Looks Promising...Superweek Action!!!

Bike, Hike, Beer, Bed...

Today's Nature Report:
Great ride this morning with a few of the Squadra Ovest guys (Tam-->Stinson Beach-->Bolinas-->7-sisters-->Tam-->Home)
-- Saw the usual birds
Hiked a crapload on Mt. Tam with one of my roommates and her friends
-- No wildlife sightings
Got in the car to get home from the hike
-- This family of deer was right on the side of the road out! (papa deer is off camera)

Here are a few other pictures from the hike:

Jessie taking a break in the cold spring water

Trail on the way down - her name is Ribbit

Potrero Meadow



Random Shot

On the way home from the hike we stopped at the Fairfax Festival (aka: Eco Fest) and then Cafe Trieste in Suasalito for some food and a few beers.

Lastly - My Cannondale System Six absolutely BOMBS decents...I can fly into a downhill switchback so hot that it scares the crap out of me, but the bike tracks the turn flawlessly. I love it.

Today got an A+

Coffee Substitute...

View from Mt. Tam this morning at 8am. (SF in the distance, just above my saddle)
Click pic for full effect.

MotionBased.com -- http://trail.motionbased.com/trail/activity/2955119

Weekend back home

(Photo above by Ludger Roedder, an old powerhouse of a teammate)

I want to thank my family, friends and teammates for a great weekend back home in Chicago.

I was able to hit up a happy hour with some old co-workers, dinner with friends...continued to drinks afterwards, race Saturday and Sunday with my teammates and see a bunch of my family at a cousin's annual BBQ.


The racing was amazing. I've said it often, but my team back in Chicago is super strong lately and it was fun to be a part of the action. A full race report is available on the Team Get A Grip Cycling Blog. I have a lot of friends that race and was thrilled to race against them once again. I even ran into a couple friends that were there to watch...one that I haven't seen in years.

Race Report Teasers/Top Finishers:
-- Devon took 2nd in the Women's 1/2/3, both Saturday and Sunday.
-- Emily won her first race ever entered on Saturday
-- Steve took 3rd, Eric 5th and Seth 11th on Saturday in a breakaway of 12...Uwe was there, but unfortunately tipped over.
-- I nearly took the sprint finish on Sunday, but WDT's strongman, Mark Serafin, came around me for the win just feet from the line...I want my win back, August? James "Cipo" Holton pulled in "just" behind me in 7th. (James and I have a Winfield rivalry...I'm winning)

Anyone catch the Winfield Crit on Cycling.tv?

Century

This morning I headed out for what I expected to be a 60-70 mile-ride and ended up a full 103 miles with over 9,000 feet of climbing...amazingly I made it. The weather changed from about 50 to 70 to 50 to 70, foggy, sunny, foggy, sunny over and over and over. Zip up the vest, loose the vest/arm warmers/wool gloves, put back on the vest/arm warmers/wool gloves - repeat many times. The ride truly was "Epic" (hate to say that) and it was tough.

The northern-most point, Tomales Bay, is shark infested, an oyster haven and the San Andreas fault separates Point Reyes Peninsula from Marin County...Point Reyes moves 3-4 centimeters to the north every year because of this.

The ride back south along the coast was amazing...words can't describe it, you'll have to ride it!

5 Miles to UP

I love where I live. Quick and somewhat painful ride after work:

The fog was lingering at about 750 feet tonight, which made everything that much cooler.

I enjoy riding up Powell Street after a good ride - I always wonder what the tourists on the cable cars think as I pass them on a 25% grade...sometimes I smile for the cameras. (It's not that I'm fast uphill, cable cars climb slow)

Homeward Bound

I'm going to be back in Chicago next weekend to attend a few work meetings on Friday, race the Winfield Twilight on Saturday, swing by my cousin's BBQ and then race the ABR National Champs Crit on Sunday.

I'm uber-excited and can't wait to see my family, friends and get a chance to race with my team...time to put my flat-land cassette back on!

Note to my team - please don't lap me.