GOODBYE!!!! FOR NOW.....

Life is one roller coaster of a ride! This week has been a double. After having a good start to my cross season, it is now all over........ Yes, I said over! Thursday I found out that my position as a Pilot at HNI corp. has been downsized, and I am out of a job. It is always the flight dept. that goes first when the stock price starts to fall. I understand this, but it doesn't take the sting away when it happens.

Needless to say, looking for a job, and the thought of selling a house and moving has taken my legs and heart out of training! It is time to step back, regroup, and focus on taking care of my family. Cycling will always be there when this all gets run through the wash.

A quick thank you to all involved in the Iowa/Illinois cycling community. Harpers, Dice, Iowa City, DesMoines. You have all been a part of changing my lifestyle. From a 220lb fat man with zero fitness, to a 170 lb want a be racer that just loves the vibe. You all know who you are, and there is not enough space on this page for my thanks.

I don't know what is next, or where I'll be living next. But what I do know is that things happen for a reason, and although it looks grim right now, I believe in my heart it will work out. With the love and support of family and friends, it always does.

Good luck, and God bless to all in these economic tough times. Hug your loved ones "just because", and ride your bike, "just for the love of it".

I won't be updating until I have a plan moving forward. I'll be watching the results, and rooting you all on to great results. I pray that next year I'll be back trash talking with nothing to back it up once again............. So long for now, and God bless you all Ty

ONE RACE, AND I'M BACK ON THE FAVORITES LIST

I wear the Harpers colors one time in a race, and i'm back on Bishop's favorite list! I can't tell you how much better I feel about this. This has been weighing on my mind for some time now. He is correct that I have swore off road racing for 2008. This is mainly because I have a deep rooted fear of being lapped over and over again in crits! Not too mention road rash. Maybe a comeback is in store for next summer. If Lance can do it? But enough about me not racing road. How about Chad racing cross? I'm hearing a lot of babble of "loss of fitness, and motivation". The Iowa races are on the horizon. Two yellow Harper jerseys in the same race, would be a rare sighting!!!! What do ya say? Ty

RESULTS CONFIRMED WHAT I ALREADY KNEW: I RACED LIKE A PANZY!

After the race in Chicago this weekend, William and I decided to not wait around for the "official" results. My son and team photographer had us finishing around the high teens low 20's. Not good, but something to build on. So since there was no prize money to wait for, or podium girls to kiss, we headed for home. Not knowing the "official" results helped in some way to keep our ego's alive and well, even if it was only until today. The results were just posted on the Chicago cross cup site, and low 20's NOT high teens was the conclusion. I'm still chalking my performance up to the first race of the year jitters, and getting my skirt stuck in the chain ring! This can be easily fixed next weekend in Madison by hiking up my man boobs, and just racing my bike! Sorry for the attitude, I just hate poor results that come from me riding like chicken little...........Ty

TOO MUCH TRAINING FOR TOO LITTLE RESULT

Should have stayed here and enjoyed the day for as good as I raced.

Kept William close most of the race, so not all bad.

Finished till next weekend.

My first race of the year is in the books, and it couldn't have been much more mediocre. A very conservative start, put me behind a ton of riders off the git go. Lap one went by in a flash, and I finally started getting through some of the traffic on lap2. William passed me around 2 or 3 and he was the last one to go by till the last lap. Big power/speed course with one small run up. This is usually my course, but being behind from the start, left me racing for table scraps. I did get into a nice rhythm in the middle to late part of the race, then faded on last lap. Final report card is a C- to D+ due to lazy start, and giving up on the last lap. But everyone needs a first race of the year, and I'm jazzed up for Madison next week........Ty

SECOND GUESS TIME

The off season will be over come this weekend with my first race of the year in Chicago. There is something comforting about the off season that I will miss for the next three months. I love the day dreams while training that you are better than you actually are. A good solo ride, where you don't have to follow any race accelerations, but in your head dream up "you da man"! While training if you have a bad day, you tell yourself that there is always tomorrow. September always seems so far away. Plenty of time to get into that fighting shape you promised yourself you'd be in after the last race of last season, REMEMBER?

TIME IS UP!

