Toons

Not a whole lot going on in the big Dee Eff Dub (DFW), but now that Sweatin' Burnt Orange is over, I expect to have more free time (i.e. more time to pick up shifts at work and try to make monies...). Speaking of Sweatin' Burnt Orange, it was, uh, a wash out... literally. I didn't get a chance to snag any photos, except for the Friday before when I went to the Real Ale brewery to pick up the kegs, but oh well. And speaking of the brewery, those guys live the life, I tell ya'! They live out in the gorgeous Texas Hill Country, where there is a never-ending supply of good, no, GREAT places to ride, and their job is to make beer! How much more could you really ask for? They seemed to really enjoy their jobs, and I only hope I can be in a similar position one day. But I digress...

The first ever (but hopefully not annual) Swimmin' Burnt Orange Bike Tour was crazy. But, it was great to not be 100% in charge, as there were at least 3 other people doing as much, if not more, work than I. Sean and I had the privilege of more or less being supervisors/consultants, which I liked very much. Anyway, the forecast all last week called for a 10% chance of rain on Sunday, and Josh even said the forecast on Sunday morning had said 0% chance of rain. Welll... someone fucked up... It rained, kinda hard, for about 5 minutes around 8:15 as everyone was beginning to get ready for the ride. But then it stopped, and we figured we were in the clear. Around 8:35, Jacob, our resident poet, bestowed upon the riders some eloquent words, and I led them out in Danielle's car. Well, about 10 minutes later, it began to rain again. Only this time, it didn't let up. In fact, it only got worse.

Now, the roads our ride follows are mostly smaller country roads with many turns, hills, and cattle guards. So, they're not boring, to say the least. In fact, there are spots that can be a bit hairy when it's dry. Throw rain in the mix, and you have a very, very sketchy course... I got to the first rest stop and decided to hang out there for a bit to see how things were going.

It wasn't long before I got a call from the leader of our medical support team. (A HUGE shoutout to MSET, by the way. Those guys were badass, and totally legitimized our little grassroots fund-raising ride. If you need medical support for any sort of running, cycling, or triathlon event, I would highly recommend them! Just call them early because they get booked up quick!)

Anyway, I hear from the guy in charge of our medical team that we've already had multiple riders go off the road, several broken chains, and people were having trouble walking, much less riding up the fairly steep, wet hills... This was all before the first rest stop, so within the first 12 miles, mind you.

A few frantic phone calls later, we determined from weather radar that the rain was not going to let up and in fact there was another storm cell to follow the one that we were currently experiencing. I was advised by the MSET leader to cancel the ride altogether, or at the very least hold everyone at the first rest stop until the storm passed. Given the information we found out from the radar, I made the difficult decision to cancel the ride...

This was just as the first riders were reaching the rest stop, and I was on the phone with everyone I could get a hold of, trying to get as many of our support vehicles as possible to the rest stop to SAG all the riders back to the start. We basically told everyone that if they REALLY wanted to ride, the only route we would support them on was the 25 mile route, but that we could SAG them in safely and they would have BBQ and beer awaiting their arrival (Josh got a call from Riley's BBQ who always does our catering for the ride, and is awesome by the way, and they offered to move the BBQ inside their restaurant, out of the rain, which was such an amazing thing to do on their part!)

At this point, we got all of our SAG vehicles, including the Mellow Johnny's mechanic and Tour de Cure volunteers to take people and their bikes back to the start/finish, and sent the medical team down the road to provide support for anyone who wanted to ride the full 25 mile course.

I ended up standing in the rain, wearing a 100% cotton sweatshirt and jeans, trying to co-ordinate everything on the phone, for about an hour and a half to 2 hours, and by the time I realized my mistake, I was soaking wet and freezing cold. But, we still had riders on the course, and they took priority over me when it came to getting a ride back.

In the end, we managed to get all the riders and volunteers out of the rain and fed in a timely fashion (riders a bit moreso than volunteers, but that's to be expected when they paid for the ride and, ultimately, our support) By the time I got back, there was nobody to be found as most riders had left, and most of the volunteers were over at the BBQ.

