A Sunday Morning Ride

Headed out about 7:45 a.m. Peeked outside, saw some sunlight mixed with clouds. Decided to glance at the local radar just to be safe since t-storms were forecast.
I like wunderground.com. Click a bookmarked link for the local FW weather page which includes a small radar shot. You click on it for the full screen/options etc.
Nothing showing. Good. Head out.

Looks pretty dark to the west. maybe just fog from all of the rain the past few days? Exagerated by the sunrise in the east? Less than a mile down the Trinity Trail I am getting hit with the first fat drops. Up Rogers Road, by TCU and over to a local ride meeting point. Little late for it but then as most rides go, they never start on time. Nobody there. Rain spatters a bit more. Maybe everybody knows something I don't. Should have clicked the radar page, as I have learned the small front page image isn't always up to date. It appears a storm is either a) building b) fading c) passing by. I continue on down the river after reviewing the sky and deciding it looks to be eith b) or c). This usually results in a thorough soaking. I get rained on a little but nothing too bad. Damp. Onward.
Down the trinity, rain seems to be subsiding. Clouds fading, blue sky is closer.
Across the water crossing by 183 and down Bellaire. Road is wet but the sun is out now. Quiet and nice.
Hit the intersection of Bellaire and River Bend and jump onto the Fort Worth Branch trail. Take it easy because the pavement is wet with a lot of debris. And because there is no reason to ride like a maniac on a narrow, twisting shared use path.
Pop out at the trailhead/park at Winscott Drive/Memorial Oak (Clear Fork Park I think?) and head out to Stevens (point?) Drive. This is a roller coaster road that dead ends with a nice view of Lake Benbrook and the downtown Fort Worth skyline. Best of all today is the sea of Texas wildflowers in bloom. Yellows, oranges, sprinkling of purples...I get a good chance to take it all in while I repair my tire. A fix for a small tear has failed and it is time to break out the boot and replace the tube. It starts to rain again. Of course. Lasts a minute and passes. A few other riders pass, all are nice and check to see if I need any help. I thank them and we go on with our respective tasks. Apparently others enjoy the view and exertion this little chunk of road offers as well. The house at the end is big and has a great 360 view of the skyline, lake or classic Texas open range. (full of aforementioned wildflowers) Nice looking place. And apparently empty. I think it has been for a while.
Tire fixed, I move on. It is extremely calm. Freakishly so by Texas norms. Nice!

Feeling good and decide to push things, hit the climbs in the big ring and muscle over. Continue down and onto Park Road, jump onto Winscott and enjoy the openess and the ability to turn the big gears. Back into the park/trailhead, slow things down, onto the trail. Cruising on the trail again, now with others out to enjoy a quite pleasant morning. Can't blame them a bit.

Surprised by the sudden whishing noise as another roadie type rider passes me on the left. Doesn't utter a word and quickly moves in front of me, resulting in me receiving a nice facefull of his roostertail off the wet trail. I am not going fast, but certainly not slow, probably 16-18 mph. He is going faster. Usually, 20mph is max on the trail for me. When wet and crowded, much less. Miffed by the lack of a courtesy callout and the indignant splattering, I move along. Around a corner and I see the rider, he seems to have leveled off and maintains a distance about 5 seconds in front of me. I am comfortable and keep at my own pace. Down the trail and past several people he passes without any apparent effort to alert them to his passing. This bothers me. This is not a great trail to pass without letting someone know. We procede on, and it appears he has slowed slightly, we are going about the same pace. I watch this rider's body language, which seems to indicate he is pushing it a little. A glance or two back. Is he looking to see where I am? Maybe. Cycling brings out an instinctive competitiveness with many. This strikes me as a possible case.

I briefly consider mentioning something to him about letting people know when you pass, just to be safe. He surprised me for sure. I don't. Who am I to tell people what they should do. I mull this a bit. We continue through the park and come out maybe 7 or 8 seconds separated. Another glance back. Once last thought about saying something and another mental veto of the idea...fear it won't be taken as friendly advice. Instead, I hit the street, drop a couple cogs smaller and accelerate up to my desired cruising speed. My final option? Pass by and not offer my thoughts. Leave it all behind (almost) with a steady cadence in the big gears. I wonder if he will try to catch up. We roadies often have a serious need to show each other how strong we are. It would be the height of hypocrisy to say I have not been guilty of this. In fact, at this moment, I am in the midst of speaking with actions as I push some heavy gearing in this blissfully calm humid morning air. I don't look back. I won't. It doesn't really matter. And like that, the moments pass and I am back on track.

The sun shines warmly now, and the humidity is up a bit. I like it. Feels lush full of life. That is what morning rides like this are all about. Suddenly, like a lightning bolt out of the brightening sky, I think of the coffee I have waiting at home. I really want this coffee. NOW. Not a craving at all, but just a determined statement in my mind that coffee is suddenly the thing that will be a great addition to the day. Already had some before I left. Now I want more. This is a motivating thought. I continue to push back up the Trinity Trail with a distinct goal firmly planted. There are a lot of people out now, which I find to be very nice. Lots of cyclists of all types. This is always something to enjoy, looking at the different people and what they are riding. Some pretty neat setups out and around. Racing rigs, bulk-store bikes, moutainbikes, hybrids, commuters and the occasional total frankenstein bike. These are the best. Sometimes wish I had a camera just to capture these.

