An hour is the same.

When you loose focus

2010-11-29T19:19:00.002-05:00

It is interesting what you notice.

From Night Weasels.

Gloucester Day 1

2010-10-04T17:18:00.002-04:00

Not too much to write about Day 1 as my race was about 5 minutes long before I took a quick dive off a small 'cliff'.
The start went about as well as I could have hoped for with a mad dash down the paved hill and into a lightly sanded sharp left hander. The sound of fear - howling mad cross brake squeal, chattering front forks, and skidding knobbies - let me know the pack was in danger. I had a moment or two before I saw the bright red Sachs frame and Spinelli sliding across the ground. Maybe another rider as well? Lucky, I had a clean line through the mess before the exploded hay bale settled on the pack. Ran the sandpit and the race settled down nicely, I could see an unbroken line of riders all single file along the course.
My race ended very quickly after that. To illustrate what happened I suggest looking at the Crossresults.com cat 3 video - just happens to be the first POV footage I've seen of Gloucester. At about 4:59 into the video the riders pass really close to a yellow pole sticking out of the ground. If you look really really close you will notice that the concrete base is exposed. I was drafting the wheel in front of me pretty hard and although I knew the post was there, I didn't see it coming. The rider in front may have missed the concrete by an inch but I definitely hit it. Judging by the hole in my tire I think it went flat pretty much immediately but we were going so fast and the gravel was so bumpy at that point that I didn't know I had a flat. 11 seconds later in the video the course tape ends and the course turns left. It is a more severe turn than it looks. It seemed that my bike had lost its mind a second before I lost control and slipped off the side of the hill.
I sorted the chain out and then realized the rear tire was flat. With the entire race well past me and a very long run in front of me, I stepped over the tape and pulled the plug on day 1.

So many good things but not one good day.

2010-09-07T22:57:00.008-04:00

GMSR 2010

Hostel Tevere
-Also a restaurant
-Also a bar
-Dog
-The food was delicious
-Everything was homemade
-Beds were really nice
-Good vibes
-I owe so much money to the team because I ate so much
-4 nights was probably cheaper than 1 night at a regular hotel.

The days before
-Sick for 9 days or so
-Could not eat
-1 week to restore form before the race

The day before
-Travel to Vermont
-2 Muscle milks and a burrito
-Am I sick again?
-Spin on the TT course with my shitty legs
-Ride more? No thanks.
-Awesome Mac and Cheese at HT
-Beer and sleep

TT
-Go for a fiery explosion
-Catch 30 second man in 30 seconds
-So much for having a rabbit
-Listen for Tim Mitchell coming up behind me (Started 1 min back)
-Go harder
-Tim never passes me
-Legs don't give out
-Time is ok...
-American Flatbread for dinner
-Dream of plane crashes, train crashes, boat crashes. Mostly on interstates.

Circuit Race
-TT worked well as an opener
-Actually feel good enough to race
-Make 'the' break with 2 to go
-Wind
-So much wind
-3 riders
-Get caught by IAmTed King and JPow
-Go faster
-Can no longer pull through
-Do not let go of the wheel
-Last hill acceleration
-Red line and...
-Boom!
-Chase group passes immediately
-Try and solo in infront of peleton
-Caught and passed at 1k to go
-Lost time
-Cheese steak sandwich for dinner
-Not quite a burger, but it'll do
-Not enough sleep to dream

Road Race
-Early start
-Pop-Tart breakfast
-So cold
-Legs ache
-Not surprised
-Race starts on a climb
-Race is definitely 'on' for the climb
-Cory makes the break
-With break gone race turns to stop and go surges
-Feed zone is smooth sailing for once
-Middlebury splits the field
-Not in the front half of the split
-Work hard hard hard into the wind to get back
-Make it
-Cory has been picked up by front split
-Cross winds blow the field across the entire road
-Cory buries himself to keep me on in the cross wind
-Splits again on baby gap
-Again not in the front split
-Keep pedaling hard
-Form a good group going into App gap
-Good climb up App gap
-Not fast enough to catch any stragglers from front group
-500 meters to go shifting up through the gears
-Shift into wheel
-Skid
-Break derailleur, hanger, spoke
-Wheel won't turn
-Walk then run to the finish
-Burger for dinner
-Also Mac and Cheese for dinner
-And cake

Crit
-Left the beloved Hostel Tevere
-Good long easy warm up
-Promising legs
-SRAM fixed up my bike good as new
-They are the best!
-Started fast
-Pace alternated between insane and bonkers
-New pavement was nice
-New paint in the rain was cause for worry
-Couldn't get to the front
-Blur
-Finished same time
-Very happy to finish with the group

Summer Jams

2010-08-25T15:23:00.005-04:00

Cross season is a season of road trips. Lets put together a list of Summer Jams so when the cold weather hits we can be reminded of summer heat waves. Or days of rain or whatever...