When all was said and done, I heard most riders were not unhappy with the ride, as we cannot control the weather, and they were just glad we were able to get them out of the ride safely and quickly.

After putting so much work into the ride, to have rain practically erase all of that work was rather disappointing and frustrating. But, at the same time, we had been blessed by beautiful weather for the first four years of the ride, so it was bound to happen at some point. Most of all, it was certainly a huge learning experience, and while I think we did pretty damn well at responding to the situation, especially considering we had not even thought of rain as a possibility (maybe a bit too much wishful thinking?) But, we can certainly use this for the future and discuss what to do in the event of rain BEFORE the rain actually happens, and hopefully have things go even smoother, should it happen again. But let's hope it doesn't.

Everyone who worked so hard on this ride did a fantastic job, and it went swimmingly (heh, get it?) and I can only hope that the ride grows to it's full potential in the years to come. I mean, seriously, Hotter 'n Hell, in Wichita Falls (i.e. flat, BFE) draws that many people on a hot summer day, and we can't get more than 300 people when we're <1.5 ahref="http: com=">Cyclebum has gotten stuck in my head (thus the post's title):



Yeah... intentions of posting a video, and then my hands threw up all over my keyboard. Well, I'm sure someone was curious as to how the ride went, and I suppose I could adapt it to a more diplomatic version and post it on the team's blog with photos that hopefully someone has.

Oh yes, and I am the new owner of a pair of very expensive running shoes... so I pretty much HAVE TO start running now. That should come in handy when I'm in Atlanta and separated from my bikes (I know what you're thinking, and I'm not sure yet how I'll cope either) But more on that soon when I actually have something to say about it.

Re-lo-kay-shun

So, as you may well know by now, I have relocated, mostly against my will, to the Dallas/Ft. Worth area. Yeah, I know, I throw up in my mouth a little when I hear that too... But, I am doing my best to keep an open mind and remind myself that it's for the best. Basically, things were not working out in Austin, and UT, well... yeah, uh, fuck that. Anyway, I am here now, working at a restaurant, trying to pick up a second job to repay my debt and begin saving money in hopes of leaving Texas by next summer. Where to?

The land of red rocks, Colorado! I have always wanted to live there, and it's time to start making those dreams into realities. I do miss Austin, very much so, and it hasn't even been a month since I've been away, but I think once I get to Denver, I won't miss it so much. Plus, Austin isn't going anywhere, and there's a whole lot of world out there to see!

Anyway, I managed to find a job up here at a restaurant. It's alright, and it pays, so it'll do. I've got a lead for another part-time gig that will hopefully turn out for me, and then I will have insurance too! Yay!

Being in cookie-cutter suburbia, life is a bit different, to say the least. The biggest change is the amount of driving I have been doing and the amount of time spent indoors. It's a fucking concrete jungle here, and it's hard to deal with sometimes. But, with the weather FINALLY giving us some relief, hopefully that will begin to change.

I managed to break my streak of inactivity last week, as I began riding with a local team on their weekly rides. It's your standard hammerfest, except it's all juniors and older dudes. I'm the only person in the group between the ages of 17 and 45. The first time I showed up, I chilled at the back to get a feel for the ride, and got dropped like a bad habit as the juniors attacked up front and I got stuck behind the older guys trying to keep up, and got yo-yoed off the back. They don't like to call out turns, and some even ride with aerobars, so that made me a bit nervous about riding in the pack as well.

This week, I still got dropped by the juniors, but hung with a group of 3 other older guys who were still quite strong. I took a few pulls, but overall, they kicked my ass. But, I enjoyed myself, probably more than any other road ride I have done in this area. I think the secret is simply in going harder. There's not really any enjoyable scenery or terrain out here, so to make up for it, just hammer and focus on the wheel in front of you. I dunno, but I think I'm going to keep riding with these guys. There's also one other local group that host rides I want to check out.

Also, my dad goes to work out at the city's rec center almost nightly, and after two weeks of turning him down when he asked if I wanted to join him, I told myself that if I have not yet done any physical activity that day and do not have to work that evening, that I have to go with him. As a result, I have resumed weight training and core workouts, after more than a year's hiatus. Also, he and my brother play racquetball frequently, and I have been joining them and very much enjoying myself.

