9/30

Went for a easy ride with Nate today. We hit some local trails by the house and we found big puff ball mushrooms and Nate was picking them and throwing them at the trees. It was hilarious to watch them explode and fly everywhere. I put some new tires on the single speed and they were fun to ride. They are the Kenda flames and are 2.125. They make the bike about 5#'s heavier. The tires are slicks and leave a flame pattern in the ground as you ride. It should be fun on the ride tomorrow.

I have been riding easy all week and now after the recovery I'm ready to ride again. I'm doing the Lake Geneva ride and taking Nate to the cross race on Sunday. If I don't drink to much maybe I'll race the cross race. I know I can do it on a hangover as last year Russell and I drank a gallon of Mogan David concord grape wine at Bonnies crib and did a cross race the next day. It was a little of a struggle at the start but as the race went on I felt better. So we will have to see how it goes tomorrow. Have a great race to all those racing and good rides to those who are riding. Later..

9/28

Well it's been a couple of days on the trainer. I took off Monday and got things done around the house and cleaned bikes. Tuesday was a spin ride on the rollers and getting the legs loosened up from the Sunday race. Then Nate, John, Russell and myself went to the Brewwers game. It was a great game and the Brewers won. Nate came ahome with 2 balls from the game so that was real cool. The Reds players would toss the baseballs to the kids in the seats and Nate was lucky and got 2 balls tossed to him. Today was a night ride but it was raining so again it was a workout on the rollers in the basement. This weekend we are going to do the ride around Lake Geneva and have some beers. Nate wants to do the cross race sunday so we will try to make it to the race so he can race. Well have to get the kids to bed and get myself to bed. Later..

Sunburst Raindown

Well what can I say? The first 3/4 of the family had perfect racing conditions. Maddie we think has strep throat again but she raced and pulled in a 3rd place again. She was smiling coming past for her second lap, what a great feeling that she is enjoying the racing as much as she is. Nate dropped the bomb again and finished 2nd in the cit boys 10-14. He did well and it was fun to watch he come by after the first bottom half and he caught the wave in front of him and they were flying. In the end he finished I think 13th overall for the cit class. All I think is boy, the kid is flying for a little squirt. I hope that he just keeps up the training and enjoying the racing. Cece again was 3rd in her age group and 8th overall for the cit ladies. Man she only races her bike I wish she would train and try a few of the sport or the WEMS races. But hey she is racing and I'm not complaining.

Now for the fun part of the day. I was in a real different type of feeling before the race started. Knowing that I couldn't get the series overall and had 2nd locked up it was a different feeling. Not the typical dozens of times to the blue coffins to leave a deposit or a nervous feeling or anything. I just had to ride the race and enjoy it and let it end the way it did. I started the usual way the 3 or 4 of us in the lead and riding along. After the first bottom swing I was in 2nd and Paul was off the front but as we got to the hill climb Todd and I caught him and the 3 of us rode together for a while and then we rode that way until the end of the first lap. Then we rode up the hill and a few of the other racers caught as we were just riding not pushing it. And then fun started. It started raining during our climb and we ended up walking our bikes some because of the rain. I was sitting in 4th and I picked up my bike and it was easier because all the mud that the others were getting in their bikes. I went in to the field and it was raining so hard and all I had to ride with my eyes closed at times and came out of the field in 2nd. I caught the rider in front of me and rode with him for a while. When we got to the top it was thundering and lighting and all and I'm thinking holy crap. But rode on and the Mike caught us and it was the 3 of us riding together. We heard that the race was shortened and I hit the gas to try to drop the others and it worked. Coming into the last long mud uphill I slipped and had to run up the last part and Mike caught and passed me. I'm thinking crap that's it and the race is his but he caught me at the top and I got on the gas and tried to chase him down. I was gaining on him and was right there and I'm thinking close but not this time and he misses the chute and I wave to him and come across as the winner. But bummer for Mike as he worked hard but I pulled the rug at the end for the win. But as it goes know the course and the finish or you may pay. I got the win for my age today and was 3rd overall for sport.

I didn't stick around for the results of others as it was raining again and I had 3 kids to bath and 4 bikes to clean when I got home. So I will check the results later and great job to all who raced and finished in the mud and rain. Only one more race and 3 or 4 pub crawls to finish this year. Next weekend there are 3 races and a pub crawl. Enough said for racing it's time to ride and drink. Later..

