I am really feeling a trip to the MTNS is in order. An opportunity to cruise up some long drags before Joe Martin and Tri Peaks kick me in d-arse. So are there any takers in los mountains that can house a delinquient MTB racer for a few days????
Just figured I would throw that out there.
Your Bayou Mountain Biker Buddy,
JR
cyberpimp30@yahoo.com is my e-mail.
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Ten Ass Eeh.
I have to say that I had a blast in Tenn this weekend. It all started at the bicycle shop when C-Dawg showed up. BTW, Looks like we are heading to Waco, TX for a MTB adventure. So we head out East bound for a MTB Excursion.
Friday ~ 10:45 pm we arrive to weather that is soo cold that you can only think of hopping into bed fully clothed and with the covers up to your neck. Basically, it was pushing all of 40 Deg with a wind chill of 35 or so. Luckily for us we had a nice room reserved at the Holiday Inn. I was looking forward to hitting up the trail the next morning but you know Shit happens.
Saturday morning and hell I was feeling thirsty so we roll over to the Lynchberg, TN Welcoming Committee Center
So on Saturday afternoon we went out to the Chickasaw Trace and cruised the trail before hand. I have to say that this trail was bad ass. Small berms in strategic locals made haul'n ass simple but the rocks and roots acted as speed bumps. I was really feeling the course it was surely one of the fastest trails that I have ever been on. It consisted of a nine mile loop with around 600 feet of elevation gain in miles 6 n 7. Basically you cruised balls to the walls for 6 miles then suffered for a while up a series of short leg breaking climbs a few long climbs and another up hill towards the finish line. This course was made for me.
So Sunday morning rolls on in I go out and snap a few great shots of the course and then it was 12:30 time to roll out. We start the race which was fast. The suffering began early with a 1 mile open road effort to the woods. Guys were all over the place jockeying for position like it was the Kentucky Derby or NASCAR. We immediately started to shell guys and other guys kept pushing the pace. We cruised down this hill which was promptly followed by a short series of surges of the pace by the strong arms of Tenn and mainly GA. Just as soon as we hit single track I realized that I was too far down in the group and the strong guys had just gaped a person several spots up in our little MTB paceline. So someone from behind me see this happening and decides that he is going to chase them down or al least hop onto the back of that group. He is the person that messed up on this section here:
This was followed by a pursuit mode chase back to the lead group. Sure enough just as we catch back up to those guys the same fart high tails it around me and is sitting in front of me going slower and then the guys start to gap the group again. Well shortly there after he is cruising on the right side of the trail when the trails width decreases from 2 feet to 4 inches. He slams his breaks and shoots the gap just in time to clip my front wheel and cause me to shake my existence to the core. I was so dazed and confused that I could not think well enough to get back into the race for at least 15 min. Then it was too late to fight back to this group of guys. I was out of it. After finishing my first lap I realized that my hip was feeling really tender, and not like love me tender, but rather like don't touch me tender. I ended pulling out half way through lap 2 and never looked back. Hey at least I have good legs again. That is all I have to say about that. Till Next Time: Keep The Rubber Side Down, Jr
Friday ~ 10:45 pm we arrive to weather that is soo cold that you can only think of hopping into bed fully clothed and with the covers up to your neck. Basically, it was pushing all of 40 Deg with a wind chill of 35 or so. Luckily for us we had a nice room reserved at the Holiday Inn. I was looking forward to hitting up the trail the next morning but you know Shit happens.
Saturday morning and hell I was feeling thirsty so we roll over to the Lynchberg, TN Welcoming Committee Center
So on Saturday afternoon we went out to the Chickasaw Trace and cruised the trail before hand. I have to say that this trail was bad ass. Small berms in strategic locals made haul'n ass simple but the rocks and roots acted as speed bumps. I was really feeling the course it was surely one of the fastest trails that I have ever been on. It consisted of a nine mile loop with around 600 feet of elevation gain in miles 6 n 7. Basically you cruised balls to the walls for 6 miles then suffered for a while up a series of short leg breaking climbs a few long climbs and another up hill towards the finish line. This course was made for me.
