In the Hood-BJM takes the day and the jersey!

Cliff notes:

Stage 2
Me 22nd
Kyle 43rd

GC
Kyle 29th
Me 38th

Here are some details from His and Her racing here at Hood:

110 miles
91 degrees
6000+ft of climbing
145 riders started/40 or so of us finished together
25 mph avg.

9 water bottles
5 gu's
3 cliff bars
2 cliff blocks

Today was a hot day at the races. A break got 13 1/2 minutes on the field when Health Net started the chase. I did have a chance to talk to Nathan O'Neill today, he was totally cool asked about Team Spine. Then the Healthy Net train started going full speed, its a beautiful thing this bike racing. Health Net, Priority, Navigators, and Toy United were all riding single file for like 3 hrs. I was just happy to be hiding in the bunch looking for shelter. Then on the last lap the attacks started and the field broke into three. Lucky for me I jumped on Mattis and the Berry train helped keep me in the front group. I was coming into the sprint and thought I was in Ok position and would give her a go to the line as downhill sprints are sometimes less about sprinting and more about gearing and timing. Kyle my Spine Teammate was also in the lead group and I was wondering if he was around..then on my right side two Fruit Cakes from the Fiorefruita or how ever you spell or say it...do a frinkin Blue Angel and take each other out at 40mph...I had to shut it down and roll in for a 20th or so..better then yesterdays 60th.
BJM won and I'm sure he called AJM to tell him the good news and due to the time bonus he will be flying the Full Sail leaders jersey in the AM. Also wanted to thank BJM for the bottle today when I was running low on the H2O. Good guy helping out the old dudes.

There were a few crashes, Jesse Andy did a nose wheelie and had some chasing to do for the rest of the day. Kenny Williams will be riding one of Andy Stones loaners. Hope that's the end of the crashing for the year.

I have to thank Tracey for getting me a co-pilot for the trip. Courtenay and I chatted the entire way and the Value Act chic's are kicking some serious butt--two stages in two days!! Studs!

The always smiling Bev Harper from Webcor who is one of the happiest people on planet earth ripped a great Prologue as always. She has a gift for the TT thing and she was flying, then dropped a chain got off fixed it and came in the top 15...just imagine where she would have finished....she would have beat me fore sure:)

Felicia Gomez had a strong TT too, man she has helped my love life more then she knows thanks to that gel stuff she recommended to Tracey:)

I do have to thank Elise and Marcel my west family for the perfect feeds all day.

Mt Hood is awsome!

This is one of my favorite pics ever! I'm sitting somewhere in the middle in 2004 and was on my way to a pretty good finish in GC. I'm hoping I can have one or two good races here at Mt Hood. I love this town, its like a Nevada City with a big bike race. The weather this week will be perfect! Today we have the 6 minute sufferfest, if your like NO ot BJM it will be closer to 5 minutes. I'm looking forward to seeing what the new TT position will do for me-- I'm running good power on the "puss o tron" (wohlberg expression) and I'm clean with the air. Its not gonna matter to much after Saturday.

Stay tuned for daily bloggin if your bored.

Road Trip...Mt Hood

Heading out at O dark :30 for Mt Hood. It was a tradeoff this year...Mt Hood or Mt Ham..no brainer! I was happy to sleep in have a nice easy breezy spin then head in for a big breakfast...I mean french toast, eggs, home fries, the works. Yum.

Boulder or bust!

I've had a great week here in Denver, now today its me time! After a week of selling Igloos to Eskimos finally I'm free to go for a long solo ride and wander on some new roads for the entire day. I've got some great friends here and they put me up for the week. Much nicer then looking at 4 hotel walls and bad TV.

Speaking of bad TV, I've been watching the EPO rats coming out of the sewers spillin their guts..Mr. 60 % should have some interesting things to say. Its funny how all the directors have achieved their success with drugs...now tell their riders do as I say...wink...wink...not as I do.

Tyler the Liar- it all came down to a sharpie...someone didn't have one when they were marking bags of blood.

Landis-he was taught to do dirty things from the best of them.

Armstrong-its getting closer...maybe before the tour we'll all have some big news.

After Papp, I wonder and have my own theories on who's up to no good here in the old USA.

"Good luck Hoooch." Thanks Dave.

Someone called me Hoooch yesterday, and it brought me back a few decades...did I say that? I grew up in a Manchester, Ct in a town of about 50K and it was called the silk city. Twenty years ago the economy was pretty happening due to insurance and the threat of war as there were submarine plants, jet engine companies, etc that kept the local population working. Now its like a lot of little industrial based towns where Indian casinos, big shopping malls, chain restaurants have taken over. Its just one of a thousand towns where industry has shriveled up and passed suburban small Ville USA.

When I was about 13 ..I can still remember that first Saturday am group ride with the local legends. I was feeling nervous as I embarked on a 30 miler that met at Manchester Cycle shop around the corner. It was a chilly morning there was a group of about 10 guys that would normally stop in the shop hang out and talk about the races, rides, new tires, etc. on their way home from work. There was even a guy that raced in Europe (Brian Danhey)-- he was the guy everyone talked about when they were chatting about bike racing. I was in awe.

