April 15, 2018

As promised, race day was rain! My race was 11:30, so the course was soft and we had a lot of rain during the race. I really thought I would be muddier!

Race Report: I could have raced Cat 3 50+ or Cat 2/3 Clydesdale, since I am losing weight and this will hopefully be my last Clydesdale race, plus normally the 50+ is tiny old men who are fast I chose Clydesdale…. wrong choice, more later.

I started in the field of 7 and settled in 4th as we started the fire road climb, I quickly realized I wanted to go faster and pulled into the lead. At the top of the climb, I let one rider by and we settled in, creating a huge gap.  For the next hour, we stayed in sight of each other but on every climb I could see 3rd catching me, but I would gap him on flats and descents. I had pre-riden the course and knew what was coming, a long climb at the finish, despite having lost all braking from pad wear in the mud, I continued to push descents trying to build a bigger gap, then I saw first again and made several big efforts to get on his wheel…. suddenly a new guy (formerly 4th, caught me and passed me) then 3rd caught and passed me, I was now in 4th…. with no one else coming, I sat up, I had nothing left in my legs. It was an epic race, the mud, rain and just being Tsali….

The 50+ race, I caught and passed the whole field on the fire road climb at the start… I would have won that race : )

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March 30, 2018

I had forgotten how much fun the trails at the US National Whitewater Center are… or maybe I never knew since I have only ridden there twice, once a pre-ride the week before and the next week for a Southern Classic MTB series race. The trails have everything; climbs, slalom runs, and flow-y single track. After I left the center, I was able to ride alone for 2 hours, I don’t think I doubled a trail, and didn’t see a soul! I stopped back at the truck for quick break and then another hour. How is this break down. 1st hour I listened to AC/DC, second hour Oingo Boingo and third hour, The Fools (a Boston based bar band)

The series isn’t racing there this year, but I will go back! Worth the ride!

March 24, 2018

Do you ever feel tied up? A day in the woods helps!

March 23, 2018

Dog sprint chain explosion. I had about a half hour left in my long ride when a dog came charging towards me, I sped up and was parallel  when the dog cut across my path so I let off the pressure and as soon as it crossed I stepped down and “pop” the chain busted…. it took about 15 minutes of searching for the quick connect pieces (2) laying hidden in the road…. meanwhile the dog was very happy to have me stopped so he could bark at me. #cyclistproblems

March 12, 2018

I am tired of winter, it’s March, they cancelled indoor tennis and I am riding in my basement. 1 hour with an Aussie video I found on YouTube. Workout is from CTXC videos, for my Toyota friends – tons of Hilux and Cruiser sightings

I am also playing with the iPhone and video so I can help my students and what they are experiencing on internships.

March 4, 2018

Breakfast with my students and former student Allison – not sure why she was sad, she was the only one who didn’t drink.

The five hour drive home, the truck rolled over 278,000

After drinking more in 3 days than the past six months, I needed a ride to move more blood. Plus I was in a melancholy mood.

It’s not quite a Churchill Black Dog, but I think I had more fun this year at the NSC than in many years, I hung out with my current and past RCC students, saw a ton of former RIT students (including one from my first EVJ class), sat in on a few more sessions than normal and my job (portfolio reviews) went flawless and I was never stressed. I think my melancholy is more thinking about missed moments, with my career and relationships with people, or maybe I really can’t handle alcohol at all! (Diary mood off now!)

Feb. 16, 2018

Made the turn on my ride and realized I would have to race home (back to the truck) – It was pouring as I started the truck, but stayed dry.

Feb. 7, 2018

Finally got to ride outside.

Feb. 3, 2018

Waffles and watching the women’s World Championship Cyclocross race from Valkenburg in a language I have no hope of understanding…. American Katie Compton was leading in lap 3 but finished 2nd. Still great for USA riders to be in the front of the field. 2 more were in the top 10 – 6th Kaitlin Keough and 8th Elle Andersen

Dec. 27, 2017

A good day. Yoga in AM and 2:45 on the mountain bike. I did Owls Roost and Wild Turkey easy one way in 1:09 and negative split the ride back in :59 – 10 minutes faster!