Ready to Roll

Here's the re-painted Redline Conquest. Les at Powder Coat Specialists did the stripping and repainting and did an excellent job. Not a flaw to be found anywhere. The decals were created online at SpeedySigns.com and I took the liberty of choosing a font that appealed to me and not one that matched the Redline company font. I also must thank Dave Schindler at FitPro for putting the bike back together to meet all of my fitting specs. Dave took the time to get the single chainring set-up just right and I couldn't be happier with the results. As always, I have to thank Mark and Cody back at my home shop, Ballwin Cycles, for their help with the parts I needed and the deals they give me.

The bike weighs in at 19.3 pounds and features the following options:
Ritchey WCS full carbon fork
Cane Creek SCX-5 brakes with Kool Stop black/red pads
FSA Carbon Pro crankset with Salsa 42T single ring and Salsa chainguards
Crank Bros Twin Ti pedals
Dura Ace shifters
Dura Ace rear derailleur with VCRC ceramic pulleys
SRAM 12-27 rear cassette
Nokon cable housing
Ritchey WCS stem and bars
Fizik bar tape
FSA carbon seatpost
Selle Italia SLR Gel Flow saddle
Neuvation R28 SL3 wheels
Michelin Jet S rear / Michelin Mud front tire

This will most likely be the last time the bike is clean as it's time to start putting some training efforts in and the early season races will be dusty or muddy.

Not so Lost Valley

Had every intention of heading down to the TNW's last night to put in a hard effort workout. Wasn't planning to race as much as I was planning to do sprints and push some harder gears up the hill at pace. However, the need to help my daughter with her homework won over (rightfully so) and before long I was staring at a clock which read 6:30pm and knowing my chances at riding were dimishing quickly. I thought if I left immediately, I could get out to Greensfelder for a few quick loops on the race course for Sunday, but by the time I threw everything together, that idea was also a mirage.

So, as I organized my bike stuff I had the plan of heading out to Lost Valley and riding in the darkness with me, myself, and I. Luckily when I got home yesterday, I was thinking a little in advance and tossed the Light & Motion Arc Li-Ion battery on the charger. As I rolled into the parking lot at the Mound, I saw several GORC-sters changing and cracking open their post-ride bottles of hops. Envious, I continued to suit up, do a battery check, and roll down the Hamburg Trail for a little me time. As I descended into the trail, I used the waning sunlight to guide my way. However, as I crossed the creek and headed into the singletrack, I was quickly met with darkness. I flipped on the headlight and lit up the trails. I buzzed along for 45 minutes on the trails and decided to point back to the car. During the ride, I saw two very nice trophy bucks and a bazillion frogs. I even passed a rider going up the last hill. I went from feeling like no ride was going to happen to getting a great, albeit less than planned, ride in.

Dr. Strangecross (How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the 'Cross)

Mud, slop, ruts, roots, run-ups, barriers, sand pits, and stairs. Sun, rain, wind, snow, and ice. Gin, trombones, beer, frites, and cowbells. Those words conjure up wild images of pay-per-view excitement more akin to the likes of this Japanese Game Show than the real, fall/winter season Belgian-based spectacle that is Cyclocross.



Why did I choose cyclocross? Heck, like almost everything I've ever done competitively on a bike it's because of Pfoodman. Nah, he just mentioned it to me (over and over and over). More likely is the fact that I've always loved the fringe sports. No, I'm not talking trampoline, rhythmic gymnastics, or dressage. I'm talking real sports where skills are involved and subjectivity are eliminated. Sports were healthy doses of intestinal fortitude, addictions to pain, and embarrassment are very real possibilities. Cyclocross is one of those sports where you feel like the guys in the video. Their options for success look slim, but doggone they put forth the effort and they don't care if they survive or not. Participation isn't an option, but a calling or a duty. A duty to push your body and mind in a manner few others would dare. In the end, others may shake their head in wonder and ask, "what's the point?" Fellow crossers only you and I will know the real answer.

So, what's left to worry about. We'll never have any barriers in our Bubba Cross series that remotely resemble the ones in the game show. But then again wouldn't it be great if we did???

Happy Birthday RP!

You're a great Christian man and I'm proud to call you a friend! Happy Birthday!

Say What???

I don't know what the heck they're saying, but I'm certain is something along the lines of "Ouch, that's gonna leave a mark!"

Not much going on this weekend. More riding and this morning was 60 miles including the Big Shark team ride. Rolled with Theo down to BS and then met up with Damien and the rest of the gang for an easy paced ride. I guess that was good enough for me because I really never felt good the entire morning. I never felt like my lungs opened up and was working harder than normal when the pace quickened or the road tilted upward.