I showed up on my Motobecane Mirage (that I bought for myself) first thing that Sat am wearing my Rivat cycling shoes with nails in the leather sole as they were cheaper then the much cooler Duegi wood sole shoes, baggy wool tights, brancale helmet and a powder blue wool jersey. Oh yea, I don't want to forget the black campy cycling cap, you know the one in breaking away. I was on top of the world.

I remember one guy specifically who later helped me a lot with racing and cycling. His name was Dave Hulme, he was from England and I really liked his accent he wore one of those cool hair nets (leather cycling helmet) and rode an Olmo too.

We started out good enough just riding along thru some towns that I was familiar with on roads that my father and I would drive when looking for a Christmas trees in Glastonbury. As we started getting further and further to towns and roads that I had never seen before and I was feeling a little nervous... the guys were really helpful and were giving me encouraging bits of advice along the way. Then I remember when we went around a corner in front of me was a mountain and my legs started to feel weak. As the guys in front of me continued to climb, I just couldn't keep up and I was so far from home. I slogged up Lookout mtn and Dave came and helped me as my legs just wouldn't pedal. At this point I was scared and in over my head. I weaved and tried to force the pedals over as Dave pushed me all the way up and over Lookout mountain. The rest of the ride the group helped me get back home and nursed me along, every time we got to a slight rise, I'd fall off the back and Dave would say " come on Hootch" in his English accent. I did make it home exhausted, thanks to Dave.

Ten years later... I was living in the same town small Ville USA where I was 1 of about 50k people that raced bikes, shaved my legs, etc. I had a brand new Pinnerello Montello with SLX tubing, internal cables, and the fanciest cycling shoes money could buy. I was just getting in a good block of training in for the 1988 Olympic trials- I qualified for the TT and the road race in the MA/RI district. The road race was my goal it was a 117 mile race and I think Frank Mckormick (sp)? won, to qualify in the TT was a surprise as it was the first time I ever did a 40 k. I did it in 55:45 with no real areo gear, I just wanted to break an hour..

So anyway I was on my way to my parents house near the beach one afternoon. It was about 65 miles one way and I started out going pretty hard as I wanted to get there in 3hrs. I was going to head over Lookout Mountain and do some big ring work for power then cruise to the beach. I'm feeling pretty good, it was a sunny day and all I had was a tubular tire and a couple of water bottles. I started the climb in the big ring and I was flying, just ahead I could see the rare sight of another cyclist that was weaving and struggling up the climb as I flipped over the big ring. As I got a bit closer I could see a hairnet, then I noticed it was Dave Hulme!!! When I pulled up to him, I said "Hey Dave, need a push? I owe you one!" He heard that I was going to Spokane, WA for the cycling trials and he said "sure".

I gave my old friend a push to the top of the mtn. When we got to the top, he said "Good luck Hootch" and we rode our separate ways. I've never seen him since, but I'm thankful for all of his help and was happy to have re-payed the favor.

I'm not sure if he knew how much he helped me that day years before, we didn't even mention it as I pushed him.

Thanks Dave

Spain - "life is good"

I saw these two old men in a little village called Quintanamanvirgo just sitting on this stone bench and I couldn't help but think of what I want to be when I grow up. I think it would be like these two just going for a walk with a friend of 50 years after a big lunch with the family and a bottle of wine or two...or three.

Giro shrinkage.

Its tougher and tougher to watch the Giro this year on TV. I did get to see a stage on VS yesterday and was back looking for more today...no luck on VS or RAI. I remember a few years back when there was less news about drugs and more about racing. Now it seems quite different. There was that one year when the Giro, TdF, & Vuelta were on live every morning, I think that was the year they did the drug raids in Italy and the stage was canceled..oh yhea then there was the day Marco got the boot when he was in Pink.

It makes me wonder if all the dopers have finally fucked up the sport for good and sponsors want nothing to do with risking being in the limelight, and getting kicked to the sidelines in the leaders jersey . Considering what happened in Spain last year right before the TdF with Basso and the other leaders I can't blame them and then with Landis...wtf.

TV seems to have turned the lights out on the Giro while the Drs will be doing night checks on the riders. I'm wondering when the drug raids will happen this year at the Giro????

The saddest part is what they are doing to the younger generation. I remember when my parents were worried about beer, pot, x....parents now might need to be worried about EPO, HGH, steroids, etc..

sigh.

La Vuelta da vino

Well my spring break is almost over from training/racing, I did get a few rides in this week. I planned on going for a ride today outside of Madrid but woke up at 11:am and we have a party in a couple of hrs. I'm looking forward to getting home to the girl, house, rides, Pete's, gardening and just riding for a week. Then travel will be picking up for the next two months with racing and work CO, OR, WA, RI, MA, & PA.

I'm optmistic, but wondering how it will all turnout?????

See you all on the road soon,

Hasta.

yummy rioja

and another nice day...in spain.

Jet lag sucks! But I love Espana!