So Sunday morning rolls on in I go out and snap a few great shots of the course and then it was 12:30 time to roll out. We start the race which was fast. The suffering began early with a 1 mile open road effort to the woods. Guys were all over the place jockeying for position like it was the Kentucky Derby or NASCAR. We immediately started to shell guys and other guys kept pushing the pace. We cruised down this hill which was promptly followed by a short series of surges of the pace by the strong arms of Tenn and mainly GA. Just as soon as we hit single track I realized that I was too far down in the group and the strong guys had just gaped a person several spots up in our little MTB paceline. So someone from behind me see this happening and decides that he is going to chase them down or al least hop onto the back of that group. He is the person that messed up on this section here:
This was followed by a pursuit mode chase back to the lead group. Sure enough just as we catch back up to those guys the same fart high tails it around me and is sitting in front of me going slower and then the guys start to gap the group again. Well shortly there after he is cruising on the right side of the trail when the trails width decreases from 2 feet to 4 inches. He slams his breaks and shoots the gap just in time to clip my front wheel and cause me to shake my existence to the core. I was so dazed and confused that I could not think well enough to get back into the race for at least 15 min. Then it was too late to fight back to this group of guys. I was out of it. After finishing my first lap I realized that my hip was feeling really tender, and not like love me tender, but rather like don't touch me tender. I ended pulling out half way through lap 2 and never looked back. Hey at least I have good legs again. That is all I have to say about that. Till Next Time: Keep The Rubber Side Down, Jr
Monday, March 27, 2006
Not So Funny.
I have long wondered what the purpose of Blogs was. Is it to rant on my daily musings or should it serve a larger purpose. Maybe, they are an online form of a trophy wall or maybe they are just a place to complain to anyone who cares to read it.
That all said here is my complaint. Mi Amigo senor Kerry Stamey esta Mui malisimo. He has cancer. Melanoma that has matasticized and not responded to two rounds of ChemoTherapy. At the very young age of 52 he has been guesstimated at 2 months to live according to his doctors.
This is not a Eulogy nor is it a going away note that Kerry will never read. It is merely a statement for my own personal benefit to help maintain my sanity during a time when a very good friend of mine, someone that I deeply Admire and have Boundless Respect for is counting down every second of every moment, as this breath may be the last.
Kerry's influence on me began long before I knew who he was. Long before I ever raced a bike or even owned a descent machine, there was a guy promoting the sport of mountain biking here in the swamps of South Louisiana. Kerry was one of the founding members of the club that has become known as BRAMBA. He is the primary reason that countless Baton Rouge residents have picked up bicycles and one of the driving forces behind the sales of Millions of dollars in bicycles in this parish and beyond. With Out Kerry there would be no trails. No trails, No mountain biking. No Mountain Biking, No Racing for me, no national team, no state championships, no cycling = Husky Boy: Joshua Nkomo Rosby. The influence of just one person has dramatically changed my life as well as the lives of many others. All of this is due to a buddy of mine that is old enough to be my father. So before you decide to check out I will send you a link to this and I am just letting you know that you are truly appreciated and I will try to get you some Good Beer When I go to TX this weekend. Keep on fighting and remain optimistic. Finally, Always Remember that You Have Accomplished Great Things and Helped the Masses. Many people start out trying to help the world their community their city. Never Ever Under Estimate Your Contributions To Us (Baton Rouge).
Heck Even Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails has ridden bikes on trails created by Kerry and Crew. Brett Scalions of Fuel purchased a Mountain Bike from me because we expected that some local that would go to the local trail would buy it. The six degrees that stem from your hard work has provided for everyone a place to play and ride their MTBs and has truly spread a lot further that you know.
Jr
P.s. Hey at least you lost all that weight you were trying to ride off. Hell that wasn't even funny.
So I go to apply for a job as an accountant with this firm. When I arrive the lady interviewing me ask me where do you see yourself in five years???
I see my self-celebrating the Fifth Year Anniversary of you asking me this question.
Mitch Hedberg
Now That was Funny.
I had and Ant Farm and they didn't Grow Shit.
MH
That all said here is my complaint. Mi Amigo senor Kerry Stamey esta Mui malisimo. He has cancer. Melanoma that has matasticized and not responded to two rounds of ChemoTherapy. At the very young age of 52 he has been guesstimated at 2 months to live according to his doctors.
