Mixed Bag of Tricks

So....We do what we can do in this game. We do what we have to, and we play the lines and boundaries. Cycling and life are one for some of us....I feel like cycling and life are synonymous for me least ways. When one strikes the balance hard, the other is jerked into left field-hard sometimes. The dreaded left field...oh how I loathe that dump. Lets just say left field is a pretty bad place. I'm reminded of this fact a lot, and don't give much thought to it...until I'm unpleasantly reminded that is. It's not a totally negative trade though, good life can transfer into an aura on the bike as well. Normally I think we neglect that thought. We all know those rides....world and peace are one dooode, as the emphatic Californian would say.

Well....this weekend was a pretty mixed bag for me. Lets rephrase that, the last MONTH has been a pretty mixed bag for me. The best thing about this past Saturday(PA States) for me was a toss up between my cool down ride in awesomely warm and comforting leg warmers and I-pod on the roads around the parkway...and getting to soak in that changing of times with the ole kuhndog and yozell. Those two guys are pretty great, and getting to see those two as fathers to kids the same age-who will no doubt grow up together and be close friends- (you can see it I swear) it's just phenomenal. My race was pretty embarrassing honestly. And today was a mixed bag, but good for sure. My favorite part was bunny hopping the barriers every lap but the first. May not have been faster, but it was damn fun for sure.
Props to the very talented Anthony Skorochod for cathcing my almost endo at the barriers
I'm going to make the call and say my season is officially over. I'm pulling the plug on a somewhat high note.....today was pretty good in the end, and I'm happy with that. I am still going to the next two races...Rockville for obvious reasons, where I'll just race to finish and I'll catch a ride down to the MASS finals at Reston to work the pits and heckle all the people I will miss drastically over the next few months and longer for some. Now when to fold folks....know when to fold.

I wanted to mention something else, but I'm not quite sure how to put it in there better than just tacking it on at the end....I guess it can recall the mixed bag thing as well. It's the blog man...this pseudo-culture of bloggerdom. It's pretty phenomenal when you think about it. I don't recall who it was this weekend, a similar situation occurred last weekend as well, but I'm starting to get recognized and as stated a few posts ago called out just for having the blog. For better or worse, I think thats pretty cool. Way to live in a digital era, being recognized by your blog and texting to communicate with clients....I can dig.

Go register for the LAST PACX race of the series in Marysville, PA(central PA) coming up this saturday december 5th. It's going to be a really fun event, and thats what we want this time of year isn't it? Not just another race to go to, but a fun EVENT. Feels like we haven't had one in awhile.

Colorado was amazing.

Now THIS is worth talking about

What am I going to talk about?

My race of course! I just spent the morning out at the lions club.....let me just say there is a treat in store for everyone who makes the trip out....thats right marc, just for you. I haven't raced there(and there hasn't been a race there) since 2005- you may remember the pa state champs and the unofficially official state champs. I remember the course was pretty dope with a home grown set of stairs. I remember resetting the course and tearing down.....but I only have a vague outline of what it did in my mind. So with that in mind, I went out and threw together my take of a cross course at Marysville. I think it went better than it probably did.....I'm reeling right now to be honest. I used a good bit of the same course kuhn did, but I am pretty confident that I made it different enough to be my own. Well.....I don't know, it could be exactly the same.....but that wouldn't be a bad thing, it was an awesome course before. Yes, I'm jabbering and rambling now....I'm that excited.

So anyways, here's the scoop, on tap I have a few key attractions. The first one is what I called the "run-up of sunshine and rainbows" on my website. The name is a trick. It is rideable.....but barely. Which brings in the question, "To try, or not to try?". You will have to dismount at some point, because it goes straight into a staircase for shits and giggles! Had to put it in....it's a staircase just sitting there looking all alone...you get the point. The second attraction is what I'm going to lovingly dub the G spot, just to show ken how its done. For those of you who attended specta-cross this summer, you know what i'm referring to. If not- I guess I can let you in on it. The "g" spot was the center of a large wet- spiral. You'll know mine when you see it....I don't hide it ;-) Was that necessary? I don't think so, but it will be fun for the announcer all day long.

The course is fast. Bloody fast...in some parts. But its also slow and technical in others. Expect a lot of good flow, with a off cambers, two loose corners, some tight descending, wooded sections, field sections, two huge power sections and a few really steep ride-ups, steps, dismounts, remounts, unruly ragamuffins, amazing shicanes, a ton of transitions, and a really fun course. I haven't decided yet if i am going to put in a set of true barriers yet....but expect them anyways.