Up the trail, into the homestretch. Runners everywhere. Lots of Ipods. Looke for the wires, yell a little louder, pass carefully...

Looking into the river, hoping to see a glimpse of one of the big Koi-like fish I saw by Rogers road a few weeks back. Big white and gold things, not sure what they would be. Koi? I guess they could be. Seems like a fair habitat for them.
Lots of ducks but no ducklings, yet.

Now through the backstreets. Going to need some food with that coffee. Definitely hungry now. Home, coffee, food, dogs that want to lick the nasty grime off my legs. No, not today. Shower definitely in short order.

Recount the day into electronic abyss for possible recollection someday, waiting for the 5pm kickoff to the Amgen Tour of California.

Nice day indeed. Feels like it should be done by now, so glad it isn't.

MWSR - Day 2 rambling reminiscing

The 2010 Mineral Wells Stage Race started off wet. Soaking wet really. Day two brought some hope, as the drive home Saturday afternoon briefly flashed with some sunlight. The bulk of the slow moving mass of rain seemed to be moving east, so of course I drove into it just west of Ft. Worth. I-20/I-30 westbound lanes were full of cars in various states of distress. The drive was sketchy and I felt the spooky pull of the hydroplane on several occasions.
Looking at the radar later, it seemed things may just have a chance to dry out overnight, and generally, that held true.

Another early morning start, but at least the road was somewhat dry and I wasn't working to avoid sucking wet grime off the wheel in front of me. The first lap was pretty casual, likely due to the longer Sunday route, a repeat of the Sat. RR with an additional lap (~24 miles). I was glad to see things were starting slowly. Attrition had reduced the field notably as well, and I can't say I blamed anyone. After the thorough soaking Saturday I wasn't that excited to do it all again the next day. Lap 1 was generally uneventful. Then it began to rain again. Great. And that is how it would go the rest of the day. Groundhog Day. Well, not quite. It was a little colder. So much for a good thing. We raced on. The pace picked up. Eventually a guy rode off the front. Nobody chased. he built up a little time and then another rider attacked to try and bridge up. Nobody chased. We ride on. Early into the final lap things started to get animated, and there were several small attacks that were quickly soaked up. pun not inteded but appropriate. Eventually a small group including a couple of the top GC men broke off. I was buried in what there was of the pack trying to avoid the wind (did I mention it was windy again as well?) and watched as they tested the break, found it to their suiting and pushed forward. One of the other top 5 or so saw what was happening and shot up from the left side to join the party and make sure he wasn't left behind. The rest of us sat in. With several team mates protecting the break I didn't feel obliged to try and improve my GC position although I wasn't feeling too bad. I also wasn't feeling good enough to do the work in a small 4 or 5 man break for the next hour, and wasn't sure it would stay away for sure. After a minute of thinking about it, I realized it probably would. The remaining team members would protect the break. The new chase group contained top GC players who were obviously riding well. Yeah...that would probably do it. Try and go with any additional shots would be my new plan. Or sit in and get this swamp-fest over with and chalk up a good weekend of racing-training. Definitely leaning towards the latter.

We hit the big climb for the last time, dropping some more riders and turn into the nasty crosswind. The group starts to echelon which is cool with me. I rotate up, take a fair pull and start to fade back. Then the guy next in line decides to put it in the gutter and start drilling it. I fade back to the back but am working hard to keep the cadence, hit the back gassed and spend the next several minutes fighting for any degree of draft. Seriously hurting I start to fade back, finding no draft without practically riding in the grass, which isn't a good sounding option. I am dying a thousand deaths. I glance at my heart rate which informs me I am at about 168 or so beats per minute. Thats it? Thats only about 85%, not bad at all. This surprises me, but the suffering washes out any real care at the time. Guy up front continues to drill it, or perhaps he is taking turns with one of his teammates who was on his wheel. This move baffles me somewhat, as it doesn't appear to be an effort to organize a chase so much as to put the group in the gutter and inflict some pain. Which is a great move on me having just been on the front, but I am a non-factor so that makes no sense. Do they think they are going to shred the group? Probably not, maybe drop a few off the tail end, but the rest can sit in the line and let whoever is up front blow himself out. At this point it doesn't matter, I fade back, watch the wheel truck come up next to me, the boundry that marks being in the race and being out. The group is tantalizingly close but I am about shot, and know that the end of the line doesn't offer me any real protection anyhow...so I begin to resign myself to the realization that my weekend is about over. The wheel truck slowly passes to my left. As it does, it is like a sweet vacuum envelopes me. I can actually rest for a moment from the pummeling the wind has been giving me. The truck is moving slowly and I am able to stay off the right rear quarter and enjoy the reprieve. Drafting a vehicle in a race is illegal. Of course this type of move would never get called out, and frankly, I don't care right now. Nobody cares. And then the line in front of me disintegrates, I catch up and join back in, not completely decimated. It is like I have survived a serious of punches in a heavyweight fight after taking a stunning initial shot. With only about 6 or 7 miles to go, I figure that may be the last of such moves. It is. The rest is resting until the final mile or two, the cat and mouse attacks, covers, counters etc. Eventually a rider attacks and pulls away. A big guy joins him. I try to get up and over to his wheel. Another rider has the same idea. He is closer and I figure to get on his wheel. Good plan except as he catches the wheel in front of him, he fades, gapping both of us. The group crawls in for the bunch sprint and I swing in with them, towards the back. Glad it is done. I finish with a someteenth place, which is fine with me. Surprised by the number or riders who have fallen off on the last lap. Glad it is over. Soaked and cold again, but not feeling to bad.
This is the reward, signs of progress. Feeling better on day two. All skin in tact.
I will take it. On to the next challenge. Which will be...???