My beginning of the season report card, is probably in the all C's range. I'm my own worst critic, but the truth hurts sometimes also. My weight loss program has worked. 10 pounds lighter than I was at the end of last season, but still 8 to 10 heavier than I wanted to be this year ( I still love pizza n beer). My training up till now, has shown some glimpses of fitness. But there is truly only one test that counts, and that is race day. New bike, new shoes, new kit, just like the first day of school!
Goals for this year are a tad less defined than last. Last year the goals were 1. top tens 2. get a podium and 3.upgrade. All those things done, this year as a newly branded cat3 rider, I just want to compete. If I race hard every time and make a good showing, mission accomplished.
Good luck to all crossers out there. Get the hole shot every time, and never slip a pedal.....Ty

NO SEPTEMBER CROSS IN IOWA? WHAT A SHAME!

What looked to be a great schedule in September to start out the season, will not happen. At least in Iowa! Two weekends of racing that were on the bike Iowa calendar all year, then "poof" gone! I can't complain that much. I rarely volunteer, and putting on a total race is way out of my league. But it is still sad. The entire state of Iowa and no cross to start the season. Where the Chicago series, and the Wisconsin series are adding races, Iowa is taking 2 steps back.
Instead, team Izzy starts the season out in downtown Chicago, followed by the next weekend in Madison, WI. Road trippin is cool, and hanging with friends and family is the main reason I race. But gas, food, lodging all take away from entry fees. Sure would like to have a healthy mix of racing with a local flavor to it. Last season was great, and I made it to almost all the Iowa series races. The vibe at the races was great, and I guess that it was wishful thinking that it would carry over to this year. No Sept. races in Iowa kills the buzz!
I want to end this downer post by saying that I still applaud the efforts of DICE and the Cross Mafia and all who help put on those races. Whatever races you guys pull together this year, I'll be there! I may not be the best volunteer, but I will support all you do by showing up and telling others to do the same! Ty

NO TURNING BACK NOW

Better up the training miles, and increase the intensity! It hit home today that cross season is HERE! Did the pre-register thing for the Planet Bike Cup UCI c2 races. CAT 3 both sat and Sunday. Taking the team camper for the overnight. So if you see the pirate flag flying, and maybe a flag of Flanders by then come and stop by to say hello! Weekend before this is Jackson park in Chicago, and I plan on blowing the cobwebs out there. That completes Sept. schedule, and October is in the works. Sorry to hear about the DICE races that were cancelled. Would sure have been nice to race local and save the gas money. Better luck next year. On a lighter note, did everyone see the 2/3 pre-reg at Jingle cross? 33 riders already in the mix and 2+ months still till the race. Re-run might race a couple of the junior races, but not sure what type of fitness he's in right now. School and football practice are taking up most of his time. I'm going to try and get him on the cross bike several times before Wisconsin to feel him out. He's young with power to burn, so we'll see.
It's pouring rain outside, time to go run some hill repeats......Ty

TAKEN OFF THE FAVORITES LIST

While cruising the blog scene, my already fragile ego took a hit. It seems that my own teammate, one Chad Bishop, has dropped me from his favorites list on his blog site. Just as i'm in the final preparations for a fabulous cross season, my own "teammate" smacks me down!!! Granted I haven't raced all season, and Chad has had an amazing summer, But banishment??? I don't know of any other blogs that have had me on there favorites list "past or present". But my own teammate?
That's O.K. Chad. In the name of team harmony, I am going to keep you on my "favorites" list. Hope you have a great cross season! Your fans will still be able to access your site through mine to see how your doing.

Your humble teammate........Ty

*BRUISES* CROSS SEASON COMETH

Keeping it PG13 that's as high as the camera can travel without without the full monty!

Tis the season, and let the scar tissue and bruise count commence! For those of you wondering where that purple beauty is located, that is an inner thigh (tough camera angle). Gettin that re-mount leg calloused up for the season to come.

Been getting some good group cross rides in. Thanks to all the fasties recently for allowing me to tag along and try to raise my game, you know who you are! Hopefully my turtle disease is not contagious, and having a good laugh at my pitiful fitness level will only make you faster! I did find a way to keep up with the "Harpernator". Let him crash in front of you on a wet wooden bridge, and then run over him! I still feel like shit about that so a big sorry goes out to the G-man!

