club which came off with a less then stoked perspective. I was circumnavigating usual routes and toes were stepped on I guess. Or whatever. My perspective ? Just trying to piece together something. theirs ? who is this clown.
Lets leave behind 2008 nostalgia and onto 2009 before thats in the past too. (as most readers realize I did race on the Bike Racks team last year so a treaty was drawn for a minute) Its December 2009 and almost over.( I did garner some NRC results..or procritseries points .. ) The DVR team is undecided. They have entangling red tape which is hard to see over. The shop is being patient but the idea is for me to push them. (the club to decide on something) At this point I am frustrated because the feeling of a forced relationship has not dissippated but rather grown. The two promising newly upgraded cat twos on the team/club went onto another squad and more help.
The bottom line here is help. We all need help. There is nothing wrong with asking for help. Unless you circumnavigate the powers that be.
( I will dig around for a good pic for this post..no promises but taking suggestions) Haymarket is booked. I have no idea where the restructuring of harley has led but it seems to still exist. (not an option 4 me) Jared suggested Richmond Pro but that is far away and seems like much volunteer time if possible. Kelly..? umm not sure but Baltimore aint close for training rides neither. Rick Norton is a hammer and he would be good to ride with again. ( Pedro, Nima, Rick, and me raced together on Evolution) Maybe Bear Dog llc will have to be a club and get sponsors who are positive 100 percent where their interests lie. I cant understand any reason why a team/club would want to isolate themselves to a certain category realm unless they are simply clandestine or reclusive. Spitefull could never be the case.

Is It War or Am I Just a Pussycat

2009-10-18T13:58:00.000-07:00

Ok,...first before I do the cross post I wanna post a comment or two on another issue...poaching riders from other teams. The Battley guys are losing juice from one sponsor and reforming under another money endorser....cool good for em...They are a large group with overall dominance in the road racing scene here and also a player in national scale events. Not a surprise they got another sponsor. But one annoyance is my hearing of their trying to dislodge our up n comers who have proved their abilities and moved to 2 status. Now the Speculators have crossed lines and made offers ..or so I have heard. This is annoying to me. This core of riders does not need any more on their side. LAME. If these two teammates of mine on the Bike Rack, or just one moves, then thats on them and the pull can be strong. But, it seems early in the game for this miniscule roster to be pecked at by the powers that be.I have not pressed for facts but I am not impressed if this is true...Trying to build a small elite squad is tuff in such an environment.
Small ventilation process there. Ok Granogue...Faster pussycat!!!...Well..I dunno ? I was givin it all she had Scotty ! The Granogue cyclocross event was a new one on me. I was in the middle of the bunch at the start. I knew this to be foreboding with 100 plus entries participating. That I was there at all was good because the google directions were off ..no doubt . I was pinned and overdressed..stressed and anxious to get it over with....really. I saw very little enthusiasm in me at the idea of slogging in mud. There I was though.Pop and its off. Sprint sppeed hurtling towards rain and pain. I give way often in these few intial turns in the mud. Not good but tryin to meter the pain and not hit the trough below. Sortin and thinnin of the race ensues and I am losing ground...not very in shape and movement restricted by surplus gear...LAME. I was wishing for more gears for spinning and much more tread ...you know like a mountain bike...really. Right soo that insight out of the way...I was dropping like Herbie the Love Bug on a bad day. The mud weighed the bike down like carrying an eighty pound bag of sand but more cumbersome over steep mud . slicing the incline with my feet angled for vertical traction. At this point are you wondering if I am still describing a supposedly semi road racing event..Like it might have some bearing if you race on the road as a cat one ? In other words I should not be a cat two in cross or this event was unusual in its vast sea of torment or both I dunno.The wisdom of wearing less dawned on me...but vaseline and shorts in weather like that...44 degrees with rain and wind , seeemed like madness. OK, so I wore too much and I paid the price for this overdressing mistake. Up this really steep climb with a tower atop it like trying to seige a fort, I was being really bogged down by my rain gear...and shades and rain coat. At the start this other rider asked me if I was really going to race in my pants..I said I was not feeling well already and didnt want pneumonia.Later into the race I uderstood his curiosity as I said screw it. I want these dead weight pants off and so I stopped and rid myself of them. This cost me the few competitors left I was against as they went by. I went up that tower climb and the descent from that height is tuff as hell. An off camber rutted steep drop. Where the spectators line up with beer like vikings and hoot and howl at the fallen. Racers who hit the deck and raise thunder with their attempts at glory. mud laden..slipping and sliding down and continuing on persued by the jests and roar of the gallery. Nice.
later the first, second, and third place guys went by at around the same time as my rear deraileur went up into the back wheels spokes. I was done for the day with twisted metal to carry back to the car. Fun Stuff.
I spent a long time in the heated truck awed by guys with hatch back open as a sort of awning and showering with water from containers. I was like ...?/@!no way crazy. Cold beer maybe but more cold water and all the time still exposed...OK soo no arctic polar bear here...sorry.
I did go spectate though and also got some great chicken noodle soup that was real thick. Another booth/tent was the Dogfish one. The free samples were like 8oz of dogfish ale..60 min but you could choose.. pretty sweet. So to watch Ryan Trebon and his boy on Kona Brad Wicks roll away ( or slide ...run...maneuver) each with a huge gap pretty quick, was impressive. Trebon was away from Wicks and Wicks was away from the chase groups by far, respectively. The field was staggered in chase . Bunches of twos, threes, and larger went by. Jared Nieters and his teammate in the front groups close to top ten. Last I saw of jared he was near tenth position and looked to be in good shape. His Junior teammate having been passed by Nieters eventually and J Nieters was on the move. Serious attrition factor here. experience a must. Dave fuentes was in my race or the elite 123 35/45 plus field and he did much better then me, but no idea how he fared. He had on a skinsuit from the bike Lane...maybe some cross help from them. Good for him he is a nice guy who obviously gets huge results on the road . Has not done bad in cross either. Ryan Dewald was in the Harley kit. Doing well in his UCI elite mens event.holdin like twentieth and seemed to be having fun as he always does. cool dude. Anyway ...good stuff out there and Kudos to all participants, Volunteers, and even the mud,...THANKS
MUCH RESPECT to those who can rock in this mayhem. Photos will be adde dsoon to this post but gotta figger it out...camera to computer and so on...

Haines Point and Clara Barton rides (thrs.)

2009-08-13T15:35:00.000-07:00

I have not been on the Haines Point noon ride in a while and today I got a chance to do it. The ride had the usual suspects and some unrecognizables as well. The basic layout was the same with Chuck pedaling away after the sprint section and a couple going with him until the race bridges or doesnt,..but yeah Hutchison is always the power that the rest attempt to thwart..normally unsuccesfully. Twice I went away with the Ca. Harley rider (Chuck) and we drilled it till caught. The second time I was away with him he bridges the back of a station wagon and starts to draft the car. We were Hammerin' till the car pulled away thankfully. Caught again though. The field was strong. Well the ride gets done and Harry (dont know last name) mentions theres another ride leaving and we should go. We roll out with maybe eight or nine heading to Clara Barton via Rock Creek , Whitehurst and Canal rd. One rider being the mayor and his brother, I believe.(both of their bikes had Fenty on the top tube..I want mine to have my name but I will settle for it simply functioning properly though) But this means theres a moto officer in tow..pretty cool bc we did some strolling at intersections and all was simpatico..So onto Clara and the pace was no joke. The ride gets to McArthur and we head further and lose a couple in the process. We climb Old Anglers and I try to be chill on the hill but Adrien Fenty and two others start to get away,...I am like sorry Harry the gloves are off. I jam it into gear and bridge The Mayor but two others have gone further up. I take a nice pull and close it some and then El Executive leader comes through and takes a strong pull...Im like damn this dude can ride his bicycle for rizzle. We come VERY close to pulling the 145 pounders in but 172(me) waited too long and I felt the pain ..oww. Soo.. at the top the chief says lets drop into the park (great falls md. side) this surprised me since this means more climbing but down we went. Back up my legs were feeling this second ride taking its toll. I rode with Mr. Fenty and the same two clawed away and we sorta clawed em back. OK the ride went to beach dr from there(River rd.) via some back roads and so on. The pace in the park was no stroll and up the climb on Ross dr. I swear the Mayor was trying to drop yours truly but I hung in there and stayed on. The bottom line is dont picture the ride as I did which was some sorta goofing chatting chillin pace as opposed to the reality which was come along but bring your race face.

Monday blahs

2009-08-10T15:18:00.000-07:00

I dont know. Is it the heat. Is it my recent and inexplicable swollen eyelid( sounds strange but I visit the eye doctor tomorrow,...fun ! ) Possibly it is the lame ass results in the last two races..though I know I have done zero riding lately soo ...I dont know. Maybe I just want to let out a big public WAAAA oh also Easton rear wheel bearings have been making soo much noise I simply didnt really try yesterday ( Page Valley )because I couldnt handle the thought of listening to my bike for 63 more miles ( or more comments from annoyed/concerned riders)....Mechanicals this year have been over the top compared to other seasons. Anyway, I hope alls well with everyone and that this read hasnt been too painfull. public whine officially concluded. WAAA ok now its official.

