An American Jackass in Belgium

Taking a Break?

2010-01-11T10:48:00.001-05:00

I think I’m going to take a little break from this thing. That may upset some (all 3 of you) people but I need to. Been going at this for a while and over the course of 1+ years I’m not even really sure what this blog is about any more or what direction its going in. I need to step back and figure that out.
This thing started with me blogging about a job I hated and trying to train and race at the same time. Somewhere along the way it morphed into the DB police and such. Its funny, and I like to be funny…but I’m really not a bitter dude. I love this sport. And I’m not that negative in real life. Besides there’s changes (in CYCLING) on the horizon so maybe this will turn into a different vehicle. We’ll see.

Holiday Boozin'

2009-12-02T16:51:00.005-05:00

So if you're like me, you may tip a few over the holiday season (OSU-Michigan game thru New Year's Day thru the College Bowls thru NFL Playoffs thru March Madness).
I was wondering how many calories *someone* would be consuming in adult beverages.
The math I used:
2 drinks per hour on a day with family/friends/football games.
So how many calories over the end of Nov thru New Year's Day?
Light estimates show 21,146 if one drank High Life Light.
Light estimates show 14,560 if one drank 45 proof Bourbon (Maker's Mark, of course).
I did an excel spreadsheet...Really.
Whiskey over Beer yields about a 7,000 calorie savings. If you've ever seen *someone* drink whiskey, it usually isn't pretty. Could lead to violence, theft, arson, divorce, etc.
Wonder how fast *someone* would be without these extra calories.
I care not to find out...But if you want to find out how many calories are in your fav bev check this out. It even has mixed drinks.
Here's the beer one.
Happy Holidays. Drive safe.

LoF.com promo video

2009-11-21T09:13:00.002-05:00

Created by Brad Ford:
President and CEO of lionofflanders.com has a conversation with bike-style-guy: Cush

Cool Video on Nittany Cross

2009-11-05T08:31:00.001-05:00

Why Cyclocross?

2009-11-04T08:41:00.002-05:00

So here is a video trailer from the movie "Pure Sweet Hell". One perspective on cyclocross.
It plays on the "spiritual" side of the sport...More realistically, it's just fun and for those of us who thrive on competing in everything we do, it satisfies...

Lots of stuff

2009-10-29T09:58:00.007-04:00

So I haven't posted in a while...I'm sure both of my followers have been disappointed.
Lot going on here at Jackass in Bel HQ.
First, my business venture, LionofFlanders.com is coming along. We have a small assortment of LoF items essential for all your LoF needs.
We aren't up and running online yet, but it looks like in the next week or two. I may have to place a second sock order as the white are almost gone. The clothing should be trickling in soon.
The bmschneX project began sometime in September and has taken form. The track itself is 90% complete. I just need to tweak some burms, etc. Or just leave it alone and everyone can harden the fu@k up...
We had a trial run on Sunday which involved High Life, PBR, Spaten Octoberfest, Hoegaarden, Chili, Hot Dogs, Buffalo dip, Fire, bikes on fire, a bmschneX Madison, among other things. One rider even did a stunt over the first berm. I think it's called a superman or something.
Other than that, just racing B Masters Cross races. Seem to fit my fitness right now.
FSX is in full swing. 70+ riders last week!!! This thing truly was the coolest cross race ever...It's still fun but is moving in the competitive direction. I'm doing my best to stop that.
New Bikes in my arsenel:
A dirt jumper from Jamis

A Niner (not mine shown but close) trimmed with pink and white accents. It glows in the dark. I want to be more like Cush. Thanks for the *loaner* Cush!!!

And to all of you concerned folks, my Ridley I ordered in May will be here in 3 weeks...I'm not holding my breath.
Hope everyone is riding lots. Do it now. The snow is approaching.

One down

2009-09-25T13:22:00.002-04:00

Did my first cross race last weekend.
Nittany Cross at the Velo.
Great turnout.
Good course.
Great fun.
Most of the fun, however, was the day before at setup.
About 10 of us set out with steaks, caution tape, etc and Taus didn't have the class to get us beer?
I now understand why.
Our productivity went from about 95 to a 5 in a matter of 54 camo cans.
Bobby and I proudly led the charge.
Many others put in solid performances: Gui, Bowman, etc.
When Yozell saw us approaching with a stolen roller cooler he said "there goes my crew"...How right he was. He did win the 35+ race the next day and headed south to Baltimore to Charm City to roll those Bit@hes as well. All wearing LionofFlanders.com socks, mind you.
Racing Whrilibird CX this weekend.
Check out this promo video...Nice:

Cross Over

2009-09-14T08:41:00.003-04:00

This weekend will mark the beginning of the long anticipated cross season in the Mid Atlantic.
The MAC Series is one of the best in the US and I'm stoked to be racing cross again.
It kicks off with the Nittany Lion Cross at the Velodrome.
I'm pretty fried right now. A full season of racing track Tuesday and Fridays with some road racing mixed in has taken its toll.
That's why cross is fun. Laid back, you go as hard as you want.
I really don't care about the result. Quite frankly, in all the bike racing I do, I really don't care about the result.
Having fun is paramount.
The weather should be ideal. Belgian conditions: Sunny and 60s at the start. I'm gonna race the 35+ B. May also mix in the 35+ A race as well. Depends on how I feel and how many beers I have before, during, and after my race.
I expect the whole Fifth St. Cross crew to be out in force. Maybe even Svatek and Rich?
Bring a cowbell and some cans of $hitty beer and cheer for your favorite bike racer. Or just heckle them. Maybe Rusty will make an appearance? Or maybe he just quit.

Derny Times

2009-08-23T13:55:00.003-04:00

I see myself on the infield of this thing for sure...
So my Kiwi mate, James, refers to the Derby as the "Derny". I can see how that mistake is made: we follow hammerheads on the front as if they were motorized...
That's all the real riding I've been doing of late.
Last Tuesday was rained out at the track.
The Wednesday "Derny" was one of the hardest ones on record. 30+mph up Topton.
I think about 15 of us made it over the rollers and about 5 of us sprinted the thing.
Sunday Derby was fun.
Rode from my house to SMC and en route got a front flat on my tubeless setup. 1st flat since putting these things on and the first one of 2009. Not bad.
Made it to SMC and then it blew out when I cranked up the air pressure. Taylor, Cush, B. Ford all contributed to a quick change.
Rolled to the Derby from there...About 80 people, give or take.
Torch took off from about 2k into the way out. I just don't get it.
Medium pace all the way. Nothing to hard. Fun.
Rolled home with Bobby Lea and Kyle Wamsley. They were heading out for another 2.
Madison cup is Friday. Likely the hardest thing I will have ever done on two wheels.
In motorpacing on Friday, my partner, Randy "The Eagle" ripped my wedding band clean off. I didn't even know until Bobby asked me if I had it on as he thought he heard and saw it bouncing in turn 2. Found it.
I've lost one wedding band in about 10 years. Don't want to make it 2. Especially explaining "I was holding this guys hand and he was really rippin' it, I came in too slow and he pulled the ring right off..."
Speaking of Dernys, I have a sweet line on one. Motorpacing anyone?

