Bitch Socks, School Work, ahhh Training...

Just had to give this picture props...It's Dorfer's legs and sweet "bitch" socks...It was in the New York Times article. John, way to represent...sweet!

I've had a shitty week of training, I have too much going on between school and work. It's finals week for the kids so I am trying to get everything wound down at school and then my graduate classes have me slammed at the same time cause its the end of the semester there too. That stuff on top of the crappy weather hasn't helped me and I haven't gotten enough sleep to feel like I have any energy.

I have been lugging camera equipment back and forth to school, working on building a studio for my broadcast class. So I have had to drive to school a bunch this week because I am not about to throw a $300 mixer into my messenger bag...The studio is looking sweet though and we should be doing live broadcasts after the new year...It's such a sweet class and the kids are really into it. I think being at Lewis and Clark has gotten me all fired up to get the kids really asking tough questions and not just doing a typical bullshit news. It's pretty damn cool to watch students doing a phone interview with the head of nutrition services for the district and asking them if they eat any of the school lunches (which of course they don't)...Bad Ass...I love my students!

The race at the farm this weekend should be sweet regardless. I am gonna give the A race a go. Its gonna be a whole 'nother ball game, but I think that I can hang on and I think that I will do better with the 60min format. It seems like a lot of cross races this season I have been feeling my strongest then the race ends...I probably just need to warm up more, but anyways, the pace of the A race will be a good push for me and if anything will help me. I don't need to be finishing in the top 10 of B's if I can push myself more racing with the A's...even if I go to the back of the pack.

Speaking of which...I need to finish an essay and put some time in on the trainer...

Gonna' dig some Sahara Hotnights on the trainer...Molly had it playing in the shop when I was putting my track bike together, hadn't heard of it before that, but I bought the album later that day...It's good stuff.

Oh yeah...Robin and others have been putting some sweet content (including this gem on cross training from the haloween race...Nice!) on the team page... Here's a sweet one of me trying to change and freezing my ass off! Check it yo.

Thanksgiving, Snow, Clouds, Rain...

I gave some thanks for all the snow at Mt Bachelor over the long weekend! Sweet! Had a rad thanksgiving weekend down in Bend. Stayed with some friends. We once again ate way too much and drank way too much, but it was a damn good time. Drove down late wed night with a little bit of a snowstorm as we went over the pass. Skied Bachelor on Fri. They had gotten about 2 feet in 24hrs, it was insanely good, hard to believe it was Nov. It was beautiful in Bend, the mountain was in the clouds all weekend, but Bend was sunny with occasional snow flurries. It's great to get out of Portland and into a different climate especially so easily. I think if I could afford to live in Bend I might move there, it is a really sweet town and a great location. Tons of good biking, climbing, skiing, and hiking right in town for the most part.

Drove back to P-Town late Sat over Santiam Pass, what an amazing area, full of snow, mountains, big trees, and rivers. Had a good little thanksgiving, it was great to get out of town and get a little change of scenery. Sun I got to sleep late, drink lots of coffee and do some chores. They have been talking snow and freezing rain in Portland so I decided I needed to get in a long ride on Sun. It ended up being kind of epic. I left and it was overcast, but by the time I got to downtown it was pouring. I climbed up through NW, up into Washington Park past the Japanese Gardens and up to skyline. It got crazy up on skyline. Once I passed Burnside I was in the clouds and it was gusting really hard, it literally blew me off the shoulder a couple times. It was pouring and raining sideways. As I kept climbing it eased off and by the time I started out the ridge and headed further west I dropped down below the clouds and rode in a little break that the sun manged to hit somehow. I was rather cold, but the views and little bit of sun kept me going. I rode out west till I dropped down to the north on McNamee and back into NW. I rode across into St. Johns, back into town along the bluffs, and down the east side esplanade. Crossed over in Sellwood and climbed up the cemetery towards the house. Ended up doing something around 50 miles...it was a great ride and despite the crazy weather it was sweet.