This is not a Eulogy nor is it a going away note that Kerry will never read. It is merely a statement for my own personal benefit to help maintain my sanity during a time when a very good friend of mine, someone that I deeply Admire and have Boundless Respect for is counting down every second of every moment, as this breath may be the last.
Kerry's influence on me began long before I knew who he was. Long before I ever raced a bike or even owned a descent machine, there was a guy promoting the sport of mountain biking here in the swamps of South Louisiana. Kerry was one of the founding members of the club that has become known as BRAMBA. He is the primary reason that countless Baton Rouge residents have picked up bicycles and one of the driving forces behind the sales of Millions of dollars in bicycles in this parish and beyond. With Out Kerry there would be no trails. No trails, No mountain biking. No Mountain Biking, No Racing for me, no national team, no state championships, no cycling = Husky Boy: Joshua Nkomo Rosby. The influence of just one person has dramatically changed my life as well as the lives of many others. All of this is due to a buddy of mine that is old enough to be my father. So before you decide to check out I will send you a link to this and I am just letting you know that you are truly appreciated and I will try to get you some Good Beer When I go to TX this weekend. Keep on fighting and remain optimistic. Finally, Always Remember that You Have Accomplished Great Things and Helped the Masses. Many people start out trying to help the world their community their city. Never Ever Under Estimate Your Contributions To Us (Baton Rouge).
Heck Even Trent Reznor of Nine Inch Nails has ridden bikes on trails created by Kerry and Crew. Brett Scalions of Fuel purchased a Mountain Bike from me because we expected that some local that would go to the local trail would buy it. The six degrees that stem from your hard work has provided for everyone a place to play and ride their MTBs and has truly spread a lot further that you know.
Jr
P.s. Hey at least you lost all that weight you were trying to ride off. Hell that wasn't even funny.
So I go to apply for a job as an accountant with this firm. When I arrive the lady interviewing me ask me where do you see yourself in five years???
I see my self-celebrating the Fifth Year Anniversary of you asking me this question.
Mitch Hedberg
Now That was Funny.
I had and Ant Farm and they didn't Grow Shit.
MH
Friday, March 24, 2006
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Road Trip tomorrow.
Hell Yeah. I have been looking forward to this for a while. Heading to TN for some real Tennessee Sour Mash whiskey. NOT!!! I don't have the time in the plan to include self indulgence like that. So I will keep you posted after I return and somehow get a photo album going. Work but a different kind that is what it is.
Y-Fi-Hi to all my peeps in the Islands Kick'n A and Tak'n Names.
I Am Oh So Semi-Pro. No more playing around.
Jr
P.s. Guys and Gals I can tell you that after this trip I am going to start my next post off with "I could Have Won, But......." I am quite notorious for pulling that one out of they bag.
Y-Fi-Hi to all my peeps in the Islands Kick'n A and Tak'n Names.
I Am Oh So Semi-Pro. No more playing around.
Jr
P.s. Guys and Gals I can tell you that after this trip I am going to start my next post off with "I could Have Won, But......." I am quite notorious for pulling that one out of they bag.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
More QT
I am already getting bored with the River Road. Second day third loop and it has always looked exactly the same. My only reason that I am still willing to ride these roads is that the weather is awesome right now. So another 2.5 hours of QT are possibly in store for this afternoon that will beer followed by ritas and be.
Got Wind? Today was one of the most horrible rides in my recent history. The wind was so strong that I beleive that I was going backwards at times. I was about pushed off the road twice by divine intervention via a strong cross wind. I never found that tailwind that I was looking for, only headwinds and crosswinds.
The only problem with getting into shape is that I never see the results till I take some time off. So even though I am getting stronger I don't know it till I take a little vacation. Then after a little time off I will fly once again. So I will add more 20 on / 5 off efforts into my daily ride diet. Next week crisscross efforts and No I will not have my pants on bassackwards and my shirts also. I always wondered why they never found a way to put there shoes on backwards. I guess it would hurt too much to JumP or should I say PmuJ.
Till our next BcBS Post
Over-N-Out
Jr
WTFIFFENUW8TASECMIJUMPOFFGONECUMDENIWILLPEARUDILL.
www.urbandictionary.com
Dill
1.(n) Someone who consistently performs unbelievable acts of stupidity.