Late April Randomness

Two months since I have posted anything...so much for any degree of dedication. Eh, whatever, right?

Last time I was whining about the winter, now it is time to whine about the wind. Been getting blown all over the place lately. But I'll take it with the temps in the 70s, sun, pollen etc.

And they may be getting closer to finishing the new additions to the Trinity River Trail in the University Drive area. I read, at one point, it was slated to be done in October. 2009 that is. So much for that. I understand this winter has been tough, but based on what I have seen, it seems progress has been quite slow. On the positive side, the University underpass is now open (usually) which means I don't have to do the University Drive version of Frogger on the bike. The Rogers road area is now pretty ripped up but there is a perfectly functional detour which I find quite scenic and don't mind unless it is really wet, and thus, muddy. Not that my bike has been anything close to clean lately. Unless you want to count...

The Great Mineral Wells Stage Race/Bike Wash a week and a half ago.
3 stages - a road race, time trial and then a longer road race spread out over two days.

Saturday was born in rain and proceded to continue with a range of light drizzle to heavy downpours at times, with a nice northeasterly wind thrown in for good measure. The latter caused much discomfort for me, as the crosswind was pretty rough in a few places, and being small, this meant tough times in the peleton.

As the first race of the season, I went in with low expectations and did not disappoint. Primary goal was to break in the racing legs and mentality, which went just fine however.

The road course featured a loop that started/finished in Graford, featuring one sustained climb that was long/steep enough to put the hurt on some and split it up a little. Normally I like climbs, as this is a good thing for me, but this one was a typical Texas power climb - not long enough to really thin out the herd. The type of climb a fit power rider can make it over in the lead group, not enough to make the big guys really pay the gravity penality. It did still manage to split things up, which left me stuck in a bind on day one, in mid pack, as the riders around me all began to fade and the leaders got a gap, leaving me in a no man's land at a precarious point - the point where we made the turn into the aforementioned cross/headwind. This was the part of the course where I suffered to most. We finished the race, me safely tucking myself away into the non-contender zone leading into the time trial in the afternoon. It took me an hour to start to feel warm after the thorough soaking in 60 degree temps.

The time trial was interesting. ~6.4 miles in an easterly direction. First 3.5 miles were basically flat and open, exposing you to the wind. The final mile and a half featured a climb that had a decent grade. I knew the wind would be a killer for me and hoped to simply minimize the damage on the climb, maybe claw some back. I went with my road bike and some short clip on bars as my only real aero addition. Wind was putting the hurt on but I was surprised to see my heart rate remained low. Notice that a lot in the wind, I can feel like I am dying a thousand deaths and yet HR indicates things are well under control...not quite sure about that.
So I suffered through the wind and then finished with a decent climb, damage done. Turned around and rode back to the HQ to change out of wet clothes for the second time in a day. At least I wasn't as cold as earlier.

By the end of the day I was really wondering if I was up for another day with a longer road race bright and early Sunday morning, flash flood watch rains continuing to fall and forecasted for the next day...

more on that in a later post, my music is done downloading.

Winter drags on

Another cold day, but at least the sun was out. I celebrated by not riding my bike. Again. So it goes. I did go running, which in an effort to stay warmer and somewhat fit, has been a thing I've done a fair amount of this winter. Also trying to be more well rounded. We'll see how that translates this spring...when that arrives...in about 18 weeks.

The really cool thing to look forward to--2:00 a.m., Sunday, March 14th, 2010.

Daylight savings time begins. At least then I can be cold in the fading light rather than strict darkness.
My glass is generally half full, so I will take that with a big smile.

On a side note, my vote for the team with possibly the longest name in my limited recollections:

Team Hotel San Jose/Mellow Johnny's Presented by Subaru-Gary Fisher

Really? No joke. read the edge of chair sitting details here:

http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/02/news/gary-fisher-mellow-johnnys-sponsor-hotel-san-jose-team_105969

the "presented by" thing has personally always annoyed me. Nothing personal against THSJ/MJ p/b S-GF. Just a pet peeve type thing. Seriously. How do you "present" a cycling team? why not just "sponsored by"? Perhaps there is a good explanation, which I would be somewhat interested to hear. I could go on, but I have done enough blathering already. Time to drink some really good ale I got as a gift. Good stuff. and strong. wow.

Saturday slush

I could go on about how generally crappy this winter has been but after hearing about what my cohorts from the rest of the country have been up to...I'll save it.

Reports range from cold and wet to freezing and snowing...again. For example, got word that a few areas of southern PA have over three feet of snow on the ground. Even as it melts it is hard to ride. No trails for sure, and the amount of road space, coupled with the sand/gravel/slush mix makes travel on a bike pretty sketchy at best.

So, despite it all, I have it better than the bulk of my non-local friends. (save for one report about a nice long run out in CA with temps near 70)

The great snowstorm of 2010 dumped a lot on us here in the DFW area. The official measurement was 12.5 inches. Wet, heavy stuff. Great for snowballs and snowmen (or snowpeople to be PC?) but not so good for driving or cycling. I normally like to drag the CX bike out in the snow for a winter ride, but this stuff was wet and deep, so I made the right choice and didn't even try.

