2 to go in Downtown Waukesha!

Tour of America’s Dairyland photo from Milwaukee Journal Sentinel online:
http://www.jsonline.com/multimedia/photos/212695281.html

Colorado - it’s not all training!

Pics from the Butterfly Pavilion – about 15 minutes from Boulder. Fun little afternoon side trip after a nice recovery ride. Got to be careful of overly friendly butterflies!

Colorado vacation

We were not on the bikes when we came across this little guy but were scouting the Friday climb and there he was. Probabaly a juvenile not too long away from mom.

More Colorado vacation

Colorado training vacation

A couple months ago, I was chatting with mates Forrest and Shelley. They were thinking about a Trek Travel training camp in Boulder, CO. Sounded like fun but wasn't really thinking in that direction. A few weeks later, I am re-thinking EVERYTHING as retirement musing has become retirement planning (as in starting to work part time in the not too far distant future) and thinking the Boulder trip sounds like FUN! And my beloved (the canoe racer in the family) said it sounds like fun also. So to make a long story short, we now are 4 days into a 7-day climbing camp. We drove out from Janesville, WI, leaving Saturday at 5AM and rolling in about 6:30 PM and then off into the hills the next day. We have had a couple epic days. Tuesday started with the Morgul Bismark loop then up Coal Creek 8 mile climb, over to Nederland and down Boulder Canyon into town. Not a LOT of miles but winds and heat - 20 mph winds and 95 in Boulder. A bit cooler in the high country but still mid 80s and I am SO not used to it. SO glad to have very good support from the guides as I have been going thru water like a sailor on leave goes thru beer (and yes, some of that too). The Estes Park loop the next day was much better - less winds and a little cooler and did not overdo it on the climbs so the 20 miles at 4% did not seem so bad. Unfortunately, my order for a change in wind direction for the descent apparently had not made it thru. Today was a nice easy recovery day on the flats before we do Left Hand Canyon tomorrow. Gonna have to eat my Wheaties in the AM!

Jim Merrifield

The Tour of Galena

Amanda, Arrietta and I enjoyed a fantastic weekend of racing at the Tour of Galena.  The race courses really played to my strength (lots of climbing), and I ended up taking 2nd in the omnium!  Arrietta placed 5th and Amanda was 6th.  We had a great time racing together, and we will definitely be back next year!

Lisa

Our version of the TREK100

Between today's TREK100 event, the great weather, tail wind, flat IL county roads and Gary's SAG (and lots of other good reasons I can't remember right now), we thought it would be a good idea to do 2 of our planned 50 miles days in 1 100 mile day. So tonight we are in Taylorville, IL, fed, showered and ready for bed. I'm glad we took the challenge, but I'm also happy not to do another 100 mile day again (at least until we get home)!

Bucket List

Didn't know these items were on my list, but after the ride, I can recommend adding them to yours. 

Riding on a volcano.  Check. 

Riding in Iceland.  Check. 

Season so far...

I came into this season with soft but certain goals; to improve my fitness, to improve my finishes, and to challenge for  for M123 points race.

I've accomplished, in my opinion, the first 2 goals.  I feel great, I'm riding stronger  than I have in a long time and smarter than I ever have.  There have been a couple mishaps, a couple mental let downs, but overall I'm satisfied.  As the points chase came into focus, I've had full support of the great groups of guys I ride with who have sacrificed there own results at times to help me.  I've learned to trust every man I race with fully....something that I've never experienced racing before.

I can honestly say though, for the first time that as important as all the racing, the points, the personal gains, the training are, they have all been replaced as THE biggest focus this season.  A little 6 month old beautiful girl has won that race!

No matter how I've done so far or how I will do in the rest of the season, everything is sweeter when I see her after I'm done.  The losses evaporate, the wins taste sweeter, and the off days just that.  Her eyes are like giant saucers each time the pack whirs by and I glance her way. She has brought much needed balance and focus to my life and thus to my riding.  When given the choice between taking a weekend trip that may have sealed my points but taken me away for 2 full days......I chose to stay home and play peek-a-boo and tickle her belly.   

As I said to my wife the other day about my racing: what happens happens, it's only racing.  

I'm just happy all aspects are going the way they are going.