Wamsley turned me on to this one:

Performance

2009-08-11T22:35:00.002-04:00

My buddy sent this to me and asked if this was me...I must say, it does look a bit like me.
Good stuff...

Tour is over. What now?

2009-08-06T09:42:00.004-04:00

The Tour is over. What will I do now to pass the "cycling time"?
The Vuelta? Nah. Booooooring. Even the scenery sucks.
Worlds? Maybe. Coverage is poor, however.
Track Cycling? Losing it's momentum. Getting late in the season and that buzz in the infield seems to be gone. Only 3 Fridays and 5 Tuesdays left.
College Football? Sure. That starts at the end of August. Some good early season games. Who to watch this year: Penn State, Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, USC. Oh, and some team in Columbus. Upset: LSU at home over Florida. Florida will come in a 3 point favorite. Bet this game.
Cross? You know it!!! Just ordered some Challenge Tubies and need to retool the Pinarello to get it ready to rock.
Intend on racing the 35+ scene. Definitely the most competitive cross category outside the Elites.
5th St. Cross is no more...Oh well. All good things must end.
Thinking of building a Pump/BMX/MotoX track in my yard:

My wife thinks this, like all my ideas, is another great one!!!
For those of you asking, the new Ridley should be here in September...Hopefully.

I was wrong

2009-07-23T08:21:00.005-04:00

But so were you...
Cavs isn't in Green
Armstrong isn't in Yellow
Euskatel is not in Polka Dot
I would have picked, however, Schleck for White
Did you see Thor climbing yesterday? Uhhhhhhhh...a guy named Thor climbing mountains like that?
Looks like this thing is over. Contador is just to much in the mtns.
Prediction for Mt. Ventoux: Armstrong given a bit of a leash to win the stage by a minute.
Kierin racing at the velo Friday should be fun.

Lots of fast dudes in town should make for some exciting racing.
Likely gonna mix in a crit on Sunday in Malvern. The gang is gettin' back together.
Let's not ever forget this gem (watch to the end)

After one weak week

2009-07-13T08:37:00.005-04:00

...we know nothing.
So the tour organizers came up with a very benign route for the first week of the tour.
Prologue, TTT, 1 mountaintop finish.
Weak.
Time will tell.
Only one vote in the poll for singlenut?
Wow. Wanna change your answer?
There is clearly a power struggle at Astana. Not only with Contador and LA, but with Vino wanting to be the man. Can you imagine all those "leaders" on one team?
Levi, LA, Contador, Kloden, Vino...
We'll see when we hit the Alps.
I'm sticking by my early pick: Armstrong.

I raced my bike a bit over the last week:
Tuesday night at the Velo
Thursday night training crit
Friday night at the Velo: Madison went better than before. I'm finally "getting it". We are still getting gapped on the sprint laps.
35+ JBN crit
1-2-3 JBN crit
Can't think of why my legs feel like $hit.
Gonna race Tuesday and Friday this week. Maybe race in NJ on Sunday. After that, I'm taking a week off.

Mirrior, mirrior, on the wall....

2009-07-03T10:17:00.006-04:00

...who's the biggest doper of them all?

Well the Tour starts tomorrow and I think this will be one of the best Tours since the retirement of singlenut.

Who will win? Who do you think? My money (and the money of Nike, Oakley, Trek, etc) is on the "comeback kid".

Why? Science. His "body chemistry" will be worlds above any other competitor.

Sure, the Schlecks will attack in the mountains, but they can't TT.

Sastre won last year by default. He can climb and TT, but I think the many Astana bullets will shoot him down.

Evans just lost his lieutenant, Dekker, due to what else? Doping. Evans rides like Levi: a pu$$y.

Menchov won't be able to stay on the wheels in the Alps.

Contador is the real challenger here. Some in the know sources think he'll make a mental mistake. I don't see it. I see him getting flat out beat in the mountains by his boss, LA.

Remember: theres only a prologue, TTT, and one ITT (40k). This levels the field against the bionic man (men) of Astana. That's why this will be an exciting one to watch.

It all comes down to Mt. Ventoux the second to last day. If you watch one stage, this is the one to see. Every contender will think about that stage from the beginning. I've ridden Ventoux and it is truly all its hyped up to be.

The sprinters will bring some excitement as well:
Boonen

Cavendish

McEwen

Farrar

My pick for green: Cavendish.

Bike Jockey (climber): some dude nobody will know until he gets in 4 breaks during the first half then will "defend" for the rest of the ride. Likely a Euskaltel rider: Anton? Maybe a Schleck will make it interesting...

Go Team Go

2009-06-28T13:01:00.005-04:00

Selene and Cush ride their bikes...Lots.
They have been training for this two-person stage race in BC and I think they have a shot at it.
It seems like they've been training for this thing since 2008. Logging big days in virtually any conditions. I have never seen a pair of cyclists so focused for such a long period of time.
For those of you not in the know, Selene writes a column for Bicycling under "Fitchick" and Cush, well, nobody knows what he does for Bicycling but I think it involves riding a lot of bikes.
They are both great people and I wish them the best of luck this week. They may even be spotted with the coolest socks ever!!!
You can follow them on their blog: http://bicycling.com/blogs/junkshow/
I'm sure they'll do the Valley proud.
Enough about them, let's talk about the "Ryan of Flanders" (B. Ford's creation).
Raced Friday night at the VPCC. The rain came and went pretty fast. They used some bad-a$$ F250 to dry the track and we were off.
Made it halfway? in the miss-n-out.
Stayed on the lead lap and with the group in the 5 mile, 10lap, and 30lap points...Progress.
There were some sketchy moves out there. Team Barbados is outtacontrol. A few locals made the night interesting as well.
I just hope to stay out of trouble and not cause problems for anyone as I don't want to have my Friday night privileges revoked.
Doesn't Skorochod take the best pics?