But you know what they say........ What is the best thing about crashing??? Watching somebody else do it!!!!!! Ty

Pre-Season Greg Pace Test - FAILED

Sometimes as a rider you go through the motions of what you think is getting you into race shape. Then there is that group ride or race that brings out the truth. Yes compared to your co-workers, you are in great shape. You are way above the national average, and your BMI is within the limits. But you know come the weekend, surrounded by a couple dozen like minded bike geeks, that just being in shape is not going to cut it.
After several weeks of what I thought was hard training, Greg Harper and me joined up before work today. We hit the trails, and quickly I was getting popped off his back wheel. Yes he's the "Harpernator" and this is to be expected, but it happened early and often. The biggest disappointment, was my lack of huevoes on the down hills. I got gaped any time the trail had a downward grade. I would fight back to catch his wheel, only to pop next down hill. Then it started on the up hills. Then the flats. Then it was just time to cool down, and hope I didn't get dropped doing that! Approx 4 weeks to the first cross races of the year. Got some more work to do, not just go through the motions! Ty

Redneck "CROSS" Training

I hate fishing! Let's get that out in the open right away. But somehow my 7 yr old has become the next bass pro world champ wanta be. It's not that I totally hate it. I just didn't grow up doing a whole bunch of it. So with a lack of knowledge on the subject comes frustration. I barely know how to tie the hook to the line, let alone what bait to use for what type of fish you're after. Not that my son cares. As long as we are catching "any" type of fish he's cool with it. Being a can do dad, we have been fishing a ton this summer. Usually i'm the lackey! My job description is easy. Bait hooks, take fish off lines, untangle lines, get bobbers out of trees, everything but fish myself. This is all fine by me.

Yesterday we went to my wife's family farm pond. The rumor was that there was some large catfish hiding on the bottom. I had no worries about catching one, as we were using bobbers and wax worms in hopes of a good bluegill day. In the back of my head I was concerned about catching one of these slimy Jurassic monsters. How in the world was I going to get one off the hook if caught? No worries, the chances were nil. Then MY bobber takes off, and even not being a fisherman I realize that this is no bluegill. I real in the biggest fish of any kind that I have ever caught! Now what? With pliers and gloves (yes I know sissy boy) I got the hook out and the fish back in the pond. All said and done, another successful adventure for dad and son! Ty

TWIN SISTERS: ONE WENT ON A DIET

Last years race bike is this years pit/training bike. The 2008 Surly has been given several upgrades. The big on is Michelin Mud tires mounted on Bontrager race lite rims. This alone dropped a pound of weight. Last year I ran a 39 tooth front ring. This year I went with the 42 stainless surly front ring mainly because i'm tired of Huntsburger calling me a sissy boy! I'll either go faster, or shred both knees on the first big hill of the season. I didn't go cheap like last year and actually bought an outside chain catcher from Salsa. Only because Greg gave me such grief for "manufacturing" my outside guard last year from the big ring that came with the bike. Now that the bike is in the basement and dialed in, cross season can't come soon enough. Ty