Two days later and there is still a lot on the ground. Today was sunny and the warmth was nice, quite a treat considering how little it seems we have seen around here lately. Everything was melting. This meant the roads, mostly clear of snow now, were wet. Wet like they get when it rains heavy in a lot of spots. Some of the more major roads were dry for the most part, so I tried to stick to those that had the combo of low water content and low traffic volume.

I succeeded for the most part. I did fail to stay dry. Within about a mile my posterior was soaked, and conditions continued to decline from there. The sun helped, and the lack of wind kept things generally pleasant, so I tooled around for a couple hours and returned home with numb feet but a smile on my face. So I'll chalk this up as a good day for sure. I also encountered several instances in which drivers went out of their way to give me a break. And that will always make me smile.

Hopefully tomorrow brings more of the same.

Oh yeah... Texas road racing season is in full swing now. Just seems too early in the year. Especially when it has been a struggle to log serious time on the road consistently. And to hell with a trainer! Medieval torture that is.

The positive side of averages

Statistics generally annoy me as they are often used by people with an agenda. Sometimes fairly, sometimes downright fraudulently, which might only be noted by a good statistician, a set that does not include me.

Averages are something I pay a lot of attention to, particularly this time of year, specifically, average temperatures.

The month of December was a good example. I spent a fair amount of time riding in colder than average weather, and lamenting that it "should" be 54.6 degrees today, but instead it is only 41. What the hell? Now, I realize what the average is but after what seemed like day after day of below average temps, I found myself thrilled by a recent upswing towards temperatures only SLIGHTLY below average, and now, above average temperatures. And not just a few degrees above, but double digits. It is about time. Riding in the dark is getting old about now, but being able to not dress like Ralph's little brother in The Christmas Story before a ride (certain smartassed people like to comment that I seem to spend more time getting ready to ride than actually riding my bike) is a major consolation. Especially in January.

We are at/approaching the point where the average temps start to trend upwared, which is cause for hope in itself:



So heres to a week of temperatures approaching to above 70...this is a winter respite I can smile about. Or perhaps I should simply smile about Texas winter vs. a winter in the northeast US? Probably...

Sandbagging

This past weekend was the Texas State Championship weekend for cyclocross.

As some would put it, the sandbagger's cup. CX has a knack for bringing out the accusation of sandbagging better than possibly any cycling discipline.
This year was no different, if you followed any of the chatter on the txbra.org cyclocross forum. Not bad compared with other regions really.

It got me thinking about this topic once again. What defines sandbagging?
At what point should one move up? If you consistently win or finish in the upper echelon at a given level, then you should move up, right? Seems simple, but it isn't apparently so. Winning is pretty straightforward. So if you rack up a couple wins in a season, at what point do you move up? Should you move up for the last race if it is the State Championship, or stik it out for one more?

I don't know...there are a lot of variables, and fortunately for me, this is only an indirect issue, but it is of interest to me as I want to see this facet prosper, and not see people discouraged by others.

What would make you move up?

Personnally, I have moved up classes without ever racking up a single win, just knew I was consistently in a dominant position and capable of racing at the next level. And that doesn't mean jumping up and immediately vying for podium positions. If that is your philosphy than I can probably safely proclaim you are a sandbagger.
Some can do it, most won't. So what does it require...consistent top 5 finishes...top 3...top 6...??? Sometimes points dictate the progression, but in reality, there is nothing really pushing someone to move, other than the occasional peer pressure or personal desire.

In the end, it is a hobby, and if you race you should be doing it for a challenge. Guess that is where it gets sticky, in what we each consider a "challenge".

Ah well, now on to road season, where the issue of sandbagging doesn't EVER rear it's ugly head. Ever.

Tuesday night in January

It was nice to see the sun and actually feel some warmer temperatures today.

Went out for a ride after work on the road bike (which has been collecting dust lately) and was surprised how quickly it cooled off. Thankfully it was one of those rare calm nights so I didn't have to factor in the windchill.
Definitely better off than my brothers and sisters back east who are still in the icebox. Good news is this "warmer" weather is headed your way...I think.

This time of year gets monotonous. Seems like the best weather is always during the week, and of course my daylight riding options are Sat/Sunday. During the week it is riding in the dark. Which gets old. I tell myself these are the training rides that count, so I can maximize the enjoyment on the fun rides when I have daylight and/or warmer temps. Then I wonder if I am simply an idiot.

Cross State Championships are this weekend and I am feeling strangely unmotivated. maybe its the wide range of distractions that have been...distracting me lately. Already skipped the Houston weekend because I was too lazy to drive down south. Felt bad not supporting those guys, they seem to be a good crew. Hope their turnout was good.
Maybe I just don't feel like spending another weekend riding my bike as fast as I can while trying not to throw up on myself? Naw...that never gets old. Think it is just a case of the Januaries.

And to think, the Texas road racing season kicks off in a few weeks. I love the road racing but that is too damn early for my cold hating skinny butt. Nothing like huddling in a pack for 70 miles dying a dozen deaths because you have:
a) overdressed
b) underdressed
c) undertrained
d) spent the whole race in the pack doing no work and thus freezing (see option b)
e) combination of the above

Yes, I would rather spend 3 hours racing in 100 degree heat, trying to stay hydrated. Bring on summer.

