Easter in Santa Cruz

Man had a killer day in Santa Cruz riding some awesome trails with names like..blair witch, sick and twisted, etc.

I was in way over my head and realized where my skills were pretty quick when I biffed for the first (of several) times after watching BJM and Hooptie do some pretty sick stuff on mtn bikes. I mean really how do you do a wheelie coasting downhill????

This was my first day on real trails, at one point Jandy and I said at the same time "I'm getting dizzy..."

The chicks were blowing by me too..didn't matter if it was going up or down. One (Stella) and her Fella were both on single speed. I still don't get that one?? I needed every gear I had all day.

Came home in time for hitting a couple of bottles of Tecnu to rinse off the posion oak from all the rolling around I did on the ground, clean up a few scrapes and brusies. Then Easter dinner w/o Tracey with some friends.

We ate tons and well you know drank many bottles of beer and vino.

Almost a perfect day.

Tuesday track night

Thanks to Larry for keeping me away from the fridge and more importantly wine room. Looking forward to seeing Hoopties moto doing some laps.

Should be fun!

Stoopid pills and the bathroom????

So Tracey says that bad things happen in threes. My car has taken a beating in the last week, first at Berkley Bowl when I was like a kid in a candy store buying produce. Some not so nice person hit my mirror and kept on walkin...when I pulled out of the parking lot...crunch, I ran the thing over.

Uhhhhggg, then there was the broken bottle of wine in the back seat a couple of weeks ago...

and to top it off on the way to the race on sunday I didn't lock the strap down on Tracey's bike it flew out of the rack and nailed the car...no damage to the bike phew, just the dent in the car..

Races-

TTTTTTTT's,

it sounded like a good idea to do two TT's at the time. Even after the first one the second one didn't feel so bad until about halfway thru. Bosch and I had a nice little conversation as we rode up the hill to the turn around.  Good to have some company out in Yolo's or where ever?

Bosch said we got there in 35 min...oh man it was going to be a long way back...

with about 5 k to go at the base of the climb, I started going backwards. Full bonkage in the last 5k...I reached for a gu...dropped it..(sorry Exeter residents-- I did pick up and throw away 5 gu wrappers later that day). I was toast! hummm- only 2 min slower= 55 watts less then the first ride.

Crit #1

Then the Bosch Squad had the A team to keep him in the 99 series jersey. Hey I thought these guys were going to focus on the big leagues... Nothing of note for the first 35 minutes, pretty quick pace until about three to go when Joel and Tim G (aka Biscuit) kept the pace up on the front for their man. He won, we finished 4th. That sure was pretty to watch from the bleachers. Who says nice guys don't finish first? These guys are classy and strong. Oh well can't win them all.

Oh, yhea Metcalf won this weekend up north, he is pretty nice too:)

Crit #2

fast safe fun. Just got out of the way with 5 to go..plus my franks and beans were pretty sore from 100+ laps around them bumpy roads in Visalia and the 80's of TT's.

Los Banos! That was a great way to end off a fun weekend of racing. 

Paella and porron at Grapevine in Willow Glen Wed, April 2nd

Ok this is an event that I'm really looking forward to hosting. I tried out my paella skills this week with some Proman's chicks and Hooptie. Everyone survived! I've got a few kinks to work out in the next few weeks, but should be able to get it dialed. Cara owns a great wineshop in Willow Glen called Grapevine 

Its a great shop and she has been a huge supporter!!

Its going to be a blast! Above is one of my favorite pastimes in Spain. Drinking local wines from a porron and eating food typical of the region. Normally I enjoy crosswinds, with a porron it calls for a bib.

Menlo madness..

Fun crit today in Menlo!!! After seeing a few pretty bad crashes I was sure that I wanted to be safe 100%!!! I was either going to be first across the line with two to go and help Roger...or I was going to pull out.

We had two in a pretty impressive break, it was coming back quick like with 3 to go. Judgement call 100% .... jump across when the break started shadow boxing or wait and see it get crazy like..

Well I figured I'd be more help up near Roger and Chris, Shawn gave me the green light-- I went to the front and tried to take some wind for the break so they stayed clear.

Things were going our way until the last turn, Roger got pinched off and had to slow down.

Thats bike racing!

Congrats Briggs to taking it from the last corner!

TT fever...

Manchester Cycle Shop

Its where it all started, as a 13 yo kid I sucked at hockey, finished last at just about every BMX race I entered. I started going to this Wednesday night TT series. I started to get the hang of it. I also spent hours at the local bike shop, my mom should have paid them for baby sitting.

Got lots of TT's coming up. Get out there and do um...do um good! Good luck!

Mondays bits and pieces leftover from Central Valley

The Merco this year was a really great race, you'd never know that it wasn't on the NRC calendar. It felt big. Fields were full and with all the breakaways in the Crits and RR's, made for some fun racing.

I'm getting to really like that D Holla, the more I see him race and the fact that his mom & and pop are so proud and come to all the races makes me smile. Plus he is a huge talent and knows how to race his bike. I hear his mom has been putting on a kit too. Good to see them fancy stars and bars!

And Hernando...$300 clams. That was pretty sweet.

Had a lots of fun and the MS is getting on just fine with things falling into place. Its great to roll with friends and teamates both new and old.

Also had a chance to have dinner with the Proman chicks and a few of their dudes Saturday night at Hoopties family. It was a blast!!!
I found out Emily has a girl crush on Jenny Reed (Trackie)....??

I saw the Bissell Team truck miss a turn, Tracey and I got to thinking..we need a new vacuem cleaner. Think they have any for sale?

The P1 RR ride of the day...how about that Wohlberg? I mean I knew he was up to something by not doing the crit...wtf? Why didn't his team get an invite to TOC? Maybe $$$ issues?? I dunno, but Tracey and I gave a hoot when we heard he stuck it to them in the RR.

Oh well, back to the vino.