I'VE NEVER BEEN A REBEL BIKER TYPE: UNTIL TODAY

I got a late start on my day today. I've been cutting down trees and talking to insurance people for three days after the Monday storm, so I treated myself and slept in till 6:30. This got me to the park that I use for cross training around 7:10. In the back of my head, I knew this was pushing it. Yes it is a public park, No there are no signs that say "no bikes allowed". But we all know that this is a grey area. I'm a don't rock the boat kinda guy, and my cross training is a outa sight out of mind program.
Well today a custodian at the connecting school, decided that a bicycle on the city's green grass was a major felony, and called the police. As i'm revving up into my second interval of the day, there are 2 squad cars waiting for me by my truck. The custodian was an old grumpy ass! My goal was too keep my cool, smooth it out, not get a ticket "for what I don't know" and leave to ride another day. I tried to explain that I had been using this park for years and years for training, nobody had ever been the wiser. I stay to the outskirts of the park, and leave little or no track where anyone can see. Most days I have to move crack pipes and used syringes out of my path before starting. When I said this along with my thoughts that I was the only law abiding citizen using the park, the older officer got a tad angry. But before things got out of hand, I did what I always do and said "sorry, won't happen again, you'll never see me riding in the park again".
So this puts me in a major mess. All 3 parks I use are in the same jurisdiction of "officer friendly". Get caught again poaching city grass and he may lock me up. Cross season is fast approaching, and now i'm tasked to finding a new training grounds. I hate soap box standers, and Internet forums that bitch about this and that. But here is my rant and i'll leave it alone. We ride on the roads, and truckers try to push us into corn fields. Ride the bike path and soccer moms with double wide strollers will hip check you to the grass rather than give way a single inch. Now ride in your city park where my tax dollars go to maintain, and get a police escort to the exit. What I want to know after all of this is if I would have went crazy representing the crossers of the world, and went to jail, HOW MANY UPGRADE POINTS WOULD THAT BE GOOD FOR? Ty

GET YOUR TRAVEL PLANS IN ORDER

The fall cross schedules are starting to hit the web sites. I for one cannot be any more excited! Wisconsin, Iowa, and Illinois all have tentative schedules on there respective web sites. Many are showing Sat-Sun weekend's of racing, all within 3 hours of home. The first mad-cross uci weekend looks to be a huge road trip in the making. Add that to Jingle cross Thanksgiving weekend, and Mid West crossers have nothing to complain about. Chicago area has some races that fall on several open weekends so I hope to support there scene also. A big PLEASE and THANK YOU in advance to the DICE racing team of the Quad Cities. If you guys run and support all the races you have on the Iowa schedule, it will be one amazing cross season!!!!!! For a guy who has raced "0" times this year, I am jonzin to race and see my friends. From what I have calculated on paper, barring injury or bankruptcy, there could be 20+ races on my resume by season end. The new race bike is almost out of the shop, and the practice bike is being used weekly. Can you feel it? Cross is almost here!!!!! Ty

THE FIRST INSTALLMENT OF "THE CYCLING CHEF"

My new skillet and grate. What a shame they had to get dirty.

First, add the sausage.

Remove the sausage, add your potatoes, on this occasion it was tater tots.

Re-introduce the sausage.

Add one dozen eggs!

Cover with copious amounts of cheese.

I make mine into a breakfast burrito.

Salsa to taste!

Clean up sucks! Just a warning.

For the past two years my family has been camping with a group of wonderful people. There is a ritual on these trips that one of the mornings, our friends John and Robin cook what is called "MESS"! The basic formula is in step by step photos above, but the concept behind it's invention is to clear out all the leftovers of the weekend in one giant gut filling feed! My apologies to all my vegan readers. Eggs, meat, cheese are the ingredients that pull this feast together. This weekend we were camping solo, and I did not want to go into caloric withdrawal. So while at Cabellas last weekend, purchased a 14" cast iron skillet! This skillet has "MAN" written all over it!!!! I also had my good friend Larry C from work ,help fabricate a grate to put over the fire. With the tools necessary, I was ready to try my first 'solo' run of the mess. Tasty as it was, it's not the same without good friends. One thing that is a fact about this recipe. The MESS makes a huge MESS to clean up after. Also, a 2 to 3 hour ride must follow. Burning off the 1000+ calories you just ate is a good idea! Ty

FLOOD RELIEF

After a weekend of basement flooding, I needed a release. I found it on the Surly at my "secret" training grounds. Just like the rest of the mid-west, they were a tad soggy, but that just seemed to add to the fun factor. Still in some terrible shape, but now I have tan lines! Ty

FLOODING....JUST ANOTHER FORM OF CROSS TRAINING

Not fun, but could have been worse.

Thank God for the invention of the "wet vac"!

