K-Town Velo

Here are some pictures from the racing Tuesday night. Nate raced for the first time on the track bike since last summer and looked pretty good. he needs to get the leg speed back but maybe after a few bmx races that will come back fast. He took a 2nd in the win and out, a 4th in the miss and out and then raced a 25 lap points race with the big guys. He hung in for the first 16 laps and then ended up 1 lap down. He looked good and looks forward to trying to fit in a few races along with the bmx'n. Russell has a few words to say also. Later..

Riding in circles

Tonight Nate and I are heading to the velodrome for some track racing. I'm not going to race and Maddie is staying home to do her home work. Nate is ready for some racing and we are looking forward to some fixed gear racing. Of course this is a picture from last year. Later..

Memorial Day

Today is the day to remember those who lost their lives and those who are fighting for our freedom. Thanks again.

Hittin the road

Last night after church I went to the real Mexican restaurant a few miles from the house. I forget how big the burritos and Tortas are. We got a steak burrito for Nate and it was as big as a football and he ate about 4/5's of it and Maddie and Jess split her bean, onion and cheese burrito. I'm glad I wasn't in the same room as those 2. I had a torta which is a huge sandwich with pieces of steak and the rest of the favorite Mexican fillings. Also I bought 3 taco's which were not needed but Cece ate 1 and I ate the other 2. Add the chips and salsa and I was stuffed. Any time you want the real Mexican food come on over and I will take you the hidden secretes.

Today Nate and I went out to Lyons and rode the state road course with the Jr's and the fast guys on the MARS team and the fast guy from Hayes the B-Dog. It was a great day for a ride although it was a little windy but that made it all the better. The kids held up great and now they know the course and what to expect. I think the 3 of them will do great at the race in a few weeks. I got home and dropped Nate off at a friends house and then went and Bought a new TV. The one upstairs was almost 20 years old and the picture was getting smaller and it needed a kick to make it work right. I looked in the paper this morning and Circuit City had a deal on the Plasma's so off I was and got a nice one that I can watch all the cycling I want. Oh yea that is 2 hours a week. Well the NASCAR races will be nice to watch on it.

Crystal Ridge ride

Today we loaded the truck and car and went to Crystal Ridge for a nice ride. We took 2 cars as Cece and Maddie rode together and Nate and I rode together. After they rode for a while they took off and ran some errands so that is why we took the 2 vehicles so they didn't have to wait for us to finish our ride. Nate and I hit the Alpha trails a couple of times and then rode the trails at Crystal for a while. The bottom is a little wet in spots but not that bad that while riding that you do any damage by being on it. We had a nice ride for 2 hours and then came home and I got the Harley running so that one day I might take it for a ride, yea right as I have only out 200 miles on it in the last 3 years. Maybe I'll get it out one of the next 2 days. I also got the car washed and waxed so I only have the truck to do over the next 2 days. Have to get these things done now as over the next weekends it will either be a road race for Nate or a WORS race for all of us. Tomorrow Nate and I are going to meet the other Jrs and the Goat for a ride on the state road course. Nate is looking forward to the ride and so am I as I haven't ridden out there since the last time I did the state road race in like 91 or 92 before I got run over by the truck. I can't believe it was 14 years ago from May 23rd. Boy time flies when your having fun. Well time to get to church. Later..

Friday fun day

Here are some pictures from the race this past weekend. Thanks to Rusty for the action shots and a few that I for of Maddie and Cece at their start. It was a great race and I wish that all the racers had the same course that we had as it was getting perfect by the end of our race. Next year I hope we race there again as it was a primo course. I got a new cassette today as the one on the race bike was old and skipping the entire race. Last night was the Thursday night group ride. Nate, John and myself went up the big hill after the river as the wind was real strong and it made it tough for Nate as the 35 mph gusts were knocking his 80 pound body around pretty good. We still made it a good ride of 21 plus mph average by the end of the ride. We were about 1.5 miles from the end and it started to pour but it was a nice warm rain so it wasn't that bad. Got to train in it as you have to race in it. Tomorrow I'm going to take the punks and ride at Crystal in the morning and hopefully the rain holds out until we are done with our ride. Then on Sunday we are going to take the Jrs to ride the state road course. Have to wait and see about a Monday ride when it gets closer. Later..