Lost River Rocked

2009-07-27T15:02:00.000-07:00

There was fun 4 everyone and more nature then one could shake a stick at. I was late and got some warm up but not enough for the attack pace set early,...I was like whatever,...hills are tuff and to go soo fast soo early will pop many and I will just reel in the dropped guys and create a strong chase ,...which sorta worked out but the race stopped for us one lap short,...but the gap was big and who knows..fun stuff and free west Va rocks for the yard patio or aquarium yes poaching rocks did not happen...? soo the race was tuff,.. i was dropped in first lap and Rugg crashed ,..lame soo the Rugg bridged me and another rider pretty fast ,like a lap later. after dropping chain/over bar incident,....hate when this occurs..(.at least Rugg was safe on a climb with less speed and danger then messenger days when a droppped chain could mean death)The group was established in our individual contribution capacities...ie climbers climbed , descenders went down faster and time trialers went hard on everywhere and so on... Rugg, Paul Lingerman NCVC, Ramone Benitez Immediate, Brian Fouche ABRT and another in yellow( Dallas sponsor ?) worked well together We all had good times I believe. Thx to all who helped make it happen,..NICE

IRON HILL POST

2009-07-17T16:38:00.000-07:00

THE Iron Hill Twilight Criterium is a an awesome race. It is in West Chester Pa. and the course is pretty wide and fast. The start for this year had a 250 $ prime on the first lap which Evan Fader got. Next lap was 100 $ which Evan got. Nice,..CHA CHING He went on further a few more and when he was caught Russ Langley went for the counter and was gone ..(.apparently)as I was about two thirds of the race further back. He went and Tom Soladay went in persuit after him ,Dave Fuentes and others in tow...about seven guys broke and started a chase. Soo in the field I was riding ok and the pace was tough, but things were going ok, and then the non drive crank loosened up and I was riding with one crank arm on my shoe but not the bike ,....lame ( it was a process of sense of movement to definite loose crank then off completely...) went to pit just before cut off and jumped in with like 7 to go. The front was easy to obtain and I held my spot pretty well but the laps began to take their toll and I was not as active to the front in the last three but I got thirtieth and last in the money which was cool since I have seen too many just out of the money results this year. Herculian riding on the part of the Muscle Langley and also fantaastic prime hunting Mr. Fader,...so for now see ya. ( i got 50 $ for 30th btw) OH right how did Russ fare ? He got third ...his incredible effort could only be topped by T.o. Solladay MT Khaki second place and the badass Luca Damiana on Colavitas uber powerhouse...( hope nothings misspelled..)but really! see ya..

Poolesville and Reston weekend

2009-06-30T07:05:00.000-07:00

This weekend, the two events which are pretty popular, went off very well. The Maryland road race was sorta small in attendance. No DC velo numbers and not many Immediate team riders evident. Small field but strong riders were there and Harley had a solid group. The Richmond pro Guys were out there also. Maybe 45 starters 55 ? not sure,..Race goes off and after a couple laps the 123 event at poolesville has been greatly reduced. There was some attacking at the usual spot at the top of the hill after exiting the gravel section..and this attacking by Harley created the selection. Many malfunctions, flats, and crashes also dropped the numbers. My crank arm was loose and I was doing the biopace thing. Jose went solo and Richmond had the numbers with three remaining in the whittled field to respond but instead he vanished on the herizon. Russ goes a lap later and this jump was bridged by , at first, two more than three more and the remaining chase group gets soo splintered up and discumbobulated that suddenly the race is hell...its me and two guys that failed to get across and we were driving it to change that. Me Steve Black NCVC and Steve Gordon DLP caught in the wrong place with a thirty second gap from the seven ahead with 1 more ( Jose ) up ahead of them,...Soo we dont reconnect and eventually NCVC attacks a couple times and succeeds to get away and mr Gordan drops me and goes with Mr Black up the road. I had a delightfull last lap riding solo and really appreciating my carbon Easton cranks which were swinging multiple directions simultaneously..annoying but something I should have addressed prior to that sat. rode in and got some applause from team riders. eleventh place and red lantern ,...moto right behind me 4 ten miles pulling the caravan.
Reston I was with new cranks and new pedals too. The clip in was terrible at start soo I went way back from gun. I got back up to front but not fun. I was persuing much and chasing more then I wanted to. I eased off a degree from chasing and let the race determine the races results.. or sumpin...soo I held position nicely thru event and towards end Jay moglia was near me and he was helpfull at two to go in that he prodded me some to stay closer to the front. Bell lap and I was in good position maybe 6 th. Around descent up small rise and two corners to go three Richmond Pros swing by and this I should have fought off more..into the last turn third Rich. pro skitters rear wheel barely staying upright. He recovers remarkably fast and I was not forced too much to slow or swing around though and The Sprint was long and I was pushing too hard a gear..it felt like an eternity and not sure how I wasnt passed by more then Mason haymes ( hope spelled it right..Natures trail or sumpin) soo yeah he passed me on the straight fast and I got ninth...Jay placed 10 th and rode a fine race he did. I am not disappointed with my spot and I am moving the right direction.

Wash. co. could not do

2009-06-22T16:22:00.000-07:00

I was sorta on the fence and not sure bout wash county and I was confirmed by my indecision as the guy who would not be there....at the crack of dawn when work issues were demanding and I was plain old run down somewhat. Sometimes when you dont decide, wel actually you have...or life has with the inexhorable rotation of the clock. Yes ,..the Restononian and the Poolesvillian are creeping up to us..again. Pave and Gravel. Classic stuff and the promise of pain...nice. At least some things in life are guarenteed. Soo no Murad results that I can find ...guess I rocked a twelth. Evan Fader went for the pre corner launch and went backward through the field and me and Ken Young got snagged behind him before the jump around was safe and secure blah blah long sprint and happy to get pretty close to top ten,..

Race ave, Pa and High Bridge, New Jersey events

2009-06-11T06:30:00.000-07:00

The Pa. event was a good race and I will return for that one. The participants were strong and included Chad Gerlach, J. Sundt and Jittery Joes riders.( Kelly had many riders) The start went off fast and attacks were reeled in. There was not many lulls and it stayed together until eventually Rick Norton and another Kelly guy got up the road. Chad went across and some others joined making about six up the road. The sprint came around and I got a lil swarmed but still placed 14 th ...not bad considering that Kyle wamsley only placed a couple spots ahead of me. In Jersey the hill was steep and the top has a really nasty and demanding ruff ass path where you ride / attempt to stay on. The descent is fast and one should take care around one fast ass turn where I almost lost the back end when in pursuit I lost contact with back tire to road and the back end was roostering all over the place..but caught grip just in time. Soo I made the selection except for six who went away. Good size steep hills and Jittery and Kelly representation equates to me not chasing too many things and allowing a move to go...so the teams will chill and the laps tick by smoother. Got to one to go and our group of maybe 14 are at the top of the climb when I feel the rear tire going bounce on the road. Losing pressure...not surprised with the nasty surface. So with a flat I roll in for twenty second and two out of the money...thats racing. No pictures 4 u.

Blade Runner

2009-05-27T23:22:00.000-07:00

You realize at one point that you are able and equipped to deal with the pressures that life throws at you in the everyday world and also in the extremes of racing. You go into it( racing,..) with a sort of apprehension every time but you know you have been fine every time in the past. A year comes along though that is out of whack with the stuff you have seen in the past. Not that the past has been mundane. Various mechanicals, lack of suppurt concerning high tech crap ,...and just basic some hard races.
I have been a cat one forever and the scene for us is sorta bleak in that if you cant get on a big local team then you have to contend with some smaller one that cant get in the big races sometimes,..I was not annoyed with this too much until recently but now it has become more of a trend. ( more races requiring invites or credentials of at leasat 4 cat ones ) I am now concerned about the future of small possible teams that can be contenders ? Should they be content to wait to get their ranks strong enuff to be recognized,..? If you really want to ge there are you willing to deal with girlfriends that dont understand the obligation,..the road rash ,..the obligations and time consumption, and possible addictive ties. ?

Risky Business

2009-05-26T18:19:00.000-07:00

I am normally pretty courteous and cautious when racing since I realize that staying upright is the only way to get across the finish line and win some money. Sounds nice and also has a hidden agenda. This does not mean that I will always move aside when someone wants to pressure me to let them out. This was the case on Saturday. I was riding pretty close to the front and sorta to the left side of the field and I am pretty sure it was a Kenda guy on my right,he decides suddenly that he had to get out. If the left of me was not occupied with at least a couple rows of guys to that side I could have easily let slim out. If it was not soo crammed at the time approaching the bell it would have been easy to move some to let him over. I was against being soo kind as to open the door and instead I accellerated to keep him lined up with my right side. I was irritated by his pushiness and I said "what are you just gonna force your way out ?" Thinking there was really nowhere to go and this little twerp is getting annoying. The next thing I know dude just accellerates again and turns into me. I moved as far left as I could without taking out the guys to my left and slims rear skewer skewed my frickin' two spokes on the front wheel and thus causing me to have to pull out. I was beside myself and walked across the parking lot with the rim rubbing the fork. I watched the finish and sat down totally pissed off and seriously contemplated getting some back and finding that whole team to sort out which desperate pro among them it was. I believe the next thing I would have done if slim had any lip than he would have really found out how much that prize money was worth. I am admitting in this post some involvement in why it was to a small degree my fault...but it was certainly a lame move on his part to be soo nasty since the course provides a lot of places to advance. I am still boggled but the bottom line is thats racing though it has been a while since I have been this amazed by another persons stupidity on a bicycle. Oh well,...the day was lame and pros can be lame. Lame Lame lame. I some times dont get it. I think next time I will just let any rider go wherever he wants because some will simply take everyones life in their hands in order to get in the money. Thanks for the lesson. Anyway that was enuff for me for a weekend and I bagged the thoughts of any further races for a few days.

THE RACE GODS

2009-05-18T18:58:00.000-07:00

I had a fun race weekend. The race gods frowned on me sorta with mechanical problems Saturday combined with lack of fitness at Wilmington that spelled time to pull out at six to go. The after party was where it was at though, and I was hard to convince to leave the scene. I did though and I got to the Patterson Park race I.E Bike Jam and we started and for once I got a good position. The race was fast but from the git I could tell I was gonna do better then last year where I was dropped at 19 to go..but it was my first race all year for 08" so i was ok with it then ...sorta.
Soo the race would compress here and there this year and string out elsewhere but it was not a difficulty. I was not really flying but I felt confident. I got to around seven to go and I was not anywhere near the redline that yesterday was creating. I am sure the bike jumping gears at Wilmington didnt help but I dont know it was a harder event regardless. I made it to the bell lap at Pulaski (MD.) and I was happy that the typical crash was to the side of me and not in front of me. This often happens in a race that did not stress too many engines too long. Around the top side of the curve and into the turn though some knucklehead decides he was done with pedaling and actually clipped out his right foot as though he was pulling into the pit and instantly creates a gap..I said what the fuck and was instantly assigned to the task of getting aroung his bitch ass and working to close the gap. Now I understand being gapped because of the pace getting high but this was obvious bullshit. Who does that there ? I was very taxed to catch on and this was the spot i was using to move up in earlier laps and I was counting on it here. Soo, OK I bridge, I regain composure and we go around the lower circle. I am winding up on a Mountain Khakhi wheel and then I am boxed in with a guy who stops pedaling in front of me and two riders on either side...Jared goes by on my left and I jump around on that side to get 33rd. I was boggled at the weird and unfortunate last lap antics and I kept milling it over Sunday night actually losing sleep and trying to tell myself thats racing but still very irritated about how my racing has gone this year but trying to stay positive. Cheers !