Eye Opener

2009-06-15T15:35:00.004-04:00

The Madison this past Friday was a bit much for this guy.
I was all worked up all night in anticipation of my ass ripping.
I had a blast but had never felt that pain.
A bit chaotic at first but it settled down. My HR was jacked the entire time. Couldn't recover. We lasted 86 of the 100 laps before we got lapped by the eventual winners twice...Imagine doing 40-50 jumps one right after the next.
It's reminiscent of doing your first REAL P12 crit. Not some weak-ass local crit but the one where dudes you see on TV show up and lay it down.
Pain Cave.
Should fare better next time though. Learning curve.
Friday debut: success (no crash). Hope to progress steadily throughout the season. Only racing the track for 3 years now. Not sure if 35 year olds should take up new sports at this age but oh well.
Good times.
We had a cruiser ride as well this weekend.
Our boy Kuklic likes taking naps.

Pain on the Horizon

2009-06-12T11:12:00.006-04:00

Hopefully this won't happen tonight...

So I will do my first Friday night race tonight at the VPCC.
Should be really fun.
I have done 3 Tuesday night races with the same crowd but I think the intensity of "Fridays" should be all it's cracked up to be. High.
We have quite a lineup of activities tonight: 25 lap points, 10 lap scratch, flying mile heats/final, then a 100 lap madison. Hurt Locker.
The madison should, no doubt, be the hardest thing I've done on a bike. We did a 40 lapper on Tuesday and I thought I wasn't gonna make it.

I will be riding with Randy "The Eagle" Smargiassi. We worked well on Tuesday and stayed with the lead group for the first 1/3 of the race. After a few botched exchanges, we were off them and into the second group. We were in the top half of the teams out there.
The key for tonight will be to stay near the front and out of trouble. The race will be WFO the whole time.
The teams to watch:
Bobby/Pearson
Colavita Guy#1/Colavita Guy#2
Jackie Simes/Whomever
Lanelle/Epes
Fitzie/Mean Aussie Dude who threatened to punch Torch in the face
Teams to heckle:
Chopper/Kuklic
My only goal is to beat this team...Hope I can stay in contact.
Also, LionofFlanders.com will be up and running soon. Got the socks in this week. 4 colors: yellow, black, white, bright-ass yellow. 4" cuff, DeFeet Air-e-ator
Come see me if you want to buy a pair: $5 per.

Support your local Velodrome

2009-06-03T20:02:00.003-04:00

So the VPCC kicks off Friday night racing this week.
With my first eligible Friday, I will not be racing. Oh well. Next weekend will be my premiere at the 100 lap Madison. Ugggh.
Some bad-asses are in town for the weekend as Somerville, Air Force, Philly, etc. all keep these guys in the area for about a month.
Go out and cheer these guys around the track.
There will be 5th St. Cross Legends (Kuklis, Pearson), Olympian and 5th St. Cross Racer Bobby Lea, local favorite Jackie Simes 3 should fare well, former Gotham Rider Lanelle Rockmore will surely win a race or two.
PBR Pounders will be sold this year at the beer concession. That means less lines waiting for that beer wench to pour that wretched Sam Adams glass, by glass...
Ridley update: There is no update. Belgians do business the opposite of the way they ride their bikes: slowly.

Somerville

2009-05-26T18:41:00.004-04:00

Last weekend was the biggest weekend of the year for Mid-Atlantic road racing.
While all the tree huggers headed north to the Rapha race Sunday, some of us raced our bikes. Or at least tried.
Hills of Somerset: Legit road race with full run of the roads. Double wide, rolling enclosure complete with motos, support van, sag wagon, etc. Fun.
Tour of Somerville: Fun Cat 2 race with some crashes. Woody won, Sphon second.
This weekend brings some local stuff: Bethlehem and T-Town Crits.
Feeling like things are coming back a bit. We'll see this weekend.
Here is a pic from a party we were at last weekend. They had a keg of root beer.
Father of the year...

Track Crash

2009-05-22T11:29:00.002-04:00

This is from the Velodrome site...Cat 2/3 race.
Some dudes got pretty banged up from this. Speedy recovery guys!

This should feel fine

2009-05-22T07:39:00.003-04:00

Hills of Somerset County Road Race
Find more Bike Rides in Somerville, New Jersey
Racing with the big boys tomorrow.
Hills of Somerset. @85 miles.
Cool race but may be a bit hard. Really, just hoping to finish this thing.
On a borrowed bike. To bad that's not a legit excuse this time...
Then Monday, it's Tour of Somerville. A 20 mile, 28mph crit in downtown Somerville which will see some of the sketchest riders around diving into corners at speed. Should be a good course for Bonser.
Wish me luck.

Bike Racin'...

2009-05-21T08:04:00.000-04:00

...is hard

A Tough Go

2009-05-18T07:29:00.007-04:00

This weekend was a big one for local(ish) racing in the MidAtlantic.

Saturday was Wilmington 2/3 for $2,000 and Sunday was BikeJam in Baltimore for some ca$h as well.

The fam and I packed in my sled to hit a case at Hershey Medical Center Friday afternoon then a straight shot to Wilmington.

The scheduled 1 hour drive became 2 as we hit rush hour outside West Chester on 100S. That sucked.

Rolled in to Hotel DuPont, got checked in, then to dinner. At check-in they gave us an envelope for racers staying at the hotel with some wristbands to a block party. We went and drank free beer. It was niiiiiice.

The next day I warmed up a bit in the hotel room then on the course for a while.

The gun went off and I went from the front to the middle of the pack real, real quick. From there I slowly worked my way further back. It was pegged from the start. WFO, single-file with 130 dudes.

Turn 3 is an off-camber 40mph right hand turn where the hacks at the back would apply a not-so-needed handful of brake. Few crashes here but worst of all, we ground to a halt at one point and a dude put his front wheel right into my rear wheel. Snap. Spoke broke. Went to SRAM neutral support for a 404 pit wheel and right back in...to the back.

Pulled the pin about 3 laps after that. I sucked. Didn't have it. Oh well.

Sphon won. 30 of the 130 finished the damn thing.

After the race we checked out of the hotel and loaded the car. Left the loaded car with bike on top with the valets and told them we'd be back later.

Watched the Pro women (LVG won...no surprise there), then the men.

VIP block party was still a go so Kuklic, the wife, and I enjoyed free beer again. Several beers.

Came back to the car to head to Inner Harbor in Baltimore for the night and ride BikeJam the next day.

Out of the hotel and to a gas station on the highway and as I'm filling up a dude looks up at my bike and says "what happened to your bike?"

I looked up and saw a crumpled front end. They pulled my car into the parking garage with the bike on top. A$$holes didn't even tell us.

I called the manager immediately and they knew I would be calling. They told me they would take care of it...Just to send them the bill.

Damage: Shifters, cables, bars, stem, fork, frame, bartape

Nothing wrong with the car though.