New Year, new post

So it has been a while since I posted anything, not for lack of good stuff to write about, just lack of time and (mostly) initiative.

This has been an interesting December with a couple notable snowfalls and generally cool temperatures, cooler than normal according to the weather data sites.

I don't like being cold, but have this thing where I always make an effort to ride in the really nasty stuff, at least a couple times a year. They help make the typically cold rides seem like nothing. Or a little more easier to deal with psychologically...so I tell myself.

So far I have ridden in the snow three times now. Christmas Eve was particularly notable with blizzard-like conditions. I donned several layers, including the totally awesome Craft windstopper top and shorts (these things really neutralize the wind like nothing else, and aren't bulky at all) and ventured out towards the Trinity River paths to see what the world looked like. Windy and white. I headed south with a strong mostly cross, slightly head wind.
I had waited to venture out until the temps had dropped to about the freezing point, hoping to ride on snow covered ground and avoid as much slop. The gravel path of the trail was snow covered and made for cleaner riding indeed. Gradually, I lost function of the bicycle, first the rear derailleur, then the front brake, then the back brake.




This definitely made things interesting, especially with the wind grabbing the front wheel and threatening to push me over at times.
Not surprisingly, it was quiet and lonely on the path.



I passed one walker. I did note some faint tracks from another cyclist who had been out at some point earlier. I wondered if they chose this out of necessity or like me, out of sheer entertainment.

The snow continued to fall and drifts began to build, creating a unique scene I wouldn't have expected in the metroplex, but knowing it would be brief, enjoyed for the moment.



The moment of enjoyment was brief, as my extremities reminded me that I was beginning to freeze my ass of, and a retreat home where warmer temperatures and a variety of alcohol laced beverages waited to help warm me.

So I bolted. Defrosted. Imbibed. Further enjoyed. Happy new year.

Dallas CX

So we've got three races coming up this weekend in Dallas. That is about the only good reason I can think of to head more than a few miles east of I-35.

Friday night Bryan Fawley (aka - Fort Worth CX Race Weekend Dominator) has an event at the usually TNX location. Heard it is good but never been there. Read all about the flyover in the txbra.org cx forums section. Even have some video links if you want a visual.

Saturday and Sunday are more traditional daytime races. Should be fun, weather looks to be nice Saturday and maybe some rain on Sunday. Imagine that, a muddy Texas CX event.

Speaking of which, I went and got my cross bike nice and dirty this past weekend. The end of the week rain did a nice job soaking everything. The gravel Trinity River Trails were pretty spongy and downright sloppy in spots. Saturday saw me return home looking like a downright proper cyclocrosser, covered head to toe in mud spatters. And that is always so much fun to clean. At least it wasn't cold. I like my misery in smaller doses.

Enough of this, I have a nice bottle of Saint Arnold Amber Ale and a dirty bike that need attention. Both should do just fine prepping me for the holiday weekend.

Whats this?

Is that actually cold air? No, but it certainly is cooler than anything felt in a while. May actually have to wear warmers AND some sort of undergarment/vest tomorrow night. Wow...hard times upon us now.

Back in the college days in the northeast I would be wearing shorts and a long sleeved t-shirt to class in this stuff. Amazing how (de?)acclimated I have become.

So now it is cool and dark. Could be a whole lot worse. If it isn't sleeting/snowing then I won't complain. That stuff is fun a few times a year, then it just is annoying and highly demotivating.

I think this year I get smart and get fenders.

Heard these are supposed to be pretty good. I can easily see them paying for themselves in no time.

November = Cyclocross fun = pain/suffering

Last weekend was the big hootenanny in Fort Worth.

Saturday was the Broken Films Z Boaz race and Sunday brought on the Thinkcash Trinity Park premier race. (premier by txbra.org standards that is)

Both were excellent races, in my somewhat biased and mostly humble opinion.

Both brough a different flavor. Boaz was slower, muddier, and a little more technical. Trinity was fast and flowing, with one fairly technical section and a lot of grass and a dragstrip start/finish.

Both brought beer. Fat Tire and Blue Moon Saturday and local favorite Rahr on Sunday. I made sure to partake of a few.

And both DEFINITELY brought on the pain.

I raced both days and had a blast, as it seems several others did as well.

RTP has a good writeup and some video, so check it out here

Unfortunately I didn't see Steve A for a chance to say howdy, but as is apparent from the above, he had a great time.

The weather was nice and while the wind was strong it was actually nice for Saturday as it kept the circus freakshow mosquitoes at bay.

The only downside is I had a freak mechanical which caused me to crash and burn hard on Saturday, losing a few spots without time to regain. I wasn't in the lead group so I was already out of the money, literally and figuratively, so not a big deal except that I have some pretty sore spots on my body a week later, and a few points seem suspiciously slow to feel at all better. Have to keep an eye on these things and be a little careful not to go down and possibly make matters way worse.

Ah yes, the fun of cross.

Sunday went better, had a solid race, good finish and managed to miss every crash that happened in front, beside and behind me.

If you were there, you saw a good time. If not, you missed a good time and also the domination that was Bryan Fawley on Saturday and ultimately, Sunday. That dude is fast on the cross bike. damn fast.

I think he is a major player in the races next weekend in Dallas.
Three, countem, THREE big days (actually two big days and a big night) of cx joy, pain and happiness in the city east of FtW. check it out here

The only thing missing from the cross season so far is Euro-cross style weather. Personally, I am fine with that. Kills me to be racing in 70 degree weather in November. Now if I can kick this cold that snuck into me promptly after finishing last Sunday...