The Awakening and Work ( fun n dollars)

2009-05-14T21:01:00.000-07:00

Remember the statue "The Awakening" and it's cool location on the tip of Haines Point? The above photo is not of the awakening but I shot this statue in Germany (Kahrlsru or sumpin) I realize that the Haines Point one is still around but simply relocated to another location...the "National Harbor" which is really sorta out of the way and not convenient for most people. A nice place and worth the visit if you plan on spending some money, especially, but its earlier location was better as a DC accessable item and hang out. Which is exactly what I did late at night as a teen to impress a girl and bail on my own keg party, I have two other brothers so they were always shared mayhem events anyway. Yeah,.. big digression from todays ride to Hains Point. It was harder to get there today thanks to heavy headwinds then to ride once there. There was little going on and the few I saw were doing spinning and chatting. Soo I went home ..back to McLean.
Work has gotten in the way of trying to get some better miles to get ready for the weekends Grand prix and the bike jam on Sunday. I could use a teammate or two who rode in or around my category to help give some motivation and some ride sharing...as well as training together with. Gets lame now that it is the second year with nobody to ride with...WAH. I guess you make your bed and so on. next year things might change,..who knows and its still early for this season sorta. Work is going well and more lawn contracts are coming along as well as the more satisfying work of creating mulch beds and constructing rock walls to contain new plantings and so on. I love seeing the results of all the new rain as far as growth of plantings and seed development.. Blah blah so at least i have that going for me. ( that was a reference to the movie Caddyshack when Bill Murray recalls a trip to India and he was given a prayer by the Dahli Lahma..or sumpin like that.

Fort Richie and Work

2009-05-11T17:28:00.000-07:00

These photos are great. I believe the Sheldon Church Ruins are among the best American artifacts of archeaology that are still standing ...period. Circa 1845 this church remains are in the little lowcountry indian area of Yemessee SC.( hope I spelled it right...great area ) The parish was burned by the Brits during the Revolutionary war and again by the Federalists in the Civil war. Restored in the thirties and awesome today.(tombs all around in very well loved shape ) I went to college interested in architecture but settled on landscaping...maybe I will at least get a associates in varied interests...?
Fort Richie is a very interesting place and the cascade, Md. location is very nice and inspires me to get my 27 ft. RV up there to ride some nice miles and fish. The hills look great for riding and there seems to be plenty for liz and the Bear dog to do as far as hiking and stream romping. Very nice to get to an area soo close and yet soo seemingly far removed.
Liz and I collected some spanish moss from the road trip to SC, NC, And Georgia and I gathered some road rash as memorabilia. Also those darn mosquitos are ravenous bout that time. Ya"ll see The Curious Case of Benjamin Button...I liked that movie and it sorta seems to have some ties to my life in a weird way...you figger.
That race though was ok but it is tiring to ride among the power struggle that is MABRA and their battle for supremacy. The position is not new in that I have never been on the ruling team. Now there is two teams that are the obvious ones to win and the rest gather the scraps. If I were to say which is stronger I would say it is Harley Davidson...this is hopefully not a statement that is overstating the obvious though. Both are pretty stacked with contenders. I dont mind the dynamics because I figger whatever dont kill you...
Work is to be spoken of also.. The gentleman who is the VP of the team NCVC has contracted our landscaping services and I am ever soo gratefull. I grew up very close to Westlawn dr. where his house is. I was happy to do work around the old stomping grounds. It is also rewarding to bring back a garden and a flower bed from overgrown to renewed and a new license on life. I enjoy landscaping and also the satisfaction of providing smiles and good views without the pain of the glimpse at the wallet...or soo I hope. I am indebted to the cycling community in at least two ways...I get some income and I get some life lessons in humility. We all procure the best from each other and sometimes the worst also...but its in the decision of its partition and ramification that the strong flourish.

Final Speed Week Report

2009-05-03T12:22:00.000-07:00

The Spartanburg race was another hairy event full of bumping,shouting, and some crashes. It is hair raising and nervewracking stuff. The last ten came along after hitting the pit for a wheel. I was riding well but the field was very active in the last five and the speed was starting to wear me some. Around two left and I was far enough up front but at one to go there was a serious acceleration and so a hole opened up in front of me and I was on Frank Traviesos wheel at 3 turns to go and he was last nights winner. I was just hoping to stay with him but he punched it on the back stretch and that was all I saw of him. The last two turns were dealt with ok because the race was strung out but I got 36th and Frank got 29th utilizing his powerfull kick but he was also caught off guard by the last lap split . The Dilworth crit was a course that I knew was not gonna work 4 me. The hill at the one end ran all the way up the backside to the start/stop. The race began and I was getting passed on every ascent to the finish...I knew this was gonna be tough. The rain began and the turn at the bottom thers was a crash midfield. The split caused a frantic effort in the second half and I was pegged and I knew it was over as I pushed it to the point where I decided to simply ride by my own. Naturally the group in front of me eased at the top and I tried to close the gap just because I had gotten some recovery. It was to no avail but I did get real close. So I rode solo and some came from behind some came from the front and it was a sort of hodge podge of individuals as I simply kept a steady determined pace. I was not trying to hammer but just go steady and try to finish upright. Riders came and were either dropped by my or simply pulled out. There were many riders who crashed or droped out or both. I was lapped...I was soaking..I was interested in only staying upright and finishing. Todays race was going to determine if I would finish the series and the future was looking like I was gonna skip the 5 h r. To Ga. And then drive11 hrs back monday...anyway ...the field came through of like 35 guys out of the start of maybe 120..who knows but the field was greatly diminished. I got out of the way but did a few laps in 5his group. The corner was done badly by many and the braking and sprinting made it much more difficult then my line solo...so that's the way I ended up finishing.. Solo except for a Jittery guy who sprinted around me after riding my wheel the last lap..I was wondering if he was gonna pull such a heroic move

Walterboro

2009-05-01T14:30:00.000-07:00

Soo the fourth speed week race has come and gone and I was able to get in the money. The race was more 2 my liking in that the backside was more open and long therefore allowing time to close gaps and reshuffle b4 going into another funnel. I was 30 th place ...last in the money and ecstatic. I have been having a tuff time with this series and I am gratefull to have been some sort of a factor at least in my mind. The protest period passed and I collected the 55 clams and left. Later talking to Mark Light he said I was listed as 31 st and I was surprised. I am on my way to Spartanburg and I did see online that I am indeed slotted at 31st with a 44 th overall in the series...in the team overall I am 18 th and Rock racing is 19 th...obviously the one guy Cesar or sumpin did only one or two events as opposed 2 my 4 events but the bike rack will overlook this glaring point count detail just cause it will never happen again most likely...Well.. oh how bout details on the race ? Well it was nice bc it was less technical and I felt like I was breathing easier and mo capable to stay on wheels and to continue to pedal after people would grab breaks thus enabling upward movement into the front ...a crucial element if you want to be anywhere near the front at the end where the ramp in speed is prohibitive of place change by much if any. So if they want to get my payout back b cof a mistake f. Then oh well but I did wait for protest period to end and they did give me the check...anyway I have been getting stronger but the weight for has not dropped 4 s@it which makes me wonder if every scale I get on is simply trying 2 piss me off. Last year I was able to start at 185 and drop through the 170s and settle just under 170 most of the time..now I am steady at 180 and frustrated..I ain't going on jenny craig and just need more miles I figger ?

Two down in the South

2009-04-28T08:07:00.000-07:00

Well I guess I gotta post sumpin bout first cuppla days of the speed week series. Tom Buzas was right bout the Athens crowd and the drinking but his warning bout possible beer bottles being thrown on the course did not happen thankfully. There was a massive crowd and many were consuming and getting their swerve on. Good time for all there cept a professor that day did kill his wife and two others earlier thus a manhunt was in progress just off the course. Not fun for them...serious stuff. Unlike racing which is fun n games right. So yeah ...stacked field and there was a stunt moto guy doing trix 4 the crowd so much delay with call ups n shennanigans. Nervous waiting. The race starts and two corners in a crash causes a chase which was a great beginning...the race seemed to stretch out to a vanishing point with it being dark and a 150 rider field. I moved up some and got passed some. The counter read 43 and starting to feel it. At around 35 I was thinking at least get to the 20s fore bagging it. I was caught behind a rider down and went into his rear wheel and tried to hop but only went over the bars ...so I got a scratch on the nose and restarted with like 15 others. Down into the 20 sumpin lap to go I was closing small gaps and they were serious efforts. The teens went by and I was just counting each lap as a victory and just telling myself to do one more...7 to go and I was last guy ..at round 4 to go I moved up a lil and rode Evan Faders wheel awhile cause he was not hopping out the saddle on the backside climb and his wheel was less stressfull to follow... 2 laps left and speed really pamped up and more gaps 2 close...bell lap and I hopped around some spent guys and realized a tiny gap had opened up and I was no longer in the field sprint but I finished 56th and I finished. Historic Roswell was fast and narrow but we had daylight and smaller crowd. The last stretch was out of the saddle out the corner every time and narrow backside was lot of bunching up. Perfect for teams to set up moves and block. The race went by faster though and I was able to ride big name wheels and stay closer t the action. The cramps came and went. I got to 5 laps left and movad up more. At what I thought was. 2 to go I was in perfect position and at the mistaken bell I shot by many and would have had a topt en in the field sprint. But after crossing the line I was astonished the race kept pedalling on...a guy beside me asked me wasn't that the last lap? I was shocked but realized some error was made as I was being passed on both sides...the real last lap on the backside was madness and much bumping and pushing...very nervewracking but out of the last corner and out the saddle. I tried to give it another push but it was weak and I landed 54th I believe...oh and yesterdays crash messed with frnt deraileur so it fell to small ring in middle of race causins some tension and words. I worked it out last night at the room in Beaufort and today is the race I look forward to the most down here cause this town is where I really started to train 4 racing and where I livad and went to college. Hello Beaufort . Alaskan crab legs last night and hopefully good race legs tonight !

broken bike

2009-04-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

crash replacement cost 1900 $ not sure if that is a reduced price or just the same as to buy new with a nice name....lame deal and trek will never get my money again...bammas. I thought they would ask for 500 $ or sumpin reasonable. I like the Giant and it performed well today.
Columbia is always a great workout and nice and wide so it is a user friendly course. I got a forty $ dollar prime in the 35 plus and 8 th place which landed 25 $...the prime was at three to go and I kept going hoping to get a split going but to no avail. I was riding relentlessly in the 123 just to get my fitness up for the upcoming speed week series and to try to reel back the move up the road but blocking by dc velo and LSV proved to be too much ..oh and also Immediate mortgage. Harley was left out for the second day in a row...pretty unusual but the large majority is up at battenkill so thus an explanation for that. Hipp and Fuentes proved though that they do pretty well as the smaller contingent and Dave got fifth I believe in the 123 with much work put in and three up the road...no lame sprinter sitting in for them today. Josh had a great weekend with a fifth or fourth ? yesterday ( plus they won ) and a win today...and at their own race which is always nice. He spoiled the two LSV guys efforts to counter him and the stronger guy won.

