Peoria

Hell ride tomorrow to Peoria & back wish us luck ^_^

Just like Lance, we Blend like Daggers

Saturday was the best of holiday merriment; all of us cozied up at the Shire, baking pies and giving haircuts.  B.Chan and I baked a pumpkin (actually squash) pie and an apple pie. We ate a lot of cookies.  We really honed our domestic skills.  The next morning we all got up and stood in the kitchen around D.Penn's new espresso maker (a gift from me!) and made espresso shots for about two hours.  Wired!  Axel also made his delicious steel cut oats.  B.Chan and I rode trainers for an hour and a half while watching "Love Actually"  Ahhh  we did um where you pedal with one foot really fast until your cadence goes all wack.  I really need to work on my pedal stroke.  I need to get insoles for my shoes so they fit better, and then adjust my cleats maybe.

Besides getting fast, our job is to convince the boys that staying around in Champaign for the next few years to work at the bike shop is a lame idea.  GO WEST!  If Becky gets into grad school, she's moving to Oregon and there's really no excuse for us not to follow.  Oregon is the golden land of bikes and chocolate seaside cyclocross heaven with old trees and colorful wooden houses.  Did I mention cyclocross?

Now I am at my parents house in So.IL and unfortunately the weather sucks.  Usually I look forward to 10 degrees warmer than Champaign, but today we got a lot of ice and sleet.  Tomorrow is supposed to clear off in the afternoon and Christmas is supposed to be gorgeous.  I guess my dad and I will get our annual holiday ride in.  I really just want to take off on a long ass epic ride...    but today I rode my parents old trainer (better than I expected it to be!) and watched "Pretty Woman".  

I am getting psyched about road season and spent a couple of hours looking at the race schedule and at different races and stuff.  It would be awesome to do really well this season.  I want to do a stage race in the mountains so bad.  Racing is confusing to me.  I don't get the point system for catting up.  Do I have to calculate this?  Also I don't understand women's racing.  Do women have separate races from the men's big races?  Sometimes there are women's categories, but not always.  

Lonnie & Roz told me today that "Wally" is the first gender neutral movie.  The viewer assigns gender to the characters.  I am skeptical; must watch.  Until recently, I thought bikes were gender-neutral...

the jersey:

Hooray!

Well, I polished off my last final yesterday morning, and now it is time to ride bikes, finish grad school applications, and ride bikes some more.

Yesterday A. Miles and I rode trainers. We do the same workouts as Lance. Because we want to be fast. Like daggers.

I rode over to CC to meet Karl and try on WILD CARD kits. Which was silly seeing as I already knew what I wanted to order. My plan was to ride from there but as soon as I left it started sleeting and I slid out a few too many times and wimped out. So now I get to ride my trainer. And think about the orange bar tape I'm going to put on the Litespeed to match my lovely kit. Yaaaay!

growl.

i went to Unexceptional [Grill] Racer's blog and she mentioned the junior who won the state cross race:

"he was very polite as he sped past me, calling out '[T]! Coming by!' with a South Chicago Wheelman hot on his heels,"

Well, good.  I am glad.  

grrr

grrrrr

The accumulation of ice on the roads is an excellent excuse not to deliver today.  B.Chan and I are going to ride trainers.  Looks like there will be no outdoor rides this weekend either...the weather is really bad.  Delivering yesterday was not so great; I had a few back-to-back far-away runs that took forever, and I had to give out free samples so didn't get tips for a little bit.  slow in snow la la

hare krishna hare krishna krishna krishna hare hare hare rama hare rama rama rama hare hare

what happened to the fotos of when we went to Teutopolis with anne-marie?  i feel like there were pictures on facebook.  umm  that was cold and my moms neon striped watermelon outfit did not keep me warm.  

MMm I wish I had more bike-related things to say.  I'm kind of a low-life considering I go to work when I feel like it and work = delivering sandwiches.  As long as my ebay stuff gets bids, today can be considered to be a productive day, fiscally speaking.  That gives me time to focus on getting fast and staying healthy and fostering meaningful relationships and expanding my mind and chanting hare krishna and making smoothies with my vita-mix, of which I am quite thankful, blah blah blah, this is all so funny...  

I just really need to remember to brush my teeth today.  That is going to be the greatest struggle when I go pro.  

On future rides, chant:

Hare Krishna
Hare Krishna
Krishna Krishna
Hare Hare
Hare Rama
Hare Rama
Rama Rama
Hare Hare

And be happy.

...and check the hat rack

because sometimes it IS that simple  

Wash your hands + lock your stuff up + watch out for ice

+ ride bikes.

repeat.

if only it were that simple....

sunday same same

Today B.Chan called me at 10:14 to see if I wanted to ride.  I wasn't sure...I was thinking about the pancake/oatmeal stack I was going to make for breakfast.  Dan and I were making breakfast when Joe called and said he was coming over to ride trainers.  Since we obviously have to be more badass than D.Penn and Joe, I called B.Chan and said I would be ready after pancakes.  Becky, Axel and I headed south at about 1:30 or so.  The wind was fierce again but we rode a comfortable pace.  The whole way we were thinking about a tentative late December ride to Baltimore to celebrate Axel's 23rd year.  (ARG!)  Before we go to Sedorus, B.Chan turned around because she had to work, and Axel and I continued south.  We passed Sedorus on our right and rode until the road came to a T.  Then we turned left and rode for a while until I said it we should go back toward town...it was going to get dark and I didn't have lights.  The tailwind was sweet and my legs seemed to have recovered from yesterday more than I had expected.  We got back to town around 4ish.  Aw..today's ride was a bonding experience for Axel and me; though a mere precursor to the hellish and most badass Baltimore ride ever ever ever and ever and ever and ever and ever (Kinsey throwback)....