My two.. First is kinda old, but new to me this summer. Jim Noir - All Right.

Second is Sunset Rubdown - Black Swan

Two more from Mr. Dunn and his friends...

Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros - Home

Cee Lo Green - What Part of Forever

What have you got?

---------------

Awwww Yeah! This dreamy track is from Brian Ellin
Small Black - Despicable Dogs

Small Black: Despicable Dogs from Yoonha Park on Vimeo.

CX-Mas in June

2010-06-08T18:38:00.005-04:00

Went riding out in the woods where I grew up this afternoon. First time riding out there in probably 10 years. Been walking izzi around out there a bunch, but there is much more to see out of walking range. So I left her home and went solo. She is a little too old now to keep up with me on the bike for more than 30 min or so.
Not much has changed since I was last out there. It was fun to let the bike just roll through the trails, deciding the route since I couldn't remember how to get where I wanted to go anyway. We made it every time.
Welcome to my woods.
This is way more swampy than it looks.
One of a couple wrecked old cars in the woods.
Almost looks like fall...
Secret Blue Heron nesting grounds.
Cross is sneaking up!

Haircuts

2010-05-29T09:00:00.000-04:00

Someone got a hair cut. I think I'm next..
Nonplussed.
Ok back to being a happy bobble-head.

Roads of Haverhill with Pedro's

2010-05-27T12:53:00.003-04:00

First fuel up.

Then ride.Friday morning pastry rides are the best!

Fitchburg preview

2010-05-27T12:07:00.003-04:00

Heard a rumor not too long ago that Fitchburg would have the mountain top finish for the road race. I was not prepared to hear that. Since then it seems like this rumor has evaporated, but a few of us went out to look at the potential finish anyway.
James and J*son faring far better than I. This climb has always wrecked me.
J*son. Teacher, bike racer, calendar model. I think this could be March?
If only these were tractor beams.

Battenkill UCI Race

2010-04-20T16:24:00.003-04:00

I got the opportunity to ride in the Battenkill UCI race this past weekend as a guest rider for Champion Systems. Honored by the chance to race with some of the best riders from around the globe, I vowed to give it my all. Unfortunately a little bad luck in the feed zone ended my (and a few other's) day early. I was lucky enough to catch a ride out to Meeting house for lap two with the Rapha crew, including Jeremy who had just come back from his aerial adventure!
The sky was constantly changing with new systems of storm clouds moving through every few minutes.
Brussels sprout.
An entire field of Brussels sprouts, adding Belgian authenticity to Meeting House Road. At least in name as I really have no idea whether they were originally from Brussels or not. Wikipedia does little to clarify the issue.
Rapha was there, both in and out of the Race.
Cory also rode a guest spot and had a fantastic day, finishing in the second group on the road. Cory also got a little TV time with the local news.

Battenkill 2010 preride

2010-03-15T22:51:00.003-04:00

The dirt is in perfect shape and it already feels like the towns are glowing with excitement.

Quick fix

2009-12-27T18:17:00.004-05:00

Went out for a cruise today. It wasn't the 'right' time to ride, but I couldn't resist. Training isn't supposed to start until after the new year and I'm trying really hard to stick to a regime of staying off the bike. No matter, the 2 hours of pedal time today will hopefully be a small taste, a fix, to hold me over for the next week or so.
I am thinking of implementing a new rule for myself; if ever, in the months of January and February the weather should break 55 deg F and the roads are safe, I must go for a ride.
Was in the mood for exploring but a late start and trying to keep the ride shortish limited me to a well known loop.
Saw a few other people out, testing new holiday gifts of clothing and bikes. I wasn't looking for a race but some were definitely looking to push their new equipment to the limit. Relax!
The morning's rain and low setting sun turned fields into a spring-like lush green. Houses and barns were lit up bright white against the dark gray sky. Long shadows from trees crossing the road with bright shafts of light between. If there was a substance to sunshine I would think riding through the columns of light not unlike riding right up against a picket fence. Sound in your ears, whup whup whup whup whup whup.