I pray that everyone that has been affected by the mid-west flooding is hanging in there and finally drying out. Living on the Mississippi and the Rock rivers all my life, I still am amazed at how quickly "water" can change lives! Our household felt the effects of how just a little water can put your day to day life on hold. Water started filling our basement on Friday night. Anything that was planned for the weekend, and for this weeks vacation were lost. Every waking moment for the last several days, were spent dealing with getting rid of water, or moving things away from the water. Early in the week, I had some great training rides. This all came to a halt. I haven't been on the bike since Thursday. 4 days of amazing sunshine, but all we've seen is a wet basement! Our flooding was a mild inconvenience and yet it took several days of our lives. I can only imagine the hardship of those in Cedar Rapids or Iowa City who may have lost everything. So everyone stay safe, and grab a sandbag or two. Building levee's is great cross training...... Ty

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A DAY MAKES

115 miles, 8+hrs in saddle, memories for a lifetime

"Perfect timing" Tommy blew a tire just as we pulled up to the parking lot. Thanks to the bike gods.

Never underestimate the power of the ju-ju to get you over the big hills!

Still smiling after 2 hard days in the saddle.

After the first rain storm. 2 to go.

A little soggy, but a century is still a century.

My "dad quit screwing around" look!



Still smiling on Sunday morining , before the skies opened up.

Not moving very well on Sunday morning.


Friends from Muscatine, IA at dinner.

Explain why college is so cool again?




This cheeseburger in Galena was amazing. A few hills later, not so much!

First rest stop, still fresh.

The best place to start is by saying THANK YOU to all the riders who passed by with encouraging words. Things like "nice job young man", " you pulling your dad to Dubuque" or my favorite, and the one i'm most proud of "I wish my son would do this with me"! There are not enough words for me to describe how proud I am of Thomas on this Monday morning. At 10 yrs old he had no clue of the hardship of riding 115 miles in 2 days, over challenging terrain, in some of the worst weather that I have ever ridden a bicycle in. My hope in the beginning was to have an experience that we could share. Time has a way of getting past us all. With challenging schedules, it is easy to just go day to day, and the next thing you know your kid is 10 and it scares the hell out of you as to where the time went. I also didn't want the experience to be so grueling, that he would never want to ride a bike again! Needless to say, he was one tired kid last night, and so was I. The stress of watching over him, especially on the steep and wet downhills, removed a few more hairs from my receding hair line. His lines on the uphills were a little squirley also as he put all he had into moving forward. But everyone was courteous to this fact, (except one pro kit dude out of place). This guy could have taken a page out of Brian Moritz's "nice guy"book! Here is a guy having a great race season. He could have just blown by us an said "on your left". But he took the time to slow down, say hey, and even take a photo of me and Tommy. A+ on the cool guy scale! Team Izzy will be rooting for ya at the next race. To conclude the weekend, my wife told me late last night after talking to our son about his experience. He told her that he had a great time with dad, and can't wait till next year! Or something like that, at least that's what I heard............. Ty

DOWN TO MY LAST DOLLAR

Told ya a while back, that while camping I went for a single speed ride on the back roads around our camp site. I take the single speed because I never know how the roads or trails are. Gravel, paved, dirt, the SS tackles them all. As i've explained numerous times on this blog, my mechanical skills are sub-par at best. I do carry a spare tube, and a mini pump, but dread the thought of having to actually use them on the open road. Well it finally happened in a big way! I was 15 miles and 20 turns down a gravel road away from the campsite. I did have my cell phone, but had no way of explaining to my wife how to come get me. So with no other choices left, I was going to have to save myself, or walk. Pulled the rear wheel off to find that this was more than a flat it was a blow out..... I had a pinkie size hole in my tire, and with 15 miles of gravel between me and my camper, there was no way just changing the tube was going to last. The only other thing I had left in my seat bag, was a single dollar bill. Why not! I stuffed it in there, put the new tube in, and with not too much fuss (for me), was heading "gingerly" home. McGyver eat your heart out! Thanks to Arnold's bike shop in Thompson, IL for hooking me up with a new rear wheel and another spare tube. I was back in business later that afternoon. Believe me, a 7 and a 10 year old in a small pull behind camper all weekend.........A couple hour ride is Heaven! Ty

OUCH!!!

My "pre-pop" off the back face!