2.(n) A friend, dude, or buddy1. "You just lit the wrong end of your cigarette, dill!"
"Dominic Wild is a total dill!"
2. "What's up, dill?"
jumpoff
a girl who is just someone a boy could call when he wants some
Yo im bout to call my jumpoff, she do me right
Got Wind? Today was one of the most horrible rides in my recent history. The wind was so strong that I beleive that I was going backwards at times. I was about pushed off the road twice by divine intervention via a strong cross wind. I never found that tailwind that I was looking for, only headwinds and crosswinds.
The only problem with getting into shape is that I never see the results till I take some time off. So even though I am getting stronger I don't know it till I take a little vacation. Then after a little time off I will fly once again. So I will add more 20 on / 5 off efforts into my daily ride diet. Next week crisscross efforts and No I will not have my pants on bassackwards and my shirts also. I always wondered why they never found a way to put there shoes on backwards. I guess it would hurt too much to JumP or should I say PmuJ.
Till our next BcBS Post
Over-N-Out
Jr
WTFIFFENUW8TASECMIJUMPOFFGONECUMDENIWILLPEARUDILL.
www.urbandictionary.com
Dill
1.(n) Someone who consistently performs unbelievable acts of stupidity.
2.(n) A friend, dude, or buddy1. "You just lit the wrong end of your cigarette, dill!"
"Dominic Wild is a total dill!"
2. "What's up, dill?"
jumpoff
a girl who is just someone a boy could call when he wants some
Yo im bout to call my jumpoff, she do me right
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
QT
Hell yeah this is the first real day that I have had the opportunity to really get in some great miles in a while. Today started off brisk but soon warmed up to the ideal temp for cruising 63 deg.
So I managed to slip in a solid 2.5 hour ride on "The River Road" this morning starting at 7:30 till take a wild guess. Then this afternoon I SK8ED out on work and posted another 2.5 hour gaunt. Hell Yeah. Now the question is how long till I get bored with "The River Road" again. As a cyclist in BR your choices are limited till the weekend comes but this weekend it is off to the races. TN here I come packing gumbo and etouffee. Hell, I might even bring some BoudinErgy. BoudinErgy from the creator of Rock Rats and the Pot Box and many other never produced revolutionary products. What is BodinErgy? It is Boudin a great product of South Louisiana that consist of Pork, Rice, Spices and other good stuff with a MILDLY STIMULATING secret ingredient that is not a secret. Trey that one is for you. If the world only knew of the thing that Trey H. comes up with they would stop fighting wars and look for him as a solution to all the worlds problems.
Anyway LAE Crew and holla back.
Jr
So I managed to slip in a solid 2.5 hour ride on "The River Road" this morning starting at 7:30 till take a wild guess. Then this afternoon I SK8ED out on work and posted another 2.5 hour gaunt. Hell Yeah. Now the question is how long till I get bored with "The River Road" again. As a cyclist in BR your choices are limited till the weekend comes but this weekend it is off to the races. TN here I come packing gumbo and etouffee. Hell, I might even bring some BoudinErgy. BoudinErgy from the creator of Rock Rats and the Pot Box and many other never produced revolutionary products. What is BodinErgy? It is Boudin a great product of South Louisiana that consist of Pork, Rice, Spices and other good stuff with a MILDLY STIMULATING secret ingredient that is not a secret. Trey that one is for you. If the world only knew of the thing that Trey H. comes up with they would stop fighting wars and look for him as a solution to all the worlds problems.
Anyway LAE Crew and holla back.
Jr
Monday, March 20, 2006
I Stayed.
The Real Racing starts this weekend in Columbia, TN. Chad and I will be heading out on Friday to start our 9-hour drive to the Mountains South of Nashville. After helping very unsuccessfully Naomi with some BioChem HW, I decided that a 4-hour drive to race in the rain was not in my best interest. So instead I cruised over to Mandeville, LA and put in a solid 60 miles with my friend and teammate Kyle Boudreax. We cruised the countryside and found some awesome rolling terrain.
