Proman, Proman, Proman, Proman--envy.

Holy crap, these girls win everything team like. They are such a cool team of women that ride their hearts and asses off for eachother. Its been sweet to see them get so much sucess on every type of bike that has two wheels. I started thinking of Shelly Olds as Sea Biscut, not for any other reason then when she was at the track Friday lining up with some of the US best and more experienced riders...she just blasted them Proman like, anytime a rider came up alongside her, she got that you know-- look in her eye. It was like when Sea Biscuit was racing against War Admril, on paper she was smaller, less experienced, maybe a little tired from racing in Canada making some Candian buck$, and oh yhea, cuter then the race favorites too.

Hats off to Nicky! All of these girls have done so much for each other all season. My GF had such a crap year last season, Nicky belived in her ablity and on paper I'm sure there were dozens of women who had better results. She brought T-Ford on board and after this weekend I was so impressed with Tracey. She is riding with more confidence then ever.

Friday night TF did what she could after a hellish week with her 70+hr job. Then after a hellish drive to Watsonville Sat, she won the womens race, as soon as race was over TF dialed up Nicky to see if she could make it to the track so she could help the team - we drove as fast as we could so she could help Sea Biscuit(Shelly) go BIG at the track. She pinned up, did her job, as well as Kelly and how about Nicky off solo for 8 of the 15 laps. Shelly was perfect! I'm not sure if Shelly has one of those smiles all the time when she is going hard like Horner, or if she was just smiling.

Then Tracey goes to Albany for her 4th race in 40 hrs. She and Nicky worked together out numbered. Tracey Won that one too.

Weekend tally
Shelly 2
Tracey 2
Rachel 1 National championship

Lust at first sight...

Here is a loaner for worlds, no kidding! I was just riding along and hooked into the guys for Specialized. Then went over to the office

May just have to get me one.

Don't know much about this dude, only know him from google and random cycling results..

But he is fast.

Mr Fix it+beer=shock therapy

So I started to get some things done around here that bug me about this house. I started replacing all the electrical plug and dimmer switches that are like 50 years old and just didn't fit with our new fresh contemporary look (Thanks to TF)...so I got potatoes roasting in the oven so dinner is ready when the girl gets home, music cranking...and a nice chilly beer. I figured, what the heck, I'll just be careful and not touch the two wires and I'll be fine,.....

zap, and then another zap...

Ok I'll go and turn off the breaker now that my eyebrows are singed. Man that juice thru the body really make you see stars.

Go chicken go..

Today was a bit of a snooze until the last 5 k. I'm so looking forward to watching that poor chicken dance in the TT. I"ll be on the edge of my seat.

A case for the AJM drawing

One of these days I'll figure out this blogging stuff...

http://getwellandydrawing.blogspot.com/

WHITES-CHARDONNAY (3BOTTLES)
NEWTON 2000
STEELE SANTA BARBARA 2000
JORDAN RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY 2004

REDS
PINOT NOIR (4 BOTTLES)
ROBERT MONDAVI RESERVE 2001
WILLAKENZIE WILLAMATE VALLEY 2005
WILLAKENZIE ALIETTE (SINGLE VINEYARD) 2002
WILLAKENZIE EMERY (SINGLE VINEYARD) 2003

NIEBAUM COPPOLA ESTATE CABERNET FRANC 2001

CABERNET SAUVIGNON (4 BOTTLES)
SAWYER CELLARS 1999
PINE RIDGE 2000
CLOS PEGASE 2001
JORDAN 2002

Now go buy some more tickets! I found some great wines when I was doing some organizing in the wine cellar today.

Dumb & dumber go to Hellyer

Ok so my first day at the track was a lesson of what not to do more then what to do.