2 more

Nate, Maddie and myself just got back from pre riding the course for the sunburst showdown. It is running a little different this year then in the past. We are doing some of it backwards but much of it is the same. The climbs seem to be better this year and the course has a little better flow but come race time it will still be the fact that we are racing on ski hill and the hills will take a toll on me. If it rains the course should be a hoot as there are a lot of spots that are in the mud. I think I may take the single speed and race it if it is real bad out there. Just have to wait and see.
So we have only 2 more races and then the season is over and we may do a cross race or 2 then it is bmx racing. We are looking to maybe skip a lot of the cross ones because NATO has to race with the 18 and under and he is only 11 so that makes it kind of a waste of money. Also the barriers are up to his knees and he has to really work to get over them. We could get some good training in and once the bmx starts we will skip the rest of the cross any ways. So I will let it up to NATO and if he says he really doesn't want to race cross e won't. Well have to get my hair cut and get the bike race stuff ready. Later..

9/22

Just been riding the ss and did a night ride last night with Russ, Coop and Bubba. I like riding the night rides more then any training or riding that I do. It is more fun riding and having to make last minute turns and stips. Hitting a few trees along the way are par for the night riding.

This weekend is the race at Sunburst and the last ski hill mtn bike race. It looks like it may rain the day before and the day of the race so that is never fun and there are areas where there could be alot of mud and make the race real dificult to do. I have never done well at this race but I hope to change the tables this year. It is also the award presentation for the youth team so the kids will be having some swag to take home so they are looking forward to the race also.

As all of you have heard pray for our friend and racer Jeff Littman as he is recovering in ICU from a bad road race crash. He is a good friend and sponsors a team that rides the road and mtn bike. I hope to see him back on the bike soon. Later..

Fat Tire Weekend

Well we made it back from the Cheq Fat Tire race. I did the short and fat this year and that was fun. It is a sprint from the start. I finished under an hour and 36 over all. But as always our age group was the fast one and I was 7th in age. Dan did a great job as he was 2nd overall on single speed in the short and fat. Lenny did great and finished shortly after Dan. As for the others they all had fast 40's this year. As for Jack he was pre riding and took a spill and wreaked himself so bad that he couldn't even walk. He didn't race and I know that the race being as dry and fast as it was he would have been right up at the top. Bdog and Jerry both had top 100 finishes so that is great and the others all were happy. Have to go now. Later..

Fat Tire

Well nothing to say except that we are off to the Fat Tire race tonight. Easy week before the race and hope to do well. Great job to all who raced over the weekend. Happy B-day to Russell that the fact as the dirty old man is 40 on Thursday. Have a good weekend and see you all at the next race. I will post when and if possible or when we get back. Of course what happens up there stays up there so you may not get all the facts. Well maybe if Jack has as much fun as in the past we may let you know. Later..

Boiling point

How hot can it get in the field before you pop? Wow it was another hot one in Kewaunee in the fields. The first to race was Maddie and she pulled another 3rd place. She did well and said she is enjoying the races. In the beginning it was a little of a bummer because she was so nervous and really didn't want to race. Now she just goes and races and gets it done. I'm very proud of her. Next was Nate and Cece. Nate was in the lead group but said he just didn't have it and came in 7th place today. He races well and never complains about his finishes and I hope that at the next 2 races that he pulls it together and maybe places in the top 3 again. As for Cece she got another 3rd place today and that is good since school has started and she gets little sleep trying to get the school work done.

As for me I got in a group of 3 of us and we got a good gap by the time we hit the dirt. We were able to drop Todd and that left only Paul and myself. Paul pulled and we got a lead that none of the others could close. During the first lap I just hit the heat in the fields and bam I popped. I got to the point that I threw up and felt like quitting. Paul yelled at me and said let's keep it rolling. I did and the when we hit the last single track I got caught behind the slow women and on was walking over the little rock garden and Paul got a gap before the road. I rode it in as I was in 2nd and was making sure that no one in my age group got me. That was the worst I have ever felt from the heat and just pushed it on and kept on rolling. This 2nd place now makes it a large enough gap that I have 2nd locked up.

As for the others there was some great finishes. Sara got the elite ladies over win which is way cool. I can't wait to see her finish in the Fat Tire 40. And Holly got a 3rd overall to. Ron got a 10th place and the goat got 11th. And Jerry rolling to a 2nd in age. And Jack Hammer getting in the top 20 also. To all the others good job. See some of you at the Fat Tire 40.
Later..