I'm not chancing riding a carbon bike that has been slammed into a brick wall so they're gonna have to get me a new frame. Noah, here I come.

So no race for me Sunday...Spent the day in Inner Harbor with the family. Good times.

Should be on a loaner bike by the end of the day.
Track starts tomorrow. Oh boy.

Boonen gets even cooler...

2009-05-09T07:23:00.004-04:00

So Belgian's golden boy got even cooler this weekend by getting popped for Cocaine again.
He's a party boy. They will forgive him...again.
Social drugs in athletes is kinda cool.
Performance enhancing drugs in athletes, however, is not cool.
It does suck a bit that we can't watch him race for a while. Looks like he may be incarcerated for some time. Do you think they'll give him a trainer in his cell?

So this is the Boonen Bus...

2009-05-06T20:29:00.008-04:00

Just a taste.
Sound only. Gets me jacked even still.
Picture tailgating/drinking all day with your homies and your team winning the biggest event in that sport and getting on a bus to head home and this is playing.
Heard this on Boonen Bus at least 20 times...I have put the clip on the top right-side of this blog. Stop by when you need your Tommeke! fix.
I will tell this story when I get the pics organized. Believe u me, there's a story to tell.
There's also this version:

Tested on Pave

2009-05-05T09:33:00.012-04:00

As if dealing out 12 Ridleys for us to smash up on the worst cycling roads known to man, Ridley also rolled out the red carpet for our host. We were along for the ride.
We got a grand tour of the factory.
Saw some tricked out rigs...They even remembered the "worst paint job we have ever done": the Gotham bikes. Yeah, that's right.
Couple of highlights:
They put a "Tested on Pave" sticker only on bikes that have a special connection to Belgium. The qualifications are quite complex. I have sworn the secret safe until my departure from this world. I have heard of some losers putting these stickers on bikes that are not Ridleys. That's plain weak.
Kuklic fell asleep (again)

We showed up with a wrecked Ridley van and they didn't even care

They encourage smoking...

This mechanic can build a bike from parts to complete in 22minutes flat (including wrapping the bars, not including cutting steerer tube)

Oh yeah...The bikes didn't suck either (Belgian Natl TT Champ's bike)

Sorting through these photos makes me want to go back. 2010 maybe.

Tour of Flanders Sportif

2009-05-01T08:50:00.010-04:00

So I will finally update this thing...Details are still foggy and I like to exaggerate so bear with me here.
The day before the Tour of Flanders there is a ride you can do on the course.
There are several options: the whole course, about half the course, about a quarter of the course. We did about half. 120k if I remember correct. About 15 cobbled sections including the Muur and Bosberg.
There were about 15 of us that set out from some obscure back road to the start. That ride was about 15k?

The two Ridley VIP vans and the Opal...A bunch of Yankees that now respect the cobbles...

The start was crazy. There were about 30,000 riders total who did the ride. All went off at their leisure. I was under the name "Ryan Posomethingtoo". Kuklic and I slammed a beer and we were off. Tails waggin'. Naive as ever.
We began the adventure on "normal" roads but about 10k later...BOOM.
Our first taste of cobbles was a shock. I mean it. 10meters in, I thought I might not make it. The bars felt like I had no control of them. Bouncing all about. I was drilling it as hard as I could and felt I was only going 20mph. Truly indescribable. My white "podium gloves" had zero padding and the bar tape was that really thin $hit. Almost like masking tape. Pain Cave.
At this point I was with Diesel, Moustache Man, and a few others.
We rode for a bit more and then I got popped from this "lead" group going up what felt like a 5k section up a hill into this little town.
I waited for the rest of the group. Schnecksville Regroup.
Ended up riding with Diesel and Taylor for most of the day. We ripped it up lots of the climbs. We had a good thing going, for sure.
Long story, but we rode, hit a rest stop, rode some more, got shelled, got dropped, got back on, got a beer, someone got spit on by cross world champ: Niels Albert (really, he spit on Kuklic)...After it was all done we had 101 miles and had climbed the most famous climb in Belgium: The Muur.
Astonishing thing is that everyone riding this thing was a "good" bike rider. No MS150 nerds here. Just a bunch of ass-kickin' Belgians rockin' the cobbles. 12 yr olds. 75 yr olds. Etc.
Only one flat that I know of and only one crash in our group.
Mad respect for these clowns who race this thing for a living.
Those cobbles are full legit. And these were the "smooth" cobbles...."Not like the rough ones at Roubaix"

Taylor's bike for the trip was Lief Hoste's bike for 2007 Tour of Flanders. It was ridden at last year's race..It was Ridley's carbon cross bike with a road fork. A true "pro" sled.

Processing...

2009-04-14T08:15:00.008-04:00

me, pryor, taus, embrocation mag dude in the arenberg. full news story here.

I am still in shock and awe from my trip...
Sorry I haven't updated but our days were filled to the brim with activity.
Here are a few photos.
When I come down from this high, I will give a full update.
However, much of what happened there, needs to stay there. You must go yourself. Don't doddle or Fu@k About. Just book a flight and go.
I shook my head this morning in disbelief.
One of the best 11 day stretches of my life. Really.
Good friends, good beer, good rides, good times, good-bye Belgium....Holy $hit Strickland: Thanks.
More to come.

......

2009-04-14T06:51:00.000-04:00

.........

Belgium: Days 1, 2, 3, 4.5 (Partial Post)

2009-04-06T06:35:00.007-04:00

Posting from Gent, Belgium.
Day 1
Travel
A stressful day it was, last Thursday.
I had to shake off a hangover, pick up the motorhome, get a bitchin' haircut, pack a cooler, etc.
The motorhome waited at Kuklics while I went to TC Salon on Tilghman to have the mullet carved and....colored.

Yeah, that's right. The flag of Belgium riding my neck. Awesome. The top and sides you can't see from the photo are shaped into a euro style fauxhawk.
My neighbor, Trooper Johnny, was kind enough to drive the motorhome to the airport for us. Clutch move on his part. Thanks John! We had several beers en route and were dropped at the international terminal. Everyone had passports, etc, so no bubbles, no troubles.
Hooked up with the wife in the terminal and had a few more beers then boarded the plane. Long ass flight where I slept only about 45 min. That Ambien did not work for $hit.
Got to Brussels and all of our luggage was there. Nice. Thru customs and on to the train. Prior to boarding we needed some lubrication. Stella pounders and Hooegaarden cans.
Checked in to the hotel and started our adventure in Gent.
We drank on the cobbles next to the canal. People Everywhere on bikes. Everyone rides a bike here. Grandmas, grandpas, 4 yr olds, cripples, lepers, everyone.
Solid drinking day. Drank all sorts of 10% beers and got real banged up. Matt A. could probably tell you which ones. All of them were supurb.