Ready or Not ( photo #1 worried #2 resigned )

2009-04-18T19:48:00.000-07:00

Well...so I have been remiss in my duty to put a post up ? This post is about the future and present. Presently I am still trying to get this new bike fit for me. The new bike has this ( Giant advanced TCR ) ...has this seatpost that has to be cut at your desired height. The hacksawing of the frame for me required about 15 or 16 measurements of the same distance ..( old seat height on Madonne ) compared to the new frame where the cut should be made..once the clamp is inserted into the cut seat mast it adds 1 and a half in. so this compounded my nervous measurements and multiple checks before I actually cut the damn thing. Old school and not wanting to screw up made for a very nervous build for me. Busy week it has been and really struggling with the juggling of bills, overdrafts, and job supervising and estimating..plus registering for events . Riding was not accomplished at all besides down the street and back up after the bike was assembled around ten pm.
Thus the post title....ready or not. Olly olly in come free. Is it too late to post a photo of the broken frame of three races back or four ? maybe.. but I still might get around to it...bad mojo dough. I am going down to Speed week in Ga. and S Carolina and N Carolina. I went to college In SC and my bro lives in NC so I will have a somewhat nearby base camp. Good to get away.. Syn fit crit today was sorta frustrating bc the race split in half and it was too many DC Velo guys up there and too many Richmond Pro. So none of them would work if a split went from the break on the pretense that they didnt have to. If left behind and chasing.. none of them would work to bridge on the pretense that they did not have to. The two Battley riders( Hipp and Fuentes ) were outnumbered but they played their cards well and maybe won the group sprint for third, but they could not contain the race like usual after multiple moves went and came back...some I was in and some I helped bridge. Maybe around ten laps left, J. Meidhoff went away and was never seen again..a few laps later a Richmond Pro went off solo also and was gone up the road...too much looking around and too much team tactics. Thats of course if neither of those teams were yours. But the group sprint was fast and there was Ken Young and Craig Dodson and Josh and Immediate had Githens and Pete Custer and the two harley sprinters and Van Dessel and kelly and and and ,...you get the picture. I got fourteenth..I got some bills paid..I got some work lined up..READY OR NOT...going down south..but there is Columbia menana..ciao. (Dog in shot was in Dupont circle.. guys name in photo is Spencer.)

OUT WITH THE OLD IN WITH THE NEW TWO

2009-04-09T20:00:00.000-07:00

Fuck ...the time for me is never good to buy a new bike ...but now is the time. I could post a photo and maybe I will, but imagine a frame broken in half along the down tube and also another complete break just below the top tube down the head tube. The new one will be a Giant advanced sls or sumpin its cool...the bike.. and the price 4 me is sweet...much less than the crash replacement from trek....soo ...bout last weekends racing ? life is tough and so is racing thats why I do it..it keeps me reminded of the basics...stay upright...stay humble...and be nice and kick ass. I try, at least, to do all of the above. See you on the course of life ... :)

OUT WITH THE OLD

2009-03-27T13:12:00.000-07:00

The new season begins in two days for me with the Jeff. cup race. I have seen this race change courses so often but the last few years have remained unchanging. The old routes were more difficult. I remember racing against Eric Saunders and Jon Hamblen years ago before they went pro. Jon went to the navigators and Eric went to Europe for a while and came back to join Kodak/Sierra nevada. Both guys are cool dudes and jon is now with Time and Saunders is the team organizer i believe and jason Snow has hung it up for the most part I believe and is managing the Time crew. I gotta call Mark Light and get the scoop sussed out. Anywho...this post is more intended to highlight the new kit and plug in the new team.
The last few days have been real busy for me with all the new contracts getting honored and the completion of another shed project and powerwashing, pruning, mulching,...jobs. Not any riding but I will ride Friday at the point and do some tomorrow to get ready some for sundays intro race.
Soo yeah,...I am stoked to be with THE BIKE RACK WASH. DC ...the owners are very cool. The new kit is gonna be sweet with the BEAR DOG LANDSCAPING LLC logo on it and also the changes in the design will be tight. The guys on the team are amped to get under way with racing this year and that is good motivation for me. I have lately been in a sort of slump as far as various problems and hurdles but persevere I will. Like the little choo choo going up that mountain...I know I can I know I can...sort of thing. Right ...out with the Bike Lane ( though I was appreciative of their support..Adam especially thx) In with the new though.. The Bike rack. Mercenary Schmidty. In the photo it shows me getting swallowed by the field in the ING 123 race. I had just finished the masters race in which I was solo for maybe 12 laps and the field in that one was about ten feet behind me as I crossed the line..my teammate nima came through me and got third I got fourth and Ramone one with the help of mark Warno. ( who was also my teammate till mid season when he went to Immediate mortgage. So in the last lap a route one guy went to the front and i was on his wheel the whole last lap. He spilled in the last turn and there I was suddenly on the front with way too far to hold off the fresh field behind me..I gave it the old school effort and got pretty far till the sprinters came through me and I lost seven spots in about thirty feet. Bo lee got me by a bike throw for the last guy to go by me. damn...but at least I was still in the money.

THATS COOL...

2009-03-23T21:16:00.000-07:00

Can he do that..can he say that ? Yeah he can do that.. You might wonder what the hell...where the hell is chris going ? I am referring to the amazing and glorious results of a simple ride. The effects that a simple display of fitness can have, on an otherwise sorta mediocre level of talent, that engenders super arrogance. I have always wondered about what it is that enamours me to this sport ?
I do not think it is the jock mentality or the clean cut personna that many illustrate or the silver spoon class that seems to fill many categories. I think the thing I can relate to is the tuff man wins thing. I was born and raised on this sort of thinking. Not by mom and not by any other adult but by my brothers and our friends and enemys. We got in fights, we all scrapped and we all survived ..for the most part. Most of my friends were scrappers and we all knew each others abilities. So among us we knew who not to tangle with..or who you could test the waters with.
Enough about the fun of high school and onto the current life concerning bicycles and racing with them. The fitness aspect of racing crits is important. The fitness aspect also takes a back seat if you have no nuts, or if your female, than you are a cautious rider. The logic being that if your fast; then what does it matter if your also fast to hit the brakes: and fast to create explanations about other guys that got in the way... See the problem well in advance and dont be part of it. Experience also pays in dividends in that you can see where you best let the knuckleheads spar around you and stay away and ease the throttle. The speed thing gets muted if your on the pavement or relegated to the back because of fear. Fear has a great place though and the term is replaced with common sense and talent...talent to stay upright and get to the last lap. In a fight this applies also because it has similarities. If you hold back and get hit first the catchup game is on...if you go first too early then maybe you could have avoided having to break away too early and the whole thing maybe could have been finessed better...all about reading the game and the other players...
The intended purpose of training is that your supposed to pull your punches yet still get a workout in, and this fine line can be hard to achieve. Sparring with new guys can be frustrating, in that to them they have too much to prove, and thus can be dangerous to be around. Maybe taking it too seriously. Racing is more like a gang fight where training is like a sparring match. In sparring you want to similate the real thing but not to the point of serious injury or jeapordizing ones capability to perform for the real deal.

BACK IN THE DAY

2009-03-18T17:44:00.000-07:00

Back in the early days of my introduction into cycling I was doing university educating in South Carolina. I was a bored guy with a girlfriend all the way across the state. She was at the main campus and I was still in the satellite campus in Beaufort South Carolina. This was a drag and it eventually led to my first big 140 mile solo run out of the lowcountry and into the agricultural land of cotton and kudzu. She was worth every stroke...of the pedals..to go there. I was on a mission.
Her name was Josephine Iacavidou..she was from the birthplace of Aphrodite and the also the stoic Zenon..I believe. ( to enlarge the piture above just click on it n drop down..shoulda been put in better ) The island in the middle of the meditteranean known as Cyprus. ( greek ) Her father went to war against the invading Turks in 74' and has not been seen since. The policy of the Turkish army was to keep the captured Cypriot men prisoner and reintegrate them eventually into their society and make them marry a Turkish women. The island was split into two and the division is known as the green line. Josephine was given a scholarship for two reasons from the govt. of her homeland. First she had a father who fought for their freedom....secondly she was a straight A student. I benefited from getting to know her in that she was a great tutor for my lame algebra skills. Plus she was awesome as a person and great to look at.
Soo I went on the road and travelled past yamasee ( the name of a marshland indian tribe ) and past many big plantations. I never rode that far before and I was carefull to go easy to not fry myself. I eventually passed many towns and small country hamlets until I finally got into the suburbs that mark Columbia S.C.. I was a nuisance for the dorm because I slept in the dorms lounge on the sofa and the girls in their pajamas probably felt awkward with a guy there. Oh well...it was worth the trip and after the weekend I rode back. I did the trip a couple more times and grew more confident. With that confidence came mistakes. I got caught with 40 miles to go still, once, and it was too dark to continue. I stopped at a remote country store where some hunters were gathered. I asked how far I had to go and told them why I was soo stupid to be stranded this far away from anywhere . They passed the bottle some more, joked some, and one of them gave me a ride to where there were at least city lights. These guys were real southern and they showed me some southern hospitality. Gave me a camouflauge jacket and all. That could have been a real bad situation. Not sure if its better to be stranded in the middle of nowhere or in a magalopolis. At least in the woods you can make a fire but no money in the city, and cold, means you have to break a law for room and board. A new teammate said I should put this story up...thx for the suggestion Grayson.

