Dazed and Confused

Competitors place their bikes on the ground in preparation for the Le Mans style start to the Metro Challenge WEMS races. I had been sick, headaches and extreme fatigue, in a way I haven't been sick since I started my CPAP therapy. Debated whether I should race this weekend but was feeling a lot better. Three laps and was egged on to do another. Would have had to increases my lap time and felt it would have compromised my safety. Was satisfied with how my body handled the heat though it is not really a hot Summer and the humidity broke after the first lap.

Here is a picture of the timing gods sitting in judgment. To gaze upon their radiant faces would surely mean certain death, or maybe they're just plain ugly. You can see the two chutes where the teams relay in and out. A well organized and successful event though attendants was down with the Border Battle, on the other side of the state, being the following day.

I had suggested to my wife that I would be going to the Border Battle, a five hour plus drive, and was met with;

"No Way!"

"You're kidding, right?"

The high gas prices deterred me from spending the money we don't have to go to the Border Battle and I eventually told her I wasn't going. I try to average under $100 a race, including bicycle maintenance costs through the season. An almost impossible task this year.

So I arrived home from the Metro Challenge and my wife had made large piles of spaghetti.

"Why did you make spaghetti?" I asked in dazed wonder.

"For your race tomorrow." she said.

!?!?! "I'm not going. ...I told you that already. ...You didn't want me to go."

She insisted that I had said I was going and was at a loss to understand what she was talking about. Confused, I decided it was still best not to go since I would get almost no sleep and the drive was long. I actually went on a long bike ride Sunday and felt great. Could have done the double header if we didn't have our retail business to run on the weekends.

As it turned out, those I am competing with in the series had little advantage to make headway with some serious Minnesota racers pushing them all down the finishing ranks. It was missing the Sunburst Showdown that really hurt me.

My wife's birthday is in two months and she already told me some time ago she wants to go to a Japanese restaurant on her birthday. ...What does that mean?

New Shoes

After six years and the attentions of one of our dogs it was high time for a new pair of shoes. Found these Gary Fischer shoes on the Internet for well over 60% off retail even after shipping costs. Went one size smaller which is fine when I wear the performance socks. This should make a big difference. My old shoes were so worn and loose... now I get all that lost energy back into the bike. We'll see how the climbs at Crystal Ridge go.

The Blufflands Epic was a wonderful event. They had some water bottles for the participants and I picked one I thought my wife would like since I already have several. My wife said they are "happy colors." Trek and Bontrager were a big part of its success. Bontrager providing some carbon cranks for some prizes.

I woke up and checked the internet and realized it was a much longer trip than I thought. Had to rush to get out in time. Found the new shoe on the front porch but as it turned out there was no extra time to get the cleats on. If only I had got up when I woke up a good hour before my alarm was set.

I had a couple pieces of toast and then a sandwich on my way there. Also a bottle of PowerAid and a small energy bar. No air conditioning in the truck and it was hot. I had no recovery on the first lap and planned to stop after the second if that didn't change. My body responded and I did three laps. A good time on the second and was careful on the third cause I just didn't have any energy. The heat, lack of proper preparation and being unfamiliar with the course I wasn't going to push for four laps but under better conditions I certainly could have done four with some time to spare.

The course had a great rhythm. Very well balanced with plenty of well placed difficult elements. I enjoyed it more each time around. I was satisfied with my performance on the long climbs and if I had any extra spark I would have challenged all the elements but chose to dismount at points. Great variety of up/down switchbacks and almost any element you can imagine was there. Also tended to just plain stop to let faster riders by.

I gave some miscreants a good scare. Not by intention. I skidded to a stop before a narrow section followed by a switchback to let a faster rider behind me pass. At the same moment a young guy and his buddies let me have it with a super soaker. I think they thought I was upset. I should have told them I only stopped to let him pass and thanked them. It felt soooo good. They had a water balloon prepared for the competitor behind me and to his chagrin they missed. Now I know how the twelve hour racers keep their sanity. The good deeds of others.

Granite Chunks

Some years ago now, when I went to Korea for reasons including most notably my health, they had a long trough of clay marbles that one was to walk through. It was supposed to stimulate the nerve endings in your feet and a fifty meter or so walk was to be the equivalent of many times more the distance (forgot the exact figures). Here is the bridge over highway 41 that is to be part of the Hank Aaron State Trail. Currently its is a canal of granite chunks. Riding back and forth over this will certainly challenge your balance skill and work every muscle in your body. Not truly grueling, but certainly will add to your workout if you're short on time. About a mile ride from my house. The downside is you collect a lot of abrasive granite dust on your bike.

My weight was down my last WORS race from the previous weight though it has been going up slightly. Haven't been feeling 100%. Taking it easy for a while. Actually a few days rest really works for me leaving me pumped with energy. Been feeling a bit drained this year. Someone on the message board mentioned that a good night sleep is important the two nights before a race. I actually find a good night sleep before the race leaves me a bit dull. I feel mentally more alert when I have a shorter sleep the night before.