Gotta go...Heading to the Ridley plant for a tour and dinner. This does not suck.
I leave you with this: Cobble section 2 at Flanders: Uphill 4%ish grade. Fastest Tour of Flanders ever.

More to come!

I shouldn't have...

2009-04-02T11:11:00.005-04:00

...drank those 4 pitchers of PBR last night at Liberty St. with Kuklis and Scooter.
The several High Lifes I had before didn't help either.
This will likely be the last beer I see of this tint, octane, temp, etc. On to the varsity beer. 10% abv...Someone's gonna underestimate that and make some mistakes.
Off to get the melon carved today.
The gang is meeting in Emmaus and we're taking the motorhome to the airport so we don't all get hit with $100 each in parking. I'm sure we will have several beers on the way down there.
Next post will be from Gent, Belgium.

The Gent, Belgium 10 day shows:

2009-03-31T16:42:00.002-04:00

FriApr 3
Sunny
65°43°
0%
High: 65°F
SatApr 4
Partly Cloudy
61°45°
10%
High: 61°F
SunApr 5
Partly Cloudy
56°43°
10%
High: 56°F
MonApr 6
Partly Cloudy
61°43°
10%
High: 61°F
TueApr 7
Partly Cloudy
61°45°
10%
High: 61°F
WedApr 8
Partly Cloudy
58°45°
20%
High: 58°F
ThuApr 9
Mostly Cloudy
57°44°
20%
High: 57°F

Chances of beer consumption: 100%

Notice: Monkey Knife Fighting Hurts

2009-03-30T10:01:00.013-04:00

And out of the fog rose...A loser

What a great weekend for training.

Friday was a solid shop ride with Selene, PJs, Taus, Matt A, and Acura Matt.

The tempo was high and relentless...Matt A and Acura Matt weren't feeling it, so they took a left.

We had some nice climbs and even had a paceline going for a bit but PJs shut that down. Something about not wanting to be in zone 4. Whatever.

We averaged over 19mph with some legit climbing in there.

Saturday was family day for me. Logged some time with the kids before they make their journey to the Buckeye State.

Sunday there was a Monkey Knife Fight.

The weather was cool and wet. It was raining upon our departure from SMC and for the first 1/2 of the ride.
13 dirt sections, 11 of them scored. All scoring sections were dirt/gravel/etc climbs.
Bowman was out on his cycle on this well mapped/marked course. About 15 souls started the journey. Regret set in immediately.
3 stops along the route: PJs place, convenience store, Rignoshs place. PJs wife laid out the spread: coffee, bagels, PBR, etc. Tasty.PJs and FitChick ruled the day. I was able to pip FitChick for one victory. I was unable to celebrate, however. I could barely speak. Those people can climb. All to cure cancer. PJs won and donated his winnings back to the cause. The classiest thing that douche has ever done in his life.

Thanks to Mark Bowman for organizing this thang.

Just counting the days at this point...Weather in Gent, Belgium will be 60s and sunny when we get there. Wonder how long that will last.
This is a pic of the nameplate that is put on a shower stall at the velodrome if you win Roubaix.

What name will get placed at the end of this year's edition?

I think we'll fit in just fine...

2009-03-28T21:02:00.005-04:00

I watched this video for the 40th time today.
From the sights and (more importantly) the sounds we should fit in with the crowd at Flanders just fine.
How insane is the Koppenberg anyway?

Our Concrete Schedule (Loose Edition)

2009-03-26T16:14:00.006-04:00

The Koppenberg...

A lot more fun than what I did this week:

Arrivals: Friday, April 3

Ride Tour of Flanders Cyclosportif: Saturday, April 4

Watch Tour of Flanders: Sunday, April 5

Poach Gent-Wevelgem: Monday or Tuesday, April 6 or 7

Daytrip to ???: Monday or Tuesday, April 6 or 7

Watch Gent-Wevelgem: Wednesday, April 8

Daytrip to Amsterdam?: Thursday, April 9

Pre-Ride cobble sections w/teams: Friday, April 10

Attempt to ride full course: Saturday, April 11

Watch Paris Roubaix w/Tom Boonen Fan Club: Sunday, April 12

Departures: Monday, April 13

Waaaaaahhhhhhh

2009-03-24T08:08:00.003-04:00

Looks like Armstrongs out of the Tour de wecanworktogether...
Hopefully he can recover in time for the Giro.
I'm sure his medical team can whip up something for the pain. And the lost fitness.

Show What 'cha Got: I ain't got much...

2009-03-23T14:57:00.013-04:00

I took my first (and not the last) ass whippin' of 2009 this past week.

Massage on Wednesday brought tears to my eyes. Really. It hurt.

First was Laroo's birthday ride on Friday with multiple stops at PJ's house for PBR...It snowed on us. That was the first sign of a shit ride. Cush took us up some climbs for 140 lbers like himself....Mix in a steak, dude. I mean really. Eat something!

It was fun but hurt me. Which was his point, I'm sure.

I have NEVER seen a garage full of more high end bike $hit in my life...If my wife gives it to me for having tooooo many, I will drive her to Cushenboro and show his selection to shut her up.

Friday, later in the evening, Shovel came over with wife and kid in tow. He was 100% for the Derby and both crits as of 10PM Friday night...I wasn't holding my breath.

Saturday Kuklic and I rolled to SMC and about. Good easy spin.

Sunday brought the pain.

Waffles at Kuklics were great.

6 of us rolled out of there and hooked up with the derby on the road. No Rich. Big suprise there.
Skorochod was out shooting photos. He takes nice pics for sure.
Huge group with Torch and another dude drilling off the front by themselves for absolutely no reason ON THE WAY OUT. You go guy.

At the turn it was tailwind sufferfest. Fast and Hard. Empire dudes, Billy, some random former Canadian road race champion, etc.
This dude hurt everyone on the Derby and the first crit, photo: Hannah Hayduk

I rolled thru a few times to do my part but I shouldn't have. Glad the group was so big as I sag climbed Topton.

Both crits were fast and hard as well. My legs were shattered.

Monkey Knife Fight this weekend. Gonna hurt.

The real winner is...Mr. Chanel Sunglasses:

Mullet time Approaches

2009-03-16T19:28:00.015-04:00

1. euro mullet
A European hairstyle similar to the mullet, typically styled into a fauxhawk both in the front and back.
JÃ¶rg's euro mullet is so fierce; all the chicks love his hair.