Z Boaz Park

Wednesday was the last cx practice session at Z Boaz Park before we lose the daylight for the year.

The guys promoting the Broken Films Cross race (November 7th, 2009 - Be There!)have been using this to scope out the park and determine the course layout. Apparently this area was used for some races years back.

With all of the recent rain, anyone around here who has walked across natural ground can testify that the soil is waterlogged. We probably need a good week of dry weather to really get it dried out. There are sections along the low lying areas of the Trinity River that have been holding water for about the last two weeks.
Point is...Boaz, despit all of the water, seems to have drained quite nicely.

Practice race took us through a good mix of grass and dirt, with a bit of a technical mud section to negotiate. The muddy section was in what amounts to a ditch which appears to be a small dry creekbed...although it had about 4 inches of mud in some sections. It wasn't too hard to ride if you were solo and could hit it at your own desired speed. Having to slow behind other riders was killer, as many had to dismount and run through the mud or up the slick bank out of the ditch. If someone in front of you bailed, you were probably stuck too, as there isn't a lot of room to move around. It added a good natural obstacle and actually allowed our cyclocross bikes to get muddy.

We rode about 30 minutes at simulated race pace and it was good. There seemed to be a good mix of abilities, probably 15+ people riding. Good times.

There was a stiff breeze but it wasn't enough to keep the big, aggressive mosquitoes at bay.

This race should be good. If you like cyclocross, want to see if you might and live even remotely close, then you should come. There will be another race in Trinity Park the following day to top off what should be a great weekend of cyclocross action in Ft. Worth. I am stoked. My legs will be crispy on November 9th. At least I hope.

Tuesday

Beautiful fall day, more in line with what I expected of fall in north Texas. Of course we were inundated Sunday night through Monday, so the ground remains saturated and the river high, limiting ride options.

I stuck with the cx bike and gravel trails along the Trinity, then jumped over to the Overton Park area to ride up and down some hills. Ledgeview...Ranchview....Altura...Sarita. Certainly can get the heart thumping. Seemed like a lot of people out enjoying the day.

Maybe they also feel the cold breath of winter breathing down their necks and realize they better take advantage of these nice days while we have them. Especially when you consider it seems to rain about every third day.

So I had a nice ride, came home, was treated to Kow Pad (Thai fried rice) for dinner, enjoyed a Shiner Bock with it....just can't complain.

Of course, then I found a letter from the county tax assessor for my previous county. Seems they think I should still be paying taxes on property I don't own. Hmmmm. I would think this should be easy to resolve, but experience tells me that these types of things can often involve plenty of red tape. I foresee numerous phone calls, emails and faxes. I'll put my money on a resolution sometime around December. Optimistically.

Hey, if by chance you are reading this and are a Fort Worth local in need of some bike related junk, check out Colonel's Bikes by TCU. They are having their "Monster Sale" right now and have some things pretty well discounted.
http://www.colonelsbikes.blogspot.com/ has the details.

Lots of clothing down 40%. I have used Craft products and they are nice. And expensive. I probably wouldn't have purchased any except one of the Craft exhibitors at Interbike apparently thought I was somebody of some value and gave me a bunch of discount cards, good for 60% off anything. I couldn't resist that, so JT and I loaded up. And the stuff has done it's job. We were like kids in a candy store figuring out what to buy. Or maybe more like college kids with their first credit card?

Ok, enough promoting for now.

October flying

So the month is basically over. Just like that. Time flies.

After the state RR I was knocked out by a wicked infection which required a course of antibiotics I am only now completing. This really threw my cycling schedule off, as I was prepared to launch half-heartedly into cyclocross season. Au contraire.

Finally feeling better I emerged over the last week and got back out on the bike for some serious riding aimed at this CX business. The positive part is I didn't miss much, as the rainfall here has been pretty regular. Seems that it is cloudy and damp more often than not. Perfect for CX, but a pain if you don't like cleaning your bike constantly, and feel like your lungs and legs are filled with mercury.

I did get out for some fun riding this past weekend, and was surprised to see that even after a few days without rain (tapered off Thursday a.m.) the Trinity was still flowing heavy. Usually within a day of heavy rain it is back to normal.
This past Saturday, a solid two days after any rain, the low water crossings were still...uncrossable. Unless you felt like wading in a swift current. Which I certainly did not. So I stayed west of the river on Saturday.

Went back out Sunday and it looked the same.



No dice. No problem. Headed back up and took the northwest trail. Nice because I could stay on grass/gravel/dirt as much as desired.
Putting the respectable southerly wind to my back was nice, and I flew north along the gravel, just enjoying the ride.

Finally found a crossing that was manageable on the upper NW end of the Trinity trail system.











Eventually had to turn back and headed back SE, towards the downtown...into the wind. The day had turned nice and the look of fall certainly is beginning to show.











The NW trail is really quite nice, quiet, usually only see a handful of people. At times it is hard to believe you are within a few miles of one of the 20 biggest cities in the country. At times it is in your face, but even then, for the most part, it isn't too bad.













Of course, any larger city is prone to the scourge of urban graffiti.
Witness the Lancaster overpass, Foch Street.














Some is a little less creative...



But still made me laugh.

Yes, Sunday was a good day...didn't even have to use my AK.