What is this boy thinking?

I tossed a idea to Nate and he has been thinking about it. We will keep you posted.

Bubba Beaters

Nate at 1:20:39 and Mr. Gary Bender at 1:20:51. Way to go guys.

Russell's Supermate of the Week

Here is Russell's Supermate waiting for him to finish his race.

Round 2

We did the Tread Fest race today and it was a blast. Maddie started the day off for the family and pulled in with another 2nd place finish. She was a little scared at the start but once the race started she rode great. Cece was next and like Maddie who neither did the pre ride was wondering what to expect had a great race. She finished 3rd in age and enjoyed the course. After the race she said she would love to ride there more. Nate and I were next to toe the line and I was kind of hoping the Nate still had some gas in the tank after yesterdays race. Well he had plenty as he finished 2nd today. He was feeling better this week and said he was not feeling good at Iola and just raced it. I wish he would say something and we could have maybe done something about it. He is ready to train harder and wants more now. I'm glad to see that. I went to the line and had a good race also. I had problems as I put a new chain on the geared bike and a old wheel with a worn out cassette. The chain was skipping right from the start so I had to find a couple of gears that worked and ride it out. I made as many passes as I could and got a open area and just kept passing riders when I had the chance. By the last half of the 3rd lap the legs started to cramp so I shut it down and rode it in for 2nd place. We took off after the awards as it was raining and Nate has a sports banquet tonight. So time to leave for that in a few minutes. I will have to check the results to see how everyone did. I will post the few pictures I got later. Later..

MARS Wins

This morning the jr's went and raced a road race in Baraboo. The 3 of them got the field down to the 3 of them with Sarah and Peter in tow. Throughout the race they worked to try to pop the other 2 but they hung on. In the end Mitch lead Nate out for the win, Mitch got 2nd, Gage got 4th. Sarah took the 3rd place and Peter got 5th. More to come on Goat's site later. Time to load the bikes and head over for the pre ride. Later..

Friday

The weekend is here and Nate is in Madison with the MARS jr team. They are racing tomorrow and I think it will be another successful day for them. Nate had a softball game today and in 3 innings it was another killing, 27-1. Just 2 more games and then the training will amp up for him. The girls are all at a jewelry party so I went and visited my grandma and now it's time to relax to a quiet home. Later..

Thursday Beat Down

Tonight was one of the best training rides in a long time. It was a smooth pace and everyone cruised along for the entire ride. Nate only needed a few pushes tonight. Jeff pushed him up the long hill and then he made it to last stop sign where it was a race up the hill and he just didn't have the legs to close it, but hey it was only a mile from the parking lot. Len and I rode it in with him and had a nice average of 22.5 tonight. Nate has been looking better each week and has been staying in the pace line real nice and hopefully it will help him in his other races. Tomorrow it is a night off for Nate and a softball game before heading to Madison to do the race in Baraboo on Saturday morning. The Goat is taking the kids to stay by Mitch's Dad's place overnight and then to the race before heading to Lake Geneva for a pre ride before the race on Sunday. The kids should ready for the races as they have more energy then all of us combined. Later..

5-16

Well it looked like it may not have rained for most of the bone ride. I was a work and it kept looking dark to the west but it never rained until 6pm when Nate had to play softball. But as it went the other team only had 6 players show up so the other team forfeited. Nate's team now has a record 0f 7-0. They have a make3 up game Friday at 5pm and then 2 more games next week. They should win those next games and finish the season undefeated. John called and asked if I was still doing the ride today and I told him no as I have been on only 3 Thursday rides and and a handful of Sat rides. With the bmx racing and then the weather the rides have mostly on rollers and with the kids so I don't really know if I would have made it to the finish today. Any how with the leg and all it is probably a good thing not to do it any ways with no real long rides this year yet.

This weekend is WORS race #2 at Lake Geneva and it sounds like a killer of a course. I may have to pull the geared bike out for the race this weekend. I haven't ridden a geared bike in 2 years so it should be different. I have come to think that racing and riding the single speed is way easier as you can only push the gear you put on. Some of the hills are a bitch but the rest you are limited and you don't pop as easy. You lose some ground on the flats but the single track and hills it seems that you can pull away from others. So have to see what happens in the pre ride as I will take both bikes and try them to see which flows better.