Don't trip,Don't trip,Don't trip

June is here, no races under my belt, so what do I do? Yup get the cross bike out! I figured that if i'm not gunna race all summer, at least I can start getting ready for fall. So today I pulled the PVC practice barriers out of the garage rafters, aired up the tires to "35"psi and headed to the park. The plan was to tempo for about 1 1/2 hrs. A nice run up, barriers, and 15 yard run through the mulch jungle gym area, gave me 3 on and off the bike practices per 6 minute lap. Temps in the 80's, and I was drenched by the second lap. The wet grass felt like ice. The run up felt 2 miles long. The mulch felt 2 feet deep. The barriers felt waist high. My tempo ride became a survival ride for an hour. I was at my limit way too quickly for my liking, and the realization of the work ahead heavy on my shoulders. But there is time, and it felt great hopping on and off the bike again. Posted some pictures to remind myself why my legs will feel like lead tomorrow! 3 1/2 months till cross season................Ty

THE NEXT BILL GATES

This is a warning to all parents of pre-teens/teens out there. Just because they act, talk, and look like they know what they're doing on a computer, don't fall for it for a second! It will only be a matter of time before they turn your high dollar investment into a low tech "paper weight". Granted, my skills are extremely limited in this area. So when my oldest son decides to really lock it up, I have to head to the local computer store experts to restore my sanity. Usually they do this before I go too far postal on my future Internet hacker! But this seems to be happening on a more regular basis. His few dollar a week allowance doesn't pay for the gas to the repair shop, and taking away computer rights only allows him more time to think up other ways to terrorise my wife and I. So my choices are military school, or buy myself a new computer and give him the old one. Since I have grown attached to the little computer murderer, (and his mother already said I can't send him), military school is out. So the search is on for a new computer. Then put the new toy as far away from him as possible. Then when he locks up again "and he will". Hire per mar to run security to enforce the restraining order I will have already taken out! On a biking note, I had a great memorial day "biking" weekend. No I did not race, but put on a hundred plus miles while camping with family and friends. I have some cool pictures to post once I get that capability back on my computer................Ty

TRAINING MILES ADDING UP WITH ZERO FOCUS

Yes I am training. And as the weather warms up I am starting to feel my form coming around also. But as everyone else seems to have a plan as to where they will be racing next. In this area I am way behind. I gotta just get off the pot and drive somewhere the next available weekend and step to the line and get flogged. Memorial day weekend is out with family stuff. But it's gotta happen sometime! I just can't wait till September and cross season to roll around and expect to be Johnnie on the spot. While on the subject of being flogged. I showed up for a Thursday night "PACE LINE" ride. I had heard that the Tuesday night rides are an all out hammer fest, so opted for the more gentile sounding of the weekly rides. Sat in the back for most of the ride, then felt guilty towards the end and took some pulls until the lights started to go out. So like I said in the beginning we're getting there, I just don't know where the finish line (or starting line) is going to be. Also, I promise to get back into the photo groove. A blog without photos is just a waste of time! Ty

A BLOGGER WITH NOTHING TO SAY

Training, but not racing. Not even any good group rides to report. Went camping last week with the family and several other families. Spent a ton of time on the road. Long relaxed paced rides. What most experts call base building, except I've been building base since January! Also, I'm not too sure that the grilled camping food along with copious amounts of "Mr. Daniels" in my coke did anything but set my fitness back a tad. Congrats to all the local riders on there results in Iowa City. Looks like several of you are really flying this spring. I hope to have something more (credible) to report in May. Because a blog with nothing to say is a waste of time! But then isn't it always? Ty

I PICKED A BAD WEEK TO RAMP UP MY TRAINING MILES

After seeing all the result pages on bike Iowa, I looked into the mirror and decided to get off the sidelines and kick the training up a notch. But I forgot to tell mother nature about my plans. So several days of rain, added with several long work days, adds up to more boredom hours on the rollers! I hate my basement! Maybe my next house won't have one, and i"ll have no place to ride rollers. I am still debating the actual fitness gains that may be had by riding them. I added in some early morning "hill repeats" at the local cemetery to break it up a bit. This was a good thing. Last cross season, the run ups were an Achilles heel. So the old adage of practice your week points was my plan. Running up a really big hill countless times only bolstered my conclusion that I'm way out of shape. Super glad that my desired race season doesn't start till September!!! Still, I gotta pick it up. Ty