Needless to say, I found that my climbing legs are here but my cruising legs are some where lost in South America and they are not answering my calls nor will they return my emails. I hate it when my racing legs fight with me. I think a few more weeks of cruise intervals and some switch efforts are in order for my training diet. These will be intertwined with some big ring riding to get my legs used to high resistance efforts. I feel stronger and lighter than ever but I need to bring this fitness out of hiding.
Plans for this week are to finalize a date on my next VO2 Max Testing and some other physiological testing to gauge where my fitness is at this moment so that I have have Jason hook it up for me.
Till Next Time,
Jr
Needless to say, I found that my climbing legs are here but my cruising legs are some where lost in South America and they are not answering my calls nor will they return my emails. I hate it when my racing legs fight with me. I think a few more weeks of cruise intervals and some switch efforts are in order for my training diet. These will be intertwined with some big ring riding to get my legs used to high resistance efforts. I feel stronger and lighter than ever but I need to bring this fitness out of hiding.
Plans for this week are to finalize a date on my next VO2 Max Testing and some other physiological testing to gauge where my fitness is at this moment so that I have have Jason hook it up for me.
Till Next Time,
Jr
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Should I Stay Or Should I Go???
So this weekend is the first mountain bike race I have scheduled for this year. I have been looking forward to The Bonita Xtreme Challenge however a 60% chance of rain for Saturday and a 70% chance of rain for Sunday are looming on the horizon. I feel the need to redeem myself for the poor road race performances so far and the dirt is my preferred terrain. So the chances of me going are high but guarded b/c the last thing I want to do is eat %!it and knock myself out of commission this early in the year.
After next weekend I guarantee the first photo blog of the year. I am spending 8 hours in a car going to Columbia, TN for an AMBC race. The Chickasaw Trace Mountain Bike Classic will be the first real test of my MTB skills in the Mountains of the year no less. Rocks, Roots and Fast Ass Tenn Boys here I come. This race is to be held just south of Nashville, TN in the foot hills of the mountains. I have been killing the mtb and my handling skills are coming out of hiding after a winter without dirt in my diet. My main worry are the Climbs. For LA I am a good at climbing however, this is a different beast than I am use to. I can hold on but will I excel??? That is the question. It will be the first real race at my new classification of Semi-Pro so the big Dawgs will rear their ugly heads and put me in my place.
As far as dirt riding has been going I have been hitting the dirt very consistently for the past two weeks or so. Many morning road rides are followed by dirt in the afternoon. For those of you that do not ride MTBs just believe that there is trust between the rider and the equipment. A bond like driving a car very fast through a blind and unfamiliar corner at excessive speed. You just have to know how to point and shoot and manipulate braking, acceleration and weight ratios between the front and rear tires to accomplish a goal, which at that time is to not crash and exit the corner retaining as much momentum as possible. This is also followed by a rapid or gradual acceleration back up to cruising speed to traverse the terrain as efficiently as possible. XC MTB racing is not a game of force or a show of sheer power it is rather a game of finesse and a lot of trust, skill and a lot of LUCK. Flat tires or mechanical malfunctions are the most common ways to ruin an otherwise great day of racing.
I have not had the pleasure of racing in TN nor do I know what tires to pack for the trip but I am sure I can find something that will work.
Till Next Time LAE,
Jr
After next weekend I guarantee the first photo blog of the year. I am spending 8 hours in a car going to Columbia, TN for an AMBC race. The Chickasaw Trace Mountain Bike Classic will be the first real test of my MTB skills in the Mountains of the year no less. Rocks, Roots and Fast Ass Tenn Boys here I come. This race is to be held just south of Nashville, TN in the foot hills of the mountains. I have been killing the mtb and my handling skills are coming out of hiding after a winter without dirt in my diet. My main worry are the Climbs. For LA I am a good at climbing however, this is a different beast than I am use to. I can hold on but will I excel??? That is the question. It will be the first real race at my new classification of Semi-Pro so the big Dawgs will rear their ugly heads and put me in my place.