Another Lost River write up...

2009-03-16T08:46:00.000-07:00

I have heard the phrase "stay the course" but this weekend I was not applying that phrase. I was pretty motivated to go out and ride with the new team to get to know them better and also log some miles. I was also aware of the weather forecast but I did not phisically respond well to the, at least ten degree temperature difference. The first day, Friday, we did a pretty short 35 miles and it worked out fine except for many mechanicals. The next day there was a slight rain that was picking up very slowly and combined with the cold made things uncomfortable. Our team was going to do two rides that day : one for everyone and one for the stronger portion of the group. I was not feeling well by the end of the first ride and felt more drained then usual so I opted to not do the second ride. I slept and read a book and the precipitation got a little worst. My sleep was sorta a mix of some solid sleep and some waking to cold sweats. I must have overworked this week and been unaware of some bug that was not fully worked out or sumpin.
Soo ultimately I was somewhat humbled by looking out the window and not participating as much as I wanted but oh well. The last day it was drizzling even more and I was not stoked at all to do more then one lap of the proposed race course that willl be the Lost River Classic course.
The hills on this ten mile loop are tough. The race will be excellent for climbers and for the not soo great climbers it will be painfull, but a good workout and an opportunity to lose some weight. If you know the Page valley race then it will be found to be comparable but, in my opinion, somewhat more difficult. The Page course gradually winds up the first climb as opposed to the WVA climbs which dont have as much mercy in the respect that they have a more consistent pitch. Granted the page valley second climb is brutally steep but it is shorter and the top is visible which always helps as opposed to climbs which you think might be done and then you see another leg to do. The Lost River race will become an instant classic and it will be viewed as epic. This area is in need of more diversity as far as races and this one will certainly provide that. Tired of industrial parks and the sitting in of the ever present crits we have ? This is what you have been waiting for then. The area alone makes for a great weekend and an excellent way to escape the urban/suburban sprawl. It is amazing how fast one escapes the commercial mess we live in and finds themselves able to relax in the Lost River area. It is my recommendation to not rush out and back but to enjoy the weekend there or maybe even make it a three day vacation.

Stranger in a Strange Land

2009-03-12T19:33:00.000-07:00

I went to California around 2003 after a bad couple of years in the district. I was dumped by the girlfriend Kristy and started to live somewhat wild staying in the car and on couches.
Working as a messenger. The next thing that happened was getting hit by a car and being put in the hospital. The injury involved being hit from the back by a cabbie. He lied about what happened and he got another cabbie to lie about what happened also, to be a witness. I remember this fucking asshole, towelhead, getting out of his car angry with me because I was enraged enough, and in hindsight stupid enough, to kick his sacred crown vic. This was after he hit me driving away from the gas pump at twenty third and M st. and looking out of only his right hand passenger window as he floored it to the sidewalk and myself, as I was entering the crossing. I went down the ramp and attempted to evade this complete dick as he was completely not looking and going way to fast. I was hit while I was going down the ramp off the sidewalk and onto the road. The angle of the ramp meant that when he hit me from behind I was sent for big hang time. I remember, post adrenaline, The sound of my leg breaking and it was like when you intentionally snap a good size limb for firewood.
The cabbie was able to create his LIE right in front of me and talk arabic to his other unsympathetic coherts and when I was carted off to the hospital the female black cop came up to my bed and presented me with a District of Columbia traffic violation. ( nice..one foolish lazy DC cop and no chance for a lawsuit for a broke bastard like me..ok I met dad once.. :) The foreigner told the ambivilant policewoman that I kicked his cab as he was waiting at the sidewalk for me to pass. My leg was broken into "cornflakes" ( doctors proffessional assessment of the severity ) and required an orthopaedist thirteen screws and a rod the length of my calf to gather the result of my ...inability to control my "social disorder". ( BS )
Soo that was a bitter incident which rendered me pretty helpless. The surgery itself was set for two weeks post incident. This meant having a cast to allow swelling to reduce. This also meant every time I moved that leg the bits and pieces would grind and protest and I could feel the movement of the various pieces shifting. I was living on my brothers couch for a couple weeks and I was and I am gratefull for his help. ( though he never visits..)
Anyway, lets move forward and away from that fun. I was always blind to the lies and deceit of Kristy and I was back and forth with her and her BS until she left for good around 2003. It was the epic year when lance was crashing and still winning,..and I was crashing and losing. ( or at least thats the year I think ) I left for California to never come back. I went to Laguna Beach. It is a fancy Southern part of the west coast with many tourists and also quite a mix of locals too. The soul of the town industry is art and tourism. ( a pair of twins named Samara and Gabby moved there from Great falls, Va. who r old friends ) I found a few places to camp including a cave of sandstone in a canyon. I got a job as a construction laborer by just walking onto the site and getting sympathy from a nice foreman. I was not doing well though, even in paradise. people seemed distant and distracted. Insincere and preoccupied. Maybe those adjectives were really my own but I did ride my bike. I was not fully recovered but I was determined to not let the naysayers win. There were some including my own mother who told me I would probably have to forget about racing. I was maybe like Forrest Gump...confused, angry and needed time to think.
Soo the job at Monarch bay was wrapping up and I was not prospering there anyway so I packed up and headed off to LA in search of better pay and more importantly someone to maybe call a friend or to hang out with. The twins were involved with their own lives and the art people were not my sort. I was broke and the messenger bag was really loaded. I mean a set of Ksyrium wheels and much camping stuff. I slept under a beach in a really industrial part of long beach and a kind homeless guy, as opposed to me, lent me a blanket because I was sorta short. I felt for him BC he was whooping and coughing all night in his tent and I could hear his pain all night from a dozen yards away.
I rolled into the worst slums of any town I have ever seen. Made the worst parts of Baltimore look like a nice scenic getaway. I think it was Compton...not sure. I am sure I was interested in moving along quickly and worried for the first time ever about being jumped in broad daylight. Trust me, I have been plenty of places and this was the most bum infested, hood crowded, used car parking lot of an area I have seen.
I eventually, after literally hundreds of blocks of slums, started to see high rises and suits. I was never happier to see suits. I had spent my last dollar on a double cheese and I wanted to barter my wheels for some food money. I asked a commuter about where the messengers were to be found. He said "fourth and Flower". I was off. It turns out that it was like mecca. Weed wafting and guys who bought some of the stupid cycling shit I had and suddenly I had fifteen dollars and a route to Venice beach where I could crash. I slept on the beach under a lifeguard station for a couple weeks and evantually got a messenger job at 1st Legal. Like a Quick messenger service in DC. LIL lower rates but more work. I crashed some( slept ) at Jonas'es in Venice also and it worked out ok for a while but things were real tough there and I would never suggest going out there as ill prepared as I was...and as fucked up as I was mentally either. I am all growned up now. :) ( some of the stuff I got into I wont talk of here but not swift, lucky to be around stuff )

GAMJAMS REVIEWS: THE RACE WHEELS I WANT

2009-03-11T18:05:00.000-07:00

The german wheels Lightweight brand seem very nice. These deep sectional wheels have been in the market the longest and are preferred by the pros ...or so it seems but the cost I don't know...I am sure it is real high. I just bought a pair of Easton EC90 aeros which are deep section carbon rims and for me that is sufficiant for that dream . Good times ..ciao oh and yeah tubulars of course.

AUDIOSLAVE

2009-03-10T00:49:00.000-07:00

Be Yourself thats all you can do...the lyrics go that way... and of course its true.. but music brings life...life to power, and willingness to deal with pain. Desire results in Motivation. When you see an attack ( or hear it more ).. and you realize it seems strong.. so whats the choice ? wait for someone to choose to be themself or ...do you grab your testes?/ So is that your goal to hope to be dragged around... to the last lap...? ( if so it might pan out in the local fray but no way in the honest bigger class..)
Drafting another riders wheel is really what I am focusing on here. We all know the power in the local field and our own power to a degree also. It is important to feel your oats and test your drive. Say to yourself fuck the end game lets do the my game...maybe play the Audioslave tune in your head as you roll..( sometimes the end is the biggest problem as far as gettin the end game result ? )
So onto my next thought ...once you have the Audioslave mentallity on point ...lets go beyond the local little league and onto NRC where theres some speed consistently throughout. No 26 to 29 pace variation just plain frickin fast and no need to record what happened..just did you stay on ? So what are you listening to in your head ?....your heart ? Barry Mannilow ? or are you rockin like Dokken ( just a phrase ..hate Dokken) Like Audioslave ?) the real core of this article is the ability to really grab a draft and get in the tuck . Get it like its yours and dont say hey here you go to anyone..be yourself.