Necessity

2009-12-20T14:45:00.008-05:00

Everyone knows someone who has driven 6 hours to a race or ride, only to realize they have forgot their shoes. Luckily they remembered the duct tape. They have shown up but left the bag of clothes in the driveway, two states away. Their choice, t-shirt and cutoffs or a pink kit two sizes too small. A freak accident breaks the derailleur hanger and they have to 'share' one for the next three days with someone in a different category because everyone within a thousand mile radius is sold out.

Fortunately most problems are slight miscalculations and less obvious than riding a crit with a TT helmet on.

I hitched a ride to the ill-fated Giro di Jersey with the good folks from the NEBC men's elite team. I rode with NEBC before Embrocation and really benefited from their elite program.

On to the hacks.. GdJ featured a TT as the 3rd stage. I brought some clip-on aerobars for the Gaulzetti since the Pegoretti TT bike was still waiting on a few things. I also brought a shorter stem that 'optimized' my position. Unfortunately the stack height of the new stem was much lower than the previous stem and I was without any extra spacers. Whoopsy. It was ok though, a roll of electrical tape is just about the perfect diameter to use as a spacer.

After everything was tightened down I just removed the top cap and electrical tape.

Also, at the GdJ, our hotel reservations got messed up and we ended up with one big bed instead of two smaller ones. With the addition of a cot and 7 bikes in the room, there was no floor space left. I think I promised I wouldn't ever put this on the internet, oh well.

Surprise! Camera flash!

When traveling to races, eating out can be one of the most expensive parts of the trip. Unfortunately few cheap hotel rooms come with a kitchen. Most if not all have a coffee maker though which can double as a pasta cooker, observe:

Use enough water for about half a pot of coffee. Add pasta to the pot and brew. Let it sit for like 10 or 15 min depending on your tenderness preferences.
*Word of caution, about coffee pots. I was later discouraged to use coffee makers in hotels because apparently people use them to cook up meth. Be careful I suppose.

Our next example jumps ahead to cross season. Adjusting your brake pads to get the proper balance of toe in versus fork chatter can take hours in the basement workshop. Got an hour before your race and new pads? Get out the leatherman and cut down the back of the pads until 'proper' toe in is achieved.

You will probably need to get new pads for the next weekend of racing after this method. Be sure to adjust the next set properly so you don't blow through another set of new pads.

Finally, this is not so much a hack as a whole bunch of awesome. Lights are recommended for night time cross racing and LED's are cheap so why not stick a whole bunch on your downtube!

Backwards circles

2009-12-19T11:39:00.005-05:00

So its that time of year again, the Off Season. The Rest and Recovery Period. I always struggle with the transition from the structure of training to the chaos of lounging around and eating and drinking. Even though I gave myself an absolute rule of no bike riding until the new year (besides the obvious to and fro) I made some 'adjustments' to my TT bike yesterday which involved riding the rollers for 2 hours. Its hard to let go. Even that didn't seem to quench the need for bikes completely, so I started pouring through some of my photos from the year.

I got a digital camera before the trip to Belgium this past spring and have managed to take something like 3000 photos and videos since then. I haven't really looked back on what I've taken or shared the stories of Belgium, which is why I created this blog in the first place. So I'd like to go through, a little at a time, and share some stories of the past season. Maybe this will help me stay off the bike for just a few more weeks.

So then.

Belgium, an introduction to Gent.

But, first a quick introduction to the travel companions. Jeremy Dunn of Embrocation Cycling Journal - trip planner and general instigator... try and keep up. Jennifer Park of Diesel and Bloc 11 cafes - coffee aficionado, bike enthusiast and marathoner.

There were to be many more people that we met up with and traveled with. I'll do my best to get everyone in here.

So that brings us to the first photos. When we arrived in Gent there was some wandering to be done. I believe we were on a quest for food, something I have many many pictures of and surely to be some sort of super post in the future. This post, however, is about when I got an inkling of the importance and abundance of bicycles in Gent.

