Getting Ready For Webster Crit

Rocking and Rolling since I last posted.

Did Tuesday Night Worlds and had my best finish - It felt good to be sprinting in the finish and not falling off the back with 3 to go. 24.6 mph and 256 avg. watts. I rode down and back with Tim - I forgot to take any pics - so sorry. It was a small Hub crew - Me, Tim, Kevin and Greg.

Wednesday Hub Throwdown - This ride is just getting wicked fast. It was super fast and I fell off the back on Conway - just a little. This ride has a zero warm-up. I swear, guys were sprinting going up Lockwood. The group was super huge many fast cats - it seems like more and more Cat 1-2's are showing up and laying smack down on me! Going down Litzsinger, there is a sharp right and left S-curve right after a downhill - speeds around the curves are around 30mph easily. Also, this is the finale for the ride and guys can get pretty aggressive. Going into the second turn, Caleb took the turn wide and went right off the road - over a metal guard rail he hit it just perfect and his leg hit the metal post holding it up - his leg was toastblood everywhere, etc. 911 was immediately called - it was a mess. Thank God Dr. Eaton was on the ride - Kevin was calling for a Tourniquet and a crankset with rings for a amputation! BTW - Caleb is doing OK!

After the ride, we had our Hub team meeting - which really consists of Ron trying to talk, nobody listening, and everybody drinking a lot of beer emphasis on the beer. For Webster I think I am going to race Masters +40. It's fast, It's old, it's early in the day!

I missed track on Thursday and everything just kindof mellowed out - did some solo riding and that is about it. We have had a lot of thunderstorms and rain. The Saturday group ride was cancelled as a monster storm rolled in. I was getting cabin fever and was determined to ride knucklehead for Father's day. It was wet, but just roads - no rain. It was a really small group - going short was Matthew, Chuck and a Big Shark dude. On the way back we picked up Eddy, Tim and two other guys, doubling our number. Sorry - forgot to take a pic - it was wet after all!

Had to skip Tuesday Night Crits - I was so smoked from working on my deck. I rode the Hub ride today and it was super fast. The were so many fast dudes I swear I almost puked. Oh well - I am alive.

Here is the Show Me St. Louis Track clip web address: http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/263099/78/St-Louis-Velodrome
I could not figure out how to actually post it - sorry.

To Louisville and back with no clothes on!

My trip to Louisville, KY was a success! On a side note, Sarah Palin is an idiot. Jesus Christ - you don't know about Paul Revere - AHHHHH! If you do not know about American History - I get it. But shut the fuck up if you don't - you sound like a ass-clown making up shit.

Louisville was a little bit of a downer as far as riding. I did not get to ride with my buddy Dr. Tom Zoumaras - the shop that hosted the Tuesday and Thursday Night group racing rides was out of business - but hey, I saw a really fat guy with no shirt on (no - not me on the Naked Bike Ride - asshole). I rode a few days around Shawnee Park, which is awesome - great hills, beautiful scenery, hot chicks riding and running - not bad. I am looking forward to seeing the Worlds Cyclocross races there.

Came back and rode the Hub ride on SaturdayI swear I was going to get dropped by the Church on Lockwood, but I stuck it out. It was fast but somehow I was able to hold on. The best part was seeing Phil on the outer-road and him saying to me, "Dude, I thought you were planning to get dropped!" Afterwards we went to the Bread Co. A nice day.

Saturday Night was the World Naked Bike Ride, St. Louis style. Judy and I kicked the tandem, decorated in Christmas lights - the bike was a talking point for many people. One dude was like, Man I love your bike - I responded - is it because of my hot stoker! So, did the ride live up to its name? Over the top. (I had to use footage from the Riverfront Times - my camera was not working - or something like that). A huge party. Hung out with some fun people and did not get home until 2:00 in the morning - it was really fun. Imagine riding down the street with hundreds of people in various states of dress - and hanging out at The Handlebar with many naked gals - now how can one go wrong! So, who was there? Did I go naked? The Wife? - well - if you weren't there, you will never know, sucka!