State Road Race

Pretty wild that it has been almost a month since I last pecked on this ragline.

October has really flown by. The first two weeks were spent in preparation for the Texas State Road Race, held in Killeen, TX. I had hopes that the course may offer a bit of advantage with more climbing than typical for a TX race, and this was hyped as such.

So I prepared, as I do. Some pseudo-serious training, mainly involving throwing myself at what climbs could be utilized with the rapidly shortening daylight after work, and pushing the amount of time spent in those heart rate zones where the body starts to question what the hell you are trying to accomplish.

The forecast of the race was looking good, with some sun and cooler than average but not cold temps. As could be predicted now with the benefit of hindsight, race day dawned with a light drizzle in areas, no sun for sure, and chilly temps.
The course was on the Fort Hood military base, which provided a closed road. This was welcomed with the field approaching 100.
I arrived, registered, got dressed, got cold, checked the bike, headed to the start. We started under dismal gray skies with a few sprinkles. The roads were dry which was a good thing of course. Immediately I found my computer was not registering speed. I worked on adjusting the sensor without success, eventually giving up. This was a bit of a worry as I would now not be able to mark the mileage and determine where key points would be on the second lap of the ~33 mile course. So it goes.
We raced, hit the climbs which, while definitely testing, were nothing really termendous. Certainly not going to shatter the field on the first lap, but probably going to shake things up on the second as legs became tired. I sat in for the first half and moved up after we went through the start finish, as one of the bigger climbs was only about 4 or 5 miles into the loop. I moved up, took a comfortable place near the front and things started to get hot. The first big climb was really a series of two, kind of a long stair step, with the initial step being shorter and steeper. As predicted, the strong guys hit the gas on the climb, just enough to try and put the hurt on those less adept at this type of terrain. It began to work and after a few miles of varying degrees on incline, there were certainly fewer riders inthe main field. We descended from our elevation gain and promptly ground to a halt on a long straight flat stretch. Seems the Pro/1 field had experienced a pretty serious crash. Several people limped around and at least one was loaded into an ambulance. Our race was neutralized for ~15 minutes. Long enough for dropped riders to rejoin, and long enough for the north breeze to cool us down. No complaints from me though, better than being in an ambulance because of a bloody bike race.

We restarted and proceded, en masse for the remainder of the race. With everyone well rested it was pretty much a foregone conclusion the race was going to end in a big sprint. Not enough challenging terrain left to break things up, not enough mileage to have a chance and a breakaway being left go...wonderful.

Not being a sprinter, I decided to try and keep up front in the event something may go, which it did not. The last big climb did split the field and I got a good scare when I couldn't get through a slower group and watched a lead group of about 20 begin to pull away. I made it through and busted my ass to bridge up, only to have the pace drop and the field come together. Oh well. We approached the finish, the field accelerated, some guys went down...the usual. My goal at this point is to make it through, skin and bones intact. I kept in decent position and made a good guess that the field would shift to the right side of the road as last ditch attacks went, which would leave the left (and leeward) side more open. This happened, I moved up some, scrambled around people as they popped, all the while ready to pull the plug and sit up to avoid the dreaded sprint finish crash. I chose well, avoided the crashes and cruised through in the low teens. Out of the money, in the points (which is worth...basically nothing) and most importantly, flesh safely sealed.

I later found out the last 8 or so miles were riddled with small crashes as the riders jockeyed for position for the finish, muscles fatigued and judgements became clouded. This made me all the more satisfied with what I would have considered the ultimate let down finish going into this race.

It was about this time I started really noticing the sore spot in my jaw, a dark harbinger of the hellish week to come.

Random thoughts on a Wednesday

So the weekend was nice. Short but hard/steady ride Saturday, and a longer, not really intended to be as hard as it turned out to be but glad it was in the end ride on Sunday. Left the legs feeling a little wasted Sunday night.

I plan to do the State Road Race Championship held on Fort Hood weekend after this one upcoming. It is a somewhat hillier course than that of typical Texas courses, at least in my very limited TX racing experience to date. Or so I hope. Flat and fast is not so much my forte. Long day with lots of climbing is more my cup of tea.

"Training" for it is a little more difficult as there is not much to offer locally in excess of 0.5 mile climbs...so intensity is the other way to tackle this. That means long periods at high heart rates. Not exactly riding for the shear joy of it. It is the race that will hopefully be fun. It is certainly a great feeling when you have the ability to stay with the lead group when the selection is made, and not feel like you are hanging on for dear life, which is how the average criterium makes me feel.
So it will be interesting to see how things unfold.

Sunday was warmer than it seems to have been lately, and a steady and sturdy southerly wind (what would Texas be without that?) provided plenty of resistance for the first 20 or so miles. Then a turn to the west, and the much anticipated turn northerly, where the wonderful Texas Tailwind took over, adding mphs to the pace and some respite to the legs.

And then the local assclown in the giant silver pickup truck (complete with big rebel battle flag streaming from a post mounted in the center of the bed) passed and geared appropriately to leave me in a giant black cloud of diesel exhaust. Kelly Road is the location. I actually saw the house he pulled out from and had brief fantasies of paying a visit late at night and sprinkling a few boxes of roofing tacks on the offender's driveway as a return favor. I believe this is the third time I have seen this happen, other times being with some groups in the same vicinity. Ah yes, the joys of road riding in the country!