THE RUFF NEWS

2009-03-06T19:40:00.000-08:00

About ten years ago I was telling my teammate Zach Browne that we needed to do some weekly time trialing in order to maintain some idea of our fitness and to record the data. I made a flyer with some cutouts and creativity ( thanx Eddy for your permission )Zach was sorta reluctant because he is the kinda guy who is always busy... He agreed though, thankfully, and actually showed up most of the time, at least initially. I figured the weekly training regimen did not need to be real long but that the hills would substitute nicely. ( MR. Browne was the guy I got to the front so he could do his amazing sprint ...unless a break got away and I would cover it ) the Ross Dr. loop came to mind because of its proximity and its available BBQ pits.
The burden of carrying chicken parts, water gallons, and beer was a minor drawback to bring about spectators and participants. ( friends make it memorable and provide so it can go on with a sense of fun...man it got fun..) The realization of how to actually get to know ones ability and to realize affective ways to overcome parts of the course through post conversation and/or simply doing it stronger became apparent. ( sorta like dude you have to use the big ring, on certain points and sections..)
It was just a training thing I never thought that it would still be around to this day and I am really happy that it draws people to the awesome outdoors that the Rock Creek provides. I remember one year where the messenger world championships came to DC and the crowd there filled a big field and I was soo stoked...I wanted to ride the course but instead showed out of towners the course...it was awesome and I believe it was the largest presence that field has ever seen... Another excellent reason to leave the Dupont circle scene and venture into the woods. Right now there is a low no. of people who actually do the time trial though I believe the party, barBQ essence of it is still going strong and on any given( every other ) wednesday there will be someone to record your time on the RUFF NEWS loop. Instructions can be gotten on the loop which is about 5 miles. We had two loops back in the day for variety one was 5 miles another was 3.9 miles.

cyclocross

2009-03-05T06:34:00.000-08:00

I got out for some night riding yesterday and it was a good time. The trails are clearly visible as a dark line in the otherwise pure white lit by the moon. It was nice to get out the cross bike for some snow riding. I went along the river and up and down some hills which were pretty steep so I walked a section or two but it was worth it. I got another chance to remind myself why I bought a cross bike. I am glad we got some snow.

eighties, ramps, and flatland

2009-02-22T21:25:00.000-08:00

My years in Falls Church as a freestyler and bmx guy were fun. Aside from a broken arm from going over the backside of an eight ft. quarter pipe at Randy fugates ( the ramp was painted in the black and white checkered pattern of original vans)no not vans as in a vehicle: shoes. My first quality bmx bike was a Skyway (chrome) with acs graphite hoops (red) with GT hubs. Could not afford three piece profile cranks but something decent is on it. The trick with me in the blue jacket is not that special. I got better though and sorta gained skill. The halfpipe was more intense so that was the direction I moved towards and away from the trails and jumps. More sustained hang time on the pipe. Int the picture where I was catching air I was wearing my favorite shorts: Birdwells. ( cool nylon Swim trunks at the time ) Note confidence as far as no top where some might have been decked out in armpads and full sleeve. Lame..the sign on the top reads troopers beware.. Rusty on the lookout. ( a harmless dog that was owned by the ramp owner my good friend Rob H.; ( wanna say Hartford ) I cant remember his last name now ...it will appear as the cloud drifts away ) The one that prohibits my historic recall. ( troopers was an insult to guys that sucked on the ramp and occupied too much of our privacy and ramp time )
Anyway ,..we had a trick team that would perform shows at various events like fairs, parades, and any event they would allow us to set up up the mobile quarter pipe ( towed on rear of station wagon ) as well as the trick ramp which is not curved just a 35 degree short ramp ..we would perform not for money but to meet the ladies. Fame also.
The freestyle bike I moved to beyond the Skyway was a Hutch Trick Star which was a lavender frame ( cool then I swear: eighties color ) red skyway 2 mags and white GT trick bars. Yes the cables had the potts modification so bars could rotate multiple times without winding around headtube. I met Mr. Hutch at a trick show sponsored by Rockville Bmx...the big shop everyone in the know went to. Those guys were paid and they rocked.
High school daze and the bike gathered dust eventually. Eventually took too much space in closet and lost to history. A shame they are pretty prized these days.
The first year at FCHS was not stellar. I passed one class barely with a D and that was Home Economics ( again Chics and possible snacks ) Shop did not appeal to me...call me a fag..I will live. Soo yeah one D and five fantastic F s. Nice. Off to summer school. Fuck that sucked. Oakton was to be my summer school for four more glamorous years. Price of hangin out. Serious dazed and confused or just absent.
I showed up around third period, the day of photos for the year book, and went to the auditorium to get it over with. The scene for yearbook photos in the auditorium is funny. Everyone is all dressed up like they are going to court; and I am totally clueless in raggedy clothes. The photographer could not let me be shot like I was. They had a cardboard sorta facade which looks like a tie and white shirt and they lent me a black coat. That is why I was smiling so authentically because I was probably baked and just laughing.
I could not believe I was voted best hair. I think no guys are seriously gonna ponder who they think should get voted best hair so they just put down what makes them laugh or nothing at all and maybe the ladies loved my curly locks. Ozzy, Metallica, Panterra, Dio, ...you get the idea. I liked it loud. Broader interests now. Moving forward in time.
The photo of the Burritto bunch is shot outside Jays Jersey house where across the street there was a golf course. Jay was a young up and coming golf pro in high school who lost interest thank god. We were there for a race in Point Pleasant, NJ and it was a fast pro race. That town is very nice with a decent shore and huge victorians. Jersey nightlife is soo different then here with the Italians sporting the big gold necklaces and open hairy chest (on the gents mostly) ...and the big hair of the women and glossy lipstick bright red. This was not the eighties but the nineties. Anyway...Jason Stevenson is the tall guy who was recently injured in a bike/car interface in the district so I thought I would dig up a shot with him in it.
Also Shane Greg and Sandra and another photo of Zache "DOO DOO" Browne and Sandras jeep. ( Sandra and I were married for eight months thankfully it was not death do us part )

demo and construction

2009-02-21T13:19:00.000-08:00

I have a neighborhood client for whom I am providing a landscape change on the front of the house for now. I started and created a new mulch bed or two. I also proposed a much larger change that included trees, stone walls, and shrubs on which they agreed to. The next day they said their new idea was to focus on the back first and to start with the demolition of the current shed. the pre-existing shed was vine covered and failing as far as being watertight. the new one after some deliberating would be the same rather small 8' by 6' but with a gable roof as opposed to the slightly sloped flat roof the old one had. Also the materials would be vertical cedar siding and faux slate shingles. These materials are about as high end as possible. The entry also was to be a wooden multi paned door which could not be bought with a pre constructed frame thus adding to the labor hours and complexity. The entry design also included another smaller gable over the door for looks and more weather protection.the new storage spot would include a window which could be opened and of the double paned vacuum sealed variety.
I went at the old shed and demolished it in a day. The proposed time for the construction was put at a week. A roofer friend of mine said I was off right there and that it would probably be longer. I was hopefull and eager to have some work in February. After a week I was not done. The seventh day came and the door frame was giving me trouble.( in the photo the right side is not finished and therefore not symmetrical.. which if I get final photos up one can see its even ) I got it hung but the time on it alone was twice what i thought it would be. Eighth day and still just felt paper on the roof. The wood trim and soffits were also some detail work that put me behind schedule. Ninth day and the shingles were halfway done and projected time looking to be way off. Also the projected material costs were a lot higher then anticipated. At this point I was driven to get done and I did on day no. ten but the learning experience as far as using expensive wood and fancy tiles was invaluable. The door framing I also now will be more wary of. The client came in with around $5600 total costs and thats after I dropped a good piece of the extended labor costs in acknowledgement of my mistaken projections.
The client and I are moving forward with further plans as far as actual landscaping, but both parties will be more cautious as far as cost assesments. The shed is the best on the block though and I am proud of it. Considering it has been a while since the last construction job. I said I wanted to talk about the job some so there.
No racing going on right now but the ten oclock today was fast and I was satisfied with that performance, also. Immediate Mortgage was a presence today with maybe three or four members and similar amount of Team HD riders. good fun. :)

Valentines day ten oclock

2009-02-14T19:41:00.000-08:00

The last time I was out on a Saturday to ride I was a little too ambitious and I had already put in too many miles that week..So I went to do the seven oclock for the first time and also the ten oclock. It was a good workout..and it was also a humbling experience. I was done after Esworthy and after turning onto River rd. I went up halfway with the group and that was it for me. I drifted off and rode in. But of course there was yet another rider who was either dropped or simply suffered a mechanical who came through me and i jumped on...just to realize that it was only a matter of time till he was going to force me to fade off again. That is always fun. It does replicate racing in that you can sometimes claw back into a group or individual just to get dropped again. Well ...I have never really known what or how to describe racing and or training on days like these..which is pretty often. To say it is fun is to say it is fun to go to the dentists in my humble opinion. Somehow though there is a sense of satisfaction especially afterwards. Also maybe if fun can be synonymous with exhilerating and the thrill or endorphine rush of a sprint or a near catastrophe..( sometimes )well it is fun.
Cupids holiday was thankfully somewhat less difficult but still a good training ride. Only Jose of the Harley bunch was there and the ever present james Wagner in the yellow...also a guy I dont know the name of who sports a pro shop sponsorship jersey. ( he is the guy who came through after I was dropped a couple weeks earlier and said see ya ) There was a Jorje..( its George in english I think ) from the Artemis crew. Most of the regulars like the dude who has the belgian wool jersey( red white and blue ) A strong non racer. The usual appearance of Simon Walker and Steve Barrie after the halfway point ( onto River rd ) Justin Omalley was also along for the duration. Now that I have bored whoever is reading I will say it is nice to get into the park with the front and it is also ominous because I aware of all the players that were not present. This season seems as though it will be very fast and D20 is as good as any district to hone the criterium skills. Actually better then most . So I guess I should be gratefull for the everpresent available hammers to keep me in shape. THX Chris ( I will be working Sunday and sorta unhappy to miss the trade zone but I also like the idea of letting the frenzied first couple get sorted out and come in with some of that energy spent )

