Catch up time

 Nate taking the hole shot on Sunday before fading away later to 11th place.

 Nate taking a off camber turn down the hill.

 Nate running up the big hill before he started to ride it and found it faster riding then running it.

 Nate riding the hill later in the race.

 John showing me all the trails at Lowes Creek in Eau Claire.  Man was that a blast riding Monday.

 John showing me some new trail called Northwest Park in Eau Claire on Tuesday.

 John again leading me on some sweet trails Tuesday.

Maddie at here swim meet yesterday.

So after sitting on my butt all day on Monday and Tuesday John showed me some extra trails at Lowes Creek park.  That was a blast to ride the trails that we race on and then ride so many other ones and the race course in the opposite direction.  Those trails are I think great in the other direction then the race direction.  Then on the Tuesday we went to a new park called Northwest Park and rode around there for a few hours.  Thanks John for the great riding.

Then on Wednesday I got home in time to watch Maddie swim at New Berlin West.  She was on the Medley relay race and was first with the back stroke, she was leading and then kicking off the wall her feet slipped and she lost a little bit of the time but held her own.  Then in the 100 meter back she won her race by 7 plus seconds, she was flying and looked strong through out her race. And then her last race was the 100 meter fly and she was the anchor leg and she made up most of the time that some of her team mates lost to finish 3rd.  I am really happy that she is enjoying swimming and so glad that she went out for the swim team, just wish she did 2 years ago.  But better late then never.

Tonight was a great night for a night ride with a bunch of great people.  I just wish I had a few more minutes to get there and get ready as traffic getting there had me just a few minutes before the ride took off.  But I got there and only had them wait a few minutes and then it was riding.  The trails were perfect and the temps made the ride so enjoyable that I could have ridden all night.  Have to try and fit a few more night rides in before the weather changes.  Later..

After the crash in the Jr race the day before Nate decided to just race the cat 3 race as his hand was still hurting.  He had a good start and hand the hole shot and on the hill run up he ran and Tim rode it.  Nate was able to hold the lead but slowly fell back in the field as the course a lot of punchy efforts and they took a tool on him. He slid back to 11th at the end.  He had a good race and the said he was still tired from the 2 races on the day before.  Thanks go out to the teams that put on 2 great races over the weekend as both were well run and both courses were fun to watch and race.

After the race it was off to Rays for Nate to work and me to ride for 6 hours. I have to say after standing for 2 days that my body was tired but the riding at Rays was fun and the changes were cool.  A few finishing touches when done should Make the riding more enjoyable when done.  Now I am on my way to Eau Claire for work and as always 3 days away put me a week worth of work behind at work and home.  Oh well just have to roll with it I guess.  The bad thing is I miss Maddie's swim meet tonight and hopefully I get home in time to make the swim meet on Wednesday night.  Oh well I hope the Teresa gets me there safe today and doesn't get a speeding ticket as we cruise along at 80mph on the way there.  Later..

Cross Domes

 Nate taking the lead on the Jr start.

                                     Chris doing his magic to a racers bike at the race.

 Nate at the start of the cat 3 race.

 Nate coming past the pits in the cat 3 race.

 Nate wishing the race was over.

 Nate on a cruise thru the park.

 Nate coming around the tree along the pit.

Coming into the last lap.

Nate Had a good start in the jr race and then going into the 2nd turn he rolled his tubular off his front tire and hit the ground hard.  He got up and ran about half a lap to the pits and got his pit bike and started the chase. He was dead last of all the jrs including the 10-14 year olds.  He worked his way through all of them and then chased to about 10 seconds behind Gage in 4th to end up 5th.  He was banged up and hurt his hand pretty good to the point that his pinkie is starting to swell up and is hard to bend.  But he did toe the line for the cat 3 race and had a good race ending up 9th after burning a lot of matches to chase in the jr race.  Now it is time to recover and get some rest and get ready to race tomorrow.  After that it is of toe work for Nate at Rays and play time for me at Rays.  But after the race I got home and had to cut the grass and wash the truck and cars.  But the good thing was Cece had a great dinner ready once Nate and I got done with the car and truck washing. Later..

Daycare opens tomorrow

http://www.raysmtb.com/  Don't forget that Rays opens tomorrow.  Have your paperwork ready before you go to save some time.  Hit the link and print and have it ready and if you are a minor and parents are not going you need it notarized or you are not going to get and ride.  So get it done and see you there, after Nate gets done with his cross race.  Oh yeah he has to work Sunday night there so stop in and say hi.  Later..

Ride'n and Swimming

I tried to think back to when it was the last time that Nate has not trained or raced.  Maybe a 7 years as we go from BMX in the winter to road and bmx in the spring, to road, track, mtn bike and BMX during the summer and then cross and bmx in the fall.  So this week it is just a few efforts and then more races over the weekend.  It is just a small break and then back to the full on training again for the later goals that have been set.  Plus Nate has to work 3 to 4 nights a week right now as he has the best job a bike racer could have.  He works at Rays indoor mtn bike park.  What a lucky kid to be able to work at his play ground.