On Monday, Show Me St. Louis was filming at the track so I rode up to Penrose for a little racing. Phil and Bill were there - we had to represent The Hub for the TV. Did the Miss and Out and I was knocked out about half way through - a lot better than last time. Props to Phil and Bill - They hung in the Miss and Out to the last three vs Eduardo. As they came across the line - the ref called something - Phil....Bill??? So both pulled up leaving Eduardo for the ride away victory - Damn rhyming names - If only one of them had a name Kamehameha. Had a great time riding around the track. Looking to get serious in the next tow weeks for Webster Crit.

Oh by the way - it is One if by Land and Two if By Sea and he was not screaming that the British were coming to take away your Colt AR-15's.

Summer and cycling

Summer in the St. Louis - Hot and Humid - and this year there seems to be a head wind from every direction.

Starting to get back into some racing form. The difference is I am able to actually start spending time on the bike. Now if I am able to slim down a little, all should be OK. The themes: Racing, Riding and of course Summer Fun.

Racing:

I have not had much of a chance to do much formal racing. All the local races that have occurred in the last couple weeks I have not been into. This weekend is the O'Fallon Road Race, which is mostly rollers which really suits me, but I will be out of town. The Webster Crit will be coming up soon which I hope to focus on. Did the TNW which is always fun.
I finished in the pack and did nothing spectacular except move through the pack a couple of times. I was actually in good position, in top quarter, but when it hit three to go, I began to lose all steam and I drifted back. The race was three laps too long! The speed was slower - 24.4 mph, 250 avg. watts. One dude did wipe out in front of me - we came into the second turn, which is the only tight turn on the course - at the bottom of a hill - and he lost it. Luckily he went off the course and hit the turn rather than crashing in the field. Started my first season of track racing. Super fun and super tough. We did 5 lap scratch, miss and out, and 20 lap points. Although the fields were small, except for the points race, I kind of sucked. I came in last out of 7 in the scratch race, but finished with the group. I found myself in bad position in the last lap, second down low, and got pinched as the group came around on the blue line and I had no where to go. The miss and out was just bad luck - I was with the group of 8 guys and I was up, so I thought, and I got pinched at the line because I was boxed in - I really needed to get up in the front. The Scratch race was much better - a larger group, maybe about 15 - and although I did win any points, I did not come in last! Track will take some getting used to - Oh, and if you are slower than me and plan on staying that way, please come out to the track!

Riding:

Riding with my team has been one place I have been excelling. Finally started to be able to ride the Wed. Night Throwdown, which has been good.
I have been able to stay with the group and finish the ride in good standing. The ride was fast with Chris Miller, David Mark, Eduardo, Trey etc, putting down some wicked speed. We averaged 20.8. I have also been able to hang in fine on Saturday rides, too. The Speed has been fast for these rides too. Last Saturday we averaged 19.4, which is pretty fast considering the amount of climbing.

Summer Fun:

Have had a nice time riding by myself, which is hard to fit in during the Spring. I think going on solo rides is huge key to me starting to feel faster. With not much training time available during the Spring, this is the one area that suffers - just going out for a couple of hours for a nice ride by yourself. I have yet to do 100 miles of hills since Death by Hills, so I need a nice day to this. I have been able to get out with fellow peeps like Steph and Phil which is always fun. last Thursday we went for a night ride down to Forrest Park for Trailnet's Clips of Faith Film and Beer Tour - which was a blast. It was outside and they had these short cycling movie clips like MCSPandex (always a winner) and served all these New Belgium sample beers, many of which are not on the market. They had this sour beer that was awesome. Nonetheless, along with my Hub buds, I got really tanked - made for a long ride home. Lastly, it has been nice fitting some riding in with my wife. Last Saturday we did our Sasha's ride - which is to ride to both Sasha's and have a beer, which was a blast!

Next week I will be in Louisville - bringing the bike and ready to rock and roll!