As far as dirt riding has been going I have been hitting the dirt very consistently for the past two weeks or so. Many morning road rides are followed by dirt in the afternoon. For those of you that do not ride MTBs just believe that there is trust between the rider and the equipment. A bond like driving a car very fast through a blind and unfamiliar corner at excessive speed. You just have to know how to point and shoot and manipulate braking, acceleration and weight ratios between the front and rear tires to accomplish a goal, which at that time is to not crash and exit the corner retaining as much momentum as possible. This is also followed by a rapid or gradual acceleration back up to cruising speed to traverse the terrain as efficiently as possible. XC MTB racing is not a game of force or a show of sheer power it is rather a game of finesse and a lot of trust, skill and a lot of LUCK. Flat tires or mechanical malfunctions are the most common ways to ruin an otherwise great day of racing.
I have not had the pleasure of racing in TN nor do I know what tires to pack for the trip but I am sure I can find something that will work.
Till Next Time LAE,
Jr
Friday, March 10, 2006
So I have a Real Problem I love Rubber.
Here we go. I have a tire or tyre fetish. I have amassed a rather large collection of tires for my mountain bike. Lets Start.
Pair No 1.
Hutchinson Pythons:
Pair No 2
Hutchinson Scorpions:
Pair No 3
Maxxis Larsen TT
Pair No 4
Maxxis Ranchero
Pair No 5
Maxxis Crossmarks
Hell Yeah my newest addition to the tire arsenal.
I also have a few other tires and many duplicates. I think I have a problem. But for other issues Thanks Hutchinson for looking out for my health.
Leave it up to a tire company to get your Back even in the most sensitive situations. I could not believe that this was a subsidiary of Hutchinson
Billy Boy: That Character Says it All.
Pair No 1.
Hutchinson Pythons:
Pair No 2
Hutchinson Scorpions:
Pair No 3
Maxxis Larsen TT
Pair No 4
Maxxis Ranchero
Pair No 5
Maxxis Crossmarks
Hell Yeah my newest addition to the tire arsenal.
I also have a few other tires and many duplicates. I think I have a problem. But for other issues Thanks Hutchinson for looking out for my health.
Leave it up to a tire company to get your Back even in the most sensitive situations. I could not believe that this was a subsidiary of Hutchinson
Billy Boy: That Character Says it All.
Like a Metric Ton of Bricks
Like a Metric Ton of Bricks the race season is upon us. After looking at my schedule and realizing that it requires a little to much time in the car or on the plane I must say that this season is going to be like lifting this <--.
Here is the tentative schedule:
February:
25 Walberg (Austin)
26 Pace Bend (Austin)
March:
5 Rouge Roubaix (Baton Rouge)
11-12 Off Weekend or Lagos Vista (Austin)
18-19 Fayetteville Stage Race (Fayetteville TX / A-town)
OR Bonita Xtreme (Meridian, MS) MTB
25-26 Chickasaw Trace Classic (Colombia, TN) AMBC MTB
April:
1-2 Highland Outback Blowout (Waco, TX) MTB
8-9 Tour Le Fleur (Jackson, MS)
15 Spring Hill Classic (Barling, AR) MTB
22-23 Mississippi Grad Prix (Brookhaven, MS)
29 Athens Twilight Crit (Athens, GA) NRC
30 Nalley Roswell Crit (Roswell, GA) NRC
May:
6-7 Sunny King Crit (Anniston, AL) NRC
13-14 Joe Martin (Fayetteville, AR) NRC Kick Some Ass Mountains.
20-21 Tri Peaks (Russellville, AR) NRC Get My Ass Kicked Mountains.
27-28 Old Post Challenge (Russellville, AR) AMBC MTB
OR Monroe RR + TT (Monroe, LA)
June:
3-4 BUMP N GRIND (Birmingham, AL) AMBC
10-11 Sugar Mountain NORBA National Series (Sugar Mtn, NC) NORBA MTB
17-18 Mississippi State Games (Meridian, MS) MTB
24-25 District Road Race Championships (Natchez, MS)
OR Super Week which actually last for 16 Days in Wisconsin
July:
1-2 Tour De Louisiane (Covington, LA)
8-9 Park City NORBA National (Park City, UT) NORBA MTB
15-16 Tanasi Challenge (Duck town, TN) AMBC MTB
OR Meridian Omnium (Meridian, MS)
22 District Crit Championships (Denham Springs, LA)
29-30 Anniston Alabama, AL MTB Race
August:
4-6 Brian Head, UT NORBA National MTB Race (Brian Head, UT) NORBA MTB
11-13 Snowmass NORBA National MTB Race (Snow Mass, CO) NORBA MTB
19-20 USCF National Championships (Downers Grove, IL) National Championships
September:
9-10 Clear Creek MTB Challenge (Oxford, MS) MTB
16-17 Rasing Canes Road Race (St Francisville, LA)
October:
7-9 Ride Around Butts (Jackson, MS) MTB
14-15 Piney Hills Fall Classic (Ruston, LA) AMBC Louisiana State MTB Championships Knock One More Down for the Ole Boy. We will make this one Number 3
I QUIT!!!!