British times

2009-02-12T21:01:00.000-08:00

The history of phrases and gestures is hazy and often a mystery. The often said phrase son of a gun is an interesting one because it seems soo harmless and innocent compared to todays descriptive and maybe vulgar ones today. Actually the phrase comes about from a criminal being sentenced to labor on a ship of war to carry out his sentence ...and when that craft was in shore it would not allow the prisoners to go to harbor, but instead the vessel would bring certain parties to bring some harmony to the human cargo. The parties in question were actually whores and the criminals and the hired painted ladies would go below deck to entertain themselves, the most private locations were between the gun stalls or cannons and there sex would take place. Thus the coinage or product came about. Son of a gun ; A whore and a criminals byproduct or procreation. Nice
When you hear the phrase; on the wagon: you are maybe only thinking he is gonna stop drinking , this being the volition of choice. Actually the phrase comes from the British sentence of death whereas the guilty party is given his last choice of final wish and often the preference was a last drink. Therefore the wagon would stop at the bar and the patron would make his request as to his choice libation and after its consumption the tender might ask whats next. The accused and convicted would have no choice but to reply that he was on the wagon. ( which meant he was off to the gallows pole)
Nice....Soo moving on...this applies to recent fun...the gesture of raising the middle finger is actually dated back to Roman times and in those days the finger was one of phallic reference. The person that you applied it to was the person that you were metaphisically screwing an regardless of sex it was the supreme insult. The Romans were actually very colorfull in their ability to articulate.
In more modern times like 1415 there was an English king ( Edward the 5th ? )who wanted France and occupation and he sent 10000 soldiers to do some damage. This story has many details. To shorten ..the English were better prepared with better munitions and better soldiers. These guys were happy to fight and knew how to.. Also skilled in the use of the English longbow. The French rallied as the English moved across their terrain and threatened their land. They gathered a much larger force but less ,by far, skilled. The battle at last was fronted and faced at Abercort ? The outnumbered English the night before were threatened by the French with promises of bow fingers being removed and their ultimate ability to inflinct damage on the French forever removeved across the battle line. The French feared the English longbow made of resilient Yew wood that had amazing distance and the archers could loose six per minute. The longbow is plucked with two bowfingers ; the middle and top and the wood is from an English Yew. The phrase fuck you therefore comes from the amazing victory of the English on the battlefield where maybe 8000 French died, thus ending many noble lines, vs. the loss of about 500 English. Pluck Yew was adapted to simpler Anglicized term fuck you as a cocky reference to the survivors defiance to insurmountable odds, yet coming out on top with all capabilities in order. Roger that ? A cool photo I will find for this post soon.

the original Trade Zone plus a posse of messengers

2009-02-02T08:01:00.000-08:00

The Trade Zone has moved around..as we all have. The course used to , at one point, have a u-turn in it. This shot shows the break, in 94', moving up the hill with yours truly taking a pull and the main field approaching the turnaround. No they are not going the wrong way. The u-turn course is rarely seen these days. Norfolk used to have one, it was mercifull in that it went around a a wide median thus not so tight and one could carry speed thru easier. Trade Zone is approaching so I thought this was an appropriate photo. Osborne ( is there a u in super d's name ?) is sporting the unattached look and another big threat in that move was Chris Henry in the red n white behind Dave. I remember one classic comment on his part to Zach in which he called us small fry..made Doo Doo angry.

The next shot is of the old bunch at the fastest track in the world..for nascar.( location: Bristol, Tenn. ) But it was a trip to race on with the steep banks. The Burrito kit can still be seen on the rare occassion donned by the Australian Shane downtown doing deliveries. That guy can keep his stuff for years. That race was part of a stage race that started with a road race and later in the day a TT up a mountain. In the first stage only a couple miles into the race this guy in the field overlapped a wheel in front of him. Chucklehead went careening across the middle of the bunch ..so the pileup put me on my ass. I got up sorta checked the bike and went to catch up. 9 I.E. I put the chain back on ) The bike went forward half a stroke and the chain fell off again which meant I went over the bars and onto the asphalt again. Frick and frack I was done with the fun. A bent chain ring was the issue. The titanium frame also cracked at the seat post weld.

I was starting to really not like this race and the name of the event was The Rainbow Classic or something sorta questionable. Between the road race and the TT I was applying hose clamps and hammering the ring. ( this drew attention ..style points ) I did manage to get a third in the TT probably due to fresh legs..I will take it though. But the bike was running pretty bad to say the least. In the photo one can see the hose clamp around the seat clamp area. Never buy a bike with no name from a sketchy source out of eastern Europe...built out of refuse aerospace titanium from Russia or somewhere. I was young and naive..but just trying to have fun at a discount.

The motley crue of messengers are from Toronto and England and then theres me the yankee with the bike held aloft. The Pyrenees were awesome. There are castle ruins, little villages nestled in remote mountainous places and great vino not to mention the lamb. All very affordable. Good times. I crushed the freak in the sign by dropping him going up to the French border. He got my first place though by bridging up to me in the last lap in a 100 lap race and disappointed I was. This was in a lil race in Toronto a year or two earlier... on a wooden figure eight track. ( it was somehow satisfying to see him sit down and refuse to go further up the lon climb :) Definitely another story, but he got 1500 Canadian dollars and I came away in second with no cash but I did win a Kona mtn. bike. ( Fishbone played and I managed to get some beer ) The bike was large schwag to take back to the US which I managed to sell later.

WEEKENDS OUT OF THE CITY

2009-01-27T22:45:00.000-08:00

The life of most full time messengers is somewhat perilous. The life of most full time messengers is a life where you are the master of your daily choices, yet there is common threads linking each other and the down time is often spent together talking and waiting for work or just glad to be off work. The scene of many assembled for a sort of group therapy is somewhat routine. The routine becomes a problem in the eyes of "upstanding" citizens and a source of action for the police.

I am on this subject because I was wondering about the ultimate benefit of racing bicycles besides the ability to stave off aging phisically thru exercise. There is another benefit besides that of the dipping into the fountain of youth, and that is the benefit of staying out of trouble.

Trouble comes in many forms. The most common for messengers involve fights, disorderly conduct in general, and other infractions which are against the law. The recognition that it will hurt to participate in a race with only four hours of sleep will, or should, result in getting a more standard quantity of rest the night before; and maybe even a couple of nights in a row.

Mainstream racers with a career are somewhat the opposite in that for them it is their way to cut loose a little. The wife is nagging and the kids are wanting to get their demands fulfilled, but this is the career guys way to cut loose a little and take a chance. To live a little and take a risk in the pack. To go run wild some and then get back in the routine hopefully without the order being lost at home. All this breaking away done within legal parameters of course. The cost of the race and fuel is not really a concern.

In summary the career person and the messenger often have two large seperating factors. One is that for the messenger: the race itself does not really pose that much risk compared to the daily life in live traffic weekdays, but keeps the individual from possible negative consequences stemming from late nights. As opposed to the salary rider who is taking a risk leaving the nest and relative safety, to go carouse in a race. Secondly, the delivery person in the summer often gets less pay than other times of the year and spends it out and about, thus it does put a burden on the budget unless he or she is thrifty...soo the prize purse does matter and those pennies are very important to get back. ( I call them dollars but I guess it is a matter of perspective) OK ,..Soo out of trouble or in trouble. Worried about the gas and entry or simply aloof as far as those trivial matters go. Different strokes ..same race. ( PHOTO INFO )

Global Gutz was a time trial race in which every city in the world could hold their own race and the format was provided online...the race was to be as flat as possible and thirteen miles long. There was to be five checkpoints thru or along the course..the best time for each city gets posted and the best time among the worlds cities compared and a winner selected. 2002 there was somewhere only like 680 entries and I won by 45 seconds I believe. Flight money was given to go to Copenhagen and compete in another messenger race : the messenger world championships...another story spins off from there but anyway. the dupont circle scene of messengers is pretty old and couriers do not congregate there anymore bc Dupont Circle neighborhood assoc. cracked down and got the police to put the heat on. I guess most can recognize the furry freak as myself.

U st criterium

2009-01-25T18:38:00.000-08:00

The photo here is of a post race celebration moment. The location was 14th and U st. and the year was 1994. I was working as a messenger and so was my teammate Zach wearing the green shirt. I won the 1,2,3 and mr. Zach Browne got third. Dave Osborne won the field sprint for second. I got away from the breakaway of maybe four riders who either got tired or lost faith in the move. It was a Doug Willier course involving one of his classic u-turn layouts.

I went on later in the year to win the road race stage at Altoona as a cat 3. The next and final stage, the criterium, was where I hoped to move up from second overall to first. I was given the most aggressive jersey. ( the white jersey, red helmet in photo ) Fate had another plan and mother nature provided the rain. On the final lap I was in about seventh spot and we got to the bottom of the hill with a couple of turns to go before the sprint.

Just around the corner there was a crash up ahead. Also looming was a monster telephone pole right on the edge of the curb just before the crash. The option of going around the crash was canceled due to centrifugal force. A quick reaction, to the choice of either piling into the riders on the asphalt or aborting into the curb, took place. The response cleared me of the pole but I was on my ass on the sidewalk. I jumped back onto the bike and finished for tenth, which moved me down to third overall.

This year was like deja vue. In one of the first laps of the Pro-cat 1 race a Harley guy slid out on the plywood grate cover. A Colavita rider and myself piled into him. Me and the guy in red got back in after the cracked rear carbon wheel was changed with a Zipp stand in, and they adjusted his out of place lever. Cant say what happened to the HD rider.

In the last last lap the guy in front of me overcooked the turn. He kept the bike upright but stopped pedaling in order to find his balance. Since I had to wait a few pedal strokes a few others behind me passed around and I placed twentieth. Next year at The International, as I believe it is now called, will be a stage race again thus drawing a much larger Pro field. I believe the twentieth spot will be much harder to obtain in 2009 because of this. Call me Nostradamus.

Isolation and strength

2009-01-19T20:44:00.000-08:00

I do not like the bridges being closed. The desire to come into the city is sorta hard to accomplish when they do this. I would like to go to Haines Point in order to ride but it not an option. I assume the bridges will be open again on wednesday so we can see the lovely district and exit before sundown. I hear it can be frightening after dark.

These short, cold, dark days are hard enough and to keep me in Virginia...well that seems extra cruel. One more day and we will have the next president installed and than he will find the walls closing in on him. Granted they will be nice executive walls but the scrutiny and the lack of freedom will certainly be stronger in many ways. I am excited that he was chosen by the people and I hope he bears the weight of our country's problems gracefully and diplomaticly. Let us wish him the best of luck to the benefit of us all. Grant him the strength of a rhino.

Russell , Jay , Zach n myself

2009-01-15T19:17:00.000-08:00

We all were messengers. The newspaper photo was of a bunch of messengers circling the inner loop around the fountain. The dude on the right of Al Bone (center) , wearing arm warmers and a messenger bag is Russ. He still has the tattoo (visible on right leg ) but was just another dude then as far as publicity , in fact this might be the first time for him in the paper. I love the shot of me and my comrades in downtown Miami post race. We had a good weekend racing with some top twenty action and some end of season night life. I have soo many pics that will come forward now that I can scan them on the computer. The Russ shot was 96'... I am pretty sure I won that event and we went to Adams Morgan afterwards and the post race party was at the old Madams Organ at 18 th and Fla. . Back when the owner Bill Duggan was human and not a total arrogant bastard like he is now. Messenger races are a crapshoot and who knows...just enter..hope to come out fine..and have fun afterwards. Those r the rules.