1) Don't bring beer in bottles...duhhh. Next time sippy cups or cans.
2) Sun screen parts that the sun never sees, ankles, head, etc..
3) Gearing that actually fits- who the f- knew that there were two chains sizes...
4) Don't put all your gear near the edge of the cement. Water sprinklers are going wild. Where are the white tee shirts.
5) Don't walk on the grass with your Kenith Cole sandles, there's 4 inches of water that the grass is soaking in.
6) Don't borrow wheels and get to the track only to find out that there is no frickin way that you can pump the tires up.
7) Warm up---wtf???
8) Learn to look at the lap counter so you don't go one more at full blast in the 3k--its not 3.333k jack ass.

The coolest thing was the Team Pursuit. That was a ass woopin. It was like being in a video game on the tt bars, no brakes, no gears and flying up the wall...jesus...that was a blast. I'll do that one again.

Size doesn't matter...

Check out the legs on the top step vs the others..

Tracey and I also learned how to play Dave Towle Bingo...Andy Stone from shimano was DQ'd...fricking funny.




What a month.

Stars .....breakfast...boats.

I gotta call from Cozza and Thorburn last night about the TT course. I hope I helped, that's some pressure since they both have won the TT in the past.

OK, getting back to reality. Day two at home in three weeks-mowing the lawn, working on bikes, doing laundry, working on bikes, washing the car, working on bikes, etc. Friends and family were great letting me crash at their house, but the Best Western in Somerset I picked in PA really sucked! I owe T-Ford big for putting up with it and not changing. Looking back, we should have moved, we even went to another nearby hotel for breakfast. That's right, we poached breakfast, just plain walked in sat down and started eating. We both did pass on the biscuits and gravy.

It reminded me of one other time when I was in need of a place to stay at a bike race in 1989. I was doing a race in ME and had no idea that there was a huge clam festival in this little town (I'm allergic to shellfish). This was pre internet, and I didn't has a room reservation. My girlfriend at the time and I went to every hotel and Inn we could find with no luck...everything was sold out! It was getting late.

What to do, oh to be young and fearless.

We went down to the dock and slept on a boat in the marina. At 6am we got up when we heard the seagulls making noise and left everything in order, the same way we found it. I wonder if they knew???


All N CA racers at Natz...bring back jerseys and wear them! I'm going to put mine on for the first time today.

Close but no cigar.

Great race! The guy who won last year, but got DQd for racing while not being registered (Dirk Pohlman) stomped away for the win in the Master's 40-44 RR today. Good for him. I finished 2nd, not for a lack of trying in the last 5 k a few times, just didn't have the juice to break it open.

Roemer put in a killer 1 k dig and had a small gap. I was cheering for him, then Dirk went, then Wire and Benitz (Last years champ). Shit, if this keeps up I'm heading to Pittsburg early..

Wire & Benitz blew up with 200m to go. I caught up to them and kept going for 2nd at that point Dirk was across the line.

Last years course was more difficult, but the best man won today for sure.

I'm super happy to have won the BAR here too, I wonder what I'll get for all that heavy breathing later tonight after a few beers.

Highlights of each day was hanging around the Towle & Todd Gogo show. Those guys are great, from start to finish, this race would have been soooo boring without them singing all day!

Tracey was awesome, just awesome! All week loving caring, supportive, couldn't ask for anything more. She was bummed about getting 3rd in a crit she woulda, coulda, shoulda won, but shes got worlds on the brain. That would be cool!

I'm very lucky.

Home sick & Track dream team-minus 1

I'm sitting here in shitsville, PA where the locals weight on average 500 lbs. I can see why, the other night Tracey and I went out to dinner and all we saw was french fries, onion rings, the largest cookie covered with 15 scoops of ice cream, and everything on the menu had a parmesan cream sauce...Tracey is not a fan of eating anything that walks and had a very good point about ordering fish. (Never order fish if you can't see the ocean)

I miss Pete's, burritos, and our pool...sigh.

Now after this little road race thing tomorrow, I'm heading to the track for a little pursuit thrills. I even got picked for a 4 man team. I haven't got a f-ing clue what to do, but we have some track legends giving our team some tips. I hope I don't take anyone out!