After a uneventful 16 hr flight I'm here awake in the hotel wondering what to do at 6am..go for a ride, watch the De La Hoya Mayweather fight live in german, or toss and turn for another couple of hrs?? I dunno, when in doubt go for a ride, I'll sleep later on the bus:)

Yesterday we had lunch (5:00pm) in some cool caves here with some tasty whites. The dinner started at 10:30 with the Spanish wine trade with 20 wines and it lasted until 1am. 36hs and 4 hrs of sleep later, gotta be MR nice guy today as we have 35 people on tour with us in a huge bus.

I heard that the town (70 ppl more letters in the name of the town then people) of Quintanamanavirgo here in Ribera del Duero will be coming out to greet us today. Thats the Torremoron I sold to Whole Foods this month.


Looks like it was another great day for AMD and Safeway at Cats Hill.

Congrats to Proman's Shelly for a great ride.

Riders down:(

Dan Turner had a crash this week and so did Proman's Emily Zell while riding with a friend. I hear Emily will be cheering on her team at Cats Hill Dan isn't so lucky.
I've been teamates with Dan for over 8 years and he is always helpful, kind and generous. Dan got in a pretty bad crash earlier in the week and any support, thoughts, encouraging words are always appriciated from the cycling community. This is a dangerous sport and we are all riding around in underware at high speeds with cars buzzing by on cell phone and too many latte's.

Please be safe! Ride on low traffic roads and never think that this can't happen to you, thats when you can get into trouble.

Rob Cadey Team Spine wrote:
Dan Turner went down pretty hard apparently in crash last night
> while training and was taken to the hospital. He suffered a broken
> collarbone in 3 places, broke 2 ribs and punctured his lung. He
> seems to be in good spirits though knowing he got out of racing
> Cats hill this weekend. Please wish him well for a speedy recovery
> and know his presence will be missed out there competing with us.
> Sorry for the bad news
> Rob Cady
he gets home (Sunday, maybe). In any
event, he's doing well at Eden Medical Center in Castro Valley, 20103
Lake Chabot Rd.). For those of you who have asked, the phone number
there is 510-537-1234 and visitors/phone calls are allowed 11-8.

Dan says thanks for all the well wishes and he's looking forward to
hearing how all the racing's going, so keep him in the loop!

Operation Mucho Vino...& Jamon

I'm out o here in search of some cool new wines for 10 days starting in Madrid on Sat when most of you are petting the kitty.






Hernando looks like he'll be home playin with his kitty. Cats Hill is one of my fav's as I always have a chance to win this race due to the descent. I'd be on the fence to do the Pro or Masters race as the Wohlberg and B Jaques Maynes are away in Brazil and Gila. I rode it the other day and the road is bumpy as ever and for those who are unfamilar watch out for the tire eating groves in the straights.

The race will be like this in the Masters...Martin attacking, Metcalf chasing, Angerman licking his chops, Fonseca looking for a free ride, Nolan doing the 1 to go blast off and try to catch everyone off gaurd...Angerman for the win.

Women's race..I'm a fan of Proman.

Demo has started on the money pit...

Well this is my domestic/creative side, I'm on my third house in 5 years and really looking forward to the re-do on this one more then any of the others. I love the style of this place and its very modern in a 70's Eichler kind of way. When we walked thru this place a year ago, it was just reduced and getting close to the holidays which is my favorite time to buy a house due to the panicked sellers that time of year and we said this place could be very cool if you looked past the mirrors, tile floors, bad lighting fixtures, stained carpet, paneling on the walls, etc.

Clint said"you could just find another house". Nahhh, I like the the journey.

So after fixing just about everything last year-- pool motor, pool heater, pool filter, leaky roof, refrig, ac, garage door, building a wine cellar and more...we have started the demo project and I'm psyched!!! We had these groovy mirrors on this entire wall, under the mirrors we found some very Austin Powers or Soul Train wallpaper from the 70.zzz that made me dizzy. Not sure which was worse but they are sure fun to look for 2 minutes and glad they are going to the dump.


This place is getting all the new swanky kitchen appliances in stainless, italian cabinets, coffee bean counter tops, lighting, hardwood floors...etc. Looking forward to having a huge pool party once its done!!! or maybe Thanksgiving dinner???

The Rider by Tim Krabbé

Cycling fans should read this!

I read it a few years ago and one quote I remember was" There are alot of riders who would rather see you lose a race then win for themself"

I stole this:
"Krabbé is probably best known in this country as the author of the novel adapted as the film The Vanishing, but in his native Netherlands The Rider is his bestselling book. As a young man, Krabbé's forte was chess - in his late teens, he was inside the top 20 players in Holland - and he only discovered a talent for cycle-racing relatively late in life, in his 30s. That new-found passion eventually found its way into this autobiographical novella about a bike race in south-west France, but the chess knowledge still figures as Krabbé narrates the intricate battle of tactics and psychology as the race plays itself out against the bleak landscape of les causses. Like much of Krabbé's oeuvre, The Rider has a strange, dark, philosophical flavour: it is both a paean to pain and a hymn to the fellowship of the road. Nothing better is ever likely to be written on the subjective experience of cycle-racing"