My wife has been riding me to cut this mop for about a month.
My boss finally said something a few weeks ago.
My friends encourage my new "pet" growth.
I'm going EuroMullet for this adventure. Maybe even a few days beyond. Battenkill would be a good domestic premiere for this thing.
The question is: do I get it done IN Europe? Thinking just taking one of these pics in and saying "I want this" (In Flemish, naturally).
Mmmmmmmmmmullet. My wife will be so proud.

Wow!

Subtle...

This just screams: "I pull a$$"

Monkey Knife Fight

2009-03-16T15:40:00.007-04:00

Ohhhhhh $hiiiiit...All the punks will be out for this "rally sport" adventure.
Join the fun. Or just suck, and do the derby and $hit Crit like the rest of the masses. Good prep for Battenkill-Roubaix.
I'm taking that 135lb douche, PJs, down.

Time for a Break

2009-03-16T11:29:00.006-04:00

(4th wheel ain't a bad spot in this break Photo: Hannah Hayduk)
It was a typical week for me last week.
More work than training...That blows.
I was able to get out Friday afternoon for quite a while. The usual crew: Pearson, Beth, Fitchick, PJs, Taus.
Friday night saw the return of Chopper (he wrote him a letta) to the Lehigh Valley for roller racing. He won. I got $hitty that night but made the smart call to throw the shot that was handed to me to the floor...No thanks. We hit Starlite Diner at 3AM to find Jack Simes and Chopper having breakfast and beers. Kuklic and I joined.
Did Madison at the track on Saturday with Pearson (ouch).
I decided to skip the Derby Sunday and just do both training crits to see how "fresh" my legs would feel without hitting them with 2 hours before a race.
It didn't matter. My legs hurt. Had fun with the crit. Some sketchy dudes out there. Myself included. I don't know why that 4th turn demands everyone slam on the brakes and take inside lines. You shouldn't have to hit your brakes at all on that course.
I think its time for a rest week. Of course, that comes during the week where temps will approach 60 degrees. Maybe some coffee shop rides and a massage this week.
See how the legs feel for the weekend and maybe take a pass on things. I hate to wish for rain for the weekend but that may be the only way I stay off the bike.
Bad news for our boy Svatek. His rig came off his pimp sled and broke his fork and his rear window. That absolutely sucks. Our thought and prayers are with you my friend.
Two weeks from Thursday Im outta here.

Selling Out

2009-03-07T17:54:00.003-05:00

Put in a solid Friday ride.
Saturday we rolled 3 hours and did Madison at the Velo.
We needed matching jerseys so I sold out and wore a PSU jersey. That sucked and will never happen again...

Man vs. Boy

2009-03-03T11:43:00.002-05:00

So here's Bobby Lea in the semi finals from Friday's Roller Racin'.

He's just toyin' with Epes.

(Video Dave Pryor)

Rollers, Highways, and Hangovers

2009-03-02T08:12:00.005-05:00

The weekend started good with the Roller Races at Atown Brewworks. Took the family and Svatek and Rich joined us.

The place was packed. Nice to see everyone out after a winter of hibernation on rollers and trainers.

Bobby Lea won the event. He tried his best to handicap himself with a couple of pitchers but still won. Kuklic did not qualify for the "tournament" as a result of some roller malfunction during his TT. Diefenbach? Torch? Nelman? Lakatosh? That's okay. Kuklic drank his troubles away, as usual.

Saturday's ride was postponed from 9 to 10 as a result of the 10s of pitchers we all consumed. Nobody was particularly fresh for this jaunt. We had some Milwaukee Mimosas and hit the road.

Christine, Plunkett, Bill, Beth, Taaaaaaylor, Kuklic, Svatek, Matt A., Steak. Had to reroute for PJs, that weak-ass bailed on his mtb ride 'cause he's a wuss. That took us off my planned route and had us all f-ed up. I was a horrible navigator but the group got to see some of the sights up here in NW Lehigh County: Leaser Lake, Route 309, etc. Everyone appreciated my skills.

We climbed Bake Oven road. It was shit. Clay-like mud that sapped your legs. Quick descent and we were headed home. About 4 hours.

Sunday brought the Derby and Shit Crit. Went fine. Just did the 1st race at the Shit Crit and watched the horsepower roll away. Thats cool for me right now. First intensity of the year felt okay. Should improve weekly.

Weather here sucks today. Let's hope it doesn't ruin the whole week.

BTW: Boonen won KBK yesterday...Social drugs DO enhance your performance.

Roller Racin' Tyme

2009-02-26T18:24:00.002-05:00

I'm skipping the initial event. Taking the wife and kids.
Should be exciting. I'm sure the whole crew will be there.
I hate to say it, but a crash wouldn't suck.
At least the beer will be good.
Nice flyer Stacie Pearson!

Ravetastic

2009-02-25T17:44:00.004-05:00

Photo: douglasbenedict.com

How many stills can our boy Plunkett get in?

Yeah. That's 'possum...

http://douglasbenedict.com/RaveUn2.mov

Newsflash: A chick named "Fitchick" is fit and strong...

2009-02-23T12:14:00.008-05:00

The week after a Sales Meeting is always tough.
Your body is tired. Your mind fried. Hard to motivate.
I was, however, able to get out with Cush last Thursday for a couple of hours. He is soooooo smart when it comes to routing rides. He took us on tailwind out and headwind back. 35mph headwinds. I had an hour before hooking up with him so 3+ in that shit was neither funny nor fun.
The next day we hooked up for the usual Friday ride from SMC. We decided a mellow route would be good. Head out in to the 30mph winds towards Kutztown, then return with a bitchin' tailwind.
We made a left where we should have made a right and low and behold we were climbing into headwinds. I knew literally 5 minutes in to the ride it was going to "blow". It did.
Acuramatt, PJs, Matt A, and I all suffered at the expense of Fitchick. 3.5 hours. Her "chipper" attitude was all that kept us going. The worst I have felt on a bike in quite some time. I think over 4000 feet of climbing in the wind. Awesome recovery ride...
Everyone on this ride has a blog. Wow. I guess everyone who is a loser and can go for a ride at that time on Friday afternoon also is that same loser who blogs. At least Fitchick and PJs get paid for theirs. I don't. I'm just a loser.
Saturday was 2+ on the road with Kuklic and then some Madison time on the track.
We saw at least 4 other groups of riders out while we were on our ride. Cool thing about the valley. Always people to ride with. Only a total loser would ride by himself on a Saturday in the Lehigh Valley.
The highlight of the road ride was Kuklic grabbing a handful of brake to stop and check out some porn DVD cases thrown on the side of the road. Trannie Porn. Not appetizing at all. They were covers only, no DVDs to Kuklic's disappointment.
The track hurt a bit. We kept it somewhat tame. Not ready for major intensity yet.
Saturday night there was this party...I think I was the most sober person there and made the best decisions. That's scary. There were after-parties and after-after-parties. To protect the guilty, I will go no further.
I'm sure the Facebook photos will surface and tell a story of their own. (photo courtesy of Jamie Livingood)

Road to Roubaix

2009-02-18T09:04:00.003-05:00

As if I'm not stoked enough...I watched this last week.
3 min trailer. Feature is @75 min.
Worth the purchase fo sho.
http://www.masterlinkfilms.com/
Solid.
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National Sales Meeting Hangover

2009-02-17T11:01:00.004-05:00

So after a full week in Marco Island, FL, I'm pretty cooked.

