Thursday, August 24, 2006

Helloooo!

My computer has taken a brain drain and is in the shop, so I haven't been able to update like I've wanted. Hopefully work doesn't fire me for improper use of company property!



Brian Head was great! Great weather. Great friends. Great race. I felt wonderful for the whole course. Of course I WAS gasping for air the entire time (10,000 ft up will do that), but I never got dizzy or had blurry vision or even thought about calling a cab back to the room (the very opposite of last year).

Although I only took 10 min. off of last year's time (unlike the 40 min. off of Sagebrush) it was still an awesome ride and at least seemed to go by very very quickly (even for people watching me!). It might have been that half the race I was pursuing or pursued by a couple of Joy's Expert women cohorts (who are hella fast!) (oh, and hella cute!). It may have been the new Kenda Kharismas that I strapped onto the Litespeed. It may have been Fuzzball's professional quality water bottle hand-off skills. Whatever it was, it was great. The first downhill singletrack section is so unbelievable twisty and fast it can't help but bring a smile to my face. And the descent through Dark Hollow still makes me ponder whether I'm actually doing a NORBA race. Sick is the only word to even half-way adequately describe it. And actually having the strength to consistently pedal (and smile) on the fire road toward the finish makes for a happy ending (not THAT kinda happy ending, smart-ass!).

Well, I gotta run before they kick me outta here. I've been super-sick since Saturday and am only now beginning to feel normal, so I'm still debating doing Rim Nordic on Sunday. We'll see.

LAter,
Vegas

Wednesday, August 02, 2006

Kids, Don't Try This at Home


Taking photos at 90 mph on the freeway between Vegas and Cali, or at 40 mph on a twisty mountain road in Big Bear should be reserved for trained professionals such as myself. You have been warned.

Ah, the Rim Nordic. I did all my pre-race stuff right and in a more-than-timely manner. Thanks to Dana Point Clint and his Uber-Trailer for the oatmeal. You rock, dude. I had the best start I've had in a long time. I wasn't dropped by everyone in the first 30 seconds! It took 10 minutes this time! My first lap went well and I felt good, though. The second lap the altitude began to kick my ass as I climbed toward the fire road, and I slowed down a lot. And the third lap reverted back to the hell that has been my racing career for the last 2 years. At least the downhill was fun with my new fork (when I ignored the searing pain in the bottom of my feet) (oh, and the searing of my pasty white flesh by the emerging afternoon sun - guess my perfect pre-race ritual did have one flaw: sunblock)

Thanks to Christie's friend Jess (from the Camp N Rizzle crew) who was kind enough to take on water bottle duty for me, AND for some reason cheering duty. Which isn't easy considering I'm out on the course longer than anyone else on the mountain (I think Rim Nordic is considering banning me just so their volunteers can go home an hour earlier!).

I did take home a Jose Ole prize package from the raffle drawing, so I managed to pull something good out of it all.

Well, I'll keep fighting the fight and we'll see...

Remember kids, I'm an expert, and any attempt to replicate these results could be fatal.