Honor Ride

You know how some days you come home from work, and it might seem like it'd take a beer or three or a long bike ride to feel "normal" again? Well, imagine coming back from work in places like Afghanistan or Iraq. I can only try, feebly, to imagine some of the challenges of coming home from work in such "strange", far off places; and after doing the difficult work that our armed forces do for us.
If there are any things that we can do as citizens to help returning vets feel more at home and return to "normal" back here in America, well I figure it is our duty to try to do those things, however simple. Even if it is just going out and riding your bike, and chatting away.

Ride2Recovery's mission:  Ride2Recovery is a national non-profit organization working directly with troops returning from Iraq & Afghanistan who have sustained mental and physical injury while serving their Country. Ride2Recovery uses the sport of cycling to help facilitate mental and physical rehabilitation for our nations healing heroes.

Thanks to Saris for putting on the Honor Ride, out of Middleton this past Saturday.
We had a nice route, with ample food/water stops, and a motorcycle escort draped in the American flag, Dane County Sheriff's controlling intersections for us, and at several spots along the route there were even folks cheering us on. When we crested the rise on Pioneer Rd on the way home and saw the massive American flag and the POW/MIA flag draped out over the road with the fire department ladder truck, it was a moving experience. Truly it was an awesome ride. It was like a double file social ride, with a police escort - and some serious meaning, too. For those folks able to stick around after the ride there was a healthy lunch and cold drinks. Then we were invited in to the American Legion Department Convention, and they had us ride our bikes into the convention! Crazy.  They showed a short film about Ride2Recovery, about their help for vets from Afghanistan and Iraq. Sal, who had been on the ride with us, gave a nice speech.  And then it was time for thank yous and goodbyes.

It was truly an honor to ride with the folks from Ride2Recovery.

I hope to have the chance to do it again next year.

Rapha Lunch Ride

dblomme

Rapha joined us on our lunch ride last Monday at Trek. Great guys – great ride.
They’ve got a good gig sweeping the US of A searching out cycling related events throughout the year.
And yes, I was rip’n it with the new Madone 7 Series – sweet!
Rapha Mobile Cycle Club
Rapha Lunch rides

Cross Eyed

dblomme
I’ve never been able to clear the blues with alcohol. If anything, it just makes me destructive when I’m in that mood. Riding, and riding hard has always helped clear my mind. The last two weeks have kicked in a good transition. I’ve been mountain biking most every day, finding trails that I forgot were there, and even threw on the squishy shoes and started to run again. One of the cool things about cyclocross which is similar to mountain bike racing, is that on some level, it is more of a solo effort. In a road race or criterium, your other teammates are relying and depending on your effort and smart tactical racing. Cross, not so much. I’ve missed some key races this summer with travel to Europe (not complaining because the trips were awesome), so cross season is going to get a serious punch in the face. I’ve got a couple cross seasons in me and upgraded, so I plan to be ready. We should have a strong team for cross this year - I’m shining up the cowbells and already looking forward to it even though it’s 6 weeks away!

Alterra Coffee Bean Classic at Crystal Ridge

Hot and hot and dust and more dust was the call of the day sitting at the bottom of the Elite start shoot waiting to for Don’s GOOOOOO!!!!!!

Had a good start heading up the right side but the left side seemed to be a mess as all I could hear was complaining and swearing.  Make it to the top and settle in the line on the way down to the first set of singletrack feeling pretty good and keeping a fast pace.  I’ve ridden the singletrack at Crystal Ridge a million times so it’s more or less a good place to recover while those that don’t ride there often tend to slow down given how tight it is.  A few passes on my way to the Alpha Trail until we reach Craters of the Moon which is littered full of rocks, ruts and an occasional piece of junk stinking out.  Make it to the top and hammer again to the next section of singletrack and back out towards the top of the ski hill and the Elite climb which is the steepest of the all the climbs we do but not as long.  One 40 foot section and then a quick cruise along the top to another 10 foot or so quick climb, not as steep.  Make a right and then left down to the switchbacks which are again a bit rocky, rutty, some junk but really uneven.  A couple of sharp fast turns and down into the intestines or “Marty” track as we call it with some really sharp turns that you have to really slow down to.  Make it through that and end up at the bottom of the gravel road which is the climb I hate the most, but it’s a steady climb and you just need to get in a good rhythm.  Climb to the top and the lap.  Repeat 3 more times and 28^th place for the day out of 60+.  That’s good for me J

Sanjay Ganju

Self Portrait

Sometimes when your logging miles you decide that it's a good time to take a self portrait. Then maybe edit a little using Photoshop Express & LEGO Photo (my kids introduced me to LEGO Photo)

Anybody else have a self portrait they want to share?

 

j.cassady

Hot N Tasty

Dblomme
Yeah it’s been hot! But riding, racing and fresh fruit is definitely in season.

Fitchburg "Fast and Furious" Criterium

dblomme
Very fun day of racing as a team in all categories.

Blur

I took a pretty big break from racing this summer.  A whole month.  As relaxing as it sounds, it was actually fairly stressful.  However, all the stress came to an end on June 16th.  After over a year of build up, Calli and I were married in Waunakee.  The ceremony, reception and pretty much everything about it went off really well.  The day we had planned for, for more than a year, was here and gone.

One of the more random parts of the day was during photos.  Teammate, and Waunakee resident, Dirk happened to ride by while we were having pictures taken.  We were at the covered bridge off of Brookside Lane when a few riders were looking to come through.  We stepped out of the way and sure enough, Dirk rolls by!  The photographers had us pretty busy, but he stopped quick to say hi.  Just another great part of our awesome day.

After the month away from racing, I knew that racing at TOAD was going to be a challenge.  I went to Waukesha for the first Sunday of TOAD.  I should have known better, but I didn't get there early enough to take a lap a race or two prior to mine.  I thought it would be no big deal to take a lap prior to the start of my race, especially on a course I had never raced before.  After riding the course, I rolled up to the start line in about the 10th row.  Not good.  As the race started, I was hanging in the pack but finding it hard to move up.  Lots of corners, a big bunch, and some Cat 2s in the mix with the Cat 3s didn't leave much room to move up.  I made a couple of big efforts to try and get to the front, as the acceleration in the pack were starting to take their toll.  However, with about 8 laps left, I just couldn't hang on anymore.  It could have been the hot day, the faster pace, the tough course, the slight hangover, or any combination of those.  I'm sure the month without any real hard efforts didn't do me much good either.

I skipped doing any of the mid-week races (saving some vacation days for a honeymoon later this year).  A wedding on the day of Downer's was not exactly how I wanted to be spending that Saturday, but it was fun.  I was pretty motivated to finish Madison.  I got a second row starting spot and was able to hang towards the front of the pack most race.  Again it was a very fast pace, but I could carry speed through the corners and maintain a position towards the front quarter of the bunch.  I was able to avoid a last lap crash and come in for 24th, a slight improvement on last year's finish.  Not great, but all things considered, I was happy with it.

Getting the fat tires out this weekend for the first MTB race of the season.  Good luck to all of those headed to state crits!