Mentally, about 20 lbs of intellectual $hit was shoved in my 8 lb brain. Overload.

Physically, I was able to get about 10 hours of bike time down there. That should offset the out til 3 AM/up at 6 AM pace I sustained for 6 days.

The roads were flat and well paved. A bit of traffic. I do, however, have a tan line on my arms and legs. Nice.

Rode the Ridley for the first time since Sept. down there. Nice to get on that thing after the time spent on Orange Crush this winter.

Highlight/Lowlight of the trip was on the company sponsored "free day". I rode for 3 hours and joined my boys on the beach for some margarita time. We threw down some 'ritas for about 3 hours and then the HR problems began. I don't wish to divulge all the shenanigans but I did get thrown in the pool with the blackberry in tow...Good thing it was a manager who pushed me in. Makes expensing the phone go a bit easier. Salesguys are all the same: competitive, testosterone loaded, egomaniacs (author included).

Hoping for a few hours this week and some big days Saturday and Sunday. Racing starts two weeks from Saturday.

From our Friends at the FLM

2009-02-04T16:14:00.004-05:00

The Fender Liberation Movement is weak...A closeted bunch of PUDs without the necessary leadership or resources of us here at the LVFM.
Their logo isn't even in the right format, so all their verbage is lost on this blog.
If they even own a computer, they can send me a proper logo to post. (They sent me this update last night from their Commodore 64)

If you see someone in your group resisting the use of fenders, call them an a$$hole and then promply put your framepump into their spokes. They'll get the point.

Dicks.

Join the Lehigh Valley Fender Movement Today!!!

2009-02-03T15:32:00.006-05:00

(Plunkett Design Studios)
Svatek has a good take on the situation: http://www.eightplustwo.com/
I fully agree with his opinion and also like how BFord put it:
riding the trainer=sucks
riding outside with your friends+fenders=good
riding outside with your friends-fenders=go home and ride the trainer
need I remind you?
riding the trainer=sucks
good>sucks
I commissioned this artwork from Keith Plunkett...Nice work.
I'm taking orders for sweatshirts, stickers, and wifebeaters with the movement's new logo.

Roller Racin'

2009-02-01T18:01:00.005-05:00

Looks like Jack Simes is gonna put on some roller racin' in Feb & March at some BrewPubs in Lancaster and Harrisburg.
Check it out, should be good times:
http://http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=7763
http://http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=7764

Hopefully we can go this fast:

(YouTube ripped from Blacklamehttp://blacklame.blogspot.com/)

My New Haircut, Nothing Compares to You

2009-02-01T13:00:00.012-05:00

Some of us make plans and stick to them.
Some of us ditch our bros for hoes.
Some have hangovers and can't sack up.
Some even have legitimate careers which may lead to an occasional ride cancellation.
But this one...Total PUD move.
"I'm getting a haircut" was the response I got when PJs was asked why he wasn't riding with us on Saturday. He is the one who wanted to do this thang.
Weak.
It was way more fun without him.
Some of us headed out from SMC at 1030. It was supposed to be 10 but Kuklic took some motivation to get moving. He always makes poor choices, by the way.
After I knocked a bunch of bikes over outside of SMC and Kuklic finished his Large Coffee, we were free to roll.
Bill & Beth S., Svatek, KillBill, BFord, Plunkett, Swope, Christine, Steve, Pryor, Kuklic, Taaaaaylor, and some others Im sure Im forgetting, all headed out and got in @3. Sketchy roads with some snow/ice surprises. (Photo props to Dave Pryor)
I wish I had not taken the fenders off. Especially after bitching about people riding without them the day before.
For reasons I wish not to share, the song "Nothing Compares to You" was sung throughout the ride and even made its way to the Derby Sunday.
Derby was fun. Usual stuff with some snow/ice mixed in for fun.
Didn't put the fenders on for this one either. Mistake. But I made sure I was at the back so I didn't spray anyone. Thats just the kind of guy I am.

A footnote: We did see PJs later Saturday night at Bear Creek and his hair looked like it had some work done on it. So at least he wasn't lying. Im supposed to ride with him tomorrow. Hope his nails don't need done or Im screwed. But it is amazing what a new haircut can do for a guy:

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A Garden Tool

2009-01-29T18:28:00.009-05:00

I found a good use for a garden tool today...And no, it wasn't Danny S's mom.
After my ride today, my bike was riddled with the usual road grime expected after a day like today.
I come back pissed off that my hoses are all frozen outside (and have been for the last month). I am sick of using a shop rag and water.
I reached for the trusty garden sprayer.
It worked great. Just enough torque to spray off that nasty stuff. Got my drivetrain nice and shiny.
Orange Crush is ready for another battle.
Thought I would share.
Now F-Off and go ride your bike...OUTSIDE.
As Pearson would say...Harden the F**k up!!!
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A Good Read Indeed

2009-01-26T16:05:00.004-05:00

Pearson has been raving about this book to me for about 2 months...Bill mentioned it Saturday on our ride.
I bought it Saturday night and finished it today.
An easy read.
The book is solid.
Good stories from the Belgian Peloton (and beyond) from the eyes of an American trying to make it across the pond.
Tales of doping, speeding (cars and bikes), bitch-slapping during racing, etc.
Highly reccomended for anyone who has wondered what the life of a europro was like in the 80s/90s.