Shit this Schedule is sending me all over the place. Also, I will have to make at least one trip to the Left Side to Mammoth, Cali. California Here We Come.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Pace Bend
Hey this was one of the best race courses that I have encountered. Pace Bend Park is a jewel located just west of A-town on Lake Travis. The hills are rolling and the pavement is amazing. Austin if you don't watch out you might get another resident. This is the first course that I have raced that is built for me with one exception. I love extremely steep short hills that rip your legs off. I should recant that statement. I don't love them I just manage them better that most of the guys I race against.
That said it was my first race of the year and not just that my first race since October 05. I have pics that eventually will be added to a photo section but bear with me for the time being. My form(for all my non-cycling buddies = race fitness) seems pretty good but I have not worked the grinding rides where one powers the flats in a really hard gear for hours to work your muscles under a high stress low cadence. These for me are essential for racing because I spin an extremely high cadence (pedal revolutions). Mistake number one don't do that. I am doing grinding rides starting tomorrow.
So the race starts and it was quite fast. We were averaging ~ 26-28 on the second lap with hills. That is rolling for a large Cat 3 field (~ 100). On lap 4/10 I could not tell whether I had picked up a piece of tape or possibly slashed the casing of my tire. So I stopped and found that it was a bandage. This f)(&ing bandage was the most tenacious bit of sticky stuff that I have ever come across. It lasted through two power descents at 43 MPH with my hand rubbing the tire to dislodge the object. So I stopped and found that this band aid had ruined my day. It was time to chase back to the peleton (main group of riders).
NOT OVER MY DEAD BODY!!!! Just as I stopped I slowed down before the hills on each of the 6.2 mile laps. I restarted to see the one person that the group was marking a rider from A&M launch an attack. SHIT!!! The group responded and started to chase him down. This left me chasing, which was fine with me because I was catching them on the hills. However, soon enough they made it back to the power descents and I had not made it back into the group. As a complete UNIT they can descend far faster than one person. I could not get above 32 by myself and they were going 43+. Guess whose race had just been blown out of the water? MEEEEEE. I rode Tempo for the rest of the race and ended up getting lapped. Which was fine by me because the peleton caught me just before the bell lap (final lap)? I hop back into the mix and do so just in time to see one guy ride clear off the road and catch his front wheel on a chain fence about knee high and catapult him over the bars. Shortly there after in the sprint some poor schmutz (the foamy brown crust found in septic tanks when the top is removed) crashed and here I am behind him my front wheel cruising at his neck at 30+. I had to lock the brakes up to not do serious damage to him.
GAME OVER.
That said it was my first race of the year and not just that my first race since October 05. I have pics that eventually will be added to a photo section but bear with me for the time being. My form(for all my non-cycling buddies = race fitness) seems pretty good but I have not worked the grinding rides where one powers the flats in a really hard gear for hours to work your muscles under a high stress low cadence. These for me are essential for racing because I spin an extremely high cadence (pedal revolutions). Mistake number one don't do that. I am doing grinding rides starting tomorrow.
So the race starts and it was quite fast. We were averaging ~ 26-28 on the second lap with hills. That is rolling for a large Cat 3 field (~ 100). On lap 4/10 I could not tell whether I had picked up a piece of tape or possibly slashed the casing of my tire. So I stopped and found that it was a bandage. This f)(&ing bandage was the most tenacious bit of sticky stuff that I have ever come across. It lasted through two power descents at 43 MPH with my hand rubbing the tire to dislodge the object. So I stopped and found that this band aid had ruined my day. It was time to chase back to the peleton (main group of riders).