This was the first bike parking spot I saw. Speechless. As I struggled to get my wits and take a photo Jen was trying to get my attention. We turned the corner of the block and my heart stopped. In front of us stretched a sea of bicycles. Thousands? Tens of thousands? I don't know, but that wasn't all (or even the half) of them. At every turn there was another mass of bicycles locked up. I never got to investigate further, were there attendants? Were these private lots? Did the lots empty out if everyone went out at night? Did they ever clear out? Who was riding all these bikes?

This I do know - hardly a drop bar in the bunch and bells aplenty.

Whenever anyone mentions Gent now my first thought is always of all those bikes.

Whitmore's Landscaping Super Cross Cup B Men

2009-11-24T01:00:00.001-05:00

Spent the weekend down in the Hamptons for the Whitmore's Landscaping Super Cross Cup. There was a good amount of time between the Men's B race and the Elite race so I actually was able to watch the whole race and still have plenty of time to warm up, though I still managed to miss the start of day one and the finish to day two. Dan Chabanov (Adler) won both days, really looking forward to battling it out with him next year in the Elites. Jeff Bramhall (Geekhouse) had a terrible start on day one but fought back to 23rd after tangling in the tape on lap 1. He managed one spot better on day two. Cort Cramer (Svelt Cycles) 5th and 5th, Dave Chiu (Maietta Racing) 29th and 24th, Steve Hopengarten (Wheelworks) 24th and 19th and Nick Mashburn (Cambridge Bicycle) 12th and 13th made up the rest of the Boston contingent. So much fun.

Whitmore's Landscaping Super Cross Cup, B Men from Peter Bradshaw on Vimeo.

My bike is a sexy pirateship

2009-10-31T00:23:00.003-04:00

Fell in love with an entire troop of sexy bumblebees on my ride home tonight. Thank god for halloween and bikes, you could never have this shit happen in a car. I think I might have broke my kneecap a few weeks ago.

Cross started this weekend

2009-10-05T00:24:00.000-04:00

1 wedding reception attended, but no actual wedding
1 side of my body destroyed by pavement
1 knee still functions
1 six pack of butternuts heinnieweisse drank as a painkiller substitute
1 day of Gloucester raced from the back
1 day of Gloucester slogged from from the back
1 horrific warm up crash witnessed
1 great race from said warm up crash victim who then crushed this fool
1 horn honked many times
1 borrowed wheel destroyed after someone else let someone else borrow it
1 week until RI and we can try again

Rainy days

2009-08-19T18:54:00.000-04:00

It used to rain all the time. Remember that?

Some random shots and a little footage from the Harlem Crit.

Rainy Days from Peter Bradshaw on Vimeo.

Fight hangover with espresso

2009-08-19T11:43:00.006-04:00

Was pouring through some older photos while highly caffeinated this morning...

Alex took my IF for a test ride. This proves the point that everyone needs at least one IF because it really does make you this happy.
I helped do some moving (as a cross training exercise obviously) but luckily these chairs loaded themselves. More to come on that.
Dog wonder in my face.
Trying to get formal fridays going at work. The shirt possesed amazing cooling abilities. Did 60 miles or so like this. Also notice the oft coveted Croth Jackson camera bag.
Speaking of style, look how cool James' shirt is! Kyle also looking very tight. These guys look good off the bike and..
on the bike. Kyle sporting his super rare purple smart auction kit. Has been mistaken as a secret prototype Embrocation kit more than once.
James riding the Embro colors on his IF. Rumour is his Gaulzetti is getting some spaceage new parts? Maybe you'll get to see it at an upcoming race.
Its a good thing there are fortune cookies to spell things out for you.

Something good

2009-08-17T18:07:00.007-04:00

D2R2 is something special. I'd often heard stories but you never know a thing until you are part of it.

I went into this past weekend after long awaiting to do the D2R2 but really had put no effort into researching what I had committed to. As the time of the ride approached the numbers started to sink in, 15,000 ft or more of climbing, 112 miles if you don't make any mistakes, 70% are dirt. I switched out the wheels on my IF to my all around amazing Easton ea90s I've been racing on all year now shod with Conti Gatorskin 25s and strapped a pump to my front fork for that randonee look. I was ready to go.

