VoS 2006 finality/mad cows in Henefer/TdU/13:48?!?!?!?!?!
In the past week now I’ve got a few little reminders that my blogging has seriously slacked. I know that T-bird claims he only has 3 readers at his blog and I can finally claim 2 readers at my blog. I take comments like those as provocation to throw something out there.
We’ve had some good local racing so far this year and I’m super excited about what a great team is lined up on Porcupine Pub & Grille/Specialized Racing Team. Two of the three weekend races have been rainy, so it was great to have sunshine at East Canyon and to have a forecast for sunny skies at Antelope Island.
Going back to that provocation to update the blog…yes I was in the middle of a story. I believe I had finished the entry for Stage 2 of the Valley of the Sun 2006 stage race. I’m only two and a half months/San Dimas Stage Race/two full months of local racing off schedule. What can I say? So, let’s go back a few months and figure this thing out.
The criterium was mostly uneventful other than a pile up that amazingly forced me to only unclip and push my way through the stack of bikes to get back going. Of course, “The Body” was right there to punch it and get me back on with the group. I think I mentioned that Jesse “the body” G is probably the best guy ever who is not a team mate to road trip. The criterium ended a few laps later and I finished in the front third I think. To my good luck, none of the AEG-Toshiba guys got away and I held on to 10th place overall! I have to say I was very excited about the race and the signs of good early form.
Now the fun started. Back on the road again, we were determined to make it to St. George to spend the night before finishing off the trip home. At the awards, we got a tip to take a “shortcut” on highway 189. Little did we know that a storm was brewing and that it would take us 2.5 hours longer than expected. After a few hours of white knuckle driving we pulled through Kanab and eventually made it to St. George. Regional racing is a blast, but traveling too and from leaves something to be desired. I told “the body” I should have taken notes on all of the events from that particular weekend…maybe he’ll throw in some nice commentary. I’m sure he and A-rock are making the best of another trip to Tour of the Gila at this very moment. They should be out pre-riding the TT course as I type in fact.
New Feature: Things that suck about bike racing
- crashing
- trying to figure out how to make bandages stay on you while racing/training
- being good enough at bandaging that you can actually keep bandages on while racing/training
- trashing a Campy chain when it’s only been used for 2 weeks
News Flash: Tour of Utah is for real!
Tour of Utah Press Conference 5/2/2006
Just think, you have 3 months to prepare yourself for 114 miles and only 17,000+ feet of climbing on the final stage of the 6-stage Tour of Utah. Tip: find T-bird’s wheel just before Sundance because I’m sure he’s going to flip the switch! I’m wondering if the organizers will consider keeping the race route more than a mile from my house…wait a minute, by that point if I’m still in I won’t even be sure where my house is.
Notes from East Canyon racing:
- did you see how white RB’s new shoes are?
- nice job to the breakaway for rolling it less than a mile into the race and staying away all day.
- nice job to the Chuckster…he put on a great race with a huge field of racers and little support.
- some of the cows looked kind of upset that we were taking up space on their road through henefer.
Notes not from East Canyon:
- I’ve got to figure out a way to beat 13:48 at Saltair…and I don’t think I can push 55x12 into a cross-headwind without a Cherynoble type meltdown.