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS

Been a while since my last post. Sorry. It's been a stressful week or so in my life. No need to get into any boring details, but riding the bike went way down the priority chain. Life can come at you fast. You are rollin along on smooth pavement with everything under control, and then POP! Next thing you know you're in your own version of a Dr. Phil show. In times like these you always find out who your true friends are. The people in that small circle in your life you can always count on. To all of you out there, and you know who you are, THANK YOU!!! After a ton of hashing things out, and making some of the toughest decisions of my life, things are moving back towards the normal side of life. And with that today I had time for a looooong ride. It was a tad chilly and as always I over dressed for it, but I just wanted to ride forever. It felt good. And as it always does in that therapeutic way, helped. After Kent park, the season is now in full swing. I am way behind on the training curve, and that's o.k. for now. The way the other guys on the team are flying this spring, it won't take long just holding onto the tail of training rides to get back into shape. Thank you again for all the prayers and words of encouragement sent my way this week. They were received and heart felt! Ty

GREAT DAY FOR A GROUP RIDE (but i got dropped)

The first part of getting faster, is showing up! By this I mean, you have to show up to the bike races, or group rides. Even when you know that showing up is going to be rough on the ego. That is what I did today on the team Sunday ride. Even with the miles starting to add up in the training log, there have been very few major efforts yet this season. I had heard the gossip, that some of the guys on the team are already flying. Bishop even had a strong 2nd place showing at the first Conn Day race of the season (nice going). So just holding onto the tail today would have been reward enough. THIS DIDN'T HAPPEN. I got dropped early and often! The few glimmers of good form were book end by gasps for any available air, and me flailing all over my bike, while watching the group pull away. It's a sinking feeling loosing the draft, and seeing the group leave you for more "time trial" practice. For those of you that have never felt the suck of going backwards, good for you! For the rest of you, just keep showing up. Eventually "they say" you get better. Just cuz it's not working for me, there still might be hope for you.........Ty

CAN YOU SPORT A SUNGLASSES MIRROR AND STILL BE COOL?

My poll question of the week. If you wear a mirror on your person, or hang one off your bike, can you still be in the "cool" bike racer club? I have a friend who has a trucker sized mirror on his otherwise beautiful Felt road bike. It looks out of place, and ruins the lines of the bike. But he swears by it, and feels much safer while riding with it on. So if you feel more comfortable with it, and it helps you ride your bike more, isn't that a good thing? I also began thinking, will this rearward looking appendage really make a difference when the pickup truck shoulder brushers come calling? Yes you'll know there coming, and when to flinch, but that's about it. This summer one of my goals is to ride more with my oldest son. So in an effort to be more aware of traffic, I bought a mirror that attaches to my glasses. On a few of our 2 up rides, I have used it, and was quite impressed as to how it worked. So much so that I have even used it on several of my solo rides. I have to admit that the "style factor" goes way down, and there is no way at all to make it look good. I will never be able to wear it in large groups. As my fragile ego would never hold up to the torment. So if you see me all decked out euro style pretending to be the player that i'm not, the reminder to you will be hanging from my glasses. The good news for most of you is that i'll probably never see you behind me in said mirror. But if I do..............Then chances are, you have one on too!!!!!! Ty

A GILLIGAN 3 HOUR TOUR

A three hour single speed tour today of the surrounding gravel roads. Started off smooth, but as the day warmed up into the 30's, the edges began to soften up. So by the end of the journey, MUD was the name of the game. The new fenders are now paying dividends big time! The other problem, is that county road crews have been out in full strength re-graveling all the area farm roads. While I'm sure the farmers and country dwellers are thankful of this, my cross bike with the 34mm tires and no suspension was all over the place (or maybe just my handling skills). With one gear and new "mushy" gravel, some of the hills were massive undertakings. But not one car passed me the whole time! That and the new wool socks I got, made for warm tootsies and some fun spring base miles. I am getting the itch for a good group ride. Anyone with the same thought, give me a ring. Extended forcast for the weekend is for 50's! Ty