We started about 7 am for the 170k with a loose group of 15 or so people. I had resigned my self to riding with the group because I was originally very intimidated by the many page cue sheet we were given at the start. My understanding, up until about 5 min before we rolled off, was that the course was marked and I was totally unprepared to ride off the cue sheet. No problem with the big group though - we had 2 GPS's with the ride programed in and a bunch of people who had ridden the course before. Maybe half an hour into the ride we had the group's first flat, as we slowed to a stop I looked at the herd of riders on the side of the road. I've been feeling pretty solitary lately anyway and didn't want to pressure the group to go at a pace I felt challenging, so I made a quick decision to continue on solo. I had no GPS, no computer and had yet to look at the cue sheet. Over the next mile I got the paper cue sheets folded and organised in a plastic ziploc bag and stored them in my jersey pocket. I made a few turns correctly and was on my way.
It only took a few more miles before I missed my first turn. The road was unmarked and after going a mile or two out of my way without seeing the correct turn I knew I had missed it. I backtracked until I saw what I guessed must have been the turn and also a group of riders stopped questioning the same turn. I said I had 'scouted' the road ahead and this had to be it and turned in. It was confirmed 500 meters down the road where a street sign was finally placed.
The course was constantly surprising me with hills and roads that I would never think to explore had I the opportunity to come across them on my weekly rides. As I rode along I was in awe of the effort that went into stringing this course together. Equally as amazing were the fully staffed checkpoints offering up water and gatorade, bananas, fig newtons and local goodies of all kinds. Every one seemed so happy to be out there, helped I'm sure by the scenery of fields of sunflowers or covered bridges and and and...
My tally: off course three times (once for quite a long time) but I was always able to backtrack back onto the course and got it right on the second attempt every time. One flat on a scorching descent when my back wheel found a water bar hidden after a small crest in the road. Drank 9 or 10 bottles of water. Somewhere around 8 hours and 20 minutes for the course.
I'll definitely be back next year.

The bike

Meet up spot, The People's Pint in Greenfield
Dinner the night before of...
Thai noodles and carrots
This guy watched over me while I slept...
In this bed
There were also these folks
And this guy to be wary of.
The morning was wet and foggy
but seemed really fitting.
Our start group being watched over by Sandy
More of the group
Proper bagel transport method
Hills
And hills
And hills
Tandem!
Sunflowers on this hill
Hills!
Ran into Pete Smith at the finish
Long ride complete. I am happy
Sweat and dust make mud
Off to dinner, which was awesome
Casualties : Lawney - Broken Collarbone
Shark bag - Broken straps. Nearly lost out on the roads

Pro Tour TT Seat

2009-06-25T14:02:00.007-04:00

So I'm hurrying along, trying to get my new Pegoretti TT bike running before the Fitchburg Longsjo Stage Race. One of my hangups was finding a proper seat. I'll have less than a week once it is complete to get comfortable with the bike before the crucial opening TT. Doesn't give me much time to mess around. I decided to use a Specialized Toupe saddle I've had for a while. It was pretty beat but I always found it to be comfy. Because Fitchburg is a NRC race this year I have been told they will be checking TT bikes for UCI compliance. That means the seat must be 5cm or more behind the center of the BB. The Toupe has a large plastic piece on the nose. I can't recall ever actually sitting on that part of the saddle, so I decided to do like the Pro Tour guys and cut it off. It was pretty easy and I think it will work. (Sorry for foggy photos, my camera was pretty water-logged from earlier in the day.)

The original seat.

It was pretty beat up.

I started by removing the plastic cover.

The underside. Going to pull back the cover and cut off that plastic extension piece.
Post cutting and whittling the nose smooth.
Underside after.
Glued the fabric back down. Thats another Toupe saddle on top.
Got about 2.5cm after the chop.

Glued the new nose.
Nose.
So PRO.

I keep telling myself

2009-06-11T11:56:00.003-04:00

Please ride your bike
It is ok to get lost
Don't be afraid of grass or dirt shortcuts

lost and found 6/7 from Peter Bradshaw on Vimeo.

This weekend

2009-06-07T23:39:00.004-04:00

was a good one, and let me forget some recent frustrations for a bit.