Tomorrow is another swim meet for Maddie as she has a duel meet against Shorewood which is nice as Nate and I will be at the cross practice at a park in the area of the swim meet.  Maddie has to swim in 4 events again and she is really enjoying being on the swim team and is glad she went out for the team.  Hopefully we can pick a swim club and she can get more time in a pool to help her get faster and her strokes, breathing and flip turns become better.  But I am looking forward to getting to watch her swim again.  Time for me to look over some material for my Weight and Measures conference that I am going to next week.  Later..

Cross weeekend USGP style.

Here are a few pictures form the weekend of racing.  The top are form yesterday and it was dry and real sweet racing.  Nate had a mechanical with his handle bars slipped forward and he was to far over the bars causing him to crash.  He crashed 3 times but chased to have a sprint for 4th and 5th with Mitch.  Then today it was a mud fest and Nate raced well and rolled in for a 4th place.  It was a fun race to watch and cheer the racers on as they suffered.

The USGP series is a great run race but I do have 1 issue and that is that the Jr's start behind the Master 45 plus racers and these 17-18 year old kids are fast and catch them early and have to battle the masters and that causes a poor situation for the jr racers as some master racers move over and some don't.  I think that it is easier for a handful of the master racers to pass a few of the slower jr racers them 10 plus jrs having to battle each other and 75 plus master racers.  I will send a email to them to voice the situation and see what they say.  Now I need to get my feet up after washing 5 bikes after the race and then going over Nate's 2 bikes when I got home.  Later.. 

Race Time

http://www.usgpcyclocross.com/index.php  Come get some.  

Nate and Kaleb

Here is a real nice picture that the Kenosha News took of Nate and Kaleb racing at the Washington Bowl this past summer.  It was during the Kenosha News Jr race which Kaleb and Nate were tied in points and Kaleb won on the tie breaker.  But in all track is done, road racing is done and now we are moving on to cyclocross racing this weekend.  But in all a cool picture.  Later..

Tandem Pictures.

 Here are some awesome pictures that Mark Hirsch took of Greg and I racing the tandem over the weekend.  What a blast and thanks for the pictures Mark. Later..

Race pic's

 Nate and Joesy at the start line.

 Nate coming in for 3rd with clean wheels.

 Greg and I coming into the finish area.

Here is a picture that Skinnyski got of Greg and I with Anna right behind us.  She won the women's short and fat race again.  Awesome job Anna.

Here are some photo's from the weekend at the fat tire race.  Like always it was a blast and can't wait to line the tandem up again next year and have Nate racing the 40 miler too.  All I have to say it Greg was a blast to ride and race with and can't wait to race with him again next year.  Now it is time to get Nate ready for some cross racing.  Later..

Another Canvas print

Here are the 2 canvas prints that we have had made of Nate racing this year.  They really do a great job on the pictures and I really think that if you have a few pictures that you like look at the link on the side of the blog and get some made.  You will be happy with the work and the quality of the pictures.  They always have some great deals going on so friend them on facebook and watch for some deals to come your way.  Later..

Fat Tire fun

 Greg and I on the top box.  We won the tandem class.

Nate on the 3rd place box, Ian took 2nd and Jordan 1st.  This is for the overall of the race not the jr class.  They were the fastest of 900 plus racers.

 The Curtes gang after they finished the race.  Fear this group as they are fast as hell.

 Here are the top overall finishers getting their swag.

Here is a shot of the overall times.

More swimming

Today was another swim meet for Maddie.  This time it was at Cudahy and Maddie had to swim 3 events again tonight.  See looked really good and I seen a lot of improvement since her last meet on Saturday.  She took a 2nd in her 5o yard fly even though she missed the horn going off as it was real quiet.  She was the last into the water and then missed first by .21 seconds.  Maddie then swam the 100 yard backstroke and won that event and then she swam on the  4x100 yard freestyle and her team won that event.  In the end St Francis / St Thomas More won the dual meet.  I have to say it was fun to watch the swim meet tonight and I will have to try  to make a bunch of the other meets too.

Nate started his job tonight.  I think he has his dream job as it is working at Rays.  What a gig if you ask me.  Well I think all of you that will be going there are going to really like the new layout and of course you are going to be seeing alot him there. Well time to get the last few things packed for the race this weekend.  Later..

Race pic's

Pictures from themiwas.

Here is a sequence of pictures from the start of one of the races at Gate Way cup in St Louis.  I asked Nate about it and he said in the first few races he went hard in the first few laps to open up the legs and cause the racers that just hanging on to suffer and pop.  So I guess Nate does have a plan at some of the races and maybe I will stop asking him why are you doing this and that and just let him race his race as he maybe knows what he is doing.  Nothing else is going on here except a lot of orthodontist and dentist visits.  Later..