Tomorrow is the Blufflands Epic. Took a leisurely two hour ride yesterday and resting up today. Next week is the reschedule of the Metro Challenge conflicting with the WORS Border Battle, a new race venue including a competition with Minnesota. There was talk of a traveling trophy. 12 Hours of Blue Mounds was changed from the October 18th rain date to September 20th.

We've been enjoying the Olympic coverage on our HD TV. Our computers are too old to play any of the online videos and we don't have cable but we enjoy the live coverage in the evenings. We watch a lot less TV since we got HD. I think the pulse of the analog had a hypnotic effect creating an attractive stress release.

When we see a Chinese athlete make a flub we ask each other "How many years in prison do you think they'll get?"

"Their whole family will suffer." says my wife.

This is one thing I always wondered about the beach volley ball.

Washington D.C.

I missed the Sunburst Showdown. I was really looking forward to it after breaking a chain there last year but I had an important event to go to in Washington D.C. Came up big points for those I'm tight with in the series standings. Plenty of pictures as always. Looks like Lance Armstrong is switching disciplines.

Here is a bike with an internal shifting hub with 14 speeds. Talked to the nice man from the Netherlands riding this bike (wearing an orange T-shirt) who was riding from Pittsburgh to New York via Washington D.C. Said there is a continuous bike trail all the way to D.C. He was off to visit the Harper's Ferry Battle site. A continuous trickle of bicyclists passed our hotel on the way to the official trail. Our ride into D.C. took us along the C & O Canal trail.

After a continental breakfast of a half dozen glaze encrusted Krumpe's Donuts, I was bursting at the seems with energy after sitting on the bus the whole day before. I wish I had brought my bike and thrown it in the luggage compartment. Could have skipped the sight seeing and rode the rest of the way in. Plenty of Bicycles in D.C. too sharing the walks and paths with pedestrians. As we went sight seeing at least half the tourists were speaking languages other than English. The view screen on our camera is broken. Had to shoot pictures blind. Here is a picture of the Korean War Memorial. I liked the composition.

The event was the Global peace Festival. The weather was perfect and they filled the west side of the Capital building grounds. As the multiple presentations ended and the sun set there were multiple entertainers which had still not performed. It would have been nice to stay longer but we had to get back to the bus and start our trip home. Washington D.C. is filled with departments, offices and museums that store catalog and keep track over our nation. Do they really produce anything there? It's sort of like one of those houses you find filled with piles of newspapers, magazines and the such.


Tun Tun took my near three day absence hard and was looking in bad shape when I got back. Still recovering from the trip myself. He has perked up and always keeps me in sight whatever I'm doing around the house. Took this picture at our church where he grew up a few weeks ago. Took him along on one of my visits to take care of the grounds. Took a nice ride the evening after I got back. The Hoyt Park trails are shortened with flood control project excavation cutting off the far ends of the trail. A nice loop though. Thanks to those who cleaned up the trail after the flooding.

Congratulations to those local bicycle enthusiasts/professionals helping the U.S. Olympic Team.

Green Acres

The weather is quite delightful for the next few days, but again we will be missing the State Fair. Yes, busy and short on funds. We used to make the rounds getting a cream puff, an ear of corn and a baked potato among other things, viewing all the animals and buy a $20 product from one the the many hawkers. A fine way to spend a day. Maybe next year. The Bicycle Federation of Wisconsin is running a bike check this year.

I completely forgot about the Wednesday night races last week. My wife came home at 6:00 pm and looked at me sheepishly.

"Are you upset?" she asked.

"Why?"

"Your race."

"Oh! I completely forgot." I said. And then it was too late to make it. Tonight looks like rain and I've been pretty busy. Don't think I'll go.

My wife and I went shopping together the other day and she bought a swimming pool for the dogs. Neither use it. I just might end up using it. With no air conditioning in my office it is not easy to work in front of the computers for too long. Tun-tun is still hanging in there, soon to be 14. i think the Dinovite was a big help and his leg doesn't bother him much because he doesn't move around as much as he used to. He found a way to go up the stairs sideways.

I've been remiss in my responsibilities, neglecting to provide my readers with relevant links in the last few posts (I just keep giving and giving). Here are some pictures from the Alterra Coffee Bean Classic. WORS also has a new sponsor. Someone on the WORS message board also enlightened me to a great video site. As you can see my chain is fairly clean and stays that way since I started using Squirt, also a new sponsor of WORS. The new brush I got at HOBO with long stiff bristles seems to work. Still I get build up on the rings and small nooks and crannies that take a bit of attention to brush out but the bike sure shifts much better with Squirt as promised. I'm going to stick with it for my mountain bike but I'll try different products on my other bikes and my wife's bike.


Flatted on my road bike and had to get a tire and some tubes. Also had a clicking checked out on my mountain bike that turned out to be coming from the peddles. The tech really liked the ride of my Trek 6700. It is a great starter bike to compete with if you don't mind a stiff aluminum frame in a hard tail. I replaced the seat after a year and you'll need to update components as time goes by, but it is durable enough to keep competing for years. A deal for the price. Got some good service and it is always a treat to be around people truly excited by bicycling. I'd mention the shop but I gave up on endorsing any local bike shops.

If any one is interested in a used Spark30 for under 3k talk to Andy at Emery's on Lisbon.