MUCH BETTER

Got my 3+ in at Lost Valley.....not sure where I could have finished if I would have been able to ride at the pace I did on Monday. I don't really care, it just feels better knowing that I could have rode strong to the finish.

On another note for those who don't know we added GRIFFIN AAROD to our family on 2/13/09! Everybody is doing great....just not much sleep!!! Kellen is an awesome big brother so far...it is so cool to watch him be nice to his little brother and try and help us out with him.

LOST VALLEY

Man...first MTB race of the year!! I had not rode my Turner since January 1st at the Ranch ride. I have been getting some rides in to work and back, but I really did not know what to expect. At the start I pretty much just let the fast guys go and rode my own pace in hopes that I could just get in a good 3+ hours. Well that all went out the window about 5 miles in when I sliced my front tire...the instant flat kind, and before I could even stop BAM back tire slice...huge slice!! I could boot the front one but there was no fixing the rear. So I ran and walked the remaining 7-8 miles back to the truck. I want to thank all the racers that offered help, pumps, tubes, kind words!!! The way I see it that is all my bad luck for the whole year right there!

I am going to go ride Lost Valley again in the morning if we don't get to much rain...I'm going to get my 3+ hours in damn it!

in shape.....not so much

This will no doubt be the worst condition I have ever started a MTB season with. Not that I ever started a year feeling great! Number one I HATE winter....I am one of the few people who would rather ride the trainer or not ride than get out and be cold. Number 2 with the baby coming we have been getting everything ready and I just don't feel like riding a lot. So I will just roll with the punchs I guess. Hope I can get motivated after the baby comes and it warms up outside. What I really want is warm and dry so I can get out on the MTB bike.

?????!!!!!!

It's 18 degrees outside......4:00am......I'm getting ready to ride to work......the only thought that keeps going through my mind is "WHAT HAPPENED TO GLOBAL WARMING?" I'm thinking that tonight I'm going to take all the money out of my saving account and go buy a case of hair spray and set them off in the front yard to help speed up this warming thing.

3 TRAILS SUNDAY

Sunday I put a little plan in motion to do 3 trails I have never been to, but have been hearing about for awhile. I have been fighting this death cold that makes my throat feel like it is wrapped in barbed wire and my sinuses like lit matches are being shoved though them! For the fun of it I rode my 30 pound SS GT.

Indian Creek-Brommelseik-Bangert Island. Man these are all some cool trails. The backside of Indian Creek was a riot. Both loops at Brommelseik are very fun. Bangert Island is "smiles all the way" kind of ride. Three trails I'll be riding more in the future since they are pretty close to my place.

If you have not been there go to GORC website and get directions and go ride. You won't regret it.

RAPTURE IN MISERY

I know that my posts are all out of order but what the hell! I signed up for RIM 12 hour solo this year at Landahl....really fun place to ride for anyone who has not been there. Got there and set up my pit area and I picked a great place because Dwayne G. parked one car down... cool. All I really recall about the race was being super happy that it was so long into it before Dwayne lapped me! It sounds stupid but that is a gauge I can use because he is super fast. Things were going really good.....until.....my front tire "burped" going down a rock drop off corner thing...and the bike just stopped. Turning me into a lawn dart!!! I tried to be calm and get air in the tire and get going, by the time I got done my left shoulder and hand were starting to hurt. Thought it might loosen up once I got going, but it only got worse. It got to the point over the next 2 laps where I could not hold on tight enough with my left hand to ride good...and I was holding on so tight with my right hand that I was getting blisters! So I stopped at about 10pm. I think I got third in my age group, Dwayne got first. Had a really good time over all. A race I'd like to try and hit next year for sure.

BTEPIC

WOW! What a race! First let me say thank you to the promoters! This race was top notch. I had a feeling going into this one that I 'd be suffering a lot. I was not wrong. I think I finished 42 not what I wanted but really about what I got all year.....mid-pack. It will be hard to step-up next year. For anyone who reads this and does not know our family is expecting another boy in feb. So my year is gonna be very busy. I sure would like to do better. I guess the only way to do that is to train smarter since my time will be even less than know.
Anyone into bike riding should try and ride the BTEPIC race or tour. It really is epic and they are wanting this race to get known nationally, I think thay have a good shot.