Friday was a travel day out to Saratoga, NY. A shake out the legs ride through historic battle grounds. A lesson in riding where the deer own the fields and demand that cyclists yield to them.

Raced the Balloon Festival race in upstate NY on Saturday. Missed out on the break that stuck but was able to solo in for the best of the rest... 5th place. Word is Embrocation also scored a 3rd place at the Auburn Road Race in Maine, behind the King brothers, AND a 2nd place finish out in Washington state. The stories will all come out in the Team Blog in the next few days.

Sunday James and I went out for a long cruise that ended up a bit harder than planned probably. Harder at least for James as he let me draft pretty much the whole way. We started with espressos and a long roll to Wells Ave to catch the end of the A race, then proceeded out through Weston to Concord for a sandwich and finally to Harvard. Drinks, but no hot dogs, were had at the Harvard General store and then we pushed the pace back down into Lexington for fear of some dark clouds moving in. Decided we were clear and rolled the last few miles in on the Minute Man bike path, following a poodle getting a free ride. 100+ miles, good socializing and a day in the sun working on the tan.

Bit of video here, the poodle and the last 2 laps of Wells. Someday I'll remember to shoot more...

June 7th from Peter Bradshaw on Vimeo.

My day started like this...

2009-05-13T00:13:00.004-04:00

(12:00:26 AM) btmgnto: ok, astro mike?
(12:00:32 AM) *********: yeah
(12:00:37 AM) *********: hes an astronaut
(12:00:42 AM) btmgnto: i gathered
(12:00:43 AM) *********: TWITTERING FROM SPACE

Should be a good day...

Hello? Continental Calling..

2009-05-06T17:59:00.006-04:00

They're at it again. The Rapha Continental is back in full swing since the begining of the month. It seems like they have gone for a slightly different approach with this year's Continental. Rather than an east and west coast team traveling weekends to regional routes, they have combined the coasts to tackle new territory. Riders will rotate through as they play a non-stop game of connect the dots with epic rides through the center of the country. Its the type of summer I think all cyclists dream about, riding unknown roads with a great group of friends, meandering across the country and probably getting in a little trouble here and there.

Captured in Rapha's timeless style we can follow along with the travels through their words, photos and videos. They will lay out the routes for us to see, so while we might not get 2 or 3 months off to go do all the rides there's a chance for a long weekend trip. Might be time to look up Uncle Bob in South Dakota living near the start of a 120 mile epic, of course since he's into tractor pulls and bull riding he'd never clue you in to the ride.

What makes this even more exciting for me is having friends out there in that journey. Take a look at the east coast riders section, there are four Embrocation team mates hiding out in there. The other east coasters, that I don't know as well, I got to meet during the Litchfield, CT ride last year. I drove the support van while Chris Millman worked his magic with the camera. I gained a lot of respect for those guys watching them crush dirt hills in the scorching heat, through thunderstorms and racing out the last miles in an attempt to beat the setting sun. Of course I would have given anything for the chance to swap places with them, but it was not to be... that time. There may be an opportunity in the future to ride with Rapha crew.. or maybe not. Secrets?

An excuse to be second

2009-05-06T16:39:00.000-04:00

Its official! Charles Coaching will be sponsoring the NEBC-run Charlie Baker Time Trial this year.

From the NEBC-CBTT google group:

The SECOND fastest man and SECOND fastest woman in the series up to
the conclusion of the June 17th event will receive a wind tunnel
testing in the CCNS Performance Center Wind Tunnel. This date has
been chosen to give the "winners" an edge during Fitchburg's TT and
give them a chance to ride with any new position / equipment before
Fitchburg.

I worked with Aidan Charles last year, his professionalism and testing center was the best I've seen. I'm sure the new wind tunnel will not disappoint.

I've been doing the CBTT on and off since I moved to Boston. Its a well run event, but please check their site before going out as they have had trouble with the town of Concord in the past. Please follow their guidelines so we don't loose this great event!

Cinco de Mayo

2009-05-05T16:17:00.000-04:00

means everyone stayed home to drink margaritas. Work was slow so I did some research on pocket bikes and re-found one of my favorite movie intros ever. Great music, cool shot and great use of a pocket bike.. Mister Lonely.

I can't ride so I might as well celebrate!

