Lump?

So I was really happy to report that I was about 80% better, ha, that was stupid and premature. Ever since I thought things had gotten better they have remained the same or are slightly worse. I have a lump in my leg, and not the kind in my head, but something hard and painful. I think I better get this checked out. My reluctance is that the last time I saw a doctor it was for shooting chest pains that intermittently radiated from my heart Their answer to my little problem was to try some heart burn meds, yeah great advice. Needless to say I didn't fill that scrip because I knew it wasn't the problem, so I am reluctant to get the same advice I could probably give my self, give it some time and see if it gets better or worse. I am still going to try to hit the 12 of Blue Mounds this weekend, but we shall see.

The Gastroc Lives

Thanks everyone for the emails and phone calls, in a crazy twisted way it was a great birthday present to hear from all of you. I'm about 80% and will be back on my bike this weekend for a couple easy rides around Chicago. This little incident has really made me appreciate a couple things, the people I ride with and the ability to get around. It is easy to take both of these things for granted so once in awhile it's good to get a little reminder of how important they both are, although I could have done with a little more gentle reminder than this, it's still good none the less.

Levi Trow Race and Crash

Levi Trow 100 started off as I had hoped, at the gun I ran like a sack of potatoes to my bike where I sat back about 5th or 6th. By the end of the lap I was first SS and 2nd overall with 3rd and 4th with me, I went through lap 2 with the same time as my first lap, but about 6 miles into the 12 mile 3rd lap I flipped my bike, hit the ground and my bar end came into the back of my right calf. It felt like someone stood behind me and kicked me as hard as they could in the back of the leg. I jumped on my bike and took off, then I felt it grow warm and tight and within 30 sec. I couldn't put any weight on it. I coasted along the trail peddling with my left leg until I couldn't go any further. At about this moment another rider came along and went ahead for help. About 15min later the race promoter, Jason, came along and gave me a ride to the EMTs that were looking for me. They got me bandaged and iced up, then carted me back to the start finish area where they took me for a parade lap in from of about 75 spectators, humiliating. I got back to my truck where I was met with a lot of support for loading and offers to drive me home, all of which I was extremely thank full for. A big thanks to Renee for driving me home, I thought I could do it, but her good sense and driving ability probably kept me from crashing into a ditch. I am having one of those years that occasionally plagues riders, you are in great shape, but things that have never happened before suddenly start popping up at every event. I hope that this is the end of it, but I still have a number of races left so I guess we will see if any new things happen. The one thing that has happened is I have become very angered at the bad luck I have been experiencing and for me nothing makes me go faster than being angered, so I plan on bottling it up and letting it go for the rest of the year. Don't worry I put it to the pedals and not to other riders, I mean this is mountain biking not road racing. I'm walking today, which is nice because its my birthday and I would like to be able to get around for at least a couple cocktails tonight. Thanks again to everyone, to many to mention, for helping me get home.

Levi Trow 100

Quick post before I head north for the Levi 100. With 12.5 miles of single track and 950 ft of climbing this course is a blast to ride. It looks like we will be doing 8 laps tomorrow so with any luck I will be drinking beer by 5. I know a lot of the 100 mile course have finishing times in the 7-8 hour range but this course will not be like those, roots, rocks, bridges and no roads will make for a lot slower going. Please say a little prayer to the rain gods, it looks like we might be in for more precip and why not I haven't seen a dry course all year. Talk to you on the other side.

Joe Dirt

I haven't had much time to blog let alone even think about blogging, I am heavily involved in a Norwegian workout plan that involves me moving 5 ton of dirt and rock around my yard in hopes of creating a synergistic landscape of both form and function. In between the earth moving I get on my bike and blast on the climbing routes for 3 hours. The Norwegian workout has made me tired, but strong like bull. My last ride was 3 hours with an average speed of 19 and 205 watts so all the punishment seems to be paying off. Unless my back breaks like a twig in the next couple days I am planning on racing at the Levi Trow 100. A great 13 mile loop with a little bit of everything. I won this race 2 years ago geared so this year I'm going single to see how I fair. I am hope full that I will get to race at least once without mud. Next post after.

Verona Tri

Spent Sunday with my cousin Jay and our good friend from Canada Ellen. They were tearing it up at the Verona Triterium. I like to swim, bike and run, but not in the same day and sure as hell not one right after another so I gotta give it to them and the other 700 that lined up. If you have never gone to a Tri, you MUST, because no matter how nice you think your bike is or how tricked out it is it's nothing compared to the qwan these guys spend on their rigs. 700 bikes in here and probably 70- 80% are carbon with full boat Dura Ace.
This is really early, I regret not getting a pic when the racks were all jammed up.
A couple of the waves waiting to storm the quarry, 500 meters meant 3 laps of the lake with a little run out and back in each time.
Look at all the bobers.
Ellen spending valuable energy smiling.
This is Jay, he found a 12" crescent wrench on the course that he decided he might need later for changing his rear cassette. I'm glad I was there when he picked it up or he would have run 2 miles with it. I used it later to motivate people who were slow.

Big smiles all the way to the end. This is on the down hill, the smiles were a little less going the other way.

Bike Parking or Lawn Art

The the first part of making the world a more commuter friendly is don't hide the bike rack in the bushes or make it part of the corporate landscaping. This picture was taken at a bank that shall remain nameless. I do intend to help them out by pulling it out of the ivy.