That's about it for now. I have been bored and wasting a lot of time online since I have been here, so I figured I could use some of it to write here. I guess I could also work on finishing up that other blog I started a while ago...

And, I've been lonely, so there's another reason you may see me here more often.

Until next time, keep riding!

I'm Back?

Yeah, I've been away for a super long time. Things got crazy, and the were looking up, then down, then up again, and then waaay down, and blah blah blah. I think I'm getting it figured out, and hopefully it's for the best. But, one way or another, so long as I get to ride, I'll be happy. And, not just any riding. No sir, it's all about Performance:



Kidding... kinda.

Race Report: 2009 Bobcat Spring Classic

Another great weekend in Central Texas (San Marcos, to be exact), this one accompanied with some enjoyable collegiate racing in the SCCCCCCC... While the organization of the race was lacking, the courses themselves were nearly perfect, so thanks to the Texas State Cycling Team for that! With my experience co-organizing Sweatin' Burnt Orange this past year, I know it is a very daunting task to put on a cycling event, so I can understand, but hopefully they will learn and improve for next year.

First up for the weekend was the hill climb time trial, which consisted of a short flat section, followed by about a 1 km climb at 18% grade, and then a .5 mile flat section to the finish. Leaving campus around 7:15, we managed to make it to the TT site by around 8:15 after getting a bit lost, but the registration table was late too, so it was no big deal. And thus the fun began.

The time trial was really short, under 2 miles, and most completed it in around 5 or 6 minutes. I ended up 15th with a time just under 6 minutes. However, this included at least about 15 seconds that I was late to my start because we were not given start times and I thought I had more time than I had. I am curious to see how I actually would have done. Depending on how much time I lost due to that late state, I may have actually ended up around 6th place. Ah well. Clay blew everyone out of the water, winning our category (Men's C) by almost 30 seconds! He actually had the best time out of anyone on our team. Crazy!

We also took 3rd and 9th in Men's C, 2nd and 3rd in Men's B, 8th and 10th in Men's A, 3rd 5th and 9th in Women's B, and 3rd in Women's A! not too shabby, eh

Next up was the crit, but first we stopped at Alvin Ord's, a local San Marcos sandwich shop, for some tasty sandwiches. On the way to lunch, we passed by a Shipley Donuts, and of course, we had to stop by there after lunch to pick up a dozen glazed ones. Mmmm. It's a good thing I don't live closer to one of those, or I would be in trouble...

The crit took place on the Texas State campus in a parking lot and on a bordering street. At first, it looked to be quite a sketchy place to have a crit, and there were cars driving all over the course, due to a lack of volunteers/organization. But, things got worked out, and the first race was only delayed half an hour, and all was well. Apart from being a bit short, the course turned out to be very enjoyable with a 180 degree u-turn into a hill that played to my advantage, allowing me to pass people who have trouble handling their bikes and climbing, and a couple other short descents and climbs, including a climb to the finish line, that made for another spot to move up a few spots. The only really bad part about the course was a certain right hand turn that had a dip in the middle of it, causing much fear in the hearts of riders, but only ended up causing minimal problems in the end. Oh, and that trash can I grazed on just about every lap... All in all it was a very fast and fun crit and quite enjoyable.

In the men's Cs, Clay went off the front towards the beginning and stayed there for the win, making him a marked man after winning both of Saturday's events seemingly uncontested. There was a three-man chase after Clay who ended up taking second and third, and then a group of six of us behind them. Ken had some trouble in the corner with the dip and left us with 5 in our group. It was 3 UT riders an OU rider, and a Tech rider, not sure who, but we had an obvious advantage and were able to sit on the Tech guy's wheel. However, we were never able to make anything happen and ended up getting beat by both the Tech and OU rider, putting us at 7th, 8th, and 9th, myself being 9th. It was rather frustrating considering what could have been, but to have 4 in the top 10 isn't too bad I suppose.

We also managed to take 1st and 3rd in the men's B (Way to go guys!), 7th and 9th in Men's A, 3rd and 7th in Women's B, and 2nd in Women's A!