Went to bed early hoping for a snow day or at least a two hour delay...no such luck, there was a little snow on the ground, but nothing worth a delay. Maybe Tuesday...it's all they can talk about on the news.

Looking fwd to the last of the Portland cross races this weekend. My Team is putting on a race out at Sauvies Island that should be sweet. Gotta keep riding and training hard in the next couple weeks, it would be sweet if I could have at least a competitive race in Providence, it's gonna be a crazy race even if its the B's...take a look at this photo I found on the web of the first day of racing last year...

It's snowing out right now...

Biking Playlist:
-Bright Eyes
-Tarkio
-Talking Heads
-Oakenfold

More USGP

A New York Times article about Cross and USGP...Also click the image to see the full gallery from cycling news. Some great photos of the day.

USGP Finale

This was the scene...

Photos by Brian Ellin See his full set from the racing here

Or at least some shots of it. What a crazy scene and a sweet day for cross. Pouring rain and lots of mud. Great cheering sections, expensive pro bikes, and more expensive pro bikes, beer, cowbells, and a wood fired hot tub on the run up to name a few.

I had a crazy weekend. Friends in town Friday night from Montana and Idaho for a little old time thanksgiving feast. We ate and drank ourselves into the ground until sat night when we had eaten so much pie that nobody could move. Seriously we all laid around in pain after consuming disgusting amounts of food. It was great!

Wasn't sure what eating and drinking all day would do to my performance, but I didn't really care. The crusade series is over...I ended up in 11th overall for the B's and Veloshop did a kick ass job overall. I was looking at this race as little fun in the mud. Got up early threw some lube on the chain, some clothes in my bag and jumped into the car half asleep. Got out to the course early to register and check out the scene. Crazy amounts of vendors, pro teams, gear, big trailers, cars, bikes....Took my time getting into the gear as it was cold, wet, and muddy...got to pre-ride the run up right before the course closed again and then just changed and went to the line. I had a really good start, but lost some places in the first corner, just sort of backed off a little going into the mud. Made up some ground, but the race was over before I knew it. It was really just a big blur of mud, cowbells, and people yelling. The whole thanksgiving posse dragged their asses out in the rain to cheer me on which was sweet and great to have them there.

The elite races were insane, these guys and gals are fast, they rode up down and around the course with what looked like very little effort and super smooth. Seriously impressive.

What else... awards, party, long beer lines, chain lube flying through the air, beer....so tired. It was rough rolling out of bed this morning and getting on the bike to go to school. I have been riding my fixed gear bike a lot commuting to work, I like the rhythm I can get into with the fixie, that and the less wear and tear on the ol' cross bike the better.

Trying to get caught up on school work, house work, reading, and this and that...short week. Looks like heading down to Bend for the holiday to do a little more eating and some skiing up at Bachelor...still no go on Meadows with the flooding. Lots of snow in the mountains and lots more forecasted for the rest of the week, but the road is closed on both sides of Meadows still and it looks like it will be so till after I get back from the east coast.

Time to quit stalling and get to my homework.

Listening to:
-Wilco
-Thievery
-O.C.M.S

The Decemberists

Been listing to a lot of Decemberists lately. I am really diggin the new album, seems fitting with the weather lately somehow...don't really know how to explain it, but all the rain, grey, and cold lately seem to fit well with this album. I used to see Colin Meloy when Tarkio was a band in Missoula,now he is here in Portland. The Decemberists...good stuff .

Cross Crusade Finale

(Photo Tony Pereira)
(more photos from Tony P)
Damn that was a fun race...The course was super slippery and there was no shortage of mud. There was a shortage of a big ol' run up, but the slippery corners made up for it(especially the off camber, down sloping ones...see left)...The start was crazy and we went immediately into a giant mud puddle full of ruts. I came out of that and into the first corner sitting a little further back than I would have liked (somewhere around 15) but drilled it on some of the longer straits and just tried to hold what speed I could going through corners. I passed some folks through barriers and bunny hopping over a series of logs to work my way up. I felt strong and worked my way around the corners to an 8th place finish. I was happy with the result.