Right now, it's time to take the kids to Carl's for cheeseburgers and root beers. Seeing that I rode 60 miles this morning, I think I'll have the same.

An Hour in Hell

Fitness

After my strong build-up earlier this year, I was highly confident in a lot of my rides and races. Then the mid-year funk set-in, my confident waned, and my desire to ride and race seemed to evaporate overnight. I literally walked away from the bikes for a week and never gave them another thought. During that period, I also formulated a plan to take more time off the bike, focus on doing fewer races, and set some late season goals.

I'm now one month into my second half fitness and planning for upcoming events. Today is the "one month to go" date for the Hermann Cross Invitational and as I assess where I am at in preparation for the start of cross season, I'd say I'm right where I want to be. My legs and lungs are responding nicely and mentally, I'm starting to get into racing mode. Ah, racing mode. That 'mode' was a primary contributor to some of my mid-season malaise. So, I'm working on channeling my energy and truly racing when I need to race, not when I want to race. I guess I suffered from a little bit of the porch dog syndrome. You know, laying calmly on the front porch until a vehicle rolls by and then it's GO TIME!

As I train, I'm training my body and mind. Fitness will come in terms of how my body responds to efforts physically AND mentally. Responding to race choices and responding within races. I'm chasing fewer race choices and I'm responding to more strategic opportunities within races. I can't race every race and I'll only race within the race when it strategically suits my game plan. Most of you know this about bike racing already. I didn't. I tend to learn best by experience. In bike racing, experience is a dangerous and painful teacher.

So how's it going? Fitness is on track. During our last team ride, we were approaching the last 2 miles of the ride and there's always a sprint finish on this particular route. As I was riding front wheel in our group of 4, I was fighting back every urge to put the hammer down and push the guys to their redlines. However, Kent Jones was in our group and he's got some serious fire power. So instead of riding harder for the last 5 or so miles (which is what usually happens), I kept the pace down. Actually, I was testing myself. I was strategically riding easy and waiting for someone else to tire of the pedestrian pace and start the sprint. To my delight, I hear Kent say, "watch it, this is where Boz likes to attack." My plan was perfect. I had no intentions of attacking. I had every intention of ambushing. I continued to spin and they took the bait hook, line, and sinker. First attack, I didn't respond by staying at the front. I actually sat in the back. Only until I got on top of my gears and let the others attack did I proceed. When I was second wheel again, I attacked and succeeded. My patience actually paid off and as a result, my fitness grows.

A Little Bit of Everything

Yesterday's ride was a team ride on the Covered Bridge route. I really enjoy the route and use it as a gauge of fitness and training, as it has a little bit of everything tempo climbs, steep hills, false flats, rollers, and technical downhills. Of course, it's also what the route doesn't have (stop signs, stop lights, heavy traffic, too many homes, stores, buildings) that makes the ride appealing to me. When you throw in the awesome natural beauty of the valleys and ridgelines, it's just a great, great ride.

However, yesterday's ride also included a lost teammate and me getting hit by a car (or me hitting a car depending on your point of view.) The lost teammate was the result of him taking a wrong turn near the top of the first climb away from the bridge and resulted in two teammates spending the better part of an hour and a lot of climbing tracking him down. Unfortunately, this was his first ride on the route and he had no clue where he was or where to go. Thankfully, our two "search and rescue" teammates were diligent and found him and had enough gas in the tank to bring him back safely. The other four of us sped for home with the full intention of bringing the vehicles back to drive them home, but after a final phone call they decided to pedal their way back. They looked a little tired, but all survived without too much additional drama.

As the four of us sped for home, I was on the front as we started our descent out of High Ridge. As we dropped onto Hillsboro-High Ridge Road, I noticed a car further up the road backing out of their driveway onto the road. Sensing this car will be in our path soon enough, I sat up and waved to the group to slow and called out "car up." Once the car backed out of the drive and blocked the lane, they began to pull forward and then stopped again in the middle of the road. By this time, we were rolling slowly enough, but also not understanding why the car stopped again. I yelled out to the driver to "go" and she started moving (I don't think she saw us or the car behind us.) Unfortunately, she quickly stopped again and caused us to scatter to avoid a collision. Two riders made it around her left and thankfully there was no oncoming traffic while me and another rider tried to squeeze between the car and the ditch. I didn't make it and banged into her right rear tail light and rear quarter panel. No damage was done to her car (other than my sweaty arm leaving a streak of sweat on her black car), nor was my body damaged. My elbow was a little sore, but I knew I would be okay. I signaled "OK" to the driver, but shook my head in disbelief. She rolled along behind me and at the stop sign I fully figured she'd roll her window down to say "Sorry." Nope. Just rolled on.