Stars and bars #2-one more to go.

You'll never guess who won the Masters 40-44 National crit today.

I was told by everyone not to start the crit today and save it for the RR Tuesday. The RR is a killer course. Mattis described it as "a course for Hunt when he is in top form". That means its hell o hard.

Roemer was killing it today in the crit, either on or off the front, he was marked. I tried a few times to go away, no luck so I was just sitting in for the race. With 5 to go I said what the hell, one more try. Roemer and two others were 5 seconds off the front, I bridged solo and went thru them, the field for some crazy reason sat up. This gave me a 15 sec gap in one lap.

Then Mark Trujillo father of---Joe Trujillo (Team Spine Junior) from Clover bridged across, and we didn't screw around. Head down, encouraging words, helping each other for 5 laps. I thought I was going to puke. The field was getting closer, no time for games, Mark took the last corner at full speed, I was glued to his wheel looking down at his ripped legs. Mark is a class act and I was very happy we rode the break out.

I came around him with 50 meters to go with a angry field only 2 seconds behind- I had a 200 to 1 odds to win this race today.

I'd bet on me for the RR. Until then I'll be resting for the road race.

Oh yhea baby!!! I got me some STARS AND BARS!!!!

I WON, GOTTA GO GET THE JERSEY IN LIKE 15 MINUTES..NO TIME FOR FOOD OR BEER..

NEXT STOP WORLDS IN AUSTRIA.

BEST THING WAS THE HUG FROM TRACEY AFTER THE RACE- WE BOTH HAD A FEW TEARS

GOT A HUG FROM THE BEST ANNOUNCER EVER DAVE TOOLLES (SP, BUT YOU SHOULD BE USED TO THE BY NOW.

COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT MICK HELMAN, DARIO (WHOLE ATHLETE), VELOTECH, ANDY STONE (SHIMANO), TEAM SPINE AND MOM AND DAD.

THANKS FOR CHECKING IN.

TT START TIME 4:36 PM

STAY TUNED..

WISH ME LUCK, SEND ME MOJO AND GOOD WATTS...

They don't make them like this in CA!

Regina Pizza in Boston's North End, making these in the brick oven since 1926. I almost missed my flight, but the pizza was worth it!

Ride safe today at Davis and Happy 4th of July.

mjh

Do gooders

This is a bit over due. I'd like to post the following do gooders. This is stuff I hear about and it makes me say, that's a random good act of kindness for cycling in some way or another. This is such a narcissistic stupid sport, sometimes I just want to hear something good, I'm getting tired of Velo spews and Cycling Blues.

If you hear of one, tell me. I'll be happy to consider it, weekly winner gets a jug of vino.

Rules
Must be 21
Can't sing your own act of do goodin

This week is for Steve Reaney helping out a injured rider at the track. Sounds like he's helped out before and since he has been spending alot of time at the track I guess I bring a bottle for him to the NCNCA Masters next week. I'm sure he will be ripping Hell yr up.

One for Briggs too. After suffering a broken fibula at a early bird and getting back on his feet this season, he is on his way to kicking some ass here in the NCNCA. I heard he was hitting some high notes at Vacaville to some of the berries. Briggs's new career track is both a blessing and a curse. His has been doing a EMT training and I've seen him on several occasions be the first on a bike crash scene helping out injured riders while we all look at each other not quite sure what to do next.

Last week- our fav and fab Bella http://velobellababble.blogspot.com/ for her green thinking and catching a litter bug.

In shape..cycling shape that is..

I just walked by a mirror on the wall. It was full length. I'm in good cycling shape, but my body has a freakish tan that looks pretty funny poolside, my ribs and chest stick out, veins are sticking out of my limbs and head, legs and head are shaved squeaky clean. I swear I eat more then 90% of most people. Tracey says "I'm a fat man in a skinny mans body.

Just in time for Nationals.

Once they are over I'll resume my eating and more importantly drinking of adult beverages...can't wait! Its going to be a month long party.