When you loose focus

It is interesting what you notice.



From Night Weasels.

Gloucester Day 1

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.

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

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

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

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

First fuel up.

Then ride.Friday morning pastry rides are the best!

Fitchburg preview

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

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

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

Quick fix

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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