Last CR race

Well the races at CR are done for the year. As fitting as it was we don't ride in the rain but tonight we raced in the rain. We started off in a light rain and it was a little slick in the corners on the Alpha trail. I was on the Alpha on the 2nd lap and heard a load lighting strike that was close. It started to rain real hard but I was already on the single track on the other side of the road so I kept riding. There was a lot of puddles in the corners and you had to ride pretty slow or you would be on the ground before you know what hit you. I finished my lap and they said we are only counting 1 lap so I ended up in 4th and 1st age group. I figured if you have top race in it you might as well do the training race in the rain as we haven't raced in the rain yet. I finished 2nd in age group for the year which isn't to bad as I only was able to make half of the races. Ron won the most races and will get his prize money to. Great job Ron.

Nate raced real well today also as he finished 1st age group and did his 2 laps also. He came up the hill full of mud and was loving it. He beat many of the adults today as they were afraid of the mud and turns in the water. He just rode right through them. He finished 2nd in age for the year also and he only made half of the races also.

Today before the races I ran to the shop and put a new head set in my bike and Cece's bike. Wouldn't you know I would have to end up in the rain on the first ride. Cece's bike needed a new one for a while and Russell order me 2 Tange because he said for half the cost of the King you get one just as good with a life time warranty. I figured I would give them a try. They look nice and felt good today.

Well tomorrow is the last group ride for the road bikes also. We are looking that maybe in 2 weeks that we are starting the night rides on Wed. So get the light's ready and see you on the night rides. Well have to go get some ice cream and hit the bed soon. Later..

Labor Day

Well what a great weekend. I did a ride on Sat with Dan, Jerry, Jeff, Russ, Copper, and John. We meet at 60th and Oakwood and rode around windlake. It was a nice tempo 55 mile ride. I needed a ride that wasn't a hammer ride as last week it was a race Sun then Tues and Wed and then the group ride on Thur. My legs were still tired and I needed a ride that I didn't hammer on. I was lucky because the guys didn't mind that I sat in for most of the ride. I got home and washed the car and truck and then waxed both of them.

I didn't ride on Sunday as we went to Ottawa lake in Waukesha county somewhere. I was a great day at the lake as the kids just played in the water and we all had a blast. The kids needed a time to just run around and play after the first week of school. After every other weekend of racing it was what we needed to just break up the training and racing.

Today we went to CR and rode with Jerry and Al. We did a bunch of runs on the single track and then went to the top. We rode for about 1.5 hours. It was a fun ride and just what the body needed no real hammer. I love riding the single track there and can ride it for hours and never get tired of it. On the way home we saw Ron and Toni and they were at St. Martins fair which is a circus in the streets. Maybe next year if we are home and not racing we will go there to so the kids a different culture.

Well Not much but the family time together and a little riding to get ready off the next race. Have to get off the computer so the kids can play some games. Later..

Holiday weekend

Well there is one more race at CR next week. This week was a shorter race because it get's dark way to soon for all the racers to finish. I felt tired and raced that way the last time up the hill as Steve caught me and Al almost did to. Nate and Danny rode together as I told Nate to just ride at a good pace because he was tired from Sunday and Tuesday at the track. He rode to get the legs spun out and work on his single track. Maddie rode her 3 laps around the cap and played with Liz and hit a bucket of golf balls. I enjoy the trails at CR and may got there over the weekend if I don't feel like riding the road.

The Tursday ride was a fast one as Billy Jones and a few of the fast guys from Endeaver were on the ride. I went to the front down woods road and took my pull. Then the guys took their pulls and the next thing I know we are going 30 mph into the wind. Needless to say I sat in and then when we hit the hills they all just took off and we were off the back. Jeff and Dan worked real good and we could always see them but everytime they got to a stop light it would change when we were like 20 yards away. We caught them down woods road and rode in with them. Next week may be the last ride or we may need to shorten up the course we take. Today is a day off the bike.

Tonight Cece is going to sit on a phone bank for one of the tv stations to take money for the people who ar e now homeless down south. That means the kids and I are on our own for the night. Maybe some take out pizza and a movie is in order. Tomorrow we are doing a group ride with a bunch around wind lake at 8:45am and then maybe I'll cookout with the family. Go to go. Later..