Escape From the District

2009-01-13T09:01:00.000-08:00

Back in 1992 I was not really getting anywhere as a messenger and so I decided to go to college in South Carolina. Mom n Dad had gone to Beaufort, SC a few years earlier and had successfully made good their escape from the beltway madness. I had graduated from Falls Church high on the five year plan accompanied with multiple summers catching up doing summer school. Fun ...but I was done in 88'. Having arrived in SC coastal I wrote an essay on the subject of going nowhere as a messenger and this was decent enough as far as competency to get me accepted. Apparently USC (the Gamecocks) was not sure, initially, about my acceptance with my stellar second to last class standing in high school. Something like 424th out of 425 in my class. I wonder who beat me for the lantern rouge. I was voted best hair in high school and this might have been for two reasons: 1) the huge parties my brothers and I threw, and 2) the big hair that was the least of concern in those days. It was nice to have been photographed for the yearbook with a hot cheerleader who did earn the spot. Somehow I was also given an award for writer of the month in my senior year when I started to attend and participate much more. I was called up onto the auditorium stage with other scholars for the presentation of my award and a prize of a Rogets Thesaurus. (at the time I did not know they existed) The whole crowd was pretty shocked and there was applause ...fast forward and move down south to the Lowcountry.

There I was in the South and in a university. I was pretty stoked to be moving forward in life theoretically and I jumped into fifteen credit hr. semesters. The area was very nice and scenic but I did not know anybody. I started to hang out at the local bike shop in the little main street town. It is called Lowcountry Bikes and the owner ( John ) is very cool and he put up with me. I am still gratefull. The guys and gals did a weekly, weekend, set of rides and also a Wednesday time trial and thus began my entrance into regimented training. I think I had a Cannondale back when they had the headtube badge with a little house and train tracks -- at least that's the design I recall.

I was going back and forth from USC s satellite campus in Beaufort SC to the district and doing messenger work. I met Zach Browne around those years and Shane Groth also. We did the ten oclock in the park and I think we sorta altered the ride to more of a race around that time which was like a NCVC thing. We, as I recall, sorta made waves with our antics and diobedient ways. It was around the same time that DC Velo was started. As a project, after John Epting left NCVC, due to a spat or sumpin. He was a real good rider with National wins under his belt. Nice guy, too.

When I was in the carolinas hitting the books I was also lucky enough to ride with a good crew that put up with me. There was not much racing there unless you travelled to places like the Hotter then Hell 100( TX ) and a ride that was fast in the NC Pisgah range, The mt. Mitchell climb. One of my riding friends was the state time trial champion ( Pete ) and we would do some fast rides. Eventually, I had to move on and go to the main campus in the fourth semester, since there were only so many credits available at the satellite. My girlfriend and Calculus tutor from Cyprus ( Josephine ) was already up there and I did some 140 mile rides for a semester in order to spend time with her and see Columbia, SC. . The location of my first criterium where I finished but did not place.

Memories of Beaufort last and once on my way down to a pro 1 2 in Miami ( Coconut Grove) I stopped in to the old shop. Me, Kristy Gomes, And Mark Lighty bought some stuff and I got a chance to catch up. Now, in 2009, I want to go there again in order to enter into a race there which I never expected to see. A big Pro 1 2 ( I hope at least cat. ones are allowed) in the town that reared me as a racer. ( to be reared ?..doesnt sound right) It is a twilight event and those can be somewhat unnerving sometimes. The one I did this year ( Iron Hill ) was crazy a little since there were flashes going off in the turns and some corners that were not lit enough. It would be cool to race there in the Lowcountry. ( the spanish moss and sunsets on the water..real nice ) The town is also famous for filmmaking locations to a degree. I believe that all of The Big Chill was done there and scenes from The Prince of Tides ...also shots from Forrest Gump. Old plantations and good seafood abound.

A Rock Star on the Ten Oclock

2009-01-12T18:32:00.000-08:00

I was reminded a bit ago via a email of a ride on the Ten Oclock which was somewhat memorable. this was a few years ago and as we were rolling along , maybe after the church, I saw someone I did not recognize. He seemed to have a clue though and he did have a fly bike so I took it upon myself to begin giving this stranger some advice on the loop and some of the highlights like Esworthy and turns up ahead...stuff that might be nice to know if on the ride for the first time. Soo after the ride this dude survived, rather well, ...we were talking in the park and I was asking what his situation was ? he said he was touring with his band and he had just come from Harpers Ferry area where he did some show and some good riding. I was like soo where do you keep the titanium ride ?...and he said "oh it gets its own bed on the bus..." I was like ok and by the way what band are you in and he said he was in "The Wallflowers ". I was clueless but a guy listening in was real surprised and excited... Soo turns out he was Michael Ward (lead guitarist) and strong cyclist. We stopped in for some chinese in the Morgan and he offered to put me on the guest list plus one (which means my girl could also get in free..) we went and they played their set and afterward the band came out and we all drank at the bar (minus Jacob Dylan ) and talked while Cheryll Crow played her set. The guitarist -cyclist was real cool and I was giving him props on his playing and how cool it must be to be going to the White House for dinner. He was nice enuff to say to my plebian self that he was also impressed with my cycling and that winning a race for him would be a great accomplishment. Too bad the band is not around no more. I realize the song "one head light " was good but played too much on the air. Cest la vie,..

Computer illiterate ( almost illiterate in general)

2009-01-11T15:23:00.000-08:00

Right now I am somewhat frustrated (bc I am not well endowed .... someones frustrated ?) ha ha but no I am frustrated bc I am not endowed with the ability to figure out these computers w/o the desire or overwhelming need to simply get up and do something I can do..I.E. the blog mystery is still just that..I want to know why it is called a blog and also how do I have blogs I read(too much a lil maybe) on my site soo others can go there from my spot...and also I want to maybe be able to find my site via a search w/o having to scroll down joel Gwads blog to where he was kind enuff to plug in my feeble attempt into the blog universe. I could call my twin brother and ask for help but that would require doing just that. ;) not an option in the current climate(just kidding...constant climate..) It would infer an inability of mine and obviously that is not doable...just bc he is paid to do computer upkeep and support does not mean he should be...does that make sense..no..ok I might call him.

I just did 91 minutes on the wind trainer with the help of the Ipod and Phillip Gilberts epic solo after he spent his teammate who did a fantastic effort to bridge. Het Volk and Ghent was in the turkey day spoils this year and I must confess..I was ecstatic to get a dvd of race footage bc I get tired of fast forwarding through those relentless saab commercials from le Tour. Speaking of which I was priviledged to shake 5 th place dude Christian VanDevelde at the ING jimminy..nice guy. Hope he improves on his top five. But yeah if anyone has suggestions on how to do the blog thing easier and mo better inform me pls. but right now I think there are about three people at best who scope out my site.

January Landscaping

2009-01-11T09:41:00.000-08:00

Recently I have been busy with creating mulch beds, removing unwanted Ivy , and proposing spring tree and shrub installations. I am also going to build a shed and demolish the existing one. I am glad to report that I am doing work with the new fledgling company and not delivering pulp for the barristers to garner money from their ultimate threat mail. I wonder if being the bearer of bad news sometimes rubs off some of the bad Kharma onto the messenger... another story.
The fact that I am still doing landscape work (though shed construction is more carpentry) tells me that things do work out even if skeptisism lurks. Have been mired in work and other distractions keeping me from training much but well last year I was certainly worst off and basicly jumped into racing after RFK (did RFK but placed 33rd..and did Pulaski where at lap 19 to go I was cooked.those hardly count)
I have a nice pressure washer that has not been employed this year and I am contemplating tying a cup onto it and a sign that reads will work for fuel.

Choices

2009-01-06T22:04:00.000-08:00

We all have choices...face it... deal with it ...,Ignore it..whats best.?
With love there is no choice.?..we love riding .!..soo we are drawn to the pull/...there is no//stop// you might ..try ..you might tell the wife you will kill the jones and you know inside you are lying to yourself .. so maybe the best thing to do is to embrace what you love with the one you love ...and if that is not able to be merged ,.. than decide whice one grasps you more..isolation without fear is one thing and fear of isolation is another..I crave results and i want a signifficant other that can respect that..not a lot to ask ...as men ...as women ...give yourself that option...sacrifice rocks and that is sometimes the make or break difference. Basic Stoic perspective.

poetry

2009-01-04T15:27:00.000-08:00

by: Chris Cottrell

Another Crow Poem

It is the rowdy crackle
That is soo arousing
Some joke
Told in the blue
or over a lunch
Of flattened squirrel

Laughter
Then some grim men pass close
To the mortuary huddle
And crows show how
The hairy eyeball is done
With a jig

Those crows know
We only go so long
Without killing each other

Thats what they find so funny.

Thats right..in the fray..

2009-01-03T17:40:00.000-08:00

Thats right..The blogosphere now has one more voice echoeing into the dark pixelated space..aww yeah. Soo what seems like a good start..Well I figger that a plug in for the new sponsor for me is in order and that would be the Bike Rack...They are a DC shop right in NW proper and their stuff is moderate to high end ..not commuter stuff so much but got some for y'all too. But nuff bout that...the shop will be putting some of the needy into a position to get into races with less struggle monetarilly as long as you can justify sponsorship. Wow ..new concept. meaning...fours have to deal with their own entry for now and even threes...We have all been there and I have never met a above cat 2 that got paid entrys to race..but I have been a cat one since 95' as I recall. My point is that it is great there is now another team on the block regardless of its current size so that more dynamics in the field can be seen. Especially in the years to come. This picture is from 94' and it is kinda cool because it gets the look of the fourth place guy tweaking over the mighty shove pushing him off the podium at the CSC cat I race. Some ex Navigator pro rolled off for the solo win and this team of californians executed the sprint with my man Jay Moglia also winding it up for myself. As one can see I am sandwiched somewhat between the two Californians and glad to at least spoil their 2nd and 3rd spots in our town.