The road coming and going

Not another bike

There's another bike I own, but, for some odd reason, haven't mentioned it. It probably weighs 50 lbs. However, it just thrills me to own it, as of today. The car is no longer necessary to live happily! With a (good) market within biking distance, I can stay fed and not worry that there isn't time to shop or eat.

Hallucinating?

Today was an epic Colorado-esque adventure on the bike. It started off cold, then small specks of snow turned into a full white-out, then the sun came out, white-out again, sun again...after nearly four hours out there, I'm almost home and I come across this lawn ornament. Is this some kind of strange dream?

Quotes

Quotes I like enough to post (because I want to remember them). This list will grow.

Pain is temporary. Quitting lasts forever.
~Lance Armstrong

You don't suffer, kill yourself and take the risks I take just for money. I love bike racing.
~Greg LeMond

I have always struggled to achieve excellence. One thing that cycling has taught me is that if you can achieve something without a struggle it's not going to be satisfying.
~Greg LeMond

There are few things that you can't do as long as you are willing to apply yourself.
~Greg LeMond

It never gets easier, you just go faster.
~Greg LeMond

To be a cyclist is to be a student of pain....at cycling's core lies pain, hard and bitter as the pit inside a juicy peach. It doesn't matter if you're sprinting for an Olympic medal, a town sign, a trailhead, or the rest stop with the homemade brownies. If you never confront pain, you're missing the essence of the sport. Without pain, there's no adversity. Without adversity, no challenge. Without challenge, no improvement. No improvement, no sense of accomplishment and no deep-down joy. Might as well be playing Tiddly-Winks.
~Scott Martin

Nobody wants to hear you whine.
~Mike Magnuson in "Heft on Wheels"

Another commuting option

Here's a shot from another morning commute that involved lots of climbing, an icy cold descent, but the best morning sun and views. Entirely worth the cold fingers (which took 5 hours to thaw.)

The "Long" Way in to Work

Not to worry, I'm riding at about 5 mph up this climb this morning.
This is the turn-around to descend...luckily, no slow signs. What takes 45 minutes to ride up takes 5 minutes to fly down.

No better way to wake up!

Now that we're in the age of technology and electronic voting...

I waited in line for 2 hours today to receive a free sticker.

Crank Brothers Cyclo-Cross at its Best in Boulder

Yesterday and today were UCI cross races in Longmont and Boulder. Hundreds of people showed up to cheer on the racers, the courses looked like serious fun and a lot of work.

Ryan Trebon rocks. This is him a minute or two ahead of everyone else, everyone else includes very fast pro cross racers.Todd Wells being interviewed after the race.
Art, thanks for the low-down on cross racing. Hope you got to enjoy the brew in Colorado.
Me & the ladies at today's race.

Twin Peaks End-of-Year Party

The Twin Peaks end of year party couldn't have been more appropriate after the season the team had this year: most of the team showed up, there was tons of recognition to go around and everyone was so happy to see each other. Jen and Krystal show off their awards: Jen is the keeper of the "Layin the Wood" trophy for 2007, along with best attitude or something along those lines. Krystal was MVP. Many others received trophies and awards, all well-earned. It says a lot about what everyone did this year to contribute to the team's success. The Cat 4 women rock for winning BAT (Best All-Around Team).

Dan from Bicycle Colorado spent the evening with the team. TPRT donated $250 and a jersey. These guys are great. Thanks to them, bicyclists may now call the Road Rage hotline, ride two abreast and they saved large rides like Ride the Rockies, Elephant Rock, etc. by killing a law that would have capped the number of riders in organized events.

Seth, Josh and Chad...what can I say, you guys certainly add a different dimension to racing.

Pic of the Hammer trophy coming soon. It's awesome to have a symbol as a reminder of all of the work, great teammates and the memories of two long seasons together. Thanks so much, guys!

Happy Halloween!

Tricks and treats came to me this evening! What a splendid surprise. I almost went through the whole day without eating candy or seeing anything that resembled Halloween. Raisinettes--perfect pre-training food. Speaking of which, time to get on it!