There are two people reg'd....so lets get some peeps on there! Get me amp'd up and it shows in the energy of the event. Come on people, lets race cross!!

Oh and there is indoor reg, bathrooms, kids selling coffee and foooood, and a band! Plus a guest appearance on the microphonothinger! And my race music is trance....

go HERE!

obviously i didn't write my angry post. good thing.

The weather has been phenominal....florida weather is starting to look good in the winter now....

I had the desire to make a killer blog post....but lost it again.

I passed a car descending on my road bike yesterday...

I'm excited for something I just ordered today...been needing another for awhile. (and its not another hole in the head)It's good to have things to look forward to....

Sometimes, its not worth it to write how you feel about some things.

Time for an angry post

I thought better of actually posting what I wrote. I won't be at the usgp this weekend.

Sweet Nothings

I was just thinking to myself, "holy shit, is it still freakin monday?" Then I realized it wasn't anymore.

Being awake at 2 in the morning is soooo good for recovery.

Somebody pointed out to me that my posts are pretty hard to get through. That I tend to write more about my angst, frustrations, and whatever all that shit is. Trends in my life I suppose. Yeah....okay, I understand. Two-shay. I'm probably not worth the time. If only I wrote that somewhere..... Anyways, race reports are pretty damn boring. Hearing about the whatever time I've seen 1300 watts on my power meter and how that still means I suck is pretty damn boring. Hearing about me getting my ass kicked every weekend is pretty damn boring. Hopefully hearing about me sleeping in my car, scratching race entries in the parking lot before I can register, sleeping in weird places, brushing my teeth in parking lots, and struggling to live may be a bit more interesting?

Yeah, its one of those nights. Why else would I be up at 2am? I sure as hell don't party.

That was pretty cynical.

Cool shit going on?
-I won a sprint(I suck at sprinting)
-I got the first call up at an elite race(yeah it was small...pipe dreams bitches.)
-The last race of the PA Cross Series just went live on bikereg a few days ago. December 5th. Check it out and go register awhile. It's gonna be sweet...you all know you missed out at Long Pine....ask anyone who went. You missed it because you didn't go. Don't let that happen again.

For race reports and strictly bike shit, go check out my other websites....cause this one ain't changin'.

http://fastforwarddevoteam.blogspot.com
http://www.fastforwardracingproductions.com

I'd say good night, but I suppose Buenos dias is more in style? It's not like I'm going to sleep anyway.

Bucket list for the rest of the year:
-pass a few classes
-go to one race with uncle don.....
-start rock climbing again
-actually get out in the kayak a second time this year
-take that trip down to the smokies we are planning


The beginning of the week always sucks. I think I have an operant conditioning ws due in a few hours....I should get on that.

hmm hmm hmm hmm

I'm ready for this semester to be over.

I'm kind of in a lull right now....despite the fact that so much is going on in my life right now.

I've been pretty energized to get some paperwork done lately.

Racing hasn't been going great. I get it, taking my lumps. I got it. Thanks.

November is a busy ass month for racing. I don't have a free weekend until Nationals. Yes I'm not going to nationals...and i think I'm going to cut my season that first weekend in december. What would I do with a free weekend anyways? I'd be bored....probably go to a race or something. 12 down-10 to go. that will make ....a lot for the season. Something like....over 40 races this year. Doesn't feel like I've raced all that much though. I can hardly remember the winter though....seems like a lifetime ago.

I'm thinking a paddling trip down south where its pretty warm.....

My advice to all those young (and old) men out there," stay away from the fairer sex". Seriously. I just don't want to mess with them. Like a little kid that got the shit kicked out of him for sticking his fingers in the cookie jar.

My realization of how overall weak I am is pretty pathetic. We've been doing some testing in one of my kinesiology classes.....my forearms are bigger than my biceps. Today I played raquetball for an hour and a half with the experience.....let me say wow- props to him for putting up with my lame ass. Ever seen a puppy tripping over his feet trying to play fetch?? I need to do some non-specific exercise(by non-specific I mean NOT cycling) like.....rock climbing, kayaking, more raquetball, hiking, rollerblading, cow tipping.....you get the idea.


Uhm......sleep time. Oh so important.