NOT OVER MY DEAD BODY!!!! Just as I stopped I slowed down before the hills on each of the 6.2 mile laps. I restarted to see the one person that the group was marking a rider from A&M launch an attack. SHIT!!! The group responded and started to chase him down. This left me chasing, which was fine with me because I was catching them on the hills. However, soon enough they made it back to the power descents and I had not made it back into the group. As a complete UNIT they can descend far faster than one person. I could not get above 32 by myself and they were going 43+. Guess whose race had just been blown out of the water? MEEEEEE. I rode Tempo for the rest of the race and ended up getting lapped. Which was fine by me because the peleton caught me just before the bell lap (final lap)? I hop back into the mix and do so just in time to see one guy ride clear off the road and catch his front wheel on a chain fence about knee high and catapult him over the bars. Shortly there after in the sprint some poor schmutz (the foamy brown crust found in septic tanks when the top is removed) crashed and here I am behind him my front wheel cruising at his neck at 30+. I had to lock the brakes up to not do serious damage to him.
GAME OVER.
Walberg
I could not race because I forgot my licence number and I ran into a boy scout. It rained all day and I was not looking forward to racing in that hell storm anyway. The radar image says it all.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
Michael Foster Project
Went to Sogo last night to see the Mike Foster Project. They are a local brass band that includes a lot of my buds from my yesteryears. Mike Foster on Sousaphone; we have John Grey on Trumpet; Jeremy Boinkins on Trumpet; Christopher Lee on drums and a few other guy whose' names I can not recall at this moment.
I remember playing at M's Cafe with Simon Lott and many of these guys back when I was in High School, many years ago when I wanted to be a musician. I finally realized that I grew up in great company. Hanging out with WarmDaddy Wes Anderson, taking lessons from Rex Richardson and any other traveling musical monster, playing with Gram Breedlove. Hell I even played with Daniel Lee Hotard when my brother was pissing around with his band Janus. I am not sure how it happened but cycling took over my life and put my music on the back burner. That said I now have time to start to re-explore my music and I think it is time to pick my axe back up again. I remember playing at M's Cafe and Wes walked in, I choked like you would not believe. Here in small Baton Rouge one of the most accomplisehed alto sax player in the world walks in on one of my Solos and I CHOKED, no sound no audible attempt just silence followed by 30 second of out of tune CRAP. I am more musical in the bathroom than I was for those 30 seconds. Do I really miss being a musician? I started to play the trumpet at the age of 9 years old and have played on and off primarily ON for 16 years. I have played with some great musicians and some cool guys.
I miss Tabby's Hoodoo music on Thursdays but I think a nice alternative is Mike Foster on Wednesdays. Sogo has a nasty little drink special known as 3 for 1 on Wednesdays. One drink and I am done.
LAE, Jr
Be sure to check in same bat time same bat channel.
I remember playing at M's Cafe with Simon Lott and many of these guys back when I was in High School, many years ago when I wanted to be a musician. I finally realized that I grew up in great company. Hanging out with WarmDaddy Wes Anderson, taking lessons from Rex Richardson and any other traveling musical monster, playing with Gram Breedlove. Hell I even played with Daniel Lee Hotard when my brother was pissing around with his band Janus. I am not sure how it happened but cycling took over my life and put my music on the back burner. That said I now have time to start to re-explore my music and I think it is time to pick my axe back up again. I remember playing at M's Cafe and Wes walked in, I choked like you would not believe. Here in small Baton Rouge one of the most accomplisehed alto sax player in the world walks in on one of my Solos and I CHOKED, no sound no audible attempt just silence followed by 30 second of out of tune CRAP. I am more musical in the bathroom than I was for those 30 seconds. Do I really miss being a musician? I started to play the trumpet at the age of 9 years old and have played on and off primarily ON for 16 years. I have played with some great musicians and some cool guys.
I miss Tabby's Hoodoo music on Thursdays but I think a nice alternative is Mike Foster on Wednesdays. Sogo has a nasty little drink special known as 3 for 1 on Wednesdays. One drink and I am done.
LAE, Jr
Be sure to check in same bat time same bat channel.
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