RE-RUN GETS READY FOR THE TOUR

Re-run (Thomas) and I are heading for the tour this summer! Well TOMROV anyway. With 3 months to get ready, he is doing his part to be in ride shape. The weather outside has been for the dihard riders only. So his base miles are being put in on the trainer. I'm impressed with his moxy so far. As all riders know there is nothing that drains motivation more than slogging away on a trainer in the basement. Thanks to Greg at Harper's, a new shorter stem has made the bike fit as good as can be expected on a hand-me-down frame. I'm trying not to be Earl Woods and start touting him as the next "Tiger" of the sports world. Just a dad and his son spending 3 months training together, so they can enjoy a weekend of bike riding in June. He'll have pleanty of time to get ready for the real tour next year! Ty

NEW TRAINING GROUNDS

Hiked some double track today, and it looks prime for good cross practice when conditions go dry. I've been in the hunt for a much longer training trail. The few local parks that I used last year are good in a pinch, but circle after circle can get a bit tedious. I'm trying to connect some trails that I use with gravel roads, or just one big off road circuit. The goal is an hour or even better lap. If I do find the "magic" course is anybody out there interested in a LONG DISTANCE cross race??? Like the Iron Cross in Pennsylvania, or the Three Peaks cross race in England. Maybe a 2 plus hour mass start cross race. Don't know, still looking, could be fun. I don't want it to be just a gravel race (we have plenty of those), or a single track mtb race, so that's the challenge. But I think I can find it given some effort. Let me know your thoughts. Ty

FIRST "OUTDOOR" RIDE OF THE YEAR

So heavy my truck might have trouble towing her.

Not pretty, but very effective at keeping me dry.

Missed the great temps yesterday, and was not about to do the same today. A solid two months off the roads has "I think" finally broke my burn out funk from last season. I once again could not wait to turn peddles. With road conditions a pot hole mine field, and puddles and road grime in full swing, I opted for the lead sled of my stable. My single speed, a Greg Harper classic, is the Frankenstein of bicycles! The family tree of this bike splits from untold whereabouts. Countless hours of dumpster diving and rummaging through the "vast" Harper back room inventory have gone into her creation. Ugly, Heavy, one gear, but also indestructible and reliable, and I love riding her! Forgot what headwinds felt like, and what happens to thighs when the road points upward. So it was good to get the first ride out of the way. With daylight savings just around the corner, the group rides are not far behind. Ty

LET IT SNOW

4 new inches of snow. What's a bike rider to do? Clip into the snow shoes and forget about race fitness on the bike for a while longer. That's what I did today, and the snow was great. Spent yesterday in Salt Lake City, UT looking at the mountains and all that snow. People kept coming into the airport loaded to the gills with ski totes. All of them heading to skiers heaven. So I returned today to the tourist destination of Andalusia, IL , and the grand trails of Loud Thunder Forest Preserve. Not quite the same, but I did have the trails all to myself. Still not sure how this winter cross training is going to transfer to the bike, but i'm having way more fun. Looks like there are some early season race testers in March so we'll see then. Tomorrow it is off to Atlanta for a few days. Taking the running shoes, maybe a head start on the tan lines to go along with my wind burn...... Ty

I'M NO ANSEL ADAMS SO GO OUT AND SEE IT FOR YOURSELF

Bridge crossing under the lake George spill way

Barrier training for next cross season

run up after run up

Whitetail deer power bar

"Moderate" in the summer, not with calf high snow to tromp through.

The trail snakes along the Andalusia Slough

My new training partner, Faster than even Wiford!!!!


These pictures do little justice to my newly found off season training grounds. It was easy for even a sinner like me to feel blessed on this very crisp morning! I could go all granola on you and talk about getting close to nature, but I won't. Just do yourself a favor and get off the trainers and take a field trip away from your training journals and watt meters. The weather man is calling for warmer temps this weekend, and for the first time since being a kid I will be just a touch sad to see the snow melt. The snowshoes and poles will be put away, and the base miles will soon begin. But this off season I can truly say I "cross trained" off the bike and loved every minute of it..... Ty