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Another Wednesday night race in the bag. I came in third with a bunch of excuses but a third is a third. I’m moving up to sport my next race. I have some other goals in my brain working over. Including upping milage for the month of June & finishing a bike build.

I’ll have a better write up tomorrow – I think.

It’s dumping out. Which means that the race at Catawba tonight will be cancelled AGAIN. I’ll hold off to switch my gearing until around 3’sh. See if it gets cancelled, if not I’ll switch my gears and show up.

Off to work

What was I talking about again? Oh yes, NOTHING. I’ve been busy being busy. Let’s do a quick recap and then get back to life.

Today which is Tuesday. I worked till 5 and then scooted myself over to Renni where I rode with the Dirt Divas. I really ended up riding with Melanie & Ben, but let’s pretend here. We rode both loops of the trail and then bullshitted in the parking lot for a while. The ride was good, enough to spin my legs out and push up some hills but I’m really not tired from the actual ride.

Yesterday which was Monday. A few of us went up to Poplar Tent. The actual ride was great. Poplar Tent is one of the more technical riding in the area so it works on all my issues in one full loop. We have climbing, we have decending, we have logs and all that fun stuff. I can tell I am improving. I didn’t ride 100% of the trail but maybe by the end of the year I’ll be pretty close to it.

Sunday – oh man Sunday. I woke up early and went riding with the CHADSTER out to Waxhaw. We rode past Bolt Brothers and there was a street festival happening. The shop wasn’t opened yet so we continued on our ride. Riding up a gradual incline (not even a hill) a spoke goes. BLING. Front spoke, low spoke count & I still have 10 miles to go. The wheel is all out of wack, moving so much side to side that it is taking my caliper with it. My avg drops from 17 to 10 within 10 miles. This means I am riding roughly 5-6mph. It sucked, but shit happens and nothing is broken that can’t be fixed. It just means I am off my road bike until Thursday or so. I had to order in some bling bling spokes for the bling wheel. The ride was good – I enjoy Chads company. He makes things seem so much better & a happy person in general. Something wasn’t there in my legs but base is still only 1/4 of the way through.

Tomorrow is my first ride at Catawba. Supposedly the best riding, and hardest in the Charlotte area. It also happens to be the second race of my summer series quest. Why do I do the easiest and then hardest trails in the area to race? We all know the answer to this. I’m insane. Not as much as Team Dicky – but insane still.

This is my past few days. I work tomorrow and then ride. Thursday I ride and then work. Friday I repeat. Friday night my lovely girlfriend is coming to visit for the weekend and Saturday night my lovely friend Andrew is visiting for the weekend as well. Exciting to all of you – but this blog is meant to keep family up with the times.

I ordered a few lovely products in this week including a bladder for my new (slightly used) WingNut, some Electrolyte tablets, socks and I forget what else. Christmas in June right?

Now go ride your damn bike instead of reading this. The weather is amazing here, and I’m working on my warrior farmers tan.

Found this amusing –

http://thisnext.com/blog/2006/05/a_bazillion_bike_blogs/index.html

“I don’t know what it is about cyclists and blogs but the two seem as inseperable as GU and sticky fingers. Bikers blog more than anyone in the world; bikeblog.com is proof. Browsing its compendium of blogs is addictive and is a testament to the strength of the cycling community. I’m impressed both with the sheer volume of blogs represented and by the individual who tirelessly explores the Web.”

That’s what I got. In my lungs and nose. The thick kind too. I didn’t ride this morning do to phlegm in my lungs – making me whistle when I breathe & also making me restless at night.

Tonight I plan on going to bed around 11pm and getting up early enough to drive 30 minutes to ride with the CHADSTER. Hopefully we’ll turn over 40 miles. Monday another 40 with Ethan, grub ride at night & then an active recovery day Tuesday inorder to calm my legs down before CATAWBA on Wednesday night.

I have to regear my ss for Wednesday night. I’m thinking 34×22. We’ll see what I can find in Ethan’s Bargain Basement.

That’s my plan for the next few days. I’m a bit freaked out about the race Wednesday but it will put Catawba and the Cowbell Challenge. Am I truely on the crazy road to the end of my short life or will I survive and be that much stronger?

Now I’m done babbling. Come ride with me – whoever you are.

Brother Sunshine this is for you.

Jeannie this one is only for you.

There still hasn’t been a day yet that I have gone out and wondered why the fuck I moved to Charlotte. Sometimes I get stressed at work – but it’s work ya know? If that doesn’t stress you out every once in awhile what will?

This morning was another great ride. A bit shy of 40 miles with Ethan & a girl with no name. It was good times being dragged all South Charlotte. I learned a couple new roads – I’m sure I’ll get lost if I go alone. The weather was perfect. Hot but not horrid & enough to give me some type of a tan. A couple more mornings like that I’m sure I’ll have a true farmers tan for the wedding in July. You know butt crack white & then brown like leather. I plan on working hard for it too.

Time for bed – ride again tomorrow, work and then the weekend!!!

I’m going to redo my last post about my ride yesterday. I was trying to limit myself due to time but here we go.

The ride started off a bit frazled. I had three places I needed to be at the same time. I needed to drop off a battery to Jen (which ended up not working – SORRY!) I needed to get my bike & self ready to ride, and I needed to drop Fiona off at a friends while I rode. I hate putting myself under un-needed stress so it stressed me out that much more. Either way I got everything done without too many people upset at me. I finally got to the parking lot at Beatty (for a second time) and got my bike off the car, got chamois on, figured out my water from 3 days prior was drinkable, pedals switched, and was ready to go. Thankfully Mel waited patiently for me & I had someone to ride with. We did one lap which was super nice – I still haven’t gotten over the log of evil but time will get me there, I haven’t really been on a mountain bike other than racing in a few weeks. I loose confidence easily since I am still on that learning curve.

Mel and I finish the first lap at Beatty – finding Taryn in the parking lot. She had been test riding a Cannondale Prophet from a guy off one of the forums. He was riding her single speed during all this and we waited for him to return her bike. Mel, Taryn & I chatted it up with some folks. I saw a customer (Hi Scott!!) and finally we were ready to rock and roll. The second lap was race pace ready to go ride. It was fun to try and follow Taryn’s lines – she has much more experience flowing through a trail than I.

The end of the lap was almost in a dream. It had gotten pretty dark in the woods & the trail was hard to see. Flying down a couple of the hills was a bit freaky – all I could do was try and follow Taryn into the darkness & keep speed up. I love night riding & the 20 minutes before it is pitch dark is one of my new favorites of riding. After riding bikes (mainly road don’t forget) it is so great to find new things that excite or make me happy.

That was my retake on Beatty. It was a ride that stuck with me for the past day so I figured it required a better rewrite. Now I am off to bed and riding maybe in the morning.

Rode at Beatty last night. Only two laps due to the fact it got dark & I had a puppy hanging out in a friends backyard. I enjoyed riding last night – thanks to riding more I’ve gotten faster and the trail seems much different at a different pace.

I opted out of riding this morning. Whatever has been going around cold wise is finally catching up with me & I would rather not be sick for the next two weeks. I probably won’t ride until Saturday now unless I feel better & not worse!

Time to make some lunch, shower and get to work. Tonight is the BikePASA meeting at the shop (6:30pm.) After which I am coming home and going to bed after dinner. I have a view reviews to throw up so look for those in the next day or two!