More than anything it was super fun. I have to say that our team is by far the best group of spectators out there. We ventured out into the woods to spectate during the A race and I think it was nearly as tiring as my race. Every time Mark, Jed, Brian, Matt or Joel came by Tommy, Anderson, Robin and whoever else was along went sprinting down the single track with them yelling and screaming.

SWEET...Mark has a better report than me of the debauchery...good times.

The support we have had at the races has been incredible. I have to give a huge thanks to the guys that haul a tent out to our races each weekend and have it set up way early in the morning, usually with a table full of bananas, Gatorade, and water. Are you kidding...how bad ass is that! I can always count on coming by the tent during the race and getting a huge boost of energy from the folks yelling. Seriously, thanks guys.(stole some photos from Johh Dorfer of the scene).
I really do feel lucky to be part of such a supportive group of really talented racers (and spectators). It's a hell of a good time and great group of folks.

USGP this weekend in Hillsboro...should be muddy and fast.

VS on Road Magazine

My teammate Mark is on the cover of the next issue of Road magazine...
Just click on the "Next Issue" link....Sweet. The photo is from a race up in Seattle: Star Crossed. A sweet little race that is held under the lights with DJ's, a huge crowd, and a beer garden. Here's me...Certainly not a cover shot...Nice Mark, way to represent.





PS...Mark has a great description of my last track race of the season on his blog...read down to the bottom

Barton

Some video from the Barton Park race last weekend...I never really managed to ride that ditch all that smoothly, I rode it the each lap, but I would get about to the top of the other side and have to dab before I could keep going...good cheering from the team and a fun day. It's good to have some mud finally. Veloshop represented with 5 of us in the top ten of the B race. Mike B kicked some serious ass, I just couldn't close the gap, that guy is fast. It was a sweet little day of racing, the ladies were killing it. Jackson and I took off before the end of the A race, but damn those guys are fast! Markwelder, Shunter, Brian, Joel, Jed...you guys rock!

Check out my old teammate Geoff...he had a little wreck into the mud...ahh cross in the NW

video

Here we go...

Decided I would start keeping a little track of what's going on with life here in PDX. I've tried to keep journals in the past, usually without much luck, but I have always enjoyed looking back at the brief journals I have kept. So we shall see how this goes...

It's a rainy and windy Fri...seems like that's been the pattern latelyI don't have school because of veteran's day...sweet! Met up with my teammate Tad out on Belmont to do a little ride...by the time I got to stumptown my feet were already cold and soaked. Went out through industrial NW up Saltzman to Skyline and back along the ridge and down Dosch rd...It took my feet about an hour to feel normal and they had that awful thawing out period where it was all I could do not to swear profusely...ah good times.

Got a good chunk of training in the week between riding out to work and then to school. State Championship race this weekend out in Estacada so I am gonna take it easy the rest of the day...maybe climb the roof and clean the gutters, take Phife to the dog park in the rain. I had a decent race last weekend ended up in the top ten and felt really strong, I need to get a good start and then just keep pushing. Not like I didn't know that, but I have had so many crappy starts that my races haven't really gone as I planned
and I usually seem to try and fight my way through and around people till I am so tired that I can't close the gap. Part of the problem is that people seem to be lining up to start 25min before the race so that by the time I get to line with 15min to start I am on the back...what the hell.It was muddy and rainy last week and it looks to be that way again this weekend...This is the last race in the Crusade Series. There is still the USGP finale the following weekend and a race that my team is putting on in Dec.
Also this week I made the commitment...I registered for the National Cyclocross Championships in Providence. I am racing in the B race on Sunday...I fly into Boston sat and I'll head over to the races to check out the course cheer on Molly and do a little pre-riding. My race is on Sun and hopefully I can get over the time change and feel strong. I am psyched to do some east coast racing and committing to it has really motivated me to train and ride hard for the next month which with the weather as it's been is not easy to do.

Speaking of the weather. I need to go clean some gutters.

On the ipod this week:
-Immortal Technique
-The Decemberists
-Sunny Day Real Estate
-Aswad