I'm thankful God watched over us on our ride. Next time, I'll get everyone's cell numbers before we take off and we'll all just try to watch over each other.

Insight

I'm training, resting, and eating very well. I'm not racing road bikes the rest of the year. I'm not racing mountain bikes (with the exception of Burnin') the rest of the year. My next race will be the Hermann Cross Invitational on September 20th. I chased after too many race distractions this year and as a result I didn't have great results at anything, including my personal life. With all due respect to El Cavano, there is still time left for me to lay claim to the year as "my year."

I'm also dealing with some personal issues. While everything in my immediate family is good and all are healthy, I was thrown a major knockdown pitch last week pertaining to my brother. I'm really not prepared to write about it here and those close to me know what's going on. It's very tough to handle. I pray constantly and have asked others to pray for God's grace, mercy, and healing for the situation. While I'm better than I initially was, I'm still in shock. Little things can set me off and I'm reduced to tears. Riding the bike has been a good outlet for the pain of my heart. I simply replace it with pain in my legs or lungs. God will see us through this valley and in Him I put my faith and trust.

Commuting

I've dabbled with commuting to work by bike a few times. I enjoy it, but I also work in a suit and tie environment and our work facilities aren't equipped with showers and changing rooms. For the times I've ridden to work, my bike comes into my office (cubicle) and remains propped against the wall like a piece of art and a source of questions for all who enter. "What's that?" being one of my favorites.

While traveling with the family in Munich this summer, we noticed more bikers than motorists. Everyone, I mean everyone, rides a bicycle in Munich. Grandmothers in housecoats, businessmen in suits, children, families, dogs. Yep, we even saw dogs sitting prouding in the baskets while their owners pedaled merrily on their way. I'm thinking to myself why can't I do that? Why do I let some of the work inconveniences rule my life. No more.

I'm building up a full-time dedicated commuting machine. Complete with fenders, baskets, lights, funny handlebars, and one gear. A utilitarian machine. Something the likes of Ultra Scott's current machine. Laugh if that sort of thing is not your bag or if it looks too old-school but remember two things. My legs are getting stronger and I'm not the one burning $4 fuel.

Putting in the Miles

Did the TNW's B race last night. Planned to do some hard efforts with some short recoveries. I went hard and stayed in the top 1/3 of the pack until 20 minutes in and then jumped out for 1 1/2 laps (I soft pedaled 1/2 lap) and then finished with 1 to go. I wasn't going to contest the race, so another bike in the mix wasn't going to do any good.

Today, I rode for 60 minutes of recovery in the rain. I love riding in the rain (weird, I know) but it's just a fun time for me. The only down side is the bike cleaning that must occur following a ride. Nice recovery miles today with little issues. In fact the only issue (which is actually major) is that I came the closest I ever have to being hit by a car. Someone decided they didn't want to wait for oncoming traffic to clear before passing me on Weidman Road and drove their Subaru Outback station wagon to within 6-8 inches of my left leg at 30 mph. I had nowhere to go and it certainly got my attention. At times I think it's inevitable (getting hit by a car) and other times I feel invincible. Just another reason to pray before, during, and after my rides.

My legs really seem to be coming back around. I was a little worried early on, but the miles seem to be healing the time off the bike. I'm sticking to my schedule of ride hard, recover on bike, and rest. It's working well thus far, but there are a lot of miles left to go.

More teasers

Racing under the lights interest you?

What are you waiting for? Hermann Cross - Saturday, 9/20

Weekend Recap

Saturday morning was a team/group ride out to the West Co. hills. Several teammates showed up, as did a few potentially new teammates. The idea was to ride several climbs, but to do them in a no-drop fashion, with some good tempo riding in between. Since this was my ride and route, and most didn't know the route, I found myself rotating to the front to yell out directions and then circling to the back to ensure everyone made it through the various turns and terrain. The route was:

Einstein's on Clayton at 141
Clayton west
R on Valley to Strecker
L on Shepard
R on Orrville
R on Eatherton
L on WHC
R on Ossenfort
Cross T
R on Melrose
L on Bouquet
L on Manchester
Cross 100
Continue on Fox Creek
L on Six Flags-Allenton
L on Melrose
R on 100
R on Woodlands Meadows (tackle the 24% beast)
R on Manchester
R on Glencoe (through Rockwoods)
L on Woods
L on Manchester
R on 109
R on Clayton to Einstein's

Everyone had a good time and put in a relatively good effort. The 24% gradient on Woodlands Meadows certainly humbled some on the ride and left them shaking their heads in amazement. Jim Moore actually spun his rear wheel almost a full revolution when he pedaled over a wet patch of road sealant while tackling the climb. Looked like a dragster doing a burnout. The good news is he completed the climb!

