It's June already

Wow. Time sure is flying, and so the season has as well. I'm not flying, but I don't even really care anymore. I'll just do what i can do for as long as I can do it. That's what a teammate says and now I am going to jump on that bandwagon as well.

I've done some races but haven't has anything to show for it on the pavement. I'm getting kind of bummed on the whole road race scene. A lot of arrogance, tactics, and basicallya negative vibe. I'm just doing this to have fun, and way too many people take it way to serious. I just bought a carbon fiber hard tail mountain bike, and considering I finished in the top 10 in Expert in my 1st ever mountain bike race I think I may have found my niche. I did grow up racing motorcycles though, and even had an AMA professional license way back in 1997. Wow. A long time ago. I'm getting old.

Anyway, road races. Yep. I did some. I did Long Branch. Negative Racing. Not fun. Actually got away once with a Hagens Dude. Then we got neutrailized as we were catching the woman's finish. Not sure what that was about.

Did Ravensdale in Masters A/B and barely missed the top 10. Felt really good there and covered a ton of breaks, initiated a couple others but nothing that would stick for longer than 3-4 miles. Missed one break at the end because I had a mental lapse, but still, for not doing speedwork I rode well.

Then there was Wenatchee. I sucked ass. Not sure if it was the heat, or what? But never during this weekend did I feel strong on my bike. The TT was mediocre, and I always suck at those until I do a few in a year, so I wasn't too worried. The crit was ridiculous. I tip toed around the course trying not to get killed by the holes in the road or other riders crashing because of the said holes. After a couple people got hauled away in an ambulance I bagged it. This was an omnium after all. And the RR was horrible. We were going so slow up the climbs, and I sucked so bad. I did a lap and called it a day. I've been trying to forget that day after since.

Also did a 24 hour mountain bike relay race in Spokane. Perhaps this was the most fun I've ever had on a bike. It was a great scene. Lots of Bicycle Centers teammates there. Everyone was there to have fun and rarely did I have to sit and listen to someone talk about watts, heart rate, training plans, millimeter adjustments to seat angles. Everyone was just having fun and playing in the dirt. It was awesome! And we won too. But I would have had just as much fun if we came in last. And my lap times were always in the top 5 of the 140 or so people on the course at any given time. My fitness does still exist.

Training hasn't been going all that great though. My son got sick, therefor I got sick. I did the Masters state champs race and thought I was OK, only to feel more sick the day after that. Then I had a hellacious week of commuting by bike with flat tires, blown out sidewalls because of road debris. 5 mile walks home in the rain and 45 degrees (in June!!!!).

The bottom line is that I sure have been enjoying my time on my bike this year. I'm still not in great road racing shape, and I'm sure that will be evident at Elkhorn, but who cares? I will enjoy the weekend of being with friends and riding my bike. And after that I will be playing in the dirt in the remainder of the indie series on a mountain bike. The weather is due to improve as well. Can Al Gore be that wrong?