I am selling my Fuji Touring wheels to a guy in Asheville.  He is going to ride the Blue Ridge Parkway in late December.  Crazy.

The kitten has yet to learn how to ride a bicycle.

Pictured is my first road bike: posted for posterity.  

Saturday ride

Killa ride today !  I was tired on the way over to meet the group...  We fought a strong wind from the south for 30 miles and then turned around and sailed home.  I almost dropped off a few times on the way out but managed to hold on.  I hadn't been on a group ride in months, so I was a bit nervous.  Also, I am not really used to riding my new bike yet outside: it feels so much more flimsy and light than my cross bike or fixie!  The lobster gloves didn't really help my handling confidence either.  On the way back I felt a lot stronger and really cranked cranky crankkkkkkked.  Nick was also tired, and I think everyone else was feeling the wind.  I need to do more group rides though, to get more comfortable and push myself a bit... ahhh so now I am at home feeling a bit goofy ^_^ listening to house music, petting the kitty and trying not to move my legs  ...

I ordered a powertap last night.  I soon will be training...with POWER.

It's taken me a week to write about the State X race...  Sunday:  Dan, Nick and I drive to Chicago for the state race.  B.Chan and Axel were unable to come unfortunately, but for valid reasons.  Despite being a bit skeptical about my fitness after 2 weeks off, I felt great before the race!  It was COLD!  And we were right on the lake in Chicago--so cool.  The course was technical: there was a bit that went down a steep hill and under a bridge, then sharp left turn up a steep hill, then a long slow climb, then down through some barriers and up another steep hill with a barrier...then there was the embankment..and it was snowy!  It was slick and snowy, and it was melting so getting slushier.  I love technical stuff...this was great.  For once I didn't feel sick to my stomach either YES.  

I got a bad start and there was a bottleneck affect and i had to make my way to the front.  I got up there though and felt great--my lungs felt good and i wasn't about to die after the 2nd lap.  I passed the third place and was gaining on the 2nd place girl.  I felt pretty secure about it..i actually felt strong !  Eileen was in front and I didn't see her though.  On the third lap I was climbing a steep slick hill after the bridge bit and I hear someone behind me say "hurry up!" so I climbed..umm duh... and then he was behind me on a flat section and he said "Junior coming up behind!" and since there was a narrow track in the snow and I was in front, I stayed where I was and said "Go around me--or tell me which side!" and he yelled back "Oh, so you're going to fight me for it?!?" and went right through, knocking me down.  Then the Junior who was following him almost crashed into me but missed, and the kid who knocked me down was laughing and climbing.... I got pretty damn pissed.  I got up but the 3rd place girl passed me and the 2nd was way way ahead.  So my reaction was shitty...I was so pissed off that I didn't go quite as hard as I should have.  I am angry at myself for reacting as such.. that's the last time I give up just because someone is being a dumbass.  I think I finished 4th.  After the race I went to find the Junior (xXx) who took em out.  I spotted him and as I approached I heard his buddy say "hey, nice job taking that guy out on the 3rd lap!" ...when he said that I was like "HEY--that wasn't cool.  Next time pick a fucking side and go around"  he said "...ok...um...nice race"   ... fuck...you..     (the photo shows the douchebag Junior)

 note: taking out a women's cat 4 is really lame...  especially if you are a junior, in first place of a field of 3 people, two of whom are half your height.  lame.  

So on a different note, I am delivering a lot more.  I worked for JJ three times this week, and Thursday I did twice as many deliveries as usual, and made twice as much $$$.  It's so fun!  Every day it gets more fun and I feel stronger.  Next week I'll deliver 3 or 4 times, depending on my legs.  Today has been the best lazy rest day...  

This weekend I need to plan the Texas trip!  B.CHan PLAN!

delivered again today; it was cold.  wore many layers and made lots of $$$.  I also scored some kilts!  3 of them!  well, 2 are kiltish skirts that pass.  Nick is definitely the most pleased with his kilt.  

Texas bike & Kilts

hi!  hells yes riding again !  when i got back sunday everyone at the Shire went on a cold ride...felt so good, AND initiated by Axel  :-)  !  Monday we were going to ride cross but it was so cold and snowy so we rode trainers for an hour.  Tuesday I did the shop ride and yesterday I drank beer.  Today I delivered and now I'm wiped.  I'll hopefully deliver tomorrow also...    SO the shop is dead in winter and I will not be needed ...  YAY!  I think I'll deliver for Jimmy Johns more--maybe 3 days a week--and definitely ride more.  Even though its less $$ I'm looking forward to having more time and getting fast fast fast at bikes.  I might pick up a class at Parkland in the spring ...we will see.  Tomorrow I have a mission:  look for kilts for us to wear at the cross race on Sunday 

Oh !  I think it might be good if we ride part of the Texas segment of the Adventure Cyclists Southern Tier route.  It looks like it will be warm enough, the roads will be decent, we can get good maps, there are places to camp, and the route looks relatively interesting and fun.  Want to order maps?