A Sunday In Hell (Kinda)

2009-01-25T15:10:00.007-05:00

Put in some miles this weekend.
About 5.75 hrs on Saturday with Kuklic, Brad, Bill, Plunkett, PJs, and Rignosh.
Rolled in to the 25mph headwinds for a while then came back. Temps in the mid-20s. Not bad.
When you ride with Kuklic, you're always looking for a Sheetz. We ACTUALLY found one this time and we all pounded coffees, cokes, and schmuffins/schmiskits.
30 minutes later our stomachs hurt and the gas was flowing.
We did decide, on the ride, that Hilary Swank is NOT hot...
Sunday was the Derby. About 15 degrees at game time for this one. Kuklic had some phantom "mechanical problem" which prevented him from rolling. Svatek came over from the East Siiiiide with Billy and LVG (who is going to CX worlds next week).
If it were not for Svatek coming over, I would have bagged this thing. Easy 2 hours on rollers would have been a better alternative for me.
I would say about 40 others were out as well.
Rolling out I knew I was in for a rough go.
I pulled Shenanigans several times and avoided a single pull at the front. I had to. My legs were shot.
Made it almost to the top of the big "hill" and popped. Suck.
Spun the long way home and got in a solid 2 hrs.
A Sunday in Hell. Not really. But this video is of a late 70s movie by that title which covers Paris-Roubaix in 1976. This is part 1 of 11. Enjoy!
The above is a pic of my hip/ass area where I fell on the ice last weekend. Feels great!

We Shall See...

2009-01-22T18:29:00.006-05:00

So it looks like PJs, Kuklic, and I for the Saturday 4 hours...
Last week, the bourbon got me.
Kuklic has been known to tip a few.
PJs is a notorious wuss when it comes to cold. He's from Cali.
So 3 guys, all who possess drinking "problems", not to mention their other issues, trying to come together on a Saturday morning at 9 AM in <20 degree temps?
Let’s see who makes it...
Here is a pic from the infamous "Birthday Ride" which went over 4 hours and about a case or two of beers. What's this coming ride have in store?
I'm sure some material.
(From L to R: Kuklic, Me, PJs all with brownbags of Old Mil pounders)

Like Donkey Kong

2009-01-19T17:56:00.007-05:00

Battenkill is a go for the boys of Gotham: "The Shovel", "The Terrible", and I will brave the elements in this brutal 80+ mile adventure over the shittiest roads available in upstate New York. An RV trip, no doubt.
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=7221
This will come the weekend after I return from Belguim.
My form could be really good or really bad...Depends on the ride time over there. Look, like a true road racer, I'm already making excuses.
I will guarantee, however, a podium for Gotham on the day (by way of Shovel being on the trainer 2-3 hrs a day for Dec and most of Jan).
I would also like to personally call out PJs for this race. Come on out my man...Looks like a good one for a 135 lb framed kid from Cali! Here's a link to his blog: http://junkshow.mountainbike.com/

Bourbon sux...

2009-01-18T15:47:00.006-05:00

Saturday was supposed to be a big day for me.
Even though it was below 20, we still planned on 4 hours.
I was actually looking forward to it in spite of PJs being on the ride but...The neighbors came over Friday night and @9 beers and 3 bourbons later the ride Saturday was a "no go". First Dan and then Trooper Johnny. Bad news.
I used the "its way cold and dangerous to ride today" excuse. It worked but I was pissed I missed the ride. There are really only 4 weekends I have left to get in the big days before racing begins in March (I have meetings, family obligations, etc. which will prevent many weekend rides). Oh well.
Sunday was fun though. Another ride at the Parkway with Bill, Killingsworth, Swope, B. Ford, Steak, and we ran in to Steve out there. Riding with your friends is better than the alternative: riding with yourself. I only hit the dirt once. That ice is "slippy" when you get cocky wit it.
Espresso after at Bills and beers after that at the shop. Matt A was at the shop and said he got the beer guide for Belgium. He seems to think we can find beer worth drinking over there. I sure hope so. Just no bourbon for me over there....That shit hurts.

Winter Slop

2009-01-11T15:51:00.003-05:00

Derby was a no go today.
Brad called us from the lot and said there were zero takers, so we rolled from Kuklic's.
Winter Slop. The kind that sticks to your booties, derialleurs, fenders, etc.
It was a great day of riding, in spite of the shit roads.
We rode Brad back to Emmaus (like Big Brown) and hit the coffee shop for some joe and fresh socks. Selene rolled in as well.
It's always amazing when you check facebook after one of these days and see that all your friends rode in this stuff too. Makes you feel that if you don't ride, you will be in some trouble come spring. Stupidity in numbers, I guess...
Fun stuff.

Gettin' it done.

2009-01-10T17:16:00.008-05:00

Got out for 3 hrs yesterday with some folks...Old Mil pounders after with Pearson. Hit the Parkway with some other knuckleheads today for about 1.75 hrs with "warmed" water bottles and post-ride shop beers. I didn't feel great about riding on ice but the ride was awesome. Brad Ford, Kuklic, Yozell, PJs, Taylor, Bill. 4 of 7 were on Singlespeed Cross bikes and the conditions were perfect. A few hit the deck on the ice but no serious harm was done.
So looks like I'm right on schedule for my training program. Just have to link up more consecutive days drinking towards March
Gettin' it done.

Training...Watching the Clock

2009-01-02T16:53:00.003-05:00

At least its 2009 now. That will make a difference in me waiting for this trip to come.
Just back from the holidays in Ohio where I took care of the fun end of training for this trip. Linked 5 days of "tavern training" together in the Buckeye state.
Been working on the other training over the last week...Riding almost every day.
I will have to put together a training "block" in Vegas, perhaps, to really prep for this adventure.

Lottery Winner! and The Playaz

2008-12-25T14:44:00.007-05:00

There was a lottery to win spots on this coveted trip to the Mecca of cycling. I was lucky and was drawn. The limit was 9.
So here they are:
Bill: The leader of this expedition. A host to the coolest backyard bike race series ever and an editor at Bicycling Mag. Great rider and knows where we need to/should go...
Beth: Bill's wife and kickass rider who logs no less than 250 mi/wk in the summer
Taaaaaaaaaylor: Local wrench and coffee barista at South Mountain Cycles. Single speed kinda fella *wink*wink.
Taus: Fulltime Allentown firefighter and one of those guys that says he never trains but kicks your ass. Notorious half-wheeler.
Plunkett: Makes me look like I don't know how to drink. Good cross racer and good dude to stir up $hit at the bars (especially when he knows theres 8 of us behind him)
Pryor: Drinker and U of Florida grad (redundant?). The SEC blows
Kuklic: Track racer who crashes on the road in big road races on $10,000 demo bikes...Nice
Matt A: A beer snob to the fullest extent. I'm sure we can find something over there worth drinking. A cyclocross racer too.
My wife: the "Queen of Schneckeltucky" will, no doubt, keep the pace in the taverns and drive a support van!

Flanders: Koppenberg Climb YouTube Link

2008-12-24T10:10:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KXTdj3Q1XM8&feature=related

Paris-Roubaix YouTube Link

2008-12-13T12:47:00.000-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8uyPnIveJo&feature=related

Tickets are Purchased

2008-12-13T12:05:00.000-05:00

The tickets are purchased.
Just bought the essential raingear.
Only 4 months to go...