That evening, we refueled our muscles with some delicious shrimp, quinoa, and scrumptious rustic bread and cheese. It was quite a meal, I only wish my camera was working...

Sunday was the road race, and my first actual road race at that, (I'm not counting Pace Bend as a true road race) so I did not quite know what to expect. The course was just east of 35 behind the ridiculous outlets in San Marcos, and the same course that is usually used for the Tour of New Braunfels road race. The course was about 13 miles long, mostly flat with one noticeable climb in the first 5 miles of the course and a short descent soon after and then another that was just enough to stir things up a bit near the end of the course. Due to the narrow roads and the yellow line rule, some of the turns got a bit hairy, but there were no catastrophies, and all was well.

So here's how it went down in the C race:

We had pretty good positioning from the beginning, with about 8 of us at the front, who would (for the most part) stay there the rest of the race. There were 63 riders in the race, so we had a good-sized field. The first, and biggest climb on the course caught me a little by surprise, as it was steeper than I originally thought, and I was in my big ring. I made the stupid mistake of shifting into my small ring while out of the saddle, and like clockwork, I dropped the chain to the inside. So there I am, in the middle of the hill, sitting about 10th wheel in the pack, shifting my front derailleur all the way over and spinning like a mad man trying to pick up my chain and also not cause a terrible mishap in the field. No dice. For some reason, even after shifting my derailleur as far as it would go, I could not pick up my chain. So, I stopped, got off the bike, and had to manually put my chain back on. Awesome.

So now I'm midway up a hill, dead last in the pack, with the follow car behind me (who actually got impatient and left me before I even got back on my bike) within the first 5 miles of the race. Great start... I briefly thought about just riding back to the start, but so early on in the race, I figured it would be worth a shot to catch back up. Luckily, the next 10 miles or so were relatively flat, so I caught up to some guys who had been spit out of the pack, and told them to get on my wheel to catch up. There were about 3 of us, doing somewhat of a paceline, and by that I mean I pulled until I started to get tired, and then an A&M guy pulled until he got tired, and then I pulled again, with 2 guys sitting on our wheels... Either way, I managed to catch the pack and sit in to catch my breath and relax a little bit.

Due to the yellow line rule, the pack was spread across the entire lane and there was really no way to move up in the pack, until somewhere towards the end of the first lap when a shoulder suddenly appeared, and the front of the pack seemed to be staying to the left of the white line. I took this opportunity to move up to the front of the pack, and ended up about where I had started, somewhere around 8th wheel. My teammates welcomed me back, and now we were all even, except that I had just put forth a whole lot more effort than them to get to the same place. Great.

The rest of the race was entirely uneventful, no attacks, no breakaways, nothing. There were a couple of crashes, one in a corner and another in a straight (how did that happen?) but otherwise nothing noteworthy. We pretty much controlled the entire race, sitting on the front with a couple Rice riders pulling for us. I tried to get some sort of teamwork together since we had the numbers and the strength, but nobody really seemed to have the desire or experience to do anything. I tried a couple of attacks, but my legs were shot, and I was quickly caught by the pack, and towards the end there were some attacks by other riders, to which we launched counter-attacks, but it seemed that somehow the pace always ended up being much too easy, foreshadowing a field sprint at the end.

Somehow, only some of the riders had an idea of where the finish line was, so several people sprinted early, almost to overshoot or nearly overshoot the final turn, at which point the whole field started to go crazy, and everyone was riding squirrelly. There were blatant yellow line violations followed by an uncontrolled field sprint for the finish. Despite the fact that we had at least 6 guys at the front, the best any of us finished was 4th, when we could have gotten organized and likely swept the top 3 spots at least. We managed to take 4th, 6th, 7th, and 9th, which isn't bad, but disappointing considering what could/should have been. But, you live and learn. I ended up somewhere around 15th to 20th, as my legs were shot by then from my efforts at the beginning, and I did my best to catch a wheel for the sprint, but just had nothing left.

In the Men's B race we took 7th and 8th, 9th in the Women's B, and 4th in Women's A.