2009-05-04T23:15:00.000-04:00

Brownie on a stick! Celebrate the rest week!

Getting some rest after Jiminy and Wells

2009-05-04T12:47:00.000-04:00

My race report for Jiminy Peak goes like this : missed out on the break.. tried to get away a few times, but just wore myself out.. didn't have much of a kick for the finishing climb and sprint. I think I need some rest.
I knew I was tired after Turtle Pond and Quabbin the week before and had planned to take a rest week interrupted only by a mid-week effort at the Charlie Baker TT. The TT was slightly disappointing, my legs were burning and I knew I didn't have the speed. This was confirmed by my ride home when I could barely turn the pedals as I sauntered down the bike path. Uh oh. Then I really finished myself off with a few days of powerlifting furniture up and down stairs while moving to Cambridge. So Saturday night I told myself I'm going to try the rest week thing again.. this time no CBTT, hopefully no more moving.
At Jiminy, Embrocation was represented by James (who continues to impress with his ability to finish off a race.. wining the bunch sprint at Quabbin and just behind Matt White and Jeremy Powers at Jiminy) and Myself. Josh had signed up but with the remnant dregs of his bout with Mini Horse Flu he decided against racing. However, the next day we had four of us together to race at Wells ave. Jay had shown up on time for the earlier, combined A+B race, but the rest of us, James, Josh and I, came about 10 laps late. I think we added some excitement to the race when we jumped in. The four of us did lots of attacking and countering. My legs actually felt like they were working a little, so I tried for the mid-race prime but was eeked out by Roy VanCleef (NEBC) after trying to shake him off my wheel for most of the front straight. James and Jay went one, two for a two place prime, fun stuff. The final sprint we had Jay up the road with one other. I followed the Met-life lead out but couldn't come around their sprinter. Jay was absorbed during the sprint but the person he was away with stayed away. So I ended up third, with Roy again about a half a mm back for fourth.
What a difference a day makes, now I'm fighting the urge to go out and do hill repeats.

Dover recovery ride

2009-04-27T17:40:00.000-04:00

After a fantastic weekend of racing at Turtle Pond and the Quabbin Reservoir my legs were cooked. Saturday's race was a scorcher, it may not have hit 90 degrees (maybe it did, I really don't know what the high was) but being the first hot race this year it felt like 110. Quabbin on Sunday was no joke either, the weather was a bit cooler but the course was demanding and the pack was there to race. The average speed over 63 miles and 3000ft+ of climbing was about 26mph.

I planned to take today completely off the bike but the nice weather, 65ish and blue skys, persuaded me to go for a ride. I started off with the plan to go do the shortish Dover loop, 28 miles I think. Rolling along very easy my legs slowly began to open up. There is some construction going on one of the roads on the loop and I was dreading hitting it. I knew there was a way around but I couldn't remember it and I didn't feel like getting lost today (I've been getting lost a bunch lately for some reason). I started noticing that the route had been remarked recently and as I rolled to an intersection just a turn or two before the ripped up construction road I saw, in blazing white fresh paint, 'Alt'! I was so psyched that someone marked an alternate route around the road from hell. Then my ride turned awesome. The street sweepers had been out and the road was totally clean, my legs were feeling great and my shuffling music picked three fantastic songs in a row that worked for me at that moment. Nobukazu Takemura to Philip Glass to Patsy Cline (these may or may not be the actual songs, but they could be). I rounded corners to fields of grass split by rows of trees in full bloom, white clouds of flowers tree trunked to the ground. Farmhouses seemed idyllic with horses grazing contently. I passed 3 separate houses with dogs lounging in the front yard, not one barked or gave chase, instead they smiled in the way dogs do as I coasted by. The roads were clean and smooth but the route markings once on the 62 mile loop began to be faded, the fresh tags have not made it this far yet apparently. I got a bit off route and ended up at a shopping center ending the surrealism of the ride. I backtracked and found I missed a right turn onto Causeway St. The rest of the ride was still good including the sandwich I got at the Dover sandwich and ice cream place. Go do the long Dover loop as soon as possible because its so nice out there right now!