My legs continue to come around nicely and I should be back in shape for some racing starting next month. This week will be another round of recovery loops in the valley with some weight-lifting and a few spin ups thrown in for good measure.

After church on Sunday, we took our son to lunch and then off to church camp. There were some logistical issues with the busses not arriving for the campers, so at the last minute I decided to drive him up to Carlinville, IL for camp. That put me on the road for 3 hours but in the end I think he enjoyed getting a little time with me and the chance to take a nap on the way.

God was certainly providing for me as I was able to drop him off and make it back to our church just in time to see the start of Drama Night. Members of our youth group (including my daughter) worked the past week to put together vignettes from 4 Broadway plays. They did a remarkable job and it was a funny way to unwind from impromptu travels.

Just Around the Corner

Cross season is just around the corner. While reviewing videos of what makes cyclocross so fun, I came across this humorous clip. In particular I like the footage around 0:50 and right at the end. Listen closely to the end when the fallen rider is asked if he's okay and the commentary from the onlookers. Good stuff. While cross isn't about falling, it's inevitable that you're going to mess up some part of the course during some part of the race.

Goings On

Been riding a little more lately. In the last week, I've ridden 4 times and today will be the first back to back day I've had in a while. Last night was 90 minutes out in the valley doing loops. Yep, those boring 18-19mph loops just riding recovery around and around. My legs really seemed to feel better at the end of the night, too. Saturday was another edition of the Covered Bridge route. Man, that ride kicked me hard. It was fun to share the ride with 3 teammates and a buddy from work who races for Manchester Trek, because without them, I'm sure it would have taken me twice as long.

For the rest of the year, I will be focusing my efforts off-road. Mountain biking and cyclocross will fill out the remainder of the competitive events. I may jump into 1 race at the Gateway Cup, but it's been too much this year trying to balance all of the options of racing road and off-road. Besides, there are some great events coming up in the next few months. Greensfelder, Cape Girardeau, Rapture in Misery, and Burnin' at the Bluff just to name a few.

From the training perspective, I made a decision to drop my coach, Andy Gibbs. This was a very difficult decision for me. Andy helped me prepare myself far beyond what I thought was possible. I recall thinking about what sort of times I would need running to be competitve in the sport class this year and simply shook my head in disbelief. Andy helped me prepare a plan to cover those gaps and do it in a way that was right for me, not a 'one size fits all' plan. He studied my workouts and made changes or offered the right amount of advice at the right times. All in all, he deserves a lot of credit for the success I had this year and my decision to stop working with him was tough to say the least. My decision wasn't based on any negatives with Andy, but rather due to a commitment to my family. If you're looking for a great coach, look no further that AGCoaching

Fat Chance

In a recently published article regarding 'caloric sticker shock' NY'ers were shocked, horrified, and angered by the caloric levels of some of their favorite treats, snacks, and meals. Thinking the change to publish calorie levels may shift their choices towards healthier options appears to be a pipe dream. Take a look at some of these quotes from the article:

"Some people actually tell us we should take off the labels, because it discourages them from ordering what they want," he said.....says a spokesperson from Outback Steakhouse.

"I’m so upset," she said, noting some entrees — like the Jack Daniels ribs and shrimp dinner — contain almost 2,000 calories, and the desserts were more of the same (the brownie obsession is 1,500 calories). "I wish they wouldn’t have done this."....says a customer of TGI Fridays.

So, are people shocked to learn when calories in exceed calories out they get fat? or are they shocked to learn a muffin, cheeseburger & fries, several cokes throughout the day, a cookie snack, and a dinner out is more than a human being needs to consume in any given day? I guess I shouldn't be shocked, but perhaps it was just a fat chance to begin with.

European Tour de France coverage

In 3 of the last 4 years, I've been lucky enough to be in Europe during the Tour de France. In 2005 and 2007, we watched the race firsthand but in all cases we watched to tour on EuroSport TV. I've got to say the coverage is second to none. Unlike Versus' coverage, they actually show the race. How's that different you ask? In a stage that takes 5 hours, you'll most likely see a total of 30 minutes of commercials. On Versus, on a 5 hour stage you're likely to see the exact opposite. Last night, I literally felt like I was being brainwashed to buy a Saab. Ever wondered what happens when the riders need to answer the call to nature? Want to see what happens in the pack when there's no one to chase or the peloton is content letting riders with no chance of being GC contenders go off the front? You'll find out if you watch the EuroSport coverage.