Overall, the weekend was a blast, and I think we all learned a thing or two about racing, and I know I certainly learned a whole lot both as an idividual and as a team member. So, I would consider it a very successful weekend, especially if we put this experience to use come our next race in Wichita Falls.

Oh yes, and pictures from the weekend's races can be found here.

Friday Odds and Ends

It's Friday, here's what on my mind:

There's a new ride in town! James and I checked out a new ride, put on by Social Cycling ATX, started by a local named Brooks. He's hoping to start more of these rides, and seems to be headed in the right direction! Anywho, this was apparently the third edition of the "Urban Night Ride" but with a larger turnout than the previous two, which is exciting. We met up at the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge to watch the sunset and socialize for a bit:

Then it was a quick stop at the fountains by the Palmer Center:

Another shot of the small group, hangin' out at the fountains:




From there we headed up to the capitol, and then on through campus and up to the Draught House. Thanks to some Sweet Leaf Tea that was provided pre-ride (for free!) I had to make a pit stop at the Draught House, and then we decided to grab a beer there, while another group rode on for some more sober (less fun) riding. From there, we snaked our way all the way back down to the Gingerman to check out the new location. It was nice, still smells a bit too new and feels too sterile, but nothing some spilled beer and good times can't change. Check out Cyclebum's blog for more pictures of the ride and the Gingerman.

I had other things to put here, but the day has gotten away from me, and it's another race weekend, so that is all for now.

Race Report to come Monday.

Why Austin Rocks: Reason Reason #347

We had a muggy, damp, overcast all day, until I emerged from my cave that is work to dry streets and partly cloudy skies with just enough time to get a solid 1.5 hour ride in before dark!

Yupp, it's ok to be jealous.

Oh, and for some reason, this song keeps popping into my head ever since Danielle first introduced me to it over Spring Break. Not sure how I had never heard it before, especially with Luda being a guilty pleasure of mine, and I even had the album it's on at one time I think. I even had it in one of my dreams last week...



Though I dislike the words themselves, I just love all the puns with "ho" and "whore." Is that so bad? sigh... If only every day really was a "ho"liday

Oh, and something rather comical I found via Google image search related to the song:

Click on the map to check out the original source.

It seems the 512 is still up for grabs...

Oh, and Luda, if you're reading, I think it's because they like your gangsta ways...

Spring Break in Pictures

Leaving before the sun caught us Friday morning, Danielle, Brenna, and I set out on our long, long cross-state drive. We drove through rain on and off all day, with overcast skies further keeping the sun from knowing our whereabouts. Fittingly enough, at almost the exact moment we hit the El Paso City Limits, we saw our first taste of blue sky:

Once we got to El Paso, it was business first, and we grabbed a bite to eat at one of my family's favourite restaurants.

Then we headed to White Sands, one of Brenna's favourite spots and an old favourite of my childhood.

I had not been to White Sands in over 6 years, so it was fun to go back .

Of course, I also had not been at high altitude (4235 ft/1291 m) in quite some time, and the lack of oxygen was definitely felt climbing the dunes








Sometimes White Sands feels like a different world

"Those clouds don't look too friendly, and I think they're coming towards us"

Eh, too pretty to be concerned with some ugly clouds

And then we got sandblasted as a coldfront hit us

It was probably pictures like this that caused my camera to ...not work... the rest of the week...

Yupp, so while the sandstorm was an experience, and made for some cool photos, I have now screwed up a second camera at sand dunes... You think I would have learned in Florence

So, I have no more photos from the rest of the week, but I assure you it was incredible. We got in some awesome riding at around 7,000 feet, including one day where we did a beautiful 60 mile ride with over 4,000 feet of climbing. It was not easy, but the beautiful weather and scenery more than made up for it, in my opinion. There was also hiking, road tripping, unsuccessful snow sledding, and lots of eating, drinking, and merry times.

We got back Thursday after a very looooong day in the car (no thanks to me) and spent the remainder of the break trying to avoid the hipster infestation that is South by Southwest while still trying to enjoy some of the festivities. I would call it a success. I may write about all that fun, excitment, and irony, depending on my mooooooood.

Now back to the daily grind.