Oh what fun...

...it is to ride!

yeah that song about
sleighs and all
goes on way too long.

It should just end right there.

Oh what fun it is to ride!

Especially if you are riding with the MIB. I just cannot even start to tell you how much fun I had this weekend.

I knew I would be as useless as tits on a bull if I went down to Orosi so instead I went up to Santa Rosa for a little critaction. Unbelievably my first of the season. They had a 2/3 race and a P/1/2/3 race. I started both...finished the first in OK fashion. A break of 4 got off early and not surprisingly there was no worthwhile chase to catch them. 30 seconds gap all day. A foreseeable crash in turn one of the last lap gapped the field and allowed about twenty of us to ride to the finish for 5th-25th. I was somewhere in the middle. Not overly impressive but for my first (and an intended conservative) crit of the year...not bad. The prosey race, sans pros (except one Kodak from what I could tell), started fast and lots of gaps opened. I tried to come around and close but found myself less than motivated and thinking more about racing with the boys the next day. So, I justified the bail in order to save some for the Hanford. OK really, I just was tired and didn't feel like fighting the wind and I was a wimp...there, admitted.

Hanford, I like that course. Though as another MIB pointed out, there was no draft. It was like the wind was coming right over the rider in front and no matter how low and aero you got you were still getting blasted. With 8 MIB we were ready, willing and more than able. Olaf slayed'em in the break and CW wound up the field to catapult Jeff to the line for the field sprint.

The prosey race, though longer, somehow seemed easier. Maybe it was smoother. Maybe I was just so damn tired my legs were failing to register pain due to exhaustion or just plain old conservation of energy. Either which way it was good to get out and spin'em up. I just wish I had been more capable of countering and closing. It will come. It is quite apparent that I am not going to be an early season stand-out. I hope I have something to show later!

Well, it was great to be on the bike and racing with the team. Even the kids enjoyed it. Big hugs to Aunt Soni for dog-sitting during the race. Phanny can't wait to see her new boyfriend Migo next weekend.

Whistler while you ski

We had a really good time in Whistler. The condo wasn't great, the weather wasn't great (mostly overcast cold windy), but good snow, food and company.

The first wipe out!

A clear minute...one of the few.

Lunch at Christine's...having fun.

One of the gladed runs.

Leigh posing in front of an ice inukshuk

Slippery when wet!

Edgewood exit off 280 yesterday evening...ouch.

Almost to Marathon

I didn't make it to Marathon (would have had to cross the 7 mile bridge...yikes)

but I did ride over three marathons!

From Mile 0 to 40 and back to 0.

I was actually way motivated to go ride today. But, it was raining...which is OK....and the wind was gusting to 30mph. Not really my idea of acceptable riding conditions. I waited out the rain and eventually got out for an hour in the wind. Should be nicer tomorrow and warmer, 70s! Thinking about riding to Marathon and back. Did I mention that I am in Key West? During Mardi Gras?

Be Afraid...

...be very afraid

For the next four days the sky will not be safe as I will once again be operating one of these babies.

Royal/Cole Coffee Ride

What a great time!




6 MIB,

3 EBVC,


1 Kodak/Sierra Nevada,


1 Cheerwine








5.5 hours,
90 miles,
plenty of climbing,
lots of sunshine.

Oh yeah, and a big ole burrito to finish it off.


Yeppa, yeppa, andeley, andeley, arriba, arriba!

Thanks for the Toys (from Phanny)

I love all my toys...and Mom and Dad like that I have something to chew on other than shoes and furniture!

















Tucker may win these days but I am putting on weight fast. I am up to almost 80#.

Safeway Star: Secret Revealed

Safeway Star: Secret Revealed
by Stanley Morgan (Reprinted with permission from the Dallas Star)


The latest powerhouse in Northern California's over 35 cycling scene, Safeway Team Cycling, is being questioned for possible unfair practices. It is well known that Team Safeway dominated the NCNCA throughout the 2006 season. It was originally believed that unparalleled training regimens practiced by superior cyclists and their precision teamwork were the secrets behind their successes.

Many of their opponents, however, hinted toward the possibility of unfair and possibly illegal practices. A well known pro rider from the District (who asked to remain anonymous) said, "no team has been so dominant since I led the McNugget Pro Cycling (name changed) team in 2004 and well, we all know how I won. I got caught and so will they. We know they are using something, we just don't know what."

One rider on Safeway has shown the most dramatic improvement. The Canadian, and former Olympic calibre rower Daniel Martin, underwent an incredible transformation over the winter "training" season. His personal achievements in 2006 were nothing short of miraculous.

Though many allegations have been tossed about, it wasn't until today that any proof was provided that might explain Safeway's and Daniel Martin's exceptional performance. The Star received the below photo and now we know...it must be Divine intervention.

Happy Thanksgiving

I am thankful...

Bedtime Story

The pink stuff gets pushed through these pipes.

It pushes on this thing.

Then it moves this thing.

But if it doesn't get pushed hard enough then the same thing can be moved by this blue stuff.

But the blue stuff doesn't really move it.

Really the blue stuff pushes the pink stuff which still moves the thing.

But, if the pink stuff leaks out then you can't move the thing.

Except some things can be moved by stored pink stuff and some things can be moved by either blue or pink stuff.

Lots of blue and pink stuff runs through the plane.

Lots of stuff moves. There are lots of ways to move lots of stuff.

The end.

A Couple Halloween Pix

Got my replacement
camera today so I
was able to download
the two pictures I took
before it got dropped.

This is Captain Underpants.

The Lady in Red.

I am still trying to get pictures
from the others with cameras.

Grit Man

Play with your food!

The BIG D

Depressing? Daunting?

Dejecting? Dull?

Drive? Discouraging?

Disheartening? Dismal?

Dank? Dispiriting? Dreary?

Ditch? Decumbent?

Drag? Deflated? Dingy?

Doleful? Downcast? Drab?

Desolate? Done? Dumbass?

The Working Man

I have
officially
rejoined
the ranks
of the
working
man...






I am back in Dallas
to relearn the proper
techniques for driving
the sky bus,
the work horse of our company,
the lovable Super 80

"Luxury Jet"

(actually they have taken the
luxury jet thingy off of them
...and for good reason).

I spent a little time in
study hall today.

Whoa!
Not much of that going on.

Mostly watching bad computer
graphics remind me of all the
things I forgot I was supposed
to remember about these flying
behemoths. You know, I am not
supposed to fly them
upside down?

What gives?

Ooooops

Well, I was going to have lots of fun pictures from the Halloween party. But, the camera got dropped with the lens out and it is done.

So, you'll just have to imagine me dressed as a Cereal Killer and Leigh was Red.

Not really the same as a picture?

Maybe someone else took a picture and I can get a copy of it.

Off to ATL.

oV CX

oV Warming Up

Candlestick CX

Phanny went for a walk with Uncle Jeff


We watched some racing


More TAZ

More of the Professor

It is very tiring,

VERY tiring!

Happy Halloween

Some costume ideas for those of you with four legged children.

2 Weeks?

Since last post:

From ATL to SFO
3 days at Shelter Cove...in a tent, no electricity....ahhhhhh
Started training, back in the gym, rollers...ouch
Finally called work and asked to come back...vacation's over
Team Ride/Party
Recovered from PABs margaritas
From SFO to ATL

...seems like I was a lot busier?