I'm thankful for the sponsors paying the bills so Versus can bring us at least glimpses of the tour, but it sure would be nice to actually watch a race compared to watching commercials that permit viewers to see a bike from time to time. Tivo is a magical machine.

You're Better than That

During last night's coverage of Stage 10, Bobke muttered the words, "He's as cool as the other side of the pillow" to described a racer climbing the Col de Tourmalet. I shook my head in disbelief. Bobke, you're better than those pop-culture-appeasing talking heads on ESPN. Keep using your Bobcabulary to entertain us. Don't steal from the guys who live vicariously through the athletes they never were. You're better than that. You've climbed the mountains, suffered at the pack of the pack,
or shot the gutters in an attempt to gain position. In short, you talk and we listen.

Just be the Bobke we know and love.

Now That Was Pfun!

Last night was the kickoff for the Short Track Training Series hosted by our local food and hospitality guru, Ralph Pfremmer, and his VeloForce teammates. They had laid out a very nice combination of technical sections and uber-fast dirt flats. The result was one narrow, but ultra quick loop that took riders roughly 5 minutes to complete and a honking large BBQ and beer party following the races.

Registering for the race, I had all the plans to jump into the B race but since Ralph has been bugging me to go head to head with him in a race, I elected for the A race at the last minute. I actually paid and registered for both races with the idea that if I got shelled in the A race, I could drop out and then race the B race. As it turns out, no shelling occured. My goal was simply don't get lapped by the pro-level racers. (I held off Chris Ploch until the final creek crossing and then he got me.)

Several of us didn't really contest the start and let the really fast dudes take full advantage of the open field to narrow singletrack flow of the race. As a result, we found ourselves near the back of the pack very early in the race. However, we quickly formed our freight train and begin to hammer through quite nicely. I passed several riders over the next few laps and then settled into a good rhythm with teammate, Kent Jones, and DRJ rider, Mark Bauer (Lil' Buddy.) Those two were running 29er s/s with 44/20 and 44/21 gearing respectively. I was running the big ring on most of the course and then the middle ring for the creek crossing section. We yo-yo'd back and forth until Kent took a corner too hot and then it became a race with me and Mark.

At the end, Mark's teammate, Chris Ploch, popped out of the creek behind us and immediately passed us and Mark jumped onto his wheel and got a pretty good gap on me at the same time. I fought really hard to get back onto Mark's wheel and by the time we entered the grass field for the last time, I had bridged up to Mark (and felt like he didn't know it.) I thought this was my only chance, but it would require me to outsprint him in the field. As we cleared into the field, his cadence went into hyperdrive on that s/s just as my right leg cramped (again) blowing me up in the process. My gears offered no advantage and the race was done.

I was spent, but smiling like it was Christmas morning and I was 5 again. What a cool race format. Reminded me of cyclocross and mountain biking. No elitist attitudes, nothing but slaps on the back and smiles galore. (Okay, maybe my teammate Mark Hasler wasn't smiling when he double flatted leading the B race, but that's a different story.) I'm going to miss the next two weeks while the family and I are in Germany and Austria, but you'll know where to find me on Thursday evenings.

Thanks again to Mark & Cody and the gang at Ballwin Cycles. They got the Gunnar Rockhound dialed in and it rocked last night. That bike floated underneath me and was ripping fast.

Time to Get Dirty

If you're like me, watching that video gets your blood pumping for some racing in the dirt. Tonight is the first installment of Pfoodman's Velo Force dirt crits and I'm bringing back the Gunnar h/t. Mark and Cody at Ballwin Cycles helped yesterday with the finishing touches and she's smoking hot! Crossmax 29'er wheels, white cables, and carbon galore. I've never raced a dirt crit, but I settle that score tonight. No plans, no goals, just riding to have fun!

On another dirt related note, I opted for a Kona Explosif s/s frame. Thanks to one Matt Grothoff (Casey Ryback for the insiders) I was given a deal I couldn't refuse. I figured the sooner I took the deal, the sooner I'd be on the trail learning to snap some wrists with Team Seagal! Hopefully, this is the path to enlightment. If not, it's certainly the path to a "superior attitude and a superior state of mind."

Finally, on the subject of snapped wrists. "Heal well" wishes go out to Mike Gibson for his broken wrists (yes, as in both) and for a damaged hip. Mike suffered 3 breaks in one wrist and 8 breaks in the other. Tough stuff for sure, but if you know Gibson, I'm sure he'll be training while he's recovering. Mike come on out to the dirt crits, I'm sure you can yell from the sidelines and have a beverage or two to kill the pain.