I don't think there is a cue sheet for the Dover loops online and there are a few other unmarked turns worth mentioning. After being on some more major roads there is a left turn onto East St (or something similar at a Labor place) you go up and over a climb and on the way down there is no marking but you need to go right on South St. The only other turn that's no longer marked is as you meet up with Western Ave (St, Rd?), you are supposed to go left. If you do go right you'll notice (maybe) about half a dozen tags on the opposite side of the street saying to go the other way.

Belgium ride reports still on the way soon... but here is some stuff that may or may not be new to you.
Guy from Rouleur did awesome write-ups on our rides of Ghent-Wevelgem and Paris-Roubaix.
An article on Zolder by someone I was not traveling with. I was really hoping to jump into this but it didn't work out. I don't know if I would call it zany but it sounds amazing.
Finally, one more bit of Belgium. Cyclingnews did an interview with Joe Parkin, the author of 'Dog in a Hat'. Absolutely love his book.

USA is not Belgium...

2009-04-22T13:04:00.000-04:00

And that makes me a little sad. As I ride around the Boston area I keep searching for things that are the same between the two. We have the lightly traveled back roads that meander through farmland and orchards. Sometimes as I ride around the city I marvel at how many other people there are riding around, going to work, school or the market. Even occasionally a car will yield for no reason other than to give the confidence that they are not planning on running you down.
I can't seem to find a parallel for the overall atmosphere though. It seems like the whole country of Belgium has grown up riding a bike and there is no way to replicate that. After riding some cobbled path to and from school everyday, to see PRO's flying smoothly along at top speed over those same cobbles makes them super-human. I wonder if some day we will have our own spring classics, not ones that try and be the Belgian classics, but races over our gouged, potholed and patched roads destroyed from winter.
I'm not trying to whine here, I'm really glad to be back home racing and among friends. Before I left though, I did take a deep breath of Belgian air. I've been holding my breath ever since.

Am totally partying right now

2009-04-01T14:00:00.000-04:00

Actually not partying so much as hanging out in the airport in New Jersey. Will begin part 2 of the trip in a few hours. Izzi, however, is totally partying right now.. I'm sure of it.

Izzi killing the Labbit

When she was a spry young pup and I rode mountain bikes, we would tear up the woods together. One rainy day we actually came across a grazing deer while at full speed. In the deer's startled acceleration, it was matched bound for bound with izzi. They flew off into the woods together and I'm sure that was one of her happiest moments ever. Wild, free and traveling at high speed. Now that she is more mature she restrains herself to destroying stuffed animals and barking at pigeons.

I've received a mission * I can't tell you about it * it will, of course be completed at any cost.

2009-04-01T05:05:00.000-04:00

I'm getting picked up in 2.5 hours to go to the airport. I've just gotten home after some gentle libations with a few friends. The bags are not packed and my list of things todo still has many unchecked items. But I've just raced a new Vespa scooter home down Rutheford Ave (and won mind you) and dodged a Chinatown crackhead or two. I did it on my old Indy Fab rebuilt on its inaugural run. With its not-so perfect chain that I made 'work' after breaking not one, but T W O chain tools. Its bar tape done in a flash so I could make it to the bar in time. Untested wheels. Untested gears. It felt great. The point is this : The flight will be made, the bags will be packed. Grab the midnight air. Take the time to celebrate, the send-off is so sweet and so necessary. Those good tidings start the trip on a positive note. 2 hours now.... time to get to work.

Dog Almighty

2009-03-31T02:15:00.000-04:00

Dropped off izzi today with her gracious host for the next two weeks or so. It was awfully sad to leave her. She was happy and bouncy when I left, but I know once she realizes she is on her own in a strange (well not so strange, but different) place, she'll get sad and mopey. No turning back now though, the plan is set and must be carried out at any cost. Watches synchronized, itineraries set, all the documents have been prepared.

In the name of bike racing and the holy classics of Belgium I will be spending the next two weeks or so absorbing as much euro bike culture as I possibly can. The plan is simple * very simple. Arrive in Brussels - get bikes - Flanders - Ghent - Roubaix - Paris - Board the plane home (or perhaps not...). Each of the classics promises a chance to ride the course the day before and this is of course also part of the plan. Beyond that, well there will be beer to be imbibed and the frites! I mean thats really the plan. The one true plan. Get on a plane and travel a few thousand miles to eat some Belgian french fries with mayo. I couldn't ask for more.