My good weekend was seriously sombered when I stumbled across news of a cyclist being hit and killed on one of the access roads along I-20 in Willow Park. Again, it turns out. This time there were no apparent mitigating circumstances (apparently the sun being in your eyes releases you from responsible driving?) and the final outcome was a dead man. Father, VP of Lockheed. killed for having tried to enjoy riding his bicycle on a shared road. Also left behind is what appears to be a highly distraught young woman who was driving the car that hit him.
These stories shake me to the core at certain moments. Icy reminder of how fragile we are and how one moment of inattention can have such tragic results. I feel sorry for all involved and my heart truly goes out to the families, while I pray I never have to be involved in something like this on any level. During these days of lessening daylight I think of my friends biking during the dark hours, and hope they stay safe. Put on those lights and be aware, be safe!

Texas CX

I am itching for the CX season to kick off. To a degree. So far I haven't done any real CX practice, so I need to get out and practice those specific skills which can make a surprising difference. Dismount, shoulder, run, mount, ride... maybe through a jump or two in there, or a steep hill. My skillset is ok, I haven't lost ground before and often made a little up, but it could be a lot better. When you see the PROs do it, you realize how weak you are...of course I don't get paid for it. Nor would I want to. That would be a tough way to make a living.

The tentative schedule looks good, although it means a lot of travel. that is one bad thing about 'cross, sometimes spending hours in a car for minutes of racing. Not a complaint for sure, wouldn't want the races to be longer!

The Texas schedule, in it's tentative glory:

Oct. 16 Premier San Antonio -
Oct. 17 Premier San Antonio

Oct. 25 Webberville VC - South Regional

Oct. 31 New Braunfels South Regional

Nov. 7 Ft. Worth CX
Nov. 8 Ft. Worth Moritz CX

Nov. 14 at&t Brain and Spine - Austin, TX
Nov. 15 South Regional NRC- Kyle, TX

Nov. 21 Premier Mirage Dallas -
Nov. 22 Premier Park Place Dallas -

Dec. 5/Premier GCCA
Dec. 6 Premier Bikesport Houston

Dec. 13 Austin South Regional

Jan 9 Houston Woodlands South Regional
Jan 10 Houston Woodlands South Regional

Jan 16 Age-Based State Cyclocross Championships - Pirate Race Productions -Austin (Manor)
Jan17 Premier – State Skills based State Cyclocross Championship -Austin (Manor)

Certainly a nice offering. Hup time...

Cyclocross Time

Oh yes, it is also THAT time of year.

Mud and cowbells. Beer chucking hecklers. A start followed by varying degrees of extreme pain until you cross the finish. At least that is what you are hoping for.

I put off getting into this sport for years as I just couldn't see the appeal.

Then I tried it and immediately was hooked.

If you aren't familiar with it, do some Googling. Check out some videos. It is more fun than it looks. These guys are hard men. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIZfGcBcfH4

And on a local note: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=skKMZXxOiT8

Oh yeah, it can be the best of times, the worst of times.

Plummet into fall

Last couple weeks have certainly snuffed out the hot summer days pretty effectively, not that I expect to see them gone for the year, but...it did get us well into September.

I love and loathe this time of year. Love comes from the cooler temps and general climate and attitude changes in the world around as the hot summer days shift gears into the back to school mentality. Vacations are done and everyone seems to be "back".

Can be such a great time to ride too. Don't have to worry about becoming a sweat soaked mass of stink from a simple ride.

It is also the beginning of cyclocross season, which in itself is more than ample reason to celebrate, but that should be a separate post perhaps.

The slide into fall also brings an underlying sense of anxiety to me as the days suddenly seem to be getting seriously shorter. I know it is anything but sudden, but each year there always seems to be that point at which I suddenly find myself stuck out in the darkening skies, pumping hard to get home before pitch blackness. It is only a minute or two a day, but it just seems like one week the evenings are still cruising pretty late, then the next I am looking out and saying "where'd the daylight go?". It doesn't truly sneak up on me, I see it coming, but there is always that one ride where I look around and say damn, summer's done.

And that is the basis of the anxiety. Summer is all good. Warm, beaches, bikinis, suntans, riding as late as you care to... And then there is fall, all nice and pleasant except it is like a greek tragedy in which the handshake masks the icy dagger of winter creeping up behind you.

Now, it isn't that Texas winters are so bad, but I do get tired of riding in the dark more often than not.

Those really into training gut it out and ride their trainers or rollers.

Been there, done that. It works but is like a torture. Not what the bike is meant for.
I decide one winter that if I needed to ride then by God, I would ride my bloody bike outside, on the road, where it was meant to be ridden. This has resulted in some frosty experiences in my previous residences, but I almost always felt better for it.

Anyhow...enough on winter, it is close enough, no need to harp on it anymore.

Fall is a great season to enjoy as the road racing season winds down and the MTB and CX seasons kick in, if you are into that.
If you are simply into the joy of riding a bike it is perhaps the best season, or at least neck and neck with spring, in my humble opinion.

I look forward to a little more urban exploration during this period personally. Been in the road race training rut, concentrating on time spent at certain levels of pain and suffering, all the while missing some of the good stuff along the side of the road on the way.

Today sent the message, fall is here. Sure it won't be like this, 60s, maybe 70F for most of the day, but we are going to see more days like that and less of the damnitshot days.

And thankfully the epic rains have passed on after a week+ long slog. And we are still in a drought...