No Bone for me

Pulling the plug on doing the bone ride tomorrow. With the weather showing a good chance of rain in the afternoon and the temps in the 40's in the morning I have decided not to ride it this year. Also after last year getting caught in the rain, sleet, hail and snow on the ride last year I don't feel like doing it and maybe getting caught in the rain again as that really sucked. So no long ride 3 days before a WORS race this year. Maybe next year.

Got back from the visit by my brothers and Cece's brothers Sunday night. It was a nice visit. Didn't get a chance to relax to much as most was driving and getting a project done with Nate for school. We will get a few rides in this week and hopefully be ready for the race coming up on Sunday.

Last night Nate had a softball game and they won again 28- 4 in 3 innings. We stopped batting in our 3rd as we had 1 out and would have kept batting. Gave them their last at bats and put in a pitcher that never pitches and they walked in the the runs that they got. He has 5 more games and then it is done. I think that they can win the rest of the games and go undefeated again this year. Later..

Russell's Supermate of the week

Today with the sun and temps being real nice I think Russell's Supermate will be working on her tan lines.

Thursday Ride

Last night Nate and I did the Thursday group ride. He was riding real good again and I'm wondering what is going on as he rides great one day and like Randy the next. I think he is just ready some days and guts it out and others he just goes Randy and quits. Last night he was on at the Fox River so we went the long route and he was in teh group until the last big hill. He just couldn't hold the acceleration so Todd and I stayed back and we rolled in with Nate in tow at 22 instead of the 24 we were at before the hill. When we got to the high school the rest of the ones that were dropped got on at the stop light and we rolled it in. I think a few more of the group rides and Nate should be able to handle the longer sport races better.

Last I tore the Duke off Nate's old bike and I'm going to put it on my spare B1 and have that ready for the next WORS race. The fork I had on the bike is heavier and the seals are blown so it needsto be over hauled so I'm just going to use the Duke for now. I hear that the gears will come in handy at the next race so I'm going to race the gears instead of the single speed. I know I'm being a Randy but I have to make it a little easier on myself.

Leaving for the twin cities area for a 40th B-day party for my Brother in law and celebrate mothers day with Cece's family. We are going to stay by my brother about 45 minutes from the party to make it easier then having like 15 people trying to stay at Cece's brothers house or paying for a hotel room. Then on Sunday we are having a B Day party for my brother and I and celebrate mothers day with my family. Taking the bikes for Nate and I with us. We are going to get a few rides in on Sat and Sun morning. I need to try to keep the legs loose as the Bone ride is next Wednesday. I'm taking the shorter route of starting in Hartland instead this year though. It will be a 120 miles still but not the 160 this year which is OK with me.

Thursday World Championships

Well Nate and I will get the chance to ride the Thursday group ride again tonight. I will try to keep him on until the Fox River and then we will go up the big hill and meet back with the group as they ride back into Big Bend and ride back down Woods Rd with them. Nate just needs a few more longer fast paced rides and I think he will be ready for the longer sport races. The distance was the key at the Iola race and it was the same last year for the first race. Just have to get past the longer time in the saddle and then he will get back to the form that will have him challenging for the medals. I also need a faster ride as I plan on doing the bone ride next Wed. so I hope I have enough in the tank for it. Just have to see I guess. Well see ya at the ride. Later..

Spring concert

Some pictures of the kids at the school spring concert.

More Iola Pic's

The top picture is of Nate getting ready to bat at one of his games. His team won the last 2 games by scores of 32-0 yesterday and 17-0 today. Each game was stopped after 3 innings. His team is now 5-0.

Here are more pictures from the race at Iola. They are in no order just more pictures. time to get some things done. Just no interesting things to blog about right now so it will be just pictures. Later..

Russell's Supermate of the week

Russell's Supermate letting everyone know he killed Kenny.

Got r done

Here are some pictures that were captured at the Iola race today. No particular order. Enjoy. I well add more another day.

Maddie took2nd.

Cece took 3rd.

Nate took 5th.

Jay took 4th.

Race recap to follow on later date.